A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

AN Historical Account OF THE CONTROVERSIES IN RELIGION AND OF OTHER Ecclesiastical Affairs, IN THE Fourteenth CENTURY. (Book 1)

CHAP. I. (Book 1)

Of the Differences between Philip the Fair, King of France, and Boniface VIII. as well during his Papacy, and his Successor Benedict XI, as in the Vacancy of the Holy See, and in the Beginning of the Papacy of Clement V.

BEnedictus Cajetanus, a Native of the City of Anagni [in the Campaign di Roma] was * 1.1 chosen Pope December 24. A. D. 1294, after the Voluntary resignation of Cele∣stine V. and assumed the Name of Boniface VIII. He immediately after his Ele∣vation to the Papal Dignity, entertained a Design of rooting entirely the Gibeline-Party out of Italy, and so make himself absolutely Supreme as well in Temporal, as Spiritual Affairs over all the Kingdoms of Christendom. And of this he gave plain inti∣mations, not only in the Accommodation, which he purposed to make between Philip the Fair * 1.2 King of France, and Edward II. King of England, by his own Authority; but also in receiving the Appeal of Guy Earl of Flanders, made to him against the said King of France: and to that end, sending his Legate the Bishop of Meaux to that King, to require him to give Satis∣faction to the Earl of Flanders, and in case he refused, to Summon him to Appear before the Pope, that the Difference between them might be decided before his Tribunal. Philip the Fair, being highly offended at these Proceedings, told the Legate, That it belonged not to the Pope to concern himself with the Temporal Affairs of Princes and Soveraign Lords; That he had a Court of his own to administer Justice to his Subjects and Homagers, and that he would Acknowledge none his Superior, but God only. The Legate departed without effecting any

thing; but the Pope in the Year 1296. published a Bull, wherein, having complained, that * 1.3 Kings exacted from the Clergy, Subsidies, Tithes and other Imposts, which the Clergy payed them, without leave from the Holy See; He forbids all the Clergy to pay any thing out of their Estates to the Laity, or to give their Consent to any Imposition, without Permission from the Pope. And all Emperours, Kings, Princes, or other Lords, and Judges to exact nothing of them upon Pain of Excommunication, and Interdict. This Bull concerned the King of France, more than any other, because he had levyed Money upon the Clergy, to defray the Charge of the War; whereupon this Prince put out a Declaration on the 17th. of * 1.4 August, the same Year, whereby he Prohibited the carrying of any Silver coined, or uncoined out of his Kingdom; or any Strangers to remain there. The Pope thereupon sent him a very sharp Bull, in which he sets forth, that this general Prohibition is prejudicial to his Subjects; and if he had a design to extend it to Ecclesiastical Persons, it is a rashness, which he styles Folly, and that deserves Excommunication; and if he had been induced to set out this Edict upon occasion of the Ordinance made lately in favour of the Liberty of the * 1.5 Clergy, it was an ill Pretence, because his Decree contained to new Constitution, but only confirmed what had been formerly ordained by Canonical Decrees, under new Penalties, and that he did not therein absolutely forbid the Clergy to grant any Aid to the King for the De∣fence and Necessity of the State, but to do it without special leave from the Holy See; and that, upon consideration of the intolerable Exactions, which the King's Officers had made upon the Clergy in his Kingdom: Moreover, that the Holy See had always been, and like∣wise for the time to come should be ready, in the pressing Necessities of the State, to oblige the Clergy of the Kingdom of France, to afford Succour to their King, without sparing even the Chalices, the Crosses, and other Sacred Utensils, if need were, rather than suffer so great a Kingdom, and so dear to the Holy See, to want Necessary Succours for its Defence; but that at this juncture all Kings and Princes, Neighbours to France, complained of his Inva∣sions; and among others, that the King of the Romans alledges, That the King of France has seized on divers Imperial Towns, especially on the County of Burgundy; and the King of Eng∣land says, That he likewise keeps from him a Country in Gascony; that these Princes would very willingly referr themselves to the Holy See, to whom the Judgment belongs, in regard it is a Sin to detain that which is anothers, and to make an Unjust War: In fine, the Pope declares, That he would not be understood in his Decree to speak of the Impositions and Aids, which the Prelates and other Ecclesiastical Persons, owe the King on the account of the Fiefs which they hold, dependant on the Crown. He conjures the King to follow his Advice, and to revoke his Ordinance, being desirous to use all gentle means with him, before he would make use of Ecclesiastical Censures. He sent the Bishop of Viviers to him at the same time, that he might represent the thing to him Viva voce, and gave him a Letter of par∣ticular Credence, bearing Date the 22d. of the same Month.

The King set forth a Manifesto, in Answer to the Pope's Bull, wherein he observes, that before there were any Clergy in France, the King had the Protection of his Kingdom, and * 1.6 Power to make Laws which he judged necessary for its Defence; so that he could forbid the carrying Money and Arms out of his Kingdom, for fear his Enemies should get some Advan∣tage by them, that he had not absolutely forbid the doing it, but only without his Permission, with a design to grant it to the Clergy, in case that it brought no Prejudice to the Kingdom; that were it true, that the King detained by Violence the Persons, and Goods of the Clergy, it would be surprizing enough, that the Pope should not pronounce him Excommunicate; that the Church is not only composed of the Clergy, but also of the Laity, and that they are not only the Clergy, but likewise the Laity whom Jesus Christ has delivered from the Sla∣very of Sin, and set at Liberty: That the Clergy have in truth particular Privileges, which have been granted to them by the Decrees of Popes, by the Bounty, or at least by the Per∣mission of Secular Princes; but that they ought not to deprive Princes of the Government, and defence of their Kingdoms, nor of the Things necessary to that End: That we must give to Caesar that which is Caesar's, and that every one, whether Church-man, or Laick, who is not willing to contribute to the Necessities of the State, is an unprofitable Member, which must be cut off: That if the Enemy prevail'd, the Clergy would be they, who would Suffer most, and their Goods be most liable to the Spoil: That it overthrows the Ancient and Natural Right, to hinder one from succouring one's self: That it is a shame for the Vicar of Jesus Christ to forbid the Paying of Tribute to Caesar, and to thunder out his Censures against the Clergy, who lend their Assistance to the King and Kingdom, or rather to themselves, while they are permitted to bestow their Riches on Players, and their Friends, and to wast them in superfluous Expences: That it is Unjust; that the Church-men enriched by the Bounty of Princes, should refuse them necessary Aids for the defence of the State: That this is, to assist the Enemy, to commit Treason, and betray the State, to maintain such a Prohibition; As to what concerns the King of England, the War, which he hath with him, arises from this, because that Prince would not make his Appearance when Summon'd to do Homage for the Lands, he held of France, His Majesty was obliged to seize them, till he had done his Duty; but in stead of doing it, he had declared War against him, and had renounced the Fealty, and Homage, which he owed him for those Lands: And, as to the King of the Romans, that he had offer'd that Prince to referr himself, as to the Differences between them, to Four Um∣pires:

That he had not taken the County of Burgundy, till after that King had declared War, and bid him publick Defiance. In fine, the Kings his Predecessors had been very liberal to the Clergy, who could not, without Ingratitude, refuse to grant him such Aids; to the end he might be in a Condition to oppose his Enemies.

