were affixed in all publick places denouncing and publishing a Council to be held and celebrated on the first day of September following at Pisa where the Pope himself was also cited to appear This Council was convened by the Authority of the dissenting Cardinals such as Bernardino Carvagiale a Spaniard who was the chief leader and director of the Schism William Brisoner a French Bishop Francis Borgia a Spaniard Cardinal of S. Cecilia Renat de Brie a Frenchman Cardinal of S. Sabina and Frederick Sanseverino an Italian Cardinal of S. Angelo all which agreed and pretended that a Council might where was apparent necessity be judicially convoked by them and that when a Pope was guilty of Simony infamous and damnable in his manners Author of so many Wars and notoriously incorrigible to the universal scandal of all Christendom that then the power of convocating a Council which was the only remedy and redress for so many evils did lawfully devolve unto them especially having the Authority of the Emperor and the consent of the most Christian King together with the Clergy of Germany and France concurring The Pope enraged with this bold attempt of his contumacious Cardinals issued out his Excommunications against them depriving them of their Hats Honors and Dignities Ecclesiastical notwithstanding which the design of the Council proceeded and on the first day of September the Proctors of the Cardinals being come to Pisa did there celebrate the Acts for opening of the same with which the Pope conceiving yet higher indignation against the Florentines for that they had suffered the Conventicle for so he called it to take beginning in their State did declare and publish that whosoever did favour the Conventicle of Pisa did stand actually Excommunicated Interdicted and subject to all the Penalties severely ordained by Laws against Schismaticks and Hereticks and that accordingly Lewis XII King of France together with the Cities of Florence and Pisa did stand actually Excommunicated and Interdicted And farther to countermine this Council he published a General Council to be held at the Lateran and to do the greatest despight imaginable to the Florentines he constituted Cardinal John de Medices who with his whole Family was exiled from Florence Legate of Bologna Romagna and of the whole Army of the League and to give farther diversion and trouble in France he incited Henry VIII King of England and Ferdinand King of Spain to joyn in a League with him the first to enter his Forces into Aquitaine and the latter to wage War on the King of Navarre who being joyned in Confederacy with Lewis did likewise lie under the censure of Excommunication Matters being thus disposed he finished the Articles of a League made with the Catholick King and the Senate of Venice which was solemnly published on the 5th of October in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo the Pope and Cardinals being present where it was solemnly declared that the intent thereof was to preserve the Unity of the Church to defend her from the present Schism to recover the City of Bologna which was the right of the Church to confound the Assembly at Pisa and finally to chase and expel the French by force of Arms out of Italy Lewis finding himself on all sides hardly beset hastned the Recruits of his Army and withdrawing the Forces he had in Brescia which he had lately recovered from the Venetians and from Bologna which composed in all a Body of about 15500 men he marched by Ravenna in order to joyn with the Troops of the Duke of Ferrara who was then Confederate with France The Popes Army with the Allies consisting of about 13000 Foot and 1800 men at Arms marched towards the relief of Ravenna which was then hardly besieged by the French Army under the Command of Gaston de Foix a valiant and experienced General The Papal Army being encamped at no far distance from the French endeavoured to avoid a Battel which the Enemy frequently offered them but finding that unless they did fight Ravenna would be taken for such wide breaches were made in the Walls by the Cannon that the Enemy was ready to enter and in sight of their Army to make themselves Masters of the City to prevent which and the disgrace of such a mischief time was not farther to be lost nor an Engagement to be longer declined so that on Easter day both Armies joyned Battel The Fight continued so very long and bloody that in the space of six hours it was scarcely discernable to which side the Victory inclined At length by direction of the Duke of Ferrara the Cannon being brought by a long compass about to play on the Flank of the Army the Spaniards and Italians began to fly leaving their Baggage and the glory of the day unto the French which they gained with so much blood and loss of the principal Commanders and flower of their Army that they seemed rather vanquished than Conquerors and to remain in a condition which afforded them no cause of triumph in their Victory It is said that twenty thousand men were slain in this Battel and the numbers almost equal on each side amongst which 150 Gentlemen belonging to the Court of the French King were killed five of the Family of Colonna with Gaston de Foix their General Of the Popes Army the Legate John de Medices with several other Captains was taken Prisoner The first news of this Defeat and the ill consequences thereof which was the taking and sacking of Ravenna was entertained at Rome with great fear and tumult so that the Cardinals running hastily to the Pope urged and pressed him with earnest and vehement Petitions to conclude the War and accept such reasonable and moderate conditions as they were assured the King of France would be ready to offer On the other side the Embassadors of the King of Aragon and the Senate of Venice entertained other sentiments judging from the advices they had received that matters were not reduced to such extremities as the fears and melancholy fancies of the Cardinals suggested for that the French Army had not gained this Victory with so little loss but that the great effusion of blood which it had cost had weakened their Force to a degree as was not in a short time to be recovered nor was the death of that valiant and wise General Gaston de Foix and other Captains slain on the French side to be repaired in this age Likewise it was further urged that the Vice-Roy was escaped with the greater part of the Cavalry and that the Spanish Infantry were retreated from the Battel in good order which being joyned with the Swissers which were daily expected there would be no necessity at present of yielding to the conditions of the French which in this conjuncture would be very unequal and dishonorable and that therewith they must expect to receive Laws from the pride of Bernardin Carvagiale and the insolence of Frederick de Sancta Severin and the
the Columneses took their Title There was another Family at Rome called the Corsi very powerful and so true to Gregory VII that their Houses which were under the Capitol were burnt by Henry down to the ground yet afterward Stephen the chief of that Family chang'd sides and in Paschal's absence surpriz'd St. Paul's Church and the Castle hard by from whence he continually teazed the City of Rome with inroads very strangely For this reason the Pope omitted all forein Affairs and return'd with all speed to the City from whence he drove Stephen who went safely off disguised in a Monks Habit and so deceived those that came to take him At that time many Authors say there appeared a great many Prodigies as that the 〈◊〉 gain'd in some places full twenty paces into the Land more than ordinary and on the other side in some places retired from the shore an hundred And the like I saw at Pozzuoli the last year by some old weather beaten Marble Pillars that were wasted to three Cubits though the Inhabitants told me that three years before they were wash'd by the Sea They tell you likewise that a Comet appeared of a vast bigness that was seen at Sun-setting Paschal however was not disturb'd at any of these things because he knew 'em to be natural But when he heard the Bishop of Florence should say that Antichrist was born he went immediately thither and calling a Council who discussed the matter very nicely he perceived the Bishop was onely ambitious of being the Author of some great matter and therefore when he had chid him he sent him away and went himself into Lombardy where he called an Assembly at Guardastallo of many Princes and Bishops and held a long debate about Homages Fees and the Oaths of Bishops that had been or should be administred to Laymen And hearing of the scandalous lives of the French Priests he went into France and at Troyes he called a Synod in which having taken order for the more decent adorning of Churches and partly expelled partly chastised their Incumbents he returned in haste into Italy because he heard all things were there in an uproar For Stephen Corsus had taken Montalto and Pontechio from that part of Toscany which now they call St. Peter's Patrimony and had fortified them with Castles from whence he pillaged the whole Country with frequent inroads but the Pope fell upon him and beat him out of one of his Castles though he could not storm the other by reason of its situation and the Winter season which was at hand Going therefore into Puglia to compose the differences of those parts he committed the care of the Church to the Bishop of Lavico to Peter the Son of Leo and to Leo the Son of Fregepan the City and all its concerns and to Ptolemy Lord of Subiaco the territories adjacent leaving his Nephew Godfrey General to assist them in the defence of the Churches jurisdiction But in the Pope's absence Ptolemy the reputed Author of all that mischief threatned he should never return to the City any more and all these revolted from the Church to wit Peter Columna whom the Pope had taken into favour the Abbat of Farfa together with those of Anagni Palestrina Tivoli Frascati and Sabina The same Ptolemy also raised an Army and besieged Alba in Campagna di Roma which the Citizens very stoutly defended But when the Pope and the Prince of Cajetta came up together with Richard of Aquila two excellent Commanders they drove out these Usurpers that would have possessed themselves of the Church Revenues and freeing Alba from the Siege he also had the other revolting Towns surrender'd up to him except that he was fain to storm Tivoli which stood out very obstinately and occasion'd much damage on both sides though he took Montalto and turned out Stephen and quieted the whole Patrimony in a short time Assoon as he had made Peace here he apply'd himself to the War in Asia and to that end wrote Letters and sent Nuntios to all Christian Princes to exhort and animate 'em to it as much as possible because he heard that 〈◊〉 the death of Godfrey the Saracens brought great Armies to Jerusalem designing to re-take it as also that the Christians had received a great overthrow that the Earl of Burgundy was slain in the fight that Boëmund was taken alive and that Baldwin himself Godfrey's Brother then King had made a narrow escape so that the City was well-nigh taken But the Barbarians though they had gotten such a Victory yet they durst not attempt Jerusalem For Tancred who had defended Antioch very valiantly did also take Laodicea which belong'd to the Emperour of Constantinople by storm because he heard that Alexius was pleased to hear that so many Christians were killed and hinder'd our Men from passing out of Europe into Asia Baldwin the King encouraged by the good fortune and resolution of Tancred raised an Army as fast as he could he resolv'd to march against 〈◊〉 having sent to Genoua and Venice for Auxiliaries from whence he had eighty Ships of War besides many Galleys that were sent to the place insomuch that the City was besieged both by Land and Sea very closely and in twenty days was taken and the Saracens that came to defend it utterly routed and defeated Tancred shew'd great piety towards his Uncle Boëmund who had been kept in Prison by the Enemies for three years and restored him to the Principality of Antioch after he had redeemed him with a great Ransom of Silver and Gold After that 〈◊〉 committed the care of Antioch to Tancred and went first into Italy and then into France and married Constantine King Philip of France's Daughter but hearing that Alexius Emperour of Constantinople infested the Seaport Towns near Antioch he return'd into Italy and getting a Navy 〈◊〉 sailed into Dalmatia where he besieged Durazzo that he might divert Alexius from the War in Asia as he soon did and Alexius desiring a Peace Boëmund granted it upon condition that he should put an end to the War against Antioch and let the French Soldiers pass through his Country into Asia without any hindrance Peace thus made Boemund sail'd for Asia with the Navy which he had provided against Alexius and did so recruit and chear the spirits of the Christians that King Baldwin storm'd and took Baruti a Maritime Town of Phaenicia between Sidon and Biblos whose Metropolis is Tyre after he had besieged it two months but not without great loss of Men so that he was very severe with 'em and gave the City as a Colony to the Christians At the same time was Sidon also taken But amidst these successes of the Christians Boemund that famous Prince died which caused an 〈◊〉 sorrow and left his little Son Boemund whom he had by his Wife Constantia and who was to be his Successor in the Principality of Antioch under Tancred's Tuition till he grew up In the mean time Henry the
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
out freely every Man with his own Clothes but when they could not make good the agreement because the piece of the Cross was not to be found Richard put many of the Barbarians to death Saladine was so dismay'd at these losses that despairing of being able to defend them all he dismantled several Cities in that Region and was upon the point of delivering up Jerusalem itself if it had not been for a difference which arose between Philip and Richard concerning Precedency upon which Philip pretending himself sick departed home from Asia Richard then apply'd himself more vigorously to the War though at this time Conrade of Montferrat was assassinated in the Market-place of Tyre by two Saracen Ruffians who had bound themselves under an Oath and Vow to destroy all the Enemies of their Religion after the same manner but as they ran away they were caught and put to death with the most exquisite Torments and Henry Earl of Champagne taking Queen Isabel to Wife entred upon the Dominion of Tyre Richard giving some fair words to Guy of Lusignan persuaded him to pass over to him his Kingdom of Jerusalem which the Kings of England still put among their Titles and herewith taking courage he march'd his Army to beleaguer the City of Jerusalem but Saladine in his Journey falling in with his Rear forc'd him to a Battel in a very disadvantageous place in which though he at last came off Conqueror yet it was with great loss of men Saladine after this encamp'd not far from Bethlehem in a commodious place to intercept any manner of Provisions that might be sent from Egypt to the Christian Army as they should lie before Jerusalem wherefore and because the Winter was coming on Richard puts off his designs for this so necessary Siege the Pope yet urging him and continually supplying him with Money and retreats to Ascalon which as well as Gaza he fortifies again they having before been slighted by Saladine In the mean time the Sea-forces by degrees leave him and the Pisans sailing into the Adriatic seiz'd Pola with intent to Winter there but the Venetians reinforcing their own Fleet set upon 'em took the Place and sack'd it and drove out the Pisans and had pursued them to extremity if Celestine out of care for the good of Christendom had not mediated between them Spring now came on and Richard was preparing for the Siege of Jerusalem when on a sudden news was brought him that King Philip had invaded Normandy and intended to pass into England to procure that Kingdom for his Brother John Richard then laid by those thoughts and strook up a Peace with Saladine upon these Articles That Saladine should enjoy all but Tyre and Ptolemais to which with their Territories remaining in the hands of the Christians he should give no molestation Richard having thus settled Affairs there returning into Europe was taken by his Enemies from whom he was ransom'd with a vast sum of Money and at last arriving in England he had many a Battel with the King of France much against the Pope's mind who was griev'd that so fierce a War should be raised among Christians at so unseasonable a time when Saladine being now dead it was thought to have been a very fit time to have recovered Jerusalem It is reported of that illustrious Prince that one Ceremony at his Funeral was this His Shirt was hung upon the end of a Pike and carried before the Corps and one with a loud Voice cryed Behold Saladine the mighty Lord of Asia of all his Realms and of all his Wealth takes no more than this along with him A spectacle well befitting so great a Man to whom nothing was wanting but the Character of a Christian to have rendred him a most consummate Prince Upon the death of Saladine as was said before Celestine had fresh hopes that Jerusalem might be regain'd and so urg'd the Emperour Henry who Tancred being dead succeeded to the Kingdom of Sicily to undertake the Enterprize that though he could not go in person yet he sent thither with great speed a good Army under the Arch-bishop of Mentz and the Duke of Saxony The King of France would have gone too but that the Saracens who inhabited Mauritania now the Moors had cross'd the Streights and having taken the King of Castile Prisoner had possess'd themselves of that part of Spain now call'd Granado where the French fear'd they would hardly continue long quiet but go near to infest the neighbouring Nations and therefore would not draw their forces out of Europe The Germans however arriving in Asia fortified Berylus which had been deserted by the Saracens and rais'd their Siege from before Joppa from whence when they were about to go to Jerusalem Celestine this most holy Pope who never let slip any opportunity for the recovery of the Holy Land died upon which they desisted Notwithstanding all these troubles and these great charges of War our Pope built two Palaces one near S. Peter's the other near S. John in the Lateran fit for the reception of Popes The brasen Gates yet remaining in the Lateran over against the Sancta Sanctorum which were made by his Order and at his charge Moreover he made Viterbo a City raising the Church there to a Bishops Sea to which Diocese he added Toscanella and Centum-cellae Celestine died when he had been Pope six years seven months and eleven days to the great grief of all good Men and was buried in St. Peter's Church INNOCENT III. INNOCENT the Third born in Anagni Son of Trasimund of the Family of the Conti was for his great Learning and many Virtues made a Cardinal by Celestine and upon his death was by general consent chosen Pope Which he had no sooner arriv'd to but he applied his thoughts to the Holy War and by Letters Messengers large Promises and Largesses endeavour'd to contain the Germans within the bounds of their duty who after the decease of their Emperour Henry were all in a mutiny but 't was to no purpose for they disdaining any Commander left Asia and to the extream damage of the Christian Cause return'd to Europe whereby those of Joppa especially suffered most for being destitute of help the Turks and Saracens came upon 'em and while they were about to yield they took the City by force and cut them all off rasing it to the ground In Germany also all things seem'd to threaten confusion some of the Electors stickling hard for Otho Duke of Saxony others standing resolutely for Philip a German Duke of Tuscany who was left by Henry upon his death bed Guardian to his young Son And to improve this mischief to the height the King of France took part with Philip and the King of England was for Otho Innocent then to obviate the impending miseries that must follow upon such a state of Affairs confirms Otho in the Empire as duly elected by those who had just suffrage Philip notwithstanding would not lay down his
he had receiv'd so many benefits of the Holy Sea he gave the Country of Fondi to the Church of Rome and what had before been given and afterward usurp'd from it he restor'd But the Pope taking notice of the increase of the Saracens Power in Asia call'd a full Council in the Lateran where were present the Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Constantinople seventy Arch-bishops four hundred Bishops twelve Abbats eight hundred Priors of Convents and the Ambassadors of the Greek and Roman Emperours with those of the Kings of Jerusalem France Spain England and Cyprus Many things here came under debate but nothing could be determin'd because the Pisans and Genoeses were then at War by Sea as those of Lombardy were among themselves at Land The Pope therefore took a journey thitherward to compose their differences but died in the way at Perugia when he had been Pope eighteen years seven months and sixteen days He was a Man most exact in his life a proof of which is that none of his Acts which approv'd or disanull'd any thing were by any of his Successors revers'd He decreed many things for the reformation of manners both in Clergy and Laity and wrote Books concerning the Sacrament of the Eucharist the Sacrament of Baptism and the unhappiness of Mans condition beside that he was wont to make Sermons upon remarkable occasions and solemn days He disallow'd a Book written by Abbat Joachim which contain'd some Heterodox Opinions and condemn'd the Errors of Almericus a Heretic that with some of his followers was burnt at Paris who among other false Notions maintain'd that those Idea's which are in the divine Mind were created and did create others whereas according to S. Augustin there is nothing in the Mind of God but what is Eternal and unchangeable beside he said that to one who was in a state of Grace no Sin is charged Great satisfaction this Pope took in observing the Virtue and Learning of S. Dominic who was Founder of the Order of Preaching Friers and of S. Francis of Assisi who was Author of the Order of Friers Minors 'T is said that in his time liv'd Gratian who compil'd the Decrees and Papias the Lombard who collected a Latin Alphabetical Dictionary and indeed of Papias we have no reason to doubt but for Gratian some Authors place him in the times of Pope Alexander III. Now lest you should think that Innocent in so long a Popedom neglected works of Piety I must tell you that at his charge the Hospital of the Holy Ghost was built and endow'd with so fair an Income as it is for the relief of Pilgrims and sick People and for the Education of Fatherless Children and Foundlings He adorn'd S. Peter's Altar with Mosaic Work as the representation of him and his Cipher in the Arch do testifie Moreover he gave to each Church in Rome a Pound weight in Silver to make Chalices for Divine Service and he repair'd the Church of S. Sixtus then almost falling with age The Enemies of his good Name indeed say that he did this only for fear Men should say that he laid out all his Mony in building of the Torre de Conti which he erected for the honour of his Family However that be 't is certain he shew'd himself in all the parts of his life an excellent Man and one worthy to be reckon'd among the best Popes HONORIVS III. HONORIVS the Third a Roman Son of one Almeric was by a general suffrage chosen Pope to whom Peter Emperour of Constantinople coming with his Wife Jole he was Crown'd in the Church of S. Laurence without the Walls and immediately John Colonna a Cardinal was pitch'd upon to go into Asia with those forces which Pope Innocent in his life-time had got together for that end The Christian Princes by the persuasion of Honorius now went to Acon particularly Andrew King of Hungary who to that purpose borrow'd the Venetian Shipping and by way of requital passed over to 'em the right to all that part of Dalmatia which had been in the possession of the Duke of Austria With Andrew went Henry Count of Nevers and Walter Chamberlain to the King of France All these holding a Council of War together with John King of Jerusalem they resolv'd to lay Siege to Damiata in Egypt and thither they went in the month of May 1218. This City was once call'd Aeliopolis from Aelius Pertinax who environ'd it with a trebble Wall and deriving a little stream of the Nile about it made it stand in an Island The Suburbs hereof were large and full of Merchandize which the Christian Soldiers plunder'd but soon after upon a West-wind the Nile rose so high that their Provisions were spoil'd and they began to be in great want of necessaries especially because the Soldan who was encamp'd not far off had beset all the passages to hinder any supplies coming to ' em The Christians under this difficulty march their Army against the Soldan who in great fear streight leaves his Camp stor'd with plenty of all things and retreats leaving them free to besiege the Town which he at first came to relieve Cordirius also Son to the great Soldan despairing of being able to defend Jerusalem if the Christians took Damiata broke down the Walls of the City and left nothing standing but the Tower of David and the Temple of God only he did not violate the Holy Sepulcre mov'd as we may suppose by the intreaties of the Christians that inhabited those places While our men attack'd Damiata the Soldan returns with a much greater Army and pitches his Camp between Cairo and Damiata from which he could not be provok'd to Battel by either the challenges or reproaches of our Men which so enrag'd the French that without any Order they set upon him and receiv'd great loss Notwithstanding all this the Siege was still push'd on till after fifteen months lying before it it was taken by the Christians and sack'd so that the Soldiery was wonderfully enrich'd with the spoil In the mean time Honorius had at Rome confirm'd the Order of S. Dominic upon his request and had Anathematiz'd Frederic II. because after his Mother Constantia was dead who was wont to restrain him within his duty he came to Rome and without right or reason laid wast the Pope's Territories These differences between the Pope and the Emperour being discover'd to the Soldan mov'd him to take the opportunity and accordingly he raises a greater Army than ever he had before thinking the Christians would not now shew their heads but Cardinal John Colonna roused them with his persuasions so that they took up Arms and went to meet the Enemy at the Nile where when they were come the Soldan feign'd himself afraid to cope with 'em putting it off till the time of the Increase of Nile which follow'd a little while after and the Cataracts of that River opened and so overflow'd the whole Country that it was in no place less than a
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
