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

Il8 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
his court and state, but was always growing stricter towards
his own person, and to such a degree that he now denied himself
even the distraction of a walk. The discussions in his academy
of the " Vatican Nights " now related more closely to spiritual
matters, and he also began to fill in the gaps in his theological
education by having lectures in philosophy and theology
given to him. For some time he even thought of resigning
his office of Secretary of State and retiring into the strict order
of Camaldoli. The Bishop of Braga, however, Bartolomeo
de Martyribus, dissuaded him from this step during a visit
to Rome in 1563. ^ Charles repeatedly begged the Pope to
allow him to visit his archbishopric, ^ at least for a time, and
to forego a part of the rich benefices which had been assigned
to him.
This change in the manner of life of the most important
and the most highly esteemed Cardinal caused a great sensation
in Rome, where many considered it worthy of blame, while
even the friends of ecclesiastical reform were of opinion that,
as might have been expected from his energetic and strict
character, in many respects he went too far. Dissatisfaction
was especially expressed against Ribera and the Jesuits, it
being said that they had drawn the Cardinal into their nets
to get money out of him, or even to prevail upon him to enter
the Society. Similar rumours penetrated even to Pius IV.,
who appears to have given some credence to them, for, accord-
ing to a letter from the Spanish ambassador, Requesens, of
April 30th, 1564, the Pope showed great displeasure at the fact
that Cardinal Borromeo had cut down the service at his table,
and his whole household, besides having given other signs of
his contempt for the world. He said that these were melan-
1 Bascape, 9 seq. Cf. San Carlo, I. (1908), 98. He still
retained later on a predilection for Camaldoli and the Camaldolesi
cf. his letters of May 6, 1564, November 12, 1572 ; December
13, 1574, in Sala, Docum., III., 298, 442, 560.
2 The appointment of Charles as Archbishop of Milan took place
in May, 1564 ; before that he had only been the administrator.
He had already been consecrated bishop on December 7, 1563.
See Sala, Documenti, III., 817, 819 seq.
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