Bavaria Canonically chosen thereunto shall attain to a lawful Age hath thought fit if it shall so seem good to our Holy Father the Pope that the Administration of the Temporalties of the said Church be given to the aforesaid Joseph Clement and that the Administration of the Spiritualties be likewise committed to him on this Condition that he exercise the same joyntly with the Bishop of Hierapolis Suffragan and Canon of the said Church who shall be understood to be deputed to this Co-administration during the pleasure of his Holiness and the Apostolick See And Report being hereof made his Holiness favourably approved the Sentence of the Sacred Congregation Given at Rome the fifteenth of September 1688. Signed as the former In December following the Emperor's Minister by order of the Pope required the Cardinal of Fustenburg and his Party of the Canons to own Prince Clement of Bavaria as their Arch-bishop and Elector of Cologne on pain of Excommunication And afterward six of the Canons who had taken part with the Cardinal not appearing upon Summons of the Official of Cologne were by publick Sentence deprived of their Benefices and Ecclesiastical Dignities May 7. Cardinal Crescentio and on the Ninth Cardinal Felice Rospiglosi died at Rome whereby there were eight places void in the College of Cardinals In June there was a terrible Earth-quake in Naples and other Towns thereabout even perceived at Rome many Persons were destroyed by the fall of Buildings Palaces and eminent Structures A Famous Church of the Jesuits one of the finest in all Italy tumbled down and the neighbouring Town of Benevento was quite demolished The Pope therefore sent large Sums of Mony in particular 50000 Crowns unto Naples for the relief of People that suffered by this sad Calamity This Earthquake continued several days more or less with some Intervals the People feared it would last a whole Moon as one did in December 1456. and therefore many retired into the Country in hopes of more Security but by the violent Storms and Rain which followed the Earth-quake such sudden Floods arose that several were drowned and all People extreamly terrified by the frequent and violent Shakings of the Earth mighty Thunder and Lightning great Hail-stones Besides which a Mountain also split in sunder the Earth opened and out of it issued black Vapors and Flames of Fire the Sun appeared incircled with a Flame about it the Sea though at Calm strangely retired in three times All which Prodigies so terrified the Inhabitants of Naples that scarcely a third part of the People remained therein July 25. being St. James's day began publick Rejoycings at Rome for the Birth of the Queen of Englands Son There was held a Chappel of eighteen Cardinals who assisted at High Mass and Te Deum was sung with rare Musick in the English Church which was richly adorned and the Cardinal of Norfolk made great Expressions of Joy at his Palace Sir John Lydcot Agent at Rome then for King James the Second shewed all the Demonstrations of Joy usual on such extraordinary Occasions viz. A very large Picture or Emblem was set up over his Palace-gate relating to the Subject which consisted of an Effigies of a Child adorned as a Knight of the Garter and about it several Trophies relating to the Prince of Wales Kings of England and Warlike Exploits with the then King and Queen of England's Pictures on each side and the Pope's over it Not only the Windows of his House were illuminated but he had divers Pots of combustible Matter flaming set upon Posts before his House and distributed 1100 Lanthorns with the King's Arms upon them to be hung up with Lights in them before the Neighbouring Houses and a Fountain of Wine ran for three days upon the second day he provided a whole Ox the Belly whereof was fill'd with Fowls c. to be roasted for the common People and entertained divers Persons of Quality in his Palace with all Rarities The Wine and good Cheer had so fill'd the common Peoples Bellies and Heads that they made returns with shouting and noise so that it was said not only the Musick in the Palace was deaded by it but the Drums Trumpets yea the very Chambers and Mortars were not to be heard The Pope was God-father to this Child whose Baptism was defer'd to October 15. 1688. and was represented by his Nuntio in England for as King James had sent an Ambassador to complement the Pope so the like in return was done by him and his Nuntio made his publick Entrance at Windsor in the beginning of July 1687. but the Pope knew how to use his Mony otherwise than to be at so great Charge as the King of England's Ambassador had been at in Rome for his Nuntio had only four Pages twelve Footmen and three Coaches of his own when he made his publick Entry The Pope made Cardinal Pallavicino Legat of St. Vrban and upon his Creation he is reported to have made a learned Speech in the Consistory in relation to the Queen of England's Son and gave a piece of Mony to all that would fetch it at St. Peter's Church where there resorted about 30000 Persons In August the Lord Thomas Howard Envoy Extraordinary from the King of Great Britain had Audience of His Holiness The Pope confirmed the Election of the Baron of Plettenbergh to the Bishoprick of Munster 1689. The Difference between the Pope and the French King not being yet composed April 30. the Marquis of Laverdin left Rome and returned to Paris in July following and the 26th of the same Month the Pope's Nuntio left Paris in order to return to Rome And the Pope's Apprehensions encreasing that the French King might make some Attempt on Italy he made great Preparations to be in a Posture to defend himself by daily enlisting more Men providing Ammunition fortifying and reinforcing his Garisons and denying Audience to the Cardinals d'Estrees and d'Este they and the Duke of Savoy's Minister at that Court prepared themselves for their Departure The Pope resolved