EEBO page image 831He studied continuallie either how he might worke out of Italie the Spanish armie, or cut it in péeces by the aid of the Swizzers, whome aboue all others he exalted and imbraced. In this deuise hée had this intention, that the kingdome of Naples be|ing occupied by him, Italie should remaine frée from strangers; a speach that often passed out of his mouth: and to that end hée had hindered that the Swizzers did not confederate with the king catho|like. And yet, as though it had beene in his power to batter all the world at one time, he continued his ac|customed rigour against the French king. And not|withstanding he had hard a message from the queene, yet he stirred vp to make warre, the king of Eng|land, to whome he had transferred by publke decree of the councell of Lateran,The king of England in| [...]tuled Christia|n [...]s [...]imo by the p [...]pe. the name of Christianissimo, whereof there was alreadie a bull written, and in it likewise was conteined the priuation of the digni|tie & name of the king of France, giuing his king|dome to who could occupie it.

In these conceptions, no lesse strange for their varietie, than great for the importance they drew, and perhaps in other thoughts more secret and singu|lar (for in a mind so fierce and terrible, all sorts of i|maginations, how great and vaine so euer they be, are not incredible) after the continuation of his sick|nesse for manie daies, he declined towards death: and féeling the end of his mortalitie to hasten on, and the same to preuent the execution of his high thoughts, he caused to call togither the consistorie, which albeit he could not assist in person by reason of his disease; yet by the authoritie of it, he caused to be confirmed the bull which he had published before a|gainst such as by simonie would clime vp vnto the popedome.Against cli| [...]ing to the popedome by simonie. He declared, that the election of his suc|cessor apperteined to the college of cardinals, and not to the councell: and that the cardinals schisma|tikes could haue no presence or communitie there, to whom he protested there to pardon the iniuries they had doone him, and praied to God to forgiue them the wrongs they had doone to his church. After this he be|sought the college of cardinals, that in his fa|uor, and for his sake, they would grant to the duke of Urbin his nephew, the citie of Pesera in patro|nage or vicarage, alledging the consideration, that by meane of the duke it had béene recouered to the church after the death of Iohn Sforce. In no other matter he expressed anie priuate or particular af|fection.

Madame Fe|lice the popes daughter hir request.Insomuch as Madame Felice his daughter (ioi|ning with hir the petitions of manie others) beseech|ing him with great importunitie, to create cardi|nall Guido de Montfalcon being hir brother by the mothers side, he answered roundlie, that he was not worthie of that degree. He made not his affections conformable to their desires. In that last action of life he shewed no parcialitie in worldlie causes: his present debilitie could diminish nothing of his anci|ent resolution, but expressed in all things the same constancie and seueritie, togither with that iudge|ment and force of mind which he had before his sick|nesse: in which firme estate and disposition of spirit, he receiued deuoutlie the offices of the church, and the one and twentith daie of Februarie he ended his course of these mortall and present paines. He was a prince of incredible constancie and courage,The descrip| [...]on of pope Iulie, and his properties. but so full of furie & vnrulie conceptions, that the reuerence that was borne to the church, the discord of princes, & the conditions of times, did more to staie him from his ruine, than either his moderation or his discreti|on; worthie no doubt of great glorie, if either he had béene a prince secular, or if that care and intention which he had to raise the church into temporall great|nesse by the meane of warre, had béene imploied to exalt it by the meane of peace in matters spiri|tuall.