eric, prolix and stubborn, he had a real desire for
reform and an earnest wish to avoid {382} quarrels with either of the
great powers that menaced him, the emperor and France. The reforming
spirit of the pope showed itself in the appointment of several men of
the highest character to the cardinalate, among them Gaspar Contarini
and Fisher, Bishop of Rochester. In other cases, however, the
exigencies of politics induced the nomination of bad men, such as Del
Monte and David Beaton. At the same time a commission was named to
recommend practical reforms. The draft for a bull they presented for
this purpose was rejected by the Consistory, but some of their
recommendations, such as the prohibition of the Roman clergy to visit
taverns, theaters and gambling dens, were adopted.

[Sidenote: May, 1535 _Consilium delectorum cardinalium et aliorum
praelatorum_]

A second commission of nine ecclesiastics of high character, including
John Peter Caraffa, Contarini, Pole and Giberti, was created to make a
comprehensive report on reform. The important memorial they drew up
fully exposed the prevalent abuses. The root of all they found in the
exaggeration of the papal power of collation and the laxity with which
it was used. Not only were morally unworthy men often made bishops and
prelates, but dispensations for renunciation of benefices, for
absenteeism and for other hurtful practices were freely sold. The
commission demanded drastic reform of these abuses as well as of the
monastic orders, and called for the abolition of the venal exercise of
spiritual authority by legates and nuncios. But the reform memorial,
excellent and searching as it was, led to nothing. At most it was of
some use as a basis of reforms made by the Council of Trent later. But
for the moment it only rendered the position of the church more
difficult. The reform of the Dataria, for example, the office which
sold graces, privileges, indults, dispensations and benefices, was
{383} considered impossible because half of the papal revenue, or
110,000 ducats annually, came from it. Nor could the fees of the
Penitentiary be abolished for fear of bankruptcy, though in 1540 they
were partially reduced. [Sidenote: 1538] The most obvious results of
the Consilium was to put another weapon into the hands of the
Lutherans. Published by an unauthorized person, it was at once seized
upon by the Reformers as proof of the hopeless depravity of the Curia.
So dang