should succeed him a Right for ever to chuse a Successour and certainly he could not mean a Successour to the Kingdom of Germany which was hereditary and independent of the Roman See and therefore it can onely have reference to the Imperial Dignity Now whereas by the decease of Otho the 3d. who died without issue this Right of the Emperour devolved to the States who succeeded to the Sovereign Authority for it is a sure Maxim That the King cannot die they therefore challenged and appropriated to themselves the same Right of chusing Emperours the which afterwards they resigned and transferred to the seven Electors who exercise the same power unto this day three of which viz. Mentz Triers and Colen are Ecclesiasticks being Arch-bishops and Arch-Chancellours to shew and keep in remembrance that the Ecclesiastical State had once a Right in the Election of Emperours But Historians are so much at variance in this point and relate it with such variety that we shall not search farther into this matter but proceed to our purpose of the Election of Popes and of the formality therein used in this Age. We have in our foregoing Discourse mentioned that Popes were antiently chosen by the Nobility Clergy and people of Rome which was certainly the Original Custom Though the Book of the Sacred Ceremonies used in the Church of Rome tells us That St. Peter named Clemens for his Successour provided that it might so seem good to the Senators of the Roman Church that is to the Presbyters of which St. Peter had constituted a College of twenty four before his death with power and Authority to decide and determine all matters of difficulty arising in the Church The which Presbyters having little or no regard to the nomination and appointment of St. Peter chose Linus and after him Cletus and then Clemens succeeded who was rather recommended than chosen by St. Peter that so it might more plainly appear that Popes had not a Right to Elect their Successours for if that priviledg was denied to St. Peter much more ought it to be unto those who succeeded him These twenty four Presbyters were in the time of Pope Sylvester the first called Cardinals that is Princes in the Church on whom Innocent the 4th at the Council of Lions bestowed the red Hat as a mark and badg of their Dignity afterwards Schisms and Dissentions arising amongst the Senators the Clergy and people of Rome were admitted to be present at the Election but to have no Voice or Suffrage therein afterwards the force and violence of the people was such that they would have a Voice and concur with others in their Votes This popular way of Election caused such heats and disturbances that the Emperours were constrained for keeping the peace to interpose by their Authority and to Order that no Election should stand good until it was confirmed by the Imperial approbation The Kingdom of the Lombards being overthrown in the year 776. the Roman Empire was translated from the Greek to the German Princes and then Charles the Great assumed and exercised this power of Electing or what is all one the confirming of Popes Afterwards a Series of pious Emperours succeeding and considering that the Supreme Bishop was Instituted and Ordained by Christ himself to be a Shepherd to the Emperour as well as to feed his other Flock and to purge and spiritually to judg them they renounced the power of confirming Popes and entirely transferred it to the Roman Presbyters the Clergy and the people This popular manner of Election produced parties Schisms and contentions which often broke forth into bloud and wounds so that there was scarce a Regular Election for a long time the strongest always possessing the Chair until he was subverted by another more powerful than himself so that in the space of few years nine several Men seized on the Papal Chair namely Benedict the 9th Sylvester the 3d. Gregory the 6th Clement the 2d Damasus the 2d Leo the 2d Victor the 2d Stephen the 9th and Benedict the 10th To which last Nicolas the 2d succeeding a person of unparallel'd Sanctity and Wisdom did in the year 1051. study to cure and prevent these riotous courses for the future which upon the choice of every Pope were ready to bring and precipitate every thing into confusion For a Remedy whereunto he established a Law which was afterwards confirmed by the Council of Lateran that the election of the Popes should entirely rest and remain in the power of the Cardinals the which Law or Canon was afterwards confirmed by Alexander the 3d. and by Gregory the 10th in the Council of Lions and at Vienna by Clement the 6th The which happy Constitution hath tended much to the peace and quiet of the Church and as a Rule hereof Alexander the 3d. instituted at a General Council that he onely should be esteemed to have been canonically elected who had obtained his Choice by at least two Thirds of the College of Cardinals This power of Election hath ever since that time rested in the power of the Cardinals who after the Octaves appointed for solemnizing the Funerals of the deceased Pope have on the 9th or 10th day entered the Conclave in order to a new Election The Conclave is for the most part held at the Vatican Palace where in a long Gallery are erected small Apartments or Cells made of boards covered with purple Cloth for every Cardinal which place is appointed for the more convenient conference each with other to every Cardinal is allowed no more than two Servants which are called his Conclavists unless in case of sickness or other infirmity when three may be admitted The Cardinals being entered the Conclave is strictly guarded with the City Militia to hinder all commerce and intercourse of Letters from without The Gallery also is very closely watched being kept by a Master of the Ceremonies so that when the Cardinals have their Dishes served up to them they are visited and inspected by him lest any Letters or Advices should be concealed within the Meat According to this first Institution the Cardinals have a free use of several dishes of Meat for the first three days and whilst they are eating or doing any thing else in their Cells the outward Curtains are to be open and undrawn unless in the Night when they sleep or at other times that they take their repose when great care is taken that no undecent noise or disturbance be given It hath been accustomary of late years for the Cardinals to premise certain particular points and Articles necessary and convenient for the better government of the Church which are subscribed by the whole Community and every one takes an Oath to observe them in case he should prove to be the person chosen and promoted to the Pontifical Dignity After which matters are performed they proceed to an Election There are three ways by which Popes are chosen namely by Scrutiny by Access or
When his other great Affairs permitted he took very much delight in the study of the Arts by his Bounty and Goodness he gained the love of all men many good Laws he enacted repeal'd those that were superfluous and moderated those that were too rigorous Upon the Ruines of Byzantium he built a City of his own Name and endeavouring to make it equal in stateliness of buildings to Rome her self he ordered it to be called New Rome as appears from the Inscription under his Statue on Horse-back This great Prince well weighing and considering all things when he came to understand the Excellency of the Christian Religion how it obliges men to be moderate in their Enjoyments to rejoyce in poverty to be gentle and peaceable sincere and constant c. he thereupon heartily imbraced it and when he undertook any War bore no other Figure on his Standard but that of the Cross the form of which he had seen in the Air as he was advancing with his Forces against Maxentius and had heard the Angels near it saying to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this do thou overcome which accordingly he did freeing the necks of the people of Rome and the Christians from the Yoke of Tyranny and particularly defeating Licinius who had expell'd the Christians from City and Camp and persecuted them with banishment Imprisonment and Death it self exposing some of them to the Lions and causing others to be hung up and cut to pieces limb by limb like dead Swine Sylvester having so potent and propitious a Prince on his side leaves the Mountain Soracte whither he had been banished by the Tyrants or as some say had voluntarily retired and comes to Rome where he soon prevailed with Constantine who was before well enclined towards the Christians to be now very zealous in deserving well of the Church For as a particular testimony of the honour he had for the Clergy he allowed to the Bishops of Rome the use of a Diadem of Gold set with precious Stones But this Sylvester declined as not suiting a person devoted to Religion and therefore contented himself with a white Phrygian Mitre Constantine being highly affected with Sylvesters Sanctity built a Church in the City of Rome in the Gardens of Equitius not far from Domitians Baths which bore the name of Equitius till the time of Damasus Upon this Church the munificent Emperour conferr'd several donations of Vessels both of Gold and Silver and likewise very plentifully endowed it While these things were transacting at Rome at Alexandria a certain Presbyter named Arius a man more remarkable for his Person than the inward qualifications of his mind and who sought more eagerly after Fame and vain-glory than after Truth began to sow dissention in the Church For he endeavoured to separate the Son from the Eternal and ineffable Substance of God the Father by affirming that there was a time when he was not not understanding that the Son was Co-eternal with the Father and of the same substance with him according to that assertion of his in the Gospel I and my Father are one Now Alexander Bishop of Alexandria having in vain attempted to reclaim Arius from this his Errour by Constantines Appointment and at his great Charge a General Council was called at Nicoea a City of Bithynia at which three hundred and eighteen Bishops were present The Debates on either side were long and warm For divers persons subtil at Arguing were favourers of Arius and opposers of the simplicity of the Gospel though one of these a very learned Philosopher being inwardly touched by the Divine Spirit all on a sudden changed his opinion and immediately embraced the sound and Orthodox Doctrine which before he had pleaded against At length the matter being throughly discuss'd in the Council it was concluded that the Son should be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. acknowledg'd to be of the same substance with the Father Of those who were of Arius's Opinion affirming the Son of God to be created not begotten of the very Divinity of the Father there were seventeen But Constantine coming to understand the truth of the Controversie confirmed the Decree of the Council and denounc'd the punishment of Exile to those who contradicted it Hereupon Arius with only six more wer banish'd the rest of his Party coming over to the Orthodox Opinion In this Council the Photinians were condemned who had their name from Photinus a Bishop of Gallogroecia who taking up the Heresie of the Ebionites held that Christ was conceived of Mary by the ordinary way of generation as were likewise the Sabellians who affirmed that the Father Son and holy Ghost were but one Person In this Council also the Bishops according to Custom gave in Bills of Complaint to Constantine wherein they accused each other and desired Justice from him but the good Emperour burnt all their Accusations and told them that they must stand or fall by the Judgment of God only and not of men In this Council moreover it was decreed That no person who upon pretence of allaying the heat of his Lust had castrated himself should be admitted into Orders that no new Proselyte without a very strict Examination should be ordained and being so that it should not be lawful for him to co-habit with any other Women than his Mother or Sister or Aunt that none should be promoted to the Order of a Bishop unless by all or at least by three Bishops of the Province and that one Bishop should not receive any person whether Clerk or Laick who stood excommunicated by another It was decreed likewise and that very sacredly to prevent all oppression that there should be a Provincial Synod held every year whither any who thought themselves injured by the Bishop might appeal and I cannot see why this wholsom Institution should be abolished by the Prelates of our Age unless it be because they dread the Censures of the pious and Orthodox It was decreed also that they who in time of Persecution fell away before they were brought to the Torture should from thenceforward continue five years among the Catechumens Finally it was decreed that no Bishop should upon the account of Ambition or Covetousness leave a smaller Church for a greater a Canon which is quite laid aside in our days wherein with eager Appetites like hungry Wolves they all gape after fatter Bishopricks using all importunities promises and bribes to get them The Constitutions of Sylvester himself were reckon'd these that follow viz. That the holy Oyl should be consecrated by the Bishop only that none but Bishops should have the power of Confirmation but a Presbyter might anoint any person baptized upon the occasion of imminent death That no Laick should commence a Suit against a Clergyman that a Deacon while he was doing his Office in the Church should use a Cope with Sleeves that no Clergyman should plead for others or himself before a Secular Judg. That a
to act in any thing without the counsel and advice of them and consent of the people and that he would examine the Causes and the merits thereof in their presence and moreover he reproves certain Priests for their irregular proceedings in cases of judgment threatning to give an account thereof unto the people This charity and plain dealings of the Bishops gained them such reputation that their advice and sentence was almost in all matters followed and admitted by the people whose charity in after-Ages growing cold and careless of the mutual good and benefit each of other came by degrees to cast off this burdensom Office of Judgment and to remit it solely to the Incumbence of the Bishop who also degenerating from the primitive humility easily gave way to the allurements of ambition and under the disguise of Charity and Vertue embraced the Authority of passing sentence without the assistance or consultation with co-ordinate Judges So soon as the persecutions ceased great loads of business Cases and Trials at Law devolved upon the Bishop so that then he was forced to erect a Tribunal of Justice and contrive Methods and rules for Judicial proceedings howsoever in those times of simplicity and innocence things were not so wholly corrupted but that though the antient Discipline of remitting matters to the determination of the Church did cease yet sincerity and uprightness in passing Sentence still continued The which when Constantine the Emperour observed and considered the great difference there was between the captious and litigious proceedings of secular Advocats and Proctors who made Law-suits and wranglings their benefit and Trade and the honest and conscientious Methods and determinations of the Clergy he ordained that the Sentence of the Bishop should be definitive and without appeal with power to grant an injunction to all proceedings at Common Law in case the party agrieved should desire to have recourse to the Episcopal judgment and jurisdiction in his case Hence it came to pass that the Sentence of the Bishop was made a judgment of Court and put in execution by the hands of the secular Magistrate and this jurisdiction was farther amplified and increased in the year 365. by the Decree of the Emperour Valens But the extent of this Authority established by the Law of Constantine being afterwards abused by the corruption of succeeding Bishops was recalled by the Emperours Arcadius and Honorius and confined to causes purely religious without Courts or formal processes of Law and without power to intermeddle in civil differences unless the parties concerned should on both sides agree to remit their case by way of Arbitration or compromise to the Sentence of the Bishop But in regard the Bishops of Rome had for a long time been powerful in that City little notice was taken of this Injunction until in the year 452. it was again enforced and renewed by Valentinian the Emperour But not long afterwards the succeeding Emperours restored part of that Authority which had been taken from them and Justinian again erected their Courts of Judicature to which he assigned all Causes about Religion complaints and differences between the Clergy Ecclesiastical Fines and forfeitures with power to determine Cases between Lay-persons who should by way of Umpirage or Arbitration refer themselves to the Episcopal Court and in this manner did that charitable correction and that plain and sincere way of ending and composing differences between Brethren instituted by Christ Jesus begin to degenerate into that Dominion which our Saviour had forbidden to his Apostles And farther to strengthen and confirm this Episcopal Authority so soon as the Empire was divided and that the Western Provinces were separated from the Eastern Dominions then were many of the Bishops taken into the Councils of Princes whereby the Secular Power being annexed to their Spiritual capacity served much to advance and raise the reputation and Authority of the Episcopal Dignity so that two hundred years had not passed in this manner before the Bishops arrogated to themselves a Power to judg the Clergy in all Cases both Criminal and Civil And to extend their Jurisdiction farther they framed a Term called Mixed Actions in which the Bishop as well as the Secular Magistrate might grant Process that is in matters where the Judg had not been diligent or cold and remiss or dilatory in his proceedings then the Bishop might take the Causes out of his hands by which pretence and usurpation little business remained for the Secular Courts And farther by vertue hereof they established a general standing Rule as unalterable as a fundamental of Faith that in Cases where the Magistrate was remiss or delayed to do Justice those Causes did ipso facto devolve to the cognizance of the Bishop Had the Prelats stuck at this point and not proceeded farther it had been pretty tolerable for then a Power might have remained still in the hands of the Civil Magistrate to moderate and retrench the excesses of Ecclesiastical encroachments as occasion served but those who had imposed this yoak on the people thought fit for their own security to rivet it in such manner about their necks that it could never be shaken off again having to that purpose forged a principle in their own Shops under the Title of a fundamental point of Faith That the Bishops power of judging in Causes as well temporal as spiritual took not its Original and Authority from the Decrees or connivence of Emperours or from the will and pleasure of the people or by custom or prescription but from a right inherent in the Episcopal Dignity and conferred thereupon by the institution of Christ himself As appears in the History of the Council of Trent wrote by Father Paul Sarpi This was certainly a bold and a hardy Assertion which could so easily have been refuted by those who had read the Codes of Theodosius and Justinian with the Capitularies of Charles the Great and Concessions and Ordinances of succeeding Princes both of the Eastern and Western Empire in reading and considering which a Man must be strangely blind or stupid who cannot observe by what ways and Methods the excess and exorbitance of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction was introduced into the World And indeed it is strange to consider that on the bare foundation of that Spiritual Power to bind and loose given by Christ to his Church and by that Ordinance of St. Paul to compose differences between the Brethren and prevent their going to Law before Infidels should by a long tract of time and by several Artifices and subtil contrivances be erected a Temporal Tribunal the most extensive and most considerable of any that ever was in the World and that in the midst of divers Kingdoms and Principalities of Europe there should be an other State established independent on the Publick which is such a Model and form of Political Government as never any of the Antient Legislators could ever fansie or imagine to be consistent with the Sovereignty of a Temporal Prince
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
as they were leading him to Punishment disposed of what he had to Stephen the Arch-deacon and afterwards upon the fifth of May was beheaded Lucina with some of the Clergy buried his body by night in a Grotto of hers in the Via Appia nor far from the Coemetery of Calistus There are some who write that the Bishop suffered under Gallus and Volusianus but I rather give credit to Damasus who affirms Decius to have been the Author of his Martyrdom Cornelius held two Ordinations in the Month of December in which he made four Presbyters four Deacons seven Bishops He sat in the Chair two years three days and by his death the See was vacant thirty five days S. LUCIUS I. LUCIUS by birth a Roman his Father's Name Porphyrius was chosen Bishop when Gallus Hostilianus was Emperour Gallus associated to himself in the Government his Son Volusianus in whose times there arose so great a Plague to revenge the cause of Christianity that there were few Families much less Cities and Provinces which had not their share in the publick Calamity But while Gallus and Volusianus were engaging in a Civil War against Aemilianus who had attempted an alteration of the Government they were both kill'd at 〈◊〉 before they had compleated the second year of their Empire Aemilianus a person of obscure birth was slain e're he had possess'd his usurped Power three months and soon after Valerianus and Gallienus were chosen Emperours the former by the Army in Rhetia and Noricum the latter at Rome by the Senate Their Government proved very pernicious to the Roman State by the means of their own Pusillanimity and the 〈◊〉 they exercised against the Christians For both the Germans had marched forward as far as Ravenna laying all 〈◊〉 where ever they came with Fire and Sword and also Valerianus himself making War in Mesopotamia was taken Prisoner by the Parthians and forced to live in the most ignominious servitude for Sapores King of Persia made use of him for a Footstool when he got up on Horseback A Punishment which justly 〈◊〉 him for this reason that as soon as he was seiz'd of the Empire he was the eighth from Nero who commanded that the Christians should be put to Tortures be made to worship Idols or upon their refusal be put to death Gallienus being terrisied by this manifest Judgment of God suffered the Christians to live quietly But it was now too late for by the Divine Permission the Barbarians had already made Inroads upon the Roman borders and certain pernicious Tyrants arose who overthrew at home what was left undestroyed by the forein Enemy 〈◊〉 hereupon leaves the care of the Publick and spending his time very dissolutely at 〈◊〉 was there slain Lucius upon the death of Volusianus being released from banishment at his return to Rome ordained that every Bishop 〈◊〉 be accompanied where-ever he went with two Presbyters and three Deacons as witnesses of his Life and Actions In his time suffered Saint Cyprian who was first a Professor of Rhetorick and afterward as St. Hierem tells us at the persuasion of Coecilius the Presbyter from whom he took his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 becoming a Christian he gave his Estate to the Poor Having 〈◊〉 first ordained a Presbyter and then Bishop of Carthage he was 〈◊〉 to death under 〈◊〉 and Volusianus His Life and Martyrdom were 〈◊〉 well written by Pontius a Presbyter and his Companion in 〈◊〉 And it ought not to be forgotten that Cyprian before he 〈◊〉 was reconciled to the Opinion of the Church of Rome that 〈◊〉 were not to be re-baptized but to be receiv'd without any further Ceremony than that of Imposition of Hands a matter about which there had been formerly a great Controversie between him and Cornelius But to return to Lucius before his Martyrdom which he suffered at the command of Valerianus he delivered up his Ecclesiastical Power to 〈◊〉 the Arch-deacon He conferred holy Orders thrice in the month of December ordaining four Presbyters four Deacons seven Bishops He was interred in the Coemetery of Calistus in the Via Appia Aug. the 25th He was in the Chair three years three months three days and by his death the See was vacant thirty five days S. STEPHANUS I. STEPHANUS a Roman the Son of Julius was chosen Bishop when the Roman Empire seem'd to be utterly ruin'd and particularly at the time when Posthumus 〈◊〉 his Usurped Power in Gallia though not without great advantage to the Publick For he governed very well ten years together freed the Countrey from Hostility and restored that Province to its ancient Form But being afterwards kill'd at Mentz in a tumult of the Soldiers Victorinus succeeded him who was indeed an excellent Soldier but being exces ssively incontinent and adulterous was slain at Cologne Stephanus applying himself to the Regulation of the Church ordained that the Priests and other Ministers should not use their sacred Vestments any where but in the Church and during the performance of Divine Offices lest otherwise they should incur the Punishment of Belshazzar King of Babylon for touching the holy Vessels with prophane hands Concerning the Re-baptization of those who returned to the Faith he was of the same Judgment with Cornelius his Predecessor and thought it by no means lawful to communicate with those who re-baptized them Whereupon Dionysius who had formerly concurred in opinion about the matter with those of Carthage and the East both his and their Sentiments of it being now altered writes to Stephen and encourages him from the assurance that both the Asian and African Churches were now reconciled to the Judgment of the Roman See concerning it About the same time Malchion a Presbyter of Antioch a person of extraordinary Eloquence became very useful to the Church of God in writing against Paulus Samosatenus the Bishop of that place who endeavoured to revive the Opinion of Artemon affirming Christ to have been a meer man and that he had no Existence till he was conceived by the Virgin Mary An Opinion which being afterwards condemned in the Council of Antioch by general consent this Malchion in the name of the Synod wrote a large Epistle to the Christians concerning it As for Stephanus when he had by his Example and Persuasion converted a multitude of Gentiles to Christianity being seized by Gallienus as some say or else by those who upon the Edict of Decius were appointed to persecute the Christians he himself together with many others his Proselytes was hurried away to Martyrdom and having suffered he was interred in the Coemetery of Calistus in the Via Appia August the 2d after that he had at two Decembrian Ordinations made six Presbyters five Deacons three Bishops He was in the Chair seven years five months two days and the See was vacant two and twenty days S. SIXTUS II. SIXTUS an Athenian of a Philosopher became a Christian the Decian and Valerian Persecution yet continuing But it
