THE SCARLET GOWN, Or the HISTORY Of all the preſent CARDINALS OF ROME.
Wherein is ſet forth the LIFE, BIRTH, Intereſt, Poſſibility, rich Offices, Dignities, and charges of every Cardinal now living.
Alſo their Merits, Vertues, and Vices; Together with the cariage of the POPE and Court of ROME.
Written originally in Italian, and tranſlated into Engliſh by H. C. Gent.
LONDON, Printed for Humphrey Moſeley, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the Prince's Armes in St Pauls Church-yard. 1653.
A CARDINAL in his HABIT as hee sitts in the CONSISTORY.
THis ſmall Treatiſe, which I have preſumed to recommend unto the world under your Honours Patronage, beſides the noveltie of the ſubject, ſo little, or not at all touched upon in any Booke, at leaſtwiſe that I have ſeen, ſpeaking our Tongue, cannot be but well received, as I conceive, by all ſuch as any way pretend to the knowledge of forraigne affaires, both for that it treates of ſo principall and active a body and ſociety of men, as that of the Colledge of Cadinalls, Princes Fellowes, as they are reputed, and the greate Councell, and Conſiſtory of that myſterious Head, the Pope of Rome; as alſo becauſe it diſcovers many particularities of the practique as wel in the elections of the ſaid Cardinalls, as likewiſe of their ſeverall intereſts, and hopes they may conceive to themſelves of arriving one day at Peters Chaire; and alſo what kind of Pope each of them is like to prove, in caſe he ſhould attaine to that honour. Moreover I make no queſtion but that it will be a very pleaſing thing to moſt men, to have ſuch a lively character by them, as my Author bere gives, of every one of thoſe Archpoliticians, and Councellors, who have ſuch an influence into all the debates and reſults of that pragmatique Superintendent Court, and Conſiſtory: which Lords and Lawes it, or would willingly doe ſo, over the whole world. Of no leſſe ſatisfaction too, ſuppoſe I, it will bee to ſee ſo clearely chalked out all the ſeverall applications of all the Popiſh Princes and States, eſpecially of the two great Kings of France and Spaine, by their Miniſters, ever Ledger about this Court, to the moſt politique, and powerfull of theſe Cardinals; out-vying each other in the offer of penſions, or indeavoring by the gift of ſpirituall dignities and preferments unto them, to inſure and ingage them as much as poſſible they may, to the eſpouſing the intereſts of that Crown, for which they ſerve; and yet what poore hold notwithſtanding, either of theſe Princes hath of them; and how apt they are upon very ſlight motives to range themſelves on the quite contrary faction, is a matter not unworthy of obſervation. Theſe and ſeverall other Remarques touching the now Cardinalls, the Pope at this day regnant, and his particular family, are preſented in this little Tract, which, I would willingly make my ſelfe beleeve, will bee as delightfull to the judicious, as it was pleaſing to mee in the tranſlating thereof. As for common and perfunctory Readers, I ſhall ſay as Antimachus Clarius ſaid, when in the very interim, as he was reciting a peece which hee had made, all but Plato left him, unus mihi Plato inſtar multorum; for, ſo as your Honour be pleaſed to approve of, and favorablely receive it, the paines I have taken therein are abundantly ſatisfied, what reception ſoever it may finde of others; as having attained the maine end I propoſed to my ſelfe in the publiſhing of it; which was, that it might be as acceptable to your Lordſhip, as it is heartily deſired it ſhould bee, by him, who in all himble affection is,
THE Prince Giovanni Carlo de Medici is Brother to the great Duke of Toſcan, and Nephew to the Cardinal Carlo de Med ci, at this day called the Cardinal of Toſcan. He was promoted by Innocent the tenth in the firſt Promotion, together with his Holyneſs Nephew, at the inſtance of the great Duke, and the Cardinal aforeſaid. He is a Prince of no mean Underſtanding, and an expert Souldier,2 but more at Sea than on Land, becauſe he was for ſome time imployed in the charge of Generaliſſimo at Sea, commanding the Catholique Fleets; for which cauſe he alwaies hath been, and will be, moſt devoted to the Houſe of Auſtria; beſides the open profeſſion all his Houſe makes thereof, which live under the protection of that Crown. He is a jovial Lord, and loves Women a little too much. He is by nature Covetous, nothing Bountifull, but rather Niggardly. All the Houſe of Medici is no great friend of the Family of the Barbarini, for divers publique, and private cauſes, and in particular for the War made with thoſe Princes, to all the world known.
DOmenico Cecchini, a Roman Gentleman, about fifty three years of age: He hath been long a Prelate, and alwayes held good correſpondence with the Cardinal Pamphilio, who coming to be Pope promoted him joyntly, though he did not3 name him in the firſt Promotion; but he was the firſt named in the ſecond. Before he was Cardinal, his Holyneſs conferred upon him the charge of Datarie Apoſtolical; an Office verily of great profit, which he exerciſes ſtill now that he is Cardinal. He is a Learned man, and well verſt in the matters of the Court. It is ſaid, that this Cardinal was promoted by his Holyneſs, to gratifie him for ſome ſervices he had done him in divers occurrences, and particularly in the ſute depending between the Marqueſs Giuſtiniano, and his Father; for that he had twice pronounced Sentence in favour of the Marqueſs, Nephew to his Holyneſs; beſides ſeveral other cauſes, for which he merited the Popes grace. This perſonage is old, but not enough for the Papacy. He is a man Affable, Prudent, and repleat with Virtuous qualities. In the time of his Prelateſhip he was alwaies accounted Juſt, no notable defect being known in him. When he was young he took ſome recreation, but without ſcandal; howbeit now that he is Cardinal, he ſhews himſelf more laſcivious, although he thinks his ſecrets & intelligences are not penetrated into, whilſt he is very much pleaſed with women. He4 pretends enough unto the Papacy, is well looked upon in the Court, being loved, and reverenced of all, and maintains himſelf neutral.
NIcolò Albergati of the Bologneſe Nobility, forty years of age: He was Archbiſhop of Bologna, which dignity was reſigned unto him in the beginning of the Papacy of Innocent the tenth by the Cardinal Colonna, being ſo charged with Penſions, that of the great Revenues of that Church the poor Lord could hardly receive two thouſand Crowns a year. The Prince Lodoviſio, who took to Wife the Popes Niepce, was deſirous to have a Cardinal in his Houſe for the new raiſing up the memory of his decayed Family; but becauſe he had no Brothers, nor other Kinſmen, he beſought his Holyneſs to grant him the grace to make the ſayd Nicolò Albergati, his Couſen by a Feminine line, Cardinal, and with a Brieve declare him Brother to his Excellency, upon condition that he ſhould call himſelf the Cardinal5 Lodiviſio, as accordingly his Holyneſs vouchſafed to gratifie him. The ſaid Prince is ſince dead without Heirs, ſo that the Lodoviſian Family remains extinct. The Cardinal aforeſaid is very poor, and therefore is now relieved, and lodged, as the Prince's Brother, in his houſe. When as he was going to the reſidence of his Church, the Pope ordained him to paſs by Florence, with the title of Legat Apoſtolical, and there in the name of his Holyneſs to Chriſten a Son that was born to the great Duke; in which voyage he was by him ſumptuouſly entertained, and afterwards, at his departure from that City, he was by his Highneſs preſented with very fair, and rich Hangings of Tapeſtry; and his ſervants alſo with great gifts; but when his Eminencie would in ſome ſort have recompenced the ſame to his Highneſs Courtiers, they were expreſly forbidden by him from taking of any thing. This Cardinal is of great underſtanding, rarely qualified, and of an holy converſation, never omitting any Function which is to be performed by him in his Church; and being of an Exemplary life, he is much eſteeemed of by all the City. I am perſwaded, that he will continually6 maintain himſelf in that conceit, which he hath at this preſent, that at length he may become Pope; and that happning, he would make the Church happy. He is affected to the Crown of Spain, for that the Prince Lodoviſio was much intereſſed with that Majeſty, in regard all his Eſtate lay in the Kingdome of Naples. The French will much oppoſe him for divers reſpects; the chief are, becauſe he is of the Spaniſh Faction; and that which is of greater conſequence, for that the ſaid French have deprived the Prince Lodoviſio his Brother, of the Principality of Piombino, which his Excellency bought of King Philip the fourth for the ſumme of five hundred thouſand Crowns; and now it is ſaid, that they will confer it on the Father of the Cardinal Mazarino.
HOratio Giuſtiniano, ſeventy yeares of age, and Father of the Congregation of the Lord Philippo Neri: He is by birth a Genoueſe, and Couſen to the deceaſed Marqueſs, Giuſtiniano, whom he perſwaded to make the preſent Prince his heir, at ſuch time as he ſerved him in the place of his Chamberlain, though he were far from that Line, ſeeing the Prince is a native of Sicilia, and the deceaſed Marqueſs was a Genoueſe. In the beginning of the Papacy of Innocent the tenth, it was held for an undoubted matter of every one, that the Prince would demand the Scarlet Gown, either for his Father, or his Brother; howbeit they were not onely not promoted, but by an Order, ore tenus, of his Holyneſs, they were baniſhed from Rome, with a Declaration that they ſhould return into Sicilia, their country: And what was the occaſion of theſe motives could not be truly penetrated into; but for ſo much as I can underſtand, it was, becauſe the Father of the ſaid Prince having cōmenced a8 ſute againſt his Son, upon pretence that he was to adminiſter the goods which the Marqueſs had left behind him, againſt the will of his Holyneſs, who, in the time when he was Cardinal, had with reiterated inſtances prayed him to deſiſt from his pretenſion, but with much arrogance he went peeviſhly on in his obſtinate purpoſe. The Prince, as it is ſayd, out of his gratitude to his benefactors, demanded the Scarlet Gown for Giuſtiniano, who had beſides been an intimate friend of his Holyneſs whilſt he was Cardinal. He is a man old in years, of good converſation, affable of acceſs, and of an exemplary life, but of mean underſtanding, and pretends not much to the Papacy; wherefore he declares not himſelf of any Faction, remaining independent and neutral. He ſeldom cuts his Beard, it may be for that he would ſeem older than he is. He is a poor Cardinal, having nothing elſe, than that his poor Patrimony, which he enjoyes in his Congregation, and what he comes to be ſupplyed with by his Holyneſs. He is Biſhop of Nocera in Umbria. He would not be any good Pope, either for the poor, or for the people, ſince, as a Genoueſe, he would encreaſe Taxes and Impoſitions. This9 Cardinal is not much favoured in the ſacred College; and although he ſhews himſelf neutral, yet is he inwardly much devoted to the Catholique King, but outwardly is French. Our holy Father hath declared him grand Penitentiary.
CIbò, thirty five years of age: He was a Prelate, and Sonne to the Prince of Maſſa & Canara, and as ſoon as the Cardinal Pamphilio was made Pope, his Holyneſs declared him Steward of the Apoſtolical Palace; and becauſe the ſaid Cibò his Palace was near unto that of his Holynes, he made him a liberal tender thereof, to the end he might enlarge it with his, but the Pope refuſed to accept of it as a gift, but took it by way of ſale; the rather, becauſe that Palace was ſubject to a ſtrict Feoffment in truſt. The ſaid Cibò held great correſpondence of friendſhip and confidence with the aboveſaid Pamphilio, who knowing his merit, did in contemplation of Innocent the eighth, of the moſt noble Family of the10 Cibòes in Genoua, that was the original of the greatneſs of the Pamphilian. Houſe, by exalting that Family unto Eccleſiaſtical dignities and Prelatures, promote him the ſayd Cibò to the Scarlet Gown; and for that cauſe alſo took upon him the name of Innocent the tenth. This young Cardinal is of much integrity, virtue, and goodneſs of life. He hath in all the time of his Prelateſhip alwayes imitated the behaviour and carriage of the Cardinal Pamphilio, retiring himſelf not onely from univerſal commerce, but alſo from that of Prelates, except it be in urgent occaſions. He is by nature Studious, and little given to Mirth, but is much delighted with hearing of Muſique. He is devoted to the Houſe of Auſtria, for that his Progenitors lived under the protection of that Crown. He is loved, and well regarded, as well by the Pope, as by all the ſacred College. He pretends enough to the Papacy, for which end, it is believed, he lives ſo retired.
