A. D. 707. 89. Conftantine Prevailed with Theodoret the emperor's admiral in Italy, to feize upon the archbishop of Ravenna, for denying the power of the chair, and to burn out his eyes. This was the first pope that offered his feet to be kissed..

716. 90. Gregory, II,

Raifed a rebellion against the emperor Leo, Ifaurus, because he caused images in churches to be pulled down..

731. 91. Gregory III.,

Made a golden image of the Virgin Mary, which he ordered to be worshipped on pain of excommunication.

741. 92. Zachary

Excommunicated Virgilius, as a deteftable beretic, for afferting that there were antipodes. 7:52. 93. Stephen II... Was pope three days.

752. 94. Stephen HI:

Was the firft pope that was carried on men fhoulders. He added the exarchat of Ravenna, to the patrimony of St. Peter, as knowing that Chrift's kingdom may fometimes, be of this world.

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757. 95. Schifm ninth. Paul II., Theophilus, Conftantine, Philip..

Paul was the true vicegerent. He wrote a book in defence of what is commonly called idolatry, calling images the Layman's Kalendar.

A..D..

I

A. D. 768. 96. Stephen IV. Affembled a council at Rome to affert the honour of images, against the Iconoclasti (imagebreakers) of the East.

772. 97. Hadrian I.

Established image-worship, at the fecond council of Nice. Covered the poor fisherman Peter with filver and gold, and added Spoleto and Beneventum to his patrimony.

796. 98. Leo III.

Was fet upon by confpirators, who not only whipped his breech, but also plucked out his eyes and his tongue, which (as the Legendary fays) were so well restored to him next day by the apoftles, that he pronounced fentence on those that did it,, and faw them executed:

816. 99. Stephen V.. Lived but seven months infallible.

817. 100. Pafchal I.

Joined in an affaffination plot, in which many. of the emperor Lewis's great men were murdered. in the Lateran. He firft founded the college of cardinals, who were at first but parish priests in Rome, but foon became mates for kings.

824. 101. Schifm tenth.. Eugenius II. Zinzinus.

Eugenius was the right pope, for he excommunicated. all that did not own him as fuch..

A. D

A. D. 827. 102. Valentine

Was choaked with a fish bone, forty days after his election. He was too good a man to be a good pope.

828. 103. Gregory IV. Loftifuted the feast of All-Saints.

844. 104, Sergius H. Removed a great many faints bones to better graves.

847. 105. Leo VI. Introduced Peter-pence,

She

855. 106, John VIII, By fome fanatics, called Pope Joan. was an English woman, Gilberta by name; and after having disguised herself in man's apparel, fhe travelled to Athens with her lover: where he became fo great a proficient in learning, that all the clergy looked upon her as the ableft divine in the whole church. She was at length chofen pope, and after the had conferred orders, made abbots, ordained bishops, priests, and deacons, confecrated churches, baptized infants, and played the pipe for one year, four months, and four days, this literal uhere of Babylon, between the Coloffian theatre, and St. Clements, fell in labour, was delivered of a bastard-child, and died on the spot. For this reafon, fucceeding popes were placed in a porphyry-chair with a hole in the bottom, and immediately after the election, their

genitals

genitals were to be fearched by the youngest deacon. Now, though almoft fifty different authors confirm this story, yet we true churchmen must infift upon it, that he was a true vicegerent, nò woman, but a regular priest, and rightful fuccessor of St. Peter. For if he were not so, we may chance not to have one bishop or canonical priest in all England. For who knows but the prefent fett may be such as were ordained by others, who were ordained by men, whofe ordination originally came from our the vicegerent. Whole right and qualification therefore if we fhould be fo im prudent as to deny, we might at once deftroy the whole divine right of epifcopacy, and reduce the poor church of England to fuch a país, as to ftand merely upon the secular basis of an act of parliament.

•

857. 107. Benedict III. Anaftafius III.

Benedict is the man whom I prefer, who was himself buried by his own direction before St. Peter's threshold, an honour St. Peter had never received from any pope before.

858. 108. Nicholas I.

Introduced the fashion of praying in an unknown tongue, and for the honour of God made every one addrefs themselves to him in Latin.

A. D.

A. D. 867. 109. Hadrian II. Was put into the chair by a faction at Rome, and then excommunicated the emperor for not owning him immediately.

872. 110. John IX.›

Took it into his head to difpofe of crowns, and anointed Lewis emperor, for which he was forced to fly; and afterwards to retain the chair, fubmitted to Charles the IIId, and anointed him emperor.

882. III.

Martin II.

He was only given to forcery; fo long as he abftained from herefy, we may receive him for a vicegerent.

884. 112.

Hadrian K

By a decree deprived the emperors of that right, which they had always claimed and enjoyed, of electing the popes.

885. 113. Stephen VI.

Was efteemed the best cheft-player of his time. Shewed himself a great friend to witches, adulterers, and likewise to the church.

890. 114. Schifm twelfth. Formfus, Sergius III. Formofus obtained the chair by bribery, and by force obliged his rival to fly out of Italy.

895. 115. Boniface V

Cardinal Baronius affirms that this man was not canonically chofen. Alas! doctor, either.