ordination belongs to themselves Let them force themselves and endeavour the repose of the Church let them have an eye over the affairs of the poor whose lawfull Princes they are and let them not as they value the praise of the World and the benediction of Christ forget the Jurisdiction that was given them by him If the Popes by debasing the Authority of the Cardinals have erected their own Monarchy why do not the Cardinals by depressing that of the Pope exalt themselves to the condition of Senators in the Christian Common-wealth If the Popes have thought good for the private advantage of their particular Families to change to the great detriment of the Cardinals the Republick of Christ into a Monarchy for their Nephews why shall not the Cardinals for the benefit of the Church subvert that Monarchy and re-establish the Republick of Christ Christ did not call them to the Apostleship to make them Deacons of Apostles but that they should watch over and superintend that the Offices of the Deacons were executed well In Republicks the Dukes are not chosen to destroy the Senators but on the contrary they keep up the Grandeur of the Senators to render their own Authority the more Majestick Let the Cardinals therefore have a care it fares not with them as it did with a Souldier of Alexander who being ask'd his Name by the Emperor and answering Alexander his actions being not answerable to his Name the Emperor reply'd Either leave the Name of Alexander or do as Alexander does And certainly the Cardinals ought either to act like Cardinals and vindicate that dignity God has given them as principal Ministers in his Church or relinquish that Eminent Title The habit makes not a Monk nor the Purple Robe a Cardinal if that were so there would not want Purple to make Cardinals nor habits to make Monks The zeal of Religion the safety of the Christian Common-wealth the protection of the People the care of the Cures the administration of the wealth of the Church the banishment of Vice Sweatings and Labourings and Watchings for the augmentation of the number of the Faithfull and the propagation of Christianity are as the Poles upon which the Wheel of Cardinalism ought to turn If a Cardinal goes this way to work tyres and harrasseth out himself in prosecution of the virtues aforesaid he will be a Cardinal indeed though he wears no Purple but if he shuts his eyes and leaves all things forsaken and deserted he may have as much of the Purple as he please but he will have nothing of the Cardinal The Cardinals tremble at the very Name of the Pope and yet it is they themselves that give him his Papacy They humble themselves at the beck of him who proceeds from their own bowels they are contented to be stript of their Authority to invest him with it that robb'd them The Protestants deny the whole power of the Pope and in their Schools bring many arguments to refute it yet they allow more dignity to the Cardinals than they know how to ask of his Holiness They say that if the Pope could be contented to be a Cardinal amongst the Cardinals and the Cardinals as Popes with the Pope the Church of God would be restor'd to the true form in which it was created in the infancy of Christianity when the Apostles were Peters and Peter as the Apostles and they would not find that difficulty of closing with our Church which by that means would be Universal and not particular whereas now they are glad of any opportunity to distract it because they see it particular by reason of the absolute Authority that is given to the Pope I was a while since invited to dinner by a Friend of mine and by accident there were several Protestants and some Catholicks at the Table About the latter end of dinner the Catholicks with great freedom began to discourse it was in the time of the vacancy of the Chair of the discord and dissention amongst the Cardinals one of them instanc'd the example of the Apostles who when the Holy Spirit descended upon them were Congregati in unum applying all to the difference betwixt the Apostolick Colledge in these times in which they are at variance and what it was in the Primitive when there was nothing but meekness and charity and love Amongst the rest there was a French Gentleman indifferently well learn'd and of a pleasant conversation who taking the word from the other reply'd smilingly that those words Congregati in unum might very justly be apply'd to the Apostolick Colledge in being with this difference only that the Apostles then were Congregati in unum with Christ and now they are Congregati in unum with the Pope And â—e had gone further had he not been interrupted and forc'd to rise from the Table upon an unexpected visit that was made which altered the whole discourse I who had then this Cardinalism in my head and resolv'd to make an end of it and publish it to the world began to make some reflection upon what the French man had said and I found his opinion was not â—ll grounded so much did it correspond with mine For in truth in Rome where the Congregations are infinite the Cardinals are Congregati in unum not in their judgements or desires in which many times there is so much discrepancy that every Cardinal has a several opinion but in a resolution to do whatever his Holiness commands them They are Congregati in unum because in the Consistories they conclude of nothing but what is dictated by the Pope From whence it happen'd that a Cardinal of a very profound judgement that liv'd in the time of Innocent the tenth being ask'd one day whether he went he answer'd To Donna Olimpia's Congregation implying that that Lady having the absolute management of his Holiness her Cousin it was necessary to observe her orders exactly whether they were good or bad and indeed some few that would needs peevishly and obstinately withstand her Commands found but little ease or advantage by it Were the Cardinals Congregati in unum for a good understanding amongst themselves as they are Congregati in unum to do what ever they are commanded by the Pope the Church would be better serv'd than it is the State would flourish in plenty and peace and the Nephews reduc'd to their primitive indigence and necessity The Popes do rejoyce if not contrive to see the minds of the Cardinals divided as much fearing the consequence of their unity and a certain great Pope that lived in our age was wont to say That the division of the Cardinals was the exaltation of the Popes a saying as Diabolical as Politick which discover'd clearly that the intentions of the Popes were fix'd upon the Supremacy they injoy that is to keep and conserve the Monarchy of the Church in their own absolute Dominion though to the utter destruction of all that oppos'd them and because there is no
Novelty is with great penalty forbidden as well to the Bishops as Friars they are not permitted to exercise any publique Function or to publish any Order whatsoever though from Rome its self without notice given to the Senate and their License obtain'd and from hence it is that the Service of God and the Majesty of the Church is carry'd on with that Order that they have made themselves Emulated at Rome as well as in other States and all by the Authority the Senate keeps over the Clergy looking on them as Subjects not Equals as other Princes do And without question had it not pleas'd God by opposing the powers of those two Countries France and Spain against their ambition and by their means to put a stop to that torrent that was overflowing all Christendome the present Princes of Italy had been either chased out of their Dominions or forc'd to have ow'd their Liberties to the Liberality of the Popes If the Princes of Italy would but yet take their natural Liberties into consideration and follow the Examples of France and Venice it would not be too late and doubtless of all Nations they are most worthy to be imitated though the Ecclesiasticks are not asham'd to asperse the former with Heresie and the other with Atheism But indeed the Priests and Pontificians esteem none other Christians but such as believe them to be as they would be believ'd themselves Some there are who making judgement of things from their outward appearances do imagine the Spaniard much more Zealous for the Catholick Religion than the French but they are certainly mistaken for that zeal the Spaniard pretends to the Apostolick Chair and the Service of the Church is but a Copy of his Countenance and rather the formal result of his Policy and Interest than an ingenuous effect of his piety and Devotion The Spaniards have indeed a great Reverence for the Pope but none at all for the Church The French have much for the Church but little for the Pope for which reason the Popes look upon the Spaniards as Saints for being on their side and on the French as Devils for being on Gods And this Influence and Authority of the Popes over the Consciences of the Spaniard besides a natural animosity that is betwixt them is a great impediment to their Union in Religion the Spaniards as it were in a Bridle are manag'd by the Pope but the French keep close to their Gallican Church Others there are that think the Conscience of the Venetian of the largest size but for what reason Because in their Dominions they will not suffer the Priesthood to Usurp that unlimited and irregular power they exercise with so much detriment to the Soveraignty of Princes in other States and indeed what mieseries what calamities do we see dayly spring up in Christendome by their â—â—ars what anxieties and perturbation in peoples minds and yet because the Venetian distinguishes betwixt Gods Service and the Popes betwixt the power of Princes and the power of the Church betwixt Spiritual things and Temporal they are aspers'd with largeness of Conscience But would to God that Zeal and Sincerity for Religion that raigns in the hearts of that Senate raign'd also in the Courts of all other Princes in Christendome and doubtless their affairs would have better success Some few years since it was my fortune to Travel upon the Road with two Roman Abbots one of them after several other discourses happen'd to fall upon the Authority of the Pope and to declare what great power God Almighty had given him over all people in the world I who Travell'd on purpose to make observation of the proceedings of the Ecclesiasticks and of the Jurisdiction every where but especially in some principalities of Italy to the prejudice of Princes was very glad of the occasion as hoping thereby to receive some matter for my pen. It is the custom of the Italians to constrain and reserve themselves as much as possibly and keep their opinions close from the rest of the world but it is my humour on the other side to speak freely what I think and to write all I know whether it be good or bad which though they look upon as imprudence I cannot dislike However with these Abbots I thought it best to conceal my own and attend an opportunity of discovering their Judgements At last one of the Abbots took occasion very seriously to bewayl the extravagant liberty which the French and the Venetian assumed concluding that were it not for the repugnancie of these two States the Pope would be absolute Monarch of the whole World or at least the greatest Prince would fear the censure of the smallest Priest whereas by observing how little the French and the Venetian regard the Authority of the Church all others in like manner despise the solemnest Excommunication though from the Pope himself Being always delighted to hear other men speak I made him no answer at all thereby in a manner inticing him to proceed in his discourse but when he came to complain heavily of the French and Venetian for suffering Stationers to Print and Vend books frequently in their Dominions so much to the prejudice of the Pontifical Authority I could not forbear giving him this answer Dear Sir shall it be lawfull for the Pope to cause to be printed so many thousand books at Rome in favour of his own Authority and in prejudice of the Supremacy and Majesty of Princes and shall it be unlawful for Princes to permit the reading of such books as are written in the defence of their falling Authority and in diminution of the Papal The Abbot reply'd with the passion and insolence of a Priest That Princes could not in Conscience challenge their Authority but from the Pope's blessing and benignity who as Christ's Vicar upon Earth has power to dispose of all things in this world which are bestow'd by Heaven whence Princes are styled Sons and the Pope Father because as a Father he gives them their patrimony But this by your leave is a mistake reply'd I. True it is Princes are Sons of the Church indeed but not of the Pope and they are oblig'd to defend that Church which is their Mother but not that Pope who is their Enemy The Goods of this world do indeed belong unto the Lord but not at all to the Pope who by pretending to a Vniversal Dominion is so far from being Christs Vicar that he goes contrary to the Doctrine of our Saviour who besides the command he has left us to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars has declared that his Kingdom is not of this world and how then could the Pope who is but his Vicar confer or take away any Kingdoms here That which netled the Abbot most was my calling the Pope an Enemy to Princes to which he answered And why an Enemy I pray you I reply'd may not he too properly be call'd my Enemy that seeks to rob me of my birth-right
