other dissenting and Schismatical Cardinals Things being in this manner debated before the Pope he remained doubtful what to conclude or resolve fear and hope striving within him But whilst he thus remained in suspense the course of fortune began to turn for Monsieur de Palissa who succeeded Gaston de Foix in the command of the French Army on a suddain departed from Romagna and drew all his Forces into the Dutchy of Milan being alarmed by descent of the Swissers into Lombardy leaving only 300 Lances 300 Light-Horsemen and 6000 Foot with eight pieces of Artillery behind under command of the Legate of the Council This news delivered the Pope from the fear of being forced to leave Rome and confirmed the state of his affairs in such manner that he resolved to continue the War with better hopes and expectations of success For the Pope's affairs having regained their reputation the new Council lately convened was on the first of May opened in the Church of S. John Lateran at Rome to this Assembly the dissenting Cardinals were cited to give their attendance but they not appearing were on the 8th day of the Sessions declared contumacious and Excommunicated and deprived of all their Temporal and Spiritual Degrees Honors and Offices and the people absolved from their Submission and Obedience to them It was farther also declared That their Council held at Pisa and afterwards removed to Milan was but a Conventicle and an unlawful and Schismatical Meeting and all their Acts rendered void null and of none effect In the mean time the Cities of Lombardy being encouraged by the Swissers who were now come into Italy in favour of the Pope revolted and re-assuming their ancient Liberty assailed the French with open force and overthrew them The Venetians also joyning with them prosecuted their Victory in such manner that in the space of 70 days after the Battel of Ravenna the French Army was almost wholly defeated and the remainder by order of King Lewis was recalled to his assistance against the Kings of England and Spain who at that time miserably infested his Country so that in a short time all Italy was freed from the slavery of the French The dissenting Cardinals having lost their protection at Milan fled from thence to Lions where they were kindly received and entertained at the charge of King Lewis The French being thus driven out of Italy all the Cities and Towns belonging to the Pope did by consequence return to the Ecclesiastical State Parma and Piacenza being dependencies on the Exarchat of Ravenna voluntarily yielded to the Pope all the other Towns of Romagna followed their example together with Bologna which casting off all respect to the Family of the Bentivogli expelled them from their Confines with which the Pope not being satisfied pursued them with the thunder of his Excommunications Genoua being also abandoned by the French was possessed by Fregoso The Venetians seized on Crema and Brescia such of the Family of the Medices as had followed the Popes Party were re-instated in Florence Peter Joderini who had been created perpetual Gonfaloniere being expelled thence The State of Milan was resigned to Maximilian Sforza as the true and lawful Prince all which benefits and happy successes being procured by the Arms of the Swissers they were in the Council of Lateran adjudged and declared to be the Restorers of the Liberties of Italy And now all things being restored to this happy state the Pope required the Venetians in virtue of the late Articles to deliver Verona and Vicenza to Maximilian which they obstinately refusing to perform he entered into a League with the Emperor against them The Venetians on the other side being well acquainted with the temper of the Pope confederated themselves in an Alliance with Lewis the French King hoping by his assistance and protection to defend themselves from that League to this interest likewise the dissenting Cardinals adhered who instigating Lewis every day against the Pope and raising tumults in several places gave out a report that the Abbot of Clugni was to be created Pope in the place of Julio the which extremely incensed and moved him with choler and disdain for he had a mind always unquiet not sooner ending one enterprize before he began another his Plots and designs always increasing He determined now at the beginning of the Spring to attempt Ferrara a design so much desired He had bought the City of Siena for thirty thousand Ducats He agreed to lend the Emperor forty thousand Ducats receiving Modena in pawn He threatned Luca for seizing Garsagnana He testified some anger against the Cardinal de Medicis because he seemed more inclining to the Party of the Catholick King than to his and studied new Plots and Practices to alter the Estate of Florence And in this manner having a thousand irons in the fire he was continually plotting how he might drive the Spanish Army out of Italy by the help of the Swissers whom he always extolled and embraced it being his great design as he often uttered to expel all Forein Force out of Italy He had also moved Henry VIII King of England to make War upon France and in detestation of Lewis he had transferred by a publick Decree of the Council of Lateran the Title of Most Christian to the King of England for which there was a Bull prepared and written containing also in the same a deprivation and deposing of the King of France from all his Power and Dignities giving that Kingdom for a prey to any who could conquer it With these great thoughts and perhaps many other more secret intrigues he fell sick of a violent Fever caused perhaps by the violent agitations of his mind and in a few days died in the Vatican on the 21. of February 1513. the Council of Lateran still sitting He was aged above 70 years and held the Papal Chair for the space of nine years three months and five and twenty days and was buried in S. Peter's Church in the Chappel of his Uncle Pope Sixtus This Julius the Second had a spirit more agreeable to a Soldier or Martial Governor than a Pastor of the Church He was a Prince of incredible constancy and courage but so violent and of such unmeasurable apprehensions that the Discord of Princes and the Reverence which some of them bore to the Church preserved him from ruine more than his own moderation or discretion And yet nevertheless he was lamented by such who knew not how to distinguish between the tempers which are decent and agreeable to difference a temporal from a spiritual Prince for certainly had he been a Secular his inclinanations his industry and zeal to enlarge and advance his Dominions might have been more commendable than in him who pretended to be Vicar to the Prince of Peace LEO X. POPE Julio being dead and his Funerals performed according to the accustomed Rites the Cardinals being four and twenty in number entered the Conclave in a peaceable manner
