The Roman populace rose in arms and assailed the Vatican, threatening the Pope's life. Catherine interposed and stilled the tumult. This was her last public action. [Illustration: _St Catherine's Lamp_] She was spared the sight of Urban's fall, and was not doomed to witness the shame, the blood and the madness in which "her most sweet Christ on earth" ended his unhappy pontificate. Fearful visions of demons began to assail her, mingling with the celestial visitations of her Divine Spouse. Her bodily sufferings became unendurable. She cried to God to receive the sacrifice of her life in the mystical body of the Church. Praying in San Pietro on Sexagesima Sunday, it seemed to her that the _Navicella_--the Ship of the Church--was laid upon her shoulders, and that it crushed her to death. The few weeks of life that remained to her were one prolonged martyrdom, out of which we have her last letter[46]--written on February 15th, 1380--her farewell to Frate Raimondo, full of mystical exultation in her own sufferings, _tanti dolci tormenti corporali_. But all who approached her wondered at the tranquillity and the sweetness with which she spoke, and "albeit she was excessively afflicted in her body, her face remained always angelical and devout with a holy gladness." At last on April 29th, 1380, the Sunday before the Ascension, she passed away, surrounded by her spiritual family and leaning upon Alessia Saracini, uttering "certain most profound things," writes Barduccio, "which because of my sins I was not worthy to understand."[47] To Stefano Maconi, who had hastened from Siena to stand by her side; to Monna Lapa, who had taken the habit like her daughter and daughter-in-law; and to each of the others, she gave a separate charge as to their mode of life after she should be dead. "And she prayed with such great affection that not only our hearts as we listened, but the very stones could have been broken. Finally, making the sign of the Cross, she blessed us all; and so to the last and most desired end of life she drew near, persevering in continual prayer and saying: 'Thou, Lord, dost call me, and I come to Thee; I come not through my own merits, but through Thy mercy alone, the which mercy I ask from Thee in virtue of Thy blood.' And then, many times, she cried: _Sangue, sangue!_ At last, after the example of the Saviour, she said: 'Father, into Thy hands I commend my soul and spirit.' And so, sweetly, with her face all angelical and glowing, she bowed her head and gave up her spirit." CHAPTER III _The People and the Petrucci_