[Footnote3:ThefirstepistlesinetituloofPetrarchexposesthedangerofthebark,andtheincapacityofthepilot。Haecinter,vinomadidus,aevegravis,acsoporiferororeperfusus,jamjamnutitat,dormitat,jamsomnopraeceps,atqueutinamsolusruit……Heuquantofeliciuspatrioterramsulcassetaratro,quamscalmumpiscatoriumascendisset!ThissatireengageshisbiographertoweighthevirtuesandvicesofBenedictXII。whichhavebeenexaggeratedbyGuelphsandGhibelines,byPapistsandProtestants,seeMemoiressurlaViedePetrarque,tom。i。p。259,ii。not。xv。p。13—16。Hegaveoccasiontothesaying,Bibamuspapaliter。]
AfterthedeceaseofAndronicus,whiletheGreeksweredistractedbyintestinewar,theycouldnotpresumetoagitateageneralunionoftheChristians。ButassoonasCantacuzenehadsubduedandpardonedhisenemies,hewasanxioustojustify,oratleasttoextenuate,theintroductionoftheTurksintoEurope,andthenuptialsofhisdaughterwithaMussulmanprince。Twoofficersofstate,withaLatininterpreter,weresentinhisnametotheRomancourt,whichwastransplantedtoAvignon,onthebanksoftheRhone,duringaperiodofseventyyears:theyrepresentedthehardnecessitywhichhadurgedhimtoembracetheallianceofthemiscreants,andpronouncedbyhiscommandthespeciousandedifyingsoundsofunionandcrusade。PopeClementtheSixth,^4thesuccessorofBenedict,receivedthemwithhospitalityandhonor,acknowledgedtheinnocenceoftheirsovereign,excusedhisdistress,applaudedhismagnanimity,anddisplayedaclearknowledgeofthestateandrevolutionsoftheGreekempire,whichhehadimbibedfromthehonestaccountsofaSavoyardlady,anattendantoftheempressAnne。^5IfClementwasillendowedwiththevirtuesofapriest,hepossessed,however,thespiritandmagnificenceofaprince,whoseliberalhanddistributedbeneficesandkingdomswithequalfacility。
UnderhisreignAvignonwastheseatofpompandpleasure:inhisyouthhehadsurpassedthelicentiousnessofabaron;andthepalace,nay,thebed—chamberofthepope,wasadorned,orpolluted,bythevisitsofhisfemalefavorites。ThewarsofFranceandEnglandwereadversetotheholyenterprise;buthisvanitywasamusedbythesplendididea;andtheGreekambassadorsreturnedwithtwoLatinbishops,theministersofthepontiff。
OntheirarrivalatConstantinople,theemperorandthenunciosadmiredeachother\'spietyandeloquence;andtheirfrequentconferenceswerefilledwithmutualpraisesandpromises,bywhichbothpartieswereamused,andneithercouldbedeceived。
\"Iamdelighted,\"saidthedevoutCantacuzene,\"withtheprojectofourholywar,whichmustredoundtomypersonalglory,aswellastothepublicbenefitofChristendom。MydominionswillgiveafreepassagetothearmiesofFrance:mytroops,mygalleys,mytreasures,shallbeconsecratedtothecommoncause;andhappywouldbemyfate,couldIdeserveandobtainthecrownofmartyrdom。WordsareinsufficienttoexpresstheardorwithwhichIsighforthereunionofthescatteredmembersofChrist。
Ifmydeathcouldavail,Iwouldgladlypresentmyswordandmyneck:ifthespiritualphoenixcouldarisefrommyashes,Iwoulderectthepile,andkindletheflamewithmyownhands。\"YettheGreekemperorpresumedtoobserve,thatthearticlesoffaithwhichdividedthetwochurcheshadbeenintroducedbytheprideandprecipitationoftheLatins:hedisclaimedtheservileandarbitrarystepsofthefirstPalaeologus;andfirmlydeclared,thathewouldneversubmithisconscienceunlesstothedecreesofafreeanduniversalsynod。\"Thesituationofthetimes,\"
