not endure to have it mention'd upon any occasion Alexander the seventh was not well pleas'd neither to see him cheek by jowle amongst so many select persons and therefore gave himself over to use him ill sending him away without any respect to a place that was a greater distance from Rome but the rest of the Cardinals looking upon the misusage of his person as a reflection upon the Order in general they made their complaint to his Holiness and he was immediately set at liberty Donna Olimpia perswaded him to espouse the interest of Spain which he did but finding by degrees the little esteem the Spaniards had for him by their several times neglecting to call him to their Assemblies in which the intrigues of that Court were transacted and all because they knew he had not judgement enough to give them any Councel he turn'd to the French who receiv'd him very readily if for no other reason to secure his voice in the Conclave And this is certain his negotiating with the French has not a little instructed him in his Complements it being the general observation of the Court that since his Voyage into France he is grown much more conversable than formerly In the last Conclave of Rospigliosi he suffer'd himself to be transported into some expressions rather dictated to him than spoken by him against the Spaniards The Spaniards were nettled and bit their thumbs as the Italians use to do in private though in publick they seem'd but to laugh at it Some say the Spanish Ambassador having notice of it from one of the Conclave who being no great friend of Maldachini's had told the story a little too sharply reply'd laughing The voice of an Ass reaches not to Heaven which coming likewise to Maldachini's ears displeas'd him exceedingly so that he fell a railing against all that belong'd to Spain which the Spaniards likewise understanding for the Spyes in Rome will not fail to do that good office to mortifie and rebuke him they resolv'd to stop the Rents of those Abbeys and Benefices that he held in the Kingdom of Naples and other Catholick States and he finding himself in this manner necessitated to renounce has within few months resign'd three Abbeys into the hands of the Pope one of which is given to Monsignor Strada the second to Monsignor Polini both of them of the Privy-Chamber and the third to a Son of the Marquess Astalli Nephew to the Cardinal aforesaid whose Father is of the Faction of Spain In short I would not swear this Cardinal should not be Pope if there was need of nothing but his own single voice but otherwise I fear he will dye without it GIO. FRANCISCO GONDI a Frenchman call'd Cardinal di Retz he was promoted to the Cardinalship the 19th of February in the year 1652. at the instance of the King of France with whom he was afterwards disgusted having receiv'd some considerable affronts though he was Archbishop of Paris The Court cry'd out exceedingly against Mazarine who govern'd all at that time and was the principal cause of the persecuting this person and that upon good grounds The Ecclesiasticks pretended that the greatest Princes that are cannot repress the power of a Cardinal when they are treating of matters of State no though the Cardinals be contriving the ruine or disturbance of the Publique Peace But this is a doctrine the Princes do but laugh at and amongst the rest the Kings of France who upon any such occasion do fly presently to their Gallican Rites It was strange to Innocent that after the Crown of France had with so much instance and importunity recommended this person to be promoted and after he was advanc'd to so honourable a Dignity he should be slighted and ill used immediately by the same Crown of which he made frequent complaints to Mazarine who wanted not his pretences to excuse them However the Politicians look'd upon it as a great over-sight in Mazarine to present that person to the Cardinalship without pre-considering what might follow and indeed they that understood the Spirit of the man inclin'd alwayes to disturb and perplex the quiet of his Superiours were much scandaliz'd to see Mazarine instead of keeping him at a distance by some politick pretence to endeavour to make him equal in Dignity to himself and by consequence to give him greater opportunity and encouragement to undertake what in effect he did enterprize But Mazarine was oblig'd to do what he did for private and occult reasons not imagining the said person could have been able to have kindled so great a Conflagration as he did The timid though unquiet Nature with which he observ'd Gondi to be govern'd perswaded him that he was not to be parted from that Country where he manag'd all so as the judgement of so great a Head-piece as Mazarine is many times deceiv'd he finding by experience that the most timerous man if back'd and supported grows most troublesome and ambitious The Spaniards endeavour'd what they could to fetch over this Cardinal to their party promising him as is reported much more than he could hope for in France but he that had his aim upon France and not upon Spain kept himself close to the interest of that Crown demonstrating upon several occasions that his adherance to the Male-contents was not from any animosity to that Kingdom but only from a desire to humble the fortunes of Cardinal Mazarine At the time that accident happen'd to the Duke of Crequy in Rome which was the twentieth of August 63. amongst all the Cardinals there was none that stuck so zealously to the French party as he to the admiration of every body that a person that had been turn'd out of his Church and other Benefices had been imprison'd persecuted and banish'd should appear with such ardour in defence of that interest that was the cause of his troubles and which is worse resolv'd never to readmit him to the Dignities he had lost But his proceedings in this point were prudent enough for having voluntarily disoblig'd his Most Christian Majesty it was but reason he should be voluntarily oblig'd And the King of France unwilling to let the constancy or generosity of Retz with which he maintain'd the just Priviledges of his Crown to go unrewarded he admitted him again into his favour which he enjoys to this day but with some conditional limitations as retaining still in his mind the prejudice he did formerly to the Crown though he often declar'd that all his designs were against Mazarine LVIGI HOMODEI from his very first entrance into the Prelacy had an ambitious hankering after a Cap and it cost him and his Family no small quantity of money before he did compass his ends It was thought very strange his Family being like to extinguish for want of Heirs that he would suffer it to perish rather than marry it is reported that a friend of his advising him to marry he reply'd That he had higher thoughts However things have
