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

ACTIVITY OF BORROMEO. Ill
and sometimes even these were again examined by the Pope.
The instructions for the nuncios and legates were always
drawn up in the name of Borromeo, who often added long
notes to his signature. The Cardinal also often wrote long
letters in his own hand ;
those drawn up in the name of the
Pope only dealt with important matters, or when the person
addressed had to be specially honoured, and in such cases
Pius TV. often added postscripts in his own hand, and these
were seldom wanting in precision.
Almost the whole of the diplomatic correspondence passed
through the hands of Borromeo, so that he was thus engaged
in all the great questions of European politics, besides those in
connection with purely ecclesiastical affairs. He also had to
decide in the matter of petitions for pardon from condemned
criminals, recommendations for appointments, decrees against
bandits, letters of complaint, and many other similar matters
of lesser importance. ^ Besides these exacting duties, the
^ Concerning the daily routine in the office of the Secretary of
State, and the staff employed there, see, besides the excellent
and comprehensive description by Susta, Kurie I., xxxiv seq.,
Ixxv., the detailed account in Sickel, Berichte, I., 44 seqq.,
65 seqq., 72 seqq., 83 seqq. ; II., 15 seqq., 22 seqq., 28 seqq. ; III.,
39 seqq., 99 seqq. See also Sickel, Ein Ruolo di famiglia des
Papstes Pius IV., Mitteilungen des Osterr. Instit., XIV., 581 seq.,
and ToRNE, 41, 74 seqq. Concerning Borromeo's excellent
Uditore, G. Fr. Bonhomini, see Ehses-Meister, Nuntiatur-
berichte, I., i, xvi, Paderborn, 1895
^
; Reinhardt-Steffens,
G. Fr. Bonhomini, Einl. p. xxv. Examples of the strictness of
Pius IV. v/ith regard to his secretaries, in the *Avvisi di Roma
of April 6 and 13, 1560 (Urb. 1039, p. 145b, 147, Vatican Library).
C/. also Sickel, Berichte, II., 61 n. i.
'^ The many documents which Sala (Documenti, Vol. 3) has
collected, give an idea of these activities. How everyone who
wished to approach the Pope applied to Borromeo is shown by
the letter of complaint of Scipione Saurolo against Michelangelo's
Last Judgment, which is addressed to Borromeo. It is printed in
Sala, Documenti III., 90 seq. Several of Borromeo's letters to
Lucca (concerning the repression of heresy, etc.) are published
by E. Lazzareschi in La Scuola catt., Ser. 4, XVIII., 279-95