John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu
:
Cosmidromius Gobelini Person ed. Max Jansen (Munster i. W.: Aschendorff 1900), Aetas VI, Cap. 74-75. (pp. 76-83), Aetas VI, cap. 74-75, pp. 76-82:
CAPVT LXXIV. Urbanus sextus, nacione Neapolitanus de platea Nidi sedit annos undecim menses sex. Vacante enim sede post mortem [77] domini Gregorii preparabatur conclave, ut moris est, et interim cardinales partim inter se sepe tractabant de persona eligenda, et divisi sunt in duas partes. Ex una parte erant Gebbenensis, Glandacensis, Britaniensis, Lunensis, et de Alverino cardinales, qui attraxerunt sibi tres cardinales, videlicet Florentinum, Mediolanensem, et Ursinum. Ex alia parte erant Lemovicensis, Vivariensis, Sancti Eustachii, de Agrifolio, Pictavensis, et Majoris Monasterii cardinales, qui traxerunt ad se cardinalem Sancti Petri. Una pars voluit habere papam Italicum, alia pars papam Gallicum. Et cum utraque pars vidit quod neutra earum potuit contra aliam in electione prevalere, quia neutra earum habuit duas partes vocum cardinalium, prout iura disponunt, iam antequam conclave ingrederentur, cogitaverunt quod necesse haberent eligere aliquem de extra collegium, et ambae partes tractabant hoc secrete inter se; et visum est utrique parti ad hoc aptissimum esse dominum Bartholomeum archiepiscopum Barensem. Quidam tamen desiderabant eligere dominum Martinum de Calvis doctorem decretorum Referendarium domini Gregorii defuncti; sed quia ille erat absens et satis iuvenis, complacuit utrique parti, saltem pro maiori parte, quod eligerent predictum dominum Barensem, quia [78] ipse esset vir literatus, honestus et devotus, sciens practicam Cancellariae Apostolicae, quia ipse tunc erat vicecancellarius et noverat modum expedicionis negociorum et stilum curiae Romanae. Et quod utraque pars cardinalium ista tractabat altera nesciente, antequam eciam conclave ingrederentur, plures cardinales utriusque partis referebant, postquam electio facta fuit.
Cumque die Mercurii, septima mensis Aprilis, iam conclave intrare disponerent et magna serenitas aeris existeret, ecce subito tempestas oritur, et ictus tonitrui fortissimi tectum palacii apostolici percussit et usque in pavimentum signum percussionis deferens, quasi certum future perturbacionis ecclesiae prebebat indicium. Cumque cardinales post prandium die predicto cum sonitu instrumentorum musicalium conclave intrabant, Romani clamaverunt: "Papam Romanum volumus vel Italicum." Non tamen clamabant hec verbis comminatoriis sed rogatoriis gestibus.
Die sequenti [April 8, 1378] hora tercia vel circa cardinalibus per conclave ambulantibus, quidam eorum colloquia ad invicem habentes, qui tamen erant de partibus contrariis, puta Cardinalis Lemovicensis, qui tunc erat Penestrinus, et Cardinalis de Luna tractaverunt de persona eligendi, et uterque eorum alteri indicavit, quod ipse esset inclinatus ad eligendum predictum dominum Bartholomeum. Et illi vocabant ad se quosdam de aliis, et illi consenciebant invicem, licet erant de partibus contrariis. Et dixerunt: "Sedeamus ergo ad eligendum." Et statim quando omnes consederunt, concordabant in ipsum dominum Bartholomeum archiepiscopum Barensem sine aliqua impressione. et hoc quidam cardinales revelabant secrete amicis suis secretis [79] eodem sero, postquam conclave exiverunt. Sed cardinales timentes, quod electio illa displiceret Romanis, noluerunt eam statim publicare. Quare ordinaverunt mittere certas cedulas unius tenoris ex parte collegii certis prelatis Italicis Romae tunc existentibus, scilicet archiepiscopo Pisano [Francesco Pucci], archiepiscopo Barensi [Bartholomeo Prignano], episcopo Nucerino [Lucas Rodolfucci de Gentilibus], et Abbati Montis Cassini [Petrus de Tartaris], quod venirent statim visa cedula, et quilibet eorum sigillatim veniret propter ardua negocia, quae emergerent in conclavi. Quibus venientibus cardinales ibant ad prandium, quilibet in cellam suam, et predicti prelati collocati