LXIX. CHA P. banks of the Tyber, to the deliverance of the ancient metropolis; but that deliverance was a change, or perhaps an aggravation, of fervitude. Rome had been already ftripped of her trophies, her gods, and her Cæfars: nor was the Gothic dominion more inglorious and oppreffive than the tyranny of the Greeks. In the eighth century of the Chriftian æra, a religious quarrel, the worfhip of images, provoked the Romans to affert their independence: their bifhop became the temporal, as well as the fpiritual, father of a free people; and of the Western empire, which was restored by Charlemagne, the title and image still decorate the fingular conftitution of modern Germany. The name of Rome muft yet command our involuntary refpect: the climate (whatfoever may be its influence) was no longer the fame ': the purity of blood had been contaminated through a thousand channels; but the venerable afpect of her ruins, and the memory of past greatnefs, rekindled a spark of the national character. The darkness of the middle ages exhibits fome scenes not unworthy of our notice. Nor fhall 1 difmifs the prefent work till I have reviewed the state and revolutions of the ROMAN CITY, which acquiefced under the abfolute dominion of the popes about the same time that Conftantinople was enflaved by the Turkish arms. The French emperors of 1800-IICO. In the beginning of the twelfth century, the æra of the first crufade, Rome was revered by the Latins, as the metropolis of the world, as the throne of the pope and the emperor, who, LXIX. from the eternal city, derived their title, their. CHA P. honours; and the right or exercife of temporal dominion. After fo long an interruption, it may not be useless to repeat that the fucceffors of Charlemagne and the Othos were chofen beyond the Rhine in a national diet; but that these princes were content with the humble names of kings of Germany and Italy, till they had paffed the Alps and the Apennine, to feek their Imperial crown on the banks of the Tyber'. At fome distance from the city, their approach was faluted by a long proceffion of the clergy and people with palms and croffes; and the terrific emblems of wolves and lions, of dragons and eagles, that floated in the military banners, reprefented the departed legions and cohorts of the republic. The royal oath to maintain the liberties of Rome was thrice reiterated, at the bridge, the gate, and on the ftairs of the Vatican; and the diftribution of a customary donative feebly imitated the magnificence of the firft Cæfars. In the church of St. Peter, the coronation was performed by his fucceffor: the voice of God was confounded with that of the people; and the public consent was declared in the acclamations of, Long life "and victory to our lord the pope! Long life "and victory to our lord the emperor; Long "life and victory to the Roman and Teutonic armies!" The names of Cæfar and Augustus, the laws of Conftantine and Juftinian, the example of Charlemagne and Otho, established the fupreme dominion of the emperors; their title and image CHAP. Was engraved on the papal coins; and theit LXIX. jurifdiction was marked by the fword of juftice; \ which they delivered to the præfect of the city. But every Roman prejudice was awakened by the name, the language, and the manners, of a Barbarian lord. The Cæfars of Saxony or Franconia were the chiefs of a feudal ariftocracy; nor could they exercise the difcipline of civil and military power, which alone fecures the obedience of a diftant people, impatient of fervitude, though perhaps incapable of freedom. Once, and once only, in his life, each emperor, with an army of Teutonic vaffals, defcended from the Alps. I have defcribed the peaceful order of his entry and coronation; but that order was commonly disturbed by the clamour and fedition of the Romans who encountered their fovereign as ; foreign invader: his departure was always fpeedy, and often shameful; and, in the absence of a long reign, his authority was infulted and his name was forgotten. The progrefs of independence in Germany and Italy undermined the foundations of the Imperial fovereignty, and the triumph of the popes was the deliverance of Rome. Rome, a Of her two fovereigns, the emperor had preAuthority of the popes in cariously reigned by the right of conqueft; but the authority of the pope was founded on the foft, though more folid, bafis of opinion and habit. The removal of a foreign influence reftored and endeared the fhepherd to his flock. Instead of the arbitrary or venal nomination of a German court, the vicar of Chrift was freely c ́Har chofen by the college of cardinals moft of LXXI. whom were either natives or inhabitants of the 2 city. The applause of the magiftrates and people from affec confirmed his election: and the ecclefiaftical tion; power that was obeyed in Sweden and Britain, had been ultimately derived from the fuffrage of the Romans. The fame fuffrage gave a prince, as well as a pontiff, to the capital. It was univerfally believed, that Conftantine had invested the popes with the temporal dominion of Rome; and the boldeft civilians, the most profane fceptics, were fatisfied with difputing the right of the emperor and the validity of his gift. The truth of the fact, the authenticity of his donation, was deeply rooted in the ignorance and tradition. of four centuries: and the fabulous origin was loft in the real and permanent effects. The name of Dominus or Lord was infcribed on the coin of the bishops their title was acknowledged by right; acclamations and oaths of allegiance, and with the free, or reluctant, confent of the German Cæfars, they had long exercifed a fupreme or fubordinate jurisdiction over the city and patrimony of St. Peter. The reign of the popes, which gratified the prejudices, was not incompatible with the liberties, of Rome; and a more critical enquiry would have revealed a still nobler fource of their power; the gratitude of a nation, whom they had refcued from the herefy and op preffion of the Greek tyrant. In an age of superfition, it fhould feem that the union of the royal CHAP. and facerdotal characters would mutually fortify LXIX. each other; and that the keys of paradife would virtue; benefits. be the fureft pledge of earthly obedience. The fanctity of the office might indeed be degraded by the perfonal vices of the man. But the fcandals of the tenth century were obliterated by the auftere and more dangerous virtues of Gregory the feventh and his fucceffors; and in the ambitious contefts which they maintained for the rights of the church, their fufferings or their fuccefs must equally tend to increase the popular veneration. They fometimes wandered in poverty and exile, the victims of perfecution; and the apoftolic zeal with which they offered themfelves to martyrdom, muft engage the favour and fympathy of every Catholic breaft. And fometimes, thundering from the Vatican, they created, judged, and depofed the kings of the world: nor could the proudeft Roman be difgraced by fubmitting to a priest, whose feet were kissed, and whole ftirrup was held, by the fucceffors of Charlemagne. Even the temporal intereft of the city fhould have protected in peace and. honour the refidence of the popes; from whence a vain and lazy people derived the greatest part of their fubfiftence and riches. The fixed revenue of the popes was probably impaired: many of the old patrimonial eftates, both in italy and the provinces, had been invaded by facrilegious hands; nor could the lofs be compenfated by the claim, rather than the poffeffion, of the more ample gifts of Pepin and his defcendants. But |