But The Popes Will Do Well To Avoid Misunderstandings
With The Maritime Protestant States, Especially The English, Who
Being Masters
Of the Mediterranean, and in possession of Minorca,
have it in their power at all times, to land a body
Of troops
within four leagues of Rome, and to take the city, without
opposition. Rome is surrounded with an old wall, but altogether
incapable of defence. Or if it was, the circuit of the walls is
so extensive, that it would require a garrison of twenty thousand
men. The only appearance of a fortification in this city, is the
castle of St. Angelo, situated on the further bank of the Tyber,
to which there is access by a handsome bridge: but this castle,
which was formerly the moles Adriani, could not hold out half a
day against a battery of ten pieces of cannon properly directed.
It was an expedient left to the invention of the modern Romans,
to convert an ancient tomb into a citadel. It could only serve as
a temporary retreat for the pope in times of popular commotion,
and on other sudden emergencies; as it happened in the case of
pope Clement VII. when the troops of the emperor took the city by
assault; and this only, while he resided at the Vatican, from
whence there is a covered gallery continued to the castle: it can
never serve this purpose again, while the pontiff lives on Monte
Cavallo, which is at the other end of the city.
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