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POPES \
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'. by G. W. Foote and J. M. Wh.... '
IHOO
The Rise of the Papacy and Crimes of the Popes
LEN EBURY.
PRESIDENT LONDON SECULAR GROUP
3 Crimes of Cltlistiallity.
CHAPTER VI.
THE RISE OF THE PAPACY.
AN eccIl/siastic, who paid heavily for his benefice at
Rome (an offence known as Simony), was once asked
if he beliend in the story of Peter being the first
bishop of that city. He candidly replied" I do not
think that Peter was ever there, but I am quite sure
that Simon was."
While there is abundant proof of the constant exis
tance of Simon or Simony in Rome, the only evidence
of Peter's having ever been in that city is the alleged
fact of his having written a letter from Babylon,
Forgery and fraud, however, soon supported the tra-
dition that Peter was the first bishop of Rome, a tale
which was first put forward in what are called the
Olementine Recognitions, a theological romance fraudu-
lently ascribed to Clement of Rome, The story is
d,iscountenanced by Justin Martyr, who mentions
Simon Magus, whom Peter is said to have followed and
confuted. as having been at Rome, but no IDOl'C men-
tions Peter as having been there than does the Acts of
the Apostles.
Being at the opulent seat of the empire, the early
Church of Rome assllmed considerable dignil1y after
the destruction of Jerusalem, the primitive Holy
City of the faith. But for a long time it had no
superior authority, and certainly 110 jurisdiction, owr
the churches of Alexandria and Antioch. In the
second cel1tur~. howeyer, Vict!>r, Bishop of Rome, took
upon himself to excommunicate the Eastern churches
The Rise of the Papacy.
for not conforming to the Roman practice in keeping
Easter. But the fulmination was harmless, and it was
not' until the removal of the capital by ConstantinA
(A.D. 330) that the Roman Church found the opportu-
nity for asserting its predominance. No longer checked
by the presence of the civil rulers, the Bishop of Rome
had less difficulty in exercising authority.
The constant struggle for precedence among the
rival bishops, and the fierce feuds which raged at their
synods, showed the necessity for a cent~al head; but,
although many cases were referred to Rome for arbi-
tration, a long time lapsed before its predominance was
admiited. It was first asserted at the Council of Sardica
(A.D. 343) when the orient[11 bishops protested and left
the Council. The decisions of this Council were,
however, at Rome, fraudulently ascribed to the first
general council of Nice. Archbishop Usher. in his
answer to a challenge made by a Jesuit, says:
"Neither hath this corrupting humor stayed itself in forging
of whole councils and entire treatises of ancient writers; but
bath, like a canker, fretted away divers of their BOund parts, and
so altered their complexions that they appear not to be the same
men they were. "1
We have seen (p. 32) how, in the time of Theodosius,
the bishops of Alexandria and Rome were associated
as joint authorities on orthodoxy, but Damasus, the
Roman bishop, was the first who took the Pagan title
of Pontiff. Already the centralisation of wealth at
Rome had made the bishopric so lucrative that when
Damasus attempted to convert Prretextatus, the
governor of the city, the Pagan answered with a sarcasm
which is full of historical instl'uction: "Make me.
Bishop of Rome and I will turn Christian directly.'"
Leo the ]'irst (A.D. 440-1Gl), taking advantage of the
disturbed state of the African Church, which was
divided cuncerning the Donatian heresy, claimed juris-
diction over its bishops. He also assumed a tone of
superiority in a letter to Dioscoru8, llishop of Alexan-
I
a "Ellrope Dllring the Middle Age.," vol. it, p. 111.
Riddle,~' History of the Papacy," vol. ii., po 6S.
1 nid, p. 65. .
I
I ,~
The Rise oj tILe Papacy. f8
was chosen as pope by the German emperor, Henry the
Third Hildebrand boldly declared the nomination
invalid until confirmed by the superior clergy of
Rome, and he induced the pontiff to seek their suffrages.
