of the place hauing their children borne brought vp there they resolued there perpetually to remaine there are in Venice 72. as they cal them Parochiae that are equall in manner vnto Bishoprickes ouer which are elected graue and reuerent pastors chosen out of that quarter and particion of the city wherein their churches stand these churches haue great goodly rents belonging vnto them are exceedingly adorned with Organs images instruments and all other magnificent ornamentes The Arsenall is in compasse without the wals 3. miles about resembleth in it self a little world hauing within it such varietie ofseuerall handicrafts and trades that it is in manner vnpossible for any to comprehend them in his minde that hath not seene them with his eyes insomuch that the marquesse of Guasto who was generall The Marques of Guasto his speech touching the Arsenal vnder the Emperour Charles the 5. in Italy hauing gon vp and downe in it from morning to night at his comming forth sware that he had rather be Lord of the Arsenall then of 4 of the best citties of Italy all manner of armes weapons artillerie sayles powder anchors tacklinges and whatsoeuer else to be imagined pertaining to the war and the Galleis themselues are not onely kept and preserued within the Arsenall but also wrought and framed there do dayly worke within it 1580. men who haue all wages according to their decrees who when they are so old that they can worke no longer are there also entertained so long as they liue The prince being dead his bowels are taken out and his body embawmed after which hee is kept three dayes openly in the hall attended on with Senators as you heard before his herse being couered ouer with cloth of gold and his sword and his spurres of gold lying athwart vpon him then in carrying him to his buryall the fraternities of the towne are assembled the seuerall companies of the chanons and clergie with an innumerable number of torches many of which are carried by the Iesuites in middle of which followeth the beere whereon the body of the prince reposeth in such sort as you hearde next after followeth the officers and chiefe seruantes of the princes family all apparrelled in blacke with great hoodes ouer their heads and drawing a long traine after them representing a maruelous shew of mourning and sorrow then next after follow the Senators all in skarlet and graine signifying the citty to be free therefore ought not to mourn at the death of any prince how vertuous soeuer With this pomp they passe on to the place of S. Marke where ioyning with the beere to the great dore of the church they lift it vp nine times as in taking perpetuall leaue thereof and thence go vnto the church of S. Giouani Paulo where for the most part the Dukes lie buried and there reposing the bodie vpon a high place of estate brightned with a number of flaming torches round about the Signeurie sitteth downe and there in the pulpit is made a solemne funeral oration in commendation and honour of the dead prince The funenerall being ended the Senators returne to the pallace and presently proceed to the choice of a new Duke There are certaine officers of which Contareno speaketh nothing at all or els very sparingly and some that haue been instituted since his time of all which I think it not necessarie briefly to say somewhat for the better satisfaction of the reader and first of those whom they call Cathaueri These are Iudges of the confiscations and exactors of the publique duties they were created in the yeare 1280. They succeed in the goods of those that die intestate if they haue no lawfull heires They gather in those penalties as are by the other Iudges inflicted vpon offendors They are Iudges ouer the officers of shipping They make publike sales in name of the commune they are Iudges of such thinges as are founde at sea or treasures that are found at land They heare such differences as do arise between pilgrims that go to the holy land and the matters of the ships wherein they go the names of the pilgrims are registred in their office and they are newly put in authoritie about the determination of such causes as concerne the inhabitants of Cipres Sopra Castaldi There are other called Sopracastaldi whose office is to serue executions vpon iudgement so that they are called Iudges of executions They haue the selling of such goods as are attached by executions haue the hearing of all such differences as do arise about such attachments executions contradictions c. They are euery morning at S. Markes they haue also place in the Rialto They were instituted in the yeare 1471. Because there might errour be committed in the execution of iudgements it was ordayned that the prince should heare the appeales from the executions of the former officer but because his person was to be busied about greater affaires there were certaine Superiors ordayned that might censure the doings of the Sopracastaldi And because they might also sometimes erre in their deliberations it was likewise ordayned that from them also might the partie agreeued appeale to the Aduocators They were created in the yeare 1485. Signeore all aque There are certaine officers ouer the water called Signore all aque They haue charge of such things as appertayne to the Lakes to the cleansing of the channels Sig alla Sanita Mountbanks are certaine that shew their drugs in the market places vaunting of great cures they haue done with long tales persuading the people to buy their ware and those boats that are vpon the great channell are vnder their authoritie Besides those other things mencioned in the former treatise that belongeth to the office of the healthmaisters they haue authority to giue licence to phisicions to practise and to Mountebanks Chiarlatanes to go vp and downe the countrey and to preach in the markets to them also is brought the register containing the number of all publike women within the towne Finally so great is their authoritie that in time of sicknes they haue power to punish with death Doana de Mare are officers of the custome who are to looke to such marchandise as is brought in by the common gallies and ships and not to suffer any thinges to passe till all duties and custome be discharged Signori della Pace There are also fiue peacemaysters who are to iudge between them that giue one another blows or wounds or do offer any other kind of wrong or do vse any villanie in speech their office is to appease strife and to make attonement and friendship as much as in them lieth Iustitia vecchia are certaine magistrates that haue power authority to do right vnto those that do pretend hyre wages or reward they punish those that do falsifie waightes measures or such like They put a price vpon such hearbes and fruits as are to be sold
della giudeca 4 S. Sebastian 5 Li Carmeni 6 S. Maria della Carita 7 Li Giesuati Nunryes 1. S. Biassio Catoldo 2. S. Croce della Giudeca 3. S. Cosmo Damiano 4. Le Conuertite 5. S. Marta 6. S. Maria Maggior 7. Il Spirito Santo 8. Ogni Santi Other religious houses 1. The Iesuites 2. La Trinita 3. Le Citelle Abaies and Priories belonging to the citie 1. S. Georgio Maggior 2 S Nicholo Da Lio. 3. S. Gregorio 4. S. Giouani Della Giudeca 5. S. Thomaso de Borgoinoni 6. S. Andrea della Certosa 7. S Helena 8. S. Giauani del Tempio 9. La Trinita 10. La. Misericordia 11. S. Giouan Euangelista 12. S. Giouan Lateran The name and number of the Hospitals within the Citie 1. L' Hospital di Giesu Christo a Sant Antonio 2. S. Pietro e S. Paulo 3. La Pieta 4. La. Casa di duo 5. S. Bartolomeo da Castello 6. S. Martin 7. I. Crosechieri 8. La Misericordia 9. La Carita 10. S. Giouan Euangelista 11. S Croce 12. S Andrea 13. S. Vid o 14. Volto Santo 15 S. Ras aell 16 S Zanepolo 17 Incurabili 11 S Lazaro 19. Le Bocchole 20 Lazaretto Vecchio 21 Lazaretto nouo The six Fraternities which they call Scuole grande 1. S. Marco 2 La Carita 3. La Misericor dia 4. S. Giouan Euangelista 5. S. Roco 6 S Theodora In a generall reuiew of the people made some fewe yeares since in Venice there were reckoned this number of all sorts as followeth Fifty nine thousande three hundred forty and nine men sixty seuen thousande fiue hundred thirty and one women youthes betweene the age of six and of twenty years to the number of fifty eight thousande foure hundred and twelue two thousand one hundred fourescore and three Fryers two thousande fourescore and two Nunnes one thousand one hundred fifty and seuen Iewes The whole summe of all amounteth to the number of 190714 A briefe description of some particularities in the City worthy to be knowne The length of the great channell is a thousande and three hundred paces and in bredth ouer forty paces it is wonderfully beautified on eyther side with most sūptuous and goodly pallaces you cannot go ouer it a foot but at one bridge onely which is at the Ryalto There are thirteen seuerall ferries or passages which they call Traghetti The bridges that ioyne the little Isles together are in number 400 some of wood and some of stone There belong to the chanels 8000. Gondalas and aboue The steeple of S Marke is 280. feet in height and euery square containeth forty feete in bredth it is distant from the Church 80. feet and hath the same to be wrought with such curiositie of workemanship that the like is scarsely to be found in any other pane of the world Francesco Sansouini AMong sundrie others that haue writtē of Venice Francesco Sansouini is one of the latest who very particularly but in my opinion somewhat superfluously hath touched not onely the customes of the Citie and the liues of the princes but also the antiquities ceremonies foundations monumentes and epitaphes of euery seuerall church out of whose great volume I haue onely extracted those fewe notes seruing to my purpose the rest I haue omitted as tedious and not greatly needfull to be knowne Venice encompasseth in circuite eight miles being diuided into 70 rapes or diuisions which 70 churches commonly called parishes euery one of the which is the head of that rape or diuision wherein it standeth It contayneth likewise 59 monasteries 31. of Eryers and 28. of Nunnes besides a great number of goodlie schooles and most ample and statelie Hospitals The chanels runne through the cittie as the veines of bloud do through a mans body making in their course here and there innumerable little Hands some naturally and some by art which are conioyned together by sundry bridges at least 450 in number all of free stone adorned euery where with most princely buildinges and beautifull pallaces to which there is most commodious passage both by land and water there are belonging to these chanels betweene eight and nine thousand little boats called Gondalas ready both by day and night to doe seruice to such as shall set them a worke The ayre of Venice is exceedingly good because it The ayre of Venice pure and good The reasons of the purenes thereof is continuallie purged with the ebbing and flowing of the tydes carrying euery six howres away with it whatsoeuer is corrupt or vncleane besides the multitude of fiers dissolueth al noysome vapours and the free scope of the windes blowing euery where vnhindered maketh the ayre most sounde and holesome besides much is attributed to the saltnes which being by nature more hot lesse colde engendreth a most equall and sweete temperature so that straungers with great amazement do not any where beholde men more venerable and of greater age full of flesh straight bodyed of goodly presence and more vigorous constitution But aboue all other thinges this is most straunge that this aire by a speciall priueledge of nature doth agree with the cōplections of all such straungers as resorte thither of what nation or vnder what climate soeuer they bee borne whether the same be subtile and persing or thick and foggy Round about them there is taken such innumerable Fish quantities of all excellent sortes of fish that not onely the inhabitantes haue plenty of fish taken twise euery day but they also furnish the adioyning citties vpon the continent aswell those that are vnder their dominions as others Wildfoule The like maruelous abundance they haue of wildfoul so different in kind and so diuers in colour that it is straunge to see their seuerall sortes their variety being such that wee haue seene aboue 200. seuerall kindes of them painted most exactly in their liuely and naturall colours by Marino Malipero the most exquisite and ingenious man of his time in that arte This city aboue all other is most worthy to bee admired as being singular by her selfe and brooking no comparison with any other for what other citty soeuer that hath beene eyther pleasant by situation or glorious in goodlines of buildinges yet it had some resemblance or likenesse with others But onely this being seated in the middle of waters hath not any thing vppō the earth to which it may be resembled the rare situation thereof being such that it inioyeth both the commodities of the water and the pleasures of the land secure by being not seated vpon land frō land assaults and free by not being founded in the depthes of the sea from maritime violence so that whereas other citties do keepe and defend their cittizens with walles towers and gates this being naked and without ramparts is not only as I said secure it self but rendreth also with admirable prouidence such citties secure as do sleepe vnder the watch of her winges Steeple of S. Marke Among many other rare edifices sumptuous aswell in the
ariuall at Venice the beautie and magnificence thereof were stricken with so great an admiration and amazement that they woulde and that with open mouth confesse neuer any thing which beforetime they had seene to be thereunto comparable either in glory or goodlinesse Yet was not euery one of thē possessed with the like wonder of one same particular thing for to some it seemed a matter of infinit maruaile and scarcely credible to behold so vnmeasurable a The causes of their admiration diuers quantity of all sorts of marchandise to be brought out of all realmes and countries into this Citie and hence againe to be conueyed into so many straunge and far distant nations both by land and sea Others exceedingly admired the wonderful concourse of strange and forraine people yea of the farthest and the remotest nations as though the City of Venice onely were a common and generall market to the whole world Others were astonished at the greatnesse of the empire thereunto belonging and the mightinesse of their state both by land and sea but the greater part of the most wise and iudiciall sort were rather in themselues confounded with amazement at the new and strange manner of the situation of this Citie so fitte and conuenient for all thinges that it seemed vnto them a thing rather framed by the hands of the immortall Gods then any way by the arte industry or inuention of men And for this onely cause deemed the Citie of Venice to excell all those that in this age are to be found or at any time euer were Neither altogether without reason for surely if you looke into former ages likewise into this wherein we liue you shall hardly find any cittie comparable with this of ours eyther for greatnes of Empire frequencie of people or aboundance and magnificence of thinges But No city eyther now or in any other age cōparable in all points with the citie of Venice especially for situation neuer was there since the memorie of men any citie seated in so opportune a place so secure and exceeding the beliefe of men Some in building of Cities imagined they had well and sufficiently done if they had chosen a place hard of accesse or difficult for their enemies to besiege or assault the same whereby it commeth that sundry Citties are seated on the toppes of high hilles with sharpe and vneasie passages or else in moorish and fennish places some again for other diuers respects haue imagined nothing to be preferred before an apt and commodious seate fitte to conuoy in and out all such thinges as appertaine to the making of a Cittie plentifull and magnificent aswell in matters of necessitie as delicacie Of which both points ioyntly you shall find few that haue beene carefull fewer that haue attempted it but vnlesse I be deceiued neuer any one that hath in all points accomplished it But the situation of Venice being rather to be attributed to some diuine prouidence then to any humane industry is beyond the beliefe of all those that haue not seene this cittie not onely most safe and secure both by land and sea from all violence but also in the highest degree opportune commodious to the aboundance of all thinges that are behoouefull to the citizens as also for traffique of all sortes of marchandise in manner with all nations of the worlde The situation of the citie of Venice For it is seated in a remote and secrete place of the Adriatike sea where on that side where the sea beholdeth the continent there are mightie great lakes fortified with an admirable artifice of nature For twelue miles off from the continent the sea beginneth to be shallow and among those flats lakes there ariseth vp a shore or banke like vnto a hill which seruing as a fortresse against the waues violences of the sea maketh all the inwarde harbor being very wide spacious so secure that not onely the vehemence of the sea when through the rage of any tempest it ariseth is repressed and kept backe but also the ships that arriue are debarred of free and easie entrance in so much that if they be not of very light burthen they are forced to cast anker at the mouth of the passages or entries and thence when the weather is calme and quiet being guided by skilfull pilots or rather by certaine particular men experimented in those shallowes and channels they may at length come vnto the cittie by a narrow crooked and intricate way where the water is of greater depth the same in a manner euery day altering and chaunging according to the tides of the sea The banke which ariseth behind these shallowes reacheth almost threescore miles and incloseth the lakes within Neuerthelesse the same is not so entire but that there is a rupture in seuen places thereof which maketh an entry to the roade within and it is six miles off from the Continent In this manner therefore are the lakes of the Citie of Venice inclosed partly with firme ground partly with Ryalta this banke and shallowes in middle of the which in that place which of our auncestors was called Rialta and as yet retaineth the name was the Citie of Venice builded at such time as the Hunnes vnder the conduct The cause of the first building of the City of Venice of Atyla did spoile with fire and sword the territory of Venetia a noble prouince of Italie which bordered vpon those lakes in which calamitous time the citizens of Padua of Aquilea of VderZo of Concordia and of Altina being all faire and goodly cities of Venetia such of them as were chiefe in riches and nobility did first get themselues with their families into certaine Ilands or rather little hilles which did appeare out somewhat aboue the sea and there built them places of abode in which as in a secure hauen they auoyded the ragefull tempest of the Hunnes There were likewise in that troublesome season certain castles built vpon the banke of which I made mention to which the inhabitantes of that coast repaired leaning their ancient homes spoyled and ruined by the Hunnes seeking there a safe abode for their wiues and children and as I may say for their houshold Gods Afterwards in the times of the kings Charles and Pepin all such as scatteringly inhabited these places by common consent retyred themselues vnto the Ryalta as into a place of greater security much more commocious then any of the rest so that in the end by the concourse of such as coulde auoide the ruines of Italy wrought by the cruelty of barbarous nations Venice by degrees augmented it selfe into that greatnesse in which we now do see it It is manifest therefore that the seat of this Citie must needes bee exceedingly secure in regarde that the first building thereof was vndertaken by men who to auoid the calamities of Italy in midst of so great a miserie remained there in most sound and quiet safetie with their Venice hath