also to make use of his Spiritual Weapons and threw his weightiest Thunderbolt Excommunicating in the severest manner all Persons of what Degree or Quality soever that shall usurp possess or separate from the State of the Church any part of its Lands Dominions c. or that shall seize upon any part of its Revenue or that shall interrupt or hinder the Commerce on the Coasts and Seas of the Ecclesiastical Estate as likewise those who shall attempt the calling or appealing to future Councils or that shall write against the Pope or Church Which Bull was affixed at all the usual publick Places in Rome and was ordered to be sent into France that so that Crown might not pretend Ignorance At this time the French King declares War against Spain and before or since against the Emperor and some of the German Princes as likewise against England Scotland Holland c. So that though the Pope had all his Life-long
and Nature for the Title prefixt to the Decree for condemning these Propositions runs thus The Decree of our most holy Lord Innocent the XI by Divine Providence Pope by which he hath condemned 65 Propositions of Casuists as at least scandalous and pernicious in practice and hath forbidden the defending and publishing of them by any one under the pain of Excommunication ipso facto and that to be reserved to the Holy Apostolical See This Decree was publisht at Rome in the usual places on the 4th of March 1679. by Francis Perin Cursor to the Pope and Court of Inquisition In December 1682 an Imperial Envoy arrived at Rome to give the Pope an account that the Turks were making very great preparations for a War in Hungary the Pope very readily gave assurance of his Assistance both against the Turks and Count Teckeley who had been some time in Arms in Upper-Hungary and January the 8th a Congregation was held to consider of the best way to give assistance to the Emperor and resolved That the Tenths of all Ecclesiastical Benefices in Italy and Spain and where the Popes Power is acknowledged except in France shall be employed for carrying on this War and in the mean time for present Occasion remitted 200000 Crowns to the Emperor at Vienna He also wrote to the French King to agree the Differences with his Neighbours and assist against the Turks and the French King's Envoy at Vienna declared his Master desired a lasting Peace between him and the Emperor and that he would be ready to assist with his Forces against the Turks But at the same time a Domestick of the Envoy's was found to have Correspondence with Count Teckeley and secur'd the French Troops had about a year before forced in upon the Magistrates and seiz'd Strasburgh which he refused to re-deliver And the French King both now and for some time after so alarm'd the German princes that they could not assist the Emperor promoting in many ways the Turks Invasion of the Empire and assisting Teckeley with Money This last the Pope charged him with and urged it as one ground for his displeasure when the Disputes were about the Regale which suspicion the King endeavoured to remove though with little satisfaction to the Pope And since it will be my part to give an account of the large Assistances the Pope gave both to the Emperor the King of Polâ—nd and the Venetians in carrying on the War it will not be impertinent to give yearly a short account of the Success that ensued thereupon The Turk published his Declaration of War against the Emperor containing many Blasphemous Reproaches of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which in the Consequence was the occasion of his own Deposing though by his own Soldiers May the 8th 1683 his Holiness had an account that according to his desire the King of Poland had entred into League with the Emperor for assisting in the War which was to be Sworn to by each of their Cardinal Protectors at Rome for every Prince and State that own the Pope for their Head hath a Cardinal at Rome who joyns with his Ambassador if there be any residing there or else alone to take care of the Affairs of that Country at Rome and is call'd the Protector of such a Realm or State Cardinal Pio was for the Empire and Barbarin for the King of Poland In June the Pope sent to the States of Venice to persuade them to enter into the same League with all the Encouragements he was able In the latter end of July this year the Turks besieged Vienna much sooner than was expected the Emperor Court and many Inhabitants speeded out of it almost surprized Count Staremberg the Governor made a very brave Defence notwithstanding the many violent Assaults of the Turks and before Relief came kill'd near 20000 of them The Duke of Lorraine lay with the Emperor's Forces not far off expecting the King of Poland and other Succors to raise the Siege the Turks therefore sent a Body of 15000 Turks and Tartars against him but he kept his Ground killing many of them and foreing the rest to return to their Camp General Dunewald possessed himself of a considerable Post on the Forest near Vienna which if the Turks had been possessed of it might have been difficult for the Christian Armies to have joyn'd September the 9th the King of Poland with his Army and and other Forces came and the whole Christian Army amounted to 64400 fighting Men. On the 12th of September they attack'd the Turks in their Camp and in a short time totally routed them the Turkish Horse fled and there were about 25000 Foot kill'd in the Camp their Baggage two millions of Money 60000 Tents and vast Riches were taken the Garison was brought to its last extremity their Bombs being spent many Cannons burst the Turks were lodg'd in their Ditches so that the Shot from the Garison could not annoy them and the Soldiers within were reduced brought from 15000 to 5000 these sallied out and assisted at the Fight also It was said the Turk lost during the Siege and at the raising 70000 Men. The Christians Chiefs at