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.

Reason III.

The Authority which resides in an ordi∣nary and common Bishop, quoth our Car∣dinal,

is as it were a Tenure or Jurisdicti∣on, holding very much underneath that which gives the Purple to a man of Quality,* 1.1 tal bassezza. d'authorità qual convenisse ad un' ordinario Vescovo e non ad un nobilissimo porpo∣rato. The Popes are Elected by these Emi∣nentissimoes, and are ordinarily of their num∣ber; but those little Bishops are not drawn but out of the number of poor Priests of some unknown Diocess, and the multitude of them is infinite,* 1.2 una moltitudine immensa di piccioli vescovi eletti non frà un senato di Cardinalie dà un senato di Cardinali, mà da volgari Preti d'un augusto territorio. Now what good can one hope for from a great troop of Bishops of this size? Cardinals are bred up in opulence, in the Crowd of the Popes Court, which is that of the whole World; there they take notice of the bu∣sinesses of all the Churches of the Universe; from all parts there is an influence of Cour∣tiers, all vers'd in Policy; 'tis there that mens Wits are refined. But these Bishop∣lings are confined with a pitiful Revenue, within the pent up Territory of their Di∣cesses, where they are content to snudge, and live wretchedly,* 1.3 che si contentino di confinarsi con poche rendite in angusto terri∣torio. What Breeding can be got in this base kind of Education and Living, to make a Bishop able to argue in a Council upon Politick affairs, which he does not under∣stand, nor has been ever able to learn, and to give after that rate Laws to the whole

Universe, having no skill in the Worlds, nor the Court-shifts; how can they avoid being baffled in the publick or private Conferences, held in Councils with Persons, the most refined in Policy in the World, and with whom nevertheless, Measures and Resolutions must be taken; how should they be able to do it with any sufficiency, be∣ing never any more refined than Pope Adrian the Sixth was in any Court of Ita∣ly, still having kept in the Countrey, and in private dwellings, nelle terre particolari,* 1.4 senza affinarsi in dottrina ed in senno nell'ec∣cellente scuola della frequenza.

What then can one hope for from such kind of Stuff assembled in Council, but that they will be hurried away through Passions, and gross Ignorance, and Inconsi∣deration, which is not meet for Legislators, gli affetti particolari si muovono talora da un solo sguardo inconsiderato.* 1.5

Notes

• * 1.1

  l. 20. c. 10.
• * 1.2

  l. 1. c. 25.
• * 1.3

  Ibid.
• * 1.4

  l. 8. c. 17.
• * 1.5

  Intr. c. 9.