they reversed and defac'd through the City the Arms of that Family they brake the Images of Leo and Clement which were rare pieces of Sculpture and famous through the world and in short they omitted nothing which might affect the Pope with indignity and dishonor and nourish division and discord in the City At Rome the Army was very disorderly and tumultuous governing themselves rather than obeying the command of their General the Prince of Aurange for they were wholly disposed to prey and violence to get Ransoms and receive the mony promised them by the Pope no care being had of the interest of the Emperor nor was there any resolution taken to remove the Army from Rome where the Pestilence raged and was entered into the Castle of S. Angelo to the great hazard of the Pope's life many being dead thereof who served about his person during which time as the Imperial Army yielded little obedience to their Captains so they made no great disturbances nor gave fears to their enemies for the Spaniards and Italians flying from the infection of the Plague lay dispersed about the Confines of Rome and the Prince of Aurange was gone to Siena to avoid the Plague and keep that City in Devotion and Obedience to the Emperor Wherefore all matters of action at that time were quiet and in repose until Monsieur De Lautrec who was Captain General of the League made between Henry the Eighth of England and Francis King of France for setting the Pope and all Italy at liberty appeared in Piedmont whose success was so fortunate that he took Genoua compelled Alexandria de la Paglia to surrender and having for four days battered Pavia he forced it to yield at discretion giving it up to the plunder and cruelty of his Soldiery and lastly ended that years Champaign with glory wintering his Army in the City of Bologna The Imperialists being a little mortified and abased with this success of Lautrec were desirous to make the best bargain they could with the Pope before he were forced from them and agreed upon the payment of 60000 Ducats to the Germans and 30000 to the Spaniards with engagement to pay the residue at a certain time to set the Pope and Cardinals at liberty and afford them safe conduct to Orvieto which was nominated and chosen by the Pope for the place of his security and retreat Upon this accord the Pope being guarded by the Imperialists with less caution than before gave him opportunity in the disguise and habit of a Merchant to make his escape which he rather determined to do and recover his freedom in that manner than to expect the formal conduct of the Imperial Guards suspecting that Don Hugo de Moncada who was Vice Roy of Naples in the place of Lanoia dead of the Plague and who had no good will towards him would play him some trick and baffle with him at the conclusion of all The Pope being now at liberty in Orvieto after seven months imprisonment was instantly congratulated by the Duke of Vrbin the Marquiss of Salutta and other Captains of the League to whom having returned thanks for their kind and obliging Offices he desired them to withdraw their Forces out of the Dominions of the Church assuring them that the Imperialists had promised to depart thence in case the Confederates would shew them the first example He wrote also Letters to Monsieur Lautrec giving him to understand that he with great sence acknowledged the influence which his appearance in Italy had contributed towards his liberty having much facilitated and eased the conditions on which he was to receive it and that the reason why he did not expect the glorious time in which he was to have been delivered by his powerful hand was because his necessities compelled him to procure his liberty with the greatest speed for he observed that the conditions imposed on him always changed from bad to worse that in the mean time the Church was oppressed his Authority contemned and he rendred uncapable of being that happy instrument of mediation which was now required to settle peace among Christian Princes Thus far were excellent words and such as became a Bishop under his mortifying circumstances but his words and answers in other things according to his natural temper were in substance different at one time to what they were at an other For when Gregory Castle the King of Englands Embassador came to him about the beginning of the year 1528. desiring him to continue firm to the Confederates he would some time give him hopes and then again excuse himself as being so unfortunate as to have neither Men Mony nor Authority remaining to him The Pope having now abandoned Rome and Monsieur Lautrec upon his march towards Naples the Imperialists on the 17. of February left the City in a naked and poor condition despoiled of all its Ornaments and Riches and applyed themselves to Counsels in what manner they might give a stop to the proceedings of Lautrec who departed from Bologna the 9th of January No sooner were the Imperialists departed than the Vrsins with their Tenants and Paisants entered to complete the spoil and desolation of that City of which not only the Houses were ruined and the Riches carried away but all the Statues Columns and curious pieces remained a prey to these Locusts Lautrec in his march towards Naples took not the nearest way but rather for the more commodious carriage of his Cannon and for the benefit of Forrage and other Provisions fetched a compass by the way of Puglia his Army consisted of 400 Lances 6000 Footmen old and Veterane Soldiers besides the Forces of the Marquiss of Salutta who marched in the Van and the Regiments of the Venetians and the Black Bands of Florence which were in much esteem and reputation with Monsieur Lautrec In short at the first appearance of Lautrec within this Kingdom Capua Nola Acerra Aversa and all places yielded to him but Naples endured a long Siege at which Monsieur Lautrec dying of a Fever and most of the Captains and Soldiers dead of the Plague caused by the Contagion of those that were privately sent out of the City to infect the Camp the enterprise upon that Kingdom had an end In the mean time whilst these things were in action Sassatello rendred to the Pope the Rock of Imola and Sigismond Malatesta upon some conditions resigned Rimini into his hands and the Pope having a great desire to re-instate his Friends and Relations and advance his own Interest and Power again in Florence he seemed inclining to the party of the Emperor in whose power only it was to settle the Affairs of his Family in their pristine state and therefore perceiving the Affairs of the French and the other Confederates to decline in Italy he forgot all the former injuries done to him by the Emperor and entered into a perfect friendship and fair correspondence with him And farther to advance himself in the good
after that Controversie had been opened heard and examined by many Doctors and Testimonies and Writings produced the Emperor according to the counsel and report made him pronounced that Modena and Reggio appertained of right to the Duke of Ferrara who paying a hundred thousand Ducats to the Pope the Tributes should be reduced to their ancient custom and he invested in the Jurisdiction of Ferrara But the Pope would neither allow that part of the Sentence nor accept the payment of the mony wherein the Duke was condemned refusing the Tribute which was offered to him according to the usual custom so that there was neither open War nor a setled Peace between the Pope and the Duke of Ferrara for having a regard and some respect to the Emperors Award and Sentence he feared to assail him with open force contriving in the mean time secret plots and devices wherewith to ensnare him Matters thus continued with some tranquillity until the year 1532. which was more signal for Forein Wars than for the Commotions of Italy For Francis the French King not forgetting the sufferings he had sustained by the Emperor contrived all ways imaginable for his revenge not being scrupulous or ashamed of secret practices and treaties with Soliman Emperor of the Turks in despight of his Title of Most Christian to stir him up and incite him to a War against Charles the Emperor inviting him to make a second attempt by laying siege to Vienna Soliman being full of anger and disdain for the late foil he had received before that City was easily persuaded to try his fortune in another Expedition but the Princes and Free Towns of Germany concurring with their Forces and uniting them to the Imperial Troops