manner of filthiness The tidings of which mov'd Innocent to urge King Lewis to hasten his march towards Asia with those Forces he had already got together for that intent He complied and arriv'd at Cyprus but it was at so unseasonable a time of the year that he was forc'd to take up his Winter quarters there but as soon as Spring came on he sail'd to Damiata where he got the better of the Soldan's Navy and defeated his Land-forces who would have hindred his coming on Shore where he pitch'd his Camp for so long as till the rest of his Troops could arrive from Italy But these were very much retarded by the fury of Frederic who weaning himself after a while from the pleasures in which he had been immers'd takes up his Arms again and fills the whole Country with confusion and compells several Cities in which were many factious Persons to throw off their subjection to the Pope the chief of which were the Inhabitants of Forli Arimino Vrbin and all the Marca di Ancona In Vmbria none stood to their Allegiance but those of Todi Perugia and Assisi and in Tuscany onely the Florentines were on the Pope's side who therefore were so harass'd by the Army of Frederic that they were forc'd at last to banish so many of their fellow-Citizens as were of the Guelphs Faction The Bologneses had better luck for giving Battel to Henry one of Frederic's Generals they overthrew him and cut him to pieces Some write that 't was at this time that Frederic passing into Sicily died at Palermo while others affirm that he was taken desperately sick in Puglia and when he began to recover he was smother'd to death with a Pillow by one Manfred who was his natural Son begotten upon a Noble-Woman his Concubine Howsoever this was 't is certain that some time before his death he had made Manfred Prince of Tarento and had bestow'd upon him beside that Principality many other Towns and Territories He left Conrade whom he had by his Wife Jole Daughter to John King of Jerusalem Heir of all his Estates but he was afterwards taken off by Poison as was manifest by the means of Manfred having before seiz'd upon Naples and Aquino and sack'd them much against the mind of the Pope who vigorously opposed these proceedings though in vain in order to procure the peace of Italy that he might have liberty to transport the Italian Soldiers to recruit the Army of King Lewis then lying before Damiata But Damiata was now taken and Robert Earl of Poitiers coming with fresh supplies from France he marches from thence with his Army towards the City of Pharamia whither the Soldan apprehending his design was already come with great Forces There happen'd to be a River betwixt the two Armies by reason whereof they could not join Battel but they had frequent light Skirmishes both Generals keeping themselves within their Camps in one of which Robert rashly venturing too far was taken Prisoner by the Enemy By this time Innocent had almost extinguish'd those flames of War with which Italy had so long been consum'd and intended to have return'd to Rome having first canoniz'd Edmund Arch-bishop of Canterbury but when he came to Perugia he thought good to decline his journey to Rome understanding the Senate there arrogated to themselves more Power than stood with the dignity of the Pope and Court of Rome and there he canoniz'd and enroll'd among the holy Martyrs Peter of Verona a preaching Frier who had been murthered by some Hereticks between Milan and Como and the same honour he gave to S. Stanislaus Bishop of Cracow who in his life-time was very famous for working Miracles Hence he was invited by the Noblemen of the Kingdom of Sicily and immediately departed for Naples then newly repair'd where he died and was buried in S. Laurence's Church when he had been Pope fourteen years six months twelve days just in the nick of time when he had hopes to have brought into his possession all that Kingdom It was by the Decree of this excellent Pope Innocent that the Octave of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin was commanded to be observ'd yearly in the Church of God as a Festival He with good advice fill'd up the places in the College of Cardinals which had long been vacant with very worthy personages and ordain'd that when they rode abroad they should always wear a red Hat for an honourable distinction of the degree they held Moreover this learned Pope though raised to the highest dignity in the Church compil'd and publish'd several things for he composed the Apparatus or Glosses to the Decretals which are of great use to the Canonists because they contain many nice disquisitions which render the Text wonderfully plain and he put forth another upon the Councils which Hostiensis in his Summa calls the Authenticks He wrote also a Book concerning the Jurisdiction of the Emperour and the Authority of the Pope in answer to one Peter surnam'd Vinea who asserted that the Empire and every person and thing thereunto belonging were absolutely subject to the Emperour to which Book Innocent afterwards gave the Title of his Apologetick He was extremely delighted with the conversation of learned Men whom also he remembred to prefer to dignities in the Church particularly one Hugo who wrote Comments and Concordances upon the holy Bible a Person famous for his learning and good life he advanc'd to be Cardinal of S. Sabina which great promotion yet did not make him leave his former course of life being a Frier of the Order of S. Dominic In this Pope's Reign and by his Order Alexander of the Order of Friers Minors who was well in years when he took upon him a religious Habit wrote a very copious sum of Theology by the procurement also of this Pope and enabled by his bounty Bernardus Parmensis and Compostellanus two very learned Men at this time made publick their Works upon the Decretals which they call'd Apparatus Innocent had not long been dead when he was follow'd by his Nephew William whose Tomb is yet to be seen in the Church of S. Laurence without the Walls ALEXANDER IV. ALEXANDER the Fourth a Campanian born at Anagni was chosen Pope in the room of Innocent and streight sends monitory Letters to Manfred that he should not at his peril attempt any thing that might be a diminution of the honour of holy Church for he calling to his aid the Saracens from Nocera had surprised the Church-Forces utterly unprepared that were in Foggia and either put 'em to the Sword or took 'em Prisoners and pretending that Conradine was dead and that himself was his rightful Heir he had taken upon him to rule as King In the mean while the Christians who we told you had encamp'd near the City of Pharamia were very much visited with sickness and press'd with want of Provisions that part of Nile being prepossess'd by the Enemy by which they were wont to be
as well as lay in his power fourteen years six months died and was buried in S. Peter's January the 27th The See was then vacant four months fifteen days ADEODATUS I. ADEODATUS a Roman Son of Jovinian was of a Monk created Pope at the time when Lupus Duke of Friuli endeavoured to posses himself of the Kingdom of Italy For Grimoaldus being as we have said called by his Son Rhomoaldus Duke of Beneventum to aid him against Constantius the Emperour at his departure commended his People to the care of Lupus and so according to the Proverb left the Sheep to the keeping of the Wolf For Lupus taking the advantage of Grimoaldus his absence involves all Tuscany Romandiola and a great part of Lombardy in tumult and confusion Hereupon Grimoaldus by gifts and promises prevails with Caganus to advance with his Avares against Lupus which he did and in the first Engagement had the worst of it But the next day renewing the Fight he overcame and slew Lupus and then sack'd and laid waste all Friuli Grimoaldus upon Constantius his leaving Italy returns into Lombardy and in his way on the Saturday before Easter takes Forlimpopoli puts all the Inhabitants of it to the sword plunders it and then levels it to the ground upon the score of an injury which he had received there from the people of Ravenna in his passage to the Aid of his Son Now Arnefites the Son of Lupus being assisted by the Dalmatians endeavoured to recover his Father's Dukedom but near the River Natisone he was vanquish'd and slain by the Lombards The Inhabitants of Vderzo had a share in his Misfortune being forced to quit their Countrey for having countenanced him in his pretensions At this time Sicily also was in a bad condition for Soldiers were sent thither out of all the Provinces of Italy to make head against Mezentius by whose treachery Constantius had been murdered Who being overcome and slain and the Soldiers again dispersed the Saracens arriving with a great Fleet surprize Syracuse and possess themselves of the whole Island After some time they return to Alexandria loaded with spoil and carry away with them those Ornaments of the City of Rome which Constantius had brought to Syracuse with design to transmit them to Constantinople These miseries and Calamities had been portended by a Comet which appeared three months together by great Rains and frequent Thunders such as had not been at any time known before But such is the blindness of Mankind that though they be warn'd of future Evils yet they do not as they ought provide against them 'T is reported that all the standing Corn which had been lodg'd by the continued Rains grew yet up again and came to maturity especially in Lombardy In the mean time Adeodatus being a person of great Piety and Humanity merciful towards Offenders bountiful to the poor hospitable towards strangers and compassionate towards all in Calamity repaired and dedicated the Church of S. Peter in the Via Portuensis He also added to the Building and Revenues of the Monastery of S. Erasmus on Mons Coelius wherein himself had been a Monk Moreover he appointed frequent Litanies upon the account of those Prodigies which we have said appear'd at that time At length having been in the Chair four years two months five days he died and was with general lamentation buried in S. Peter's June the 26th The See was then vacant four months twenty days DONUS I. DONUS a Roman Son of Mauritius was made Pope at the time when Grimoaldus King of the Lombards drawing a Bow high to shoot at a Pigeon and thereby straining his Nerves and Veins though it were nine days after he had been let Blood in the Arm yet thereupon it fell a bleeding afresh and could not be stanch'd till he died There were in this King several excellent Endowments both of Body and Mind He was a person of great Wisdom and Prudence in all Affairs and added several things very useful to Rhotaris his Edict which afterwards receiv'd the Form of a Law He was of a middle Stature strong Constitution had a bald head and long beard and was every way fitted for Action He was buried at Pavia in the Church of S. Ambrose which he had built at his own charge Pertharis Son of King Aripertus who as we have said had been deprived of his Right by Grimoaldus passing now during his Exile out of France into Britain was prompted by a Voice which he knew not from whence it came that Grimoaldus being dead he should seek to recover his paternal Inheritance Encouraged by this Voice though the Author of it were uncertain he returned into Italy and within three months after Grimoaldus's Death became repossess'd of his Father's Kingdom without any opposition About the same time died Dagobert the French King a subtil and crafty Prince and who was equally fitted for Counsel and Action whose Soul when it had been carried by Devils almost as far as the Island of Lipara is reported to have been delivered out of their Clutches by Dennis and Maurice the Martyrs and Martin the Confessour Saints for whom as his Patrons he had all his life-time a great veneration and had been very liberal in beautifying and enriching their Churches Now Pope Donus consulting the honour of the Church paved the Porch of S. Peter's called Paradise with Marble which he took as I suppose from the Pyramide over against Castel S. Angelo Moreover he repaired and dedicated in the Via Ostiensis the Church of the Apostles and in the Via Appia that of S. Euphemia He also appointed the several degrees of honour and distance to be yielded to the several Orders of the Clergy And discovering in the Boethian Monastery a Company of Syrian Monks who were of the Nestorian Heresie them he censured and dispersed into divers other Monasteries assigning their own to Roman Monks By his eminent Learning and Piety and through the submission of Theodorus Bishop of 〈◊〉 he reduced to Obedience to the Apostolick See the Church of Ravenna which had for a considerable time separated it self from that of Rome and upon that account had got the name of Allocephalis Some tell us that in his time Projectus a Bishop underwent the torment and acquired the glory of Martyrdom for the cause of Christianity and that Mezelindis a Woman of incomparable Chastity being solicited by her Lover Ardenius and upon her not yielding to his desires put to divers Torments by him yet prayed so fervently even for her Persecutor whom God for this Crime had struck with blindness that upon her Prayers his Sight was restored to him Our Donus having been in the Chair five years ten days died and was buried in S. Peter's April the 10th The See was then vacant two months sixteen days AGATHO I. AGATHO a Sicilian was Anno Dom. 702. of a Monk made Pope a person of great Piety and who cured a Leper whom he chanced to meet with only by a
came in good time for Frederick having promised Peace to the Romans was very urgent with them of the two Popes to chuse the more worthy and to depose and reject the other which when Alexander knew must be done as the Emperour should please he embark'd in the Gallies and escap'd first to Gaieta and from thence to Benevent Frederick afterward was driven from the City by a Plague of which both Citizens and Soldiers died like Sheep and as he march'd back through Lombardy the Army of the Confederate Cities met him and urg'd him to a Battel which he carefully declin'd and arriv'd in Germany When he was departed the Associates built a City at their common charge near Roueretto upon the River Taro which from the name of the Pope they call'd Alexandria to inhabit which from all the Cities they sent fifteen thousand Men dividing the ground equally among 'em and setting out the dimensions of their Streets and Houses The Romans yet regretted the slaughter made among 'em by the Tusculans and their Friends and therefore upon the departure of Frederick they took Alba and demolish'd it and had done the like by Tusculum if the Pope had not terrified them with Threats and Anathema's from doing so great a mischief At this time Emanuel Emperour of Constantinople sent other Ambassadours with greater Promises than before if the Pope could be brought to comply with his desire to whom Alexander gave this Answer that he was not willing to unite what his Predecessors had thought good industriously to disjoin In the mean time Guy the Anti-Pope died in S. Peter's Church which was still strongly garrison'd by Frederick in whose room the seditious substituted John a Hungarian Abbat of Sirmio who had before the repute of a Thief to him Raino who was afraid of the Romans upon account of the mischief he had formerly done them deliver'd up Tusculum upon condition that he should have Monte-fiascone in lieu of it but when Raino went to take possession of it the Inhabitants would not receive him neither would the Tusculans submit to the Anti-Pope upon which he return'd to Tusculum but was forbidden entrance From thence therefore he went to Alexius who was then at Veruli and surrendred to him all his Title to the place which when the Tusculans heard upon mature deliberation by a publick Decree they acknowledg'd their subjection to the Pope and receiv'd him Here it was that the Ambassadours of Henry King of England were heard when they came to clear their King of the false Accusation of having conspir'd the death of S. Thomas Arch-bishop of Canterbury But the Pope not easily giving credit to the King's Ambassadours sent two Cardinals into England with plenary Power to examine the matter to whom Henry paid so great respect that though he was engag'd in a War with Ireland yet he came as far as Normandy to meet ' em Upon debating the case it came to this end that Henry should by an Oath because the matter of fact was not clear purge himself and promise to do Penance for the murther of that holy Man of which though he were not guilty nor conscious yet it seem'd that the great spite and grudg he bore him in his life-time had given some occasion to the assassination and moreover that he should raise and maintain two hundred Soldiers for a year to assist the Christians in the Holy Land that he should within three years himself with what force he could raise undertake an Expedition to the same purpose that he should conserve the Ecclesiastical immunities in his Realm and not oppose any Appeals that might be made by his Subjects to the Court of Rome All these Conditions he having sworn to perform he had and he deserv'd it the right and Title to the Crown of England confer'd upon him and his Heirs with the Pope's consent Hence it may be observ'd that all the English Kings acknowledg themselves to have receiv'd the Title to their Realms of the Pope of Rome But Alexander having long strugled with the Romans offered them if they would admit him into the City to leave the whole Civil Government to their own managery and to intermeddle onely in religious matters but this would not be granted by them so he retir'd to Segna and there being inform'd by the English Ambassadours of the Miracles wrought by S. Thomas Becket he canoniz'd him Frederick now returning into Italy by Moncenisi took Seculia by treachery and demolish'd it he took also Asti which surrendered for fear and laid close Siege four months to Alexandria but receiv'd so much loss from the Sallies of the besieged that he grew weary of it and on Easter day rose up from before it and went to Pavia where a Treaty for the peace of Italy was carried on by the mediation of the Pope which the Venetians were willing to embrace who though they had been favourers of Emanuel before yet had receiv'd from him a horrid affront contrary to the Law of Nations for he had with red hot plates of Brass blinded their Ambassadour Henry Dandalo by holding them before his Eyes Mean time Almeric King of Jerusalem raised his Siege from before Cairo though he was not without hopes of carrying the place but was bought off with a great sum of Money and afterward march'd against Ascalon but was forc'd to quit that Expedition being in great want of provisions and finding his Soldiers to be very much tired and broken with the great and tedious toils of War they had undergone He did not long outlive his return but died and left his Kingdom to his Son Baldwin who though he labour'd with a dangerous Leprosie yet he manag'd his Government with great constancy and Wisdom Alexander thinking now to enjoy a perfect Peace made the new City of Alexandria a Bishops Sea An. Dom. 1177. but soon after Frederick re-enters Italy with great Forces and put all into confusion till the Milaneses with the joint forces of the Confederates so broke his Troops with frequent Onsets that in one of them Frederick's Horse was kill'd under him and he narrowly scap'd with life himself many of those of Pavia and Como being on his side were lost The Bishop of Pavia also because he took the Emperour's part was by the Pope deprived of his Pall and the honour of bearing the Cross Frederic's great Men thought these mischiefs happen'd to 'em because they persecuted the Church of God and openly threatned to return into their own Country and leave that wicked Warfare except he would be reconcil'd to the Pope speedily A Treaty then was begun for the Peace of Italy when Saladine a Person of great courage succeeded Noradine then deceased in the Empire of the Saracens who having taken and slain the King of Egypt added that Country and Syria to his Dominion not that his success was alike when he fought with the Christians being defeated by Baldwin in two Battels one at Ascalon and another at Tiberias but
seeing what would come of it made a journey from Narbonne to Perugia and exhorted the Cardinals several times to agree and perfect their Election And would have continu'd his importunity had he not been severely rebuked by Benedict Cajetan of Anagni who told him that he was too urgent and thereby seemed to lay a kind of restraint upon the Cardinals whose Votes ought to be free CAELESTIN V. CAELESTIN the fifth formerly called Petrus Moroneus by profession an Anchorite of Sergna who dwelt in an Abby two miles from Sulmona was made Pope at the request of King Charles and Cardinal Latinus A thing which all people wondred at so much the more because his holy retirement had voluntarily removed him out of the prospect of any such Grandeur After his Creation he went to Aquila and thither he summon'd all the Cardinals to him from Perugia But they were very importunate with him both by Letters and Messengers that he would come to Perugia which was a City more agreeable to the Dignity of a Pope Notwithstanding Caelestin's Will was at last obey'd who would needs have it so because he understood that King Charles was of the same mind Thereupon they went all thither and paid such homage to Caelestin as became a Pope Now Ptolomy says there were two hundred thousand men at his Coronation and that he himself was there too I suppose the people were taken with the newness of the thing and the holiness of the Person that a man that was an Eremite should come to such Honour as if he had been preferr'd by Heaven it self after so long a Contest between the Electors As soon as he enter'd upon the Popedom he made twelve Cardinals men of the greatest integrity of whom two were Eremites But because he did not alter his former way of living and take upon him the Grandeur of a Pope he was so kind and accessible to all that made suit to him as that he granted the same things to several persons which brought not onely a Contempt upon his Dignity but was a lessening to the Majesty of a Pope For indeed he was unfit for publick business by reason of the obscure life which he had led in the Wilderness Hereupon they talk'd of deposing him especially after the death of Latinus the Cardinal a good man by whose assistance Caelestin had hitherto made shift to support himself under so vast a burthen But some of the Cardinals being very instant especially Benedict Cajetan a cunning man and well skill'd in the Civil and Canon Law who was a great favourite of the Popes that he would remove himself from the Pontificate lest the Church of God should be endanger'd by the unskilfulness of its Governour he began to think of laying down his Papal Office But King Charles was so much concern'd at his levity and superstition that he takes the good man to Naples and endeavours to convert him from such base thoughts whilst the people cry'd out in all places that they would have no other Pope but Caelestin and heartily beseech'd his Holiness that so it might be To whom the Pope made answer That he would do nothing but what God would have him do and what he thought might be for the good of Christendom At that the Cardinals that desired he would leave the Papacy were very urgent with him to do it as soon as he could telling him the danger all Christendom was in by his ignorance and that all the mischiefs that then befell the Church would be put to his Account at Dooms-day The holy simple Man was moved with what they said and told 'em he would do as they 'd have him if it might lawfully be done Whereupon there was an Order made by unanimous consent that the Pope should have liberty to depose himself Which Constitution Boniface the eighth his Successor afterward confirm'd as appears in the sixth Book of the Decretals Then Caelestin return'd to his private life again and gave the Cardinals power to put another Pope in his place in the sixth month of his Pontificate And Benedict Cajetan by that means having most Votes was chosen Pope who seised upon Caelestin by the way as he was going into his Hermitage committing him to the custody of the Governor of a certain Castle called Fumo in Campagna di Roma For which he said his reason was lest the Authors of Sedition should one time or other bring some calamity upon the Church of God under his conduct although he really admired the Sanctity of the Man However this is certain that Boniface was very ungrateful as well as subtil first to chouse a good man out of his Dignity to satisfie his own ambition and then to take him when he would have retired again to his solitude and keep him in Prison till he dy'd for very grief before his time in seventeen months after he first came to the Pontificate There are some that say this Caelestin was so famous for Miracles after his death that there were frequent Discourses in Councils about his Canonization and that many people worship'd him as a Saint and put him in the Catalogue of Confessors His Anniversary is kept every year on the 17th of July which was the Day of his death by an Order of Clement the fifth made at Avignon BONIFACE VIII BONIFACE the eighth born at Anagni in Campagna di Roma formerly called Benedict Cajetan was made Pope at Naples upon Christmas Eve in the year 1294. He was a man of great Learning and Experience as having lived long in Publick and risen to the Popedom by all the degrees of Honour though not without some imputation of Pride and Ambition For whilst he was Cardinal-Priest of S. Martins in the Mount he was so desirous of the Papal Dignity that he omitted no fraudulent or other indirect means that might in his opinion conduce to his obtaining of it Besides he was a man of that arrogance that he contemn'd every body and recalled some Indulgences granted by Nicolas the fourth and Caelestin the fifth He also persecuted the Gibellines extreamly from whence arose that quarrel between the Pope and the Gibellines of Columna who also maintained their party against the Pope at Anagni Thereupon he began to calumniate and traduce them in general but especially two Cardinals Peter and James two famous Men of the same Family that upon the death of several Popes they had wasted the Churches Treasure and spread abroad scandalous Pamphlets against his own Person For after he had done 'em Injury they did indeed write to several Kings Princes and States concerning Boniface's Arrogance and Ambition how he had possessed himself of the Papal Sea against all right and reason after he cheated Caelestin out of it and then put him in Prison For there are some that write how Boniface sent some cunning Rogues privately in the Night-time to speak in a strange Tone through Caelestins Chamber-Wall and tell the poor simple man as it were by a