this Battle were the King of Poland the Electors of Saxony and Bavaria the Duke of Lorraine Prince Waldeek two Princes of Baden Prince D'Anhalt Duke of Croy Prince de Salme Margrave of Brandenburgh the Landgrave of Hess the Prince of Hanouer two Princes of Newburg four Princes of the House of Saxony three Princes of Wirtemberg the Prince of Hobenzeller c. In May this year the Emperor sent to the Pope to desire to grant him the Tenths of the Ecclesiasticks in the Hereditary Countries and for leave to turn Church-Plate into Money towards carrying on the War against the Turks The Pope for the present returned Answer That he would see the War first begun But in August following he called a Congregation and it was resolv'd that a Tax after the Rate of 6 l. per Cent. should be laid on all the Ecclesiastical Revenue per Annum for 10 years in Italy and that the Emperor might renew the Imposition of One pound per Centum upon the Clergy in the Hereditary Countreys for the War The King of Spain in Answer to the Popes Request sent One hundred and seventy thousand Crowns to the Emperor on the same account In November the Pope having notice of the taking of Gran by the Duke of Lorrain receiv'd it with Joy and remitted Money to his Nuncio at Lintz for the Emperors use and sent 30000 Crowns to the Vice-Roy of Croatia to encourage and enable him to assist in the War And being desirous to have the War carried on effectually he not only renew'd his Perswasions to the Venetians to enter into the League offering them the Tenths of the Ecclesiasticks within their Dominions for their assistance but labour'd a Peace between France and Spain and the Empire and was very much troubled he could not effect it then In February
to satisfie themselves with the honour thereof without pay Yet intending to do such things that would render himself obnoxious to ill Men he encreas'd his number of Archers wherein he took all the care he could to have such Men listed as were discreet and sober not given to quarrels or apt to commit Insolencies as the Corsi had done in Pope Alexander VII time which gave him great trouble for upon affronting the French Kings Embassador he sent an Army into Italy which oblig'd that Pope to disband them and erect a Pillar with an Inscription of their Banishment and for what Cause In the next place for due administration of Justice that Criminals might no longer secure themselves in priviledg'd places which were many and very large and for long time had been the common shelters of Villains and the worst of Men he would not allow such places for the future to be Sanctuaries tho they were the Houses of Ambassadors and great Princes in Rome and in pursuance thereof caused a famous Bandito to be seized at Riccia a Seat of the Prince Chigi which was done without any opposition tho afterward the French and this Pope had great contests about it The Pope also confirmed the seventeen Articles which were signed in the Conclave of Cardinals a little before the time of the Election which other Popes in the like case have failed to do These for the most part tended to a Reformation of Manners and to amendment of those abuses which were crept into the Church That himself might be a pattern of Temperance and Sobriety he retrencht the expences of his House and lived so frugally that his own Table diet exceeded not five shillings a meal he reproved the vanity of the Cardinals in their fine Cloaths and Liveries and outward Gaities not becoming the gravity of Men of their Order contrary to other Popes who labour'd to dignifie 'em with honours And because the Corruption of the Church as it began so continued by ill Men's being in it who were commonly preferr'd by Friendship or Mony and not for deserts he appointed four Cardinals and four other Clergy-men to examine the Lives and Manners of such who aspired to the Degree of Bishops ordering them to admit none thereto suspected or in the lest blemished with ill Fame or debauched Conversation or taxed with Ignorance And to shew his dislike of such debaucheries and prevent Temptations he drove out of Rome the Curtesans and Strumpets and persons openly Scandalous and Dissolute in their Manners and Behaviour and in particular banisht a Gentleman of Quality into Germany for endeavouring to ravish a Lady He put down Gaming-Houses and forbad all lewd and unlawful Assemblies wherefore those sort of Men did account this Popes reign but a dull time and were weary of it long before it expir'd Tho in truth Conversation hath been free and unlimited for tho at Rome there is no Printed News yet in the Anti-chambers of Cardinals Ambassadors Princes and particularly at the Queen of Swedens all the News of Europe was usually discours'd not without animadversions or reflections upon it And tho Learning be not much in Vogue there yet those that would apply themselves to it might meet with no discouragements and a general outward Civility according to the Italian way was practis'd over the City and strangers kindly receiv'd being not obnoxious in their Speeches so that they may live there without any molestation and discourse freely enough of any thing that is the common subject of Civil Conversation And for the rights and properties of the meaner people in regard the Barons of Rome by the priviledge of their Nobility were above the reach of their Creditors the Pope ordered Cardinal Cibo to take an account of such Creditors as would bring it in what any of these priviledg'd persons owed them and to pay their dues out of the Chamber causing such persons to assign the Debts due to them to the Chamber which could better deal with them by proceedings out of the Exchequer Many have accounted him Covetous and one that made it his buisness to heap up Wealth and probably there might be more reason to lay that to his charge rather than other vices and one thing they take notice of is That he hath not rais'd any