NICHOLAS
67
NICHOLITES
wood's Magazine. Nov. 1871, p. 604 sq.). See Vespasian, Nicola V, and Manctti, Vita Nicolai V, both in IMura- tori, " Scriptores," vol. xxv; Georgius, Vita Nicolai V (Rome, 1742, 4to) ; Wetzer u. Welte (R. C), Kirchen- Lexikon, vii, 585-591 ; Milman, Hist, of Latin Christian- ity, viii, 90 sq. ; Butler, Eccles. Hist, ii, 125 sq. ; Riddle, IJist. of the Papacy, ii, 371 sq. ; Bovver, Hist, of the Popes, vol. viii. (J. H.W.)
Nicholas V, the Antipope, whose original name was Pete)- di Corbario (or Corvara^, was boni in the Abriizzi; he belonged to the extreme Franciscan fac- tion; a man of such rigid austerity tliat no charge could be brought against him by his enemies but hy- pocrisy. The one imputation was that lie had lived in wedlock for five years before he put on the habit of St. Francis. He took the vows with his wife's consent. He had won the confidence and esteem of the people as an ecclesiastic, and was therefore regarded by the emperor Louis of Bavaria as a proper person to fill the papal chair (1328) in antagonism to John XXH, then a forced resident of Avignon, because of his controversy with the emperor. See John XXII. All that pope John could do was to fulminate bulls and decrees against the emperor, and call upon the electors to make choice of a new ruler. Of course all his requests vvere of no avail, for no one paid any attention to a pope away from Rome and in dispute with tlie emperor. But John was not the ox\\y sufferer. All this while the emperor, too, was losing ground ; his popularity waned at Rome, and he found himself obliged to retire from that' place in Aug. 1328 ; and, as the influence of the Guclphs continued to gather strength throughout It- aly, he was forced to quit the country altogether, and to return to Germany in 1329. His pope was soon after delivered up to the legates of John, who compelled him to perform a solemn act of abjuration, and then sent him to Avignon, where he was confined as a prisoner for the remainder of his life. Nicholas was closely watched, and kept secluded from intercourse with the world, but allowed the use of books and all the services of the Church. He lived about three years and a half in this state, and died a short time before his triumphant rival. See Milman, Hist, of Latin Chris- tianity, vii. 103-111 ; Bower, Jlist. of the Popes, vol. vii; Riddle, Hist, of the Papacy, ii, 332 sq. (J. H. W.)
Nicholites, a sect of religionists who professed nearly the same principles as the Quakers, and were ultimately incorporated with them, flourished in Mary- land (Caroline Co.) in the latter half of the 18th century. Their chief support and founder was Joseph Nichols, a man possessed of strong powers of mind and a remark- able flow of spirits, though of limited education, and a husbandman by occupation. His vivacity and humor caused his company to be much sought after, and gave him great influence over his companions. On the first Ccy of the week, and at other times of leisure, many col- lected to hear his entertaining conversation. At one of these convivial meetings he was accompanied by an intimate friend, who was taken ill and died suddenly at the place where they were assembled. This solemn warning was through divine mercy made effectual in awakening the attention of Joseph Nichols, showing him the uncertainty of life, and producing a radical ref- ormation in his character. His mind became enlight- ened and imbued with heavenly truth, and, being called to a holy life, he yielded obedience to the impressions of divine grace. When his neighbors came around him as usual, seeking mirthful entertainment, he appeared more serious, and proposed that they should spend their time more rationally than they ha<l done, and that a pcrtion of the Scriptures should be read. They assented to his suggestions, and for some time their meetings were gradually changed from scenes of mirth to seasons of serious thouglitfidness, until at length he was led to appear among them as a preacher of righteousness. His meetings attracted much attention, and crowds assem-