whereas on the contrary she perceived that his Holiness kindred had not that esteem for her they ought to have She added many other things which shews her to be of a querulous humour that is just like a Woman that cannot tell what she would have When I took leave of her I found her pensive enough at the news of the dangerous condition of the King of Sweden which makes me believe what I heard since his death that she hath left Rome and is gone into her Country the better to secure the payments they were engag'd to make her When she hath done that if she return to make her abode in Rome many people will be glad of it but very few will have any cause to be jealous And now having made known the internal and external qualities of the Pope and his Kindred together with those that serve him for aid and counsel in his Government both Politique and Ecclesiastique it is time to examine the internal Sentiments of his Holiness towards Christian Princes and so to conclude by examining what his thoughts are concerning the good and advantage of your most Serene Republique upon which having made a most serious reflection I dare believe that I shall be but very little or not at all mistaken ANd to begin with him who holds the first and highest rank and hath most authority amongst Secular Princes viz. the Emperour we cannot say but the Pope holds very good intelligence or correspondence with him since at the Election of his Majesty to the Imperial Crown he did all he was able to overcome those difficulties the Electors made who would hardly comply unless some satisfaction were allowed them which they pretended were due to them and his Holiness had much adoe to gain the favour as well of the Ecclesiastique as the Secular Electors not to name the Protestants who being on the one hand perswaded by the Sollicitations of the French and on the other with-held by the certain knowledge it was then the onely time to make their conditions better than they had been for it was much impaired thorow the long continuance of that great Dignity in the Austrian Family and therefore the Pope speaks very loud of the high services he therein did to his Imperial Majesty having just reason to expect he should in retribution do any thing for him again that lies in his power To which purpose it is evident indeed that they take all the care imaginable to please him Thus at the beginning of this Pope's Government it was chiefly upon his sollicitation that the Emperour attaqued the King of Sweden by the invasion he made upon Pomerania notwithstanding the many difficulties might have hapned by reason of the danger of breeding new troubles in Germany upon pretence of a breach of the Peace at Munster which the Friends and Allies of the Swede might allege and which is most considerable this was undertaken in a time when the Court was empty of mony which is a thing that ought still to be had in readiness upon any sudden commotion Nevertheless the Pope's perswasions prevailed upon the promise he made that if any urgent occasion required and they called upon him he would remit them a good sum from Rome but although they did much want it and craved it with much earnestness they were put off with many excuses to evade the promise as it is the custome of that Court to disingage themselves and leave those others engaged who confide too much in them And though this were hush'd up by the Imperialists yet it hath made them somewhat forgetful of the obligation the Pope pretended from this Court especially considering besides this that the Pope's endeavour for the election of Leopoldus was not so much to hinder the choice of any other as out of this respect the Pope had that if the Imperial Dignity should fall on any other Prince it were not certain whether the Authority of the Court of Rome would be still continued over the German Catholiques or whether the Pope's Constitutions would be observ'd with the great reverence as now they are under the Government of the House of Austria which hath been ever very observant in the Customs and Manners of that Court I therefore hold it for true and certain that the Pope and Emperor will at present keep a fair agreement and the more because in the Treaty of Peace between the two Crowns of France and Spain their interests were little considered since amongst all those that were mentioned and comprised these were placed last of all at which they were both displeased and murmured to themselves yet both dissembled this discontent which did in some manner help to tie them the more strictly to their former confidence and made the Emperour give ear more readily to the Counsels of the Pope When the troubles in the North increased The Pope knows that in the Emperor's Court perhaps he hath more credit than in any other in Christendome which will make him put those designs in execution he hath told me of more than once which is to put the Emperour upon a War that will prove advantagious to Christendome by an easie way but wholly reserv'd to himself Perhaps the present juncture of affairs may render the thing more feasible than at another season yet when his Holiness told me his design whatsoever reflexion I made yet could I not apprehend either how or when it might be brought to pass Nor do I believe he would find much repugnance on the Emperor's part having a lively spirit and great disposition to engage upon any good counsel but if there should be much mony required to carry it on it would be esteemed a Chymera because the Princes of this age have an aversion to all propositions of rupture that are made and the Emperour more than any especially now his Coffers are drained and part of those under his power obey not their Superiour very willingly whilst others would be glad to see him fall and every one is unwilling to disburse The Emperour hath no other Minister at Rome but the Cardinal Colonne