PIer Luigi Caraffa was by Urban the eighth made Biſhop of Tricario in Rego; and afterwards by the ſame Pope ſent Nuntio into Germany, and to Liege in Elanders; at which time Sachetti, the Biſhop of Gravina, was by him alſo ſent into Spain, with a purpoſe to promote both of them to the Scarlet Gown; but at the inſtance of the Colonneſi, Caraffa remained excluded, Sachetti being onely promoted: And after he had abode a long time in that his employment of Nuntio he was recalled to the Court, where the poor Lord thought to receive the due reward of his labours; And being arrived at Rome, after his continuance there ſome weeks, he reſolved cunningly to try his fortune, by craving leave, as he did, to go unto his Reſidence, to the end that by the anſwer the Pope ſhould give him, he might conjecture what his good, or bad diſpoſition was towards him, and ſo might afterwards direct his life accordingly: But Urban, not onely gave him his benediction with both hands, but〈…〉12ſayd unto him, My Lord, goe the more cheerfully, becauſe we will not forget your deſerts; Which Caraffa hearing, abſented himſelf from the Court, and arriving at his Reſidence, he never went from it, untill his Holyneſs, after ſome ten or eleven years paſt of his Papacy, cauſed him to be called to the Court in the year 1642. ſo as all the world was perſwaded, that it was to promote him unto the Scarlet Gown; but being arrived there, it was publiſhed, that he was come to viſit the Temple of the Apoſtles; and not called by his Holyneſs; and the occaſion thereof was, becauſe the Colonneſi, foreſeeing that the Scarlet Gown was deſigned for him, upon his arrival, returned anew to preſs the Pope, that he ſhould not promote him; and among the reſt Donna Anna Barbarina, Wife to Don Tadeo, went unto him, and with reiterated prayers, and much weeping, perſwaded Urban not to make him Cardinal, as indeed he did not. But Urban himſelf repented him of it, for he was heard one day to utter theſe preciſe words, God forgive him, who was the cauſe, that I did not make Pier Luigi Caraffa Cardinal; and this he ſayd many times, according to report: howſoever he was fain to goe away from Rome,13 as he came: but Innocent the tenth, when as in the ſecond Promotion he promoted his Nephew, gave him the Scarlet Gown, becauſe he knew him worthy of that dignity; and Caraffa himſelf expected it from his hands, as ſoon as he heard of his Holyneſs aſſumption to the Papacy; for he well remembred theſe words which he ſpake to him, when as in the time of Urban he was departing towards the Reſidence of his Church; My Lord, it grieves me much, that your Lordſhip goes from Court with ſo little ſatisfaction, not having received the deſerved reward of your labours. Unto whom Caraffa anſwered, I will pray our Lord God, that he will make me worthy to receive it from your hands; to this Pamphilio replyed, I have no ſuch pretenſion, but be aſſured if it ſhould happen to be ſo, you ſhall be one of the firſt I will think upon; as indeed it fell out; for after the promotion of his Nephew, he was the next that he gave the Hat unto, being at that time in his biſhoprick of Tricaria: and beſides his Merits, there was a certain obligation of kindred between them; for whilſt Innocent was a Prelate, and Nuntio at Naples, having brought along with him thither all his Family, together with his brother and his wife, his Nephew, called Camillo Pamphilio,14 the now Husband of the Princeſs Roſſano, was born in the ſayd city of Naples, and the Prince Don Tiberio Caraffa, this Cardinals brother, was his Godfather. This perſon is moſt deſerving, both for his own good qualities, and the ſervices he hath done to the Apoſtolick Sea. He is exceeding well verſt in all matters of the Conſiſtories and Congregations; his Votes are held in great eſteem, and the Pope makes much account of him; ſo doth the ſacred College, and every one elſe. He is a man of approved goodneſs of life, and hath alwayes ſhunned converſations for the avoyding of ſcandals; he ſeeks, as much as may be, to live retired, devoutly reverencing God, and making all his Family to doe the like; and it is held for certain, by them which know him, that he is ſtill a Virgin. This Cardinal hath in the ſacred College no Enemies, either ſecret or open, unleſs it be the Colonneſi, who, as before, would not have had him Cardinal, ſo doe they not now for certain deſire he ſhould riſe to the Papacy, but will uſe all their force and power to keep him from it. He would be a good Pope, for the benefit, not onely of the Roman Church, but of all Chriſtendome. He15 hath many, and divers Nephews, but the moſt beloved, and neareſt to him, are the Sonnes of the Count Celano, of the Houſe of Piccolomini; and thoſe of the Marqueſs of Anſé: Howbeit if ever he ſhould come to be Pope, Teatino would be the reigning Cardinal, unto whom he hath reſigned the Biſhoprick of Tricario; a man Learned, of good Life, and great Authority. The Prince of Biſignano, Don Tiberio Caraffa, his Brother, is Knight of the Golden-Fleece. He is curteous, affable, of an exemplary life, and very charitable, ſo that for his noble qualities he is well looked upon, and univerſally beloved of all the City of Naples, which calls him Pater Patriae, for that he favours the poor ſo much.
FEderico Sforza, four and forty years of age, a Roman Nobleman, and Brother to the Duke of that Surname. He was a Prelate in the College of the participating Protonotaries in the time of Urban, and had no other imployment than to be16 Vice-Legat in Avignon, being ſent thither by the Cardinal Antonio the Legat, with an intent to promote him alſo to the Cardinalſhip, but it did not follow for ſome private intereſts. Innocent the tenth, for that he would not ſee a Houſe ſo renowned, and ſo well affected unto him, to be without the Scarlet Gown, made him Cardinal. He is a man of good underſtanding, but not very rich, and therefore ſomewhat miſerable. His Holyneſs after the flight of the Cardinal Antonio made him Vicechamberlain of the holy Church. He is a jovial Lord, loves Comedies and Feaſts; and in particular when he was a Prelate, he delighted much in company. His Inclination is French for two reaſons; the firſt, becauſe he was Vice-Legat at Avignon; and the ſecond, for that there is continually ſeen in his Palace great ſtore of French; but he ſeems to be neutral, except it be for the Pope: Others ſay, that he will become Spaniſh, in regard of the feudes, and eſtates, which Duke Sforza, his brother, poſſeſſeth in the State of Milan; being lately too left heir of many Gaſtles by the death of a Milaneſe Lord, his Kinſman. He is no great friend of Cardinal Antonio, becauſe he cauſed17 him, upon hope of making him Cardinal; to ſell him at a very low rate the Palace of Sforza's Court, ſince called Cardinal Antonio's; but being afterwards given by the ſaid Antonio to the Queen of France, it is now named the Royal Palace, where the Ambaſſador of the moſt Chriſtian King reſides; and where alſo the Princes and Lords that come out of France doe uſually lodge.
TIberio Cenci, a Roman, fifty five years old; he was a Biſhop, and promoted to the Scarlet Gown at the inſtance of the Prince Borgheſe, Nephew to Paul the fifth, as the neareſt of his Kinſmen that was capable of that dignity, for that there was none other of the houſe of Borgheſe which was fit, and of age to receive the Hat. He was poor, and therefore was aſſiſted with a good ſum of money by the ſayd Prince, who offered him for his habitation the lodgings of the Cardinal Borgheſe in his own Palace; but he was thanked by Cenci,18 without accepting thereof, ſaying, that he would make uſe of his favour upon occaſion; nevertheleſs the ſaid Prince beſtowed on him ſeveral ſuits of Tapeſtry hangings, and furnitures for chambers. The ſayd Cenci is Nephew to Cardinal Lanti, in whoſe houſe he remained ſome time after he had reeeived the Scarlet Gown, but now he is removed into the houſe where Cardinal Pio dwelt, in the Ceſarinies ſtreet. He is a perſon capable of being Pope, of ſome value, and well looked upon by the Court, but he is of no credit with the Princes, though he be a good man, as having been a long time exerciſed in the Congregation of the Lord Philippo Neri in the new Church. He hath no defect in him, and if he ſhould live to a Conclave, he might likewiſe pretend to the Papacy, and the great Duke of Toſcan would ayd him much, in regard he is the Kinſman of his Kinſmen; but I am perſwaded, that whoſoever ſhall goe about to raiſe him, will labour in vain, for that the memory is yet freſh of that cruell and infamous ſucceſs happening unto the Houſe of the Cenci, which I will not leave unrecounted. There were three children of the ſayd Houſe, one Daughter and two Sons, moſt19 noble Romans: whoſe Father being very rich, and well ſtricken in years, was ſo wretchedly covetous that he would allow his Sons in a manner nothing, nor marry his Daughter; who for her beauty was much deſired, & ſued unto by the beſt Nobility of Rome, becauſe he would not part with money. This old man too was ſomewhat crackt brain'd, ſo that he would oftentimes play many odde pranks; in regard whereof the Daughter one day calling her Nurſe, ſayd unto her, that they ſhould doe well to take her Father, and throw him out of the window, for ſo he being dead they ſhould be maſters of all. The Nurſe, together with one of the Sons, gave conſent to her motion, and having accordingly put it in execution, they fell a weeping & crying out as ſoon as the deed was done, that the old man in one of his frantick fits had caſt himſelf out of the window. This comming to the ears of the Magiſtrates, they were all three, together with the younger Son, committed to priſon; and diligent inquiſition being made on the body of the deceaſed, to ſee whither by force he had been thrown out by others, or that he had precipitated himſelf, there were ſignes found ſufficient to20 put the delinquents to torture. Whereupon being examined, and comming to be rack'd, the young mayd, that was ſome ſixteen years of age, ſuddenly confeſſed ever thing, which being acknowledged by the other two, they were condemned to death; and afterwards being brought to to the place of execution, the Maid and her Brother were both beheaded; and the other brother, that was in a manner but a child, and not reputed any way guilty, was onely made to ſtand under the Scaffold all the while. Now in regard of all this, I ſhould think it a ſtrange matter that ever this Cardinal ſhould attain to the Papacy: howſoever he is a man affable, courteous in his dealings, and of a good diſpoſition. He hath not declared himſelf of any party, but profeſſeth to be neutral.
BEnedetto Odeſchalco, a Nobleman of the City of Milan, 45 years of age; he was a rich Prelate, and a long time courted Barbarino, out of a deſire he had to be Clerk of the Chamber; which Don Barbarino promiſed unto him, having to that effect received the money for it before hand; yet for all that he could never obtain his intent. But after the death of Urban, he fell to courting the Lady Olimpia, Siſter-in-law to his Holyneſs, who reigneth at this preſent; and having divers times preſented her with gifts, he at length got into her favour, and in particular by an action uſed by him, which is worthy to be noted; and it was this. Going one day, about the beginning of the Aſſumption of Innocent the tenth, to the houſe of the ſaid Lady Olimvia, a Goldſmith came and ſhewed her a Cupbord of very fair Plate to ſell; which ſhe having viewed very well, in the preſence of the ſaid Odeſchalco, and other Lords, ſhe ſaid, that it was a curious and goodly Cupbord of Plate, but that ſhe was22 a poor Widdow, and was not able to buy it; and ſaying ſo, paſt into her chamber. Whereupon Odeſchalco calling the Goldſmith unto him, asked him what the price of it was; and being agreed, he paid him down eight thouſand Crowns for it; then, without ſaying any thing elſe, he ſent it in as a preſent from him to the ſaid Lady Olimpia: who ſeeing ſo noble a gift, was ſo taken with it, that ſhe went to the Pope, and begged of him for Odeſchalco not only the Clerkſhip of the Chamber, but afterwards alſo the Scarlet Gown. This Cardinal is of mean underſtanding, and though he hath ſpent much, yet he is rich, ſplendid, affable in his ſpeech, and well affected to all the Pamphilian Houſe. Whilſt he was a Prelate he was much given to Sports, Comedies, and Feaſts; now he abſtains both from common commerce, and converſation. He is a vaſſal to the Catholique King, and therefore will be alwaies of the Auſtrian Faction, unleſs it bee when his Country ſhall change its Maſter.
