Romance of Roman Villas Part 34

[Ill.u.s.tration]

L'ENVOI

A keyhole glimpse at Rome they show 'Twixt cypresses, a stately row, Where all who pa.s.s are free to see The villa of the Priory.

Here belted knights, with cross on breast, In days of old were wont to rest, And 'neath the ilex hedges tall Oft paced the subtle Cardinal, His robe upon the pavement cool Mantling like some ensanguined pool.

St. Peter's keys, traditions tell, Open the gates of Heaven and h.e.l.l.

O'er many a villa gate they 're shown, With triple crown carved deep in stone.

If, then, you crave a fuller view Than keyhole glimpses give to you, Unlock and enter. You shall know A Heaven of art, a h.e.l.l of woe.

THE END

FOOTNOTES:

[1] His magnificent villa of Caprarola and the still more entrancing villa of Lante are linked with legends of Giulio Farnese and Vittoria Accoramboni in the author's _Romance of Italian Villas_, which with the _Romance of the Renaissance Chateaux_ will be found supplementary to the present volume.

[2] From _The Italian Rhapsody_, by permission of Mr. Robert Underwood Johnson.

[3] Translated by E. Frere Champney.

[4] A song composed by Lorenzo de' Medici. "How lovely is our youth, and yet how fast it flies! Those who wish for joy must s.n.a.t.c.h it now. Trust not to to-morrow; seize it now, seize it now!"

[5] The earliest cards were not inscribed with hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades, but with swords, money, clubs, and cups. The same emblems are still used on the Spanish playing-cards.

[6] The French historians call him Richart de Cornouailles, the Italians Ricciardo.

[7] A _stornello a fiore_ consists generally of a couplet beginning with an invocation to a flower, as:

Fior di limone!

Limone e agro e non si puoi mangiare Ma son piu agre le pene d'amore.

Fior di granato!

Se li sospiri mie fossere fuocco, Tutto il mondo sarebbe buciato.

See also the _stornelli_ in Browning's _Fra Lippo Lippi_ of two of which Richard's are variants.

[8] Palliano or Pagliano, for the name is variously spelled.

[9] John Addington Symonds further relates in what strange ways fate fulfilled this prediction. "Disaster fell on each of the five brothers.

The first of them, Ottavio, was killed by a cannon-ball at sea in honorable combat with the Turk. Another, Girolamo, who sought refuge in France, was shot down in an ambuscade while pursuing his amours with a gentle lady. A third, Alessandro, died under arms before Paris in the troops of General Farnese. A fourth, Luca, was imprisoned at Rome for his share of the step-mother's murder, but was released on the plea that he had avenged the wounded honour of his race. He died, however, poisoned by his own brother Marcantoni in 1599. Marcantoni was arrested on suspicion and imprisoned in Torre di Nona, where he confessed his guilt. He was shortly afterward beheaded on the little square before the bridge of St. Angelo."

[10] Hamilton was aided in his work by Piranesi whose engravings record the state of the ruins at this time.

[11] The same figure is depicted in the frescoes of Pompeii, and here the deep blue of an Italian night glittering with stars gives the added touch of colour.