During five :rmntificates Hildebrand served as prime 19 Crimea 0/ CI,riatianityo
minister and pope-maker. To strengthen the Church
he w8ll resolute that the clergy should have no family sword. The antipope died suddenly, and dread of ex-
ties. At that time a large proportion of the clergy communication seized Henry's followers. Political
were married, and in Milan and elsewhere they set up wavering and diSintegration ensued, and Henry was
an anti-pope, Cadalus, rather than resign their right of forced to sue for mercy. For three winter days and
marriage.' After a long and bloody controversy the nights the emperor 'Was kept barefooted, and without .
policy of Hildebrand was triumphant. He also sought food and shelter, in the courtyard of the castle where
to abolish all simony, by which term he principally Gregory was staying, before the pontiff would revoke
understood the bestowal of benefices by the civil power. the dread sentence of excommunication.
At the same time he claimed the right of the papacy to Henry's enemies caused Rudolph of Swabia to be
dispose of kingdoms, and gave the crown of England to elected emperor in his place. The pope's legates Con-
William of Normandy and that of Naples and Sicily to firmed the choice. This was a breach of faith with
Robert Guiscard. Henry. Again he took to arms and was a second time
When elevated to the papal chair Hildebrand issued excommunicated. Gregory even ventured a prophecy
a decree invalidating all sacraments performed by simo- and declared: "If he be not deposed or dead befor~
niacsl or married priests, and involving in their guilt the festival of St. Peter, may men cease to beheve in
and anathema whoever received communion from ~e." But .Gr~gory's god, however, was asleep or on a
them. This he followed up with anotQer (A.D. 1075), Journey thIS time. Henry overcame his enemies and
prohibiting sovereigns from granting churchly digni- marched on Rome. Gregory had to send to Robert
ties, deposing every ecclesiastic who accepted a benefice Guiscard for relief. Btl raised the siege and kissed the
from a layman, declaring such offenders idolators in- p.ope's toes, while his followers took to pillaging the
terdicted from communion, and placing under the same CItIzens and violating their wives and daughters. The
ban every potentate who should claim the right of in- Romans rose on the invaders and Guiscard fired the
vestiture. These proceedings caused a collision with city, sparing, at the intercessi~n of Gregory, only the
the emperor Henry IV. of Germany. The Saxons churches. Thus commenced the wars of the Investi-
being in rebellion, Gregory took occasion to admonish tures, wh!ch lasted over fifty years, "costing, without
the king to abstain from the presentation of benefices. exaggeratIon, a hundred battles and the lives of two
The German ecclesiastics revolted, and a synod at million~ of ~uman beings.','ll. The wars of the Guelphs
Metz renounced Gregory as pontiff. .Another at Brixen and Ghlbbehnes were essentially a prolongation of the
pronounced his deposition and elected in his place same quarrel. In the second sentence of excommuni-
Guibert, Archbishop of Ravenna, under the title of cation, which Gregory passed on Henry IV. aretheae
Clement Ill. Henry wrote commanding Gregory to words : '
vacate the chair. The Pope retorted by excommuni-
"Co,me now, I beseech you, Q most holy and blessed fat.bel'S
cating the emperor, his adherents, and the antipope. and pnnces. P,:ter and Paul, that all the world may understand
The pontiff's curse proved stronger than the prince's lI:~d k,now that If ye are able to bind and 100ge in heaven, ye are
IlJl:<l~lSe able on earth, according to the merits of each man
Lea, .. Sacerdotal Celibacy." to gn.:e and to ~ake away . empn-es, kingdoms. 'princedoms:
mar"lwsades, duchies, count.shlps, and the possessions of all men.'" .
Doctrines such as these struck equally at all civil
government. Nor were the successors of Hildebrand
l\:
31 Crimea of Ckl'ilJtianity.
papal power. This great pontiff, Gregory VII. (1073-
85), has been accused of poisoning his predecessors in
order to obtain the popedom, and also of commItting
adultery with Matilda, Countess of Tuscany, who
bestowed all her possessions on the pope. But these
30 accusations probably arose from the spite of the many
enemies aroused by Hildebrand's high-handed measures.
