his own personal estate being small, and the courts of France and
Spain extreamly sumptuous, so as to expose him to expences above his
fortune, made choice of Venice, a place of more retirement, and where
he could execute his embassy, and at the same time indulge himself in
the study of natural philosophy, in that seat of the sciences,
where he was sure to meet with men accomplished in all the polite
improvements, as well as the more solid attainments of philosophy.
Having informed the king that he chose to be sent to Venice, his
Majesty settled a very considerable allowance upon him during his stay
there; he then took his leave, and was accompanied through France to
Venice, says Walton, by gentlemen of the best families and breeding,
that this nation afforded.

When Sir Henry Wotton arrived at Venice, there subsisted between the
Venetians and the Pope a very warm contention, which was prosecuted by
both parties with equal fury. The laity made many complaints against
the two frequent practice of land being left to the church without
a licence from the state, which increased the power of the clergy,
already too great, and rendered their insolence insupportable. In
consequence of this, the state made several injunctions against
lay-persons disposing their lands in that manner. Another cause of
their quarrel was, that the Venetians had sent to Rome, several
articles of complaint against two priests, the abbot of Nervesa, and a
canon of Vicenza, for committing such abominable crimes, as Mr. Walton
says, it would be a shame to mention: Their complaints met with no
redress, and the detestable practices of these monsters in holy orders
still continuing, they seized their persons and committed them to
prison.

The justice or injustice of such power exercised by the Venetians,
produced debates between the Republic and Pope Clement VIII. Clement
soon dying, Pope Paul the first, a man of unbounded insolence, and
elated with his spiritual superiority, let loose all his rage against
the state. He judged all resistance to be a diminution of his power,
and threatened excommunication to the whole State, if a revocation was
not instantly made, which the Venetians rejecting, he proceeded in
menaces, and at last did excommunicate the Duke, the whole Senate, and
all their dominions; then he shut up the churches, charging the
clergy to forbear sacred offices to any of the Venetians, till their
obedience should make them capable of absolut