Duringseveralweeks,thecardinalsattendedtheirnewmasterwiththefairestprofessionsofattachmentandloyalty;tillthesummerheatspermittedadecentescapefromthecity。ButassoonastheywereunitedatAnagniandFundi,inaplaceofsecurity,theycastasidethemask,accusedtheirownfalsehoodandhypocrisy,excommunicatedtheapostateandantichristofRome,andproceededtoanewelectionofRobertofGeneva,ClementtheSeventh,whomtheyannouncedtothenationsasthetrueandrightfulvicarofChrist。Theirfirstchoice,aninvoluntaryandillegalact,wasannulledbyfearofdeathandthemenacesoftheRomans;andtheircomplaintisjustifiedbythestrongevidenceofprobabilityandfact。ThetwelveFrenchcardinals,abovetwothirdsofthevotes,weremastersoftheelection;andwhatevermightbetheirprovincialjealousies,itcannotfairlybepresumedthattheywouldhavesacrificedtheirrightandinteresttoaforeigncandidate,whowouldneverrestorethemtotheirnativecountry。Inthevarious,andofteninconsistent,narratives,^66theshadesofpopularviolencearemoredarklyorfaintlycolored:butthelicentiousnessoftheseditiousRomanswasinflamedbyasenseoftheirprivileges,andthedangerofasecondemigration。Theconclavewasintimidatedbytheshouts,andencompassedbythearms,ofthirtythousandrebels;thebellsoftheCapitolandSt。Peter\'sranganalarm:
\"Death,oranItalianpope!\"wastheuniversalcry;thesamethreatwasrepeatedbythetwelvebanneretsorchiefsofthequarters,intheformofcharitableadvice;somepreparationsweremadeforburningtheobstinatecardinals;andhadtheychosenaTransalpinesubject,itisprobablethattheywouldneverhavedepartedalivefromtheVatican。ThesameconstraintimposedthenecessityofdissemblingintheeyesofRomeandoftheworld;theprideandcrueltyofUrbanpresentedamoreinevitabledanger;andtheysoondiscoveredthefeaturesofthetyrant,whocouldwalkinhisgardenandrecitehisbreviary,whileheheardfromanadjacentchambersixcardinalsgroaningontherack。Hisinflexiblezeal,whichloudlycensuredtheirluxuryandvice,wouldhaveattachedthemtothestationsanddutiesoftheirparishesatRome;andhadhenotfatallydelayedanewpromotion,theFrenchcardinalswouldhavebeenreducedtoahelplessminorityinthesacredcollege。Forthesereasons,andthehopeofrepassingtheAlps,theyrashlyviolatedthepeaceandunityofthechurch;andthemeritsoftheirdoublechoiceareyetagitatedintheCatholicschools。^67Thevanity,ratherthantheinterest,ofthenationdeterminedthecourtandclergyofFrance。^68ThestatesofSavoy,Sicily,Cyprus,Arragon,Castille,Navarre,andScotlandwereinclinedbytheirexampleandauthoritytotheobedienceofClementtheSeventh,andafterhisdecease,ofBenedicttheThirteenth。RomeandtheprincipalstatesofItaly,Germany,Portugal,England,^69theLowCountries,andthekingdomsoftheNorth,adheredtothepriorelectionofUrbantheSixth,whowassucceededbyBonifacetheNinth,InnocenttheSeventh,andGregorytheTwelfth。
[Footnote65:Canthedeathofagoodmanbeesteemedapunishmentbythosewhobelieveintheimmortalityofthesoul?
Theybetraytheinstabilityoftheirfaith。Yetasamerephilosopher,IcannotagreewiththeGreeksBrunck,PoetaeGnomici,p。231。SeeinHerodotusl。i。c。31themoralandpleasingtaleoftheArgiveyouths。]
[Footnote66:InthefirstbookoftheHistoireduConciledePise,M。LenfanthasabridgedandcomparedtheoriginalnarrativesoftheadherentsofUrbanandClement,oftheItaliansandGermans,theFrenchandSpaniards。Thelatterappeartobethemostactiveandloquacious,andeveryfactandwordintheoriginallivesofGregoryXI。andClementVII。aresupportedinthenotesoftheireditorBaluze。]
[Footnote67:TheordinalnumbersofthepopesseemstodecidethequestionagainstClementVII。andBenedictXIII。,whoareboldlystigmatizedasantipopesbytheItalians,whiletheFrencharecontentwithauthoritiesandreasonstopleadthecauseofdoubtandtoleration,Baluz。inPraefat。Itissingular,orratheritisnotsingular,thatsaints,visionsandmiraclesshouldbecommontobothparties。]
[Footnote68:BaluzestrenuouslylaborsNot。p。1271—1280tojustifythepureandpiousmotivesofCharlesV。kingofFrance:
herefusedtoheartheargumentsofUrban;butwerenottheUrbanistsequallydeaftothereasonsofClement,&c。?]
