The history of popery, or, Pacquet of advice from Rome the fourth volume containing the lives of eighteen popes and the most remarkable occurrences in the church, for near one hundred and fifty years, viz. from the beginning of Wickliff's preaching, to the first appearance of Martin Luther, intermixt with several large polemical discourses, as whether the present Church of Rome be to be accounted a Church of Christ, whether any Protestant may be present at Mass and other important subjects : together with continued courants, or innocent reflections weekly on the distempers of the times.

The Weekly Pacquet OF Advice from Rome: OR, The History of POPERY. (Book 7)

The Fourth Volume. FRIDAY, Feb. 3. 1681-2. (Book 7)

Ʋt nemo doceat Fraudis & Scelerum vias Papatus docebit.—

The wickedness of Pope Innocent the Seventh, and Gregory the Twelfth. The horrid Perjury of the latter. Three Popes at once, and the Scuffles between them. The wickedness of Pope John the Twenty fourth. An Owl disturbs a whole Council.

TO Boniface the Ninth, succeeded at Rome (for you may please to remember, there was another Chair, and another Succession, all this while in France) Pope Innocent the Seventh. Concerning which Gentleman, Platina gives this account—Dum adhuc Cardinalis esset Carpere negligentiam, &c.

Whilst he was but a Cardinal, he used always to be taxing the former Popes of their Negligence and Cowardice, affirming, That it was through means of their sloth, that this terrible Schism of the Church of Rome was not long e're this remov'd and extinct; but as soon as he had once got the Popedom himself, he follow'd those very Courses which he blam'd in Ʋrban and Boniface, and was so far from doing that which before he so much applauded, that he hated

any that durst mention it to him.

His Government was inso∣lent, cruel, and tumultuous; the Inhabitants of Rome Addressing to him one time, That their Liberties might be restor'd, and the Garrisons in the Capitol, &c. remov'd, and that he would use some Endeavours for taking away the before-mention'd Schism in the Church, and joyn with the French King, who offer'd his assistance towards so good a Work; the proud Pope was not only deaf to their just Petitions, but sent Eleven of the princi∣pal Citizens Prisoners to his Nephew Lewis, who murder'd them, and caus'd their dead Bodies to be flung out at the Win∣dows.

Enrag'd with these Tyrannous Barbarities, the people of Rome take Arms, and call in Ladislaus King of Apulia, to their a••d, resolving to be reveng'd on the said Lewis; but he with the Pope flies to Viterbium, where having in some time raised considerable Forces, they send them against Rome; whereupon fearing greater mischiefs, they are content to receive the Pope, and invite him back to the City, who then created several Car∣dinals to strengthen his Party, and made his butcherly Nephew Lewis, Marquess of Pisa, and Prince of Firma. And soon after he himself died in the second year of his Papacy.

But some time before his decease, the Dukes of Berry, Bur∣gundy, and Orleans, (a Triumvirate which at that time, by rea∣son of the King's indisposition, did govern the Kingdom of France) went all of them to Pietro di Luna, (who we told you took upon him the name of Benedict the 13th, and Pop'd it at Avignion) beseeching him to rectifie this disorder, that the Church might no longer appear as a Monster with a pair of Heads, and people not know which to obey as Chief Pastor, and therefore were importunate with him to renounce the Papacy, urging that nothing could be more glorious than an abandoning his private Interest for the advantag•• of the public: And the rather was this to be expected from him, since at his Election he had promised to lay down, whensoever things should be adju∣sted with Rome. In order to which, he assur'd him, That that Pope which should be made in Rome after Innocent, should do the like; every one concluding, That if those Favourites (one of France, and tother of Italy) were but once dispossess'd of the Keys, which they both exercis'd at that time, (tho sure one of their Keys at least must needs be but a Picklock) and a

third indifferent person chosen, he would every where be ac∣knowledg'd the certain and undoubted Pope.

Benedict gave them the hearing, but gravely answer'd,

That he (alas good Man!) valued not the honour, and was weary of the trouble, but could not, without offending God, consent to the Proposals, for renouncing the Church, and abandoning the Flock of Christ, which by the common consent of so many good and worthy Electors, was committed to his cure and custody, and was unwilling to bring a thing into question, which he had so legally obtain'd. But as for what respected the removal of the Schism, and restoring Concord to the Church, there was nothing which he more passionately desired; and he would condescend to any Assembly or Council for the debating or setling thereof, provided in a secure place in which every one might speak his mind freely: For his own part he declar'd, and swore to it too, That in case the Schism could not be taken away by any other means, he would Renounce, upon condition the other at Rome would do the same, for other∣wise it would be to no purpose to solicit it.

The three Princes were not so short-sighted as not to see through Benedict's Veil of Hypocrisie, and how loth he was to quit the Chair; and he on the other side apprehending, lest they should make use of more powerful Arguments of Force to oblige him to comply with their Requests, fortified himself in his Palace, and was besieg'd there for five or six Months, 'till being weary of so close and tedious a Confinement, he em∣bark'd on certain Gallies on the Rhosn, and so escap'd into Cata∣lonia, which was his own Country: And indeed many suppose the before-mention'd Princes were instigated by the French Car∣dinals to get him remov'd chiefly for that reason, because he was a Catalonian, not a French-man, and that they might bring in one of their own Country-men to succeed him.

