I Cannot but acquit my self of what is due from all those, who having finished the employment wherewith your Serene Repub­lique hath honoured them, re­turning back to their Country, bring home with them the Fruit they have gleaned in their Observations on the Forms of Government; the Designs and Maxims of [Page 2] those Princes near whom they have resided, together with all such other things as they esteem most wor­thy to be known, and noted by your Excellencies.

I shall be brief in the quantity of things I have to say, reducing them to what is most essential, that thereby they may be the more firmly imprinted in your Memories, and shall make but three Chapters of them.

In the First, I shall treat of the Nature, the Qualities, the Passions, the Inclinations, and the Designs of Pope Alexander VII, the Kindred of his Holiness who have part in the Government, and his other Confidents, to whom he is accustomed to com­municate the most important interests of the Papacy.

In the Second, I shall speak of the College of the Cardinals, and give an account in short of the Interests, and the good and bad Qualities of each of them.

In the Third, I will declare the reasons, by which one may conclude, whether the Pope have any in­clination to love one Nation more than another; And I promise your Excellencies, the same Sincerity and the same Indifferency, which in so many years Service as I have rendred you, may have made you know is become natural to me, and without which I can undertake nothing, without putting a constraint or force upon my humor.

I should never have enter'd upon the particulars of the Behaviour, the Passions and Qualities of the present Pope, if any other had done it before me: But seeing the Lord Sagredi left Rome in the first year of this Pope's Assumption, at which time his Ho­liness professed to have Sentiments quite contrary to what appeared the years following: and that the Lord Girolamo Giustincani, who was able to have [Page 3] exactly observed, and sounded all these secrets, de­ceased a few months after he had begun his em­ployment, and so could not therein show the heighth and sagacity of his Wit. I find my self obliged to undertake so important a Work, so much the more difficult, as being extremly nice, and very easie to be mistaken, because of the profession every one makes at Rome to keep his inclinations so conceal'd, that it should be impossible to discover them.

BEginning then with the Exterior parts, which are most easie to be known, for I shall penetrate into the Interior afterwards. Pope Alexander the VII, who at present sits in the Chair, was born at Siena, the sixth day of February, in the year 1599, so that he hath passed the one and sixtieth year of his age on the same day of this present year 1660. It is now the sixth year of his being Pope, which began on the seventh day of this present month of April. This Pope does not enjoy a health which can be called perfect, because it is subject to divers such alterations, as do not ordinarily give us any hopes of a long life. The first is a great Humidity of the Brain, which obliges him to keep his head ever very Hot. Nor does this suffice to hinder the bad effects of it; since his teeth being spoiled and lost by the continual defluxion which fell upon them, he hath so few left, that if he had not supplied that want, by causing Artificial ones to be set in their stead, it would be a great hindrance to his speech: Nor does he speak plain with all this Art, and not being able therewith to chaw suffi­ciently, he is necessitated to eat onely Liquid things, which have no need of being chewed; and although they should naturally be of a more easie digestion, yet experience tells us, that they do not always suc­ceed [Page 4] with him, since he is subject to indispositions and qualms in his stomach, which can be attributed to nothing but indigestion, the debility of his natural heat hindring the concoction of such nourishing meats as they ordinarily feed him with. Exercise, however, does him good, for he walks in the Gal­lery, and in his Garden, and sometimes a foot in those Streets that are the least frequented about the City. He finds ease likewise in Purgations, for which purpose he ordains the Retreat he makes in the Campagnia of Rome, both Spring and Fall. From all which it happens, that being assaulted on the one side by the weakness of his Complexion, and upheld on the other hand by all that the Art and Industry of Man can invent, he may hold out possibly to the three and sixtieth year of his age, which will be his Climaterical, for at that time are those bad humors principally encreased and stirred up. He is not free from the pain of the Stone, which is so ordinary at Rome, being very often tormented with the difficulty of making Urine by certain little Stones, which are soonest bred in those of a delicate constitution, and who apply themselves to business. For it is certain, that none can tie themselves to it more than the Pope does, who hardly lets pass any morning with­out giving audience, employing the remainder of the day in the discussion of the most knotty affairs. And although he does sometimes divertise his more troubled and wearied thoughts by Entertainments of Literature, as of Poetry, History or Policy amongst Learned men; it is nevertheless impossible but his Spirits must then likewise be very busie and intent, in making reflexions on the choice discourses have been held before him; to which must be added such things as sometimes disquiet him; so that it is no [Page 5] wonder, if with all this a complexion of it self but feeble, cannot suffice to all that is necessary for the functions of his natural life.

The Pope is of a stature rather low than midling, of a black hair, which never till now began to turn gray, and, which is a sign of the debility of his natu­ral heat, his skin is white, inclining a little to the Leaden colour, which is likewise another convincing proof of that disposition I have before noted. He loves neatness, and indeed an extraordinary decency in all things, but particularly in his diet and cloaths; and therefore the care and industry of those that cover his Table, and make ready his Viands, is so great, that they omit nothing imaginable, for the least fault, either in the Meats themselves, or the Dressing of them, were enough to anger him. But for his Cloaths, he is as curious of the best Linnen, as if he were yet in the flower of his Youth; nor does it suffice him to be cloathed in the most ex­quisit Cloth, but he must have his Garments en­riched with all the Adornments that can give them most lustre and price: as it is well known that when he goes into the Country, he wears some that are garnished with little Diamond Buttons, and other Ornaments, both Costly and Magnificent. He hath the same curiosity for the Places he dwells in, and pleaseth himself wonderfully in fair Houses, which are so contrived as to bring in the Light on every side, and where nothing more can be desired either in the Structure or the Ornament; which is the cause, that in the House whether he retires in Spring and Autumn, he was not contented with what Urban had done, but hath added new quarters to it, and changed those that were there already, that it might be magnificent and Royal. He hath [Page 6] enlarged the Palace of the Quirinal with fair and long Apartments, for the use of such as belong to the Popes House, having had as little regard for the great expences required in the construction of those Edifices, as if he had Mines of Gold, or as if the Se­curity of the Ecclesiastical State had consisted there­in. But the Popes pleasure is not bounded with the enlarging and embellishing onely of the Papal Pa­laces, he shows the same passion for the whole City. And thus it being in his thoughts and design to em­bellish it in the same manner, as those Roman Empe­rors formerly with much care and heat endeavoured to do, to wit, Augustus, Vespasian, Domitian, and others, he hath given full power to the Magistrate, who hath the office of surveying the Streets, to pull down Houses and Palaces, where he judges the con­veniency and ornament of the City does require it. So that, in effect, one may see them very busie every day in demolishing of antient Structures, either to make some places the more spacious & uniform, or to open a fitter way to some new streets, and to that purpose there is a Tax imposed on the neighbouring Dwel­lings, which obliges the Proprietors to pay to those, whose Houses have been pulled down, a sum pro­portionate to their value. And the Pope does so much delight herein, that as long as his time lasts, he will not abstain from making these changes, there being never want of occasion, either to remove, or to rebuild in a City, where in the time the Bar­barians possessed it, the Houses were raised without any Symmetry, onely for the convenienee of the In­habitants; and from this arises so many complaints in the City, that without any necessity, onely for the fancy and pleasure of the Pope, and sometimes of his Ministers, many Families, that have but mean For­tunes, [Page 7] should feel the weight of such grand Pay­ments, which brings them neither benefit nor con­veniency in return. But that which exceeds all these excessive Expences, is, what he hath bestowed upon that great and vast massie Portico which he hath undertaken to raise round about the place of the Basilique Vaticane, for having changed the Design that famous Architect Michael Angel B [...]onarota had formerly laid, who wrought with so much success at the same Temple of St. Peters, and reduced this work to one range of Porticosi, which without any ex­cessive expence would have made it an admirable Structure, and very commodious for the Coaches, either when it rained or shined having changed this design, I say, he follows that of some Modern Architects, who have made it of an extraordinary greatness, for it is to be of a Circular form, with three Walks or Alleys, and all of Stone of Tivoli. And although the Architects have found by their Calculation, that the expence will not exceed five hundred thousand Crowns; yet if we reckon accor­ding to what the little that is finished already hath cost, we shall find, that what is proportionably to be done, cannot be completed hardly for a million of Crowns.

These high and great designs are very certain marks, that the Pope has a Soul truly Royal; and truly he makes it appear in all the publick actions he undertakes, as may be seen by the reception he made of the Queen of Sweden, in which he omitted nothing that might add any glory or lustre to make it proud and equal, if it were possible, to the Ancient Roman Triumphs; and by his Magnificence he in­cited the whole Court to shew the complaisance [Page 8] they take in following and imitating herein the in­clinations of his Holiness: But when we consider on the one side, that the Apostolique Chamber is drained by the insatiability of the preceding Popes, and on the other side, that the times are miserable and had, the profusion of so much Treasure appears to the world to be ill husbandry and not in season, since it might have been employ'd with more praise and merit, and to better purpose, for the most pressing Necessities of Christendom, who looking upon Rome as the North-Star to guide them, and the Pope as their Tutelary God, cannot but be afflicted to be­hold him, instead of healing their wounds and com­posing their distractions, amusing and pleasing him­self in raising and adorning of stately Walls. How­ever, it cannot be denied, but such great Spirits do extremely thirst after Glory and Renown. The wisest men, who perceived it from the beginning, al­ways scoffed at the Popes sparingness in the first years of his Reign, as not being willing to see his nearest kindred, much less inrich them: nay more, it was their opinion, that he affected this little glory of re­nouncing his particular Interests, thereby to acquire himself a greater afterwards, as if already he had the ambition to do those things, which Popes of a most holy life could never do before: But since that the world has found the Pope extremely glad to be induced by the Cardinals and the Ministers of other Princes, to call those of his Family to Rome, while in so doing it might appear, that he was rather prompted to it by the earnest intreaties of all the Court, than by the flatteries of his kindred. Rome is too subtle, and can dive too far into the designs of those that command her not to perceive this, and how rigorously soever they forbid them from judging [Page 9] the actions of their Princes; yet would they not forbear it on this occasion. And to say truth, they could not apprehend how the Pope, who hath so much ambition to revive the memory of his Ance­stors, could suffer it to be buried in the oblivion of his kindred yet living; these were contradictions that could not in any wise be reconciled. But, however it were then, certain it is, that at present they are so well at their ease, that should the Pope die, they will have no cause to envie others riches: anon I shall give the reasons more particularly. But e're I go further, I will not omit to let you know the Original of this House, and by what degrees the Pope could rise to so high a Dignity.

His Nobility is as considerable as could be in the City of Siena, where they are registred in the num­ber of those antient Families, that have been ho­noured with such Commands as that City is wont to bestow upon her Members, and have maintained themselves by their Alliance with those Families that were nothing inferior to them. But this is not the first time that they have made themselves known at Rome. In the time of Julius the Second the House of the Chigi had employments in the Court, not of Prelature, but Offices in the Chamber, which spreads the names of those that exercise them over all parts; and at that time the Chigi made theirs the more known, because they hapned to serve a Pope both passionate and turbulent above all others. Whence follows, that because of the profusion of monies those that are thus rash are forced to make use of to maintain the Wars they undertake. Augu­stine Chigi, who managed the Treasury, had a fair opportunity to play his part, being naturally active. [Page 10] But though he were very stirring, and that there was much jealousie about the administration, yet Julius never had the least distrust of his integrity, on the contrary he testifi'd the good opinion he had of him by those marks of Honor he bestowed, in ado­pting both him and his Heirs into the House of the Rovere, whose Arms they bear to this day.

Since that, in the time of Paul III, (as great employments are exposed to great dangers) those of the House of Chigi found themselves eclipsed a little of their first splendor, which was cause that the best of their means being alienated, and especially their delicious Garden on the Tyber, just opposite to the Palace of Farnese, which remained to the House that held the Chair, they returned to their Country, where in a moderate, but honorable condition, they quietly passed their time, till an opportunity offered it self to Fabius Chigi, who is Pope at present, and who was then a young boy of great hopes, to re­instate himself in a better fortune, as he was encou­raged by his Parents and Friends, who believed, that a person adorned wich all manner of virtues would much wrong himself, should he hide those rich Talents, and let them lie buried in idleness, by not going out from the gates of his own City. But he was hindred by the little wealth he had, and also because his friends had not been able to advance themselves during the long interval that those of his Family had been kept from the Court: Nevertheless, where power is wanting, his confidence in putting himself forward by what means soever shewed it self. For being come to Rome, he got acquaintance of the Marquis Pallavicino, at that time a young man of great virtue, and for that cause ever very welcome [Page 11] to Urbane. This is he, who since made himself a Jesuite, and who having been promoted to a Cardi­nalship sometime since, will oblige us to speak some­what of him hereafter.

This Marquis then brought him to the Pope's feet, and presented him as a person capable to bring any business about with honour, when ever any oc­casion profer'd to serve the Holy Chair. His manner of deportment pleased the Pope, so that how mean soever his establishment were at first, it was not long ere he was appointed to be Inquisitor at Malta, in which employment he having made his worth ap­pear, was shortly after sent in quality of Vice-Legate to Ferara. There it was, that what had been conceived of his virtue being made known, he was sent Nuncio to Collen, in a time when the divisions of Christendome were at their heighth. And al­though in this employment he did not succeed so well as to conclude the Peace, yet he performed his part and devoire admirably well. But because the Protestant Forces prevailed, with whom he could have no communication, being Minister to the Pope, it was not sufficient that he had induced the Catholiques to make a fair and just accommodation, whilst the others stood stifly on their excessive pre­tences, so that he could not act as it might have been hoped he would have done, had he been to Negotiate between two Parties of the same Religion: but what is wonderful, is that the Spaniards and the Imperialists, who were both tired and discontented, being brought to this pass to make the best accom­modation they could, the first with the Hollanders, and the others with the French, not onely without any advantage, but even to the prejudice of Reli­gion, [Page 12] and the Nuncio having expressed a great deal of his displeasure to both of them, he did it yet in such a manner as left no ill impression on either Party, but on the contrary they were much edified to find nothing but zeal in him, judging thereby that he was so much a better Minister to his Prince, by how much he disapproved what they had resolved to do, rather out of necessity than any good-will, onely to preserve both themselves and their Religion from greater danger.

He behaved himself with the same prudence when he returned to Rome, for being called to the charge of first Secretary, though he succeeded the Cardinal Pancirolo, in whom Nature had assembled all the circumspection and craft that could be desired, and that he was to serve a Pope so difficult to be pleased, as Innocent was; yet did he carry things so well, as that Pope was fully satisfi'd in all matters that he negotiated; and above all things he shunn'd as a precipice medling with the interest of the Pope's Niece, who would have all the Ministers to ac­knowledge she was both Lady and Mistris of that Prelate; and the Pope had so great a consideration for him, that being at the last extremity, where the heart speaks more then the tongue, and where all dissimulation is laid aside, he recommended him as a man very worthy to succeed him in the Papacy; so that it was not without reason that your Lordships from that time conceived for the Cardinal Chigi, that good opinion that ever since they have had of him, and amongst those you recommended to the Lords Cardinals Bragadino, Vidman and Ottobuono, I re­member that he was the first named by those that re­presented you in Germany, as having all those merits requisite to fill the vacant Chair: which also hath [Page 13] very happily succeeded. And truly, if we consider the good conduct of his life, the integrity of his manners, and his knowledge of the Interests of all States, which are all qualities that meet in the Pope's Per­son, there is no cause you should repent your wishing it, or your having laboured to raise him: but the mischief is, that what goodness and integrity soever the Cardinals have, they no sooner begin to taste the sweetness of being Masters, and having no Supe­rior but God, but they change their natures, and think themselves no longer obliged to follow those Maxims they said were rooted in their Souls whilst they were Cardinals.

Who would believe that Pope Alexander having so great a capacity, whereby he can truly judge of the dangers Christianity is in, should have assisted the Turk to advance and establish an Arsenal in Candia of all his Forces, and that he should have shewed himself every way so obstinate, as he did, in refusing those benefits which might serve in this con­juncture?

Who would ever have thought, that a Cardinal, who, before his promotion to the Cardinalship, breathed nothing but zeal, and seemed to languish with sorrow, to behold the miserable estate that Christendom was going to be plunged into by that obstinate War between two of her greatest Crowns, should not, being raised to the Holy Chair, burn with the like ardor for a general peace?

Who would have believed, that when the most essential matters were agreed upon for the healing of our present miseries, he should seek to quarrel [Page 14] for very slight reasons, which have no other object, but either to amplifie his jurisdiction, or maintain his own Opinions and Sentiments? I shall hint at many of these changes in this discourse, that your most serene Lordships may consider, as they have ever done, what confidence they may put in the words and promises of these Cardinals before and af­ter their Elevation to the Papacy, who because they cannot at first gainsay, what they have so lately de­clared they would do, afterwards by degrees lay aside all manner of respect during their Reign, and onely knit themselves to what their own proper interests, or the suggestions of their flatterers inspire them with. But, in the mean time, not to omit what I promised at the beginning to make known, con­cerning the Pope's nearest kindred; those towards whom his Holiness bears the greatest affection, are the Lord Don Mario his Brother, who married a Gentlewoman of Siena of the House de la Ciaja, and the Lord Flavio his Son, at this time Cardinal, and sirnamed the Cardinal Padrone, that is to say, Ma­ster. He hath a like, and perhaps a greater affection for the Lord Augustin, the Son of another Brother, who was named Augustin: and this was he who having two years since married the Prince Borghese's Sister, remained Head of the Family after the death of Don Mario. I think it therefore necessary to give an ac­count of all these to your most Serene Lordships, since, as I have already said, the divers accidents that hapned, did not permit your Ministers to re­late any thing to you of certainty.

