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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	great_a	work_n	3,199	5	5.4597	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47954	Il nipotismo di Roma, or, The history of the popes nephews from the time of Sixtus the IV to the death of the last Pope Alexander the VII in two parts / written originally in Italian in the year 1667 ; and Englished by W.A.; Nipotismo di Roma. English	Leti, Gregorio, 1630-1701.; Aglionby, William, d. 1705.	1669 (1669)	Wing L1335; ESTC R2244	180,003	346

unbridled Passion He would not allow that the City of Rome should enjoy certain holy priviledges peculiar to it alone and therefore in the year 1500 having publish'd an Universal Jubile he granted more Indulgences to those that staid at home than to those who as the custom is came to visit the Churches of Rome ordain'd for that purpose Nevertheless some were willing to think that he did this out of good policy as doubting lest all the people of Christendom being already offended with the wicked carriage of his Sons there might happen at Rome amidst the variety and confusion of sundry Nations some resolution to the prejudice of all his House But such reasons had no place in his mind for those that came to Rom● were led thither by devotion and the diversity of Nations hinders the Union of a People that would take Arms against their Lord. The principal cause lay in his own humour which was cruel and totally averse from doing good to any others besides his own Relations And whereas by so great a concourse the Romans were likely to gain something by the traffick of holy Merchandise to wit Medals Crowns and other consecrated works besides the Rent of Lodgings and sale of Provisions He would not that they should enjoy this benefit although the hindrance of it was accompanied with loss both to himself the Church of St. Peter and the Office of the Datary All the good he did to the Church was that he shew'd himself very liberal to Writers and Learned men of all sorts not out of any natural inclination towards them but only to oblige them to write well of himself and his Kindred And accordingly there were some infamous Writers as I may deservedly call them who made comparison between his Raign and that of Alexander with a parallel of the qualities of these two persons Amongst the rest one made a Book intituled The glories of the Papacy of Alexander the Sixth and the Borgian Family God give a thousand ill years to such Writers who flatter falsly and at their pleasure make Angels of Devils and Saints of Tyrants An other good thing which this Pope seem'd to do to the City of Rome was that there being a great dearth in the State he caused great plenty of corn to be brought from Sicily and by this means render'd the City very plentifully stored But 't was not any affection for the people that induc'd him to it but he did it out of consideration of great profit to himself for he sold corn at Rome for double the price it cost in Sicily trading with the Churches money and putting the gain into the purse of his Bastards Whence it may be concluded that he never had any intention to do good to the publick Innocent the eighth of the house of Cibo was as benign and inclin'd to do good as Alexander was cruel and addicted to do evil The truth is Innocent who gave neither Offices nor Riches to his Relations but with moderation as I have said in due place was a Pope worthy of that time when Christendom seem'd to be threatned with most heavy calamities This man studied from morning to night how to procure benefit to the Church ease to the People and comfort to the Catholicks so that no sooner was any thing mention'd to him but he presently answer'd So be that it bring good to the Publick From whence it may easily be gather'd that all his motions tended to do good and were far from the design of doing evil He rewarded all those Cardinals who had nominated and promoted him to the Papal Chair To the Monastick Orders he granted particular favours and priviledges especially to that of St. Dominique and St. Francis He lightned the Church and likewise the Palace and Court of all superfluous expenses He us'd great charity towards the Poor He lov'd his Country and caus'd most ample satisfaction to be given to the Genoeses who had been ill treated during the vacancy of the See He honour'd and requir'd others to honour all extraneous Nations of the World insomuch that the Turk himself sent an Embassadour to him with some Presents meerly because he had understood this generous demeanour of the Pope amongst which Presents was the Title of the Holy Cross and the Spear which pierc'd the side of our Saviour Thus the Romans report and believe and accordingly I write it He readily pardon'd injuries receiv'd provided his Pardon were desir'd with humility and he receiv'd Embassadours with so great curtesies that in those days the Princes of Christendom knew not how to do a greater favour to a deserving Officer of State than to send him Embassadour to Rome to negotiate with so worthy and good a Pope He re-bless'd the Venetians who had been interdicted by his Predecessor and although a Genoese yet he omitted not