The Pageant of Popes, Book 6 · Part 20 – Part 21
140. Innocent the sixt.
INnocent the sixte borne in Lenomia called Steuen, doctour of both lawes being of an aduocate made bishop of Claromont, and of the Cardinall of Hostia and chiefe penitenciary to the Pope, was made Pope him selfe. He was a man that in his Popedome was a cunning lawyer, but of hauty courage, wilfull minde, very rigorous, and one that frāckly bestowed benefices on such as would pay for them. After he was established, hee did wisely abrogate certaine reseruatiōs made by Pope Clement, because it made more for his cōmoditye in time to come so to do. And forthwt he decreed yt al Ecclesiastical parsons, as many as had any benefices should go forthwt to their charge: for he sayd yt the flocke ought to be kept by their owne sheapeheard, and not …y an hyrelinge. He like a couetous niggarde diminished his house keping, reducing & stinting the parsons of his family to a certin (but as Petrarcha sayth) not an honest nō ber: Neither would he hauehave any to waite on him at home, but such as shoulde in al pointes feede his owne humour: he gaue straite charge to the Cardinals so to do, saying yt …e & all other Ecclesiastical parsons ought to be an example of life to other. And for the more sparing he made cellars in his house for his auditour & clarkes of the kitchin to locke vp all thinges. For his table diet the wryters report of him that he was a great pincher, but for the maintenaunce of warres verye prodigall. He sente one Giles a Spaniarde Cardinal of Saba from his side into Italye, to persecute certaine robbers and theeues: and to assure the better to the Pope Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction. By Peter Thomas of Aquine a white fryer this Popes Legat, Bononia became subiecte to the Pope, which Peter did first plante there the doctrine of the Sorbonits: therefore the Pope bestowed on him ye bishopricks of Pacte, Mileto, Coranie, the archbishoprick of Crete, and at length the patriarckship of Constantinople. At the commaundement of this Innocent, Charles ye fourth was crowned Emperour by two Cardinals at Rome, but vponupon this condition that he should staye no longer neither in Rome nor in Italy: he notwithstanding as soone as he returned home, warned ye archbishop of Mens to reforme the clergy in their apparel, shooes, hayre, and all the order of their life, vponupon penaltye of forfeytinge all his benefices. Richard archbishop of Armachane in Irelande, did publishe before this Pope ix. articles against the begging fryers.
In the first yeare of his raigne this Pope commaunded that Iohn Rochdal a franciscan fryer should be burned, for speaking certaine wordes against the clergye. The sayde Iohn (sayth Premonstratensis) did prophecye many things to come of Antechrist and of the Popes, and therfore was suspected of heresye: for he begā to prophecye Anno 1354. in the time of Clement the sixte, and manye of his prophecyes were found to come to passe. A certaine priest hauing had a bull of this Pope the space of three yeares, came in the ende and did caste it downe at the Popes feete sayinge: Lo take your bull vntounto you for it doth me no good, for the which cause the Pope commaūded him to be apprehended and whipped, and afterward committed to prison.
This Pope made an holye daye for the speare and hammers wherewith Christ was pearced and nayled. He builded walles about Auenio, and foūded an house of Carthusian monkes without the Citye. While he was preparing an army against the Turkes Anno 1362. he dyed for griefe vnderstanding that the Romaines were at ciuill discentiō. There appeared so greate an Eclipse of the Sunne before the death of this Pope as hath not bene seene. In his time also (sayth Masseus) a certain flame brandishing in the ayre, after the going downe of the Sunne gaue a terrible light in the skie: afterward houge swarmes of Locusts destroying and eating vp the fruites of the earth, did also feede vponupon the very stalkes.
141. Vrban the fifte.
VRban the fift was also borne in Lemonia called before Grymold Grison, sonne of one VVilliam a Phisition and an Englishman, in profession hee was a Benedictine monke, and in the ende he being absente in an Embassage was chosen Pope. Being therefore called to Auenio and saluted Pope, he did forthwith addict his minde to maintaine the prerogatiue of the Church in couetousnes, ryot & pompe, with great diligence, vsinge herein the assistaunce of such as were proane to this purpose, especially one Giles a Spaniard whom he sent Legate in the behalfe thereof, who scoured Italye and oppressed the Uicountes, and other gouernours with great calamityes and slaughters, and compelled them al to submitte themselues for feare to the Church of Rome. Pope Vrban himselfe in the fourth yeare of his raigne cōming to Rome with his Cardinals, bestowed superstitious cost vpō idols & ruinous Churches. He couered the sculs of the Apostles (as he thought, which they had long sought for ere they could finde them, and yee missed of them also in the ende) in cofers of gould & siluer, valued at xxx. Thousand Florences, & set them in the place where they are yet seene. He repayred diuers houses of the Popes: he commaunded to preach the Crosse against the Turkes: he commaunded that the Nicene crede should be songe on S. Iohn Baptistes daye: he yelded soueraignity to the sea of Rome: he builded scholes for those that should studye Phisicke and the Decretals. Briget a woman of Sweaueland came to him to Rome, because of a vowe that she had made, and procured that there should be Religious parsons both men & women of the order of S. Briget. Afterward be returning into Fraunce, made one Iohn Hawcuth an Englishmā liefetenaunt of his army, in the steade of Giles that was dead, that he might still defende the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction vntil he should returne: for he purposed not to returne to Italye. But while he wente into Fraunce hopinge to returne to his court in Rome, Anno 1371. he dyed at Massilia, poysoned as it is thought. Sabellicus wryteth that he made great warre in Italye, yea euē with the Princes yt his auncetours had set vp against the Emperour, & he slue manye of them. In this Popes time (sayth Premonstratensis) the archbishop of Collen had a wyfe. In his time also the order of the Iesuits & Scopetines orders first began, as Iohn Palionedorus testifyeth in the third booke and second Chapter of his tripartite historye.