The allusion is to Leo's unscrupulous use of every means within his power of raising money.
When Clement VII., after the sack of Rome, was held a prisoner, Pasquino had this:
"Papa non potest errare."
This sentence ordinarily means that the pope can not err; but the verb errare signifies also to wander, to stroll; so that the line was a sneer both at the pope's confinement and his claim to infallibility.
One of Pasquino's hardest hits was called forth by the grasping measures of Pius VI.:
"Three jaws had Cerberus, and three mouths as well,
Which barked into the blackest deeps of hell.
Three hungry mouths have you; ay, even four;
None of them bark, but all of them devour."
There was a capital one, too, and a just, upon the institution of the Legion of Honor in France by Napoleon Bonaparte, not long after he had stolen several hundred precious works of art and manuscripts from the Roman States.
"In times less pleasant and more fierce, of old,
The thieves were hung upon the cross, we're told.
In times less fierce, more pleasant, like to-day,
Crosses are hung upon the thieves, they say."
Thus for centuries have Pasquino and his rival, Marfario, an exhumed river-god, given occasional expression to the pent-up wrath of Italy at the spoliation of their beautiful country. Mr. Story reports a pasquinade which appeared but a very few years since, when all the world was longing to hear of the death of Ferdinand II. of Naples, who, under the name of King Bomba, was so deeply execrated by Italians. Pasquino supposes a traveler just arrived from Naples, and asks him what he has seen there, when the following conversation takes place:
"I have seen a tumor [tumore]." "A tumor? But what is a tumor?" "For answer, take away the t." "Ah! a humor [umore]. But is this humor dangerous?" "Take away the u." "He dies! what a pity! But when? Shortly?" "Take away the m." "Hours! In a few hours! But who, then, has this humor?" "Take away the o." "King! The king! I am delighted. But, then, where will he go?" "Take away the r." "E-e-e-h!"