mistress of the vatican.pdf - End Time Deception

Eleanor Herman
It remains unclear how much Innocent knew about Olimpia’s shady
dealings. Though blatant nepotism had become part of church tradition,
Innocent himself had been honest and thrifty. He had loved the
church and had compassion for the poor. Just how much money would
he have allowed her to keep? Her replacement of the honest Cecchini in
the datary with the corrupt Mascambruno was proof that Innocent
would not have approved of all her graft, and she was forced to hide at
least some of it from him.
But there was another tricky legal question. Innocent had exiled
Olimpia from the Vatican, discovered the extent of her corruption, and
then invited her back and pardoned her. Was that, in effect, papal permission
to keep all the money she had taken?
After a fair trial in which Olimpia would be given lawyers and every
means of defending herself, the pope wanted her to make a full restitution
of money determined to be illegally obtained. The investigative
committee of cardinals held debates about how much of the Pamphili
family wealth and property should be sequestered until a verdict was
rendered.
Now the entire family felt threatened. Prince Ludovisi took the opportunity
to visit Spain. The rest of the family met periodically at the
Piazza Navona palace to devise a strategy. The princess of Rossano felt
that Olimpia would be better off leaving Rome under the old adage
“Out of sight, out of mind.” She could pretend her health required her
to take the country air at one of her estates, or she could go on a religious
pilgrimage somewhere.
But Camillo thought a hasty exit would make Olimpia look guilty.
He reportedly advised his mother, “Madam, only a crazy person would
flee his house before it burned. Stay in Rome and seek no other retreat.
Take care of yourself, and we will take care of the rest.” 4 But Olimpia
must have been worried about leaving her fate in the hands of her bungling
son.
The decision whether to stay or leave was made for her. One day she
received word from the pope telling her to leave Rome within three
days. Camillo raced to the Vatican for an audience with the pope, hoping
to change his mind. But Alexander sent word that he would not see
[ 388 ]