particular Noblemen, as the Counts de Foix and Armagnac. Gregory XII was in a manner left to fhift for himself at Rimini, having no Intereft but in fome Places of Italy and Germany, where the Emperor Robert alfo fomented a Party for him. But this Emperor dying foon after the Election of John XXIII. the latter was thereby rid of a powerful Enemy, and thought to make himfelf as potent a Friend, by favouring the Election of Sigifmond, King of Hungary, who was unanimoufly own'd King of the Romans (c) (1) after the (c) In 1410. Death of Joffe (2) Margrave of Brandenburg and Moravia his Competitor for the Empire. The Character of Joe is given at large in En S. Com ment. Lib. the Hiftory of the Council of Pifa (d). I fhall only add one Particular (d) Part II. here, which I found relating to him among the witty Sayings of Al- p. 11. phonfus King of Arragon, viz. That Joe, after his Election to the Empire, going to pay a Vifit to his Coufin-German Wenceslaus King of Bohemia, the latter took him into his Clofet, and addrefs'd him thus, Tho' I am fenfible, that 'tis no Credit for me to have been divested of the Dignity of Emperor by the Electors; nevertheless 'tis my Comfort, that the Honour is not gone out of our Family: Therefore I accept you heartily for my Succeffor. Joffe kneeling, at thofe Words, before Wen- (e) In Dia. ceflaus, to declare to him that he had no Hand in the Election, and & Fact. that it was carry'd without his Knowledge, Wenceslaus faid to him, Alph. Reg. Fear nothing, for I do not quit the Empire with Regret; and had I a Mind to retain it, it fhou'd not be to the Prejudice of a Prince of my III. p. 138. own Blood. Therefore take good Courage, and govern the Empire well which is committed to your Charge; I am content with my Bohemia, and you are as welcome to make Ufe of my Soldiers, my Arms, and my Subftance, as your own (e). As to Sigifmond, befides what is faid of his Election in the Hiftory of the Council of Pifa, I fhall here add the Account of it which is given by Eberhard Windek his Counsellor, of whom I made Mention in the Preface (f). After the (f) History 'Death of Robert, which happen'd in 1410, fays Windek, the of Sigmond 'Electors affembled that fanie Year, about the Feftival of St. Bartho- by Windek lomew, to chufe a new King. John (of Najau) Elector of Mentz lor, a M S. and Frederic (Count of Sarverden) Elector of Cologn, nominated Joffe, in the Hands Marquifs of Moravia, call'd the Bearded (3): But the Elector of of Dr. Von • Treves (Werner de Koningtein) gave his Vote for Lewis of Bava- der Hardt. ria, the Elector Palatine, Son to Robert. On the other hand, Al 'bert Elector of Saxony, who at that Time was Vicar of the Em pire, declar'd for Sigifmond King of Hungary (4), Marquis of Branden (1) Tho' Sigifmond had been elected to the Empire, yet he never affumes any Title, but that of King of the Romans, and 'tis the only one that is given him in the Acts of the Council, and by cotemporary Authors, because he had not yet been crown'd Emperor any where. (2) As to Robert and Joe, fee the Hi fiery of the Council of Pifa, Lib. IV. p. 10, II. (3) Others add the Ambaffadors of (4) Others fay, that the Elector of Treves, his Counfel Niem apud pra, p. 359. Ann. 1411. n. I. II. Leonard A cl. æt. 48. p. bourg. As foon as Sigifmond had Notice of it, he sent an Embaffy to his Coulin Joffe, to know whether he was difpofed to go to Francfort to accept of the Empire. Joe telling him it was his Intention; And I, fays Sigifmond, am going to Moravia. Accordingly Sigifmond was making the neceffary Preparations for that Journey, when he heard of foe's Death, and that the Electors of Mentz and Cologn had chofe him King of the Romans'. It appears by this Account given by a cotemporary Author, who was an Eye-Witnefs of the Event, that what Dubrawski, Bishop of Olmutz, fays in his Hiftory of Bohemia, that Sigifmond nominated himself, is an illgrounded Tradition (1). NEVERTHELESS