receive some detriment, yet the people of _Rome_, and the other Christian
Nations had no great occasion of scandal given them neither from the
Nephews, nor from the Popes. The first of which were well pleased with
any thing that was given them; and the last, that is, the _Popes_, were
so provident as to be liberal only of what was superfluous, and not of
that which the Church and _Rome_ could not spare.
But in the time of _Sixtus_, Ambition and Covetousness introduced
themselves so openly, with the utter destruction of the modesty and
decorum of the Church, together with the subversion of Christian Piety,
occasioned all by his filling the _Vatican_ with such a company of
Nephewes, that from that time forward we must reckon the birth and growth
of the _Nipotismo_; in the History of which, before we engage any
further, it will not be amiss to give a Character of the Court of _Rome_,
which now at present is maintained by, and depends entirely upon the
_Nipotismo_.
One of the greatest extravagancies that I meet withall in the World, is
the error of those who are perpetually exclaiming against Courts; and
generally ’tis observed, that few of those that are of this Humour, have
been Courtiers, or if they have, yet have they not made any considerable
stay in them. But for Gods sake, what kind of thing was the World,
before there were any Courts? nothing but the refuge of baseness, the
quintessence of ignorance, an apparent blindness, and in a word, a
barbarous throne of Vices, and all sorts of ill actions.
Many complain of the Court, but few of themselves, for not having been
able to maintain the ground, and keep the place they had once in it; as
if the Court were bound to descend to a compliance with every particular
mans humour, and not particular men rather frame themselves to a
condescendency for the Court.
Who is it that frames and constitutes a Court? ’tis the Prince, without
whom there is no such thing. But who brings Vices to the Court? The
Courtiers; and yet though the Courtiers be bad, and the Prince good, all
the fault is laid upon the Prince.
Princes seldome fayle to recompense those services which they receive
from their Courtiers, and without this quality they would not long be
Princes. ’Tis true, that some are more reserv’d, others more liberal in
their rewards; but still the defect is not in the Prince, but in the
courtier, whose ambition is not to be ruled by his Princes judgment, and
against whom he exclaimes for not contenting him.
To the ambition or desire of honour is alwayes added an avidity or desire
of riches in Courtiers: these two monsters being the natural production
of Courts.
The Court is to the World, as a furnace to Gold, to purifie, and refine
mens wits. Whensoever any bodies ingenuity is under a cloud, and not
known, let him come to Court, for there without doubt he will be prest to
an exact trial of his skill; and let him use it all in hiding himself,
and drawing as it were a vayle over his designs, yet he shall find the
Court to be the true Touch-stone of mens actions, and he shall be known,
for what he is really, and not for what he would seem to be.
This general discourse is only, that we may descend with more light and
instruction to particulars. All other Courts, are streams, and rivers;
but the Court of _Rome_ is the head and source of them all; and as
ordinarily we find out the head by following the stream, so I thought it
fit to say something in general of Courts, before I came to the
description of the Court of _Rome_. Among all Nations in the World, the
_Italians_ are the most famous for managing State Affairs, and being
naturally inclined to be good Politicians. Neither do the Princes of the
North deny this advantage to the Courts of our _Italian_ Princes, who in
the Government of their States, are masters of so much conduct, and
subtilty, that none but very excellent and experienced geniuses can
penetrate the depth of their Counsels.
But those maximes and Court slights, which in _Italy_ are ordinary, are
as it were natural and inseparable from the Church-men of the Court of
_Rome_; which City, upon this score, is become famous in all forreign
Countries, not as a place that teaches, and instructs Church-men, but as
one that is taught and perfected by them.
He that desires to see politick stratagems, and all that subtilty can
compass, let him not forsake _Rome_, where he shall soon learn how State
Affairs ought to be managed.
I alwayes had a great opinion of the cunning and abilities of Church-men
in matter of Government; but when once I came to _Rome_, and began to
know by experience something of their wayes, I must confess, that my
imagination was far short of the reality of what I had conceived.
It was no hard matter for _Rome_, both the old, and the new, to be
mistress of the World, and give Lawes to Nations, since it hath alwayes
been the School of true policies, as having even in its birth drained all
the rest of the world of its cunning, and impoverished, it in slights to
enrich its self.
