andFrederictheSecondofferedintheCapitolthegreat
standard,theCaroccioofMilan。^60Aftertheextinctionofthe
houseofSwabia,theywerebanishedbeyondtheAlps:andtheir
lastcoronationsbetrayedtheimpotenceandpovertyofthe
TeutonicCaesars。^61
[Footnote56:Hospeseras,civemfeci。Advenafuistiex
Transalpinispartibusprincipemconstitui。]
[Footnote57:Noncessitnobisnudumimperium,virtutesua
amictumvenit,ornamentasuasecumtraxit。Penesnossunt
consulestui,&c。CiceroorLivywouldnothaverejectedthese
images,theeloquenceofaBarbarianbornandeducatedinthe
Hercynianforest。]
[Footnote58:OthoofFrisingen,whosurelyunderstoodthe
languageofthecourtanddietofGermany,speaksoftheFranks
inthexiithcenturyasthereigningnation,ProceresFranci,
equitesFranci,manusFrancorum:headds,however,theepithet
ofTeutonici。]
[Footnote59:OthoFrising。deGestisFredericiI。,l。ii。c。22,
p。720—733。TheseoriginalandauthenticactsIhave
translatedandabridgedwithfreedom,yetwithfidelity。]
[Footnote60:FromtheChroniclesofRicobaldoandFrancisPipin,
Muratoridissert。xxvi。tom。ii。p。492hastranslatedthis
curiousfactwiththedoggerelversesthataccompaniedthegift:
—
Avedecusorbis,ave!victustibidestinor,ave!
CurrusabAugustoFredericoCaesarejusto。
VaeMediolanum!jamsentisspernerevanum
Imperiivires,propriastibitollerevires。
Ergotriumphorumurbspotesmemoressepriorum
Quostibimittebantregesquibellagerebant。
NesideetacereInowusetheItalianDissertations,tom。
i。p。444chenell\'anno1727,unacopiadessoCaroccioinmarmo
dianziignotosiscopri,nelcampidoglio,pressoallecarceredi
quelluogo,doveSistoV。l\'aveafaltorinchiudere。Stavaesso
postosopraquatrocolonnedimarmofinocollasequente
inscrizione,&c。;tothesamepurposeastheoldinscription。]
[Footnote61:ThedeclineoftheImperialarmsandauthorityin
ItalyisrelatedwithimpartiallearningintheAnnalsof
Muratori,tom。x。xi。xii。;andthereadermaycomparehis
narrativewiththeHistoiresdesAllemandstom。iii。iv。by
Schmidt,whohasdeservedtheesteemofhiscountrymen。]
UnderthereignofAdrian,whentheempireextendedfromthe
Euphratestotheocean,fromMountAtlastotheGrampianhills,a
fancifulhistorian^62amusedtheRomanswiththepictureof
theirancientwars。\"Therewasatime,\"saysFlorus,\"whenTibur
andPraeneste,oursummerretreats,weretheobjectsofhostile
vowsintheCapitol,whenwedreadedtheshadesoftheArician
groves,whenwecouldtriumphwithoutablushoverthenameless
villagesoftheSabinesandLatins,andevenCoriolicouldafford
atitlenotunworthyofavictoriousgeneral。\"Theprideofhis
contemporarieswasgratifiedbythecontrastofthepastandthe
present:theywouldhavebeenhumbledbytheprospectof
futurity;bytheprediction,thatafterathousandyears,Rome,
despoiledofempire,andcontractedtoherprimaevallimits,
wouldrenewthesamehostilities,onthesamegroundwhichwas
thendecoratedwithhervillasandgardens。Theadjacent
territoryoneithersideoftheTyberwasalwaysclaimed,and
sometimespossessed,asthepatrimonyofSt。Peter;butthe
baronsassumedalawlessindependence,andthecitiestoo
faithfullycopiedtherevoltanddiscordofthemetropolis。In
thetwelfthandthirteenthcenturiestheRomansincessantly
laboredtoreduceordestroythecontumaciousvassalsofthe
churchandsenate;andiftheirheadstrongandselfishambition
wasmoderatedbythepope,heoftenencouragedtheirzealbythe