who bearing ever a great respect to the Pope for the Interest of his Family cannot do his Imperial Majesty any great service in his Negotiations but all passes thorow the hands of the Lord Caraffe Nuncio in the Imperial Court who exercises that Office with as great satisfaction to either side as he did with profit when he resided near your most Serene Lordships The French Nation does perhaps best of any apprehend the Genious of the Court of Rome and knows the readiest ways to withdraw themselves out of such inconveniencies wherein other Princes do insensibly engage themselves They esteem and revere the Apostolique Chair in a Souvereign degree and tender all the respect that can be required from a Prince truly Catholique and pious but for all this they are very clear-sighted and wary to maintain their Prerogatives and prevent the Ecclesiastiques who at present endeavour
people that are Subjects to the Austrian Family being hugely possessed with Religion and fully perswaded that the Sanctuary of Rome is that alone which can either bestow or deprive them of Eternal Salvation if in the commencement of a rupture the Popes should proceed to Excommunication or a Revocation of Indulgences which they have liberally allowed the Catholique Kings it is beyond all doubt that a general combustion would follow thereupon which might occasion the revolt of all the Subjects of that great Empire and so the forfeit of the peace and security of the Spanyards would flow from his too great obedience wherein they imagine their chief strength and power does consist But perhaps likewise the good Genious of those Kingdomes will suggest such means as may prevent these inconveniencies and the present Age not having been happy in that Monarchy by reason of the few virtuous Men that have been her late Souvereigns future Ages may produce more excellent ones and compense her past disorders by preventing those which might happen probably to her hereafter In effect if with attention we consider the present posture of things in the world it greatly concerns Christendome to have a Potent Prince who in such dangers whereinto the power of the Turks may in an instant and unprovided cast her might suddenly make head against them without making of Leagues and expecting Foreign aid which cannot be compassed but by length of time and is a great retardment And if Christendome had had in this present juncture of things a powerful Prince to have thus succour'd her perhaps your most Serene Signory had not been reduc'd to the condition she is now in And notwithstanding on her security depends all what the Monarchy of Spain possesses in Italy But to return to what I said Pope Alexander is not ignorant of all those reasons he hath to make him love Spain and her King and does often tell this to the Ministers of other Princes but in such a manner however as if it seemed that the benefits which the Court of Rome receiveth from the Spanyards were not so considerable as to hinder the Pope from denying them from time to time those favours which they crave of him as having authority not to grant all to those Children he most tenders what they shall desire but onely that which will be for their greatest good and highest spiritual advantage His Holiness hath made complaint for that the Spanish Ministers have been too reserved and secret towards him in not communicating to him the Treaty of Peace pretending that having ever believed the Propositions on their part were more plausible than those which were shaped in Mazarin's Closet they did him wrong in observing so rigorously that Seal of Secresie which Mazarin had imposed on them And although they endeavour all they can to calm his discontented thoughts thereupon urging that it was conceal'd in the same manner from the Emperour and even from the Republique which had been so long time employ'd about the Treaty He is not however satisfi'd with this excuse but replies That they ought to make a difference between Secular Princes and a Pope who aimed at no other thing but to find out the means to give that content to all Christendom and not have left that honour to a man who had studi'd all the devices imaginable to obstruct so great a happiness After all this I conclude that the Pope hath just reason to love the Spanyards not so much because they contributed to his Exaltation as because their Arms have put a stop to the fury of Heretiques and their Country brings in the Riches and opulency to the Court of Rome and I believe he doth truly love them but having found that his Predecessors had taken the way to have most commonly some contests with the Catholique Court he will not swerve from it esteeming these disputes do in some respects encrease the reputation of the Court of Rome and from thence hath a fair opportunity to gain an esteem of other Princes not declining my former Proposition That the more the Spanyards condescend to the Pope's will the more will they prejudice themselves and the Obligations they do acknowledge to be due from them to the Apostolique Seat may one day produce most dangerous effects unless they fore-arm themselves by such precautious means as they shall judge most proper against the pretensions of the Ecclesiastiques thereby to put their Monarchy in a better posture of security The King of Poland subsists because God hath affisted him For otherwise had he reli'd on those hopes the Court of Rome had given him to supply him with Money his enemies had triumph'd over him and the total loss of that Kingdom would have been such a leading to other Provinces as might have wrought the manifest danger of establishing a Power in those parts which would have become formidable to all Europe God be praised that we are so happy as to see every one returning to his own home again his neighbouring Princes beginning to stickle in that War as they ought to do whereas