necessary for a War with assistance of the King's Forces he surprised and subdued 'em within fourteen days after he attaqued 'em reducing nine Castles under the jurisdiction of the Church of which some were so well fortified both by Art and Nature that they seemed impregnable Deiphobus fearing lest if he were taken he should be sent to the King made his escape But Francis his Brother and his Son were taken and kept five years in Castel St. Angelo till upon the Creation of Sixtus they were freed And hence afterward arose great enmity between the Pope and the King when Ferdinand demanded that Paul would remit the Tribute which he was to pay the Church as a reward for his great merits and would retrench or take off part of it for the future seeing his Uncle enjoy'd the Kingdom of Sicily though he paid Tribute for that and Naples too and told him That he ought to consider his Deserts and what might happen for that he had always some Batalions in Arms not more upon his own than upon the Pope's account as he found in the late War against the Aversans Paul on the other hand recounted the Churches merits toward Ferdinand and so they spun out the Debate a long time by these kind of wranglings each of 'em seeking an opportunity to recover their Right In the mean time the King was very cautious how he caused any new Commotions because he fear'd James Picenninus's Power who had Sulmona in Abruzzo and some other Towns in his possession whom afterward his Father-in-law Francis Sfortia sent to the King who gave him his word that he should come and go in safety when he pleased But all things did not go according to James's expectation for he was taken at Naples by Ferdinand as so was his Son and there thrown into Prison and not long after put to Death though there was a false report given out that he fell down in the Prison and broke his Leg as he was inconsiderately staring through the Window to see the King's Galleys that came from Ischia with Victory over the French There were who thought him still alive which I can never believe because there was no Man in all Italy more fit if you look upon him as a Soldier to subvert the Government of King Ferdinand The Duke of Millain's Daughter when she heard of it tarry'd by the way at Siena as she was going to her Husband at Naples to persuade the World that her Father was not any way concern'd with Ferdinand in contriving the Death of Picenninus But what People thought of it we very well know There were likewise some that said the Pope knew of it before hand because at that time the Arch-Bishop of Millain went often from the Pope to the King and from the King back again and because Paul said when he heard of his Imprisonment that the Judg of Appeals was taken off But that of Virgil is too true Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae Little do Men their future Fortune know For Paul could not have made use of any one to fit to curb Ferdinand as James Picenninus was if he had been alive when their Debate arose about the Tribute for which a War was like to have been proclaimed For when he had kept his Daughter-in-laws and his Son's Wedding and that thereby and by the death of James his Kingdom was setled Ferdinand was instant with the Pope that he would retrench the Tribute and give him back certain Towns which belong'd to the Kingdom but were in possession of the Church Thereupon Paul sent to him Bartholomew Roverella Cardinal Priest of St. Clements as Legate who did in some measure satisfie the King And at that time I believe they both fear'd lest the Eclipses of the Sun and Moon which all Men were then astonish'd at might portend some changes in Government Nor can you think the heavenly Bodies have no efficacy for the year after Francis Sfortia Duke of Millain and Genoua died For he had gotten Genoua two years before being after a long War surrender'd by the Citizens For they having rejected the French Government which they had formerly courted kill'd six thousand of the French under the Nose of King Renatus who came with some Galleys well arm'd to retrieve the City that had now revolted from the French When Francis Sfortia Duke of Millain was dead Paul summon'd the Cardinals to consult what was to be done They all concluded that he must send Letters and Nuncioes to all the Princes of Italy and to all States to persuade 'em against Innovations and to maintain the establish'd Peace especially at that unhappy time when we were so threatned by the Turk the common Enemy And afterward he sent the Bishop of Conca to Millain to persuade that State to have regard to the Allegiance they had sworn to Galeatius Francis's Son At that time Galeatius was absent in France whither his Father had sent him with an Army to assist King Lewis against the Princes of his Kingdom that acknowledg'd not his Authority For Francis was bound by the League he made with him when he possest himself of Genoa to supply him with some Auxiliaries Besides the Allegiance which they had contracted obliged him to it for he had married the Sister of the Queen and the Duke of Savoy When he heard of his Father's Death he relinquish'd the War which he engaged in upon the King's account against the Duke of Burgundy and going from Lions return'd with a small Retinue and in a disguise to his own Country where he peaceably possess'd himself of his paternal inheritance by the help of his Mother who kept the people in Obedience till he came But Paul when the Affairs of Italy were thus composed hearing that the Rhodian Soldiers were ready to starve he summon'd the Grand Master and the great Clergymen to Rome to consider of a Relief who after frequent meetings in St. Peters died for grief and Age and was buried in that Church not far from St. Andrew's Chappel in whose room Charles Vrsin was chosen and sent immediately to defend the Island In the mean time when Paul heard that there were a great many Hereticks in Tagliacozzo he having heard their cause severely branded the Lord of the place eight Men and six Women which were caught and brought before him being those that were most obstinate but dealt more favourably with those that confessed their Error and begg'd pardon They were of those perverse sort of Hereticks who say there never was any true Vicar of Christ since St. Peter but who had imitated Christ's Poverty Then he encreased the number of Cardinals and made ten at one time of which number were Francis of Savona General of the Order of Minors M. Barbo Bishop of Vincenza whose Advice he always took in great Affairs Oliver Arch-Bishop of Naples Amicus Bishop of Aquila and Theodore Montferrat and the rest were partly French Hungarians and English Having thus
which end Bessarion was Commissionated to be his Legat to Lewis XI of France Roderigo Borgia Vice-Chancellor to go his Legat into Spain Marco Barbo into Germany and Hungary and Oliviere Carafa to Venice and the Knights of Rhodes to every of which Legats he assigned a Pension of 500 Crowns in Gold per Month but the success answered not the charge all the Legats returning without any effect or fruit of their Negotiations For Lewis the 11th had already levied War against Charles of Burgundy and the Duke of Brittany Ferdinand King of Aragon made War on the King of Portugal to decide the dispute between them for the Kingdom of Castile The Kings of Hungary and Poland were in actual Wars fighting for the Kingdom of Bohemia so that the Oratorical persuasions of these Ministers of Peace were not able to prevail on the incensed and resolved minds of these warlike Princes And being now fixed and established in his Apostolical Seat he received with a serenity of countenance and chearful affability the Addresses and Congratulations which Forein Princes by their respective Ministers made to him at his first promotion to the Papal Dignity which Ceremony being performed he published and declared two persons to be by him created Cardinals namely Peter Riario and Julian della Rovere the first was of a mean Family at Savona and educated by this Sixtus in the Franciscan Order and made Bishop of Trevisi The other was Son of his Brother Raphael della Rovere whom he had constituted Bishop of Carpentras The first took the Title of S. Sixtus and the other of S. Peter ad Vincola who was afterwards Pope Julian the second And such was the affection which this Pope indulged to his own natural Relations that he never refused to grant their demands or yield to the most exorbitant of their desires for which he was much blamed and hardly censured with many reflections on his conduct and wisdom for he had enriched this Peter Riario with several fat Benefices on the Revenue of which he might have lived with splendor and greatness But so exorbitant were his expences that in the space of two years only he spent two hundred thousand Crowns of Gold leaving a debt of seventy thousand Crowns with three hundred pounds weight of wrought Plate and then being discontented with disappointments of his ambitious desires he died at 28 years of age and was buried in the Church of the holy Apostles His Brother Jeronimo tho as we have said of mean extraction was yet by the favour of this Pope made Prince of Imola and Forli and married to Catherine natural Daughter of Galeazzo Duke of Milan and on this account and reason Ascanius the Son of Galeazzo was created Cardinal And farther did the affection of this Pope extend towards his Nephews and Relations that he married Leonard his Brothers Son to the natural Daughter of Ferdinand King of Naples and ordained him Governor of Rome and he dying soon after his place was bestowed on John the Brother of Cardinal Julian with augmentation of the Signiories of Sora and Senegaglia on the reputation of which he married Jane the Daughter of Frederick Duke of Vrbin by whom he had one Son called Francisco Maria who succeeded in the Dukedom of Vrbin after his Uncle Guy Vbald who died without issue This Pope moreover created his Brother Christopher and Domenico della Rovere Cardinals as also Jeronimo Basso his Sisters Son Raphael Sanson a youth of 17 years of age Son of his Sister the Wife of Peter Riario also Schiafinato of Milan who was his Chancellor and Bishop of Parma likewise John Baptista Cibo of Genoua who afterwards succceeded in the Popedom under the name of Innocent VIII and besides these he raised many others to the number of 34 whom he successively created Cardinals during his Reign And so free and liberal was Sixtus in his Promotions and Gifts that nothing was asked of him which he denied which liberality gave occasion oftentimes to many Disputes when the free nature of the Pope had given Donations to three or four persons of the same thing to prevent which for the future the Privy Signet was given to John de Montemirabile a severe and reserved person and one well practised in the Affairs of the Court who keeping an account of all matters which had passed the Seal vacated such Donations as were not regularly granted It is doubtful amongst the Writers of Ecclesiastical History whether it was this Pope Sixtus or Paul the Second that reduced the year of Jubile to 25 howsoever it is certain that this Pope in the year 1475. did Celebrate the Jubile which brought a great concourse of people to Rome amongst which were several Kings and Princes present such as the Kings of Denmark Sweden and Norway of Bosna and Walachia the Dukes of Calabria and Saxony with many others of great Quality who in person made their Pilgrimages to Rome to gain the Indulgences Pardons and Privileges which were granted at that Solemnity About this time Mathias King of Hungary being desirous to create an Alliance between himself and Casimir King of Poland did in the year 1476. make demand of his Daughter in Marriage but before Casimir would assent thereunto he sent his Son Vladislaus to Frederick the Emperor then at Vienna to desire that he might be established and confirmed in the right of the Kingdom of Bohemia notwithstanding that it had formerly been given away by Paul the Second to Mathias King of Hungary On which Quarrel the Knights of the Teutonick Order did not only at the instigation of Balthasar the Popes Legat make War against the King of Poland with assistance of the King of Hungary but likewise the Legat Excommunicated Vladislaus the new King of Bohemia and his Father Casimir upon pretence that they favoured the Doctrin of the Hussites That long continued Difference and Dispute between the Secular Priests and the Mendicant Friers which had lasted for above two hundred years was afterwards by the Sentence of this Pope determined in this manner That the Seculars should never hereafter tax or impeach the Mendicants as Authors of Heresie but honor and respect them as those by whose Preaching the truth of the Gospel had been greatly enlightned That all Communicants should be obliged to hear Mass said by their Parochial Priests every Sunday and solemn Festival without which the Mendicants were not admitted to Preach That the Mendicants should not declare the people disobliged from making their Confessions to their Parochial Priest at least every Easter according as they are directed by the Ecclesiastical Canons provided still that the Mendicants retain their Privilege of hearing Confessions and enjoyning Penance These and some other particulars being declared and determined by this Pope the animosity and hatred between the Seculars and the Religious was much abated and the long continued Controversie brought to an issue But to pass now from the matters of Spiritual Government to temporal and secular
his Death this Distick was made Sistere qui nullo potuit cum foedere Sixtus Audito tantum nomine pacis obit His Body was interred in S. Peters Church under a Monument of Brass which Julian Cardinal of Liens caused to be erected for him before the High-Altar After which the Chair was vacant 16 days INNOCENT VIII SIXTVS being dead the Cardinals entered the Vatican where in the space of 16 days after the decease of the former Pope they elected John Baptista Cibo Cardinal of S. Balbina to succeed in the Papal Chair He was a Native of Genoua and born of an illustrious Family in the year 1432. his Father being a Knight and Count of the Empire and Senator of Rome He lived a long time in the Family and Service of Ferdinand King of Naples and afterwards coming to Rome was received into the Family of the Cardinal of Bologna Brother of Pope Nicolas V. He was created Bishop of Savona by Paul II. and of Melfy and Priest Cardinal with the Title of S. Balfina by Sixtus IV. after whose Decease he was by the common suffrages of 24 Cardinals elected Pope and on the 29th of August 1484. was Crowned by Francis Piccolomini calling himself by the name of Innocent the Eighth and at his Inauguration he used these words Ego autem in Innocentia mea ingressus sum Tho Guiccardin will not allow this Motto to correspond with his manners and Onufrius saith that he often covered his avarice and covetous desires with Drollery and some pleasant expressions Howsoever he is stiled by most Writers with the honorable character of pious and affable and commended for his sanctity of life and profound learning The first business he took in hand after he came to the Papal Chair was to take off the Excommunication which Pope Sixtus had laid on the Venetians and being himself in perfect amity and maintaining a fair correspondence with the Christian Princes he endeavoured so to reconcile them one with another that being united in a strict confederacy they might convert their Arms against the Turk who was now become the formidable and common enemy of Christendom for tho he was naturally averse to War yet his zeal for the Christian Religion moved him to equippe a Fleet at the cost and expence of 150 thousand Crowns which being successful in their enterprise gained him great renown and esteem with all the Christian Princes the which he also improved by various good offices â—nd acts of justice performed towards them for he re-blessed the Venetians after they had been desecrated and attainted by the Excommunication of Sixtus he eased the Church from the burden of extraordinary Taxes he retrenched many superfluous charges of his own Family he conferred many benefits favours and privileges on the Orders of S. Francis S. Augustin and S. Dominick and thundered out his Excommunications against Women that used Poisons and Incantations and such as cheated and purloined from the Dataria or Exchequer But all these good actions and just intentions were interrupted by civil Discords at Rome arisen between the Families of Colonna and Orsini on the ground of ancient hatred and resentments between them and had proceeded to worse effects and more evil consequences had they not been asswaged for a while by the breaking forth of a forein War with Ferdinand King of Naples who having oppressed and ill treated many Lords and great personages and particularly the Count De Montorio who was of great repute and popular in the City of Aquila they all together with the City of Abruzzo had recourse to the Pope for sanctuary protesting that in case he would not receive them into his protection that they should be forced to yield and resign themselves into the hands and power of some Forein Prince The Pope being moved by their supplications and incensed against Ferdinand for his ill deportment towards the Papal See for he had denied to pay the yearly tribute of twenty thousand Ducats and had disposed of the Ecclesiastical Benefices according to his own will and pleasure he therefore resolved to receive Aquila and Abruzzo and the other complainants into his care and protection and to declare War against the King of Naples for carrying on of which with better success he entered into a League with the Venetians and drew to his Party the Princes of Colonna of Bisignano Salerno Altamura and Duke of Oliveto with many other Lords and great men of Naples making Robert Sanseverino the General of his Army On the other side the King combined with the Florentines and joyned the Orsiâ—i to his party and such were the animosities on both sides that a furious and bloody War began which was maintained for some time with changes and variety of fortune the evil consequences of which being by good and wise men esteemed fatal to Italy induced the Count De Pitigliano and the Cardinals of Angioio and Sforza to intercede and mediate between the two parties for a Peace but the Pope who conceived that he had reason and justice on his side refused to condescend unto equal terms and being farther encouraged by the aids given him from Charles the Eighth King of France of 300 thousand Crowns in mony with the recruits of 4000 Savoyards and 3000 Switzers he became inflexible and for some time continued resolute to maintain the War but at length considering the fatal conquences of it and how ill the effusion of blood becomes the gentle spirit of a Prelate he hearkened and condescended to Articles of peace on these following conditions That the King should pardon and forgive all the Lords and Barons who were his Subjects whether they belonged to the City of Aquila or to any other Town or part of his Dominions who had fled to the Pope for his succour and protection That he should not farther pretend to any Collation of Benefices That he should pay all the arrears of his Tribute at a convenient time appointed That Verginio Orsino should humble himself at the foot-stool of the Pope and demand his pardon All which Articles being agreed the King of Spain Lodowick Sforza and Lorenzo de Medicis with two Cardinals and James Trivoltii a great Favourite of the Popes became Guarrenties for the peace But no sooner had the Pope disbanded his Forces and Ferdinand freed from the apprehensions of War but with violation of his own Faith and in despight of the obligation of those who were engaged for him he refused compliance with the conditions he had agreed and concluded for he not only imprisoned the Barons and others who had sided with the Pope and four months after cut off their Heads and confiscated their Estates but likewise denied to pay his annual Tribute to the Papal Sea covering the breach of his Faith and the persidiousness of these acts with vain and frivolous pretences The Pope greatly incensed with extreme indignation against this dishonest treachery in which the Guarantees for the late Peace acknowledged him to have
taken from the Church during the time of the last Sede Vacante on conditions that he should hold those Lands of the Church with obligation of assisting the Pope with a certain number of men to be ready at his command when his occasions should require and in case at any time he acted any thing to the damage and prejudice of the Church that then he should incur severe Forfeitures and Penalties and lose his Investiture and be actually deprived of all those Liberties Immunities and Rights to which he pretended and laid a claim After these Affairs the Pope re-assumed the thoughts so often meditated by his Predecessors of driving the French out of Italy the which was also greatly desired by the Emperor Charles on supposition that the matter was practicable and easie in case they could induce the Venetians to separate from the French King to incline them hereunto Embassadors were dispatched from the Emperor and the King of England who at the same time sent a Herald to denounce War against the French King in case he would not make a Truce with the Emperor in all parts of the world for three years in which also the Pope the Duke of Milan and the Florentines were to be comprehended The pretence of this Truce was grounded on agreement of all Christian Princes to turn their Forces against the Turk who was now grown formidable in Hungary to which place Cardinal Cajetan war sent his Legate with a supply of fifty thousand Crowns to carry on that War But this design was disappointed by a discovery made by some Letters intercepted by Cardinal Julio de Medicis wrote from Francis Soderino one of the old Cardinals and much trusted by the Pope in all his secrets to Francis the first King of France wherein he persuaded him to invade the Kingdom of Sicily laying down the Plot and Design as easie and hopeful The Pope being greatly moved and enraged against Soderino who was Cardinal of Volterra for this perfidious disturbance of the quiet of Italy and disappointment of the Holy War greatly inveighed against him in a full Assembly of the Cardinals and afterwards committed him Prisoner to the Castle Soderino's Letters were then produced and read being full of reflections on the Pope saying That he was a person to whom no Faith or Credence could be given for tho he pretended the quiet and peace of Italy and the benefit of the Church yet he designed it no farther than was consistent with the advancement of his own Charles the Emperor to whose concernmentr all other considerations were to yield and give place The Pope took measures of the affections of all the other Cardinals by this character which Soderino had given of him and believing them to be all of the same humor entertained a like jealousie and suspicion of the Cardinals in general so that he made Confidents of none but of such men only as were of his own Country his Secretaries that were most intimate with him and privy to all his designs and secrets were William Eikenwort whom he had made Chief Datary and Bishop of Tortosa and the only Cardinal created by him and Theodorick Hetius both Dutch-men and John Rufus who had been his old Acquaintants and Creatures by whose counsels and advice he contrived and acted all matters which had relation to the Government and seldom communicated his Counsels and designs to the College but only to his Dutch-men whom he often praised for their sincere and real intentions without â—â—aud or artifice and for being truly faithful to the Church and loyal to him This ill correspondence between the Pope and his Cardinals was augmented by the offence he gave to the College by disanulling all the Acts and Ordinances they had made during the vacancy of the See and before he came to Rome which being made in favour to themselves and for their own benefit he made void for the greater good and emolument of the Church revoking and taking into his hands those Benefices which the Cardinals had out of favour and courtesie voted and bestowed on each other and such Offices as Pope Leo the tenth had conferred on able and good men in reward of their Learning and Virtue he took away to raise mony wherewith to supply and satisfie the urgent necessities of the Church This manner of proceeding added to the fuel of the last discontents made Adrian appear not only distrustful but covetous in a high degree and every day seem more odious and wearisome to the Clergy and Grandees of Rome of which the Pope being sensible would often say that the happy conjuncture of Affairs was greatly conducing to a Prince who desired to illustrate his Virtues and Actions to the most advantage witness the happy state of affairs in the time of the late Pope Leo which were so flourishing and chearful that they seemed to be the golden days which afterwards by that licentiousness which was crept into Rome during the long vacancy of the Sea and absence of this Pope were changed and altered by a total corruption of manners to which a contagion of Pestilence supervening joyned with Famine and War which greatly afflicted Italy the miseries of men caused them to retort their remembrances on the late more chearful days of Leo and by such unreasonable comparisons to pass a judgment between the Wisdom and Worth of Leo and Adrian making the unavoidable miseries of those times a matter and subject of odium and detestation of the present Pope tho in reality he was a person of a severe life of great temperance and desirous to reform abuses which were crept into the Church and correct and severely chastise the dissolute manners in the City such as Simony Extortion and Sodomy to which end he called to his assistance Caraffa Arch-Bishop of Chieti and Marcello Gazella of Gaeta both persons of gravity and sobriety and of singular Wisdom and Learning with whom he consulted touching a reformation of manners and amendment of abuses and to set by his own example rules of moderation and temperance he appeared extremely severe towards his own Relations and Kindred an instance whereof he gave in his deportment towards a Cousin of his whom he having setled in his Studies at Siena came one time from thence to Rom without the order or command of the Pope at which he conceived so much anger that he presently returned him back again on a hired Horse reproving and telling him that he should learn modesty and temperance by his example several Relations also of his being in a mean condition travelled afoot through Germany and came to Rome in expectation of arising to some considerable Preferments but he disappointed them of their hopes and returned them back again with no greater largess than a plain Suit of Cloth to each and with so much mony as might serve to bear their charges and expences back into their own Country And in this manner whilst Adrian was intent to introduce honesty of life and
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