whereupon the Senate and people of Rome being divided into two Parties the dissention rose to such an heighth that to compromise the business a Council was by mutual consent called at Ravenna where the whole matter being discuss'd in the presence of Theodoric he at length determined on the side of Symmachus and confirmed him in the Pontificate who by a singular act of Grace made his very Competitour Laurence Bishop of Nocera Yet about four years after some busie and factious Clergy-men being countenanced and assisted by Festus and Probinus two of the Senatorian Order set up for Laurence again upon which King Theodoric was so highly displeas'd that he sends Peter Bishop of 〈◊〉 to Rome to depose them both and possess himself of the Chair But Symmachus called a Synod of an hundred and twenty Bishops wherein with great presence of mind he purg'd himself of all things 〈◊〉 to his Charge and by a general suffrage obtained the banishment of Laurence and Peter who had occasion'd all this mischief Hereupon so great a 〈◊〉 arose in the City that multitudes both of the Clergy and Laity were slain in all parts not so much as the Monastick Virgins escaping In this Tumult Gordianus a Presbyter and a very good man was kill'd in the Church of S. Peter ad Vincula nor had an end been put to slaughter here had not Faustus the Consul in compassion to the Clergy appear'd in Arms against Probinus the Author of so great a Calamity After this the Christians having some small respite Clodoveus banishing the Arian Hereticks restores the Orthodox and Constitutes Paris the Capital City of his Kingdom Symmachus at this time expell'd the Manichees out of the City and caused their Books to be burn'd before the Gates of S. John Lateran Several Churches he built from the ground and several others he repair'd and beautifi'd That of S. Andrew the Apostle near S. Peters he entirely built enriching it with divers Ornaments of Silver and Gold and he adorn'd S. Peters it self and its Portico with chequer'd Marble making the steps of Ascent into it more and larger than they were before Moreover he erected Episcopal Palaces He built also the Church of S. Agatha the Martyr in the Via Aurelia and that of S. Pancrace He repaired and adorn'd with painting the Cupola of S. Pauls and built from the foundations the Church of SS Silvester and Martin the Altars of which he very richly adorned He made also the steps that lead into the Church of S. John and S. Paul and enlarged S. Michaels He built from the ground the Oratories of Cosmus and Damianus being assisted in that work by Albinus and Glaphyras two men of principal Note Besides this near the Churches of S. Peter and S. Paul he builded two Hospitals making provision of all things necessary for the poor who should dwell in them For he was in all respects very charitable and sent supplies of Money and Cloaths to the Bishops and other Clergy in Africa and Sardinia who had suffered banishment for the profession of the true Religion He repaired the Church of S. Felicitas and the Cupola of that of S. Agnes which was decay'd and almost ready to fall He also at his own charge redeemed multitudes of Captives in several Provinces He ordained that on Sundays and the Birth-days of the Martyrs the Hymn Glory be to God on High should be sung and indeed left nothing undone which he thought might tend to the Glory of Almighty God In his time Gennadius Bishop of Marseille a great imitatour of S. Augustine did good service to the Church He wrote one Book against Heresies wherein he shews what is necessary to every man in order to his Salvation and another de viris illustribus in imitation of S. Hierom. As for Symmachus having at several Ordinations made ninety Presbyters sixteen Deacons one hundred twenty two Bishops he died and was buried in S. Peters Church July the 19th He sat in the Chair fifteen years six months twenty two days and by his death the See was vacant seven days HORMISDA I. HORMISDA the Son of Justus born at 〈◊〉 lived in the time of Theodoric and Anastasius as far as to the Consulship of Boethius and Symmachus These two upon suspicion of designing against his Government were by Theodoric at first banish'd and afterwards imprisoned Boethius during his confinement wrote several things extant to this day and translated and made Commentaries upon the greatest part of Aristotles Works He was throughly skill'd in the Mathematicks as his Books of Musick and Arithmetick clearly demonstrate But at length both he and Symmachus were put to death by the order of Theodoric Some tell us that the cause of Boethius his sufferings was the zeal he shewed in opposing the Arians who were favoured by Theodoric but I think the former Opinion to be more probable Hormisda with the advice of Theodoric held now a Provincial Synod at Rome in which the Eutychians were again condemn'd by universal consent He also sent Letters and Messengers to John Bishop of Constantinople admonishing him to renounce that Heresie and to believe there are two Natures in Christ the Divine and Humane But John continued refractory trusting to the interest he had with the Emperour Anastasius who not long after was struck dead by a Thunderbolt which was believ'd to be a just Judgment upon him both for his patronizing so pernicious an Heresie and especially for his ill usage of the Legates sent to him by Hormisda whom contrary to the Law of Nations he treated very contumeliously and sent them home in a shattered leaky Vessel ordering them to return directly into Italy without touching at any shore in Greece 'T is said that he bid them tell the Bishop that he must know it to be the part of an Emperour to Command not to obey the Dictates of the Bishop of Rome or any other These Legates were Euodius Bishop of Pavia Fortunatus Bishop of Catina Venantius a Presbyter of Rome and Vitalis a Deacon Anastasius dying in the twenty seventh year of his Reign Justine a Patron of the Catholick Faith succeeds him who forthwith sends Ambassadours to the Bishop of Rome to acknowledge the Authority of the Apostolick See and to desire the Bishop to interpose his Ecclesiastical Power for the setling the peace of the Church Whereupon Hormisda with the consent of Theodoric sends Germanus Bishop of Capua John and Blandus Presbyters and Felix and 〈◊〉 Deacons his Legates to Justine by whom they were receiv'd with all imaginable expressions and testimonies of Honour 〈◊〉 Respect John the Bishop of Constantinople with multitudes of the Orthodox Clergy and other Persons of principal Note going forth in Complement to meet them and congratulate their Arrival But the followers of Acacius dreading their coming had shut themselves up in a very strong Church and upon Consultation what to do sent Messengers to the Emperour declaring that they would by no means subscribe to
not been driven from its Walls by the great Rains which sell so violently and incessantly and made such an Inundation that men look'd upon it as a second Noah's Floud This was the only cause why Pelagius was made Bishop of Rome without the consent of the Emperour the City being so closely besieged that none could pass to know his pleasure therein For at this time the Roman Clergie's Election of a Bishop was not valid unless they had the Emperour's Approbation Hereupon Gregory a Deacon a man of great Piety and Learning was sent to Constantinople to appease the Emperour where having effected what he came for he neglected not to employ his time and parts but both wrote Books of Morals upon Job and also at a Disputation in the presence of the Emperour himself he so basfled Eutychius Bishop of Constantinople that he was forced to retract what he had written in a Book of his concerning the Resurrection in which he asserted that our Bodies in that glory of the Resurrection should become more thin and subtile than the Wind or Air and so not tangible Which is contrary to that of our Saviour Handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have As for Pelagius having at the request of the Citizens of Rome recalled Gregory turned his Fathers House into an Hospital for poor old men and entirely built the Coemetery of Hermes the Martyr and the Church of Laurence the Martyr he died of the Pestilence which at that time was very epidemical throughout Europe after he had been in the Chair ten years two months ten days and was buried in S. Peter's in the 〈◊〉 The See was then vacant six months twenty eight days GREGORY I. GREGORT a Roman Son of Gordianus one of the Senato rian Order was against his will unanimously chosen Bishop of Rome Anno Dom. 590. Now because as I have already said the consent of the Emperour was required herein he dispatches Messengers with Letters 〈◊〉 Mauritius that he would not suffer this Election of the Clergy and People of Rome to stand good These Letters were intercepted and torn by the 〈◊〉 and others written by which the Emperour was requested to confirm him who was by universal suffrage thus chosen There could nothing be more pleasing and acceptable to the Emperour than the News of this Choice for the conversation of Gregory while he was at Constantinople had been very grateful to him and moreover he had Christned his Son Mauritius therefore speedily sends word back to Rome that he did confirm the Election of Gregory and that in such a 〈◊〉 state of things they should compel that holy man to undertake the Government of the Church He therefore not consulting his own inclination but the 〈◊〉 of Mankind and the honour of God which as he was a most devout and religious man he had ever preferred before all other things without any regard to Riches or Pleasures or Ambition or Power takes the burden of the Pontificate upon him And he behaved himself so well in it that no one of his Successours down to our times has been his Equal much less Superiour either for Sanctity of Life or for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in managing Affairs or for his Learning and Writings He composed a Book of the Sacraments wrote Commentaries upon 〈◊〉 and as I have already said upon Job and Homilies upon the Gospels four Books in Dialogue and that which he called the Pastoral to 〈◊〉 Bishop of Ravenna concerning the way of governing the Church Moreover he introduced several Rites and made several Additions to the Offices of the Roman Church and particularly he first instituted the greater Litanies or 〈◊〉 and appointed a great part of the Stations And that the good man might not in any thing be wanting to the Church he held in S. Peter's a Synod of twenty four Bishops wherein he took away many things which might prove pernicious and added many which might be beneficial to Religion He also 〈◊〉 into England Auguscine Melitus and John and with these divers other Monks all persons of approved lives by whose Preaching the 〈◊〉 were then first entirely converted to Christianity By his means likewise the Goths returned to the Union of the Catholick Church We are told by some Writers that Gregory sent his Dialogues concerning Morals to Theudelinda Queen of the Lombards by the reading of which she might smooth and polish the rugged temper of her Husband 〈◊〉 and bring him to a better sense of Religion and Morality She was an excellent Lady and a zealous Christian and not only built the Church of S. John Baptist at Monza a Town ten miles distant from Milain but also furnished it with Vessels of Gold and liberally endowed it T is said that at the time when 〈◊〉 was put to death by his Father Levigild King of the Goths because he professed the Catholick Faith the 〈◊〉 Coat of Christ which fell by Lot to one of the Soldiers was found in the City Zaphat laid up in a Marble Chest there Thomas being then Bishop of Jerusalem John Bishop of Constantinople and Gregory Bishop of Antioch In the mean time Mauritius having in 〈◊〉 and Terra di Lavoro by his General Romanus the Exarch gain'd the better of the Lombards who from a confidence grounded upon their former successes were now degenerated into all manner of Vice makes a Law that no person who had listed himself in the Roman Army should be at liberty to withdraw and take upon him a Religious life till either the War were ended or the man himself 〈◊〉 or disabled Gregory being moved hereat admonishes him not to oppose the Religion of that God by whose bounty he had been raised from a very mean condition to the highest Degree of Dignity Moreover John Bishop of Constantinople having in a Synod which he held procured himself to be styled the Oecumenical i. e. Universal Bishop and Mauritius hereupon requiring Gregory to yield obedience to John He being a person of great Courage and Constancy returns answer That the Power of binding and loosing was committed to Peter and his Successours not to the Bishops of Constantinople and therefore warns him to desist from provoking the wrath of God against himself by being too 〈◊〉 in sowing Dissention in the Church But Mauritius not content with the mischief he had done already re-calls his Soldiers which were in Italy and encourages the Lombards to assault the Romans without any regard to the League they had entred into with them Hereupon Agilulphus moving from Lombardy and laying waste all Tuscany through which he passed invests and very much annoys the City of Rome one whole year in which time Severus Bishop of Aquileia becoming Heretical was the occasion of many Evils For after his Death the Patriarchate of Aquileia was divided into two Agilulphus King of the Lombards constituting John of Aquileia and our Gregory Candianus of Grado Bishops to the people of Friuli But Agilulphus
Salutations and Respects having pass'd on both sides they entred the Church and being come up to the Altar Charles and the Pope the Romans and the French took a mutual Oath to maintain a perpetual Friendship and to be Enemies to the Enemies of each other After which Charles making his Entrance into the City devoutly visited all the Churches and made several Presents to them Four days after his being there he by Oath confirmed and amply enlarged the Donation of his Father Pipin to Gregory the third containing according to Anastasius in 〈◊〉 all that reaches from the long since demolished City Luna to the Alpes the Isle of Corfica and the whole Tract between Luca and Parma together with Friuli the Exarchate of Ravenna and the Dukedoms of Spoleto and Benevent These Affairs being thus setled Charles taking his leave of Adrian returns into Lombardy and becomes Master of Pavia on the sixth month after the investing of it Towards Desiderius however he was so favourable as that though he berest him of his Kingdom yet he spared his Life and only confined him with his Wife and Children to Lyons Advancing thence again Arachis Duke of Benevent who was Son-in-law to Desiderius and had been an Abettour of his rash Proceedings he soon forced him to sue for a Peace and received his two Sons for Hostages After this in his Passage farther he religiously visited Mount Cassino and confirmed all the Grants which had been made by other Princes to the Monastery of S. Benedict And so the Affairs of all Italy being composed and strong Guards left in the most important places of Lombardy he returns with great Spoil and mighty Glory into his Kingdom or France carrying with him his Brother Caroloman's Relict and Sons whom he always treated with Respect and Honour and also Paul a Deacon of the Church of Aquileia a Person for his Parts and Learning highly belov'd by Desiderius to whom he gave his Freedom and had for some time a great Esteem for him But understanding afterwards that the man was assisting to a Design of Desiderius's his Flight he banish'd him into the Island of Tremiti from whence after some years making his Escape and coming to Arachis at the Request of Adelperga Daughter to Desiderius and the Wife of Arachis he added two Books to the History of Eutropius giving an account of what passed from the time of the Emperour Julian to that of Justinian the first After the Death of Arachis he betook himself to the Monastery of Cassino where leading the remainder of his life very devoutly he oftentimes wrote elegant and obliging Letters to Charles and received again the like from that King who had preserved him for the sake of his Learning Thus ended the Kingdom of the Lombards in the two hundred and fourth year after their coming into Italy and in the year of our Lord seven hundred seventy six Charles now without any delay marches against the idolatrous Saxons who during his absence in Italy had rebelled uttterly subdues that People with whom he had been engaged in War for thirty years before and compells them to receive Christianity Then turning his Army against the Spaniards who were also fallen away from the Faith he took the Cities of Pampelona and Saragoza and permitted his Souldiers to plunder them not granting a Peace to these Spaniards but upon condition they would entirely embrace the Christian Doctrine After this returning into France matters having went according to his mind as he passed the Pyrenean Hills he fell into an Ambuscade of the Gascons in engaging with whom though he gallantly defended himself yet he lost Anselmus and Egibardus two brave Commanders Some tell us that in this Encounter Rolandus Charles's Sister's Son perished after he had made a great slaughter of the Enemy though whether he died of Thirst as is commonly said or of the wounds he received is uncertain At length these Gascons were vanquished by Charles and received from him the deserved Punishment of their Revolt and Perfidy At this time Taxillo Duke of Bojaria Desiderius's Son-in-law having gained the Huns to be on his side made an Attempt of War against the French which yet Charles by his great Expedition almost made an end of before it was quite begun and to him also upon Hostages given he granted a Peace While these things were transacting in France Constantine Emperour of the East was seized with a Leprosy from whence perhaps arose the groundless Opinion of the Leprosy of Constantine the Great through the confusion of their Names and dying left Leo the fourth his Successour who so strangely doated upon precious Stones that robbing the Church of S. Sophia of its Jewels he made with them a Crown of a vast weight and value which he wore so often that either through the Weight or from the coldness of the Stones in it he shortly fell sick and died The same I believe to have happened in our Time to Paul the Second who so effeminately prided himself in such Ornaments almost exhausting the Treasury of the 〈◊〉 to purchase Jewels at any rate that as often as he appeared publickly instead of wearing a plain Mitre he looked like the Picture of Cybele with Turrets on her Head from whence what with the weight of the Jewels and the sweat of his gross Body I am apt to think arose that Apoplexy of which he died suddenly After the Death of Leo his Relict Irene and his Son Constantine managing the Empire in a Council of three 〈◊〉 and fifty Bishops held the second time at Nice it was 〈◊〉 that whosoever mantained that the Images of the Saints were to be destroyed should be censured with perpetual Excommunication But young Constantine through the persuasion of some ill men about him treading in the Footsteps of his Father soon after revoked this Constitution and wholly deprived his Mother of any share in the Administration of Affairs Then putting away his Wife he received to his Bed and caused to be crowned Empress Theodora one of her Maids Moreover he gave Order to those Commanders he had in Italy to give disturbance to their Neighbours but they were at the first Message terrified from any Attempts by the prevailing Authority of Charles who at this time was advancing with his Forces against the Sclaves and Hunns or we may call them Hungarians because by their Incursions they had molested all the Countrey about the Danow whom having vanquished he marched into Franconia the Countrey of his Ancestours from whence the Franks or French derive their Name which Province he having with ease brought to his Devotion two years after Theophylact and Stephen two Bishops of great Note held a Synod of Frank and German Bishops wherein that which the Greeks called the Seventh Synod and the Felician Heresie touching the Destruction of Images was condemned Adrian being now by the Interest and Power of Charles secured from the fear of any warlike Incursions applies himself to the repairing the City
wrote much in praise of the Blessed Virgin and of the Holy Cross and Albo Abbat of Fleury who afterward in Gascoign suffer'd Martyrdom for the faith of Christ Men famous for Learning Religion and Sanctity are said to have flourish'd This John died after he had been Pope ten years six months and ten days and the Sea was vacant six days GREGORY V. GREGORY the Fifth a Saxon Son of Otho before call'd Bruno by the Authority of Otho III. for Kinred sake was made Pope But upon the return of Otho into Germany being vex'd by the Roman factions he fled first into Tuscany and thence into Germany to the Emperor Mean while the Romans vest Crescentius with an absolute Consular Power who immediately creates Pope John a Greek Bishop of Piacenza not more wealthy than learned whose name I confess is by some left out of the Catalogue of Popes as not regularly created but others make him John XVII because he was chosen by the Clergy and People of Rome to whom of right the Election belongeth Crescentius upon the news of Otho's approach with his Army fortifies the Walls and Gates of the City with all diligence he fortifies too the Castle S. Angelo and places strong Guards in every Post that required so that for some time after it was called Crescentius's Castle taking the name of him that fortified it instead of that of the Builder At length the Emperor arriv'd and investing the City when the Romans perceived themselves unable to withstand so great Forces trusting to the clemency of Otho they opened their Gates to the Germans And now Crescentius and John being without Friends and at their wits end fled into Castle S. Angelo and defended themselves well till upon hopes of Pardon coming forth to address themselves to the Emperor Crescentius receiving many wounds from the Multitude was kill'd but John having his Eyes first put out lost both his Popedom and life together and Gregory after he had been expell'd nine months was restored He taking notice of the weakness of the Empire and the uncertainties of Chance and being willing to preserve the Empire among the Germans and that he should be preferred before other who excell'd in worth and Virtue with the consent of Otho he made a Decree concerning the Election of an Emperor An. Dom. 1002. which has continued in force to this day To wit that it should belong to the Germans alone to chuse a Prince who should be Coesar and King of the Romans till the Pope should have confirm'd him and then to have the Titles of Emperor and Augustus Ptolemy writes that at first the power of Election of Emperor was in the Arch-bishop of Mentz for Germany the Arch-bishop of Triers for France and the Arch-bishop of Cologn for Italy To these were added four Secular Princes the Marquess of Brandenburgh who after the Election is Chamberlain to the Emperor the Count Palatine who is chief Sewer the Duke of Saxony who is Sword-bearer and the King of Bohemia the seventh Elector and Cup bearer was added they say to prevent discord between parties for if the rest were equally divided his Vote turned the Scale This 't is said gave distaste to the French but because the Line of Charles the Great being extinct in Lewis the Son of Lotharius that Realm was fallen into the hands of Hugh Capet the chief Minister at that time the great affairs of that Kingdom for some time not being manag'd by Kings they wav'd all thoughts of retrieving the Empire but the main reason was that the new Possessors were well enough yet satisfied with their fortune and dar'd not attempt any thing further 'till they were certain that their late acquir'd Regal Power stood upon a good foundation Robert the Son and Successor of the Great Hugh is much and deservedly praised for his Courage Justice Modesty and Religion for though he exercised himself very much in the Art Military yet he found time so often to frequent the Churches of God and to celebrate the Divine Service as if he had been in holy Orders He is said to have made the Hymn Sancti spiritûs assit 〈◊〉 gratia and by these Arts not less powerful than his Arms he gain'd the hearts of the People and drew those honourable respects to his Family which they had before given to that of Charles the Great Robert a certain Bishop of Chartres is about this time said to have been in great repute for Learning and Sanctity he having written much and reduced the singing in Churches to a better method Gregory died after he had been Pope two years and five months The Sea was vacant fifteen days JOHN XVIII JOHN the Eighteenth Bishop of Piacenza by the power of Crescentius the Consul as we said whom he had corrupted with his Money in the time of Gregory V. was made Pope by a Faction for he brought so much Money with him from Constantinople that even the good Men might be brib'd to serve his ill ends much less might he prevail with the Covetousness and Ambition of Crescentius I wonder that Historians place this John in the number of the Popes he having got into the Chair while Gregory was alive unless that in writing the Lives of Popes it may be thought fit as in a continued History to set down the outrages of Usurpers and Tyrants as well as the worthy Actions of good and lawful Princes that Readers may observe the difference between good and bad and upon the sight of examples of both be deterred from vitious and encouraged to virtuous practices and lead a blessed and happy life in the Earth Which blessedness and felicity John wanted for being a Robber and a Thief in his Pontificate and coming not in as he ought by the Door He died with ignominy enough in the tenth month of his Usurpation The Sea was vacant twenty days SYLVESTER II. SYLVESTER the Second before called Gilbert a French Man got the Popedom as they say by ill Arts. When he was young he was entred and sworn a Monk of Fleury in the Diocese of Orleans but he left the Monastery to follow the Devil to whom he had wholly delivered himself up and went to Sevil in Spain to study humane Sciences being extreamly greedy of Knowledg and Learning in which he made such progress that of a Scholar he soon became an excellent Master Martinus writes that the Emperor Otho King Robert of France and Lotharius a Man of noble birth and great learning afterward Arch bishop of Sens were his Scholars Gilbertus therefore full of Ambition and push'd on with the diabolical desire of Rule by Simony first gets the Arch-bishoprick of Rhemes and then of Ravenna at last the Devil helping him with an extraordinary lift he got the Popedom upon this Condition that after his death he should be wholly the Devils by whose assistance he had arriv'd at so great a Dignity Being greedy of Rule he ask'd the Devil once how long he should enjoy the