the Oar in the Gallies of the Turks Of the Christians after the fight was ended upon the numbers wanting in every Vessel the account of the slain amounted to seven thousand six hundred fifty six This signal Victory was attributed as much to the devout Prayers and Benediction of the Pope as to the valour of the Soldiers and conduct of the Captains the report of which as it filled all Europe with joy so it made way for the glories of Don John who was received into Messina with all the Triumphs and Festivals which that City could express also Antonio Colonna was with the like honour and triumph received at Rome Nor did the Venetian General want such encouragements and honours as that Republick commonly bestows in reward of Valour and Merit In memory of which signal Victory they stamped divers Medals with this Inscription Anno Magnae Navalis Victoriae Dei gratiâ contra Turcas This memorable Victory was obtained in the time of this Pius V. who was certainly one of the best of the Popes and therefore I know not why we may not say without offence to any that this happy success might be given in reward of the Devotion and Piety of this Pope for I am persuaded that God hath a particular care of godly Kings and Princes for whose sake as he often blesseth their people so he bestows some memorable blessings on them of signal Remark in their Reign On which persuasion I am apt to believe that as God bestowed this Victory on the Christians in the time of this Pius V. against that great Sultan Selim II. So now in these our days he hath given Victory and unexpected success to the Christians before the Walls of Vienna against Mahomet IV. in reward of the great Piety and Devotion of Leopold the Emperour whose Devotion and Prayers joyned to the Arms of the King of Poland and of other Princes have operated Miracles and delivered Germany in a wonderful manner from the power of the Turk And yet notwithstanding the religious temper of this Pope we find that he excommunicated Queen Elizabeth as far as his Bull would operate he deposed her from Royal Dignities and conferred her Crown on Mary Queen of Scots and persuaded Philip King of Spain to seize on the effects of the English Merchants at Antwerp and other parts of the Low-Countries and to assist the Catholick Subjects in England in their godly and religious Conspiracies as Gabutius calls them against the Queen their natural Sovereign Pius oblatam occasionem haud contemnendam esse ratus efflatigabat ab Rege ut Anglorum in Elizabetham pie conspirantium studia foveret Thus we see how far a mistaken zeal may transport good Men which though it may in some measure excuse from the aggravation of a Crime yet it cannot prove sufficient to set Men entirely upright at the great day of the just Ballance This Pope added also to his other Excellencies the Virtue of loving wife and learned Men and such as were endued with a vivacity and acuteness of parts for he scarce preferred any to considerable Dignity but such as were excellent in some degree or other and of the twenty one Cardinals which he created at three several times there were five of them at least who were Men of extraordinary Abilities and famous in their Generation He founded certain publick places for Learning and Piety amongst which he endowed a College in the University of Pavia for the Education of Youth and affixed over it the Arms of the Ghislers at Boschi the place of his Birth he built a Monastery for Dominican Friers and endowed it with a competent Revenue and to demonstrate his gratitude to his Antient Benefactors he created a Magnificent Sepulcre in memory of Paul V. by whom he was created Cardinal and in short he made many new Buildings and repaired several that were decayed in the Vatican and both within and without the City of Rome After all which about the middle of March 1572. he became indisposed by a stoppage of Urin of which he commonly had a fit in that Month the which illness encreasing upon him gave him notice that his end approached from which time converting all his thoughts to holy and pious meditations he spent the short remainder of his time in the preparation of his Soul for death which happened on the first of May following the same day he died his Body was embowel'd and three little stones found at the neck of his bladder which the Physitians declared to be the cause of his death He was generally lamented by all and especially by vertuous Men for considering his principles his Enemies had nothing worse to object than that he gave a Dispensation to Philip King of Spain to marry with the Daughter of his Sister and of Maximilian his near Kinsman and yet would never be induced to consent unto the Marriage of Margaret of Valois Sister of the King of France with Henry King of Navarre making the difference of Religion a greater bar to Marriage than the degrees of consanguinity forbidden by the Levitical Law The day after his death his Body being clothed in the habit of a Jacobin was carried into the Church of St. Peter where the people assembled in great numbers to render him Honour and Veneration every one touching their Beads and Rosaries at his Body in the same manner as was their practice at the Reliques of Saints and afterwards he was honourably buried in the same Church where his Body lay deposited until afterwards Sixtus V. in grateful remembrance of the benefits he had received from him transported it to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore and erected a stately Monument over it in a Chappel built for that purpose with this Epitaph inscribed upon it Pio V. Pont. Max ex Ordine Praedicatorum Sixtus V. Pont. Max. ex Ordine Minorum grati animi monumentum posuit GREGORY XIII PIVS the Fifth being dead and his Funeral Rites after the accustomed manner being performed the Cardinals entred the Conclave and with common consent elected Hugo Buoncompagno who was Priest and Cardinal of S. Sixtus to the dignity of Pope he was born at Bologna of the antient Family of the Buoncompagni his Father was called Christopher and his Mother Agnola Marascalchi by whom he was at first educated in the Studies of the Civil Law in which having made great proficiency he took his degree of Doctor in the University of Bologna at the age of twenty eight years and in a short time was made Judg of the Court of Trade erected in that City for tryal of Mercantile Causes afterwards in hopes of better preferment he went to Rome where he was constituted an Assistant to the Senator who was Judg of the Court held in the Capitol and the year following he was made Clerk of the Signet for Dispensasations and other Beneficences In the time of Paul III. he was employed at the Council of Trent and made Vice-Auditor of the
first year of his Reign had been celebrated with the like glory as was the former his beginning would have been too happy and auspitious Therefore that the ensuing year might prove more fortunate he intended to make it his chief employment of the whole Winter to offer his Prayers and supplications to God with fasting Masses and Processions that he would be pleased to favour and assist the Cause and Arms of the Christians against the Enemies of the Cross of Christ But whilst the Pope was meditating of these things and contriving means to prosecute the War with most advantage the Venetians unexpectedly about the beginning of the year 1573. clapt up a Peace with the Turks by the mediation of their Bailo who then with the French Ambassadour at Constantinople had treated the Conditions with good success to which Sultan Selim the more readily inclined for having done right to his honour by the Conquest of Cyprus and by taking several Fortresses in Dalmatia he more easily condescended to terms of Peace without diminution or disparagement as was supposed to the greatness of his Power But both the Pope and the Spaniards were not satisfied with the Venetians for having without their consent and privity and contrary to the Articles of their League made this Peace with the Turk In excuse for which the Venetians dispatched their Ambassadours to the Pope and King of Spain giving them to understand that the extream urgency of their Affairs which by many circumstances were rendered difficult had forced them to an Accommodation with the Turk and in like terms they expressed themselves to Cardinal Buoncompagno the Pope's Nephew whom Gregory had in the year 1574. sent unto Venice to complement Henry King of Poland who by the death of Charles IX was returning by that way into France to take possession of that Kingdom In this manner the Pope being eased of his expensive War against the Turk converted the current of his Treasure to the assistance of Henry III. against his Protestant Subjects in France for supply of which he raised the sum of four hundred thousand Crowns by Impositions which he laid on Cities belonging to the Church and confirmed the Bull given by Pius V. for sale of Church-Lands of which there remaining as yet to the value of fifty thousand Crowns of yearly Rent unsold he constituted the Cardinals of Bourbon Guise and Lewis d' Eâ—â—e Commissioners for the Sales Nor was this Pope in other matters esteemed less generous and magnificent for to the Duke of Bruswick who came to visit him at Rome he made a Present of seven thousand Crowns and erected many Churches there from the foundation and built Colleges and Churches to the number of twenty seven in divers remote parts of the World for Seminaries and places of Worship and Religion And for the more solemn and ornamental Celebration of the Jubilee in the year 1575. he enlarged the Street leading from the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore to the Lateran for the more commodious passage of Pilgrims and having repaired the Portico or Porch of S. Maries which was become ruinous he caused this Inscription to he engraven over it Gregorius XIII Pont. Max. Eugenii labantem Porticum refecit magnificentius restituit Viam rectam ad Lateranum aperuit Anno Jubilei MD. LXXV In this year arose dangerous Discords and civil Dissentions between the antient and the new Nobility of Genoua to which latter the Commonalty of the City adhered having by them been possessed with an Opinion that the Antient Nobles in favour of whom most of their Laws ran intended to usurp such an Authority over them as should be little different from Slavery this jealousie made so deep an impression in the minds of the people that they betook themselves to Arms and had proceeded to blood and ruin had not a stop been made thereunto by the Wisdom and Oratory of Senarega the Chancellour who being a moderate Person and one of whose prudence and honesty the people had a great Opinion persuaded both Parties to remit their differences to the Pope the Emperor Maximilian and the King of Spain The which being accorded on all hands Senarega was in behalf of the New Nobility dispeeded to the Pope with whom whilst he was stating the case between both Parties Intelligence was brought to Rome that Don John d' Austria was then at Gaeta preparing a very great Fleet against Genoua in expectation and with probable hopes to prevail by the means and advantages of those intestine Discords of the City But the Pope at the request and upon the applications made by Senarega dispatched a Letter to Don John exhorting him to desist from his Design which was so displeasing to him that in case he persisted therein he was resolved to raise all the force of Italy to oppose his Enterprise the which Menaces having given a stop to the proceedings of Don John several persons were substituted Arbitrators in these differences by the Pope the Emperor and the King of Spain namely Cardinal Morone Castacciaro Borgia and Idiaquez who taking the state of the whole matter into their consideration rectified and reformed many antient Statutes established new in their places and so governed all things with that even hand that an accord was made and concluded in the Month of May 1576. with that satisfaction to both Parties that the Citizens and Inhabitants who had retired from Genoua for fear of the civil Dissensions returned again to enjoy their repose and ease according to their accustomed Liberty Nor was the Pope less concerned for the Peace of Poland where great differences arose amongst the Nobility as hath been accustomary about the election of a King For Henry III. of France having as we have said resigned his Elective Government to take possession of his hereditary Kingdom of France the Election of a new King administred great cause of dispute and argument by reason of the many powerful Princes which stood in competition and were Candidates for the Election as namely the Emperor Maximilian II. and Ernest his Son with his Brother the Arch Duke of Austria Stephen Battori Prince of Transilvania Alphonso II. Duke of Ferrara together with the Great Duke of Moscovy The Contests between these mighty Rivals proceeded to that degree that nothing but force of Arms could determine the Controversie which the Arch-bishop of Gnesne with many other Associates intending to prove forsook the place of Election and with armed Bands declared for Maximilian the Emperor against whom an other party appeared in favour of Anne Daughter of the Royal Family of Jagellona in Poland intending in right of her to confer in Marriage the Crown upon Battori Prince of Transilvania but these dissentions were soon after concluded by the death of Maximilian the Emperor Battori being after his Marriage with Anne by general consent of all the Nobles received and crowned King of Poland and thereupon sent his Ambassadours to Rome to pay his respects and obedience to the
speedily the which he accordingly did in the space of two days after in words to this effect That his Holiness would be pleased together with him to render thanks to God Almighty for being pleased to conserve the remnant of his Fleet from such dreadful storms and tempests and for bestowing on him Riches and Power sufficient to set out and equippe an other equal to the former That he had sent his Fleet to fight against the Enemies of Christ but not to Combat with the Seas and Winds and therefore saw no cause to blame his Officers either Civil or Military And in fine perceiving the subtil manner of the Pope to forestall his demands of succours or reparations he concluded his Letter in this manner That the loss did as well concern the Pope as himself by whose directions and encouragement he had undertaken that Enterprise That he having had the glory to have lost a Fleet in the service of Christ had already performed his part and that now for the future the next attempt belonged to the Church in which he promised to follow but not to precede It was believed that the King wrote with this resolution and indifferency of mind to the Pope to let him know that this misfortune did not abate his Courage or force in defence of his own Dominions for the King was jealous and had cause sufficient to suspect that the Gallies which the Pope had lately built and the vast sums of Money which he had lately amassed were with design on the Kingdom of Naples on which the Count Olivarez Ambassadour at Rome having always a vigilant Eye did constantly inculcate to the Pope in his Discourses That so much as his Master had lost in seeking the Conquest of others Kingdoms as much he did not doubt but to recover on any Prince who should attempt on his Dominions This year 1588. famous for the destruction of the Spanish Armada was signalized also towards the end thereof on the 23d of December by the death of the Duke of Guise a Prince of such popular esteem that he appeared greater than the King and to eclipsed the Sovereignty that not longer enduring to be so clouded he resolved to break through the obscurity by the destruction of the Duke whom the King caused to be assassinated by eight Executioners as he was entering into his Closet being thereunto called by his Command these Officers of the King's displeasure so effectually performed their work by the mortal stabs they gave him that he had not time to utter one word but onely breathed out his life with dying groans the same day the Cardinal his Brother was imprisoned and the next day being the Eve of Christmas was put to death the which misfortune to the House of Guise was followed by the imprisonment of the Cardinal of Bourbon the Pope's Legat at Avignon the Arch-bishop of Lions and of the eldest Son of the Duke of Guise The news of the Duke's death was dispeeded to Rome with such diligence by an Express that the Pope received it on the 3d. of January 1589. at the same time that he was discoursing with the Cardinal Joyeuse touching the Affairs and interest of France The Pope at the arrival hereof did not seem troubled or in the least manner surprized for though the Duke was a zealous Defender of the Roman Catholick Religion yet considering that he was ambitious and popular and one who checked the Sovereign power the Pope who was a great Assertor of the Monarchical Authority in its Supreme degree received the news of his unhappy fate without any remorse or resentment and so shrinking up his shoulders said Had we been King of France we should have done the same And when the particulars were all recounted he added Such is commonly the destiny of Men who committed many Errors with subtil Arts but then know not how to conserve themselves with mature judgment and due caution But when about four days after that Intelligence came how that the Cardinal of Guise was likewise put to death and that the Cardinal of Bourbon and the Arch-bishop of Lions were imprisoned he then began to fume and storm like an enraged Bear venting his passion with ten thousand violent expressions against the King clapping his hands and stamping with his feet on the floor in such manner as affrighted all his Servants and Attendance Henry III. of France being acquainted with the humour of Sixtus and how apt he was to resent the least injuries towards Ecclesiastical persons and encroachment on his Authority dispatched Girolamo Gondi a Florentine Gentleman with all expedition to Rome to join with his Ambassadour the Marquess Pisani in making excuses for the death of the Cardinal and the imprisonment of the Cardinal of Bourbon and Arch-Bishop of Lions being thereunto necessitated contrary to his own nature for the conservation of his own life and Crown Gondi being arrived at Rome and having consulted together with the Ambassadour the way and manner to address themselves unto the Pope and being admitted to Audience the Pope with a stern Countenance looked on them and with sharp and severe terms began to reproach the King wondering how he could dare to violate the immunities and priviledges of the Ecclesiastical State and the dignity of Cardinals and against all Laws both Divine and humane could entertain so much wickedness in his heart as to murther a Cardinal and imprison two others of eminent dignity in the Church as if they had been subjected to the Secular power The Ambassadours for Reply hereunto in modest terms but yet with grave and unmoved constancy began to relate the Treason and Plots of which the Cardinal was guilty contrary to the Faith and Allegiance which he owed unto the King with whom also the Cardinal of Bourbon and the Arch-bishop of Lions had been Complices It is true said they it would have best become the righteousness and judgment of a King to have proceeded in a juditiary way according to all the methods and rules of Law but the Cardinal assisted by the power of his Brother and by the Authority of the two other potent Prelates was become too strong for the Law or to be treated by the usual formalities of common Process for they having forced the King to abandon his Palace and fly in disguise through the streets of Paris there remained no mild terms of Accommodation but either the King must become a Subject unto them and divest himself of his Dignity and resign his Power into the hands of those Guardians as if he were in his pupillage or years of minority or else he must serve himself of those means which God appointed him for conservation of his Crown and Regal Office in which he was anointed In fine they concluded that the King was an obedient Son of the Church and was ready to satisfie the desires of his Holiness to the utmost of his power and to that end he had expresly sent this Gondi now present before him
Soter 23. Eleutherius 24. Victor I. 28. Zephyrinus 27. Calistus I. 28. Anterus 33. Stephen I. 38. Felix 41. Eutychianus 42. Caius 43. Miltiades 50. Of the Nicene Council 52. Of Sylvester ibid. Of Damasus 63. Siricius 65. Anastasius 67. Zosimus 71. Boniface I. 72. Stephen III. 144. Gregory III. 136. Nicolas I. 168 Desiderius King of the Lombards 140. takes several Cities in Italy 145. is overthrown by Charlemagne 146 Devil in the shape of Moses beguiles the Jews 74 Didymus a learned Christian 65 Dionysius Bishop of Corinth 23 Dioscorus the Heretick 77 Disciples of Christ their several Provinces 1. Dominic 256. Founder of the Order of Preaching Friers 257. Canoniz'd 262 Domitian the Emperour his Character 11 Donation of Charlemagne to the Church 147. Of Maude the Countess 226 Donatus a Sectary 59 Dorothea a Virgin her Chastity 50 Dorotheus a learned Christian 42 Dulcinus and Margaret Hereticks put to death 300 E Easter observ'd always on a Sunday upon what occasion 20 25 Ebionites Hereticks 52 Ecelino Tyrant of Padua 270 Edessa taken by the Turks 236 Edmund Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Canoniz'd 268 Edward Prince of England his Voyage to the Holy Land 278 stab'd ibid. being King he mediates between the Kings of France and Aragon 289. War between him and the French King 291. obtains a great Sea Victory over 'em 311. Another by Land 315. besieges Paris 318 Egesippus a learned Christian Writer 22.83 Elizabeth Daughter to the King of Hungary Canoniz'd 262 Elisha's Body found 80 Ember-Weeks when first instituted 28 31 Emmanuel II. Emperor of Constantinople his treachery to the Christians 237 Encratitae Hereticks 21 English first make themselves Masters of Great Britain 73 Ephrem Syrus a learned Writer 67 Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine ib. Epiphanius Bishop of Pavia p. 82 Este the Family Lords of Ferrara and Modena 300. 28 of that House hang'd at once 302. drive the Church Forces out of Ferrara 307 Ethelwolph King of England 164 Evagrius a learned Christian 71 Eudocia the Catholick p. 80 Eunomius a Heretick 61 Eusebius surnam'd Pamphilus and why 48 Eusebius Emissenus 58 Eusebius of Cremona 76 Eutropius Epitomizer of the Roman History 73 Eutyches the Heretick p. 76 Exarchate of Ravenna extinguish'd 140 F Fast not to be observ'd on a Sunday 50 Faustus Bishop 83 Flavianus Bishop 77 Florence made a free City 289 Florianus Emperour 42 Florinus a Heretick 25 Forlimpopoli sack'd and ruin'd 114 S. Francis Founder of the Order of Friers Minors 257. Canoniz'd 262 Frangipani a Roman Family 229 Fratricelli a holy Brotherhood 297 Frederic Emperour engag'd in the Holy War 251 Frederic II. his Contests with the Pope 260. Frederic III. comes to Rome 378 Friscus of the House of Este murthers his Father 301 Fucinus the Lake drein'd 3 Fulgentius Bishop 83 Fulk Earl of Anjou King of Jerusalem 236 G Galba Emperour his good and bad qualities 7 Galerius Emperour 47 Gallienus Emperour 37 Gallus Emperour 37 Gascons subdu'd by Charlemagne 148 Gemblours the Monastery when and by whom built 182 Gennadius Bishop 78 Genoeses routed by the Venetians 271. a mortal hatred between 'em 281 326. defeat the Pisans 289. invade Cyprus 321 Genseric King of the Vandals 74. routed 78 Germanus Bishop 82 Geta Emperour slain 28 Gibellines and Guelphs 264 Gildo a General of the Empire sets up for himself 70 Gisulphus D. of Benevent 125. Another 202 Gloria Patri when added to the ends of Psalms 63 Godfathers and Godmothers a Decree concerning them 19 Godfrey King of Jerusalem 221. defeats the Army of the King of Babylon ibid. Gordianus Emperour 34 Goths driven from Rome 91 Granada in Spain seiz'd by the Saracens 126 Gratianus Emperour 66 Gratian who compil'd the Decrees 257 Gregorius Baeticus a learned Bishop 65 Gregory Nazianzen 67 Gregory Patriarch of Constantinople a Monothelite 117 S. Gregory his body translated 159 Grimoaldus D. of Beneventum 112 114. makes himself King of the Lombards 115. his death ibid. Another 150 Guelphs and Gibellines when first so distinguish'd 264 Guido Bonatus an Astrologer 286 Guy of Lusignan King of Jerusalem 248. taken Prisoner 249 H Hannibali and Vrsini two factions at Rome 285 Hawkwood an English-man 319.319 the Pope's General 320. in several Services 321 331 332 Haydo Governour of Aquitain rebels 155 Haymo Brother to Venerable Bede 126 Helchesaites Hereticks 35 Helena Mother to the Emperour Constantine finds the Holy Cross 48 Henry D. of Bavaria Emperour 196 Henry II. Son of Conrade Emperour 199 Henry III. Emperour 206. depriv'd by Pope Gregory 209 Henry IV. Emperour 225 Henry of Luxemburg invades Italy 302. is Crown'd at Rome 303 Henry King of England meets the Pope 235. satisfies him about the murther of Thomas Becket 245 Henry Son of Richard of Cornwal murther'd 279 Heraclea taken by the Christians 218 Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem 248 Heraclius a learned Christian 27 Heraclius Emperour 104. his Actions 105 Hermes a Christian Writer 20 Hilarius Bishop of Poictiers 65 Hilarius Bishop of Arles 76 Hildebrand a Monk 202. made Pope 207 Hilminoline a Saracen General 256 Holy-Water See Water Holy-War See War Honorius Emperour 70 Host ordered to be made of Unleavened Bread onely 16 Hubert a Bishop in Bretagne 122 Hugo de Sancto Victore 233 Hungari a Scythian People 173 come into Italy 180 181 Hunns a Scythian Nation 173 179 John Hus burnt for a Heretick 346 Hymns added to the Divine Service 17 18 125 I James surnamed Justus his Acts and martyrdom 4 S. Januarius his Body translated 156 Iconium taken by the Christians 218 S. Jerom the learned Presbyter 69. his death 72 Jerom of Prague burnt for a Heretick 346 Jerusalem taken by Titus 9. permitted by Julian the Apostate to be rebuilt 62. taken by the Saracens 108. recover'd by the Christians 221. retaken by the Saracens 250. dismantled 258 S. Ignatius his martyrdom 13 Images in Churches ordered by the Emperour to be pull'd down 132 141. Decrees thereupon at Rome 144. at Nice 148 Inventio Crucis 48 Inundations of the Tiber 131 149 167 Joan Queen of Naples kills her Husband 313 Pope Joan 165 S. John the Apostle banish'd into Patmos 12 John Bishop of Bergamo 121 John Arch Bishop of Ravenna submits to the Pope 168 John King of Jerusalem 258 Joppa taken by the Christians 222 Josephus when he liv'd 8 Jovinian Emperour 63 Irene Empress of Constantinople 149 Isidore Bishop of Sevil 105 Jubilee first kept every fiftieth year 296 Julian surnam'd the Apostate 59.61 his death 62 Julianus Emperour 65 Julius Africanus an eminent Writer 33 Justin Martyr when he liv'd and his Works 18 Justin Emperour 86 Justinian I. Emperour 88. his Actions 89 Justinian II. terrifies the Saracens into submission 121. breaks faith with them 123. is deposed and his Nose cut off 124. restored 126. his severity upon his Enemies 127. and ingratitude to his Friend 128. slain 129 Juvencus a noble Christian 56 L Lactantius Firmianus when he lived 48 Lambert a holy Martyr 125 Latinianus a Bishop 102