the Emperor became more moderate in his terms and discourses on that subject during which time there was a most profound silence amongst all the Cardinals in that August Assembly But then as to the proposition made of a League between the Italian Princes for expulsion of the French the Pope did with singular respect to the Emperor approve and praise the pious affection he had for the care and repose of Italy but yet as to himself he could not recede from his Principle and resolution of Neutrality which he had grounded on the foundation of his Pastoral Office and Charge which enjoyned him to seek and endeavour to the utmost of his power an Union and Peace between Christian Princes and therefore he heartily urged him to a Peace with the King of France offering himself to become the Mediator and Umpire in the accord between them But so far was the Emperor Charles transported with anger and disdain against Francis the French King that he treated him with all the terms of obloquy that his rage could suggest concluding that nothing could determin or put a period to the differences between them but only the death of one of them two and therefore did publickly defie and challenge Francis to a single Combat but the Pope being desirous to mitigate this heat with fair words and gentle persuasions embracing him desired him not to give way to his passion and when the Embassadors of France would have answered something farther in favour of their King he required them to be silent resolving not to give ear to any of their Expostulations Hence a cruel War arose between the Empire and France for the Emperor having remained 14 days at Rome departed thence with design to Invade France and so passing through Toscany and the Jurisdiction of Genoua at the persuasion of Antonio de Leva he entered Provence where for want of all Provisions and by reason of the Distempers and Sicknesses which at that time reigned in that Country his Forces were reduced to great difficulties which was the reason that this War did not continue a year before a Truce was concluded of ten months between them the opportunity of which quiet interval the Pope improving for making a firm and constant Peace laboured to appease the incensed Spirits of those two Princes by an interview at Nice which he proposed as a place for their Meeting and where he himself offered to be personally present for tho being 73 years old his age might excuse him from the fatigue of such a Journey yet for the sake of the peace of Christendom and the piety of this work he offered himself to be Arbitrator of their Controversies the which being assented unto by the two Princes about the beginning of June 1538. the Emperor and the French King and the Pope also personally appeared at the place appointed where the Pope taking the Propositions and the Demands on both sides into consideration he found so many difficult and knotty points to be determined that despairing of any conclusion in manner of a Peace he proposed a Truce for ten years between them during which time all acts of Hostility were to cease and free Commerce and intercourse of Trade to be admitted between their Subjects the which being accepted by both parties the Emperor and King returned to their Dominions and the Pope to Rome where he was received with the common joy and acclamations of all the City But to return from these secular Disturbances and Treaties to matters more nearly relating to Religion and the Church It was now about twenty years that Luther had preached his Doctrins in Germany and other parts and that the Christian Princes had long desired a General Council against which this Paul the Third having never shewed himself averse but rather testified a willingness and inclinations thereunto it was now thought fit to assign the time and place for assembling this Council the which was published by a Bull penned with great caution and subtilty by six Cardinals and three Bishops lest the words should prejudice or in any wise infringe the Papal Authority the which was dated in publick Consistory the 12th of June and signed by all the Cardinals the Tenure of which was to this effect That since the time that this Pope entered into the Papal Dignity he never had more passionately desired any thing than to purge the Church of Christ the care of which was committed to his charge of all Errors and Schisms and to restore it to the ancient Discipline and severity of the Primitive times to effect which he judged no expedient so agreeable and proper as a General Council the which he had often signified both to the Emperor and other Kings in hopes that after all Errors were corrected and exploded and abuses in manners reformed that such a Sacred Convention would procure and beget a right understanding between all Christian Princes that laying aside all Quarrels and Animosities amongst themselves they would unite together in a War against Infidels for recovery of the Countries they had usurped and rescue of our Christian Brethren who suffer under their servitude and slavery To which end by virtue of that absolute Power committed to him by God and by and with the consent of his Brothers the Cardinals he did Indict and publish a General Council to be held at Mantoua at or upon the 27th of May of the year following Commanding and requiring all Bishops and Prelates of what degree or place soever to be assistant and present thereunto as they were obliged by Oath and by Holy Canons and Decrees instituted on such occasions Desiring and intreating the Emperor and all Christian Princes for the love of Jesus Christ to be present and assistant there in person if it were possible and consistent with their Affairs and if not then to depute their Embassadors and Ministers with plenary Power and Authority as they had already promised both to Clement and himself c. The Pope also published an other Bull at the same time to purge as he called it the City of Rome from Vices and corruption of manners that so as his intentions were to reform all that was amiss in the Christian world of which in spiritual matters he was the Head and Chief so it was most pious to begin at home that the streams from the original Source might descend more pure and limpid into other parts But the first Bull indicting a Council at Mantoua had not been long published before the Duke of that place considering that for the security thereof it would be necessary to maintain a stronger Garrison than usual the extraordinary charge and expence of which he demanded of the Pope with many other hard conditions derogatory to the Papal Power and such as did infringe that liberty which was always accorded to places where General Councils had been celebrated it was therefore thought fit to assign an other place the which being not as yet agreed the time of
The next day being the 25th of January which was the day of the Session all things were managed with great Order and Solemnity and after Mass was ended the Council sat and in the first place determined all points relating to the Sacrifice of the Mass and Sacrament of Ordination that those material Points might be passed before the arrival of the Protestants in expectation of whom as was then declared and in hopes that they came provided with real and peaceable intentions to acquiesce in the truth and confirm the Decrees of their Mother the Church and not to ruine and destroy its fundamental Principles they had prorogued their next Session until the 19th of March following and as to the form of the Safe Conduct it appeared to them so large and ample that nothing could be devised or imagined to render it more extensive or of greater validity With this and the like tenderness of brotherly compassion the Council seemed to outward appearance to treat the Protestants though the chief motive thereunto was to please the Emperor who apprehending great confusions and Wars in Germany on the score of Religion was earnest by all the Sollicitations his Ministers could make to bring matters to some tolerable accommodation The Emperor also being desirous to abate something of the Authority and arrogance of the Church imagined that the Protestants might be made use of as the happy Instruments to effect the same and that the depression of the Papal Power might encrease the grandeur of the Imperial The Pope and his Party discovering these secret agitations did after this last Session think little of the farther proceedings of the Council and therefore on force of this jealousie entertained private Treaties with France managed by the Cardinal Tournon in behalf of that King in pursuance and execution of which it was believed that an entire and absolute dissolution of the Council would necessarily follow of it self without any Act of the Pope therein Howsoever these matters not as yet discovered the Protestants testified their dislike of the Narrowness of the Passport as not comprehending that amplitude which their Princes required And also observing that the general Congregation proceeded to prepare all matters in Controversie concerning Marriage adoration of Images worship of Saints Purgatory and the like which they called Minute Points to be offered against the next Session all which were to be passed without the intervention of the Protestants they took just offence against the proceedings and complained thereof to the Emperor's Ministers of which also the Emperor himself taking notice dispatched an Express both to Trent and Rome giving them notice that this hasty precipitation of Affairs gave just cause to suspect that nothing was intended fairly towards the Protestants who on these due and reasonable Resentments would become more obdurate in their Opinions to prevent which he laid his Commands on the Prelats not to act or join in any farther proceedings which resolution being signified at a General Congregation all Synodical actions and Decrees were ordered to surcease until the pleasure of the Council should be known to the contrary The Pope being greatly incensed at this and other actions of the Emperor gave license to this Prorogation for a few days onely and that afterwards they should again assemble and reassume their Debates with such Christian fortitude as became their Ecclesiastical functions without respect to any worldly consideration During this vacation a Frier preaching on the Parable of the Tares sowed amongst the Wheat applyed that Doctrine to the present dissenting Opinions which he called Heresies and which ought as he said to be extirpated with fire and the gallows at which and other affronts the Protestants taking particular exceptions greatly complained of their ill usage which tended to make the breach wider and the Elector of Triers took this pretence to depart feigning also an excuse of his health though in reality a secret intelligence which he held with the French King was the cause thereof About the beginning of March the Ambassadours of Saxony received Letters from their Prince to prosecute their Demands with new instances to the Council giving them to understand that for the more effectual dispatch thereof he intended personally to wait on the Emperor which was cause of great amusement to the Papal Party but in a few days it was generally bruited that a League was made between the French King and the Protestant Princes to make War upon the Emperor which news giving an Alarm to the Electors of Mâ—tz and Cologne they departed taking Auspruck in their way homewards entered into serious and private consultations with the Emperor The Ambassadours likewise of Maurice Duke of Saxony fearing least in those rumours their Pesons were not safe privately withdrew from Trent and by different ways returned to their own Country Notwithstanding which the Ambassadours and Divines of Wirtemberg and two of Strasbourg remained still in Trent where not having been able to procure License for their Confession to be received and read in Council they printed several Copies of them and caused them to be dispersed in all places which gave publick offence to the whole Council nor could the Interest of the Imperial Ambassadours prevail farther for the Papal Party suspecting that all those instances made by the Emperour in behalf of the Protestants tended to no other end than to depress the Court of Rome embraced all occasions of excuses and delays for now the Emperor's interest was grown weak at Trent by the retirement of the German Bishops who upon the Alarm of Wars in their Country were retired to their own homes indeed the report of Wars raised by the French King in confederacy with the Princes of Germany against the Emperor was confirmed and Manifests and Protests in defence of Religion and the liberty of Germany were printed and published and in pursuance thereof on the first of April the Elector of Saxony laid siege to Augsbourg the which combustions had so great influence on the Affairs of Trent that the Italian Bishops departed as did also the Protestants and a small number of Prelats remaining and the Legat greatly indisposed in his health the Council broke up being prorogued for the space of two years during which time it was hoped and expected that the present storms would be blown over and Men return to a more mild and calm temper of spirit In this manner the Gown gave way to the Sword which commonly decides the most knotty difficulties and puts an end to long Disputes of Councils and the Schools For now Henry II. King of France having joyned his Arms with Maurice Duke of Saxony and other discontented Princes of Germany made War on the Emperor the King was inveterately angry for the injury he had received in the matter of Parma the Duke incensed by reason of the ill treatment of his Father-in-law Philip the Lantgrave of Hesse whom the Emperor suffered to languish in a tedious imprisonment and all in general
of Rome he behaved himself with great respect enlarging their Power and Authority adjoyning thereunto the jurisdiction of Tivoli which belonged to the Cardinal of Ferrara and to the People he enlarged their Priviledges and confirmed all their former Immunities by a new Charter But all this indulgence and kindness towards the Citizens was but in order to some Design of a higher nature which soon after discovered it self for whilest he was thus busied in matters of Government and things laudable enough in themselves he suffered some reports of a Plot against his Life to take impression in his mind which being suggested by many probable circumstances he immediately seized on the Persons of as many as were suspected to be guilty thereof and committed them to Prison and then joyning with the French and Switzers he commenced a War against Philip King of Spain by which those antient Feuds and Animosities between those Kings which had for some time been extinguished or as it were raked up in the Embers began again to revive and be enflamed The original and cause whereof was this Ever since the time that Rome had been sacked by the Spaniards who had plundered and sequestred the Estate and Rents of the Family of Caraffa this Pope Paul the 4th conceived an implacable anger and an inveterate hatred against that whole Nation the which also was encreased by that ill treatment and injustice which the Vice-King of Naples once used towards his own Person for he being created by Paul III. Arch bishop of Naples was debarred from the possession and benefits thereof by the Vice-King on no other pretence than that he was suspected to favour the French Party the which so enraged his impetuous spirit that with all the arguments which subtilty and malice could draw from the Topicks of Religion and publick good to the Church he endeavoured to persuade Paul III to a War against Naples promising him to assist him with the whole Estate of his Family and with all the interest he had which he pretended to be very great in that Kingdom but Paul III. being too prudent to give ear to his persuasions and Discourses commended his Piety and zeal towards the Church but refused to engage himself in that hazardous War So that the anger and fury of this Paul IV. being suppressed until he became Pope did then burst forth and vent it self so that then with thoughts full of disdain against the Spaniards and with imagination that the Napolitans would gladly shake off their yoke and be eased of the Spanish Servitude and that France would enter into the Alliance with him he positively resolved on a War swallowing already into his thoughts the enjoyment and addition of that Rich Kingdom to the Dominions of the Church This Design was promoted by a stricter Union with France occasioned in this manner Henry King of France had taken from Charles Sforza Prior of Lombardy two Gallies the which coming afterwards into the Port of Civita Vecchia Alexander the Brother of Charles and Chief Clark of the Camera or Chamberlain made seizure of them and without any respect to that Protection under which they were within the Pope's Harbour he carried them away by force to Gaeta of which the French Ministers at Rome complaining to the Pope he conceived not onely anger and indignation against Alexander but suspecting that such an action could not be contrived without the privity of his Brother the Cardinal he loudly exclaimed against him and clapt his Secretary Lotini into Prison who was lately returned with some secret Negotiations from the Emperour Charles V. the which serving to encrease and heighten the differences between them many Cabals and Consults were formed amongst the Cardinals of the Imperial Faction at which the Pope being alarm'd he reinforced his Guards and levied Soldiers and to break the seditious Meetings clapt the Cardinal and Camilla Colonna and the Abbot of Brisegna who was a Spaniard into Prison Mark Anthony Colonna who upon these stories was fled from Rome was cited to appear there and give answer to the Accusations charged against him but afterwards the Gallies being again restored to the French King Cardinal Sforza and Camillo Colonna upon Bail given were freed from Imprisonment but Alexander Sforza who was Chamberlain not appearing upon the Summons was deprived of his Office and because Mark Anthony Colonna did not appear at the time prefixed by the Summons all his Estate within the Territories of the Church was sequestred and seized to the use of the Pope with which Joan of Aragon the Mother of Colonna being greatly affrighted escaped secretly from Rome about the beginning of the year 1556. contrary to the Command and Injunction of the Pope with which he was so incensed that he then resolved to act and put all those mischiefs into practice against the House of Colonna which he had before onely meditated and contrived in his thoughts and in pursuance thereof he in the first place excommunicated Mark Anthony and his Father Ascanio Colonna and having confiscated all their Estate within the Dominions of the Church he bestowed it on his Nephew John Count of Montorio whom he created Duke of Paliano and not long after he declared Anthony Carafa an other Nephew to be Marquis of Montebello having lately dispossessed Count Bagno of that Marquisate for having converted those Moneys which the King of France sent to the Pope for carrying on the War in Italy to his own use All which served to incense the spirits of a great and powerful Faction and raise those Wars which ended in miserable desolation of Italy But the Pope who was of Opinion and often said that a happy Peace was onely to be procured by a calamitous War did in Order thereunto fortifie Paliano with all provisions requisite thereunto for that being a place situate on the frontiers of Naples was of great importance in that conjuncture And lest the Truce which was made for five years between the Emperor and France should be an obstruction to this War he dispatched Charles Caraffa his Legat to Henry II. pretending that his Message was in order to a farther accommodation and to convert the Truce into an everlasting Peace but the Negotiations of Caraffa being of an other nature he possessed Henry with great hopes and expectation of success by a War with Naples wherefore though at first he sent but two thousand Men for assistance of the Pope seeming to reserve some little respect to the Truce so lately concluded yet afterwards the Popes forces not being able to withstand the Power of the Imperialists a greater Army of twelve thousand Foot and two thousand Horse were sent to Naples under the conduct of Francis Duke of Guise With these Auxiliary aids the spirit of the Pope being highly swelled and become implacable he imprisoned Juliano Sesarini Camillo Colonna with his Bother the Arch-Bishop of Taranto and divers others whom he suspected to be in any manner affected and inclinable to the
of the Catholick Religion had by the Authority of the Inquisition established condemned some to the Gallies and others to the Fire yet finding that these severities operated little upon minds already prepossessed with an Opinion of Religion and Conscience he was desirous to make trial of the more gentle and soft means of Instructions lest his People becoming desperate under their hardship and torments should be persuaded to believe it lawful to take up Arms in defence of their Persons and their Religion The Pope ill relished this Proposal declaring that he would never consent to have his Authority put to compromise or his Power compounded for that he was well acquainted with what obstinacy the Hereticks maintained their Doctrines which were never to be confuted but by the Sword the which he esteemed to be the most effectual way of Instruction and having persuaded the Duke to that remedy a War was begun in the Valleys which continued for a long time Nor were the disturbances in France less grievous than in Savoy where many were put to death for no other cause than for their zeal to the true reformed Religion and the salvation of their own Souls though it is true that many who were ambitious and desirous of Novelty did under this guise and cloak of Religion and with pretence of rescuing the King and the Dignity of the Sovereign Magistrate from the usurpations and tyranny of the Duke of Guise and his Party take up Arms and enter into Rebellion against their King but being afterwards beaten and many killed others were afterwards tried and for their Offences justly condemned to die and to all others who being misguided by Religion should lay down their Arms in the space of twenty four hours Proclamation was made that they should be received to mercy by a full and plenary Pardon from his Majesty But now the humours of the People being moved and hopes conceived of obtaining liberty of Conscience great tumults were raised in Provence Languedoc Poitou and other places so that how to suppress these tumults and quiet the minds of the people which were feavered with the heats of Religion was the great matter debated in the Councils of France and whereas it was objected by the Cardinal Armagnac that no Ecclesiastical remedy could be applyed without the assent and concurrence of the Pope this scruple was soon exploded by the contrary Opinion of the most of the Council who alledged that God had given to every Nation a full Power and Authority within it self to provide remedies necessary and agreeable to the present government of their State without having recourse to forein and far distant Powers for as it were unreasonable in case of fire and terrible incendiations within the City of Paris to expect till waters were brought from the Tybur to extinguish the flames and in the mean time neglect the use of the more near and convenient streams of the Seine and Mearne so also would it be in this great conflagration of civil-War to neglect remedies at home until we can fetch them from remote and distant Countries In short therefore it was agreed that a National Council should be assembled composed of all the Prelats of the Kingdom whose business it should be to consult and find out means to give a stop to the growing evils and to the course of those infections which were ready to poison and overwhelm the whole Kingdom Howsoever lest this Edict for summoning a National Council should be ill taken by the Pope and interpreted for a point of disrespect to the Apostolical Sea without his consent thereunto or at least an intimation given thereof it was ordered that the Ambassadour residing at Rome should by word of mouth represent the many dangers and growing evils within the Kingdom of France which could be cured by no other remedy than a National Assembly and that the dangers thereof were so pressing as not to admit the slow Methods of forein Assistance These matters being exactly in this manner represented to the Pope were very ill resented by him judging that such an Assembly of Prelats could not be convened without a breach of the Ecclesiastical Canons nor without prejudice to the Papal Authority which to make more clearly appear he resolved to dispatch the Bishop of Viterbo into France to make known unto his Majesty That such an Assembly was never admitted by former Popes in any Country or Kingdom whatsoever they being well assured that such a meeting would serve to no other end than to administer unto greater division and confusion and produce a Schism in the Church Catholick and That it would serve farther to exalt the pride of the Prelats inspiring them with an Opinion of some superiour Authority inherent in them above that of the Pope or of the King but if he would apply a true and an effectual remedy none could be so successful as a General Council which he had resolved shortly to assemble and that in the mean time nothing could be so available as that the Bishops be commanded to repair to their respective Dioceses and the Curats to their Parishes and there to watch over their Flocks and hinder Thieves and Wolves from breaking within the Fold and finally desired that their Spiritual Authority might be reinforced by the Power of the Civil Magistrate and the Arms of Regal force The Bishop of Viterbo being with these Instructions dispeeded into France he was farther commanded in his Journey thither to negotiate matters in the same form at the Court of Savoy and to incite the Duke to make War upon Geneva which they called the Nest of Heresie and the root from whence sprang all the false Doctrines of the new Religion the Bishop accordingly did not fail on his part to represent all matters to the Duke agreeable to his Instructions and found in him a ready disposition to embrace all the Proposals made him by the Pope especially the Enterprise against Geneva provided that with the consent both of Spain and France he might possess and enjoy that City This Demand was easily admitted on the side of Spain but they well knew that it would never be granted by France which had long aspired to that Dominion to which the Spaniards would accord being more willing to see that place the Capital Throne of the new Religion than a Seat of the French Power for that being near to the Dukedom of Burgundy might prove an ill Neighbour to that part of the Spanish Dominions Howsoever that the King of Spain might follow the Pope's inclinations in concurrence with the French as far as prudence and caution directed he dispatched Don Antonio de Toledo his Ambassadour into France to offer unto that King his utmost assistance and to joyn his Arms unto his for the total ruin and extirpation of Heresie But the Court of France would yield no ear to either of these Propositions they would gladly indeed have had the possession of Geneva but the Enterprise seemed difficult
