The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-11


trates Of Augsburg in 1000 sent to the Jusuits of
Mayence a manuscript of Anastasius, of which
he requested number Of copies to DO printed.
The good fathers only printed two complete
copies, expurgating in the others destined for
the public the passage relating TO Pope Joanna.
A DIR. Freter, counselor 10 his Electoral Highness
Of Heidelberg, who had assisted in publishing
this edition, formally protested against the
expurgation in public manifesto. Mariannus
Scotus, Scotch monk. who died in 1066. tells
the story Of Joanna, without the shadow OF q
doubt. Bayle suggests that Mariannus the
first historian who speaks of the female Pope.
and that it is singular that for two centuries no
other chronicler should have mentioned it. But
Bellermine. who was one of the most bitter op-
ponents of tho tradition, admits that this Scotch
monk was conscientious writer and the his
Photographer of the court of Rome says of Scotus
"Diigente Scripsitn Segbert, wbo lied in lib,
and was nearly contemporaries With Scotus.
of Pope Joanna says, in antiquated French:
Jean, Pape, Anglais. LIE bruit est que ce
Jean etait femme ct quill ny await Gu'un seul de
ses familiers qui lie SUIT. qui await de costume de
coucher ayec eile ct quentin mesme durant lie
TENS de son pontifca ellie devini crosse ct ac-
coucha dun enfant Ciest la raison pourquoi,
aucuns ne la mestent point al rang des Papes
ct quainsi ellie n'augmente point le nombre des
Papes de ce nom."
At the END of the same century Gervarius Ret
taben, in work entitled ''Otia imperial" dedi-
Gated to the Emperor Otheon vi, speaks of the
Anastasus copy in the Kings library.
Martin Polonus. Archbishop of Cosenza and
penetenciary of Pope Innocent W. who died in
1910. said:
La Jeanne called herself English, but she
was born in Mayence She had child in pro-
cession between st. Clement and the Coliseum,
and in detestatlon Of her crime the procession
takes another route. forever ceasing to pass
through that street +" Thiery de Nieux, 1913
years after Mariannus. states that statue had
h1~ ~ e Al ~
happened in front of the Church of st. Glenn
ent.n
All the chronicles Of the fourteenth century
are explicit in the admission of the existence of
Pope Joanna. In 1862 Angericus Angarico
wrote history of the Popes dedicated to Urban
V, in which Joannus Detus Anglicanus figures
in the place where she belonged, between LeonlV
and Benedict ILL., In 400 collection Of busts
Of all the Popes from ST Peter down to Adrian
were placed in the dome of Sienne, and Pope
Joanna was among them, and according to
LANNON'S, was there as late as 1884. Eneas
Sylvius, who was elevated to the pontificial
throne under the name of Plus II, was the first
Pope who, about the middle of the fifteenth CEN
fury. dared to formulate doubt about this mat
ter, and only then in timd way.
AS late as 1857 the history of Equitaine, pub
lished in Poitiers, France, contains the follow
ing statement: after Pope Leon woman
of England, who was believed to be man,
installed as Pope and named john" Etienne
EaSQuler, a careIuI ana Welt-1nIOrneQ auLnOr,
speaks of this Pope in his Historical Re-
searches" Among the people of distinction who
have expressed belief in the truth of the tradi-
tion such may be cited AS Antonin, Archbishop
of Florence, as well as Sarrau, Protestant, who,
after consulting Anastasius's copy in the
Kings library, no longer doubted it. Nilsson
afirms that an English work had appeared in
which the authenticity of the election of a
woman as Pope of Rome had been established
from old manuscripts found in the Abbey of Can
terbury. Cancellieri, whose probity has never
been questioned. in his History of the Pom
writers who have admitted the existence of Pope
Joanna.
The authorities cited above only take this to
the seventeenth century. In addition there has
been published in 1870 at Venice, with the
License des Superieurs," an edition of the
Platina. This edition contains the life of Popess
Joanna as written by Platina before 1880. Plat
ina a pupil of Morsila Ficin and a contem-
porary of the Medics. He enjoyed the reputa-
tion of being correct authority, and was buried
with honors in the Church Sainte Marie Majeure,
distinction which would hardly have been ac-
corded a-falsifier of Cathol history. 1t is true
that later editions Of Platna were edited by
Panvinius who, in this matter of Popess Jo-
anna. expurgated her reign 1t must rot
be forgotten, however, that Panvnius,
who died in loss, was an Augnstinan
monk. writing under the orders of Cardinal
Cervin, who afterward became Pope Marcel ii.
The famous Florimond de Renioud wrote the
"Ant-Popesse," but it is not worthy, either in
diction or in substance, to stand beside the
Anti Cation" by Julius Caesar. or the Anti
Machiaveli," by Frederick the Great But the
authorities quoted will resist all attempts at sup
preston of the identity of Popess joanna, and,
whoever may object it is right and proper that
she should take her place in the historical drama
Of the past