close of the sixth century, that, in the reign of Saint Gregory the Great, A.D. 590-604, the Church owned large tracts in Sicily, Calabria, Apulia, Campania, Ravenna, Sabina, Dalmatia, Illyricum, Sardinia, Corsica, Liguria, the Cottian Alps, and a small estate in Gaul; not to speak of more remote provinces.1 Some of these were estates, and some were principalities, in which the Papal deputies exercised ample civil and criminal jurisdiction. In the principalities were comprised several cities and bishoprics. Thus, the Cottian Alps, above mentioned, included Genoa, and the whole sea-coast from that city to the Alpine boundary of Gaul.2 Of this extensive territory we are informed by a cotemporary historian,3 that it was "restored" to Pope John VI., in the year 704, by Aripertus the Lombard King, as "having formerly belonged to the jurisdiction of the Apostolic See." Aripertus, who is described as “a pious man devoted to almsdeeds, and a lover of justice,"

4

1 "Letters of Saint Gregory the Great," passim. See also Baronius, "Annales Ecclesiastici," viii. 27, A.D. 591, when "the Roman Church had the richest patrimonies in all parts of the globe, not only in Italy and Sicily, but in Asia, in Gaul, and in Africa."

2 Baronius, "Annales Ecclesiastici," viii. 669, quoting from the letter of Olradus, Bishop of Milan, to Charlemagne : "Primo regni sui anno, donationem, quam beato Petro Aripertus Rex donaverat, confirmavit, scilicet Alpes Cottias, in quibus Janua est, et quidquid ab ea Alpes usque ad Galliarum fines continebant."

3 Paulus Warnefridus, better known as Paulus Diaconus, or Paul the Deacon, was born at Forum Julii, the modern Cividale, in Northern Italy, A.D. 740. His education was completed at the court of Rachis, King of the Lombards. He was ordained deacon at Aquileia, and subsequently was appointed secretary to Desiderius, the last of the Lombard kings. He was a man of great learning, and was highly esteemed by all classes. His principal work is the history of the Lombards, above quoted. He wrote also a "Life of Saint Gregory the Great," "Gesta Episcoporum Metensium," and hymns, poems, and homilies for Sundays and holidays. He died at the monastery of Monte Cassino, A.D. 799.

4 Paulus Diaconus, "De Gestis Longobardorum," lib. vi. cap. 43. "Hoc tempore, Aripertus, rex Longobardorum, donationem patrimonii Alpium Cottiarum, quæ quondam ad jus pertinuerant Apostolica Sedis, sed a Longobardis multo tempore fuerant ablata, restituit." See also Baronius, "Annales Ecclesiastici," viii. 651.

in order still further to testify his veneration for the Successor of Saint Peter, caused the deed of gift, or restitution, to be written in letters of gold." 1

The paternal manner in which these territories were governed by the Popes, through their deputies, may be gathered from the letters of Saint Gregory the Great, who, on several occasions, expresses his desire, that his tenants and vassals should get full time and indulgence, and be treated with all leniency-the needy in some instances being accommodated with loans, to be gradually repaid. The corn and other produce of the lands were shipped from adjoining seaports to Rome, to be there stored and distributed, for the supply of the public necessities. The poor, widows, and orphans, were supported; pilgrims received hospitality; and, in remote cities and provinces, suffering from war and its attendant evils, the clergy and the destitute members of their flocks were relieved with wise discrimination and economy.

The same system was uniformly carried out by Gregory's successors; and it is generally admitted that, at this period, the revenues of the Church were most carefully and ably administered. At the same time the Pontiffs instructed their agents or deputies, in every instance, to pursue that even course of just and bene ficent rule which befitted the representatives of the Father of the Faithful.

1 Paul the Deacon, "De Gestis Longobardorum," lib. vi. c. 43: "et hanc donationem aureis exaratam litteris Romam direxit."

CHAPTER X.

THE GROWTH OF THE TEMPORAL POWER.

"Il n'y a pas en Europe de souveraineté plus justifiable, s'il est permis de s'exprimer ainsi, que celle des Souverains Pontifes. Elle est comme la loi divine, justificata in semetipsa. Mais ce qu'il y a de véritablement étonnant, c'est de voir les Papes devenir souverains sans s'en apercevoir, et même, à parler exactement, malgré eux."-DE MAISTRE.

