History of the Catholic Church from 600 to 1600, Ecclesiastical epoch 600-1000 · Century 10 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of POPES.
CArdinal Baronius in tom. 10. ad An. 903. § 1. forewarneth his Reader, Popes were not Succeſſours of Apoſtles.that now he ſhall ſee the abomination of deſolation in the Temple, as it was fore-told by Daniel and by our Lord. What doth he inſinuate in theſe words, but that the Reader ſhould flie out of Babel, and leave her abominations? and the rather, becauſe he continueth lamenting and crying, Fie for ſhame! alas for ſorrow! that ſo many Monſters, horrible to be ſeen, were thruſt into the See which deſerves reverence of Angels! how many miſeries, how many tragedies have proceeded from them! And Faſcicul. temp. ad An. 894. ſaith, Oh, oh good God! how is the gold become ſo darkned! how many ſcandals do we read, that have been about theſe times in the Apoſtolical See, which thou haſt kept with ſo great zeal hitherto! what contentions, ſects, ambitions, intruſions, perſecutions! oh the baddeſt times, when the godly man hath failed, and truth is periſhed from the children of men! alas! what convention, what congregation, what man ſhall now be ſecure, ſeeing primitive holineſs hath ſo failed! A little before An. 914. he ſaith, There was preſented unto Lewis, a Monſter with a dogs head, and all the other members of a man; which did reſemble (ſaith he) the eſtate of that time; for men without a head did wander hither and thither, barking like dogs. And Genebrard. in Chronol. ad An. 901. ſaith, This age was unhappy for one thing, that in the ſpace of almoſt 150 years, were about fifty Popes (from John the VIII, till Leo the IX) which made defection from the truth of their Predeceſſours; and they were Apotactici, Apoſtataeve potius quàm Apoſtolici; that is, out of all order and Apoſtates, rather then the followers of the Apoſtles. And Naucler. loc. cit. gener. 31. ſpeaking of Pope Romanus, ſaith, Behold how far theſe have degenerated from their Predeceſſours; for theſe holy men did maintain the decrees of their Predeceſſours as their own; but now they have forſaken the worſhip of God, and do exerce enmity one againſt another, no other way then moſt cruel Tyrants, for fullfilling their own luſts, when there was none to reſtrain their vices. Therefore did God pull them quickly away as Monſters, that they might do the leſs harm. Who will not wonder that in the time of the Reign of Lewis the VIII, Popes did poſſeſs the chair of bleſſed Peter; and he did not reign above 12 years. In a word, all old Hiſtorians do write of theſe times, that the Popes were not Succeſſours of Peter; and I do premit theſe teſtimonies, becauſe the Papiſts may poſſibly ſay, that what follows is all written maliciouſly, although it be written moſt truly.
1. BONIFACE the VI, came next to Formoſus; he ſate ſhort time, ſaith Naucler. Platina ſaith, he ſate but 26 daies, becauſe nothing is written of him. They who deny the She-Pope, and the vacancy for eight years, would fill up the time here, and ſay that Boniface ſate 12 years. But ſee whether that can ſtand with theſe former teſtimonies in the general, concerning the ſhort lives of the Monſters, and with their practices that follow; and by this example others may judge what credit is to be given unto the late Popiſh Hiſtorians.
2. STEPHEN the VI did ſo envy the name of Formoſus (becauſe he Againſt Popes.hindred his ambition) that in a Synod he did abrogate all his Decrees, and ordained his body to be taken up, two of his fingers to be cut off, and his right hand (becauſe therewith they conſecrated the Prieſts) to be caſt into Tibris; and the remnant of his body to be buried in a Lay-man's burial. Platina ſubjoineth, This was a great controverſie and a bad example, ſeeing thereafter this cuſtom was almoſt evermore kept, that the following Popes did either violate or altogether abrogate the decrees of their Predeceſſours. Baronius ad An. 900. § 5. 6. ſaith, This wicked man, who entred into the Sheep-fold as a theef, ended his life in a rope by the judgment of God. So indeed (ſaith he) all things both ſacred and civil were confuſed at Rome; that the advancing of the Pope was in the power of them who were more potent; ſo that now the Nobles of Rome, and the Princes of Hetruria, did by their ſecular power thruſt in and out the Romiſh High-Prieſt at their pleaſure. Stephen ſate 15 moneths.
