LINUS LINUS by Nation a Tuscan his Father's name Herculeanus was in the Chair from the last year of Nero to the times of Vespasian and from the Consulship of Saturninus and Scipio to that of Capito and Rufus In this space of time there were no less than three Emperours Galba Otho and Vitellius each of them reigning but a very little while Galba a Person descended of the most ancient Nobility being created Emperour by the Soldiers in Spain assoon as he heard of the death of Nero came immediatey to Rome But rendring himself obnoxious to all men by his Avarice and Sloth through the treachery of Otho he was slain at Rome near Curtius's Lake in the seventh month of his Reign together with Piso a Noble Youth whom he had adopted for his Son He was doubtless a man who before he came to the Empire was very eminent in the management both of Military and Civil affairs being often Consul often Proconsul and several times General in the most important Wars That which makes me speak this in his praise is the Learning of M. Fabius Quintilianus whom Galba brought with him out of Spain to Rome Otho a man of better extraction by his Mother 's than by his Father's side who while he led a private life was very loose and effeminate as being a great and intimate Friend of Nero's in the midst of tumults and slaughters as I hinted before invaded the Empire But being ingaged in a Civil War against Vitellius who had been created Emperour in Germany though he got the better in three small Skirmishes one at the Alps another at Placentia the third at Castor yet losing the day in the last and most considerable which was at Bebriacum he thereupon fell into so deep a melancholly that in the third month of his Empire he stab'd himself Vitellius concerning whose Extraction there are different Opinions coming to Rome and obtaining the Empire soon degenerated into all manner of lewdness cruelty and gluttony being used to make several Meals in a day and some of them to such an height of Luxury that there have been at one Supper no less than two thousand Fishes and seven thousand Fowl serv'd up to his Table But having intelligence that Vespasian who had been created Emperour by the Army in Judoea was advancing with his Legions he at first determin'd to quit the Empire yet being afterwards encouraged by those about him he took up Arms and forc'd Sabinus Vespasian's Brother with his Flavian Soldiers into the Capitol which being set on fire they were all burnt Hereupon being surpriz'd by Vespasian and having no hope of pardon left him he hid himself in a private Chamber in the Palace from whence he was most ignominiously drag'd and carried naked through the Via Sacra to the Scaloe Gemonioe where being quartered he was thrown into the River Tyber During this time Linus was Successor to St. Peter though there are some who place Clemens here and wholly leave out Linus and Cletus who yet are sufficiently confuted not only by History but also by the authority of S. Hierom who tells us that Clemens was the fourth Bishop of Rome after Peter for Linus was accounted the second and Cletus the third notwithstanding that most of the Romans immediately after Peter reckon Clemens To whom though St. Peter had as it were by Will bequeath'd the Right of Succession yet his modesty was so great that he compelled Linus and Cletus to take upon them the Pontifical Dignity before him lest any ambition of preheminence might be of ill example to after Ages This Linus by Commission from St. Peter ordained that no Woman should enter the Church but with her Head veiled Moreover at two Ordinations which he held in the City he made eighteen Presbyters and eleven Bishops He wrote also the Memoirs of St. Peter and particularly the Contention he had with Sinion Magus In his time lived Philo a Jew by Nation of Alexandria in whose Writings there is so much Wit and Judgment that from the likeness there appears between them he deserv'd to have it proverbially said Either Plato does Philonize or Philo does Platonize By his Learning and Eloquence he corrected the rashness of Appion who had been sent Ambassadour from the Alexandrians with Complaints against the Jews While he was at Rome in Claudius his time he contracted an acquaintance with St. Peter and thereupon wrote several things in praise of the Christians Josephus also the son of Matathias a Priest at Hierusalem being taken Prisoner by Vespasian and committed to the custody of his son Titus till that City was taken coming to Rome during the Pontificate of Linus presented to the Father and the Son seven Books of the Jewish War which were laid up in the publick Library and the Author himself as a reward for that performance had most deservedly a Statue erected to him He wrote likewise twenty four other Books of Antiquities from the beginning of the World to the fourteenth year of the Emperour Domitian As for Linus himself though he had gain'd a mighty reputation by the sanctity of his Life by his Power of casting out Devils and raising the Dead yet was he put to Death by Saturninus the Consul whose very Daughter he had dispossess'd and was buried in the Vatican near the Body of St. Peter on the twenty first day of September when he had sat in the Pontifical See eleven years three months and twelve days There are some who affirm that Gregory Bishop of Ostia did according to a Vow which he had made remove the Body of this holy Bishop to that place and solemnly interr it in the Church of St. Laurence S. CLETUS CLETUS born in Rome in the Vicopatrician Region Son of Aemilianus through the persuasion of Clemens unwillingly took upon him the burden of the Pontificate though for his Learning Life and Quality he was a Person of very great esteem and Authority among all that knew him He lived in the time of Vespasian and Titus from the seventh Consulship of Vespasian and the fifth of Domitian to Domitian and Rufus Coss according to Damasus Vespasian as I said before succeeding Vitellius committed the management of the Jewish War which had been carrying on two years before to his Son Titus which he within two years after with great resolution finished For all Judoea being conquer'd the City Hierusalem destroyed and the Temple levelled to the ground it is reported that no less than six hundred thousand Jews were slain nay Josephus a Jew who was a Captive in that War and had his life given him because he foretold the death of Nero and that Vespasian should in a short time be Emperor relates that eleven hundred thousand perished therein by sword and famine and that a hundred thousand were taken Prisoners and publickly exposed to sale Nor will it seem improbable if we consider that he tells us this happened at the time
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
with Martyrdom and buried in the Coemetery of Calistus in the Via Appia 〈◊〉 the 22d Some write that Lucia Agatha and Agnes became Martyrs not long 〈◊〉 Caius sat in the Chair eleven years four months twelve days in which time at four several Decembrian Ordinations he made twenty five Presbyters eight Deacons five Bishops and by his death the See was vacant eleven days S. MARCELLINUS MARCELLINUS a Roman the Son of Projectus was in the times of Diocletian a Dalmatian of obscure birth and Maximian Diocletian A. U. C. 1041. being elected Emperour by the Army slew that Aper who had murdered Numerianus But a Commotion arising in Gallia which was a Sedition rather than a War thither Diocletian sent Maximianus Herculeus by whom the Peasants were soon quell'd But Wars breaking out on every side Diocletian not being able singly to bear the 〈◊〉 of so many dangers associates Maximian by the name of Augustus and Constantius and Maximian Galerius by the name of Coesars Maximian Herculeus after that Carausius was kill'd by the treachery of Alectus in ten years time makes himself Master of Britain And Constantius after one unsuccessful Engagement in Gallia renewing the Fight a second time flew several thousand Germans who were Mercenaries there and thereby restored peace to that Province In the mean time Diocletian took Alexandria which being bravely defended by Achilleus held out a Siege of eight months and gratified his Soldiers with the plunder of it But Maximian Galerius having behaved himself gallantly in two Fights against Narseus was at length routed between Galietium and Carroe and his Forces being 〈◊〉 and lost in that unfortunate Battel he is forced to fly to Diocletian who received him with such disdain that it is said he suffered him in his Imperial Habit to run on Foot several miles before his Charriot Maximian being nettled at so foul a disgrace undertakes the War afresh and in the end becomes Victorious Affairs being thus setled Diocletian in the East and Maximian Herculeus in the West commanded that the Churches should be destroyed and the Christians tortured and put to death and so raised the tenth Persecution which lasted longer and was more vehement and bloody than any before For now Bibles were publickly burnt all Christians who were in any Office ignominiously cashier'd Servants who continued constant to their Profession cut off of all hope of being ever made Free and the Christian Soldiers compell'd either to offer up sacrifice to Idols or else to lay down their Arms and their Lives together by an Imperial Edict publickly affix'd in the Forum This Edict a certain person being so hardy as to pull down and tear in pieces he was thereupon ordered to be fley'd and to have Vinegar mix'd with Salt poured upon his raw flesh till he died which he patienty endured being confirmed and encouraged in his sufferings by Dorotheus and Gorgonius two very eminent men At the same time the Royal Palace at Nicomedia happening to be on fire the Emperour groundesly suspecting it to be caus'd by the Christians commanded multitudes of them to be put to the sword and several others to be thrown alive into the flames The same severity was exercised against them in Mitylene Syria Africa Thebais and Egypt by the several Governours of those Provinces and in Palestine and Tyre great numbers of them were expos'd to be devoured by wild beasts Indeed there was no kind of Torment could be invented which the Christians did not undergo Some had their flesh scraped and torn off with Potsherds to others sharp Reeds were thrust under their Nails and to the Women run up into their privities A certain City in Phrygia was set on fire and burnt to the ground because the Citizens who were kept constant to the Faith by Adauctus a pious Roman refused to offer sacrifice to Idols In the end their inhuman Tormentors came to such a height of Cruelty that they would first burn out their Eyes with searing Irons and then wreak the remainder of their fury and rage against them At this time were also put to death for the profession of Christianity Anthimus Bishop of Nicomedia and Lucianus the Learned Presbyter of Antioch and Pamphilus of Coesarea and Philoeas an Aegyptian and Bishop of Thmyis this last being beheaded because he had written a Book in praise of the Martyrs and had courage enough to tell his unjust Judges their own I need not enumerate more Instances since Damasus affirms that there were no less than seventeen thousand persons of both Sexes who suffered Martyrdom through the several Provinces in the space of thirty days I shall not mention those who were banish'd to the Islands or condemn'd to work in the the Mines or melting-Houses or to dig Sand or to hew Stones or to other the like kinds of Servitude whose numbers were almost infinite But our Marcellinus being carried to the Heathen Sacrifices and his Tormentors with menaces urging him to offer he being overcome with fear submitted to their importunities and joyn'd with them in their Idolatries But not long after a Council of an hundred and eighty Bishops being held at Sinuessa a City of Campania thither goes Marcellinus cloth'd in Sackcloth with all the marks of an humble penitent and beseeches them to inflict upon him the just punishment of his Cowardize and inconstancy Yet in so numerous a Council there was not a man who would pass any Sentence against him they all agreeing that he had laps'd only after the same manner that S. Peter himself did and that by his tears and sorrows he had already sufficiently suffered for his Fault To Rome returns Marcellinus full of Resentment hastens to Diocletian and boldly reproves him for causing him to sacrifice to false Gods Hereupon by Diocletian's order he was forthwith led to Execution together with Claudius Cyrinus and Antoninus three other assertors of Christianity As he went along he admonished Marcellus his Presbyter not to submit to the command of Diocletian in matters appertaining to Religion and forbad him to suffer his Body to be buried saying that since he had denied his Saviour he was unworthy of the least acts of Humanity Though indeed by Diocletians order the bodies of all these four Martyrs lay unburied in the High-way the space of thirty six days Afterwards at the Command of S. Peter the Apostle who appeared to Marcellus in a Dream they were buried in the Via 〈◊〉 in the Coemetery of Priscilla near the body of S. Crescention May the 27. After so long a series of miseries God at length as Eusebius words it opened his Eyes and to free the Christians from such a Plague so wrought upon Diocletian's mind that he voluntarily resign'd the Empire and retired to a private Life The same did also Maximian his Partner in the Government and as violent a Persecutor as himself who some years after being 〈◊〉 with divers diseases and after incessant Torment being smitten with distraction and haunted with the
a remote People were brought to the knowledg and Belief Christianity a certain Captive Woman through the Assistance and Persuasion of their King Bacurius At this time likewise the Authority of Antony the holy Hermite did much towards the Reformation of Mankind Helena did oftentimes both by Letter and Messengers recommend her self and her Sons to his Prayers he was by Countrey an Egyptian his manner of living severe and abstemious eating only Bread and drinking nothing but Water and never making any Meal but about Sun-set a man wholly rapt up in Contemplation His Life was written at large by Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria As for Sylvester himself having at seven Decembrian Ordinations made forty two Presbyters thirty six Deacons sixty five Bishops he dyed and was buried in the Coemetery of Priscilla in the Via Salaria three miles distant from the City on the last day of December He was in the Chair twenty three years ten months eleven days and by his death the See was vacant fifteen days MARCUS I. MARCUS a Roman Son of Priscus lived also in the Reign of Constantine the Great concerning whom Historians differ in their Writings For some affirm that Constantine towards the latter end of his Reign recalled Arius from banishment and became a favourer of his Heresy through the persuasion of his Sister who always insisted that it was nothing but Envy that had caused his Condemnation These I believe to be deceiv'd by the nearness of their names and so to ascribe that to the Father which was the act of the Son For it is not probable that that wise Prince who had all along before disapprov'd of the Arian opinion should now begin to incline to it in that part of his Age wherein men are usually most judicious and discerning They write moreover that Constantine was baptized by Eusebius an Arian Bishop of Nicomedia But that this is a mistake appears both from the Emperours great bounty towards the Orthodox and also from that stately Font upon that occasion erected with wonderful Magnificence at Rome at which after he had been successful in expelling the Tyrants he with his Son Crispus were instructed in the Faith and baptized by Sylvester They who are of the other opinion tell us that Constantine deferred so great an Affair till the time that he might come to the River Jordan in which he had a great desire to be baptized in imitation of our Saviour but that in an Expedition against the Parthians making Inroads upon Mesopotamia in the thirty first year of his Reign and of his Age the sixty sixth he died