died there, or carried back a vivid impression of the dominant corruption.  Germany suffered more than other countries from these appeals and processes, and hence of all countries was best prepared for the Reformation.  During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the popes made gigantic strides in the acquisition of power.  Instead of recommending their favorites for benefices, now they issued mandates.  Their Italian partisans must be rewarded; nothing could be done to satisfy their clamors,. but to provide for them in foreign countries.  Shoals of contesting claimants died in Rome; and, when death took place in that city, the Pope claimed the right of giving away the benefices.  At length it was affirmed that he had the right of disposing of all church-offices without distinction, and that the oath of obedience of a bishop to him implied political as well as ecclesiastical subjection.  In countries having a dual government this increased the power of the spiritual element prodigiously.

Rights of every kind were remorselessly overthrown to complete this centralization.  In this the mendicant orders were most efficient aids.  It was the pope and those orders on one side, the bishops and the parochial clergy on the other.  The Roman court had seized the rights of synods, metropolitans, bishops, national churches.  Incessantly interfered with by the legates, the bishops lost all desire to discipline their dioceses; incessantly interfered with by the begging monks, tho parish priest had become powerless in his own village; his pastoral influence was utterly destroyed by the papal indulgences and absolutions they sold.  The money was carried off to Rome.

Pecuniary necessities urged many of the popes to resort to such petty expedients as to require from a prince, a bishop, or a grand-master, who bad a cause pending in the court, a present of a golden cup filled with ducats.  Such necessities also gave origin to jubilees.  Sixtus IV. established whole colleges, and sold the places at three or four hundred ducats.  Innocent VIII. pawned the papal tiara.  Of Leo X. it was said that he squandered the revenues of three popes, he wasted the savings of his predecessor, he spent his own income, he anticipated that of his successor, he created twenty-one hundred and fifty new offices and sold them; they were considered to be a good investment, as they produced twelve per cent.  The interest was extorted from Catholic countries.  Nowhere in Europe could capital be so well invested as at Rome.  Large sums were raised by the foreclosing of mortgages, and not only by the sale but the resale of offices.  Men were promoted, for the purpose of selling their offices again.