allianceofhisspiritualarms。Theirwarfarewasthatofthe
firstconsulsanddictators,whoweretakenfromtheplough。The
assembledinarmsatthefootoftheCapitol;salliedfromthe
gates,plunderedorburnttheharvestsoftheirneighbors,
engagedintumultuaryconflict,andreturnedhomeafteran
expeditionoffifteenortwentydays。Theirsiegesweretedious
andunskilful:intheuseofvictory,theyindulgedthemeaner
passionsofjealousyandrevenge;andinsteadofadoptingthe
valor,theytrampledonthemisfortunes,oftheiradversaries。
Thecaptives,intheirshirts,witharoperoundtheirnecks,
solicitedtheirpardon:thefortifications,andeventhe
buildings,oftherivalcities,weredemolished,andthe
inhabitantswerescatteredintheadjacentvillages。Itwasthus
thattheseatsofthecardinalbishops,Porto,Ostia,Albanum,
Tusculum,Praeneste,andTiburorTivoli,weresuccessively
overthrownbytheferocioushostilityoftheRomans。^63Of
these,^64PortoandOstia,thetwokeysoftheTyber,arestill
vacantanddesolate:themarshyandunwholesomebanksarepeopled
withherdsofbuffaloes,andtheriverislosttoeverypurpose
ofnavigationandtrade。Thehills,whichaffordashady
retirementfromtheautumnalheats,haveagainsmiledwiththe
blessingsofpeace;Frescatihasarisenneartheruinsof
Tusculum;TiburorTivolihasresumedthehonorsofacity,^65
andthemeanertownsofAlbanoandPalestrinaaredecoratedwith
thevillasofthecardinalsandprincesofRome。Intheworkof
destruction,theambitionoftheRomanswasoftencheckedand
repulsedbytheneighboringcitiesandtheirallies:inthefirst
siegeofTibur,theyweredrivenfromtheircamp;andthebattles
ofTusculum^66andViterbo^67mightbecomparedintheir
relativestatetothememorablefieldsofThrasymeneandCannae。
Inthefirstofthesepettywars,thirtythousandRomanswere
overthrownbyathousandGermanhorse,whomFredericBarbarossa
haddetachedtothereliefofTusculum:andifwenumberthe
slainatthree,theprisonersattwo,thousand,weshallembrace
themostauthenticandmoderateaccount。Sixty—eightyears
afterwardstheymarchedagainstViterbointheecclesiastical
statewiththewholeforceofthecity;byararecoalitionthe
Teutoniceaglewasblended,intheadversebanners,withthekeys
ofSt。Peter;andthepope\'sauxiliarieswerecommandedbya
countofThoulouseandabishopofWinchester。TheRomanswere
discomfitedwithshameandslaughter:buttheEnglishprelate
musthaveindulgedthevanityofapilgrim,ifhemultiplied
theirnumberstoonehundred,andtheirlossinthefieldto
thirty,thousandmen。Hadthepolicyofthesenateandthe
disciplineofthelegionsbeenrestoredwiththeCapitol,the
dividedconditionofItalywouldhaveofferedthefairest
opportunityofasecondconquest。Butinarms,themodernRomans
werenotabove,andinarts,theywerefarbelow,thecommon
leveloftheneighboringrepublics。Norwastheirwarlikespirit
ofanylongcontinuance;aftersomeirregularsallies,they
subsidedinthenationalapathy,intheneglectofmilitary
institutions,andinthedisgracefulanddangeroususeofforeign
mercenaries。
[Footnote62:Tiburnuncsuburbanum,etaestivaePraeneste
deliciae,nuncupatiainCapitoliovotispetebantur。Thewhole
passageofFlorusl。i。c。11maybereadwithpleasure,and
hasdeservedthepraiseofamanofgenius,Oeuvresde
Montesquieu,tom。iii。p。634,635,quartoedition]
[Footnote63:NeaferitateRomanorum,sicutfuerantHostienses,
Portuenses,Tusculanenses,Albanenses,Labicenses,etnuper
