was established between the King of Great Britain the King of Sweden and the States of the Vnited Provinces with the various Acts and successes thereupon Nor is it to our purpose to declare the disturbances given to this Peace by the pretensions which the French made to the dependencies which were so comprehensive as took in almost all the Dominions belonging to the Spaniards in the Low Countries for the better interpretation understanding and limitation of which word Dependencies a meeting was appointed at Lisle at which the Commissioners for both Crowns were to be present and debate the Controversie Wherefore to return now to the Affairs of Italy and the actions of Clement IX we find him after the conclusion of this Peace extreamly intent and zealous for the relief of Candia and urgent both with France and Spain to send succours thereunto In pursuance of which his endeavours in France as we have said were very successful great succours being sent to Candia as we have related in our History of the Turks and indeed the correspondence was so good between his Christian Majesty and this Pope during the whole time of his Reign that nothing seemed to be denied which was requested by either for the Pope at the King's desire granted a Bull allowing him to nominate and constitute such persons as he should judg fit in all Churches Benefices and Monasteries and in all Bishopricks and Arch-bishopricks within his own Dominions In return of which kindness and as a signal of this good correspondence the French King allowed the Pope to demolish the Pillar which was erected at Rome in the time of Alexander VII for a memorial of the banishment of the Corsi and to deface the Inscription engraven thereon In like manner the Pope gave license to the French to take away and demolish the Cross which was erected at Rome over against the Church of St. Anthony in the time of Clement VIII in memory of the conversion of Henry IV. to the Roman Faith So that now the other particulars concluded at the Treaty of Pisa not as yet executed began to wear out and to be forgotten and the late warm interposition of France in behalf of the Duke of Parma for what related to Castro became cold and remiss For though in the days of Alexander VII the Duke had provided his Money according to the time allotted him by the Treaty upon payment of which Castro was to have been redeemed yet the Pope found out ways to avoid the receiving thereof pretending that other Creditors were ready to attach and sequester the Money so soon as it should be brought within the Walls of the City but this being only an excuse and an artificial pretence of the Pope the Duke of Parma resolved to expect the arrival of the Duke of Chaunes at Rome then coming in quality of Ambassadour from France to whom making his complaint he might most properly by his means challenge a performance of that part of the Treaty which was in his favour concluded and agreed at Pisa But this Expedient failing and the Ambassadour taking this matter a little to heart the Duke supplied his Money at Rome by Letters of Credit and Bills of Exchange which though refused by the Court notwithstanding the many addresses Processes made according to the Methods and formalities of Law yet all proved ineffectual and little regarded by the Interest of France even to the very time of this present Pope of which coldness and unconcernment of his Christian Majesty in this matter wherein he once shewed so much zeal and affection various causes have been assigned of which none seems to be more probable than the engagements of France in the Low Countries during the time of Alexander VII and afterwards the kind correspondence held with this Clement IX of which the Crown of France being entirely satisfied was unwilling to be importunate or disturb the quiet of the Church for the sake of a forein Prince whose interest had no influence or concernment at that time with the welfare and conveniencies of France As the Pope was instant with his most Christian Majesty to send Forces into Candia and obtained by his sollicitations a strong Fleet under the command of the Duke of Beaufort which carried the Banner of the Church so also he was not remiss or backward to send and engage his own Fleet of Gallies under the conduct and command of his Nephew Vincenzo Rospigliosi which with the Gallies of France and Malta made up the number of twenty nine Nor was Clement less urgent with Spain than with other Princes to enter and engage in this common cause of Christianity so that having occasion to send the Abbat Arroldi who was Bishop of Milan in quality of his Internuntio to Bruxels he gave him particular Instructions to sollicite the Catholick Princes of Germany to concur with the rest in contribution towards the relief of Candia in which Act the Internuntio so well succeeded that the Electour of Bavaria the Bishop of Argentina or Strasburg and several other Princes of the Rhine administred effectual succours to the present necessity of that languishing place But the successes of this War and the fate of Candia have been our Subject and Theme in an other History In the mean time whilst these Affairs were in agitation the Cardinals Palotta and Farnese two of the chief Ornaments of the College departed this life in place of whom the Pope promoted Prince Leopold of Toscany to the dignity of Cardinal a Person though of excellent qualifications of mind and of unblameable conversation in the days of his youth yet reasons of State had prevented his just advancement and Title to the Purple until the time of his old Age. After which he promoted Portocarrero with seven others to the same degree of Cardinals viz. Altieri who was Master of the Camera Nerli who was Secretary of the Briefs Pallavicino Dean of the Clerks of the Camera Certi Dean of the Ruota Bonaccorsi Treasurer General Acciaoli Auditor General of the Camera and Father Buona Abbat of St. Bernard in Piedmont besides which he created James Rospigliosi his Brother's Son and Emanuel Theodosio who draws his pedigree from the Dukes of Aquitaine so that during his Reign at three promotions he created twelve Cardinals and not more The most important Affair during the Reign of this Pope was the Siege of Candia which as we have said so affected him that he employed all his thoughts and endeavours towards the relief thereof Nicholas the fifth was not so much troubled for the loss of Constantinople nor Hadrian VI. for the subjection of Rhodes nor Pius Quintus for the surrender of Cyprus as our Clement IX for the ill success and conclusion of the Cretian War in which the Duke of Beaufort being lost with many French Cavaliers and other generous Heroes from divers parts of Christendom the City was delivered into the hands of the Turks the fatal news of which being brought to him
in a different manner depend on the Court France hath no great Obligation or dependency upon Rome unless it be in some respects to the privileges of the Gallican Church But Spain is engaged in a kind of Partnership with Rome in Government and Jurisdiction and is beholden thereunto for a great part of its Revenue The Income of the Crusada granted by the Popes to the Kings of Spain is one of the chief branches of the Royal Revenue The Tribunals of the Inquisition are absolutely constituted by the Ecclesiastical Authority which gives such an unlimited power to the Nuntios Judges and Officers of the Pope within the Catholick Dominions as doth very much eclipse and diminish the greatness of that Monarch whereunto when we add the Tribute yearly paid by that King to the Pope for the Kingdom of Naples it seems as if they two held the reins of Government in partnership together onely with this difference that though the Pope hath intermixt his power with the Temporal yet the King dares not interpose in matters Ecclesiastical Hence we may see how dangerous it is for Kings to admit Partners with them in their Thrones Never was the Monarchy of Spain more abased and rendered inglorious than when the Inquisition was set up and an other power introduced to allay and attemper the Sovereign Authority wherefore France having no need of such dependencies hath always kept up and asserted the Right of Monarchy not suffering it to be debased by the Concessions of Regalia or other mean Compliances And indeed how much more happy now is the Crown of Great Britain than in the time of King John who was forced to yield that of England to the Pope and his Successours and how considerable and flourishing hath it been since it hath disowned all dependencies on forein power either in Church or State in defence of which may His Sacred Majesty King James the Second who is the Supreme Moderator and Governour thereof upon Earth live long and Reign happily and when it shall please the King of Kings to translate Him from a fading to an Immortal Crown there may never fail one of his Royal Line to sit upon His Throne and defend His Loyal People against all the Encroachments and Usurpations of forein Jurisdiction An Alphabetical TABLE OF THE POPES Whose Lives were written by B. Platina A ADeodatus Pag. 114 Adrian I. 145 II. 169 III. 172 IV. 240 V. 281 Agapetus I. 90 II. 183 Agatho 117 Alexander I. 15 II. 206 III. 242 IV. 269 V. 341 Anacletus 12 Anastasius I. 66 II. 83 III. 179 IV. 240 Anicetus 21 Anterus 33 B Benedict I. 97 II. 120 III. 166 IV. 177 V. 186 VI. 188 VII 189 VIII 196 IX 199 X. 204 XI 298 XII 310 Boniface I. 72 II. 89 III. 102 IV. 103 V. 105 VI. 174 VII 189 VIII 294 IX 330 C Caius 43 Calistus I. 28 II. 231 III. 383 Celestine I. 73 II. 236 III. 252 IV. 265 V. 293 Christopher 178 Clemens I. 11 II. 201 III. 251 IV. 275 V. 299 VI. 312 Cletus 9 Conon 122 Constans Constantine 128 Cornelius 35 D Damasus I. 61 II. 201 Deus-dedit 104 Dionysius 40 Donus I. 115 II. 188 E Eleutherius 24 Euaristus 14 Eugenius I. 112 II. 155 III. 238 IV. 357 Eusebius 48 Eutychianus 42 F Fabianus 34 Felix I. 41 II. 59 III. 80 Formosus 173 G Gelasius I. 81 II. 228 Gregory I. 99 II. 130 III. 134 IV. 157 V. 192 VI. 200 VII 207 VIII 250 IX 260 X. 278 XI 320 XII 339 H Hadrian V. Adrian  Hilarius 78 Honorius I. 196 II. 233 III. 258 IV. 288 Hormisda 85 Hyginus 19 I Innocent I. 68 II. 234 III. 254 IV. 265 V. 280 VI. 315 VII 336 John I. 86 II. 90 III. 95 IV. 109 V. 121 VI. 125 VII 127 VIII 165 IX 170 X. 176 XI 180 XII 182 XIII 184 XIV 187 XV. 190 XVI 191 XVII ibid. XVIII 193 XIX 195 XX. ibib XXI 198 XXII 282 XXIII 305 XXIV 343 Julius I. 56 L Landus 179 Leo I. 76 II. 119 III. 149 IV. 162 V. 177 VI. 181 VII 182 VIII 186 IX 202 Liberius 56 Linus 7 Lucius I. 37 II. 237 III. 247 M Marcellinus 44 Marcellus 47 Marcus 55 Martin I. 111 II. 171 III. 183 IV. 285 V. 347 Miltiades 49 N Nicolas I. 167 II. 205 III. 283 IV. 290 V. 373 P Paschal I. 154 II. 220 Paul I. 141 II. 401 Pelagius I. 94 II. 98 S. Peter 1 Pius I. 20 II. 389 Pontianus 31 R Romanus 175 S Sabinianus 101 Sergius I. 123 II. 160 III. 178 IV. 196 Severinus 108 Simplicius 79 Sisinnius 128 Sixtus I. 16 II. 39 III. 74 Soter 23 Stephen I. 38 II. 138 III. 142 IV. 153 V. 172 VI. 174 VII 181 VIII 183 IX 204 Sylverius 91 Sylvester I. 50 II. 194 III. 199 Symmachus 84 Syricius 64 T Telesphorus 18 Theodore I. 110 II. 175 U Valentine 157 Victor I. 25 II. 203 III. 215 Vigilius 92 Vitalianus 113 Vrban I. 30 II. 216 III. 248 IV. 273 V. 319 VI. 323 X Xistus V. Sixtus Z Zacharias 136 Zephyrinus 26 Zozimus 70 A TABLE Of those POPES Names whose Lives are written in the Continuation A A Drian VI. created Pope Jan. 9. 1522. Page 40 Alexander VI. created Pope August 11. 1492. p. 12. Alexander VII created Pope April 7. 1655. p. 320 C Clement VII created Pope November 19. 1523. p. 46 Clement VIII created Pope January 30. 1592. p. 211 Clement IX created Pope June 20. 1667. p. 344 Clement X. created Pope April 29 1670. p. 357 G Gregory XIII created Pope May 13. 1572. p. 163 Gregory XIV created Pope December 15. 1590. p. 207 Gregory XV. created Pope Feb. 21. 1621. p. 267 I Innocent VIII created Pope August 29. 1684. p. 8 Innocent IX created Pope October 29. 1591. p. 210 Innocent X. created Pope September 15. 1644. p. 293 Innocent XI created Pope September 21. 1676. p. 376 Julius II. created Pope November 1. 1503. p. 20 Julius III. created Pope Febr. 17. 1550. p. 88 L Leo X. created Pope March 11. 1513. p. 29 Leo XI created Pope April 1. 1605. p. 225 M Marcellus II. created Pope April 9. 1555. p. 107 P Paul III. created Pope October 12. 1534. p. 67 Paul IV. created Pope May 23. 1555. p. 109 Paul V. created Pope May 16. 1605. p. 227 Pius III. created Pope Septemb. 22. 1503. p. 19 Pius V. created Pope Decemb. 24. 1559. being Christmas Eve p. 119 Pius IV. created Pope January 7. 1566. p. 157 S Sixtus IV. created Pope August 9. 1471. p. 1. Sixtus V. created Pope April 24. 1585. p. 172 U Urban VII created Pope September 15. 1590. p. 205 Urban VIII created Pope August 6. 1623. p. 271 THE LIVES OF THE BISHOPS and POPES OF ROME S. PETER the Apostle AFTER the Death and Resurrection of Christ and the Completion of the days of Pentecost the Disciples received the Holy Ghost and being filled with the Spirit they published the wonderful works of God in divers Tongues though most of them
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
them by right of inheritance which for many years they maintained against the power of the Turk who made many attempts to make seizure of it About the same time also Dabuson the Great Master of Rhodes valiantly defended his City against Mahomet causing him to raise his Siege and retire with disgrace The fear of the Turk by their Retreat out of Italy being extinguished Sixtus re-assumed his former designs and in order thereunto favoured the party of the Venetians who made War upon Hercules da Este Duke of Ferrara by these means all Italy was put into a new flame of War being divided into diverse Parties and Factions On one side were the Pope the Venetians Genoueses and those of Siena with other Cities allied in a Confederacy On the other were Ferdinand King of Naples the Florentines Lodowick Sforza Protector of the State of Milan during the minority of the young Duke The Pope in favour of his own Party managed his War with the Spiritual as well as with the Temporal Arms for in the year 1482. he Excommunicated all his Enemies and as many as took their part or favoured their Cause and encouraged René Duke of Lorain and Anjou to return into Italy and recover his Kingdom of Naples But René being otherwise employed could not make use of this opportunity which was offered and therewith Ferdinand being enraged entered the Dominions of the Pope with a great Army and approached to the Gates of Rome with which Sixtus being greatly incensed issued out an Army against him under the command of Robert Malatesta and both Armies joyning Battel in a place called Campo Morto near Velitri Sixtus had the fortune of the day and to overthrow his Enemy many were slain on the place many principal Officers taken and carried in triumph into Rome and Ferdinand himself narrowly escaped by flight Three days after which Victory Malatesta died not without some suspicion of being poisoned Not long after a Peace being concluded between Pope Sixtus and the King of Naples all the Prisoners were set at liberty amongst which were the Cardinals Colonna and Savelli who at the beginning of the War were as disaffected persons committed to custody This War being in this manner ended the Pope turned his Arms upon the Venetians in favour of Hercules Duke of Ferrara lest that State being too powerful for him should augment their Force by the addition of that Dukedom and in regard that State would not give ear to his admonitions and desist from prosecution of their War at his command the Pope made use of his spiritual Arms Excommunicating all the Subjects under the Dominions of Venice and entering into League with all the Confederate Princes of Italy waged the most dangerous War that ever the Venetians had sustained and certainly had proved fatal to them had not Lodowick Sâ—forza Duke of Milan made a separate Peace with them against the sense and opinion of all the other Confederates Sixtus having by these many Wars and several ways exhausted his Treasury contrived by sale of new Offices never before known to replenish his Coffers he also imposed new Taxes and raised the old ones but that which most reflected on his Reputation and blemished him with the character of a covetous person was that he decimated the Prelates and laid new impositions on the Clergy but to do this Pope justice and give him his due never was any more generous or munificent in his gifts or more delighted to do good offices than this for he freely and at his own charge maintain'd Andrew Paleologo Prince of the Morea with Leonard di Focco Despor of Albania who had been deposed and exterminated their Dominions by the Turk he likewise with great magnificence and courtesie treated the Queens of Cyprus and Bosna whom the Turk had forced to abandon their Dominions and fly for refuge under his protection Also when the Kings of Denmark Swedeland Norway and Gothland with the Dukes of Saxony and Calabria being moved and guided by their Devotion came to visit the Roman Sea he received them with great State and treated them with a magnificence becoming Kings And when in the year of Jubile Ferdinand of Aragon King of Naples came to gain Indulgences at Rome he remitted to him the yearly Tribute which he was obliged to pay for that Kingdom and in lieu thereof contented himself with the yearly acknowledgment of a White Horse with its Furniture which is continued to this day And farther to demonstrate his generous and great Soul he re-built the Hospital of S. Spirito for maintainance and education of young Children he built the Church of S. Mary of Peace he adorned the Basilicon of S. Peter with new Windows making the Church more lightsome and pleasant than before he repaired the Palace of Lateran as also the Churches of the Holy Apostles with several other Churches The Pons Janicularis or the Bridg of Janicula being ruined he took up all the Stones and built an other Bridg over Tybur in the place thereof which since that time is called by the name of Ponte Sesto or the Bridg of Sixtus He cleared all the Common sewers of Rome making conveyances for the sullage of the City to run into the Tybur he repaired many Aquaeducts and Fountains and brought the brazen Statue of M. Aurelius from an obscure place and erected it in the more open Area of the Capitol It was he that reduced the Vatican Library into such a condition as hath made it famous through all the world for he not only brought Books thither from all parts of Europe but left also certain Rents and Revenues for the increase of them with Pensions also to the Library-keepers and under-Officers On the Pedestal of his Statue in the Library these Verses are written Templa Domum expositis vicos fora maenia pontes Virgineam Trivii quod reparatis aquam Prisc a licet Nautis Statuas dare commoda Portus Et Vaticanum cingere Christe jugum Plus tamen urbs debet nam quae squalore latebat Cernitur in celebri Bibliotheca loco In short there was nothing which tended to the glory and ornament of the City which was neglected by him and such was his zeal and power in defence of the Privileges of the Church that he would never suffer them to be infringed nor did any Prince offer him an injury or indignity which he did not return with due revenge As for instance appears by the War he made in confederacy with Venice and Genoua against the Duke of Ferrara and his Allies the which he managed with so much heat that when the Venetians made a separate Peace without his consent or approbation he so highly resented it that it brought him to a fit of the Gout which increased on him with that violence that he died thereof on the 13th of August 1484. having held the Pontifical Sea for the space of 13 years and four days having arrived the age of 70 years and 22 days At
to that King And whereas the former Pope was always averse to the instances which the Emperor and French King and other Princes made to him for a General Council to be held for reforming abuses crept into the Church and suppressing the Opinions of Luther which they called heretical and which began to dilate and spread themselves in all parts of Christendom Now this Paul the Third was of such a different sense herein to his Predecessor that he freely declared for a Council shewing himself willing to meet the desires of the Princes and promised in a short space to appoint the time and place where such a Council should be held and celebrated And farther to confirm and improve this good correspondence with the Christian Courts he dispeeded his Emissaries and Legates into all parts whose care it was as well to advance the private interests of his Family as the common benefit of the Church and particularly to solicit and promote such a good correspondence and peace between the Emperor and the King of France that uniting their Forces for the common safety of Christendom might joyntly make War upon the Turk and other enemies to the Christian Faith but herein his desires found little success for the French being beaten out of Italy could not support the prosperity of the Emperor against whom breathing nothing but revenge could never be induced to unite their Arms in a common Cause or joyn in a design then preparing by the Emperor against the Kingdom of Tunis which one Barbarosso had usurped who having by the help of Soldiers and a strong Fleet furnished and equipped at the expence of Soliman Emperor of the Turks droven Mulcasses King of Tunis out of his own Country did with the pyracies he committed very much infest the Coasts of Spain and Sicily and being arrived to a considerable power threatned to invade the Kingdom of Naples This growing greatness of Barbarosso and the daily Pyracies he committed were sufficient provocation to Charles the Fifth to wage War against him and being a Tyrant and an Infidel the Pope also became concerned in this Holy Cause to concur with the Emperor for whose assistance he furnished out nine Gallies which were fitted at Genoua besides three others which were the usual Guard of the Coast over this Fleet Virginio Orsinio a person of great quality was constituted Admiral to whom was joyned Paulo Giustiniano a Noble Venetian and one of great experience in Sea Affairs The preparations of the Emperor also were very great his Fleet was commanded by Prince Doria who was made Commander in Chief at Sea to whom the Pope made a present of a short Sword or Poniard with a Hilt set with Jewels and the Scabbard rarely Engraved and consecrated with the usual Ceremonies likewise a Cap of Velvet Embroidered with Pearls which were the accustomary Donatives which Popes made to Generals that were employed in a Holy War against Infidels The Marquiss Del Vasso was created General of the Italian and German Infantry and being on his Voyage towards Tunis he touched in his way thither at Civita Vecchia to which place the Pope went in person to bless the Army that he might evidence to the world the great zeal he had for the Christian cause the which office of Benediction he performed on the top of a high Tower from whence surveying the Fleet of Ships and Gallies he solemnly prayed with a Choire of Priests for the happy success of this enterprise making thousands of Crosses on the empty Air and then descending into the Church he delivered the Banner and Scepter of the Christian Religion into the hands of Viâ—ginio Orsino his General The success of this Expedition was that the Emperor having landed a great Army on the Coast of Tunis defeated Barbarosso and put his Forces to flight took the City of Tunis and restored Mulcasses the vanquished Prince to his Kingdom on conditions of Homage and Tribute for better security of which payment and performance he built two Castles at the Goleta which being Garrisoned with Spaniards served for Block Houses to that Port and having released twenty thousand Christians from Captivity which Barbarossa had by his depredations at Sea and Land taken and enslaved he returned with his Fleet to Sicily and then to Naples where he solemnly entered in a triumphant manner with such joy and festivals as are due to such successes Nor was this good news less welcome to Rome where Processions of Thanksgivings were made and Te Deum sang in the most solemn manner and farther to â—estifie the great joy which the Pope conceived for this success John Piccolomini and Alexander Cesarini were sent from him to congratulate with the Emperor for this glorious and happy Victory Whilst the Emperor was in his passage between Sicily and Naples advices were brought him of the decease of Francis Sforza who was the last Duke of Milan by whose death that Dutchy devolved to the Empire being afterwards governed by Antonio de Levae in form of a Province howsoever the Title thereunto was not so clear on the Emperors side but that the King of France laid his claim unto it not only by right of inheritance as descended from his Great-Grand-Mother Valentina but by virtue also of a concession granted by publick Act from Maximilian the Emperor to King Lewis XII of France on a valuable consideration of mony paid for it after Lodowick Sforza had been taken and droven from thence But this pretence seemed of little moment to the Emperor who judging this Dukedom of great importance to his State came from Naples to Rome with intent to persuade the Pope to joyn with him in a League against the French that so Italy might be more in repose and quiet by expulsion of the French who were always esteemed great disturbers of the peace of it On the 5th of April 1536. the Emperor came to Rome where being received by the Cardinals Bishops and all the Orders of the Clergy with the Citizens he was conducted to the Church of S. Peter where the Pope attended him on the steps of the Porch and the usual Ceremonies being passed he was lodged in that apartment of the Vatican Palace which was built by Innocent VIII During the residence which the Emperor made at Rome he entertained frequent Conferences with the Pope concerning a League to be entered into between them and the other Princes of Italy for expelling the French out of that Country who having been always known under the character and notion of the disturbers of their peace they could neyer hope or expect quietness whilst that restless people had any hold or possession in their Quarters And farther the Emperor in a publick Assembly of the Pope and all the Cardinals and Forein Ministers did most severely inveigh against Francis the French King as the most ungratetul and faithless of all the Princes of the Universe but being sharply answered and replied upon by Monsieur Bellay the Embassador of France
gave Orders to all his People to treat the Ambassadour and his Retinue with all kindness and due respect and moreover wrote a Letter to the Pope complaining of the late design of his Nuntio attempting to publish Ecclesiastical Censures against forein Princes within his Kingdom which was a new and an unknown practice within his State and had been refused in the Case of Henry III. King of France and in the Cause of Cesare d' Este Duke of Ferrara much less could he be induced to allow of such proceedings against the State of Venice whose Cause was the same with that of his own Kingdom And considering that that State had merited well of Christendom by the opposition they made with their Arms against the common Enemy he exhorted his Holiness to supersede farther proceedings for Causes which ought to be stifled and which for better peace of the Church ought never to be brought into question or Dispute Francis Soranzo a Cavalier of Venice being at this time Ambassadour at the Emperor's Court did rightly inform the Imperial Ministers with the true state of the difference between the Pope and that Republick and in regard the Constitutions of all Germany were the same they could not do less than approve the Cause of the Venetians and condemn the Cause of the Pope which confirmed the Protestants in their reasons which they alledged for detaining Ecclesiastical Benefices in their own hands Howsoever the Great Chancellour and Marshal Prainer were of different Opinions taking part with the Pope against the affections sence and Interest of the whole Court When news came first to the Court of Spain of the differences between the Pope and the Venetians the constancy and firmness of that State to the Principles of their Government was highly applauded being the common Cause of all Secular Princes Howsoever the Nuntio made it his business to have the Venetian Ambassadour declared in all Pulpits to be under Excommunication The Genoeses also who were powerful in that Court being touched with envy on old grudges and for having lately yielded that Point of their liberty to the Pope which Venice still conserved did all the ill offices they were able against the Republick but above all the Ambassadour of Tuscany joyning with the Jesuits shewed himself an open Enemy and so prevailed with the King and Council that a Congregation of twelve Divines was held at Madrid in presence of the Cardinal of Toledo to consider whether the Ambassadour of Venice ought to be admitted into the Church at the time of Celebration of Divine Offices the result of which was that the Ambassadour should not be excluded every one concurring in that Opinion the Nuntio and Jesuits onely excepted So soon as the news came to Paris that the Monitory was published against Venice Barberino the Pope's Nuntio made urgent addresses to the King that Priuli the Venetian Ambassadour should be excluded from admission into the Church but his desire was positively rejected both because the King was willing to remain Neuter and because it was and is a Maxim of that Kingdom That Popes have no power over the Temporal Government of Princes and have no Authority on account for Secular matters to proceed against them or their Officers by Ecclesiastical Censures In England we may easily imagine what Opinion was conceived of these proceedings for when Giustiniano the Ambassadour of Venice had acquainted King James with the state of the difference between the Pope and the Republick the King did much applaud the Laws and Constitutions of Venice and the constancy and resolution of the Senate in the maintenance of them adding That he would gladly see a free Council established which was the onely means to reform the Church of God and put an end to all Controversies amongst Christians which had no other original or source than onely from the usurpation of Popes and ambition of the Clergy in which holy and sacred Design he did not doubt but that the French King and all other Christian Princes would readily concur and that perhaps a beginning thereof might arise from these troubles and labours of the Republick And farther the King added That the Popes exalting themselves above God were the ruin of the Church and that it was no wonder that their Pride admitted of no serious reflections or moderate advices being puffed up and elated by the common adulation and flattery which was used towards them The States of the Vnited Provinces wrote very obliging Letters to Venice proffering to assist them with Arms and Provisions in case they came to an open rupture and acts of hostility with the Pope In the mean time many effectual good Offices were performed both at Rome and Venice by the Dukes of Mantoua and Savoy and by Guicciardin Ambassadour of the Great Duke of Tuscany and more especially by Monsieur de Fresnes the French Ambassadour at Venice To all which instances and applications from several Princes the Senate thought fit to make this general Answer First they returned thanks for the good endeavours and labours towards a Mediation and then complained of the firm resolutions of the Pope which could not be shaken or made plyable by any reasonable terms which the Republick could offer That there could be no hopes of accommodation until the Pope by taking off his Censures did open a way to Treaties and terms of Peace That the Pope had proceeded so far in his injuries and affronts as were past all manner of reconciliation and yet the Republick which was truly Catholick would still bear their due respect to the Pope so far as was consistent with their liberty and with that right of Government which was committed to them by God But whilest matters were thus in Treaty at Venice and Rome and in the Courts of Princes the Jesuits who were vigilant and intent to do all the mischiefs they were able against the Republick did not cease to disperse Scandals and Libels as well without Italy as within and to preach and rail against them in their Pulpits and Schools endeavouring to possess their Auditories with the most malicious impressions they could beget or frame in minds of Men they also wrote Letters into all places defaming the Republick some who would not adventure into the Dominions of Venice treated on the Confines with their Disciples and Votaries and others in disguise entered within the Dominions sowing Division and Faction in all parts promising extraordinary Indulgences to all such as should observe the Interdict They also forged several Letters entitling one from the Republick of Genoua to the Senate of Venice another from the City of Verona to the City of Brescia which were most scandalous and abominable Papers Then in other Writings they justified themselves for having in their Sermons inveighed against the Republick calling it a Lutheran Heretical and tyrannical Government with infinite other abominable Epithets In fine it was proved that the Jesuits were the causes of all these disturbances having instigated the
