The Pageant of Popes, Book 6 · Part 14 – Part 15
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 yt 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 lea…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 vntounto him, but they beinge terrifyed wt 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 …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 ye 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 ye very name of them vponupon earth. And when vponupon Ash wednesdaye he should according to the superstitious vse crosse al comme…s on the forheade with ashes, and saye vntounto 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 vntounto him, & kneelinge downe vntounto the Pope put of his cappe, to hauehave the ashes put on his head, whō 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 oftē 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 vpō 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 vponupon 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 vponupon 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 cōmonlye 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 ye 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 heauē, 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 vtrius que 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, yt 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 vponupon 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 yt priuiledges of the begginge fryers. He doubled ye idolatrous honour of the Apostles, the 4, Euangelistes, and the foure doctours of the Church. He gaue auctoritye to ye 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 saluatiō. He deposed diuers Cardinals: he deuested diuers kinges of their estate: he fostered harlots, …e begat diuers bastardes, beside sondrye other l…ude pranckes. He sommoned kinge Edwarde the first to Rome vponupon the cōplaint of Robarte VVinchelsey bishop of Canterbury after ye 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 Langtō 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 yt no spirituall mynister should hauehave any more benefices thē one, which was also decreed by Octo and Octogonus, the Popes Legates in England at that time.
An Epistle of Peter Cassiodorus to the Englishmen, reprouinge the extreame robbery, filching and slauerye vvhereby the Popes spoyled this lande about the yeare of our Lord 1302. to moue them to shake of the bondage of the Popes tyrannye, taken out of an ould booke in S. Albons Church.
TO the noble Church of Englande seruing in claye and bricke as the Ievves did in times past vnderunder the tyrannie of the Egiptiās: Peter the sonne of Cassiodore a catholike Souldiour and deuoute champion of Christe, sendeth greeting and vvishinge to caste of the yoke of bondage, and to receiue the revvard of libertie.
To whom shall I compare thee or to whom shal I liken thee O daughter Hierusalem? to whom shall I matche thee, O daughter of Sion? Great is thy perturbation, like vntounto the Sea. Thou sittest alone without comfort all the daye long, thou art confounded and cō …umed with heauines. Thou art giuen vp into the handes of him from whence thou canst not ryse without helpe of one to lift thee vp: for the Scribes and Pharisies sittting vponupon ye chayre of Moyses. thy enemyes the Romaynes are as thy heades and rulers, enlarging their garded philacteries, & seeking to be enryched wyth the marowe of thy bones: laying heauie burdens, and not able to be borne, vponupon thy shoulders and of thy mynisters, and they set thee vnderunder tribute (which of old time hast beene free) beyonde all honestye or measure. But maruell not therat, for thy mother, which is the ladie of people, lyke a wydowe hauinge maryed and coupled her selfe to her subiect, hath appointed him to be thy father, that is to saye, the byshoppe of Rome, who sheweth no point of any fatherlye louelove towards thee, He magnifyeth and extendeth to the vttermost his authoritye ouer thee: And by experience declareth himselfe to be ye husband of thy mother. He remembreth oft wyth himselfe the prophetical saying of the Prophet, and well disgesteth the same in the inward parte of his breste. Take to thee a great booke, and write therein quicklye with the pen of a man, take the spoyle, robbe quickly: But is this it, which the Apostles sayth, that he was appointed for, where he wryteth thus? Euerye bishop taken from amonge men, is appointed for men in those thinges that belonge to the Lorde: not to spoyle, not to laye on them yearelye taxes, not to kill men, but to offer giftes & sacrifices for sinnes: and to sorowe wyth them, that be ignoraunt and do erre. And so we read of Peter the fisher (whose successor he boasteth himselfe to be) that after the resurrection of Christ he turned with