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

12
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
if Spanish influence in Rome was not to disappear,^ while
during the illness of Pius IV. in 1563, the leader of the French
party among the Cardinals, Ippolito d'Este, had been in a
position to aspire quite openly to the tiara, and had dared to
say that this time his efforts would not be unsuccessful. ^
Catherine de' Medici would certainly have been quite satisfied
with a Pope like Este,^ but the Queen Regent lacked the means
of carrying her wishes into effect since, of the French Cardinals,
only Reumano took part in the conclave. Catherine's
daughter, however, Queen Elizabeth of Spain, tried to influence
her husband in accordance with French policy.'*
In spite of his many shortcomings Philip II. stiU had greater
influence in the Sacred College than any other prince in
Christendom,^ but he refused to make any use of it in the
election of the new Pope. He had, however, on December
i8th, 1562, sent to his ambassador, Luis de Requesens, certain
instructions in which the election of the Pope was touched
upon, and in which he stated that the one thing necessary
was to elect a Pope who should be pious and a lover of peace,
or in other words a Pope who would not make political com-
plications for the Spanish king, and who would have the reform
of the Church at heart. The election of Carpi, Puteo, Morone,
^ Ihid. 62 seqq.
" " . . . Ferrara, 11 quale, per quanto intendo, si lasciava
intendere di tenersi per certo il Papato ; e pero S. S. Hl"^^ persona
da conscere, se non in tutto, in parte almeno, le difficulta che ci
haria, ma penso che lo faccia giudicando con questa opinione farsi
favore, et mettere a qualcuno il cervello a partite. Intendo
havere fatto anco professione che si creda che la riforina dispiaceva
piu a lui che alcuno altro, et se ne e lasciato intendere, et tutto
giudico sia fatto per piacere ai cardinali giovani et perch e sperino
nella larghezza sua." *Serristori on December 3, 1563, State
Archives, Florence, Medic, 3283, p. 171.
* Destardins, III., 521 ; Hilliger, 79.
* Cf. DouAis, Les dernieres aiinees d'filisabeth de Valois,
reine d'Espagne, Toulouse, 1896.
* " V.M., a quien oy se tiene mas respecto en el colegio que a
ningun principe christiano." Cardinal Pacheco to Philip 1 1.,
December 20, 1565, Corresp. dipl., I., 51.