The Republick of _Venice_, whose maxime it is to keep the Popes for friends (though they often have been so ungrateful, and so little sensible of the service that this State does to the Church and all _Christendom_, as to trouble its quiet) having receiv’d the news of the election, assembled the Senate, to deliberate of the demonstrations of joy, which they should shew to the Pope. There it was resolved unanimously, _That the House of_ Chigi _should be declared Noble of_ Venice, _with all the Prerogatives that the Senate uses to bestow on such occasions_; which was done accordingly, and the Letters Patent were sent to the Pope and his kindred in _Siena_, with the usual formes, being followed immediately after by a solemn and stately Embassie. Thus the Popes kindred did receive continually great honour in _Siena_, though it were some mortification to them, to see themselves depriv’d of that command and authority, which they thought did belong to them, _de jure_, as being a Popes Relations. In the mean time, this neglect and denial, which the Pope seem’d to make of his dearest Kindred, got him such a reputation through the world, that nothing was more discoursed of, then of his holiness and purity of life; the vulgar did expect no less then miracles from him; and hearing say, that he had alwayes upon his table a dead mans Scull, and under his bed his Coffin, they could not choose, but be confirmed in the opinion of his holiness. But the wiser sort, and the judicious, were not so easily deceiv’d; but reckoning, that it was either policy, or a particular melancholy, which had flown into the Popes head, but had not root in his heart, they alwayes said, _Let us see what the end will be_. And indeed, after some time it was observed, that the Pope did as the Traveller, who being in a small vessel, which was surpriz’d by a terrible storm at Sea, resolv’d, that he might save his life, to throw all that he had into the Sea, having then tyed his baggage with a rope, he threw it over board, but still kept in his hand, the end of the rope to which his baggage was tyed. Just thus did _Alexander_, for though it seemed to the eyes of the vulgar, that he had despised and thrown over board his Kindred, yet from time to time he would hold out his hand, and send them money, and all other things that were necessary, there passing never a day, but they had news from him, and he from them. And once particularly (and this is a thing which I am an eye witness of; neither do I think, that _Don Mario_ himself can deny it, if he will be sincere) the Pope feigning to send them some Mules, loaden with Wax for certain Churches, sent them indeed Mules loaden with money; which cheat was so great, that the Muletiers themselves perceiv’d it, complaining of the extraordinary heaviness of their burdens; and indeed, what should they have done with so much Wax, for there would have been enough, if it had been really Wax, to have lighted the _French_ Court a whole year.