Lent first Instituted 18 Leo Emperour 78.79 his Edict against Images 132 S. Leo his body translated 125 Leodegarius Bishop of Autun 122 Leontius makes himself Emperour 124. deposed ibid. Lewis surnam'd the Godly Emperour 153 Lewis King of Bavaria 154 Lewis Son of Lotharius 100. Crown'd King of Italy 161. being Emperor he comes to Rome 167 Lewis King of France engages in the holy War 267 Lewis of the French Bloud Royal canoniz'd 295 Libanius the Orator 71 Licinius Emperour 49 Lions a Council there 280 Lombards their coming into Italy 96 Lotharingia Lorain why so call'd 160 Lotharius Emperour 154.160 Lucca made a free City 289. taken by the Germans and sold 308 Lucifer Bishop of Cagliari 59 Lucina a Roman Lady leaves the Church her Heir 47 Lucius King of Britain 24 Lucius an Heretical Bishop violent against the Orthodox 64 Luithprandus King of the Lombards 129. takes Ravenna 131. besieges Rome 134. his character 136 Luke the Evangelist 10 Lupus Duke of Friuli 114 M Macarius Bishop of Antioch a Monothelite 117 Macedonius a Heretick 61 Mahomet the Impostor 105 Malchion an eloquent Presbyter 38 Manes a Persian Impostor 41 Manfred Prince of Tarento 267. made King of Sicily 270. is kill'd 275 Manichees their Heresie 42 Marcion the Heretick 19 S. Mark employ'd by S. Peter to write his Gospel 4. his Body translated to Venice 158 Marriages a Decree concerning them 23 S. Martin's body works a Miracle 172 Martyrs their Acts ordain'd to be written and preserv'd 33 34. Masses yearly to be celebrated upon their account 41 Mathild or Maud a noble Countess 204. her death 206 Mauritius Emperour 98 Maxentius Emperour 48 49 Maximian Herculeus Emperour 44.48 Maximian Galerius Caesar 44. Emperour 47 Maximine Emperour 33.49 Maximus the Tyrant 77. a learned Christian of that name 127 Melito Bishop of Sardis 20 Merlin the British Prophet 79 Messalina Wife to the Emperour Claudius put to death for Adultery 3 Mezelindis a Woman of incomparable chastity 116 Milain taken by Sforza 377 Minutius Felix when he liv'd 31 Modestus a Christian Writer 25 Monothelites a Council held concerning them 117 Montanists Hereticks 21 Guido Montfort murthers Henry Son of Richard of Cornwall 273 Simon Montfort 256 Moors invade Calabria 176 N Names of Popes when first chang'd 160 Naples taken by Belisarius 91. besieg'd 253 Narses the Eunuch 94 Nepos a Heretick 39 Nero Emperour his Vices 6. kills himself 7 Nerva Cocceius Emperour his character 12 Nectorius his Heresie 74 Nice in Bithynia a Council there 51 Nicetas an Eunuch Patriarch of Constantinople 141 S. Nicolas his Body translated 216 Nicopolis taken by the Christians 218 Nogaret a French Cavalier 298 Normans have a part of France allow'd them to inhabit 172 Novatianus his Heresie 34. opposed by whom 36 O Odoacer King of the Heruli invades Italy 79 Olympius the Exarch 111 Optatus Milevitanus when he liv'd 66 Holy Orders not to be conferr'd at once 65. not upon maim'd or infirm persons 67. nor Foreiners without Testimonials ibid. nor on Servants 71. nor Debtors 72 Organs introduced first into the Church 114 Origen a learned Christian 27.29.32 Ostia the Harbour there by whom made 3 Otho Emperour an Account of his life 7 Otho II. Emperour 184 conquers Boleslaus King of Bohemia 183 comes to Rome 185 Otho Abbat of Clugny 207 Otho Duke of Burgundy engag'd in the Holy War 251 P Palaeologus Michael assumes the Empire of Constantinople 272 Pallavicino a powerful Gibelline 270.273 Pamphilus a learned Presbyter 43 Pantheon given to the Christians 103 Papias Bishop of Hierapolis 14 Papias the Lombard Glossographer 257 Paris when and by whom made an University 152 Parishes Rome when first so divided 14 Paschal an Arch-deacon endeavours to make himself Pope 123. convict of Sorcery ibid. S. Paul the Apostle 5. beheaded 6 Paulus Samosatenus a Heretick 26.40 Paulus Diaconus when he liv'd 147 Pelagius his Heresie condemn'd 69 Pepin Duke of Austrasia 124. King of France 137.141 his death 142 Pepin Son of Charlemagne 149.150 dies at Milan 151 Pepin Son of Lewis the Godly King of Aquitain 154 Perinus King of Cyprus 321 Pertheris King of the Lombards 120 Peter an Hermite excites the Christian Princes to the Holy War 217 Peter Abelardus a learned Men 238 Peter of Verona canoniz'd 268 Peter King of Aragon 287. his Kingdom given away by the Pope 288 Peter Luna Anti-Pope 338. his death 356 Petrarcha a learned Man 311 S. Petronilla S. Peter's Daughter her body translated 141 S. Philip the Apostle 10 Philip the Emperour 34 Philip King of France engag'd in the Holy War 251. returns home 253 Philippicus Emperour of Constantinople 129. deposed and his Eyes put out 130 Philo Judaeus when he liv'd 8 Phocas Emperour 101 Photinus a learned Bishop 18. Another of that name an Ebionite 65 Photinians Hereticks condemn'd 52 Picenninus a great Commander 361 Pisans overthrown by the Venetians 253. by the Genoeses 289. their City taken by the Florentines 339 Pistoia taken and rased 301 Plague through Europe 98 Platina the Author of this History imprison'd by Pope Paul II. 403. and tortur'd 410 Pliny the second occasions a persecution of the Christians to be stay'd 13 Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna 19 Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus 26 Posthumus an Usurper in Gallia 38 Pragmatic Sanction 396 Presbyters not to be ordain'd but by a Bishop 65 Primates who are to bear that Title 22 Priscian the Grammarian 88 Priscilla a Roman Matron builds a Cemetery 47 Priscillian his Heresie condemn'd 69 Probus Emperour 43 Projectus a Bishop martyr'd 116 Ptolemais besieged by the Christians 251. taken 253. retaken by the Infidels 292 Q Quadragesimal Fast See Lent Quadratus a learned Disciple 14 Quintilian's Works when and by whom found out 382 Quintillus Emperour 40 Quotiliani Hereticks 25 R Rabanus a learned Monk 159 Racherius Bishop of Verona 182 Rachis King of the Lombards 137 Ravenna the Church there reconcil'd to that of Rome 116. the pride of their Bishops repress'd by the Pope 119. the City taken by the Lombards 131. the Exarchate extinguish'd 140 Raymund a Commander in the holy War 217. a Debate between him and Boemund 220 Reggio surprizsed by treachery 320 Remigius Bishop of Rhemes 80 Rhodes taken by the Turks 111 Rhomoaldus Duke of Beneventum 119 Richard King of England engaged in the holy War 251. strikes up a Peace with Saladine 253. is taken Prisoner 254 Robert Guiscardi a great General 202. defeats the Saracens 203. and Greeks 204 Rodulphus King of Burgundy 181. of Habspurg Emperour 280. sells to several Cities of Italy their freedom 289 Rome sack'd by the Vandals 77. besieg'd by the Lombards 96 Rothifredus King of the Normans 171 Ruffinus a Roman General 70 S Sabellius Author of the Sabellian Heresie 39. his Heresie condemn'd 52 Sabinus King of the Bulgarians 141 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper various Decrees about it 16.17.20.27.125 Saladine King of Egypt 246. defeats the Christians 249. takes Jerusalem 250. his death and Character 254 Sanctuaries in
presence of several Brethren taking hold of my hand This says he is the person whom having been my assistant in all affairs since I came to Rome I constitute Bishop of that City and when I shewed my willingness eo decline so great a Burden he exposulated with me in this manner Wilt thou consult only thine own convenience and deny thy assistance to the poor fluctuating Church of God when it is in thy power to steer it But he being a person of wonderful modesty did freely prefer Linus and Cletus to that dignity before himself undertook it He wrote in the name of the Roman Church a very useful Epistle to the Corinthians not differing in style from that of the Hebrews which is said to be St. Pauls This Epistle was formerly read publickly in several Churches there is another bearing his name which the Ancients did not thing authentick and Eufebius in the third Book of his History does find fault with a long Disputation between St. Peter and Appion said to be written by our Clement 'T is certain that John the Apostle son of Zebedee and Brother of James lived till this time who was the last Penman of the Gospel and confirmed what had been before written by Matthew Mark and Luke The reason why he wrote last is said to be that he might confront and defeat the Heresie of the Ebionites who impudently denied Christ to have had a being before his Birth of the Blessed Virgin and accordingly we find him very particular in demonstrating the Divinity of our Saviour He wrote several other things and among the rest his Revelation during his banishment into the Island Patmos by Domitian who being afterwards slain and his Acts for their excessive severity rescinded by the Senate he returned to Ephesus in the time of Nerva where he continued till the Reign of Trajan supporting the Churches of Asia by his Counsel and Writings till at last being worn out with Age he rested in the Lord the sixty eighth year after the Passion of Christ. Our Clemens by his Piety Religion and Learning made daily many Proselytes to Christianity whereupon P. Tarquinius the High Priest and Mamertinus the City Praefect stir'd up the Emperour against the Christians at whose command Clement was banish'd to an Island where he found near two thousand Christians condemn'd to hew Marble in the Quarries In this Island there being at that time a great scarcity of water which they were forced to fetch at six miles distance Clement going going to the top of a little Hill hard by sees there a Lamb under whose right foot flowed miraculously a plentiful Spring with which all the Islanders were refresh'd and many of them thereupon converted to the Christian faith At which Trajan being enraged sent some of his Guards who threw Clement into the Sea with an Anchor tied about his neck But his blessed Body was not long after cast on the shore and being buried at the place where this miraculous fountain had sprung up a Temple was built over it This is said to have happened September the fourteenth in the third year of the Emperor Trajan He was in the Chair nine years two months and ten days he divided the Wards of the City among seven Notaries who were to register the Acts of the Martyrs and at the Ordinations which he held according to Custom in the Month of December he made ten Presbyters two Deacons and fifteen Bishops By his death the See was vacant two and twenty days S. ANACLETUS ANACLETUS an Athenian son of Antiochus was successor to Clement in the time of Trajanus This Trajans Predecessor Nerva Cocceius was an excellent person both in his private and publick capacity just and equal in all his proceedings and one whose Government was very advantageous to the Republick Through his procurement the Acts of Domitian being repeal'd by Decree of the Senate multitudes thereupon return'd from banishment and several by his bounty had the Goods of which they had before been plundered restor'd to them But being now very old and drawing near to the time of his Death out of his care of the Publick Weal he adopted Trajan and then died in the sixteenth Month of his Reign and of his Age the seventy second year Trajan himself a Spaniard surnamed Ulpius Crinitus coming to the Empire surpassed the best of Princes in in the glory of his Arms the the Goodness of his Temper and the moderation of his Government He extended the bounds of the Empire far and wide reduced that part of Getmany beyond the Rhine to its former state subdued Dacia and several other Nations beyond the Danow recovered Parthia gave a King to the Albanians made Provinces beyond Euphrates and Tygris overcame and kept Armenia Assyria Mesopotamia Seleucia Ctesiphon and Babylon and proceeded as far as the borders of India and the Red Sea where he left a Fleet to infest those Borders The Ecclesiastical Laws and Constitutions of Anacletus were as followeth viz. That no Prelate or other Clerk should suffer his beard or hair to grow long that no Bishop should be ordained by less than three other Bishops that the Clergy should be admitted into holy Orders in publick only and that all the faithful should after Consecration communicate or be put out of the Church By this means the Christian interest encreas'd that Trajan fearing lest the Roman State might be impaired thereby gave allowance to a third Persecution of the Christians in which multitudes were put to Death and particularly Ignatius the third Bishop of the Church of Antioch after St. Peter Who being taken and condemn'd to suffer by wild beasts as he was carried to Rome by his Guards whom he called his Ten Leopards he all along in his passage encourag'd and confirm'd the Christians by Discourse with some and by Epistle to others declaring his readiness to suffer in this manner Come Cross come Beasts come Wrack come the torture of my whole body and the torments of the Devil upon me so I may enjoy Christ. And upon the occasion of his hearing the Lions roar Corn says he I am let me be ground by the teeth of these beasts that I may be found fine bread He died in Trajan's eleventh year and his bones were afterwards buried in the Suburbs of Antioch But Plinius Secundus who was then Governour of that Province being moved with compassion to see so many executed wrote to the Emperour Trajan informing him that incredible numbers of men were daily put to Death who were persons of an unblameable life and who in no point transgressed the Roman Laws save only that before day-break they would sing Hymns to Christ their God but that Adulteries and the like Crimes were disallowed and abominated by them Hereupon Trajan gave order that the Magistrates should not make search after the Christians but only punish those who voluntarily offered themselves During this Persecution Simeon the kinsman of our Lord son of
design to ensnare and circumvent him too till his Plot being discovered by his Daughter Fausta who revealed the whole matter to her Husband he betook himself to flight but was taken and put to death at 〈◊〉 thereby suffering the just punishment of his Villanies or as others tell us his condition being desperate he laid violent hands upon himself During the Pontificate of Eusebius on the third of May the Cross of our Saviour was found and very much adorn'd and had in great 〈◊〉 by Helena Constantine's Mother Judas also who found it was baptized and his name being thereupon changed was afterwards called Cyriacus This Bishop admitted Hereticks to the Communion of the Church upon their retractation by the imposition of Hands only Moreover he ordained that no Laick should commence a Suit against a Bishop In his time lived Lactantius Firmianus a Scholar of Arnobius Who being a Professor of Rhetorick at Nicomedia and discontented that he had so few Scholars in a City of Greece he thereupon betook himself to Writing wherein he became so excellent that he gain'd a Reputation next to that of Cicero himself He wrote many things but his works that are 〈◊〉 extant are those against the Gentiles concerning the Creation of Man and the Anger of God In his old Age he was Tutor to Constantine's Son Coesar Crispus in Gallia Eusebius also Bishop of Coesarea in Palestine a Partner with Pamphilus in the diligent search after divine Learning wrote a vast number of Books particularly those de Proepar Evangelicâ an Ecclesiastical History against Porphyry a violent opposer of the Christians six Apologies for Origen and three Books of the Life of Pamphilus the Martyr whose name he added to his own for a surname as a testimony of the strict friendship there had been between them But our Eusebius the Bishop of Rome having at one Decembrian Ordination made thirteen Presbyters three Deacons fourteen Bishops died at Rone and was buried in the Coemetery of Calistus in the Via Appia October the second He sat in the Chair six years one month three days and by his death the See was vacant one day S. MILTIADES MILTIADES an African was Co-temporary with Maxentius Maximine and Licinius a Dacian who for his being an Excellent Soldier was admitted by Galerius to a partnership in the Empire These being sensible that Constantine was well belov'd and highly esteem'd by all men did for that reason seem less enraged against the Christians Yet Maxentius sent his Soldiers about with private Instructions to massacre all they could secretly meet with and taking delight in Magick at the performance of the hellish Rites belonging to that black Art he would send for great-bellied Women especially Christians and rip them up for the sake of their unborn Infants whose ashes he made use of in his Sorceries thereby shewing that Tyranny might be supported and kept up even by Villany Maximine also exercis'd the like rage and cruelty in the East giving Rewards and Preferments to the Professours and Teachers of Witchcraft and Sorcery and being himself very much enclin'd to give credit to Auguries and Divinations became the more bitterly incens'd against the Christians because they despis'd such superstitions He commanded likewise that the decayed Idolatrous Temples should be repaired and Sacrifices offered to the Gods in them after the ancient manner Against them Constantine advancing with his Army gain'd so perfect a Victory over Maxentius at Pons Milvius that his grief to be so shamefully defeated caused him to forget the snares which himself had laid and so passing over a Bridg which he had deceitfully contriv'd to entrap his Enemies he himself with the greatest part of his Guards were drown'd in the River Having also both by Sea and Land overcome his Sisters Husband Licinius he forced him at Nicomedia to yield himself and to live privately at Thessalonica a confinement which he justly deserved because having apostatiz'd from the Faith meerly through Envy he had been a grievous Persecutor of the Christians for the good will they bare to Constantine As for Maximine he became manifestly the object of Divine Vengeance his bowels and entrails being on a sudden so swoln and putrefied that there appeared no difference between him and a putrid carcass Worms in great abundance breeding in his flesh and rottenness with intolerable stench overspreading his body This dreadful punishment had been long 〈◊〉 for by his wicked practises for he had forbidden the Christians to assemble at the Sepulchres of the Martyrs and had given out that at Antioch an Image had spoke and proclaim'd aloud that the Christians must be banish'd out of the Cities when indeed they were certain knavish Priests whom himself had suborn'd who from their adjoyning private recesses had uttered these words and moreover he had distributed Rewards through the several Provinces to the Idol-priests who were active against the Christians But at length the Physician plainly telling him the danger of his condition the Tyrant began to relent and by a publict Edict forbad all persons to molest or injure the Christians and suffered them to enjoy their liberty But this forced Repentance slood him in no stead for having been a long time 〈◊〉 with grievous pain and disease at last died this cruel and inconstant man who had been sometimes an Encourager sometimes a Persecutor of the Christians During these Calamities multitudes of Christians were put to death and particularly Dorothea a most virtuous and Beautiful Virgin who chose rather to die than to yield to the Tyrants Lust. Sophronia also having been oftentimes sollicited by Maxentius like the Noble Lucretia slew her self to avoid the danger her Chastity was in from him Miltiades ordained that no Christian should keep a Fast upon a Sunday or Thursday because those days were observed and kept holy by the Pagans and the Manichoean Heresie being at that time very prevalent in the City of Rome he made several Constitutions concerning Oblations These things being setled he was by Maximine's order crowned with Martyrdom as were also Peter Bishop of Alexandria Lucianus a a Presbyter of 〈◊〉 a man eminent for Piety and Learning Timothy a Presbyter of Rome and divers others both Bishops and Priests Miltiades was buried in the Coemetery of Calistus in the Via Appia December the tenth During his Pontificate he did at one Ordination make seven Presbyters six Deacons twelve Bishops He sat in the Chair four years seven months nine days and by his death the See was vacant seventeen days S. SYLVESTER SYLVESTER a Roman the Son of Ruffinus was Bishop in the time of Constantine A. V C. 1091. Anno Dom. 339. Under this Prince the Christians who had been continually harrassed by Tyrants began to have some respite For Constantine was equal to the best of Princes in all endowments of Body and Mind very desirous of Military Glory successful in War and yet freely granting Peace to them who asked it
When his other great Affairs permitted he took very much delight in the study of the Arts by his Bounty and Goodness he gained the love of all men many good Laws he enacted repeal'd those that were superfluous and moderated those that were too rigorous Upon the Ruines of Byzantium he built a City of his own Name and endeavouring to make it equal in stateliness of buildings to Rome her self he ordered it to be called New Rome as appears from the Inscription under his Statue on Horse-back This great Prince well weighing and considering all things when he came to understand the Excellency of the Christian Religion how it obliges men to be moderate in their Enjoyments to rejoyce in poverty to be gentle and peaceable sincere and constant c. he thereupon heartily imbraced it and when he undertook any War bore no other Figure on his Standard but that of the Cross the form of which he had seen in the Air as he was advancing with his Forces against Maxentius and had heard the Angels near it saying to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this do thou overcome which accordingly he did freeing the necks of the people of Rome and the Christians from the Yoke of Tyranny and particularly defeating Licinius who had expell'd the Christians from City and Camp and persecuted them with banishment Imprisonment and Death it self exposing some of them to the Lions and causing others to be hung up and cut to pieces limb by limb like dead Swine Sylvester having so potent and propitious a Prince on his side leaves the Mountain Soracte whither he had been banished by the Tyrants or as some say had voluntarily retired and comes to Rome where he soon prevailed with Constantine who was before well enclined towards the Christians to be now very zealous in deserving well of the Church For as a particular testimony of the honour he had for the Clergy he allowed to the Bishops of Rome the use of a Diadem of Gold set with precious Stones But this Sylvester declined as not suiting a person devoted to Religion and therefore contented himself with a white Phrygian Mitre Constantine being highly affected with Sylvesters Sanctity built a Church in the City of Rome in the Gardens of Equitius not far from Domitians Baths which bore the name of Equitius till the time of Damasus Upon this Church the munificent Emperour conferr'd several donations of Vessels both of Gold and Silver and likewise very plentifully endowed it While these things were transacting at Rome at Alexandria a certain Presbyter named Arius a man more remarkable for his Person than the inward qualifications of his mind and who sought more eagerly after Fame and vain-glory than after Truth began to sow dissention in the Church For he endeavoured to separate the Son from the Eternal and ineffable Substance of God the Father by affirming that there was a time when he was not not understanding that the Son was Co-eternal with the Father and of the same substance with him according to that assertion of his in the Gospel I and my Father are one Now Alexander Bishop of Alexandria having in vain attempted to reclaim Arius from this his Errour by Constantines Appointment and at his great Charge a General Council was called at Nicoea a City of Bithynia at which three hundred and eighteen Bishops were present The Debates on either side were long and warm For divers persons subtil at Arguing were favourers of Arius and opposers of the simplicity of the Gospel though one of these a very learned Philosopher being inwardly touched by the Divine Spirit all on a sudden changed his opinion and immediately embraced the sound and Orthodox Doctrine which before he had pleaded against At length the matter being throughly discuss'd in the Council it was concluded that the Son should be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. acknowledg'd to be of the same substance with the Father Of those who were of Arius's Opinion affirming the Son of God to be created not begotten of the very Divinity of the Father there were seventeen But Constantine coming to understand the truth of the Controversie confirmed the Decree of the Council and denounc'd the punishment of Exile to those who contradicted it Hereupon Arius with only six more wer banish'd the rest of his Party coming over to the Orthodox Opinion In this Council the Photinians were condemned who had their name from Photinus a Bishop of Gallogroecia who taking up the Heresie of the Ebionites held that Christ was conceived of Mary by the ordinary way of generation as were likewise the Sabellians who affirmed that the Father Son and holy Ghost were but one Person In this Council also the Bishops according to Custom gave in Bills of Complaint to Constantine wherein they accused each other and desired Justice from him but the good Emperour burnt all their Accusations and told them that they must stand or fall by the Judgment of God only and not of men In this Council moreover it was decreed That no person who upon pretence of allaying the heat of his Lust had castrated himself should be admitted into Orders that no new Proselyte without a very strict Examination should be ordained and being so that it should not be lawful for him to co-habit with any other Women than his Mother or Sister or Aunt that none should be promoted to the Order of a Bishop unless by all or at least by three Bishops of the Province and that one Bishop should not receive any person whether Clerk or Laick who stood excommunicated by another It was decreed likewise and that very sacredly to prevent all oppression that there should be a Provincial Synod held every year whither any who thought themselves injured by the Bishop might appeal and I cannot see why this wholsom Institution should be abolished by the Prelates of our Age unless it be because they dread the Censures of the pious and Orthodox It was decreed also that they who in time of Persecution fell away before they were brought to the Torture should from thenceforward continue five years among the Catechumens Finally it was decreed that no Bishop should upon the account of Ambition or Covetousness leave a smaller Church for a greater a Canon which is quite laid aside in our days wherein with eager Appetites like hungry Wolves they all gape after fatter Bishopricks using all importunities promises and bribes to get them The Constitutions of Sylvester himself were reckon'd these that follow viz. That the holy Oyl should be consecrated by the Bishop only that none but Bishops should have the power of Confirmation but a Presbyter might anoint any person baptized upon the occasion of imminent death That no Laick should commence a Suit against a Clergyman that a Deacon while he was doing his Office in the Church should use a Cope with Sleeves that no Clergyman should plead for others or himself before a Secular Judg. That a