Innocent the tenth hath in theſe Promotions created eleven Cardinals, and two Hats remained vacant; but by the death of the Cardinal Borgia in Spain, of the23 Cardinal Capucino in Rome, and alſo of the Cardinal Farneſe, there comes to be five Hats vacant in the ſacred Colledge.
FAbritio Savelli, a Roman, and the ſon of Prince Savelli, Ambaſſacor in this Court for the Emperors Majeſty. He is old in years, having ſerved in the Wars of Germany with the title of General: He hath been oftentimes made a priſoner by the Switzers, and the laſt time that he was ſo, he corrupted his guard, and fled together with them to Rome; where rewarding them, he gave them a houſe and means to live withall. In the time of the War that Urban the eighth waged againſt the Princes of Italy, he was declared General of the Army that oppoſed the great Duke of Toſcan, wherein he carryed himſelf ſomewhat ſlackly, for that he might have damnified the enemy, and did it not; the reaſon of it was, becauſe he conſidered the decrepit age of Urban, and the little time that he was likely to live; ſo that he held24 it no wiſdom to make ſo potent a Prince, as he was, his enemy; wherefore he was called home from the Camp, and Don Taeo Barbarino, his Holyneſs Nephew, was ſent thither as Generaliſſimo. This Family, both for the Antiquity and Nobility of it, enjoyes divers prerogatives and priviledges; amongſt the which one is, that in the time of the vacancy of the Apoſtolick Sea, he keeps the Keyes of the Conclave, and may for the guard of his perſon raiſe ſouldiers at the charge of the Chamber, ſo far forth as need ſhall require: And he may alſo execute Juſtice on the lives, not only of private men, but likewiſe of thoſe of quality; and in that of Urban the eighth, he committed to priſon certain Regiſters, that by ſecret waies carried Letters into the Conclave to ſome Cardinals; and, it is ſaid, that he ſent them afterwards into the Galleys, having alſo threatned to hang them: Signior Giulca Donati, Auditor to Cardinal Antonio, was beheaded in the Caſtle of St. Angelo, for going about without leave to ſpeak with the ſaid Cardinal his Maſter; and to that effect are Gallows erected in St. Peters Piatza. This Family hath had two Popes, and a great many Cardinals; and it was25 verily beleeved, a little before Urban the eighths death, that the deceaſed Cardinal Savelli would have been Pope, becauſe he was a man of an approved good life, charitable, and indued with all the qualities appertaining to an high Biſhop; and it was the rather ſo beleeved, for that in certain mountainous places, as one goes towards the Sea-ſhore of Siena, there was a Marble ſtone found with an Epitaph upon it, which ſaid, that in the year 1645. there ſhould be a Pope of the houſe of Savelli, and in the very ſame ſtone were the armes of Savelli engraven. This Fabritio, whilſt his Uncle the Cardinal lived, was called the Abbot Savelli; but his ſaid Uncle being Arch-biſhop of Salerno, obtained leave to reſign his Arch-biſhoprick, to the end it might be conferred on his ſaid Nephew Fabritio, as accordingly it was; and going afterwards to his Reſidence there, he carried himſelf in ſuch ſort, as he was well regarded by the people of that place: In proceſs of time he began to grow ſo covetous, and deſirous of gain, that he would not have ſtuck to have made away half a ſcore men for money. It is not many moneths ſince he returned to the Court, where he abode till ſuch time as he was26 promoted; for Innocent being as ardent in raiſing the Roman Nobility, as Urban was intent in depreſſing it, he held it inconvenient, that ſo renowned a Houſe ſhould remain deprived of thoſe honors, with which in times paſt they alwaies ſuperabounded; wherefore his Holyneſs made this Fabritio a Cardinal; who is a man of good converſation, amiable, gratefull, and very underſtanding; but with all he is proud, making little account of other Families. Theſe Savelli are altogether Auſtrian, and are of near of kin to the Cardinal Montalto, whoſe heirs they ſhall be after his deceaſe; they are alſo allyed to the Orſini and Ceſarini. This Cardinal is no great friend to the Ambaſſador of France, who affronted him by denying him audience, becauſe he went firſt to viſit the Ambaſſador of Spain.
FRanceſco Cherubino da monte Bodio nella Marca; this man came privately to Rome, and ſerved the Cardinal Pamphilio, at this preſent Pope; a long time, with great ſatisfaction to his Holyneſs: afterwards finding himſelf able for it, he put himſelf into the Prelacie, and having exerciſed divers charges in the Eccleſiaſtical ſtate, it fortuned that Don Pamphilio was made Pope, who out of gratitude to reward him, received him anew into his ſervice in the Apoſtolical Palace, and declared him his ſecret Auditor: After ſome time of reſidence in the Apoſtolical Palace, he was promoted to the dignity of Cardinal, with five others. This perſon is a man of ripe years, prudent, and affable; divers will have him to be ſomewhat a kin to his Holyneſs. He hath great Penſions, is of a good diſpoſition, and a friend to the poor: He is not much for the Princes, becauſe he is a private man, but if he live, his Holyneſs, no doubt will confer on him ſome Apoſtolical, or Provincial28 Legateſhip, to the end he may give a proof of his abilities.
CHriſtoffero Vidman, a native of the City of Venice; ſome will have him deſcended of baſe parentage; and the truth is, his Anceſtors were but mean perſons, that in Venice made profeſſion of Merchants Factors, who in proceſs of time attaining to ſome wealth, began to trade in Merchandiſe themſelves; whereby Giovanni Vidman, the Father of the now reigning Sons, got no ordinary riches, in ſuch ſort as he bought divers Caſtles and Lands in Carinthia and Ortenburg: His Sons were in number five, that is, Giovanni Paolo, which is dead, Lodovico, Martin, David, and Chriſtofforo, the preſent Cardinal; who together with his brother David came to Rome in the time of Urban, where Chriſtoffero, putting himſelf into the Prelacy, bought the Clerk of the Chambers place, and ſo began to make ſhew of the Talent29 which God had given him. Afterwards the Auditor of the ſame Chambers place being voyd, by Urbans promoting him that enjoyed it to the Scarlet Gown, the ſaid Chriſtofforo received that charge alſo, upon paying the uſual price for it. But within a while Urban the eighth dyed, and Pamphilio, Innocent the tenth, was created Pope: who ſeeing the want the Chamber was in, ſupplyed it after the wonted manner, by ſelling the Offices of the Clerk and Auditor of the Apoſtolical Chamber, which Vidman poſſeſſed, who was therefore promoted to the Scarlet Gown, together with the Lord Raggi, Treaſurer General of the holy Church, and four other perſons, the ſeventh of October in the year 1647. This Cardinal is of a goodly preſence, of a luſty complexion, young, and one that loves the world. His Brother David is of the ſame condition he is of, delighting in Sports, Comedies, and Feaſts, and that not without Women. They are now Gentlemen of Venice, to which Nobilitie they attained by paying down an hundred thouſand Duckats for it, according to the Decree made by that Republique in the time of their neceſſities, occaſioned by their War againſt the Turk. 30This Cardinal is of a good diſpoſition, merry, facetious, amiable, friendly, and courteous, reſpecting every one, and honouring them that honour him; he is alſo very ſplendid, ſo that he may well be ſaid to be derived of the noble German and Venetian Nation.
LOrenzo Raggi, a Nobleman of Genoua of the new Nobility, Nephew to the deceaſed Cardinal of the ſame ſurname; which deceaſed Cardinal putting himſelf into the Prelacie in the time of Urban the eighth, bought the place of Clerk of the Chamber, as alſo that afterwards of Auditor of the ſame: And becauſe he was not onely ſimple, but altogether ignorant, he was every where known to be ſuch; for he never imployed himſelf in any other thing but in giving publique audience pro forma: His ignorance was openly diſcovered in all occaſions, and in particular in a ſute depending before him, where the Proctor of the one ſide, deſiring to defend31 his Clients cauſe, found that the Auditor Raggi adhered to the adverſe party, and therefore began to demonſtrate unto his honourable Lordſhip many lively reaſons for the maintainance thereof, alledging divers Authors, and in particular ſaid, that the Codice in ſuch a Law made good his Plea. My Lord Raggi, in regard that which the Proctor affirmed was prejudicial to the party he favoured, conceived according to his ignorant opinion, that the Codice was ſome witneſs to be produced in judgement, and therefore ſaid unto the Proctor theſe preciſe words, I will throughly chaſtiſe this Codice; and then demanded of him where he was, becauſe he would have him apprehended and ſent to the Gallyes. The Proctor anſwered that he was to be found in his Clients Advocates houſe; whereupon he commanded a Notary to ſend ſome Officers along with the Proctor to the ſaid Advocates houſe, to apprehend the Codice; which being accordingly performed, the Codice was delivered unto them, who thought it was ſome prohibited book, and that therefore they were ordered to ſeize upon it; ſo they carried it to my Lord Raggi, who was then Auditor of the Chamber;32 and the Proctor being arrived there with them, opened the book, and found out the Law by him before cited; which Raggi ſeeing, remained like a ſtatue, quite beſides himſelf. Now the ſport and paſtime that was made of this matter throughout the City came to the eares of Urban the eighth, who was ready to burſt with laughing at it. Another time it hapned, that another Proctor came before him to defend another cauſe at his houſe, which was juſt oppoſite to the Capranick College, where were divers mad wags, who as often as they ſaw him look out of his window, cryed out, Bragone, bragone, that is, great breeches or ſlops; ſo that after he was made Cardinal, the common people ever after called him, as they had done, Bragone. Now whilſt the Proctor was attentive in pleading of his cauſe, he anſwered the Scholars of the ſaid Colledge, ſaying, the Galleys, the Galleys. The Proctor beleeving that he ſpake in that manner againſt his Client, anſwered, My honorable Lord, the poor man, my Client, deſerves not the puniſhment of the Galleys; but in the mean time Raggi, ſeeing thoſe too inſolent Scholars continue on ſtill mocking him, cryed out with a loud voice, Not the33 Galleys, but the Gallows; which the Proctor hearing, ſaid, as it were vext, My Lord, ſince you will needs ſend to the Galleys, and hang one that no waies deſerves it, you may doe as you pleaſe; and ſo went away from him. Before he was made Cardinal, he cauſed a Cardinals garments to be made for him, and putting them on, he walked up and down his houſe, and asked of his friends how they became him, and whether he did not walk gravely enough in them: And out of the great deſire he had to be a Cardinal, he went one day to the Pope, who loved him for his harmleſs ſimplicity, and after he had kiſſed his foot, he ſaid, Holy Father, make me a Cardinal, and ſo give ſatisfaction to the poor old man my Father. After he was promoted to the Scarlet Gown, he went to thank his Holyneſs, and imbracing him ſaid, I cannot chuſe but hugge and kiſs you, for joy that you have made me a Cardinal. Pope Urban the eighth delighted ſo much in this man, as can hardly be expreſt, the truth whereof doth appear by the effects; for he not onely made him a Cardinal, but alſo at his inſtance gave the Treaſurorſhip General to Lorenzo Raggi, his Nephew; unto whom, for a cloſing up of all other his extravagancies, he ſaid34 openly; Nephew, if you will arrive unto that which I have attained unto, you muſt labour to carry your ſelf, and do as I have done. Whereat, not onely all the ſtanders by, but even his Nephew himſelf, could not forbear laughing. Not long after the Treaſurorſhip was conferred on Lorenzo, the Cardinal his Uncle died, and made his Brother, the Marqueſſe Raggi, his heir; for which cauſe there hath been a good while ſome diſtaſt between the two brothers, the Treaſuror and the Marqueſs. The ſaid Lorenzo Raggi was in the time of Urban Superintendant of the Impoſitions laid upon the State Eccleſiaſtical; during which charge of his, there fell out many diſorders; for in the Barbarini War, the Souldiers could not have their pay; ſo that two dayes after Innocent the tenth was aſſumed to the Papacy, thoſe Souldiers that were appointed for the guard of the Conclave began to mutinie, becauſe his Holyneſs having ordained that every one of them ſhould have four moneths pay, and ſo be diſmiſſed, Raggi would give them but two; wherewith they being very much incenſed, fell furiouſly to aſſaulting the houſe he was in, which they ſacked, and plundered all the money they found in it;35 chaſing the ſaid Raggi into Don Tadeos Palace, where he ſhut up himſelf for fear of his life; but the ſouldiers beſieged him in it, and were bringing two peeces of Cannon to beat down the gates, had not Innocent the tenth, newly elected, with his prudence given remedy thereunto. Howſoever his Holyneſs was much offended with him for this buſineſs, and every body thought, that he would have deprived him of his charge, and made him reſign up his Treaſurors place; but afterwards, at the interceſſion of divers perſons, the matter went no further, and in the end he was promoted to the Scarlet Gown in the ſecret conſiſtory of the fourth of October 1647. This Cardinal is young, about ſome five and twenty years of age, and of a good converſation, but ambitious, and covetous: He is not over-learned, nor ignorant, but holds the mean betwixt both.
