Chapter I: Front Matter

ITALIAN
YESTERDAYS

BY

MRS. HUGH FRASER

Author of “A Diplomatist’s Wife in Japan,”
“A Diplomatist’s Wife in Many Lands,”
“Reminiscences of a Diplomatist’s
Wife,” etc.

VOL. II

NEW YORK
DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
1913

COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY
DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
Published November, 1913

CONTENTS OF VOL. II

CHAPTER I
PAGE

SAINTS OF THE CHURCH 1

A Friend in Rome—A Story of Two Ways of Loving—Aglaë
and Boniface—Become Christians—A New Life—Boniface
Endures Terrible Tortures—Martyrdom—Death of
Aglaë—Church of St. Boniface—Alexis, the Pilgrim—His
Travels—Return to Rome—A Ragged Beggar—His Death and
Burial in St. Boniface’s Church—St. Alexis’
Monastery—Trials of the Church After Constantine—Rome’s
Lowest Ebb—Growth of the Spiritual City—Benedict the
Blessed, and Scholastica.

CHAPTER II

FOUNDER OF MONASTICISM 15

Norcia in the Sabines—A Matrona—The Twins, Benedict and
Scholastica—Benedict Goes to Rome—Conversion of
Placidus—Benedict’s Retirement to La Mentorella—Life in
a Cave—Temptations—Visit of St. Francis—Benedict’s
Ministering—Real Founder of Monastic Life—Growth of His
Order—Placidus and Maurus—St. Benedict’s Personality and
Conversions—His Ideal of the Religious Life—His Greatest
Miracles—His Sister, Scholastica—The Last Day
Together—His Ascension.

CHAPTER III

ST. GREGORY THE GREAT 37

Birth and Lineage of St. Gregory—Path from the World to
the Cloister—Prayer, Study, and Charity—His Cat—A
Prophecy—A Cardinal Deacon—Mission to
Constantinople—Eutyches’ Heresy—Rome in
Pestilence—Gregory Elected Pope—His Unbelievable
Accomplishments—His Life as Pope—Championship of
the Oppressed—Bond with English-speaking People—The Great
Procession During the Pestilence—Gregory’s Successors.

CHAPTER IV

MEMORIES OF THE PANTHEON 52

The Pantheon—Hadrian’s Best Monument—Long Idle—Consecrated
as St. Mary of the Martyrs—The Cathedral, the Symbol
of the Soul—Its Purification—Continuity of the Church—A
Priest’s Visit—The Alabaster Square—Procession of the
Martyrs’ Relics—Giovanni Borgi, the Workman—Italian
Guilds—Giovanni’s Selflessness—His Rescue of the Forsaken
Children—Care of Them—Crusade in Behalf of All the Waifs
of Rome—His Work of Love—Giovanni’s Successor,
Later Pius IX.

CHAPTER V

EARLY LIFE OF FATHER MASTAI 70

Birth in 1792—A Happy Family—His Youth—Epilepsy—The
Church at the Time of Napoleon—Abduction of Pius to
Avignon—Napoleon’s Downfall—Return of the Pope to
Rome—His Reception—Prophecies Regarding Pius IX—His
Journey to Chile—Ocean Trip—Across the Andes—Failure
of Mission—Rounding Cape Horn—English Settlement on the
Cape—“Love-of-the-Soil”—The Falkland Islands.

CHAPTER VI

POPE PIUS IX 91

Director of Ospizio di San Michele—A Splendid
Record—Archbishop of Spoleto—A Turbulent
Populace—Order Restored—Revolution in Europe—Spoleto
Saved—The Earthquake in Umbria—New Post at Imola—Secret
Societies—A Cardinal—Attack upon the Three Prelates—The
Cardinal’s Bravery—How the Saints Forgive—Pope Pius
IX—His Charity and Justice—Defenders of the Poor—Anecdotes
of the Cardinal’s Generosity.

CHAPTER VII

CAPTIVITY OF POPE PIUS VII 108

Lebzeltern, the Ambassador of the Austrian Emperor—Origin
of His Mission—Napoleon’s Anger Against Pius VII—Arrest
of the Pope—Protests from the Church—Napoleon
Excommunicated—Vain Efforts to Evade the Bull—Instructions
for the Mission—“Do All, or Else, _Do Nothing_”—Pius
VII in His Sixty-eighth Year—The Interview—The Pope’s
Position—His Generosity—Message to Napoleon—Continued
Captivity—Return to Rome—Napoleon’s Expiation.

CHAPTER VIII

IN SABINA 131

Castel Gandolfo—Its Gardens—The Sabine Hills—The
Reverendo—An Expedition into the Hills-The Campagna in the
Early Morning—“Our Lady of Good Counsel”—Ancient
Præneste—Italy’s Landscape—Struggles of the
Colonna—Destruction of Palestrina—Boniface’s Revenge
and Expiation—Olevano, the Haunt of Artists—“Picturesque
Utility”—The Wrong Train—Romance of a Pebble—The Work
of the Saints.

CHAPTER IX

PEOPLE OF THE HILLS 152

The Apennines—View from a Peak—Real
Hospitality—Polenta—Woods of Sabina—A Hill Family—The
Cook—A Queer Adventure—People of the South—A Night
Festival in the Abruzzi—The Journey—The Old Organ—Marion
Crawford’s Boys—Juvenile Theatricals.