to Luca and thence to Ligorne from whence passing into France he added more fuel to the Fire encreasing the differences which were as yet too fresh and new to be reconciled The two Alternatives were as follow That Castro and Rociglione should be restored to the Duke of Parma and the Valley of Comachio to the Duke of Modena the most Christian King requiring no other satisfaction for the late injuries he received than that he might be able to do justice to the two Princes his Allies and Friends who had resigned themselves to his defence and protection And to the end that Ambassadours from his Majesty and other Princes might for the future live quietly at Rome with their Families and enjoy the priviledges and immunities which appertain to them according to the Law of Nations no Design should be enterprised against them without the consent and knowledg of the Sacred Colledg That the Processes at Law against the Duke Cesarini should be superseded and reparations made him for all detriment done to his Estate and disparagement to his Honour And that likewise proceedings at Law whether Civil or criminal against any Person on this occasion should cease after the twentieth of August That all Corps of Guard after that time and quarters of Soldiers be removed out of Rome and after this That the manner how the Duke Cesarini is to be received into Rome be treated and agreed with himself But in case the Pope did not judg fit to assent and agree to these Proposals then this Alternative was offered That Don Mario be banished to Siena for five years That Cardinal Ghigi be sent Legat into France to make the Pope's excuse at his first Audience upon the matters which lately happened in Rome That at his second Audience he shall supplicate his Majesties Pardon both for himself and his whole Family and that the form and circumstances of this Address shall be ordered and concerted with the Ambassadour Crequi That Cardinal Imperiale be degraded and deprived of his Hat That the Captain of the Guards be cashiered and for ever banished That a Pyramid be erected amidst the late quarters of the Corsi at Rome with an Inscription specifying the Crime for which they were banished and for which they were rendered uncapable for ever more to serve or bear Arms in Rome These were the first draughts of those Proposals which France offered in order to an Accommodation which being brought to Rome did greatly trouble the mind of the Pope with many melancholly and distracted thoughts of which he eased himself in a full Consistory complaining of the hard terms exacted from him by the King of France For reply whereunto some of the Cardinals and particularly Azzolino spake loudly against the Proposals encouraging the Pope to a fortitude of mind and to stand stiff upon his terms rather demanding satisfaction from the King than yielding to terms derogatory to his Honour Howsoever the Pope being streightned in his thoughts and being divided between the apprehensions he conceived of a War against the Church and the tenderness he had for his Relations his own Honour and the reputation of the Sacred Colledg which he esteemed wounded in the person of Cardinal Imperiale he inclined rather to the second Alternative than to the first and accordingly he designed to send Cardinal Chigi his Legat into France and Imperiale was to be removed from his Government in Rome and sent Legat into the Marca But because this change appeared to the King rather a promotion than a punishment he was sent to Genoua there to reside until he could contrive means to reconcile himself to the King but because the Brief did not denote this dismission under the term of Banishment exceptions were made thereunto as dissentaneous from the pleasure of his Majesty but as to Don Mario the Pope seemed to grant whatsoever was desired and to sacrifice him and all his Relations for the quietness and peace of the Church but this was only a flourish and an excess of words as afterwards appeared in the sequel when matters came to be put in execution As to the Corsi whatsoever was demanded was condescended unto But things being in this imperfect manner agreed this year ended with fears and apprehensions of an ensuing War And in the mean time Avignon revolting from the Pope the Inhabitants pulled down the Arms of the Church and expelled the Papal Officers from the City the People crying aloud for France and their return to that Dominion from whence they had been unjustly alienated by connivance or indulgence of former Kings and now they erected the Arms of France in all publick places and restored or renewed the Antient Inscriptions which vindicated and attested the Right which the Kings of France held unto that City To augment all these difficulties Spain seemed inclining to the concernments of France for which reason the Venetians appeared the most proper Instruments to be employed in the Offices of Mediation and accordingly the Ambassadour of that Republick residing at Paris called Luigi Grimani received Instructions to treat in favour of the Pope and indeed the way of Treaty was the onely remedy which Rome could propose for the King of Spain to the great admiration of the World had granted leave for the French Troops to march through Milan into the Ecclesiastical State The Duke of Savoy adhered to the French Interest Genoua being weak and unable to resist durst not deny a compliance the Duke of Parma and Modena for their own convenience and hopes of benefit became parties in combination against the Pope So that France nourishing vast Designs by this conjuncture of Affairs kept up their dissatisfactions in the Court of Rome which they pretended to have been augmented and enflamed by that honourable treatment and reception which the Pope had given to Charles Duke of Loraine who was fled from France and shrouded himself under the protection of the Church About the beginning of this year Cardinal d' Este and the Duke of Crequi arrived at Paris where they gave a full relation of all matters which had lately passed in that Outrage committed by the Corsi with all the particulars of the Treaty which had been acted at St. Quirico But they represented things in such severe terms as greatly exasperated the mind of hâ—â— Majesty and caused him to reject all the Briefs Papers and Letters which were sent from the Pope and Cardinals for their 〈…〉 so that nothing was now discoursed of at Paris but War and the manner how to carry and manage the French Arms in Italy which were so feared and apprehended at Rome that all the consultations of the Consistory were to facilitate the Negotiations and give such satisfaction as might prevent a War In the mean time Aloisé Grimani Ambassadour for the Republick of Venice then residing at Paris used all means possible to bring matters to a reasonable understanding in which he so well succeeded that he procured a new Deputation for
produced for those Cities and Fortresses which in other times had valiantly stood out for many months against the Sieges and storms of their Enemies did now shamefully yield so soon as they discovered the French Banners displayed before their Walls To this success the surprise of the action did much contribute for had the King deferred this enterprise until the Summer 't is more than probable that he might have encountred a greater opposition by the union of the German Princes who in a season fit for Armies to take the Field would scarce have suffered so considerable a part as the Franch Compte to be lopped off and dismembred from the Body of the Empire This sudden and unexpected success begat a jealousie in the neighbouring Princes and was the first moving Cause which gave beginning to the Triple League between England the Vnited Provinces and Sweden leaving a door open to other Princes to be comprehended as they should see cause in the same Agreement This Sacred Alliance became the common discourse of all Europe and many happy effects were expected as consequences thereof In which conjuncture our Clement IX renewing his former sollicitations for Peace procured a suspension of Arms and though he desired that Rome or Venice should be the places appointed for this Treaty yet Aquisgrane being esteemed a place more convenient for the Electoral Princes who were much concerned in this Accommodation it was by common consent ordained for the onely place of Treaty And now France at the instant pressures of so many powerful Princes inclining to hearken unto Propositions of Peace and the King calling to remembrance his Articles with the King of Portugal not to make a Peace with Spain in exclusion of him he immediately sent his Advices to Lisbon advising that King to dispatch his Plenipotentiary to Aquisgrane which was appointed for the place of Treaty This intimation being given to the Court of Portugal the Count Olivarez Son of the late Favourite being then a Prisoner at Lisbon taken at the Battel of Canal began to propose several Conditions in order to a Peace for which afterwards receiving a Commission from Madrid a Treaty was separately set on foot without concerning France in it At this time the Earl of Sandwich resided at the Court of Spain in quality of Ambassadour from his Majesty of Great Britain a Person so well affected by both Courts that by mutual consent of both Parties he was in the place of the King his Master chosen Umpire of the Peace between the two Kingdoms This Overture being acceptable to our gratious King he sent his Orders and Instructions to the Earl of Sandwich to remove from Madrid to Lisbon there to be Arbitrator of the Peace and in order thereunto to perform all the good Offices of Mediation The Plenipotentiaries being accordingly assembled at Lisbon after some few Conferences between the Earl of Sandwich and Count Olivarez a Peace was concluded and published in the month of March without any respect or consideration to the agreement contracted the year before with France or the endeavours of the Abbat of St. Romain to the contrary And indeed the People were grown so weary of a War which had continued for the space of twenty eight years that they were ready to have broken out into a common mutiny had the least interruption been given thereunto the Commonalty scarce tempering their rage against the French Minister for labouring to disappoint that happiness they had so long desired Some few days after the Peace was proclaimed a Sentence of Divorce declaring the Marriage void between the King Alphonso and the Queen was published grounded on the suppos'd impotency of the King her Husband whereby the Matrimonial knot was dissolved and both Parties freed and stated in a lawful separation with power to dispose of their own Persons The confirmation of this act of Divorce was a subject of serious consideration to the Pope but afterwards when it was to extend so far as to make the Prince lawful possessour of his Brother's Wife and Dominions it was so much the more weighty and worthy consideration but at length reasons of State and conveniences of that Kingdom overswayed the strict Rules and Canons of the Church But in the first place we must understand that this Divorce was the consequence of a general revolt of the People from their King for they being guided by a prevailing Party in opposition to the Conde de Cassel Meglior Chief Minister of State murmured against the Government and perhaps not without some cause for the King himself being given to Wine practised such extravagancies as were intolerable and which did not pass without some reflections on the Favourite though as to himself he managed all things with prudence and good conduct Moreover the Conde opposing the Peace with Castile on other terms than such as were agreeable to the method and Articles concluded with France became so displeasing to the People that he was displaced from his Office and the Prince admitted to the sole management and direction of Affairs But the Conspiracy stopped not its course at this period for the Queen hereupon retiring into a Monastery and declaring the dissatisfaction she had to the King her Husband demanded the justice of the Country upon the causes given to dissolve the Matrimonial knot by a sentence of lawful Divorce The People at this news were stirred with great commotions and being naturally enclined to Novelty joined with the Prince's Party to chuse him Governour of the Kingdom committing the Person of the King to safe custody until the States of Portugal should otherwise provide in cases of this great emergency The States being assembled about the beginning of the year approved the reasons for deposing the King and confirmed the Regency on the Prince and upon hearing the Cause between the King and Queen the Marriage was found void and null and accordingly an Instrument of Divorce was formed and published and license given to the Prince to take the Queen for his Wife on supposition that she was still a Virgin and unknown to his Brother The case though strange to scrupulous Ears and Consciences was not yet without former examples For in Poland John Casimiro succeeded to the Crown and to the Wife of his Brother Vladislaus And in former Histories of Portugal it is recorded that the Nobility desired John III. to match with the Queen Fâ—â—â—â—ora relict of King Emanuel his Father and therefore this case was not without a Precedent which after dissolution of the Marriage and publication of the Queen's divorce from Alfonso VI. might confirm and make lawful the espousals with the Prince his Brother A particular account of all these Occurrences being given at Paris by the Sicur Verius who then resided at Lisbon for the Crown of France The Cardinal Vandosme then Legat à Latere from the Pope to the most Christian King immediately dispatched a Brief of dispensation into Portugal in the name and by the Authority
the Cardinals the Hymn is sung He hath put down the mighty from their Seats and hath exalted the humble and meek he hath raised the needy from the dust that he may set him amongst the Princes of his People After which several other Ceremonies being performed and the Pope receiving again the Adoration of the Cardinals and Prelats returns towards the Evening to his Palace of Monte-cavallo This is in short the sum of those Ceremonies practised at the Coronation of Popes which we have extracted from the Book entitled the Sacred Ceremonies used in the Roman Church The Popes Elected and Crowned as we have said are for the most part old and decrepit with age or of a weak and tender constitution that so they may not live long to the disappointment of others who live and breath passionate desires after this Sublime exaltation and being thus decayed with years and unable to support the weight of Government have commonly called to their aid some Nephew or near Relation with the Title of Cardinal-Nephew or Cardinal-Patron on whose Wit and dexterous management of Affairs the fortune and success of the Papal Dominion doth depend And indeed a person under such circumstances had need to be qualified with great endowments of Mind and Body for being always obliged to afford his personal attendance on the Pope who is to see and hear with his Eyes and Ears he can never be at leisure or free from thoughts and business either relating to the Palace within or direction of Affairs without He is ever the Chief or President of Councils he assists at all Congregations he appoints the days for Consistories of Chappels Visits Audiences and regulates every thing which relates to the Spiritual or Temporal Government The Pope being established in his Throne begins at first to cast about by what way and means to raise and establish his Family by strong Alliances with Princes and Noble Houses He also divides the great Offices of the Church amongst his Kindred one is made Governour in one place and an other in another The chief Favourite is made General of the Forces of the Church an other General of the Gallies a third Governour of the Castle of St. Angelo and in like manner all the preferments are dispensed amongst the Relations according to that degree and quality that every one possesses in the good will and esteem of the Pope But the great Atlas of State is the Cardinal-Nephew whofe Wisdom is most exerted in his comportment towards the Ministers of forein Princes and especially in taking true measures of Interest between France and Spain which is of such great concernment that in a Book called il Livello Politico it is affirmed That the Glory and happiness of the Popedom the security and honour of the Cardinal-Nephew the Grandieur and prosperity of the City of Rome consists in this one point of a happy correspondence with forein Ambassadours the failure in which hath produced many unhappy Events witness the Government of the Barberini who for not knowing the true means and Methods how and in what manner to maintain a right and good understanding with Christian Princes and especially with those of Italy reduced as is notorious to all the World the Church unto a most unhappy and turbulent Estate And farther in case we reflect with serious thoughts on the Reigns of divers Popes in these latter Ages we shall find the truth of this assertion proved by plain and manifest experience We shall find the Reigns of some Popes full of Lustre and Glory as those of Paul the 2d and Clement the 8th others buried in obscurity and abased with sordid meanness as those of Adrian the 6th and Gregory the 13th Others have passed away in a quiet silent and smooth currant of affairs as those of Celestine and Clement the 9th Others have been engulfed in a thousand troubles and intrigues as were the Reigns of Alexander the 6th Clement the 7th of Paul the 3d and 4th and Urban the 8th And if we will search into the depth hereof we shall find that the Ambition covetousness and exorbitances of the Cardinal-Nephews to be the original cause of all the troubles and misfortunes which have rendered the Lives of some Popes inglorious or perhaps infamous Though indeed to speak true it is almost impossible for a Cardinal-Nephew to hold the ballance of his deportment towards foreign Representatives residing in the Court of Rome so equal as not to give a cause or occasion of offence to some one or other considering that what is pleasing and acceptable to one dissatisfies and interferes with the interest of an other Howsoever there are some Men so dexterous and happy in their Negotiations that they carry all with a good Air and if they are enforced to disoblige some it is done with such circumstances and in such manner as takes off much of the anger and acrimony of the person offended Most Princes of Christendom who are of the Roman Religion maintain their Ambassadours Residents or Agents at the Court of Rome and though many of these Princes have no great zeal or kindness for that Court being disobliged perhaps by some action of the Cardinal-Nephew or some other prejudice taken against the Pope yet it may be that on some score of Interest of State or of their Clergy or for the sake or support of Monasteries or for the determination of differences which arise between them and their Subjects which are to be decided at the Spiritual Judicatures it is necessary for them to conserve an Agent or Resident at Rome The Emperour hath seldom maintained an Ambassadour at that Court because he ordinarily makes use of a Protector of the German Nation to manage his Affairs and in case any matter of great importance occurs which is to be addressed unto the Pope it is performed by some Cardinal in whom his Imperial Majesty reposes a great confidence unless he dispatches an Express The King of Poland follows almost the same Maxim but yet professes a profound Obedience to the Papal See and exercises the power and interest he hath there with such modesty and caution that though like other Kings he might pretend to a Right of nominating Cardinals of his own Nation yet he seldom imposes any but such as the Pope shall offer of his own accord unto him Portugal for the most part maintains a Resident at Rome The State of Venice and the G. Duke of Tuscany make greater applications than the other Princes of Italy to that Court perhaps from a sence of the Pope's temporal power whose Dominions border upon theirs rather than out of an affection to his Spiritual capacity But it is certain that amongst all the Christian Princes none so warmly interest themselves in the Affairs of the Roman Court as France and Spain the Kings of which do always maintain and keep up the honour of their respective Embassies with splendid Equipage And yet these two Kings do
Cleophas and Bishop of Jerusalem was crucified in the hundred and twentieth year of his Age. These things which we have spoken were acted in the time of this Bishop and not of Cletus as Eusebius in the third book of his History would have it for Damasus makes out that Cletus and Anacletus differed both as to their Countrey and manner of Death Cletus being a Roman and suffering under Domitian but Anacletus and Athenian and suffering under Trajan Our Anacletus having erected an Oratory to St. Peter and assigned places of burial for the Martyrs distinct from those of other men and at one Decembrian Ordination made five Presbyters three Deacons and six Bishops upon his Martyrdom the See was vacant thirteen days after he had sat in it nine years two months and ten days S. EUARISTUS EUARISTUS by birth a Grecian his Father a Jew named Juda of the City of Bethleem lived in the time of Trajan A Prince whom I take delight to mention because of his singular Justice and Humanity Who behav'd himself so acceptably towards all men that as far as the times of Justinian the usual acclamation of the People at the Creation of an Emperour was this Let him be more prosperous than Augustus and better than Trajan He was of a temper so courteous and condescending in visiting the Sick in saluting his Friends in keeping Festivals and being present at Collations to which he was invited that the fault which some found with him for that very reason gave the occasion of that worthy noble saying of his That a Prince ought to be such to his Subjects as he desires they should be to him He impartially distributed Honours Riches and Rewards to all that deserved well never oppress'd any man to fill his own Exchequer granted advantageous immunities to poor Cities repaired the High-ways and made the passages of Rivers secure made a high large Mole at the Haven of Ancona to break the violence of the Waves and indeed neither acted nor designed any thing in his whole life but what tended to the publick Good Having gain'd such Renown both in War and in Peace he died of a Flux at Seleucia a City of Isauria in the eighteenth year and sixth month of his Reign His bones were afterward convey'd to Rome and there buried in an Urn of Gold in the Forum which himself had built under the winding Pillar of an hundred forty foot high which is yet to beseen But we return to Euaristus who as Damasus tells us divided the City of Rome among the Presbyters into Parishes ordained that seven Deacons should attend the Bishop when ever he preached to be witnesses of the truth of his Doctrine and moreover that the accusation of a Lay-man should not be admitted against a Bishop He held Decembrian Ordinations at which he made six Presbyters two Deacons and five Bishops In his time lived Papias Bishop of Hierapolis an Auditor of John a person who took not so much delight in the Records of the ancient Disciples of our Lord as in the living Conversation of Aristion and John the Elder And it is manifest from the order he observes in setting down the names of these two after the mention of almost all the Apostles that the John whom he places among the Apostles was a distinct Person from this John the Aged whom hereckons after Aristion He was certainly a very learned man and followed by many as particularly Irenaeus Apollinarius Tertullian Victorinus Pictaviensis and Lactantius Firmianus Now also Quadratus a Disciple of the Apostles did by his Industry and Courage support the Church of God as much as might be in such dangerous times For when Adrian who now passed the Winter at Athens and was admitted a Priest to the Goddess Eleusina began to persecute the Christians Quadratus with his own hand presented to him a very honest and rational Book of the Excellency of the Christian Religion The like did Aristides and Athenian Philosopher converted to Christianity who at the same time with Quadratus presented to Adrian a Treatise containing an account of our Religion The effect of which Apologeticks was that Adrian being convinc'd of the injustice of putting the Christians to death without their being heard wrote to Minutius Fundanus the Proconsul of Asia ordering that no Christian should be executed unless his guilt were proved by a credible Witness As for our Euaristus some tell us that he was martyr'd in the last year of Trajan but they are more in the right who are of opinion that he suffered under Adrian before his being reconciled to the Christians For he was in the Chair nine years ten months two days and was buried in the Vatican near the body of S. Peter October the twenty seventh The See was then vacant nineteen days S. ALEXANDER I. ALEXANDER a Roman Son of Alexander a Person of Wisdom and Gravity far exceeding his years held the Pontificate in the time of Aelius Adrianus This Adrian who was Son to Trajan's Cosin-German at his first coming to the Empire proved an Enemy to the Christians but afterwards as shall be said anon upon knowledg of their Religion and Devotion became very kind and propitious to them From the great benefits which the Roman State receiv'd by his Government he was called the Father of his Countrey and his Wife had the Title of Augusta He was excellently well skil'd both in the Roman and Greek Languages made many Laws created a goodly Library at Athens being mightily pleased with the Learning and Conversation of Plutarch Sixtus Agathocles and Oenomaus the Philosopher and at the request of the Athenians compiled Laws for them according to the Model of Draco and Solen Being admitted to the Eleusinian Mysteries he was very bountiful to the Citizens of Athens and repair'd their bridg broken down by an Innundation of the River Cephysus He built also a Bridg at Rome called by his own name remaining to this day and a stately Sepulchre in the Vatican near the River Tyber which the Popes now make use of for a Citadel Moreover he made that most sumptuous and stately Villa now called Old Tiber to the several parts of which he gave the names of Provinces and the most celebrated parts of the World Coming to Pelusium he was at great expence in adorning Pompey's Tomb and in Britain he built a Wall of sixty miles to sever the Romans from the Natives And because Septicius Clarus the Captain of his Guards and Suetonius Tranquillus his Secretary with several others had without his leave conversed somewhat more familiarly with his Empress Sabina than the Reverence of a Court admitted of he remov'd them all and put others into their Offices But to return to our Alexander He was the first who for the remembrance of Christs Passion at the Communion added those words Qui pridie quam pateretur to the Clause Hoc est corpus meum He ordained likewise that the Holy Water as it is called
fate which the good Bishop 〈◊〉 had foretold to Maximus himself when he was going against all Right and Justice to invade Italy having dreined Britain of its Military Forces and left it an easie prey to the Scots and Picts Moreover Theodosius relying wholly upon the Divine aid in a very short time defeated not only Andragatius Maximus's General and Victor his Son but Argobastus and Eugenius two other Vsurpers which was the occasion of that strain of the Poet Claudian upon this Emperours success O nimium dilecte Deo tibi militat Aether Et conjurati veniunt ad classica Venti Englished Darling of Heaven with whom the Skies combine And the confederate Winds in Battel joyn He was not only a great Soldier but a very pious and devout man as appears by his carriage upon the repulse he found at the Church of Milain for being forbidden entrance by Ambrose the Bishop of it till he should have repented of a certain Crime committed by him he so well resented the Bishop's plain dealing with him that he frankly gave him thanks for it and completed his course of Pennance for the Fact that had been the occasion of it By his Empress 〈◊〉 he had two Sons Arcadius and Honorius Being once in a great transport of rage against the Citizens of Thessalonica for their having kill'd a Soldier or as others say a Magistrate of his all the Clergy of Italy were scarce able to keep him from destroying the whole City upon that provocation But afterwards coming to himself and understanding the matter better being convinced of his Errour he both bewailed the Fact which he had only willed but not executed and also made a Law that the punitive Decrees of Princes should be deferr'd for three days that so they might have space left for compassion or retractation It is reported of him that when at any time he was in a sudden heat of Anger he would force himself to repeat over distinctly all the Letters of the Alphabet that so in the mean time his Anger might evaporate 'T is said also that he contracted a great Friendship with one John an Anchorete whose advice he always used both in War and Peace But in the fiftieth year of his Age he died at Milain Innocentius improving the opportunity of such a peaceable state of Affairs and so propitious a Prince made several Constitutions concerning matters of the Church He appointed that every Saturday should be a Fast because our Blessed Saviour lay in the Grave and his Disciples 〈◊〉 on that day He made certain Laws concerning the Jews and Pagans and for the regulation of Monks By the consent of Theodosius he banish'd from the City and confin'd to a Monastick life the Cataphrygian Hereticks of the gang of Montanus Priscilla and Maximilia Moreover he condemned the Heresie of Pelagius and Coelestinus who preferred Free-will before the Divine Grace and asserted that men by their own natural strength were able to perform the Laws of God against whom S. Austin wrote largely But Pelagius persisting obstinately in his opinions against all Conviction went into Britain and infected the whole Island with his Errours being assisted by Julian his Companion and Confederate in that wicked Design He also consecrated the Church of Gervasius and Protasius erected and beautified at the Cost of a Lady named Vestina whose Goods and Jewels bequeathed by Will were sold according to a just appraisement and employed to that purpose This Church was endowed with several Estates both in Houses and Land within and without the City and the Cure of it and that of S. Agnes given to Leopardus and Paulinus two Presbyters In his time lived Apollinarius Bishop of Laodicea from whom the Apollinarians had their name and original a man vehement and subtil at Disputation who maintained that our Saviour at his Incarnation took only a Body not a Soul but being press'd hard with Arguments to the contrary he at length granted that he had indeed an animal Soul but not a rational one that being supplied by his Divinity An Opinion which had been before exploded by Damasus and Peter Bishop of Alexandria But Martianus Bishop of Barcellona a man eminent for his Chastity and Eloquence was very Orthodox in matters of Faith and a great opposer of the Novatian Heresie Cyril also Bishop of Hierusalem who before had been several times deposed and as often restored at length under Theodosius the Emperour held his Episcopal Dignity peaceably and without interruption eight years together and became a great Writer Euzoius who in his youth had been Condisciple to Gregory Nazianzen at Coesarea under Thespesius the Rhetorician took a vast deal of pains in amending and rectifying the corrupted Copies of the Works of Origen and Pamphilus and was himself a considerable Author At the same time Hieronymus a Presbyter living in Bethlehem was a very successful propagator of Christianity as appears by his Writings Now also the Synod of Bourdeaux condemned the Doctrine of Priscillian an Heresie patch'd up out of the Tenets of the Gnosticks and Manichees of whom we have spoken above Our Innocentius having at four Ordinations made thirty Presbyters twelve Deacons fifty four Bishops died and was buried July the 28th He sat in the Chair fifteen years two months twenty five days and by his death the See was vacant twenty two days ZOSIMUS ZOSIMUS a Grecian his Fathers name Abraham lived during the Reign of Arcadius and Honorius who succeeded their Father Theodosius in the Empire These divided the Government between them Arcadius ruling in the East and Honorius in the West Though Theodosius had left them to the Tuition of three of his Generals who as their Guardians and Protectours were to manage Affairs in their Minority Russinus in the East Stilico in the West and Gildo in Africa But they moved with Ambition and a thirst after greatness and not doubting to get the advantage of the young Princes set up every one for himself Against Gildo who was engag'd in a Rebellion in Afrique his injured and incensed Brother Mascezel is sent with an Army and soon defeats and puts him to flight who not long after dieth either through grief or by poyson And Mascezel himself being so puffed up with this success that he falls into a great contempt of God and cruelty towards men is killed by his own Soldiers Russinus also who endeavoured to possess himself of the Empire of the East is surprized and punish'd by Arcadius At this time Rhadaguisus King of the Goths invaded Italy and lay'd all waste with fire and Sword where ever he came but by the Roman Army under the Command of Stilico he was vanquish'd and slain on the Mountains of Fiesoli Him Alaricus succeeded whom Stilico to work his own ambitious designs very much countenanced and assisted when he might have conquer'd him But in the end Alaricus being now at Polentia on his way to Gaul part of which Honorius had granted to him and his
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
