an anchoresse in S. Albons abbey had this terrible visiion she heard an old man of graue countenaunce crye thre times VVo wo to all that dwel on the earth and then faded away againe Anno 1258. Richard Earle of Cornewall sonne to king Iohn of Englād was chosē king of Almany for his great treasure and the Pope procured that he was chosen Emperour but he did that closely because he had likewyse for the same matter taken a bribe of Alphonsus kinge of Spaine Whereupon a certaine Poet made this Verse Nummus ait pro me nubet Comubia Rome Thus money sayth for loue of me Cornewal with Rome shal lincked be Beside these shiftes made for money this Pope Alexāder vsed another notorious knacke he abusing deluding the simplicitye of the king of England made him beleeue that he would make his sonne Edmond king of Apulia if hee woulde sustaine the charges thereof to maintaine the warres appertayning to it wherupon the king caused his sonne forthwith to be proclaymed king of Apulia and sent to the Pope all the treasure and riches that he could make in his Realme And thus was the king and his sonne deluded and the Realme wonderfullye impouerished by the Popes craft It were to long to discouer all the superstitious wicked deuises of this Pope who at length going to Viterbium Anno 1262. to make peace betweene the Genewaies Venetians according to his owne fansye and because he coulde not haue his will therein he dyed there for anger 125. Vrban the fourth VRban the fourth borne in Fraunce and as some saye was first called Pantaleon being patriarch of Hierusalem As sone as he was Pope by and by he commaūded souldiours out of Fraunce to subdue Manfred the ennemy of the Church for the furtherance therof hee requested Lewes kinge of Fraunce to send his brother Charles the Earle of Anteganor w t an oast into Italye and made him king of both Sicils After many conflictes the said Charles ouercame and slue Manfred at Beneuent and receyued of the Pope against all lawe and right the kingdome of Sicill w t the dukedome of Calabrie and Apulia whereuppon arose many great slaughters While this Pope was frō Rome at Pruse the Romaynes coueting their olde libertyes made a newe kinde of officers callinge them Branderesies who had power of life and death in their handes they chose one Brācaleo a priuate parsō of Bononia to be Senatour whō banished late before they restored But touching Vrban it was not much more then this that he did sauinge that hee ordayned an holye daye namelye Corpus Christi daye the fifte day after Trinitye sonday vpon this occasion as some and most likely do write namelye Arnold Bostro Petrus Praemonstratensis Anno 1264. as they saye a certaine woman called Eue in a Religious house in Leodia with whom the Pope in time past had beene well acquainted had a reuelation which she signifyed by wryting to the Pope beseeching him that the sayd day might be kept holye in the honour of the Sacrament of the altar to whom the Pope according to her desire returned his aunsweare with this Bull to confirme the holy daye The Bull of Pope Vrban to Eue the Anchoresse for the establishing of the holy day called Corpus Christi daye BIshop Vrban seruaunt to the seruauntes of God sendeth greeting and apostolicall bleshing to Eue our beloued daughter in Christe VVe know O daughter that thy soule hath longed with greate desire that a solemne feast day might be appointed for the bodye of oure Lord Iesus Christ in Gods Church to be celebrate of all faithfull Christians for euer And therfore for thy ioye we signifie vnto thee that we haue thought it good for the establishing of the catholicke faith that beside the dailye remembraunce which the Church maketh of so wonderfull a Sacrament there should be more special and solemne recorde appointing a certaine daye for it namelye the fifte daye after Whitsontyde next ensuinge that on the said daye the faithfull flocke do gather together to the Churches deuoutlye and effectuallye and let that daye be to all Christiās ioyfull with new holines and holye with much ioye as is more set out in our apostolicall letters sente for this cause through the world And know ye that we haue caused this feast daye to be solemnized with all oure brethren Cardinals bishops and archbishops and other prelats then being at Rome to giue example of celebratinge the same to all that shal see or vnderstand the same Therfore let thy soule magnifye the Lorde and thy spirite reioyce in God thy sauiour for thine eyes haue seene his saluation which we haue prepared before the face of al people Moreouer reioyce because almighty God hath giuen the thy hartes desire and the fulnes of the heauenly grace hath not disapointed the of the will of thy Iippes c. This Vrhan sate more then three yeares betweene the Guelphes Gibelines and prouoked their quarrels to be tryed by the edge of the sworde to the confusion of manye through Italye He being on a time vpbrayed that he was of base linage aunsweared that no mā was noble by byrth but that to be made noble by vertue is true nobility finallye beinge at Pruse because in great attemptes he had not his desired successe he dyed for griefe Masseus sayth that a blazing starre appeared three nights before the death of this Pope and ceased the same night that he dyed 126 Clemens the fourth CLemens the fourth called before Gui Fulcodius borne in Narbonie ere he came to be Pope was a maryed man and had 3. children by his wyfe a sonne two doughters He as his predecessour began continued in sheddinge of bloud he sent for Charles Earle of Angeow to bringe an armye into Italye where he slew Manfred and was made kinge of Sicill and Hierusalem but vppon this condition that he should paye yearelye to the Pope fortye thousande Crownes This bargaine beinge made betweene them great slaughter bloudshed was committed in diuers places for the said Pope betrayed Conradinus sonne to Conradus kinge of Sicill and inheritour of the kingdomes to the former Charles so that as he passed through the fieldes of Viterbie with an oast of Germaynes wher his abode was at that time the Pope by report sayd that the sayd Conradinus was as a lambe brought to the slaughter shewing therby that he was of councell to the treason Afterward when he foughte with Charles about Naples at the first conflict had sufficient victorye yet then the treason reuealing it selfe Conradinus Frederick duke of Austria were taken being myserablye vsed in their captiuitye mocked and flouted were in the ende beheaded by the Popes commaundement because Conradinus claymed the kingdome which his auncetours possessed Thus the kingdome of Naples came into the hand of the Frenchmen and the dukedome of Sweuia decayed and came to nought by the wickednes of the Pope In the time of
doth vvoâ—ke these broyles vvith many a monstrous feate He neither prayeth for his flocke nor lyuing yet in peace He seeketh not as Peter did their knovvledge to encrease But kindleth vvarres and iets in armes and doth delight in goare Yea Peter backe he puts and needes vvill set S. Paule before S. Paule yet smites not vvith his svvord but therevvithall vvas slaine But Iulie doth his handes vvith bloud of many Christians staine ¶ The description of Pope Iulie by the sayde Auctour VVhy goeth Iulius in steele and in his coate of plate VVith griselye beard and ouglye lookes vpon his bussshye pate VVhose frounced forhead hideth deepe his loathly steaming eyes FroÌ„ vvhence vvith helhouÌ„des threatning loke the sparkling fier flyes â–ª This terrour vnto VVesterne men by sea and eke by land VVith bitter bovves and bloudie billes and shaking svvord in hand That vnto all the kings on earth hath vvrought such vvarlick harmes And is a scourge toth vvorld vvhich he hath raysed vp in armes The author of such maÌ„glinges made such slaughter and such spoyle That did both Prince and people all in daunger put of foyle â–ª VVho both vvith hand and head doth put all vilanye in vre A creature borne the ruine of mankinde for to procure VVhose vvorke is death vvhose leasure is fulfilling filthye lust And plucking peace from euerye man hath broached vvarre vniust VVhat is there in him vvhye that anye man dare giue his dome VVhye such a caytiffe maye deserue the name of Pope of Rome The French kinge vnderstandinge that the Pope with the helpe of the Venetians wente aboute to disturbe those whom he set in garrison did summon a couÌ„cell at Turney in September where he propounded these questions to be discussed Whether it were lawful for the Pope to warre vpon anye Prince without any cause Whether a Prince defenâ—inge his owne in that case may set vpon the Pope withdraw himselfe from obeing him And auÌ„sweare was made that the Pope oughte not to do so and that a Prince might do according to the questioÌ„ that vniust thondring boultes of excommunication are not to be feared Herevpon the king sent his Embassadour to Pope Iulius to declare the determination of the councell and to desire him eyther to be coÌ„tent with peace or els to call a general couÌ„cell to bulte oute these matters the better But the Pope would graunte to neither request but did excommunicate Lewis and gaue his kingdome for a praye to those that would make hauock of it Of this Iulius it is written in a certaine Commentarye of the maisters of Paris againste the Lutherians that he did most villanouslye commit that which is not to be spoken of with two noble yonge gentlemeÌ„ who were put to a certaine Cardinall called Robaâ—t Nauetensis to be broughte vp by Ladye An Queene of Fraunce The like thing is reported of him by another writer wher vpon Conradus Gabriel wrote these two Uerses Venit in Italiam spectabilis indole rara Germanus redijt de puero mulier It were not tollerable to set out all the treachery wherwith this monstrous Pope defiled himselfe In his time amonge the religious men began diuers grosse and vnreuerent opinions touching the incarnation of Christe the conceptioÌ„ of the blessed virgin mouing many vnnecessarye vnprofitable and vnhonest questions and medling impudentlye with matters belonging to midwiues and not to scholedoctours and therefore rather to be suppressed then heare reuealed onelye this maye suffice to the wiser sort to consider what sectes were amonge those holye siers and what diuinitye they studied One of these busye brayned sophisters was called Ptolomeus Lucensis a monke who preached his filthye fantasyes touchinge the maner of Christes conception in a Church at Mantua This Pope Iulius being a lustye warriour and goinge forth on a time with his armye out of the Cittye did hurle Peters keyes into Tiber with these words Because that Peters keye is able to do no more let the sworde of Paule helpe to do it By which deede sayth Bibliander Pope Iulius hath resigned all his power vnto the riuer Tiber if that the Pope haue receiued any power of Peter in that Christ said vnto him Behould I wil giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen For he that casteth awaye the keyes being the testimonye of auctoritye doth depriue spoile himselfe and his successours of S. Peters inheritaunce Of this madde prancke of Iulie hurling his keyes into Tiber diuers men wrote verses as MelaÌ„cthon Brusichius one Ducherius the Englishe whereof doth followe VVhile Iulius to mischiefe framde did bloudy vvarre prepare He marched foorth in armed hand his vveapon thus he bare A svvord hong by his side vvhich out couragiously he drevve And Peters keys into the deepe of Tiber floud he threvv VVith blustring thus if Peters keys in vvarre cannot preuaile Then vvith the svvord of Paule vve vvyll our ennemies assaile ¶ Huldericus Huttenus made this Epigram of Pope Iulius pardons By craft Pope Iuly all the vvorld thou merchant dost intvvine Thou sellest heauen and yet no part therof by right is thine Sell me the thing thou hast great shame vvill els therof proceede VVhen thou dost sell the thinge vvhich thou thy selfe dost vvant and nede O saluage soyle vvhy bidst thou not an hundred giants fel To helpe Iuly to beate out Ioue that he the heauens may sell Fortill an other God get heauen and thunder from the skies Friend Iuly I le not bye of you such vveightie marchandise But after he had made many great slaughters he died Anno. 1513. 163. Leo the tenth LEo the tenth was a Florentine borne of the noble house of Medicea and called ere he were Pope Iohn Medices He being Deacon and Cardinal of saint Maries contrarie to all hope was chosen to succede Iulius He beinge diligeÌ„tly from his youth trained vp in learning vnder learned schoolemaisters and especially one Angelus Politianus did afterward greatly fauour learned men When he was but .xiij. yeres olde he was made cardinall by Innocentius the .viii. and at the yeres of xxxviii he obtained the papacie This Leo was of his owne nature a gentil and quiet person but often times ruled by those that were cruell and contencious men whom he suffered to do in many matters according to their insolent will He addicting him selfe to nicenesse and takinge ease did pamper his fleshe in diuerse vanities and carnal pleasures At banqueting he delighted greatly in wine and musike but had no care of preaching the Gospell nay was rather a cruell persecutour of those that began then as Luther and other to reueale the light thereof for on a time when cardinall Bembus did moue a question out of the Gospell the Pope gaue him a very contemptuouse aunswere saiyng All ages can testifie enough howe profitable that fable of Christe hath ben to vs and our companie Sleidan saith he sente letters and hulles of pardons into all nations for suche as woulde giue money for them the