When Christ came down from Heaven for the Redemption of man-kind he acknowledg'd with his own most holy Lipps that he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Now that Kings and Princes have been been alwayes acknowledg'd as Gods Ministers by the people there are a thousand places of Scripture that prove whereas the Popes can hardly produce one Text to confirm that Authority they challenge over Princes And to speak impartially and without interest what reason have the Romanists to withdraw themselves as they do from their obedience to their Soveraigns are they more holy than the Apostles are they more zealous than St. Peter or more politique than St. Paul Yet these who were the founders of Christianity as I may say and the propagators of our Faith paid tribute to Kings obey'd their Magistrates never enterpris'd any thing without leave of the Governours of places whether they went and in short have not only left us their Examples to walk by but this express praecept and command That we give Obedience to all powers for there is no power but from God The Abbot was touch'd to the quick he fix'd his eyes upon me repeated my words one after another and gave me so many tokens of his indignation that I was very well satisfy'd he could have wish'd me in the Inquisition however I took no notice and he thought fit to change the discourse and I in compliance with him took occasion to commend the Countrey through which we travell'd By this relation it is manifest what is the principal thing that the Churchmen drives at namely the ruine of the Authority of Princes and the exaltation of the Pope who is their Prince and Supreme Nor indeed can I see with what policy I had almost said Conscience Princes suffer books to be printed and sold in their Territories which speak with that liberty or rather insolence in behalf of the Majesty and Jurisdiction not only of the Pope but of all Ecclesiasticks against their own Soveraignty and such books as these are the great Volume of Sorbou Bellarmine Toletus Diana Candidus Palavicino and the aforesaid Santerelli with hundreds of other Ecclesiastical Writers whose preferrment depending upon the Church they are by their own interest prompted to such expressions whilst on the other side they prohibit books which directly offend not the Church they profess but only the Authority of the Pope and that too in nothing but what respects their incroachments upon the Civil power And in this manner the Jurisdiction of the Pope and the Ecclesiasticks and the Majesty and Soveraignty of Princes stand as it were in a ballance the Subjects of each party contending with might and main to gain upon the other and to make their own side preponderant the former endeavour daily to lighten the latter and 't were good that the Ministers of Princes would use the like diligence to diminish the Papal power lest in time it swallow up both Princes and Principalities too That the Pope should be Reverenc'd as first Minister in the Church That he should be acknowledg'd Superior to the rest of the Bishops That he should be esteem'd as Christs Vicar in Spirituals and respected as Successor to the Apostles I do hold very reasonable but that he should impugne the Soveraignty of Princes justifie Rebellion exempt four pittiful Ecclesiasticks from Obedience to their Soveraigns and excite others to the same height of disobedience is in my judgement intollerable St. Peter receiv'd the Keys of Ecclesiastical power from the hands of our Saviour and his office was acknowledg'd independant in Spiritual affairs Yet whilst he had the Government of the Church both at Rome and at Antioch he was imprison'd and several times persecuted by Temporal Princes and yet he never threatned any Temporal Minister with his Censures and Excommunications all which notwithstanding the Popes at present do not only make no scruple of menacing with their Bulls and Arms the lesser Princes that are near them but with their Armies and Excommunications they have the confidence to infest the greatest Monarchs in Europe and such as have deserved very well of the Church But the most Reverend Casuists of the Church of Rome will tell me the Pope may lawfully and with a good Conscience dispence with the Obedience a Subject owes to his Prince What has he Authority to invert the order of Nature I am certain he that fears God will not say so When Pope Vrban at the instance of his Nephews Excommunicated Odoardo Farnise Duke of Parma a Prince that had deserv'd very well of the Church he was not content to interdict him the Sacrament but he Excommunicated all such as paid him the ordinary obedience and respect that was due to him as a Duke decreeing expresly that he should be look'd upon as an Enemy and not as a Prince by this means subverting his Authority and to the universal scandal of Christendome making a Prince a Subject and his Subjects Princes Paul the fifth did no less to the Senate of Venice by the fulminations of his Interdict pronouncing all people Excommunicate that should any wayes obey them All the Historians and all the Orators in the world shall never perswade me that there can be any thing more barbarous and Tyrannical than to forbid a Subjects Obedience to his Prince to restrain the people from communicating their interests to their Prince to prohibit to a Magistrate the protection of his Subjects to chase the Judges from the Throne of Justice to shut up the doors of Churches and give Liberty to Vice to imprison Princes and put their Subjects in confusion Oh God what greater barbarity and injustice can be thought of amongst men than to bring a State to be without Justice a people without a Prince and a Prince without a people Nero Heliogabalus Tarquin Caligula and Dionisius who were in a manner the Founders and Contrivers of Tyranny never arriv'd at that perfection of wickedness as to divide betwixt the Subject and his Prince and yet this Cruelty which was too great to be practis'd amidst Barbarism is familiar now where Holiness reigns And perhaps the Divine providence has order'd that Christians should suffer more now in the time of Christianity than formerly under all the Tyranny and Iniquity of Heathenish Ages Whence it is that so many Kingdoms have been lost from the Christian Faith so many Nations have revolted from the Papal Obedience and so many Provinces have deserted the Roman Church but from these practises and actions of the Court of Rome The Protestants make no scruple to deny both the Spiritual Authority of the Pope and his Temporal too and for what reason but because they observe with what audacity and arrogance under pretence of his Spiritual power he Usurps upon the Temporal as if Christ had given him Spiritual Dominion for nothing else but the subversion of the Civil Though for my part I am far enough from thinking as they do It is one thing to
and a Protestant Of the difficulty of knowing the signs of the true Church and that by reason of so many differences and disputes Antiquity believ'd a true sign of the purity of the Church Of the signs our Saviour left to distinguish the true Church from the false Of a certain Protestant Prince that invited the Popes Nuntio to Supper in Paris Of the great vanity in the Habits of the Cardinals and Priests Of a strange Sermon preach'd in the Church of Araceli in the presence of certain Cardinals Of the answer the Catholick and Protestant give when they are ask'd whether they shall be saved or no. Of the Confession of sins and the manner how it is us'd in the Church by Christians Discourses betwixt the Papist and the Protestant about the purity of the Church How tedious afflictions are now to Christians Of the great affluence in which the Popes and the Cardinals live Of the quality of the sufferings of the Ecclesiasticks Of the beggerlyness of certain poor Bishops Of a Bishop that complain'd of the great pride of the Cardinals Of the great number of discontented Prelats in Rome and for what they are so Of the pernicious examples the Seculars take from the Clergy Of the misery the Church is in Of a Priest that desir'd to see the Riches of the Cardinals increas'd Of a Protestant that desir'd the power of working of Miracles that he might turn water into wine Of the Persecutions suffer'd by the Church Of the number of Schismes and the place where they happen'd Of certain Schismaticks Of Synods and Councels call'd for the suppression of Heresie that did dayly increase Of the obligation that lies upon the Popes to acknowledge their Grandeur from the bounty of Charles the Great Of the weight of the Ecclesiastical dignity and of the honor Of the difference betwixt Schisme and Heresie Of the Schismes that are nourish'd in the Church by the Pastors thereof Of the excuses the Ecclesiasticks do use to cover their faults Of the difference betwixt the Dominicans and the Franciscans Of the true way of converting of Hereticks Of certain Hereticks that go to Rome to observe the conversations of the Catholicks Of the great number of Murders committed in Rome and of the trouble their Consciences receive thereby Of the Divines and Confessors being call'd Domestick Enemies of the Church Of the carelessness of the Bishops in making the Fryars Confessors Of a penance given by a Fryar to a Merchant Of a Jesuits answer to a young man that had confess'd himself to him Of the example of Judas perverted by the Ecclesiasticks to their own advantage Of the Aristocrasie of the Church Of the Evils of the Clergy compar'd to a Wart which increases the more the more it is cut Of the maxime among the Italians in disposing of their Children and of their sending the most dissolute of them to the Cloysters Of the orders of Religious that regard not quality but quantity in their Convents Of the Picture of Saint Francis with a Church upon his shoulders and the reason Of a Vision Saint Francis is reported to have seen very prejudicial to the Cardinals Of the great honor they attribute to Saint Francis Saverius Of the great number of persons he is said to have Baptiz'd with his own hands That the Church ought to be sustein'd by the Zeal and good Government of the Cardinals and the Pope Of the Liberty that is given