up to him by John Baptista he enter'd the Town at first without doing any violence But when they were come as far as S. Marks in the Street called Colonna the Pope's Soldiers met them assisted by a great number of people They fought some time in the City very stoutly and many were slain and taken on both sides But the Colonneses seeing the People of Rome otherwise affected than they expected they resolv'd to retreat out of the City but as they went they plunder'd all things drove away the Cattel and forc'd a great many Men along with ' em But the Pope's Soldiers mix'd with the Romans requited 'em for it For they plunder'd and laid waste the Houses of Prosper the Cardinal and all the Colonneses together with all those that had been Martin's Friends Being thus incens'd on either side they began to make use of treachery as well as open force to bring about their Designs For the Arch-Bishop of Benevento Son to Anthony Colonna was taken and one Masius a Frier who being tortur'd confess'd that he intended to kill the Governour of Castel S. Angelo and so taking it by surprise to betray it to the Colonneses who being once Masters of that might drive the Pope and the Vrsins out of Rome when they pleased Masius was degraded from the Priesthood and quarter'd in Campo di Fiore and his Limbs hung up at the four chief Gates of the City nothing being said of the Arch-Bishop of Benevento But Eugenius falling sick either of grief for these troubles or of Poison as some said he clap'd up a Peace with the Colonneses by the mediation of Angelot Foscus a Roman Citizen whom he not long after made Cardinal at the same time with Francis Condelmero his Nephew This Peace he made publick with as much speed as possible because he understood that Sigismund was come into Italy and design'd for Rome upon which he made his Nephew Francis Chamberlain and gave him some excellent Persons for his Assistants in the management of the Church Patrimony Whilst these things pass'd thus at Rome the Florentines and Venetians having routed a Fleet of Philip Duke of Genoa upon the Coast of Genoa in a Sea-fight and having a Pope who was their Country-man took the confidence to invade Philip by Land But he sent for Nicolas Picenninus immediately out of Tuscany and both beat the Venetian Fleet at Cremona and easily defeated Carmignola whom the Venetians beheaded a little after having first as they say themselves convicted him by Torture Letters produc'd and Oral testimony that it was through his treachery that they did not take Cremona when Cavalcabos had seized one Gate of the City and that the Navy was vanquish'd before his face when he might easily have hinder'd it with such a number of men as he had so near But then the Florentines fearing lest the Emperor now coming into Italy should favour Philip they dispatch'd Nerius Capponius a Citizen of theirs if possible to persuade Eugenius that the Emperors coming to the City did threaten no less ruin to the Sea Apostolick than to Florence And that it was an easie matter to keep him from passing over Arno into Siena which had molested the Florentines a long time if he would command Nicolas Tollentinas then in Arms under the Pope to join Michelett Cotignola General of the Florentines and oppose Sigismund at Arno that he might not pass the River with his German Horse Eugenius was easily persuaded to it and upon some Debate about the charge of the War Nerius took up the business and agreed that the Florentines should pay two thousand Horse of Eugenius's raising as long as the War lasted Then Nicolas Tollentinas at the Pope's command march'd out of his Winter-quarters and whilst he pillaged the Sieneses gave Sigismund opportunity to pass the River Arno by the assistance of Anthony Pontadera who was an excellent Commander and a bitter Enemy of the Florentines and thence passing through Volaterra in so peaceable a manner that his Army seemed rather friends than foes he was received and made welcome wherever he came The Emperor having tarried six months at Siena to the great cost of that City and having in vain attempted to make Peace with the Florentines applying himself to Eugenius he made a League with him and then went to Rome where he was kindly entertain'd by the people and the Pope and receiv'd the Imperial Crown And going from the Vatican where he was crown'd into the Lateran where he lodg'd he Knighted several Italians and Germans at Ponte di S. Angelo according to custom And some say that Eugenius waited on him so far and then went back to S. Peter's After that the Emperor took leave of the Pope and travelling through the Marcha d' Ancona and Romagna he arrived at Ferrara and Mantoua Where when he had stay'd some days he made John Francis Lord of Mantoua a Marquis and married Barbara the Daughter of John Marquis of Brandenburgh to Lewis Son of John Francis This match was thought an honour to the Gonzagan Family not onely because the Lady was akin to the Emperour but because her Father John was an Imperial Elector At last the Emperor departed out of Italy leaving all things in confusion but Nicolas d' Este Marquis of Ferrara was persuaded by Philip to go to Venice and exhort them to Peace and so he did insomuch that they were induced by the awe he had over 'em and considering their great expences to send Plenipotentiaries to Ferrara along with him where by consent of Eugenius April 1. 1433. a Peace was concluded upon these Conditions to wit That Philip should depart out of Geradada and deliver it up to the Marquis of Monteferrat and Orlando Pallaricini both whom he had turn'd out of their paternal Inheritance that all which had been taken from the Florentines the Sieneses or those of Lucca should be return'd to the Owners and that he should be look'd upon as a common Enemy that did not restore what he had taken in thirty days Thus having made a Peace in all parts they hoped for some rest when on the sudden the whole shock of the War fell upon Eugenius For Philip who loved Novelties sent Francis Sforza with a great Army into Romagna pretending to march into Puglia which Alphonso had invaded to defend those Towns which his Father Sforza had possess'd there Who marching through Ancona and Ombria with his Army in good order surprised and took them in a moment And Philip not content to do so sent Nicolas Fortebrachius a valiant and prudent Commander with chosen Horse so suddenly against Eugenius that he was possess'd of the Ponte Molle and the Porta del popolo before it was known that any Enemy approached This Nicolas had formerly fought under Eugenius and by his Commission had subdu'd the Governor of Vetralla and Civita Vechia by the help of the Venetian Galleys that attaqued the Castle off the Sea But when Nicolas afterward demanded
Uncle became his Successor Lewis XII continuing his claim by right of Inheritance to the Kingdom of Naples and also to the Dukedom of Milan in right of his Grandmother the Daughter of John Galeazzo entered into a League with the Pope which was fatal to Italy and with them the King of Spain the Florentines and the Venetians were all combined against Duke Lodowick Sforza and King Frederick on conditions that Lewis having conquered Milan should cause Cremona to be restored to the Venetians and that Caesar Borgia who was the Popes bastard Son having renounced his Cardinals Cap and taking Carlotta de Alebretto Daughter to the King of Navar and Kinswoman to the King of France for his Wife should be invested in Romagna Marca and Vmbria and that the Kings of Spain and France should equally divide the Kingdom of Naples between them Lewis entering Italy with a powerful Army drove out the Duke of Milan from his State and shortly after took Cardinal Ascanius Prisoner whom he sent into France where he died in a short time afterwards The Venetians by virtue of the League had Cremona consigned to them and all matters succeeded so prosperously for Lewis in Italy that Frederick King of Naples being thereby wholly dis-animated cast himself with all humble confidence into the arms of King Lewis who treated him basely and with the highest indignities imaginable In the mean time the French and the Spaniards being to divide the spoils of the Kingdom such differences arose betwixt them as being only to be decided by the Sword the French were all cut in pieces by the valor of Gonsalvo a brave Captain by which means that Kingdom fell into the hands of Spain In the mean time Pope Alexander being attentive to nothing more than to raise and enrich his Bastard Children encouraged and countenanced his Son Caesar Borgia in the grievous oppressions he laid on all the Barons of the Ecclesiastical State for he designing and aspiring to make himself sole and absolute master of it made the Family of the Orsini the most remarkable examples of his insolent indignities spoiling and harassing their Country for the space of a whole Summer As yet Caesar Borgia had not renounced his Cardinals Cap and therefore continuing still under the notion of a Prelate Guido Vbaldo di Vrbino and John Borgia an other of the Popes Bastards were made Generals of the Ecclesiastical Army who over-running several Countries reduced Braciano by Siege and proceeded every where victoriously until Charles