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

THE POPE AND THE CARDINALS. I47
peace, charity to their neighbour, good example and holy life,
but this time his speech wound up by complaints about the
many intrigues being carried on about the next Papal election.
" I have exact information," he said, " and I marvel at the
indifference with which men view the things which are subject
to excommunication. If many people desire my death, I
conform myself to the will of God, but in the meantime I am
quite prepared to go on living."^ He was unwearied, especi-
ally in Lent, in exhorting them to fervent prayer and the
worthy reception of the sacraments. ^ Pius followed up his
exhortations by his example. On the Monday in Holy Week
in 1571 he visited the seven basilicas of Rome, going on foot
for four miles, and accompanied by six Cardinals. All the
prelates of the court, and even the Cardinals, followed his
example. 2
The Pope was well aware of the difficulty of moving from a
manner of life to which they had long been accustomed, a
body of men of mature age, who all looked upon themselves as
princes.* In spite of this, however, he never ceased from his
exhortations and requests. In the August of 1568 he ex-
pressed to Cardinals Morone and Ricci his desire that the
Cardinals should cut down the expenses of their households in
order that they might save money to help the French
Catholics.^ At the beginning of 1571 " the reformers " had
^ *Ciregiola to Cardinal IMedici, December 20, 1566, State
Archives, Florence.
* Cf. *B. Pia, March 12, 1567, Gonzaga Archives, Mantua.
' " *Con resempio di questa divotione del Papa non ci resta
cardenale, che non habbia visitato o che non sia per visitare le
dette sette chiese, et il simile fanno tutti 11 prelati di questa corte."
Avviso di Roma of April 14, 1571, Urb. 1042, p. 46*^, Vatican
Library.
* C/. the detailed *report of Serristori of January 17, 1567,
State Archives, Florence, Medic. 3287.
* *I1 Papa disse liieri a Morone et Montepulciano che voleva
riformare la sua casa et che anco riformassero le loro i cardenali
per dar quel che si spende nel sup rfluo de servitio a Francia per
aiuto (B. Pia to Luzzara, August 28, 1568, Gonzaga Archives,
Mantua). Cf. *Cusano, August 28, 1568, State Archives, Vienna.