Withall this things were carried so closely, that though the Church did receive some detriment, yet the people of _Rome_, and the other Christian Nations had no great occasion of scandal given them neither from the Nephews, nor from the Popes. The first of which were well pleased with any thing that was given them; and the last, that is, the _Popes_, were so provident as to be liberal only of what was superfluous, and not of that which the Church and _Rome_ could not spare. But in the time of _Sixtus_, Ambition and Covetousness introduced themselves so openly, with the utter destruction of the modesty and decorum of the Church, together with the subversion of Christian Piety, occasioned all by his filling the _Vatican_ with such a company of Nephewes, that from that time forward we must reckon the birth and growth of the _Nipotismo_; in the History of which, before we engage any further, it will not be amiss to give a Character of the Court of _Rome_, which now at present is maintained by, and depends entirely upon the _Nipotismo_. One of the greatest extravagancies that I meet withall in the World, is the error of those who are perpetually exclaiming against Courts; and generally ’tis observed, that few of those that are of this Humour, have been Courtiers, or if they have, yet have they not made any considerable stay in them. But for Gods sake, what kind of thing was the World, before there were any Courts? nothing but the refuge of baseness, the quintessence of ignorance, an apparent blindness, and in a word, a barbarous throne of Vices, and all sorts of ill actions. Many complain of the Court, but few of themselves, for not having been able to maintain the ground, and keep the place they had once in it; as if the Court were bound to descend to a compliance with every particular mans humour, and not particular men rather frame themselves to a condescendency for the Court. Who is it that frames and constitutes a Court? ’tis the Prince, without whom there is no such thing. But who brings Vices to the Court? The Courtiers; and yet though the Courtiers be bad, and the Prince good, all the fault is laid upon the Prince. Princes seldome fayle to recompense those services which they receive from their Courtiers, and without this quality they would not long be Princes. ’Tis true, that some are more reserv’d, others more liberal in their rewards; but still the defect is not in the Prince, but in the courtier, whose ambition is not to be ruled by his Princes judgment, and against whom he exclaimes for not contenting him. To the ambition or desire of honour is alwayes added an avidity or desire of riches in Courtiers: these two monsters being the natural production of Courts.