who beheld from heaven all that this glorious virgin had suffered for His sake, sent an angel to clothe her in a white garment, and to conduct her safe to land. Then her father, utterly astonished, struck his forehead and exclaimed, 'What meaneth this witchcraft?' And he ordered that they should light a fiery furnace and throw her in ; but she remained there five days unharmed, singing the praises of God. Then he ordered that her head should be shaved, and that she should be dragged to the temple of Apollo to sacrifice; but no sooner had she looked upon the idol, than it fell down before her. When her father saw this his terror was so great that he gave up the ghost.

"But the patrician Julian, who succeeded him as governor, was not less barbarous, for, hearing that Cristina in her prison sang perpetually the praises of God, he ordered her tongue to be cut out, but she only sang more sweetly than ever, and uttered her thanksgivings aloud, to the wonder of all who heard her. Then he shut her up in a dungeon with serpents and venomous reptiles; but they became in her presence harmless as doves. So, being well-nigh in despair, this perverse pagan caused her to be bound to a post, and ordered his soldiers to shoot her with arrows till she died. Thus she at length received the hardly-earned crown of martyrdom; and the angels, full of joy and wonder at such invincible fortitude, bore her pure spirit into heaven.”—Jameson's 'Legendary Art.'

The beautiful Church of S. Cristina stands near the Roman gate. In front of it is a splendid sarcophagus, with Bacchic bas-reliefs. The doors have ornaments by Luca della Robbia. Inside, is the shrine of the saint, with three scenes from her prolonged martyrdom-the cutting off of her breasts, her being roasted in a furnace, and her being shot with arrows.

A dark chapel on the left is famous as the scene of the Miracle of Bolsena, pourtrayed by Raffaelle on the walls of the Stanze, when, to convert an unbelieving priest, the consecrated wafer bled at the moment of elevation. The institution of the festival of Corpus Domini by Urban IV. is often attributed to this story, but really resulted from the visions of Julienne, abbess of Mont Cornillon, near Liège. The miracle of Bolsena has, however, a still greater memorial in the Cathedral of Orvieto.

'The story of the miracle of Bolsena presents one of the most singular examples of the acceptance, and intensely-felt influences in the popular mind, of the miraculous, admitted without any such proofs or

And the two ver

A German priest,

investigations as modern intellect would demand. sions of the same story are essentially different. troubled in conscience for having doubted, not (it seems) the doctrine of a real, but of a carnal Presence in the Eucharist, set out for Rome, with the hope of securing the intercession of the chief Apostle, for the solving of his doubts or pardoning of his errors. Resting one day on the shores of the beautiful lake of Bolsena, he celebrated mass in the Church of S. Cristina; and after the consecration, whilst holding the sacred Host in his hands, with mind earnestly bent, as was natural, on the mysterious question that had led him to undertake his pilgrimage, beheld blood issuing from the consecrated species, and staining the linen corporal; each stain severally assuming the form of a human head, with features like the "Volto Santo,' or supposed portrait of the Saviour! Such is one version ; but different indeed are even leading details in the other-namely, that the priest merely let fall some drops of consecrated wine on the corporals, and when endeavouring to conceal this by folding up the linen, found that the liquid had passed through all the folds, leaving on each a red stain, in circular form like the host! The rest of the story is given without discrepancies, and is perfectly credible. Too much awe-stricken to consume the elements, that priest, now for ever cured of scepticism, reverentially reserved both those sacramental species; proceeded to Orvieto, and threw himself at the feet of the Pope, confessing his doubts, and narrating the miracle. Urban IV. immediately sent the Bishop of Orvieto to bring thither the Host and the corporals; and himself, with all the local clergy, went in procession to meet the returning prelate, at a bridge some miles distant, where he received the sacred deposit from his hands. It was soon afterwards, in 1264, that Urban IV. published at Orvieto the bull instituting the Corpus Domini festival, and commissioned S. Thomas Aquinas, who was then giving theological lectures in that city, to compose the office and hymns for the day.'-Hemans, Hist. of Mediaeval Christianity.'

From Bolsena it is about six miles to Montefiascone (Inn, Locanda di D. Fanali, with glorious views in different directions), a hillset town, crowned by the handsome dome of a cathedral designed by Sanmicheli and dedicated to S. Margaret. The hill, always celebrated for its wine, probably derives thence its name—fiascone, signifying a flask. Dennis considers that it occupies either the site of the Etruscan city Oenarea, or that of the Fanum Voltumnae, the shrine where the princes of Etruria met in council on the affairs of the confederation. No Etruscan remains, however, exist except

a few caverned tombs now turned into the hovels of the miserable living inhabitants.