and goodlinesse yet the common sence of men doth not allow these offices of warre by which the ruine and slaughter of mankinde is procured to be for themselues desired and that all other ciuile offices should be thereunto referred for it were the token of an vnciuile disposition or rather of a man hating humanitie to wish for warres slaughters burnings for this onely cause that he might be famous in matters of warre and adde thereunto if it please you that he might be honored with the name of a great captain wherefore all philosophers of greatest marke haue Warre is to be desired for the cause of peace in this one point agreed that warre is to be desired for the cause of peace and that the whole function of militarie vertue and the commendation thereof ought to be referred to the offices of peace wherefore that gouernour of a commonwealth that would be accounted worthy of praise as the saying is a man perfectly accomplished ought to vse that temperature to maintaine that order that the whole commonwealth may seeme accommodated to vertue and withall that it bee rather thought to attend to the exercises of peace then to the offices of warre yet in the meane time not contemning such thinges as pertaine to the discipline of warres because many times the militare vertue so that the same be vsed without iniurie is necessary to defend and to enlarge the confines But things being once ordered as we haue said it is wont then to be doubted of whether it bee better that one or few haue the gouernment of the whole citie or rather the whole multitude as many doe describe the estate of that which ought properly to be called a commonwealth And truely to me it seemeth exceedingly well and wisely said of them Howsoeuer the successe hath allowed the gouernment of Venice either in regard of the smalnesse of their territory or the strong situation of their citie yet there was neuer any example of any other great cōmonwealth but that did soone perish by the plurality of commāders all great philosophers chiefly extolling the monarchy all course of times examples confirming their opinion that deemed the gouernment of men to bee vnfitly granted to one alone but that there should bee a thing more diuine to whom this office should be giuen as out of many sorts of creatures may be gathered For a sheep gouerneth not a flock of sheep nor an oxe nor an horse a heard of oxen or horses but a creature more excellent defendeth and gouerneth them which is man which is a thing manifest to al men of how much more worth he is then those brute creatures by the like reason if so it might be brought to passe should man be gouerned by som thing more diuine excellent thē man but seeing in worldly things which are with sence perceiued there is nothing found more excellent thē man man being a certaine diuerse creature consisting of different parts as hauing the inferior forces of his mind cōmon as it were with brutish creatures but with the superior powers therof participating in a manner with the immortal Gods that rightly ought amongst men to obtain the place of gouernment rule which is in man highest of greatest participation with dignity which is as all men do acknowledge the mind being by nature grafted in vs as a beame of the heauēly brightnes therfore euil shal that commonwealth be prouided for that That ought amongst men to obtaine the place of gouernment and rule which is in mā highest of greatest participation with diuinitie shal be committed to the gouernment of a man whom many times those inferior and brutish powers doe perturbe call backe from the true path of reason but that office is rather to be committed to the mind pure and void of perturbations wherefore by a certaine diuine counsell when by other meanes it might not mankinde through the inuention of lawes seemeth to haue attained this point that this office of gouerning assemblings of men should be giuen to the minde and reason onely the same being free from passion which among many other the infinit blessings gifts of heauen is not to be accounted in the lowest but rather the highest ranke if we will truely consider the vtilitie of lawes for first in enacting them many wise men meete together who by long vse growen skilfull in many things by comparing the inuentions and examples of others with their owne experience do at length after long consultation determine that which shall seeme best vnto them their minds being then directly bent to vertue free from hatred friendship or other perturbation the cause of no The excellency of lawes priuate man being interessed in the establishing of laws which in courses of mans iudgement often happeneth But after that lawes once are enacted if any then transgresse them chaunce to suffer the punishments that they inflict he cannot in reason blame any man and in this case it is not to be feared that any sedition or rancor growne among the citizens being the greatest most dangerous contagion of cōmonwealths whereas contrariwise when any man is punished by the iudgement of men not fortified with lawes great grieuous enmities do sundry times ensue for it scarcely can be chosen but that we remaine ill affected towards him of whom we haue receiued harme so that I cannot well resolue whether mankind be more beholding for any other The inuention of lawes was by the ancients consecrated vnto the immortall Gods thing to nature the mother of all things then it is for this inuention of lawes which was of the ancients and not vnworthely consecrated to the immortall Gods but which serueth more meruailous Aristotle ptince of philosophers in that booke of the world which he did dedicat to great Alexāder found not any thing to which he might likelier resemble God thē to an autentike law in a Citie rightly gouerned so that the opinion of this great philosopher was in manner that God was the same in the vniuersity of things as an ancient lawe in a ciuill company and in his bookes wherein hee entreateth of a commonwealth he tearmeth law to be a mind without appetite which is to say pure cleare and free from the infirmitie of any passion whereby any man of how slow conceit soeuer may perceiue the fitnesse necessitie of that of which we spake before that is that something more diuine then man shoulde rule and gouerne the companies of men for a man being aduanced to this office of gouernement as men endued with wisedome and integrity are rare and they for the most part may erre in iudging and decerning things through the force of their affections which do perturbe and diuert the mind from her true course and intention it followes of necessitie that thinges cannot go so currant as they should yea though it might be so that wee might find out a man
vnpleasing but that the reward which is honor following sweetneth the same according to the opiniō of great philosophers so that Aristotle saith in his Ethikes seeing those that do rightly holily performe their office in gouernment haue more respect to the profite of other men then their owne there cannot by any other meanes be returned vnto them a due and equiualent recompence but onely by making them to exceed all the rest in honor and dignity Moreouer the dignity of this prince causeth all the other citizens exceedingly to feare his reprehension and performe the offices in which they are placed with the greater fidelity care There are to the prince adioyned sixe counsellors of Sixe counsellors chosen out of sixe quarters of the citie sixe tribes into which the Citie is diuided euery tribe chusing one Their office continueth eight monethes they are continually at the princes elbow nothing is said vnto the prince but they do heare it no letters are sent forth but such as shall seeme good and alowable to foure of those counsellors who also doe in the letters subscribe their names yet not in those letters which are sent forth but in those which are first written by the secretaries of the commōwealth which are reserued the coppies of them sent forth In which also it is to be noted that those letters which are sent not by the decree of the councell but by the commandement of the Prince and Counsellors as they neuer contain but matters of small importance so are they of small authority For as wee haue often saide all authoritie and power is onely to bee attributed to the councell no one magistrate hauing of himselfe any ample authoritie But of the counsellors we will speake more hereafter now I will returne to the prince or Duke The Prince therefore being honored with this kingly apparance and shewe because oftentimes it fell out that priuate wealth suffised not to maintayne so great dignity and pompe there is allowed vnto the Duke out of the common treasure yearely three thousand and fiue hundred crownes of gold and to the end least some one couetous of increasing his substance should neglect the honour dignitie of the common-wealth conuert that money to his priuate vse there are certaine charges imposed vpon him which at his owne cost he must see defrayed with an especiall care of the seruice dignity of the commonwealth which if through auarice or sparing of money he neglect there is so great a fine and amercement set vpon the heade of his heires that whiles by increasing his priuate wealth and dispensing with his honour and dignity hee shall think to enrich them he shall in a manner vtterly vndoo them besides the leauing of an eternall blot and ignominy to his posteritie He maintayneth of his owne charge many seruants or as you would say of his guard but yet such as weare no weapons Hee alwaies vseth costly garments he dwelleth in a pallace wonderfully adorned with goodly chambers and tapistry abounding with vessels of siluer and all other such furniture as is beseeming the degree of a prince Foure times a yeare he maketh a solemne and sumptuous banket to Foure times a yeare the Duke banketteth the citizens aboue threescore citizens the same being ordered and set forth with all the magnificency that may be Wher in our predecessors brought into our commonwealth the auncient order of the inhabitantes of Lacedemon and Crete whose commonwealthes were noble and glorious but with a much better moderation and order for they because they thought the often meeting of the citizens was a mean to combine them together in friendship instituted certaine publike feastes at the charge of the common treasure to which the citizens assembling had meanes one to be acquainted with the other and withal by so friendly a meeting to confirm a new friend ship But seeing that they all went confusedly together those assemblies could not be without troubles tumultes and besides when those that were to feast banket the rest did desire to do it with daintinesse and magnificence there could not but ensue a great wast of the common treasure Therefore with a certain amendment moderation is that ancient manner brought in vse among the Venetians and the whole care and ordering thereof committed to the prince Foure times a yeare therfore are the citizens banqueted of the prince with fare truely honorable and daintie and yet for the exceedingnesse thereof not to be enuied neyther doth euery one come vnorderly as it pleaseth him but those whome the prince shall vouchsafe to call vnlesse it bee the Counsellors the Aduocators the Presidents of the xl men the Presidents of the tennes who in preheminence of their offices are vsually present at the princes bankets the other citizens come not but inuited These foure feastings are in this sort diuided that the elder and worthiest citizens being inuited doe in the winter time vpon S. Stephens day assemble themselues in the publike pallace appointed for the princes habitation and with a solemne pompe waite vpon the prince from thence to the church of S. Marke and there bee present with him at Masse which being ended then they waite vppon him backe to his house againe and there be pertakers of his banquet Likewise in the moneth of Aprill on the day of Saint Marke whose memory is with exceeding honour solemnized of the Venetians as entituling him their patron and defender euer since the reliques of his body were brought vnto Venice from forth of Alexandria a noble Citie of Aegypt the cittizens of lesse age and dignitie inuited of the prince doe in like manner after the solemnities in the church are ended conuay him home and dine with him Thirdly vppon Ascention day being the day of the great fayer at Venice they are inuited and admitted to the Princes banket that are fully arriued and entred into that age which we call Virilis or mans estate These also doe early in the morning waite vpon the Duke from his house and go aborde a ship gorgeously trimmed and set forth reserued onely to that vse and is by the Venetians called Bucentoro so soone as they are passed the marishes and come to behold the plaine and open sea by an ancient indulgence of the high Bishops who honoured this commonwealth of ours in regard of many notable exploites by it atchieued against the The Dake of Venice marieth the sea with a ring of gold enemies of the Christian faith the prince throwing a ring of golde into the sea vseth in a manner these speaches that with that ring hee doeth betroth himselfe to the sea in token of a true and perpetuall Empyre To this there are added certayne ceremonies by the Patriarch of the Cittie which being ended they lande at the Church dedicated to Saynt Nicholaus a thing of great antiquitie built vppon that shore or banke which diuideth the sea from the lakes There the holy misteries
are presently called into the court who first doe with all reuerence and honor salute the new prince The fame of which presently flyeth through the citie in euery parte whereof you may behold the citizens making ioy and throwing vp The solemnities that follow the election of the prince their prayers to heauen for this prince that his gouernment may bee fortunate and happie to the common-wealth All his parents and kinsefolkes come presently vnto the Court congratulating with him of this his great honor and dignitie in meane while the coyners are set a worke to stampe money with the face name of the prince and all thinges busily prepared that the future pompe requireth in which season the Duke and the Counsellors doe apparell themselues and being apparelled and in order doe so discende out of the Court and go directly vnto the Church of Saint Marke being neere thereunto adioyning a church of wonderfull goodlinesse and magnificence and resplendishing in all sortes and varietie of rich ornaments and pompous architecture They do first religiously with great veneration adore the mighty name of God then do all ascend vp into a high stately seat made all of Porphire stone whence the eldest of the electors maketh a speech vnto the people wherein he declareth the creation of the newe Duke vttering withall some few wordes in a modest commendation of him After whom the Duke also maketh an oration in which after hauing spoken discreetly a few things concerning himselfe hee there promiseth and voweth to obserue all such things as shal become a vertuous prince with greater care of the good of the commonwealth then of any his owne priuate commodity chiefly that he will beare himselfe in matter of iustice most holily and strictly with endeuour that equall right may be administred to all men that hee will not spare his priuate substance his labour no nor his life if by any incommodity of his the estate of the commonwealth might bee assisted or remedied Finally he humbly prayeth vnto God vnto S. Marke vnder whose patronage the Citie of Venice is and to all the Saints that they will be all fauourable and helpefull vnto him in the well discharging of this great and honourable office His wordes are receiued of the people with a great applause And at the ende therof they do all discend from off the high seat or scaffold and do place the Duke before the high altar where laying his hand vpon the Gospell he doth binde himselfe by solemne oth to God to his commonwealth that he will not omit the performance of any such thing as the Duke of Venice is bound vnto by the lawes This being done the Electors that hitherto remained with the Duke doe all depart he mounteth vp into a pulpit of wood taking with him one of his kinsemen such as ofall other he holdeth deerest which pulpit the mariners such as are best esteemed doe take vppon their shoulders and with a great shoute and ioy doe carry the Duke sitting therein throughout the whole place of S. Marke who from out the pulpit throweth money coined in his owne name round about him There is no certaine summe herein limited but euen according as the substance of the Duke may beare the same being wholly referred to his disposition and pleasure but once the people be not negligent in gathering it vppe At length hauing gone about the place when they come before the staires of the princes pallace they there stay the pulpit and the prince descendeth out The apparell which the Duke weareth and likewise a siluer potte in which the money so throwen about among the people was kept belongeth by an auncient custome vnto the mariners that did so beare the Duke vpon their shoulders The Duke mounting vp the degrees of the pallace is there receiued of the Counsellors and there by them crowned with the foresaid Miter which is as it were the Dyadem or ornament of the Prince This is the order of the whole pompe The day following the Senate is assembled in the Court and the Duke maketh an oration giuing thankes to God to the fathers for this aduancement and honour which he had receiued promising withall that his diligence trauaile shal neuer be spared for the commonwealths commodity The like oration hee maketh before the whole assembly of citizens in the first sessions that is held after his creation Hauing now sufficiently spoken of the Duke or prince of our commonwealth it remaining that briefly wee speake somewhat concerning the Counsellors to the end that you may vnderstand what their authority is and how farre it extendeth There are alwaies as I said before sixe Counsellors The office authority of the 6. Counsellors present by the princes side out of euery quarter of the citie one for the whole citie is diuided into sixe quarters or tribes three of the which are on this side of the great channell which diuideth the citie and three on the other out of each of these quarters is chosen one counsellor in the sessions according to the manner before expressed in the choyce of other magistrates Their office continueth onely eight monethes in which iointly with the Prince they take care of all such affaires as pertain to the commonwealth But the whole maner handling of the sessions an auncient ordinance passeth chiefly through their hands Likewise if report is to be made vnto the great councell of any matter and by authority therof to be confirmed they are to make report thereof as those to whose authority that right only belongeth yet somtimes the Presidents of the 40. are adioyned to thē who otherwise were insufficient without power to make report ouer to the councell No other magistrate the Duke onely alwaies excepted hath this authority They may likewise if it please thē make report of any thing to the Senate or the tenne men but the charge of assembling the Senate and reporting to the same chiefly belongeth to the Preconsultors like as the office of the Presidentes of the tenne is to assemble the tenne to make report vnto them the manner of which shall hereafter be more largely handled But the Councellors are endued with greater priuiledge as those that haue in the senate equall authority with the Preconsultors and in the courtes of the tenne men with the presidentes of that Court for the space of eyght monthes they are alwaies present with the Duke and do exercise these offices of which I haue made mention But foure monthes they are present or rather Presidentes of the fortie men who haue the handling of waightie and capitall matters which are by their iudgement decided determined of as shall hereafter more plainly be declared Now seeing that which concernes the great councell which representeth in this common-wealth popular estate and that likewise of the prince which beareth the person of a king is handled of vs though vneloquently yet faithfully with diligence the vndertaken worke