nothing to purpose could have been expected from them had the pressing affairs of Christendom summoned them to the defence of their own States The Pope talks loudly of the good Offices he did for the Religion and Countries of the Catholique Princes at that juncture But the Polonians and Imperialists speak otherwise they profess that at the heighth of all the War they found no great benefit in the exhortations of his Holiness which served for nothing else but onely to perswade their Enemies they had not so little amity for them but that they would send them succour from Rome And it was this noise and nothing else that made it believed the Catholique Forces were so much greater than indeed they were In the mean time King Casimir a good Souldier and good Catholique finding at present his losses are nothing so great as he had cause to fear they would prove gives the Pope thanks for what he hath done and to please him the more tells him That the very words of his Holiness were not ineffectual for his assistance The Duke of Savoy hath had no Minister at Rome since some discontent given him in Pope Innocent's time and indeed considering the little business he hath there he needs not entertain any The present Pope who seeks by all means and ways to add lustre and glory to that Court which he thinks does consist much in the number of such Ministers as reside there on the behalf of other Princes hath declared that he should be much pleased to have an Ambassadour from that Duke as from a Prince to whom the Church is much oblig'd This he made known obliquely to Madam and the Duke her Son who found it fitting to content his Holiness herein who would be willing likewise to add lustre to that Family were there any of them at present worthy of the Purple to lay the surer foundation for the
greedy after his own interest and more ready to put the Pope in mind of filling his own purse than seeking any largess for others This made me forbear to solicite him guessing the little profit that was like to redound to make trial of other ways which your Lordships are not unacquainted withal although they all proved fruitless and too weak when it concerned his Holiness to disburse any monies which is not kept closer in his own Coffers than it is by all the Court Prelates who think to gain credit and repute from his Holiness by exhorting him to preserve that Metall which above all things makes the Ecclesiastical Principality be highly esteem'd as if it were not rather the Dignity and Sanctity of the Sovereign Priesthood that render'd the Papacy Majestick than the reputation of having great riches But we need not doubt but their abuses being arrived to the heighth we find them the Ecclesiastick Authority would be very weak and languishing were it not sustained by a Temporal Power whereas if those Priests would lay aside their vanity of agrandizing themselves and onely make good their just degrees and privilege the Church would soon be lifted above all other Powers whatsoever For to say truth Whosoever beholds the Court of Rome surpassing in Magnificence and State the Courts of all other Princes cannot but wonder by what means upon so slender a foundation and so far from the design and intentions of her first Founders she should have raised her self to so proud a heighth And although every one knows it proceeded from the Liberality and Magnificency of Temporal Princes yet it cannot but appear strange to see the Roman Church turn those Benefits she hath received from them against themselves to their prejudice the Canonists and other Emissaries of that Court studying nothing more than how to strengthen and extend their Ecclesiastical jurisdiction and abase and diminish the Secular if they possibly could This point wherewith you have been so often entertain'd deserves yet still to be put into your memories because without any diving into the depths of a profound Speculation it may be observed that considering the by-ways the Popes do tread and withal reflecting on the sincere conduct of Secular Princes of necessity it must follow that the Ecclesiastical Monarchy will become Mistris of the World and the Secular fall and become her Servant Your Serene Signiory hath a great deal of Piety and a particular Veneration for that Holy and Apostolique Tribunal who likewise hath a singular good-will towards her but yet she knows well how far she ought to show her veneration and herein she carries her self prudently being very well advertised of those things which do insensibly lead the Court of Rome to enlarge her Phylacteries more and more And this Note shall suffice by the way And since we are now upon the discourse of the Grandeur of the Court of Rome it will not be amiss to show what it is because as it appears great by looking onely upon those things which makes the Courts and Dwellings of other Princes considerable yielding in effect neither for number of Ministers or Officers to none in Christendome it will seem yet far greater by having for Assessors and Counsellors seventy Kings for they give that Title to the Cardinals in the Act of their Creations and therefore it is that they are vested in Purple and are served almost like Kings and when together with this Dignity they have acquired a great Reputation their Amity is sought by the most puissant Princes who by publick or private Pensions endeavour to make them their friends because of the privilege they have of Electing a Pope and what by consequence must follow thereupon the Soveraign Dignity lights upon one of themselves and this is in short the cause of all their arrogancy which otherwise is often reduced to contempt enough besides the vexation of not being able to obtain any grace unless they be the Pope's Favourits It may be expected that a Pope who hath so excellent a judgment to discern how those persons ought to be qualifi'd that are fit to