had by intervals held S. Peter's Chair ten years four months and nine days he died upon which the Sea cannot be said to have been vacant at all because he sold it Historians write that at this time Gerard a Venetian Bishop of the Hungarians an excellent Man and of great Learning chearfully suffer'd Martyrdom by the Enemies to the name of Christ being bound to a Cart and from a high Hill let down upon a Precipice and torn to pieces SYLVESTER III. SYLVESTER the Third a Roman Son of one Laurence was substituted into the room of Benedict when he was expell'd but held it not long for after nine and forty days Benedict was restor'd by his own Faction The Popedom was now brought to that pass that he who was most ambitious and would give most for it not he who was most religious and learned surely obtain'd this high Office to the great oppression and discouragement of all good Men a naughty custom which I wish were laid by even in our own times and yet this mischief is not so great but that I fear except God avert we shall see much worse I return to Sylvester who being Cardinal of Sabina was made Pope not by the College of Cardinals for that had been tolerable but meerly by Simony as some write and soon after justly deposed having entred like a Thief and a Robber not by the Gate but by the back door Benedict indeed was restor'd but the City continued in a hubbub sometimes desiring this Man and then another to be put up which uses to be the case of a Mobile who wanting a Governour to steer their giddy humours generally prefer the worse to the better Men. GREGORY VI. GREGORY the Sixth Arch-deacon of S. John at Port-Latin receiv'd as we said the Chair of Benedict But the Emperor Henry II. hearing of these miscarriages with a great Army enters Italy and calling a Council causes Benedict IX Sylvester III. and Gregory VI. all to be deposed for so many wretched Monsters and creates Syndegerus Bishop of Bamberg Pope by the name of Clement II. Yet Gilbertus the Historian affirms this Gregory to have deserv'd very well of the Church having by his Authority and great Spirit in a short time reasserted the dignity of the Sea Apostolick which had been much weakned in its Powers by the negligence of some of his Predecessors for he recovered the Patrimony of the Church and first with Excommunications and Curses and when they avail'd not with downright force of Arms he destroy'd the Banditi who lurking near the City would cruelly murther Pilgrims as they came to Rome for devotion sake For this reason some wicked Rogues slander'd him commonly with the names of Murtherer Simoniac and Blood-thirsty nay even some Cardinals would say so too which so mov'd Gregory that whilst he lay ill of that sickness of which afterward he died he sent for those Cardinals and rebuk'd them sharply for finding fault with that which was done with so much justice and honesty And that you may know says he whether I have done that which is right or no when I am dead carry my Corps to the Church-doors which first let be lock'd up and if they do miraculously open then think that I am an honest Man and worthy of Christian burial if not that both Soul and Body is damn'd and you may cast out my Corps where you please The Cardinals did accordingly and the doors were thrown open by a strong Wind that rose on a sudden and the Body brought in to the admiration of all Men and to the great reputation of his Sanctity This is the substance of what various Authors write of Gregory who sate in the Chair two years and seven months during the Schism CLEMENT II. CLEMENT the Second before call'd Syndegerus Bishop of Bamberg was made Pope in the Council by the consent or rather Authority and Command of Henry II. who having received at this Popes hands the Imperial Crown caused the Romans to take an Oath after a form he prescribed not to meddle in the Election of any Pope except by a command from him for the Emperor saw things to be come to such a height of Licentiousness that any factious and potent fellow however ignoble could arrive at that Dignity by purchasing the suffrages of the Electors which ought not to be conferr'd but by the Spirit of God upon those that excell'd in Learning and a holy life From hence he went to 〈◊〉 where he settled all things and having listed those Soldiers who had so stoutly resisted the Saracens he return'd by Rome for Germany He was no sooner gone as some write but the Romans contriv'd to poison the Pope because made so without their assent in the ninth month of his Popedom nay some Authors say the venemous Potion was prepared for him by that Stephen who by the name of Damasus II. succeeded him at the time when Odo Abbat of Clugny a Man of extraordinary holiness dying Hugo was made Abbat after him a noble Personage pious devout affable and learned Henry II. at this time reigning in France Alphonsos in Spain and Michael with his Son Constantine being Emperors of Constantinople which Empire was now in great weakness and distress DAMASUS II. DAMASUS the Second a Bavarian surnam'd Bagnario or Pepone as some say seiz'd the Papal Chair by force without any consent of the Clergy and People So deep root had this licentious custom taken that any ambitious fellow durst invade the Seat of S. Peter But the just God avenged himself upon this Villain that he might be an example to the rest who should seek by ambition and Simony that which ought to be the reward of Virtue for on the 29th day of his Pontificate he died Some would not have this Man put in the Catalogue of Popes because he came not regularly to that Dignity and admire that the Romans were not mov'd with the villany of the action contrary to their Oath to Henry to compel him to lay down his Office but because he liv'd so short a time that the Citizens could not so soon bethink themselves what to do I think they are not to be blam'd We shall then pass to Leo. LEO IX LEO the Ninth a German An. Dom. 1049. was made Pope after this manner The Romans having sent Embassadours to the 〈◊〉 to intreat him to send them a good Pope he immediately nominated to them Baunon Bishop of Toul a good Man and of great integrity Who taking his journey towards Rome in his Pontifical habit was met by the Abbat of 〈◊〉 and Hildebrand a Monk born at Soana who persuaded him to lay by his Pontifical habit and to enter Rome for that Henry had no power from God to create a Pope but it belonged of right to the Clergy and People of Rome With these words Leo was so mov'd and because as he came along he had heard a Voice saying Ego cogito pacis cogitationes non afflictionis that he
safe through the whole adverse Army with great disficulty into Castle S. Angelo where being besieged for some time and seeing little hope of getting out free he corrupted the Besiegers with three hundred pounds in Silver and mounting a lean Horse he escaped all alone In the mean while Otho Arch bishop of Cologn before Henry the young Emperor charg'd his Mother Agnes with meddling too much with the affairs of State in Christendom to the great dishonour of the Empire whereupon a Commission was given to him to compose the Church-divisions according to his discretion and he coming to Rome at first rebuk'd Alexander with very hard words for entring upon the Papacy without the consent of the Emperor contrary to Law and Custom but Arch-deacon Hildebrand took him up and stiffly defended what the Pope had done proving that both by Law and antient Usage the Election of Popes belong'd to the Clergy and convinc'd Otho so far that the Emperor Henry being also at last conscious of his Error desir'd Alexander to call a Council and promised to come thither himself The City of 〈◊〉 was pitch'd upon as most fit and thither every one came who was concern'd for the safety and protection of the Church where all things being settled the Emperor himself not onely got the favour of the Pope but begg'd and obtain'd of him a Pardon for Cadolus who submitted to him and for Gilbert the Author as we said of all this mischief the Arch-bishoprick of 〈◊〉 The first of these the Pope easily agreed to by the example of our Saviour who even pray'd for his Persecutors but the second he granted much against his will and not till tir'd with the importunity of Henry fearing what fell out afterward that it would be very pernicious to the Church of Rome The Pope departing from Mantua and passing through Lucca consecrated the great Church there of which he had been Bishop with great solemnity intending to stay there till Arch-deacon Hildebrand had settled matters a little in Apulia who having received some auxiliary Forces of the Countess 〈◊〉 not only opposed the Power of Richard and William but forced them to restore what they had taken from the Church And then Alexander came to the City and after a Pontificate of eleven years and six months he died and was buried in the Church of S. John in the Lateran no manner of Pomp being spared that could be at the funeral of a Pope either by the Clergy or People In his time flourish'd John Gualbertus a Monk of 〈◊〉 and first of the Order a most holy Man and famous for Miracles GREGORY VII GREGORT the Seventh formerly called Hildebrand a Florentine of Soane whose Father's name was Bonicius was chosen Pope by consent of all good Men The words of the Election are these We the Cardinals Clerks Acolytes Sub-deacons and Priests with the Bishops Abbats and many others both of the Laity and Clergy do chuse this day April 22. at the Church of S. Peter in chains in the year 1472. as Christ's true Vicar Arch-deacon Hildebrand a Man of much learning piery prudence justice constancy religion modesty sobriety and contincncy who governs his Family very well is hospitable to the poor having been ingenuously brought up in the bosom of our holy Mother the Church whom we think sit to govern the Church with the same Authority as St. Peter by God's commandment formerly did And when he had gotten the Popedom he immediately admonished Henry the Emperour that he should not for the time to come take any bribes and 〈◊〉 Bishopricks or Benefices in a Simoniacal manner for if he did he and those that bought them should suffer the severity of Ecclesiastical Censures But Henry was so far from obeying his Admonitions though they were very grave that he deprived Agnes the Empress of all her share in the Government for telling him soberly what ought to be done in point of Religion And she upon that went to 〈◊〉 where she lived not long ere she died for grief At last after many Embassies to and fro the Emperour and Gregory were reconcil'd and Gregory was by him confirm'd in his Pontificate as then it was the custom for Emperours to do But when Henry who was fickle in good and obstinate in ill resolutions persisted in his Simony though often admonished the Pope laid an Anathema upon all those who had gain'd Bishopricks and Benefices by bribery And that he might not seem to have done it in an heat he called a Council in the Lateran at which many Bishops were present particularly Gilbert Arch-Bishop of Parma born at Ravenna where he gave a reason why he laid such Censures upon Simoniacks and said He would do the same to the Emperour unless he alter'd his mind Gilbert when the Council was dismiss'd having gotten a fair occasion to accuse Gregory and withal being ambitious of the Popedom incensed Cincius a Roman Citizen Son to Stephen who was Governour of the City no less rash than seditious against the Pope and promised him great things in the Emperour's name if he would do as he would have him Thereupon Cincius laid wait for the Pope and whilst he was saying Mass upon Christmas day at midnight in St. Maries the Great he broke in upon him with others of his gang took him as he was just administring the Eucharist haled him away and shut him up in a well fortified Tower The next day the people of Rome when they knew of it took up Arms against Cincius set the Pope at liberty demolish'd his House and the Tower and expell'd all his Family out of the City with their Noses cut But Cincius himself who was the Author of all that Roguery escaped and got through by ways to the Emperor in Germany Gilbert who was the contriver of that Stratagem seeing his Design frustrated dissembling his 〈◊〉 to him got leave of the Pope to retire to Ravenna meaning there to set on foot much worse intrigues For he induced Theobald Arch Bishop of Millain and many other Prelates of Lombardy to conspire against Gregory besides Hugo Candidus a Cardinal who though he had done the same before and was reconciled too yet at this time he seemed to be ill affected For he endeavour'd all he could to instigate the Emperour and the Normans who were at variance about the Empire to make a Peace with one another and joyn against the Pope Which when Gregory understood he called a Synod in the Lateran and giving his reason for so doing deprived Gilbert and Hugo of their Dignities and laid a Curse upon them Whilst these things were transacted at Rome Henry who had fought with his Enemies the Saxons very successfully was so puss'd up with his good fortune that he call'd an Assembly at Wormes of which Sigifred Arch-Bishop of Mentz was President where he was so bold as to prohibit all people from obeying the Pope in any case whatever And from that Assembly came Romandus a Clerk of Parma by Henry's
supplied with necessaries beside that the Patriarch of Jerusalem coming that way with some number of Ships was made a Prisoner so that Lewis being afraid his Army should be lost by famine resolv'd to return to Damiata and in his way fell into a great Ambuscade of the Enemy by whom he was routed and himself with Alphonsus Earl of Poitiers and Charles Earl of Anjou his Brothers-German was taken Prisoner but the Soldan not long after this great Victory was slain by his own Men and he that succeeded in his stead having Damiata surrendred to him and a good sum of Money discharg'd all the Christians and sent them under safe conduct to Ptolemais where Lewis sent away his two Brothers into his own Country and by the persuasion of Pope Alexander staid in Asia till Cesarea Joppa and Sidon Cities the Christians had newly gain'd from the Saracens were well garison'd with Men which done after having been six years on this Expedition he return'd home While this was doing Pope Alexander having excommunicated Manfred went to Anagni and dispatch'd away Octavian a Cardinal of the Church of Rome of the Family of the Vbaldini to confirm the Neapolitans in their resolutions against Manfred assuring him that he would in a short time come in person with good succours to the aid of them and those of Campania but Manfred not contenting himself to teize the Neapolitans raised up also several Factions in Tuscany especially at Florence which City upon the death of Frederic had asserted its Liberty where matters were carried so high that they were fain by a publick Edict to call home those persons who in the days of Frederic had been banish'd for being Guelphs that they might be rendred able to withstand the contrivances of the Gibellines by which means the Guelphish Faction got so great strength in Tuscany that they harass'd and did much mischief by their Troops to those of Pistoia Arezzo Pisa and Siena who had expell'd their fellow-Citizens for being Guelphs the Luccheses more than any helping them against the Pisans who had been certainly ruin'd by the Florentines after they had been overcome by 'em at the River Ansari but that they were afraid of those of Boggibonzi This Town stood in the Valley of Helsa about twelve miles from Siena very strong by its natural situation and by artificial strengths of which the Gibellines made use against the Guelphs as a Garison but it was at length taken and rased and then the Florentines being Enemies to Manfred made offer to the Pope of their assistance against him which so mov'd Manfred that having been first declar'd King at Palermo and with the help of some Saracen Auxiliaries having in divers conflicts broken the Forces of the Pope under the command of the Legat he sent his Lieutenant-General Jordan with one thousand five hundred Horse to the aid of the Sieneses against the Florentines who not long after were met by the Sieneses near the River Arbia and receiv'd so great an overthrow that they were forc'd to leave their City to the will of the Enemy The Pope yet ceased not to persecute the tyrannical Lords wheresoever they were for when Ecelino as was said had seiz'd into his hands almost all the Venetian Territories and had laid Siege to Mantua he immediately sent away Philip Fontanese Arch-bishop of Ravenna to Venice where having publish'd the Crusado he got together a good Army and with it drove Anselm Ecelino's Nephew out of Padua upon news whereof Ecelino raises his Siege from before Mantua and marches in great haste to Verona but understanding he could have no hopes of recovering Padua he put to death with divers torments all the Paduans he had in his Camp to the number of twelve thousand At this time the Friers Minors who were sent to Brescia had by their preaching persuaded those Citizens to recal the banish'd Guelphs and to declare for the Church and the same success they had had at Piacenza and Cremona but that Obert Pallavicino with the help of the Gibellines had taken the Goverment into his sole Power Against him then and Ecelino his Confederate the Pope's Legat assisted by the Guelphs marches with his Army but near Gambara he is defeated with great loss and himself with the Bishop of Brescia and the chief of the Guelphish Faction taken Prisoner all whom upon the surrender of Brescia Ecelino let go free An. Dom. 1249. This success of Ecelino made the Legat Apostolick very fearful of the increase of his Power and put him upon the design of bringing off Obert Pallavicino from his side which he effected by the means of Boso Donario a noble Citizen of Cremona who laying before him the barbarous and detestable cruelty of Ecelino wrought upon him to throw off his Alliance with him and to enter into the League with the Milaneses and Mantuans and those of the other confederate Cities This much enrag'd Ecelino seeing so many Enemies conspiring against him so that rendezvousing his Army at Cassano he from thence ravag'd all the Country about Milan provoking the Associated Cities to give him Battel which they did and not only vanquish'd him but took him Prisoner and he died soon after at Soncino of a wound he had receiv'd Upon his death all the Cities of Lombardy recover'd their liberty and became obedient Sons of the Church and the Pope's Legat who had procur'd to the Paduans their freedom as aforesaid to make an end of all the reliques of the War drives out of Treviso and puts to death Alberic Brother to Ecelino with his Wife and Children Pope Alexander having taken off these tyrannizing Lords and put an end to so many great confusions set his mind upon renewing the War in Asia but by reason of a quarrel which happen'd between the Genoeses and Venetians this pious and necessary Expedition was laid aside The Christians then inhabited Ptolemais and Tyre two opulent and wealthy Cities which were especially peopled with Genoese Pisan and Venetian Merchants who now for sixty four years had engross'd almost all the Trade both from East and West These Merchants had their several Exchanges their several Streets and Landing-places and nothing was common to both the Venetians and Genoeses but the Churches when a contention arose between 'em about the Monastery of S. Saba which each City claim'd to itself alone The Pope would fain have composed the difference and sent his Letters to both willing that the Monastery should be equal free to both Nations but the Genoeses having notice aforehand how the Pope intended to determine in the Case by the favour of Philip Montfort Prefect of the City they excluded the Venetians possess'd themselves of the Monastery and fortified it The Venetians hereupon unanimously leave the City and making League with Manfred King of Sicily raise Forces against the Genoeses and setting upon their Fleet consisting of two Gallies and twenty three great Ships then in the Port of Ptolemais they burn 'em and following
this Dignity Julius appeared extremely grave and modest in all his actions so that he acquired the good esteem and opinion of all persons obliging all those with whom he treated by his courteous and affable behaviour he afterwards obtained the Title of Bishop of Albano then of Sabino and great Penitentiary and lastly of Bishop of Ostia Velletri and Legate at Avignon In the time of Innocent the Eighth he had gained great power and interest in the Court of Rome but in the time of Alexander the Sixth he was forced to give way to other Favorites and the difficulties of those times and retire into France where he remained for the space of ten years At length as we have said having amassed great wealth he was almost by the common agreement of the whole Conclave promoted to the Papal Chair not without the astonishment and displeasure of many who being acquainted with his fierce and impetuous Spirit did admire as Guicciardin saith how a man known to be impatient of rest and tranquillity who had consumed his Youth in continual Travels offended many by necessity and exercised hatred and hostility could so speedily operate on so many dissenting Spirits and cause them to conspire in an unanimous agreement for his promotion But on the contrary it will not seem so strange if it be considered that he had been a long time Cardinal and by degrees gained such interest and authority in the Court of Rome that he was stiled the principal Defender of the Ecclesiastical Dignity and Authority that he was magnificent in his Buildings generous in his benefits and so punctual to his word that Pope Alexander who was otherwise his mortal enemy would yet do him that right as to confess him faithful and just to the performance of his promises but yet this good quality which he was so careful to preserve in his private condition he made no scruple or conscience to violate that he might become Pope for the obtaining of which he made such immoderate promises to Cardinals Princes and Barons that he well knew the whole Revenue and Price of the Papal Sea if set to sale had not been able to have satisfied and therefore 't is not difficult to imagin how the promises of a person not used to beguile should procure a confidence in the minds of the most scrupulous and wary persons Nor were the Cardinals only possessed with these expectations but Cesar Borgia himself conceived hopes upon his promises of being confirmed General of the Armies of the Church and of a Marriage between his Daughter and the Popes Nephew called Francis Maria de la Rovere the Prefect of Rome But he soon discovered the vanity of these hopes for Julius being Crowned the 26th of November and setled in the Papal Chair would afford him no other grace or favor than his liberty and freedom from imprisonment upon condition that he should deliver up into the Power of the Church the Fortresses of Cesena and Forli which were the retirements of his impious Guards Borgia who had deserved a thousand deaths being in this manner set at liberty from the Castle of S. Angelo embarked at Ostia in a Boat for Naples where so soon as he arrived he was seized by the great Captain Gonsalvo by order from the Catholick King and being thence transported into Spain he made his escape and fled to John King of Navarre where in a certain fray he was cut in pieces by the Cantabrians who are a people that border upon Asturias Julius being thus rid of this Pest of mankind by whom all Italy was embroiled and several dominions dismembred from the Church he endeavoured to recover all back again for being a true Defender of the Ecclesiastical Possessions and Rights he would compound for nothing but rather amplifie than retrench the Dominions of the Church The first enterprise therefore that he undertook was to drive out and expel John Bentivoglio his old inveterate enemy who had unjustly usurped a power over the City of Bologna forcing him with his Wife and Children to remain banished in Bassetto a Country belonging to the Dominions of Parma and contentedly to consent to the destruction of his Palace which was a fair and noble structure His next design was against the Venetians for recovery of Arimino and Ravenna with the Territories thereunto belonging by force of Arms from the Venetians and to that end entered into a League with Maximilian the Emperor the Kings of France of Spain with the Dukes of Ferrara and Mantoua all conspiring to the total ruin and subversion of the Venetian State the which League was agreed and signed at Cambray a City of Flanders Moreover the quarrel between the Pope and the Venetians was augmented by the dispute they had for the City of Faenza which the Pope laid claim unto as having always been a part of the Ecclesiastical State the which he resolved to wrest from their hands by the Spiritual as well as by Temporal Arms having thundered out his Excommunications both against the Senate and People On the contrary the Venetians pleaded that the City of Faenza was no part of the Possessions of the Church in regard that the Pope and Cardinals had in a full Consistory amply transferrred the Rights and Jurisdiction thereof to Cesar Borgia formerly Duke Valentino That before that Grant the Popes had never possessed Faenza but from time to time had given it to new Vicars without acknowledging other superiority than the Tribute which they offered to pay readily when it should be required These Arguments were seconded by the Venetians with an Army which appearing before Faenza and the Batteries began the City yielded it self into the hands of the Enemy they might with like facility have taken Imola and Furli but not to excite the indignation of the Pope too far they abstained from farther proceedings being masters already of Faenza and Rimini in Romagna with their Countries Montefiora S. Archangeo Verruca Gattere Savignano and Meldole with the Haven and Country of Cesena and in the Territory of Immola of Tossignana Solarvola and Montfattagla Notwithstanding this success and force of the Venetians the storm and power of so many potent Confederates raised against them was too furious and a match unequal for them to contend with The first beginning to so great a War was made the 15th of April when Monsieur de Chaumont with 3000 Horse passed the Ford of Adda and joyning afterwards with the other Confederates gave Battel to Alviano the General of the Venetian Forces the Fight was continued and maintained with great bravery and resolution on both sides but at length the Venetians being overwhelmed with the number of their Enemies and deprived of strength rather than courage without turning their backs to the Enemy they remained almost all dead upon the place After this Defeat which happened on the 14th of May 1509. at Guiaradadda the Emperor Maximilian took possession of Verona Vicenza Padoua and Trivigiano
