2(50

. CHAP.LXIX.

TIIF, DECLINE AND FALL

or obeyed. The turbulent Romans disdainedthe yoke, and insulted the impotence, of theirbishop; k nor would his education or characterallow him to exercise, with decency or effect,the power of the sword. The motives of hiselection and the frailties of his life were ex-posed to their familiar observation ; and proxi-mity must diminish the reverence, which hisname and his decrees impressed on a barbarousworld. This difference has not escaped the no-tice of our philosophic historian: “Though the“ name and authority of the court of Rome were“ so terrible in the remote countries of Europe ,“ which were sunk in profound ignorance, and“ were entirely unacquainted with its character“ and conduct, the pope was so little revered at“ home, that his inveterate enemies surrounded“ the gates of Rome itself, and even controlled“ his government in that city; and the ambas-“ sadors, who, from a distant extremity of Eu-“ rope, carried to him the humble or rather ab-“ ject submissions of the greatest potentate of“ the age, found the utmost difficulty to make“ their way to him, and to throw themselves at“ his feet .” 1

* In a free conversation with his countryman Adrian IV , John ofSalisbury accuses the avarice of the pope and clergy : Provineiarunidiripiunt spolia, ac si thesauros Croesi studeant reparare. Sed rectecum eis agit altissimus, quoniam et ipsi aliis et saepe vilissimis homi*nibus dati sunt in direptionem (de Nugis Curialiura, 1. vi, c. 24,p. 387). In the next page, he blames the rashness and infidelity ofthe Romans, whom their bishops vainly strove to conciliate by gifts,instead of virtues. It is a pity that this miscellaneous writer has notgiven ns less morality and erudition, and more pictures of himself andthe times.

1 Hume’s History of England, vol. i, p 419. The same writer has

given