"Last of Romans."

Sir E. B. Lytton's noble romance of "Rienzi" has painted in the most attractive and glowing manner the life and actions of Nicola Gabrini Rienzi, commonly and not inappropriately called "the last of the Roman tribunes." He was born in Rome about 1312. His father was an innkeeper, his mother a washerwoman: they, however, recognizing the natural abilities of their son, gave him a good education; and he became a fine orator. His name--Cola di Rienzi--was but an abbreviation of his father's name, Lorenzo. The assassination of his brother by a Roman noble, whom he found it impossible to bring to punishment, is considered to be the incident that determined him to deliver Rome, as soon as he was able, from the thraldom of the barons. During first half of the fourteenth century anarchy reigned in Rome: the pontifical residence had been removed to Avignon, in the South of France, where the popes resided from 1309 to 1377. A set of factious and tyrannical nobles, living in fortified castles, had established, in their lawlessness, a perfect reign of terror over the unhappy citizens, who groaned under the oppression that every day became more intolerable.

In 1343 Rienzi was appointed by the heads of the Guelph party, spokesman, or orator, of a deputation sent to the papal court at Avignon, to beseech Clement VI. to return to Rome in order to release and defend the citizens from the tyranny of their oppressors. Here he formed a close friendship with Petrarch, who in after-years, when Rienzi was condemned to death, interceded for him, and saved his life. After his return to Rome, he for three years loudly and openly menaced the nobles, who took no steps to crush him, because they thought he was insane. At length, after a series of animated addresses to the people in the streets and in public places, when he thought he could rely upon their assistance, he summoned them together on the 20th of May, 1347; and, surrounded by one hundred horsemen and the papal legate, he delivered a magnificent discourse, and proposed a series of laws for the better government of Rome. These were unanimously adopted: the aristocratic senators were driven out of the city, and Rienzi was invested with dictatorial power. He took the title of "Tribune of liberty, peace, and justice." The Pope confirmed the eloquent dictator in his authority; and all Italy, for a time, rejoiced in his success.

After one or two unsuccessful attempts of the two great factions of the exiled nobles (the Colonna and the Ursini, or Orsini), who laid aside their mutual animosities, to unite against a common foe, the dethronement of Rienzi was suddenly accomplished by the Count of Minorbino, who entered Rome at the head of one hundred and fifty soldiers. For seven years Rienzi remained an exile from his native city, wandering about from the court of one sovereign to another: he was at last made a prisoner by the Emperor Charles IV., who sent him as a captive to the papal court at Avignon.

On the accession of Innocent VI. to the pontificate, Rienzi was sent to Rome as the representative of the court of Avignon, and was hailed with every appearance of triumph and rejoicing. But his relations with the court of Avignon led the people to regard him with suspicion; and, being unfortunately compelled to levy a tax upon them, they were aroused to fury; and on Oct. 8, 1354, they burst into the Capitol, and dragged him out, and despatched him with numerous wounds. His head was cut off, and his body ignominiously exposed to the dogs, and the mutilated remains committed to the flames.

In the first part of his career he was an enthusiast in the cause of human rights. He took the style of tribune to recall the good old times, "the good estate," when the tribunes of the people checked the oppressions of the consuls and the caprices of the Senate. With power and fame, he became ambitious; and like Cromwell and Napoleon, the "armed soldiers of democracy," he coveted a throne, and a prescriptive rule. Of him the Roman people might have said, as did Brutus of Julius Caesar, "as he was ambitious, we slew him."

Lord Byron, in his "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage," speaks of Rienzi:--