to have that question put on the tryal and notwithstanding the high and passionate words which intervened between them and the arch-Arch-Bishops of Spain they positively forbad the Divines to treat farther on that Subject Howsoever after the Legats had considered that the Authority of these great Men had so deeply impressed this Opinion in the minds of the inferiour Clergy as was not to be defaced by the single dash of an over-ruling Power they appointed four Divines to confute the Arguments of the Spanish Prelats and to prove that the Bishops held their Power from the Pope and not immediately from Jesus Christ and that Episcopacy was no otherwise of Divine Right than as the whole Order of that Hierarchy was inherent in the Pope as the Head and source from whence all Ecclesiastical Power was derived by virtue of which it was in him onely to ordain Bishops over particular Churches to augment enlarge or restrain their jurisdiction and to depose suspend and transfer their trust and dignity unto others as he in his wisdom and infallible judgment should determine and command In defence of this Opinion Lainez General of the Jesuits an Orator of particular Note was appointed in a set Speech and at a Congregation purposely called to hear him on this question and thereupon such liberty was given him of Discourse that he declaimed for the space of two hours without any interruption alledging every thing which with any appearance of colour might be deduced from Scripture or the Antient Fathers all which was concluded with the general Applause of the Papal Party whilest others of the contrary Opinion were offended and netled in the highest degree Amongst the rest the Bishop of Paris at the next Congregation spake high and protested publickly against this Doctrine which as he said was invented by Cajetan who thereby merited the reward of a Cardinals Hat that the gentle Government of the Church was degenerated into Tyranny that the Spouse of Jesus Christ was made a Slave and prostituted to the Arbitrary pleasure of a single Person That for his part he was weary of those affronts and contempts which were daily offered to the Episcopal Dignity on which every petty Monk began to trample nor could he longer support the neglects which the Order of begging Friers put on that Sacred Function nor the insolences of the upstart Company of Jesuits who being neither Seculars nor Regulars but a mix'd composition of both acknowledged no other Jurisdiction but their own All which was delivered with such heat and vehemence as moved the bloud and farther incensed the minds of all those who were already enflamed with Resentments against the Speech of Lainez so that there was a common murmur through the whole Council universally concluding that the Speech of the Bishop of Paris was a clear refutation of all the frothy Oratory delivered by the General of the Jesuits howsoever the Legats still persisted in their Assertion and for support thereof were forming a new Party against the Spanish Prelats But these Disputes and heats were for a while suppressed by the many instances which were made by the Spaniards French Germans and others for a Reformation desiring that all other Debates and Controversies being laid aside the Council would be wholly intent to that great work of rectifying abuses which was the onely means that could produce peace and quiet in the Church But the Legats withstood this shock and endeavoured by delays and Artifices to evade this Assault made upon the Papal Power on which they dreaded the storm which the Cardinal of Lorain would make thereupon for he being now on his Journey to Trent gave out in all places through which he travelled that his Design was to abate the greatness and pride of the Pope and to ease the People of their Oppressions and Tyrannies which they suffered by the Court of Rome This Cardinal was a Person of great Power Interest and Revenue in France and therefore impatient of subjection to a Foreiner and desirous himself to be Pope or supreme Head of the Gallican Church to break all these Measures and countermine these Plots the Legats proposed several and different means sometimes it was resolved that the Pope should come to Bolegna that his near residence might over-awe the Council but not knowing how this might operate the next expedient was to adjourn the Council to some other place to proâ—ogue it for some certain time and in fine if all should fail then to dissolve it But this Remedy seeming too violent it was judged more convenient to suspend for a while the ordinary course of the Congregations hoping that with time the spirits and heats which Lainez Discourse had raised would abate and be allayed But this Remedy produced a contrary effect for the Prelats being at leisure banded together and dividing into several Factions and Meetings formed as many Councils as were Parties or interests Thus seven days passing without Congregations the Spaniards grew weary of the delays and with a haughty and arrogant manner associating themselves together came to the Legats and possitively demanded that Episcopacy should be declared to be by Divine Right to oppose this Spanish stiffness natural to the humour of that Nation eighteen or twenty Prelats were set up to contradict this Demand and require that no Determination should be made of that Controversie So that the Legats making use of these divisions to excuse themselves not being able to satisfie both Parties all things remained in suspense and in the mean time there was nothing but confusion and tumult and Consults how and in what manner to make Parties and Interests which gave the Legats just cause to fear the ill effect which these Disorders might produce After this intermission of Congregations on the 3d. of November they began again to meet when many Expedients were proposed to accommodate the Disputes which made so great a noise namely Whether Episcopacy and the Residence of Bishops in their respective Dioceses were instituted by Divine Right As to the latter the Cardinal of Mantoua one of the Legats did propose to have the question remain undecided but howsoever that every Bishop should be obliged under severe penalties to reside in his Diocess it being not material whether such residence were Jure Divino or not provided that every person observed and performed his duty therein But the first question was controverted with more passion the Bishop of Segovia averring that the Order of Episcopacy was declared by the Council held under Julius III. to be Jure Divino Upon reading the Act though the Roman Party would not dare to say that the Council had erred in that Point yet they endeavoured to evade the force of it by distinguishing between the Order abstractively and the Jurisdiction of it During these Contests the Cardinal of Lorain arrived at Trent where he made his entry on Horse-back with a great Train and Pomp supported between the two Cardinals of Mantoua and Seripande who were
being once celebrated is of force and not to be again dissolved but by Authority and dispensation of the Church After divers debates thereupon the Bishop of Metz was so happy as to find a form of words for that Canon which contented all Parties which was this That though the Church hath ever forbidden and detested Clandestine Marriages yet whosoever denies Clandestine Marriage to be a Sacrament let him be Anathema The marriage of Priests admitted now of no farther difficulty for though the Emperor the King of France and the Duke of Bavaria demanded that priviledg in behalf of their People yet that Point was now laid aside and all instances in that matter were denied to be heard or admitted to farther question or examination in the Council After this the Legats proposed thirty eight Articles in order to a Reformation which contained the many abuses and encroachments which Secular Princes had made upon the Rights of the Church but the Cardinal of Lorain was for abbreviating the Articles and for cutting off all those which might administer matter of Controversie so that by a speedy dispatch thereof the Council might tend towards a conclusion which caused many to wonder that the zeal which he had so warmly evidenced at first for a Reformation should so soon vanish and be evaporated A Copy of these Articles being communicated to the Ambassadours every one made his observations reflections and additions thereunto as was most consistent with the affairs of their respective Masters For the chief Remarks and alterations of the Ambassadours tended to something which might abate the Power and Authority of the Pope over the Ordinaries and the jurisdiction of the Bishops themselves over the Civil and Municipal Courts But the French were the most severe of any in the rules of Reformation For they would have the number of Cardinals restrained to twenty four that the Nephews of Popes during the life of the Pope should not be capable to receive a Cardinals Hat that Cardinals should be made uncapable to hold Bishopricks that criminal causes against Bishops should not be judg'd at other Tribunals than such as are within the Dominions of France That Bishops should be endued with plenary Power to give absolution in all Cases That Ecclesiastical persons should not be concerned or intermedle in secular Affairs and in short that they do no act or thing which may infringe the Law of France or intrench on the Liberties of the Gallican Church These particulars for reformation of the Church thus delivered were to be prepared against the next Session and as resolved so to be enacted and for Reformation of the Courts of Princes it was by agreement of the Ambassadours reserved as the chief matter and subject for a subsequent Session These Proposals were in no manner acceptable to the Pope who could not endure such fatal attempts on the Power and prerogative of the Church to avoid which nothing could be a defence or remedy but onely the dissolution of the Council to which end he earnestly wrote to all his Nuncios residing in the Courts of forein Princes commanding them to use their utmost art and skill to persuade the respective Princes to be aiding and concurring herein And farther gave orders to his Legats at Trent to grant freely whatsoever could not be refused and with all decent speed to put a final end and conclusion to the Council but this Design encountred some rubs and obstructions from the Spanish Ambassadour and others of that Party who complained of the private Cabals which the Legats held with certain Cardinals and other Confidents in exclusion of the Spanish Interest But their complaints were little regarded by the Legats whose greatest incumbence then was to satisfy the Bishops without whose concurrence the Council could not be dissolved For now the intention of the Bishops being to make use of this occasion to enlarge their Power and obtain some priviledges which were derogatory to the Papal Chair made that point of gaining the good will of the Bishops to be the more difficult because that their pretences of subjecting Monasteries and regulation of Friers and certain priviledged Churches to the Episcopal Jurisdiction which were exempted from it by Orders of the Pope found most opposition from the Generals of the respective Orders and indeed the Ambassadours themselves did not much favour this Demand which seem'd too highly to advance and exalt the pride and power of the Bishops Whilest these things were under Debate the French Ambassadours received a large Pacquet from their Master in answer to the late Proposals projected for a Model to reform abuses in the Courts of Princes the which much displeased the King and his Ministers of State who wondered at the daring attempts of the Clergy on the King 's Royal Power and Authority under a pretence of Reformation contenting themselves in the mean time with a slight and superficial review of their own abuses and therefore persuaded the Fathers of the Council to attend unto matters purely Spiritual and to such Acts as might serve to reform corruptions crept into the Church and to correct the debauched lives of Priests and Monks the scandal of which had been the cause of all the Schism in the Church rather than to intermedle with the sacred Prerogative of Kings or abett and maintain the Clergy in their opposition and contumacy against their Sovereign Thus much the Ambassadours had Orders to signifie to the Council with farther Instructions that in case they should notwithstanding this intimation proceed to encroach on the King's Regalia that then they should make their Protest and retire to Venice all which the Ambassadours made known to the Cardinal of Lorain and declared to the Legats requiring the Bishops to supersede their pretensions to those honours and priviledges which were the sole Right and Prerogative of Kings The Bishops who were resolutely bent to maintain those Emoluments which so nearly concerned them protested before the Legats that they would neither enter more into the Congregation nor give their advice or Voice in any matter unless they were first secured of the Rights to which they pretended which a hundred of them obliged themselves by solemn Oath never to remit All which violent Contests took up so much time that when the 15th of September was come which was the day before the Session nothing was duly prepared in order to pass into a Canon and therefore the time was prorogued until the 11th of November that so in the interim the Cardinal of Lorain might have sufficient time to make his Journey to Rome where he was greatly desired by the Pope and all that Party The Cardinal being arrived at Rome was received with all the joy and honours imaginable he was lodged in the Pope's Palace and immediately in Person visited by him which was a Complement that never Pope had made before to any under that character of a Cardinal After which there passed such kindness between them at several private
any Tax or Imposition on Christian Princes and require from them whatsoever they judged for the common good and welfare of Christendom But the Pope did not think this ground to have sufficient foundation on which to build and commence a quarrel but rather on the matters which did more neerly relate to the Interest of the Papal Sea It was not long before an occasion of this nature offered it self by means of one Scipio Saraceno a Prebend of Vicenza who had contemptuously torn off and broken the Seals which the Magistrates had fixed on the Episcopal Chancery during the vacancy of that Office and likewise finding that he could not debauch a Lady of known Vertue whom he tempted in the Churches and Streets and in all places where he could have any convenience to meet her he became so enraged with lust and malice that he besmeared with filthiness and tar the Gate and front of her House which being a high affront and disgrace to the Lady she with the advice of her Friends cited this insolent Prebend before the Court of Justice at Venice who as readily and willingly appeared being encouraged and bolstred up by the Bishop of Citta Nuova a person of great esteem in Venice and one who was Director of the Affairs of all the Nuntios and Papal Ministers at that place The Nuntio who was desirous to obtain a licentious exemption of all Priests from the Secular Power embraced the cause of the Prebendary with all readiness imaginable and immediately dispatched the news hereof to the Pope and to the Bishop of Vicenza who was then at Rome where after divers Consultations it was resolved as an essential Point relating to the Ecclesiastical liberty that the Cause of the Prebend should be maintained and defended and therefore the Pope who was glad of this occasion to assert the Authority and Rites of the Churches stormed and raved with the Venetian Ambassadour telling him that he would not endure or suffer the imprisonment of an Ecclesiastical Person by the Precepts of a Secular Tribunal nor would he admit that a Judg of temporal matters should take cognisance of any Cause wherein a Priest or Churchman was concerned Of all which the Ambassadour gave advice to the Senate The Pope at an other Audience complained to the said Ambassadour that the Senate of Venice had since the death of Clement VIII made a Statute of Mortmain whereby Lay-persons were forbidden and restrained from bequeathing or bestowing their Estates on the Church which Statute though it were founded on an old Law yet the new one was more restrictive but both of them being against the antient Canons Councils and Imperial Laws were in themselves void and null being scandalous and impious in that they made the state and condition of Churchmen worse than that of infamous persons and therefore those who made these Laws did incur the Censures of the Church in the like terms the Nuntio at Venice explained the mind of the Pope unto the Senate and when the Ambassadours arrived at Rome to congratulate the Pope for his exaltation to that dignity he could not refrain even before the Ceremony was ended to make his resentments and complaints of those Laws made in derogation of the Rites and immunities belonging to the Church And thus we have laid down the true state of the quarrel between the Pope and the Venetians to which we shall add a third Point namely a Law made at Venice in the year 1603. prohibiting the building of Churches without consent and license for it obtained from the Senate which the Pope termed a piece of Heresie These being the three Points in Controversie the Senate for answer thereunto commanded their Ambassadour to represent in their name unto his Holiness That the just Right and Title they had to judg Ecclesiastical Persons in Secular Causes was founded in the natural Power of the Supreme Prince and confirmed by an uninterrupted course of a thousand years the which may be proved by the Pontifical Briefs extant in their publick Archives or Records That the Law of Mort-main or Statute restraining Laymen from alienation of their Estates to the Church was not onely enacted at Venice or peculiar to the Cities under that Metropolis but exercised in other Christian Kingdoms and States and that this Law was more conducing to the welfare of Venice than to any other people being that which could onely conserve its Forces entire against the common Enemy of Christendom which would otherwise be enfeebled by those daily Legacies and Endowments which were bequeathed and conferred on the Church The Pope was so netled with this way of reasoning that he sat all the time uneasie in his Seat shrugging his shoulders and turning his head which intimated the unquietness of his mind At length he replyed That those arguments were invalid and of no force for that there was no foundation to be made on the accustomed course of their Judicature which was so much the worse by how much more they pretended Antiquity And as to the Briefs there was no authentick Register or Record of them but what was found at Rome and that the others were forged Copies and cheats imposed on the Clergy And as to their Acts and Ordinances he was so well acquainted and versed in them since the time of his youthful Studies and that having passed the Offices of Vice-Legat Auditor of the Chamber and Vicar of the Pope he was sufficiently assured that that Law could not stand and that the old Act made in the year 1536. which takes from the Laiety a power of disposing of their own private Estates was in it self void and of no force and a tyrannical imposition on the Subject That the Senate themselves were so sensible of this injurious Law that they were ashamed to issue forth any Copies of it and if in case a Law of this nature were found in any other Country it was established by the Authority and with the concurrence of the Popes and then he concluded that he was resolved not to make a long work of it for that in case he were not obeyed he would make use of such Remedies as he thought convenient being so positive in this matter and zealous for the Church that he was ready to spill his blood in this righteous Cause and in the defence thereof That in case it were necessary to give a stop to the alienation of Lands or a restraint of building Churches he would always have been ready to have followed the sentiments of the State and to have concurred in just causes with the desires of the Secular Council but as to the point of drawing the Clergy to the Secular Tribunals he would never admit that such as were his Subjects should be liable to the sentence of an other Jurisdiction this in fine was his resolution on the three foregoing Cases in which he was resolved to be obeyed and make use of that Power which God had given him over all things and over all
Barnabas having travelled through divers Cities upon his return to Jerusalem was by Peter John and James chosen an Apostle of the Gentiles In the twenty fifth year after the death of Christ which was the second of the Emperor Nero and the time when Festus succeeded Felix in the Procuratorship of Judoea he with his fellow-captive Aristarchus was as a free Denizon sent bound to Rome where continuing the space of two years under very little confinement he was daily engaged in disputation with the Jews Being at length set at liberty by Nero he both preached and wrote many things We have at this day fourteen of his Epistles one to the Romans two to the Corinthians one to the Galatians one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians one to the Colossians two to the Thessalonians two to Timothy one to Titus and one to Philemon that to the Hebrews is generally said to be his though because of the difference of style and phrase from the rest it be uncertain whether it were so or no and there have been anciently divers who have entituled it some to Luke some to Barnabas some to Clemens St. Peter also wrote two general Epistles though the latter be by many denied to be his for the same reason of the difference of style But being so taken up with Prayer and Preaching that he could not attend any other great variety of business he constituted two Bishops viz. Linus and Cletus who might exercise the sacerdotal Ministery to the Romans and other Christians The holy man applying himself entirely to these things gained thereby so great and universal a Reputation that men were ready to worship him as a God The Emperor Nero being displeased hereat began to contrive his death whereupon St. Peter with the advice of his Friends that he might avoid the Emperours envy and rage departed out of the City by the Via Appia and at the end of the first mile he travelled to use the words of Egesippus meeting with Christ in the way and falling down and worshipping him he said Lord whither goest thou to whom Christ replied I go to Rome to be crucified again There is yet remaining a Chappel built on the same place where these words were spoken Now St. Peter believing this saying of our Saviour to relate to his own martyrdom because Christ might seem to be ready to suffer again in him went back to the City and forth with consecrated Clemens a Bishop and in these words recommended to him his Chair and the Church of God I deliver to thee the same power of binding and loosing which Christ lest to me do thou as becomes a good Pastor promote the salvation of men both by Prayer and Preaching without regard to any hazard of Life or Fortune Having set these things thus in order at the Command of Nero in the last year of his Empire He was put to death together with St. Paul though the kinds of their Punishment were different For St. Peter was crucified with his Head towards the ground and his Feet upwards for so he desired it might be saying That he was unworthy to undergo the same kind of death with his Saviour He was buried in the Vatican in the Via Aurelia near Nero's Gardens not far from the Via Triumphalis which leads to the Temple of Apollo He continued in the See 25 years But St. Paul being on the same day beheaded was interred in the Via Ostiensis in the 37th year after the death of Christ. This is confirmed by the testimony of Caius the Historian who in a Disputation against one Proculus a Montanist has these words I says he can shew you the Victorious Ensigns of the Apostles for you cannot pass the Via Regalis that leads to the Vatican nor the Via Ostiensis but you will find the Trophies of those Hero's that established this Church where certainly he refers to these two St. Peter and St. Paul In the fore-mentioned Gardens of Nero were reposited the ashes of a multitude of holy Martyrs For a Fire happening in the time of Nero which raging for six days together had wasted a great part of the City and devoured the substance of many wealthy Citizens the blame of all which was laid upon the Emperour He as Tacitus tells us being very desirous to quell the rumour suborn'd false Witnesses to accuse and lay all the blame of that Calamity upon the Christians Whereupon so great a number of them were seiz'd and put to death that it is said the flame of their empaled bodies supplied the room of lights for some nights together There are those who say this Fire was kindled by Nero either that he might have before his Eyes the Resemblance of burning Troy or else because he had taken offence at the irregularity of the old Houses and the narrowness and windings of the streets neither of which are improbable of such a man as he who was profligately self-will'd intemperate and cruel and in all respects more lewd and wicked than his Uncle Caligula For he both put to death a great part of the Senate and also without any regard to Decency would in the fight of the People sing and dance in the publique Theatre His dissolute Luxury was such that he made use of perfum'd cold Baths and fished with golden Nets which were drag'd with Purple Cords Yet he took such care to conceal all these Vices in the beginning of his Empire that men had generally great hopes of him For being put in mind to sign a Warrant according to Custom for the Execution of one that was condemn'd to die How glad says he should I be that I had never learnt to write Howas very sumptuous in his Buildings both in the City and elsewhere for the Baths called by his Name and the Aurea Domus and the Portico three miles long were finish'd by him with with wondrous magnificence besides which he was at a vast expence to make the Haven at Antium at the sight of which I my self not long since was wonderfully pleased I return to his Cruelty which he exercised towards his Master Seneca towards M. Annoeus Lucanus the famous Poet towards his Mother Agrippina and his Wife Octavia towards Cornutus the Philosopher Perfius's Master whom he banish'd towards Piso and in a word towards all those who were in any reputation among the Citizens In the end he so highly provok'd the rage and hatred of the people against him that most diligent search was made after him to bring him to condign punishment Which punishment was that being bound he should be led up and down with a Gallows upon his neck and being whipped with Rods to Death his body should be thrown into the River Tyber But he making his escape four miles out of the City laid violent hands upon himself in the Countrey-house of one of his Freemen between the Via Salaria and Nomentana in the thirty second year of his Age and of his Reign the fourteenth S.