other Apostles, to the office of fishinge, who when he could take nothing of the left syde of the ship, at the bidding of Christ, turned to the right side, and drewe to the lande a net full of fishes. Wherefore the profitable mynisterye of the Church is to be exercised on the right syde, by the which the deuill is ouercome, and plentye of soules be lucrifyed and wonne to Christe. But certainlye the labourer on the left side of the ship, is farre otherwyse: for in it the fayth stumbleth, heauines beareth rule, whan that thing that is desired by seekinge, is not founde. For who is so foolishe to thinke that hee can both at one time serue God and man, and to satisfye his owne will, or to sticke to the reuelations of flesh and bloud, and to offer worthy giftes to Christ? And doubtles, that shepeheard that watcheth not for the edifyinge of the flocke, prepareth an other way to the roringe Lyon, and seeking whō he maye deuoure. And nowe behold, I say, O daughter, the deedes of him that is called thy father, such as hauehave not beene hearde of before: he dryueth away the good shepeheard from the sheepefold, and placeth in their steade bishops, to rule, but not to profyte (his nephewes, cosins, and parentes) some that knewe no letters, and other some domme and deafe, which vnderstand not the plaine voyce of the sheepe, nor curing their wounds that be hurt of the wolues: but like hyrelinges pluckinge of the fleeses a pase, and reaping that which other men hauehave sowen, whose handes moreouer be alwayes readye in theyr baskets and pouches, but theyr backes are turned from theyr burdens. By which thinge it is manifest yt the priesthoode is cleane chaunged at these dayes, the seruice of God decayed, almes diminished and broughte to noughte, the whole deuotion of princes, and kinges is banished. Maye not this be thought wonderful in the eyes of all men, that where as Christ commaūded tribute to be payd to kinges for him & for Peter, he nowe goeth about dominion of his stile, to subdue to him, both realmes and princes of realmes (against his will, whose Uicar he sayth he is, and who refused the realmes & iudgements of this world) which this bishop contrarywyse chalengeth, clayming al that which he in his stile wryteth to be his. Alacke, O daughter, what doth he yet more against thee: marke, he draweth from thee what so euer pleaseth him, and yet he thinketh not himselfe content, to hauehave the tenth part onelyonly of thy goodes from thee: except he hauehave also the first fruites of the benefices of the Ministers, wherby he may get a newe patrimony aswell for himselfe as for his kynred, contrary to the godly wyls of the first founders. Ouer and besides all this, he inferreth other execrable taxes and stipends for his Legates and messengers, whom he sendeth into England, which not onelyonly take awaye the feeding and clothing of thee and thine, but also teare in peeces like dogges your fleshe and skinnes. Maye not this prince be compared to kinge Nabugodonoser, which destroyed the temple of the Lorde, and robbed awaye the siluer and goldē vessels thereof? The very same doth this man also: he robbed the mynisters of Gods house, and left destitute of due helpe. In like maner doth he: Truly they be better that are killed wyth the sword, then they which be pined with hunger: for they are dead straight, but these are wasted with the barrennes of the earth. O daughter, all they that passe by the waye, let them hauehave pitye and compassion on thee, for there is no sorrowe like thy sorrowe. For nowe thy face is blacker then coales through much sorrow and weepinge, and thou art no more knowen in the streates: thy foresayd ruler hath placed thee in darcknes, and hath giuen thee wormewood and gall to drincke. O Lord, heare the sorrowe and sighinges of thy people, behold Lord, and descende, for the hart of this foresaid man is more indurate then the hart of Pharao. For hee wil not suffer thy people to departe, excepte in the fortitude onelye of thy hande. For he scourgeth them, not onelyonly myserablye vppon the earth, but also after theyr death he intendeth to incroche the goodes of Christians vnderunder the name and title to dye intestate or making no will. Therefore let the chiualrye of Englande well remember, howe the Frenchmen in times past, directinge their greedy eyes on the Realme of England, laboured wyth all theyr power howe to bringe the same vnderunder their subiection. But it is to be feared, least the new deuises and practise of this newe ennemye, supply that which hitherto hath beene lackinge in them. For in diminishing of the treasury of the Realme, & spoylinge the Churche goods: the Realme shalbe brought into such inability, that it shal not be able to helpe it selfe against the ennemye. Therefore O daughter