From The Lives of the Popes from the Time of our Saviour Jesus Christ to the Accession of Gregory VII. Written Originally in Latin by B. Platina, Native of Cremona, and translated into English (from an anonymous translation, first printed in 1685 by Sir Paul Rycaut), Edited by William Benham, Volume I, London: Griffith, Farran, Okeden & Welsh, [1888, undated in text]; pp. 241-242.
The Lives of the Popes,
BY
B. Platina
Volume I.
BENEDICT IV.
A.D. 900-903.
BENEDICT the Fourth, a Roman, for his good nature and mildness was made Pope, but nothing was done in his time worthy of any great commendation. In his age it happened, as to others it does sometimes, that a strange negligence of all manner of virtue had possessed mankind, no incitements being applied by which the minds of men should be stirred up to actions that are praiseworthy, which yet are never wanting under good princes or well constituted governments. At this time, as I said before, Louis, the son of Arnulphus, endeavouring to recover his father’s empire, was taken and killed at Verona by Berengarius; and then the posterity of Charles the Great first lost their titles to France and the empire of Germany. So true it is that which Sallust says, “Every rising hath its setting, and every increase its wane.” The Empire, which had arrived to so great a height lost its splendour by the sluggishness of the great men and people of Rome, when they once grew remiss in the exercises of virtue, and emasculated their bodies with luxury and with studied softnesses. And this we may say was the case of the Papacy, for at first the pontifical dignity (without wealth and among enemies and furious persecutors of Christianity) was illustrious with a holiness and learning not to be attained without great pains and a consummate virtue; but now the Church of God was grown wanton with its riches, and the clergy quitted severity of manners for lasciviousness, so that there being no prince to punish their excesses, such a licentiousness of sinning obtained in the world as brought forth these monsters, these prodigies of wickedness, by whom the chair of St Peter was rather seized than rightfully possessed. Yet this may be said for Benedict, that in this debauched age 242 he carried himself with gravity and constancy, and died in the third year and fourth month of his pontificate, after which the see was vacant six days.
Previous Pope: 119. John IX. 120. Benedict IV. Next Pope: 121. Leo V.