The King was not the only one, that opposed this Undertaking of the Pope, the Archbishop * 1.7 of Rheims, and the other Bishops of his Diocess sent him a Letter, wherein they humbly pre∣sented to him, That the King, the Princes, Barons, and other Lords of the Kingdom, finding his Decree burdensom and prejudicial to their Rights, had resolved to Summon all the French, chiefly such as ow'd Fealty to the King, of whom almost all the Prelates of the Kingdom had taken the Oath of Fidelity, to defend and preserve the Rights and Honour of His Majesty and his Kingdom: That they could not live in quiet, if they were not protected by the King: That if the Clergy did not grant the King, what he demanded, the Church of France, which hitherto had enjoyed Peace, and Liberty, would be in danger of falling into Trouble, and be tossed with a Tempest, which might occasion its Ruin: Wherefore they beseech his Holiness to find out a Way to appease this Disturbance, and to maintain Peace between the Church and State: That they therewith had sent to him two Bishops, to set forth more particularly by word of mouth the Danger, to which the Gallican Church is like to be exposed.

In the mean time, the Pope sent two Nuncio's to France, namely, Berardus Bishop of * 1.8 Albania, and Simon Bishop of Praeneste; to whom he gave Order to Levy the Money in that Kingdom for the Holy See, to transmit it to Italy, and to Declare the King, and his Officers Excommunicate, if they opposed them in it. He likewise sent by them a Bull, by which he continued the Truce between the King of France, the King of England, and the King of the Romans, for the space of two Years longer, under the Pain of Excommunication, to him, that should break it. These two Nuncio's being desirous to present this Bull to King Philip the Fair, before he had read it, he protested, That the Temporal Government of his King∣dom belonged to him only: That he owned no Person above him in it; neither would he submit himself therein to any Man whatever, and that his Resolution was to maintain all his Rights, and defend them against all Men: That he meant not to be bound by the Bull, which mentioned the continuance of the Truce; but as to what related to his Soul and Spiritual Matters, he was ready to submit to the Advice and Command of the Holy See, as far as he ought, and was obliged. He demanded of the two Nuncio's an Allowance of this Protesta∣tion, before the reading of the Bull, for lengthening of the Truce, the 20. of April, 1297.

On the 31. of July, of the same Year, the Pope declared by a Bull granted at Orvietum; * 1.9 that he had no Design by his first Bull, to hinder the free Gifts, which the Bishops were wil∣ling to present to the King, or his Lords, nor the Feodal Rights, and other Services due to the King from the Clergy, no more than the Case of the Exigency of State, on which Occa∣sion the King and his Successors have Power to oblige the Clergy to grant him a Subsidy, even without consulting the Pope: And that this Exigency shall be declared by the King, and his Successors, if they have attained to the Age of One and Twenty Years; or in case they have not, by the Assembly of the States.

Whilst Boniface soften'd Matters with the King of France, he carried them to Extremity * 1.10 against the Gibelines, and particularly against the Colonni, who were the Heads of the Party. He had then two Cardinals of that House, James Colonni, Cardinal of the Title of St. Mary in Viâ latâ, and Peter Colonni, Cardinal by the Title of St. Eustachius. The Pope accused them of Robbing the Treasury of the Church, after the Death of his Predecessors, and of Dispersing defamatory Libels against him: And on that account, he caused them to be Summoned the Fourth of May, to appear personally the same Evening before him, and the Consistory of Cardinals, there to hear what he had to alledge against them, and to know of them whether he was Pope. On the 10th. of May, these two Cardinals drew up a Writing, in the Castle of Longetia, wherein they declared, That they would not appear to the Sum∣mons given them by the Pope, because they believed it was not safe for them to repair to the place, where he was; but since Benedictus Cajetanus has noted in the close of the Summons, that he would know of them, whether he were Pope? They declared to him, That they held him not to be lawful Pope; that they had brought their Accusation of it to the Cardinals, and demanded, that they would take Care of the Welfare of the Church, by examining, whether Benedict were a lawful Pope, having heard it from Persons of good Credit often said, that there was room to doubt, whether the Renunciation made by Celestine V. were Lawful and Canonical, because God alone being the Bestower of the Papal Soveraignty, it could not be taken away by any Man; and if Bishops cannot be deposed, nor translated, no nor voluntarily resign their Bishopricks, but by Authority of the Pope their Superiour; by an Argument, à fortiori the Pope, who has no Superiour, cannot be divested, no, not volun∣tarily, of the Papacy, the acceptance of which is in a manner a Vow which is ever obliging; and that altho' Celestine did renounce the Papacy, the Renunciation that he made was not Valid, because he was engaged to do it by Fraud and Surprize; That, in fine, though his Re∣nunciation might stand good, several things have since happen'd, which had made Void the Election of Benedict; That these Reasons had made them of Opinion that he was no Pope; That they insisted on it, that a General Council ought to be called, to decide this Question, being ready to submit to their Determination; That in the mean time they forbid him all

the Functions of the Papacy, and Appealed, as to all he could do against them, or against others, to a General Council, to the Holy See, or a future Pope; That they made open Pro∣testation of it, and that not being able to have this Protestation signified to him, for fear he should Arrest those, that should signifie it to him; according as he had threatned them, they would publish it to the whole World. In conclusion they exhorted all Christians to procure the Assembling of a General Council, and to withdraw themselves from the Obedience of Benedict, till a General Council shall have decided this Matter. This Act was passed in the presence of an Apostolick Notary of Praeneste, and divers Witnesses, the greatest part whereof were Frenchmen.

The same day Boniface published a thundring Bull against the Colonni, wherein after having * 1.11 at large recounted the Mischiefs which that House had done to the Holy See, and complained, That the two Cardinals Colonni would not cause to be yielded up, by Stephen Colonni their Nephew, the City of Praeneste, and the Castles he Possessed, with a Design to imploy them in Favour of Frederick the King of Sicily, an Enemy of the Church, he deposeth these two Cardinals, declares them to have forfeited all their Benefices, and incapable to enjoy any Ec∣clesiastical Dignity, no not so much as any Benefice scituate an Hundred Miles from the City of Rome, and Excommunicates not only them, but all others, that shall acknowledge them to be Cardinals, or admit them to assist at the Election of a Pope. He deprives for ever John and Odo, Sons of John Colonni, the Brother of Cardinal James, and all his Posterity of all Benefices, declares them uncapable to be promoted to a Cardinalship, or the Papacy, or to enjoy any Benefice even to the Fourth Generation; Orders, That these two Cardinals shall appear within Ten Days before the Consistory; and in default thereof, he deprives them of all their Goods, moveable and immoveable. The Publication of this Bull was followed by a Crusade, which the Pope set on foot to make War upon the Colonni; by means whereof, he spoiled them of their Estates, took their Places, and their Castles, and drave them out of Italy. Sciarra Colonni, one of the Heads of this Family, being withdrawn from Praeneste, was there Besieged, and for fear of falling into the Pope's hands, escaped by Night with his Ne∣phews, and retired to the Woods, where he remain'd a long time conceal'd and wandring, till he fell into the hands of Pirates, who put him in Fetters; from which Philip the Fair rescued him. Stephen Colonni, and others fled into France, where they were well received by the King: This very much displeased the Pope. But that which made the Pope, and the King of France fall out downright, was the Judgment, which the former gave, between the King, the Earl of Flanders, and the King of England; by which he ordained, that Philip the Fair, should restore to the Earl his Daughter (whom he kept Prisoner since the Year 1296.) to Marry her, as he pleased, as also some Lands he had taken from him; and that he should go into the East to make War upon the Infidels. The Pope dispatch'd a Bull of this Judg∣ment, * 1.12 and put it into the hands of the English Ambassador, who carried it to Paris: But when it was read in the Presence of the King, of Charles Earl of Valois his Brother, of Ro∣bert Earl of Artois, and the Earl of Evreux; the Earl of Artois snatched away the Bull in a rage, and threw it into the Fire, Swearing, That it should not be so, and the Pope should not revenge himself at the Cost of the Kingdom. The King protested, That he would not put in Execution, what the Pope had Decreed; but as soon as the Truce was expired, he would begin the War afresh.