For the space of fifteen Ages, the Church-men have already demonstrated
to the world their abilities, and subtilty; and that so much the more to
the wonder of all, because their beginnings have been so different from
the means they have us’d, shifting from one thing to another, and
changing upon all occasions, as Seamen do their Sailes with the wind, so
that they seem to be born entirely for their own profit.
In the first Ages of the Church, the Court of _Rome_ thought it
convenient to comply with the Courts of other Princes, and this slight
had its effect, while the Emperours Tyrannised over _Rome_; but their
Tyranny being destroyed, the Court of _Rome_ chang’d its way, and desired
a compliance from all other Courts to its self.
Yet this proceeding too, having by little and little, intricated, and
perplex’d the Court, and Courtiers, they were fain to come back to their
first complyance, and by all Arts appease the male-contents, and keep
those that were affectionate from being alienated: but now the face of
things is so changed, and the nature of transactions so perverted, that
they which now command in the Court of _Rome_ have invented new wayes how
to carry themselves, and correspond with Princes, very intricate, and
different from those that were us’d in past Ages.
Therefore there are very few who having resided in this Court, do at last
forsake it to return home, but they have a great deal of reason to
complaine and be ill satisfied of its proceedings; not only because they
had not found so much favour as they had expected; but because they found
that they had been meerly deluded with faire promises, and at last, as it
were laughed at for their paines. For the Courtiers of _Rome_ have a
particular maxime, either of perplexing, or of jeering those that come to
negotiate with them. The truth is, they have been so subtle in providing
for their interest, and have brought things to that pass, that they seem
to be able to be without those, who can by no means be without them; upon
which score the Ministers of some Princes were wont to say; _That
Negotiations in the Court of Rome were a mischeif to those that were
employed in them_, _but a very necessary one_: And in a word; The Court
of _Rome_ cannot be better compared, then to a Labyrinth, out of which,
many think they are going, when they do but just enter it.
Many have compared it to the Monky, that hugs its young ones to death;
for just so do the Churchmen, who embrace every one with a paternal
affection; but in those embraces, they that receive them, find their
ruin. Therefore have a Care of _Romes_ kindness. Others do compare it
to a Tree laden with fruit, that to look upon, seems ripe and fair, which
when you come to taste, you find soure and crabbed.
For my part, I think the Court of _Rome_ is like those pills that
Physitians give to their patients, which are all gold without, that they
may not displease the sick person by exposing to his view Cassia, or
Antimony, &c. and he, poor man, trusting to this glorious exteriour
swallowes the Pill, and in the swallowing of it often perceives the
bitterness.
So _Rome_, or rather the Church-men in _Rome_, cover every thing with the
gold of their inventions and slights, giving thus to Princes and Nations
most bitter medicines covered with the zeal of Religion, which they have
no sooner swallowed, but they find that there was nothing but an
appearance of good in it.
In the Court of _Rome_ it often falls out, that he that makes as if he
knew all mens intrigues is altogether ignorant, and he that feigns to
know nothing, knowes all. The exterior shew of goodness runs like a
stream in the sight of all, but it springs from a head of mischeif, which
is seen by few, because there they seldome give the sting without the
honey.
Nothing is done in _Rome_ without the zeal of Religion; and yet the zeale
of Religion is that which prevailes least in all things. For they make a
great distinction between those things that they desire, and those that
they ought to do. They employ all their resolution and their prudence
towards the compassing of the first, but they seldome performe the last,
as not being inclin’d to make their wills stoop to their duty.
These maximes, or the like, are common in all the Princes Courts, both
within and without _Italy_; but _Rome_ is the Seminary of these Arts, in
which the Church-men are masters.
He that goes to negotiate in _Rome_ as a publick Minister from some
Prince or State, must first have made some stay in it as a private
person; and for my part, I am perswaded, that to have good success in
such an employment, one stands in need of that double spirit which
_Eliseus_ asked _Elias_ for; since that Church-men are so double-souled,
as to use nothing but slights and subtilties in their negotiations.
He that can live four or five years in the Court of _Rome_, without
meeting with such impediments as shall make him stumble and go neer to
fall, may live a whole Age in any other Princes Court without trouble.