oute of Rome This Arnold perswaded the Romaynes to recouer their libertye of choosinge theyr Maiestrates and when the people withstoode the presumption of the Pope it wroughte greâ—te strife This Hadrian a man of loftye courage forthwith did excommunicate the Romaynes vntil they should driue out Arnold and compell theyr Consulles to leaue theyr offices yeild the gouernemente of the Citye freelye vnto him In the meane time Fredericke the Emperour hasted him to Rome with an armye to put downe the rebels the Pope and his clergye went out to meete him whereby the Pope thought to get oportunitye to be reuenged by the Emperours ayde vppoÌ„ his ennemyes The Emperour meeting with the Pope alighted from his horse and went on foote and attendinge on the Popes parson when he should alight the Emperour helde the lefte stirope for the which the Pope scorned him for mistakinge the stirope and sayde vnto him Ye shoulde haue held mee the right stirope The Emperour takinge it paciently aunsweared him smilingly I haue not quoth hee learned to holde a stirope and you holye father are the first to whom I euer did this seruice And quoth the Emperour because he sawe the Pope angrye that he aunswered I would know of you whether this be my dutye to do it of force or of my owne curtesye If a man offer it of curtesye how wil you rebuke him for negligence If it be not of dutye what neede ye care on which side hee come vnto you that commeth to do you worship Such sharpe talke passinge betweene them they departed both full of wrath But on the morowe the Emperour beinge a man of wisedome neglected all that he had heard and seene touchinge the Popes statelye and proude minde and sent for him desiringe him to come to his pauilion The Pope came and the Emperour went forth to meete him and as he was tought the daye before against the Pope should alight he held the right stirope and so conducted the Pope in As they sate together Pope Hadrian beganne to talke in this maner Princes quoth hee in olde time which came to craue the Crowne were wonte to recompence the curtesye of the Church of Rome wyth some excellente benefite that as it were preuenting the Popes blessinge and the crowne that they should receiue by their dutifulnes might notifye theÌ„selues to all men by their noble deede For so Charles deserued his Crowne by conqueringe the Lombardes Otho his by asswaging the Berengarians Lotharius his by suppressinge the Normans Therefore your worthines may restore Apulia to be territorye to Rome which nowe the Normans withholde then will we afterward sone do y which is our dutye The Princes therefore perceyuing that the Pope would not crowne Fredericke vnlesse he should first winne Apulia from VVilliam kinge of Sicill by his owne coste charge they promised it should be performed with a newe armye out of Germanye as sone as the other armye were growne out if so be he would crowne the Emperour Thereupon the next daye he was crowned with the Crowne Emperiall by the Pope in S. Peters Pallaice and afterward hauinge executed aboue a thousande of the rebellious CitizeÌ„s he prepared to returne into Germany After the Emperours departure the Pope beinge disapointed of his ayde purposed to set vpon Apulia to winne it froÌ„ the king of Sicill with such force as as he could make first he excommunicated the kinge because he woulde not yelde it vp and discharged his subiects of theyr alleageaunce to make them to rebell against him But because these thinges preuailed but little against kinge VVilliam he set Emanuel the Emperour of Greece vppon him because hee knewe that he had beene a mortal ennemye to king VVilliams father VVilliam fearinge this sought for peace promised to yelde all to the Pope but the Pope by the couÌ„cell of certaine Cardinals hopinge to gaine more by the warre then peace refused the offer proclaymed warre against him King VVilliam perceyuinge this to preuent the daunger in time gathered an armye in haste out of all Sicill and sayled to Apulia wher he fought with Emanuel and ouerthrewe him Afterwarde hee assaulted the towne Beneuent where the Pope and his Cardinals weare in such sort that they dispayring to escape craued peace VVilliam graunted it and so was reconciled to the Pope who then pronounced him king of both Sicils making him first to sweare that he should hurt nothinge that belonged to the Church of Rome Thus the Pope returned to Rome w t foule shame where contrarye to his expectation hee was troubled with ciuill discention for the Consuls began to reclayme their libertye and auctoritye which he had taken awaye and because he coulde not preuaile with his vaine thonderboltes of excoÌ„munication he departed to Arminy While these thinges were doinge the Emperour abydinge at home remembred with himselfe howe the Pope had taken from the Emperours the former right of inuestinge of prelates and by his Legates had summoned all nations together had sowed the seede of rebellion through all his Empyre taken homage fealtye of all the bishops in Germanye Hereuppon he commaunded that if the Popes Legates came into Germanye without his commauÌ„dement they should be kept out He forbad that anye of his subiectes should appeale to Rome he set his owne name in wrytâ—nge before the Popes wherevppon the Pope was so wroth that he sente letters to the Emperour rebuking him sharpelye for it The copye whereof for the better vnderstanding of it it thus Hadrians letter to the Emperour HAdrian bishop seruaunt to the seruaunts of God sendeth greeting to Frederick themperour and apostolicall blessinge As the lawe of God promiseth longe life to them that do honour their parentes so doth it threaten death to them that dishonour their father or mother The truth teacheth vs that euerye one that exalteth himselfe shal be brought downe Therfore right wel beloued sonne in the Lorde vvee do not a little marueile at your vvysedome that ye do not so much dutye as becommeth you to S. Peter and the holye Church of Rome For in your letter sente vnto vs yee haue set your name before ours whereby you do bewray your vanitye I will not say your pride VVhat shall I speake hovve little ye obserue your fealtye which ye are bounde by oath and promise to performe to S. Peter and vs Seing ye requier honour and allegeance of them that are Gods and of al our honourable sonnes bishops I meane And ye wrap their holye handes within yours settinge your selfe manifestlye against vs Ye shutte not onelye the Churches but also the Cities of your dominion against the Cardinal sent from our owne side VVhat shall I saye Repent therefore repent we aduise you for we feare least your noblenes whyle you deserue of vs to haue both blessing and Crowne vvill loose that vvhich vve haue grauÌ„ted you by taking vppon you that which we haue not graunted Fare ye well The aunsweare of Fredericke themperour
whereof he had diuers especiallye one called VVilliam One Robert Capito bishop of Lincolne had a great controuersye with this Pope for he detested defyed both in preachinge and wrytinge the Popes couetousnes pride and tyrannye He would not admit one of the Popes bastardes because he was vnlearned and but a boye of yeares to a canonship of Lincolne but rebuked the Pope for it in a letter and withstoode the Popes pollinge â—obbinge the Realme and therefore the Pope receyuinge the sharpe letter from this Robert Grosted for anger rayled not onlye on the bishop but also brast into these arrogante wordes against his Prince king Henry the third sayinge as Mattheus Parisius testifyeth Is not the kinge of EnglaÌ„d our vassel our slaue our page who may at our pleasure to hamper him put him in prison to vtter shame And finallye because he coulde not tell howe otherwise to ease his rancke stomacke against the bishop hee excommunicated him but he constantlye defyed and despised his excommunication euen to the death He defended in disputation that the Pope could do nothinge against iustice truth and that he was worse then Lucifer and Antichrist at the length being cited to appeare in the court and condempned by the Pope wrongfullye he appealed to the iudgemente of Christe This good bishop after he had detected much of the Popes treachery before his death vttered these two Uerses applying them against the Pope Eius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis Eius auariciae totus non sufficit orbis One concubine could not suffice his burning lust to quenche Nor yet his honger after golde one world serude not to stenche Also this bishoppe by diligent searche tryed it that this Pope and his clarkes had in reuenewes out of Englande aboue iii. score and tenne thousande markes where as the reuenewes of the Crowne came not to 30. thousand Cestrensis in his seuenth booke wryteth that when this bishop of Lincolne dyed a voyce was heard in the Popes court sayinge Veni miser in iudiciuÌ„ dei that is Come thou vvretch to be iudged of God And that the Pope was found deade in his bedde the next daye and a blewe stroke in his bodye as if he had beene beaten wyth a staffe This was done Anno 1253. he being at Naples and loking soone after to haue enioyed the whole kingdome of Sicill where he lyeth buryed Thaddition to Vspergensis sheweth that the yeare before as the Pope was going from LioÌ„s to Millen these straunge tokens happened certaine bloudy cloudes were seene in the ayre streames of bloud gusshed out of breade as oute of wounded bodyes After his death the seate was voide two yeares 124 Alexander the fourth ALexander the fourth borne in Campania being Cardinall of Hostia succeded Innocent He persecuted Ecelinus of Runcan and Manfred king of Sicill because they had beene ennemyes to the former Popes thus he began his raigne And first he craftelye admonished them not to stande against the dignitye of the Church in anye point before he gaue them this charge he had prouided his army in a readinesse meaning to course them if they should seeke to preuent him and his Cardinals of the kingdome of Sicill yet these Princes very couragiouslye with an oast of Saracens and other fearinge not the Popes threates did set vppon his army at vnawares euen in a trench ere they wist and partly slue them partly toke them prisoners In the meane while Pope Alexander goinge to Anagnia excommunicated Manfred and sent a Cardinal called Octauian to Naples to make the Neapolitans to stand faithful to him against Manfred promysing speedely to bring ayde to all Campania and to the Neapolitans but Manfred not pacifyed with troubling Naples did also moue factions in Hetruria but chiefely in Florence where he brought in the Guelphis againe who euer were at deadly foode with the Gibelines Thus was al Italy in a myserable vprore torne in sonder with cruell and saluage warre But Manfred hauing poysoned Conrad king of Sicill was proclaymed kinge at Panorme and with an armye of hyred souldiours he ouerthrew the Popes Legat with great slaughter This Pope sent one Rustand Legate into Englande Anno 1255. to gather vp the tenthes in Englande Scotland IrelaÌ„d to warre against Manfred And saith Mattheus Parisius manye mischiefes detestable issued from the burning fountayne of Rome in those dayes to the destruction of manye for after the begginge fryers had preached the power of the Crosse he required infinite sommes of moneye the exaction of the Pope was such sayth he that the like hath not bene heard Whereupon Fulck bishop of LoÌ„don sayd with great griefe Ere I giue my consent to oppresse the Church vvith such iniurye seruitude and bondage surely I will first loose my head for although that Courte hath often in times past pinched euen to the bone the faithfull flocke of Christ yet it neuer wouÌ„ded in such deadlye sort all and euery one of Christes seruaunts as it did this yeare and the yeare following c. The money the was gathered for the holy land was transposed into Apulia against Christians and sayth Mattheus vnmeete meÌ„ are made gouernours of noble Churches the prelates are sould as oxen and asses this is the extreame point of seruitude c. About this time the said Rustand the Popes Legate being PrebeÌ„dary of Paules Church in LoÌ„don dyed beyond the sea king Henry the third hearing therof gaue the same prebend to one Iohn Crakehale his chaplein but after the sayde Crakehale had full possession thereof came one Iohn Grasse from Rome wyth the Popes embulled letter to chalenge the sayde lyuing Hereupon the matter being in controuersye it was brought before Boniface bishop of Canterbury who finding that the Popes gift was dated before the kinges dispossessed the Englishman and inuested the Popes man which was taken so in despite by certaine repyning to see the Pope and his Italian priestes in this and all such cases to beare more sway then the king and to reape all commodyties from the kinge and his subiects that the said ItaliaÌ„ and a coÌ„panion of his were murthered in a thronge by whom no man knewe Rustand in a conuocation at London alleaged that all Churches were the Popes to whom one Leonard an Englishman answeared modestly yea sir in tuition not in fruition to defend not to expende Seuell bishop of Yorke by the example of the former bishop of Lincolne did likewyse wtstande this Pope Alexander and desyred him by letter to leaue of his wonted polling according to Peters example to feede the sheepe not to flece them not to flea them not vnbowel them neither as a wolfe deuoure them Further it followeth in the sayd Mattheus that the Pope sente yet other Legates into England namelye Arlot Mansuet minorite fryers who had power to pardon for money eyther lyers forswearerers vowbreakers adulterers and Sodomits traytors poysoners murtherers and all suche Whereuppon a certaine woman