THE development of the political influence of the Popes appears to have steadily kept pace with the increase of their territorial possessions. This may be traced, as a necessary consequence, to two main causes; first, the incapacity, or the absence, of the Emperors, who, whether at Ravenna, or in their remote Eastern capital, were unable, or unwilling, to consult the welfare of the Empire of the West; and, secondly, the sacred character of the Vicars of Christ, their disinterested zeal, and their exalted virtues, which enlisted the sympathies and confidence of all classes, and, in more than one familiar instance, challenged the homage of the rude Northern invader, and arrested his impetuous career of bloodshed and rapine. The sufferings of the people, overtaxed and oppressed by the Emperors, and their exarchs, the abuses and treachery of the military commanders, the barbarian incursions, and the many other evils arising from the general decline of the Empire, all naturally induced the Italian populations to turn to those who alone could aid and protect them in the hour of danger. Coerced by circumstances over which they had no control, entirely against their tastes and inclina

tions, the Popes were actually forced into the position of temporal rulers.

As early as the year 452, when Attila, "the scourge of God," with his savage Huns, having stormed and sacked Aquileia and other Northern cities, meditated the conquest of Rome, the saintly Leo, justly styled the Great, fearlessly went forth, a long journey, to visit the invader's camp, and turn aside the danger, even at the risk of his own life. His venerable aspect, the fame of his heroic virtues, his heaven-inspired eloquence prevailed; the rugged nature of the barbarian, flushed with victory, was subdued; the city was saved; the army was withdrawn; and peace was concluded with the Empire, on the condition of an annual tribute. From this arose the time-honoured legend, that, in his interview with Leo, Attila beheld the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul, holding drawn swords over his head, and menacing him with instant death, if he rejected the prayer of the Pontiff.1

Two years later, the mediation of the Holy Father was again exerted on behalf of the afflicted capital, the prey of the fierce Genseric and his Vandal host. The city, completely at the mercy of its conquerors, was about to be given up to fire and sword, when the Pontiff, attended by his clergy in procession, issued forth to deprecate the meditated vengeance of the Vandal King. Moved by his touching appeal, Genseric so far relented,

1 Pagi, "Pontificum Romanorum Gesta," tom. i. p. 154, Venetiis, 1730; and Platina, "Historia de vitis Pontificum Romanorum," p. 63, Coloniæ, 1600. Mr. Gibbon pronounces this to be "one of the noblest legends of Ecclesiastical tradition " ("Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," chap. xxxv.). According to Paul the Deacon and other writers, the apparition was said to have been of Saint Peter alone, "whom, while Leo was speaking, Attila beheld, clad in sacerdotal robes and of Divine aspect, threatening him with death unless he obeyed the orders of Pope Leo" (Baronius, "Annales Ecclesiastici," vi. 183, A.D. 452). This embassy to Attila was undertaken at the desire of the Emperor Valentinian III. In it, were associated with Leo, Avienus (or Albienus) a Roman of Consular rank, and Trigetius, who had been Prætorian Prefect of Italy.

as to order the buildings to be spared from fire, and the unresisting inhabitants from slaughter. Thus, although immense booty and thousands of prisoners were carried off, including the Empress Eudoxia and her two daughters, the city was spared, through the intercession of Leo, from the horrors of conflagration and indiscriminate bloodshed, to which it had been destined.1

Next followed the irruption of the Heruli, those savage hordes, which, issuing from the dark forests of Germany and Poland, and the inhospitable shores of the Sea of Azov, swarmed over the Alps, A.D. 476, and desolated the plains of Northern and Central Italy. In rapid succession, Pavia, Ravenna, and Rome, succumbed to their assaults; and Odoacer, their leader, proclaimed himself King of Italy, thus terminating the existence of the Western Empire.2 At this time, the Byzantine Emperors still ruled over Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, Greece, Thrace, and a part of Illyria; but Gaul was in the hands of the Franks; the Anglo-Saxons held Britain; the Visigoths, Spain; the Vandals, North Africa; and the Heruli, Italy.

In the year 493, Odoacer was, in his turn, overthrown by Theodoric, King of the Ostrogoths, who founded a kingdom extending beyond the Italian Peninsula, including Rhætia, Noricum, Pannonia, and Dalmatia. This monarch, who fixed his residence at Ravenna, appears to have ruled with firmness and prudence; and, under his government, Italy enjoyed peace for several years. Unfortunately, however, the dissensions between the orthodox Christians and the Arians, whom he favoured, caused much disturbance in the latter part of his reign.

Theodoric died at Ravenna, A.D. 526, leaving his

1 Pagi, "Pontificum Romanorum Gesta," tom. i. p. 155; Prosper, in Chronico; and Baronius, "Annales Ecclesiastici," vi. 211; A.D. 455. 2 August 23, 476.

3 The Eastern Goths were called, by ancient writers, Austrogothi or Ostrogoths; and the Western were called Vesigothi or Visigoths.