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

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

22<br />

HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

tine party under Sforza, and that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cardinals <strong>of</strong> Paul IV.<br />

under Vitelli, had also to be reckoned with. He could, however,<br />

with <strong>the</strong> help <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> twenty votes and more <strong>of</strong> his own<br />

followers, at least exclude anyone who did not seem to him<br />

worthy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> supreme dignity in Christendom. <strong>The</strong> result<br />

was that several who aspired to <strong>the</strong> tiara, and who were much<br />

spoken <strong>of</strong> at <strong>the</strong> time, really had very little chance. Ippolito<br />

d'Este who, before <strong>the</strong> conclave, to <strong>the</strong> scandal <strong>of</strong> all Rome,<br />

openly tried to obtain <strong>the</strong> votes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cardinals, and boasted<br />

that he had already secured twenty,^ giving it to be understood<br />

that through <strong>the</strong> influence <strong>of</strong> Ca<strong>the</strong>rine de' Medici and <strong>the</strong><br />

French ambassador, even Philip II. had given up his opposition<br />

to him, 2 had vainly tried to win over Borromeo to his side,<br />

and for this purpose had summoned his cousin Cesare Gonzaga<br />

to Rome.^ <strong>The</strong> partisans <strong>of</strong> Este imagined that a <strong>close</strong> under-<br />

standing had been arrived at between <strong>the</strong>ir leader and <strong>the</strong><br />

strict nephew,^ but it was a priori impossible that Borromeo<br />

should lend his support to <strong>the</strong> worldly Cardinal. Altoge<strong>the</strong>r<br />

apart <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> veto <strong>of</strong> Philip II. and Cosimo, Este's candi-<br />

dature was thus doomed to fail. <strong>The</strong> same was true in <strong>the</strong><br />

case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cardinal <strong>of</strong> Montepulciano, Giovanni Ricci ; he<br />

was a man <strong>of</strong> great ability, and he had Spain and Florence<br />

^ Pacheco to Philip II., December 20, 1565 Corresp. dipl.,<br />

I., 52. Cf. also <strong>the</strong> *report <strong>of</strong> L. Conosciuti <strong>of</strong> December 19,<br />

1565, loc. cit.<br />

" Requesens, December 30, 1565, Corresp. dipl., I., 61.<br />

' *" II signer card, di Ferrara ha mira d'esser Papa, et percio<br />

desidera il signer Cesare eccellentissimo se ne venga a Roma<br />

per aiutarlo col mezzo del signer card. Borromeo, et a questo<br />

fine Ferrara spedisce hera il Certese a Manteva per le peste et<br />

non vuole che si sappia parela di queste sue disegne." Franc.<br />

Tesabezze te <strong>the</strong> Duke <strong>of</strong> Mantua, December 8, 1565, Gonzaga<br />

Archives, Mantua.<br />

* On December 19, 1565, *Gievanni Amaderi was <strong>of</strong> opinion that<br />

Este might easily become Pope on account <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> " stretta in-<br />

telligenza che dicene aver fatto con Borromeo et Altaemps."<br />

Este arrived on Sunday evening (December 16) ; <strong>the</strong> first cell was<br />

allotted to him which was a good omen (State Archives, Modena.^.

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

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!