that by this means there were two scrutinies ineffectual after this there began strong practices in the behalf of Cardinal Bessarione of Constantinople a Grecian who was one of the chief which had oppos'd themselves against the Latine Church he had disputed much against Purgatory unleaven'd bread and against the very person of the Holy Ghost who he maintain'd proceeded from the Father alone and not from the Father and Son Cardinal Bettone Archbishop of Avignon being advic'd of this and discovering the two thirds of the Cardinals declar'd in the design he fail'd not to use his utmost endeavour to frustrate that Enterprise and with great zeal he exprest himself in words like these Most illustrious Lords what shall we make a Pope upon a present appearance only without reflection on what is past or what 's to come shall we prefer a Grecian to the Latine Church and establish a Neophite in the highest place of the Vatican who is it that can assure us his conversion is true heterodox opinions in matters of Religion though renounc'd and alter'd with the tongue do yet leave a muddiness and disturbance upon the heart shall we give the Keys of Heaven to him who for so many years and with so many arguments deny'd there was a Purgatory shall we make him head of the Catholick Church who oppos'd it with so much audacity Is it possible our Church of Rome should be so poor and indigent that there cannot be one person found out who was born in her bosom and is worthy of the Government of the Flock of Christ what will the rest of the Nations say to see us goe up and down begging our Popes of this Country and of that Rouze up your zeal most noble Companions and permit not a thing so scandalous in the Church of Christ this I am sure of he which is a friend to Christianity will not give his voice for such a Pope These words being spoken with great energy had such an effect upon the hearts of the Cardinals that they began to change their designs and place them upon Cardinal Alphonso Borgia of the City of Valenza in Spain a person of great experience in Politick affairs and of maturity in respect of his age The usual scrutiny being made the said Cardinal was chosen Pope and took the name of Calisto the 3d. verifying the Prediction of Beato Vincenzo who upon his death-bed prognosticated that not long after his death a Countryman of his of Valenza should succeed in the Papacy Calisto lived three years and died the sixth of August 1458. and on the 20th of the same month Cardinal Aeneas Piccolomini of Siena was created Pope by 18 Cardinals which were present in that Conclave in which there were but two Competitors for the Papacy viz. Cardinal Rotomagensis and Aeneas aforesaid so that for the four dayes time in which it was debated in the Conclave they had no other difficulty but to make choice either of the one or the other of these two because Pietro Barbo and the Cardinal of Pavia who likewise made some pretensions were excluded at the first But that which was most curious and worthy to be remembred was to see each of these two persons driving on his own promotion magnifying his own virtues and debasing the qualifications of his adversary Rotomagensis in this manner went from one Cardinal to another and said What have you to doe with Aeneas what reason is it that moves you to think him worthy of the Papacy what passion is it that blinds you so as to confer an Office of that Majesty and importance upon a Gouâ—y Beggar how can he that is poor and infirm himself relieve or support the Church which is as weak as infirm and as poor as he Where is his learning where is his knowledge will you make him a Pope because he is a Poet It is not long since he came out of Germany and who can assure you but he may have thoughts of transferring the See into Germany for my part I should not have ambition'd it if I had not seen a person stand for it of much weaker parts than I am I am the antienter Cardinal of the two for it is scarce two years since he was made a Cardinal and in my Conscience there is none of you but knows I have Learning and Parts enough to govern the Church of Christ very well to the Government of which learning and parts are absolutely necessary Besides all this I am of Royal Extraction and have friends faculties and wealth wherewithall to accommodate and alleviate the necessities of the Church and last of all you your selves will have advantage by my Election by reason of the many Benefices I hold which upon my renuntiation will be divided amongst you Thr Cardinal of Avignon an audacious rash and avaricious person was there in favour of Cardinal William Rotomagensis whose interest he pursu'd with all imaginable zeal not so much as he was a Frenchman as because upon his promotion he pretended the Church of the said William his Pallace and Chancery He assembled therefore several Cardinals in a House of Office as in a private and secret place and began with many fair promises to inveigle them into the Net and taking an Oath of each of them he agreed with them about the way Rotomagensis was to be chosen The business was held as good as done nor was there any thing expected but day to meet in the chapel about the Scrutiny Cardinal of Bologna seeing things at this pass went to Cardinal Aeneas after midnight and spake thus to him I am come to bring you news that the Pope is made that several Cardinals having met privately in the necessary house they have determin'd among themselves to make Rotomagensis Pope as will follow as soon as a is day For my part I am resolved to have a care of coming again into the noose having experimented already how inconvenient it is to have a Pope to ones Enemy and this I can say from Calisto the 3ds kindness who never look't upon me with a good eye for having spoke against his Election My advice is therefore that you put your own things in order that you get up immediately out of your bed and tender your service to Rotomagensis as you desire not to have him your Enemy Aeneas lost not his courage at the tydings but animating himself ratheâ— the more he reply'd Avoid Satan seeing you come hither â—ut to give that devilish counsel to me which you have taken your self Keep therefore such Councels to your self my conscience does not serve me to choose a person who to my knowledge is not only not 〈…〉 but the most unworthy of all God keep me from falling into so great a crime and if â—thers shall choose him let it lye upon them to give an accompt of it at the latter day I know well enough how inconvenient it is not to have the Pope to be ones friend but yet â—iâ—
stopt by the mediation of the Venetian who taking up arms likewise constrain'd the Emperour to acknowledge Pope Alexander the true Successor of Saint Peter and after he had restor'd all those Cities and Lands which he had illegally usurp'd with all humility to kiss his Holinesses foot To the Articles of agreement betwixt the Pope and the Emperor there was one annext in which the Emperour renounc'd all the right of Election to which he pretended in the vacancy of the Chair obliging himself by Oath to leave the Election free to the Cardinals for the future For all this Alexander fail'd not to chastise some of those who had been of that schism so that some of those nine Cardinals which follow'd the interest of the Emperour dyed in despair seeing themselves bitterly persecuted by the Pope and those who had stuck to his party rewarded abundantly But Alexander besides that endeavoured what he could to ingrandize the Title of Cardinal and that they might more strongly preserve their faculty of Election he constituted a new form of Elections contrary to what was formerly by the majority of voices for till the time of this Pope it was sufficient to create one Pope if he had the advantage but of one voice But Alexander declar'd that no body should be admitted for Pope who had not two thirds of the votes of all the Cardinals then present at the Election which custome continues to this day After the death of Alexander the Cardinals continued in the creation of Popes for above sixty years that is from the creation of Lucius the 3d. who was Alexanders Successor to the time of Gregory the ninth in great quiet and tranquility and without any obstruction either from Emperour or people But the said Gregory being at wars with the Emperour Frederick about the year of our Lord 1239. the greatest part of the Cardinals were taken prisoners