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.

The tenth Means.

Experience teaches every Superiour, that his faithfullest and most obedient Subjects be those which doe immediately subject themselves to his grandure and to his pow∣er without any semblance of going Cheek by Jole with him, l Esperienza dimostra ad ogni superiore che i sudditi più sicuri e più ossequiosi, sono i sudditi immediati non grandi: Hereupon 'tis that the Pope's interest is grounded, when he exempts Chapters in Bishopricks to depend upon him and be be independant from their Bishops: there∣fore the instances that the Bishops made at the Council of Trent, To have their Chap∣ters

again under their yoke, was prejudicial to the Apostolick See,* 1.1 prejudiciale alla sede Apostolica. Besides the Bishops being, as we said before, Ignorants in policy, seditious, interessed, timorous and subject to tempo∣ral powers, they are facil and ready to fall into heresy which the Chapters are not: To this the Council of Trent had respect, as to Germany, where a many Bishops fell into heresy, which no Chapter was found to doe, ponendo in Considerazione quei di Germania,* 1.2 dove avevano mancato molti vescovi mà niun Capitolo. And as for those of France, the Cardinal of Lorrain told it out that there were heretick Bishops who forbid Ca∣tholick Preachers to preach,* 1.3 riferi che alcuni vescovi eretici in Francia havean vie∣tato il predicare á Catolici: Whereupon he went on and said that in case the objection of Prebendaries were to be made according to the Canons, that the Bishops should doe nothing therein without the consent of their Prebendaries,* 1.4 piacerli che i Veseovi nulla po∣tesser fare senza i Capitoli quando i Cano∣nici s'eleggessero come si doveva di raggi∣one.

In the four and thirty Articles of refor∣mation, which the Ambassadour of France brought to the Council, The seaven and twentieth ran, that the Bishops be obliged according to the Canons to treat of all the affaires of their Dioceses according to the advice of their Prebendaries, and for that reason, the Prebendaries be obliged to reside

continually at their Cathedrall,* 1.5 dovendo i i Vescovi secundo i Canonitrattare i negozii col parere del Capitolo, si procurasse che i Ca∣nonici fossere assidui alle Catedrali.

Because that being exempt from the ju∣risdiction of their Bishops and governing the Dioceses with them, their exemption was a bridle which the Pope put upon the Bishops, very fit to keep them from preva∣ricating, whether in regard of faith or of go∣vernment,* 1.6 anzi l'esenzione de Capitoli se ri∣conosceva per un gran freno in bocca à Vesco∣vi di non prevaricare ò nella fede ò nel go∣verno.

This makes the infinite difference to be seen between Episcopacy in the Pope, and that which is by participation in the Bishops. For, I. The Pope is not subject to Ignorances nor heresies as the Bishops are. II. He is not bound to follow the Counsel of his Cardinals, because he is King of the Church and the Bishops are not Kings of their Chapters, no more then of their Dioceses. III. No body can be exempt from the Jurisdiction of the Pope, and there's no need, they should, as there's need Pre∣bendaries should be exempt from the juris∣diction of their Bishops, that the Bishops may be thereby bridled; and though there were no other reason for exemption of Chapters, but to show the Popes Royal So∣vereignty, which is the foundation of the Church: for it appears that it is a most pu∣issant means to establish the Popes power

and the gallantry and riches of the Roman Court.

Notes

• * 1.1

  l. 8. c. 17.
• * 1.2

  l. 23. c. 3.
• * 1.3

  ibid.
• * 1.4

  ibid.
• * 1.5

  l. 19. c. 11.
• * 1.6

  l. 23. c. 3.