whom the Zenobian Family in Rome derives its Original and Tetricus being saved was afterwards made Governour of the Lucani The Emperour now applying himself to works of peace repaired the Temple of Apollo and the Walls of the City with great Magnificence But not long after raising the ninth Persecution against the Christians the divine Vengeance meeting with him he was slain at a small Fort between Constantinople and Heraclea called Zenophrurium Felix out of the great regard he had to the honour of the Martyrs ordained that upon their account Masses should be celebrated yearly and that the Sacrifice of the Mass should be celebrated by no other persons but such as were in holy Orders and in no places but such as were consecrated cases of necessity being always excepted But if through the age or loss of Records it were doubtsul concerning any Church whether it had been consecrated or no he commanded that it should be consecrated anew saying that nothing could properly be said to be repeated of which it is uncertain whether ever it were once done at all During his Pontificate one Manes a Persian had the Impudence to profess himself to be the Christ and that he might gain the greater credit to his Imposture he associated to himself twelve Disciples But as that Manes was detested and abhorred for his pride and blasphemy so Anatolius the Bishop of Laodicoea was as much extolled and magnified for his Religion and Learning At the same time also Saturninus relying upon the assistance of his Army enterpriz'd the building of a new Antioch but when it appeared that he designed to invade the Empire too he was slain at Apemoea Felix after that at several Decembrian Ordinations he had made nine Presbyters seven Deacons five Bishops suffered Martyrdom and was buried in the Via Aurelia May the 30th in a Church which he had built two miles distant from the City He sat in the Chair four years three months 〈◊〉 days and the See was vacant seven days S. EUTYCHIANUS EUTYCHIANUS a Tuscan his Fathers name Maximus was in the time of the Emperour Aurelianus Who being slain was succeeded by Tacitus a man who both for his Valour and Justice was certainly very fit for Government but he was slain in Pontus in the sixth month after he came to the Empire as was also his Successour Florianus in Tarsus before he had reigned three months Eutychianus ordained that the fruits of the Earth as Beans and Grapes c. should be blessed upon the Altar and also that no persons should bury the Martyrs in any but Purple Vestments unless with his knowledg and leave Some write that in his time Dorotheus the Eunuch flourished a man questionless of very great skill in the Greek and Hebrew Language and with whose Learning 't is said the Emperour Aurelianus was wonderfully delighted For in the beginning of his Reign he was such a Favourer of the Christians that he severely censured the Sect of Paulus Samosatenus But being afterwards corrupted by evil Counsels and as hath been said raising a Persecution against the Christians having sent Dispatches concerning that Affair to the several Governours of Provinces he was cut off by the Divine Hand Eusebius when he was young was an Auditor of Dorotheus at his Expositions of Scripture At this time also Anatolius an Alexandrian Bishop of Laodicea a man of great Learning wrote several excellent things in Mathematicks and Divinity and was very severe against the Manichoean Heresie which then very much prevailed These Manichees to their other Errours brought in two Substances the one good the other evil and held that Souls flowed from God as from a Fountain The Old Testament they all together disown'd and receiv'd but some parts of the New Eutychianus after that at several Ordinations he had consecrated fourteen Presbyters five Deacons nine Bishops was crowned with Martyrdom and buried in the Coemetery of Calistus July the 25th He sat in the Chair one year one month one day and by his death theSee was vacant eight days There are some who say he lived in the Pontificate eight years ten months but I rather give credit to Damasus who is the author of the former Assertion S. CAIUS CAIUS a Dalmatian the Son of Caius a kinsman of the Emperour Diocletian lived in the times of Probus Carus and Carinus 〈◊〉 a person renowned for Military skill having undertaken the Government was very successful in recovering 〈◊〉 that had been possess'd by the Barbarians He also vanquish'd Saturninus who was attempting to usurp the Empire in the East and Proculus and Bonosus at 〈◊〉 But this Valiant and Just man was notwithstanding slain in a Tumult of the Soldiers at 〈◊〉 in the sixth year of his Reign After whom Carus Narbonensis entred upon the Empire and held it two years He having admitted his two Sons Carinus and Numerianus to a thare in the Government and having in the Parthian War taken 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 two famous Cities was in the Camp slain by a Thunderbolt Numerianus who was returning with his Father was murthered by the fraud of his Father-in-law Arrius Aper But Carinus a person most dissolutely lewd was overcome after a sharp and doubtful Engagement by 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 and at length suffered the just punishment of his Villanies Caius stated the several Orders in the Church by which as by certain steps and degrees the Clergy were to rise to the Episcopal Dignity These were the Door-keeper the Reader the Exorcist the Acolythus the Sub-deacon the Deacon the Presbyter and the Bishop He also as 〈◊〉 had done before him allotted several Regions to the Deacons who were to Register and compile the Acts of the Martyrs He ordained likewise that no Laick should commence a Suit of Law against a 〈◊〉 man and that no Pagan or Heretick should have power to accuse a Christian. In his time lived Victorinus Bishop of Poictiers who 〈◊〉 divers Commentaries on the Scriptures and was very sharp and severe against the Heresies then prevailing though he had greater skill in the Latin than the Greek Tongue as Hierom will have it who tells us that the sense of his Writings was great but the style mean Pamphilus also a Presbyter and the intimate Friend of Eusebius Bishop of Coesarea was so eagerly greedy of divine Learning that with his own hand he transcribed a great part of Origen's Books which Books Eusebius affirms himself to have seen in the Library of Coesarea with as great satisfaction as if he had gained the Riches of Croesus The same Pamphilus wrote the Defence of Origen as Eusebius himself also did not long after But in the Reign of Diocletian there arising against the Christians a Persecution sharper than ever was before Caius lay a long time concealed in certain Grotts and Vaults underground but being at length discovered and taken from thence by the Persecutors together with his Brother Gabinius and his Niece Susanna he was crowned
soon rivall'd in that Dignity by Ursicinus a Deacon whose Party having assembled themselves in a Church thither also Damasus's Friends resorted where the Competition being manag'd not only by Vote but by force and Arms several persons on both sides were slain in the very Church But not long after the matter was compromis'd and by the consent both of the Clergy and People Damasus was confirmed in the Bishoprick of Rome and Ursicinus was made Bishop of Naples But Damasus being afterwards accused of Adultery he made his Defence in a publick Council wherein he was acquitted and pronounced innocent and Concordius and Calistus two Deacons his false Accusers were condemn'd and excommunicated Upon which a Law was made That if any man did bear false Witness against another he was to undergo the same punishment that the person accused should have done if he had been guilty The affairs of the Church being at length setled Damasus taking great delight in study wrote the Lives of all the Bishops of Rome that had been before him and sent them to S. Hierom. Notwithstanding which he neglected not to encrease the number of Churches and to add to the Ornaments of Divine Worship For he built two Churches one near Pompey's Theatre the other at the Tombs in the 〈◊〉 Ardeatina and in elegant Verse wrote the Epitaphs of those Martyrs whose Bodies had been there buried to perpetuate their names to Posterity He also dedicated a Marble Table with an Inscription to the Memory of S. Peter and S. Paul at the place where their Bodies had once lain Moreover he enriched the Church which he had built in honour to S. Laurence not far from Pompeys Theatre with very large donations He ordained likewise that the Psalms should be sung alternately in the Church and that at the end of every Psalm the Gloria Patri should be added And whereas formerly the Septuagint only had been in vogue Damasus first gave Authority to 〈◊〉 Translation of the Bible which began to be read publickly as also his Psalter faithfully rendred from the Hebrew which before especially among the Gauls had been very much depraved He commanded also that at the beginning of the Mass the Confession should be used as it is at this day But having at sive Ordinations made thirty one Presbyters eleven Deacons sixty two Bishops he died and was buried with his Mother and Sister in the Via Ardeatina in the Church built by himself December the 11th He sat in the Chair nineteen years three months eleven days and by his death the See was vacant twenty one days SIRICIUS I. SIRICIUS a Roman Son of Tiburtius lived in the time of Valentinian Who for his being a Christian had been very unjustly dealt withall and cashier'd from a considerable Command in the Army by Julian But upon the Death of Jovinian being by the universal consent of the Soldiers elected Emperour he admitted his Brother Valens his Collegue in the Empire and assign'd to him the Government of the East Afterwards in the third year of his Reign at the persuasion of his 〈◊〉 and her Mother he created his young Son Gratian Augustus And whereas one 〈◊〉 had rais'd a 〈◊〉 and set up for himself at Constantinople him with his Adherents the Emperour very suddenly overthrew and put to death But Valens having been baptized by Eudoxius an Arian Bishop and becoming a bigotted 〈◊〉 presently fell to persecuting and banishing the Orthodox especially after the death of Athanasius who while he lived was a mighty support to the Christian State for forty six years to gether Lucius also another Heretical Bishop was extreamly violent and outragious against the Orthodox Christians nor did he spare so much as the Anchorets and Eremites but sent parties of Soldiers to invade their Solitudes who either put them to death or else sent them into Exile Amongst this sort of men they who at that time had the greatest esteem and authority were the two Macarii in Syria the Disciples of Anthony one of which lived in the upper the other in the lower Desert as also 〈◊〉 Panucius Pambus Moses Benjamin Paulus 〈◊〉 Paulus Phocensis and Joseph in Egypt While Lucius was intent upon the banishment of these men a certain inspired Woman went about crying aloud that those good Men those Men of God ought by no means to be sent into the Islands Moreover Mauvia Queen of the Saracens having by frequent Battels very much impaired the Roman Forces and harrassed their Towns on the borders of Palestine and Arabia refused to grant the Peace which they desired at her hands unless Moses a man of most exemplary Piety were consecrated and appointed Bishop to her People This Lucius willingly assented to but when Moses was brought to him he plainly told him that the multitudes of Christians condemn'd to the Mines banish'd to the Islands and imprison'd through his cruelty did cry 〈◊〉 against him 〈◊〉 that therefore he would never 〈◊〉 the imposition of his polluted hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consecrate him he was presented to the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 concluded But 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still to 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 against the Orthodox though 〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more favourable towards 〈◊〉 by the Letters of 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his people which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their 〈◊〉 In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his Valour 〈◊〉 Conduct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 But while he was making 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a War 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 who had spread 〈◊〉 through the two 〈◊〉 he died at a little Town called 〈◊〉 through a sudden 〈◊〉 of Blood At this time the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their own 〈◊〉 had 〈◊〉 themselves of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Monks and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Army 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An overthrow which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dignity it 〈◊〉 That the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not be conferred at once but at certain distances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 in the City the 〈◊〉 of the faithful but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and return to the Orthodox Faith they should be 〈◊〉 into the Church upon condition they would undertake a 〈◊〉 course of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 themselves to Fasting and Prayer all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 that their Conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 approach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a Bishop should have power to 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whosoever married a Widow or second 〈◊〉 should be degraded from his Office in the Church and that 〈◊〉 upon their Repentance should be received with only the Imposition of Hands
Father Zeno. In the mean time Odoacer invading Italy with a great Army of his Heruli and Turingians conquers and takes Prisoner Orestes a Noble Roman near Pavia and then causes him to be put to death in the sight of his whole Army at Placentia Hereupon Zeno pitying the calamitous state of Italy speedily sends Theodoric King of the Goths a man whom he had before very much esteem'd with a mighty force to oppose him who having in a pitch'd Battel not far from Aquileia near the River Sontio overcome Odoacer's Captains and having oftentimes the like success against Odoacer himself at length he besieg'd him three years together in Ravenna and reduc'd him to that extremity that with the advice of John the Bishop of that City he consented to admit Theodoric as his Partner in the Empire But the day following both Odoacer and his Son were contrary to promise and agreement slain by which means Theodorick possess'd himself of the Government of all Italy without any opposition In the mean time Simplicius dedicated the Churches of S. Stephen the Protomartyr on Mons Caolius and that of S. Andrew the Apostle not far from S. Maries the Great in which there appear to this day some footsteps of Antiquity which I have many a time beheld with sorrow for their neglect to whose charge such noble piles of building now ready to fall are committed That this Church was of his founding appears by certain Verses wrought in Mosaick work which I have seen in it He dedicated also another Church to S. Stephen near the Licinian Palace where the Virgins body had been buried He also appointed the Weekly-waitings of the Presbyters in their turns at the Churches of S. Peter S. Paul and S. Laurence the Martyr for the receiving of Penitents and baptizing of Proselytes Moreover he divided the City among the Presbyters into five Precincts or Regions the first of S. Peter 2. S. Paul 3. S. Laurence 4. S. John Lateran 5. S. Maria Maggiore He also ordained that no Clergy-man should hold a Benefice of any Lay-man a Constitution which was afterwards confirm'd by Gregory and other Popes At this time the Bishop of Rome's Primacy was countenanced by the Letters of Acacius Bishop of Constantinople and Timothy a learned man in which they beg him to censure Peter Mog Bishop of Alexandria an assertour of the Eutychian Heresie Which was accordingly done but with Proviso that he should be receiv'd into the Communion of the Church again if within a certain time prefix'd he retracted his Errours Some say that during his Pontificate lived Remigius Bishop of Reims who as History tells us baptized Clodoveus the French King Now also Theodorus Bishop 〈◊〉 Syria wrote largely against Eutyches and compiled ten Books of 〈◊〉 History in imitation of Eusebius Coesariensis At this time almost all Egypt was infected with the heretical Doctrine of Dioscorus concerning whom we have already spoken and Huneric King of the Vandals a Zealot 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Faction raised a Persecution against the Orthodox Christians in Afrique Upon this Eudocia Niece to Theodosius a Catholick Lady and Wife to Huneric left her heretical Husband upon pretence of a Pilgrimage to Hierusalem to perform a Vow which she had made but upon so long a Journey the effect of which prov'd intolerable to the tenderness of her sex she there soon died 'T is said that at this time were found the bones of the Prophet Elisha which were carried into Alexandria as also the body of S. Barnabas the Apostle together with the Gospel of S. Matthew written with his own hand As for Simplicius himself having by his Constitutions and Donations very muchpromoted the interest of the Church of Rome and having at several Ordinations made fifty eight Presbyters eleven Deacons eighty six Bishops he died and was buried in S. Peter's Church on the second day of March He was inthe Chair fifteen years one month seven days and by his death the See was vacant twenty six days FELIX III. FELIX by birth a Roman Son of Felix a Presbyter was Bishop from the time of Odoacer whose power in Italy lasted fourteen years till the Reign of Theodoric Who though he made Ravenna the seat of the Empire yet the City of Rome was much indebted to his Bounty For he re-built the Sepulchre of Octavius exhibited shews to the people according to ancient custom repaired the publick Buildings and Churches and indeed neglected nothing that became a good and generous Prince And to confirm and establish the Empire he married Andefleda Daughter of Clodoveus King of France and gave in marriage his Sister to Huneric King of the Vandals and one of his Daughters to Alaric King of the Visigoths and the other to King Gondibate Felix now fully understanding that Peter Mog the Eutychian who had been banished for his heretical Opinions upon the complaint and at the desire of Acacius was by the same Acacius recall'd from Exile suspected that there was a private Agreement between them and therefore excommunicated them both by the authority of the Apostolick See which was confirm'd in a Synod of the Orthodox But three years after the Emperour Zeno testifying that they were penitent Felix sends two Bishops Messenus and Vitalis with full power upon enquiry into the truth of their repentance to absolve them These Legates arriving at the City Heraclea were soon corrupted with bribes and neglected to act according to their Commission Whereupon Felix out of a just indignation having first called a Council upon that occasion excommunicates them too as Simoniacks and betrayers of the trust reposed in them Though Messenus who confess'd his fault and begg'd time to evince the sincerity of his repentance had it accordingly granted him The same Felix also built the Church of S. Agapetus near that of S. Laurence and ordained that Churches should be consecrated by none but Bishops 'T is said that at this time Theodorus a Greek Presbyter wrote against the Hereticks a Book of the Harmony of the Old and new Testament and some reckon among the men of Note in this Age the Learned and famous Divine John Damascene who wrote the Book of Sentences imitating therein Gregory Nazianzene Gregory Nyssene and Didymus of Alexandria and compiled also certain Treatises of Medicin in which he gives an account of the Causes and Cure of Diseases Our Felix having at two Decembrian Ordinations made twenty eight Presbyters five Deacons thirty Bishops died and was buried in the Church of S. Paul He sat in the Chair eight years eleven months seventeen days and by his death the See was vacant five days GELASIUS I. GELASIUS an African Son of Valerius was Bishop of Rome at the time when Theodoric made War upon his Wives Father Clodoveus the French King for that he had slain his Daughter's Husband Alaric King of the Visigoths and seiz'd Gascoigne They were both allied to him by marriage but the cause of Alaric seem'd to him the more just
and therefore he preferr'd his Son-in-law before his Father-in-law And gaining the Victory over the French in a very important Battel he recovers Gascoigne and undertakes the present Government of it till Almaric the son of Alaric should come to Age. The same Theodoric to his Conquest of Italy added that of Sicily Dalmatia Liburnia Illyricum Gallia Narbonensis and Burgundy He also walled round the City of Trent and to secure Italy from a forein Invasion upon the Frontiers of it near Aost placed the Heruli whose King being yet a Minor he made his adopted Son Gelasius in the mean time condemns to banishment all the Manichees that should be found in the City and causes their books to be publickly burnt near S. Mary's Church And being satisfied of the repentance of Messenus who had given in his Retractation in Writing at the request of the Synod he absolved him and restored him to his Bishoprick But having intelligence that several murthers and other notorious outrages were committed in the Greek Churches by the factious followers of Peter Mog and Acacius he forthwith sends his Legates thither with Commission to Excommunicate for ever all those who did not immediately recant their Errours a new and unusual severity whereas the Primitive Church was wont to wait long in hopes that Separatists would at length return to her Bosom At this time John Bishop of Alexandria an Orthodox Prelate and who had been very much persecuted by these seditious people fled for resuge to the Bishop of Rome who very kindly and courteously received him The Churches which Gelasius consecrated were that of S. Euphemia the Martyr in Tivoli that of S. Nicander and Eleutherius in the Via Labicana and that of S. Mary in the Via Laurentina twenty miles from Rome He had a great love and honour for the Clergy and was very liberal and charitable to the poor He delivered the City of Rome from many dangers and particularly from that of dearth and scarcity He composed Hymns in imitation of S. Ambrose published five Books against Eutyches and Nestorius and two against Arius made very elegant and grave Orations and wrote weighty and learned Epistles to his Friends of the houshold of Faith all which Works of his are at this time to be seen in the publick Libraries Some tell us that he Excommunicated Anastasius successour to Zeno in the Eastern Empire for favouring Acacius and other Hereticks which is an argument as clear as the Sun that the Bishop of Rome has power to Excommunicate any Prince who is erroneous in the Faith if he continue refractary after Admonition The same course likewise he took with the Vandals and their King who being infected with the Arian Heresie proved now very cruel and barbarous persecutours of the Orthodox At the beginning of his Pontificate lived Germanus and Epiphanius the latter Bishop of Pavia the former of Capua men who by the authority which the Sanctity of their Lives had gain'd them and by their humble and obliging deportment wrought so much upon the minds of the barbarous Invadors that afflicted Italy fared the better for their sakes At the same time also Lannociatus Abbat of Chartres with Aurelianus and Mezentius of Poictiers persons of great Piety and Learning gain'd so much ground in Gaul that they persuaded Clodoveus the French King and his Queen Crocildis to become Christians and to undertake the protection of the Catholick Faith throughout their Dominions though some attribute this honour to Remigius as hath been already said Gelasius having ordained thirty two Presbyters two Deacons sixty seven Bishops died and was buried in S. Peter's Church November 21. He was in the Chair four years eight months seventeen days and by his death the See was vacant seven days ANASTASIUS II. ANASTASIUS the second a Roman Son of Fortunatus was Contemporary with the Emperour Anastasius At which time Transamund King of the Vandals shut up the Churches of the Orthodox Clergy and banished one hundred and twenty Bishops into the Island of Sardinia 'T is reported also that one Olympius an Arian Bishop having publickly in the Baths at Carthage declared his detestation of the Doctrine of the Trinity was immediately smitten and his body burnt with three flashes of Lightning And when Barbas another Bishop of the same Faction was going to baptize a certain person in this form of words Barbas baptizeth thee in the name of the Father by the Son and in the Holy Ghost 't is said the Water disappeared which Miracle so wrought upon the man who was to be baptized that he immediately came over to the Orthodox It was this Bishop Anastasius as some Writers tell us who Excommunicated the Emperour Anastasius for favouring Acacius though afterwards being himself seduced by the same Heretick and endeavouring privately to recall him from Exile he thereby very much alienated the minds of his Clergy who for that reason and also because without the consent of the Catholicks he communicated with Photinus a Deacon of Thessalonica and an assertour of the Acacian 〈◊〉 withdrew themselves from him 'T is generally reported that the divine vengeance pursuing him for this Apostacy he died suddenly and some say that the particular manner of his death was that going to ease Nature he purg'd out his Bowels into the Privy In his time Fulgentius an African Bishop of Ruspoe though he were among the other Orthodox Bishops of Africa banish'd into Sardinia by Transamund yet neglected nothing that might contribute to the propagating of the Catholick Faith whether by Exhortation Preaching or Admonition He likewise published several Books of the Trinity of Free-will and the Rule of Faith and besides the several elegant and grave Homilies he made to the people he wrote against the Pelagian Heresie The Learned Egesippus also who composed Monastical Constitutions and in an elegant style wrote the Life of S. Severinus the Abbat was at this time very serviceable to the Church Moreover Faustus a Gallican Bishop was now a considerable Writer but among all his Works the most in esteem was his Tract against Arius wherein he maintains the persons in the Trinity to be Co-essential He wrote also against those who asserted any created Being to be incorporeal demonstrating both by the Judgment of the Fathers and from the Testimonies of holy Writ that God only is purely and properly incorporeal But I shall here conclude the Pontificate of Anastasius who at one Decembrian Ordination having made twelve Presbyters and sixteen Bishops was buried in S. Peter's Church November 19. He sat in the Chair one year ten months twenty four days and by his death the See was vacant four days SYMMACHUS I. SYMMACHUS a Sardinian Son of Fortunatus succeeded Anastasius though not without great Controversie and after a long bandying of two contrary Factions For while one part of the Clergy chuse Symmachus in the Church of S. John 〈◊〉 another part of them in S. Maria Maggiore make choice of one Laurence
