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

JOY AT THE ELECTION OF PIUS IV. 83
It can easily be understood that the Roman populace should
have eagerly greeted the elevation of such a man to the throne
of St. Peter, and great was the jubilation when the new Pope
announced that he would secure peace, justice, and an ample
supply of provisions to the Eternal City, which promise he
confirmed by reducing the price of grain as early as the end
of December, at the expense of the Exchequer. The state of
opposition in which Cardinal Medici had stood towards Paul
IV., arid the moderate and sober attitude which he had always
adopted, gave promise of a peaceful pontificate which would
heal the wounds inflicted by the war and the exaggerated
severity of the late Pope. The diplomatists themselves were
convinced of this, and as neither party had triumphed in the
elevation of Medici, while neither of them had suffered a com-
plete defeat, the representatives of the rival powers were,
without exception, satisfied.^
Although the new Pope was already over sixty, he was
possessed of so much vigour that a long reign might be hoped
115; BoNANNi, I., 277). Cf. Constit. archiconfrat. S. Hier-
onymi de uroe, 31, Rome, 1694 ; Armellini, 75sey. ; Mitteilungen
; Lanciani, III., 211. The attempt
des Osterr. Instit., XIV., 577
to put a stop to the scandal of the beggars by the establishment
of a poor-house was, however, not successful [cf. Bonanni, J.,
285; Lanciani, Golden Days, 99). Concerning the orphanage
erected by Pius IV. near SS. Quattro Coronati, see l.e cose meravig-
liose, 28. As to the care of the Pope for the Roman hospitals,
128. Nor did Pius IV. forget
cf. FoRCELLA, VI., 404, 520 ; XL,
the poor prisoners (see Constit. archiconfraternitat. S. Hieronymi,
9).
1 See Dembinski, Wybor Piusa IV., 289. Cf. Ricasoli's *report
of Dec. 26, 1559, in the State Archives, Florence and that of the
Portuguese ambassador of December 30, 1559, in the Corpo
dipl. Portug. VIII., 281 ; Canisii Epist., III., 567 seq. In the
*Avviso di Roma of December 30, 1 559, we read :
" S'ha speranza
cli' el sara Pio di fatti come ha assunto il nome. Ha detto di voler
pace, giustitiaet abondantia " (l)rb 1039, p. 112, Vatican Library).
Concerning the joy of the Emperor, see the Venetian Dispatches,
III., 131, 133.