Rome from a great storm. which it seems was caused
by some Jews. The Jews being immediately executed PASCAL II. (1099-1118). He was a disciple of
the storm ceased. s , Hildebrand, and inherited his ambition without his
JOHN XIX. (1024-33). He was a layman, brother talents. He compelled Henry IV. to abdicate, but on
of Benedict, yet he was raised to the see. Wilks says: his son Henry V. marching against him, after a
sanguinary struggle, h!:l gave up to the emperor the right
"It was by gold, a.nd not by imperia.l power, that the Roma.ns of investiture. Afterwards he excommunicated all who
consented to this uncanonical election. The rapacity of this should declare his own grant to be valid. a
pope was so great that he offered to sell the title of 'Universal ADRIAN IV. (1154-59). The only Englishman who
Bishop' to the see of Constantinople for a. sum of money!"
ever b('came pope. He caused Arnold of Brescia to he
By his exactions, debauchery and tyranny, he became hurnt at the stake (1154) for preaching ag'ainst papal
so odious to the Romans that he had to fiee for his life. corruption. The Irish should remember that it was
BENEDICT IX. (1033-46). A nephew of the last this pope "ho, in virtue of the pretended DonatlOn of
two pontiffs. Some say he was raised to the papacy at Constantine, made over to Henry II. of England the
the age of twelve-others, at eighteen. He" stained right to take and govern Ireland on condition of the
the sacred office with murder, adultery, and every other pope receiving an annual tribute of one penny for each
heinous crime." 1 Dcsiderius, afterwards pope under house. 6
the name of Victor III., styles Benedict the successor ALEXANDER III. (1159-81). The Lateran COUllCil
of Simon the sorceror, and not of Simon the apostle, (1179) declared war against all heretics, and a crusade
and paints him as one abandoned to all manner of vice.s against them was sanctioned by this pontifU
Being eager to possess the person and property of a CLEMEN'r III. (1188-1191). He published the
female cousin, he sold the papacy to John Gratianus, third crusade (1189).
"the most religious man of his time," for a sum of INNOCENT III. (1198-1216) also preached a
money, and consecrated him as Gregory VI. Benedict crusade. He claimed for his see universal empire and
afterwards poisoned Pope Damasus II. The Romans, established the Inquisition to support the claim. He
weary of his crimes, expelled hini from the city, but he excommunicated Philip II. of France and' put the
was reinstated bv Conrad. "But," says Jortin, "as he whole nation under interdict. Afterwards he placed
continued his scandalous course of life, and found him- England under interdict, excommunicated John, be-
self despised and detested both by clergy and laity, be stowed the crown on Philip of France, and published
agreed to retire, and to abandon himself more freely to a crusade against England. He also instituted a cru-
his pleasures." Stipulating therefore to receive a sum ., sade against the Albigenses, butckering them by tens
of money, he resigned his place to Gratianus, called of thousands with every circumstance of atrocity.s
Gregory VI., and went to live in his own territories. 3
Mosheim calls Benedict IX. .. a most flagitious man Wilks, p. 120.' 6 Ibid, pp. 127 and 286.
and capable of every crime." 1 lIosheim, vol. ii., p. 455. Wilks, p. 231
We have already seen how Benedict, Sylvester,
and Gregory, were alike declared unworthy of the
pontificate, and Clement placed in the see, and
by what means Hildebrand contrived to extend the
Wilks, I p."R"
HiS. Wilk 8, p. 161
emllS8tLnCO In Italy," vol. i., p. 318.
P.32O. Wilks, pp. 166, 167.
Crimes oj tl~e Popes. 31 Crimea oj Christianity.
J ortin says that" Sixtus IV. erected a famous bawdy. aggrandisement of his family."2 Mosheim eays: "So
house at Rome, and the Roman prosti~utes paid his many and eo great villainies, crimes and enormities are
holiness a weekly tax, which amounted sometimes to recorded of him, that it must be certain he was desti-
twenty thousand ducats a year."B tute not only of a.ll religion, but also of decency and
INNOCENT VIII. (1484-92). Schlegel, in his notes shame."3 This pope, at a certain feast, had fifty
to Mosheim, says he "lived so shamefully before he courtesans dancing, who, at a given signal, threw off
mounted the Roman throne, that he had sixteen illegiti- every vestige of clothing and-we draw a veil over
mate children to make provision for. Yet on the papal the scene I "To describe him," says Symond~, "as
throne he played the zealot against the Germans, whom the Genius of Evil, whose sensualities, as unrestrained
he accused of magic, and also against the Hussites, as Nero's, were relieved against the background of
whom he well-nigh exterminated." 7 Wilks says: ., He flame and smoke which Christianity had raiAed for
obtained the votes of the cardinals by bribery, and fleshly sins, is justifiable:" His besetting vice was sen-
violated all his promisea."s The practice of selling Buality ; in oriental fashion he maintained a harem in the
offices prevailed under him as well as under his pre- Vatican. He invited the Sultan Bajazet to enter Europe
decessors. "In corruption," says Symonds, "he ad and relieve him of the princes who opposed his intri-
vanced a step even bey ond Sixtus, by establishing a gues in favor of his children.
