124 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517.
one."^ The divine claims of the papacy itself began to be matter of doubt. Writers like Wyclif made demands upon tlie pope to return to Apostolic simplicity of manners in sharp language such as no one had ever dared to use before. Many sees had two incumbents ; abbeys, two abbots ; parishes, two priests. Tlie maintenance of two popes involved an increased financial burden, and both papal courts added to the old practices new inventions to extract revenue. Clement VII. 's agents went everywhere, striving to win support for liis obedience, and the nations, taking advantage of the situation, magnified their authority to the detriment of the papal power.
The following is a list of the popes of the Roman and Avignon lines, and the Pisan line whose legitimacy has now no advocates in the Roman communion.
Roman Line Avignon Line
Urban VL, 1378-1389. Clement VIL, 1378-1394.
Boniface IX., 1389-1404. Benedict XIII., 1394-1409.
Innocent VIL, 1404-1406. Deposed at Pisa, 1409, and at
Gregory XII., 1406-1415. Constance, U17, d. I424. Deposed at Pisa, 1409. Resigned at Constance, 1415, d. 1417.
Pisan Line
Alexander V., 1409-1410.
John XXIIL, 1410-1415.
Martin V., 1417-1431.
Acknowledged hij the whole Latin Church.
The question of the legitimacy of Urban VI. 's pontificate is still a matter of warm dispute. As neither pope nor council has given a decision on the question. Catholic scholars feel no constraint in discussing it. French writers have been inclined to leave the matter open. This was the case with Bossuet, Mansi, Martene, as it is with modern French writers. Valois hesitatingly, Salembier positively, decides for Urban. Historians, not moved by French sympathies, pronounce strongly in favor of the Roman line, as do TTefele, Funk, Hergenrother- Kirsch, Denifle, and Pastor. The formal recognition of Urban by all the cardinals and their official announcement of ^ Adain of Usk, p. '218, and other writers.
§ 13. THE SCHISM BEGUN. 1378. 125
his election to the princes would seem to put the validity of his election beyond doubt. On the other hand, the declaratio sent forth by the cardinals nearly four months after Urban's election affirms that the cardinals were in fear of their lives when they voted ; and according to the theory of the canon law, constraint invalidates an election as constraint invalidated Pascal II. 's concession to Henry V. It was the intention of the cardinals, as they affirm, to elect one of their number, till the tumult became so violent and threatening that to protect themselves they precipitately elected Prignano. They state that the people had even filled the air with the cry, "let them be killed," moriantur. A panic prevailed. When the tumult abated, the cardinals sat down to dine, and after dinner were about to proceed to a re-election, as they say, when the tumult again became threatening, and the doors of the room where they were sitting were broken open, so that they were forced to flee for their lives.
To this testimony were added the depositions of individual cardinals later. Had Prignano proved complaisant to the wishes of the French party, there is no reason to suspect that the validity of his election would ever have been disputed. Up to the time when the vote was cast for Urban, the cardinals seem not to have been under duress from fear, but to have acted freely. After the vote had been cast, they felt their lives were in danger.' If the cardinals had proceeded to a second vote, as Valois has said. Urban might have been elected. The constant communications which passed between Charles V. and the French party at Anagni show him to have been a leading factor in the proceedings which followed and the reconvening of the conclave which elected Robert of Geneva. 2
1 This is the judgment of Pastor, I. 119.
2 Valois, I. 144, devotes much space to the part Charles took in preparing the way for the schism, and declares he was responsible for the part France took in it and in rejecting Urban VI. Hergenrother says all the good he can of the Roman line and all the evil he can of the Avignon line. Clement he pronounces a man of elastic conscience, and Benedict XIII., his successor, as always ready in words for the greatest sacrifices, and farthest from them when it came to deeds.