For a cer infamous immorality, says Guicciardini.1 tainty by many proofs there was in Julius the greatest ferocity of mind, which neither his age nor his dignity could correct or moderate; he knew no bounds in any of his measures, but was blindly driven headlong by his passions, says Paruta.2 He stormed in person, and carried the town of La Mirandola against the French, whom he expelled from Italy. Julius triumphed for a time over his enemies: but it was a significant fact, a prognostic of coming events, when a body of cardinals and bishops cited their pope to appear before a council to answer the charges levelled at his exorbitant pretensions; and, finally, at his refusal to appear, pronouncing a sentence of suspension against the Father of the Faithful. Nor is it less remarkable that these "schismatics" actually "went through all the forms of a legal council, invoked the assistance of the Holy Ghost, chose a president, and called themselves the legal representative of the whole Church, whom all are bound to obey."3 This event took place in 1512. Of course these presumptuous mortals were severely punished all were duly excommunicated-deprived of their benefices and dignities. The kingdom of France, whose king, Lewis XII., was their abettor, was laid under an interdict, with direst anathema, by the vindictive pontiff, who forthwith summoned the fifth council of Lateran, "to regulate with great care whatever concerned the state and welfare of the church, the "Non riteneva di Pontefice altro che l'habito ed il nome-inveterato nella simonia e ne' costumi infami."-Lib. ii. "Per certo da' molti indicii si pote conoscer in Giulio essere stata grandissima ferocità d'ingegno, la quale, nè l' età, nè la dignità fu bastante di corregere, ò di temperare. Non sapeva in alcuna sua operatione servave misura, ò temperamento; ma quasi cieco era le più volte da gli appetiti suoi portato à precipitare.” - Hist. Vinct. lib. i. See also Muratori, Annali, ix. 83. 3 Reeve, p. 430. reformation of manners, the extinction of schism, and the restoration of peace amongst Christian princes." A mere bank-order without proceeds. All these cardinals were, in the next pontificate, restored to their dignities. It is admitted that their object and hope were to place a good and holy pope over the Christian church; though we are also told that each of them secretly aspired to the dignity. 2 In his difficulties the pope craved succour from Henry VIII. of England, which was granted by the future Defender of the Faith and destroyer of the Church in the "Island of Saints." In defence of the popedom or its interests, Henry sent an army into France; but, pressed on all sides, in the midst of his tumultuous designs, Julius died of a fever, produced by mental exacerbation at the failure of one of his political schemes: " for he was greatly ruled by his passions, and continually agitated by his desire of glory, and could not long endure the grief of seeing his designs severely disapproved by all. 3 Like his predecessor, Julius was a character of the age. He knew not what it was to entertain fear or irresolution; even in his advanced years he possessed that grand quality of manhood, and achieveindomitable courage. He made but small His qualities ments. account of the princes of his time, thinking he could overlook them all. To the very tumult of a general war did he look with most hopes of gains; his only care was to be always in command of money, so as to seize the favourable opportunity with all his might : 1 Reeve, p. 430; Dupin, iv; Hard. Concil. ix; Mosh. ii. 2 Panvin, Julius II. 3 Panv., ubi suprà; Paruta, ubi suprà. It is said that his last words were,"Fuori d'Italia Francezi-Fuori Alfonso d'Este!" "Out with the French from Italy-Out with Alfonso d'Este." Muratori, Annali, t. ix. 33. he desired, as was happily said by a Venetian, to be lord and master of the game of the world. He waited the fulfilment of his desires with impatience, but he kept them confined to his own breast. If we inquire what was the circumstance that enabled him to assume his peculiar attitude, we find it was, above all things, that he was free to avow his natural tendencies, nay, openly to profess them and make them his boast. The re-establishment of the state of the Church was regarded by the world of that day as a glorious enterprize it even considered it a religious one: all the pope's steps were directed towards this one end,this was the idea that animated all his thoughts; they were, if I may so express myself, steeped