quitting all hopes of gaining the City 〈◊〉 the Siege and returns to Milain Mauritius now began to treat Gregory more respectfully but it proceeded not from a voluntary but forc'd Repentance he having heard that a certain person in the habit of a Monk with a drawn Sword in his hand had proclaim'd aloud in the Market-place of Constantinople that the Emperour should in a short time die by the Sword The same was confirmed to him by a Dream of his own in which he saw himself his Empress and their Children murdered And accordingly not long after the Soldiers being discontented for want of Pay create Phocas who was a Centurion in the Army Emperour and Assassine Mauritius in the nineteenth year of his Reign But Gregory having added what Ornaments he could to the Churches in Rome and dedicated by the name of S. Agatha the Martyr the Church of the Goths in Suburra built by 〈◊〉 Ricimerius a man of Consular Dignity converted his Father's House into a Monastery wherein he received and entertained Strangers and supplyed with meat and drink the poor which from all parts slocked to it He was certainly a person every way praise-worthy whether we regard his Life and Conversation or his Learning or his Abilities in things both Divine and Humane Nor ought we to suffer him to be censured by a few ignorant men as if the ancient 〈◊〉 Buildings were demolish'd by his Order upon this pretence which they make for him lest Strangers coming out of Devotion to Rome should less regard the consecrated places and spend all their Gaze upon Triumphal Arches and Monuments of Antiquity No such reproach can justly be fastned upon this great Bishop especially considering that he was a Native of the City and one to whom next after God his Countrey was most dear even above his Life 'T is certain that many of those ruin'd Structures were devour'd by Time and many might as we daily see be pull'd down to build new Houses and for the rest 't is probable that for the sake of the Brass used in the concavity of the Arches and the conjunctures of the Marble or other square stones they might be battered and defaced not only by the barbarous Nations but by the Romans too if Epirotes Dalmatians Pannonians and other sorry people who from all parts of the World resorted hither may be called Romans Now Gregory having used all means to establish the Church of God died in the second year of the Emperour Phocas having been in the Chair thirteen years six months ten days and the loss of him being lamented by all men was buried in S. Peter's March 12. By his Death the See was vacant five months nineteen days SABINIANUS I. SABINIAN Gregorie's Successour deserv'd not to have the place of his Nativity remembred being a person of mean Birth and meaner Reputation and one who violently opposed the great things which his Predecessour had done Particularly there being a great 〈◊〉 during his Pontificate and the poor pressing him hard to imitate the pious Charity of Gregory he made them no other Answer but this That Gregory was a man who design'd to make himself popular and to that end had profusely wasted the Revenues of the Church Nay the ill-natured wretch arrived to such a degree of Rage and Envy against Gregory that he was within a very little of causing his Books to be burn'd Some tell us that Sabinian was at the instigation of some Romans thus highly incensed against Gregory because he had mutilated and thrown down the Statues of the Antients which had been set up throughout the City but this is a Charge as dissonant from truth as that of his demolishing the old Fabricks concerning which we have spoken in his Life and considering the Antiquity of these Statues and the casualties which might 〈◊〉 them and the designs which mens Covetousness or Curiosity might have upon them 't is fairly probable that they might be mangled or lost without Gregorie's being at all concern'd therein But to go on with Sabinian it was he who instituted the 〈◊〉 of Canonical hours for Prayer in the Church and who ordained that Tapers should be kept continually burning especially in the Church of S. Peter Some tell us that with the consent of Phocas a Peace was now made with the Lombards and their King Agilulphus's Daughter who had been taken Captive in the War restored to him At this time appeared divers Prodigies portending the Calamities which ensued A bright Comet was seen in the Air at Constantinople a Child was born with four feet and at the Island 〈◊〉 were seen two Sea-monsters in humane shape Some write that in the Pontificate of Sabinian John Patriarch of Alexandria and 〈◊〉 Bishop of Carthage both persons famous for Piety and Learning did wonderfully improve the Dignity of those Churches Moreover 〈◊〉 a very learned man and an intimate Friend of 〈◊〉 wrote very much against Vincent Bishop of Saragoza who had sallen off to the Arian Heresie he also wrote to his Sister a Book concerning Virginity entituled Aureolus But Sabinian having been in the Chair one year five months nine days died and was buried in the Church of S Peter By his Death the See was vacant eleven months twenty six days BONIFACE III. BONIFACE the third a Roman with much ado obtained of the Emperour Phocas that the See of S. Peter the Apostle should by all be acknowledged and styled the Head of all the Churches A Title which had been stickled for by the Church of Constantinople through the encouragement of some former Princes who asserted that the Supremacy ought to reside there where the Seat of the Empire was But the Roman Bishops alledged that Rome of which Constantinople was but a Colony ought to be accounted the chief City of the Empire since the Greeks themselves in their Writings styled their Prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Emperour of the Romans and the Constantinopolitans even in that Age were called Romans not Greeks Not to mention that Peter the Chief of the Apostles bequeathed the Keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven to his Successours the Bishops of Rome and left the Power which God had given him not to Constantinople but to Rome This only I say that several Princes and particularly Constantine had granted to the Roman See only the priviledg of calling and dissolving Councils and of rejecting or confirming their Decrees And does not a Church which has with so much integrity and constancy bastled and 〈◊〉 all manner of Heresies as the Roman See hath done deserve think you the preference of others The same Boniface in a Synod of 〈◊〉 two Bishops thirty Presbyters and three Deacons ordained that upon pain of Excommunication no person should succeed in the place of any deceased Pope or other Bishop till at least the third day after the death of his Predecessour and that whoever should by Bribes or by making of Parties and Interests endeavour to raise themselves to the
kiss He was a man of so obliging a temper that no person went away sad out of his Presence And being so happy as to have a Contemporary Emperour like himself he designed to hold a Council vpon the account of the Monothelites Only he waited the time till Constantine should return from the War who had vanquish'd the Saracens and made them tributary to the Roman Empire But the Bulgarians advancing out of Scythia into Thrace and the Emperour endeavouring to put a check to their motion he was with great loss routed between Hungary and Moesia Hereupon he found himself obliged to strike up a peace with them upon disadvantageous terms permitting them to inhabit Hungary and Moesia though that Concession in the event proved a great benefit to the State of Christianity For these are the men who for this seven hundred and seventy years since have maintained a continual War and been the Bulwark of Christendom against the Turks Well a Peace being upon these Conditions concluded Pope Agatho sends to Constantinople his Legates John Bishop of Porto and John a Deacon of Rome Them Constantine receiv'd with all expressions of respect and very affectionately advised them to lay aside all Cavils and sophistical wranglings and Controversies and sincerely to endeavour the uniting the two Churches There were present at this Synod two hundred and eighty nine Bishops and by the Command of the Emperour there were brought out of the Library of Constantinople those Books from whence the Opinions and Determinations of the Ancients might be collected Gregory Patriarch of Constantinople and Macarius Bishop of Antioch perverting the sense of the Fathers maintain'd only one Will and Operation in Christ. But the Orthodox pressing hard with their Reasons and Authorities they thereby reclaimed Gregory and Macarius adhering obstinately to his Opinion they 〈◊〉 him and his Followers and made Theophanes an Orthodox Abbat Bishop of Antioch in his stead This Affair being thus successfully managed that thanks might be return'd to God for this Union of the two Churches in heart and mind John Bishop of Porto on the Octave of Easter in the presence of the Emperour Patriarch and the People of Constantinople in the Church of S. Sophia celebrates the Mass in Latin all that were present approving that way and condemning those that thought otherwise This was the sixth General Council consisting of two hundred and eighty nine Bishops held at Constantinople wherein upon the Authority of Cyril Athanasius Basil Gregory Dionysius Hilary Ambrose Augustine and Hierom it was concluded that there were two Wills and Operations in Christ and their pertinacy was exploded who asserted one Will only from whence they were called Monothelites The first General Council of three hundred and eighteen Bishops was as we have already said held at Nice in the Pontificate of Julius and the Reign of Constantine against Arius who asserted several Substances in the Trinity The second at Constantinople of an hundred and fifty Bishops in the Reign of Gratian and the Pontificate of Damasus against Macedonius and Eudoxus who denied the Holy Ghost to be God The third in Ephesus of two hundred Bishops in the Reign of Theodosius the second and the Pontificate of 〈◊〉 against Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople who denied the Blessed Virgin to be the Mother of God and made Christs Humanity and Divinity two Persons asserting separately one to be the Son of God the other the son of Man The fourth at Chalcedon a City over against Constantinople of six hundred and thirty Prelates in the Pontificate of Leo and the Reign of Martian against Eutyches Abbat of Constantinople who durst affirm that our Saviour after his Incarnation had but one Nature The fifth at Constantinople against Theodorus and all other Hereticks who asserted the Virgin Mary to have brought forth Man only not God-man in which Synod it was concluded that the Blessed Virgin should be styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Mother of God Concerning the sixth Synod we have spoken already in which the Letters of Damianus Bishop of Pavia and Mansuetus Arch-bishop of Milain were very prevalent the principal Contents of them these viz. The true Faith concerning Christ God and Man is that we believe two Wills and two Operations in him Our Saviour says with respect to his Divinity I and my Father are one but with relation to his Humanity My Father is greater than I. Moreover as Man he was found asleep in the Ship as God he commanded the Winds and the Sea As for our Agatho in whose time after two Ecclipses one of the Moon another of the Sun there followed a grievous Pestilence having been in the Chair two years six months sifteen days he died and was buried in S. Peter's January the 10th The See was then vacant one year five months LEO II. LEO the second a Sicilian Son of Paul was as appears by his Writings a person throughly learned in the Latin and Greek Languages Having also good skill in Musick he composed Notes upon the Psalms and very much improved all Church Musick He ordained likewise that at the Celebration of the Mass the Pax should be given to the people Moreover he so vigorously maintained and asserted the sixth Synod of which we have spoken in the Life of Agatho that he Excommunicated all those whom in the presence of Constantine that Synod had condemned He also repress'd the pride of the Bishops of Ravenna a matter before attempted by Pope Agatho and ordained that the Election of the Clergy of Ravenna should be invalid unless it were confirmed by the Authority of the Roman See whereas before they presuming upon the power of their Exarchs managed all things arbitrarily owning no subjection to any but mating even the Popes themselves He likewise solemnly decreed that no person promoted to the dignity of an Archbishop should pay any thing for the use of the Pall or upon any other score a Decree which I could wish it were observed at this day seeing how many Evils have arisen through Bribery While Leo was busied in these matters Rhomoaldus Duke of Beneventum having raised a great Army possess'd himself of Taranto Brindisi and all Puglia and his Wife Theodata a devout Lady out of the spoils of the War built a Church in honour to S. Peter not far from Beneventum and a Nunnery Rhomoaldus dying was succeeded by his Son Grimoaldus who deceasing without Issue male left the Dukedom to his Brother Gisulphus Our Leo who besides his great Learning and Eloquence was also an extraordinary person for Devotion and Charity and by his Doctrine and Example very much promoted Justice Fortitude Clemency and Good Will among all men having been in the Chair only ten months died and June the 28th was accompanied to his burial in the Church of S. Peter with the tears of all men who deplored the loss of him as of a Common Father After his Death the See was vacant eleven months twenty one days The time
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
of Ravenna Yet still relying upon the assistance of the Scaligeri they attaqu'd the Castle of S. Felix in Modena till Charles the King of Bohemia's Son came upon them with Manfred surnamed Pius who was Lord of Carpo and by these two Confederates they were routed and beaten out of the Field 'T is certain that eight hundred of their Soldiers fell in that Battel and many of their Nobles were taken and among others of the greatest note one Nicolas d' Este Brother to Rainaldo the Marquess The Legat of Bologna took this occasion and getting a considerable Army together commanded by Galeot Malatesta of Rimini Francisco Ordelapo of Forli Richard Manfred of Faenza and Hostasio Polentano of Ravenna at that time Lords of their respective Cities he besieged Ferrara which was then sharply attaqued and the Suburbs of S. Antony taken when Auxiliary Forces sent by Philippino Gonzaga Mastino Scala and Vbertino of Carrara encouraged the Ferrarians to sally forth which they did with such success that they routed the Enemy and took most of their Captains But the Earl of Romagna who was taken was chang'd for Nicolas d' Este and the rest were sent safe home upon condition that they should take up Arms no more against the House of Este Rainaldo d' Este proud of such a Victory march'd into Bologna where he spoiled all the Country round about and had very near taken the Town They of Bologna well hoped that the King of Bohemia would have assisted the Legat and it was reported that he was on his way thither when on the sudden news was brought to him that Mastino Scala had taken Brescia and Bergamo by surrender and that Accio Viconti was got into Pavia and storming the Castle For this reason he desisted from any farther attempts and leaving his Son at Parma went himself with some Troops to Pavia where seeing he could not take in the Forts that the Viconti had raised he only plunder'd the Country about Millain and went back again to Parma without effecting his Design There he understood that Americk Son to Castruccio had gotten Lucca by means of some friends within but that the Castle held out still though the King for a sum of Money surrendred that too because he was to go shortly into Germany being weary of the Italian Factions For the Viconti having taken the Castle of Pavia made excursions far and near Wherefore placing a German Garison in Modena and Rheggio and committed the care of Parma to Marsilio and Piedro Rubeo he went into Germany but promised to come suddenly back again with a greater Army When the King was gone the Bologneses with the aid of the Florentines and the Marquess d' Este beat out the Legat and recover'd their Liberty killing all the Ecclesiastical forces both within and without the City So that the Legat growing helpless writ to Avignion in the year 1334. just when John the Pope died in the ninetieth year of his Age and in the nineteenth year and the fourth month of his Pontificate and left behind him in the Treasury such a mass of Gold as never any Pope did before him He was buried in the Cathedral in great State Some say that Petro Mutroneo once Pope was canonized by John and that Gentilis of Fuligno and Dyno of Florence two famous Physicians were at the same time rewarded by him with money and honour for he was reckon'd a great Lover of learned Men. BENEDICT XII BENEDICT the Twelfth of Tholouse a Cistercian formerly call'd James Cardinal Priest of S. Prisca was made Pope at Avignion the sixteenth day after John's death and presently confirm'd the Censures which John had laid upon the Bavarian as one that usurped the Empire By this means the Empire was vacant and every thing tended toward a War when every one though never such a petit Lord endeavour'd to encroach upon his Neighbour For the Scaligeri were not content to be sole Governours of Verona Brescia and Bergamo but strove to get Parma too from the Rubei Gonzaga had a mind to get Rheggio d' Este Modena and the Florentines Lucca But the Scaligeri seeing they could not take Parma because the Soldiers within especially the Germans who hated the Scaligeri defended it so briskly they march'd toward Vincenza But they could do no good upon it and therefore hearing that the Germans were gone from Parma they return'd thither and straight took it by surrender of the very Rubeans themselves Nicolas d' Este also took Modena by the assistance of his Father-in-law one Guido Gonziaco whose Daughter he had married And Philippino Gonzaza had Rheggio voluntarily yielded to him by the Citizens But at the same time the growing Power of Mastino Scala who had gotten into Parma Lucca and Padua by surrender from Vbertino Carrara made all the Princes and States almost in Italy conspire to ruin his Grandeur but the most zealous of 'em were the Venetians Gonzaga and d' Este besieged Verona whilst Lucino with another Army took Brescia and Bergamo But the Venetians fearing lest by their endeavours to lessen the power of one they might augment that of another they make a Peace with Mastino Scaliger upon Condition that if he would let the Carrareses have Padua and the Viscount Brescia and Bergamo as he formerly had he should keep Verona Vincenza Parma and Lucca This Peace was very offensive to the Florentines who were their friends and Allies and had a great mind to have Lucca yet they deferr'd their complaint till another time and at that present held their Tongues But the Pope sent a Legat into Italy who persuaded the Senate and People of Rome that they would exercise the Senatorian Office in the name of him and the Church though they had done it for a long time in the name of the King For this reason Stephano Columna was continu'd Senator for five years and Collegues or Partners in the Office were assigned him annually But when the Pope had sent for Stephano to Avignion Vrsus Earl of Anguillaria who was Stephano's Collegue made Francis Petrarcha a man very eloquent especially in his Mother-tongue and famous for the Poems he had publish'd Poet Laureat in the Capitol before all the Nobility and people of Rome in the year 1338. But the Pope fearing lest when the Empire was vacant Italy might be invaded by any forein Enemy he made Viscount Luchino and John his Brother Arch bishop of Millain Lieutenants of Millain and other Cities that were in their possession The same Power he delegated to Mastino Scala over Verona and Vincenza to Philippino Gonzaga in Mantua and Reggio to Albertino in Carrara and Padua and to Obicio d' Este in Ferrara Modena and Argentae and that very justly as he pretended for the Empire being vacant all the Power belonging to it devolves upon the Pope who is the sole Vicar of Jesus Christ upon the Earth But he set a Tribute upon Obicio d' Este that he should pay ten
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
Vrsins rather than Gibellins and of the party of Colonna yet this Alexander did contain himself within that happy neutrality that neither Faction had a prejudice to him or did violently oppose him so that all parties concurring with a common voice in his Election did without farther demur or delay salute and pay their respects and ceremonies of Worship to him as Universal Bishop the which Election was so free and easie neither constrained by an over-awing force of armed Bands nor by the power of a prevailing Party that for many ages the like had not been known to the great joy of good men who are always pleased with regular proceedings Alexander being thus chosen he took on himself the name of Paul the Third in consideration as some conjecture that he was born in the Reign of Paul the Second in Canino a place in Toscany which was the paternal seat of his Fathers Being now Pope he declared much against Nepotismo or advancing Favorites or Nephews to eminency or greatness and therefore expresly forbad his natural Son Pier-luigi to come to Rome or medling with the Affairs of the Church or State requiring him to promise unto himself no other benefit or advantage by his promotion to the Papal Sea than only to live a quiet and a commodious life Howsoever he was not so firm or constant to this resolution but that he promoted the Son of this Pier-luigi a youth of 14 years of age to the Dignity of Cardinal by the name of Cardinal Farnese and another also yet younger than the former named Ascagno Sforza his Sisters Son the which unreasonable promotions at a time and conjuncture of Affairs so unfit afforded just matter of discourse and obloquy to the Lutherans and Reformers of Religion who besides the impieties of former Popes had yet some thing material to object against the levity and weakness of the present Government howsoever as if he intended to make amends for this unripe fruit he assumed others of more mature age and wisdom to this Dignity whom he promoted either for their Virtues or Learning or Nobility of their Families amongst which John Maria de Monte Arezzo Arch-Bishop of Siponto was one who was afterwards made Pope by the name of Julius the Third He also created John Fisher Bishop of Rochester as also Renard de la Poole Cardinals together with many others to the number of seventy one during his Reign or time that he was Pope And as this Pope Paul the Third was very bountiful in these promotions so he was no less magnificent and stately in his Structures having in the first year laid the Foundations of that sumptuous Building at Rome called by the name of The Palace of the Farnesi which is one of the most noble and magnificent Edifices not only in Rome but in all Europe the which I the more willingly mention because that being my self at Rome I observed it to be most agreeable to the antique Buildings of old Rome and that besides the outward Magnificence it was rarely furnished within side with many excellent Statues as that of Hercules of Flora and a Gladiator esteemed the best pieces in the world which are in the Court or Area below Then above stairs you have the Statues of Julius Caesar and Augustus Homer Herodotus Pindarus Cicero Seneca and others but that of Caracalla is beyond them all he looks fierce and wants nothing but motion to make you believe it is alive there are also some Idol gods and a Statue of Socrates on a Pedestal of the same Marble but the most famed piece of Art is the Toro Farnese which is a furious Bull held by the Sons of Dirce who are tying their Mothers Hairs to the Horns of the Bull it was brought from Rhodes and esteemed at a very high value This Palace was begun by Antonio Gallo an excellent Architect and finished by Michael Angelo Buona rota Upon the Frontispiece of the Gate these Verses are engraven Tertius has Paulus struxit Farnesius aedes Quarum forma oculos ponitur ante tuos Aspicis immensos hospes qui frontis honores His similes dices Roma nec orbis habet Thus much had the pacifick and quiet spirit of Paul the Third effected that amidst the troubles and inquietudes of Government he was able to attend to such an expensive piece of Structure the which shews his aversion to War for stately Buildings and ornaments of Cities are always the happy effects of Peace and indeed the Maxim which this Pope observed of keeping himself in a discreet neutrality between the Emperor and the French King did marvellously contribute to his ease and prosperity for by that means he was courted by them both and lived without the troubles and expence of War until he was necessitated thereunto by other emergencies Moreover the first year of this Popes Government was so very happy in the seasonableness of the Weather and fruitfulness of the time accompanied with so many other auspicious circumstances as made those who had suffered in the late cloudy and tempestuous times of Adrian and Clement bless the returns of Romes glory and prosperity as if the Golden Age had again entered attributing all to the conduct and wisdom of Paul the Third of whose great Parts and Abilities they had received apparent instances in the Reign of Clement VII who so kindly accepted the solicitations and labors which this Alexander when he was Cardinal had performed to relieve him when he was besieged in the Castle of S. Angelo by bringing Lautrec to his assistance that he gained the primary station of authority and esteem with him so that being sick and oppressed with a pain in his stomach he would often say that if the succession to the Popedom were hereditary or could be disposed of by Will and Testament he should judg no other so worthy to be his Heir as this Alexander who now as we have said being elected Pope on the 12th of October was Crowned on the second of November following with all the Ceremonies usual at that Solemnity Being thus settled in his Pontificate he resolved to adhere to his ancient Principle and Maxim of Neutrality and therefore could never be persuaded to revoke or annul the League which was made between Clement the Seventh his Predecessor and Charles the Emperor at Bologna for tho that League was principally calculated and designed to drive the French out of Italy to which tho perhaps the dominion of the Imperialists might be equally grievous and oppressive yet considering that such a breach of Articles in favour of the French could not be performed without innovations which must necessarily produce Wars and disturbances in Italy nor effected without impeachment of that Neutrality which he had often avowed to be indispensably belonging to the Office of Popes who were the common Parents of all Christian Kings and therefore he would never give ear to those suggestions which the French Ministers and Faction would frequently inculcate in favour
of the Catholick Religion had by the Authority of the Inquisition established condemned some to the Gallies and others to the Fire yet finding that these severities operated little upon minds already prepossessed with an Opinion of Religion and Conscience he was desirous to make trial of the more gentle and soft means of Instructions lest his People becoming desperate under their hardship and torments should be persuaded to believe it lawful to take up Arms in defence of their Persons and their Religion The Pope ill relished this Proposal declaring that he would never consent to have his Authority put to compromise or his Power compounded for that he was well acquainted with what obstinacy the Hereticks maintained their Doctrines which were never to be confuted but by the Sword the which he esteemed to be the most effectual way of Instruction and having persuaded the Duke to that remedy a War was begun in the Valleys which continued for a long time Nor were the disturbances in France less grievous than in Savoy where many were put to death for no other cause than for their zeal to the true reformed Religion and the salvation of their own Souls though it is true that many who were ambitious and desirous of Novelty did under this guise and cloak of Religion and with pretence of rescuing the King and the Dignity of the Sovereign Magistrate from the usurpations and tyranny of the Duke of Guise and his Party take up Arms and enter into Rebellion against their King but being afterwards beaten and many killed others were afterwards tried and for their Offences justly condemned to die and to all others who being misguided by Religion should lay down their Arms in the space of twenty four hours Proclamation was made that they should be received to mercy by a full and plenary Pardon from his Majesty But now the humours of the People being moved and hopes conceived of obtaining liberty of Conscience great tumults were raised in Provence Languedoc Poitou and other places so that how to suppress these tumults and quiet the minds of the people which were feavered with the heats of Religion was the great matter debated in the Councils of France and whereas it was objected by the Cardinal Armagnac that no Ecclesiastical remedy could be applyed without the assent and concurrence of the Pope this scruple was soon exploded by the contrary Opinion of the most of the Council who alledged that God had given to every Nation a full Power and Authority within it self to provide remedies necessary and agreeable to the present government of their State without having recourse to forein and far distant Powers for as it were unreasonable in case of fire and terrible incendiations within the City of Paris to expect till waters were brought from the Tybur to extinguish the flames and in the mean time neglect the use of the more near and convenient streams of the Seine and Mearne so also would it be in this great conflagration of civil-War to neglect remedies at home until we can fetch them from remote and distant Countries In short therefore it was agreed that a National Council should be assembled composed of all the Prelats of the Kingdom whose business it should be to consult and find out means to give a stop to the growing evils and to the course of those infections which were ready to poison and overwhelm the whole Kingdom Howsoever lest this Edict for summoning a National Council should be ill taken by the Pope and interpreted for a point of disrespect to the Apostolical Sea without his consent thereunto or at least an intimation given thereof it was ordered that the Ambassadour residing at Rome should by word of mouth represent the many dangers and growing evils within the Kingdom of France which could be cured by no other remedy than a National Assembly and that the dangers thereof were so pressing as not to admit the slow Methods of forein Assistance These matters being exactly in this manner represented to the Pope were very ill resented by him judging that such an Assembly of Prelats could not be convened without a breach of the Ecclesiastical Canons nor without prejudice to the Papal Authority which to make more clearly appear he resolved to dispatch the Bishop of Viterbo into France to make known unto his Majesty That such an Assembly was never admitted by former Popes in any Country or Kingdom whatsoever they being well assured that such a meeting would serve to no other end than to administer unto greater division and confusion and produce a Schism in the Church Catholick and That it would serve farther to exalt the pride of the Prelats inspiring them with an Opinion of some superiour Authority inherent in them above that of the Pope or of the King but if he would apply a true and an effectual remedy none could be so successful as a General Council which he had resolved shortly to assemble and that in the mean time nothing could be so available as that the Bishops be commanded to repair to their respective Dioceses and the Curats to their Parishes and there to watch over their Flocks and hinder Thieves and Wolves from breaking within the Fold and finally desired that their Spiritual Authority might be reinforced by the Power of the Civil Magistrate and the Arms of Regal force The Bishop of Viterbo being with these Instructions dispeeded into France he was farther commanded in his Journey thither to negotiate matters in the same form at the Court of Savoy and to incite the Duke to make War upon Geneva which they called the Nest of Heresie and the root from whence sprang all the false Doctrines of the new Religion the Bishop accordingly did not fail on his part to represent all matters to the Duke agreeable to his Instructions and found in him a ready disposition to embrace all the Proposals made him by the Pope especially the Enterprise against Geneva provided that with the consent both of Spain and France he might possess and enjoy that City This Demand was easily admitted on the side of Spain but they well knew that it would never be granted by France which had long aspired to that Dominion to which the Spaniards would accord being more willing to see that place the Capital Throne of the new Religion than a Seat of the French Power for that being near to the Dukedom of Burgundy might prove an ill Neighbour to that part of the Spanish Dominions Howsoever that the King of Spain might follow the Pope's inclinations in concurrence with the French as far as prudence and caution directed he dispatched Don Antonio de Toledo his Ambassadour into France to offer unto that King his utmost assistance and to joyn his Arms unto his for the total ruin and extirpation of Heresie But the Court of France would yield no ear to either of these Propositions they would gladly indeed have had the possession of Geneva but the Enterprise seemed difficult
