The new politick lights of modern Romes church-government: or The new Gospel according to Cardinal Palavicini revealed by him in his history of the Council of Trent. Englished out of French.

ARTICLE V. The Simplicity of the Ancient Councils opposed to the Courtliness and Regal, which the Legates Presidents at the Council of Trent shewed towards Philip II. To go about to re-establish the Ancient Simplicity, is to put men again to live upon Acorns. The Change that's made in the World, is not for the worse.

'TWould be a ridiculous Blindness, and an Extravagancy never to be justified, if it should be proposed to retain the Wonts and Ancient Simplicity of the Church in its Councils,* 1.1 onde saria schiocchezza derisa ritener lo stile de l'antica simplicità nell'Ecclesi∣astiche radunanze: For as in the Councils of our Times, the greatest Princes of the Earth have concernments, and are therein interessed,* 1.2 di cui sono partecipi i maggiori principi della terra; Should it be a vanity

blameable and criminal to use a little of it, as the Legats of the Council of Trent did to∣wards Philip the Second, when he passed through that Town, to go into Spain, and he was there magnificently regaled by those Presidents of the Council; As for me, quoth our Cardinal, I do not believe I can be taxed of vanity, if I recite in my History the Ceremonies of that Feast, nè par mi dannabile di vanità il narrar le ceremo∣nie che vi seguirono.* 1.3 For after many other Feasts in the Honour of that Monarch, the Legates caused to be erected 300 paces from the Town, in a little Isle upon the River of Adige, a Palace of excellent wood∣work, hung within with rich Tapestry, a∣dorn'd with Painting and excellent Sta∣tues: In this place they gave him a most magnificent Feast, accompanied with char∣ming Musick; at the end of the Meal, ac∣cording to the custom of Germany, began the Ball; the Prince danced there, and the Ball was follow'd with diverse Tiltings and Plays; where were represented the principal Feats of Chivalry described in Ariosto, whose Poem came forth a little while after,* 1.4 seguirono le danze, eve ballò il principe stesso. There was never seen the like in the Times and Places of the ancient Councils. Did Constantine dance and lead the Ball at the Council of Nice? Theodosius at the first of Constantinople, &c. What appa∣rence mean while or likelihood should there be to make the Church at this day go

back again to that Ancient Simplicity, and hinder Princes, for example, from leading the Ball at Councils? I shall be asked per∣haps, quoth Alexander, Nuntio of Pope Leo the 10th, in the Diet of Worms: But did they live so in the first Age?* 1.5 Come si viveva ne' primi secoli? I shall answer, quoth he, that by the same Reasoning one might undertake to perswade men to live upon Acorns; because they say, that in the pri∣mitive times of the World, men made their Meals thereof,* 1.6 mà con questa forma d'argo∣mentare si potrebbono ridurre gli huomini à ci∣barsi di ghiande, perche liggiamo che cosi negli antichi tempe si viveva.

By the same reason, continued the Nun∣tio, one might undertake to perswade Princes to live like the first Founders of States, without Guards about their Persons, without Anti-Chambers in their Palaces, i Principi à star senza guardie,* 1.7 senza anti∣camere; one might exhort Princesses and their Daughters to wash Boucks, and in Sope; to spin and sew, as whil'om did Au∣gustus his Daughters, with their Mother; that Master of the World not being willing to be cloathed but with the Stuff they had spun with their own hands,* 1.8 le figliuole de' Rè à lavar i panni.

But does not one know that Humors change with Age;* 1.9 chi non sà che si come ne' corpi humani si mutano le complessioni e bisogni secondo l'età? It would shew finely, if one should follow this day in Building, the

Rules of Architecture 400 years ago, l'architettura di quattro cento anni sono;* 1.10 as if a Body should sing, or as if one draw the I∣mages that are adored in our Churches after the Model of those times,* 1.11 la pittura di quel tempo nell'adorate imagini degli altari, la mu∣sica di quel tempo nell'armonia sacra del coro.

The Maxim then that one ought to oppose to that of the Zealous Ignorants, who do not know the World, is to tell them in gene∣ral, Change of Times, change of Customs, altri tempi,* 1.12 altri costumi.

The World being at this day refined, or at least much changed, Civil Commerce and Policy hath also received changes, and 'tis as by a common consent, that change in Po∣licy hath brought in the same proportiona∣bly in treating Ecclesiastical affairs,* 1.13 Essendosi adunque ò affinato ò almeno mutato il sentimento degli huomini e il commercio civile, è conve∣nuto che à proporzione di quello si mutino an∣cora le maniere di trattar gli affari Ecclesiastici. In good deed, men at present have their inclinations conform to the present times, and not to the times past: Why should they not have their Usages and Customs in Ec∣clesiastical affairs conform to the present times? and why should they be obliged to follow the old Customs of their Grandsires? gli huomini con l'inclinazione e con l'usanza che di fatto hanno,* 1.14 e non qu••lli e non quali fur••no à tempi andati.

Let no body say the World is at present

worse than it was formerly; such Discourse is the old Tune, and the old Proverb of the Country;* 1.15 these be complaints and lamenta∣tions of the Ignorant Vulgar, il dire che'l mondo presente sia peggiore dell'antico, sono proverbii delle comedie e querele del volgo; to be surpriz'd thereat, is a sign one is but meanly bred, privo di erudizione che ciò cre∣desse. To hearken to these sorts of common Proverbs, is to have ones mind enslaved, as they call it, with the Opinions of the Vul∣gar. 'Tis not true then, that the later Ages are more corrupt than the former; 'tis true, the number of the wicked is increased, but that of the good is so also, because the Church extends further than it did then: And if any body says, The Church had formerly more holy men, one may answer again, and say, That at this day the present Church hath a greater number of believing saved Catholicks, though not so holy indeed as formerly,* 1.16 se questa più feconda di santi, quella è più abondante di salvi.

These Truths being so evident, though the reading of my Book, quoth our Car∣dial, produce no other fruit, at least, I as∣sure my self, it will disabuse the world of these kind of popular Errors,* 1.17 Io mi confido che la lezione di questa mia istoria, ove non partorisse altro frutto, levarà uno scandalo assai commune da persone zelanti ma inesperte negli affari civili e nel corso del presente mondo politico, ciò e perche i Papi non usino à nostra

età di raunare i concilii come usavasi per altri tempi, come persuadono i canoni; for the Error of ruling the Church according to An∣tiquity, is one of those Errors of the Zea∣lous Ignorant, of the same nature as is that of Government by way of Councils, where∣of we are going to examine the extrava∣gancy.

Notes

• * 1.1

  l. 6. c. 4.
• * 1.2

  Ibid.
• * 1.3

  l. 11. c. 13.
• * 1.4

  Ibid.
• * 1.5

  l. 1. c. 25.
• * 1.6

  Ibid.
• * 1.7

  Ibid.
• * 1.8

  Ibid.
• * 1.9

  Ibid.
• * 1.10

  l. 6. c. 4.
• * 1.11

  Ibid.
• * 1.12

  l. 23. c. 10.
• * 1.13

  l. 6. c. 4.
• * 1.14

  Ibid.
• * 1.15

  Introd. c. 8.
• * 1.16

  l. 1. c. 25.
• * 1.17

  l. 16. c. 10.