APPENDIX B

ENGLISH ACCOUNTS OF ITALY IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY 1

1506. The Pilgrimage of Richard Guylforde to the Holy Land.

1517. Sir Richard Torkington's Diary of his Pilgrim

age.

1547-1549. The Travaile and Life of Sir Thomas Hoby (Eg. Ms., 2148, Brit. Mus.).

1549. The History of Italy, by William Thomas. 1563. Unton's Journey to Italy, written by Richard Smith (Sloan Ms., 1813, Brit. Mus.).

1573. Sidney's letters to Hubert Languet.

1575. Jerome Turler - The Traveller: Description of

Naples.

1582. Anthony Munday - English Roman Life. 1584-1600. Description of Italy

lany, XII).

(Harleian Miscel

1585. John] F[lorio], translator-A Letter written from Rome, by an Italian gentleman.

1588. Edward Webbe's Travels - Account of Rome. 1592. Description of Italy (Lansdowne Ms., Brit. Mus., 775).

1 Such incidental descriptions as are given by Nash in Jack Wilton, etc., Greene and the dramatists have not been included in this list.

1593. Fynes Moryson - Account of his Visit to

Italy.

1596. Robert Dallington-Survey of Tuscany (published 1605).

1599. G. Contarini-Government of Venice-translated by L. Lewkenor.

1599. Edwin Sandys - Europæ Speculum (published

1605).

1600. J. B. Marlianus - Topography of Rome. 1600. Samuel Lewkenor - Description of Italian Universities.

1562. Peter (?) Shakerly La Guida Romana.

Per

tutti i Forestieri che vengono per vedere le Antichità di Roma - Schakerlay Inglese

Rome, 1562.

as judge to listen to the divorce suit of Henry against Catherine of Aragon. In Italy, on the other hand, lived such men as Sir Edward Carne, sent to Rome as excusator of Henry the Eighth, who had been cited to appear there in person. Carne remained there until his death, the Pope ostensibly keeping him as hostage and refusing to allow him to depart, although he gave him the government of the English hospital at Rome. The detention, it is now known, was entirely voluntary on his part, and the Pope's seeming refusal was merely that Carne's property in England should not be confiscated.

It will be seen, from the few facts mentioned, how great were the possibilities of an interchange of ideas between the two countries. Interchange, however, is a misnomer. It cannot be said that the ideas and culture of England had the slightest influence in Italy. The Italians were only shocked at the audacity of the monarch who dared break loose from that most national of institutions, the Papacy. How deep was their interest in England was apparent when the news arrived of Mary's accession to the throne, and it was supposed that England would again become Catholic. There were rejoicings all over Italy, and in Florence alone a solemn mass was held, followed by a procession and display of fireworks, to celebrate England's return to papal obedience.1

1 Settimanni, Diario Fiorentino, II, Pt. I, 737, Archives Florence.

In England, during the reign of Elizabeth, the Papacy was looked upon by Protestants as the arch enemy. It was true that every influence, every action, every attempt, to win back what had been lost to the Catholic Church, radiated from Rome. It was there that English Catholics found a new home and sanctuary where they could be safe and secure from insults and injury. Between Catholics in England and English Catholics in Italy there was a constant intercourse, a going and coming, a series of movements and ties, all the closer for being below the surface; and when gradually the hope for the reconversion of England disappeared, numbers of Englishmen forsook their native land and passed the remainder of their lives in the country of their adoption.

The most prominent among English Catholics of this later time was Cardinal Allen, who, in 1575, had been summoned to Rome by Gregory the Thirteenth, to give advice regarding a college for Englishmen which the Pope proposed to found. A few years later the old. English hospital, with all its revenues, was annexed to it. The seminary, as a result of internal dissensions and the jealousy between the English and Welsh students, was placed, in 1579, in charge of the English province of the Society of Jesus,' and under the protection of a cardinal. It was presided over by a

1 H. Foley, Records of the English Province of the Society of Jesus, VI, 541. Vide Cardinal Sega, Relazione del Collegio Inglese, 1596, Fondo Ottoboni, 2473 ff., 185-226, Vatican Library, Rome (cited also by Foley op. cit.).

rector, not necessarily an Englishman. A year later it received its first stable endowment and was chartered by an apostolic brief.1

On entering the college an oath was administered to the student. He was obliged to swear always to be ready at the order of the Pope or other lawful superior, to take Holy Orders, and to proceed to England for the aid (ie. conversion) of souls. The form of interrogation used is an interesting one. The novice was questioned, among other things, regarding his relatives, and especially of their religious beliefs; of his own studies, and also of the health of his body and mind. He was asked whether he had been a heretic or schismatic; how, and by what means he had become a Catholic; what things had happened to him on account of this, and if he had suffered anything; last of all, what were the reasons which prompted him to follow an ecclesiastical life.

Between 1579, the year in which the college was founded, and 1603, that of the death of Elizabeth, over three hundred and fifty Englishmen studied there and were admitted to the priesthood. Each year the college sent out its missionaries to England "for the help of perishing souls." Before leaving, they went to kiss the feet of the Pope, who supplied them with funds for their journey. In the records which have been preserved, after each one's name there followed a

1 Foley, VI, 70.

2 Vide Stevenson, Roman Transcripts, English College Series, Vol. 9, Record Office, London.