At Rome
they tampered with him to induce him to abjure and to do public
penance, but he refused, and referred to his safe conduct.
they tampered with him to induce him to abjure and to do public
penance, but he refused, and referred to his safe conduct.
Sarpi - 1868 - Life of Fra Paolo Sarpi
At length it occurred to Fra Antonio that it would be a
good plan if he took an impression of the keys of the room of Fra
Paolo, and it would thus be an easy matter to effect his death, and
on this being written to Rome, there came an answer to say, that
"this was the easiest and most approved way. "
Fra Gio further relates, that soon after this the impression of the
keys was taken by Fra Antonio, he intending to go afterwards to
Ferrara to have the keys made. He further promised to get some
leaves of Fra Paolo's books. Fra Gio mixed the wax and turpentine
wherewith the impression was to be made; but it was ill melted. The
reader knows the result. It was not the will of heaven that the world
should be defrauded of the writings of Fra Paolo Sarpi, and in place
of Fra Gio and Fra Antonio sending them to Rome to be committed
to the flames, and the whole body of the astonished Servi standing
around the murdered Fra Paolo, the Doge and Senate bewailing the
irreparable loss of their theologian and counsellor, just retribution over-
took the deluded friar. At two o'clock, Fra Gio, when at Maria d'A-
bramo, Piazzo di S. Marco, was seized by the sbirri, dragged to prison,
and shortly after examined before three nobles who, according to the
laws of Venice, were present at this inquisitorial inquiry, and was
charged with taking the impression of the keys of the Fra Paolo Sarpi.
This these judges had learned from the letters which had been found.
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? 186 THE LIFE OF - [A D. 1609
Fra Gio laid the whole blame upon Fra Antonio, who was likewise
in prison, and from his living tomb Fra Gio complains to the Pope
of his treatment as he stood before his judges. I
Fra Fulgenzio acted Wisely in giving information to the State against
Francesco, as it is certainthat if he and Antonio had been at large they
would soon have found means to destroy both Fulgenzio and Fra Paolo
But what did Fra Paolo? Did he seize a dagger and wound his foes to
death? Did he mingle a cup of poison, and brood over the deadly potion till
he bore it to the hands which had been outstretched against him ? Did he
feign himself their deliverer, and wile them to the waters around them
there to plunge them to their grave? N o! The wronged, the oftstricken but
noble hearted Servite stooped to no such revenge, to his inmost soul yet
thrilled the heavenly tones of the Immaculate One, who in his agony and
death besought Heaven's forgiveness for his murderers, and never Was
Paolo so truly great, so deservedly worthy of praise, so endeared to all who
loved him, as when he threw himself on his knees before the Senate and
asked forgiveness of his bitterest enemies.
Yet it is easy to perceive that Fra Paolo was grieved that friars of
his own Order had sought to do him wrong, but he did not relinquish
his task, he persevered in dictating his works, or in correcting them
with his own hand, and all who esteemed and venerated him were still
more careful of him than they had been prior to this conspiracy. No go-
Vernment ever took more sedulous care of the life of a public servant
than did the Doge and Senate of Fra Paolo Sarpi; but he especially
acknowledged the Higher Power that had saved him from destruction.
" I have escaped, " he writes, " another great conspiracy against my
life even the servants of my room have had a hand in it. It pleased
God to frustrate their designs, but I am greatly affiicted that men
should be imprisoned' on my account. Life is little pleasing to me
when I see such difficulty in preserving it. " He continues his letter
with a few notes on public events, intermingled with remarks on a pub-
lication which had interested him. He makes various comments on
Fra Fulgenzio Micanzio's sermons, and from other MSS. it is certain
that Fra Paolo continued to preach as he had formerly done; the fol-
lowing epistle is interesting.
" I did not receive the packet from M. Castrinc, which brought
yours of the 17th March inclosed, till the day after the courier went
away, this day fortnight, though I have letters from different friends
1 The above, with many other details, is in a MS. purporting to have been
actually written by the infamous Fra Gio F. Gratiani. The MS. is authentic,
and it is believed never to have been printed.
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? MT. 57. ] FHA PAOLO SARPI 187
within that time. I do not know how that packet came to such ill_
fortune. This was the reason I did not write to you by the last
dispatch. .
" As to the subject of the question which is now on foot, I won-
der what is the reason that those who hold the affirmative, and see by
the Scriptures that the Lord's coming will destroy that tyranny, are not
contented therewith by waiting for that time, but would needs prevent it
by not receiving the admonition which Christ our Lord gave to S. Peter,
when by arms he endeavoured to hinder the divine decree of His death.
But no one has strength enough to keep 1nan from building his projects
more upon human means than upon those which are divine. Even Father
Ignatius so relied upon these as if there were none superior.
" The things which happened to the Patriarch on the 1st of May have
been very important; and since that, these have been followed by others
as Weighty, and so there are every day,_but the Republic always main-
tains its dignity. There has been some provision made as to those confes-
sors who scrupled at such of their votaries as had any of the writings
which were published in defence of the Republic by them; and this pro-
vision is tolerably secure, and it is ordered by a clause that friar of
who was turned away a year ago for this business and desired pardon, of-
fering himself to be tried, be still confined in his cell.
" Father Fulgenzio has preached just as you have heard him do two
years ago. He has met with great opposition from this nuncio, who
has complained of him, saying that he could not deny but that the
doctrine was good, but nevertheless he was not bound to stay till the
preacher was declared an heretic. And the Pope, making a complaint
against him, has said that that preaching of the Scriptures is a suspicious
thing; and that he that keeps so close to the Scriptures will ruin the
Catholic faith.
" The audiences which attend his sermons have been very numerous
and increasing; there have been there sometimes six hundred of the no-
bility. He has continued to speak the plain truth, proving it by the Word
of God, without reproving anyone by name; and, above all, it has been
his way to reprove that ignorance which would adopt the opinions of others
in place of understanding one's own duty. Now there cannot be a more
mortal offence to the Jesuits than this is, to have no other foundation for
all their divinity than the ignorance of the public. As for what you ask
me with regard to the mitre, I can tell you with certainty. The Pope of
Rome has two mitres, one with two points, similar to those worn by hi-
shops, and this he only uses at masses, and other sacred offices. The other
is round, with three crowns, as you have seen the Pope pourrtjyed; this
he wears in processions out of the church, but never at. divine service. The
7}\
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? 188 THE LIFE OF [AIL 1609.
first of these, as you know, is ancient, the last is not above three hundred
years old. ' .
" I have been often in the Pope's vestry, and have handled all his mitres,
and all his Regna Mundi (for so they call these round ones; the others are
called Mitres) and I can assure you that there is no letter whatsoever upon
any of them: certainly he that says so never saw any of them.
" The endeavour to gain M. Casaubon, methinks, is just like that which
'ZEsop"s fox used to put tails out of fashion, when Reynard had lost his in
a trap.
" The truce with the States, has at last delivered us from the pain
of expectation. I don't know which way the Spanish power will turn
itself. I have a good mind to think that that nation believes an uni-
versal peace best for their own advantage. It is true that God oftentimes
makes things turn quite contrary to the designs of men. His sacred will
be done!
" As to the designs against my life, since they could not be without in-
trigues and private practices, and they never did me'any real mischief, it
is not convenient to proceed to the punishment of the offenders; the busi-
ness is not yet over, but I do use, and have used, all the interest I can
(and I shall succeed in it), to' have everything hushed up; and being wil-
ling to commit myself to God's protection, I must also follow His com-
mandments, in forgiving those who wrong me.
" I have received from M. Castrine (together with your letters of the
30th of March), some quires of paper on which are inscribed the Consti-
tutions of the Jesuits. I see by them that what part was possible has been
taken out of them,' and I have not yet read the whole contents, but I
already see they contain what is of use to me, and I am greatly obliged
to that gentleman for them, but more to you, sir, to whom I am first
indebted.