publick Structure or Building for the glory of the City as other Popes have done who advancing their Families at publick expence if not oppression were willing to do somthing of that Nature to stop the Peoples Mouths or else for vain-glory and to perpetuate their memories to Posterity But this Pope found the Chamber greatly in debt by the ill management of affairs before him and also did not know what occasion he might have to defend his Dominions if the Turk had prevail'd at Vienna or the French King should have invaded a people long accustomed to ease and luxury But he hath parted with great store of Mony to carry on the War against the Turk And one particular Act of generosity in this first year of his Reign is observable Christina Queen of Sweden having the greatest part of her Revenue from Sweden stopt through the necessities of the Times the Pope in recompence thereof for her comfortable livelyhood allowed her a Pension of 3000 l. per Annum Having done these things at home he now looks abroad and considering the Turk as the Common Enemy of Christendom he writes Letters to the Emperor the Kings of France and Spain to be at Peace offering himself for Mediator and to assist in it in Person provided the place appointed for the Treaty were some City of the Catholick Religion and animated the King of Poland to continue his War against the Turk for the recovery of Kaminiec and to be reveng'd on the Vizier Kuperlee for taking Contribution from the City of Leopolis and remitted to him the Sum of 50000 Crowns to assist him therein 1677. Whilst the Pope labour'd for Peace abroad the better to repose himself and advance the Affairs of the Church which never have thriven in War unless in some Cases to divert War from Italy the Popes have been incendiaries to raise it in others places and thereby may be said to get advantage I say while he labour'd for Peace among others those very persons whose good he design'd thereby did make but an ill requital tho no advantage could accrue to some of them The first accident that had like to set Rome in a Tumult was this The King of Spains Embassador without the Popes leave pretending the French for his Example knowing his Master wanted Soldiers in Sicily adventured to make some levies of Men at Rome People knowing the hardship his Soldiers used to endure came in slowly to list themselves and a rumour was spread that he had hid Men in Cellars which getting wind among the Vulgar glad of a pretence to be tumultuous and egg'd on by a secret malice they had entertain'd against that Nation they affronted them in all
Chamber And this brings in a very great yearly Incomb but is a very great Oppression both to the Occupiers of Lands and so to the Landlords and also to the Poor who if they have Bread cheap can make better shift to live upon the less of other Sustenance and this in 33 years time has been almost the ruine of the Ecclesiastical Estate so that the Country is much unpeopled and a great part of the Land lies uncultivated because it is not worth while to manure it and to raise Corn when the Price will not answer the Cost and Rent of the Lands It was moved to this Pope a little before he died to release this Tax he answer'd to this purpose That it would not be thankworthy for him to do it when he could not live to enjoy profit by its continuing and therefore he would leave it for his Successor October the 5th Cardinal Francesco Albizzi died at Rome in the 92 year of his age and two days after Cardinal Basadonna died by which there were 23 Vacancies in the Colledge of Cardinals and the Pope was moved to add more Cardinals to the Sacred Colledge which he did not seem to deny but disliked Persons propos'd to him for that Advancement He was now very much indisposed in his Health of which he was always very careful so that upon the least indisposition he presently kept his Chamber and sometimes his Bed of this illness he soon recovered but afterward fell very ill of the Gout and kept his Bed 3 weeks In December the Pope wrote Letters both to the Emperor King of Poland and States of Venice earnestly exhorting them to make good Preparations for the War against the Turk the year ensuing and his Nuncio assured the Emperor that the Pope was raising a great Fund to assist him and the other Princes in the War in which if there should be occasion his Holiness would employ the Treasures of the Church and the Pope gave Absolution to all such as should contribute to the carrying on the War In January 1682 the King of Spain's Ambassador at Rome was made Vice-Roy of Naples and shortly after took upon him the Government wherein he hath acted very honourably for the King and worthily for the Subjects and was belov'd and esteemed by all sorts of People for in few years he redressed such Abuses that seem'd past cure or at least required an Age to correct them He repressed the Insolence of the Spaniards so much at Naples that the Natives had no occasion to complain of the haughtiness of their Masters for he proceeded against the Spaniards with no less severity when they gave cause for it than against the Neopolitans He took the Pay of the Soldiers so immediately into his own Care that they who before his coming were half naked and robb'd such as pass'd on the Streets of Naples in day-light were afterwards exactly paid well disciplin'd and so decently cloathed that it was a pleasure to see them He examined their Musters also so exactly that he was sure never to be cheated by false Lists He brought the Markets and Weights of Naples to a true Exactness and whereas the Bread was generally too light he sent for Loaves out of the Markets and weighed them himself and by some severe Punishments on those that sold the Bread too light he brought this matter to a just Regulation He also retrieved the Reputation of the Courts of Judicature that were before generally thought corrupt and it is believed