Policy CHAP. I. Of the Duke THat a body without a head how vigorous and robust soever it may be is notwithstanding but an immoveable Trunck and inanimate Mass is so clear and inexpugnable a truth that being but alleadg'd in a Fable to the people of Rome when in defiance of the tyranny of the Senate they were retired into the Mount Aventini it brought the numerous and unquiet multitude down again to their obedience and wrought upon them to submit to a domination they believ'd before insupportable Accordingly the Republick of Venice understanding of what importance it would be never thought themselves safe or compleat till they had made themselves a Chief And this Election as I conceive was grounded upon three principal Reasons The first was to frustrate the hopes of the ambitious who would not so readily embrace any design against their Countrey nor attempt the subversion of their liberties seeing a Prince already in possession of the place by the universal consent of the Common-wealth which he might otherwise desire to usurp The second to cool and asswage that heat of dominion which reigns in the breast of most of the Gentry by giving every man hopes of arriving one day at the Supremacy it being most certain there is not one amongst all the Nobles but has his expectation and sometime or other may pretend to it The third is to satisfie and fix the volatil spirit of the Commons giving them an appearance of liberty in their Republick and in their Dukes the shadow of a King I call it the shadow of a King because in reality the Prince which they choose has more of the Name than Authority and is so strictly limited and circumscrib'd that in an hours time the Grand Councel which they call the Councel of ten can call him to account form a Process against him and cashier him He is I must needs say accommodated well enough and magnificently lodg'd yet he is but as it were an illustrious Prisoner seldom permitted to go out of his Pallace and when he does it is incognito without any Ensigns of his place That which is most strange is to oblige him to keep close and at home if the people have taken any disgust against their Doge or Duke they are allow'd to throw stones at him and to commit what insolencies they please if they meet him in the Streets or in his Gondolo except it be upon Festivals or publick Ceremonies when he is accompanied by the Senate and all the Ambassadors in the Town Being the most jealous people in the World of their liberties they could not find a better expedient than that to keep their Prince low and dependant and to cut off all wayes he might possibly take to make himself absolute For not being allowed to do any thing of himself it cannot be apprehended he can attempt or accomplish any thing of importance besides the very Officers and Servants of his Houshold are recommended and paid by the Commonwealth and by consequence expecting nothing from him but the honour of his service they are not so weak to hazard the preferment they may rationally hope for by being faithfull to those which plac't them in that Sphear Nevertheless in some things he has the reverence or resemblance of a Prince he has admission into all publick Counsels he has a double voice in respect of his quality he has precedence of all the Nobility and the whole Senate he creates all Officers and supplyes all Offices he gives out Orders and makes most part though not all of the Ordinances yet all this is with so much dependance that he may be said to do nothing alone without the assistance of the said Number some of which under pretence of attending him in point of honour are as so many Spies watching over his actions perpetually They choose their Dukes commonly the most ancient that they can as well to satisfie many in a short time as believing the ardour of dominion to be dead and extinguish't in persons of their age In the four years time which I spent in their service I was a spectator of the Reigns and Funerals of Contarini Valiero and Pezaro The Ceremony in which the Doge appears in the greatest splendor and Majesty is at the Celebration of the Ascension upon which day he marries the Sea with a Ring At that time he makes a publick Feast to which in great State he comes in very late and makes but little stay after which he marches in a most triumphant procession from the place where he lands to the Church of St. Mark Take him in his Gondolo which is call'd le Bucentaure and he is a Prince indeed it is guilt all over to the very water cover'd from the Poup to the Stroud with a large Baldaquin or Cloth of State of Crimson Velvet embroider'd with gold and silver with a rich Fringe of the same he is set upon a kind of a little Throne the Senate ranged on both sides of him bare he is in a purple Vest with a Diadem upon his head which is a Bonnet of an odd kind of fashion encompast with a Band Royal of white a l'antique a habit which nevertheless has something August and Majestick in it In this manner at no great expence they suffer their Prince to reign for one day yet 't is remarkeable also that even in the midst of this Grandure they give him a gentle remembrance of his dependance and the hazard he will run if he exceeds the bounds they have prescrib'd and that is by conducting him betwixt two pillars which is to be the fatal place of his chastisement if he attempts any thing against their liberties Could any body with greater address restrain the imperious