" Monsieur Asselineau tells me that you have a mind to have a picture of
the Vice Deo. ' I will do what I can to procure one for you if it be possible.
Monsieur Castrine told me a short time since that he would fain have
one or two. I tried over all the city to get one, but I could not meet with
any to be sold; and knowing of none here but one, which the owner va-
lued highly. But I am in hopes that one who has been two years in Rome
will bring me a copy, and if he does I will get it from him by all means,
that I may gratify you. '
" The advice of the truce makes no change to us. We are sure that if
1 It Was Scaliger who wrote that the word, ' Mysterium' was around the triple
crown.
3 Appendix.
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? arr. 57. ] FBA PAOLO SARPI 189
the Spanish designs be to make commotions in Italy, the Pope would not
stop them, if he had any hand in it; but if they wish for peace the Pope,
with all his power, will not be able to make them stir. We are very well
satisfied by what is past and done. '
" We are in such a state of things that truly we are almost come to
M. de Bourg's Litany, Sancte Turca, libera nos, (Holy Turk, deliver us! ).
God grant that the Swiss do not at last quarrel among themselves. I see
the Spaniards have access to them, and the Jesuits great power over them.
This is a rugged ugly point to think of, for if two such sorts of people as
they are, get into the hearts and affections of the Swiss people, Europe
must look for perpetual revolutions, and Italy would weep bitterly. But
even the leaf of a tree never falls without the will of God the Lord, to
whom we must submit our will. And thus I leave off troubling you any
further, and kiss your hands. " '
Venice, April 28th 1609.
And in another letter to M. Groslot there is the following passage:
" The Father Fulgenzio Micanzio has done as becomes a true Catholic;
he has preached the gospel of Christ our Lord, and abstained from all
personalities. He has not therefore given satisfaction either to Rome or to
her adherents, because it is impossible to do so, unless they, instead of
Christ, be the subject preached. ' The Pope latterly said of him that his
sermons were good, but also bad, that he rested too much upon Scripture,
which, if anyone did, he would ruin the Catholic faith. These words are
not much approved here, I therefore praise them and hold them true.
" I see that men, as did the Church in the Acts of the Apostles, agree
together not to do what they will, but What God wills. "
About this time Sarpi continued his correspondence with M. Hott-
man; he admired his efforts for unity in the Church. " I like M. Hott-
man much, he is a man of great understanding; I saw a collection of his
writings some months since on the matter of agreement. I praise his
zeal, and the means he proposes are excellent, but we must await a good
opportunity or the effect will be contrary. The science of opportunity, said
Socrates, is the only and great leading science in the world. I hold that
many of the differences between us are merely verbal, they make me smile,
others might be calmly endured, and others composed, but all are agreed
in this that agreement is impossible. Two litigants will never agree so long
as there is any hope of either conquering; but where both are sure they are
1 Sarpi to M. Groslot.
3 Loro e Cristo, quarto case, come a dire: la dottrina o divinita loro, in luogo di
quella di Cristo.
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? 190 THE LIFE OF [A. D. 1610.
in the right, there is no use to talk of agreement. Both parties hold it for
certain they will be victorious, one by divine the other by human means.
At to the first, to enter into the secrets of God is a hard thing to do, nor
is it right, and the second is forbidden. "
Much as theology occupied his mind, astronomy and the other sciences still
engaged his attention, and the improved construction _of the telescope by
Galileo facilitated his study of the orbs which are seen in all their brightness
in the Venetian sky. A telescope in a very circumscribed form had been
brought from Holland, and by application united to genius Galileo produced
one greatly superior. Fra Paolo took an unwearied interest in all Galileo's
studies, and there can he no doubt but that the learned Servite afforded
him every facility in his power to prosecute his discoveries. " Venice had
the merit of patronizing Galileo. There is still existing a decree which
appoints him to the chair of mathematics in Padua, and praises him for
having lately invented an instrument derived from the secrets of per-
spective for rendering objects visible at a great distance. " '
12th. Feb. 1610.
Galileo wrote to Sarpi to inform him of his discoveries as to the planet
Saturn and the motion of the planet-Venus; but while he was pleased to
trace the stars and planets in their course, he was far from being sa-
tisfied with the aspect of public affairs; the political sky lowered and
this acute -politician feared a storm. He received his letters as usual
from M. Bruslart, and from France, and writing to M. Castrine, he
sends him a little work " On Beneficiary Matters. " It was published by
Paolo Sarpi, but without his name. Extracts from its pages prove
that he had fully studied the question of church government, as also
the rise and progress of the Papacy, and his remarks upon the Popes
evince that he was fearless in speaking truth, and showed what Italy
would be, if she regarded the Pope only as Bishop of Rome. ' This
remarkable work received the unqualified praise of the learned then, as
now, and there is no doubt of its authorship, as the letter above men-
tioned was seen by Foscarini amongst the MSS. of Fontanini.
Of this book Mr. Gibbon writes, " In the treatise Delle Materie Be-
neficiare of Fra Paolo, in the fourth and best edition of his works,
the Papal system is deeply studied and freely described. Should Rome
and her system be annihilated, this golden volume may still survive, a
philosophied history and a salutary warning. " Mr. Hallam observes,
" Nothing was more worthy of remark, especially in literary history,
than the appearance of one great man, Fra Paolo Sarpi, the first who
1 Reg. Senate Terra. 26 Aug. 1609. R. Brown.
3 Appendix.
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? M. 58. ] FRA PAOLO SARPI 191
'in modern times and in a Christian country shook the fabric not Only
of papal despotism, but of ecclesiastical independence and power, for
it is to be Observed that the Pope was contending for what were cal-
led the rights of the Church not for his own supremacy over it. Sarpi
was a man of extraordinary genius, learning, and judgment; his phy-
sical and anatomical knowledge was such as to have caused at least
several great discoveries to be assigned to him. His reasoning was con-
cise and cogent, his style perspicuous and animated. A treatise, Delle
Materie Beneficiare, in other words, on the rights, revenues, and privi-
leges in secular matters, is a model in its way. The history is so
short, and yet so sufficient, the sequence so natural and clear, the
proofs so judiciously introduced, that it can never'be read without de-
light and admiration of the author's skill. And this is the more strik-
ing to those who have toiled at the verbose books of the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries, where tedious quotations, accumulated not
selected, disguise the arguments which they mean to confirm. Except
the first book of Machiavelli's History of Florence, I do not remember
any earlier summary of facts so lucid and pertinent to the object. That
object was neither more or less than to represent the wealth and pow-
er- of the Church as ill gotten and excessive. The treatise on bene-
fices led the way, or rather was the seed thrown into the ground that
ultimately produced the many efforts both of the press and of public
authority to break down these privileges. "
But we must pass on to an event by which Europe was alarmed,
amid preparations of War, the death of Henry IV; there Was reason to
apprehend evil results; but the Servite was reassured by the nobility
of France being true to the crown, and the people peaceful.
Another painful event at Rome also demands our attention; the
wretched Manfredi, having failed to procure advancement there, was
tried for his life under pretences of which Sarpi seems ignorant.
" Fra Fulgenzio (Manfredi) went away as you know in the beginning
of August 1608, with an ample patent of safe conduct and a particular
clause in it that nothing should be done against his honor.
At Rome
they tampered with him to induce him to abjure and to do public
penance, but he refused, and referred to his safe conduct. At last persis-
ting in his denial to do public penance, he contented himself with
making a secret abjuration before a notary and two witnesses, and this
by a new declaration by the Cardinals that it should he understood as
done without dishonor or prejudice to him. Time passed, sometimes things
went well sometimes ill, when one evening Cardinal Panfilio the Pope's
Vicar suddenly sent some sbirri to apprehend him, pretending that he had
done something, I know not what, connected with his office. They put him
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? 192 THE LIFE OF
[A. D. 1610.
