1832.] Dungeons of the Inquisition of Rome, in 1818. J5U7 



concealed an Italian nobleman, of very dangerous religious and political 

 principles. What can you reply to it ?" 



" My answer will be very short/' said I. " You and Monsignor 

 Pacca have been deceived. I have a German passport, and am well 

 known to Prince Kounitz, our ambassador at Rome." 



Father Olivieri, on hearing this, seemed much surprised, remained 

 silent for some moments, and then told me, " That I was to return 

 to my dungeon, that he might make his report, and obtain further infor- 

 mation/' 



To this I replied, by saying, " That if I was to be retained as a pri- 

 soner, they should give me better accommodation, and that they should 

 send for my clothes, for I could not remain longer dressed as Cicero." 

 In the meanwhile, I told the inquisitor that I was intimately acquainted 

 with the Cardinals Fontana and Litta,* who were at that epoch the presi- 

 dents of the tribunal of the holy office of Rome, and that if my just 

 request was not granted, to them I would appeal for redress, and that I 

 was certain to obtain it. 



This observation rendered the reverend inquisitor more reasonable ; 

 he ordered the two friars to conduct me into the hall, where generally the 

 offenders are kept in custody ; he also promised me that I should have 

 my clothes, if I would give a written order to my servant to deliver 

 them to the messenger : this I did directly, and withdrew. 



The new prison, in which I was now confined, was a large subterra- 

 neous apartment, placed under the court of the Monastery of Santa 

 Maria in Minerva. It was not very dark, for at the top of the ceilings 

 there were several openings, guarded with iron bars ; a long, wooden 

 bedstead was at one side, upon which ten or twelve persons could have 

 lain ; a large black crucifix was suspended at one side of the wall, and 

 several old dirty pious books were fastened with small iron chains to the 

 wooden chairs of the apartment. On the walls were written, or rather 

 engraved with some pointed instrument, some thousand names of the 

 unfprtunate victims of inquisitorial despotism, who had been interred 

 alive before me in that dungeon, and, very probably, for no greater 

 offence ; among which, I distinguished Guido Reni, Salvator Rosa, the 

 Cavalier d'Arpino, Vincenzo Damiani, Cagliostro, and the celebrated 

 Dominican monk, Fontana Rosa ; under this was the following Bene 

 est, quia Monachus Monachos odi. I read also the names of several Ger- 

 man, English, and Irish artists, and heretics, and not a few of the 

 French liberals. After having minutely examined my new habitation, 

 I threw myself on the bedstead, and, being extremely fatigued, went 

 to sleep. 



About four o'clock I was roused by a friar, who came to bring me 

 some food, and my clothes. I thanked him, and requested that he 

 would give me a light, for it was already very dark. This was granted. 

 I ate something, and exchanged the dress of Cicero, which had proved 

 so fatal to me. About twelve o'clock in the night I heard a very dis- 

 tressing voice, and the cries of a man who certainly was suffering under 

 bodily torture, for now and then I plainly understood that he exclaimed, 



* These two princes of the Roman church, so well known for their wisdom and 

 moderation, had been appointed to this appalling office by Pius VII , when, after 

 his return from exile, he re-established, almost by compulsion of the Dominican 

 monks, the Inquisition of Home, which the French had abolished. This appoint- 

 ment greatly displeased all the intolerant members of the Sacred College. 