In his time lived 〈◊〉 Bishop of 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 twelve Books 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 and one against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not long 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also an 〈◊〉 who had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 old Age so great a Proficient in those Arts which most require the assistance of sight particularly in Logick and Geometry that he wrote some excellent Treatises in the Mathematicks He published also Commentaries on the Psalms and the Gospels of Matthew and John and was a great opposer of the Arians Moreover Optatus an African Bishop of Mela compiled six Books against the 〈◊〉 and Severus Aquilius a Spaniard who was kinsman to that Severus to whom Lactantius penn'd two Books of Epistles wrote one Volume called 〈◊〉 As for our Siricius having setled the Affairs of the Church and at five Ordinations made twenty six Presbyters sixteen Deacons thirty two Bishops he died and was buried in the Coemetery of Priscilla in the Via Salaria Febr. 22. He was in the Chair fifteen years eleven months twenty days and by his death the See was vacant twenty days ANASTASIUS I. ANASTASIUS a Roman the Son of Maximus was made Bishop of Rome in the time of Gratian. This Gratian was a young Prince of eminent Piety and so good a Soldier that in an Expedition against the Germans that were now harrassing the Roman Borders he did in one Battel at Argentaria cut off thirty thousand of them with very little loss on his own side Returning from thence to Italy he expelled all those of the Arian Faction and admitted none but the Orthodox to the execution of any Ecclesiastical Office But apprehending the Publick-weal to be in great danger from the attempts of the Goths he associated to himself as a Partner in the Government Theodosius a Spaniard a person eminent for his Valour and Conduct who vanquishing the Alans Hunns and Goths re-establish'd the Empire of the East and entred into a League with Athanaricus King of the Goths after whose Death and magnificent Burial at Constantinople his whole Army repaired to Theodosius and declared they would serve under no other Commander but that good Emperour In the mean time Maximus usurped the Empire in Britain and passing over into Gaul slew Gratian at Lions whose death so 〈◊〉 his younger Brother Valentinian that he forthwith fled for refuge to Theodosius in the East Some are of opinion that those two Brethren owed the Calamities which befell them to their Mother Justina whose great Zeal for the Arian Heresie made her a fierce Persecutor of the Orthodox and especially of S. Ambrose whom against his will the people of Milain had at this time chosen their Bishop For Auxentius an Arian their late Bishop being dead a great Sedition arose in the City about chusing his Successour Now Ambrose who was a man of Consular dignity and their Governour endeavouring all he could to quell that disorder and to that end going into the Church where the people were in a tumultuary manner assembled he there makes an excellent Speech tending to persuade them to Peace and Unity among themselves which so wrought upon them that they all with one consent cryed out that they would have no other Bishop but Ambrose himself And the event answered their desires for being as yet but a Catechumen he was forthwith baptized and then admitted into holy Orders and constituted Bishop 〈◊〉 Milain That he was a person of great Learning and extraordinary Sanctity the account which we have of his Life and the many excellent Books which he wrote do abundantly testifie Our Anastasius decreed that the Clergy should by no means sit at the singing or reading of the holy Gospel in the Church but stand bowed and in a posture of 〈◊〉 and that no Strangers especially those that came from the parts beyond the Seas should be receiv'd into holy Orders unless they could produce Testimonials under the hands of five Bishops Which latter Ordinance is suppos'd to have been occasioned by the practice of the Manichees who having gained a great esteem and Authority in Africa were wont to send their Missionaries abroad into all parts to corrupt the Orthodox Doctrine by the infusion of their Errours He ordained likewise that no person 〈◊〉 of body or maimed or defective of any Limb or Member should be admitted into holy Orders Moreover he dedicated the Crescentian Church which stands in the second Region of the City in the Via Marurtina The Pontificate of this Anastasius as also that of Damasus and Siricius his Predecessors were signaliz'd not only by those excellent Emperours Jovinian 〈◊〉 Gratian and Theodosius but also by those many holy and worthy Doctors both Greek and Latin that were famous in all kinds of Learning Cappadocia as Eusebius tells us brought forth 〈◊〉 Nazianzen and Bazil the Great both extraordinary Persons and both brought up at Athens Basil was a Bishop of 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 a City formerly called Mazaca He wrote divers excellent Books against Eunomius one concerning the Holy Ghost and the Orders of a Monastick life He had two Brethren Gregory and Peter both very learned Men of the former of which some Books were extant in the time of Eusebius Gregory Nazianzen who was Master to S. Hierom wrote also many things particularly in praise of Cyprian Athanasius and Maximus the Philosopher two Books against Eunomius and one against the Emperour Julian besides an Encomium of Marriage and single Life in Hexameter Verse By the strength of his reasoning and the power of his Rhetorick in which he was an imitatour of Polemon a man of admirable Eloquence he brought off the Citizens of Constantinople from the Errours with which they had been infected At length being very aged he chose his own Successour and led a private life in the Countrey Basil died in the Reign of Gratian Gregory of Theodosius About the same time 〈◊〉 Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus a strenuous oppugner of all kinds of Heresies as did also Ephrem a Deacon of the Church of Edessa who composed divers Treatises in the 〈◊〉 Language which gained him so great a Veneration that in some Churches his Books were publickly read after the Holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 having at two Decembrian Ordinations made eight Presbyters five Deacons ten Bishops died and was buried April 28. He was in the Chair three years ten days and by his death the See was vacant twenty one days INNOCENTIUS I. INNOCENTIUS an Alban Son of Innocentius was Bishop in part of the Reign of Theodosius Who with great Conduct and singular Dispatch overcame the Usurper Maximus and at Aquileia whither he had fled retaliated upon him the Death of Gratian. A
September in the ninety first year of his Age. Besides him there were also Gelasius Successour to Euzoius in the Bishoprick of Caesarea Palestinae a man of excellent Parts Dexter Son of Pacianus who compiled an History inscribed to S. Hierem Amphilochius who wrote concerning the Holy Ghost in an 〈◊〉 style and 〈◊〉 commended by S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his learned Book of the Destruction of 〈◊〉 'T is said also that at this time Lucianus a Preshyter directed by a divine Revelation found out the Sepulchres of S. Stephen the Protomartyr and Gamaliel S. Paul's Master of which he gave an account to all the Churches by an Epistle in Greek which was afterwards translated into Latin by 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 and sent to Orosius Some likewise tell us that John Cassianus and Maximine two very learned Men lived in this Age but though it be doubtful of them it is not so concerning Eutropius S. Austin's Scholar who in a handsom style Epitomised the Roman History from the building of the City to his own times and who moreover wrote to his two Sisters Recluses concerning Chastity and the Love of Religion to whom we may add Juvenal the Bishop of Constantinople and Heros a Disciple of S. Martin the wrongfully deposed Bishop of Arles both men of great reputation for Sanctity As for Boniface himself having at one Ordination made thirteen Presbyters three Deacons thirty six Bishops he died October the 25th and was buried in the Via Salaria near the body of S. Felicitas the Martyr He fat in the Chair three years eight months sevendays Boniface being dead some of the Clergy recall'd Eulalius but he either through indignation at his former repulse or from contempt of Worldly greatness disdained the revocation and died the year following The See was then vacant nine days CAELESTINUS I. CAELESTINE a Campanian lived in the times of Theodosius the younger This Theodosius upon the death of that excellent Prince Honorius creates the Son of his Aunt Placidia Valentinian Coesar and commits to his charge the Western Empire Who being immediately by the universal consent of all Italy acknowledged their Emperour and actually entring upon the Government at Ravenna was wonderfully prosperous in subduing the Enemies of the Roman State and particularly John the Usurper In the mean time the Vandals Alemans and Goths a barbarous and salvage people passing over out of Spain into Africa under the conduct of their King Gensericus not only miserably depopulated and harrassed that Province with Fire and Sword but also corrupted the Catholick Faith there with the mixture of Arianism and banish'd some Orthodox Bishops during which Troubles S. Augustine Bishop of Hippo died in the third month of the Siege of that City August 28. in the seventy seventh year of his Age. The Vandals having taken Carthage fail'd to Sicily and made the like havock in that Island as also did the Picts and Scots in the Island of Britain In this Extremity the Britains implored the Aid of Aetius a Patrician and a famous Soldier but he not only denied them his assistance but having other ambitious Designs to carry on solicited the Huns to invade Italy The Britains being thus deserted by Aetius call over the Saxons or English to their help whom they soon found more their Enemies than Assistants for being in a little time over run by them they lost both their Countrey and their Name While these things were transacting Theodosius dying at Constantinople in the twenty seventh year of his and his Uncle Honorius's Reign Bleda and Attila two Brothers Kings of the Hunns invading Illyricum lay'd waste and burn'd all places to which they came Notwithstanding our Coelestine ordained several Rites appertaining to divine Worship as that besides the Epistle and Gospel before the Mass the Psalms of David should be sung by all alternately Martinus Cassinas tells us that the Psalm Judica me Deus Give sentence with me O God and defend my cause c. which is used at the beginning of the Sacrifice was introduced by him as likewise the Gradual is ascribed to him Many other Ecclesiastical Constitutions he made to be seen in the Archives of the Church He also dedicated and enriched the Julian Church At this time Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople endeavoured to sow a new Errour in the Church asserting that Christ was born of the Virgin Mary a meer Man and that the Divinity was conferred upon him of Merit To this impious Doctrine Cyril Bishop of Alexandria and our Coelestine opposed themselves very strenuously For in a Synod of two hundred Bishops held at Ephesus Nestorius himself and the Heresie denominated from him together with the Pelagians who were great favourers of the Nestorian Party were by universal consent condemned in thirteen Canons level'd against their foolish Opinions Moreover Coelestine sent Germanus Bishop of Auxerre into England to oppose the Pelagian Heresie and reduce the Inhabitants to the Orthodox Faith and Palladius whom he had made a Bishop to the Scots who desired to be instructed in the Christian Religion And indeed it cannot be denied but that by his endeavours and the industry of those whom he employed to that purpose a great part of the West were converted to Christianity 'T is said that at this time the Devil assumed humane shape and pretended himself to be Moses and imposed upon a multitude of Jews by undertaking to conduct them out of the Island of Crete into the Land of Promise through the Sea as upon dry Land in imitation of the ancient Miracle wrought for that People at the red Sea Many of them follow'd this false Moses and perished in the Waters those only being reported to have been saved who presently own'd Christ to be the true God Our Coelestine having at three Decembrian Ordinations made thirty two Presbyters twelve Deacons sixty two Bishops died and was buried in the Coemetery of Priscilla in the Via Salaria April the 6th He sat in the Chair eight years ten months seventeen days and by his death the See was vacant twenty one days SIXTUS III. SIXTUS the third a Roman Son of Sixtus lived in the time of Valentinian Who being Governour of the Western Empire entred into a League with Gensericus King of the Vandals whom he permitted to inhabit part of Africa confining themselves within certain Boundaries agreed upon between them Genseric being afterwards instigated by the Arians became very zealous in propagating their Errours and violently persecuted the Orthodox Bishops And Valentinian going to Constantinople and there marrying Theodosius's Daughter the Vandals in the mean time under Genseric's Conduct re-took and sack'd Carthage in the five hundred eighty fourth year since its first being in the hands of the Romans While these things weret ransacting in Afric Attila King of the Huns not contented to have invaded the two Hungaries miserably harasses Macedonia Mysia Achaia and the Thraces and then that he might have no sharer in the Kingdom puts to death his Brother Bleda
died and was buried in S. Peter's Church October the 12th He was in the Chair four years two months thirteen days and by his death the See was vacant three days BONIFACE II. BONIFACE the second a Roman Son of Sigismund was also in the time of Justinian A Prince whose vast Parts and Learning qualified him for that great Work which for the publick Good he undertook of collecting and methodizing the scattered Roman Laws and retrenching those which were useless and superfluous Yet herein he made use of the Advice and assistance of John a Patrician Trebonianus Theophilus and Dorotheus men of great Learning and Authority With their help an immense number of near two thousand Volumes of Decrees made from the building of the City to this time confusedly heaped together were digested under their respective Titles into fifty Books which are sometimes called Digests and sometimes Pandects because they contain the whole Civil Law He made also an Epitome of the Laws in four Books which go under the name of Institutes or Justinian's Code Moreover some tell us that Justinian wrote certain Books concerning the Incarnation of our Lord and that at his own charge he built the Temple of S. Sophia than which there is not a more noble and magnificent Pile of Buildings in the World In his Reign 〈◊〉 was made Bishop of Rome though not without some opposition for the Clergy being divided one Party of them chose Dioscorus into the place of Felix deceased The Contention about this matter lasted twenty eight days but the death of Dioscorus put an end to the Controversie Things being quiet Boniface applyed himself to the setling of the Church and decreed that no Bishop should appoint his own successour which was afterwards confirm'd by several following Bishops of Rome He decreed also that upon the decease of any Bishop of Rome another should be chosen to succeed him if it might be within three days to prevent any bandying or dissention which might be occasioned by delay He ordained likewise that the Clergy should be seperated and placed distinct from the Laity at the time of Celebration At the same time many of the Roman Nobility were so wrought upon by the Sanctity of Benedict that they retired to Mount Cassino and became Monks there among whom the more eminent were Maurus and Placidius Other men of Note and esteem were Dionysius the Abbat famous for the extraordinary Skill and Judgment which he shewed in his Paschal Cycle Famundus whose writings against certain Eutychians then springing up were very much commended and Martin who by his Preaching and Writings converted the People of Soissons from the Arian Heresie to the Truth But Boniface having sat in the Pontifical Chair two years two days died and was buried in S. Peter's Church The See was then vacant two months JOHN II. 〈◊〉 the second a Roman Son of Projectus lived in the time of Justinian and soon after his entrance upon the Pontificate condemned Anthemius an Arian Bishop some say that he had been Bishop of Constantinople Justinian to shew his 〈◊〉 to the Roman See sent Hypatius and Demetrius two Bishops to 〈◊〉 both to complement John in his name and to make to S. Peter's Church several rich Presents During this Embassie Mundus Justinian's General took the strong City of Salona and gain'd a Victory over the Goths though not without great loss on the Conquering side For Mundus himself together with his Son a Valiant and brave young Gentleman was slain in that Engagement the news of which misforfortune was extreamly laid to heart by Justinian he having always had a great value for that Leaders Courage and Fidelity Our Bishop John of whom Historians say very little having at one Ordination made 〈◊〉 Presbyters twenty one Bishops died and was buried in S. Peter's Church May 27. He sat in the Chair two years four months and by his death the See was vacant six days AGAPETUS I. AGAPETUS a Roman Son of Gordianus a Presbyter of the Church of S. John and S. Paul being created Bishop by Theodatus who was by him forthwith sent to the Emperour Justinian was highly incens'd against that King for his having first banish'd Amalasuntha the Mother of Athalaric into the Island of the Lake of Bolsena and afterwards caused her to be put to death there For she was a Woman so well acquainted with Greek and Latin Learning that she durst engage in Disputation with any profess'd Scholar Moreover she was so throughly skilled in the Languages of all the barbarous Invadors of the Roman Empire that she could discourse any of them without an Interpreter Her Death Justinian so highly resented that he threatned to make War upon Theodatus for that reason Hereupon Agapetus was sent to him who being receiv'd with great honour and affection and having obtain'd the peace he was sent to sue for he was then practis'd with to confirm the Eutychian Opinions But Justinian finding that the good man utterly detested any such proposal from desiring and 〈◊〉 he fell to Threats and Menaces Upon which Agapetus told him that he should have been glad to be sent to Justinian a Christian Prince but that he found a Diocletian an Enemy and Persecutor of Christians By this boldness of Speech and Gods appointment Justinian was so wrought upon that he embraced the Catholick Faith and having despos'd Anthemius Bishop of Constantinople who patroniz'd the Eutychian Heresie put into his place Menas one of the Orthodox who was consecrated by Agapetus himself But not long after Agapetus died at Constantinople and his body being wrap'd up in Lead was convey'd to Rome and buried in S. Peter's Church He sat in the Chair eleven months twenty one days and by his death the See was vacant one month twenty nine days SYLVERIUS SYLVERIUS a Campanian Son of Bishop Hormisda was chosen Bishop of Rome at the command of Theodatus though till this time the Emperours only not the Kings had interposed their Authority in that matter But the Menaces of Theodatus prevailed who had threatned to put to death every man of the Clergy who would not subscribe his name to the choice of Sylverius For this reason and that he might also revenge the death of Amala suntha Justinian sends Belisarius a Patrician with an Army into Italy In his passage thither he first put in at Sicily and brought that Island to the Emperours devotion In the mean time Theodatus dying and the Goths having chosen themselves a King against the will of Justinian Belisarius quits Sicily that he might deliver Italy from the Tyranny of the Goths Coming into Campania and the City of Naples refusing to obey the Emperours Summons he took it by Storm and plundered it putting to the Sword all the Goths that were in Garrison there and a great part of the Citizens carrying away their Children and what other spoil they could lay their hands on The Soldiers pillaged the very Churches violated the chastity of Cloystered Virgins
into Prison in order to a Trial for their Treason who being by torture forced to confess the Consuls were banish'd into Germany the Decarchons were hang'd up and Peter the Praetor the cause and Ring-leader of all the mischief was several times drag'd most ignominiously and whipt with Rods through the most publick places of the City and then sent Prisoner to Germany Others say his Punishment was thus Being delivered to suffer at the will of the Pope his Beard was first shav'd off then he was hang'd by his hair upon the head of the Statue of Constantine's Horse for the terror of all such ill Men from whence being taken he was set upon an Ass with his face backward and his hands tied under his tail and so led through the City being as he went whipt almost to death with Rods and then banish'd into Germany The like severity for examples sake was used by the Emperor against Count Geffrey and his Son who were kill'd as I said before by John Prince of Capua their carcasses being drag'd out of their Graves and denied Christian burial At this time the Selavi who when Hadrian III. was Pope under Sueropylus Prince of Dalmatia had received the Christian Faith cross'd the Sea into Italy gave the Saracens a great rout at Monte Gargano and drove them thence and the Hungarians by their example so broke their remaining force by recovering Cosenza out of their hands that it became easie for Otho Son of the great Otho who came for that purpose with his Army to make a perfect Conquest of them nor was he content to have vanquish'd the Saracens but he subdued too the Greeks who had made a League with the Moors and drove them out of almost all Apulia and Calabria Some say indeed that 〈◊〉 made this War upon the Greeks because Nicephorus Emperor of Constantinople had denied to give him to Wife his Daughter who had been espoused to him before This is certain that Otho who was a generous young Man deposed Nicephorus and made his Son John Emperor himself marrying his Sister Theophania who together with her Husband were crown'd by this Pope in the Lateran Church with an Imperial Diadem by the consent of Otho the Father who had made his Son his Partner in the Empire During the great and universal rejoycing upon this occasion Pope John raised the Church of Capua to a Metropolitan Sea But Otho 〈◊〉 worn with old Age returning into Germany died at Vienna whom John also follow'd not long after he dying after he had sate six years eleven months and five days after which the Sea was vacant thirteen days BENEDICT VI. BENEDICT the Sixth a Roman succeeded John in his Office and in his troubles for being taken Prisoner by Cincio a potent Citizen he was put into Castle S. Angelo a Jail for Malefactors or rather for innocent persons where in a little while he was strangled or as Cusentinus says famish'd I cannot but admire that the actors of so great an outrage were never punish'd neither by the Citizens of the adverse Party nor by the Emperor Otho who was reputed an excellent Man and a stout defender of the Church of Rome But I am afraid Cincius did not worse by him than he deserv'd not but that how faulty soever Benedict might be it was ill done of Cincius to lay violent hands upon the Pope since the censure of him did not belong to a private Man But see the turn of humane affairs The Popes of our times make nothing to clap up Citizens into the same place and there starve 'em whether they deserve it or are onely a little too powerful than they desire I believe Otho was too much taken up with other business so that he could not help him He died when he had been Pope one year and six months DONUS II. DONUS the Second a Roman a Man of great moderation and though there were nothing done by him worthy of high commendation yet he was never charg'd with any injustice or dishonourable action There were however many memorable actions of great of holy Men which render his times not altogether obscure For in his time Baianus a great Magician Prince of the Bulgarians so harrass'd with War Basilius and his Son Constantine Emperor of Constantinople that he narrowly miss'd of taking the Town which by the negligence of the Greeks was left almost empty but at last upon hard terms a Peace was concluded between ' em Adalbertus also a Bohemian Bishop of Prague flourish'd now who was a Man of so great Sanctity that he by the impulse of the Divine Spirit travell'd into Hungary and baptiz'd the King thereof and by his good life and godly example taught the Bishops of the Country to seek the grace of God from whence passing into Prussia preaching the Gospel of Christ with great diligence he was there crown'd with Martyrdom At this time too S. Edward King of England was for his Sanctity in great honour but was murthered by the fraud and villany of his Stepmother Richardus the Historian adds to these S. Maiolus Abbot of Clugni who left a great Name behind him for his Miracles and holy life Donus died in the first year of his Pontificate and was buried in S. Peter's Church whereupon the Sea was vacant two days BONIFACE VII BONIFACE the Seventh whose Family and Country I suppose because of their baseness Writers mention not got the Popedom by ill arts and lost it as ill for he was no sooner got into the Chair but the honest part of the Citizens confederating he was forc'd out of the City taking with him the most precious things out of the Church of S. Peter and fled to Constantinople where he onely tarried till by the sale of what he had so sacrilegiously got he had amass'd vast sums of Mony with which he returns to Rome not doubting but by the help of that to retrieve his dignity by bribing the Citizens He met yet with great opposition from all good Men but especially from John a Deacon Cardinal whom by the assistance of some wicked Bravo's he caught and put out his Eyes But his Enemies encreasing about him whether for fear or remorse for his great wickedness this Author of so many mischiefs miserably ended his life Observe I beseech you how these Popes did degenerate from their Predecessors who left the Church so ample and magnificent at the expence of their blood The Pope of Rome the Father and Protector of things sacred does himself steal 'em away and he that should punish sacriledg is the Author of it but thus it must needs fall out in any Government where the Pride and Covetousness of ill Men shall prevail over the Virtue and Wisdom of the good To great benefices none of the Clergy ought to be chosen but such of whose Life and Learning there is a certainty not those who having nothing of Virtue or Religion seek by Ambition and Simony to get into places of Power