Protestant and Catholick Churches to no purpose and so glutted as to make sport of them They will not make me a Saint and I suffer them not to come near my heart lest they should make me a Devil Let the Catholick Divines write as they think good and the Protestants do the same I am resolv'd to be unconcern'd and sit down with this Doctrine of St. Paul Non plus sapere quam oportet sapere sed sapere ad Sobrietatem And why should we go look for our Church in the Volumes of the Divines whether Protestant or Papist if we can find it out our selves in the Gospel of Christ This is to condemn our selves by our own folly to hire an other mans Horse to leap down a precipice withall to borrow Spectacles that we may see more plainly the way to our damnation and in short it is to believe our Divines have more Judgement than Christ and more Holiness than the Apostles The true Church of the Saints according to the true Doctrine of the Apostles consists in doing good and abstaining from evil to imitate our Saviour in good works And let the Divines alone with their new Opinions to make the present time conform to the antient and not suffer the modern to destroy the antient for if we walk not in the same way they did in the beginning antiquity does but distract the present proceedings And this puts me in mind of an Example no less moral than curious which I shall insert in this place In the time of Henry the Great a certain Protestant Prince invited the Popes Nuntio that was then in Paris to Supper The Nuntio refus'd the invitation excusing himself with many pretences but at last overcome by the Civility of the Prince he makes bold with his Ecclesiastical reasons that oblig'd him to the contrary and went with his whole Court to visit him In the Chamber they were to Sup the Prince had caused on one side of the Wall the twelve Apostles to be hung in excellent Tapistry and wrought with that Artifice they seem'd to want nothing but words to be alive but withall they were unshod ungirt ill habited and in every thing conformable to the Poverty of the Apostles On the other side with the same exactness he plac'd twelve Cardinals on Horse back cloathed in Scarlet their Trappings imbost very rich their Foot-cloth of Silk their Bridles of Gold and their Spurs of the finest Silver As soon as the Nuntio entred the Chamber casting his eyes about as one experienc'd in those things he presently apprehended there was some mystery in the business He was surpriz'd and could not but show some confusion in his looks however he counterfeited as much as he could turning his eyes this way and that way and pretending to look on every thing but the Hangings till at last having wash'd as is usual amongst great Persons the Prince observing he would needs set on the Apostles side that he might have them on his back and the Cardinals in his eye the Prince with no small Ceremony would perswade him to the other side telling him pleasantly in Italian but with the grace of a true Frenchman By your favour Sir do me not that disgrace to turn your back upon my Religion but turn it rather upon your own The Nuntio observing the Prince to smile he smil'd a little himself but it was but from the teeth outward however he reply'd immediately Your Excellence believes me of a Religion I am not of and your self of another you are not of neither To which the Prince answer'd facetiously Then there will be no difficulty in ending our Ceremonies the difference will be decided if every one takes which side he pleases And with this they sate down the Nuntio at the end of the Table where he had the prospect both of the Apostles and Cardinals too But for the Readers better understanding it will not be unnecessary to explain what the Nuntio meant when he told the Prince That his Excellence believ'd him to be of a Religion that he was not of and that he himself was not of that Religion he did believe I suppose he alluded thereby to the State of the Cardinalship and the exemplary life of the Apostles And therefore the Prince having desir'd him not to turn his back upon the Apostles but upon the Cardinals of whom he understood the Nuntio to be one the Nuntio that was no Cardinal reply'd that he was not of the Religion his Excellence took him to be and withall added a little sharply that the Prince himself was not of the Religion he suppos'd though the Prince had signify'd to the Nuntio that his Religion was Protestant and founded upon the Example and Doctrine of the Apostles The Princes words were smooth and deliver'd with a good grace yet no less pungent than the other they troubl'd the Nuntio a little but nothing so much as the unavoidable sight of those Hangings which he conceiv'd as indeed they were hung there in design Had it been any Nuntio but he they would have probably taken it so ill as to have left the Princes Supper to himself but this Nuntio being a prudent man and considering how inconvenient it would be for his affairs to disgust the Prince at that time he past away the Supper very well with the variety of dishes driving both the Pictures and Expressions out of his mind At Rome however it was ill taken and the Nuntio severely rebuk'd by the Pope for supping with a Heretick but he was so well acquainted in the Policies of the World and the Intrigues of the Court of Rome that he knew well enough how to excuse himself to his Holyness The Cardinals truly and the Prelates in the Church of Rome are so exorbitant in their Expences not only for their Cloaths and Liveries but their Diet and Houses that the Protestants who are alwayes prying and making their observations cannot believe that Church to be good in which they find such excess of Luxury and Pride For it is most certain and most Catholicks will confess it that it is not the outward Pomp and Splendor of a Church that denotes it a true one as some of their Divines would maintain And indeed Christ did not promise Pomp Magnificence Gold Riches or Honour to his Church but Poverty Affliction and Persecution For my part I believe that the truest Church in which the poor Members are the least bewitch'd and carried away with the interest of the World especially the Ecclesiasticks who ought to give example insomuch as in my judgement there are many Catholicks in Rome of very good reason that live there and yet believe Rome to be the most polluted and defil'd Church in the Universe and for what cause think you Because they find the Prelates and Popes themselves so wedg'd and link'd to Secular advantages they have not time to think upon God nor Religion nor Faith In the year 1657. being by accident at Rome to see the