We see every day by experience, that many excellent Politicians,
Ministers of Princes, and States, who in other Courts had got a great
deal of credit and reputation, by managing business to their Princes
content, are no sooner come to _Rome_, but in an instant they lose all
that honour that they had taken so much pains for. And indeed many are
they that come to the Court of _Rome_ with a great deal of credit, but
few come off and leave it with honour and reputation.
In a Climate subject to so many sudden changes, they that live in it must
expect thunder and lightning, as well as fair weather. There
negotiations must needs be hard, where the face of things is changed
every day.
Many publick Ministers lose themselves in _Rome_, because they know well
where they are, but not with whom they are: for whilst they think they
have to do with a Monarchy, of a sudden they meet with a Republick and a
Senate; and when they imagine to be engaged with a commonwealth and a
Senate, they find they have to do with a Monarchy: so that like a ball
they are tossed from the Monarch to the Senate, and back again: Because
indeed, the government of _Rome_ is a Monarchy without a Head, and a
Commonwealth without Counsellors. And thus even they that reside long in
_Rome_ are often puzzled in such sudden changes.
The Government of the Popes is much different from that of all other
Princes; because that they that are raised to this eminent degree do
often come to it, so raw and ignorant of Policies, that they are a great
while before they can attain to any perfection in their charge, which
when they have done at others expences, it is time for them to leave the
world and their government to their Successours, who most commonly are of
the same past fortune, introducing Church-men to this so high a command,
and nature hurrying them away from the throne before they are fit for it.
I do not wonder, that in the Court of _Rome_, through a long experience,
even the dullest and rawest Politicians do become at last most expert;
since that from all the parts of the World, _Rome_ receives none but the
wisest and most able Statesmen to negotiate with her.
One of my friends compares this Court to the Sea; for as it receives in
its bosome all the Rivers of the Earth, and being by them filled and
swelled, fills them again from whom it received its plenty. So _Rome_
doth as it were suck from the rest of the World, their purest milk of
policies, and distributes it again, like a kind mother, to all those that
are content with the appellation of its children.
Indeed as for the sucking part, I think my friend is much in the right;
for Church-mens lips are so fit for this function, that they lose not one
drop; but as for the distributive part, they make it a more difficult
thing then he or others would imagine.
Neither do I wonder at it, for when they deal with others, they alwayes
propose to them the zeal of Religion, and the interest of Christian
Piety: While under the pretext of these, they hide their self-policy, to
use it in time and place convenient: Which no body can discover but
themselves. The truth is, that a good Politician may receive some
benefit, by diving into that which they so much endeavour to hide; but he
shall never be advantaged by any thing that they shall willingly reveal
to him, their undoubtted maxime being never to discover any thing but
such as they need not, or that cannot be beneficial to others.
To give a great proof of what I say; I remember, that an Embassadour of
an _Italian_ Prince, a wise and able man, being returned home after seven
years stay in his imployment at _Rome_, could give to his master for all
account of his Embassy, nothing but ambiguous words, equivocal enigmes,
and uncertain answers; whereupon his Prince not understanding him,
required a better information at his hands, and was thus answered by him.
Serenissime Prince: _The School of_ Rome _hath furnished me with no other
Lectures_, _then what I_ _have already layed open to your Highness_:
_Therefore with all due submission_, _I beseech your Highness to have
compassion of me_, _if I appear before you so barren and so empty_; _for
in seven years time I have not been able to obtain from these Church-men
any solid substance_, _to fill my self withal_. This ’tis that befalls
most Ambassadors and Agents in _Rome_.
* * * * *
_Innocentius_ the Tenth had brought the Court into such a confusion; that
in his time no body knew where to begin any business: For he did so
little care to trouble himself with the important affairs of
Christendome; that most commonly he refused to meddle, even in those
which concerned his pastoral function. His troublesome houres were when
he was forced to give audience to a forrain Embassadour, and to be rid of
business; his maximes were, To deny all favours, to answer all requests
with a negative, and never to come to a final resolution in any thing
that might please his enemies; though the thing in its self was very
beneficial to the Church and State. If he had any inclination to do
good, it appeared only in what he did to his own family, and in the care
he took to embellish the City of _Rome_. But the ill he did was not
contained in such easie limits, it spread its self over all Christendome,
which did lament to see the Church provided of so extravagant a Pastor.
