He answered one day two of his Relations, who were very pressing for an Office, which he would not grant; You ought to be content with what my Brother did, who lov’d the house of La Rovere better then the Church.
In his time Rome was almost without a Nipotismo: but no sooner was Leo the tenth raised to this great honour, but things began to run in another stream; for this Pope, though otherwise very worthy of such an Elevation, yet was he no sooner settled in his Dignity, but he began to project the greatness and advancement of the house of the Medicis. And first he bestowed upon Julian, his Brother, the Office of Gonfaloniero, or Standard-bearer to the Church, together with other charges and places: Then he called most of his kindred to Rome, making them Cardinals, and bestowing Dignities upon them. So that the Nipotismo began to take a new possession of Rome and the Church.
Leo undertook, by the means of the Emperour Maximilian, to make his brother Julian Lord of Siena and Lucca, pretending to add to his Domination the Dutchies of Urbino and Ferrara: But Julian dying in the interim, the Pope transferred his kindness upon his brother Lawrens, and attempted the execution of this his design in his favour, by the means of the Emperour Charles the fifth, who was newly come to the Empire. Besides, he put into his hands the government of the City of Florence, with this condition, that he should undertake nothing, without the advice and consent of the Citizens.
Then he enriched him with all the Honours and Offices his brother had enjoyed in the Church-State; and yet desirous every day to make him greater, and to satisfie the instant prayers of his Mother Alfonsina. He made war with Francesco Maria della Rovere, Duke of Urbin; and having sent an Army against him, under the command of Renzo di Lere, he took his Dutchy from him, and invested with the title of Duke of Urbin Lawrens his Nephew; the poor Duke and his Lady being constrained to fly to Mantua for refuge.
With the same intention, though not with the same success, he strove to pick a quarrel with Alfonse, Duke of Ferrara; but he being a Prince experienced in war, and under the protection of a strong City, easily defeated the Popes design and artifices.
Lawrens being dead, the Pope sent the Cardinal of Medicis to Florence, to govern that City; and in him first began to relent that great ardour, with which he had hitherto pursued the advancement of his Family, giving himself over to other Employments, much more necessary, and more becoming a Prelate, whose care was not only to be bounded within the walls of Rome, but over all Christendome.
Adrian the sixth was Leo’s Successour, he had been the Emperour Charles the fifth his Tutor, and was created Pope the year of our Lord 1529. being then in Victoria, a City of Spain: As soon as he received the news of his Election, he embarqued at Terracona, and came to Genoa; where having received the Complements of Ambassadours of all parts, he came in great triumph to Rome.
This Pope was indeed too severe with his kindred; and under him, the Court of Rome pass’d from one extremity to another: for his Predecessours gave all to their Nephews, and he refus’d to give them even that which they deserved; and for this reason he was blam’d, not only by the Court, and forraign Ambassadours, but also by the common people, as being unnatural and clownish.
There was in Siena one of his Cozens sons, maintained there in his studies by the Pope; who being moved with the ambition of rising under his Uncles Pontificat, came to Rome without order; but the Pope no sooner had notice of it, but he commanded (without being prevail’d upon to see him) that he should instantly be carried back again upon a hackney Horse; giving order to his Confessor, to tutor him sharply for being so bold; and bidding him remember to take from his Uncle, an example of modesty and temperance, and apply himself strongly to his study, and the practise of vertue, which would advance him without help of his kindred, or at least very little.
Many others of his kindred, even his Nephews, came from Germany to Rome, with a design to enrich their fortunes, as other Popes Relations had done; but they soon found they had abus’d themselves, for the Pope, angry at their journey, sent them all back, with no other Present, then each of them a woollen Sute, and just as much money as would suffice to bear their charges. Nay, even to one, who out of necessity was come a foot, he refused to give any more then would just defray his expences on foot back again. ’Tis true, that some Cardinals were very Noble to them. This Pope was continually blaming the Prodigality of those who had bestowed such great riches upon the Church. In the year that this Pope liv’d, Rome was so afflicted and visited with Warre, Famine, and Plague, that it cannot be remembred without tears, and the people very unjustly laid all the fault upon the Pope, all mouths being open to clamour against him, and sing the Latin Verse: