of itself, and sometimes even more stationary and stagnant than was required by necessity or recommended by foresight.  The posture assumed and the conduct adopted by the earliest successors of Boniface VIII. showed how far the situation of the papacy was altered, and how deep had been the penetration of the stab which, in this conflict between the two aspirants to absolute power, Philip the Handsome had inflicted on his rival.

On the 22d of October, 1303, eleven days after the death of Boniface VIII., Benedict XI., son of a simple shepherd, was elected at Rome to succeed him.  Philip the Handsome at once sent his congratulations, but by William of Plasian, who had lately been the accuser of Boniface, and who was charged to hand to the new pope, on the king’s behalf, a very bitter memorandum touching his predecessor.  Philip at the same time caused an address to be presented to himself in his own kingdom and in the vulgar tongue, called a supplication from the people of France to the King against Boniface.  Benedict XI. exerted himself to give satisfaction to the conqueror; he declared the Colonnas absolved; he released the barons and prelates of France from the excommunications pronounced against them; and he himself wrote to the king to say that he would behave towards him as the good shepherd in the parable, who leaves ninety and nine sheep to go after one that is lost.  Nogaret and the direct authors of the assault at Anagni were alone excepted from this amnesty.  The pope reserved for a future occasion the announcement of their absolution, when he should consider it expedient.  But on the 7th of June, 1304, instead of absolving them, he launched a fresh bull of excommunication against “certain wicked men who had dared to commit a hateful crime against a person of good memory, Pope Boniface.”  A month after this bull Benedict XI. was dead.  It is related that a young woman had put before him at table a basket of fresh figs, of which he had eaten and which had poisoned him.  The chroniclers of the time impute this crime to William of Nogaret, to the Colonnas, and to their associates at Anagni; a single one names King Philip.  Popular credulity is great in matters of poisoning; but one thing is certain, namely, that no prosecution was ordered.  There is no proof of Philip’s complicity; but, full as he was of hatred and dissimulation, he was of those who do their best to profit by crimes which they have not ordered.  It is clear that such a pope as Benedict XI. would not do either for his passions or his purposes.

He found one, however, from whom he flattered himself, not without reason, that he would get more complete and efficient co-operation.  The cardinals, after being assembled in conclave for six months at Perouse, were unable to arrive at an agreement about a choice of pope.  As a way out of their embarrassment, they entered into a secret convention to the effect that one of them, a confidant of Philip the Handsome,