the natural Son of Virginio Orsino joyning Battel with them routed their Army and took the Duke of Vrbin prisoner After this a Peace being concluded with the Orsini and the Pope perceiving that his business did not thrive well by War he endeavoured to advance his designs by fortifying the interest of his Family with great and potent alliances and in the first place he gave his Daughter Lucretia in Marriage to John Sforza Lord of Pesaro breaking his promise to a certain Nobleman of Spain to whom he had formerly contracted her then he took her from Sforza and gave her to Lewis of Aragon Bastard Son of Alfonso King of Naples who being killed she was given to Alfonso da Esté Duke of Ferrara with whom afterwards she ended her days This Pope had also three Sons Geoffery the youngest was made Prince of Squillaci Caesar who was the second was Cardinal and John the eldest was sent into Spain and there made Duke of Candia but he rambling one night in his pleasures about the Streets of Rome was by the treachery of his Brother the Cardinal assassinated and his body thrown into the â—ybar which kindness he did him after they had supped the same night together at the Table of their Mother Vanoccia with which horrid act the Pope was not so much displeased as he was terrified fearing that upon the least displeasure the spirit of this miscreant would be provoked to add parricide to the murder of his Brother After this he made little account of his Scarlet or degree of Cardinal but turning his thoughts wholly to War he was made General of the Popes Army and uniting his Forces with the French and joyning with their interest he became master of a considerable Principality in Italy for having expelled Sforza from Milan and imprisoned the Chiefs of that Family with assistance of Lewis the 12th he with great cruelty and blood possessed himself of all the Cities of Romagna Bologna only excepted banishing or putting to death all the ancient Lords and persons of quality belonging to it He also took Imola and Forli banishing all the Children of Riario to whom the Inheritance belonged only their Mother Catherina he took prisoner and carried her in triumph with him to Rome Next he took Sinigaglia by force of Arms and by treachery surprized the State of Vrbin for being with all his Army at Cagli where he was kindly received upon the signal given he seized that City and marched immediately with the same design to Vrbin Guido Vbaldo da Feltro Prince of that State surprized with this suddain attempt and fearing to fall into the cruel hands of this Tyrant left the City and with some few of his domesticks saved himself by flight Then this Borgia turned his Arms upon Camerino which he took and put many of the ancient Lords and Barons of it to death with the like cruelty and wickedness he treated all the Lords and Barons about the parts of Rome particularly that noble Family of the Gaetani which were Lords of ancient possessions in the Volsci of which he put James the Son of Honorato Gaetano to death then Protonotary of Rome He also ordered that Cola Gaetano a youth who was the only Son and hopes of the Family should be removed out of the world He in the next place by assistance of the French attacked the Family of Colonna and seized on all their State forcing them to fly into Puglia and Sicily for refuge His next and last work was to subdue the Orsini but they having always been constant and firm friends to the Pope in all times and against all Factions he wanted some colourable pretence to fix a quarrel on them but at length the occasion which he sought the Orsini themselves administred for they growing jealous of the successes and fortune of Borgia and fearing lest his insatiable avarice should transport him also to an appetite of devouring them they considered it prudence to provide in time against a danger so apparent and imminent as this wherefore consulting with others who were possessed with the like apprehensions and fears such as Bentivolio Lord of Bologna Paolo Baglione the Usurper of Perugia Vitellozzo Vitelli Lord of the City of Castello Liverotto Lord Fermo Pandolfo Petrucci of Siena they appointed a Council to be held at Perugia where they agreed upon an alliance and confederacy together against Borgia and accordingly setting out an Army into the Field they took Vrbino and Camerino and overthrew
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
not only honour and reputation but profit and advantage by it since there was a certain person who proffered to undertake that work at his own private charge upon condition that the Land when it was drein'd might have been granted to him for his reward The Mountain being partly undermin'd partly cut through the length of three miles the Passage was at the end of eleven years with much ado finish'd there being no less than 30000 labourers continually employ'd in it It was he likewise that made the Harbour of Ostia by drawing an Arm of the Sea on each hand and so breaking the violence of the Waves a Work the footsteps of which are not to be seen at this day without Wonder Having put to death his Wife Messalina for Adultery he afterwards against all Law both Humane and Divine married Agrippina the Daughter of his Brother Germanicus by whom in the fourteenth year of his Empire he was poison'd with Mushrooms prepared by her for that purpose In his time St. Peter came to Rome the principal City of the World both because he judg'd it a Seat best accommodated to the Pontifical dignity and because likewise he understood that Simon Magus a certain Samaritan had planted there who by his Sorceries had so far seduced the People that they believed him to be a God For his Statue had been already erected at Rome between the two Bridges with this Latin Inscription Simoni Deo Sancto i. e. to Simon the Holy God This man while he stai'd in Samaria pretended Faith in Christ so far as to obtain Baptism from Philip one of the seven Deacons which afterwards abusing to ill ends he laid the foundation of divers Heresies To him was joyn'd one Sebene a shameless Strumpet who was his Companion and partner in Villany To such an heighth of impudence did this lewd Fellow arrive that he challenged St. Peter to work Miracles with him and particularly he undertook to raise to life a dead child which indeed at first seem'd somewhat to move at his Charms But it being manifest presently that the Child nevertheless continued dead still at St. Peters command in the Name of Jesus it immediately arose Simon being enraged hereat profered as a further trial which of them was the more holy man and more beloved of God to fly from the Capitol to the Aventine in the sight of all the People provided Peter would follow him While he was yet flying at the prayer of Peter who with hands lift up to Heaven beseeched God not to suffer so great a multitude to be deluded with Magical Arts down he fell and broke his Leg with grief of which Mis-adventure he not long after died at Aricia whither his followers had conveighed him after this foul disgrace From him the Hereticks called Simoniaci had their original who pretended to buy and sell the Gift of the Holy Ghost and who asserted the Creatures to proceed from a certain superiour Power but not to be from God After this St. Peter applying himself both by Preaching and Example to the propagating of the Word of God was by the Christian Romans earnestly desired that John surnamed Mark who was his Son in Baptism and a person of a most approved life and conversation might be employed by him in writing a Gospel St. Hierom saith that he being a Priest in Israel a Levite according to the flesh after his conversion to the Christian Faith wrote his Gospel in Italy shewing what he owed to his own Parentage and Extraction and what to Christ. Which Gospel as we now have it was approved by the testimony of St. Peter Being afterwards sent into Egypt as Philo the Jew a famous Writer tells us after that by Preaching and Writing he had well form'd the Alexandrian Church being a man very eminent both for his Life and Learning in the eighth year of the Emperor Nero he died and was buried at Alexandria in whose place succeeded Anianus The year before died James surnamed Justus the Brother of our Lord being the Son of Joseph by another Wife or as some will have it Sisters son to Mary Christ's Mother Egefippus who lived near the Apostles times affirms of him that he was holy in his Mothers Womb that he drank neither Wine nor strong drink nor ever tasted flesh that he neither shaved nor bathed nor anointed himself nor ever wore any other but linnen garments He was often accustomed to enter into the Holy of Holies where he continued so incessantly in his Prayers for the Welfare of the People that his knees were grown hard and callous like those of Camels But Festus leaving the Government of Judoea before Albinus his successor arrived there the High Priest Ananus the son of Ananus requiring James publickly to deny Christ to be the Son of God upon his refusal he gave order he should be stoned to Death who after he had been thrown down headlong from a pinacle of the Temple continuing yet half alive and with hands stretch'd forth towards Heaven praying for his persecutors