[Footnote69:Anepistle,ordeclamation,inthenameofEdwardIII。,Baluz。Vit。Pap。Avenion。tom。i。p。553,displaysthezealoftheEnglishnationagainsttheClementines。Norwastheirzealconfinedtowords:thebishopofNorwichledacrusadeof60,000bigotsbeyondsea,Hume\'sHistory,vol。iii。p。57,58。]
FromthebanksoftheTyberandtheRhone,thehostilepontiffsencounteredeachotherwiththepenandthesword:thecivilandecclesiasticalorderofsocietywasdisturbed;andtheRomanshadtheirfullshareofthemischiefsofwhichtheymaybearraignedastheprimaryauthors。^70Theyhadvainlyflatteredthemselveswiththehopeofrestoringtheseatoftheecclesiasticalmonarchy,andofrelievingtheirpovertywiththetributesandofferingsofthenations;buttheseparationofFranceandSpaindivertedthestreamoflucrativedevotion;norcouldthelossbecompensatedbythetwojubileeswhichwerecrowdedintothespaceoftenyears。Bytheavocationsoftheschism,byforeignarms,andpopulartumults,UrbantheSixthandhisthreesuccessorswereoftencompelledtointerrupttheirresidenceintheVatican。TheColonnaandUrsinistillexercisedtheirdeadlyfeuds:thebanneretsofRomeassertedandabusedtheprivilegesofarepublic:thevicarsofChrist,whohadleviedamilitaryforce,chastisedtheirrebellionwiththegibbet,thesword,andthedagger;and,inafriendlyconference,elevendeputiesofthepeoplewereperfidiouslymurderedandcastintothestreet。SincetheinvasionofRoberttheNorman,theRomanshadpursuedtheirdomesticquarrelswithoutthedangerousinterpositionofastranger。Butinthedisordersoftheschism,anaspiringneighbor,LadislauskingofNaples,alternatelysupportedandbetrayedthepopeandthepeople;bytheformerhewasdeclaredgonfalonier,orgeneral,ofthechurch,whilethelattersubmittedtohischoicethenominationoftheirmagistrates。BesiegingRomebylandandwater,hethriceenteredthegatesasaBarbarianconqueror;profanedthealtars,violatedthevirgins,pillagedthemerchants,performedhisdevotionsatSt。Peter\'s,andleftagarrisoninthecastleofSt。Angelo。Hisarmsweresometimesunfortunate,andtoadelayofthreedayshewasindebtedforhislifeandcrown:butLadislaustriumphedinhisturn;anditwasonlyhisprematuredeaththatcouldsavethemetropolisandtheecclesiasticalstatefromtheambitiousconqueror,whohadassumedthetitle,oratleastthepowers,ofkingofRome。^71
[Footnote70:Besidesthegeneralhistorians,theDiariesofDelphinusGentiliaPeterAntonius,andStephenInfessura,inthegreatcollectionofMuratori,representedthestateandmisfortunesofRome。]
[Footnote71:ItissupposedbyGiannonetom。iii。p。292thathestyledhimselfRexRomae,atitleunknowntotheworldsincetheexpulsionofTarquin。ButanearerinspectionhasjustifiedthereadingofRexRamae,ofRama,anobscurekingdomannexedtothecrownofHungary。]
Ihavenotundertakentheecclesiasticalhistoryoftheschism;butRome,theobjectoftheselastchapters,isdeeplyinterestedinthedisputedsuccessionofhersovereigns。ThefirstcounselsforthepeaceandunionofChristendomarosefromtheuniversityofParis,fromthefacultyoftheSorbonne,whosedoctorswereesteemed,atleastintheGallicanchurch,asthemostconsummatemastersoftheologicalscience。^72Prudentlywaivingallinvidiousinquiryintotheoriginandmeritsofthedispute,theyproposed,asahealingmeasure,thatthetwopretendersofRomeandAvignonshouldabdicateatthesametime,afterqualifyingthecardinalsoftheadversefactionstojoininalegitimateelection;andthatthenationsshouldsubtract^73