he had Spies to watch in case the Trade of Bribes should continue to go on He fortified the Palace which was before his time so much exposed that it would have been no hard thing to have made a descent upon it But the two things that raised his Reputation most were his extirpating of the Banditi and the Regulation of the Coyn it is well enough known what a Plague the Banditi have been to the Kingdom for going in Troops they not only robb'd the Country but were able to resist an ordinary Body of Soldiers if they had set on them These travelled about seeking for Spoyl all the Summer long but in Winter they were harbour'd by some of the Neopolitan Barons who gave them Quarters and thereby did not only protect their own Lands and Friends but had them as so many Instruments ready to execute their Revenges on their Adversaries a thing very grateful to the Italians This was well enough known at Naples and there was a Council that had the Care of reducing the Banditi committed to them who as they catched some few and hanged them so they fined such Barons as gave them harbour and it was believed that those Fines amounted to near 150 thousand Crowns a year but still the disease went on only now and then a little Blood let which never went to the bottom of the Distemper But when this Viceroy entred upon the Government he resolved to extirpate all the Banditi and he first let all the Barons understand that if they harbour'd them any more a little Fine would not save them but that he would proceed against them with the utmost severity and by this means the Banditi could find no Winter-quarters so they betook themselves to some Fastnesses among the Hills and resolved to make good the Passes and to accomodate themselves the best they could amid'st the Mountains the Viceroy sent a great Body against them but they defended themselves for some time vigorously and in one Sally kill'd 500 Men but at last seeing themselves to be hard press'd and hearing that the Viceroy intended to come against them in Person they accepted of the Terms that he offered them which was a Pardon for what was past both for Life und Gallies and Six pence a day for their Entertainment in Prison during Life or the Viceroy's Pleasure and so they rendered themselves They were kept in a large Prison and now and then as he saw cause for it he sent some few of them up and down to serve in Garisons and some went to serve the Venetians against the Turks and did good Service And thus was this Country quieted and in entire Security which for many Ages notwithstanding often vigorous Endeavours to suppress them had been continually infested with Robberies and Pillages to the hazard and frequent almost ruin of Travellers As to the Coyn it as all other Spanish Money being Square was so subject to Clipping that the whole Money of Naples was become light and far below the true value which he resolved to redress he considered that the crying down of Money that had passed on the publick Credit would be a robbing of those in whose hands the Money happened to be when such Proclamations were put out and therefore took a Method that was more general in which every one would bear his share and no particular Person crushed more than other he laid some Taxes on the whole Kingdom and procured some to bring in Plate to be coyned
wanted Conduct c. The Grand Signior promised their Arrears should be paid and that not contenting them sent the Seal to a Chiaus Bassa their Leader in this Mutiny which made him Grand Visier and afterwards the Head of the late Visier but neither would this satisfie though withal word was sent them that the Treasurer and other Great Men of whom they complained were kept alive only to discover their Estates which should be confiscated for pay of the Army whereby Four or Five hundred thousand Crowns were raised and several of them were strangled soon after The Mutiniers not satisfied declare then against the great Expence of the Port whereupon 1000 Women Attendants at the Court and divers others were turn'd off and Ibrahim a former Visier was strangled and several Great Men were sent to the Army that they might see them executed who upon their arrival would not wait for that but in great Rage cut them to pieces and with them an Officer in the Army of their own Accomplices for desiring to forbear killing one only until he should give an account which way the Revenue was wasted and the same day the confiscated Estates were sent them with Orders to stay at Adrianople and come no nearer But nothing of this could quell their Fury they insist upon having the Grand Signior deposed and the setting up his Brother Solyman in his place but Mahomet to prevent this resolved the death of his Brother and Sons and went accordingly to their Apartments but there he found Resistance and the very Officers he took with him would not obey him and so he returned to his own Apartment where was presently a Guard put upon him and his Brother and Sons were conducted to the Old Serail and had a Guard for their Security The Army notwithstanding the former Command marcheth on-ward and some Officers with 1500 Men came in haste to Constantinople and early in the morning met with others in the chief Mosk November 18 and put this Question to the new Mufti viz. Whether for the good of the Empire Mahomet the Fourth might not be deposed and Solyman set on the Throne who answered in the affirmative Thereupon Solyman was Proclaimed Mahomet knew not of this until Noon when asking for Horses he was told he must ask leave of Sultan Solyman who soon after sent an Order under his own hand-writing to this effect That as Mahomet had kept his Brother in Prison 40 years it was but just that he should be shut up as long himself to do Penance for his sins and ordered him to be secur'd Of those that came to seize him he asked What have I done to deserve this usage To which was answer'd That if there