Sixtus, who having been brought up in the severity of a Monastick life, did little esteem that outward pomp, which Paul, his predecessour, so much prized, caused these precious Stones to be sold, under pretence of discharging such debts, as the Church was lyable to for his predecessours.
The Jewels were soon sold, and the money consigned into the hands of his Nephews; but the debts were never payed, though the Jewels had been sold to that end: And that which is worth relating is, that the Pope answered every one, that came to demand any thing due to them; that he had already payed the others, that he was sorry it was not their fortune to come sooner, and that the money had proved short to discharge so many debts: So that the poor Creditors were fain to go away cheated, and yet knew not whom to complain of.
The Romans murmured strangely, against this greediness of the Pope and his kindred, and so much the more, because that they had not yet been accustomed to see a Popes passion; for his kindred make him rob and plunder the Church. They wondred what example Sixtus could have for his proceedings, for none of his predecessours had hitherto shewed so little moderation, but in providing for their kindred, had kept some measures. Neither could his education furnish him with this ambition and covetousness; for he had been brought up in a Convent, amongst Religious persons, who professed voluntary poverty, and to whose principles he seemed to be so inured, as not to be able to forsake them: for all the while he managed publick business, before he was a Cardinal, it was with a great deal of candour and disinteressment that he did it; and when he came to be made Cardinal, he was so far from keeping a Court, and living in that splendour, which others thought became that dignity, that his family and Retinue looked rather like a Convent, then like a train of Attendants. But as soon as he was Pope, he changed of a sudden, and lived like a Prince, never troubling himself at what the world said of him, but cared only to please himself, and make his kindred great.
Sixtus being dead, Innocentius the eighth was made Pope, in the year 1484. being of the noble Family of Cibo, which hath had many eminent persons in it. This Pope, remembring the complaints of the Romans against his predecessour, for being too indulgent to his kindred, resolved to be very cautious in that point, and give no occasion of scandal that way: Which he observed so well, that when any one of his kindred came to Rome, and that he had notice of it, he would say, Our kindred had much better stay in Geneva without us, then come to Rome for our sakes; and indeed he was very reserved to them: For to Mauritius Cibo, who was a very accomplish’d Gentleman, he gave nothing, but the Government of the Dutchy Spoleto, and made him President of the State of the Church Employments, which in those dayes were not of any great honour or profit, though now they are both rich and honourable.
So he made Lawrens Cibo, his Nephew, Cardinal, but with very little authority, forbidding him to meddle with publick business of importance, without being called to it. And yet was he forced, as it were, to honour him thus far; for many whispering about the Court, that he was a Bastard, he was fain to shew the world, that he did own him, as being lawfully born of one of his Cozens; which he proved by a process and strict examination before Cardinal Balbo, a Venetian, and one, who had no wayes interest to favour the family of Cibo.
The greatest advantage that this Pope procured his Family, was, that he married Francesco Cibo with Magdalen of Medicis, sister of Leo the tenth that was afterwards, giving him the County of Anguillara, which was not of any importance in those dayes, and making him Captain General of the Forces of the Church: And in this he ended all the favours that he ever shewed his Family, which was very noble besides.
Alexander the sixth succeeded Innocentius in the Popedom, who was a barbarous, lascivious Pope, making no difficulty of bringing desolation upon the Church, and imbrewing his hands in innocent bloud, to advance and make great his kindred. In the reign of this Pope, the Romans used to say, That the Emperours had taught tyranny, and the Popes practised it.
He was cruel, covetous, and insatiable, in heaping riches together: He spent his retired hours all in lascivious pleasures, taking great delight to be embraced and caress’d by fair Ladies; whence the numbers of his Bastards was very great; many taking from thence occasion to say, That he had filled Rome with Bastards, and Spain with Whores. ’Tis true, that he declared for his Heirs only, four male children, and two female: And though he used to change Ladies often, for variety and greater pleasure, yet he gave himself up to Vanoccia, a Roman Curtizan, whom he loved as his lawful Wife, and with whom he would sport and toy in publick, keeping her at his table, and in his house, as if she had been his true Wife, and this while he was Archbishop and Cardinal.
Being made Pope, in the year 1492. the second of August, he introduced into Rome, not a Nipotismo, but rather a Filiolismo, nay indeed, a Bastardismo, that is, a company of Bastards, whom he brought with him, in his return from his Legation in Spain: And his first way to make him great was, by force of Arms, making league with this Prince, then with that, then with another, but still upon these conditions, to give Principalities, which he nam’d, to his bastard sons.
For this end, he joyned in a Confederacy, which proved fatal to all Italy, with Lewis the twelfth of France, with the Catholick King, the Venetians, and the Florentines; the Conditions of which League were, that they should dispossess the true and ancient Owners of the Provinces of La Romagna, La Marca, and Umbria; and that the whole should be made over to Cesar Borgia, the Popes son; who to this end had laid aside his Cardinals Cap, and taken in marriage Charlotte of Albret, daughter to the King of Navarre, and allyed to the French King, and divers other great Princes.