Ghost descended upon the Apostles because they were met together with one mind but how can we expect him who are so strangely divided At length all these disputes being ended and the Cardinals weary of going up and down to the places of their Assemblies and doubting moreover by their delay to bring in some new schism into the Church which seem'd already to be whispering in Germany two thirds of the Cardinals agreed to the Election of Tibaldo Visconte a Milanese Archdeacon of Lodi who was not as yet return'd from his Voyage into Asia whether he was sent by the command of Innocent the 4th upon whose Election Cardinal Gâ—ovanni del Porto made these Verses in Latine Papatus munus tulit Archidiaconus unus Quem patrem patrum fecit discordia fratrum The Cardinals themselves being out of hope Archdeacon Tibald was created Pope Gregory as soon as he received the Keys of the Vatican endeavour'd what he could to make peace betwixt the Venetian and the Genoese who for several years together had been at wars with one another with great effusion of Christian blood and no small detriment to the Apostolick See He Excommunicated the Florentines for usurping certain Cities belonging to the Ecclesiastical State Having perpetrated these things and all things succeeding according as he design'd he went into France in the year 1273. he gave beginning to the Councel of Lyons mention'd before Philip King of France was present at that Councel with an infinite number of noble and learned persons both French and English Michael Paleologus the Emperour of Constantinople agreed the second time to the Doctrine of the Church of Rome though his Predecessors had done as much twelve times and always revolted upon that business there were several Sessions and disputes and all of them in the presence of his Holiness and the King of France The principal cause of this Assembly was that Gregory might be enabled to remedy several abuses in the Church and more particularly by their advice to find out some way of preventing the tedious vacancies after the deaths of the Popes And because Gregory understood well enough the root from whence that evil did spring and that it proceeded from a liberty the Cardinals took of assembling where they pleased of breaking up and meeting again as they thought good delaying and protracting the Elections by the Contentions and Correspondencies they had abroad Gregory ordain'd that the Cardinals for the future should be oblig'd to shut themselves up in some particular place from whence they should not stir till the Election was finish't but in case of sickness or other urgent necessity nor should any body be permitted to goe into them besides such as were appointed for the service of the Cardinals none of them being allow'd during the whole time of their seclusion to have communication with any of the City And this is the place call'd at present the Conclave which indeed signifies no more then the place where the Cardinals are shut up for the Election of the Pope Before Gregories dayes that is from the time of San Silvester to Gregory's Popedome they were not us'd to be shut up in a Conclave but if they were in Rome the Electors met either in the Church of St. John Lateran or of Saint Peter or in sâ—me other place as occasion offer'd if they were out of Rome they met in the Cathedral of the place where they were or in some other Church more convenient But all this brought nothing but prejudice and inconvenience to the Church because the Electors did many times neglect to use that diligence which was due not regarding expedition in their Elections of the Pope whilst they had liberty to command to goe and come as they thought fit and to live in their own houses at their pleasure and therefore it may rationally be said that the invention of the Conclave by Gregory was holy and good and worthy of a Pope of his piety and zeal There were likewise establish't by the said Gregory several Laws and Orders for the Conclave which were afterwards by several Popes put into better form till that in Process of time they were reduc't into that state which for greater convenience I shall insert in this place The Principal Laws which are usually observ'd in the creation of the Pope THe first Article is That the Election be made in a proper and convenient place and ordinarily there where the last Pope dy'd If it should happen the Pope should die in any Town or Village in which the Election cannot so commodiously be made let it be made in that City to whose jurisdiction the said Town or Village does belong provided it be not under interdiction for in that case they are to choose another City in the same Diocese or at least not far off But if the Residence was in another place in the time of the preceeding Pope then the Conclave is to meet not in the place where the Pope shall die but where he kept his Residence whilst he liv'd and this is establish'd in two Bulls of Gregory the tenth and Clement the fifth The second is That after the death of the Pope there shall be no discourse of the Election of a Successor till ten days be past in which time the absent Cardinals are to be expected and the nine days obsequies for the deceas'd Pope be celebrated with due respect by all the Cardinals that are present in the place The third That it be not permitted to any Cardinal that is absent to send his vote in any manner whatsoever by which it is intended that they are deprived of their Voice as often as they are absent from the Election though for considerable reasons The fourth That the nine days Ceremony for the death of the Pope being over the Mass dello Spirito Santo solemnly said and the Prayer de Eligendo Pontifice recited Let all the Cardinals that are present in the Palace which shall be call'd the Conclave which is to be in a secure place close in all parts and well guarded be shut in with two or three servants only for their necessities Let it not be lawfull for any to enter after the Conclave is shut up nor for any to come forth except in the case of infirmity and if any body be oblig'd either to go in or out let it be by the consent of the whole College Nor is this Conclave to have any Wall or partition to distinguish one Chamber from another but let there be certain traverses or Curtains of Linnen or cloth to divide their Lodgings and be they given to the Cardinals by lott to prevent all controversies for place The fifth That it be not only unlawful to elect those that are absent but that it be not permitted to the Cardinals to choose any but one of their own Order and of those that are present in the Conclave And this is decreed by Paul the second The sixth That the place and the gates and
