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

GHISLIERI AND PIUS IV. 5I
appointments, any more than he could the limitations set
upon his powers as Grand Inquisitor by Pius IV.
Since he was manifestly out of favour with Pius IV.,^ it
can easily be understood that Ghislieri seriously thought of
returning to his bishopric of Mondovi, in order to complete
the reforms which he had begun there in 1560. Moreover,
he was so seriously attacked by stone in 1564 that he caused
his monument to be set up in S. Maria sopra Minerva.^ It
is certain that no one in Rome at that time anticipated his
elevation to the Papal throne, and least of all, in his simplicity
and humility, the Cardinal himself, who, when he found himself
faced with the fact of his election, which took him altogether
by surprise, hesitated for a moment before he accepted it.
The very sense of responsibility, which had always made him
shrink from any dignity, was what at length decided him to
obey the call of the Sacred College, for he dared not withstand
the voice of God.'*
Sprung as he was from a poor and obscure family, Pius V.
1 Cf. Arch. stor. Ital., IV., 6, 372.
* In his report on May 17, 1572, of the election of Gregory XIII,,
Cusano, speaking of the way in which Bonelli had gone over to
the side of Boncompagni, remarks : *" a lui e intervenuto come
al card. Borromeo, il quale fece Papa Pio V., che era in tutto
naturale di Paolo IV. et non v'cra cardinale in questo conclave
di questo tempo che fosse stato piii dispregiato et vilipeso da
Pio IV. suo zio che la manca parola che dicesse contra di esso
di frate scarpone [see supra p. 50, n. 2] et che farebbe rotornar
al refettorio, et non ostante questo elesse in pontefice come ha
fatto I'Alessandrino." State Archives, Vienna.
* See the inscription in Catena, 18 ; cf. Dell'Acqua, 37. As
Cardinal, GhisUeri hved in lodgings in the Borgo ; see Avviso di
Roma of Feb. 22, 1567 : *" II Papa ha comprata la casa, nella
quale stava quando era cardinale et dice voler che la goda il card.
Alessandrino mentre vive et dopo la sua morte sara dei suoi
parenti." (Urb. 1040, p. 363b, Vatican Library.) Cf. Lanciani
IV., 22 seq. For the famiglia of the Cardinal see the Rotulo in
Moroni, XXIII., 76 seq.
* See Legaz. di Serristori, 421-423. Cf. *Avviso di Roma of
January 23, 1566, Urb. 1040, Vatican Library.