composed a most formidable Army which being conducted by Charles the Emperor who was the greatest Captain of his age and his name terrible to the Turks Soliman made only some incursions into Hungary and then returned again to Constantinople But before this news came and whilst these things were in action Henry VIII King of England and Francis the French King being both highly displeased with the Emperor met together at Boloign in France where they held several Consultations how to improve the present state of Affairs to their own advantage And giving it for granted that the Turk would Winter in Hungary and afford the Emperor sufficient employment for the year following they resolved to make use of this conjuncture of Affairs to their mutual benefit in pursuance of which it was determined between them that the French King was to invade the State of Milan and the Pope was to be induced to assist in the same design and to determin the cause of Divorce of Queen Catharine in favour of King Henry then depending in the Court of Rome with which message and instructions the Cardinals of Ternon and Gramont were sent Embassadors to the Pope But King Henry having not the patience to attend the result contemned the authority of a Divorce by the Papal Power contenting and satifying his own Conscience with what had before been disputed and determined in the Courts of England about that matter and having understood that the Legate Campeius had been sent into England with a Bull of Divorce which afterwards upon change of the Pope's mind he had burnt the King was so enraged thereat that he resolved not to have farther dealings with the Pope and thereupon Proclamation was published that no person of what estate or condition soever should purchase or attempt to purchase from the Court of Rome any thing prejudicial to the Jurisdiction or Prerogative of this Realm upon pain of Imprisonment or other punishment according to the pleasure of the King But the retirement of the Turks out of Hungary put a period to the design of Invading the Dutchy of Milan and to the expectation the King of England had of receiving a favourable sentence at Rome in the point of Divorce for the result of the Interview of these two Kings being known at Rome hastned the Pope to make a League with the Emperor which was concluded at a second meeting at Bologna where the same Ceremonies and terms of amity and friendship passed between them as had been formerly at the first After which the Emperor by the way of Genoua passed into Spain and the Pope returned to Rome accompanied thither by the two Cardinals Ternon and Gramont the which according to their Commission insisted greatly to have the Divorce of Queen Catharine confirmed by the Popes Authority alledging the great damage and ruine that an obstinate persistance to the contrary might bring to the Church but the Cardinals of the Emperors Faction labouring to the contrary and the Pope understanding what Henry had already acted in that point in England issued an Excommunication against him and his whole Realm unless before the end of September following he did revoke all the Acts he had made to the prejudice of the Apostolical Sea and the Papal Authority These French Cardinals finding their Negotiations in reference to England to be unsuccessful and desperate treated notwithstanding an interview between the Pope and the French King to be held at Marseille colouring their design with the specious pretence of finding some expedient to accommodate matters between King Henry and the Pope a Charity so great and Christian and of that high importance as might challenge the labors and endeavours of the most Christian King and farther it was pretended that a League and Union between the Christian Princes was there to be negotiated against the Turk But the desire of the Pope being in reallity to marry his Niece Catharine de Medicis to the second Son of the King of France was easily persuaded to condescend to a proposition so agreeable to his own inclinations in pursuance whereof the Pope with a great retinue of Cardinals Embarked at Pisa on his own Gallies and in a few days of prosperous Navigation he landed at Marseille where being saluted with three hundred pieces of Cannon at his arrival he was lodged for the first night in the Palace of the Duke of Montmorency Grand Master and Mareschal of France The next day he made his entry through the City habited in his Pontifical Vestments and carried in his Chair upon mens shoulders before him a White Horse was led by two men with silken Reins carrying the Sacrament of the Altar then followed the Cardinals in their Habits mounted upon their Mules after which came Catharine de Medicis Dutchess of Vrbin attended with a great number of Ladies and Gentlemen both of the French and Italian Nation in which equipage the Pope passed the Streets to the Lodgings which were provided for him The day following the French King came and with great solemnity went to perform the Offices of Duty and Obedience to the Pope These Solemnities and Ceremonies being past matters of publick concernment were in the first place taken into consideration by those who were by the King and
Briga But being pursued thither by the Enemy he was there besieged and afterwards taken Prisoner towards the end of January 1588. The Pope who was greatly concerned for this disgrace of Maximilian dispeeded Cardinal Aldobrandino into Poland to treat a Peace and an Accommodation between Maximilian and the Prince the which after various difficulties and Disputes was happily concluded about the beginning of March 1589. The Articles of which were that Maximilian should renounce all Title and pretence to the Crown of Poland by reason of the late Election or any other demand whatsoever and that the Prince of Sweden should remain the lawful and undoubted King which being agreed the Prince took possession and was named Sigismond III. The Pope who was no less zealous for the success of the King's Arms in France against his Protestant Subjects sent a Sword to the Duke of Guise who was chief of the Catholick League as he had lately done to the Prince Farnese who was Governour of Flanders the which was delivered by a Bishop who was purposely sent to present it and therewith to tender his paternal love and benediction to the Duke assuring him that he possessed a large room in the heart and breast of the Pope The Ceremony of delivering this Sword was performed with such pomp and triumph at Paris and with such popular acclamations of the multitude in favour of Guise as administred just cause of jealousie and fear to the King and though Guise was ambitious enough to be pleased therewith yet being immoderate and irregular his modesty told him that they were undecent The King in the mean time being eclipsed by the popular grandeur of Guise and by the troubles of a Civil War with which his Kingdom was infested did seem to resent the favours which the Pope shewed to Guise as unseasonable of which when Sixtus had knowledg and of the popular acclamations at the delivery of his Sword he was much troubled for he being of a humour always desirous to maintain Sovereignty in its highest degree of Honour and Power did by a Letter to the King exhort him to maintain his Prerogatives and conserve the honour of his Crown against the Insolencies and rebellions of his Subjects adding That a Canker in the bowels of his State was curable onely by cauterizing and by fire and Sword and that it was necessary to vent some of that blood which was too redundant in the veins of his Subjects The King made frequent reflections on this Letter and often gave it to the Duke of Guise to read and