was at last kill'd outright with a blow of a Fullers Club. Josephus reports him to have been a man of so great sanctity that it was the general belief that his murder was the cause of the destruction of Jerusalem This is that James whom our Lord appeared to after his Resurrection and to whom having blessed Bread and broken it he said Brother eat thy Bread because the son of man is risen He presided over the Church of Jerusalem thirty years that is to the seventh year of Nero. His Sepulchre with an Inscription hard by the Temple from which he had been cast down was yet in being in Andrian's time It is evident likewise that Barnabas by birth a Cypriot surnamed Joses a Levite died before St. Peter's martyrdom He being chosen together with Paul an Apostle of the Gentiles wrote only one Epistle of matters concerning the Church and that too is reckoned Apocryphal There happening to be a difference between him and Paul occasioned by Mark a Disciple he accompanied with the said Mark went to Cyprus where Preaching the faith of Christ he was crowned with Martyrdom Paul first called Saul was descended of the Tribe of Benjamin of a Town of Judoea called Giscalis which being taken in War by the Romans he with his Parents removed to Tarsus a City of Cilicia And being sent thence to Jerusalem to study the Law he had his Education under the learned Gamaliel After this receiving Letters from the High Priest he became a Persecutor of those that professed Christ to be the true God and particularly was present and assistant at the death of St. Stephen the Protomartyr But as he was going to Damascus being by the Divine Spirit wonderfully converted to the Faith he became a chosen Vessel and from that time took the name of Paul from a Pro-consul of Cyprus whom by his preaching he had converted to Christianity After this he together with
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
because I cry aloud and tell the people of their crimes and the Sons of the Church of their sins and have laid violent hands upon me even unto blood For the Kings of the Earth stood up and the Princes of the World with some Ecclesiasticks and others have conspired against the Lord and me his Anointed saying Let us break their bonds asunder and cast their yoke from us and this they did that they might either kill or banish me Of these one was King Henry as they call him Henry I say Son to Henry the Emperour who exalted his horns and lifted up his heel too proudly against the Church of God in a conspiracy with many Bishops of Italy Germany and France whose ambition your authority has yet opposed This same person came to me in Lombardy when he was rather forced by necessity than sober in his resolutions and begg'd to be absolv'd from his Anathema and accordingly I receiv'd him because I thought him a Penitent but only admitted him to the Communion of the Church not restored him to his Kingdom from which I had justly expelled him in the Council at Rome nor did I give the Subjects of the Kingdom leave to pay him their former Allegiance And this I did that if he delay'd his reconcilement with the neighbouring Nations whom he had always vexed and should refuse to restore as well Ecclesiastical as Secular Estates according to his word he might be forc'd to his duty by Anathema's and Arms. Some Bishops of Germany made use of this opportunity as also certain Princes who had been long tormented by this wild beast thought fit to chuse Rodolphus for their King and Governour since Henry had lost his Throne by his flagitious actions And truly Rodolphus like a modest and just King sent Embassadours to let me know he was forced to take the Government into his hand though he was not so desirous of Dominion but that he would rather obey us than those that had chosen him to the Kingdom That he would always be at Gods and our disposal and that we might believe him he offered his Sons for hostages for his performance Thereupon Henry began to rage and first to desire us that we would use our spiritual Sword to depose Rodolphus I answered him That I would see who had most right and would send Agents thither to examine the matter and then I my self would judg whose cause was the juster Henry would not suffer our Legates to determine the matter but kill'd a great many men both Ecclesiastical and Laick plunder'd and prophan'd Churches and by this means made himself obnoxious to an Anathema Wherefore I trusting in Gods mercy and judgment in the patronage of the blessed Virgin and relying upon your Authority do lay Henry and his accomplices under a Curse and once more deprive him of his regal Power interdicting all Christians whom I absolve from all Oaths of Allegiance to him from obeying Henry in any case whatever but command 'em to receive Rodolphus as their King whom many Princes of the Realm have chosen since Henry was deposed For it is fit that seeing Henry is deprived of his Power for his pride and contumacy Rodolphus who is beloved by all should be invested with the Kingly power and dignity for his Piety and Religion Go to then ye Princes of the holy Apostles and confirm what I have 〈◊〉 by your authority that all men at last may know that if you can bind and loose in Heaven that We also upon Earth can take away and give Kingdoms Principalities Empires and whatsoever is in the possession of Mortals For if you can judg of things divine what may we think of things prophane here below And if you may judg of Angels that govern proud Princes what may you not do to their Servants Let all Kings and Princes of the World take notice by his example what you can do in Heaven how God esteems you and then let 'em not contemn the Decrees of the Church And I 〈◊〉 you suddenly to execute judgment upon Henry that all may see that son of Iniquity did not lose his Kingdom by chance but by your permission and consent And this I have requested of you that he may repent and be saved in the day of Judgment by the help of your prayers Given at Rome the 5th of March Indiction III. After that he degraded Gilbert the Author of all this discord and Schism from the Church of Ravenna and commanded all Priests belonging to that Church to pay no obedience to him who was the cause of all their misfortunes and therefore Anathematized And that the people might not want a Governour he imitated Peter who used to send 〈◊〉 in his own room upon occasion and sent 'em another Arch bishop with full power to extirpate Gilbert's Faction and confirm mens minds in the faith But then Henry who was rather provoked than chastized by these Censures and had taken the Bishop of Ostia then Legate as he return'd home called a Council of the disaffected Bishops and chose Gilbert formerly Arch-bishop of Ravenna Pope and called him Clement But being teazed by the 〈◊〉 he left his new Pope for a time and went against them where he engaged and received a great overthrow Rodolphus though he was Conquerour yet was found dead at a little distance of a wound which he received They say Henry was so affrighted at that bloody ingagement that he could scarce be found in seventeen days and that the Germans in the mean time had put his Son Henry in his room by the name of Henry IV. Both these coming after with an united Body of Men into Italy to settle their Pope Clement in the Pontificate and to turn 〈◊〉 Gregory they easily subdu'd Maude who came to meet 'em with a small Army This same Maude when her first Husband died not long before that time was married to Azo Marquis d'Este her former Husbands near kinsman by blood and related to her in the third degree of Affinity But when the matter was known she was divorced from Azo at Gregory's persuasion Henry having conquer'd Maude at Parma march'd to Rome and her Husband Azo after an hostile manner and pitch'd his Camp in the Prati di Nerone and going into the Borgo di Sancto Pietro he and his Pope Clement prophaned St. Peter's Church and demolish'd the Portico and did the like by St. Pauls But seeing he could not get into the City he went to Tivoli from whence as from a Castle he made daily incursions upon the Romans till by wasting all that came near him he reduced them to such necessity that they desired Peace upon any terms of which notice being given to Henry by some deserters who got out of the Town he drew his men up and entred in whereupon the Pope who could not trust the People betook himself into the Castle St. Angelo where he was besieged for some time they within maintaining the place stoutly Gregory's Nephew
