6 JEROME CARDAN. 



he tells us, fully understand the probity of Morone, or the 

 splendour of the Farnese house. The new governor, 

 Gonzaga, was as hostile to the Pope as the old governor, 

 D' Avalos, had been friendly, and out of Rome his Holiness 

 was more freely known as a man immersed in political 

 business speculations, than by his home character as a 

 kind and liberal old gentleman. The year 1546, too, was, 

 indeed, the beginning of his end. He had laboured, upon 

 public grounds, to effect peace between France and Spain? 

 to subjugate the Turks and Protestants, and had worked 

 even more zealously for the aggrandisement of his own 

 family. After the Turkish war, he had obtained Camarino 

 from the hands of a woman by an act resembling rob- 

 bery, and given it to his grandson Ottavio. He had got 

 Novara with its territories for his son Pier Luigi. He 

 worked up domestic alliances with France and Spain, and 

 nearly obtained for his grandson Ottavio, who had mar- 

 ried the emperor's illegitimate daughter, Margaret, the 

 whole duchy of Milan. For your imperial highness, said 

 the Pope to Charles, had better not keep the duchy; you 

 should not think of being a count, duke, or prince, but 

 should be only emperor. You have not prospered since 

 you became Duke of Milan. When you hold such titles 

 men distrust you, for they fear that you desire to enrich 

 yourself by the possession of such towns. You will do 

 well, therefore, to give up. Milan to some other person. 