John XXIII. met with fome Mortifications in the midft of his Profperity. On the one hand, the Fleet that Lewis of Anjou had put to Sea against Ladislaus was defeated, which was a very great Remora to this Pope's Affairs: And on the other hand, Niem ubi Friuli was taken from him, with fome other Places which he poffefs'd fupra p.365 in Romagna. But this Lofs did not abate his Courage. Being affifted by Lewis of Anjou, he went to Rome to make his folemn Entry. retin p. 257. Juven des He was receiv'd with publick Acclamations, and ftay'd there while Url. History Lewis of Anjou march'd against Ladislaus, over whom he gain'd a comof Charles VI. plete Victory, which would have render'd him Mafter of the Kingdom of Naples, if his and the Pope's Generals had improved it. But 1043. Colo- Lewis of Anjou returning to France, Ladislaus was quickly in a Conniæ an. 1579. dition to terrify the Pope, who was obliged to publifh a Croisado aSpondanus gainft him, as a Schifmatick, and a Difturber of the publick Tranquillity. Ladislaus fearing, on his Part, that this Croifado would draw a general Confpiracy against him, made a Treaty with John XXIII. equally fcandalous to both, becaufe neither was true to his Faith; and therefore it did not laft long: For Ladislaus returned to Rome next Year Jbn XXIII with a great Army, and drove out the Pope, who was obliged to fly Sigifmend to with Precipitation to Florence. Theodoric de Niem, who was in his Retinue, has given a very full Account of the Adventures of this Retreat, by which the Pope's Court were very great Sufferers (2). ad an. 1412. n. I. Niem ubi fu pra 357 & 378. John unites with affemble a Council 1413. Niem. p. 375. Leon. Aret. 257,25%. Rayna'd ad an. 1413. Bzov. ad an. 14c9. n. 13. Raynald ad an. 1409. n. an. 1409. n. V. John XXIII. perceiving plainly, that it was impoffible for him to ftand against fo potent an Enemy as Ladislaus, and that he should never hold the Pontificat in quiet, as long as the Schifm continued, had Recourfe to Sigifmond, King of the Romans, to find Means to put an End to it to his Advantage. This Prince was then in Italy, whither he Went to treat with the Venetians, touching fome Places in Dalmatia, and to observe the Motions of Ladislaus, with whom he had had (+) See the History of the Council of Pila, Part II. p. 11, 12. (2) This Defcription may be feen in the Hiftory of the Council of Pift, Part II. p. 179. 181. great great Quarrels, and whofe Ambition still made him very uneafy. "Tis true, that Ladislaus had been excommunicated at the Council of Pila, which declar'd in favour of Lewis of Anjou. But the latter, as has been obferved, not improving the fair Opportunities he met with, had left Ladislaus, as we may fay, Mafter of the Field, and put him above the Reach of the Thunderbolts of a Council, which he had not acknowledged, and whofe Sitting he oppos'd. Therefore Sigifmond thought that the most effectual Means to be rid of an Enemy to troublesome, and who had stood fo often in his Way (1), was to unite with a Pope acknowledg'd by almoft all Christendom, for affembling a General Council; which not being liable to Sufpicion, for want of any Formality, might confirm that of Pifa, as well with Regard to the Depofing of Ladislaus, as with Regard to the Union and Reformation of the Church attempted in that Council, but always fhifted off. He had this Affair at Heart the more, becaufe, during the Schifm, he faw no Appearance of his being able to reconcile the Chriftian Princes, to act in Concert with him against the Turks who ravaged his Kingdom of Hungary. meets at VI. John XXIII. had indeed call'd a Council the Year before, Council according to the Decree of the Council of Pifa; wherein it was re- R me in folved, That, at three Years End, one fhould be affembled at a con- 1412. venient Place, of which Notice fhould be given a Year before hand. Seffio XXII. But whether it was on account of the Wars with which Italy was