DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36839#0166
138 COUNT BALDASSARE CASTIGLIONE
with cross and banners to the Vatican, and knelt at
the gates chanting litanies and hymns, and praying
the same prayers. But still the desired issue seemed
as remote as ever.
' Every morning/ wrote Castiglione, who was
assiduous at his post, ' we expect the Holy Spirit will
descend from heaven, but, to my mind, the Blessed
Spirit seems to have taken leave of Rome. These
poor friars and priests have sung so
often in vain that the heart of the Holy One must
have been turned to stone. ^
On the last day of the year the Venetian Patriarch,
Cardinal Grimani, became so dangerously ill that he
had to leave the conclave, and was carried home in a
litter. Castiglione gave his lord a full account of this
incident in the following interesting letter :
' I wrote to V. E. how these Cardinals entered the
conclave last Friday, and were in most people's
opinions about to choose a Pope at once, while others
thought they would take some time about it. Now
I must inform you that until this moment—ten o'clock
on the last night of the year—as far as we know, we
have not yet got a Pope. It is true that several reports
have reached us, according to people's wishes or fears,
because, in spite of all the precautions which are taken
to guard the conclave, I do not think it is possible to
prevent some things that happen within the walls
being made known, and at this moment it is generally
supposed that Mons. Farnese is to succeed to the
Papacy. If this is so, V. E. shall hear at once, and
I think that he will be very kind and loving to
you. To-day a thing has happened which has very
seldom been known before. The doors of the
conclave were opened with great ceremony and
i Renier, 15.
with cross and banners to the Vatican, and knelt at
the gates chanting litanies and hymns, and praying
the same prayers. But still the desired issue seemed
as remote as ever.
' Every morning/ wrote Castiglione, who was
assiduous at his post, ' we expect the Holy Spirit will
descend from heaven, but, to my mind, the Blessed
Spirit seems to have taken leave of Rome. These
poor friars and priests have sung so
often in vain that the heart of the Holy One must
have been turned to stone. ^
On the last day of the year the Venetian Patriarch,
Cardinal Grimani, became so dangerously ill that he
had to leave the conclave, and was carried home in a
litter. Castiglione gave his lord a full account of this
incident in the following interesting letter :
' I wrote to V. E. how these Cardinals entered the
conclave last Friday, and were in most people's
opinions about to choose a Pope at once, while others
thought they would take some time about it. Now
I must inform you that until this moment—ten o'clock
on the last night of the year—as far as we know, we
have not yet got a Pope. It is true that several reports
have reached us, according to people's wishes or fears,
because, in spite of all the precautions which are taken
to guard the conclave, I do not think it is possible to
prevent some things that happen within the walls
being made known, and at this moment it is generally
supposed that Mons. Farnese is to succeed to the
Papacy. If this is so, V. E. shall hear at once, and
I think that he will be very kind and loving to
you. To-day a thing has happened which has very
seldom been known before. The doors of the
conclave were opened with great ceremony and
i Renier, 15.