to bestow divers favours on the Senate being wont to say That Popes may receive great honour by keeping good correspondence with the Republick and great shame by breaking with it Whence during his Government he entred into League with the Venetians not in order to raise war against any but only for procuring an Universal peace and the tranquillity of all Christendom He suppress'd all those Tyrants who in several places tyrannis'ed over the State Ecclesiastical He reduc'd unto friendship the disunited hearts of the Romans particularly the Families of Colonna Orsini Margoni and Santa Croce which were all embroil'd together in civil feuds and he commanded all Governours of the State to use their utmost endeavour for extinguishing all other intestine combustions He reduc'd all the Kings and Princes of Europe to an Universal Peace and believe me 't is little less than a miracle to unite together so many disunited minds And indeed since the daies of Augustus Caesar never was there seen in Europe so great a peace and concord between all Princes who attributed this blessed tranquillity to the pious intention and good conduct of the Pope He brought to pass that three the most powerful Armies that ever appeared in the world were rais'd for the destruction of the Turk two by Land whereof one was commanded by the Emperour the other by the King of Hungary and the third was a very mighty Fleet commanded by the Pope in Person accompanied with the Kings of France Spain and England besides part of the Colledge of Cardinals and a great number of Princes But whilst all things were putting in order and eight months of the year allotted for preparation already elapsed this great Pope fell sick and his death shortly ensuing hindered Christendom from the most glorious expedition that ever was or perhaps will be undertaken against Asia and so much the more in that Alexander the Sixth was his Successor These examples are alledged by me to shame those Popes who are so infinitely strangers to the spirit and qualities of Innocent The Church indeed much needs in these daies such a Pope as he to remedy the innumerable disorders and

Sigismondo who are Brothers and Sons of another of the Popes Brothers who dyed before Alexander's exaltation to the Popedom and two other Brothers who are Sons to one of the Popes Sisters that was married in the Family of the Bichi so that in all there are one Brother and five Nephews which make a pretty compleat Nipotismo Don Mario is five years older then the Pope and though by consequence he be threescore and ten yet he is strong and lusty The Pope and he are very different in their constitution humour and actions for the first is tall the other low the Pope is inclin'd to learning Don Mario is strangely ignorant the Pope is lean and Don Mario is fat the Pope is noble and generous and Don Mario is covetous and miserable thinking of nothing but of gathering and heaping together of money little troubling himself at the peoples murmurings and yet they cry out more against him then ever they did against Don Tadeo nay more then they did against Donna Olympia her self he hath invented so many new subtleties to get money out of those Offices which are ordinarily bestowed upon the Popes nearest Relations that the Barbarines who thought themselves masters in that Craft do remain astonish'd to see themselves outdone by a new beginner The Pope shewes him the respect due to an elder Brother and that is all 't is true that of late he hath afforded him more liberty and a greater share in the Government then he was wont to have and he uses it to his advantage missing no occasion to improve his fortune nay he is so passionately bent to getting that he ordinarily uses to say of a thing he does not like There is nothing to be got there The good opinion which the Pope hath of his integrity is the poison which corrupts all the present Government for being prepossess'd to his advantage he lets him do any thing so he do but maintain plenty of Corn and Meat in Rome and keep the people from murmuring but things do not go well nor with any honour to the Pope for if Don Mario was honest and sincere in Siena he no sooner came to Rome but he chang'd his nature and made it his business to grow rich by any means whatsoever though the people send their cryes up to Heaven against him they come not to the Popes eares who all this while thinks that Don Mario of Rome is Don Mario of Siena and there 's the mischeif The Cardinal Flavio Chigi his Son deserves neither to be praised nor blamed for any thing that regards the Government of the Church in which he is little concern'd for having the Title of Padrone or Master he exercises his mastership in taking his pleasure avoiding with all possible means to have any hand in business least he should perplex his mind and be diverted from the taste of sensual delights to which he hath given himself up In his Uncles last fit of sickness that he might not be liable to the imputation of ignorance or incapacity he bestirr'd himself pretty well and perform'd the duties belonging to so important a place as his is His assiduity and care appeared much and the Embassadours and people of business were