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

CANDIDATURE OF GONZAGA. 47
himself upon his own responsibiUty, to make to Carafa. When
no such authority had arrived by the beginning of December,
and a complete breaking away on the part of Carafa seemed
imminent, he thought that he might venture to do independ-
ently what he believed had only been omitted in Spain through
a failure to understand the real state of affairs. He therefore
drew up a document making extensive concessions to Carafa
and communicated the contents to the ambitious Cardinal,
as having been really written by Phillip.^ Carafa was at once
won over to Philip's side, although he declared that he could
not immediately pass over to the Spanish party, but must
wait for a fitting opportunity.
Carafa was, however, soon forced to throw off the mask by
the force of circumstances. The French had been planning
the election of Gonzaga since the beginning of December.
Carafa had promised Cardinals Guise, Este and Madruzzo,
even before the attempted elevation of Reumano, to support
Gonzaga with seven votes, ^ and thereby assure his election ;
he requested, however, a further delay in order, in the
meantime, to honour and please several of his adherents by
making apparent attempts to secure their election.^ Finally,
on December 14th, he definitely agreed to give his support
to the Cardinal of Mantua. On the 13th it was generally
expected in the city that, in a very short time, a decision
Madruzzo and others
in favour of Gonzaga would be made ;
had already had their silver removed from the conclave so
that it might not disappear in the usual plundering after the
election.*
309 :
1 Vargas on December 12, 1559 in Dollinger, Beitrage I.,
"
Accorde sin dar parte a persona formar un capitulo,
como que V.M. me lo escri'.jia."
" *Curzio Gonzaga to the Castellan of
2 " con sette voti :
Mantua on December 15, 1559 (Gonzaga Archives, Mantua) ;
" con seis de sus votos : " Vargas on December 14, i559' i"
Dollinger, I., 314.
^ *Curzio Gonzaga, loo. cit. According to Curzio the attempt
for Reumano was only a pretence,
* Vargas, loc. cit.
,