seemeth to require at my hands that I should likewise speake of the other partes branches of this gouernment which in seeming doe represent the rule gouernment of the nobles and best citizens seeing that especially the same doth in the city of Venice excell the rest as in the following volume I will by Gods help make manifest and plaine The end of the second booke The third Booke of the Magistrates and Commonwealth of the Venetians EVery institution and gouernment of man the neerer it aspireth to the praise of perfection and goodnesse the nearer shold it imitate nature the best mother of all thinges for so hath she disposed the order of the whole world that those things which are deuoide of sence and vnderstanding shoulde bee ruled and gouerned by those that haue sence and knowledge and therefore in this assemblie of men which of vs is called Citie olde men ought to bee preferred before the younger fort as those that are lesse subiect to the perturbations of the minde and withall hauing beene of longer life must needes be of greater experience in the affaires of the world Therefore Aristotle in his Politiques most wisely saith that in euery commonwealth which wold emulate and follow the wisedome policie of nature olde men should be placed at the helme and the office of the young men should bee to obey and to execute those thinges which the olde men should commande them Neither can the young men seeing this institution is nearest vnto Nature by any meanes finde fault or repine at the gouernment of olde men or stirre vppe therefore any sedition in the commonwealth seeing that in this difference which age onely maketh enuie hath no place neyther may there iustly bee any complaint so long as the young men shall assuredly hope to receiue the like obedience in their age of the following younger sort which opinion of Aristotle is allowed of all commonwealthes that euer were of any fame who alwaies preferred the counsell of the elder sort as The name of senate deriued from Senes signifieth olde men well in the gouernment of their Cittie as in the administration of their other publike affaires neither is the name of senate from else where deriued then from old men who in the Latine tong are called Senes I woulde alleadge heere the commonwealth of the Romaines of the Athenians of the Carthaginians of the Lacedemonians besides the lawes of sundry other cities but that the matter is of it selfe so manifest that it standeth not in need of any such proofe With this reason therefore was the Senate ordayned and established in this commonwealth of ours likewise the councell of the tenne who in the cittie of Venice in whose commonwealth as I said there is a mixture of the three gouernments royall popular noble do represent the state of the nobilitie are as it were the meane or middle which reconcileth and bindeth together the two extreames that is the popular estate represented in the great councell the prince bearing a shew of royaltie So saith Plato are the extreame elementes the earth and the fire ioyned and bound together with the middle elementes as in a well tuned dyapason the extreame voyces are concorded together by the middle tunes of the Dyatessaron and Diapente The number of right and lawfull senators are 120. To go forward therefore with my purpose the senate of Venice hath a hundred and twenty lawfull senators besides many other magistrates that do also obtaine the priuiledge and right of Senators so that now in this time of ours there are aboue two hundred and twentie that haue the authority of vsing their suffrages in the senate The lawfull Senators are euery yeare created by that assembly of citizens which as I haue often repeated is tearmed the great Councell Neyther hath this honour any vacation as the other magistrates haue but they may if their lot fall out and that the great councell bee therewith pleased which for the most parte happeneth continue euery yeare in that office The manner and meane of their election is of vs before declared when wee expressed the forme of the whole sessions There are in the monthes of August and September in euery session sixe Senators elected which session being in those sessions tenne times remoued make vp the number of threescore elected Senators the other threescore are ioyned or as it were ascribed to the former and they all are chosen together at certain particular sessions For vpon the nine twentieth day of September the senate doth assemble then euery senator and other that hath authority of suffrages nameth a citizen in the Senate And the next day early at three a clocke in the morning the whole number of citizens commeth into the session house and then the names being rehearsed by the Secretary of all those citizens who the day before were named of the Senators the names of all are put into a potte and afterwardes taken out by chaunce By and by they go to their lottes of which threescore of those that shall haue most lottes in their fauour so that they exceed not the halfe are that yeare ascribed in the number of Senators but yet in that sort that there may not bee in that last number aboue two of a kindred so that in the whole number of lawfull Senators there cannot in all be aboue three of a kindred which ordinance seemeth to haue beene established with exceeding wisedome in behalfe of the commonwealth considering that there cannot happen to a commonwealth a more daungerous or pestilent contagion then the ouerweighing of one parte or faction aboue the other for where the ballance of iustice standeth not euen it is vnpossible that there should bee a friendly societie and firme agreement among the citizens which alwaies happeneth where many offices of the commonwealth meete together in one For as euery mixture dissolueth if any one of the elementes of which the mixed body consisteth ouercome the other and as in musicke the tune is marred where one string keepeth a greater noyse then hee shoulde doe so by the like reason if you will haue your commonwealth perfect and enduring let not one parte bee mightier then the other but let them all in as much as may bee haue equall share in the publique authoritie With excellent wisedome and prouidence therefore did our auncestors cause this to bee established as a perpetuall law and decree in our commonwealth that not onely in the senate but also in all other offices there shoulde not bee any more of one kindred or allyance then the preseruation of equalitie required Neyther seemeth the order of electing the Senate inuented with lesse forecast and prudence which is that threescore citizens should bee chosen according to the accustomed vse of the sessions chaunce election and iudgement being therein mingled altogether but that the choyce of the other threescore should bee after another sorte such as you haue heard wherein chaunce hath
offence or the condition of the offendor Now the time Two sorts of inferior magistrates requireth that we should briefly speake of some inferior magistrates that haue authority to punish offences of lesse qualitie and moment eyther in regarde of the meanes of the faulte it selfe or the slender regard quality of the person that commiteth the same These also are of two sortes the one hath power of life and death the other not their authority stretching no farther then to the punishment of Rogues and Harlots whome they cause to bee imprisoned or whipt with rods euery of them according to the proportion of their committed lewdnes The first magistrate also that hath power to giue sentence of life and death is likewise deuided into two sortes For the selfe same Iudges doe not search out and examine and call to tryall the offendor but the first being the heades of the officers by night doe throughly examine the cause of Officers of night the offender and register vp in writing the deposition of the witnesses whatsoeuer else the party hath confessed eyther of his owne accord or els by the constraint of torture and then finally represent the whole to the iudges of the Properties This Magistrate differeth Iudges of the properties much from the former and giueth sentence of death when the cause in handling is capitall But if it be a lighter offence to bee punished onely with whipping or imprisonment the captaines of the officers by night do of themselues dispatch the matter without asking the aduise of the Colledge eyther for the imprisoning or torturing the offendor which authority neuer thelesse the office of the Aduocators hath not but must first acquaint the Colledge and proceede according to the decrees thereof neither is the same so ordayned without exceeding reason and foundation for that for euery small matter and the offence of euery baggage fellow the Councell should haue been mooued both the common wealthes should haue beene ouermuch troubled with many impertenent brablers and also lewd fellowes should haue had a greater scope of liuing licentiously through the hope of escaping punishmēt For greater expedition thereof of these kinds of iudgements the heads or chieftaines of the officers by night do obtaine that authority of which the Aduocators are depriued These officers of the night are six and six likewise are those meane officers that haue onely power to correct base vagabonds and tryfeling offences Those that do execute this office are called heades of the tribes of the city because out of euery tribe for the city is deuided into six tribes there is elected an officer of the night and a head of the tribe which custome also we obserue in the election of our Councellers as here before I haue expressed The duty of eyther of these officers is to keepe a watch euery other night by turn within their tribes and now the one and then the other to make rounds about his quarter till the dawning of the day being alwayes guarded and attended on with weaponed officers and serieants and to see that there be not any disorder done in the darkenes of the night which alwaies imboldneth men ill disposed to naughtinesse and that there be not any houses broken vp nor theeues nor rogueslurking in corners with intent to do violence At the first beginning of the city eyther of these offices was of great estimation but since new Magistrates being added according to the chaunge of the times and the occasion of the common wealth the same is much diminished and of lesser respect for the chiefe authority being transferred ouer to the new officers there remaineth onely in their courtes the decision of base and baggage matters as the suddes or lees of the rest Hetherto there is inough saide of those Magistrates that do determine Capitall causes In the next volume we will speake of ciuile Iudgementes The end of the third booke The fourth Booke of the Magistrates and commonwealth of Venice IT hath beene alwaies a perpetuall continuing custome in the commō The whole high and chief authority of all thinges belonging to the Councels and not to any particular magistrates wealth of Venice that no magistrate whatsoeuer should haue in matters of waight and importance high chief authority but that the same shoulde wholy belong to the colledge or rather vsing the common manner of speech to the Councels insomuch that in ciuile causes such as In ciuile causes the party preiudiced may after iudgement giuen appeale to the Auditors and to the Colledge of the Forty shall exceede the summe of fiue and forty crownes there is not any magistrate from whose iudgement the party may not appeale to the Auditors of the ciuile causes and to the colledge of forty of whome we haue heere aboue made mention But to the end that the whole manner of these ciuile iudgements may be made manifest and plaine wee Two sorts of Auditors the olde and the new will begin with the Auditors which are of two sortes that is to say the olde and the new the olde doe deriue their name from the antiquitie of their office The old Auditors more ancient then the new and being much more ancient then that of the new which was altogether vnknowne in this common-wealth till the same beganne to haue Dominion ouer the maine Lande many ages after the building of the City These olde Auditors haue in manner the same authority in determination of ciuile causes after they are debated of iudged by the ciuile iudges as the aduocators haue in all such matters as any way they shall thinke to be offensiue to the lawes I meane in receauing of appeales or making of report ouer When therefore by the ciuile Iudges there is any sentence giuen against any man it is lawfull for him who receiueth preiudice thereby to appeale from their indgement to the Auditors the cause then being brought into their court and of eyther side pleaded debated of those betweene whome the controuersie dependeth if the same exceed not the summe of fiftie crowns they may of their own authority so they agree all in one end and determine the same without the Colledge of the forty or if they disagree in opinion then one of them hath authority to make report ouer Three Iudges that haue authoritie to iudge and determine on thinges that are found to a very small Colledge where the company of eyther Auditors do note and likewise three other Iudges that vsually do sit vpon thinges that are founde and there these lesser affaires are absolutely determined But if the whole cause did amount aboue the rate of the foresaid summe before our time the matter coulde not haue beene brought into the Colledge of the Forty vnlesse someone of the Auditors had interposed himselfe and made reporte of the sentence so giuen by the Iudges vnto the forty But in this time of ours there is a Law made whereby liberty is graunted vnto
onely the magistrate which was called president of the lones and as yet retayneth that name recorded President of the Lones in a booke the seuerall summe contributed by euery particularr cittizen and in the meane time till the same were repayed there were allowed fiue crownes in the hundred to euery one of those that had beene taxed and thereunto were sundrie rentes appointed so that in those ancient warres it was an easie matter to leuie mony by this manner of taxation and surely in my opinion it was a thing very iust and reasonable that somewhat should bee againe restored vnto them out of the common reuenew that had in the necessarie times of the common wealth spent and empayred their substance for as the partes ought to haue regarde to the safety of the whole so in naturall reason also ought the whole to defend and preserue the partes in asmuch as may bee from all inconuenience and wrong and to participate with them some part of the common nouriture thereby to restore enharten them but in our time this debt of leuied mony was so excessiue and great that the very interest thereof after the rate I spake of amounted to three hundred thousande Crownes by the yeare which payment being of late by reason of the extreame necessities and dangerous warres wherewith the commonwealth was enuironed withholden and kept backe now finally some foure yeare since there was a statute and decree enacted by the Senate the motioners and perswaders thereof being Dominico Treuisano Andrea Gritti Duke Venice a graue and honorable Councelor and Andrea Gritti a Senator of singular prudence and integrity who now to the generall contentment and exceeding happines of our commonwealth wee acknowledge for our Duke and Prince that there should not thence forwarde be any mention made of paying any yearely interest neither that any suits kinde of subsidy or contribution shoulde thereafter be registred or enrolled in the common bookes and yet least the citizens should thinke themselues defrauded it was prouided that they should be paide their principall and likewise the interest due vntill the day of the decree for satisfaction of which they appointed out not onely An Officer appointed for the payment of the rownes debtes a great part of their tributes but also the whole possessions belonging to the common wealth in the teritorie of Rouigo The medling in which busines happened partly to my lot in regarde of an office that I then bare instituted of purpose before our times to diminish and lessen the debts of the common wealth or if it were possible vtterly to extinguish them of which I wil speak somewhat hereafter and so a great part was discharged of those heauie and vnmeasurable debtes with which the commonwealth was burthened and likewise the estate of the priuate citizens not left vnconuenientlie regarded yet alwaies so that the generall good was first prouided for and then the priuate which order is discended euen to our times from our auncesters from hand to hand Now then to turne our speech thether againe wherein we digressed The Presidentes of the lones are those that do gather together the money wherein the Cittizens are taxed at such times as the commonwelth needeth their helpe of which when in their bookes they haue taken a particular note and reckoning then finally they deliuer the same ouer to the Treasurer of the Chamber of the Citty from whome it belongeth to their charge to exact such summes of money as were yearely accustomed to be yeelded in steade of rent to the priuate Cittizens and likewise to register vp in their bookes both the receipt and expence thereof But this money which by the Senates decree is leuied of the Cittizens and is after a certaine time to bee restored vnto them againe was wont both to bee collected and repayed by a certaine peculiar Magistrate thereunto appointed Now this office Officers that do seaze and sell the goods of those that do not at the time appointed pay the mony in which they are taxed belongeth wholy to the Gouernours of the Rentes There is also an other money-Magistrate not to bee omitted to whose office it appertaineth to search seaze and to sell openly the goodes of such as do not at the time appointed pay the summe of mony at which they are taxed There are also other money-Magistrates that do seeke out the endebted Cittizens and do aswell peruse the bookes of account of priuate men as also those of the common welth to the end that the treasurie and common welth may not any way bee defrauded which for auoiding tediousnesse I will ouerpasse because they are not of any moment to that order and gouernement of our common wealth which I haue taken vpon mee to describe Presidents ouer the coyne or mintmaisters Besides these heretofore mentioned there are also certain other magistrates whose offices are of greate auaile to the commoditie quietnesse honour health and happinesse of our Countrie and therefore not to be ouerslipped in silence First are the maisters of the coyne aswell golde as siluer the currant goodnesse of which as yet entertaineth the willing trafique of straungers so is it comfortable and commodious to the Citizens within themselues then the cornmaisters and health maisters of Venice both being Corn masters Helth masters Presidentes of the Arsenall of great and exceeding consequence as likewise are the worshipfull Presidentes of the Arsenall Then are there certaine officers such as among the Romains Aediles were called Aediles to whose care belongeth the mending and repayring of the streetes and Bridges and other the like matters of that kinde and office exceedinglie requisite and necessarie in this common wealth of ours and lastly the office of those whome Procurators the Venetians call procurators being of great dignity and singularly auailable to the City Of the Presidents of the money or Mintmaisters I knowe not what I should say more then that their chiefe charge and care is that the gold and siluer be not coyned in any baser allay then that which by the law is appointed neither that the same beare any whit lesse weight then it should doe which hath beene of vs all most religiously obserued insomuch that the money of Venice is of great account and runneth currant aswell among the barbarous Nations as it doth in Christendome For whereas all other Christian Princes in a manner cause their mony to be stamped in a baser allay to the end to make it stretch the farther ours haue alwayes herein most constantlie retayned that dignitie which they receyued of their auncesters The magistrate that hath the charge for the prouision of corne is exceedingly necessarie to this city of Venice because there being but a small quantitie of corne to be gathered out of the territorie of Venice and the cittie being most populous and round about encompassed with lakes of necessitie there is greate care to bee had of these prouisions least the people whose