by the Emperours Army for which reason after the death of Gregory which happen'd in the year 1241. the Church was necessitated to remain without a Pastor the space of twenty months till that the Cardinals being by the intercession of several Princes discharg'd of their imprisonment assembled themselves as formerly for the creation of a Successor which was Innocent the 4th a Genoese call'd Simbaldo Fieschi before he was a person very well qualify'd chosen by common consent without any discrepancy of voices at all This Innocent was no sooner crown'd but he began to think of revenging the injury the Emperour had done to the Cardinals in keeping them prisoners so long In order to this he ordain'd a Councel should meet at Lyons and commanded that Frederick should be there present within so many days and because Fredericks Embassadors insisted upon longer time making it appear by good reasons that it was not possible to perform such a journey in the time that was assign'd The Pope being inraged at their answer declar'd the Emperour a contumacious and disobedient son of the universal Father and accordingly he Excommunicated him depriv'd him of his Imperial dignity declar'd him a Schismatick and having absolv'd them from their Oaths of Fidelity which they had given to the Emperour he excited all the Princes to depose him from his Empire and chose another in his place as it follow'd in effect Henry Landgrave of Turingia being elected presently after Frederick prepar'd himself both for defence and revenge but he dying the next year made an end of that quarrel In that Councel the Pope gave the Cardinal the Cap and red Mantle in token of their readiness to spend their blood in the service of the Church But to say the truth before they received the Red Cap there were several Cardinals that suffer'd Martyrdom But since the time they received it to this day there has not been so much as one so that we may believe the Cap took away their desire to be Martyrs The Lord Cardinals proceeded with great freedom and liberty in the Election of Popes being become absolutely soveraign in that affair They created several Popes with great satisfaction to all Christendom because they were chosen with great unanimity But by the death of Clement the fourth who dy'd at Viterbo the face of things was alter'd the Church to the great scandal of all Christians remaining two years without a Pastor because the Cardinals could not agree in the election of a Successor The Causes of so long a dissention are variously represented by several Historiografers but the chief were as follow The first and most forcible of all was the contrariety in the Natures of the Cardinals which were present at the Election at Viterbo who were 18 in number all obstinate and untractible and had sworn each of them never to yeild to his Companion in the least All of them believ'd themselves worthy of the Papacy and which was of most importance and gave the greatest delay to the Election every one negotiated for himself without speaking a word of other Pretenders so that it was not possible amongst eighteen several Competitors that they should come to any resolution But that impediment being remov'd in which the Cardinals continued obstinate for above ten months there arose another which lasted above a year and was the second occasion of the tediousness of the Election and that is the Cardinals were divided into two factions one of them Italians the other French these would have a Pope of their own Nation and the Italians would have him of theirs neither of them complying with the other and the number of the French being equal to the Italians there being no way to be found of gaining the two thirds of their Votes they remain'd whole weeks obstinate and doing nothing unless it were heaping dissention upon dissention The other reason was that this delay growing redious to the Princes and in particular to Philip King of France and Charles King of Sicily these two Princes resolv'd to come in person to Viterbo and sollicite the Cardinals to expedite the creation of the Pope upon this occasion the Cardinals which were adherents to these two Crowns having notice of their resolutions would do nothing till they were arriv'd who when they did come serv'd for nothing but to protract the Election though their desire was to hasten it each of them recommending different persons But the Cardinals being resolute not to depend upon any body whatsoever lest they should again reduce themselves into subjection the Princes finding all their intercessions ineffectual return'd as they came leaving the whole business to the Cardinals In the first Assembly after the Kings were departed John Cardinal of Porto observing the pertinacity of the Cardinals whilst they were together inv 〈…〉 the Holy Ghost cry'd out publiquely and with a loud voice Let us uncover my Lords the 〈…〉 Chamber perhaps the holy spirit will not come where we are thorow â—o 〈…〉 it would be necessary to have a Holy Ghost for every one seeing there is no two will agree The Holy
profligating and confounding those Heresies that were over-running the Church for which reason the Popes of Rome are in gratitude oblig'd to acknowledge the greatest part of their Grandeur from the munificence of that Emperour And indeed the Popes are bound in Conscience daily to pay their Tribute oâ— respect to the memory of that Emperour that gave them their Grandeur and to the present State of the Venetians that with so much pains and expence has preserv'd it and indeed were the Popes obligations to both of them compar'd I am of opinion with Reverence be it spoken to the memory of so great a Monarch they would appear greater to that Republique because though Charles indeed gave them their Grandeur and Wealth yet they could not have injoy'd either without their Liberty which Liberty they owe only to that Commonwealth All Christendome was in tears at the death of Charles the Great but the Pope above all who had lost as he thought whatever had been given him by the liberality of that Emperour nor was it without reason he was lamented for within few years the Enemies of the Church finding no impediment and the Christians grown curious of novelties there began new Heresies and Schisms to spread more fierce and dangerous than before even the Popes differing and quarrelling among themselves for the Papacy insomuch that the Church was constrained as it were to keep Councels constantly open Leo the ninth having call'd four one in Rome call'd the Lateran Councel the Councel of Pavia in Lombardy of Reimes in France and of Munster in Germany In Antioch where by the pains and vigilance of St. Peter and where he was Bishop for ten years together the Cross of Christ was set up and flourish'd with so great a number of Christians that they became emulated by their Neighbours yet after the year 400. Christianity began to stagger and the Flock of Christ to wander by degrees so as where before it was a hard matter to find an Infidel it was then much more difficult to meet a Christian to so small a number were they reduc'd and in this condition did they stand till the Christians of the West put the Eastern Saracens to flight and restor'd Antioch to her Primitive Liberty and all this under the command of Godfrey of Bollen who refus'd to be Crown'd King with a Crown of Gold where our Saviour had been Crown'd with Thorns in the year 1098. Great was the Schism in the Church in the time of Alexander the third as shall be more particularly and more properly express'd in my third Book and all of them reconcil'd either by Councels or Congregations only that which gave him the greatest trouble was an Assembly of Bishops at Pavia congregated by orders from the Emperour but by the zeal and valour of the Venetian that was dissolv'd and Alexander restor'd to the Chair in despight of the Emperour who having lost his Army was constrain'd by the Venetian to come in Person to Venice to kiss the Popes Toe So as God knows what condition the Church would have been in had not the valour of the Venetian interpos'd It would not be an easie matter to make an end of this History nor would it be easie for the best memory that is to retain them should I enumerate every particular Schism and Heresie every Dispute every Persecution every piece of Cruelty and every Mutation in the Church and the Remedies that were so seasonably and so miraculously apply'd as it were from