W!
N
in prison in the tower of Nona where men are imprisoned for ordinary '
ofi'ences. They then seized and examined his papers, this done, they removed
him to the prison of the Inquisition. They then made three charges
against him, that he had prohibited books, held correspondence with the
heretics of England and Germany, and written articles against the Ro-
mish Catholic doctrine, in particular that Saint Peter was not above
the other Apostles, that the Pope is not head of the church, that the
\Co'neil of Trent was neither a lawful nor a general Council, that there are
many heresies in the church of Rome, and many other such things.
'" To these charges he answered, 'that as to the books, he did not
know they were prohibited, as to his correspondents, none of them
were declared heretics, as to the writings under his own hand, they
were imperfect, and 'not his real opinions, but only memoranda for
consideration of these points. ' These answers did not satisfy the
Iuquisitors; they were determined to bring him to the torture, and
on this being intimated to him he answered, that he was not amenable
to torture, but that they might do as they pleased, he threw himself
upon their mercy. On the 4th of July he was brought into the Church
of St. Peter's, where there was a numerous concourse of people, and
being placed upon the ground, his crimes were read and his sentence
passed on him.
"He was sentenced to be excluded from the pale of the Church as
a relapsed heretic, and delivered over to the Governor of Rome to be
chastised, but without drawing blood. At this ceremony, which lasted
an hour, Fra Fulgentio stood with his eyes lifted up to heaven, but
never spoke a word, and it was a common opinion that he had a gag
in his mouth.
"The ceremony being finished, he was conducted to the Church of
S. Salvatore, in Laura, and there degraded, and the following morning
hanged and burned in the Campo de' Fiori. There are various opinions
as to whether these things which are laid to his charge are true, or
are calumnies; but some, presupposing that they were true, do not
hesitate to say that he was wronged, because on account of the safe
conduct, the abjuration and looking upon him as relapsed was not to be
turned to his prejudice. I know not how to judge, but the beginning
and end, a safe conduct, and a great fire; what passed in the interim is
hidden, but from this we may conclude that the Pope has little favour
to Venice. We have had many other indications of this, and therefore the
Padre Paolo had better be cautious. He therefore does not fail in or-
dinary care, but leaves all to God, being certain that whatever God does
will be good. i
" As to the affairs of Italy, they are in great confusion. The Pope
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? E1'. 58. ] FRA PAOLO SARPI 193
labours hard to bring about war, and an accommodation between Savoy
and Spain. I believe he will succeed, and then Savoy will fall upon
Geneva, and the Pope upon Venice; but Venice cannot be persuaded of
this, and obstinately maintains she is in no danger, which is, however, so
plain that the blind may see it. This makes me- fear that she has no
longer Divine help, and is in such a state of blindness as not to see light
at noonday. But since I can only complain, I had better be silent. As
for the affairs of France, I am truly glad that they prosper. I regret to
think how many years must pass during the minority of the king, seeing
the designs already formed, and the Jesuits more insolent and more bold
than ever. If it were not for them, I would hope that the other intrigues
might be overcome, or borne with by the prudence of the queen, but when so
many men are resolved to do ill, it is likely, if not now or to-morrow, yet
the day after, they may succeed. The only intent of Spain is to divide
that kingdom, having so many wise and bold ministers. To see the queen
so fond of friars and Jesuits, and make so little of the Parliament, are
not good signs. I have considered what you write of a Jesuit who boasts
that he would raise an army, and of their great acquisition of money. It
appears to me a thing not to be neglected. I know well that, notwithstand-
ing their banishment from Venice, they get very large sums of money
from this city, and it cannot be hindered. And if it be the will of God,
and according to the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures, men have nothing
to do but preparefor suffering. "
" I think the Huguenots are very wise who stand looking on, that
they may know how to govern themselves according to circumstances.
God bless their designs. But I was not aware of the tedium of my
letter which may perhaps arrive when you are ill. Excuse me, I beg
you to continue your kindness to me, and I shall alway remain your
devoted servant. " 1
" Venice, August 3, 1610. "
Fra Paolo had observed that great abuses had arisen on account of
the churches being made a refuge for offenders flying from justice; he
therefore wrote a short treatise against this practice. He divided the
work into two parts. The first comprised the right of asylum granted
and circumscribed by the Emperor, and how it ought to beunderstood;
the second what sanctuaries are allotted by the Canonists,- who ought
to be permitted to fly there, Who taken thence. From this he discours-
ed on the hull of Gregory XIV, on the immunities of the Church,
demonstrated their signification and concluded with a brief epitome of
1 F. P. S. to M. Groslot.
as
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? 194 THE LIFE OF [A. D. 1011-
the sanctuaries amongst the Jews, Greeks and Romans, and a comparison
of them with those of Christendom. ' This is followed by a minute,
divided into twenty four heads, by which a magistrate might at once
judge who ought and who ought not to obtain refuge. He considered that
sanctuaries for offenders was an abuse, under pretext of being one of
the immunities of the Churchflfe' advised tolerance but restricted the
above privilege to insolvent, 'not fraudulent debtors, and to accidental
delinquents. _
This work of Fra Paolo's was, however, in advance of the age, and
the Pope, so far from hailing a step which would have prevented much
crime, prohibited the volume. Grotius however called its author, " Paolo-
the great, " Frickleburg translated it into Latin. The Senate of Milan
added it to their statutes, while other Italian States did likewise and
the work had a large circulation.
The MS. of it, presented by Paolo to the Senate, was of greater length
than that in its printed form. He also wrote a work " on the Adriatic "
and it is probable, from some notes on the rainbow in his MSS. , he did not
overlook the discovery of the Archbishop de Dominis, Whose work" De
radiis lucis in vitris perspectivis et Iride, " was then published. "There
can be no doubt but this volume explained more of the phenomena of
the rainbow than had hitherto been understood. The rainbow was well
known to be the reflection of solar light from drops of rain, but it
belonged to the genius of De Dominis to discover that refraction was
the means of giving colour to the rays of the sun. . . . Placing a glass
between the eye and a bottle of water, from the lower side of which
light issued in the same order of colours as in the rainbow, 'De Do-
minis inferred, that after two refractions and one intermediate reflection
within the drop, the ray came to the eye tinged with the different
colours, according to the angle at which it entered. " '
At a later period, Sarpi announced peace to his friend M. Groslot,
When many feared war, but he intimates that it was against the wishes
of the Duke of Savoy. The siege of Geneva having ended in nothing,
the Pope still hoped for better fortune in Germany, and treated with
the Jesuits as to war in France.
While such was the state of the political world, Sarpi and his
friends continued at times their public yet gentle remonstrances, but
a lethargy as to papal aggression had stolen over the Venetians, and
the voice of Paolo Sarpi was like the melancholy note of the bird of
night pouring his solitary moan over a darkened world. Fra Fulgenzio
1 Giovini.
2 Hallam.
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? Er. 59. ] FRA PAOLO SARPI 195
did not preach in Lent because dissuaded by him, but Fra Fulgenzio,
Paolo, and Marsilio preached in the church of Lorenzo, February 10th,
1611.