spirits of those who transported with the Grandure of their dignity are not contented with the station and mediocrity in which the Rules of the Republick have plac't them Could any more gently and more agreeably lull that furious passion asleep which not only disturbs but subverts so many States But the excellency of their Politicks consists in the Election of their Dukes it being a fundamental and inviolable Law amongst them That no person how qualified soever in respect of his Extraction can be admitted to that dignity if he be married and if all their Chronicles be consulted from the very foundation of the Commonwealth to this day there will not be above two or three to be found who have had Wives For knowing very well the ambition of that Sex and their insatiate appetite to govern they have excluded them by a Law which allows them no preheminence though their Husbands be Princes Knowing likewise how violent the passion of that Countrey is towards them and how inclinable even to the most servile respects and considering that a man though otherwise very honest and devoted to the interest of his Countrey may notwithstanding be too weak to defend himself against the importunities of his Wife and it being contrary to
there be any information against them or not it is their duty of course to present themselves before them to give them an account of their Moneys Magazines Men and whatever else was under their Conduct and Authority The great Power which they exercise makes them not only venerable but dreadfull and their Prince himself not daring to contradict their Decrees they have gotten such an Empire upon the spirits of all people that the very name of the Counsel of Ten will make one tremble though his offence be never so small The Parliaments with us and even our Counsels of State have not that force and authority as they in all our transactions their motions are but slow their power bounded and restrain'd which hinders their dispatch and certainly could they exercise their zeal with the same priviledge and freedom as these there would not be so many mutinies and conspiracies in France nor so many cruel Wars to destroy us CHAP. III. Of the Sages Grands THey are alwayes Elected out of the Nobility nor can a meer Citizen ever hope to arrive at that honour They are chosen for their merit and capacity and their places are never sold In some respects they are like our Secretaries of State They are three principal persons which have a kind of super-intendancy over the rest and manage the springs and motions of that great Machine the Common-wealth They have each of them their peculiar Province which they administer distinctly and therefore there is the Sage de la Mer the Sage de la Terre-ferme and the Sage de l' Ecriture The Sage de la Mer disposes of all Orders which are given relating any wayes to Maritime affairs there being nothing happens in that nature which passes not thorow his hands He has the care and provision of all Arms Victuals and Ammunitions and gives out all Commissions requisite thereunto He gives Patents and Commissions to all the Commanders and Officers in their Galleys and Gallions He Signs all necessary Orders and conveys them to them and in short has full cognizance and authority over all their Navigation The Sage de la terre-ferme has the same inspection upon the Continent takes an accompt of all Chamberlains and Treasures of the Armies It is his office to pay the Souldiers to give all Orders to the Militia in Garrison in all places under his dominion and in a word it is he is to be apply'd unto in any thing relating to affairs upon land The Sage de l' Ecriture has the oversight of the Records and Registers of the Counsel Signs all Orders which pass there sees the Letters Patents and Commissions seal'd which are given to the Magistrates sent abroad to govern and command the Provinces and nothing is receiv'd from the Senate either recompence donative or office but must pass through his hands Each of these Grandees are allow'd their Secretaries and Clarks under them for their assistance and they are Citizens The mark or ensign of their degree is a long purple Robe with large Sleeves They have separated these Offices and made them three though in most Kingdoms they are commonly executed by one person but their design was to enfeeble and debilitate all dignities which in one mans hand might be too puissant and dangerous They have each of them a Seal belonging particularly to their Office with which they seal their several dispatches but all of them have the same impression CHAP. IV. Of their Procurators THe Procurators in this Republick may be called Princes without a Solecism and they are of two sorts One is chosen alwayes by the Senate and confer'd as a reward of some emiment piece of service or else as an encouragement of virtue and honesty The other buy their Principalities and for the most part very dear it being one of the readiest wayes the Commonwealth takes to raise money in their greatest and most important necessities They have their places in all Counsels and Pregadis but they have but a single voice no more than the privatest Gentleman and can do no more than any of the rest yet they have their perquisites and priviledges which makes them many times very considerable and enables them to oblige or gratifie any one for whom they have a kindness All Nations which have any commerce with the Venetian are