sunt in camera paramenti domus papalis que erat prope conclave, et ibi prandebant. Deinde circa horam none, dum silencium tenuerunt Romani a clamoribus, dixit cardinalis sancti Petri aliis cardinalibus: "Ecce, domini, nodo nullus clamat de Romanis, sedeamus et iterum eligamus dominum Barensem, ne postea dicatur quod electio fuerit impressiva." Et tunc iterum sederunt et adhuc elegerunt eundem. Deinde hora vesperarum cardinales exiverunt conclave, non audentes detegere electionem propter populum Romanum. Tunc dominus Agapitus de Columpna Romanus, episcopus Ulisbonensis, capellanus cardinalis Gebbenensis interrogavit ipsum cardinalem dicens: "Multi multa loquuntur de electione, quam fecistis." Cui cardinalis respondit: "Domine Agapite, si vultis liberare ecclesiam Dei, vadatis cum comitiva vestra, quia magnus estis in hac urbe, et cum parentibus vestris custodite bene ista nocte dominum archiepiscopum Barensem, qui est basconsus in palacio papali, quia ipsum elegimus, et ipse est verus papa, [80] licet populus credat quod cardinalis sancti Petri papa existat." Quoniam quidam dixerant Romanis, quod idem Cardinalis Sancti Petri, qui erat Romanus, foret electus, amici et consanguinei eius venerunt ad eum et exhibuerunt sibi reverenciam papalem, et populus domum eius spoliavit omnibus suppellectilibusp prout moris est ei; sed ipse omnibus respondit se non esse papam. Et deinde Cardinalis Gebbenensis armavit se et ad Castrum Zaqgaroli se transtulit. Et Dominus Agapitus cum amicis suis versus palacium papae ad custodiendum dominum Barensem se transferebat.
Deinde die Veneris [April 9, 1378] summo mane ipse dominus Barensis misit pro cardinalibus tam illis qui erant in Urbe, quam illis qui erant extra Urbem, ut convenirent ad inthronizandum et faciendum eas solempnitates et illa officia quae circa talia moris est fieri. Quibus venientibus dictus electus dixit cardinalibus in effectu verborum: "Domini et patres reverendissimi, quia dicitur, quod me indignum elegistis in summum pontificem, rogo et supplico in nomine domini nostri Iesu Christi, quod veritatem dicatis michi, si fecistis hoc per aliquam impressionem vel fecistis hoc animo libero et voluntario." Qui tunc responderunt et iuramento firmaverunt quod non elegerunt eum per aliquam impressionem sed libere, et electio erat legitima, iusta, et canonica, sicut unquam facta fuit electio de aliquo summo pontifice post sanctum Petrum. Et tunc consedentibus ipsis, Cardinalis Florentinus, qui tunc erat Portuensis, ad inthronizacionem eius faciendam incepit per modum sermonis proponerre haec verba apo-[81]stoli: 'Decet esse episcopum, etc.' Quibus finitis ipse electus eciam per modum sermonis incepit proponere haec verba: 'Timor et tremor venerunt super me', et volebat persequi sermonem. Tunc cardinales interruperunt verba sua, dicentes quod non esset moris, quod ipse faceret aliquem sermonem, sed quod ipse sederet in loco suo ordinato, ut ipsi induerent eum papalibus indumentis. Quo facto ipsi exhibuerunt ei reverenciam papalem sigillatim, quilibet videlicet cardinalium osculando pedem ipsius domini papae, manum, et os, more in talibus solito, et impositum fuit sibi hoc nomen Urbanus. Expletis itaque predictis resentaverunt eum cardinales in papam et verum summum pontificem presentibus gentibus et populo Romano. Et deinde per literas suas imperatori, regibus et principibus christianis et prelatis multis hoc intimaverunt, quod dominum Bartholomeum archiepiscopum Barensem elegissent in papam. Et deinde in die Paschae, quae tunc erat xviii. dies mensis Aprilis ordinato pergulo ante primas portas basilicae Sancti Petri ipsum solempniter coronaverunt et dederunt eum in papam et Christi vicarium toti multitudine ex diversis mundi partibus tunc ibi pro indulgenciis congregatae. Et deinde deduxerunt eum ad Sanctum Iohannem de Laterano maximum festum ibidem celebrando. Quo facto reduxerunt eum ad papale palacium apud sanctum Petrum. Post haec cardinales