In the Year 1300. Boniface published a Jubilee, in which he granted Plenary Indulgences * 1.13 to all, who should visit the Churches of St. Peter and St. Paul, at Rome; decreeing, that the same thing should be renewed every Hundred Years. The opening of the Jubilee drew a great Concourse of People to Rome; and Boniface to make the Soveraign Authority, which he pretended to have over the Temporality, to be owned, appeared at the Ceremony, one while in his Pontifical Habit, and another in Imperial Robes, and took for his Motto, Ecce duo gladii.

The King not willing to quarrel with the Pope downright, sent to him the same Year * 1.14 William of Nogaret, Baron of Calvisson, in Quality of an Ambassador, to give him Advice of the Alliance he had made with the Emperor, who on his part likewise sent him an Ambassador. The Pope had no great regard to the one or the other, blamed the Election of the Emperor, and threatned him, that he would cross it if he did not give him Tuscany, said many dis∣obliging things of the King, and did all he could to break off the Alliance between the two Princes. Nogaret, who understood the ill Designs of the Pope, upbraided him there∣with to his Face, which exasperated his Spirit, and made him yet more a verse, than before, to the King's Interests.

Boniface proposed to the Christian Princes a Crusado to go into the East against the In∣fidels. * 1.15 He sent Bernard Saisset, Bishop of Pamiez (a Bishoprick he had Erected in the Year 1296. in spite of the King) with Orders, not only to set forward this Expedition with Philip the Fair, but likewise to demand the Enlargement of the Earl of Flanders, and his Children. The King refusing to hearken to these Proposals, the Bishop forgot the respect he owed the King, telling him, That he held nothing of his Majesty, but that he owed all to the Pope, whose Subject he was, both as to Spiritual and Temporal Concerns, threatned to Interdict the Kingdom, and maintain'd the Pope's Temporal Power over Soveraign Princes. The King offended at this Procedure, caused this Bishop to be accused of divers Monopolies which he

had exacted, and of Rebellion; and ordered him to be cited before the Parliament; where appearing, he was sent to Prison.

Boniface enraged at this Imprisonment, in the Month of February, in the Year 1301. sent James Norman, Archdeacon of Narbonne, to the King, to order him to set this Bishop at Li∣berty: The which the King did, putting him nevertheless under the keeping of the Arch-bishop of Narbonne, his Metropolitan, to punish him for his Rashness, according to the rules of the Canon. Boniface not content herewith, required that the King should set him at full Liberty, and give him a Grant of all his Goods.

After that, by a Bull of the 4th. of December, in the same Year, he suspended the Favours, * 1.16 and Privileges, he had granted to the King of France and his Successors, and to his Coun∣sellors, Clergy, or Laity, and particularly, those he had granted for the Relief of the State; and decreed, that the Clergy, without his consent, should not Pay the King, what he de∣manded under the Title of Tenths, or Aid, though he had consented to it, and had given time, till the 1st. of November, in the Year following, to make Report of the Privileges to the Holy See, to the end they might be Examined.

Two days after he set forth another Bull, wherein he declares, that God had established him * 1.17 over Kings, and Kingdoms, to pluck up, to destroy, to scatter, to build; that the King of France ought not to think, he has no Superiour, and is not Subject to the Pope; that he, who is of that Opinion, is a Fool and an Infidel. He therein Discourses with the King about the Summs of Money which he exacted of his Subjects: He therein complains that he had fill'd the Benefices, and Prebends vacant in the Court of Rome, without the Pope's Leave; that he had seized on the Goods of the Clergy; that he vexed them with several Grievances; parti∣cularly the Church of Lions, though it be out of the Bounds of his Kingdom; by receiving the Revenues of the Cathedral Churches during the Vacancy, which he falsly calls a Right belonging to the Crown. He orders the Prelates, Chapters of Churches, and Doctors of Di∣vinity in the Kingdom to attend him, in order to provide for the Reformation of the Realm. He inveighs against the King's Evil Counsellors, and exhorts this Prince to undertake the Holy War. By another Bull of the same Date, directed to the Prelates, Chapters of Cathe∣drals, and other Doctors of the Realm, he writes to them, that not being ignorant of the Oppressions which the Clergy suffer from the Kings, his Officers, Earls or Barons, he has taken up a Resolution, after he had communicated it to the Cardinals, to Summon them to Rome: He orders them to appear there on the First of November following, with Powers and Instructions necessary, and Promises them, that Care should be taken for the Preservation of the Honour and Freedom of the Gallican Church, and the Reformation of the State. He writes the same thing to the Abbots in a Bull very like it: But to the end his Bull might make the deeper Impression, he made an Abridgment of it, in these words:

Boniface the Bishop, a Servant of the Servants of God, to Philip King of France: Fear God, and keep his Commandments. We will you to know, that you are Subject to us, both in Spi∣rituals and Temporals. You have no Right to bestow Benefices, and Prebends; and if the Custody of the Goods of some Vacant Benefices belongs to you, you ought to reserve the Profits to their Successors. If you have bestowed any Benefices, we declare the Donation Void, and revoke the actual Possession which ensued thereon. We declare them Hereticks, who believe the contrary. Given at the Palace of Lateran, on the 5th. of December, in the 7th. Year of our Papacy.

These Bulls were delivered, and published in the Kingdom by the Archdeacon of Narbonne. * 1.18 The King to obviate the ill Consequences, which they might have, caused the short Bull to be publickly burnt on the 8th. of February 1302. and called together the Three Estates of his Kingdom to advise about Ways of Self-preservation. This Assembly was held in the Church of our Lady at Paris, 10th. of April 1302. The King proposed there the Pope's Pretensions to the Temporalties of his Kingdom, and the Summons he had sent to the Prelates to appear at Rome. Peter Flotte, who spake for the King, represented to the Assembly the pernicious Designs of the Pope, the Injuries which the Court of Rome did to the Gallican Church by her Reservations, by * 1.19 Provisions of Archbishopricks, Bishopricks and other Benefices, which she bestowed on Strangers, that were Non-resident, and by other Methods, by which she assumed the disposal of all Benefices, by Impositions upon the Clergy; by the right she challenged to take Cognisance and to Judge of all Causes. He Protested on the King's behalf, that he own'd God only his Superior in Temporals; that it was his intent before the Arrival of the Nuncio, if there were Occasion, to regulate the Behaviour of his Officers towards the Clergy; but that since he had Superseded the doing it, for fear the Pope should take Advantage by it, and believe it to be done at his instance and by his order. The King demanded the Opinion of the Assembly upon all these Points, and chiefly about his Soveraign Jurisdiction in Temporals. The Nobility, having withdrawn awhile to Deliberate, answer'd by the Earl of Artois, That they thanked his Majesty for the good Will he had to maintain the Rights and Honour of his State, and declared, that they were ready to expose their Lives and Fortunes in its Defence; and though his Majesty would suffer, or pass by these Attempts, they would oppose it; and said, that they own'd no other Superiour, but the King. The Clergy was unwilling suddenly to give their Answer, and desired time to deliberate more fully; but the King pressing them to speak their Mind, the Prelates declared, That they believed themselves bound to Defend

the King, and the freedom of the Kingdom, and that some of them were engaged thereto by Oath, and others by Duty. Nevertheless they besought the King to permit them to at∣tend the Pope, who had sent them a Summons; but the King refused it, by the Advice of the Nobility. The third Estate was of the same Opinion, with the Nobles.

