arms, and his body, after embalming, was carried in a coffin to Rome, in the habit of St. Francis, and interred at St. Peter's, in the family vault, but without any funeral pomp or selemnity.

About the same time Rienzi arrived at Prague, where the king of the Romans then was. He presented himself to that monarch with great confidence, and throwing himself at his feet, with his accustomed eloquence he told him, "That he was Nicholas Rienzi, whom God had vouchsafed to be the deliverer of Rome, and governor thereof, according to the laws of justice; that he had seen under his obedience Tuscany, the Roman provinces and sea-ports; that he had humbled the grandees, and reformed an infinity of disorders; that every-wretch the earth contained knew the success of the iron rod, which the Lord had armed him with for the cause of justice; but that the same God who elevated and suported him during the rigour of his government, had at length chastised him for his easiness and moderation, by the injustice of the grandees, who had prevailed over him, and compelled him to depart Rome, that in his exile he thought it behoved him to seek no other asylum than from a pussiant emperor, to whom he had the honour to be related, being the issue of one of the natural sons of the emperor Henry; that a prince destined by Heaven to destroy tyrants and tyranny, must have too much generosity to abandon a man, whom it had pleased the Almighty to make an instrument in suppressing them.”— After this harangue, he told the king a prophecy given to him by a holy hermit of Mont-Mayelle during his retirement, and which was in substance, that the eagle should be sent to destroy the Corneilles.

Charles was astonished at the boldness and insolence of a man who had assurance to pretend a consanguinity; but offended less at such rhodomontade, than touched with the frankness with which a personage so celebrated, who had made even himself tremble, came to seek refuge, received him with all the honour and affection he judged due to merit in distress; nevertheless, this generosity of Charles was not so sincere and disinterested to secure Rienzi from

being hereafter made a dupe. When he resolved to go to

Prague, he foresaw that the new emperor, who owed his elevation to the pope, would make no scruple of making his court to him by securing the person of a man, after whom the holy father had made the most diligent search throughout Italy. He foresaw likewise, that he should be delivered up to the pope. But unable to find out any expedient so proper to compass his design of remounting the throne he was fallen from, he relied upon his eloquence and artifice to engage his enemies, and even the court of Avignon itself. A presumption foolish in appearance, yet fortunate afterwards in event. The manner of this bold proceeding of Rienzi, instead of completing his ruin, which seemed inevitable, drove him into a labryinth, by which, from a superiority of genius, he might extricate himself with the greater glory; and by that kind of fortune, which sometimes attends extraordinary personages, bring his affairs to an happy issue after a long chain of misfortunes.― The emperor Charles was in fact so pleased to have it in his power to sacrifice Rienzi to the pope, a complaisance the king of Hungary had imprudently refused the holy father, that he began to secure his prey, not by imprisoning a man who had surrendered himself at discretion; such a conduct would have been inhuman; but by giving him some guards, in show of honour, and as much liberty as he could wish. He was treated as a prisoner of the first rank. On the other hand, Rienzi, by a refined policy, was willing to save Charles from the reproach which must necessarily fall upon him, in delivering up to an enraged pontiff a wretch, who came to seek an asylum in his dominions. He declared to the emperor, that, as he could, he ought to make known his retreat to the pope; that, for his part, he feared not to go to Avignon; on the contrary, desired nothing more. Charles, overjoyed at this opportunity of blending his interests with his glory, made immediately his court to Clement, and loaded his prisoner with honours. He treated Rienzi in great splendour, and received and paid his visits as a foreign prince. The curiosity of seeing so famous a person, of whom such wonders had been related, drew continually such a concourse, that he had a court highly distinguished. The learned were pleased with his

conversation; his mien, his vivacity, and the peculiar eloquence with which he expressed himself in Latin, universally charmed. His memory always furnished him with the most beautiful passages of the ancients, which he properly applied; and the natural sallies of his fertile imagination, made him esteemed a prodigy of wit.

While he was thus admired and caressed by the grandees at Prague, another sort of treatment was reserved for him at Avignon. It is difficult to express the joy which the pope showed at the letters which he received from the emperor, wherein he was informed by that prince, that he had at length in his power the man who had given his holiness so much inquietude. The opinion and dread he had of Rienzi, are best seen in his answer to the king of the Romans, dated August 17, 1350.

Clement begins with "returning thanks to the Almighty God for preserving the church from the furious tempests with which it was lately menaced; for miraculously delivering up that true son of Belial, Nicholas Rienzi, into the hands of the emperor; a citizen of Rome, but a most wicked and dangerous citizen, condemned as a heretic by the legates, cardinal Embrun and Ceccano, from whose sentence there was no appeal. Afterwards the holy father makes his acknowledgments to that prince for securing the delinquent; that he, the emperor, had testified his zeal and attachment to the holy see in the most illustrious manner by services so considerable and important;" he tells him that "he had writ to the archbishop of Prague to propose to him, either to send under a strong guard the criminal to Avignon, or issue out himself process against him, and to acquaint him immediately with his determination, that according to the part he takes, he may either send a party to bring away the prisoner, or send the articles of impeachment against him." He concludes with beseeching the emperor to assist the prelate in every thing that shall appear necessary in the present juncture, and to take particular care that that son of Belial find no means of making his escape.

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Rienzi not only consented to go to Avignon, but earnestly pressed for it. He surrendered himself to John bishop of Spoletto, Roger du Moulinneuf, and Hugh Carlatio,

three officers whom his holiness had sent express to conduct him to Avignon. Through all the cities and towns he passed the people flocked in crowds to meet him, crying out they were come to rescue and save him from the hands of the pope. But he turned about to them, thanking them for their good will, and protested that he went voluntarily and by his own option to Avignon. Great honours were paid him throughout his route, so that he marched rather in triumph than in the quality of a prisoner going to appear before a severe judge and an offended sovereign.

BOOK X.

As soon as Rienzi arrived at Avignon, Clement VI. had the curiosity to see once more the man who, since the time of his first deputation, had the temerity and success to render himself greater than kings, and who had given him so much trouble and inquietude. He caused him to be brought into his presence, that he might observe his countenance, and hear if he durst say anything in his justification. The delinquent appeared at the feet of the pope, with a countenance truly modest and adapted to his disgrace; but with such a serenity, that neither the majesty of the sovereign pontiff, or his numerous court, could disconcert. He told the holy father that he was very sensible of the scandals that had been raised against him, and the fatal prejudices against his person which the sentences of the legates created, who had condemned him with much more precipitation than justice. That his holiness was too equitable to condemn him likewise unheard; that far from endeavouring to avoid trial, he had long since determined to surrender, if he could have been assured of security from his court; that it was with no other view he passed through Bohemia, than to implore the emperor to obtain from his holiness the permission of justifying himself with the less danger; that as he had at present the happiness to embrace the knees of the common father of Christians, he humbly beseeched him to appoint him judges, before whom he was ready to give so good