manner in Lombardy the Emperor went through Piacenza to Genoa along with Amadeus of Savoy attended by the Agents from Pisa and Genoa Thither came Embassadors from Robert of Naples and Frederick King of Sicily not long after the former to make a shew of friendship and the latter to assure him of the real love which they had for him For Robert had sent his Mareschal into Tuscany with two thousand Horse to assist the Floretines and those of Lucca if need were against the Emperor But Henry went by Sea to Pisa and having sent his Land-forces before him did the men of Lucca a great deal of damage Hitherto I thought fit to relate all the inconveniences which were brought upon the Italians which some impute wholly to Clement who solicited Henry to come with an Army into Italy Whilst others tell us that Clement did it for the advantage of the Country because of the civil Discords among 'em which were the cause of much blood-shed in every City nay in every little Castle The Citizens were slain old men murther'd young Children dash'd against the ground with a boundless cruelty Whereupon Clement used that saying of Homer Let there be but one chief Lord one Judg of all matters Henry went on toward Rome and sent Lewis of Savoy Son to Amadeus with five hundred Horse before who taking up his quarters at one Stephen Columna's House near the Lateran put the Vrsin Faction in a terrible fear But Henry came first to Viterbo and thence to Rome where he was very kindly received not onely by all the Nobility but by the Citizens in general After that being Crown'd by three Cardinals he made the Romans swear Allegiance to him as the custom is and made a great Feast to which he invited all the Noblemen of the City except the Vrsins But lest in such a concourse of people there should arise any tumult through the animosities of some men he planted his Soldiers in the Theatres Baths and other fortified places in the strength of which Guards he was so confident that he had the courage to demand of the people a Tribute which they never used to pay Hereupon all the Citizens of both Factions fled to the Vrsins who had set good Guards about their House which stood near the Tiber and hard by Hadrians Bridg. At that the Emperor was so enraged that he summoned the Sea-Archers whom the men of Pisa had sent him to march into the City against the Romans but they were surprised and soon routed by John the Brother of King Robert who had placed his Sea-forces under the Mount di S. Sabina He also let in the Horse who quarter'd not far off and by the aid of the Roman people forced the Emperour himself to retreat as far as Tivoli After him John Robert's Brother went away by Command from the Cardinals and left the City quiet But Henry going from Perugia arrived at Arezzo where he accused Robert the King of Treason and because he did not appear upon Summons deprived him of his Kingdom against the mind of Clement who thought he had done a thing of such consequence in a very improper place besides that it was none of his Prerogative For he said It was Popes peculiar Province to dispose of the Kingdom of Sicily on both sides the Pharo The Emperor marching from Arezzo led his Army toward Florence and Lucca who were Allies to Robert But seeing he was not able to storm a Town he possess'd himself of Poggibonci which when he had fortified he declared War against the Seneses because they were so niggardly and sparing in supplying him with Provisions But falling sick he went to the Bath at Macerata from whence he came back to Bonconvento much weaker than he was before There after some days he died but it was suspected he was poison'd by a Monk at Florence who was induced by large Rewards and Promises to give him the Eucharist dipped in Poison The State of Pisa now that the Emperor was dead feared the power of the Florentines and therefore chose Vgutio Fagiolano their Captain and sole Governor who not long after reduced those of Lucca and took away their Lands from 'em by the assistance of the Cavalry that had served under Henry In the mean time Clement was very much troubled not onely at all the other evils that Italy underwent but that S. Constantines Church should be burnt down Wherefore he sent Money to the Clergy and people of Rome toward the repair of that Church though there was such scarcity and Dearth in his Country at that time that he could hardly buy himself Victuals and Drink Which miseries were foretold by frequent Eclipses of the Sun several Comets and the Plague which was almost Epidemical But Clement apply'd himself to settle the State of the Church and therefore he exercised his Episcopal Function three times not onely in making several Cardinals who were excellent Men but in three Councils which he called in several places and at several times he did many things with prudence and deliberation For he suppress'd Dulcinus's Sect as I told you that opposed the Churchmen and took off the Templers who were fallen into very great Errors as denying Christ c. and gave their goods to the Knights of Jerusalem He likewise withstood the King of France at Poictou when he made unreasonable and unhandsom Demands for the King would have had Boniface censur'd and Nogaretius and Sarra absolv'd The first request he never obtein'd but the second he at last had granted to him upon Nogaretius's Promise that he would go against the Saracens for Penance Which expedition Clement himself had a great mind to as appears by his Councils Afterwards he canonized Caelestin the fifth by the name of Peter the Confessor because approved by Miracles and set forth the Clementines which he composed during the Council at Vienna But in succeeding time he was afflicted with divers Diseases for he was troubled sometimes with a Dysentery sometimes with a pain in his Stomach or his Sides of which he dy'd in the eighth year tenth month and fifteenth day of his Pontificate The Sea was then vacant two years three months and seventeen days whilst the Cardinals were at a stand whom they should choose Nor was there less Discord among the Electors of the Empire upon the Death of Henry some proposing Lewis of Bavaria others Frederick Duke of Austria And these two engaging in War one against the other Frederick was Conquer'd at which Lewis grew so proud that he not onely called himself Emperor without Authority from Rome but favour'd the Viconti in Lombardy so far that they got into Millain And this he did to make his own passage more easie toward Rome where he was to receive a golden Crown according to the usual Custom Then began the people of Tuscany and all the Guelphs to tremble when they saw Lewis Emperor and that he was likely to recover all the rights of the Empire in
also aided them that they were almost all of 'em kill'd before they were sensible what danger they were in The Earl of Armagnac himself General of this great Army was taken but died immediately of a wound that he receiv'd Besides him there were taken Rainardus Lanfigliatius and John Riccio two Florentine Knights who had guided the Earl into Italy Galeatius grown confident by this Victory sent part of his Foces against Hawkwood who had pass'd the Rivers Adige and Mencio to join Armagnac upon notice whereof Hawkwood hasted toward Padua but lost a great many men by the way who were drown'd in the Seluces that the Country people had made to hinder their retreat But the Florentines being hard put to it by James Vermes who was sent thither by Galeatius with twelve thousand Horse and four thousand Foot called back Hawkwood who overcame their Enemies by stratagem whom he was not able to conquer in the open field In the mean time a Peace was made at Genoa upon good conditions between Galeatius and the Florentines by the mediation of Pope Boniface and Antony Adurno General of the Genoeses But one flame was no sooner quench'd but another broke out For Francis di Vico Prefect of the City got Viterbo out of the Popes hands by treachery And Peter Gambacurta Lord of Pisa and his Sons was kill'd by James his Secretary and Counsellor who strait usurp'd his Seigniory At this time also upon the death of Albert d' Este one Azzo of the same Family who had been banish'd a long time attempted to be restor'd to his Country by the Power of the Counts of Cunie But the Guardians of young Nicolas Son of Albert took up Arms and driving Accius from Ferrara promised the Towns of Lugo and Monselice to John Cunio if he would kill Azzo But he shewed 'em a trick for it and only kill'd a man very like him upon which the Towns being surrender'd to him he produced the real Azzo Alberic his Progenitor would never have done such an Act to whom the Italians owe more than to all the Generals of his Age. For he first taught the Italians the Art of War when they had been long unaccustomed to Arms how to defend themselves from domestick as well as forein Enemies For before his time if the Italians had any War either among themselves or against the Barbarians they were forced to desire the aid of forein Soldiers But he raised such a mighty Army in a short space under the Banner of St. George that he drave the Britains who had ruined our Country and the Castles belonging to the Church together with the Germans English and all other Invaders out of Italy From him arose the Bracceschi and Sforceschi by whom Italy gain'd so much Glory that other Nations either were content to be quiet for fear or if they attempted to invade us 't was at the cost of their lives In the mean time Clement VII the Anti-Pope died and in his place the Cardinals who join'd in the present Schism put up Peter Luna then called Benedict XIII at Avignion At that time also Winceslaus Son to Charles the Emperor succeeded him from whom John Galeatius Viconti received the Title of Duke of Milan by his Embassador Peter Philargi Arch-Bishop of Milan who afterward got the Papacy and was called Alexander the Fifth But Galeatius when John Hawkwood was dead and buried at Florence whom the Florentines