In trivial matters the Pope continued to yield to Venice, but still
strove to retain power over Ceneda. Fra Paolo wrote an account of
this quarrel for the Senate, and the Cardinal Borghese coniplained that
he " was still considered an oracle! " In the end, this matter was
partially compromised, but while the flatterers of the Pope still exalted
his temporal power, Sarpi likened them " to those animals who climbed
too high and were sure to fall. " He grieved that a book of the
Jesuits had been received at Florence, which would not have been
tolerated at Venice; but no book written by a Jesuit was allowed to
circulate there,'ilIese following observations have justly been deemed
remarkable. '
"Seeing the disputes that arise between the Jesuits and other Pa-
pists as to the Gallican liberties, if the Reformed would assist the cause
of liberty which although not perfect is less hurtful, it might be that
the Jesuits who are the great enemies of true religion might be weak-
ened, and this would open up a way of agreement with the Gallicans.
No undertaking can be greater than to bring the Jesuits into discredit.
Conquer them, Rome is lost, and without them religion will reform
itself. "
While many were occupied_with the great power obtained by the
Jesuits over nearly the known world, and whilst Sarpi bewailed the
decline of true religion in his own country, the Pope gained fresh
adherents in Germany, but at Rome no Venetian was promoted to
the Cardinalate, "Good men accounted it a public service. "
To their dismay, the Italians learned that the Spaniards had seized
Cape]. The Viceroy had shewn his independence by hanging an offender
who had taken refuge in the church before the Archbishop's door, but
Sarpi was more astonished that the English Ambassador obtained the
release of a captive from the Inquisition. He also wished to gain tidings
of the procedure of the French parliament against Bellarmine, as some
of his friends " amongst the Senators could scarcely bear to hear his
name, and spoke of him as one born to disturb the peace of Christ-
endom. "
A controversial work of M. de Mornay was now sent to Sarpi, it
made a considerable impression at and since the time of its publication. '
1 This volume forms part of the valuable library of the late learned Lord
Handyside, to which I was permitted access by Mrs. Handyside, ne? e Bruce. J
" Mysterium lniqvitatis sev Historia Papatus. " etc. Philipo Mornayo '46
A 944
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? 196 ' THE LIFE OF [A. D. 1611-
He thought "the Sorbonne might have censured it more modestly,"
but censures in large measure were dealt out to those who wielded their
pens against the Curia.
The ambassador Bruslart now offered to expedite Fra Paolo's let-
ters, but he knew his character and therefore declined, he received his
letters from him but sent no answers to his 'care, and on the plea of
his office, refused to receive the ambassador's visits. Chagrined by
these determinations, Bruslart said, "that Fra Paolo was a man with-
out religion, faith or conscience, and that he did not believe in the
immortality of the soul. " M. Bruslart also received command from M.
Villeroi to arrange matters with the Nuncio, that Fra Paolo might be
taxed with the said letters, his MSS. examined and his portfolio and
papers seized.
But no such interference was allowed, and the Senators told the
Nuncio, as to his writing to heretics, it did not follow because Fra
Paolo wrote to them that he "was what they called a heretic. " At this
the Nuncio was greatly disturbed, and informed Borghese, " that he
had great fears that the Venetians would separate from the Catholic
Church, and exclude themselves from the authority of N. S. by the arti-
fices of Fra Paolo, Nicolo Contarini, Sebastiano Veneiro, and such like. "
To Fra Paolo Sarpi the name of Sir Dudley Carlton, the ambassador
from England to Venetia, sounded uncouthly, but he takes an early
opportunity to write in praise of an Englishman of whom it was said,
" though a statesman, he was an honest man. "
Plots against the life of King James continued, and Sir Dudley
info-rms his Majesty of Great Britain of a meditated attempt' of the
kind by the Jesuits,_thus, "because of an advertisement I have from
many hands that the Jesuits at Rome have lately given orders to all
their society, to use prayers for quarante hore for the good successe
of a great enterprise they have in hand, the like whereof was said to
be done before November the preceding year. " Fra Paolo was not
singular in his opinion of their practices.
Intolerance was still rife elsewhere, M. Richer (a man too well
known for his abilities and works to need any further comment here),
had been assailed at Paris; his foes called aloud for his death, and the
Society of Jesus were bitter against him, but amidst the storm of me-
nace that would have delivered him up to the rage of his opponents
the still small voice of mercy was heard, Pierre Cosuier an ecelesiastic of
great piety addressed an admonitory letter in favor of Richer to M. de
Harlay, Abbot of S. Victor, commencing with the touching Words,
" Ego cogitationes pacis et non afilictionis. " This letter disarmed
Richer's foes; thus charity shed its soft light, and intolerance for a
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? ll'. 59. ] - FRA PAOLO SARPI 19'!
time withered beneath its ray, but the tumult raised on account of his
book continued long, and Fra Paolo endeavors to comfort his friend
M. Groslot on this subject. And he appears glad that there is a pros-
pect of coming differences with Rome which might be beneficial to
the Republic; the whole letter is full of interest.
The reader will call to mind the name of one of the theologians, a
Neapolitan divine, who had been cited to Rome but had not obeyed
the summons, yet answered by a manly protest. In the month of Fe-
bruary 1612, Marsilio had been taken ill, and three of the physicians
who attended him declared that he had died of poison.
" Giovanni Marsilio, " writes Sarpi, " died here yesterday. I think
you knew him Well; he was in bed ten days; the physicians say he
was poisoned, of which I say nothing now, as I knew nothing pre-
viously, some priests endeavored to make him recant what he had
written but he always remained firm, saying, he wrote what he did for
the sake of the truth, and would die in that belief. M. Assellineau
often visited him and is able to give you many particulars of his illness,
for I neither could or would search into the matter, for various reasons.
I believe that if it were not for state reasons, there are divers persons
who would vault from this pit of Rome to the height of Reform, but one is
afraid of one thing and another of another. " 1 Grave suspicions were
entertained by many besides the physicians, that Marsilio had met his
death by poison, while Sarpi declares this, he feels it was needless to
pursue the matter further. But he was satisfied that Marsilio, strong in
death in the principles he had advocated, was in reality a victor though
apparently among the vanquished: his name has come down to posterity
as one who boldly dared to write in favor of the Republic of Venice
when the Pope sought to defraud her of her- rights, and never does this
able patriot appear more truly great than when contemplated on his
bed of death, outstretched there a victim, but a victim in a righteous
cause. The visits of thegood Asselineau were doubtless a solace when
in his misery. Asselineau was a physician of no small value, for he could
minister not only to the body, but to the soul, deep in the tomb Mar-
silio was laid, subtle poison had chilled his life blood, and Sarpi could
do no more than in a private letter express himself as above; his words
afford proof that death did not terrify Marsilio from his allegiance to
Heaven and to. his Prince, but that Rome was relentless to those who
challenged her power as supreme.
The words, " I believe, that if it were not for state reasons there are
1 Credo che se non fosse per ragion di stato, si troverrebbero diversi che salte-
rebbero da questo fosso di Roma nclla cima della Reforma, ma chi tema una cosa,
chi un altra, #0. --- Venice, 18th February, 1612, To M. de 1' Isole Groslot.
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? 198 THE LIFE oF [A. D. 1612
divers persons who would vault from this pit of Rome to the height of.
reform, " are words which some have severely censured, others attempt-
ed to get rid of, but this has been found impossible. The passage is
one of the strongest in the writings of Sarpi and it confirms e opi-
nion that he did wish the Church of Rome freed from the tyranny
of the Court of Rome. Perhaps these words were wrung from his pen
as he thought on Marsilio in all the agonies of a violent death, and
few knew better than Sarpi in his own person what it'was to differ
from a court which endeavored to assume the dictatorship of the world.
