The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians: who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon)
History
The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians: who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660
Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon)
Anabaptists -- Europe -- Biography; Christian martyrs -- Biography; Persecution
NOTE.--With respect to this matter, the writer of the Introduction
to the _Martyrs Mirror_, of the year 1831, says: “After that arose a
time far more horrible, etc., for the margraves of Tuscany, and after
them the emperors, exercised so much violence with reference to the
papal chair, that they thrust into it many monsters; among whom was
John X., who was thrust into the chair by Theodora, mistress of Rome,
while Lando was deposed.” Introduction, _fol. 26. col. 2._ from _Baron.
Church History, Anno 912. num. 1._
After that he relates, that John X. was deposed by Theodora’s daughter,
who also reigned over Rome, and that John XI., a bastard child of Pope
Sergius III., was put into it. “And thus,” he writes, “have whores
and rogues, according to the testimony of cardinal Baronius, ruled
the papal chair, deposing and instituting whomsoever they would.”
_Fol. 27. col. 1._ from _Baronius, Anno 931. num. 1._ Continuing, the
aforementioned author remarks: “In this iron century it also happened,
that Stephen IX., having illegitimately attained to the chair, was
marked in the face by some rogues, for which reason he staid in his
house.” Same place, from _Baronius Anno 940. num. 1._
But, in order to give an account of those particular ones only, who
attained unlawfully to the papal chair, since we are treating of the
succession and mission of the popes, we must also mention Pope John
XII., who, being only eighteen years old, was forcibly put into the
chair, and made pope by his father, the margrave of Tuscany. Afterwards
he was deposed by a council at Rome, on account of his wicked life; but
he remained pope nevertheless, since nobody would excommunicate the
pope, however wicked his life might be, as Baronius relates. Compare
_Baron. Anno 955. num. 1._ with _Anno 963. num. 1. 2._
After that, Albericus, the count of Tusculum, made his son, who was
but ten years old, pope, and by his authority put him into the chair
under the name of Benedict IX. After he had reigned about nine years,
a certain faction of the Romans elected another pope. When Gratianus,
a priest at Rome, saw this, he bought out both of them with money, and
called himself Gregory VI.
But the Emperor, not willing to tolerate this, deposed all three of
them, and put Clemens II. in their stead; and then Damascus II.; after
him Leo IX.; and, finally, Victor II.
Thus the imperial line of the popes continued, until the clergy
itself became powerful enough to elect the popes without waiting for
the imperial mission, which formerly had been deemed necessary; this
afterwards gave rise to great schisms and divisions in the Roman
Church. Compare concerning all this _Baron. Hist. Eccl. Anno 1033. num.
2._ with _Anno 1044. num. 2. 3_; also, _Anno 1046. num. 1_; _Anno 1048.
num. 1_; _Anno 1049. num. 2_; _Anno 1055._
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