made use of as their chief Commander in their Wars He resov'd to send Albrick with an Army into Tuscany to keep the Florentines in awe who then made War upon Appiax Lord of Pisa There were in that Army Paul Vrsin Ceculino Brolia Brandelino Paul Sabello Luke Canali great Captains who going with joint-forces and Counsels to besiege Florence pitched their Camp near the Carthusian Monastery from whence they continually infested the City of Florence and all the Country about it with frequent inrodes and filled all places with slaughter rapine and fire Anno Dom. 1397. At which time Boniface went to Perugia to procure a reconciliation between the Nobility and Commonalty there But the Commonalty even in the Popes presence took up Arms against their Promise and kill'd eighty of the Nobles and then made Biordo and Nichilotto who were admitted into the City as heads of their Faction chief Lords of all The Pope was angry at that and went to Assisi from whence he sent Agents to Galeatius to desire him that he cease to attempt Mantua which he then besieged by Land and Water having sent for Albrick Barbianus into that Country to assist in the War But the Florentines and the Venetians being bound as Allies to aid Mantua they sent a good Army under the conduct of Charles Malatesta Cousin to the Duke of Mantuan who defeated Galeatius's forces at Governo At that time the Florentines had a design to fall upon the Pisans but the Earls of Puppio and Balono and the Vbertine Rebels who threaten'd destruction to the City of Florence if they stirred a foot against the Pisans diverted them from it But not long after James Appian died and his Son Gerard succeeded him who when he could not keep Pisa in subjection by reason of the Tumults which the Florentines raised in it he sold the City to Galeatius Viconti in the year 1399. keeping onely one Town for him and his called Piumbino At Perugia Biordus being slain by the contrivance of Lantedescus the Perugians endeavour'd to assert their Liberty And when Vgolin Trinci of Fuligno the Popes Vicar there endeavour'd in his name to bring Perugia into the Churches Patrimony the Citizens were angry and surrender'd themselves to Galeatius who two months after got possession also of Bologna and Lucca by a wile Hence was the fear of the Florentines so encreased that they gave out that they and their Liberty were all lost unless Galeatius were taken off The Year of Jubilee approaching the Pope was moved by Embassadors from Rome to leave Assisi and reside with them which though he was very willing to do yet he concealed his desire and told 'em he would not because he said they denied to have Senators chosen out of forein Nobility according to the Custom and Orders of former Popes and because they had chosen Conservators of the Chamber on their own head Men not fit for the Employment who gave too much Licence to the Banderesii Then the Romans to gratifie the Pope remov'd the Banderesii and admitted of Malatesta Son to Pandulphus of Pesaro a learned Man as Senator in the Popes Name and furnish'd Boniface with Money to go to Rome When he was come into the City he fortified S. Angelo as I told you with Walls and Turrets and made himself by degrees Master of the whole place After that in the year 1400. the Jubilee was kept and a great multitude of People stock'd to Rome for Devotion and then the Florentines being willing to be rid of Galeatius invited Robert Duke
the Council of Basil was at the heighth King Alphonso who was then at War in Naples being desired to send some body thither he order'd Alphonso Borgia to go who taking it ill that a thing of such pernicious consequence should be committed to his management he got leave of the Queen to go into Italy to the King with Ferdinand the King's Son and exhort him that after so many dangerous expeditions and difficulties with which he was even at that time surrounded he would return into his own Country But the King told him he would not but sent him to Eugenius who was then at Florence to treat concerning a Peace For Viteleschus having enter'd the Kingdom of Naples in Eugenius's name with an Army plunder'd and spoil'd all that came before him to hinder the King from taking Naples which at that time he laid Siege to But the business taking up time and the Pope intending in the mean time to make twenty Cardinals among the rest design'd the Bishop of Valenza should be one though he refused the honour with all the earnestness imaginable because he said it was not fit for him to receive especially till he had done the business that he came for Afterward Eugenius return'd to Rome the Patriarch of Aquilegia whom he sent to Tarracina to the King having made a Peace between the Pope and the King upon Conditions at the making of which the Bishop of Valenza was present and interposed his Authority and care for which the Pope began to love him so well that he soon after made him Cardinal Sanctorum quatuor and sent for him to Rome where he used no less modesty in his Cardinalate than he had before in his Bishoprick being always free and far from pomp and vain-glory When he spoke in the Senate he was reckon'd so grave and sincere a person that he never spake any thing out of flattery or to win favour But Eugenius dying and Nicolas after him this Alphonso Borgia as I told you was made Pope in S. Peter's Palace taking upon him the name of Calistus and immediately proclaimed War against the Turks shewing his own hand-writing whereby he had vowed to do so even before his Pontificate in a Book of his to this purpose I Calixtus do vow to God and the Holy Trinity that I will persecute the Turks those Enemies of Christianity with War Curses Interdictions Execrations and by all the ways I am able All that were by admired at it that he should arrogate to himself the name of Pope before he had the honour conferr'd and that a Man who was so old and decrepit should have so much courage But that he might really perform his promise he sent Preachers through all Europe to animate all Christians against the Turks and to persuade such as were able to lend their helping hand in that momentous Expedition And of these he sent sixteen Gallies full built at Rome over whom the Patriarch of Aquilegia was Admiral and harass'd the Sea-coasts of Asia for three years together where he took several Islands and did the Enemy a great deal of damage King Alphonso and the Duke of Burgundy also took upon them the Cross and profess'd that they would either go against the Enemy in their own persons or at least would raise Men to send Yet this Affair as it was moved at an heat so it as easily cooled again whilst the Princes indulged their pleasures and neglected that which would have gain'd them immortal Fame Whilst the Pope was Crown'd in the Lateran two Soldiers one under the Earl Aversus and the other under Neapolio Vrsin Men of diverse factions and parties who quarrelling about a young Lad did so wound each other that they both dy'd upon the spot For that reason Neapolio raising the Vrsine Faction invaded the House where the Count Aversus lived but the Count being from home he would have gone to the Lateran to seise him but was with much ado kept back by his Brother Latinus the Pope's Chamberlain And indeed Neapolio could not have gone thither without great damage to the City because all the Faction of the Colonneses who favour'd the Count were then in Arms. The Pope also had sent John Baruncellus and Laelius de Valle two Advocates of the Consistory to both of 'em to make 'em Friends so that by this means the present disturbance was appeased but the old grudg betwixt them still remain'd For they had many trials of Skill to the great disadvantage of their Adherents The Pope however apply'd his mind to his Pontifical Affairs and Canoniz'd S. Vincent a Spaniard of the Order of Preachers and S. Edmund of England and upon that occasion said Prayers and Thanksgivings from Ecclesia Minervae to S. Peter's with a long train of Clergy and Laity following him But lest any thing should be wanting to disturb the Church some Country Fellows of Palombara a Town in Sabina who were formerly banish'd thence by James Sebellus Lord of the place return'd home and killing two Sons of James's promised to surrender the Town to the Church which Calixtus not only refused to accept but sent Cardinal Columna thither to appease them Neapolio fearing the Cardinal should seise Palombara in his own name he went thither with his Army and besieged the Town for some days Though when Matthew Poianus and Francis Sabellus with other Commanders came up by order from the Pope and the Cardinal they raised the Siege enter'd Palombara and hang'd twenty of the Country Fellows of those especially that had made the disturbance and quarter'd 'em to give example to others and warn 'em never to attempt so great a piece of Villany against their rightful Lords Soon after appeared a Comet for some days hairy and red of which when the Astrologers said that it portended a great Plague Dearth or some mighty Slaughter Calixtus appointed a Fast for several days to pray to God that if any judgment hung over them he would be pleased to avert and turn it upon the Turks the Enemies to Christianity He gave order likewise that God should be supplicated every day and that a Bell should be rung about Noon to give people notice when they should joyn in Prayer for the Christians against the Turks So that the Christians assisted by the Prayers of the whole Church fought against the Turks at Belgrade under the conduct of John the Vaivod an excellent Person and John Capistranus of the Order of Minors bearing the holy Cross and conquer'd 'em when they besieged Belgrade six thousand of the Enemies being slain by a few of our Men as Carviagalla Cardinal of S. Angelo wrote to the Pope and to Dominick Capranicus Cardinal of S. Crosses besides that all their Carriages and an hundred and sixty Guns were taken a blow that so much scar'd the Turk that he retir'd in haste to Constantinople And no doubt but that cruel barbarous Nation had been destroyed if the Christian Princes would but have laid aside their