Chief Good of Famous Men of Grammar and Etymology an History from Adam to the times of Heraclius the Lives of several Saints the History of the Lombards and a short Cosmography Some say that this Isidore was a German though the Spaniards lay claim to him but whatever Countrey-man he were 't is certain that he was a most excellent person both for his great Learning and his greater Sanctity As for Deus-dedit the time of whose Pontificate besides what we have already mentioned was rendred remarkable by an Earthquake and a Scab so near approaching to a Leprosie that it deformed men beyond each others knowledg he died in the third year and twenty third day of his being in the Chair and was buried in the Church of S. Peter November the 8th By his Death the See was vacant one month sixteen days BONIFACE V. BONIFACE the fifth a Campanian his Father's name John was chosen Pope at the time when Eleutherius a Patrician being sent by Heraclius to Rome and having reveng'd the Death of John the late Exarch of Ravenna usurped the Kingdom of Italy But in his way to Rome he was put to Death by his own Soldiers and his Head sent to Constantinople Upon which Isaacius of Constantinople another Patrician was made Exarch in his stead Theudelinda now after the Death of her Husband Adoaldus governing together with her Son the Kingdom of the Lombards very prudently and justly maintained a Peace between her People and the Italians for ten years together made several Presents and Donations to several Churches and endowed them with Lands for the better maintenance of the Clergy belonging to them In the twelfth year of Heraclius Mahomet an Arabian as some will have him or as others a Persian descended of a Noble Family his Father a Gentile his Mother a Jewess was the Author of so much mischief to the Christian State that I am afraid lest his Sect should utterly extinguish the Remains of Christianity especially in our Age wherein we are grown listless and unactive and stand still tamely exspecting our own Ruin His Sect prevails and encreases now more than ever All Asia and Africa and a great part of Europe is subject to Mahometan Princes the Turks press bard upon us by Sea and Land that they may ferret us like Coneys out of these Burrows in Europe In the mean time we sit idly looking upon one another as if the whole State of Christianity were not at all in danger The Clergy expect that so important and necessary a War should be undertaken by the Laity The Laity expect that the Clergy should expend their Money to bear the Charge of a War for the Defence of Religion and not put it to worse Uses as most of them are wont to do laying out their Stock gotten by Alms and Martyr's Bloud upon huge large Vessels of massy Gold and Silver while themselves in the mean time carry it arrogantly towards Men are contemners of God whom they serve only for Gain and are not at all solicitous for the time to come But I return to Mahomet a man of so wily a Temper and so sharp a Wit that having long conversed among the Christians and acquainted himself with all the Sects that had been before him he introduced a new kind of Superstition which has as we see almost rooted out Christianity Moreover having got together a great Army of Arabians he was so hardy as to encroach upon the Borders of the Roman Empire but Heraclius soon put a stop to his Motion having by Promises and Bribes prevailed with his Soldiers to make a Revolt from him As for Pope Boniface he was a person of singular Humanity Clemency and obliging Deportment towards all men and neglected no part of the Duty of a good Bishop He ordained that Criminals who fled for Refuge to Churches should not be taken thence by force that the Acolythi should not meddle with the Reliques of the Martyrs that belonging to Presbyters and Sub-deacons and that in every place those who were guilty of sacriledg should be Excommunicated He built and dedicated the Coemetery of S. Nicomedes and was in an extraordinary manner liberal and munificent towards those of the Clergy who led exemplary Lives At this time Gallus a Scholar of S. Columbanus lived so devoutly that he deserved to be canonized a Saint even in his life-time Eustachius the Abbat followed his Example and so did S. Aurea in honour to whom Eligius built a Nunnery 'T is said also that at this time one Basilius was very famous for his Life and Learning and in both equal to Isidore himself Our Boniface having been in the Chair five years ten days died and was buried in the Church of S. Peter By his death See was vacant thirteen days HONORIUS I. HONORIUS a Campanian Son of Petronius a man of Consular Dignity entred upon the Pontificate at the time when Theudelinda died and her Son Adoaldus was deposed Arioaldus being made King in his stead At which time Heraclius who had been victorious over the Persians was very urgent to have all the Jews who were Subjects to the Empire baptized Hereupon the Saracens and Arabians taking up Arms Anno Dom. 623. gain'd such a Victory over Heraclius's Army that they rendred that successful Man the most unfortunate This was done under the Conduct of Mahomet who pretending himself to be the great Prophet of God and deluding the Asians and Africans by Magical Arts put such vigour into the people who embraced his new Religion that he was very near to have ruin'd the Empire having taken Alexandria and several important Cities of Syria and Cilicia He had for his followers the Saracens so called from Sarah Abraham's lawful Wife as if they were the only legitimate Successours and Heirs of the divine Promise The crafty man herein followed the Example of Jeroboam who prescrib'd distinct Rules of Worship to his Tribes that they might not be subject to the Jewish Government The same also afterwards did the Greeks who dissented from the Catholicks not only for the sake of Religion but Empire upon the score of which they followed the Errours of the Nestorians Jacobites and Ebionites But in the end their pertinacy reduc'd them to that pass that their Religion and Government were dissolved together and they brought into the vilest servitude But Mahomet as we see in the Alcoran that he might separate his Disciples as far as possible from Christianity in composing his Laws followed the Example of several Hereticks and especially the Nestorians collecting here and there and reducing into one Body many things repugnant to the Law of Moses and the Gospel 'T is said that at this time Heraclius distrusting his own strength struck up an inglorious Peace with the Saracens and that being impos'd upon by the Arts of Pyrrhus Patriarch of Constantinople and Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria he fell off to the Heresie of the Monothelites a Sect so called from their asserting one Will
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
about Only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Barcelona though he had disturbance given him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Land yet continued firm to the Emperour Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Gifts of Body and Mind and despising the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortune applyed himself to Works of Bounty and 〈◊〉 and particularly took so much care in the matter of Provision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorts of it and especially Grain was no where cheaper than at 〈◊〉 Moreover he supported the Lives and defended the Cause of the Poor the Fatherless and Widow in such a manner that he deservedly gain'd the name of the Father of the Poor The same course 〈◊〉 living he also took before his Pontificate both while he was a 〈◊〉 of S. Sabina in the Aventine which Church when he came to be Pope he beautified and also while he was Arch-Priest of the Lateran Church from which place he was afterwards for his great Merit by an unanimous Choice advanced to the Papal Chair By his Procurement and Intercession likewise all the Prisoners and Exiles in France returned at 〈◊〉 to Rome who being strip'd of all they 〈◊〉 were relieved and supported by his Charity Nor was it his fault that Sico Duke of Benevent did not quit the Siege of 〈◊〉 which he at this time reduced to great Straits and carried from thence the Body of S. Ianuarius to Benevent where he honourably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Great Church with Desiderius and 〈◊〉 For the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voured to persuade Sico to undertake an Expedition against the Sara cens who had already possess'd themselves of Palermo in Sicily 〈◊〉 good Man having after this manner continued four years in the 〈◊〉 died lamented of all who grieved for themselves rather 〈◊〉 for him to whom Death was a welcom Passage into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was buried in S. Peter's VALENTINE I. VALENTINE a Roman son of Leontius being only a Deacon not a Priest was yet for his extraordinary Sanctity deservedly preferred to the Pontificate Nor will it appear strange if we consider that having from his Youth upwards been instructed in Learning and Piety by chose good Popes Paschal and 〈◊〉 he did not give his Mind to Pleasures and Sports as most young men are wont to do but applied himself to the acquiring of knowledg by the reading of the Antients and the Rule of good living from the Example of holy Bishops He was moreover a Person of such ready Parts and prevailing Eloquence that he had a great Facility in persuading to or against what he pleased without offering any thing that was not found learned and decent Finally both in his private Station and while he was Pope he came 〈◊〉 none of his Predecessours in Devotion Mercy and Charity For these Reasons he was unanimously elected to the Chair but 〈◊〉 as a punishment upon the sins of that Age he died on the fortieth day of his Pontificate and was buried in S. Peter's all People lamenting that they were bereft of such a Man who if he had lived would have been an almost impregnable Support to the Roman Liberty and the Christian Religion While the See was vacant Sicardus Duke of 〈◊〉 who after his Father's Death ruled tyrannically for the want of a Bride which he expected cast Deus-dedit Abbot of Monte Cassino into Prison where he died with the Reputation of being a Holy Man GREGORY IV. GREGORY the fourth a Roman Son of John and Cardinal of S. Mark entred upon the Pontificate at the time when the Saracens possess'd of Asia shut up the Passage to the Holy Land from the Christians and the Moors passing with their Fleet into 〈◊〉 wasted a great part of that Island having as is already said made themselves Masters of Palermo Nor could the Venetians though at the Desire of Michael Emperour of Constantinople they sailed thither check their Proceedings the Moors having more Ships and Men than they The State of Venice was now in its Increase having had it 's Original from the Veneti at the time when Attila with his 〈◊〉 took and destroyed Aquileia Concordia Altino with other Cities of the Province anciently called Venetia that People having no other 〈◊〉 against the Cruelty of the 〈◊〉 but only the Fens and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patricius was now Duke of Venice whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chuse to mention because in his time the Body of S. Mark was by some Venetian Merchants brought from Alexandria to Venice where that Saint is now had in great Veneration a most magnificent Church being in the principal part of the City built and dedicated to him and adorned and enriched with very great Donations And srom hence it was that the Venetians first bore upon their Standards and Banners the Picture of S. Mark as the Patron of their City But Gregory understanding that the Venetians were not able to expel these Barbarians out of the Island sends to Louis and Lotharius desiring them to send Aid to the Sicilians at the first Opportunity They were very shy of the Business allcdging that that War belonged to Michael Emperour of Constantinople but yet declared themselves ready to 〈◊〉 their share of Men and Moneys for the undertaking of it But in the mean time while Ambassadours were sent srom one to the other about that Assair Boniface Earl of Corsica with his Brother Bertarius and the Assistance of some of the People of Tuscany sailing into Asrica engaged four times with the Enemy between Vtica and Carthage where he made so great a Slaughter that the Moors were forced as formerly in Scipio's time to re-call their Forces from Sicily to the Succour of their own Countrey in Distress and by this means Sicily was delivered from them Boniface then returns with his victorious Fleet laden with vast Spoils from Africa into Corsica Some there are that write that during this 〈◊〉 in Italy the Emperour Lotharius envying the preference that his 〈◊〉 Louis did in all matters give to his youngest Brother Charles afterwards surnam'd the Bald he put him in Prison but soon after set him sree and that the Barbarians taking hold of the opportunity embark'd in a great Fleet from Asrica for Italy and arriv'd at Centum Celloe which City since call'd Civilavecchia some will have to be demolish'd by 'em and that from 〈◊〉 marching to Rome they took that City but this is not probable What is said concerning Centum-Celloe I shall not deny and I doubt not but that they attempted the taking of Rome it self but Guy Marquess of Lombardy defended it so stoutly that having burnt the Suburbs and the Churches of SS Peter and Paul in the Via Latina they withdrew to Monte-Cassino where they destroy'd the Town of S. German and the Monastery of S. Benet which slood on the Hill and going down to the Sea-side near the River Garigliano whither their Fleet was brought from Ostia they invaded Tarentum and Sicily and as I said before were recalled home by their own Countrey-men at that time broken in War by the Valour of Boniface I take it to be
about this time that the Body of the Apostle S. Bartholomew was translated from Lipari in Sicily to Beneventum by Sicardus Prince of that place who was personally present in this great War lest the Body of the Holy Apostle should fall into the hands of the Enemies of the name of Christ. But to return to Gregory He was a person of so much Modesty that though he were chosen as well by the Clergy as People of Rome yet he would not take upon him the Office of Pope till he was confirmed by those Ambassadours of the Emperour Louis who had been dispatch'd by him to Rome that they might 〈◊〉 an Election of so great moment This was not done by Louis out of Pride but with respect to the Preservation of the Imperial Prerogative he being naturally very kind and gracious and one that always took care of the Dignity and Privileges of the Church For he ordain'd that they who should take upon 'em a Religious Life should be exempt from all secular services and that every Church should be endowed with such a certain income as that the Priests might live without being forced for want of necessaries to forsake the Divine Service or to take up any Trade Beside in the Year 830. he held a Synod of a great many Bishops designed for the honour of God and the advantage of the Church wherein it was ordained that noither Bishops nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 degree soever should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sumptuous and gaudy Apparel 〈◊〉 Silk 〈◊〉 or embroidered nor that they should wear on their Fingers any precious stones except Prelates at Mass nor that Gold or 〈◊〉 should be used on their Girdles Shooes or Pantosles which 〈◊〉 is far from all Religion and a manifest sign of great 〈◊〉 and vanity Would to God Lewis thou mightest live in our times Thy holy Institutions thy Censures are wanting in the Church at this present when the Clergy let themselves loose to all manner of luxury and pleasure You may see now not only the Men in Scarlet and Purple which perhaps would be no great matter but even their Horses and Beasts of Carriage and when they march in State a number of Footmen must go before them and they must be follow'd by another retinue of Priests not riding upon Asses as Christ did who was the Author of our Religion and the only pattern of well living on earth but upon Steeds pamper'd add betrapped as if they came in triumph 〈◊〉 a vanquish'd Enemy 'T would be to no purpose to speak of their Silver Vessels their choice Houshold-stuss and Dishes of Meat when in comparison of them the dainties of Sicily the most magnificent Apparel and the Plate of Corinth would be thought of no value What will be the effect of this Exorbitance I shall not determine here lest I should seem to pry into the decrees of Heaven I return to Lewis who by these means taking care as well for Religion as the Public 〈◊〉 died in the 36. year of his Empire and lies buried in the Church of S. 〈◊〉 He was not long after follow'd by our Pope Gregory remarkable for his birth famous for his sanctity notable for Learning and Eloquence and worthy of admiration for his care and diligence in both Spiritual and Civil affairs For he did after an extraordinary manner consult the good of the People by containing the wealthy in their duty by feeding the poor comforting the hopeless and reducing those that went astray into the right way by wholesom admonitions he also restor'd many Churches which time had ruined Those that were 〈◊〉 to H. Orders he kept to their duty as long as he liv'd by his advice and example This holy Pope translated the Body of S. Gregory and very much adorning it he placed it where now it lies where many people in those times either out of devotion or for the sake of some Vow were wont to keep watch 〈◊〉 said that the Bodies of S. Sebastian and Tiburtius were also translated by him from the Cemeteries in which they lay before to the Church of S. Peter Some Authors say that Gregory at the request of Lewis instituted the Feast of All-Saints on the first day of November which act of his was much commended both in Prose and Verse by Rabanus a Monk a famous Divine for in both those ways of writing that learned Man was excellent especially considering the Age he liv'd in The same 〈◊〉 also wrote Commentaries on the Books of Chronicles and 〈◊〉 He made eloquent Sermons to the people but that of his is chiefly celebrated which he made upon All-Saints day Gregory died in the 16. year of his Pontificate and was buried in S. Peter's Church after which the See was void 15. days SERGIUS SERGIUS the second a Roman whose Father was nam'd Sergius of the fourth Ward came to the Popedom at the same time that Michael Emperour of Constantinople died 'T is said that this Sergius was surnamed Bocca di Porco or Hogs-mouth which for shame of it he changed for Sergius and that from thence came the Custom down to our times that when any one is made Pope he laid by his own name and took one of some of his Predecessours though all have not observ'd it However it was 't is certain 〈◊〉 Sergius came of a noble Family and degenerated not from his Ancestors being assisted in his good Inclinations by Leo III. Stephen IV. Eugenius II. and Gregory IV. under whose tuition he lived so well that upon the Death of Gregory he alone was thought worthy of the Pontifical Dignity At that time there was so great a feud between the Sons of Lewis about the division of the Empire that Lewis and Charles gave their Brother Lotharius Battel in the Countrey of Auxerre near Fontenay where many on both sides were slain Lotharius losing the day fled first to Aken but being forc'd from thence by the pursuing Enemy he convey'd himself with his Wife and Children to Vienna Hither also he was follow'd by his Brother with their Army to whom not only many of the great men of the Empire came but several also were sent by Pope Sergius to endeavour to make Peace between them the chief of whom was George Arch-Bishop of Ravenna who having been before to make up the matter was present with Lotharius in the second Battel and the Victory inclining to 〈◊〉 and Lewis he lost all his Train there of 300 Horsemen and hardly escap'd alone from the slaughter But these men at last looking with pity upon the misery and ruin under which the whole Empire lay procur'd a Peace upon these terms viz. That the Western part of the Empire which reach'd from the British Ocean to the Maese should be subject to Charles and the name of Franks should continue to the Inhabitants That all Germany as far as the River Rhine and so much on the other side of it as his Father had been possess'd of should be allotted to Lewis and that Lotharius
done without great slaughter of his own men he granted them that part of Prance to live in which lies beyond the River Seine and is still call'd from the name of the people Normandy They were bound to pay a yearly tribute to the Crown of France to mind them that they stood possess'd of the Countrey not by their own power but by the bounty of the Emperor Charles At this time William surnam'd the Godly Duke of Aquitain and Earl of Auvergne not having any Heirs male began magnificently to build the Monastery of Clugny in his Fathers Mannor in a Village of Burgundy and made Berno Abbot of the place having set out an Income for the maintenance of the Monks But he dying left it unfinish'd having constituted Ebbo Earl of Poictou his Heir who should take care according to his Last Will of the whole matter And now Hadrian of whom for his courage and haughty Spirit the Clergy and People of Rome had conceived so great hopes died in the first year and second month of his Popedom and was buried in S. Peter's Church with the general lamentation of the People for the unseasonable loss of such a Father STEPHEN V. STEPHEN the fifth a Roman Son of one Hadrian of the Via lata was made Pope at the time when the Normans assisted by the Danes contrary to their Treaties had well-nigh over-run all France For fear of these Invaders the body of S. Martin was carried from Tours to Auxerre and plac'd in the Church of S. German which begot a feud among the Monks who could not agree by the name of which of the two Saints the Church should be call'd to solve this doubt they took this way They set a Leper in the midst between the two Saints Bodies who grew whole onely on that side which was towards S. Martin and then turning the other side towards him he was quite healed This Miracle determin'd the Controversie which S. German is thought to have suffered his new Guest to perform 〈◊〉 it should be thought that the Body had lost any of its Sanctity by being translated Authors say that during this Popes time Charles the Gross who had been Emperor twelve years was deposed by his Nobles for his sloth and dulness and Arnulphus his Nephew was set up in his stead who was the seventh Emperor from Charles the Great This troublesom state of things tempted the Huns a Scythian Nation according to Vincentius and Martinus to make a descent into Tannonia where joyning their Brother-Tribe the Hungari they possess'd themselves of the Countrey driving thence the Gepidi and Avares and from hence marching with their forces into Germany they pierc'd as far as Burgundy destroying all with fire and sword Stephen in this confusion of Affairs was yet not a little comforted with the sanctity of Luithprandus Deacon of Pavia Waldrad of Bavaria and Bernard of Picardy by whose lives and conversation the Christian Religion got so great Reverence that many Monasteries and Churches were sumptuously built throughout France In the sixth year and eleventh day of his Papacy he died and the Sea was vacant five days FORMOSUS FORMOSUS Bishop of Porto succeeded Stephen and in the beginning of his Pontificate adorned S. Peter's Church with some slight Paintings This Formosus had formerly for fear of Pope John left his Bishoprick and fled to France and denying to return when he was recall'd he was anathematized and then coming to Rome he was depriv'd of all his Preferments Ecclesiastical and put on profane manners with his secular habit Some think the reason that Formosus was thus persecuted was for that he was a Party if not Ring-leader of the Faction that put John into Prison However Formosus was so enraged at this hard usage that he swore he would never return either to Rome or to his Bishoprick but Pope Martin who succeeded John absolv'd him from his Oath and restor'd him to his Countrey and to his former Dignity whence not long after he came to the Popedom rather by bribery than for the sake of any good that was in him many men opposing his Election Arnulphus now the seventh Emperor from Charles the Great as we said before marching valiantly against the still rebellious Normans gave them several Overthrows but was too much puffed up with his success and became so intolerably imperious to all men especially to the Clergy that it pleased God he died soon after of the lousie Disease In whose room Lewis was put up for Emperor but we read not that he was ever Crowned for as Martinus writes Berengarius Duke of Friuli descended of the old Kings of Lombardy renewing his claim to the Kingdom of his Ancestors and bringing his pretensions to the decision of War though at first he was overcome by Lewis yet giving him Battel again at Verona Lewis was vanquished and with great slaughter of his men being taken Prisoner had his eyes put out And thus the Empire which the Franks had enjoy'd almost 100 years was transferred to the Lombards Constantine the Son of Leo being Emperor of the East I know not how it fell out that at this same time that the Emperors shewed so little Courage the Popes too were as greatly wanting in Virtue and Integrity which render'd those times very miserable Subjects being very apt as Plato says to follow the Examples of their Princes I return to Formosus whose times left they should have been the most unhappy that ever were were honour'd with the Learning and good Life of Remigius of Auxerre who wrote divers Commentaries especially upon the Gospel of S. Matthew and S. Paul's Epistles Some say indeed that Author was not the person of whom I speak but Remigius of Rhemes however that be 't is certain they were both very learned men Formosus died in the fifth year and sixth month of his Pontificate and the Sea was vacant two days BONIFACE VI. BONIFACE the sixth a Tuscan was created Pope in the room of the deceased Formosus but how long he continued in the Papacy is a great question for some Writers say longer others say shorter I am of opinion with the most that he sate but twenty six days and that which makes me think so is that Historians make little or no mention at all of him and how can it be that as some say he should sit twelve years in the Chair of S. Peter and yet his Reign be past over unregarded I have plac'd him therefore in the Catalogue of Popes not for any thing done by him for he did nothing indeed what could be expected to be done in so short a time but because he was regularly and canonically elected Pope He died as I said before in the 26. day of his Pontificate and was buried in S. Peter's Church STEPHEN VI. STEPHEN the sixth a Roman Bishop of Anagni being made Pope persecuted the memory of Formosus with so much spite that he abrogated his Decrees and rescinded all he had done
Pope again that he would please to Anathematize Rodolphus who endeavour'd to get possession of his Kingdom Which Gregory refusing to do Henry was so angry that he studied day and night to ruin the Pope In the mean while lest Sedition should be wanting in Christendom Michael and Andronicus his Son who had been by force depriv'd of the Empire of Constantinople by Nicephorus Bucamor came for refuge to Gregory who not only excommunicated Nicephorus but employ'd Rogerius a feudatary of the Roman Church to restore Michael with whom he discours'd at Ceperano to the Empire In pursuance of which command he got a Navy and leaving his younger Son Rogerius in Italy he took Boëmund his other Son along with him and sailed first to Valona but pitch'd his Camp near Durazzo resolving to make sure of that City which was so convenient for the carrying on of the War But Dominick Sylvius Duke of Venice who was of Nicephorus's party beat Rogerius from the Siege with great loss on both sides But not long after Nicephorus was betray'd by Alexius Mega General of his Forces and made a Prisoner the City being given up for three days to be plunder'd by the Soldiers according to compact Nicephorus himself was taken in the Church of Sancta Sophia but his life 〈◊〉 upon condition that he would take upon him the habit of a Monk for as long as he lived Gregory seeing that Henry was incited against the Church by some seditious Bishops called a great Synod and forbad Gilbert Arch-bishop of Ravenna for his pride and malice the exercise of his Episcopal or Priestly function under pain of an Anathema or Curse For when he was summon'd to appear before the Sea Apostolick being conscious of his crimes he would not obey the Citation for which alone he deserv'd the penalty of an Anathema He likewise censured Roland of Treviso for that when he was Legat in order to a Peace between him and Henry he sowed the seeds of discord and not unity to get a Bishoprick by the bargain 〈◊〉 did he spare Hugo Cardinal of St. Clements who had seditiously and heretically conspired with Cadolus Bishop of Parma In fine he chose three at the same Assembly to wit Bernard the Deacon the other Bernard Abbat of Marseilles and Odo Arch-bishop of Treves to go Legates à Latere from the Sea Apostolick to compose all differences between Henry and Rodolphus For the wise Pope saw that such a quarrel unless it were timely ended would occasion great calamities one time or other to Christendon But because he well knew that there would not be lacking such mischievous men as would endeavour to hinder it because it was their interest to foment rather than remove the dissention he gave the Legates Letters Apostolical to the several Princes and States written after this manner We taking notice of the weakness covetousness and ambition of mankind do charge all manner of persons whether Kings Arch-bishops Bishops Dukes Counts Marquesses or Knights that either out of pride cunning or covetousness they give no hindrance to our Legats whilst they negotiate the Peace And whosoever shall be so rash as to contravene this Order which I hope none will and shall hinder our Legats from composing a Peace I bind him under an Anathema both in Spirituals and Temporals by Apostolick Power and take away from him the advantage of any Victory he has gain'd that he may at least be confounded and be converted by a double penance He likewise commanded the Legates to call a Diet in Germany and deliberately examine who of the two Kings had the right and accordingly by the consent of all good Men to assign him the Kingdom whose cause was justest and that He when he should hear what they had determin'd would confirm it by the authority of God and S. Peter than which there cannot be greater But in the mean while Gregory lest the Church of Rome should suffer by Simony called a Council and therein confirm'd the Decrees of his Predecessors made to put a stop to that evil in these words We following the example of our Predecessors as we have formerly in other Councils do decree and ordain by the authority of Almighty God that whoever for the future accepts of a Bishoprick an Abbacy or any other Ecclesiastical preferment from a Layman shall not by any means be esteemed a Bishop an Abbat or a Clergy man nor let the same person dare to approach the Apostolical Sea before he has repented and left the place that he gain'd by ambition and contumacy which is the sin of Idolatry And under the same Censures we bind Kings Dukes and Princes who shall dare to confer Bishopricks or other Ecclesiastical Dignities upon any person against Law and Reason Furthermore we confirm the sentence of Anathema which was justly given against Theobald Archbishop of Milan and Gilbert Arch-bishop of Ravenna as also against Roland Arch-bishop of Treviso and we lay the same Censure upon Peter who was formerly Bishop of Redona but is now an Usurper in the Church 〈◊〉 Narbonne Moreover we deny S. Peter's favour and entrance into the Church to all such till they have repented and satisfied for their offences be they Normans Italians or any other Nation who have in the least injured or violated the Marcha di Termo in Ancona the Dutchy of Spoleto Campagna di Roma Sabina Tivoli Palestrina Frascati or Alba or the parts that lie toward the Tuscan Sea Add to these the Monastery of St. Benedict and all the Country of Cassino as also Benevent in Abruzzo But if any one pretends a just cause for taking what he has not yet restored let him demand justice of us or our Officers and if they are not satisfied we grant them leave to take back as much as will satisfie them not excessively like Robbers but as becomes Christians and such Men who only retake what is their own and desire not other mens goods fearing the anger of God and the Curse of S. Peter After that he confirmed the Curse against Henry afresh in these words Blessed Peter and thou Paul Doctor of the Gentiles I beseech you to hearken unto me a little and hear me in mercy for you are Disciples and Lovers of Truth and what I say is true I undertake this cause for Truths sake that my Brethren whose salvation I desire may obey me more willingly and that they may know how I rely upon your assistance next to that of Christ and his Virgin Mother whilst I resist the wicked and am a present guard continually to the faithful For I did not ascend this Sea willingly but against my inclinations even with tears in my eyes that they should think such a worthless Man as me fit to sit in such a lofty Throne But this I say because I did not chuse you but you me and imposed this heavy burden upon my shoulders But the Sons of Belial are risen up against me since I have ascended the Mount
