On the last day of December, king Charles, with his princes, lords, and
gens d'armes, entered the city of Rome as a conqueror, with his whole
army, and train of artillery, in such handsome array as astonished
the Romans. But as it was nearly night, an immense number of torches
were lighted, and he entered the city by the Porta Flaminia, near to
the church of Santa Maria del Populo. He traversed part of Rome to
his lodgings in the palace of San Marco, where he had his park of
artillery, and the rest of his army marched to the quarters that had
been marked for them by the before mentioned lords.
Pope Alexander VI. hearing of the great army which the king of France
had marched into the city, shut himself up in the castle of St Angelo,
fearing some commotions. But by advice of the council, the king sent to
him the counts of Foix, of Bresse, and of Ligny, with the marshal of
Gié and master John de Rely bishop of Angers, who harangued the pope
in such wise that he took courage,--and henceforward there was a good
intelligence between the king, the pope, and the other nobles.
The king, though daily occupied by his council on the business he
was engaged in, found means to visit the churches and holy places
in Rome, with much devotion; and he was shown wonderful relics and
precious treasures, to which he and his company paid singular respect.
The king displayed his sovereignty in Rome by having three or four
gallows erected, and by ordering some thieves and malefactors to be
thereon hanged. He caused others to be whipped, drowned, or deprived of
their ears, to demonstrate that, as a true son of the church and most
Christian king, he enjoyed the same powers of executing justice in Rome
as in his town of Paris.
At this time, a very large piece of the wall of the castle of St Angelo
fell, of itself, into the ditch, to the great vexation and fright of
the pope. The Romans, on the other hand, thought it a miracle. The king
visited the Coliseum, and other curiosities in Rome.
Friday the 16th of January, the king, attended by all his nobles, heard
mass in St Peter's; and the pope, to show his affection, conversed most
familiarly with him, the king and he walking arm in arm, like brothers.
In short, such was their friendship that the bishop of St Malo[138]
was created a cardinal,--and the king remaining with the pope some
days.
Tuesday, the 20th, the king heard mass in the french chapel, and
afterwards touched and cured many afflicted with the king's evil, to
the great astonishment of the Italians, who witnessed the miracle.
This same day, the pope chaunted high mass at the great altar in
St Peter's, in the presence of the king, his nobles, and principal
officers. There were twenty-five cardinals, about thirty archbishops,
forty bishops, and a number of other prelates and churchmen. When mass
was done, the pope and the king came together to a place that had
been prepared for them at the entrance of St Peter's, when a bishop
displayed the impression of our Saviour's face on the holy handkerchief
three times,--and all the people cried aloud, 'Mercy!' The pope was
then carried to a scaffold in front of the church, where the king was
seated beside him, and the cardinals according to their ranks, and next
to them the french princes of the blood. The pope then ordered the
Confiteor to be said for the full remission of sins, as in the year of
jubilee, which was proclaimed by three cardinals in three different
languages, namely, in Latin, French, and Italian. When the pope gave
his benediction for the jubilee, he had his left hand on the king's
shoulder, and thus were all persons absolved from every sin and crime
they might have committed.
At this time, there was a Turk[139] in the castle of St Angelo, whom
all the people were admitted to see, to his great vexation.
After the ceremony of St Peter's, every one returned to his lodgings
rejoicing, and the king visited the seven privileged churches which
are in or near Rome. On the Sunday following, the pope and the king,
to prove on what friendly terms they were, rode together through
Rome,--when the king showed, to him and his cardinals, his fine army
and train of artillery: a pleasing sight to his friends, but a terror
to his enemies. On the 27th of January, the king gave orders for the
army to be in readiness to march from Rome; and he went to take his
humble leave of pope Alexander and his cardinals, who had all given him
a handsome reception.