be aggregated in that Sacred Colledge as Pope Alexander hath should promote none but persons worthy of his choice and indeed the Court hitherto hath no reason to complain since he hath admitted none but such as deserved very much and it is hoped it will be so still for the future Now though it would be needful to make an exact search and inquiry into the quality of the present Cardinals to know them thorowly yet that your Lordships may have some knowledge of him that shall one day be raised to the Chair I shall make no difficulty to undertake it and I shall acquit my self with much brevity because there are many other things to be examined which your Serene Lordships will be glad to know The Cardinal Charls de Medices Uncle to the Great Duke of Toscany is the Dean of the Sacred College He never shows himself at Rome but when the Chair is vacant he takes more pleasure at his own home being free both from clamour and expence He leads the Spanish Faction not without a great deal of hopes from the Great Duke who longeth for nothing more than to have a Pope that may favour him because of the troubles and traverses the Popes put him to who little consider him He was not at the Court whilst I was there But the obligeing humor of that Prince is not unknown to your Lordships by other means as likewise the great joy he ever expresses at the least news of your prosperity He is a man that speaks little hath a good wit and ardently desires the advantages of his Family to serve whom he rather suffer'd a long while in the Conclave then gave way to elect any person that might not be pleasing to the Great Duke Francis Barberino who in the time of Urban and his Domination made some escapes being hurri'd thereto rather by the impetuosity of his nature than out of any evil intent perceives at present that it is in vain to trouble the world having extremely prejudic'd himself by discovering the violence of his passions He hath lost all his hopes of ever attaining to sit in the Holy Chair which his Uncle Urban held though otherwise both for his knowledge and the candour of his mind he is worthy to be placed therein Which evidently shows that innocency of life is no sufficient motive to oblige the Cardinals to chuse a Man for Pope it hapning very often that together with the greatest Sanctity there may be joyned some other such defects as were able to put the whole world in a confusion Nevertheless Barberino hath a little recover'd his credit under Innocent they having noted the inconveniencies hapning in that Popes manner of Government which they also found in Urban's time but with more moderation Although his Family inclines towards the French yet he hath ever shewed that he hath more regard for the
forbear it that they may not undergo the contempt of seeing their Decrees rejected and their Authority despised Whence it will follow that the Cause ceasing those Dissentions which are the Effects will cease likewise The second which is purely Politique may be reduced to this That although the Popes have acquired great power over the Spanyard by their having several times extremely obliged them and do in their Country exercise an Authority not at all disputed nevertheless they cannot but have some jealousie and fear lest that Monarchy should one day open its eyes and endeavour to ease themselves of those great burthens the Clergy have insensibly laid on their backs and because if that should happen it may be the thunder of the Censures and Temporal power of the Church would prove insufficient to oppose that danger The Pope's have therefore made it their Maxim to keep the Amity of the French as a means thereby to help themselves in case there should any change or stirs happen on the House of Austria Some Cardinals have at times entertained me with discourse on this subject not in such plain terms but however in such a way that I could easily perceive that they see clearer and farther then some Princes imagine they do When ever the French laying aside their suspition of the Clergies covetousness shall endeavour or desire to be at greater amity with the Court of Rome there is no cause to fear but it would succeed because of their conformity in Religion and because of their own interest who if they should trouble the peace of Rome would compel them to unite themselves more firmly with the Spanyard a thing the French will endeavour to obstruct as much as possibly they can If we should judge of things according to the interest of the Court of Rome and Pope Alexander's inclination we need not doubt but the Spanyards possess the affection of his Holiness more than any other The interest of the Court of Rome consists in this that for the most part the mony wherewith it is glutted above all the other Cities in Italy comes in greatest abundance from the States of the Catholique King where the Ecclesiastical Tribunal is held in Sovereign veneration all the States of that Monarchy having their recourse thither to the great profit of the Officers who have a share in the First-fruits and many other things according to their Quality and their Offices And as for the Pope's inclination provided he otherwise have a general zeal for the good of Christendom and the propagation of the Faith and that he remain stedfast in these two things as I believe he doth I think he may and ought to have a more particular affection for that Nation whose Maxim it is Not to admit of any other Religion in their Dominions but the Roman Catholique and employing all the power they have to advance it But in truth things are not carri'd thus for whether the Court of Rome believes that all the Spanyards do in pretence of Religion is rather out of self-interest or whether this Court is perswaded they ought absolutely to rule over those that will never fall foul on her how great soever the inconveniencies are they lie under it is ever