The papal bankers were privileged; all others were under the ban.

The Curia had discovered that it was for their interest to have ecelesiastics all over Europe in their debt.

They could make them pliant, and excommunicate them for non-payment of interest.
In 1327 it was reckoned that half the Christian world was under excommunication: bishops were excommunicated because they could not meet the extortions of legates; and persons were excommunicated, under various pretenses, to compel them to purchase absolution at an exorbitant price.

The ecclesiastical revenues of all Europe were flowing into Rome, a sink of corruption, simony, usury, bribery, extortion.

The popes, since 1066, when the great centralizing movement began, had no time to pay attention to the internal affairs of their own special flock in the city of Rome.