The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

170
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
Council, on the Tuesday a meeting about the new scheme of
studies, on the Wednesday one about the reform of the Brevi-
ary, on the Thursday before dinner one about the Inquisition,
and in the afternoon one about the reform of the clergy, and
that the Pope had busied himself about all these matters.^
Since 1566, by the Pope's orders, a great scheme of reform
of all the tribunals and officials of the Curia had been in pre-
paration. ^ About Christmas, 1568, the reform commission
was able to present its report,^ which the Pope went into
very fully on January 5th, 1569. For four hours it was re-
ported in Rome, the Pope listened to the reading of the report,
and even then only a third part of the lengthy document was
got through. But, just as had been the case when the scheme
was first mooted, so now the head of the Church did not seem
inclined to put it into execution forthwith. Pius V. had said
that he did not wish to embitter the whole court against him,
and therefore men comforted themselves in Rome with the
hope that the reform which they all dreaded would not be so
terrible after all."* Fear, however, was by no means allayed
in those circles which were the first to be attacked. In June,
1569, it was reported that Abbot Bonhomini, the agent of
Cardinal Borromeo, had arrived with a thick volume of reform
proposals. At the beginning of March, 1571, men once more
expected a " terrible reform."^ At the same time, however,
^ *" tal che s'occupa tutto in questi essercitii." State Archives,
Vienna.
2 *Avviso di Roma of December 25, 1568, Urb. 1040, p. 619,
Vatican Library.
* Ibid. For the nomination of the five deputies for the reform
of the tribunals see *Avviso di Roma of August 2, 1567, ibid. 426.
A *motu proprio (undated) " super reformatione taxarum,
ofi&ciorum et tribunalium urbis " in Bandi V., 36, p. 10, Papal
Secret Archives. *" Facultates concessae per Pium V. deputatis
ad reformationem tribunalium et ofificiorum Urbis," ibid. p. 12.
* *Avviso di Roma of January 8, 1569, Urb. 1041, p. 624,
Vatican Library.
5 *Avvisi of June 11, 1569, and March i, 1571, ibid. 1041, p. 92 ;
1042, p. 23b.