theirobedience,ifeitherofthecompetitorpreferredhisowninteresttothatofthepublic。Ateachvacancy,thesephysiciansofthechurchdeprecatedthemischiefsofahastychoice;butthepolicyoftheconclaveandtheambitionofitsmembersweredeaftoreasonandentreaties;andwhatsoeverpromisesweremade,thepopecouldneverbeboundbytheoathsofthecardinal。Duringfifteenyears,thepacificdesignsoftheuniversitywereeludedbytheartsoftherivalpontiffs,thescruplesorpassionsoftheiradherents,andthevicissitudesofFrenchfactions,thatruledtheinsanityofCharlestheSixth。Atlengthavigorousresolutionwasembraced;andasolemnembassy,ofthetitularpatriarchofAlexandria,twoarchbishops,fivebishops,fiveabbots,threeknights,andtwentydoctors,wassenttothecourtsofAvignonandRome,torequire,inthenameofthechurchandking,theabdicationofthetwopretenders,ofPeterdeLuna,whostyledhimselfBenedicttheThirteenth,andofAngeloCorrario,whoassumedthenameofGregorytheTwelfth。
FortheancienthonorofRome,andthesuccessoftheircommission,theambassadorssolicitedaconferencewiththemagistratesofthecity,whomtheygratifiedbyapositivedeclaration,thatthemostChristiankingdidnotentertainawishoftransportingtheholyseefromtheVatican,whichheconsideredasthegenuineandproperseatofthesuccessorofSt。
Peter。Inthenameofthesenateandpeople,aneloquentRomanassertedtheirdesiretocooperateintheunionofthechurch,deploredthetemporalandspiritualcalamitiesofthelongschism,andrequestedtheprotectionofFranceagainstthearmsofthekingofNaples。TheanswersofBenedictandGregorywerealikeedifyingandalikedeceitful;and,inevadingthedemandoftheirabdication,thetworivalswereanimatedbyacommonspirit。Theyagreedonthenecessityofapreviousinterview;
butthetime,theplace,andthemanner,couldneverbeascertainedbymutualconsent。\"Iftheoneadvances,\"saysaservantofGregory,\"theotherretreats;theoneappearsananimalfearfuloftheland,theotheracreatureapprehensiveofthewater。Andthus,forashortremnantoflifeandpower,willtheseagedpriestsendangerthepeaceandsalvationoftheChristianworld。\"^74
[Footnote72:TheleadinganddecisivepartwhichFranceassumedintheschismisstatedbyPeterduPuisinaseparatehistory,extractedfromauthenticrecords,andinsertedintheseventhvolumeofthelastandbesteditionofhisfriendThuanus,P。
xi。p。110—184。]
[Footnote73:Ofthismeasure,JohnGerson,astoutdoctor,wastheauthorofthechampion。TheproceedingsoftheuniversityofParisandtheGallicanchurchwereoftenpromptedbyhisadvice,andarecopiouslydisplayedinhistheologicalwritings,ofwhichLeClercBibliothequeChoisie,tom。x。p。1—78hasgivenavaluableextract。JohnGersonactedanimportantpartinthecouncilsofPisaandConstance。]
[Footnote74:LeonardusBrunusAretinus,oneofthereviversofclassiclearninginItaly,who,afterservingmanyyearsassecretaryintheRomancourt,retiredtothehonorableofficeofchancelloroftherepublicofFlorence,Fabric。Bibliot。MediiAevi,tom。i。p。290。Lenfanthasgiventheversionofthiscuriousepistle,ConciledePise,tom。i。p。192—195。]
TheChristianworldwasatlengthprovokedbytheirobstinacyandfraud:theyweredesertedbytheircardinals,whoembracedeachotherasfriendsandcolleagues;andtheirrevoltwassupportedbyanumerousassemblyofprelatesandambassadors。