occasions of this King with Money he gave license to sell and alienate so much of the Church Lands in France as might suffice for the carrying on of this War in which Trust of Sales the Cardinals of Lorain and Bourbon being made Commissioners the Lands belonging to the Church which were then sold amounted to the value of one hundred and fifty thousand Crowns of yearly Revenue In the next place it was this Pope Pius V. who out of his great zeal excommunicated Elizabeth Queen of England with all her Subjects of the same profession And in the year 1569. conferred on Cosmo de Medicis Duke of Florence the Title of Great Duke of Tuscany in Gratitude for which the Duke coming to Rome to acknowledg the honour done him was there crowned with a Ducal Crown by the hands of the Pope about the Circle of which this Motto was engraven Pius quintus Pont. Max. ob eximiam Dilectionem ac Catholicae Religionis Zelum praecipuumque Justitiae studium donavit Then to demonstrate his zeal against the Turks the prevailing Enemies over Christianity under the conduct of Solyman the Magnificent who at that time was entered into Hungary with an Army of two hundred thousand fighting Men He instantly desired and exhorted the Christian Princes unto Unity amongst themselves that they might repulse the common Enemy of the Christian Faith and to shew that he would not persuade others to that performance in which he did not readily offer himself to be an Example he freely sent unto the Emperour a Present of ninety thousand Ducats with promise to furnish fifty thousand Crowns more every year so long as the Wars should continue And indeed at that time there needed Counsel and Arms and Money to resist Solyman who had besieged the strong Fortress of Segeth which was then commanded by Count Serini whose Family like that of Hanibal against the Romans had ever sworn enmity and irreconcileable hatred to the Turks It happened that though Solyman died in the Siege against this City yet the assaults and force were continued by Mahomet the Grand Visier who concealed the death of Solyman until he had first advised the news thereof unto his Successour Sultan Selim the Second during which time he plied the Town with such continual storms as reduced the Defendants to the last extremity and to a resolution of selling their Lives at the dearest rate which they accordingly performed by a Sally of five hundred Men in which all of them being slain with their Leader Count Serini the Town was soon after surrendered into the hands of the Turk It was now the year 1570. when Sultan Selim succeeding his Father the Great Solyman and being a Prince as ambitious and as desirous to enlarge his Empire as was his Predecessour resolved upon the Conquest of Cyprus then belonging to the Venetian Dominions But that he might not seem to attempt the Countries of his Neighbour before he had first denounced War he dispatched a Chiaus to Venice demanding the surrender of the Kingdom of Cyprus as a dependance on the City of Constantinople and a Member of the Grecian Empire to which he had gained a Title by the power of his Sword This Message or Summons being delivered in full Senate was seconded by many Incursions made into Dalmatia and Sclavonia and great preparations for transporting Soldiers into Cyprus The Venetians being thus assaulted by the potent Enemy of Christendom applyed themselves to the Pope desiring him that he would be pleased out of his paternal commiseration to the Christian Cause to administer some effectual help from his own hand and exhort all other Christian Princes to enter into a League and unite their Forces against the common Enemy of the Christian Faith In compliance with this Request the Pope prevailed with the King of Spain to furnish the Venetians with fifty Sail of Galleys under the Command of John Andrew d' Oria a valiant and experienced General requiring him to obey Mark Anthony Colonna Commander in Chief of the Pope's Gallies and accordingly in the Month of August 1570. a very considerable Force met at the Rendezvouz in Candia consisting of one hundred and eighty Gallies eleven Galeasses and six Ships of War But the Turks being more forward in this Expedition had a Month before that time landed a formidable Army in the Island of Cyprus where after having taken the Cities of Nicosia and Famagosta with great effusion of blood they made themselves Masters of the whole Island whilest in the mean time the two great Commanders Colonna and D' Oria being at variance for D' Oria refused to yield to Colonna the design was frustrated and the Fleets returned home without any Action considerable in that Voyage which verified the truth of that saying of Livy Quam plurium imperium bello inutile However â—his ill success did not discourage these Allies from making farther trial of their fortune for being all concerned to resist the Turk they renewed their League again for the succeeding year which was An. 1571. And that they might prevent the misunderstandings which the year before had happened between the two Generals it was agreed that Don John d' Austria who was natural Brother to the King of Spain should be Commander or Generalissimo of the whole Navy that Mark Anthony Colonna General of the Pope's Gallies should be his Lieutenant and accordingly preparations being made Messina in the Island of Sicily was appointed for the place of Rendezvouz where about the Month of August the whole Fleet joined together consisting of one hundred Venetian light Gallies 6 Galleasses two Ships besides Brigantines Felucas and other smaller Vessels under Dominico a Nobleman of Venice The Pope's Gallies were twelve commanded by Mark Anthony Colonna and the Fleet or Spain commanded by Don John d' Austria consisted of eighty one Gallies amongst which the three Gallies of Malta were comprehended and twenty two Sail of Ships With this Force this mighty Fleet departed from Messina on the 16th of September 1571. and sailed to Corfu a safe Port belonging to the Venetians in the Adriatick Sea where having advice that the Turks Armata was in the Gulf of Lepanto they weighed Anchor and stood directly for that place where on the 3d of October they joined Battel with the Turks and gave them that memorable overthrow which hath ever since disabled them from forming any considerable Force at Sea against the Christians for in that fight the which continued not above five hours the most formidable Fleet that was ever equipped or set out from Constantinople was destroyed for they lost one hundred and seventeen Gallies eighty Brigantines or smaller Vessels which were sunk or burn'd or put ashoar forty Sail of Gallies or thereabouts were taken in the pursuit Of the Turks were killed thirty two thousand Men amongst which were many Bashaws and Beglerbeges and three thousand five hundred Captives were taken and fifteen thousand poor Christians were released who had been chained to
Camera under Julius III. he was made Secretary Apostolical and sent Vice-Legat with Cardinal Cigalla into the Campaign of Rome Under Paul IV. he was ordained Priest and Bishop of Veste and in the year 1562. he was employed to the Council of Trent where he remained until the prorogation thereof Under Pius IV. he was constituted Assessor of the Papal Chappel and on St. Gregory's day was created Cardinal of St. Sixtus and employed by him for his Legat into Spain from whence returning again to Rome in the time of Pius V. he performed his several Offices with such Integrity and general satisfaction that having acquired a singular Fame and good esteem he was by the common consent of all the Cardinals and particular concurrence of Morone Granvel Farnese Altemps and Borromeo who were the Leading Men in the Conclave promoted to the Papal Chair and on the 13th of May 1572. declared Pope stiling himself by the Name of Gregory XIII out of the great devotion and respect he had to Saint Gregory Nazianzen on whose Festival he had been created Cardinal In which Election there was nothing more remarkable than that it was made in the space of four or five hours different to the Customs and former practices of Conclaves in which by Factions and Artifices of prevailing Cardinals Elections have been protracted for several Months On the day of Pentecost or Whitsunday Gregory XIII being Crowned and established in the Papal Chair his first Enterprise was in prosecution of the Design commenced by his Predecessour against the Turk in which the Spaniard and Venetians being already engaged the Pope for better strengthening of this League dispeeded Fulvio Cardinal of Vrsino into France unto Charles IX with Letters exhorting him to enter into the Alliance and sacred League which he with other Princes had formed against the Turk but that King being then engaged in a War with his Protestant Subjects had neither Men nor Mony to spare so that the Legat returned to Rome with fair words and professions only of Obedience to the Papal Sea Howsoever the Allies being encouraged by their late success proceeded in the War in order unto which Colonna was confirmed General of the Gallies by this Pope's Commission and with his Fleet joyned to that under the command of the Providitor General Soranzo and to 20. Gallies supplyed by Don John of Austria who promised to follow them with the main body of his Fleet unless he were diverted by the Wars in Flanders they sailed to the Rendezvouz at Corfu Towards the end of July 1572. they arrived at Corfu and there joyning with Foscarini General of the Venetians composed a considerable Fleet consisting of one hundred and thirty Gallies six Galleasses and ten Ships with which they esteemed themselves of sufficient strength to encounter the Turks whose force notwithstanding the late Defeat was reported to consist of two hundred and fifty Sail but they being for the most part Vessels built in haste and framed of green and unseasoned Timber were notwithstanding their numbers esteemed of inferiour force to the well-built and equipped Fleet of the Christians who on that confidence resolved to attaque the Turks then anchoring on the Coast of Mavoisia The Christians being come as near to them as Cerigo weighed their Anchors and had sight of the Turks about Capomalio upon which Vzun Hali Captain Pasha of the Turk's Armata not adventuring to stand a shock with so well composed and so well ordered a Force turned the stern of his Gallies to the Enemy and rowed to the Westward directing his course to the Isle of Cervi the Christians in the mean time toaing their heavier Vessels pursued them so slowly that the Night came on before they arrived within shot of the Enemy at which time Vzun Hali putting a good face on the business as if he intended to engage but with hopes that the Night would soon separate them he turned the Prow of his Gallies on the Enemy whom when he observed coming on with heat and valour he tacked about and basely put himself into flight and rowed away so hard that the Christians not being able to overtake him returned again to Cerigo where having remained for the space of two days they returned again in pursuit of the Turks and on the 10th of August they discovered them at an Anchor in the Port of Quailes under Cape Matagan The Turks on fight of the Christians not daring to engage with them fled and saved themselves in the Port of Coron from whence the Christians returned again to their Rendezvouz in Cerigo By this time advices came that Don John was arrived with his Fleet at Corfu and that he was highly displeased that the Confederates should endeavour to engage the Enemy without the conjunction of his Forces Colonna was sensibly touched at this displeasure of Don John as were all the other Commanders and therefore it was agreed to return unto Corfu to unite themselves with Don John which being accordingly performed and the Forces joyned the whole Fleet consisted there of one hundred and eighty light Gallies eighteen Ships and six Galleasses Upon this conjunction of Forces a Counsel of War being held it was resolved to surprise the Turks in Coron but they having Watches on the top of the Hills discovered the Christian Fleet at a distance by which means they had time to retire to the Port of Modon which being a secure and well guarded place they could not be provoked by all the insults and defiance the Christians could make to adventure a Battel with them for now not farther confiding in their Maritime Forces they applyed themselves to fortifie the Hills and Eminences about the Town with Canon for better defence and security of the Haven by which this Enterprise on Modon appearing difficult the Christians resolved to attempt the Castle of Navarine and to that end landed three thousand Italians and one thousand two hundred Spaniards under the command of Prince Alexander Farnese intending the next day to raise Batteries against the Castle but being advised by some fugitive Slaves which escaped from the Turks that great preparations were making and eight thousand Horse were already in a Body for the relief of the Castle the Design was given over and the Forces recalled again aboard the Fleet upon whose retreat a Body of ten thousand Horse appearing the Christians had been greatly worsted had they not embarked under the security of their own Cannon It being now about the 7th of October that the Winds were high the Rains falling in great abundance and the Seas unsafe for Gallies and no hopes appearing that the Enemy would be drawn to an Engagement it was resolved to conclude the Designs of this year And so the Christian Fleet sailing to the Westward Don John and Colonna directed their course to Messina and Foscarini to Corfu When the success of this year was told the Pope his Answer was That it was well it was no worse for if the
first year of his Reign had been celebrated with the like glory as was the former his beginning would have been too happy and auspitious Therefore that the ensuing year might prove more fortunate he intended to make it his chief employment of the whole Winter to offer his Prayers and supplications to God with fasting Masses and Processions that he would be pleased to favour and assist the Cause and Arms of the Christians against the Enemies of the Cross of Christ But whilst the Pope was meditating of these things and contriving means to prosecute the War with most advantage the Venetians unexpectedly about the beginning of the year 1573. clapt up a Peace with the Turks by the mediation of their Bailo who then with the French Ambassadour at Constantinople had treated the Conditions with good success to which Sultan Selim the more readily inclined for having done right to his honour by the Conquest of Cyprus and by taking several Fortresses in Dalmatia he more easily condescended to terms of Peace without diminution or disparagement as was supposed to the greatness of his Power But both the Pope and the Spaniards were not satisfied with the Venetians for having without their consent and privity and contrary to the Articles of their League made this Peace with the Turk In excuse for which the Venetians dispatched their Ambassadours to the Pope and King of Spain giving them to understand that the extream urgency of their Affairs which by many circumstances were rendered difficult had forced them to an Accommodation with the Turk and in like terms they expressed themselves to Cardinal Buoncompagno the Pope's Nephew whom Gregory had in the year 1574. sent unto Venice to complement Henry King of Poland who by the death of Charles IX was returning by that way into France to take possession of that Kingdom In this manner the Pope being eased of his expensive War against the Turk converted the current of his Treasure to the assistance of Henry III. against his Protestant Subjects in France for supply of which he raised the sum of four hundred thousand Crowns by Impositions which he laid on Cities belonging to the Church and confirmed the Bull given by Pius V. for sale of Church-Lands of which there remaining as yet to the value of fifty thousand Crowns of yearly Rent unsold he constituted the Cardinals of Bourbon Guise and Lewis d' Eâ—â—e Commissioners for the Sales Nor was this Pope in other matters esteemed less generous and magnificent for to the Duke of Bruswick who came to visit him at Rome he made a Present of seven thousand Crowns and erected many Churches there from the foundation and built Colleges and Churches to the number of twenty seven in divers remote parts of the World for Seminaries and places of Worship and Religion And for the more solemn and ornamental Celebration of the Jubilee in the year 1575. he enlarged the Street leading from the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore to the Lateran for the more commodious passage of Pilgrims and having repaired the Portico or Porch of S. Maries which was become ruinous he caused this Inscription to he engraven over it Gregorius XIII Pont. Max. Eugenii labantem Porticum refecit magnificentius restituit Viam rectam ad Lateranum aperuit Anno Jubilei MD. LXXV In this year arose dangerous Discords and civil Dissentions between the antient and the new Nobility of Genoua to which latter the Commonalty of the City adhered having by them been possessed with an Opinion that the Antient Nobles in favour of whom most of their Laws ran intended to usurp such an Authority over them as should be little different from Slavery this jealousie made so deep an impression in the minds of the people that they betook themselves to Arms and had proceeded to blood and ruin had not a stop been made thereunto by the Wisdom and Oratory of Senarega the Chancellour who being a moderate Person and one of whose prudence and honesty the people had a great Opinion persuaded both Parties to remit their differences to the Pope the Emperor Maximilian and the King of Spain The which being accorded on all hands Senarega was in behalf of the New Nobility dispeeded to the Pope with whom whilst he was stating the case between both Parties Intelligence was brought to Rome that Don John d' Austria was then at Gaeta preparing a very great Fleet against Genoua in expectation and with probable hopes to prevail by the means and advantages of those intestine Discords of the City But the Pope at the request and upon the applications made by Senarega dispatched a Letter to Don John exhorting him to desist from his Design which was so displeasing to him that in case he persisted therein he was resolved to raise all the force of Italy to oppose his Enterprise the which Menaces having given a stop to the proceedings of Don John several persons were substituted Arbitrators in these differences by the Pope the Emperor and the King of Spain namely Cardinal Morone Castacciaro Borgia and Idiaquez who taking the state of the whole matter into their consideration rectified and reformed many antient Statutes established new in their places and so governed all things with that even hand that an accord was made and concluded in the Month of May 1576. with that satisfaction to both Parties that the Citizens and Inhabitants who had retired from Genoua for fear of the civil Dissensions returned again to enjoy their repose and ease according to their accustomed Liberty Nor was the Pope less concerned for the Peace of Poland where great differences arose amongst the Nobility as hath been accustomary about the election of a King For Henry III. of France having as we have said resigned his Elective Government to take possession of his hereditary Kingdom of France the Election of a new King administred great cause of dispute and argument by reason of the many powerful Princes which stood in competition and were Candidates for the Election as namely the Emperor Maximilian II. and Ernest his Son with his Brother the Arch Duke of Austria Stephen Battori Prince of Transilvania Alphonso II. Duke of Ferrara together with the Great Duke of Moscovy The Contests between these mighty Rivals proceeded to that degree that nothing but force of Arms could determine the Controversie which the Arch-bishop of Gnesne with many other Associates intending to prove forsook the place of Election and with armed Bands declared for Maximilian the Emperor against whom an other party appeared in favour of Anne Daughter of the Royal Family of Jagellona in Poland intending in right of her to confer in Marriage the Crown upon Battori Prince of Transilvania but these dissentions were soon after concluded by the death of Maximilian the Emperor Battori being after his Marriage with Anne by general consent of all the Nobles received and crowned King of Poland and thereupon sent his Ambassadours to Rome to pay his respects and obedience to the
that which was of greatest importance to him was the success of the League against Henry King of Navarre to support and strengthen which he dispatched the Bishop of Viterbo into France with Instructions and Money to favour the Party and Interest of the Allies against the King and his Protestant Party who stood Excommunicated by Pope Sixtus Iâ— is not our part here to relate all the passages and successes of that War being that which appertains to the History of France we can onely say that Henry IV. being victorious in all the Battels which he fought and having entered all the Provinces of that Kingdom with Triumph we may imagine that France stood at that time on its vertical point of becoming all Protestant But certainly that wise King considering that Victory in War is not sufficient to settle a Prince quiet and secure in his Throne unless his inauguration be attended with the affection of his People and a concurrence or conformity with the professed and established Religion of the Country did suffer himself to be overborn by those arguments which were produced in favour of the Church of Rome whose greatest weight consisted in those considerations which had respect to the Union and peace of the Kingdom And thereupon all the pretences of opposition to their lawful Sovereign being taken off from the people Meaux Lion Orleans and Bourges with other places which stood in Rebellion against him submitted to his pleasure and the King was received into Paris with all joy and triumph imaginable The King having made profession of the Roman Catholick Faith was absolved by the Arch-bishop of Bourges in the Church at St. Denys at which the Pope was highly displeased in regard the absolution of Monarchs in cases of Heresie could not be performed but by the Pope himself in Person or by immediate Deputation from him Howsoever the Duke of Nevers being sent Ambassadour to Rome carrying with him from the Nuntio Attestations of the King 's sincere conversion which was confirmed not long afterwards by the Sieur du Perron the Excommunication was taken off which Pope Sixtus had thundred against him and having received him for the eldest Son of the Church the Pope solemnly gave him his Absolution and blessing in the year 1595. In this year Pope Clement restrained the liberal Grants of Indulgences which having for Money been issued to every Chapman they became common even to contempt for remedy of which he imposed a greater difficulty on the concessions of them He also at that time relieved the people of Rome by abatements on the price of Corn having caused great quantities to be imported from Sicily he likewise suppressed by his Naval Force the many Pirats which infested the Mediterranean Sea and concluded a League between himself the Emperor the Prince of Transilvania and the Princes of Germany against the Turk for the effectual prosecution of which he afterwards in the year 1597. sent ten thousand Men into Hungary paid at his own charge under the conduct of Francis Aldebrandino which being joyned with six thousand which the Emperour sent into Transilvania and other Forces raised and paid by the circles of the Empire composed a strong and formidable Army against the Turk Howsoever the Wars between France and Spain still continuing without any probable appearance of accommodation the Turk availed himself of those unhappy divisions and forced the Emperor to raise the Siege of Raab and shamefully caused the Transilvanians to retreat from Temeswar and being victorious in all parts of Hungary threatned to enter Germany by force of Arms with which the Pope being greatly alarm'd and fearing the success of the common Enemy of Christendom bended all his thoughts towards making a Peace between Spain and France which he hoped to effect in that juncture of time when the circumstances of Christendom made it almost necessary to put an end unto the War In this grand Affair he employed Cardinal Alexander de Medicis who was afterwards his Successour to be his Legat to Henry IV. of France and by his Nuntio who resided with Philip II. in the Court of Spain he used many instances and warm Exhortations persuading both of them that laying aside the hatred and animosities which were between them they would seriously apply themselves to embrace such Conditions which might produce Amity and a Christian peace between them that so they might join in a League against the Turk who was now victorious and breathed out ruin and destruction to all Christendom but because these two Princes were high spirited and haughty as not to be the first to condescend and ask a peace the General of the Cordelier Friers was employed by the Pope to carry the Offers and proposals of mediation between one and the other in which he had such success that labouring with the Legat and Monsieur de Sillery who was aftewards made Chancellour of France they agreed at St. Quintin on the most difficult and disputable Points and Conditions which were afterwards perfected and concluded at Vervins in the year 1598. But that which had like to have interrupted and spoiled all this Treaty was the restitution of the Marquisat of Salluces which the French King demanded of the Duke of Savoy but lest this pretension should frustrate and defeat the former Agreement the King was contented to constitute the Pope sole Arbitrator and Judg of this difference promising to stand to his Umpirage and Award provided that his Sentence were published in one year after the Date of this present Peace But this Peace did not produce that union of Arms against the common Enemy as the Pope expected the Kings resolving to make use of this Peace for the quiet and repose of their Subjects and therefore taking no notice of any preparations against the Turk they dispatched their respective Letters to the Pope freighted with Salutes and Thanks for the good Offices he had performed towards the happy establishment and conclusion of a Peace But before this Peace was agreed in the Month of October 1599. Alfonso d' Este the second of that Name Duke of Ferrara died without issue Male by which the City of Ferrara and the Territory thereunto belonging devolved to the Papal Chair which the Pope made known to the Cardinals in a full Consistory with his Claim thereunto according to antient Articles agreed between the Ancestors of the Duke of Ferrara and the Sea of Rome But news coming afterwards that Cesare d' Este Bastard brother of the Duke deceased had made seisure and taken possession of the Dukedom by vertue of his Brother's Testament resolving to defend his Title thereunto by force of Arms the Pope was greatly troubled and incensed and immediately gave Orders to raise an Army of twenty five thousand Foot and three thousand Horse to march under the Command of his Nephew Cardinal Aldobrandino John Francis Aldobrandino being as we have said at that time in Hungary and to make these temporal Arms the more available he accompanied
