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

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HISTORY OF THE POPES.
sidered himself bound by them as well. Through his am-
bassador, the Duke of Florence had asked for his approval
of the compulsory resignation of the aged Bishop of Pistoia
in favour of Alessandro Pucci. Without a moment's hesi-
tation Pius V. definitely refused the request, on the
ground that such resignations made the bishops rulers
of their dioceses even after their death. ^ On account of
the position of the Church in Germany, however, he was
at last forced, after long resistance, to allow the resignation
of the Bishop of Freising in favour of the young
Bavarian Duke Ernest.
Even during the first year of the Pope's reign certain remark-
able effects of these strict measures had made themselves
felt. In September, 1566, the abbreviators presented a
petition asking for compensation for the emoluments which
they no longer received from the renimzie.^ In the October
dispensations. The Spanish ambassador offered him 12,000
ducats as a fee for such a dispensation ; Pius V. replied : *" che
non ne vuole far altro a modo alcuno et che non era licito."
(August 10, 1566, lo'. cit., 1040, p. 271b). Dispensations in the
second and third degrees of kindred were done away with except,
in the cases of great lords (November 22, 1570, ibid. 1041, p. 373b ;
cf. Cone. Trid., sess. W4, c.5). Dispensations in the second degree
which approached the first were refused by Pius V. even to these
latter, as for example to Count Ferrata di Ladrone, who was
recommended by the Emperor (*Arco, February 16, and August 3,
1566), to the Marquis of Veles (*Arco, July 5, 1567, State Archives,
Vienna). When it was said to the Pope that according to
theologians and canonists he could grant such dispensations, he
replied that many of these had been flatterers of the Popes
(*Arco, August 3, 1566, loc. cit.). No dispensation was granted
without the attestation of the bishop (*Avviso of March 5, 1569,
Urb. 1041, p. 34, Vatican Library). Cf. Schwarz, Briefwechsel,
I., 63, 72.
^ " Risposemi risolutamente senza pensarci punto ; non lo
volere acconsentire." Legaz. di Serristori, 447.
''Laderchi, 1566, n. 263 seq.
3 *Avviso di Roma of September 28, 1566, Urb. 1040, p. 291b,
Vatican Library.