very sollicitous to acquire one of these Procurators for their Patrons The Towns upon the terra-ferma put themselves under their protections and even the Nobility themselves think it no small corroboration to have an alliance with one of these Princes and this is that which gives the greatest lustre to that Office In the Senate they have their places above the rest have the preheminence in all debates and are alwayes the first in giving their judgements Yet for all these prerogatives their train is no greater than theirs nor are they suffer'd to walk the Streets in greater Equipage and the design is to keep that happy mediocrity inviolate which was establish't at the Commencement and has been continued so fortunately ever since Nevertheless in their Houses they appear like themselves living with the greatest affluence and grandure imaginable Strangers are not admitted to speak with them till they have formally demanded audience first and when it is granted them they are conducted by a long train of Officers of his Chamber to the place where they are to be receiv'd Most of them are very proud and morose but some of them civil and fine Gentlemen In the time whilst I was in their service one of these Princes named Morosini managed his dignity so nobly he gain'd the affections of all people and put them into an equal admiration of the sweetness of his behaviour the nobleness of his extraction and the charms with which he attracted the hearts of all such as had occasion to approach him a virtue to speak truth with which the Venetian Nobility have but little acquaintance They are distinguish't from the rest by a Magistrale Robe of the same colour with the Robe of the Sages Grands CHAP. V. Of their Podestats THe Dignities of the Podestats are of no long duration continuing not above two or three years in the Towns to which they are sent for the distribution of justice Their Office is properly to hear and dispatch all Suits or Controversies arising either in the Towns where they preside or the Territories depending From the day of their departure from Venice and their entrance upon the Magistracy they lay by the equality in which they lived before and comport themselves as Soveraigns They have their Gentlemen their Stewards their Officers of their Chambers their Confessors their Pages their Footmen and their Guard which consists commonly of thirty or forty persons with a peculiar sort of Bonnetts upon their heads their Swords by their sides and their Snap-hanches in their hands after the manner of the Bressians which is a kind of Arquebuss somewhat larger than our Musquetons The Guards are alwayes drawn up
and in their Arms at the Gate of the Court where the Podestats hold their Assizes and attend him constantly whenever he goes abroad Though the Senate allow their Podestats these priviledges yet they will not suffer them in other things to behave themselves like Princes lest the elation of their heart might make them forget their station and dependance Their Jurisdiction seldom extending above four or five leagues they cannot have interest or power enough to attempt any innovation yet what authority they have given them is to imprint a character of respect and obedience in the people under their several jurisdictions that the Majesty of these Presidents may as a Copy represent the original Grandure of that august body of which these are as it were the most inconsiderable members Their Robes and their habits are red their Vest is of scarlet with large Sleeves they are daily at Mass in their Chappels with the usual Ceremonies and those of their Counsel accompanying them Their Counsels consist generally of Gentlemen of the Terra-ferma who seem to be assistant and joyn'd to these Podestats in the discussion of all occurrences which present themselves but indeed it is but a complement and shadow of liberty which they give them for in affairs of greatest importance they never are called and if by accident they be there and their judgement contrary to the Podestats they stop their mouthes by shewing them a Decree of the Senate confirm'd by the opinion of the present Magistrate They have authority over all Prisoners and judge in all Cases of life and death in the highest resort They have the care of all Hospitals High-wayes and Bridges During the time of their Commission they lay Tolls and set prices upon all things brought into the Markets as necessary for the life of man The Innes and victualling Houses are oblig'd every night to bring to them the names of all the Guests and Lodgers in their respective Houses by which means they understand not only the numbers but the qualities of all persons which come into their Towns If they have any apprehension of the Plague they choose another Officer under them which is call'd the Magistrate of Health who suffers no man to enter whatever he be without a Ticket or attestation signed by their Secretaries No Nobleman I mean of the Terra-ferma is allow'd to be absent but by their permission and so strict is their eye over all numerous Assemblies there is seldom any sufficient to give them an alarm They live after the manner of the Gentlemen of that Countrey yet though they converse with them freely and afford them familiar access it is alwayes with such circumstances as make them know them to be their Masters To insinuate however into the affection of the Gentry and oblige them in some measure they vouchsafe