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. 167-168.
The Lives of the Popes,
BY
B. Platina
Volume I.
CONON I.
A.D. 686-687.
CONON, by birth a Thracian, educated in Sicily, and thence entering into orders at Rome, was of a presbyter made Pope. For there happening a controversy about the election, the citizens being for Peter, an Archbishop, and the soldiers for one Theodorus, a priest, at length, after a long contention, both parties agreed in the choice of Conon. And indeed he did every way deserve so great a dignity; being a man of great learning and very good life, pious and devout, of a comely person, and most venerable, or as some called it, angelical aspect; of wonderful simplicity and sincerity, modesty and justice, resolution and prudence. For these excellent endowments of his all persons concerned with mighty acclamations of applause immediately confirmed his election; as did also Theodorus, Exarch of Ravenna, who, being deceased, was not long after succeeded in the Exarchate by John Platina, whom I believe to have given the name to the place of my nativity, called Platina, within the territory of Cremona. For there being frequent wars between the exarchs and the kings of Lombardy, it is not improbable, considering that that place was situate almost in the midway between Ravenna and Pavia, one of which was the seat of the Lombard kings, the other of the exarchs, there might at some time be a battle fought or a camp pitched there, from whence we know that names are oftentimes given to places, as particularly in the same country there is Vitelliana, a town so called from Vitellius’s encamping there, and Bebrignano, not far from Babriacum, famous for the defeat which Otho there received. I return to Conon, who, presently after his entrance upon the pontificate, falling sick, Paschal, an archdeacon and manager of the church stock, endeavours to bribe John, the exarch, to procure him to be chosen Pope upon the death of Conon. The 168 exarch took the money, though he afterwards performed none of the promises he had made upon that account. And indeed such a covetous and ambitious wretch deserved to be frustrated in his designs, who made a bribe of that treasure of the Church, which, according to Conon’s will, should have been laid out in relieving the poor and repairing of churches — a crime to be abhorred in all men, but most detestable in an ecclesiastic. Such a breach of trust would not have been committed by Hubert, who was now a bishop in Bretagne, of great note for his learning and piety; nor Leodegarius, the martyr bishop of Autun, who was put to death by Theodoric, King of France, for his frequent and free reproofs; nor by Audoenus, Bishop of Rouen, a man who was second to none for knowledge and sanctity. These were men removed from ambition and avarice, fixing all their trust in God and religion, and gaining thereby reputation among men in this world, and eternal happiness from God in the other. As for Conon, having been in the chair only eleven months and three days, he died, and was buried in St Peter’s, September the 21st. The see was then vacant two months, twenty-three days.
Previous Pope: 84. John V. 85. Conon I. Next Pope: 86. Sergius I.