The Pageant of Popes, Book 6 · Part 37
157. Paule the second.
PAule the second was borne in Venice called first Peter Ba…bus, nephewe to Eugenius the fourth: he beinge Cardinall of S. Marke succeded Pope Pius. He before his Papacye purposed to fall to the trade of marchandize, but when hee heard that his …nckle Gabriel was created Pope, he began to applye his minde to his booke: and so arose from one degree to another, till in the end he gat the Papacye. He was a man of a goodlye parsonage, but of a hautye minde: he was verye couetous and bestowed benefices for rewardes. Touchinge his pontif…call pompe, ye neede not doubte (sayth Platina) that he furnished it in such sort as he excelled all his predecessours, especiallye in his royall kingdome. Touching his Miter he bestowed infinite treasure thereon, procurin…e to hauehave broughte to him frō eueryevery place of great price, Diamants, Saphyrs, Carbuncles, Chrysolits, Iasperstones, Pearles and all other kinde of precious stones. He being thus royallye attyred like Aaron with Iewels, shewed himselfe abrode in such a maiestye, as neuer did anye earthlye creature. Then his desire was to be gazed on & to be worshipped: and for this cause he stayed straungers often in the Citye, shewinge his handkerchiffe in the streate, that the greater companye might behold him. He commaunded also that none shoulde presume to weare a scarlet hat but the Cardinals, on whom hee bestowed much cloth of the same colour in the first yeare of his Popeship, to make them trappinges for their horses and Mules saith Platina. He practisinge both by worde & by sworde to aduaunce the maiestye of his seate, did nothing all his life time but moue warre in Italye sodenlye when he spyed his aduaūtage. Amonge diuers others Cityes hee assaulted Arminium, and caused both Suburbes and Citye to be myserablye shaken, rente and torne, with force of gunneshotte and other engins. He abhorred euen from his harte the decrees and deedes of his predecessour Pius. He restored the regular Canons whom Calixtus had expulsed out of Lateran abbey: and bestowed greate buildinges at S. Markes & at Vatican. He condemned all chose to be heretickes that should make any mention of vniuersityes, for he was a very doult and of grosse capacitye, and therfore he loued neither learning nor vertue. He being whollye addicted to ambition, royotousnes and pleasure, spent the whole daye eyther in feasting (as Volateranus sayth) or in takinge vp his money, or els in searching oute and vewing of olde coynes, images or Iewels. His greatest care was that the Citye shoulde neuer lacke victuals. Finallye after he had created tenne Cardinals whereof Frauncis Ruerius was one, and assured himselfe to liue longe, Anno 1470. he dyed of an Apoplexie sodenly by him selfe alone, after he had supped meerelye. After his death his cosins the Cardinals bestowed on him a wōderfull riche and costlye tombe.
From this time forward the estate of the Papacye begā to impaire and decay. Stanislaus Ruthenus reporteth this one notable thinge of this Pope Paule in these wordes:
VVhen Pope Paule had seene certaine latine Verses written against him and his daughter, it is reported that he wept, and cryed out against the hardnes of the lawe of single life amonge his frends. Because that he who ought to be not onlye the head of the Church but also of chastlife, shoulde see his doughter liue in the face and countenaunce of the Citye, with great shame and disdaine: who although she were verye beutifull, yet it greued his harte that it should be said he begat her in whoredome, because he knewe that there was a law of God, whereby she mighte hauehave beene borne in wedlocke, vnlesse this lawe of single life had disanulled it. They saye therefore that he toke councell how he mighte restore againe the mariage of the clergie: but beinge preuented by death he coulde not attaine to his purpose.