BeforeCharles, KingofFrance, passedintoItaly,[1] thiscountrywasunderthedominionofthePope, theVenetians, theKingofNaples, theDukeofMilan, : theone, thatnoforeignershouldenterItalyunderarms; theother, , asitwasforthedefenceofFerrara; andtokeepdownthePopetheymadeuseofthebaronsofRome, who, beingdividedintotwofactions, OrsiniandColonnesi, hadalwaysapretextfordisorder, and, standingwitharmsintheirhandsundertheeyesofthePontiff, , suchasSixtus, ; forinthetenyears, whichistheaveragelifeofapope, hecanwithdifficultyloweroneofthefactions; andif, sotospeak, onepeopleshouldalmostdestroytheColonnesi, anotherwouldarisehostiletotheOrsini, whowouldsupporttheiropponents, .
AlexandertheSixtharoseafterwards, whoofallthepontiffsthathaveeverbeenshowedhowapopewithbothmoneyandarmswasabletoprevail; andthroughtheinstrumentalityoftheDukeValentino, andbyreasonoftheentryoftheFrench, , buttheduke, nevertheless, whathedidcontributedtothegreatnessoftheChurch, which, afterhisdeathandtheruinoftheduke, becametheheirtoallhislabours.
PopeJuliuscameafterwardsandfoundtheChurchstrong, possessingalltheRomagna, thebaronsofRomereducedtoimpotence, and, throughthechastisementsofAlexander, thefactionswipedout; healsofoundthewayopentoaccumulatemoneyinamannersuchashadneverbeenpractisedbeforeAlexander', butimprovedupon, andheintendedtogainBologna, toruintheVenetians, , andsomuchthemoretohiscredit, ; andalthoughtherewasamongthemsomemindtomakedisturbance, neverthelessheheldtwothingsfirm: theone, thegreatnessoftheChurch, withwhichheterrifiedthem; andtheother, notallowingthemtohavetheirowncardinals, , becausecardinalsfosterthefactionsinRomeandoutofit, andthebaronsarecompelledtosupportthem, [2] foundthepontificatemostpowerful, anditistobehopedthat, ifothersmadeitgreatinarms, hewillmakeitstillgreaterandmoreveneratedbyhisgoodnessandinfiniteothervirtues.
[1]CharlesVIIIinvadedItalyin1494.
[2]PopeLeoXwastheCardinalde' Medici.
