The history of the popes, from the close of the middle ages : drawn ...

ACTIVITY OF THE POPE. 57
time," wrote Serristori on March 15th, 1567.^ Even during
the summer of the same year the reports continue to be
favourable, 2 and during the procession of Corpus Domini in
1567 the Pope seemed more vigorous than any of the Cardinals.^
In the December of the same year they wrote from Rome that
though the Pope fasted and prayed during Advent Hke a monk,
he looked very well.^ He continued his great activity ; often
he walked eight miles in spite of the heat of summer, and they
were afraid that he was doing too much for his age.^ In the
autumn he went almost every morning to his little villa outside
the Porta Cavalleggieri. In his visits to the churches, which
he often made on foot, he tired out those who accompanied
him.^ During the Holy Week of 1568 he fasted so strictly
that he brought on a serious giddiness.' It was only the advice
of a new doctor which was successful in the following year in
persuading him to have more consideration for his health and
his age,^ to sleep longer and to restrict his fasts to some extent,
though he insisted in this last respect on doing as much as
possible. He ordered the cook, under pain of excommuni-
cation, not to put anything forbidden into his soup on days
^ See the *letter in the State Archives, Florence, Medic. 3287,
p. 77-
2 See the *report of Arco of June 15, 1567, State Archives,
Vienna and the *letter of Caligari to Commendone of July 16,
1567, Lett, di princ, XXIII., Papal Secret Archives.
^ See the *report of Arco of May 24, 1567, State Archives,
Vienna.
* *" Con tutto che osservi I'advento alia fratesca con digiuni et
celebratione ha una buona ciera." Avviso di Roma of Dec. 13,
1567, Urb. 1040, p. 460, Vatican Library.
* See the *Avvisi di Roma of May 22, and August 21, 1568, Urb.
1040, p. 520,567, Vatican Library. Cf. the *reports of Arco of
June 21 and July 5, 1567, State Archives, Vienna.
* See the *Avvisi di Roma of Octob:r 2, 1568, and October
5, 1569, Urb. 1040, p. 590 ; 104 1, p. 158b, Vatican Library.
'See *Avviso di Roma of April 17, 1568, Urb. 1040, p. 503b,
ibid.
* See *Avviso di Roma of December 17, 1569, Urb. 1041
p. 1 98b, ibid.