consider and being one day in Parliament where many Debates arose touching the ways and means by which the Civil Wars might be accommodated and a good understanding produced between him and his Subjects the King declared the great aversion of his mind to blood or other extremities which though he might justly by the Counsels and persuasions of the Pope yet he was more tender of the lives of his Subjects than to cure his troubles by such severe Remedies and to confirm the truth thereof he produced the Pope's Letter causing it publickly to be read in that Assembly which when the Parliament heard they Blessed themselves and as well the Catholicks as Protestants remained astonished and scandalized at this cruelty of the Universal Pastor who with such little remorse could suck the blood of Christ's Sheep as if he had rather been the Wolf than Shepherd of the Christian Flock Which when the Pope understood and was informed of all the Satyrs and Libels which the Protestants had composed on this occasion he was greatly disturbed that the King should so publickly expose his Counsels which he designed for his secret directions and having signified his resentment thereof by his Nuntio he would never afterwards adventure to write him a Letter but on all occasions of business referred himself by word of mouth to the report of his Nuntio And now Sixtus whose thoughts were ever employed on means which might enlarge or make great the Church did much incite Philip II. King of Spain to make War on Elizabeth Queen of England pressing him to re-assume his Right to that Kingdom which he had once governed and for encouragement thereunto he promised Count Olivarez the King's Ambassadour at Rome that so soon as the Spanish Army should be landed on any part of the English shoar he would immediately contribute a million of Crowns to that Design Nor was the Pope moved hereunto out of a zeal onely to Religion but out of a secular Design supposing that the chief Flower of the Nobility and Soldiery of Naples being drained thence on this Enterprize he might have a more facil passage to the possession of that Kingdom In pursuance therefore of this Design a great and wonderful Fleet of vast Caracks to the number of one hundred and fifty Sail being set to Sea on which were twenty three thousand Land Soldiers with two thousand pieces of Cannon of which the Duke of Medina Sidonia was made General they entered the Channel of England where being met by a small Fleet of Ships under the Command of Sir Francis Drake several broad-sides passed between them but at length the Divine Providence assisting England and defending the Protestant Cause the valour of the English and the successful direction of the Fire-ships prevailed with admirable fortune over the Spaniards against whom also God himself fighting as we may say by his Storms and Tempests totally defeated and destroyed this invincible Armada as we may more at large read in our Chronicles of England Sixtus having received the news of this unhappy defeat wrote Letters to Philip to condole with him for the loss and therewith taking an occasion to blame the management and conduct of his Officers he attributed the miscarriage of all to the want of care and experience of the Chief Commanders by which reflection of disgrace his intent was to prevent all Demands from him of reparation for this loss and on this subject he proceeded in a publick Consistory to blame and tax every Individual Chief both in the Army and in the Council of ill administration onely he took upon him to excuse Alexander Farnese Governour of the Low-Countries and to answer the aspersions which his Enemies had charged upon him declaring him to be the onely person who for his personal Valour and excellency of his Conduct was the most approved Captain of that Age. This Letter of Condolance wrote by the Pope was dispatched to his Nuntio at Madrid to be delivered to the King whose constancy of mind and evenness of temper was such that though the Nuntio well knew he had no need of Cordials or consolatory Exhortations yet the Commands of his Master were to be obeyed and the formality observed Whilest King Philip was reading the Letter he often smiled as if the Stile had rather been to congratulate his Victory than to condole for his loss Howsoever he thanked the Nuntio and promised to return an Answer thereunto
oblige the King referred the disquisition and examination of the Marriage to the Cardinal Joyeuse the Bishop of Modena who was Nuntio for the Pope in France and the Arch-bishop of Arles whom he delegated to consider of those reasons which were offered to invalidate the legality of the Marriage In the mean time Henry treating a Contract of marriage with his Mistris Gabriele d' Estrees God disposed otherwise of that intention and the Delegates who were willing to comply with the desires of the King declared the Marriage Null having been in the third degree of consanguinity by which both parties were set at liberty and put in the same estate and condition as before their Matrimony Of which the King having received information from his Ambassadour Monsieur de Sillery then residing at Rome he immediately dispatched the Sieur d' Alincourt Governour of Pontois to render his humble thanks to the Pope for his obliging determination and to demand his Counsel concerning the Alliance which he intended to make with the House de Medicis having placed his affections on the Princess Mary Niece to the Grand Duke of Florence The Sieur de Sillery taking Post upon this Errand arrived at Rome the 6th of February being Ash-wednesday in the year 1600. and the year of Jubilee which made that Lent the more Solemn and devout than that of common years for it was commanded that Prayers of forty hours continuance should be made in the Churches of the Jesuits the Pope himself with the Colledg of Cardinals began the first hour and every hour afterwards was employed in Prayers and ended with an Exhortation made by some Cardinal or Learned Prelat To gain the Indulgences of this Jubilee though many personages of great quality did resort to Rome yet none was of higher dignity than the Duke de Bar who Incognito and with a small train and equipage travelled to Rome to gain a Dispensation for his Marriage which he had celebrated between himself and the Princess Catharine the Onely Sister of the French King for having performed the same within the degrees of consanguinity forbidden by the Church the Bishop of Lorain and others had refused to admit him to the Sacrament and Communion of the Church Thus we see whilest the King sues for a Divorce the Duke desires a confirmation and dispensation of his Marriage and both were granted though the same reasons and considerations were in both cases the same ground which might dissolve the one might null the other and the same salve might serve for both Cures In short the Duke de Bar applyed himself with all the humility and submission imaginable to the Papal Chair and carrying with him the King 's recommendatory Letters to the Cardinals Aldobrandino Ossac and his Ambassadour he obtained as much favour in his Cause as he could expect or desire On the other side in pursuance of the late Divorce the Sieurs de Sillery and Alincourt went to Florence to treat a new Marriage between the King and the Princess Mary de Medicis As the Duke of Florence received the honour of this Match with great readiness it being an addition to the grandeur of his House so the Pope to forward the same contributed on his part a hundred thousand Crowns with many Jewels by way of Dowry or Portion which was agreed to be six hundred thousand Crowns in ready Mony So soon as the Articles were signed