An. Reg. 16.
A yeare of Iubile.
Pope Alexander maketh profit of his great pardon or heauenlie grace, as he termeth it.
Soone after, when the death was slaked, the king returned againe into England about the end of Iune. Shortlie after there came to him one Gasper Pons a Spaniard, a man of excellent learning and most ciuill behauiour, sent from Alexander the bishop of Rome to distribute the heauenlie grace (as he termed it) to all such as (letted by anie forceable impediment) could not come to Rome that yeare to the Iubile, which was there celebrate, being the yeare after the birth of our Sauiour, 1500. This beneuolent liberalitie was not altogither fréelie giuen. For Alexander looking to the health of mens soules, thought to doo somewhat for his owne priuat commoditie, & therefore he set a certeine price of that his grace and pardon. And to the end that the king should not hinder his purpose, he offered part of his gaines to the king.
Abr. Flem.
And to colour the matter with some fauourable pretext, and to make men the better willing, & more readie to giue franklie, he promised with that monie to make warre against the Turke. By this meanes the pope got a great masse of monie, which he had conueied ouer vnto him by such trustie messengers (doubt you not) as he had appointed; and yet nothing doone against the Turks, which in the meane season did much hurt to the christians. [For it was no part of his meaning (what colourable shew soeuer he made of tendering the succourlesse people) to impart anie portion thereof to so good a vse; but rather for the supportation of him and his swarme, who before they will bate an ace of their gorgeous gallantnesse, the whole world shall be cousened. Such is the collusion of the pope, such be the shamelesse shifts of him and his cleargie for the maintenance of their owne courtlie brauerie, which is wicked vanitie; farre passing the pompe of anie prince, were the same of neuer so rare magnificence; as he well noteth that said full trulie:
Antith. Christ. &. pape. pag. 38. 40.
------immenso princeps non visus in orbe est,
Cui tanti fastus tantáue pompa fuit.
Ingreditur quando miseræ Babylonis in vrbes,
Cernitur hîc plusquam regia pompa comes.
Huic equus est spumans ostróq; insignis & auro,
Altisono cuius sub pede terra fremit, &c.]
Thrée bishops dead in one yeare.
Two notable mariages.