Arrival in Rome

From the Journal of Marco da Pitigliano

I set out this journal so I can practise my letters someday. Friar Giovanni writes them as a penance for refusing the treasure set in our path by Providence on our first day in the Eternal City.

***

It is not a long journey from Pitigliano to Rome, but it might as well be to another world. At home, you can recognise most who live in the town, and know everyone who lives in your quarter. Growing up on the streets it was not hard to learn every corner of every alleyway within the walls. Rome is altogether different - so huge, so busy, so confusing. Things had looked bright while I was growing up, as I learned at my father's forge - until plague took him and most of the rest of my family. It was grow up fast or starve. So I became a soldier to keep body and soul together. At last the winds of war blew me to Rome, with little enough but what I stood up in and the falcata at my belt. Maybe my luck would change in the Eternal City...

***

The road to Rome is full of pilgrims, and refugees from hard times. On that road I fell in with Rocco del Mare and Friar Giovanni, who has taken the vow of poverty and must beg alms for his bread. So feeding him is good for our souls - which is just as well as Rocco and I need all the Grace we can get. For needs must, when the devil drives. Not far from the city walls we gave alms to another mendicant friar, and he took us into the city by an ancient tunnel to avoid the band of robbers who fleeced everyone entering the city that morning. They were dressed in the colours of one of the noble families, but were bandits nonetheless. The mendicant took pity on us and bade us seek out Cola di Rienzo, and say that Fra. Michele sent us, for he said Cola had a good heart and might give us a job. We should have paid him to guide us there, for crossing the city is no easy matter for outsiders. It is so easy to get lost in the confusion and bustle and the alleys are full of vagabonds who would waylay travellers.

Even armed men may not walk in peace by daylight, let alone women and children. Friar Giovanni had to heal a rogue who I left bleeding in the gutter when his gang attacked us. Truly he was a Good Samaritan as they had struck us all blows before calling pax when I showed them the edge of my falcata. Giovanni is a strange fellow - he seems to have turned to his faith from a life on the streets and has much to be forgiven for. But soldiers need not be the first to throw stones, so I will say he is much more holy than I, who has many sins to confess each Sunday. After marching in circles for the whole day we found the inn frequented by Cola, and waited for an appointment the next morning. After a little test of our honesty and resilience, he accepted us as his clients and offered us work enough to keep the wolf from our door.