Withequaljustice,thecouncilofPisadeposedthepopesofRomeandAvignon;theconclavewasunanimousinthechoiceofAlexandertheFifth,andhisvacantseatwassoonfilledbyasimilarelectionofJohntheTwenty—third,themostprofligateofmankind。Butinsteadofextinguishingtheschism,therashnessoftheFrenchandItalianshadgivenathirdpretendertothechairofSt。Peter。Suchnewclaimsofthesynodandconclaveweredisputed;threekings,ofGermany,Hungary,andNaples,adheredtothecauseofGregorytheTwelfth;andBenedicttheThirteenth,himselfaSpaniard,wasacknowledgedbythedevotionandpatriotismofthatpowerfulnation。TherashproceedingsofPisawerecorrectedbythecouncilofConstance;theemperorSigismondactedaconspicuouspartastheadvocateorprotectoroftheCatholicchurch;andthenumberandweightofcivilandecclesiasticalmembersmightseemtoconstitutethestates—generalofEurope。Ofthethreepopes,JohntheTwenty—thirdwasthefirstvictim:hefledandwasbroughtbackaprisoner:themostscandalouschargesweresuppressed;thevicarofChristwasonlyaccusedofpiracy,murder,rape,sodomy,andincest;andaftersubscribinghisowncondemnation,heexpiatedinprisontheimprudenceoftrustinghispersontoafreecitybeyondtheAlps。GregorytheTwelfth,whoseobediencewasreducedtothenarrowprecinctsofRimini,descendedwithmorehonorfromthethrone;andhisambassadorconvenedthesession,inwhichherenouncedthetitleandauthorityoflawfulpope。TovanquishtheobstinacyofBenedicttheThirteenthorhisadherents,theemperorinpersonundertookajourneyfromConstancetoPerpignan。ThekingsofCastile,Arragon,Navarre,andScotland,obtainedanequalandhonorabletreaty;withtheconcurrenceoftheSpaniards,Benedictwasdeposedbythecouncil;buttheharmlessoldmanwasleftinasolitarycastletoexcommunicatetwiceeachdaytherebelkingdomswhichhaddesertedhiscause。Afterthuseradicatingtheremainsoftheschism,thesynodofConstanceproceededwithslowandcautiousstepstoelectthesovereignofRomeandtheheadofthechurch。
Onthismomentousoccasion,thecollegeoftwenty—threecardinalswasfortifiedwiththirtydeputies;sixofwhomwerechosenineachofthefivegreatnationsofChristendom,—theItalian,theGerman,theFrench,theSpanish,andtheEnglish:^75theinterferenceofstrangerswassoftenedbytheirgenerouspreferenceofanItalianandaRoman;andthehereditary,aswellaspersonal,meritofOthoColonnarecommendedhimtotheconclave。Romeacceptedwithjoyandobediencethenoblestofhersons;theecclesiasticalstatewasdefendedbyhispowerfulfamily;andtheelevationofMartintheFifthistheaeraoftherestorationandestablishmentofthepopesintheVatican。^76
[Footnote75:Icannotoverlookthisgreatnationalcause,whichwasvigorouslymaintainedbytheEnglishambassadorsagainstthoseofFrance。Thelattercontended,thatChristendomwasessentiallydistributedintothefourgreatnationsandvotes,ofItaly,Germany,France,andSpain,andthatthelesserkingdomssuchasEngland,Denmark,Portugal,&c。werecomprehendedunderoneorotherofthesegreatdivisions。TheEnglishasserted,thattheBritishislands,ofwhichtheywerethehead,shouldbeconsideredasafifthandcoordinatenation,withanequalvote;
andeveryargumentoftruthorfablewasintroducedtoexaltthedignityoftheircountry。IncludingEngland,Scotland,Wales,thefourkingdomsofIreland,andtheOrkneys,theBritishIslandsaredecoratedwitheightroyalcrowns,anddiscriminatedbyfourorfivelanguages,English,Welsh,Cornish,Scotch,Irish,&c。Thegreaterislandfromnorthtosouthmeasures800
miles,or40days\'journey;andEnglandalonecontains32
countiesand52,000parishchurches,aboldaccount!besidescathedrals,colleges,priories,andhospitals。TheycelebratethemissionofSt。JosephofArimathea,thebirthofConstantine,andthelegatinepowersofthetwoprimates,withoutforgettingthetestimonyofBartholomeydeGlanville,A。D。1360,whoreckonsonlyfourChristiankingdoms,1。ofRome,2。ofConstantinople,3。ofIreland,whichhadbeentransferredtotheEnglishmonarchs,and4,ofSpain。Ourcountrymenprevailedinthecouncil,butthevictoriesofHenryV。addedmuchweighttotheirarguments。TheadversepleadingswerefoundatConstancebySirRobertWingfield,ambassadorofHenryVIII。totheemperorMaximilianI。,andbyhimprintedin1517atLouvain。FromaLeipsicMs。theyaremorecorrectlypublishedinthecollectionofVonderHardt,tom。v。;butIhaveonlyseenLenfant\'sabstractoftheseacts,ConciledeConstance,tom。ii。p。447,453,&c。]