were no more in it he had now Reigned 40 years and that might content him All this was done without Blood or so much as disturbance to the Shop-keepers in the City and now he that so vaunted himself in his Declaration as above Christ and his Followers was thus easily deposed by his own Soldiers which he rais'd against the Christians The present Sultan is a person of strong Complexion fair Stature and belov'd by the Priests and Lawyers having much addicted himself to the study of their Law during his confinement His first entrance was easy but the Janizaries and Spahies coming to Town became very tumultuous and committed great Insolencies and Violencies which the Grand Signior could not restrain until they had their Arrears paid and their Donative usual at the setting up a new Sultan given them and notwithstanding that seeing themselves now to be Masters there was no bridling their Appetites for in March following they began again to be mutinous and kill'd the Grand Visier and others plundering both theirs and the best Shop-keepers Houses This they did twice and were suppress'd both times by the Grand Signior's setting up the Standard of Mahomet and the Priests making Proclamation for all true Musselmen to repair to it which they must do or else they are ipso facto divorced from their Wives and withal they look upon themselves obliged in Conscience to do it so that all sorts of People even to the aged and decrepid resorted with Arms to defend it and by them were many of the Mutineers taken and presently cut in pieces and the rest fled and hid themselves and afterwards a Quarrel began between the Horse and Foot wherein many were kill'd and thereby the time of the year also calling them into the Field they were at last appeased The Grand Signior presently after consulted how to bring them to their ancient Discipline and to live according to their Law in not drinking Wine c. And in January this year 1687 8 the strong and very considerable place of Mongatz was surrendered to the Imperialists by the Princess Ragotski Count Teckeley's Wife who with her Children were brought to Vienna where they remain having the whole City for their Prison This year the French King sent the Marquess de Lavardin to be his Ambassador at Rome who came into the City with a very great Train upon the 16th of November although the Pope had forbid that any Notice should be taken of him as an Ambassador in his Journey through Italy because the King had not consented to allow the Bull about the Franchises and the Marquiss knowing it to avoid any disrespect that might be shewed to him came incognito till his arrival near Rome where he was met guarded and attended very splendidly unto the Palace of Farnese The Pope had some notice before his coming that divers strange Persons had resorted to the City and therefore had ordered an account to be taken of what Strangers were lately come into the City and what was their business Before the end of December the Ambassador had twice demanded Audience of the Pope and was denied it until his Master had so far own'd his Holiness Authority as to admit his Bull whereupon the Popes Nuncio in France had the like usage In the mean time the Ambassador caused twelve Men to go the rounds every night about his Palace changing them upon the ringiag of a Bell in the same manner as Sentinels are relieved in time of war some said it was to hinder the City Officers of the Watch from coming near the Palace though the pretence was to hinder Malefactors from taking Sanctuary in his Excellency's Quarters both the Ambassador and the Marchioness his Wife frequently pass'd through the Streets visiting the Churches and places of Devotion St. John of Lateran's Church was endowed in part by Henry the Fourth of France and the French Ambassador residing at Rome usually joined there in the Church Service on the 13th of December being the Feast of St. Lucy celebrated with great solemnity This year the Pope caused it to be omitted to prevent the difficulties that might ensue if the Ambassador should come as formerly for the Pope in his Bull touching the Franchises had declared such as should not conform thereunto
laboured Peace among Christian Princes yet now he liv'd to see them all engag'd but he had this to solace himself with that there was so much work cut out for France that his Arms were like to be diverted from him so that he might dye in Peace which he did accordingly And he had yet greater satisfaction since he had a fair prospect that as he had been instrumental to free a great part of Christendom from the Slavery of the Grand Seignior so now he saw so many great Princes joyn'd together to rescue their Countries from the Tyranny and Usurpation of France which two had design'd to share Christendom between them and none but himself had before so couragiously and vigorously according to the Methods of the Papal See opposed the Encroachments of France as he had done He was sensible that this was not a Religious War as the Jesuits would insinuate who have laboured the Exaltation of France but that the French King had ravish'd something from most of his Neighbours as well Papists as Protestants and that none of them were able to cope with him singly but upon any Fraction that he made with any particular Prince he would give Laws to them and they were forced to truckle and submit to him who would be Judge as well as Party in all Differences betwixt them and that it had long been his Method that if any Princes were at Variance to side with one of them and force the other to a Peace upon what Terms he pleased wherein on pretence of his Arms assisting he would not fail to be a considerable Gainer by the Bargain He saw also that he never observed any Peace or Truce though ratified by the most solemn Oaths further than it was for his own Interest All these Perfidious and Tyrannical Actions the Pope detested and therefore