ADRIAN IV. (Pope), the only Englishman who ever had the honour of sitting in the papal chair. His name was Nicholas Breakspeare; and he was born at Langley, near St Albans, in Hertfordshire. His father having left his family, and taken the habit of the monastery of St Albans, Nicholas was obliged to submit to the lowest offices in that house for daily support. After some time, he desired to take the habit in that monastery, but was rejected by the abbot Richard. Upon this he resolved to try his fortune in another country, and accordingly went to Paris; where, though in very poor circumstances, he applied himself to his studies with great assiduity, and made a wonderful proficiency. But having still a strong inclination to a religious life, he left Paris, and removed to Provence, where he became a regular clerk in the monastery of St Rufus. He was not immediately allowed to take the habit; but passed some time, by way of trial, in recommending himself to the monks by a strict attention to all their commands. This behaviour, together with the beauty of his person, and prudent conversation, rendered him so acceptable to those religious, that after some time they intreated him to take the habit of the canonical order. Here he distinguished himself so much by his learning and strict observance of the monastic discipline, that, upon the death of the abbot, he was chosen superior of that house; and we are told that he rebuilt that convent. Pope Eugenius III., being apprised of the great merit of Nicholas, and thinking he might be serviceable to the church in a higher station, created him cardinal-bishop of Alba in 1146. In 1148, his Holiness sent him legate to Denmark and Norway; where, by his fervent preaching and diligent instructions, he converted those barbarous nations to the Christian faith; and erected Upfal.

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(a) The verses are these:

Animula vagula, blandula, Hospes, comeceque corporis, Quae nunc abibis in loca Pallidula, rigida, nudula, Nec, ut foles, dabis jocos?

Thus translated by Mr Pope:

Ah! fleeting spirit! wand'ring fire, That long hast warm'd my tender breast, Mayst thou no more this frame inspire? No more a pleasing cheerful guest? Whither, ah whither art thou flying? To what dark undiscover'd shore? Thou seem'st all trembling, shivering, dying, And wit and humour are no more! fal into an archiepiscopal see. When he returned to Rome, he was received by the pope and cardinals with great marks of honour; and Pope Anastasius, who succeeded Eugenius, happening to die at this time, Nicholas was unanimously chosen to the holy see, in November 1154, and he took the name of Adrian. When the news of his promotion reached England, King Henry II. sent Robert abbot of St Alban's, and three bishops, to Rome, to congratulate him on his election; upon which occasion Adrian granted very considerable privileges to the monastery of St Alban's, particularly an exemption from all episcopal jurisdiction, excepting to the see of Rome. Adrian, in the beginning of his pontificate, boldly withstood the attempts of the Roman people to recover their ancient liberty under the consuls, and obliged those magistrates to abdicate their authority, and leave the government of the city to the pope. In 1155, he drove the heretic Arnaud of Brie, and his followers, out of Rome. The same year he excommunicated William king of Sicily, who ravaged the territories of the church, and abolished that prince's subjects from their allegiance. About the same time, Frederic king of the Romans, having entered Italy with a powerful army, Adrian met him near Sutrium, and concluded a peace with him. At this interview, Frederic consented to hold the pope's stirrup whilst he mounted on horseback. After which, his holiness conducted that prince to Rome, and in St Peter's church placed the imperial crown on his head, to the great mortification of the Roman people, who assembled in a tumultuous manner, and killed several of the Imperialists. The next year a reconciliation was brought about between the pope and the Sicilian king, that prince taking an oath to do nothing farther to the prejudice of the church, and Adrian granting him the title of king of the two Sicilies. He built and fortified several castles, and left the papal dominions in a more flourishing condition than he found them. But notwithstanding all his success, he was extremely sensible of the disquietudes attending so high a station; and declared to his countryman John of Salisbury, that all the former hardships of his life were mere amusement to the misfortunes of the popedom: that he looked upon St Peter's chair to be the most uneasy seat in the world; and that his crown seemed to be clapped burning on his head*. He died September 1., 1159, in the fourth year and tenth month of his pontificate; and was buried in St Peter's church, near the tomb of his predecessor Eugenius. There are extant several letters, and some homilies, written by Pope Adrian.

cardinal-priest, of the title of St Chrysogonus, was a native of Cornetto in Tuscany. Innocent VIII. sent him nuncio into Scotland and into France; and after he had been clerk and treasurer of the apostolic chamber, pope Alexander VI. whose secretary he had been, honoured him with the cardinal's hat. His life was a continued scene of odd alterations. He narrowly escaped death the day Alexander VI. poisoned himself by mistake. Afterward he drew upon himself the hatred of Julius II. so that he was obliged to go and hide himself in the mountains of Trent. Having been recalled by Leo X. he was so ungrateful, that he engaged in a conspiracy against him. The pope pardoned his fault; but the cardinal, not caring to trust to this, made his escape, and it could never be known exactly what became of him. He was one of the first that effectually reformed the Latin style. He studied Cicero with great success, and made many excellent observations on the propriety of the Latin tongue. The treatise he composed De ferme Latino, is a proof of this. He had begun a Latin translation of the Old Testament. He wrote De vera philosophia: This treatise was printed at Cologne 1548.

ADRIAN VI. (Pope), was born at Utrecht in 1459. His father was not able to maintain him at school, but he got a place at Louvain, in a college in which a certain number of scholars were maintained gratis. It is reported that he used to read in the night-time by the light of the lamps in the churches or streets. He made a considerable progress in all the sciences; led an exemplary life; and there never was a man less intriguing and forward than he was. He took his degree of doctor of divinity at Louvain; was soon after made canon of St Peter's, and professor of divinity at Utrecht, and then dean of St Peters and vice-chancellor of the university. He was obliged to leave an academical life, to be tutor to the archduke Charles. This young prince made no great progress under him: however, never was a tutor more considerably rewarded; for it was by Charles V.'s credit he was raised to the papal throne. Leo X. had given him the cardinal's hat in 1517. After this pope's death, several cabals in the conclave ended in the election of Adrian, with which the people of Rome were very much displeased. He would not change his name, and in everything he showed a great dislike for all ostentation and sensual pleasures, though such an aversion had been long ago out of date. He was very partial to Charles V. and did not enjoy much tranquillity under the triple crown. He lamented much the wicked morals of the clergy, and wished to establish a reformation of manners among them. He died Sept. 14. 1523.