Heaven to her afflictions And if it should be done it would be only a renovation and revivement of the memory of the antient sorrows and afflictions of the Church yet I am perswaded that as the relation and repetition of their suffering would inforce tears from the eyes of many a Christian so am I satisfied on the other side the remedies and deliverances sent down to them from Heaven would be a great comfort and corroboration to the Godly For which reason I have in my third Book in larg'd upon the miseries of the Church not so much to commemorate the unhappy and scandalous Schisms wherewith several Anti-Popes had infested it as to evince and make the Divine Providence more conspicuous to the understanding of the Devout The Clergy of Rome as well the smaller as those of greatest Dignity do believe that they endure all the troubles and burthens of the Church but those burthens as they call it are accompany'd with so much Honor and Grandeur 't is not possible to discover the trouble they pretend to lye under And forasmuch as the Faithfull do suffer most commonly by the Churchmen it may be said it is the Clergy that enjoy and the Laity that suffers and indeed one of their greatest troubles is that they are constrain'd to endure silently the insolences of the Ecclesiasticks which they commit with as much confidence and security as if Honesty and Justice and Christianity were intended for other people and not for them According to my natural inclination I had the curiosity a while agoe to read over the Ecclesiastical History and I made this observation that all the Schisms and Heresies in the Church arose either from some profound and undeterminable Disputes betwixt the Governours and Pastors in the Church or from the Envy that is too frequent amongst them or from the Scandalousness of their Lives or from the Exaltation of their Kindred or from some blind passion that precipitates the people in general and the Clergy in particular and reigns most especially in such persons as are dedicated to Divine Offices not that the Priesthood communicates any such thing to the Priest but that the Priest prophaning the Priesthood lives as he were under no such charge And this being the true Mother and Original of Schism it behooves every good Christian to apply what remedy he is able not of Councel and Admonition only because so obstinate is the nature of the Ecclesiasticks they will sooner adhere to their own wicked opinions than be perswaded by the best advice in the world but with Arms in their hands to struggle and contend in preservation of the just prerogative of the Church But since we have had occasion to speak so frequently of Schism and Heresie to prevent confusion in such as have not been well instructed it will not be amiss in this place to give some description by the bye of the difference betwixt them and not without reason for it is not two months since that a certain Franciscan Preacher a Missionary against Hereticks being ask'd what the difference was could not make him an answer Schism it originally a Greek word and signifies in our Tongue a cutting separation or division and indeed though there appears some little difference betwixt Heresie and that it is not much both of them importing such a division as tares and distracts the Body and Members of the Church that was formerly united with so much order and decorum Notwithstanding all this if we consider
false opinion some people had that Cardinal Francisco bought the Papacy in the last Conclave with the disbursment of a round sum of money Of Cardinal Ginetti of the difference of his manners and inclinations from Cardinal Barbarino's Of his immoderate covetousness Of the Vicarship and other Benefices conferr'd upon him by Pope Urban the eighth Of the number of Nephews that he hath and of their virtues and vices Of some particulars of Cardinal d'Arach and how little he was regarded in the Court of Rome Of his zeal in the reprehension of the iniquities of that Court in their secret Congregations Of Cardinal Antonio Barbarino and the reason why he was call'd Romano Of the Dignities conferr'd upon him before his Cardinalship Of his inclination towards Women Of the prudence he us'd in defence of the French Interest Of the grëat severity Cardinal Palotta us'd in his administrations of justice Of his sentencing Cecca Buffona a famous Courtezan and Cardinal Anthonio's Mistress to be whipp'd Of the animosities it begot and the great persecutions that follow'd thereupon Of the dis-intereâ—t he shew'd towards the Crowns Of the manner how Cardinal Brancaccio obtain'd the Cap. Of a notable saying of a witty man Of the great number of his Kindred Of the assiduity wherewith Cardinal Carpegna was alwayes ready to serve the Barbarini Of his humour that was something melancholly Of one of his Brothers call'd Don Mario Of the difference betwixt the Youth and the Age of Cardinal Durazzo Of the way by which he arriv'd at the Cardinalship Of his affability in conversation and other particulars of his nature Of his death Of the advancement of Mr. Julio Gabrielli from being Clerk of the Chamber to the Cardinalship Of his Bishoprick of Ascoli and his Legation from Urban Of his nature and his ignorance in letters Of the great merit of the House of Ursino and the promotion of Virginio Ursino to the Cardinalship Of his protection of Portugal and the great ardour with which he defended the Interest of France Of the good life of Cardinal d' Este Of his art in equivocating and his affability in conversation Of Cardinal Facchinetti and his reputation in the Colledge Of Urbans promotion of Girolamo Grimaldi a Genoese to the Cardinalship Of the esteem they had for him in the Court of Rome and in Paris Of Cardinal Rosetti and his Negotiation into England Of that which exalted Cardinal Donghi to the Cardinalship and of the reputation he got in his Legation to Ferrara Of the principal causes that mov'd the Pope to conferr a Cap upon Monsignor Rondanini Of the fortune Nicolo Ludovisi had to he advanc'd to the Cardinalship and other particulars of his nature Of the kindness Innocent had for the Cardinal Cibo and of the esteem he had in the Court for his good behaviour Of the great respect and reputation Cardinal Sforza is in Of his humour that has more of a Souldier in it than of a Prelate Of the Cap that was given to Cardinal Odescalco upon the importunity of Donna Olimpia and of the opinion they have of him at the Court. Of the promotion of Monsignor Raggi to the Cardinalship of his comportment and what they thought of him at Court before his promotion Of Cardinal Maldachini his humour his promotion and other particulars of his life Of the promotion and Persecution of Cardinal Rhetz Of the ambition Cardinal Homodei had for the Cardinalship and of his virtues Of Cardinal Ottobuono and his qualities Of the Cardinal Imperial and his qualities Of Cardinal Borromeo and of his promotion Of Cardinal Santa Croce Of the Cardinal d'Hassia Of the Cardinal Charles Barbarino Of the Cardinal Spada Of Cardinal Albici Of Cardinal Aquaviva Of Cardinal Pio. Of Cardinal Gualtieri Of Cardinal Azolini and several particulars of the Cardinals aforesaid Of the number of Cardinals created by Pope Urban the eight Of the saying of a great Wit upon the number of those Cardinals Of the number of Cardinals created by Pope Innocent Of the principal end the Popes ought to have in the promotion of Cardinals Of the causes that render the Court of Rome so Majestick Of the opinion of a Tuscan Gentleman thereupon Of the glory wherewith Innocent began his promotions Of the Cardinal Princes created by Innocent the tenth Of the little inclination Urban had for the creation of Cardinal Princes and the disgust given to the creatures of Paul the fifth Of the zeal wherewith Alexander the seventh began his Papacy Of his intention at first to make many Cardinal Princes Of the discourse he held thereupon with his Domestiques Of the power given to Signour Majetta Ambassador from the Duke of Savoy Of the misery the Colledge is in at this present for not having a greater number of Cardinal Princes Of the great pleasure the Popes take at the news of the death of any Cardinal Of the Cardinals that are created by the Douzanes and oblig'd to follow the interest of the Nephews Of the cause why the Cardinal Princes do wear the Purple and of the great honour to receive it THE Magnificence of the Cardinalitial