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

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VARGAS BRIBES CARAFA.<br />

to <strong>the</strong> dispute concerning <strong>the</strong> possession <strong>of</strong> Paliano.i which<br />

was still going on, PhiHp chose just this moment to come to<br />

<strong>the</strong> decision that Pahano should be restored to its former<br />

owner, Marcantonio Colonna ; not a syllable as to any in-<br />

demnification for <strong>the</strong> Carafa was to be found in <strong>the</strong> letter. 2<br />

Vargas naturally endeavoured to keep this unlucky news<br />

secret, but <strong>the</strong> courier was aware <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> orders which he had<br />

brought and informed everybody <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> interesting news.<br />

Carafa was almost in despair. ^ He complained aloud that<br />

<strong>the</strong> king thought nothing <strong>of</strong> him, that he was insulting him<br />

at <strong>the</strong> very moment he was rendering him a great service.<br />

Vargas was likewise in great perplexity. He took <strong>the</strong> greatest<br />

pains in personal conversation, and also through <strong>the</strong> inter-<br />

vention <strong>of</strong> friends, ei<strong>the</strong>r to deny <strong>the</strong> contents <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dispatch<br />

entirely, or to represent <strong>the</strong> order as being founded on sup-<br />

positions which were now obsolete. As Carafa, who had to<br />

assist so many <strong>of</strong> his adherents, was in pecuniary difficulties,<br />

Vargas, " as a kind friend " felt moved to <strong>of</strong>fer him <strong>from</strong><br />

2000 to 3000 scudi, while <strong>the</strong> Viceroy <strong>of</strong> Naples, at <strong>the</strong> instiga-<br />

tion <strong>of</strong> Vargas, sent an order for 4000 scudi, which he, again<br />

purely out <strong>of</strong> " friendship " wished to lend <strong>the</strong> Cardinal.<br />

Carafa accepted <strong>the</strong>se gifts, and, naturally, could not im-<br />

mediately separate himself <strong>from</strong> Spain.*<br />

Cardinal Sforza criticised Vargas' procedure at this time<br />

very sharply in a letter to <strong>the</strong> secretary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spanish am-<br />

bassador, Ascanio Caracciolo. He would appeal to <strong>the</strong> king,<br />

as judge between himself and Vargas, writes <strong>the</strong> leader <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Spanish party. It was really too disgraceful that <strong>the</strong>y should<br />

have to try to gain <strong>the</strong>ir ends by <strong>of</strong>fers <strong>of</strong> money. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

could have been just as successful without bribes, and without<br />

acting in any way contrary to <strong>the</strong> king's wishes, as by making<br />

use <strong>of</strong> such means. Carafa was not by any means an im-<br />

portant person ; it would have been <strong>of</strong> far greater importance<br />

^Cf. Vol. XIV. <strong>of</strong> this work, p. 212.<br />

2 Vargas on November 3, 1559, in Dollinger, I., 283 seq.<br />

^ Cf. Dembinski, Wybor, 239.<br />

* Ibid., 286-7.<br />

35

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