The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 2 · History of century 11
CENTVRIE XI.
Popes of Rome.
AFter Silvester ruled Pope Iohn nineteene yeeres,Iohn. 19. foure months, and twentie dayes: of whom no memorable thing is written.
To him succeeded Pope Iohn 20.Iohn 20. and continued foure yeeres, foure months. Platina for lacke of some remarkable thing in the historie of his life is compelled to remarke, the wisdome, magnamitie, learning, and deuotion of Robert King of France who was worthie to gouerne others, because his owne heart was gouerned and ruled with reason,Note. but of Pope Iohn hee read nothing worthie of commendation.
To him succeeded Sergius the fourth who gouerned 2.Sergius 4. yeeres and 15. dayes.
To Sergius succeeded Benedict the eight and continued a eleuen yeeres,Benedictus 8. one month and thirteene dayes: in his dayes the pestilence so mightilie abounded that the number of them who died in.Note. the plague surpassed the number of them who were aliue. Which calamitie was signified by a fountaine of wholesome water in Loraine converted into blood.
The factious Romans remoued him from his Popedome and seated another in his place: but afterward they were reconciled to him, and receiued him with great Pompe & honor, to his Popedome againe.Note. These are the people who call the B. of Rome the vicar of Christ, the successor of Peter, the vniuersall Bishoppe, the ministericall head of the Church, yet will they make insurrection against him when they please, and they call others schismaticks, when they fall from the obedience of the Bishop of Rome. But the Towne of Rome is the mother of scismes, no lesse is shee the mother of all spirituall whoredomes.
Iohn. 21.Iohn 21. succeeded to Benedict the 8. in the dayes of the Emperour Conrad the second and ruled eleuen yeeres, nine dayes. Platina commendeth his life, but without any particular commendation of his commendable vertues.
Benedictus 9.Benedict the ninth succeeded to Pope Iohn and gouerned ten yeeres, and foure months, and nine dayes: a man vnlearned and vitious in his conversation, who allured women to his lust by Magicall arts, therefore hee was thrust out of his Popedome:Silvester. 3. and Silvester the third was placed in his roome, who continued not aboue fortie dayes in his Popedome; for Benedict by force intruded himselfe againe into the Popedome, and fearing, to be expelled of new againe from his Papall dignitie, hee made merchandise of it and solde it to Gregorie the sixt,Gregorie 6. for a thousand, and fiue hundreth pounds waight of Gold. Many Historians, such as Martianus Polemus, Damianus and Platima, doe report, that after his death hee appeared in a monstrous similitude, more like vntounto a beast, then a man, to represent the effigie of his beastlie conversation. The Emperour Henry the third entered into Italie, gathered a Councell at Sutrium, wherein all these three monsters were deposed and Suidigerius Bishop of Bamberg was made Pope whom they called, Clemens the second.
Clemens 2.After the Emperour Henry the third had placed Clemens the second in the Popedome, hee returned to Germanie. The seditious Romans returning to their wonted vomit poysoned him when hee had continued onelyonly nine months in his Popedom, because he was not elected by themselues, but by the Emperour with aduise of the councel of Sutrium.
Damasus 2.After Clemens the second, succeeded Damasus the second, & continued not in the Popedome aboue 23. daies.
Leo. 9.After the death of Damasus the second the Romanes sent Ambassadours to the Emperour Henry the third to send vntounto them a worthy Pope. The Emperour made choice of Brun… Bishop of Tullus, who being on his iourney towarde Rome in his Pontificall garments, the Abbot of Cluniake and Hildebrand a seditious Monke met him by the way, and perswaded him to lay aside his Pontificall garments, & to enter into Rome with the habite of a priuat man, lest hee should seeme to hauehave receiued the Popedome from the Emperour, and not by the election of the people, & Clergie, to whom rightly appertained the election of the Romane Bishop. Bruno obeyed their councell, and was the more gladlie accepted of the Romans, who called him Leo the ninth: he ruled fiue yeeres, and assembled councels both in Rome and Vercellis against Borengarius, as shall be declared (God willing) in the head of Councels.
Victor the second succeeded to Pope Leo, Victor 2.& gouerned two yeeres, three months, and fourteene dayes. Hee was chosen Pope with the advice of the Emperour Henry, whom they feared to irritate by presenting vntounto him new occasions of wrath and anger.
