The Relics of Rome, Part 2 – Part 3
Of the Popes election.
This decre agreeth not with the order of the auncient Churche of Christ.POpe Nicolas the fyrst made a decree, that if any mā would thrust himself into the sea of S. Peter, not being chosen thereunto by such as ar appoynted for the electiō of the pope, ye same shuld be iudged not Apostolicus but Apostaticus. 49. Dist. Cap. Si quis Apostolice sedi. Anno. 871.
Pope Hadriane the first made a law,Here …a…men are admitted to the election of the pope. No Pope … … full without the admission of the Emperour. The Emperour barred frō the election or admissiō of the Pope. The clergy and people of Rome chosers of the Pope. that no lay persons should presume to entermedle with the election of ye pope 63. Dist. Cap▪ Nullus laicorum. An. 796.
Pope Boniface the second, made a decree that in the election of the pope, the Clergye should be deuided from the cō mon people. In the yeare, &c. 529. Albertus. Krempt.
Pope Leo the eyght ordayned, that none should be admitted pope without the consent of the Emperor. In ye yere, &c. 962.63. Dist▪ Cap. In Synodo. Chron.
Pope Adriane the third, was of such and so lustye courage, that contrary to the order tofore vsed, he made a decree, that from henceforth the Emperours should neuer meddle with the election of ye pope as tofore thei had done, nor yt their authoritye or consent shoulde be thought necessary in this behalfe, but yt the clergie & ye people of Rome alone might frankly & freely choose the most holy Father. In the yere of our Lord. 885. Grat. d…st. 62.
Pope Martine the third made ye like decree, that the Clergy and the people of Rome onelyonly shuld choose the bishop of Rome, not regarding the consent of the Emperour. In the yeare, &c. 944. Christ. Massae.
Cardinals appointed for the election of the Pope.Pope Gregory the tenth ordained, yt when the Pope is dead, the Cardinals with all expedition should assēble thē selues togither for the electiō of a new Pope, and that they should be shut vp together in a closet, nether eating, nor drinking, nor yet departing frō thēce, till they had chosen the most holy Father, Christes vicar & Peters successor. In the yere, &c. 1272. Christ. Mass.
A substātial reason: as though Christ liued not which is yt alone and true head of the church.Pope Boniface the second ordained, that the Pope being deade, an other Pope shoulde be chosen within three daies, least the faith of holy Church for lack of an head, should decay and waxe faint. In the yeare, &c. 529. Dist. 69. cap. Nullus. Ioan. Laziard.
The Pope m…ste be anWhen Pope Alexander the seconde was chosen Bishop of Rome, certaine other willing to place a straunger in ye See: all the Cardinals cryed out with a loude voyce and said: No man ought to be chosen pope,Italian borne except he be borne in the paradise of Italye. In the yeare, &c. 1063. Ranulphus. Cest.
Pope Sergius the second being before called Os porci, Popes chaunge their nam… & the reasons why.that is to saye, Swines snoute, or Hogges mouth, after that he was chosē Byshop of Rome, chaunged his name, and called himselfe Sergius. Since that time al Popes hauehave vsed to chaunge their names, yea and that, as they reporte, for three causes. One is, bicause that Christ, when he did chose his Apostles, chaunged theyr names. The second is, yt as they chaunge their names, so shuld thei chaunge their mā ners. The thyrde is, that he whiche is chosen to an excellent estate, shuld not be obscured and disgraced with a vyle and foule name. In the yeare, &c. 848. Chron. Polichron. &c.
Of the alteration of ye popes names Polidorus Vergilius writeth on this mā ner: The bishop of Rome hath one special prerogatiue and priuiledge, which is, that when he is once created bishop, he maye alter & chaunge his name at his pleasure, if the name, which he hath already, do displease hym. As for an example: If perchaunce he hath bene before a Malefactor, Note.he may call his name Bonifacius, that is to say, a wel doer. If he hauehave bene a coward or feareful person, he may call himself Leo, yt is, a Lyon. In steade of this name, Rusticall: he may take vntounto him the name Vrbanus, yt is to say, Ciuile, gentle or wel mannered. For leude or wicked, he may cal himself innocent. If he hauehave bene a diffamed person, he maye take vntounto hym thys name Benedictus, that is to saye, A man of good name and fame, that the byshop at the least in name may be an ornament & beautie to the dignitie of papacie. Sergius the second is reported to hauehave ben the author of this matter, to whom it was graunted, forasmuch as he was called, Os porci, that is to say Swines snoute, or Hogges mouthe, to take vntounto hym another name, for to auoyde and eschewe hys other vyle and fylthye name, &c. Lib. 4. Cap. 10. de inuentor. rerum.