There can be no doubt that had the rulers of Venice declared for
absolute reform, all the powers of Europe who had commanded it
within the Church would have declared for Venice, and she would have
continued to hold her place among the nations, but Spain was strong,
and old habits and prejudices were stronger still. Venice was to pass
through a long and dreary servitude before she would awake, like the
wise of Italy, to see that a thorough reform of the church and separa-
tion from the Pope and Court of Rome is not a change of religion,
but a return to the religion taught by the Holy Apostles, and that
restoration of the Sacred Scriptures to the people is a right of which
none dare to rob them with impunity.
good plan if he took an impression of the keys of the room of Fra
Paolo, and it would thus be an easy matter to effect his death, and
on this being written to Rome, there came an answer to say, that
"this was the easiest and most approved way. "
Fra Gio further relates, that soon after this the impression of the
keys was taken by Fra Antonio, he intending to go afterwards to
Ferrara to have the keys made. He further promised to get some
leaves of Fra Paolo's books. Fra Gio mixed the wax and turpentine
wherewith the impression was to be made; but it was ill melted. The
reader knows the result. It was not the will of heaven that the world
should be defrauded of the writings of Fra Paolo Sarpi, and in place
of Fra Gio and Fra Antonio sending them to Rome to be committed
to the flames, and the whole body of the astonished Servi standing
around the murdered Fra Paolo, the Doge and Senate bewailing the
irreparable loss of their theologian and counsellor, just retribution over-
took the deluded friar. At two o'clock, Fra Gio, when at Maria d'A-
bramo, Piazzo di S. Marco, was seized by the sbirri, dragged to prison,
and shortly after examined before three nobles who, according to the
laws of Venice, were present at this inquisitorial inquiry, and was
charged with taking the impression of the keys of the Fra Paolo Sarpi.
This these judges had learned from the letters which had been found.
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? 186 THE LIFE OF - [A D. 1609
Fra Gio laid the whole blame upon Fra Antonio, who was likewise
in prison, and from his living tomb Fra Gio complains to the Pope
of his treatment as he stood before his judges. I
Fra Fulgenzio acted Wisely in giving information to the State against
Francesco, as it is certainthat if he and Antonio had been at large they
would soon have found means to destroy both Fulgenzio and Fra Paolo
But what did Fra Paolo? Did he seize a dagger and wound his foes to
death? Did he mingle a cup of poison, and brood over the deadly potion till
he bore it to the hands which had been outstretched against him ? Did he
feign himself their deliverer, and wile them to the waters around them
there to plunge them to their grave? N o! The wronged, the oftstricken but
noble hearted Servite stooped to no such revenge, to his inmost soul yet
thrilled the heavenly tones of the Immaculate One, who in his agony and
death besought Heaven's forgiveness for his murderers, and never Was
Paolo so truly great, so deservedly worthy of praise, so endeared to all who
loved him, as when he threw himself on his knees before the Senate and
asked forgiveness of his bitterest enemies.
Yet it is easy to perceive that Fra Paolo was grieved that friars of
his own Order had sought to do him wrong, but he did not relinquish
his task, he persevered in dictating his works, or in correcting them
with his own hand, and all who esteemed and venerated him were still
more careful of him than they had been prior to this conspiracy. No go-
Vernment ever took more sedulous care of the life of a public servant
than did the Doge and Senate of Fra Paolo Sarpi; but he especially
acknowledged the Higher Power that had saved him from destruction.
" I have escaped, " he writes, " another great conspiracy against my
life even the servants of my room have had a hand in it. It pleased
God to frustrate their designs, but I am greatly affiicted that men
should be imprisoned' on my account. Life is little pleasing to me
when I see such difficulty in preserving it. " He continues his letter
with a few notes on public events, intermingled with remarks on a pub-
lication which had interested him. He makes various comments on
Fra Fulgenzio Micanzio's sermons, and from other MSS. it is certain
that Fra Paolo continued to preach as he had formerly done; the fol-
lowing epistle is interesting.
" I did not receive the packet from M. Castrinc, which brought
yours of the 17th March inclosed, till the day after the courier went
away, this day fortnight, though I have letters from different friends
1 The above, with many other details, is in a MS. purporting to have been
actually written by the infamous Fra Gio F. Gratiani. The MS. is authentic,
and it is believed never to have been printed.
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? MT. 57. ] FHA PAOLO SARPI 187
within that time. I do not know how that packet came to such ill_
fortune. This was the reason I did not write to you by the last
dispatch. .
" As to the subject of the question which is now on foot, I won-
der what is the reason that those who hold the affirmative, and see by
the Scriptures that the Lord's coming will destroy that tyranny, are not
contented therewith by waiting for that time, but would needs prevent it
by not receiving the admonition which Christ our Lord gave to S. Peter,
when by arms he endeavoured to hinder the divine decree of His death.
But no one has strength enough to keep 1nan from building his projects
more upon human means than upon those which are divine. Even Father
Ignatius so relied upon these as if there were none superior.
" The things which happened to the Patriarch on the 1st of May have
been very important; and since that, these have been followed by others
as Weighty, and so there are every day,_but the Republic always main-
tains its dignity. There has been some provision made as to those confes-
sors who scrupled at such of their votaries as had any of the writings
which were published in defence of the Republic by them; and this pro-
vision is tolerably secure, and it is ordered by a clause that friar of
who was turned away a year ago for this business and desired pardon, of-
fering himself to be tried, be still confined in his cell.
" Father Fulgenzio has preached just as you have heard him do two
years ago. He has met with great opposition from this nuncio, who
has complained of him, saying that he could not deny but that the
doctrine was good, but nevertheless he was not bound to stay till the
preacher was declared an heretic. And the Pope, making a complaint
against him, has said that that preaching of the Scriptures is a suspicious
thing; and that he that keeps so close to the Scriptures will ruin the
Catholic faith.
" The audiences which attend his sermons have been very numerous
and increasing; there have been there sometimes six hundred of the no-
bility. He has continued to speak the plain truth, proving it by the Word
of God, without reproving anyone by name; and, above all, it has been
his way to reprove that ignorance which would adopt the opinions of others
in place of understanding one's own duty. Now there cannot be a more
mortal offence to the Jesuits than this is, to have no other foundation for
all their divinity than the ignorance of the public. As for what you ask
me with regard to the mitre, I can tell you with certainty. The Pope of
Rome has two mitres, one with two points, similar to those worn by hi-
shops, and this he only uses at masses, and other sacred offices. The other
is round, with three crowns, as you have seen the Pope pourrtjyed; this
he wears in processions out of the church, but never at. divine service. The
7}\
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? 188 THE LIFE OF [AIL 1609.
first of these, as you know, is ancient, the last is not above three hundred
years old. ' .
" I have been often in the Pope's vestry, and have handled all his mitres,
and all his Regna Mundi (for so they call these round ones; the others are
called Mitres) and I can assure you that there is no letter whatsoever upon
any of them: certainly he that says so never saw any of them.
" The endeavour to gain M. Casaubon, methinks, is just like that which
'ZEsop"s fox used to put tails out of fashion, when Reynard had lost his in
a trap.
" The truce with the States, has at last delivered us from the pain
of expectation. I don't know which way the Spanish power will turn
itself. I have a good mind to think that that nation believes an uni-
versal peace best for their own advantage. It is true that God oftentimes
makes things turn quite contrary to the designs of men. His sacred will
be done!
" As to the designs against my life, since they could not be without in-
trigues and private practices, and they never did me'any real mischief, it
is not convenient to proceed to the punishment of the offenders; the busi-
ness is not yet over, but I do use, and have used, all the interest I can
(and I shall succeed in it), to' have everything hushed up; and being wil-
ling to commit myself to God's protection, I must also follow His com-
mandments, in forgiving those who wrong me.
" I have received from M. Castrine (together with your letters of the
30th of March), some quires of paper on which are inscribed the Consti-
tutions of the Jesuits. I see by them that what part was possible has been
taken out of them,' and I have not yet read the whole contents, but I
already see they contain what is of use to me, and I am greatly obliged
to that gentleman for them, but more to you, sir, to whom I am first
indebted.
