But no sooner had Cardinal Panzirollo yeilded up his last breath, but Astalli began to perceive the decay of his fortune, and to mistrust that which afterwards befell him; for no sooner had this Cardinal shut his eyes, but the Popes kindred went about to undo him, and easily compass’d their intention, the Pope beginning to revive that affection, which he had formerly born to his Sister in law. One morning then, as the Cardinal Padrone was rising out of his bed, he receiv’d a Message from the Pope, whereof the bearer told him, That by his Holinesses Order he was banished from Rome, and forbidden the Popes presence for ever; that he should lay aside the title of Cardinal Padrone, and renounce the name of Nephew as well as that of Pamphilio. And in a word, not only all his Revenue was seised on, but he could not get leave to transport any thing of his houshold-stuffe or moveables. So that the poor Cardinal was fain to forsake Rome, seeing that all wayes to justifie himself were shut up, and all the favour he could obtain was, that he might depart in the night, to avoid the derision and mocking of the people.
The motive of this so severe a sentence, with which Astalli was treated, as if he had been guilty of high Treason, was this; The Barbarines having been recall’d and reconcil’d to the Pope, were now great with him, and at their perswasion, Innocent had begun to think of taking the Kingdom of Naples from the Spaniard; upon which subject there were often Conferences held between him, the Barbarines, and his Kindred, excluding still from their Counsels the Cardinal Astalli; who thereby perceiving, that the Popes Kindness for him did begin to abate, thought it would be prudently done, to provide in time some other protection, that so his fall might be less, and he might have something to hang by, which might hinder him from falling to the bottom of that precipice, which was digging for him.
Having therefore penetrated into these secret designs of the Pope, he gave the Spaniards notice of them closely, and the advice came no sooner to the Catholick Kings ears, but he immediately gave such Orders in the Kingdom of Naples, as quite disappointed the Barbarines plot, by shutting that door, which was to give an entrance to the execution of their design.
Azzolini, a Confident and Spy of Donna Olympia’s, took upon him to discover who it was that had betrayed them, and after an exact search found, that it could be no body but Astalli; whereupon the Pope banish’d him, and made Azzolini Cardinal for his recompence.
This sudden fall of the false Nephew opened all the mouthes in Rome, who did not know of the reason of it, to exclaim against the Popes inconstancy: but no sooner was the Nipotismo down, but that Donna Olympia raised her self upon its ruines; for the Pope a weary of being alone, call’d his Sister in Law once more to him, and gave her back again all her former power, and more, if more could be, the true Nipotismo remaining neglected, and despised in all these changes; for except some Offices and Places which they got, they were little more advanced in the Popes favour; and in those places, they had, it is true, a liberty of getting money by all Arts, but still with the condition of dependance upon Donna Olympia.
The avidity of the Barbarines was but a shadow of what this Lady perform’d in reallity; for under her government, Cardinalships, Bishopricks, Abbies, Canonicates, and generally, all Church revenues were sold, as in a Market, to him that bid most: She little cared how full the Town was of murmurs, if her purse were full of Gold; and that which was most intollerable was, that not only the meritorious and deserving people were neglected, but banished from Rome.
There was no more talk then of the Pope, all the discourse was of Donna Olympia, many taking occasion to say, That it were fit likewise to introduce the women to the administration of the Sacrament, since that Donna Olympia was Pope.
At last it pleased Almighty God to deliver the Church from so great a scandal, and so unheard of one before this age, which gave so fair an occasion to the Hereticks of inveighing against the Church of Rome, with a great deal of reason.
Innocent dyed in the year 1655. having reigned ten years, four months, and some dayes; so that then the Sister in law, and the Nipotismo, were fain to leave the Vatican to the Pope that should be chosen, who was Alexander the seventh, who now lives and rules the Church.
The Cardinals thought of little less then of making Alexander Pope, who went by the name of Fabio Chigi of Siena, not that he was destitute of those qualities which make a Cardinal worthy of that Elevation, but because that he was newly made Cardinal, and too young to be a Competitour for such a place; with all this, after three moneths time employed in the Conclave, he was at last chosen, when he thought least of it.