had he lived would in all Probability as well have assisted the French King's Enemies as he had done the Grand Seigniors I have already given an account of what pass'd as Matter of Fact in the Differences between the French King and the Pope wherein sometimes the French Allegations were more publick than the Popes as by the Marquess of Laverdin's Protestation c. for which reason I shall here insert a short Account of what was alledged on the Pope's side whereby the unreasonableness of the French King's Demands will farther appear especially considering his pretended Zeal for the Roman Catholick Religion and his affecting to be called the Eldest Son of the Church First That the French King was so far from having a true cause to complain of the Pope's unfair Dealings towards him that the Pope hath shewed him on divers Occasions the most effectual Marks of particular Esteem and paternal Affection that he might or could do without giving up the Churches Rights whereas the Pope received from the French King and his Subjects on his account and by his allowance witnessed by his Protection of them divers and several Injuries Contumelies Reproaches as well as Slights and Oppositions both by Words and Writings Secondly In the Matter of the Regale The French King extended his Power over more than half the Churches and Parishes of his Kingdom contrary to the express Dispensation of the second General Council of Lyons and the immemorial Possession and Rights of those Churches confirmed and authorized by the Acts and Ordinances of his Royal Predecessors and the Sentiments and Arrests of the Parliament of Paris the Registers of the Chambers of Accounts and the uniform Judgments and agreeing Opinions of the most famous and celebrated French Lawyers He endeavoured to subject divers Monasteries to his Nomination where they were Elective even to the almost Destruction of some of them and where he did suffer others to elect by his uncontrolable Power and absolute Authority he forced the Electors to choose whom he pleased and disinvested the Bishop of Pamiers of his Revenues because he defended the Canonical Liberty of the Church and persecuted the Canons and other Ecclesiasticks by Imprisoning and Banishing them because they would not obey the Schismatical Vicars which the Arch-bishop of Tholouse named in opposition to those Canonically elected and confirmed by the See of Rome with divers other Obtrusions on Religious Houses and Churches contrary to all Rules of Right and Justice Thirdly He suffered Books Dedicated to him and Licensed to be published both at Paris and by his Ambassador at Rome contrary to the Apostolical See and injurious to the Pope's Person Fourthly By his Edicts he confirmed the Propositions made by his Assembly in Derogation of the Pope's Authority and forced them to be Registred in the Sorbon against the Doctor 's Will. As to the Pope he was always ready for an Accommodation but that the King ever insisted upon having his Demands first accurately satisfied That the Pope never refused his Bull of Confirmation where the King regularly Nominated unless to such Persons of whom he is the sole Judge that were Court-Church-Men and had signed the Propositions which were Diametrically contrary to the Apostolical See or were notoriously Scandalous That the Pope denied not Audience to the French King's Ambassador if he would have communicated his Commission to Cardinal Cibo as the French King hears no Ambassadors c. before they have conferred with his Secretary or chief Minister of State but withall the French King had never returned answer to the Pope's Brief touching the Regalia which had been presented eight Years before the Ambassador was refused the immediate Access to the Pope he required And Lastly As to the business of the Franchises they have been found to be so great an Evil in the Government that the Pope was resolved to Extirpate their pretended Priviledges and that he is the sole Judge of what concerns his Temporal Government and no one ought to intermeddle therein but leave it to himself who is resolved to be Master in Rome as other Princes are in their Dominions And thus the Pope left these Differences undertermined What may further occur therein we must expect in the new Pontificate In the beginning of this year the Turkish Envoys came to Vienna to Treat of Peace The Diet in Poland ordered an Ambassador to be sent thither to Treat on their King's part notwithstanding the French Ambassador in that Court had laboured the contrary The Venetians had one there also and on the twelfth of March 1688 9. the Emperor's Commissioners having before received the Envoys Proposals gave their Answer by way of Demand viz. That the Turks should yield the Emperor to enjoy all the Countries Towns and Fortresses that he had gained during the War That Transilvania and Wallachia which have put themselves under the Emperor's Protection shall be freed from the Annual Tribute they formerly paid the Port. And that Count Teckely be deliver'd up to the Emperor The Envoys declar'd they had no Instructions to intermeddle in the last Demand The Venetians demanded the Island of Negropont and the Dutchy
