334

THE DECLINE AND FALL

CHAP.

LXX.

mule, with a jar of oil, had been stolen near Ca -. pranica; and the lord of the Ursini family wascondemned to restore the damage, and to dis-charge a fine of four hundred florins for his neg-ligence in guarding the highways. Nor were thepersons of the barons more inviolate than theirlands or houses; and, either from accident ordesign, the same impartial rigour was exercisedagainst the heads of the adverse factions. PeterAgapet Colonna, who had himself been senatorof Rome, was arrested in the street for injuryor debt; and justice was appeased by the tardyexecution of Martin Ursini, who, among his va-rious acts of violence and rapine, had pillaged ashipwrecked vessel at the mouth of the Tyber.*His name, the purple of two cardinals, his uncles,a recent marriage, and a mortal disease, were dis-regarded by the inflexible tribune, who hadchosen his victim. The public officers draggedhim from his palace and nuptial bed: his trialwas short and satisfactory: the bell of the Capi-tol convened the people: stript of his mantle, onhis knees, with his hands bound behind hisback, he heard the sentence of death; and after

e Fortifiocca, 1. ii, c. 11. From the account of this shipwreck welearn some circumstances of the trade and navigation of the age. 1.The ship was built and freighted at Naples for the ports of Marseilles and Avignon. 2. The tailors were of Naples and the isle of (Enaria,less skilful than those of Sicily and Genoa. 3. The navigation fromMarseilles was a coasting voyage to the mouth of the Tyber, wherethey took shelter in a storm ; but instead of finding the current,unfortunately run on a shoal; the vessel was stranded, the marinersescaped. 4. The cargo, which was pillaged, consisted of the reve*nue of Provence for the royal treasury, many bags of pepper and cin-namon, and bales of French cloth, to the value of 20,000 florins; arich prize.