In the beginning of his pontificat, he shewed himself much enclined to be
well informed of the state of _Rome_, and the Church Territories; which
vigilance of his, at last redounded to the prejudice of all his officers.
For they thinking at first, that his proceeding came from the love of
justice, and good order, came all to _Rome_ with instructions and
memorials, wherein their wants and the necessities of their places were
set out: but all in vain; for when they expected answer and satisfaction,
they found that the intention of the Pope was, to refuse all, and to
resolve nothing; so that then every one avoided, not only the presence of
the Pope, but _Rome_ it self, and all business in it.
This is the general disposition of the Court of _Rome_, and of Church-men
in common; though the Popes _Nephews_ do often give it another face,
according as their designs and thoughts are, which being as different as
the humours of one Pope from another; fortune, not merit, raising both
Popes and Nephews to this great command; we may say, that things in
_Rome_ are rather performed by masked and counterfit persons, then by
natural ones: As one of my friends, who lives well, and is one of the
best Church-men in the Court of _Rome_, is used to say, that when once he
had put on the habit of a Priest, he could hardly discern his own nature,
nor know himself with comparison to what he was before. Which shewes
evidently, that Church-men have certain close wayes of treating,
particular to themselves, that must make those that have to do with them,
stand upon their guard, and use all their policy.
The SECOND BOOK.
The Contents.
_IN which is discoursed_, _of the first bringing the_ Nipotismo _into_
Rome, _which happened under_ Sixtus _the fourth_, _too much inclined to
favour his kindred_. _Of the lascivious life_, _and of the death of
Cardinal_ Peter _his Nephew_. _Of the government of the Church
transferred to_ Jerom Peter’s _brother_. _Of the number of_ Sixtus _his
Nephews_. _Of the selling of many Jewels_. _Of the murmurs of the_
Romans _against this Pope_. _Of the succession of_ Innocent _the eighth
to the Popedome_. _How he was naturally averse from his kindred_. _What
he did for some of his Nephews_. _Of the assumption of_ Alexander _the
sixth to the Popedome_. _How he made his Bastards great_. _Of the
crimes committed by him_. _Of the family of the_ Sforzas, _being from_
Milan. _Of the actions of Duke_ Valentine. _How the Pope passed his
time_. _Of his death_, _caused by poyson_. _How DUKE_ Valentine
_carried himself after the death of his Father Pope_ Alexander. _Of the
succession of_ Pius _the third to the Popedome_, _and of his short life_.
_Of what happened to his kindred_. _Of_ Julius _the second that
succeeded_ Pius. _Of his way of carrying himself towards his Nephews_.
_Of the Popedome fallen to_ Leo _the tenth_. _Of his mind entirely bent
to favour the Family of the_ Medici. _How_ Adrian _the sixth succeeded
to_ Leo _the tenth_. _Of the severity he shewed to his kindred_. _Of
the election of_ Clement _the seventh for Pope_. _Of his great ambition
to raise his Family_. _How_ Paul _the third was chosen Pope_. _How he
likewise was inclined to make his kindred great_, _and by what means_.
_Of that which_ Julius _the third did in favour of his Family_: _and how
his life was inclined to pleasures and delight_. _Of the resolution of_
Marcellus _the second_, _to give nothing to his kindred_. _How_ Paul
_the fourth was made Pope_. _Of his kindness to his kindred_. _How_
Pius _the fifth was not naturally inclined to do his kindred good_.
_How_ Gregory _the thirteenth was of a quite contrary disposition_.
_How_ Sixtus _the fifth was made Pope_, _and how he was inclined to
favour his kindred_. _Of the short life of_ Urban _the seventh_, Sixtus
_his successour_. _Of the election of_ Gregory _the_ _fourteenth_.
_What was his inclination to his Nephews_. _Of the election of_ Innocent
_the ninth_. _Of his proceedings and death_. _Of the election of
Clement the eighth_: _and of what he did for his kindred_. _Of the
desire of_ Leo _the eleventh_, _successour to_ Clement, _to make his
family great_. _Of the election of_ Paul _the fifth_. _Of his life and
actions_, _and how he advanced his kindred_. _How_ Gregory _the
fifteenth succeeded to_ Paul _the fifth_, _and of his great affection to
his kindred_.