FRanceſco Maidalchini, a native of the City of Viterbo, and Nephew by her Brother to the Lady Olimpia, the Siſter-inlaw of Pope Innocent the tenth. This Cardinal was a youth void of all manner of converſation, not being able to carry himſelf with any civility; and therefore he was kept in a Colledge, to learn not onely humane letters, but alſo good manners. Suddenly, upon the making of Innocent the tenth Pope, the Lady Donna Olimpia, his Aunt, procured an Abbots place for him; with which he lived reaſonably well, but altogether unknown to the world. Afterwards, the Lord Camillo Pamphilio, Sonne to the ſame Lady Donna Olimpia, and the Popes onely Nephew, being promoted to the Scarlet Gown, it hapned, that by the death of the Prince Don Paolo Borgheſe, the Lady Donna Olimpia Aldobrandina, Princeſs of Roſſana, his Wife, became a Widdow, with whoſe beauty and riches the Cardinal Pamphilio was ſo taken, as he abandoned the Scarlet Gown, and married her. 37But the poor Prince Don Camillo was much troubled thereupon, for that by the Papal Buls it was ordered, that the Cardinals which renounced their Hats, and took Wives, ſhould not enter into the Roman Court for a certain prefixed time of ſome moneths: Howbeit he obeyed, in hope he ſhould obtain of the Pope his Uncle a diſpenſation for his return unto the Court. But Donna Olimpia, his Mother, conſidering, that if he and his Wife ſhould come to abide in the Court, the authority and power which ſhe had with the Pope might be diſturbed, laboured with all her indeavour to keep the Pope from permitting their return thither; ſaying, that it was not fit to have ſo many Olimpian Ladies in the Court, becauſe one alone (meaning her ſelf) was enough. This comming to the eares of the Princeſs, Don Camillo's Wife, ſhe, as a Lady extracted of ſo illuſtrious an Houſe, could not chuſe but very much reſent it, inſomuch as ſhe imparted it to many Cardinals of the Court; and the like did alſo the Prince Don Camillo her Huſband, with threatning revenge. Which being underſtood by the widdow Mother, Donna Olimpia, who being of a man-like, bitter, and vindicative nature, was ſo provoked38 therewith, that hearing how his Holyneſs was minded to promote to the Scarlet Gown one of the Houſe of Pamphilio, ſhe went and ſo conjured him, as ſhe diverted him from that purpoſe, and withall drew him to promiſe to make the aforeſaid Franceſco Maidalchini Cardinal, as accordingly he did in the Conſiſtory of the ſeventh of October 1647. At which promotion, not onely the Court ſtood amazed, but all the forraign Princes likewiſe, who mightily blamed it: But it was brought to paſs by the cunning of Donna Olimpia, to the end ſhe might introduce him into the ſame command of the State Eccleſiaſtical, which Barbarino had enjoyed under Ʋrban the eighth; and having given a beginning unto it, in regard he was unfit for buſineſs, ſhe, with the conſent of his Holyneſs, put him under the ſchooling of the Cardinals Panzirolo and Cherubino, that he might be inſtructed by them in the affairs of the Court; and not contented herewith, ſhe oftentimes ſolicited the Pope, becauſe he had no Cardinal Nephew, to declare him for ſuch, to no other end but to take away all hope from the Prince, her Son, and his Wife, of future authority and adherence, & his Holyneſs was enclined to39 condiſcend thereunto. But it comming to the ears of the Nuns his Siſters, they all joyned together, with the Princeſs Lodoviſia, the Prince Camillo's Siſter, and going in great fury to the Pope, they with much reſentment gave him to underſtand, that it was very inconvenient for him to declare any perſon of a ſtrange Family Cardinal Nephew; and that yeelding thereunto, he would give all the world occaſion to talk of it: and in this manner they drew his Holyneſs to promiſe them, that he would never permit any ſuch thing. About the ſame time the Pope fell ſick of a retention of urine, ſo that it was thought he would have dyed: whereupon the Prince Camillo went in ſecret to viſit his Uncle, who received him very lovingly, and calling Cardinal Panziroli to him, he willed him to deliver unto the ſaid Prince his Nephew the money that was in his keeping, which amounted unto two millions and an half; and then to keep the Mother from beng diſtaſted at his coming to the Court, he cauſed it to be given out, that he was gone to Caprarola, whilſt in the mean time he lay cloſe in a private houſe unknown. But Donna Olimpia, underſtanding that the money was conſigned unto the Prince her40 Son, took on ſo exceedingly at it, that ſhe remained ſome daies ſick therwith; for ſhe verily beleeved that it ſhould have come unto her hands, according to the hope his Holyneſs had given her of it; and they continue ſtill with great diſturbance amongſt themſelves, in the tearms whereof I have before given ſome hint. It is held for certain, that our Lord the Pope very much repented the promoting of Maidalchini, in regard it is univerſally known how ignorant he is, being ſcarce able to talk; and therefore he is of ſo little eſteem with the other Cardinals, that they make, as it were, a gaming ſtock of him. Beſides, he himſelf never humours any one, nor returns a curteſie to any that honours him; and therefore he is accounted of according to his breeding.
Urban the eighth in divers promotions created the following Cardinals, beſides many others which dyed, before and after the aſſumption of Innocent the tenth; but eſpecially he gave the Scarlet Gown to the Cardinal Franciſco Barberino, his Nephew, in the firſt Conſiſtory that he held.
FRanceſco Barberino, a Florentine, and Nephew to the deceaſed Pope Urban the eighth, the Son of his brother. He was a man, during his Uncles being a Prelate, and a Cardinal, which one would hardly have vouchſafed to ſalute if he had met him in the ſtreets of Rome; in ſo poor, and ill a plight he was; he went to ſchool in the Colledge, where he was no better eſteemed of then any one mean Artificers Sonne; ſo that he would have taken it for a great injury if any man had told him that he ſhould have been the Popes Nephew: yet afterwards Fortune, which hath no meaſure in her doings, lifted him up ſo high, as to think of it onely makes people amazed, and beſides themſelves. The Cardinals ſtood in the Conclave queſtioning about the making of a Pope, and after they had continued there a long time, being much wearied, they reſolved to elect ſuch a perſon, as not onely was not capable of the Papacie, in regard of his young years, but alſo that was not known to be42 of too ſtirring and high a ſpirit; inſomuch as they all unanimouſly confeſſed, that when they were in the Conclave they never thought, nor ever came it into their minds, to aſſume ſuch a perſon to the Papacie: and after he was elected, that old wiſe Cardinal Creſcentio cryed out in the ſame Conclave ſo lowd, that every one might hear him, ſaying, we have elected a piece of a Pope: which words verily were worthy of conſideration, and how they were afterwards made good in the time of his Papacie, every one may Imagine. At ſuch time as Urban the eighth was elected, Franceſco and Antonio were in the ſchools, when as a great clamor of voices were heard crying out, long live Pope Urban Barberino, and at the very ſame inſtant came many Princes, and a world of Caroches to take them from the ſchools, giving them the title of Excellencie, and reverencing them with great honors. Franceſco in the firſt Conſiſtory, which his Holineſs held, was created Cardinal, and in regard his young age was too unapt for the government, the Pope gave him my Lord Filomarini for his Governor, but with the title of Maſter of his Chamber, in which place he had ſerved43 before the ſame Urban. Barberino as ſoon as ſoon as he ſaw himſelf to have attained to the credit of managing affairs, he abhorred the converſation of Filomarini, inſomuch that he utterly declined it, and began to govern of himſelf, ſo far forth that out of his abſolute arrogance and pride he uſurped the Title of Cardinale Patrone, a Title verily which was never heard, nor ever will be heard, to be aſſumed by any Popes Nephew. Some months after, Urban promoted Antonio to the Scarlet Gown, and then ſent both of them Legates à Latere, Franceſco into Spain, and Antonio into France; and one of them took upon him the protection of the one Kingdome, and the other of the other. Franceſco afterwards had a large penſion from the Catholique King, and made profeſſion of obeying the commands of that Majeſty. Urban for ten years together governed abſolutely, in which time Franceſco had not the power, as one may ſay, to raiſe up a ſtraw from the ground, but thoſe ten years once paſt, Urban fell to decline through age, and ſickneſs, and then began he to lift up his head. This Cardinal had nothing elſe good in him but the gratifying a poor man, that in tomporibus had44 paid for a pot of Wine for him at the Tavern, whom he made Yeoman of his Horſe. In the time of his Empire he diſſtaſted all the Princes; and inprimis I may begin with the Emperor Ferdinand the ſecond, who upon his election to that State, ſent the Prince of Egenberg to Rome for his Ambaſſador of obedience to the Pope, where being arrived, that which enſued thereupon is known to every one. The King of Spain was ſo affronted by him and his Uncle, as more could not be: for what greater affront can be done to a Crown, then to give for mony, and not otherwiſe, the Scarlet Gown to a deſerveing perſon; ſuch a one as the Abbot Pereti was, unto whom they denyed it, out of the inward hate that they bore him. They lent mony to the French, to the end they might make and continue Warre on the Houſe of Auſtria; they gave aid againſt the State of Milan; uſed notable deceit in the diſpoſing of Mantoua and Caſale; cauſed the Marqueſs de los Velez, the Catholique Ambaſſador, to be aſſaulted by the French, and the Biſhop of Amega the Portugal, who by force would have been acknowledged by the Ambaſſador, that reputed him a Rebel; and gave a world of diſguſts45 beſides, which to recount would take up a whole year. The King of France too, notwithſtanding all the Houſe of Barberini ſeem to be well affected to that Crown, hath had his ſhare of diſguſts from them; by delaying the demand of the Hat for the Cardinal Mazzarino; by the diſhonor which Antonio did to his Majeſties Ambaſſador, in getting his daughter with child under colour of friendſhip, and afterwards poyſoning her, as it is verily believed, at Caprarola; inſomuch that the poor Lord not knowing elſe how to be revenged, was fain to ſerve under the command of the Duke of Parma in the War againſt the