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whether even this would suffice. Dominic himself returned from Bohemia to accompany the emperor into Hungary, where his efforts against the opinions of the reformers are said to have been more successful.

CHAPTER XII.

FUTILE ISSUE OF THE COUNCIL. ITS DISSOLUTION.

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MARTIN V. ANNOUNCES HIS ELECTION. RECEPTION OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT. THE KING OF ARAGON DISSATISFIED. - FAVORS BENEDICT. THE REFORMATORY COLLEGE. CONCORDATS. MEASURES FOR REFORM.DISSATISFACTION. THE SPANISH NATION. - PARODY OF THE MASS. PRESENTED TO THE POPE. OTHER COMᏢᏞᎪ . j. MARTIN V. EAGER TO RETURN TO ITALY. GREEK CHURCH. THE Emperor. WANT OF MONEY.-DISAPPOINTMENT. — LANGUAGE OF GERSON. KING OF POLAND. - VOLADIMIR. HIS PROTEST. SIMONY OF MARTIN V. - THE EMPEROR'S QUESTION. ANXIETY OF MEMBERS TO LEAVE. HUMILIATION OF THE COUNCIL. LIBERALITY OF MARTIN V. IN GRANTING INDULGENCES. THE EMPEROR'S DISSATISFACTION. THE KING OF POLAND AGGRIEVED. - THE FRENCH CONCORDAT. - ENGLAND. SPAIN. — ITALY. MARTIN V. LEAVES CONSTANCE.

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JAN. 1, 1418-APRIL 28, 1418.

THE Council was now approaching the close of its proceedings. With the election of Martin V. the interest in its continuance at once began to decline. The prospects of reform were more hopeless than ever; for it was soon seen that the election had only given a head to its enemies.

The new pontiff showed much alacrity in the announcement of his election.1 He wrote to the universities, and the different states and kingdoms, a circular letter, in which he attributes the choice that had been made to the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The reception of his letter was not everywhere

1 L'Enfant, 599.

equally welcome.

Pontifical nature had, for more

than forty years, excited deep distrust throughout Christendom. Otho de Colonna as cardinal had been highly spoken of; but what would he be as Martin V.? His family was a noble one.1 For centuries it had abounded in great men. Kings, pontiffs, and, as some said, even emperors had sprung from it. Its importance, if nothing more, was attested by the fact that Boniface VIII. had excommunicated the whole family, even to the fourth generation. But Boniface VIII. had secured his election as pontiff by "terrifying his predecessor at midnight, and threatening him with eternal damnation if he did not immediately resign." Beside, more than a century had passed away, and the curse of excommunication had wellnigh spent its force. Succeeding pontiffs, moreover, guided by a wisdom equally infallible with that of their predecessor, had cancelled the decree of his pious vengeance.

The Colonnas, moreover, had shown themselves men not lightly to be assailed. Martin V. had grown old in the discharge of important ecclesiastical offices connected with the papacy. He was one of the electors of Alexander V., and helped give him a successor in the person of the notorious John XXIII. When the latter fled from Constance, Otho de Colonna accompanied him. Some might have asked what light this fact threw upon his character. He was certainly a learned man-at least in canon law, which he had taught in his youth as a professor at Perusia. Platina praises him as prudent, gentle,

1L'Enfant, 538.

CH. XII.]

CHARACTER OF MARTIN V.

337

temperate, just, and dexterous in the management of affairs. Whatever he may have been as cardinal, as pope he was the author of the bull against the Hussites, and disappointed the hopes of all that earnestly longed for reform. But the office was greater than the man. His position mastered him. He trod in the footsteps of his predecessors, because he did not fancy the thorns he must meet in diverging from the beaten path. "As cardinal," says Windeck, the emperor's prime minister, "he was poor and modest; but as pope, Martin V. was greedy of gain, and made himself very rich."

His election as cardinal ranged the greater part of Christendom on his side. Congratulations came in upon him from almost every direction. Some, however, were inclined to hesitate in the declaration of their allegiance. France resented the part which the emperor had taken in his election. Sigismun had leagued himself with England, and was regarded as an enemy. Should France accept as pope the creature of his choice? He had governed the coun cil, and had not left it free to act. Martin V. was but a tool of the emperor. The French parliament declined to recognize any one as pope till the depu tation at the council had returned safe.

Other matters soon conspired to aggravate the difficulty. The king of Aragon had not entirely recovered from his leanings toward Benedict XIII. If he threw aside his old friend, he demanded some equivalent in return. Money was needed, and he cast a greedy eye on the property of the church. He, as well as his father, had been at considerable 22

VOL. II.

expense and trouble to bring about the measures which had ranged Aragon on the side of the council, and which had resulted in the election of Martin V. This was the ground of his claim. He had demanded the right to dispose of benefices in Sicily and Sardinia, independent of the pontiff, with a share of tithes on ecclesiastical property in Aragon belonging to the Roman See.1 Martin V. thought the 18,000 florins which he could draw yearly from Sicily and Sardinia, too much to surrender for a good-will now no longer necessary, and he refused the terms, offering in their stead others, which the king of Aragon treated with scorn. The result was that Benedict XIII. received thenceforth, first the secret, and then the open support of the king. Thus was he enabled to defy the bull of excommunication launched against him by Martin V., on his refusal to lay down the pontifical dignity.

But this was not all. Benedict was not content to act merely on the defensive. When he heard, at Peniscola, of the election of Martin V., he assembled the four cardinals and the few clerks he had with him, and calling his assembly a general council and the Catholic church, he solemnly excommunicated as schismatics all who had shared in the election of Martin V., and all who should acknowledge or obey him. It was in vain that many of the Spanish bishops repaired to Peniscola, and entreated Benedict to yield, and not any longer oppose himself to all Christendom. It was in vain that some of his cardinals seconded the request. To all alike he made

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1 Fleury, xxvi. 377. L'Enfant, 574.

2 Bower, iii. 203.

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