on the way at Nicomedia before he could reach the River Jordan for the purpose he design'd and was there baptized at the point of Death But let these men confound and perplex the matter as they please we have reason to believe according to the general opinion that Constantine who had so often overcome his Enemies under the Standard of the Cross who had built so many Churches to the honour of God who had been present at holy Councils and who had so often joyned in Devotion with the holy Fathers would desire to be fortified against the Enemy of mankind by the Character of Baptism as soon as ever he came to understand the excellency of our Religion I am not ignorant what Socrates and Zozomen and most other Writers say concerning it but I follow the Truth and that which is most agreeable to the Religion and Piety of this excellent Prince The vulgar story of his having been overspread with Leprosie and cured of it by Baptism with a previous fiction concerning a Bath of the blood of Infants before prescribed for his Cure I can by no means give credit to having herein the Authority of Socrates on my side who affirms that Constantine being now sixty five years of Age fell sick and left the City of Constantinople to go to the hot Baths for the recovery of his health but speaks not a word concerning any Leprosie Besides there is no mention made of it by any Writer either Heathen or Christian and certainly had there been any such thing Orosius Eutropius and others who have most accurately written the Memoirs of Constantine would not have omitted it One thing more concerning this great Prince is certain viz. That a Blazing Star or Comet of extraordinary magnitude appear'd some time before his Death Marcus applying himself to the care of Religion ordained that the Bishop of Ostia whose place it is to consecrate the Bishop of Rome might use a Pall. He appointed likewise that upon solemn days immediately after the Gospel the Nicene Creed should be rehears'd with a loud voice both by the Clergy and People He built also two Churches at Rome one in the Via Ardeatina in which he was buried the other within the City these Churches Constantine presented and endowed very liberally In the time of this Emperour and Bishop lived Juvencus a Spaniard of Noble birth and a Presbyter who in four Books translated almost verbatim into hexametre Verse the four Gospels he wrote also something concerning the Sacraments in the same kind of Metre Our Marcus having at two Decembrian Ordinations made twenty five Presbyters six Deacons twenty eight Bishops died and was buried in the Coemetery of Balbina in the Via Ardeatina Octob. the fifth He was in the Chair two years eight months twenty days and by his death the See was vacant twenty days IULIUS I. IULIUS a Roman the Son of Rusticus lived in the time of Constantius who sharing the Empire with his two Brethren Constantine and Constans reigned twenty four years Among the Successours of Constantine the Great is sometimes reckoned Delmatius Caesar his Nephew who was certainly a very hopeful young Gentleman but was soon cut off in a Tumult of the Soldiers though by the Permission rather than at the Command of Constantius In the mean time the Arian Heresie mightily prevailed being abetted by Constantius who compelled the Orthodox to receive Arius In the second year of his Reign therefore a Council was called at Laodicea a City of Syria or as others have it at Tyre Thither resort both the Catholicks and Arians and their daily debate was whether Christ should be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same substance with the Father or no. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria asserted it and press'd hard upon them with his Reasons and Arguments for it which when Arius found himself not able to answer he betook himself to Reproach and Calumny accusing the holy Man of Sorcery and to procure credit to his Charge producing out of a Box the pretended Arm of Arsenius whom he falsly asserted that Athanasius had kill'd and was wont to make use of that dead Arm in his Incantations Hereupon Athanasius was violently run down and condemned by the Emperour but making his escape he lay concealed in a dry Cistern for six years together without seeing the Sun but being at length
followers to inhabit had disturbance given him by one Saul an Hebrew by birth and Religion whom Stilico to the foul breach of Articles had sent with a Party for that purpose It was an easie matter to surprize and disorder the Goths who little suspected any such Practices and were peaceably celebrating the Feast of Easter But the day following Alaricus engaging with them slew Saul and made an universal slaughter of his men and then changing his former course towards Gaul moves against Stilico and the Roman Army These he overcame and then after a long and grievous Siege takes the City of Rome it self Anno U. C. MCLXIIII A. C. CCCCXII Notwithstanding this Success Alaricus exercised so much Moderation and Clemency that he commanded his Soldiers to put as few to the Sword as might be and particularly to spare all that should fly for refuge to the Churches of S. Peter and S. Paul After three days Plunder he leaves the City which had suffered less damage than was thought for very little of it being burnt and marches against the Lucani and Bruti and having taken and sacked Cosenza he there dies Whereupon the Goths with one consent made his kinsman Athaulphus his Successour who returning to Rome with his Army was so wrought upon by the Emperour Honorius's Sister Galla Placidia whom he had married that he restrained his Soldiers from committing any farther outrages and left the City to its own Government He had it certainly once in his purpose to have razed to the ground the then City of Rome and to have built a new one which he would have called Gotthia and have left to the ensuing Emperours his own Name so that they should not any longer have had the Title of Augusti but Athaulphi But Placidia not only brought his mind off from that project but also prevailed with him to enter into a League with Honorius and Theodosius the second the Son of Arcadius deceased Zosimus notwithstanding all these disturbances made several Ecclesiastical Constitutions allowed the blessing of Wax-Tapers on the Saturday before Easter in the several Parishes forbad the Clergy to frequent publick Drinking-houses though allowing them all innocent liberty among themselves or any Servant to be made a Clergy-man because that Order ought to consist of none but free and ingenuous persons Whereas now not only Servants and Bastards but the vile off-spring of the most flagitious Parents are admitted to that Dignity whose Enormities will certainly at long-run prove fatal to the Church 'T is said that Zosimus at this time sent Faustinus a Bishop and two Presbyters of the City to the Council of Carthage by them declaring that no Debates concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs ought to be managed any where without permission of the Church of Rome During his Pontificate lived Lucius a Bishop of the Arian Faction who wrote certain Books upon several Subjects Diodorus also Bishop of Tarsus during his being a Presbyter of Antioch was a great Writer following the sense of Eusebius but not able to reach his style for want of skill in secular Learning Tiberianus likewise who had been accused together with Priscillian wrote an Apology to free himself from the suspicion of Heresie Euagrius a man of smart and brisk parts translated into Latin the Life of S. Anthony written in Greek by Athanasius Ambrosius of Alexandria a Scholar of Didymus wrote a large Volume against Apollinarius At this time flourished those two famous Bishops Theophilus of Alexandria and John of Constantinople for the greatness of his Eloquence deservedly surnamed Chrysostom who so far prevailed upon Theodorus and Maximus two Condisciples of his that they left their Masters Libanius the Rhetorician and Andragatius the Philosopher and became Proselytes to Christianity This Libanius lying now at the point of death being asked whom he would leave sucsessour in his School made answer that he desired no other than Chrysosiom were he not a Christian. At this time the Decrees of the Council of Carthage being sent to Zosimus were by him confirmed and thereby the Pelagian Heresie condemned throughout the World Some tell us that Petronius Bishop of Bononia and Possidonius an African Bishop had now gain'd a mighty reputation for Sanctity that Primasius wrote largely against the Heresies to Bishop Fortunatus and that Proba Wife to Adelphus the Proconsul composed an Historical Poem of our Saviours Life consisting wholly of Virgilian Verse though others attribute the honour of this performance to Eudocia Empress of Theodosius the younger But certainly the most learned person of the Age he lived in was Augustinus Saint Ambrose his Convert Bishop of Hippo in Africa a most strenuous Defender of the Christian Faith both in Discourse and Writing As for Zosimus having ordained ten Presbyters three Deacons eight Bishops he died and was buried in the Via Tiburtina near the body of Saint Laurence the Martyr December 26th He sat in the Chair one year three months twelve days and by his death the See was vacant eleven days BONIFACIUS I. BONIFACE a Roman Son of Jucundus a Presbyter was Bishop in the time of Honorius At this time a great dissention 〈◊〉 among the Clergy for though Boniface was chosen Bishop in one Church of the City 〈◊〉 one Party yet Eulalius was elected and set up against him by a contrary Faction in another This when Honorius who was now at Milain came to understand at the Solicitation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Placidia and her Son Valentiman they were both banish'd the City But about seven months after 〈◊〉 was re-call'd and confirmed in the Pontifical Dignity In the mean time Athaulphus dying Vallias was made King of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being terrified by the Judgments inflicted on his People restored Placidia whom he had always used very honourably to her Brother 〈◊〉 and entred into a League with him giving very good Hostages for the confirmation of it as did also the Alanes Vandals and 〈◊〉 This I lacidia Henorius gave in marriage to Constantius whom he had declared 〈◊〉 who had by her a Son named Valentinian but she being afterwards banish'd by her Brother went into the East with her Sons 〈◊〉 and Valentinian Our Bonisace ordained that no Woman though a Nun should touch the consecrated Pall or Incense and that no Servant or Debtor should be admitted into the Clergy Moreover he built an Oratory upon the ground where S. Felicitas the Martyr was buried and very much adorned her Tomb. During his Pontificate flourished divers famous men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter Son of Eusebius born at a Town called 〈◊〉 seated in the Confines of Dalmatia and Hungaria but demolished by the Goths It is not to my purpose to rehearse how great benefit the Church of God reaped from his Life and Writings since he is known to have been a person of extraordinary 〈◊〉 and his Works are had in so great honour and esteem that no Author is more read by learned Men than he He died at Bethlehem on the last day of
Father Zeno. In the mean time Odoacer invading Italy with a great Army of his Heruli and Turingians conquers and takes Prisoner Orestes a Noble Roman near Pavia and then causes him to be put to death in the sight of his whole Army at Placentia Hereupon Zeno pitying the calamitous state of Italy speedily sends Theodoric King of the Goths a man whom he had before very much esteem'd with a mighty force to oppose him who having in a pitch'd Battel not far from Aquileia near the River Sontio overcome Odoacer's Captains and having oftentimes the like success against Odoacer himself at length he besieg'd him three years together in Ravenna and reduc'd him to that extremity that with the advice of John the Bishop of that City he consented to admit Theodoric as his Partner in the Empire But the day following both Odoacer and his Son were contrary to promise and agreement slain by which means Theodorick possess'd himself of the Government of all Italy without any opposition In the mean time Simplicius dedicated the Churches of S. Stephen the Protomartyr on Mons Caolius and that of S. Andrew the Apostle not far from S. Maries the Great in which there appear to this day some footsteps of Antiquity which I have many a time beheld with sorrow for their neglect to whose charge such noble piles of building now ready to fall are committed That this Church was of his founding appears by certain Verses wrought in Mosaick work which I have seen in it He dedicated also another Church to S. Stephen near the Licinian Palace where the Virgins body had been buried He also appointed the Weekly-waitings of the Presbyters in their turns at the Churches of S. Peter S. Paul and S. Laurence the Martyr for the receiving of Penitents and baptizing of Proselytes Moreover he divided the City among the Presbyters into five Precincts or Regions the first of S. Peter 2. S. Paul 3. S. Laurence 4. S. John Lateran 5. S. Maria Maggiore He also ordained that no Clergy-man should hold a Benefice of any Lay-man a Constitution which was afterwards confirm'd by Gregory and other Popes At this time the Bishop of Rome's Primacy was countenanced by the Letters of Acacius Bishop of Constantinople and Timothy a learned man in which they beg him to censure Peter Mog Bishop of Alexandria an assertour of the Eutychian Heresie Which was accordingly done but with Proviso that he should be receiv'd into the Communion of the Church again if within a certain time prefix'd he retracted his Errours Some say that during his Pontificate lived Remigius Bishop of Reims who as History tells us baptized Clodoveus the French King Now also Theodorus Bishop 〈◊〉 Syria wrote largely against Eutyches and compiled ten Books of 〈◊〉 History in imitation of Eusebius Coesariensis At this time almost all Egypt was infected with the heretical Doctrine of Dioscorus concerning whom we have already spoken and Huneric King of the Vandals a Zealot 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Faction raised a Persecution against the Orthodox Christians in Afrique Upon this Eudocia Niece to Theodosius a Catholick Lady and Wife to Huneric left her heretical Husband upon pretence of a Pilgrimage to Hierusalem to perform a Vow which she had made but upon so long a Journey the effect of which prov'd intolerable to the tenderness of her sex she there soon died 'T is said that at this time were found the bones of the Prophet Elisha which were carried into Alexandria as also the body of S. Barnabas the Apostle together with the Gospel of S. Matthew written with his own hand As for Simplicius himself having by his Constitutions and Donations very muchpromoted the interest of the Church of Rome and having at several Ordinations made fifty eight Presbyters eleven Deacons eighty six Bishops he died and was buried in S. Peter's Church on the second day of March He was inthe Chair fifteen years one month seven days and by his death the See was vacant twenty six days FELIX III. FELIX by birth a Roman Son of Felix a Presbyter was Bishop from the time of Odoacer whose power in Italy lasted fourteen years till the Reign of Theodoric Who though he made Ravenna the seat of the Empire yet the City of Rome was much indebted to his Bounty For he re-built the Sepulchre of Octavius exhibited shews to the people according to ancient custom repaired the publick Buildings and Churches and indeed neglected nothing that became a good and generous Prince And to confirm and establish the Empire he married Andefleda Daughter of Clodoveus King of France and gave in marriage his Sister to Huneric King of the Vandals and one of his Daughters to Alaric King of the Visigoths and the other to King Gondibate Felix now fully understanding that Peter Mog the Eutychian who had been banished for his heretical Opinions upon the complaint and at the desire of Acacius was by the same Acacius recall'd from Exile suspected that there was a private Agreement between them and therefore excommunicated them both by the authority of the Apostolick See which was confirm'd in a Synod of the Orthodox But three years after the Emperour Zeno testifying that they were penitent Felix sends two Bishops Messenus and Vitalis with full power upon enquiry into the truth of their repentance to absolve them These Legates arriving at the City Heraclea were soon corrupted with bribes and neglected to act according to their Commission Whereupon Felix out of a just indignation having first called a Council upon that occasion excommunicates them too as Simoniacks and betrayers of the trust reposed in them Though Messenus who confess'd his fault and begg'd time to evince the sincerity of his repentance had it accordingly granted him The same Felix also built the Church of S. Agapetus near that of S. Laurence and ordained that Churches should be consecrated by none but Bishops 'T is said that at this time Theodorus a Greek Presbyter wrote against the Hereticks a Book of the Harmony of the Old and new Testament and some reckon among the men of Note in this Age the Learned and famous Divine John Damascene who wrote the Book of Sentences imitating therein Gregory Nazianzene Gregory Nyssene and Didymus of Alexandria and compiled also certain Treatises of Medicin in which he gives an account of the Causes and Cure of Diseases Our Felix having at two Decembrian Ordinations made twenty eight Presbyters five Deacons thirty Bishops died and was buried in the Church of S. Paul He sat in the Chair eight years eleven months seventeen days and by his death the See was vacant five days GELASIUS I. GELASIUS an African Son of Valerius was Bishop of Rome at the time when Theodoric made War upon his Wives Father Clodoveus the French King for that he had slain his Daughter's Husband Alaric King of the Visigoths and seiz'd Gascoigne They were both allied to him by marriage but the cause of Alaric seem'd to him the more just