observ'd in all the differences arising betwixt Rome and Spain that after a great and long contest the Agreement is most commonly made to the Popes content and the diminution of somewhat of the Catholique King's pretences and when businesses have thus hapned to the disadvantage of that Monarchy other Princes have also received a notable prejudice thereby for when the Pope or his Ministers have once carri'd so high a hand over the Spanyard as to make him yield they presently make use of the opportunity to quell or confound those that would do otherwise or at least to induce them not to refuse that to which so great a Monarchy as Spain hath acquiesc'd This stratagem may be effectual when they treat with inferior Princes who are not able upon every contest they have with Rome to take Arms but both the Pope and his Ministers decline all these ways when they have to deal with the French who when the Clergy press'd them by this example of the Spanyards to condescend to things which were prejudicial to them soon gave them an answer which stopped their mouthes Nay my self being once earnestly sollicited to press your Lordships for a revocation of the Ordinance which prohibits the Clergy from purchasing any immovables upon an example alleaged of the practise of Spain and the other Territories of his Catholique Majesty did give for answer That the reasons which oblig'd that great and vast Monarchy to suffer it were not current here because this Republique being but a petty or little State and the Clergy extraordinarily encreased in wealth if they were suffered still to purchase and never to alienate our posterity could expect no other than to be one day driven out of this * Venice is built on a Marsh Marsh and and perhaps out of all her Territories on the firm Land And to this are all those Principalities reduc'd who not content with that subjection they owe the Church of Rome as the Universal Mother of Christians have submitted to and followed the Pope's desires in things indifferent not that they do at once demand several things of difficulty but sometimes one thing and then another and thus by little and little they gain so much as doth both diminish and limit the Temporal Power and so when Princes shall think themselves Masters they will find their Authority so eclips'd and manacl'd that they will be astonish'd to see another master them at their own homes Those who are acquainted with their extortions at Naples and perhaps in all the other Dominions of Spain of the Officers of the Roman Treasury as well in matters of * A certain Fee levi'd by the Ecclesiastical Chamber at the death of a Clergy-man that hath no power to make a Will Despoiling as in the gathering up of what is raised for the Fabrick of St. Peter which they also impose on meer Laicks cannot but admire that the Ministers of Spain should be so drousie as not to observe with what Empire void of all discretion and with what insolency they treat the Persons and Goods of their Subjects Let your most Serene Signory therefore give thanks to the Divine Bounty that hath preserved her from these confusions and given her the prudence and courage to defend both her self and Subjects from the violence of such Strangers confirming her ever in the antient and true Faith but also giving her at the same time the judgment to discern what is due to Caesar and what to God It is certain that if the Spaniards still keep their eyes as close shut as they have hitherto done they cannot expect so great a Tempest from any other part as from the Court of Rome when upon any accident there shall arise dissention amongst them because those
any necessity onely for the fancy and pleasure of the Pope and sometimes of his Ministers many Families that have but mean Fortunes should feel the weight of such grand Payments which brings them neither benefit nor conveniency in return But that which exceeds all these excessive Expences is what he hath bestowed upon that great and vast massie Portico which he hath undertaken to raise round about the place of the Basilique Vaticane for having changed the Design that famous Architect Michael Angel Bâ—onarota had formerly laid who wrought with so much success at the same Temple of St. Peters and reduced this work to one range of Porticosi which without any excessive expence would have made it an admirable Structure and very commodious for the Coaches either when it rained or shined having changed this design I say he follows that of some Modern Architects who have made it of an extraordinary greatness for it is to be of a Circular form with three Walks or Alleys and all of Stone of Tivoli And although the Architects have found by their Calculation that the expence will not exceed five hundred thousand Crowns yet if we reckon according to what the little that is finished already hath cost we shall find that what is proportionably to be done cannot be completed hardly for a million of Crowns These high and great designs are very certain marks that the Pope has a Soul truly Royal and truly he makes it appear in all the publick actions he undertakes as may be seen by the reception he made of the Queen of Sweden in which he omitted nothing that might add any glory or lustre to make it proud and equal if it were possible to the Ancient Roman Triumphs and by his Magnificence he incited the whole Court to shew the complaisance they take in following and imitating herein the inclinations of his Holiness But when we consider on the one side that the Apostolique Chamber is drained by the insatiability of the preceding Popes and on the other side that the times are miserable and had the profusion of so much Treasure appears to the world to be ill husbandry and not in season since it might have been employ'd with more praise and merit and to better purpose for the most pressing Necessities of Christendom who looking