the Venetians entred into League for six years with the Pope the Emperor and the King of Poland to join in War against the Turk and that no Truce or Peace should be Treated of or Concluded with the Turks but by joint Consent By this the Pope engaged himself to pay the Venetians 50 thousand Crowns a month and to maintain six Galleys at Sea during the War The Pope hereupon borrowed 3 millions of Crowns of the States of Genoua This year died Cardinal Caesar Fachenetti and also Cardinal Arch-Bishop of Bologne whereby 21 places were vacant in the Colledge of Cardinals In April 1683 the Pope sent his Brief to France wherein he consents that the Revenues of the Abbies of St. Denis and St. German shall be employed towards the maintenance and for the use of the New-Converts in France The Dauphiness having been last year deliver'd of a Son Created Duke of Burgundy the Pope was desired to be Godfather which he consented unto and promised to send some Blest Clouts for the Child but this was delay'd from time to time until May the 3d 1683 and then the Bishop of Fano was sent as Nuncio Extraordinary with the Present When he landed he was forbid to come to the Court or Paris but ordered to stay at Orleans until the King returned from Alsace which he did so that it was the 22d of July before he could have private Audience of the King 1684. For the carrying on the War this year against the Turks the Pope sent the King of Peland 300 thousand Crowns and a considerable Sum to the Cossacks to encourage them to join with the said King To the Emperor he sent 100 thousand Crowns and also granted the States of Venice the Tenths of all Ecclesiastical Revenues within their Dominions And June the 5th the Popes Nuncio by his Order distributed 200 thousand Florius the one half for such Hungarians as had forsaken Count Teckeley the other half for a Field Hospital for sick and wounded Soldiers He sent also his Galleys to assist the Venetians in the Levant August the 26th the Venetian Ambassador gave the Pope an account that they had this Summer taken the Island of Sancta Maura and what Councils were agitated for further Designs whereat the Pope much rejoyced and told him that his Galleys should Winter in some convenient Port in the Adriatick to be ready to join theirs the sooner next year but in the beginning of December they arrived at Civita Veccbia not being able to Winter abroad without Recruits having lost in this years Expedition 100 Soldiers and 200 Seamen and Slaves They took this year also Prevesa from the Turks In September the Pope sent another Supply of Money to his Nuncio at Vienna to be employed in the War the Emperor having sent several times Auxilliaries to his Army that had besieged Buda which was most vigorously defended by the Garison notwithstanding the many Assaults and violent Attempts made by the Dukes of Lorrain and Bavaria with the loss of many Men on both sides They continued the Siege although the Sarasquier with a potent Army of the Turks had attempted several times to raise it until November when in regard of the Season of the year loss of 12 or 14 thousand Men and near 8000 sick and wounded and the Serasquier continuing so near the Camp as to hinder their Foraging they were forced to raise it and put the Foot in Boats on the Danube while the Horse stood in Battalia lest the Turks should attempt them and so carried off their Men and Artillery without the loss of a Man However the Emperors Forces in Upper Hungary made some progress by beating some small Parties and taking in some Fortresses The King of Poland appear'd with his Army in the Tartars Territories but return'd without doing any thing considerable On a Letter from the French King to desire it the Pope granted a Dispensation for a Marriage between the Duke of Savoy and Madamoiselle and in August the Popes Nuncio had Audience of the same King touching the business of the Regale and after presented the King from the Pope with a Sable set with Diamonds and Pearl and to the Queen a Rose of Diamonds of great value for he took all occasions to be obliging and respective to the King save wherein he thought the Rights of the Romish Church were concern'd or his own Government and therein he would never notwithstanding many applications be brought to yield in the least In October a certain Printer was taken out of the French Ambassadors Quarter which he as others claimed as Franchises exempt from the Popes Officers of which the Ambassador complain'd and declared he would not go to Court until the Printer were restor'd to his liberty nevertheless the Pope continued him in Prison till he had sufficiently suffer'd for his Offence In December at the Request of the Ambassador for the Republick of Venice the Pope gave leave to that State to buy Corn in his Territories so willing was the Pope to advance the War for in yielding thereto he lost his Income that he should have received for so much as they bought which was very considerable as will better appear by the great Imposition that lies upon all Corn that grows in St. Peters Patrimony of which it cannot be impertinent to give this short account Donna Olimpia who rul'd the Church and State of Rome during the greatest part of the Pontisicat of Innocent the Tenth began this Tax or Impost on Corn and all the Popes who have Reigned since have found so great advantage by it that it hath been still continued and it is at present a very considerable part of the Ecclesiastical Revenne The Substance of the Law or Ordinance is this That no Person whatsoever is suffered to sell Corn to any Strangers but all those that raise any are obliged to sell it at a price certain to the Ecclesiastical Chamber which is not above one moiety of the real value and then the Chamber sells it again at double the price and at a lesser measure so that what comes in at 5 Shillings is sold out at 12 Shillings In the Popes Dominions there is no Person either in City or Country who is permitted to make his own Bread but every one is obliged to buy it of the Bakers who are appointed by the Chamber In each Village there is but one Baker establisht in Rome and the great Cities are several They are all obliged to buy a certain quantity of Corn of the Ecclesiastical Chamber for one whole year to come which they pay for at the delivery of the Corn at the Rate of ten Crowns the Salme or Measure whereas the Chamber bought it in of the Owners for 5 Crowns the large measure and although the Bakers may not have vended all they were obliged to take in the year before yet must they take out the like quantity again and return what they had spare at 5 Crowns the Salme into the