pretty well satisfyed with the good-will he shewed being the apter to bear with the smallness of his sufficiency But as soon as his Uncle was upon his feet again the Nephew began to withdraw his neck from the yoke and not only gave over giving of audience but feigned himself sick that no body might trouble him 'T is true that he was really so sometimes out of debauchery and is forced to keep his bed in good earnest The Physicians then do never acquaint the Pope with the true cause of his indisposition though often question'd upon it because they are afraid of irritating him against his Nephew who on his side gives them large presents to oblige them to secresie He doth not much care to gather riches and treasure for three reasons The first is because his Father is already too much enclin'd that way The second because he hath no desire to leave any thing to his Cozen Don Agostino And the third because he hath no Nephewes to provide for that branch of his family ending in him So that he is content with the revenue of his place which is above 200000 Crowns a year which he spends nobly amongst his Comerades and Mistresses it being a common report that he hath already half a dozen Bastards by divers Courtisans but for my part I believe they belie him and lay their children to his charge as being the ablest to keep them He would without doubt enjoy his health better then he does if he were temperate for he is not above five and thirty years old of a Sanguine temper with a good mixture of Melancholy the colour of his beard and haire being the same with his Uncles In his Legation in France he got reputation shewing himself noble and splendid as also liberal on divers occasions ●●d certainly he would have been prodigal in his presents if those Prelates that were with him had not counsel'd him to the contrary so that he indeed lived after the French fashion but his dependants after the Italian that is sparingly Don Agostino Son to Augusto Chigi and Don Sigismond his Brother are much in the Popes favour and he hath for him much more real love then for Don Mario or the Cardinal Flavio his Son Of Don Sigismond there is little to be said only that the Pope doth every day bestow upon him some considerable benefice waiting only till he be of age to make him Cardinal being now in the year 1667 but 17 years old which keeps the Pope from admitting him to that honour though it is thought that in the first promotion he will not fail to be created Cardinal and indeed with a great deal more reason then Cardinal Maldachini who was promoted for Donna Olympia's sake at 18 years old though much more unworthy of it then Don Sigismondo 'T is thought that if the Pope should dye before he were made Cardinal his inclinations would rather encline him to marriage then to a Batchelors life But I am not of that opinion for Don Agostino his Brother hath prevented him in that by giving and procuring for him no other but Church Revenues as Abbyes and other Benefices of which if he should go to marry he must be devested and then he would be so poor that he would not meet with a match suitable to his quality As for Don Agostino Fortune seems to have espoused his interest for from his first coming to Rome till this present time all things have succeeded very Prosperously and much to his satisfaction having met with a match according to his desire and a principality which was his hearts wish so he hath nothing left to long for This abundance of content hath so taken possession of his Soul that it hath quite blotted out the remembrance of

trust and alwaies treat with the Cardinals who are adherents to their Masters to discover the Counsels by their means But indeed they deceive themselves for the Cardinals being as much concern'd as the Pope in the defense of the Church the State and the publick good in regard all are in capacity to be Popes they will never reveal any thing which may prejudice that Papacy which makes them great and which they aim one day to govern The Cardinals are not so indiscreet as to reveal any thing that may in any wise prejudice the Interests of the Papacy and Ecclesiastick State they reveal such things as may be of prejudice to the single person of the Pope or rather of his Nephews whom commonly they hate through envy The effect hereof is that most Popes put little trust in the Cardinals when any matter relating to their own House is in agitation but they do all motu proprio for themselves having whilst they were Cardinals revealed what they ought to have kept secret they doubt being afterwards Popes that others do the like by them and for this cause they secure themselves as much as possible from such dangers The Papal Excommunications which are great against those that reveal the secrets of the Roman Court as well Temporal persons as Spiritual have no other effect but to put all into confusion and to cause ambiguities on all sides Hence such things as are revealed seem not really to be so but only intimated and consequently no small prudence is requisite to understand what is spoken because the revealers fearing the sting of the Excommunication within their breasts utter only doubtful perplex'd and ambiguous words by which