Chapter V. Examples of Disinterestedness in Papal Legates

I think it right to mention here the example of our dear Cardinal Martin * of happy memory. No doubt thou hast heard before what I am about to relate, but it may be thou dost not remember. Well, this cardinal priest having been sent as papal legate into Dacia, returned so poor that, for want of money and horses, he was scarcely able to come as far as Florence. The bishop of that city made him a present of a horse, which brought him forward to Pisa, where I happened to bestaying at the time. On the following day, as I think, the bishop of Florence also arrived. He had a suit with an adversary, and as the day appointed for the hearing was drawing nigh, he began to canvass for the votes of his friends. Going around to solicit each separately, he came at length to Cardinal Martin. He had great hopes of being successful with him, who, as he thought, could not have forgotten so soon the ihown him at Florence. But the answer he got from Martin was this : " Thou hast deceived me. I had no knowledge that this trial was impending. Thy horse is in the stable : take him and go." And straightway the animal was restored to the bishop. What sayest thou to this, Holy Father ? Does it not resemble a tale of bygone times to hear that a legate v of the Holy See returned without gold from a land of gold ? that he accumulated no treasures of silver whilst passing through countries where silver abounds ? * Moreover, that he even returned a present received as

' Thy legate has ' passed from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people ' (Ps. civ. 13), leaving amongst us wherever he came scandals and disorders as memorials of his visit. From the foot of the Alps and the kingdom of the Teutons, this apostolic man has travelled about in all directions, passing through nearly all the dioceses of France and Normandy as far as Rouen, and filling every place not with the Gospel but with sacrilege. He is reported to have committed shameful crimes everywhere, to have carried off the spoils of the churches, to have advanced good-looking boys to ecclesi- *— astical honours wherever he could, and to have endeavoured to do so where he could not. Some churches saved themselves from his visitation by sending him a bribe. And if there were any which he was unable to reach, from them he extorted money by means of his messengers. In the schools, in the law-courts, in — the streets he has made himself a by-word. Both religious and seculars speak ill of him. Monks and clerics, ani the poor — all complain cf him. But they who show the greatest disgust for his life and reputation are the men of his own profession. Such is the testimony he has both from those who are within and from those who are without (1 Tim. iii. 7). Not so acted my lord Cardinal John Paparo, whose praise is in the Church, because he has everywhere honoured his ministry (2 Cor. viii. 18). Read this letter to his Holiness. Let him see what is to be done with this man : as for me, I have now delivered my soul. And let me tell him with my usual boldness that, if he wishes to salve his conscience, he ought to reform his court. *» I had resolved not to speak of these abuses at all, but the venerable prior of Montis Dei has persuaded me to write. Be soon as he saw that it exposed him to the suspicion of accepting bribes ?

It is a great pleasure to me to find this opportunity of referring to and mentioning by name another man of most delicious memory, I mean Geoffrey, bishop of Chartres, who for « everal years, at his own expense, strenuously discharged the functions of apostolic legate in the province of Aquitaine. I was myself a witness to the fact I am going to relate. We were together once in those parts when a certain priest offered him a fish of the kind commonly called sturgeons. The legate immediately inquired how much it was worth, adding, '**! refuse to take this fish unless on condition that thou wilt accept the price of it." And he handed five gold pieces (solidos) to the mortified and disappointed priest. I had also the privilege to be in his company on another occasion, when, in a certain village, the lady of the place, as a token of respect, presented him with a finger-towel and two or three basins of beautiful workmanship, although the material was only wood. The man of delicate conscience surveyed the articles for some time, expressed his admiration of their artistic excellence, but refused to accept them. When, I ask, would he have been willing to receive vases of silver, who scrupled to take presents like these ? No man, assuredly, was able to say to this legate, " I have enriched Abram " (Gen. xiv. 23). But he, like Samuel, could have said to all with sure, however, that what thou readest here is less than what is openly spoken of."

The Cardinal Paparo mentioned in this letter is the same who brought the pallium to the Irish archbishops in 1151. — (Translator.)

confidence " Speak of me before the Lord and before His anointed, whether I have taken any man's ox or ass, if I have wronged any man, if I have oppressed any man, if I have taken a bribe at any man's hand ; and I will despise it this day and will restore it to you " (1 Kings xii. 3). Oh, if we only had many such prelates in the Church as the two I have now spoken of ! How blessed wouldst thou be, and how happy thy pontificate ! Would thy bliss not seem to thee but a little short of heavenly, when, whithersoever it pleased thee to go, thou shouldst find thyself surrounded by a throng of such illustrious and holy men ?

Unless I am greatly mistaken, thou wilt pause at this, and heaving a deep sigh, wilt say to thyself, " Is it possible that what is written here shall ever come to pass ? Is there any hope that I shall survive to see these things accomplished ? Oh, who will grant me to live until the advent of that golden age ! Oh, if only I could see in my own lifetime the Church of God propped up by such magnificent columns ! Oh, if I might but behold the Spouse of my Lord entrusted to defenders so faithful, committed to guardians so pure ! What happiness could be greater, what security more perfect than mine, did I but see around me such men who would be at the same time the custodians and the witnesses of my life ; to whom I might safely reveal all my secrets and communicate all my designs ; to whom, as to so many other selves, I could unreservedly open my mind ; who would not suffer me to deviate from the straight path of justice, even though I swished, restraining my precipitancy, and spurring on my sluggishness; who with equal respect and liberty would repress my pride and correct my short-

134 0N CONSIDERATION comings ; whose constancy and firmness would fix my irresolution and fortify my confidence ; whose faith and sanctity would stimulate me to everything holy, to everything chaste, to everything honourable, to everything desirable and of good repute." And now, Holy Father, contrast with this ideal the present state of the Church" and of the court of Rome, and also the dispositions and pursuits of the prelates, particularly of those that belong to thine entourage.

Let so much suffice on this subject. I have merely touched the surface. It is for thee, as being the son of a prophet, to " dig in the wall and to see " (Ezech. viii. 8). *It would be wrong for me to go into any further details. However, I may be permitted to call attention to one very obvious abuse. Is it not ridiculous presumption on the part of thy attendant deacons to attempt to take precedence of thy brother-priests ?

I' For such a pretension they can obtain no support from reason, tradition, or authority. But if they seek to justify it by their own practice, it will be much better to put a stop to that practice than to expose to dishonour the most noble order of the priesthood. Yet the principal reason on which they ground their claim is something very frivolous. " We are the persons," they say, " who in all solemn functions stand nearest to our lord the Pope; we sit next his throne, and in processions immediately precede him." But there is nothing in this that can becalled a privilege of your dignity, rather than a duty of attendance, for you only discharge the functions which belong to the name of deacon * by such solemn ministrations. And when, in a regular assembly, the priests sit around * From duiKoios, which means a servant. — (Translator.)

the Sovereign Pontiff, are not you placed at his feet ? Therefore the reason why he keeps you so near his person is not to show you honour, but because he requires your prompt ministrations. We read in the Gospel that " there was also a strife amongst them (the disciples) which of them should seem to be greater " (Luke xxii. 24). What happiness would be thine if with regard to other and more laudable things there was the same competition for pre-eminence amongst those that surround thee !