upon Rome as the North-Star to guide them and the Pope as their Tutelary God cannot but be afflicted to behold him instead of healing their wounds and composing their distractions amusing and pleasing himself in raising and adorning of stately Walls However it cannot be denied but such great Spirits do extremely thirst after Glory and Renown The wisest men who perceived it from the beginning always scoffed at the Popes sparingness in the first years of his Reign as not being willing to see his nearest kindred much less inrich them nay more it was their opinion that he affected this little glory of renouncing his particular Interests thereby to acquire himself a greater afterwards as if already he had the ambition to do those things which Popes of a most holy life could never do before But since that the world has found the Pope extremely glad to be induced by the Cardinals and the Ministers of other Princes to call those of his Family to Rome while in so doing it might appear that he was rather prompted to it by the earnest intreaties of all the Court than by the flatteries of his kindred Rome is too subtle and can dive too far into the designs of those that command her not to perceive this and how rigorously soever they forbid them from judging the actions of their Princes yet would they not forbear it on this occasion And to say truth they could not apprehend how the Pope who hath so much ambition to revive the memory of his Ancestors could suffer it to be buried in the oblivion of his kindred yet living these were contradictions that could not in any wise be reconciled But however it were then certain it is that at present they are so well at their ease that should the Pope die they will have no cause to envie others riches anon I shall give the reasons more particularly But e're I go further I will not omit to let you know the Original of this House and by what degrees the Pope could rise to so high a Dignity His Nobility is as considerable as could be in the City of Siena where they are registred in the number of those antient Families that have been honoured with such Commands as that City is wont to bestow upon her Members and have maintained themselves by their Alliance with those Families that were nothing inferior to them But this is not the first time that they have made themselves known at Rome In the time of Julius the Second the House of the Chigi had employments in the Court not of Prelature but Offices in the Chamber which spreads the names of those that exercise them over all parts and at that time the Chigi made theirs the more known because they hapned to serve a Pope both passionate and turbulent above all others Whence follows that because of the profusion of monies those that are thus rash are forced to make use of to maintain the Wars they undertake Augustine Chigi who managed the Treasury had a fair opportunity to play his part being naturally active But though he were very stirring and that there was much jealousie about the administration yet Julius never had the least distrust of his integrity on the contrary he testifi'd the good opinion he had of him by those marks of Honor he bestowed in adopting both him and his Heirs into the House of the Rovere whose Arms they bear to this day Since that in the time of Paul III as great employments are exposed to great dangers those of the House of Chigi found themselves eclipsed a little of their first splendor which was cause that the best of their means being alienated and especially their delicious Garden on the Tyber just opposite to the Palace of Farnese which remained to the House that held the Chair they returned to their Country where in a moderate but honorable condition they quietly passed their time till an opportunity offered it self to Fabius Chigi who is Pope at present and who was then a young boy of great hopes to re-instate himself in a better fortune as he was encouraged by his Parents and Friends who believed that a person adorned wich all manner of virtues would much wrong himself should he hide those rich Talents and let them lie buried in idleness by not going out from the gates of his own City But he was hindred by the little wealth he had and also because his friends had not been able to advance themselves during the long interval that those of his Family had been kept from the Court Nevertheless where power is wanting his confidence in putting himself forward by what means soever shewed it self For being
times of Peace as he hath done in time of War his name will be so much the more immortal Ursin a Roman is of a Family known to your most Serene Lordships as for the Services which his Grand-fathers have done for your State which hath ever held them in great consideration They are however a little declined from their former Reputation by the misgovernment of some of the Successors of those who by their brave actions had raised it That which hath caused no small diminution to their Honour was their bargaining for more or less with those who made use of them to invade the liberties of others to which may be added that the number of their Family is diminished The Cardinal of whom we speak is more addicted to his pleasures than to any serious business which makes some desire he had that ripe and staid judgment which shone so in his Ancestors The Family does however but begin to recover it self at a season wherein it may happen to come to its period for want of issue for having taken Wives rather rich than fruitful out of a desire to repair their losses they are in a way of losing their name by an oversight greater than the former They all make profession of continuing still in the good affection they have so long preserved towards your most Serene Republique But they are worth little and can do less Este Uncle to the Duke of Modena hath made the world speak of him both in Peace