The Pageant of Popes, Book 6 · Part 18
138. Benedict the xij.
BEnedict ye xii. borne in Tholos, in profession a white fryer (sath Paleonidorus) called Iacob or Iames of Furne, the sixtenth daye after ye death of Iohn he was enstalled Pope. This man (sayth Marius) was as vncurteous to the Emperour as euer was Pope Iohn: he renued the curses against him, he reft him of all regall dignitye, & by his sentence depriued him of the dukedome of Bauary. The noble Emperour wente into Germany, and called together (behoulde his vertue and wysedome) all the Princes electours, Dukes, Counties, bishops and the best learned, either in diuinitye or humanitye. And in presence of them all with open and solemne proclamatiō, he added and established his late confirmatiō with ould lawes: and very wiselye proued that onelye the Princes electours & no man els, ought to medle wt the election of ye king of ye Romaynes, so that he that had most voyces amonge them was to be accepted berely, be it eyther king or Emperour, which in effect are al one though in name they differ. Because that he that is Emperour may take vponupon him the gouernment belōging to his estate, without the confirmatiō of the Sea of Rome: and he being lawfullye chosen, ought after aduisemente giuen by the Princes to be annointed by the Pope. Which if the Pope refused to do, he might be proclaymed Emperour by any Catholick prelate as the vse hath long beene, for these ceremonyes enioyed by the Pope, are but imagined toyes and solemnityes deuised by the prelats of Rome, who onelyonly hauehave but the geuinge of the name, & not the thinge, for a signe of vnitye and mutuall helpe and succoure betwene the Empire and the Church. For the Emperour vowed to the Pope not an oath of alleageance and fealtye, but of defendinge the Christian fayth, for as much as the taking of this oath maketh not greater dignitye in temporall thinges. Furthermore the Emperour shewed how that the estate being voide, the righte thereof shoulde not belonge vntounto the Pope, and yt to hauehave it so was against the libertye, righte, honour and maiestye of the Empire: but by longe and allowable custome notwithstandinge the Clementine Canon, and by decree vnmoueable hytherto kept bie his a…ncetours, in the time the Empire is voyd, ye right of gouerning the Empire, the bestowing of fealtyes and ordering of other affayres, belongeth to ye Palsgraue of Rhene. Afterward for his owne defence, he made proofe of his vpright and trusty dealing before them all, & plainlye confessed that he (as a Christiā man ought to do) did beleeue the Articles of Christian fayth, euen as the Church taught: and purged himselfe of all those accusatiōs which Pope Iohn the xxiii. and Benedict the xii. had layed to his charge. Thus did the godly Emperour of his owne good motion, when as if he had not pitied the shedding Christiā bloude, he might hauehave tryed the matter with the Pope, by the dint of the sworde. At the length Pope Benedict began to consider of the goodnes of this Emperour: for whē a certaine grudge happened betweene this Lewis & Philip kinge of Fraunce, by and by peace was made betwene the Emperour and the Pope. And the Pope loued the Emperour so entirelye, that he defended him against the Embassadours of the French king (which euer spake sharpely against the Emperour) & stoutlye defended the Emperours innocencye. So that it came to passe that the Pope was by them called defēder of an heretick, whose words although Benedict for a while did much feare, for they threatned to set vponupon him with all their powers if he absolued the Emperour, yet in the end he absolued him. And commaunded to proclaime throughe Germanye, that all the processes of Iohn what soeuer they were should voyde and of no effecte: and that it did not become Pope Iohn thus to deale with the Emperour, seinge their two functions as diuers, & testifyed openly that Lewis had in all thinges behaued himselfe, as mighte best beseeme so noble & Christian an Emperour. Yet it is to be noted that the Pope did not this of hartye good will to the Emperour, but vponupon pollicye: for whē he perceyued the king of Fraunce (within whose precinct he was then abyding) dealt vnfreindlye with him, he feared yt if he should also hauehave the Emperour his enemye, he should hauehave no succour left, if the French kinge should go about to do him displeasure. And for this cause Benedict thoughte it stode with his commoditye to hauehave the fauour of the Emperour, hoping it would so fall out that he durst attempt nothing against the Pope. Such from time to time hath bene the pollicy of these prelats, to maintaine their estate. But to returne to the purpose (and leaue these words of Marius) Pope Benedict auouched the iudgmēt of his predecessour against Lewis. He appointed deputies in those townes of Italye that belong to the Empire: and toke to himselfe from the Emperour, the Senatourship of Rome. He deuised that eueryevery thing did belonge to the Court of Apostolicall penitēciary. He appointing subsidyes, gathered houge sommes of money out of eueryevery nation. He first toke vponupon him to vsurpe the presentments of all bishopricks, prelatships and benefices. He abridged vnlearned men of priesthoode. He reformed manye sectes of monckes. He commaunded that all his chapleins shoulde lye in one dormitorye together, and should hauehave none other reuenues then for their diet and apparell. He with a great somme of money bought for his carnall desire, the sister of Frauncis Petrarcha a beutifull woman, of her brother Gerard: he denyed that the Pope had any kindred: he published certaine actes (as Leander testifyeth) against the dominicans: he left to the Church great store of treasure: he kept diuers concubines: he dyed of an ague while he was hyring one Zotus a conning painter, to por…rature the storyes of martyrs in his newe buildinges Anno 1342. Of whom these Uerses were made.
Iste fuit vero laicis mors vipera clero,
Deuius a vero turba repleta mero.
About this time Iohn Stratford beinge bishop of Canterbury, did greatly abuse king Edward the thirde, both in defraudinge him of his treasure when he needed it most in his warres in Fraunce, and refusing obstinatly afterward to come at the kinges commaundement to aunsweare, vntill time & place serued according to his owne pleasure.
Benedicts cōmon sayings were these to be noted: Be thou such a sonne as thou desirest to hauehave cosens. The euil ma… dreadeth death: but ye good man feareth him more. Those thinges that thou hast learned keepe by reading, and get by learning those thinges that thou wantest. It is as great shame to hauehave no freindes as to chaunge them oft. It is more dishonour to a Prince to be ouercome with benefits, then by force of armes.