Upon the death of Innocent, which happen'd in November, 1406. the Italian and other Cardinals which were at Rome, en∣ter'd into the Conclave, and all solemnly swore upon the Holy Evangelists, which their Dean held in his hand, That every of them respectively would, if he were chosen, renounce the Pa∣pacy, provided the French or Catalonian Anti-pope renounc'd his Anti papacy first. This was done to satisfie the French, who having brought up a custom of Pope-making, according to their

own mode, it seem'd an unsurmountable difficulty to bring them out of it, with Reputation, unless the Italians would thus meet them half way. At last in the Conclave at Rome, Angelo Corraro a Venetian, and Cardinal of St. Mark, was chosen, and assumed the name of Gregory the 12th. And to make (as they thought) sure work, before he came out of the Conclave, they made him promise in Writing under the hand of a Public No∣tary, and also gave him his Oath, to perform the fore-mention'd Condition.

But (see the Faith of Popes!) no sooner was he setled in his Pontificial Gears, but he found too much sweetness in the place to leave it so easily; and indeed in this matter only, his Brother Anti-pope were well agreed, for he too, notwithstanding his said solemn Promise, did not care for leaving the Seat of Infalli∣bility, and so each of them shuffled and cut about the place of Congress, and whatever Town was nam'd, the other side wanted not Objections, and so no Agreement was like to succeed. Whereupon the Cardinals finding themselves shamm'd, declar'd against them both as Faith breakers, and unfit for the Holy Chair. And now the Cardinals of the French Faction resolv'd to aban∣don Benedict, and the Italians, Gregory; and to get another indifferently chosen. In order hereunto, the Cardinals both of Avignion and Rome met at Pisa, and by common consent De∣prive both Gregory and Benedict, all the Nations (except Cata∣lonia and the Scots, and some few petty Princes) concurring with them therein; and having so done, they proceed to elect a new Pope, and make choice of Peter Philargo a Fryar Minor, and Archbishop of Milan, who took upon him the name of Alex∣ander the Fifth, who was wont to say, he had been a rich Bishop, a poor Cardinal, and a beggarly Pope.

But for all this Decree of the folks at Pisa, the two old ones would still be Popes, alledging, That the Convention at Pisa, was neither a free nor a general Council, and that Matters were not there fairly and Canonically Transacted, and therefore they would not abide by their doings, but would appeal to a general Council: And to secure themselves, Gregory fled to∣wards Romagna, and stay'd some time at Rimini, where he was magnificently entertain'd; And as for Benedict, he having held a Conventicle in the City of Perpignan by the intervention of his own Friends, retires into the Castle of Panischola.

So that now we had no less than three Popes all in view, and at the same instant, for still the condemned Popes desisted not from exercising their Papal and Ecclesiastical Functions; they conse∣crated Bishops, and created Cardinals, and particularly Gabriel Condolmero, who was afterwards Pope by the name of Eugenius the Fourth, was by Gregory made Cardinal at Lucca. Now if a Succession from right and lawful Popes and Bishops be necessary, it must be granted, That if the Roman Church is not such, but miserably interrupted, vitiated, and confounded by these Popes, of whom no Man can say which was the Right, and yet their se∣veral Ordinations pass'd in the crowd, and multiplied no doubt in time into many thousand Descendents, deriving Episcopacy and Priesthood from this corrupt Fountain, which seem indeed (according to the Notions which these Men advance at another time) to be but so many Nullities: And yet where is there any Bishop or Priest in all Italy or France that is Infallibly sure, that he himself holds not by the same crackt Title?

But to return to the Story—Alexander (saith Theodoric a Nyem) was one that lov'd to live delicately, and to drink strong Wines; he was wholly rul'd by Balthazar Cossa Cardinal Dea∣con (the most profligate Villain that one shall read of) who succeeded him by the name of John the 24th. (or as some reckon, the 23d) The said Alexander died when he had held the Chair 8 or 9 Months, and Baptista Panaetius of Ferrara, a Cardinal, in his 56th Sermon, tells us, That the said Balthazar caus'd him to be poison'd by Marsilius de Parma his Physician, brib'd thereunto with a vast sum of Money, on purpose that he himself might fol∣low him in his Papacy.

And how the said Balthazar got it at last, as to the manner, is very pleasant; for as soon as Alexander was dead, being at Bo∣nonia, and having by his former Administration got the chief Power into his hands, he commanded the Cardinals to Elect a Pope such as he might approve of; and they offer'd several to him, of whom he thought none fit enough: At last they reque∣sted plainly to shew who he was for? Give me (then saith he) the Cloak of St. Peter, (a Garment which they fling upon the new elected Pope) and I will give it to him that shall be Pope: Which being done, he put it on his own shoulders, and said, Papa ego sum, It is I am Pope; and was as good as his word: For tho several of the Cardinals mutter'd and grumbled, yet

none durst oppose him. This Prank of his is credibly related by Johannes Stella, in his Book De Pontificibus.

