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. 172-173.
The Lives of the Popes,
BY
B. Platina
Volume I.
JOHN VI.
A.D. 702-705.
JOHN the Sixth, a Grecian, was elected Pope at the time when Theophylact, the exarch, in his passage to Italy, arrived first at Sicily, which, being known to the Italian soldiers, who having of late times usually sided more with the popes than the emperors, were afraid that his coming might betoken some ill, they resolved to kill him at his entrance into Rome. But by the authority of Pope John, who made himself umpire between them, Theophylact was protected, and all things being made up and accommodated, he goes for Ravenna. In the meantime Gisulphus, Duke of Beneventum, taking heart upon this disagreement of the exarch and soldiers, invades Terra di Lavoro, possesses himself of Sora and Arpino, burns villages, makes the villagers his prisoners, and drives away their cattle. The Pope being deeply sensible of this calamity, sends his ambassadors to Gisulphus, to admonish him to quit those places which he had no right to, and to return into Abruzzo; which, if he refused to do, he should soon feel the vengeance of Almighty God upon him. Gisulphus being terrified hereby, restores the towns he had taken, and returns to Beneventum. Of those which were carried away captive, Pope John redeemed all he could find out, as far as the treasure of the Church would reach for their ransom.
At this time Justinian, who, as we have said, had been banished by Leontius to the Chersonese of Pontus, making his escape, thence comes to Cacanus, King of the Avares, who at first treated him with the greatest respect and kindness, and promised him his daughter in marriage; but afterwards being corrupted with bribes by Tiberius, he designed to betray his guest and son-in-law into his hands. Justinian having notice hereof, flees to Trebellius, Prince of the Bulgarians, by whose aid he was in a little time after restored to the Empire. While these things were transacted in Europe, the Saracens being possessed of Libya and Africa, set sail from Septa, and passing over into Spain, made themselves masters of it all, except that part inhabited by the Asturians and Biscains; who, as they had been the last people of Span who were subdued to the Roman Empire, and the last who 173 revolted from it, and the only people who shook off the yoke of the Visigoths, so now having received the Christian faith, they were the men who continued steadfastly with the greatest resolution to defend themselves by arms against the perfidious Saracens. So then, Africa, which being recovered by Belisarius, general to Justinian the First, had been subject to the Roman Empire a hundred and seventy years, and also Granada in Hispania Bœtica, being at this time seized by the Saracens, having been obedient to their laws and customs now this seven hundred and forty years, to the great reproach of Christianity; the Spaniards, who are wont to boast of their wit and valour, not being able to drive them out of Europe. Some tell us that Bede, who lived in these times, by letters written to several Christian princes, did very much bewail this calamity, that hereby he might excite them to enter into a war against these enemies of God and men. This Bede was not only extraordinarily well skilled in the Greek and Latin tongues, but also for his eminent piety and modesty, gained the surname of Venerable. He wrote many things upon the Acts of the Apostles, and upon St Luke; he published a book of chronology, and several homilies, which are much used by the Gallican clergy. Moreover, of Strabo and Haymo, two very learned men, said to be Bede’s brethren, one composed divers elegant homilies, and the other commented upon Genesis. As for Pope John, having repaired the church of St Andrew in the Vatican, and the roof of that of St Mark, and adorned with pillars on each hand the altar of St Peter’s, in the third year and third month of his pontificate he died, as some think, a martyr, but by whom he suffered martyrdom does not sufficiently appear. It is said he was buried in the cemetery of St Sebastian in the Via Appia. By his death the see was vacant one month, nineteen days.
Previous Pope: 86. Sergius I. 87. John VI. Next Pope: 88. John VII.