The Lord Don Mario, who is five years elder then the Pope, is beloved of his Holiness, as much as the tie and relation of kindred between them, and the [Page 15] respect he hath ever had for him does require, with­out having, however received any other favour: because the said Lord Don Mario having for the most part had but a mean fortune, could not assist him, being young, any otherwise than by wishing he might arrive to that grandeur, and by presaging his felicity, the little wealth that came to his share be­ing allotted to other uses. And as he nothing at all resembles the Pope in visage, so likewise are their manners and genius very different The one is lean, and the other is fat: the one is great, and the other little: the one is slow and mild, and the other is prompt and severe: the one is addicted to study and learning, the other never applies himself to it: the the one is of a high spirit, and ever undertaking great things, the other burns with covetousness, and pleases himself with nothing but in seeking out the means to amass much Treasure: And because the Pope hath a good opinion of his integrity, he hath given him the Government of Rome, in what con­cerns the means to maintain abundance or plenty, and to content the people. But instead of that, there is nothing else heard over all the City but complaints against his Ministers or Officers, who buy and ingross before the season, to retail and sell it to advantage, and who have other Monopolies, not onely of Profits, which none till his time had ever thought on or practis'd, but likewise all those which custome had allowed under other Popes, whose nearest kindred ever manag'd them. In the present Government there is this besides, that they do what they can to improve the Offices more than ordinary, which are us'd to belong to the Pope's kindred, by such ways and subtilties as were never heretofore made trial of.

In the Government of Borgo, where the Lord Don Mario exercising his jurisdiction, makes that of Governor of Rome to cease with a notable augmen­tation of the Profits of his Tribunal, he makes use of so much rigour, that every day one hears nothing but lamentations, and by his inexorableness to shew favour, he makes the present Government to be­come more and more odious. It hath seldome hap­ned to me to have had any affairs with his Excel­lency, because it belongs not to his Office to med­dle with any matters which the Pope treats of with other Princes, unless he have an express Commissi­on; yet did I not omit to wait upon him at those times we are wont to renew our complements; and I ever brought away particular assurances of the great esteem he hath for your most serene Lord­ships.

The Lady Berenice his Wife, although she were born in a City where they seldome live after the Court fashion, hath so admirably fashion'd her self to it in the short time she lived at Rome, that she is able at present to teach others: which we must not wonder at, since whatever she speaks is naturally ac­compani'd with such a certain kind of modesty and affability, as gains the affection and attracts the re­spect of all those that converse with her. She may be about 48 years of age. She is rarely admitted to the Pope's presence; nor does she seek very much to crave his favour, it being so enjoyned her at her first appearance in Rome, that so by her abstaining to intermeddle in things not concerning her, the Court might perceive how odious it was for the Niece of Pope Innocent to delight in the management of all affairs; wherein he that suffered it was much more blameable than her self.

The Cardinal Flavio Chigi, is a young man of 29 years, of a mean heighth, black hair'd, and his visage round and fat, of a constitution mixt betwixt a San­guine & Melanchollique. He would enjoy his health more perfectly were he but moderate in his diet, wherein he exceeds: for he eats much, & very nourish­ing meats, without regarding the precepts given him for the preservation of his health. It is said likewise, that he's not so moderate as he ought to be in his plea­sures of the flesh, which obliges him oftner than might be expected from his youth, to keep his bed: but the Physitians, because the Cardinal forbids them, do not tell the Pope the true reasons of his confinement, for fear his Holiness should have an ill opinion of him, and look upon him as a debauche', that loves both Wine and Women too much. I cannot affirm any thing with certainty of his ability in affairs, because if he be able to do no more than he does, I must say, that he can do but little, since one gets no­thing from him but complements, fair excuses, or promises, which in the end turn to nothing, making all his answers speak either of the repug­nance he met with in his Holiness, or some other motive, that was occasion of the refusal, or delay of an Affair. And for this reason, I thought it far better in any thing of importance to go my self directly to the Pope, than to make use of the intercession of the Cardinal, who being for the most part diverted by his Pastimes, either forgets some of those circum­stances which are very essential to a business, which might make the success the more easie, or else ac­quiesces with the first denial, or difficulty the Pope makes in it; and this brings afterwards a double trou­ble, first to inform him quite anew, and then to take off some prejudice or misconstruction it may before have [Page 18] left on his spirit. I have been forc'd to steer the same course, when I hapned to have any Petition to present, to obtain the provisions of some benefits for any such person as had deserved well, either of the State or the Embassie it self, because if I reli'd upon the promise of the Cardinal, I commonly found my self deceived. He would send me back to the Car­dinal Dater that Signs such Writings, assuring me, that the Pope referred himself wholly in matters of Collation of Benefices to him. So that perceiving it was pure weakness of judgment it proceeded from, or the little care he took to do me any courtesie, I never afterwards made any great account of his mediation; when I had occasion to treat of any thing that required dispatch: because this Cardinal, who is called the Master, does exercise his Mastership more in spending his time merily, and avoiding the most he can all troublesome affairs that disturb his mind, than in rendring himself considerable, as he might be, in an employment that gives him the greatest authority. This Cardinal does not show any great desire of heaping up riches, because, per­haps, having no Nephews issued from Brothers, and finding his Branch ends in him, he little cares to ac­quire much Treasure to enrich the Descendants of his Cousin Don Augustin, on whom otherwise all the advantages that Fortune can bestow on a Man, will fall. In things indifferent this Cardinal hath ever treated me very civilly, and hath shewed me a par­ticular affection; and truly I believe, if he had but more courage to undergo the part he acts, by his means, one might receive greater favours of his Ho­liness, than those which now come from him ordi­narily but by little and little. He shows, that he is vers'd in our History, for he relates from time to [Page 19] time our happy success, and he says freely, that Italy would be very unhappy, had she not had this Re­publique for a Bulwark, which hath bounded the ambition of Strangers, and repelled the rage and incroachments of Barbarians. When I took leave of his Excellence, I could not desire greater expres­sions of his affection than those he used, accompany­ing them with protestations, that he would pass the bounds his Holiness had prescribed him, to give all kind of satisfaction to your Excellencies in the matters then in hand. These are his own words, It is not reasonable that the discontent for particular affairs should cause a prejudice to that which concerns the General, which is, to maintain the Grandeur of that State inseparable with the splendor of Italy.

The Lord Don Mario hath no other Son than this Cardinal, but he hath besides two Daughters, married at Siena in noble Families, that have but moderate Fortunes, proportionate to the condition of the Family of the Chigi, in the time they were married: and these are they that showed themselves not long since at Rome, where they were exceeding well receiv'd and carress'd by their Father and their Mother, and the Cardinal Chigi; but they were not received with so many tokens of affection by Don Augustin, for the reasons that I shall declare. I can­not certainly tell, whether they obtained a compe­tency from the Pope to maintain them in the con­dition they are in, because things were carried with a great deal of circumspection in not making known what was done, for fear the Court should think that the Pope wasted the Demesns of St. Peter, to put his kindreds Wives in a handsome condition; and for fear likewise of giving some cause of jealousie to [Page 20] Don Augustin [...], who expecting hereafter to be Chief of the Family, could not but with trouble behold so many others, that were not of the Pope's Masculine Line, thus gratifi'd or enrich'd: It is certain how­ever, that the Lord Don Mario and his Wife, did not let them return empty handed, but gave them a share of what they had stored up, and do endeavour to encrease with so much Art and Industry.

But let us proceed to the other Branch descended, as I said, from Augustin Chigi, which consists of two Lords, Don Augustin and Sigismond. As for the first, who may be about 24 years of age, he is naturally merry, very pleasing and amiable. He never appli'd himself at all to study, but in those Exercises as befits a Gentleman. He loves to pass his time as well as any man, and cares very little to heap up any thing, because he knows there are those that do it for him. As soon as ever he came to Rome, they thought of providing a Wife for him, and cast their eyes upon the best Match in the whole Court, to wit, the Grand-daughter of the Prince Mark Antony Borghese. But they could not bring it to pass with that facility they imagin'd, because the Prince, being a man that was very wary, especially when it concerned the in­terest of his Family, scoffed at the Proposition, say­ing, That he should take that Alliance for a very great honor, but first desired to see Don Augustin have grea­ter wealth and dignity, that so his Granchild might at least be able to keep a rank suitable to her quality and merits.

These excuses the Prince made were not very pleasing to the Pope, who at the first word would have had him made more account of his Alliance [Page 21] than any other consideration whatsoever. For this cause the business hung a long while in suspence, but still with repeated applications of Love and Courtship from the Lord Don Augustin, who follow'd it with the more heat, as having the Constable Co­lonnes for his Rival, a young man of most excellent qualities, and towards whom the Princess seemed to have a greater inclination than for himself. But the Prince Borghese's death hapning thereupon, and the Tutelage falling to the Princess her Grand­mother, in a few days, by the mediation of the Prin­cess Rossano her mother, this Match was concluded, considerable for her great Dowry, which was one hundred and fourscore thousand Crowns, besides what might hereafter fall to her by succession, the House of the Borgheses having but one more Heir, a young Lord of a somewhat melanchollique consti­tution, who nevertheless about the same time, out of divers good considerations, would needs wed ano­ther young Lady, having more regard to her Beauty and Virtue, than her Riches. Don Augustin, as well as his Holiness, thought, by the contrivance of this Match, which was celebrated with all the Pomp imaginable, that they had established the happiness of their Family on the best foundation that could be; In effect, the Lady being an extraordinary Beauty, and brought up under the Discipline of her Grand­mother, a very Religious person, there could be nothing more desired upon that account; and he hath already begun to taste the fruits of it, the Prin­cess having given him the marks of her fertility by the birth of a young Daughter she hath brought him. This does not, however, hinder Don Augustin from diverting himself elsewhere according as his temper and fancy leads him, and his great inclination to [Page 22] pleasure, when it comes in his thoughts. This ful­ness of all content making him forget his first con­dition, hath so puff'd him up with pride, that he seems to take no notice of those who passing by sa­lute him in the streets: which likewise makes him not so much beloved as his other fairer qualities deserve. Nay, it is not long since he made shew of the little respect or regard he had for persons of great con­dition; for having taken some distaste at the pla­cing or sitting of the Constable Colonnes, he ap­pointed the Cavalier de la Ciaja his Uncle to do a very disobliging act, by thrusting the Constable out of his place at a Comedy, whereat the Colonnes be­ing offended, the Pope was extreme angry, and would have it taken up by any means whatever; as it was afterwards done, but in the name of the Ca­valier, who was but an instrument in that action: but this insulting left a great deal of discontent on the spirits of the Colonnes against Don Augustin, who was the principal author of it.

A while after his Nuptials, he purchased in the Province of the Patrimony, for seventy thousand Crowns, the Principality of Farnese, which is said to be a Fief of the Empire of four thousand Crowns Revenue. He hath also purchased a considerable Palace for his Family: but besides these, he pur­chases little, living at vast expences, but upon hopes that the Pope's long life will furnish him with ways enough to enrich and raise his Family to as brave a heighth as the greatest of the preceding Popes.

I have had divers occasions to speak with him of his Marriage and other affairs; and he hath ever given me testimony of a great esteem and particular [Page 23] affection, which proceeded, as he told me, from the Pope's good-will, from whom I truly never heard any thing, but what was much in praise of this Se­rene Republique.

I have observed likewise, that the Princess his Wife, though she were but a Novice in the way of treating the Ministers of Princes, hath now informed her self so far, as to let them know what satisfaction she receives by the devoirs they render her, and how much she is obliged to their civility.

It remains now to speak of Don Sigismond, who arrived at Rome but a few weeks before my depar­ture. He is a Youth of twelve years of age, and seems to have much of his Brother's way, and, forasmuch as can be noted in him at present, is very fair con­dition'd, and of so much judgment, as promises he will in time prove somewhat. As soon as ever he came, the Pope delighted to reason with him some­times, thereby to discover his vivacity; and was ever well satisfi'd. Don Augustine will do all he can to have him made Cardinal. But if the Pope fol­lows his own Maxims, he should not favour him therein, having affirmed it a horrid thing to behold such Under-Branches in the Sacred Colledge. However, we may believe there is nothing but he may do, since he hath already begun to exceed all that he at first propounded to have done. In the in­terim, this little Nephew hath already several Pen­sions, and if the Pope survive his Infancy, it may then be easier to obtain a Cardinals Hat for him.

There are two Nephews by the Pope's Sister, who married into the Family of the Bichi; the one [Page 24] is he that was made Cardinal at the last promotion with the Father Sforza Pallavicino, and the other is the Prior, who having resided somewhile near your Excellencies, in quality of Receiver for the Religion of Malta, and having likewise been three times with the Squadron of the Popes Gallies at Candia, in quality of Lieutenant General, hath made himself fully acquainted to your Excellencies As touching the first, I have no great matter to say of him, for having not been long at Rome, I could not perfectly know him: It is said, however, that he would have been a better Bishop than a Cardinal; for he hath made it appear that he can govern a Church well, which is that of Osime, where he is Prelate, but he hath not yet shown that he hath the Talent to go thorough any great affairs; nor did I trouble my self with any further information. I did reve­rence him as I ought, when occasion profer'd to complement him, and I also took my leave of him at parting, very well satisfi'd with the manner of his reception, and the sentiments he hath for this Republique.

But as for the Prior, whom common Fame com­mends as a man of great merits, he never made me so happy as to know wherein that Virtue consists, since it is restrained within a perfect obedience to those that can do him good, or raise him to some degrees higher than he yet stands; for he is ob­served to make such profound reverences to the Pope's Nephews, that the lowest of their servants would not perhaps do the like. But as for his know­ledge in commanding at Sea, and taking his ad­vantages either to attaque, or hotly pursue an Ene­my, or in distributing the publick Treasure ordained [Page 25] to that end, I shall not need to waste time in re­lating it to your Excellencies, since it was your selves informed me how little benefit had been reaped by the Popes Galleys in these parts, when commanded by this Cavalier. It is certain, that the last year there was a great deal of Treasure put into his hands, and it is as certain by the accounts that have been calculated without his knowledge, he can­not have expended the one half. But there are none so confident as to advertize the Pope of these m [...]s­demeanors, because he having so good an opinion of him, would think it all to be onely spleene and envy that could be alledged against him: and therefore you commanded me very prudently to abstain from all complaints, for fear of withdrawing the Pope's good will and forwardness in pursuing the succour you demanded of him, which, though it were not dispiseable, became so notwithstanding, by a not exe­cuting of the Pope's true intentions therein. Which made me (though the Cardinal Chigi perceived some­what of these miscarriages, to whom I might have opened my self with much freedom and assurance, and neither Pope nor Prior should have known what I said, that Cardinal having so little inclination for him) obey your Lordships most punctually in what you commanded. But the common complaints hav­ing not been kept so close, but they came to that Car­dinal's ear; he one day, perhaps to oblige me to speak, told me, That he admired that the Prior, who so much desired to gain honor and renown, had not made some enterprize of himself, since he found it unfit to un­dertake any joyntly with others: But lifting up my shoulders, I onely said, That it might be, the bad for­tune of the Republique hindred such men, though very skilful in the Art of War, and valiant, from showing [Page 26] any marks of their great courage; The Cardinal per­ceiving he could get nothing else out of me, said smiling, That the Prior had had the good luck to be prized more than he diserved, but yet was unhappy in not being able to maintain that good opinion had been conceived of him. The two Branches of the House of the Chigi, who otherwise do not agree very well, united together to hinder his being made a Cardinal, and it seemed to them they had done much in ob­taining their ends herein, they judging the Prior to be a man of a great wit, and one who, as soon as he could have had the power to have spoken freely, would have made a division in their House; they have more acquaintance with him than my self, and by consequence may know him better. As for my own part, I never could find any eminent virtue in him, nor do I believe, he deserves to rise to any great ho­nor, to which he pretends to mount by his dissem­bling humour.

There is not among so few kindred as have com­mand, and who are in a direct line, so great concord as there ought to be, and this proceeds from a vain spirit which makes every one of them aspire to rule. The Lord D. Mario pretended, that he, as the most antient, and next to him, his Son at this time a Cardinal, ought to be head of the Family, and that by right it belonged to him to encrease their num­ber by marriage. But the Pope, who had a greater affection for his disceased Brother, than for him that is living, was of another mind, and from hence arose the ill-will that hath still encreased amongst them. The Pope never did any good to any of D. Mario's Family, but D. Augustin interpreted it partiality. He said, It appeared to Cardinal Chigi but a small mat­ter [Page 27] to have the quality of Patron, and the supreme Superintendence of the greatest affairs, unless they allowed him together with this the Authority of granting all Acts of Grace as he pleased. He added, That it was little benefit to him to be the Son of a Father, who with his purse had raised the Pope to that heighth of honor, if now, whilst he was in pos­session, he might not receive the profits and rewards deserved for his Father's former readiness and libe­rality. What will become, said he, of the heaps of of mony D. Mario gathers up, unless to enrich the Houses of Strangers? meaning his Daughters who were married at Siena, leaving those naked and un­furnished which are of the blood of the Chigi, who ought still to abound in goods and riches. To which the Cardinal Chigi repli'd, That the Authority and Superintendence they had given him stood him in no stead, but to trouble his brain, for which he had a very great aversion, whereas they had left to the other the enjoyment of all the delights and applause of the Court: That D. Augustin tasted more con­tent in the freedom he lived in, being disingag'd of the management of all publick affairs, than himself could meet with amidst all that power and authority they had invested him withall: And thus neither of them, because of these contentious pretences, which though but whispered, are apparent and known to all, do enjoy that entire satisfaction they might, were their minds but united, and they contented with those degrees of eminent Dignities which Fortune hath lifted them too. The Pope knows nothing of all this, they fearing very much to give him any cause of displeasure; and from this consideration his Holiness does sometimes confer favours upon the one, sometimes upon the other, thereby to keep [Page 28] them from all kinde of jealousie. He permitted D. Mario to let his Daughters and their Husbands come to Rome, and would have them there attended and served as became those of his own blood. He consented that D. Augustin should send for his little Brother to abide with him; but neither of them will remain contented when their Authority ceases, which disquiets them far more than a necessary ser­vitude would do.

