gold blazed with dolphins worked in pearls and precious stones.  Next came Charles, mounted on a bay jennet, armed at all points, and holding in his hand the scepter.  Twenty-four pages, chosen from the nobles of Bologna, waited on his bridle and stirrups.  The train was brought up by a multitude of secular and ecclesiastical princes too numerous to record in detail.  Conspicuous among them for the historian were the Count of Nassau, Albert of Brandenburg, and the Marquis Bonifazio of Montferrat, the scion of the Eastern Paleologi.  As this procession defiled through the streets of Bologna, it was remarked that Charles, with true Spanish haughtiness, made no response to the acclamations of the people, except once when, passing beneath a balcony of noble ladies, he acknowledged their salute by lifting the cap from his head.

Clement, surrounded by a troop of prelates, was seated to receive him on a platform raised before the church of San Petronio in the great piazza.  The king dismounted opposite the Papal throne, ascended the steps beneath his canopy of gold and crimson, and knelt to kiss the Pontiff’s feet.  When their eyes first met, it was observed that both turned pale; for the memory of outraged Rome was in the minds of both; and Caesar, while he paid this homage to Christ’s Vicar, had the load of those long months of suffering and insult on his conscience.  Clement bent down, and with streaming eyes saluted him upon the cheek.  Then, when Charles was still upon his knees, they exchanged a few set words referring to the purpose of their meeting and their common desire for the pacification of Christendom.  After this the Emperor elect rose, seated himself for a while beside the Pope, and next, at his invitation, escorted him to the great portal of the church.  On the way, he inquired after Clement’s health; to which the Pope replied somewhat significantly that, after leaving Rome, it had steadily improved.  He tempered this allusion to his captivity, however, by adding that his eagerness to greet his Majesty had inspired him with more than wonted strength and courage.  At the doorway they parted; and the Emperor, having paid his devotions to the Sacrament and kissed the altar, was conducted to the apartments prepared for him in the Palazzo Pubblico.  These were adjacent to the Pope’s lodgings in the same palace, and were so arranged that the two potentates could confer in private at all times.  It is worthy of remark that the negotiations for the settlement of Italy which took place during the next six months in those rooms, were conducted personally by the high contracting parties, and that none of their deliberations transpired until the result of each was made public.