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 VII. These Reasons did presently make the Council of Trent dreadful to the Roman Courtiers. These Reasons hinder Princes also from Assembling the Estates of their Kingdoms. It would be to tempt God, to be for∣ward to call a Council: The unprofi∣tableness thereof appears by the little or no Good that came of the Council of Trent.

I Believe in truth, quoth our Cardinal-Historian, That the Court of Rome dreaded and abhorred a Council, when that of Trent was proposed to be Assembled,* 1.1 io credo veramente che dalla Corte di Roma fosse temuta, ed ancora in qualche tempe ab∣orrita, la convocazione del Concilio. But though that Court should have had no dread thereof, Soveraigns have alwayes very much apprehension, when the business is about the Assembling their General E∣states; wherefore they never call them to∣gether,* 1.2 but in case of extream necessity, sapevano esser regola di tutti principi non adu∣nare senza extrema necessità gli stati gene∣rali; and this makes me conclude, quoth the Cardinal, that as long as the course

of the World is such as it is, it would be tempting of God to be forward to call a Council, unless out of very necessity,* 1.3 onde fin che il tenor del mondo procede così: il ten∣tarlo, fuor che negli estremi bisogni, sarebbe appunto un tentare Iddio: Such an Assembly would threaten Schism and apparent Divi∣sion,* 1.4 è un far congregazione che minacciasse evidente rischio di convertirsi in disgregazio∣ne della chiesa.

And besides, there would not come there∣of any considerable Good; for 'tis clear the Reformation established by the Council of Trent, is very moderate,* 1.5 quella riforma∣zione sola si moderata e discreta che poi suc∣cesse e che la prudenza de Padri estimò ri∣uscibile.

Nevertheless, if the Pope should observe strictly this moderate Council, all would be lost; this troubled Alexander VII, at his coming to the Popedom; for at that time he was very zealous and desirous to re-establish Discipline, and retrench Abuses, he called to Council the ablest men of the Dattery, periti delle facende della Dateria, and speaking to them about the Dispensa∣tions for Marriages within the prohibited Degrees, which were granted so common∣ly at Rome, against the express Prohibi∣tion of the Council of Trent; he told them, he wondred much at so frequent a going a∣gainst the Decisions of the Council, asking them how it could possibly be that it had so passed into a Custom,* 1.6 come passasse questa

contrarietà usitata in Roma allo statuto Tri∣dentino; That so frequent a contravention against the Judgment of that Venerable As∣sembly, appeared to him little praise-wor∣thy, pareva poco lodevole che si frequente∣mente si repugnasse al giudicio di questa vene∣randa assemblea. They answered him, That this Custom began in the time of Pi∣us V, a Pope of a signal and severe Good∣ness, and a religious Observer of the Coun∣cil, and that there was no other Reason, but that of experience of the Fact,* 1.7 che la ragione di questo discostamento del decreto Si∣nodale era stata l'esperienza del fatto. He had seen that from the Decree of the Council of Trent ensued great and very con∣siderable inconveniences in practice, and therefore that holy Pope made no difficulty to dispense therewith, even without having any other cause therefore. Thus the Coun∣cil of Trent, for all its Prudence and Mode∣ration, suffered it self to be carried too far away with its Zeal, and went too far in∣to an Ideal Reformation, whereof mischie∣vous inconveniences might have followed, if the Prudence of the Popes had not brought a Cure. What can be hoped for then from all the other Councils wherein there was never found so much Prudence and Moderation, as appeared in this last Council?

There be a-many other Articles besides that of Marriage, wherein there is need that the Pope should give ease against

the severity of the Council; for example, in that which concerns plurality of Bene∣fices, if the Pope should not still dispense therewith, the Cardinals would have no∣thing to live on, and the Court of Rome would turn Desart,* 1.8 Senato Romano privo di quelle badie rimanerebbe privo del vitto. One may see of what importance it is for keep∣ing up the Church, to keep up the Splendor of the Court of Rome; yet the Council of Trent made no reckoning of it; so that what can one hope for from any other Coun∣cil whatsoever?

In fine, The Council of Trent declared, That all the World was obliged to observe its Canons indistinctly, and that none should be dispensed with, but when there was ur∣gent and just cause, urgens justaque ratio; and then the Dispensation should be given freely gratis, otherwise the same should be null: Aliterque facta dispensatio subreptitia censeatur, Sess. 25. c. 18. But now these Dispensations are not given gratis at the Court of Rome, where a great deal is given for them sine causa, without any reason, but that they pretend that the Money that is gotten thereby, contrary to the Council of Trent, is a just and pressing consideration for to grant them out,* 1.9 Anzi essere in verità gran' cagione per dispensare quella grossa multa che l'impetrante si contenta di pa∣gar in aiuto de' poveri e dell'opere pie.

It is manifest then that even the Refor∣mation of the Council of Trent would be Ide∣al,

and of no success, riformazione ideale e non riuscibile, if it were not judiciously re∣formed by the Politick Prudence of the Roman Court; so that nothing is less useful than Councils, and less necessary for gover∣ning the Church.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Intr. c. 10.
• * 1.2

  Ibid.
• * 1.3

  l. 16. c. 10.
• * 1.4

  Ibid.
• * 1.5

  Intr. c. 10.
• * 1.6

  l. 23. c. 18.
• * 1.7

  Ibid.
• * 1.8

  l. 12. c. 13.
• * 1.9

  l. 23. c. 8.