the onely blessing of his bountifull goodnesse The end of the last booke of the Commonwealth and Magistrates of Venice Sundry Notes and Collections which I haue gathered as well by reading and obseruation as also by conference with Venetian Gentlemen skilfull in the state of their countrey for the better vnderstanding of sundry points eyther not at all touched in the former discourse or else so obscurely that the reader being a stranger cannot thereby rest fully satisfied especially if he haue a curious desire to know euery particular of their gouernment But this being added vnto the former I doubt not but the state of the whole shal be so cleerly and exactly deliuered vnto him as though if it were possible he should see the same in a glasse THe Citie of Venice is seated vpon certaine Islands within the lakes of The situation of the Citie of Venice described by Donato Gianotti a Florentine more plain particular in mine opinion then that of Contaren us the Adriatique sea directly ouer against that place where the riuer Brenta that runneth along the territory of Padoua not long since entred into those lakes for the better knowledge of the nature and manner of which lakes you must vnderstand that the Prouince of Marca Treuizana which the ancients called Venetia whence this happie and famous Citie deriueth her beginning lyeth so low along the shore of the Adriatique sea that what through the waters of many riuers that fall from the maine lande as also the ouerflowinges of the sea which enter in through the gappes and breaches of that huge and mightie banke which they call Lito Maggior a great space thereof within the said banke remayneth Lito Maggior fennish and in water which space resembleth a bended bow the hollownesse of the land compassing and embracing the same being the bowe and the string being this great banke I speake of seruing as a bulwarke or rampire against the violence of the sea reaching from the point of the saide sea otherwise called Sinus Adriaticus and so extending it selfe in a manner still The banke extendeth it selfe 60. miles in a direct straight line till it come to ioyne with the shore of the mayne lande vnder Brondolo This banke hath here and there certaine gappes at which the sea at full tydes entreth in and at low and ebbing water goeth out againe and through them likewise doe those riuers that runne into the lakes passe into the sea Those openings are also called Portes or Hauens because they giue entry and passage to such ships as come and go from all partes of the world The principallest of them are those of Brondolo of Chioggia of Malomocco of Castella of S. Erasmo Lito Maggior and the Treports All that space then which is betweene the said banke the firme land is the same which we call the lakes of the Adriatique sea which yet are not so wholly drowned in water but that there are therein many vncouered dry places which are those Islands in which the bordering people saued themselues from the tempestuous barbarous furie of the Gothes and Vandales and being there assembled together did lay the foundation of this noble Citie which where it is neerest is fiue miles off from the maine lande and two from the banke it was in times past ten miles off from the maine land the lakes then stretching to that place vppon the Brente which as many thinke was then for that cause called Ora Lacus Ora Lacus and is now called Oriago But now notwithstanding Oriago all possible diligence vsed by the Venetians to the contrary all the way is quite dryed vp between that Leccia Fusina towne and Leccia Fusina where the boates that come from Padoua to Venice or go from Venice to Padoua are lifted ouer the banke or ssuce that keepeth the fresh water and the salt from meeting by certayne instrumentes like vnto our Cranes The citie of Venice is diuided into two partes with a channell which they call Il Canal grande one parte of The great channel that parreth the citie of Venice in two which looketh towardes the South and the West and the other towardes the East and the North. The channell slideth through in forme of the letter S. marked contrarily as here you see it S. it runneth ouer all with conuenient depth and breadth as Arnus doth through Florence and Pisa Tiber through Rome and the Adice through Verona They say that this channell was first made by the Brente when it entred into the sea by the breach in the banke called Porto di Castella before such Many other channels enter into the great channells time as the course thereof was stopped and diuerted at Leccia Fusina Many other channelles also of conuenient greatnesse with which Venice is adorned as other cities are with streetes haue recourse into the same for the most parte of these you must go by boate vnlesse it bee some that haue a little pathe on one of the sides and Streetes in Venice some on both sides but they are few There are also in Venice many lande streetes which they cal Calli but they are nothing faire for besides that they are neyther long nor straight they are so very narrow that two men can scarce go together in one of them side by side Bridges ouer the lesser channels Ouer the chanels there are made many little bridges of stone that do ioyne one streete to another yet not so thicke but that sometimes when you would go from one place to another which is but hard at hande you must fetch a great circuit about Vpon the great channel there is but one only bridge and the same of wood standing in the most frequented part of the citie for it ioyneth the Bialto which is the place where the marchantes meet with the streete that leadeth to the high Church where the Dukes Pallace standeth But because euery one that woulde passe the channell shall not neede to come to this bridge so farre Diuers ordinarie passages or ferries ouer the great channel about out of his way there are in diuers places certaine ordinary ferry boats vpon which pooremen do attend to set ouer such as shall require them they are appointed what number of persons they shall ferry ouer at once and withall what they shall take of euery passenger Likewise all the other lesser channelles are full of little boates which they call Gondolas to passe vp and downe along the Citie which the Venetians doe vse in steed of horses Mules and coaches The gentlemen haue many seruing to their owne vse and many besides wherewith their seruants gaine them money so that the number of those boats is exceeding great The beauty of the citie is much better perceyued by water then by land for the channels be vniuersally large all the fayrest buildinges of the citie are seated vpon them The fayrest shew of the
citie answereth vpon the water which though the answere also vpon the streetes for euery one hath two entries one by water another by land yet the fayrest shew is commonly still to the water There are also sundry very faire houses whose principall front is to the streete but the narrownesse of the streetes hindereth and eclipseth the magnificence of their sight Much garbage and filthinesse falleth from the citie into the channels which is carryed away by the flowing and ebbing of the water and yet that alone would not serue the turne but that they are also continually cleansed and taken away Tâ—e ayre of Venice very healthy In times passed as Victruuius writeth the ayre of Venice by reason of the lakes was thought to be vnholsome but now they hold that the ayre of Venice Padoua is purer and more healthy then in any other parte of Italie in so much that there is not in any place to be found more lustly old men well coloured of good complexions Donatus distinguisheth the inhabitants of Venice into Three sorts degrees among the Venetians three parts viz. Plebeyans citizens Gentlemen The Plebeians he tearmeth to be those that exercise base arts vtterly vncapable of office or degree in the common-wealth the citizens to be marchantes men of a degree aboue the other capable of certaine popular offices and the gentlemen to bee those of the great councell Lords of the state c. as aboue But this distinction is particular vnto himselfe contrary to Sabellicus Contarene and the rest who onely diuide them into two Plebeians and Patritians viz. the common people and the gentlemen The first beginnings of the city were in the year 421. The beginnings of the citie the first part that was builded thereof was the church of S. Iames that is now to be seene in the Rialto In the yere 1342. Andrea Dandulo being Duke there A great plague died of the pestilence so great a multitude of people in Venice that to repeople the same againe they were faine to grant to all such as would come dwell within Venice after two yeares habitation freedome of their citie Their number of fighting men There are reckoned to be twenty thousand houses in the Citie so that according to their computation allowing out of euery family two they are able to arme fortie thousand fighting men and in former times haue done so The gentlemen of the state abrode and at home are thought to be 3000. They are absolutely Lordes of the citie and whole estate both by sea and land The children and brethren of the Duke liuing and of the Dukes that are deceased are alwayes helde in very great honour and much respected The balles which they do vse in the great councel are eyther of Copper or Tin of which some are guilted some siluered Whosoeuer is chosen Elector for any office may if he shall so thinke good name himselfe in the same and so stand to the comprobation of the suffrages as in the former treatise is mentioned When any waightie matter is to bee handled in the great councell as the establishment of a new law or the definitiue determination of any great iudgement there must of necessitie be 600. gentlemen in the hall foure Councellors or else the same may not passe Signori delle Pompe There are certaine magistrates of whom the former treatise maketh no mention called Signiori delle pompe who are diligently to looke into the reformation of apparell and moderation of excesse generally in all other expenses and finally to see all such lawes strictly obserued as are in those behalfes prouided Censors There are likewise of late instituted and created with great authoritie two Censors whose office is chiefly to represse the ambition of the gentlemen to looke with seueritie into their faultinesse There was a law lately propounded by them in the great councell and by the same with great allowance ratified and enacted that thence forward there should bee no congratulation vsed at breaking vp of the Councell with those that had obtayned offices and honours which still remayneth in vigor and force for before time euery man at the opening of the Councell woulde presse to take them by the hand that were elected for Magistrates protesting with many vowes that they were glad in their harts of the honour and aduauncement befallen them yea euen those would say so that had giuen their suffiages against them which was by the Censors iudged to bee a great abuse and vnworthy of the Venetian nobilitie being in all other things so graue honorable Vpon the death of the Duke the six high counsellors do presently enter into the pallace the eldest counsellor supplying the place of the deceased Duke and dispatching sundry things that do appertain vnto the royall office All letters that in the mean time the state sendeth forth are entituled vnder the name of the gouernors all such as are sent vnto them are so directed superscribed They neuer stirre out of the Pallace till the creation of the new Duke The great gates also of the Pallace are closed and onely a wicket left open for people to go in and out keeping there also a guarde of men the same rather for a solemnitie and auncient custome then any needfull occasion For there is in the Cittie of Venice no greater alteration at the death of their Duke then at the death of any other priuate Gentleman onely the magistrates doe not in the meane while assemble about the dispatch of affaires till the creation of the new Duke hauing no leysure by reason of their busines thereabout to attende to any thing else The Dukes funerall The body of the dead Duke being adorned with royall garments is brought into a lower hal which they cal Sala de Pioueghi where it is kept three dayes together there are twentie Gentlemen all attyred in skarlet appointed to accompany the corps into the said hall and to sit round about it which likewise they do the following dayes at the end whereof his funerall is solemnised with all requisite pompe and magnificence After the buriall of the Duke the great Councell is presently assembled and in their first sitting there are chosen fiue Correctors and three Inquisitors the office of the Inquisitors is diligently to examine the life and Their office continueth but a yeare after the Dukes death actions of the passed Duke and whether he had obserued their countrie lawes if they finde him faultie they are bound to accuse him and the penalty by him deserued lighteth alwaies vpon his heires who yet are no otherwise punished then onely by the purse they amerced the heyres of Loredanus one of their late Dukes in 1500. Crownes onelie because he had not vphelde his dignity with such maiesty and magnificence as he should haue done and yet otherwise all they acknowledge him to haue beene a very wise and well deseruing prince The
choke and drie vp those Lakes time hath by little and little by the descent of those land riuers effected it without any forraine violence in dispight of all the defences opposed by the Venetians The great encompassing banke hath in manner as many ruptures and passages as are the great riuers that descend into the lakes at which the tides of the sea go in out ebbing and flowing euery sixe houres by turne The floud neuer ariseth higher then foure feet within the Gulfe vnlesse sometime when the winde Seirocco bloweth with an extraordinary violence then sometimes it ariseth to the height of seuen feet Sebastian Munsters description of the Citie of Venice VEnice was first the name of a Prouince and not of a Citie There be many other Townes in Italy of greater antiquitie About the yeare of our Lorde 300. there came out of Scithia a barbarous people called Hunnes ouerrunning sundry nations of Europe with exceeding terror and crueltie their first vagabonding race was into Thracia and thence they passed through Mesia Illiria into Italie The Venetians that then inhabited a Prouince vppon the firme lande on the Adriatique shore hearing of their arriual fled into the sea seating themselues there in little Ilandes of which there were many at hand liuing for the most part there by fishing The Rialto why to called At length they began to build vpon these Islands chiefly vpon that which is called Riuo alto to called because the water is more deepe then there about the other Islandes or els because that Island is more eminent then the rest in short space the deuastation and crueltie wrought by Attyla vpon the neighbouring land towns as Aquileia Concordia Alcina Padoua Optergia Heraclia Aquilius Grado Capreola and Lauretta did as it were by a reuolution giue a speedie beginning to the rising greatnesse of Venice The first founders thereof were those of Padoua in short time it increased in opulence and riches and grew mighty both by sea and lande conquering many Realmes Cities and Ilands of which the Turke in our time hath taken some from them He meaneth that she is coÌ„mandresse of the Adtiatique seas In fine this noble goodly and magnificent citie is become Queene of the sea and inhabited by people of sundry nations and traffiqued to by marchants from out all partes of the world There a man may heare all languages and see all diuersitie of garments it is said that the onely Tribute which the state rayseth of wine Sixe hundred thousand pound sterling salt and other thinges amounteth to two millions of Duckets besides the other tributes and rentes which they rayse of such Citties as are vnder their subiection The first created a Duke in the yeare of our Lord 700. before time their commonwealth was gouerned by Tribunes but afterwardes by reason of discord between themselues many attempts enterprised against theÌ„ by the Lombaras by commoÌ„ general confent they elected a Duke to maintaine them in concorde and to defende their liberty but in succession of time misliking their gouernment they put many of their Dukes to a shamefull death they slew Vrsus their third Duke in a sedition and put out both the eyes of Theodore his Munster calleth this Theodore Diendome sonne after he had likewise ruled them awhile they hanged Obleno their 10. Duke vpon a gibbet and afterwardes tare him to pieces they murthered the thirteenth in the church and burned the fourteenth in his pallace the yeare 958. they put the fifteenth into a cloister they banished the 28. and stoned to death the 45. called Rinaldo they imprisoned the 46. and beheaded the 55. These and other thinges are written of the Venetians and their Dukes but Gasper Contareno that hath written expresly of the commonwealth of Venice being himselfe a Senator of the City toucheth not at all the miserable end of these Dukes his attire is no whit different from that which kings doe vse for his garmentes are all of purple or rich cloth of golde hee weareth on his heade a royal diademe made of linnen which is inuironed with a hoode of purple aboute which there goeth a little crowne of golde when hee entreth into the Senate he hath his throne gorgeously adorned and the Senators speake vnto him with their heades bare standing vp as before a Prince all letters sent and receiued are directed and signed to and by the Duke The lawes are published in his name and their coyne stamped with his name and image in fine the Duke in all things representes the person of a king before his subiectes saue that he hath not the bridle of ful authoritie in his owne handes to make him appeare with the greater magnificence and pompe they allow him out of the common treasure 1500. Crownes which he may not turn to his particular vse but on such things as pertaine to the greatnes and traine of a prince otherwise his heires should be sure to pay the amends of so great dishonour after his death hee must of his owne charge maintaine a great troupe of seruantes to follow him when hee goeth abroade and to make euery yeare foure Bankets to the Senators and Gentlemen Vpon Ascention day according to the custome of his Predicessors hee goeth aborde a fine ship curiously trimmed and set sorth and in company of the Bishop The ship is called the Biâ—entorie and other Senators launcheth out into the Sea throwing a ring into the same with expresse words that hee marrieth the Sea in perpetuall Dominion and rule The Bishop also vseth certain ceremonies which being ended they departe the election of the Duke is in such sort by lot that no mans ambition brybery or subornation may stand him any way in steade presently vpon his choice hee is borne by the marriners with great pomp to the place of S. Marke throwing al the while money about in the streetes till such time as he come to the place where the Diademe is put on his heade Touching their rents riches common treasure reuenewes tributes exactions and customes that they leuie out of the Cities that are vnder them it is not easie to giue a iust reckoning but it is written that they do sometimes charge their subiectes with very heauie tributes Charlemaine graunted great priueledge to the Venetians for which notwithstanding they were vnthankefull and secretly sent aide to Nicephorus Emperour of Constantinople that was his enemie whereat Charlemain being agrieued sent his sonne Pepin whome he had made king of Italie to be reuenged so that Pepin leuying a great Armie chased them to the Rialto where hee intended to assault them and to that ende made a great long bridge but by reason of tempestuous weather his bridge brake and his enterprise failed In the yeare of our Lord 810. certaine marchantes brought the body of S. Marke from Alexandria to Venice The body of S. Mark when brought vnto Venice in whose honour they did build that most goodly