no time to dally but perceiving the People were displeased at that choice declares Lambert aforesaid for Pope with great acclamations of the Citizens the Clergy also approving it and that the People might not have time to change their minds he immediately clothes him with the Pontifical Vestments in the Scinie a place near S. Sylvester's Church He though it was not without slight that he got the Popedom yet was afterward universally saluted and own'd as such As soon as he was made Pope he created several worthy Persons Cardinals of whose assistance he constantly made use in all his difficult affairs being very much delighted with the conversation of excellent Men which was the reason that he detain'd at Rome with him Pontius Abbat of Clugni a very diligent person and shew'd great respect to the extraordinary parts of Hildebert Bishop of Mans whom for the sake of his skill at Heroic or Elegiac Verse he promoted afterward to the Archbishoprick of Tours This age was rendred also more illustrious by Hugo de Sancto Victore a famous Doctor of Paris who then flourish'd who lest behind him several lasting Monuments of his admirable Learning as his Book concerning the Sacraments his Book of Sentences another written by way of Dialogue entitled Didascalus another of care of the Soul and a Book entitled of Arts and Sciences All these learned Men Pope Honorius lov'd to that degree that he neglected no opportunity of preferring them One foul deed yet was acted in his time much to be abhorred for one Arnulphus an excellent Preacher of the Religion of Christ was murdered at Rome by the procurement of the Priests because he inveighed bitterly against their incontinence and sensuality and reprov'd their pompous living and insatiable appetite after Wealth proposing the Poverty and pure Integrity of our Saviour for their Imitation This Man the Roman Nobility and Gentry look'd upon as a true Prophet and Disciple of Christ and extoll'd him to the Skies which begat 〈◊〉 much envy and rage as cost the good Man his life Whether this holy Man was a Priest a Monk or a Hermit is not certain Historians write that Honorius was very much troubled at the fact but could never find the Authors of it He aster having reign'd well in S. Peter's Chair five years two months and a day died to the general grief and was buried with the greatest solemnity in the Lateran Church and the Sea was thereupon vacant one day His name is in an Inscription in Marble 〈◊〉 the Church of Praxede but I know not what it means INNOCENT II. INNOCENT the Second a Roman born in Trastevere being made Pope raises an Army and marches against Roger Son and heir of the former Roger Lord of Sicily who endeavour'd to possess himsess of Puglia upon the death of William the Duke thereof in whom the whole Family of Robert Guiscard was extinct In this expedition the Romans shew'd so much courage and fortitude that at the first onset they overthrew the Enemy then encamp'd at S. Germans and taking the Town they follow'd Roger to 〈◊〉 and there besieg'd him But in the mean time 〈◊〉 Duke of Calabria his Son with a good Army comes upon them and in one Battel defeats them not only delivering his Father from the Siege but taking the Pope Prisoner with all the Cardinals that then attended him all whom yet soon after Roger using wonderful moderation freely released For which reason the Pope afterwards was easily persuaded to grant any thing he desired except the Title of King which he earnestly solicited with great expence and large Promises During these actions one Peter Son of Peter Leone a potent Citizen of Rome by some seditious Fellows was set up for an Anti-Pope by the name of Anacletus who by spoiling several Churches in the City and rifling their Treasures particularly breaking into S. Peter's Church whence he took a Cross of Gold with its appendent Ornaments had rak'd together so much wealth that he was able with it to corrupt to his side any of the Citizens who were desirous of change So that Innocent upon his return to the City finding all places full of uproars and that these must needs end in the slaughter of many men he retir'd of his own accord and first sailing to Pisa from thence he went to Genoa and at last to France Anacletus then being rid of so considerable an Adversary endeavour'd as much as he could by liberal Pensions to bring over those who were for Innocent to his side and that he might more firmly oblige Roger then inclining to his party to his interest he created him King of both Sicilies Innocent in the mean while holds 〈◊〉 Council at Clermont in which the Anti-Pope and his followers were condemned from whence he went to Orleans and having visited King Philip by whom he was kindly receiv'd he pass'd into la Beausse where at Chartres he discours'd with Henry King of England who came to meet him whom he endeavour'd with many arguments to persuade to undertake an expedition against the Saracens Hence he took a turn into Lorain and finding Lotharius newly made King of the Germans at Liege who made him many large Promises of assistance towards his Restauration he made him take an Oath that he would make such sufficient preparations for the enterprise as that he should return to Rome with security After this having held another Council at Rhemes and upon his return into Italy one other at Piacenza he came to Pisa where he composed the animosities that had long been between the Pisans and Genoeses He also raised the Bishoprick of Genoa which before was in the Province of the Archbishop of Milan to an Arch-hishops Sea to which he subjected three Bishops of Corsica and the Bishop of Bebio The same he did by that of Pisa making it an Arch-Bishoprick with Jurisdiction over the other three Bishops of 〈◊〉 and the Bishop of Populonia Lotharius by this time was come into Italy with a great Army which having by the Pope's advice divided with two distinct Bodies he march'd to the City where making himself Master of Janicolo he entred that way while Innocent with another party by another way crossing the River Anien over Ponte Mamolo gets into the Lateran the Anti-Pope not appearing at all So that Lotharius with marvellously good fortune quash'd that Faction and as much as in him lay took care that Innocent should not thereafter be 〈◊〉 by them The Pope was so extreamly obliged by these great services of Lotharius that Henry being now dead he created him Emperour of the Romans and crown'd him with an Imperial Diadem Which done Lotharius return'd into Germany to reduce the Leutici then in Rebellion but while the Pope called a Council at Pisa to consider of the State of Christendom and of the preservation of Religion the Anti-Pope who was condemn'd in this Council also with the assistance of Roger and some factious People again bestirs himself against
of Damascus invading the territories of Jerusalem was met withal by Baldwin and totally routed so that in the pursuit the Christians were with much ado kept off from entring the City of Damascus pel-mel with the Enemy But to return to Pope Lucius he omitted no care nor pains in promoting that so considerable and necessary Expedition and I suppose he was much the more concern'd in his mind for it because before he was Pope he was Cardinal Priest of S. Cross in Jerusalem the Church whereof he almost wholly re-built By his approbation a national Council was held in France of several Bishops and Abbats against Peter Abelardus a Peripatetic Philosopher and a very learned Man who had maintain'd some heterodox Opinions but was in the presence of King Lewis so effectually convinc'd that he not only chang'd his mind but took upon him the life and order of a Monk and afterward together with some of his Scholars led a most holy life secluded from the World in a desert place Lucius after he had been Pope eleven months and four days died and was buried in the Lateran EVGENIVS III. EVGENIVS the Third a Pisan Abbat of S. Anastasius having been chosen a Monk by that holy Man Bernard was created Pope in the Church of S. Caesarius for when the Cardinals could not well agree whom to chuse out of their own number mov'd by an impulse from above they pitch'd upon this most religious Man Eugenius He finding the Romans would be urgent upon him with threats to procure his confirmation of their Senators he fled by night to Sabina accompanied by the College of Cardinals and was consecrated in the Monastery of Farfara and despising not onely the big words of the Romans but defying the worst they could do he drove those Senators to such a straight that he forc'd them to resign their Offices Hereupon he return'd to Rome but perceiving the Citizens were reconcil'd to him only out of design and not heartily and being afraid lest some trap should be laid for him he escap'd to Tivoli the Romans throwing at him Darts and other missile Weapons as he departed After this he went to Pisa and from thence by Sea to France where he persuaded King Lewis to engage in the holy War against the Turks and Saracens who arriving at Constantinople was no better used by the Emperour Emanuel than Conrade of Schwaben had been before him for Lewis taking his advice to pass through the deserts of Syria at a very unseasonable time was reduc'd to such extream necessity that he was compell'd to march his Army harrass'd with the bad way and want of all things to Antioch without entring upon any action This falsity of Emanuel procur'd him the enmity of Roger King of Sicily who mans out a Navy for Greece and seizes from him the Island of Corfu Corinth Thebes and Euboea and had gone up to Constantinople it self if the Venetians had not equipp'd a Fleet of sixty Gallies to hinder his design Roger therefore as God would have it turns to the coast of Asia where the Saracens Fleet had block'd up Lewis King of France then intending to set sail for Palestine from Porto di S. Simon and having got them at an advantage sets upon 'em and routs 'em delivering by this means this Christian King and his Army from destruction In the mean time the Venetian Fleet which was altogether on Emanuel's side retakes all those places which Roger had possest himself of but had been left by him unfortified and without Garisons Roger then leaving King Lewis at Joppa sets sail directly for Constantinople where he burnt the Suburbs in the very sight of the Emperour and carried his Victory so far that for some time he besieged even his Palace and with his own hand gather'd fruit out of his Garden But having got his Fleet together in order to return into Sicily he fell unawares upon the Venetian Navy which was ready prepar'd for a Battel and was by them defeated with the loss of twenty of his Gallies himself hardly escaping by flight While these things were doing Conrade Lewis and Baldwin with joint forces and courages attack'd Damascus which City was built by the Servants of Abraham in a Champain Country and naturally subject to drought but by Art rendred fertile and plentiful for the ground is watered by Channels and guts dug in the Earth and by that means made to abound with all things There is but one small River in that Country which running not far from the City Walls makes a little tongue of Land in which their Camp was pitch'd whereby they easily could hinder the Citizens from fetching Water but a certain Assyrian to whom in difficult matters Baldwin was wont to give great credit over-persuaded him to remove his Camp to the other side of the Town pretending that it might with more ease be there expugnable because the Walls were not so strong which was no sooner done but those of Damascus possess'd themselves of the place where our Men had encamp'd and having entrench'd themselves stop'd all the Water and Provisions that the Christians wanted So that being press'd with hunger and thirst they were forc'd dishonourably to raise the Siege from which Baldwin went to Jerusalem and Lewis and Conrade took their march to Europe whither they return'd An. Dom. 1152. with their Armies which by several accidents were very much shattered Eugenius after having as aforesaid stir'd up the Christians to this Expedition return'd to Rome where he was pompously and heartily entertain'd by the Citizens but having recover'd Terracina Sezza Norba and Rocca di Fumone places which had been seiz'd from the Church by several Lords of the adjacent Country he retir'd to Tivoli for his diversion where soon after he died having sate in the Papal Chair eight years four months and twenty days His body was carry'd to Rome and buried with great state as reason good in St. Peter's Church By his Order and at his charge the Portico of S. Mary Maggiore was built or rather re-edified as appears by the Inscription ANASTASIVS IV. ANASTASIVS the Fourth a Roman Son of Benedict was before Abbat of S. Ruffo in Velitro and now of a Cardinal was made Pope at that time when Alphonso K. of Spain died in his return from the Holy War to whom succeeded his Son Sanctius who soon after being slain in the Christian quarrel in a Battel in Arabia his Brother Ferdinand succeeded him in the Throne Anastasius having obtain'd the Popedom gave a Chalice of most excellent workmanship and vast price to the Lateran Church and in a short time raised a noble structure near the Pantheon now called S. Marca rotunda and many other things he design'd for the honour of the Church and the Ornament of the City if he had lived a little longer Great expectations Men had entertain'd concerning him and hopes that his goodness together with the learning of Richard de S. Victore his Cotemporary would
much out of hopes of success that upon hearing this ill news of the misfortune of his Friends and Allies he began to think of retiring to Rome though his coming thither was opposed by one John Cincio a potent Citizen and Senator whose intolerable arrogance yet was so curb'd by James Capocio another Roman Citizen that the Pope was received into Rome with great splendor magnificence This was that James whose name is yet to be seen and read in the little Chappel of Mosaic Work which was built at his charge in the Church of S. Mary Maggiore in which also was buried Peter Capocio who was a Cardinal of the Church of Rome and while he liv'd a bitter Enemy of this Schismatical Emperour Frederic at whose expence the Hospital of S. Anthony not far from the aforesaid Church and the College for Scholars at Perugia now call'd la Sapientia was also erected Gregory having quieted the minds of Men in the City again pronounces an Anathema against Frederic and declares him to have forfeited his right to the Empire and deprives him of it then he sends for the Ambassadours of the States of Venice and Genoa between whom there was so great a quarrel as it was fear'd a War would ensue to mediate their differences which he did so effectually as that he procur'd an Agreement between 'em to a Peace upon condition that without mutual consent neither of the two States should make Peace with the Emperor of Constantinople that they should be Enemies to the Enemies of each other and join their Forces upon every occasion for the common defence and this Treaty to be in force and complied withal for nine years by them both under pain of Excommunication to be denounc'd by the Pope upon the Infractor About this time died Baldwin who upon the Death of John had succeeded to the Empire of Greece and made shift to hold it for two years but with so great difficulty by reason of his poor Treasury that he could hardly defend himself from his Enemies being forc'd to deliver his Son for a Pledg to the Venetian Merchants for Money that he had borrow'd of 'em and to make Money of the Lead that belong'd to the Churches beside he sold to the Venetians who were wealthy and able to purchase 'em the Spear with which our Saviour Christ's Body was pierc'd and the Sponge which was reach'd to him to drink out of Frederic had a great spight at these Venetians because they were on the Pope's side and drove them into their Marishes where their City stands for security and did them great damage but in the mean while happened a general revolt of the Cities of Lombardy by the Procurement and instigation of Gregory Monte-longo who was Legat at Bononia and Ferrara which had revolted before from the Pope to the Emperour was retaken by them though Salinguerra a valiant Commander was in it and made a brave defence As soon as it was taken it was put into the hands of Azo of the House of Este who was a considerable Person in this Enterprize to be govern'd by him in the name of the Church An. Dom. 1240. This so alarm'd the Emperour who was then at Pisa that being under great uncertainty whom to look upon as Friends to himself or Wellwishers to the Pope he divided first the Cities of Italy into two Factions giving the name of Guelphs to those who were for the Pope's Interest and that of Gibellines to them that were for the Imperial These most pernicious names of distinction invented surely for the mischief of mankind were first made use of at Pistoia where when the Magistrates expell'd the Panzatichi who were Gibellines out of the City there chanc'd to be two Brothers Germans the one of which whose name was Guelph was for the Pope the other for the Emperour and his name was Gibel from which these two Parties were discriminated by those different appellations On the other side those of Arezzo and Sienna drive out the Guelphs whose example being follow'd by many other Cities of Italy gave occasion and rise to a worse than Civil War Several Cities after this revolted from the Pope as well in Vmbria as in Tuscany and particularly the Citizens of Viterbo threw off their obedience The Romans also would fain have been doing the same thing but that the Pope carrying the heads of the Apostles SS Peter and Paul through the City in Procession moved the People to commiserate the State of the Church and then making a most excellent Oration in S. Peters Church he had the power and good fortune by it to persuade even the Seditious who were ready to mutiny to take his part and to list themselves under the holy Cross for the defence of the Church of God These when some time after Frederic came in hostile manner before the Walls of Rome gave him a repulse which so enrag'd him that whatsoever Prisoners he had taken he put to death with divers tortures and retir'd towards Beneventum which City he took by force sack'd and dismantled it Then returning by the Via Latina with his heart full of fury toward the City by the way he plunder'd the Monastery of Monte-Cassino and turn'd out the Monks he destroy'd also with fire and sword the City of Sora formerly belonging to the Samnites situate at the head of the River Garigliano and pillag'd any thing that belong'd to the Templers wherever he could meet with it He was so great a Lover of the Saracens that he made use of them rather than any other People in his Wars made Magistrates of them and gave them a City for themselves which is call'd to this day Nocera di Pagani He threaten'd the Brother of the King of Tunis because he was come as far as Palermo to receive the Sacrament of Baptism By a sudden Onset he also made himself Master of Ravenna which appertain'd to the Church All which Gregory well considering he appointed a Council to be holden in the Lateran there to find out means to depose Frederic but the Emperour had so beset all the ways that with the help of the Pisans he took several Cardinals and Prelates as they were travelling both by Sea and Land and cast them into Prison Which so griev'd the good Pope that he liv'd not long after dying when he had been Pope fourteen years and three months There happen'd an Eclipse of the Sun a little before his death greater than ever was seen Raymund of Barcelona flourish'd in his time and assisted him in compiling his Book of Decretals whom many Authors so commend that nothing can be added to his Praise CELESTINE IV. CELESTINE the Fourth a Milanese of the Family of the Castiglioni Bishop of Sabina famous in his time for his exemplary life and great Learning being very old and sickly was yet chosen Pope in the room of Gregory but died on the eighteenth day of his Pontificate and was buried in S. Peter's Church to the great
in corporal strength for he himself could discern rather more of the Affairs of the City than those that were in it besides put 'em all together He lived in the Mount di S. Sabina and built him a curious Palace there whose ruins are yet to be seen which drew many of the Romans to live by him so that the Mount began from his time to be very full of Inhabitants He was resolved to injure no Man whilst he was Pope but on the contrary to do what good he could to all and therefore being provoked by the indignities which Peter King of Aragon offer'd to him by endeavouring to get the Kingdom of Sicily he confirmed Martin's Interdictions against Peter But Rodulphus the Emperor having a great mind to raise money sent his Chancellour one of the Family of the Flisci into Tuscany to make all the Country free especially those who would buy their Liberty Those of Lucca paid upon that account 12000 l. The Florentines six thousand and as soon as they were made perfectly free they created a certain kind of Officers which they call Arts-masters with a Sword-Bearer This Sale did not displease Honorius though it look'd too mean for such a great Prince because by that means the Patrimony of the Church would be more secure he thought when the Emperor had no more power to oppress those free Cities But whilst the King of France besieged Girona and Peter of Aragon was sollicitous how to hinder the carriage of Provisions from Narbonne into the Enemies Camp he was engaged in a sharp Conflict where he received a deadly Wound of which not long after he dy'd for want of looking to So that Girona was surrender'd upon Terms and submitted to the King of France though he did not long survive the Conquest For he died of a Fever which he caught in the Camp as he was besieging Perpignano His Navy too not long after that was taken and burnt in the Port of Narbonne by Roger Loria Peter of Aragon had two Sons Ferdinand and James whereof he left Ferdinand his eldest Son King of Aragon by his Will and James King of Sicily But when the old Kings were dead in that manner as I have told you the Wars devolved upon the young ones who attempted on both sides to make those of Pisa and the Genoeses who were excellent Seamen of their Party But these two States heing incens'd and arm'd against each other engaged so furiously at Malora an Island near the Port of Pisa that those of Pisa lost forty Ships or Gallies and twelve thousand men which were partly slain and partly taken Honorius took this misfortune of theirs so much to heart that he had like to have interdicted the Genoeses who pursu'd the men of Pisa with too much animosity And that unhappy day gave such a shock to those of Pisa that they never retrieved themselves since But Edward King of England went at that time into Gascoigne to make peace between Charles a Youth Son to the King of France who I told you was taken in War and Ferdinand King of Aragon The business went as he would have it and they treated about Charles's freedom when at the same time the Apostolical Legate and the Earl of Arras with the assistance of the Earl of Avellino possess themselves of the City Catina and send over thither an Army raised out of Tuscany For this reason Edward return'd home without success But Roger Loria advanced King Ferdinand's fortune by taking the French Fleet as it came back out of Sicily Honorius could not engage in this War because he was invaded in Romagna by Guido Feltrini But at length when he had conquer'd Guido he recover'd all Romagna in a short time and not long after dy'd two years and a day after he was made Pope His body was carried in great State from S. Sabina to S. Peter's and buried in a Marble Tomb which is yet extant among those that Pope Pius collected as the Arms of his Family and the Inscription declare And indeed he deserv'd all the honour paid to his dead Corps because he was a very upright Man and a great lover of Christian Piety For he confirm'd not onely the Order of the Carmelites which was not very well approved of in some Councils and chang'd their black Cloaks for white ones but he did the same also by the order of Eremites which was disapproved on at Paris But the onely Cardinal he made during his Pontificate was John Boccamatius Bishop of Frascati for he would say that none but good and learned men ought to be taken into so great a Society not those that were illiterate and ignorant in the manage of humane Affairs He loved Courtiers so as that he would go every year especially in the Summer to Tivoli on purpose to avoid the Heat of the Town which causes many Diseases When Honorius was dead the Sea was vacant ten months For the Conclave being summon'd to meet at St. Sabina a great many of the Cardinals were taken sick of a sudden Out of whom there died Jordan Vrsin Earl of Millain Hugh an English man Gervase of Anjou Dean of Paris and Antherius an excellent Person For this reason they dismiss'd the Conclave and deferr'd the matter till a more seasonable time especially because of the Earthquakes which were then so great that they thought Heaven it self would be angry with 'em if they did it at that time NICOLAS IV. NICOLAS the fourth of Principato-citra an Ascolese formerly called Jerome a Brother and General of the Order of Friers Minors and after that a Cardinal Priest was made Pope at St. Sabina the tenth month after Honorius's death and placed not onely in Peter's Sea but in the Saint's own Chair After that he went to Rieti to avoid some Tumults at Rome and there he created Cardinals of almost all Religions For he loved all men alike nor did he think that he ow'd more to his Relations than to any good man The difference between Virtue and Vice caused him to incline more to one man than another Some of those that he made Cardinals were called Neapolio Petrus Columna Hugo Colionius a famous Doctor of the Order of Preachers Matthaeus Aquasparta General of the Minors and Bishop of Porto About a year after he came back to Rome when City broils were somewhat appeased and lived at S. Maries the Great which Church he and James Columna repaired as appears upon the great Portico where the Image of our Saviour the Pope and James the Cardinal are yet to be seen The same Pope repaired the front and the back-part of the Lateran and adorn'd it with Fret-work as the Inscription tells us In the mean time the Kings of Aragon and Sicily conclude a Peace upon these terms That King Charles should be set at Liberty and settle James of Aragon in the Kingdom of Sicily at his own charge And if he did not do so in three years time he promised to
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
animosities arisen in the Kingdom of Naples For King Robert dying without Issue male bequeathed Johanna Daughter of Andrew his Nephew for a Wife to King Charles of Hungary's Son who came at that time a Youth to Naples But Johanna hating him for a dull fellow kill'd him by surprise in the City which was generally against the Match and was married to his Cousin German one Lewis Son to a former Prince of Tarento who was known to be Robert's Brother But Lewis King of Hungary and Brother of her first Husband resolving to revenge so great a piece of Villany came into Italy with a very well order'd Army and first attaqued the Sulmoneses who had the boldness to oppose him But in the mean while the manner of choosing Senators at Rome was alter'd by Apostolical Authority and Nicolas de Renty Citizen of Rome and publick Notary a man very earnest and high for Liberty when he had taken the Capitol gain'd so much good will and Authority among all the people that he could incline them to what he pleased And that he might work upon them the more effectually he used this Motto Nicolas the severe and merciful Patron of Liberty Peace and Justice and the illustrious Redeemer of the Sacred State of Rome With these great Words he created such an admiration of himself that all the people of Italy desired by their Embassadors to enter into League and friendship with him Beside that some forein Nations look'd upon the glory of the Roman Empire to be now reviving But his vain Boasting continu'd not long for whilst he was kind to some Citizens and an Enemy to others he all on the sudden was accounted instead of a Patron a Tyrant So that in the seventh month of his Government of his own accord without any bodies knowledg on a dark Night he went disguised from Rome into Bohemia to Charles the Son of John whom Clement a little before had made the Electors put in nomination for Emperor because he was so fine a Scholar besides that he had a mind to affront the Bavarian by setting up a Competitor So the Tribune i.e. Nicolas was taken by Charles and carry'd to Avignion for a Present to the Pope But Lewis having gotten into Sulmona after a long Siege makes himself easily master of the whole Kingdom since Johanna and the Adulterer Lewis were fled for fear into Narbonne and had left onely the Duke of Durazzo Nephew to King Robert to protect the Kingdom who was conquer'd and taken by Charles and put to Death But the Plague being very hot all over Italy Charles left sufficient Garisons there and return'd into Hungary in the third month after his arrival which was just about the time when John the Arch-Bishop a man of great courage and conduct received from the Pope the Lieutenancy of Millain upon the death of his Brother Luchino But Clement kept Nicolas in Prison and sent some Cardinals to Rome to settle the State of the City to whom Francis Petrarcha wrote persuading them to chuse Senators impartially out of the Commonalty if they would appease the Tumults since it did not sufficiently appear in Rome who were of the Senatorian and who of the Plebeian rank because they were almost all Foreigners and born of strange Parents Upon this Petro Sarra of Columna and John Vrsini were declared Senators At this time the Plague raged so all over Italy for three years that there was scarce one man in ten that escaped Nor is that any wonder for there was such a concourse of men from all places to Rome at the Jubilee which was then celebrated that they not onely brought the Contagion along with 'em but by the throng and bustle and sweating that was among 'em infected all places and persons At that time the Town of Colle and Geminiano were made subject to the Florentines and Bologna to the Arch-Bishop of Millain by the voluntary surrender of the Citizens At which the Pope being disturb'd sent a Legate into Italy to instigate the Florentines and Mastino Scala against the Viconti But when Mastino was dead the Arch-Bishop endeavour'd to draw Canegrande Son to Mastino and all the Gibellins in Romagna and Tuscany to make an Alliance with him and sent his Nephew Bernabos to Bologna to keep the Citizens in Obedience In the mean time the Florentines without any resistance set upon the Pistoians and the Prateses and at length reduced 'em by main force But after that being harrass'd by the Arch-Bishop's force under the command of John Aulegius they could hardly defend themselves within their Walls At that time Anguillara and Borgo di Sancto Sepolchro belonging to the Church revolted to the Viscounts and then also we read that the Genoeses and Venetians fought a Sea-Battel in which the Genoeses at first were conquer'd but afterward they were more victorious under the Command of Admiral Philip Auria and not onely took the Island Scio from the Venetians but kill'd a great many men in Vbaea now called Necroponte But Clement resolving at last to consult the quiet of Italy Decreed that Lewis Prince of Taranto should be King of Naples renew'd the Peace with the Hungarian bought the City of Avignion of Queen Joan whose Inheritance it was and paid for it by remitting of a certain Fee that amounted to rather more than the price of it and was due from her to the Church of Rome upon the account of the Kingdom of Naples But whilst Olegio Viconti besieged Scarperia in Muciallia those of Siena Arezzo and Perugia being affrighted enter'd into a new Confederacy with the Florentines against the Viconti The Pisans could not shew their friendship to the Viconti for the Gambacorti a Noble Family that were Allies of Florence who being now unable to withstand the Viconti alone call'd Charles the Emperor into Italy At this the Pope was concern'd and fearing Italy might be destroy'd with fire and sword as the Emperor threaten'd he deliver'd Bologni ro the Viconti upon Condition that they should pay the Church twelve thousand pound a year and made Peace between the Viconti and the Florentines upon these terms That neither of 'em should molest those of Pisa Lucca Siena or Perugia and that Borgo di Sancto Sepolchro should be subject to the Church and the Viconti should preserve the Liberty of the Cortoneses He also endeavour'd to compose the differences between Philip of France and Edward of England but in vain for they were so incens'd to fight that in one Battel Edward kill'd twenty thousand French and after eleventh months Siege victoriously took Calais by storm The same success he had against the Scots But the Pope having done the Duty of a good Shepherd seeing he could not advantage Christendom abroad he consulted how to do the Church some good at home For he chose excellent Persons for Cardinals especially Giles a Spaniard who was Arch-Bishop of Toledo Nicolas Cappocius a Roman Citizen Rainaldo Vrsina Protonotary of the Church of
indeed might have retein'd some part of their Dominion by the assistance of James the Cardinal of Columna a man who was a great friend to their Family but they chose rather to lose the whole like men than save any part of it sneakingly But Giles having quieted Romagna was so pleased at Forli that he laid up not onely the Treasure of the Church but also all the money which was sent from Avignion into Italy to build Castles in that Town and made some Ordinances which the Province uses to this Day But when Giles had setled Italy and built a great many very necessary Forts in the Church Dominions and reduced all the Italian Princes and States to Obedience he had a Successor in the fifth year of his Embassy called Arduinus a Burgundian Abbot of Cisteaux a man not at all fit for business Wherefore when Giles was gone all the Princes and States of Italy took up Arms. For the Pisans did so molest the Florentines that seeing no body durst oppose 'em they plunder'd all the Country of Florence and took Figino a Castle lying up the River Arno burning all the Villages which were built thereabout At that time Pandulphus Malatesta was Captain General of the Florentine Army whom the people forced to relinquish his civil Government because he had never shewn that he had courage enough to engage with an Enemy But the Pisans were then much higher than before not so much out of any hope they had of taking the City as that they should bring a scandal upon it and therefore after some light Skirmishes before the Gates they return'd home with great spoils about the beginning of Autumn And Bernabos also demolished many Castles in Bologna which was now harass'd with War though the Abbot of Clugny defended it stoutly Bologna as I told you before was subject to the Viconti but Aulegianus betray'd it to the Abbot of Clugny and was to have Fermo as the reward of his Treachery But whilst that Bernabos made War upon Bologna and Reggio the Apostolical Legate makes an Alliance with Philippino Gonzaga Canes of Verona and Nicolas d' Este to go against the Brescians Then Bernabos being concern'd for the danger which those of Brescia were in left Bologna and Reggio and march'd toward the Enemy but was so defeated at Montclere that afterwards he could hardly defend the very Walls of the City About the same time the Florentines overcame the Pisans under the command of Galeot Malatesta by corrupting their Soldiers to come over to their Party For this reason the Pisans laid all the fault upon the Cambacurti who were eminent Citizens there because they paid the Soldiers covetously and stingily and therefore recall'd John Agnellus who was banish'd as being a friend to Bernabos and against the Cambacurti and he in a little time reduced the City and made it acknowledg him for their Governour having removed all the friends of the adverse faction But when the Pope had made a Peace between the Pisans and the Florentines one John Haucut who had been used to fight under the Pisans got together all the Soldiers in Italy and gave all people occasion to fear especially since Rome was in such an uproar at the choosing of Senators But Innocent easily appeased their Discords by sending a forein Senator to 'em called Raimund Ptolomy a Citizen of Siena who bore that Office a whole year and that was in the year 1359. But though things were setled in this manner yet the Romans could not be quiet For they turn'd out their Senator and created seven Citizens with Sovereign Power whom they called the Reformers of the whole Republick Upon this account Innocent made Hugo Lusignaneus King of Cyprus who was going then to War against the Turks Senator and commanded totally to abolish that Society of Reformers But he at that time was very intent upon making an end of the War betwixt England and France that all might go against the Turk But when the English had overcome the French in Poictou and had taken their King with Philip his Son they were thought to have done a great exploit yet at the same time Edward out of his Princely generosity gives all the Captives their Liberty upon condition that they would never fight against him more But they soon after broke those terms of Peace and forced Edward to resume his Arms and besiege Paris Innocent design'd also to prepare a Navy against the Infidels when at the same time the Pisans who were excellent Seamen and the Venetiano that had a great Navy were at War the former with the Florentines and the latter with Lewis King of Hungary For that King did then besiege Treviso with a great Army besides that the Venetians were at variance among themselves For Marino their General being accused as if he aspired to Sovereignty was beheaded Innocent being thus discomposed in his mind he died in the ninth year eighth month and sixth day of his Pontificate just about the same time with Bartholus Saxoferratus the wisest man in all that Age. But before the Popes death there was such an Eclipse of the Sun as never was before wherefore all people thought that such a great Man could not die but even the Planets would give some presages of his departure VRBAN V. URBAN the fifth of Lymosin formery called Will. Grisant Abbot of S. Victor at Marseilles was made Pope in his absence by universal consent For at that time he was gone into Italy as Legate to the Viconti but being called to Avignion he enter'd upon the Popedom And no sooner was he got into the Chair but being a person of singular Virtue great Courage and very innocent in his Conversation he immediately apply'd himself to vindicate the Churches Liberty and made use of such Instruments as were zealous for the business For he sent Giles a Spaniard of whom we said something before into Italy with full Power and Authority who so far animated and engaged Lewis Gonzaga Nicolas d' Este and Francisco Carrario against Bernabos that he was overcome by them and lost his Son in the Battel and being wounded hardly escaped with his life Nor was that all but the Enemy took Andrew Pepulo a Bolognian Banditto Synebald Ordelaphus Paulus Mirandula Guido Foliano Azo of Corrigia William Cavalcabos the most Signal Commanders of the Army But the Kings of England France and Cyprus were concern'd at the misfortune of the Viconti and sent Embassadours to Giles to desire him that he would make Peace with them Which Embassadours were not sent in vain for a Peace was concluded though it were of no long continuance For John Hawkwood on the behalf of the Viconti having engaged the Florentines routed their Army at S. Miniato which caused Giles the Legate to send Thomas Obicio an excellent Commander with three thousand Horse and a competent number of Foot to help the Florentines They fought betwixt Arezzo and Cortona four hours together stoutly but at length