ſaid Barberini. Then the diſtaſt which they gave not onely to the Ambaſſador Coure, but even to the moſt Chriſtian King himſelf, by cauſing the head of Monſieur de Ronti, the ſaid Ambaſſadors Kinſman, to be ſtrucken of by the hangman; and laſtly the betraying of that Majeſtie in the Conclave, by helping to promote Pamphilio to the Papacie, whom the King deſired to exclude. Moreover the Internal and External diſguſts, known to all, which they gave to the great Duke of Toſcan, to the Duke of Parma, to the Duke of Modena, and to the46 Republique of Venice; by offering to take Borgo-ſanſepolcro from the great Duke; by taking from the Duke of Parma, Caſtro, Capralo, Ronaglione, and other States, as alſo indeavouring to take from him likewiſe Parma, and Placentia, becauſe he would not match with them; by making War on the Duke of Modena, upon their pretenſion to Comachio; and on the Republique of Venice, for to make them remove out of their Ducal Chamber the antient pictures of their Naval fight and Victory for the reſtitution of Pope Alexander the ſixth to his former Eſtate. They denyed the King of Polana the Hat for Monſieur Vicconti; they ſuffered the Cardinal Orſino to affront the deceaſed Queen Mother of France in the perſon of her Agent; in Rome they annihilated the Nobility; heheaded the Marqueſs Manzioli, alias Bentivoglio, who having been prime Clerke of the Chamber, had reſigned that office, and maried a wife, upon pretext that he had made a book againſt the Court of Rome; they put to death the Marqueſs Centini d' Aſcoli in Campo de fiore, alledging that he had complotted againſt the life of the Pope, onely to diſable his Uncle for the Papacie; they ſent Anarea Caſale to the Galleys, to the47 end his Wealth might come to the Cardinal Spada, and other their well-willers, cauſing him in fifteen daies to be baſtinadoed to death; they baniſhed the Duke of Cerinto the State of Avignon, upon pretence that he had framed infamous libells againſt the old deceaſed Cardinal Verospi; they kept Mario Frangipano a long time in priſon, although he was a Cavalier of quality, very old, and in a manner decrepit, and expoſed him to the torture, upon pretence that he had given order for the putting of a fellow to death, that was found hanged in the priſon of a certain Caſtle, notwithſtanding that they which had committed the fact confeſſed publiquely at the Gallows, how the ſaid Lord was altogether innocent therof; and this they did to no other end, but to force him to leave his eſtate unto them, with this reſervation, that he ſhould enjoy it ſo long as he lived, and then it ſhould fall unto the Church; but he would never conſent thereunto, ſaying alwaies thus, If I be innocent let me be freed, if I be not innocent let me be puniſhed; and had not the War with the Princes of Italy hapned, the poor Lord had been made an end of; for then they ſet him at liberty upon condition that he ſhould48 ingage himſelf in the war againſt the ſaid Princes. Furthermore they ſought to ruine the Houſe of Borgheſe, becauſe they had concluded matrimony with Donna Olimpia Aldobrandina, unto whom the Popes eldeſt Nephew was a ſuiter, and for that reaſon they diſgraced them all that ever they could. They deprived Vittaleſchi, General of the Jeſuits, and Ridolſi General of the Dominicans, of their General ſhips, under pretext of ſundry miſdemeanors committed by them. They moſt unjuſtly bereft the ſaid Princes Borgheſi of the ſtate of Meldola; and cauſed Don Paolo Borgheſe, the Prince his Son, and husband to the ſaid Donna Aldobrandina, to be baſely affronted by a common Captain of the watch. They drove a world of poor people, not onely from Rome, but alſo out of all the ſtate Eccleſiaſtical, and made them go and live in other parts, by reaſon of the grievous taxes and impoſitions which they laid upon them. They cauſed many thouſands of men, that ſerved under their enſignes, to periſh for hunger, whilſt they gave them no pay, and that bread too, which they provided to relieve them, was mixed with chalk, which fretted out the ſoldiers guts, and made them die like doggs. Innocent49 the tenth, in the beginning of his Papacie, was ſo tired with Petitions and complaints againſt Franceſco for his injuſtice and extortions, that he cauſed him to be cited to render an accompt of his adminiſtration, which he ſatisfied with his flight into France. This Cardinal enjoyed under Urban above forty ſeaven Abbacies, and Benefices, with other revenues, the leaſt of which yielded two or three thouſand crowns a year; beſides thoſe that came to thirty thouſand, and forty thouſand, as alſo the Vicechancellorſhip of the Holy Church, which hath eighteen protections of Monaſteries of Nunnes, and Convents of Friers. In ſum he was become a wardrobe of Eccleſiaſtical Benefices; and in the Court of Rome things were grown to that paſs, as no man took a ſervant, were it for never ſo vile an Office, unleſs he were preferred by this Cardinal Barberino; and this he did out of a diabolical policie; for by this means he held correſpondencie with all thoſe, which he had placed as ſpies upon their Maſters, and ſo came to diſcover whatſoever they ſaid, or did. He hath made ſhew of being a wonderous honeſt man, and under colour thereof hath deceived I know not how many women. 50I think now the world will confeſs there was never any Cardinal that ſo much tyrannized over the Church, and Chriſtendom: & hoc ſufficit.
ERneſto Adalberto d' Arach, is a rich Lord, of the German Nation: He was a Prieſt, and promoted by Urban the eighth to the Scarlet Gown, at the inſtance of the Emperor, in the place of Pier Luigi Caraffa, Biſhop of Tricario. This perſon is a man of great parts, & of good life, in regard wherof he was advanced to the Arch-Biſhoprick of Prague, where he hath behaved himſelf much to his own commendation, and the ſatisfaction of all the people there, being highly eſteemed for his good diſpoſition and qualities; howbeit I cannot ſay much of him, becauſe he reſides not in the Court, but continues alwaies at his Church in Prague, and therefore not without reaſon was it ſaid, when laſt he came to Rome a little before the death of Urban the51 eighth, that it was an ill Omen, and a bad ſign, when the Conſi were ſeen to approch the Citty, meaning that Arach not being wont to come unto Rome, his comming now thither was a foretoken of the Popes enſuing death, as accordingly it fell out. This Cardinal is well regarded of Caeſar, and as his ſubject, he is, and alwaies will be at his devotion. He is very Charitable, Bountifull, Courteous, Affable, and Friendly.
GIulio Sachetti, a Florentine, the Son of a Merchant, who was partner with the Father of Urban the eighth, whilſt they traded together, being thought to be of kin a far off. The ſaid Giulio was made Biſhop of Gravina, whether he never went, becauſe he was ſuddainly ſent by Urban Nuncio into Spain, where all the time that he exerciſed that charge, he carried himſelf very worthily, and to the great ſatiſfaction of that Crown; wherefore he was promoted by Urban to the Scarlet Gown,52 as likewiſe were all the other Nuntioes, except Caraffa. He was much eſteemed of by Urban, who conferred on him many benefits and graces, making him alſo Keeper of the Seal of Juſtice, which he ſtill exerciſeth. He is a Lord of great merit, and the Barberini thought without all doubt to have created him in the paſt Conclave Pope; but they failed in their purpoſe, whilſt by the power of the Spaniſh faction he was excluded, not becauſe he was not a deſerving perſon, but in regard he was too much affected and obliged to the ſaid Barberini: Others ſay he was excluded, for that upon the aſſembly of a Congregation touching the receiving of the Ambaſſador of the King of Portugal, he had ſhewed himſelf inclined to receive him; as alſo by reaſon he was too great a friend to Mazzarino, who had been a follower of his, ſo as neceſſarily he would have been an Enemy and depreſſor of the Spaniards, and would have followed the ſtepps of Urban. He is of an exemplary life, Charitable, Pleaſant, and Rich, but not very Liberal, for, as a Florentine, he is ſomewhat penurious, and niggardly. He hath two Brothers, Mattheo and Aleſſandro, whereof the firſt hath to wife a Lady53 of the Houſe of Rocellai, a Family amongſt the Florentines ſufficiently French; and he hath many Sonnes: the ſecond hath ſerv'd in the Warres of Flanders under the Catholique King. Mattheo; at ſuch time as the Sea was vacant, was qualified with a title of the Church by Barberino, who held Sachetti certainly for Pope, as in like manner did Mattheo, inſomuch that he cauſed the Cellar of his Palace to be ſet open for every body to drink as much Wine as he would for joy: whereupon, after they had well drunk, they cryed out publiquely, long live Pope Sachetti; but when as afterwards he ſaw that Pamphilio was made Pope, for very ſpight and rage he fell madd: And thus may every one judge, if Sachetti had been Pope, what a confuſion there would have been in the Roman Court, and in what a condition the State Eccleſiaſtical would have been; for through their avarice they would have ruined all. The greateſt confident Sachetti hath, is thought to be the Cardinal Falconieri, now Legate of Bologna, who was promoted by Urban at the inſtance of the ſaid Sachetti, after his return from being Nuncio in Flanders, from whence he was excluded by the Cardinal Infante, for that he knew54 him to be too much French. Sachetti hath divers times murmured againſt the Government of Monarchy; whence he was held by the Regal Miniſters to be alienated from deſiring the felicity of the Auſtrian Family, which hath done him but little good. The greateſt obſtacle he hath had, and hath, is the great Duke, who having found Pope Barberino little available to him, ſeeks with all his power to keep any Vaſſal of his from comming to the Papacie, and therefore Sachetti will never attain unto it, although the Spaniards ſhould concur with him; which is unlikely, notwithſtanding he ſeems to be devoted to Spain, whereas indeed he is contrary unto it; but I ſhould judge the Catholique King to be directly out of his wits, if ever he concur with him more, ſeeing he was the confident Counſellor firſt of Antonio's, and afterwards Franceſco's and Tadeo's flight into France. At the end of the Conclave a writing came forth, intituled the paſſion of Sachetti, beginning thus, Paſſio Domini noſtri ſecundum Matthaeum; which to avoid prolixity I will omit, the rather too becauſe it ſerves not for our purpoſe. Another writing alſo came forth, which55 ſaid, He that entred Pope, came out Cardinal.