this Clemens one Octobonê° a Legate of his comminge into England enrolled to perpetuall memorye the valuation of all Churches in the Realme so narrowly as he could possiblye gather the certaintye Clemens dyed at Viterbium Anno 1270. was buryed amonge the Dominickes and the seate was voyde two yeares 127. Gregorie the tenth GRegorie the tenth borne in Placentia in Lombardye of the house of the countesse of Millen was first called Theobaldus He being an archdeacoÌ„ after the Cardinals discention which had lasted almost two yeres was ended was chosen Pope of whose election Iohn Cardinall of Portua wrote these Verses Papatus munus tulit archidiaconus vnus Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum One archdeacon against his hope by chaunce obtayned to be Pope The iarringe of brethren caused the rather that he was created of them the father This Pope amonge other thinges made peace betwene the Genewaies and Venetians He excommunicated the Florentines for inuadinge such townes as belonged to the Popeship Afterward he held a couÌ„cel at Lions in FrauÌ„ce to the which came Michael Palaeologus Emperour of Greece to reason of the opinions of the Church of Rome for xii of his auncetours had in times past conferred with them and euer departed dissentinge from them In this councell was decreed that the Pope beinge dead the Cardinals should be shut vp in a certaine closet without meate or drincke till with one consente they should agree vppon choyse of another He made many decrees for the helping of the Holy land and the maintayninge of Religious meÌ„ Many noble and great parsonages both kinges Earles made themselues apparell with the Crosse on it to go the voyage to Hierusalem to whom the Pope verye craftely to further their purpose promised to come visit them there He aduaunced diuers of the begging fryers to greate Ecclesiasticall dignityes as to bishoprickes archbishoprickes and Cardinalships After the Empyre had beene voyde a long time at the length he made Rodolph Earle of Hamboroughe Emperour because he shoulde maintaine ciuill discention and after that Alphonsus kinge of Castile had bestowed houge summes of money in hope to be Emperour especially the duke of Cornewall being dead the Pope appeased him with wordes enoughe but no recompence in money toward his charges This Rodolph after he was chosen was charged by the electours that he shoulde go to Rome within a yeare to receiue the Crowne of the Pope yet he neuer did it excusing himselfe with pretence of priuate affayres vsed to saye oftentimes amonge his frendes that the footinge of the Emperours goinge into Italye seemed glorious triuÌ„phant but in their returne out of Italye wretched myserable ful of sorrow Alluding to the fable of the Foxe who being sent for to come to visit the sicke Lion made aunsweare that he perceyued the footesteps of many beastes goinge into the Lions denne but he could finde fewe or none comming from it But Rodolph sente his vicegerent into Italye whom the Cities for the most part receyued but the Pope returning to Rome iourneying hard by the Florentines would not yet absolue them of their excommunication which had lasted almost 3. yeares At length he came to Aretium Anno 1275. dyed in his iourney in the fift yeare of his Popeship is buried there and neuer came to Rome nor sawe it 128. Innocentius the fifte INnocentius the fift borne in Burgundie a dominican in profession was choâ—en by the Cardinals at AretiuÌ„ who beinge chosen Pope and crowned in S. Peters Church went about to establish peace in Italye Therefore he sent great Embassadours who should compell the Heâ—rurians entendinge to destroye the Pisans to take peace also the Venetians and Genewaies being at deadly enmitye to fall to vnitye vpon perill of his curse Also he procured the Embassadours of Charles king of Sicill to be present at the peace makinge the better to countenaunce his doinges the Hetrurians obeyed and especially the Florentines and therefore the Pope did absolue them from the excommuniâ—atioÌ„ of Gregorie But the Genewaies and Venetians coÌ„tinued notwithstanding the slaughter of each other whom yet Innocentius had broughte to his purpose if he had liued he purposed it so earnestly He dyed the same yeare that Gregorie dyed in the second daye after he had raigned vi monthes This Pope sayth Platina did not a litle offende seculer priestes because at Viterbium he did determine the dominicaÌ„s should enioye the tombe of Clemens the fourth for which they and the secular priestes had longe beene at sharpe debate 129. Hadrian the fifte HAdrian the fifte a Genewaie borne before called Othobonus was made Pope in Lateran porche this maÌ„ was nephewe to Innocentius the fourth and made Cardinall of S. Hadrian by him and sent into England as Legate to gather vp the Popes money But while he wente about to appease strife betweene the kinge his barons thereby to worke his owne matters more quietly he was put into prison by the Citizens of London and at length deliuered againe Anno 1266. w t a great trayne of bishops and priestes he helde one councell at Northampton and another at London where after he had dispatched his matters touchinge papistrye according to his owne minde he made lawes whereby England did longe after maintaine Papistrye Also he denounced all those bishops to be wicked who had taken parte with the Princes against kinge Henry the third and yet those same bishops were partlye absolued by him for money partlye compelled to go for absolution to the Pope This Hadrian as sone as he was made Pope went forthwith to Viterbium sente for Rodolphe the Emperour into Italye to breake the power of Charles kinge of Sicill this Charles is he whom againste lawe and righte he had aduaunced before who then ruled all at Rome according to his luste But Rodolph beinge troubled with the Bohemian warre could not satisfye the Popes desire but Charles meaning to eschue the mallice transported all the power of his armye into Achaia purposinge to make a waye to attaine to the Empyre of Constantinople Hadrian sayth Platina purposed to make the gouernemente of the Church to be safer from oppressours to alter the constitutioÌ„ of Gregory his predecessor touchinge the restraint of the Cardinals for the election of the Pope He dyed at Viterbium ere he were consecrate Pope 40. dayes after his election 130. Iohn the xxij IOhn the xxii a Portingale borne a Phisition by profession called before Peter Portingale was made Pope beinge first bishop of Tusculan This man although he were counted very well learned yet for want of skill in gouernment infirmitye in his maners sayth Platina did more hurt and dishonour to the Popeship then good For he did many thinges that seemed to be both of a foolish and light minde and was to be praysed in this thinge onelye that he â—uccoured with money and Ecclesiasticall lyuinges yonge men that were toward in learninge especiallye the
his childe if he shoulde haue anye by her might not be like a beare he commaunded all beares which were painted in his Pallaice by a Pope that was of Vrsine house to be taken awaye or blotted oute to auoyde in his concubine the sight thereof which he thoughte wrought great effecte in conception 131. Honorius the fourth HOnorius the fourth a Romaine of a noble familye was afore called Iacob was next made Pope He had a brother called Pandulphus a worthye man who at that time was Senatour in Rome who did sharpely execute lawes against fensers theeues and murtherers Honorius excommunicated Peter king of Aragon because he helde at that time the kingdome of Sicill against Charles confirmed the curses and edict of Pope Martin because for the Popes lucre he woulde not leaue the kingdome Also he raysed terrible warre against Gui Feltro who helde the towne Flaminia and ouercomminge him against all law and righte by tyrannye subdued the towne to Rome Also he confirmed the sect of Augustine fryers which was refused at Paris but withstoode by manye Also he appointed to the Carmelites that puttinge of their riche roabes they shoulde weare white weedes and commaunded they should be called our Ladyes brethren After which he died quicklye Anno 1288. in the second yeare of his Popeship The seat after this was voyde x. monthes for pestilences and earthquakes This Pope was much troubled wyth the goute both in his handes and his feete so that he was fayne to make certaine instruments fit for the purpose to saye masse The Grecians in his time forsakinge papistrye returned to their old fayth 132. Nicolas the fourth NIcolas the fourth a Franciscane fryer borne in Picene after tenne monthes was chosen Pope at which time the Cardinals did not yet agree vppon one This Pope sayth Platina loued all men a like and thoughte that he ought no more dutye to his kindred then to other He did nothinge of any great waight but busyed himselfe in erectinge superstitious buildinges and making newe ceremonyes aboute fryers and monkes which are not worth the mencioning finallye he seing Rome sore tormoyled in his time with ciuill discentions burninges slaughters spoylinges dyed for very griefe and sorrow thereof Anno 1291. He beinge deade the Cardinals wente to Peruse that they might vse the more libertye in choosing a newe Pope and yet they iarred so bitterly among them selues two yeares and 3. monthes that they could neuer agree in that election 133. Celestine the fift CElestine the fifte borne at Esernia beside Sulmo by profession an Anchore called before Peter Moronens after the Cardinals had scoulded two yeares he by the procurement of Charles the seconde kinge of Naples and the latine Cardinals was chosen Pope who as sone as he was created went to Apulia callinge all the Cardinals thether he created xii newe Cardinals wherof two were Eremites Ptolomeus Lucensis wryteth that at his Coronation were two hundred Thousande men because sayth Massaeus at the first time he sate in Consistory he went about exactly to reforme the Church of Rome y the clergy mighte be an example to other he purchased such hatred that he doated was a foole Thereupon one of the clergye called Benedict hyred one to set throughe an hoole in the wall of the Popes chamber a greate hollow troncke and throughe the same shoulde make an hydeous noyse manye nightes together as if it had beene the voyce of an Angell froÌ„ heauen saying in the night time Celestine Celestine giue ouer thy charge for it is aboue thy habilitye Beside this diuers perswaded him to giue ouer for his owne safetye Kinge Charles vnderstanding of this spake with the Pope desiringe him as earnestlye as he could not to forsake that dignity which came to him by the grace of God But he gaue this answeare I will do as it pleaseth Godâ— And returning from Naples from the kinge perceyuing he coulde not be quiet hee gaue ouer the Popeship on S. Lukes eue and made haste to go liue an Eremites life in the desert sayth Massaeus but first of all he made a decree with the consent