Yet for all this, the Pope did stop his eares to all reason, and guided, or rather miss-led by his own fancy, and the perswasions of Donna Olympia, continued his severity towards this new married couple.
If we may guess at the reasons of this so extraordinary a proceeding, I believe the chiefest was, because, that this Pope by an extravagant capriccio had resolv’d to introduce his Sister in Law, in the place of the other Popes Nipotismo’s; and he accordingly gave to Donna Olympia, an absolute authority, not only over the Church and State, but over his own person, not daring to take any resolution without this Ladies leave.
And this was a thing without Example; for if Alexander the sixth gave himself up to Vanoccia the Roman Courtisan, by whom he had many bastards, yet he never suffer’d her to have any hand in the Government, but would divert himself in his houres of recreation with her. Whereas Donna Olympia was called to the Vatican, not to serve Innocentius, but to command him, which she did with so much authority, that she seemed to be the Pope, and he to be neither a man, nor a Pope.
If ever the Church was shamefully set out, and satyrically painted by the Hereticks, it was in this time; for there was not any place where the publick discourse was not about this extravagant fancy of the Popes to renounce his own Nephew, and give himself and the Popedome, into the hands of a Woman, heretofore—and now grown ambitious and covetous.
Catholicks and Hereticks together were astonish’d, and did murmure to see, that he who called himself the head of the Church, should be subject to the appetite of a woman; and that to her ambitious desires, he should be content to sacrifice his own Nephew, and deprive himself of that help and succour, which according to the example of his predecessors, he might have expected from him.
If there were any Offices vacant, or places empty in the Court, nothing was to be determin’d about them, without the advice of Donna Olympia; nay, if there were Benefices to be conferr’d, the Officers of the Datary or Chancery durst not expediate the Bulls for them, having receiv’d an express order from his holiness, to suspend the expedition of all business, ’till his sister in Law was instructed of it, and gave her consent. If any Bishopricks were to be provided with able Pastors; all the competitors made it their business to Court her; and that which was worst, was, that they ordinarily carried it, who offered most money, and not they that had greatest deserts; though it were true, That the more the person was unfit, the more was he fain to give to be admitted.
But this Womans pride, carried her to that point of insolence, that not thinking it enough to have had a Cardinals Cap for one of her young Nephews, altogether unworthy of so high a Dignity, but pretended besides, that in all promotions, her voyce and consent should be expected, and followed: From hence proceeded that the Courtiers, seeing her exercise this power, either, out of fear, or hope, did frequent her Palace, and daily go to wait upon her, not daring to put any end to business already begun, or begin any other, before they had acquainted her with every particularity of it.
Cardinal Panzirolo himself, Secretary of State to Innocentius, and oppressed with multitude of affairs, and the indisposition of his body, was not free from this base Courtship; but that he might humour his master, who was infinitely pleased to see Donna Olympia obeyed, was fain to go in person very often to wait upon her, and give her an account of all the secret negotiations of the Court, and of every thing that passed through his hands: after which she would from time to time, go to the Vatican, followed with a numerous company of Coaches, and her hands full of Papers, which she had already drawn up, as she would have them pass, and there stay whole houres with the Pope, in discussing, and ripening other business that was next to fall in order.
The wits of the Court seeing this, could not forbear so good a subject for Pasquins, but made them with all sharpness, yet as secretly as they could, they being well inform’d of the danger, oft exposing the defects of those that Rule: and though every body were mov’d with indignation to see the Pope so much mistake himself, as to preferre the company of a Woman to that of his Nephew, and the Princess of Rossana his Wife, the only prop of the Family of Pomphilio; yet Innocent was so prepossessed against them, that he would not hear of his Nephewes submissions and excuses.
These murmurs and satyrical Discourses were all this while, either concealed from the Pope, or at least dissembled by him; as being unresolved of the means that should bridle so many tongues, and stop the mouthes of all Christendome; particularly, of the Protestants, who made very good sport with this female Government, not only laughing at the Pope, who by the assistance of the holy Ghost could not discern that which was the ruin of his reputation and family, but also by immodest representations, and contumehous pictures, giving the world to understand, that they were fully informed of the disorders of the Church of Rome.