This Assembly being broke up, the King sent the Pope a short Answer, like his abridged Bull, in these terms.

Philip by the Grace of God, King of France to Boniface, who stiles * 1.20 himself Supreme Bishop, little or no Greeting. May your great Extravagance know, that we are not Subject to any Person whatsoever, in Things Temporal; that the be∣stowing of Vacant Churches and Prebends, does of Regal right belong to us; that we can Appropriate the Fruits of them to our selves; that the Grants we have made, or shall make for the time to come, are Valid; that we will Maintain powerfully, those that are in Possession thereof, and we declare them Fools, and Senseless, that think the contrary.

The Dukes, Earls, and Barons of France, wrote to the Cardinals the same Day,

That though they desired to maintain the Ancient Union, which ever had been between the Holy See, and the Realm of France, yet they could not suffer the Attempts, which Boniface made upon the They send them word, what was resolved in the King, and Kingdom.

Assembly of the States; Prove that the King is not Subject to the Pope, in Temporals; and that the Pope has no right to send for the Prelates of the Kingdom, nor undertake to reform it; they represent the Prejudice, the Prelates going out of the Realm would cause to the State; upbraid Boniface, that he has taken great Summs of Money for the Grants of Eccle∣siastical Dignities; that he had filled the Benefices, with Persons of no Merit; that he bestowed Benefices, the Grant of which belonged to the King. They besought the Cardinals to hinder the Consequences of this Undertaking, that the Church may continue in Peace. The Prelates wrote a little after the same things to Boniface, informed him what passed in the Assembly; the Complaints the King there made; in what manner the Nobility there spake; how that being asked, they desired time to Consult, with desire to appease his Majesty, and to Establish the Union between him and the Holy See; but that being obliged to answer upon the spot, that they might not be looked on as Enemies to the State, they had declared, they thought themselves bound to Assist the King, and Preserve his Person, his Honour, his Liberty, his Rights, and those of his Kingdom, as well by the Oath of Allegiance, which some of them had taken to the King upon account of their Fiefs, as by the Duty of Faithful Subjects; They added, that they had besought his Majesty to permit them to go to Rome, whither his Holi∣ness had cited them; but that the King and the Lords had forbid them: They earnestly besought the Pope to apply a Remedy to the Mischiefs that would necessarily ensue, if the Dissention, which is begun between him and the King, continued; and prayed him to re-establish the Union, and revoke the Summons, he had caused to be given them by his Nuncio. The third Estate wrote likewise a Letter to the Cardinals to the same Effect.

The Pope's Answer to the Prelates contain'd nothing, but Complaints against the Assembly, which the King had caused to be held at Paris, and principally against Peter Flotte, whom he * 1.21 calls Belial semividens corpore, & mente totaliter excaecatus, and reproaches, against them that had not taken his part. He affirms, That the Doctrine delivered in this Assembly is Schis∣matical, because it tends to the Establishment of two Supreme Heads; and that the Design of those Persons who composed this Assembly, was to separate the Gallican Church from the Union of the Church Universal, and to Erect a See against the Vicar of Jesus Christ. In the Conclusion, he exhorts the Prelates to do their Duty, and to obey him, despising Temporal Riches, and the Threats of Secular Judges. The Cardinals answered the Nobility, That the Pope had never pretended that the King ought to be Subject to him in Temporals, or to hold his Kingdom of him: And that the Archdeacon of Narbonne had not insinuated it, nei∣ther by word of Mouth, nor in Writing, and therefore the Proposal made by Peter Flotte was without Ground; that the Pope had sent for the Prelates and Doctors of France to consult with them, as with Persons who could not be suspected by the King; that 'twas no new thing for the Holy See to assemble Provincial, and General Councils; that the Pope had favoured the King, in not calling a General Council, where there would appear Prelates of other King∣doms, which are not well affected to that of France; that if the Letter were consider'd. which he wrote to the King, 'tis so far from being a ground of Complaint, that there is reason to Thank him for his Paternal Care of the King and Kingdom, to procure their Quiet, and dis∣charge the Clergy, and People from Taxes; that if the Pope had burthen'd the Church of France, it was in favour of the King, in allowing him to Levy the Tenth part of the Church-Revenues for several Years; that the Benefices, and Ecclesiastical Dignities, which he had granted within the Kingdom, he had given with regard to the King; that he had likewise granted him several Dispensations; that he had filled the Archbishopricks, or Bishopricks of France, with no Strangers, except the Archbishop of Bourges and the Bishop of Arras, who were not suspected by the King, and whose Merit was well known; that as to the Canonries he had confer'd them on Natives of the Realm, and chosen Persons worthy to supply them, and that for one Stranger, there were in them an hundred French; In fine, They complain that the Prelates had not given to Boniface the Title of Supreme Bishop in their Letter, and had not used the terms of Respect, which were usually given him. This Letter of the Car∣dinals is Dated the 26th. of June, in the Year 1302. They wrote the same day another Letter

to the third Estate, containing much the same things, but shorter. The same things likewise are to be found in three Letters of three Cardinals directed to Robert Duke of Burgundy, who had written to them to find out Ways how to remove this Disturbance, on Condition the Pope would revoke the Suspension of the Privileges, and the citation of the Prelates, and other Ecclesiastical Persons to Rome. They answer'd him about this Proposition, that the King ought to put himself in a posture to receive these Favours of the Pope; that he should first make him Satisfaction by acknowledging he had done amiss. The same year the Pope held a Consistory, wherein Cardinal Porto spake boldly for the Authority of the Pope over the Temporalties of Kings. Boniface did the like, and spake several things against the King, concluding, that he could depose him, and persisted in his resolution to force the Prelates to come to Rome. The King on the other side forbad them to depart, or carry any Gold or Silver out of his Kingdom, and caused the Estates of those to be seized, who were gone out of the Kingdom without his Leave.

While the Potentates thus disputed their Rights, the King's Officers and the Divines endea∣voured * 1.22 for their parts to maintain the Rights of the Kingdom, and the Truth. We have among others, a Writing of one Peter Bosco, the King's Advocate at Constance, against the short Bull of Boniface, wherein he maintains that the Pope's Claim is Heretical. We have besides another Treatise more at large, where the Question concerning the King's Soveraignty in Temporals is discussed Pro and Con, and decided in favour of the King, by very solid Rea∣sons, and by Quotations out of the Scripture, and the Fathers.

In the Year 1302. the King foreseeing, that the Pope would push Matters farther, and desiring to prevent it, received the Accusation of William Nogaret against the Pope, contain'd * 1.23 in a Petition of his to the King, which he presented to him in the Louvre, in the presence of divers Prelates and Lords, the 12th. of March. He therein sets forth, that Boniface is no law∣ful Pope, because he was chosen during the Life of Celestine, whom he deceived and seduced, and in fine, caused to be put to Death; and that his Intrusion could not be rectified by a new consent of the Cardinals, it being null in its beginning. He there says, That it is the King's part to make use of the Authority which God had put into his Hands, to oppose this Usurper of the Holy See. He propounds afterwards Four Heads of the Accusation against him. 1. That he is no Pope; but that he holds the Holy See unjustly. 2. That he is an apparent Heretick. 3. That he is Guilty of Notorious Simony. 4. That he is Guilty of several open Crimes, in which he is harden'd, viz. The Robbing of Churches, Tyranny, Blas∣phemy, Extortion, &c. He declares, That he is ready to make good all these things in a General Council, which he demands to be held, and in the mean time, that Boniface be Im∣prisoned, and that one be Substituted to Govern the Church, until there be a Pope chosen; and adds, That he Addresses himself to the King for this. 1. Because of his Religion. 2. Be∣cause of his Dignity Royal, which engages him to extirpate all Criminals. 3. Because of the Oath he has taken to defend the Churches of his Kingdom, which this ravening Woolf tears in pieces. 4. Because he is the Patron, and Protector of the Churches. 5. Because he ought to follow the Footsteps of his Ancestors, in Delivering the Roman Church from the Oppression she lies under.