Vice-Chancellorship was executed by a Cardinal who got at least nine thousand Ducats of Gold by it It s Jurisdiction is principally about the dispatch of all the Apostolical Letters which are all sign'd by the Pope except such as pass by Brief sub annulo Piscatoris Three times a Week viz. Tuesday Thursday and Sunday there meet in his Palace all the Officers of the Apostolical Chancery that is the Regent and the Abbreviatori di Parco Maggiore which are twelve in number besides the Regent in his Purple habit like a Prelate all which Offices are sold the Regents for twelve thousand Ducats of Gold and more and the Abbreviatori di Parco for six thousand at least which money yields the purchaser eight or ten per Cent. six of the Abbreviators places are in the Gift of the Cardinal Vice-Chancellor and the Regents is in his Eminencies These thirteen Prelates have their places in his Holiness his Chappel But the Regent comes seldom thither in respect of his precedente before other Prelates These thirteen Prelates are called Referendaries or Remembrancers of the one and the other Court and the Regent has power to referr all Causes of Appeal to Rome which he referrs to the Auditors of the Rota and Referendaries distributing their Orders with great equality that every one might have his part The Office of Chamberlain yields one year with another six thousand Crowns of Gold the Jurisdiction is to take cognisance of all Causes that fall under the discussion of the Apostolick Chamber and their Clerks being present at all transactions in that Chamber unless he be hinder'd by the Consistory passing the greatest part of the dispatches under his own Name though examin'd and subscrib'd by the Clerks It is observable also in the Apostolick Chamber that the Cardinal Chamberlain and all the other Prelates do come thither with their Purple Pontifical Cloaks over their Rochets and the other Officers with habits different from what they ordinarily do wear Besides the Chamberlain is Judge of Appeals as likewise of the Judgements pass'd of the Surveyors of the Streets and with those Surveyors he takes cognisance of Cauâ—yes Buildings Bridges Streets and other things Furthermore in the vacancy of the Chair he resides in the Palace in the Popes apartment walks up and down Rome with his Guard of Swisses who are alwayes attending his person he coins money also with his own Armes and Impression upon it It being his charge to see the Conclave made it remains at his disposing afterwards he has a Key to the Treasury in Sainct Angelo of which there are but three one for the Pope an other for him and the third for the Cardinal Deacon Some few Ages since the head of the Deacons was the Arch-Deacon who was a Cardinal and had the eare of the Revenue his dignity was very Noble and continued till the year 1100. about which time for the excess of his Greatness that dignity was taken away and another instituted in its room which is the Chamberlainship upon condition it should be conferr'd upon Cardinals only and they had their Coadjutors assigned them who are Clerks in the Apostolick Chamber and whose Office in the first institution was the same with the Chamberlains Now they have the Treasurer joyn'd to them and the President in respect of some late difference betwixt the Pope and his Chamberlains The office of the Prefect of the Signature of Justice is executed by a Cardinal also who receives out of the Chamber for his Pension a hundred Ducats a Month. His business is to under-write answers to all Petitions and References and every Thursday except in Vacations the Signature of Justice is held before the Prefect in his own Pallace for determining references where also twelve Prelats assist with Votes and besides them all other Prelats that are Referendaries Moreover there are present but without power of Voting the Auditor of the Rota and the Lieutenant Civil of the Cardinal Vicar to the end no thing to prejudice the jurisdiction of their Tribunals The Prefect of the Signature di Gratia is a Cardinal likewise who has a hundred Ducats a month for his Pension also His office is to be present alwayes at the Signature di Gratia which is constantly held before his Holiness and it is he that seals all the Petitions and Pardons that pass there There are twelve Prelats also that have their votes there which use to be the same that were present at the Signature of Justice as likewise the Cardinal Vicar the Cardinal Prefect of the Breves the Datarie and more or fewer of the Cardinals according as more or fewer of them are deputed by the Pope however they are never fewer than twelve There are present also at that Seal the Auditor of the Chamber the Lieutenant Civil of the Cardinal Vicar the Treasurer General one of the Auditors di Rota a Protonotary one of the Clerks of the Chamber one of the Abbreviatori del Parco Maggiore and the Regent of the Chancery all of them appearing for the defence of their particular jurisdictions and offices This Seal is kept constantly once a week before his Holiness on Sunday or Tuesday if it falls not on a Holy day The Cardinals likewise are Prefects of the Breves and the Library Keepers the Prefect has an allowance out of the Chamber for his Pension of a hundeed Ducats a Month and his office is to over-look and sign all the draughts of the Briefs that go under a Tax The business of the keeper of the Library that has his hundred Ducats a month out of the Chamber likewise is to superintend the Press and the Library in the Vatican and the people that work there in Printing Classick writings in the Oriental Tongues Out of this Colledge of Cardinals there are several Congregations formed that are call'd for that reason the Congregations of Cardinals and are fifteen in number viz. of the Holy Office of the affairs of the Bishops and Regulars of the Councel of the immunities of the Church of the State de propaganda Fide of Rights of Water of Streets of the Index of Consultation for the Government of the Church of good Regiment and of easing of grievances of the Mint of examination of such as are design'd to be Bishops and of the affairs of the Consistory but for these Congregations the Cardinals have only their labour for their pains and some little honour that signifies nothing The Congregation of the Holy Office meet twice a week on Tuesday in the Covent of Minerva where the Inquisition is kept by the Father Dominicans and on Thursday before his Holiness where causes of Heresie are heard before twelve Cardinals at the least deputed according to the pleasure of the Pope and a good number of Divines of several Religious Orders The Congregation of the affairs of the Bishops and Regulars has a particular jurisdiction over the differences which arise betwixt the Bishops and their Subjects and betwixt the