After Victor succeeded Stephanus the ninth,Stephanus 9. who died in the seuenth month of his Popedome.
To him succeeded Benedict the tenth,Benedictus 10. who continued not aboue nine months in his Popedome. He was compelled to denude himselfe of his Papaldignitie, because he was elected without the consent of Hildebrand: to whom the whole number of Cardinals & Clergie had promised, that no new Pope should be elected before he had returned to Rome, for he had taken a iourney to Florence.
Nicolaus the second followed and ruled three yeeres,Nicholaus 2 sixe months, and twentie six dayes. This is the Pope who gathered a councell at Rome against Berengarius, & forced him to make recantation of his opinion of the Sacrament of the supper of the Lord as shal be declared God willing in its own place, To this Pope, Godfrid D. of Apulia, and Calabria, recō mended Bagallardus his son. But the Pope fauored Robert Bagallardus his vncle, the iust heire of the Dukedome; & couenanted with Robert, surnamed Guiscard, that hee should be authorised to be Duke of Apulia and Calabria, providing he would bend vp al his forces to subdue the rebels of the Roman church which thing also Duke Robert seriously performed: & rendered to the chaire of Rome the townes of Beneventum, and Troia, which he had added to his dominions, when he first eiected his brothers son from his inheritance. Also the Pope honoured Robert, by giuing vntounto him a baner & standard, in token of confirmation of his Dukedom, which authoritie belonged to the Emp. & not vntounto the Pope. But now as Funchus writeth,Note. Fur furem, Latro latronem iuvat, that is one thiefe helpeth another,Hist. Magd. Cent. 9. cap. 10. & one brigand supporteth another. In the end Pope Nicholaus the secōd tasted of Brazates cup, this Brazutus was the familiar friend of Hildebrand, who within the space of 13. yeeres empoysoned 6.Note. Popes, to wit Clemens 2. Dāasus 2. Leo 9. Victor 2. Stephāus 9. & Nicholaus 2.
Alexander 2.After Nicholaus succeeded Alexander the 2. whose name before his election to the Popedome had bin Anselmus B. of Luca, & he ruled 11. yeeres, 6. months. His competitor was Candalus B. of Parma, whom the Lumbards assisted with all their might and procured to him the allowance of the Emp. This was the ground of cruell warres betwene Alexander the 2. and Candalus, but the faction of Alexander preuailed. The Emp. sent Otto Archbishop of Colen to pacifie th vprors and tumults of Italie. At his first comming hee sharplie rebuked Pope Alexander because he had entered in the Popedome without the emperours consent. But Hildebrand according to his forme inclinable to furie & madnesse, could not abide vntil Otto had made an end of speaking, but he interupted him, and answered, that the election of the Bishop of Rome belonged not to the Emperour, but to the clergie and people of Rome. Otto on the other part (bearing as it appeareth more with the Clergie of Rome, then fauouring the Emperours cause) condisóended that this question should be entreated in a lawfull assembly at Mantua.
In that councel Alexander was declared to bee Pope, and Candalus had pardon granted to him. In the end Pope Alexander finding that he was set vp in the Papal dignity to prepare a way to Hildebrands Popedome, hee sayd vntounto the people in the time of the solemnity of the masse, that hee would not sit in the chaire of Rome, except hee had licence of the Emperour.Note. The angry humor of Hildebrand, a man borne for sedition, was so overcast with furie, that scarcely hee could abstaine from outrage, and putting hands vntounto Pope Alexander, vntill the masse were ended. The masse being finished, he drew him by force into a chamber, where hee bussed him, before hee was devested of his pontificall garments, because he sayd, hee would seeke the Emperours favour. Finally, hee was cast into prison and bonds, and vnderunder the miserable indurance of Hildebrands wrath, hee finished his life.
