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

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340 HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

general reform, a point <strong>of</strong> view which had long been maintained<br />

by persons <strong>of</strong> discernment. <strong>The</strong> nuncio Commendone,<br />

long before <strong>the</strong> reopening <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council, and as <strong>the</strong> result<br />

<strong>of</strong> his observations in Germany, had <strong>drawn</strong> attention to<br />

<strong>the</strong> numerous usurpations <strong>of</strong> ecclesiastical goods and rights<br />

on <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> civil authorities, which gravely violated<br />

canon law, and infringed on <strong>the</strong> liberties <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church,<br />

adding a demand that, to <strong>the</strong> reform <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Curia, must be<br />

joined that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> princes and <strong>the</strong>ir governments.<br />

<strong>The</strong> remarks <strong>of</strong> Commendone on <strong>the</strong> oppression <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Church in Germany, even by Catholic princes, were fully<br />

justified. <strong>The</strong> German princes had been working success-<br />

fully since <strong>the</strong> XlVth century to bring at least <strong>the</strong> whole<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> " external affairs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church " into subjection to<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir authority, to obtain free disposal <strong>of</strong> ecclesiastical<br />

property, to fill all <strong>the</strong> lucrative ecclesiastical <strong>of</strong>fices, and<br />

to exercise control over all ecclesiastical ordinances. In <strong>the</strong><br />

confusion and distress <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> XVth and XVIth centuries<br />

not a few Popes had made far-reaching concessions in this<br />

respect, and had permitted various princes to share in <strong>the</strong><br />

regulation <strong>of</strong> purely ecclesiastical matters. <strong>The</strong>se concessions,<br />

which could only be excused by <strong>the</strong> miseries <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> times,<br />

soon came to be looked upon as a permanent right by <strong>the</strong><br />

sovereigns, who, " where <strong>the</strong>re was no question <strong>of</strong> faith<br />

involved," intended to govern " freely in <strong>the</strong> affairs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

ministers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church and <strong>the</strong>ir possessions." In open<br />

contradiction to <strong>the</strong> principles <strong>of</strong> canon law, according to<br />

which <strong>the</strong> Church possesses <strong>the</strong> property, and her various<br />

members are only granted its use, <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficials <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> princes<br />

and <strong>the</strong> nobility in Austria as in Bavaria disposed <strong>of</strong> ecclesiastical<br />

goods and foundations as <strong>the</strong>y pleased.^ It was<br />

hardly an exaggeration when Cardinal Truchsess main-<br />

tained that even in Catholic states it was no longer <strong>the</strong> bishops<br />

who governed, but <strong>the</strong> princes and <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>of</strong>ficials.^<br />

^ See DoLLiNGER, Beitrage, III., 310.<br />

* See Janssen-Pastor, IV ^^"^''., 164 seq. ; Cf. I "^''., 753, and<br />

Vol. VII. <strong>of</strong> this work, p. 293 seq.<br />

^Letter <strong>from</strong> Rome, September 17, 1563, in Janssen-Pastor,<br />

IV 1^-16, 163 seq.<br />

^

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