them some little inconsiderable imployment where they have the entire management of nothing and yet they call this as I have heard some of them my self sharing their authority with them and desiring earnestly their assistance when in truth they are but their servants and led about by the Noses as they are pleas'd to direct CHAP. VI. Of their Camerlingues I Might adde in this place an Officer they call the Captain Grand but his imployment being Military I shall reserve him till I speak of their Militia and pass to their Camerlingues or Receivers which for the most part are Venetian Gentlemen of small Estates who are put into those Offices on purpose to recruit themselves which they seldom neglect by the several Receipts and payments which they make and the Senate has that kindness for them they never enquire too strictly into their behaviour They are habited in scarlet like the Podestat receive their Orders both from the Podestat and Grand-Captain and discharge their Bills When they hold a fair correspondency with these two Magistrates they make up their Markets the better and they are continued in this little but advantageous Office till such time as they are suppos'd to have got enough to support their quality in the Commonwealth CHAP. VII Of their Ambassadors THe principal aim of their Policy is to obtain and preserve an amity with all the Princes of Europe by all possible means of which they are so great lovers they have many times purcha'st it at a dear rate of the cruellest of their enemies One of the most powerfull and dexterous wayes of maintaining this union with forreign Kingdoms is by this ancient mode of Ambassadors which they send to all Courts in Christendom with great equipage and splendor They choose them constantly out of the Patrician race that is to say of the ancient Senators such as were the first of their State and such if possible as have merit and abilities added to the Nobility of their bloud They are permitted to habit themselves according to the fashion of the Countrey to which they are designed and to live after another manner than they do at Venice which scarce one of the other Magistrates dare venture to do In these kind of Negotiations they are so subtil and accute they can penetrate the most secret Cabinets of Kings and by a Key of gold which is forg'd in the Senate open and shut the most obscure and intricate Springs in any soveraign Counsel They spare no charges upon such an occasion especially where they have any suspition These Ambassador 〈…〉 seem Plenipotentiaries and to have a full power and authority but they are really circumscrib'd They dare not come to a definitive Conclusion upon any affair whatever till they have given notice of their progress at Venice and receiv'd the directions of the Senate which is punctually to be observ'd They have not the liberty to open and peruse any Packets or dispatches alone to prevent that they appoint them certain Citizens of Venice selected out of the most judicious and experienc't persons of the City who as Secretaries are alwayes to be present at the opening and reading of their Letters And this is no small check to the Nobility for however glorious they may appear in their station we see them liable to be curb'd and that by one single Citizen With such admirable prudence do these great Statesmen confine all their Grandees to their particular circuits and bounds that 't is impossible for them to arrogate any absolute jurisdiction to themselves The reports which these Secretaries make either by their Letters or word of mouth are of so great credit with the Senate that they are not only sufficient to destroy a man but to create a jealousie and interrupt that harmony and consort which might otherwise be found amongst persons of the same condition The Republick names a Nobleman expresly to whom it gives the appearance of being chief of the Embassie but when that is done he is sure to have a Citizen clap't at his Elbow to peep into the most secret of his actions It is an incredible thing to see with what generosity these
Commanded by a noble Venetian The great Vessels which they take now and then from the Turk they call Sultans and they are set out again at the expence of the publick though the Commander of a Sultan be in reality no more than the simple Captain of a Ship yet he is more considerable it being look'd upon as the mark of a particular esteem when one is advanc'd to such an authority as that And this they do to diffuse an insensible jealousie among their Commanders recompensing him whom they judge to have deserv'd well with the honour of a Charge which has nothing in it above the rest but an innovated name In this particular they seem to imitate the example of the Romans who to animate their Souldiers presented them with rewards very trivial and inconsiderable to the eye but if measured with the honour they brought along with them to the party they were vast accumulations of glory This General having all the Magazines of the Fleet on board his Gallions he is of no mean importance amongst them and to speak truth no man is ever admitted to that Command till he has given undeniable evidence of his prudence and Conduct They seldom come to grapple or to a very close fight with their enemy but with their broad sides they do terrible execution CHAP. VI. Of their Sur-Comites of the Gallies THat is the name by which they distinguish the Commanders of their