On one side, the cardinals wanted a larger share in the church government and emoluments; on the other, the popes refused to surrender revenues or power.

The cardinals wanted to be conspicuous in pomp and extravagance, and for this vast sums were requisite.

In one instance, not fewer than five hundred benefices were held by one of them; their friends and retainers must be supplied, their families enriched.

It was affirmed that the whole revenues of France were insufficient to meet their expenditures.

In their rivalries it sometimes happened that no pope was elected for several years.