Tiburtinidestruerentur,MatthewParis,p。757。Theseevents
aremarkedintheAnnalsandIndexthexviiithvolumeof
Muratori。]
[Footnote64:Forthestateorruinofthesesuburbancities,the
banksoftheTyber,&c。,seethelivelypictureoftheP。Labat,
VoyageenEspagneetenItaliae,whohadlongresidedinthe
neighborhoodofRome,andthemoreaccuratedescriptionofwhich
P。EschinardRoma,1750,inoctavohasaddedtothe
topographicalmapofCingolani。]
[Footnote65:Labattom。iii。p。233mentionsarecentdecree
oftheRomangovernment,whichhasseverelymortifiedthepride
andpovertyofTivoli:incivitateTiburtinanonvivitur
civiliter。]
[Footnote66:Idepartfrommyusualmethod,ofquotingonlyby
thedatetheAnnalsofMuratori,inconsiderationofthecritical
balanceinwhichhehasweighedninecontemporarywriterswho
mentionthebattleofTusculum,tom。x。p。42—44。]
[Footnote67:MatthewParis,p。345。ThisbishopofWinchester
wasPeterdeRupibus,whooccupiedtheseethirty—twoyears,
A。D。1206—1238。andisdescribed,bytheEnglishhistorian,
asasoldierandastatesman。p。178,399。]
Ambitionisaweedofquickandearlyvegetationinthe
vineyardofChrist。UnderthefirstChristianprinces,thechair
ofSt。Peterwasdisputedbythevotes,thevenality,the
violence,ofapopularelection:thesanctuariesofRomewere
pollutedwithblood;and,fromthethirdtothetwelfthcentury,
thechurchwasdistractedbythemischiefoffrequentschisms。
Aslongasthefinalappealwasdeterminedbythecivil
magistrate,thesemischiefsweretransientandlocal:themerits
weretriedbyequityorfavor;norcouldtheunsuccessful
competitorlongdisturbthetriumphofhisrival。Butafterthe
emperorshadbeendivestedoftheirprerogatives,afteramaxim
hadbeenestablishedthatthevicarofChristisamenabletono
earthlytribunal,eachvacancyoftheholyseemightinvolve
Christendomincontroversyandwar。Theclaimsofthecardinals
andinferiorclergy,ofthenoblesandpeople,werevagueand
litigious:thefreedomofchoicewasoverruledbythetumultsof
acitythatnolongerownedorobeyedasuperior。Onthedecease
ofapope,twofactionsproceededindifferentchurchestoa
doubleelection:thenumberandweightofvotes,thepriorityof
time,themeritofthecandidates,mightbalanceeachother:the
mostrespectableoftheclergyweredivided;andthedistant
princes,whobowedbeforethespiritualthrone,couldnot
distinguishthespurious,fromthelegitimate,idol。The
emperorswereoftentheauthorsoftheschism,fromthepolitical
motiveofopposingafriendlytoahostilepontiff;andeachof
thecompetitorswasreducedtosuffertheinsultsofhisenemies,
whowerenotawedbyconscience,andtopurchasethesupportof
hisadherents,whowereinstigatedbyavariceorambitiona
peacefulandperpetualsuccessionwasascertainedbyAlexander
theThird,^68whofinallyabolishedthetumultuaryvotesofthe
clergyandpeople,anddefinedtherightofelectioninthesole
collegeofcardinals。^69Thethreeordersofbishops,priests,
anddeacons,wereassimilatedtoeachotherbythisimportant
privilege;theparochialclergyofRomeobtainedthefirstrank
inthehierarchy:theywereindifferentlychosenamongthe
nationsofChristendom;andthepossessionoftherichest
benefices,ofthemostimportantbishoprics,wasnotincompatible
withtheirtitleandoffice。ThesenatorsoftheCatholicchurch,
thecoadjutorsandlegatesofthesupremepontiff,wererobedin
purple,thesymbolofmartyrdomorroyalty;theyclaimedaproud
