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

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THE AIMS OF FRANCE. 9<br />

boundless riches, <strong>the</strong> favour <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> princes, and <strong>the</strong> splendour<br />

<strong>of</strong> his illustrious family were all as much in his favour as his<br />

personal qualities. According to Guidus he was possessed<br />

<strong>of</strong> a truly terrible vigilance, <strong>of</strong> incredible persistence, and had<br />

besides an unusual charm <strong>of</strong> manner, which won for him all<br />

he desired.^ In order not to injure his own prospects he was<br />

clever enough to arrange that only those Cardinals should be<br />

put forward as candidates <strong>of</strong> whose election <strong>the</strong>re was no<br />

possible chance, and, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, that those who en-<br />

joyed <strong>the</strong> favour <strong>of</strong> many supporters should remain in <strong>the</strong><br />

background. It was he who was chiefly responsible for <strong>the</strong><br />

long duration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> conclave.<br />

<strong>The</strong> French government wished Cardinal Tournon to be <strong>the</strong><br />

next Pope, should Este's election not be possible, and after<br />

him, Cardinal Gonzaga ; <strong>the</strong>re were, besides, several o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

Cardinals, such as Pisani, Armagnac, and du BeUay, who<br />

would not have been displeasing to <strong>the</strong> French. Carpi, on<br />

<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, was to be absolutely barred as a candidate.<br />

It was feared that he would, as Pope, endeavour to get back<br />

<strong>the</strong> lost principality <strong>of</strong> Carpi for his family, and thus give rise<br />

to political complications.^ In o<strong>the</strong>r respects, France no<br />

longer had <strong>the</strong> same interest in <strong>the</strong> election as on former<br />

occasions. After <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> Henry II., on July loth, 1559,<br />

Francis II., who was a minor, had ascended <strong>the</strong> throne, and<br />

<strong>the</strong> regency <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two Guise bro<strong>the</strong>rs had to contend with such<br />

difficulties in <strong>the</strong>ir own country that, for <strong>the</strong> time being,<br />

Guadagno to <strong>the</strong> Duke <strong>of</strong> Mantua on September 20, 1559 (Gonzaga<br />

Archives, Mantua). " Ferrara no entra en el juego, sino es en<br />

contradecir a Carpo." Vargas to Philip II. on September 28,<br />

1559, in DoLLiNGER, Beitrage, I., 269. Concerning Este cf.<br />

Requesens to PhiHp II., on January 5, 1665, ihid., 582.<br />

1 GuiDUS, 622.<br />

2 Francis II. to his ambassador in Rome on August 27, 1559,<br />

in RiBiER, II., 830.<br />

^ MtJi-LER, 60. Fr. v. Thurm to King Ferdinand on November 3,<br />

1559, in Wahrmund, 260 :<br />

" timet Carpensem Ferrariensis<br />

propter jura, quae super oppido Carpi praetendit." Carpi lost<br />

his principality as early as 1527.<br />

^

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