" Monsieur Asselineau tells me that you have a mind to have a picture of
the Vice Deo. ' I will do what I can to procure one for you if it be possible.
Monsieur Castrine told me a short time since that he would fain have
one or two. I tried over all the city to get one, but I could not meet with
any to be sold; and knowing of none here but one, which the owner va-
lued highly. But I am in hopes that one who has been two years in Rome
will bring me a copy, and if he does I will get it from him by all means,
that I may gratify you. '
" The advice of the truce makes no change to us. We are sure that if
1 It Was Scaliger who wrote that the word, ' Mysterium' was around the triple
crown.
3 Appendix.
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? arr. 57. ] FBA PAOLO SARPI 189
the Spanish designs be to make commotions in Italy, the Pope would not
stop them, if he had any hand in it; but if they wish for peace the Pope,
with all his power, will not be able to make them stir. We are very well
satisfied by what is past and done. '
" We are in such a state of things that truly we are almost come to
M. de Bourg's Litany, Sancte Turca, libera nos, (Holy Turk, deliver us! ).
God grant that the Swiss do not at last quarrel among themselves. I see
the Spaniards have access to them, and the Jesuits great power over them.
This is a rugged ugly point to think of, for if two such sorts of people as
they are, get into the hearts and affections of the Swiss people, Europe
must look for perpetual revolutions, and Italy would weep bitterly. But
even the leaf of a tree never falls without the will of God the Lord, to
whom we must submit our will. And thus I leave off troubling you any
further, and kiss your hands. " '
Venice, April 28th 1609.
And in another letter to M. Groslot there is the following passage:
" The Father Fulgenzio Micanzio has done as becomes a true Catholic;
he has preached the gospel of Christ our Lord, and abstained from all
personalities. He has not therefore given satisfaction either to Rome or to
her adherents, because it is impossible to do so, unless they, instead of
Christ, be the subject preached. ' The Pope latterly said of him that his
sermons were good, but also bad, that he rested too much upon Scripture,
which, if anyone did, he would ruin the Catholic faith. These words are
not much approved here, I therefore praise them and hold them true.
" I see that men, as did the Church in the Acts of the Apostles, agree
together not to do what they will, but What God wills. "
About this time Sarpi continued his correspondence with M. Hott-
man; he admired his efforts for unity in the Church. " I like M. Hott-
man much, he is a man of great understanding; I saw a collection of his
writings some months since on the matter of agreement. I praise his
zeal, and the means he proposes are excellent, but we must await a good
opportunity or the effect will be contrary. The science of opportunity, said
Socrates, is the only and great leading science in the world. I hold that
many of the differences between us are merely verbal, they make me smile,
others might be calmly endured, and others composed, but all are agreed
in this that agreement is impossible. Two litigants will never agree so long
as there is any hope of either conquering; but where both are sure they are
1 Sarpi to M. Groslot.
3 Loro e Cristo, quarto case, come a dire: la dottrina o divinita loro, in luogo di
quella di Cristo.
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? 190 THE LIFE OF [A. D. 1610.
in the right, there is no use to talk of agreement. Both parties hold it for
certain they will be victorious, one by divine the other by human means.
At to the first, to enter into the secrets of God is a hard thing to do, nor
is it right, and the second is forbidden. "
Much as theology occupied his mind, astronomy and the other sciences still
engaged his attention, and the improved construction _of the telescope by
Galileo facilitated his study of the orbs which are seen in all their brightness
in the Venetian sky. A telescope in a very circumscribed form had been
brought from Holland, and by application united to genius Galileo produced
one greatly superior. Fra Paolo took an unwearied interest in all Galileo's
studies, and there can he no doubt but that the learned Servite afforded
him every facility in his power to prosecute his discoveries. " Venice had
the merit of patronizing Galileo. There is still existing a decree which
appoints him to the chair of mathematics in Padua, and praises him for
having lately invented an instrument derived from the secrets of per-
spective for rendering objects visible at a great distance. " '
12th. Feb. 1610.
Galileo wrote to Sarpi to inform him of his discoveries as to the planet
Saturn and the motion of the planet-Venus; but while he was pleased to
trace the stars and planets in their course, he was far from being sa-
tisfied with the aspect of public affairs; the political sky lowered and
this acute -politician feared a storm. He received his letters as usual
from M. Bruslart, and from France, and writing to M. Castrine, he
sends him a little work " On Beneficiary Matters. " It was published by
Paolo Sarpi, but without his name. Extracts from its pages prove
that he had fully studied the question of church government, as also
the rise and progress of the Papacy, and his remarks upon the Popes
evince that he was fearless in speaking truth, and showed what Italy
would be, if she regarded the Pope only as Bishop of Rome. ' This
remarkable work received the unqualified praise of the learned then, as
now, and there is no doubt of its authorship, as the letter above men-
tioned was seen by Foscarini amongst the MSS. of Fontanini.
Of this book Mr. Gibbon writes, " In the treatise Delle Materie Be-
neficiare of Fra Paolo, in the fourth and best edition of his works,
the Papal system is deeply studied and freely described. Should Rome
and her system be annihilated, this golden volume may still survive, a
philosophied history and a salutary warning. " Mr. Hallam observes,
" Nothing was more worthy of remark, especially in literary history,
than the appearance of one great man, Fra Paolo Sarpi, the first who
1 Reg. Senate Terra. 26 Aug. 1609. R. Brown.
3 Appendix.
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? M. 58. ] FRA PAOLO SARPI 191
'in modern times and in a Christian country shook the fabric not Only
of papal despotism, but of ecclesiastical independence and power, for
it is to be Observed that the Pope was contending for what were cal-
led the rights of the Church not for his own supremacy over it. Sarpi
was a man of extraordinary genius, learning, and judgment; his phy-
sical and anatomical knowledge was such as to have caused at least
several great discoveries to be assigned to him. His reasoning was con-
cise and cogent, his style perspicuous and animated. A treatise, Delle
Materie Beneficiare, in other words, on the rights, revenues, and privi-
leges in secular matters, is a model in its way. The history is so
short, and yet so sufficient, the sequence so natural and clear, the
proofs so judiciously introduced, that it can never'be read without de-
light and admiration of the author's skill. And this is the more strik-
ing to those who have toiled at the verbose books of the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries, where tedious quotations, accumulated not
selected, disguise the arguments which they mean to confirm. Except
the first book of Machiavelli's History of Florence, I do not remember
any earlier summary of facts so lucid and pertinent to the object. That
object was neither more or less than to represent the wealth and pow-
er- of the Church as ill gotten and excessive. The treatise on bene-
fices led the way, or rather was the seed thrown into the ground that
ultimately produced the many efforts both of the press and of public
authority to break down these privileges. "
But we must pass on to an event by which Europe was alarmed,
amid preparations of War, the death of Henry IV; there Was reason to
apprehend evil results; but the Servite was reassured by the nobility
of France being true to the crown, and the people peaceful.
Another painful event at Rome also demands our attention; the
wretched Manfredi, having failed to procure advancement there, was
tried for his life under pretences of which Sarpi seems ignorant.
" Fra Fulgenzio (Manfredi) went away as you know in the beginning
of August 1608, with an ample patent of safe conduct and a particular
clause in it that nothing should be done against his honor.
At Rome
they tampered with him to induce him to abjure and to do public
penance, but he refused, and referred to his safe conduct. At last persis-
ting in his denial to do public penance, he contented himself with
making a secret abjuration before a notary and two witnesses, and this
by a new declaration by the Cardinals that it should he understood as
done without dishonor or prejudice to him. Time passed, sometimes things
went well sometimes ill, when one evening Cardinal Panfilio the Pope's
Vicar suddenly sent some sbirri to apprehend him, pretending that he had
done something, I know not what, connected with his office. They put him
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? 192 THE LIFE OF
[A. D. 1610.
