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

2
THE CRIMES OF THE CARAFA. 145
so well. The communication which he made to the Cardinals
concerning what had taken place, was limited to a bare
statement of facts. On the following day, however, he was all
the more communicative to the ambassadors, Vargas and
Tendilla, who had been invited to dine with him, the case
being discussed both before and after the meal. The Pope
set forth the crimes of the nephews of Paul IV. in great detail,
laying special stress on their scandalous and unjust attempt
to stir up strife against Charles V. The two Spanish ambassadors
were invited to convince themselves, by an examination
of the documents, of the falsity of the accusations made at the
time, especially of the intrigues set on foot b}' Cardinal Carafa,
and of the purely imaginary plot of the Imperialists to poison
Paul IV., by means of which the Pope was incited to break
with Spain. The Pope also laid stress on the fact that Cardinal
Carafa had, besides all this, been guilty of numerous murders,
violations and other crimes ; that Cardinal Alfonso had
obtained possession of money and valuables at the time
of the death of Paul IV. by means of forged briefs ; that the
Duke of Paliano had committed atrocities, robberies and
acts of injastice of every kind during his uncle's reign, and
had murdered his wife duiing the vacancy in the Holy See.
Sach crimes must not remain unpunished.^ Pius IV. ex-
pressed himself in a like manner to the Venetian and Florentine
ambassadors.
The greater number of the Cardinals disapproved of the
strong measures adopted by the Pope against two members
of the Sacred College, from a feeling of esprit de :orps. Carpi,
Este, and Farnese^ were the most outspoken in expressing
^The *reports of Vargas and Tendilla of June 10, 1560, which
are not given in DoUinger, are in the Simancas Archives, and are
used by A^'CEL, Disgrace, 91 seq.
* See the *report of Mula of June 8 (State Archives, Venice),
and that of Ricasoh of June 10, 1560 (State Archives, Florence).
Cf. Angel, 92.
3 *Questa cattura di sig. Carafa piii che a tutti gli altri rev''^'
per varie ragioni e dispiaciuta a Carpi, Ferrara et Farnese. * Report
of G. B. Ricasoli of June 8, 1560 (State Archives, Florence).
VOL. XV. 10