of Theyras who presentlie doe condemne for false fryuolous impossible whatsoeuer is not within the narrow lymits of their own capacitie included therein to excuse their owne ignorance by the disgrace of a better experience for mine own part therefore though no mans conceipt weaker or vnapter to apprehend then mine yet I euer held it decent to yeeld a respectiue gesture and due reputation to him that vpon his owne Wise and discrere speech beautifieth the hearer and delighteth the speaker knowledge taketh vpon him to deliuer vnto the hearers matter mouing them to maruell and such as common experience sometimes fayleth to approue of which sort vnlesse the partialitie of my affection deceiue mee there is not any that doth more beautifie the speaker or delight the hearer then the description of forreine regions the manners customes of farre distant countries the diuetsitie of their complections humor diet and attire and such like other singularities especially if they come from the mouth of a wise and well speaking traueller to whose tongue I could willingly endure to haue mine eares enclined while he distilleth into them the sweet liquors that he hath industriously extracted out of the painefull fruits of his forrein trauell nothing is here farther from my meaning then those who hauing gotten a fonde affected phrase of speech or some conceited toyes in their habite would be accounted great trauellers because perchaunce they haue seene the clocke at Strasburge or can talke of Maddona Margaritas pantables such being seconded with no farther vertue might much better haue spent their time at home but I speake of the wiser sort who returning amended in knowledge and not corrupted in manners nor disguised in behauiour haue by well spending their time abroad enabled and made themselues fit to doe their countrie seruice when occasion requireth such in mine opinion are to bee esteemed if for nothing els yet in regard that neglecting nearer waies of gaine by which we see at home euen the meanest capacities do arise vnto wealth and credite they expose themselues to many daungers content themselues with all vnease runne through all difficulties subiect to reprehension and vncertaine of reward neither caring to please their bodyes nor to fill their purses so they may enrich their mindes with a perpetuall directed entent to their countries good of which sometimes they are but slenderly requited yea and oftentimes through enuie of their sufficiencie dâ—pressed and malitiously censured for the most part being vsed like whetstones who giuing edge to others are themselues still kept bare the cause whereof as I take it proceedeth through the miraculous fertilitie of this age wherein wee liue which bringeth soorth men so rarely qualified and of such ripe pregnant conceipts that they can gather out of their soft beds and full dishes at home better abilitie to iudge bolder audacity to speake and a quicker insight to discern and censure other mens sufficiences then others can in many yeares trauell abroad with many carefull thoughtes industrious penuries and paineful inconueniences belonging vnto that life attaine vnto it was not so in Homers time for he vnder the person of Vlisses indeuored to deseribe and patterne forth the most perfect and accomplished Gentleman of Greece hee did not praise him for the nimblenesse of his tongue the gainesse of his cloathes nor the Vlisses praised by Homer for hauing seene many countries and the fashions of many men boldnesse of his face no nor for his superficiall smattering in many bookes but he said Multornm mores vidit vrbes making that the foundation whereupon to build the rest of his prayses in fine how succesles soeuer their vertuous endenours fall out there is no kind of people with whome I do willinglyer conuerse as being fruitfull and pleasing in their discourses so also through their acquaintance with the ciuilitie of other nations moderate and offenceles in their behauiour of which sorte it hath been my happinesse to be beholding to many of sundry nations for their friendly conuersation who neuer were so willing at any time to speake as I euer was ready to receiue their discourses with an attentiue eare wherein I alwaies especially obserued one thing that whether they with whom I conferred were Englishmen French men Spaniards Germains Polonians yea or Italians borne in the bordering prouinces as of each sort I haue beene acquainted with many though sundrie of them had been in the farthest parts of Asia and Affrica yet comming once to speake of the cittie of Venice they would inforce their speech to the highest of all admiration as being a thing of the greatest worthinesse and most infinitely remarkable that they had seen in the whole course of their trauels Some of the youthfuller sort would extoll to the skies their humanitie towardes straungers the delicacie of their entertainments the beauty pomp daintines of their women finally the infinite superflutties of all pleasure and delightes Other of a grauer humor would dilate of the greatnes of their Empire the grauitie of their prince the maiesty of their Senate the vnuiolablenes of their lawes their zeale in religioÌ„ and lastly their moderation and equitie wherewith they gouerne such subiected prouinces as are vnder their dominion binding them therby in a faster bonde of obedience then all the cytadels garrisons or whatsoeuer other tyrannicall inuentions could euer haue brought them vnto These and such like reportes haue from time to time kindled within me so greate a desire to acquaint myselfe with the particularities of this famous Cittie that though during the time of my trauell destinate to more vnhappy courses I was not so fortunate as to bee a beholder of the glorie thereof yet I haue not omitted from time to time to gather such obseruations as well by reading the best and choicest authors entreating there of as also by conference with sundry wel experienced gentlemeÌ„ as might not onely satisfie the curiositie of my own desire but also deliuer vnto other a cleare and exact knowledge of euery particularitie worthy of note that thereunto appartaineth which cannot as I imagine the noblenesse of the subiect considered but bee All other excellent gouernments comprehended within that of Venice pleasing and agreeable to the best conceipted spirits who may out of this one commonwelth of Venice gather and comprehend the fruite of all whatsoeuer other gouernments throughout the world that are of any same or excellency for in the person of the Venetian prince who sitting at the helme of this citie shineth in all exterior ornamentes of royall dignitie neuerthelesse both he and his authority being wholy subiected to the lawes they may see a straunge and vnusuall forme of a most excellent Monarchie Then what more perfect and liuely pattern of a well ordered Aristocraticall gouernment can there in the worlde bee expressed then that of their Councell of Pregati or Senators which being the onely chiefe and principall members of all supreame power yet haue not any
power mean or possibility at all to tyranize or to peruert their Country lawes Lastly if they desire to see a most rare and matchlesse president of a Democrasie or popular estate let them beholde their great Councell consisting at the least of 3000. Gentlemen whereupon the highest strength and mightinesse of the estate absolutely relyeth notwithstanding which number all thinges are ordered with so diuine a peaceablenes and so without all tumult and confusion that it rather seemeth to bee an assembly of Angels then of men In fine whithersoeuer you turne your eyes they shall not encounter any thing but obiectes of admiration their iustice is pure and vncorrupted their penall Lawes most vnpardonably executed their encouragements to vertue infinite especially by their distribution of offices dignities which is ordered in such so secrete strange and intricate a sort that it vtterly ouerreacheth the subtiltie of all ambitious practises neuer falling vpon any but vpon such as are by the whole assembly allowed for men of greatest wisedome vertue and integritie of life as by the following discourse most euidently shall appeare But besides these before rehearsed there are sundry other so maruellous and miraculous considerations and in their owne exceeding singularitie beyond all resemblance or comparison with any other Commonwealth so vnspeakeablie sirange that their wonderfull rarenesse being verified maketh the straungest impossibilities not seeme altogether incredible as for example first touching the situation thereof what euer hath the worlde brought forth more monstrously strange then that so great glorious a Citie should bee seated in the middle of the sea especially to see such pallaces monasteries temples towers turrets pinacles reaching vp vnto the cloudes founded vpon Quagmires and planted vppon such vnfirme moorish and spungie foundations there being neytherwood nor stone nor matter fit for building within tenne miles thereof for so farre distant from it was the nearest maine land at such time as the first foundation was laide Besides what is there that can carrie a greater disproportion with common rules of experience thē that vnweaponed men in gownes should with such happinesse of successe giue direction law to many mightie and warlike armies both by sea and land and that a single Citie vnwalled and alone should command ouer toppe mighty kingdomes and such famous farre extended prouinces remayning euer it selfe inuincible and long robed citizens to bee serued yea and sued vnto for entertainment by the greatest princes peeres of Italy amidst which infinit affluence of glorie and vnmeasurable mightinesse of power of which there are in soueraignty pertakers aboue 3000. gentlemen yet is there not one among them to bee found that doth aspire to any greater appellation of honour or higher tytle of dignitie then to be called a Gentleman of Venice including in the same the height of all imaginable honour so deare vnto this generous people is the name and loue of their noble country And lastly though not least to be wondred at they haue as it were entertayning a league intelligence with the heauenly powers preserued this royall Citie of theirs this 13. hundred yeares since the first foundation thereof in an estate so perpetually flourishing vnblemished that though sundry mighty kinges and Emperours being enamored with her beauty and goodlinesse haue with maruellous endeuour and multitude of armies sought to possesse themselues of so faire and precious a pray yet haue they hitherto kept her like a pure and vntouched virgine free from the taste or violence of any forraine enforcement The strange beginning mighty increase and long continuing greatnesse of this happy commowea th hath serued to many present writers for the glorious subiect of their learned histories among the rest he that hath written thereof with greatest iudgement authoritie in my opinion is the Cardinal Gasper Contareno by birth a Gentleman and by desert and worthinesse at that time a Senator of Venice but being now aboue fourescore years since he wrote the same since which time there haue succeeded many alterations of lawes and changes of matters in his country I thought it not unnecessarie to adde therevnto sundrie other particularities gathered as I said partly by conference partly by reading of other learned Authors as Donato Iustinian Munster Bodin Ant Stella Sansouino Domenico Francesco Girolamo Bardi c. Contareno did first write this treatise in Latine the same being since his time translated into Italian by a Gentleman of Italie which translation I haue here chiefly followed though still comparing the same with the Latine originall in regarde of my desire to expresse the proper names of their Magistrates lawes and ceremonies according to their common appellations which is much altered in the Latine stile I will not speake of my paines herein nor enter into any insinuating challenge of thankes for in truth I haue neither taken the one nor deserued the other hauing written it at idle times when I had nothing els to doe being at much more leysure then willingly I woulde bee But me thinkes I heare it vbrayded vnto me that it is now rather a time to doe then to write I confesse it to be so for him that is well set on worke and yet hee that writeth well is neuer the farther off from doing well so that for my part I holde it no disgrace to write so long as my penne vttereth no d shonestie My education hath been in the wars this I onely doc to beguile time wishing that whosoeuer shall herein censure mee amisse would be as ready as my selfe both in minde and body when eyther the cōmandement of my prince or the occasion of my countrie shalinioine me to other courses in the meanetime vtterly carelesse of mine owne praise I yet intreate them that shal reade this discourse to intertaine this famous Common wealth with all friendlinesse and fauour if in no other regarde yet in this that therest of the whole world honoreth her with the name of a Virgin a name though in all places most sacred venerable yet in no place more dearely and religiously to bee reuerenced then with us who haue thence deriued our blessednesse which I beseech God may long continue among vs. Lewes Lewkenor LO here describ'd though but in little roome Faire Venice like a spouse in Neptunes armes For freedome Emulus to ancient Rome Famous for councell much much for armes Whose story earst written with Tuscan quill Lay to the English wits as halfe concealed Till Lewkners learned trauell and his skill In well grac'd stile and phrase hath it reuealed Venice be proud that thus augments thy fame England be kind enricht with such a booke Both giue the honor to that worthy Dame For whom this taske the writer vndertooke Iohn Harington The First Booke of the Magistrates and Commonwealth of the Venetians I Hauing oftentimes obserued many strangers men wise learned who arriuing newly at Venice and beholding The admiration of strangers at their first
remained vntouched from the violence of any enemy since the first building there of which is aboue 1100 yeares families But which is more since those times which we haue not read hath happened to any other city from the first building therof euen vntil this time being now a thousand and one hundred yeares it hath preserued it selfe free and vntouched from the violence of any enemie though being most opulent and furnished aswell of gold and siluer as of all other thinges that might yea euen from the farthest parts of the world allure the Barbares to so rich a bootie and spoile So that I doe not disalow their opinion that haue deemed the Citie of Venice to excell and go beyond all other Cities But yet there is one thing more in this citie which not onely in my iudgement farre exceedeth all those thinges which wee haue spoken of but likewise in all their opinions that do not account a Citie to bee the walles and houses onely but rather the assemblie and order of the citizens chiefly and with greatest worthinesse to challenge that name and this is the true reason manner forme of commonwealthes through which men enioy a happie and quiet life This is that rare and excellent thing wherein Venice seemeth to shine and to surpasse all antiquitie for though it is apparant that there hath beene many commonwealthes which haue farre exceeded Venice as well in empire and greatnesse of estate as in militarie discipline and glory of the wars yet hath there not beene any that may bee paragond with this of ours for institutions lawes prudently decreed to establish vnto the inhabitantes a happie and prosperous felicitie the proofe whereof is made manifest by the long continuance thereof in such security and happinesse which when I consider with my self I am wont greatly to wonder at the wisedome of our ancestors at their industry the vertue of their minds their incredible loue and charity towardes their country There were in Athens Lacedaemon and Rome in sundry seasons sundry rare and vertuous men of excellent desert and singular pietie towardes their country but so fewe that being ouerruled by the multitude they were not able much to profite the same But our auncestors from whome wee haue receyued so flourishing a common-wealth all in one did vnite themselues in a consenting The nobility of Venice not so ambitious of their owne as of their countries honor desire to establish honour and amplifie their country without hauing in a manner any the least regarde of their owne priuate glorie or commodity And this any man may easily coniecture that the nobilitie of Venice was neuer so ambitious of any priuate matter pertayning to themselues as they were alwayes infinitely zealous of the honour commodity and aduancement of their country in regarde that there are in Venice to bee found none or very few monuments of our auncestors though both at home and abroad many things were by them gloriously atchieued and they of passing and singular desart towards their countrie There are no stately â—ecchi di naui tombes erected no military statues remaining no stemmes of ships no ensignes no standrads taken from their enemies after the victory of many and mighty battailes Andreas Contareno Duke of Venice I wil among innumerable others touch onely the example of Andraeas Contareno an ancestor of mine who being prince of our commonwealth in the Genowes war the greatest and most dangerous that euer we endured did not onely preserue our countrey with his singular wisedome and maruellous greatnesse of courage but did so vtterly ouerthrow our enemies they triumphing euen then as it were in an assured victory that they in a manner were all eyther slaine or taken prisoners Finally hauing so mightily preserued his country and amplified and established the commonwealth hee passed out of this life or dayning by testament that on his sepulcher which at this day is to be seene in S. Stephens church there should not be placed any armes or ensignes of our familie neither which is more is there so much as the name of so great a Duke engraued but rather by his modestie is it come to passe that the sepulcher of so famous excellent a prince is in a manner vtterly vnknowen I imagine this to be a most certain argument that our auncestors delighted not in vaineglorie or ambition but had only their intentiue care to the good of their country and common profite With this then exceeding vertue of mind did our auncestors plant and settle this such a commonwealth that since the memory of men whosoeuer shal go about to make compare between the same the noblest of the ancients shal scarcely find any such but rather I dare affirme that in the discourses of those great Philosophers which fashioned forged coÌ„monwealths according to the desires of the mind there is not any to be founde so well fayned and framed for which cause I thought I should doe a thing very gratefull to strangers if I shoulde describe the order of so renowned a commonwealth especially because in this time among the number of so many men learned and of pregnant wits ripe in the knowledge of all things and excelling in eloquence I see not any that hath vndertaken this honorable taske To which though I know the weakenesse of our stile cannot yeeld any ornament yet the same is of it selfe so noble that it is able not onely to yeeld dignitie to it selfe but also to the vnworthinesse of my speech Being therefore determined to write of this our commonwealth to the end that euery one may know whether the same be well or ill disposed I thinke it best to take my beginning from hence That man is by nature made a ciuile creature but alone by himselfe neither able to liue well not to liue at all which euery daies necessitie and the manner of victuailing and clothing approueth and for this cause euen from the beginning did men enter into ciuile societie and therein continued to the ende that so they might liue happily and commodiously which is that with mutuall helpe and diligence they might obtaine the chief good incident to men so long as the course of this their mortal life endureth wherunto the whole reason of ciuil institution pertaineth that by the easiest way No life happy and blessed but that which contayneth in it the vse of vertue possible the citizens may be made possessors of a happy life But a life happie and blessed is so tearmed of great Philosophers the which containeth in it selfe the vse of vertue which they do approue with most assured reasons and vndenyable arguments Now the vse of vertue appeareth as well in the offices of warre as in the functions of peace which notwithstanding though the praise of warre and the manner of discipline thereunto belonging be necessary to a Citie for the preseruation of the libertie and defence of the confines and contayneth in it selfe great dignitie