quitting all hopes of gaining the City 〈◊〉 the Siege and returns to Milain Mauritius now began to treat Gregory more respectfully but it proceeded not from a voluntary but forc'd Repentance he having heard that a certain person in the habit of a Monk with a drawn Sword in his hand had proclaim'd aloud in the Market-place of Constantinople that the Emperour should in a short time die by the Sword The same was confirmed to him by a Dream of his own in which he saw himself his Empress and their Children murdered And accordingly not long after the Soldiers being discontented for want of Pay create Phocas who was a Centurion in the Army Emperour and Assassine Mauritius in the nineteenth year of his Reign But Gregory having added what Ornaments he could to the Churches in Rome and dedicated by the name of S. Agatha the Martyr the Church of the Goths in Suburra built by 〈◊〉 Ricimerius a man of Consular Dignity converted his Father's House into a Monastery wherein he received and entertained Strangers and supplyed with meat and drink the poor which from all parts slocked to it He was certainly a person every way praise-worthy whether we regard his Life and Conversation or his Learning or his Abilities in things both Divine and Humane Nor ought we to suffer him to be censured by a few ignorant men as if the ancient 〈◊〉 Buildings were demolish'd by his Order upon this pretence which they make for him lest Strangers coming out of Devotion to Rome should less regard the consecrated places and spend all their Gaze upon Triumphal Arches and Monuments of Antiquity No such reproach can justly be fastned upon this great Bishop especially considering that he was a Native of the City and one to whom next after God his Countrey was most dear even above his Life 'T is certain that many of those ruin'd Structures were devour'd by Time and many might as we daily see be pull'd down to build new Houses and for the rest 't is probable that for the sake of the Brass used in the concavity of the Arches and the conjunctures of the Marble or other square stones they might be battered and defaced not only by the barbarous Nations but by the Romans too if Epirotes Dalmatians Pannonians and other sorry people who from all parts of the World resorted hither may be called Romans Now Gregory having used all means to establish the Church of God died in the second year of the Emperour Phocas having been in the Chair thirteen years six months ten days and the loss of him being lamented by all men was buried in S. Peter's March 12. By his Death the See was vacant five months nineteen days SABINIANUS I. SABINIAN Gregorie's Successour deserv'd not to have the place of his Nativity remembred being a person of mean Birth and meaner Reputation and one who violently opposed the great things which his Predecessour had done Particularly there being a great 〈◊〉 during his Pontificate and the poor pressing him hard to imitate the pious Charity of Gregory he made them no other Answer but this That Gregory was a man who design'd to make himself popular and to that end had profusely wasted the Revenues of the Church Nay the ill-natured wretch arrived to such a degree of Rage and Envy against Gregory that he was within a very little of causing his Books to be burn'd Some tell us that Sabinian was at the instigation of some Romans thus highly incensed against Gregory because he had mutilated and thrown down the Statues of the Antients which had been set up throughout the City but this is a Charge as dissonant from truth as that of his demolishing the old Fabricks concerning which we have spoken in his Life and considering the Antiquity of these Statues and the casualties which might 〈◊〉 them and the designs which mens Covetousness or Curiosity might have upon them 't is fairly probable that they might be mangled or lost without Gregorie's being at all concern'd therein But to go on with Sabinian it was he who instituted the 〈◊〉 of Canonical hours for Prayer in the Church and who ordained that Tapers should be kept continually burning especially in the Church of S. Peter Some tell us that with the consent of Phocas a Peace was now made with the Lombards and their King Agilulphus's Daughter who had been taken Captive in the War restored to him At this time appeared divers Prodigies portending the Calamities which ensued A bright Comet was seen in the Air at Constantinople a Child was born with four feet and at the Island 〈◊〉 were seen two Sea-monsters in humane shape Some write that in the Pontificate of Sabinian John Patriarch of Alexandria and 〈◊〉 Bishop of Carthage both persons famous for Piety and Learning did wonderfully improve the Dignity of those Churches Moreover 〈◊〉 a very learned man and an intimate Friend of 〈◊〉 wrote very much against Vincent Bishop of Saragoza who had sallen off to the Arian Heresie he also wrote to his Sister a Book concerning Virginity entituled Aureolus But Sabinian having been in the Chair one year five months nine days died and was buried in the Church of S Peter By his Death the See was vacant eleven months twenty six days BONIFACE III. BONIFACE the third a Roman with much ado obtained of the Emperour Phocas that the See of S. Peter the Apostle should by all be acknowledged and styled the Head of all the Churches A Title which had been stickled for by the Church of Constantinople through the encouragement of some former Princes who asserted that the Supremacy ought to reside there where the Seat of the Empire was But the Roman Bishops alledged that Rome of which Constantinople was but a Colony ought to be accounted the chief City of the Empire since the Greeks themselves in their Writings styled their Prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Emperour of the Romans and the Constantinopolitans even in that Age were called Romans not Greeks Not to mention that Peter the Chief of the Apostles bequeathed the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven to his Successours the Bishops of Rome and left the Power which God had given him not to Constantinople but to Rome This only I say that several Princes and particularly Constantine had granted to the Roman See only the priviledg of calling and dissolving Councils and of rejecting or confirming their Decrees And does not a Church which has with so much integrity and constancy bastled and 〈◊〉 all manner of Heresies as the Roman See hath done deserve think you the preference of others The same Boniface in a Synod of 〈◊〉 two Bishops thirty Presbyters and three Deacons ordained that upon pain of Excommunication no person should succeed in the place of any deceased Pope or other Bishop till at least the third day after the death of his Predecessour and that whoever should by Bribes or by making of Parties and Interests endeavour to raise themselves to the
of his Pontificate was short but the Reputation he gain'd therein so great that one would think he had lived longer than he did by the celebrated Name which he had deservedly acquired in so little time BENEDICT II. BENEDICT the second a Roman his Father's Name John being from his Youth brought up to the Clergy was so intent upon the study of Holy Writ that he became an extraordinary Proficient in Divinity He was likewise a person of great Compassion Charity and good Will towards all espcially the Poor Virtues by which he so won the Hearts of men that he was pitch'd upon as the only person who by general consent was fit to succeed in the Place of Leo deceased The Emperour Constantine out of the Veneration he had for this mans Sanctity sent him a Decree in which it was established that for the time to come He whom the Clergy and People of Rome should chuse Pope should be forthwith acknowledged Christ's true Vicar without expecting the Authority of the Emperour or his Exarchs according to former usage when the confirmation of the Emperour or his Vicegerent in Italy was necessary to the creation of a Pope Pertheris now King of the Lombards in imitation of the Religion and Charity of Benedict built a Monastery in honour to S. Agatha at Pavia and his Wife Rhodelinda prompted by the Example of her Husband built the Church of S. Mary ad Perticas without the Walls of Pavia This they did out of a Principle of Emulation understanding that Pope Benedict had with vast expence repaired beautified and enriched the Churches of S. Peter at Rome that of S. Laurence in Lucina that of S. Valentine in the Via Flaminia and that of S. Mary ad Martyres Pertheris had designed greater things of this Nature but he was diverted by Alalchis Duke of Trent who being pust'd up by a great Victory which he had gain'd over the Bavarians turns his Arms against his King But Pertheris raising an Army at the first Engagement routs him besieges Trent whither he had fled for Refuge and though Alalchis had first made his escape thence by night takes the City However Pertheris was a Prince of so great Clemency as to receive him again into favour upon his submission and to make him Duke of Brescia Some tell us that in Benedict's time an extraordinary Star was seen near the Vergiliae several Nights together in a clear Sky between Christmas and Epiphany I deny not but that a Comet then appeared and portended something but it 's Neighbourhood to this Constellation is incoherent unless we make that prodigious too For the Vergiliae rise at the Vernal Equinox when the Sun enters the Sign Aries about the twenty fourth of March and begin to set at the Autumnal Equinox But that out of Vesuvius a Mountain in Campania so great a 〈◊〉 did at this time burst forth that it burnt up all the places round about it may seem less wonderful considering that Pliny the Natural Historian leaving the Ships which he commanded under Trajan and approaching too near it out of curiosity to find out the causes of it's burning lost his life by that means However 't is certain that not long after these things there followed Slaughters Rapines Fires the Death of great Men and particularly of Pope Benedict who as he was universally beloved in his life-time so after his Death he was famous for his Piety and the good Offices he had done to mankind He was in the Chair only ten months twelve days and was buried in S Peter's May the 15th By his Death the See was vacant two months fifteen days JOHN V. JOHN the fifth by Nation a Syrian born at Antioch his Father's Name Cyriacus was created Pope about the time when the Emperour Constantine died in the seventeenth year of his Reign and left the Empire to his Son Justinian the second The Saracens now invaded Lybia and Africa and possess'd themselves easily of all the places that lay towards the Sea But Justinian having in some measure setled the affairs of his Empire and raised a competent Army advancing against these Saracens struck such a terrour into Abimelech their Chief that without engaging he sued for a Peace and was glad to restore all his Acquests in Africa And a Peace it is said by some was granted them for ten years but upon Condition that they should pay a thousand pieces of Gold and a Slave of their own Nation on Horseback every day to the Emperour At this time John a person of great Piety and Goodness being by general suffrage chosen Pope in the Constantinian Church was consecrated in the same manner with Leo the second by the three Bishops of Ostia Porto and Veletri a Precedent which so obtained that it was afterwards constantly practised His Pontificate was rendred remarkable by two extraordinary persons Felix the Uncle of Flavianus and John Bishop of Bergamo men of such eminent Learning and Sanctity that they received from Princes themselves marks of the highest respect and Veneration Pope John who both before and during his Pontificate was a sickly man having written a Book concerning the Dignity of the Pall died in the first year after his coming to the Chair and was buried in S. Peter's August the 2d By his Death the See was vacant two months nineteen days CONON I. CONON by birth a Thracian educated in Sicily and thence entring into Orders at Rome was of a Presbyter made Pope For there happening a Controversie about the Election the Citizens being for Peter an Arch-bishop and the Soldiers for one Theodorus a Priest at length after a long Contention both Parties agreed in the Choice of Conon And indeed he did every way deserve so great a Dignity being a man of great Learning and very good Life pious and devout of a comely Person and most Venerable or as some called it Angelical Aspect of wonderful Simplicity and Sincerity Modesty and Justice Resolution and Prudence For these excellent Endowments of his all persons concern'd with mighty acclamations of Applause immediately confirm'd his Election as did also Theodorus Exarch of Ravenna who being deceased was not long after succeeded in the Exarchate by John Platina whom I believe to have given the name to the place of my Nativity called Platina within the Territory of Cremona For there being frequent Wars between the Exarchs and the Kings of Lombardy it is not improbable considering that that place was scituated almost in the mid-way between Ravenna and Pavia one of which was the Seat of the Lombard Kings the other of the Exarchs there might at some time be a Battel fought or a Camp pitched there from whence we know that names are oftentimes given to places as particularly in the same Countrey there is Vitelliana a Town so called from Vitellius his encamping there and Bebrignano not far from Bebriacum famous for the defeat which Otho there received I return to Conon who presently after his entrance upon