all to bestow that upon a few and many times the most undeserving that by distributive justice ought to be divided amongst all can certainly be the production of no good To leave virtue it self after a long and painful peregrination unrewarded and forsaken cannot sound well in the ears nor heart of an Ecclesiastical Prince that ought to be a Protection and Assylum to the learned and deserving especially your Holiness who has rais'd the Fabrick of your fortunes upon the foundation of virtue and worth Rome abounds with persons of all sorts of Learning at this day more than ever but they want incouragement and are buried as it were in sorrow there being no body that will so much as trouble themselves to represent their parts and capacities to him that can reward them Your Holiness that in the beginning of your Papacy with so much praise to your self did own and caress them will find what advantage it will be to continue the b 〈…〉 actions of a Mecenas and to allure them by your countenance and esteem which is the most grateful aliment of virtue encouraging them with favours and providing them employments that they may not consume and pine away in the Lethargy of idleness I speak not most Holy Father of those Pensions wherewith the Bishopricks and Parishes are by the Ministers of your Holiness so extravagantly charg'd that to the scardâ—l of the whole world to the disparagement and contempt of the innocent Clergy and to the prejudice of the reputation of the Church several poor Bishops are rendred subject to interdictions and censures or reduc'd to that indigence they are forc'd of loving Shepherds to become ravenous Woolfs by their rapacities and extortions to satisfie the exorbitant pensions that are charg'd upon them squeezing as it were out of the extream necessities of the Church and her already too much afflicted and exhausted Flock all that are constrain'd to contribute to the Profit Luxury Lasciviousness and Intemperance of those who God know had but little virtue to advance them May your Holiness for the love of Christ open your eyes in a business of that importance which carries along with it consequences so pernicious to the Church Let not your Holiness for the love of God suffer so many poor Churches Spouses of Christ to remain robb'd and dispoil'd of their Dower nor that at the Lords Table Uâ—us essâ—riet alius vero ebrius sit but rather let the bread of the Church be distributed equally amongst her Ministers according to their merits Although in the Courts of Rome there are many Prelats and Ministers to be seen that have integrity of manners joynâ—d to the nobility of their birth he nevertheless that for so many years though undeservedly has had the direction of the Signiture may perhaps have seen further into some things than they vâ—z that the Dependencies and Relations of the Popes and Cardinals do not suffer the poor Prelats to act according to the Dictates of Equity and Conscience I do most humbly beseech that your Holiness in your great Prudence would provide for the extirpating of this custom of recommendation that the condition of all people may be consider'd and that Liberetur pauper a Potente pauper cui non adest Adjutor Neither would it be less gratefull to God Almighty if your Holiness would provide against the tediousness and delays in matters of Law which sometimes are so long that besides the ruine and extinguishment of many Families they become the dishonor of the Courts of Rome when those causes that might have been determin'd in a few dayes are by several years suspence grown old and inveterate Though I believe the Ministers and Governours of the State and all they that administer justice to the people in our Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction are of themselves inclin'd to do all things equitable and right yet it would be a greater stimulation if your Holiness would cause it to be inculcated into them that justice is not attended by interest or passion but is the only instrument for the conservation of peace quiet and human Society and that they search all enormity to the bottom and destroy it root and brance Legibus enim delicta 〈…〉 r quanto melius provideri ne pâ—ccareâ—â—r But above all let that scandalous authority that the Ministers arrogate to themselves of making Buts and Marks for their Persecutions of all such as have recourse to the highest Tribunals at Rome oftentimes making use of threats to deter them from such appeals This in my judgement is a matter of great consequence th 〈…〉 s the Supreme Authority of the Prince and takes away without cause the confidence his Subjects have in him or otherwise occasions such jealousies as have been the subverson of States and Kingdoms both Protestant and Catholick Above all it is necessary that care be taken not to afflict the poor people with their severities and vexations as they have formerly nor with their Cavalcades their troubles being too much already with their Subsidies and Taxes with the frequent Comâ—â—ssions to the Commissaries of the Buildings of the Archives of Saltpeter of Gunpowder of the Streets with their solemn Ridings Reprisals and other cruel inventions to exact innumerable sums from the people which being little or no advantage to the Pope are of no other use but by the inrichment of some few ill Conscienc'd Ministers to contract the Odium of the people and imploy the tongues of the discontented These afflictions do very much exceed what the people of Israel suffer'd in Egypt they cannot be mention'd but with admiration and scandal to Foreign Nations especially if they consider them as effects of the immoderate inclinations of the Popes to their own Kindred and Families And your Holiness may ascribe it to your good fortune that you employ'd your gracious care in Foreign parts that they might not have so full and exact notice of it as would have drawn tears of pitty and compassion from the eyes of all that heard it and perhaps for the better because the wound thereby would have been open'd and render'd more casâ—c for the Cure And indeed who is there that could hear with dry eyes that a people not conquer'd by the Sword but by the Munisicence and Piety of some Prince by way of Donation annex'd to the Patrimony of Saint Peter or that otherwise in confidence of the Piety of their Successors submitted themselves freely to the See of Rome should be now under a harder and more insufferable Yoak and treated with more inhumanity than the very Slaves in Africk or Syria The Debt upon the Chamber according to the account I made of it some nights since by my self amounts to above fifty millions of Roman Crowns and that not only without any hopes of lessening but with assurance it will be increas'd insomuch that the People not being able to comport themselves under so excessive a burthen desperate of any relief do many of them leave their Native