the Duke of Florence published the intended Marriage and the King to bring it to a consummation being then at Lions in order to his Journey to Grenoble deputed Bellegarde his Grand Escuyer with Commission to the Grand Duke to espouse Mary de Medicis in his name and the Pope to have a farther hand in this work deputed his Nephew Cardinal Aldobrandino to be his Legat at Florence and to be present at the Nuptials which he accordingly performed and bestowed the Benediction in the Pope's Name The Cardinal having performed this piece of service hastned away by order of the Pope to Tortona there to find the Duke and stipulate with him the conditions of a firm Peace for the King had already commenced a War and taken several places both in Savoy and Bresse The Cardinal representing before the Duke the danger and inequality of a War with France persuaded him to resign his pretensions and interest to the Marquisat of Saluses and having obtained this promise he proceeded to Lions where managing this Affair with the King a Peace was concluded and published in the year 1601. on Conditions that the Duke should quit all claim to the Marquisat of Saluces in exchange for Bresse and some other Countries In the mean time the Queen embarqued at Ligorne with seventeen Gallies arrived happily at Marseille and thence was conducted with great honour and pomp to Lions where meeting with the King the marriage was consummated and the Nuptial Benediction given by Cardinal Aldobrandino the Pope's Legat before the great Altar of St. John's Church in the City of Lions All these kindnesses passed between the Pope and the King the Pope resolved to make use of this good Correspondence to intercede in behalf of the Jesuits whose whole Order having for certain reasons been banished and exterminated from the Dominions of France was now at the instance and desire of the King restored again under certain Conditions to their possessions and habitations in that Kingdom And in regard the Emperor was at the same time hardly pressed by the Turk the Pope as at other times furnished him with a hundred thousand Crowns which was a seasonable Recruit and supply in those exegencies of the Empire And now it was about the year 1603. that Elizabeth Queen of England dying and James VI. King of Scotland succeeding to the Crown when the Pope conceived great hopes and expectations that by means of this King whom he fancied to be a favourer of the Roman Church the Kingdoms of Great Britain would submit unto and acknowledg the Papal Authority but what ground or reasons there were for such an Opinion or why the Roman Catholicks in England had conceived and for forty years together had framed such a fancy to themselves no rational account can be given but this conceit soon vanishing by the contrary effects which appeared the Papists of England made two Remonstrances to the new King in favour of their Religion desiring at least that a liberty of Conscience might be granted to them but these had no more effect than the Declaration which the Protestants made the same year in favour of their Religion in France The Cardinals Bonvisi and Ossac dying this year at Rome Henry the French King did greatly urge the Pope for a promotion of Cardinals recommending several of his own Creatures and Friends to that Dignity And though the Pope was very desirous to have reduced the Order of Cardinals to their ancient number yet being overcome by the instances of some Friends he bestowed a Cardinals Cap on the
out freely every Man with his own Clothes but when they could not make good the agreement because the piece of the Cross was not to be found Richard put many of the Barbarians to death Saladine was so dismay'd at these losses that despairing of being able to defend them all he dismantled several Cities in that Region and was upon the point of delivering up Jerusalem itself if it had not been for a difference which arose between Philip and Richard concerning Precedency upon which Philip pretending himself sick departed home from Asia Richard then apply'd himself more vigorously to the War though at this time Conrade of Montferrat was assassinated in the Market-place of Tyre by two Saracen Ruffians who had bound themselves under an Oath and Vow to destroy all the Enemies of their Religion after the same manner but as they ran away they were caught and put to death with the most exquisite Torments and Henry Earl of Champagne taking Queen Isabel to Wife entred upon the Dominion of Tyre Richard giving some fair words to Guy of Lusignan persuaded him to pass over to him his Kingdom of Jerusalem which the Kings of England still put among their Titles and herewith taking courage he march'd his Army to beleaguer the City of Jerusalem but Saladine in his Journey falling in with his Rear forc'd him to a Battel in a very disadvantageous place in which though he at last came off Conqueror yet it was with great loss of men Saladine after this encamp'd not far from Bethlehem in a commodious place to intercept any manner of Provisions that might be sent from Egypt to the Christian Army as they should lie before Jerusalem wherefore and because the Winter was coming on Richard puts off his designs for this so necessary Siege the Pope yet urging him and continually supplying him with Money and retreats to Ascalon which as well as Gaza he fortifies again they having before been slighted by Saladine In the mean time the Sea-forces by degrees leave him and the Pisans sailing into the Adriatic seiz'd Pola with intent to Winter there but the Venetians reinforcing their own Fleet set upon 'em took the Place and sack'd it and drove out the Pisans and had pursued them to extremity if Celestine out of care for the good of Christendom had not mediated between them Spring now came on and Richard was preparing for the Siege of Jerusalem when on a sudden news was brought him that King Philip had invaded Normandy and intended to pass into England to procure that Kingdom for his Brother John Richard then laid by those thoughts and strook up a Peace with Saladine upon these Articles That Saladine should enjoy all but Tyre and Ptolemais to which with their Territories remaining in the hands of the Christians he should give no molestation Richard having thus settled Affairs there returning into Europe was taken by his Enemies from whom he was ransom'd with a vast sum of Money and at last arriving in England he had many a Battel with the King of France much against the Pope's mind who was griev'd that so fierce a War should be raised among Christians at so unseasonable a time when Saladine being now dead it was thought to have been a very fit time to have recovered Jerusalem It is reported of that illustrious Prince that one Ceremony at his Funeral was this His Shirt was hung upon the end of a Pike and carried before the Corps and one with a loud Voice cryed Behold Saladine the mighty Lord of Asia of all his Realms and of all his Wealth takes no more than this along with him A spectacle well befitting so great a Man to whom nothing was wanting but the Character of a Christian to have rendred him a most consummate Prince Upon the death of Saladine as was said before Celestine had fresh hopes that Jerusalem might be regain'd and so urg'd the Emperour Henry who Tancred being dead succeeded to the Kingdom of Sicily to undertake the Enterprize that though he could not go in person yet he sent thither with great speed a good Army under the Arch-bishop of Mentz and the Duke of Saxony The King of France would have gone too but that the Saracens who inhabited Mauritania now the Moors had cross'd the Streights and having taken the King of Castile Prisoner had