the Saracens who sate before it and with great slaughter of them raised the Siege An. Dom. 1008. at the same time that Jerusalem was taken by the Turks without any violation of the Holy Sepulchre the Church of Mount Sion or Bethlehem The Venetians had a design to have reliev'd Jerusalem too but that they were with held by their Enemies of Zara to whom yet at Loreto they gave so total a rout that they durst never after by War molest any of their Neighbours But Henry having setled the state of Germany coming to Rome received the Imperial Crown and then marching to Capua drove the Saracens out of it and carried on the War against Bubagano a General of the Greeks who favour'd the Moors with so much vigour that he dispossess'd him of Troy a City he had built in the confines of Apulia in a place where Hannibal was said heretofore to have encamp'd The Emperor Henry and his Wife Cunigunda are reported to have led such chast and holy lives that they grew famous for working Miracles omitting no action which might contribute to the glory of God He founded the Bishoprick of Bamberg and married his Daughter to the King of Hungary by whose means that King and all his Subjects received the Christian Faith but Henry died in the eighth year of his Empire to the great loss of his Subjects He being dead of whom in all exigencies Benedict made use as his Protector he was expell'd by a Faction and another Pope chosen in his room though he soon after agreed the matter with his Adversaries who turn'd out again the Pseudo-Pope and restor'd Benedict with honour He died in the eleventh year first month and thirteenth day of his Popedom and was buried in S. Peter's Church 'T is said that a certain Bishop walking in a solitary place Benedict appear'd to him sitting upon a black Horse whereupon the Bishop ask'd him the reason of his appearance in that manner he answer'd that his business was to desire him to take some Money which he had hid in a certain place to which he directed him and to give it to the poor as from him for that the Money had been of no profit to him it consisting of what had been given of Alms or gotten by Rapine The Bishop executed his request and immediately surrendred his Bishoprick and led a Monastic life Vincentius writes that Gerard Bishop of Canobio was in great account about this time for his Learning and exemplary Life as also was Gutherus Bishop of Prague who for his great abilities and holiness suffered Martyrdom from the Enemies of the Christian Religion At this time also so great a Pestilence raged in the World that 't was thought fewer surviv'd it than died of it which Calamity was fore-shew'd by a Well of wholesom Water in Lorain being turn'd into blood JOHN XXI JOHN the twenty first a Roman Son of Gregory was as some will have it Bishop of Porto though others say he never was in holy Orders at all he was made Pope at the same time that Conrade of Schwaben was by a just suffrage elected Emperor in the room of Henry who had been dead three years In this Interregnum I suppose it was that several Cities of Italy revolted from the Empire and stood up for their liberty wherefore Conrade who was a great Soldier and had been for many years in great Command in the Wars under Henry raising an Army speedily enters Italy and marching first against the Milaneses the chief Authors of this defection he sits down before the Town burns the Suburbs and breaths forth nothing but utter ruin to the City but quickly raises his Siege by the persuasion of the Arch-bishop of Cologn who assured him that as he was at Mass S. Ambrose appear'd to him and threaten'd destruction to them all except they departed from the City of which himself was Patron Conrade therefore holds on his Journey to Rome where at the hands of Pope John he receiv'd the Imperial Crown and then march'd against the Hungarians and Sclavonians who had assisted the rebellious Italians and soon subdu'd them Rodolphus also Duke of Burgundy being vex'd by the Seditions of his Subjects put himself under the protection of Conrade and therefore Burgundy has been ever since 〈◊〉 for a good part of it a Province of the Empire It is said of Conrade that he made several very useful Laws among which one was that it should be death for any Prince of the Empire to disturb the peace of it and upon that account he was a fierce Persecutor of Leopold a German Count who was a Ring-leader of some disturbances in his Country He sent Ambassadours to charge the Greeks and Normans who were quarrelling about the Kingdom of Apulia to lay down their Arms and threaten'd ruine to the Romans if they persisted as they had begun to teize their Pope with Seditions In his time Religion was adorn'd in France by the strict life and holiness of several Abbats and Himericus Son of S. Stephen King of Hungary had great reputation for his Miracles But John who is very much to be praised for his life died after he had been Pope eleven years and nine days The Sea was then vacant eight days BENEDICT IX BENEDICT the Ninth as some say the Nephew of John born at Frascati Son of Albericus came to the Pontificate when Canutus a King of England out of devotion and for performance of a Vow came to Rome which having done as he return'd home he married his Daughter to Henry the Son of Conrade Soon after Conrade dying his Son Henry II. succeeded his Father and raising an Army gives battel to Uldericus King of Bohemia but the Victory being doubtful he renew'd the fight overcame him and took him Prisoner but setting him under Tribute he discharg'd him from his imprisonment then marching against the Hungarians who were contending about the Crown he restor'd Peter to his Throne who had been driven out by Alboinus In the mean time the Romans deposed Benedict who was a sluggish Fellow and good for nothing and set up in his room John Bishop of Sabina by the name of Sylvester III. who also after a Popedom of nine and forty days was turn'd out and Benedict restor'd and he finding himself still liable to the same danger again of his own accord resign'd the Chair to John Arch-deacon of S. John at Port Latin afterward called Gregory VI. though some affirm that he sold it to him Wherefore Benedict was ill spoken of by all Men deservedly and condemn'd by the divine judgment for 't is certain that after his death he was seen in a most monstrous likeness and being ask'd why having been Pope he appear'd in such a horrid shape Because says he I led my life without Law or Reason it is the will of God and S. Peter whose Seat I defiled with all manner of wickedness that I bear the shape rather of a Monster than of a Man After he
very powerful for Beatrix the Mother of Mathild had been Sister to the Emperor Henry II. and had married one Boniface a potent Man and of an honourable Family of the City of Lucca in Tuscany upon whose death all his Estates fell first to Beatrix and after her decease were devolv'd upon Mathild and her Husband Godfrey so that they stood possess'd of Lucca Parma Reggio Mantua and that part of Tuscany now call'd S. Peter's Patrimony But to return to Benedict he was deposed by Hildebrand because he came not in by the right way but by force and Simony for the generality of the Clergy had pass'd their words to Arch-deacon Hildebrand when he went to Florence that they would not proceed upon any Election of a new Pope till his return to the City When he was come back therefore together with Gerard Bishop of Florence he inveigh'd most bitterly against them all especially against those who had promised to stay till his return But there arising great contention upon this matter many approving of Benedict as a very good and prudent Man though they disallow'd that Election of him with great clamours that it was irregularly and illegally done yet at last by the persuasion of Hildebrand Gerard a Man worthy indeed of so high a Dignity was by a majority of Votes created Pope and Benedict turn'd out Some will have this Election to have been made at Siena because a free choice could not be had at Rome by reason of the partialities of some Men in Power there Benedict was deposed after he had sate nine months and twenty days and then was confined to Veletri NICOLAS II. NICOLAS the Second a Provençal at first nam'd Gerard Bishop of Florence for his Virtue and excellent spirit upon the expulsion of Benedict who was not regularly so created was made Pope at Sienna and immediately thereupon withdrew to Sutri where An. Dom. 1059. he called a Council whither came not onely the Bishops but many of the Noblemen of Italy where he forc'd Benedict to resign the Office and Habit of Pope and to retire to Veletri from hence he went to Rome where in the second Lateran Council he procur'd a Law to be enacted very wholesom for the Church of Rome which is to be seen among the 〈◊〉 to this purpose That if any one either by Simony or by the favour of any powerful Man or by any tumult either of the People or Soldiery shall be placed in S. Peter's Chair he shall be reputed not Apostolical but an Apostate one that transgresses the rules even of common Reason and that it shall be lawful for the Cardinals Clergy and devout Laity with Weapons both spiritual and material by Anathema's and by any humane aid him to drive out and depose and that Catholicks may assemble for this end in any place whatsoever if they cannot do it in the City In the same Council Berengarius Deacon of the Church of Anjou was reclaim'd from his Error concerning the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the Bread and Wine whereof he affirm'd the true and intire Body and Blood of Christ was not present but onely by a sign figure or mystery which Error at the instance and persuasion of Nicolas and Albericus a Deacon a very learned Man he recanted affirming the Eucharist to be the true and intire Body and Blood of Christ. We have said that this Error was condemned by Leo IX but never amended the praise of which belongs wholly to Nicolas as Lanfranc writes a Man at that time very learned who in an excellent Work of his confuted the Tenets of Berengarius While these things were acted at Rome by Pope Nicolas Godfrey the Norman who succeeded his Brother Drogo in the Earldom of Apulia and Calabria dying left his Son Bagelardus his Heir which Robert Guiscardi his Brother as some will have it not liking he drove out his Nephew and seiz'd upon the Earldom taking in Troia also which had long been Subject to the Sea of Rome At this the Pope was not a little enraged at Robert till by his invitation taking a journey into Apulia whatsoever the Church had lost was return'd again and then he not onely took Robert into favour but making him a feudatary of the Church he was constituted Duke of Calabria and Apulia After this receiving of him a great assistance of Forces and returning to the City he subdued the Prenestines Tusculans and Nomentans who had revolted from the Church and crossing the Tiber he sacked Galese and took in other Castles of Count Gerard as far as Sutri rendring the territories of Rome hereby much more secure T is written also that Henry III. was crown'd by Nicolas with the Imperial Diadem and out of gratitude for it all his time never attempted any thing against holy Church But Nicolas having concluded this life with great praise of all Men died when he had been Pope three years six months and twenty six days The Sea was then vacant twelve days ALEXANDER II. ALEXANDER the Second whose name at first was Anselm a Milanese Bishop of Lucca upon the death of Nicolas though absent was for his good temper affability and Learning elected Pope But the Bishops of Lombardy thinking for the honour of their Country that it was just a Pope should be chosen out of their number Gilbert of Parma at that 〈◊〉 very powerful taking their parts vigorously they obtain'd of the Emperor Henry against the mind of his Wife Agnes that they might set up an other Pope Whereupon the Bishops holding a consult made one Cadolus Pope who was Bishop of Parma to whom all Lombardy straightway submitted except Mathild a noble Lady who had great reverence for the Roman Sea Cadolus being soon after called to Rome by the Adversaries of Alexander both Parties engag'd in Battel in the Prati di Nerone at the foot of the Hill Montorio in which fight many were slain on both sides Alexander and Godfrey the Husband of Mathild staid in the Lateran Palace not knowing where to trust themselves all places were so full of treachery though some say that Alexander to avoid the bloody sight did before the Battel retire to Lucca and lived there securely for some time which kind Protection from the Luccheses he gratefully acknowledged by granting both to their Church and City very notable Priviledges Cadolus was repulsed at Rome but rested not long at quiet in his Country being invited again by some Citizens who found that to satisfie their Avarice it was their Interest that the City should be kept in confusion and getting together a greater Army than before he comes to Rome and by force seizes the Citta Leonina and S. Peter's Church But the Romans with the Forces of Godfrey falling forth strook such a sudden terror into the Enemy that they betook themselves to their heels and Cadolus narrowly miss'd being taken having been forsaken by his Friends but Cincius Son to the Prefect of Rome with a strong Squadron carried him
out freely every Man with his own Clothes but when they could not make good the agreement because the piece of the Cross was not to be found Richard put many of the Barbarians to death Saladine was so dismay'd at these losses that despairing of being able to defend them all he dismantled several Cities in that Region and was upon the point of delivering up Jerusalem itself if it had not been for a difference which arose between Philip and Richard concerning Precedency upon which Philip pretending himself sick departed home from Asia Richard then apply'd himself more vigorously to the War though at this time Conrade of Montferrat was assassinated in the Market-place of Tyre by two Saracen Ruffians who had bound themselves under an Oath and Vow to destroy all the Enemies of their Religion after the same manner but as they ran away they were caught and put to death with the most exquisite Torments and Henry Earl of Champagne taking Queen Isabel to Wife entred upon the Dominion of Tyre Richard giving some fair words to Guy of Lusignan persuaded him to pass over to him his Kingdom of Jerusalem which the Kings of England still put among their Titles and herewith taking courage he march'd his Army to beleaguer the City of Jerusalem but Saladine in his Journey falling in with his Rear forc'd him to a Battel in a very disadvantageous place in which though he at last came off Conqueror yet it was with great loss of men Saladine after this encamp'd not far from Bethlehem in a commodious place to intercept any manner of Provisions that might be sent from Egypt to the Christian Army as they should lie before Jerusalem wherefore and because the Winter was coming on Richard puts off his designs for this so necessary Siege the Pope yet urging him and continually supplying him with Money and retreats to Ascalon which as well as Gaza he fortifies again they having before been slighted by Saladine In the mean time the Sea-forces by degrees leave him and the Pisans sailing into the Adriatic seiz'd Pola with intent to Winter there but the Venetians reinforcing their own Fleet set upon 'em took the Place and sack'd it and drove out the Pisans and had pursued them to extremity if Celestine out of care for the good of Christendom had not mediated between them Spring now came on and Richard was preparing for the Siege of Jerusalem when on a sudden news was brought him that King Philip had invaded Normandy and intended to pass into England to procure that Kingdom for his Brother John Richard then laid by those thoughts and strook up a Peace with Saladine upon these Articles That Saladine should enjoy all but Tyre and Ptolemais to which with their Territories remaining in the hands of the Christians he should give no molestation Richard having thus settled Affairs there returning into Europe was taken by his Enemies from whom he was ransom'd with a vast sum of Money and at last arriving in England he had many a Battel with the King of France much against the Pope's mind who was griev'd that so fierce a War should be raised among Christians at so unseasonable a time when Saladine being now dead it was thought to have been a very fit time to have recovered Jerusalem It is reported of that illustrious Prince that one Ceremony at his Funeral was this His Shirt was hung upon the end of a Pike and carried before the Corps and one with a loud Voice cryed Behold Saladine the mighty Lord of Asia of all his Realms and of all his Wealth takes no more than this along with him A spectacle well befitting so great a Man to whom nothing was wanting but the Character of a Christian to have rendred him a most consummate Prince Upon the death of Saladine as was said before Celestine had fresh hopes that Jerusalem might be regain'd and so urg'd the Emperour Henry who Tancred being dead succeeded to the Kingdom of Sicily to undertake the Enterprize that though he could not go in person yet he sent thither with great speed a good Army under the Arch-bishop of Mentz and the Duke of Saxony The King of France would have gone too but that the Saracens who inhabited Mauritania now the Moors had cross'd the Streights and having taken the King of Castile Prisoner had possess'd themselves of that part of Spain now call'd Granado where the French fear'd they would hardly continue long quiet but go near to infest the neighbouring Nations and therefore would not draw their forces out of Europe The Germans however arriving in Asia fortified Berylus which had been deserted by the Saracens and rais'd their Siege from before Joppa from whence when they were about to go to Jerusalem Celestine this most holy Pope who never let slip any opportunity for the recovery of the Holy Land died upon which they desisted Notwithstanding all these troubles and these great charges of War our Pope built two Palaces one near S. Peter's the other near S. John in the Lateran fit for the reception of Popes The brasen Gates yet remaining in the Lateran over against the Sancta Sanctorum which were made by his Order and at his charge Moreover he made Viterbo a City raising the Church there to a Bishops Sea to which Diocese he added Toscanella and Centum-cellae Celestine died when he had been Pope six years seven months and eleven days to the great grief of all good Men and was buried in St. Peter's Church INNOCENT III. INNOCENT the Third born in Anagni Son of Trasimund of the Family of the Conti was for his great Learning and many Virtues made a Cardinal by Celestine and upon his death was by general consent chosen Pope Which he had no sooner arriv'd to but he applied his thoughts to the Holy War and by Letters Messengers large Promises and Largesses endeavour'd to contain the Germans within the bounds of their duty who after the decease of their Emperour Henry were all in a mutiny but 't was to no purpose for they disdaining any Commander left Asia and to the extream damage of the Christian Cause return'd to Europe whereby those of Joppa especially suffered most for being destitute of help the Turks and Saracens came upon 'em and while they were about to yield they took the City by force and cut them all off rasing it to the ground In Germany also all things seem'd to threaten confusion some of the Electors stickling hard for Otho Duke of Saxony others standing resolutely for Philip a German Duke of Tuscany who was left by Henry upon his death bed Guardian to his young Son And to improve this mischief to the height the King of France took part with Philip and the King of England was for Otho Innocent then to obviate the impending miseries that must follow upon such a state of Affairs confirms Otho in the Empire as duly elected by those who had just suffrage Philip notwithstanding would not lay down his
the Guelphs that had been banished into their own Cities He was no sooner come thither but the Gibbelins departed on their own accord and he without any disturbance appointed a certain number of Officers at Florence which the neighbouring Natives call the Heads of the Guelphian Faction Thence he moved against the Sienneses and made all the Gibellins of Tuscany but especially those of Pisa his Enemies because he besieged Poggibonci which the Gibellines stoutly defended Now when Charles had reduced both Kingdoms all but Nocera de Pagani he at last grants the Saracens a Peace and let 'em live in Italy upon their own terms as they thought good But he himself with his Army upon the Popes invitation went to Viterbo where Henry banish'd by his Brother the King of Castile was not long before arrived Of whom when the Pope had heard Charles's good Character he was so pleased with it that he presented him with great things and made him a Senator of the City After that Charles marched into Tuscany to suppress the Gibellins who desired Corradin a young Man Nephew to Conrad of Schwaben to come into Italy and assist them against the Guelphs And seeing that he could not take Poggibonci by storm because it was so well fortified both by Art and Nature he resolved to starve it into a Surrender And by that means after a long Siege he took it and then going against them of Pisa he took a Town of theirs called Mutrone and gave it to the State of Lucca Charles at that time was very likely to have done greater things but that his friends called him hastily home to his Kingdom by reason of some factious People that favour'd Corradin's Party but most of all upon account of the Saracens whom he presently shut up in the strong Castles of Nocera de Pagani that he might go the safer against Corradin whom the men of Pisa endeavour'd to make their King after they had not only laid waste all the Countrey of Lucca but conquer'd and kill'd Charles's Mareschal at Arezzo by the assistance chiefly of Guido of Montferrat and all the Gibellin faction on that side the Alpes They say that as the Youth passed through the Countrey near Viterbo toward the Kingdom the Pope who pitied his condition said in a Prophetick manner that Corradin himself was led as a Sacrifice to the slaughter So then he went toward Rome and was met at Ponte Molle by Henry the Senator together with all the people of Rome who saluted him with loud acclamations by the name of Emperor but whether out of fear or love is not well known At Rome he dismissed Guido of Montferrat and went himself in all haste with his Army toward the Kingdom where when he understood how Charles had taken possession of Compagna di Roma and the great Road that goes through it he turn'd away to the Mountains called Tagliacocii toward Marsi And there he encamp'd first of all near the Lake being fortified with an old Conduit and ruinated Houses Charles mov'd that way too and pitch'd his Tents within ten furlongs of him at the entrance of an hollow Vale where by advice of Alardus a Neapolitane who had been an old Soldier in Germany he immediately sent away part of his Army under the command of his Marshal who was disguis'd like a King with a design to provoke the Enemy But he himself staid the mean while on the other side the Hill with his best Soldiers in Ambuscade to wait for a good occasion of doing his business effectually They fought full three whole hours without being able to say who should have the better of it till the Marshal who behav'd himself very bravely fell At whose death the French began to give back but the Germans were more brisk than ever and pursu'd them to all places without any manner of Order By this means Charles came upon 'em in a Confusion routed 'em and made 'em run for 't but kill'd a great many of 'em as they fled Henry the Senator was taken Prisoner at Rieti whilst he endeavour'd to escape and Corradin being discover'd at the same time with the Duke of Austria as he attempted to pass the Tiber and go by Boat into Tuscany was brought to Charles and put to death as the Pope we told you had prophesied it would shortly happen Charles therefore in the year 1268 after so great a Victory and having made himself absolute in the Kingdom went to Rome where for some time he acted as a Senator by the Popes permission and sent his Marshal into Tuscany by whose pains and care a Peace was made between the Sieneses and the Florentines But when Clement was dead in the third year of his Popedom and twenty first day and buried at Viterbo there was such a Difference presently not onely between the People of Italy whom the godly Pope whilst alive had by his Authority and awe upon them kept within some kind of measures but also between the Cardinals about the choice of a new Pope that the Sea was void two years At that time Charles who took a great care that the Church should not suffer any damage went with part of his Army into Tuscany where he took Poggibonci the place from whence all the Troubles sprang and sold it to the Florentines Which when they had demolish'd they built a new Town not far from thence upon a plain ground which they call Poggibonci whereas the old one was called antiently Bonitium After that Charles made Peace with those of Pisa whose Ships he design'd to make use of to carry him over into Africk and then intended to return to his Kingdom leaving Ruffus Earl of Anguillara with part of his Army in Tuscany to keep the Tuscans in Order In the mean time King Lewis set sail from Marseilles and was follow'd by three of his Sons Theobald King of Navarre and the Earl of Champaigne together with an Apostolical Legate All these arrived at Tunis the very same time and besieging the City they destroyed all that ever came to their hands But a Plague happening in the Camp which for a good while had infected none but inconsiderable Persons at last took off Lewis with his youngest Son and the Legate To him succeeded Philip his Son who began now to think of going homeward But Charles King of Sicily coming up to him a Peace was concluded upon this Condition that the Captives on both sides should be dismissed and the King of the Countrey should pay Charles a certain Tribute besides that he should suffer the Gospel to be freely preach'd in his Dominions Then they brought back their forces into Sicily where the King of Navarre and the Earl of Campaigne died at Trapani which made Philip and Charles partly for Devotion and partly to avoid the Contagion sail to Civitavecchâ—a with an intent to go from thence by Land to Viterbo where the Cardinals were still contending about the choice of a Pope For they imagin'd