to the Jesuits to inrich themselves Of Saint Francis Saverius that is believ'd to have gone to the Indies to bring the Indies back to the Jesuits Of a Jew that was Baptiz'd in Rome Of the way how Saints are to be Reverenc'd Of the Scandals committed in the Church by the Fryars being so numerous and many other particulars THE Critiques of this Age being numerous and most Writers under the Tyranny of their censures I thought it but prudence to look about me and for the security of this Fabrick against such Storms to choose a place for its foundation as solid and suitable to the Nature of Cardinalism as was possible for Cardinalism receiving its form and essence from the Power of the Pope and the Grandeur of the Church of which the Cardinals call themselves Princes I thought it methodical to begin first with the Papal Power and after that to make some reflection upon the Nature and Grandeur of the Church For as the quality of water is not to be known but by discovery of the Fountain so the true medium and end of a thing is not to be found without some notion of the Principle To me therefore it seems not improper to distinguish not only the good Church from the false but also the number of the Churches which almost confound the good people of Christendom Though there have been some Popes that have scarce known the nature of their own Church yet there are others or more properly their Theologists for them that give us an accompt of three viz. the Jewish the Greek and the Roman The Jewish being permitted in most Ecclesiastick States to have their Temples and Synagogues open in the face of the strictest Christians But the consequence of this liberty is not foreseen The Jewish Church is dispers'd here and there thorough the whole Universe and in Italy is much more numerous than the Greek though in other places the Greek has whole Provinces to its self whereas the Jews are only permitted in some Cities only with free exercise of their Religion as in Rome where they have their Rabines that preach to them and many Christians to hear them whose curiosity swayes more with them than the express prohibition of the Inquisition The Greek Church on the other side which is the elder Sister of the Roman lyes weeping like a deflower'd Virgin and afflicted like a disconsolate Widdow to see her Birth-right without knowing how ravish'd from her by force and that by her too the foundation of whose present greatness she had lay'd but by this it is easily distinguish'd which is the true Jacob and which the counterfeit Esau These two Churches the Greek and the Jewish that had formerly flourish'd so much are now to their no small sorrow become Slaves to the Roman for she having perverted the natural course ha's made her self first that was last and usurp'd a Soveraignty and Dominion over the rest and has so well managed her affairs that she has secluded the other two who very hungry and distress'd would fain be sucking of that Milk which she unnaturally has ingross'd to her self 'T is against all Moral reason all Order Ecclesiastick all Humane and Divine Rules that the Jewish Church should be permitted by the Roman and the Greek Church persecuted and the reasons are clear in the Greek Church Christianity is profess'd the Rules and Praecepts of the Gospel observ'd the Mass celebrated and except some Ceremonies rejected as innovations by that Church they conform in all things to the Primitive Practice both in
the Eastern Church and even that of Rome where Christianity was at first in its greatest Purity and would doubtless be again had not the Corruption of the times brought a scandal upon it even amongst Christians themselves I call it modestly the corruption of the times though I am sensible the introduction of so many idle and Superfluous Ceremonies into the Church has been an occasion of corrupting the times and with them Christianity it self The Jewish Church as I have said being a profess'd Enemy to Christ Preaching and Blaspheming in their Synagogues against the Crucify'd Redeemer and by their false Doctrine debauching and perverting poor Christians from their Faith ought in all equity to be banish'd from the Roman for their perverseness or ignorance be it which you will being invincible They are not to be satisfy'd of the coming of our Saviour or the redemption of the World the only point and ground of our Salvation and therefore unfit not only for Protection at Rome but for any Conversation in Christendom it being nothing else but to make a mixture of Gold and Durt Glory and Blame Praise and Blasphemy The Christian Policy indeed and I wish I could say Humane also of the Spaniards is to be commended in their Dominions they will not allow any Religion but the Catholick it is a Principle with them in a State should be but unus Dominus una Fides which is the reason that the Spaniards are not troubled with those Schisms and Factions in their Church as they are in other States to the confusion of the greatest Doctors who are able to distinguish betwixt good and evil much more of the poor ignorant people who are guided only by the outward appearances which they see in others But because the Interests of Religion are oftentimes overpower'd in the minds of men by sensual passions and worldly interests which should rather be subdu'd by them hence things are brought to a contrary posture and the Jews have greater liberty than the Greeks not in Italy only but in Rome it self the Popes carrying a stricter eye over the Actions and Ceremonies of the Greek Church than over the pernicious Doctrines of the Hebrews For the Jews being of a perverse and refractory humour in matters of Religion are in Humane things so complacent and flexible that by their Tributes and Insinuations they have so wrought themselves into the conversation of the Christians that they are treated by them as the nearest of their Kindred and Friends And I could wish that this were the worst but such is the force and incantation of their money that the very Popes have been perswaded not only to give them Protection in the Dominions of the Church but to suffer them to erect their Temples and Altars to Preach to Celebrate their Paschal with all possible Solemnity and to hold their Synagogues in all places whereas the Grecians wanting that Subtlety and Compliance and not thinking it just to pay Tribute where they are Strangers though in other places they have whole Provinces enough to evince the antiquity of their Rights which are in many things inconformable with the Roman they are forc'd to be contented with the exercise of some small pittance of their Ceremonies though under the eye of the Bishop of Rome But before we proceed any farther in the particularities of the Church of Rome from whence our Cardinalisme deduces its original to satisfie the curiosity of the Reader and to facilitate his understanding it is fit to consider the Universality of the Church which is particular in the Universal although universal and particular too as the Ecclesiasticks believe The word Church as it has been declar'd by several Learned men and ought to be acknowledg'd by all Christians signifies nothing but an Assembly of many persons and the Scripture uses it in four principal senses In the first it signifies only the Elect and those Blessed Souls that are separated from the Corruption of the world and taken into the fruition of Eternal happiness to wit the Glorify'd Saints or the Church Triumphant which is so much talk'd of in the world and so much aspir'd to by the Righteous Secondly it denotes in general the Universal visible Church comprehending Protestants though the Pope calls them Hereticks as well as the Catholicks and of this Church St. Paul speaks when he writes to Timothy that in a great City there are not only vessels of Gold and of Silver but of Wood also and of Earth by this Rhetorical and Figurative way of speaking insinuating that the Church is compos'd of bad as well as good of those predestinated to Damnation as those decreed to be Saved Yet so it is with the Roman Divines as if they know not what St. Paul had writ or pretended to know more will admit into the Pale of their Church which ought to be Universal only such particulars as can truckle and condescend to the Kissing of the Priests Hand and the Popes Toe Thirdly it signifies the Assembly and Congregation of the Pastors and principal Governours of Christs Flock and in this acceptation it was our Saviour speaking of Brotherly correction admonishes that if the party offending be pertinacious in his fault and worthy of reprehension the party offended should apply himself for reparation to the Church From whence it is plain that our Saviour intended the Congregations and Synods of Bishops and other Rulers in the Church whose office it is to inspect the affairs thereof and negotiate for its benefit and accommodation Though some there are that believe Christ meant by the Word a Compleat and Universal Assembly of the Godly which in my judgement is improbable because the Gospel our principal light declares expresly that the power of Correction was in the Rulers only and not in them By the fourth and last signification of the word Church every particular Congregation of Christians is intended which though it seem in appearance to be separated yet it is indeed a Member joyn'd and fasten'd by an indivisible knot to the intire and universal body of the visible Church And in the Infancy of Christianity when the Apostles writ their Epistles to Corinth Ephesus and Rome those Churches were such And I suppose our Saviour intended no otherwise in those words Where two or three are met together in my name I will be in the midst of them And indeed when two or three are met together either in the Church in Prison in the Streets or elsewhere if it be to read the Scriptures to send up their Prayers to Heaven or for any other action of devotion whether Protestant or Papist they are in my judgement a Church and Christ is in the midst of them for it is not the number of persons but the intention of their meeting which denominates them a Church Otherwise an Assembly of Gamesters would have as much right to that honourable appellation as they But there is one thing very necessary to be determined the Romans
