There is an example of this already in the two Popes of the Family of la Rovere; Sixtus the 4th. and Julius the second; for in the time of Sixtus the Nipotismo was most highly guilty towards the Church, and did much harm, and little good; but under Julius it did much good, and little harm: so the same thing may happen for the Barberins, if Francesco be made Pope.
Gregory the 15th. who was Urban’s Predecessor, lived to do mischief enough, but it seems had no time to do good: of the four parts of the Popedom his Nephew had three, and he one.
All this Popes thoughts were bent upon the Protestants ruine, particularly, he had a spight to Geneva, calling it the nest of the Devil; and therefore he pressed the Duke of Savoy to besiege it, promising him great succors of men and money. He likewise assisted with all might and main the Emperour in his War against the Protestants of Germany. He failed not to solicit the King of France to torment and molest the Huguenots of his Kingdom, and prevailed with him to do it: which cost him dear, and had like to have proved fatal to his Monarchy, though at last he remained victorious.
The Cardinal Ludovisio his Nephew, quite contrary, did what lay in his power, to quell in his Uncle, this unmeasurable desire of ruining the Protestants, and engaging all Christendom into bloody Wars; but the Pope would never hearken to any thing that he could say about that particular, answering him alwayes in these words, ’Tis enough that I let you do what you will with the Catholicks; pray let me have the liberty of doing what I please against the Hereticks our enemies.
His Remonstrances to Ambassadors upon this Subject, were so frequent at every audience that they were tired with them; and when sometimes the Cardinal Ludovisio would interpose, and say something to qualifie the heat of the Pope’s exaggerations, he would command him to hold his tongue; and sometimes say to him, you have a touch of an Heritick in you.
He did all his endeavours by a thousand plots and Artifices, to reduce England again under the obedience of the Church of Rome, but all to no purpose: at last, seeing himself disappointed in this his main design after such pains and expense, he resolved to get back to Rome. Marc Antony de Dominis, who in the time of Paul the fifth Gregories Predecessor, had left Italy, and was fled into England; where, having declared himself Protestant, he did write many shrewd books against the Pope, and the Court of Rome, as one who was well informed of all its disorders.
The Pope, the better to compass his intention, sent to London certain Prelates disguised, who had been heretofore intimate with Marc Antony. These, coming to him secretly, promised him not only the Pope’s and the Churches pardon; but also assured him, that he should be made Cardinal at the next promotion. The Archbishop, trusting to the Oaths and Engagement of these Prelates, left England, and return’d once more to Rome, where he made a recantation of all his Errours, as they call’d them; But a little after, being carefully watched by the Pope’s Spies, they took hold of some words that he said; and having clapt him up in the Inquisition Prison, began to question him for Heresie; and without doubt he had undergone the dreadful fire of the Roman Purgatory, if timely death had not prevented the Pope’s revenge.
In a word, this Pope had undertaken the ruine of all Protestant Princes; wherefore he sent great Succours to the Emperour in his war against the Prince Palatine of Rhine, who after some resistance was driven out of his Country, and proclaimed Traytor to the Empire: whereupon his dignity of Prince Elector was conferred upon Maximilian, Duke of Baviere, a Catholick Prince, much protected by the Pope.
And the Emperour, in acknowledgment of the Pope’s zeal and affection, presented him with the Prince Palatines Library, esteemed, for the great number of Manuscripts in all Tongues, one of the most famous of all Europe: The Pope, having thanked his Imperial Majesty, caused the Library to be transported to Rome with great charge and expence; and as soon as it came, he solemnly sanctified it with his blessing, and so laid it up.
Paul the fifth was almost of the same humour, though he did not undertake things so rashly, but would wisely consider the good and evil that might come of them. It is believed, that in his time an infinite number of Hereticks return’d to the Church of Rome; but I am sure, that above a hundred Italian Families forsook their Country, and withdrew into Protestant Princes Territories, where they might freely follow the Rites of their Religion. Particularly, they went to Geneva, where great numbers resorted every day, and above all many Lucheses, of which some are now aggregated amongst the principal Families of that City.