impetrabant ab el pro se et aliis beneficia et officia et fecerunt se absolvi ab eo et concedi plenissimam remissionem peccatorum, prout in consecracione summorum pontificum solent. Unde cardinalis Glandacensis impetravit ab eo episcopatum Ostiensem. Sed post hoc non longo tempore ipse dominus Urbanus papa incepit cardinales increpare et exasperare [82] de multis, et praesertim Cardinalem Ambianensem, qui venerat de Tuscia [April 24, 1378]. Sed cardinales hanc increpationem aegre ferebant, ita quod quadam vice dominus Urbanus magnas habuit cum eodem Cardinale contentiones, coram aliis Cardinalibus, et tunc respondit ei Cardinalis Gebennensis: "Pater sancte, vos facitis modicum honorem cardinalibus in verbis et gestis vestris, et non tractatis eos honorifice, sicut antecessores vestri. Et ideo nos forte taliter faciemus quod vos habeitis modicum honorem a nobis." Haec quidam Cardinales ferebant amicis suis secretis in domibus eorum, postquam reversi fuerant de palatio. Et deinceps coeperunt tractare secrete de confectione schismatis. Haec supradicta de electione Domini Urbani, et sequelis ejus praedictis, scripsit Alfonsus supradictus in quodam tractatu, quem de eadem electione conscripsit.... [83] Cardinales non diligent eum et laborabunt contra eum, maxime qui sunt de natura Iovis; sed qui sunt de natura Martis concordabunt ei. Et immutabunt voluntatem suam infra presentem mensem Septembrem anno Domini 1378 et tendent ad concordiam cum eo. Post hoc idem dominus Iohannes de Lignano iam scismate invalescente venit Romam et a domino Urbano honorifice susceptus est et multas habuit cum eo collaciones. et deinde reversus Bononiam pestilencia gravissima in partibus Italiae et Germaniae invalescente anno Domini 1383 obiit. Et ea, quae de domino Urbano predixerat, ita ut predixit, evenerunt prout infra patebit. Alfonsius de quo superius dictum est, in tractatu suo predicto scribit quod postquam scisma in ecclesiam intruductum erat, cuidam in visione dictum fuit; "Urbanus est verus papa et sponsus ecclesiae, sed in regimine suo tenebit modum sine modo."
LXXV: Cardinalibus igitur, ut supra dictum est, propter correpcionem domini Urbani commotis, cardinalis Gebbenensis una cum quibusdam aliis cardinalibus in mense Iunio urbem exiens Fundis se recepit. Et receptus a comite Fundorum [Onerato Caetani] cum aliis [84] cardinalibus secum existentibus de impugnacione electionis domini Urbani tractavit. Et tandem tribus cardinalibus aliis, qui cum domino Urbano adhuc erant, ad se fraudulenter attractis, idem cardinalis Gebbenensis se in papam seu verius antipapam eligi ordinavit [September 20, 1378] et, mutato nomine suo Robertus, Clementem septimum se appellavit. Et sic scisma, quo maius in ecclesia Dei non fuit, confectum est, et secuta sunt homicidia, incendia, rapinae, guerrae, destructiones non solum terrarum, sed eciam regnorum, et calamitates omnibus Christi fidelibus et errores usque in presentem diem. Cardinalis Gebbenensis, licet favori dominae Johannae reginae regni Siciliae seu Neapolitani inniteretur, non tamen audens intra regni illius districtum permanere, cum cardinalibus suis Avinionem se transtulit et a rege Franciae susceptus est. Et deinde reges et principes ac prelati divisi sunt.....
The Cosmidromius is derived from the tract written in Spain by Alfonso Pecha, the Spanish hermit, former Bishop of Jaen, who was neither a witness nor a participant in the events narrated (Baronius-Raynaldi, sub anno 1379, viiii, pp. 373-380). The narration is in error in presenting the division of the cardinals into two groups. The four Italian Cardinals (Corsini, Orsini, Tebaldeschi and Borsano) were acting as a group against the Limoges cardinals, at least to some extent, and Corsini favored and voted for Tebaldeschi [Sancti Petri] on April 8. In Gobelinus' imaginative assigning of cardinals to various groups he leaves out Cardinal Guillaume Noellet, who was no supporter of Barensis (Bartolomeo Prignano).