The Pope for his part publish'd on the 16th. of November, his famous Decretal, Unam * 1.24 Sanctam, wherein he declares, That the Church, which is one, has two Swords, one Spiritual and the other Temporal; that the Temporal is Subject to the Spiritual; and that none can deny this Truth, without admitting of two Supreme Heads, with the Manichees. The King having received the News of what passed in the Court of Rome, Summoned the First of December a new Assembly of his Prelates, repeated the Prohibitions made to all his Sub∣jects, neither to Depart the Kingdom, nor to carry out of his Dominions, Gold or Silver, Arms, Horses, &c. and wrote to the Pope by the Bishop of Auxerre, that he should Prosecute none of his Clergy, for Non-appearance; but that he should blame him, who hinder'd it.

The Pope sent into France John Lemoine, Cardinal of the Title of St. Marcellinus, and * 1.25 St. Peter, to Treat with the King upon these Points in difference, and charged him to pro∣pound to him the following Articles. 1. To revoke the Prohibition made to the Prelates of going to Rome. 2. To own that the Pope has Soveraign Power to dispose of Benefices vacant in Curiâ, or otherwise; and that no Lay Person has right to confer them without his Leave. 3. That the Pope has Power to send Legates, and Nuncio's into all Places, without asking Leave of any Person. 4. That the Supreme Administration of the Churches-Revenues belongs to the Pope, who alone has right to dispose thereof, and require a part of them. 5. That neither the King, nor other Princes have any right to seize, or possess themselves of the Goods and Rights of the Church, nor to accuse the Clergy before them for Personal Actions, nor for Real, which are not held of them in Fiefe. 6. To send a special Proctor to Rome to clear himself for burning of his Holiness's Bull, to make him Satisfaction, and to hear the Pope's Resolution, which is to revoke all the Privileges granted by the Holy See to the Kings of France. 7. Not to Abuse the Guardianship of Cathedral Churches, that are Vacant, by a right called abusively, Regal, to hinder any wast or wrong to the Revenues of Churches, and to reserve all the Fruits to succeeding Prelates, except the reasonable Charges of the keeping them. 8. To restore to the Clergy the Spiritual Sword, and permit them to make use of it, notwithstanding all Privileges pretended by the King, and his Officers. 9. To let

him understand, that the change of the Coin, which he hath now twice practised, ruins his State, and he is bound to Restitution. The 10. and 11. To confess, That the City of Lyons is no part of his Kingdom, and to restore to the Church of that City, and its Archbishop, the Lands which belong to them by absolute Right. 12. To signifie to the King, that he satisfie the Holy See about all these Articles, within a certain time; if not, that he will take order therein, by proceeding against him Spiritually and Temporally.

The King made Answer to these Articles: To the First, That the Prohibition he had made, * 1.26 was not upon the account of the Clergy, nor to injure the Church of Rome; but with respect to the Rebellion of the Flemings, and to provide against any Conspiracy, which might be made in his Territories: That his intent was not to hinder his Subjects from going to Rome, and returning thence, and that he will give Orders, that the Goods of the Bishops offending, which he had caused to be seized, shall be restored. To the Second, That the Granting of Benefices belonged to him, and that he injoyed it but as St. Lewis and his Predecessors had done, time out of Mind. To the Third, That he hindred not the Popes Nuncio's and Legates from coming into his Kingdom, if they were not suspected by him, or if he had not some just reason to do it. To the Fourth and Fifth, That he design'd to do nothing, but what is justified by Right and Custom, and if his Officers exceed their Commission, he is ready to punish them. To the Sixth, That the Bull was not burnt in Contempt; but the Bishop of Laon, and the Sheriffs of that City having a Suit depending before the Parliament, and the Bishop having procured a Bull, the Sheriffs complain'd of a Design to remove the Business into another Court, whereupon the Parties were agreed not to make use of the Bull, and burnt it as useless. To the Seventh, That he pretended to innovate nothing, as to the Regale, or right of Patronage, but he enjoyed it as his Predecessors had done, without wast or abuse, and if his Officers committed any, he would take order about it. To the Ninth, That he hinders not the Churchmen from using the Spiritual Sword, in such case as belong to them. To the Ninth, That he made a change in the Coin upon Necessity, and to be in a Condition to Defend the Kingdom, as his Predecessors had done on like Occasions, and that he had already eas'd the Complaints of his Subjects, as to any ill Consequence, that might attend it. To the Tenth and Eleventh, That he pities the Archbishop of Lyons, and his Church, for what they had suffered on the account of the Differences they have had with the People of that City, and for what the Archbishop has suffer'd for refusing to take the Oath of Fidelity to his Majesty; but 'tis the Archbishop's Fault; nevertheless he is ready to Debate this Matter, and to make it appear clearly, that the City of Lyons is part of his Kingdom, and that he is not willing in any wise to invade the Rights of the Church. In fine, In answer to the Last, he declares, That his intent is, to preserve and increase the Union, which ever was between his Predecessors and the Holy See, intreats the Pope to prosecute the same Design, and not to cross him in the Enjoyment of his Liberties, Franchises, and Privileges; adding, That if his Holiness be not satisfied with these Answers, he is ready to submit herein to the Judg∣ment of the Earls of Britain and Burgundy, whom even the Pope himself offer'd to take for Mediators.

The Pope was not at all satisfied with these Answers, and not only shewed his resentment * 1.27 by the Letters he wrote the 13th. of April, to the Earl of Alanson, the Bishop of Auxerre, and Cardinal of St. Marcellinus; but he again commands this latter, to give a fresh Summons to the Prelates of the Realm, to appear at Rome within Three Months, and sent him a Bull, wherein he declared, that the King had incurred the Penalty of Excommunication, ordered the Nuncio to signifie it to him, to declare all those Prelates, and others of the Clergy Ex∣communicate, who should Celebrate or Administer the Sacraments to him, or in his Pre∣sence; and to cite his Confessor to appear within Three Months, before his Holiness. The Nuncio having received these Bulls by the hand of Nicholas de Benefracto, gave out Copies of them; but this no sooner came to the Knowledge of the King, but he gave Order to Arrest those that dispersed them; the Nuncio not thinking his Person in Safety, withdrew: The Archdeacon of Constance, and Benefracto were Arrested at Troyes, and the King renewed the Order he had given and after Superseded, to Seize the Goods of the Clergy, who were out of the Kingdom.

