formerly a barefooted Carmelite; Signior Doria Maestro di Camera, Archbishop of Benevento; Signior Gentili, a Datary, who had been formerly Secretary of the Congregation of the Bishops, and the Regular Clergy, a Post which, tho’ the very next Step to a Cardinal’s Cap, the Pope had made him resign for the Office of a Datary, which is but a mean Commission; Signior Ferrayo, and Signior Bichi, both Nuncios in Portugal.
The last is noted for the Broils that he occasion’d between the Holy See and the Court of Lisbon: The King of Portugal being disgusted with this Nuncio for having defrauded him of the Customs, by entring Goods upon his own Account, which he sold afterwards to the Prejudice of the Portuguese Merchants, and being moreover exasperated with this Prelate for assuming more Authority to himself, than his Predecessors had ever done, demanded of Clement XI. to recall him; and upon that Pope’s Death he repeated his Instances to Innocent XIII. who at length consented to his Demand: But then the King, for what Cause I know not, alter’d his Mind, and declared he was not willing that Bichi should leave his Court till the Term of his Nunciature was expired. And as the Pope had nominated M. Ferrayo to relieve Bichi, and was obstinate for the Return of the latter to Rome, the King order’d his Ambassador to demand of the Pope for what Reason he recall’d Bichi; and in case the Holy Father should declare that it was to punish his Nuncio, He injoin’d him to say, that this Minister was intirely innocent of the Matters laid to his Charge in Portugal; but that if, on the contrary, the Pope should give him to understand, that he recall’d Bichi, to give him such an Office in the Apostolical Palace as might secure him a Cardinal’s Hat, he the Ambassador should then make Answer, that His Portuguese Majesty
was of Opinion, the Dignity of Nuncio at his Court ought to procure the Purple for all those who resided with him in that Quality; and that therefore his Majesty would never suffer M. Bichi to depart from Lisbon, till he was declared a Cardinal.
The Pope exclaimed against the King’s new Demand, repeated his Orders to Bichi to return to Rome, and sent away M. Ferrayo for Portugal. But the King would not let Bichi go out of the Kingdom, nor Ferrayo come into it; and Bichi himself refus’d to obey the Holy Father, who threaten’d him with Excommunication, but the Prelate, being sure of the King’s Protection, did not much value the Apostolical Censures. The King in short continu’d to solicit the Hat for him strenuously; but Innocent XIII. would not hear it mention’d, alledging that it was not proper for him, who, in Quality of Cardinal Protector of Portugal, had impeach’d Bichi at the Holy See, to advance him to the Purple. Benedict XIII. who was of a beneficent and pacific Disposition, no sooner came to the Pontificate, but he wrote a Letter with his own Hand to the King of Portugal, wherein he promis’d him the Hat for Bichi. The Sacred College, when they were inform’d of the Pope’s Intentions, made smart Remonstrances to him, and every Cardinal in particular represented to him how unworthy Bichi was of the Purple. Cardinal Corsini, the present Pope, was the Man that declar’d himself against that Prelate with the greatest Warmth; for he told the Pope, that notwithstanding his Respect for his Holiness, he would never consent that Bichi, that dishonourable, that faithless Man, (which were the Epithets wherewith he honour’d him) should be one of his Brethren. In a Word, the whole Sacred College shew’d so much Disgust at the Thoughts of this Promotion, that the Pope was oblig’d to revoke the Promise
he had made to the King of Portugal. That Monarch, incensed to see himself made a Jest of by the Priests, recalled his Ambassador and Envoy then at Rome, and ordered his Subjects to leave that City, and to have nothing more to do with the Holy See. And the Pope, in his Turn, recalled Ferrayo, who still continued in Spain, on the Frontier of Portugal, and summoned Bichi to Rome, whither at last he was determined to return.
During this, Benedict XIII. died, and Clement XII. succeeding him, Bichi, who is his Kinsman, went to Sienna, the Place of his Birth. There it was that he heard of his Promotion, which was made on the 24th of September last, but not without strong Debates in the Sacred College. A great number of the Cardinals put the Holy Father in mind, that he was formerly the most zealous Stickler against Bichi: And in the Consistory wherein the Pope propos’d him, a Cardinal gave his Opinion, that the Prelate might be admitted into the Sacred College in Quality of a Penitent, The Pope happening to say, that he knew of no other Way to come to an Accommodation with the King of Portugal, than by making Bichi a Cardinal; one of the Cardinals made Answer, ‘I question whether the promoting of Bichi will set us to Rights with Portugal; but let it happen as it may, ’twill be, at the worst, but one Hat more ill bestow’d.’
The Romans actually pine for an Accommodation with Portugal; for the Ambassadors of that Crown have always expended great Sums here, especially since the Accession of the present King, who has caus’d a great deal of Money to be laid out here in Statues, Pictures, and other Things of Value. ’Tis reckon’d upon the whole, that the Absence of the Portuguese is a Loss to the City of
Rome of above a Million of Roman Crowns in a Year.
The Pope’s Nephews are like their Uncle, Men of great Sincerity, Honour and Probity; but whether ’tis owing to the Indolence of their Tempers, or to their Want of Interest with their Uncle, they serve nobody, and know not the Pleasure of doing Good. The Cardinal, who should naturally have the most Credit, is he that has the least: He is penurious to the last Degree[16]. Before he was made a Cardinal and Minister, People conceiv’d a high Idea of him; they believ’d that a Person who had travelled so much as he had done, and who had been many Years employ’d by the Great Duke in France, and at the Congress of Cambray, must needs be well versed in Business; therefore they apply this Verse to him,
Tel brille au second rang, qui s’eclipse au premier.