Il nipotismo di Roma, or, The History of the Popes Nephews: from the time of Sixtus IV. to the death of the last Pope, Alexander VIILeti, Gregorio
History
Il nipotismo di Roma, or, The History of the Popes Nephews: from the time of Sixtus IV. to the death of the last Pope, Alexander VII
Leti, Gregorio
Nepotism; Papacy -- Early works to 1800; Papacy -- History
This uncontrouled power having lasted three and twenty years, _Urban_
their Uncle died, leaving the Church in disorder, the State in debt, and
his family in possession of such vast riches, that even the Stewards that
managed them, could hardly believe the truth of their accounts. Two
hundred and seven and twenty Governments, Dignities, Offices, Abbies, and
Benefices of the richest sort, were then in the family of the
_Barbarines_; the Revenue of which was so great, that I believe the
_Barbarines_ never computed it, though they receiv’d it.
The Catholick King, who is master of so many Provinces, and who takes a
pride in filling whole sheets of Paper with his Titles, could not produce
halfe so many as the _Barbarines_ could have done after the death of
their Uncle.
As for summes of ready mony it is not to be imagined how great they are
that they have. ’Tis believed, that Cardinal _Francesco_ alone hath
under ground, above two millions of Crowns in Gold; Besides what the
Cardinal _Antonio_ hath hidden and spent in his long Exile; And besides
what _Don Tadeo_ sent to _Palestrina_, to be buried in a new vault under
ground; and it is very certain, that about two months before _Urban_
dyed, there were met in two nights above threescore and ten Mules, loaden
with mony, going to _Palestrina_, where _Don Tadeo_ was to receive them.
But we have another argument of the _Barbarines_ prodigious riches. For
if _Sixtus_ the Fifth, in five years time, could spend five Millions of
Crowns, in buildings and founding of Colledges, and leave five millions
more to the Church, and yet give away three Millions at least to his
kindred. And if _Gregory_ the Fifteenth in two years time spent vast
summs, for the succour of the _Valteline_ and the _Emperour_, and in the
embelishing of _Rome_, and yet left to his Relations the value of above
three Millions of Crowns. Then I say, let any body judge what riches the
Family of the _Barbarines_ are in possession of. They that for the space
of three and twenty year have had the whole Popedome at their
disposition; and who in all that time never spent for the Church, or in
publick Edifices, above four Millions of Crowns in Gold; and yet the
people was never more oppressed: therefore we must conclude, That their
riches are immense; and if we may calculate them by comparison of what
the other Popes Nephews have got, they must have above thirty Millions of
Crowns; and they that judge well, will not think it too much.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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