THE GARDENS OF PAPAL ROME 



Pavia reached the Vatican. She witnessed the Pope's 

 procession to the Lateran and was received by him in 

 private audience. Every day she might be seen, ac- 

 companied by her fair maids-of-honour, and escorted 

 by troops of courtiers, driving in her chariot through 

 the streets a sight, remarked Bembo, as novel as it 

 was charming. She rode out to Roma vecchia^ and, in 

 spite of her advancing years, showed herself as inde- 

 fatigable a sightseer as she had ever been. And, 

 one lovely evening in May, the Pope's kinsman, 

 Franceschino Cib6, invited her to supper at the Vigna 

 of his Holiness on Monte Mario. "Yesterday," 

 wrote Francesco Gonzaga, the Mantuan envoy, who 

 had lately succeeded Castiglione, " Her Excellency was 

 invited by Cavaliere Franceschino to supper at the 

 Pope's Vigna^ where he has a most beautiful palace, still 

 unfinished, that was built when he was Cardinal, with 

 some rooms completed and decorated in the most 

 sumptuous and magnificent manner. The place is 

 delicious and most enjoyable, and the site is the 

 finest in the world." The ambassador proceeds to 

 describe the elegant and abundant supper that was 

 served by the Pope's servants on his own gold plate, 

 the musical performances of various kinds, and other 

 delightful entertainments, with which the ladies were 

 amused during the three hours which they spent at 

 the villa. 



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