BErnardino Spada, a native of Briſighella, of an ordinary Family, being diſcended of Colliers. He put himſele into the Prelacie, and was by Urban the eigth exerciſed in many Charges, and then ſent into France, where he reſided a good while, and ſpent there a great part of his Patrimony. Urban, knowing his merits, promoted him to the Scarlet Gown, the rather becauſe in his Nuntioes place he had carried himſelf to the ſatisfaction of both parts. He is a perſon of great abilities, is well verſt in all manner of Negotiations, and is an excellent Stateſman. He was picked out and choſen by Uban the eighth, as a man of Authority and worth, to compoſe the differences depending between him and the Duke of Parma, who was come with a great Army to the confines of the Eccleſiaſtical State. and had ſeazed on divers Lands and Caſtles of the Apoſtolick Sea,56 and in particular Aquapendente, where the ſaid Duke had intrenched himſelf: In front of whom ſtood Antonio with an Army of twelve thouſand foot, and four thouſand horſe to keep him from overrunning the Eccleſiaſtical State; and Spada was ſent with the title of Plenipotentiary, to conclude an agreement: He went, acted, and returned, but was by Urban very ill rewarded; for after he had concluded, and ſigned the Capitulations of the accord, wherein the great Duke of Toſcan, the Republique of Venice, and the Duke of Modena, intervened as mediators, Urban, ſeeing the Duke departed, and gone to his States of Parma and Placentia, declared the ſaid Capitulations null, and invalid; ſaying that Spada motu proprio, and without his conſent, had ſigned them. Herewith the aforeſaid Princes held themſelves juſtly offended, and ſeeing the Pope leavy ſoldiers to ſend againſt the Duke of Parma, each of thoſe Princes took up arms to defend him. But Cardinal Spada, beholding his reputation blemiſhed in this ſort, without any fear at all publiſhed a Manifeſt of his Reaſons, ſaying, that all that he had done, and capitulated, was with his Holineſs, goodwill and approbation. 57When the world plainly ſaw that the poor Cardinal had no way faulted, but had exactly obſerved the commandments of the Pope, he was by all men pittied: but the Warre which enſued thereupon with the ſpilling of ſo much blood, was that which cleared the buſineſs, and brought the Cardinal into greater credit then before; for in proceſs of time the Pope was fain with the damage of the holy Church, and his own reputation, to make a peace, with giving full ſatisfaction to the pretendants, which had made Warre in divers places; and in particular the great Duke of Toſcan on Perugia ſide, and the Duke of Parma, the Republique of Venice, and the Duke of Modena, in the Bologneſe. This Cardinal is no great friend to the Houſe of the Barberini, for the cauſes afore-mentioned. Spada is obſtinately devoted o the Crown of France, quite contrary to the Cardinal Rocci his Kinſman, who is altogether for the Spaniard. In the paſt Conclave he laboured much for the election of Innocent the tenth, and therfore is well regarded of him. This Cardinal is a great perſon, hath a wiſe head, and is full of high thoughts. He is a Poet, an Hiſtorian, and a Polititian, ſo that he will leave all58 the paſtime of the world for to ſtudy. He was one that inherited the greateſt part of the ſtate of Andrea Caſale the Bolognoſe, and was alſo the principal inſtrument of his ignominious death in the Galleyes; but God, as a juſt Judge, will not leave ſuch a wickedneſs unpuniſhed. Now becauſe there are many that have not been made acquainted with this doubtful Hiſtory, & may be deſirous to know it, I will not omit the relation of it as ſuccinctly as I can. Andrea Caſale, the Son of a rich and Noble Senator of Bologna, his Father being dead, remained a child under the Government of his Mother, together with two Siſters which were made Nunnes. This Andrea, being come to mans Eſtate, and full of generoſity and ſpirit, thought it too baſe a thing for him to live drown'd in idleneſs and delights; wherefore he reſolved, though againſt his Mothers will, to go into Hungary, and there for the acquiring of fame to ſerve the Emperor in his Warres againſt the Turk, as accordingly he did: And being arrived in Hungary, had the Charge of a Captain of a Troop of Horſe conferred on him. Now it happened certain months after, that the Turkes gave the Emperors forces a great defeat, wherein59 many Lords were ſlain, and many were made priſoners, and in particular the ſaid Signor Andrea Caſale. The report of this defeat being ſpread over all Italy, they that pretended to the inheritance of Andrea's eſtate were very deſirous to know whither he we alive, or dead; whereupon divers Bologneſe ſoldiers being returned to Bologna, whether it were that they were ſuborned with money, as for ſome other end, they gave out that the ſaid Andrea Caſale was dead; and further they made Affidavit, that they had ſeen him dead, and alſo had buried him with their own hands. In the mean time the poor Cavalier remained in the hands of the Turkes, and continually wrote letters unto his Mother, to ſend mony for the ranſoming of him; which letters for the moſt part fell into the hands of thoſe, that pretended to the inheriting of his eſtate, and were ſtill by them ſecretly burnt: Nevertheleſs it could not chuſe but that ſome of them ſhould come unto his Mother, who with great joy imparted them to their kinred, by whom ſhe was condemned for a fooliſh and imprudent old woman, telling her that her Son Andrea was dead, and that thoſe letters were forged by ſome one,60 that meant to cheat her; ſo the good Lady; being put of in this manner, at length dyed with grief, and, after many years, it was the will of God, that the poor Signior was redeemed by the holy Company of the Trinity, with many other men, and women, who were, as it were in tryumph, all clad in white, conducted after a Proceſſion manner to Rome; where being arrived, the poor Cavalier knew not which way to turn himſelf: but God, which never abandons any, made him call to mind, how one Giovanni Antonio, who had formerly received many curteſies from him at Bologna, was at that inſtant Captain of the watch in Rome; wherefore he went unto him, and having acquainted him with his fortunes, the Captain, moved with pity to ſee a perſon of that quality reduced to ſuch termes; and very well knowing him to be the true Andrea Caſale, aſſigned him a Caroach, with two Lackies, and forty Crowns a month; which after he had continued unto him for the ſpace of ſeaven or eight weeks, he brought him to the preſence of the Pope, who received him very graciouſly, and ſhewed to be glad of his recovered liberty; little thinking then that he himſelf ſhould be he, that afterwards61 ſhould not onely deprive him of liberty, but of his life alſo. Andrea having informed his Holineſs, how all his eſtate had been ſeized upon, and was wrongfully poſſeſſed by others, humbly beſought him to doe him that grace and juſtice, as to reſtore him to his own againe; which the Pope had a good intention to grant: whereupon he commenced a ſuit againſt them that had gotten his eſtate, who came running with all ſpeede to the Court, to oppoſe him, and proved that Andrea Caſale was dead, and that this was a meere counterfit, and an impoſtor; wherefore Signior Andrea was conſtrained to become a priſoner, and ſo to defend himſelf, and prove, that he was the true Andrea Caſale. His Holineſs cauſed a proceſs thereof to bee framed in the City of Bologna, where the nurſe that gave him ſuck then lived, who upon her examination averred that he had a certain marke upon his left ſhoulder, which upon ſearch was accordingly found there; beſides divers other teſtimonies, that manifeſted, he was the true Andrea. Cardinall Spada, ſeeing the matter goe ſo ill on his ſide, ſought with fraud to beguile him, and gave him to underſtand, that if he would deſiſt from his ſuite, and revoke62 all his pretenſions, he would aſſign him a Caroach with four ſervants, and revenewes yearly, able to maintain him like a Cavalier, as long as he lived: Which Andrea hearing, cryed out publiquely, ſaying: Either I am Andrea Caſale, and will have all that is mine; or I am not he, and will have nothing. This comming to the knowledge of Spada, he went as it were in a deſperate moode to the Pope, and ſo earneſtly beſought him not to ſuffer his, and many other Families, amongſt whom the inheritance of Andrea Caſale was diſtributed, to be undone by takeing the ſame from them, that his Holineſs, I know not how, did moſt unjuſtly, not onely not put him in Poſſeſſion of his eſtate, but wickedly ſent him to the Galleys; where, leaſt upon change of the Pope he might ſet a foot his claim anew, Cardinal Spada wrought in ſuch ſort with the Commanders of the Galleyes, that in the ſpace of fifteen daies he was baſtinadoed to death. A caſe verily worthy of compaſſion, and the mishap of this poor infortunate Cavalier deſerves for example ſake to be publiſhed to all the World; his death being bewailed not onely by the common people, but by all the Nobility of Rome, and Bologna.
FEderico Cornaro, a Noble man of Venice; he was Biſhop of Vicenza in Lombardie, and afterwards was made Biſhop of Padon. He was promoted to the Scarlet Gown at the inſtance of his Rebublique, as a man deſerving, and of a good life. He is ſixty years of age, or thereabout; wherefore he pretends much to Peters Chair, and it will not be hard for him to attain thereunto, being devoted as he is to the Houſe of Auſtria; whereof not onely he, but his whole Family makes open profeſſion; his Country alone may be contrary, and an obſtacle unto him: He is a perſon of no mean underſtanding, Affable and Courteous, and is therefore much eſteemed of by the ſacred Colledge. He hath divers Nephews, who are little ſeen in the Court; but the eldeſt of them, at ſuch time as his Uncle was Biſhop of Padoa, led a moſt wicked & diſſolute life in Rome, which was accompanied with ſo infinite a pride, that it was able, as one may ſay, to cauſe another64 fall of Angels from Heaven; And this alone will be enough to keep Cornaro farre from the Papacie; otherwiſe he hath no defects of any conſideration, being charitable, and worthy of all Honor. The Family of the Cornari is one of the principal of that Republique, having had many Dukes, and Senators iſſued from it, as alſo a Queen of Cyprus, who gave that Kingdome to the Venetians, by which donation they held it a long time. He reſigned the Biſhoprick of Padoa, and had the Patriarchſhip of Venice, which after ſome years he alſo reſigned. He is much eſteemed of his Republique, although there hath paſt ſome diſguſts between them.
MArtio Ginetti, born in the Citty of Veletri, of vile deſcent, the Son of a common Artificer: He came to Rome in the beginning of the creation of Urban the eighth, where he courted divers Cardinals, and in the end putting himſelf into the Prelacy, he got into the favour of the Cardinal Franceſco Barberino, who brought him into ſuch credit with the Pope his Uncle, that he held him in great eſteem, and promoted him to the Scarlet Gown, to the end he ſhould acknowledge no other dependancie, then that of the houſe of Barberini. His holineſs enriched him with many benefices, and made him Vicar of the Papacie; which Office is during life; he made him alſo Protector of the whole order of the Carmelites, and cauſed him to lodge continually in the Apoſtolical Palace. Now becauſe he was altogether unknown to Princes, and was of no account abroad, the Barberini reſolved to illuſtrate him in the ſight of the World, and ſo ſent him Legate into Germany to treat of a univerſal66 peace, to the end all Chriſtendom might acknowledge him for the principal inſtrument of the publique good; but the unhappy iſſue of that his charge ſhewed his ignorance rather, and imprudence, rendring himſelf ridiculous in ſo ſublime an employment, whereby he no way profited Chriſtendom, but exceedingly profited himſelf and his Houſe; for living very ſparingly, he purſed up the moſt part of that great entertainment which was aſſigned him for his Legateſhip: In his return back towards Rome, and as he was upon the way, there was ſent him by an expreſs poſt to Ferrara a Grant of the Legates place of that Citty, where he heaped up no little riches; and after his arrival at Rome, Cardinal Capucino paid him all the profits accruing of his Vicarſhiſh by him adminiſtred in his abſence. This Cardinal hath given to his Kinſmen all the Offices and Dignities that poſſibly he can: He is not very learned, although he hath taken great pains in ſtudying. The Barberini will never nominate him in the Conclave, for they are ſure it will not ſucceed, in regard he is known to be too much their partial obligee. He is but little reſpected in the ſacred Colledge, though by reaſon of his67 age he is capable of being Pope. Whoſoever looks upon the houſe of this Cardinal, will alwaies behold it void of all reſort, none going thither but thoſe which have buſineſs appertaining to the Vicarſhip, and that are of neceſſity to paſs thorough his hands; ſo that one ſhall never ſee any viſitant Coches there, he being no otherwiſe accounted of, then as of a forelorn Cardinal. He ſhews himſelf to be no way depending on any of the Princes, out of the pretenſion he hath to the Papacie; and albeit he was Lagate à Latere with the Emperor for the univerſal peace, as aforeſaid, yet is he not for all that devoted to the Houſe of Auſtria; becauſe he, being wholly dependant on the Barberini, will, as ſuch, be allwaies French, if not openly, at leaſtwiſe ſecretly. His behaviour is familiar and flegmatick, ſeeming to favour every one, and is of an indifferent good nature, but melancholick.
