Of the Divine Judgments and Punishments Visited upon Some of the Popes

God's vengeance for great misdeeds is sometimes carried out in this life, and sometimes reserved for the life to come.* The vengeance inflicted in this life is sometimes executed immediately by God Himself; at other times He uses means, either the elements, or things made of the elements, yet without life; and sometimes He does it through living creatures, such as men, beasts, and so on. However, here we shall speak only of the judgment of God visited on some of the popes, in such a manner and by such means as will be shown.

In the eighth book of the Chronijk van den Ondergang der Tyrannen, for the year 767, page 262, column 2, several examples of this kind are related one after another, which we shall present here as is most fitting, and in the best possible order.** [n80-1]

The author of that chronicle, after mentioning the shameful expulsion of Pope Sylvester Campanus from the city of Rome, relates the sad ending of Constantine, Hadrian, John, Benedict, Boniface, Lucius, Innocentius, Nicholas, Paul, Leo, Clement, and so on.

Pope Constantine the Second, having led an ungodly life, was deprived by a council of both his eyes and of the papal power, and was then put into a convent.

Hadrian the Third, fleeing from Rome, came to Venice in the dress of a gardener, where he was ordered to work in a garden.

Hadrian the Fourth was choked to death by a fly, which flew into his mouth, or, as others say, into his drink, while he was drinking.

John the Eleventh,* having been seized by the soldiers of a certain Guido, was smothered with a pillow, which they held over his mouth.

John the Twenty-Second was crushed when the vault of a pavilion fell in, and so departed this life.

Benedict the Sixth** was shut up in the Castle Angelo by Cynthius, a citizen of Rome, and strangled there by him, because of his great villainy.

Benedict the Ninth was killed by poison, which had been put into a fig by an abbess who was considered a devout, spiritual daughter.

The body of Boniface the Seventh, who had died a sudden death, was dragged along the street, with his feet tied to a rope, and shamefully buried in the common grave.

Lucius the Second, about to storm the capitol, where the senators had fled, was so badly pelted with stones that he died soon afterward.

When Innocentius the Fourth had unjustly sentenced to death Robert of Lincoln, because he had censured, with the mouth as well as with the pen, the wicked deeds of the popes, and Robert therefore appealed to Christ, the Supreme Judge, the pope was found dead in his bed the following day. ***

Nicholas the Third died very unexpectedly of apoplexy (called the stroke of God).

Paul the Second, having dined very merrily, died soon after, likewise of apoplexy.

Leo the Tenth died while laughing and frolicking at his cups.

Clemens the Eighth, having conspired with Franciscus, king of France, against the Emperor Charles the Fifth, was afterward seized by the emperor's captains, mocked beyond measure, and in the end restored to the papal chair, but finally, in the year 1534, suffocated, together with several cardinals, by the smoke of torches. [n80-3] From Onpartijdigen Rechter. Also from various other accepted authors who have already been referred to.**** [n80-8]