of al that the Pope might yeld vp his dignity But Boniface who had thus beguiled the simple man and now gat to be his successour fearing least the people woulde followe the same Celestine as Pope defye him he therefore put Celestine in close prison till he dyed Anno 1292. the x. daye of Maye after he had raigned one yeare and fiue monthes Of this Celestine sprange a secte of monkes called Celestinians 134. Boniface the eight BOniface the eight borne in Campania called before Benedict Caietan beinge chiefe councellour to Celestine was set vp in his steade by a straunge kinde of treason at Naples This Boniface while he was Cardinall of S. Martines in the mounte did so honger after the Popeship that he spared no falsehood nor ambicious meanes that might further his desire He was so proude that he did almost disdaine all men And boyling thus wyth heate of ambition he suborned as is sayd before certaine who should come in the night time and wyth a still and straunge voyce in the Chamber of Celestine as it were from heauen perswade him beinge a very simple man of himselfe to yelde vp the Popeship if hee woulde be saued which in the ende was brought to passe But Boniface vsurping by craft against all right the Popeship apprehending the sillye man Celestine who was departing from Rome to some wildernes there to ende his life put him in perpetuall prison and yet as Marius witnesseth he professed he did it not for hatred against Celestine but leaâ—t the auctours of sedition shold make him their head to trouble disquiet the peace of the Church And thus this vnthanckeful Boniface was not contented onelye to delude poore Celestine and to beguile him of his dignity but furthermore to cause the simple soule as if he had bene a malefactor to dye for thought in prison After this Boniface began to exercise such crueltye he seemed to be another Nero he sente for certaine Cardinals to come vnto him but they beinge terrifyed w t his falsehod and rigour durst not come to him and therevppon they were proclaymed scismatickes by him and depryued not onelye of their benefices and such dignityes as they had receyued of Popes but also were berefte of all their landes townes and goodes which they had by inheritaunce Furthermore he gathered an armye and pursued them with the Columnians and as many of the Gibelines as he met withall in any place He destroyed spoiled all mens places whether soeuer they fled whereupon many of them seing they might be safe in no place fled into woodes â—nd forestes and taryed there other some of the most noble houses of Italye after they had euen in maner of wild beastes ranged longe aboute the Sea shore did at length depart from Italye wyth saluage Pyrates and rouers for they trusted more the
barbarous Pyrates then this churlishe Boniface He hated the Gibelines with such rancour that in persecuting them he heard saye that some of them were fled to the Genewaies therupon he poasted thether to destroy them vtterly to roote out the very name of them vpon earth And when vpon Ash wednesdaye he should according to the superstitious vse crosse al commeâ—s on the forheade with ashes and saye vnto them thus Remember man that thou art ashes and to ashes thou shalte returne Upon the same day for the same cause the archbishop of Porchet who was a Gibeline came vnto him kneelinge downe vnto the Pope put of his cappe to haue the ashes put on his head whoÌ„ when Boniface had espyed beinge neither ashamed for the time nor the place nor the people present vttered his rancour towarde the bishoppe most shamefullye For takinge vp an handfull of ashes he threwe them spitefullye in the eyes of the bishop sayinge reprochfullye wyth malicious chaunge of woordes Remember man thou arte a Gibeline and to the Gibelines thou shalt returne And beside this depriued him of his archbishopricke though in the ende he restored it In his time were great and cruell warres betwene the Sicilians and Robert duke of Calabria which wroughte much mischiefe to all Italye and yet the Pope being ofteÌ„times requested thereunto would neuer with his auctoritye steppe in betwene them to pacifye the matter But by the prouidence of God they that before fled out of Italye with the rouers arriued in Italye againe and gathering together a fewe who fled and lurked here there for feare of the rage of Boniface came to Anagnia ere the Pope mistrusted any such matter they brast open the gates vpoÌ„ him apprehended him and brought him to Rome where frettinge and raginge in a great agonye most desperatlye for the space of xxx dayes throughe the extremitye of his malady he dyed myserablye Anno 1304. This Pope sent a commaundement to the king of England charging him not to molest Scotland as he did then anye longer because the Scottes were a priuiledged people belonging to his Chappell but the kinge stoode stoutlye in the defence of his righte and quarrell and claymed it as his right not the Popes After this the Pope moued kinge Edwarde to warre vppon the Frenche kinge because he had offended the Pope but the kinge would not be so abused by him After this when the kinge had bestowed the bishopricke of Canterbury vpon Robert Burnel bishop of Bathe the Pope in spite of his teeth did not onlye place another called Iohn Peccam but also sent downe his Bull to the spirituall men of England for their discharge not to paye one penye tribute to the kinge in any case to his no small trouble for vpon this the most of them were at defiaunce with the kinge and his Parliamente especiallye the bishop of Canterburye This is that Pope of whom it was coÌ„monlye said He entred like a foxe he raigned like a Lion he died like a dogge He thinking that kingdomes and Empires were all in his owne hande did vsurpe the aucthority of both swordes woulde be counted the Lord of all the world He gaue sentence the vnlesse kinges woulde receiue their kingdomes at his hand they should be accursed and oughte to be deposed He excommunicated Philip kinge of Fraunce because he would not suffer the treasure of his Realme to be transported oute to Rome he cursed both him and his to the fourth generation Also he would not confirme Albertus to be Emperour whom before he had three or foure times reiected vntill he woulde inuade Fraunce and depose king Philip. He maintayned the discorde that was in Italye and purposed to nourishe them continuallye He forbad that the clergye should paye anye tribute to their Princes without his commaundement He boasted that he bare the keyes of heaueÌ„ and published this Canon that he oughte to be iudged of none althoughe hee shoulde drawe thousandes of soules to hell with him He was the first that deuised the Iubelye according to the Iewishe tradition He gaue full remission of sinnes and pardons to all that shoulde come on pilgrimage to Rome At the first daye of Iubelei hee prancked himselfe gorgeouslye in his pontificalibus The seconde daye he being arrayed most royallye with Emperiall insignes commaunded a naked sword to be caryed before him and said with a loude voice Ecce potestatem vtriusque gladij Lo here is the power of both swordes Finallye he being as is said apprehended and offeringe rather his head to be cut of then he would yelde vp his Papacye those conditions beinge put to him his house was first spoyled of so much treasure that as it is reported all the kinges of the earth together were not able to make so much oute of theyr treasurye as was caryed oute of his Pallaice and from three Cardinals and a Marquesse that were with him Then afterward he was set vpon an vnbroken coult with his face to the horse tayle and so caused to ride a gallop iaunted til he were breathlesse and then was he imprisoned and there almost pined by kinge Philips souldiours of Fraunce till the people of the towne of Aragon where he was did releue him and yet neuerthelesse for thought of this misery and losse he dyed He bestowed on S. Peters Pallaice a chayme of belles making a sweete and pleasaunt noyse and encreased the reuennues therof he yet encreased very much that priuiledges of the begginge fryers He doubled the idolatrous honour of the Apostles the 4 Euangelistes and the foure doctours of the Church He gaue auctoritye to the Ecclesiastical parsons generally in England to excommunicate the people twise in the yeare He caused one Hermanus of Ferraria to be taken oute of his graue and burned xxx yeares after he had beene buryed He said that to be subiect to the Church of Rome is of the necessitye to saluatioÌ„ He deposed diuers Cardinals he deuested diuers kinges of their estate he fostered harlots â—e begat diuers bastardes beside sondrye other lâ—ude pranckes He sommoned kinge Edwarde the first to Rome vpon the coÌ„plaint of Robarte VVinchelsey bishop of Canterbury after the death of Iohn Peccam both which Archbishops troubled the kinge as almost all their auncetours from the time of Hildebrand had done to the Princes in their time for so VVilliam Rufus and Henry the first were troubled wyth Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury Henry the second also with Thomas Becket King Richard and all England with VVilliam bishop of Elye the Popes Legate King Iohn with Steuen LangtoÌ„ bishop of Canterburye Henry the thirde with Edmonde Archbishop and now this kinge Edwarde wyth these two The kinge beinge cited to Rome was there suspended till he had purchased full dearely his absolution but of the said Peccam this one thing is to be noted that he caused to be ordayned that no spirituall mynister should haue any more benefices theÌ„ one which was also
was by the kinges commaundement w t other mo impeached of treason finally arested in the ParliameÌ„t house to aunswere to his endightmeÌ„ts Whereunto after long pauze he aunswered clayming the priuiledge of the Church saying thus I am humble mynister of the holye Church c. and cannot neither ought to aunswere to such matters without the auctoritye of the bishop of Canterbury my directe iudge nexte vnder the Pope c. whereupon the other bishops stept vp and sued to the kinge for this their fellowe But when the king would not yeld the said bishops together w t the archbishops and the clergye comming with theyr crosses toke him away perforce chalenginge him to the Church wtout any other aunswere charging moreouer vnder the censure of terrible excommunication none to presume to laye any further handes vpon him And yet the kinge encouraged herewith commaunded lawe to passe vpon him and he being found gilty his goodes to be confiscate but yet the partye remayned safe vnder protection of the Archbishop of Canterbury This Pope lefte more abundance of treasure then euer any other did namely fiue and twenty thousand thousande Crownes in gould and yet but latelye before he ioyned in warre with Robert kinge of Apulia to defende Genua in which warre sayth Antonius Florentinus eyther syde spente as much treasure as woulde haue boughte a good kingdome 138. Benedict the xij BEnedict the xii borne in Tholos in profession a white fryer sath Paleonidorus called Iacob or Iames of Furne the sixtenth daye after the death of Iohn he was enstalled Pope This man sayth Marius was as vncurteous to the Emperour as euer was Pope Iohn he renued the curses against him he reft him of all regall dignitye by his sentence depriued him of the dukedome of Bauary The noble Emperour wente into Germany and called together behoulde his vertue and wysedome all the Princes electours Dukes Counties bishops and the best learned either in diuinitye or humanitye And in presence of them all with open and solemne proclamatioÌ„ he added and established his late confirmatioÌ„ with ould lawes and very wiselye proued that onelye the Princes electours no man els ought to medle w t the election of the king of the Romaynes so that he that had most voyces amonge them was to be accepted berely be it eyther king or Emperour which in effect are al one though in name they differ Because that he that is Emperour may take vpon him the gouernment beloÌ„ging to his estate without the confirmatioÌ„ of the Sea of Rome and he being lawfullye chosen ought after aduisemente giuen by the Princes to be annointed by the Pope Which if the Pope refused to do he might be proclaymed Emperour by any Catholick prelate as the vse hath long beene for these ceremonyes enioyed by the Pope are but imagined toyes and solemnityes deuised by the prelats of Rome who onely haue but the geuinge of the name not the thinge for a signe of vnitye and mutuall helpe and succoure betwene the Empire and the Church For the Emperour vowed to the Pope not an oath of alleageance and fealtye but of defendinge the Christian fayth for as much as the taking of this oath maketh not greater dignitye in temporall thinges Furthermore the