Stoics and Saints - College of Stoic Philosophers

CORRUPTIONS OF THE CHURCH. 273
4
It is no anonymous libeller, but a dignitary of the Spanish
Church, who, writing in this age,
declared that theHmstards
of the ecclesiastics were little inferior in number to the
children of the laity. If we cast our eye over the legisla
tion of provincial councils, we find damning proofs that
the most fearful forms of vice ran riot in ecclesiastical
^
societyj An early Dominican retails the legend which re
presents the devil as thanking the prelates
for conducting
of the Church
all Christendom to Hell. Innocent IV. left
Lyons in 1251 after residing there eight years
with his
court. The farewell speech of Cardinal Hugo is significant.
My friends, since our arrival here we have done much for
your city. When we came here we found three or four
brothels; we leave behind us but one, but it extends
without interruption from the eastern to the western gate/
Perhaps the sternest condemnation of the morals of the
Koman Court is to be found in the language of the noble
and high-minded Bishop Grossetete of Lincoln in 1253.
He quoted against it when dying the scathing lines:
Ejus avaritice totus non suffieit orbis ;
Ejus luxuries meretrix non sufficit omnisJ
When the Papal Court was at Avignon, Petrarch was there
to observe and to record. It would not be possible to
quote here one-tenth of the terrible account which he gives
of the sensual enormities which were mere pastime to Prelates
and Popes, but here is the famous sonnet which embodies
his tremendous denunciation of the corruptions and crimes
of Rome, to which every country in Latin Christendom
said, Amen :
Fountain of woe ! Harbour
of endless ire !
The school of errors, haunt of heresies !
Once Borne, now Babylon ; the world s disease
Who makest man to groan with mad desire !
O Forge of Fraud ! O Prison dark and dire !
Where dies the good, where evil deeds increase,
S