DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0184
JERONIMO S PROSPECTS
127
had so long dangled before his eyes, and was said
to be the bait which had induced the Duke of
Urbino to recognise Francesco Maria as his heir and
give him Leonora Gonzaga in marriage. The
prospect of seeing his mother's kinsman exalted to
the Cardinalate, roused fresh hopes in Castiglione's
breast, and he wrote to share his new plans with
Madonna Luigia, on the day alter the Prefect's
marriage:
' As for Jeronimo's affairs, this is my plan. Since
our Monsignore will now undoubtedly become a
Cardinal, it will be necessary, or at least convenient,
for His Highness to come to Rome. It would
please me if Jeronimo came here in his service, since
as yet he has obtained no benehces. The many
promises which His Highness has made me in former
days, and the loyalty of our house towards him and
his family, convinces me that, whenever he has the
chance, he will not fail to remember us. And if he
should fail us, we are not so friendless, nor is our
good fortune so entirely dead, that we may not still
look for some good thing to come our way, especially
now that offices with large salaries attached to them
are being sold every day in Rome. Although we
are short of money, we have some interest; and if we
had no other means of help, it would be no small
thing to know the chief personages in the court of
Rome, and enjoy the friendship of so many Lord
Cardinals, all of which I can promise him. I further
intend to get my illustrious lord to write the warmest
letter possible to our Cardinal [when the hat is his !],
so that between the favour with which His High-
ness regards our house and my Lord Duke's
recommendation, I am certain Jeronimo will soon
obtain a good and honourable post. Besides this, I
shall not cease to exert any small influence that I may
have on his behalf, and indeed, I am already enduring
127
had so long dangled before his eyes, and was said
to be the bait which had induced the Duke of
Urbino to recognise Francesco Maria as his heir and
give him Leonora Gonzaga in marriage. The
prospect of seeing his mother's kinsman exalted to
the Cardinalate, roused fresh hopes in Castiglione's
breast, and he wrote to share his new plans with
Madonna Luigia, on the day alter the Prefect's
marriage:
' As for Jeronimo's affairs, this is my plan. Since
our Monsignore will now undoubtedly become a
Cardinal, it will be necessary, or at least convenient,
for His Highness to come to Rome. It would
please me if Jeronimo came here in his service, since
as yet he has obtained no benehces. The many
promises which His Highness has made me in former
days, and the loyalty of our house towards him and
his family, convinces me that, whenever he has the
chance, he will not fail to remember us. And if he
should fail us, we are not so friendless, nor is our
good fortune so entirely dead, that we may not still
look for some good thing to come our way, especially
now that offices with large salaries attached to them
are being sold every day in Rome. Although we
are short of money, we have some interest; and if we
had no other means of help, it would be no small
thing to know the chief personages in the court of
Rome, and enjoy the friendship of so many Lord
Cardinals, all of which I can promise him. I further
intend to get my illustrious lord to write the warmest
letter possible to our Cardinal [when the hat is his !],
so that between the favour with which His High-
ness regards our house and my Lord Duke's
recommendation, I am certain Jeronimo will soon
obtain a good and honourable post. Besides this, I
shall not cease to exert any small influence that I may
have on his behalf, and indeed, I am already enduring