Tongue were all confirmed as likewise that the Mass might be performed without other Communicants than the Priest onely that it might be celebrated in honour of the Saints and that the Wine ought to be used with a mixture of Water To which particulars the Fathers gave their Placet 22 or 23 only excepted amongst which the chief was the Arch-Bishop of Granada who could by no means be persuaded to relish the Doctrine that Jesus Christ did offer himself in the first institution of the Holy Eucharist Moreover other Decrees were read and passed relating to the regulation of Bishopricks giving the Bishops full power to inspect the nature of Dispensations whether they were fairly or subreptitiously procured as also Authority to visit Hospitals and Colledges and survey the Buildings of religious Foundations with this clause and under this Character howsoever as being Delegates of the Holy Sea Likewise other things passed of no great moment with which this Session was concluded The Decrees of this Session were satisfactory to very few for the Emperor remained highly displeased that the matter of the Cup was referred to the Pope well knowing that the concession of this Point would have been much more acceptable to his Subjects from the Council than from the Pope against whom they had demonstrated a detestable aversion Exceptions were also made to that Decree which gives the Bishops a Power over religious Houses contrary to the intention of the Donors who desired that the Revenues and management thereof should be administred by Lay-persons for thus said they was the manner how the Clergy possessed themselves of the Lands and Revenues of Hospitals and Colledges and other religious Foundations making themselves Owners and absolute Masters of what they were onely Stewards and Administrators and this formerly the Parliament of Paris looked upon as an Usurpation and encroachment of the Clergy on the civil Right and Jurisdiction the like judgment also they gave of Wills and Testaments the inspection into which by the Bishop was judged an intrenchment of the Secular Power Howsoever the Pope remained extreamly satisfied with the conclusion of this Session all things having been managed according to his own Orders and Instructions And now for the future he resolved to stand upon his guard and countermine the Plots and Artifices of the Cardinal of Lorain who came as he was well assured with vast designs as did also the French Bishops who were armed with Maxims diametrically opposite to his Authority against whom and the other Ultramontanes he resolved to reinforce his numbers and power in the Council by new recruits of Italian Bishops The same day that this last Session was concluded the French Ambassadours received Letters from their Master requiring them to move the Council that a stop might be given to their proceedings in matters of Doctrine until the Bishops from France should arrive and that in the mean time they would prepare matters tending to the Reformation of manners and abuses crept into the Church which was the only Sovereign remedy capable to cure the distempers of the Church the which Instructions the Ambassadours having made known to the Legats by whom according to due Order all matters were proposed received this Answer from them That they could not invert the Rule and method already designed for decision of the Doctrines of Faith and reformation of Manners but were forced to proceed in their usual course without any delay and interruption and if their King had any thing to propose it might be done by them his Ambassadours whom he had deputed to represent his concernments at the Council This Answer did little please the Ambassadors so that they appeared openly discontented and the Pope on the other side fearing lest the power and wisdom of the Cardinal of Lorain should be stronger than his Auxiliaries of Italian Bishops endeavoured by his Legat in France to take him off persuading him that his Negotiations in the Council could procure him no reputation in regard that all things were already done and concluded And indeed they were much in the right for the Legats having a desire to dispatch and put a period to the Council were resolved to hearken unto no delays but to proceed to the two Articles of Doctrine namely the Sacraments as they called them of Ordination and Marriage which were the onely Points remaining to be examined and determined On which Points the Congregations began to treat on the 25th of September and continued their Discourses and Treatises thereupon until the second of October But all the Disputes which arose upon these Subjects seemed impertinent and loss of time to the Bishop of quinque Ecclesiae and the other Hungarian Prelats as also to the Polanders and Spaniards who at a private Conference amongst themselves concluded that their meeting was chiefly with design to reform abuses in manners which were crept into the Church rather than to determine matters of Faith that in this work it was necessary to begin the Reformation at the Court of Rome which was the Head and source from whence the streams ought to be derived in their purity reflecting with deep sense of displeasure on the encroachments which the Court of Rome made on their Episcopal Dignity and in order hereunto the Arch-Bishop of Braganca was of Opinion that the first thing to be done was to reduce the Cardinals to their primary Institution for that until the 10th Century they were mere Priests and onely began from that time to exalt their Dignities and yet until the 12th Century they were esteemed inferiour to Bishops though since that time by several degrees and steps they have so elevated and promoted their quality with Titles and extention of Power that a Bishop is esteemed to have had honour sufficient in being onely admitted a domestick Chaplain to a Cardinal and therefore to bring the Episcopal Dignity again into request it were necessary to have it expresly declared by the Council that that Hierarchy is Jure Divino and that Bishops hold their Power and Authority immediately from Jesus Christ and not from the Pope The which question came at a seasonable and an opportune time to be discussed for one Article under consideration being then to define that the Order of Episcopacy was above that of Priesthood it fell naturally into the Enquiry Whether that Superiority was by Divine Right or not Now the Legats at first not comprehending the meaning and design why this question was proposed with so much heat suffered it to proceed to a free examination but so soon as they discovered by the Bishop of Fortosa who was a Spaniard and yet Pensioner of Rome that the arch-Arch-Bishops of Granada and Barganca intended on the consequences of this Determination to infer that their Order being established by Divine Right and not received from the Papal Chair their Power would seem more inherent in themselves and less dependant on the Supreme Bishop So that the Legats being awakened by this intimation denied
the principal Legats By this addition the Council began to be numerous the Prelats onely amounting to the number of two hundred and eighteen which though much inferiour to Antient Councils were howsoever a greater appearance than any that had yet been known in Trent The favourers of the Roman Party looked on this increase as a recruit of Auxiliaries which were come in to reinforce their Enemies and therefore to redouble their vigilance and augment their force the Pope dispeeded all the Power he had of Cardinals and Bishops to the Council fearing that the Union which was formed between the Spaniards French and Germans would be too powerful for his Italian Adherents The 23d of November was the day when the Cardinal of Lorain made his first appearance in the Congregation when as a Prologue to all the rest the King's Letters were first read containing little more than to pray and exhort the Council in general terms that they would bend all their labours and endeavours towards a Reformation and to those means which might restore Peace and Unity in the Church The Letters being read the Cardinal in an elaborate and pathetical Speech began to relate the calamities which the Wars about Religion had caused in France desiring the Council that for a remedy thereof they would be pleased to be indulgent to the Protestants in condescending to their weak and tender Consciences so far as was consistent with the Doctrines of Faith and then declaiming against the corruptions which were crept into the Church he instantly desired that an inspection might be made into the many abuses of which the Clergy were guilty to whom he ingeniously applyed the History of the Prophet Jonas We said he are the cause of all these storms we that have departed and fled from the face of God cast us into the Seas and the tempest will abate This Discourse was seconded by the French Ambassadour du Ferrier much to the same purpose and then concluded thus If you ask me why France is not in Peace and what is the cause of all these divisions which thus miserably rend and tear out the bowels of that distressed Nation I must answer you in the same manner as Jehu did to Joram 2 Kings c. 9. v. 22. when he asked Is it peace Jehu How can it be peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many In fine he frankly told them That in case they took not some course to reform the disorders in France all the bloud that was there spilt would be laid to their charge and though this plain dealing did infinitely displease the favourers of the Court of Rome yet they judged it seasonable to dissemble their Resentments fearing lest France in that doubtful state should make a total defection from the Sea of Rome And now it is curious and worthy our observation to consider that whilest the specious Proposal of Reformation was offered it was plausible and consented unto in general terms by every Party and Interest but when they descended to particulars and would apply the remedies to the respective abuses then there appeared a strange and prodigious diversity in their Opinions every one being willing to reform others but not himself or his Party easily observing the Moat in their Brothers Eye but not the Beam in their own The Court of Rome would gladly assent to a reformation of Princes and Bishops but not yield to any inspection which might be made into the corruptions of their Consistories or into the Power which they had usurped The Bishops could easily agree to a reformation of Manners in the Courts of the Pope and of their respective Princes but could not hear of having their Authority or Revenues retrenched The Kings and Princes instantly pressed to have a reformation of the Clergy both of the Head and of the Members but could not endure to hear of having their Regalia diminished or the Power of conferring and disposing Benefices according to their pleasure Wherefore it was impossible that all their different Interests could ever be reconciled or at the end concenter in a single Tertio or common agreement Wherefore being wearied with these Debates and finding out new Expedients which could never square with the form of such Dissenting Interests they again re-assumed the old and wearisom Debates about the being of Residencies and Episcopacy by Divine Right in which nothing of the former heats were abated The Bishop of Auranch declared positively that his Opinion was that Episcopacy was by Divine Right and that the Authority of the Pope differed not from that of an ordinary Bishop but onely in degree and was restrained within the limits of the Canons He farther applauded the Decrees of the Parliament of Paris which declared the abusive Bulls of the Pope to be void in their own nature and forbad to have them put into Execution and thus much said he the Power of my Master is able to verify and make good But the heats about Residencies began to abate it being made appear that if that Point were once gained it would not onely be an eclipse but a total ruin of the Papal Authority for if the Residence of Bishops were declared to be by Divine Right it would follow that the Pope thenceforth remains devested of all Power to transfer diminish divide or make any change or alteration in the Episcopal Seas All which though the Spaniards knew very well and that their aim was onely to advance their own Interest and Authority yet they would seem to maintain the contrary and that this Concession would serve to render the Papal Power more considerable and glorious In fine it was agreed to send this Point about Residencies to the Pope by the Bishop of Ventimille Thus was this whole year consumed in these Controversies the last day of December concluding with a Congregation at which it was resolved that the Session should be deferred for fifteen days At the beginning of this year 1563. the French proposed thirty four Articles in order to a Reformation the most part of which respected the Clergy tending to the correction of abuses in Ordinations and promotion of unworthy Persons both for their lives and knowledg to places of eminence and honour in the Church Some also related to the Court of Rome and to the retrenchment of its Revenue the exaction whereof was an agrievance to the People of France Other Articles forbad Plurality of Benefices and Moneys or rewards to be given for administration of the Sacraments It was also required that Divine Service might be rendred and performed in the French Tongue at least that the principal Prayers be pronounced both in the French and in the Latin Tongue That the Communion be delivered in both kinds That Bishops within their respective Dioceses have a jurisdiction over the Religious in Monasteries as well as over Seculars That all abuses be taken away in the superstitious worship of Images and the fond and vain
imaginations which Men conceive of Reliques Pilgrimages and Indulgences That the Doctrine and practice of Penance should be again renewed and established according to the custom of the Primitive Church All or most of which Articles were ungrateful to the Legats both for the substance of them and circumstances with which they were delivered the Ambassadours at the same time declaring that in case they were not granted such provisions would be made in France by a National Council as were agreeable to the State of their Affairs Howsoever the Legats seemed favourably to accept them and dispatched them to the Pope by the Bishops of Viterbo And now by this time the Pope was ready to make a return of the conclusions he had made in the Point about Residencies dispatched from Trent by the Bishop of Ventimille the matter of which though couched with great Art and in such ambiguous terms as might admit of various interpretations yet that artificial fraud could not pass on such subtil Heads who for their Learning and experience were chosen out of the wisest Men of Europe for they easily discovered the Pope's intent to advance himself above an Universal Council they could have been contented to have admitted him the Chief super Ecclesias Vniversas but not super Ecclesiam Vniversalem that is over all Churches in particular but not over the Universal Church as it was aggregated into one body in a General Council Hereupon great Contests arose the Pensioners of Rome produced in favour of the Pope's Authority a Canon made by the Council of Florence which having been received by the Spaniards gave them some trouble in what manner to make an Answer thereunto But the French who had never received the Articles of that Council for Canonical opposed the Councils of Constance and Basil against it which had determined that General Councils were superiour to the Pope but the Italians who maintained that the Council of Basil was Schismatical and that the Canons of Constance were partly received and partly rejected so heated their French Opponents that Reasons and Arguments being on both sides declined the Dispute ended with high words and reproaches of one against the other Which the Legats well observing and that there could be no good issue of such high Contests desired time to remit these matters to the Pope's Censures and so proceeded again to the Point about Residencies the which having already caused inextricable difficulties for the Pope's words did not please the Council the Cardinal of Lorain proposed something by way of Accommodation putting in some gentler terms which might serve the turn of both Parties but the Legats penetrating with their accustomary Acuteness into the words found that the sense would bear an Interpretation which might be expounded in favour of the Opinion that Residencies were constituted by Divine Right Wherefore slighting or laying aside the words which the Cardinal had projected they framed another according to their own humour and presented it to the Congregation the which so incensed the Cardinal of Lorain that from thence forward he began to deal plainly and express himself in free and high terms protesting that for the future he would meddle no farther for that he observed a secret Combination which in Cabinet Consults assumed to its self an Authority to dispose matters differing from the Sentiments of the General Council That the Legats sought nothing more than occasions to break up the Council in discontent That nothing was acted but according to the will of the Legats who moved by such measures only as they received from the Pope whose resolution in every thing they expected from Rome according to that old saying That the Holy Ghost was brought every week from Rome to Trent in the Courriers Portmantle That he for his part was resolved to have patience until the next Session at which if matters were not managed with more fair proceedings he was resolved to retire into France with his French Nation then at the Council where renouncing all farther applications to Rome or Trent they were resolved to assemble a National Council by which they would establish such a form of Concordat as should be agreeable to the present state of their Country and which might secure the safety of the King and the quiet of his People To the same purpose the French Ambassadour expressed himself at Rome but the Pope who had been long used to such kind of Menaces and a noise about National Councils little regarded their Censures or Threats but briskly answered That the Council was free even to a licentiousness that if there were Parties and Factions they were unknown to him and were only made by the Vltramontane Bishops whose design was to trample on the Authority of the Papal Chair And in this manner such distractions and Disputes arose at Trent occasioned by the Power and Interest which the Cardinal of Lorain had there with the greatest part of the Clergy that the Congregations were for some time suspended until the Cardinal of Ventimille returned from Rome freighted with abundance of Complements and Salutes and especially with supplies of Mony for the Pope's Pensioners and then the Congregations being again commenced and with them the Discords renewed it was agreed that the next Session should be deferred until the 22th of April which was presently after Easter The Cardinal of Lorain though he seemed outwardly to consent hereunto with some reluctancy and onely in compliance with the rest of the Council yet in reality he was well enough pleased hoping that a short time would put an end to the life of this Pope who was very aged and infirm when he imagined that his Greatness and Authority would be very instrumental in promoting such a Person to the Papacy as would be facil and easie in granting every thing agreeable to his desires And now to allay a little the heats about the Divine Right of Episcopacy and Residencies the Council diverted their thoughts and Discourse to eight several Points relating to Marriage During which time and the Interval between that and the next Session the Cardinal of Lorain took the opportunity to visit the Emperor's Court at Inspruck which administred great cause of jealousie to the Pope who not onely observed the Cardinal's dissaffection from his proceedings in the Council but likewise from his Letter wherein complaining of the many Factions and Intrigues which his Italian Bishops had caused he concludes that if matters were carried on with the same Measures there would remain nothing more for him either to consider or act than onely to pray unto God to direct the Council with his Holy Inspiration The Cardinal of Lorain being arrived at Inspruck where he remained five days had frequent Conferences with the Emperor and his Son the King of the Romans touching the many disorders and corruptions of the Council at Trent as also of the means how and in what manner the Cup might be restored to the Laiety how Marriage might be granted and dispensed
arrived his hands and raised thereupon two millions and five hundred thousand Livres By this time the Cardinal of Lorain was returned and the eleventh of November came which was the day appointed for the Session after the usual ceremonies of which were performed the Article about Clandestine Marriages was read and after some Contests thereupon was passed by plurality of Voices but yet it did not pass the raillery of some witty Men who reflected on the words of the Canon which pronounces Anathema against those who deny Clandestine Marriage to be a true Sacrament and yet in the conclusion saith that the Church hath ever disapproved and detested it Afterwards the Decrees of General Reformation were read which are too long to be here inserted upon passing of which the Cardinal of Lorain declared that the French Nation did so far accept them as they were not prejudicial to the Priviledges Rights and antient Constitutions of the Kings of France Howsoever amongst all the Chapters of General Reformation there was not one Point of those many touched which the People of divers Nations required nothing being therein contained or resolved but what served to advance the Pope's Authority over the Clergy and warrant the Power of the Clergy in oppression of the People Amongst these Points of General Reformation there was one which made void all Titles or Rights to Benefices which were obtained by Simony which in the Opinion of some would have ruined the greatest part of the Pope's Annates or yearly Income had it been strictly observed but this was as duly obeyed as the Canon which prohibits Cardinals to enjoy plurality of benefices in both which time and experience have shewn us how little either the one or the other hath been regarded Another Chapter which ordained that those who had publickly sinned should do publick Penance seemed as if it designed to restore the Primitive Discipline but that was again spoiled by this clause Ni aliter Episcopo videatur with these and matters of the like nature this Session concluded And now the Scene of Affairs began much to change their face for every one growing weary of Disputes passed every thing almost without examination or contest The Pope was infinitely tired and fainted under the burthen of the Council The French who now expected no benefit from this Assembly followed the dictates of the Cardinal of Lorain who had intirely devoted himself to the Papal Interest The Germans had long since abandoned the Council despairing of any good or cure from it onely the Spaniards to whom delays have been always pleasing and to whom by force of gravity all fatigues of long continuance are rendered Ease were those who willingly would have protracted the longer course of the Council but not being able to stem the Torrent with which other Nations precipitated the Council to a conclusion they yielded to the same humour and concurred with the Cardinal of Lorain and others in their Design to put an end to the Council at the next Session The Points about Indulgences on which Luther had grounded his first quarrel with the Pope Adoration of Saints Purgatory Images and Fasts were all slubber'd over and passed in the space of fifteen days The greatest difficulty was that which related to the Reformation of Princes against which the Ambassadours of France had so seriously protested which being a knotty and insuperable Point it was resolved to leave it undecided and in lieu thereof to perform something for the better satisfaction of the Clergy allowing unto the Bishops some enlargement of Power over their respective Chapters But as to the Decree which was drawn up for reforming and moderating the Authority of Princes they thought fit in lieu thereof to renew the tenure of the Antient Canons not enforcing them with Menaces or Anathemas but onely with exhortations to Princes to conserve and maintain the Church in its priviledges concluding with gentle terms full of respect to the Sovereign Power The expressions of this Article being thus moderated to the satisfaction as the Cardinal of Lorain imagined of temporal Princes he endeavoured to persuade the French Ambassadours to return again from Venice to Trent which they absolutely refused to do for though the Article for reforming Princes ' was revoked yet several other Acts being pass'd to the prejudice of the Gallican Church the Ambassadours pretended that their return and presence would imply or argue a concurrence or an assent to all the Decrees of the Council Notwithstanding this refusal the Council proceeded forward to consider of the reformation of Friers Monks Abbots and other Religious in respect to whom few Rules were altered onely some additions were made according to the Proposals and desires of the Generals of the respective Orders All other things as we have said proceeded smoothly the Point of Indulgences being superficially touched for considering the many difficulties comprehended in that question which might if distinctly treated have taken up a long time in the examination of every Point it was thought fit to couch all in few words prohibiting the abuses thereof in general terms Thus did matters hasten towards an end but what did more eagerly precipitate a conclusion was the Pope's indisposition of health for it was feared in case the Pope should die during the Session that then the Council would by the example of that of Constance take upon themselves a Power of electing an other so that notwithstanding the opposition of the Spaniards who desired to proceed with gravity and phlegm until they could receive an answer of what they had wrote to Madrid the ultimate Session was appointed for the 9th of December but in regard that time seemed too long to Persons impatient of an end the day was shortned to the third of that month and to be continued on the day following in case the Affairs seemed too weighty and various to be ended at one sitting The Spanish Ambassadour with fourteen of his Bishops not being able to withstand this general Torrent promised to concur with the others on these two conditions First That the Pope should regulate all matters not determined by this Council And secondly That in the Chapters of Indulgences the word gratis should not be used lest it should prejudice the Indulgences granted by the Crusada of Spain All the difficulties being now overcome the Session was held on Friday the 3d. of December at which after the Sermon and usual Ceremonies all the Acts prepared according to form were read but being too long for the work of one day the remaining part was left until the day following at the conclusion of all fearing lest in any of the Decrees of Reformation some words should have escaped which might seem to entrench or diminish the Pope's Authority it was determined that the Interpretation of the Canons and the liberty to dispense with any of them should remain in the breast and at the free pleasure and will of the Pope in confirmation of which it was publickly declared
