with so much Splendor, every body fell on their Knees, and thought the Holy Sacrament was carrying to some sick Person.
Most of the Ladies, as well as Princesses, have very magnificent Coaches, but seldom make use of them. The Marquis Sudarini, who has lately match’d his Son, has made his Daughter-in-law a Present of a Coach, for which he gave 7000 Roman Crowns, and there are many others that cost more Money; but these Coaches are terrible Machines, and ’tis as much as a Pair of Horses can do to drag them along: Besides, these stately portable Houses have an Attendance on them, which is by no means suitable; they are generally accompany’d by half a score, or a dozen shabby Footmen, who, with the Swords that they wear, look more like Catchpoles than Footmen. Their Liveries in general are Scarecrows, and I do not think that there are any in the whole World more fantastical: The Lacqueys are for the most part old, dirty, unshapable Fellows, because, when once a poor Wretch has a Livery put upon his Back, he never throws it off, and does not so much as attain to the Honour of being a Valet de Chambre. When he is past his Service his Master jubilées him, that is to say, puts him upon Half-pay, and he serves no longer. The Appearance or Neatness of a Servant are Things that are not regarded here; and provided they have but the Number, what matters it, say they, how they look?
This Maggot of keeping so many Lacqueys has infected even the Citizens; they who are in such mean Circumstances, that they cannot afford to maintain them the whole Year round, covenant with them only for Sundays and Saints Days. Thus a Journeymen Shoemaker, or a Chimney sweeper, who has but that very Day put a Scrub Livery on his Back, and that often borrow’d of a Tallyman,
shall walk gravely before young Master, or pretty Miss, to and from Church, with his greasy Hair turn’d up behind his Ears, and a long Sword by his Side. For it would be reckon’d indecent here to see a Woman or a Miss go abroad alone, and the most abandon’d Prostitutes are always attended with a Matron.
The Funerals of Persons of Quality are perform’d here with very great Pomp; all the Dead are carried to Interment with their Faces bare. I saw the Funerals of Cardinal Buoncompagno, Archbishop of Bologna, and the Prince Ruspoli. The former was carried by Night in one of his Coaches to the Church of St. Andrew de Laval, which was hung all over with Black. Next Day the Corpse was laid upon a Bed of State in the Middle of the Nave of the Church, dress’d in the Sacerdotal Vestments, with the Head turn’d towards the Choir, and the Cardinal’s Hat at the Feet: Four Valets de Chambre stood at the Corners of the Bed, and each held a Banner of black Taffeta, with the Arms of the Deceas’d: There were an hundred great Tapers or Torches of White Wax in large Iron Candlesticks round the Bed: The high Mass was sung with Music, and the whole Sacred College was present: When the Cardinals enter’d the Church, they made a short Prayer to the Holy Sacrament on their Knees; after which they went and kneeled at the Feet of the Deceased, where they said a Pater, and the Prayer Absolve Domine, &c. and then taking the Holy Water Brush, they sprinkled it on the Corpse: The Cardinals retir’d after the Mass, but the Corpse lay expos’d till the Evening, when the Priests Vestments were taken off of the Deceased, and he was put into a Leaden Coffin, which was inclos’d in another of Cypress Wood, and then let down into the Grave. The Prince Ruspoli’s Corpse was expos’d in the Church
of St. Laurence Lucini, which had been his Parish Church, in the same manner as the Cardinal de Buoncompagno was; but none of the Cardinals, nor any of the Deceased’s Kindred, assisted at the Office; for the Italians say, ’tis barbarous to oblige Relations to attend each other’s Funerals, as is the Fashion with us.
But tho’ they do not attend at the Funerals, yet they wear Mourning much more regularly, and longer than we do. A Woman’s Mourning is black from Head to Foot, so that one does not see the least Bit of Linen they have, which is not a very favourable Circumstance to those of a brown Complexion. The Pope’s Nieces never wear Mourning, not even for their nearest Relations; for the Romans reckon it so great a Happiness for a Family to have a Pope of it, that they say nothing ought to afflict the Kindred of a Pope.
They bury People here twenty-four Hours after they are dead, and sometimes sooner. ’Tis surprizing to see how quick they dress their Churches, whether for Funerals or Festivals, which it must be allow’d is always done with extraordinary Magnificence and Elegance. Most of the Churches have their own Suits of Hangings. Upon solemn Festivals they are commonly hung with Crimson Damask, with a Border of Velvet of the same Colour, adorn’d throughout with Lace and Fringe of Gold. All these Festivals of the Church are celebrated with very great Pomp and Bustle; all the Houses of the adjacent Quarters are illuminated in the Eve of the Festival, as well as in the Night itself; which always concludes with a Firework play’d off in the most spacious Part of the Quarter where it is celebrated, at the Expence of the Parishioners. The Romans have a singular Taste for all Holidays, and are great Admirers of Spectacles: They are at least as mere Cockneys as the Parisians,
and every little Novelty makes them run to it, as if they had never seen the like in their Lives, tho’ all that they see is but the same Thing over again: They erect a Firework in the Twinkling of an Eye; these are very high Machines made of Reeds cover’d with Paper, which makes a very great Shew at little Expence: There’s scarce a Week that passes in the Summer-time, but they have one or two of these Fireworks.
The Tribunal of the Rota is, next to the Congregations of the Cardinals, the chief Tribunal in Rome, if not of the whole World; for its Authority extends over all the Kingdoms and Dominions that acknowledge the Holy See. It consists of a dozen Prelates, who have the Title of Auditors; viz. one German, one French, two Spaniards, one Bolognese, one Ferrarese, one Venetian, one Tuscan, one Milanese, and three Romans. They have four Notaries under them, and the oldest Auditor is President; they meet twice a Week in the Palace where the Pope resides. Appeals in all Catholic Countries for Causes relating to Benefices are made to the Tribunal of the Rota.