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

232
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
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of every case in which confidential simony was proved ;
next came an express declaration that even the Cardinals
were included in the prohibition which had already been
issued,^ and lastly the revocation of all the " confidenze "
which had so far been allowed, and a prohibition of any
being allowed in the future.^ After this the Council's prohibition
of the reservation of any part of the revenues when
a benefice was granted, was renewed.* Outside Rome, it would
seem that confidential simony was especially prevalent in the
Low Countries, for which reason a severe rebuke was addressed
to the bishops there by the Apostolic See as early as 1568.^
The prohibition of " confidenze," and even more, the
restrictions in the matter of renunciations, cut off a rich source
of revenue from the Apostolic Camera, and struck a severe
blow at the Papal finances. But though the Pope was often
urged to relieve his pecuniary straits by once more allowing
the regressi,^ it was impossible to induce him to do so. On
1 On June i, 1569, Bull. Rom., VII., 754. Here are adduced
some of the reasons why certain persons were unwilling to take
immediate possession of their benefices : some do so because they
do not wish to be forced to take orders, or to go into residence,
or to wear ecclesiastical dress, others because they are thinking
of taking part in war, or having recourse to lawsuits, and others
again because they have not yet obtained absolution from crimes,
etc. {ibid., 755).
^November 14, 1569, ibid., 758.
^ September 12, 1571, ibid., 939. He issued the bull " volentes
omnem haereditariam beneficiorum ecclesiasticorum successionern
de ecclesia Dei toUere " and to facilitate the free conferring of
benefices on worth)^ persons. Cf. *Avviso di Roma of September
8, I57r, Urb. 1042, p. 115, Vatican Library.
* June I, 1570, Bull. Rom., VII., 827 ; cf. Cone. Trid., sess. 24,
de ref. c 14.
* To the Archbishops of Malines, Cambrai, and Utrecht, to the
Bishops of Bois-le-duc, Ypres, JMiddelburg, Haarlem, Tournai,
Arras, Saint-Omer and Namur, July 5, 1568, in Goubau, 91 seq.
* Letter of November 16, 1566, in Laderchi, 1566, n. 59.
*Avissi di Roma of April 19, 1570, and July 25, 1571, Urb. 1041,
p. 267b ; 1042, p. 95, Vatican Library.