so wise and vertuous and of such stedfast constancic that no perturbation were able to make his mind recoile from his duetie yet neither on this condition were the rule of man to be wished for before the gouernment of lawes for he being of a mortall fraile nature could not long enioy that function when lawes as I said do in a manner concurre with eternitie By these I thinke it sufficiently persuaded that the souerainty of gouernment should be recommended not to men but to lawes to whose will yet some few thinges may be permitted that are not well in lawes to bee comprehended neuerthelesse it is necessary that there bee A Gardian of the lawes made a certaine Gardian as Liestenant and minister of the laws who may gouerne the commonwealth according to the rule of the lawes And because all those thinges that come into iudgement cannot be comprehended in lawes that he then be an arbiter ruler of those matters that are in question now againe returneth that controuersie of constitution of lawes which Whether a few or the whole multitude be to bee preferred to the defence of of the lawes to some might seeme already decided that is to say whether one or a few or the whole multitude be to be preferred to the defence of the lawes to iudge those things that do not fal into the comprehension of lawes And though in the opinion of many men the kingly domination is of highest esteeme and greatest account neuerthelesse I shoulde thinke that though the principalitie of one alone that should lawfully and by right challenge to himselfe the dignity of a king if the matter be by it selfe considered shoulde seeme of all other the best yet in regarde of the breuitie of life and mans fraile disposition which for the most parte enclineth to the worser parte the gouernment of the multitude is farre more conuenient to the assemblie of citizens which experience the mistresse of all thinges doth elegantly teach vs because that wee haue not read that there was among auncientes any souerainty of a king neyther haue wee in our time seene any that had not soone declyned into tiranny on the contrary side many commonwealthes that haue continued prosperously many ages and flourished both in peace and warre yet is the whole multitude of it selfe vnapt to gouerne vnlesse the same be in some sort combined together for No ciuil society can remain perfect vnlesse the same be in a vnity contained there cannot bee a multitude without the same bee in some vnitie contayned so that the ciuill society which consisteth in a certaine vnity will bee dissolued if the multitude become not one by some meane of reason so that the best philosophers and those that haue learnedlyest written of the ordering of a commonwealth iudged that in the gouernment therof there should be a temperature betweene the state of nobility popular sort to the ende that the inconueniences of either gouernmental one might be auoided and the commodities of both ioyntly inioyed for which cause they doe highly The common-wealth of the Lacedemonians gouerned by the king the Ephores the Senate The same wholly instituted to the offices exercises of war commend the commonwealth of the Lacedemonians in which the kings the Ephores the senates made a certain mixture so that it is hard to decipher vnder what sort of gouernment the same can be placed onely this they reprehend that it was onely instituted to the offices of war without any regard of the offices of peace quietnesse wherby it came to passe that the same being glorious and renowned in many excellent vertues so soon as euer it began to liue at quiet presently declined at length vtterly fell to ruine which also and for the same cause befell the Romaines neyther was the euent thereof vnforeseene of sundry of the chiefe Senators The cause of the ruine of the Lacedemonian Romane commonwealth among the which Nasica was of opinion that Carthage though enuious of the Romane greatnesse and as it were in competencie withall ought not to haue beene ruined to the end that Rome might still haue an enemie with whom to occupie it selfe in armes lest their enemie and corriuall being taken away the common-wealth being instituted to warre and the youth nourished in armes they shoulde turne their weapons vpon themselues which counsell of Nasica though it was then refused of the Senates and the contrary decreed neuertheles the euēt proued the same to haue bin most wise prudent for Carthage being destroyed presently in a manner they burst out into ciuill warres through which at length the same being the most flourishing mighty commonwealth that euer was fel downe to the ground and that Citie abounding in such opulency as being in manner Queene of the worlde became a pray to the barbarous But to come now at length to our determined taske it appeareth that our auncestors which instituted the commonwealth of Venice were men indued with admirable wisedome and vertue in that they omitted nothing which might seeme to pertaine to the right institution of a commonwealth for first they ordayned the whole life and exercise of their citizens to the vse and office of vertue and alwaies with greater regard and reckoning applyed their minds to the maintenance of peace then to glorie of warres The Venetians applyed their minds more to the maintenance of peace then to the glory of wars bending alwaies their chiefest care and studie to the preseruation of ciuill concorde and agreement among themselues not in the mean time neglecting warlike offices such I meane as were fitte and conuenient for our Citie of which the situation is such that it serueth well and is commodious for warres by sea but vnfitte for warres by land for neyther squadrons of horsemen nor troupes of footmen can by any meanes be accomodated thereunto as by my former description thereof may easily bee coniectured Besides they vsed such a moderation and temperature and such a mixture of all estates that this onely cittie retayneth a princely soueraigntie a gouernment of the nobilitie a popular authority so that the formes of them all seeme to be equally ballanced as it were with a paire of weights as more plainely hereafter shall appeare But now finally to come to the institutiō of our Venetian commonwealth the whole authority of the city frō whose decrees and lawes aswell the senate as all other The great councell in which consifteth the whol authority of the common-wealth of Venice magistrates deriue their power and authority is in that councell into which all the gentlemen of the Citie being once past the age of 25. yeares are admitted and sundry of them not yet come to that age so that they be full twentie which priuiledge they obtaine by the benefite of lottes of which hereafter we will discourse the whole manner Now first I am to yeeld you a reckoning how and with what wisedome
it was ordayned by our auncestors that the common people should not bee admitted into this company of citizens in whose authority consisteth the whole power of the common wealth then that this definition of citizens was not with lesse wisedome measured rather by the nobility of linage then the greatnes of wealth as in auncient commonwealthes it was wont as many old philosophers do prescribe for though the citie is the company of citizens yet all those men whose trauaile the Citie needeth yea and that dwell within the walles thereof are not generally to bee reckoned in the number nor registred in the right of citizens for euery citie standeth in neede of artificers and many mercenarie people and hired seruants of which none can bee truely tearmed a citizen for a citizen is a free man but those are all seruile eyther priuately or publikely for mercenarie men Mercenary men and artificers to be held as publike seruants artificers are all to be accounted as publique seruants for it is to bee beleeued that a liuing creature is not otherwise made of nature then it is needefull that the citie should bee of men for as in a liuing creature are many partes that haue no life yet the creature needeth them towardes the maintenance of life so in a company of citizens there is a necessary vse of many men who neuerthelesse ought neither to bee nor to be reputed or placed in the number of citizens for which cause it was wisely ordayned of our ancestors that the whole people should not haue power in this commonwealth which they desired to fashion in the highest degree of perfection Because many troubles popular tumults arise in those citties whose gouernment is swaied by the common people which we haue also read hath beene obserued in sundry commonwealthes also deliuered in way of precept by many and great philosophers yet many were of contrarie opinion deeming that it would doe well if this manner of gouerning the common-wealth should rather bee defined by abilitie and abundance of riches but here againe they fell into great absurdities The absurdity of those that elect the rulers magistrates of their commonwealth by the abundance of their riches and no small inconueniences for it happeneth often that those of the basest sort yea of the very skum of the people do scrape together great wealth as those that apply themselues to filthy artes and illiberall occupations neuer sparing the toilesome and carefull wearing out of their liues but with an intollerable sauing defrauding themselues of the comforts of life thereby to increase their substance Contrariwise the honest citizens and those that are liberally brought vppe oftentimes fall to pouertie either as it often happeneth by aduerse fortune or els that being wholly addicted to noble and liberall studies they neglect the increasing of their wealth whereby it commeth that filthy and ill mannerd men sauouring of nothing but gaine vtterly ignorant of good artes by little and little come to gouerne the commonwealth and those that are honest of liberall condition by the decay of their substance do loose the right of citizens wherby of necessity there must arise great seditions and troubles to the common-wealth Therefore our wise and prudent ancestors lest their commonwealth should happen into these calamities ordered that this definition of the publike rule Nobility of lineage to be in election of magistrates preferred before riches should go rather by the nobility of lineage then by the estimation of wealth yet with that temperature that men of chiefe supreme nobilitie should not haue this rule alone for that wold rather haue been the power of a few then a commonwealth but also euery other citizen whosoeuer not ignobly borne so that all which were noble by birth or enobled by vertue or well deseruing of the commonwealth did in the beginning obtain this right of gouernment which hath likewise happened in these times of ours yea and some forrain men and strangers haue beene adopted into this number of Strangers sometimes adopted into the right of citizens by the Venetians citizens eyther in regard of their great nobility or that they had beene dutifull towardes the state or els had done vnto them some notable seruice This whole assembly therefore of the citizens or as commonly it is termed this great councell vpon whose authority the whole power of this commonwealth as also the dignitie of the senat and of all the magistrates dependeth representeth The Duke ruleth during life in this commonwealth the forme of a popular state The Duke who hath no time of gouernment limited vnto him but ruleth during life beareth the shew of a kingly power representing in all thinges the glory grauitie and dignity of a king the rest of the citizens do beare him honor and reuerence as vnto a king all decrees lawes and publike letters go forth vnder his name But the Senate the tenne the colledge of elders or chiefe counsellors which amongst vs of the cōmon people are commonly called the sages those I say which do consult of matters after from the common-wealth do make report vnto the Senat carry with them a certaine shew of an Aristocracy or gouernment of the nobilitie which seeing they are the chiefe parts of this commonwealth before we come to the meaner magistrates we will speake particularly of these We wil take our beginning from the greater councell vpon which the whole commonwealth dependeth All yong men of the nobilitie which haue accomplished Yong Gentlemen at 20. yeares of their age admitted to the great councell of Venice the age of 20. years do go vnto the office which commonly is called aduocatory to which the defence of the lawes chiefly belongeth before which presenting themselues with their father or with their mother if he be dead or in case of both their wants with some neere kinseman they doe proue with the witnesse besides of two honest men neither of them being of the mothers kindred themselues to be borne of that father whom they alledge not bastards but in lawfull matrimony that their mother liued in fame of an honest woman The witnesses sweare in this manner that they do manifestly know it by the report and consent of An oath taken in the behalfe of the yong gentlemen before they are admitted into the councell al those that know them Then the father or the mother or they both wanting the kinsemen affirme with the oath that the young man hath passed his 20. yeares which thinges after they are directly registred by the clearke of the office they then attend the fourth day of the moneth of Decemb. on which day the names of all these yong men that haue not yet by lotte obtained the right of citizens nor are not passed 25. years old are put into a pot and carried vnto the prince there the same set before the counsellors with which there is another pot wherin are round balles
third fourth competitor if there be so many All the suffrages being reckoned vp he that hath them most in his fauour so that they exceede the halfe is pronounced chosen of the chiefe secretary at such time as the sessions being ended the councel is to be dismissed But if it so fall out that none of the competitors for that magistracy haue any more then the iust halfe of the lots in his fauour then is the whole proceeding held as voide and the appointment of that office deferred to the next sessions After that the first magistracie is in the sessions determined of then are the names pronounced of those that are elected in the second the competitors go into the conclaue with their kindred and alliance those that were shut in before that is to say the kindred and allyance of the first competitors returne into the sessions and the very like order and manner as in the first do they obserue in their suffrages for the competitors of the second magistracie which being numbred by the counsellors hee is helde for elected that exceedeth the rest in number of voyces so that they exceede the halfe The Sessions being ended the names of the elected are pronounced by the chiefe Secretarie and then the whole Councell is dismissed which may The councell may not be prolonged after the setting of the Sunne not at all bee helde or prolonged after the sunne is once downe so if in that day they make not an ende of all then do they declare the names of those that are already chosen and as for those that remaine there is no reckoning to bee made at all so that they remaine frustrate of the benefite which the nomination of the Electors had put them in hope of And this was so ordayned not without great reason for if the matter shoulde haue beene prolonged within night it would not haue beene easie for those magistrates that are Presidentes of the sessions to containe so great a multitude of citizens in order but that through fauor of the darkenesse they woulde haue attempted somewhat preiudiciall to the lawes Therefore our graue auncestors men indeede wise prouident preuenting the inconueniences that thereby might happen with exceeding carefulnesse and wisedome ordained that the sessions shoulde not by any meanes be continued after the setting of the Sunne neither would that by any meanes that light should bee brought into the hall while the sessions endured This is the whole manner of the proceeding in the sessions but by the way it is to be noted that the offices are so distributed among the citizens that two of one family kindred or neere alliance may not by any meanes haue Two of one kindred on family may not haue place in office nor bee Electors place in one and the same office neither in the sessions may two of one family or neere alliance be by benefite of lotte electors as I said before the same likewise being ordained with great reason and discretion to the end that the preheminence of publike authoritie might pertaine to many and not bee engrossed vp among a few least thereby through too much greatnesse of power might become disturbers or oppressors of the commonwealth and on the other side those that doe find themselues voide and hopelesse of honour and gouernment might grow into a dislike and hatred of the same The dangerous estate of that gouernment which many of the citizens doe seeke to alter vndermine And without doubt it is almost impossible for that commonwealth to maintaine it selfe afoot and to stand firme whose gouernment many of the citizens do seek to alter or vndermine so that nothing is more proper to a commonwealth then that the common authority and power should belong to many for it is iust that the citizens by whom the state of the Cittie is maintained being otherwise among themselues equall should not in this distribution of honours bee made vnequall But they that do reduce the publike authority into a few families doe easily fall vppon that estate of gouernment which the Greeks call Oligarchia Therefore in the commonwealth of Venice the offices are so diuided among the citizens that inso much as may be euery family kindred may be pertaker of the publike honors and offices and yet in that measure that not euery one do gouerne but those onely that doe excell the rest in honestie and wisedome and are deemed to be such men as will more regard the publike then the priuate commonditie That first institution hath I know not what of popular but the other sauoureth only of the gouernment of the Nobilitie whereby it is manifest that there is in this cittie of ours an excellent contriued mixture of the best and iustest gouernments for though vpon the first viewe this great councell of ours seeme to beare the shew of a popular estate yet looking well into it you shall find therein an apparant entermixture of the gouernment or the nobility I grant that the election of The commōwealth of Venice is neither a popular estate nor an Olygarchy but a wel tempered gouernment betweene both magistrates by lot is a matter popular especially where right and iustice is measured not by a determinate prudence but simply by an arithmetical equality for considering say they that euery one is a cittizen freeman one as well as another and that among equalles things ought equally to bee diuided euery one ought to bee sweetned alike with participation of the honours and commodities of the commonwealth without more exclusion of one more then another now in regarde that all cannot rule at once but by turnes they thinke fit that the matter should be committed meerely to lot that they should rule to whome the same should bee fauourable The contrary is alleadged by those where full power authority consisteth in the mightinesse of a few for they suppose vnequall thinges to belong to vnequall persons and that therefore mean men should content themselues with a meane honorlesse estate that the great and highest dignities should belong to them that do farthest exceed the rest in riches in which reckoning eyther of both parties strayeth far wide from the true perfect path though eyther of them relyeth vpon a reason in apparance seeming true for wheras the one affirmeth equall thinges to belong to equall persons the other that men vnequal in riches should be vnequall in gouernment the first measuring the equality likenes only by number the other the vnlikelinesse and imparitie onely by riches they are without doubt both of them besides the cushion For they that are in number equall are in some sort equall but not wholly those that are in riches vnequall though in some sort vnequall yet are they not wholly to bee accounted vnequall but the institution of a ciuill life tending chiefly to liue wel it is only vertue that must make this difference To those then that
