nt as a low man suddenly raised to power."
The high-born, haughty, luxurious prelates, both French and Italian,
found that they had set over themselves a master resolved not only to
redress the flagrant and inveterate abuses of the college and of the
hierarchy, but also to force on his reforms in the most hasty and
insulting way. He did the harshest things in the harshest manner.

The Archbishop of Bari, of mean birth, had risen by the virtues of a
monk. He was studious, austere, humble, a diligent reader of the Bible,
master of the canon law, rigid in his fasts; he wore haircloth next his
skin. His time was divided between study, prayer, and business, for
which he had great aptitude. From the poor bishopric of Acherontia he
had been promoted to the archbishopric of Bari, and had presided over
the papal chancery in Avignon. The monk broke out at once on his
elevation in the utmost rudeness and rigor, but the humility changed to
the most offensive haughtiness. Almost his first act was a public rebuke
in his chapel to all the bishops present for their desertion of their
dioceses. He called them perjured traitors. The Bishop of Pampeluna
boldly repelled the charge; he was at Rome, he said, on the affairs of
his see. In the full consistory Urban preached on the text, "I am the
Good Shepherd," and inveighed in a manner not to be mistaken against the
wealth and luxury of the cardinals. Their voluptuous banquets were
notorious--Petrarch had declaimed against them. The Pope threatened a
sumptuary law that they should have but one dish at their table: it was
the rule of his own order. He was determined to extirpate simony. A
cardinal who should receive presents he menaced with excommunication.
He affected to despise wealth. "Thy money perish with thee!" he said to
a collector of the papal revenue. He disdained to conceal the most
unpopular schemes; he declared his intention not to leave Rome. To the
petition of the bannerets of Rome for a promotion of cardinals, he
openly avowed his design to make so large a nomination that the Italians
should resume their ascendency over the Ultramontanes. The Cardinal of
Geneva turned pale and left the consistory. Urban declared himself
determined to do equal justice between man and man, between the kings of
France and England. The French cardinals, and those in the pay of
France, heard this with great indignation.

The manners of Urban were even more offensive than his acts. "Hold your
tongu