in it. Julius succeeded for a time: he made France tremble, drove her armies out of Italy, and overwhelmed the Venetians, though before his time the princes of Italy, and even the poorest barons and most insignificant nobles, regarded the bishop of Rome with indifference in relation to his temporal power.2 No man can blame the pope for this ambition, considering him a king elected to defend "St. Peter's patrimony," particularly as it appears that Julius laboured more for the good of the Church than his own private interest.3 Alexander added to the dominions of Popedom; Julius followed his example: both were politicians adapted to the age when all who had power were striving to secure or enhance it, without a scruple as to the means applied. His patronage If politicians of the Machiavellian school may find much to imitate in the method of Alexof the arts. ander VI. the admirers of art may look with complacency on Julius II.; for he "patronised" 1 Ranke, p. 18. 2 Machiav. Il Princ. xi. 3 Id. ibid. Michael Angelo, Raphael, and Bramante, if such men be not disgraced by the application of the term "patronised." "A warrior-pontiff as he was," says the Cavaliere Abate Tiraboschi, ci-devant Jesuit,1 "a warrior pontiff, and totally intent on retrieving and extending the states of the Church, it seemed that he cared not much for literature and men of letters; but, man as he was, of a mighty soul and vastest ideas, he could with the same hand wield the sword and foster the arts and sciences. Julius began the erection of St. Peter's, opened a new library, favoured the professors of the fine arts, and the cultivators of polite literature.”2 Leo. X. A new era dawned with Leo X., the successor of the warlike Julius. Characteristic was the beginning. On the day of his coronation he gave an earnest of what might be expected from him, by distributing a hundred thousand crowns of gold to the populace. Bembo and Sadolet, the best Latin scholars of the day, he made his secretaries. To the University of Rome he united the most celebrated professors of all countries. Whoever was, or fancied himself a fine poet, an eloquent orator, a polished and elegant writer, hurried to Rome, and found in Leo a friendly reception and liberal rewards. On a triumphal arch at the Ponte S. Angelo, a glorious inscription proclaimed to gods and men that all was accomplished: "Venus anon was queen-then Mars held sway— But now Minerva rules the better day."3 "After the suppression of the Society, Tiraboschi was knighted by the Duke of Modena. He died in 1794. He will be noticed when I have to portray the Literature of the Jesuits. 2 Storia, tom. vii. 3 "Olim habuit Cypris sua tempora,-tempora Mavors Tirab. ubi suprà; Jov. Vita, iii. In these presiding divinities, pointed allusion was made to the very peculiar characteristics of Leo's predecessors-Alexander's licentious court with its Lucretia Borgia, and the warlike reign of Julius. There is, therefore, history in that inscription: it was "tolerated" by the pope, which makes it authentic. To enlarge on the magnificent pontificate of Leo X. would be here out of place. lections. It kept pace with the revival of the sciences then universal, if Leo's predi- the pope's patronage was not rather too exclusive in its predilections. Men there were who saw with regret that the pope took delight in listening to light poetry and jests not always decent, and frequented comedies in which good morals were not much respected. The consequence was, that he brought discredit on the pontifical dignity, and gave rise to suspicions reflecting on his personal integrity. But a greater disadvantage was the fact that the decided preference of the pope for poetry and other light pursuits caused the grave sciences to lie neglected at a time when defenders of the Faith were becoming necessary to the Church, heresy in arms being at the gates of Rome.1 The Jesuit Andrès is still more explicit on the subject. "The intimate familiarity," says he, "with which Leo honoured the Quernos, the Britonios, Gazaldos, and other poetasters, rather than poets, and the ardour with which he sought the gross pleasure of listening to the most vulgar companies of comedians whom he imported with vast expense from Sienna, greatly diminished the honours which he liberally 1 Tirab. ubi suprà. But see Jovius, Vita, lib. iv., for a curious disquisition on the score of the pope's morality; and Roscoe, Life, ii. 389, for a vindication. Tiraboschi, also, gives a defence in a note to the passage above given. |