and War I cannot tell whether he were much pleased to see me at Rome by reason of the little satisfaction his Brother had of me whilst I was Commissary for your most Serene Republique at the beginning of the War you had with the Barberino's Although he can dissemble and is well enough skilled in the Art of concealing his resentments yet cannot I believe him satisfi'd with what I did though the thing went not on so far as those of the House of Este pretended for their interest The Pope who hath not been very well satisfi'd with the Duke who studi'd to observe the will of Mazarin in every thing as if he had been his slave and perceived that this Cardinal is of the same inclination looks upon him as a person more inclined to trouble than quietness which he does not however divulge because he hath greater pretences than ever to that portion of Estate which was not annexed to the Dutchy of Ferrara when it fell to the Church as I shall show in another place It will be difficult for him therefore to be looked on favourably by the Pope who hath made it appear that he can right himself by the Sword when they deny him Justice This Cardinal keeps a Palace at Rome where there are much People and Nobility that are punctually paid which evinces that the late Wars hath impoverished the Subjects and very much enriched the Master Costaguti a Roman but born of a Genoan Father is one of that sort of men that can easily heap up wealth by which they have raised this House to its Nobility and Purple but to judge of their fortune as we are wont to judge of all new begun prosperities one may say That so great riches acquired in so short a space of time are hardly compatible with any lawful means of obtaining them But notwithstanding all this the Cardinal is a very agreeable man and he did hugely satisfie me in showing me he was so well informed of the interests of this State and had so full a knowledge of the merits of your most Serene Republique Donghi a pure Genoese came forth of Genoa when he was not expected with a very considerable stock of riches which hath since opened the way to his greatness having been much furthered by those qualities he hath which are so deserving that he that raised him hath no cause to repent the doing it The Court does generally praise him But he was ever absent all my time so that I can give no judgment of him but from the reports of others which however do tend to allow him the quality of a Man of merits and one that is very affectionate to your most Serene Republique Rondanini a Roman though he be originary of Romagnia is worthy of the degree he stands in for the goodness and simplicity of his manners But he is otherwise no great man for he hath but a weak judgment which would easily lose it self should he apply himself to business He deserves however the good-will of your most Serene Signiory for the many things he speaks in her praise and for the many Services his Family hath done your State whereof the blood of the Marquis his Brother was a testimony who would needs signallize himself in an Employment as worthy as a War for Religion and Liberty Gabrieli a Roman is a man that endeavours to conceal what is in his heart for instead of discovering himself he makes a great Apology of Complements There are some of opinion that his Artifice may help to raise him higher but I do not believe it because the manner of acting of Pope Innocent which is that of the Romanes hath opened the eyes of the world too much the present times requiring rather a person that will prefer the publique good than his own He abides the most part of his time at his Church of Ascoli feeding himself with this Maxim That the less a Cardinal is at Court the easier is it for him to get into the Pope's Chair But though that may be true in general yet it holds no water amongst the cunning and refined Roman Wits who by this very retreat discover his mind soonest that would thereby hide it and who ever prefer that Man first who is most skilful in the management of great affairs Lugo a Spaniard and Jesuit is a man very learned in Divinity but since he forsook the Pulpit he hath shewed himself no less skilful in State matters He acted with great success in the Conclave for the election of the present Pope and though Barberino were cried down for desiring to make him Pope out of a certain fancy that came in his head yet did he use his utmost endeavour to advance Chigi whom he knew to be very favourable to his Congregation as he hath since shewed himself He can do no more than he now doth to make it appear to your Signory that he hath a great esteem for you and that he is extremely troubled to see her oppressed by such fierce and potent Arms. I believe he speaks frankly being a consciencious man but perhaps too the great desire he hath to make those of his Order more acceptable amongst you prompts his tongue to say more than is in his heart Raggi a Genoese who succeeded Raggi his Uncle was made a Cardinal by the Genoeses means who to raise him to this Dignity expended twice as much as is usual But it is very just that the mony which they squeeze from all the
