CAUSES ACCOUNTING FOR THE GROWTH OF THE PAPACY. 235 When the eastern emperors, by his means chiefly, were driven out of Italy, he snatched a good part of it to himself, and set up for a temporal prince.' When princes clashed, he, by yielding countenance to one side, would be sure to make a goodmarket for himself; for this pretended successor to the fisherman was really skilled to angle in troubled waters. They have been the incendiaries of Christendom, the kindlers and fomenters of war, andwould often stir upwars; and, inclining to the stronger part, would share with the conqueror, as when he stirred up Charles against the Lombards.' They would, upon spiritual pre- tence, be interposing in all affairs.' He obliged princes, by abetting their cause when it was unjust or weak, his spiritual authority satisfying their conscience, whence he was sure to receive good acknowledgment and recompense; as when he allowed Pepin's usurpation (anno 752.) He pretended to dispose of kingdoms and to constitute princes, reserving obeisance to himself. Gregory VII. (anno 1060) granted to Robert Guislard Naples and Sicily, beneficiario jure. Innocent II. (anno 1139) gave to Roger the title of king. There is scarce any kingdom in Europe which he has not claimed the sovereignty of, by some pretence or other. Princes sometimes, for quiet-sake, have desired the pope's consent and allowance of things appertaining of right to themselves; whence the pope took advantage to claim an original right of disposing such things. The proceeding of the pope upon occasion of wars is remarkable. When he entered into league with a prince, to side with him inawar against another, he covenanted to prosecute the enemy with spiritual arms (that is, with excommunications and interdicts), engaging his confederates to use temporal arms; so making ecclesiastical censures tools of interest. When princes were in difficulties, by the mutinous disposition of princes, the emulation of antagonists, he would, as served his in- terest, interpose, hooking in some advantage to himself. In the tumults against our King John he struck in, and would have drawn the kingdom to himself. He .would watch opportunity to quarrel with princes, upon pre- tence they intrenched on his spiritual power; as about the point of the investiture ofbishops, and receiving homage from them. i opuil .rcooórn; zrñe á,k) fuxgrray &c. " When the oak is fallen, every one gets some wood." 2 Anast. in Vit. Zach.; P. Nic. I., Ep. xxv. xxx., &c. 3 Non sine suspicione, quod illorum temporum pontifices, qui bella extinguere, dis- cordias tollere debuissent, suscitarent ea potins atque nutrirent.ModruviensisEyisc. in Cone. Let. sub Leone X., less. vi. p. 72.
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