The Pageant of Popes, Book 6 · Part 36
156. Pius the second.
PIus the second borne in Hetruria called first AEneas Picothomineus, hauing his breast boyling long with ambition, did at length obtaine the Papacye. He of a poore boye became so worthy a man, as all wryters do testifye of him that amonge the learned Popes he was the best learned, and most diligente writer. In the councell of Basil he was the Popesscribe, and did with his Epistles and orations stande against ye auctoritye of Eugenius. Afterward he was made Poet Lawreat of the Emperour Frederick the third, and being called to attende in his Court, his first promotion was that he was made councellour and Secretarye. Afterward he being sente Embassadour to diuers Princes, was first made bishop of Tergest by Pope Nicolas, then of Scene, and finally Cardinall by Pope Calixtus. In the end he attayning to the Papacye did as his elders, he begā to proclaime ye warres agaīst ye Turke, but he dyed ere he could proceede in his purpose. He sought still to enlarge the dominion of the Church, for ye which (sayth Stella) it appeared that he feared neither kinge, nor prince, nor duke. If anye man offended him he would sore molest him with warre and taxes, till he made him satisfaction. And therefore he was an heauye ennemye to king Lewis the xi. of Fraunce, because he went about to abridge ye licentious libertye of the clergye in his Realme. He warred vppon Borsius duke of Mutina, because he did fauour Sigismond Mala…esta, and the estate of Fraūce against Frederick: for he set Ferdinandus bastarde of king Alphonsus in ye kingdome of Naples violentlye with auctoritye and men of armes, against Iohn of Angewe sonne of kinge Renatus. He cursed Sigismond duke of Austria euen to the pitte of hell, because he bridled the polling of Cardinal Cusan: furthermore he did euen as an angry Uiper (sayth VVolphamus VVissemburgius) spit out the poyson of his curse vpō his Embassadour George Haimburg a worthye lawyer, and did so persecute him with his thondringe letters, yt he was faine to flye into Bohemia, and liue there. He chased Deitherus Archebishop of Maguntia like a madde man out of his diocesse, and planted another in his steede: wherevpon great discorde arose betweene Frederick the Palatine and duke of VVittenburg, with other in Germanye, by meanes wherof ensued great slaughter and bloudshed, and the City of Mentz being before a free Citye lost his freedome then. The cause of the Popes displeasure against Deitherus was, first because that Deitherus woulde not consente that the Pope shoulde charge his countrye with certaine great taxes & tallenges: secondly because yt he would not be bounde vntounto the Pope, that he beinge Prince Electour should not as the Pope required withoute his lycence, call the other Electours together: Thirdly because he would not suffer the Popes Legate to call together the clergye within the diocesse of Mentz as the Legate listed: but as he being bishop thoughte best. For these causes the Pope disquieted both him and Germany. Also he remoued the Archbishop of Beneuent for making newe orders against his will. He commaunded George kinge of Bohemia to aunsweare vponupon an appointed day touching his fayth, vpō perill of le…sing his kingdome, because he fauoured the opiniōs of Husse. He deposed many bishops for his owne lucre. He subdued many townes of Campania, and encreased maruelouslye the reuenues of the Church. He was verye beneficiall to his frendes & kindred. He caused an head to be translated from Peloponesus, which was saide to be S. Andrewes head, beside he wroughte diuers other Popishe pranckes. He powred out riches vponupon diuers vaine, sumptuous and prodigall buildinges. He made Corsian the towne wher he was borne to be a Citye, calling it after his owne name Pientia, buildinge a statelye Churche of wrought stone in it. In the ende he dyed of an agew at Ancona, goinge thether aboute his warres. He was muche troubled with diseases while he liued, as with the coughe, the stone, and the goute. Volateranus sayth that ambition did ouerwhelme manye vertues in him: for he was euer greedye of promocion, and therefore he toke great paynes and sought the fauour of Princes.
This Epitaphe was founde written of him in an olde booke.
Frigida membra Pij retinet lapis iste loquacis,
Qui pacem moriens attulit Italiae.
Summe Deus, quantum mortalibus alme dedisti,
Fulmine cum tetigit hoc caput aequa manus?
Vendiderat precio gentes, & crimina multa
Virtutis …pecie gesserat ille Pius.
Impius hic fuerat, quamuis sub nomine pulchro,
Crediderit falsis posse iuuare fidem.
Nunc fidi comites, scelerata que turba clientum,
Ingemuere Pium: nam scelus orbis erat.
CONCLVSIO,
Impius hic situs est, crudelis, raptor iniquus,
Aeneas, fatue quem genuere Senae.
Platina and Sabellicus do testifye, that among other his prouerbiall sentences he lefte this in writinge: There is a great cause why the clergie shoulde be depriued of mariage, but greater cause why they should be suffered to marrye. He hath the same sayinge also in his seconde booke of Coūsaile: Perhaps (sayth he) it should not be worse if most priestes were wedded: because that in maryed priesthoode manye shoulde be saued, that in vnwedded priesthoode are dampned. This Pius the second (saith Coelius secundus) did breake vp diuers nooneryes, cōmaūding them to come out of their cloister and to burne no longer in cōcupiscēce, and not to play the strompets secretelye vnderunder pretence of Religion. Iohn Maria Polutianus sayth yt in these dayes the Minorites and Bullistes in Italye fell out bitterlye, stryuing whether of them should visite, keepe and rule the nunnes.