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From Macmillan's Magazine.
ENEAS SYLVIUS PICCOLOMINI,

POPE PIUS II.

PART I.

tious, and they longed for a sphere in which they might distinguish themselves. They wanted money, if only to buy books: ought not the world to belong to the wise? But ONCE, and once only, in its history has wisdom unfortunately was badly paid by the Papacy been identified with the genthose in power; the Pope was more likely eral course of European literature and to appreciate it than any one else who had culture, and the experience of that epoch money to expend: and then at the Papal certainly does not encourage it to repeat Court they might write letters in the style the experiment. The Renaissance came so of Cicero, and histories in the style of Livy, suddenly, and came from so many sides at and deliver orations equal to any of the once, that the Papacy in its enfeebled con- great productions of antiquity on the occadition at the time had no opportunity for sion of every fresh arrival of ambassadors really examining it, had lost its firm hold from a foreign prince. Hence came the alupon its old traditions, and found itself liance between the Papacy and the scholars committed to the new movement before it of the Renaissance, by which Poggio, Leohad weighed the consequences or really de-nardo Bruni, Guarino, and Francesco Fileltermined upon its policy. It was no longer fo were all Papal secretaries. Even Laurenthe vigorous mediaval power that had tius Valla, in spite of his audacious use of crushed the rising movements of the criticism in proving the falsity of the Donatwelfth century, had cowed Abelard, had tion of Constantine, was pardoned after a uprooted the growing literature of Prov-slight apology; and honest souls like Camence, had stopped the political speculations pano were rewarded for sprightly epigrams of Arnold of Brescia, and had re-asserted and jovial manners by bishoprics which its sway over the rebellious intellect of they never visited, and whose revenues they Europe; but the Papacy of the Renaissance thought needlessly encumbered by the obliwas the crippled power that emerged from gation to wear a long and inconvenient garthe French captivity, the long schism, the ment and look solemn in public. bonds of the general councils, — emerged an object of general suspicion, degraded even in its own eyes, with no weapons but its own craftiness, with no aim but its own restoration, at all events in Italy, to decent respect, with no policy except that prevalent in Italy at the time-to promise everything asked, and perform as little as possible.

The Papacy reaped for a while the advantages of this alliance. Rome, from the time of Nicholas V. to that of Leo X., was the literary and artistic capital of Europe; the Popes recovered their external position, the open antagonism of France and Germany was for a while extinguished, and the Papal revenues flowed in securely; but these advantages were bought by a heavy Under such circumstances the Papacy price. Rome, given up to art and literawas not disposed to add to its many ene- ture, ceased to have much care for religion; mies the men of the new learning: it stood and Erasmus was startled to find in Rome in too great need of them. The reforming that no one was considered to be in the views of the Council of Constance had been fashion who did not hold some false or supported by men of high reputation and erroneous opinion about the dogmas of the great erudition, such as Gerson and D'Ailly. Church, that the Cardinals made oath "by The Papacy must have similar champions the immortal gods," and proved the souls on its side; and it was useless in its hour of men and beasts to be the same. of need to look for a deeper qualification Papacy, which had so long held fast to the than a power of writing elegant Latin orthodox faith at all hazards, had now prose. The rising scholars were only too fallen victim to a heresy worse than any ready to offer themselves to any one who she had in former times combated - the would appreciate their services: to minds heresy of the Renaissance. It needed the exulting in the glories of antiquity the en-voice of Luther and the defection of half thusiasms and aspirations of the day mat- Christendom to rouse Rome from its retered little; culture had made them ambi-fined sensualism, and bring back the old

The

severe rigid system which won new victo- | high-minded men who were the chief movries and put forth new strength in the ers of the Council, but still the efforts for Counter-Reformation.

reform rested upon no sure foundation, since the whole movement was little more than a rising of the ecclesiastical aristocracy against the Papal monarchy, stimulated by the ordinary aristocratic desire to share the monarch's plunder. Hence, in spite of the efforts of many honorable men, the question at issue between the Pope and the Council soon became a struggle who should get the larger share in a general scramble for Church patronage.

Eneas soon learned to estimate the Council at its true value, and also had op

The most characteristic personage in the history of the Papacy during the Renaissance period is without doubt Eneas Sylvius Bartolomeus Piccolomini, Pope Pius II. Born in 1405 at Corsignano, a little village near Siena, of an old noble family, which had decayed owing to the democratic movement of medieval Italy, he made his way in the world solely by his own abilities and tact - a veritable Gil Blas of the Middle Ages, who saw that the world was all before him, and was determined to use it for his own ends. In early life he had little to help him, as he was one of a fam-portunities of studying the condition of ily of eighteen, and in his youth worked Europe generally. Between the years with his own hands in the few fields his 1432-35 he was in the service of various father still possessed; but his brothers and masters, with whom he visited almost every sisters died except two, and at the age of country in Europe saw the weakness of eighteen Æneas, the only surviving son, Germany by attending a Diet at Frankleft home to study law in Siena. Law, fort, learned the exhaustion of France after however, was distasteful to him, and his its English wars, and admired the power ambition soared higher than an advocate's of Burgundy and the wealth of Flanders; gown: he preferred general literature, and saw the barbarism of Scotland; travelled was an unceasing student of the classics in disguise from Newcastle to London in nay, he even managed to scrape together company of a justice in eyre, who little money to go for a little while to Florence knew to whom he was revealing his views and attend the lectures of Francesco Fil- on English politics and his complaints elfo. He obtained a reputation in Siena against the feeble Henry VI.; in Italy by writing Latin love poems, and by other also he learned the policy of Filippo Mària small literary efforts, and so when he had Visconti of Milan, and saw the immense reached the age of twenty-six he was influence of Niccolo Piccinino, the great recommended as a clever young man, well leader of condottieri. So in 1436 he came fitted to fill the post of secretary to Do-back to Basle an expert in intrigue, and menico da Capranica, who was passing with a reputation which was sure to be of through Siena on his way to Basle, where the Council had just begun to sit. Capranica had a complaint against the new Pope, Eugenius IV., who had refused to confirm him in a cardinalate conferred by his predecessor.

