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

CANDIDATURE OF GONZAGA. 29
apply directly to the Spanish king. Towards the end of
September a number of letters from Gonzaga's friends, as well
as from his opponents in the Spanish party, were addressed
to Spain, in order to obtain thence a decision as to this crucial
question.^ Farncse wrote to the king that if Gonzaga
became Pope, Philip could see to it that the Spaniards were
not driven out of Italy. Sforza, on the other hand, com-
plained of Farnese to the king, saying that he opposed the
Cardinal of Mantua for private reasons, although he well knew
the loyalty of the latter to Spain } the alliance with the French
could not be evaded, and he begged Philip to order the Spanish
Cardinals to support Gonzaga. He bitterly complained of
the insubordination of his party and of Pacheco in particular.^
Pacheco, on the other hand, whom Philip had expiessly
designated as an acceptable candidate, made accusations
against Sforza, and said that he had left him in the lurch."*
Gonzaga himself sent an express messenger to Philip, but
when he was in Florence he was induced by Duke Cosimo to
return.^ Cosimo also addressed himself to the Spanish king
on September 2gth ; he explained that a Franco-Spanish
alliance was the only way of settling the election, and in order
to maintain it he appeared to support Gonzaga, but in reality
the only person for whom it would be possible to obtain the
tiara was Medici.^
Gonzaga's friends also sought to obtain letters of recom-
mendation for him from other courts. The King of France
answered in the most courteous terms, saying that if he were
a Cardinal he would personally cross the Alps to be able to give
his vote for Gonzaga.'^ King Ferdinand wrote, at the request
of the Duke of Mantua and the Imperial ambassador, Francis
^ Wahrmund, 82, 26c seq. Muller, 130 seqq.
^Wahrmund, 261.
* MiJLLER, 130 seq.
* Ihid., 131.
" Ihicl., 135.
" Ihid., 132.
' Wahrmund, 261.