Colledge is so great and its splendor so immense the Cardinals themselves could not wish it to be greater The respect and observance that is paid them is very little different from what is given to Kings and in some things they exceed the condition of Princes Yet the Grandeur of the Sacred Colledge would have been much greater if after its first institution or at least after the multitude of Prerogatives conferr'd upon it by so many several Popes by whom it hath been inrich'd it had maintain'd and continu'd its antient virtue and decorum But I know not how it is come to pass that the Popes either repenting that they had rais'd the Cardinals to so high a pitch of magnificence or that they did not regard as it is too likely the pulique benefit of the Church postponing it to their own private interests It is sufficient that they have endeavour'd not the conservation or advancement of the Cardinalitial Majesty but the abasement and destruction of it and that two several wayes but one much more pernicious than the other The first is in having admitted into the Colledge persons of mean extraction and of as little virtue with which they are not able to cover in the least the baseness of their birth for certainly it would be a less evil had they either virtue or learning to attone for their natural defects Nor would this be so despicable and dishonourable for the reputation of the Colledge were the Caps given only to persons of mean extraction but the worst is they are conferr'd upon most infamous persons abounding with all wickedness and mischief and perhaps fitter for the Galleys than the Colledge The second is that the same Popes who with so many Bulls and Ordinances have ingâ—andiz'd the Colledge either forgetful of their former policy or blinded by some Mundane passion have for a certain
honourably But all that money would be reserv'd either for the Chamber or for the Nephews or for the Pope because Princes receive not the Cap out of any regard to the profit of the Cardinalship but by their being Cardinals to adde profit to the Church On the other side the Court of Rome is so far Majestick and reckon'd among the principal of the World by how far the Cardinals do render it so for by how much the persons are considerable that carry the Purple by so much is the Court more splendid and magnificent because the Court is made magnificent by the Cardinals To this purpose I remember I was speaking one day with a Foreign Gentleman of the Grandeur of the Court of Rome and I having said that its greatest ornament and glory consisted in the persons of the Cardinals who resembling Kings the Court by consequence was adorn'd with as many Kings as Cardinals But he having been in Rome and holding particular intelligence had good information of the interests and policies of the Popes answered me thus Sir the habit makes not the Monk but the Monk the habit An ill man though he wears a Religious habit is but an ill man still but a good man in the worst habit shall be esteem'd good notwithstanding In like manner it is not the Purple that makes the Cardinal but the Cardinal the Purple so that the Cardinals would be Kings indeed if the Popes would choose them amongst the Princes and not amongst such as they too often do To speak the truth how can that Cardinal be an honour to the Court that cannot read how can he adde splendor to the Papacy that cannot write how can he give Majesty to an Imperial City that is but the off-spring of a Country Village how can he merit the Title of a King that never convers'd but with the vilest of the people Yet of such kind of stuff the Popes make their Cardinals too often and then how can that Court be thought great or serviceable to the Church if they that serve it are Kings indeed by name but Scoundrils in fact Let that Cap be bestow'd on those that know how to wear it let him be advanc'd to the Cardinalship that has deserv'd to be a King In short those Popes that desire to see the Church and the Court shining in Majesty and splendor let not them conferr that honour upon the quantity but the quality of the Persons Innocent the tenth began his promotions with the greatest glory in the World having open'd his Creation by giving his first Cap to the most Serene Prince Gio. Carlo di Medici Brother to the Great Duke of Tuscany and that on the 14th of November 1644. a person of that worth that for those twenty years he liv'd a Cardinal he may be said to have been the glory of the Colledge The next year continuing in that good humour he created Francisco Maria Farnese Brother to the Duke of Parma who joyning the Highness of his Birth to the Eminence of the Cardinalship added honour to the Order and had done it more had not the untimeliness of his death prevented it The third year he gave the Cap to Giovanni Casimiro the King of Polands Brother which he afterwards resign'd in the year 1648. being call'd back to receive that Crown in the room of his Brother that was lately dead by that means making it clear that the Purple can produce a Scepter if the Purple be taken from the Scepters And last of all in the last year but one of his Pontificate ambitious perhaps to immortalize his Name by admitting the most Eminent persons into the Colledge he created Prince Frederick Lantgrave of Hassia Cardinal of whom we have spoken already in his proper place Paul the fifth had a particular aim thorow the whole course of his Popedom to ennoble the Court to adde new Majesty to the Colledge and to select such persons as were proper by their own grandeur to defend the honour of the Church and accordingly in three promotions he advanc'd five Princes of very great quality to the Cardinalship viz. Mauritio Son to the Duke of Savoy who renounc'd it afterwards to marry one of the Neeces holding it less scandal to subject himself to a Lady than to be a slave to the Nipotisme of Vrban the eighth Ferdinando and Vicenzo Gonsaga both Sons to the Duke of Mantoa Carlo di Medici Son to the Duke of Tuscany and Ferdinando Infante di Spagna who as Histories report immortaliz'd the honour of the Cardinalship by fighting for the Faith of Christ Vrban the eighth that lived Pope so long although he created three Princes Cardinals viz. Nicolo Francisco Brother to the Duke of Lorain Gio. Alberto Brother to the King of Poland and Rinald d'Este Brother to the Duke of Modena yet for all that he was either diverted by his Kindred afterwards or else his own inclinations were not fix'd upon such Noble objects and he endeavour'd to keep at a distance from the Colledge such persons as deserv'd the Cap not only for the glory of their Birth but for the many services they had perform'd for the Church In this manner Vrban kept several Princes as far from the Cardinalship as was possible and amongst the rest Francisco Maria Farnese Brother to the Duke of Parma who as many wayes deserv'd it as any one But the Pope postponing the publick interest of the Church to the fancy and Capriccio of his Kindred depriv'd the Colledge of so Honourable a Member the Church of so considerable a Protector his own Family of so potent a support and his own person of the acquisition of a Fame more immortal than that of his being Pope For when the Popes do give occasion and matter to have it immortaliz'd they immortalize their own Names themselves nor can they find any more honourable way than by filling the Cardinalitial Colledge with persons of Honour But that which is most considerable is he not only disoblig'd the Cardinal Princes that were created by Paulus but those few also that he created himself being forc'd thereto for certain pittifull and poor-spirited reasons in so much that they were leaving of the Court and retiring out of Rome rather than to see the Prerogative of their Births prostituted to a few persons that had not wit nor education enough to use them civilly especially such as had deserv'd their promotion by their other virtues And it is most certain I beg the pardon of their relations that are living because I write only the common opinion and what is declar'd in several Histories the Church would have been in great perplexity to see it self out of all hopes of being serv'd by Princes if another Vrban had succeeded the former and not an Innocent But that God that governs all things above the comprehension of man put clear other thoughts into the heart of Innocent who by his Divine providence was call'd to the Papacy than what were in Vrban for as