the opposers of the Church of Rome both within and without Italy he canonized Catharine of Siena and abrogated the French Pragmatic Sanction He restored Ferdinand of Aragon to the Kingdom of Naples encreased the Churches Patrimony and made the first Allum Mines at Tolfa He was an Admirer of Justice and Religion and an excellent Orator But he died at Ancona as he was going to the War against the Turks where he had his Navy ready and the Duke and Senate of Venice for his fellow Soldiers in Christ He was brought thence into the City by order of the Cardinals and buried in the place where he commanded St. Andrew the Apostle's head which was brought hither to him from Morea to be laid He lived fifty eight years nine months and twenty seven days and when he dy'd left the College of Cardinals forty five thousand pound gather'd out of the Church Revenues to maintain the War against the Turks But the Cardinals committed all this Money and the Galleys that were then in the Port of Ancona to Christopher Maurus Duke of Venice who arrived there two days before Pius died upon condition that he should use the Ships according to their directions and should send the Money to Matthias King of Hungary who was continually at War with the Turk Thus died Pius who was a personage of such true courage and singular prudence as he seemed to be born not to ease or pleasure but to manage the most important Affairs He always endeavour'd to augment the Majesty and grandieur of the Pontifical Chair nor did he ever leave chastizing of Kings Dukes States Usurpers that wronged either himself or any other Church-Man till he made 'em acknowledg their Errour And therefore he was an Enemy to Lewis King of France because he endeavour'd to diminish the Liberties of the Church and extorted from him the Pragmatic Sanction which was most pernicious to the Sea of Rome He threaten'd Borsius Duke of Modena who being a Feudatary of the Church of Rome yet favour'd Sigismund Malatesta and the French who were no Friends to the Church But he censur'd Sigismund Duke of Austria most grievously for taking Nicolas Cusanus Cardinal of St. Peter ad vincula and keeping him some days in Prison He deprived Dieterus Isimbergensis Bishop of Mayence who hated the Church of Rome and put another in his place and so likewise he displaced the Arch-Bishop of Benevento who was upon new projects and endeavour'd to betray Benevento to the French He likewise deprived Francis Copinus who in his Embassady to England assumed more Power than the Sea Apostolick had given him to the destruction of many Men him he deprived of his Bishoprick of Teramo He also made Terracino Benevento Sora Arpino and a great part of Campagnia subject to the Church He never granted any thing to any King Duke or State for fear or covetousness and would reprove Men severely that ask'd what he could not grant without detriment to the Church and dishonour to himself and strook such terrour into some Lords of Italy especially that they continued very true to their Faith and Allegiance But as he always plagued his publick Enemies so likewise he Cherish'd his Friends as much He dearly loved Frederick the Emperour Matthias King of Hungary Ferdinand Son to Alphonso Philip of Burgundy Francis Sfortia and Lewis Gonzaga He added twelve Cardinals to the former number the Cardinal of Rieti Spoleto Trani Alexander Saxoferratensis Bartholomew Roverella James of Lucca Francis Son to his Sister Laodamia Francis Gonzaga Son to the Marquess Lewis all Italians But then there were others from beyond the Alps as Salseburgensis Lewis Libretus of Artois and Vergelensis Moreover he so ordered his method of living that he could never be accused of idleness or sloth He rose as soon as 't was day for his health sake and having said his Prayers very devoutly went about his worldly affairs When he had done his mornings work and walk'd about the Gardens for his recreation he went to Dinner in which he used an indifferent sort of Diet not curious and dainty For he seldom bid 'em get him this or that particular Dish but whatever they set before him he ate of He was very abstemious and when he did drink Wine it was always diluted with Water and pleasant rather than rough upon the Palate After Meals he either discoursed or disputed half an hour with his Chaplains and then going into his Bed-Chamber he took a nap after which he went to Prayers again and then wrote or read as long as his business would permit The same also he did after Supper for he both read and dictated till midnight as he lay in his Bed nor did he sleep above five or six hours He was a short Man gray-hair'd before his time and had a wrinkled Face before he was old In his aspect he bore severity tempered with good-nature and in his garb was neither finical nor negligent but so contrived it as to be consistent with the pains which he usually took He could patiently endure both hunger and thirst because he was naturally very strong and yet his long journeys frequent labour and Watchings had impair'd him His usual Diseases were the Cough the Stone and Gout wherewith he was often so tormented that no body could say he was alive but by his Voice And even in his sickness he was very accessible but sparing of Words and unwilling to deny any Man's Petition He laid out all the Money he got together and did neither love Gold nor contemn it but would never be by whilst it was told out or laid up He seemed not to cherish the Wits of his Age because three grievous Wars which he had undertook had so continually exhausted the Pontifical Treasury that he was oftentimes much in Debt and yet he preferred many learned Men to places both in the Court and Church He would willingly hear an Oration or a Poem and always submitted his own Writings to the judgment of the Learned He hated Lyars and Sycophants was soon angry and soon pleased again He pardon'd those that reviled or scoff'd at him unless they injur'd the Sea Apostolick the Dignity whereof he always had such a respect for as upon that account often to fall out with great Kings and Princes He was very kind to his Houshold Servants for those that he sound in an errour through folly or ignorance he admonish'd like a Father He never reproved any one for speaking or thinking ill of him because in a free City he desired every body should utter their minds And when one told him that he had an ill Report he reply'd go into the Campo di fiore and you 'l hear a great many talk against me If at any time he had a mind to change the Air of Rome for a better he went especially in the Summer to Tivoli or his own Country Siena But he was mightily pleased with the retirement of an Abby in Siena which is very
good as my word and would often boast what a kindness he had for me and what great things he would do for me as soon as Borsius d' Este was gone who coming to the City with a great Equipage was very magnificently and splendidly received by him The same he had often promised to the Ambassadours of Venice and Milan who had spoken on my behalf For two years I was led on or rather beguil'd with these hopes till at length I resolv'd to go with the Cardinal of Mantua to Bononia of which he was Legat. But Paul forbad me and after his jesting manner said I had wit enough already and wanted Wealth rather than Learning And now while I was in expectation that I should be reliev'd after so many troubles and afflictions behold the Pope dies of an Apoplexy about two hours within night being alone in his Chamber having been well that day and held a Consistory His death happened July 28. 