Editing Pope Marcellus II (section)

==Early life==
A native of [[Montefano]], a small village near Macerata and Loreto<ref>Lorenzo Cardella, ''Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa'' Tomo Quarto (Roma: Pagliarini 1793) pp. 225.</ref> he was the son of Ricardo Cervini who was the Apostolic Treasurer in [[Ancona]].<ref name="CE">''Catholic Encyclopedia'', [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09641a.htm Pope Marcellus II] (1913)</ref>  The family originated in Tuscany, in the town of Montepulciano, which had once been subject to [[Republic of Siena|Siena]], but later was under the control of [[Republic of Florence|Florence]]. Marcello had two half-brothers, Alexander and Romulus.<ref>Onofrio Panvinio, "Marcellus II" in ''Historia B. Platina de vitis pontificum Romanorum ... ad Paulum II...annotation Onuphrius Panvini ... cui, eiusdem Onuphrius ... Pontificum vitae usque ad Pium V'' (Coloniae: apud: Maternum Cholinium MDLXIII) [Panvinio, "Life of Marcellus II"], 423.</ref>

Marcello was educated locally, and at Siena and Florence, where he became proficient in writing Latin, Greek, and Italian. He also received instruction in jurisprudence, philosophy, and mathematics.<ref>Cardella, 225: Nella patria, in Siena, in Firenze attese allo studio delle lingue latina, greca, e italiana, e in tutte scriveva con gran facilità, ed eleganza.  Non trascurò le scienze più gravi, e nella giurisprudenza, filosofia, e mattematica, fece lieti progressi.</ref> His father had an interest in astrology and upon discovering that his son's horoscope presaged high ecclesiastical honours, Riccardo set the young Cervini on a path to the priesthood.<ref name="Priere">Valérie Pirie. ''The Triple Crown: An Account of the Papal Conclaves From the Fifteenth Century to the Present Day.'' New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1936.</ref>