607. in which time the Emperor Foca would needs create Boniface Pope in spight both of the major part of the Clergy and the People who rejected him as a person unworthy of so eminent a Dignity However Boniface express'd himself much more affectionate towards the Clergy and the People that were his adversaries than to the Emperor who would have elected him and the reason was because he saw what Authority the Emperors were usurping in the Pontifical Elections and therefore by new Orders and Decrees he confirm'd the Priviledges of the people commanding expresly that they should not for the future make any Election without the intervention of the People and Clergy to whom he gave Authority to do all The Emperors for all this did but laugh at their proceedings and betaking themselves again to the force of their comminations they asserted the Priviledges granted them by the Pelagiusses and would either by force or fair words make the Popes as they pleas'd Hence it was that Severus the second being chosen in the year 535. by the Clergy and the People and the consent of the Emperor also would not act any thing till he was confirm'd by Isacius the Emperors Lieutenant in Italy and all to publish how great the Authority of the Emperor was in the Election of the Popes And the pretenders to the Papacy observing the greatness of the Emperors Authority in the Elections almost all of them apply'd themselves to him for the obtaining of their designs In so much that in the year 688. one Pascal an Arch-priest and Treasurer to Conon who was then Pope did earnestly solicite John Platina at that time the Emperors Vicar in Italy and with great sums of money endeavour'd to oblige him upon the death of the present Pope to assist him in the succession Platina took his money and sent him away well pleas'd with his promises but the Pope being dead instead of assisting of Pascal he endeavour'd the promotion of another which was Sergius the first Yet it is certain had he found the Electors dispos'd he would have chosen him but the Clergy being wholly averse he would not undertake a thing he could not compass without dishonour seeing it was very well known what way Pascal had taken and what money he had consign'd to that purpose But the good Pascal no sooner saw Sergius in the Chair and himself without money and deluded but he did what he could to make the people rise against Sergius but without any effect This faculty of electing of Popes began to lessen in the time of Gregory who being Pope and a zealous assertor of the Ecclesiastical Liberty that he might render the Popedome more considerable he endeavour'd by an insurrection of all Italy against the Emperor then reigning to banish the Emperors of the East out of Italy and to that end he declar'd all such as yielded them obedience Excommunicate for the future and the people partly for fear of Excommunication and partly to set themselves at liberty declar'd themselves free and threatned with Armes in their hands to defend themselves to the last drop of their blood against whoever should endeavour the contrary and thus by the contrivance of Gregory were the Emperors of the East excluded from their Dominion in Italy Zachary a Grecian was chosen Pope in the year 743. by the Clergy and People only without any participation with the Emperor who was wholly excluded from the Election of the Pope And this exclusion continued till the year 760. in the time of Charles the Great and Adrian the first who entring into a League for several respects they granted many Priviledges one to the other viz. Adrian granted to Charles the Great the Title of MOST CHRISTIAN KING and CITIZEN OF ROME which was but a small business for an Emperor and King of France with power to call himself Roman Emperor and last of all Authority to interpose in the Election of Popes Charles the Great on the other side declar'd Adrian true and lawfull Prince of the City of Rome Patriarch of all Italy establishing the Empire of the Pope above all Empires and declaring his own inferiour to it There was but one Pope chosen by the consent of the Emperor and that was Leo the third after his death the Clergy and people in despight of the Priviledges granted to the Empire in regard of the Election of the Pope assembled themselves and created Stephen the fourth without attending the vote or assent of Lewis the Good who succeeded in the Empire after the death of Charles Lewis was disgusted at the Election and declar'd he would go in person to Rome and by force of Armes pull Stephen out of the Vatican and put another in his place as he thought good himself But Stephen having advertisement thereof prevented that mischief by going personally into France and in the presence of Lewis pretending to deposite all his Authority in the hands of the said Emperor which act of humility working upon the natural goodness of Lewis he confirm'd the Priviledges granted by Charles the Great and sent him back again to Rome with considerable Presents After the death of Stephen which was in the year 817. the people and the Clergy created Pascal the first without any notice given to the Emperor who made his complaints and threatned the Pope who was newly elected but he was perswaded to send two Legates in a solemn Embassie to make his excuse which they did so effectually that Lewis was not only satisfy'd with the Election of Pascal but remitted and renounc'd all the pretensions he had to the Election of the Popes It was not without difficulty that Lewis agreed to a thing of such prejudice to the Empire but at length his goodness prevail'd and he granted it In so much that as soon as Pascal was dead there arose great differences and disturbances betwixt the people and the Clergy but being grown more politick that the Emperor might not have occasion to put to his hand they endeavour'd to accommodate all by the choice of a third person which was Eugenius the second excluding Zinzimus for that time In the interim Lewis repented that he had given away his right of Election at the instance of Pope Pascal and therefore Pope Valentine the first being dead in the year 828. he sent to make his claim and to declare that if the next Pope was chosen without his consent he would not fail to bring his whole force into Italy to the detriment of Rome and the Electors especially But the Clergy and the people oppos'd those instances by shewing his Writing of Concession and without more circumlocution by common consent they elected Gregory the fourth who being fearfull of the Emperors indignation dispatch'd an Ambassador to him to desire his Confirmation but he could not obtain it till by Bull he had restor'd the Emperors to their former Prerogatives in the Elections which Gregory willingly consented to in compliance with the humour of the said Lewis
Crown'd as soon as he came to Rome in the Church of Saint Peter with great solemnity 40 days after his Election But here it is to be advertis'd that the Constitution of the form of the Conclave establish'd by Gregory in the Councel of Lyons was annull'd and restor'd three or four times some Popes being chosen without any Order of the Conclave In the mean time after the death of Innocent the 5th which happen'd in the year 1276. six months exactly after his Election Alexander the 5th who succeeded him being created in Rome and with all the formalities of the Conclave which was held in the Court of Lateran as soon as he was receiv'd to the Popedom revok'd the Order establish'd by Pope Gregory concerning the affairs of the Conclave though in due form it had the approbation of a General Councel This revocation or suspension as you please was declar'd invallid after his death as having been pronounc'd before his Coronation But Pope John the 21 succeeding both in his Papacy and humour and having no kindness at all for the Name of the Conclave he not only confirm'd Adrians Bull but by another of his own of greater force he annulled the said form of the Conclave in all respects whatsoever and so the Popes which succeded him which were Nicholas the 3d. Martin the 4th Honorius the 4th Nicholas the 4th and Celestine the 5th were all created according to the Order observ'd before the time of Gregory the 10th Celestine the 5th being received to the Popedom in the year 1294. moved by the same considerations wherewith Gregory was moved he revok'd and annull'd Pope Johns Bull and confirm'd the Law