4. ROMANUS the I annulled all the Decrees of Stephen, and ſate three moneths.
5. THEODORE the II condemned all the Acts of Stephen, and approved all the Acts and friends of Pope Formoſus; and ſate 20 daies.
6. JOHN the X advanced the Decrees of Pope Formoſus ſo highly, that the Romans conſpired againſt him; and he was forced to fly unto Ravenna, where he held a Synod of 74 Biſhops, and diſproved the Decrees of Pope Stephen, and confirmed the Acts of Formoſus. Baronius ad An. 904. § 4. hath the words of this Synod; to wit, The Synod that was held in the time of Pope Stephen the VI, our Predeceſſour of godly memory, in which the venerable body of the worſhipfull Pope Formoſus was dragged along the ground out of the violated grave, and as if it had been brought into judgment, and they did preſume to judge and condemn it; (the like is not reported to have been done by any of our Predeceſſours;) that Synod penitus abdicamus; and in the margine, al. abrogamus, we do altogether reject or abrogate; and we forbid that in no way it be preſumed by any to be done, by whatſoever judgment of the Holy Ghoſt. Baronius addeth theſe words, Here conſider Reader, with what reverence the ſucceeding Popes did regard their Predeceſſours, how much ſoever they were worthy of reproof; that John called Stephen of godly memory, although he was to be abhorred, both for his ingiring himſelf into the Chair, and while he ſate for all his wicked deeds, worthy to be accurſed. Platina ſaith, I would think that the Popes themſelves had left the ſteps of Saint Peter, à Petri veſtigiis diſceſſerint. If thou wert to day at Rome, Platina, thou ſhouldſt ſuffer the fire for theſe words. John ſate 2 years.
7. BENEDICT the IV ſate 3 years, and 4 moneths. Platina calleth him and his ſucceſſours monſtra & prodigia, by whoſe ambition and bribery the Chair of Peter was rather uſurped then poſſeſſed.
8. LEO the V, in ſomething more then a monethmonth, was taken by Chriſtophorus a Presbyter, and his familiar, and caſt into Priſon. How great the authority of the Pope was, through the fault of their Predeceſſours, it may be known (ſaith Naucler.) by this, when ſo great a dignity was in a moment, by force and faction, uſurped by a private man. Some think that Leo died in ſorrow, that he was ſpoiled by one whom he had fed in his family as a Wolf; according to the Proverb of Theocritus, foreign; that is, feed young Wolves and Dogs to devour thee. Naucler.
9. CHRISTOPHOR came to the Chair by evil arts, and loſt it miſerably; for in the ſeventh monethmonth he was caſt out, & meritò quidem, and driven into a Monaſtery. Naucler.
10. SERGIUS the III took Chriſtophor out of the Monaſtery, wherein the Romans had thruſt him, and put him in a more cloſe priſon. Platina ſaith, He was a rude and unlearned man, very proud and cruel. He had been hindred by Pope Formoſus from preferment, and by that faction was baniſhed from Rome; therefore now he cauſeth the body of Formoſus to be taken up, and then degraded him, cut off his head; and laſtly, caſt his body into Tibris as unworthy of Chriſtian burial; and alſo he depoſed all the Biſhops and Prieſts which had been conſecrated by Formoſus, Platin. Sergius did firſt ordain, that Candles ſhould be carried about on the day of Maries purification. Behold, I pray (ſaith Platina) how far theſe Popes had degenerated from their Predeceſſours! for they were moſt holy men, and refuſed the dignity when it was tendred unto them, becauſe they would attend on praying and Chriſtian doctrine; but now they ſought and got the Papacy by bribery and ambition, they contemned the worſhip of God; they kept continual enmity and hatred one againſt another, like moſt cruel Tyrants; being ſet to ſatiate their luſts, when there was none to reſtrain their vices. He ſate 8 years.
