BOOKS.

GIUSTINIANI'S DESPATCHES.* [FIRST NOTICE.] EVER since Professor Ranke drew attention to the value of the diplomatic correspondence of the Venetian Envoys, his opinion of its importance has become more and more accredited. It was the merit of these Venetian diplomatists that, as a rule, they com- bined minuteness of report with a critical avoidance of mere tittle- tattle. The Envoys of the Republic were no indiscriminate repeaters -of every tale that was on the wind. With an industry truly inde- fatigable, they were in the habit of writing reports well-nigh daily, and in not a few instances, several times a day, to their Governments, without yet falling into the habit, so easily contracted by those on tip-toe for news, of catching up the true and the false alike, in the eagerness of the moment. It is this pervading element of shrewdness which imparts intrinsic value to the -Venetian Despatches, as photographs of the times, making of them trusty guides for the student of the Past. No more interesting reading can be found than is furnished by collections of despatches from various Venetian Envoys, and most particularly by the one Professor Villari has just edited. It constitutes an invaluable -contribution to our knowledge of a most interesting period, and of characters that are amongst the most canvassed in history. The name of Giustiniani is not unfamiliar to English readers. The family was amongst the most distinguished in the roll of Venetian nobility, and its members figure conspicuously in the list of Venetian office-bearers. A Giustiniani was ambassador here in the reign of Henry VIII. ; his interesting correspondence from this country is well known, through Mr. Rawdon Brown's excellent translation. It was a cousin of this Guistiniani whose despatches, during his mission to Rome, have now been made public. Antonio Giustiniani combined the qualities of a statesman with the attainments of a man of learning. In conjunction with the duties which naturally devolved on the nobleman, he held at Venice a chair of philosophy. On being named for a mission to Spain, he obtained the unusual favour that this chair should be retained for him during absence. Before, however, Giustiniani could set out on his journey, the Republic made in the appli- cation of his services an alteration which was the signal expres- sion of the high estimation in which his qualities were held. At that conjuncture, Rome was, especially for Venice, by far the most important point to observe in Italy. Alexander VI. and his daring son were then actively engaged in the prosecution of ambitious annexations, which threatened to create a power capable of exercising a sovereign ascendandy in Italy. Cwsar Borgia was pursuing operations which were calculated to-make him lord over dominions contiguous to those of the Re- public. If this was enough to make Venice anxious, so, on the other hand, was it enough why it could not but be for the Borgias an object of paramount importance not to give unnecessary umbrage to Venice. The petty lordlings of the Romagna were but feeble antagonists for the powerful Caesar Borgia to grapple with, unless fortified from other quarters. Such accession of strength could come in Italy from Venice alone, the one great, compact Italian State which could dispose of an organised force. Consequently, if Venice inwardly felt indisposed to view with unconcern the mysterious doings of the restless Borgias in the Romagna, so also was there a disposition on the Borgias' part to appease startled suspicions, and to lull the Venetian State into at least a tacit neutrality. To see clearly into the labyrinth of intricate machinations, to enlighten the Republic as to what Pope Alex- ander and his son were really bent on compassing, and to keep it correctly informed as to the intrigues that might be in the course of clandestine concoction from the Vatican with those foreign Powers—France and Spain—which always were interfering with and imperilling the independence of Italy, this is what Antonio Gius- tiniani was sent to report on from Rome in 1502. The value of his re- ports is quite of the first order. Giustiniani was not merely a diligent observer, but a lively and graphic writer. From the moment of his * Dispacol di Antonio Giustiniani, Ambasciatore Veneto in Roma, dal 1502 al 1503' Per la prima volts pablicati, da Pasquale Villari. 3 vol. Firenze: Lemonnier. 1876.

arrival, he recounts, with a vivid freshness, which brings figures before our sight, all his intercourse with the Pope and the Cardinals.

These despatches abound with perfectly invaluable touches of portraiture. It is to be greatly regretted that he should have come to Rome so late, for otherwise we could not have failed to find in Giustiniani's letters the decisive test for the truth or untruth in the scandalous allegations relating to the period when Lucretia still resided in Rome. Indirectly there is, however, a side-light thrown on them. As is well known, the worst stories rest mainly on the authority of Burckard's Diary, the correctness whereof has been much challenged. It is, therefore, deserving of note, that in matters coming within the period of Giustiniani's mission, the accuracy of Burckard's statements is repeatedly con- firmed by Giustiniani's entries under the same dates. It is quite impossible to give anything like a summary of the Ambassador's reports, which fill three portly volumes. We can only make a few extracts, which contain some characteristic illustrations of the leading individuals of the day.

