THE difficulties, which the Ministers of Princes meet with in their treaties with the _Pope’s_ Nephews, are so great, that the most refined Wits and politick Heads of the Universe cannot easily fathom them; every one losing himself in an Abyss of wonder to see the Court of _Rome_, in all her own concerns, and with all persons, so selfish and singular, whilst she alone glories in the Title of Universal. It would be no great matter, if the Nephews would rest satisfied with embroyling and discomposing the minds only of the Principal Ministers of State; and did not likewise make themselves the unhappy instruments of bringing Treaties and Negotiations of the greatest weight to irreparable confusion: the ruine whereof must necessarily draw the consequence of damage to the Pontifical State, disorder to Christianity, and perpetual distaste to those Princes, who know themselves obliged to send their Agents to a Court, where they shall rather receive occasion of disgust than profit. For the Church-men cannot treat with any Prince, without wounding his reputation with secret reproaches and back-biting language. There are two things, Ignorance and malice (the usual Patrimony of _Popes_ Nephews) which are predominant in the _Nipotismo_, which subvert and drown even those appearances of good, that might otherwise be found in the Court of _Rome_: And the mischief of it is, that these two are inseparable, and go alwaies hand in hand together in the _Nipotismo_; their ignorance is not accompanied with that honest simplicity which often is seen in some of weak understanding; but quite contrary, an ignorant Nephew no sooner marches into the _Vatican_ (which thing God knows too often happens) but Artificial Malice displaies her Banners; and if by chance within the Camp there happens to be found out any one that’s good and vertuous, she doth her utmost to make him pass for an ignorant lackwit. Whence the Church, Christendom, and the Court do all suffer by the malice and ignorance of those Lordly Nephews, who matter not by which of these two abject qualities they govern. There have been several Princes in our Age, who finding themselves deluded in some of their affairs, have blam’d their own Officers, judging the errors which occasioned their damage, and were indeed committed by the _Nipotismo_, to be caused by the inability of their Ministers; as if it had been in their power to overwhelm the Course of nature, and thwart a malicious Ignorance. _Odoardo Farnese_, Duke of _Parma_, a Prince truly worthy of a Crown, seeing the business of _Castro_, and his other Affairs with the Church, not to succeed according to his desire, rebuked his Minister who was at _Rome_, believing him a person of very slender experience in the management of the matters committed to his charge.