sacred college; fourthly and lastly, he acquired so many states, and such sovereignty and power, previouș to the death of his father, that he was enabled of himself to:resist a first attack. Three of these four means he had employed before the death of Alexander, and he had made every necessary arrangement for putting in practice the fourth. In fact, of the nobles whom he had despoiled he had massacred the greater number, and very few escaped. He had gained over all the Roman gentry. Hiş party was strongest in the college of the cardinals; and as to his acquisitions; he thought of rendering hinmself master of Tuscany. He possessed already Perugia, Piombino, and Pisa, which were placed under his protection, and of which he had only to take possession. His cautious policy with regard to the French was no longer necessary, as they had been driven from the kingdom of Naples by the Spaniards, and each of these people were under the necessity of courting his friendship. Lucca, and Sienna must soon have.yielded, partly through fear and partly through hatred of the Florentines. The Florentines could not defend themselves. He would, therefore, have succeeded in all these designs, and he had already began the execution of them the very year that Alexander died. He had acquired so much power and reputation, that he might have sustained his dignity without depend-