On the 13th. of June, was held in the Castle of the Louvre, an Assembly of the Prelates and * 1.28 Nobility, in presence of the King; in which Lewis Earl of Evreux, Guy Earl of St. Paul, John Earl of Dreux, and William du Plessis, made Complaint against Boniface, accused him of Heresie, and divers other Crimes, which they engaged to prove by Oath upon the Evan∣gelists in a full General Council, and besought the King, as Protector and Defender of the Church, to call one. The Prelates judging this Affair to be of great Importance, demanded time to deliberate on it. On the Morrow, the Assembly yet Sitting, William du Plessis read the Heads of the Accusation, which he offer'd against the Pope; namely, That he was an Heretick; that he did not believe the Immortality of the Soul, nor an Eternal Life; that he doubted the reality of our Lord's Body in the Eucharist, and shew'd it no respect; that he affirm'd Fornication to be no Sin: That he approved of the Book of Arnoldus de Villa-Nova, Condemned by the Bishop of Paris, and burnt: That he had caused Images to be set up in Churches, to be adored: That he was a Sorcerer, and Simoniack: That he maintain'd the Pope could not commit Simony: That he forced the Priests to reveal Confessions; That

he Eat Flesh at all times: That he Debased the Order of Cardinals, and some Orders of Monks: That he was a Sworn Enemy of France, and that he had a Design to destroy the Kingdom: That he had caused Celestine, his Predecessor, to die in Prison: That he had nulled the Marriage of several Persons, and had made the Nuns, without any Ground, to leave their Convents. After he had read these Accusations, he protested, 'twas not out of any hatred to Boniface, that he produced these Crimes, but for the good of the Church; and declared, he was ready to prove them in a General Council, which he desired to be Called; and because he fear'd, that Boniface would thunder against him, he appealed to the next Council, next Pope, or to the Holy See, adhering to the Alligations insinuated by Peter Nogaret, and demanded an Act of his Declaration. The King said, That he consented to the Calling of a Council, that he would thereto contribute his whole Power, desiring the Prelates to joyn with him; and to avoid the Prosecutions of the Pope, he appealed, as to all he might be able to do, to the next Council, or Pope. The Prelates likewise own'd, that the calling of a Council was Necessary, and adhered to the Appeal of the King unto the next Council. In pursuit of the Requests of this Assembly, the King wrote to all the Cities, Churches, and Communities of his Kingdom, that he might gain their consent to the calling of a Council, and to the Appeal to be made to the next Council; and in a little time after, the Clergy, the Nobility, the Commons, the Chapters, the Universities, the Secular Or∣ders, and the Regular, even the Mendicants (except that of the Cistercians) and several single Prelates of the Realms of France and Navarre, sign'd Acts in form of their Consent and their Appeal. The King gave Order for the calling of a Council, and gave Notice to the Kings and Princes of Europe, of his resolution. The Pope on the other hand sent out his thundering Bulls against the King, and all that adhered to his Appeal, Interdicts the Universities and other So∣cieties, deprives the Chapters of their right of Election, complains loudly of what passed in the Assembly, opposes the calling of a General Council, and threatens to proceed against the King, notwithstanding his Appeal.

Nogaret was then in Italy, where he received the Resolution of the Assembly held in the Louvre, * 1.29 with order to publish it, and signifie it to the Pope, who was withdrawn to Anagni, where he caused, on our Ladies Birth-day, to be publish'd a Bull, whereby he Excommunicated the King of France; and released his Subjects from their Oath of Allegiance. He went to Anagni, atten∣ded by Sciarra Colonni, Renaldus de Supino, and Three hundred Horse, and some Foot; and having gained some of the Inhabitants of Anagni by Money, he entred the City the 8th. of September, with his Troops, carrying the Standard of France, and crying, Let Pope Boniface Perish, but let the King of France Live; Muoia Papa Bonifacio, è viva il Ré di Francia. Their design was to go directly to the Pope's Palace, but having been Attaqued by the Marquis Cajetan his Nephew, in passing before his Palace, they were obliged to force his Palace, and the Houses of those who had embraced the Pope's Party. Sciarra Colonni Attacked the Castle where the Pope was, took it, seized Boniface, and rifled his Treasury. Nogaret twitted the Pope with what he had done in France, challenged him to call a Council; Sciarra Colonni would oblige him to renounce the Papacy; but Boniface having made him Answer, that he would sooner lose his life, Sciarra struck him on the Face with his Gantlet, and had killed him, if Nogaret had not interpos'd. The Pope thus deserted by all his Friends, and in the hands of his most cruel Enemies, raised * 1.30 the Compassion of the Citizens of Anagni, who declared for him, and set him at Liberty. He was conducted by his own Order to a publick place, spake to the People, pardon'd those of the City, except such as had plunder'd the Treasures of the Church; declared, that he would be reconciled to the King of France, and the Colonni, and that he would Pardon them, and even Nogaret himself. Nevertheless he soon left this City, and went to Rome, attended with some Troops. He arrived there Five Weeks after his being taken, and died with Grief and Melan∣choly, the 12th. of October 1303. in the Ninth Year of his Papacy. This was the end of this Pope, who had, whatever his Enemies may say, great Endowments, and a great deal of Wit; but Ambition and an itch to exercise an Authority, which belonged not to him, did cast him headlong into inevitable Mischiefs, never to be escaped by any, that attempt to usurp the Rights which appertain to such Princes, as are in a condition to defend them.

This Pope caused to be Composed and Published a new Body of Decretals, Intituled, Sextus, * 1.31 divided into Five Books, containing some Decretals of his Predecessors, from the time of Gregory the Ninth, and many of those which he made in his own Pontificate. This Collection was not only rejected in France, but there was even a time when no body durst make use of it, or quote it. Rainaldus, Bzovius, and Waddingus had inserted divers of his Letters, and Decrees into their Annals, and there are some of them likewise in the Registers of the Bulls.

Ten days after the Death of Boniface VIII. on the 22. of October, in the Year 1302. Nicholas, * 1.32 the Cardinal, Bishop of Ostia, Native of Trevisi, who was of the Order of the Friars Preachers, was chosen Pope, and took the Name of Benedict XI. He was a Man of good Morals and of a very Holy Life. Soon after his Advancement Peter Peredo, Prior of la Chesa, whom the King had sent into Italy after the Death of Boniface, presented to him a large Memoir, wherein he * 1.33 demanded the holding of a General Council, and propounded several Heads of Accusation and Complaint, which the King and Kingdom made against Boniface. Nogaret signified likewise, that he would continue his Prosecution; but Benedict having desired him by the Archbishop of Tolouse to proceed no further till he received fresh Orders from the King; assuring him, that he would remove this Scandal, and re-establish the Union between the Church of Rome, and

the King of France, he yielded to this Request, and return'd into France, to report this News, and advised the King to send Ambassadors to the Pope, furnished with sufficient Power to treat of this Accommodation. He was joined with the other Ambassadors, who were Bernard Lord of Mercoeuil, William du Plessis, and Peter de Belleperche; but the Pope would never Treat with him. His Holiness, who earnestly desired Peace, began with Absolving the King from the Censures he had incurred, by a Bull of the 4th. of April 1304. By another of the 17th. of * 1.34 the same Month he revoked the Reservation which Boniface the Eighth had made to provide for all the Cathedral and Regular Churches in the Kingdom: And by a Third of the 13th. of May, in the same Year; he also gave Absolution to all Prelates, Lords and other Officers, who had hinder'd the King's Subjects from going to Rome, and even those, who had a hand in the taking of Boniface, except William Nogaret. He made void likewise all the Sentences, and Bulls of Boniface, by which he revoked the Privileges granted to the King of France, and his Officers, re-establish'd the Universities; and in fine, to extinguish intirely the whole Matter of Difference, he revoked by other Bulls the Sentence given by Boniface against the Families of the Colonni, and Montenigro, and all their Adherents, re-establish'd them to their former Condition, excepting to the Dignities of Cardinal, Benefices, Goods confiscate, and the Capacity of being advanced to the Papacy. Notwithstanding all these Revocations the King's Agents insisted upon the cal∣ling of a Council, and William Nogaret desired to be cleared, or absolved at any rate. But the Pope was so far from doing it, that being at Perus, he published on the 7th. of June a thun∣dring Bull, wherein he declares Nogaret Excommunicate * 1.35, with all those who had assisted at the taking of Boniface, and Summons them to appear before him, to receive Judgment; otherwise he declares, that he shall proceed against them according to Law. This was the last Bull of ‖ 1.36 Benedict, for he died at Perusia the 8th. of July following. He left behind him divers Letters, whereof some are mention'd by the Writers of the Annals [of the Church.]

