At the Bottom of the Church stands, highly elevated, St. _Peter_’s Chair, a very fine Piece of Work, all of Brass, gilt, and supported by the four Fathers of the Church, St. _Ambrose_, St. _Jerome_, St. _Augustine_, and St. _Gregory_, of a gigantic Size, with a Glory of Brass, gilt, over them, raised as high as the Roof. Under the Chair is an Altar, on both Sides of which there are stately Tombs of Brass and Marble, of incomparable Workmanship and Beauty. The Mausoleum of _Urban_ VIII. on the Right Hand, has two admirable Statues of white Marble, representing two Virtues, of such exquisite Beauty, that there was a Necessity of covering their Nudities to prevent the like Scandal which a certain _Spaniard_ gave, in whom a Statue of this sort kindled an unruly Passion. These two Tombs are not the only ones which adorn this Church; for there are many others altogether as superb; particularly, the Mausoleum of the Countess _Matilda_, and that of _Christina_ Queen of _Sweden_, to whom the Popes granted Burial in St. _Peter_’s Church, where, except the Successors of that Apostle, none can be interred. These two Princesses were of such high Birth, and had done so much for the Church, that they well deserved to be honoured with this Distinction; for the first defended the Church, at the Head of her Army, against the Emperor _Henry_ IV. the other even abdicated her Crown, and abandoned her Dominions, to embrace the _Roman_ Religion. _Christina_’s Tomb is nobly designed, without being overcharged with Ornament; and there is her Picture in a great Medal of Brass, which is perfectly well executed.
Tho’ every thing in St. _Peter_’s Church is worthy of the particular Observation of a curious Traveller, I think nothing deserves it more than the noble Pictures of Mosaic Work, wherewith the Altars are decorated, than which there can be nothing more complete; for it surpasses any thing that was ever done by the Ancients. ’Tis but a few Years that the Artists have arrived to the Perfection we now discover in Works of this kind. One of these Pictures, which is just finished, represents the Story of Sta. _Petronilla_, St. _Peter_’s Sister, so excellently designed, and so nicely coloured and polished, that nothing in the Art of Man can out-do it. One would swear ’twas a Picture behind a Glass; yet it consists only of little Glass Squares, exactly cemented together by a certain Gum that is extremely astringent. ’Tis a Piece of Work of the more Value, because it is Proof against the Injuries of Weather, and nothing can damage it. They design to remove out of this Church all the Pictures painted in Oil, which grow mouldy by Time and Moisture, and to put Pictures of Mosaic Work, in their place. If this Project, which is in a good Forwardness, and carried on apace, be ever finished, St. _Peter_’s Church will be possessed of a Treasure the more precious because there will be none like it.