1471. in the sixth year and tenth month of his Pontificate As to his Personage it was Majestic and becoming a Pope for he was so portly and tall that he was easily distinguishable from the rest when at Mass In his dress though he was not curious yet he was not reputed negligent Nay 't is said that when he was to appear in public he would use to paint his face In his Pontifical Vestments he outwent all his Predecessors especially in his Regno or Mitre upon which he laid out a great deal of Mony in purchasing at vast rates Diamonds Sapphyrs Emeralds Chrysoliths Jaspers Unions and all manner of precious stones wherewith adorn'd like another Aaron he would appear abroad somewhat more august than a Man delighting to be seen and admir'd by every one To this purpose sometimes by deferring some usual Solemnities he would keep Strangers in Town that so he might be view'd by greater numbers But lest he alone should seem to differ from the rest he made a Decree that none but Cardinals should under a Penalty wear red Caps to whom he had in the first year of his Popedom given Cloth of that colour to make Horse-Cloths or Mule-Cloths of when they rode He was also about to order that Cardinals Caps should be of Silk Scarlet but some Persons hindred it by telling him well that the Ecclesiastical Pomp was rather to be diminished than encreased to the detriment of the Christian Religion Before he was made Pope he used to give out that if ever he came to that good fortune he would give each Cardinal a Castle in the Country where they might retire conveniently to avoid the Summer-heats of the City but when he was once got into the Chair he thought of nothing less However he endeavour'd by his Authority and by force too to augment the Power of the Papacy For he sent the Bishop of Tricarico into France to hear the Cause of quarrel between the Duke of Burgundy and the People of Liege and upon their reconciliation to take off the Interdict laid upon the Liegeois for wrongfully expelling their Bishop but while the Legat took great pains to subject all matters to the Pope's Judgment he and their Bishop too were clapt up by the Liegeois Hereupon the Duke of Burgundy makes Peace with the French King with whom he was before at War and with his aid gives those of Liege several great defeats and at length sacks their City and sets free the imprison'd Bishops Moreover Paul hearing of the Apostasie of the King of Bohemia he by his Legat Lorenzo Roverella Bishop of Ferrara raised the Hungarians and Germans upon him so that he had certainly cut off both the King George and his Progeny and utterly rooted out the Heretics had not the Polanders who laid claim to that Kingdom held Matthias King of Hungary employ'd in War lest he should have made himself Master of it He undertook two Wars of no great moment in Italy which being not openly declared but begun by picqueering Parties he afterwards abandon'd For first he attempted the seizing the Signeury of Tolfa by cunning wiles which failing with open force under the conduct of Vianesius he set upon it and besieged it but the King's Army in which the Vrsini serv'd returning from the War they had now ended with Bartholomew of Bergamo on a sudden he raised the Siege in great disorder though the Enemy was not within sixty miles of the place so that after a long contention in which he had extreamly disobliged and almost enrag'd the Vrsini against him he was fain to purchase Tolfa for seventeen thousand Ducats of Gold for fear of that potent Family who were related to the Lords of the place After the same manner he set upon Robert Malatesta Son of Sigismund when having taken the Suburbs of Rimini by a Stratagem and for sometime having besieged the City Lorenzo Arch-Bishop of Spalato being the chief in the Enterprise Frederick D. of Vrbin came upon him with the King's Forces and those of the Florentines who forc'd him to raise his Siege and foil'd his Army shamefully so that he accepted of a Peace upon very dishonourable terms Lorenzo charg'd the reason of the loss of Rimini upon the niggardliness of his pay to the Soldiers and to the great slowness of his Resolution while through ignorance in affairs of that nature he deliberated long about actions which should be done in a moment Paul was indeed so awkward at business that except he were driven to it he would not enter upon any Affair however plain and unencumbred nor when begun would he bring it to peofection This humour of his he was wont to boast had done him great service in many concerns whereas to speak truth it had been very mischievous both to himself and the Church of Rome He yet was very diligent in getting Mony so that he generally intrusted the disposal of Bishopricks and Benefices to such Courtiers whose Places being saleable nothing could be bestowed without a Present All Offices indeed in his time were set to sale whereby it came to pass that he who had a mind to a Bishoprick or Benefice would purchase of him at a good rate some other Office and so get what he would have in spight of any other Candidates who could pretend upon the score of either Learning or good Life to be capable of whatsoever honour or preferment Beside when Bishopricks were vacant he would remove the more worthy as he call'd them to the more wealthy Seat by these Translations raising vast Sums of Mony because more Annates became due at the same time He also allow'd the purchasing of Salaries With these Moneys he would sometimes be very liberal giving exhibitions to the poorer Cardinals and Bishops and to Princes or Noblemen that were driven out of their Country and relieving poor Maidens Widows and sick People He took great care too that Corn and all manner of Victuals should be afforded cheaper at Rome than formerly He was at the charge of several
by censure of Excommunication to come in and in the space of one years time to purge themselves of the contumacy with which they stood charged In pursuance of which Decree the Embassador and other Agents from France did in the name of the King abjure all the Acts and Decrees made and ordained by the Conventicle at Pisa promising to acknowledg and hold for true and sacred all those Acts and conclusions which should be declared by the Council of Lateran and that six of those Prelates which were present at the Convention of Pisa should repair to Rome and in the name and behalf of all the Gallican Church renounce and disown that Convention and promise to submit and hold and esteem for Sacred and Obligatory whatsoever should be determined in their case or in any other matter by the Lateran Council and that then upon such submission the Council should grant a full and plenary Pardon and Absolution for all those Crimes committed by them against the Church of Rome But whilst these things were in Treaty Lewis XII being surprized by a Fever died the first day of January 1515. at Paris in whose place Francis de Valois the first of that name Duke of Angolesme succeeded Francis having made a Peace with the King of England assumed the Title of Duke of Milan as appertaining to him not only by the ancient right of the Dukes of Orleans but also as comprehended in the Investiture made by the Emperor in the Treaty of Cambray to recover which he made a League with the Venetians and passing into Italy with a powerful Army declared War against Maximilian Sforza Duke of Milan who on the other side had made an Alliance with the Emperor the Switzers and the King of Spain The Pope being jealous of the French believing that so soon as they were become Masters of Milan they would also design upon Piacenza and Parma favoured the cause of Duke Sforza and encouraged the Switzers by his Legate the Cardinal of Sedan to continue firm and constant in defence of Italy against the French Arms that so their ancient glory which had been in former years crowned with so much success might be maintained by them and the Title of Restorers of the Italian Liberty be for ever continued to their Honor. The Switzers having their valour provoked by such incitements as these encountred the French Army which under the auspicious Conduct of King Francis was passed into Italy near Marignan where after a sharp conflict the Venetians coming in to the assistance of the French the Switzers were overthrown and forced to retreat into Milan which afterwards was surrendred and Duke Sforza being taken Prisoner was sent into France with an allowance of five and thirty thousand Crowns a year which he agreed to receive in lieu of his Dukedom After this success Parma and Piacenza which had been annexed to the Church by the Arms of Julius II. fell into the possession of the French for Leo not having the courage to defend them made them a Sacrifice to the Conqueror and the price of his Peace with France the which was concluded at Bologna where an interview was appointed between the King and Pope Leo. The Pope entered the City on the 8th of December 1515. and the King two days after having been received on the Confines of the Country of Reggia by the Cardinals of Fieschi and Medicis whom the Pope had appointed to be his Legates Apostolical to him The King so soon as he entered was immediately conducted into the Consistory where before the Pope by a Speech delivered by his Chancellor he professed all Obedience to the Papal Chair and afterwards was lodged three days in the same Palace with the Pope during which time all the signs of good will and amity interceded between them and all matters agreed which had relation to Naples Modena and other controversies and thus all things being amicably concluded the King returned to Milan and in a short time after into France leaving the Duke of Bourbon Lieutenant in his place The Pope also went to Florence where having passed the Winter he in the Spring returned to Rome And now Pope Leo being a little at repose designed the assistance of Maximilian the Emperor with whom he was in League to make his Brother Julian Lord of Siena and Lucca and thereunto to adjoyn the