and the sentence of death was recorded.

Ferrante Taverna, the governor of Rome, was sent for, and the pope himself said-" We leave the affair of the Cenci in your hands; you will sce justice executed without the slightest departure from the utmost limit of the law."

The sentence was soon known in Rome, and Barbarini and Sforza were unremitting in their exertions, at any rate, to save the public execution; they argued with the pope, that justice might be done as well in the private prison as on the fatal scaffold usually erected in the Piazza de Ponte S. Angelo; that the Cenci were of high and noble family, and that the papal chair had been filled by more than one of that name; that the disgrace of a public execution more or less reflected on the whole nobility. Clement heard all the reasonings unmoved; he was resolved to make a public example, and one which should be remembered through ages yet to come; he was inflexibleimmoveable.

Prospero Farinacci heard of the failure of the Barbarini and the Sforza; he was resolved to try his powers. On the morning of the 11th of September, the pope, unable to sleep after his having signed the dreadful sentence, had

risen early. Farinacci, without awaiting the customary etiquette, himself opened the door of the pope's chamber, and threw himself at his feet; the guards rushed to remove him, but Clement waved to them to leave the room.

"Hear me, most holy father," he began, "for I crave mercy, and mercy is your attribute." He then, in most glowing terms, enumerated every circumstance of the case; he dwelt upon the heroic courage of Beatrice; her innocence; her sacrifice for her brother, and the line of defence adopted in order to save all the family; he again instanced the impossibility of the guilt of Beatrice, since she was with her father, when Olimpio and Marzio gained sufficient access to Petrella to arrange the plan with Lucrezia; he spoke of the more than sacrifice in people so young as Beatrice and Bernardo, and in the whirl of his tremendous eloquence -his bold and powerful words-his true and manly feeling his quick eye detected the wavering of the determination of the pope.

Had Barbarini been as eloquent as Farinacci, mercy for all would not have been solicited in vain ; but Farinacci was an advocate. It was a powerful pleading to withhold judgment; it was a paid effort to withhold the

sword of justice; still it had its effects. The pope, much moved, replied, "The sacrifice of your heroine shall not be without effect; the sentence of death is remitted as far as concerns Bernardo Cenci." It was, when the pope expressed himself in these words, four o'clock in the morning.

In the Savella and the Tor di Nona, a different scene passed. It was six o'clock before the sentence was communicated. Beatrice had slept well, and was awakened by the gaoler, and conducted into a large room; here she found Lucrezia Petroni: the awful words were pronounced-they were to die. Beatrice exclaimed, "How is it possible to die so suddenly!" Lucrezia said, "How we have all been deceived; may God receive the innocent!" and throwing herself at Beatrice's feet, burst into a flood of tears.

Beatrice well understood the meaning of her words and actions, and raising her stepmother, kissed her with all affection; and kneeling down, they both prayed earnestly, devoting themselves to the justice of God, for that of man was passed. "Let us now do our duty," said Beatrice," let us do the last act of earthly occupation; let notaries be sent for, and our

wills made." This was done with all the coolness and courage of people in sound health, and little fearing the sword of the executioner. Beatrice desired she might be buried in St. Pietro Montorio; she left forty-five thousand scudi to the religious company of St. Francesco, to endow with some trifle fifty poor children, on the anniversary of her death; and the picture of the Vergine Addolorata, which always hung at the head of her bed, and to which she had prayed with true fervency, she bequeathed to Guerra.

At eight o'clock the wretched creatures were confessed, and attended mass; Beatrice remarking, "that their rich dresses, such as all noble Roman women wore, were unfit for them now;" and changed hers for the dark and more solemn colour of those devoted to religion. Extreme unction was administered, and all the preparations for execution made. It was whilst the mother and the daughter mutually dressed each other in these sable garments, that the cry of the people outside announced that Bernardo's sentence was remitted. Beatrice's beautiful countenance lit up with animation and joy, as she exclaimed, "Oh, Holy Virgin!

I thank you that my prayer is heard, and that my death has saved the life of my brother.”

The brothers of the Misericordia of St. Giovanni Decollato, the principle of the order of which is founded on the basis of universal benevolence, attended, as is their custom, to console and to pour the pure stream of religion into the hearts of the condemned. This order was one of the earliest institutions of priestly charity, and had its origin under the popedom of Niccolo V., having been founded by some Florentines established at Rome; although in reality the first founders were in Florence, and the order established there when the plague mentioned by Boccacio occurred. "During its continuance a few individuals, firm in purpose and strong in piety, self-devoted, attended on the sick and dying; and the survivors of this chosen few, afterwards taking the monastic habits and order of brothers of the Misericordia, assumed for life the performance of those services, which in the hour of anguish and sorrow they had voluntarily fulfilled."*

The plague occurred also in Rome, and the brothers of the Misericordia after its cessation

* Bell, vol. ii. p. 72.