And yet there is no law which prevents him from spoiling his subjects for the benefit of his family.

Gregory XIII.

gave his nephew Ludovisi L160,000 of good paper, worth so much cash.

The Borghese family bought at one stroke ninety-five farms with the money of Paul V.A commission which met in 1640, under the presidence of the Reverend Father Vitelleschi, General of the Jesuits, decided, in order to put an end to such abuses, that the Popes should confine themselves to entailing property to the amount of L16,000 a year upon their favourite nephew and his family (with the right of creating a second heir to the same privileges), and that the portion of each of their nieces should not exceed L36,000.
I am aware that nepotism fell into desuetude at the commencement of the eighteenth century; but there was nothing to prevent Pius IX.

from bringing it into fashion again, after the example of Pius VI., if he chose; but he does not choose to do so.