The Pope hath now at Siena, as I have already said, many others of his kindred, who are not con­sidered much as yet, because they are of more re­mote degrees. They may, after the others are suf­ficiently inriched, hope for some good from his Ho­liness, if he continue long alive, he being natu­rally much inclined to favour those of his own Coun­try, by employments proportionate to the abilities of his fellow-Citizens: there are already some that have principal Offices at Court, who are design'd for Cardinals, and there are other places reserved for others, when an occasion presents: To which no­thing can be said, but the Pope deserves a great deal of praise, in that he forgets not to do well for his own Country, to which, next to God, we owe our selves; and in that he does not imitate the pride of such, who being once absent loose the very remem­brance of it, and never take the least care for any one that had a being there.

But forasmuch as the Ministry of the Pope's kin­dred serves onely for splendor and state, and not in any thing essential; and that in pressing and weighty affairs it is requisite he be fortifi'd with the assistance of such as have a clear insight into the management [Page 29] of great Negotiations, from whom, upon occasion, prudent and solid councel may be taken. I have esteem'd it fit to joyn, to the Pourtraict I have made of his Holiness kindred, a Character of those who are made use of, in the most important interests of the Popedome, and such on whose will depends most com­monly the resolution of what is of the greatest con­sequence.

THe first that presents, is the Cardinal Rospigliosi, born at Pistiose, who is Secretary of State; One cannot speak so well of him, but he will deserve more, nor can I think there could be found a man worthier of that Office, and the Pope, who knows him well, hath often said, that he had found a Se­cretary according to his own heart. He hath a great deal of judgment, and is sincere and disingag'd from all interests; He is not obstinate in his opinions; when he hath deliver'd them, he takes pleasure in having them moderated and censured; according as the ser­vice of his Master does require; He is indifferent in his sentiments, and although it be the common be­lief, that having been Nuncio in Spain, where he be­came extremely beloved of the King and Court, he might bias that way, and cherish some inclinations for the advantage of that Crown; yet it is false, be­cause in my time there were some troubles in that Court, which might have been appeased by the Me­diation of a Minister so much in credit; but the more they believed he took the Spaniards part, the more he abstained from medling with their interests. He did all he was able not to give audience, not desiring any other employment than his own charge, to [Page 30] which he applies himself with all the exactness possi­ble, carrying every night to his Holiness all his af­fairs digested, and taking himself the pains to exa­mine the Letters, which relate to any interest that may be any way considerable. I can say, that he never seemed to be displeased or unwilling to hear me speak; But it is true, that I had a care never to demand audience of him, but in pressing and earnest occasions, and always had the satisfaction that could be expected from a Minister, obliged to swerve the least that possibly could be from the will of his Prince. Now this ought to be the more considered, because if the Holy Chair should happen to become vacant at this time, I esteem his hopes very well grounded, having the Spaniards and the Great Duke on his side, and probably too the Heads of the Fa­ctions that would predominate in the Conclave, that is to say, Barberino, who in Urban's time first moved the wheel of his fortune, and Chigi who cherishes him most, as being his Creature.

The second is the Cardinal Pallavicino, of whom the Popes make great esteem, as well for the reasons I pointed out before, as because of the very good opi­nion he hath of him, holding it for certain, that he would never give him any counsel, which were not good and advantagious for the Church. To tell the truth, he is a man that hath very good intentions, and knows much, but he fails in what all those or­dinarily do, that have devoted themselves to a solitary life, and who profess a different way of living from those of the world, being extremely obstinate in their opinions. I have discoursed with him on several oc­casions, even when he was a Jesuit: and although for the interest of his order, which is now received [Page 31] into the favour of your most serene Republique, he seemed extremely desirous to do me some pleasure, yet I never could truly obtain any thing from him. He hath a thousand excuses to defeat one of those good offices he might do. Since he was made a Car­dinal, though it were expected one might hope for somewhat more, yet I have found him standing upon his guard more than ever, pleading the pretence of some command the Pope had laid on him not to intermeddle in any affair that were not agreeable to him. In a word, I am not satisfi'd with him, al­though he often mention the deserts of his Ance­stors from this Republique, and the obligations, which those of his Order do in particular owe unto him. The Pope refers much to him in matters of Theology and Conscience, and confers with him, too, about those of State, but rather to know than to fol­low his advice, because most times he looks upon things according to the rigour of the Ecclesiastical Laws. The Spanish Ambassadour was not very well pleased with him, who when all the other Cardinals had been to visit his Wife, he would not, upon a pretence, that although he had changed the habit of his Order, yet he hath not changed the Rules, which prohibits them to be amongst Women but in cases of great necessity. This kind of behaviour, which is an affected singularity, renders him odious to a great many people. He did not oblige your Lordships, when he put forth his History in answer of the Book of the deceased Padre Paul of the Order of Servants, wherein speaking too freely of a Mi­nister whom you have so much cherished, he gave you cause to oppose him, as you did at the publica­tion of that History, of which having said something to me by way of excuse, I presently shifted the dis­course, [Page 32] that I might not obliged to enter upon such tetchy subjects, upon which if we had pro­ceeded, he might have alledged many Metaphysical distinctions, which it is not my profession to answer; but had he treated of that business in a way more suitable to that subject, I am confident I should have been too hard for him, and put him at a stand.

In divers things the Pope makes use of the Car­dinal Corrado, a Ferrarian, and principally in those differences which Secular Princes have concerning Ecclesiastical matters, wherein his Holiness is but ill served, for that Cardinal is a pure Legist. that hath no knowledge in the affairs of the world, who alleages a decisive Text on any matter in question, without any regard to the decency or respect is to be had towards a State, or any moderate inter­pretation where required; for he never makes any account of this certain Maxim, Summum jus summa injuria. This man hath, and does continually give distaste to the Cardinals and other Ministers of Princes, because he keeps himself still to the rigour of the Canons, and will distribute the Benefices ac­cording to his own fancy, and always upon pretence that it is the Pope's will, which he turns as himself pleases under a fair appearance of Sanctity. But the disgusts he practises, and is accustomed to put upon all the world, does more hurt to himself than to any one else, for having been so unadvised as to discover his base humor, it hath drawn the hatred of all upon him: So that for the Chair there is nothing to be expected on his part. I never had but little satisfa­ction from him. And indeed, since I began to know his defects, I never took the pains to do him any courtesie that might acquire his favour, those kind [Page 33] of persons thinking they do in some manner sacrifice themselves, whensoever they do but in the least act against their own opinions to a man a little pleasure.

I must also bring into this number Signior Ban­dinelli, of Siena great Master of the Apostolique Pa­lace, an old Courtier, refined in the Great Duke's Court, from whence the Pope called him, and took him to his own service, knowing the noble manner of his acting. He is not a man of a very profound knowledge, but of great experience; which makes the Pope take great delight in conferring with him, who is ordinarily well satisfi'd with his advice. Amongst other qualities that makes him considera­ble, there is one that is a very particular, which is, that he is descended from Alexander III, who ha­ving been forced to flie, and quit his ordinary abode, made his retreat in this Republique, who received him in their bosome, and gave him their protection, which he made use of to repress the audaciousness of the Emperor Frederick, that persecuted him. He glories more in this, than in any thing besides, and hath a particular veneration for the merits of your Serene Lordships. There is no one more certain of a Cardinal's Hat than he. It is due ro him, for ha­ving quitted his own Country, where he was very much in favour, to go to Rome. When he hath a Cardinal's Hat, the whole Court, who already be­lieve he deserves the supremest degree, will be ra­vish'd for joy.

Signior Fagnano, of the State of Urbin, a Prelate well known at Court for his being blind, but much more for being so clear sighted in the Superinten­dence, [Page 34] which the Pope hath given him over the affairs of the Regulars, deserves that I should make mention of him in this Treatise, because thorow his means, I have sometimes made an end of a difficult business, which otherwise I should scarce have over­come. This Prelate hath a great deal of affection for this Serene Republique, as having been the first that found out the invention to draw mony from the suppression of the unprofitable Religious Or­ders, as also from the Scandalous; so is he likewise still of opinion, that since the same necessity still remains, they should make use of the same means of supply, there being possibility and reason enough to continue it. But that design having been inter­rupted by certain zealous persons, upon some other pretexts which they found out; he endeavoured to seek out some other projects to assist your Serene Lordships therein. And truly he might have found out something effectual, did they as well see the dangers at Rome, as they do in these places that are so near bordering unto it. However, I did not omit to give this Prelate many thanks for his great good-will, and I believe it will be very fit that you should return him thanks likewise: I think also, that his Ex­cellency Sagredi, who carries several Curiosities to present to the Pope's Family, should bestow some part of them on this good man, who hath, and may yet render upon all occasions, all those good Offices which can be expected from the confidence his Holi­ness puts in his advice, and the great credit he gives him.

The Father Virgilio Spada, one of the Order of the Congregation of St. Philip Neri, and Brother to the old Cardinal Spada, hath some power with the [Page 35] Pope; and upon this perswasion I have sometimes endeavoured to get him to serve me upon occasion, but I found him armed with a thousand excuses to evade doing me any good: whereat I did not after­wards very much wonder, knowing he onely sought the advantage of his Family, being very greedy after his own interest, and more ready to put the Pope in mind of filling his own purse, than seeking any largess for others: This made me forbear to solicite him, guessing the little profit that was like to re­dound, to make trial of other ways which your Lord­ships are not unacquainted withal, although they all proved fruitless, and too weak, when it concerned his Holiness to disburse any monies, which is not kept closer in his own Coffers, than it is by all the Court Prelates, who think to gain credit and repute from his Holiness, by exhorting him to preserve that Metall, which above all things makes the Ecclesi­astical Principality be highly esteem'd, as if it were not rather the Dignity and Sanctity of the Sove­reign Priesthood that render'd the Papacy Maje­stick, than the reputation of having great riches, But we need not doubt but their abuses being ar­rived to the heighth we find them, the Ecclesiastick Authority would be very weak and languishing, were it not sustained by a Temporal Power; whereas if those Priests would lay aside their vanity of agran­dizing themselves, and onely make good their just degrees and privilege, the Church would soon be lifted above all other Powers whatsoever. For to say truth, Whosoever beholds the Court of Rome sur­passing in Magnificence and State, the Courts of all other Princes, cannot but wonder by what means, upon so slender a foundation, and so far from the design and intentions of her first Founders, she should [Page 36] have raised her self to so proud a heighth. And al­though every one knows it proceeded from the Li­berality and Magnificency of Temporal Princes, yet it cannot but appear strange to see the Roman Church turn those Benefits, she hath received from them, against themselves to their prejudice; the Ca­nonists and other Emissaries of that Court studying nothing more, than how to strengthen and extend their Ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and abase and di­minish the Secular, if they possibly could. This point, wherewith you have been so often enter­tain'd, deserves yet still to be put into your memo­ries, because without any diving into the depths of a profound Speculation, it may be observed, that considering the by-ways the Popes do tread, and withal reflecting on the sincere conduct of Secular Princes, of necessity it must follow, that the Eccle­siastical Monarchy will become Mistris of the World, and the Secular fall and become her Servant. Your Serene Signiory hath a great deal of Piety, and a particular Veneration for that Holy and Apo­stolique Tribunal; who likewise hath a singular good-will towards her: but yet she knows well how far she ought to show her veneration; and herein she carries her self prudently, being very well ad­vertised of those things which do insensibly lead the Court of Rome to enlarge her Phylacteries more and more: And this Note shall suffice by the way.

And since we are now upon the discourse of the Grandeur of the Court of Rome, it will not be amiss to show what it is, because as it appears great by looking onely upon those things which makes the Courts and Dwellings of other Princes considerable, yielding, in effect, neither for number of Ministers [Page 37] or Officers to none in Christendome, it will seem yet far greater, by having for Assessors and Counsellors seventy Kings, for they give that Title to the Car­dinals in the Act of their Creations; and therefore it is that they are vested in Purple, and are served almost like Kings: and when together with this Dig­nity they have acquired a great Reputation, their Amity is sought by the most puissant Princes, who by publick or private Pensions endeavour to make them their friends, because of the privilege they have of Electing a Pope, and what by consequence must follow thereupon, the Soveraign Dignity lights upon one of themselves; and this is in short the cause of all their arrogancy, which otherwise is often re­duced to contempt enough, besides the vexation of not being able to obtain any grace, unless they be the Pope's Favourits. It may be expected that a Pope, who hath so excellent a judgment to discern how those persons ought to be qualifi'd that are fit to be aggregated in that Sacred Colledge, as Pope Alexander hath, should promote none but persons worthy of his choice: and, indeed, the Court hi­therto hath no reason to complain, since he hath ad­mitted none but such as deserved very much, and it is hoped it will be so still for the future. Now, though it would be needful to make an exact search and in­quiry into the quality of the present Cardinals to know them thorowly; yet that your Lordships may have some knowledge of him; that shall one day be raised to the Chair, I shall make no difficulty to un­dertake it; and I shall acquit my self with much bre­vity, because there are many other things to be ex­amined, which your Serene Lordships will be glad to know.

The Cardinal Charls de Medices, Uncle to the Great Duke of Toscany, is the Dean of the Sacred College. He never shows himself at Rome but when the Chair is vacant, he takes more pleasure at his own home, being free both from clamour and ex­pence. He leads the Spanish Faction, not without a great deal of hopes from the Great Duke, who long­eth for nothing more than to have a Pope that may favour him, because of the troubles and traverses the Popes put him to, who little consider him. He was not at the Court whilst I was there. But the oblige­ing humor of that Prince is not unknown to your Lordships by other means, as likewise the great joy he ever expresses at the least news of your prosperity. He is a man that speaks little, hath a good wit, and ardently desires the advantages of his Family: to serve whom he rather suffer'd a long while in the Conclave, then gave way to elect any person that might not be pleasing to the Great Duke.

Francis Barberino, who in the time of Urban and his Domination made some escapes, being hurri'd thereto rather by the impetuosity of his nature, than out of any evil intent, perceives at present that it is in vain to trouble the world, having extremely pre­judic'd himself by discovering the violence of his passions. He hath lost all his hopes of ever attain­ing to sit in the Holy Chair, which his Uncle Urban held, though otherwise both for his knowledge, and the candour of his mind, he is worthy to be placed therein. Which evidently shows, that innocency of life is no sufficient motive to oblige the Cardinals to chuse a Man for Pope, it hapning very often, that together with the greatest Sanctity there may be joyned some other such defects, as were able to put [Page 19] the whole world in a confusion. Nevertheless Bar­berino hath a little recover'd his credit under Inno­cent, they having noted the inconveniencies hap­ning in that Popes manner of Government, which they also found in Urban's time; but with more mo­deration. Although his Family inclines towards the French, yet he hath ever shewed that he hath more regard for the Spaniard, his humor suiting better with the Genius of that Nation. As for the affection he hath for your Serene Republique, I cannot speak so fully of it, but I shall leave somewhat untold.

Spada de Bresighele, which is a place in Romagnia, is a man more considerable for his Virtues than his Birth, and who for this reason deserves more ap­plause than he yet hath. But it seems they do not look upon him with so good an eye because of the prosperity of his Family, who are lately in possession of much riches, which some of the oldest amongst them have acquired by their Farms and Marriages; and which have also been since multiplied thorow the industry of this same Cardinal, and the Father Virgilio Spada his Brother, who hath not been want­ing in striving to acquire wealth, and raise his House, though he make profession of a retired life. This Cardinal hath many very good qualities be­sides, which make him worthy of a higher degree? but that which hinders him from rising, is the envy many have against him, and the great number of Nepveus he hath, which are like to be encreased by those Marriages they have of late contracted. I must add to this the little confidence the Spaniards have in him, who think him a very subtile man, and one that hath a great inclination towards the French. He hath a high esteem for this Republique, and hath as [Page 40] much resentment in all her troubles and dangers as any one whatsoever.

Sachetti, a Florentine, hath entred Pope twice into the past Conclaves, but still came forth again Car­dinal, to the great regret of good people, and such as are acquainted with his virtues. The Spaniards did not murmur so much against his elevation, as the Florentines, who endeavoured all they could to thwart his Election, and I believe it now proceeds from no other cause, but onely they having been once engaged to exclude him, imagine that he will for ever resent the injury they had done him, al­though he may have served them much since. In­deed, there are few in the Colledge so worthy, if we consider all his good qualities. He hath made himself the more fully known, by that constancy wherewith he hath undergone those disappoint­ments, and the sollicitations he made to Mazarine, to lay aside all those jealousies which might make him oppose the exaltation of the Cardinal Chigi, whom he esteemed more worthy of the Chair than any other, in a time wherein his own hopes were not desperate. He keeps the same reputation still at Court which he had formerly, and if his advanced age would let him survive the present Pope, he would ever have the same applause as formerly. He is commonly very indifferent in his affection to other Nations, seldome favouring one more than another; but I dare confidently say, that he is partial for your Republique.