11. ANASTASIUS the III follows. In his time they report, that the body of Pope Formoſus was found in the River by Fiſhers; and when it was brought into Saint Peter's Church, the Images did ſalute it. Let the indifferent Reader judge, whether a body lying ſo many years in one grave, and then in another; and then ſo many years in the water, could remain whole; and being without the head and hands, could be diſcerned to be the ſame. Certainly if the Images gave ſuch reverence unto the Corps, Satan hath moved the Idols before the Idolaters, as ſometime he ſpoke out of them. Anaſtaſius ſate 2 years. Becauſe this is the laſt place where mention is made of Pope Formoſus, I would ask the Romaniſts, whether Pope John did erre in Some queſtions are propounded unto Papiſts.degrading Formoſus? If he did erre, how then ſtands their doctrine that a Pope, in his Chair, with his Cardinals cannot erre? Bellarm. de Rom. Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 3. 5. & 6. If John did not erre, how then did not Pope Martin erre in repelling the doings of his Predeceſſour? Or how did not Pope Formoſus erre in all that he did and ſaid contrary to his Canonical Oath? If Formoſus did not erre, how did his Succeſſours not erre; of whom one did annull his Decrees and Conſecrations, and another did confirm them, and annull the contrary? Bellarmin ſaith, A Pope may erre in matter de facto, or in quaeſtione facti, non juris. But here we ſee, that one of them condemned the Decrees of another in quaeſtione juris, or in reſpect of lawfullneſs; yea the lawfulneſs of their being Popes; and although Pope John, in his Synod at Ravenna, had diſcharged that the like be not attempted by any judgment of the Holy Ghoſt, [and are not theſe words blaſphemous?] Yet Pope Sergius the III would not be diſcharged, but did the like and worſe. Was not here Pope contra Pope, and that in their very Chair and Synod? And do not all the ancient Hiſtorians condemn theſe men as unlawfull Popes, who had forſaken the waies of the more ancient good Biſhops? What is now become of their continual ſucceſſion? And from whom have they now their Ordination and Conſecration? even from ſuch as both Popes and Cardinals have judged worthy to be accurſed.
12. LANDUS lived obſcurely ſix moneths, at that time when Rodulph overcame Berengarins, as Platina thinks. Then (ſaith Sigonius) they aſſembled to chuſe a new Pope, but nothing was done according to Laws; for Aldebert, by the perſwaſion of his mother-in-law Theodora, gave a Pope, not from the Romans, nor by the votes of the Clergy; but as ſhe pleaſed, from Ravenna.
13. JOHN the XIII came to the Papacy in this manner, as Luithprand Behold the Succeſſion of Popes.Arch-Deacon at Ticino hath written, at the ſame time. Theodora a moſt ſhameleſs whore, and Roman Lady, burned in luſt with the beauty of this John, coming to Rome ſhe had not only luſt, but compelled him to lie with her; in the mean time the Biſhop of Bononia died, and John was ſet in his place; before John was conſecrated, Peter Biſhop of Ravenna died; and through ambition of the whore John forſook Bononia, and uſurped the See of Ravenna. Then God did take away the Pope who had ſo unjuſtly inſtalled him; and the whore, not willing that her Paramour ſhould be ſo far diſtant from her imbracing, forced him to accept the Papal Chair. When Baronius had related theſe words of Luithprand, he ſubjoins; Thou haſt heard, Reader, the moſt lamentable eſtate of this time, when Theodora the elder, a noble whore, held the Monarchy in the City; but whence came ſo great dignity unto ſo infamous a woman? ſhe was a noble Roman of the blood of the Senatours, excellent in beauty, and crafty in wit, and conquered the Monarchy by her Adulterer. [Stephen the VI. mark the ſucceſsion of Popes.] Theodora having attained the Dominion of Rome, cauſed her poſterity to follow in the ſame; ſhe had two daughters, Marozia and Theodora, not only alike, but more given to venery. Marozia married the fore-named Aldebert; and in adultry ſhe did bear unto Pope Sergius a ſon, called John. Aldebert uſurped the Dominion of Rome; and then the whores did cut off, and thruſt in, Popes at their pleaſure. This John ſhewed himſelf a Souldier, more then a Biſhop, for he did take Arms againſt the Sarazens in Italy, and expelled them. Platina ſaith, The Church had need of ſuch a Biſhop. At the intreaty of King Rodulph, he ordained a child of five years old to be Biſhop of Rhemes. Wherefore Baronius ad An. 908. §. 4. cried, Thou ſeeſt, Reader, by authority of what Pope (if he may be called a Pope) this was brought into the Church; to wit, of John, then whom none is more filthy. As his entry into that Chair was moſt infamous, ſo his death was moſt wicked; for when Adelbert was defunct, Marozia would have married Guido or Vido Marqueſs of Tuſcany, that ſo ſhe might convey unto him the Dominion of Rome, which did appertain unto her ſon Albericus. Pope John withſtood her; therefore ſhe cauſed Vido to pluck him out of the way, and having put him in priſon, he cauſed a Pillow to be laied upon his mouth, in the 14 year of his Papacy. Platin.