immediately upon his advance to the Popedom Anno 895. he proposed to the Senate and people that a Law should pass that no regard should be hereafter given to the Authority of the Emperour in the creation of a Pope taking as Platina saith an advantage when the Emperour Charles was marched with his Army out of Italy against the rebellious Normans This must have been Charles le Gros and the year 885. according to those Authors who have written the History of France But that which must have given this Pope courage herein was the weakness of Charles the Bald a Prince bold in his undertakings but unable in the execution of them for so soon as he received information of the death of the Emperour Lewis the 2d he resolved to seize the Empire which at that time was confined to the narrow compass of Rome and all Italy because his two Uncles had miserably rent the French Monarchy in pieces and divided between them after the death of Lotharius those two Kingdoms which belonged unto him But to be short Charles the Bald in order to his design raised all the Troops he was able and on a sudden passing the Alps he so surprised the Lombards that not being provided of a Force to resist they presenty yielded themselves unto him and therewith the Treasure of Lewis deceased which he so well employed at Rome that he corrupted therewith both the Senate and the Magistrates and promised great matters to Pope John the 8th if by his means he might obtain the Imperial Crown This Pope whom we call Pope Joan the Story of whom being a Woman and with Child is related by divers Authors and not wholly disbelieved by our Platina acting according to the false wisdom of this World as appears in many particulars of which Baronius accuses him or her thought fit to make advantage of this ambition of Charles that thereby he might for the future procure a right to Popes to elect and create Emperours But our Platina saith it was John the 9th but be it John the 8th or the 9th he conferred with the Barons and principal Lords of Rome on this point who being already prepared by the bribes of Charles and overjoyed to become Electors easily concurred with the Pope in the proposal he made to them in favour of Charles who being accordingly invited to Rome made his entry there on the 18th of December in the year of our Lord 856 and on the 25th day following being Christmas day the Pope proclaimed and Crowned him Emperour in St. Peter's Church with the consent of the Prelates Chief of the Clergy and all the People of Rome But lest this assumption of Charles to the Empire should seem to proceed from a right of Succession and not of Election like the other three French Emperours his Predecessours the Pope designing to put the matter out of dispute that so the Emperour might own his Title to be derived from him and his Nobles and no other he held an Assembly at Pavia composed of Bishops and Counts where having first shamefully fiattered him with praises of notorious falsity extolling him above Charlemagne he declared that his Election was an effect of his merit and piety and agreeable to the Will of God which had long before been revealed to Pope Nicolas by divine inspiration and in pursuance hereof the Act of Election was signed and confirmed by the whole Assembly and registred in the Books of that Court. In this manner the right of those who were descended from Charlemagne and the Sovereignty which the Emperours had until that time exercised in Rome and in all the Lands of the Ecclesiastical State was surrendred up into the hands and power of the Pope in vertue of which as it is most certain that several succeeding Popes did challenge a right of Creating Emperours or at least to the confirmation of them by that right which they had to Crown them so also it is apparent that there have been Emperours who after this time have exercised a Sovereign power in Italy and without regard to the base condescention of Charles the Bald have made themselves Masters of Rome and of the Pope himself An example whereof we have in Otho the Emperour who recovered three advantageous points which the Greek and French Emperours had enjoyed and which Charles the Bald had lost and betrayed to the Pope Namely 1. The Sovereign power in Rome it self 2. The right of Succession of his Children to the Empire 3dly A power to Elect a Pope or what amounts to the same thing a Right to hinder any from being chosen who was not agreeable to his good will or pleasure Nay farther it is apparent in History that the Popes themselves as well as others did take the Oath of Fidelity as it was administred to them by the Emperour's Commissioners and it is as certain that from the time that Justinian recovered Rome from the Goths the Emperours were ever Masters of the Election in such manner as that either it could not pass without his permission or being done required his confirmation Accordingly Otho the 3d. caused Bruno his near Kinsman Son of Otho Duke of Franconia and Suabia his own Cousin-German to be chosen Pope who took upon himself the name of Gregory the 5th But at length by other turns of fortune Hildebrand who was Gregory the 7th in the year 1073. raised the Papacy to the highest pitch of power and honour that ever it was in Upon consideration of which whole matter it is certain that the Pope had some right in the Election of the Emperour for when the Kingdom of Italy with Rome it self was united to the Teutonick or German Kingdom and that by the Donation of Pepin the Popes were Masters of the Exarchate Urbin Ancona Spoleto and other Towns and Countries and confirmed by Charles his Son then the Pope himself representing the people of Rome by his Legats with the Princes Lords and Deputies of the Towns of Italy had a priviledg of giving his Votes at those Elections and on no other foundation than this could the Pope pretend co a right of Electing Emperours nor in any other manner than as he was Prince over a Dominion which had a right of Election in concurrence with other States Princes and Feudataries of the Empire But when and in what manner and by what Methods afterwards this power of Election came to be transferred to the seven Electors is not very clear in History there being many and various conjectures thereupon Maimbourg in his History called la Decadence de l'Empire concludes that this Institution was established by the Authority of Gregory the 10th in the year 1274. And farther he proceeds to say That the second Pope from whom we may conjecture that this Authority was derived was Leo the 8th who by a Decree made by and with the consent of the Clergy and people of Rome gives and grants unto the Emperour Otho the first and to those who
our Saviour was crucified whereas at other times the celebration of the Mass was forbidden till the third hour or between the hours of nine and twelve a Clock the time when as St. Mark tells us he was fastned to the Cross. He also appointed that the Hymn Glory be to God on High should be sung before the Sacrifice In his time Justinus a Philosopher of Neapolis a City of Palestine labour'd successfully in the defending Christianity presented to Antoninus and his Sons a book which he had written against the Gentiles and held a Dialogue with Tryphon a principal Jew He wrote also very warmly against Marcion who adhering to the Heresie of Cerdo affirmed that there were two Gods the one good the other just as two contrary principles of Creation and Goodness He opposed likewise Crescens the Cynick as a person gluttonous fearful of Death given over to Luxury and lust and a blasphemer of Christ. But being at length by this mans treacherous practices betray'd he suffered in the cause of Christianity Eusebius writing of this Cynick allows him only to have been a vain-glorious Pretender but not a Philosopher At the same time the Valentinian Hereticks prevail'd who were the followers of one Valentinus a Platonist and held that Christ took nothing of the body of the Virgin but passed clean through her as through a Pipe Now also Photinus Bishop of Lyons a man of singular Learning and Piety as Isidore tells us suffered Martyrdom with great resolution being ninety years old Telesphorus having at four Decembrian Ordinations made fifteen Presbyters eight Deacons thirteen Bishops died a Martyr and was buried in the Vatican near Saint Peter He was in the Chair eleven years three months twenty two days By his Death the See was vacant seven days S. HYGINUS HYGINUS an Athenian Son of a Philosopher succeeded Telesphorus during the Empire of Antoninus Pius Wâ—â—â—se extraordinary merit compels me to add something farther in his praise 〈…〉 I come to give an account of Hyginus He was so far from the vanity of valuing himself upon the glory of his Arms that he made it his business rather to defend the Provinces of the Empire than to encrease them and had often that saying of Scipio in his mouth that he had rather save one Citizen than destroy a thousand Enemies being herein of a quite contrary temper to that of Domitian who from a consciousness of his own cruelty did so hate and fear a multitude that he would expose the Roman Army to the fury of its Enemies on purpose that it might return home thinner and less formidable Moreover Pius was so famous for his Justice that several Princes and Nations did at his Command cease their Hostilities making him the Arbitratour of their differences and standing to his determination as to the Justice of their Pretensions For these admirable qualities the Romans after his much lamented death in honor to his memory appointed Cirque-shews built a Temple and 〈…〉 a Flamen with an Order called by his name At this time Hyginus prudently setled and confirm'd the several Orders and Degrees of the Clergy and ordain'd the Solemn Consecration of Churches the number of which he would not have encreas'd or diminish'd without leave of the Metropolitan or Bishop He forbad also that the Timber or other Materials prepared for the building any Church should be converted to prophane uses yet allowing that with the Bishop's consent they might be made use of towards the erecting any other Church or Religious House He likewise ordained that at least one Godfather or one Godmother should be present at Baptism and that no Metropolitan should condemn or censure any Bishop of his Province until the cause were first heard and discussed by the other Bishops of the Province though some make this latter an Institution of Pelagius not Hyginus In his time lived Polycarp a Disciple of St. John the Apostle and by him made Bishop of Smyrna the most celebrated man for Religion and learning in all Asia He coming to Rome reduc'd to the Orthodox Faith multitudes who had been seduc'd into the Errours of Marcion and Valentinus the former of which by chance meeting him and asking whether he knew him Polycarp answered that he knew him to be the first-born of the Devil For this Heretick denied the Father of our blessed Saviour to be God the Creatour who by his Son made the World But afterwards in the time of M. Antoninus and L. Aurclius Commodus who raised the fourth Persecution Polycarp was burnt at Smyrna by order of the Proconsul Melito also an Asian Bishop of Sardis and a Disciple of Fronto the Oratour presented to M. Antoninus a book written in desence of the Christian Doctrine Tertullian highly extols his Parts and says that most of the Christians look'd upon him as a Prophet Moreover Theophilus Bishop of Antioch wrote a book against the Heresie of Hermogenes who asserted an uncreated eternal matter co-eval to God himself As for Hyginus himself having deserved well of the Church and at three Decembrian Ordinations made fifteen Presbyters five Deacons six Bishops he died and was buried in the Vatican by S. Peter January 11. He was in the Chair four years three months four days The See was then vacant four days S. PIUS I. PIUS an Italian of Aquileia son of Ruffinus lived to the time of M. Antoninus Verus who together with his Brother L. Aurelius Commodus jointly exercis'd the Government nineteen years These two Princes undertook a War against the Parthians and manag'd it with such admirable courage and success that they had the honour of a Triumph decreed to them But not long after Commodus dying of an Apoplexy Antoninus was sole Emperour a person who so excell'd in all good qualities that it is more easie to admire than to describe him for both because from his very youth no change of his Fortune made any alteration in his mind or his countenance and because it is hard to determine whether the sweetness of his natural temper or the knowledg he learnt from Cornelius Fronto were more conspicuous in him he deservedly gain'd the surname of Philosopher And indeed as Capitolinus tells us he was often wont to use that saying of Plato That then the World would be happy when either Philosophers were Princes or Princes would be Philosophers He was so great a lover of Learning that even when he was Emperour he would be present at the Lectures of Apollonius the Philosopher and Sextus Plutarch's Nephew and he set up the Statue of his Tutour Fronto in the Senate-house as a Testimony of the Honour he had for him At this time Pius maintain'd a strict friendship and familiarity with Hermes who wrote the book called Pastor in which book he introduces an Angel in the form of a Shepherd who commanded him to persuade all Christians to keep the Feast of Easter on a Sunday which Pius accordingly did Moreover he ordained that every
Philosophers acknowledging 〈◊〉 he was prosoundly skill'd in Platonism and finding no fault in him but his 〈◊〉 a Christian. S. Hierom himself says that he wrote six thousand Volumes though that Father and S. Austin too tell us that he was erroneous in most 〈◊〉 them and particularly in his book of Government entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet Pamphilus the Martyr and Eusebius and Russinus a Priest of Aquileia appear very much in his Praise and Defence As for Calistus having at five Decembrian Ordinations made sixteen Presbyters four Deacons eight Bishops he was crown'd with Martyrdom and was buried in the Coemetery of Calepodius in the Via Aurelia three miles distant from the City October 14th He was in the Chair six years ten months ten days The See was then vacant six days S. URBANUS I. VRBANUS a Roman Son of Pontianus was Bishop of Rome in the time of the Emperour M. Aurelius Antoninus Anno Dom. 226. U. C. 970. This Antoninus supposed to be the base Son of 〈◊〉 coming to Rome and being advanced to the Empire not without an universal expectation of good from him took the name of Heliogabalus from the Sun so called by the Phoenicians to which he built a Temple and was himself a Priest of it But he led a life so contrary to the hopes and opinion men had entertain'd of him that he has left no other memory of himself than that of his exorbitant Villanies and all kinds of debauchery For he violated the chastity of the Vestal Virgins made his Palace no better than a Stews and in a rage commanded Sabinus a man of consular dignity and to whom Ulpian the famous Civilian wrote to be immediately put to death He conferred all places of trust and honour upon the vilest of men with whom he was wont sometimes to make himself sport after this manner he would make them lie down with him at Supper but it should be upon large bellows which being raised and distended they would all of a sudden tumble down under the Table He had such a loud and undecent way of laughing that in a full Theatre his Voice might be heard above all the Company He was the first among the Romans who wore Velvet and used Tables and other Utensils of Silver When some of his Friends advised him to beware that by his luxury he did not reduce himself to want Can I do better says he than to make my self my own and my Wives Heir He was once so extravagantly freakish as to cause a Collection to be made of ten thousand pound weight of Spiders from whence he pretended an estimate might be taken of the bigness of the City of Rome and to get together ten thousand Mice and as many Weazels and Rats These mad pranks by degrees rendred him so contemptible in the eyes of all men that himself and his Mother were both slain in a Military Tumult 'T is said that some Syrian Priests having told him that he should undergo a violent death he 〈◊〉 fairly provided himself of a decent Scarlet Silken Halter to do his own work withal He died in the fourth year of his Reign at the same time when the City of Nicopolis in Palestine formerly called Emmaus was built Africanus the Historian and Chronologer undertaking an Embassie to promote that Affair Urban who lived in the time of this Monster not of Dioclesian as some would have it by his eminent Piety and Learning proselyted multitudes to the Christian Faith and among others particularly Valerianus an excelient Person and contracted