The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

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MITIGATION OF DECREES OF PAUL IV. I27
the essential points of the reforms of the Carafa Pope were
retained.^ Other mitigations of the rigorous decrees of Paul
IV. soon followed.
One particularly thorny point was how to proceed with the
carrying out of the severe penalties which the bull of Paul
IV. of July 20th, 1558, had decreed against the numerous
monks who were living outside their monasteries, or had
entered orders which were less strict than their own.^ A very
great number of these unfortunate men appeared before the
Pope and asked for pardon, but this request, even with all due
regard for mercy, could not be granted without further con-
sideration. Exhaustive discussions followed as to how a
middle course could be arrived at, which should avoid both
exaggerated severity and too great clemenc3^^ It was clear
that serious difficulties had arisen in the carrying out of the
bull of Paul IV. The monks affected by it were too numerous,
and complaints were made that the constitution did not make
the necessary distinctions, as many lived outside their mon-
asteries for valid reasons, and with the permission of the
Apostolic See and the superiors of their orders. Several,
moreover, had shown themselves ready to obey the command
of Paul IV., but could not be received back by their former
superiors ; they therefore lost their means of subsistence and
were, by decrees, excluded from the sacraments. Paul IV.
had also forbidden by a decree, that anyone should give
shelter to an " apostate " monk, but this order could hardly
be put into force owing to the great number, and hence arose
many difficulties of conscience. Pius IV., therefore, on April
3rd, 1560, absolved all those who, on account of disobedience
to the decrees of his predecessor, had fallen under censure or
into irregularity, and repealed the decree itself in so far as it
went beyond the common law, and at the same time gave
1 See Acta consist, of January 19, 1560 ; cf. Gulik-Eubel, 40.
•^
Cf. *Awise di Roma of January 20, 1560 (Urb. 1039, p. 120,
Vatican Library).
^ See Vol. XIV. of this work, p. 217.
* Cf. *Avvisi di Roma of January 20, February 24, and March 9,
1560 (Urb, 1039, p. 120, 128b, 135b, Vatican Library).