Martinus de Salvis [de Zalva] was a native of the city of Pamplona in Navarre [Theoderic of Nyem, de schismate I. 4, is in error in making him a Catalonian]. He took a doctorate in Canon Law, and was Referendary of Pope Gregory XI, attested as such in January 1378. On December 16, 1377 he was named Bishop of Pamplona and was consecrated in January or February of 1378. He was a member of the embassy sent to Lucca in order to bring it back under papal control, along with Cardinal Jean de la Grange and Archbishop Joannes Rogerii of Narbonne, and was therefore absent from Rome at the time of the Conclave. There is a story, reported by Frater Petrus of Cordoba, that he had been told by the former Bishop of Jaen, the hermit Alphonsus, that Cardinal Pierre de Sortenac had made a remark some two or three days after the Conclave that he could have given his vote to Martin de Salvis (Baluzius I, 1379; another monk, Frater Petrus de Gauldafaiara, related a similar story). It appears that the notice of Martin in the Cosmidromius is monkish gossip. After the cardinals removed to Anagni, Martin, already a firm opponent of Urban, carried messages between the Cardinals and Urban at Tivoli. He and members of his 'familia' were captured by Breton mercenaries and imprisoned by Urban, but eventually released. He returned to his bishopric of Pamplona, where he held a Synod in 1388. He was Chancellor of King Carlos II of Navarre (crowned February 13, 1390), who requested the Cardinal's hat for him from Pope Clement VII in 1390 ("Prima Vita Clementis VII", in Baluzius I, 525). He was created Cardinal Priest in the titulus of San Lorenzo in Lucina on July 21, 1390 (Eubel I, 28). He died on October 27, 1403 (Baluzius I, 1378-1385).
Barensis was never VIce-Chancellor. At the time of the Conclave he was locumtenens Vice-Cancellaris; the Vice-Chancellor was Cardinal Pierre de Monteruc, nephew of Pope Innocent VI, who was resident in Avignon.
The lightning strike on the Vatican Palace took place on April 6, 1378, not April 7.
Gobelinus (that is to say, Alfonso the Hermit) is the only source who states that the Cardinals entered conclave to a musical instrumental accompaniment. Most sources mention weapons and loud threats against the cardinals. The entry procession took place late in the afternoon of April 7, 1378.
On April 8, according to the testimony of several of the Cardinals, the electoral formalities began shortly after the second Mass held in the Conclave. It was shortly after sunup, not the third hour (ca. 9:00). The cardinals did not agree when they voted: Cardinal Corsini voted for Cardinal Tebaldeschi; and Cardinal Orsini refused to vote at all because they were victims of metus and oppressio and he was not at liberty. Gobelinus does not mention ringing the bell of St. Peter's as an alarm, or the shouting of the crowds in St. Peter's Square, or the intrusion of the Bandarenses and the threats made against the cardinals at the 'window' of the Conclave.