that the presence of two such great Kings would certainly move them as it did to make Theobald of Piacenza Arch-deacon of Liege Pope though he were absent But to return to Clement Whose life is to be commended in every part of it for his Learning Piety Religion Humanity Charity to his Neighbours and to all poor Christians As for the goods or the Church he distributed them at such a rate and with such discretion that he in all probability gave more to God than to his own Relations He had two Daughters by his Wife who died before his Popedom to one of which that liv'd in a Nunnery he gave thirty pounds of small Deniers Tournois and to the other who was married to a man of an equal fortune he ordered a portion of three hundred pounds Tournois upon condition she should never ask for one penny more He had besides a Nephew that was a Clergy-man whom when he found to have three Prebends for so they call Canonries he forced him to take his choice which of 'em he would keep and leave the other two But when his friends were urgent with him not onely to let his Nephew enjoy what he already had but give him more and greater preferments the Holy Man made answer I would the Popes in our time would follow his Example that he would obey God and not flesh and bloud That it was Gods pleasure what belong'd to the Church should be bestow'd to charitable uses nor was he worthy to be S. Peter's Successor who would give more to his Kindred than to Religion and to Christ But whilst he was at Viterbo and news was daily brought to him that Ednigeth a Dutchess of Poland who had been long dead was in very great esteem for her Miracles he canoniz'd her He was also wonderfully satisfied with the Doctrine of Bonaventure General of the Order of Friers Minors who at that time wrote gravely and copiously upon the first second third and fourth Books of the Sentences Now the Holy Man dying with such a Character was much lamented and miss'd by all men And hence arose the Controversie among the Cardinals to find out a fit Person to succeed Clement GREGORY X. GREGORY the tenth formerly called Theoâ—ald an Italian born at Piacâ—nza and Arch deacon of Liege was created Pope by the Colledg of Cardinals at Viterbo whilst he was in Asia For at that time when Lewis went into Africa Edward Son to the King of England sailed from England into Asia with a great Navy in order to regain the holy Land But staying so long at Ptolemais till Lewis King of France came out of Africa with Victory according to his promise he was stab'd in three places by one Arsacida a Companion of his as he was alone in his Bed chamber and by the assistance of another friend of his very hardly escaped his Death For that other person held the Russians hand so long till the People of the House came in who tare treacherous Arsacida to pieces and dragg'd him out of the Room But Edward when he was cured of his Wounds had a great esteem for his friend Theobald because he continually animated all Christian Kings and Princes against the Saracens and when he went to Rome in order to receive the Popedom being sent for by the Cardinals who had elected him he assisted him extraordinarily with a Ship with Money and a splendid equipage especially at that time when Henry a Youth and Son of Richard Earl of Cornwall who was lately dead came to Viterbo to see Clement After whose death staying there for some time he was unluckily kill'd For Guido Monford who went to the Cathedral Church along with Philip the French King to hear Divine Service stabbed him before the Altar because his Father Simon had been basely murther'd in England by Richard He having reveng'd his Fathers death in this manner he escaped with safety to Ruffus Governour of Tuscany Not long after Philip and Charles vexed at such an Indignity went from Viterbo the former into France the latter into Puglia For having made a Peace with the Saracens Charles went along with Theobald who was arrived at Siponto now call'd Manfredonia as far as Ceperano From thence his Holiness travell'd through Marsi and Sabini to Viterbo where he was receiv'd by the Cardinals with all Respect and Honour imaginable and being crown'd with the Pontifical Diadem he was invested with all the Power that Christ left Peter When that was done and that he had setled the Popedom for a time he was desirous to make Peace between the Genoeses and the Venetians For these two States had been engaged one with another in great and bloudy Conflicts for a long time Upon this account Philip King of France who tarried at Cremona was prevail'd upon by the Pope to send for the Genoese and Venetian Embassadors and made a Peace between 'em for five years that they might all go in one body against the Saracens Italy was now quiet when the beginning of an universal disorder rose from the Venetians now Exactions For they made a Law that no one should sail in the Adriatick especially from Pola to Venice unless they paid a Gabel according to the value of their goods But the Bologneses could not endure this as being at that time masters of a great part of Romagna and therefore for three years together they fought the Venetians with great variety of Fortune At last being tired out they accepted of a Peace upon this Condition that they should demolish a Castle which they had built upon the very mouth of Po that they should have free leave to carry out some goods that were there and then the Venetians should have the sole custody of the Mouth of the River Po. They also of Ancona were offended that the Venetians challenged the absolute dominion of the Adriatick Sea and exacted Custom from those that sailed there And hereof they complain'd to the Pope whose Duty it is to see that no new Taxes be imposed He therefore immediately commanded the Venetians to take off that Imposition who answered him in these very words That the Pope did not perfectly understand the matter and that when he did he would be able to judg better of it Gregory could not make an end of this matter to his mind because he was forced to go to the Council which he had called at Lyons Thither also went Paleologus Emperor of Constantinople with a great Retinue and made the Greeks comply and subscribe to the Opinion of the Church of Rome now the thirteenth time they having so often revolted Nay farther some Noblemen of Tartary were induced by his Authority to receive Baptism Mean time the Western Empire being vacant Rodolphus Earl of Assia is made Emperor by the Electors upon condition that he would go to Rome the next year to receive the Crown there But the Florentines who were Guelphs immediately turned out their Countrymen the Gibellins though they had been restored
to Avignion to Peter Luna who was called Benedict XIII and desired him to commiserate the Church now falling to ruin though it were to relinquish the Pontificate he having promised so to do upon Oath in the Conclave when he was made Pope And they engaged the other Pope that was then made at Rome after Innocents death should do the same For these Princes and those of Italy who both were hearty Lovers of Christianity had agreed that those two which strove for the Pontificate of whom one was of the French and the other of the Italian faction should be put by and some one afterward elected that might be the common Father and Pope of all Nations Benedict reply'd That he should grievously offend God if he forsook the Church of God whose Patron and publick Father he was made by universal consent of all good Men and that he would not hold that Seat precariously to which he had been so fairly chosen As to what they said concerning extirpating the Schism and treating of Unity he profess'd it pleased him very much so it were debated in a free place and that no man might lie under any force from either Party Yet one thing he promised 'em and confirmed it with an Oath that if the Schism could not be composed by any other means that then he would wholly lay down the Pontifical Dignity if the other Anti-Pope would do so at the same time Thereupon the Princes began to consult among themselves how they should bring over Benedict to their Opinion But he fearing their Consults and conferences furnish'd the Papal Palais with Arms and all necessary provisions and there he stay'd and was besieged for some months till at last he got Galleys ready for his escape and sailed down the Rosne into Catalonia where he was born There are indeed who write that the Princes of France did make that attempt upon Benedict by the perswasion of French Cardinals who hated him because he was not of their Nation For when they could not agree concerning the choice of a French Pope after Clement's death they elected him after a long Debate as a Person of great Virtue and Devotion but he often admonishing them to live soberly and holily and forbidding Simony upon severe penalties they grew weary of his strictness and notwithstanding his love to Christianity instigated the French Princes against him Christianity was in all Countreys but most of all in France they met at S. Peters in the Vatican where each of 'em took an Oath and bound it with the greatest imprecations that they would relinquish the Pontificate whosoever of 'em happen'd to be elected to that great Dignity upon condition that the Anti-Pope would do the same They came to this resolution to satisfie the French Nation who having been so foolish to make an Anti-Pope had brought in a custom from which they could not recede without dishonour unless the Italians did so too and not onely so but to comply with Benedict's judgment who said the Church could never be healed but by that means onely But if both were deposed one true Pope might be elected by consent of all the Cardinals there to whom all Kings and Princes should pay obedience Upon this condition Angelus Corarius a Venetian Cardinal of S. Marks who as I told you was called Gregory XII was chosen at Rome Novem. 2. 1406. and immediately in writing by the hands of Notaries and before witness confirm'd what he had promised before his Pontificate and set his hand to it But when they came to discourse about a place where they might both meet without danger and could not agree they were esteemed by both Assemblies of Cardinals no better than Shufflers and Promise-breakers Nevertheless the Cardinals some from Rome and some from Avignion met at Pisa and there with one accord they deprived Benedict and Gregory of their Pontifical Honour and that by the consent of all Nations except the hither part of Spain the King of Scotland and the Earl of Armagnac who favour'd Benedict Then they proceeded to elect a new Pope who might govern the Church of God without Sedition and the result was the creating of Gregory being absent and this Election depending Rome was all up in Arms. For Ladislaus the King had taken Ostia and put his Land and Sea-forces into it and thereby so harass'd the Romans with inroads that he forc'd them to sue for Peace and to receive him honourably into the City as their Governour where he changed their civil Officers fortified according to his own mind their Gates and Walls But Paul Vrsin General of the Church-forces came upon him they fought stoutly in the Septimiano near S. James's and lost a great many Men on each side For the King kept his Men on the farther side of Tiber supposing that he should be the safer in that place by reason of his Naval Forces whom he had brought from Ostia to Rome But at last yielding to rather than flying from the Vrsin Faction which increased every day he went to Naples his Party being very much weaken'd by a Victory obtain'd before he came thither over the Columneses that fought under John Columna Baptista Sabellus James Vrsin and Nicolas Columna who had taken S. Laurences Gate and got into the City But when Paul Vrsin came up as I told you they were most of 'em taken and all vanquish'd Two of them were put to death one of which was Galeot a famous Norman Cavalier and the other was called Richard Sanguineus of a Noble and an ancient Family The rest were discharg'd upon condition they would never fight for Ladislaus again From these troubles at Rome there arose such a Dearth of all Provisions that a Rubio of Wheat was sold for eighteen Florins because the Cattel were all driven away and the Husbandmen destroy'd as is usual in the Wars ALEXANDER V. ALEXANDER the Fifth of Candia formerly called Peter Frier of the Order of Minors and Arch-Bishop of Millain a Man famous for Holiness and Learning was made Pope by consent of all the Cardinals that were at that time in the Pisan Assembly So that Gregory fled as it were into Austria and talk'd there of a General Council But not thinking himself safe enough there he went for Rimini and was splendidly receiv'd by Charles Malatesta And Benedict having a Council at Perpignan fled to the Castle of Panischola a very strong place where he staid a good while for his better security But though they were both deposed in the Council at Pisa yet they created Cardinals like true Popes especially Gregory who whilst he tarried at Lucca made Gabriel Condelmero Cardinal by the consent of all the Cardinals that continu'd of his Party which Gabriel was after elected Pope and called Eugenius IV. But I return to Alexander who was an excellent Man in the whole course of his life He was of the Order of Minors from his youth and took so much pains in his Studies at Paris both
which they knew or of which they could accuse their Judges who had for the space of five or six years sat in the Seat of Judicature By these means every day one poor Judg or other who perhaps also was out of employment was dragged away to Prison and close shut up for what Crime he knew not or perhaps had forgot the Sentence he had passed in the Case for which he was accused These and many such like cases of severity strook such a terrour into the minds of those who sat on the Tribunals of Justice or managed any publick employment that every one became cautious and nice in the Sentences he gave or how by fear or bribery he remitted the least scruple or severity which the Law enjoyned or required Farther he gave strict charge to all Sindics and Governours of Towns and Castles to give in a particular List or account of all Felons within their respective Precincts who had for the space of ten years past been accused or branded with Capital Crimes and also of all such who had been convicted for scandalous and infamous persons and Incorrigible during the time of their Sindicate In which Lists he required such an exact impartiality that upon Information given against the Sindic of Albano how in the List of the Dissolute and Incorrigible he had omitted to insert the name of his Nephew he was sentenced by the Pope himself to undergo the Strapado in the publick Market-place from which punishment all the Intercession and Prayers and Interest which the Spanish Ambassadour could make in his behalf was not able to deliver him By these means the Lists of Dissolute Persons which were immediately directed to the hand of the Pope were so very exact that no person was exempted who was guilty of the least Crime Which when the Pope saw and observed every Week as they were sent him he was greatly pleased and especially with those which were filled with a great number of names for in reading of them he would often say Oh happy Gallies which I intend to build O happy I who have first found Men for my Gallies before I found Gallies for my Men. The which severity of the Pope from whom there could never be any expectation of Pardon so terrified all sorts and conditions of People that every one comported himself with the greatest modesty and gravity imaginable that an Oath or a rude or uncivil word was not heard through any of the streets of Rome but every one being alarm'd and dreading as if he had always a Constable or a Pursuivant at his back walked with his beads in his hand repeating a Pater-Noster or some other Prayer with a sorrowful and penitential countenance By these Methods all the Banditi who being grown licentious under the gentle Government of other Popes and who spoiled and destroyed all Italy were now by the Justice of this Pope almost wholly extirpated for such as fled out of the State of the Church to the Dominions of other Princes he so prosecuted by laying Fines on any who secured or succoured them and setting a price on the head of every considerable Bandito that in a short time he reduced them to a small number and totally suppressed the pride and insolence of that pest of mankind And thus resolutely was Sixtus bent to punish the Enormities of wicked Men that whereas it had been the custom of former Popes to shew acts of mercy and pardon on the day of their Coronation opening the Prison Gates and enlarging the Prisoners this Sixtus absolutely refused to grant releasement to any though instantly urged by the Cardinals alledging That there were Rogues sufficient about the streets without ransacking the Prisons for them That he had taken a resolution when he was first made Pope to chastise the wicked and not suffer their Villanies to corrupt and intermix with the Vertues of good Men. By these severities all people lived in quiet and peace one with the other no Sword was drawn in the City nor quarelsom words or uncivil language uttered it being a common saying to Men at variance together Remember these are the times of Sixtus Thus when the Banditi were suppressed the good and benefit was so great to all Italy that the Citizens of Rome erected a Statue of Brass to the memory of this Rome on which these words were engraven Sixto V. Pont. Max. ob quietem publicam compressa Sicariorum Exulumque licentiâ restitutam Annonae inopiam sublevatam urbem edificiis viis aquaeductu illustratam SPQR And farther to demonstrate the inflexible humour of this Pope it is observable that a poor Youth of about seventeen years of age making a resistance against the Bayliffs who came to distrain an Ass for some Duties owing and by Law ordained to be paid in which seizure though the Officers made a mistake for that the Ass did not belong to the party who owed the Mony yet because he offended against the course of Justice by making opposition to it he was condemned to die nor could the persuasions or Intercessions of the G. Duke's Ambassadour nor of the Cardinal of Medici prevail in his behalf or mitigate the rigour of the Sentence and when the Governour of Rome alledged that the youth being under age could not by Law be put to death for this Crime the Pope replyed If he want years I will lend him ten of mine Nor did Sixtus exercise this severity onely towards his own People but he was brisk and haughty towards all Christian Princes for in a few days after his Coronation or at most in two months after he quarrelled with Henry III. King of France with Henry King of Navarre and with Philip II. King of Spain The occasion of his quarrel with Spain seemed to have had no other cause or foundation than his own pride and desire of usurpation and which happened in this manner It had been the custom ever since the time of the Emperour Charles V. for the King of Spain by his Ambassadour at Rome to present yearly on the 29th day of June which is the Festival of St. Peter a white Horse with a Purse of seven thousand Ducats in Gold to the Pope for a Tribute and acknowledgment for the Kingdom of Naples which that King holds as feudatary to the Ecclesiastical State And now on the usual day Sixtus appearing on a Throne with pomp and mignificence to receive his Tribute which the Ambassadour in a quaint Speech and with fine Complements presented he seemed not very well satisfied therewith but returned this tart and Satyrical Reply You think now said he that you have made a fine Speech and indeed so you have for you have made us change a Kingdom for a Beast and still seeming uneasie as he was about to rise he added these suspitious words But we believe that this business will not proceed long in this manner These words immediately touched the Ambassadour to the quick and giving him just cause of reflection
request for a Fountain was taken into consideration for that being agreeable to the Munificent humour of Sixtus was received and immediately ordered to be put in execution by bringing Water to the Convent from the Pope's Gardens at Monte-cavallo which flows there in plentiful streams But now to proceed unto more serious matters Towards the end of this year 1587. Stephen Battory Prince of Transilvania and King of Poland having reigned in that Kingdom for the space of nine years departed this life his death was universally lamented by all having proved a most excellent Prince and a zealous Champion of the Christian Religion against the Turk for he recovered the Dukedoms of Suevia and Smolensko from the Moscovites and united them again to the Crown of Poland He also behaved himself with constant resolution against the Turk who having in the year 1584. demanded according to antient Articles assistance of some Polish Troops against the Persians Battory resolutely denied them to him saying That whereas the white Eagle of Poland had lately moulted her feathers and was displumed and become weak she had now recovered her wings and her train and had sharpned both her beak and her talons Which brisk Reply and bravery of Battory in all the actions of his Reign did calm the spirit of the Turks and checked those frequent Incursions which they made into Poland But Battori as we have said dying this year the Nobility of that Kingdom were very desirous to elect a King who might in Wisdom and Courage prove equal to the valour of the deceased Prince Many there were who offered themselves Candidates for that Election Ridolphus the Son of Maximilian the Emperor was one who for being of the House of Austria seemed qualified for that Crown Some cast their eyes on the Duke of Parma who for his prudence and experience in War was one of the most renowned Captains of those days but being an Italian it was suspected that his humour would not be agrreable to the customs of Poland The Vaivod of Transilvania and Cardinal Battori were others who appeared fitly qualified for this Dignity the first being a young Man and full of spirit assisted with the advantage of his own Riches and in great reputation with the Turk appeared with a lustre deserving a Crown but having been Nephew to the late King his Alliance prejudiced his pretentions not being consistent with the policy of that Nation to have a succession in the same Family the same consideration also was an impediment to the Cardinal though otherwise a Prince of excellent Endowments The Duke of Ferrara was an other proposed but he as well as the Duke of Parma was an Italian whose humour was inconsistent with the Poles Many Nobles also of Poland it self seemed fitly qualified both in Riches and Vertue for that Dignity amongst which Zamowski the Grand Chancellour had a most considerable party for he having managed all the Affairs of that Kingdom during the Reign of Battori who communicated all his Counsels with him and entrusted him with the greatest secrets of State by which he became the most experienced in Affairs and high in Reputation living little inferiour to the Royal pomp howsoever the Nobles not enduring at that time subjection to any of their own degree and Country and having never for the space of six hundred years admitted a Prince of their own to reign over them they would neither now introduce a Novelty repugnant to their antient customs and constitutions Upon the preceding considerations the election falling on none of the foregoing Princes the Votes came at length to concenter between the Prince of Sweden and the Arch-Duke of Austria called Maximilian Brother of the Emperor Ridolphus a person of that affable and obliging deportment as took much with the humour of the Polanders Howsoever the contrary party and the most prevalent objected that being Brother to the Emperor he might be too potent and in time by the power of Germany subvert the Government and turn it from an elective to an hereditary Kingdom wherefore totally declining Maximilian this party resolutely fixed on the Prince of Sweden a youth of twenty years of age greatly favoured by the Poles for being descended from the Family of Jagellona which for having added the Dukedom of Lituania to their Commonwealth was so highly esteemed by them that the merit to that Family could be no otherwise extinguished than by transferring the Crown to the Prince thereof But these considerations in favour of Sweden were turned to quite contrary Sentiments by the differing party so that the whole body of the Nobility being divided between these two Princes the Election still remained in suspense both designing to determine the Dispute by force of Arms. Whilest the Election remained under these doubtful circumstances Sixtus wrote to the Arch-bishop of Naples then Nuntio residing at the place of Election secretly to favour the side of Maximilian but yet with such caution as not too far to engage himself but that in case fortune favoured the Prince of Sweden he might without a blemish declare himself for that party that so he might own in some measure his Election unto him Maximilian to make good his cause appearing before Cracovia with an Army of sixteen thousand fighting Men demanded of the Citizens to receive him in but they refused it and sent with all diligence to the Prince of Sweden to expedite his March for that delays in this case were dangerous and that the day of his Coronation was fixed to be celebrated on the Feast of St. Luke then near approaching In the mean time they repaired their Fortifications and strengthened their Suburbs making daily Sallies on the Forces of Maximilian and most commonly were successful therein to the great encouragement of the Citizens In a short time after Ambassadours arrived at Cracon from the Prince of Sweden advising that the Prince though detained by contrary Winds was come as far as Donzilca and that though it was impossible for him to be so soon with them as St. Luke's day yet certainly he would not fail to be there by St. Martin's which was on the 15th of November and be ready to receive that Dignity on the Sunday following for according to the custom of that Country the Coronation must always be solemnized on the Lord's Day During all this time the Army of Maximilian was greatly weakned for want of provisions and having neither Wine nor good Beer they were forced to drink bad Waters which with the cold and moisture of the season caused Fluxes and Dysenteries and other distempers amongst the Soldiery which reduced them to small numbers Howsoever Maximilian leaving the City of Cracovia marched towards Pietricovia with intention to stop the march of the Prince of Sweden but finding that the Army of his Enemy was greater than his own and that he received the worst in many Skirmishes he retreated to Bellone and thence to Pitschen of the frontiers of Silesia belonging to the Duke of