14. JOHN the XII, ſon of Pope Sergius the III, was preferred by his mother Marozia; the people would not conſent unto his election. Onuphr. in Annotat. on Platin. ad Ioh. 11. Faſciculus tempor. ſaith, He was intruded and immediately caſt out again, therefore he is not reckoned in the Catalogue of Popes; and in a tumult,
15. LEO the VI was ſet up. He is commended by Platina for his civil vertue, in reſpect of theſe corrupt times. Io. Funccius ſaith, He did nothing worthy of knowledge, except that he was deſirous of peace; becauſe (ſaith Bale.) perhaps he was glad that Jeſabel would ſuffer him to live; but ſhe could not comport the repulſe, and ſo cauſed him to be poiſoned in the 7 monethmonth.
16. STEPHEN the VII was like to his Predeceſſour, and after 2 years was poiſoned by Marozia. After the death of Vido, Marozia invited Hugh Duke of Burgundy, and now King of Italy, to take the Dominion of Rome; which he could not bring to paſs, unleſs he would marry her, although he was the brother of Vido; and therefore Luithprand writ of her, Nubere germanis ſatagens Herodia binis, &c. It hapned that when Albericus, at his mothers command, was holding the water (in an uncomely geſture) under the hands of his ſtepfather, Hugh gave the boy a blow; he reſolved to revenge it, and ſtirred the Romans againſt Hugh, and was the firſt aſſaulter in his own Palace. Hugh leapt over the wall, and eſcaped. Albericus brought again the former government by Conſuls, and under that title he governed Rome; and the election of the Pope depended on him, and after Stephen he ſet up again his brother John.
17. JOHN the XII being reſtored, did nothing worthy of record, ſaith Platina. He ſate 4 years 10 moneths.
18. LEO the VII is alſo obſcure: he ſate 2 years.
19. STEPHEN the VIII was vexed by the Romans. Naucler. ſaith, For his unhoneſt wounds he came not abroad, and lived a wretched life for a ſpace: he ſate 3 years, and died An. 932. Onuphr.
20. MARTIN the III in 2 years reſtored ſome Churches, and was bountifull to the poor; but he fed not ſouls, neither did Baronius exclude him from the name of Monſter.
21. AGAPETUS the II was choſen in a troubleſom time; therefore he ſought the aid of Otho, as is ſaid before. Faſciculus tempor. ad An. 964. ſaith of him and his Succeſſours, Holineſs left the Popes, and went unto the Emperours at this time, as is moſt evident. He ſate 9 years 7 moneths.
22. JOHN the XIII, the ſon of Albericus, ſucceeded. How old this father of fathers could be, may be gathered by ſupputation of years; when Hugh was expelled, Albericus was but a boy; and till this time were not paſſed 20 years; neither was this Octavius, or Pope John his fathers eldeſt ſon, as Baronius hath marked; and therefore he ſaith, He who could not be a Deacon for age, like a Stage-player acteth the Pope; and nevertheleſs (ſaith he) conſent made him Pope; for it is a leſſer evil to have a monſtrous head, then to be infamous with two heads. And a little after he preferred this Pope, above others which were choſen Canonically by the Clergy. Let Platina tell what he was; One (ſaith he) defiled from his infancy with all ſhame and filthineſs, given to hunting, if he could ſpare any time from his luxury, more then to prayer. By the advice of the Senate he ſent for Otho, againſt Berengarius; and when he was releeved, he practiſed againſt his redeemer; therefore (as is before) he was depoſed, and reſtored again by the Romans. And immediately, even in theſe ſame daies (ſaith Platin.) the moſt wicked man was judged to be ſtrucken of God, leſt the Church had been waſted with a ſchiſm: Some write (ſaith he) that this Monſter was taken in the act of adultry and killed. But he was intruded, at that time, by his father powerfully; and delighting himſelf with another man's wife, died ſuddenly without repentance. Sigebert ſaith, Sine viatico. Faſcic. temp. ſaith, Behold! O everliving God, how unlike are they unto former Biſhops! O the depth of God's judgments! who can ſearch them out! Let Bellarmin excuſe him among the reſt, and paſs him over in ſilence. Platina ſaith, he was worſe then any Pope before him; but he ſaith not, and worſe then any after him, for worſe Popes are coming. Onuphrius on that place of Platina ſaith, He firſt changed his name, becauſe he thought not his Chriſtian name honourable enough; but we have heard that others have done the like. He ſate 10 years.