fame of a wickedness without example to have a Pope killed by the hand of a Cardinal he changed the Plot of the Dagger to Poison which by the help of Baptista Vercelli a famous Chirurgeon and his familiar Confident he hoped to effect in this manner The Pope being greatly afflicted with an old Fistula in his Fundament this Baptista was to be preferred as an able man for this work and then in dressing of the Wound he was to have injected Poison into it but Baptista being long in getting admission to the Popes privacy Alfonso grew impatient of delays and not being able to contain himself continually uttered something of passion which gave the Pope just cause of suspicion that this Alfonso was practising something against his life at length by some Letters which were intercepted the Conspiracy was detected which the Pope dissembling invited Alfonso to Rome with promises of Reconciliation and Preferment and for his encouragement thereunto he gave him Letters of safe conduct and his promise to the Spanish Embassador not to violate the same But so soon as Alfonso arrived the Pope so little esteemed the Faith he had given that he caused him to be Arrested with his Friend Cardinal De Sauli a Genoese one so familiar and intimate with him that it was believed that one could not be guilty or designing any action without the privity and consent of the other These two Cardinals being committed to Prison in the Castle of S. Angelo the Spanish Embassador complained of the breach of Faith which being given to the Kings Embassador ought to have been observed with the same sacred fidelity as given to the King himself Whereunto the Pope made answer that in matters of a Conspiracy designing against the life of the Pope no safe conduct was sufficient unless in some clause of it the Crime it self had been specified with a peculiar Proviso and that in cases of Poisoning which is detestable to God and man no sufficient provision can be made for security of the Offender unless the Crime it self be first mentioned and pardoned The matter being fully examined and Alfonso and Bandinello in a full Consistory being found guilty they were by publick sentence of the Consistory deprived of the Dignity of Cardinals and delivered over to the Secular Power which being done the night following Alfonso was Strangled but the Sentence of Bandinello was changed to a perpetual Imprisonment from which afterwards for a certain sum of money he gained a release The success which the Pope had against the Duke of Vrbin was different to that which he had against Alfonso Duke of Ferrara for he being a watchful man and a good Soldier defended himself against all the contrivances and attempts of the Pope Towards the end of the year 1517. the King of Spain died leaving his Nephew Charles of Austria sole Heir of all his Kingdoms and Dominions in Naples Sicily and Spain between whom and the French King there passed as yet a fair and amicable correspondence Notwithstanding which things were troublesom in Italy and 〈◊〉 â—espight of all the endeavours of the Pope who desired nothing so much 〈◊〉 peace all things were unquiet and tended to War for the Switzers 〈◊〉 â—hose minds were rather inflamed with indignation in remembrance of their late Defeat at Marignan than abated or humbled entered into a League with Maximilian the Emperor to drive the French out of all their Possessions in Italy in opposition whereunto the French joyning with the Venetians recovered Brescia out of the hands of the Spaniards and Verona from the Emperor and the Venetians by the support of this Alliance made no account of any amity with others nor offered their Obedience to the Pope notwithstanding the endeavours of Altobello Bishop of Pola whom he had commissionated to be his Legate at Venice not without some just reflections as a matter unworthy the Pontificial Majesty Francisco Maria Duke of Vrbin continued still his War against the Pope for recovery of his State but his success was ill both against the City of Osimo and also before the Town of Corinaldo from whence with great blemish of honor he was forced to raise his Siege Nor was he more fortunate in his attempt to recover Pesaro for having put to Sea several Ships to cut off all Provisions from the Town they were encountred by another Fleet set out by those of Rimini consisting of sixteen Sail with Barks and Brigantines which going in convoy with Vessels laden with Provisions to Pesaro met the Navy of Francisco Maria and engaging with them sunk the Admiral and destroyed their whole Fleet with which ill success Francisco Maria despairing of his enterprize departed thence At Rimini he also was worsted and forced to return with his Army into Tuscany where being in great want of Provisions and the Soldiers without Pay lived by Prey and Pillage whereby they began to be no less terrible to their friends than to their enemies and to grow weary of the War having no hope to better their condition either by a Battel or protraction of time The Pope also on the other side became poor having exhausted his Treasury and doubtful of the Faith of his Allies especially of the King of France who was slow and backward in the payment of those monies agreed by Articles so that Peace being the best expedient for good to both parties propositions were made for a Peace between the Legate and Francisco Maria which by the Mediation of Monsieur D'Escut General of the French Forces in Italy and Don Hugo de Monaco Vice-King of Sicily was accorded on these conditions That the Pope should pay to the Spanish Footmen five and forty thousand Ducats and to the Gascoins and Germans threescore thousand and that upon such payment they should all depart within eight days out of the State of the Church the Jurisdiction of Florence and the Territories of Vrbin That Francisco Maria should leave and abandon all his Possessions in that State within the term aforesaid with Licence to carry with him all his moveables and Artillery with his famous Library which with great charge and diligence had been collected by Frederick his Grandfather by the Mothers side That the Pope should absolve him of all Censures and pardon all the Subjects of the State of Vrbin and those who had been enemies in this War the Spaniards Gascoins and Germans having received their monies marched to the Kingdom of Naples and Francisco Maria abandoned of all his Allies returned to Mantua accompanied only with one hundred Horse and six hundred Footmen In this manner ended the War with Vrbin which tho it continued but eight months yet had exhausted the Coffers of the Pope of eight hundred thousand Ducats the greatest part of which he had drawn from the Commonwealth of Florence on the score of his great interest in that City and indeed his Charges were the greater because that with much ignominy he was forced to purchase his
Germany to hinder if possible by their Preaching and Disputations the farther spreading of these Doctrins The Emperor Charles the Fifth in a Diet at Ratisbon made a publick and solemn Edict against Luther and his Conclusions the University of Paris condemned them and the King of England Henry VIII wrote a Book against them for which he afterwards received from this Pope Leo the Title of Defender of the Faith But Luther being a man of great courage and supported by the favour of the Duke of Saxony little regarded either the Arguments of the School-men or the Authority of the Princes saying That the Prophet forbad to trust in men or Princes before whose judgment the Word of God and the sentence of Scripture was to be preferred These disturbances in Germany were followed by the like in Switzerland where Zuinglius by force of Argument disputed in favour of the Doctrin of Luther which caused such confusions and discord that for the settlement and quiet thereof the Senate of Zurich convened all the Preachers and Doctors of their Country and requested the Bishop of Constance to depute such wise and learned persons as he should think fit to assist at this Conference for determination of the matters in question Great numbers of people being assembled at this Convocation Zuinglius proposed his Thesis and all the points in dispute and offered to answer the Arguments of any Opponent which should be set up against him Peter Faber a man holy in his life and of profound judgment having heard and weighed all the strength of Argument which the Jacobins and others had alledged refused as Moderator in those Controversies to determin any thing in those matters which more properly belonged to the cognizance of that General Council which was shortly by Authority of the Pope and the consent of all the Christian Princes to meet and assemble consisting of all the Prelates of Christendom This Sentence gave Zuinglius advantage to advance his Doctrin and say that these were but delays to amuse the people and lull them in their ignorance that doubtful matters were proper to be treated and discussed and determined by the Authority of General Councils but that matters certain and clear by Scripture which was the Word of God and the rule of our lives and confirmed by the practice of the Primitive Christians stood in need of no other Authority than their own plain evidence to confirm them In fine the Assembly broke up and the Senate concluded with this result that the Gospel should be Preached according to the Canon of the Old and new Testament and not according to the Decrees and Constitutions of men This matter began daily in the Court of Rome to seem of greater importance fearing lest it should greatly shake the Power of the Popes and abate the profits of the Church of Rome and discompose the Union of the Christian Religion for which occasion many Consistories were summoned at Rome and many Consultations held in the Chamber of the Pope amongst the Cardinals and Divines for remedy of this growing evil The Duke of Saxony and Luther were at these Meetings condemned and Excommunications thundered out against them with most grievous Anathemaes the which served only to exasperate the Duke of Saxony and caused him to become a more severe and vehement Protector of that Cause which began now to dilate and spread more diffusely amongst the people by how much the more it was persecuted by vigorous and violent courses At length the Court of Rome as well as other People and Nations did conclude that the only means to quiet mens minds and settle them in a true Belief and Faith was to establish all doubts and Controversies by the Authority of a General Council the which was desired by Princes and Lords of Countries in hopes that thereby the disorderly lives of Priests and Friers would be regulated and reduced to their Primitive Constitutions and that the Regalia and Temporal Jurisdictions which had long been usurped by the Ecclesiastical Power would at length be restored to the Secular Dignity of Princes But to reduce matters to this estate they did not judg it necessary that Ecclesiasticks should be the sole Members to compose such an Assembly whose interest it was to maintain their own Corruptions and determin all matters in favour of themselves against the Rights and Prerogatives of Christian Princes in whose Affairs their consents and Suffrages ought to be consulted The common people also who had some competent knowledg in the Affairs of the world were desirous of a Council in hopes and expectation that the libidinous Power of the Church which had for a long time tyrannized over them might at length be limited and moderated and that the Exactions which were charged upon them under the specious pretences of Alms and Indulgences might not be forced and distrained by the violence and rudenesses of the Episcopal Officers The Court of Rome did likewise desire a Council in hopes the Authority of the Church which began to be shaken by the opposition of Adversaries and the encroachments which Princes made on its Jurisdiction might thereby be confirmed but they were for having it regulated according to the practices of modern times which should not touch on the present Abuses and evil customs introduced in favour of the Papal Power but such an one as was called by the preceding Pope and Assembled at the Lateran which had produced many happy and advantageous successes for it had extinguished the Schisms of the Cardinals reduced the Kingdom of France which before was separated to an Union and abolished that Sanction which highly entrenched on the Temporal and Spiritual Monarchy of Rome and lastly had conferred the collation of Benefices on the Pope which was the great foundation of the Papal Grandeur Howsoever Pope Leo still doubted that this remedy was not entirely adapted to the nature of this evil for tho the power of a Council might have an influence over Princes and great Prelates against whom their Decrees and Determinations might avail yet could not reach the minds of the common people or produce that real alteration and change which was necessary for the quiet and settlement of the Ecclesiastical State In this condition of affairs Leo died about the end of the year 1521. But these Divisions and Dissentions in Spiritual Controversies did not only disquiet the Pope but likewise the Plots of certain Cardinals which designed against his Life and Government of which a discovery being made several of them were deprived of their Hats and Ecclesiastical Benefices and Alfonso Petrucci being chief in the number of the Conspirators was taken and strangled by a Negro Slave in the Castle of St. Angelo at Rome Adrian da Cornetro being fled and escaped from Justice was for ever without hopes of Restauration deprived of the Character and Honor of Cardinal Raphael Riario and Bendinello Sauli were suspended but afterwards restored to the Dignity of Cardinals Saderini was condemned to live in
perpetual banishment Thus by the punishment and degradation of several Cardinals the College being wanting and unprovided of its due numbers the Pope with much liberality created one and thirty at one time all persons of quality belonging to several Countries of Christendom some of which were advanced for their Virtue and Merit and others by the Favour and Interest of great Personages This Pope created two and forty Cardinals in all during the time of his Reign besides the restauration of the four rebellious Cardinals deprived by Julio amongst these Cardinals which he had ordained Julio de Medici his Kinsman was one whom he made his Vice-Chancellor and was afterwards Pope under the name of Clement VII About this time Maximilian the Emperor dying Charles King of Spain Naples and Sicily was elected to the great regret and indignation of Francis King of France who with much envy and emulation was displeased to see the Imperial Dignity added to the many Kingdoms and Estates holden by the King of Spain And because according to the ancient Rule and Canon the King of Naples was excluded from all capacity of being Emperor a Dispensation was purchased from the Pope with expence of 7000 Ducats qualifying the King of Naples for the Election Afterwards the Pope having favoured the cause of Charles and he by his assistance being Elected Emperor an Alliance and League was agreed between them to drive the French out of Italy a design ever pleasing to the Popes and particularly to Leo who was impatient of the infamous loss of Parma and Piacenza which being gained with so much glory and trouble by Julio he hoped to regain and restore to the Possessions of the Church In pursuance of this enterprize a considerable Army of Germans and Switzers were sent by the Emperor into Italy and joyned with the Forces of the Pope Prospero Colonna was made Generalissimo and Frederico Gonzaga of Mantoua General of the Army of the Church and Julio de Medici Legate of the whole Army The success proved agreeable to the preparations for the French were droven out of Italy which had long groaned under their pride and tyranny after which Milan was according to Articles surrendred into the hands of Francis Sforza the true and natural Lord and Parma and Piacenza restored to the Church with the news of which the Pope conceived such extremity of joy that he died suddenly on the first of December 1521. at the Village of Magliana where he used often for recreation to retire himself from whence the next day his body was removed to Rome not without suspicion of having been poisoned by his Chamberlain Malâ—spina who thereupon being imprisoned was afterwards released by Cardinal De Medicis so soon as he came to Rome no farther proceedings being made thereupon lest the matter being examined should reflect too far in disgrace of the French King Thus died Leo X. at the age of 45 years 11 months and one day having held the Papal Chair for the space of eight years and twenty days having at the hour of his death testified the great satisfaction he received by the restitution of Parma and Piacenza to the Ecclesiastical State without the effusion of the least drop of blood This Pope was esteemed a great lover of Justice having been severe against Thieves and Robbers He was a great lover of his Recreation and Pleasures spending much time in Hunting and Banquets and was more delighted with Musick than became the gravity and severity of a Pope He was highly magnificent in his Buildings and munificent in his gifts with which and by his Wars he had consumed so profusely beyond his Revenue that for maintenance of this charge he was forced to exact mony for making Cardinals and to set several Offices of his Court to sale He was a great lover of Learning and learned men to whom he was very liberal in his gifts imitating therein the spirit of his Father Laurence de Medicis He enlarged the Power of the Potesta or Civil Magistracy of Rome and bestowed on them several Privileges and Immunities for which reason by a Solemn Decree they made Julian his Brother a Citizen of Rome and treated him at the Campidoglio with Feasting and other Entertainments where they also erected a Statue of Marble and dedicated it to Leo with this Inscription Optimo Principi Leoni X. Med. Joan. Pont. Max. ob restitutam instauratamque Vrbem aucta Sacra bonasque artes adscitos Patres sublatum vectigal datum congiarium S.P.Q.R. In fine the face of the City of Rome was never more pleasant nor chearful than in the time of Leo X. His body was buried for that present in a Sepulchre of Brick erected in S. Peter's Church and for afterwards by direction of Paul III. translated to the Minerva together with the body of Clement VII ADRIAN VI. POPE Leo being dead and his Obsequies solemnly performed the Cardinals on the 16th of December 1521. assembled in the Chappel of Sixtus Quartus in S. Peter's Church and thence adjourned to the Vatican where 29 Cardinals entered into the Conclave and having sang Veni Spiritus they for some days were employed in giving Audiences to Forein Ministers in ordering matters for the more orderly Government of the City and regulating the Conclave in relation to their choice so on the 20th they began seriously to proceed to an Election Cardinal De Medicis aspiring to that dignity seemed to stand the most fair for it because that by the reputation of his greatness and by the interest of his Revenues and his glory lately acquired in the Conquest of Milan he had obtained the Voices of 15 Cardinals howsoever many considerations crossed his desires for it seemed irregular and against the common Policy for one of the same Family to succeed in the place of the Pope deceased for that such Presidents might soon bring the Popedom to a state of being disposed by Succession for which cause all the ancient Cardinals who pretended to be of the French action and all those who were enemies to Leo and discontented by him stood in opposition against him Moreover all the Cardinals who were Competitors and lived in hopes of succeeding could not endure and suffer the Election of a person under the age of fifty years These difficulties occurring retarded the Election for several days at length as they made scrutiny according to the custom of the Conclave Cardinal Adrian a Hollander by Nation was proposed one who had been School-master to the Emperor and by his means made Cardinal under Pope Leo so soon as he was nominated the Cardinal S. Sixtus began to recount and amplifie his Virtues in a long Oration which so took that the Cardinals began to yield and give up their Voices for him the residue followed from one to another seeming guided rather by chance than Counsel so that by the common Suffrages of all the Cardinals Adrian was Elected and Created Pope on the 9th of January 1522. the parties themselves not being
a short time to descend into Italy which being added to the Italian Bands would be able to make head against the Imperial Army and for their parts they promised according to their custom far greater matters than they were able to perform and for farther encouragement hereunto they represented the state of the Imperial Army in Italy to be tumultuous and inclinable to Sedition having for want of pay seized the Artillery and fortified themselves in Pavia Farther it was not to be doubted but that Loüisa the Queen Mother and Regent of France would concur with these Counsels and be assistant to this design with all the power of that Kingdom Moreover it was not to be doubted but that the Duke of Ferrara who favoured and depended on the French felicity would also enter into this League the conjunction of whom was of great importance considering that he was a Prince very rich his Town of Ferrara strong and furnished with all stores of Ammunition But the Pope considering the difficulty of this enterprise and the uncertain concurrence of those many circumstances which were required to make it successful did for some time suspend his resolution until the Arch-Bishop of Capua who had been his ancient Secretary and Counsellor brought him such agreeable propositions from Don Carlos de Lanoy Vice-Roy of Naples as gave him assurances of an advantageous accommodation with the Emperor for then disposing his mind wholly to the thoughts of peace he labored to get the Venetians comprehended in the same terms of accord but in regard the chief points insisted upon by the Imperialists were sums of mony to be paid their Army already mutining for want of their Arrears the Venetians who judged it a piece of folly and cowardise to compound with their enemies on the condition of putting weapons into their hands absolutely refused any agreement on such terms which made well for the Pope and facilitated his negotiations with the Vice-Roy who interpreting this refusal of the Venetians to be an indication of new stirs and commotions intended against the Imperial interest in Italy was the more ready to condescend to the more easie terms with the Pope In short therefore 25 thousand Ducats being by the Popes order paid by the Florentines to the Marquiss of Pescara Chief of the Emperors Forces in Milan a Confederacy was concluded at Rome between the Pope and the Florentines on the one side and the Emperor on the other viz. That the Pope and the Emperor should be in a perpetual League and Alliance and that the Dutchy of Milan should be always defended by the Arms of the Pope and the Emperor with such numbers of men as should be agreed by a certain Article and that the same should be possessed and governed under the Emperor by Francis Sforza particularly nominated in that Capitulation That the Emperor should take into his protection all the Estate which the Church held and particularly should have a care of the House of Medicis to maintain and preserve them in all the Dignities and Offices which they hold in that City to which Treaty the greatness of that illustrious Family is in some measure obliged That the Florentines should presently pay to the Emperor a hundred thousand Ducats more in recompence of that which they had engaged to contribute to the last War in virtue of that Agreement made with Pope Adrian which was not to expire until one year after the death of one of the Confederates That the Duke of Ferrara should immediately render to the Church Reggia Rubiera and other Towns which he had unjustly seized and usurped during the last vacancy of the Papal Sea of which so soon as the Pope was possessed he was in consideration thereof to pay unto the Emperor one hundred thousand Ducats Lastly as to Modena and those Towns consideration was to be had and the matter examined whether they of right appertained to the Church or the Emperor and being found only belonging to the Ecclesiastical State they should be freed from all acknowledgment and dependance on the Empire In this manner this Alliance was concluded and determined and the designs of uniting with France and Venice which were at first laid open as the fairest game were now diverted by far different measures Matters being thus agreed and concluded in the year 1525. between the Pope and the Vice-Roy the Cardinal Salviati was sent to the Emperors Court with Character of Legate for confirmation of the Articles his reception was very honorable but in debating of particulars on the Commission the Vice-Roy who for the common safety and quiet of Italy allowed that the Investiture might be given to the Duke of Milan did dissuade the restitution of Reggia and Rubiera which being a scruple started after the Accord did ill affect the mind of the Pope and confirmed the opinion he had of the Emperors designs not to endure any increase of power and greatness in the Church And farther whilst these things were debating there fell out in Lombardy several events which hindred the Investiture of Sforza in the Dutchy of Milan and therewith broke all the agreements and measures which were formerly taken for the Emperor not willing to yield to this Investiture made pretences of forfeiture thereof by Sforza and earnestly pressed the taking of the Castle of Milan so that now the Pope having no expectations from the Emperor began to incline again and be biassed on the side of France and the other Confederates knowing that whilst his successes were prosperous and towering in Italy the Emperor might easily dispose of the Pope and oppress him at his pleasure which he would certainly do either out of revenge or ambition which is known to be almost natural in Emperors against the Pope Wherefore a League and Union being proposed between the Pope the French the Venetians and Duke of Ferrara with hopes also that the King of England would joyn in it all things were designed and laid down in a regular manner and form for carrying on the War and suppressing the suspected greatness of the Emperor But this Pope Clement who was of a temper naturally slow and irresolute weighing the consequences of these matters with his Servants and Ministers of his Councils found them so divided each of them abounding in his own sence that belabouring the Pope on all sides he became much more perplexed and distracted in his thoughts after than before his consultations The truth was there were two men of great Authority with him one Nicolas Scomberg a German and John Matthew Giberto a Genoese Scomberg was much honored and almost feared by the Pope but Giberto was more favoured and beloved these two having been ancient and intimate friends to him whilst he was Cardinal agreed well together but afterwards Ambition and different Interests put them at variance for Scomberg being a German naturally affected the interest of the Emperor but Giberto loved no man but the Pope and tho he had formerly been an enemy
they reversed and defac'd through the City the Arms of that Family they brake the Images of Leo and Clement which were rare pieces of Sculpture and famous through the world and in short they omitted nothing which might affect the Pope with indignity and dishonor and nourish division and discord in the City At Rome the Army was very disorderly and tumultuous governing themselves rather than obeying the command of their General the Prince of Aurange for they were wholly disposed to prey and violence to get Ransoms and receive the mony promised them by the Pope no care being had of the interest of the Emperor nor was there any resolution taken to remove the Army from Rome where the Pestilence raged and was entered into the Castle of S. Angelo to the great hazard of the Pope's life many being dead thereof who served about his person during which time as the Imperial Army yielded little obedience to their Captains so they made no great disturbances nor gave fears to their enemies for the Spaniards and Italians flying from the infection of the Plague lay dispersed about the Confines of Rome and the Prince of Aurange was gone to Siena to avoid the Plague and keep that City in Devotion and Obedience to the Emperor Wherefore all matters of action at that time were quiet and in repose until Monsieur De Lautrec who was Captain General of the League made between Henry the Eighth of England and Francis King of France for setting the Pope and all Italy at liberty appeared in Piedmont whose success was so fortunate that he took Genoua compelled Alexandria de la Paglia to surrender and having for four days battered Pavia he forced it to yield at discretion giving it up to the plunder and cruelty of his Soldiery and lastly ended that years Champaign with glory wintering his Army in the City of Bologna The Imperialists being a little mortified and abased with this success of Lautrec were desirous to make the best bargain they could with the Pope before he were forced from them and agreed upon the payment of 60000 Ducats to the Germans and 30000 to the Spaniards with engagement to pay the residue at a certain time to set the Pope and Cardinals at liberty and afford them safe conduct to Orvieto which was nominated and chosen by the Pope for the place of his security and retreat Upon this accord the Pope being guarded by the Imperialists with less caution than before gave him opportunity in the disguise and habit of a Merchant to make his escape which he rather determined to do and recover his freedom in that manner than to expect the formal conduct of the Imperial Guards suspecting that Don Hugo de Moncada who was Vice Roy of Naples in the place of Lanoia dead of the Plague and who had no good will towards him would play him some trick and baffle with him at the conclusion of all The Pope being now at liberty in Orvieto after seven months imprisonment was instantly congratulated by the Duke of Vrbin the Marquiss of Salutta and other Captains of the League to whom having returned thanks for their kind and obliging Offices he desired them to withdraw their Forces out of the Dominions of the Church assuring them that the Imperialists had promised to depart thence in case the Confederates would shew them the first example He wrote also Letters to Monsieur Lautrec giving him to understand that he with great sence acknowledged the influence which his appearance in Italy had contributed towards his liberty having much facilitated and eased the conditions on which he was to receive it and that the reason why he did not expect the glorious time in which he was to have been delivered by his powerful hand was because his necessities compelled him to procure his liberty with the greatest speed for he observed that the conditions imposed on him always changed from bad to worse that in the mean time the Church was oppressed his Authority contemned and he rendred uncapable of being that happy instrument of mediation which was now required to settle peace among Christian Princes Thus far were excellent words and such as became a Bishop under his mortifying circumstances but his words and answers in other things according to his natural temper were in substance different at one time to what they were at an other For when Gregory Castle the King of Englands Embassador came to him about the beginning of the year 1528. desiring him to continue firm to the Confederates he would some time give him hopes and then again excuse himself as being so unfortunate as to have neither Men Mony nor Authority remaining to him The Pope having now abandoned Rome and Monsieur Lautrec upon his march towards Naples the Imperialists on the 17. of February left the City in a naked and poor condition despoiled of all its Ornaments and Riches and applyed themselves to Counsels in what manner they might give a stop to the proceedings of Lautrec who departed from Bologna the 9th of January No sooner were the Imperialists departed than the Vrsins with their Tenants and Paisants entered to complete the spoil and desolation of that City of which not only the Houses were ruined and the Riches carried away but all the Statues Columns and curious pieces remained a prey to these Locusts Lautrec in his march towards Naples took not the nearest way but rather for the more commodious carriage of his Cannon and for the benefit of Forrage and other Provisions fetched a compass by the way of Puglia his Army consisted of 400 Lances 6000 Footmen old and Veterane Soldiers besides the Forces of the Marquiss of Salutta who marched in the Van and the Regiments of the Venetians and the Black Bands of Florence which were in much esteem and reputation with Monsieur Lautrec In short at the first appearance of Lautrec within this Kingdom Capua Nola Acerra Aversa and all places yielded to him but Naples endured a long Siege at which Monsieur Lautrec dying of a Fever and most of the Captains and Soldiers dead of the Plague caused by the Contagion of those that were privately sent out of the City to infect the Camp the enterprise upon that Kingdom had an end In the mean time whilst these things were in action Sassatello rendred to the Pope the Rock of Imola and Sigismond Malatesta upon some conditions resigned Rimini into his hands and the Pope having a great desire to re-instate his Friends and Relations and advance his own Interest and Power again in Florence he seemed inclining to the party of the Emperor in whose power only it was to settle the Affairs of his Family in their pristine state and therefore perceiving the Affairs of the French and the other Confederates to decline in Italy he forgot all the former injuries done to him by the Emperor and entered into a perfect friendship and fair correspondence with him And farther to advance himself in the good
