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

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22 HISTORY OF THE POPES.<br />

du Bellay and Tournon, and it seemed to <strong>the</strong>m as if Gonzaga<br />

were <strong>the</strong> man most Hkely to unite <strong>the</strong> votes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> French and<br />

Spaniards upon himself. <strong>The</strong> Cardinal <strong>of</strong> Mantua was out-<br />

wardly supposed to be a member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spanish party, but<br />

he had also been designated as an acceptable candidate by <strong>the</strong><br />

French king. After consulting toge<strong>the</strong>r for several days <strong>the</strong><br />

leaders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> French party ^vent to Sforza on September 25th<br />

and begged him to propose a Cardinal <strong>from</strong> his party for<br />

election. Sforza in his turn named Gonzaga. To attempt,<br />

however, to effect his elevation in <strong>the</strong> usual manner, by secret<br />

ballot, appeared too uncertain, and it was <strong>the</strong>refore decided<br />

to summon <strong>the</strong> Cardinals immediately to <strong>the</strong> Pauline Chapel<br />

and to declare Gonzaga Pope by paying him general homage.^<br />

This attempt, undertaken with hardly any preparation, not<br />

only failed completely, but also led to a division <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spanish<br />

party. Only nine Cardinals <strong>of</strong> that party joined <strong>the</strong> thirteen<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> French assembled in <strong>the</strong> Pauline Chapel, <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />

declining to obey <strong>the</strong>ir leader Sforza. Whi^e Este, Guise,<br />

Sforza and Sermoneta were endeavouring to collect more<br />

votes, Madruzzo thought to attain <strong>the</strong>ir object in a simpler<br />

manner by crying out that Gonzaga was already Pope, and<br />

that he had <strong>the</strong> necessary number <strong>of</strong> votes. Only two Car-<br />

dinals, however, allowed <strong>the</strong>mselves to be moved by this to<br />

join Gonzaga ; most <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m remained inaccessible, barred<br />

in <strong>the</strong>ir cells till all was over. Famese had in <strong>the</strong> meantime<br />

assembled his party in <strong>the</strong> Sistine Chapel ; his bro<strong>the</strong>r<br />

Ranuccio, who was ill at <strong>the</strong> time, got out <strong>of</strong> bed and placed<br />

himself, wrapped in a fur mantle, at <strong>the</strong> door <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> chapel,<br />

in order to let no one go over to <strong>the</strong>ir opponents. <strong>The</strong> ex-<br />

hortations <strong>of</strong> Farnese and Carafa to hold out obtained a bril-<br />

liant success for <strong>the</strong>ir party. ^<br />

IRlBIER, II., 834.<br />

2 Guidus, 614 seq., Bondonus, 520. Santa Fiora and Madruzzo<br />

to Philip II. on September 25, 1559, in Petrucelli, 136 seq.<br />

" *Se non era la furia di Trento, le cose succedevan felicissamente<br />

. . . Ferrara, Ghisa, Santa Fiore et Sermoneta eron intorno ad<br />

alcuni altri che vi mancavano a complir il numero che si ricer^a,<br />

quando Trento troppo amorevole et frettoloso comincio 6 a gridare:

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