[Footnote76:Thehistoriesofthethreesuccessivecouncils,Pisa,Constance,andBasil,havebeenwrittenwithatolerabledegreeofcandor,industry,andelegance,byaProtestantminister,M。Lenfant,whoretiredfromFrancetoBerlin。Theyformsixvolumesinquarto;andasBasilistheworst,soConstanceisthebest,partoftheCollection。]
ChapterLXX:FinalSettlementOfTheEcclesiasticalState。
PartIV。
Theroyalprerogativeofcoiningmoney,whichhadbeenexercisednearthreehundredyearsbythesenate,wasfirstresumedbyMartintheFifth,^77andhisimageandsuperscriptionintroducetheseriesofthepapalmedals。Ofhistwoimmediatesuccessors,EugeniustheFourthwasthelastpopeexpelledbythetumultsoftheRomanpeople,^78andNicholastheFifth,thelastwhowasimportunedbythepresenceofaRomanemperor。^79I。TheconflictofEugeniuswiththefathersofBasil,andtheweightorapprehensionofanewexcise,emboldenedandprovokedtheRomanstousurpthetemporalgovernmentofthecity。Theyroseinarms,electedsevengovernorsoftherepublic,andaconstableoftheCapitol;imprisonedthepope\'snephew;besiegedhispersoninthepalace;andshotvolleysofarrowsintohisbarkasheescapeddowntheTyberinthehabitofamonk。ButhestillpossessedinthecastleofSt。Angeloafaithfulgarrisonandatrainofartillery:theirbatteriesincessantlythunderedonthecity,andabulletmoredexterouslypointedbrokedownthebarricadeofthebridge,andscatteredwithasingleshottheheroesoftherepublic。Theirconstancywasexhaustedbyarebellionoffivemonths。UnderthetyrannyoftheGhibelinenobles,thewisestpatriotsregrettedthedominionofthechurch;andtheirrepentancewasunanimousandeffectual。ThetroopsofSt。PeteragainoccupiedtheCapitol;themagistratesdepartedtotheirhomes;themostguiltywereexecutedorexiled;andthelegate,attheheadoftwothousandfootandfourthousandhorse,wassalutedasthefatherofthecity。ThesynodsofFerraraandFlorence,thefearorresentmentofEugenius,prolongedhisabsence:hewasreceivedbyasubmissivepeople;butthepontiffunderstoodfromtheacclamationsofhistriumphalentry,thattosecuretheirloyaltyandhisownrepose,hemustgrantwithoutdelaytheabolitionoftheodiousexcise。II。Romewasrestored,adorned,andenlightened,bythepeacefulreignofNicholastheFifth。Inthemidstoftheselaudableoccupations,thepopewasalarmedbytheapproachofFrederictheThirdofAustria;thoughhisfearscouldnotbejustifiedbythecharacterorthepoweroftheImperialcandidate。Afterdrawinghismilitaryforcetothemetropolis,andimposingthebestsecurityofoaths^80andtreaties,Nicholasreceivedwithasmilingcountenancethefaithfuladvocateandvassalofthechurch。Sotamewerethetimes,sofeeblewastheAustrian,thatthepompofhiscoronationwasaccomplishedwithorderandharmony:butthesuperfluoushonorwassodisgracefultoanindependentnation,thathissuccessorshaveexcusedthemselvesfromthetoilsomepilgrimagetotheVatican;andresttheirImperialtitleonthechoiceoftheelectorsofGermany。
[Footnote77:SeethexxviithDissertationoftheAntiquitiesofMuratori,andthe1stInstructionoftheSciencedesMedaillesofthePereJoubertandtheBarondelaBastie。TheMetallicHistoryofMartinV。andhissuccessorshasbeencomposedbytwomonks,Moulinet,aFrenchman,andBonanni,anItalian:butI
understand,thatthefirstpartoftheseriesisrestoredfrommorerecentcoins。]