the road from ancona to this place runs through a fine country, composed of a number of beautiful hills and intervening vallies. loretto itself is a small town, situated on an eminence, about three miles from the sea. i expected to have found it a more magnificent, at least a more commodious, town for the entertainment of strangers. the inn-keepers do not disturb the devotion of the pilgrims by the luxuries of either bed or board. i have not seen worse accommodations since i entered italy, than at the inn here. this seems surprising, considering the great resort of strangers. if any town in england were as much frequented, every third or fourth house would be a neat inn.
the holy chapel of loretto, all the world knows, was originally a small house in nazareth, inhabited by the virgin mary, in which she was saluted by the angel, and where she bred our saviour. after their deaths, it was held in great veneration by all believers in jesus, and at length consecrated into a chapel, and dedicated to the virgin; upon which occasion st. luke made that identical image, which is still preserved here, and dignified with the name of our lady of loretto. this sanctified edifice was allowed to sojourn in galilee as long as that district was inhabited by christians; but when infidels got possession of the country, a band of angels, to save it from pollution, took it in their arms, and conveyed it from nazareth to a castle in dalmatia. this fact might have been called in question by incredulous people, had it been performed in a secret manner; but, that it might be manifest to the most short-sighted spectator, and evident to all who were not perfectly deaf as well as[335] blind, a blaze of celestial light, and a concert of divine music, accompanied it during the whole journey; besides, when the angels, to rest themselves, set it down in a little wood near the road, all the trees of the forest bowed their heads to the ground, and continued in that respectful posture as long as the sacred chapel remained among them. but, not having been entertained with suitable respect at the castle above mentioned, the same indefatigable angels carried it over the sea, and placed it in a field belonging to a noble lady, called lauretta, from whom the chapel takes its name. this field happened unfortunately to be frequented at that time by highwaymen and murderers: a circumstance with which the angels undoubtedly were not acquainted when they placed it there. after they were better informed, they removed it to the top of a hill belonging to two brothers, where they imagined it would be perfectly secure from the dangers of robbery or assassination; but the two brothers,[336] the proprietors of the ground, being equally enamoured of their new visitor, became jealous of each other, quarrelled, fought, and fell by mutual wounds. after this fatal catastrophe, the angels in waiting finally moved the holy chapel to the eminence where it now stands, and has stood these four hundred years, having lost all relish for travelling.
to silence the captious objections of cavillers, and give full satisfaction to the candid inquirer, a deputation of respectable persons was sent from loretto to the city of nazareth, who, previous to their setting out, took the dimensions of the holy house with the most scrupulous exactness. on their arrival at nazareth, they found the citizens scarcely recovered from their astonishment; for it may be easily supposed, that the sudden disappearance of a house from the middle of a town, would naturally occasion a considerable degree of surprise, even in the most philosophic[337] minds. the landlords had been alarmed in a particular manner, and had made enquiries, and offered rewards, all over galilee, without having been able to get any satisfactory account of the fugitive. they felt their interest much affected by this incident; for, as houses had never before been considered as moveables, their value fell immediately. this indeed might be partly owing to certain evil-minded persons, who, taking advantage of the public alarm, for selfish purposes, circulated a report, that several other houses were on the wing, and would most probably disappear in a few days. this affair being so much the object of attention at nazareth, and the builders of that city declaring, they would as soon build upon quick-sand as on the vacant space which the chapel had left at its departure, the deputies from loretto had no difficulty in discovering the foundation of that edifice, which they carefully compared with the dimensions they had brought from loretto,[338] and found that they tallied exactly. of this they made oath at their return; and in the mind of every rational person, it remains no longer a question, whether this is the real house which the virgin mary inhabited, or not. many of those particulars are narrated with other circumstances in books which are sold here; but i have been informed of one circumstance, which has not hitherto been published in any book, and which, i dare swear, you will think ought to be made known for the befit of future travellers. this morning, immediately before we left the inn, to visit the holy chapel, an italian servant, whom the d—— of h—— engaged at venice, took me aside, and told me, in a very serious manner, that strangers were apt secretly to break off little pieces of the stone belonging to the santa casa, in the hopes that such precious relics might bring them good fortune; but he earnestly entreated me not to do any such thing: for he knew a man at venice, who had[339] broken off a small corner of one of the stones, and slipt it into his breeches pocket unperceived; but, so far from bringing him good fortune, it had burnt its way out, like aqua fortis, before he left the chapel, and scorched his thighs in such a miserable manner, that he was not able to sit on horseback for a month. i thanked giovanni for his obliging hint, and assured him i should not attempt any theft of that nature.