23. BENEDICT the V was choſen by the Romans, although Leo the VIII (who was advanced by the great Synod) was yet alive; wherefore Otho returned to Rome in wrath, and reſtored Leo, as is before.
24. LEO the VIII ſitting now peaceably, did renounce in favour of the Emperour and his Succeſſours, all the Donations of Juſtinian, of Charls the The Pope's reſignation of former Donations.Great, of his ſon Lewis. The words of the Bull, in Crantz. Saxon. lib. 4. cap. 10. are; Leo Biſhop, the ſervant of God's ſervants, unto Otto our ſpiritual ſon in Chriſt, the Emperour Auguſtus, and unto all his Succeſſours, Emperours, and Kings of Italy: Whatſoever the Lord Charls King of France and Lombardy, and Patricius Romanus; as alſo his father Pipin, have given of the Royalty of this Kingdom of Italy, unto bleſſed Peter the Apoſtle in the Church of Rome, whether they were given by inſtruments by the Notary Etherius, or whether they came by Oaths or Donations, or any other way from Juſtinian Emperour, or King Arithpert; all theſe things we give and adjudge unto you Otto Emperour, and to Alheida your wife and conſort of the Empire, and unto your conſorts and ſucceſſours of this Kingdom of Italy for ever; being preſent the holy Evangeliſts, and many Patronages of the Saints.......that ye may have and poſſeſs all theſe things for ever, for the uſes of your Court, the Military affairs, and to fight againſt Pagans and Rebels of the Roman Empire; and therefore by authority of this inſtrument, we confirm and ſtrengthen unto your poſterity from generation to generation for ever; and if any ſhall deſtroy this our authority, and be found to violate it, or do contrary unto it, let him know that he ſhall fall under the wrath of bleſſed Peter, Prince of the Apoſtles, and our wrath, and of all our Predeceſſours: And moreover, if he repent not of the evil, let him be liable unto the Julian Law of Laeſe Majeſtatis, &c. After the ſolemn form, fiat, fiat, this Bull was ſubſcribed, by all the Arch-Biſhops, Biſhops, Cardinals, Prieſts and Deacons, chief Officers of the Roman Church; by the Conſuls alſo, Exconſuls, Senatours and civil Lords; and by all which by ſubſcribing could give any confirmation. The names fill up a page. This Bull was kept at Florence for the uſe of the Emperour; as Henry token a Canon of Magdeburg witneſſeth, in Catal. teſt. ver. lib. 11. Onuphrius proveth, that this Leo was a lawfull Pope: And whatſoever can be ſaid againſt the Bull or Inſtrument, Crantz. li. cit. cap. 11. ſaith, It is more authentical and legal then that Decree of Conſtantine's Donation, in longa Palea. This Leo ſate 2 years.
25. JOHN the XIV was not choſen, till Otho ſent his Meſſengers unto the election; as alſo this Pope did in other things reverence the Emperour; and for this cauſe Peter Captain of the City, two Conſuls, and the Elder men, whom they call Decarchones, and others roſe againſt him; they laid hands on him in the Lateran Church, and kept him in Priſon 11 moneths. The Emperour made haſt to Rome, and put all the above-named perſons in Priſon till the cauſe was examined; and then the Conſuls were exiled into Germany, the Elder men were hanged, and Peter was given unto the pleaſure of the Pope, who cauſed him to be ſtript naked, to ſhave his beard, and hang him by the hair a whole day, and ſet him upon an Aſs with his hands under her tail, then ſo to be led through the City, in the mean time being ſcourged with rods; and laſtly baniſhed out of the City. After this manner did this Ghoſtly Father obey the Goſpel, Love your enemies, ſaith Platina. This Pope did firſt baptize Bells; he called the great Bell in Lateran, John. He ſate 7 years.
26. BENEDICT the VI ſucceeded in place and miſeries; he was taken by Cintius Captain of the City, and caſt into the Priſon of malefactors, where he was ſtrangled; or as others ſay, famiſhed in the 18. monethmonth: But I fear (ſaith Platina) that the reward of Benedict was according to his merits, ſince none hath written that his death was revenged; and Otho is accounted a very good man, and a moſt ready defender of the Roman Church.