Ginetti of Veletre is a Cardinal, who though he be rich, and have a great deal of experience, yet does nothing that gains much commendations, or [Page 41] that makes him esteemed worthy to be raised higher than he now is. There is no other reason than the poorness of his spirit appearing in all his actions, and his insatiable desire to enrich himself; whence they draw this consequence, that should he be mounted higher, few should partake of his Gran­deurs or Bounty; add hereto, that having been one of Urban's greatest Confidents and Creatures, he is entirely possessed with those Maxims which are no­thing convenient for the good of Christendome. He omitted nothing his power to make himself Pope the last times the Chair was vacant, but al­though he found some Cardinals his friends, who listned to him in hopes of partaking of his favours, yet he found no body for him amongst the Princes, who cannot promise much good to themselves from a person so wedded to his own interests, and so little inclined to favour others. I know not, indeed, what to say of him. He makes profession of much devo­tion, but I should hardly ever trust a man, who be­sides his other defects, hath the reputation of per­fectly knowing how to dissemble.

The Cardinal Antonio Barberino is a man, who all his life time hath ever been even gentility and gene­rosity it self. He is engaged as much as can be possi­ble to France, but in such a manner however, that he does not make himself odious to other rival Nations, because he speaks of all the world with a huge deal of respect; and brings his affairs so about, that none can justly complain of him. He reaps many ad­vantages from the Crown of France, which never­theless does not make him the richer, but rather the contrary, since he consumes more money for them than he receives, as well in entertaining his friends [Page 42] perpetually whilst he is in France, as in advancing the interests of that Crown. And by reason of the great inclination he hath for that Country, where they live according to his humor after a very free manner, he would rather make his residence there than in any part of the world; but it is observed, that Mazarin does not look on him with a good eye, perhaps out of jealousie, because his carriage, which is so fair and pleasing, might be a disadvantage to him, while he is more than any man alive in favour with his King. He was the first who, at the publica­tion of the Peace, manifested the good-will he hath for France, and that in such a noble and splendid manner as was thought worthy of his generosity. The affection he bears that Nation does not make him, however, forgetful of what is due to the Princes of Italy, and particularly to your Serene Lordships, whose merits he never mentions but with admiration.

Colonne, a German, is the Head of his Family, by the disposal of the deceased Don Philip Colonne his Father, who having cleared his debts by his good husbandry, thought fit to recommend the direction thereof to that Son who seemed to be most wary and sparing: Nor was he deceived in his choice, since this man, considering his riches, which are great, especially if we reckon what he hath from the Church, is so reserved, when any mony is to go from him, that is presumed, during the long time he hath managed their Estate, he hath heaped up a very great quantity, taking much delight in hoarding up continually, but never expending any thing in a superfluous manner. To which the Suits he opposed by Law, which the Spaniards and Mini­sters [Page 43] of that State had for a long time maintained till his Fathers death, have not a little contributed, who thinking themselves most unjustly deprived of those Honours pretended to by his Family, disputed it very obstinately against him, but in the end yielded up all his antient prerogatives to him, which much augmented his Revenues, and hath gained him a very great esteem. At that time when his Holiness exhorted all those that were rich, to con­tribute somewhat towards the assistance of your most Serene Republique, he was the onely Cardinal that excused himself, alleaging the dammage which the Plague had done him in his Estate: Nay, it hath been propounded to him onely by way of trial, to give out Mony at the highest Interest, as your most Serene Republique is wont to allow, but all was in vain; although he seems to glory his affection to­wards you, by which profession he thinks he hath fully compleated his devoire.

Franciotti of Luca is an honest man, and of some understanding in most affairs; but these kind of ho­nest people do not succeed so well when they have the Government in hand They take a licence in all extravagant opinions, and become obstinate and punctilious, not caring how they trouble the world, provided they can but maintain their own fancies. This man imagines that he should behave himself well enough were he in command, although he show himself but of a mean ability in ordinary matters. He was born in a Republique, and the Prelateship of his Country lighting on him, he soon put them in a condition of falling out with him, yea, and of con­testing and quarreling with the Pope too, and that for very slight reasons. In the end, all these bro­villeries [Page 44] ve disputes having constrained him to quit his Church, he left his Family involved in such trou­bles as have much perplexed, and brought many great losses upon him. To repair this, he lives in hopes of being Pope, but he expects it in vain, for I do not know any one that desires it.

Brancaccio, a Neapolitan, though he were made a Cardinal when he thought not of it, and, as it were, by an unexpected accident, does not for all this omit any possible endeavour to mount higher: He is re­conciled with the Spaniards, to whose shame he at­tained that Dignity: He hath made a strict Amity with the Great Duke, and is on good terms with Barberino: in a word, he does all he can to make good, and increase his credit, which is as yet but small, because his thoughts soar too high. Some have said, that there was nothing resting but a good un­derstanding with the French, but that being equivo­cal, I shall take it in the best sense, from whence one may infer, that he treats with them in such a manner as may dispose them not to be against him, if he should happen to be mention'd. He seemed to me to be passionate for you, nor shall I believe he dissem­bled much therein, having wit enough to know what your most Serene Republique hath done for the li­berty of Italy.

Harach of Behemia comes to Rome onely when the Chair is vacant: There are few other things can oblige him to stay there, all his interest depending on the Kingdome of Bohemia, and the Imperial Court. And being a Cavalier of a very frank Na­ture, he makes it appear, that the arts and desi­mulation, used ordinarily in the Court of Rome, are [Page 45] not pleasing to him. He hath ever testifi'd a great deal of affection for your most Serene Republique, for ought that ever I could learn from those that pre­ceded me in my employment; but having never been at Court in my time, I cannot tell what judgment I should have made of him, had I been acquainted with him my self.

I cannot affirm any thing of the Cardinal Palotta of the Marcha: those reports which I have heard of him being very various: Some have told me that he hath strange fancies, which being paliated with the zeal of Reformation, cannot but cause a great deal of trouble and disorder. Others describe him to be a very honest man, of a good conscience; yet all this is the same onely diversifi'd, because the resolutions of these kind of spirits, or their whimseys rather, do still clash themselves: And therefore he was very little lookt upon in the last Conclave, where he con­cealed as much as possible his desire of being Pope, yet could he not carry it so close but his Confidents discovered the extreme passion he had for it. The Pope makes no great account of him, although he have had some Legation: and there is some likeli­hood of reason for it; because those that are lifted to the dignity of Pope, can better judge of the defects of their inferiours, than such as are their equals in authority or degree. In his Legation of Ferrara, he gave some occasion of contest to your Signiory, and therefore although he spake much of her commenda­tions, I should never confide in him.

Carpegna, of the State of Urbin, had reason enough to hope in the last Conclave, because the Great Duke and Barberino did not reject him, nor are his [Page 46] qualities to be despised. But, in a word, when a Cardinal wants a certain credit which is given by popular approbation, he seldome ever attains to the Chair It cannot be denied, but that both probity and simplicity of manners do meet together in this Man. He understands and can do as much as is re­quired in the managing of publick affairs, but as for the pressing of them on, or, if I may so say, the refining of them, he is not much applauded for being happy therein: nor during the last Conclave was there any one that could promise himself more than very mean resolutions for the publick service, under his Government: and therefore as soon as ever he was spoken of, they found that he had not a spirit great enough for so high a dignity. Nevertheless he shewed himself worthy of praise, in that whatever his hopes, and the resolutions of the Conclave were, he never seemed to trouble himself. He loves your most Serene Signiory well enough, which I have gather'd from the discourses he hath held with me, as also from the reports of such as have heard him in parti­cular conversations, when mention hath been made of publick affairs.

Filormarini of Naples hath made known his autho­rity in those disputes he had with the King's Mi­nisters, during the last troubles in that Kingdome. He shew'd an invincible courage upon the threats which were like to have succeeded to effects of vio­lence against him, to make him quit that Country. But he likewise shewed a very great humility towards the Catholique King, thereby to let him know, that he was disturbed wrongfully; and his plea herein carried it against all that the greatest Ministers of that Crown could oppose against him. But by how [Page 47] much he hath encreased his reputation thereby, so much hath he also therein prejudic'd himself, as to the thoughts he might have had of hopes and greater dignity, thorow that obstinacy apparent in him not to change, or remit any thing of his first resolutions, how dangerous and violent soever the attempts are against him. He was a confident servant of Barberi­no's in the time of his prosperity, whose services have been very well rewarded. But I do not know what thanks those can promise to themselves that should help him to be made Pope, he being a man that hath a marvelous good opinion of himself, and one that believes every thing is due to his own merits. I never treated with him, he not having been at Rome in my time.

Maculano, or St. Clement, a Dominican, is a small Brother, who under his poor mean Frock huggs am­bitious and high thoughts. He builds fine Castles in the aire, fancying, that as he came to be a Car­dinal without meriting of it, so he may as well rise to the Pope's Chair. There is no quality to be found in him that can distinguish him from the vulgar. He hath little or no experience in State-affairs. He is learned as a Monk, but excells not their ordinary capacity, and hath some skill in Fortifications: But with this he is very covetous: and loves his Nepveus exceedingly, who are young people of very ill behavi­ours: if he had the command, which God forbid, there would be matter enough of scandal. This was taken notice of, by him that could have assisted him, to wit, Barberino, who hating a licentious life, would never speak one word for him, though Ma­culano had friends to second what he should have said, and were aged enough to pretend to the Place. [Page 48] Nevertheless he may live very well at his ease, if he will content himself with the condition he is in possession of, which truly ought to satisfie him. He hath named himself for Candidate, which is to say, he aspires to the Chair, though amongst those of his own Fraternity, he could never have attained to be General of their Order.

Giorio de Camerino, a servant to the House of Bar­berino in business of small consequence, found a way by his handsome manner of serving, to gain so much upon the good-will of his Nepveus, and afterwards on Pope Urban, that having gotten much riches in his long service, he was reputed worthy to be a Car­dinal. He is very little esteem'd at Court, his be­haviour not being noble enough to correspond with his dignity. He keeps closely united to Barberino his Soveraign Benefactor, and in that shews he de­served to be advanced. He hath never been nomi­nated for to be made Pope, nor is there any great hopes he should be in election, because, besides the meanness of his birth, those qualities are wanting in him which should make him worthy to stand in the rank of such as pretend to that Supreme Dignity, unless they should push him forward purposely to make him fall, and get time in the interim to nego­tiate another's preferment with more security.

Facchinetti, of Bologna, hath been employed in the highest Offices of the Court, and Nunciator of Spain, with a constant reputation of an honest man, and very able. This is a Cardinal, of whose repu­tation they have very advantagious opinions, which when time suits will make them willingly reflect on his good qualities; and this fair opinion they have [Page 49] of him he preserves, by making his ordinary residence at his Church of Spoleta; and avoiding all occasions that might forfeit it, by not concerning himself with the present Court interests, for fear lest in medling therein, instead of increasing his reputation, he should give some cause of disgust and rupture; He is a Lord of a very sweet conversation, and speaks passi­onately for the interests of your Signiory, from whom I dare promise effects corespondant should he attain to a higher degree.

Rosetti of Ferrara is a creature born, bred, and ad­vanc'd in the bosome of Barberino, who loved him by accident, and after helped him to employments, which raised him up to be a Cardinal. He was in danger being in England during those troubles, which have encreased so long as to arrive to the strange heighth of misfortune they were then in: But a more wary Minister might have withdrawn himself without forfeiting his devoir. Being at Collen in quality of a Nuncio, he could not avoid being sus­pected of partiality towards the Spaniards, and did together with them, breed some disorder in their af­fairs. At Rome he did not shew himself very grateful to his Benefactor, having subjected himself to the Spaniards. In the Conclave he was almost the onely man that disapproved the Election of the present Pope. So that all these things being heaped to­gether, one may infer, that he is not a Cardinal of any eminent vertue, although he hath been wise enough to make such good use of his time, as to have freed his Family from those inconveniences which attend a mean Fortune. He keeps himself at his Church at Faense, without any design of shewing himself much at Rome, where till those evill im­pressions [Page 50] are taken off, or forgotten, he would not be looked upon with any great good-will:

Grimaldi, a Genoese, shews by his looks, that he is a man of great undertakings, from whom no other effects can be expected, but such as usually proceed from pensive spirits, which are quarels, jealousies, bold and daring enterprises, with all kind of sub­tilties to make good his designs. This man hath had some great designs on foot already, to the prejudice of the publick peace, and that onely for some ad­vantages to himself, without regarding the incon­venience of others: and this was the cause, that finding he was mounted as high as he could pre­tend, which was to have a good Church in France, where he might say, Here is my rest; imagining that he should be a second Mazarin, he was deceived, Mazarin desiring to reign alone, that the world might know they owed the good success of that Government to his direction. He was not at Rome in my time; those that were acquainted with him have described him to me, to be as crafty a man as any one, but yet a person wanting that address or discretion, which like Salt ought to season all the parts of Policy. I should not confide in his words, when he commends this State, because we ought not to give belief to such men, as propound no other end but their own interest.

Here I should speak of Mazarin, and there might be much said of him, but your most Serene Lord­ships are so well informed of the Person and Maxims of this great Minister, that I could say nothing which would not fall short of the knowledge you have else-where had of him; yet shall I not omit to let [Page 51] you be acquainted in what esteem he is with the present Pope; which I believe is a thing worthy your knowledge, because you may from thence guess the true reason of the difficulties in those affairs which must necessarily be treated of in either Court.

The Pope had very ill impressions of the Cardinal when he was Nuncio at Collen, for observing atten­tively the reasons the Mediators alledged for a Ge­neral Peace, he found the French had always some reservations in their answers, which did not corre­spond, as he judged, with the equity of the Spaniards propositions; which made him fully perswaded, re­flecting on some other inconveniencies hapning when they came to confer, that all the obstacles which re­tarded so great a happiness for all Christendome; proceeded from the Cardinal Mazarin. But, as the ends he then propounded requir'd him not to discover his opinions therein to those Nations that were in­teress'd, so he negotiated still with so much caution, that few or none knew what was in his thoughts. Being returned afterwards to Rome, and the place of Secretary of State being given to him, he was for­tifi'd more than ever in the ill opinion he had con­ceived against the Cardinal, being thereto induc'd, not onely by an increase of the difficulties in the Treaty on the French side, but likewise by the in­jurious speeches of Pope Innocent, who had a parti­cular aversion for Mazarin, and who always blamed him as the onely cause of the dammage and ruine which Christendome suffer'd under. Which made Alexander, being raised to the Papal dignity, (al­though he had some reason to forget his hatred, since Mazarin condescended to his Exaltation) to become more envenom'd, because amidst the hopes he had, that his mediation might produce some good [Page 52] towards a General Peace, he understood, that the ways leading thereto were more blockt up than ever, France being Leaged with England without any re­spect to the interests of the lawful Successors of that Kingdom, or any consideration that they were of the Blood-Royal of France, not minding, as the Pope said, the Reputation of the most Christian King, which by this base alliance was even trod under­foot; whence followed, that laying aside all the Mo­deration he had till then shewed in speaking of Ma­zarin, one could not so much as mention the affairs of France, or those that treated of them, but his Ho­liness would flie out to stinging injurious expressi­ons, discovering what he had with much art con­cealed so long before; That he took him to be the foun­tain and spring of all the miseries in Christendom, That in him alone had the Heretiques founded all their hopes to predominate over the Catholiques, And that there was a just cause to apprehend, that from him would arise a general disturbance against the publique Peace: That this doubly displeased him, because of the wrong he did to that Dignity which he unworthily sustained; And though his Predecessors had not considered the shame that reflected on the Sacred College, in suffering this man to be the first Author of all those mischiefs, he hoped that God would give him both courage and power enough to resent, as he intended, the prejudice that was thereby done to Religion, and the advantages the ene­mies thereof had procured. If some body, under the pretence of seconding the Popes Resentment at that time, had not by a discourse suitable to his humor, endeavoured powerfully to moderate his passion, it is to be feared he would have proceeded to some greater violence and anger: But he that heard the Pope's complaints made a very prudent use of them, en­deavouring [Page 53] to wipe all those evil opinions of him out off his thoughts and memory. As for my own part, though at the beginning of my Embassie, I found the wound yet open, I omitted not, on every occa­sion, when I thought it convenient, to insinuate to his Holiness, that these times oft required, that particu­lar persons should in their counsel oversway Princes, and that it was an effect of great prudence to lay aside all bitterness when we treated with them, unless we would have that wound, which perhaps would heal up of it self, to become incurable by often rubbing of it: that he might have his reasons likewise, which being heard, would justifie or, perhaps, expose him less to censure for such resolutions, which sometimes do not depend on his will alone, but the result and incli­nation of other Ministers, with whom his Maxims would not suffer him to disagree. And if it were otherwise, yet however, France did not enjoy so great a happiness as to desire a War, unless it were appa­rent that those who counselled it had very powerful motives to continue it, till they could find out a cer­tain way to make both a good and lasting peace. These reasons sufficed to moderate the Pope's com­plaints a little, yet was he not so well satisfi'd, but rejecting him he said, That when ever he had a mind to obtain any thing of his King and Council, that con­cerned his particular favour or interest, he knew how to obtain what ever he fanci'd, it being known to all to what a height and grandeur he had by his subtilties raised his Family, and those that had joyned their in­terests with him; but, when ever it was required that he should act for the good of the Publique, his power was weak and languishing; which was a very clear argument, that he saw the augmentation of his fortune depended on a continuance of the War, which afforded [Page 54] him a thousand opportunities to make new friends and creatures by the distribution of Offices, which he be­stowed, according to his own will, upon such persons as gave him much applause, which he preferred, though it lasted but a moment, to the immortal glory he might have acquired, by delivering Christendome from so great and continual troubles, as put it in danger of being at last made the prey of Heretiques and Mahometans. In the mean while, the times of Audience appointed, were wasted in these and the like Discourses, which troubled me exceedingly, because I foresaw, that from this Antipathy, which daily encreased, we could not but expect some great and notable prejudice would accrue to the Publique.

