under the suspicion of heresy on account of these predictions, but in consequence of a new explication he had given of the doctrine of a Trinity of persons in the godhead. He had in an elaborate work attacked very warmly Peter Lombard, the master of the sentences, on account of the distinction this latter writer had made between the divine essence, and the three persons in the godhead; for Joachim looked upon this doctrine as introducing a fourth object, even an essence into the Trinity. But the good man was too little versed in metaphysical matters, to carry on a controversy of such a subtile nature, and he was betrayed by his ignorance so far as to advance inconsiderately the most rash and exceptionable tenets. For he denied that there was any thing, or any essence that belonged in common to the three persons in the Trinity, or was jointly possessed by them; by which doctrine the substantial union between the three persons was taken away, and the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost was reduced from a natural, simple, and numerical unity, to a moral one only; that is, to such a unity as reigns in the councils and opinions of different persons who embrace the same notions, and think and act with one accord. This explication of the Trinity was looked upon by many as very little different from the Arian system; and therefore the Roman pontiff, Innocent III. pronounced, in the year 1215, in the council of the Lateran, a damnatory sentence against the doctrine of Joachim, which sentence however did not extend to the person or fame of the abbot himself. And indeed, notwithstanding this papal sentence, Joachim has at this day a considerable number of adherents and defenders, more especially among those of the Franciscans, who are called observants. Some of these maintain that the book of this abbot was corrupted and interpolated by his enemies, while the rest are of opinion that his doctrine was not thoroughly understood by those that opposed it.'

i See Dan. Papebrochius, Disquis. Histor. de Florensi Ordine, Prophetis, Doctrina, B. Joachimi, in Actis Sanctorum, Maii, tom. vi. p. 486, which contains The Life of Joachim, and several other pieces of consequence. See also Natal. Alexander, Hist. Eccles. Sæc. xiii. Diss. ii. p. 331. Luc. Waddingi Annal. Minor. tom. iv. p. 6.

1

THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.

PART I.

EXTERNAL HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

CONCERNING THE PROSPEROUS EVENTS THAT HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH DURING THIS CENTURY.

new the cru

1. SEVERAL attempts were made by the monarchs and princes of the west, set on by the instigation of Fruitless atthe Roman pontiffs, to renew the war in Palestine tempts to reagainst the Turks and Saracens, and to deliver sades. the whole province of Syria from the oppressive yoke of these despotic infidels. The succession of pontiffs that resided at Avignon were particularly zealous for the renovation of this religious war, and left no artifice, no methods of persuasion unemployed, that could have the least tendency to engage the kings of England and France in an expedition to the holy land. But their success was not answerable to their zeal; and notwithstanding the powerful influence of their exhortations and remonstrances, something still happened to prevent their producing the desired effect. Clement V. urged the renewal of this holy war with the greatest ardour in the years 1307, 1308, and and set apart an immense sum of money for carrying it on with alacrity and vigour. John XXII. ordered a fleet of ten ships to be fitted out in the year 1319, to transport an army of pious adventurers into Palestine," and had recourse to the power of superstition, that is, to the influence of indulgences, for raising the funds necessary to the support of this great enterprise. These indulgences he offered to such as contributed generously to the carrying on the war, and appointed legates to administer them in all

a Baluzii Vita Pontif. Avenion. tom. i. p. 15, 594, tom. ii. p. 55, 57, 374, 391, &c. Ant. Matthæi Analecta veteris ævi, tom. ii. p. 577.

b Baluzii Vita Pontif. Avenion. tom. i. p. 125, tom. ii. p. 515.