for all this both Vrban and Innocent thought of nothing less than relieving him because perhaps the Religion of the Nephews which was nothing but riches and honour was dearer to him than the Religion of Christ In short and let those Parasites not prosper that write the contrary the Church of God was never so harrass'd in Poland and Germany as in the time of those Popes Not that the Emperor wanted heart or the King of Poland courage but because they saw the Pipes that convey'd the Supplys formerly from Rome broken and cut off and those two Popes resolv'd to spin out and protract the War with bare hopes of relief that they might not bring the rest of the Catholicks into an extremity of misery they concluded to leave the Church of Rome to its self and make the best use of their own policies though to the prejudice of Religion seeing Rome took no care of the Church nor the Popes of any thing but their Nephews He that hath judgement and zeal and understands affairs let him correct me if I speak amiss But what shall I say of the Venetians who have spent the dearest blood of their Citizens in defence of the Faith of Religion of Christ and even of the Popes themselves and yet many times for all that have they been deserted and persecuted by the Popes of which ingratitude I shall not speak much in this place as hoping for the consolation of all zealous Catholicks to publish ere long a Book entitled The ingratitude of Princes towards the sole Virgin of Christendome This Republique that for the Glory of God and the Benefit of the Church undertook so memorable a War against the Emperour Frederick and all to restore the Vicar of Christ to the Apostolick Chair out of which he had been chas'd could not notwithstanding obtain for the maintenance of its Armies imploy'd against the Enemies of Christianity any thing but a pittance of supply drawn by Prayers and Supplications not from the purse of the Popes who had sworn to bestow all the Riches of the Church upon their Nephews but from the tears of the Ecclesiasticks that were destroy'd To that Republique that spent ten millions of Crowns and more in two years time for the Service of his Holiness in a War against Frederick the Emperour the Popes ought in all reason to have given at least two millions in ten years that those Senators that want neither courage nor zeal might have been completely inabl'd to have defended the Interest of Christ Oh God! to what purpose will they keep so many Jewels at Loretto so much consecrated Plate in Rome so many Abbeys for their Nephews so many Benefices for the Cardinals so much Wealth for the Popes if abandoning this Commonwealth and refusing it that Humane supply that is necessary for the maintenance of the Celestial Glory it be constrain'd to submit and truckle to the Ottoman power which threatens it now with its greatest effect If the Wealth of the Popes be devour'd the Benefices of the Cardinals given to the Priest of Mahomet the Abbeys of the Nephews usurp'd by the Turks the Sacred Vessells in Rome prophan'd by those Infidels and the Seraglio adorn'd with the Gemms of Loretto God grant my eyes may never see that spectacle Against this your zeal most eminent Princes against this you care is to watch In our dayes or rather yours we have seen the victorious Swede entring into Germany to the great detriment of the Catholicks because the Popes were pleas'd to have it so that fatten'd up their Nephews with that nourishment that ought to have been reserv'd for the beating back the Swede to the very walls of Stockholme God grant that for want of our utmost assistance the Turk be not seen triumphing in the middle of Italy nay of Rome it self The Ottoman Emperour knows very well that Popes think of nothing but shearing the Flock of Christ and giving the Wool to their Nephews and this it is that secures the Turk that little assistance is to be expected from the Popes and less from the Princes concluding rationally enough that the Princes will not do much when the Popes that are Christs Vicars do so little for his service The Infidels laugh and the Hereticks rejoyce to see the Wealth of the Church so irreligiously devour'd whilst the poor Christian weeps at their merriment They know they are safe enough for having any more Leagues made against them and understand the emulations and dissentions amongst the Cardinals The Protestants are much more liberal of their utmost supplyes to those Princes that make War upon the Catholicks than the Popes are of their assistance to those that fight against the Protestants and from hence it is the Turks are so victorious over the Christians and the Hereticks over the Catholicks at this day That heat and passion which the Popes shew hourly for their Nephews to gain Principalities for them to bestow Pension upon Pension upon them to build Pallace upon Pallace for them and to fill their Coffers with Treasure to the Brims is that which cools the resolutions of the zealousest Prince and exasperates the Infidels in their wicked designs A great shame it is indeed that the Hereticks should have more ground to accuse the Catholicks than the Catholick has to impeach the Heretick And of this the Cardinals are oblig'd seriously to consider as persons thought worthy to be Members of that Sacred Body that is the Natural Councel of the Vicar of Christ Il CARDINALISMO di Santa Chiesa OR THE HISTORY OF CARDINALS In III. Parts PART II. BOOK II. The Contents In which several particularities of the magnificence of the Colledge of Cardinals are treated Of the manner in which the Popes have endeavour'd to debase the Cardinalitial Majesty Of the ill usage Cardinal Astalli receiv'd of Innocent the tenth Of a remarkable saying of a certain Cardinal upon the ill usage the Cardinals receive from the Popes Of certain Popes that have had thoughts of encreasing the number of Cardinals to a hundred and the causes that mov'd them thereunto Of certain politick reasons about this advancement and diminution Of the causes why the Popes delay to make Promotions till towards the latter end of their dayes Of the reasons that mov'd Urban the eighth to continue seven years without creating one Cardinal Of the industry of the Nephews in raising their Fortunes and procuring wealth to their Families A parallel betwixt the Families of the Medici and Barbarini in the time that Florence was a Republick Of the small esteem they had at Rome before the creation of Urban Of the promotion of Francisco Barbarino to the Cardinalship Of the time that Urban alone govern'd the Monarchy of the Church Of the causes that mov'd him to leave the whole Dominion in the hands of his Nephews Of the natural inclination of the Romans to count all the Popes Nephews Devils Of the number of voices Cardinal Francisco had in one scrutiny Of the
