There was but one sprig left of the House of the Borghesi, and which was worse, even that of a weak temper, and much subject to infirmities: which Alexander considering, and what accidents the vicissitudes of the world might bring upon the house of the Borghesi, he applyed all his endeavours to make a match (which succeeded well) with his Nephew, and gave him fair hopes of seeing the Patrimony of the Borghesi in his own house.
And this is the state of the Borghesi at present, who in the time of Paul the fifth, had above a dozen males of that name, of which there were not above six married; which was very considerable. But I return to speak how squares go in the world.
The Families of the Ludovisi, Barbarini, Panfili, and Chigi, who yielded the four last Popes, I shall speak nothing of; because they have not enjoy’d the Benefits of the Papacy full out thirty years: so as it behoving us to let them rest in peace, I shall leave the observations of their Catastrophe to them which come after us.
One thing only I shall insert, that the Aldobrandini had at one time many more males alive, than are at present left of all these four houses together.
God Almighty bless them according to their own desire; which I do heartily pray, as having no animosity against those that are good.
Some have observ’d, and not with much difficulty, that the greatest part of the Popes Families were, before their advancement to the Papacy, of great antiquity and grandeur; but for many that rais’d themselves by the treasure of the Triple Crown, it is not so easie to finde; for instead of attaining to a perpetuation of their Families, they have not been prolifique enough to defend them against a perpetual annihilation.
The house of the Medici in Milan was of above two hundred years antiquity, maintaining it self in great Honour and Magnificence: But after Pius the fourth was elected Pope out of it, it grew worse and worse, declining with much more speed than it was rais’d, and that after so extravagant a manner, they could discern themselves rise, but could not perceive their decay.
So the house of Gregory the fourteenth, who was born as I have said of the ancient Family of the Sfondrati, who had made themselves, as it were, immortal in Milan, not only in respect of the greatness of their Authority, but in the multitude of their Issue; yet in less than forty years after Pope Gregory, its leaves fell, and the whole Tree of the Sfondrati withered.
The House of Aldobrandini also, from which Clement the eight was descended, from the time of the Lombards to the said Pope, continued so eminent in Florence; there was at several times three and twenty of that name chief Standard-bearers, and all elected by the people: Nevertheless as soon as there was a Pope of this Family (which was Clement) it began to decay, and is now at that pass, there is but one sprig left of all the branches, and that infertile and incapable of recovering them, though he should be made a Pope.
In short, a thousand other examples might be produc’d to evince what I have asserted; which examples though I have describ’d in History, yet are they enough to demonstrate the Popes and their dependents, that all the care, contentions, and designs they go through for advancement of their particular Families, are not blessed by the Lord; because he suffers them not to prosper: it being more then certain, That when he keeps not the City, the Watchmen wake but in vain.