CHAPTER IV

Rome to Viterbo.—Perugia.—Assisi,—Gubbio.—Meeting with Count
of Urbino,—Rimini,—Ravenna,—Venice.—Arrangements for the
voyage.

I DEPARTED from Romc and came to Viterbo, a very
pleasant city, where there are warm water baths, which
are said to be sovereign againft all infirmities, and they
say that on the requeft of his private physician, the
Pope sent orders to deftroy them, and it is not known
now what manner of diseases they cured, but it is be¬
lieved that some little time since they were found to
cure dropsy. The holy body of St, Rose is here.
We left Viterbo and passed certain cities called Narni,
Terni and Spoleto, and arrived finally at Perugia, a
famous city, where was born Bracchio,^ that great
captain, and Sforza, father of the present Duke of
Milan. All this country is so thickly inhabited that
cities, towns and caftles seem all joined together. I
left Perugia for Assisi, where St, Francis and St.
Clare were born, and where their bodies now lie. It
is a notable city. In it are eight or ten monafteries,
both for men and women, of the Order of the blessed
St. Francis, the principal monaftery being in the chief
square. I went to lodge in it, having found there a
servant of our Cardinal of Caftile who was a great
friend of mine, and I remained three days refting myself.
They say that the body of St. Francis is buried there in
a place which they show, but the truth is that no one
knows the exaft spot, not even those in the monaftery,
except the Pope, one cardinal, and a brother of the
monaftery, to whom the Pope confides the secret.
The monaftery is very notable and very richly adorned*
Departing thence I set out for Gubbio which belongs

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