continuedhe,\"willnotallowthepopeandmyselftomeeteitheratRomeorConstantinople;butsomemaritimecitymaybechosenonthevergeofthetwoempires,tounitethebishops,andtoinstructthefaithful,oftheEastandWest。\"Thenunciosseemedcontentwiththeproposition;andCantacuzeneaffectstodeplorethefailureofhishopes,whichweresoonoverthrownbythedeathofClement,andthedifferenttemperofhissuccessor。Hisownlifewasprolonged,butitwasprolongedinacloister;and,exceptbyhisprayers,thehumblemonkwasincapableofdirectingthecounselsofhispupilorthestate。^6
[Footnote4:SeetheoriginalLivesofClementVI。inMuratori,Script。RerumItalicarum,tom。iii。P。ii。p。550—589;MatteoVillani,Chron。l。iii。c。43,inMuratori,tom。xiv。p。186,
whostyleshim,moltocavallaresco,pocoreligioso;Fleury,Hist。Eccles。tom。xx。p。126;andtheViedePetrarque,tom。
ii。p。42—45。TheabbedeSadetreatshimwiththemostindulgence;butheisagentlemanaswellasapriest。]
[Footnote5:HernamemostprobablycorruptedwasZampea。Shehadaccompanied,andaloneremainedwithhermistressatConstantinople,whereherprudence,erudition,andpolitenessdeservedthepraisesoftheGreeksthemselves,Cantacuzen。l。i。
c。42。]
[Footnote6:SeethiswholenegotiationinCantacuzene,l。iv。
c。9,who,amidstthepraisesandvirtueswhichhebestowsonhimself,revealstheuneasinessofaguiltyconscience。]
YetofalltheByzantineprinces,thatpupil,JohnPalaeologus,wasthebestdisposedtoembrace,tobelieve,andtoobey,theshepherdoftheWest。Hismother,AnneofSavoy,wasbaptizedinthebosomoftheLatinchurch:hermarriagewithAndronicusimposedachangeofname,ofapparel,andofworship,butherheartwasstillfaithfultohercountryandreligion:shehadformedtheinfancyofherson,andshegovernedtheemperor,afterhismind,oratleasthisstature,wasenlargedtothesizeofman。Inthefirstyearofhisdeliveranceandrestoration,theTurkswerestillmastersoftheHellespont;thesonofCantacuzenewasinarmsatAdrianople;andPalaeologuscoulddependneitheronhimselfnoronhispeople。Byhismother\'sadvice,andinthehopeofforeignaid,heabjuredtherightsbothofthechurchandstate;andtheactofslavery,^7
subscribedinpurpleink,andsealedwiththegoldenbull,wasprivatelyintrustedtoanItalianagent。ThefirstarticleofthetreatyisanoathoffidelityandobediencetoInnocenttheSixthandhissuccessors,thesupremepontiffsoftheRomanandCatholicchurch。Theemperorpromisestoentertainwithduereverencetheirlegatesandnuncios;toassignapalacefortheirresidence,andatemplefortheirworship;andtodeliverhissecondsonManuelasthehostageofhisfaith。Forthesecondescensionsherequiresapromptsuccoroffifteengalleys,withfivehundredmenatarms,andathousandarchers,toserveagainsthisChristianandMussulmanenemies。Palaeologusengagestoimposeonhisclergyandpeoplethesamespiritualyoke;butastheresistanceoftheGreeksmightbejustlyforeseen,headoptsthetwoeffectualmethodsofcorruptionandeducation。
ThelegatewasempoweredtodistributethevacantbeneficesamongtheecclesiasticswhoshouldsubscribethecreedoftheVatican:
threeschoolswereinstitutedtoinstructtheyouthofConstantinopleinthelanguageanddoctrineoftheLatins;andthenameofAndronicus,theheiroftheempire,wasenrolledasthefirststudent。Shouldhefailinthemeasuresofpersuasionorforce,Palaeologusdeclareshimselfunworthytoreign;
transferredtothepopeallregalandpaternalauthority;andinvestsInnocentwithfullpowertoregulatethefamily,thegovernment,andthemarriage,ofhissonandsuccessor。Butthistreatywasneitherexecutednorpublished:theRomangalleyswereasvainandimaginaryasthesubmissionoftheGreeks;anditwasonlybythesecrecythattheirsovereignescapedthedishonorofthisfruitlesshumiliation。
[Footnote7:SeethisignominioustreatyinFleury,Hist。
Eccles。p。151—154,fromRaynaldus,whodrewitfromtheVaticanarchives。Itwasnotworththetroubleofapiousforgery。]