Emperour shewed how that the estate being voide the righte thereof shoulde not belonge vnto the Pope and that to haue it so was against the libertye righte honour and maiestye of the Empire but by longe and allowable custome notwithstandinge the Clementine Canon and by decree vnmoueable hytherto kept bie his aâ—ncetours in the time the Empire is voyd the right of gouerning the Empire the bestowing of fealtyes and ordering of other affayres belongeth to the Palsgraue of Rhene Afterward for his owne defence he made proofe of his vpright and trusty dealing before them all plainlye confessed that he as a ChristiaÌ„ man ought to do did beleeue the Articles of Christian fayth euen as the Church taught and purged himselfe of all those accusatioÌ„s which Pope Iohn the xxiii and Benedict the xii had layed to his charge Thus did the godly Emperour of his owne good motion when as if he had not pitied the shedding ChristiaÌ„ bloude he might haue tryed the matter with the Pope by the dint of the sworde At the length Pope Benedict began to consider of the goodnes of this Emperour for wheÌ„ a certaine grudge happened betweene this Lewis Philip kinge of Fraunce by and by peace was made betwene the Emperour and the Pope And the Pope loued the Emperour so entirelye that he defended him against the Embassadours of the French king which euer spake sharpely against the Emperour stoutlye defended the Emperours innocencye So that it came to passe that the Pope was by them called defeÌ„der of an heretick whose words although Benedict for a while did much feare for they threatned to set vpon him with all their powers if he absolued the Emperour yet in the end he absolued him And commaunded to proclaime throughe Germanye that all the processes of Iohn what soeuer they were should voyde and of no effecte and that it did not become Pope Iohn thus to deale with the Emperour seinge their two functions as diuers testifyed openly that Lewis had in all thinges behaued himselfe as mighte best beseeme so noble Christian an Emperour Yet it is to be noted that the Pope did not this of hartye good will to the Emperour but vpon pollicye for wheÌ„ he perceyued the king of Fraunce within whose precinct he was then abyding dealt vnfreindlye with him he feared that if he should also haue the Emperour his enemye he should haue no succour left if the French kinge should go about to do him displeasure And for this cause Benedict thoughte it stode with his commoditye to haue the fauour of the Emperour hoping it would so fall out that he durst attempt nothing against the Pope Such from time to time hath bene the pollicy of these prelats to maintaine their estate But to returne to the purpose and leaue these words of Marius Pope Benedict auouched the iudgmeÌ„t of his predecessour against Lewis He appointed deputies in those townes of Italye that belong to the Empire and toke to himselfe from the Emperour the Senatourship of Rome He deuised that euery thing did belonge to the Court of Apostolicall peniteÌ„ciary He appointing subsidyes gathered houge sommes of money out of euery nation He first toke vpon him to vsurpe the presentments of all bishopricks prelatships and benefices He abridged vnlearned men of priesthoode He reformed manye sectes of monckes He commaunded that all his chapleins shoulde lye in one dormitorye together and should haue none other reuenues then for their diet and apparell He with a great somme of money bought for his carnall desire the sister of Frauncis Petrarcha a beutifull woman of her brother Gerard he denyed that the Pope had any kindred he published certaine actes as Leander testifyeth against the
place He bestowed great cost vpon buildinges both of the towne walles Churches Pallaces Castels Concerning his building Platina saith he began to fortifye with stronge walles the gates and towers of the Citye the Capitoll and Angell Castell He builded sumptuouslye magnificentlye both in the towne and at Vatican as in the towne the Popes house also hee repayred the house of S. Steuen in Celius hill He raysed euen from the ground S. Theodors Church He couered w t lead an olde Church in Rome called Panthion He transported the Popes house in Vatican brought it to a statelye fourme He began to laye the walles of Vatican wyth greater foundation He restored Right bridge and builded a greate and large house beside Viâ—erby bathes He ayded diuers with money that builded in the Cittye And at his commaundement almost all the streates in the Citye were strowed There are yet remayninge certaine Uessels of gould and of siluer crosses beset with Pearles precious stones certaine priestes roabes gorgeouslye decked w t golden owches and pearles also certaine coueringes hanginges wouen of gould and siluer beside a certaine pontificall Miter which remaine as monumentes of his plentiful pompe and magnificencye c. Finallye he being troubled with an agewe and the goute dyed Anno 1455. 155. Calixtus the third CAlixtus the third a Spaniarde borne in Valentia called first Alphonsus Borgia his father was called Iohn and his mother Frauncis Pope Nicolas being dead this Alphonsus being an old impotent man was chosen in his steede This Pope as wryters do testifye of him was very â—unning in the Popes canon lawe but whollye ignoraunt in the Scripture as it appeareth by his deedes He was first Secretarye to Alphonsus king of Aragon and made bishop of Valentia by Pope Martin the fift and Cardinal by Eugenius the fourth As sone as he was Pope he forthwith prouided and addicted himselfe not to preache to nations but to followe warres against the Turke proclayming it oute of hande as he had vowed before And to further this purpose he sent out a rable of fryers with bulles and pardons to encourage the Christian nations against the Turke Among these Iohannes Capistranus and Robartus Licius were of moste renowne being both minorite fryers and notorious hypocrites who to drawe the more fishe to their net and to the greater filling of their purses vsed many shameful shiftes deluding men with dissembled and counterfaite holines Letanies penaunce fasting false merites shryuings reliques images crosses songes canticles notes ringing of belles singing cakes The Pope also for his part was busye to sturre vp all Princes by his letters to take the quarell in hand as a matter very nedefull and godlye Also he commaunded the priestes euerye daye at noone to ringe the sacringe bell and at night with an Aue Maria that saith Stella they might by this holye prayer helpe them that foughte against the Turke Certaine sillye countrymen seing this folly in the Pope laughed thereat whereupon the Pope caused them to be hanged for it He decreed that no man should appeale from the Pope to a generall councell He suffered his nephewes and bastards to liue licenciouslye He poured out sayth Valerius his letters of pardon in pure fashion wheâ—by selling them then for fiue ducates which now are sould for cryfles he left to his successour in treasure an hundred millâ—ns fiftene thousande ducates At the length he dyed for age Anno 1458. and was buryed in Peters Pallaice or the rounde Church 156. Pius the second PIus the second borne in Hetruria called first AEneas Picothomineus hauing his breast boyling long with ambition did at length obtaine the Papacye He of a poore boye became so worthy a man as all wryters do testifye of him that amonge the learned Popes he was the best learned and most diligente writer In the councell of Basil he was the Popesscribe and did with his Epistles and orations stande against the auctoritye of Eugenius Afterward he was made Poet Lawreat of the Emperour Frederick the third and being called to attende in his Court his first promotion was that he was made councellour and Secretarye Afterward he being sente Embassadour to diuers Princes was first made bishop of Tergest by Pope Nicolas then of Scene and finally Cardinall by Pope Calixtus In the end he attayning to the Papacye did as his elders he begaÌ„ to proclaime the warres agaiÌ„st the Turke but he dyed ere he could proceede in his purpose He sought still to enlarge the dominion of the Church for the which sayth Stella it appeared that he feared neither kinge nor prince nor duke If anye man offended him he would sore molest him with warre and taxes till he made him satisfaction And therefore he was an heauye ennemye to king Lewis the xi of Fraunce because he went about to abridge the licentious libertye of the clergye in his Realme He warred vppon Borsius duke of Mutina because he did fauour Sigismond Malaâ—esta and the estate of FrauÌ„ce against Frederick for he set Ferdinandus bastarde of king Alphonsus in the kingdome of Naples violentlye with auctoritye and men of armes against Iohn of Angewe sonne of kinge Renatus He cursed Sigismond duke of Austria euen to the pitte of hell because he bridled the polling of Cardinal Cusan furthermore he did euen as an angry Uiper sayth VVolphamus VVissemburgius spit out the poyson of his curse vpoÌ„ his Embassadour George Haimburg a worthye lawyer and did so persecute him with his thondringe letters that he was faine to flye into Bohemia and liue there He chased Deitherus Archebishop of Maguntia like a madde man out of his diocesse and planted another in his steede wherevpon great discorde arose betweene Frederick the Palatine and duke of VVittenburg with other in Germanye by meanes wherof ensued great slaughter and bloudshed and the City of Mentz being before a free Citye lost his freedome then The cause of the Popes displeasure against Deitherus was first because that Deitherus woulde not consente that the Pope shoulde charge his countrye with certaine great taxes tallenges secondly because that he would not be bounde vnto the Pope that he beinge Prince Electour should not as the Pope required withoute his lycence call the other Electours together Thirdly because he would not suffer the Popes Legate to call together the clergye within the diocesse of Mentz as the Legate listed but as he being bishop thoughte best For these causes the Pope disquieted both him and Germany Also he remoued the Archbishop of Beneuent for making newe orders against his will He commaunded George kinge of Bohemia to aunsweare vpon an appointed day touching his fayth vpoÌ„ perill of leâ—sing his kingdome because he fauoured the opinioÌ„s of Husse He deposed many bishops for his owne lucre He subdued many townes of Campania and encreased maruelouslye the reuenues of the Church He was verye beneficiall to his frendes kindred He caused an head to be translated from Peloponesus
his death Dic vnde Alecto pax ista refulsit vnde Tam subito reticent praelia Sixtus obit Say hag Alecto whence haue we this peace and how are fled The bloudye broyles so sodenlye Pope Sixtus nowe i◠dead ▪ Againe another wrote this Mortuus est Sixtus gaudet nunc Roma trahatur Vt dignum est vnco mortuus in Tiberim Pope Sixt is dead and Rome is glad therefore as it is meete To Tiber draw his carkasse with an hooke fast to his feete Another Sixtus obit gaudent omnes nefunere sicco Transeat amissa plangite glande sues Pope Sixt is dead all men are glad but least that noone bewayle While he is buryed weepe ye hogs and howle your acorns fayle Another Extulit auratas sed postquam maxima glandes Ecclesia innumeris patefacta est ianua porcis When mighty mother Church gan once her goulden acorns yeld It was set oape to howgy heards of swyne that haue it fild ¶ Another Sixte iaces tandem fidei contemptor aequi Pacis vt hostis eras pace peremptus obis O Sixt thou were a foe to peace and peace hath thee now slaine That diddest long in life both fayth and equitye disdaine Sixte iaces tandem laetatur Roma tuo quae Passa sub imperio est funer bella famem Now dead is Sixt and Rome is glad who while as he did raigne Oft burials and wasting warre with famme did sustaine Sixte iaces tandem nostri discordia secli Saeuisti in superos nunc Acheronta moue Nowe Sixt is dead that noyde this age with discord and with euill Thou raged hast against the heauens now wrangle with the deuill Sixte iaces tandem fraudisque dolique minister Et sola tantum proditione potens Now Sixt is dead that did contriue such falsehoode craft guile And onlye bare so great a sway by treason all this while Sixte iaces tandem pressa est quo sospite virtus Leges sacra pium relligioque fides Now Sixt is dead who while as he did liue did keepe in awe Religion fayth zeale godlines all honestye and lawe Sixte iaces tandem deflent tua busta cinedi Scortaque lenones alea vina Venus Now Sixt is dead vpon whose graue there doth lament howle Bauds strōpets bankruts ribaulds stewes eke the drōken nowle Sixte iaces tandem summorum imfamia fexque Pontificum tandem perfide Sixte iaces Now Sixt is dead the