The Pageant of Popes, Book 6 · Part 30
150. Iohn the xxiiij.
IOhn the xxiiii. was borne in Naples, called Balthazar Cossa Cardinall of S. Eustace, a canonist, and yet most giuen to warlike feates. He hauing caused Alexander to be poysoned gat to be Pope. And some saye that by scuffling and manhoode he wanne the Popedome, and not by free election. For (sayth Stella) while he behaued himselfe in Bononia, more like a Prince then an Embassadour, and was liefetenaunt ouer a great armye, the elders meeting there to choose a new Pope, he threatned to trounce them terriblye, vnlesse they would choose him a Pope according to his minde, and thereupon many were broughte forth to him to be approued, but he woulde allowe none of them. Therefore he was entreated to signifye and appointe whō he would hauehave to be Pope, hereupon giuegive mee (quoth hee) S. Peters roabe, and I will bestowe it on him that shalbe Pope, to the which they consented. He then taking it put it vpō him selfe, & hauīg it on his shoulders said thus (as it is vsed in pronouncinge him that is elected: In the name of God Amen, I Balthazar Cossa am Pope. This thing being done contrarye to all their expectacion they durst not yet reproue it, notwtstanding they much mislyked it. And thus Pope Iohn beguiled the foolishe Cardinals, and bestowed liberallye the Popedome vppon his owne parson. He being crowned Pope did forthwith sende into Germanye to wil them to make Sigismond Emperour according to the custome: he hauing obtained his purpose, held a coū cell at Rome to crowne Sigismond Emperour there. In the first session or sitting of the said councell, the masse of the holye Ghoste being done as the Pope sat aloft in his throne, by and by an owle came in, which sittinge vppon a beame of the Temple and fastning her eyes stedfastly vpō the Popes grim countenaunce, did with her irksome shriking and horrible noyse salute the Pope. The by standers were much amazed thereat, and some of them said in their whispering: Lo the holy ghost is come, to whō our Pope prayed so earnestlye to ayde him accordinge to his hope: Othersome lookinge one vponupon another & vponupon the Pope, fell to grinning & laughing. But Pope Iohn good man was in a sore perplexitye, for he blushed very red, he sweat, he freated, his greace melted within him, and he chafed inwardlye aboue measure, & at the length because he coulde not deuise how to remedy this his foule confusiō, he brake vp the councell and went awaye. Then followed another sitting, in the which he was in the like agonye againe, and that with more distresse. For the saucye owle without any sūmoning presumed to come into the coūcel place againe, and could not be desired awaye with hysshing, whopping, and hallowinge, neyther scarred nor terrifyed with coodgiels and bats, so that in that Sinode likewyse nothinge was done but chasing of the owle, and not yt. Hereupon manye said that such spirituall doues had long time beene the chiefe byrdes in the Church. This historye is written by one Nicolas Clemanges in an Epistle of his. Furthermore for the mutenyes & debate that was among the Italians, whereof he was author, Sigismond and his traine coulde not come safelye to Rome. He therefore beinge cited (as Massaeus sayth) by all nations almost to appointe another place for the assemble, he choose Constance a Cittye in the prouince of Mens, & appointed the daye to be the Ralendes of Nouēber Anno 1414. Some in ye meane time perswaded him not to go thether, least perhaps he should be vnpoped ere he returned. Notwtstāding he went thether with ye most subtile aduocates & lawyers, to aunswere al obiectiōs yt might come. But in ye middest of his voyage he tombled headlong out of his chariot, which he toke to be a token of ill lucke to ensue. Whē this Pope Iohn came to Constāce, he began the general coūcel wt the consent of ye Emperour and other Christian Princes Anno 1414. The Emperour Sigismond came thether vponupon Christmas eue, and as sone as after the first masse of the sayd night a deacon had song the Gospell beginning thus: There wente forth an edict from the Emperour Augustus &c. and they being set in councell in the presence of Sigismond, euerye man hauing liberty graūted to him to speake freelye, there were aboue fourtye haynous articles put vp and proued against Pope Iohn. As that he conspired the death of his predecessour Alexander, in byringe his Phisition Marcilius to poyson him. &c. Therefore he was compelled by the voyce of the councell to giuegive vp his Popeship, because he was an heretick, a simonist, a lyer, an hypocrite, a poysoner, a dycer, an adulterer, a Sodomite, & of all kinde of trecherye shamefullye attainted. Therefore he chaunging his apparel, began to steale awaye the xxi. daye of Marche followinge to Scafuse a towne in Austria, and from thence to Friborow. But the councell prouided so that the xxix. daye of May in the v. yeare of his Popedome, he was vncased of al offices, sought out, founde, and committed to pryson in a stronge hould in Germanye: where he was lockt vp three yeares and had none that assisted him, but onelyonly the Germaynes, who to theyr great domage did not vnderstand neither the Latine nor the Italian tongue. It it also noted in the storye of Albanus, that this Pope Iohn was spoyled of al his riches at his deposinge, which amounted to 75. Thousand Florēces of gould & siluer. In the meanetime (sayth Massaeus the presidents of ye Sinode published a decree, wherin they shewed that a general councel being lawfullye gathered together, is aboue the Pope, & that it hath power and auctoritye from Christ (who is ye head of the Church.)