After his Death the Holy see remain'd void for the space of three Months; the Cardinals assem∣bled at Perusia not coming to an Agreement about the Choice, by reason of the Contests of two * 1.37 Factions, of which the one was for France, the other for Boniface. Nogaret believing this Va∣cancy favour'd him with an Opportunity to do something towards his Justification, passed two Acts the 7th. of September, before the Official of Paris; One by which he sets himself against the Partisans, and Adherents of Pope Boniface, and Appeals to the next Council, to the Church, and to the next Pope, to hinder the Cardinal's Electing for Pope any of that Party, who are Excommunicated by the Canons; The other contains his Protestations, and his Excuses, and a Declaration he makes, that all he said against Boniface is true; that he is well inform'd of it, and though he demand Absolution ad cautelam, he does not believe he is in any manner bound by this Pope. Then he renews his old Accusations framed against Boniface, and recites a History of all that pass'd, as well under this Pope, as under Benedict his Successor; offers to justifie his Innocence before a General Council, and even before the Holy See, provided, he may be Heard, and be assured of the Safety of his Person; because he cannot otherwise venture thither. There are besides three other Acts of Nogaret of the same Nature, and the Letters of Attorney, which he gave to Bertrand d Aguassa, to prosecute his Business in his Name, before the Holy See, and to demand safe Conduct, that he might accuse the Memory of Boniface, and justifie himself from the Robbing the Church Treasure, which was laid to him, and demand Absolution in case it were necessary. The French and the Colonni did likewise make request to the King, that the Process against Boniface might be hastened. These latter making use of the Opportunity, pro∣cured a re-establishment in their Estates and Dignities by a Decree of the People of Rome, who condemned Peter Cajetan, Boniface his Nephew, to give Peter and James Colonni an Hundred Thousand * 1.38 Florins of Gold, or Lands of the same Value, to recompence them for the Losses they had sustained; made void and null all that had passed against them, and ordered Pon∣cellus Ursi to restore to the People of Rome the Town of Nepi, which Sciarra Colonni had given them.

The Cardinals of the two Factions beginning to be weary of being confined to the Conclave, * 1.39 Cardinal du Prat, Chief of the French Party, conferred with Cardinal Francis Cajetan, repre∣sented to him, that they did great Injury to the Church by this delay; and demanded, if he had not some Expedient to bring Matters to an Agreement. Cardinal Cajetan found out one; That the Italian Party should chuse Three Ultramontane Archbishops, and the other should chuse out of the Three, One, whom they pleased, Forty Days after. Cardinal du Prat having accepted of this Proposal, Cardinal Cajetan named the Three Archbishops; the first of which was Bertrand Got, who had been heretofore Bishop of Comminges, and was then Archbishop of Bourdeaux, Born a Subject of the King of England at Villandreau in Bajodois, and the King's Enemy. Du Prat forthwith gave Advice hereof to Philip the Fair, who wrote presently to this Archbishop, and ordered him to meet him in a Wood near to St. John d' Angeli, where he decla∣red to him, that 'twas in his Power to make him Pope, and that he would do it with a Proviso, that he would Promise to do him Six Favours, which he should demand of him. The Arch-bishop threw himself at his Feet, and said to him,

Sir, Now I know that you love me, and that you render me Good for Evil, do you but Command, and I will Obey:

The King raised him up, embraced him, and said thus to him,

The First is to reconcile me throughly with the Holy Church, and to Pardon me the Mischief I may have done in causing Pope Boniface to be Arrested. The Second is, to restore me to the Communion of the Church, and them that

assisted me. The Third, to Grant me all the Tithes of my Kingdom for Five Years, to make good the Charge I have been at in my War with Flanders. The Fourth, to blot out the Me∣mory of Pope Boniface. The Fifth, to restore to the Dignity of Cardinals, the two Colonni's. As for the Sixth, I reserve my self, says the King, to declare it to you, in convenient time and place, in regard it must be very Secret.

The Archbishop promised all these things with an Oath, by the Body of JESUS CHRIST, and gave him his Brother, and two of his Nephews for Hostages: The King on his part Swore, That he would cause him to be chosen Pope. They parted, after they had said these words; and the King wrote presently to the Cardinals of his Party, that they should chuse the Archbishop of Bourdeaux. The thing was done with so much Diligence, that the Answer was returned to Perusia in Five Weeks. As soon as it Arri∣ved, they proceeded to the Election, and Bertrand Got was chosen Pope, according to the Agree∣ment made the 5th. of June, 1305. He accepted the Popedom gladly, was named Clement V. and was Invested in the Month of August at Lyons, whither the Cardinals came to meet him. The King, his Brother Charles of Valois, and a great Number of Princes and Lords of France assisted at this Ceremony. The King having for some Paces held the Reins of the Pope's Mule, resign'd them to his Brother Charles, and the Duke of Britain, to mount on Horseback, and ride by the Side of the Holy Father. In the Cavalcade an old Wall loaden with a throng of People fell down, crushed to Death John Duke of Britainy, and a Brother of the Pope's, dange∣rously Wounded the King's Brother and slightly, the King himself, and beat off the Pope's Mitre.

