Besides this the Pope gave to his Son Pietro Luigi, against the consent of almost all the Cardinals, the noble Cities of Parma and Placentia in Lombardy, which were Fiefs of the Church. The said Pietro Luigi was murdered by the principal Citizens of Placentia in a conjuration layed and carried on by the Emperours order; who all along refused to confirm Pietro Luigi in this new Principality, the Pope pretending that the Emperour should acknowledge him for lawful Lord and Master of these Cities; which he was so far from doing, that he endeavour’d to take them from him; whereupon the Pope was forced, that he might support his Son, to side with the French, who failed not to settle his Grand-child Octavio, though with this condition that he should renounce Camerino, and restore it to the Church, and be content with Parma and Placentia, for which he should pay every year seven thousand Crowns to the Apostolick Chamber.
Thus the Nipotismo was in great credit and Authority in Pauls time: for this Pope spared nothing to make them great, alienating the Churches Lands, and maintaining them in the possession of their acquisitions with the Churches Mony, which stirr’d the indignation of all Christendome, and made the Hereticks, who by this time were multiplied like Grashoppers, take from them an occasion to deny the Popes authority and primacy.
Julius the third, who succeeded Paul, preserv’d his Nipotismo in a handsome condition and rank, but was not so furiously transported with Ambition to settle them in Dukedomes and Principalities. His humour was gay and merry, a good companion, and one that lov’d to eat and drink well with his friends.
And yet though this jovial inclination of his made him little enclin’d to warlike attempts, he nevertheless sent great Succours to the Duke of Florence, Cosino, in his Warre against the Sienezes: and this because the said Duke had promis’d him to make his Brother Baldwin Marquis of Monte san Sabino; which thing was not only executed, but besides, the Dukes Daughter was promised in Marriage to Fabian de monti Baldovin his Son; she was afterwards married to Alfonse Duke of Ferrara.
Giulio made also five of his Nephews Cardinals, to wit, Christopher di Monte, Fulvio de la Corgna, Innocentia de Monte, Geronimo Simoncello, and Roberto de Monte pulcrano. To these he was very liberal, but to say true, not prodigal, as his Predecessors had been. ’Tis true, he did what he could, to make his Brother Baldwin Duke of Camerino, and deprive the Church of so good a State, but the Cardinals oppos’d him so vigorously, that he was fain to desist from his design.
Julius being dead, the very name of the Nipotismo dyed with him, for in the year 1555 Marcelius the Second was made Pope; who would never endure, that any of his kindred should come neer Rome, no not his own Brother. Nay more, he would never suffer that two Nephewes of his, who before his Election liv’d with him, following their Studies in Rome under his care, should receive any visits as his Nephews; and he forbid him to stir out of doors, least in going to School they should be owned in the streets, and receive the Complements of persons of quality.
They that knew much of his mind while he was Cardinal, said after his death, That his intention was altogether bent to apply some remedy to the ambition of the Popes; and that he had particularly resolved to give to his Brother and Kindred but just as much as would maintain them like ordinary Gentlemen; but not so much as a simple Barony, much less Dukedomes and Principalities; and to this he would have the advice and consent of the whole Colledge of Cardinals, having a firme purpose of making most secure decrees, by which the Popes should be bound, and kindred from giving any thing to their Kindred without the consent of all the Cardinals.
But while he was intent upon so good a work, he was surprized by death twenty dayes after his election; so that in so short a time he did neither good nor harme to the Church.
To him succeeded Paul the Fourth, of the House and Family of Caraffa in the same year 1555. This Pope was one of the most fantasticall ill humour’d men that all the World could afford. He presently made his Brothers Son Carlo Caraffa Cardinal; and to him he gave so much Authority, that it seemed that the Popes Will depended upon his pleasure. He excommunicated Mark Antonia Colomna, and Ascanio his Son, under divers pretexts, but indeed only to take from them those offices and honours which they had in Rome, and to seize upon all their Revenues within the Territories of the Church; which was severely executed; the Pope at the same time giving the investiture of all their estates to Giovani, Count of Montorio his Brothers Son, giving him the Title of Duke of Paliano, which place he immediatly went about to fortifie, that it might hold out against the forces the Colonesses were raising to recover their lands, as at last they did.
A little after he made Antonio Caraffa the Earles brother, Marquess of Montebello, a place which he had deprived the right owner, the Earl of Bagno, of, as being contumacious, and for having, as the Pope said, ingrossed that money which the King of France had sent for the War in Italy.