ThetempestoftheTurkisharmssoonburstonhishead;andafterthelossofAdrianopleandRomania,hewasenclosedinhiscapital,thevassalofthehaughtyAmurath,withthemiserablehopeofbeingthelastdevouredbythesavage。Inthisabjectstate,PalaeologusembracedtheresolutionofembarkingforVenice,andcastinghimselfatthefeetofthepope:hewasthefirstoftheByzantineprinceswhohadevervisitedtheunknownregionsoftheWest,yetinthemalonehecouldseekconsolationorrelief;andwithlessviolationofhisdignityhemightappearinthesacredcollegethanattheOttomanPorte。Afteralongabsence,theRomanpontiffswerereturningfromAvignontothebanksoftheTyber:UrbantheFifth,^8ofamildandvirtuouscharacter,encouragedorallowedthepilgrimageoftheGreekprince;and,withinthesameyear,enjoyedthegloryofreceivingintheVaticanthetwoImperialshadowswhorepresentedthemajestyofConstantineandCharlemagne。Inthissuppliantvisit,theemperorofConstantinople,whosevanitywaslostinhisdistress,gavemorethancouldbeexpectedofemptysoundsandformalsubmissions。Aprevioustrialwasimposed;and,inthepresenceoffourcardinals,heacknowledged,asatrueCatholic,thesupremacyofthepope,andthedoubleprocessionoftheHolyGhost。Afterthispurification,hewasintroducedtoapublicaudienceinthechurchofSt。Peter:Urban,inthemidstofthecardinals,wasseatedonhisthrone;theGreekmonarch,afterthreegenuflections,devoutlykissedthefeet,thehands,andatlengththemouth,oftheholyfather,whocelebratedhighmassinhispresence,allowedhimtoleadthebridleofhismule,andtreatedhimwithasumptuousbanquetintheVatican。TheentertainmentofPalaeologuswasfriendlyandhonorable;yetsomedifferencewasobservedbetweentheemperorsoftheEastandWest;^9norcouldtheformerbeentitledtotherareprivilegeofchantingthegospelintherankofadeacon。^10Infavorofhisproselyte,UrbanstrovetorekindlethezealoftheFrenchkingandtheotherpowersoftheWest;buthefoundthemcoldinthegeneralcause,andactiveonlyintheirdomesticquarrels。
ThelasthopeoftheemperorwasinanEnglishmercenary,JohnHawkwood,^11orAcuto,who,withabandofadventurers,thewhitebrotherhood,hadravagedItalyfromtheAlpstoCalabria;
soldhisservicestothehostilestates;andincurredajustexcommunicationbyshootinghisarrowsagainstthepapalresidence。Aspeciallicensewasgrantedtonegotiatewiththeoutlaw,buttheforces,orthespirit,ofHawkwood,wereunequaltotheenterprise:anditwasfortheadvantage,perhaps,ofPalaeologustobedisappointedofsuccor,thatmusthavebeencostly,thatcouldnotbeeffectual,andwhichmighthavebeendangerous。^12ThedisconsolateGreek^13preparedforhisreturn,butevenhisreturnwasimpededbyamostignominiousobstacle。OnhisarrivalatVenice,hehadborrowedlargesumsatexorbitantusury;buthiscofferswereempty,hiscreditorswereimpatient,andhispersonwasdetainedasthebestsecurityforthepayment。Hiseldestson,Andronicus,theregentofConstantinople,wasrepeatedlyurgedtoexhausteveryresource;
andevenbystrippingthechurches,toextricatehisfatherfromcaptivityanddisgrace。Buttheunnaturalyouthwasinsensibleofthedisgrace,andsecretlypleasedwiththecaptivityoftheemperor:thestatewaspoor,theclergywereobstinate;norcouldsomereligiousscruplebewantingtoexcusetheguiltofhisindifferenceanddelay。SuchundutifulneglectwasseverelyreprovedbythepietyofhisbrotherManuel,whoinstantlysoldormortgagedallthathepossessed,embarkedforVenice,relievedhisfather,andpledgedhisownfreedomtoberesponsibleforthedebt。OnhisreturntoConstantinople,theparentandkingdistinguishedhistwosonswithsuitablerewards;butthefaithandmannersoftheslothfulPalaeologushadnotbeenimprovedbyhisRomanpilgrimage;andhisapostasyorconversion,devoidofanyspiritualortemporaleffects,wasspeedilyforgottenbytheGreeksandLatins。^14