shame of those that hye in honour be The scoom of Popes most faithlesse wretch now dead at lēgth is he Sixte iaces tandem vos hunc lacerate Quirites Dentur impastis membra scelesta feris Now Sixt is dead his carkasse then ye Romaynes rent teare And giue the gubs to carrayne crowes to the saluage beare Quid pia profuerint functo solemnia Sixto Tradita sunt celeri vota precesque noto What doth it boote to pray for soule of Sixtus being dead Your prayers are but blastes of winde that in the ayre are fled Riserat vt viuens coelestia numina Sixtus Sic moriens nullos credidit esse Deos. As Sixtus in his life did scorne the God celestiall So at his day of death he thought there was no God at all Sixte iaces tandem superis inuisus imis Inclusus grauido ventre necandus eras Thou Sixt at length art dead whom heauen doth loath also hell If murdred thou in mothers wombe had bene it had bin well Stupra famem strages vsuras furta rapinas Et quodcunque nefas te duce Roma tulit Thou being Captaine wretched Rome no mischiefe could escape As robbing murther vsury theft famin whordome rape Magna licet tardae soluenda est gratia morti Omne scelus tecum Sixte cruente iacet Much are we bound to death though long it were ere shee thee sped For now with the O cruell Sixt all villany is dead By these Uerses which were made vpon Pope Sixtu after his death it maye appeare what opinion men had of his holinesse in his life But to proceede Leander Tritemius say that about the yeare of our Lorde 1470. Alanus de rupe a dominican after he had seene certaine diuelishe visions and illusions contriued his worke called Rosariū out of our Ladyes Psalter and preached it in steede of the Gospell which Iames Sprenger did aduaunce with counterfaited myracles and at the length Pope Sixtus did cōfirme it to be holye and autenticall with his bulles and indulgences Whereupon a certaine booke was published in the beginning wherof it is written that vpon a time the blessed Uirgin came into the Cell of the said Alan it being shut and made him a ring of her owne haire and betrouthed her selfe to the monke that she kissed him giuing him leaue to handle and milke her breastes and finally to be as pleasaunt and familiar with him as a woman would be w t her husband And these grosse monkishe myracles are yet defended by the Popishe priesthoode Of this Alan came the order of religious loyterers called after his name 159. Innocentius the eight INnocentius the eight was a Genewaie borne his fathers name was Aron and his name before was Iohn Baptist Cibo he beinge Cardinall of S. Cicilia was chosen Pope after the death of Sixtus He was sometime a poore boye but of excellent beautye and brought vp among those that waighted vpon Alphonsus king of Sicill wher he learned perfitly courtly fashions Afterward he cōming to Rome continued a long season in the companye of Philip Cardinall of Bononia In time he was made prelate of Sauon then of Melphit afterwarde Secretarye by Sixtus and so came to be Cardinall and last of all Pope He was tall of stature fayre of complexion and of a comly parsonage but of a grosse and dull wit voyde of learninge and so heauye headed that sometime euen when he sate busye about publick affayres he would take a nap and fall a sleepe He was welbeloued of Sixtus for his comlye behauiour and curtesye wherein he excelled all other But verelye he fawned vppon all men with flatteringe face but was freind to no man in deede and being of nature addicted to couetousnes yet he would shift it and colour it with myrth and pleasant ieaftes Euen at his entrye almost to his Papacye he conspired with the Princes of Sicill against their king Ferdinand sending for Robart Seuerinates to be Captaine of the enterprise So well doth the Pope requite his bringinge vp in the king of Sicils house He said that a man oughte to make warre for the dignitye of the Church for the defence of subiectes and for procuremente of peace to ensue contrarye to the Apostle sayinge Do not euill that good may come thereof But at length he seing himselfe disapointed toke peace perforce and yet with these conditions that a tribute shoulde be payed due vnto him and that the rebels should haue no harme But yet the wyse Prince king Ferdinand kept neither of
the conditioÌ„s though the Pope sente thether his stoute champion Peter Vincent to challenge them and his Secretarye with him Also he deposed George Boebracius kinge of Bohemia from his kingdome for fauouring Iohn Husse bestowed it vpon Mathias but because the Emperour Frederick woulde not plant this Mathias therein great warre ensued thereof to the subuersion almost of the said Emperour After this Innocentius being wearyed with warres gaue him selfe to pretensed peace and applyed him selfe whollye to ease and idlenesse which breedeth al wickednesse He following the example of Sixtus did erect a Colledge of sâ—cretaryes for his greater gaine encreasing the nomber of them He beutifyed the Papacye with a newe Pallaice He did openlye lauishe out reâ—hes and treasures vpon his bastards giuing them honours without all shame for he bestowed vpon one FrauÌ„cis his bastard certaine townes adioyning to the Citye gaue a great dowrye w t his bastard daughter Theodorina maryed to an exceeding wealthye Genewaie He made his base begotten children his chamberlaynes his companions Cardinals He sould pardons for the quick and the dead He bestowed great treasures superstitiously on diuers Churches in Italy and on religious houses He grauÌ„ted leue by his bul to those of Norway to say masse wtoute wyne He diuising a new trade to fishe for money because that neither the aduauÌ„tages of his pardoÌ„s nor of his Iubelie nor the taxe against the Turke coulde suffice him he found out the title that was set vp ouer the Crosse of Christe by Pilate written in three tongues Iesus Nazarenus rex Iudeorum which was hidden within a wall also he found out the iron head of the speare where withal the side of our Sauiour was wounded and ere a man mighte see or kisse these Iewels he must paye well for it But after long sicknesse this Pope dyed Anno 1492. Of whom this Epitaph was made Quid quaeris testes sit mas aut foemina Cibo Respice natorum pignora certa gregem Octo recens pueros genuit totidemque puellas Hunc meritò poterit dicere Roma patrem Spurcities gula auaritia atque ignauia deses Hoc Octaue iacent quo tegeris tumulo About the yeare of our Lord 1464. Baptist Mantuan being then xviii yeres old wrote his ix Eglog calling it Post religionis ingressum entreating of the corrupt maners of the court of Rome his tenth Eglog of the controuersye of the fryers Obseruants and not Obseruants Also he wrote a Diolog in prayse of the blessed life In his ix Eglog he painteth out the treacheryes of Rome saying that all kinde of naughtye parsons are had in honour and are promoted at Rome and that none are there aduaunced but such villaines as deserue rather to be imprisoned and driuen out His sayinges are partlye thus Quo magis approprias tanto magis omnia sordent ¶ And after he addeth Fama est Aegyptum coluisse animalia quaedam Et pro numinibus multas habuisse ferarum Ista superstitio minor est quám nostra ferarum Hic aras habet omne genus contraria certè Naturae res atque Deo qui dicitur olim Preposuisse hominem cunctis animaÌ„tibus vnum c. 160. Alexander the sixt ALexander the sixt was a Spaniard borne in Valentia called first Rodericus Borgia succeeded Innocentius his deedes were so opprobrious and wicked as hath beene sildome heard He was a very royotous tyrauÌ„t in league with the deuil to obtaine the Papacye He being long vice-chauncelour in his Cardinalship did search and boult out all the estate and trade of the Court of Rome and all the councelles and secretes of all the Princes and encorporations of Italye And therefore being Pope by the helpe of of his bastarde Valentinus whom of a Cardinall he made captaine calling him Caesarius he did almost destroy them all and rooted out and banished the most mightye and honourable houses of Rome so that afterward he stoode not in awe of anye of them Iuâ—the which bickeringe sayth Valerius the garrison of Frenchmen and Heluetians being murthered both man and woman this proud Captaine Caesarius beinge by meanes of his wyfe duke of Valentia purposing to get a bootye of money gaue to certaine Cardinals a pocioÌ„ of Aconita wherof his father also drancke so that he fell a sleepe with the rest and then the sonne with the stroke of a weapon quenched the vndeserued honour of both This AlexaÌ„der held the Iubelie at Rome Anno 1500. whither infinite multitudes of people resorted but for those that either would not or could not come the Pope by his bull imparted to them the blessing and benefite of the Iubelie if they woulde giue moneye for it He spared no shamefull shifte to make money withall and therefore he did found yet another newe colledge for clarkes of briefes for so were they called that write the abridgements of all matters these were in nomber foure score of the which euery one payd for his place vii huÌ„dred crownes He cited al Princes by auctoritye of his bull to come to the Iubelie and appointed standings in euery countrye in the streates whither the people should resorte to send their money thether By his Legate Iohn Borgia he crowned Alphonsus king of Naples and sayth Platina made him sweare to be true to Rome in paying his yearely tribute faithfullye He bestowed infinite riches in repayringe and garnishing Churches Castels towers hyewayes and houses in Rome Volateranus sayth that he murthered manye vertues by his notorious vices which are not to be named onlye sayth he I will touche those that were knowen in the eyes of the people If he were at anye time at leasure he had no regarde what kinde of recreation he vsed withoute respecte of his estate He flitted often to Adrian castell because he might the better come out openlye to behold such shewes and delightes as maskers mommers daunters harlots and strompets and other worse kinde of people vsing these braueryes vpon hollydayes and other times he delighted much to see the lasciuious coÌ„medyes of Plautus and other like enterludes played At the mariage of one of his doughters he procured extraordinarily to haue it solemnized with running at the tilt and hunting Fensers roisters were neuer so suffered in Rome neither the Citizens so bridled as in his time Beside the Citye was much encombred with vagaboundes so that men coulde neither walke safe in the Citye by night nor without the Citye by daye Now was Rome become a slaughterhouse which hath somtime beene a refuge and defence for men All these sayth Volateran he suffered for his bastards sake to whoÌ„ he graunted all thinges at pleasure c. But as ye haue heard before he dyed in the ende of the same poyson which he caused his sonne to prouide for other farther of his doiÌ„ges and of his sonnes warres by him procured maintayned Volateran wryteth at large Platina sayth howe that when Charles the eight king of Fraunce should passe