call God to witness I speak not what I say out of passion my desire is to see the Church in Charity and Union within it self for this is certain that violence and commination and force have no other effect upon the Hereticks than to exasperate and incense them All other applications are vain to remove the crudeties and ill humours in the Stomach inward Medecines are to be taken and those humours that tare and gnaw the very Bowels of the Church are to be removed before that which corrupts the habit and outward parts only if the Physician purges the body thoroughly within he is assured the outward part cannot remain ill The Governours of the Church the Prelats and the Priests are the Vitals and Interior parts of that Body let them be well purg'd of their Enormities and the Exterior will soon recover If Rome would Cure Rome the Hereticks would be cur'd by their example I have often said it and will assert it again that Hereticks do dayly repair from their several Countries to the City of Rome to observe the Conversation of the Catholicks and imbrace what they esteem most conducible But with what success They come forth Christians they return Turks they enter into Rome with a scrupulous and unsetled Conscience and they go out with a Diabolical they come forth with a desire to become Holy and they go back with a resolution to become Devils for in a word the most part of those that come thither return Atheists home again And all by reason of the innumerable Scandals and Transgressions they observe in the Ecclesiasticks so as there could be nothing more Charitable and Expedient for the Conversion of Hereticks than for the Pope and Cardinals in their great Prudence to begin and effect a thorough Reformation in their Clergy A certain Protestant of Bearne that had been long in Italy and was my particular friend would often tell me He would sooner choose to be a Devil in Hell than a Catholick in Rome and his reason was Because the Devils believe and tremble but the Catholicks did but laugh at it committing greater faults in the Church than they For my better satisfaction I intreated him one day to give me a clearer prospect of his Judgement which willingly he granted and deliver'd it in this manner Sir Homicide is forbidden in the Old Law by Gods express command and by Christs particular Order in the new in short God as God Christ as God and Christ all Laws both Divine and Humane both Natural and Celestial have forbidden Murther Non Occides Yet in Italy nay in Rome it self thousands of Murthers are committed and which is worse the Murderer has no more to do than to betake himself to their Churches I have seen my self some of those Homicides walking in State for their Recreation in those very Churches where but a while before the dead body of him that they had murther'd was bury'd and can any thing be found more Diabolical than this No and without doubt I have good reason for my Resolution of being a Devil rather than a Catholick I did not fail to suggest all the Arguments the Pope and the Church use for the defence of their Sanctuaries but to no purpose for he answer'd and not without passion That the Pope could not make the house of God a refuge for Murtherers expresly against his commands without making the world believe Gods Commandements were false And truly a good Conscience cannot be without some regret as often as he thinks upon Gods express command Thou shalt not kill and on the other side observes the Violators of that Law shelter'd and protected in his house as if the presence of Christ serv'd only chiefly to secure Murtherers I know there are many Divines that with great zeal will endeavour to defend it but I would to God there were fewer of them in the Church perhaps things would be better manag'd in the Service of God with their native simplicity whereas now the minds of poor Christians are confounded with the Opinion of this Divine and the Explication of the other Schism and Heresie and Schismatical Conventicles from whence had they their Original but from the brains and niceties of the Theologists But let them defend their Sanctuaries and argue against the Precepts of God as they please the Day of Judgement will come and they will have their reward Poor Princes must it needs be that the Arms of your Justice must be held and the safety of the people impugned by an Opinion that is without doubt Diabolical A certain friend of mine that had seen the world did use to call the Divines and Confessors the two Domestick Enemies of the Church and truly I cannot resolve my self which of the two are the least necessary in the Service of God Amongst scrupulous persons I know these words will be thought Heretical but certainly they are full of Pious Sentiment and Catholick The Divines that will be disputing beyond what the simplicity of Faith requires are Devils not Divines and the Confessors that make Sport and Comedy with the Confessions of their Penitents are the same The Theologists with their Arguments turn Unity into Schism and the Confessors on the other side turn the Confessions into Farces Were the Government of the Church instead of being Monarchical and dependant only upon the Pope as it is now Aristocratical and committed to the care and jurisdiction of such Cardinals as would serve the Church and not his Holiness the Divines would not be so quarrelsome nor the Confessors as prophane as the Divines But Confession now adayes is nothing but derision the Confessors drolling only and playing upon their Penitents and cheating both them and themselves And all this evil proceeds from the carelessness of the Bishops in Selecting fit persons for the taking Confessions I am confident there are in Italy at this time above two thousand Confessors that can neither read nor understand one verse in the Scriptures and yet most of them Masters or Batchelors of Divinity and God knows then how the poor Sinner is absolved Two instances I can give of their Capacities not Chosen or Select but taken up by chance out of a thousand more that I have heard The first is of a certain Merchant of Parma that went to Confession to a Bare-footed Fryer of the Order of St. Francis and had this Penance injoyn'd him That he should eat three Ounces of Chaffe To ease himself a little of the disgust he had taken at the indiscretion of his Penance he comes to me and tells me the whole story I had the curiosity to ask him what his sins were that he had confest and he protested to me nothing but that he had had an intention to have kiss'd his Maid Now I leave the Reader to be judge in this case what proportion there was betwixt the Sin and the Penance His heart should have been punish'd not his mouth because 't was that not this had offended But
both of the sender and receiver and a good Present to boot As soon as they have advice by the first Messenger aforesaid they cause their Barbers to shave them as aforesaid and put themselves into the habit of Cardinals and subscribe themselves so but they put not on their Scarlet Robes nor their red Caps till they be brought them by the Chamberlain and then they may habit themselves in Scarlet but the red Pontifical Cap if they have not receiv'd it from the Popes own hands or from some other person sent by his particular favour with a special Breve they cannot use His Holiness sometimes commits this Ceremony of putting the Cap upon his head to the Nuntio or Bishop of the place or some secular Prince as he pleases in whose presence the Cardinal kneels down and receives the Cap with these words Esto Cardinalis but kisses not their feet and this Ceremony is usually perform'd in the Church after a simple or a solemn Mass In the first private Consistory after the publick the Pope did use to stop up the mouths as it were of the new Cardinals by putting his finger upon them by that Ceremony forbidding them to speak their opinions in the Consistories or Congregations for some time and depriving them both of their active and passive voices Before the Papacy of Pius the fifth the Popes did use to leave some Cardinals from time to time in this manner to take their voices from them in the Election of the Popes but they were mistaken for the Colledge of Cardinals as soon as the Pope was dead discharg'd them Pius quintus notwithstanding by a Decree made in the year 1571. declar'd that by the said shutting of their mouths it was not intended to take away the voices of those Cardinals but only a simple Ceremony and no more So that in the next Consistory the Pope open'd their mouths put the Ring upon their fingers and declar'd their Titles as he declar'd theirs that were absent But as the Popes had then found out a good way of stopping the mouths of the Cardinals so we may say still that though their mouths are open'd by the Popes yet they do shut them as they think good for they dare not oppose themselves to the ill Government either of the Pope or his Nephews but choose rather to expose or ruine the Church than according to their duty and obligation to make any defence But of this in its proper place we will say something now of the preceedence and habits of the new Cardinals and of their gratuities to the Popes Court and the Cardinal Nepews As to their Fees it is to be understood that as soon as the new Cardinals are created and receiv'd into the publick Consistory they are oblig'd by antient custom to give to the Popes Vestry-keeper or rather to his Vestry five and twenty Ducats to the Master of the Ceremonies in waiting a hundred Ducats to them out of waiting thirity six to the Secretary Clerk and Computist of the Sacred Colledge each of them twenty five to the Popes Domestick Chaplains twenty Ducats to the Keeper General of the Pontifical Robes ten Ducats to the Popes Chaunters or Singing-men thirty Ducats to the two Clerks of the Popes private Chapel six to the inferiour Officers of the Popes Chamber six to the Deans and Sub-Deans of the Popes Chapel four to the Clerk of the Chapel two to his Grooms five and twenty to his Mace-bearers fifteen to his Messengers ten to the Keeper of the Iron Gate six to the Keeper of his Privy Garden four to the Keeper of the Chains three to the Harbinger five to the four private Sweepers each of them one To the Musicians of the Castle of St. Angelo six to the Masters of the Ceremonies for their Mantelets in the publick Consistory twelve to the Officers of the Popes Privy Chamber the least they give at their Creation in Rome is five hundred Ducats to them that deliver them the Cap out of Rome besides a thousand they pay for that three hundred Ducats And the Cardinal Princes give much more to four and sometimes six thousand Ducats but beside the Ducats aforesaid which are all in Gold the new Cardinals are oblig'd to be as noble to the Officers of the Cardinal Nephews Chamber who receive no share of this and are therefore to have a proportion of their own The aforesaid New Cardinals to prevent the trouble of distributing them themselves do usually give their presents to the Master of the Ceremonies to be dispos'd according to just order But one Author that writ of the State of the Court of Rome did advise that the Pope would do well to oblige every new Cardinal besides the presents aforesaid to give a piece of Ordanance to the State to furnish it with those Arms that as then they were very much unprovided with though Vrban the eighth had made a hundred pieces of the brass Pillars taken out of the Church Rotonda Alexander the seventh seem'd to be of the same opinion when he order'd the Arsenal di Tivoli for the making of Arms and Ammunition of War and accordingly intimated his judgement to the present Pope who was then Cardinal Rospigliosi and Secretary of State But that design vanish'd I know not which way perhaps because Alexander was unwilling to lay the first charge of that nature upon the many Cardinals he resolv'd to put into the Consistory but it is certain it would be very well if other Popes that are to succeed him would injoyn it because it appears unreasonable so many particular persons should receive advantage by the Creation of Cardinals and the Universal Church get nothing I am satisfy'd the Cardinals would give a hundred Ducats or more for the making of such a thing as should remain in some Arsenal oâ— Fort as a perpetual monument of their Families it being but reasonable to cast them with the Arms of those Cardinals that gave them which without doubt would create an affection in the people towards the Cardinals whereas now they have too great reason to complain to see the Church its self receive no benefit by their creations There are other little gifts also distributed here and there as I suppose for dispatch of their Bulls every Cardinal having his Bull for his Cardinalship subscrib'd by the Pope and all the Cardinals then present in Rome and Seal'd with the usual impression of the Piscatory Ring so that the Bulls that are design'd for the Cardinal Princes or other of greatest quality have their impressions in gold and to all those that are concern'd in that trouble there are some small distributions but to the publick nothing at all I have already mention'd that the Sacred Colledge which is as much as to say the whose University of Cardinals is divided into three Orders of Bishops of Priests and of Deacons amongst them those Bishops precede that are of longest standing in the Episcopal Order and amongst the Priests and Deacons
