Pope Alexander VI and his Court by John Burchard

Author:John Burchard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ozymandias Press

ALEXANDER AND HIS FAMILY

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ON FRIDAY, THE 20TH OF May, 1496, at six o’clock in the afternoon an entry was made into Rome through the Lateran gate by one Gofredo Borgia of Aragon, a son of the Pope, about fourteen years old and his wife, Sancia of Aragon, with about six ladies of her household. There went out to meet them the captain of the squadron with his men-at-arms, about two hundred of them, the suites of all the cardinals and the papal prelates. For every single cardinal had been requested that morning by papal runners at the instigation of Cesare to send their chaplains and men-at-arms to meet his brother Gofredo, upon his entry into the city. This they all did and dispatched their men as far as beyond the afore-mentioned gate, and here Lucretia Sforza, also a daughter of the Pope, and wife of Giovanni Sforza, Lord of Pesaro and sister of Gofredo met them with twelve other women. Two pages preceded her bearing two cloaks and riding on two horses one of which was covered with precious gold brocade, the other with crimson velvet. She greeted her brother and his wife with affection.

When we had come to the palace, the Pope went to the hall of the Pontiffs and sat down on an elevated seat that had been prepared for him there in the center of the left wall with a green carpet before it on which was depicted the Savior laying His ringers on the side of St. Thomas. Another similar carpet was laid over the scat. Eleven cardinals were standing around in their coats. We entered the hall through the three ordinary halls, the chamber of paraments, the Camera Papagalli and the others. Before the footstool of the Pope there stood a small stool on which lay a cushion of brocade, and before it four larger cushions of crimson velvet crosswise on the floor. Gofredo made obeisance to the Pope in the customary way and kissed his foot and hand. The Pope took the head of Gofredo between both his hands bowing his head over him but without kissing him. There followed Sancia, who in the same way kissed the foot and hand of the Pope and whose head he took in the same way between his hands. Also Lucretia was thus received by the Pope. After this Gofredo approached every cardinal beginning with Pallavicini and kissed their hands, whereupon each of them gave him a kiss upon the mouth. Sancia too kissed the hands of the cardinals and these took her head between their hands as if they wanted to kiss it. During this the daughter of the Pope stood before her father. Then Gofredo placed himself between the cardinals Sanseverino and Cesare Borgia, his brother. Lucretia sat down on a cushion on the floor at the right of the Pope, Sancia on another one at the left of the Pope, and the other ladies approached to kiss the papal foot. The Pope, Sancia and Lucretia exchanged together a few hilarious remarks.

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