Nice, he assumed the name of Pius II., and went through the customary solemnities.

The object to which the exertions of Æneas Sylvius had been faithfully directed in all his subordinate offices, equally distin

Council of guished his pontificate; and the gradual progress of the Mantua. Turks, by increasing his apprehensions, fortified his zeal. Accordingly he allowed not a moment to elapse before he convoked a Council for the promotion of a general crusade. Mantua was the place selected for that purpose; his call was obeyed by the greater number of the Italian Princes; and, finally, though with more reluctance, by representatives from most of the European States. Many deputies from the East were also present-from Rhodes, from Cyprus, from Lesbos, from the Peloponnesus, Epirus, and Illyria―to express their sufferings or their fears, and pour out their supplications. Pius II. proceeded with extraordinary pomp to the opening of the Council. In various cities through which he passed he was received with the same ostentatious homage which is paid to a temporal Prince; and the religious motive which may have animated the Pontiff was forgotten in the less questionable policy of his design.

Pius II. opened the Council of Mantua on the 1st of June, 1459, just six years after the fall of Constantinople. His first discourse was employed in rebuking the indifference of the Christian Princes; in contrasting the devotion of the Turks for their execrable sect with the apathy of the children of the Gospel; and in expressing his own resolution never to abandon his project, but to sacrifice his life, if necessary, for the people entrusted to him by God. His earnestness, his activity, his brilliant and commanding eloquence, produced an immediate, though it proved but a temporary, effect. The Council continued its sessions till the end of the January following: as its deliberations proceeded, it increased in numbers and dignity; and it grew warmer in the cause, as it was more influenced by the ardour and genius of the Pontiff. The methods by which he proposed to effectuate his design contained nothing that was inpracticable— much that was reasonable and generous. An army of 50,000 or 60,000 confederates was to be immediately collected for the defence of Hungary and the adjacent provinces; the men were to be raised in Germany, Bohemia, Poland, and Hungary. The pecuniary means were to be furnished chiefly by Italy; the clergy were to contribute a tenth of all their property, the Jews a twentieth, and the laity a thirtieth part. The Pope professed his readiness to conduct the war in person, and to consecrate to that purpose all that belonged to him.

The Council was then dissolved; and whatsoever may have been the sincerity of its members, while they were awed by the presence of the Pontiff, and animated by his eloquence, the engagements they contracted were, for the most part, violated. The intestine dissensions of the Christian Powers were too deeply seated to permit any cordial or general co-operation; and so far was Pius II. from succeeding in his attempt to

*The Venetians and Genoese were not included in this engagement. The greatest difficulties were raised by the former, partly owing to their commercial and other intercourse with the Infidel, and partly, perhaps, because they had been accustomed to profit by crusades, not to contribute to them. Again, though the Duke of Burgundy had given some reluctant promises of aid, neither the French, Castilians, nor Portuguese had offered any hopes. As to England (said the Pope), we have nothing to expect from that kingdom, on account of the troubles which divide it; nor from Scotland, hidden in the depths of the ocean. Denmark, and Sweden, and Norway, are too distant to send us soldiers, and, content with their fish, they could not send us money, if they would.'

heal them, that he did not himself long escape their contagion, but presently became entangled in the malignant politics of Europe.

Embassy from

the East.

In the same year (1460) a solemn embassy from the Princes of the East arrived at Rome: the respect, which could not be claimed for their power, was offered to their titles and pretensions, and to the object of their mission. The Envoys professed to represent David, Emperor of Trebizond, George, King of Persia, the Sovereigns of the Two Armenias, and many others. They advanced a profusion of hopes and promisesthe Turks were to be assailed from the East by a powerful army, through the Hellespont, Thrace, and the Bosphorus; among their allies they numbered Bendis, King of Mingrelia and Arabia, Pancratius, King of the Georgians, Moüic, Marquis of Goria, Ismael, Lord of Sinope, and some others; it was the object of their mission to inform his Holiness of these preparations, and to render homage to the Vicar of God upon earth. Pius II. applauded their zeal, and accepted their homage; but assuring them that little could be done on his part, unless in conjunction with the Courts of France and Burgundy, he sent them forth to tell their pompous tale beyond the Alps. It may seem needless to add, that this deputation had no result.

The year following, Thomas Palæologus presented himself at Rome, and he was received with a munificence which did honour to the pontifical Court. The Imperial Exile had passed from Corfu to Ancona, and brought to that city the relics of the Apostle St. Andrew. He bestowed the sacred treasure upon the Pope; and accordingly commissioners were appointed, who conducted it with great solemnity to Rome. It was deposited in St. Peter's with every mark of veneration: and though the reader is already familiar with such absurdities; though he has had frequent occasion to deplore the deference to popular superstition which has been paid by very intelligent, and even very pious, ecclesiastics, we may still record another humiliating act, which it was the fate of Pius II. to perform. Catharine of Sienna had died above eighty years before in perfect odour of sanctity; continual miracles, certified by sufficient testimony, had been performed at her tomb; people were anxiously expecting her canonization.* A Duke of Austria and a King of Hungary had successively solicited the Pontiff of the day to do that justice to her extraordinary qualities; but the ceremony had been deferred through the confusion of the Church and the disorders of the Holy See. It was reserved to the genius of Æneas Sylvius at length to perform that office; and one of the most extravagant enthusiasts, that ever dishonoured the profession of Christianity, † was enthroned among the Saints of the Church by one of the most enlightened Prelates who has in any age adorned it.