was excluded Campori made the greater bustle and so also did Aquino but great and strong Parties opposing against them vacated their Elections At length Cardinal Borghese naming Ludovisio was followed by a general concurrence of almost all the Cardinals almost we may say because Campori upon the news thereof turned pale and ready to fall into a swoon Aldobrandino also and Aquino fell sick and were carried out of the Conclave and Aquino having now lost all hopes of being made Pope took it so grievously to heart that in two days he departed this life Thus Ludovisio being elected he was conducted into the Chappel Parlina where he was vested in his Pontificalibus and acknowledged and adored for Pope on the 21th of February 1621. and took the name of Gregory XV. This Pope was born at Bologna on the third of January 1554. his Father was Count Pompeo Ludovisio and his Mother Camilla Blanchina he was in his youthful years educated in the Jesuits Colledg at Rome where he was instructed in all sorts of Humane and Philosophical Learning returning afterwards to Bologna he studied the Civil Law in which he arrived to the degree of Doctor and thence again setling himself at Rome he gained the friendship of three succeeding Popes by Gregory XIII he was chosen and created Principal Judg of the Capitol by Clement VIII he was made Referendary of both Signatures and presided in all Civil Causes in the place of Deputy to Cardinal Rusticuccio the Pope's Vicar he was afterwards assumed into Commission with the Auditors of the Rota which Office one of his Ancestors named Lodowick Ludovisio had about one hundred and fifty years before with great satisfaction and prudence admitted He was likewise by the same Clement VIII adjoyned in Commission with Maffeo Barbarini Clerk of the Apostolical Chamber who afterwards was Pope and sent to Beneventum to appease Tumults and Seditions arisen between the Officers of the Pope and those of the King of Spain And lastly Paul V. created him Arch-bishop of Bologna upon promotion to which Prelacy he wrote a Letter to his Diocesans full of Charity and paternal affection which was printed at Bologna and is extant at this day About this time a War was begun between Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy and Ferdinand Duke of Mantoua grounded on certain differences about some places in the Dutchy of Montferrat which were the cause of great trouble in Milan and other places of Italy in regard that Philip III. King of Spain took part with the Duke of Mantoua to appease which disturbances and compose which differences Pope Paul employed this Alexander Ludovisio qualifying him with the Title of his Nuntio in those three Provinces to confer with the Ambassadours of France and Spain in which negotiation he so well acquitted himself and with such honour towards the Papal Sea that Peace being concluded and all Disputes ended the Pope in reward of the pains and prudence of Ludovisio on the 20th of November 1616. promoted him to the degree of Cardinal with which Title he resided in his Diocese until news came of the death of Paul V when he immediately repaired to Rome and entred the Conclave on the 8th of February with the other Cardinal and on the 21th of that month was himself created Pope Some few days after which being crowned in St. Peter's Church with the usual pomp he took possession of the Sovereign Power of the Church in the Church of St. John de Lateran which Ceremonies being past he published Jubilies and Pardons over all Christendom to all such who should with sincere minds pray for the prosperity and happiness of his Reign At this time a War began to be inflamed between the Inhabitants and Neighbours of the Valteline in which the Kings of Spain and France became involved the causes and original of which doth not appertain to this History Spain being desirous to interest Gregory in this Cause offered to deposite the Forts of the Valteline in his hands making great ostentations of their desires to Peace and quietness but in Rome the Opinions and Counsels upon an offer of such importance were doubtful and divided for those who penetrated the most deeply into matters of Policy were not willing that the Authority of the Church and Power of the Pope should be so far engaged or that the professed neutrality and mediation should run so much hazard for that being once accepted by the Pope the Conditions of Peace would be rendered more difficult and perhaps impossible for if in case an agreement should happen between two Kings of restoring all things to their former estate it would be difficult to conceive with what decency the Pope could restore into the hands of the Protestants whom he esteemed Hereticks those places which were committed to his Guardianship and custody The Venetian Republick being of the same Opinion sent Soranzo Ambassadour Extraordinary to Rome to disuade the Pope from lending his Name and Authority to the interests of Spain but he yielding an Ear to his Nephews who were overcome by Pensions and Benefices from Spain was possessed with an Opinion and belief that at the appearing of his Colours all the Arms of the Enemy would out of Veneration fall from their hands upon which the glorious memorial of Peace preserved and Religion protected would remain as an Ornament to his Name and a Crown upon his Sepulcre But the French shewed themselves displeased that Gregory had not expected the sence of that Crown upon the matter before he resolved to accept the Deposite howsoever in the French Councils the Opinion prevailed that the Pope should accept of the Deposite with certain limitations and reserves and it was declared that the Deposite should remain until the end of July it being now the month of May within which time the Forts being demolished and all restraints upon the Grisons and Armies removed which did oppress them affairs should be restored to their former State which not being performed the League should supplicate the Pope to join himself to their Arms thereby to obtain the effect In pursuance of these resolutions the Duke of Fiano the Pope's own Brother a dull and sottish Man was sent with fifteen thousand Foot and five hundred Horse to take possession of the Towns to be deposited but had been resisted in the Valley had not the Governour of Milan removed all obstacles but these matters came to no maturity for amidst these transactions the Pope departed this life In the year 1622. Lewis XIII of France was involved in great Wars against his Protestant Subjects and rendered himself Master of the Provinces of Poictou Xantonge Gascony Dauphino and Languedoc Philip IV. King of Spain was employed in Wars against the Hollanders likewise the Emperour Ferdinand II. waged Wars with the Protestants in Germany and with assistance of Marquis Spinola and the Duke of Bavaria despoiled the Prince Palatine of the Rhine of his Dominions and having the plunder of Heidelberg the Duke of Bavaria
it was thought a convenient season in the heat of these Negotiations for the Pope to propose the restoration of the Jesuits to their possessions on the Dominions of Venice from whence they had been banished on occasion of the differences between Paul V. and the Venetians Carlo Carafa Bishop of Antwerp then Nuntio at Venice represented the Pope's desires herein at a full Senate laying before them the conveniences they might expect and benefits they might reap by closing with the Pope's demands in this Case which seemed to be much changed since the first Original Decree and bando against them for that those Jesuits who had fomented the divisions and Sedition were already dead and that those who were to supply their places would be more cautious and careful for the future in what manner they incurred the displeasure of the Republick these considerations being seconded by warm instances of the French Ambassadour to the same purpose the matter was carried in the Senate for restoration of the Jesuits and though the antient Decrees of the Senate in this case were positive and rigorous to the contrary and that Cavalier Soranzo greatly opposed the admission yet the pressure of Affairs and the necessity of gratifying the Pope was such that the former Decrees were repealed and the Laws against the Jesuits made void and in this manner and on this occasion in the year 1657. they again restored to their possessions within the Venetian Dominions the Church of the Crociferi being conferred upon them in the City of Venice The whole Court of Rome being gratified by this concession not onely the Pope but the Cardinals also concurred in their liberal contributions towards maintenance of the War against the Turk of which five especially were signally bountiful and munificent above the others namely Antonio Barberino who gave one hundred thousand Ducats in Gold Cardinal Mazarine gave two hundred thousand Francisco Barberino and Flavio Ghigi agreed to maintain three Gallies at their own expence and lastly Cardinal Nicholas who was a Count of the Bath not having sufficient Estate in ready Money to make such a contribution as he desired sold his Palace and Houshold-stuff and Vineyards that he might be registred amongst the Benefactors to this War At this time also the Ottoman Arms prevailed against the Emperour in the upper parts of Hungary so that Varadin was taken and the Turks became very formidable Wherefore that Pope Alexander might not seem less sollicitous for conservation of the Emperour than he was for the Venetians he issued considerable sums out of his Treasury and laid a Decimation on the Revenue of the Clergy over all Italy wherewith to assist the Imperial Arms and farther wrote Letters to the Kings of France and Spain then busily employed in a Treaty at the Pyreneans that having concluded a Peace amongst themselves and confirmed and strengthned the Alliance by the ties and Obligations of a Marriage they would have respect to the Wars in Hungary which were carried on by the Turk to the destruction and ruin of the Christian Cause But we are not here to omit that this Treaty of the Pyreneans which was held in the Island of Pheasants where the Marriage was concluded between the present King Lewis XIV and Maria Teresa Infanta of Spain was acted and carried on between Cardinal Mazarini and Don Luis d' Haro without the mediation and concurrence of this Pope Alexander which seems the more strange in regard that this very Pope was Nuntio at Munster and once managed that Treaty there in behalf of Innocent X. with great applause and proof of his abilities and integrity and was personally known to the Cardinal many therefore and various were the reflections on this Point by the Politicians of those times and many Writers on this Subject have assigned divers Causes and reasons for it Some would have it that during the time that Cardinal Mazarine and the Pope then in quality of Nuntio were together in Germany several differences had arisen between them not then reconciled and that the Nuntio had always shewn some partiality towards the Court of Spain for which cause Mazarine had opposed the election of him to be Pope and though afterwards he had been sweetned by the character and commendations which Sachetti had given of him yet still some acrimony remained on the spirits of the Pope because he observed an aversion in the Cardinal to treat the Peace in any part where the Pope did reside he also observed with what indignity to the Papal Sea he had treated the Cardinal of Retz and with what neglect and almost contempt he comported himself towards his Nuntio at Paris Moreover the Pope was not a little displeased to observe what backwardness and delay was used by the Court of France no onely in sending the Extraordinary Embassy of Obedience to Rome but the Ordinary also of Residency nor was the Pope ignorant of those slight and contemptible expressions which both the Cardinal and his Favourite the Bishop of Omodei publickly uttered with ill reflections on his Person On the other side the Cardinal complained of the Pope's Ingratitude for that after he had so freely concurred in his Election he always evidenced an aversness to comply with him in the most reasonable Demands and ever favoured that Party which interfered with the Interest of France so that the Cardinal would often say that the Pope offered him frequently injuries that so if at any time he did him right it might seem to proceed from favour rather than from the motives of Justice These matters and the like occasioning coldness of correspondence it is no wonder that Writers should attribute the reason of the Pope's exclusion from this Treaty of Peace to the preceding Causes Whenas the most reasonable Obstacle might be the Pope's incapacity to moderate and concur in the terms of this Peace for whereas the foundation of this Peace between the two Crowns was established on the Articles concluded and agreed at the Treaty of Munster which the Pope having condemned disanulled and protested against it could not be expected that the Pope should be called and made a Party to that Treaty unless they had resolved to raise difficulties by that opposition and obstructions which would have been made by the Pope and his Ministers In short the Marriage being celebrated between the most Christian King and the Infanta Maria Teresa the onely cause and Object of the Peace was afterwards the original of many quarrels and disorders in Christendom For the Spaniards not having been so strict and wary as the importance of the matter required did not take care to pen the Instrument of Renuntiation which the Infanta signed to the Dominions of her Father and all her Paternal Inheritance with such strict terms but that there was still a Gate open to pretensions nor was the form of the Oath so strict and expressive but that there was place left for evasions as the ambition of Men and their desire of
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
Soter 23. Eleutherius 24. Victor I. 28. Zephyrinus 27. Calistus I. 28. Anterus 33. Stephen I. 38. Felix 41. Eutychianus 42. Caius 43. Miltiades 50. Of the Nicene Council 52. Of Sylvester ibid. Of Damasus 63. Siricius 65. Anastasius 67. Zosimus 71. Boniface I. 72. Stephen III. 144. Gregory III. 136. Nicolas I. 168 Desiderius King of the Lombards 140. takes several Cities in Italy 145. is overthrown by Charlemagne 146 Devil in the shape of Moses beguiles the Jews 74 Didymus a learned Christian 65 Dionysius Bishop of Corinth 23 Dioscorus the Heretick 77 Disciples of Christ their several Provinces 1. Dominic 256. Founder of the Order of Preaching Friers 257. Canoniz'd 262 Domitian the Emperour his Character 11 Donation of Charlemagne to the Church 147. Of Maude the Countess 226 Donatus a Sectary 59 Dorothea a Virgin her Chastity 50 Dorotheus a learned Christian 42 Dulcinus and Margaret Hereticks put to death 300 E Easter observ'd always on a Sunday upon what occasion 20 25 Ebionites Hereticks 52 Ecelino Tyrant of Padua 270 Edessa taken by the Turks 236 Edmund Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Canoniz'd 268 Edward Prince of England his Voyage to the Holy Land 278 stab'd ibid. being King he mediates between the Kings of France and Aragon 289. War between him and the French King 291. obtains a great Sea Victory over 'em 311. Another by Land 315. besieges Paris 318 Egesippus a learned Christian Writer 22.83 Elizabeth Daughter to the King of Hungary Canoniz'd 262 Elisha's Body found 80 Ember-Weeks when first instituted 28 31 Emmanuel II. Emperor of Constantinople his treachery to the Christians 237 Encratitae Hereticks 21 English first make themselves Masters of Great Britain 73 Ephrem Syrus a learned Writer 67 Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine ib. Epiphanius Bishop of Pavia p. 82 Este the Family Lords of Ferrara and Modena 300. 28 of that House hang'd at once 302. drive the Church Forces out of Ferrara 307 Ethelwolph King of England 164 Evagrius a learned Christian 71 Eudocia the Catholick p. 80 Eunomius a Heretick 61 Eusebius surnam'd Pamphilus and why 48 Eusebius Emissenus 58 Eusebius of Cremona 76 Eutropius Epitomizer of the Roman History 73 Eutyches the Heretick p. 76 Exarchate of Ravenna extinguish'd 140 F Fast not to be observ'd on a Sunday 50 Faustus Bishop 83 Flavianus Bishop 77 Florence made a free City 289 Florianus Emperour 42 Florinus a Heretick 25 Forlimpopoli sack'd and ruin'd 114 S. Francis Founder of the Order of Friers Minors 257. Canoniz'd 262 Frangipani a Roman Family 229 Fratricelli a holy Brotherhood 297 Frederic Emperour engag'd in the Holy War 251 Frederic II. his Contests with the Pope 260. Frederic III. comes to Rome 378 Friscus of the House of Este murthers his Father 301 Fucinus the Lake drein'd 3 Fulgentius Bishop 83 Fulk Earl of Anjou King of Jerusalem 236 G Galba Emperour his good and bad qualities 7 Galerius Emperour 47 Gallienus Emperour 37 Gallus Emperour 37 Gascons subdu'd by Charlemagne 148 Gemblours the Monastery when and by whom built 182 Gennadius Bishop 78 Genoeses routed by the Venetians 271. a mortal hatred between 'em 281 326. defeat the Pisans 289. invade Cyprus 321 Genseric King of the Vandals 74. routed 78 Germanus Bishop 82 Geta Emperour slain 28 Gibellines and Guelphs 264 Gildo a General of the Empire sets up for himself 70 Gisulphus D. of Benevent 125. Another 202 Gloria Patri when added to the ends of Psalms 63 Godfathers and Godmothers a Decree concerning them 19 Godfrey King of Jerusalem 221. defeats the Army of the King of Babylon ibid. Gordianus Emperour 34 Goths driven from Rome 91 Granada in Spain seiz'd by the Saracens 126 Gratianus Emperour 66 Gratian who compil'd the Decrees 257 Gregorius Baeticus a learned Bishop 65 Gregory Nazianzen 67 Gregory Patriarch of Constantinople a Monothelite 117 S. Gregory his body translated 159 Grimoaldus D. of Beneventum 112 114. makes himself King of the Lombards 115. his death ibid. Another 150 Guelphs and Gibellines when first so distinguish'd 264 Guido Bonatus an Astrologer 286 Guy of Lusignan King of Jerusalem 248. taken Prisoner 249 H Hannibali and Vrsini two factions at Rome 285 Hawkwood an English-man 319.319 the Pope's General 320. in several Services 321 331 332 Haydo Governour of Aquitain rebels 155 Haymo Brother to Venerable Bede 126 Helchesaites Hereticks 35 Helena Mother to the Emperour Constantine finds the Holy Cross 48 Henry D. of Bavaria Emperour 196 Henry II. Son of Conrade Emperour 199 Henry III. Emperour 206. depriv'd by Pope Gregory 209 Henry IV. Emperour 225 Henry of Luxemburg invades Italy 302. is Crown'd at Rome 303 Henry King of England meets the Pope 235. satisfies him about the murther of Thomas Becket 245 Henry Son of Richard of Cornwal murther'd 279 Heraclea taken by the Christians 218 Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem 248 Heraclius a learned Christian 27 Heraclius Emperour 104. his Actions 105 Hermes a Christian Writer 20 Hilarius Bishop of Poictiers 65 Hilarius Bishop of Arles 76 Hildebrand a Monk 202. made Pope 207 Hilminoline a Saracen General 256 Holy-Water See Water Holy-War See War Honorius Emperour 70 Host ordered to be made of Unleavened Bread onely 16 Hubert a Bishop in Bretagne 122 Hugo de Sancto Victore 233 Hungari a Scythian People 173 come into Italy 180 181 Hunns a Scythian Nation 173 179 John Hus burnt for a Heretick 346 Hymns added to the Divine Service 17 18 125 I James surnamed Justus his Acts and martyrdom 4 S. Januarius his Body translated 156 Iconium taken by the Christians 218 S. Jerom the learned Presbyter 69. his death 72 Jerom of Prague burnt for a Heretick 346 Jerusalem taken by Titus 9. permitted by Julian the Apostate to be rebuilt 62. taken by the Saracens 108. recover'd by the Christians 221. retaken by the Saracens 250. dismantled 258 S. Ignatius his martyrdom 13 Images in Churches ordered by the Emperour to be pull'd down 132 141. Decrees thereupon at Rome 144. at Nice 148 Inventio Crucis 48 Inundations of the Tiber 131 149 167 Joan Queen of Naples kills her Husband 313 Pope Joan 165 S. John the Apostle banish'd into Patmos 12 John Bishop of Bergamo 121 John Arch Bishop of Ravenna submits to the Pope 168 John King of Jerusalem 258 Joppa taken by the Christians 222 Josephus when he liv'd 8 Jovinian Emperour 63 Irene Empress of Constantinople 149 Isidore Bishop of Sevil 105 Jubilee first kept every fiftieth year 296 Julian surnam'd the Apostate 59.61 his death 62 Julianus Emperour 65 Julius Africanus an eminent Writer 33 Justin Martyr when he liv'd and his Works 18 Justin Emperour 86 Justinian I. Emperour 88. his Actions 89 Justinian II. terrifies the Saracens into submission 121. breaks faith with them 123. is deposed and his Nose cut off 124. restored 126. his severity upon his Enemies 127. and ingratitude to his Friend 128. slain 129 Juvencus a noble Christian 56 L Lactantius Firmianus when he lived 48 Lambert a holy Martyr 125 Latinianus a Bishop 102
Lent first Instituted 18 Leo Emperour 78.79 his Edict against Images 132 S. Leo his body translated 125 Leodegarius Bishop of Autun 122 Leontius makes himself Emperour 124. deposed ibid. Lewis surnam'd the Godly Emperour 153 Lewis King of Bavaria 154 Lewis Son of Lotharius 100. Crown'd King of Italy 161. being Emperor he comes to Rome 167 Lewis King of France engages in the holy War 267 Lewis of the French Bloud Royal canoniz'd 295 Libanius the Orator 71 Licinius Emperour 49 Lions a Council there 280 Lombards their coming into Italy 96 Lotharingia Lorain why so call'd 160 Lotharius Emperour 154.160 Lucca made a free City 289. taken by the Germans and sold 308 Lucifer Bishop of Cagliari 59 Lucina a Roman Lady leaves the Church her Heir 47 Lucius King of Britain 24 Lucius an Heretical Bishop violent against the Orthodox 64 Luithprandus King of the Lombards 129. takes Ravenna 131. besieges Rome 134. his character 136 Luke the Evangelist 10 Lupus Duke of Friuli 114 M Macarius Bishop of Antioch a Monothelite 117 Macedonius a Heretick 61 Mahomet the Impostor 105 Malchion an eloquent Presbyter 38 Manes a Persian Impostor 41 Manfred Prince of Tarento 267. made King of Sicily 270. is kill'd 275 Manichees their Heresie 42 Marcion the Heretick 19 S. Mark employ'd by S. Peter to write his Gospel 4. his Body translated to Venice 158 Marriages a Decree concerning them 23 S. Martin's body works a Miracle 172 Martyrs their Acts ordain'd to be written and preserv'd 33 34. Masses yearly to be celebrated upon their account 41 Mathild or Maud a noble Countess 204. her death 206 Mauritius Emperour 98 Maxentius Emperour 48 49 Maximian Herculeus Emperour 44.48 Maximian Galerius Caesar 44. Emperour 47 Maximine Emperour 33.49 Maximus the Tyrant 77. a learned Christian of that name 127 Melito Bishop of Sardis 20 Merlin the British Prophet 79 Messalina Wife to the Emperour Claudius put to death for Adultery 3 Mezelindis a Woman of incomparable chastity 116 Milain taken by Sforza 377 Minutius Felix when he liv'd 31 Modestus a Christian Writer 25 Monothelites a Council held concerning them 117 Montanists Hereticks 21 Guido Montfort murthers Henry Son of Richard of Cornwall 273 Simon Montfort 256 Moors invade Calabria 176 N Names of Popes when first chang'd 160 Naples taken by Belisarius 91. besieg'd 253 Narses the Eunuch 94 Nepos a Heretick 39 Nero Emperour his Vices 6. kills himself 7 Nerva Cocceius Emperour his character 12 Nectorius his Heresie 74 Nice in Bithynia a Council there 51 Nicetas an Eunuch Patriarch of Constantinople 141 S. Nicolas his Body translated 216 Nicopolis taken by the Christians 218 Nogaret a French Cavalier 298 Normans have a part of France allow'd them to inhabit 172 Novatianus his Heresie 34. opposed by whom 36 O Odoacer King of the Heruli invades Italy 79 Olympius the Exarch 111 Optatus Milevitanus when he liv'd 66 Holy Orders not to be conferr'd at once 65. not upon maim'd or infirm persons 67. nor Foreiners without Testimonials ibid. nor on Servants 71. nor Debtors 72 Organs introduced first into the Church 114 Origen a learned Christian 27.29.32 Ostia the Harbour there by whom made 3 Otho Emperour an Account of his life 7 Otho II. Emperour 184 conquers Boleslaus King of Bohemia 183 comes to Rome 185 Otho Abbat of Clugny 207 Otho Duke of Burgundy engag'd in the Holy War 251 P Palaeologus Michael assumes the Empire of Constantinople 272 Pallavicino a powerful Gibelline 270.273 Pamphilus a learned Presbyter 43 Pantheon given to the Christians 103 Papias Bishop of Hierapolis 14 Papias the Lombard Glossographer 257 Paris when and by whom made an University 152 Parishes Rome when first so divided 14 Paschal an Arch-deacon endeavours to make himself Pope 123. convict of Sorcery ibid. S. Paul the Apostle 5. beheaded 6 Paulus Samosatenus a Heretick 26.40 Paulus Diaconus when he liv'd 147 Pelagius his Heresie condemn'd 69 Pepin Duke of Austrasia 124. King of France 137.141 his death 142 Pepin Son of Charlemagne 149.150 dies at Milan 151 Pepin Son of Lewis the Godly King of Aquitain 154 Perinus King of Cyprus 321 Pertheris King of the Lombards 120 Peter an Hermite excites the Christian Princes to the Holy War 217 Peter Abelardus a learned Men 238 Peter of Verona canoniz'd 268 Peter King of Aragon 287. his Kingdom given away by the Pope 288 Peter Luna Anti-Pope 338. his death 356 Petrarcha a learned Man 311 S. Petronilla S. Peter's Daughter her body translated 141 S. Philip the Apostle 10 Philip the Emperour 34 Philip King of France engag'd in the Holy War 251. returns home 253 Philippicus Emperour of Constantinople 129. deposed and his Eyes put out 130 Philo Judaeus when he liv'd 8 Phocas Emperour 101 Photinus a learned Bishop 18. Another of that name an Ebionite 65 Photinians Hereticks condemn'd 52 Picenninus a great Commander 361 Pisans overthrown by the Venetians 253. by the Genoeses 289. their City taken by the Florentines 339 Pistoia taken and rased 301 Plague through Europe 98 Platina the Author of this History imprison'd by Pope Paul II. 403. and tortur'd 410 Pliny the second occasions a persecution of the Christians to be stay'd 13 Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna 19 Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus 26 Posthumus an Usurper in Gallia 38 Pragmatic Sanction 396 Presbyters not to be ordain'd but by a Bishop 65 Primates who are to bear that Title 22 Priscian the Grammarian 88 Priscilla a Roman Matron builds a Cemetery 47 Priscillian his Heresie condemn'd 69 Probus Emperour 43 Projectus a Bishop martyr'd 116 Ptolemais besieged by the Christians 251. taken 253. retaken by the Infidels 292 Q Quadragesimal Fast See Lent Quadratus a learned Disciple 14 Quintilian's Works when and by whom found out 382 Quintillus Emperour 40 Quotiliani Hereticks 25 R Rabanus a learned Monk 159 Racherius Bishop of Verona 182 Rachis King of the Lombards 137 Ravenna the Church there reconcil'd to that of Rome 116. the pride of their Bishops repress'd by the Pope 119. the City taken by the Lombards 131. the Exarchate extinguish'd 140 Raymund a Commander in the holy War 217. a Debate between him and Boemund 220 Reggio surprizsed by treachery 320 Remigius Bishop of Rhemes 80 Rhodes taken by the Turks 111 Rhomoaldus Duke of Beneventum 119 Richard King of England engaged in the holy War 251. strikes up a Peace with Saladine 253. is taken Prisoner 254 Robert Guiscardi a great General 202. defeats the Saracens 203. and Greeks 204 Rodulphus King of Burgundy 181. of Habspurg Emperour 280. sells to several Cities of Italy their freedom 289 Rome sack'd by the Vandals 77. besieg'd by the Lombards 96 Rothifredus King of the Normans 171 Ruffinus a Roman General 70 S Sabellius Author of the Sabellian Heresie 39. his Heresie condemn'd 52 Sabinus King of the Bulgarians 141 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper various Decrees about it 16.17.20.27.125 Saladine King of Egypt 246. defeats the Christians 249. takes Jerusalem 250. his death and Character 254 Sanctuaries in
name John was unammously elected Pope in the Year seven hundred fifty nine He was a Person of singular Learning very well skill'd in the Greek and Latin Tongues and of such an Insight into the Sense of Holy Writ that no man was more ready at the expounding of the abstruse and difficult places in it Nor 〈◊〉 he work upon the People merely by his Preaching and Eloquence but in all respects he gave them such a prevailing Example that it is difficult to determine whether he spake or lived better He was so valiant a 〈◊〉 of the Catholick Faith that he thereby contracted the displeasure and hatred of the greatest Princes but by no Force or Power or Menace was removed one step from his Resolution Finally his good-will towards all men was such that he cherished and relieved the Poor redeemed Captives releas'd insolvent Debtours and asserted the Cause of Widows and Orphans against potent Oppressours in such a manner that he deserved the Name of a common Father and 〈◊〉 Soon after his entrance upon the Pontificate with the Consent of the Clergy of Rome he excommunicated and deposed the Emperour Leo for his having rased the Pictures of the Saints out of the Churches and destroyed their Images and also for not being Orthodox in Opinion concerning the Consubstantiality of the Son with the Father In the mean time Luithprandus King of the Lombards from an ambitious desire of enlarging his Dominions having possess'd himself of all the Towns round about lays Siege to Rome it self whereupon Gregory forthwith dispatches Messengers by Sea it not being safe for them to pass by Land to Charles Prince of the French to pray him that he would speedily aid the distressed City and Church of Rome Indeed formerly the Popes when they were in any great Danger from abroad had been wont to seek for succour from the Emperour of Constantinople but Gregory now declined it both for the Causes we have just before mentioned and also especially because Leo was now hard put to it to defend Constantinople it self against the Saracens and therefore little able to protect others By which means it came to pass that the Constantinopolitan Emperours being for the time to come unapplied to the Protection of the Church was from henceforward put into other hands Upon Gregorie's Request Charles undertaking the Church's Patronage desires Luithprandus as his Friend and particularly upon the account of his Son Pipin his near Allie to quit his Enterprize and not give the Pope any disturbance whereupon Luithprandus raises the Siege The 〈◊〉 of Italy being thus composed Charles turns his Army with success against the Burgundians crushes the Idolatrous Prison's takes Lions Arles and Marseilles from the 〈◊〉 who thereupon invite to their Aid Athimus the King of the Saracens Who passing the Rhone takes Avignon by Storm intending to make use of the convenience of that place for a Citadel But Charles upon Intelligence hereof hastens thither with his Army and re-takes Avignon putting to the Sword all the Saracens who were in Garrison in it From thence he marched to Narbonne whither he understood that Athimus had fled But having advice that Amoreus another Saracen King of Spain was coming with a great Army to the Aid of Athimus he quitted the Siege of Narbonne and march'd to the Valley of Corbiere not far off wherein there was a fair Plain very commodious to joyn Battel in Amoreus thinking that Charles having been routed had fled thither enters the Valley and prepares to engage which Charles did not decline though the number of the Adversaries Army was incredibly great The 〈◊〉 having continued for some time very warm and Amoreus himself having been slain at the beginning of the Engagement at length the Saracens were forced to betake themselves to slight and a great part of them were kill'd in the Fens and 〈◊〉 thereabouts Athimus as good luck would have it making his Escape by Sea towards the farther part of Spain in Rage and Despair lay'd 〈◊〉 by Fire and Sword all the Islands which he arrived at in his passage Much about this time the Body of S. Augustine which two hundred and fifty years before when the Vandals wasted Africa had been carried away from Hippo into Sardinia was by the care of Luithprandus translated thence to Pavia and reposited in a very honourable place of Interrment The Saracens being now pretty well tamed kept themselves within the Pyrenean Hills upon which all the Visigoths who possessed the hither parts of Spain and part of France being not able to defend themselves were subdued by Charles and so that People who had domineer'd for almost three hundred years were utterly extinguished except some few who were saved by the People of Barcelona Some write that Charles was in this War assisted by Luithprandus with Men who after the Victory returned home laden with Booty In the mean while Pope Gregory not neglecting to improve the time of Peace he now enjoyed applyed himself to Church-work The Altar of S. Peter's he made more stately by erecting a Row of six Pillars of Onyx on each hand of it where as many of the same magnitude and figure had formerly stood but were now decayed through 〈◊〉 Upon these Pillars were Architraves gilt with Silver on which he set up the Images of our Saviour and the Apostles at equal distances He built also an Oratory in the same Church in which he reposited some of the Reliques of almost all the Saints and ordered Mass to be therein daily performed in the Canon of which he added these words which were engraven upon the Marble round the Oratory Quorum Solennitas in conspectu tuoe Majeslatis celebratur Domine Deus noster toto in Orbe terrarum c. i. e. Whose Anniversaries are celebrated in the sight of thy Majesty O Lord our God throughout all the World c. which Clause is not in the general Canon now used Moreover he gave to this Church several Vessels of Silver and caused to be made at his own Charge the Image of the Blessed Virgin with our Saviour in her Arms of Gold which he placed in the Church of S. Mary ad Proesepe He also repaired the Roof of the Church of S. Chrysogonus appointing Monks for the daily performance of divine Service therein and setling an Estate for their Maintenance Several Monasteries he either repaired or built from the ground to the Recluses whereof he prescribed Rules of strict and holy living He re-built also the ruined Walls of the City of Rome and in like manner those of the almost desolate Civita Vecchia Furthermore he ordained the Celebration of Mass in the Church of S Peter almost without Intermission both by the Priests in Weekly Attendance and by the Monks upon which account we may observe the Cells of the Monks and the Houses of the Secular Priests to be in several places contiguous each of them striving to out do the other in diligence at their Devotion Our