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
and kissing your most sacred Feet From my house the 17 June 1664. Your Holiness's most humble most devoted and most obliged Servant G. Cardinal Sacchetti Oh how true is it that fire may be buried and preserved under ashes but with an effect contrary to the very nature of fire to what purpose is a spark of zeal in the breast of a Minister if he has not the devout courage to blow it up into a flame Where are now a dayes those Prophets that were not affraid to reprehend the faults of King David even to his own face God forgive those Cardinals that have render'd the Cardinalitial dignity so abject and timerous to say no worse that there is scarce any thing left of Greatness in it but the Title He who is silent at the iniquities of his Neighbour and exhorts him not to leave them he that may rebuke them with Authority and does it not gives not only manifest evidence of defect in his duty but charges himself clearly with the same faults as fearing to correct offences in other people lest his own some time or other should be found out and chastiz'd I do not doubt but the Cardinals may have judgement and conscience and insight enough to penetrate and discern the evils that for many years the Church has lain under and which are hourly multiply'd by the Nephews of the Popes I am satisfi'd that in the secret of their hearts they are afflicted to the very soul as often as they see the substance and subsistance imbezel'd that belongs to the poor Subjects of the Ecclesiastick State if those may be call'd Subjects that are every day like Slaves constrain'd to truckle to the barbarous insolencies of so many new Ministers that by the favour of the Nepotisme do revive as a man may say a new Nâ—ronisme of Tyranny I do certainly believe that the most zealous of the Cardinals are fully inform'd of the Scandals the Hereticks receive to see from time to time Gabels added to Bulls Taxes to Breves Tenths to Pensions Customes upon the People Impositions upon Religious Orders and the very ground it self where people are to be buried I am perswaded they cannot be ignorant of proceedings at Rome seeing there is not a Bishop at present but may thank Simony for his Mitre nor a Prelate nor other Minister of the Church that has not gain'd his preferment by money or interest They know they know very well almost all the Cardinals that they who embrace the Ecclesiastical habit in these dayes whether it be Secular or Regular they do it not to consecrate themselves to God but to gratifie their ambition and covetousness and to establish greater foundations to their hopes of which design they give daily and most evident tokens to the people But what advantage is it that they know it To what purpose is it if the Physician understands his Patients disease if he has not courage enough to apply such remedy as is necessary It seems to me an aggravation and renders the Cardinals more Criminal whilst they see the precipice the Church is upon and either take no care to deliver her or pretend they did not see it at all That one Brother should suffer another to run headlong upon his own destruction may be written in the Politicks of the World but there is no such toleration in the Law of God I would ask the Cardinals if they should see a Thief breaking in their presence into their Houses would they let him ransack and rifle all without speaking a word No certainly they would sooner awake all Rome to have him stopt and make the Judges thunder out their Proclamations for his apprehension though their loss was never so small Notwithstanding all this the Cardinals can behold the Church of Christ robb'd the people of the Church ruin'd the blood of the poor suck'd up the propriety of the City invaded and taken away to raise lofty and new Palaces for the Nephews yet dare not speak one word in behalf of the Publique for the recovery of the Poor for the edification of the People or for the glory of the Church but leave them all abandon'd to destruction But they are not without their excuses using alwayes a hundred pretences to conceal their hypocrisies and indeed the people that judge every thing by appearance are satisfi'd with the multitude of excuses the Cardinals bring to convince the World of their innocence and to make it appear they are not at all accessary to the Extorsions committed by the Nephews upon all the afflicted Subjects of the Ecclesiastick State They say but what Shall we say they disgust his Holiness the acknowledg'd Head of the Church and upon that score adored by the whole World Shall we oppose our selves to his pleasure the actions and resolutions of whose Government are directed by the Holy Spirit Shall we dare to make resistance against one before whose feet the greatest Monarchs do throw themselves with Reverence To these they adde many other excuses full of policy and cunning but they are not sufficient to satisfie Heaven and Earth too the Cardinals must give an account to God as well as the World To God I say in whose presence no excuse or pretence is receiv'd There are no Rhetorical flourishes no circumgiration of words no fictions or pretences there the Process is read openly there in which not only they which rob are condemn'd but they which connive that had ability to hinder it and did not and therefore it is that Saint Jerome sayes that those souls endure more pain that see themselves condemn'd for other peoples faults that they pretended not to see least they might disgust those who committed them than for their own proper offences And God grant the Cardinals be not of this number who I fear will be able to give but a small account of the dammage the Church does daily receive by the ill Government of the Popes that are themselves but a prey to their own ravenous Nephews Nor will all their excuses be able to clear them because our Redeemer knowing the secrets of all hearts will have his answers ready and perhaps reply to them in this manner Do you believe therefore that I am inferiour to your Pope because you are more fearfull of offending against his Courts that are but Temporal and momentary than mine that is most holy and eternal My Apostles were not affraid even in my own presence with great confidence to rebuke the good Woman who with a little oyl was come to refresh my feet after so long and so many journeys and you you can every day behold Assassinations Robberies Sackings Burnings in the Church my blood represented in the blood of the poor swallow'd down and devour'd my bowels in the bowels of the Church torn in pâ—â—ces my nourishment in the nourishment of the people perverted my Patrimony which is the Patrimony of Saint Peter misapply'd without speaking one word pretending not to know pretending not to see
politick affairs and in the interest of the Court he kept him a while from the management of business and did not suffer him to be present at any debate and under the Title of Master of his Chamber he gave him Monsignour Filo Marini to be his Tutor and Governour which Filo Marini had serv'd the said Vrban in the same Character of Maestro di Camera But it was not possible for Barbarino to submit himself to the Tutelage of Filo Marini although he was but three and twenty years of age he avoided not only his Councels as much as he could but his Conversation and Company having conceiv'd so great an aversion to his person that forgetting all the services he had done him he endeavour'd to hinder his exaltation to the Cardinalship a few months after he gave Filo Marini to understand that he should not take too much upon him or behave himself as his School-Master for he had judgement enough to govern himself and other people too And indeed he began to govern after his own fancy and with so much insolence that he little regarded the displeasure either of the Court or his Unckle who to satisfie his pride and ambition gave him the quality of Cardinal Padrone that was never known in Rome before nor usurp'd by any Nephew of the Popes About the same time Vrban created Anthonio Brother to the said Francisco Cardinal and sent both of them his Legats a Latere Francisco into Spain and Anthonio into France one of them taking upon him the protection of one Kingdom and the other of the other Francisco obtain'd much more in Spain than Anthonio did in France returning with great presents and pensions and with an affection wholly devoted to the service of that King whom he afterwards alwayes observ'd with much more punctuality than Anthonio did the French King For the space of ten years Vrban govern'd all the Dominions of the Church as well Spiritual as Temporal alone in which time he got the reputation of being one of the most renowned Popes that ever was in the Vatican not permitting his Nephews to thrust themselves into any business till they had twice receiv'd his commands from his own mouth so that the Cardinal Barbarino who had the Title of Padrone could not dispose of so much as one flower in the Garden of the Vatican without his Unckles knowledge but the ten years being expir'd and Vrban growing infirm and overlay'd with so many cares and diseases Francisco began to lift up his head and to take the whole Government of the Church into his hands and to manage it with great Magistery and Dominion But this absoluteness of his brought him no small disrepute for thereby he palpably disgusted all the Princes of Christendom even the King of Spain himself upon his own private Capriccio opposing the Abbot Perretti's having a Cap though that King did earnestly desire it But in this Barbarino shew'd his great policy revenging himself for a long time of Perretti and preventing his having the Cap so cunningly that the King had not the least shadow of suspition that it was he but believ'd the fault to proceed rather from another However this I shaâ—l say that had not the Papacy of Vrban been so long Francisco had not had so many occasions of disgusting the Princes he having otherwise qualities worthy of a Pope both in respect of his Learning his Prudence and the Candor of his Converse which though some people conceiv'd to be counterfit and forc'd I could never imagine he having given so many evident proofs to the contrary The truth is it being the nature of the Romans to look upon the Nephews as so many Devils though they be never so good men which notwithstanding happens but seldom Francisco could not during the Pontificate of his Unckle obtain the least air of reputation unless from the common people in respect of the great alms that were given them not only from his own house but from the Coffers of the Church Innocent the tenth a sworn Enemy of the house of Barbarini endeavour'd to debase it and reduce it to its primitive State so that not contented with the process made against Anthonio he would needs take out new against Francisco but there were not so many Articles against this as against the other However this persecution prov'd at last to the glory of the Barbarini Pope Innocent recalling them from their Banishment in France he made an alliance with them and made use of them in the management of his principal affairs so much that in his time Francisco began to get great credit reconciling himself to all the Princes and to the Colledge of Cardinals so that after the death of the said Innocent he wanted but little of leaping into the Vatican having receiv'd in several Scrutinies thirty four voices or more Certainly consider'd as a private person this Cardinal deserves so much praise as is not possible to describe he is reckon'd of so immaculate and untainted a virtue that he is by many people suppos'd to be a Virgin and indeed I never heard the least scandal or aspersion upon his Chastity he being alwayes a great Enemy of all sort of scandal His manners were of that uprightness and integrity that all those gifts that Saint Paul recommended to the Pastors of the Church were applicable to him There was never the least Oath or Blasphemy known to come out of his mouth and if at any time he chanced to be transported with anger he was never so far overcome as to be carried out of his road of Modesty for which he had alwayes a great value abroad as well as in his own Court. There is not a day but he performs his Divine Offices as well of Charity as Devotion and so frequently and so devoutly visits the Church that he makes all people believe him a Saint Amongst all his Virtues his Charity towards his Neighbour is most conspicuous he relieves very liberally not only those whose necessities are visible to every one but such as are privately in misery giving several largesses of Alms to the Widows and Fatherless and such poorer Families as being asham'd to beg are wont to starve betwixt four walls before they can ask In short these works of Piety in him have so captivated the affections of the people that 't is verily believ'd were the Election now in them they would pull the present Pope out of the Vatican to put Francisco in his place But if we consider him as a Prince his qualities are much different from his qualities as a private person and I believe in those few Cardinals can compare with him In his irresolution he had no Peer being so much unresolv'd he can scarce be brought to a resolution after very long debates his fear lest things should not succeed well keeps him in so great a suspence that he forgets still to come to a conclusion He believes no man so wise as himself and therefore