To fix himself firm in his Seat, he courts Sigismund King of Hungary, and gets him elected Emperour, and summons a Coun∣cil at Rome, where a very odd accident fell out, which Nicholas Clemangis Archdeacon of Bayeux, a Man famous in those times, delivers as follows—

At the first meeting of the Council, Mass being said after the accustomed manner to invocate the Holy Ghost, no sooner was the Council sat, and Balthazar him∣self in a Chair provided for him higher than the rest, but bo••eld a dreadful ill-favour'd Screechowl, the presage (they say) of Calamity, with an horrible voice flew over their heads, and seated her self upon the middle Beam of the Church, with her Eyes directly fixt upon the Pope. Behold, said some of the lewd Italian wits, the Spirit in the form of an Owl! Balthazar the Pope himself seeing how she glar'd at him, at first blusht for shame, then began to sweat, and by and by in confusion broke up the Council. And at the second Session she was there again in the same manner, and the Pope would have drove her away by noise and clamours, but she would not stir, 'till assaulting her with Pikes and Staves; having receiv'd several blows, she fell down dead before them all.

THE COURANT.

Tory.

BUT do'nt you perceive by the last Observator, that old Roger has a Months mind to stand, next Election, one of the Candidates for his n'own Country of Norfolk, when it shall please God and the King to bless us with a Parlia∣ment?

Truem.

No truly; for tho the doting fellow talks a little freakishly, yet we understand true English Norfolk Dumplings as well as himself, and are satisfied, That the generality of Free-holders, not only there, but throughout the Nation too, are (to use his own phrase) more clarified in their Ʋnderstan∣dings, than to chuse either Knaves or Beggars. Besides, that Gentleman has the same Antipathy to Parliaments, as some folks have to Cats, he sweats, and swouns, and is ready to run away at the sight or very smell on't. Nor has he any reason to ambition a place in an Assembly, which he has so grosly and im∣pudently abus'd, That when ever They meet, he knows his Ears will not be able to make Atonement for the petulancy of his Tongue, and the French Itch of his Fingers. 'Tis true, he has already dubb'd himself a Body Politic, sometimes his own silly self is (forsooth!) the Government, sometimes the Church; and in his own conceit makes as great a Figure in the World for Loyalty as Mother Celliers, or her younger Sister Mrs. Elia∣nor James, with her Sham-Pape••s of Adviso's. Alas. Man! he has places enow already; is he not Mouth Extraordinary of Faction? Principal Forger of Flams and Shams? Grand Engi∣neer for Bedaubing all Evidence of the Popish Plot? The mighty Artist at Blanching of Blackamoors? Supream Scavenger of the Town, into whose Cart all the Popish Kennel-rakers that can∣not find Stowage in Took and Thompson, empty their Durt, which he most industriously two or three times a week subtlely unloads at Protestants Doors:—And then,

For the whole Gang we hair-brain'd Tories call, He's Knight o'th' Shire, and represents you All.

Tory.

Well! But he tells you, the French King does not make all these Advances into Flanders meerly to pick up Cockle-shells, or catch Whitings.

Truem.

No, I'le warrant him; nor does he contrive the mighty Haven at Dunkirk, and expensive Fortifications there, to make a Retreat for Herring-Busses: But that wise and haughty Monarch has (no doubt) an Eye on enlarging his Empire, and in subserviency thereunto, prosecutes the poor Dissenters, aliàs Huguenots, or Protestants, within his Dominions, that he may the more plausibly engage the Pope to favour his Enterprizes, and lull Princes of that Communion asleep: Nor is it my busi∣ness to enquire why the Progress of his Arms were not stopt long since, when means (however diverted) were not wan∣ting; or to look over old printed Letters, to find who it was talk'd of Interests inseparable: This I will only say, That whe∣ther in other Parts of a different Religion and Interest, where a Popish and French Plot is apparently discover'd to be working in their very Bowels, it may be of use towards obviating his Designs, to divide Protestants, and worry one another to the undoing of many thousands, nay, hundreds of thousands of Families, damping of Trade, consequently lesse••ing the Re∣venue, and embroiling Affairs, and all this, for a parcel of (acknowledg'd) Trifles, or imaginary Stories, forg'd by a knot of ill Men, who have no other means to screen themselves from the Justice they apprehend out of conscious Guilt; may still be a Question.

Tory.

Pish, you are harping on the Popish Plot, but the same Author frankly tells you, 'Tis nothing but a Vision of Dragons in the Moon.

Truem.

Right! he's indeed pleas'd to call it so; but I humbly conceive, The King, the Nation, and especially (as 'tis worded) the City, has little reason to thank him for that Complement.

Printed for Langley Curtis, 1681-2.