* * * * *
NOW we must look back, and return to _Sixtus_ the 4th, who first opened a
door to the _Nipotismo_, and who by introducing his kindred, brought at
the same time ambition and riches into Rome; the riches were for his
Nephews, and the ambition he left as an inheritance to all Church-men;
and it is now one of the greatest mischiefs that oppresseth the Church.
’Tis not to be wondred at, that I begin the History of the _Nipotismo_,
from the time of _Sixtus_ the fourth, since he was the first that
delivered up _Rome_ and the Popedom in prey to his Nephews, to the wonder
and astonishment of the whole world.
He was then the first introducer of the _Nipotismo_, and so indulgent a
one, that to favour his kindreds interest, he had forgot himself, and the
Church, thinking of nothing, but of the means how to advance them to
their satisfaction, from whence the murmurs of the people were so great
in _Rome_, that many Confessors were fain to give over their Function,
that they might not hear the peoples complaints against the Pope and his
kindred: So that it was spread through _Europe_, that _Rome_ had as many
Popes as _Sixtus_ had Nephews.
This Pope, immediately after his election, made two Cardinals; _viz.
Peter Riario_, whom many suspected to be his Bastard, having alwayes been
educated, with great care by him, in the same Monastery; the other was
_Julian_, son of _Raphad de la Rovere_, brother to the Pope, and had been
first Bishop of _Carpentras_, then was made Cardinal by his Brother, and
at last came to be Pope, under the name of _Julius_ the second, as we
shall relate in due place.
_Sixtus_ gave to the Cardinal, _Peter Riario_, all that was in his power
to give, adding Abby upon Abby, and revenue upon revenue, till he had
made him so rich in Church lands, that he lived most splendidly, and
seemed to be born to waste a greater fortune; Plays, Balls, Dances, and
such pastimes, were the ornament which he bestowed upon his
Ecclesiastical dignity, being perswaded, that pomp and vanity were
becoming the majesty of a Cardinal.
He lived but two years in this loose life; in which time ’tis thought he
spent, in Treats, and Balls, and such like diversions, above two hundred
thousand Duckats of gold, besides seventy thousand which he owed at his
death, and which were never payed: He dyed at the age of 28 years, to the
great regret of his Uncle, his disease having been caused by his
debauchery, as the Physitians testified.
Six months before he dyed, the Pope, whose continual study it was, how to
make him great, declared and proclaim’d him his Legat over all _Italy_;
not that any urgent business did require such a Function, but only that
he might give him an occasion of shewing his Grandeur, and receiving more
pleasure in those triumphs and receptions, he was upon this score to have
bestowed upon him by the _Italian_ Princes; who to humour the Pope,
forgot no honour they could think of, towards the person of his Legat;
and could not indeed have done more to the Pope himself; particularly in
_Venice_, _Milan_, and _Padua_, he was received with so extraordinary a
pomp, that it was almost incredible.
Great was the delight which he took in these publick honours; but much
greater were the pleasures, which he tasted in secret, having ordinarily,
amongst his Attendants, five or six Russians, whose business it was to
satisfie his appetite, though never so inordinate. Being at last come
back to _Rome_, to the possession of his old Mistresses, he ended his
dayes amongst them, and went to a new world, whether of pleasure or of
pain, God knows.
But the Popes affection to his kindred was not buryed in his grave; for
he made his Brother _Jerome_ succeed in his favour and fortune, which he
rather increased then diminished; for he made him Lord and Soveraign of
_Inola_ and _Forli_; and gave him the government of all the state of the
Church, besides other important Offices.
This _Jerome_ was a quite contrary disposition to his Brother; being
naturally severe in words and deeds, and averse from all pleasures but
hunting. He married _Catharina_, natural daughter to _Galeazzo_, Duke of
_Milan_; and _Sixtus_ made _Ascanius_, the son of the said Duke, Cardinal
into the bargain, contrary to the young mans inclination, which was
rather to marriage, then to a single life.
But the inordinate passion of this Pope did not rest in all this; for his
ambition of having kindred to advance was such, that not being content
with that great number of true Nephews that he had, he substituted and
adopted some, that were no relation to him at all; to whom he gave an
infinity of places and commands.