Id D m m n A- , • 4 A 5 '< ex. ? THE LIVES OF THE POPES. The Ancient and Modern Library of Theological Literature. THE LIVES OF THE POPES FROM THE TIME OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST TO THE ACCESSION OF GREGORY VII. WRITTEN ORIGINALLY IN LATIN BY B. P L A T I N A NATIVE OF CREMONA AND TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH EDITED BY THE REV. W. BENHAM, B.D. ; F.S.A. RECTOR OK ST EDMUND'S, LOMBARD STREET LONDON GRIFFITH FARRAN & CO. Limited NEWBERY HOUSE, CHARING CROSS ROAD. CONTENTS. PAGE Biographical Preface ix General Introduction XV St Peter the Apostle, circa 33-68 I St Linus, circa A.D. 68-78 10 St Cletus, circa 78-91 12 St Clemens, circa A.D. 91-100 15 St Anacletus . 17 St Evaristus, circa a.d. 100-109 19 St Alexander I., circa a.d. 109-119 21 St Sixtus I., circa a.d. 1 19-129 22 St Telesphorus, a.d. 129-139 24 St Hyginus, A.D. 139-143 26 St Pius L, A.D. 143-157 27 St Anicetus, a.d. 157-168 29 St Soter, a.d. 168-177 3i St Eleutherius, a.d. 177-192 33 St Victor I., circa A.D. 192-202 35 St Zephyrinus, circa A.D. 202-219 36 St Calistus I., A.D. 219-223 38 St Urbanus I., a.d. 223-230 3i St Pontianus, a.d. 230-235 43 St Anterus, A.D. 235-236 45 St Fabianus, a.d. 236-249 47 St Cornelius, A.D. 251-252 48 St Lucius I., A.D. 252-253 5o St Stephanus I., A.D. 253-257 52 St Sixtus II., A.D. 257-258 53 St Dionysius, A.D. 259-269 St Felix I., a.d. 269-275 \l St Eutychianus, a.d. 275-283 57 St Caius, a.d. 283-296 58 St Marcellinus, A.D. 296-304 60 A Contents. St Marcellus, a.d. 308-310 St Eusebius, a.d. 310 St Melchiades, a.d. 311-31 St Sylvester, a.d. 314-336 Marcus I., a.d. 336-337 Julius I., A.D. 337-352 Liberius I., A.D. 352-366 Felix II., a.d. 356 . Damasus I., a.d. 367-384 Siricius I., a.d. 385-398 Anastasius I., a.d. 399-402 Innocentius I., a.d. 402-417 Zosimus, a.d. 417-418 Bonifacius I., a.d. 419-422 Caslestinus I., a.d. 422-432 Sixtus III., a.d. 432-440 Leo I. the Great, a.d. 440-46 Hilarius I., a.d. 461-468 Simplicius I., a.d. 468-483 Felix III., a.d. 483-492 Gelasius I., a.d. 492-496 Anastasius II., a.d. 496-498 Symmachus I., a.d. 498-514 Hormisda I., a.d. 514-523 John I., a.d. 523-526 FelixIV., a.d. 526-530 Boniface II., a.d. 530-532 John II., a.d. 532-535 Agapetus I., a.d. 535-536 bylvenus, a.d. 536-537 Vigilius I A.D. 537-555 Pelagius I., a.d. 555-56o John III., a.d. 560-573 Benedict I., a.d. 574-578 pelagius II.,a.d. 578-590 . Gregory I. the Great, a.d. 590 •604 Sabinian I., a.d. 604-606 Boniface 1 1 1., a.d. 607-608 Boniface IV., a.d. 608-611: Deus-Dedit I., a.d. 615-6^ Boniface V., a.d. 618-625 Hononus 1., a.d. 625-638 Sevennus I., a.d. 640 John IV., a.d. 640-642 Theodorus I., a.d. 642-640 Martin I., a.d. 649-655 Eugenius I., a.d. 655-657 Contents. vn PAGE Vitalianus I., A.D. 657-672 156 Adeodatus I., A.D. 672-676 I 5 8 Donus I., A.D. 676-678 l60 Agatho I., A.D. 678-682 l6l Leo II., A.D. 682-683 I63 Benedict II., A.D. 683-685 I64 John V., A.D. 685-686 166 Conon I., A.D. 686-687 I67 Sergius I., A.D. 687-701 168 John VI., A.D. 702-705 172 John VII., A.D. 705-707 173 Sisinnius, A.D. 708 175 Constantine I., A.D. 708-716 175 Gregory II., A.D. 716 731 178 Gregory III., A.D. 731-741 183 Zacharias I., A.D. 741-752 186 Stephen II., A.D. 75 2 "757 189 Paul I., 757-767 192 Stephen IV., A.D. 768-772 194 Adrian I., A.D. 772-795 198 Leo III. ,795-8i6 204 Stephen V., A.D. 816-817 209 Paschal I., A.D. 817-824 210 Eugenius II., A.D. 824-827 212 Valentine I., A.D. 827 213 Gregory IV., A.D. 827-844 214 Sergius, A.D. 844-847 2l8 Leo IV., A.D. 847,-855 220 John VIII. 224 Benedict III., A.D. 855-858 225 Nicolas I. [the Great], a.d. 858-867 227 Hadrian II., A.D. 867-872 23O John VIII., A.D. 872-882 232 Martin II., A.D. 882-884 233 Hadrian III., A.D. 884-885 234 Stephen VI., a.d. 885-891 235 Formosus, A.D. 891-896 236 Boniface VI., A.D. 896 