In Venice's beginning, the clergy played a major role in government and politics. Over time, however, the church's involvment diminished dramatically. The theory that authority in government must be unchallengable and supreme to all in its domain was what kept the Venetian system of government together. The Pope declared "that the first loyalty of [his] messengers and servants...shall be to [him] and not to [the government], they shall be above and not amenable to [Venetian] laws" (170-171).

In the seventeenth century this decree was put to the test as two churchmen were jailed and charged with serious crimes. Venice was able to achieve victory over the church and the papal censures were revoked.

Fra Paolo Sarpi, also known as Father Paul, served as a Friar of the Servite Order and was a supporter of the Venetian doctrine of state supremacy. Acting as the Theological Advisor to Signony, Father Paul became a sort of anti-Pope figure, while rema ining loyal to the Catholic Church. Father Paul is reportedly the author of The Maxims of Government. These were rules for government during the Renaissance, to which many cities adhered. Here are five examples of those rules:

1. "The Prince has no greater justice than to preserve to himself the quality of the Prince, and to keep his subjects in a dutiful subjection to his authority."
2. "Justice includes everything that may contribute to the preservation of the State."
3. "The abuses committed by the Common People, one against another, may be judged in an ordinary way; and here Justice may be administered impartially, there being no political consideration to it."
4. "When an offence is committed by a Nobleman against a Subject, let all ways be tried to justify him....If it is a Subject that has affronted a Nobleman, let him be punished with the utmost severity."
5. "If there are any members of the Councils (in the Provinces) who are known to be of a very resolute temper, it is fit either to ruin them entirely or purchase their goodwill."

These rules allow for the antics in Volpone, as it abolishes all punishment for the actions and words of the upper-class. And since all of Volpone's victims were noblemen, his deception was not as punishable by law as there was no strict code on noble men offending noblemen. This melancholy of the law where the rich were concerned created a political climate where many upper-class people were bound to support the state, since it worked in their best interests.