only that hereupon Julio Orâ—â—no was dispeeded with thirty Companies of Foot to Guard and defend the Confines of Hungary and thus the Pope having spent five days at Busetto with no other advantage to his Affairs he returned again to Bologna where he celebrated the Feast of S. Peter the Apostle About this time Barbarosso who had been instigated by the French to do all the damage they were able to the Emperor had coasted along the shore by Naples and having slaid some time before the Isle of 〈…〉 they at length appeared near Civita Vecchia at the mouth of the 〈…〉 which gave such an alarm to Rome that the Inhabitants had certainly abandoned the City and fled to the Mountains had not Poline the French Envoy aboard the Fleet of Barbarosso written a Letter to Cardinal Rodolfo giving him assurance that there was no design upon Rome with which the tumult was quieted and their fears dissipated Now began the year 1544. which was very remarkable for the unexpected Peace concluded between the Emperor and the French King on the 18th of September at Crespy a Castle in Valois after the bloody Battel of Cerisoles the which was received with extreme joy by all the Christian Princes and especially by Pope Paul who being returned from Bologna to Rome had lately made solemn Processions for the Peace and quiet of Christendom the which unexpected news surprising the Pope was interpreted by him as a return of those Prayers and Supplications he had made for Peace tho inwardly he conceived some secret resentments that he had not been concerned as Mediator in it Upon this news of Peace the Pope thought it seasonable to publish an other Sessions of the Council to Commence in March following which had on occasion of the late Wars been prorogued but this hasty indiction of a Council was not pleasing to the Emperor who expected to have been first consulted esteeming that it had been more agreeable to his Authority and more acceptable to the humor of Germany had he been made the principal Author of this Council Howsoever that he might seem to be the first mover of the work and the Pope only to act in the second place he issued out many Commissions to the Prelates of Spain and of the Low-Countries and to many Divines at Lovain to meet together and consider of several Theses and Propositions which were to be debated in the Council which being reduced to six and thirty Heads he required their solution of them positively without any proofs or references to Holy Scripture All which solutions being made were confirmed by the Emperor 's Magisterial Authority and Edicts requiring all people to yield entire faith and belief thereunto And farther the Emperor not being able to conceal the displeasure he had conceived against the Pope vented his choler frequently to the Nuntio in very severe and sharp terms and whereas the Pope in the month of December had created thirteen Cardinals those three which were Spaniards amongst them were forbidden by the Emperor to accept the Dignity or to take the Title or wear the Habit. Tho the Emperor had testified this open displeasure against the Pope yet he so far complied with him as to send Don Diego de Mendoza who had lately been his Embassador at Venice with ample Commission to the Council of Trent as did also the other Princes who were in amity with the Pope but the Protestants who had sent their Commissioners to the Diet at Worms over which Ferdinand presided in the place of the Emperor refused to send their Embassadors to Trent alledging that the Assembly held at that place was not legitimate nor could be termed with the quality and character of a General Council The Pope being highly incensed at this refusal and separation of the Protestants which he esteemed an affront to the Papal Authority dispatched his Nephew the Cardinal Farnese in quality of Legate with ample instructions to the Emperor wherein besides some other particular interests he encharged him most especially to incite the Emperor to make a War of Religion against the Protestant Princes of which he conceived the greater hopes in regard that by frequent advices from his Nuntio he was assured of the displeasure and disdain the Emperor had of the Protestant Cause and that he willingly gave ear to those suggestions which advised him to compel their Assents and Compliance by force of Arms. To this Proposition the Emperor made answer that he acknowledged this Counsel which the Pope gave him to be good and almost necessary and which he resolved to follow but howsoever that it was to be executed with its due caution and that a Truce was first to be concluded with the Turk which was secretly treating and then that some discords and dissentions were to be sowed amongst the Protestant Princes for that being united together their numbers were so formidable and great that instead of maintaining the Catholick Religion he should put it into apparent danger and hazard which a doubtful state of War may produce This Treaty tho secretly carried was yet suspected by the Protestant Princes who took a most sensible alarm from the Sermon of a Cordelier Frier that preached one day before the Emperor King Ferdinand and the Legate and used many invective Speeches against the Lutherans he told the Emperor plainly that it was his duty to defend the Church by force of Arms and that God had put the Sword into his hands for extirpation of this Heresie and destruction of this pest of mankind which he ought not to suffer to live in this world This Sermon and discourse made great noise being interpreted for the sense of the Legate and to be an effect of the Treaty which he secretly held with the Pope and that the Frier Preached in that manner by his order wherefore to abate and surcease those reports the Cardinal departed secretly by night and with all expedition returned into Italy In the mean time the Debates at the Diet at Worms proceeded where the Emperor in person endeavoured to persuade the Princes to contribute towards a War against the Turk which they absolutely refused to do until assurance were given them that the Peace between them and the Emperor should be continued and maintained without any respect to the determinations and conclusions at Trent which they could not esteem a General Council or to have any Power and Authority to oblige them to an observation of those Decrees and Canons which were formed therein to which the Emperor replied that he could not assure them of Peace or observation of any Articles which should exempt them from the determination of that Council to which all Christians were obliged to submit and that he should not know how to to excuse himself to other Kings and Princes in case he should endeavour to procure that exemption for Germany only from obedience to the Council which was chiefly convened in respect and in order to the settlement of their
judgment of the Pope for tho the Emperor did most strictly forbid and inhibit any person to oppugn the Doctrins contained in this Book of Interim either by Practice Writings or Preaching yet notwithstanding the Protestants on one side did not forbear to refute this Confession of Ausbourg by their publick Writings and Disputations and on the other Francis Romeo General of the Dominican Friers did by command from the Pope appoint several Learned men of that Order to refute that Formulary of the Interim In France also many wrote against it and in a short time great numbers both of Catholicks and Protestants oppugned it with heat of argument it having hapned in this matter as in others of the like nature that where middle terms or moderate expedients have been proposed between the extremes of opposite Factions for accommodating or reconciling their differences there the event hath been no other than that the contrary parties have impugned the expedients and both have been hardned and confirmed in their own Tenents and Opinions These debates and troubles gave a stop to the proceedings of the Council at Bologna for the space of two years and until almost the end of the year 1549. when at the beginning of November news came to the Pope then at Rome that the Duke Ottavio Farnese his Nephew who having against his own inclinations been detained by the Pope at Rome out of tenderness to his life lest he should incur the same fate as Pier-luigi had done was privately escaped out of the City and was then actually dealing with Ferdinand Gonzaga the Governor of Milan to instate him in Parma in despight of Camillo Orsino who was to keep and defend the Town in right of the Ecclesiastical State The which news so surprised the mind of the Pope with sensible grief and commotion of spirit who was not as yet recovered of the sorrow he had conceived for the fate of his Son Pierluigi that he presently fell into a swound or Leipothymie from which being revived was seized by so violent a Fever that in three days he died thereof being the 10th of November at his Palace of Monte Cavallo where he usually resided because it was esteemed a place of the best Air in Rome He had held the Papal Sea 15 years and 28 days and was arrived to the age of 81 years eight months and 10 days He was buried in S. Peter's Church without any great pomp or State and afterwards the Sea was vacant two months and 29 days JVLIVS III. THE Cardinals having as accustomary celebrated the Funeral Obsequies of the Pope deceased for the space of nine days did on the tenth enter into the Conclave but then considering the small appearance of Cardinals few being then present the formal recess and retirement into the Conclave was deferred for some time And here it is to be observed that the Cardinals were divided into three Factions the first favoured the Emperor the second was inclined to the French King and a third consisted of such Cardinals as had been the creatures of the late Pope deceased and by him promoted to several Benefices and Dignities the Cape or chief of which was Cardinal Farnese Nephew to Paul the Third who tho young was yet active subtil and of a judgment solid and of as good experience in the Court as could be expected in a person of his years This last party as it was numerous so it was composed of ancient Cardinals men of great authority and knowledg in the world and such as were able to bear down the ballance in favour of any person to which they inclined for which reason great courtship was made to Cardinal Farnese both by the Imperial and French Ministers whose arguments on both sides were so forcible to draw him to their party that being doubtful unto which he should incline resolved on a neutrality as the safest course whereby to steer tho in reality he seemed on occasions to lean most to the French party This was the state of affairs at Rome when about the beginning of the month of December 1549. the Cardinals entered into the Conclave Farnese in the first place proposed to his own Party the choice of Cardinal Poole an English man a person against whom for the nobility of his extraction his godliness and exemplary life nothing could be objected and being also acceptable to the Imperialists and displeasing to no party he found many friends ready to give their Votes for him amongst which the most considerable were the Cardinals of Trent Sforza and Crescentio who had drawn also Morone and Maffei to their Party who being all men of considerable interest did agree immediately to present him in the Conclave and assume him to the Papal Dignity But some of the old Cardinals who seemingly assented thereunto yet being inwardly envious to see a younger man preferred over their heads did advise to delay the time for a while lest the Election which ought to be mature and grave should seem to have been over-hasty and precipitate tho in reality this delay was caused by that hopes which every one entertained of being himself the person that should be elected by which means the choice of Poole being until the next day suspended the contrary party such as Monti Cesis and Gaddi who were all Pretenders and Candidates had time to make their Parties Cardinal Salviati labouring all the night for the exclusion of Poole The next day the Cardinals being assembled in the Chappel to the number of 49. Cardinal Fortone one of the French Faction publickly accused Poole of Heresie and for that reason protested against his choice Howsoever his Friends esteeming his report false and scandalous pressed forward the scrutiny in pursuance of which the Votes being put into a Chalice 26 were found in favour of Poole but in regard that 33 at least out of 49 were required to make the Election legitimate Poole was excluded to the great disappointment of himself and the Imperial Party who esteemed the choice to have been secure and certain In relation hereof I have been the more large because it concerned one of our Country-men and may have reference to some particulars which are to follow After which several other Cardinals experienced their fortunes but to no effect the Factions being every day more heated and embroiled so that they could not come to any agreement at length they resolved to nominate nine persons out of which the Imperialists might choose one that was most acceptable to them The persons proposed were three French men viz. Lorene Tornon and Bellai three Italians Salviati Ridolfi and Trani and three Imperialists Theatino Monti and San Marcello against whom nothing was objected excepting Monti whom Cardinal Ghisa accused of a wicked life publishing many Vices of which he was guilty and rendering him unworthy of the Priesthood and Holy Orders into which he was entered Howsoever at length the Cardinals growing weary with so long a continuation of the Conclave resolved
quiet of Christendom availed little resolved to enjoy and give himself up to Buildings and other divertisements so that placing all his thoughts on a Country-house Gardens and Vineyards which he had erected and made without the Porta del popolo at Rome he was so enamoured of his new Paradise where he continually made Feasts and Banquets that he seemed wholly to have cast off all care of the Church and sense of the miseries of Christendom and what was most undecent and misbecoming a Person of above seventy years of age and of his gravity and function he immersed himself in pleasures as if there had been no other Life to the great scandal of the World and damage and greater danger of Rome In this year 1554. Edward the Sixth King of England died and the Queen Mary succeeding immediately sent her Ambassadours to Rome to signifie to the Pope the conversion of her whole Kingdom from Heresie to the Catholick Church and to acknowledg and Vow all Obedience to the Papal Sea desiring to have the Excommunication taken off and a general Pardon and Absolution given to her Catholick Subjects on which grateful Message the Ambassadours coming were recieved with great kindness and solemn Processions of Thanksgiving celebrated at which the Pope assisted in Person The same year Philip Son of the Emperor Charles the Fifth was married to Queen Mary the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples being setled upon him together with Milan Flanders and some other of the United Provinces with which news Philip dispatched his Ambassadour the Marquis de Pescara to the Pope to acquaint him therewith and according to the custom of former Kings to do homage for the Kingdom of Naples which he held in Fee from the Pope And now Pope Julius the Third being by reason of his great age and the torment of the Gout which miserably afflicted him become very infirm was persuaded by the Physitians to change his Diet and his usual regimen of living the which ill agreeing with his habit of Body brought him to a Fever with which taking his Bed in the month of February 1555. he lingred therewith until the 23d of March and then died at his Palace being aged seventy seven years six months and fourteen days he was afterwards carried without any great Pomp or State to the Church of S. Peter where his Corps having been publickly exposed for three days to the view of the People he was afterwards buried in an ordinary Sepulcre of Bricks near the Altar of S. Andrew After which the Sea was vacant seventeen days This Julius was tall of Stature of a plain Country Visage his Nose great his Eyes shewed him to be Cholerick and hasty but soon pleased his Diet was gross and plain being much pleased with a sort of large Onions which were sent him from Gaeta the alteration of which Diet hastned his Death When he was first Pope he so strangely favoured a young Boy whom he called Innocentius that without any apparent motive for it he bestowed upon him a Cardinals Hat which when the reason was asked He replied What reason had you to choose me Pope Fortune favours whom she pleases He was very facetious in his Discourse but more familiar in his Conversation than was decent for without respect to the Majesty of his Office and gravity of his Function He would often shoot such Bolts and use such Expressions as were unseemly and which those that heard pitied and blushed for him MARCELLVS II. JULIVS the Third dying on the 23d of March and his Funeral Obsequies being performed after the accustomed manner the Cardinals to the number of thirty seven entred the Conclave and without much faction or dispute chose Marcellus Cervinus Cardinal of St. Cross at Jerusalem to be Pope of which publication was made with the usual Ceremonies on the 9th of April 1555. the Sea having been vacant for the space onely of eighteen days His Father was Robert or as some call him Richard Treasurer of the Marquisat of Ancona and the place of his birth was Montfano his Father pretended to great Skill or knowledg in Astrology by which Art calculating the Nativity of his Son at the time of his birth it appeared that the Stars under which he was born would be very propitious to him in his promotion to Ecclesiastical preferments for which reason Marcellus being first sent to have his Education in the University of Siena he came from thence to Rome where he dwelt with Felix the Datary of Clement the 7th afterwards he obtained the Office of Secretary to Paul the Third and by him created Cardinal of St. Cross of Jerusalem and lastly as we have said elected Pope on the 9th of April The day following he was consecrated Bishop by the Cardinal of Naples and the very same day without much Pomp or Solemnity was Crowned with the Pontifical Miter by the Cardinal of Pisa who was Arch-Deacon And as he refused to change his Name calling himself no other than Marcellus the Second in imitation of Adrian the Sixth so he survived a much less time than he having possessed the Papal Chair not above twenty one days after his Election so that there remains little more observable of him than that after his Choice he would give no invitation or encouragement to his Kindred or Relations of coming to Rome in hopes of benefit and preferment by his greatness howsoever his intentions were good and his Designs great having drawn a Scheme and method whereby to restore Peace and Unity in the Church and the Papal Power to its antient lustre This Design of his he communicated to the Cardinal of Mantoua maintaining that there was no other way to reconcile differences in Religion but onely by a General Council and that the reason why hitherto that means had been ineffectual was no other than because they began at the wrong end and proceeded not with the due method for that first they should begin with an entire reformation of Manners which would supersede and quiet all superficial Debates and disputations about words and reduce Controversies to such a substantial issue as would be easily determinable by a Council That for want hereof his five immediate Predecessors had much erred for that they abhorred the name of Reformation not out of a dislike to that desirable State but from a belief that it would be a means to abate and diminish the Papal Authority whereas on the contrary he was really persuaded that a Reformation was the onely means to render it more Glorious and powerful as most plainly appeared and was proved by the Histories of past-times in which those Popes onely were famous and renowned who had supported their Papal Chair by an exactness in Manners and purity of Life that Reformation respected the entrinsecal and circumstantial appendages of Religion and served onely to retrench the luxury and superfluous pomp of the Clergy which made the Prelats envied and contemptible when as a modest train and decent comportment
in that friendly manner that his Servants and Dependants were glad to be so happily mistaken but this good Nature being forced and constrained did soon vanish and then his fierce and supercilious temper returning to its natural course all his actions were influenced with a spirit of Pride and haughty severity An instance of which he gave to the Steward of his House when he demanded of him in what manner he was pleased to be served his Answer was short saying as became a Prince His Coronation he ordered with more Pomp and Ceremony than was ever before practised and in all things he affected Magnificence and State and was no less indulgent to his Nephews than the most tender and fondest of the Popes Soon after his Coronation he ordered the first Consistory to be publick that he might with the greater State and Pomp give Audience to the Ambassadours of England who in the time of Pope Julius had been dispatched thence from Queen Mary and Philip her Husband The Ambassadours being introduced to his presence and prostrating themselves at his feet did one after the other for so the Pope would have it confess and acknowledg the faults and errors of the Kingdom of England in having strayed and deviated from the flock of Christ and the Sheepfold of the Church but now repenting and returning again did humbly beg Absolution and to be received into the bosom of the Church though by the obstinacy and perseverance in their Errors they had rendered themselves unworthy of such mercy and indulgence The Pope having for some time beheld these Ambassadours at his feet and contemplated their humble posture with some satisfaction of spirit raised them at length from the floor and embraced them with the tenderness of a Father testifying great satisfaction in the happy conversion of this Kingdom and because the Queen and King were the happy Instruments of this blessed and religious work in reward of so much Piety he confirmed their right and title to Ireland and by virtue of that Power which he had received from God to dispose of all Earthly Crowns he conferred on them that Kingdom dignifying them amongst their other Titles with that of King and Queen of Ireland Which piece of vanity though ridiculous to others was extreamly pleasing to the Pope who fancied himself in that Throne of Fools Paradise to which the Devil had in his Pride exalted himself when he tempted our Saviour with all the Kingdoms of the Earth But then afterwards in private Conference with the Ambassadours he blamed England for having but in part shewed their penitence for that whilst they retained any thing of the goods of the Church and did not make restitution to the utmost farthing a Curse would remain on the Kingdom and the people remain in a perpetual snare and danger of Damnation He farther told them That the sooner and the more readily they paid the Peter-pence for collection of which he had sent an Officer into England the more easily would the Gates of Heaven be opened to them for how could they expect that St. Peter should turn his Keys whilest they denied him those Fees which were the dues of his Office In fine the Ambassadours having behaved themselves with humility which was the onely means to procure the favour of this Pope they departed from Rome laden with Praises Honours and Graces from his Holiness and then attending to a full Reformation in England he purged the Universities of Oxford and Cambridg of those Tenents and Lectures which had been there taught by Peter Martir and Bucer and deprived Cranmer of his Arch-bishoprick of Canterbury Having thus obtained his pleasure and Designs over England he next endeavoured to gain an Ascendant over the Emperor and King of France both of which courted him to that Degree that he expected to have them both at his Service and Devotion but in regard it was impossible to entertain them both in the same equality of respect and dearness both Parties strained to outvy each other in Proposals of advantage which might give them admission to his favour in pursuance of which the Cardinal of Lorain who was well acquainted with the humour of the Pope publickly declared in a full Consistory that besides the many steps which the King of France had made in Obedience to the Papal Chair he did acknowledg that the Gallican Church had need of Reformation towards which he was ready to afford all the aid and assistance to the Pope that he was able and to act therein by such ways and methods as his Holiness should direct whether it were by sending his Prelats to the Council or by any other means that should be esteemed more proper and expedient The which so took with the Pope that France for that time gained a preeminence in his favour And yet notwithstanding this Pride and rudeness in his nature he did several things at the beginning to gratify and please the People of Rome which he performed by abating the Taxes and Imposts laid on Provisions and in other things acted with such obliging circumstances that the People in acknowledgment for such abundant favours erected a Statue of Marble for him in the Capitol He regulated the Manners of the Jews and retrenched that liberty and freedom they used and for the better distinction of them ordered them to wear yellow Hats He published several severe Decrees against such as denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ and that he died for the redemption of Mankind In short besides many good Laws and Acts which he ordained against corrupt and dissolute Manners which were grievous to the Clergy who were unaccustomed to a Severity He selected a hundred Citizens of the Gentry of Rome which he created Knights of the Faith to be a standing Life-Guard to the Popes He repealed several Decrees of Julius III. and imprisoned many of those who had been his Creatures and familiar Friends Amongst the Counsellours and Familiar Confidents which he entertained there was none who had at first had a greater share in his favour than Osio whom he declared Datary and chief Notary or Register of Petitions and created Bishop of Riete but he being of a rude and morose temper did always clash against the humour of the Pope which was hard and inflexible like his which therefore ill according together Osio was by the instigation also of the Pope's Relations who were always busie at his ear deprived of his favour and sent Prisoner to the Castle where he remained for the space of four years In the next place by a new Decree he retrieved all those goods and Ecclesiastical Revenues which had been alienated from the Church since the time of Julius II. to his days He reformed also the abuses which were crept into the Office of the Penitentiaries and regulated the Habit and Tables of the Clergy and refused to admit any into Benefices but such as had been approved for holiness of Life and severity of Manners Towards the three Conservators
impartial and severe Administration of Justice but uttered his words with such vehemence of speech that they seemed rather like Menaces than gentle Exhortations concluding at their dismission with these words Non veni pacem mittere sed gladium I came not to bring Peace into the World but a Sword The reception he gave to Ambassadours and forein Ministers as also to Princes and great Lords of Rome was with a cheerful Aspect and Countenance but their Audience was but short excusing himself that the first days of his Pontificate were taken up with so much solid business that he had not leisure to bestow much time on superficial Complements Howsoever he shewed himself more benign and obliging to the Ambassadours from Japon who as we have said arrived in the latter days of Pope Gregory late deceased and to whom Sixtus was very ambitious to shew the glory of his Coronation which being now preparing with great pomp and magnificence he was desirous to have the report of his State and Grandeur extend to the remote confines of the World And now Sixtus being seated in his Chair he was affected with the same desire which commonly possessed the mind of Popes of shewing his greatness and glory to his near Relations in compliance wherewith he gave orders for conducting his Sister Camilla with her Sons to Rome warning them beforehand that they should content themselves with that sober modesty which became the meanness of their birth and the gravity of those who were related to the Papal Chair where nothing but decency and awful reverence did reside But so soon as news came that the Lady Camilla was near the City the Cardinals Medici Este and Alessandrino intending to oblige the Pope went forth to meet her and having detained her at a Palace near adjoyning until she was dressed in the habit of a Princess they afterwards conducted her to Rome where the Pope expected her with great impatience but being presented before him in that garb and habit by Cardinal Alessandrino the Pope would not seem to know her saying where is my Sister Behold her quoth the Cardinal Most Holy Father here before you No replyed the Pope this cannot be she for I have but one Sister and she a poor Country Woman living in a Cottage but this wherewith you present me here is a Princess of Rome when I see her in such a homely and Country habit as I left her in I shall then own her and ackowledg her for my Sister The next day Camilla returned to him again in her own simple and Country habit accompanied onely with her Daughter and the two Sons from that Daughter and then when he saw her he tenderly embraced her and said This indeed is my Sister we now acknowledg you in this habit and none shall make you a Princess but my self for his humour was to be obliged by none nor would he have his Cardinals to boast and glory in a report of having clothed and adorned his Sister and setting her up in the garb and state of a Princess The first of May was now come which was the day appointed for his Coronation which was performed with all the solemnity and pomp that could be contrived After which he proclaimed that publick Prayers should be made that God would be pleased to illuminate his Vice-gerent here on Earth with Grace and Wisdom sufficient to govern the vast extent of his Universal Church granting to such as were devout Supplicants in his behalf Indulgences and Pardons in a most ample manner Which being performed he armed his mind with such constancy and resolution in the administration of Justice as seemed to surpass the usual severity of former Popes and for the first Assay and proof thereof he caused four Men to be hanged for carrying prohibited Arms notwithstanding the great Intercessions and Interest which particular Friends made in their behalf The which piece of Justice was most seasonable in those days considering the insolence of the Banditi or banished Men who in the late times of Gregory did so infest all parts of Italy that neither the City nor Country could secure the Estates or Lives of honest Men from their rapine and violence Nor was he rigorous onely in his own proceedings but required the like severity in all the Officers and Ministers of Justice that acted under him so that if he observed any of his Judges either remiss in their duty gentle or inclinable to mercy or moderation in what the Law inflicted he would presently discharge them from their Office and place others more severe and morose and in case he observed any of a Saturnine tetrical aspect he would presently enquire after him and having received any tolerable character of his condition he would esteem him a Man sit for his turn and prefer him before a mild and gentle temper which he thought very disagreeable to the constitution of Magistracy As to his Politicks he thought Intelligence to be the life of Government and therefore would have Spies over every Cardinal to watch his most private actions that nothing was either said at his Table or whispered in his Bed-chamber but what was reported to the Pope He appointed also Spies over the Princes and Barons of Rome and over the Prelats of the Court who observed their actions and remarked their Discourses others also crept into Shops and insinuated themselves among the vulgar at publick Meetings others had a Station allotted in the Monasteries that the very Secrets of the Cells were discovered the like course was taken in all Towns and Cities of Italy and with such secrecy was every thing managed that one Spy was not acquainted with the walks nor business of the other To all the Nuntios and Inter-Nuntios residing in the Courts of forein Princes it was ever an Instruction the most warmly recommended of any to be diligent in their Advices and not to content themselves with the common reports of the Town but to penetrate into the secrets and Cabinets of Princes to which end no Mony was spared which might corrupt the chief Ministers and Secretaries of Councils He ordained certain Visitors to review all criminal Cases which for the space of ten years past had been recorded in any Court within the Ecclesiastical State with power to reverse the same and proceed against the Offender in case the Sentence upon due examination should be found remiss or moderated below that rigour which the Law required In prosecution of which many who were already dead were mulct or fined in the Patrimony they had left others who for the space of four or five years past had been released from Prison either by the Intercession of Friends or by Bribery or by other indirect means were remanded back again until the extream rigour of the Law was satisfied He farther issued out Warrants of discovery of all Thefts and Robberies committed charging the people upon pain of Excommunication to reveal and inform every matter of bribery corruption or misbehaviour
