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opportunities to rape, murder and rob the pilgrims. he [Alexander V] had sanctioned the agreement of the rival Boniface IX was succeeded in 1404 by the "gentle and Colleges of Cardinals to join in a common effort for unity. He virtuous" Innocent VII (Cosmo Migliorati, 1336-1406) (Catholic thus incurred the displeasure of Gregory XII, who tried to depose Encyclopedia, vii, 1910, p. 19). He maintained the 16-year-old him. At the Council of Pisa (1409) he [Alexander V] preached scandal of the Western Schism created by the existence of the opening sermon, a scathing condemnation of his rival popes, multiple popes, and bitterly opposed his rivals. He enriched his and presided at the deliberations of the theologians who declared relatives, who were so insufferable that Rome expelled them and those popes heretics and schismatics ... in the rival Catholic the pope with the customary bloodshed. world ... his legitimacy was questioned, and the Christian world In the meantime, the French cardinals had elected Benedict XIII was chagrined to find that instead of two popes it again had (Pedro de Luna, 1328-1423) as a successor to Clement VII, but three." with the condition to fulfil, which he promised under oath, that he (Catholic Encyclopedia, i, pp. 288-9) would make every effort to end the schism between him and his rival, Angelo Corraro (also Cortarrio or Alexander V died suddenly of suspected Corrarrio) (1336-1417), who became Pope poisoning in 1410, and the Italian cardinals Gregory XII in 1406. A schism, in the elected the Pisan Baldassare Cossa (c. language of theology and canon law, is the 1370-1419) to replace him. He called rupture of ecclesiastical union and unity and, himself Pope John XXIII (1410-1415) [not as pope, Benedict XIII refused to take a to be confused with Pope John XXIII, single step toward such unity. He took 1958-63; see next section], and to date he refuge in Avignon, and all France demanded He created four new was the most corrupt man to have worn the g g ; rE P Is abdication. He then had to deren the cardinals specifically to fara. vices of Cardinal Coss who fad vignon palace against an attack by the . ribed electors, were well known to the French army, yet the greedy and vindictive single out for cardinals and all of Italy, and nothing could spaniard clung nis papal rags fo more condemnation the secret show more plain y than this election the than 20 years while all Europe derided him. . . epth to which the papacy had sunk. It was Pope Benedict XHI who took the Latin treatise called Mar Whether he was the son of an Italian pirate, extraordinary step of seeking out and Yesu. and as Dietrich says, we need not stop to destroying all copies of two second- . , . consider. For 15 years he had been the century books that contained "the true then issued instructions head of the popes' corrupt financial name of Jesus Christ" (Encyclopaedia for all copies of the system and had led papal troops and mysterious Book Britannica, 1797, "Jesus Christ" entry). mercenaries with all the ferocity and of Elxai to be destroyed. He created four new cardinals looseness of commanders of that age. specifically to single out for Dietrich adds that, as papal legate at condemnation the secret Latin treatise Bologna, Cossa had exacted a personal called Mar Yesu, and then issued commission from gamblers and instructions for all copies of the prostitutes. On these matters, it is mysterious Book of Elxai to be enough to say that the cardinals who destroyed. elected him were, like all Europeans, On 21 May 1408, King Charles VI aware of his reputation, and we remain of France (1368-1422) published a content with the official ecclesiastical decree withdrawing the French description of his character. Catholic Church and all French citizens from obedience to Pope Benedict XIII. He nullified his country's Prostitutes at a Church council support for Christianity and declared France religiously neutral— After contemplating the disgusting spectacle of three greedy a decision that was upheld until a Frenchman was elected pope popes for four years, prelates and leading laymen of the Church years later. persuaded Emperor Sigismund to convoke and preside at a At that time, Benedict XIII and Gregory XII were two legal but = Church General Council at Constance in 1414. It was an uncanny conflicting popes in a war of ambitions, and each believed that he four-year event that defied understanding, and "the incontinence alone should be the "only pope". Benedict XIII had earlier caused practised by the churchmen demoralised the city in which it was a scandal by his merciless taxation of the clergy of France and convened" (Samuel Edgar's The Variations of Popery, London, Spain, and a national Church Council voted against his unpopular 1838, 2nd ed., p. 533). The priests employed 1,500 prostitutes, decisions. It was now clear to all parties involved that in spite of | whom they called "vagrant strumpets" (ibid.), who refreshed them his pre-election promise to resign as pope in the interests of the of an evening after their days of arguing in the Council. The schism between his rival, he was determined to oust his opponent sacerdotal fornicators, it seemed, were very liberal with their in Rome and maintain his position at all costs. While he and his favours to the professional ladies. One courtesan, it is said, troops were making their way to Rome, he learned by messenger gained 800 florins, an immense sum in those days. She was of a legally elected third pope, Alexander V (1409-10). It is not treated very differently from John Huss (Jan Hus) and Jerome of known what Benedict XII and Gregory XII thought of this Prague. The reverend debauchees enriched the prostitute and development, but the Roman people greeted the news with burned the reformers at the stake. dismay. Christianity now had three lawful popes, each with an After hearing witnesses, the Council drew up a long indictment army and each bitter rivals. Let the Catholic Encyclopedia bear —_ against John XXIII which ran to 54 Articles, and may be read in clerical witness: any collection of Church Council records available. He was later "The Great Schism (1378-1417) rent the Church. As cardinal charged with rape, adultery, incest, sodomy and the murder of he [Alexander V] had sanctioned the agreement of the rival Colleges of Cardinals to join in a common effort for unity. He thus incurred the displeasure of Gregory XII, who tried to depose him. At the Council of Pisa (1409) he [Alexander V] preached the opening sermon, a scathing condemnation of his rival popes, and presided at the deliberations of the theologians who declared those popes heretics and schismatics ... in the rival Catholic world ... his legitimacy was questioned, and the Christian world was chagrined to find that instead of two popes it again had three." Yesu, and then issued instructions Prostitutes at a Church council After contemplating the disgusting spectacle of three greedy popes for four years, prelates and leading laymen of the Church persuaded Emperor Sigismund to convoke and preside at a Church General Council at Constance in 1414. It was an uncanny four-year event that defied understanding, and "the incontinence practised by the churchmen demoralised the city in which it was convened" (Samuel Edgar's The Variations of Popery, London, 1838, 2nd ed., p. 533). The priests employed 1,500 prostitutes, whom they called "vagrant strumpets" (ibid.), who refreshed them of an evening after their days of arguing in the Council. The sacerdotal fornicators, it seemed, were very liberal with their favours to the professional ladies. One courtesan, it is said, gained 800 florins, an immense sum in those days. She was treated very differently from John Huss (Jan Hus) and Jerome of Prague. The reverend debauchees enriched the prostitute and burned the reformers at the stake. After hearing witnesses, the Council drew up a long indictment against John XXIII which ran to 54 Articles, and may be read in any collection of Church Council records available. He was later charged with rape, adultery, incest, sodomy and the murder of 46 = NEXUS (Catholic Encyclopedia, i, pp. 288-9) He created four new www.nexusmagazine.com FEBRUARY — MARCH 2007