W!
N
in prison in the tower of Nona where men are imprisoned for ordinary '
ofi'ences. They then seized and examined his papers, this done, they removed
him to the prison of the Inquisition. They then made three charges
against him, that he had prohibited books, held correspondence with the
heretics of England and Germany, and written articles against the Ro-
mish Catholic doctrine, in particular that Saint Peter was not above
the other Apostles, that the Pope is not head of the church, that the
\Co'neil of Trent was neither a lawful nor a general Council, that there are
many heresies in the church of Rome, and many other such things.
'" To these charges he answered, 'that as to the books, he did not
know they were prohibited, as to his correspondents, none of them
were declared heretics, as to the writings under his own hand, they
were imperfect, and 'not his real opinions, but only memoranda for
consideration of these points. ' These answers did not satisfy the
Iuquisitors; they were determined to bring him to the torture, and
on this being intimated to him he answered, that he was not amenable
to torture, but that they might do as they pleased, he threw himself
upon their mercy. On the 4th of July he was brought into the Church
of St. Peter's, where there was a numerous concourse of people, and
being placed upon the ground, his crimes were read and his sentence
passed on him.
"He was sentenced to be excluded from the pale of the Church as
a relapsed heretic, and delivered over to the Governor of Rome to be
chastised, but without drawing blood. At this ceremony, which lasted
an hour, Fra Fulgentio stood with his eyes lifted up to heaven, but
never spoke a word, and it was a common opinion that he had a gag
in his mouth.
"The ceremony being finished, he was conducted to the Church of
S. Salvatore, in Laura, and there degraded, and the following morning
hanged and burned in the Campo de' Fiori. There are various opinions
as to whether these things which are laid to his charge are true, or
are calumnies; but some, presupposing that they were true, do not
hesitate to say that he was wronged, because on account of the safe
conduct, the abjuration and looking upon him as relapsed was not to be
turned to his prejudice. I know not how to judge, but the beginning
and end, a safe conduct, and a great fire; what passed in the interim is
hidden, but from this we may conclude that the Pope has little favour
to Venice. We have had many other indications of this, and therefore the
Padre Paolo had better be cautious. He therefore does not fail in or-
dinary care, but leaves all to God, being certain that whatever God does
will be good. i
" As to the affairs of Italy, they are in great confusion. The Pope
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? E1'. 58. ] FRA PAOLO SARPI 193
labours hard to bring about war, and an accommodation between Savoy
and Spain. I believe he will succeed, and then Savoy will fall upon
Geneva, and the Pope upon Venice; but Venice cannot be persuaded of
this, and obstinately maintains she is in no danger, which is, however, so
plain that the blind may see it. This makes me- fear that she has no
longer Divine help, and is in such a state of blindness as not to see light
at noonday. But since I can only complain, I had better be silent. As
for the affairs of France, I am truly glad that they prosper. I regret to
think how many years must pass during the minority of the king, seeing
the designs already formed, and the Jesuits more insolent and more bold
than ever. If it were not for them, I would hope that the other intrigues
might be overcome, or borne with by the prudence of the queen, but when so
many men are resolved to do ill, it is likely, if not now or to-morrow, yet
the day after, they may succeed. The only intent of Spain is to divide
that kingdom, having so many wise and bold ministers. To see the queen
so fond of friars and Jesuits, and make so little of the Parliament, are
not good signs. I have considered what you write of a Jesuit who boasts
that he would raise an army, and of their great acquisition of money. It
appears to me a thing not to be neglected. I know well that, notwithstand-
ing their banishment from Venice, they get very large sums of money
from this city, and it cannot be hindered. And if it be the will of God,
and according to the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures, men have nothing
to do but preparefor suffering. "
" I think the Huguenots are very wise who stand looking on, that
they may know how to govern themselves according to circumstances.
God bless their designs. But I was not aware of the tedium of my
letter which may perhaps arrive when you are ill. Excuse me, I beg
you to continue your kindness to me, and I shall alway remain your
devoted servant. " 1
" Venice, August 3, 1610. "
Fra Paolo had observed that great abuses had arisen on account of
the churches being made a refuge for offenders flying from justice; he
therefore wrote a short treatise against this practice. He divided the
work into two parts. The first comprised the right of asylum granted
and circumscribed by the Emperor, and how it ought to beunderstood;
the second what sanctuaries are allotted by the Canonists,- who ought
to be permitted to fly there, Who taken thence. From this he discours-
ed on the hull of Gregory XIV, on the immunities of the Church,
demonstrated their signification and concluded with a brief epitome of
1 F. P. S. to M. Groslot.
as
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? 194 THE LIFE OF [A. D. 1011-
the sanctuaries amongst the Jews, Greeks and Romans, and a comparison
of them with those of Christendom. ' This is followed by a minute,
divided into twenty four heads, by which a magistrate might at once
judge who ought and who ought not to obtain refuge. He considered that
sanctuaries for offenders was an abuse, under pretext of being one of
the immunities of the Churchflfe' advised tolerance but restricted the
above privilege to insolvent, 'not fraudulent debtors, and to accidental
delinquents. _
This work of Fra Paolo's was, however, in advance of the age, and
the Pope, so far from hailing a step which would have prevented much
crime, prohibited the volume. Grotius however called its author, " Paolo-
the great, " Frickleburg translated it into Latin. The Senate of Milan
added it to their statutes, while other Italian States did likewise and
the work had a large circulation.
The MS. of it, presented by Paolo to the Senate, was of greater length
than that in its printed form. He also wrote a work " on the Adriatic "
and it is probable, from some notes on the rainbow in his MSS. , he did not
overlook the discovery of the Archbishop de Dominis, Whose work" De
radiis lucis in vitris perspectivis et Iride, " was then published. "There
can be no doubt but this volume explained more of the phenomena of
the rainbow than had hitherto been understood. The rainbow was well
known to be the reflection of solar light from drops of rain, but it
belonged to the genius of De Dominis to discover that refraction was
the means of giving colour to the rays of the sun. . . . Placing a glass
between the eye and a bottle of water, from the lower side of which
light issued in the same order of colours as in the rainbow, 'De Do-
minis inferred, that after two refractions and one intermediate reflection
within the drop, the ray came to the eye tinged with the different
colours, according to the angle at which it entered. " '
At a later period, Sarpi announced peace to his friend M. Groslot,
When many feared war, but he intimates that it was against the wishes
of the Duke of Savoy. The siege of Geneva having ended in nothing,
the Pope still hoped for better fortune in Germany, and treated with
the Jesuits as to war in France.
While such was the state of the political world, Sarpi and his
friends continued at times their public yet gentle remonstrances, but
a lethargy as to papal aggression had stolen over the Venetians, and
the voice of Paolo Sarpi was like the melancholy note of the bird of
night pouring his solitary moan over a darkened world. Fra Fulgenzio
1 Giovini.
2 Hallam.
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? Er. 59. ] FRA PAOLO SARPI 195
did not preach in Lent because dissuaded by him, but Fra Fulgenzio,
Paolo, and Marsilio preached in the church of Lorenzo, February 10th,
1611.
In trivial matters the Pope continued to yield to Venice, but still
strove to retain power over Ceneda. Fra Paolo wrote an account of
this quarrel for the Senate, and the Cardinal Borghese coniplained that
he " was still considered an oracle! " In the end, this matter was
partially compromised, but while the flatterers of the Pope still exalted
his temporal power, Sarpi likened them " to those animals who climbed
too high and were sure to fall. " He grieved that a book of the
Jesuits had been received at Florence, which would not have been
tolerated at Venice; but no book written by a Jesuit was allowed to
circulate there,'ilIese following observations have justly been deemed
remarkable. '
"Seeing the disputes that arise between the Jesuits and other Pa-
pists as to the Gallican liberties, if the Reformed would assist the cause
of liberty which although not perfect is less hurtful, it might be that
the Jesuits who are the great enemies of true religion might be weak-
ened, and this would open up a way of agreement with the Gallicans.
