In one of the tribunes over the choir were three Cardinals, and in the opposite one the Pope’s niece and the foreign Ministers. The organ gallery was allotted for the French, English, and other strangers, but it was too far removed for them to see much. Most of the French and English gentlemen stood beside the balustrade of the choir, and we were in a grated tribune erected for the purpose, with the Princess Rezzonico, the Duchess of Lanti, Marchesa Castiglioni, a Milanese, and other ladies. The Pope ranted like a country comedian in the part of _Othello_. Cardinal de Bernis acted his part with his usual dignity, sense, and goodness, and Monseigneur de Bernis went through his fatiguing office with the decency of a good Christian and the propriety of a man of fashion, without affectation, negligence, or bigotry—extremes which appear to me very difficult to avoid in the midst of such a mockery of religion. The Maggiordomo, at the Pope’s expense, gave a grand dinner on the occasion, to which he invited the Cardinals of the palace, the Senator, the Ministers connected with France, and the principal Roman Princes, to meet the Cardinal and Monseigneur. The latter presented twelve crowns for a dinner to the Canons of St. Louis, three sequins each to the under people of the church, a crown to the sweepers, and half-a-crown to the domestics, besides five sous each to all the poor who were present.
On the morning of the 6th of January, Monseigneur de Bernis went to St. Peter’s, where he stood amongst the other Bishops till the Pope called him to the foot of the throne. This ceremony is styled making the “Vescovi assistenti al Soglio,” who are always seated on the steps of the Pope’s throne, and assist him on public occasions. This honour entitles Monseigneur to the privilege of making three Prothonotaries and eight Knights of the Golden Spurs. He intends to give one of these golden spurs to Belcour, his valet-de-chambre, and the others to some of the Cardinal’s people. Cournau, his Eminence’s maître d’hôtel, already possesses this distinction. Monseigneur de Bernis is likewise entitled, in virtue of this dignity, to send every morning to the palace for his bread and his wine, which he gives to his valet-de-chambre. The bulls for this ceremony cost him 150 crowns.