him little to spend he made use of the House of the Prince his Cousin as if he had been his own Brother The Pope having an eye upon his indigence gave him some other means to sustain himself and among the rest made him Chief Penitentiary and sent him Apostolick Legate to Florence to Christen a Son of the Great Dukes In which Legation he was presented with very fine Arras Hangings and other curiosities for his Chamber the Grand Duke very well understanding what he had principally need of Many believe that in time being a little ripened with age he may raise his fortunes in some Conclave or other and this their opinion is founded upon the exemplanariness of life which he pretends to though many suspect it to be but forc'd from the exactness with which he has govern'd his own Church upon the reputation all his Brothers carry in Bolonia being esteem'd persons of judgement and integrity and upon the affection the Spaniards bear to him whose interest upon all occasion he takes great glory to espouse These reasons amongst the common people do ascertain him to be Pope but they that understand him better and converse with him often are of another opinion and do find him uncapable of governing such a Kingdom by reason of his invincible obstinacy which is so natural and so great in him that amongst many it is counted perfect madness for he renders himself thereby unacceptable to all that deal with him especially when they treat of matters of Conscience he is so refractory all the arguments in the world are not able â—o alter his opinion This is the judgement of him amongst the Cardinals but it may be when he grows riper in years this obstacle may be remov'd for excessive obstinacy is doubtless an obstacle to any that pretend to the Papacy as may easily be prov'd by the example of Sextus the fifth who was the most fantastical and gâ—ddy headed person in all the Cloysters yet when he came to be Cardinal ambitious of fishing in the Sea of Saint Peter he offer'd violence to his nature counterfeiting meekness so much that he was counted ignorant submitting alwayes his own opinion to the judgement of the other Cardinals If he will do so the Papacy 't is possible may fall into his hands whereas otherwise he will fall out of the hands of the Papacy as he fell out of the Padronage When Innocent took his resolution to create a Cardinal Padrone for his assistance in his Pastoral Cure the Prince with all the importunity he was able recommended the said Cardinal Ludovisi his Kinsman but Innocent knew him too well deny'd to satisfie the Prince and promoted Astalli to the peace not that his Talents were greater than the others but because Panzirolo who had great influence upon his Holiness had told him that he was a person able to distinguish betwixt good and evil that he was solid in his Councils and not peremptory in his opinions as Ludovisi was it is enough to say that Ludovisi was laid aside and Astalli receiv'd into the place and indeed it was better for him to have been rejected than to have run the same fortune with Astalli which will be memorable in all Ages ALDARANO CIBO da Massa di Carrara was promoted to the Cardinalship the 6. of March 1645. Innocent alwayes lov'd him very well and look'd upon him as worthy of preferment insomuch that as soon as he was created Pope he declar'd him Maggior-domo of the Apostolical Pallace he having in his Prelacy gain'd some reputation and afterwards made him Cardinal in the year aforesaid both for his particular inclination to his person and a respect he bore him as he was descended from the Noble Family of the Cibo in Genoa from whence Innocent the eighth was descended But the principal motive according to the common opinion was because Innocent was perswaded by Donna Olimpia to get Monsignor Cibo's Palace that was joyning â— his own and laying them together to make a magnificent one for the Family of Pamfilio which design being apprehended by Cibo he made his Holiness a present of it refuring any consideration And though the Pope paid for it would by no means accept it as a gift yet it left an obligation upon him that he was offer'd it so that for this reason and the other he created him a Cardinal in which dignity he has comported himself so well he has the applause of the whole Court and will increase iâ— dayly he being esteem'd a person of great justice and integrity and in his Church di Jâ—si where he ordinarily resides his reputation is so great amongst the people of that Country that they swear there cannot a more worthy Pastor be found in the whole Universe In two Lâ—gations that he perform'd he signaliz'd himself so that he acquir'd the reputation of a great Statesman and a person proper for the highest imployments He is very studious and indeed a little too much for his study makes him something Melancholly his diversion is Musick which delights him exceedingly especially if it be Spiritual Musick He is Spaniard both in his inclination and interest his Family being all under the protection of that Crown He is as retir'd as he can possibly which makes all people suspect he aspires to the Papacy and in my opinion were merits rightly consider'd he might obtain it but the mischief is in the Conclaves at present the interest of factions and nor the merit of the person carryes it would the Cardinal satisfie their own Consciences and give their voices for so worthy a person there might be some good expected from such an Election the Church would certainly be better serv'd and the State better govern'd provided he chang'd not his humour as Alexander the seventh did who of a Saint of a Cardinal became a Devil of a Pope as soon as he receiv'd the Keys which will make the Cardinals consider for the time to come before they give their Votes for an honest man that is for such an one as counterfits and pretends honesty only which I cannot believe of this person FEDERICO SFORZA a Roman is a most considerable person in respect of the Nobility of his Family that have formerly been Dukes of Milan with the Title of Soveraignty besides an infinite number of Cardinals that have render'd it conspicuous with their Scarlet In the Pontificate of Vrban he took upon him the Habit of a Prelat with hopes to obtain what he has now got but he could not reach it in that Popes dayes nor get any higher than to be Vice-Legal of Avignon which was given him by Cardinal Antonio with promise also of a Cap but that promise vanish'd into smoak Cardinal Antonio finding excuses enough to withdraw himself from his word Innocent the tenth that so noble a Family might not be without that Purple created him a Cardinal 1645. and because he knew he was disgusted at the manner of Antonio's proceeding with him he
that he ever committed any unworthy action to accumulate wealth his wayes were rational and by frugality Yet some Germans have told me that upon occasion he has spent with great generosity and especially at the Empresses arrival in Germany he shew'd himself as liberal and magnificent as the best Whilst he was but a Prelate he distributed his Almes with a little too much temperance but since he has been a Cardinal his heart is enlarg'd proportionable to his Dignity He is a person of a sound judgement and one that traces Corruption to the bottom though in appearance he seems no such person But that which is more considerable is the candor which is natural to his Countrymen he is never transported with passion but blames or commends people impartially as they deserve He is slow in his Negotiations advancing like a Tortoise so that 't is thought he would be a fitter Minister for Spain than for Germany He speaks his mind freely and is not troubled to be contradicted provided they bring reasons enough to oppose him LEWIS Duke of VENDOSME a Frenchman is descended from a Natural Son of Henry the 4th who marrying with Frances of Lorain Dutchess of Mercoeur had this Lewis by her He had no great inclination to the Ecclesiastical habit his mind running more after Matrimony and the affairs of the World Accordingly when he was arriv'd at a competent age he married a Neice of Cardinal Mazarines who was then the Dominus fac totum in France hoping by means of his favour to open a way to some honourable imployment This Lady was of the same stock with Cardinal Mancini that is now living but lived not many years with her Husband the Duke to whom she left two very hopefull Sons but not old enough to know or lament the loss of so incomparable a Mother No sooner was this Lord fallen into the condition of a Widdower but he chang'd his mind and as when he was young he was all for Matrimony so now he is altogether for the Ecclesiastical habit not in any penitential way but only to capacitate him for the Cardinalship which is that he has alwayes aim'd at and with all industry endeavours Finally his most Christian Majesty according to the Prerogative of his Crown being to nominate a person in the last promotion of Alexander presented this as a person of great merit and fit to be an Ornament both to the Colledge and Cap and the rather because in his Vice-Royship in Catalonia and in his Government of Provence he had shewn great assiduity in his Majesties service A few dayes after he had receiv'd his Cap the tydings of the languishing condition of his Holiness arriv'd so that with directions from the King he parted immediately for Rome to be present at the new Conclave where he met exactly with the rest of the French Cardinals In this Conclave he behav'd himself with great prudence and perhaps more than was expected by the elder Cardinals that had been a long time acquainted with the intrigues of the Conclaves The Election being made he prepar'd for his return into France but first he recommended to his Holiness the interests of his Master particularly in the business of the disincameration of Castro according to the Treaty at Pisa during his stay at Rome he gave great evidences of his generosity dispatching all that came to him with great satisfaction The Republique of Genoa which is not backward in obliging the Subjects of his most Christian Majesty and his Cardinals much more endeavour'd what they could to find out away to