too narrow a limit for the exercise of his Virtues and the expences he makes would have been better employed in some Legation or some considerable employment at Court where to speak truth such weak men do reside that either for the success in an affair or for want of choosing the readiest and safest ways they do even displease those whom they most favour But as for his exile from Court which we may term honourable the cause thereof can be attributed to nothing else but the knowledge they have of his eminent virtues as well for that ordinarily Virtue is looked upon with an envious eye as because he did in the Conclave endeavour earnestly to unite the opposite parties who wavered and obstructed all other designs All I can say to your Excellencies of this Lord is that the affection he bears his Native Country is the most tender and hearty that can be desired in any of your most Serene Republique's Subjects and whatever favours you bestow you can never place them better than on a man who like this same now mention'd is wholly disposed to prefer the publique interest in all occasions before his own Maldachino is very well the Pope was very careful to make him go and take the aire of the Campagnia for a good while whence he returned at the intreaties of the Cardinals who took that absenting for an exile The Spaniards were not much allarm'd at his change and declaration for France Yet must it be said in his praise that he did very wisely in seeking the support and gaining the favour of a great King Nay there is some generosity in it because there is no appearance he was moved out of interest since Mazarin is not a person likely to bestow any great reward upon him whether it be out of his natural inclination to parsimony or some fixed design to regulate and reduce the vast expences of that Nation drained by so long a War or some more hidden and refined politique consideration it being certainly a pure folly to waste the Exchequer in Pensions for the Court of Rome Besides nothing is more apparent than this that the way to gain those people is to neglect them Interest and Fear would soon reunite them and make them look towards France for succour did they fear they were abandon'd to the dreadful power of Spain all the humility of submission and art of compliance would then be put in practise to make sure of and draw the French to their side to oppose that ambitious Neighbour who surrounding the Pope with Millan and Naples may devour him when he hath the mind to it I have visited him upon some occasions but never much regarded his discourse which still tended to make me believe he is very much a servant to your most Serene Lordships Borromeo a Milanois a Lord of a considerable Birth hath ever given testimony in those employments he hath had of a strict secresie great modesty and sincerity which are qualities rarely lodged together in a man that is in power or command He doth at present exercise the charge of Legat in Romagnia with much praise not giving any cause of complaint under his Government I cannot but give a fair judgment of his Sentiments for the publique good on which that of your most Serene Republique is necessarily depending which he assured me of the last time I visited him Imperiale a Genoese is a man fit for Government who quickly apprehends where any evil is and hath capacity enough to apply the remedy He hath also a free heart which will not easily yield when he finds on which side there is more reason Yet cannot I tell whether he would succeed well if he had the Soveraign command because he is a Genoese and prepossess'd with the Maxims of his Country which pretend to attain to that in a short time to which other Potentates could not arrive but by a succession of many ages and this may perhaps be one of the causes will exclude him from any higher advancement In the mean time he makes very powerful protestations that he will ever side with those who stand for the Liberty of Italy which is to say in good English that he will side with your most Serene Republique Astalli a Roman hath acted several parts at the Court of Rome in a short time He was a Prelate of a mean Fortune since that he was made a Cardinal He was of kindred and supported by Pope Innocent's Niece who would speak all and do all at that time when he was made Cardinal He was in Pamfilio's Family in quality of a Nepvew a while after he was rejected as unworthy of that Title exiled from Rome and almost cast into the Precipice but a little after the death of Innocent he somewhat recovered himself again yet could not make them restore what they had taken In fine he found relief in the protection of the Catholique King who hath bestowed some Largess upon him which hath set him in a pretty good posture The History of the strange turns he hath been subject to would be very curious but it being too prolix I shall pass it by because likewise ere this Writing appears no doubt but the Relations of those times will set forth the truth of it There can be nothing more intricate than the condition of that Family which then governed for on the one side the Pope's Niece and her Confederates were ever making some enterprize and on the other the Cardinal Panciroli who was then the chief Minister of State countermined them and either of these scoffed at that Pope before his face because although he had wit enough yet he had not the judgment or way to make those stand in awe of him who were the most obliged to him In the mean time this Cardinal after he had undergone so many different Fortunes attained to his ease and quiet yet without any great repute or esteem being more addicted to follow his own inclinations than to serve the Publique and therefore I cannot inform you what his affection is towards this Republique Albici of Cenata is a man who finding he can raise himself no higher by the ways of eminent virtue is resolved to try what he can do by his extravagancies and this it is makes him speak so freely against the corruptions of the times which he is not satisfi'd in doing in private but taking delight to shew his Eloquence which is not the highest that ever was he discourses of it in publique Oratories and sometimes with biting expressions which seems to aim at the Popes creatures who are in command This is ill resented at the Palace but they let him go on as if they understood him not and yet not being free from failings himself it is wonder'd he should be so apt to censure others He hath rather I know not what kind of commerce with the world than any considerable knowledge and having been chosen by Pope Innocent as a person fit for Government