to S. Cecilia with his Brother Tiburtius both which afterwards suffered Martyrdom with great constancy of mind as did also the espoused Virgin her self in her Fathers house which was at her request consecrated and made a Church by Urban The same Urban also ordained that the Church might receive Estates in Land or Houses given and bequeathed to her by any of the Faithful but that the Revenues of them should not be any ones property but for the common good be distributed among the whole Clergy to every one his share a Constitution long since antiquated through the coverousness and rapacity of following Ages Some attribute to him the distinction of the four stated annual Times of Fasting or Ember-weeks which through mens ignorance were before kept very confusedly In his time lived Tryphon one of Origen's Disciples remarkable markable for the book he composed concerning the red Heiser in Deuteronomy Minutius Felix also a famous Pleader at Rome wrote a Dialogue in which he introduces a Christian and an Heathen disputing besides another book against the Mathematicians of which Lactantius makes mention Moreover Alexander Bishop of Hierusalem at this time founded the famous Library there by which he has gained so great a reputation As for Urban himself having at five Decembrian Ordinations made nine Presbyters five Deacons nine Bishops he received a Crown of Martyrdom and was buried in the Coemetery of Pretexatus in the Via Tiburtina having been in the Chair four years ten months twelve days And the See was vacant thirty days S. PONTIANUS PONTIANUS a Roman Son of Calphurnius lived in the time of the Emperour Alexander in the Year nine hundred seventy four from the building of Rome and the Year of our Lord two hundred forty five But between the Reign of Heliogabalus and Alexander there are reckoned three other Emperours Macrinus Diadumenus and Albinus whose Names I intended to have left out not only because they governed but a very little while but chiefly because they did nothing memorable only Albinus became notorious to Posterity for his Gluttony eating if we may believe the Authority of Cordus an hundred large Peaches ten choice Melons five hundred dryed Figs and four hundred Oysters at one Meal But to pass by these Monsters of men I come to Alexander a singular pattern of Virtue who being created Emperour by the favour of the Senate and the Army immediately applyed himself to the setling of the Commonwealth which had been very much impaired by the miscarriages of former Princes To which end he made use of Julius Frontinus a vert learned Man and Ulpian and Paul two excellent Civilians as Assistants and Coadjutors in that Affair He was so upright in all his dealings that no man could ever complain of any Injury receiv'd from him and so far removed from any kind of Vanity or Ostentation that he appear'd but once in the costly Robes belonging to his Office while he was Consul All those who in their Addresses to him were sneakingly obsequious in their carriage or affectedly complaisant in their words he would reject as fawning Fellows for he was so wise and discerning that no man could impose upon him one instance of which was his proceeding with Turinus to whom for his taking Bribes upon the appearance of his being the Emperours mighty Favourite he allotted this remarkable punishment that being bound to a Stake in the Transitory
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
whereupon the Senate and people of Rome being divided into two Parties the dissention rose to such an heighth that to compromise the business a Council was by mutual consent called at Ravenna where the whole matter being discuss'd in the presence of Theodoric he at length determined on the side of Symmachus and confirmed him in the Pontificate who by a singular act of Grace made his very Competitour Laurence Bishop of Nocera Yet about four years after some busie and factious Clergy-men being countenanced and assisted by Festus and Probinus two of the Senatorian Order set up for Laurence again upon which King Theodoric was so highly displeas'd that he sends Peter Bishop of 〈◊〉 to Rome to depose them both and possess himself of the Chair But Symmachus called a Synod of an hundred and twenty Bishops wherein with great presence of mind he purg'd himself of all things 〈◊〉 to his Charge and by a general suffrage obtained the banishment of Laurence and Peter who had occasion'd all this mischief Hereupon so great a 〈◊〉 arose in the City that multitudes both of the Clergy and Laity were slain in all parts not so much as the Monastick Virgins escaping In this Tumult Gordianus a Presbyter and a very good man was kill'd in the Church of S. Peter ad Vincula nor had an end been put to slaughter here had not Faustus the Consul in compassion to the Clergy appear'd in Arms against Probinus the Author of so great a Calamity After this the Christians having some small respite Clodoveus banishing the Arian Hereticks restores the Orthodox and Constitutes Paris the Capital City of his Kingdom Symmachus at this time expell'd the Manichees out of the City and caused their Books to be burn'd before the Gates of S. John Lateran Several Churches he built from the ground and several others he repair'd and beautifi'd That of S. Andrew the Apostle near S. Peters he entirely built enriching it with divers Ornaments of Silver and Gold and he adorn'd S. Peters it self and its Portico with chequer'd Marble making the steps of Ascent into it more and larger than they were before Moreover he erected Episcopal Palaces He built also the Church of S. Agatha the Martyr in the Via Aurelia and that of S. Pancrace He repaired and adorn'd with painting the Cupola of S. Pauls and built from the foundations the Church of SS Silvester and Martin the Altars of which he very richly adorned He made also the steps that lead into the Church of S. John and S. Paul and enlarged S. Michaels He built from the ground the Oratories of Cosmus and Damianus being assisted in that work by Albinus and Glaphyras two men of principal Note Besides this near the Churches of S. Peter and S. Paul he builded two Hospitals making provision of all things necessary for the poor who should dwell in them For he was in all respects very charitable and sent supplies of Money and Cloaths to the Bishops and other Clergy in Africa and Sardinia who had suffered banishment for the profession of the true Religion He repaired the Church of S. Felicitas and the Cupola of that of S. Agnes which was decay'd and almost ready to fall He also at his own charge redeemed multitudes of Captives in several Provinces He ordained that on Sundays and the Birth-days of the Martyrs the Hymn Glory be to God on High should be sung and indeed left nothing undone which he thought might tend to the Glory of Almighty God In his time Gennadius Bishop of Marseille a great imitatour of S. Augustine did good service to the Church He wrote one Book against Heresies wherein he shews what is necessary to every man in order to his Salvation and another de viris illustribus in imitation of S. Hierom. As for Symmachus having at several Ordinations made ninety Presbyters sixteen Deacons one hundred twenty two Bishops he died and was buried in S. Peters Church July the 19th He sat in the Chair fifteen years six months twenty two days and by his death the See was vacant seven days HORMISDA I. HORMISDA the Son of Justus born at 〈◊〉 lived in the time of Theodoric and Anastasius as far as to the Consulship of Boethius and Symmachus These two upon suspicion of designing against his Government were by Theodoric at first banish'd and afterwards imprisoned Boethius during his confinement wrote several things extant to this day and translated and made Commentaries upon the greatest part of Aristotles Works He was throughly skill'd in the Mathematicks as his Books of Musick and Arithmetick clearly demonstrate But at length both he and Symmachus were put to death by the order of Theodoric Some tell us that the cause of Boethius his sufferings was the zeal he shewed in opposing the Arians who were favoured by Theodoric but I think the former Opinion to be more probable Hormisda with the advice of Theodoric held now a Provincial Synod at Rome in which the Eutychians were again condemn'd by universal consent He also sent Letters and Messengers to John Bishop of Constantinople admonishing him to renounce that Heresie and to believe there are two Natures in Christ the Divine and Humane But John continued refractory trusting to the interest he had with the Emperour Anastasius who not long after was struck dead by a Thunderbolt which was believ'd to be a just Judgment upon him both for his patronizing so pernicious an Heresie and especially for his ill usage of the Legates sent to him by Hormisda whom contrary to the Law of Nations he treated very contumeliously and sent them home in a shattered leaky Vessel ordering them to return directly into Italy without touching at any shore in Greece 'T is said that he bid them tell the Bishop that he must know it to be the part of an Emperour to Command not to obey the Dictates of the Bishop of Rome or any other These Legates were Euodius Bishop of Pavia Fortunatus Bishop of Catina Venantius a Presbyter of Rome and Vitalis a Deacon Anastasius dying in the twenty seventh year of his Reign Justine a Patron of the Catholick Faith succeeds him who forthwith sends Ambassadours to the Bishop of Rome to acknowledge the Authority of the Apostolick See and to desire the Bishop to interpose his Ecclesiastical Power for the setling the peace of the Church Whereupon Hormisda with the consent of Theodoric sends Germanus Bishop of Capua John and Blandus Presbyters and Felix and 〈◊〉 Deacons his Legates to Justine by whom they were receiv'd with all imaginable expressions and testimonies of Honour 〈◊〉 Respect John the Bishop of Constantinople with multitudes of the Orthodox Clergy and other Persons of principal Note going forth in Complement to meet them and congratulate their Arrival But the followers of Acacius dreading their coming had shut themselves up in a very strong Church and upon Consultation what to do sent Messengers to the Emperour declaring that they would by no means subscribe to
the determination of the Apostolick See unless an account were first given them why Acacius was Excommunicated But Justine soon forc'd them out of the Church and City too and Hormisda dealt in the same manner with the Manichees who began to spring up afresh in Rome whose Books he caused to be burn'd before the Gates of S. John Lateran About this time Transamund King of the Vandals dying in Afric his Son 〈◊〉 whom he had by the Captive Daughter of Valentinian succeeded him in the Kingdom He inherited none of his Fathers Errours but following the Counsel of his religious Mother re-call'd all the Catholicks whom Transamund had banish'd and permitted them the free exercise of their Religion At this time also several rich Presents were sent to Rome for the Ornament of the Churches there by Clodoveus King of France and Justine the Emperour King Theodoric also richly adorn'd the Church of S. Peter nor was Hormisda himself behind these Princes in bounty and munificence to the Church Having setled things according to his mind and ordained twenty one Presbyters fifty five Bishops he died and was buried in S. Peter's Church August the 6th in the Consulship of Maximus He sat in the Chair nine years eighteen days and by his death the See was vacant six days JOHN I. IOHN by birth a Tuscan Son of Constantius was in the Chair from the Consulship of Maximus to that of Olybrius in the time of King Theodoric and the Emperour Justine Who out of his great zeal for the Orthodox Faith and that he might utterly extinguish the name of Hereticks banish'd the Arians and gave their Churches to the Catholicks This was so highly resented by Theodoric that he sends John himself with Theodorus and the two Agapeti his Ambassadours to Justine to advise him to restore the Arians or upon his refusal to let him know that he would pull down all the Catholick Churches in Italy These Ambassadours were at first very kindly and honourably received But having given an account of their Embassie and finding Justine wholly averse to grant what they desired they betook themselves to Tears and Prayers humbly beseeching him to prevent the ruin of Italy and all the Orthodox Christians in it by which means the good Prince was prevailed upon to recall the Arians and to grant them a Toleration Some write that it was in this Bishops time that Symmachus and Boethius were brought back from Exile imprison'd and slain by the cruelty and rage of Theodoric However certain it is that they were put to death by Theodoric's order and it matters not much whether it were in the Pontificate of Hormisda or John Which John returning from Constantinople Theodoric was so highly incens'd against him for his agreement with the Emperour Justine both in Faith and manners that it was a chance that he had not taken away his life immediately but throw him into Prison he did at Ravenna where through stench and nastiness and want of necessary provision the good man at length died A Cruelty for which the divine Vengeance sorely punished Theodoric not long after for he died suddenly of a fit of an Apoplexy and his Soul if you will take the word of a devout Hermit who reported it was cast into the flames of the Island Lipara Theodoric was succeeded in the Kingdom by his Daughter Amalasuntha with her Son Athalaric whom she had by her Husband Eucherius A Woman who with a prudence above her Sex rectified her Fathers ill Decrees restored the confiscated Estates of Boethius and Symmachus to their Children and caused her Son to be instructed in all kinds of good Literature though she were herein opposed by the Goths who cried out that their King was not to be bred a Scholar but a Soldier Much about this time died Justine being very Aged leaving the Empire to his Sisters Son Justinian and Clodoveus King of France leaving four Sons his Successors in that Kingdon Persons of Note and esteem at this time were Benedict of Nursia who setled among the Italians the Rules and Canons of the Monastick life and Bridget a devout Virgin of Scotland and John Presbyter of Antioch who wrote much against those that held that Christ should be worshipped in one Nature only To these Isidore adds one Cyprignius a Spanish Bishop who wrote elegantly upon the Apocalypse Our John before he went to Constantinople had repaired three Coemeteries namely that of Nereus and Achilleus in the Via Ardeatina that of the Martyrs SS Felix and Adauctus and that of Priscilla He also adorn'd the Altar of S. Peters with Gold and Jewels He likewise brought with him from Constantinople a Paten of Gold and a Chalice of Gold set with precious stones the Presents of the Emperour Justine but these I suppose to have been lost together with his life At several Ordinations he consecrated fifteen Bishops 'T is said that his Body was brought from Ravenna to Rome and buried in S. Peter's Church July the 27th Olybrius being then Consul He sat in the Chair two years eight months and by his death the Seewas vacant fifty eight days FELIX IV. FELIX the fourth a Sammite the Son of Costorius lived in the time of the Emperour Justinian Whose General Belisarius was victorious over the Persians and passing into Afric by his singular courage and conduct subdued and almost quite rooted out the Vandals whose King Gilimer he took Prisoner and brought him home with him in Triumph About this time Amalasuntha having a long time lived very uneasily with her malecontented Goths and having buried her wayward and unruly Son Athalaric associates her kinsman Theodatus in the Government This Theodatus was so great a Proficient in Greek and Latin Learning that he wrote an elegant History of his own times and was throughly skilled in the Platonick Philosophy And though he were not naturally of an active Martial temper yet at the desire of Amalasuntha he undertook a War against the Burgundians and Alemanni and manag'd it very succcesfully Felix in the mean while being careful of the affairs of the Church excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople for Heresie and built in the Via Sacra near the Forum Romanum the Church of S. Cosmus and Damianus as appears from the Verses yet remaining wrought in Mosaick work He also re-built the Church of S. Saturninus in the Via Salaria which had been consumed by fire Some write that in this Age lived Cassiodorus who while he was a Senator wrote several things in Politicks and when he became a Monk composed a Comment upon the Psalms 'T is said also that Priscian of Caesarea the famous Grammarian now wrote his Book of Grammar Arator likewise a Sub-Deacon of Rome translated the Gospels into Hexameter Verse and Justinian Bishop of Valence was had in great esteem for what he preach'd and wrote concerning the Christian Faith As for Felix himself having ordained fifty five Presbyters four Deacons twenty nine Bishops he