DON Antonio Barberino, the crookback, Nephew to Urban the eighth, and the brother of Franceſco and Tadeo; he was born in Rome, and therefore intitles himſelf a Roman. He was by the Pope created Prior of the great Croſs of Malta, with an intention not to make him a Cardinal, it ſeeming ſufficient unto him, that he had already promoted to that dignity Franceſco his eldeſt Nephew, and the Capuchin his brother; but Antonio ſo importuned his Uncle, that at length he promoted him alſo to the Scarlet Gown, which above all things he he was ambitious of. This Cardinal was even from his birth ever bountifull, and hath with donatives and magnanimitie drawn many to his devotion, inſomuch that although he hath commited ſome errors and exceſſes, yet is he not therefore ſo rigorouſly envyed, whilſt being poſſeſt of the goods of fortune he hath alſo made others partakers thereof, and hath prodigally ſpent his own. He hath69 not been a little taken with the beauties of women, on whom he hath waſted great ſummes of Gold: La Checa Buffona in temporibus was his Miſtriſs, who out of the confidence that ſhe had in the protection of the Cardinal Antonio, went up and down maſked in the Carneval time, for which the Governor of Rome cauſed her without any reſpect at all to be whipped thorough the City. He got with child the Daughter of the Marqueſs of Couré, Ambaſſador of France: To a Neapolitan Curteſan, which dwelt in the Giulian ſtreet, he gave for the firſt time a thouſand crownes: but, not to ſay more, this alone ſhall ſerve for a cloſing up of ſo many indignities this Cardinal hath committed, that to a Pedant, which had the charge of a very fair boy, the Sonne of a Gentleman, whom he let him enjoy ſeveral times, he gave for a reward thereof a Biſhoprick, nella Marca di Marcantonio. I will not ſpeak of his bardache, whom being but the Sonne of a barber, he hath reduced to ſuch a paſs, as not content with having inriched him, he hath cauſed him to be adorned with the title of a Marqueſs. The ſaid Cardinal was ſent Legate Apoſtolical, and Generaliſſimo, into the States of Bologna, Ferrara, and Romagna,70 againſt the Princes of Italy, where he caried himſelf valiantly, and with the ſatisfaction not onely of all thoſe people, but alſo of the ſouldierie; and if any one hath traduced his good name, ſaying, that he was privy to the death of the convert Nunnes of Magdalens in Bologna, he lies; for Antonio was not of Councel with that fact; but indeed after the Delinquents were diſcovered, in ſtead of chaſtiſing, he favoured and protected them, the one being Carlo Poſcente, and the other Manente his Secretary; nay more, he ſent Carlo Poſcente for his Vice-Duke into the ſtate of Segni, and alſo kept the Archbiſhop of Bologna from proceeding againſt them, enjoyning him to ſpeak no more thereof. I cannot deny but Antonio committed an error in having ſo little regard to his reputation; for as Legate Apoſtolical à Latere, as General, and as the Popes Nephew, he might with all rigor have taken information of the matter, and then arraigned and condemned them to the puniſhment, which the heynouſneſs of their offence requited, and afterwards he might graciouſly have pardoned them; for ſo he had ſhewed himſelf a juſt Judge, and they too, as if they had been ſufficiently chaſtiſed,71 had not incurred that, which after the death of the Pope his Uncle, arrived unto them; being both of them firſt confined unto his Palace, and after that ſent priſoners to Bologna, where they were put to death; & Antonio himſelf was neceſſitated to fly into France, very much pittied by moſt men, whereas every one wiſhed all the miſchief they could deviſe to Franceſco, and Tadeo. This Cardinal is Chamberlain of the holy Church, Archprieſt della Baſilica diſanta Maria Maggiore, hath many Abbacies and Protections, and will alwaies be at the devotion of the French King, by whom he is defended, and protected in theſe his misfortunes; but it is believed, that he is now returned again into the Popes favor by the mediation of the Crown of France.
GIrolamo Colonna, of the Title di Santo Euſtachio, and of a moſt antient and noble Roman family, which hath had many Popes, and a world of Cardinals. He was promoted to the Scarlet Cown by Urban the eighth, together with Cardinal Antonio, at the inſtance of the Prince Prefect, of Donna Anna Barberina, and of the Conſtable, in regard of the affinitie, that was contracted between them. This Cardinal is richly furniſhed with the goods of fortune, and eſtates; he is underſtanding, prudent; well eſteemed of in the Court, and reverenced in the ſacred Colledge, both for his blood, and wiſedom: And his carriage doth not diſpleaſe, although he goes proudly, and ſtately through the City, like another Martin the fifth; but withall he is courteous, honours every one, is exceeding liberal, and well affected to the Pope, who therefore loves him, as alſo for that he was very partial in his election. Urban the eighth made him Archbiſhop of Bologna, which Archbiſhoprick,73 after he had held it certain years, he reſigned in the time of Innocent the tenth unto my Lord Albergati, a Bologneſe Gentleman, who is now a Cardinal, by the name of Lodoviſio Colonna. Albeit the Coloneſi and the Barberini have matched together, yet have there no effects of friendſhip paſt betwixt them for divers private intereſts: Neither are the Coloneſi any great friends to the Houſe of the Gaetani, alſo a moſt antient and noble Roman family; for that Don Gregorio Gaetano, the brother of the Duke of Sermoneta, and Uncle of the Prince of Caſerta, was in a manner treacherouſly killed by Don Carlo Colonna; who for that fact was by Urban the eighth condemned to death, and afterwards pardoned, to the end no future Pope ſhould take any further cognizance of that cauſe; and to ſave his life, that was in danger by reaſon of that enmity, he made himſelf a fryer of the order of Saint Benedict, and then was by Urban the eighth preferred to be Archbiſhop in partibus infidelium. The ſaid Houſe of Colonna likewiſe doth not much love the Houſe of the Ceſarini, although the occaſion of Don Gregorio Gaetanoe's death proceeded from Don Carlo his defending the reputation of the Duke Ceſarino his74 Nephew, who being under age, pretended that he had received an affront from the ſaid Gregorio Gaetano, in making him by force to ſtay in his way, that his Caroach might have the precedence. The Houſe of the Conſtable Colonna holds little correſpondence with the houſe of the Prince of Galliclano, and of the Prince of Carbognano, alias Duke of Baſſanella, all of the houſe of Colonna; who though they be all ſprung out of one ſtock, yet doth each of them pretend to be better, then the other, for the preheminence: the truth is, that the houſe of the Prince of Carbognano is the right family, derived from Sciano Colonna; and therefore with reaſon is the Piatza, where his Palace is ſcitunted, called the Piatza of Sciana. Theſe Lords at firſt were all for the Catholique Crown, but upon the matching of the Conſtable Colonnaes Houſe with the Pope, the Spaniards for their own intereſt honoured them with ſuch Titles, and States, as the Duke of of Baſſanello, of a differing Houſe, was therewith to diſtaſted, that he ſet up the ames of the moſt Chriſtian King, and took to wife the baſe daughter of the Duke of Parma. The Prince of Gallieano was made a priſoner at Naples, upon pretext75 of rebellion, a little before the riſing of that people, for that there were many ſaddles, armes, and much ammunition found in his Caſtles, which he poſſeſſed in the Province of Abruzzo: and whilſt all things ſeemed to be compoſed, and that he was ready to be abſolved, and ſet at libertie, a new conſpiracie of divers Princes and Barons of the Kingdom of Naples againſt the Catholique King was diſcovered, amongſt whom the Prince of Gallicano was included; for a certain Neapoletan Apoſtate Theatin, named Andrea Paolucci, being intercepted and apprehended with letters about him to ſeveral Neapolitan Lords from France, and put to the torture, named many, and in particular the ſaid Prince of Gallicano. The Conſtable alſo, brother to the Cardinal, was not long ſince, at ſuch time as Gallicano was a priſoner, ſummoned by the Vice-Roy to come to Naples, and he put himſelf in the way to have gone thither, but in the midſt of his journey he returned, and in his ſtead ſent a gentleman of his family to feign that he was ſo indiſpoſed in his health, as he could not come himſelf: for had he gone in perſon, I am perſwaded he likewiſe would have fallen into the ſame76 labyrinth. This Houſe hath ever been devoted to that of Auſtria, and the preſent Cardinal will alwaies be of the Spaniſh faction, if diſguſts do not ariſe from new diſcoveries. He is a haughty Lord, and very ſenſible, inſomuch as he was for a good while diſtaſted with the old Cardinal de Medici about precedence; but the differences between them were compoſed by Innocent the tenth, immediately upon his creation.
CIrriaco Rocci, a Roman, his Original deſcent was from the City of Cremona in the ſtate of Milan; He was a Prelate, & ſent Nuntio by Urban the eighth to the Emperors Majeſtie, after which he promoted him to the Scarlet Gown. This Cardinal in not very intelligent, but ſeeemes to know much; he is an old man, pretends greatly to the Papacie, and is not aſhamed to ſpeak of it to every one, promiſing in that caſe, Dignities, Graces, and Favors. 77In the laſt Conclave he indeavoured much for his exaltation thereunto, repoſing all his hopes in the hands of Cardinal Spada, his kinſman; but for all that he would not propound him, knowing full well, that for his reſpect he would have been excluded, and ſo he ſhould have had his fortune diſcompoſed for the future, as the Barberini did in the perſon of Sachetti: and the reaſon of it is, that if Rocci were Pope, the ſaid Cardinal Spada would command all; who is not much deſired of any, and in particular abhorred of the Barberini, becauſe they know him to be of a too ſtirring, and fantaſtical a humor. He hath one Nephew, that is the Abbot Rocci, who would be he, that ſhould reign; but in regard of his young years he would not be fit for the Government. He is a very affable Lord, of a good life, and moſt devoted to the Houſe of Auſtria, making open profeſſion thereof; wherefore he will alwaies be Spaniſh, though he be the Barberinies creature. He is well regarded of the preſent Pope Innocent the tenth.
GIovanni Battiſta Palotta, is of an honeſt family of the little Country of Calderola nella Marca: He is Nephew to the late Cardinal Palotta, unto whom he is no way inferior, and is well accommodated with the goods of fortune; for the Cardinal his Uncle left him a great eſtate. Having put himſelf into the Prelacie, he was by Urban the eighth exerciſed in divers Charges, and in particular was made Lord Governor of Rome, wherein he carried himſelf with much integrity, and to the great ſatisfaction of the people, being ſevere, and ſo upright, that in point of juſtice he made no reckoning of his Holineſs Nephewes. For whereas it was the cuſtome a little before the Carnival time to make proclamation, that no woman whatſoever ſhould during the ſaid Carnival goe thorough the Courſe masked, on pain of being whipped, or ſuffring ſome ſuch other puniſhment, as to the Governor ſhould ſeem meet, the famous Checa Buffona was ſeen going in that time thorough79 the Courſe masked; and albeit ſhe was oftentimes admoniſhed to forbear doing ſo, yet would ſhe not deſiſt. Whereat Palotta being diſpleaſed, cauſed her ſuddainly to be impriſoned, and then having ordained that ſhe ſhould be publiquely whipped thorough the City, to avoid the interceſſions, that might be made to him in her behalf, he ſhut himſelf up in his Cabinet, and gave order to his ſervants not to come at him, or diſturb him, during the ſpace of two houres, for any cauſe, or meſſage whatſoever, but that they ſhould in the mean time entertain thoſe that came to ſpeak with him; whereupon arrived a Gentleman from Cardinal Antonio, who kept a great coil to ſpeak with the ſaid Palotta, the Governor; but he was put of with good words untill the prefixed time was paſt, and then he was admitted to the preſence of the Governor, unto whom he brought an order from Cardinal Antonio, for the ſpeedy ſetting at liberty of the ſaid Checa Buffona. Palotta anſwered, that his Eminencie ſhould be obeyed, and preſently made a Warrant for the releaſing of her out of priſon; but when it came thither, Checa had already been whipped thorough the City; which Antonio underſtanding,80 took on like a mad man, and mightily threatned to be revenged. Palotta, foreſeeing the danger he was likely to incur, acquainted the Pope with the buſineſs, who commended him for that he had done; but his Holineſſe, knowing well, that Antonio was wreakful, and vindicative, to take away the inconvenience, that might ariſe upon that occaſion, deprived Palotta of his Government, and ſent him Collector into the Kingdome of Portugal; where having remained ſome months; he took upon him to maintain certain Ecceſiaſtical jurisdictions, and excommunicated all the Royal Councell of the City of Lisbon, for which he was forced to leape out of a window to ſave himſelf by flight towards Rome; and there being arrived, he was promoted to the Scarlet Gown for divers reſpects. The firſt was, for the merit of his labors, his Holineſs knowing him to be a man of great abilities and knowledge; and the ſecond, for to ſhield him from the malice of Antonio, who for all that, together with his brother Franceſco, hath given him hundreds of diſguſts, continually contrarying him in the cauſe and ſuite depending between the General of the Auguſtinian Order, and the ſaid Palotta, who81 deſired to have chaſtiſed him for divers miſdemeanors committed by him in his place; and Antonio, to croſſe Palotta, protected and defended him, and in the end to deſpight him, got him by an Apoſtolical brieve to be confirmed in the Generalſhip for ſeaven years more, beſides many other abuſes no way deſerved by the ſaid Cardinal, who is a perſon capable of the Papacie, and Rome would be happy if he ſhould come to be Pope, that ſo it might ſee the pride of the Barberini brought down. If he lives to ſome vacant Sea, he may attain thereunto; for he is much eſteemed of, and reputed very deſerving by all the Princes, unto whom his vertues, merits, and excellent qualities are well known; beſides, he is highly regarded by Innocent the tenth, the now reigning Pope; but for his too free ſpeech no ſmall hatred was conceived againſt him by ſome of his Holineſſe principal kindred; for he was one day deſired by the Pope, to tell him, what was ſaid of him in Rome; and Palotta anſwered, Bleſſed Father, all the City murmures at your Siſter-in-law the Lady Olimpia's too frequent comming to, and abiding in the Palace; whereunto the Pope replyed, well, we will remedy it; and the next time Donna Olimpia82 came to him, he told her what Palotta had ſaid, and therefore deſired her to forbear comming ſo often to the Apoſtolical Palace. Hereupon Donna Olimpia took ſuch a ſpleen againſt the ſaid Palotta, that meeting him upon a time, ſhe drew the Curtain of her Caroach againſt the very face of him; which Palotta ſeeing, begged leave of his Holineſſe to go unto Calderola his Country, about ſome affairs that he had there, and gave it out in the Court, that he went to viſit the Fortreſſe of Marina nella Marca. His Votes, as well in the Congregations, as in the Conſiſtory, are greatly eſteemed: He hath no Enemy, nor any that is contrary to him: He honors all, and where he can do any ſervice, he doth it willingly: he is affable in entertainment, leades an holy and retired life, loves not light converſations, and is very ſtudious. He hath many Nephews, whereof one is in Flanders, another was a ſtudent in Bologna ', where he ſlew a ſcholler that was his Rival, for which his Uncle cares not much for him; but his darling is he that is in the Engliſh Colledge, who is a youth reaſonably well learned, and that in caſe he ſhould become Pope, would be he that ſhall reign. This Cardinal is not of any83 faction, but he is thought to be devoted to the Houſe of Austria.