[Footnote8:SeethetwofirstoriginalLivesofUrbanV。,inMuratori,Script。RerumItalicarum,tom。iii。P。ii。p。623,635,andtheEcclesiasticalAnnalsofSpondanus,tom。i。p。
573,A。D。1369,No。7,andRaynaldus,Fleury,Hist。Eccles。
tom。xx。p。223,224。Yet,fromsomevariations,IsuspectthepapalwritersofslightlymagnifyingthegenuflectionsofPalaeologus。]
[Footnote9:PaullominusquamsifuissetImperatorRomanorum。
YethistitleofImperatorGraecorumwasnolongerdisputed,Vit。UrbanV。p。623。]
[Footnote10:ItwasconfinedtothesuccessorsofCharlemagne,andtothemonlyonChristmas—day。OnallotherfestivalstheseImperialdeaconswerecontenttoservethepope,ashesaidmass,withthebookandthecorporale。YettheabbedeSadegenerouslythinksthatthemeritsofCharlesIV。mighthaveentitledhim,thoughnotontheproperday,A。D。1368,November1,tothewholeprivilege。Heseemstoaffixajustvalueontheprivilegeandtheman,ViedePetrarque,tom。iii。p。735。]
[Footnote11:ThroughsomeItaliancorruptions,theetymologyofFalconeinbosco,MatteoVillani,l。xi。c。79,inMuratori,tom。xv。p。746,suggeststheEnglishwordHawkwood,thetruenameofouradventurouscountryman,ThomasWalsingham,Hist。
Anglican。interScriptoresCambdeni,p。184。Aftertwo—and—twentyvictories,andonedefeat,hedied,in1394,generaloftheFlorentines,andwasburiedwithsuchhonorsastherepublichasnotpaidtoDanteorPetrarch,Muratori,Annalid\'Italia,tom。xii。p。212—371。]
[Footnote12:ThistorrentofEnglishbybirthorservice
overflowedfromFranceintoItalyafterthepeaceofBretignyin1630。YettheexclamationofMuratoriAnnali,tom。xii。p。197
israthertruethancivil。\"Cimancavaancorquesto,chedopoesserecalpestratal\'ItaliadatantimasnadieriTedeschiedUngheri,venisserofindall\'Inghliterranuovicaniafiniredidivorarla。\"]
[Footnote13:Chalcondyles,l。i。p。25,26。TheGreeksupposeshisjourneytothekingofFrance,whichissufficientlyrefutedbythesilenceofthenationalhistorians。NoramImuchmoreinclinedtobelieve,thatPalaeologusdepartedfromItaly,valdebeneconsolatusetcontentus,Vit。UrbanV。p。623。]
[Footnote14:Hisreturnin1370,andthecoronationofManuel,Sept。25,1373,Ducange,Fam。Byzant。p。241,leavessomeintermediateaerafortheconspiracyandpunishmentofAndronicus。]
ThirtyyearsafterthereturnofPalaeologus,hissonandsuccessor,Manuel,fromasimilarmotive,butonalargerscale,againvisitedthecountriesoftheWest。InaprecedingchapterIhaverelatedhistreatywithBajazet,theviolationofthattreaty,thesiegeorblockadeofConstantinople,andtheFrenchsuccorunderthecommandofthegallantBoucicault。^15Byhisambassadors,ManuelhadsolicitedtheLatinpowers;butitwasthoughtthatthepresenceofadistressedmonarchwoulddrawtearsandsuppliesfromthehardestBarbarians;^16andthemarshalwhoadvisedthejourneypreparedthereceptionoftheByzantineprince。ThelandwasoccupiedbytheTurks;butthenavigationofVenicewassafeandopen:Italyreceivedhimasthefirst,or,atleast,asthesecond,oftheChristianprinces;