equalitywithkings;andtheirdignitywasenhancedbythe
smallnessoftheirnumber,which,tillthereignofLeothe
Tenth,seldomexceededtwentyortwenty—fivepersons。Bythis
wiseregulation,alldoubtandscandalwereremoved,andtheroot
ofschismwassoeffectuallydestroyed,thatinaperiodofsix
hundredyearsadoublechoicehasonlyoncedividedtheunityof
thesacredcollege。Butastheconcurrenceoftwothirdsofthe
voteshadbeenmadenecessary,theelectionwasoftendelayedby
theprivateinterestandpassionsofthecardinals;andwhile
theyprolongedtheirindependentreign,theChristianworldwas
leftdestituteofahead。Avacancyofalmostthreeyearshad
precededtheelevationofGeorgetheTenth,whoresolvedto
preventthefutureabuse;andhisbull,aftersomeopposition,
hasbeenconsecratedinthecodeofthecanonlaw。^70Ninedays
areallowedfortheobsequiesofthedeceasedpope,andthe
arrivaloftheabsentcardinals;onthetenth,theyare
imprisoned,eachwithonedomestic,inacommonapartmentor
conclave,withoutanyseparationofwallsorcurtains:asmall
windowisreservedfortheintroductionofnecessaries;butthe
doorislockedonbothsidesandguardedbythemagistratesof
thecity,tosecludethemfromallcorrespondencewiththeworld。
Iftheelectionbenotconsummatedinthreedays,theluxuryof
theirtableiscontractedtoasingledishatdinnerandsupper;
andaftertheeighthday,theyarereducedtoascantyallowance
ofbread,water,andwine。Duringthevacancyoftheholysee,
thecardinalsareprohibitedfromtouchingtherevenues,or
assuming,unlessinsomerareemergency,thegovernmentofthe
church:allagreementsandpromisesamongtheelectorsare
formallyannulled;andtheirintegrityisfortifiedbytheir
solemnoathandtheprayersoftheCatholics。Somearticlesof
inconvenientorsuperfluousrigorhavebeengraduallyrelaxed,
buttheprincipleofconfinementisvigorousandentire:theyare
stillurged,bythepersonalmotivesofhealthandfreedom,to
acceleratethemomentoftheirdeliverance;andtheimprovement
ofballotorsecretvoteshaswrappedthestrugglesofthe
conclave^71inthesilkyveilofcharityandpoliteness。^72By
theseinstitutionstheRomanswereexcludedfromtheelectionof
theirprinceandbishop;andinthefeverofwildandprecarious
liberty,theyseemedinsensibleofthelossofthisinestimable
privilege。TheemperorLewisofBavariarevivedtheexampleof
thegreatOtho。Aftersomenegotiationwiththemagistrates,the
Romanpeoplewereassembled^73inthesquarebeforeSt。Peter\'s:
thepopeofAvignon,JohntheTwenty—second,wasdeposed:the
choiceofhissuccessorwasratifiedbytheirconsentand
applause。Theyfreelyvotedforanewlaw,thattheirbishop
shouldneverbeabsentmorethanthreemonthsintheyear,and
twodays\'journeyfromthecity;andthatifheneglectedto
returnonthethirdsummons,thepublicservantshouldbe
degradedanddismissed。^74ButLewisforgothisowndebilityand
theprejudicesofthetimes:beyondtheprecinctsofaGerman
camp,hisuselessphantomwasrejected;theRomansdespisedtheir
ownworkmanship;theantipopeimploredthemercyofhislawful
sovereign;^75andtheexclusiverightofthecardinalswasmore
firmlyestablishedbythisunseasonableattack。
[Footnote68:SeeMosheim,Institut。Histor。Ecclesiast。p。401,
403。Alexanderhimselfhadnearlybeenthevictimofacontested
election;andthedoubtfulmeritsofInnocenthadonly
preponderatedbytheweightofgeniusandlearningwhichSt。
Bernardcastintothescale,seehislifeandwritings。]