do excell the rest in vertue the chiefest honors are due as being most worthy aboue the equalitie of the rest and so likewise equall rule and dignitie belongeth to those that are in vertue equall and in ciuill industry and this is the true measure perfect rule to distinguish men As therefore the choise of electors by lot is popular so doeth it also sauor of a noble better gouernment that they should bee chiefliest aduanced in honor that do chiefliest surmount the rest in vertue iudgement and counsell and that the vnworthier should receiue the repulse Whereby you may plainly perceiue that in this manner of our gouernment there is mingled with a popular shew the forme of a nobler rule yet vsed with such temperature that the same doth not exceed nor go beyond the mean manner of the popular authority For in choice of the electors onely chance ruleth of which dignitie the worst and basest may without hurt or detriment of the commonwealth be partakers in equall power with the best worthiest citizens but in the essentiall distribution of honors and dignities chaunce hath no power at all the same being wholly done by a deliberate election aduised iudgement And here me thinketh I ought not to ouerslip in silence that in those sessions which do concerne the bestowing of offices to which men of the greatest wisedome honesty diligence are required the senate of it selfe maketh vp a fift order to the 4. The senate when any principall office is to be prouided for hath authority to create a fift competitor before expressed orders of electors For whiles the other electors seperated in conclaues or places appointed for that purpose do pronounce such to be competitors as they shal in their iudgements think meet thē if so be the sessions do concerne any such especial office as beforesaid the senate doth also withdraw it selfe into an inner chamber and there euery Senator hath power to name such one as he shall please in the office of which the present question is and whosoeuer shall chance to haue most voyces in his fauour is elected in this cabinet of the Senate and created the fift Competitor whereby it plainely appeareth that in this common-wealth of ours the forme of an Aristocracie is much more excellent then the popular gouernment But the manner and meanes of this kind of councell is hitherto vnlesse I be deceiued of vs sufficiently expressed and made plaine Let vs now come to that part of the commonwealth the which not vnlike to a well tuned dyapason in musicke where the base is to the treble aptly proportioned carrying with it the shew of a Monarchie hath notwithstanding a correspondency with the popular gouernment and finally a middle sort of Magistrates being betweene them both interposed doth grow as it were into a wel concenting harmony of an excellent commonwealth The end of the first booke The Second Booke of Venetian Commonwealth and Magistrates THe exterior shew of the prince in the Cittie of Venice deliuereth to the eyes of the beholders the person of a king and the very resemblance of a monarchie Therefore it shal not in my opinion do amisse if hauing described that assembly of citizens which representeth the forme of a popular estate though for the dignity of the matter vnsufficiently yet considering the slendernesse of our forces not altogether vndiligently if we now take vpon vs to expresse the first reason that moued our wise vertuous auncestors to place one man onely at the helme of their commonwealth and also when and what was the beginning of this royall and princely institution No man I suppose is ignorant of that which is so often of vs in this worke repeated which is that a Cittie is a certaine ciuill societie sufficing within it selfe of such thinges as are necessarie to the leading of a happie and quiet life and there is no question to be made but that euery ciuill societie is contained and linked together in a certaine vnitie and by distraction and breach of that vnity is againe as easily dissolued For nothing hath sooner ouerthrowne the mightie and opulent estate of many great glorious citties that hereto fore haue perished then homebred discord and ciuill dissention Now a vnitie cannot well be contayned vnlesse one being placed in authoritie aboue not onely the vulgar multitude but also all the rest of the citizens and officers haue authoritie to combine them together being scattered disioynted and to bind them as it were all into one entire body which the great philosophers that were the searchers out and as it were diuers into the secretes of Nature did notably marke and obserue as well in the constitution of the whole worlde as also of this Microcosme or little worlde which is Man For they well founde out that in this vniuersitie of thinges the many and disagreeing motions of each particular thing according to the nature thereof were all vpheld and maintayned vnder one heauenly and eternall mouer and so likewise all causes vnder one the first cause of all things and as in a liuing creature there are many and diuers members whose functions are sundrie and different yet neuerthelesse are all comprised vnder one onely life member which is the hart and are by the same as it were gathered held in a vnity so likewise if the multitude be not so ordered digested that it may acknowledge one head and superior in whose heart shal rest principallie engraued an especiall care to conserue the common good the perfection of ciuill agreement whereunto the actions as well of euery priuate citizen as publike magistrate as to the last chiefe principal end ought to be directed surely the same cannot long time continue but drawing diuers waies must needs fal to decay ruine for if the charge of the common good be not principally to some one committed of necessity the too intentiue care that euery one will haue of the particular office wherein hee is imployed must needs turne to the common hinderance as for example The officers for prouision of corne wil cause out of all parts great quantities to be brought to the citie procuring onely the cheapenes and plenty thereof which perchance woulde not proue so profitable to the publike tolles The officers likewise of the nauie and sea matters which are among vs of great estimation credit would industriate themselues peraduenture too much thereabout in building great numbers of gallies in gloriously adorning thē with all sorts of cost warlike instruments spending therin whatsoeuer of the cōmon treasure they could get into their fingers through which ouer costly diligence the rest of the publike receipts wold hardly suffice to repair castels wals of towers to pay garrisons to defray other publike charges By which meanes the commonwealth not cohering wel together might easily sustain detriment not by the faultines but by the too much carefulnes of the citizens whilest euery one
endeuoureth to set forth discharge his office in the notablest maner he may whereby it seemeth exceeding necessary that the care of the publike weale should be committed to some one who being free from any priuate office might onely moderat direct the endeuors of the rest to the cōmon good vtility of all which authority to be cōmitted equally to many were very inconuenient for as Aristotle sayth that which many haue charge alike of all do in a maner alike neglect neither if ther be any thing amisse can the blame therof be imputed more to one then to another withall there neuer want most dangerous emulations among those that are alike equall in authoritie Now if one in this case should bee preferred and aduanced aboue the rest in dignitie and rule with a limitation of time and not for tear me of his life he then would imagine that he had sufficiently discharged his duety if it went well with the commonwealth during his time of gouernment carelesse altogether what should become thereof afterward so that commonly many dangerous afterclappes ensue such reckonings which by certaine and manifest experience may easily bee proued by the example of many commonwealthes that in these times of ours haue beene ruinated through such manner of gouernment This Monarchall gouernment was therefore established in this commonwealth of ours with singular wisedome and iudgement and withall the same so curbed restrained with lawes that all dangerous inconueniences whereby the commonwealth might sustain harme are thereby remoued and those commodities joyntly embrased that proceed from a kingly and royal gouernment so that there seemeth nothing to remaine which we could wish for hauing a commonwealth vnenthralled enioying a true libertie and freedome and yet neuerthelesse as it were a king for our gouernor A prince therefore is chosen who is entituled with the dignitie of a Duke retayning the gouernment of the commonwealth while the time of his life endureth and chiefly and aboue all other thinges hauing care of the common good and generall vtilitie by which as I proued before and that as I thinke with sufficient reasons cities are preserued and maintained This Duke of ours hath not any certaine priuate office alotted him yet neuertheles ther is not in the whole The dignity authority of the Duke commonwealth any thing done but he must be made acquainted therewith and haue knowledge of the same He is to containe and keep vnder in their duetie as well euery priuate man as euery particular magistrate and with such moderation to direct them that euery thing may with an excellent harmony seeme to tune to the common good ciuil vnion lest any otherwise through too much diligence or too much negligence in his office might chaunce to hinder the common profite This therefore is the office of the prince that being as it were placed in a glasse hee might behold what euery one doth especially those that are in authority of whom if he find any faulty in his office if the matter bee light hee calleth him before the whole colledge and there sharpely rebuketh him with words if his offence be of greater qualitie he causeth the same to be enquired of and examined before the aduocators and the presidents of the tenne and to be punished according to the sentence of the councell The Duke himselfe also if he will may vse the authority eyther of an Aduocator or President and make report to the councell of any offence and of any amercement or punishment that is thereupon to be inflicted wherein what manner and custome is wont to be obserued shall bee hereafter expressed when wee shall come to speake of criminall iudgements For so great is the princes authoritie that he may in whatsoeuer court adioine himselfe to the Magistrate therein being president as his colleague or companion and haue equall power with the other Presidents that he might so by this meanes be able to looke into all things Yet neuertheles so is this authoritie of his by lawes retracted that alone hee may not doe any thing neither being ioyned to the other magistrates hath he any farther power then euery other president in his office The authoritie of the magistrates being so small that no one of them how great soeuer he bee can determine of any thing of waight or moment without the opinion of the Councell But of this in his place we will speake more plainely Besides this the prince hath in euery councell equall authoritie with any of them for one suffrage or lotte Likewise in the great counsell and assembly of all the citizens while the sessions are held concerning magistrates hee hath no power to yeelde more fauour to a competitor of his kindred or parentage then to any other obseruing the same equall priuledge which the other citizens doe whereby I thinke any man may easily vnderstand that the Duke of Venice is depriued of all meanes whereby he might abuse his authoritie or become a tyrant which ancient long continued custome from the first beginnings of the citie euē to these times hath now taken such foundation and roote that there is nothing whereof the citie of Venice need stand lesse in feare thē that their prince should at any time be able to inuade their liberty or trouble their common quiet But now least euery one should refuse this dignitie requiring so great paines continuall solicitude of mind vnlesse there should thereunto bee adioyned some sweetnes or reward this limitation of authoritie is on the other side recompensed with an exterior princely honor dignitie royall appearing shew for the ornamentes of his bodie are kingly vsing alwaies purple garments or cloth of gold On his head he weareth in stead of a diadem a vaile of linnē vpon the same a hood or miter of purple garnished about with a fringe of golde the part whereof that couereth the middle or hinder parte of the head riseth vp in forme of a horne His seat is somewhat higher then the rest and in estate kingly All the citizens as well those that beare rule and office as those that are priuate men speake vnto him bareheaded and standing which in these times is a signe of exceeding honor The prince neuer riseth vp to any person All the letters of the commonwealth are sealed and go forth vnder his name What prince embassador Magistrate Captaine or whosoeuer els that writeth to the senate directeth his letters to the prince The proclamations of lawes orders decrees all are done vnder his name All their money as well gold as siluer is coyned and stamped with his name picture Finally to shorten my speech in euery thing you may see the shewe of a king but his authority in nothing which without doubt whosoeuer is wise cannot but confesse to haue beene ordained by the Venetian commonwealth with exceeding prudence and wisedome because otherwise without this rewarde of honour the office of the prince would haue been reputed as burthenous
are celebrated which being ended they go aborde the ship againe and returne to Venice attending on the Prince home to his house where they dyne with him The fourth and last banquette pertayneth to the young cittizens who the twelue Kalendes of Iuly on the day dedicated to the two Martyres Vitus and Modestus doe with solemne pompe wayte vpon the Prince to the Temple of those Martirs which is situate neere to the great channell that diuideth the cittie in the middest which channell is for that tyme conioyned with a bridge made vpon two galleyes least otherwise to make that iourney would cost a very long and laboursome circuit and compasse The church being visited and the solemnities in the church finished they attend vpon the prince home to his pallace where they are receiued with a royall magnificent banket There are to these bankets admitted dauncers iesters and excellent singers to recreate delight the guestes and withal certaine sports and playes are intermingled which doe moue exceeding mirth and pleasure and this ancient custome is still obserued in the common-wealth of Venice though somewhat moderated For by this means the citizens in a manner of euery degree yea equals with equalles are entertayned at the princes table which seemeth exceedingly well ordered and disposed as well for the dignity of the prince as also for nourishing maintayning loue and good will among the citizens But because euery citizen that is a gentleman cannot euery yeare receiue this grace of being inuited it is by an olde law ordained least any one should seeme to be left out that the prince should in the winter time sende to euery citizen that hath priuiledge of A strange ceremony obserued by the Duke of Venice but now the same is altered the wild ducks changed into a peece of siluer coyne voyce in the greater Councell fiue wild duckes as a portion or share of the publike banket which likewise is a great meane to the Duke of winning the loue and goodwill of the citizens In these chargeable expences doth the Duke yearely consume and spend a great part of that money which hee receiueth out of the common treasure so that though the Duke would be couetous yet cannot hee in a manner staine with any basenesse the noblenesse dignity of the place he holdeth Here because the whole power and authority of the prince is in a manner already expressed of vs it shal not be amisse to declare in what season and time the beginning was of creating a Duke in Venice and finally what is the order of the sessions in his election The beginning of creating a Duke in Venice Immediately from the first beginning of the Cittie when the noblest citizens of the Venetian prouince their greatest citties as Aquileia Altina Concordia Vderzo Padoua and many other of great opulencie and richesse being ruinated by the Hunnes vnder the conduct of Attyla their Captaine who filled Italy with fire and blood did assemble themselues in those flattes of the Adriatique sea where Venice since was builded euery one of them had chosen for his mansion those places which were nearest to the country which hee had abandoned it came to passe that there were by them built about two and twentie townes partly vpon that shore or bank which encloseth the inner lakes partly vppon certaine hillockes which appeared out aboue the lakes But in the beginning when those townes were neither of themselues sufficiently fortified and fenced neither euery of them so furnished with shipping that it was able to resist the incursions of theeues and pirates they thought it meete seeing their fortunes were all alike to gouerne their matters by a common councell as well for the prouision of corne wine fruites and other necessaries as also the securitie of their persons and families thereby to auoide the daunger of pyrates and rouers to which in regarde of their weake scattered vnfortified townes they lay in a manner open Therefore when firsteuery towne had chosen from out his other citizens a chiefe and sufficient man calling him by Euery towne did chuse a Tribune the name or title of Tribune they generally altogether ordained that vpon certain appointed daies these Tribunes should meete and consult together the common businesse but finding in the end an inconuenience in the varietie of so many opinions and authorities and suffring withal many incommodities they thought nothing would doe better then to lay the whole charge of the generall and common affaires vppon some one particular man whom all the rest should acknowledge as their prince and ruler It was therefore by generall consent of the xxij townes concluded and agreed that The princes seate assigned him in the towne of Heraclea there should one Duke or Prince be chosen his seate assigned him at the beginning in the towne of Heraclea situated on the inner side of the lakes in a certaine Ilande neere to the mouth of the riuer Piaue which in our time by inundation of the flouds is now ioyned to the firme lands But afterwards this place seeming vnfit because it was farre off so that many times afore the prince could haue aduertisement the Pyrates had already entred the lakes oppressed at vnwares the inhabitants spoiled their shipping Therefore they thought The princes seat transposed to Malamoco it better that the prince leauing Heraclea shoulde plant his seat in Malamoco a towne seated vpon the midst of the banke whence the Duke might easily soon haue inckling of any whatsoeuer attempt of the Pyrates and Pipin inuaded Italy with small adoo bee at hand wheresoeuer his presence The princes seat lastly reduced to Venice should be requisit But at length when Pipin euen in those very beginnings of the Venetian citie threatned seruitude slaughter they abandoning in a maner the rest of the townes they came altogether to Rialta thither also was the seate of the prince translated by which meanes Venice in time encreased and grew into that greatnesse in which we now do see it so that by a perpetuall continuing custome euen from the beginning there alwayes was a prince and gouernour of the Venetian commonwealth At first for a while their authority was greater but afterwardes being by vse of time and experience taught they began with holesome statutes and lawes to abridge his power bringing it by degrees into this temperature in which wee now doe see it The manner of choosing the Duke of Venice The manner of chusing a successor to the deceased Duke was at the first altogether simple and without ceremony for our auncestors being men of great soundnesse and integritie free from all ambition did euery one in his particular draw backe from accepting a matter of so great a charge so that by a generall crie acclamation of the people he was proclaimed prince that was reputed to be the honestest wisest man But after those times the Citie and people
