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Vatican； culminated in the seizure and imprisonment of two
ecclesiastics charged with various high crimes；among these rape
and murder。
There had just come to the papal throne Camillo Borghese； Paul
V。；strong； bold； determined； with the highest possible theory
of his duties and of his position。 In view of his duty toward
himself； he lavished the treasures of the faithful upon his
family； until it became the richest which had yet risen in Rome；
in view of his duty toward the Church； he built superbly； and an
evidence of the spirit in which he wrought is his name； in
enormous letters； still spread across the facade of St。 Peter's。
As to his position； he accepted fully the theories and practices
of his boldest predecessors； and in this he had good warrant； for
St。 Thomas Aquinas and Bellarmine had furnished him with
convincing arguments that he was divinely authorized to rule the
civil powers of Italy and of the world。＇1＇
＇1＇ For details of these cases of the two monks； see Pascolato。
Fra Paolo Sarpi； Milano； 1893； pp。 126…128。 For the Borghese
avarice； see Ranke's Popes； vol。 iii。 pp。 9…20。 For the
development of Pope Paul's theory of government； see Ranke； vol。
ii。 p。 345； and note in which Bellarmine's doctrine is cited
textually； also Bellarmine's Selbstbiographie； herausgegeben von
Dollinger und Rensch Bonn； 1887。 pp。 181； et seq。
Moreover there was； in his pride； something akin to fanaticism。
He had been elected by one of those sudden movements； as well
known in American caucuses as in papal conclaves； when； after a
deadlock； all the old candidates are thrown over； and the choice
suddenly falls on a new man。 The cynical observer may point to
this as showing that the laws governing elections； under such
circumstances； are the same； whether in party caucuses or in
church councils； but Paul； in this case； saw the direct
intervention of the Almighty； and his disposition to magnify his
office was vastly increased thereby。 He was especially strenuous；
and one of his earliest public acts was to send to the gallows a
poor author； who； in an unpublished work； had spoken severely
regarding one of Paul's predecessors。
The Venetian laws checking mortmain； taxing church property； and
requiring the sanction of the Republic before the erection of new
churches and monasteries greatly angered him； but the crowning
vexation was the seizure of the two clerics。 This aroused him
fully。 He at once sent orders that they be delivered up to him；
that apology be made for the past and guarantees given for the
future； and notice was served that； in case the Republic did not
speedily obey these orders； the Pope would excommunicate its
leaders and lay an interdict upon its people。 It was indeed a
serious contingency。 For many years the new Pope had been known
as a hard； pedantic ecclesiastical lawyer； and now that he had
arrived at the supreme power； he had evidently determined to
enforce the high mediaeval supremacy of the Church over the
State。 Everything betokened his success。 In France he had broken
down all opposition to the decrees of the Council of Trent。 In
Naples； when a magistrate had refused to disobey the civil law at
the bidding of priests； and the viceroy had supported the
magistrate； Pope Paul had forced the viceroy and magistrate to
comply with his will by threats of excommunication。 In every part
of Italy；in Malta； in Savoy； in Parma； in Lucca； in Genoa；and
finally even in Spain； he had pettifogged； bullied； threatened；
until his opponents had given way。 Everywhere he was triumphant；
and while he was in the mood which such a succession of triumphs
would give he turned toward Venice。＇1＇
＇1＇ For letters showing the craven submission of Philip III。 of
Spain at this time； see Cornet； Paolo V。 e la Republica Veneta；
Vienna； 1859； p。 285。
There was little indeed to encourage the Venetians to resist；
for； while the interests of other European powers were largely
the same as theirs； current political intrigues seemed likely to
bring Spain and even France into a league with the Vatican。
To a people so devoted to commerce； yet so religious； the threat
of an interdict was serious indeed。 All church services were to
cease； the people at large； no matter how faithful； were to be as
brute beasts；not to be legally married； not to be consoled by
the sacraments； not to be shriven； and virtually not to be
buried； other Christian peoples were to be forbidden all dealings
with them； under pain of excommunication； their commerce was to
be delivered over to the tender mercies of any and every other
nation； their merchant ships to be as corsairs； their cargoes；
the legitimate prey of all Christendom； and their people； on sea
and land； to be held as enemies of the human race。 To this was
added； throughout the whole mass of the people； a vague sense of
awful penalties awaiting them in the next world。 Despite all
this； the Republic persisted in asserting its right。
Just at this moment came a diplomatic passage between Pope and
Senate like a farce before a tragedy； and it has historical
significance； as showing what resourceful old heads were at the
service of either side。 The Doge Grimani having died； the Vatican
thought to score a point by promptly sending notice through its
Nuncio to Venice that no new election of a Doge could take place
if forbidden by the Pope； and that； until the Senate had become
obedient to the papacy； no such election would be sanctioned。 But
the Senate； having through its own Ambassador received a useful
hint； was quite equal to the occasion。 It at once declined to
receive this or any dispatch from the Pope on the plea； made with
redundant courtesy and cordiality； that； there being no Doge；
there was no person in Venice great enough to open it。 They next
as politely declined to admit the papal Nuncio on the ground that
there was nobody worthy to receive him。 Then they proceeded to
elect a Doge who could receive both Nuncio and message；a sturdy
opponent of the Vatican pretensions； Leonardo Donato。
The Senate now gave itself entirely to considering ways and means
of warding off the threatened catastrophe。 Its first step was to
consult Sarpi。 His answer was prompt and pithy。 He advised two
things： first； to prevent； at all hazards； any publication of the
papal bulls in Venice or any obedience to them； secondly； to hold
in readiness for use at any moment an appeal to a future Council
of the Church。
Of these two methods； the first would naturally seem by far the
more difficult。 So it was not in reality。 In the letter which
Sarpi presented to the Doge； he devoted less than four lines to
the first and more than fourteen pages to the second。 As to the
first remedy； severe as it was and bristling with difficulties；
it was； as he claimed； a simple； natural； straightforward use of
police power。 As to the second； the appeal to a future Council
was to the Vatican as a red flag to a bull。 The very use of it
involved excommunication。 To harden and strengthen the Doge and
Senate in order that they might consider it as an ultimate
possibility； Sarpi was obliged to show from the Scriptures； the
Fathers； the Councils； the early Popes； that the appeal to a
Council was a matter of right。 With wonderful breadth of
knowledge and clearness of statement he made his points and
answered objections。 To this day； his letter remains a
masterpiece。＇1＇
＇1＇ For Sarpi's advice to the Doge； see Bianchi Giovini； vol。 i。
pp。 216； et seq。 The document is given fully in the Lettere di F。
P。 S。； Firenze； 1863； vol。 i。 pp。 17； et seq。； also in Machi；
Storia del Consiglio dei Dieci； cap。 xxiv。； where the bull of
excommunication is also given。
The Republic utterly refused to yield； and now； in 1606； Pope
Paul launched his excommunication and interdict。 In meeting them；
the Senate took the course laid down by Sarpi。 The papal Nuncio
was notified that the Senate would receive no paper from the
Pope； all ecclesiasties； from the Patriarch down to the lowest
monk； were forbidden； under the penalties of high treason； to
make public or even to receive any paper whatever from the
Vatican； additional guards were placed at the city gates； with
orders to search every wandering friar or other suspicious person
who might； by any p