[Footnote69:Theorigin,titles,importance,dress,precedency,
&c。,oftheRomancardinals,areveryablydiscussedby
Thomassin,Disciplinedel\'Eglise,tom。i。p。1262—1287;but
theirpurpleisnowmuchfaded。Thesacredcollegewasraisedto
thedefinitenumberofseventy—two,torepresent,underhis
vicar,thedisciplesofChrist。]
[Footnote70:SeethebullofGregoryX。approbantesacro
concilio,intheSextsoftheCanonLaw,l。i。tit。6,c。3,a
supplementtotheDecretals,whichBonifaceVIII。promulgatedat
Romein1298,andaddressedinalltheuniversitiesofEurope。]
[Footnote71:ThegeniusofCardinaldeRetzhadarighttopaint
aconclave,of1665,inwhichhewasaspectatorandanactor,
Memoires,tom。iv。p。15—57;butIamatalosstoappreciate
theknowledgeorauthorityofananonymousItalian,whosehistory
Conclavide\'PontificiRomani,in4to。1667hasbeencontinued
sincethereignofAlexanderVII。Theaccidentalformofthe
workfurnishesalesson,thoughnotanantidote,toambition。
Fromalabyrinthofintrigues,weemergetotheadorationofthe
successfulcandidate;butthenextpageopenswithhisfuneral。]
[Footnote72:TheexpressionsofCardinaldeRetzarepositive
andpicturesque:Onyvecuttoujoursensembleaveclememe
respect,etlamemecivilitequel\'onobservedanslecabinetdes
rois,aveclamemepolitessequ\'onavoitdanslacourdeHenri
III。,aveclamemefamiliaritequel\'onvoitdanslescolleges;
aveclamememodestie,quiseremarquedanslesnoviciats;et
aveclamemecharite,dumoinsenapparence,quipourroitotre
entredesfreresparfaitementunis。]
[Footnote73:RichiestiperbandosaysJohnVillanisanatoridi
Roma,e52delpopolo,etcapitanide\'25,econsoli,consoli?
et13buonehuomini,unoperrione。Ourknowledgeistoo
imperfecttopronouncehowmuchofthisconstitutionwas
temporary,andhowmuchordinaryandpermanent。Yetitisfaintly
illustratedbytheancientstatutesofRome。]
[Footnote74:Villanil。x。c。68—71,inMuratori,Script。
tom。xiii。p。641—645relatesthislaw,andthewhole
transaction,withmuchlessabhorrencethantheprudentMuratori。
Anyoneconversantwiththedarkeragesmusthaveobservedhow
muchthesenseImeanthenonsenseofsuperstitionis
fluctuatingandinconsistent。]
[Footnote75:InthefirstvolumeofthePopesofAvignon,see
thesecondoriginalLifeofJohnXXII。p。142—145,the
confessionoftheantipopep。145—152,andthelaboriousnotes
ofBaluze,p。714,715。]
HadtheelectionbeenalwaysheldintheVatican,therights
ofthesenateandpeoplewouldnothavebeenviolatedwith
impunity。ButtheRomansforgot,andwereforgotten。inthe
absenceofthesuccessorsofGregorytheSeventh,whodidnot
keepasadivineprecepttheirordinaryresidenceinthecityand
diocese。Thecareofthatdiocesewaslessimportantthanthe
governmentoftheuniversalchurch;norcouldthepopesdelight
inacityinwhichtheirauthoritywasalwaysopposed,andtheir
personwasoftenendangered。Fromthepersecutionofthe
emperors,andthewarsofItaly,theyescapedbeyondtheAlps
intothehospitablebosomofFrance;fromthetumultsofRome
theyprudentlywithdrewtoliveanddieinthemoretranquil
stationsofAnagni,Perugia,Viterbo,andtheadjacentcities。
Whentheflockwasoffendedorimpoverishedbytheabsenceofthe
shepherd,theywererecalledbyasternadmonition,thatSt。
Peterhadfixedhischair,notinanobscurevillage,butinthe
capitaloftheworld;byaferociousmenace,thattheRomans
wouldmarchinarmstodestroytheplaceandpeoplethatshould
daretoaffordthemaretreat。