This Maggot of keeping so many Lacqueys has infected even the Citizens; they who are in such mean Circumstances, that they cannot afford to maintain them the whole Year round, covenant with them only for _Sundays_ and Saints Days. Thus a Journeymen Shoemaker, or a Chimney sweeper, who has but that very Day put a Scrub Livery on his Back, and that often borrow’d of a Tallyman, shall walk gravely before young Master, or pretty Miss, to and from Church, with his greasy Hair turn’d up behind his Ears, and a long Sword by his Side. For it would be reckon’d indecent here to see a Woman or a Miss go abroad alone, and the most abandon’d Prostitutes are always attended with a Matron.
The Funerals of Persons of Quality are perform’d here with very great Pomp; all the Dead are carried to Interment with their Faces bare. I saw the Funerals of Cardinal _Buoncompagno_, Archbishop of _Bologna_, and the Prince _Ruspoli_. The former was carried by Night in one of his Coaches to the Church of St. _Andrew de Laval_, which was hung all over with Black. Next Day the Corpse was laid upon a Bed of State in the Middle of the Nave of the Church, dress’d in the Sacerdotal Vestments, with the Head turn’d towards the Choir, and the Cardinal’s Hat at the Feet: Four _Valets de Chambre_ stood at the Corners of the Bed, and each held a Banner of black Taffeta, with the Arms of the Deceas’d: There were an hundred great Tapers or Torches of White Wax in large Iron Candlesticks round the Bed: The high Mass was sung with Music, and the whole Sacred College was present: When the Cardinals enter’d the Church, they made a short Prayer to the Holy Sacrament on their Knees; after which they went and kneeled at the Feet of the Deceased, where they said a _Pater_, and the Prayer _Absolve Domine, &c._ and then taking the Holy Water Brush, they sprinkled it on the Corpse: The Cardinals retir’d after the Mass, but the Corpse lay expos’d till the Evening, when the Priests Vestments were taken off of the Deceased, and he was put into a Leaden Coffin, which was inclos’d in another of Cypress Wood, and then let down into the Grave. The Prince _Ruspoli_’s Corpse was expos’d in the Church of St. _Laurence Lucini_, which had been his Parish Church, in the same manner as the Cardinal _de Buoncompagno_ was; but none of the Cardinals, nor any of the Deceased’s Kindred, assisted at the Office; for the _Italians_ say, ’tis barbarous to oblige Relations to attend each other’s Funerals, as is the Fashion with us.