and Constitution of Pope Gregory in relation to the Conclave And Boniface the eight who succeeded Celestine was so well satisfy'd therewith that he confirm'd it again and order'd it to be Register'd in the Book of the Decreetals so that from Celestin's time to this present time the formalities of the Conclave have been punctually observ'd and may they be so eternally for to speak truth the introduction of that form into the Conclave has put an end as one may say to the Schisms in the Church and settled the true Catholick in tranquility and repose Indeed this Capriccio in Pope John who annull'd the form of the Conclave had no other effect but the introduction of delay and animosity among the Cardinals by whom Innocent the 10th was created Pope according to the constitution of Gregory the 10th after the said Gregory was dead with expedition and quiet and satisfaction to the People in the year 1276. After Innocents death Adrian the 5th was created in Rome he was a Genoese of the Family of Fieschi call'd before Ottobuono without any discrepancy accordingly after him in the year 1276. John the 21 was elected at Viterbo without any difference at all These three Popes liv'd all three but a little above a year These three Popes being created according to the form of the Conclave instituted by Gregory the 10th things began to proceed in good order and the Election to be made with care and quiet But after it was annulled by Pope John all things fell to dis-order in so much that the See was vacant after the death of the said John who dyed under the ruines of a Pallace five months and upwards of which I shall give the reasons in brief John being dead in the City of Viterbo the first scruple arose amongst the Cardinals was whether they ought to follow the form of the Conclave establish'd by Pope Gregory or the decree of annullation publish'd by Pope John the most voices prevail'd and they were for Pope Johns decree and accordingly without shutting themselves up in any place they met for several days in the Church early in the morning and return'd to their own houses at night about their own affairs It is well known in the mean time what delay there was by that means in the Election and to remedy the matter the Cardinals were supplicated I had almost said constrain'd by the people of Viterbo to re-assume the form of the Conclave which was agreed to and orders given immediately to have the Conclave accommodated into which according to the Constitution of Gregory all the Cardinals then present at Viterbo did enter But for all this the Cardinal Electors could not agree about a Successor because there were so many French Cardinals and Italians all of them standing firm to their resolutions of choosing one of their own sides to be Pope and to remain shut up in the Conclave till such a number of the one or the other should die as should be sufficient to render the other party the stronger At this time the Guard of the Conclave was given to one Richard of the Anibals one of the principal Families in Rome which said Richard having a while before taken the Government of Viterbo from Orso a Nephew of Pope Nicholas to whose family he was a severe and fierce Enemy The two Cardinals Orsini who manag'd the Italian faction cry'd out that Orso was to be restor'd to the Government he had lost before they came to the Election of a new Pope The people of Viterbo being backt by the said Richard and excited by the French enter'd into the Conclave took out the two Orsini and clapt them in prison upon which the Italian party being render'd the weaker the French taking hold of the occasion chose a Pope as they pleas'd themselves and this was Martin the fourth call'd Simon before he was born in Tours in France and was Cardinal di Santa Cecilia And thus that Conclave was brought to a conclusion after a tedious debate to the great detriment of the most noble house of the Orsini who were driven out of Rome by the Anabali and oblig'd with all their followers to retire to Preneste Martin being dead in the first month of the fifth year of his Papacy the Vacancy was but very few days the Cardinals who had their Conclave then at Perugia for the Election of a Successor agreeing very readily in the person of Honorius the 4th of the Noble Family of the Savelli But it was not so after the death of Honorius the Church being vacant for ten months together yet not so much from any dissention amongst the Cardinals who were all moderate and quiet as by an accidental sickness and Earthquake that happen'd for whilst the Conclave was held in Santa Sabina for the Creation of a new Pope several Cardinals fell sick on a sudden amongst which five of the most considerable dy'd in a week and they were Giordano Orsino Il Conto a Milanese Hugo an Englishman Gervasio Dean of Paris and Anterio a person of great worth and renown And because many of the rest were forc'd to keep their beds the Conclave was open'd ond dissolv'd and that election reserv'd to a better time and the rather because the Earthquakes continued so frequent they were frighted into a resolution of deferring it
came to be 12. those of the first Scrutiny which was made divided their Votes in 10. Cardinals and therefore that Scrutiny being void another was made the next day in which Cardinal Prosper Colonna had 10. voices and Cardinal Firmano 8. This gave some small addition to the opinion people had of Colonna many believing him certainly to be Pope especially when they saw he wanted but two voices The next day they came to a third Scrutiny and the 8. voices were divided they having propos'd some persons without the Conclave yet the 10. voices for Colonna were entire From whence Cardinal Firmano who defended Colonna's party taking courage he began to cry out Let us lose no more time in vain in these contests seeing the Church is so great a sufferer by them let us open our eyes I beseech you which are seal'd up as it were by particular passion and look upon the evils impending Behold Rome is divided into two factions the French County declar'd our Enemy the Schism of Amadeo Duke of Savoy is grown stronger by our differences the King of Aragon threatens us with his Armies and why then do we lose time why do we not resist these evils by giving a Pastor to the Spouse of Christ why do we not eâ—â—ct Cardinal Prosper Colonna who wants but two voices and is a person qualify'd with virtue for so honourable a charge The Cardinal Bolognese being moved by these perswasions rose up to go to Colonna and give him his voice which Cardinal Tarentino observing pluck'd him by the slâ—eve and said Stay a while not in such hast a business of this importance requires time and maturity of counsel we are now deliberating about the Election of Gods Vice-gerent upon Earth a Shepherd for the whole Flock of Christ and a Governour of the Universe and shall we precipitate in this manner Cardinal Aquilegiense reply'd Your words Cardinal Tarentino do import as if you would make a Pope oâ— your own and wrest the Papacy out of the hands of Colonna Explain your self then who is it you would have Pope Bolognese reply'd Tarentino and I the same said Aquiligiense Cardinal San Sixâ—o went towards the Cardinal Bolognese and said Thomas I make you Pope it is appointed this day that we celebrate the Vigils of Saint Thomas upon which words there was a common cry of all the Cardinals We will have no other Pope but Thomas Sarzana da Luna Bishop of Bologna who was nam'd by San Sixtus and so with a general acclamation he was made Pope This Cardinal was so modest that in the presence of them all he declar'd himself unworthy of so great a charge beseeching the Cardinals that they would fix their eyes upon some body that might be more able to do the Church service than he to which Cardinal Tarentino reply'd that he ought not to withstand the pleasure of the Holy Ghost who had directed his Election he submitted thereupon to the will of the Lord and took upon him the name of Nicholas every one admiring to see him Pope who never aim'd at it at all and those remain Cardinals who fancy'd they were already created It is scarce credible with how much zeal this Pope began his Pastoral Cure he spent the greatest part of the night in ruminating and considering of a way to extinguish the Schism of the Anti-pope to which he by several reiterated instances press'd the Emperor Frederick who being willing likewise to do any thing for