[224] La Martinière, Le Grand Dictionnaire Geographique et Critique, IX, 237 (Venise, 1737).
[225] Sclopis, Antica Legislazione del Piemonte, p. 484 (Torino, 1833).
[226] Le Bret, Magazin zum Gebrauch der Staaten-und Kirchengeschichte, 5 Theil, p. 547 (Frankfurt, 1776).
[227] Fontana, Documenti Vaticani contro l’Eresia Luterana, p. 87.—Raynald. Annal., ann. 1536, n. 45.
The greed of the curia in grasping at all attainable rich preferment was a fruitful source of neglect and gave opportunity for heresy to flourish. Cardinal Ippolito d’Este, who was archbishop of Milan from 1520 to 1550, during the whole of that time never entered the city.—Gams, Series Episcoporum, p. 797.
[228] Catena, Vita del Papa Pio Quinto, pp. 6-8, 17 (Roma, 1587).
Two somewhat similar cases show that the Venetian territory was equally infected and equally indifferent (Ibidem, pp. 9, 10). One of these likewise exhibits Ghislieri’s implacable persistence. Vittore Soranzo, Bishop of Brescia, was overcurious in reading heretic books. Ghislieri was sent to make a secret investigation and, on his report, Soranzo was summoned to Rome and confined in the castle of Sant’ Angelo for two years. Nothing was proved against him; he was released and returned to his see, where he continued to perform his functions until 1558. In 1557 Ghislieri was promoted to the cardinalate and, in 1558, Paul IV created for him the office of supreme inquisitor—an office which he was careful not to perpetuate after he became Pius V. He had not forgotten his failure to convict Soranzo. In April, 1558, Paul IV, in public consistory, deprived of his office the unfortunate bishop, who retired to Venice and speedily died of grief.—Catena, pp. 13, 15.—Ughelli, Italia Sacra, T. IV, pp. 695-701.
[229] Cesare Cantù, Eretici d’Italia, III, 34-7.
[230] Fontana, Documenti Vaticani, pp. 174, 184.
[231] MSS. of Ambrosian Library, Tom. 9, F. 45, Parte Inferiore, Lettera 92.