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The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

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64<br />

HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

flattered him ;^ he <strong>of</strong>ten gave pro<strong>of</strong> that he was always ready<br />

to hear <strong>the</strong> truth, even when it was bitter. ^ He was exceedingly<br />

condescending to <strong>the</strong> poor and those <strong>of</strong> low estate, and<br />

plainly showed his disappointment when he was unable to<br />

grant any request. His charity towards <strong>the</strong> needy, and<br />

his generosity to those who served him well, were very great,<br />

indeed too great in <strong>the</strong> opinion <strong>of</strong> many.^<br />

Pius V. did not allow himself to be led away by first im.pressions,<br />

but once he had formed a definite opinion on any<br />

subject, it was almost impossible to shake him. He was<br />

quicker to form a bad opinion <strong>of</strong> anyone than a good one,<br />

especially hi <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> people he did not know well.^ Nei<strong>the</strong>r<br />

worldly considerations nor violent threats could move him<br />

<strong>from</strong> what he thought to be right. He once said that he<br />

would ra<strong>the</strong>r retire into privacy at <strong>the</strong> Lateran with two<br />

chaplains than allow anything he considered wrong. <strong>The</strong><br />

Venetian diplomatist, Soriano, was <strong>of</strong> opinion that it was<br />

necessary to know such a Pope in order to understand how it<br />

was possible for a man who had sprung <strong>from</strong> such lowly circumstances<br />

to feel so sure that he could forego all human<br />

considerations.^<br />

^ For example, Arco, on August 31, 1566, *reports that when,<br />

sometimes, in a question <strong>of</strong> a dispensation, an appeal was made<br />

to <strong>the</strong> opinions <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ologians, Pius V. replied " che molti <strong>the</strong>ologi<br />

et canonisti erano adulatori de pontefici." (State Archives,<br />

Vienna). Cf. also Ciaconius, III., 1014. On November 25, 1567,<br />

B. Pia *reports that <strong>the</strong> Pope paid no attention to dottori (jurists)<br />

and that he governed his actions by his massime <strong>the</strong>ologiche<br />

(Gonzaga Archives, Mantua). See also Santori, Autobiog-<br />

raiia, XII,, 340.<br />

* See <strong>the</strong> episode related by Cusano in his *letter <strong>of</strong> April 6,<br />

1566. State Archives, Vienna.<br />

' See <strong>the</strong> " Informatione delle qualita," etc., 193 seq. Cf.<br />

Tiepolo in Mutinelli, I., 58.<br />

* See ibid.<br />

^Soriano, 202. Cf. Polanci Epist. in Anal. Bolland., VII.,<br />

57 ; Catena, 32. It is certain that several <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> diplomatists<br />

were led by Pius V.'s great conscientiousness to think that he<br />

was very timid : thus *Khevcnhiiller on March 30, 1566, and

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