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tumult, that wrested as much power as it could, without any warrant for the peculiar pretensions advanced.[1] The nominal police of Rome was vested in two officers, who, to add to the confusion, were traditionally jealous of each other's authority—the Bargello, who was the ordinary head of the regular city police, the Sbirri; and the Lieutenant of Holy Church, who, as commander-in-chief of the soldiery, and special governor of the Leonine city, held
- ↑ A memorable dispute ensued out of this pretension on the part of the nobles during the interregnum of the Year 1700. Prince Vaini, a nobleman resident in Rome, and Knight of the French order of the Holy Ghost, assumed on this occasion the same privileges as the old Roman aristocracy, and even something more, it would appear. He absolutely resented the approach, even within a street's distance from his palace, of any Sbirri, and caused one to be beaten within an inch of his life who had been guilty of so much disrespect to his privileges. The insolence of the prince's armed retainers grew to be so great that the whole quarter became subjected to a rule of ruffianism which made it necessary for the authorities at last to interfere. A body of Sbirri early one morning took by surprise the guard-house of Prince Vaini's hangers-on, which was situated on the ground floor of his residence: where- upon the prince prepared for an armed defence, and at the same time invoked the protection of the French Ambassador, who was the Prince of Monaco. The Ambassador, in four state coaches, and a retinue of armed men on foot, proceeded to the prince's palace to