After this, upon the first slight rumors, which were whispered of the Peace, the Pope suspected it was some new artifice of Mazarin's to lull the world asleep, and take off his hatred against him, with in­tent to renew the War afterwards, when during the Truce he had justifi'd his pretences; but having been certainly informed that the Peace went roundly forward, and that things were brought to such a pass, that none could doubt of a good success from this Treaty; then he declared both to me and all others that he was highly pleased; but every one knew this content of his was mixt with an allay of dissatisfa­ction to see that Mazarin had made himself the Ar­bitrator of Peace and War by this act, and attributed to himself alone the honour of doing both the one and other. I shall reserve what I have to say here­upon, till I come to treat of that Chapter which shall treat of the Intelligence betwixt the Pope and France. But all the aversion the Pope made appear against Mazarin, did not take off the Court from admiring the capacity of so great a Man, who if he [Page 55] truly did embrace more than the natural heat of France could well have digested (and in that respect some of his designs cannot be excused of temerity) yet it is observable, that Fortune hath ever been his Second, who fighting for him, he can never be want­ing of means to overcome the greatest difficulties; For the world hath taken notice, that those Parties he hath sided with have rarely miscarri'd, which makes divers confess, That how great a States-man soever the Cardinal of Richelieu was, yet he never had so much skill and policy in discovering and countermining the designs of Strangers, and bring­ing whatever he design'd to pass, for the advantage of the Crown of France, as this Man who was his Scho­lar and Successor; who if he succeed as well in times of Peace as he hath done in time of War, his name will be so much the more immortal.

Ursin, a Roman, is of a Family known to your most Serene Lordships, as for the Services which his Grand-fathers have done for your State, which hath ever held them in great consideration. They are, however, a little declined from their former Repu­tation, by the misgovernment of some of the Suc­cessors of those, who by their brave actions had raised it. That which hath caused no small dimi­nution to their Honour, was, their bargaining for more or less with those who made use of them to in­vade the liberties of others; to which may be added, that the number of their Family is diminished. The Cardinal of whom we speak, is more addicted to his pleasures than to any serious business, which makes some desire he had that ripe and staid judgment which shone so in his Ancestors. The Family does however but begin to recover it self, at a season [Page 56] wherein it may happen to come to its period for want of issue; for having taken Wives rather rich than fruitful, out of a desire to repair their losses, they are in a way of losing their name by an over­sight greater than the former. They all make pro­fession of continuing still in the good affection they have so long preserved towards your most Serene Republique. But they are worth little, and can do less.

Este, Uncle to the Duke of Modena, hath made the world speak of him, both in Peace and War. I cannot tell whether he were much pleased to see me at Rome, by reason of the little satisfaction his Bro­ther had of me, whilst I was Commissary for your most Serene Republique, at the beginning of the War you had with the Barberino's. Although he can dissemble, and is well enough skilled in the Art of concealing his resentments, yet cannot I believe him satisfi'd with what I did, though the thing went not on so far as those of the House of Este pretended for their interest. The Pope, who hath not been ve­ry well satisfi'd with the Duke, who studi'd to ob­serve the will of Mazarin in every thing, as if he had been his slave, and perceived that this Cardinal is of the same inclination, looks upon him as a per­son more inclined to trouble than quietness; which he does not however divulge, because he hath grea­ter pretences than ever to that portion of Estate which was not annexed to the Dutchy of Ferrara, when it fell to the Church, as I shall show in ano­ther place. It will be difficult for him therefore to be looked on favourably by the Pope, who hath made it appear, that he can right himself by the Sword, when they deny him Justice. This Cardinal [Page 57] keeps a Palace at Rome, where there are much Peo­ple and Nobility, that are punctually paid: which evinces, that the late Wars hath impoverished the Subjects, and very much enriched the Master.

Costaguti, a Roman, but born of a Genoan Father, is one of that sort of men that can easily heap up wealth, by which they have raised this House to its Nobility and Purple; but to judge of their fortune, as we are wont to judge of all new begun prospe­rities, one may say, That so great riches acquired in so short a space of time, are hardly compatible with any lawful means of obtaining them. But not­withstanding all this, the Cardinal is a very agreea­ble man, and he did hugely satisfie me, in showing me he was so well informed of the interests of this State, and had so full a knowledge of the merits of your most Serene Republique.

Donghi, a pure Genoese, came forth of Genoa, when he was not expected, with a very considerable stock of riches, which hath since opened the way to his greatness; having been much furthered by those qualities he hath, which are so deserving, that he that raised him hath no cause to repent the doing it. The Court does generally praise him: But he was ever absent all my time, so that I can give no judg­ment of him, but from the reports of others, which however do tend to allow him the quality of a Man of merits, and one that is very affectionate to your most Serene Republique.

Rondanini, a Roman, though he be originary of Romagnia, is worthy of the degree he stands in for the goodness and simplicity of his manners. But he [Page 58] is otherwise no great man, for he hath but a weak judgment, which would easily lose it self should he apply himself to business. He deserves, however, the good-will of your most Serene Signiory, for the many things he speaks in her praise, and for the many Services his Family hath done your State, whereof the blood of the Marquis his Brother was a testimony, who would needs signallize himself in an Employment as worthy as a War for Religion and Liberty.

Gabrieli, a Roman, is a man that endeavours to conceal what is in his heart; for instead of disco­vering himself, he makes a great Apology of Com­plements. There are some of opinion, that his Ar­tifice may help to raise him higher, but I do not be­lieve it, because the manner of acting of Pope Inno­cent, which is that of the Romanes, hath opened the eyes of the world too much, the present times re­quiring rather a person that will prefer the publique good than his own. He abides the most part of his time at his Church of Ascoli, feeding himself with this Maxim, That the less a Cardinal is at Court, the easier is it for him to get into the Pope's Chair. But, though that may be true in general, yet it holds no water amongst the cunning and refined Roman Wits, who by this very retreat discover his mind soonest that would thereby hide it, and who ever pre­fer that Man first, who is most skilful in the manage­ment of great affairs.

Lugo, a Spaniard, and Jesuit, is a man very learned in Divinity, but since he forsook the Pulpit he hath shewed himself no less skilful in State mat­ters. He acted with great success in the Conclave [Page 59] for the election of the present Pope, and though Bar­berino were cried down for desiring to make him Pope, out of a certain fancy that came in his head, yet did he use his utmost endeavour to advance Chigi, whom he knew to be very favourable to his Con­gregation, as he hath since shewed himself. He can do no more than he now doth to make it appear to your Signory, that he hath a great esteem for you, and that he is extremely troubled to see her op­pressed by such fierce and potent Arms. I believe he speaks frankly, being a consciencious man; but perhaps, too, the great desire he hath to make those of his Order more acceptable amongst you, prompts his tongue to say more than is in his heart.

Raggi, a Genoese, who succeeded Raggi his Uncle, was made a Cardinal by the Genoeses means, who to raise him to this Dignity expended twice as much as is usual. But it is very just that the mony, which they squeeze from all the world, should be afterwards turned into that smoak which the Court of Rome daily sells. This Cardinals endowments are very proper and fit for a Minister of the Chamber, as he hath been a long time: and indeed, there are few that do succeed better in that employment than the Genoeses, who are most active in running about to fill their purses. I am told, that since he is made Cardinal, he hath shewed himself somewhat more gallant, and hath pretty well studied the affairs of the world, which may be soon learned having a very present wit, if he do but apply himself as much to it, as he did in his Office of the Pope's Treasurer.

Homodei, a Milanois, chose rather to follow the Prelacy, and attain to the Purple, than to preserve [Page 60] his Family, which is in hazard of perishing for want of Issue. It is nevertheless considerable, full of wealth, and alli'd to the greatest Families in Spain. He hath obtained what he pretended to, after he had made himself known to be a man capable of every thing, tying himself strictly to the things that belong to his profession. He is of a very free disposition, as the Lombards generally are, so that one may confide in him. He let something fall in the Conclave which did not please the Spaniards; but there were several in the Conspiration, so that they could not lay the fault on him singly. He says plainly that he is a Venetian, as much as his fidelity to his King will suffer him, which is to say in good English, he is a good Italian.

The Prince John Charls of Medices, Brother of the Great Duke, is ever inseparably united with the Cardinal Charls his Uncle, the Dean of the College; in this, however, his reputation is the greater, as having carried himself with much heat to the ex­clusion, and with much skill to the inclusion of those, who being either partial, or his friends, were in­cluded There can be nothing expected from this Lord, who is perfect in Reasons of State, but such actions as shall be favourable, and for the good of Italy, wherein likewise the good of his own Family is comprised.

Ludovisio, of Bologna, who was grafted into that Family by the Mother of the Prince Ludovisio, hath the reputation of an honest man, but he hath those defects to which all such kind of men are subject; for they are obstinate and indiscreet, and sometimes too they have a grain of folly. It is difficult to Ne­gotiate [Page 61] with him, for if in any business it come once into his mind, that there is some case of Con­science in it, it makes him so obstinate, that nothing is ever able to make him change his opinion, and that most commonly without any reason, as the Officers of the Penitentiaries themselves have con­fessed, of whom he is the Chief: Whence it follows, that although as a Soveraign Minister he might dis­patch business, seeing he hath the power, yet one must necessarily return to the Pope, and be at a dou­ble trouble to obtain his command for the expedition of it. I dealt the least with him I possibly could, it being hard to come fairly off with such men, on the contrary, there is nothing to be gained most com­monly from them but ill-will and discontent.

Sancta Croce, a Roman, agreed with Pope Inno­cent's genius, in the easie and clear method wherein I have heard him express the most difficult and knotty affairs, and that was it which gained him the favour of Innocent: for although that Pope were a great Lawyer, yet he did not very readily understand a difficult case; and therefore he loved those that made things out easie and clear to him, and fit for his apprehension: besides, he had taken a fancy to raise the somewhat depressed antient noble Families of the Roman Nobility, as was this of Sancta Cro e, that they might owe the obligation to him. He had accomplished this design, had not his Niece with her much importunity diverted it. It is certain, that the inclusion of this Cardinal was highly praised, he having added both Virtue and Merit to his No­bility, which good opinion he confirms by the daily proofs he gives of his good-will in all publick affairs.

Cibo, who is one of the Lords of Malta of Carrara, hath a great reputation at Court, because of the in­tegrity of his mind, his good life, and great know­ledge of the interests of Princes, in which he hath signaliz'd himself in two Legations. He is adored, if I may say so, in the Church of Jesi, where he re­sides, and the Pope, who otherwise would have need of men of his parts, does not call him thence, as un­willing to deprive that City of so worthy a Pastor. And were it their rule to reward Merit, there is no­thing so great and good but would fall to his share, but private interest denies it him. I should readily give him my vote, were it required, knowing I should therein at the same time both satisfie my conscience, and serve my Country, which I under­stand how really he loves.

Aquaviva, a Neapolitan, was preferred before an­other whom Pope Innocent desired, for some consi­derations represented to him by Donna Olimpia, who foreseeing the Pope could not long survive, thought it good policy to strengthen her Family by the ad­vancement of such noble persons as might protect her on occasion But she deceived her self, regarding one­ly the merits of the persons, and not considering whether she should receive all those acknowledg­ments and retributions which men of honor are en­gag'd to return at need. He hath, however, a po­pular applause, but I cannot tell whether the Spa­niards are satisfi'd with him, since he did not seem to give them any content in the Conclave. But I am very much taken with his expressions, which ever tend to the publick good.

Gondi, or as he is called at present, de Rets, hath made the world talk of him, both before and since [Page 63] his promotion to be Cardinal: before, because he was as it were the Scourge, that excited troubles in all occurrences, that admitted of the least pretence to thwart the present Government: and since, be­cause his authority being encreased, he presumed his importunities against Mazarin and his Partisans would become more effectual, and that onely for his particular interest, and to make himself famous in the administration of affairs. It cannot be denied but Mazarin was in a kind of dream when he named him for that Dignity, and committed a very great error therein, not forecasting the event of it. And indeed, Pope Innocent reproached him highly for de­spising and dealing unhandsomely with one of that Dignity, whom both himself and all France had pre­sented to the Court of Rome, by their recommen­dations. But this does not make good the too bold pretences of the Ecclesiastical power, which pre­sumes, it is unlawful for great Princes to restrain the exorbitancies of a Cardinal, that endeavours to trouble the peace of the Country. There were di­vers Assemblies at Rome to consult a way, whereby, without prejudice to the Cardinal Dignity, they might allay his discontent, but it was very difficult, since those of France required security that he should breed no disturbance, and those in Rome could not resolve to do it, because the means propounded was to give away his Church at Paris to another, and keep him out of France, without leaving him desti­tute of what was necessary for his maintenance.

Charles Barberino is the third Cardinal of that Family, which is rarely seen; but that which de­serves more admiration, is, that this excess of favour proceeded from a Pope, who had made it his task to [Page 64] eclipse, not to say destroy, that House; so evident it is, that self-interest over-sways the minds of men, making those that were the most inveterate enemies to become the most endeared friends. This recon­ciliation, and the alliance that was made betwixt these Families, was the work of Donna Olimpia, who prudently considered, that if the Pope suffer'd this enmity to continue, he would be exposed thereby to the same inconveniencies they had brought upon others. This reflexion pleased, and was seconded by a most advantagious reciprocal union. Nor was there any cause of scruple that the Pope joyned Purple to Purple in the same Family, considering the excellent qualities of this young man, who shewed an extra­ordinary wit and modesty to all men, and who ap­plying himself wholly to the noblest studies, re­nounced his birth-right in favour of his younger Brother, to make himself a Church-man; and in­deed, he is a very good Clergy-man, who never medles with any other kind of business. He depends absolutely on the Cardinal Francis, and conforms himself wholly to his manner of life.

Pio, a Ferrarian, is of a Family known to your most Serene Lordships for its Nobility, and the me­rits of its Branches, which shall make me say the less of him. He does not enjoy his health perfectly though he be but young, and may perhaps leave his Church at Ferrara, because the air of Rome better agrees with him, where he hath acquir'd a great deal of wealth, and intends to settle himself altogether. He glories in the natural affection he hath towards your most Serene Signiory, as of a thing he much values and most highly esteems.

Aldobrandin, a Roman, but originary of Florence, is the onely remainder of a Papal Family, founded upon seven Great-grand-children, Nepvews of Cle­ment the VIII, who were so extreme robust, that one would have judged their Line eternal, and yet this Branch is withered. To find a Cardinal of this Family, as the Princess Rossano desired, who is the sole Hegress of all that Estate, they were fain to seek out this small Courtier, who springs from the same Stock indeed, but by reason of his poverty was neg­lected even of his own kindred. This example, to­gether with many others, should make the Pope's clearly know, as well as their kindred, that what ever care and pains they take to raise their Family, it ne­ver succeeds or continues long, God not being pleased to suffer those Grandeurs, which are founded on the Church's Patrimony, to stand as they would have it. And who ever would be pleased to look over the History of the Popes, where their Families are registred shall find this an infallible Truth: for one shall discover, that either they were quite extin­guished, or such as were left remaining became re­duced to a condition below a mean Fortune: This Cardinal doth acknowledge, that all he hath came from that Princess, who was willing to show her ac­knowledgments to the blood of the Aldobrandinos, and now, by showing himself worthy, as he hath done, of the honour conferred upon him, and gain­ing a good opinion of every one, upon all occasions, he patiently expects the time which may prove more favourable to him.

Vidman staid longer here than he said he would do when he went from Rome, where he was sur­prised with the immature death of Count David his [Page 66] Brother, for whom the whole Court was very sor­rowful; because those Lords, besides the good for­tune they have had to see their Family so well stored with all sorts of riches, do so win the affections of all people by their sweet converse, that there is none but are ravish'd at their prosperity. The Cardinal is also an excellent natur'd man, who, to all his other good qualities, adds a most tender love towards his Country, which is reciprocally obliged to make their acknowledgments to him upon every occasion.

Spada of Luca, is a Prelate who was emploi'd in Urban's time in the affairs of greatest confidence, and he held the same credit in the time of Pope Innocent, which is an evident testimony that he hath excellent qualities. In his Legation to Ferrara he did you all the good Offices that you could expect from that good Neighbourhood; and when your Ambassadors were received in that City in their passage to Rome, he out-did all the Ministers of the Apostolique Chair in expressions of civility; whence I draw this consequence, that he very perfectly knows your Lordships worths, and the great obligations which are due to you from the Court of Rome.

Gualtieri D'Orviete is Donna Olimpia's Creature, who having power to do what she would, brought this man and another that depended wholly upon her, to promotion, by casting dust in the Pope's eyes that he might not see what she did, not caring whe­ther he were pleased or not, after she made him com­mit the fault. This Cardinal was not at Rome during my abode, he resides at his Church at Fermo, where he can yet, himself, hardly believe he is awake, and really in possession of what he holds. There is [Page 67] little good to be said of him, and that you may judge this a truth, it may suffice to tell you, it was a work of the Brain of that Woman.