request for a Fountain was taken into consideration for that being agreeable to the Munificent humour of Sixtus was received and immediately ordered to be put in execution by bringing Water to the Convent from the Pope's Gardens at Monte-cavallo which flows there in plentiful streams But now to proceed unto more serious matters Towards the end of this year 1587. Stephen Battory Prince of Transilvania and King of Poland having reigned in that Kingdom for the space of nine years departed this life his death was universally lamented by all having proved a most excellent Prince and a zealous Champion of the Christian Religion against the Turk for he recovered the Dukedoms of Suevia and Smolensko from the Moscovites and united them again to the Crown of Poland He also behaved himself with constant resolution against the Turk who having in the year 1584. demanded according to antient Articles assistance of some Polish Troops against the Persians Battory resolutely denied them to him saying That whereas the white Eagle of Poland had lately moulted her feathers and was displumed and become weak she had now recovered her wings and her train and had sharpned both her beak and her talons Which brisk Reply and bravery of Battory in all the actions of his Reign did calm the spirit of the Turks and checked those frequent Incursions which they made into Poland But Battori as we have said dying this year the Nobility of that Kingdom were very desirous to elect a King who might in Wisdom and Courage prove equal to the valour of the deceased Prince Many there were who offered themselves Candidates for that Election Ridolphus the Son of Maximilian the Emperor was one who for being of the House of Austria seemed qualified for that Crown Some cast their eyes on the Duke of Parma who for his prudence and experience in War was one of the most renowned Captains of those days but being an Italian it was suspected that his humour would not be agrreable to the customs of Poland The Vaivod of Transilvania and Cardinal Battori were others who appeared fitly qualified for this Dignity the first being a young Man and full of spirit assisted with the advantage of his own Riches and in great reputation with the Turk appeared with a lustre deserving a Crown but having been Nephew to the late King his Alliance prejudiced his pretentions not being consistent with the policy of that Nation to have a succession in the same Family the same consideration also was an impediment to the Cardinal though otherwise a Prince of excellent Endowments The Duke of Ferrara was an other proposed but he as well as the Duke of Parma was an Italian whose humour was inconsistent with the Poles Many Nobles also of Poland it self seemed fitly qualified both in Riches and Vertue for that Dignity amongst which Zamowski the Grand Chancellour had a most considerable party for he having managed all the Affairs of that Kingdom during the Reign of Battori who communicated all his Counsels with him and entrusted him with the greatest secrets of State by which he became the most experienced in Affairs and high in Reputation living little inferiour to the Royal pomp howsoever the Nobles not enduring at that time subjection to any of their own degree and Country and having never for the space of six hundred years admitted a Prince of their own to reign over them they would neither now introduce a Novelty repugnant to their antient customs and constitutions Upon the preceding considerations the election falling on none of the foregoing Princes the Votes came at length to concenter between the Prince of Sweden and the Arch-Duke of Austria called Maximilian Brother of the Emperor Ridolphus a person of that affable and obliging deportment as took much with the humour of the Polanders Howsoever the contrary party and the most prevalent objected that being Brother to the Emperor he might be too potent and in time by the power of Germany subvert the Government and turn it from an elective to an hereditary Kingdom wherefore totally declining Maximilian this party resolutely fixed on the Prince of Sweden a youth of twenty years of age greatly favoured by the Poles for being descended from the Family of Jagellona which for having added the Dukedom of Lituania to their Commonwealth was so highly esteemed by them that the merit to that Family could be no otherwise extinguished than by transferring the Crown to the Prince thereof But these considerations in favour of Sweden were turned to quite contrary Sentiments by the differing party so that the whole body of the Nobility being divided between these two Princes the Election still remained in suspense both designing to determine the Dispute by force of Arms. Whilest the Election remained under these doubtful circumstances Sixtus wrote to the Arch-bishop of Naples then Nuntio residing at the place of Election secretly to favour the side of Maximilian but yet with such caution as not too far to engage himself but that in case fortune favoured the Prince of Sweden he might without a blemish declare himself for that party that so he might own in some measure his Election unto him Maximilian to make good his cause appearing before Cracovia with an Army of sixteen thousand fighting Men demanded of the Citizens to receive him in but they refused it and sent with all diligence to the Prince of Sweden to expedite his March for that delays in this case were dangerous and that the day of his Coronation was fixed to be celebrated on the Feast of St. Luke then near approaching In the mean time they repaired their Fortifications and strengthened their Suburbs making daily Sallies on the Forces of Maximilian and most commonly were successful therein to the great encouragement of the Citizens In a short time after Ambassadours arrived at Cracon from the Prince of Sweden advising that the Prince though detained by contrary Winds was come as far as Donzilca and that though it was impossible for him to be so soon with them as St. Luke's day yet certainly he would not fail to be there by St. Martin's which was on the 15th of November and be ready to receive that Dignity on the Sunday following for according to the custom of that Country the Coronation must always be solemnized on the Lord's Day During all this time the Army of Maximilian was greatly weakned for want of provisions and having neither Wine nor good Beer they were forced to drink bad Waters which with the cold and moisture of the season caused Fluxes and Dysenteries and other distempers amongst the Soldiery which reduced them to small numbers Howsoever Maximilian leaving the City of Cracovia marched towards Pietricovia with intention to stop the march of the Prince of Sweden but finding that the Army of his Enemy was greater than his own and that he received the worst in many Skirmishes he retreated to Bellone and thence to Pitschen of the frontiers of Silesia belonging to the Duke of
in any thing whatsoever unless it were towards maintenance of a War for recovery of the Holy Land In the third year also of his Pontificate he laid up another million to the same end and purpose swearing himself never to make use of the same but for that War or for some other War in defence of the Church against Infidels or Hereticks and this Oath of his he would have all Popes obliged to conserve and keep inviolate And that he might the better accumulate Wealth in this nature as he was sparing in his Diet so he was also in his Clothing causing his very Shirts to be patched before he would give them to his Servants and besides these two millions he laid up three other in the same Castle so that at his death five millions were found of his hoard and heaps And yet notwithstanding all this Riches which he had spared he had been most profuse in his publick Buildings and magnificent in Noble Structures Aqueducts and other things of common use and benefit and besides all this he employed a stock of two hundred thousand Crowns to maintain plenty in Rome during the times of scarcity and famine in other parts of Italy He ordained that the number of Cardinals should not exceed seventy in all amongst which four at least ought to be Doctors in Divinity chosen out of the several Orders of Friers as well Mendicants as Regulars and that Cardinals should never be ordained but in the Ember Week of December as had been observed from the time of Clement I. though in the promotions of Cardinal Allen and Morosini he himself transgressed that Rule and created in his time thirty three Cardinals For more speedy decision of matters of Law and that Suits might not spin out into many years he erected a Court of Conscience composed of wise and godly Men and such as feared God He enacted that Adultery should be punished with Death and prohibited judicial Astrology About four Months before his death he began to find himself indisposed and complained of an illness in his Head of which distemper and of the nature of his Disease he often discoursed with much reason according to the Rules of Galen and Hippocrates howsoever during the time of this indisposition he omitted nothing of his business and ate and drank of such Meats and Liquors as are usual for Men of the best health having often in his Mouth the saying of Flavius Vespatian the Emperor That a Prince ought to die on his feet and in action signifying that a Prince ought to die in the work of his Vocation But being more grievously feised by a malignant Fever on the twentieth of August 1590. on the thirtieth of the same Month in the Evening he died being in the seventieth year of his Age having governed the Papal Sea five years four months and three days The Night after his Body was carried in a Hearse to the Church of St. Peter near the Vatican for he died at his Palace of Monte Cavallo from whence Cardinal Montalto caused it to be transported with solemn and Princely equipage to a Chappel which Sixtus had built adjoyning to the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore After whose death the Sea was vacant eighteen days VRBAN VII URBAN the Seventh called John Baptista Castagna was born at Rome his Family came from Genoua being descended from the Antient Nobility of that City but his Mother was a Roman of the house of the Ricci He was educated in all the usual Methods of good Literature and applying himself chiefly to the Studies of the Canon and Civil Law he became so good a Proficient therein that he attained the degree of Doctor in the University of Belogna In the time of Julius III. he accompanied his Uncle Veralli into France who was employed in that Court in quality of Legat and acting there under his Uncle he gave clear demonstrations of quickness of parts and vivacity of Spirit fit for great and important undertakings returning afterwards to Rome he dwelt in the House of the Arch-bishop of Rosano Paul IV. made him Governour of Perusa and Pius IV. who immediately succeeded him sent him with the Character of his Legat into Spain in which employment he was continued by Pius V. for the space of seven years Gregory XIII recalled him out of Spain to Rome and bestowed on him the Arch-bishoprick of Rosano without reservation to himself of any quit-rent thereupon and afterwards delegated him his Nuntio to Venice and with that Character gave him a Commission to treat a Peace in the Low Countries between King Philip and those States At his return to Rome he was made Counsellour of the Ecclesiastical State and assumed into the number of Prelats of the Office of the Inquisition in which Employments he continued until the year 1583. when he was created Cardinal by the said Gregory with the Title of Saint Marcellus at a promotion of nineteen Cardinals and soon after he was sent Legat to Bologna He was also held in great esteem by Sixtus V. and entrusted by him in the management of the most important Affairs both in Church and State and by him judged the most probable person to succeed him in the Papal Chair the which he expressed one day when contriving in what manner to enlarge the Street from Santa Croce to Santa Maria Maggiore and thence how it might be continued in a direct line to Santa Maria del popolo he turned about to Cardinal Saint Marcellus and told him That to finish that work would belong to him meaning that the succession being his it would appertain to him to compleat what he had happily begun Nor was it onely the Opinion of Sixtus that Cardinal Marcellus was to be his Successour but the common Voice and rumour of the people fixed the Papal Dignity upon him the which accordingly succeeded for so soon as Sixtus was dead and the usual Obsequies of his Interment solemnized the Cardinals to the number of fifty four on the 7th of September 1590. entred the Conclave where a very great party laboured much for the election of Cardinal Colonna who though he were a person of merit and worth yet he was so highly opposed by a contrary faction that both parties being intrigued in difficulties did as it were by mutual consent concur in their suffrages for Cardinal St. Marcellus who was a person without exception and grateful both to Princes Cardinals and People for no sooner was the Scrutiny begun than all things so appeared in his favour that on the 14th of September at Night the Cardinals were assured of the person on whom the Election should fall more Votes appearing for him than the Complement required howsoever though the Election was deferred until the next day at Noon yet so unanimous and constant was every person to his Vote that the delay of time produced no alteration so that on Saturday the 15th he was with common consent declared Pope And then clothing himself in his Pontifical
Pope to this Design upon assurances that they were able to divide the Senate and by confusion of their Councils to make way for the Pope's Authority It was farther proved That they had kept correspondence with the Enemies of the Republick to the great damage and prejudice of the State always interposing and insinuating themselves into publick Affairs That they were always contriving to inveigle sick and dying Persons persuading them for the sake of their Souls to bestow their Estates and Inheritance on them to the ruin and destruction of their lawful Heirs and Families And farther the Senate took into their consideration their Principles which were always Monarchical in prejudice and depression of Aristocracy and dangerous to the Maxims and principles of their Government It was farther also alledged that the Jesuits had been the Causes and Instruments of all the tolerations seditious disorders and evil successes which had happened in our age in all the Kingdoms and Provinces of the World and herein not only some particular persons were culpable but even the whole Society and order of them were dangerous and rotten in their Principles and destructive to the Government under which they lived All which being proved and made good in the Senate against them It was deliberated and carried in the Affirmative by Decree of the 14th of June That the Jesuits who from their first beginning had been received into Venice and there cherished and favoured and having in recompence of such Indulgence and respect returned nothing but Ingratitude being at present the Authors of all the troubles incumbent on the Republick vilifying the same with all the Obloquy which could be uttered from the blackest Tongue of malice and having been false Traitors and Men of insupportable Insolences the most Serene Republick did therefore spue them out and banish them for ever the precincts of the State and did Decree and Enact that they should never be again received without a concurrence of five Sixths at least of the Senate the number of which was to consist of one hundred and eighty Votes In passing of which Act it is most apparent that their Crimes were as enormous as they were clear and evidently proved for the Scrutiny being made by the Ballot their banishment was pass'd with an unanimous concurrence and a Decree made for their eternal Exclusion though perhaps some few might be excepted who had been their Votaries and Penitents This perpetual banishment of the Jesuits made the breach wider and more difficult to be reconciled and the Pope being sensible that the hopes he conceived from the contrivances of the Jesuits were vain and fruitless he applied himself to some other new Inventions one of which was a Jubilee which was published on the 19th of June inviting all Christian people to pray unto God for the unity and peace of the Church granting Indulgences Absolutions and Remissions unto all excepting such as belonged to Venice and the Interdicted Churches to which none of those graces blessings and pardons were to be dispensed Now in regard that nothing is so desireable in Italy as the benefit of a Jubilee It was conceived to be a most admirable Artifice to make the Venetian People sensible of their separation from the Church when they should find themselves uncapable to receive the Indulgences and excluded from all the priviledges of the faithful upon which advantage the Jesuits shewed all their Art in the Towns bordering on the Dominions of the Republick preaching up the Blessings of a Jubilee and lamenting the miseries of that People who by their disobedience and contumacy had extruded themselves from without the Pale and become unworthy of such mysterious graces Notwithstanding which the World was so well satisfied with the Cause and ground of this Jubilee that though at other times Men were fond of this priviledg and held it in great esteem and Devotion yet the Indulgences granted hereby were coldly received in every place nor did the Venetian Commonalty so much repine at this loss as to quarrel or mutiny with their Government for want of that Spiritual Benefit Thus when all religious Arts failed and the Weapons of the Church were not keen enough to do Execution the Pope resolved to try what might be effected by the temporal Sword but in regard his own was not sharp enough for the Venetians he applied himself to the Spanish Ambassadour at Rome desiring to write to his Master the King giving him to understand that he did entirely cast himself under his Protection desiring his favour and Aid against his Enemies and therewith delivered him two Letters one directed to the King wherein he exposed the Reasons for his proceedings against the Venetians and another to the Duke of Lerma chief Minister of State in which he recommended himself and his Affairs to his care and defence and with many obliging Expressions and acknowledgments called him the Basis of the Crown of Spain on which the Catholick Monarchy was established and on which the foundation of the Church solely was reposed and depending This kind Letter so pleased the Duke of Lerma that an Answer equally pleasing was returned from the King to the Pope and with much formality delivered by the Spanish Ambassadour attended with three Cardinals the substance of which was That the King was extreamly troubled to observe that the breach and differences between him and the Venetians were so widened and so far proceeded but in regard the honour of his Holiness was far engaged he was resolved to vindicate the Dignity of the Apostolical See with his Arms and accordingly had wrote to his Ministers and Officers in Italy and other Princes depending on his Crown This Letter being read was the subject of great joy and satisfaction to the Pope and all his Party and was proclaimed through all Italy much to the reputation of the Papal Cause howsoever the triumph and joy hereof was somewhat attempered by the Proposals which were made by Spain in recompence of the troubles and inconveniencies they were to receive by a War the which Demands were A release of the yearly Tribute for the Kingdom of Naples a surrender of Ferrara for a Garrison to offend the Enemy and of Ancona for an Arsenal and maritime Provisions The which Conditions being grievous and difficult to the Pope were only answered in general terms but the report hereof was like a Trumpet of War which alarm'd all parts of the Venetian Dominions and caused the Senate to write immediately to their Proveditor General in Candia to send all the Gallies under his Command into the Gulph Orders also were given to the Proveditor General in Dalmatia to raise four hundred Albaneses and Croats under four Captains and to embark them on ten Vessels which were built for that purpose placing forty on each Vessel Likewise thirty Captains were nominated and appointed to be ready as occasion should require The Pope on the other side repaired his Fortifications at Rimini and Ancona and reinforced his
Garrison at Ferrara with a thousand Foot he likewise banished all Strangers from Marca and Romagna and commanded the Natives thereof to return into their own Country But to the management of this War designed many difficulties occurred for in the first place there was an excessive scarcity of all Provisions in Rome and the Ecclesiastical State as also in Naples and Abruzzo by reason of which the People cryed out nothing but Peace and Bread and on the contrary there was great abundance of all things within the Dominions of Venice from whence the People of the Pope's Country receiving the most part of their Provisions were kindly affected to the Venetian State but notwithstanding all these difficulties the Pope resolved to proceed in his War and to recruit his Troops and for maintenance thereof new Impositions were laid on Salt Flesh and Paper with intention also to lay a Tax on Wine and Timber if occasion should require And in the mean time the Count de Fuentes Governour of Milan gave out that he would have an Army speedily in the Field consisting of twenty five thousand Men composed of Germans Napolitans Switzers and Spaniards Though the Venetians did not neglect all due care towards the provisions of War and to make their Defence whensoever they should be attacked yet with more especial regard they had an Eye to Plots and Conspiracies within the State giving Orders to their Sea-Captains to stop all Vessels which sailed in the Gulf unless such as had Passes from the King of Spain for his own particular Affairs which caused great embroils along the Coast of Romagna and the Marca d' Ancona which seemed as it were to be blocked up Orders were likewise given to hinder all exportation of Corn out of the Dominions of Venice and Sequestrations laid on the Revenues of the Clergy who had quitted or abandoned the Venetian Countries for which cause many Prelats at Rome were forced to retrench their Families But notwithstanding the Promises made by the Spaniards of administring Aid to the Pope which at the first heat were positive and large yet the Court at Madrid coming to make more mature reflections on the tenure of their former Letters thought fit to explicate their sence more at large and to signifie to the State of Venice That it was not the intention of his Catholick Majesty to make a War on the Republick but onely to demonstrate unto the World that that Crown would on all occasions be joyned to the Apostolical Sea And accordingly D. Inigo de Cardenas Ambassadour residing in Ordinary at Venice did on the 13th of July present a memorial to the Senate signifying That the King being desirous of doing good Offices in the mediation of Peace between the Pope and that Republick had commanded him his Ambassadour to interpose therein assuring him that whatsoever he should act in order thereunto would be most pleasing to his Majesty And that some Overtures might be made in order to this Accommodation Cardenas desired that for a beginning thereunto the Senate would give him leave in their name to desire and supplicate the Pope that he would be pleased to take off his Censures from them being much troubled that they had ever given his Holiness any cause of displeasure which being words of formality and Complement onely could not in reality be prejudicial to the right of their Cause and yet were in this state of things of importance and absolute necessity To which the Doge made Answer That neither by himself nor by the Senate was there ever any just cause of displeasure given to the Pope and therefore to Scandals and Disgusts voluntarily taken and not given there was no other remedy than voluntary Acknowledgments The same day the French Ambassadour urged the Senate to be the first to make Overtures of Peace to the Pope which could be no dishonour to the Republick considering with what respect and duty all Christian Princes treated the Pope and that it is Jus Commune to submit and humble themselves before his Holiness for other matters they might with all confidence rely on the directions of his Majesty herein whom they had always found a true Friend and a faithful Ally That considering on what terms the King of Spain stood with them and how he had declared himself of the Papal Party it was not now seasonable to disgust the King his Master and that therefore they would be pleased to think of some Answer which he might with confidence communicate to the King The Senate having taken these particulars into consideration gave almost the same Answer as they had newly done to the Spanish Ambassadour Adding onely to the French That by way of Mediation he would be pleased to represent unto the Pope That the Senate was troubled that his Holiness would take displeasure at the actions of a Republick which was entirely devoted and dedicated to the glory and service of God to the publick quiet and tranquillity of the World and to the maintenance of that liberty and Power which was committed to them by Divine Right These Negotiations being ineffectual and fruitless the Senate gave Order to Giustiniano their Ambassadour in England to inform King James with the progress and success of all these Affairs and differences with the Pope which when the King had rightly understood he returned this Answer That he was highly satisfied with the constancy of the People and unanimous resolution of the Senate in defence of their Native liberty and justice and of that Power which God hath bestowed upon Princes That the Declaration made by Spain in a Letter was ridiculous and that matters of such importance required more than words That he was highly sensible of the honour which the Republick had done him in sending him an Ambassadour Ordinary and Extraordinary wherefore that he might return them the like demonstrations of sincere Friendship he promised to grant and condescend to all the desires of the Senate for that he should be very ungrateful and unjust in case he should deny protection to that righteous Cause of the Republick which was engaged in the maintenance of that liberty and Authority which is the common Right of all Princes in the Universe And therefore in case the Senate should at any time be engaged in War for this Cause they might be assured and rely on the word of a Prince that he would assist them with all the power he was able and that he had given Commission to his Ambassadour at Venice to assure the Senate the like in his name And farther the Earl of Salisbury by the King's Order added That the King was not induced to grant them these succours on expectation that they should leave Communion with the Church of Rome but onely from a principle of Justice by which he esteemed himself obliged to vindicate the Cause of Princes and the Authority of the Secular Power as also from a Spirit of Animosity being resolved to take that side to which
punish his Nephew for having directed his love to a Princess of equal quality with himself whilest he himself was so besotted as to be given up to the extravagancy of an aspiring Woman permitting her to govern his Person Church State and Court with an Imperious hand and yet at the same time not to indulge his Nephew the love of a young Noble and beautiful Lady who brought a considerable Patrimony to the House of Pamfilio Nor was Donna Olympia more kind or less jealous of Nicolo Ludovisio Prince of Piombino who was married to her second Daughter on hopes that as Nephew to the Pope he should enter into Offices and Affairs for this Prince having been Nephew to Gregory XV. and Brother to that Cardinal Patron who since the time of his Uncle absolutely disposed of all the Affairs of the Church did now hope to find the same fortune and reap the same benefit under this Innocent X. But Donna Olympia was too wise to admit a Nephew into the privacies of the Pope or a Partner with her in business for she entirely bestowed all Benefices whether great or small the Officers of the Datary being charged to keep them in hand till she had fully informed herself of the value whatsoever Bishoprick fell void they that pretended to it were to address themselves to her Abbeys Canons and all other Dignities and Governments Ecclesiastical or Civil were all conferred at the pleasure and command of Donna Olympia there was no appearing with empty hands before her The Rates of all Places were set an Office of one thousand Crowns a year for three years was valued at one years Revenue and for six years at double and so proportionably if for life then it was valued at twelve years and the moiety thereof to be paid in hand Cardinal Panzirolo who was then the great Favourite of the Pope and who transacted all Affairs durst yet act nothing without the consent of this Lady for such an absolute Ascendant she had over the Pope that his Soul seemed to be animated with hers and his Will subservient to her dictates and strange it was to see her sit in Council with the Pope with bundles of Memorials in her hands to receive his Assent for formally onely unto that which she had already determined so that it is believed she had charmed him with some strange diabolical Arts Histories having never given us an Example of the like nature And now to give farther instances and miracles of her Power she introduced into the place of Cardinal Pamfilio who had laid aside his Scarlet to marry with the Princess Rosana a certain Nephew of hers Son to her Brother a youth of about eighteen years of age who was afterwards called Cardinal Maldochino Olympia intended once to have made him Cardinal Patron but he was so great a Sot and so stupid a Fool that he was uncapable of Business abhorred by the Pope and a shame to the College and Dignity of Cardinals The Office of Cardinal Patron was ever esteemed of great Honour and importance and when managed by a Wise and dexterous Person was of great ease and relief to him who sate in the Papal Chair for if the Pope were sick or absent he gave Audience to Ambassadours and presided in the Council subscribed Letters to the Nuntios Legats and Governours of Provinces But this help being as yet wanting to Innocent for want of a Cardinal Nephew endued with some tolerable understanding Olympia contrived to adopt Camillo Astalli Brother of Marquis Astalli who had married her Niece into the Family of the Pope with whom she so prevailed that he created him Cardinal Patron and gave him the name of Pamfilio though not of the bloud nor allied to his Family It was wonderful to the Court to see a young Man of twenty seven years of age raised on a sudden to so important a preferment 'T was true he was endued with a gentile behaviour and good address and with qualities of mind sufficient to make himself acceptable but yet neither his years nor his practice in Affairs enabled him to support the great burden of Church and State In making of this Creature as well Panzirolo as Olympia was believed to concur she with a design to advance the Brother of him that had married her Niece but he to have an influence over all his actions being well assured that this young Man would act nothing without his direction But whilest Olympia thus governed all Affairs the Court of Rome became scandalous nothing but libellous Jests to the disparagement of the Pope were daily put into the hands of Pasquin at Rome In the Courts of the Emperour of France and Spain the Nuntios seemed to lose much of that Reverence which was formerly given them and when any of those Princes were refused the demands they made and expected from the Pope it was often said with raillery That if Donna Olympia had made the request it would readily have been granted It was the common Discourse in the Pulpits of Geneva that a Woman was Head of the Church and the Universal Bishop and that now the mystery of the Whore of Babylon was plainly discovered In the Protestant Countries the Comedies and Farces represented the Loves and Intrigues of Innocent X. and Donna Olympia upon the Stage all which the young Cardinal Patron at the instigation of Panzirolo made known to the Pope who being conscious of the truth thereof and inwardly ashamed resolved often to forbid Olympia the Court and all concernment or intermedling in Affairs but knowing not how to come out with it his inward grief suppressed his words but at length taking courage and resolution he burst out into tears and therewith into words Interdicting Olympia all farther communication with the Court. After this Cardinal Astalli I should have said Pamfilio gained ground in the affections of the Pope and being guided by Panzirolo took daily deeper root in his esteem Panzirolo likewise himself kept in great credit and unshaken by his Adversaries but being tired with the burden of business and continual watches until after midnight in consultations with the Pope he fell sick and died Nature effecting that which his Enemies endeavoured The Cardinal Patron above all lamented his loss presaging thereby the mischief which afterwards ensued for now Donna Olympia began though Incognita to frequent the Court and by degrees to repossess her first Station But we shall for a while leave this Lady weaving her Webbs and managing Intrigues and return again to the Barberins whose Cause was taken into the defence and protection of France In the month therefore of January 1746. Cardinal Barberin and Taddeo the Prefect in compliance with the Pope's Brief presented their accounts having had but fifteen days time allotted to bring them in and in failure thereof were to forfeit five hundred Crowns a day for every day until they were delivered The Accounts being given the Pope cast his eyes upon them with much indignation
