A month after, Clement the eighth, of the House of Aldobrandino of Florenee, was chosen Pope, with an incredible joy of all the people of Rome: He himself was born in the City of Fano.
This Pope found his Family full of noble and ancient Blood, but as empty of Riches; therefore calling them to him, he began, by his Predecessours example, to give them Offices, Places, and Dignities, but with a certain moderation, and not precipitating his Favours, as the others had done, but giving to day one thing, and to morrow another, he contented them all without scandal.
In his first promotion of Cardinals, he created two of his Nephews, viz. Pietro Aldobrandino, his Brothers Son, and Cintbio Passero di Sinigaglia, his Sisters Son; and with the help of these two, the Pope did govern all the Church Affairs, desiring every thing should pass by their hands, particularly through Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandino, whom he lov’d most cordially, calling him, the Idol of his heart; and often, for fear of contradicting him, he would let him do as he listed.
The charge of General of the Church, was given to Giovanni Francesco Aldobrandino, another of his Nephews; in which place he enjoyed, not only all of the Prerogatives and Priviledges that had been granted to the other Nephews of Popes, but besides, his Holiness encreased his pay by two thousand Crowns a year, and invented new priviledges for him.
In the year 1595. he bought the Marquisat of Meldola, which he bestowed upon Octavio Aldobrandino, another of his Nephews, declaring him absolute Soveraign of the said place; but yet made him stay in Rome, that he might be at hand, & lose no occasions of getting something else from him: at last Alfonso d’ Este, last Duke of Ferrara, happening to dye in the year 1597. the Pope thought to take this Principality for himself, as being devolv’d to the Church, and resolv’d to give the investiture to his Nephew Octavio; so having held a publick Consistory, in which he declared, that the Dutchy of Ferrara was become the Churches patrimony; and immediately ordered Cardinal Aldobrandino to raise a powerful Army, and put himself in possession of the said Dutchy, by driving out Cesar of Este, who was Heir by the Will of the late Duke, and was actually in possession: But the Pope pretended, that he being a Bastard, was incapable of inheriting.
The Cardinal soon got together a great Army, and so frighted Don Cesar, that he was forced to fly to Modena, and leave Ferrara to the Pope; and the Cardinal Aldobrandino, after some Articles agreed on between his Uncle and Don Cesar, entred the place, and took possession of it in the name of the Church, with little joy to the Inhabitants, who lost a good Master to fall into the hands of Church-men, who change every day their Governours.
As soon as the news of the rendition of Ferrara came to the Popes ears, he began, by all means, to procure the investiture for his Nephew Octavio, for whom he thought the Marquisat of Meldola but inconsiderable.
But he met with a strange repugnancy in all the Cardinals for his design; they having, by a common consent and union, resolved to oppose the Popes desire, and not endure, that the Church should be depriv’d of so considerable a City, which it had but newly acquired.
The Pope foreseeing, by this reluctancy of the Cardinals, that it was a business hardly to be carried in a publick Consistory, forbore to speak of it there, but took another course; for calling the Cardinals one by one into his chamber, he there signified to them his desire; but they all refused to consent, or be any wayes accessary to the alienating so considerable a piece of the Popedome. So that the Pope thought it was not safe to do it without them, and by force, for fear of leaving his Nephew involv’d in a continual War, against all the succeeding Popes, and Don Cesar: and therefore he resolv’d to go in person, and take possession in the name of the Church.
A little after, he made another of his Nephews Cardinal, who was Silvestro Aldobrandino, Prior of Rome, to whom he gave an infinite number of Benefices. Thus Clement did every day do his endeavour to procure riches for his Family, either in lands or moveables, who of their side were as ready to receive, as their Uncle could be to give, particularly when it was ready money.