disappointment of all Men who hoped to see much better times under his Government After his decease the Sea was vacant twenty one months for those who were then in the highest Authority in the Church of God did not think good to elect any Man to the Popedom so long as the Cardinals which were taken by Frederic were detain'd in Prison During this vacancy of the Holy Sea Frederic over-ran the Marca di Ancona and Romagna as far as Faenza and Bologna which after some resistance he took by force and transferred the University which was at Bologna to Padoua and beside gave many troubles and did great mischiefs to all those that were look'd upon as Favourers of the Churches Cause Then Baldwin Emperour of Constantinople despairing of managing the Asian Affairs to any purpose together with Raymund Earl of Tholouse came into Italy and what with his intreaties and by reason of the respect which Frederic who was then at Parma had for him he procur'd that the Cardinals and other Ecclesiastical persons who were kept under custody by him should be set free who in a little time after had a meeting at Anagni to consider of the Choice of a new Pope INNOCENT IV. INNOCENT the Fourth before call'd Sinibaldo of the Family of the Fieschi Counts of Lavagna was created Pope at Anagni at the news of which Frederic was not very well pleased for he knew him to be a Man of resolution and of a great Spirit they having lived together familiarly for some time before and he was very much afraid he would call him to account for his past actions So that when some of his Friends were complementing him upon this occasion he is said to have told 'em that Cardinal Sinibaldo was indeed his special Friend but now being made Pope he was his bitter Enemy Innocent having put on the Pontifical Robes comes to Rome where by the way he is met by all the Nobility and Men of note and receiv'd with universal Acclamations and having perform'd all the Ceremonies of the Consecration and Coronation which are usual in such cases he begins to discourse of making Peace with Frederic Baldwin also interposing his Authority to bring it about But the business met with many delays till after four months had been spent in negotiating the result was this that the Pope should remove to the City of Castellana and tarry there a while till the Emperor came thither also personally to treat about the Peace But Innocent receiving certain information that Frederic had laid snares and Ambushes for him both at Rome and in his way to that place he made use of some shipping of the Genoeses which then lay in the Port of Civita-vecchia and with a prosperous gale arriv'd in France where at Lions he was receiv'd very generously by all People and with great kindness and at that City he appoints a Council to be holden An. Dom. 1246. to which he cites the Emperour by Nuntios and Letters first and at last by an Officer for the purpose setting him under a penalty if he were disobedient In answer to this the Emperour onely sends thither a Civilian of Sinuessa to desire of the Pope some longer time promising shortly to begin his Journey thitherward and so much time as was fit was allow'd him But his craft appearing and that he onely sought an occasion to scandalize and ruine the Pope by universal consent he was declar'd to be depriv'd of his Title to the Empire and his other Dominions This Frederic took with so great indignation that he commanded the Houses and Palaces of some of Pope Innocent's kinsfolks who by his advice were remov'd from Parma where their Estates lay to Piacenza to be pull'd down and then making a League with the Duke of Burgundy he resolv'd to go to Lions and for that purpose he prepar'd a vast Retinue with which he came as far as Turin where news was brought him that those persons who had been banish'd from Parma were return'd and having defeated their fellow-Citizens near the River Taro had entred the City by force and made great slaughter of the contrary party This caused Frederic to break off his intended Journey and to return into Italy where gathering into one Army all his Forces which had been dispersed through the whole Country he made up a body of sixty thousand Men and with these he marches to invest the City of Parma which the associated Cities being solicitous to defend they put into it very great reliefs under the command of the Pope's Legat who having with great obstinacy sustain'd the Siege for two years at last making a bold sally when Frederic expected no such thing he utterly routed and destroy'd his Army and made himself master of his Camp which was plentifully stor'd with all manner of necessaries because Frederic had fortified it after the manner of a City with Out-works designing when he should have plunder'd and rased the City of Parma against which he had conceiv'd the utmost hatred to build a City in the place where his Camp stood and where he had already coin'd pieces of Money call'd Victorines and to name it the City Victoria According to some Authors himself had much ado to escape to Cremona from this great defeat in which he lost a Crown of inestimable value and several Vessels of Gold of huge weight but he durst not enter the Walls of Cremona for fear of the Cremoneses many of whose fellow-Citizens had lost their lives in that Engagement Innocent being advertised of this great blow given to the fortune of Frederic and that his heart was so broken with it that he let himself loose to all manner of voluptuousness and made himself Gardens of Pleasure where he kept a number of beautiful Women and Eunuchs he took pity upon the Man and dismissing the Councils without farther prosecution of him he dispatch'd Nuncios through France and other Countries to persuade the people to engage in the Holy War and to follow Lewis King of France who was preparing for an Expedition into Asia which he had promised and vow'd to perform when he lay under a great fit of sickness But the Tartarians put a stop for a while to this Journey who with two numerous Bodies of men had entred Europe and Asia where those who invaded the latter having pass'd through the Countries of Georgia and Armenia pierc'd as far as Iconium then the Royal Seat of the Turkish Princes the other party which entred Europe under the conduct of one Batto ravag'd all through Poland and Hungary and then turning toward the Euxine Sea they depopulated the vast Realms of Russia and Gazaria At the same time the Grossoni a people of Arabia by the instigation of the Soldan of Babylon set upon the Templars and put 'em to flight and without any trouble took Jerusalem which was before stripp'd of its Walls putting the Christians that were in it to the Sword and dishonouring our Saviour's Sepulchre with all
again in an uproar for the banish'd of all places met near Bologna resolving immediately to enter Florence and thereupon in the Night getting over the Walls which were not then finish'd near the Gate that leads to Bologna they advanced as far as the Church of S. Separata that was begun to be built a little before But whilst they look'd too eagerly after the plunder and consulted their friends what they had best to do they gave their Enemies time to take courage and raise Arms insomuch that they quickly drave 'em out and killed a great many of their men Then they got Robert Duke of Calabria to be their General and were grown confident they had strength enough not onely to defend their own but to attaque their Neighbours too Hereupon they besiege Pistoia which those within it did so bravely defend that with one Sally they beat Robert and all his Army back to Prato Benedict who was a very good and holy Man resolv'd when he had quieted Italy to assist against the Tartars who were fallen into Syria and Palestine having been sollicited to it by frequent Messages But dying at Perugia where he and all the Court were in the eighth month and seventeenth day of his Pontificate he missed his Design He was buried with due pomp in the Church of the Freres Preachers the fifth of June in the year 1303. Now the Miracles which he did after his death shew him to have been an excellent holy Man for he cured the sick and cast out Devils The Sea was then vacant from the fifth of June to the seventh of July in the year ensuing although the Cardinals that were kept in the Conclave for that purpose were importun'd and sometimes threaten'd to make choice of a Pope CLEMENT V. CLEMENT the fifth a Gascon Bishop of Bourdeaux formerly called Bertrandus Gottho was made Pope in his absence at Perugia though the College of Cardinals had a long debate about the Election But he approving of their choice went from Bourdeaux to Lyons and called all the Cardinals thither to him who obey'd him without any scruple so that the Court of Rome was translated into France in the year 1305. And there it remained for seventy four years to the great damage of all Christendom but especially of Rome where the Churches great part of 'em fell to ruin for want of use whilst they were absent that ought to have taken care to repair ' em There were present at the Coronation of this Pope Philip King of France and his Brother Charles lately return'd from Italy John Duke of Britaigne who together with some others was kill'd by a Wall that fell upon him whilst the Coronation pomp was going as is usual through the City Philip also was a little hurt by the same accident But the Pope though he was in such a consternation that he fell from his Horse yet he lost nothing but one Carbuncle out of his Crown that some say was valued at 6000 l. When the Solemnity was over and all things in order Clement made a great many French Cardinals but none out of Italy though indeed he did restore John and James of Columna to their entire Dignity of Cardinalate which they formerly enjoy'd Besides that he sent three Cardinals to Rome with the character of Senators to govern not onely the City but all Italy by their Conduct But when he saw the Genoeses and those of Pisa involv'd in a bloody War one against the other and that Sardinia in the mean time was taken by the Saracens he gave that Island to Frederick King of Sicily upon condition that he should beat out the Enemy and recover it as soon as possible the Venetians making a League with Charles the Second against the Emperor of Constantinople induced King Rassianus to come and desire of the Pope to be instructed in the Orthodox Faith in the year 1307. But the Venetians and Charles falling out again they alter'd Rassianus's mind by their ill example In the mean time a new Heresie was broached at Novara by Dulcinus and Margaret which allowed Men and Women who lived together freely to exercise all acts of uncleanness and the professors of it were called the Brotherhood Clement endeavour'd to suppress them and immediately sent thither a party of Soldiers with a Legat Apostolical who partly with cold and hunger partly with force of Arms routed 'em from the Alps where they harbour'd But Dulcinus and Margaret were taken alive torn in pieces and their bones burnt and scattered into the Air. About that time Intelligence was brought that the Templers who were formerly Christ's Soldiers had revolted to the Saracens For this reason all of 'em that could be apprehended were kill'd and their goods given partly to the Rhodian Knights who had possess'd themselves of that Island a little before and partly to Religious uses Philip also King of France turn'd all the Jews out of his Territories confiscating their goods for their Rogueries and their covetousness Not long after Albert the Emperor being kill'd by his Nephew John almost all the Cities of Lombardy chose their Captains or Governors to be their Sovereign Lords as at Verona the Scaligeri at Mantua the Bonacossi at Padua the Carraresi The House of Este had been Masters of Ferrara a long time before but now they reduced Modena also Nor did Charles the Second King of Naples think it below him to marry his Daughter Beatrice to Azo Marquis d' Este But Friscus his Son seeing he had gotten a Step-mother put his Father in Prison and there murther'd him and then possessed himself of Ferrara by the assistance of the Venetians who lent him aid to storm a Castle called Thedaldo Then the Cardinal Pelagura was sent to Bologna from Clement to forbid the Venetians from medling with Ferrara under the pain of a Curse those of Ferrara desiring to be under the Church Wherefore the Venetians thinking it their best way to make haste attaqued the Castle Night and Day till at last they took it Which when they had done Friscus himself greedy of Revenge set fire on half Ferrara especially their Houses who seemed to desire a Change The Citizens now not able to endure so great an injury any longer taking up Arms turn'd Friscus out of his usurp'd Sovereignty and surrender'd themselves to the Venetians who in all probability might be able to defend them At which Pelagura was very much incensed and muster'd up all the Church forces immediately against the Venetians and those of Ferrara But Clement understanding how obstinate and how desirous of Dominion the Venetians were laid a Curse upon them with an Interdiction commanding all persons wherever to look upon them as no better than Slaves and to take away whatever they had from them by which that trading Nation suffer'd great damage both in England and France After this the Pope sent other Cardinals into Tuscany which was all one Scene of War to command Robert Duke of Calabria the
had promised him their assistance if he would pass the Alps against the Venetians attempted but in vain to make his way through Savoy with two thousand Horse and having spent most of the Summer in that Affair went another way to Savona and so to Francis Francis was so proud of the company of so great a King and was so well recruited both as to Men and Courage that he chased his Enemy into the Mountains of Brescia And after that march'd round Brescia and Bergamo where he took forty Towns partly by storm and partly by surrender But the Winter coming on they all went into their Winter Quarters and Renatus leaving his Son at Florence returned much dissatisfied both with the Florentines and Francis into France All Peoples courage began now to cool with the Season and the States and Princes finding their Treasuries almost exhausted with the continual charges of a War they began to think of Peace which Nicolas had formerly attempted and the Venetians and Florentines who hated the licentiousness of the common Soldiers were now mightily for it Nicolas having just discover'd the conspiracy of Stephen Porcarius a Knight of Rome neglected that Affair though it were in a fair way and apply'd himself to remove those civil Animosities For Stephen had more Courage than Power and was a very great Master of his Mother-Tongue and having made broad Signs that he would free his Country as I told you was banish'd by the Pope into Bologna upon condition that every day he should present himself to Nicen who was Governour of the City But he pretending himself sick cheated the Governour and by advise of the Conspirators went back to Rome in all haste with a Design as soon as he came thither to cry out Liberty to the People and seize upon the Pope and Cardinals But whilst he lay down a little while tired with the length of his Journey and much watching for he had been some whole Nights without sleep he gave them opportunity and time to discover the Plot. When the Pope knew of his audacious Design he presently sent James Lavagnolus a Senator a Veronese and Sub-Chamberlain with a Guard to take and put him into Prison He hearing of their coming fled to his Sisters House and left Baptista Sarra with a few Servants at his own who being an active bold Fellow got both himself and his Companions out of the House and escaped without any hurt But being inform'd whither Stephen was gone they took him at his Sisters where he lay hid in a Chest and having confess'd the whole story of the Plot they hang'd him under Castel S. Angelo Angelus Massa and his Son had the same punishment in the Capitol together with their Accomplice Savus having first read the Narrative of the Plot publickly January 9. 1453. After that he persecuted and destroy'd all the rest of the Conspirators especially Francis Gabadeus and Peter de Monterotundo with Baptista Sarra who was deliver'd up to Justice by the Venetians For to them had he fled after the Conspiracy was discover'd But Nicolas who hitherto had treated the Romans with all Liberality and kindness and went about the City with more freedom than ever any Pope before him was more cautious for the future and more morose too not onely to all in general but especially to the Romans whom he would not admit to speak with him Besides he had the Gout very severely but nothing tormented him so much as when he heard that the Turk had taken Constantinople and Pera at one time and that the Emperour of Constantinople with many thousands more was kill'd He was afraid lest Cardinal Ruten might have been taken and kill'd too whom he I told you sent thither but he escaped in a disguise The Pope had a mind to assist the Constantinopolitans with Soldiers and a Navy as his Letters which he wrote to the Emperour do testifie wherein among other misfortunes he blames them for their revolting from the Church and their pretended affection to the Latines but that City was taken so suddenly that he had hardly any time to think of sending Aid Besides all these things lest any thing should be lacking to torment him the Count Aversus attaqued Norscia without his Order being hired to do so by those of Spoleto for those two People had a Controversie concerning their Bounds Hereupon he sent Angelus Ronco with the Church-Forces to stop the Count's passage that he might not return to his own Towns But he hearing that Angelus was in the fault that the Soldiers did not take the Count as he came back he sent for him into Castel S. Angelo and put him to death at three of the Clock at Night Some write that Nicolas was very sorry for that Action that the Governour of the Castle should execute what he in passion commanded him so punctually The Venetians now seeing it was to no purpose to talk of Peace for they had often attempted it and fearing lest Francis should slight it by the persuasion of Lewis Gonzaga they sent James Picennine their General with a great body of Horse in all speed to Volta which when he had taken and repelled Angelus into Godio not without damage to Lewis who was then sick there they recalled him into his Winter-Quarters thinking that Lewis was now sufficiently moved to seek Peace In the mean time Simonetus an Ermit went up and down from one to the other and persuaded sometimes the Venetians and sometimes Francis to Concord so long till he made 'em agree upon a Peace which was publickly proclaimed April 9. 1454. upon these terms That every one should have all that was theirs before the War restored to 'em except Geradada and Gastiglione di Pescara of which the former Francis had taken from the Venetians and Alphonsus the later from the Florentines And to make it the stronger as also that Alphonso might see they had respect to him as a King the Princes and States thought fit to send Embassadours to him where when they arrived from all places Dominicus Capranius Cardinal of S. Crosses and great Penitentiary a Man of great Prudence and Authority who was sent Legat from the Pope by his exhortations and admonitions offering himself the Umpire for the Peace he brought him at last to agree that the Peace which the Venetians and Francis had made should be confirm'd and assented to by all Parties and if any quarrel happen'd between them for the future that the Pope should have Power to decide it as also that whoever should offer violence to the other should be censur'd by the Pope and reckon'd a common Enemy When therefore they had all taken an Oath to perform it the Peace was confirm'd at Naples about a year after the former Peace which was accounted the most firm that ever our Ancestors knew For all except the Genoeses joyn'd in it but Alphonso could not agree with them by any means because they promised him Tribute and did not pay
Furthermore he exterminated some Tyrants who studied innovations out of the Church Dominions but never medled with any one till he had first sent an Embassadour or Legate to 'em to reduce 'em if it were possible by fair means After that he sent Frederick of Vrbino his General with Alexander Sfortia to Tagliacozzo to stop James Picennenus who fought under Renatus from going into Puglia to assist the French against Ferdinand And besides he succour'd Ferdinand at Sarno when he had like to have lost his Kingdom for fear the French when they had once gotten that Kingdom would make use of their Victory to subvert the Liberty of Italy He slighted the Threat and Promises of the French Embassadours that endeavour'd to bring him over from Ferdinand to Renatus and by his Censures as well as Arms he tamed the fury of Sigismund Malatesta who was a Feudatary of the Church and yet contemning the League which the Pope had made between him and Ferdinand storm'd and took all the Castles which he had given for caution against Law and Reason and having driven the Churches Legate as far as Nulasture he made War upon the Anconeses But his extravagance was corrected the year after at Sinigaglia under the conduct of Frederick of Vrbino and Neapolio Vrsin in a sharp engagement wherein they retook Sinigaglia the Town called Fortunae Fanum was taken by Nicolas of Pistoia Cardinal Legate of St. Cecilys and great part of Rimini taken from him lest he should rebel any more Ferdinand also had the same happy success not long after at Troja a Town in Puglia by which the Prince of Tarento and many others who being desirous of change were on the French side were so consternated that they came all upon their knees to the King and begg'd pardon of him but some few continued obstinate whom the King afterward prosecuted so severely that he either drove 'em out of the Kingdom or brought 'em to know themselves When this was over Pius now freed from two great and troublesom Wars renew'd the thoughts of his Expedition into Asia which had been so long omitted from the time of the Mantuan Council through the ambition and avarice of the several Kings and Princes and makes the King of Hungary the Duke of Burgundy and the Venetians his Confederates because they seemed more inclined to it than any body else He likewise sent Nuncioes with Letters Apostolick to the several Nations of Christendom to exhort the Princes and people to so great and necessary a War Himself in the mean time went to Siena with a design to go as soon as the Season permitted to the Baths at Petriolana that seemed best for his Distemper And there he heard the Duke of Burgundy who had vowed to come with a Navy well Man'd had desisted from his resolution as also that many other Princes and people not onely Foreiners but of Italy led by ambition and envy endeavour'd to frustrate that great Design because they saw that they were likely to have the richest spoils and rewards that underwent the greatest brunt of that War Thereupon as it became a Pope to do he try'd to persuade 'em by kind words at a distance and soon after leaving the Bath he went to Rome where he lay sick for some days of the Gout and a Fever and therefore could not be at Ancona upon the seventh of June as he had publickly declared he would But when his distemper was somewhat asswaged he gave Audience to certain Embassadours that came from the King of France and Duke of Burgundy to excuse their delay And then calling all the Cardinals before him he appointed a day to hear the charge against the King of Bohemia who was said to be heretically inclined and when he had done he was carried in a Litter through Sabina Ombria and the Marcha till he came to the City of Ancona By the way be found great numbers of Men that came out of Germany Spain and France intending for the War against the Turks of whom he sent a great part especially of the Germans having absolv'd 'em back into their own Country because he thought 'em unfit for the toil of War and because they had not brought their pay along with 'em as he had order'd in the Letters Apostolical But in the mean time whilst he waited at Ancona for the Navy that was a building in the several Ports of the Tyrrhene and Adriatick Seas and also for the Duke of Venice his Ally he was afflicted with a tedious Fever and dy'd in the year 1464. upon the 13th of August about three of the Clock in the Night six years wanting six days after he was made Pope He was a Man of such constancy and courage of mind that in all his sickness which was long and painful he never omitted any business that concern'd his understanding onely whether it were to hear the causes of several Nations to inhibit to decree to judg to sign to admonish to chastise or correct And that day whereon he dy'd about two hours before he expired he call'd the Cardinals about him and with a resolute Heart and a good audible Voice exhorted 'em to Unity in the choice of a new Pope commending to their care in a grave Speech the honour of God the dignity of the Church the War which he had undertaken against the Turks the salvation of his Soul all his Family and especially his Nephews if they proved worthy of commendations He desired all the Sacraments of his own accord and shew'd great tokens of a true Christian But besides that he dispued very acutely with Laurentius Roverella Bishop of Ferrara a learned Divine whether it were lawful for him to receive the Extreme Unction again having been anointed once before at Basil when he was sick of the Plague Nor could he be entreated by all his domestick Servants to forbear saying the Canonical Prayers though he were in such an Agony He repeated the Athanasian Creed with great strength and Emphasis and when he had done he said it was most true and most holy He was not affraid to die nor did he shew any sign of trouble or inconstancy to his last breath But indeed he may be said rather to have been kill'd than to have died he was so tortur'd with tedious Diseases He commanded his Friends to carry his Body to Rome where those that embalm'd him affirmed that his heart was very sound and vivid His funeral pomp from Ancona to Rome was made up of his Family who were all in mourning and in tears And when that was over he was buried in St. Peter's at the Altar of St. Andrew in a Tomb which was built at the charge of Francis Cardinal of Siena with this Epitaph Pius II. Pont. Max. natione Tuscus patriâ Senensis gente Pocolhominea He enjoy'd the Sea onely six years But though his Pontificate were short yet it was full of great Actions He held a Council at Mantua to maintain the Faith resisted all