possess'd themselves of that part of Spain now call'd Granado where the French fear'd they would hardly continue long quiet but go near to infest the neighbouring Nations and therefore would not draw their forces out of Europe The Germans however arriving in Asia fortified Berylus which had been deserted by the Saracens and rais'd their Siege from before Joppa from whence when they were about to go to Jerusalem Celestine this most holy Pope who never let slip any opportunity for the recovery of the Holy Land died upon which they desisted Notwithstanding all these troubles and these great charges of War our Pope built two Palaces one near S. Peter's the other near S. John in the Lateran fit for the reception of Popes The brasen Gates yet remaining in the Lateran over against the Sancta Sanctorum which were made by his Order and at his charge Moreover he made Viterbo a City raising the Church there to a Bishops Sea to which Diocese he added Toscanella and Centum-cellae Celestine died when he had been Pope six years seven months and eleven days to the great grief of all good Men and was buried in St. Peter's Church INNOCENT III. INNOCENT the Third born in Anagni Son of Trasimund of the Family of the Conti was for his great Learning and many Virtues made a Cardinal by Celestine and upon his death was by general consent chosen Pope Which he had no sooner arriv'd to but he applied his thoughts to the Holy War and by Letters Messengers large Promises and Largesses endeavour'd to contain the Germans within the bounds of their duty who after the decease of their Emperour Henry were all in a mutiny but 't was to no purpose for they disdaining any Commander left Asia and to the extream damage of the Christian Cause return'd to Europe whereby those of Joppa especially suffered most for being destitute of help the Turks and Saracens came upon 'em and while they were about to yield they took the City by force and cut them all off rasing it to the ground In Germany also all things seem'd to threaten confusion some of the Electors stickling hard for Otho Duke of Saxony others standing resolutely for Philip a German Duke of Tuscany who was left by Henry upon his death bed Guardian to his young Son And to improve this mischief to the height the King of France took part with Philip and the King of England was for Otho Innocent then to obviate the impending miseries that must follow upon such a state of Affairs confirms Otho in the Empire as duly elected by those who had just suffrage Philip notwithstanding would not lay down his
pretensions but strengthen'd himself with good Garisons both in Tuscany in Italy and Schwaben in Germany The like with a more than Womanly fortitude also did Constantia the relict of Henry in Sicily on the behalf of her Son Frederic II. yet a Child rendring the Frontier-places defensible against any Enemy Though these Animosities every day grew higher yet Innocent still thought of renewing the War in the Holy Land and to that Expedition he stir'd up Boniface Marquess of Montferrat Baldwin Earl of Flanders Henry Count S. Paul and Lewis of Savoy who all arriving at Venice could not persuade that State to rig out their Fleet for the Service till they had all promised to recover Zara for them which again was revolted to the Hungarians the Fleet then being fitted out they first routed those of Trieste who piratically infested the Sea and then after a long Siege re-took Zara. While these things were acted in the Adriatic Alexius dethrones his Brother Isaac Emperor of Constantinople who had been a good Friend to the Latins and putting out his Eyes throws him in Prison But his young Son Alexius escap'd by flight to the Christian Camp and begs the assistance of those Commanders for his Father against the Usurper which they consented to give him on condition that his end being atchiev'd the Greek Church should be subjected to the Latin and that thirty thousand Marks of Gold should be paid for the damage which Emanuel the late Emperour had done to the French and Venetians and thus when they had agreed they set sail from Zara and passing by Candy that Island submitted itself which young Alexius bestow'd upon his Kinsman Boniface of Montferrat Hence they proceeded to Constantinople which while they besieged by Sea and Land Theodore Lascari Son-in-law to Alexius endeavouring to sally forth was driven back and the City after two days close Siege was taken by storm Alexius got away in the night leaving behind him a great quantity of Gold in the custody of Irene a Nun. Isaac the Father with his Son Alexius then entred the City but liv'd not long after the Father dying of sickness and the Son being poison'd Upon this Boniface of Montferrat gets the Kingdom of Thessaly but wanting Money he was persuaded by Baldwin to sell Candy to the Venetians which he did and having receiv'd a vast sum for it he beleaguer'd Adrianople then opprest by the Usurper but this gave so much distast to the Walachians who live on the further side of the Danube and to the Bulgarians that fearing the number of his Enemies he took his way to Constantinople intending to go meet the Turkish Sultan of Iconium who having taken the City Satellia from the Greeks did much and continually incommode the Christians Innocent encompass'd thus with Enemies raised what Forces soever he could to reinforce from time to time our Armies but when he heard that Hilminoline a Saracen with a great Fleet had cross'd the Streights into Spain and had sate down with his Army before Toledo he publish'd a Bull inciting all those that could bear Arms to oppose this torrent whereupon numbers of French men got together in order to assist the Spaniards but perceiving they were not welcome to them they return'd home so that Hilminoline in a short time over-run all Spain after a hostile manner and came as far as Arles and Avignon filling all places where he came with spoil and slaughter This Calamity roused the four Kings of Spain that is of Castile Aragon Portugal and Navarre so that joyning their forces together they set upon the Saracens and gave them a total rout leaving nothing to 'em of what they had but onely Granado At this time sprung up a Heresie at Tholouse which by Innocent's means the blessed Dominic who was afterwards made a Saint repress'd with the aid of Simon Montfort for it had gone so far that he had need of the help of the Arm of Flesh as well as of Arguments and spiritual Weapons Mean time Otho Emperour of the Romans was every where worsted by Philip and at last besieg'd by him in the City of Cologn where he making in Person a successless Sally the Citizens shut him out and surrendred to Philip who yet did not long out-live the Action being soon after treacherously made away by the Count Palatine Upon his death the Electors chose the Duke of Saxony Emperour nam'd Otho V. who the next year was crown'd by Innocent at Rome The Venetians now being very powerful at Sea and the State having greater matters in hand private Men had leave to make themselves Masters of what Islands they pleased provided they continued their Allegiance to the Government upon which many Citizens entred upon several Isles in the Ionian and Aegaean Seas and at the publick charge were seiz'd Corfu Modone and Corone Otho having as is aforesaid receiv'd the Imperial Crown of the Pope against all justice and right possesses himself of Montefiascone Radicofano and several other Towns belonging to the Church and then marches into the Kingdom of Naples designing to take that Kingdom from Frederic II. who was young and as yet under Guardians which so angred the Pope that having first admonish'd him without any effect he excommunicated