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
all manner of Vice and wickedness and if he had any time to spare from his lusts he spent it in Hunting and not in Prayer The Romans had at this time two Consuls annually and one Prefect who was a Judg among the Citizens Out of the People were created twelve Decarchons who were instead of the Senate neither were the Romans without some kind of Dominions for the neighbouring Towns of Tuscany between Orvieto and Todi and all that lies between the City and Benevent Naples Tagliacozzo and Riete were subject to the City of Rome What lies beyond was possessed partly by the Greeks and partly by the Saracens It is not altogether certain who then held Marca di Ancona and the Dutchy of Spoleto In the City thus free Octavian favour'd by the power of his Father assumes the Papal Dignity a weight for which his shoulders were very unfit which gave so great offence that two Cardinals who were nettled at it sent to Otho beseeching him to come and deliver the Clergy and the People of Rome out of the hands of Berengarius and this Pope John otherwise telling him that the Christian Religion and the Empire too would both be ruin'd Otho was at that time great in the estimation of all people having as we said before conquered Boleslaus King of Bohemia and routed the Hungarians that 〈◊〉 Germany in three fierce Battels taking three of their Princes who were hanged up by the Germans against the mind of the Emperor While Otho was expected the whole design was betray'd to John who took both the Cardinals and cut off the Nose of the one and the hand of the other This mov'd Otho to hasten his march into Italy where first he took Berengarius and his Son Albertus Prisoners and banish'd one to Constantinople the other into Austria and soon after entring Rome he was splendidly received even of John himself and Crown'd as some write Emperor of Germany and Hungary the Empire being now first translated to the Germans There are Authors yet that place this to the times of Leo VIII of whom we shall speak hereafter whose Opinion is follow'd by Gratian in his Decree though Ricardus and Cuseulinus disallow not the former but the Lateran Library-keeper writes that Otho came to Rome in John's time but says not a word of his Coronation so perplex'd and confused are the Affairs of those times by the carelesness and neglect of their Writers Otho however having somewhat setled the State of the City had some conference in private with John dissuading him kindly from his naughty way of life and exhorting him to reform but when he found fair words would not avail he made use of threats and declar'd for a General Council convening all the Bishops of Italy to judg of the way of life of this wicked Fellow The Censures of these good Men he apprehended would be heavy and therefore fled to Anagni sculking up and down in by-places like a wild Beast So that Otho by the persuasion of the Clergy creates Leo a Roman a keeper of the Archives in the Lateran Pope But upon the departure of the Emperor the Kinsmen and Friends of John turn out Leo and recall him who within few days after was struck dead as was thought from Heaven lest the Church of God should be ruin'd by so pernicious a Sedition as was then growing on Some indeed write that this wicked Wretch or Monster rather was taken in Adultery and there stabb'd However this put not an end to the Schism for the Romans upon the death of John put up Benedict in his room and were earnest with the Emperor who was then at Spalato to confirm their choice But the Emperor was highly displeased and not onely denied their request as unjust but as shall hereafter be told compelled them by force of Arms to abrogate Benedict and receive Leo. Many Prodigies are said to have been seen at this present time in Italy for in a mighty tempest of wind and rain there fell a stone of a wonderful 〈◊〉 from the Sky and in the garments of many persons the figure of a bloody Cross appeared miraculously which portents were look'd upon to 〈◊〉 great Slaughters and calamities to the Church This John who was certainly the most pernicious profligate Fellow of any that preceded him in the Pontifical Chair died in the ninth year third month and fifth day of his Popedom upon whose death during the Sedition the Sea was vacant twelve days BENEDICT V. BENEDICT the Fifth a Roman in the Sedition was of a Deacon made Pope chiefly by the assistance of the kinred and Dependents of John to whom the Preferment of Leo by Otho gave great disgust But the Emperor disapproving this Election flatly the confirmation of it to the Romans who earnestly sought it and wasting the territories of the City with fire and sword forced them not onely to turn out but to yield up Benedict and submit to Leo with an Oath not to attempt any alteration in what the Emperor had establish'd in the affair of the Popedom Matters thus composed in Italy Otho goes back for Germany taking Benedict with him who soon after died at Hapspurg whither he was banish'd He held the Papacy six months and five days The Sea was after vacant thirty days LEO VIII LEO the Eighth the Proloscriniary as I said before upon the expulsion of John was created Pope by the Clergy and People of Rome For when John led such an abominable and exorbitant life that the Romans urg'd the Emperor to depose him and set up another Pope he answered that the Election belong'd to the Clergy and People and let them chuse a Man they took to be most fit he would confirm him immediately Hereupon when they had chosen Leo and the Emperor had confirm'd him soon after altering their minds they deposed him and put up Benedict which so angred Otho that he compelled them by force of Arms to yield up Benedict and accept of Leo again who was so teiz'd with the mutinous humour of the Romans that he transferred the whole power of electing of Popes from the Clergy and People to the Emperor But he liv'd not long after dying in the sixteenth month of his Popedom JOHN XIV JOHN the Fourteenth Bishop of Narni a Roman Son of John a Bishop succeeded Leo. But the Romans having got the trick of expelling their Popes vex'd this Man also with seditions for having call'd to their assistance Geffrey Lord of Terra de Lavoro they broke into the Lateran Palace and feiz'd upon John whom they first cast into the Prison of Castle S. Angelo and soon after banish'd to Capua but Geffrey with his onely Son being slain by John Prince of Capua the Pope return'd straight to Rome in the eleventh month of his Exile Otho also upon notice of the Pope's distress together with his Son Otho and a good Army by long journeys came to Rome and immediately threw the Consuls the Praetor and the Decarchons
Pontificate the Enemy of mankind answer'd as he is wont ambiguously that he should live long if he came not near Jerusalem So that when in the fourth year first month and tenth day of his Papacy he was at Rome at Mass in the Church of Holy Cross in Jerusalem it came into his mind that now he must die where he heartily repenting confess'd his fault before the people exhorting them all to lay aside Ambition and to withstand the Stratagems of the Devil betaking themselves to a holy and pious life then he desired them that after his death they would lay the trunk of his Body however torn and dismembred as it deserved to be in a Cart and there to bury it where the Horses should of their own accord carry it and then as 't is said that wicked Men might see that yet there was some room for pardon left with God for them if they at any time repent by the Divinc Will and Providence the Horses of their own accord went to the Church of the Lateran where his body was buried Martinus writes beside that as well from the clattering of this Pope's bones as from the Sweat or rather moisture of his Tomb People are wont to gather Presages and those most manifest of the approaching death of any Pope and that this is hinted in the Epitaph on his Tomb. Whether it be true or no let the Pope's whom it concerns look to 't JOHN XIX JOHN the Nineteenth whose Surname and Family because of their baseness are not recorded died four months and twenty days after he was made Pope So that because of the shortness of his Pontificate there was nothing memorable done either by himself or any other in the time unless that many Prodigies Apparitions and Comets were seen and many Towns ruin'd by Earth-quakes foreshewing the Calamities that were to come Some ease in which yet was given by Hugh the Viceroy of Italy under Otho and Governour of Tuscany for he manag'd his Province with so great Justice and Integrity that no one complain'd for want of an excellent Prince Who afterward dying at Pistoia the Tuscans universally bewailed him as a publick Parent not suffering any manner of Respect to be wanting to his Funeral In this place I therefore thought good to mention the deserv'd praises of Hugo that Governours of Countries may know that it is much better by a just and generous administration to acquire glory and honour than by unjust ways to heap up Riches with everlasting shame and ignominy JOHN XX. JOHN the Twentieth a Roman of the Ward of Port-Metropolitan being made Pope indulg'd himself in an easie way of living and did nothing worth mentioning But Robert King of France deserv'd the highest commendations who at this time led a Life as devout as Kingly excelling all the cotemporary Christian Kings in Knowledg and religious living and being himself excell'd by no Man in controversial Learning he not owning that Opinion which the Princes of our times have embrac'd that it is not worth a Potentates while to be learned but that it behoves them that are to rule the Nations to take their rules of Government from the precepts of others which yet cannot be done without reading and study What else indeed is an illiterate Prince but the Image of a Lion commanding the other beasts 'T is necessary they should be able to moderate their own passions as well as the peoples who would be thought fit to govern others With great reason therefore it is that we speak well of Robert whose devotion was such that as ost as he had leisure from his warlike Employments he would sing the canonical hours with the Priests and so great were his merits in this way that once when he had beleaguer'd a Town of his Enemies and neglected the Siege to attend the canonical hours the Walls miraculously sell down and his Men immediately rushing in took the place But John according to some Authors having sate in the Chair four years and four months died and was buried in S. Peter's Church The Sea was then vacant nineteen days SERGIUS IV. SERGIUS the Fourth a Roman Son of Martin succeeded a Man of a most holy life and sweet conversation both before and in his Pontificate He was charitable to the poor chearful among his Friends and Acquaintants merciful to those who were faulty and mild even with the perverse Beside he was so prudent that in all the time he sate in the Chair nothing was committed which could reflect any charge of negligence upon his Government For placing all his thoughts in Heaven which all Popes ought to do and having a mind imbued with much natural goodness he brought about all things to his mind By his counsel and advice the Princes of Italy entred into a League for driving the Saracens out of Sicily and accordingly made equal preparations of Men. There were then in Italy most of the Sons of Tancred the great Duke of Normandy among whom was William surnam'd Ferrebach a Man of so great courage that taking for his Companion in the Expedition Malochus General of the Forces of Michael Catalaicus Emperor of Constantinople he in a short time clear'd that Island of Saracens the Princes of Capoua and Salerno lending some assistance Afterward Malochus using injustice in the division of the Spoil William thought good to dissemble for the time but returning into Italy with forty thousand Normans who were just come from the Holy War he seizes upon all Apulia which was subject to the Greeks and at Melfi meets Malochus with his Army fights and defeats him and thus by the valour of William the Kingdom of Apulia was transferred from the Greeks to the Normans for he dying without Heirs his Brother Drogo succeeded him and to him succeeded Humfrey a younger Brother from whom descended Robert Guiscardi and his Brother Roger. While this past in Apulia Italy and almost all the World too labouring under a Famine and Pestilence the holy Man Sergius died in the second year and fifteenth day of his Popedom and was buried in S. Peter's Church The Sea was then vacant eight days BENEDICT VIII BENEDICT the Eighth born at Frascato his Father's name was Gregory as soon as he was made Pope Crown'd Henry I. of Bavaria Emperor in the room of Otho III. deceased according to the Decree of Gregory V. Some say that Otho died at Rome and that his body was carried into Germany others say 't was buried in S. Peter's Church However that may be 't is certain that Henry Duke of Bavaria who was an excellent and a most holy person was now created Emperor and that he had an Empress equally praise-worthy for Charity Devotion and Affability But whilst he was employed in composing the affairs of Germany the Saracens entred Italy took Capua and besieg'd Bari the Inhabitants whereof being reduced to extremity for want of Provisions the Venetians with their Fleet reliev'd them and with the assistance of the Greeks set upon