the satisfaction of his Holiness forc'd Felix to renounce the Papacy which he did in the year of our Lord 1449. about two years after Nicholas was created however Nicholas us'd Amadeo with this courtesie that he made him Cardinal and Legate of Germany that he might not be destitute of Dignity in regard of the Nobility of his Family which was reckon'd amongst the principal of Europe as it is esteem'd at this present For the abolishment of this Schism and of so pleasing an agreement the people and Clergy all Italy through made no small expression of their joy shewing their thankfulness with Bone fires and Processions especially in Rome This deposal of Felix was very displeasing to the poor of Germany for he was certainly one of the most charitable persons living Being one day desir'd by certain Ambassadors to shew them his Hounds he reply'd that they should not fail to see them the next day the time and the Ambassadors being come the good Felix who was then Don Amadeo shew'd them a multitude of poor Beggars all of them set down at his Table telling them Behold these are my Hounds which I daily feed and do hope by following them to be carry'd to glory everlasting many Princes of these dayes would have need of such an example He liv'd Anti-pope nine years although he was very old having seen his Grand-sons marry with the Daughters of Kings After his renuntiation he liv'd but a few months and dyed in Ripalta though others suppose in Lusana where it is believed he was buried because he has a fine Tomb of excellent Marble there at this day Felix his Schism being compos'd in this manner and the Cardinals elected by him confirm'd by Nicholas they all embrac'd one another obliging themselves both the Cardinals created by Nicholas and they who were created by Felix for the future to a Religious concord and to look nearer into the duties of their Dignity and the inconvenience the Church had receiv'd by their differences and disputes swearing to one another after a true resentment of what was past a firm resolution of moderating their private passions in the Conclaves and not to expose the honour and quiet of the Church any more They promis'd moreover that they would not only endeavour to put the Popedom in the time of the vacancy of the See into the hands of a deserving person and one capable of exercising an Office of that Grandeur but that they would hasten the finishing of the Conclave to the utmost of their power that the people might not have time to embarque themselves in any mischievous design and that the Princes might not be oblig'd to put their hands to the Work because they being troubled to see the dis-union amongst the Ecclesiasticks encrease were uniting themselves to give a remedy to the Schism After the death of Nicholas the 5th which happen'd in the year 1455. as it were with extreme grief which he conceived to see the City of Constantinople fall into the hands of the Enemies of the Gospel it was apparent that all which the Cardinals had promis'd was with their mouths only and not with their hearts for the Cardinals being enter'd in the usual form though with a small number but of 28. into the Conclave they began immediately to divide not as Brothers but Enemies making four factions that the election of the Pope might be sure to be difficult eleven of them pretending to the Papacy themselves and yet there were but 15 for any one so
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.
so that in the accession after he would be sure to be Pope But the Cardinal San Marco reply'd that he would not come into the Vatican by Simony nor make a bargain for the liberty of the Church it being easie for King Ferdinand by putting himself in that House and fortifying it to make himself Master of the whole City Cardinal Juliano being very much disgusted at this repulse went to Cardinal Borgia a great Enemy of San Marks treating earnestly with him for the exaltation of Cardinal Cibo a Genoese who though in other things he was deserving enough yet in this case he suffer'd himself to be carry'd away with ambition so that he gave license to the two Cardinals aforesaid to negotiate as they thought fit and to promise Offices and Dignities at their pleasure obliging himself by an Oath to confirm them and thus by means of those liberal promises they got 18. or 19. voices who being got together went up and down the Dormitory publishing the creation of the Pope and indeed they chose him in the night In the mean time six of the antientest Cardinals were asleep and little dreamt of a Cibo to be Pope and when they came to tell them they must come away the Pope was created they were astonish'd at the news being got up and come to the Chappel they found things beyond all remedy there being more than two thirds of the Cardinals of his party so as they judg'd it best for themselves also to condescend and in this manner Cibo was made Pope with the name of Innocent the 8th afterwards he rewarded them very well who had given him their Votes some with money some with Benefices and some with Honours His Election was on the 5th day after the Cardinals entrance into the Conclave and the 16th after the vacancy of the See He govern'd the Church about eight years and dy'd the 25. of July 1492. after whose death there was a tumult of the people whole Troops of Banditi and Thieves running up and down the Streets committing insolencies and murders with such noise that the very Cloysters were not thought to be safe Roderigo Borgia ceas'd not all this while to negotiate the Papacy for himself in the most â—aâ—â—â— and detestable manner has been formerly heard of The Cardinals the greater part of them were brib'd by Cardinal Ascanio Sforza one of the greatest promoters of that barbarous Pope to that pass that 22. Cardinals entring the Conclave on the 8th of August late in the night on the 11th which was the first Scrutiny by common consent Borgia was chosen An accident sufficient to convince us of the effects of the natural perverseness of Man for it has not been known that ever a holy and pious Pope was chosen with so much applause aâ— this Jugler was even honest men giving him their Votes perhaps by Divine ordination to mortifie their pride There was present then in the Conclave Cardinal Girardo Patriarch of Venice from whence he was come Post thither having understood the incurable infirmity of the Pope though indeed he pretended to go to Rome to receive the Cap from the hands of the same Pope who had given him the Purple This Cardinal therefore who could not stand upon his leggs being so decrepid and in an age of 92. years foretold all the calamities in which the Church was afterwards involv'd and with strong reason oppos'd the Election of that person but seeing the ineffectuality of his words and the press of Cardinals he held his peace and proceeded to the Adoration with the rest which was perform'd the 11th of August before day and at the same hour he was publish'd tâ— the people by the name of Alexander the 6th The greatest part of those Cardinals who were brib'd out of a principle of ambition and covetousness receiv'd the reward of their wickedness and corruption in giving the Papacy to so unworthy a person some of them being put to death by Alexanders order others banish'd from Rome and others confin'd to perpetual imprisonment Ascanius Sforza himself who had been his principal promoter though in the Conclave he obtain'd the Vice-Chancellorship from the hands of his Holiness in recompence of his pains yet he had afterwards his share of chastisement God Almighty not exempting him from his just punishment to the end that by his example the rest might be taught to banish Simony from the Conclave Alexander dyed of a violent death the 12th of August 1502. after he had reign'd in a most barbarous manner 11. years The Duke Valentino his Son gave many troubles to the Church and no small molestation to the Cardinals who thinking not convenient to enter into the Conclave after the 9. dayes usual obsequies kept out 16. dayes longer in expectation of the march of the French Army out of Rome which was going against the Spaniard the Cardinals apprehending least any tumult should happen in the City whilâ—â— they were in the Conclave into which they enter'd at length on the 9th of September to the number of 37. divided into five parties and so dis-united in their thoughts that it was believ'd impossible to unite them