A short account of the life and death of Pope Alexander the VII with a description of his funeral machin, and elegies erected in St. Peter's Church in Rome : together with an exact relation of the particular ceremonies performed at the creation and translated out of the Italian copies printed at Rome by P.A., Gent.

A true Relation of the Ceremonies per∣form'd within and without the Conclave for the Creation of CLEMENT the IX. Elected the 20^th. of June, 1667.

With an Account of the Ioys of ROME.

AMongst the fair and curious functions which are usually performed in the Roman Court, one, is that of the Crea∣tion of the Soveraign Bishop (or Pope) whereof the relation of one Ceremony ought not to be omitted; and which is so much the more admirable, by how much it hap∣peneth but seldome, and that not all those, who being curious, desire to see the like novelty, can feed their Eye in beholding it.

The Spirit of Pope Alexander the Seventh being flown up into heaven the two and twentieth of the Moneth of May of this present Year 1667, and his Obsequies perform'd by the holy College of St. Peter, the nine following days the Lords Cardinals, to the number of Sixty two, entered into the Conclave on Thursday Evening the second day of Iune, there being absent from the Court foure Lords Cardinals,

Aragona, Viscounti, and Moncada in Spain: and Tun in Germany; and four more of their Eminencies lying sick at their Palaces in Rome, two of which after some days entred into the Conclave (to wit) Ludovisio, and Santa Croce, and the other two Pallavicino and Bandinello past a small time after to a better life.

The Lords Cardinals were then in the Conclave, to the number of Sixty four, and the first morning, the Third of Iune, his Eminency the Lord Cardinal Bar∣barino the Deacon, having in the Chappel celebrated the Low Mass of the Holy Ghost, he himself admini∣nistred the Communion to the rest of their Eminencies, to whom he afterwards made a Succinct Oration, ex∣horting them to be prepared for the receiving into their hearts the Divine Fire of the Holy Ghost, to the end that being filled with that Celestial heat, they might zealously bring forth the Election of a Pope, which might be an excellent Shepherd to govern the Christian Flock.

In the following Days, when they had with mature consideration, made many Scrutinies and Accesses for divers Subjects, finally after the Supreme Papal Sea had been vacant for the space of Twenty eight days, was the most Eminent Lord Cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi created, with sufficient Votes for Supreme Pastor; whoe noble bud and ancient Stock, was produced in the pleasant Garden of one of the famous Cities of our Great Tuscany. Pistoia it was that hath had the fortune to bring forth him, who with his experienced Prudence, maturity of Council, and Sanctity of Life, hath always made himself remarkable, and will ren∣der himself more so in his high Throne, even to the people most remote and barbarous.

My Pen is not a fit Pencil in the least to rough-draw the great Jubily with which the hearts of the people of Rome were filled, when on Monday morning the Twentieth of Iune it began to be whispered about the City, that so Deserving a Prelate had been created the Sacred Monarch of Christendome, and every one desiring by manifest Signs to be certified of it, left their own houses, running hither and thither, and like distracted people find no quiet whethersoever they range, all congratulating with their friends their being favoured by heaven with so Holy a Pastor.

In the mean time, the last Scrutiny and Access be∣ing finished in the Chappel called Di Sisto, wherein the Supreme Bishop was created, and the Dore of it set open, there were seen to appear the Illustrious Lord Sexton, the Masters of the Ceremonies, and the Secretary; and after the Schedules were burned, as it is the Custom to do every day, the Lords Cardinals Francesco Barbarino as Deacon of the Holy College, and Arach as first Priest made the accustomed intreaty to his Eminency the Lord Giulio Rospigliosi, that he would accept the Popedome, to the which by agree∣ing Votes he had been elected by the Lords Cardinals; and his Eminency having accepted that sublime Charge, chose to himself the Name of Clement the Ninth, and it is hoped that the Acts of his Clemency shall not prove, but correspond to his Name.

The Masters of the Ceremonies were called at that Act, and he being then conducted by some of their Eminencies behind the Altar of the said Chappel, was by the Assistance of the Lord Sexton, and the Ma∣sters of the Ceremonies, disrobed of his Cardinal

Vestments, and Cloathed Pontifically, that is, with a White Cassack, a Rochet, a Mozet, and a Red Sattin-Cap, also with a Pair of Shoes embroidered with the the Sign of the Cross.

Being Cloathed in this manner, he was set down in the Pontifical Chair before the Altar of the said Chap∣pel, where all their Eminencies, the Cardinals, came one by one to worship him on their bended Knees, for the first time, acknowledging him the chief Pa∣stor. At which Adoration, first appeared the Lord Cardinal Barbarino the Deacon, who (with his knees on the ground) kiss'd his foot and his right hand, and was suddenly caused to rise upon his feet by his Holy∣ness, who kissed him on either Cheek.