the Columneses took their Title There was another Family at Rome called the Corsi very powerful and so true to Gregory VII that their Houses which were under the Capitol were burnt by Henry down to the ground yet afterward Stephen the chief of that Family chang'd sides and in Paschal's absence surpriz'd St. Paul's Church and the Castle hard by from whence he continually teazed the City of Rome with inroads very strangely For this reason the Pope omitted all forein Affairs and return'd with all speed to the City from whence he drove Stephen who went safely off disguised in a Monks Habit and so deceived those that came to take him At that time many Authors say there appeared a great many Prodigies as that the 〈◊〉 gain'd in some places full twenty paces into the Land more than ordinary and on the other side in some places retired from the shore an hundred And the like I saw at Pozzuoli the last year by some old weather beaten Marble Pillars that were wasted to three Cubits though the Inhabitants told me that three years before they were wash'd by the Sea They tell you likewise that a Comet appeared of a vast bigness that was seen at Sun-setting Paschal however was not disturb'd at any of these things because he knew 'em to be natural But when he heard the Bishop of Florence should say that Antichrist was born he went immediately thither and calling a Council who discussed the matter very nicely he perceived the Bishop was onely ambitious of being the Author of some great matter and therefore when he had chid him he sent him away and went himself into Lombardy where he called an Assembly at Guardastallo of many Princes and Bishops and held a long debate about Homages Fees and the Oaths of Bishops that had been or should be administred to Laymen And hearing of the scandalous lives of the French Priests he went into France and at Troyes he called a Synod in which having taken order for the more decent adorning of Churches and partly expelled partly chastised their Incumbents he returned in haste into Italy because he heard all things were there in an uproar For Stephen Corsus had taken Montalto and Pontechio from that part of Toscany which now they call St. Peter's Patrimony and had fortified them with Castles from whence he pillaged the whole Country with frequent inroads but the Pope fell upon him and beat him out of one of his Castles though he could not storm the other by reason of its situation and the Winter season which was at hand Going therefore into Puglia to compose the differences of those parts he committed the care of the Church to the Bishop of Lavico to Peter the Son of Leo and to Leo the Son of Fregepan the City and all its concerns and to Ptolemy Lord of Subiaco the territories adjacent leaving his Nephew Godfrey General to assist them in the defence of the Churches jurisdiction But in the Pope's absence Ptolemy the reputed Author of all that mischief threatned he should never return to the City any more and all these revolted from the Church to wit Peter Columna whom the Pope had taken into favour the Abbat of Farfa together with those of Anagni Palestrina Tivoli Frascati and Sabina The same Ptolemy also raised an Army and besieged Alba in Campagna di Roma which the Citizens very stoutly defended But when the Pope and the Prince of Cajetta came up together with Richard of Aquila two excellent Commanders they drove out these Usurpers that would have possessed themselves of the Church Revenues and freeing Alba from the Siege he also had the other revolting Towns surrender'd up to him except that he was fain to storm Tivoli which stood out very obstinately and occasion'd much damage on both sides though he took Montalto and turned out Stephen and quieted the whole Patrimony in a short time Assoon as he had made Peace here he apply'd himself to the War in Asia and to that end wrote Letters and sent Nuntios to all Christian Princes to exhort and animate 'em to it as much as possible because he heard that 〈◊〉 the death of Godfrey the Saracens brought great Armies to Jerusalem designing to re-take it as also that the Christians had received a great overthrow that the Earl of Burgundy was slain in the fight that Boëmund was taken alive and that Baldwin himself Godfrey's Brother then King had made a narrow escape so that the City was well-nigh taken But the Barbarians though they had gotten such a Victory yet they durst not attempt Jerusalem For Tancred who had defended Antioch very valiantly did also take Laodicea which belong'd to the Emperour of Constantinople by storm because he heard that Alexius was pleased to hear that so many Christians were killed and hinder'd our Men from passing out of Europe into Asia Baldwin the King encouraged by the good fortune and resolution of Tancred raised an Army as fast as he could he resolv'd to march against 〈◊〉 having sent to Genoua and Venice for Auxiliaries from whence he had eighty Ships of War besides many Galleys that were sent to the place insomuch that the City was besieged both by Land and Sea very closely and in twenty days was taken and the Saracens that came to defend it utterly routed and defeated Tancred shew'd great piety towards his Uncle Boëmund who had been kept in Prison by the Enemies for three years and restored him to the Principality of Antioch after he had redeemed him with a great Ransom of Silver and Gold After that 〈◊〉 committed the care of Antioch to Tancred and went first into Italy and then into France and married Constantine King Philip of France's Daughter but hearing that Alexius Emperour of Constantinople infested the Seaport Towns near Antioch he return'd into Italy and getting a Navy 〈◊〉 sailed into Dalmatia where he besieged Durazzo that he might divert Alexius from the War in Asia as he soon did and Alexius desiring a Peace Boëmund granted it upon condition that he should put an end to the War against Antioch and let the French Soldiers pass through his Country into Asia without any hindrance Peace thus made Boemund sail'd for Asia with the Navy which he had provided against Alexius and did so recruit and chear the spirits of the Christians that King Baldwin storm'd and took Baruti a Maritime Town of Phaenicia between Sidon and Biblos whose Metropolis is Tyre after he had besieged it two months but not without great loss of Men so that he was very severe with 'em and gave the City as a Colony to the Christians At the same time was Sidon also taken But amidst these successes of the Christians Boemund that famous Prince died which caused an 〈◊〉 sorrow and left his little Son Boemund whom he had by his Wife Constantia and who was to be his Successor in the Principality of Antioch under Tancred's Tuition till he grew up In the mean time Henry the
vindicate those times from obscurity and ignominy for Richard was then a famous Doctor and wrote many things gravely and copiously particularly a Book concerning the Trinity beside that he was an eloquent as well as profound Preacher At this time almost all Europe was afflicted with Famine which put our Pope upon acts of Charity which he perform'd liberally both openly and in secret but he died when he had been Pope one year four months and twenty four days and was buried in the Lateran in a Tomb of Porphyry HADRIAN IV. HADRIAN the Fourth an English man born near S. Albans in Hertfordshire having been sent into Norway to preach the Gospel he converted that Nation to the Christian faith and was therefore by Pope Eugenius made Bishop of Alba and Cardinal Upon the death of Anastasius being elected Pope he was applied to by the Romans both with Prayers and threats for an investiture of their Consuls in the absolute administration of the Government of the City but he positively refused and the Clergy of Rome desiring him to go to the Lateran to be consecrated he also denied so to do unless Arnold of Brescia who had been condemn'd for a Heretick by Eugenius were first expell'd the City This so enrag'd the People that they set upon the Cardinal of S. Pudentiana in the Via Sacra as he was going to the Pope and gave him a wound or two This the Pope took so ill that he set them under Excommunication till at last they chang'd their minds and both banish'd Arnold and forc'd their Consuls to lay down their Offices leaving to the Pope the absolute Power of governing the City Mean time William King of Sicily who succeeded Roger takes the Subburbs of Benevent and both Ceperano and Bauco from the Church which so enrag'd the Pope that he Anathematiz'd him and absolv'd all his Subjects of their Allegiance that so they might be at liberty to rebel But at this time the Emperour Frederick I. of Schwaben was entred into Lombardy with an Army and besieging Tortona which had revolted from the Empire he took it by force and thence with great speed he continued his march towards Rome The Pope was then at Viterbo from whence he went to visit Orvieto and Civita Castellana places belonging to the Church to confirm them in their Allegiance but finding himself unable to cope with the Imperial Army by his Nuntio's he struck up a Peace and met the Emperor near Sutri who alighting from his Horse address'd to him with all that Ceremony which was due to the true Vicar of Christ From hence they went to Rome where Frederick was to be Crown'd by the Pope in S. Peter's Church but the Gates being shut lest any tumult should happen between the Citizens and the Soldiers the Romans yet broke forth by Ponte S. Angelo and set upon the Germans whom they look'd upon as of the Pope's side and kill'd many This unsufferable riot angred the Emperour so that having brought his Army which was encamp'd in the prati di Nerone into the City he drove the Romans from the Vatican and slew and took Prisoners multitudes of them till being appeased by the intercession of the Pope he let those he had taken go free But when afterward according to custom the Pope and Emperour were to go together to the Lateran and found it would be unsafe because of the seditious humour of the Citizens they went first to Magliana and there crossing the River they pass'd by the way of Sabina and Ponte Lucano to the Lateran and perform'd the Coronation with the usual Solemnity While matters went thus at Rome those of Tivoli surrendred themselves to Frederick professing a perfect submission but when he understood that it was a part of S. Peter's Patrimony he restor'd it to Hadrian and without any long stay return'd into Germany The Pope also at the request of the great men of Puglia remov'd to Benevent where by his presence alone he regain'd from William to the Church a great part of his Kingdom In the mean time Paloeologus an illustrious personage came Ambassadour from Emanuel II. Emperour of Constantinople first by Sea to Ancona and then by Land to Benevent with an offer to the Pope of fifty thousand pounds in Gold and a Promise to chase William out of Sicily if upon the good success of the Expedition three maritime Cities of Puglia might be put into his possession which no sooner came to William's Ear but he sued for the Pope's mercy promising not onely to restore what he had taken from the Church but to add somewhat more and that he would employ his Force to constrain the rebellious Romans to their duty if he might be honour'd with the Title of King of both Sicilies The Pope could not grant this because several Cardinals opposed it Wherefore William getting a good Army together enters Puglia after an hostile manner destroying all with fire and sword and setting upon the Greeks and Apulians who were encamp'd near Brundusium he easily overcame them upon which those of Otranto and Puglia immediately made their submissions to him The Pope then was very angry with those Cardinals who had opposed the Peace before and took William into favour and gave him the Title of both Kingdoms he having first taken an Oath thereafter not to attempt to do any thing which might be a detriment to the Church of Rome Matters being thus composed to his mind the Pope taking his journey through the Countries of Cassino Marsi Reati Narin and Todi came at last to Orvieto which place he was the first Pope that made his habitation and beautified He was afterward by the earnest intreaties of the Romans persuaded to go to Rome but being here teiz'd by the Consuls who would be setting up for liberty he went to Arignano where not long after he died having been Pope four years and ten months leaving the Estates of the Church in a very good condition for he had built several Castles on the lake of S Christina and so fortified Radifano with a Wall and Citadel that it was almost inexpugnable The History of these times was written in an elegant style by Richard a Monk of Glugni much quoted by other Writers The body of Pope Hadrian being brought to Rome was buried in S. Peter's Church near the Sepulcre of Pope Eugenius ALEXANDER III. ALEXANDER the Third born at Siena his Father's name Ranuccio upon the death of Hadrian was by the suffrages of twenty two Cardinals chosen Pope though other three Cardinals set up Octavian a Roman Cardinal of S. Clement by the name of Victor which gave beginning to a Schism But Alexander lest the Church of Rome should suffer by the continuance thereof dispatch'd Legats to Frederick the Emperour then laying Siege to Cremona to desire him to interpose his Imperial Authority in extinguishing the Sedition He return'd for Answer that both Popes should betake themselves to Pavia whither he would come and hear their Case
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
by the importunity of his Friends to let it alone And for this reason I think it would go better with the Church of God if Popes would not mind their kindred or at least not too much but consult the good and honour of the Papacy rather than promote the interest of flesh and blood Especially at that time when Tamberlain who conquer'd the Turks and led their Emperor in Chains along with him was dead and had left all the Armenians Persians Egyptians and Assyrians without Governors so that the Christians might easily have recover'd Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre But his care was plac'd nearer home for he persecuted the Albi Bianchi or Whites that would have introduced a new sort of Superstition under his Pontificate of whom I heard my Father who saw the Man say that there was a certain Priest who came down from the Alps into Italy the year afore the Jubilee with a great many after him and being clothed in white Cloth pretended so much modesty that every body look'd upon him as a Saint So that this Fellow coming into Italy drew a great number of Men and Women over to his Opinion in a short time And these People at Night lay Men or Women Pesants or Citizens Servants or Freemen promiscuously together cover'd with their white Robes like so many Sheep They feasted in the publick Streets and strove who should bring the best provisions The Priest himself carried a Crucifix which he said wept for the sins of Mankind and as often as it did so the people set up a clamour and begg'd pardon of God They sang the Lauds or Praises of the Blessed Virgin going along and standing still in Hymns made for that purpose But as he came from Piedmont and that way into Romagna Tuscany and Millain the Opinion of his sanctity was advanced whereby he brought over not only the rude and unlearn'd Commonalty but even great Men and Bishops of several Cities At Viterbo being tired with travelling he tarried with the multitude and from thence said he would come to Rome to visit the holy Places and Bodies of the Saints But Boniface fearing him to be a Cheat and thinking as he said that the superstitious Knave had a mind to get the Popedom by the assistance of that Gang about him he sent Soldiers to meet him and bring him to Rome Which done some write that his knavery was detected by Fortune and that he was deservedly burnt alive but others say the Man was guiltless and that it was onely a trick of the Pope to raise that report of him whereas he put him to death out of envy Which is true God knows But this is certain that after so great a conflux of people caused partly by this and partly by the Jubilee a number of Men died of the Plague But amidst all the evils wherewith Italy was afflicted we received one Benefit For Chrysoloras Byzantius brought the Greek Learning into our Country which had been neglected in Italy for four hundred years Hence came the Greek and Latin Schools where Guarinus Victorinus Philielphus Ambrose the Monk Leonard and Charles of Arezzo and many more were educated by the emulation of who many Wits were excited to laudable Studies INNOCENT VII INNOCENT the Seventh of Sulmona before named Cosmo Cardinal-Priest of Santa Croce was made Pope at Rome when all Italy was in an uproar For John Galeatius being dead and leaving two Sons but young all Italy betook themselves to Arms. John Maria the elder Son got the Dutchy of Millain and Philip Maria the younger made himself Lord of Pavia with ease as lawful Earl of it The other Cities to the number of twenty five revolted from the Viconti Paul Guiniffius a Citizen of Lucca usurped the Dominion of his Country Francis Carrara now that General was gone off whose Arms he exceedingly fear'd that he might enlarge his Territories sent Embassadours to Verona Brescia Bergamo and Cremona to sollicite the Guelphs to be on his side But when he saw William Scala and Charles Viconti who desired to govern their own Cities could hinder his attempts he promised William the Signiory of Verona and that of Millain to Charles of whom he borrowed thirty thousand pounds So he restored William to his Country but he soon after was poison'd and then Verona fell again to Francis He would have serv'd Charles the same trick when he was urgent with him either to perform his promise or to pay the money he had lent him He also advised Francis Gonzaga by Letter to come over to his side and embrace his Alliance and if he would not that he would look upon him as an Enemy and give him reason ere long to repent of his obstinacy And that he said was easie because he having gotten Verona which border'd upon Mantoua he should shortly compass Brescia too and so teaze the Mantoueses as he pleased Francis resolv'd to say nothing in answer to him till he heard what the Venetian Embassadors said whom he understood to be upon the way coming to him For the Venetians suspecting the power of the Carraresi took Vincenza into their protection by a free surrender of the Citizens who fear'd Francis's strength and would rather be under any Lord than one of Padua for there was a mortal hatred between the Paduans and those of Vincenza So then the Venetians admonish'd Francis Carrara that he should not meddle with those of Vincenza who were their Tributaries and that he would raise the Siege from Cologna which they accounted within their Dominions if not that the Venetians would revenge their quarrels Francis reply'd that he admired at the impudence of the Venetians who though they have no right or claim to any thing upon the Continent yet would prescribe Laws to them who had just Titles He therefore bad 'em go and confine themselves within their Bays and Fens and let them alone to govern the several Cities who had derived a right to it from their Forefathers This enraged the Venetians who thereupon sent instructions to their Embassadors then upon the Road to make a League with Francis Gonzaga and choose him General of their Forces with an honourable yearly stipend And Francis when the League was made thought it best to make haste because he heard the Enemy had gotten Cologna and raising a great Army attaqued the Veroneses on that side that lies toward Mantoua The Venetians from Vincenza did the same Which so terrified the Veroneses that having no hopes of help they surrender'd For the Citizens hated Francis Carrara for having poison'd William Scala and imprison'd his Sons after he had gotten Verona by a Wile But as the Army enter'd the City keeping their exact Order for fear of some stratagem of the Enemy James Carrara who had commanded the Garison ran away with some few Soldiers to Hostia But as he cross'd the Poe he was taken Prisoner and sent to Venice Now the Venetians having fortified Verona as well as they could march'd