Dukedoms of Vrbin and Ferrara but Julian unexpectedly dying the same fortune was intended for Laurence his Nephew Son of his Brother Peter de Medicis and in the mean time until this design could be ripened and put in practice the Pope committed to him the Government of Florence with condition that he should act nothing without the privity and consent of the Citizens And now to prepare a way for taking the Dutchy of Vrbin from Francisco Maria de la Rovere the Pope began with his Church Censures causing the Accusations against him to be published wherein he expressed that being in Pay and under a Sallary from the Church he had denied him the Service of those Regiments for which he had received Pay and had secretly compounded with the Enemy That he had killed the Cardinal of Pavia for which he was alsolved by Grace and not by Justice as also for many other Murders committed by him These and other were the Crimes which were alledged against him but yet nothing animated the Pope so much with anger and disdain against him as that he had denied unto his Brother Julian his aid and assistance to return to Florence The success of the War was this So soon as Renzo di Cere the Popes General with a considerable Army showed himself upon the Frontiers of the Dutchy the City of Vrbin with other Towns belonging to it surrendred to the Pope the Duke himself retiring to Pesaro which also yielded together with Sinigaglia and in the space of four days all submitted to the obedience of the Pope and then the Duke with all his Family saved himself in Mantua These successes were followed by new designs upon Siena from whence by force of Arms he compelled the Prince Borghese and Cardinal Alfonso his Brother both Sons of Pandolfo Petrucci to retire and make place for Raphael Petrucci his old Friend and Companion in his Exile at which the Cardinal was so enraged and excited beyond all patience that he conspired against the life of the Pope which not succeeding proved afterwards the cause of his own destruction For this Alfonso Cardinal of Siena revolving often in his mind the ingratitude of this Pope who by the labors and dangers of Pandolfo Petrucci his Father was with all his Family restored to the Government of Florence and yet had in recompense of these benefits caused him and his Brother Borghese to be thrust out of Siena the which thoughts boiling in his mind he resolved once with his own hand to stab the Pope but being diverted from that intention by the danger of the Fact and by the ill
The same Evening that she arrived she made her visit to the Pope and being admitted to his presence she kissed his feet and then his Holiness vouchsafed to arise and bow to her and give her his blessing after her the Arch-Dutchess presented her self who was received with the like forms of blessing On the Sunday following which was the day appointed for the Marriage the Queen appeared richly adorned like a Bride and being conducted into the Cathedral which was magnificently prepared she was there by the hand of the Pope espoused to Philip the third King of Spain the Arch-Duke Albert representing the person of the said King and then the Arch-Duke himself espoused the Infanta of Spain the Ambassadour of Spain standing in her stead and in representation of her person After all which Ceremonies and Festivals were ended at which there was a concourse of almost all the great personages of Italy the Queen took her journey by way of Mantoua into Spain where she was splendidly treated by that Duke And the Pope also having resided for the space of eight Months at Ferrara to the great satisfaction of his new Subjects who were not used to such sights not to such plenty of Mony as the concourse of such great Personages had brought them were highly pleased with the Ecclesiastical Government At length the Pope intending for Rome departed from Ferrara with many expressions and evidences of love and affection towards his people recommending them to the care of Cardinal St. Clement whom he had made Governour of that City and jurisdiction belonging to it On the 20th of December the Pope arrived at Rome full of joy and triumph for the happy acquisition of his new Dukedom but this contentment was much allayed by the sudden irruption of the Tybur which overflowing all its banks made such an inundation as drowned all the City and the Country round about which was not onely of damage to many in their Estates and ruin of their Houses but divers persons were drowned with all their substance and Estate never did Rome endure such desolation for on Christmas Day the Churches being filled with Water there was neither Mass nor Prayers nor Priest that was heard or seen within those Walls and the Pope himself was forced to pray on the tops of the Hills of Rome the poor that had saved themselves were yet in great misery and want and though spared by the Waters might have perished by Famine had not the charity of the Pope and Cardinals administred a relief to them and herein especially Cardinal Aldobrandino was signally useful for he visited the Houses of the poor in Boats and supplied them with Bread and other Victuals as their occasions required The like almost we read of in the Life of Adrian I. And now the year of 1599. being entered the Pope began to make preparations for the following year which was called and appointed for the year of Jubilee and in order thereunto he exhorted all Christian Princes to peace and unity especially his labours were more intent and concerned for peace and good correspondence in Italy inviting all Sovereign Princes by his Apostolical Letters as they called them to Rome to gain the Jubilee promising all those Blessings Indulgences and Pardons which are of as high moment as the Salvation of their Souls And because I am of Opinion that the form of this general Letter may be curious and pleasing to the Reader I have undertaken to transcribe the same as translated from the Latin the words are these Clement the Bishop Servant of the Servants of God to all the Faithful in Christ who shall read these present Letters be Health and the Apostolical Benediction Since that by the Grace of God beloved Children in Christ the acceptable year of our Lord which is the year of Remission and Pardon doth approach and the day is come of Eternal Salvation and redemption from your sins Now that we are come to the year so much desired by all Christian people which is the most Holy Jubilee and which since the birth of Christ born of the blessed Virgin Mary is the year 1600. and which is now according to the usual custom to be celebrated with so much the greater joy and concourse of people by how much it is to be represented without corruption in the pure Original and primary Institution thereof for in regard we have by antient Tradition and testimony of our Forefathers received assurance that it was accustomary for the Church of Rome to grant Indulgences and remission of sins to all such who in every Age that is in the term of every hundred years came to Rome to visit the Churches of the Holy Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul and because that this Custom should not be esteemed by the World as a vain and superstitious rite of Gentilism Boniface VIII our Predecessour thought fit to confirm the same by his Apostolical Decree to all Ages howsoever other Popes who were our Predecessours have undertaken to reduce the same to a shorter term of years And indeed it hath not without the Divine and mysterious Ordination been enacted and decreed that within the Age and memory of Man this great benefit of God to mankind should be celebrated and remembred who when like the Sun of Righteousness he arose from the Inclosures of the Virgins Womb to bestow eternal Salvation on all the World he was pleased to appoint that the remembrance of this Benefit should be celebrated in no other place than this of Rome which is the Rock and the receptacle of the Christian Religion where all the Subjects as Sons of one Father and Sheep of one Shepherd resort to the Chair of St. Peter and to the firm Rock of Faith which shall never by the continued Course of Ages nor variety of times be altered or changed that the World may see one Sheep-fold and one Shepherd and the true splendour of one Faith and all the members thereof joyned and cemented together under one Head with the bonds of Love and Charity and lastly that they may see with what unity in the Roman Church the religious Solemnity of this year is observed in its due course which we may truly stile the Holy year This year therefore we may reasonably call the Holy year of Our Lord and the acceptable year because that Jesus Christ himself who is the Author of our Salvation the Son of God who was sent by the Eternal Father in the fulness of Grace and of the Holy Ghost hath so named it To heal the contrite in heart to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them who are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of our Lord. And whereas we though unworthy do sit in the Seat of Christ upon Earth and are stated in this sublime Place watching as a Centinel and a Guard Apostolical do declare publish and preach to all you who are the faithful in Christ this year of Jubilee