Things being in this posture, Henry at last resolved to dash all his Adversaries Machines to pieces at one blow; and therefore he solemnly renounced his Heresie, and was reconciled to the Church: So in spite of the Pope and the Spaniards, he obtained a Crown, which could never have encompassed a more worthy Head than his. After this, the Pope’s Army was fain to retire, having done little or nothing.
The same hapned in Flanders, whither he sent another Army to help the Spaniards against the United Provinces, who, since the death of the Duke of Parma, had obtained many Victories; but it was with as little success as the first: So that the Pope, weary of spending the Treasure of the Church to no purpose, commanded his Forces home, leaving the Spaniards to look after their own Affairs.
The Expences of this Pope were exorbitant; for he did undertake every thing rashly, and more out of Capriccio, than ripe judgment and deliberation: So that he undoubtedly did the Church more hurt than good.
There is little to be said of Innocent the Ninth, Gregory the Fourteenth, and Urban the Seventh; for the greatest mischief they did the Church, was, that they liv’d so little. We will therefore come to Sixtus the Fifth.
The Nipotismo of this Pope was one of the most innocent ones that ever was seen; for he hindred them from taking any part in the Government: So that they were in the Court, like Beggars at a Church door, of whom few People take notice.
Not that he was so severe, as to hinder them from a share in his Fortune; for he did bestow large Revenues upon them all: observing nevertheless, to refuse always every thing that they begg’d, and to give them when they least thought of it. He did much affect this sort of Generosity, or rather Soverainty; for he never suffered any of his Relations to put their hands into his Coffers; nay, he was so absolute, that once he banished a Kinsman of his, because he found his House better furnished, than it could be by those Gratifications which he had received from the Pope, who used no more words with him but these, We have given you so much, and you have so much; How came you by the rest? And so without delay he banish’d him, and divided his Fortune amongst his other Relations.
If the Nephews of other Popes become rich, it is by the abuse they make of that Authority which they usurp in the Pope’s Name. But it was not so with the Nipotismo of Sixtus; for he never gave blindly, but with his eyes open, and discreetly: And if there were any Error committed in their growing rich, it was the Pope that was the Author of it, and not they, who were meerly passive, and did but receive their Uncles Liberalities.
There is no doubt, but that under this Pope the Church received much more benefit than damage; for the Nipotismo having no Power, could not be otherwise than good and innocent; and the Pope himself was so wise and vertuous a Prince, that there were few Miscarriages in his time; if we except that only occasion, in which Sixtus, by his too hasty Excommunication of King Henry the Third of France, brought the Church in danger of losing for ever so noble and flourishing a part of Christendom; as it had hapned already, by the rashness of one Pope, that the Kingdom of England was entirely lost, only because Clement the Seventh would not yield a little of his Authority. And indeed, I think, the greatest blemish upon the Reputation of Sixtus is, that he suffer’d himself to be so far transported with anger, as to Excommunicate Henry the Third of France, for having caused the Cardinal of Guise to be killed, and the Cardinal of Bourbon to be shut up in a close Prison, with the Archbishop of Lyons, who were indeed all three Traytors to the Kingdom, and Conspirators against the Royal Person of Henry. The Consistory of Cardinals did oppose this violent Resolution of Sixtus, by remonstrating to him the terrible consequence of it, and the danger that all the Church would incur by the loss of so noble a Christian Kingdom.
But the Pope laughing at all this, answered the Cardinals in this manner; If therefore you will have it so, we will bring it to pass, that from henceforward you shall be neither honour’d nor reverenc’d by Princes nor Kings; but despis’d, vilified, and exposed to the hands both of the Oppressor, and the Executioner. Certainly, if the killing of Cardinals be conniv’d at, and pass’d over without resentment and chastisement, it may very easily become the Case of every one of you. However, we will rather do that which Justice requires, though you little care that Reason be done for the Violence committed, not so much against you, as the Sacred Purple.
Nevertheless, the Pope was wary, not to precipitate things so suddenly; but suffered five Months to pass, after the death of the Cardinal of Guise: during which interval, he made by Letters several Admonitions to the King; all which proved to no purpose, the King being resolute not to free the Cardinal out of Prison, which the Pope so vehemently urged. Whereupon, seeing he could not prevail, he thundered out the greater Excommunication, with all the accustomed Forms, against the King, and against all those who in the said matter should afford Counsel to, or in any manner whatsoever assist him. Besides which, he also cited the said King to make his personal Appearance at Rome, within the term of seventy days, there to give account of the Death of the Cardinal of Guise, and the Imprisonment of the Cardinal of Bourbon.