Princes to depose them and could command Legions of Angels to come to his aid and assistance The Senate having received these Informations from their Ambassadour did well weigh and consider the anger and furious displeasure of the Pope on the one side and the publick liberty and the necessity of upholding their Government on the other and having put both these considerations into the balance they returned this answer to the Pope's Nuntio and wrote also to their Ambassadour at Rome to this effect That they could neither release the Prisoners lawfully arrested nor repeal or dispence with those Laws which were justly established lest they should violate that natural liberty which God had bestowed on their Republick and which had been conserved for many hundreds of years by the wisdom and with the blood of their Ancestours For that to admit such a breach into their Power would breed such confusion in their Government as could not but end in a dangerous Sedition The which resolution was so unanimous and general that not one Vote in the Senate was dissenting and accordingly it was signified to the Nuntio that so they might disabuse and take off the Pope from those expectations which the Jesuits had promised of making a division and Schism amongst the Senators But these reasons made little impression in the mind of the Pope or did in the least move him from prosecuting the violent course he designed and accordingly he ordered two Briefs to be drawn up one relating to the two Laws and the other to the two Prisoners for besides the Canon or Prebend whom we have formerly mentioned the Abbot of Nervesa was also apprehended by the Secular Justice The Crimes laid to the charge of this Abbot were such as were flagitious and of a high nature being accused of having exercised an unlimited tyranny upon his Neighbours and Tenants that he had robbed and taken away their goods at the prices he was pleased to set that he lived in Whoredom and committed Rapes on the Bodies of vertuous and chast Women and that in order thereunto he used Magical Spells and Enchantments and compounded subtle Poisons by which he had destroyed his own Brother who was an Augustine Frier and with him his Servant that by his Poisons he had macerated the Body of his Father in such manner as had reduced him to the last extremity of life That he had committed Incest with his own Sister and poisoned her Maid lest his Crime should be detected by her besides many other Murthers and wickedness of the deepest dye of which he was guilty and this was the pretious Fellow with his Comrade the Canon of Vicenza whom the Pope was so instant to defend and exempt from the Sentence of the Secular Justice The Breviates as we have said being wrote and Sealed were directed in this manner Marino Grimano Duci Reipub. Venetorum and then dispeeded with all secrecy by the Pope to his Nuntio at Venice which when he had done he called a Consistory of Cardinals and then first published and made known the whole matter to them enlarging himself with such heat and vehemence on every particular Point as that he seemed impatient of any contradiction not admitting any debate or consultation thereupon The Cardinals not being used to this manner of treatment who according to the antient constitution of Consistories were not only reputed Counsellours but Parties also in all matters of this moment did murmure at this rash and precipitate resolution of the Pope and having understood the reasons of the Pope on the one side and of the Republick on the other were divided into various Opinions The Consistory being ended the Cardinals Baronius and Perron used many arguments in private to the Pope persuading him to desist from so difficult and hazardous an Enterprise at least that he should expect a more favourable conjuncture of Affairs rather than adventure all by a hasty and inconsiderate advice but the Pope who was fixed on his Design became deaf to all Counsels which concurred not with his sense The Nuntio having received the Briefs delivered them on Christmas day in the Morning to the Counsellours at the time when they were assembled to hear the high Mass but the Doge Grimani lying at that time on his Death-bed and dying the next day the Senate delayed to open the Briefs until according to their usual Methods they had compleated the election of a new Prince Of which the Pope having advice he immediately dispatched Orders to his Nuntio commanding him to protest against the Republick and against their Election as being void and invalid and of no power whilest they remained under the Censure of Excommunication with this new device the Pope expected to make a division and a confusion in their Councils for he measuring the constitutions of Venice at the death of their Prince with those at Rome during the vacancy of the Sea did imagine that such a Bone as this thrown into so numerous an Assembly would beget great disturbances and diversity of Opinions but this Government which hath always been firm and constant and which admitted of no Interregnum kept constant to their antient Principles refusing to give Audience to the Nuntio or any other forein Representative unless it were to pass the Offices of Condolance for the death of the Prince Thus as we say this Election admitting of no interruption the same was compleated on the 10th of January 1606. by the unanimous consent of the Nobles concurring in the choice of Leonard Donato a Senatour of great eminence and esteem for the probity of his life his experience in Government and knowledg in Learning besides his heroick Vertues and qualities which recommended him to all mankind After this Election all the Ambassadours from forein Princes went to congratulate with the new Doge onely the Pope's Nuntio refrained from this Office notwithstanding which the Doge according to the usual form wrote to the Pope giving him advice of his Election to which the Pope contrary to his former intentions returned a favourable answer giving his Nuntio Order to pass the Complement and in person to congratulate with the Doge for the honour with which he was invested The first thing which after the election of the Prince was transacted in the Senate was the Controversie between the Pope and the Republick and in the first place the Cavalier Peter Duodo was appointed Ambassadour to be dispeeded to Rome Then the Pope's Briefs were in the next place to he considered the which being opened and read were found to run almost in the same stile and tenure one having reference to the Laws and the other to the Prisoners the Contents whereof were as followeth That whereas for some years past the Senate had in their publick Councils transacted and established several matters against the Liberties and Immunities of the Church and against the Canons Councils and Pontifical Constitutions And whereas the Council of the Pragadi in pursuance of such Laws
Italy But Pope Vrban after various troubles and Negotiations established the Peace of Italy and by the dexterous management of Cardinal Mazarine then his Nuntio appeased the differences between Spain and France and therewith established an universal Peace In the life of Sixtus IV. we have shewed how that that Pope married John his Nephew and Brother to Cardinal Julian to Jane the Daughter of Frederick Duke of Vrbin by whom he had one Son called Francisco Maria della Rovere who succeeded in that Dukedom And whereas for want of Heirs male that Dutchy did of right devolve to the Demesnes of the Church yet Sixtus to advance the honour of his own Family de la Rovere was pleased still to continue that Fief in separation from the Church the which remained in such condition until the year 1632. when Francisco Maria della Rovere the last Duke of Vrbin dying this Pope Vrban assumed the property and without difficulty united it to the patrimony of the Church for this Pope having an Eye thereunto in the life of the Duke who was then grown very old kept a Prèlate in that Country which assisted in all affairs by which means after his death Taddeo Barberino the Pope's Nephew Prince of Palestrina entred peaceably with his Soldiers and took such quiet possession thereof as if the old Dominion had been continued rather than a new one introduced The Pope expecting this accident was already in Arms under pretence of the commotions in Italy so that in case amidst these confusions any one should have designed to disturb his peaceable possession he was in a condition to maintain his right with a puissant Force But the Princes were so far from invading the Dutchy that they universally concurred in the confirmation of his Title advising him to invest one of his Nephews in the Principality But the Pope considering the severe Bulls of his Predecessours against such alienations feared that he might entail a patrimony of unquietness and trouble to his posterity and therefore resolved to annex that Dominion to the Church against the persuasions of divers Princes who were willing to see the Ecclesiastical State increase in Temporal Power in memory of which Union of this Principality to the Church without Arms or effusion of bloud but only by prudence and gentleness these words are engraven in the Vatican Civitates Ditiones Ducat us Vrbini Nomine comprehensae quas à Romanis Pontificibus Feltria prius deinde Ruveria familia beneficiario Jure possidebat in Francisco Maria II. extinctâ utriusque sobole in liberam Apostolicae Sedis Dominationem concessere Vrbano VIII Pont. Max. Anno Salutis MDCXXXII Regio autem Virorum tum Militari studio tum insigni Opificio Doctrinae laude praestantium multitudine celeberrima est But that the Pope might not displease his Nephew Taddeo by this disappointment he conferred upon him the Pretorship of Rome which had long been enjoyed by the Family of Rovere This Office and Dignity which still retained the antient and venerable Name of Praetor Praetorii and in the times of the Caesars was in great esteem and Authority conserved now little more than an empty name without power for which reason forein Ambassadours who were the Representatives of the Emperour and Kings refused to give precedency of place to this Prefect or Governour at such times when at the most solemn Functions they assisted at the Chair of the Pope The Barberins depending on the greatness of their Uncle who was ever partial in the Cause and Interest of his kinred obstinately maintained their pretended Right by which the Controversie arose so high that the Ambassadours by Order of their respective Princes abstained from the Churches and from all solemn Meetings at which they might be present with the Prefect From this common distast of Princes arose an other of a private nature between the Cavalier Giovanni Pesari Ambassadour for the Republick of Venice and Taddeo the Prefect the occasion was this the Prefect casually meeting in the street with Pesari caused his Coach to stop as the custom is always in Rome that when the Coaches of Cardinals Ambassadours and other Great Men meet they always stop and send Messages of Complement one to the other but Pesari not observing it by reason that it was in the dusk of the Evening drove on without notice of the Prefect which though Pesari sent afterwards expresly to excuse yet the Prefect was so offended that he purposely designed to meet him an other time and that he might requite the late neglect he corrupted the Ambassadours Coachman to stay his Horses feigning that his Hat was fallen off and so in the mean time the Prefect passed without notice of the Ambassadour Pesari intended to have chastised his Servant for this piece of treachery but that he was rescued by some armed Men from the punishment he deserved The Court of Rome which is always talkative and figuring a strange kind of effects from such shadows and appearances made great account of these Formalities discoursing of them with the same direful apprehensions as Men in other parts use to conclude from bloudy Battels and important Conquests But the Senate of Venice having notice hereof was well assured that by support of the Uncle the party of the Barberins would be too strong in Rome ordered their Ambassadour Pesari that for evidence of a publick Resentment he should immediately leave the City without taking the least notice either of the Pope or his Nephews and in the mean time at Venice the Nuntio was suspended from Audience To this disgust an other quarrel was annexed occasioned by a Bull made the last year by Vrban whereby he Decreed to Cardinals the Ecclesiastical Electors and the Great Master of Malta the Title of Eminence forbidding them to receive any other unless from Kings The Republick of Venice which have always adhered to their antient Forms and Stile and will upon no occasion whatsoever be induced to alter and change their Customs would never give other Title to them than of Reverendissimo Illustrissimo which gave great disgust and mortification to the Pope and served to increase the former discontent To these were added other sharp contests between those of Loreo Subjects to the Venetians and those of Ferrara where Cardinal Palotta the Pope's Legat encroached on the undoubted confines of the Venetians and imprisoning the Venetian Subjects shewed an intention to attempt greater Novelties and by erecting and changing the High ways diverted the course of the Waters in such manner as made the River Po almost useless The Venetians provoked by these mischiefs laboured to repair themselves with like returns for Luca Pesaro Captain of the Gulf entring into the Sacca di Goro with some Gallies and armed Barks stopped the Ships which with Victuals and Merchandise passed by Sea towards Ferrara He destroyed also the works which were lately made in the River to divert its course The Troops also encreased on both sides and the
to the protection of France being no longer a secret both the Prefect and Cardinal Francisco with that whole Family loudly professed themselves Servants to his most Christian Majesty and in testimony thereof replaced the Arms of France again over their Gates The reception also of the Barberins to favour was signified by the King in a Letter to the Pope which was delivered by the hand of Cardinal Grimaldi who was at that time employed in the Affairs of France but this Letter operated little of good but served rather to irritate the mind of the Pope for within three days afterwards he erected a Congregation of five Cardinals all Enemies to the Barberins to inspect the Affairs of that Family and to proceed by the methods of Law against them so that Cardinal Francisco who was esteemed innocent and unblameable in his Conversation and had not as yet been attacked by any was cited to make his personal appearance before this Court where an Act was intimated unto him which annulled and made void the Dispensation which his Uncle Vrban had made to indemnifie his Nephews and exempt them from rendering an account of the publick Moneys which had passed through their hands and in pursuance hereof Taddeo the Prefect was enjoyned to bring in all the Accounts of Expences and Moneys which had issued out of the Chamber during the time of his Uncle though the Books and Receipts were in the hands and Office of the Paymasters And in regard that Cardinal Antonio was absent in France a Brief was sent him to appear personally at Rome within the space of two months under pain of Excommunication and forfeiture of all his Estate Revenues and Benefices which he held of the Church and in the mean time Cardinal Francisco and the Prefect were obliged in a Bond of thirty thousand Crowns to advertise Cardinal Antonio of these proceedings and not to remove any of their Goods Housholdstuff Jewels c. out of their Houses at Rome or any other place sequestring also the whole revenue of Cardinal Antonio And whereas Cardinal Francisco had been superintendent over the Revenues of the Church he was ordered not only to give an account of the Moneys but of all other managements and transactions during the Government of his Uncle These violent and severe proceedings against the Nephews of a former Pope seemed a Policy disagreeable to the inclinations and designs of Innocent who intended to advance his Nephew Cardinal Pamfilio and was as passionate towards his Relations as ever Vrban had been and more perhaps than he for being wholly guided by the directions of Donna Olympia Mildachini a Woman of untamed Pride and unsatiable Avarice it was not to be imagined that the Revenues of the Church should be better employed or used with more moderation than they were in the times of the late Vrban This Donna Olympia was but of an ordinary extraction in Rome but being married to Signior Pamfilio Brother to this Pope made the off-spring which came from her to be illustrious and for governing one who governed the Church hath made herself famous in all the Histories of Italy and the Ecclestastical State She was a Woman which naturally affected Rule and Dominion and therefore because her Husband crossed her desires and would subject her to Obedience she had a quarrel to him and held him in abhorrence and detestation though his person was comely and handsom enough to be beloved on the other side none was more pleasing and acceptable to her than her Husband's Brother first Abbat and then Cardinal Pamfilio for though he was one of the most ugly and ill-favoured persons in the World yet because he never entered on any Affair either publick or private before he first consulted his Sister-in-law making her his Oracle and presenting her with the entire disposal of his Will she became perfectly enamoured of his Person and Soul and would never be separated from his company After he was created Pope she then took upon herself the State and Garb of a Princess and seizing with absolute Dominion and Authority on the person of the Pope exerted her Power to such a degree that she made the whole Court of Rome subservient to her Beck and obsequious to her Commands The greediness of the Barberins in amassing Money was the most exorbitant that ever had been known before in Rome but when this Woman came she swept with both hands making the rapine and extortion which had been used before seem to be attempered with some qualifications of modesty and mercy For no Judg of criminal Causes being made without her recommendations they all received their Instructions from her which she gave with such Rules and Methods as conduced to her Avarice She ordered them to bleed the Purse rather than the Veins of Malefactors that all the Fines and redemptions of the Guilty should be sent to her that she might employ them to the use and benefit of the Poor by which means and to satisfie the Judges who would always have their share in the Booty the Fines were raised beyond all the measures of Justice and though complaints hereof were made unto the Pope yet neither were the oppressed relieved nor the Judges punished We have said before that the Pope had created his Nephew Don Camillo Cardinal who was the Son of Donna Olympia and at her instigation was declared Cardinal Patron being a Title commonly conferred on the Pope's nearest Relation the which was done to disappoint the match between Camillo and the Daughter of the Prefect But this young Gallant being of a gay and light temper and uncapable of serious thoughts and business was weary of his Cardinal's Hat which against the consent and without the knowledg of the Pope and his Mother he laid aside to marry the Princess Rossana who by the death of her Husband the Prince was become a Widow The news of this Wedding was strangely surprising to all Rome but more especially to the Pope and his Sister who after a conference of two hours together in private resolved that Prince Camillo and his Lady should be banished from Rome The disgrace of these two personages was as surprising to the World as was the Marriage for there was in reality no Objection to the match especially since he was the onely branch of the House of Pamfilio whose noble change to joyn himself with a Lady of Beauty Quality Riches and Understanding was conducing to that common desire of mankind which is to keep up and perpetuate their Families wherefore there being no just reason why the Pope should be displeased at the match the cause of banishing the new married couple was attributed solely to Donna Olympia who being jealous of having the Princess Partner or Corrival with her in the Government thought fit to keep her at a distance from the Court But the World in the mean time could not but remain astonished at this passage for it was wonderful to see a Pope so sensless as to
in the mean time it was the discourse of the Town that the Pope resolved to sequester her Estate and imprison her Person But whilst Affairs went on in this manner a dreadful Visitation of Pestilence in the year 1656. fell upon Rome which so afflicted the City that not onely Trade and Commerce was interrupted but the common Courts of Justice were shut up so that the farther prosecution of Donna Olympia ceased but the Justice of God took up the Cause against her and the divine Vengeance reached this guilty Wretch by a stroak of the Plague of which she died at Orvieto some few months after her persecution It was computed that she left more than two millions of Crowns in ready Money besides Land and moveables inestimable and what she had already bestowed on her kinred After her death there was nothing more done and not much more talk'd of her for the Prince Pamfilio as Heir to her Estate quietly possessed himself of all taking his Habitation in her Palace in the Piazza of Navona which is the fairest in all Rome onely it is said she left some few Legacies amongst her other kindred which did not exceed three hundred thousand Crowns When Alexander came first to the Papal Chair he publickly declared against Nepotism and with some direful asseverations that he would never rule by his Kinred nor enrich his Family with the spoils of the Church whilst he continued in this humour he prosecuted Donna Olympia with as much severity and rigour as the methods and course of Law would allow so that after her death it was believed he would have confiscated all her Estate to the use of St. Peter but it seems the detestation of her Crimes and his anger for all her evils died and vanished with her person only 't is said that he drew away about a million of Crowns from Prince Pamfilio her Heir to bestow on his own Kindred robbing Peter as we say to pay Paul But this sturdy humour against his Kindred continued not long before he suffered himself to be overcome by the yerning of his own bowels towards them and by the persuasion of some Cardinals his Confidents who observing a desire in him to break his late protestation met his wishes with their arguments of love towards his own Bloud and Relations for why should he be singular and less kind to himself and Family than other Popes or why should the House of Chigi remain onely obscure and mean whilest the Barberini and Pamfilii were opulent and exalted and all the Princes of Rome derived their Riches and greatness from the favour and benefice of Popes who had been their Predecessours These considerations melted the tender heart of Alexander in such manner that towards the end of the first year of his Pontificate he called his Brother Don Mario with his Son Flavio and Don Augustino the Son of his Brother Augusto unto the Court and being now provided with a Brother and two Nephews he used them with as much indulgence as other Popes had shewn to their kindred giving the World to understand how little Men are acquainted with their own hearts and how easily they change their resolutions and affections with the alteration of their fortunes and encrease of their honours but lest it should seem strange to the World that after such solemn protestations against Nepotism he should without other methods introduce his Nephews into Offices and the principal benefits and profits of the Church he with much formality in a publick Consistory demanded the Opinion of the Cardinals whether the admittance of such faithful friends as his Brother and Nephews might not rather be useful than detrimental to the Church The Cardinals who are always civil to the Pope and ready to concur with his desires every one entertaning an expectancy of being Pope himself when it might be his own case and might feel the like warm inclinations towards his own bloud would not be so rude as to exclude his Family from their share in the Government but rather encouraged him to indulg his own Family and be as kind to his as his Predecessours had been to their Relations and lest the World should by this admittance of a new Nepotism imagine or suspect that the Revenues of the Church should be employed to the raising of the Family of Chigi and that the times of Vrban VIII and Innocent X. were returned he ordered Briefs to be issued against Simony and other corruptions with more severe terms and under other more execrable maledictions than had formerly been used He renewed also antient Decrees against Pensions and Gifts and farther Ordained that several vacant Benefices should not be supplied but that the Revenue of them being received into the Apostolical Chamber should be employed towards extinguishing the vast Debts of the Church And that he might farther engage and insinuate himself into the minds and good will of the People who conceived high thoughts of him and demonstrated unusual expressions of joy at the beginning of his Inauguration he exercised his paternal Love and Charity towards them in three several calamities which befel the people of Rome and followed one as it were on the neck of the other In the year 1656. the City as we have said was visited with such a raging Pestilence which continued for two years as rendered it almost desolate during which time the Famine had been as destructive and made an end of those which the Plague had left had not the Poor been relieved and comforted by the generous care and pious charity of this Pope No sooner was the Pestilence ceased but the Tyber swelling with inordinate Rains surpassed its banks with such a deluge as drowned all the Campagne and lower Villages of Rome but those which were seated on higher elevations of Hills were environed so with the Waters on all sides that for the space of fifteen days they could have no communication with their Neighbours for relief and sustenance onely the Pope taking compassion on his People employed great numbers of flat-bottomed Boats laden with Provisions to pass from one Village to another for the succour and sustenance of the Inhabitants after which he took all the courses and expedients possible to moderate the price of Wheat that the People might be supported and not die with Famine After two such extream Calamities many of those who escaped the Pestilence and the Deluge perished by a fatal Earthquake which overturned almost all the Villages in the Country of Romagne to repair which and rebuild their Towns the Pope like a common Father was highly liberal and bountiful in his Contributions Soon after the enstalment of Pope Alexander the Christian Princes sent their respective Ambassadours to Rome after the usual custom to pay as they call it their Acts of Obedience and homage to the Pope Those who were most conspicuous and eminent were the Duke de Crequi sent from the Crown of France and the Cardinal of Aragon from his Catholick Majesty