without some great tumult Those who were of the Duke Valentino's faction negotiated for a Creature of the said Dukes with the most infamous and detestable Simony in the world yet in the Scrutinies there was not any had above 9. voices for which reason they came not to the access The Spanish and French Cardinals each of them pursued the advantages of their own Nations and the nearest Competitors kept firm to their resolutions of not yielding to one another At length the Cardinal of Siena whose teeth water'd at the Papacy as well as the rest seeing all the Pretenders drive on their interests with promises he also would follow their example and accordingly taking the same measures he went one night to the Cardinals Rotomagensis Sforza and Valleteravo as persons which had the greatest party of followers of them all promising them many things if they would be pleas'd to assist his Election These Cardinals saw it would be hard for them to happen upon the person they desir'd and to fasten it upon the Cardinal of Siena would be easie and being satisfy'd with his prayer's and his promises they consulted among themselves to make him Pope and to that purpose they met in Rotomagensi's Chamber after which as a thing done and concluded they went to be merry and congratulate in his own Chamber where it being his Ague day besides his Gout they found him in bed It was said whilst the Cardinals were upon agreement for the Election of the Sienese that it would be best to choose him by the way of the Holy Ghost to which Rotomagensis reply'd that the Election by the way of the Holy Ghost was dangerous in respect one single contradiction sufficed to render it null In the mean time the Scrutiny was made and the Cardinal of Siena had two thirds of the voices
absolutely at least they precede the interests of God and his Church and this I am sure but few Cardinals with a good Conscience can deny This way of proceeding so blindly in the Elections of the Pope has prevail'd for above three hundred years but for an Age past it is so usual and rooted that it seems a necessary virtue Now the Cardinals who are ingag'd both to the Princes and the Church do in the Elections of the Popes stand as it were in a Precipice and are in danger of running themselves upon Scylla to avoid Charibdis or upon Charibdis to avoid Scylla and this is it that obliges the Cardinals many times to endure imprisonment in the Conclave several dayes together And to render the Election of the Pope more tedious and pernicious that is more adhaesive to the world there is another thing introduc'd likewise into the Conclave within this last Age and that is the faction of the Nephews which prevails dayly and overgrows both the factions of Spain of France and all the Princes in Christendome The faction of the Nephews was the cause as we shall show in its proper place that after the death of Vrban and Innocent the Cardinals remain'd several weeks and months shut up in the Conclave without being able to agree the interest of the Nephews over-powring the intreest of the Crowns which ought to have been the greater of the two And now behold the liberty of the Cardinals inslav'd to the Tyranny of the Nephews the Ambition of the Nephews Lording it over the Priviledges of the Church Is it necessary then that young men be preferr'd before old that Ganimed be ador'd before Jupiter Is it reasonable to exclude those who can say and speak truth Quadraginta annis proximus fui generationi huic and to admit them who but begin to say the Introibo in domum tuum Domine Must it be then that if in the Sacred Colledge there be found one Cardinal worthy of the Papacy must it be I say that he must stand depriv'd and uncapable because he was not created by the last Pope In this manner things are now carry'd because they will have it so but doubtless it ought to be otherwise At present and for a hundred years past the vote of the Cardinals is not free the last takes place of the first and the first are forc'd to give place to the last The Hereticks laugh and the Catholicks laugh and some of those Romans who are neither Catholicks nor Hereticks make Pasquins upon the subject a subject indeed too scandalous and reproachfull to the whole Colledge but especially to those Cardinals who laying aside their own liberties and the liberty of the Church adhere so close to the interest of the Nephews manifesting thereby that it was not their merit advanc'd them to the Cardinalitial Dignity but their Devotion to the Nephews and pronouncing themselves Cardinals of the Nipotisme rather than of the Holy Church seeing they do not serve the Church but the Nipotisme Some few dayes past I had an accidental occasion of discoursing with a certain Prelate or Abbot of Rome who amongst variety of other things relating to the interests of the Court of Rome happen'd in the process of his discourse to declare that he had been Conclavist to a Cardinal in the last Conclave of Chigi I out of my natural curiosity and in order to my History which I was then a compiling giving thanks to Heaven for so propitious an opportunity beseech'd the Abbot very earnestly that he would inform me of some particulars touching the interests of the Princes in the Election of the Popes The Abbot fetch'd a sigh at my request and gave me this answer Sir in the Election of the Pope the least thing that prevails is the interest of the Princes and especially of the Crowns if you knew at what rate things are carry'd in the Conclave you 'd bless your self There is not a word of any thing but the Nephews and the interests of the Crowns are us'd but as a meer shadow to the interest of the Nipotisme for my part I believe the Princes weary to see the interests of the Nephews preferr'd to theirs in a matter of that consequence will leave Rome to the Cardinals and the Cardinals in Rome who finding themselves depriv'd of the riches the Princes give them to defend their interest will every one cry out without doubt Quid faciam miser quia Dominus meus aufert a me villicationem And this I am sure of that if ever the Princes shall resolve to take that course their interests in the Conclave will be greater than they are now which if not nothing at all are at least so little they know not where to find them themselves Certainly if things be consider'd impartially it will be found that the Papacy is not Elective as it seems in appearance but Hereditary to the Nephews for as much as the Nephews of the deceas'd Pope are they which govern all in the Conclave and will have it one way or other in spight of all those who endeavour to oppose them But because a business of such importance desires better proofs I shall proceed according to the order of Elections and by experience of the successes of the Conclaves since Paul the third render the Reader so well satisfy'd and inform'd that he may himself confess the Papacy is now become Hereditary to the Nipotism of Rome Paul the third pass'd from this to a better life on the 10th of November 1549. and his obâ—equies being perform'd the Lord Cardinals to the number of 47. enter'd into the Conclave they were divided into three factions the first for France govern'd by the Cardinal Guise the second for the Emperor manag'd by the Cardinal of Trent and the third of the Creatures of Paul conducted by Cardinal Farnese a young man but as well vers'd and experienc'd in Politick affairs as was to be expected from his age and something better Amongst the Cardinals of the faction of Farnese there were certain others promoted in the time of Paul and which is more considerable they were able men and mature both in judgement and age by which means this faction being the greatest of the three was courted and caress'd by both the other At the beginning of the Conclave the reputation of the Cardinal Farnese began to be very great all people acknowledging it impossible to put an end to the Conclave without his concurrence so that each of the two factions took what pains they could to draw him to their side but because to oblige his Creatures the more to him he had declar'd to do nothing but by the deliberation and consent of all his aforesaid Creatures together Farnese being weary of the importunities of the Imperialists and the French reâ—olv'd before he engag'd himself to consuit certain of his Creatures more judicious than the rest who fail'd not to advise him with great reason and solidity Some of them declar'd