that this Diamond is not new at Florence: Many People assur’d me it was sold, and that the Grand Signior was the Purchaser of it. Be it where it will, the Weight of this Diamond was 139 Carats and a half.
After having stay’d some time at Florence, I set out for Rome, taking Sienna in my Way, which is an Archiepiscopal City that makes a Part of Tuscany. The Cathedral Church is built all of black and white Marble. From Sienna I went to Montefiascone, a City and Bishoprick in the Patrimony of St. Peter. My Design was to have gone through this Town without stopping, but the bad Weather oblig’d me to stay at the Post-house: There was such a deep Snow, and at the same time the Wind was so high, and the Cold so terrible, that the Inhabitants told me, that in the Memory of Man they had not known it so violent. I made no great Scruple to believe them, especially after what happen’d to me at the Post-house. The Master of the House carry’d me up Stairs into a great Room, where I found two Gentlemen, the one an Italian, the other a German, who were both come from Rome, and obliged, as I was, by the bad Weather to stay at Montefiascone. As we were talking together by the Fire-side, I observ’d a very odd Motion as if we had been rock’d. As I had never felt an Earthquake, I concluded this to be one; but the Italian told me the Motion was too regular, and that, to be sure, it proceeded from some other Cause: And in a very few Moments we were convinc’d that it was the Wind which shook us in this Manner. As we had Reason to fear that the House would tumble upon our Heads, we desir’d our Landlord
to put us in some Place where our Lives would not be in so much Danger. The Man laugh’d to see us so affrighted, and to encourage us he said that his House had totter’d as much for these 30 Years past, without receiving any Damage, and that therefore it was like to stand a good while longer: But this was not Reason sufficient to satisfy me of the Stability of his House; on the contrary, thought I, an Earthquake which had happen’d to a House off and on for a matter of 30 Years, must, ere long, bring it to the Ground: And besides, as I had always met with bad Fortune, it was but prudent not to expose myself in Harm’s Way; I resolv’d therefore to go down Stairs, the two Gentlemen in my Company did the same, and our Landlord carry’d us to an opposite House, where really we were in a worse Pickle than before. The Fire was no sooner kindled, but we had like to have been suffocated with the Smoak; and we were fain to set open every Window and Door, to let in Air; but the Violence of the Wind was such that we could bear the Room no longer, and we were oblig’d to shift our Quarters again. We went into the Town, in Hopes of faring better there; but ’twas our Lot to fall into one of the most detestable Victualling-Houses in the World; yet we resolv’d to stay there, because there fortunately happen’d to be a Chimney that did not smoak; but while we were thinking we should have some Amends for the Cold we had suffer’d in these Removes, as if it had been decreed that we should have one thing or another to plague us all Day long, this very Chimney took Fire, which alarming the Town, every body flock’d to the Place, and by good Luck the Fire was soon extinguish’d;
nevertheless, the Mob join’d in a Halloo against us, as if we had been the Incendiaries, so that I expected every Moment we should be sent to Gaol, till we scatter’d our Money, and then our Fears vanish’d; but the Consequence of all this Noise was, that we were forbid to have a Fire in our Chamber, so that we were forc’d to put up with that which was made in one of the nastiest Kitchens that could be.
From Montefiascone I went in a Day and half to Rome[20], to which City all the Way from Florence is over Hills and Mountains: The Roads belonging to the Dominions of Tuscany are kept in good Order, and Care has been taken to render them as passable as the Nature of them will permit, by levelling Hills, and making noble Causeys; but as soon as one enters the Ecclesiastical State, the Ways are so terribly bad, that ’tis a hard Matter to get through them. I stopp’d my Chaise about a League from Rome upon an Eminence, from whence is a Descent to Ponte-Mole. There I cast my Eyes over that great City, and had a Fore-Taste of the Pleasure I should have, when I came to take my Progress thro’ its several Quarters. After having satisfy’d this first Curiosity, I proceeded on my Journey: I pass’d the Tyber over the Ponte-Mole, and struck into a pav’d Road, which carry’d me for a long time between Gardens and Pleasure-houses, till I came to the famous City of Rome. I enter’d it thro’ the Gate del Popoli, which led me into a triangular Square of the same Name, consisting of Two Rows of very sorry Houses, and of a Third, which is somewhat better.
Here are Two broad Streets, which open in Form of a Goose’s Foot, and are separated from one another by Two fine Churches of equal Architecture. In the midst of this Square is the famous Obelisk erected by Sixtus V.
From this Square I went to the Custom-house, where I had my Baggage search’d. There’s a magnificent Front to this Custom-house, which is a stately Portico, supported by large Pillars of Oriental Granite. As soon as the Searchers had done rummaging all my Things, I went on to the Hotel of Monte d’Or on the Square of Spain, which is but an indifferent Place, being a long and very irregular Square encompass’d with a Parcel of ill-contriv’d Houses, and a Fountain at one End, which serves for a Watering Place.
Next Day after my Arrival, my Curiosity carry’d me to visit St. Peter’s Church: The first thing I saw in my Way, going from my Lodgings, was the Bridge of St. Angelo upon the Tyber, which fronts the Castle of the same Name: This Bridge is of a fine Breadth, with Marble Banisters on each Side, on which, at proper Distances, are Angels of Marble, of wonderful Workmanship. The Castle of St. Angelo is, as I have said, over-against the Bridge: This is a great Tower, encompass’d with Bastions, which serves as a Citadel to the City of Rome, and a Place of Retreat to the Pope in a time of War or Rebellion; it communicates by a long Gallery with the Vatican Palace: As we go off of the Bridge of St. Angelo, we pass for some time on the Banks of the Tyber, over a Key that is on the left Hand. From thence we go thro’ several Streets to the famous Square of St. Peter’s Church, which may be term’d the chief Square in the Universe. It was design’d by the celebrated
Bernini, and executed in the manner as it now appears to us by Pope Alexander VII. ’Tis an Oval, encompass’d with a great Gallery, supported by 324 Pillars of Free-Stone; the Top is adorn’d with a Balustrade, on which, at proper Spaces, are the Statues of the Twelve Apostles and other Saints, and the Arms of Pope Alexander VII. In this Square we see the famous Obelisk, which was rais’d by Order of Sixtus V. in 1586, in the middle between Two noble Fountains. The Gallery, that runs round St. Peter’s Square, leads on both Sides to the Portico of the Church, which is a Piece of Work that one can never be weary of admiring. For whether we consider the Materials, or the Skill of the Architect by whom it was conducted, they are equally surprizing. The Pavement of the Portico is of Marble, and the Ceiling of Stucco gilt: It leads on the Right Hand to the grand Stair-case of the Vatican, and there’s a cover’d Gallery over it, where the Pope appears upon Holy-Thursday and Easter-Day to anathematize Heretics, Schismatics and Infidels; and also to bless the People, who at that time are all kneeling in the Square, and in the Streets which lead to it. The principal Entrance of the Portico is answerable to the great Gate of the Church, which is of Brass, and on one Side of it is that call’d la Porta Santa, or the Holy Gate, that is never open’d except on the grand Jubilees, which are only once in 25 Years.
But let the Outside of this stately Edifice be as magnificent as it will, ’tis not to compare to the Inside, where is nothing but Gold, Silver, Brass, Marble, Precious Stones, Paintings and Carvings by the greatest Masters. In a Word, in this august Temple we see the Master-Pieces