To Pope Alexander the second,Gregorius 7. succeeded Gregorie the seventh, called Hildebrand before his Popedome, who continued twelue yeeres, and one monethmonth. He was craftie and subtle in bringing to passe, that thing which hee had imagined a long time before, to wit, in treading downe vnderunder the fe…t of the Romane Bishop, all civill authority. In the Councell of Mantua, by Hildebrands speciall advice, it was decreed, that no man should be admitted to a Prelacie, Benefice, or Eclesiasticall office,Note. by a secular person: and that it should not be lawfull for Priests to marrie. These grounds being layd by Hildebrands advice, before hee came to the Popedome, hee laboured with all his might to put them in execution, when hee was Pope. For this cause hee called the marriage of the Priests; the heresie of the Nicholaitans; and the acceptation of Prelacies from the hands of secular Princes,Note. Simony. And vnderunder colour of extirpating two heresies, hee most craftily travelled to bring vnderunder his soveraigntie all men who were clothed with civill, or spirituall offices.
And first, for the abolishing of the marriage of Priests, hee sent strict commandement to the Bishops of France and Germany, and other places, that they should depose married Priests from their offices, vnderunder paine of cursing, and that they should accept no persons in their places, but those who would binde themselues by a solemne oath, to perpetuall continencie. The Priests made greater reluctation to the Popes commandement, then the Bishops did; in so much that in the Councell of Mentz, convocated by the Archbishop for obeying of the Popes commandement: the Archbishop accompanied with the Popes Ambassadour, could finde no other meanes to saue their liues, but onelyonly by flying from the incensed wrath of marryed Priests. As concerning his other enterprise, in extirping the heresie of Simony (as hee called it) that no Prelat should receiue investment from Emperours and Princes, but onelyonly from the Bishop of Rome. This could not bee brought to passe without the thunder-bolts of excommunication, whereby he so subdued the noble Emperour,Note. Henry the fourth, that hee was compelled in sharpe winter weather to iourney to Italy, and to seeke absolution from the Popes cursing.
It were too long to discourse of his sorceries, lying prophecies, and treasonable attempts against the noble Emperour. And the weake apologie of Onuphrius, will never be an vmbrage to couer the craft, malice, and divellish pride of this seditious Pope.
Victor 3.To Gregorie the seventh, succeeded Victor the third, who onelyonly continued in his Popedome, one yeere and an halfe.
Vibanus 1.After Victor the third, succeeded Pope Vrbanus the second, and ruled twelue yeeres, foure moneths, and eighteen dayes. Hee assembled a Councell at Clermont in France, and incited Christian Princes to vndertake a dangerous warfare against the Turkes and Saracens, for recovering of the holy Land; and for supporting of distressed Christians in those parts. A certaine Monke called Peter, who had gone on pilgrimage to Ierusalem, deplored to the Councell in most lamentable manner, the pitifull estate of Christians in Ierusalem. And many Christian Princes were moued to vndertake an hazardous warre, against the Turkes and Saracens, vnderunder the conduct of Godfrey Duke of Loraine, Robert, Duke of Normandy, Robert Count of Flanders, and diverse other noble Princes, an army of three hundred thousand Christian people, set forward toward Ierusalem, which they conquered out of the hands of Infidels, with great effusion of blood, and Godfrey was crowned King of Ierusalem, with a crowne of thornes, An. 1099. as Functius recordeth.
Patriarchs of Constantinople.
BEcause I reade of no memorable thing done by the Patriarches of Constantinople, it shall suffice shortly to point out their names onelyonly, and to set forward. In this Centurie we finde the names of these Patriarchs following, to wit, Antonius, Nicolaus, Sisinnius, Sergius, Eustachius, Alexius, Michael, Constantinus Lithudes, Iohannes Xiphilinus, Cosmas Eustratius, and Nicolaus.
Of other Pastors, and Doctors.
PEtrus Damianus, Damianus.was brought vp in the Monasterie of Cassinates, and was made a Cardinall and Bishoppe of Ostia, by Pope Stephanus the ninth. Hee was deposed by Benedict the tenth, and deprived of his living, because hee disapproved his entry to the Popedome. Hee was cast into prison and bonds, and when he was set at liberty, he sought not restitution to his Bishopricke againe, but hee lived an heremiticall life. And when Pope Nicolaus the second, and Hildebrand an Archdeacon, obiected this fact against him opprobriously, he writ an apologie, and defended himselfe by the example of 36. Fathers, who had done the like.Note. He was very superstitious, and approved the custome of Monks who began to scourge themselues, very impertinently cyting the examples of Christ,Mat. 27.26. 2 Cor. 11.24. who was scourged by Pontius Pilat, and of the Apostle Saint Paul, who was thrice beaten with roddes, and fiue times received thirty nine stripes; as if it were all one thing to scourge our selues, and to bee scourged by others. He was present at the Councel of Millan, as substitute of Pope Nicholaus the second.
