48

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

porch, in which they had taken refuge, and where theycould not he touched by the police! Apropos of this Papalsystem of sanctuary; every church, chapel, convent, andeven the outward porches thereof, are accounted sacred andsecure asylums for every species of criminal, save and excepta defrauder of the government monies, or the slayer of anecclesiastic. In the latter cases, the sanctuary is still heldto he sacred, but the Pope has always given a special licencefor its infringement. The palaces of all foreign ambassa- :dors are also sure sanctuaries for murderers; but, to the |honour of the diplomatic corps, none hut the ambassadors ofSpain and Portugal , not even the Venetian, w r ould everallow of their abodes being polluted by so detestable anabuse. Of all others, the Palazzo di Spagna was the mostnoted for the encouragement and facility it afforded to jassassins. The great gates always open, gave ready entranceto the reeking stabber, of whom one or more, were oftento be seen lurking behind the columns of the spacious court.

I must not forget to add, injustice to “ His Holiness,” that,according to law, the criminal refugees are supposed tobe refused all nutriment from the priests and monks uponthe premises ; and relations are supposed to be preventedfrom bringing them any from without; and the farce of a jSbirri guard is planted at the door. But sooner or later, in Jmost cases, the criminal does vanish ; and no wonder, when, jas I have above stated, the sympathies of the priests, monks,nuns, and almost all the lower orders, except the relativesof the murdered victim, are enlisted on the side of thedelinquent!

I cannot quit this subject, on which I shall not any morespeak in general, but only recite a fact or so as it mayoccur, without alluding to a police practice of the Popishrulers, merely as illustrative of their general system andsagacious regulations. On the occasion of any festival, or