dominicans he left to the Church great store of treasure he kept diuers concubines he dyed of an ague while he was hyring one Zotus a conning painter to porâ—rature the storyes of martyrs in his newe buildinges Anno 1342. Of whom these Uerses were made Iste fuit vero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero turba repleta mero About this time Iohn Stratford beinge bishop of Canterbury did greatly abuse king Edward the thirde both in defraudinge him of his treasure when he needed it most in his warres in Fraunce and refusing obstinatly afterward to come at the kinges commaundement to aunsweare vntill time place serued according to his owne pleasure Benedicts coÌ„mon sayings were these to be noted Be thou such a sonne as thou desirest to haue cosens The euil maâ— dreadeth death but the good man feareth him more Those thinges that thou hast learned keepe by reading and get by learning those thinges that thou wantest It is as great shame to haue no freindes as to chaunge them oft It is more dishonour to a Prince to be ouercome with benefits then by force of armes 139. Clement the sixt CLement the sixt borne in Lemonia by professioÌ„ a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being abbot of Phisca succeded Benedict at Auenio This maÌ„ with his faction troubled the Romaine Empire aboue measure for he excommunicated sayth Naucler all the Princes lordes and bishops that consented to the doings of Lewis To deface the Emperour he created Uicountes and made them Uicares of the Empyre Lewis on the other side appointed other Uicares to gouerne the Church Ierom Marius in his booke called Eusebius Captiuus doth thus set out the rigour of Pope Clement Clement the sixt sayth he much giuen to women honour and auctoritye prouoked with diuelishe furye set vp bills in wrytinge vpon Church doares wherein he threatned the Emperour to be punished w t more cruell tormentes vnlesse he woulde obey the Popes minde and that within three dayes and would giue vp his right of the estate imperiall Great was the cruelty of this Clement voyde of clemency The Emperour commeth to Frankeforde and preparing with all diligence to do all that was commaunded besought the Pope by his Embassadours to pardon him and to receiue him to fauour But the Pope aunswered the Embassadours that he would neuer pardon Lewis vnlesse he would first confesse all his errours and heresyes and yelde vp the Empire and put into the Popes hand both himselfe his children goodes possessions to dispose them at his pleasure would promise that he would neuer more enioy any part thereof without the fauour of the Pope deliuered a certaine fourme of of these articles in wryting to the Embassadours coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to carye the same to Lewis The good Emperour least if he did not thus submit himselfe it mighte bee cause of slaughter and sedition receiued the order taken by the Pope and looking vpon it was content in such wyfe to saue Christian bloud and therefore he did not onely set his seale to it but gaue his oath to performe all Which when the Pope heard he waxed angrye But note whether hee toke the Emperour to fauoure and whether he shewed anye token of good will by that which followeth Lewis shewed that order to the Princes electours and oratours The Princes detested and abhorred certaine of the articles because they were deuised by the Pope to the confusion of the Empyre and therfore they promised sufficient ayde to the Emperour if as he did before he would maintaine the libertye and honour of the Empyre They sence Embassadours desiringe the Pope not to exact those articles that tended to the vtter subuersion of the Empyre and the oratours crauinge and doing nothing els came awaye againe But Clement blaming Lewis onelye for all did purpose the destruction of him and his children he cursed him cruelly euen at consecrating the Sacrament He renued all the extreame processes which Pope Iohn had giuen out against him he pronounced him to be an heretick and scismatick He charged the Princes electours to choose another Emperour He deposed the Archbishop of Mens both of his bishoprick and auctoritye of electorship because he knowing the Emperours innocencye and vngiltiues woulde not abuse his maiestye But the other electours being brybed with money by Iohn king of Bohemia as the bishop of Colen who toke viii Thousande markes the duke of Saxonye two Thousande markes did appoint his sonne Charles to be king of the Romaynes whoÌ„ this vncurteous Clement did allowe afterward in open consistorye But who is able to report the horrible bloudshed and warre that arose in the Empire by meanes of this mischiefe wroughte by Clement for kinge Edward the thirde of England slue xx Thousande Frenchmen and Iohn king of Bohemia father to Charles was slaine with many nobles But Lewis yet takinge thought because of the Popes processes not medling with the gouernment of the Empyre was by the Popes procurement poysoned in a cuppe whereof he dyed Thus wryteth Marius Lo by these kinde of treacheryes haue the prelates of Rome brought the Empyre to the low ebbe and poore estate that it is at this daye for the sayde Charles whom they against all lawe created to make his sonne to succede him did so corrupt the electours wyth bribes and fayre promises that he morgaged to them the coÌ„mon reuenues of the Empyre which they enioye to this daye and therefore the Romaine Empyre cannot aduauÌ„ce it selfe againe For then the Electours coÌ„pelled Charles to take an oath that these pledges should neuer be reclaymed whereby at length it came to passe that the Empyre being thus decayed the Turke inuaded the Church of Christ destroyed it wonderfullye and it is by the especial grace of God that Mahomets blasphemye doth not wyth fyre and sworde rage ouer all Christendome c. This Pope Clement now at the fiftye yeare renued the Iubelie beinge absent caused it to be celebrated at Rome Anno 1350. for his aduauntage and sayth PremonstrateÌ„sis there were fiue Thousande straungers comming in going out at Rome as might wel be counted dailye within the said yeare He made at seuerall times xii Cardinals whereof some were monkes some his nephewes and kinsemen beside he promoted diuers other to dignityes bestowed cost on diuers buildinges He gaue licence to the bishop of Bamberge to absolue those that toke parte wyth Lewis but vppon these conditions first that they shoulde sweare fealty to him as to the Uicar of Christe secondly that they should beleue that the Emperour hath no power neither to make nor marre the Pope thirdlye that they should acknowledge none to be Emperour whoÌ„ the Pope had not confirmed While his companioÌ„s and seruaunts went to dinner leauing onely his chamberlayne with him he fel downe sodeinly dyed of an impostume Anno 1352. This Clement sayth Marius toke vpoÌ„ him so prodigally in his Popedome that he gaue to his Cardinals in
Pope that bare such rough sway ouer the Romaynes sayth Crantzius He had no learning but coueted to encrease the pompe of his estate and therfore deuised a lawe whereby he purloyned the soueraintye of the world that is that it should not be lawfull for anye of the clergye to enter on a benefice which he shoulde obtaine vnlesse he payed the first fruites to the Apostolicall excheaker or the Popes Chamber He put downe the Banderesians a noble estate amonge the Romaynes also he compelled the Romaynes by a cruell lawe to fetch home their forreine Senatour Malatesta of Pisauria He strengthened the Citye for his owne purpose with fortresses and bulwarkes but making warres with the Uicountes he loste Bononie He caused Ladislaus a yong gentleman sonne to Charles king of Naples to be Crowned kinge in his fathers Realme by the Cardinall of Florence whereupon Sigismunde kinge of Hungary thinkinge himselfe greatlye iniuried greate warres ensued to the myserable slaughter of Thousands burning and spoyling of Cittyes townes monasteryes castels in Hungarye So great a thing it is to dispossesse a kinge Boniface also canonized S. Brigit borne in Sweueland He gaue to his cosens and kinred the aduauntage and commoditye of the Iubelye He offended and sinned much in parcialitye and because he subscribed graūted certaine abhominable indulgences and pardōs he ran into great infamye He kept the Iubelye at Rome Anno 1400. where manye straungers were robbed and greate Ladyes rauished by the pezantes of the Popes court Finallye Anno 1404. he dyed of the collicke and stone The Summer before that Boniface dyed there happened horrible tempestes boisterous winds hayle thonder lightninges And in the night a certaine house new builded by Boniface of square stone very costlye wherein for the time he vsed to blesse the people had the roofe of it blowen downe by the violence of the storme and the timber hurled to the earth Also the strong pinacles of Angell castle were throwne to the grounde with much other mischiefe and ruine Also another night appeared such terrible and vehements lightning and thonder all night long that all men beinge in a desperate feare thought surely the Citye woulde haue beene ouerwhelmed withal Another time also there was in Rome an earthquake which though it did no hurt yet it amazed al men Theodoricus lib. 2. cap. 33. This Pope rooted out a superstitious sect called Albes and burnt a priest of them who came with a great traine of that sect both men and women downe from the Alpes into Italy for Boniface seing him come thus with his companye all in white for that which cause they were called Albes was afraid as some write least his Popeship should be taken from him by the said priest But some sayth Platina say that the man did purpose no harme but that the Pope did imagine this to put away the rumour that went how the priest was for spite and mallice taken and put to death 146. Benedict the xiij BEnedict the xiii was a Catalan borne and called Peter of the Moone this mā euen in the time of the sciesme duringe was chosen Pope to succede Clement by those Cardinals which continued at Auenio This fellow while he was but Peter of the Moone not Benedict Pope of Rome did dispute against the auctoritye of the Pope and of his clergye and said that it was not to be feared and for this his true saying notwithstāding he became Pope yet afterward he was and is still condemned by his successours for an hereticke While he was but Cardinall being sente by Pope Clement Embassadour to Paris and other places he vsed often to boast that if he might be chosen to succede Clement he would spare no meanes to procure that this longe sciesme mighte cease And therefore the Cardinals abused with his great protestations did chose him in deede to succeede the other but before the election they sware all and he among them that whosoeuer shoulde be chosen Pope should be cōtent at any time to resigne giue it vp againe if the Cardinals thinkinge it meete would require it But afterward whē it came to tryal he defying his oath would not yeld one iote no though the Cardinals diuers Princes did exhorte him to it and chargde him with his oath and councels conclude against him that he was no Pope But certaine estates of Fraunce moued with his troublesome obstinacy did set vpon him by force of armes toke him priner and kepte him so three yeares and yet could not make him giue ouer but that he would first dye ere he would deminishe his dignitye so that they being wearye of him deliuered him againe at the end of the three yeares By his lawes it appeareth that being Pope he woulde that euen the wronge sentence of condemnation vttered by him and his sonnes shoulde be feared Hee abode in his place sayth Crantzius till the time of the councell of Constance and he swarued much in the auctorizinge of it finally he began to be hardned being cast of in that coūcell He continued in his obstinacye with his Cardinals who also after his death endeuoured to continue and maintaine this strife by putting vp another to be Pope but they were forbidden Amonge other thinges this Pope gaue to the kinge of Fraunce Charles the vi the tenthes of the Church partly to hyre the kinge to maintaine him in his quarel partly that he might take part of this great lucre and sayth Theodoricus he sawe it stoode him vpon He at length followed Boniface his practise in bestowing benefices geuing dispensatiōs tolleratiōs exemptiōs totquots pardōs and such like enormityes according to the saying If thou sawest a theefe run thou did dest run vvith him This he did to allure men from the obedience of Boniface to himselfe the better to maintaine his quarrel against him Whē this Pope Benedict abode plāted himselfe stronglye in his countrye and auouched that he himselfe was the true vicar of Christe he was shamefullye reproued by the auctoritye of the said general councell And yet he sommoned and helde a Synode in Perpinian and created manye Cardinals At the length he dyinge at Paeniscula Anno 1424. commaunded these his Cardinals to choose another in his steede forthwith and they forthwith choose Giles Munyos canon of Barchynony calling him Clement the eight who out of hand at the motion of kinge Olphonsus did both create newe Cardinals and toke vppon him to do those thinges that appertayned to the Pope But when Pope Martin the fift came in fauoure with kinge Olphōsus this Giles at his commaundement yelded vppe all the righte and estate of the Popedome being appointed bishop of Maiory and in like maner they whom hee had made Cardinals did likewyse giue ouer their Cardinalship 147. Innocent the seuenth INnocent the seuenth was borne at Sulmo called Cosmarus of Peruse he being Cardinal of the holy Crosse while all Italye was in an vprore he was made Pope to