Odescalco de Como hath the Lombard way of acting, which is to say, ingenious and franck, and truly he is held to be without malice. He does not profess any skill in Politiques, but wants not for judgment, and makes good use of it; in time and place convenient. I have nothing to alledge against him, since the Court finds no fault with him; when this man is mention'd they speak briefly, without making any reflection of his good or bad qualities, which is a con­vincing proof that there is more good than hurt in him, because at Court they pardon none they can except against. I believe your most Serene Signiory may confide in a person of his humor, when he makes protestation of his affection towards you, as he hath done every time I was with him.

Our Ottobuono for his sweet and charming con­versation is beloved of all the Court, nor are there any but do wish him a greater dignity than he hath: and truly he hath rendred himself worthy of it by his continued labours and vigilancy: and the rather, because by his actions, accompani'd with so much civility to all the world; and his judgment in man­aging business of consequence, he hath made it ap­parent that he deserves one should confide in him. The City of Brescia is too narrow a limit for the ex­ercise of his Virtues: and the expences he makes would have been better employed in some Legation, or some considerable employment at Court, where, to speak truth, such weak men do reside, that either for the success in an affair, or for want of choosing [Page 68] the readiest and safest ways, they do even displease those whom they most favour.

But as for his exile from Court, which we may term honourable, the cause thereof can be attributed to nothing else, but the knowledge they have of his eminent virtues, as well for that ordinarily Vir­tue is looked upon with an envious eye, as because he did in the Conclave endeavour earnestly to unite the opposite parties, who wavered and obstructed all other designs. All I can say to your Excellencies of this Lord, is, that the affection he bears his Native Country is the most tender and hearty that can be desired in any of your most Serene Republique's Subjects, and whatever favours you bestow, you can never place them better than on a man, who, like this same now mention'd, is wholly disposed to prefer the publique interest in all occasions before his own.

Maldachino is very well, the Pope was very careful to make him go and take the aire of the Campagnia for a good while, whence he returned at the intreaties of the Cardinals, who took that absenting for an exile: The Spaniards were not much allarm'd at his change, and declaration for France. Yet must it be said in his praise, that he did very wisely, in seeking the support and gaining the favour of a great King. Nay, there is some generosity in it, because there is no appearance he was moved out of interest; since Mazarin is not a person likely to bestow any great reward upon him, whether it be out of his natural inclination to parsimony, or some fixed design to re­gulate and reduce the vast expences of that Nation, drained by so long a War, or some more hidden and refined politique consideration, it being certainly a [Page 69] pure folly to waste the Exchequer in Pensions for the Court of Rome. Besides, nothing is more apparent than this, that the way to gain those people is to neg­lect them. Interest and Fear would soon reunite them, and make them look towards France for suc­cour, did they fear they were abandon'd to the dread­ful power of Spain: all the humility of submission, and art of compliance would then be put in practise to make sure of, and draw the French to their side to oppose that ambitious Neighbour, who surrounding the Pope with Millan and Naples, may devour him when he hath the mind to it. I have visited him up­on some occasions, but never much regarded his discourse, which still tended to make me believe he is very much a servant to your most Serene Lord­ships.

Borromeo, a Milanois, a Lord of a considerable Birth, hath ever given testimony in those employ­ments he hath had, of a strict secresie, great mode­sty and sincerity, which are qualities rarely lodged together in a man that is in power or command. He doth at present exercise the charge of Legat in Ro­magnia with much praise, not giving any cause of complaint under his Government. I cannot but give a fair judgment of his Sentiments for the publique good, on which that of your most Serene Republique is necessarily depending, which he assured me of the last time I visited him.

Imperiale, a Genoese, is a man fit for Govern­ment, who quickly apprehends where any evil is, and hath capacity enough to apply the remedy. He hath also a free heart, which will not easily yield when he finds on which side there is more reason. [Page 70] Yet cannot I tell whether he would succeed well if he had the Soveraign command, because he is a Ge­noese, and prepossess'd with the Maxims of his Coun­try, which pretend to attain to that in a short time, to which other Potentates could not arrive but by a succession of many ages; and this may perhaps be one of the causes will exclude him from any higher advancement. In the mean time, he makes very powerful protestations, that he will ever side with those who stand for the Liberty of Italy, which is to say in good English, that he will side with your most Serene Republique.

Astalli, a Roman, hath acted several parts at the Court of Rome in a short time. He was a Prelate of a mean Fortune; since that he was made a Cardinal. He was of kindred, and supported by Pope Innocent's Niece, who would speak all, and do all, at that time when he was made Cardinal He was in Pamfilio's Family in quality of a Nepvew: a while after he was rejected as unworthy of that Title, exiled from Rome, and almost cast into the Precipice: but a little after the death of Innocent he somewhat recovered himself again, yet could not make them restore what they had taken. In fine, he found relief in the prote­ction of the Catholique King, who hath bestowed some Largess upon him, which hath set him in a pretty good posture. The History of the strange turns he hath been subject to, would be very curious, but it being too prolix, I shall pass it by; because, likewise, ere this Writing appears, no doubt but the Relations of those times will set forth the truth of it. There can be nothing more intricate than the con­dition of that Family, which then governed; for on the one side, the Pope's Niece and her Confederates [Page 71] were ever making some enterprize, and on the other the Cardinal Panciroli, who was then the chief Mi­nister of State, countermined them, and either of these scoffed at that Pope before his face; because, although he had wit enough, yet he had not the judgment or way to make those stand in awe of him, who were the most obliged to him.

In the mean time, this Cardinal, after he had un­dergone so many different Fortunes, attained to his ease and quiet, yet without any great repute or esteem, being more addicted to follow his own in­clinations, than to serve the Publique; and therefore I cannot inform you what his affection is towards this Republique.

Albici, of Cenata, is a man, who finding he can raise himself no higher by the ways of eminent vir­tue, is resolved to try what he can do by his extra­vagancies; and this it is makes him speak so freely against the corruptions of the times, which he is not satisfi'd in doing in private, but taking delight to shew his Eloquence, which is not the highest that ever was, he discourses of it in publique Oratories, and sometimes with biting expressions, which seems to aim at the Popes creatures, who are in command. This is ill resented at the Palace, but they let him go on, as if they understood him not: and yet not being free from failings himself, it is wonder'd he should be so apt to censure others. He hath rather I know not what kind of commerce with the world, than any considerable knowledge; and having been chosen by Pope Innocent, as a person fit for Go­vernment, he made him a Cardinal, having more respect to his being an enemy to Maculano, who was hated by this Family, that so he might oppose all [Page 72] that favour'd him, than to any merit was found to be in himself. He speaks very fine things against those that shew themselves slow and cold in their present assistance of this Signory; but his importu­nate and tedious discourses are but little regarded, nor indeed esteemed sincere, because they are always Satyrical.

Azzolino de la Marca was brought to be Cardinal by those means that prevail most at Rome, that is to say, by discovering the defects of others; I shall not stand here to repeat the story of Astalli's fall, caused partly by the reports, true or false, of this man. It is certain, there are no eminent virtues in him, and if you except but some pretty little flashes of the Pen, which he learned in the exercise of his Office of Se­cretary, I see nothing extraordinary in him. He spends most part of his time in amorous entertain­ments, while all he does, brings little benefit to the Publique. I never much esteemed the great care he takes to express the devotion he hath for your Signio­ry, because I know any thing pleases his mind more than thoughts of business, thinking all his time too short to recreate himself.

The Cardinal Lantgrave of Hesse, who is a Lord of a high birth and a generous spirit, might have made better use of his Talents, as it is believed, in the profession of a Souldier, than of a Gown-man: not but that he hath given some good tokens, by proving himself a good Catholique, and a good Disciple in the Maxims of the Court of Rome; but when it concerns his taking any advantage, as he pretends much, reflecting on what he is, every one withdraws, even the Spaniards themselves, who other­wise [Page 73] being wont to shew their largess towards those of his quality, are yet sparing to him, not well ap­prehending what service they can expect at Rome from a Prince, who hath laid aside his Armour to take up a Cardinal's little Gown: and that which makes them perhaps more distasted with him, is his leaving the Protestant Religion to become a Catho­lique without any study or learning, which are most necessary Ornaments in a Cardinal; especially a stranger, that intends to gain any credit near the Pope. Nevertheless he does not dispair but the time may come, when he may settle himself at Rome in the condition others are in there, without any need of seeking abroad for assistance, as he hath been sorc'd to do when he staid there after the creation of this Pope, being still put to his shifts, by reason of the few assignations he had, insomuch that he was sorc'd to be gone for fear of intangling himself. He is a Gentleman of a good judgment, who, following the candour, so natural to his Country, either blames or praises as he finds people deserve. He speaks of your Signiory in the same terms as a very good Italian should do.

Sforza, a Roman, hath given himself to the Span­yards, being easily drawn to their party, not so much for the rich benefices they bestowed on him, as out of the hatred he bears against Mazarin, with whom he could never have agreed, had he remained for the French. There accrues no benefit to the Span­yard by the gaining of this Cardinal, but onely the reputation of having a man on their side of a great birth, and a bold spirit: for he hath otherwise no great gifts nor any considerable adherents besides the Great Duke, towards whom he shows himself very [Page 74] reserv'd. His genious ever inclined more towards the French than the Spanish; yet hath he moulded his humour to the Spanish service absolutely, since he found how much more certain the Spanyards assign­ments are than the French, and more beneficial than the others could be. This Family hath ever pro­fessed to have a great deal of affection for your pro­sperity, and many of them have had employments under you, which they have performed with a great deal of applause from your most Serene Republique. This Cardinal does not forget to profess oftentimes, that his affection hath the same bias.

Here ends the old College. It remains now that I should speak somewhat of Pope Alexander's Crea­tures, of four of which, viz. the Cardinals Chigi, Rospigliosi, Pallavicini, and Bichi, having discoursed enough in the beginning, I shall add what may be said of the other five, whom he hath made Car­dinals.

Bagni is a Cavalier, as noble as he is understand­ing in the things of Peace and War. The Spanyards were doubtful of the Defunct Cardinal his Brother, nor do I believe they put any great confidence in this, whom they know to be very intimate with Ma­zarin, which they discovered by the reproaches of Pope Innocent, who found by Bagni's Letters in read­ing of them, that it was Mazarin had dictated them, for which he was very ill treated during his Nun­ciature in France, the Assignments belonging to that Charge being then taken away from him, as an useless Minister: But the present Pope, whilest he was Secretary to Innocent, having more wit than he to judge of the actions of a Minister, had still an [Page 75] esteem for him; and the time being come to discover his mind, he declared it more by effects than verbal expressions, honouring him with the Cardinal Pur­ple, and admitting him amongst his Confidents, and that with reason, because his Brother and he have served the Apostolique State the space of three-score years. He is antient and unhealthful, This Honour falling to his share in a fit time to attend him to his grave.

Paulucci of Romagnia hath attained to a great age, thorow many troubles and fatigues, which have gained him a recompence in a time, wherein he hath little other advantage but his hopes, those advance­ments onely excepted which his friends have pro­cured him: which hapned very seasonably at this time, he not being fit to perform the Functions of a Cardinal, as being blind. He was never endued with much patience, and much retarded the progress of his Fortune by often speaking publickly with too much liberty. Otherwise he is a good man, but one that is more knowing in the Canon Law, than prudent in his converse in the world.

Elci of Siena had nor the Title of Nuncio before he was a Cardinal, but he was highly approved by the Pope, and besides that, of his kindred. And it was easie to discover by the tenderness of the Pope's expressions to him, before he brought him to pro­motion, that he was enrolled amongst those he most loved. Your most Serene Lordships know him far better than I do, having had him there as Nuncio a long while amongst you, with such satisfaction as you may well remember. His qualities makes him worthy of the Purple and the Papal Mitre; and I [Page 76] believe he may come to it in time, unless the Court grow weary of the Sienans, whereof there being al­ready three in the Colledge, it is to be thought the number may yet increase, if the Pope live as long as he promises to himself. The thought this Cardinal hath of your most Serene Republique could not be more advantagious than they are.

Bonvisi of Leuca, hath passed through all the Offices at Court, shewing sometimes a constant re­solution of fixing there, and otherwhile an inclination to quit it, as it seemed in his long absence he had intended. In this Pope's time, his hopes renewed afresh, considering he had a respect to the merits of deserving persons: and truly he called him of his own accord, without being courted to it. He was at first Master of his Holiness Chamber, and in that Office he improved the good opinion the Pope had of him, so that he was comprised in the first pro­motion together with five other men, who had all parts necessary to attain to the Dignities of Cardi­nals. He hath none but good qualities, and knows how to gain the love and esteem of others, as well as to love and esteem others himself, and especially those Princes that deserve most, in which number, to my knowledge, he places your most Serene Signory.

Farnese, a Roman,, was under Innocent for a time the fifth Evangelist. That Pope followed his opinion in all things, and esteemed and made great choice of them, as proceeding from a man very learned, prudent, and of great integrity: afterwards he di­sliked him, because he spake not according to his fancy, and made no more use of him, but spake of him even in a kind of a despising way. The present Pope, who judges of the merits of men perfectly [Page 77] well, raised him to the Office of Majordom, in which he discharged himself exceeding well, although he had a thousand other occupations, there being no Assembly held to which he was not called, if they treated of any business of importance. He helped the Family at present in command to the purchase of the Lands of Farnese, being his jurisdiction, and sug­gested the means to exclude the Duke of Parma, who in default of this Branch was to succeed therein: in fine, having had the Hat for a reward, they com­mitted the Legation of Bologna to him, which he performs to the Pope's great satisfaction. He is a great Wit, and perhaps greater than were fitting for the Publique, were he Pope: but should he pretend to it, he would find opposition, and the greatest would be the Duke of Parma, with whom he hath never kept any good correspondence for the interest of his Family; therefore the Spanyards, out of a com­plaisance they have for the Duke, and because they have prejudged he hath some inclination towards France, will do all they can possibly to obstruct his being made Pope.

The time of the promotion which is to be made in consideration of the Princes approaches, and since it is already made known who shall be promoted, I leave that care to the most excellent Sagredo to in­form your most Serene Lordships of their condition and qualities, and shall onely add, that as for him that pertains to your Republique, who is to be made Cardinal, I would not say any thing of it to the Pope, knowing this favour lights still on those who are most agreeable to his Holiness; it being suffi­cient that your Signory does herein receive an ho­nour equal to those other Crowns without pointing [Page 78] out the inclusion, or the exclusion of any one in par­ticular, provided you have no diffidence of the per­son they shall promote.

I could here shut up the List of those that make up the grandeur of the Court of Rome, but since the Queen of Sweden hath made choice of it for her or­dinary residence, and that I hapned to communicate sometimes with her Majesty, I shall add some small matter which I have to say concerning this Princess.

At her first coming to Rome she had so little know­ledge of the grandeur of your State, that she thought it strange your Ministers should be treated equally with those of the greatest Kings in Christendom: and therefore when it was told her, that my Predi­cessor intended to give her a visit, she seemed in the beginning unwilling to allow him the same Honour she granted to the Ministers of other Princes; but being informed that she mistook, she condescended to do it in the same manner as was usual at Court. She was afterwards fully acquainted with the great service this Republique did to all Christendom, in opposing singly the dreadful Forces of the common Enemy. And this made her shew more complaisance in often conversing with me; and to have the better occasions, not regarding her little power so much as following the sentiments of her generosity, she proffer'd to find out the means to raise a Regiment of Infantry for the service of this State, and gave the charge hereof to Sentinelli her favourite. But afterwards the difficulty of getting her mony out of Sweden being encreased, the first great heat of her good-will grew cool, so that after the order she had given for the receipt of a thousand Doublons, she made no other assignment; all the rest vanishing in smoak; as well through the death of Sentinelli, who [Page 79] was usually there to pay the Soldiers, as the disgrace of another who till then was thought to be in favour with her Majesty. However, I omitted not to pay her my respects from time to time, in token of my acknowledgment, to which she ever corresponded by actions of great civility. But to say truth, that Princess is possessed onely with vain speculations, which are the foundation of those great undertakings she designes. And being unwilling to venture the hazard of misfortune, hoping for all she desires, so she thinks every thing that comes in her fancy is very easily brought to pass. And if the news of the King of Sweden's death, which I heard of in my journey homewards, proves true, her want of mony will yet be greater. Indeed, Pope Alexan­der voluntarily engaged himself in those great ex­pences were made for her reception at Rome, but no man doubts but he repented him of it since, when he perceived there was not that solidity of judgment in her as had been reported; for she hath made it appear, she is a Woman like others, and by conse­quence as subject to defects as any other of that Sex. She hath at present begun a course of life somewhat more moderate, and therefore more durable; and if she would have really perswaded the world, that it was a knowledge of the true Religion which obliged her to quit her Crown and Kingdom, and pass into the bosome of another Church and Country, she could not have taken a wiser resolution, than to have made her retreat into some Monastery where she might have been at ease, and lead a quiet life free from trouble, and suitable to her condition, not as to the greatness, but the conveniency of it, and with a liberty to have come out again when she pleased. She did not much praise the Pope, but said, she was [Page 80] promised by him, that he would put her in a con­dition to live handsomly; whereas on the contrary she perceived, that his Holiness kindred had not that esteem for her they ought to have. She added many other things, which shews her to be of a querulous humour, that is, just like a Woman that cannot tell what she would have. When I took leave of her, I found her pensive enough at the news of the dange­rous condition of the King of Sweden; which makes me believe what I heard since his death, that she hath left Rome and is gone into her Country, the better to secure the payments they were engag'd to make her. When she hath done that, if she return to make her abode in Rome, many people will be glad of it, but, very few will have any cause to be jealous.