CHAPTER X

A STORY OF VENICE 172

A Follower of the Condottieri—The Raw Recruit—Division of
the Dukedom of Milan—Carmagnola’s Turn—Growth in
Wealth and Power—Disaffection—Venice Acquires His
Services—War with Milan—A Leisurely Campaign—Carmagnola
at the Height of His Glory—Fortune Turns Against the
Venetians—Stirrings of Suspicion—Reception in Venice—The
Senate Chamber—Growing Dusk—The Attack—End of His Part in
the World—Another Story of the North—St. Raniero, the Patron
of Pisa—The Power of Temperance.

CHAPTER XI

QUEEN JOAN OF NAPLES 191

A Conspicuous Feminine Sinner—Marriage of State—Her
Beauty—Her Hungarian Husband—Petrarch and the Monk—Joan’s
Ascent to the Throne—The Naples Succession—Her
Favourites—The Churches of Naples—Joan’s Lovers—Factions
of Naples—Charles of Durazzo—A Bold Proposal—Charles’
Ambitious Plots—War of the Factions—Disappearance of
Maria—Becomes the Wife of Charles—Joan’s Horror.

CHAPTER XII

A MEDIÆVAL NIGHTMARE 208

Pact Between Charles and Andrew of Hungary—Joan’s Homage
to the Papal Legate—Andrew Ignored—Arrival of Andrew’s
Mother—Andrew Upheld by the Pope—His Reprisals—“The
Man Must Die”—The Queen’s Conspiracy—Last
Meeting of Charles and Andrew—The Hunting Expedition—The
Banquet in the Monastery—The Murder—Tempest Breaks
over Joan’s Head—An Evil Blow at Charles—Trial of Andrew’s
Murderers—A Nightmare of Cruelty and Fear.

CHAPTER XIII

THE VAMPIRE-MONARCH FROM HUNGARY 233

Charles’ Further Acts as Dictator—Rise of the Favoured
Louis of Taranto—Civil War—A Scheme of the Empress of
Constantinople—Interference of the King of Hungary—The
Empress Again to the Rescue—Hungary’s Advance—Death of
the Empress—Flight of the Neapolitan Nobles—Joan and
Her Husband in Provence—Charles’ Well-merited Fate—The
King of Hungary’s Vengeance—Government by Execution.

CHAPTER XIV

END OF JOAN’S CAREER 246

Joan Detained at Aix—Greeted as a Queen—Joan Pronounced
Innocent—Plans to Regain Naples—Sale of a City—Return to
Naples—Indecisive War—Proposal for Personal
Conflict—Flight of the Royal Family—Maria’s Narrow
Escape—Hungarians Repulsed—Pope Clement as
Intermediary—Departure of the King of Hungary—Festivity
in Naples—Death of Louis and Joan’s Further Marital
Adventures—Joan in Trouble—Her Untimely End.

CHAPTER XV

NAPLES UNDER MURAT 263

Beauty of Naples—Figures of Its History—St.
Januarius—Murat, King of Naples—Achievements as King—The
Carbonari—England’s Promises—Napoleonic Diplomacy—Rise
of the Bourbons—Alliance with Austria—Murat’s
Indecision—Distrust of the Allies—Murat’s
Statesmanship—Talleyrand’s Diplomacy—Naples, the
Gay—Conspiracy in the Palace—The Escape from
Elba—Ideal Government—War Against Murat—Advance of
the Austrians—Murat Driven to Naples—Interview with His
Wife—Last Instructions to His Ministers—Escape.

CHAPTER XVI

MURAT’S LAST DAYS 299

Naples in Anarchy—Entrance of Austrians—Murat’s Repulse
by Napoleon and by Louis—His Demon of
Ill-luck—Ship-wrecked—Aid in Corsica—Emperor of Austria’s
Proposal—Attempt Against Naples—Murat Betrayed into
Ferdinand’s Hands—Murat’s “Trial”—Letter to His
Wife—Before His “Judges”—A Brave Death—Ferdinand, the
“Butcher King.”

CHAPTER XVII

ITALIAN SEAS 315

Our Moods and the Seas—Memories in Landscapes—The Healing
of the Sea—A Vision in the Bay of Naples—Marion Crawford’s
Yacht Expected—The Family Together at Leghorn—Lady
Paget—A Bathing Scene—Hugh Fraser—“Spannocchi” for
Dinner—The Avenging Boatman—Livorno, An Anomaly—Sunset
on the Mare Ligure—Bay of Spezia, a Splurge of Colour and
Light—A Hail Storm in Venice—The Joy of a Gondola—Moods
of Venice—A Giorgione Beauty—The Nurseries of Venice—Her
Shops—Saints and Heresies of the Thirteenth Century.

CHAPTER XVIII

SOUTHERN SHORES 339

Melancholy Ravenna—Early Byzantine Architecture—Forests
of Stone-pine—Smiles and Tears—The Need of a Little
Misfortune—Monte Gargano—Millions of Spanish
Merinos—Primæval Forest—A Forest Miracle—Church of the
Apparition of St. Michael—Other Apparitions of the
Archangel—The Revelation to St. Aubert—The Great Round
Church—Order of the Knights of St. Michael—A “Maiden”
Fortress of France.