The Pageant of Popes, Book 6 · Part 24
144. Clement the 7.
CLement the seuenth was a Frenchman, and by byrth Earle of Gebenny called in time past Robert, he being first a Cardinal was made Pope by the Cardinals. These Cardinals after the third month of the election of Vrban, perceyuinge bowe he was giuen to tyrannye, and that he would not returne into Fraunce, they stale away & fledde from Rome to Fundus. But first they besoughte him to giuegive them lycence with his fauoure to go to Anagnia, to chaunge the ayre for the Sommer time, but they fearinge his melancholy mode and franticke fits, went away. These Cardinals were gotten together Iohn Preuestin, VVilliam of S. Steuens in Coeli hill, Bertrandus of S. Cicill, Robert aforesaide, Hugh of the 4. holye Crownes, Gui of the holye Crosse in Hierusalem, Iohn of S. Marcellus, Peter of S. Laurencis in Lucine, Gerard of S. Clements, Peter of S. Eustace, VVilliam of S. Angell, Peter of S. Maryes immaculate, and Peter of S. Maryes of Cosmidin. These sayth Platina did pilfer out the treasure of the Church at the death of the Pope, and did euerye thinge as liked them best. Who as sone as they fled to Fundus, rayled vponupon Vrban as an vsurper of the Popedome, saying yt he was creat perforce, and perforce receyued the Crowne of the Pope ship, because that election was made for feare in a place of great daunger, in ye which men ought to hauehave had libertye to do and speake their minds francke & free, and yet they were compelled by the people contrarywise, to chuse rather an Italian then a Frenchman. For these causes (they saide) the seate being voyde and Iane Queene of Sicill fauouring their purpose, they choose the foresaid Robert to be Pope, and called him Clement the seuenth. Because (sayth Theodoricus) they knew him to be ambitious, nedye and yet very prodigall, of a large cōscience but of noble birth, well be frended and of great power, hauing a strong troupe wayting vponupon him: whereby (sayth he lib. 1. cap. 10.) it may be iudged that this election proceded not of the holye ghost nor of good consciences. Herevpon arose a greate discorde amonge Christian Churches, while some Princes fauoured Pope Vrban, some fauoured Pope Clement, and some there were that medled with neyther of them, and they were called neuters. Clement goinge to Auenio was worshipped of the Spaniards & Frenchmen, who did welcom him thether. He continued fiftene yeares making diuers lawes, whom beside the French king, the kinge of Aragon, of Castile & Nauar obeyed. In the meane time a councell was held at Paris to take vp the strife for the Popedome, which councell yelded to Clement as Tillius wryteth. In his time aboute the yeare 1387. arose a controuersy betweene the students of Paris and the dominick fryers, concerning the conception of the virgin Mary. Pope Clement dyed Anno 1392. being buried at Auenio. These two Popes scattered about ye world in diuers quarters their terrible and fearefull bulles, and spread abrode rayling bookes full of infamye, and defacing, backbytinge and excommunicating one another, callinge each other wt sharpe despite and bitter reproche, Antichriste, scismatick, heretick, tyrant, theefe, traytour, vniust, wic…ed sower of darnel in Gods Haruest, and the cursed sonne of Beliall. Iohn of Lignia doctour of both Lawes, set out a booke in the behalfe of Vrban, and the abbot of S. Vedast councellour to the French kinge, did publishe another for Clemēt against Vrban.
Amonge other broyles wrought betweene these 2. fyrebrands, it shal be sufficient to declare but some of the least, Theodoricus lib 1. cap. 14. sayth, that Clement with his Cardinals beinge in Campania, sente for their Captayne Bernard de Cazala with other men of warre oute of Gascony and Britany, who should passe ouer a certaine bridge vponupon Tiber nighe Rome, but they that kept the bridge wt stoode them, whereupon all the Citye was in an vprore, & many ran out disordered to defend the bridge against Bernard and his Brytaines who entred perforce, and in this conflict there were slaine as some thincke 8. hundred Romaynes, and the rest beaten backe into the Cittye, wherof arose great howling, crying, & lamenting through Rome. But ye Romaynes to reuenge themselues, fel vponupon al such as mighte seeme in the Citye to fauour Pope Clement, as al those that were borne beyonde the Alpes, both Frenchmen and Spaniards that were weake and vnweaponed in the Citye: they spared neither man, womā nor childe, parson nor degree, some they murthered, some they chained in prison, the women they vsed vilanouslye without al shame, bishops and noble men they spoyled, robbed and long imprysoned with great misery: This hurly burly continued long. Yea I saw then (sayth Theodoricus) certaine matrones of Rome desirous to enflame the Romaine Citizēs against the courtiers & strangers, to iastle them ruffiantly in the streates, and without al honestye to spit and slauer in the faces of the courtiers both of men and women. But while the freinds of Pope Vrban did thus within the Citye molest the freindes of Clement, a certaine Frenchman being Captaine of Angel Castel, and keeping it to the vse of his countryman Clement and his Cardinals: did leuel a certaine engine out of the Castle against ye Citye, discharging and shooting arrowes & pellets violently into Rome amonge the Romaines and courtiers, and with this shotte he ouerthrew, shooke downe and fyred many houses. Thus was the Citye in a myserable broyle, and in these tumults were slaine diuers noble men. Iohn Vrsine, Rainolde his brother and one Honoratus, with Angelus lieuetenant of Rome & diuers other estates, stept vp in armes in the quarell of Clement assaulting ye Citye round about: Rainold layde siege against it at S. Agnes gate a whole month, so yt the Romaynes were robbed of their cattell, and durst not peepe out of the Citye to followe their husbandrye during this storme. Whereupon Charles the Emperour and Lewis kinge of Hungary at the humble sute of Pope Vrban, sent to Clement their Embassadours, desiring him to yeld vp his Papacy for the ending of these sturres tending to ye ruine of the Church and Christian estate: but Pope Clement and his Cardinals in steede of reasonable answeares vsed the Legates vilanously, keeping some of them in pryson, some they racked cruelly, and by this meanes all christēdome was deuided, some (as Almany, Bohemia, Thuscia, Lombardy, England, Polony, Denmarke, Sweueland, Norwaie, Prusia, Frizland, with diuers other countryes) toke part with Vrban: and likewise many countryes with Clement. Vrban made Charles king of Sicil, and Clemēt set vp Lewes of Andegana against him for it, to the spoyle of much bloud. Manye other notable historyes are written of this Clement, which for tediousnesse are ouerpassed, onelyonly I note that which Theodoricus sayth, that he being Cardinall vnderunder Gregorie the xi. was cause of the destruction and lamētable spoyling of the Citye Cesanate, hauing charge of the souldiours that did it as is shewed in the said Gregorie. Also at the same time he sould the Citye Vercels vntounto a couple of tyrants, to the great confusion of the same Citye in like maner, but those tyrants Caleatius and Barnabonis hauing ful possession thereof, robbed this Cardinal againe of all the treasure which they had payde him. But when he sate in the Papacye he was so prodigall in spendinge the Church goodes, that he graunted to euerye man especiallye noble men, large pentions, farmes & landes at an easye rent.