This exorbitant Covetousness wholly withdrew his mind from the care of the Papacy, both in Civil and Ecclesiastical matters; Embassadours could not please him better, than to discourse to him of the means to get money; and when they mentioned other matters pertaining to the publick good, they receiv’d no answer sutable to the question; because his thoughts were not imploy’d about what the Embassadours spoke, but about what the Receivers of Gabels and Taxes had said to him; with whom he entertain’d long conferences, little caring to give audience to Embassadours. Clement the seventh, who never shew’d himself so extraordinarily covetous, though covetous too, had his mind distracted in the like manner, from what was at any time spoken to him, if it were not about money: Whence being one day requested by the Imperial Embassadour to joyn with the Emperour, and other Princes, in a League against the Turk; the Embassadour perceiving that the _Pope_ gave him no answer, said, _Your Holiness saies nothing to my Proposal_; Whereunto the _Pope_ return’d, _No_, _for you counsel us to spend money_, _and we are thinking on the means to get it_. _Paul_ the fourth, standing one day in a great musing in the presence of Cardinal _Campeggio_, was ask’d by him, _Why he stood so pensive_? The _Pope_ answer’d, _I am thinking whether you_ (_who perhaps may be my Successour_) _are likely to be richer than my self_. _Sixtus Quintus_, who was one of the greatest _Popes_ that the _Vatican_ ever saw, had no other fault, but that he spent most hours of the day in devising what might be done to bring money into his Chests. And he seems to have died with the same thoughts in his head; for being ask’d by the _Venetian_ Embassadour, two daies before his death, _How he did_? He answered, _I should be much better_, _if I had more money to spend_. _Urban_ the eighth, in the war he had with the Duke of _Parma_, and other confederate Princes, lost no little reputation, in attempting the destruction of a Prince so well deserving of the Church, and hazarding the safety of all _Italy_; yet he car’d not so much for the dishonour which the Church receiv’d in his person, nor for the great murmur of the people, as for the money disburs’d in it; lamenting the same often with his Nephews, and reproving them for _having engaged him in a War of so great expence_: as if the loss of money made deeper impression in the _Pope’s_ heart, than the detriment of the Church and of Christendom. Most of the _Pope’s_ Nephews call the hours wherein they give Audience to Embassadours, _hours of poverty_, _and of misery_; because they cannot at those times think how to advance their Houses: and therefore they strive to shift them off as much as possible, and many times they promise all before ’tis ask’d, only to be at their liberty.