But this Embassage had no effect, besides a return of Plenary Indulgency, which the Embassadour carried home, who seeing himself so often baffled at the _Vatican_, fell into the humour of negotiating with the Saints, and made his business to receive the Stations sometimes of one Church, and sometimes of another. The Crown of _Poland_ for six years together solicited by its Embassadour to have a Cardinal’s Hat for the Lord _Visconti_, according to his just Priviledges; but in all that time he not only could not obtain his intent; but moreover the Popish Embassadour at his return knew not what cause to tell his Master of the denial; for they all gave him good words, and bad deeds. Cardinal _Antonio_ excus’d himself by saying, _That he had no authority to effect it_; Cardinal _Francesco_, _That his desire was to serve his Majesty_, _but his Holiness did not think the Person worthy_; And the _Pope_ pretended, _That he could not make a man Cardinal who was an enemy to his Nephews_. The same was the case of the Citizens of _Bononia_, who dispatch’d an Agent to _Rome_, to supplicate his Holiness, that he would please to remove the Commissary _Della Grascia_, whose being there mightily intrench’d upon their Priviledges, but they receiv’d the same Answer with those of _Lucca_; their Envoy returning laden with fair words, but not with Indulgences, as he of _Lucca_; for out of displeasure to have miss’d his intent he would not visit the holy places, but said to a Friend that moved him to go and receive the Stations of St. _Mary Maggiore_, (rather like a Protestant than a Catholick) _My Friend_, _If there be no treating with the_ Barbarini _who can speak_, _there is less with the Saints who cannot_. _To what purpose is it to solicite the dead_, _if it be so hard to address to the living_? The two Crowns of _France_ and _Spain_ are manifestly imposed upon every day, the _Spanish_ Policy little availing with the _Barbarini_, whilst they stir not a hairs breadth from their ordinary Maxime, which is to perplex the understanding of Embassadours, one of them denying as much as the other promis’d. Which gave occasion to a certain _Florentine_ of the great Duke’s Court to say, _That the greatest miracle of_ Rome _was to see all the Ministers of Princes tantaliz’d with the ambiguous and confus’d treating of the_ Barbarini, _to so great prejudice of all Christendom_. But if ever any Prince was tantalized by them, ’twas the King of _Portugal_, who by the advice of _France_, and upon hopes given by the fair words of the _Barbarini_, sent the Bishop of _Lamego_ with the title of Embassadour Royal to _Rome_, where he was receiv’d with great honour and respect. But in substance ’twas all but smoke, the Embassadour being unable to obtain either a favourable Yea, or a flat No; that I say not that he obtain’d sometimes the one, and sometimes the other.