^37Withequalpresumptionthetribunewatchedorreposedwithintheconsecratedprecinctsofthebaptistery；andthefailureofhisstate—bedwasinterpretedasanomenofhisapproachingdownfall。Atthehourofworship，heshowedhimselftothereturningcrowdsinamajesticattitude，witharobeofpurple，hissword，andgiltspurs；buttheholyritesweresooninterruptedbyhislevityandinsolence。Risingfromhisthrone，andadvancingtowardsthecongregation，heproclaimedinaloudvoice:\"WesummontoourtribunalPopeClement:andcommandhimtoresideinhisdioceseofRome:wealsosummonthesacredcollegeofcardinals。^38Weagainsummonthetwopretenders，CharlesofBohemiaandLewisofBavaria，whostylethemselvesemperors:welikewisesummonalltheelectorsofGermany，toinformusonwhatpretencetheyhaveusurpedtheinalienablerightoftheRomanpeople，theancientandlawfulsovereignsoftheempire。\"^39Unsheathinghismaidensword，hethricebrandishedittothethreepartsoftheworld，andthricerepeatedtheextravagantdeclaration，\"Andthistooismine!\"Thepope\'svicar，thebishopofOrvieto，attemptedtocheckthiscareeroffolly；buthisfeebleprotestwassilencedbymartialmusic；andinsteadofwithdrawingfromtheassembly，heconsentedtodinewithhisbrothertribune，atatablewhichhadhithertobeenreservedforthesupremepontiff。Abanquet，suchastheCaesarshadgiven，waspreparedfortheRomans。Theapartments，porticos，andcourtsoftheLateranwerespreadwithinnumerabletablesforeithersex，andeverycondition；astreamofwineflowedfromthenostrilsofConstantine\'sbrazenhorse；nocomplaint，exceptofthescarcityofwater，couldbeheard；andthelicentiousnessofthemultitudewascurbedbydisciplineandfear。AsubsequentdaywasappointedforthecoronationofRienzi；^40sevencrownsofdifferentleavesormetalsweresuccessivelyplacedonhisheadbythemosteminentoftheRomanclergy；theyrepresentedthesevengiftsoftheHolyGhost；andhestillprofessedtoimitatetheexampleoftheancienttribunes。Theseextraordinaryspectaclesmightdeceiveorflatterthepeople；andtheirownvanitywasgratifiedinthevanityoftheirleader。Butinhisprivatelifehesoondeviatedfromthestrictruleoffrugalityandabstinence；andtheplebeians，whowereawedbythesplendorofthenobles，wereprovokedbytheluxuryoftheirequal。Hiswife，hisson，hisuncle，abarberinnameandprofession，exposedthecontrastofvulgarmannersandprincelyexpense；andwithoutacquiringthemajesty，Rienzidegeneratedintothevices，ofaking。
[Footnote36:Strangeasitmayseem，thisfestivalwasnotwithoutaprecedent。Intheyear1327，twobarons，aColonnaandanUrsini，theusualbalance，werecreatedknightsbytheRomanpeople:theirbathwasofrose—water，theirbedsweredeckedwithroyalmagnificence，andtheywereservedatSt。MariaofAraceliintheCapitol，bythetwenty—eightbuonihuomini。TheyafterwardsreceivedfromRobert，kingofNaples，theswordofchivalry，Hist。Rom。l。i。c。2，p。259。]
[Footnote37:AllpartiesbelievedintheleprosyandbathofConstantinePetrarch。Epist。Famil。vi。2，andRienzijustifiedhisownconductbyobservingtothecourtofAvignon，thatavasewhichhadbeenusedbyaPagancouldnotbeprofanedbyapiousChristian。Yetthiscrimeisspecifiedinthebullofexcommunication，Hocsemius，apudduCerceau，p。189，190。]
[Footnote38:ThisverbalsummonsofPopeClementVI。，whichrestsontheauthorityoftheRomanhistorianandaVaticanMs。，isdisputedbythebiographerofPetrarch，tom。ii。not。p。70—
76，withargumentsratherofdecencythanofweight。ThecourtofAvignonmightnotchoosetoagitatethisdelicatequestion。]