In this councell whereas manye thinges might hauehave beene done, both for the glorye of Christ and for the cōmon wealth, yet nothing was done but canons deuised against those that sought to reuiue the light of the Gospell, to suppresse both it and them. In this coūcell Iohn VVicliffe a famous, godlye and learned man was excommunicated and condemned for an heretick, because he by the Scripture in preachinge and writinge, detected the delusions of the Pope, and his monkes, fryers, nunnes, and such other, and manye yeares after his death, his b…dnes were taken out of his graue here in England (where he was buried) and were burnte. Also Iohn Husse and Ierom Prage hauing a safeconduct to come safe and go safe, were cited to this councell, & when they were come because they had inueighed against the Church of Rome (notwithstanding theyr warrant graunted and sealed with the Popes bull,) yet they were taken and cruelly burnt. Platina sayth they were burnt partly because they auouched that the clergye ought according to the example of Christ and of the Apostles liue poorelye. Such is the libertye which the Pope graunteth those that come to his councelles, such is the warrante that he giueth for safetye, and thus he keepeth his fayth. Amonge other Popelike pageants played by this Pope Iohn, he also broched and styrred most cruell & bloudye warre against Ladislaus, and helde a conspiracye at Rome to driue him out of his kingdome. He commaunded yt they should say seruice wt S. Iohn Baptistes heade set out in shew the whilest, the which he did for this pollicye, because he purposed to sell it to the Florentines.
While Martin the fift who did succeede him & supplied his roume was at Florence, this Pope Iohn being deliuered oute of pryson against all mens hope, to the greate marueile of the people he came thether to him, and kissing the feete of Pope Martin he did acknowledge him to be his Pope, to be Peters successour, and honoured him like a worldly God. Pope Martin being moued with this his greate humilitye, did make him Cardinall within a fewe dayes after and made him bishop of Tusculan, but within a fewe monthes after he ended his dolefull lyfe, throughe sorrowe and griefe of minde Anno 1419. where his Phisition Cosmus that did euer louelove him hartelye, caused him to be buryed in S. Iohn Baptistes Church with great solemnitye, where this Epitaphe was made on him in Latine Uerse.
First Balthazer and then the name of Iohn I did obtaine,
But being novve vnpoped I am Balthazer againe.
Of late I vvas the vvelthiest vvight vvithin the heauenly cope,
But in one houre all I lost deposed from being Pope.
VVhile I did sit on Peters chayre as soueraigne for a space,
Then manye men vvith lovvlye lookes vvere humbled to my face.
The greedy plague of couetousnes so bleard mine eyes vvith gould
That for to staunch my hungrye minde all holy thinges I sould.
Alas my loathed life hath stainde and tainted very fore,
The spouse of Christ that neither spot nor vvrinkle had before.
For this my filthy trechery Saint Peters councell pure,
VVould suffer mee in hauty trone no longer to endure.
Then let all Popes by mee bevvare that shall hereafter liue,
Do not vvith mee for cursed bribes your holy matters giuegive.