Galleys from their other Captains They are generally young Gentlemen who go on purpose to enure themselves to the Wars and make themselves eminent by some remarkable service The Hull and materials of the Galleys are deliver'd out of the Arsenal with all manner of provisions both for the belly and the Wars but the Rowers the Souldiers and all manner of imbellishment is at the charge of the Officers As to their pay the Republick discharges it from the time they are imbark'd and to recompence the expence of the Captain in some measure he disposes of all inferiour places in his Galley There being alwayes an unsatiable emulation amongst the young Nobless this is the occasion that every one strives and contends with his whole force to out-do his companion and signalize himself by some remarkable action In their Cabins and Quarters there is no want of guilding or fine painting and the rich Stuffs of which their Flags and Penons are made demonstrates most clearly how unwilling they are to be out-done In this manner the Republick appears most pompously splendid at the charge of other people and imploys the vanity and ambition of her young Gentlement to her own magnificence and glory Before these newly equip'd Galleys venture out to Sea they are exercis'd by their Officers twice or thrice a day betwixt the Place of St. Mark and Lio and when their Supervisors think them capable of doing service within two or three moneths they are sent away not to the Fleet but to the Squadron which is left behind for the security of the Gulf and there it is they compleat and perfect their discipline The expence of their setting out being but superficial and the fancy they have for their own contrivances vanishing with the guilt and painting which in a short time the wind and the weather have defac'd all the ambition they have left is only to put themselves as forward as their companions dare go and it is no small excitement to their courage to consider they hazard nothing of their own but their lives the Republick being ready to furnish them with ten new Galleys for one that is lost Whereas on the contrary if the Officers be Proprietors their whole fortune depending upon their Vessel their interest will make them decline those dangers which perhaps their valour would attempt When these Galleys are Commanded out to any Engagement to advance into the Hellespont and confine the Turks to the white Sea they are re-inforc'd with forreign Souldiers besides what they had afore They are distributed so politickly into the Galleys they cannot possibly get to a body and disposed with that artifice a Captain shall scarce ever have a dozen of his own Souldiers aboard the Ship where he is himself Though this be a mark of their diffidence and distrust yet by this expedient they secure themselves against the worst and it is possible they may do it to animate their Souldiers that by making them suspect they are jealous of their courage they might be push'd forward the more to convince them of their mistake for doubtless he who can nettle his Souldiers in point of their honour has no small command of the courage of his Army We have seen in our days several effects of this jealousie and particularly in the first Wars in Flanders in which the animosity betwixt the Walloons and the Spaniards was the occasion of the loss of several Towns to the Hollander which otherwise the experience or gallantry of their General would never have taken But this variance amongst the Souldiers precipitated their pains hastned their assaults and by a happy temerity thrust them upon that which without those Considerations they would have look'd upon as desperate These Captains wear their ordinary Vestments constantly and are habited in their Galleys at the same rate as if they were in the Place of St. Mark by which means they preserve to themselves the same respect as if they were in the Town They retain the same pride and opinion of themselves also for let things go as they list otherwise they will alwayes be known to be Gentlemen of Venice Their Galleys are small and light of that sort which they call Gallâ—e Suttili but something more nimble and easie to manage and they have generally aboard them the best Canoniers in the World Their Canon in their Men of War seldom carry above thirty or forty pound Ball. Besides the Canon aforesaid they have alwayes upon the Prow of the Ship four small Guns which their Canoniers will discharge as certainly and with as sure execution as we can do with our Fusils Upon the sides and flanks of the Ship they have other Engines of mischief but the greatest hurt they do is with certain murdring peeces which they call Mosquetti a Cavaletto that are plac'd upon the Steerage Their Bonnevoglies or Rowers are of great use to them upon any extremity for being all of them Christians and accustomed to danger they arm them against any Engagement with Stones and Cuttelasses and promising to encrease their pay they make them supply the rooms of such Souldiers as are kill'd But the Turks dare not do so for most of their Oats being Christian Slaves kept constantly in chains and most miserable captivity they seldom dare hazard a Combate their apprehension of the Slaves they have on board being as terrible to them as the enemy before their face CHAP. VII Of the General or Governour of Candia THough his Command be strictly upon Land yet I rank him amongst the Officers of the Fleet because