Gobelinus-Alfonso gives the names of four prelates who were summoned by the Cardinals at midday on April 8, only two of which appear to be authentic. As the editor of the text, Max Jansen, points out in note 1on p. 79, the Archbishop of Pisa was not in Rome, but with Cardinal de la Grange in northern Tuscany. The Custodian of the Conclave, Archbishop Guillaume de la Voulte, stated: "Et post pausam, dixit michi, ut mitterem pro aliquibus prelatis contentis in quadam cedula, per ipsum michi tradita, in quorum numero Bartholomeus nominatus erat." Thomas of Acerno, however, states that one of those sent for was Agapito Colonna: "miserunt pro certis Praelatis existentibus in Urbe, scilicet pro Domino Agapito de Columna tunc Episcopo Ulixbonense, pro Abbate Casinense [Pietro de Tartaris], et quibusdam aliis, ut venirent ad Palatium Apostolicum. Et Episcopus Marsiliensis, qui erat Custos Conclavis et Palatii, intromissit eos ad Palatium; et quia causa veniendi cito ex vocatione praedicta non comederant ad jejunium, ipse dedit omnibus illis comedere et bibere cum laeta facie." Fredus de Cavalli, who was a domestic of Cardinal Tebaldeschi, testified: "mittebatur pro aliquibus prelatis romanis italicis, scilicet pro abbate Montis Cassini [Pietro de Tartaris] , et pro Archiepiscopo de Baro [Bartolomeo Prignano] qui nunc est papa, et pro D. Tudertino [Stephanus Pelosii de Urbe], et pro D. Thomas de Perusio". Bishop Thomas de Amanatis (later Cardinal of Naples) noted: "Qui cum a me recesissent, et esset hora quasi mediarum tertiarum, venit ad me quidam serviens armorum papae mandans michi, pro parte DD. cardinalium, ut statim palatium ascenderem, et ostendit michi cendulam in qua erant scripta IIII vel VI nomina prelatorum pro quibus DD. cardinales mittebant. Et licet ego essem ibi scriptus secundus in ordine, tamen considerans in memetipso, quod circa ea quae agebantur in nullo poteram DD. cardinalibus suffragari, et quod erat talis materia quod michi non erat tutum nec honestum de eo intromittere, me multum deliberavi non ascendere, et sumpto colore quod ipse serviens armorum errabat et erraverat in personem mei, quia non erat verisimile quod Domini mitterent pro me, qui in nullo poteram eis suffragari, cessavi pro tunc ascendere palatium." The list therefore appears to include:
The story of the common lunch of these prelates is mostly fiction. It is known from Archbishop Pelosii, who was present in the papal palace the entire day, that he and Barenses dined alone, and that Agapito Colonna spent the time running back and forth between the Roman Officials and the mob who were besieging the Conclave and others, including Pelosii and Barensis, who were indeed in the Papal Palace (Barensis had been spotted there midmorning; he did not have to be summoned from afar. The Cardinals could have seen him face-to-face on five minutes' notice. But a meeting never happened that day.). As Thomas de Amanatis, who was one of those summoned, remarks (above), he did not even appear at the Vatican, but went home when he saw the disorders in St. Peter's Square and around the Vatican Palace.
The episode with the Cardinal of St. Peter's requesting a second vote, and the notion that all was quiet, is fiction. It prudently omits the breaking into the Conclave of the Roman mob, the enthronement of the Cardinal of St. Peter's, and the flight or attempted flight of half the cardinals. The Cardinal of St. Peter's declined the papal crown and reverence, which only angered the crowd. Nonetheless the general report throughout the city was that he had been elected pope, and messages were even sent out to the various towns of Italy. Even Sir John Hawkwood, who was besieging Verona, heard of his election by fast messenger. The dialog between Agapito Colonna and Cardinal Robert of Geneva has no other purpose than to put words in the mouth of the Cardinal to the effect that Barensis was truly pope. Colonna knew exactly what was going on, and who was and who was not elected, since he was the ringleader of the plot organized by the Bandarenses and Officials of the City of Rome.
The narration of the events of April 9 omits to mention that the cardinals, except for Sancti Petri, who was so infirm that he stayed the night in the papal apartments, did not begin to arrive voluntarily until mid-morning. Pedro de Luna twice sent word that he was confined to bed, but Barenses sent the Bandarenses to compel his attendance. There were protracted negotiations during the entire day to get the six Cardinals who were in the Castel S. Angelo to come to the Vatican, and this too was accomplished only under the threat of force. The four cardinals who had fled the city entirely did not attend at all. The ceremonies at the Papal Palace did not begin until the time of Vespers. The posing of the question about the legitimate election by Barensis is attested nowhere else. An objection had been entered at both attempts at an election on April 8 by Cardinal Orsini, on the grounds of impressio and metus. Cardinal Bertrand Lagier, OFM, had sworn out a protestation protestation before the Conclave, indicating that he would never vote for a Roman, and that if he did, it was under duress and should not be believed. The alleged statement of the cardinals is therefore either a fiction or carried out under duress. The Bandarenses and Officiales Urbis were in the next room, and the Palace was occupied by their armed followers (presentibus gentibus et populo Romano). The aborted sermon of Barenses is nowhere else attested.
LXXV: Alfonso and Gobelin appear to be unaware that the cardinals assembled at Anagni, where they took the step of deposing and anathematizing Bartholomeo Prignano as Intrusus.
John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu