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

32
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
the rumour of the exclusion of Farnese by Spam, which he had
at first thought it his duty to deny so vigorously, Requesens
later on stated to have probably originated from Farnese
himself, with the idea of winning the support of France.^
Two days later the credulous ambassador had a fresh move
to report, which had reached him from Cardinal Vitelli, through
Marcantonio Colonna. He reports as follows : The adherents
of Farnese are determined to make their leader Pope at aU
costs. If they can get twenty-eight or thirty votes for him
their plan is to place him on the Papal throne in the chapel,
and to keep him there till everyone has paid him homage, even
if it takes two days. In view of Farnese's strong prospects
no one would like to be the last to declare himself for him,
and thus he would win over all the electors by degrees. In
and 4 accessi ; Ricci, 22 and 7 accessi ; Dolera, 25 and 7 accessi.
Obviously this series of votes, rising with so great regularity,
was intended to deceive the curious ambassadors and frighten
them. According to the *report of the conclave for Maximilian
II. (State Archives, Vienna) the true figures for the principal
candidates from December 22, 1565, to January 5, 1566, were as
follows :
o*
December January