di- apud Von der Hardt, T. II. fturbed, or because of the Apprehenfion that this Council being affembled at Rome, would not be fo free as it ought, there were but very few bel. Perf.. P. 155. GoMembers at it (2), and the Pope was probably obliged to pro- Cofmod. rogue it. Æt. VI. c. Council. Alliac. a VII. As John XXIII. when he prorogued the Council, did not fpecify 90. p. 331 either Time or Place, Sigifmond wrote to him (3) not to determine Sentiments either till he had fent him an Embaffy on purpose to agree thofe about the Points together, with which the Pope was obliged to acquiefce. calling of a People were at that Time very much divided as to what might be expected from a Council, for the Suppreffion of Schifm, and the Reformation of the Church. In the Year 1410, the celebrated Peter pud Von der D'Ailli, then Bishop of Cambray, and afterwards a Cardinal, had Hardt, T. I. written a Tract concerning the Difficulty of Reforming the Church in ap. Gerf. T. a General Council. One of the Arguments he urg'd, and which was 11. p. 867. founded on the Vacancy of the Empire, did not fubfift long, becaufe Henr. HalfSigifmond was that very Year chofe King of the Romans: But there ac. Confil. Pacis ap. V. (1) Ladislaus had been his Rival for the Empire, and still alpir'd to it. Niem Labyr. p. 467. (2) There is a large Account given of Part V. & d. Hardt. T. this pretended Council, in the Hiftory of II. p. 20, 21, the Council of Pifa, Part II. p. 93.93. 22. & apud (3) See Sigifmond's Letter to Charles VI. Gerf. P. 810. ap. Von der Hardt. T. VI. p. 8. were P. 48. were other Reafons ftill which render'd the Succefs of a Council very doubtful. On the one hand, the Cardinals pretended that it was folely their Prerogative to decide which of the three Competitors was the lawful Pope; and 'tis certain, that the Cardinals were for a long Time in Poffeffion of the Right of chufing the Sovereign Pontiffs (1) But the Cafe then was very extraordinary. Divided as they were in their Obedience to three Popes, they were not then in a Condition to determine this Affair which abfolutely required their Union. On the other hand, the three Competitors could not confent to the calling of a Council, without referring their Election to Arbitration, and even without renouncing it, as was demanded of them afterwards. John XXIII. ran ftill a greater Hazard than the two others, who being already depofed, had nothing to lofe but the Poffeffion; whereas John XXIII. having been Canonically elected, and being almost generally recognized, might lose the Gerfoniana, Right and Poffeffion both together. Befides, they could not fummon Benedict XIII. and Gregory XII. to the Council, without derogating from that of Pifa, which had depos'd them: And if, on the other hand, a Council fhould be affembled without them, it was to be fear'd that they would look upon every thing done in it as void, fince they did not own John XXIII. There were People of very good Senfe, and fuch too as were well-difpos'd, who talk'd very freely of the ill Succefs of Councils in general, and were apprehenfive, that as the Council of Pifa had produced three Popes inftead of two, Gerf. O. T. this now to be affembled, would breed a fourth. (2) Mean Time, II. p. 162. ap. the moft general Sentiment was for the Neceffity of calling a V. d. Hardt, Council. Gerfon, Chancellor of the Univerfity of Paris, removed the Gerf. T. II. Objections of Peter D'Ailli, by his Treatife of the Reformation of the p. 885, ap. V. Church in a General Council; and Peter d'Ailli being convinced by d. Hardt, 1. his Anfwer, compos'd a Tract upon the fame Subject. France, in a T. I. P. VI. General Affembly of the Prelates of the Kingdom, declared for this Haffiac. ap. Side of the Queftion; and all the World was fo convinced of the T.II. p. 33. Neceffity of a Council, that to disbelieve it was enough to make a Man fufpected of a Defire to keep up the Schifm. T. I. P. V. V. d. Hardt, with John