The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

58 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
It was more difficult for Vitelli to induce the Cardinal of
Naples, Alfonso Carafa, to join the party of Medici. Alfonso
was under the influence of his father, Antonio Carafa, Marquis
of Montebello, who had no confidence in the promises of
Cosimo, and who therefore recommended his son to support
Cesi, who had been the confidential friend of the late Pope,
The latter, moreover, had never cared for Medici. ^ In
addition to all this there was the decisive fact that Alfonso
was not convinced of the perfect orthodoxy of Medici, in the
matter of the concessions to the Protestants. ^ At first
Vitelli, despite long discussion, could obtain no more than
the promise that Alfonso would carefully consider the matter. ^
On the following day, as well, Vitelli accomplished nothing,
and Alfonso remained firm. On the 24th the plans of Medici's
friends reached the ears of his opponents, and they at once
attacked Alfonso Carafa, beseeching him to separate from
his uncle's party. Carlo Carafa no sooner heard of this than
he rushed to his nephew and by dint of scolding, imploring
and threatening him, he worked, with the support of Vitelli,
on the young Cardinal of Naples in such a way that he at last
agreed to remain with his party.*
In the meantime the interests of Medici were being zealously
promoted by the Florentine envoys. They promised in the
Venice, says that the Pope went to law with the Carafa family
so that Cosimo might regain this* written promise and the affair
not be brought to Ught.
^" Leviusculum, vanum et, ut dicitur, cerebrelUnum appellare
solebat " (Panvinius, 582). Paul IV. had openly reprimanded
Cardinal Medici in consistory because he had endeavoured to
obtain the archbishopric of Milan by unjustifiable means, {ibid.
589. n. h.).
2 " Napoli si e lasciato intendere, che per niuno conto vole dare
il voto suo a Medici, sendo, come dicono, sospetto di heresia ;
pare che hebbe questo per ricordo dalla santa memoria di papa
Paulo IV." Thus writes Caligari, the agent of Carafa, in Novem-
ber, to Antonio Carafa, in Susta, Pius IV., 150, n. i.
® Panvinius, 582.
« Ibid.