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

136 HISTORY OF THE POPES.
Paul IV., which had been fully aware of the faults and blunders
of the government, and had sharply criticized them. The
contrast to his predecessor's method of government had
already been so plainly shown by the new Pope in other
respects, that one might describe it as a reaction against the
pontificate of Paul IV. From this reactio*n the Carafa, who
had to bear so much of the blame for the mistakes of their
uncle, could scarcely hope to be spared, and it is, therefore,
no wonder that even at the beginning of 1560, their position
threatened to become one of danger.
Their former guilt was still further increased by a tragic
event which had taken place before the election of Pius IV.
Giovanni Carafa, Duke of Paliano, a man who was easily
roused to anger, and in his rage lost all control of himself,
had led a brilliant, extravagant and unrestrained Hfe when
he had been at the height of his power. In spite of his own
unfaithfulness he loved his wife, the beavitiful, gifted and
cultured Violante d'Alife, who had borne him three children.
She was not unaware of the immoral life led by her husband.
After the fall of the Pope's nephews, the Duke had betaken
himself, with Violante, to their possessions on the north-
ern side of the Ciminian hills, between Viterbo and Civita
Castellana, where they resided in the castles of Gallese and
Soriano. In that lonely neighbourhood, the rugged character
of which makes a deep impression on the visitor, an event
took place during the summer of 1559, while Paul IV. was
still alive, which was not altogether cleared up even during
the proceedings which took place later on.^
1 The older accounts of the death of the Duchess of Paliano
(de Stendhal [Beyle), in the Revue des deux mondes, 1838 ;
Reumont, Beitrage, I., 483 seq.), were superseded by the work
of Gnoli concerning Violante Carafa in the Nuova Antologia,
XIX. (1872), 341 seqq., 543 seqq., 799 seqq. Besides this there are
the documents used by GoRi in his Archivio, I., 245 seq. ; II.,
45 seqq. ; 200 seqq. ; 257 seqq. ; which were considerably added
to by Ancel (Disgrace, 59 seqq.). It has not been proved for
certain that the Duchess was guilty of adultery, nor do we know
what was the attitude of Paul IV., at that time on his death-bed.