And now, having made known the internal and external qualities of the Pope, and his Kindred, to­gether with those that serve him, for aid and counsel in his Government both Politique and Ecclesi­astique, it is time to examine the internal Senti­ments of his Holiness towards Christian Princes, and so to conclude by examining what his thoughts are concerning the good and advantage of your most Serene Republique, upon which, having made a most serious reflection, I dare believe that I shall be but very little or not at all mistaken.

ANd to begin with him, who holds the first and highest rank, and hath most authority amongst Secular Princes, viz. the Emperour, we cannot say but the Pope holds very good intelligence or corre­spondence with him, since at the Election of his Ma­jesty [Page 81] to the Imperial Crown, he did all he was able to overcome those difficulties the Electors made, who would hardly comply, unless some satisfaction were allowed them which they pretended were due to them: and his Holiness had much adoe to gain the favour as well of the Ecclesiastique as the Secular Electors, not to name the Protestants, who being on the one hand perswaded by the Sollicitations of the French, and on the other with-held by the certain knowledge, it was then the onely time to make their conditions better than they had been; for it was much impaired thorow the long continuance of that great Dignity in the Austrian Family: and therefore the Pope speaks very loud of the high services he therein did to his Imperial Majesty, having just rea­son to expect he should in retribution do any thing for him again that lies in his power: To which pur­pose it is evident indeed, that they take all the care imaginable to please him. Thus at the beginning of this Pope's Government, it was chiefly upon his sollicitation that the Emperour attaqued the King of Sweden, by the invasion he made upon Pomerania, notwithstanding the many difficulties might have hapned, by reason of the danger of breeding new troubles in Germany upon pretence of a breach of the Peace at Munster, which the Friends and Allies of the Swede might allege: and which, is most con­siderable, this was undertaken in a time when the Court was empty of mony, which is a thing that ought still to be had in readiness upon any sudden commotion. Nevertheless the Pope's perswasions prevailed upon the promise he made, that if any urgent occasion required, and they called upon him, he would remit them a good sum from Rome; but al­though [Page 82] they did much want it, and craved it with much earnestness, they were put off with many ex­cuses to evade the promise, as it is the custome of that Court to disingage themselves, and leave those others engaged who confide too much in them. And though this were hush'd up by the Imperialists, yet it hath made them somewhat forgetful of the obliga­tion the Pope pretended from this Court, espe­cially considering besides this, that the Pope's en­deavour for the election of Leopoldus, was not so much to hinder the choice of any other, as out of this respect the Pope had, that if the Imperial Dignity should fall on any other Prince, it were not certain whether the Authority of the Court of Rome would be still continued over the German Catholiques, or whether the Pope's Constitutions would be observ'd with the great reverence as now they are, under the Government of the House of Austria, which hath been ever very observant in the Customs and Man­ners of that Court. I therefore hold it for true and certain, that the Pope and Emperor will at present keep a fair agreement, and the more, because in the Treaty of Peace between the two Crowns of France and Spain, their interests were little considered, since amongst all those that were mentioned and com­prised, these were placed last of all, at which they were both displeased and murmured to themselves; yet both dissembled this discontent, which did in some manner help to tie them the more strictly to their former confidence, and made the Emperour give ear more readily to the Counsels of the Pope, When the troubles in the North increased. The Pope knows, that in the Emperor's Court perhaps he hath more credit than in any other in Christen­dome, [Page 83] which will make him put those designs in execution, he hath told me of more than once, which is, to put the Emperour upon a War that will prove advantagious to Christendome by an easie way, but wholly reserv'd to himself. Perhaps the present juncture of affairs may render the thing more feasible than at another season; yet when his Holiness told me his design, whatsoever reflexion I made, yet could I not apprehend either how or when it might be brought to pass. Nor do I be­lieve he would find much repugnance on the Empe­ror's part, having a lively spirit, and great dispo­sition to engage upon any good counsel: but if there should be much mony required to carry it on, it would be esteemed a Chymera, because the Princes of this age have an aversion to all propositions of rupture that are made, and the Emperour more than any, especially now his Coffers are drained, and part of those under his power obey not their Supe­riour very willingly, whilst others would be glad to see him fall, and every one is unwilling to disburse. The Emperour hath no other Minister at Rome but the Cardinal Colonne, who bearing ever a great re­spect to the Pope for the Interest of his Family, cannot do his Imperial Majesty any great service in his Negotiations, but all passes thorow the hands of the Lord Caraffe, Nuncio in the Imperial Court, who exercises that Office with as great satisfaction to either side, as he did with profit, when he resided near your most Serene Lordships.

The French Nation does, perhaps, best of any apprehend the Genious of the Court of Rome, and knows the readiest ways to withdraw themselves [Page 84] out of such inconveniencies wherein other Princes do insensibly engage themselves. They esteem and revere the Apostolique Chair in a Souvereign de­gree, and tender all the respect that can be re­quired from a Prince truly Catholique and pious; but for all this they are very clear-sighted and wary to maintain their Prerogatives, and prevent the Ecclesiastiques, who at present endeavour to extend their power over all, from bringing any prejudice upon them. No sooner is any decree made in the Sanctury of Rome which relishes of ambition, but it is carefully examined by the Par­liament, who oftentimes, without any qualifica­tion, gives judgment against such decrees, and after lets the Court of Rome cry out against them as they please. Many times also upon the dis­cussion and negative of what it contains they tell the Popes their Lesson, when they go beyond their bounds in seeking to diminish the Royal Autho­rity, so that they are most commonly constrained to bow, and give satisfaction. Which happens ve­ry rarely, when the Popes have to do with any other Princes, how great soever they be, for out of divers respects they dare not use that liberty of speech which is natural to the French; which makes the Popes less hasty to innovate the Prerogatives of that Kingdome, knowing that by bringing in some Novelty they do not advance their business, but rather wrong themselves, at least in their Re­putation if no other way, they being still obliged either to relax, or not to see that put in execution which they had resolved upon.

I could not find that the Pope had any aversion for that Nation, as some have believed, I onely [Page 85] perceived that he condemned their new form of Government, because he thought it was invented by Mazarin, the onely object of all the injuries I ever heard from his Holiness mouth. But at the same time he complained of Mazarine, he ever in­termixed some praises of the King and Queen, and somewhat in commendations of the flourishing state of that Kingdom, to whom that unhappiness was befallen, as he said, to be governed by one single Man, who, without any regard to the publick good, sought onely his own private interest; but when the first news of the Peace was spread abroad, he was a long time very pensive, and of opinion, that it was fit to take good consideration of what passed; still doubting that Mazarin, by this pleasing and wel­come news, had a design to lull other Princes asleep, according to his usual policy, and after some parade of his good intents, to avoid the world's blame, be­gin again a War with more fury than ever. After­wards, finding there was really a Treaty, and being confirmed in it by his own Ministers, he could do no less than express some signs of content, and de­clare, that having never asked any thing of God with more affection and desire than the making of this Peace, it was indifferent to him whether it was brought about by his or any other means, he having this comfort at least, that the Articles could not differ very much from those, which he a long time before by his many consultations and cares had framed to the same end. But, for all this, the Pope was somewhat netled, though he would not shew it, that it should be said, The Peace was now brought about by that same person, he had in all companies accused as the onely dissenter and op­poser [Page 86] of what he undertook to make them agree upon: and that the Spanyards should now come to acknowledge him the Author of the peace and quiet of their State, that had ever been their Anta­gonist, and oppressed them, to the great prejudice of the Catholique Religion: And although the Pope made a large discourse in praise of Mazarin, to the Gentleman that came to Rome about the Dispensation for the Marriage, briefly running over all the particulars therein, and making it pass for one of the greatest and happiest actions that ever was effected by any of his Predecessors, or Ministers; yet upon some occasions hapning since, it was easie to take notice, that his Holiness still retains part of his old jealousie; and were there no other proof, that which passed concerning the Arch-bishop of Ambrun, Ambassador from the King of France to your most Serene Lordships, were a sufficient one, which hath occasion'd the great discontent that hath lasted so long time, and can­not yet be composed. For the Pope still pleads this, that although there were many other men in France of greater probity, and fitter for that em­ployment than he, yet Mazarin would put it upon an Ecclesiastique, that so because of the integrity required therein, and the inconveniencies which would follow, he might be sure to find out some oc­casion of discontent when he pleased. Your Lord­ships cannot believe how much heat the Pope shewed in maintaining this opinion, for although the difference were a trifle, the action not being in it self so considerable as the Church-men would have it to be, yet I have been more puzzled about it than in matters of the highest importance, having [Page 87] had much ado to perswade the Pope, not to believe your most Serene Lordships took part rather with the French than him; who by your refusing to receive his Nuncio in a habit different from the ordinary garb, you shewed how little you cared the Aposto­lique Chair should maintain its Prerogatives, and that Authority that God alone can limit. I omitted not to shew his Holiness, most sincerely, that the end and onely aim of your Lordships was to pre­vent greater discontents that might have followed, and to abstain from those kind of Novelties which in time might have been made customary. I in­treated some of the most confiding and judicious Cardinals, to mediate about it, that so small a matter might not make dissention, but that your Lordships sincerity might be looked on with a pru­dent eye. But the Pope would not be satisfi'd with reason, who continuing his first complaints, re­plied, That it was a premeditated business of Maza­rin 's, who had not been content to trouble the whole world by blowing the coals of dissention and war, but would now, if he could, make them find bitterness, too, in the very beginning of a Peace. He wasted a great part of the Audience before his anger could be abated, in these and the like kind of discourses. And I doubt whether things can stand long as they are, unless the French resolve to recall their Am­bassador from hence, as I think all the world is bound to do what they can, to maintain the Peace by such common satisfactions, hoping that here­after things of so small importance shall not inter­rupt our greater joy and quiet. However, I think, notwithstanding this I have related, I may truly tell your most Serene Lordships, it is most likely, that [Page 88] although the Pope and the King of France are not always absolutely satisfi'd with each other, yet they would scarce be brought to such terms as should cause a rupture: they being likely to keep and con­tinue their amity, not onely during the life of this Pope and King, but of their Successors. And there are two reasons that oblige me to believe so; the first is, that the Popes finding they cannot intro­duce their Innovations according to their own fan­cies, by force and rigour, into that Kingdom, to the prejudice of the privileges of the Gallican Church, and the notable diminution of their Tem­poral Jurisdiction, will forbear it, that they may not undergo the contempt of seeing their Decrees re­jected, and their Authority despised. Whence it will follow, that the Cause ceasing, those Dissen­tions, which are the Effects, will cease likewise. The second, which is purely Politique, may be re­duced to this, That although the Popes have ac­quired great power over the Spanyard, by their having several times extremely obliged them, and do in their Country exercise an Authority not at all disputed, nevertheless they cannot but have some jealousie and fear, lest that Monarchy should one day open its eyes, and endeavour to ease themselves of those great burthens the Clergy have insensibly laid on their backs; and because if that should happen, it may be the thunder of the Censures, and Temporal power of the Church, would prove insufficient to oppose that danger. The Pope's have therefore made it their Maxim to keep the Amity of the French, as a means thereby to help themselves in case there should any change or stirs happen on the House of Austria. Some Cardinals have at [Page 89] times entertained me with discourse on this subject, not in such plain terms, but however in such a way, that I could easily perceive that they see clearer and farther then some Princes imagine they do. When ever the French, laying aside their suspition of the Clergies covetousness, shall endeavour or desire to be at greater amity with the Court of Rome, there is no cause to fear but it would succeed, because of their conformity in Religion, and because of their own interest: who, if they should trouble the peace of Rome, would compel them to unite themselves more firmly with the Spanyard, a thing the French will endeavour to obstruct as much as possibly they can.

If we should judge of things according to the interest of the Court of Rome, and Pope Alexander's inclination, we need not doubt but the Spanyards possess the affection of his Holiness more than any other. The interest of the Court of Rome consists in this, that for the most part, the mony wherewith it is glutted above all the other Cities in Italy, comes in greatest abundance from the States of the Catholique King, where the Ecclesiastical Tri­bunal is held in Sovereign veneration, all the States of that Monarchy having their recourse thi­ther, to the great profit of the Officers, who have a share in the First-fruits and many other things, according to their Quality, and their Offices. And as for the Pope's inclination, provided he otherwise have a general zeal for the good of Christendom, and the propagation of the Faith, and that he re­main stedfast in these two things, as I believe he doth, I think he may and ought to have a more [Page 90] particular affection for that Nation, whose Maxim it is, Not to admit of any other Religion in their Dominions but the Roman Catholique, and employ­ing all the power they have to advance it: But in truth, things are not carri'd thus, for whether the Court of Rome believes that all the Spanyards do in pretence of Religion is rather out of self-interest, or whether this Court is perswaded they ought ab­solutely to rule over those that will never fall foul on her, how great soever the inconveniencies are they lie under, it is ever observ'd in all the diffe­rences arising betwixt Rome and Spain, that after a great and long contest, the Agreement is most com­monly made to the Popes content, and the diminu­tion of somewhat of the Catholique King's pre­tences; and when businesses have thus hapned to the disadvantage of that Monarchy, other Princes have also received a notable prejudice thereby: for when the Pope or his Ministers have once car­ri'd so high a hand over the Spanyard as to make him yield, they presently make use of the opportunity to quell or confound those that would do otherwise, or at least to induce them not to refuse that, to which so great a Monarchy as Spain hath acquiesc'd. This stratagem may be effectual when they treat with inferior Princes, who are not able upon every contest they have with Rome to take Arms: but both the Pope and his Ministers decline all these ways, when they have to deal with the French, who, when the Clergy press'd them, by this example of the Spanyards, to condescend to things which were pre­judicial to them, soon gave them an answer which stopped their mouthes: Nay my self being once earnestly sollicited to press your Lordships for a [Page 91] revocation of the Ordinance, which prohibits the Clergy from purchasing any immovables, upon an example alleaged of the practise of Spain, and the other Territories of his Catholique Majesty, did give for answer, That the reasons which oblig'd that great and vast Monarchy to suffer it, were not current here, because this Republique being but a petty or little State, and the Clergy extraordinarily encreased in wealth, if they were suffered still to purchase and never to alienate, our posterity could expect no other than to be one day driven out of this Venice is built on a Marsh. Marsh, and and perhaps out of all her Terri­tories on the firm Land. And to this are all those Principalities reduc'd, who, not content with that subjection they owe the Church of Rome, as the Universal Mother of Christians, have submitted to, and followed the Pope's desires in things indifferent: not that they do at once de­mand several things of difficulty, but sometimes one thing and then another, and thus by little and little they gain so much as doth both diminish and limit the Temporal Power: and so when Princes shall think themselves Masters, they will find their Au­thority so eclips'd and manacl'd, that they will be astonish'd to see another master them at their own homes. Those who are acquainted with their ex­tortions at Naples, and perhaps in all the other Dominions of Spain, of the Officers of the Roman Treasury, as well in matters of ^* Despoiling, as in [Page 92] the gathering up of what is raised for the Fabrick of St. Peter, which they also impose on meer Laicks, cannot but admire, that the Ministers of Spain should be so drousie, as not to observe with what Empire void of all discretion, and with what insolency they treat the Persons and Goods of their Subjects. Let your most Serene Signory, therefore, give thanks to the Divine Bounty, that hath preserved her from these confusions, and given her the pru­dence and courage to defend both her self and Sub­jects from the violence of such Strangers, confirm­ing her ever in the antient and true Faith; but also giving her at the same time the judgment to discern what is due to Caesar, and what to God. It is cer­tain, that if the Spaniards still keep their eyes as close shut as they have hitherto done, they cannot expect so great a Tempest from any other part as from the Court of Rome, when upon any acci­dent there shall arise dissention amongst them, be­cause those people that are Subjects to the Austrian Family being hugely possessed with Religion, and fully perswaded, that the Sanctuary of Rome is that alone which can either bestow or deprive them of Eternal Salvation, if in the commencement of a rupture the Popes should proceed to Excommuni­cation, or a Revocation of Indulgences which they have liberally allowed the Catholique Kings, it is beyond all doubt that a general combustion would follow thereupon, which might occasion the revolt of all the Subjects of that great Empire, and so the forfeit of the peace and security of the Spanyards would flow from his too great obedience, wherein they imagine their chief strength and power does consist. But perhaps likewise the good [Page 93] Genious of those Kingdomes will suggest such means as may prevent these inconveniencies, and (the present Age not having been happy in that Monarchy, by reason of the few virtuous Men that have been her late Souvereigns) fu­ture Ages may produce more excellent ones, and compense her past disorders, by preventing those which might happen probably to her hereafter. In effect, if with attention we consider the present posture of things in the world, it greatly con­cerns Christendome to have a Potent Prince, who in such dangers, whereinto the power of the Turks may in an instant and unprovided cast her, might suddenly make head against them without making of Leagues and expecting Foreign aid, which cannot be compassed but by length of time, and is a great retardment. And if Chri­stendome had had in this present juncture of things a powerful Prince to have thus succour'd her, per­haps your most Serene Signory had not been re­duc'd to the condition she is now in: And, not­withstanding, on her security depends all what the Monarchy of Spain possesses in Italy. But to re­turn to what I said, Pope Alexander is not igno­rant of all those reasons he hath to make him love Spain and her King; and does often tell this to the Ministers of other Princes; but in such a manner however, as if it seemed that the benefits which the Court of Rome receiveth from the Span­yards were not so considerable, as to hinder the Pope from denying them from time to time those favours which they crave of him, as having au­thority not to grant all to those Children he most tenders what they shall desire, but onely that [Page 94] which will be for their greatest good, and highest, spiritual, advantage. His Holiness hath made complaint, for that the Spanish Ministers have been too reserved and secret towards him, in not communicating to him the Treaty of Peace, pretending that having ever believed the Pro­positions on their part were more plausible than those which were shaped in Mazarin's Closet, they did him wrong in observing so rigorously that Seal of Secresie which Mazarin had im­posed on them: And although they endeavour all they can to calm his discontented thoughts there­upon, urging that it was conceal'd in the same manner from the Emperour, and even from the Republique, which had been so long time employ'd about the Treaty. He is not, how­ever, satisfi'd with this excuse, but replies, That they ought to make a difference between Se­cular Princes and a Pope, who aimed at no other thing but to find out the means to give that con­tent to all Christendom, and not have left that ho­nour to a man who had studi'd all the devices ima­ginable to obstruct so great a happiness. After all this, I conclude, that the Pope hath just reason to love the Spanyards, not so much because they contributed to his Exaltation, as because their Arms have put a stop to the fury of Heretiques, and their Country brings in the Riches and opu­lency to the Court of Rome; and I believe he doth truly love them, but having found that his Predecessors had taken the way to have most commonly some contests with the Catholique Court, he will not swerve from it, esteeming these disputes do in some respects encrease the [Page 95] reputation of the Court of Rome, and from thence hath a fair opportunity to gain an esteem of other Princes; not declining my for­mer Proposition, That the more the Spanyards condescend to the Pope's will, the more will they prejudice themselves, and the Obliga­tions they do acknowledge to be due from them to the Apostolique Seat, may one day produce most dangerous effects, unless they fore-arm themselves by such precautious means, as they shall judge most proper against the pretensions of the Ecclesiastiques, thereby to put their Monarchy in a better posture of se­curity.