27. DONUS the II ſate one year, without doing any thing worthy of record.
28. BONIFACE the VII came to the Papacy by unlawfull means. Platin. When he ſaw that the Citizens conſpired againſt him, he hid himſelf; and ſeeing no appearance of tranquility, he ſtole all the Ornaments of Saint Peter's Church, and fled into Conſtantinople. Then
29. BENEDICT the VII was ſet up by the Romans. Otho was offended that they had tranſgreſſed the Acts made in his fathers time; he haſtned to Rome, and exerced ſeverity againſt the rebellious Romans; they in ſuffering deſerved death, did take unto themſelves the name of Martyrs: But Faſc. temp. maketh a diſtinction; they were killed as ſome in the primitive Church were killed; alike puniſhment, but not alike cauſe. Benedict followed the Emperour in this tumult, and received from him a temporal ſword; that is, authority The Pope hath a Sword given him.to puniſh all ſeditious perſons within the City; and ſo he baniſhed ſome, and impriſoned others. His Succeſſours have inlarged the petty juriſdiction. Stella cler. Catol. teſt. ver. lib. 11. He ſate 9 years.
30. JOHN the XV was no ſooner ſet in his Chair, but Pope Boniface the VII, having made monies of his ſacriledge, levieth an Army and entreth Rome; he took Pope John, pulled out his eys, and thruſt him into Priſon; where (as ſome ſay) he was murthered by Ferracius a Noble Roman, and father of Boniface now Pope again. Within 11 months Boniface died ſuddenly, and his Corps were drawn by the feet along the ſtreets, the people exclaiming againſt him. Platin. John and Boniface ſate 15 months, and died An. 982.
31. JOHN the XVI was expelled the City by Conſul Creſcentius. When the Conſul heard that the Pope was ſending his complaint unto the Emperour, he was content to reconcile with him. So between proſperity and adverſity he ſate 10 years, 10 months. Platin.
32. GREGORY the V was advanced by the Emperour, no man contradicting, ſaith Alb. Crantz. Saxon. lib. 4. cap. 26. The Romans took it ill, that the Emperour and Pope were both Germans; and in a ſedition they ſet up JOHN the XVII, a Greek; and by the power of Creſcentius, whom he had bought with money; for he had brought ſo much money from Conſtantinople, that even conſtant men might have been allured to wickedneſs by his gifts; but he died with ignominy in the 10 month, ſaith Naucler. vol. 2. generat. 34. Becauſe he was not lawfully choſen, he is not inrolled among the Popes, by ſome. Hence is ſo great variance amongſt the Johns following; for they who omit the She-Pope, and this John, call the next John the ſeventienth, whereas others call him the ninetienth; and ſo forth of the reſt. Gregory ſtaied in Hetruria till John was inſtalled, and then did run unto his Nephew Otho, who came with all haſt into Italy, took Rome by force, and apprehended Pope John and Creſcentius, as is before. After this Gregory did ratifie, quod Otho 3 ex Conſilio Principum Germaniae conſtituit, ſaith Naucler. lo. cit. that is, what the Emperour had ordained, by the advice of the German Princes, concerning the election of the Emperour in time coming. Naucler nameth the perſons of the Electers, and their places, otherwiſe then I have named them from Platina; for he nameth firſt the Count Palatine of Rhine, ſecond the Duke of Saxon, &c. But Platina ſpeaks probably, and it is certain, that upon other conſiderations, ſome Articles were changed afterwards. The Jeſuit Dion. Petavins in Ration. temp. par. 1. lib. 8. cap. 17. ſaith, The report is, that Gregory the V did tie the power of electing an Emperour, unto the ſuffrages of certain Princes, whom being ſeven in number, either he or ſome ſucceſſour is thought to have appointed. But it is clear by the Hiſtory that the Emperour had more power then the Pope, at that time, both in Italy and Germany; and certainly, the following Popes have taken occaſion, by this manner of election, to uſurp above the Emperours; or (as in Faſcic. temp.) upon this occaſion the Eagle did loſe many feathers, and was at laſt made totally naked. Gregory ſate 4 years, and died An. 999. Of this Century we ſee generally, that the Popes which were choſen by the Romans were wicked men; and as they ſought the Chair ambitiouſly for honour and power, ſo they had no reſpect to religion (even as the Popes following in the next Century) and therefore the Emperour had the greater reaſon to indeavour, and could the more readily obtain that order concerning the election of the Popes; but it was ſoon wreſted out of his hands; as followeth.