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
and expedition in the design upon Florence but whilst these things were meditating Letters came from the Electoral College to the Emperor earnestly intreating him that he would be pleased speedily to return into Germany to consider about the matter of Summoning a General Council for Reformation of Religion and Election of his Brother Ferdinand to be King of the Romans and also to prepare matters for resistance of the Turk who had sworn to return thither again in a short time These matters seeming of considerable importance were the cause that the Emperor changed his resolution of proceeding to Rome and was Crowned at Bologna by the hand of the Pope at which there was a great confluence of people tho not that magnificence and pomp as had been usual at the Inauguration of other Emperors The day of his Coronation was the Feast of S. Matthias a day thrice auspicious to him being the day of his Nativity the day on which he took the French King Prisoner and the day on which he was invested in the Imperial Dignity This Solemnity being past the Emperor prepared for his Journey into Germany howsoever before his departure the Pope having setled his own business with him touching the subjection of Florence other matters of difference relating to the Venetians to the Investiture of Francis Sforza into the Dutchy of Milan and Alfonso d' Este Duke of Ferrara were referred by compromise to the sentence and determination of the Emperor the expectation of which judgment gave for some time quiet and repose to the Affairs of Italy After which the Emperor proceeded to Germany and the Pope returned to Rome where after some short time he received the joyful news of the surrender of Florence which having endured a long Siege by the Emperors Army under the command of the Prince of Aurange and after his death of Don Ferrand de Gonzaga yielded it self by common consent of the people to the government of twelve Citizens who being of the Faction of the Medices did without attending the Declaration of the Emperor leave Florence entirely to the pleasure and disposal of the Pope at whose instance and persuasion the Emperor declared Alexander de Medicis Prince and Duke of Florence and the same right of Honor and Dignity to descend from him to his Heirs for ever the which power and title hath since that time continued in that Illustrious Family Whilst these things were acted in Italy a Diet was assembled at Ausbourg at which Ferdinand the Emperors Brother was elected King of the Romans where also notice being taken of the great increase of the Lutheran Doctrin which had spread it self in all parts of Germany and had taken root in the greatest and most Princely Families it was concluded by all sides and parties as well Lutherans as others that the only means to reform Affairs and confirm those Doctrins which were sound and Orthodox was only in the Power and Authority of a General Council for the moderate Party which was inclined to the Papal Interest considering the many abuses crept into the Church and the exorbitant power of the Clergy hoped that a Council would reduce matters to more equal terms The Lutherans on the other side having formed a great and numerous Party did apprehend that many of the dignified Clergy that were to be Members of that Council would prove well inclined and affected to them where matters being debated with freedom and candor the nakedness of the Church of Rome would be exposed and its Corruptions discovered This being the general sense of all Germany which the Emperor was willing to satisfie he sent to the Pope urging him to summon a Council to persuade him whereunto he desired him to recal unto his memory the personal Conferences they had entertained at Bologna and the assurances he had there given him of faithfulness and adherence to the Church promising him that neither his Authority nor Dignity should be brought into any danger for that he would be there present in person to over-awe any contrivances which might be designed against either Nothing could come more ungrateful than this Proposition to the Pope and Cardinals who were not willing to expose the excessive abuses and exactions of the Court of Rome to the test of a Council where perhaps the authority of Indulgences the largeness of Dispensations and other Errors being discussed would give admission into those secrets which were not to be touched or opened The Pope also had some secret reserves of his own which he would not have committed to the scrutiny of a a Council he was not willing perhaps to have it debated that he was born Illigitimate which incapacitates him of being a Cardinal and consequently of being Pope Nor would he have the suspicion of Simony with which he practised with Cardinal Colonna called into question besides many other particulars of which he feared to be censured by the Council upon consideration of all which after consultations had with the Cardinals deputed to the discussion of that matter many reasons were given to the Emperor against the present Assembling of such a Council but when the time should appear more seasonable that then the Indictions might be regulated with many proper and cautious circumstances as that the Council should be celebrated in Italy and that the Pope should be personally present at it and that the Lutherans should promise to submit the determination and decision of their Controversies and Opinions to the judgment and sentence of a Council and in the mean time desist from the declaration or propagation of their Doctrins the which being a matter difficult and unpracticable the proposition for a Council became ineffectual and the thoughts thereof laid aside until the Reign of another Pope Tho the Pope did not think fit to gratifie the desires of the Emperor and all Germany with a General Council yet the Emperor not unmindful of the Arbitration he had accepted for settlement of the Affairs of Italy did about the beginning of the year 1531. reassume the consideration of those matters In the first place therefore he decreed that the City of Florence should be governed by the same Magistrates and by the same model and form of rule as it had formerly been in the time of the Medices that Alexander the Popes Nephew should be chief in the Government and so successively his Heirs for ever all the ancient Privileges and Immunities formerly granted by him or his Predecessors were again restored and confirmed with condition notwithstanding of forfeiture in case the Magistrates or People of that City should attempt any thing against the authority and greatness of the Medices the which Sentence he pronounced with a Despotick power not by virtue of a compromise or reference to him by the parties concerned but by an Authority inherent in the Imperial Dignity And tho this determination was pleasing to the Pope yet by the other relating to the Duke of Ferrara he was much offended for
case or to find out the truth of the matter under debate For Popes in the Consistory are always sure to find the Cardinals pliant and ready to yield assent unto whatsoever they propose that is Assentiri in Assentari The Consistory being risen the Monitory was affixed in all the publick places of Rome of which a multitude of Copies both in Latin and Italian were printed and dispatched into all the Cities of Italy especially into the Dominions of Venice and dispersed into all parts by the Jesuits accompanied with seditious Letters and Pamphlets derogatory to the honour of the Republick The Monitory was directed to the Patriarchs Arch-bishops Bishops Vicars and all Ecclesiastics either Secular or Regular who held any Dignities and preferments of the Church within the Dominion of Venice and therein it was exposed That whereas some Months past he was given to understand that is the Pope how that the Doge and Senate of Venice had for many years past made several Decrees in prejudice of the Apostolical Sea and priviledges of the Church notwithstanding that the same were repugnant to the General Councils and to the antient Canons and Constitutions of the Popes of Rome and now more lately a Law was made in the year 1602. whereby Ecclesiastical persons are incapacitated to appropriate to themselves any Lands or Estates Secondly He mentioned the Law made in the year 1603. which restrains and prohibits the erecting or building any Churches or religious Houses without the leave or license of the Senate Thirdly He mentioned the Law in 1605. which extends these Laws over all the Dominions of the Republick which formerly were terminated to the City of Venice onely and lastly the imprisonment of the Canon of Vicenza and the Abbot of Nervesa by which particular offences the Ecclesiastical liberty being infringed the Doge and Senate of Venice have to the danger of their own Souls and scandal of the World incurred the Ecclesiastical Censures to the forfeiture of their Lands and Jurisdiction from which they cannot be absolved but by the Pope himself who being satisfied with their repentance demonstrated by a repeal of those Laws and restauration of all things to their pristine condition hath the sole power to receive them again into the bosom of the Church And whereas the Doge and Senate after many fatherly Admonitions have not repealed those Laws nor released the Prisoners he could in no wise suffer that the liberties and immunities of the Church and the Authority of the Apostolical Sea should be violated and infringed And though those Laws are in themselves void and of none effect yet by the example of ten Popes and more his Predecessours in confirmation hereof and by and with the consent and counsel of the Cardinals with whom he had advised hereupon he doth farther declare those Laws to be null and cancelled and doth farther declare and denounce Excommunication against the Doge and Senate in general in such manner as if they had been particularly named and against their Successours Councellours Adherents and Abettors in case the said Doge and Senate shall not within the space of twenty four days after the publication hereof assigning eight days for each term of Admonition repeal cancel and make void the aforesaid Decrees with all Writs and Orders proceeding thereupon and without farther delay or Excuse shall not restore all things to their former and original condition with promise never to do or perform the like again And shall not consign into the hands of his Nuntio both the Canon and the Abbot giving advice and notice of all unto the Pope himself and for default thereof the Excommunication to remain in force from whence no Absolution can be granted but by the Pope himself unless at the point of death from which State in case the person so absolved shall recover and still continue and persist in the same obstinacy he shall again be liable to the same Excommunication as before and in case he die his body notwithstanding shall not be interred in any consecrated place until obedience be yielded unto these Commands by all others concerned And in case after the expiration of twenty four days the Doge and Senate shall still persist in their contumacy for other three days then he did Interdict all their Dominion forbidding all Masses and divine Offices to be performed therein unless in such places manner and cases as are granted by the Common Law And farther he did deprive the Doge and Senate of all their Revenue and possessions which they hold of the Roman Church or other Churches and of all the priviledges granted them in favour thereof reserving still unto himself and his Successours a Power to aggravate and encrease the Censures and penalties against them their Adherents and Abettors therein c. And to proceed unto farther punishments and Remedies in case of continuance in such like contumacy Notwithstanding c. Commanding all Patriarchs Arch-bishops and Bishops and other Inferiour Clergy upon penalty c. That after the receipt of these Letters or notice thereof given that they publish the same in the respective Churches at such times as when the greatest concourse of people is present and to affix the same at the Church doors c. After publication was made of this severe Excommunication thundered out against a Republick of such greatness and esteem in the World all the Ambassadours and Ministers of foreign Princes residing at Rome were greatly troubled and concerned considering that an Act of this nature had some oblique reflection on every Prince that professed obedience or devotion for the Papal Sea Wherefore every one of those Ministers residing at Rome made their applications and addresses to the Pope desiring him to moderate and prorogue the Sentence until the matter were examined and considered by the Republick and ways or means contrived for an accommodation To whom the Pope returned this general Answer That the way to compose and accommodate these differences were to incline the Republick to a resolution of becoming obedient but that word Obedient would not well pass with the Ministers who made some reflections thereon as unbeseeming the degree of Sovereign Princes and therefore persuaded the Pope rather to use some more moderate and gentle terms and enlarge the time allotted for termination of the Sentence The news hereof being come to Venice the Senate immediately and in the first place ordered that Prayers should be made in all Churches and Chappels imploring the Divine assistance in that great emergency of Affairs and in the next place they resolved to recall their Ambassadour Extraordinary from Rome leaving Nani to reside there lest they should seem to despise and stand in open defiance against the Apostolical Sea Sir Henry Wotton was at that time Resident for the King of England at Venice when the Senate thought fit to communicate to him the rigour of the Pope's Sentence for until then they had never mentioned any thing with him of their Controversie
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
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