Sigifmma's VIII. Sigifmond too thinking no Means would be more effectual Negotiation to restore Peace to the Church, as well as to retrieve the Affairs of XXIII.about the Empire, which the Schilm had put into Confufion, fent an Emthe calling of baffy for this Purpose to John XXIII. who, as we obferv'd, had taa Council. ken Refuge in Florence. The most able Doctors of that Age were of Sigifmond's Opinion, that the Emperor had a Right to affemble a Council by Letter to Charles VI. ubi fup.p.13. (1) In the XIIth Century under Innocent XI. (2) Et verendum nimis ne fi Concilium Conftantienfe effectum ceperit quatuor for mentur; i. e. And it was too much to be fear'd, that if the Council of Conftance took Effect, there would be four. Thead. Trie Hift. Conc. Conft. ap. V. d. Hardt, T. I. P. I. p. 148. his his own Authority, especially in a Time of Schifm, when the Bufi- In 1381. ness in hand was to unite the Church, and to reform it by beginning at its Head. Henry of Hefe had prov'd it above thirty Years Henric. ago, by feveral Examples drawn from Church-Hiftory; and Theodoric Haffiac. ap. de Niem had lately done the fame Thing in his Treatife of Schifm, V. d. Hardt, T. 1. as well as John Gerfon in the Tract of Reformation, already mention'd. Niem de John XXIII. who had promis'd to wait for Sigifmond's Ambassadors, Schif. 1. 3. refolved to receive them favourably, chufing rather to affemble a c. 7, 8. Council in Concert with him, than to be forced to accept of one which this Prince would have called against his Will. In order to do it with Leon. Aret. the better Grace, he himself fent an Embaffy foon after to Sigifmond 253, 257. in Lombardy, confifting of Anthony Cardinal de Chalant, and Francis Zabarella Cardinal Deacon of St. Cofmo and of St. Damianus, known by the Name of the Cardinal of Florence. He aflociated with them the celebrated Emanuel Chryfolorus, (1) who, by the Report of Leonard Aretin his Difciple, contributed fo much to the Restoration of the Greek Tongue, and the Belles Lettres in Italy, whither he had been fent, as well as to feveral other Countries of Europe, by the Emperor John Paleologus, to implore the Affiftance of the Chriftian Princes against the Turk. Gob. Perf. P. 331. Council. IX. THOSE Legates, after many Difputes about the Choice The City of a Place for holding the Council, were at length obliged to of Conftance consent that it should be fummon'd to Conftance, an Imperial City in is chofe for the Circle of Swabia, because they plainly perceiv'd that their Mafter holding the had need of Sigifmond, and that it was of Importance to humour V. d. Hardt, him. This City had been already celebrated for fome memorable Af T.I. P.XV. femblies. The Archbishop of Genoa, in a Speech which he made to p. 812. Sigifmond during the Council, spoke of a Synod held at Conftance under the Emperor Henry III. wherein this Prince appeafed the In 1044, or Troubles of Germany, and made a great many Regulations truly 1045. worthy of a Chriftian Prince. This Peace was call'd the Peace of Conftance (2). In this no doubt the Archbishop follow'd Marianus Scotus, who fpeaks of this Affembly as of a Synod or Council: But M. Von der Von der Hardt has very judiciously obferv'd, that it was an Affem- Hardt, ubi bly of Princes, and not a Council, as very evidently appears from fupr. Præf. the Chronicle of Theodoric Engelhufen (a). Be this as it will, there's (a) Engeline a great Affinity betwixt these two Affemblies at Conftance, whether Chron. p. we confider the Motives of them, or the Conjunctures and Cir- 199. This cumftances. They were both call'd by an Emperor during a Schifin; Author wrote in the XV th Century. (1) As to these three Legates, fee the Hiftory of the Council of Pisa, Par. I. p. 281, 282; Part II. p. 185, 186. where you may also see what was the Iffue of this Negotiation. Chryfolorus died at the Council of Conftance, April 15, 1415. (2) Nauclerus places this Peace of Con and, |