Manuelwaspitiedasthechampionandconfessorofthefaith;andthedignityofhisbehaviorpreventedthatpityfromsinkingintocontempt。FromVeniceheproceededtoPaduaandPavia;andeventhedukeofMilan,asecretallyofBajazet,gavehimsafeandhonorableconducttothevergeofhisdominions。^17OntheconfinesofFrance^18theroyalofficersundertookthecareofhisperson,journey,andexpenses;andtwothousandoftherichestcitizens,inarmsandonhorseback,cameforthtomeethimasfarasCharenton,intheneighborhoodofthecapital。AtthegatesofParis,hewassalutedbythechancellorandtheparliament;andCharlestheSixth,attendedbyhisprincesandnobles,welcomedhisbrotherwithacordialembrace。ThesuccessorofConstantinewasclothedinarobeofwhitesilk,andmountedonamilk—whitesteed,acircumstance,intheFrenchceremonial,ofsingularimportance:thewhitecolorisconsideredasthesymbolofsovereignty;and,inalatevisit,theGermanemperor,afterahaughtydemandandapeevishrefusal,hadbeenreducedtocontenthimselfwithablackcourser。ManuelwaslodgedintheLouvre;asuccessionoffeastsandballs,thepleasuresofthebanquetandthechase,wereingeniouslyvariedbythepolitenessoftheFrench,todisplaytheirmagnificence,andamusehisgrief:hewasindulgedinthelibertyofhischapel;andthedoctorsoftheSorbonnewereastonished,andpossiblyscandalized,bythelanguage,therites,andthevestments,ofhisGreekclergy。Buttheslightestglanceonthestateofthekingdommustteachhimtodespairofanyeffectualassistance。TheunfortunateCharles,thoughheenjoyedsomelucidintervals,continuallyrelapsedintofuriousorstupidinsanity:thereinsofgovernmentwerealternatelyseizedbyhisbrotheranduncle,thedukesofOrleansandBurgundy,whosefactiouscompetitionpreparedthemiseriesofcivilwar。Theformerwasagayyouth,dissolvedinluxuryandlove:thelatterwasthefatherofJohncountofNevers,whohadsolatelybeenransomedfromTurkishcaptivity;and,ifthefearlesssonwasardenttorevengehisdefeat,themoreprudentBurgundywascontentwiththecostandperilofthefirstexperiment。WhenManuelhadsatiatedthecuriosity,andperhapsfatiguedthepatience,oftheFrench,heresolvedonavisittotheadjacentisland。InhisprogressfromDover,hewasentertainedatCanterburywithduereverencebythepriorandmonksofSt。
Austin;and,onBlackheath,KingHenrytheFourth,withtheEnglishcourt,salutedtheGreekhero,Icopyouroldhistorian,who,duringmanydays,waslodgedandtreatedinLondonasemperoroftheEast。^19ButthestateofEnglandwasstillmoreadversetothedesignoftheholywar。Inthesameyear,thehereditarysovereignhadbeendeposedandmurdered:thereigningprincewasasuccessfulusurper,whoseambitionwaspunishedbyjealousyandremorse:norcouldHenryofLancasterwithdrawhispersonorforcesfromthedefenceofathroneincessantlyshakenbyconspiracyandrebellion。Hepitied,hepraised,hefeasted,theemperorofConstantinople;butiftheEnglishmonarchassumedthecross,itwasonlytoappeasehispeople,andperhapshisconscience,bythemeritorsemblanceofhispiousintention。^20Satisfied,however,withgiftsandhonors,ManuelreturnedtoParis;and,afteraresidenceoftwoyearsintheWest,shapedhiscoursethroughGermanyandItaly,embarkedatVenice,andpatientlyexpected,intheMorea,themomentofhisruinordeliverance。Yethehadescapedtheignominiousnecessityofofferinghisreligiontopublicorprivatesale。TheLatinchurchwasdistractedbythegreatschism;thekings,thenations,theuniversities,ofEuropeweredividedintheirobediencebetweenthepopesofRomeandAvignon;
andtheemperor,anxioustoconciliatethefriendshipofbothparties,abstainedfromanycorrespondencewiththeindigentandunpopularrivals。Hisjourneycoincidedwiththeyearofthejubilee;buthepassedthroughItalywithoutdesiring,ordeserving,theplenaryindulgencewhichabolishedtheguiltorpenanceofthesinsofthefaithful。TheRomanpopewasoffendedbythisneglect;accusedhimofirreverencetoanimageofChrist;andexhortedtheprincesofItalytorejectandabandontheobstinateschismatic。^21
[Footnote15:MemoiresdeBoucicault,P。i。c。35,36。]