rnalia. Rome has ever been the headquarters of
carnival, and though some popes, notably Clement IX. and XI. and
Benedict XIII., made efforts to stem the tide of Bacchanalian revelry,
many of the popes were great patrons and promoters of carnival keeping.
Paul II. was notable in this respect. In his time the Jews of Rome were
compelled to pay yearly a sum of 1130 golden florins (the thirty being
added as a special memorial of Judas and the thirty pieces of silver),
which was expended on the carnival. A decree of Paul II., minutely
providing for the diversions, orders that four rings of silver gilt
should be provided, two in the Piazza Navona and two at the Monte
Testaccio--one at each place for the burghers and the other for the
retainers of the nobles to practise riding at the ring. The pope also
orders a great variety of races, the expenses of which are to be paid
from the papal exchequer--one to be run by the Jews, another for
Christian children, another for Christian young men, another for
sexagenarians, a fifth for asses, and a sixth for buffaloes. Under
Julius III. we have long accounts of bull-hunts--or rather
bull-baits--in the Forum, with gorgeous descriptions of the magnificence
of the dresses, and enormous suppers in the palace of the Conservatori
in the capitol, where seven cardinals, together with the duke Orazio
Farnese, supped at one table, and all the ladies by themselves at
another. After the supper the whole party went into the courtyard of the
palace, which was turned into the semblance of a theatre, "to see a most
charming comedy which was admirably played, and lasted so long that it
was not over till ten o'clock!" Even the austere and rigid Paul IV.
(_ob_. 1559) used to keep carnival by inviting all the Sacred College to
dine with him. Sixtus V., who was elected in 1585, set himself to the
keeping of carnival after a different fashion. Determined to repress the
lawlessness and crime incident to the period, he set up gibbets in
conspicuous places, as well as whipping-posts, the former as a hint to
robbers and cut-throats, the latter in store for minor offenders. We
find, further, from the provisions made at the time, that Sixtus
reformed the evil custom of throwing dirt and dust and flour at
passengers, permitting only flowers or sweetmeats to be thrown.

The later popes for the most part restricted the public festivities of
the carnival to the last six or seven days immediately preceding Ash
Wednesda