censure and condemn two Books the one of James Vernant who asserts the Pope's Power and Infallibility of the Pope in derogation of Councils Kings and Bishops and the other of Amadeus Guimenius who defends the Morals of the Jesuits the Pope being displeased with this confidence of the Sorbonists who being but a Colledg only should presume to determine Cases of such high nature complained to the King who in compliance with his Holiness assembled a Congregation of Bishops at Pontoise the which being met passed a Censure on the Sorbonists not condemning their Opinion but their presumption for that being but a private Colledg they should usurp a Power which appertained to the Congregation and not unto them The Pope not satisfied with these imperfect proceedings amends them at Rome and by a Bull condemns the Opinions of the Sorbonists under penalty of Excommunication But this Doctrine of the Pope's could not be digested by the Parliament of Paris who appeared Favourers of the Sorbonists howsoever lest these questions should engender discords and cause great trouble in the State they were silenced and by the King's Authority suppressed every one being under severe penalties forbidden to dispute or handle questions of this dangerous consequence Wherefore these Points being laid asleep rather than eradicated are sometimes revived and suffered to be started whensoever they are seasonable and judged commodious for the welfare of the State The same year likewise the Pope condemned the five Propositions of Cornelius Jansenius Bishop of Ypres concerning Grace and Free-Will and confirmed the Edict which Innocent X. had made against them Notwithstanding which so little regard was had thereunto that those Opinions are still maintained and defended both by words and Writings But now to proceed to his Acts and publick Works That Alexander VII might not appear less splendid in his publick Monuments than other Popes he repaired many Ruins enlarged and adorned many Streets much to the Ornament of the City and convenience of the Inhabitants The Pantheon which was a famous Temple of Old Rome built by M. Agrippa and afterwards by Boniface IV. dedicated to the Blessed Virgin he repaired and altered with much advantage for whereas formerly they descended unto it by steps he filled the low places with rubbish so that an entrance was made thereunto upon a level and having raised the Pillars which were almost buried in the Earth he therewith erected a stately Portico making it a magnificent structure which before was filled up with dirt and rubbish cast thereunto by the neighbouring Market The Forum or Market-place where the Columna Antoniana stands he cleansed and removed all rubbish from it and so beautified it on all sides that it is now a pleasant and convenient part of the City The Archigymnasium Romanum which was begun by Leo X. he finished and adorned with a sumptuous Library the Chamber for which he erected at his own charge and supplied it with excellent Books for the common use of learned Men. He also designed to build a Colledg wherein to entertain the most learned and famous Men of the Age invited thereunto from all parts of the World So that where any one was esteemed excellent and famous in any Science and especially if he were learned and an acute Disputant in Divinity he might be here entertained with a convenient subsistence to support which and make a Revenue for this Colledg he designed the desolation of some Monasteries which having formerly been ordained with holy Discipline and to a good end were now fallen from their original and primary Institution but whilest he was contemplating and contriving this design he became infirm and afflicted with a Chronical Distemper which abated the heat of his proceedings which afterwards ended and were wholly laid aside by his death He erected a noble and magnificent Hall adjoyning to the Vatican which he called an Archivium or a place to lodge all Papers and Writings relating to the Apostolical Sea that is all Papers rendering an account of the Negotiations of Nuntios in the Courts of forein Princes Likewise the Letters written to Popes from the Governours and Ministers of Provinces belonging to the Church such Letters also as had been written concerning the Rights and Priviledges of the Papal Chair for which there having formerly been no certain place allotted wherein to conserve them they were dispersed and scattered in divers places and many of them in the hands of such whose Uncles or Relations had been Popes The Vatican Library he encreased with an addition of all the Books of the Dukes of Vrbin both Manuscripts and Books printed And lest whilest he was intent to the adornment of Rome he should seem forgetful of his own City he beautified the Cathedral Church of Siena which by demolishing the Houses which stood near it he made a large and open Area to it removing all impediments which obscured or obstructed the Prospect The barbarous Latin which is written about the outside of this Church is very observable the words are these Omnis centenus Romae semper est Jubilenus Crimina laxantur cui paenitet ista donantur Et confirmavit Bonifacius roboravit Whilest Alexander was employed in these and other greater Works he was esteemed to have neglected those assistances which former Popes have usually given and contributed for support of those Princes which have been borderers and in War with the Turk who is the grand Enemy of Christendom Wherefore that he might give some instances to the contrary in the year 1666. he equipped his Fleet of Gallies under command of Bichi and having joined them with the Gallies of Malta which by their Institution are obliged to serve under the Standard of the Church they entered the Archipelago and committed some spoils on the Maritime Towns or places under Dominion of the Turk in which having passed that Summer without any action very memorable they returned towards the end of the year to their Winter quarters and this year the Pope recruited the Regiment which he maintained in Dalmatia with two hundred Soldiers During the twelve years of this Pope's Reign he created thirty eight Cardinals of which eight were made in the last year of his life namely Roberti his Nuntio in France Visconti his Nuntio in Spain Julio Spinola his Nuntio to the Emperour Caracciolo Auditor of the Camera likewise John Dolfino Patriarch of Aquileia was made Cardinal at the instance of the Venetians Ghidobald de Thun Arch-bishop of Saltzburg at the desire of the Emperour the Duke of Vendosme in compliance with France and the Duke of Montalto to please Spain And farther to exalt and dignifie the degree of Cardinals he appointed a Congregation of the Sacred Colledg to consider and direct some Formulary or Rules which might serve to augment the Prerogatives of Cardinals in opposition to the pretences of the Roman Barons one amongst which was that the little Bell which was carried and sounded before the Cardinals should be no more in use for that
of which was consented unto by his Majesty and summoned to meet the first of October following Thus far concerning the Regale we have extracted in short by way of Epitome from the Treatise of Dr. Burnet on that Subject Now as to what follow'd The Assembly met at the time appinted at the opening of which the Bishop of Meaux preached a most Eloquent Sermon with much applause After which the point of the Regale was put to the question and argued learnedly on both sides and in conclusion the greatest part were of Opinion that the Right unto the Regalia were inherent in the Crown and that the pretensions thereunto were Usurpations by the Church as appears by this following Declaration The Declaration of the Clergy of the Gallican Church concerning the Ecclesiastical Power We the arch-Arch-Bishops and Bishops Representatives of the Gallican Church being by command of his Majesty assembled at Paris together with others of the Clergy in the same manner delegated with us after long debate and mature consideration have thought fit to declare and determine these several particulars following 1. First That a Power is given by God to St. Peter and his Successours who are the Vicars of Christ and to the Church to order and regulate all Spiritual matters but not to intermeddle in Civil or Temporal matters according to that saying of our Lord My Kingdom is not of this World And again Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods And agreeable hereunto is that of the Apostle Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers which are are ordained of God and whosoever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God Wherefore Kings and Princes by the Law of God are not liable in Temporal matters to the Ecclesiastical Power nor by the Power of the Keys can they be Deposed either directly or indirectly or can their Subjects be absolved from their Fealty and Obedience to them or from their Oaths of Allegiance the which we confirm and determine as principles not onely necessary for conservation of the publick peace and tranquillity but for the better government of the Church and as truths agreeable to the Word of God the tradition of the Fathers and to the example and practise of Saints and Holy Men. 2. Secondly That the Apostolical See and the Successours of St. Peter who are the Vicars of Christ have a full and plenary power in all Spiritual matters in such manner as is given to them by the Holy Oecumenical Synod of Constance which is received by the Apostolical See and in such manner as hath been confirmed by the constant use and practise of the Popes of Rome and the whole Church and observed by the Religion of the Gallican Church and decreed by the Authority of the General Councils in the fourth and fifth Sessions And the Gallican Church doth condemn the Opinions of those who esteeming those Decrees of doubtful Authority do endeavour to restrain them to certain times of Schism and to invalidate the present power thereof 3. Thirdly Hence it is that the 3d exercise of the Apostolical power is to be regulated by Canons established by the Spirit of God and thereunto all the World is to bear respect and Reverence Likewise the Rules Manners and Institutions received by the Kingdom and Church of France as also the customs of our Forefathers are to remain unalterable the which is a clear demonstration of the greatness of the Apostolical See that the Statutes and Ordinances thereof are established and confirmed by and with the consent of the Churches 4. Fourthly In questions of Faith the Pope is Chief Judg and his Decrees extend themselves to the Churches in general and to every one in particular nor can his judgment be repealed unless by the consent and determination of the Universal Church 5. Fifthly These particulars received from the Doctrine of our Fore-fathers we have by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost Decreed to send unto all the Gallican Churches and the Bishops presiding over them And we do all concur in the same sence and meaning of them Subscribed by Arch-Bishops and Bishops and Clergy as before related and registred as required by the King's Attorney General March 23. 1682. The Pope who during his Reign had not as yet assumed any to the degree of Cardinal to supply the places of those who were dead the College was diminished twenty six in their number which when the Pope considered and that old Men were every day dying and falling off he was inspired to replenish the places with a supply of sixteen new Cardinals which were these that follow 1. John Baptista Spinola of sixty seven years of Age a Genoese who was Governour of Rome and Secretary of the Congregation of Regulars 2. Anthony Pignatelli a Napolitan of sixty six years of age Bishop of Lecca and Master of the Pope's Chamber 3. Stephen Brancaccio a Napolitan of sixty four years of age 4. Stephen Agostini of sixty five years of age Arch-Bishop of Heraclea and Datary to the Pope 5. Francis Bonvisi of Luca aged sixty three years Arch-Bishop of Thessalonica and Nuntio residing at Vienna 6. Savo Mellini a Roman aged thirty seven years Arch-Bishop of Cesarea and Nuntio in Spain 7. Frederick Visconti of Milan aged sixty three Auditor of the Rota and Arch-Bishop of Milan 8. Marco Gallio of Como aged sixty nine years Bishop of Rimini and Vice-gerent of Rome 9. Flaminio del Tayo of Siena aged eighty years Auditor of the Rota and Chief Penitentiary 10. Raymond Capizucchi a Roman aged sixty nine years Master of the Palace 11. John Baptista de Luca a Napolitan aged sixty four years Auditor to the Pope 12. Laurentio Brancati of Laurea in Calabria aged sixty four years Library-keeper of the Vatican 13. Vrbano Lacchetti of Florence aged forty four years Auditor of the Apostolical Chamber 14. John Francisco Ginetti a Roman aged sixty years Treasurer of the Apostolical Chamber 15. Benedict Pamfilio aged twenty eight years Grand Prior of Rome 16. Michael Angelo Ricci aged sixty five years Secretary of the Congregation of Indulgences The other ten Hats remaining were kept in the hand of the Pope for a reserve wherewith to gratifie Kings and Princes whensoever they should desire to have some of their own Creatures preferred to that Dignity All the sixteen preceding Cardinals took their promotion very patiently and without much reluctancy excepting Tayo who was eighty years of age and Ricci both which made some modest refusals as unworthy of that great honour but the Pope instantly constraining them they with humility submitted And here it is observable that this Pope is not very forward to create Cardinals but rather inclinable to lessen and reduce their number which of late years hath increased to that degree as to become a burthen to the Church But to return unto the Assembly at Paris which after many Debates and deliberate
Consultations held upon the point of the Regale At length by the Arch-bishop of Paris they offered these several Proposals by way of accommodation between his Majesty and the Pope That those on whom the King in Right of his Regality bestows any Ecclesiastical Benefices shall in the vacancy of the Sees have their approbation and Mission from the Vicars General That the Chapters which are in possession of bestowing Prebends and other Dignities shall continue to dispose of them whilst the See is vacant That in the Churches where the collation is alternative between the Bishops and the Chapters the same shall be observed during the vacancy of the Sees that are under the Regality the King having the turn which the Bishop should have had That where the Bishops dispose of the Prebends jointly with the Chapter the King shall in the vacancy of the See appoint a Commissioner who shall have the same power and place in the Chapter as the Bishop had Howsoever no farther proceedings were made in this matter because the Pope appeared resolute to maintain his priviledg and jurisdiction and the Cardinal d' Estrée who had ever since the beginning of this year been at Rome to try and bend the mind of the Pope gave little hopes to prevail with him wherefore it was thought fit that the Controversie should remain in suspence rather than be farther pressed to the breach of that amity which interceded between the common Father and the eldest Son of his Church so the King holds his Right and the Pope hath not relinquished his Claim but remains still in a capacity to reassume the same when either he or his Successours are strengthened with circumstances of time and force to make good their Demands It is known to all the World that in the Church of Rome vain and superstitious Opinions have been ever growing for divers Centuries of years some of the most wild and extravagant of which certain Popes have been weeding out but with that negligence and inattention that where one hath been destroyed twenty have arisen Hereof the present Pope Innocent the XI being sensible who is certainly one of the most understanding and most worthy of those that ever sate in the Papal Chair hath suppressed an Office called The Office of the Immaculate conception of the most Holy Virgin approved by Paul V. who granted unto whosoever should devoutly recite the same an hundred days Indulgence as may appear by his Bull of July 10th 1615. printed at Milan This Office he entirely abolished Decreeing That no person of what Order Degree or Condition soever should dare to keep read print or cause to be printed the said Book and requiring that whosoever should have the said Office in his keeping should forthwith deliver the same to the Ordinary or to the Inquisitors of the place The which Decree was published Feb. 19. 1678. Moreover this Pope in his Wisdom hath suppressed a multitude of idle and foolish Indulgences which many cheating Priests carried into remote Countries and raised Money thereupon from the ignorant people Of which kind were those Indulgences granted by John II. and Sixtus IV. to those who should recite the Prayer of Charity of our Lord Jesus Christ By Eugenius the 3d. to the Revelation made to St. Bernard of a blow or stroak on the shoulder of our Lord Jesus Christ By John the 22th to those who kiss the measure of the Soal of the foot of the Blessed Virgin By Leo the 10th to those who wear the Cord of St. Francis printted first at Rome and then at Milan Anno 1665. To them that shall say the Angelical Prayer when the Clock strikes to the Image of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary printed in a Circle with the Moon under her feet By Paul V. and Gregory XV. to those who say Blessed be the Holy Sacrament Likewise those Indulgences for fourscore thousand years copied out of the Antient Table which is said to be kept in the Lateran Church to those who say this truly pious Prayer O God who for the Redemption of the World c. Besides which this Pope suppressed a multitude of other Indulgences as vain and idle as the foregoing and declared that though according to the Doctrine of the Council of Trent the use of Indulgences may be useful to the people and doth Anathematize such as shall deny that there is not a power in the Church to grant them yet he is desirous that the Doctrine thereof be rightly understood and a moderation used in the granting of them lest by a too great facility or easiness the discipline of the Church be corrupted and enfeebled This Doctrine of Indulgences hath been a prickly and a contentious point and the Original cause of the present divisions and separations amongst Christians for from thence Luther began his quarrel and took the first rise and ground for a Reformation and indeed the matter on the part of the Church of Rome was so scandalous and abusive that the very common people in all their ignorance were able to discover the fraud and Cheat that was in them so that the wise and Learned Men at the Council of Trent knowing that this Doctrine was not solid and would not hold water they slightly touched thereupon and though it was the chief matter for which that Council was assembled yet nothing was farther determined therein than onely that Indulgences be used with such moderation as was approved by the Antient Custom of the Church of God Now it is a most certain and an undeniable truth that Indulgences were never in use with any Nation of the Eastern Churches either in the Primitive times or afterwards And indeed neither were they in practice in the Western Churches from times of Ancient date that is from before the time of Vrban II which was about the year of Christ 1095. and then also they were not very common and granted onely to remit the rigour and severity of Penance enjoined by the Confessour which reasons this Pope Innocent XI wisely considering and the many abuses of this Doctrine did attempt the means to regulate the extravagance thereof Besides the suppression of these Indulgences this Pope condemned sixty five Propositions about Cases of Morality which were scandalous and divers of them maintained by the subtle distinctions of the Jesuits the preamble to which condemnation saith that this present Innocent XI in pursuance of the same work commenced by his Predecessour Alexander VII did by and with the advice concurrence and assistance of the most Reverend and Eminent the Cardinals as also of the Inquisitors General and many other Divines gather and weed out from several Books Theses and other Papers lately written a great number of scandalous and pernicious Doctrines in Morality tending to the debauchery of Manners and to the encouragement of a loose and a dissolute life in Mankind But in nothing more hath the Vertue Piety and care of this Pope been conspicuous than in those large
the Papal Power 106. her Ambassadours how receiv'd at Rome ibid. and 111. Matthias King of Hungary 3 Maurice Duke of Saxony 104 Medicis the Family disoblig'd by Sixtus IV. 4. a Plot against 'em 4.5 one of 'em murther'd ibid. John of that House made Pope with the name of Leo X. 29. Julio another Pope with the name of Clement VII 46. the Family driven out of Florence 57. Alexander made first Hereditary Duke of Florence 62. John Angelo de Medicis Pope by the name of Pius IV. 119. Cosmo de Medicis made Great Duke of Tuscany 159. Alexander chosen Pope and call'd Leo XI 205 Messina seized by the French 374 Milan its various fortune 15.27.30.31.39.49.52.71 Modena taken by the Pope's Forces 24 Monasteries suppress'd by the Pope's permission 328.348 Montalto Cardinal chosen Pope with the name of Sixtus V. 172 Monti Cardinal chosen Pope by the name of Julius III. 90 Munster the Treaty of Peace there 307 N Naples besieged by the French 59 Nepotism declar'd against by Alexander VII 325. but practis'd ib. Nerius Philip Canoniz'd 263.270 Nitardo Inquisitor General of Spain made a Cardinal 368 Novaro its stout resistance of the French 30 Nuntio's from the Popes denied admittance by several Princes 126.180 O Obelisc raised by Sixtus V. 186 Odescalchi Cardinal chosen Pope and call'd Innocent XI 380 Donna Olympia her Character 298. and managements 299.300.301.310.311.312.313.319 confined to Orvieto 324. dies of the Plague ibid. Orsini see Vrsini Osnaburg a Peace concluded there 308 Otranto seiz'd by the Turks 6 P Palace of the Farnese 68 Palatine of the Rhine despoil'd of his Dominions 269 Pamfilio Cardinal made Pope and call'd Innocent X. 594 Paris made an Arch-Bishoprick 270 Parma Edward Duke thereof his Contest with Vrban VIII 284 to 292. Pasquil upon Sixtus V. 191 Pavia the Cardinal thereof assassinated 24. the City besieged by French King 48. taken by Lautrec 56. Persia an Embassie from thence to the Pope 262 Pescara the Marquess a noble Commander 48 Peter-pence the paying of 'em a great Duty 111 Philip de Comines sent with succours to the Florentines 5 Piccolomini Francis chosen Pope with the name of Pius III. 20 Pinarolo Tutor to Sixtus IV. 1 Pius V. Canoniz'd 368 Plague in Italy 168.324.326 Plot of Sixtus IV. against the lives of the Medici 4.5 Of some Villains against Pius IV. 156 Poland great Contests there about chusing a King 167.195.369 Pool Reginald made a Cardinal 68. sent Legat to the Council at Trent 80. almost chosen Pope 89. recall'd from his Office of Legat in England 116 Portugal great troubles there 168 Priests Secular and Mendicant Friers a long Dispute between 'em determin'd by the Pope 4 Progress of Clement VIII from Rome to Ferrara 216 Protest of the King of France to the Pope 94 Protestants routed by the Imperialists 84 Q Queens of Cyprus and Bosna entertain'd by the Pope 7 R Ravenna taken by the French 26 Ravillac murthers Henry IV. of France 263 Reformation design'd by Adrian VI. 44. by Marcellus II. 108. by Marcellus II. 108. by Paul IV. 117. by Pius V. 158 Relations See Kinred Rhodes taken by the Turks 42 Rome taken and sack'd by the Imperial Army 56. and spoil'd by the Vrsins 59 Rospigliosi Cardinal created Pope with the name of Clement IX 346 Rovere Francis created Pope with the name of Sixtus IV. 1 Rovere Julian made Cardinal 2. and Pope with the name of Julius II. 20 S Salvian Arch-bishop of Pisa in a Plot with the Pope against the lives of the Medici 5. hang'd ib. Saraceno Prebendary of Vicenza occasion of the quarrel of Paul V. with the Venetians 230 Saxony the Duke excommunicated 38 Sebastian K. of Portugal slain 168 Sfondrati Nicolas created Pope and call'd Gregory XIV 207 Sforza D. of Milan taken and sent into France 31. his Heir restor'd to his Dukedom 52. dies 71 Shoomaker of Macerata a Story of him 183 Siena revolts from the Emperour 104. recover'd 105 Simony practised and punished by the Pope 12. Debate about its qualifications 117 Sobietzki John chosen King of Poland 369 Soliman the Magnificent 42.52.61 Spalato A. de Dominis the Archbishop thereof 270 Spain the Kings thereof when first honour'd with the Title of Catholick 13 Statue of Paul IV. ignominiously used by the People 119 Strozzi General for the French in Tuscany defeated 105 Stuart John D. of Albany of the Scotch Bloud-Royal General of the French in Naples 48 Swiss-Cantons their Embassie to the Pope 187 Switzers their actions in the Pope's Cause 27.30.31 T Teresa the Virgin Canoniz'd 203.270 Theatines the Order when first instituted 110 Title of Catholick given to the King of Spain 13. of Defender of the Faith to the King of England 37 Treaty at Munster 307. at Osnaburg 308. of the Pyreneans 329. at Aix la Chappelle 352 Trent a General Council appointed there 78. begun 80 Trivulse General of the French takes Bologna 24 Tunis taken by Charles V. 71 Turks seize Otranto 6. alarm Christendom 35. take Rhodes 42. and Buda 52. besiege Vienna 61. invade Dalmatia 75.160 demand Cyprus of the Venetians 160 take it 161. receive a great overthrow at Lepanto 161. successful in Hungary 214. invading Poland are defeated 270 U Vanoccia Harlot to Alexander IV. 16 Vatican Library much improv'd by Sixtus IV. 7. much more by Sixtus V. 186. by Paul V. 265. by the addition of the Palatine Library 269. by Alexander VII 344 Venetians bandy against the Pope 5. are excommunicated by him 7. absolv'd 9. a formidable League against them 22. strip'd of all their Acquisitions in Italy 23. regain some Towns 27. their Victory at Lepanto 162. make Peace with the Turks 166. kind to the Nuntio of Sixtus V. 190. they are quarrel'd with by Paul V. 230 to 261. disoblig'd by Vrban VIII 283 Vienna besieg'd by the Turks 61 Vitelli Count of Tiferno against the Pope 4 Vladislaus King of Bohemia excommunicated 4 Vrbin the Dutchy seiz'd into the Pope's hands 32.35 restor'd 42. devolves to the Church 281 Vrsini and Colonneses a Discord between the two Families 9. are reconcil'd 10. both spoil'd by Caesar Borgia 16. Vrsini cause a great tumult at Rome 170 W Wednesdays auspicious to Sixtus V 137. X Xaverius Francis a Jesuite Canoniz'd 270 Z Zizime Brother to the Grand Signior brought to Rome 11. dies 14 Zuinglius opposes the Pope 37 FINIS Div. S. The Original of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction 1 Cor. cap. 6. The degrees by which the greatness of the Clergy did arise The difficulties which the Clergy met in making themselves great The Popes depended on the Emperor How the Temporal Power was derived to the Popes Charles the Bald resigns the power of Election of the Emperour to the Pope How the Election of Emperours was transferred to the seven Electors Presbyters called Cardinals and when Election of Popes by Cardinals and when begun The form and manner of Electing Popes The several ways by which Popes are Elected and the methods and forms thereof The
give a Bull of Jus Patronatus Perpetui to the House of Este of the Abby of Pomposa and Bondeno to which the Popes shall never pretend Right or Title That the Cardinal Nephew shall be sent Legat into France where at his first publick Audience with the King he shall repeat these very words That his Holiness is extreamly sorry for the late barbarous outrage committed against the Person of the Duke of Crequi his Majesties Ambassadour in which matter he prays his Majesty to believe that neither he nor any of his Family was concerned or was culpable the truth of which he shall Attest unto his Majesty with all the assurances of respect and reverence for the Person of his Majesty That Cardinal Imperiale be dispeeded into France to justifie himself in regard his Majesty is pleased to grant him liberty so to do and will accept of his submission That his Holiness shall restore Cardinal Maldachino to his pristine State and condition and free him of all damage and interest and for better security shall send a Brief to the King of such Tenour That so soon as the Ratification of this Treaty shall arrive at Rome Don Mario shall immediately depart from thence and shall by a Writing under his hand and upon the faith of a Gentleman declare that he was no ways concerned in the late Riot of the Corsi the which shall be confirmed by a Brief of the Pope avouching and giving assurance of his innocence of that Fact And that he shall not return to Rome until such time that his justification being carried to the King by the hand of the Legate his Majesty shall declare his pleasure therein That Don Augustino shall upon approach of the Duke of Crequi to Rome go forth to meet him as far as St. Quirico in case he comes by way of Toscany if by Sea then he shall meet him at Civita-vecchia if by Romagna then at Narni and shall there make known to him the great trouble which the Pope hath conceived for the late accident That Donna Beronice and the Princess Farnese shall go and meet the Lady Ambassadress as far as Ponte Molle where they shall both testifie the extraordinary sorrow they conceived for the late misfortune which caused her departure and the joy they have for her return and happy understanding of all matters That his Holiness shall in a most effectual manner instruct his Ministers to make known unto the Ambassadour the high esteem he hath for a personage of his Quality who represents the Person of so great a King who is eldest Son of the Church That the Duke of Cesarini shall be restored to the possession and enjoyment of his Goods and Estate That the like shall be observed and practised towards all Persons who have had any concernment in the late matter That the whole Nation of the Corsi shall be declared uncapable to serve not onely in Rome but in any other part of the Ecclesiastical State And that the Captain of the Guards in Rome shall be cashiered from his Office That a Pyramid shall be erected in Rome over against the place where the Corsi held their Corps of Guard with an Inscription declaring the Crime for which they were banished from the Ecclesiastical State That so soon as the Cardinal-Legat should arrive at Paris and the former particulars were accomplished that then the King would again restore Avignon to the Pope It being agreed that neither any of the Inhabitants Strangers or Sojourners there living shall be troubled or questioned for any thing they said or acted in in the revolt of that City which happened on the twentieth of August 1662. or for any thing which passed on this occasion from that time until the day that his Majesty restored it to the Pope These Particulars thus agreed and signed by the Plenipotentiaries were sent to Rome and Paris to be ratified and confirmed and in the mean time the Pope laboured to excuse the banishment of Don Mario and the sending of Cardinal Chigi in quality of his Legat into France but neither the one nor the other would be dispensed with Wherefore Don Mario retired to Sora in the Kingdom of Naples and Cardinal Chigi began his Journey with a noble Equipage and Attendance of Prelates and Gentlemen amongst which was Monsignor Colonna appointed to reside at Avignon in quality of Legat for the Pope The Cardinal being entered into France was received in all places with great honour and splendid entertainment and being conducted to Fontainbleau where the Court then resided he had his first Audience with the King all things passing to the mutual satisfaction of both Parties Some days after Cardinal Imperiale arrived at Paris to accomplish another Article of the Treaty where having justified himself according to agreement the King accepted his submission and returned him with testimonials signifying the entire satisfaction he received by his Address The other Points in the Articles being to be executed at Rome by the Duke of Crequi the Cardinals d' Este and Maldachino arrived there and were received by the Pope and the Court according to the formalities agreed And the Duke being likewise mollified by the Addresses which the Queen of Sweden made to him as also by the Application made to him by the Cardinals Corrado and Azzolino who always spake loud and boldly against the French all Animosities were appeased and these troubles ended which had administred great vexation and unquietness to the spirit of the Pope during three years that they had continued The Controversies of France being thus happily composed Don Mario had licence to return again to Rome and the Pope had time to inspect the turbulencies in Spain which were growing into dangerous consequences upon Disputes raised concerning the Immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin The Dominicans violently maintained the contrary Tenent in opposition to the Jesuits in which the Disciples of both sides became so concerned that what could not be determined by a Moderator in the Schools was in danger to be decided in the Fields or Streets by the Sword To prevent which the King sent the Bishop of Piacenza to the Pope desiring his Sentence and determination of the question as being the Oracle to whom they were to have recourse for solution in all difficulties of this nature The Pope who was a great Favourer of the Jesuits and their Doctrines consulted the question with such who were inclined to that Opinion and after some days consideration he determined for the Immaculate Conception which though he would not enter or enumerate amongst the Doctrines of Faith yet he published a Bull denouncing several Penalties and Censures against those who should either publickly or privately maintain the contrary And in the same year he canonized Francis Sales Bishop and Prince of Geneva who by his Treatise called an Introduction to a Holy Life hath given sufficient testimony of a devout and spiritual Soul This year also the Sorbonists at Paris undertook to