service.

Eneas himself gives an instance of the Council's zeal for reform. He had managed to insinuate himself into the good graces of the Archbishop of Milan, who showed his appreciation of his elegant LatEneas was delighted to leave Siena and inity by conferring on him, though still a plunge into the great world of politics; layman, a canonry in the church of San and his first experiences at Basle showed Ambrogio at Milan. For this irregular his penetrating mind the path to success. appointment the dispensation of the CounHe found the Council full of needy adven-cil was necessary: true, the Council proturers and place-hunters, men of culture fessed to be engaged in putting down such like himself, who hoped in these troubled times to turn their wits to good purpose, and reap advantages which quiet days would never have put within their reach. There were undoubtedly many worthy and

irregularities, and attacked nothing more fiercely than Papal dispensations; but Eneas was a worthy man who had done good service to the Council —it was hard to refuse one who had such good capacities

--

for business, so pleasant a manner, such coming way in public, and express himself ready tact, a happy way of glozing over in good Latin. It is very characteristic difficulties and settling disputes; finally, that Eneas, after he became Pope, still the charming modesty and graceful def- made no effort to stop the publication of erence of his speech quite decided the the more immoral of his youthful letters, matter: "I ask nothing which may be con- or of his novel "Lucretia and Euryalus; trary to your honour: I would prefer your the entire series was revised by him in his favour, Fathers, without possession of the later days, and all were allowed to descend canonry, to a capitular election with full to posterity together. Pope Pius, it is true, possession." What wonder that a univer- wrote a letter of penitence, to be published sal murmur of applause followed this de- with the rest. He wrote them, he says, lightful compliment, and Eneas's adver- when he was young in years and in mind saries were not even allowed to speak? "Lucretia and Euryalus" was - (yet This was Eneas's first taste of ecclesias- written when he was forty) - they contain tical preferments: as yet he had no inten- moral and edifying doctrines, to those who tion of taking orders. He lived in a small will use them aright. "What we wrote circle of humanists, and we know from his in our youth about love, avoid it, O men, letters to his friends that his life at this despise it. Follow what we now say, and time was one of the grossest sensuality. believe the old man more than the youth. It was in fact the utter and unrestrained Regard not the layman higher than the character of his indulgences, unredeemed priest. Reject Eneas; receive Pius " by any noble feeling,* that saved him from ("Eneam rejicite; Pium suscipite"). the fatal crime of marriage, by which so Really, these letters were among the most many of the early humanists, before they clearly saw their way in life, were unfortunate enough to cut themselves off from the golden road of clerical preferment. Principles, Eneas had none: his Basle speeches are eloquent, suave, and empty. When the breach between the Pope and Council openly broke out, and they excommunicated one another, Eneas, bound by his canonry to the Council, composed tractates, pronounced scathing invectives, and wrote scurrilous libels against the Pope; although, as he says in his first letter of retractation, "I was like a young bird that had escaped from the University of Siena, and knew nothing either of the manners of the Curia or the life of Eugenius." He was a literary adventurer, ready to turn his pen to the best account.

In this respect he was merely a representative of the general character of the early Renaissance, which was a reaction against scholasticism, against the monkery and bigotry of the Middle Ages. It was of little consequence what side was taken, what principles supported -all were equally unimportant to the man of culture -he must only be careful to act in a be

popular that Eneas wrote, and he was proud of them; his literary fame required their circulation: as humanist he could justify them by many excellent parallels from antiquity; as Pope he made a decent apology for them.

Eneas was prepared to turn his hand to anything: he wrote love-verses; he delivered speeches; he was even appointed by the Archbishop of Milan to preach a sermon in honour of St. Ambrose. The theologians were indignant at this preference of a layman, but the majority of the Council preferred the more sparkling style and lively manner of Eneas, and listened, he tells us, "with wondrous attention." He wrote a history of the Council of Basle in the style of Cæsar's Commentaries, and dialogues in defence of its principles after the style of Cicero's "Tusculans." If it were possible to satisfy everybody, Æneas would try and do so.

By this means he obtained a secure position at Basle, and held many offices in the Council; but Basle day by day became a less important place, and a less satisfactory field for a man of ability who wished to succeed. The Council had sat so long and done so little that it began to

• “Plures vidi amavique fœminas quarum exinde lose prestige. In 1438 France withdrew, potitus magnum suscepi tædium."

and settled its own Church Reform by the