the countries in Europe that were subject to his ghostly jurisdiction. But, under this fair show of piety and zeal, John is supposed to have covered the most selfish and grovelling views; and we find Lewis of Bavaria, who was at that time emperor, and several other princes, complaining loudly that this pontiff made use of the holy war as a pretext to disguise his avarice and ambition; and indeed the character of this pope was proper to give credit to such complaints. Under the pontificate of Benedict XII. a formidable army was raised in the year 1330, by Philip de Valois, king of France, with a view, as was said, to attempt the deliverance of the Christians in Palestine;" but when he was just ready to embark his troops, the apprehension of an invasion from England obliged him to lay aside this weighty enterprise. In the year 1345, Clement V. at the request of the Venetians, engaged, by the persuasive power of indulgences, a prodigious number of adventurers to embark for Smyrna, where they composed a numerous army under the command of Guido, or Guy, dauphin of Vienne; but the want of provisions obliged this army to return with their general into Europe in a short time after their departure. This disappointment did not however damp the spirits of the restless pontiffs; for another formidable army was assembled in the year 1363, in consequence of the zealous exhortations of Urban V. and was to be employed in a new expedition against the infidels, with John, king of France, at its head; but the unexpected death of that prince blasted the hopes that many had entertained from this grand project, and occasioned the dispersion of that numerous body which had repaired to his standards.'

II. The missionaries that had been sent by the Roman The state of pontiffs into China, Tartary, and the adjacent Christianity countries, in the preceding century, found their Tartary. labours crowned with the desired success, and established a great number of Christian churches in these unenlightened nations. In the year 1307, Clement V. erected Cambalu, which at this time was the celebrated metropolis of Cathay, and is undoubtedly the same with

c Baluzius, loc. cit. tom. i. p. 175, 786. Matthæi Analecta vet. ævi, tom. ii. p. 595, 598. d Baluzius, loc. cit. tom. i. p. 200.

e Fragmenta Historia Romana, in Muratori Antiq. Ital. medii ævi, tom. iii. p. 368. f Baluzii Vita Pontif. Avenion. tom. i. p. 366, 386, 371, 401.

Pekin, the capital city at present of the Chinese empire, into an archbishopric, which he conferred upon John de Monte Corvino, an Italian friar, who had been employed in propagating the gospel in that country for many years. The same pontiff sent soon after to assist this prelate in his pious labours, seven other bishops of the Franciscan order. John XXII. exerted in this good cause the same zeal which had distinguished the pontificate of his predecessors. Upon the death of John de Monte Corvino, in the year 1330, he sent Nicolas of Bentra to fill the vacant archbishopric of Cambalu, and charged him with letters to the emperor of the Tartars, who at that time was in possession of the Chinese dominions. In the year 1338, Benedict XII. sent new legates and missionaries into Tartary and China, in consequence of a solemn embassy with which he was honoured at Avignon from the khan of the Tartars. During the time that the princes of this latter nation maintained themselves in the empire of China, the Christian religion flourished in these vast regions, and both Latins and Nestorians not only made a public profession of their faith, but also propagated it without any apprehension of danger, throughout the northern provinces of Asia.

Lithuaniana.

III. There remained in this century scarcely any European prince, unconverted to Christianity, if Conversion of the we except Jagello, duke of Lithuania, who continued in the darkness of paganism, and worshipped the gods of his idolatrous ancestors, until the year 1386, when The embraced the Christian faith, received in baptism the name of Vladislaus, and persuaded his subjects to open their eyes upon the divine light of the gospel. We shall not pretend to justify the purity of the motives that first engaged this prince to renounce the religion of his fathers, as they were accompanied at least with views of policy, interest, and ambition. Upon the death of Lewis, king of Poland, which happened in the year 1382, Jagello was named among the competitors who aspired after the vacant throne; and as he was a rich and powerful prince, the Poles beheld his pretensions and efforts with a favourable

g Waddingus, Annal. Ordin. Minor. tom. vi. ad A. 1305, § xii. p. 69. ad A. 1307, p. 91, 368, tom. vii. p. 53, 221, tom. viii. p. 235. J. S. Assemanni Biblioth. Orient. Valican. tom. iii. § ii. p. 521. J. Echardi Scriptor. Prædicator. tom. i. p. 537. Acta Sanctor. tom. i. Januarii, p. 984. Moshemii Historia Eccles. Tarbar.

h Baluzii Vita Pontificum Avenionensium, tom. i. p. 242.