No undertaking can be greater than to bring the Jesuits into discredit.
Conquer them, Rome is lost, and without them religion will reform
itself. "
While many were occupied_with the great power obtained by the
Jesuits over nearly the known world, and whilst Sarpi bewailed the
decline of true religion in his own country, the Pope gained fresh
adherents in Germany, but at Rome no Venetian was promoted to
the Cardinalate, "Good men accounted it a public service. "
To their dismay, the Italians learned that the Spaniards had seized
Cape]. The Viceroy had shewn his independence by hanging an offender
who had taken refuge in the church before the Archbishop's door, but
Sarpi was more astonished that the English Ambassador obtained the
release of a captive from the Inquisition. He also wished to gain tidings
of the procedure of the French parliament against Bellarmine, as some
of his friends " amongst the Senators could scarcely bear to hear his
name, and spoke of him as one born to disturb the peace of Christ-
endom. "
A controversial work of M. de Mornay was now sent to Sarpi, it
made a considerable impression at and since the time of its publication. '
1 This volume forms part of the valuable library of the late learned Lord
Handyside, to which I was permitted access by Mrs. Handyside, ne? e Bruce. J
" Mysterium lniqvitatis sev Historia Papatus. " etc. Philipo Mornayo '46
A 944
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? 196 ' THE LIFE OF [A. D. 1611-
He thought "the Sorbonne might have censured it more modestly,"
but censures in large measure were dealt out to those who wielded their
pens against the Curia.
The ambassador Bruslart now offered to expedite Fra Paolo's let-
ters, but he knew his character and therefore declined, he received his
letters from him but sent no answers to his 'care, and on the plea of
his office, refused to receive the ambassador's visits. Chagrined by
these determinations, Bruslart said, "that Fra Paolo was a man with-
out religion, faith or conscience, and that he did not believe in the
immortality of the soul. " M. Bruslart also received command from M.
Villeroi to arrange matters with the Nuncio, that Fra Paolo might be
taxed with the said letters, his MSS. examined and his portfolio and
papers seized.
But no such interference was allowed, and the Senators told the
Nuncio, as to his writing to heretics, it did not follow because Fra
Paolo wrote to them that he "was what they called a heretic. " At this
the Nuncio was greatly disturbed, and informed Borghese, " that he
had great fears that the Venetians would separate from the Catholic
Church, and exclude themselves from the authority of N. S. by the arti-
fices of Fra Paolo, Nicolo Contarini, Sebastiano Veneiro, and such like. "
To Fra Paolo Sarpi the name of Sir Dudley Carlton, the ambassador
from England to Venetia, sounded uncouthly, but he takes an early
opportunity to write in praise of an Englishman of whom it was said,
" though a statesman, he was an honest man. "
Plots against the life of King James continued, and Sir Dudley
info-rms his Majesty of Great Britain of a meditated attempt' of the
kind by the Jesuits,_thus, "because of an advertisement I have from
many hands that the Jesuits at Rome have lately given orders to all
their society, to use prayers for quarante hore for the good successe
of a great enterprise they have in hand, the like whereof was said to
be done before November the preceding year. " Fra Paolo was not
singular in his opinion of their practices.
Intolerance was still rife elsewhere, M. Richer (a man too well
known for his abilities and works to need any further comment here),
had been assailed at Paris; his foes called aloud for his death, and the
Society of Jesus were bitter against him, but amidst the storm of me-
nace that would have delivered him up to the rage of his opponents
the still small voice of mercy was heard, Pierre Cosuier an ecelesiastic of
great piety addressed an admonitory letter in favor of Richer to M. de
Harlay, Abbot of S. Victor, commencing with the touching Words,
" Ego cogitationes pacis et non afilictionis. " This letter disarmed
Richer's foes; thus charity shed its soft light, and intolerance for a
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? ll'. 59. ] - FRA PAOLO SARPI 19'!
time withered beneath its ray, but the tumult raised on account of his
book continued long, and Fra Paolo endeavors to comfort his friend
M. Groslot on this subject. And he appears glad that there is a pros-
pect of coming differences with Rome which might be beneficial to
the Republic; the whole letter is full of interest.
The reader will call to mind the name of one of the theologians, a
Neapolitan divine, who had been cited to Rome but had not obeyed
the summons, yet answered by a manly protest. In the month of Fe-
bruary 1612, Marsilio had been taken ill, and three of the physicians
who attended him declared that he had died of poison.
" Giovanni Marsilio, " writes Sarpi, " died here yesterday. I think
you knew him Well; he was in bed ten days; the physicians say he
was poisoned, of which I say nothing now, as I knew nothing pre-
viously, some priests endeavored to make him recant what he had
written but he always remained firm, saying, he wrote what he did for
the sake of the truth, and would die in that belief. M. Assellineau
often visited him and is able to give you many particulars of his illness,
for I neither could or would search into the matter, for various reasons.
I believe that if it were not for state reasons, there are divers persons
who would vault from this pit of Rome to the height of Reform, but one is
afraid of one thing and another of another. " 1 Grave suspicions were
entertained by many besides the physicians, that Marsilio had met his
death by poison, while Sarpi declares this, he feels it was needless to
pursue the matter further. But he was satisfied that Marsilio, strong in
death in the principles he had advocated, was in reality a victor though
apparently among the vanquished: his name has come down to posterity
as one who boldly dared to write in favor of the Republic of Venice
when the Pope sought to defraud her of her- rights, and never does this
able patriot appear more truly great than when contemplated on his
bed of death, outstretched there a victim, but a victim in a righteous
cause. The visits of thegood Asselineau were doubtless a solace when
in his misery. Asselineau was a physician of no small value, for he could
minister not only to the body, but to the soul, deep in the tomb Mar-
silio was laid, subtle poison had chilled his life blood, and Sarpi could
do no more than in a private letter express himself as above; his words
afford proof that death did not terrify Marsilio from his allegiance to
Heaven and to. his Prince, but that Rome was relentless to those who
challenged her power as supreme.
The words, " I believe, that if it were not for state reasons there are
1 Credo che se non fosse per ragion di stato, si troverrebbero diversi che salte-
rebbero da questo fosso di Roma nclla cima della Reforma, ma chi tema una cosa,
chi un altra, #0. --- Venice, 18th February, 1612, To M. de 1' Isole Groslot.
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? 198 THE LIFE oF [A. D. 1612
divers persons who would vault from this pit of Rome to the height of.
reform, " are words which some have severely censured, others attempt-
ed to get rid of, but this has been found impossible. The passage is
one of the strongest in the writings of Sarpi and it confirms e opi-
nion that he did wish the Church of Rome freed from the tyranny
of the Court of Rome. Perhaps these words were wrung from his pen
as he thought on Marsilio in all the agonies of a violent death, and
few knew better than Sarpi in his own person what it'was to differ
from a court which endeavored to assume the dictatorship of the world.
There can be no doubt that had the rulers of Venice declared for
absolute reform, all the powers of Europe who had commanded it
within the Church would have declared for Venice, and she would have
continued to hold her place among the nations, but Spain was strong,
and old habits and prejudices were stronger still. Venice was to pass
through a long and dreary servitude before she would awake, like the
wise of Italy, to see that a thorough reform of the church and separa-
tion from the Pope and Court of Rome is not a change of religion,
but a return to the religion taught by the Holy Apostles, and that
restoration of the Sacred Scriptures to the people is a right of which
none dare to rob them with impunity.