bank at Rome for the sale of pardons. Each sin had In regard to his death we follow Ranke:
ita price, which might be paid at the convenience of lilt was but too certain that he once meditated taking oft' one
the criminal: one hundred and fifty ducats of the tax r of the richest of the cardinals 'I1y poison. His intended victim,
'Were poured into the Papal coffers; the surplus fell to however, contrived, by means of present.!, promise!land prayers,
Franceschetto, the Pope's son."9 The Vice-Ohancellor to gain over his head cook, and the dish which had been pre-
of this rapacious pontiff. on being asked why indul- pared for the cardina.l was placed before the pope. He died of
tile poison he had destined for another." ~
gences 'Were permitted for the worst scandals, made
answer that" God wills not the death of a sinner, but JULIUS II. (1503-13). He obtained the pontificate
rather that he should pay and live." It must be added by fraud and bribery,6 and boldly took the sword to
that" the traffic which Innocent and Franceschetto car- extend his dominion. T Mosheim says:
rie:! on in theft and murder filled the Campagna with " That this Julius IL ,IlOlIIIeII8cd, bellides other vices, very great
brigandfl and assassins." The Pope's vices cost him so ferocity. a.rrogance, VlI.lllty, and II> mad paaion for war, isJI~:ed
much that he even pledged the papal tiara as a security byabunda.nt testimony. It> the first plAce, he formed an . ee
with the Emperor and the King of France, and ma.de war UJlOIl
for money. the Venetians. He next la.id siege to) Ferrara. ADd at Jut,
. ALEXANDER VI. (1492-1503). Roderic Borgia was ~wing the Yene.tians, the Swiss and t.he ~11J'da, to engage
one of the moet depraved wretches that ever lived. His In the war WIth him, he made an attack on Lewis XII., the king
passions were so unbridled that, having conceived a ~ France. Nor, eo long as he lived, did he cease from embroil-
lDg all Europe." B
liking for a widow and two daughters, he made them all
lJubl!lervient to his brutality. Wilks calls him" a man PAUL III. (153-l--4:9). He was as much a man of
.of most abandoned morals, deep duplicity, and unscru- the world as any of his predecessors. He acknow-
pulous ambition. Like his predecessors,he had but ledged an illegitimate son and daughter. lI The
(Jne object at heart, the temporal aud hereditary
------- ~--------- ----
... Vol. III., p. 81.
Rnnke. voL i., p. sa.
I P. 110. VoL I. p. 3~.
See also Waddington, p. 6/15.
Vol. III. P. S8" 1 Vol. III., p. SI. P. 169. . Mosheim, vol. iii, p. 84,. Ranke, vol. I., pp. 86, S1
f
Vot. I., p. 3S8. 1 Hymon<ls, vol. L, p. 53!), VoL IlL, p. MI. Ranke, vol. 1., po 168.
CrillLeS oj tlte Popes. 38
emperor once remonstra~ed with him on having pro-
moted two of his grandsons to the cardinalate at too
early an age. He replied that he would do as his pre-
d.ecessors had done-that there were examples of
infants in the cradle being made cardinals. l
We now close this horrid list of criminals. Since the
Reformation the popes have been obliged to Ii ve mor~
decently, or at least to conceal their vices instead of
flaunting them before the world. Should the Protes-
tants object that they are in no way responsible for the
crimes of the Papacy, we shall cheerfully concede the
plea; but at the iame time we beg to remind them that
Catholics are also Christians, and that the historian
must deal with the whol-e system through all the cen-
turies. Besides, as Michelet observed, Protestantism
is after all only an estuary, and Catholicism the great
sea.
1 Ranke, '"01. i, p. 164