Its little body can still be seen in
the Capella Colleone, up in the old town at Bergamo, lying on a
little cushion on the top of a little column, and behind it there
stands a little weeping willow tree whose leaves, cut out in green
paper, droop over the corpse. In front of the column is the
inscription, - "Passer Medeae Colleonis," and the whole is covered
by a glass shade about eight inches high. Mr. Festing Jones has
kindly allowed me to borrow this note from his "Diary of a Tour
through North Italy to Sicily." - R. A. S.
{33} Handel's third set of organ Concertos, No. 3.
{34} "Storia diplomatica dell' antica abbazia di S. Michele della
Chiusa," by Gaudenzio Claretta. Turin, Civelli & Co. 1870. p.
116.
{35} "Item, ordinaverunt quod fiant mandata seu ellemosinae
consuetae quae sint valloris quatuor prebendarum religiosorum omni
die ut moris est." (Claretta, Storia diplomatica, p. 325.) The
mandatum generally refers to "the washing of one another's feet,"
according to the mandate of Christ during the last supper. In the
Benedictine order, however, with which we are now concerned, alms,
in lieu of the actual washing of feet, are alone intended by the
word.
{36} The prior-claustralis, as distinguished from the prior-major,
was the working head of a monastery, and was supposed never, or
hardly ever, to leave the precincts. He was the vicar-major of the
prior-major. The prior-major was vice-abbot when the abbot was
absent, but he could not exercise the full functions of an abbot.
The abbot, prior-major, and prior-claustralis may be compared
loosely to the master, vice-master, and senior tutor of a large
college.
{37} "Item, quod dominus abbas teneatur dare quatuor pitancias seu
cenas conventui tempore infirmariae, et quatuor sextaria vini ut
consuetum est" (Claretta, Storia diplomatica, p. 326). The
"infirmariae generales" were stated times during which the monks
were to let blood - "Stata nimirum tempora quibus sanguis monachis
minuebatur, seu vena secabatur." (Ducange.) There were five
"minutiones generales" in each year - namely, in September, Advent,
before Lent, after Easter, and after Pentecost. The letting of
blood was to last three days; after the third day the patients were
to return to matins again, and on the fourth they were to receive
absolution. Bleeding was strictly forbidden at any other than
these stated times, unless for grave illness. During the time of
blood-letting the monks stayed in the infirmary, and were provided
with supper by the abbot. During the actual operation the brethren
sat all together after orderly fashion in a single room, amid
silence and singing of psalms.
{38} "Item, quod religiosi non audeant in Sancto Ambrosio
videlicet in hospiciis concedere ultra duos pastos videlicet
officiariis singulis hebdomadis claustrales non de quindecim diebus
nisi forte aliquae personae de eorum parentela transeuntes aut
nobiles aut tales de quibus verisimiliter non habetur suspicio eos
secum morari faciant, et sic intelligatur de officiariis et de
claustralibus" (Claretta, Storia diplomatica, p. 326).
{39} The two fingers are the barber's, who lets one finger, or
two, or three, intervene between the scissors and the head of the
person whose hair he is cutting, according to the length of hair he
wishes to remain.