The King of Poland subsists because God hath affisted him: For otherwise, had he reli'd on those hopes the Court of Rome had given him to supply him with Money, his enemies had triumph'd over him, and the total loss of that Kingdom would have been such a leading to other Provinces, as might have wrought the manifest danger of establishing a Power in those parts which would have be­come formidable to all Europe. God be praised that we are so happy as to see every one return­ing to his own home again, his neighbouring Princes beginning to stickle in that War, as they ought to do; whereas nothing to purpose could have been expected from them, had the pressing affairs of Christendom summoned them to the defence of their own States. The Pope talks loudly of the good Offices he did for the Religion and Countries of the Catholique [Page 96] Princes at that juncture. But the Polonians and Imperialists speak otherwise; they profess, that at the heighth of all the War they found no great benefit in the exhortations of his Ho­liness, which served for nothing else but onely to perswade their Enemies they had not so little amity for them, but that they would send them succour from Rome. And it was this noise and nothing else that made it believed, the Catho­lique Forces were so much greater than indeed they were. In the mean time, King Casimir, a good Souldier and good Catholique, finding at present his losses are nothing so great, as he had cause to fear they would prove, gives the Pope thanks for what he hath done, and to please him the more tells him, That the very words of his Holiness were not ineffectual for his assistance.

The Duke of Savoy hath had no Minister at Rome since some discontent given him in Pope Innocent's time: and, indeed, considering the little business he hath there, he needs not entertain any. The present Pope, who seeks by all means and ways to add lustre and glory to that Court, which he thinks does consist much in the number of such Ministers as re­side there on the behalf of other Princes, hath declared, that he should be much pleased to have an Ambassadour from that Duke, as from a Prince to whom the Church is much ob­lig'd: This he made known obliquely to Ma­dam and the Duke her Son, who found it fit­ting to content his Holiness herein, who would [Page 97] be willing likewise to add lustre to that Fa­mily, were there any of them at present wor­thy of the Purple, to lay the surer foundation for the posterity of the Chigi, upon which a certain Marquis, de la Mojette, a very com­plete Cavalier, presenting himself at Rome in quality of Ambassador, the Pope express'd a great deal of satisfaction thereupon.

The name of the Grand Duke of Toscany is agreeable to the whole Court, the Pope esteems him, and in the Consistory hath more than once spoken of his Highness with a great deal of honour, perhaps because being born his Subject, and the most part of his kindred being within his jurisdiction, he believes, that as well out of the respect to his birth, as from the consideration of what may happen, he ought to have all that esteem for him which he is worthy of. In which this Pope is more praise-worthy than the three Popes his pre­decessors, which were Clement VIII, Paul V, and Urban the VIII, who although they were born in Toscany, did so utterly forget what they owed to their Country, and those who were the Princes of it, that they could not be excused of ingratitude; but because it is the natural vice of Priests, few men reflect upon it; and nevertheless this is the cause that Princes themselves do not know whether they ought to be glad that one of their Sub­jects is advanced to the Sovereign Ecclesiasti­cal Dignity.

These two Princes for some other kind of interests receive not that satisfaction which they ought to have, he that commands at Rome never failing to clash sometimes with one of them, and sometimes the other Prince, and that perhaps to shew they are treated alike, and so the one hath no more cause to ap­plaud the Government than the other. But for all this they negotiate confidently, and as both have the repute of being prudent, they communicate and consult together when those two Courts have any thing of difference, which doth not a little serve to preserve and maintain their amity.

Although the Genoese, after they had been some time without a Minister at Rome, because in this Pope's time they had been, as it were, excluded from their pretences, have of late sent one thither with some hopes of being bet­ter heard for the future: yet I can hardly be­lieve the Pope will inovate any thing in their favour, for fear of causing some disturbance amongst the other Princes, who not thinking themselves inferiour, would not suffer them to enjoy greater Prerogatives than themselves. Every one said at Rome, that this Republique desiring more grandeur than she already hath, would suddenly disburse some great sum to obtain it, which might thereupon be granted, by covering the Contract they might make by some specious pretence. All this may be; but the fairest and the honestest way, in my opi­nion, [Page 99] would be to engage them to succour this Republique with their Squadrons, provided they did not require a greater acknowledgment for this than were due.

The Duke of Parma, after the fair words they have given him, finds they do in effect deny the satisfaction due to his just desires, which tend to furnish him wherewith to re­deem his Estate of Castro again. I did not omit, having your Lordships Orders, to ac­quit my self of those devoirs to which I was oblig'd, both by the justice of his cause, and your commands. But after they had turned me every way with ambiguous words, I found that somewhat more effectual was required to bring it to pass. It cannot be deni'd in truth, but they do very much wrong this Duke, for though in the Apostolique Chamber they have made an Act which adjudges this Estate forfeit, if he redeem it not within a certain prefixed time, yet this Pope, of a milder and more temperate humour than Innocent was, ought rather to follow the rules of Equity than the rigour of the Law, by considering, that this Estate is worth two thirds more than what it is engaged for, and that it could not happen in a worser time for him to do it, than since the Contract was made, all Lombardy having been in Arms, and he moreover necessitated to secure that Estate at his own charges, al­though it were a Feof belonging to the Church, which hath been a very great expence to him. [Page 100] But when one treats with those of the Apo­stolique Chamber of any thing that concerns their interest, one can neither be heard, nor ever get any thing from them upon the ac­count of reason. It is is therefore the inte­rest of all Crowns, having consider'd the te­nour of the clauses of this Contract, to find out some way to relieve the Duke of this enor­mous grievance; and this would be best done by the Spanyards, to take away all those seeds of discord from Italy, which might arise from the like discontents: which should it happen, the Spanyards would receive the greatest pre­judice thereby, as having most to loose. But one good word from the Pope makes them pass by any thing, and keeps them from doing or saying ought that may displease him in the least: and I perceive already, that the new Ambassadour from Spain, D. Lewis Ponze de Leon, is come with a design not to negotiate any thing but what shall please the Pope; and for this reason will permit the Duke to owe the whole obligation of this business to Strangers, who afterwards, and that with reason, shall be recompensed for it upon oc­casion.

This which I have said of the Duke of Parma may be appli'd likewise to the Duke of Modena, who alleges the greatest reasons in the world upon the Subject of Comacchio, and what is annexed to it. This process hath been depending before the Court Tribunals [Page 101] above sixty years, and yet they cannot obtain a Sentence that the demands of the House of Este are unjust, although the greatest Lawyers of our times have used all their Art to find out some plea that might make them let fall their pretences, or at least weaken and invalidate them, and support the Chamber's claim. All that the Counsellors could do, who never want evasions to spin out a business, hath been to prolong this same. And it hath hapned several times, when they were brought to terms of concluding it by some fair composition, at the very nick of time when they were just ending, they have started some new exceptions to unravel it again, insomuch that this Suit hath lasted al­ready, as I said, above threescore years. But it were convenient, that at this time when the flames of an universal War are extinguished, these sparks, which might perhaps bring all into a combu­stion again, should be put out likewise: and it were reasonable too, those Crowns should em­ploy their authority and power to make them leave of that base and vile avarice which is dis­pleasing to the whole world. But unless they go about it roundly, and speak to the purpose in express terms, laying aside all civility, it will be difficult to bring this about, the affairs of the Chamber of Rome being a Gulf that swallows all one hath, and whence nothing can be re­deemed no more than from Hell.

The Duke of Mantoua is held in some consi­deration at Romé by reason of the Estate he [Page 102] possesses, which should oblige all Italians to wish him prosperity, as the Pope doth, who does herein agree with the other Princes of Italy. But otherwise he cares little for this Court, by reason of the little businesses he hath there. Nor does the Court on their side make any great reflexion on his person. They con­sider or look upon him as a Prince, who cannot do better than to follow the stream with others, that is to say, accommodate himself to the Gusto of those who are most puissant in Italy, and particularly your Signory: for in keeping close and well to her, he does at the same time do well both for himself and the general good.

We are now come to the last, but most im­portant Chapter of this Relation, in which I am to discover, both what is in the Pope's mind concerning the interests of your most Serene Republique, and what good may be hoped for from him, or what hurt may be feared, if it should please God to allow him a longer life than his constitution seems to promise. And if from the Confident and familiar conversa­tion of a great Prince with the Minister of another, one may make a certain judgment of his intentions, I cannot believe any other but that your Signory may hope much from him, not things of that importance or quality that you have just need of, but at least such things as may suffice to maintain a peaceable co­respondence, and beget mutual Offices of Amity, still accompani'd with the hearty de­sires [Page 103] of beholding each others prosperity; For, in truth, I cannot say but his Holiness treated with me with all kind of civility and good will; and as for those things which be judged blamable, as such actions, as having been per­haps misreported, he thought worthy of cen­sure; he hath ever done it with so much mo­desty and circumspection, that I fear I should erre should I think otherwise: because his Ho­liness hath ever spoken of your sage Govern­ment in fair terms, having declared it was guided and administred with much Ju­stice and Honesty. Yet I took notice that he every day made some steps towards the design he had to oppose your Lordship's wills; and though he never changed his tone of speech in treating with me, yet it was easie to see that he had given place to some sinister im­pressions, which abated the good opinion he was wont to have naturally for this State. His first words were upon my representing to him the great and pressing necessities your Repub­lique underwent by the expences of the War; That your most Serene Lordships would not accept of those Propositions that might in part have eased you, as that in suspending some useless Religious Orders, which being once ef­fected had much diminished the Publique charge, there being yet a new way to bring about this benefit, if the Republique would but suffer the Ecclesiastique Order by little and little to repair the losses they now sustained by the alienation of their Estates, which might be [Page 104] done by revoking the Ordinance which forbad that Order to purchase any: upon which I shall not descant any more, having written so much already thereof, that your most Serene Lordships have just cause to be tired: But whatever I could say, it was impossible for me to perswade him, but that this Ordinance would produce the bad effects he imagin'd. Sometimes he would take occasion to complain, that there were such disputes and practises be­tween the chief Commanders of the Army, that it hindred the Republique from being well served, and that the moneys were not well administred, for that those that manag'd it made so much profit themselves, that it much damnifi'd the Publique, and that the same Commanders less careful of doing their duty than of making advantage, by way of Trade, of those Commodities they transported to the Levant, were the cause that the Publique, which required the entire application of her Commanders, received a great prejudice there­by. All which things without doubt proceeded from the Mouth or Pen of the Prior Bichi, who to hide or cloke his own defects, exposed those of others. From thence the Pope took occasion to complain, that the Republique in her ne­cessities made her address to none but the Apo­stolique Chair, and he for his part had no greater care than to furnish them with assistance, and that if every Prince, according to the proportion of his power, would but do as much as the Court of Rome, your Republique would be suffi­ciently [Page 105] provided both for the Defensive and the Offensive: and hereupon he began to make a long enumeration of those Charges the Aposto­lique Chamber was subject to, and in this dis­course, which was full of equivocations, as I sent word to your most Serene Lordships, he was larger than enough to tire any one. He said moreover, that at present the Peace was made between the two Crowns, and if they could formerly find out Treasure enough for a War whereby to ruine one another, they might bet­ter do it to assist this Republique, which was become the Frontier of all Christendom against the Turks: That your Signory ought to have a great and particular confidence in the French, seeing the partiality she had shewed for them, when she gave them all the satisfaction they desired, tacitly alluding to what I related that hapned about the Ambassador's Rochet. And thus we onely lost time in these discourses at the last Audience, with little benefit to the Pub­lique: but it hath now been certainly made known to me, that if the Pope hath been hither­to slow in performing that devoir, more incum­bent upon him than any other whatsoever, he will be yet slower hereafter, since he believes he hath gone farther than any other in his obli­gations of opposing the common Enemy. This is that which makes him unwilling to hear of the sending an Extraordinary Ambassador to Rome, imagining he would go with the de­sign also of obtaining some extraordinary suc­cour: which, to say truth, I see the Pope very [Page 106] little inclined to grant, not to say, obstinately resolved to refuse it, because, indeed, there is no mony. If they think he will erect any Banques to get it for them, I do not believe it; for be­sides, his Holiness pleases himself in expending what arises from the few there are in such things wherein he takes a great delight, as in Build­ings, and adorning of Churches, together with all accommodations for his Dwelling-house: and if he should dispose himself to do somewhat more than ordinary, I do not think he would use any other liberality but what costs him nought, which is an increase of the Impositions of the Clergy of this State, which is known to be already so bare, that it hath nothing left but the bones: and that is just a helping of us with our own proper goods, although it be not desired that we should say so at Rome; for they would have us believe, that whatever belongs to the Priests in what Country soever, apper­tains to them. When the time of my depar­ture approached, I found the Pope somewhat more mild. He gave thanks to God again for the Conclusion of the Peace, and testifi'd, that he had a better opinion of the affairs in the Levant for the future, alleaging the reason which I have noted, which was, that his heart told him, that your Republique would never lay down their Arms till they had defeated the Turks, and obtained some signal Victory over them. I guess, that he said this to me, onely to encourage your Lordships, that so they might refuse any kind of Treaty that might be pre­judicial [Page 107] to Christendom; or perhaps he pro­pounded some League to himself, either with the Imperial Court, or that of Poland: I can­not aver this, but I incline to believe the first rather, because the Pope would hardly find any Princes in those parts that would con­fide in his promises; nor would they en­gage themselves in any enterprize without a sum in hand, that might assure them not to be deserted, when they were once enter'd up­on it. At my departure, after he had stood much upon my praises, wherein I had rather he would have been more sparing, provided he had shewed himself more liberal in his favours towards your most Serene Republique, he en­joyned me to remember, to represent these four things to you: The first, That you should en­deavour to suppress, or take up those diffe­rences at the Tribunal of the Inquisition at Padua, which are still in contest, to the great scandal of all those that hear of that matter: His Holiness told it me just so, without any reflexion on it. But when your Signory resolves to meddle with those interests, there must be some important reason that shall induce you thereto. This order was very unpleasing to me, because it concerns a matter not suiting at all with my genious, and about which much noise hath been made.

The second, That the security of the Navi­gation in the Adriatique Sea should be more carefully look'd after, for he complained, that there was no Trade in the port of Ancona, the [Page 108] Merchants not being secure in their passage with their goods, by reason of the Reprisals those Pirats of Dulcigno do make, who from time to time rove about to make their robberies, allarming the whole Coasts of the Marca. He added, that if during the continuance of the War with the Turk, your Signory would suffer them to keep two Gallies in the Port of Ancona, it should be done as soon as the Squa­dron returned from the Levant.

The third, That it would please your Lord­ships to forbear interposing their judgments in matters Ecclesiastical, as they do from time to time, which offends and infringes the Ecclesi­astical Jurisdiction, and makes them run them­selves imprudently into censorious inferences, not minding the disgraces hapning daily there­upon: He pressed me much to oblige you likewise to moderate some of your Ordinances.

The fourth, that your Signory would fa­vour the Father Jesuits with their protection in those occurrences that may happen, be­cause the seeds of that hatred conceived against them, remaining yet in the hearts of some that do not well know them, it may be easie, but it would prove no act of generosity, said the Pope to me, to lay some ambush by ca­lumny or impostures against them, which are to be look'd upon with an indifferent eye, and being found out should be repulsed. I pro­mised to observe punctually what his Holiness had commanded me, and to represent what he desired to your Lordships. You may be pleased [Page 109] to see and consider wherein you can favour his Holiness, having so great judgment as cannot erre; which concluded his last Audience, adding thereto his Paternal Benediction which he be­stowed upon your Lordships and my self, with his best wishes, and a presage of victories and perpetual prosperities.