From being the zealous advocate of the Council of Basle, we have observed Æneas Sylvius defending the usurpations and exalting the majesty of the Roman See. It was thus that he became qualified to occupy it; and the enjoyment of its power and prerogatives was not calculated to revive his ardour for its reformation. To have imposed limits on an authority exercised by himself had been a rare and difficult effort of

*The first recorded Act of Canonization was performed in 993, by John XV., in behalf of Udalrig, Bishop of Augsburg. The right in the first instance was not exclusively vested in the Pope: councils, and even prelates of high rank, were qualified to perform it; till Alexander III. placed this among the more important acts of authority (Causæ Majores) to be executed only by the Pope.-See Mosh. Cent. x., p. ii. ch. iii.

The exploits of this fanatic fill twenty-four folio pages in the works of St. Antoninus, Archbishop of Florence.-(Chronicorum, Tertia Pars, p. 692, et seq.)

magnanimity and so far was Pius II. from harbouring the design, that he seized an early occasion to discourage those liberal principles of Church government, which were entertained by many ecclesiastics, and which had so lately been propagated by himself. During the Council of Mantua, shortly before its dissolution, and at a moment when his influence over its members was probably the greatest, he published a celebrated Bull against all appeals from the Holy See to general Councils. 'An execrable abuse, unheard of in ancient times *, has gained footing in our days, authorized by some, who, acting under a spirit of rebellion rather than sound judgment, presume to appeal from the Pontiff of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, to whom, in the person of St. Peter, it has been said, Feed my sheep; and again, "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;" to appeal, I say, from his judgments to a future Council-a practice which every man instructed in law must regard as contrary to the holy canons, and prejudicial to the Christian republic.... The Pope then proceeded to paint in vague and glowing expressions the frightful evils occasioned by such appeals; and finally pronounced to be ipso facto excommunicated all individuals who might hereafter resort to them, whether their dignity were imperial, royal, or pontifical, as well as all Universities and Colleges, and all others who should promote and counsel them.

This Edict, published in January, 1460, was no unworthy prelude to the most remarkable act of the pontificate of Pius-his Recantation of public retractation of his early opinions. Not contented Pius II. to leave others to contrast his actual conduct with his former principles, and both were too notorious to escape such contrast, he boldly stepped forward as his own judge, and published the most unequivocal condemnation of himself. Before his departure for Ancona, in the year 1463, he addressed to the university of Cologne a bull to the following effect :-That being liable to human imperfection, he had said, or written, much which might unquestionably be censured; but that, as he had sinned, like Paul, and persecuted the Church of God through want of sufficient knowledge, so he now imitated the blessed Augustine, who, having fallen into some erroneous expressions, retracted them; that he ingenuously acknowledged his former ignorance, lest what he had written while young should lead to some error prejudicial to the Holy See; for if there were any one whom it peculiarly became to defend and maintain the eminence and glory of the first Throne of the Church, it was assuredly that individual, whom God, in his mercy and goodness, had raised to the dignity of the vicar of Jesus Christ. That, for these reasons, no confidence was due to those of his writings, which offended, in any manner, the authority of the Apostolical See, and established opinions which it did not acknowledge. Wherefore (he added) if you find anything contrary to its doctrine, either in my dialogues, or my letters, or any other of my writings, despise those opinions, reject them, and follow that which I now proclaim to you. Believe me now that I am old, rather than then, when I spoke as a youth; pay more regard to the Sovereign Pontiff than to the individual; reject Eneas-receive Pius. The former name was imposed by my parents-a Gentile name, and in my infancy the other I assumed as a Christian in my Apostolatet.' In conclusion, the Pope, anticipating the natural suspicion of ambitious **Execrabilis et pristinis temporibus inauditus' are the opening words, which give

the title to the decree.

Eneam rejicite, Pium recipite-illud Gentile nomen parentes indidere nascenti; hoc Christianum in Apostolatu suscepi.'

motives as the occasion of his change, took some pains to remove that notion, by recounting the circumstances of his introduction to the council, and recurring to the seductions which misled his tender inexperience. If that change, of which the first indication was so nearly coincident with his personal advancement, had been a change to a wiser, from a rash and inconsiderate opinion; had the adopted principles of the convert been calculated to advance the permanent interests of his See, better than those which he rejected, the historian might have listened with some attention to his assurances of sincerity. But when we have the soundest reasons to convince us, that the counsels of his youth were sage, and provident, and generous, those of his riper years narrow, and at the same time selfish, there is scarcely space to doubt what the motives really were, which determined his apostacy.