Clement VII how he had sacked Rome and imprisoned the Pope and at the same time in a most hypocritical manner illuding God Almighty had made Processions at Madrid for the Pope's deliverance when he himself was the sole Author of his confinement farther purging himself of being any impediment or hinderance to the proceedings of a Council or giving an interruption to the quiet and settlement of Religion Hereupon the Pope that he might shew himself the common Father of Christian Princes on which title he laid the great stress of his Authority desired to interpose himself as Mediator of their differences and to that end dispatched Cardinal Contarini to the Emperor and Cardinal Sadoler to the French King but Contarini dying in his journey Cardinal Viseo was constituted in his place who being a person not very acceptable to the Emperor was not a proper instrument to effect the Pacification intended Howsoever tho the War proceeded and that acts of Hostility were committed in divers places yet the Pope prosecuted the design of a Council judging it his honor to be now positive as to the time and place and accordingly towards the beginning of November he sent three Cardinals viz. Peter Paul Parisio John Morone and Reginal le Poole an Englishman to be his Legates for preparing matters in order to the Council which was appointed to be holden at Trent besides whom many other Bishops were sent who were all men of excellent Learning and subtil Disputants but the Protestants refusing to meet at that place by virtue of the Pope's Authority these learned Doctors became all of one side and finding none to make opposition against them they might with much facility have confirmed and established what Fundamentals and conclusions they had pleased But as yet things were not prepared for any publick Act nor had the Legates Instructions as yet to conclude any thing but only entertain the Prelates and Embassadors which were sent thither The appearance at first was very thin and few Princes had sent their Ministers to Trent howsoever the Emperor tho he entertained little hopes of a good issue of these proceedings yet he resolved for prevention of Plots or Designs against him to send Don Diego de Mendoza and Cardinal Granvel to be his Embassadors at that place who being arrived pressed the Pope's Legates to proceed to the business that their time might not be there consumed to no purpose which the Legates endeavouring to evade and still to put delays and impediments in the way it was so displeasing to the Emperor's Ministers that they protested against those delatory excuses to which the Legates giving no answer Granvel was recalled and sent to reside at the Diet at Noremberg which was opened about the beginning of the year 1543. so that nothing moved forward in this Council by reason of the many obstructions and especially of the fierce War which now grew very hot between the Emperor and the French King and of the Plague which was begun at so that after some few Sessions to little purpose the Council was by order of the Pope adjourned to Bologna The Pope having advice that the Emperor who had now entered into a League with Henry VIII King of England against France intended to pass into Flanders by way of Italy he resolved to meet and speak with him pretending that his Errand was no other than like a Father and Spiritual Pastor to persuade and exhort him to Peace and Unity and to impart some things to him relating to the Council of Trent tho in reallity he had a more secret and peculiar design under the covert of these publick interests which was to procure the Dukedom of Milan for one of his Nephews and for an inducement thereunto intended to make offer of a good sum of mony which he supposed might be very prevalent with the Emperor at a time when his Wars in Flanders were pressing and expensive And therefore departing from Rome on the 26th of February and not regarding the coldness of the season which was inconvenient to one of his age he travelled through the Dominions of the Church and taking Modena Reggio Parma Ferrara Ancona Perugia and Viterbo in his way he at length came to Bologna where he remained until the middle of Summer when Charles V. arrived at Genoua where he was received into the Palace of Prince D'Oria prepared for him in all Royal and sumptuous manner he was there complemented by several Princes of Italy and particularly by Pier luigi Farnese whom the Pope had expresly sent to the Emperor intreating him to assign a time and place where the Pope might have discourse with him in order to some matters of great concernment The Emperor who was pressed to make all the speed possible into Flanders and had resentment of things which he took unkindly from the Pope made several excuses pretending that his Affairs would not permit him the leisure for such a meeting and that in case the Pope's business were exhortations to Peace and Reconciliation with France the matter was too far gone for him to afford any ear thereunto until he had first received some revenge and compensation for the injuries which had been offered him Pierluigi not succeeding in this request the Cardinal Farnese was immediately dispatched in post to Genoua to urge the Emperor with more pressing instances and being a person very eloquent and importunate he prevailed with the Emperor to meet and discourse with the Pope at Busetto a place between Vicenza and Cremona provided that this interview should not retard him in his journey for above the space of three days Accordingly the Pope came to Busetto on the 20th of June and the next day also the Emperor arrived when falling immediately upon business the Emperor would by no means hearken to the proposition which was made him for investing his Nephew Ottavio in the State of Milan and tho a sum of mony was offered for it which the present necessities did greatly require yet being supplied with two hundred thousand Crowns by agreement with Cormo de Medicis whereby he released to him all the Fortresses of the State of Florence he would upon no terms give ear to the proposition concerning Milan which when the Pope perceived and that his arguments and importunities for it were all insignificant he turned his discourse to matters of more publick concernment desiring him to consider the present state of the Church which was torn in pieces by diversity of Sects in Religion which took their advantage of those confusions which the Wars between him and France had caused and farther he represented to him the great danger in which his Brother Ferdinand was engaged by the formidable forces of the Turk which threatned Hungary in consideration of all which he begged of him to put an end to his Wars against Christians that he might repress and give a stop to the violent incursions of the common enemy all which discourse had no other effect than
Imperial Faction Ferdinand of Toledo Duke of Alva then Vice-King of Naples being alarmed by these proceedings resolved not to attend the assaults of the Enemy but rather that he might be beforehand with them made Incursions into the State of the Church and without much resistance took Pontecorvo Frosolone Anagna Marino Valmontone Palestrina Tivoli Ostia Gave Genazzano Nettuno Albano Vicovaro Monte Fortino and in short made himself Master of all the Campania of Rome the Pope on the other side with the aid and assistance of the French and Switzers recovered several of those places again but the War being continued for the space of a whole year with great fury and resolution on both sides that Country became most miserably harassed and laid desolate by fire and sword By the vast expences of this War the Pope's Treasury being much exhausted many exorbitant ways were contrived to replenish it again as namely the Tithes upon all Benefices were doubled the Gabelles and Customs were raised to an intolerable degree half a years Revenue was exacted from all Offices and the Debts which particular Persons owed to their Creditors were required to be paid into the Treasury upon which the Debtors being discharged Debentures were given from the Pope to the Creditors and the same charged as a Debt upon the Church He farther seized on all the Horses in Rome to serve in the War and compelled all the Friers of what order soever to labour on the Works and carry Earth to the Fortifications many of the Churches he converted into Granaries and Store-houses wherein to lay Provisions besides many other Exactions and agrievances which he imposed on the People who were by this time possessed with a detestable hatred against his Person and his Actions Howsoever neither the Cries nor Exclamations of his Subjects nor the miseries of his Country were able to incline the fierce and resolute Spirit of the Pope to any terms of Peace whilst he found himself seconded by the French and Switzers Howsoever in the Month of August following the French having received a Defeat at the Battel of St. Quintin in which a great part of the Nobility of France were taken Prisoners and thereby also the expectation of the Pope being in some measure defeated his haughty Spirit began to abate and hearken to some terms and proposals of Accommodation for then the sad Spectacle of Italy laid wast with fire and sword appeared before him and the dreadful apprehension of Treason against his Person which was plotted to betray Rome into the hands of Mark Anthony Colonna and Ascanio della Corona who at the beginning of the War revolted to the Spanish Party did much affright him so that as I say the Pope's mind being become more flexible a Peace was concluded on the thirteenth of September 1557. by the mediation of the Venetians the Duke of Florence and Cardinal Sforza and signed by the Cardinal Caraffa in behalf of the Pope and by the Duke of Alva in the name of Philip King of Spain Which being concluded the Duke of Alva coming to Rome with Christian humility kissed the feet of the Pope and received absolution and being treated with high honour obtained the freedom of all those who had been imprisoned on account of the late War Matters being by these means reduced to some tolerable quiet the Pope dispatched his Legats both to Spain and France to labour a cementing of that Peace which he himself of late had been an Instrument to break recommending more particularly in their Instructions the confirmation of the Dukedom of Paliano on his Nephew So that now being wearied with War the fatigues and expence and unquietudes of which he had never before been acquainted with the Pope betook himself to his more agreeable trade of regulating the Manners of Men and the corruptions and abuses crept into the Church but in regard the particulars hereof were various and burthensom he committed the greatest part of that trouble to the Conduct of Cardinal Caraffa Attending himself with sedulity and attention to the Court of Inquisition as the sole Tribunal then capable to suppress Heresies and the present distempers of the Age and therefore to the cognisance of that Court he reduced several Crimes triable at other Bars of Judicature so that the Prisons of the Inquisition were filled with Malefactors and in this way of Judicial proceedings he was the more passionate because he had been the first that persuaded Paul III. to erect that Court and had contrived the Methods and Rules for the proceedings thereof and therefore coming now himself to the Popedom he put all those Orders into practice which he had formerly meditated constituting Cardinal Alessandrino Inquisitor General together with sixteen Cardinals who were made Judges of the Court whose first work was to publish an Index Expurgatorius of all Books in the least manner suspected or attainted of Heresie forbidding all Persons under pain of Excommunication to read them or have them in their possession He recalled Cardinal Poole from his Office of Legat in England on account as some believe of an old Pique that had been between them and having accused Cardinal Morone of Heresie by reason as some believe of his friendship to Poole he imprisoned him in the Castle together with the Bishop of Cava and had as was certainly believed deprived them of all their Revenue and Dignities had not his malice against them been interrupted by his Death acting in every thing with a bitterness agreeable to the virulency of his nature About this time the Emperor Charles V. being wearied with the turmoils and troubles of this World renounced his Imperial Crown to his Brother Ferdinand of Austria who was already elected King of the Romans and his Kingdom of Spain and other Dominions to his Son Philip II. But this Abdication the Pope would not understand not admitting on the score of old grudges which he owed to Charles that according to antient Canons an Emperor could make such a renunciation without consulting first and taking the advice and consent of the Pope and for that reason he would never acknowledg Ferdinand for Emperour nor under that Notion and Character receive Ambassadours from him In this manner with a froward severity acting all his Affairs he would admit of no excuses that any Man made for a failure in his Duty and particularly having commanded all Monks Friers Abbots and Priors to return to their Monasteries he would not admit an Excuse from any Non-Residentiary unless he had obtained a License on occasion of some publick Service for the Church and for discovery of such Trespassers he employed Officers or Visitors as severe as himself who upon strict enquiry having found any Non-Residentaries they immediately proceeded against them as Disobedient and Delinquents committing some of them to Chains and others to the Gallies This Severity howsoever was much applauded when after an unknown and unpractised manner of Justice he spared not the Crimes of his Nephews
hung with Tapistry and other Ornaments and thronged with people to receive his Benediction at which great honours though he was observe d to smile and carry a countenance not becoming the gravity of a Pope yet he would often praise God and say Lord I thank thee that with all these honours and worship thou hast not suffered the heart of thy servant to be puffed up or transported with worldly glory And for the greater solemnity of this Procession the People of Rome erected a triumphal Arch with this Inscription Gregory XIV ob Egregia Felicia Pontificatus auspicia pristina Munera Beneficia Capitolio restituta Civitatem egestate atque annonâ laborantem opportunâ liberalitate sublevatam insignibus ejus virtutibus SPQ.R. On the other side were Inscribed Optimo Principi Gregorio XIV Pont. Max. ab ineunte aetate per gradus verae Sapientiae Pietatis Beneficentiae caeterarumque virtutum ad Apostolici Fastigii gloriam Majestatem evecto ob fausta Sacri Augustique Principatus initia non dubiam spem rerum Maximarum Reipub. Christianae oblatam S.P.Q.R. Fornigem Triumphalem pro tempore excitavit On the other sides were divers Verses Inscribed out of Holy Scripture signifying the great hopes and expectations they had from the administration and good Government of Gregory On the 19th of this Month of December he held the first Consistory commonly called the Consistory of peace because as is usual the Popes do with fair words harangue the Cardinals and endeavour an amicable correspondence with them after which he at this Consistory created his Nephew Cardinal On the 18th of January he published a form of Jubily whereby he ordained That all Christians should offer up their Prayers unto God in his behalf that he might have grace faithfully to feed the Flock of Christ and wisely and successfully to administer the Affairs of the Universal Church On the 6th of March following he created six Cardinals and a short time afterwards he made his Nephew Count Sfrondati Duke of Mont-Marcian and General of the Forces of the Church sending him into France with an Army for assistance of the League in which War he spent five hundred thousand Crowns of Gold At Whitsunday which happened that year on the 9th of May he bestowed on the Cardinal Friers a License and priviledg to wear red Hats for until that time their Hats were of the same colour with the habit of their Order the which favour of wearing red Hats and Caps was demanded in the time of Pius V. Gregory XIII and Sixtus V. but it was refused and those Cardinals confined to their own colour In the Month of August the Duke of Ferrara came to Rome to receive his Investiture into the Dukedom from the hands of the Pope where he was received with great pomp and honour and his Table and other Charges defrayed at the expence of the Pope On the 22th of September he began to find himself indisposed of a Fever the which encreasing daily caused by the Stone and retention of his Urin he expired his last on the 15th day of October 1591. with excessive pains Being dead his Bladder was opened a stone taken from thence weighing two ounces and a quarter His Body was carried that Night to St. Peters where it was buried in the Chappel of Gregory He had been Pope ten months and ten days after which the Sea was vacant fifteen days INNOCENT IX IF ever any Person was elected to the Popedom with the common and general consent of the whole Conclave and without those factions and parties which usually arise at those Meetings it was certainly this Innocent IX who in the Conclave which chose his Predecessour Gregory XIV had so fair a prospect of this promotion that he missed of it then but by some few rubs onely which he had time afterwards to remove and so probable was the Papal Diadem to be his that the Mitre of Gregory fell on his Head when he came in an humble manner to pay his Respects and obedience at the feet of the Pope the which accident seemed to foretel and be prophetick of that fortune which afterwards ensued In this manner on the 29th of October 1591. the Papal Chair was again supplied by John Anthony Fachinetti commonly called Cardinal of Santi Quattro taking on himself the name of Innocent IX but his time was short for he reigned onely two Months his Father and Mother were Natives of Gravegni a City in Navarre but he was born at Bologna and there educated in good Learning until the year 1544. when he took the degree of Doctor Afterwards coming to Rome he was entertained in the Family of Cardinal Farnese who sent him for his Vicar to Avignon and afterwards to Parma Pius IV. created him Bishop of Nicastro a City in Calabria and in the year 1561. employed him at the Council of Trent In the year 1566. Pius V. delegated him his Nuntio at Venice where he was a successful Instrument in making a League and confederacy between the Pope the King of Spain and the Venetians against the Turk Gregory XIII created him Patriarch of Jerusalem President of the Court of Inquisition and Cardinal with the Title of Santa Quattro by which appellation he was commonly known And lastly after the decease of Gregory he was unanimously elected on the day before-mentioned The first thing he did after his Election and which he was so ready to perform without loss of time that even then when he was vesting himself in his Pontifical Habit he signed the Bolle De non alienandis bonis Ecclesiae and then declared with words proceeding from the depth of his heart that he was resolved to provide for the afflicted people of Rome and contrive some effectual means to relieve the necessities of the City which laboured almost under a Famine or scarcity of Bread To which end he summoned a Congregation and commanded that the Barons of Rome should bring their Corn into the City and made Vitelli Overseer of the Provisions or Praefectus Annonae On Sunday the second of November he was Crowned but not on the stairs ascending to St. Peters but in a little Apartment which looks towards those stairs by which means a thousand Crowns were saved of the expence the next day he held the first Consistory at which he returned his hearty thanks to the Cardinals for favouring his Election proposing several things which he esteemed convenient for conservation of the Ecclesiastical State amongst which he gave them to understand how necessary it was to keep always a considerable sum of Money in the Treasury as a reserve at all times to supply the necessities and emergencies of the Church the which had been an antient practice in the Republick of Rome where as Tacitus saith they ever reserved a secret Treasure distinct from their running Cash never to be used but then only when the ultimate exigencies of State required it In the next place he wrote
of St. Angelo At his arrival in the Suburbs of Paris he was visited in the name of the King and Queen by the Duke of Nemours and other chief Peers of France and at his entry he was accompanied by the Duke of Orleans the King 's only Brother with a great train of Nobility of the first rank and Order in that Kingdom This Legat who was young and but lately admitted into the Order of Priesthood reserved his first Mass wherewith to treat the King and Queen which he offered to them as the first fruits of his Sarifices celebrating it at Fontainbleau on the 15th of August which is the day of the Festival of the Assumption of our Lady Being returned afterwards to Rome his presence was desired by Philip III. King of Spain under the same quality and character at his Court to be Godfather in place of the Pope to the Daughter of the King who was afterwards baptized with the name of Maria Clara Eugenia But not to confer all the stock of honour on one single person of his Kinred the Pope called Anthony Barberini his other Nephew Son of another Brother from his Capuchin's Cell to rank him together with the Cardinals it was he who was called for a long time Cardinal Antonio he was esteemed a very upright Man and one who observed the rules of S. Francis notwithstanding that his degree of Cardinal excused him in a great measure from the severity of them During the absence of Francisco Barberino in France Antonio was Chief Minister with the Pope in his stead which at his return he did most voluntarily resign into the hands of Francisco in the execution of which it is reported of him that he would never be present at the consultations of War which at that time infested Italy upon a Dispute concerning the Valteline saying that his Order obliged him to the exercise of Peace and works of Charity the affairs of War being incompatible with his Vow and his Profession In the year 1626. this Pope had the honour to consecrate the great Basilicon of St. Peter's Church which having been created by Constantine the Great was afterwards enlarged and adorned by the munificence of many other Popes and now being compleatly finished by this he with great Pomp in presence and with the assistance of twenty two Cardinals of which three were Bishops performed all the Ceremonies and rites of consecration in memory of which this Inscription was engraven over the Walls Vrbanus VIII Pontif. Max. Vaticanam Basilicam A Constantino Magno Extructam A Beato Silvestro Dedicatam In Amplissimi Templi Formam Religiosâ multorum Pontificum Magnificentiâ Redactam Solemni ritu consecravit Sepulcrum Apostolicum Area Mole Decoravit O Deum Aras Et Sacella Statuis Ac Multiplicibus Operibus Ornavit And indeed that Area Moles or the Corinthian Brass with which he made the high Altar was fetched from the roof of the Pantheon called now the Rotunda from the form of it built by Agrippina the which Brass not only served for the high Altar for out of the surplusage of it there was founded a great Cannon now in the Castle of St. Angelo which gave occasion to that Libell which was put into the hands of Pasquin Quod non fecerunt Barbari fecerunt Barberini And indeed it seems strange that the Romans who are so curious should destroy such a piece of Antiquity for as I remember I took off this Inscription from the Architrave of the Portico M. Agrippa L.F. Cos. Tertium fecit And undeneath in lesser Letters Imp. Caes. L. Septimius Severius Pius Pertinax Arabicus Adiabenicus Parthicus Maximus Pont. Max. Trib. Pop. XI Cos. III. P.P. PROCos Imp. Caes. M. Aurelius Antoninus Pius Faelix Aug Trib. Potest V. Cos. PROCos Pantheum vetustate corruptum cum omni cultu restituêrunt This Temple formerly dedicated to all the Gods was now dedicated to all Saints Now as to matters of political Government and his management thereof the Pope found himself much engaged by Gregory his Predecessour who as we have said in his life had accepted the Valteline in Deposite which bringing an unseasonable charge upon him he complained thereof but found no way to get out for Ludovisio had strongly tied the knot both of business and decency And though Vrban by reason of employments exercised in France was judged inclinable and in a manner partial to that Court yet it was fit that he should appear serviceable at least in name to the designs of Spain and indeed he was so in reality for though the Deposite of the Valteline was said to be in the hands of the Pope yet Leopold continued in possession and enjoyed the conveniencies and advantages and the Grisons groaned under the burden to remedy which the Pope proposed divers expedients but the preliminary to all and his chief condition was a reimbursement of the Money which he had expended before he would quit or part with his Trust The Confederates readily accepted the proffer and willingly would have reimbursed the Pope provided the Valley were put into their hands and rendred to the first Owner when the Forts were razed and Religion restored But the Pope being fearful to offend Spain proposed that a strong body of Soldiery belonging to the Valteline should be razed and united either to the Catholick Cantons of Helvetia or as a fourth League to the three Cantons of the Grisons But the Confederates proposing to themselves the end of restoring things to their former state judged that by these means they should be wanting to the protection which they had promised to the Grisons and that the Spaniards should still enjoy the predominancy and liberty of passage to the exclusion of all others upon which considerations and several others the Dispute still continued until the year 1627 when the Pope acquainted the Cardinals in a full Consistory that the Disputes and Wars arisen about the Valteline were composed and ended on the conditions that the Fortifications of those places which were committed to his Trust were by consent of the Kings of France and Spain to be ruined and demolished To which he added these words At length said he we have attained that which we much wished and desired for by mutual consent of both Kings the Peace is concluded and established we have omitted nothing which might conduce to the good of the Church and it hath been our principal care that the Catholick Religion should suffer no detriment the Kings themselves are witnesses hereof and God himself knows that we have always had his glory and honour before our eyes And now that the Grandeur of the Apostolical Chair be advanced and the Consistory gratified and pleased Vrban in the year 1631. bestowed the Title of Eminence upon the Cardinals forbidding them to receive any other distinction of honour and for establishment thereof a Decree was made and entred into the Records of the Congregation of Ceremonies that the Titles of Cardinals should be the