however they gain'd but little upon him their discourses being only in general terms It is not known what good success he would have had in the management of the Congregations because he stay'd not long in Rome after the assumption of Clement the ninth being immediately sent Legat to Romagna where he order'd his affairs with great regularity and justice but 't is suppos'd he would have done very well because he is a person of sound judgement modest in his opinion and one that will give both God and Caesar their due which is as much as to say he is both a good States-man and a good Church-man too and would be much better were he not addicted so much to the benefit of his own Family GIVLIO SPINOLA a Genoese is a person of excellent parts generous magnanimous and full of civility and meekness he is an enemy to prodigality yet loves not covetousness the darling of his Country-men He arriv'ed at the Prelacy though he was otherwise deserving enough by the ordinary way of the Genoeses who have taken an oath as it were to buy all the offices that are to be sold in Rome by the Church In his very first imployments he express'd himself a person of worth and indeed he is not a little learned nor a little conversant amongst learned men his delight is to be discoursing amongst such as are experienc'd in Politicks and Ecclesiastical affairs observing with great diligence which way he may make the most profit of them and this he loves as his Recreations In his youth he was not so chast altogether as he should have been having suffer'd himself to be carry'd away too much with the love of Women to the scandal of all that had affection for him but since he took the habit of a Prelate upon him he has been more circumspect and if he has not girt himself so close with the girdle of Chastity as he ought yet he has brought himself to so formal and exterior modesty and so seeming a prudence in covering those frailties which cannot be forsaken by those that carry them along with them that at present he is esteem'd chast whether he be so or no. He being a person descended from a Family so famous through all Europe in several respects particularly in consideration of the Marquiss Spinola the great Captain and Cardinal Agostino Spinola a most noble person and very beneficial to the poor had no great difficulty to obtain a reputation at Court which every body is ambitious of at Rome many people admir'd rather that he was imploy'd no sooner in more considerable affairs seeing that to the Nobility of his Birth he wanted not the good endowments of mind Alexander having experienc'd him in some intricate business and found him a person of worth he sent him Nuntio into Germany in Caraffa's place who was created Cardinal In which he comported himself so well to the satisfaction both of the Emperour and Pope especially in matters of Religion and the differences betwixt the Catholick and Protestant that in the last Promotion of Pope Alexander he deservedly obtain'd a Cap and a while after he left the Imperial Court to be present at the Conclave in Rome His voice will alwayes be in favour of the house of Austria as well from his natural inclination as from the obligations the Family of Spinola has alwayes receiv'd from the Catholick Crown from whence it acknowledges the greatest part of its fortunes He delights much in walking in Comedyes and Balls and perhaps his dignity has alter'd his humours however he is assiduous enough in business and is very sincere and affectionate in what eyer he undertakes he is very apt to be angry if things succeed not according to his designs he looks closely enough to the people of his Court and allows them not such latitude as other Prelates and Cardinals do allow to their Courts 'T is suppos'd he would do very well in the management of some Legation which he might have if there was any regard had of the desert of a person but in those cases the Popes aim no further than to satisfie them they are pleas'd with not those that deserve it He uses great prudence in gaining upon such Princes Ministers as are resident in Rome and speaks of the merit of his Countrey so as gives occasion of jealousie to all that envy them VITALIANO VISCONTI of Milan is a Gentleman of an illustrious Family and descended from the antient Dukes of Milan He devotes himself to the service of the Church that sometime or other he may come to the Cardinalship for which he had alwayes a particular fancy His friends did what they could to have perswaded him to the Warrs but he lik'd the Cross better as that which brings ordinarily more profit more honour and less danger The beginning of his Prelacy was not so successful as he look'd for so that he was often changing his profession being weary as he said to see things go on so slowly but he had no reason for he thought honours would have been shower'd down upon his head though it came as fast as he could reasonably expect Pope Alexander who had the first occasion to try him in matters of trust did it in his Papacy honouring and loading him with offices till that when Monsignour Bonelli that was Nuntio in Spain was created Cardinal he gave that Nuntiature to Visconti though there were others that put hard for it But the Pope who knew well enough the merits of the cause declar'd Visconti Nuntio at one blow satisfying his own inclination and the Spaniards too who were not displeas'd to have for their Nuntio a Prelate not only born their Subject but bound by many obligations to the Catholick Crown In this Nuntiature which lasted but three years Philip the fourth King of Spain dy'd upon which occasion the Nuntio shew'd himself both a faithfull Pastor and a great Politician assisting in many things with favour to the Church and without any prejudice to the Crown of Spain Before he ended his dayes Alexander thought good to promote him to the Cardinalship as well to recompence his services to the Church as that he might not see so honourable a Family without the dignity of a Cardinal which had had heretofore the Soveraignty of Milan From the advice of his Promotion resolv'd to the news of the unhappy and dying condition of the Pope there were but few dayes past so that either out of his own desire to be in the Conclave or otherwise to comply with the importunity of the Spanish Ambassador at Rome who press'd him earnestly to make hast that the Spanish interest might be made stronger thereby he resolv'd to take Post and make his journey by land But the Counsel of Madrid would not admit his Auditor to propose it and therefore he was forc'd to stay in Spain and expect new orders from the new Pope with great disgust to the Ambassador at Rome The Spaniards caress him much