237 Stephen VII., A.D. 896-897 237 Romanus, A.D. 897-898 239 Theodorus II., A.D. 898 239 John IX., A.D. 898-900 240 Benedict IV., a.d. 900-903 241 Leo V., a.d. 903 242 Christopher, A.D. 903 242 Sergius III., A.D. 904-911 243 Anastasius III., a.d. 911-913 244 2 viii Contents. Landus, A.D. 914 John X., A.D.,914-928 Leo VI., A.D. 928-929 Stephen VIIL, A.D. 929-931 John XL, a.d. 931-936 Leo VI L, A.D. 936-939 Stephen IX., a.d. 939-942 Martin III., A.D. 942-946 Agapetus II., a.d. 946-955 John XII., A.D. 955-963 Benedict V., a.d. 963 Leo VIIL, a.d. 964-965 John XIII., A.D. 965-972 Benedict VI., a.d. 972-974 Boniface VII. Domnus II., a.d. 974-975 Benedict VII., 975-983 John XIV., A.D. 983-984 John XV., A.D. 985-996 Gregory V., A.D. 996-999 John XVI., A.D. 996 . Sylvester II., a.d. 999-1003 John XVI I., A.D. 1003 John XVIII. , A.D. 1003-1009 Sergius IV. a.d. 1009- 101 Benedict VIIL, a.d. 1012-1024 John XIX., A.D. 1024-1033 Benedict IX., 1033-1044 Sylvester III., 1044 . Gregory VI., 1044- 1046 Clement II., A.D. 1046-1048 Damasus II., A.D. 1048 Leo IX., A.D. 1048-1054 Victor II., A.D. 1055-1057 Stephen IX., A.D. 1057-1058 Benedict X., A.D. 1058-1059 Nicolas II., A.D. 1059-1061 Alexander II., A.D. 1061-1073 Appendix—Chronological Table BIOGRAPHICAL PREFACE. r PHE author of the following work was born in 142 1 at a T little village between Mantua and Cremona, called Piadena (Latin Platina). His family name was Sacchi, but he changed it to Platina, after his birthplace. There is a difference of opinion with regard to his Christian name ; some writers saying that it was Baptista, others that it was Bartholomew. Vossius has dealt with the ques- tion at some length in his work " De Historicis Latinis" and, on substantial reasons, has decided for Bartholomew. In his early youth he was trained as a soldier, and later studied science for some years. At last he went to Rome, recommended by Cardinal Vessarion to Pope Pius II., and through the influence of his patron he obtained successively several posts; in 1464, the important one of Abbreviator, the duties of which consisted of drawing up Papal bulls or briefs. When he had been installed but a few months, Pius II. died, and Paul II., his successor, changed all the officials. He had an idea, probably correct, that the Court of Abbreviators was the promoter of much corruption, so he determined to restrict the powers they possessed, and fixed their number at seventy, all of them being tried men, safe to carry out his commands. The indignation of those that had been deprived of their office was great, and they chose Platina, as being the most distinguished of their number, to plead their cause. He argued that the office was theirs for life, when once appointed, and that it was not in the power of the Pope to dismiss them at will, and he more- over threatened that if he would give them no redress, they would submit the question to the decision of the Rota. To x Biographical Preface. which Paul II. answered, " Do you talk of bringing us before judges, as if you did not know that the law is settled in our breast ? If you talk in that way, all shall be dismissed. I care not; I am Pope, and can, at my good pleasure, rescind or confirm the acts of others." Platina, not to be daunted, told the Pope by letter that he and his colleagues would apply to the Princes of Europe, against his treatment of them. The only answer vouchsafed to him was an announcement that the Pope had ordered his imprisonment, on a charge of treason. He was kept in chains for four months, at the end of which time he was released through the intercession of Cardinal Gonzoga. After their dissolution the Abbreviators used often to meet at the Roman Academy, for the airing of their grievances, and they thought to take vengeance on the Pope, by holding up the priesthood to ridicule.