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we must differ from a cardinal (which we do not care to do) or we must give up our uninterrupted fucceffion.

A. D. 895. 116. Stephen VII.

Dug up the body of his predeceffor, Formofus, to try him for heresy; and having convicted his infallibility, cut off the three fingers of his right hand, wherewith he used to give bleffing, and to confecrate.

897. 117. Romanus

Condemned his infallible predeceffor for his barbarity to Formofus.

897. 118. Theodorus

Restored all the decrees of Formofus, which Stephen had abrogated. Which of their infallibilities was in an error, we will not here determine.

897. 119. John X.

Called a council to condemn all Stephen's

decrees.

899. 120.

Benedict IV.

Was pope but five months.

The church was without any vicegerent four years, which was a fad thing.

903. 121. Schifm thirteenth. Leo V.
Christopher.

. Chriftopher unpoped Leo, after he had governed the church for forty days; upon which the poor man broke his heart and died.

A. D.

A. D. 904. 122. Sergius IV. Unpoped Chriftopher; kept Marozio, a noble woman, as his whore; and laftly inftituted the bearing of candles at the feast of the purification, which from thence has been Called Candlemas-day.

911. 123. Anaftafius IV.

Was a quiet man, and did nothing either good or bad during his whole pontificate. 912. 124. Lando

Was an admirer of falt-fish and eggs, and very famous for fasting.

913. 125. John XI.

The baftard of Sergius, and much verfed in the art of war.

928. 126. Leo VI.

Being thrown into prifon, at the end of fix months, his chriftian patience being quite worn out, he died of grief, fome fay of poison. 928. 127. Stephen VIII.»

By fome is called the VIIth. Was a peaceable man, and did nothing for the good of the church.

930. 128. John XII.

Another of Sergius's baftards, and a notorious friend to reliques. He poisoned Len and Stephen, his predeceffors; and being caught in adultery, was flain by an impudent layman, that faid he was the hufband to his holinefs's miftrefs.

A. D.

A. D. 935. 129. Leo VII.
Was a great patron of monks and friars.
939. 130. Stephen IX.

Was all his time bufied in civil wars..
943. 131. Marinus.

All that's remarkable of him, is that fome writers call him Matin HI.

946. 132. Agapetus II.

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Was the firft that inftituted mufic at

Vefpers.

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956. 133. John XII.

Was accused in a fynod before the emperor Otho, for having put out the eyes of fome of his cardinals, plucking out the tongues of others, cutting off the hands, feet, fingers, nofes, and genitals of others: for ordaining deacons (to perpetuate our fucceffion) in a ftable, for making boys bishops for money, for ravishing both virgins and pilgrims, and laftly for calling upon the devil for affistance at dice, and drinking to his health. For these spiritual acts of vicegerency, the emperor fet him afide, and placed Leo in his stead. But no fooner was the emperor gone from Rome, than John returned, drove Leo out, and repoffeffed the chair. In which he continued to act as vicegerent, till being caught in bed with another man's wife, he was like his predeceffor John XII. flain by the husband in the very act of adultery.

A. D.

A. D. 963. 134. Schifm fourteenth. Leo VIII. Benedict V.

Leo like a true pope call'd for affistance from the fecular arm, which seized upon his rival, and made him end his days in a prifon. 965. 135. John XIV.

Invented the bleffing and baptizing of bells, which, before his time, were unhallowed things..

972. 136. Dono II.

Was a lazy pope, and a great eater, which is all that we hear of his holiness.

972. 137. Benedict VI.

Was imprisoned, and afterwards ftrangled in his prifon, which Platina affirms was much too gentle a death for him.

972. 138. Boniface VII.

:

Came to the popedom by two murders, that of Benedict, and that of John, a deacon that oppofed him, whofe eyes he first plucked out, and then killed him. This vicegerent alas! ftole all the church-treafure.

975. 139. Benedict VII.

Lived a whole Lent upon almonds, raifins and milk.

983. 140. John XV.

Died in a gaol for want of neceffaries, having been thrown into that place by the people of Rome, whom he had moft violently oppreffed.

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A. D. 985. 141. John XVI..

Sold the church-plate and jewels to enrich his kindred, whofe example hath been for the most part followed ever fince.

995. 142. John XVII.

Baronias queftions much, if there ever was fuch a pope; but you and I, doctor, will not permit a popifh cardinal to rob us of a fucceffor; for if he does not know the church's intereft, we do.

996. 143. Schifm fifteenth. Gregory V, John XVIII.

Gregory was the right man, who invented the ringing the little bell before mafs. I cannot deny that John had fome claim to the chair, for Platina fays he was a thief and a 'robber.

998. 144. Silvester II.

Was a great necromancer: he fet up a brazen head, which he confulted, as many catholics have done fince. One day, as he was officiating at high mafs, at St. Cross of Jerufalem at Rome, those rebellious fubjects of Chrift the devils took his vicegerent away, and he was never heard of more.

1003. 145. John XIX.

Is looked upon by the hiftorians as no Pope at all, but is always counted one by true churchmen, who are determined never to give up the divine right of bishops. He is faid to have been an excellent magician.

A. D.

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