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

130 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
city of the Appenine peninsula, and praised its international
character, which had nearly disappeared under Paul IV. ^
An intimate friend of Cardinal Santa Flora gave, on October
25th, 1561, in a letter to Vincenzo Gonzaga, an enthusiastic
description of Rome under the new pontificate : " The city
is unfolding itself in its fullest beauty. The Pope promised
at the beginning of his reign to protect religion, peace, and
justice, and to provide for the material needs of his capital,
and he has kept his word. Rome has a superabundance of
grain, wine, and other necessaries, and the feeling of general
contentment is universal. Persons of good conduct and
talent are highly esteemed, and worthless characters have
either to change their ways or submit to punishment, if they
do not prefer to go, of their own accord, into banishment.
Perfect peace prevails in public, as in private life. The Pope
promotes the affair of the Council by every possible means,
and knows how to combine clemency with justice."^
As a matter of fact, Pius IV. did indeed temper with mildness
the severity of his predecessor, in all cases where it was
possible. Only in the matter of the Carafa family did he go
far beyond what had been done by Paul IV.
1 GiROL. SoRANzo, 83 seq.
- Letter of Aurelio Porcelaga in the Lett, de' princ., L, 231 seq.
Cf. CiACONius, IIL, 385, and also the letter of Paulus Manutius
to J. B. Titius, of December 5, 1561, in the Epist. P. Maniitii,
344 seq., Venice, 1573. An example of the severity shown in the
administration of justice at the beginning of the reign in the
This *Avviso di Roma of July 5, 1561 :
capparuoH et homicidi," and " circa 25 mandati in galea :
day " impiccati 14 per
cosi
si va purgando la terra id malfattori " (LJrb. 1039, p. 285, Vatican
Library). Soon, however, rich people could purchase their
freedom by mone}' (Mocenigo, 30). This increased later on
and led to grave evils (see P. Tiepolo, 174).