secret correspondence with the sisters.  Among these the most notorious were Piero Passari, a painter, infamous for vulgar profligacy, and a young nobleman of Lucca, Tommaso Samminiati.  Both of them contrived to evade justice, and were proclaimed, as usual, outlaws.  In the further course of investigation the strongest proofs were brought to light, from which it appeared that the chief promoter of these scandals was a man of high position in the state, advanced in years, married to a second wife, and holding office of trust as Protector of the Nunnery of S. Chiara.  He was named Giovanbattista Dati, and represented an ancient Lucchese family mentioned by Dante.  While Dati carried on his own intrigue with Sister Cherubina Mei, he did his best to encourage the painter in promiscuous debauchery, and to foster the passion which Samminiati entertained for Sister Umilia Malpigli.  Dati was taken prisoner and banished for life to the island of Sardinia; but his papers fell into the hands of the Signory, who extracted from them the evidence which follows, touching Umilia and Samminiati.  This young man was ten years her junior; yet the quiet life of the cloister had preserved Umilia’s beauty, and she was still capable of inspiring enthusiastic adoration.  This transpires in the letters which Samminiati addressed to her through Dati from his asylum in Venice.  They reveal, says Signor Bonghi, a strange confusion of madness, crime, and love.[194]

[Footnote 194:  Here again I have very closely followed the text of Signor Bonghi’s monograph, pp. 112-115.]

Their style is that of a delirious rhetorician.  One might fancy they had been composed as exercises, except for certain traits which mark the frenzy of genuine exaltation.  Threats, imprecations, and blasphemies alternate with prayers, vows of fidelity and reminiscences of past delights in love.  Samminiati bends before ‘his lady’ in an attitude of respectful homage, offering upon his knees the service of awe-struck devotion.  At one time he calls her ‘his most beauteous angel,’ at another ‘his most lovely and adored enchantress.’  He does not conceal his firm belief that she has laid him under some spell of sorcery; but entreats her to have mercy and to liberate him, reminding her how a certain Florentine lady restored Giovan Lorenzo Malpigli to health after keeping him in magic bondage till his life was in danger.[195] Then he swears unalterable fealty; heaven and fortune shall not change his love.  It is untrue that at Florence, or at Venice, he has cast one glance on any other woman.  Let lightning strike him, if he deserts Umilia.  But she has caused him jealousy by stooping to a base amour.  To this point he returns with some persistence.  Then he entreats her to send him her portrait, painted in the character of S. Ursula.  At another time he gossips about the nuns, forwarding messages, alluding to their several love-affairs, and condoling with them on the loss of a compliant confessor.  This