'Life

His exertions

against the Turks,

In the mean time the Turkish arms were making progress in all quarters, and the tide of war was rapidly descending to the Adriatic. Italy lay next in its course; and her contentious children seemed, for the moment, disposed to suspend their intestine animosities. The Pope renewed his exertions. itself (thus he spoke in consistory) must be laid down for the safety of the flock entrusted to us. The Turks are wasting the provinces of Christendom in succession. What expedients remain to us? To oppose arms to their invasions? We have no means to provide them. What then? Shall we exhort the princes to confront and expel them? This has already been attempted in vain: it is in vain that we tell them to go! Perchance they would listen better, if we should say to them-Come! This, then, shall be our next experiment: we will march in person against the Turks, and invite the Christian monarchs to follow us; not by words only, but by example also. It may be, when they shall behold their master and father-the Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Christ Jesus-an infirm old man, advancing to the war, they will take up arms through shame, and valiantly defend our holy religion. . . Not that we propose to draw the sword-a task incompatible with our bodily feebleness and sacerdotal character,-but after the example of the Holy Father Moses, who prayed on the mountain, while Israel was fighting with the Amalekites, we shall stand on some lofty galley or mountain's brow, and holding before our eyes the Divine Eucharist, which is our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall implore Him to grant safety and victory to our contending armies*.'

These were not vain expressions; a numerous force was already assembled at Ancona, and the Venetians had at length engaged to furnish maritime succours. The pontiff departed to assume, in person, the conduct of the expedition. He was preceded by the Cardinal of St. Angelo-an old and venerable prelate, remarkable for his zeal against the infidel; he followed at slow journeys, borne in a litter, and debilitated by sickness; and on his arrival at the camp, he was received by a multitude imperfectly armed, without resources, without discipline, and, for the most part, without enthusiasm. Such were the champions of the Cross; such the human instruments, to which the care of Christendom seemed at that moment to be confided! Many of them Pius immediately dismissed with his pontifical benediction, and a profusion of indulgences, which they no longer affected to value. Those who remained he still

proposed to lead against the enemy, and only awaited the arrival of the Venetian galleys. They arrived; but scarcely

*Raynaldus, ann. 1463, sect. 25.

and Death.

were their white sails visible from the towers of Ancona, when the Pope expired. On this event the whole expedition immediately dispersed; and it seemed as if so many spectators had assembled, from such various and distant regions, for no other purpose than to witness the death of their chief, and swell his funeral procession.

The treasure which was found in his chest was sent, by his express command, to Corvinus, king of Hungary; but it bore no proportion to the sums which had been placed at his disposal for crusading purposes; and there was reason to believe that much had been diverted by the pontiff for the establishment of Ferdinand on the throne of Naples. And thus Pope Pius II., who was fortunate in many circumstances of his life, may not have been least happy in the moment of his departure; at least, it is manifest that he had engaged with very slender resources, and little promise of support, in a dangerous enterprise, which could scarcely have terminated otherwise than in defeat and dishonour.

Nevertheless, Pius II. was the most accomplished, the most liberal, perhaps the most enlightened, individual of his time. Like Nicholas V., he obtained his ecclesiastical advancement by his literary powers, by the acquisition of learning, and the useful application of it. Like Cardinal Julian, he was entrusted with the conduct of difficult negotiations; he influenced the councils of courts; he swayed the deliberations of ecclesiastical assemblies. Like both those eminent churchmen, he displayed unremitting zeal for the defence of Christendom against the Turkish aggression. And herein he imitated the merit of the former, that it was his strenuous exertion in this cause, which gave the colour and character to his pontificate; and in one respect he accomplished, in some manner, the destiny of the latter, that he died in the heart of a Christian camp; prepared to move, under his own personal direction, in a hopeless enterprise, against the armies of the Infidel.

Conditions imposed in Conclave.

It was now so common for the cardinals, while in conclave, to bind themselves to the observance of certain stipulations, in case of election to the pontificate, and so invariable for the cardinal elected to violate his engagement, that we have ceased to notice acts of habitual-it might almost seem authorized-perjury. But the articles which were imposed by the college, on the death of Pius II., were such as to require attention, from their own importance. The following were, in substance, the principal:- That the pope shall continue the war with the Turks, re-establish the ancient discipline of the Roman Court, and assemble a Council General within three years. That he shall not augment the number of cardinals to more than twenty-four, nor create any one who is less than thirty years of age, or deficient in the knowledge of civil and canon law and of the Holy Scriptures; nor more than one from among his own relatives. That he shall condemn no cardinal, except according to the legal and canonical forms; that he shall enter into no war, nor sign any treaty without the consent of the college; that he shall leave to the subjects of the Roman court entire liberty to make their wills; that he shall establish no new imposts, nor increase those existing; that he shall take the votes of the cardinals aloud, and not in a whisper, so that the result of their deliberations may be faithfully expressed; and lastly, that the cardinals shall assemble twice a year, apart from the Pope, to examine whether these conditions have been observed.'

From these stipulations we perceive, that it was no light or lenient yoke to which the courtiers of Rome, with all their outward show and pomp of