oblige this and being in his way at Savona where he was complemented by the Governour with all due respect they sent him six Corsaires of Provence that had been condemn'd to the Galleys and were set at liberty at the instance of that Cardinal for which he express'd great satisfaction and thankfulness to that Commonwealth In short this Cardinal is not to undertake any matters of great importance though his judgement is well enough and he manages indifferent things to a hair LEWIS MONCADA is a Sicilian and the last Cardinal created by Alexander the seventh he was promoted at the instance of the King of Spain with three others nominated by the Emperour the King of France and the State of Venice The Spaniards design in the nomination of this person was not so much to remunerate the services he had done to that Crown upon several occasions as that they might have in the Sacred Colledge a Cardinal considerable both in Birth and Authority of which the Spaniards have great need at this time considering the lowness and languor of their condition especially in Rome where they are regarded by the Ecclesiasticks for nothing but the profit and authority they receive from the Catholick States and that King so that their authority must needs lessen and their Revenews diminish if the Ecclesiasticks do withdraw themselves from their affection to Spain He has a great reputation in the Court of Spain but not so much for the integrity of his manners or the goodness of his life for he is but a man and subject to frailties though he be prudent and abstains from such scandals as are offensive to his gravity but for his exquisite knowledge in Government which he signaliz'd in several charges committed to him by his Catholick Majesty Yet he would scarce make so good a Pastor in the Government of the Church having had but little converse in Ecclesiastical affairs especially in certain Spiritual matters he has had little or no occasion to know as one that has been drawn away by matters of State Policy of greatest importance the mysteries and intrigues of which he understands very well and will be alwayes faithfull to the Spaniard and indeed his vigilance is so great they must rise betimes that deceive him It is suppos'd the intelligence betwixt him and the Cardinal of Aragon is not very good which last looking upon himself as a person that has been longer imploy'd in the affairs of that Crown would pretend to do all and this who professes to act with all sincerity and affection in his Majesties service will not be brought to condescend to receive orders from the Cardinal of Aragon Especially their humours being different for though they are both Spaniards born yet one retains the manners of a Sicilian In Rome which is the touchstone of wits they speak not as yet either good or bad of Moncada because they have not seen him in his Scarlet which the Romans do very much desire A German Lord that is acquainted with him told me that he is of a most extream jealous nature not much liberal though not much covetous grave in his audiences majestick in his words outwardly charitable and full of Spanish Maximes Here ends the Colledge of Alexanders Cardinals who are now living some of his Creatures being dead as Cardinal Bagni Pallavicino Bandinelli and Vecchiarelli of which I shall speak something by the bye
Eufemia which by Seniority belong'd to Brancacci another of the Knights at which the Grand Master being disgusted threatned to turn the Inquisitor out of the Island and gave him other tokens of his Resentment but all was compos'd by the good conduct of his Holiness in such manner that Brancaccio was satisfi'd by the perswasion of a Cardinal of that name that for the Popes interest and his Nephews accommodated all The Nobility of his Holiness and the Family of the Rospigliosi is as considerable as the City of Pistoia can make it it is reckon'd amongst the most antient of that place and has not oâ—â—y maintain'd it self in the principal Honours that Town could afford and ally'd it self with Families their equals but has in all ages afforded eminent men in Tuscany and elsewhere so as it may well stand in competition with any that enveighs it in several respects his Holiness however aims to aggrandize his Family in spight of them all especially in the person of the new Cardinal his Nephew whom we shall yet consider as Abbot Rospigliosi and indeed there are many Provisions and Offices suspended till the said Abbot arrives in Rome who by unhappy accident sell sick by the way all people being big with expectation parturiunt montes but they know not whether they may say nascetur ridiculus Mus or laugh out as is hop'd nascetur ingens Elephas His Holiness in the mean time being alwayes intent upon the easing and indulging of the people under his Care has order'd it to be publish'd in all the Parishes and to all the Ecclesiastick Ministers within the district of Rome that the several Diocesans be call'd to the end that if they find themselves aggriev'd by the Roman Barons or other Governours they should appeal immediately to him and he would relieve them with all possible justice But all was but shew as many believ'd it being the property of the Romans to complain with excess of ill Government and to call what is good but Hypocrisie so that this benignity of his Holiness was look'd upon but as a Copy of his Countenance He was reported likewise to be too easie in granting favours to the Ladies but that report was rais'd upon the Lady Marchess of Paleotti's prevailing by her insinuations and the prettiness of her discourse with his Holiness to bestow upon her Father the Duke of Nortumbia a Pension of five hundred Crowns a year with this additional favour that it might be paid from time to time by the Congregation de propaganda side From this bounty of the Popes the Romans took occasion to say that his Holiness was very ready to gratifie the Ladies in any thing but the contrary appears in the person of the very same Lady who thinking to find the same easiness as she did in the Pension she adventur'd so far as to desire to be divorc'd from her Husband but she found his Holiness impenetrable as to that who reproving her for her demand sent her away much discontented The Pope was highly accus'd upon the resolution he took as soon as he was leap'd into the Vatican to confirm the Invenstiture of the Prefectship of Rome given by Vrban the eighth to Don Tadco and to his third Generation although Innocent and Alexander his Predecessors had refus'd to confirm the same to Don Maâ—tâ—o his Son the Prince of Palestrina however Clement was willing to gratifie him in remembrance of the obligations he had alwayes profess'd to the Barbarini but with this condition notwithstanding that the said Prefect should give place to the Ambassadors of Crowns only allowing them precedence not only before all Roman Barons but even before the Popes Nephews pro tempore A business that did not please the Barons at all and gave great disgust to the Historiographers who all of them knowing this Minister to be a second Emperor and that all the former Popes except Vrban for his own interest had endeavour'd out of a politick maxime to abolish the very memory of it did wonder to see Clement confirming it at his very first entrance into the Chair The first of his Nephews that came to Rome were two one of them call'd Fra Vincenzo a Knight of Malta and the other Tomaso They were persons of no great noise but resolute modest courteous and full of humility in a word not unlike their Unckle in their modesty who though he had call'd them to Rome declar'd notwithstanding that he would not suffer them to fix their Families in Rome nor take any other Titles upon them than what belong'd to their Births But that resolution was of no long continuance for he left them at liberty to their Titles and whatever preheminence they pleas'd in so much that his Holiness one day did solemnly rebuke Seignour Giacinto del Bufalo Mastro di Camera to Fra. Vincent because he had made Gio. Battista Vallasi to stay at dinner with the said Cavalier and his brother as a person that not being of Noble Extraction did not deserve to dine with his Holinesses Nephews a clear sign he intended to render them Majestique having given likewise eighty thousand Crowns toward the furnishing of Ludovisi's Pallace designed for the residence of the Nephews besides thirty thousand he sent the Abbot at one time and above fifty thousand at another to help to defray his charges in his Journey I shall now pass to the Promotion of Cardinals by Clement the ninth about the end of Decemb. 1667. and the first that presents himself is Prince Leopald di Medici brother to the Grand Duke Whilst Alexander was living several instances were made to him that he would do the Colledge of Cardinals that honour as to bestow a Cap upon such a Prince as this of a Family that was of a Neighbour State and had deserv'd well of the Church but Alexander reserving it for his Successor deny'd himself that glory as it happen'd afterwards indeed for no sooner was Clement got into the Vatican but either moved by the natural merit of his person or by a desire to do good he declar'd he would promote the said Prince Leopald to the Cardinalship without attending the Grand Dukes mediation which fell out afterwards but rather to preserve I know not what kind of right of nomination the Grand Duke pretended to than for any thing else The Popes having ordinarily contended to satisfie the instances of the Great Dukes by the Promotion of some person of the house of Medici as well for the benefit of the Church as the State Ecclesiastick From this new Prince Cardinal and call'd Cardinal in quality of a Prince there can be nothing expected but good actions favourable propitious and equitable to the common good of Italy as the rest of the Cardinals of the house of Medici's have upon all occasions express'd particularly Gio. Carlo and Carlo that dyed last who with great prudence promoted the advantage of all Italy as zealously as the benefit of their own Families so that it