him at last and depriv'd him of his Imperial Title and the King of Bohemia with the Arch bishops of Mentz and Triers by the persuasion of the Duke of Austria and Landgrave of Turingia chuse Frederick King of Sicily then in the twentieth year of his age Emperour in his stead Otho hereupon returns into Germany to take care of his Paternal Estate by which means Innocent had an opportunity to his mind to recover whatsoever he had taken from the Church Those of Candy now rebelling against the Venetians they were by force of Arms reduc'd An. Dom. 1214. and brought into the constitution of a Colony many Citizens being sent to live among 'em and to observe ' em At this time Frederic II. came to Rome to receive the Imperial Diadem but could not prevail with him to bestow it upon him so he return'd into Germany and there was by the Arch-bishop of Mentz Crown'd King of Germany and then made an Alliance and League with the King of France which added so much to the strength of that King that he invaded the Realm of John King of England with such success that John was fain to make use of Divine aids as well as humane force to resist him by making his Kingdoms of England and Ireland tributary to the Church of Rome in the payment of one hundred Marks yearly which for some years after was perform'd Frederic now in pursuit of Otho who had been totally defeated by the King of France takes in Aquisgrane and there by Authority receiv'd from Pope Innocent he sets up the Standard of the Holy Cross promising speedily to march to the assistance of the Christians against the Saracens in Asia beside that he might shew with what a grateful mind
quiet of Christendom availed little resolved to enjoy and give himself up to Buildings and other divertisements so that placing all his thoughts on a Country-house Gardens and Vineyards which he had erected and made without the Porta del popolo at Rome he was so enamoured of his new Paradise where he continually made Feasts and Banquets that he seemed wholly to have cast off all care of the Church and sense of the miseries of Christendom and what was most undecent and misbecoming a Person of above seventy years of age and of his gravity and function he immersed himself in pleasures as if there had been no other Life to the great scandal of the World and damage and greater danger of Rome In this year 1554. Edward the Sixth King of England died and the Queen Mary succeeding immediately sent her Ambassadours to Rome to signifie to the Pope the conversion of her whole Kingdom from Heresie to the Catholick Church and to acknowledg and Vow all Obedience to the Papal Sea desiring to have the Excommunication taken off and a general Pardon and Absolution given to her Catholick Subjects on which grateful Message the Ambassadours coming were recieved with great kindness and solemn Processions of Thanksgiving celebrated at which the Pope assisted in Person The same year Philip Son of the Emperor Charles the Fifth was married to Queen Mary the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples being setled upon him together with Milan Flanders and some other of the United Provinces with which news Philip dispatched his Ambassadour the Marquis de Pescara to the Pope to acquaint him therewith and according to the custom of former Kings to do homage for the Kingdom of Naples which he held in Fee from the Pope And now Pope Julius the Third being by reason of his great age and the torment of the Gout which miserably afflicted him become very infirm was persuaded by the Physitians to change his Diet and his usual regimen of living the which ill agreeing with his habit of Body brought him to a Fever with which taking his Bed in the month of February 1555. he lingred therewith until the 23d of March and then died at his Palace being aged seventy seven years six months and fourteen days he was afterwards carried without any great Pomp or State to the Church of S. Peter where his Corps having been publickly exposed for three days to the view of the People he was afterwards buried in an ordinary Sepulcre of Bricks near the Altar of S. Andrew After which the Sea was vacant seventeen days This Julius was tall of Stature of a plain Country Visage his Nose great his Eyes shewed him to be Cholerick and hasty but soon pleased his Diet was gross and plain being much pleased with a sort of large Onions which were sent him from Gaeta the alteration of which Diet hastned his Death When he was first Pope he so strangely favoured a young Boy whom he called Innocentius that without any apparent motive for it he bestowed upon him a Cardinals Hat which when the reason was asked He replied What reason had you to choose me Pope Fortune favours whom she pleases He was very facetious in his Discourse but more familiar in his Conversation than was decent for without respect to the Majesty of his Office and gravity of his Function He would often shoot such Bolts and use such Expressions as were unseemly and which those that heard pitied and blushed for him MARCELLVS II. JULIVS the Third dying on the 23d of March and his Funeral Obsequies being performed after the accustomed manner the Cardinals to the number of thirty seven entred the Conclave and without much faction or dispute chose Marcellus Cervinus Cardinal of St. Cross at Jerusalem to be Pope of which publication was made with the usual Ceremonies on the 9th of April 1555. the Sea having been vacant for the space onely of eighteen days His Father was Robert or as some call him Richard Treasurer of the Marquisat of Ancona and the place of his birth was Montfano his Father pretended to great Skill or knowledg in Astrology by which Art calculating the Nativity of his Son at the time of his birth it appeared that the Stars under which he was born would be very propitious to him in his promotion to Ecclesiastical preferments for which reason Marcellus being first sent to have his Education in the University of Siena he came from thence to Rome where he dwelt with Felix the Datary of Clement the 7th afterwards he obtained the Office of Secretary to Paul the Third and by him created Cardinal of St. Cross of Jerusalem and lastly as we have said elected Pope on the 9th of April The day following he was consecrated Bishop by the Cardinal of Naples and the very same day without much Pomp or Solemnity was Crowned with the Pontifical Miter by the Cardinal of Pisa who was Arch-Deacon And as he refused to change his Name calling himself no other than Marcellus the Second in imitation of Adrian the Sixth so he survived a much less time than he having possessed the Papal Chair not above twenty one days after his Election so that there remains little more observable of him than that after his Choice he would give no invitation or encouragement to his Kindred or Relations of coming to Rome in hopes of benefit and preferment by his greatness howsoever his intentions were good and his Designs great having drawn a Scheme and method whereby to restore Peace and Unity in the Church and the Papal Power to its antient lustre This Design of his he communicated to the Cardinal of Mantoua maintaining that there was no other way to reconcile differences in Religion but onely by a General Council and that the reason why hitherto that means had been ineffectual was no other than because they began at the wrong end and proceeded not with the due method for that first they should begin with an entire reformation of Manners which would supersede and quiet all superficial Debates and disputations about words and reduce Controversies to such a substantial issue as would be easily determinable by a Council That for want hereof his five immediate Predecessors had much erred for that they abhorred the name of Reformation not out of a dislike to that desirable State but from a belief that it would be a means to abate and diminish the Papal Authority whereas on the contrary he was really persuaded that a Reformation was the onely means to render it more Glorious and powerful as most plainly appeared and was proved by the Histories of past-times in which those Popes onely were famous and renowned who had supported their Papal Chair by an exactness in Manners and purity of Life that Reformation respected the entrinsecal and circumstantial appendages of Religion and served onely to retrench the luxury and superfluous pomp of the Clergy which made the Prelats envied and contemptible when as a modest train and decent comportment