most Eminent and most Reverend but as to the Order of the Knights of St. George instituted by Paul V. he wholly abolished it The Illyrian Colledg founded at Loreto by Gregory XIII but translated afterwards to Rome by Clement VIII consisting in all but of twelve persons he restored again to Loreto with augmentation of the Revenue and of the Scholars to the number of thirty six And in regard his hand was now employed in giving and taking away Honours he was pleased to declare that the Commonwealth of Venice was a crowned Head and was to be treated with a Dignity equal to that of Kings About this time great combustions and terrible Wars threatned Italy for the House of Gonzaga which reigned in Mantua was now considered without issue male and as a dead Corps without hopes of any branches springing from thence neither could Ferdinand the elder Brother nor Vincenzo the present Duke leave after them any other than the young Princess Mary their Niece who as a Woman was excluded from the Investiture of the Dutchy had yet some reason though doubtful to pretend to that of Montferrat In her marriage therefore the pledges of Peace or the seeds of great contention seeming to be lodged many believed it expedient to marry her to Charles Duke of Rhetel Son of the Duke of Nevers the nearest and lawful Heir for this Branch though transplanted to a forein Soil was sprung from the same Root enjoying in France the revenue of three large Dukedoms viz. Nevers Rhetel and Maine The Spaniards who were jealous of this House and above any thing apprehended this Succession lest it should introduce the French into Italy promised the pretensions of Ferrand Prince of Guastalla a branch also of the House of Gonzaga but derived farther than that of Nevers but by how much the Austrians favoured Guastalla with benefits and declarations by so much the more was France earnest to strengthen the rights of Nevers with whom the Venetians also concurring in Opinion put the Duke in mind to establish the Succession in his life-time and therewith confirm the Peace of Italy Nor was Charles Emanuel Duke of Savoy less attentive to his interest and game than the others designing upon the death of Vincenzo now crazy and infirm not so much with age as with riot and luxurious living to revive his pretended title to Montferrat and colour it with the marriage of Mary to his Son Maurice To pervent which Vincenzo with great secrecy called to him Rhetel that he might marry him to the Princess declaring him immediately upon his arrival Lieutenant General and his Heir by solemn Testament To perfect this Marriage nothing was now wanting but the Pope's Dispensation in matter of consanguinity or nearness of kindred which being obtained the Bull seasonably arriv'd the night before that Duke Vincenzo died so that the marriage was consummated whilst the Corps were yet warm and the day following the Bridegroom together with his mourning assumed the Title of Prince of Mantua and having in his power the Garrison and the Cittadel called Porto required from the people an Oath of Fidelity in the name of his Father Guastalla in the mean time published a Patent from the Emperour empowering him to take possession of Mantua until the right should be declared and commanding the Governour of Milan to maintain this Decree by force if need should require Guastalla also had thoughts of going himself to Mantua but the passage was already stop'd by the anticipations of Rhetel wherefore he practised upon Casal endeavouring to alienate the minds of that people from their new Prince but all in vain because the name of Nevers was universally cryed up both at Casal and in the Country of Montferrat The interest of Princes being now discovered reason or justice were no longer debated in the cause of Mantua but calculations made of Force opportunity and advantage The Republick of Venice resolved to joyn with Nevers as the safest interest in which to maintain the liberty of Italy howsoever being willing to decline the assistance of France and other Strangers they designed a middle party composed of a League with the Pope and other Princes of Italy by which they believed it easie to protect the Justice of Nevers by Negotiation and defend themselves on all occasions against violence This Remonstrance of the Venetians Vrban approved and offered his interposition with powerful Offices But what said he can be promised from Reason without Arms in dealing with him who places Reason and Justice in nothing but Arms the excess of Power in Princes makes little account of the Pope's Prayers and their Mediation is reduced to almost nothing else but to adorn the Frontispiece of Treaties with his Name The intentions of Vrban were in reality conformable to his expressions for he desired to maintain Nevers in the succession of Mantua but abhorred to engage himself so far as to be obliged to come to the extremity of taking up Arms. But whilest these things were in meditation and discourse between the Pope and other the Friends of Rhetel the Duke of Savoy taking the advantage of the diversion which the Arms of Lewis XIII found against his Protestant Subjects in France entered with his Army into Montferrat and hoped to be speedily Master both of that Country and of the strong Fortress of Casal which was besieged already by Marquis Spinola Lieutenant General of the Spanish Forces in Italy as was Mantua also at the same time by the Forces of the Emperour At length on the 18th of July 1630. in the Night the City of Mantua was by treachery taken by the Germans and for the space of three days committed to the pillage and cruelty of the Soldiers with all the outrages which lust impiety and licence could suggest to merciless Conquerours the Princess Mary retired into a Monastery where being respected for her Sex and Quality she obtained licence to be carried to the Empress to whom she was nearly related the Duke retired hastily into Porto where the Ammunition for full accomplishment of the Treason taking fire he was forced to surrender on condition that he should be convoyed by two Companies of German Horse into the Country of Ferrara to remain at Melara where the Duke was supplied with Mony for his maintenance from the Venetians The taking of Mantua in this terrible manner increased the hopes of the Spaniards who besieged Casal that they should speedily become Masters of that important place but their expectations were disappointed by the coming of the French Troops under the command of Mareschal Schomberg sent by Lewis XIII for relief of his Ally the Duke of Mantua Thoiras who was Governour of Casal defended the place with great gallantry which gave such discouragement to the Enemy that upon approach of the French Troops the Siege was raised and the Town conserved to its lawful Master In this manner was France Spain and the Emperor engaged in a bloody War within the confines of
could never be heartily reconciled to his Person and Interest but the Arch-bishop was so ambitious of the Scarlet that contrary to the persuasions of his Brother he posted to Rome where after some few months he was created Cardinal to the great satisfaction and joy of the Duke of Guise and of all the French Party who expected from thence the happy fruits of Peace and of a perfect understanding between France and the Papal Sea Howsoever the mind of the Pope was not yet quieted nor could he forget his quarrel to the Barberins though he seemed to be so far appeased as to admit of the return of Cardinal Barberin to Rome which grant was obtained by the Marquis de Fontena who succeeded the Abbat of St. Nicholas in the Agency for France but howsoever he could not so far prevail as to obtain the like favour for Cardinal Antonio whom the Pope detested and would not hear of his admission until he had given in his Accounts and answered the Crimes of which he was legally accused as his Brother had already performed Nor would the Pope admit the Son of Taddeo the Prefect a youth of about eighteen years of age to execute that Office during the absence of his Father retired as we have said to the Court of France though pressed with the most warm instances imaginable by the Marquis de Fontena the Pope positively refusing it as a judged case already by the College of Cardinals in the time of Sixtus IV. when the Son of Antonio Colonna though in joint commission with his Brother was declared uncapable to exercise that charge in the time of his Minority For indeed the Pope did not much consider the applications made from France in any Affair nor was he greatly concerned to satisfie their Ministers knowing that the Civil Wars at that time had so employed the hearts and hands of that Kingdom that no mischief could be derived from thence Nor did Innocent shew himself much more favourable to any Nation for the Emperour could obtain no other help in his Wars against Sweden than a few Indulgences so that he was forced to patch up a Peace to the disadvantage of the Empire and the Roman Religion The Spaniards received nothing but flat denials to all demands as the Conte d' Ognate and the Duke dell ' Infantado who were then Ambassadours did often complain The French required nothing besides the restoration of the Barberins for if the Spaniards could obtain nothing who had been chief Instruments in the Pope's Election what could the French expect who remained as out-lawed people and as Enemies to himself and party Nor did Innocent after the Example of other Popes interest and concern himself much in the quarrels between the Christian Princes or like those who esteeming themselves the universal Fathers interposed by their Agents in the Offices of Peace and Mediation but Innocent casting off those cares and by the advice and counsel of Donna Olympia being desirous to excuse the charge and expence of Nuntios in forein Courts as useless and unnecessary took up new Maxims and grounds of State having an Opinion that the intercessions of Popes availed little with Princes until their own conveniences and pressures by War inclined them to a Peace It is reported that Innocent looking out one day at his Window saw two Porters at Fifty-cuffs some that were standers by would have parted them but the Pope forbad it giving Order that they should fight it out They after half an hours scuffle being weary and out of breath gave over of themselves and without other mediation parted which when the Pope saw he turned to Panâ—irolo who was then living So said he will the French and Spaniards do for when they are well wearied with beating one another they will part and agree of themselves without the mediation of others But Innocent was not so wholly averse from sending Nuntios into forein parts but that with concurrence and approbation of his Olympia he was ready to spend Money in Negotiations which were judged beneficial and necessary for the welfare of the Ecclesiastical State in pursuance of which aim considering it of absolute necessity to have a Minister at the Treaty of Munster where the general peace of Christendom was in debate he appointed Fabio Chigi a Senese to be present at that Meeting who with Aloisio Contareni a Senator of Venice and both Men of experience were by general consent admitted Mediators The Emperour's Commissioners were Lodowick Count of Nassau and Isaac Volmar Doctor of the Civil Law to them afterwards Count Trotmansdorff a person of extraordinary Abilites was superadded Avossie and Servient appeared in behalf of France Count Pignoranda and one Antonio â Sequanis who with his two Pages in a slashed Suit and a tattered Coach was of greater importance to the Work than half the Meeting besides were Commissioners for the Spaniard and Count Oxensterne and John Sauge Osnabrugge for the Swede who being Protestants had a Seat appointed for them apart that they might not mingle with the Catholicks Paw of Amsterdam and Knute the Zelander Commissioners for Holland were of greater eminency than those from the other Provinces to Avossie and Servient Longueville of the bloud Royal of France was afterwards added entering Munster with a train like an Emperour These were the chief Ministers which graced the Meeting at Munster besides several Accessories sent by their respective Princes Fabio Chigi being of a mild and patient temper did diligently remove all such things as he judged might obstruct or retard the business of Peace but Contareni though a Man of able parts yet being passionate did sometimes proceed with more violence than wariness It will not be pertinent to this History to relate the particulars of this Treaty what jugling and what Sophistry was practised How much Money how much time was idly thrown away how many Letters were written in Ciphers and how many deciphered what insisting upon Punctilios never did an Assembly more gloriously play the Mad-men as if this Serious Meeting had been held about the place of Princes not for the peace of Christendom In short therefore as to what concerns our purpose The Hollanders impatient for a peace looking on the French successes with a jealous Eye resolved to improve the present opportunity and without the advice and consent of the French to strike up a perpetual Peace with Spain The French resenting this manner of proceeding by the Hollanders sent to the Hague to complain but without any effect that people after their usual custom preferring their quiet and ease from War before the Leagues and faith and promises made with and given to their Allies And thus this Assembly the most famous next to that of Trent for the resort of divers Nations was dissolved without any effect Chigi the Pope's Nuntio labouring much toward the general Peace had still in his Eye the design of conserving the Revenue and immunities of the Church free and entire
but finding that by the Articles of this hasty Peace a great part of the Ecclesiastical Revenue was remitted and many Benefices of the Church abandoned to the disposal and possession of Enemies to the Roman Sea did in a solemn manner protest against this Peace remonstrating all the damages and losses which did thereby accrue to the Apostolical Chair And so well and with such Art did Chigi manage this and other Affairs that at his return to Rome he was promoted by this Pope to the degree of Cardinal and afterwards had the good fortune to succeed him in the Papal Throne At Osnaburgh almost at the same time was the agreement of the German Peace concluded without the intervention of the Spaniards by which means the Swedes gained the French Assent to the Capitulations but the Princes and Free-States of the Empire having little to ask besides the exercise of their Religion rested satisfied with the enjoyment thereof and liberty of Conscience to serve God after their own fashion which so angred Chigi the Nuntio that he tore the papers about the Peace resolving never more to interpose therein During these transactions abroad the Pope continued in his persecutions against the Barberins to the utmost severity and yet being in conversation with Cardinal Barberin he would with much tenderness weep and lament the unhappy fate of their House terming his tears effects of compassion which he had always ready to vent which others called tears of joy to see the poor Cardinal at his feet reduced by him to the utmost extremity of Fortune All which ill treatment was against the former pretensions and Promises of the Pope who had given faithful assurances to the Marquis de Fontenay Ambassadour of France that in case this Cardinal would return to Rome so as that he might have one hours discourse with him he would forget and pardon all the late quarrels and would enter into as strict Friendship with him and his Family as he had ever entertained with them before he was Pope but contrary to this faith given the Cardinal was entertained with all the contempt and scorn imaginable notwithstanding that France had declared it self engaged in the quarrel and resented all the Affronts given to that House in the same manner as offered to their own natural Subjects or to any Family of highest quality and esteem with that Court. Notwithstanding which it had been the ultimate consummation of all the joys which could have happened to the Pope could he have onely allured the Cardinal Antonio by promises and persuasions to Rome for then in despight of all his Vows and Engagements he would have sacrificed his Family his Reputation and his very triple Crown in satisfaction of his Revenge and for destruction of that person whom Cardinal Mazarine excepted he hated above all things in the World Never was the Interest of France in that low ebb in Rome as it was in this year when the Civil Wars and distractions of that Kingdom rendered its Power less formidable abroad And so the Pope presuming on the ill state of those Affairs little esteemed the character of Ambassadour which the Bailly of Valency maintained at Rome for the Crown of France suffering him to receive many Affronts from his Soldiers without redress or satisfaction for which cause the Ambassadour retired to Tivoli whilest the Pope contrived to dispossess him of the Palace of the Barberins which he inhabited at Rome telling the Ambassadour of Venice that whensoever a reconciliation should be made between him and France the first Article should be that the French Ambassadour should quit that Palace The Bailly of Valency being sensible of all these matters made his complaints to the King his Master upon which he received Orders to expose and lay before the Pope all the ill usage and scornful treatment which his Majesty had received from him since his assumption to the Papal Chair and accordingly being admitted to Audience he represented That all those Cardinals whom Lewis XIII his Father of glorious memory had gained to his Party and allied by his friendship were now become the only mortal Enemies of his Holiness some of which he had exiled from Rome and others whom he had permitted to remain in the City he had rendered so uneasie in their Habitations that banishment was much more desireable than the liberty he gave them to reside and breath within the precincts and air of his Court. Witness the Cardinals Brichi Grimaldi Antonio and Mazarine all which received such daily affronts and discountenances for devoting themselves to the Crown of France that it was a capital crime so much as to own a concernment for that Party That he had made Medicis the Protectour of Spain but Barberin retained no more than a shadow of it for France In short he omitted no instances whereby he might make known the injustices done to the House of Barberin and the Affronts offered to the King and particularly by the succours given to Naples and Portolongone to the prejudice of France But the Pope returned no solid Answer hereunto but broke out into passion and a hundred exclamations which after his manner he accompanied with tears and in fine complained of the Cardinals devoted to the French Interest to be persons in whom he could not confide nor receive satisfaction in their Society or correspondence The Pope being in this manner disturbed and tormented with the continual importunities of the French in behalf of the Barberins entered into consultation with his most intimate Confidents of the Spanish Faction concerning the means whereby he might ease himself and throw off these daily vexations This matter being considered an Expedient was projected to draw off the Barberins totally from the French Interest and having joined them by the Pamfilian and Spanish Party the Faction of France would be inconsiderable in the Conclave and to give a beginning hereunto the Pope would often smile and cast a gratious Eye on Cardinal Barberin so often as he saw him in the Consistory seeming as it were to entertain some thoughts of entire reconciliation with his Family The Spaniards also to instil this Opinion and make it to be swallowed more glibly down offered some advantageous Propositions of Marriage for the Princess Palestrina with a considerable Person of their Country not that the Spaniards had any such real intentions but onely by this Overture to give occasion unto Barberin to write unto Cardinal Mazarine and Cardinal Antonio giving them to understand that since the Spaniards had offered a convenient Match for his Niece it was not reasonable to neglect that Proposal unless they resolved to provide more honourably for her in France where she was deposited as a Pawn for the fidelity of her Family with the Queen Regent The Ambassadour at Rome observing by these passages that Barberin was staggering in his adherence to the French Interest signified his thoughts thereupon to the Count de Brienne principal Secretary advising it as absolutely necessary
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
whilest the Civil Wars continued and whilest Geneva remained in League with the Swisses who had promised to afford their utmost succour and aid unto that place and as to the National Synod they persisted in their resolution promising the Pope that nothing should be attempted therein derogatory to his Power and the Authority of the Church But this assurance did little satisfy the jealousie of the Pope who suspected the very Prelats to be tainted with Heresie and to have an inclination to set up a Gallican Church as they called it separate and independant of the Roman Sea The fear and jealousie hereof constrained the Pope positively to resolve on a General Council and to hasten the convocation thereof with all speed possible supposing that the convention of a General Council would break the former Measures and invalidate the Authority of all National Synods This being agreed the next thing proposed was the place which the Pope would have had to be his own Town of Bologna but that he knew it would be generally disliked by the Prelats nor would the Spaniards consent to have it held at Milan for though they were zealous Catholicks yet in matters of worldly interest they distrusted the Pope as much as other Princes In fine Trent was agreed to be the most commodious and least subject to exceptions of any howsoever the French were of another Opinion as was also the Emperour who proposed Wormes Triers Constance or Hagunaw as more convenient for that the Protestants did so abhor the name of Trent that they would take a prejudice to any thing formed there nor would they endure to have the Council stiled a Continuation of a former but one new and established on its own foundation nor was this the only scruple of the Emperor for he declared that he could not answer for the Empire unless it were first prepared and disposed by a General Diet nor would the Clergy of his hereditary Countries be induced to be present at the Council unless the Cup in the Sacrament were first granted to the Laiety and License for the Priests to marry but all these matters being diametrically opposite to the Papal interest the Pope declared his resolution was rather to give his life than his assent thereunto In the mean time the numbers of those of the Reformed Religion encreased greatly in France so that it was resolved in case a General Council were not speedily assembled that a National Synod should meet at Meaux on the 13th of January 1561. for the tumults and combustions about Religion were so pressing that they required a speedy and an effectual cure the fear of which so touched the Pope as did also the Declaration of the Emperor that taking no notice of the exceptions of either he resolved to surmount the difficulties and therewith signed the Bull for calling a Council to commence on Easter day 1561. giving this Title thereunto Indictio Concilii Tridentini as if it had been to be a New and not the continuation of a former Council howsoever in the body of the Bull the word Continuation being mentioned it gave great scandal and offence to all though the Pope's Legats endeavoured to smooth it over by saying that the Continuation could be no impediment to any revision of what had formerly passed nor hinder the Council from repealing any Act which had been Decreed and ordained in the times of Paul and Julius III. And now Francis II. King of France being dead and his Brother Charles IX a Youth of ten years of age succeeding gave great expectations of a happy change to the Protestants for that the King of Navarre having declared himself of the Reformed Religion to whom of right as first Prince of the Blood the Government belonged during the minority of the King and that he was ruled much by the Counsels of the Admiral de Coligny who was the grand Protector of the Reformed gave them hopes that the severity of proceedings against them would be abated and liberty of Conscience granted to the whole Kingdom the which though it did not take effect fully to their desires yet at an Assembly of the Estates at Orleance it was ordained That an Arrest of judgment should be given and all penal Processes stopped which were made against any for account of Religion and at the same time Orders were given to the Prelats to prepare themselves for their Journey to Trent At this time the Protestant Princes were assembled at Naumbourg with intention to guard themselves from the Plots which would be contrived against them in the Council of Trent and to take off the reproach of Divisions and disagreement in the points of Faith amongst themselves But such was the variety then of Opinions that it was difficult to concur in one Symbol of Faith for the Confession of Augsburg had lately been printed in several Editions and every one with some difference from an other And as to a General Council they petitioned the Emperour that such an one might be convened as was free and where the Pope might not preside and overawe the Votes of the Protestants the which request they made rather in excuse for their not going to Trent than out of any prospect of a concession to their grant In the mean time the Pope having sent two Nuntios to the Emperor he advised them to go to Naumbourg accompanied with two of his Ambassadours and receive the sense of the Assembly which was there convened The Protestants received the Ambassadours with great respect and heard the Nuntios with equal civilities but still continuing firm to their Principles declared that they could not acknowledg the Pope's jurisdiction and therefore could not esteem themselves obliged to make known unto the Pope the Opinion they had of a Council having already signified their thoughts thereof unto the Emperor with the like coldness they were received at Norimberg Frankfort Ausbourg and other Protestant Towns Elizabeth Queen of England at the same time refused to admit the Abbot Martininguez sent by the Pope within her Dominions And the King of Denmark in like manner denied entrance to the Nuncios within his State saying That neither his Father nor he having ever had to do with the Pope he knew no business his Nuntios could have with him Thus did these Nuntios meet Oppositions in all parts nor did they find any encouraging compliance in the Emperor himself who insisted on the Indiction of a new Council which was not founded on the Continuation or basis of a former France likewise made many exceptions to the Bull of Indiction being for a New and not for a Continuation of the Old Council Nor was this all many other things concurring in that Kingdom to the diminution of the Pope's Authority for not onely were the penal Laws against the Protestants taken away but also at a Convention of the Estates at Orleance the Pope's Annates or yearly Revenue was taken off and all Moneys forbidden to be carried to Rome the