'Well may this height have been chosen as the site of the national temple! It commands a magnificent and truly Etruscan panorama. The lake (of Bolsena) shines beneath in all its breadth and beauty--truly meriting the title of "the great lake of Italy ”—and though the towers and palaces of Volsinii have long ceased to sparkle on its bosom, it still mirrors the white cliffs of its twin islets, and the distant snow-peaks of Amiata and Cetona. In every other direction is one intermingled pomp of vale and hill." In the east rise the dark mountains of Umbria; and the long line of mist at their foot marks the course of "the Etruscan stream"

"The noble river

That rolls by the towers of Rome."

The giant Apennines of Sabina loom afar off, dim through the hazy noon; and the nearer Ciminian, dark with its once dread forests, stretches its triple-crested mass across the southern horizon. Fertile and populous was the country, numerous and potent the cities, that lay beneath the confederate princes as they sate here in council; and many an eye in the wide plain would turn hitherward as to the ark of national safety. The warriors gathering at the sacred lake in defence of their children's homes and father's sepulchres, would look to the great goddess for succour the augur on the distant arx of Tarquinii or Cosa, would turn to her shrine for a propitious omen-the husbandman would lift his eye from the furrow, and invoke her blessing on his labours and the mariner on the bosom of the far-off Tyrrhene, would catch the white gleam of her temple, and breathe a prayer for safety and success.'-Dennis's Cities of Etruria.'

Outside the Roman gate of the town is the principal sight of the place, the wonderful old Church of S. Flaviano, which dates from the 11th century, but was restored by Urban IV. in 1262. It is inscribed—

'Annis millenis currentibus atque tricenis
Binis adjunctis, ostendit pagina cunctis,
Hoc templum factum denuò virtutibus aptum,
Strage jacens binâ, veteri conflante ruinâ,
Ad quod mirandus fundandum subito Laudus
Se dedit.

Cui Deus assistat, semper qui talibus instat,
Et pater hic Sanctus Flavianus nomine tantus,
Ad laudem cujus fundavit limites hujus
Templi gens Montis Flauconis.

Virque magistralis, intende nomine talis,
Construxit totum subtilis candide notum.'

The church is a most curious building, and highly picturesque outside, with a broad balconied loggia over a triple entrance. Within, it is one of the most remarkable churches in Italy; by no means subterranean, as it has been often described, nor has it even a crypt, but the triforium is of such breadth, that it forms almost a second church, and contains a second high-altar, and a bishop's throne, approached by staircases on either side of the high-altar which covers the remains of S. Flaviano in the lower church. The pillars are most extraordinary, of enormous size, and with

magnificent and very curious capitals sculptured with intricate patterns. Some of the side-chapels are almost in ruins. The whole building was once covered with frescoes, which are now only visible where a whitewash coating has been removed. In a chapel on the left of the entrance they are more perfect, and exquisite specimens of Umbrian art. The chief subject is the Massacre of the Innocents; a beautiful head, probably that of the unknown artist, is introduced in the frieze. In the centre of the ceiling is our Saviour surrounded by Angels.

An incised grave-stone before the high-altar representing a bishop with a goblet on either side of his head, is interesting as that of Bishop Johann Fugger, one of the famous family who burnt the proofs of the debts of Charles V., and lived in princely splendour in the old palace at Augsburg, now known as the 'Drei Mohren.' The bishop loved good wine beyond everything, and travelled over all distant lands in search of it. He was so afraid of the price rising on his advent, that he sent on his valet before, bidding him taste the wine at the places he came to, and if he found it good to send back the word 'Est.' The valet came to Montefiascone and found the wine so absolutely enchanting, that he wrote the sign three times-'Est, Est, Est.' The bishop arrived and drank so much, that he died that night, desiring with his last breath that a barrel of wine might annually be upset upon his grave, so that his body might still sop in the delicious fluid, and bequeathing a large sum of money to Montefiascone on this condition. The bishop's wishes were carried out annually till a few years ago, but the price of the cask of wine is now applied to charities. On the bishop's grave is the epitaph placed by the valet.

'Est, Est, Est,

Propter nimium est,
Joannes de Foucris
Dominus meus
Mortuus est.'

It was in the castle of Montefiascone that (1370) the ecstatic St. Bridget of Sweden forced her way into the presence of Urban V. and forbade him to leave Italy, and threatened him with certain death if he disobeyed her.)

Orte (Stat.), where we join the lines from Perugia and Ancona, and whence the diligence starts for Viterbo (see Ch. XXIX.) The town is picturesquely situated on a rocky platform, and in its situation is something like a miniature Orvieto, the houses rising close up on the edge of the tufa rocks.