This is the general disposition of the Court of _Rome_, and of Church-men in common; though the Popes _Nephews_ do often give it another face, according as their designs and thoughts are, which being as different as the humours of one Pope from another; fortune, not merit, raising both Popes and Nephews to this great command; we may say, that things in _Rome_ are rather performed by masked and counterfit persons, then by natural ones: As one of my friends, who lives well, and is one of the best Church-men in the Court of _Rome_, is used to say, that when once he had put on the habit of a Priest, he could hardly discern his own nature, nor know himself with comparison to what he was before. Which shewes evidently, that Church-men have certain close wayes of treating, particular to themselves, that must make those that have to do with them, stand upon their guard, and use all their policy. The SECOND BOOK. The Contents. _IN which is discoursed_, _of the first bringing the_ Nipotismo _into_ Rome, _which happened under_ Sixtus _the fourth_, _too much inclined to favour his kindred_. _Of the lascivious life_, _and of the death of Cardinal_ Peter _his Nephew_. _Of the government of the Church transferred to_ Jerom Peter’s _brother_. _Of the number of_ Sixtus _his Nephews_. _Of the selling of many Jewels_. _Of the murmurs of the_ Romans _against this Pope_. _Of the succession of_ Innocent _the eighth to the Popedome_. _How he was naturally averse from his kindred_. _What he did for some of his Nephews_. _Of the assumption of_ Alexander _the sixth to the Popedome_. _How he made his Bastards great_. _Of the crimes committed by him_. _Of the family of the_ Sforzas, _being from_ Milan. _Of the actions of Duke_ Valentine. _How the Pope passed his time_. _Of his death_, _caused by poyson_. _How DUKE_ Valentine _carried himself after the death of his Father Pope_ Alexander. _Of the succession of_ Pius _the third to the Popedome_, _and of his short life_. _Of what happened to his kindred_. _Of_ Julius _the second that succeeded_ Pius. _Of his way of carrying himself towards his Nephews_. _Of the Popedome fallen to_ Leo _the tenth_. _Of his mind entirely bent to favour the Family of the_ Medici. _How_ Adrian _the sixth succeeded to_ Leo _the tenth_. _Of the severity he shewed to his kindred_. _Of the election of_ Clement _the seventh for Pope_. _Of his great ambition to raise his Family_. _How_ Paul _the third was chosen Pope_. _How he likewise was inclined to make his kindred great_, _and by what means_. _Of that which_ Julius _the third did in favour of his Family_: _and how his life was inclined to pleasures and delight_. _Of the resolution of_ Marcellus _the second_, _to give nothing to his kindred_. _How_ Paul _the fourth was made Pope_. _Of his kindness to his kindred_. _How_ Pius _the fifth was not naturally inclined to do his kindred good_. _How_ Gregory _the thirteenth was of a quite contrary disposition_.