TheRomanpontiffhadfoughtandconqueredinthecauseofecclesiasticalfreedom；butthevictoriousclergyweresoonexposedtothetyrannyoftheirdeliverer；andhissacredcharacterwasinvulnerabletothosearmswhichtheyfoundsokeenandeffectualagainstthecivilmagistrate。Theirgreatcharter，therightofelection，wasannihilatedbyappeals，evadedbytrustsorcommendams，disappointedbyreversionarygrants，andsupersededbypreviousandarbitraryreservations。^36ApublicauctionwasinstitutedinthecourtofRome:thecardinalsandfavoriteswereenrichedwiththespoilsofnations；andeverycountrymightcomplainthatthemostimportantandvaluablebeneficeswereaccumulatedontheheadsofaliensandabsentees。
DuringtheirresidenceatAvignon，theambitionofthepopessubsidedinthemeanerpassionsofavarice^37andluxury:theyrigorouslyimposedontheclergythetributesoffirst—fruitsandtenths；buttheyfreelytoleratedtheimpunityofvice，disorder，andcorruption。ThesemanifoldscandalswereaggravatedbythegreatschismoftheWest，whichcontinuedabovefiftyyears。InthefuriousconflictsofRomeandAvignon，thevicesoftherivalsweremutuallyexposed；andtheirprecarioussituationdegradedtheirauthority，relaxedtheirdiscipline，andmultipliedtheirwantsandexactions。Tohealthewounds，andrestorethemonarchy，ofthechurch，thesynodsofPisaandConstance^38weresuccessivelyconvened；butthesegreatassemblies，consciousoftheirstrength，resolvedtovindicatetheprivilegesoftheChristianaristocracy。Fromapersonalsentenceagainsttwopontiffs，whomtheyrejected，andathird，theiracknowledgedsovereign，whomtheydeposed，thefathersofConstanceproceededtoexaminethenatureandlimitsoftheRomansupremacy；nordidtheyseparatetilltheyhadestablishedtheauthority，abovethepope，ofageneralcouncil。Itwasenacted，that，forthegovernmentandreformationofthechurch，suchassembliesshouldbeheldatregularintervals；andthateachsynod，beforeitsdissolution，shouldappointthetimeandplaceofthesubsequentmeeting。BytheinfluenceofthecourtofRome，thenextconvocationatSiennawaseasilyeluded；buttheboldandvigorousproceedingsofthecouncilofBasil^39hadalmostbeenfataltothereigningpontiff，EugeniustheFourth。Ajustsuspicionofhisdesignpromptedthefatherstohastenthepromulgationoftheirfirstdecree，thattherepresentativesofthechurch—militantonearthwereinvestedwithadivineandspiritualjurisdictionoverallChristians，withoutexceptingthepope；andthatageneralcouncilcouldnotbedissolved，prorogued，ortransferred，unlessbytheirfreedeliberationandconsent。OnthenoticethatEugeniushadfulminatedabullforthatpurpose，theyventuredtosummon，toadmonish，tothreaten，tocensurethecontumacioussuccessorofSt。Peter。Aftermanydelays，toallowtimeforrepentance，theyfinallydeclared，that，unlesshesubmittedwithinthetermofsixtydays，hewassuspendedfromtheexerciseofalltemporalandecclesiasticalauthority。Andtomarktheirjurisdictionovertheprinceaswellasthepriest，theyassumedthegovernmentofAvignon，annulledthealienationofthesacredpatrimony，andprotectedRomefromtheimpositionofnewtaxes。Theirboldnesswasjustified，notonlybythegeneralopinionoftheclergy，butbythesupportandpowerofthefirstmonarchsofChristendom:theemperorSigismonddeclaredhimselftheservantandprotectorofthesynod；GermanyandFranceadheredtotheircause；thedukeofMilanwastheenemyofEugenius；andhewasdrivenfromtheVaticanbyaninsurrectionoftheRomanpeople。Rejectedatthesametimebytemporalandspiritualsubjects，submissionwashisonlychoice:byamosthumiliatingbull，thepoperepealedhisownacts，andratifiedthoseofthecouncil；incorporatedhislegatesandcardinalswiththatvenerablebody；andseemedtoresignhimselftothedecreesofthesupremelegislature。TheirfamepervadedthecountriesoftheEast:anditwasintheirpresencethatSigismondreceivedtheambassadorsoftheTurkishsultan，^40wholaidathisfeettwelvelargevases，filledwithrobesofsilkandpiecesofgold。ThefathersofBasilaspiredtothegloryofreducingtheGreeks，aswellastheBohemians，withinthepaleofthechurch；andtheirdeputiesinvitedtheemperorandpatriarchofConstantinopletounitewithanassemblywhichpossessedtheconfidenceoftheWesternnations。
Palaeologuswasnotaversetotheproposal；andhisambassadorswereintroducedwithduehonorsintotheCatholicsenate。Butthechoiceoftheplaceappearedtobeaninsuperableobstacle，sinceherefusedtopasstheAlps，ortheseaofSicily，andpositivelyrequiredthatthesynodshouldbeadjournedtosomeconvenientcityinItaly，oratleastontheDanube。Theotherarticlesofthistreatyweremorereadilystipulated:itwasagreedtodefraythetravellingexpensesoftheemperor，withatrainofsevenhundredpersons，^41toremitanimmediatesumofeightthousandducats^42fortheaccommodationoftheGreekclergy；andinhisabsencetograntasupplyoftenthousandducats，withthreehundredarchersandsomegalleys，fortheprotectionofConstantinople。ThecityofAvignonadvancedthefundsforthepreliminaryexpenses；andtheembarkationwaspreparedatMarseilleswithsomedifficultyanddelay。
[Footnote36:InthetreatisedelleMaterieBeneficiarieofFraPaolo，intheivthvolumeofthelast，andbest，editionofhisworks，thepapalsystemisdeeplystudiedandfreelydescribed。
ShouldRomeandherreligionbeannihilated，thisgoldenvolumemaystillsurvive，aphilosophicalhistory，andasalutarywarning。]