as an occasion of delay in respect of the time which was lost in inquiring after the qualities of the persons recommended he commanded they should choose none for the future but out of the body of the Cardinals by which means the Cardinals became of extraordinary reputation the Princes being oblig'd to give them no little honour as seeing the Papacy like to be alwayes in their hands These remedies notwithstanding which Paul thought rational and good have prov'd vain and ineffectual having produc'd no other fruit but the increasing of the Cardinalitial Grandeur seeing there were the same passions in the Conclaves as formerly and perhaps greater for the Cardinals being jealous of one another protracted the Elections out of envy none of them yeilding to his Companion but multiplying their quarrels they appear'd rather Enemies than Brothers making more difficulty to give place to a Cardinal Competitor in the Conclave than to any other uninterested pretender For the better satisfaction of the Reader in this Cardinalismo I shall give a short description of the causes from whence these discords have sprung After Pius the 2d was dead in the year 1464. who had Govern'd in his Pontificate six years and his body remov'd from Ancona where he dy'd to Rome the Lords Cardinals assembling together as soon as they could they enter'd the Conclave to the number of 20. the six others for the whole number of Cardinals was at that time 26. remaining without in respect of the greatness of their distance from Rome The 28th of August they made their entrance into the Conclave with full resolution to create Cardinal Petero Barbi a Venetian Pope in whose favour 15. of the Cardinals had declar'd and there were but 14. necessary for his creation Being come to the Scrutiny the third day after the shutting up of the Conclave there were but twelve voices among the names for Barbi the rest being divided this way and the other so that two voices only being wanting they came to Accession and the Cardinal Deacon having ask'd them all if they did approve the Election and finding them firm to their opinions he embrac'd him on a sudden with these words I make you Pope and immediately the Adoration followed There were some controversie happen'd about his name he desiring to be call'd Formoso which the Cardinals would not concede lest it should be look'd upon as a piece of vanity because his Holiness was naturally beautifull and handsome upon the refusal of that name he took the name of Mark upon him with which the Cardinals were as little satisfy'd as before upon which he smiling said Well then I will be call'd Paul and by this name he was publish'd to the people But the Cardinals did not think it fit again he should bear the name of Paul the first seeing there was never another Paul in the Vatican so they assign'd him the name of Paul the 2d which he receiv'd willingly enough affirming that he vallu'd not to be the second in name so long as indeed he was the first Cardinal Giovanni di Mela a Spaniard was a great adversary to this Election he carry'd the Title of SS Aquila and Priscilla he discover'd great indiscretion and malice because he would never recede from his obstinacy though he saw the Pope was made he went not to kiss his feet according to the order of his preceedence but pretended to go forth that he might seem to be the last This Pope lived six years and 10 months and dy'd the 28 of July 1471. 27 Cardinals enter'd into the Conclave 4 only being absent two of which set out as soon as they receiv'd the news of his Holiness his death to come to Rome but they could not get thither before the Conclave was ended From the very first day they began to talk of creating Francisco d'Alberola of Rovere Pope who was of the Order of Saint Francis and was made a Cardinal by Paul the 2d in the year 1467. But those Cardinals which were created by Pius and some few of Calisto's Creatures did what they could possibly to disturbe the good designs the rest of the Cardinals had in favour of Rovere not that they had any thing to object against him but that they could not endure to see themselves out-stript by a Cardinal of fewer years and the last which was dignify'd with the Purple There were present in the Conclave amongst the rest of the Cardinals Latino Orsino a Creature of Nicholas the 5th Roderigo Borgia a Creature of Calisto the 3d. and Cardinal Gonzaga dâ— Mantoa created by Pius the 2d who being all persons of great authority in the Colledge endeavour'd to draw over the rest of the Cardinals to Rovere's side which they defended with a firm resolution to dye rather than to elect any other Pope than Rovere which discover'd by the other ambitious pretenders they desisted and promis'd the Cardinals Orsino Borgia and Gonzague that they would go along with them In so much that in the second Scrutiny though they could do nothing in the first of the 27. Votes there were 18. for Rovere a thing not heard of before to have so many voices for one man in one Scrutiny They came afterwards to the Adoration and his name being desir'd he said he would be call'd Sixtus and accordingly he was proclaimed to the people by the name Sixtus the 4th they having not continued in the Conclave three full dayes This new Pope either in despight to such as had oppos'd him or to shew himself a generous rewarder of good Offices gave the Office of Chamberlain to Cardinal Orsino the Abbey of Sbiaco to Cardinal Borgia and the Monastery of Saint Gregory to Gonzague Yet there were some believ'd he had purchas'd his Papacy with theâ—e promises before hand but it could not be so for he was too zealous in his Religion to be tainted with Simony This Pope reigned 13. years and dyed the 13th of August 1484. on the 23. of the same month after the usual solemnities at his Funeral 28. Cardinals enter'd into the Conclave so divided in their judgements that many believ'd the Election would be very tedious There were three Scrutinies ineffectual there being none but Cardinal Barbo only who was Nephew to Paul the 2d and was call'd Cardinal of San Marco which could reach to the number of eleven the rest of the Competitors arriving aâ— not above two or three Some of the Cardinals oppos'd themselves against this Saint Mark out of envy which they bore to the Republick of Venice not enduring to see two Popes succeeding one another so nearly out of the same City Giuliano della Rovere Nephew to the late Sixtus otherwise call'd Cardinal of Saint Peter in Vinculis went one night to the Cardinal of Saint Mark and told him that if he would give his Palace to the Cardinal of Arragon King Ferdinando's Son he would oblige himself to make him three voices more in the next Scrutiny which amounted in all to 14.