At La Valle, a guardian was introduced on the stage, who advised his ward to keep good company, and to receive the nobility at her house, but to have nothing to do with painters. Monsignor Ferretti, cavaliere servente to the Baroness G., told her of this, and advised her to take the hint with regard to a painter who is continually at her house. Upon this a friend of hers went to the Governor and complained that the comedians of La Valle had insulted Madame G.
Signor Pisani, a Venetian, having had great flirtations with a woman of the second order at Rome, was told that he would not dare to continue them when her cavaliere servente was present. He therefore went and sat down upon the lady’s knees, and the cavaliere servente gave him three boxes on the ear, which he took very quietly—merely remarking that he was unfortunate in not having his pistols in his pocket. He afterwards complained of the affront to the Venetian Ambassador, but a Roman lady said to him that she wondered how he dared to enter the company of ladies after an affair of that kind. The Viscount de la Rochefoucault remarked that in Rome a man who gives a blow is generally considered “un brutal,” and that he who receives it is pitied. The cavaliere servente was said to be the gentleman of I forget what Prince; while Signor Pisani belonged to the illustrious family which gave so many heroes to the republic of Venice.
An Italian Countess was about to be interred one day, when an order arrived from the Secretary of State for the body to be opened, on suspicion of her death having been caused by poison. On examination it was found to be so, and it was supposed that she was poisoned by a servant who was bribed by her relations; for the deceased had been a great devotee, and it was feared that, if she made a will, she would leave all her money to the Church.
The Elector-Palatine, after talking some time to the Princess Santa Croce, went to pay his compliments to some other lady. Whereupon Signora Mobilia Falconieri, the mother of the Princess, flew into a violent passion, and told her daughter she wondered how she could submit to such an affront. When she was young, she would never have permitted a gentleman to leave her to speak to any one else.
The following story was circulated in Rome, but it was denied by Prince Chigi. While the Prince was hunting on one of his estates, about twenty miles from Rome, a wild boar made great ravages on the lands of a poor man, his vassal. The latter complained several times, but always in vain, and at last one day shot the boar himself. The Prince’s gamekeeper, who saw him do this, raised his gun, fired, and killed the poor fellow on the spot. His widow presented a memorial to the Prince, begging redress of her wrongs, but he sent it back to her, with this answer, “Ci rimedia in cinghiale” (Give me redress in the matter of the wild boar). She then came to Rome and appealed to the Pope, who ordered the gamekeeper to be imprisoned, and the Prince to pay the woman fifteen crowns a month as long as she lived.