censure and condemn two Books the one of James Vernant who asserts the Pope's Power and Infallibility of the Pope in derogation of Councils Kings and Bishops and the other of Amadeus Guimenius who defends the Morals of the Jesuits the Pope being displeased with this confidence of the Sorbonists who being but a Colledg only should presume to determine Cases of such high nature complained to the King who in compliance with his Holiness assembled a Congregation of Bishops at Pontoise the which being met passed a Censure on the Sorbonists not condemning their Opinion but their presumption for that being but a private Colledg they should usurp a Power which appertained to the Congregation and not unto them The Pope not satisfied with these imperfect proceedings amends them at Rome and by a Bull condemns the Opinions of the Sorbonists under penalty of Excommunication But this Doctrine of the Pope's could not be digested by the Parliament of Paris who appeared Favourers of the Sorbonists howsoever lest these questions should engender discords and cause great trouble in the State they were silenced and by the King's Authority suppressed every one being under severe penalties forbidden to dispute or handle questions of this dangerous consequence Wherefore these Points being laid asleep rather than eradicated are sometimes revived and suffered to be started whensoever they are seasonable and judged commodious for the welfare of the State The same year likewise the Pope condemned the five Propositions of Cornelius Jansenius Bishop of Ypres concerning Grace and Free-Will and confirmed the Edict which Innocent X. had made against them Notwithstanding which so little regard was had thereunto that those Opinions are still maintained and defended both by words and Writings But now to proceed to his Acts and publick Works That Alexander VII might not appear less splendid in his publick Monuments than other Popes he repaired many Ruins enlarged and adorned many Streets much to the Ornament of the City and convenience of the Inhabitants The Pantheon which was a famous Temple of Old Rome built by M. Agrippa and afterwards by Boniface IV. dedicated to the Blessed Virgin he repaired and altered with much advantage for whereas formerly they descended unto it by steps he filled the low places with rubbish so that an entrance was made thereunto upon a level and having raised the Pillars which were almost buried in the Earth he therewith erected a stately Portico making it a magnificent structure which before was filled up with dirt and rubbish cast thereunto by the neighbouring Market The Forum or Market-place where the Columna Antoniana stands he cleansed and removed all rubbish from it and so beautified it on all sides that it is now a pleasant and convenient part of the City The Archigymnasium Romanum which was begun by Leo X. he finished and adorned with a sumptuous Library the Chamber for which he erected at his own charge and supplied it with excellent Books for the common use of learned Men. He also designed to build a Colledg wherein to entertain the most learned and famous Men of the Age invited thereunto from all parts of the World So that where any one was esteemed excellent and famous in any Science and especially if he were learned and an acute Disputant in Divinity he might be here entertained with a convenient subsistence to support which and make a Revenue for this Colledg he designed the desolation of some Monasteries which having formerly been ordained with holy Discipline and to a good end were now fallen from their original and primary Institution but whilest he was contemplating and contriving this design he became infirm and afflicted with a Chronical Distemper which abated the heat of his proceedings which afterwards ended and were wholly laid aside by his death He erected a noble and magnificent Hall adjoyning to the Vatican which he called an Archivium or a place to lodge all Papers and Writings relating to the Apostolical Sea that is all Papers rendering an account of the Negotiations of Nuntios in the Courts of forein Princes Likewise the Letters written to Popes from the Governours and Ministers of Provinces belonging to the Church such Letters also as had been written concerning the Rights and Priviledges of the Papal Chair for which there having formerly been no certain place allotted wherein to conserve them they were dispersed and scattered in divers places and many of them in the hands of such whose Uncles or Relations had been Popes The Vatican Library he encreased with an addition of all the Books of the Dukes of Vrbin both Manuscripts and Books printed And lest whilest he was intent to the adornment of Rome he should seem forgetful of his own City he beautified the Cathedral Church of Siena which by demolishing the Houses which stood near it he made a large and open Area to it removing all impediments which obscured or obstructed the Prospect The barbarous Latin which is written about the outside of this Church is very observable the words are these Omnis centenus Romae semper est Jubilenus Crimina laxantur cui paenitet ista donantur Et confirmavit Bonifacius roboravit Whilest Alexander was employed in these and other greater Works he was esteemed to have neglected those assistances which former Popes have usually given and contributed for support of those Princes which have been borderers and in War with the Turk who is the grand Enemy of Christendom Wherefore that he might give some instances to the contrary in the year 1666. he equipped his Fleet of Gallies under command of Bichi and having joined them with the Gallies of Malta which by their Institution are obliged to serve under the Standard of the Church they entered the Archipelago and committed some spoils on the Maritime Towns or places under Dominion of the Turk in which having passed that Summer without any action very memorable they returned towards the end of the year to their Winter quarters and this year the Pope recruited the Regiment which he maintained in Dalmatia with two hundred Soldiers During the twelve years of this Pope's Reign he created thirty eight Cardinals of which eight were made in the last year of his life namely Roberti his Nuntio in France Visconti his Nuntio in Spain Julio Spinola his Nuntio to the Emperour Caracciolo Auditor of the Camera likewise John Dolfino Patriarch of Aquileia was made Cardinal at the instance of the Venetians Ghidobald de Thun Arch-bishop of Saltzburg at the desire of the Emperour the Duke of Vendosme in compliance with France and the Duke of Montalto to please Spain And farther to exalt and dignifie the degree of Cardinals he appointed a Congregation of the Sacred Colledg to consider and direct some Formulary or Rules which might serve to augment the Prerogatives of Cardinals in opposition to the pretences of the Roman Barons one amongst which was that the little Bell which was carried and sounded before the Cardinals should be no more in use for that
good will and suffrage at his Election and according to the Politicks of former Popes he made some Laws and Orders for regulation of the Markets and for supplies of the City with Victuals and Provisions that the People might at the beginning of his Government find Peace and plenty But these plausible and specious appearances which cost little to the Pope great discontents arose in the Court of Rome by reason of the exorbitant Power of the Cardinal Nephew who assuming all matters into his own hands suffered no applications to be made unto the Pope but by his means and intercession nor would he suffer the Seals to pass for any Livings or Benefices without a payment of Mony for and in consideration thereof unto himself in which he was so strict that a Living of ten Crowns a year did not escape him without some acknowledgment And for better management of this Simonaical Traffick he appointed Brokers in the Palace to set up an Office and there publickly to profess and without shame to bargain and contract for Offices and Benefices This scandalous manner of dealing discouraged all Men of Virtue and Merit from hopes of obtaining Employments for since Money and not Desert was the step to all preferments good Men for the greatest part were excluded and none but a sort of progging and traffiquing Clergymen advanced to Benefices and Places of Trust Thus did this adopted Nephew play his part when a great swarm of Kindred appeared at Court pretending to be allied either by bloud or alliance to the Pope for though when he was onely a simple Prelat and had no great matter to dispose of few or none would own his Relation but being now advanced to the Pontifical Chair every Citizen of Rome would be his Kinsman and frame a Scheme or Tree of his Pedigree deducing their linage by one Branch or other from the Family of Altieri all which finding an adopted Nephew surreptitiously crept into the favour of their Kinsman and themselves excluded openly murmured against Paluzzi and complained of the injustice and ill fortune but he little regarded their clamours suffering none of them to approach the Pope or challenge kindred unless the Family of the Massimi of which he advanced some to Places of Trust and Profit The College of Cardinals though much divided in their inclinations yet the greatest part of them could not support the despotical Government of Altieri who though he could not absolutely restrain the Cardinals from access to the Pope yet he made their Audiences difficult to be obtained and often caused them upon I know not what excuses to be deferred until other days and times when he contrived to be always present that he might be a witness of their discourses and prevent that freedom which they designed with the Pope This design of Cardinal Altieri was greatly promoted by the retirement of Persons powerful for their Riches and Interest from Rome for soon after the Election of the Pope the Ambassadour of the most Christian King and the Cardinals of Retz and Boglion were returned into France and Cardinal de Este whose Power was sufficient to shake the mightiest Favourite was gone into his own Country Cardinal Antonio was sick and languishing in his Bed and the Flying Squadron whose pretences were onely pure zeal for the universal good of the Church were contented to let matters pass according to the humour of Altieri hoping that the Pope by reason of his age could not hold out long and that therefore it were better to employ their time in forming Parties against the next Conclave than to contrive means and Artifices to defeat and ruin the Power of Altieri but they were much deceived in their measures for the good old Man was so lusty and hearty living without much care that he was likely to out-live the youngest of the Squadron Nor was the Marquis of Astorgas Ambassadour for Spain much more concerned than others for he having other designs of gaining the good will and favour of the Citizens of Rome little cared in what nanner the Intrigues and Affairs of the Court succeeded Wherefore the onely dangerous and formidable Enemy was the Dean Cardinal Barberino a person of that Reputation and Wit as was only capable to stand in competition with the Power of Altieri But neither his Policy Art nor Interest could be available against this Cardinal Nephew who exercised a more absolute Power than any other Favourite had enjoyed in the Place before him the continuance of which being very uncertain he cast about him divers ways whereby to advance and establish the greatness of his Family which under the happy circumstances of his present flourishing condition was not difficult to procure For in Rome there are many Noble and rich Families which aspire to an alliance with the kindred of the Pope's Regnant which though it be an honour of no long continuance yet they have commonly had the opportunity to accumulate Riches during the life of the Pope and afterwards remained with the priviledg of being numbred amongst the Princes after his death The Prince Carbognano who was a principal branch of the House of Colonna which for its Power Riches and Nobility yields to none in Rome had two Sons the eldest of which was called the Duke of Basanello and the second Duke of Anticoli the first was married to the Sister of the Contestable Colonna but having no Children or Heirs the Riches and opulency of all that Family was to devolve by right of Inheritance to the Duke of Anticoli of which Cardinal Altieri having well considered treated of a marriage between him and Donna Tarquinia Great Niece to the Pope esteeming it the best and most advantageous Match in all Rome Prince Carbognano the Father who was of an open and easie temper gave ear to the Proposal with much satisfaction but the Duke of Basanello not suffering his younger Brother to be advanced by these means to a degree above himself refused to give his assent unto the Match unless he also might be received into en equal rank with his Brother and enjoy the honour of those prerogatives which appertain to Nephews and Princes allied to the Papal Throne Altieri declining all rubs and difficulties which might obstruct the Match entertained Basanello with hopes and expectations of the conditions he desired but so soon as the Marriage was celebrated and consummated he then excused himself saying that upon better thoughts he found that such an instance could not be given without drawing many ill consequences with it howsoever that the Pope would think upon it and do what was possible but in reality such words gave no satisfaction being interpreted for a flat and format denial Hence at first arose some coldness which afterwards proceeded to an open quarrel and defiance between Basanello on the one side and Altieri and Anticoli on the other so that both parties exercised their thoughts in ways of revenge upon each other The genius of Italians which
is naturally ready in such contrivances prompted Basanello to a matter wherein he might most sensibly wound Altieri for knowing that the expectation of Riches was the sole aim and desire of the Cardinal he laboured to disappoint his hopes by defeating his Brother Anticoli of all that Estate which descended to him by the death of the Prince Gallicano which amounted unto three thousand Pistols a year besides Plate Jewels and other Riches and were bequeathed to Basanello and at his absolute disposal without regard to any descendency but that so much Riches might not be lost or be alienated from the Family of Colonna he settled them upon the Duke of Sonnino Brother of his Wife and of the Constable Colonna This unexpected defeat to the prejudice of Anticoli touched Altieri in the most sensible part which was his own interest and honour in return of which he contrived a Revenge spun with a like thread and of the same nature with the former in which because most of the Roman Princes and forein Ministers were concerned it may not be impertinent to this History to make a short relation thereof Prince Cesarini lately deceased had left immense Riches to his Family but wanting Heirs male and leaving only two Daughters the Inheritance descended to Monsignor Cesarini Brother to the Prince who was Clerk of the Camera which to enjoy with so many Seignories Baronies and Lordships thereunto belonging this good Prelat made no scruple to abandon his Offices and the expectations of a Cardinals Cap to enter into a fair Revenue of above sixteen thousand Pistols per annum but having wasted his body by the sins of his youth he found himself not fit to marry and consequently without hopes of legitimate Heirs for which reason these Riches descending to the two Daughters the Prince their Father left in his Will and Testament that such as should have the fortune to marry his Daughters should be persons devoted and sincerely adhering to the party and interest of France The Duke of Sonnino formerly called Abbat of Colonna and Brother of the Constable had forsaken his Ecclesiastical preferment to marry with the second Daughter on condition that the eldest engaging herself by promise to be a Nun should renounce all right and title to the moiety of the Estate with her younger Sister The condition of this Affair being known to Altieri he took his advantage to reek his revenge on the House of Colonna judging it a proper means to pay them off in the same coin for as the Duke of Bassanello had formerly defeated Anticoli of the Estate of Prince Gallicano so now he contrived to deprive Sonnino of the Inheritance belonging to the Princess Cesarini and which should inevitably have devolved unto him in case the Princess had remained constant to her resolution and had renounced the World within the inclosures of a Nunnery But Altieri suggesting to the young Lady the pleasures and conveniencies of marriage made easie impression into her frail heart causing her to waver and stagger in her late resolutions and whereas the Vow she had made of perpetual chastity was the chief scruple which obstructed the change of her Will that knot was easily untied by the solution of her spiritual Father and Confessor and other Priests and Friers who were made the Instruments of this design and in case there should still remain any scruple of Conscience the infallible power of the Pope himself was at hand to clear the doubts and dispense with all the Engagements Vows and Promises to God or Man by which she supposed herself bound and obliged and to make all this good the Pope proffered to take her into his protection The Princess Cesarini being thus overcome and resolved to marry the Cardinal provided her with a Husband giving her the opportunity to see Don Frederico Sforza his Nephew who was a brisk young Gallant and capable to make impression in the tender heart of a Lady disposed towards the thoughts of marriage The Constable of Colonna on the other side despairing of all hopes to persuade the Princess to the continuance of her Vow concurred with the other party in his assent to her marriage provided she would accept of Don Lelio Orsini This Proposal much alarm'd the Cardinal as also the Duke of Gravina who though he was one branch of the House of Orsini yet having married one of the Pope's Nieces with a considerable Portion in ready Mony and with assurances of a Cardinal's Cap for his Brother who was a Dominican Frier was easily persuaded to concur with Altieri in the advancement of the Pope's Family The Intrigues of this Affair were various and admitted of more particulars than are required in this History but in short the power of Altieri was not onely superiour to that of Colonna and his plots more subtle and his labours more indefatigable for he was the most assiduous Man in the World to promote his own interest but also he had a greater Ascendant over the affections of the Princess in the person of Sforza who was young gentle and of good address whereas Don Lelio was a Man in years and of a weak and infirm complexion and so given over and inclined to devotion that they gave him the name of Mangia Santi or the Saint-Eater wholly and intirely applying his mind to gain Indulgences and Jubilies and Pardons howsoever upon the proposals of this Marriage he strained his humour into the Mode of a Gallant feigning a brisk and aiery behaviour which being forced and affected became him so ill that it seemed almost ridiculous and could stand in no competition with the more natural garb and comeliness of Don Frederico Howsoever the Interest which was made in behalf of Don Lelio by importunity of the Mother and the persuasion of other Friends was so prevalent that the young Lady remained in a doubtful condition which of the offers she should embrace This indifferency much troubled Altieri and therefore to secure his point against all attempts and affaults of the Mother and others he removed the Princess from the Monastery of St. Katharine of Siena wherein she resided to that of S. Anne on the other side of the Tiber where Sforza had an Aunt that lived a profess'd Nun and for better security from secret practices Guards were set by express Order from the Pope to hinder all communication with the Princess But not onely was it thought necessary to prevent all private suggestions but the affection of the Lady towards Sforza was to be kept up by some lively representations of Love which were constantly to be instilled into her mind by some able and proper Instrument to perform this Office none seemed more able nor better qualified than Monsignor Altoviti the Patriarch of Alexandria who was highly esteemed in the City and of great reputation for the devotion and sanctity of his life and for the experience he had in the affairs of the Court of Rome moreover he was superintendent over this
conjectures as these could have no foundation nor gain belief amongst those who understand the constitution of Rome and the nature of the Cardinal who was more inclined to heap up for himself than sow for others But the more probable Opinion was that Spain was desirous to stand fair with the Pope because France was at odds with him giving thereby a testimony to the World of the unquietness of that Nation which is contentedy with nothing of moderation and in fine that their behaviour towards all is insolent and insupportable The year 1675. which was the Jubily or holy year being entered the City of Rome was after the usual manner filled with multitudes of Pilgrims and Strangers who crowded to obtain the benefit of Pardons and Indulgences which are plentifully issued and bestowed at that time That year six Cardinals were created namely Alexander Crescentio a Roman Marescotti of Bologna Rocci a Roman Albritii a Neapolitan Spada a Roman and Philip Howard of the Illustrious Family of Norfolk who was a Dominican having been Great Almoner to the Queen of England this advancement was much facilitated by her Majesties recommendations The which promotions the French King would not own because the Bishop of Marseglia whom the King of Poland had recommended as we have related at the beginning of this Pope's Reign was rejected to please the humour of the Spaniards And indeed herein his most Christian Majesty seemed to have just cause of discontent for though in the year 1671. Cesar d' Estreé Brother of the Duke of that name and called Bishop of Laon was created Cardinal yet that honour being conferredat the nomination of the King of Portugal in recompence of some services rendered to that Crown and united onely to the bare recommendations of France it was not esteemed as a favour done to that King but to Portugal onely of which Kingdom d' Estreé was made Protectour Howsoever Altieri would not understand it for other than a favour done to France without which and the interest of the Duke d' Estreé his Brother then Ambassadour at Rome it had scarce been obtained for that Duke amongst other Commissions brought from Rome had particular instructions to demand of the Pope the restitution of Castro and Ronciglione to the Duke of Parma according to the Treaty of Pisa but that being a morsel not easily digested by the Pope Monsieur d' Estreé made his way thereupon to gain the Cardinal's Cap for his Brother by a relaxation of that demand About the beginning of the year 1676. there arose a Controversie between the Pope and the Vice-King of Naples concerning the seizure of certain Banditi within the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical State by Officers from the Vice-King upon which Dispute the Son of the Duke of Sora was banished from Rome upon pain of death in case he should return This Pope Canonized Cajetan Tienne founder of the Order of Regular Clarks Francis Borgia General of the Jesuits Philip Beniti restorer of the Order of the Servillians Lewis Bertran and Rose of St. Mary both of the Dominican Order Under these Circumstances Altieri remained with France when Pope Clement the 10th died some few hours before whose death Altieri pressed him to fill up the four vacant places of Cardinals and though the Queen of Sweden and Cardinal Barbarino joyned with him in the same request yet the Pope would not hearken to them nor grant their desire And when at last Altieri became more importunate with him than before designing to supply the four vacant places with Creatures of his own who might be able to fortifie his Interest against the next Conclave the good Pope turned to him and with some Anger said You may well content your self that you have been Pope for six years Suffer me now to follow my own inclinations and be Pope for six hours onely It was now generally concluded and believed that Altieri was so fallen into disreputation with the whole College of Cardinals and with the People of Rome and so hated by all the Prelates that immediately after the Pope's death he would be removed from all his Offices and deprived of his Suffrage in the ensuing Conclave But Altieri had so well feathered his Nest during his Reign under his reputed Uncle that his Riches procured him Friends and reconciled the minds of those who were most estranged from him so that he conserved his Office of Chamberlain with other honourable Charges and obtained a confirmation for his Nephew Don Gasparo in his place of General and afterwards entered triumphant into the Conclave onely his main task was in what manner to reconcile himself to the favour of the most Christian King in regard the Cardinals of that Party declared that they would neither act nor treat with Altieri until he had first given satisfaction to his Majesty INNOCENT XI SO soon as Clement X. had expired his last breath Altieri who was Cardinal Chamberlain gave notice thereof to all the Officers of the Houshold upon which news all the Prelates and Grooms of the Bedchamber in decent and mourning Habits repaired to the Palace of Monte-Cavallo where they found the Body of the Pope laid out on a Pallet covered with Crimson Velvet and there in presence of them all Altieri whose Office it was brake the Sigillum Piscatorium or the Pope's Seal in pieces and the Notaries of the Camera took an Inventory of all the Goods found in the Palace After which the body of the Pope was dedivered to those who were to embalm it and then the Bell of the Capitol was rung out to give notice of the death of the Pope to all the City And now Cardinal Altieri having nothing more to do at Monte-Cavallo repaired to his own new Palace near the Jesu attended with a numerous train where he received the Visits of Cardinals Princes Ambassadours Prelates and Nobles who came to condole with him for the death of his Uncle During the time that the Funeral Obsequies were solemnizing the Cardinals were busied in forming Parties against the time of Election the first day of which was the second of August when a considerable number of Cardinals being assembled in St. Peter's entered in form of Procession two by two with gravity and Order into the Conclave the next day some others were added to them in all to the number of fifty two so on the third day of August the Conclave was shut and Guards set by the Prince Savelli to whose Office it appertained as Marshal of the Conclave On the 4th instant the Mass of Veni Creator being sung the Cardinals began the Choice by way of Scrutiny The Persons nominated were Vidone Barberigo Odescalchi Spinola and Cerri all which had almost an equality of Votes Odescalchi had eleven but proceeding towards the Evening by way of Accession seven Votes only appeared for him On the sixth day in the Morning Scrutiny being made twenty seven Votes were given for Cardinal Corsini but in the Evening