and you the mynisters therof, suffer not your selues to be ledde any more into such myserable bondage. Better it is for the wealth of the & thine, that the Christian kinge and the powers of the Realme which hauehave indued thee with greate benefites, & you also which are indued with their benefites, do labour wyth all your power how to resist the deuises, conspiracies, arrogancye and pryde, of the foresayd person: who not for any zeale of God, but for the enriching of his parents, and for his owne kinred (exaltinge himselfe like an eagle) by these and such other exactions, goeth about after a new kinde of extorcion to scrape vp and deuour all the money and treasure of England. Now least the dissembled simplicitye of the Realme in this behalfe do bring vtter subuertion, and afterward be compelled to se…ke remedy when it is to late: I beseech the Lord God of hostes to turne away the vale from the hart of that man, and to giuegive him a contrite and an humble mynde, in such sorte as he maye acknowledge the wayes of the true God, wherby he may be brought out of darckenes, and be enforced to relinquish his old sinister attemptes: and that the vyneyard which the Lord hath plāted, may be replenished contin…ally with true preachers of the worde. Let the wordes of the Lorde prophesyed by the mouth of Ieremye stirre vp your mindes to withstand and resist the subtile practises of this man, by the which words the Lord speaketh: O thou pastor which hast scattered my people, and hast cast them out of their habitacions, behold I wil come and visit vponupon thee, and vppon the malice of thy studyes: neyther shall there be anye of thy seede which shal sit vppon the …eate of Dauid, neyther which shall hauehave power any more in Iuda. So that thy neast shall become barren, and vtterlye subuerted like Sodome and Gomor.
And if he being terrifyed by these words do not leaue of from this which he beginneth, and doth not make restitution of those thinges which he hath receyued: then let all and singular parsons singe for him being indurat, to him that seeth al thinges, the Psalme 108. Deus laudem &c. For truly as fauoure, grace, and beneuolence, remitteth and neglecteth many thinges: so againe the gentle benignitye of man beinge to much oppressed and greued, seekinge to be deliuered & freed from the same, striueth and searcheth to hauehave the truth knowē, and casteth of that yoke by all meanes possible that greeueth him. &c. Haec Cassiodorus.
What effecte this letter wrought in them, to whom it was directed, is not in story expressed. This by the sequeal may be coniectured, that no reason nor perswasiō could preuaile, but that the Pope retayned here still his exactions, what soeuer was said or written to the contrarye notwithstandinge.
135. Benedict the xi.
BEnedict the xi. borne in Lombardy called Nicolas, a dominican by profession of obscure parentage (whose father was a sheepeheard,) he after he had beene Cardinall and bishop of Hostia came to be Pope. He was of stature but a dwarfe, and at length waxed ba…ld, but of an excellēt witte and very eloquent, and therfore in high fauour with Pope Boniface: who as soone as he was created, applyed his minde diligentlye to asswage all those broyles and seditious factions that wasted Italye. Leander Albertus reporteth, that when he was made Pope, his mother came to Peruse to see her sonne so exalted, & was apparelled by the Senate that she might come in seemely order to salute him: but he did reprochfullye disdaine and would not acknowledge her to be his mother, til she had put on her former apparell againe. Then (quoth he) I knowe this matrone, for shee is my mother. He offered to S. Estorge Church in Millen a challice of siluer of great waight, also a senser and a boxe of frankinsence, siluer candlestickes, & a silken curtein of ye price of an hundred Crownes, & gaue iii. hundred poundes oute of the Popes treasurye to make another curtein about the Sepulcher of one Peter of Verona a dominican fryer. All that he gaue, coste viii. Thousand pounde accordinge to their computacion at Millein. He excommunicated all those that were the apprehenders of Boniface, vntill they had payde for absolution. He receyued into fauoure Iohn and Iames Cardinals of Columna, whom Boniface persecuted. He absolued Philip kinge of Fraunce who was excommunicated. He made three Cardinals Nicolas Pratensis of Hetruria, VVilliam Macklesfild & Gualter VVinterburne, being Englishmen. After he had appeased those braules which his predecessour had procured, he dyed Anno 1305. in ye fift month of his Popeship. The report is that he dyed of poyson which was giuē him in a figge: Of this Benedict were made these two Uerses.
A re nomen habe, Benedic, benefac, Benedicte,
Aut rem peruerte, maledic, malefac, maledicte.