The Catholick King, who is master of so many Provinces, and who takes a pride in filling whole sheets of Paper with his Titles, could not produce halfe so many as the Barbarines could have done after the death of their Uncle.
As for summes of ready mony it is not to be imagined how great they are that they have. ’Tis believed, that Cardinal Francesco alone hath under ground, above two millions of Crowns in Gold; Besides what the Cardinal Antonio hath hidden and spent in his long Exile; And besides what Don Tadeo sent to Palestrina, to be buried in a new vault under ground; and it is very certain, that about two months before Urban dyed, there were met in two nights above threescore and ten Mules, loaden with mony, going to Palestrina, where Don Tadeo was to receive them.
But we have another argument of the Barbarines prodigious riches. For if Sixtus the Fifth, in five years time, could spend five Millions of Crowns, in buildings and founding of Colledges, and leave five millions more to the Church, and yet give away three Millions at least to his kindred. And if Gregory the Fifteenth in two years time spent vast summs, for the succour of the Valteline and the Emperour, and in the embelishing of Rome, and yet left to his Relations the value of above three Millions of Crowns. Then I say, let any body judge what riches the Family of the Barbarines are in possession of. They that for the space of three and twenty year have had the whole Popedome at their disposition; and who in all that time never spent for the Church, or in publick Edifices, above four Millions of Crowns in Gold; and yet the people was never more oppressed: therefore we must conclude, That their riches are immense; and if we may calculate them by comparison of what the other Popes Nephews have got, they must have above thirty Millions of Crowns; and they that judge well, will not think it too much.
The power of this Nipotismo expired not with their Uncle; and though under his Successor they suffered a sharp Persecution, yet are they even now at this time so recovered of it, that they still deserve the Title of the Nipotismo Di Roma, there being three Cardinals of them alive, a thing which was never seen before, and will scarce be seen hereafter in Rome, that there should be three Cardinals of the same Name and Family; and that which is most considerable is, that they are now in great esteem with the Romans. Francesco, who is the Elder Brother, being respected as a Saint; and if he be alive when the Sea of Rome shall be vacant, he will go near to get the Popedome once more into his family, and the Cardinals ought to choose him for three reasons.
First, Because of the purity of his life, neither can it be said, that he Counterfits Piety, and feigns devotion, as many others have done. Because, it is not possible, that a man shall equally deceive the World in his Infancy, his youth, his riper years, and his old age; therefore, certainly, since this Cardinal hath appear’d, even from his youth, to be what he now is, we ought to conclude him to be of an unfeigned integrity.
The second reason, for which Cardinal Francesco deserves to be Pope, is his great experience in Ecclesiastick and Civil affairs, there being no Cardinal now alive, that is half so well instructed in them as he: so that upon this score Christendome would be sure to be well provided of a Pope.
The third reason is, That the Barbarines being already exceedingly rich, they would not now be so subject to that great avidity of heaping treasure upon treasure as they were at first. But I reckon without mine host, and would do better to leave these thoughts to the Cardinals, who will have time enough to examine them, since Alexander hath of late taken new forces, and is not like to dye yet.
The second Cardinal of this Family, that is Antonio, hath by his change of life, wiped away that scandalous impression, which his first demeanours, under the Pontificat of his Uncle, had given of him. And indeed, in that time he did lead a life too full of liberty and debauchery, and did not only scandalize all Europe, but by his proud carriage disobliged the Embassadours of many Princes, and made the Romans hate him so, that at midnight they would cry out in the streets, il Cardinal Antonio serve in Roma di demonio: but as I have said already, After he once began to frequent the French, and follow their humour, he changed his nature, and the Romans changed their note to his advantage, seeing him become generous, full of affability and civility, and much enclin’d to promote learning, so that now they cry Antonio Barbarino, sembra un angelo divino. But for the Popedome, he need not expect it; for all the Miracles in the World, will not take away altogether an ill impression from the Italians, when once it hath had a foundation in their minds.
Charles Barbarino, who is the third, is very obsequious to his Uncle Francesco, who does with a great deal of care give him such instructions, as may breed Vertue and Piety in him. Many think that most of his good qualities are feigned; but for my part, I think, we ought to judg well of exteriour probity, and leave the secret of dissimulation to him that knowes the heart; though most say, That he is Cardinal Antonio within; and Cardinal Francesco without.
But now it is time to leave the Barbarines, and come to Donna Olympia’s brother in Law, that is Innocentius the Tenth, who was chosen in 1649, contrary to the worlds expectation; not but that he was endowed with sufficient good qualities for so high a post: but that is the least thing that is considered by the Nipotismo, who in the creation of a new Pope are very careful not to advance one who should prove the enemy of their family.