it and indeed it was his Master-piece He propos'd Cardinal Orsino a capital Enemy of Colonna's and who had also some friends amongst the Creatures of Colonna however Medici's design was not to make Orsino Pope but to fright Colonna into an agreement with himself To this end he caus'd it to be spread abroad that Orsino had several practises on foot and accordingly all the Cardinals of his party being together one morning he pretended to go along with them towards the great Hall and being ask'd by the way by Cardinal Monti in these words Whither are we going he reply'd To make Ursin Pope This being reported to Colonna and he fearing such a design believing certainly they would make Vrsin his profess'd Enemy Pope he call'd all the Cardinals his friends together and desired them to give their Votes for Medici and having done that he went out immediately to find him who was passing away the time in the Gallery in expectation perhaps of what happen'd as soon as he saw him he said Your most illustrious Lordship is making Ursin Pope and I am come to make you Pope and embracing him he cry'd out with a loud voice Long live Cardinal Medici the New Pope which was follow'd by the common acclamation â—f he rest of the Cardinals and from thence passing into the Chappel they made their Election immediately after the Ceremony of Adoration he declar'd he would be call'd Clement the 7th and accordingly with that name he was publish'd to the people the 19th of November 1523. In the time of this Pope Rome was sack'd by the Army of the Duke of Borbon in the year 1527. the 14th of May and he made a Prisoner for several months in the Colledge of the Spaniards although some will have it that he was besieg'd only and not imprison'd His Pontificate was sometimes with good fortune and sometimes with bad he govern'd ten years and dy'd in the year 1534. the 25th of September Some few dayes before his death finding his end approach he call'd all the Cardinals then in Rome together and with a Paternal affection recommended to them the brevity of the Conclave protesting that if the Papacy had been hereditary he would not have left it to any body but Alexander Farnese because he did not see a Cardinal more fit than he to govern the Christian Commonwealth or to defend and conserve the Pontifical dignity and therefore he intreated Cardinal Medici particularly to imploy all his interest in his behalf Clement being dead and the Cardinals excited partly by the perswasions of the dying Pope and partly inform'd of the excellent qualities experience prudence and learning of the said Alexander they resolv'd to choose him Pope after a new way before they began the oâ— sequies of Clement and without entring into the Conclave at all but this resolution was constantly impugned by Alexander he begging of the Cardinals that they would not transgress and invert the Orders observ'd in the Elections of the former Popes By this means it was concluded the Exequies should be celebrated first for the space of the usual dayes Farnese in the interim keeping close in his house to avoid the applause of the people as he went up and down the City every body looking on him as already created The 11th of October the Exequies being over 35. Cardinals went into the Conclave being come from several Neighbouring Provinces to be present at the Election of the New Pope There was not much time lost in the Visits of the Ambassadors every one knowing already who was design'd to be Pope The same night Cardinal Medici remembring the instructions of Clement â—ell into discourse but more for form than any thing else with the Cardinal of Lorrain who was in great esteem in the Sacred Colledge and with the Cardinal Trivâ—lâ—â— who had then â—he Government of the French faction In this manner these three follow'd by all the Cardinals their friends went about two a clock in the night to the Chamber of Farnese who was then at rest and putting themselves upon their knees they saluted him Pope and adored him before his Election which likewise was perform'd the next morning betimes by a general concurrence of Votes and being ask'd his name he desir'd to be call'd Paul and accordingly he was proclaim'd to the people by the name of Paul the 3d. In short there has not been any Pope created either before or after him with a more sincere frank unanimous Election than this not protracted by envy not corrupted by ambition not precipitated by fear and that which is more considerable in this Scrutiny all the Cardinal put in their Polizys open so as every one might easily read what his Companion did write There was one Cardinal only and he of no mean authority who being envious of Farnese â—aid some petty designs against him but they were all to no purpose Farnese having notice of it went to him not to desire his Vote but sharply to reprehend him for speaking so bitterly against him the Cardinal being affrighted humbled himself to Farnese and with much ado reconcil'd himself that he might not remain his Enemy perpetually But all that I have said yet of the of the Election of the Pope has been nothing but a meer superficies of the policies of the Court the greatest differences among the Cardinals being introduc'd into the Conclave after the death of Paul the third by reason of the introduction of the factions of the Crowns and the Nephews The Princes would not have been so busie with the interest of the Conclaves if the Popes had been contented to have been Christs Vicar in the Government of Souls only but seeing they thought good to joyn the Sword to the Cross the Princes moved by the interest of the Sword have interested themselves in the interest of the Cross so that as the Popes have render'd themselves considerable and great in Temporals and the command of the people so the Kings to whom God has given the Government of the Earth have been oblig'd to have an eye over that Temporal State which is taken from them by the Spirituals In the time when the Popes were poor and had nothing in their hands but the Keys of Saint Peter which I call the Spirituals the Princes medled in the affairs of the Papacy either as Friends who were zealous of the Service of God or as perverse Adversaries to the Divine Worship But since the Popes became rich and inaâ—ch'd up the Sword of Saint Paul into their hands the Princes are concern'd to see that this Sword be not unsheath'd to the prejudice of their States not to say of their persons though the Popes do too often offend against them In short the love of God and the interest of his Holy Church for a long time elected the Popes by the Votes of the Cardinals now adayes the interest of Crowns and Princes the policies of the World and the reasons of State if they do not choose them
infested successively with the Plague Famine Inundations Wars and the disbursement of great sums of Moneys in assistance of the Emperor and Venetian against the Turk which had totally exhausted the Apostolical Treasury On the 23th the Sacred Colledge met in the Cathedral of Saint Peter to celebrate the first Obsequies of the deceas'd Pope after this in the Vestry of the said Church they held the first Congregation of State for the well governing of the Ecclesiastick Republique in which all Offices were renounc'd and afterwards confirm'd as particularly the charge of General of the Holy Church to Don Mario to prevent dissentions and tumults of the people during the vacancy of the See Monsignor Borromei was confirm'd Governour of Rome likewise and with much more satisfaction to the people in respect of the prudence and justice wherewith he hath alwayes executed his Office as a Gentleman and as a Prelate of great merit and judgement And because it was reported the Conclave should be held not in the Palace of the Vatican by the Cathedral of Saint Peter but in the Palace Quirinal in the middle of Rome where his Holiness dyed though not for that consideration but in regard the Vatican was suppos'd to have an ill air and the dust was great by reason of the continual building of the Portico's this point being propos'd in the said first Congregation and the Scrutiny being made there were only 14. Votes for the Vatican and all the other about 40. there being above 50. present for the Quirinal But Cardinal Barbarino having made a couragious Speech as he was Dean remonstrating in several heads the convenience of holding the Conclave in the Vatican for its vicinity to the Church of Saint Peter for its immence capacity as containing no less than 5500 several Rooms great and small with 13000 Doors and Windows with large and pleasant Courts Gardens and Fountains his opinion prevail'd to have a new Scrutiny upon which three Cardinals were deputed to take some Architects along with them and survey the streightness and incommodities of the Quirinal which order was immediately observ'd the Architects reporting that besides the insufferable streightness of the Quirinal it would cost 5000 Crowns more to be there than in the Vatican by which means they discredited a Pamphlet written and prepar'd during the distemper of the Pope by Cardinal Pallavicino and publish'd after his death to induce the Cardinals to hold the Conclave in the Quirinal Palace and not in the Vatican In the Congregations which follow'd dayly in the aforesaid Vestry there was notice taken of a great silence and modesty in Cardinal Chigi to the admiration of such as did not know he was advis'd to it by reason that he was of a nature to be easily perplext yet for all this he gave them boldly to understand that he and his faction would never be perswaded from their own creatures The Ambassadors of France and Venice in the second Congregation made their usual Orations as formularies in the names of that King and Republique intreating the most eminent Cardinals to create some most worthy person for the universal benefit of the Church offering any aid or assistance for the security of the Colledge in the mean time The like Office was perform'd the Thursday following by the Catholick Ambassador who appeared likewise with a considerable train In one of the said Congregations Monsignor Casanate was chosen Governour of the Conclave who was Secretary to the Congregation de propaganda fide It was decree'd likewise that no Cardinal for the future do admit any person to sit by his side in the Coach though honour'd with the Prelacy or any other charge as also that no Cardinal shall stop his Coach to any body Except the Ambassadors of Crowns only During the 9 days devoted to the Obsequies the Cardinais visited one another incessantly after dinner for in the morning they were hindred by the Congregations but he Ambassadors of France and Spain visited them much more to confirm the several practices which were agreed upon whilst the Pope was alive and to incourage the Cardinals to stand firm to their promises About this time there were several discourses and Pamphlets publish'd concerning the Papable persons written according to the passion or affection of the Author with obloquy or commendation of the same persons who are prostituted as a man may say to the liberty of so many tongues By reason of the alienation shew'd by the Pope from the French to the very end of his days upon occasion of the Extravagance of the Corsi Souldiers which happen'd with so much scandal to Christendom and so much disturbance to Rome in the time of his Papacy towards the Duke of Crequy Ambassador from the Crown of France the memory of the revenge or satisfaction of his most Christian Majesty remaining too fresh in the Pyramede erected in Rome in the very Quarter of the Corsi Souldiers It was suppos'd that Cardinal Chigi to pacifie in some measure and appease the King of France and to take away all umbrage of malevolence out of his mind would have been ready to endeavour by all fair means to promote the satisfaction of the said King by concurring with his Creatures in some such person as his Majesty should approve For several days reflection was made upon this point and no small hopes though ambiguous given to the French who believ'd themselves sure because Farnese was the man they pitch'd upon who being a Creature of Chigi's it seem'd natural for him to agree to a Creature of his own and at the same time to gratifie France who would not be wanting in testimonies of affection to them and this was one of the inducements that prevail'd with Farnese to imbarque himself in the business and to court several of the Spanish Cardinals and of the Squadrone volante to make up his compleat number of Votes and indeed he reckon'd upon more than 20 of Chigi's Creatures of his side for the reasons abovesaid about eight or ten of the French about 14 others of his friends of the Spanish Faction and a party in the flying Squadron which promis'd to serve him in so much that being confident in all these he thought the Papacy as certainly in his house as I believe the Pen is in my Hand and perhaps he try'd in his Chamber to make Papal Crosses of benediction In the mean time Cardinal Chigi having consider'd of his affairs better he believ'd it would be an occasion of an eternal prejudice and disgust to the Spaniard and therefore he thought best to tack about as nimbly as he could least he should disturb or interrupt his hopes of being made Protector of the Crown of Spain which he thought as surely in his hands as Farnese did the Papacy but they at last understood better the subtlety of the Courts both in Spain and Rome Chigi believ'd that the Pope his Unkle had recommended him to the King of Spain by the mediation of his