Ino.Ino Bishoppe of Charters in France, was counted learned in his time; nothing is more commendable in all his life then this, when hee was cast in prison for disprooving the marriage of Philip King of France, the Noblemen dwelling about Charters, would hauehave by force delivered him, but hee disswaded them from any such attempts, onelyonly willed them to pray to God for him.Note. His bookes are miserably spotted with the errours of his time, such as Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, Intercession and merits of Saints in prayer, and diverse other errors.
L…francus.Lanfrancus was borne in Papia, a towne of Italy, and became Archbishop of Canterburie: hee was much reverenced for his learning. Hee writ against Berengarius, and defended the opinion of Transubstantiation. He was in great credite with William the Conquerour, King of England, in so much that all spirituall and civill affaires, seemed to bee ordered according to his appetite and pleasure. This great credite procured against him the hatred of many Noblemen, notwithstanding they could not prevaile against him all the dayes of King William. Rufus the sonne of King William, was of a more sterne and angry nature, and albeit Lanfrancus had taken paines vponupon his education, notwithstanding his emulous competitours alienated the Kings heart somewhat from him, whereby hee fell into a sharpe fever and dyed.Ranul. in polychron. l. 7. c. 6. Ranulphus writeth of him, that he wished to conclude his life either by fever, or dysenterie, because in these sicknesses,Hist. Magd. cent. 11. cap. 10. the vse of a mans tongue continues oftentimes to the last breath. Hee continued in his Prelacie nineteene yeeres, and dyed in the third yeare of King Rufus.
Anselmus.Anselmus succeeded to Lanfrancus, both in place and learning; for hee was Bishop of Canterbury, and a singular learned man. Hee was borne in a towne called Augusta, in the confines of Burgundie. Hee was the disciple of Lanfrancus: hee was first a Monke, and afterward an Abbot in a Monastery of Normandie, called Bettense; and foure yeeres after the death of Lanfrancus, the King of England promoted him to the Archbishopricke of Canterbury. Anselmus in his admonitions to the King (who at that time converted to his owne vse, the rents of defunct Bishops and Abbots) was free and plaine, and for his freedome incurred great indignation: in so much that hee compared himselfe vntounto an Owle.Simile. For, saith he, like as shee hath pleasure when shee remaineth in her owne nest, and with her owne brood, but when shee flyeth abroad shee is miserably misused and beaten, with ravens, crowes, and other soules that forgather with her. Even so, saith hee, when I am in company of you my familiar friends,Note. I liue in pleasure, but when I goe to Court, and am conversant with secular men, I am discontented, and as it were dilacerate with a multitude of secular cares. Hee was a stout defender of the authority of the Bishoppe of Rome, in so much that he was content to forgoe the favour of his Prince, and to bee banished for the excessiue louelove hee caryed to the priviledges of the Romane Chaire.
After the death of Rufus, Anselmus was received from banishment, by King Henry. But because hee would not admit and consecrate those Bishops who had received investment from the King, but called them bastards, and abortiue births, whosoever received investment from secular men:Note. great contention arose betweene the King and the Prelat, the issue whereof was this; that the decision of the question was referred to the Bishoppe of Rome, who gaue sentence in favour of Anselmus, because Anselmus suffered trouble, for maintaining of the Popes authoritie. The King was irritate and exasperate with the Popes decree, and spoyled Anselmus of all his dignities. Who remained for the most part in Lions, during the time of his second banishment.
But the King reduced him againe from banishment, and was reconciled with him. After his returning from his second banishment, hee lived three yeeres, and died in the yeer… of our Lord, 1109. having continued Bishop of Canterburie thirteene yeeres.Anselmus de excellen. beata Mariae. In his bookes no errour is more intollerable then this, that hee equalleth the Virgine Mary with Christ, attributing to her all the treasures of wisedome, and knowledge, as the Apostle Paul atiributeth them to Christ our Saviour.Col. 2.3.