At this instant was heard to resound with sweet Ec∣choes by the harmonious Voyces of the Musicians of the Chappel the Ecce Sacerdos magnus, and amidst this loud reverberation, his Eminency the Lord Cardinal D'Este, one of the Masters of the Ceremonies, bearing along the Cross, accompanying him, was condu∣cted to the accustomed Tower of the Benediction, over the great Portch of the Church of St. Peter, and there they had but just opened, when his Eminency, and the said Master of the Ceremonies, with the Cross, could scarcely croud in; they shewed this most holy Banner to the people, who stayed in the Piazza eager to behold it, esteeming it a certain Sign that afterwards by the said Lord Cardinal would be proclaimed those words which cleerly were heard to be pronounced, that is to say, Annuncio vobis gaudium magnum; habe∣mus Pontificem, Eminentissimum, & Reverendissimum Dominum Cardinalem Iulium, Rospiliosum, qui sibi no∣men imposuit Clementem nonum.

Unexpressible was the Content which the people shewed when these words were published; and no less was the Desire of the Nobility, who without the Bridge (which was shut up with Portcullesses) stayed with a multitude of Coaches, wherewith all the neighbouring wayes were crouded: neither was the eagerness of the numerous people inferior, every one expecting with extreme impatience that they should open to them those grates which hindered them from being able to run into the Piazza of St. Peter, to hear the Election of the Pope published, and to see the other Functions.

It had already stroke three and twenty of the clock, when after the publication abovesaid was finished, there sounded unexpectedly in every ones ears the thundrings of the loud Artillery, an inanimate In∣strument to rouze up in the hearts of Mortals, Jubily and Mirth; the Shot went alternately from the Mus∣quets, Cannons, and Mortar-pieces for half an hours space. The grates were set open, the chains thrown down, the Coaches ran about, the people flew; nothing was heard but Voyces of Acclamation and noises of Mirth, every one desiring to get into the Cathedral of St. Peter, where it was hoped that they might behold the new Pastor; all the Bells rang, nei∣ther was there a corner in Rome wherein was not dis∣cerned an excessive Joy and unexpressible Content∣ment in all mens countenances; nor stood the Drums and Trumpets idle, whose hollow Mettals sweetly invited the Squadrons of Soldiers, which ordinarily stayed in the Piazza of St. Peter, to answer them with a Doubled Salve of Musquet Shot, who betwixt mirth

and Jubily had already appropriated to themselves the Cardinal Coach, with the Horses of the Sove∣raign Pastor, from whose Coach-man they had also taken away his Cloak, and these are the accustomed Spoils belonging to the said Soldiers.

In this interim many Masons un-walled the Con∣clave, their Eminencies the Cardinals being already brought to the second Adoration in the said Chappel, the most eminent Barbarino the Deacon beginning as above, and the other Cardinals following all in or∣der with purple Coats, and this Function being ended the Musicians of the Chappel preceeding, who sang certain Mottets; the Cross, and their Eminencies the Lords Cardnials following, his Holiness was carried in a Pontifical Seat into the Basilica, where he was by all the sacred College adored the third time: the afore∣said Musicians singing at the same instant the Te Deum Laudamus▪ &c. the adoration being finished, and the Te Deum, the Lord Cardinal Deacon was conducted to the side of the Epistle, where some Prayers and Verses were said over the new Pope, who was set down upon the Altar, from which when he had descended, the Mitre being first reached to him by one of the Assistant Deacons, and having the Cross standing before him, he turned to the people, and gave them his Benediction; and after his Mitre was again put on by one of the Deacons, he ascended with the said most Eminent Car∣dinals the Steps of the Altar, and gave his Benediction to the sacred College, on both sides of him where he stood; then being disrobed of his holy Pontifical Em∣broidered Mantle, and his Mitre carried to him, he was put in a close Seat, and carried to the Pope's Lod∣gings

in the Vatican Palace, with a great Train of Followers; St. Peter's Church, and the Portches of it, resounding with the continual Voyces, Long live Pope Clement the Ninth, his Holiness imparting his Pontifi∣cal Blessing unto the numerous people, at his ascend∣ing into the Palace. Every one was satisfied to see the Supreme Pastor, who with his Majestical gravity (by which he forced all hearts to reverent veneration, and to prostrate themselves on their Knees) was observed to discover a pleasing affability.

Rome celebrating these Festivals, was seen that same night, and the other two following, all light, by a number of Bonfires in the publique ways, and by many Torches and other Luminaries, at the Windows of Palaces, and particular Houses; and each of these nights, this Castle of St. Angelo hath with multi∣plied Vollies of Shot rouzed the courage of every one to renew the Joy for the Election of Pope Clement the Ninth, registred from Eternity with the Pen of the uncreated Providence, in the Leaves of Immortality, by the Soveraign Mover, who hath granted to us this holy Shepherd, to the end he may rightly guide his Flock, and rescue them from the Teeth of the infer∣nal Wolf, with an holy Pattern, and an exemplary Life, that may serve as a Mirrour or Looking-glass to all the World, and a Spur to every one to drive them to the way of perfection, and to enrich them with some of those many Virtues which are marvellously resplendent in his Holiness.

FINIS.