means such Agents as think themselves illuminated by such revelations soon after find themselves puzzled and confounded The cause hereof is the fear which Excommunication begets in the breasts of the scrupulous But it is true in general that to mingle things certain with doubtful is proper to the Roman Court and things true with false to the Ecclesiasticks But the Ecclesiasticks being less guilty of valour then fear for oftentimes they fear even their own shadows the more important things are the more they consult about them which the Popes do not because the good of the State requires it or the care of their Pastoral charge urges their consciences thereunto but only to take from their successors the occasion to charge the blame of mischief upon their Nephews And this is the cause that Negotiations are prolonged publick Ministers confounded and poor Christendom so embroiled as it is at this day Ambassadors at Rome espcially in the beginning of a Pontificate think they treat with the new Pope as a person disinteressed and the Universal Father not only in reference to things pertaining to the Church but also to the civil Interests of Princes and affairs most important to the Universe But they deceive themselves and this Error confounds their Treaties whilst the Popes have nothing but the bare Title and outward shew of Universal Father acting all things according to the dictates of their own will and interest Were the Popes really Universal Fathers they would love all alike and deal with all without affection or hatred But truly I know not how they dare assume that Title especially those Popes who without any need of the Church have made it lawful to themselves to begin Wars hinder Peaces persecute Nations and make Leagues against Crowns Commonwealths and Princes perhaps nay without perhaps better deserving of the Church and affected to the publick and universal tranquillity I know that if the Popes would deserve the Title of Universal Father they out to be Universal towards all and if at any time to be particular it should be either out of absolute necessity of Reason of State or some great importance to the honour of the Church Thus did the Primitive Popes but within these last hundred years things are altogether transform'd for the waies of the Popes are directed to the advancement of their Families whence every Pope has often chang'd his thoughts and purposes and made shew of one thing outwardly and meant another inwardly not for that reasons of State but the reasons of their own Families so requir'd which latter are commonly more dear to the Popes than the former The Ministers of Princes understand what I mean 'T is not possible for the most expert Minister at Rome to succeed well and with his Master's satisfaction in the things which he negotiates there Before I give a reason whereof I will relate what I read three daies ago in a little book whether Historical or Fabulous I know not but much to the purpose They say Pope Paschal the second took a conceit to have an Astrologer divine his thoughts To which end he sent for an Abbot very intelligent in the Art of Astrology and demanded of him What himself thought The Abbot surpris'd at this odd-proposal desir'd time to answer and returning home fell to study an Answer but not being able to find one fit and proper to the Question he remain'd much troubled and melancholy His Cook observing it and understanding the cause bid his Master take courage and leave the business to him for he would effect it with reputation to them both The Abbot was well pleas'd with this discourse and being desir'd by the Cook to let him have his Gown and other Habit gave him it wherewith the Cook being cloath'd repair'd to the Pope's presence and that with the more confidence for that he was in person and voyce very like the Abbot The Pope no sooner beheld him but taking him for the Abbot Well said he What do I think The bold Cook answer'd without delay Your Holiness thinks you speak with the Abbot but 't is with the Abbots Cook Not much different is that which befals Embassadours of Princes who negotiate at Rome where the Popes are wont to do like the Jackpuddings of a Play who change themselves in a moment from Man to Woman and from a Physician to a Muleter When an Embassadour thinks he treats with a Temporal Prince and about Civil matters 't is with a Spiritual Bishop and about matters Ecclesiastical Religion serves the Pope to disguise Temporal Dominion and Temporal Dominion to disguise Religion Religion precedes Policy if the Affairs of Embassadours be contrary to the Policy which the Popes have in their heads Policy precedes Religion if the Embassadours strengthen and confirm the particular Policy of the Popes If perchance a publick Agent treats a League offensive or defensive with the Pope he finds greater difficulties therein than he imagin'd for if the Pope see that the League brings much more profit to himself than to the Prince that desires it he concludes as a Temporal Prince without derogating from the Authority Spiritual That is he reserves a secret clause in his mind to break the League when he will under colour of Religion But if he know that the League is likely