JAMES THE SECOND.

95

•with pictures, gems, manuscripts, and medals. She nowcomposed some Italian stanzas in honour of the English-prince who, sprung, like herself, from a race of Kings here-tofore regarded as the champions of the Reformation, had,like herself, been reconciled to the ancient Church. Asplendid assembly met in her palace. Her verses, set tomusic, were sung with universal applause: and one of herliterary dependents pronounced an oration on the same sub-ject in a style so florid that it seems to have offended the tasteof the English hearers. The Jesuits, hostile to the Pope,devoted to the interests of France and disposed to pay everyhonour to James, received the English embassy with theutmost pomp in that princely house where the remains ofIgnatius Loyola lie enshrined in lazulite and gold. Sculpture,painting, poetry, and eloquence were employed to com-pliment the strangers: but all these arts had sunk into deepdegeneracy. There was a great display of turgid and im-pure Latinity unworthy of so erudite an order; and someof the inscriptions which adorned the walls had a fault moreserious than even a bad style. It was said in one place thatJames had sent his brother as his messenger to heaven, andin another that James had furnished the wings with whichhis brother had soared to a higher region. There was a stillmore unfortunate distich, which at the time attracted littlenotice, but which, a few months later, was remembered andmalignantly interpreted. “O King,” said the poet, “ceaseto sigh for a son. Though nature may refuse your wish, thestars will find a way to grant it.”

In the midst of these festivities Castelmaine had to suffercruel mortifications and humiliations. The Pope treated himwith extreme coldness and reserve. As often as the Ambas-sador pressed for an answer to the request which he had beeninstructed to make in favour of Petre, Innocent was takenwith a violent fit of coughing, which put an end to the conver-sation. The fame of these singular audiences spread overRome. Pasquin was not silent. All the curious and tattlingpopulation of the idlest of cities, the Jesuits and the prelatesof the French faction only excepted, laughed at Castelmaine’s

cnAP.

VII.

1687 .