in that friendly manner that his Servants and Dependants were glad to be so happily mistaken but this good Nature being forced and constrained did soon vanish and then his fierce and supercilious temper returning to its natural course all his actions were influenced with a spirit of Pride and haughty severity An instance of which he gave to the Steward of his House when he demanded of him in what manner he was pleased to be served his Answer was short saying as became a Prince His Coronation he ordered with more Pomp and Ceremony than was ever before practised and in all things he affected Magnificence and State and was no less indulgent to his Nephews than the most tender and fondest of the Popes Soon after his Coronation he ordered the first Consistory to be publick that he might with the greater State and Pomp give Audience to the Ambassadours of England who in the time of Pope Julius had been dispatched thence from Queen Mary and Philip her Husband The Ambassadours being introduced to his presence and prostrating themselves at his feet did one after the other for so the Pope would have it confess and acknowledg the faults and errors of the Kingdom of England in having strayed and deviated from the flock of Christ and the Sheepfold of the Church but now repenting and returning again did humbly beg Absolution and to be received into the bosom of the Church though by the obstinacy and perseverance in their Errors they had rendered themselves unworthy of such mercy and indulgence The Pope having for some time beheld these Ambassadours at his feet and contemplated their humble posture with some satisfaction of spirit raised them at length from the floor and embraced them with the tenderness of a Father testifying great satisfaction in the happy conversion of this Kingdom and because the Queen and King were the happy Instruments of this blessed and religious work in reward of so much Piety he confirmed their right and title to Ireland and by virtue of that Power which he had received from God to dispose of all Earthly Crowns he conferred on them that Kingdom dignifying them amongst their other Titles with that of King and Queen of Ireland Which piece of vanity though ridiculous to others was extreamly pleasing to the Pope who fancied himself in that Throne of Fools Paradise to which the Devil had in his Pride exalted himself when he tempted our Saviour with all the Kingdoms of the Earth But then afterwards in private Conference with the Ambassadours he blamed England for having but in part shewed their penitence for that whilst they retained any thing of the goods of the Church and did not make restitution to the utmost farthing a Curse would remain on the Kingdom and the people remain in a perpetual snare and danger of Damnation He farther told them That the sooner and the more readily they paid the Peter-pence for collection of which he had sent an Officer into England the more easily would the Gates of Heaven be opened to them for how could they expect that St. Peter should turn his Keys whilest they denied him those Fees which were the dues of his Office In fine the Ambassadours having behaved themselves with humility which was the onely means to procure the favour of this Pope they departed from Rome laden with Praises Honours and Graces from his Holiness and then attending to a full Reformation in England he purged the Universities of Oxford and Cambridg of those Tenents and Lectures which had been there taught by Peter Martir and Bucer and deprived Cranmer of his Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury Having thus obtained his pleasure and Designs over England he next endeavoured to gain an Ascendant over the Emperor and King of France both of which courted him to that Degree that he expected to have them both at his Service and Devotion but in regard it was impossible to entertain them both in the same equality of respect and dearness both Parties strained to outvy each other in Proposals of advantage which might give them admission to his favour in pursuance of which the Cardinal of Lorain who was well acquainted with the humour of the Pope publickly declared in a full Consistory that besides the many steps which the King of France had made in Obedience to the Papal Chair he did acknowledg that the Gallican Church had need of Reformation towards which he was ready to afford all the aid and assistance to the Pope that he was able and to act therein by such ways and methods as his Holiness should direct whether it were by sending his Prelats to the Council or by any other means that should be esteemed more proper and expedient The which so took with the Pope that France for that time gained a preeminence in his favour And yet notwithstanding this Pride and rudeness in his nature he did several things at the beginning to gratify and please the People of Rome which he performed by abating the Taxes and Imposts laid on Provisions and in other things acted with such obliging circumstances that the People in acknowledgment for such abundant favours erected a Statue of Marble for him in the Capitol He regulated the Manners of the Jews and retrenched that liberty and freedom they used and for the better distinction of them ordered them to wear yellow Hats He published several severe Decrees against such as denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ and that he died for the redemption of Mankind In short besides many good Laws and Acts which he ordained against corrupt and dissolute Manners which were grievous to the Clergy who were unaccustomed to a Severity He selected a hundred Citizens of the Gentry of Rome which he created Knights of the Faith to be a standing Life-Guard to the Popes He repealed several Decrees of Julius III. and imprisoned many of those who had been his Creatures and familiar Friends Amongst the Counsellours and Familiar Confidents which he entertained there was none who had at first had a greater share in his favour than Osio whom he declared Datary and chief Notary or Register of Petitions and created Bishop of Riete but he being of a rude and morose temper did always clash against the humour of the Pope which was hard and inflexible like his which therefore ill according together Osio was by the instigation also of the Pope's Relations who were always busie at his ear deprived of his favour and sent Prisoner to the Castle where he remained for the space of four years In the next place by a new Decree he retrieved all those goods and Ecclesiastical Revenues which had been alienated from the Church since the time of Julius II. to his days He reformed also the abuses which were crept into the Office of the Penitentiaries and regulated the Habit and Tables of the Clergy and refused to admit any into Benefices but such as had been approved for holiness of Life and severity of Manners Towards the three Conservators