The first thing which Clement did, was to confirm the Absolution, that Benedict XI. had given * 1.40 to the King; to revoke the Bull of Boniface, touching the Subsidies to be demanded from the Clergy, and all that followed thereupon; and to declare, That the Bull Unam Sanctam, should do no Prejudice to the King, or Kingdom of France; and that all things should remain in the same posture they were in before that Bull. In fine, he re-established the Cardinals Colonni in their Dignities, and thus acquitted him of Four of the Articles, he had promised to the King. It was more difficult to satisfie him in the Fifth, which concerned the Memory of Pope Boniface. The King observing, that Clement did nothing in that point, spake with him about it at Poictiers * 1.41 in the Year 1307. and pressed him to proceed against the Memory of Boniface. This Proposal gave the Pope much trouble, and to shift off the performance of it, he answer'd by advice of Cardinal Prat, that this Business required the Meeting of a General Council, which he ever since design'd to call. Nevertheless being solicited by the King, and his Creatures, to set this Affair on foot, he heard some Witnesses, Summon'd the Accusers, part whereof appeared, and among others Nogaret and du Plessis. The first boldly maintained his Accusation against Boniface, and undertook to make it good. Cardinal Francis Cajetan defended his Unkle's Memory: Divers Writings there were on both Sides, and the King daily pressed the Conclusion of this Affair; on the contrary, the Defenders of Boniface put off Judgment as much as possible. The Pope considering the Importance of this Affair, used his utmost endeavour to pacifie the King, and to spin out the time; and to bring it to Effect, he wrote to the Earl of Anjou, in a manner to cause the King his Brother to submit, touching this Dispute, to what should be Decreed by the Church and the Pope. The King was sometime before he could resolve; but at last being pressed by the great Ones of the Kingdom, he declared by his Letters Patents given at Fontain∣bleau, in the Month of February 1310. that he left the Judgment of this Affair to the Pope and a Council: Lewis Earl of Evreux, and Guy Earl of St. Paul, did the like. The Pope continued to carry on the Process, received Petitions, Writings, Memoirs and Deeds, named the Cardinals to Examine the Proceedings, caused to be made thereof a tedious Verbal Process, which contained all that had been said on both Sides, from the 16th. of March 1310. till toward the close of the said Year. It contained likewise the Informations of Fourteen Witnesses, who Swore horrid Crimes of Impiety, Sodomy and Uncleanness against Boniface. At last * 1.42 the Pope, to rid himself of this Affair, gave out a Bull the 17th. of April, in the Year 1311. wherein he revoked all the Sentences, Decrees, and Declarations of Boniface, which were not inserted in the Sixth Book of the Decretals, so far forth as they imported any prejudice to the Honour, Rights and Liberties of the King of France, the Kingdom, and his Subjects, except those two Extravagants, Unam Sanctam and Rem non novam, which were to stand according to the Modifications heretofore made by his Holiness. He annuls likewise all the Revocations and Suspensions of Privileges, Excommunications, Interdicts, Depriva∣tions, Depositions, and all other Processes of Deed or Right, made as well by Boniface, as Bene∣dict his Successor, since All Saints Day in the Year 1300. as well against the King, as his Chil∣dren, his Brothers, and his Subjects, even against Informers and Accusers, by reason of any Informations, Appeals, Demands of a General Council, Blasphemies, Ill Language, taking the Person, invading the House of Boniface, and other parts of the Difference the King had with this Pope, he Abolisht the Spot of Infamy and the Mark of Reproach that might, in these Cases, stick upon the King, his Posterity, on the Accusers, Prelates, Barons, or others; Dis∣charges them from all Condemnations, sets them to Rights, and restores them▪ to their ancient State; Ordains, That the Sentences, Suspensions, and other Acts made against them, should be rased out of the Registers of the Church of Rome, but all this without prejudicing the prin∣cipal Cause, and the Prosecution, which might be made thereupon: He declares nevertheless, That he comprises not in this Abolition and Remission, William Nogaret, nor Sciarra Colonni, and some others which he Names. As for Nogaret, who had demanded to be Absolved ad cau∣telam,

the Pope grants it him, upon condition he would undertake some Pilgrimage, and upon the first Opportunity go into the Holy Land with Horse and Arms, there for ever to remain, at least till the Pope permit him to return. By another Bull of the same Date, he declares, That the King, nor his Successors shall not in any wise be molested, nor involved in the Pro∣secution, that shall be made in the Affair of Boniface. By another Bull he extends the Abso∣lution mentioned in the preceding Bull to the Inhabitants of Anagni, except such, as he has named: And by the last, he not only Excludes Nogaret; but also some other Lords and Pre∣lates of the Kingdom of France, from the Favour granted by his Bull.

The General Council was opened at Vienne in Dauphiné, in the Month of October, in the Year 1311. King Philip came thither, the Year following in Mid-Lent, with a great Company * 1.43 of Princes and Lords, and was present at the opening of the Second Session. The Affair of Boniface was there brought into debate, as 'twas promised the King, but he had therein no Satis∣faction; for it was Voted, That Boniface had ever been a good Catholick, and that there was no proof of his being a Heretick; There was no mention made of other Crimes, whereof he was accused, and which had been Sworn by the Witnesses. The Reasons of his Justification were alledged by Cardinal Richard of Sienne, Doctor at Law; by the Cardinal John of Namure, Doctor of Divinity; and by Cardinal Gentil, Doctor and Canonist. There appear'd also two Knights of Catalonia, who maintained that Boniface was a good Catholick by a Challenge to the Combat, which was not accepted by any body. The Pope and the Cardinals, to content the King, made a Decree, importing that the King, nor his Successors should never be disturbed, nor call'd to account for what had been done against Pope Boniface. Thus ended the Contest, which lasted for many Years, between the King of France and the Holy See, about the Diffe∣rences of Philip the Fair, and Pope Boniface.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Ele∣ction of Be∣nedictus Cajetanus, named Bo∣niface 8.
• * 1.2

  The begin∣ning of the quarrel be∣tween the King of France and the Pope, a∣bout the Earl of Fland••••••
• * 1.3

  The Bull of Boniface, forbidding to Levy any Tax upon the Clergy.
• * 1.4

  A Prohibi∣tion of the King, to carry Money out of the Kingdom.
• * 1.5

  The Pope's Bull against this Prohi∣bition.
• * 1.6

  The King's Manifesto against the Pope's Bull.
• * 1.7

  The Lett•••• of the French Prelates.
• * 1.8

  An Embassy from the Pope for the continu∣ance of the Truce.
• * 1.9

  The Expli∣cation of the Pope's first Bull.
• * 1.10

  The Pro∣ceeding of the Pope a∣gainst the Colonni, and their Condemna∣tion.
• * 1.11

  The Pope Proceeding against the Colonni, &c.
• * 1.12

  The Pope's Bull in fa∣vour of the Earl of Flanders.
• * 1.13

  The ap∣pointment of a Jubi∣lee by Bo∣niface.
• * 1.14

  Boniface quarrels a-new with the King.
• * 1.15

  The Bishop of Pamiez. Envoy to the King, gives i••l Language, and is Ar∣r••sted.
• * 1.16

  A Bull a∣gainst the King's Pri∣vileges.
• * 1.17

  A Bull of the Sove∣raignty of the Pope, and against the Rights of the King.
• * 1.18

  The Assem∣bly of the States a∣gainst the Attempt of the Pope.
• * 1.19

  Grants before the Death of the present Incumbents then call'd, Mandata de provi∣dendo, & Gratiae ex∣pectativae, by Civi∣lians. Much may be seen ena∣cted against them in our Statutes, especially in the reign of Edw. 3.
• * 1.20

  The Answer of the King and States to the Pope.
• * 1.21

  The Re∣plies of the P••••e and Cardinals to the King and States.
• * 1.22

  Treatises against the Pope's Claim.
• * 1.23

  William Nogaret's Petition a∣gainst the Pope.
• * 1.24

  The Publi∣cation of the Bull, Unam San∣ctam.
• * 1.25

  Proposals of Cardinal Lemoine Nuncio in France.
• * 1.26

  The King's Answer to the Articles propounded by the Nuncio.
• * 1.27

  Bulls a∣gainst the King.
• * 1.28

  The Assem∣bly of the States in the Louvre.
• * 1.29

  The Pope taken by Nogaret at Anagni.
• * 1.30

  The Pope's Delive∣rance and his Death.
• * 1.31

  The Letters of Boni∣face VIII.
• * 1.32

  The Ele∣ction of Be∣nedict XI.
• * 1.33

  The Accu∣sation of Boniface, before Be∣nedict XI.
• * 1.34

  Revocation of the Bulls of Boni∣face VIII. against France, and the Colonni.
• * 1.35

  Excom∣munication of Nogaret and his As∣sistants in taking of Boniface.
• ‖ 1.36

  Death and Letters of Benedict XI.
• * 1.37

  The Peti∣tions of Nogaret and the French, a∣gainst the Memory of Boniface.
• * 1.38

  An An∣cient Gol∣den Coin, anciently Cu••rant in France, worth 2 S. sterling.
• * 1.39

  The Ele∣ction of Clement V.
• * 1.40

  The Revo∣cation of Boniface's Bulls by Clem. V.
• * 1.41

  The prepa∣ring of the Process a∣gainst the Memory of Boni∣face VIII.
• * 1.42

  The Revo∣cation of Boniface's Bulls by Clem. V.
• * 1.43

  The Judg∣ment of the General Council at Vienne, about the Affair of Boniface.