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
made to which Altieri not judging fit to condescend remained firm in his denial and therein being resolved until the death of this Pope an ill correspondence passed between Poland and Rome during the Reign of this Clement X. Though all these difficulties were made in exception to the person of the Bishop of Marseille yet Altieri was more easie and favourable to the Family of the late Pope and accordingly about the beginning of the year 1673. Felice Rospigliosi was advanced to the degree of Cardinal whereby the Pope in gratitude to Clement IX returned the Hat he had received from him to a person of the same name and Family at the same time also he promoted Peter Basadonna Knight and Procurator of St. Mark for the Republick of Venice to the same degree together with Monsignor Nerli a Florentine and then Nuntio at Paris this year also the College of Cardinals lost four of their number three of which were principal Members and Persons great in their worth and Offices viz. Frederick Borromeo Secretary of State Imperiali à bury and an active Cardinal as also Cualtieri and Roberti In this year the most Christian King designed to reform the Order of St. Lazarus and cast it into some other model for that this Order being almost worn out and the constitutions of it either abrogated or out of use his Majesty judged it more convenient to renew it again and establish it upon some other foundation and in pursuance of this resolution a new Chief or General was appointed for this Order This right of Regalia or Jus Patronatus which his Majesty had on this occasion exercised in the Gallican Church greatly offended Cardinal Altieri who to vindicate the Papal Authority in opposition to the King 's usurped pretences persuaded a certain Gascon who was come to seek preferment at Rome to accept the honour of Abbat of the Order of St. Lazarus and to qualifie him for this dignity the Title of Abbat of Colombiere was conferred upon him This simple Gascon for no other would be so vain as to accept of an Employment so intriguesom and difficult as this not having the Talent or capacity to manage an Affair of this weight and moment signed and dispatched away the Orders requisite for regulation of his Abby and though his friends and acquaintance dissuaded him from an Enterprise so offensive to the King yet this bold Gascon persisted in his folly being therein encouraged by the Creatures of Altieri The Duke d' Estreé then Ambassadour for France at Rome highly resented this pretence of the Pope in derogation to the Right of his Master but more especially was offended with the Gascon who had conspired with the Cardinal to deprive the King of his Right and Prerogative Wherefore the Duke being highly incensed seized the Scrivener who had drawn up the Abbat's Memorial to the Pope and after severe words and Reproofs caused him to be imprisoned the Abbat in the mean time fearing the like treatment retired into a priviledged place within the jurisdiction of the Pope's Palace and under the protection of the Cardinal who allowed him a Pension for his necessary maintenance At length the Abbat instigated by his Friends and encouraged by Altieri departed from Rome and passed the Alps into France where so soon as he was arrived he was seiz'd by the King's command and committed to Prison where we shall leave him to the Law and the disposal of the Order of St. Lazarus to the pleasure of his Majesty This and other discontents encreased the ill correspondence between the Duke d' Estreé Ambassadour of France and the Cardinal which Altieri though an Italian could not conceal or dissemble for being passionately affected to the Interest of Spain received the news of the French Conquests and successes against Holland with regret and displeasure either disapproving the intelligence as false or otherwise relating it with such circumstances as much abated and eclipsed the glory of those Victories all which served to inflame the differences between the Duke and the Cardinal But none was of greater consequence than that which intervened between the Cardinal and all the Ambassadours and Representatives for forein Princes residing in the Court of Rome the occasion and matter whereof was this It being now the year 1674. immediately preceding the year of Jubily when more than ordinary provisions are made for entertainment and sustenance of Pilgrims who croud in great numbers to obtain the Indulgences Pardons and Dispensations which are granted at that holy time It happened that the Farmers and Collectors of the Customs and Impositions which are laid on all sorts of Victuals and Provisions made complaints of the great damage which the Pope suffered in that branch of his Revenue from the abuses and frauds of forein Ministers who having all provisions for their Families allowed to them free from Taxes and Impost did under that pretence colour the goods and provisions of others and thereby raised considerable sums of Money to their own advantage which belonged and appertained to the Apostolical Chamber The Farmers had often complained of these abuses in the times of other Popes and though many remedies and expedients were proposed for prevention of the Cheat yet they produced nothing besides Affronts and blows to the Officers At length Altieri who esteemed himself more politick and powerful than all the Nephews of preceding Popes resolved on occasion of the approaching Jubily to raise the Farm on provisions to a more exorbitant price than ever was known and to obviate the complaints of the Customers he published an Edict That all Ambassadours and Cardidinals should for the future pay the Taxes and Impositions on their Domestick provisions in such manner as all other persons not exempted by priviledges were obliged to pay This Edict being published greatly surprized not only the Ministers from forein Princes but the whole College of Cardinals who finding themselves hereby deprived of their chief benefit and priviledg murmured and talked loud against the arbitrary and irregular Government of Cardinal Altieri who little regarding the empty air of words returned no other answer than that the Pope was Master of his own Family and Dominions The Ambassadours then residing at Rome were the Cardinal Landgrave of Hesse for the Emperour the Duke d' Estreé for France Cardinal Nitardo for Spain besides the Representatives of Venice the Grand Duke Genoua and other lesser Princes all these being disobliged and sensibly touched by the loss or suspension of their priviledg entered into consultation together of the method whereby to proceed when after some debate they agreed to go together to the Palace of Monte Cavallo where the Pope was then lodged and there without any previous Ceremony or notice taken of the Cardinal Nephew to demand Audience immediately of the Pope Accordingly these forein Ministers being on their way thither which made a great noise and combustion in the City of Rome the Cardinal at the alarm roused up
himself and instantly commanded the Chains of the City to be drawn the Gates of the Palace to be shut and Guards placed at all Avenues to hinder and obstruct the passage of the Ambassadours who being in this manner disappointed of their Audience returned home full of anger and indignation resolving in revenge of this Affront never more to acknowledg the Cardinal for Nephew of the Pope or treat with him under those circumstances or give him the name of Altieri but of Paluzzi and in the mean time they caused a relation and state of the whole matter to be drawn up in writing subscribed by the hands of all the Ambassadours and forein Ministers the which was dispatched by every one of them to his respective Prince Notwithstanding the late Obstructions given them by Altieri the Ambassadours found a way to obtain Audience of the Pope to whom having gained admittance they represented That the cause and subject of their discontent was the exorbitant and irregular Government of his Nephew who to the prejudice of their honour had laid those impositions upon them from which they were exempted by the priviledg of their Character and though both their Masters and themselves were well-affected and zealous towards the Apostolical Sea yet they could not but make a great difference between the duty they owed to his Holiness and their submission to the Cardinal Altieri in all his indirect proceedings For Answer hereunto the Pope who was of a mild and gentle temper replied with his usual softness in justification of his Edict that the Debts which lay on the Apostolical Chamber were vast amounting to many Millions of Gold for ease of which he was enforced to intrench for a short time on their priviledges which should not longer continue than until the end of the Jubily which would be terminated at the expiration of the following year during which the Chamber being obliged to more than ordinary charges and expence was enforced to exercise unusual means for its reimbursments and therefore he hoped that they would become such charitable Benefactors to the Church as for its better support and subsistence to part with something of their own rights for advancement of so great a good especially considering that during the time of his Pontificate the Ecclesiastical State had not been charged with any new Taxes or Impositions These and the like discourses used by the Pope in favour of his Nephew and his proceedings gave no satisfaction to the forein Ministers who therewith displeased returned immediately from their Audience to their own dwellings without the least notice taken of the Cardinal Nephew which neglect was intended as an affront to him it being the custom for Ambassadours after they came from Audience with the Pope to visit the Nephew and communicate their Affairs to him craving his assistance and furtherance in their business but now the Ambassadours to evidence their farther resentments judged it not only fit to disown Altieri by omission of this Ceremony but even as far as they were able to divest him of his Adoption vouchsafing no other name to him than that of Paluzzi This neglect and ill correspondence with Altieri continued for the space of several months which much abated the respect of the people towards the Cardinal and caused him to fall low in the esteem of the Court and as a consequence thereof Kings and Princes returned no Answer to his Letters though accompanied with the Pope's Briefs and worded with all the terms of submission and humility that could be expressed Altieri considering the circumstances of his condition and the age of the Pope who according to the course of Nature could not last long endeavoured by all means possible to procure a good understanding between himself and the Ambassadours and especially to set himself right with France in order hereunto a Congregation of Cardinals was deputed consisting as was believed of Men disinteressed and unbiassed by any faction whose incumbence it was to propose and contrive middle and indifferent terms towards an accommodation In like cases as well as in this it hath been the practice to ordain a Congregation of this nature which being composed for the most part of aged and unactive Men such as had given over the World moved slowly in all their determinations and with that phlegm that their Consults and Proposals commonly concluded in nothing the like success this Deputation found the meeting and debates of the Cardinals being delayed from day to day without other issue or effect and in the mean time the execution of the Edict seemed to be suspended or to die of it self the Customers and Collectors of the Taxes not daring to exercise their power in virtue of this Edict Altieri also had given them some intimation not to insist with too much resolution and rigour thereupon with promises of abatements on their Farm supposing that time would compose the differences and allay the indignation which the Ambassadours had conceived against him but finding to the contrary that their anger was kept alive with scorn and disrespect to his Person and Office and that though the Kings of France and Spain were engaged in Wars one against the other and that their Ambassadours at Rome were on that score at odds and unfriendly one with the other yet they agreed and entertained a good understanding together in what concerned the quadruple knot which they had sealed against him Altieri fearing the consequences of these matters resolved to cast himself into the hands of France but the Duke d' Estreé refused to accept of any terms or Conditions with him wherefore he applied himself to the other Ambassadours with design to break the Combination but encountring the same difficulties he applied himself to the Court of Spain where the Counsels and considerations being of a different nature regarding the quiet of Italy rather than animosity to the person of Altieri Orders were dispatched to Cardinal Nitardi to close with him and to enter again into a good correspondence with the Court of Rome The Emperour taking the same measures gave Orders to the Cardinal Landgrave to acknowledg Altieri as formerly for the Pope's Nephew and to retain a good correspondence with him the Senate of Venice following the example of these two great Monarchs ordered their Minister also to accept terms of reconciliation by which means Altieri stood fair again with all the Ambassadours excepting onely the Duke d' Estreé who had other scores to reckon with him When the news came to Rome that the Court of Spain had given Order to their Ambassadour to reconcile himself with Altieri those who in that City have little more to do than to discourse of the Politicks and make their reflections on the Acts of Princes were of Opinion that Altieri had made some offers to assist the Spaniards in regaining the City of Messina from the French which the Duke d' Estreé having discovered adjoined that quarrel to other matters of discontent but such
the other according to their Offices and Seniority The Adoration being performed he was vested in his Pontifical Habit taking the name of Innocent XI in remembrance of his Benefactor who had assumed him into the Degree and Order of Cardinals after which he was conducted into the Chappel with the accustomed Ceremonies and being placed by the Altar he there received the second Adoration which being finished the Master of Ceremonies demanded whether it was the pleasure of His Holiness that the Nobility then attending without desirous to kiss his feet should be admitted in to pay the duty and devotion which they owed to the Successour of St. Peter which being granted the Queen of Sweden was the first introduced to perform that Complement after her followed the Ambassadours and Ministers of the crowned Heads after whom came the Princes Prelates and Nobles all which having kissed the feet of the Pope testified the excess of joy they conceived for the promotion of a Person so worthy of all honour unto the Papal Chair After which a Door was opened over the Great Portico of St. Peter's Church into which the Master of the Ceremonies led the way carrying a Cross before the Pope and Cardinals which the people with great reverence adored at a distance and the Cardinal Maldachino who was first Deacon presenting the Pope before them pronounced with a loud Voice these following words after the accustomed manner Annuncio Vobis gaudium magnum habemus Pontificem Eminentissimum Reverendissimum Dominum Cardinalem Benedictum Odescalcum qui sibi Nomen imposuit Innocentius XI It is not to be expressed with what joy the common people and the City entertained the news of this Pope's advancement the Bells were rung and all the Cannon of the City were fired and the Soldiers discharged many Vollies of their Musquets with sounds of Drums and Trumpets and seized on the Coach and Horses and the very Coachman's Cloak which they challenged to themselves for their fees During which Solemnity and whilest Te Deum was sung no alteration appeared in the countenance of the Pope unless it were a more than usual pensiveness and mortification not discovering the least vanity or loftiness in his looks which other Popes were never able to conceal but blessed and crossed the People with a floud of tears which fell from his Eyes Some persons may weep for joy but tears from what passion soever they proceed are always the Indications of a soft and gentle temper when men of a more hardy nature evidence the swellings and elations of their Heart by a proud and a supercilious countenance Benedictus Odescalchi was born at Como a City in the Dukedom of Milan in the year of our Lord 1611. hi Father was called Livio and his Mother Paula Castella and both of Noble and Patrician Families in Como with a Revenue of thirty thousand Crowns a year belonging to the House of Odescalchi In his youth he was educated by the Jesuits and by them instructed in Grammar and humane learning He aftewards studied the Civil and the Canon Laws partly at Rome and partly at Naples and though he was never esteemed for a Polemical Divine yet he had the reputation of one who knew the World well and practised in the nature of Mankind and the Art of Government In the time of Vrban VIII he was made one of the Prothonotaries of the Apostolical Chamber and afterwards was created President of the same he was also made Chief Commissary for gathering the Taxes and Duties arising in the Province of Marchio which were laid on the people at the time of Wars in Italy After this business was over he was constituted Governour of Macerata and the Province thereunto adjoyning By Innocent X. he was made one of the Clarks of his Chamber and not long after in the year 1645. he was assumed into the College of Cardinals having the Deaconry bestowed on him of the Saints Cosma and Damianus and being afterwards translated into the Order of Priests he had the Title conferred on him of St. Onuphrius and by the same Innocent sent to Ferrara with the Title of Legat in which Office having acquitted himself with great honour he was made Bishop of Novarese where he resided for some years but afterwards was removed from thence at his own desire by reason of the heaviness of the Air in that place which did not well agree with the constitution of his body Being at Rome he was employed in many Affairs of the Church and called to serve in diverse Congregations of Cardinals on which occasion he was made Protectour of several Colleges and Monasteries and in all he behaved himself with singular prudence modesty and vertue until he was assumed into the Supreme degree of the Papal Throne to which having as we have said been elected on the 21th of September he was Crowned with the usual Ceremonies on the 4th of October following After the Election and Coronation of the Pope were finished the French Cardinals prepared for their return to France but before their departure they paid their Visits to the Cardinals of the last promotion who had not hitherto been acknowledged by the King for the reasons before mentioned But those quarrels being now vanished by the change of Affairs in the Court of Rome the Visits were returned and a good correspondence again renewed and established So soon as this Pope had taken the Government of Affairs into his own hands he began a reformation in several particulars and in the first place considering that Nepotism or the advancement of Nephews both in Riches and Power was odious to the People and of great damage to the Church of which examples had been given by those Popes who having been over tender and indulgent to their own Families had suffered their Nephews to blemish the honour of the Church by Simoniacal corruptions and by their Avarice and Ambition to exhaust the Treasure of the Apostolical Chamber this Pope therefore as we say considering these matters resolved to give the first Example hereof in his own Family and accordingly refused to receive his Nephew Don Livio into any part of the Government forbidding him to receive or return Visits under the Notion of Nephew to the Pope But that this Nephew might not complain of the severity of his Uncle or judge his Estate nothing improved by this fortune of his Family he relinquished unto him all his Temporal Estate amounting unto thirty thousand Crowns of yearly Revenue But in regard that Princes are not able to support the whole burthen of their Government on their own shoulders the Pope not having respect to his own Relations but to such as were fit and adequate to these great undertakings made choice of Cardinal Cibo for his Secretary of State being a person endued with a great and generous Soul and a clear understanding zealous for the welfare of the Church and dexterous in the management of politick Affairs This beginning gave encouragement to good
is naturally ready in such contrivances prompted Basanello to a matter wherein he might most sensibly wound Altieri for knowing that the expectation of Riches was the sole aim and desire of the Cardinal he laboured to disappoint his hopes by defeating his Brother Anticoli of all that Estate which descended to him by the death of the Prince Gallicano which amounted unto three thousand Pistols a year besides Plate Jewels and other Riches and were bequeathed to Basanello and at his absolute disposal without regard to any descendency but that so much Riches might not be lost or be alienated from the Family of Colonna he settled them upon the Duke of Sonnino Brother of his Wife and of the Constable Colonna This unexpected defeat to the prejudice of Anticoli touched Altieri in the most sensible part which was his own interest and honour in return of which he contrived a Revenge spun with a like thread and of the same nature with the former in which because most of the Roman Princes and forein Ministers were concerned it may not be impertinent to this History to make a short relation thereof Prince Cesarini lately deceased had left immense Riches to his Family but wanting Heirs male and leaving only two Daughters the Inheritance descended to Monsignor Cesarini Brother to the Prince who was Clerk of the Camera which to enjoy with so many Seignories Baronies and Lordships thereunto belonging this good Prelat made no scruple to abandon his Offices and the expectations of a Cardinals Cap to enter into a fair Revenue of above sixteen thousand Pistols per annum but having wasted his body by the sins of his youth he found himself not fit to marry and consequently without hopes of legitimate Heirs for which reason these Riches descending to the two Daughters the Prince their Father left in his Will and Testament that such as should have the fortune to marry his Daughters should be persons devoted and sincerely adhering to the party and interest of France The Duke of Sonnino formerly called Abbat of Colonna and Brother of the Constable had forsaken his Ecclesiastical preferment to marry with the second Daughter on condition that the eldest engaging herself by promise to be a Nun should renounce all right and title to the moiety of the Estate with her younger Sister The condition of this Affair being known to Altieri he took his advantage to reek his revenge on the House of Colonna judging it a proper means to pay them off in the same coin for as the Duke of Bassanello had formerly defeated Anticoli of the Estate of Prince Gallicano so now he contrived to deprive Sonnino of the Inheritance belonging to the Princess Cesarini and which should inevitably have devolved unto him in case the Princess had remained constant to her resolution and had renounced the World within the inclosures of a Nunnery But Altieri suggesting to the young Lady the pleasures and conveniencies of marriage made easie impression into her frail heart causing her to waver and stagger in her late resolutions and whereas the Vow she had made of perpetual chastity was the chief scruple which obstructed the change of her Will that knot was easily untied by the solution of her spiritual Father and Confessor and other Priests and Friers who were made the Instruments of this design and in case there should still remain any scruple of Conscience the infallible power of the Pope himself was at hand to clear the doubts and dispense with all the Engagements Vows and Promises to God or Man by which she supposed herself bound and obliged and to make all this good the Pope proffered to take her into his protection The Princess Cesarini being thus overcome and resolved to marry the Cardinal provided her with a Husband giving her the opportunity to see Don Frederico Sforza his Nephew who was a brisk young Gallant and capable to make impression in the tender heart of a Lady disposed towards the thoughts of marriage The Constable of Colonna on the other side despairing of all hopes to persuade the Princess to the continuance of her Vow concurred with the other party in his assent to her marriage provided she would accept of Don Lelio Orsini This Proposal much alarm'd the Cardinal as also the Duke of Gravina who though he was one branch of the House of Orsini yet having married one of the Pope's Nieces with a considerable Portion in ready Mony and with assurances of a Cardinal's Cap for his Brother who was a Dominican Frier was easily persuaded to concur with Altieri in the advancement of the Pope's Family The Intrigues of this Affair were various and admitted of more particulars than are required in this History but in short the power of Altieri was not onely superiour to that of Colonna and his plots more subtle and his labours more indefatigable for he was the most assiduous Man in the World to promote his own interest but also he had a greater Ascendant over the affections of the Princess in the person of Sforza who was young gentle and of good address whereas Don Lelio was a Man in years and of a weak and infirm complexion and so given over and inclined to devotion that they gave him the name of Mangia Santi or the Saint-Eater wholly and intirely applying his mind to gain Indulgences and Jubilies and Pardons howsoever upon the proposals of this Marriage he strained his humour into the Mode of a Gallant feigning a brisk and aiery behaviour which being forced and affected became him so ill that it seemed almost ridiculous and could stand in no competition with the more natural garb and comeliness of Don Frederico Howsoever the Interest which was made in behalf of Don Lelio by importunity of the Mother and the persuasion of other Friends was so prevalent that the young Lady remained in a doubtful condition which of the offers she should embrace This indifferency much troubled Altieri and therefore to secure his point against all attempts and affaults of the Mother and others he removed the Princess from the Monastery of St. Katharine of Siena wherein she resided to that of S. Anne on the other side of the Tiber where Sforza had an Aunt that lived a profess'd Nun and for better security from secret practices Guards were set by express Order from the Pope to hinder all communication with the Princess But not onely was it thought necessary to prevent all private suggestions but the affection of the Lady towards Sforza was to be kept up by some lively representations of Love which were constantly to be instilled into her mind by some able and proper Instrument to perform this Office none seemed more able nor better qualified than Monsignor Altoviti the Patriarch of Alexandria who was highly esteemed in the City and of great reputation for the devotion and sanctity of his life and for the experience he had in the affairs of the Court of Rome moreover he was superintendent over this
Convent of St. Anne and lived in hopes of being a Cardinal and of other promotions in the Ecclesiastical State so that no person could be more proper for this Employment than this good Prelat Whilst the Princess thus remained closely watched and besieged within the Convent the Family of Colonna murmured and talked loud against the Cardinal complaining of his injustice and insolent violence which was intolerable to Princes of Rome but say what they could Altieri was resolved to hold his prey fast and improve his Interest with her by means of the good Prelat Altoviti who having the care and protection of that Convent committed to his care and Trust had the opportunity without much suspition to make frequent Visits to the Lady and to carry Billiets from her to the Cardinal declaring her resolution to be entirely governed by him and his Holiness But this daily correspondence and intercourse of Letters had not long continued before the Spies of Colonna had discovered the Intrigues which were managed by this Prelat and the Aunt of Don Frederico who also was as subtle as any Woman and the more cunning for being a Nun. The Constable of Colonna and others of that Family being well informed of these proceedings and of all these affairs dissembled them by a more than ordinary respect to the person of Altoviti whom whensoever they met they saluted with such profound reverence as if he had been Pope professing more than ordinary respect to his person and sanctity of his life The good Prelat believing these demonstrations of kindness to be all real openly passed over the Bridg of Saint Sisto without fear or suspition in the sight and view of the Lords of Colonna when some bold Ruffians or Assassinates assaulted him in his Coach firing two Carbines upon him one of which shot him with a Bullet which passed his Neck and came out under his shoulder the poor Prelat finding himself thus mortally wounded cryed out for help at which lamentable Voice many Priests and Friers came about him to prepare him for death but Chirurgions coming in and finding that the wound was not mortal he took courage and in a few weeks his wound was perfectly cured This accident afforded matter of discourse to the whole Town and Libels or Pasquils were scattered and affixed in all publick places others wrote Verses and Elegies on Altoviti as if he had been already dead of which we shall only repeat this Distick Barbare quid violas violento tingere tentas Sanguine quas tingi Murice Roma dabat This violent attempt on the sacred person of a Prelat was scandalous to all the World and every one believed that the Pope would have so highly resented it as in despight of the Family of Colonna and of their greatness have revenged an Act so infamous as this by just punishment of the Offenders but contrary to all expectation when the Governour of Rome went to the Pope's Palace to receive Orders in what manner to govern himself in this important Affair the Cardinal Altieri seemed very cold and remiss giving little or no encouragement or direction to the Magistrates to examine or enquire into the matter saying That Officers of Justice ought as well to be Politicians as Judges In the mean time the Constable Colonna seemed little concerned and neither gave outward demonstrations of joy nor affected a dissembled sorrow but reserving himself in a moderate mean appeared publickly at Exercises Operaes and other divertisements as usual nourishing a secret contentment that he had revenged himself on his Adversary and that his power and greatness had seated him above the reach of the Cardinal On the other side the Cardinal rejoyced to hear Colonna evil spoken of and that he had incurred the Odium or hatred of all the good and vertuous Men of Rome and especially of the Clergy and farther to dilate and heap an infamy of this detestable Act on a Family which he abhorred he caused a Narrative thereof to be wrote and sent unto all Courts and Countries by such Pens as he had chosen and caused to be dipped in the most bitter Ink of Invectives This was all the satisfaction that Altoviti could obtain notwithstanding the sacredness of his Person being a Prelat and Patriarch and one that had sacrificed his reputation and life for service of the Court. And though the Nephews of other Popes have on occasions less injurious and dishonourable to the Papal Sea hazarded the quiet and safety of the Ecclesiastical State yet Aliteri scorning to insist on such low and trivial punctillios delighted himself with the thoughts that in despight of all the power and contrivances of Colonna he should gain his point and sufficiently mortifie that Family by the marriage of Sforza with the Princess Cesarini And indeed the matter succeeded accordingly for after all these and many other particulars which caused disturbance the French Ambassadour who was the Duke de Estreé and the Duke Cesarini Uncle of the two Ladies interposed between both parties and in fine made this agreement That both Sisters with their Husbands should live under the protection of France as determined by the Will of their Father and ever more profess and adhere to that Interest That their Uncle Cesarini who was infirm and impotent in his Bed without hopes of posterity should leave the Inheritance of his Estate to his two Nieces to be equally divided between them Which terms of Accommodation being indented and subscribed reciprocally by both Parties the Cardinal obtained his ends and the rage of Colonna appeased and Prince Sonnino satisfied who had married the younger Sister upon the Promises and Vows which the Elder had given to renounce the World and the Inheritance and live within the retirement of a Convent Thus ended the embroils of this Intrigue injurious to none but poor Altoviti which having been acted in other parts might have produced many Tragical Effects but in regard the Scene was at Rome where love and justice give way to Policy and to designs for conservation of Families Arms and passion were overcome by Plots and subtil Contrivances Whatsoever matter occurred in the time of this Pope we must attribute to the person passion and conduct of Altieri for Clement being an old Dotard and not desirous to be troubled with business was served by a Nephew which fitted his humour and only made use of his name and Authority to govern with an absolute and despotical Will The first movement which regulated all his Actions was a passion and an exorbitant desire to agrandize his own Name and Family and in order thereunto as he was naturally partial to the Spanish Faction so he believed a constant adherence to that Interest to be most corresponding to those designs In the year 1671. four Cardinals died at Rome of which Antonio Barberino was one At Genoua new differences arose concerning the Inquisition which were afterwards composed to the mutual satisfaction both of the Pope and that Republick This year