THeodoro Trivultio, of a moſt noble family of the City of Milan; he was a Prince, and had a wife, by whom he had children; but after her death he reſigned his Principality to his eldeſt Son, and went to Rome, where puting himſelf into the Prelacie, he bought the Clerk of the Chambers place, and after ſome years he was promoted to the Scarlet Gown by Urban the eighth, both to make mony by the ſale of that Office, and alſo to ſhew that he would promote a vaſſal of the Catholique King. This Cardinal merited the Hat as he was a Prince, yet was he fain to make uſe of the Prelacie before he could attain unto it. He is a good ſoldier, and is much beloved and reverenced by the King of Spain, being reputed the moſt faithfull Italian Vaſſal, that he hath; for when he ſees that his Majeſties Miniſters in the State of Milan do not behave themſelves84 with that fidelity as they ought, he ſpeedily advertiſes the Catholique King of it. He is not very rich, but is alwaies ſupplyed as he hath occaſion by his ſaid Majeſty. At ſuch time as he lived in the Court, after the aſſumption of Innocent the tenth, he ſhewed himſelf very bountiful, ſo farre as he was able; but he contracted many debts, which before his departure from the Court he ſatisfied very punctually. He uſed to go up and down the City with a great and ſtately train, but to ſpeak without paſſion, there was much boaſt, but litle roſt. He could not part from the Court ſo ſoon, as he purpoſed to have done, for want of mony, and therefore he was fain to ſtay the comming of four thouſand crownes from Naples which were ſent him by the Vice-Roy: It is thought he will not return again to the Court, before he hath eſtabliſhed ſome good revenue for the maintaining of himſelf there. He is a Lord indifferently well eſteemed of in the Roman Court, full of reſentment, very ſtirring, and will talk enough, eſpecially when the intereſt of Kings is in queſtion; wherefore he is much favoured by their Miniſters. He alwaies keeps his promiſe, being never worſe then his word; he is very well accompliſhed,85 and lacks nothing but the poſſibility of mony.
STeffano Durazzo, a Noble man of Genoua, of the new Nobility; he put himſelf into the Prelacie, and bought one after another both the Clerk of the Chambers, and the Apoſtolical General Treaſurors place, which he poſſeſſed but a little time, for that he was promoted by Urban to the Scarlet Gown. His holineſs imployed him in many Charges, and in particular, before the Warre, he ſent him Legate to the City of Ferrara; which Government he left, when as Antonio came thither to the aſſiſtance of the Army, and went to his Archbiſhoprick of Genoua, from whence he never parted, but at ſuch time, as upon the vacancie of the Sea he repaired to the Conclave. He had a great deal of controverſie about the getting of that Archbiſhoprick, but it was Urbans pleaſure,86 that, in ſpight of his competitors, he ſhould enjoy it. In his Legateſhip of Ferrara he carried himſelf very wiſely, and to the ſatisfaction of thoſe people, as the Citizens themſelves ſay, but he was not much Courted by the Nobilitie. He is a rich Cardinal, becauſe he is a Genoueſe, whoſe Wealth doth multiply with Merchandiſing. Whilſt he was a Prelate he gamed away no ſmall ſummes of mony, and ſpent little leſs upon Women. He is purblind, and ſquints with one eye. In negotiating he is exceeding affable, but when the humor takes him, one muſt leave off negotiating with him. He ſeemes to be devoted to the Houſe of Auſtria, but indeed is wholly French, and holds but little eſteem in the Court.
MArc 'Antonio Franciotti, a principal Gentleman of the Common-wealth of Lucca; he came to Rome, where putting himſelf into the Prelacie, he bought the Clerk of the Chambers place, and afterwards that alſo of the Auditor thereof; but within a while he was by Urban promoted to the Scarlet Gown, and honored with many worthy Charges, and in particular was created Biſhop of Lucca, his Country. He was ſent Legate to Ravenna, and Romagna, where he was very well regarded by that Nobilitie, and people. He grievouſly afflicted his Country, for the cauſe which I will here now deliver. The brother of this Cardinal, being one of the Miniſters in the Government of the Common-wealth, was diſcoverd to have plotted ſome ſuch thing againſt his Country, as to have made himſelf Maſter of it; and in particular, there were found in his houſe a great many of Armes, not onely common, but alſo prohibited; and the88 ſuſpition grew ſo much the greater, by how much they are in that City exceeding vigilant, and carefull, to ſee that no man enters armed into it, not ſo much as with a knife: Now the tranſgreſſors of this Law being alwaies rigorouſly puniſhed, the ſaid Cardinals brother was, together with his ſervants, committed to priſon, where being thoroughly examined and ſifted, the treaſon which they had contrived was made manifeſt in ſuch manner, as they purpoſed within a ſhort time to put them all to death. The Cardinal finding no other way to repair the ruine of his Family, had recourſe unto Pope Urban, unto whom he recounted the matter, quite otherwiſe, then as indeed it was, ſaying, that his brother was made a priſoner, out of the hatred, and enmity, that the Nobles and Magiſtrates of Lucca bore unto him; and that they had charged him with rebellion, becauſe ſome of the ſervants of the Biſhops Palace were found Armed. Hereupon the Pope diſpatched away an expreſs poſt with letters, that commanded them to ſet the Delinquents at liberty; but the Common-wealth refuſing to obey, his Holineſs, ſeeing their contumacy, interdicted, and excommunicated them;89 ſo that for a long time the exerciſe of the Divine Offices were not uſed, the Church dores remaining continually ſhut up. The Common-wealth publiſhed many proteſtations, and writings, whereof they cauſed copies to be preſented to all Chriſtian Princes, but it nothing availed them; wherefore in the end they were conſtrained to yield unto the Popes power, and in this manner was the ſaid Cardinals brother, and all his complices ſet free. This Cardinal hath good abilities, is intelligent, and capable of the Papacie, but is not ripe enough for it. He is poor, and much affected to the Crown of Spain, both he and all his Houſe living under the protection thereof. He is a wiſe man, and experimented in matters of the Court; he is well eſteemed of by the preſent Pope; in the ſacred Colledge he hath no Enemies of conſideration, and is friend enough to the Barberini: he may alſo with time break his Lance in Peters chair.
FEderico Carpegna, a Noble man of the City of Ʋrbin: He was a poor Prelate; but Barberino having made uſe of him in ſome affairs of his, was ſo pleaſed with his carriage therein, that he took an affection to him, and at his inſtance he was by the Pope promoted to the Scarlet Gown, and therefore he is, and alwaies will be faithfull and affected to them. The Count Carpegna, his brother, continually aſſiſted in the Warre of Urban againſt the Princes of Italy. This Cardinals endowments are mean, but he is able for buſineſs, and he may one day have ſome hope in the common pretenſions of the Scarlet Gownes, if the Barberini do not ſpoil his promotion, becauſe he is too much their ſervant. His vote will ever be, as that of the Barberini is, and therefore in time to come he will alwaies be French; beſides the affection he hath ſtill born to that Crown, although he makes no open profeſſion thereof. He is a man ſtudious, melancholick, and ſomewhat charitable. He hath91 many brothers, whereof the Count is one, and another is a Canon of Santa Maria in Via lata.
FRanceſco Maria Brancaccio, a Neopolitan Cavalier; he was Biſhop of the City of Capuccio in the Kingdom of Naples, where by reaſon of certain Eccleſiaſtical juriſdictions, he fell into ſome difference with a Spaniſh Captain of foot, who was ſent unto that City by the Vice-Roy of Naples, and paſſing from words to blowes, he cauſed him to be killed by a bardaſh of his with a muſket ſhot; for which Brancaccio was cited to appeare befor the Vice-Roy, to render an account of the man-ſlaughter committed by him. Brancaccio obeying, went to Naples; but the very ſame night he came thither, that he might not put himſelf into the ſecular power of the Royall Court, he ſtole away in a felouque, and fled towards Rome; where being arrived, he imparted the whole matter unto Urban92 the eighth, who for the hate that he bore to the Spaniards, not onely commended him for that he had done, but alſo defended him. Which the Vice-Roy ſeeing, cauſed all his goods, and the revenues of his Biſhoprick to be ſequeſtred; ſo that this Prelate remained in Rome in ſuch neceſſity and miſerie, as he could hardly make ſhift to live; but after that his proceſſe was compiled, and that the Pope had abſolved him, he craved leave to return unto the reſidence of his Church, although the Kings Miniſters had expresſly forbidden him ſo to doe, ſaying, that his Catholique Majeſtie deſired of the Pope another Prelate for that City, & had withall ordained, that the inhabitants therof ſhould not permit him to enter into the poſſeſſion of it, upon pain of rebellion. It was the fortune of this Lord, that whilſt he was leaving the Court, and departing to his reſidence, the Pope was upon the point of promoting Cardinals, with an intent to give the Hat unto my Lord Pier Luigi Caraffa, Biſhop of Tricario; and to my Lord Caraffa, Biſh, of Averſa, but both their promotions were hindred by the Colonneſi; the Barberini too preſt their Uncle to confer the Scarlet Gown on Serlupi their Couſin; but his holineſs93 being moleſted and vext with theſe controverſies, would needs make the proverb good: Inter duos litigantes tertius gaudet, and in ſtead of the reſt made Brancaccio Cardinal. Others ſay, that he promoted him to deſpight the Spaniards, by whom he was exceedingly hated, to the end that as a Prince of the holy Church he might be honored, and upon reſtoring of him to his Biſhoprick, he might alſo be reverenced. A litle after his departure to the reſidence of his ſaid Church, and upon his arrival at Naples, he found two other Cardinals there, namely Aldobrandino, and Boncompagno; the one of them being come thither to have his part in the tiltings, hunting, and other feſtivals, which in that City were to be made for ſome victories of Spain, and for the birth of a Son of the Kings; and the other was Archbiſhop of Naples. Brancaccio having continued there ſome monthes, the Count of Monte-Rei, at that time Vice-Roy of that Kingdome, preſented him with a paper from his Catholique Majeſtie, whereby he enjoyned him to depart with all ſpeed, not onely from Naples, but alſo quite out of the whole Kingdom