i. e.
He shines so much in the second Class, as eclipses him in the first.
Every body allows he is an upright Man; but they don’t look upon him as a Minister. He is so reserved, that ’tis quite disgusting; and when he grants any Favour, he does it in so strange a Manner, that they who receive it are sorry they were beholden to him. I question whether he will
have very many humble Servants left, when his Uncle dies.
In the same Consistory wherein the Pope made Bichi a Cardinal, the Holy Father talk’d a great deal about the Succession of Parma. He complain’d in general Terms of the Emperor, for arrogating to himself those Prerogatives relating to the Dominions of Parma, which were only due to the Holy See. He acquainted the Sacred College with every thing that he had done for maintaining the Rights of the Church; he said, that as soon as he was informed that the Duchess of Parma was really not with Child, he ordered his Nuncio at Parma to take Possession of the Dominions, that were devolved to the Holy See by the Extinction of the Male Line of the Farnese Family; that his Nuncio had executed his Orders; but that Stampa, the Emperor’s General and Commissary, had caus’d an Edict to be publish’d, whereby, in the Name of the Emperor, he forbad all the Subjects of Parma from owning any other Sovereign, but him to whom his Imperial Majesty shou’d give the Investiture of the Duchy. The Pope said, he was sorry when he heard Stampa had taken that Step; but that he expected from the Emperor’s Justice and Piety, that he wou’d not approve of the Conduct of his General, and that he wou’d not do any thing contrary to the incontestable Claim of the Holy See to the Dominions of the Farnese Family. The Cardinals returned a very modest Answer to the Pope, thanking him for the Endeavours he had us’d to maintain the Rights of the Holy See, and praying him to continue them. The Cardinals Cienfuegos and Bentivoglio, being inform’d of all the Complaints which the Pope intended to make in this Consistory, took care not to be there. These Gentlemen are extremely angry with the
Emperor; ‘What! said they, to have no more Respect for the Pope and the Holy See, to invade the Estates of the Church, and dispose of them as he pleases, are these Actions becoming an Emperor, Protector of the Catholic Faith?’ Really, to hear how they talk, one wou’d think the Emperor had actually taken all they had from ’em; tho’ I am persuaded, that if he would but give them the Duchy of Parma, they wou’d consent to his being a Jansenist.
You desire, Sir, to be inform’d of the Reception that is given here to Ambassadors. I shou’d have done this long before you desired it, if I had seen any Ambassador go to an Audience of the Pope, besides the Maltese, who has not so grand a Reception here as the Ambassadors of Crown’d Heads. ’Twas on the second Sunday in Lent, in the Afternoon, that the Ambassador of Malta, who has resided here six Years in Quality of Ambassador of that Order, made his Entry as Tributary Ambassador Extraordinary. This Minister, repairing without any Retinue to the Vineyard of Pope Julius, without the Gate del Popoli, was complimented there, on the Part of the Pope, by the Major Domo, and the oldest Prelate; and on the Part of the Cardinals, and principal Nobility, by their Gentlemen. After this, the Cavalcade was made with more Order than is commonly observ’d here at public Ceremonies. First came the several Coaches and Six of the Cardinals, Princes, and other Persons of Distinction, following one another without Observation of the respective Ranks of their Owners. Then came two of the Ambassador’s Grooms on Horseback, who were follow’d by four cover’d Waggons, and a Couple of Field Carriages, cover’d with Tapestry, that was embroidered with his Excellency’s Coat of Arms. Next came the Ambassador’s
Master of the Horse, follow’d by six led Horses, two Trumpets, with the Lackeys, Valets de Chambre, Pages, and Gentlemen belonging to the Ambassador, all on Horseback. These were follow’d by the chief Lackeys of the Cardinals riding upon Mules, and carrying their Master’s red Hats flung over their Shoulders; and after these came the Cardinals Gentlemen, who were follow’d by a Detachment of Light-horse. The Chamberlains of Honour follow’d riding upon Mules. The Knights of Malta on Horseback rode just before the Ambassador, who was supported by the Major Domo, and Signior Colonna, the oldest Prelate. His Excellency was preceded by twelve running Footmen in his Livery, and he walked in the Middle of a Couple of Files of the hundred Switzers of the Pope’s Guard. Three of the Ambassador’s Coaches and Six clos’d the March. The whole Train pass’d thro’ the chief Streets of Rome, and accompany’d the Ambassador to his Palace, where his Excellency treated all the Company with Refreshments.
On the Day of Audience, the Ambassador went in his Equipage to the Palace of Monte-Cavallo, attended by the Coaches of the Cardinals and the Nobility. He was receiv’d at the Top of the Stairs by the Major Domo, who conducted him into that called the Prince’s Apartment. The Ambassador having waited there a little Time, two Masters of the Ceremonies came to acquaint him, that his Holiness was ready to admit him to an Audience in the Consistory then sitting. The Ambassador went thither, conducted by the Masters of the Ceremonies; and Signior Acquaviva, the Major Domo, received him at the Entrance of the Hall of the Consistory, and conducted him to the Entrance of the Court fronting the Pope. The Ambassador fell on his Knees, and
made a profound Obeisance to the Pope, who gave him his Blessing. Then he fell on his Knees again in the Middle of the Court, and the third Time at the Pope’s Feet, to whom he made his Speech kneeling. In this Posture he also delivered the Letter from the Grand Master to the Holy Father, who gave it to a Prelate, ordering him to read it. The Ambassador arose, and having crossed the Court, saluting the Cardinals on the Right and Left, he fell on his Knees at the Entrance of the Court, opposite to the Holy Father. There he heard the Grand Master’s Letter read, and afterwards a very long Speech in Latin, which an Abbat, who was a Knight of Malta, made in the Name of the Order, upon his Knees. The Prelate had no sooner read the Letter, but he answered the Speech in Latin. The Ambassador, who was still on his Knees, arose, after the Prelate had ended his Speech; went and kneel’d again at the Pope’s Feet, which he kiss’d, and then presented to his Holiness the Knights of Malta, who had accompany’d him to the Audience, and who all kiss’d the Holy Father’s Feet. The Pope, rising from his Seat, retir’d to his Apartment; but the Ambassador stay’d in the Hall of the Consistory, till all the Cardinals were gone out. He then returned to his Palace, where he gave a grand Repast to the Knights of his Order. The next and the following Days, he made his Visits of Ceremony to the Cardinals. Their Eminencies don’t give Precedence to the Ambassadors; but bating that only, they treat them as their Equals.