in siluer three hundred poundes He dyed beinge wasted through his incontinent life when he was but xxviii yeares old Anno 1474. His death was most hinderaunce to handicraft men for he euer filled their shoppes with store of knackes Iohn Textor in his officine sayth thus Peter a priest and Cardinal in the time of Sixtus the fourth wasted about vanityes luxuriousnes three hundred Thousand Crownes within the space of two yeares Againe Iohn Riueus in his booke De erroribus pontisiciorum sayth the Fulgosus reporteth of the incredible prodigality of the said partye It were to longe to rehearse all his woordes for breuitye sake these fewe may suffice which I thinke is the least to be spoken of namely that he ware goulden roabes at home in his house that he had his couerlets of gould for his beds his Chamber stooles and pottes of siluer Also he prouided for his concubine Tyresia shoes couered wyth Pearles By this a man maye gesse the rest of his vnmeasurable pompe and prodigalitye But Hierome brother to the saide Peter beinge made chiefe of Liuius court and Cornelius court after him did rule and order the matters of the Church being a man of more seuere nature and lesse lasciuious sauinge one waye not to be named After these Sixtus aduaunced the childrē of his bretherne and sisterne amonge whom he made one Iulian Cardinall and his brother Iohn Presidēt of the Citye and Prince of Sora Seuogallia He loued sayth Platina his kindred aboue measure bestowing and lauisshing on them that which belōged both to man and God against all iustice And by the iudgement of manye he plonged all Italye with bloudye broyles that without cause Therefore sayth Volateranus when he was driuen to necessitye hauing wasted his wealth vpon these tumults he was the first that began to practise this shifte He deuised to picke oute certaine Colledges Againe Agrippa sayth of him thus amonge the bawdes of late yeares that set vppe and builded stewes Pope Sixtus the fourth was most famous who builded a notable stewes at Rome and as he sayth in his declamatiō to the Louanians he sheweth at large not onlye for harlots but otherwise horrible to be thought vpon He following the example of Heliogabalus did maintayne his traine of harlots and bestowed them on his frendes and seruauntes Beside he had his fee comming into his treasure of that moneye which the harlots earned by their misdemeanour to the enrychinge of his cofers for the strompets of Rome do yet paye theyr Iuly tribute as it is termed euery weeke to the Pope which in yearely reuenues hath oftentimes amounted to xx Thousand ducates and now by report ariseth to fourtye Thousande And so the treasurers of the Church are bound to make accompte as well of harlots tribute as of the Church landes VVesselus Groningensis called the light of the world in the discourse of the Popes indulgences wryteth of this Pope Sixtus that at the sute of the foresaid Peter then Cardinall of S. Sixtus and Patriarke of Constantinople and of his brother Hierome he graunted the whole familye of the Cardinall of S. Lucia who in his former yonge yeares had in like maner yelded himselfe to the detestable lust of Pope Paule the second to file theyr bodyes lawfullye in most vnlawfull vnnaturall and vnspeakable maner for 3. hot monthes Iune Iulye and August which he graunted with this clause Fiat vt petitur Doe accordinge to your requeste O horrible and monstrons men more saluage then brute beastes weare it not but that malice of Antichrist and the deuill sparing no blasphemye to slaunder the Church of Christe dryueth me to detecte their loathsome treacherye and nakednesse I would rather helpe to burye these villanyes in silence then to vtter these their filthines which I cānot but with blushing remember Loath were I to plucke of the sheete of theyr shame to reueale their ribaldrye but that vnder such roabes lurketh hiddē so manye foule soares enfecting Christian soules and deceauing their simplicitye with an outward visard of innocencye And yet while I for beare euen for honesty ciuilitye sake to discouer their filthye commedyes and stewishe pranckes at large as they themselues are not ashamed to doe sportinge thereat with ballades songes and sonets and other vnhoneste wayes Mantuan and other haue spoken and vttered thereof enoughe to much wryting of this Pope Sixtus and his nephew of Alphonsus But as touching Sixtus sayth Volateran he being disposed to exercise him selfe in warrefare wherunto he was of nature more enclined then to religiō moued quarrels of warre as he might right or wronge He inuaded without any cause Vitelius Tiphernates the Florentines the Venetians the Columnians Ferdinand king of Sicilia the duke of Calabria and other nations and Princes It was his chiefe delighte to haue Christian Princes at commaundemēt whom at his pleasure he did both set vp and put downe He set his confederates the Heluetians with fyre and sworde vpon the Lombardes whom he had cursed and gaue the Heluetians a pardon and an ensigne to encourage them to the slaughter of the Lombardes He aduaūced his cosins bastardes to the shame of the Church to all that he mighte for he made two of his nephewes Leonarde Iohn to be Presidents of the Citye by course one after another beside other dignities diuers and many that he bestowed on sondrye of his kindred among other one Raphael his sisters sonne was made Cardinal But one Laurence Medices honge vp the saide Raphael and Saluatus Pisanus and diuers other because they had murthered his brother He was verye beneficiall to the begging sect of religious roages graūting them reuenues in this life and heauen in the life to come He is counted as it were a newe builder of Rome He bestowed cost of pauinge the streates repayring the wayes appointing skauingers to loke to the streates beside diuers other lesse necessary more vaine and superstitious deedes about Churches Chappels and Pallaces In the xv yeare he celebrated the Iubelie for the encrease of his lucre and gaynes and to pleasure his frendes He diuised many polling bribing offices of scribes abridgers sollicitours waighters and notaryes of the escheaker to enriche hys cofers which offices are to be bought of the Pope He made diuers newe holly dayes and diuers Saintes and manye decrees to enriche the clergye He excommunicated and cursed to hell Laurence Medices of Florence for hanging his nephew Raphael In the ende he being sicke of the goute dyed throughe rancour and malice the soner because the duke of Ferraria had takē peace with the Venetians against his will Anno 1484. And therefore diuers men made these Epitaphes of him ¶ Of his death Non potuit Seuum vis vlla extinguere Sixtum Audito tandem domine pacis obit No force was forceable enoughe to make Pope Sixtus dye But when the name of peace was heard it kild him by and by Of the peace that ensued
Earles and noble men with their dominions and great Cityes through the whole countrey of Germanye beside the great commōwealthes of Heluetia Rhetia Vallis Tellina with many hūdred Thousands more of al estates in Flaūders Italye Spayne Fraūce and in the kingdome of Polonia Thus especiallye from the yeare of our Sauiours incarnation 1503. vnder Pope Iulye the seconde the credite of the Romaine Sea began to cracke and dailye ryueth more and more and shall by Gods grace so continue till it be cleane rente in peeces and torne awaye Whereof God hath giuen certaine signes tokens plainlye prognosticatinge the greate fall of this proude Babilon which with these reuoltinge of regions from him being compared may comfort those that reioyce in the aduauncing of the Gospell and in the ruine of Antichriste although it is not to be wished that any mā should ground any doctrine or point of religion barely vpon these prognostications The obseruations that the Papacye shall melt awaye decresing more and more till the daye of Iudgement are these First the forenamed Prophecye of S. Paule in the 2. Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians that Antichriste must be reuealed before Christe come with diuers other Prophecyes of the holye Scripture in the Reuelation and other places Other proofes hereof maye be those straunge thinges that haue come to passe of latter times in the Church of Rome as the Pope Iohn the 24. was wonderfullye vexed by an owle in open consistorye as is before in his life declared againe that going to Constance he fell oute of his chariot by the waye Afterwarde he was in the same councell of Constance reprochfullye deposed and it was there declared that a councell ought to be aboue the Pope and the Pope to be subiect to the controlment of the coūcel which thing gaue a great pushe to the ouerthrow of his supremacye surelye from his time and the time of Paule the second the Popes maiestye began to shrincke more more Againe in the time of Alexander the sixt by a tempest of thonder lightninge the Augell set on the toppe of Angell castell in Rome the Popes chiefe place was beaten downe into the riuer Tiber. Furthermore it appeareth that it was not so much the fonde furye of Iulye the second as fatall prouidence the Pope Iulye the second when he could not preuaile by Papal auctoritie did hurle away into Tiber S. Peters keyes as they tearme them the counterfaite euidence of his supremacye for as he cast the keyes away so other reiected his supremacie euer since Furthermore in the time of Pope Leo it came to passe that he created in one day 31. Cardinals and the same daye while Leo and his Cardinals were in S. Peters Church there fell such mightye stormes of windes thōder lightnings vpon the Church that it shooke downe a little idoll made for the picture of Christe in the lappe of the virgin Marye Also it stroke the keyes oute of the hande of S. Peters Image in the same Church These and manye other such matters as haue come to passe are to be so construed as they may best serue to the glorye of God and signification of his will which is that Antichriste shall be destroyed with the breath of his mouth that is the power of his holye word and not by the might and arme of man Ioyning therefore the successe that Christe hath giuen to his Gospel with the shaking of Antichriste his kingdome foreshewed by the spirit of God it shall not be amisse to take these signes as witnesses that God sheweth hereby that he is mindefull of his promise made to his elect that the dayes are at hand when Babilō must fall and our Sauiour Iesus Christe come againe in glorye to the subuerting of him The Lorde hasten it for his mercy sake and make vs readye to receiue it with ioye Amen Amen 162. Iulius the second IVlius the secōd was a Genewaie borne who as Erasmus wryting vpon the prouerbe A remo ad Tribunal sayth was in his youth a whirrye slaue and yet at length preased vp to the Papacye And yet sayth he not contenting himselfe with that estate as he founde it did enlarge his dominion and would haue made it larger but that death preuented his purpose Vicelius sayth that he was rather giuen to warres then to serue Christ. Iohn Functius in his Cōmentaryes wryteth thus of him Pope Iulius being borne of a base stocke rysing by degrees throughe good lucke and craftye witte attayned to the hyest He being a fellowe of a subtill and compassinge heade and most giuen of nature to play the warriour did like Nimrod enlarge his porcion by the dint of the sworde so that by his procuremente within seuen yeares were slaine and destroyed to the nomber of two hundred thousand Christians He besieged Rauenna cruellye and in the ende preuayling made it subiecte to his Empire And with the like violence he wrested Seruia Imola Fauentia Foroliuium Bononia and other Cityes from the Princes with great bloudshed Sleidā sayth that whē this Iulius was Pope he toke an oath that he would haue a councell within two yeares But when he troubled and disquieted all Italye with warres beinge enemye one while to the Venetiās another while to the king of Fraūce nowe to the Duke of Ferraria now to the Bononians certaine Cardinals ix in nomber steppinge a syde and assembling at Millen do summon a coūcell to be held at Pisana The chiefe of these were Bernardin Cruceius VVilliam of Praenoste Fraūcis Cossetinus w t whom were the proctours of the Emperour Maximilian and of Lewis the xii king of Fraunce about the same purpose This councell was called the yeare 1511. the xix day of Maye to beginne in September next following The cause hereof is sayde to be because the Pope had broken his oath and for sworne himselfe for notwtstāding he had raigned so many yeares yet contrarye to his oath they could get no hope of hauing a coūcell And furthermore for that they had heynous crimes to charge him w t all they purposed to depriue him of his dignitye which he had gottē by bribery But Iulius chargeth all men vpon paine of great punishmēt that no man should obey them summoned another coūcel to be held the yeare following in Aprill in Lateran at Rome whereunto xxi Cardinals subscribed For this from time to time hath bin the practise of the Pope when any councel hath bin assembled against his doings then to assemble another Synode against the other in some place meete for his purpose There was at this time a famous Lawyer at Papia called Philippus Decius who published a booke defendinge the doinge of the Cardinals against the Pope Diuers other wrote against him some in prose some in verse as Hulricus Huttenus in certaine Epigrams to this effect in Englishe translated verse for verse This Iulie vvho by long discent did sit in Peters seate Through nevv cōceite