d that the only testimony of any real value in such a case
would be the actual evidence of such cardinals as might be willing
to bear witness to the attempt to bribe them. And he takes it for
granted--as who would not at this time of day, and in view of such
positive statements as abound?--that such evidence has been duly
collected; thus, he tells us confidently that the charge rests upon the
evidence of those cardinals who refused Roderigo's bribes.

That it most certainly does not. If it did there would be an end to
the matter, and so much ink would not have been spilled over it; but no
single cardinal has left any such evidence as Lord Acton supposes and
alleges. It suffices to consider that, according to the only evidences
available--the Casanatense Codices(1) and the dispatches of that same
Valori(2) whom M. Yriarte so confidently cites, Roderigo Borgia's
election was unanimous. Who, then, were these cardinals who refused
his bribes? Or are we to suppose that, notwithstanding that refusal--a
refusal which we may justifiably suppose to have been a scandalized and
righteously indignant one--they still afforded him their votes?

1 "...essendo concordi tutti i cardinali, quasi da contrari voti rivolti
tutti in favore di uno solo, crearono lui sommo ponteflce" (Casanatense
MSS). See P. Leonetti, Alessandro VI. 2 "Fu pubblicato il Cardinale
Vice-Cancelliere in Sommo Pontefice Alessandro VI(to) nuncupato, el
quale dopo una lunga contentione fu creato omnium consensum--ne ii manco
un solo voto" (Valori's letter to the Otto di Pratica, August 12,
1492). See Supplement to Appendix in E. Thuasne's edition of Burchard's
Diarium.

This charge of simony was levelled with the object of making Alexander
VI appear singularly heinous. So much has that object engrossed and
blinded those inspired by it, that, of itself, it betrays them. Had
their horror been honest, had it sprung from true principles, had it
been born of any but a desire to befoul and bespatter at all costs
Roderigo Borgia, it is not against him that they would have hurled their
denunciations, but against the whole College of Cardinals which took
part in the sacrilege and which included three future Popes.(1)

1 Cardinals Piccolomini, de'Medici, and Giuliano della Rovere.

Assuming not only that there was simony, but that it was on as wholesale
a scale as was alleged, and that for gold--coined or in the form of
benefices--Roderigo bought the cardinal