Immediately after arrival the Ambassador was admitted to audience by the Pope, but he failed in seeing Caesar, Duke of Valentinois, who was then meditating secret expeditions of his own, and did not care to have inconvenient colloquies. "Owing to his difficult humour, I have been unable to have an interview." The following day he reported that the Duke had left, though by what road was a mystery, soon, however, cleared up by the Pope himself, who announced that his son had gone on a raid upon Camerino. " This morning his Holiness, by a groom, bade me be in the palace at the fourteenth hour where I found his Holiness in high spirits Domine Orator,' he said, ' we have sent for you to communicate what we have received this night from our Duke, for we wish that all our concerns should be in common with those of the most illustrious Signory." The news was simply a robber onslaught upon the Dukedom of Urbino. " Having listened to the before-mentioned," writes our guarded envoy, " without manifest- ing in my countenance over-much joy, but remaining inter utrumque, I thanked his Holiness for the communication." Alexander could not contain his joy at his son's successful act of treachery. In a Consistory, he kept asking questions about the localities taken possession of, on which the envoy made this re- mark :—‘, Those acquainted with his nature are of opinion that he puts these questions not because he does not know it all quite well, or has no means of learning it more secretly than in Con- sistory, but because he is so intensely keen in his desires (canto sensual nelli appetiti proprii) as to be unable to restrain himself from saying some words indicating the affection of his soul." The Ambassador adds,—" The good ones in the Court (and there are a few such) greatly grieve over such proceedings, it appearing to them that the interests of the Church are brought to an evil plight, and etiam are in a way to go de malo in pejus, unless God takes them in hand." Here we have indicated

a marked feature in Alexander's character. He was as unscrupulous about lying as he was incapable of control-

ling his feelings. Alexander VI. never could put his demeanour under restraint. This Spaniard was of so passionate a nature, that he never could acquire the " volto chiuso " which, for his purposes, would have been invaluable. Cxsar Borgia had about him what, for contemporaries, was often inscrutable ; conse- quently he was an adept in entrapping ; he enticed his prey with the artfulness of consummate stealth, and stole on it under the visor of an exterior that betrayed no symptom of his intention. But Alexander VI., unscrupulous and unprincipled as he was, had no fibre of taciturnity in his system, and it is due to this defect that he was so pre-eminently indecorous as a Pope, for he could not help committing his irregularities in a manner manifest to the public gaze. His duplicities and his improprieties were all performed in a fashion that let the world at large into the secret; while Cnsar was ever a mystery and an enigma, whom men scanned curiously, and with the uneasy sentiment that they did not know how to penetrate it. Alexander VI. was throughout a scandal, but he never could become a dissembler, though notoriously he was a voluble liar. "It is the Pope's habit very often to say one thing and to do another," is an ob- servation Giustiniani makes more than once. But whenever a disappointment happened, Alexander could not help exhibiting it in a violent manner, as is shown by this episode :—

" Having learnt this morning, that this night, three hours before day- break, the Pope got on horseback, with a small company of his familiars, without having said aught to any one the day before, and went off for

Rocca di Papa, about fourteen miles' distance I have been to the Cardinal of Naples, to learn something about this departure, who tells me he has it from good sources, that about the fifth hour a courier arrived from Milan, when his Holiness, after reading his letters, im- mediately ordered horses to be saddled, and calling the few he fancied, started off in the midst of pouring rain And his Reverend Lordship said, that by inference from the Pope's nature, he drew the conclusion he must have got some disagreeable tidings by these letters, and that to relieve himself of a fit of passion, he has gone off to some diversion, such being his habit whenever he has something that dis- pleases."

The aggrandisement of his children, and especially the promotion of Cmsar, was the engrossing object of Alexander's soul. With passionate eagerness he followed and watched the successive deeds of successful treachery whereby his son appeared to be securing to himself possession of a large, central Italian State. To this end, the ardent father anxiously sought to ensure the good-will of Venice, and was indefatigable in bringing into play arts of cajolery to captivate the Ambassador, which the latter describes with graphic humour. Take this scene, which occurred immedi- ately on the tidings of Cmsar's successful attempt on Camerino

