The Pageant of Popes, Book 6 · Part 22
142. Gregorie the xi.
GRegorie the eleuenth borne in Lenomony called before Peter Belfortius, was Cardinall of newe S. Maryes and nephewe to Pope Clement, he succeded Vrban. This Gregorie (sayth Platina) was made Cardinall when hee was scante xvii. yeares old by his vncle Clement, and least he should seeme to hauehave more regard to his kindred then to the Church, he sent him to the best learned doctours in Italye, to be brought vp in learning, especiallye to one Baldus whoe then read the Popes decretals at Peruse, where he profited in all kinde of such learninge as Baldus coulde teache him: so much that the sayd Baldus for the assurance of his owne affayres being in daunger, vsed his auctoritye for his owne safetye. Gregorie being Pope sent a Cardinall into Italye to ouersee according to custome, the estate of the Church. But because (as Volaterain sayth) almost all the Cityes reuolted frō him (by the councell of Katherine a Nonne of Scene, which afterward became a saint, & of Baldus his scholemaster) he returned from Fraunce vntounto Rome with xii. galleyes. Or (as Sabellicus saith) because that he reprouing a certaine bishop for being nonresident, was by the same bishop reproued againe, that he being the chiefe bishop did yet lye so farre and so long from the place of his Church. Anno 1376. he excommunicated out of the Church the Florentines, who were the auctours of the reuolting, and had taken to their vse al the Popes townes lying about them: and because they despised and defyed the terrour and vaine boults of his excommunication, he warred vponupon them. Some other saye he returned into Italye for other causes. Masseus sayth, that one Briget a woman returned from Hierusalem to Rome, wrote to Pope Gregorie that it was the Lords pleasure that the Popes court should returne to Rome. Crantzius saith, it was because a certaine bishop did sharpelye rebuke him that he woulde leaue his Church and followe the Courte: Of whom the Pope receyued this aunsweare: And thou (quoth he) beinge Pope of Rome that ought to be an example to other, doest not returne to this bishopricke. And therefore he did againe translate his seate from Fraunce to Rome, by the perswasion of two women and one bishop, in the 70. yeare after the translation thereof. This Gregorie demaunded tenthes throughout the whole Empyre, and repayred the walles of the City and old buildings with great pompous cost. He added the eue to the holye daye of the byrth of the blessed virgin Mary. In ye time of this Pope, king Edwarde the third of Englande made many profitable lawes abridginge the Popes pilladge, vsurpation and ambition, within the Realme. Also certaine souldiours of this Pope Gregorie lyinge in a Citye called Cesenata, did not onelye take thinges as victuals and other necessaryes, refusinge to paye for it, but also did beate like slaues the Citizens, & vponupon further sturre they murthered them pityfully…, sparing neyther man woman nor child though they were sucking babes, so that they filled all pittes in the Citye wyth dead karcasses, for in a fewe houres vponupon one daye they slue in the Citye of all ages viii. Thousande, and then robbed & spoyled the towne, and so left it desolate & emptye. Theodoricus lib. 3. Cap. 2.
At the length Anno 1378. he dyed of extreame paine of the bladder. Euen at the houre of the Popes death the report is that ye Pallaice of Auenio was set on fyer, & coulde not be quenched till the greater part thereof were burnt. Afterwarde ensued the greatest sciesme and deuision that euer happened in the Popedome. Then (sayth Massaeus) the clergye and people of Rome complayning to the Cardinals, besought them to choose an Italian & not a French man Pope, that the Courte mighte not go into Fraunce againe. But when they began to make an election, sodenlye a controuersy began, for the Italians were but foure, and the French Cardinals were xiii. who mighte easelye hauehave preuayled but they durst not, for the Romaynes stoode readye in armour, and made a tumult. Therefore on Saturdaye being the ix. day of Aprill, they choose Vrban the sixt to be Pope, who was Crowned on Easter daye being the xviii. daye of the sayde monethmonth. Praemonstratensis sayth that in the time of this Vrban the sixte, began a newe and straung sect of bedlams both of men and womē, who vsed to skip and daunce against all modestye: who Anno 1375. came (sayth he) from Aquisgran into Hannonia and so into Fraunce, which might prognosticate ye returne of Pope Gregorie and his Cardinals to Rome. This sect of Daū cers imagined with themselues that they daūced in riuers of bloud, but they yt stoode by could perceiue no such thing. The people thought that these dauncers were euill baptized by priestes keepinge harlots, and therefore the people thoughte to hauehave risen against the clergye to slaye them, & to spoyle them of their goods, vnlesse God had withstoode it (sayth he) by certaine coniurations.