No Pope may chose hys successor.Pope Hilarius the fyrst made a decre that no pope should chose or appoynt his successor, but leaue it to the free election of the clergye of Rome. In the yeare, &c. 465. Quaest. 8. Cap. 1. Plerique. Ioan. Laziardus.
Pope Iohn the seuenth being an woman fayned her selfe to be a man,A woman Pope. and for the excellencie of her learning was chosen pope. This woman pope was afterward begotten with childe of her seruaunt & in the time of solemne procession accōpanied wt a great number of cardinals, patriarches, archbishops, bishops, priests, deacōs, monks, fryers, chanons, Nonnes, &c, shee fell on trauayle and was deliuered of childe, and so sodenly (as they say) died. Afterward there was a decree made among ye cardinalls that for the auoyding of suche & of so great inconuenience frō thenceforth whosoeuer shuld be chosen to be Christes vicar & Peters successour,An holy & a clenly decree. he shuld first of al be set brechlesse & bare arsed in a certaine botomlesse chayre & ye one of ye basest cardinals wt al humilitie & reuerence worthy such & so noble a prelate, shuld grope wt his hande, whether ye most holy father had all his that appertayne vntounto the court of Uenus, or not. If he had them, that thē the Cardinal should crye with a mery and a loude voyce, Testiculos habet. And the whole college of the Cardinalls reioysyng at the tydings, shoulde aunswere Deo gratias. And so immediatly ye Cardinals should set the newe chosen and approued pope in S. Peters chayre, as a man found worthy such a most excellent dignitie. In the yere, &c. 860. Nauclerus. Sabel. Platina. Pantal. Chron. Sebast Franc. Paul. Verg.
The popes consecratiōPope Iohn the fyft ordained, that after the Bishop of Rome is elected and chosen, he should be consecrated of the Bishop Hostuense, Portuense & Velitern. In the yeare, &c. 679. Chron. Volateran. Pantaleon. Some ascribe this ordinance to Pope Marke.
Of Cardinalls.
Why Cardinals wer ordayned.POpe Marcellus ordayned in the citie of Rome .xv. Cardinalls for to baptise such as wer conuerted frō Paganisme vntounto Christianisme, & to burye the martirs, whiche suffred death for Gods truth. In the yere, &c. Christ. Massae. Polichron.
Pope Siluester the fyrst appoynted ye College of Cardinals to beautifie and to set forth the honour and dignitie of the church:Cardinalls appoynted to beautify the church. vntounto the which Cardinalls (as the papistes fayne) the Emperour Constantine gaue that same authoritye and preeminence,☜ that the honourable order of the sage & prudente Senatours of Rome tofore had.The number of the Cardinals. And Martine in hys Chronicle sayth, that there are fiftye Cardinalls of that holy College, that is to say, seuen Byshop Cardinals .xxviii. Priests Cardinals, & .xv. Deacon Cardinals: albeit the most holy father may at all times encrease the number of those his spirituall children as he thinketh moste meete for the aduauncement of the Apostilique see. In the yere, &c. 315. Mart. in Chroni. Ioannes Laziardus.
The aforesayd pope also made a decree,Of the cō dēnation of Cardinals. that a Bishop Cardinal shuld not be condemned vnderunder .lxxii. witnesses: a prieste Cardinall, not vnderunder .lxiii. witnesses: A Deacon Carnall, not vnderunder xxvii. witnesses. C. Praesul. 2. Qu. 4. Laziardus. Celest.
The Cardinalls red hat: & what it signifiethPope Innocent the thyrde in a certaine councel holden at Lions made a decree, that Cardinalls should for euer after weare red hats vpō their heads, to put thē in remembraunce, that they ought to be redye at al times to shedde their bloud for ye liberty of holy church for the Catholyke fayth, & for the safegarde of the people. In the yere, &c. 1193 Ioan. Laziard. Ioannes. Stella. Christianus. Massaeus. &c.