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THere is not far from the Vatican, near the banks of Tyber, the most famous Hospital for Sick Persons, that is in all the world. It contains within its circuit so many great Palaces and Courts; and so many more ordinary houses; that it seems to be ra∣ther a whole town than one house.
The first Author of this great Work was Innocent the third; as appears by many In∣scriptions upon the Hospital it self. This In∣nocent left behind him in Rome two remarkable Monuments of his charity towards necessitous persons. The one was an Hospital for Slaves, who, being redeemed out of the hands of In∣fidels, have not wherewith to subsist; of which elsewhere. The other in this place, where Pope Leo 4. Anno 851. having finished that part of the City called after his name Borgo Leonino, built therein a Church dedicated to the perpetual Virgin St. Mary. And Anno 1204. This Innocent the third adjoyned there∣unto another Hospital; this which we are now treating of. And as he put the first Hospital under the care of a certain religious order then newly instituted by him; so did he this under another Order likewise approved by him; whose Title is that of the Holy Spirit, yet with∣out changing the Title of the Churches dedi∣cated to St. Mary the Virgin in Sassia.
And this Hospital, because built at the sole charge and cost of the See Apostolick, is imme∣diately under it onely, and exempted from all kind of Impositions and Grievances. Now tho, in the Bull of Innocent, exposed Infants, which are here generally received and main∣tained, are not particularly mentioned; yet it seems such also were meant by the clause added, and other objects of Pity: Which clause was also in the Bull of Nich. 4. Anno 1291. And at last was so declared by the Bull
of Sixtus the fourth. An. 1476. And because none should imagine, that the Reception of such Infants did begin first under his Pontificate, there is set up in the Hall, being a great and fair room, many Inscriptions, and the Pictures of many dead Infants brought out of the neigh∣bouring Tyber, and laid at Pope Innocents feet; And an Angel said to advise him from heaven to make some provision against such miscarri∣ages.
Hence all exposed Infants are here received by order from the Pope; and being once re∣ceived are never turned off again or forsaken. For the Males, as soon as they are grown up to it, are taught husbandry or some other Mechanical Trade, and some made Scholars; as the Genius of every one is discerned to be addicted: and what they take to therein they may be always furthered if they will. As for the Females they are delivered into the hands of Nurses and honest Matrons to be trained up; and being grown of age are compelled either to to become Nuns, or to be bestowed by the House in Marriage. And if they become Widdows, are received again into the Hospital, if they desire it, very freely, as the Daugh∣ters of the place.
Time indeed, that silently eats all things, had much decayed what Innocent had built; when Pope Sixtus the fourth. 1471. set him∣self to rebuild all from the very foundations, and amplified it to a magnificent State; which went on still augmenting by the munificence
of several succeeding Popes. Leo X, Paul III, Pius IV, Pius V, Gregory XIV. In grati∣tude to which liberalities, are set up distinct Inscriptions. But to return to the descrip∣tion of this great Hospital, and the Church ad∣joining: There serve and officiate in the Church men of a religious order wearing a white Cross on their breasts; who likewise are set over the Hospital to govern it, and take care of its In∣comes, Rents, and Revenues. These have an innumerable company of servants that receive wages under them.
Over all is a Master with the title of a Com∣mendator, who now for some years hath been still chosen out of the chief Prelates of the whole Court.
The Church is all built of Tivoli Stone beau∣teously adorned with pictures, and all other sacred furniture, that may advance the devo∣tion of christians; the Hospital or Common-house for reception of strangers is exceed∣ing great and capacious, having within its precincts divers Palaces with their distinct Courts.
In one apartment are maintained forty Nurses that are imployed in giving suck, and nursing up the Infants abandoned by their pa∣rents; besides these, others, which for their exceeding great number amount sometimes to two thousand, are put abroad to nurse at such a rate; for here they refuse none, Ba∣stards, or Legitimates, if in a perishing con∣dition.
In the second apartment are maintained about four hundred and fifty of the same chil∣dren, after they are a little grown; and then they have their masters and servants to teach them the Christian Doctrine, to read and write, and some beginnings of those Trades they seem most inclined to; That at twelve or thirteen years old they may be put forth, and bound thereto in order to subsist of themselves.