This day I found myself at the palace, along with the Spanish Ambassador, and being introduced together, we found the Popo in higher spirits than we had ever seen him; having called us both close to him, his Holiness communicated the news of the conquest of Camerino, and became so lost in his delight that he could not go on saying what he wanted, but for better expression of the matter got up from his seat, withdrew to a window, and had a letter from his Duke read Then turning to me, the Pope said, ' We have heard the moat illustrious Signory has sent men-at-arms to Ravenna, which is quite needless, for the Duke is a good son to that most illustrious Signory, and desires nothing but that it would once recognise his reverence and good faith towards it.' And turning to the Spaniard, he said, ' There is not on earth a better witness than the Ambassador as to our feelings towards the Signory ;' and here he con- jured him, saying, Ambassador, speak the truth, if the foul disease is not to fall on you, as to what we often have told you.' But the Ambas- sador answered never anything, whereupon the Pope, pressing him, and putting his hand under his chin and stroking him, said, ' But you know how greatly we desire to have good understanding with the Signory of Venice.'"

Nothing came of this attempt, which, however, did not dis- courage the Pope. As things grew critical in the Romagna, he returned feverishly to the charge, as will be seen from these extracts out of a long report

Our lord has often intimated to me his desire to be alone with me, and make me understand some views of his. Tandem Saturday evening. through Don Pietro Griffo, a Pisan, at present much employed by his Holiness, he sent a message for me to go the palace on Sunday, as his lord wi,hed to confer with me on important matters. At the hoar named I went there, and on reaching the Hall of the Parrots found Troche Tone of the Pope's confidential agents], who said,' Most noble Ambassador, it is more than half-an-hour I have been waiting for you ; enter, for our lord is expecting you.' He led me to the balconies over the Piazza of St. Peter, where I found the Pope alone, and Troche being sent out, he told my secretary to stand a little aside, and drawing me close to him, he made such kindly demonstration as it was ever possible to make to any one."

At this moment, the arrival of Cardinals and other dignitaries interrupted the interview.

6" Domino Orator, what we want to tell you demands much time, and we would not cause suspicion to those outside, for the matter must be secret ; I will give you another time an hour, for you to return.' "

That hour was given next next day, when Giustiniaui was secretly closeted for full two hours with Alexander.

" Ambassador,' began the Pope, ' often have we intimated to you our

desire for alliance with the most illustrious Signory 'Tie true we spoke in general terms, to which we have had from you others yet more general yet are we disposed to speak to you still more openly so that you may put before the eyes of that most excellent State our very heart.' Thus in continuation, he made a long discourse

on the misery to which Italy was reduced from the sheer mistrust be- tween the lords of Italy. and how from being five they are now only two, the three others being rolled up together. And he said,' The State of Milan is in the hands of the King of France, Naples is at present etiam his, the Florentines are enslaved ; we and the Signory remain, and if we abide in our mutual mistrusts, as well we as you, we shall soon see our ruin ; for look you here, these Ultramontanes (and he made no particular men- tion of any one) stand with their jaws open, just waiting for the oppor-

tunity to swallow up the rest of Italy And if our concerns go ill, do not fancy yourselves the brood of the white goose [an Italian proverb, " Fioli doll' oca bianca "], which, forsooth, mast escape being touched, for great though your power is, little indeed is the water which of yourselves you will be able to bring to such a conflagration. Ambassador, can you think that we would see that Signory so oppressed, as that at a pinch we should not have one State in Italy

which might help US 9 Well aware are we, that nothing else has made that State deaf in listening to us but that it has no con- fidence in us ; but let it only say its wish, and what it is we could do to inspire it with confidence, and if we do not do this, then let it mistrust us. At times, indeed, we have done things which looked as if we had cared more for others than the Signory, but we have done them by force because the Signory would not regard us.' And in these long speeches, with many more words than I write, he kept me alone with him two long hours, sometimes being seated, then jumping up on hls feet ; at other times, walking up and down, and taking me by the hand. Ambassador,' said he, yen know better than ourselves the customs and practices of your country ; advise us what -would be a good mode to do this thing. Speak freely with us, as you would with your confessor ; here there is none but God,—we and you. And in truth, Eccellentissimi Domini, as he spoke, it was as if

his breast opened, and the words proceeded from his heart, and not his mouth."

Even when at last Giustiniani, was dismissed, the Pope was so ex- cited as to have him called back, simply to put once more a question as to how many days must elapse before a reply could come from Venice. Glimpses like these—and there are many in these volumes—bring before us with admirable vividness the character- of that strange Pontiff. There are, however, other points relating to his reign on which the Giustiniani despatches afford invaluable information, such as certain striking demises that occurred at critical moments, particularly the mysterious circumstances sur- rounding Alexander's own death. To these we shall return on another occasion.