22.06.2013 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

THE ATTITUDE OF BORROMEO. I9<br />

advantage <strong>of</strong> this, he could have commanded more than twenty<br />

votes, which was enough to prevent <strong>the</strong> election <strong>of</strong> anyone<br />

he did not think suitable, but, as was only to be expected <strong>from</strong><br />

a man <strong>of</strong> his character, he would only make use <strong>of</strong> this power<br />

for <strong>the</strong> good <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Church even at <strong>the</strong> cost <strong>of</strong> his personal<br />

predilections. It is very doubtful, however, taking into con-<br />

sideration his holiness and his strict conscientiousness, whe<strong>the</strong>r<br />

he would have made use <strong>of</strong> this power, and whe<strong>the</strong>r he would<br />

not have felt bound to leave <strong>the</strong> electors 'free to follow <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

own consciences.^ Pacheco foresaw this risk,- and he <strong>the</strong>re-<br />

fore, before <strong>the</strong> conclave, urged Borromeo to be careful, above<br />

all things, to see that a good Pope was elected, saying that he<br />

would gain more merit in <strong>the</strong> sight <strong>of</strong> God by so doing than<br />

by giving himself up to fasts and disciplines for <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> his<br />

life.^ It is clear that Borromeo did not follow this advice in<br />

<strong>the</strong> sense intended by Pacheco. Before <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

conclave, he consulted several Jesuit <strong>the</strong>ologians as to whe<strong>the</strong>r<br />

he could with a good conscience use <strong>the</strong> votes <strong>of</strong> his Cardinals<br />

in <strong>the</strong> customary way, and he received in reply <strong>the</strong> written<br />

opinion that he must exactly follow <strong>the</strong> bull <strong>of</strong> Pius IV., which<br />

forbade any such party action.* It would seem that in practice<br />

he left it free to <strong>the</strong> Cardinals to follow him or not as <strong>the</strong>y<br />

pleased, and it is very difficult to explain in any o<strong>the</strong>r way <strong>the</strong><br />

^ * '<br />

Pare<br />

che il card. Borromeo non si vogli impacciar de voti,<br />

et che concorrera a persona idonea et buona." (Avviso di Roma<br />

<strong>of</strong> Dec. 15, 1565, Urb. 1040, p. 153b, Vatican Library). *" S'in-<br />

tende che il S. card. Borromeo vuole hora, contra quello che fu<br />

detto prima, attendere a fare il nuovo pontifice, et per cio aspetta<br />

tutte le sue creature et in particolare Buoncompagno " Fr.<br />

Tosabezzo to <strong>the</strong> Duke <strong>of</strong> Mantua, December 13, 1565, Gonzaga<br />

Archives, Mantua.<br />

^ " Desde Florencia escrevi a V.M. que temia que Borromeo<br />

por sus escrupulos se havia de encoger en esta elec9ion y dexar<br />

ir a sus creaturas adonde quisiessen." Corresp. dipl., I., 53.<br />

* Pacheco, loc. cit.<br />

* False reports concerning <strong>the</strong> reply <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jesuits were spread<br />

at Naples, for which reason Borgia published <strong>the</strong> whole matter<br />

in a letter to Salmeron <strong>of</strong> Dec. 30, 1565. Salmeron, Epist.,<br />

II., 60 n. g.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!