In the third apartment are kept above five hundred of the girls: and are there cloistered in the Monastery dedicated to St. Tecla, stand∣ing within the precincts of the said Hospital; where they are educated by fourteen Nuns of St. Augustine's Order in the discipline of that Rule, and by many other Mistresses, in all the arts and skills proper for women; and every year forty of them are given in marriage ac∣cording to the order of Pope Sixtus; which is done still on the Wednesday in Whitsun-week. For then all the Bridegrooms are invited to a sumptuous feast; and the Virgins having their dowries and other provisions sutable to their new condition given to them, are each of them sent away with their husbands.
And that the Bridegrooms may before hand sometimes see those, whom they will make choice of, for their Brides; The Virgins are led forth thrice a year in procession.
First on the Sunday next to St. Anthony's day when they go to St. Peter's, next on St. Mark's day; beginning from his Church the Procession of the Litanies, and ending it at St.
Peter's; Whither also they go forth a third time on Whit-monday: the Volto Santo being there shewn them at their first and last Procession.
The fourth apartment contains the sick in a lower gallery, so long and so large, that 'tis capable of a thousand single beds, which com∣monly in the summer are all filled with sick per∣sons. And on the outside thereof next the streets runs along a Portico or open Cloister, the full length of the Gallery; into which at several doors come forth those that tend and serve the sick after they have done with them; and cleansed all within, to take by turns a little air and refreshment: tho, the Gallery it self of the sick is always kept most sweet and neat.
Opposite to this Gallery on the other side of the Court stand the several chambers for such sick persons; whose infirmities are of that quality that it is not fit to lodge them with others, but each must have a chamber apart.
Cross the upper end of the Gallery below are several roomes, as so many Apothecaries shops the best furnished of any in Rome of all things necessary for diseased persons. Over these are several Chambers well furnished and fitted for such persons of quality as falling sick have not the conveniency to be so well looked to and tended elsewhere. For these Pope Sixtus the fourth, hath built a Palace apart, as this Me∣morial testifies.
Great care is here also taken of all those things which the sick bring hither with them; whe∣ther cloaths, goods, or moneys: All being in∣ventoryed and deposited in the Treasurers hands, to be punctually restored to them, if they recover; or to their heirs, if they dye.
In this great building are also two other places of note. The one is the Palace of the Commendator and his family, which consists of some Ninety in number: All which have their employments, offices and charges about the sick; He going himself often to visit them. And, besides many appointed Physitians and Surgeons; who in their turns, if need be, watch whole nights with their patients (for nothing is omitted that may conduce to the health of the body.) Besides the religious men of that order, who are perpetually upon the place, and other servants that are paid their wages for it, There are many Monks and Fryars of all orders, that dayly visit the sick; not only exhorting them to patience, and feeding their souls with the word of God, but bringing them likewise early fruits and the first of all sorts that the season there affords; and some∣times sweetmeats and other refreshing things, coming from forreign parts.
Among these persons are chiefly the Priests of the Congregation of the Oratory founded not many years since, by the authority of St. Philip Neri; whose institute and approved vertues require to be spoken of more particularly in another place.
The other place is the Church (touch'd upon before) together with the chambers adjoining for the foremention'd Religious, and for the other Priests who assist the sick. For besides the Penitentiary (who assoon as any sick persons are brought, in the first place heareth their confessions) others administer the Sacraments to them, That of the Eucharist, and when the case requires it, that of Extreame Ʋnction: others accompany the departing Souls with the Church's prayers and recommendations. There be four Chaplains to say Mass; And those sick, who lye below, have there, in the middle of their Gallery, a neat Chappel with an Organ often play'd on, also for the recrea∣tion of the sick. And those above have ano∣ther, but more adorned, and with rich hangings and Church vestments.
The yearly Revenue of the whole is very great, and amounts to near a hundred thousand Gold Crowns (every Crown being worth 7. sh: 6. d.) that is: About thirty seven thousand five hundred pounds Sterling per Annum.
To this so excellent a piece of Charity as we see here exercised, there is adjoyned ano∣ther no less munificent: which is, That there belongs to the place certain Coaches and Lit∣ters for sick people; wherein they are carryed up and down, in places ot more wholsome air of the City; especially those persons that wast away in languishing Fevers; that accord∣ing to the prescript of their Doctors they may take some freer air.