Besides, in those daies the Nephews of Popes remain’d at home, and did not come to Rome; if they did, they brought not with them that insatiable avarice which Nephews bring (or have brought hitherto) when they enter into possession of the Vatican. I mean not therefore to speak of those Families, which have been in great esteem as well since they have had Popes of them, as before. None of these is advanc’d by the Papacy, but remains in the same manner without growth in Ambition, Riches, or Glory.
Particularly, the House of Colonna (which is at present one of the most considerable, not of Rome only, but of all Italy) hath so little valu’d the Papal Grandeur in its lot, that they have often persecuted it, only to let the World see that the Colonneses pretended not to glory in the Treasures of the Church, but in the merit of the persons, exemplified in the valour of so many illustrious men, who have spent much of their bloud for the service of the Popes themselves.
’Tis certain, that by two Popes issu’d out of the House of Colonna, the Colonneses have had so little advantage, either in dignity or wealth, that they may say that the Popes were taken out of their Family, and that they have the honour to be Colonneses of the House of Colonna, but not Colonneses of the House of Popes. But there are many other Families, whose glory it is to have had their rise from the fortune given them by Popes, without which they would never have been any thing considerable; and these are the Families of which I am to speak.
The Family of Rovere, from which Sixtus the fourth was descended, of it self was very noble, and had liv’d so for above two Ages in Lombardy, but by various changes and accidents it was declin’d to such a degree that the chief branch was remov’d to Savona, and there remain’d many years in a mediocrity of fortune amongst the principal Citizens, till Sixtus, being made Pope, determin’d to revive it to a greater fortune at the cost of the Vatican, and the publick Treasury.
All the glories of this House, though dispersed here and there by Pope Sixtus, yet in a little time became confined to the sole possession of the Dutchy of Urbin, which indeed the House of Rovere possessed, but not without great persecutions for the space of 150 years and more, beginning from 1475 till 1631. When the said House was extinguished by the death of Francesco Maria, the last Duke, or of Guido Ubaldo, if I remember right; there remaining no other Heirs save Donna Vittoria della Rovere, married to Ferdinand the second great Duke of Tuscany.
It may be said, as I shall afterwards prove, that this was the only Family (rais’d by Popes) that continued so long together in greatness: and I believe the goodness of the Dukes, who succeeded one after another, contributed not a little to this continuance, which seems to surpass the ordinary measures.
But if we will measure things with the right rule, we shall find that the Family of Rovere liv’d in Grandeur but one Age; for there is no necessity to begin to reckon from the time of Sixtus, but from Julius the second, who was of the same House; who seeing it much declin’d by reason of the great persecutions of Alexander the Sixth, determined to succour it, though not by burdening the Church, which was in the year 1510. Neither is it needful to extend the reckoning till 1631. because for above twenty years before the death of the last Duke, the Ecclesiasticks foreseeing the fall of the Dutchy into their own hands, in regard of the great age of the Duke and his want of male Children, they resolv’d to take possession of it by degrees; and accordingly insulted over the poor old Duke, keeping him as if he had been their Subject: wherefore it may reasonably be said, that the House of Rovere, rais’d by Sixtus continu’d not in grandeur so much as one full Age.
The Family of Cibo hath alwayes produc’d men eminent both for Learning and Valour; amongst whom there were two Popes, Boniface the ninth, and Innocent the eighth; the former in these dayes, when Nephews were not wont to enter into Rome with the Popes, and the latter immediately after the death of the abovementioned Sixtus. But this Innocent the eighth would not oppress the Church to enrich his Kindred, whom he saw wealthy enough, and of good account amongst the chief Citizens of the Commonwealth of Genoa his Countrey.
He gave them indeed some Offices, but of so small value, that this Popes Kindred did not think it worth while to leave Genoa for Rome, and so, after the death of Innocent, they despis’d their Citizenships of Rome, and return’d to Genoa; where within a short time by the fault of Cardinal Cibo, they left the Offices given them by the Pope their Kinsman, and were forc’d to betake themselves to other courses for a livelihood; well knowing that the Riches receiv’d from the Church stay not long in the hands of the receivers. And they did wisely, for had they remain’d at Rome, perhaps they would not be at this day in that grandeur, esteem, and wealth as they are in the City of Genoa.
Of the Family of Alexander the Sixth, that barbarous Pope, there would be much to say, did not the consideration of bravity oblige me to pass over many reasons of the destruction thereof. This Alexander was descended from the noble Family of Lenzoli in Spain, being Son of Goffredo Lenzoli; but containing both the name and surname of his family, he took that of Boria, which was afterwards turn’d to Borgia.