The New Orleans bulletin., 1876-02-13

rpocuments in British Museum.]

i ROME IN 1714.
rDocuments in British Museum.1
The proclamation issued by the Vicar Gen
eral and municipal authorities deals with tn
q ,nduct and morality OF the inhabitants o
Rome: and so effsctually do they arrange ant
ordain their going out and their coming IN
that one hardly wonders at the Wild saturna'
l;a which ensued in the city whenever the
death OF Pope left the people for q few days
masters of their own conduct. A few ex
tracts from these proclamations in chronoog
jcaI order will give some idea OF their con.
tents. The wear 1714 began with heavy fall
If snow. and the first edict deals with clear.
ing it off the streets.
Everv house.holder is ordered to collect in
10 bean the snow that lies in front OF hit
honsa. and then it is to be at once removed
by the carriers of Rome. who are all taken
into the Governors service for that purpose
The process must have been effectual, though
probably inconvenient for the carriers Ihsn
follows an edict against snow-oailng' Wnlco'
it appears, had been INDUCED IN Dy certain
"lazy yaeabonds;" the ofense Is to be pun-
;shed by three applications Of the strappado,
an Ingenious and simple contrivance by which
the arms of the patient might at any moment
b. dislocatee.
The directions issued by the Governor
during the carnival must have produced a
depressing effect upon riotous spirits wnen
thew found that masks were to be worn only
on certain days; that on these days they
were to be deprived OF the pleasures OF
female society, ladies being warned to stay at
home, under penalty of very summary treat
ment that no -four was to be thrown about,
but only the coarssst kind OF meal, and final
| lv that the Jews were to be unmclested.
| L.. CIR odn
the comfort of the latter for certainly the
Children of Israel can not be said to have led
an easy life under the care of the Pope, who,
moved-as as the Vicar General, speaking IN his
Holiness name, states-by his regard for his
Hebrew subjects. publishes the following laws
for their benefit: Dealing first with gentler
sex, he promises e public whipping and few
years in the galleys to any Jewish woman who
shall in future years leave the Ghetto to
witness Christian tetes, illuminations or pro-
| cessions
Next he orders the porters to close the
Ghetto gates for forty-eigh hours before and
after ali the Jewish tasts and festivities, to
prevent any Christians from entering; and,
lastly, Christian butchers, bakers, or publ
cans are forbidden to sell meat, bread, or
wine to the Jews, who were, of course, easily
known by the distinctive dress they were com.
PEELED % wear. The carnival over, the Vicar
General issues his edict on keeping Lent,
which contains thirty y-fve clauses, each deal
ing with separate class Of the community.
The most curious are the direcious given
to butchers and doctors The former are
hidden to close their shops entirely, except o
few who receive licenses to sell to the sick;
the latter are ordered to send in lists of those
among their patients who require meat.
stating the quantity and quality necessary for
them. The fortunate invalids thus released
from fasting are supplied with forms filed in
licensed butchers are allowed to serve them;
moreover, those who carry the meat are
strictly enjoined to cover it up carefully, so
that no scandal may be caused.
The cafes, which had been shortly before
reduced to sixty in number, are not forgot
ten. Two meals o day-one of single
course, the other of two, but both without
meat-are allowed to be served; but no festive
or dinner giving guest is to be admitted
Easter passes over almost unnoticed; but, on
the approach of Corpus Christi, appears an
edict of the Vicar-General, directing tavern
keepers and shopkeepers to close their
houses. and cab-drivers, workmen and others
to rest from their labors.
All the spectators out of doors are ordered
to kneel rs the procession passes, while those
VINO remain at home are forbidden to stand
at their windows in company with women,
even their wives and daughters. The strap
pado, fogging, branding, the galleys. and
fines of varying amounts are among the pen
allies which await any infringement of this
edict. July suggests bathing, but the un-
wary person who ventures to take plunge
in the Tiber or the fountains is, if man, re-
warded by the strappado, if woman by the
usual fogging.
r. <he.., ,,or4h .ro Ga 49,
proclamations-the first against throwing dir
ty water or rubbish into the streets the Sec
ond forbidding beggars to crowd the church
porches, which, it appears, were often SO
thronged as to prevent the worshipers from
entering. In August the Pope leaves Rome
the law courts are closed, and the inhabitants
are left to their own devices until October,
when number Of regulations are issued to
control the traffic in the streets forbidding
drivers to exceed the pace of five miles an
hour, and arranging the precedence of the
carriages of cardinals and noblemen, to whom
the Vulgar are directed to give way on all oc.
casions.
Shortly before Christmas the Vicar General
again comes to the front, and recommends
the faithful to attend their parish church on
Christmas eve; and, as usual, threats of the
strappado and heavy fines strengthen the in
vitation. By the same decree the cafes are
Closed during the last week of Advent, and
street festivities gre forbidden. The year
ends with Papal brief, ordering special
prayers to be used on account of the ravages |
committed by wolves in the diocese of Anaeni, |
though his Holiness is not quite clear as to
whether the wolves are genuine carnivora, or |
evil spirits sent to punish the farmers for their
sins, of which q detailed catalogue is given.
A Remarkable Discovery in Florida.