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

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ATTITUDE OF PHILIP II. 165<br />

cate his real views concerning <strong>the</strong> family to <strong>the</strong> Spanish court,<br />

as <strong>the</strong> nuncio, as well as Vargas, were adherents <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nephews<br />

<strong>of</strong> Paul IV. Santa Croce had also brought with him, <strong>from</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> minutes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> proceedings against <strong>the</strong> Carafa, a coUection<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> criminal statements and calumnies <strong>of</strong> which Carlo<br />

Carafa had made use in order to cause deadly enmity between<br />

Paul IV., Charles V. and Philip II. <strong>The</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>r documents,<br />

relating to Carlo's negotiations with <strong>the</strong> Protestants and <strong>the</strong><br />

Turks for <strong>the</strong> overthrow <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Hapsburgs were sent after Santa<br />

Croce, as he was already on his way.<br />

Philip II. could now throw aside his reserve, and give free<br />

play to his old vindictiveness against Cardinal Carafa without<br />

any danger to himself, although <strong>the</strong>re were still reasons why<br />

he should not make his real intentions quite public. Vargas<br />

received orders on September 5th, 1560, to moderate his zeal<br />

for <strong>the</strong> prisoners, and he submitted to <strong>the</strong> wishes <strong>of</strong> his master,<br />

writing to him, however, on January 5th, 1561, that he had<br />

obeyed his instructions, but that His Majesty, by failing to do<br />

anything for <strong>the</strong> Carafa, w^as committing a grave error.<br />

This had not escaped Philip himself, and several <strong>of</strong> his<br />

letters testify to <strong>the</strong> painful state <strong>of</strong> embarrassment in which<br />

he found himself. If he requited <strong>the</strong> services <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cardinal<br />

during <strong>the</strong> conclave by completely abandoning him, not only<br />

would his reputation be endangered, but his interests as well,<br />

for <strong>the</strong> prospects <strong>of</strong> Cardinal Gonzaga obtaining <strong>the</strong> tiara would<br />

<strong>the</strong>reby be greatly fur<strong>the</strong>red.^ In <strong>the</strong> end Philip acted in<br />

accordance with <strong>the</strong> advice <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Farnese ;<br />

he left <strong>the</strong> secular<br />

members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> house <strong>of</strong> Carafa to <strong>the</strong>ir fate, and interceded<br />

only for <strong>the</strong> life <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cardinal. This he did by means <strong>of</strong> an<br />

autograph letter written to <strong>the</strong> Pope on February nth, 1561,<br />

<strong>from</strong> Toledo, which reached Rome on Saturday, March ist.<br />

<strong>The</strong> consistory at which <strong>the</strong> decision was to be made was fixed<br />

for Monday, March 3rd, <strong>the</strong> letter <strong>of</strong> intercession thus arriving<br />

almost at <strong>the</strong> last moment. It came, however, in time to<br />

give, to <strong>the</strong> uninitiated, <strong>the</strong> appearance that <strong>the</strong> king was<br />

^ Ancel is <strong>the</strong> first (pp. 150-1) to have brought <strong>the</strong>se letters to<br />

light and to make use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m.<br />

* See HiLLiGER, 17.<br />

^

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