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

44
HISTORY OF THE POPES.
for the right moment, and when that time came made his
decision in favour of Ghislieri.
Once the election was an accompHshed fact there was general
rejoicing among the Cardinals that they had given to the
Church the very Pope called for by the times. ^ In the Eternal
City men learned with satisfaction of the unexpected elevation
to the throne of St. Peter of a Cardinal of such holy hfe. As
Caligari said, just as the rules of the Church had not been so
strictly observed for many years past, so it was the general
opinion of all good men that the election would bring about
in a high degree the glory of God and the exaltation of the
Holy See.^ Others, on the contrary, were much alarmed,
because they knew they must expect little from the well
known strictness of the newly elected Pope, and it would
seem that for some time this was the prevailing opinion among
most of the Roman people. The new Pope was not the man
to allow himself to be turned from his purpose, but he said
that with the help of God he hoped to govern in such a way
" Fu fatto dal card. Borromeo davero, che altri rhavevano
proposto de burla per escludere Sirletto. . . , Questo e notorio
a tutto il mondo, che in mano del card. Borromeo era
resclusione de tutti ch'erano in conclave " (C. Borghese to
Cesare Borromeo on February 2, 1566, Arch. stor. Lomb. 1903,
360 f).
^ " Todos salimos los hombres del mundo mas contentos de
ver en esta Silla una persona tan exemplar como los tiempos en
que estamos lo requieren." Pacheco to Philip II. on January 7,
1566, Corresp. dipl. I. 79.
" *" Questa elettione, si come e stata la piu canonica et legitima
che sia stata fatta molti anni sono, cosi da speranza di dovere
resultare in grandissimo servitio di Dio et esaltatione di questa
S** Sede ; et cosi credono et tengono per fermo tutti i boni.
Bene e vero che molti licentiosi ne restano sbigottiti, in
particolare ramico, al quale in questo non potra cadere cosa
piu contraria a suoi disegni, li quali a che fine mirino V. S.
jlima lo sa meglio di tutti." To Commendone on January
9, 1566, Lett, di princ. XXIII. 160**— 161, Papal Secret
Archives.