they go to their lots againe and so in that maner stil reiecting that which hath fewest bals the controuersie is at length brought onely betweene two of which the one must of necessity haue aboue halfe the suffrages and then the same is by the decree of the senate authorized and allowed One matter being dispatched they beginne with another vnlesse it bee too late in the day alwaies obseruing the same manner as is aforesaid The manner of giuing audience dispatching Ambassadors If there come an Ambassador from any prince to the commonwealth of Venice he is receyued of the Duke the counsellors and the whole colledge and doth before them expresse his ambassage which being hearde they do for that time dismisse him demanding space to consult vpon the matter which hauing done in sort forme as you haue heard they then demand the opinion of the Senate To which the Duke first declareth the effect of the Ambassadors demande and then the opinions are read of all those that haue authoritie to make report to the senate finally in manner as before The senate determineth what aunswere shall bee made vnto the Ambassadors demand who being called in a Secretary readeth vnto him the decree of the Senate vpon which hee is dismissed This is in effect the whole summe manner and forme that the Senate vseth in The councel or colledge of the tenne their consultations decrees and councels and therefore now I thinke it requisite in this place to say somewhat of the councell of the tenne of which you haue often heard me make mention This councell or Colledge of the tenne is among the Venetians of great and eminent authority and of which any man may boldly say that the whole safetie of the commonwealth dependeth I will therefore touch the beginning and originall thereof to the ende that the whole manner and course of the same may be the easilyer conceyued Our elders did with a maruellous in manner diuine prouidence foresee that as in mans bodie through the corruption and putrefaction of one humor many most daungerous diseases doe commonly happen which growe in time to bee the causes of death so also in a commonwealth there are sometime wicked and disloiall citizens that are causes thereunto of great troubles and calamities whiles they aspire rather to the pride of a wicked and vniust commandement then to the praise of an honest and quiet obedience carried away in those damnable endeuors eyther with ambition and desire of rule or oppressed with intollerable debt or otherwise hauing committed some haynous wickednes or crime for which they stand in doubt of punishment such as we reade was in Rome Cateline Silla Marius and finally Iulius Caesar who hauing by tyranny gotten the commonwealth did in a manner bring it to vtter desolation and ruine The like we reade of sundry common-wealthes Sundry great and famous common-wealths ouerthrowen by the infidelity ambition of some their priuate citizens of the Greekes yea and those sometimes famous and of great glory which by the vndermining ambition and treachery of some their wicked and vnfaithfull citizens were brought into seruitude and bondage But in these times of ours Italy it selfe hath yeelded vs sufficient examples all the cities whereof in a manner that were eyther gouerned by the people or by the nobility being brought vnder the yoke or tirany of someone of their citizens For which cause our prudent elders laboured to establish this commonwealth of ours in all perfection and beauty and to strengthen the same with such so holesome lawes that it might as much as in mans wisedome lyeth preuent the inconuenience of so monstrous and miserable a fall for they Nothing more to be feared then intestine broiles and cauil dissentiō imagined that there was not any thing so much to bee doubted and feared as an intestine enemy or ciuill strife sedition among the citizens Calling therefore to minde that among the Lacedemonians the Ephores were mighty and of great authority and among the Athenians the Areopagites and so likewise among the Romaines the Decemuiri or tenne men insomuch The cause of the creation of ten in the city of Venice that they made lawes they thought it not amisse by imitation of their example though in an vnlike cause to create in this our citie some magistrate of authority and power whose office aboue all other things should be to haue especiall care to see that among the citizens should not arise any strife or dissention whereby there might ensue any scandall or vprore and to preuent factions or the attemptes of any wicked citizen that shoulde conspire against the liberty of the common-wealth of which sort of mischiefe if there should by euill destiny any creepe into the commonwealth they then to haue absolute authority to punish and chasten the same least otherwise the commonwealth might thereby receiue harme But so great an authority and puissance coulde not haue beene committed to few without danger neither if to many woulde it then haue been formidable therefore to auoide the one and the other inconuenience they ordayned and established this Colledge of tenne They continue in this office a yeare and haue adioyned vnto them the Duke and the sixe Counsellors so that the whole Colledge commeth to make vp the iust number of seuenteene citizens to whome this great power and authoritie is giuen Of these tenne there are three euery month chosen and elected by lotte who are Presidentes of the Colledge and The heads of the Tenne by common phrase of speech called the heades of the tenne and they haue authority to assemble the whole Colledge of the tenne and to make report vnto them They haue aparte by themselues a chamber wherein they assemble when they sitte in councell They haue also vnder them priuate and particular officers as Porters Vshers and certayne that are allowed for their garde So that there is not any other Tribunall of magistrates gone vnto with greater obseruaunce and ceremonie Thither resort allthose that haue any thing to do in their Colledge They likewise reade all letters written to the Colledge and make report of them to the same for doing of the which with the greater sufficiency one of those Presidents alone by himselfe hath not authority to make report but they must bee eyther two to make reporte of the same matter or els foure Councellors For the same cause also and to auoide the rashnesse and temeritie that some fewe of them might otherwise vse in alteration of any thing it is ordayned that if they will cancell or vndoe any thing that is already established and fully confirmed they must at least haue the Suffrages of two partes of the Colledge for confirmation of that which they shall doe which otherwise is helde to bee voide and of no effect They haue also an order that the offendor is The offender neuer suffred to come into the Colledge not any friend or Lawyer
Iudges is pronounced and executed which the other being reiected hath in fauour thereof more then halfe the suffrages No one citizē nor magistrate allowed for an absolute iudge or arbitrator in any thing Here me thinketh I shall not doe amisse to acquaint you with two statutes wisely enacted by our ancestors The first is that they would not by any meanes that any citizen no nor magistrate should bee an arbitrator without appeale in any thing but that the supreme right iudgement of all things shoulde belong to the councels or colledges And the other no lesse profitable then the former is that the Iudges should not openly with their tongue pronounce their opinions but secretly by suffrages the maner of which you haue heard either of which in my opinion grounded vpon exceeding reason First for so great an authority in determining matters to haue been cōmitted to one magistrate as it had beene dangerous so if now the matter fall by chaunce otherwise then well out the Citie cannot find fault with any particular citizens And with as great wisedome was it ordained that iudgementes and decrees should not bee openly with speech pronounced for the Iudges by this inuention of secret suffrages doe iudge much more freely then they woulde haue done if they had beene to deliuer their iudgementes with their tongue in which case sometimes eyther through ambition they wold haue been seduced from iustice or els feared the offence of their well deseruing friendes or els doubted the indignation and mislike of some greater person withal this commodity ther is that euery Iudge followeth his own iudgemēt without depending vpon the authority of any other Iudge which might easily happen that hee that had before spoken were reputed to be graue and wise which point hath not been omitted of excellent Philosophers but now seeing the whole manner of iudgementes is of vs expressed wee will returne to the forty iudges of Capitall causes of which I had begunne to speake Their Colledge was instituted of our City to the ende that the Aduocators making report vnto them of Capitall causes by their deliberation wicked men and malefactors might receiue condigne correction punishment for vnlesse it be in great and waightie matters and such as the commonwealthes may bee interessed by the decision of them the Aduocators doe neuer consult with the Senate and verie rarely with the great Councell but all Capitall causes are brought to this Colledge of the forty whose sentence is helde for ratifyed and firme without admitting any appeale Their office lasteth eight moneths after that they haue before spent sixteen moneths in determining of ciuill causes For there are in the common wealthes of Venice three The office of the forty criminall Iudges Courtes or Colledges euery one consisting of Forty iudges two of them are for the iudging and determining of ciuile causes and the thirde of which wee speake for Capitall but they are in this sort distributed that these forty Capitall Iudges so soone as they haue finished their lymited time of office do returne priuately into order and forthwith other forty are chosen into their places by the session of the great Councell and yet the forty new chosen doe not presently come to the iudging of Capitall causes but in place of these former Capitall Iudges doth the other Colledge of Forty succeede that did in the meane space of these eight moneths exercise the iudgemēt of ciuile causes within the City And againe in their place doth succeede the other Colledge of forty which also in this eight moneths space had the handling of ciuil-foreyne causes and in their place do succeed these last forty newly created and so by turne they passe from foreyn causes to causes of the city and lastly to those which are capital in which iudgements from one as I say to another they continue two years These three courts of iudges haue their three peculiar appellations The first of forreyne causes is called the new Colledge the second of homeciuil causes the old and the third that iudgeth vpon life and death the criminal Colledge these last forty beside the high power of their iudgement in capital offences and crimes are also admitted into the Senate and haue in that honorable Councell also their authority of sufrages They haue besides three heads or presidentes of their company which are euery two monethes chosen new by Lot and in their turnes they sit with the Duke and Councellers and haue with them equal authority of making report ouer of whatsoeuer they shal please eyther to the Senate or to the great Councell the same neuerthelesse in such manner as I tolde you before neyther without reason are these forty yonger men mingled with the Senators which are for the most part olde men in regarde that the heate of their nature maketh a temperature with the others coldnesse yet are not these young men equall in number to the olde men but much fewer onely inough to put some heat into the cold deliberatiōs of the Senate which somtimes exceeding in matters of some nature is necessarie Besides by this grant of Senator like authority to the forty there may seeme to bee in some forte a communication of the commonwealths gouernmēt with the lower and meaner sort of citizens such as for the most part they are that do exercise this office of the forty wherein our auncesters haue seemed to vse obserue a certaine kinde of popular lawe for to euery of these three Colledges of forty men there is a certain rated allowance of mony appointed and giuen for euery day that they shall assemble and meete and therefore very seldome do those that are rich require this office and if they should they would as easily be repulsed The honor thereof being without difficulty granted to the needier sort prouided alwaies that their life beare with it the fame of an honest conuersation by which meanes the pouerty of meane gentlemen is not only in some sort prouided for but alsoo the gouernment and administration of the common wealth is aswell in some sort communicated with the meaner and poorer sorte of Citizens as with those that are highliest remarkable eyther for riches or nobilitie which custome hath a reference to the popular estate By these thinges you may perceiue that there appeareth in eueriy parte of the Venetian common wealth that moderation and temperature which in the beginning of this worke I tolde you our auncesters did so highly indeuour to establish which is that the popular estate should haue an intelligence and mixture with that of the nobilitie yet the same in that order seasoned that the parts of the Nobilitie should bee both more in number and mightier in sway We haue now in my opinion sufficiently discoursed both of the Aduocators as also of the forty criminall Iudges who are to that ende instituted that they should carefully looke into all such offences as are any way notorious eyther through the qualitie of the
him against whome the former Iudges haue pronounced sentence that he may after three monthes though none of the Auditors intermeddle call his aduersary a fresh into A law lately made by which the authority of the Auditors is greatly diminished question by appeale vnto the Colledge by whose lawe the authoritie of the Auditors is greatly diminished yet neuerthelesse is their report of great auaile to the furtherance of the cause and besides the cutting of the delay of three monthes seemeth to be as a prerogatiue to the Iudges Presently vpon the Auditors report the former iudges were before our time summoned into the Colledge of the fortie and there eyther magistrate admitted to the maintenance of his cause by plea but now I know not by what negligence by little and little it is brought to passe that the former Iudges from whose sentences the appeale is brought doe neyther pleade nor bee so much as present at the handling of their cause in the Colledge of the forty onely being cited by an officer their answere is that that which lawe and iustice is may go forward But this custome that the auditors should first make report vnto the colledge of such causes as were by appeale brought vnto them and plead in maintenance of them hauing continued till our time is now wholly abrogated and onely the Aduocates of those between whom the controuersie resteth doe vse that office in defending the cause of their clientes whereby it is come to passe that this office which was before time so honourable is now become to bee greatly obscured and eclipsed The iudges of ciuile causes obserue the same order in their iudgements as the criminal iudges These fortie Iudges of ciuill causes doe in a manner obserue that order and custome in their iudgementes as you heard me say before is vsually wont to bee obserued of the forty Iudges of capitall causes onely this difference there is that in causes wherein the life and estate of any man is called in question there is no certayne time of speech limited or imposed whereas in A certaine time of speech limited ciuile controuersies there is a certaine time appointed beyond which they may not by any meanes lengthen or extend their plea that is to say an houre and a halfe onely to each of them that pleadeth neyther are there in the decision of these ciuile iudgements many opinions alleadged out of which the Colledge may conclusiuely chuse one that shal be best to their liking as in consultation vpon the punishment of malefactors I told you aboue is vsually the custome but it is onely here debated whether the sentence giuen by the former Iudges shall be confirmed or abrogated if any of the Auditors make intercession to that ende then shall the question be of abrogating and cancelling the same but otherwise if the matter come vnto the Colledge without the intercession or addresse of any Auditor then the Presidentes of the Colledge after the matter is of each side throughly pleaded doe rather propose the strengthening and confirming of the former iudgement then the disalowance or cancelling thereof Presently all the sworne Iudges doe prepare Three seuerall pots brought forth a white a greene and a redde themselues and go vnto their suffrages and three pots likewise are brought forth in the greene the former iudgement is cancelled in the white it is approued and in the thirde which is redde are the balles of those that doe yet remaine doubtfull and would haue the matter to bee adiourned and deferred Nothing is helde for absolute and decreede vnlesse more then the halfe doe conclude and agree together in one opinion eyther for the ratifying or disanulling thereof of which if the iudges bee not throughly perswaded so that neyther of both bee decided the same is then deferred ouer till the next day and the same ceremonies againe renewed and if neyther then it bee determined the Colledge is called agayne the thirde day and the selfe same proceedinges vsed as before saue onely that after eyther side hath sufficiently pleaded and that they go againe to their suffrages there is no farther reckoning made of those that remayne doubtfull and vnperswaded so that vnlesse the suffrages bee altogether equall it is determined and fully ended one way or other and the former iudgement Vpon abrogation of the former iudgement the plaintife hath libertie to renue his action eyther fully confirmed or vtterly abrogated Neuerthelesse vppon abrogation of the former iudgement the playntife is not so put off and debarred but that hee hath libertie to renewe his action agayne for this newe cancelling serueth to no other ende but onely to frustrate and make voide and inualide But vpon the confirmation of the former sentence the party interessed is vtterly debarred the force of the former iudgement whereas the approbation and allowance confirmeth and ratifieth for euer the iudgement that was giuen and pronounced neyther is there left to the defendant any place eyther of prouocation or appeale or meane to call the matter in question vnlesse there fall out some new matter or occasion This shall bee sufficient as concerning the olde Auditors now wee will briefly say somewhat of the newe This Magistrate was vnknowen and not created in our commonwealth till such time as the Venetian Empire beganne to imbrace the mayne lande that bordered vppon our Lakes To these may appeales be brought from the iudgements sentences of The New auditors meddle onely with forraigne matters such gouernors magistrates as without the precinctes of our Citie doe administer iustice to people that doe liue vnder our subiection for the olde Auditors were not of themselues able and sufficient to vnderstand and dispatch both the causes of the citie and those also of forrayne places for which cause this Magistrate was called by the name of New in regarde that after the commonwealth was once setled and established the citie began to stretch and enlarge her dominion ouer the maine land of the prouince of Venetia which as though it had neuer beene seperated from the same returned willingly with a franke and liberall good will For as I shewed you in the beginning of this worke the noblest sorte of people that inhabited the countrey of Venetia flying the barbarous crueltie of forraine nations the generall deuastation of all Italie did get themselues into these lakes of ours and then did lay the first foundation Why the City was first called Venetia of this most opulent and flourishing citie calling it by the name of Venetia to leaue thereby a remembrance vnto their posteritie that there in the same were ioyntly together assembled the chiefe prime and flower of the nobilitie of all the cities of the territories of Venetia so that in short space when the rule and empire therof began infinitly to increase one Magistrate could not serue for the dispatch both of forraine and domesticall causes and therefore this New Magistrate was The
likewise grow to an exceeding weakenesse and empouerishment by the drying vp and decay therof in so much that they made a solemn decree that what citizen soeuer should be cōuicted of hauing abused or defrauded the commō treasure shold be to al posterity defamed with a perpetuall note of dishonor and the same perpetualy euery yeare should to his eternal shame be renued For vpō a certain appointed day the great councel is solemnly assembled and there in a publike oration made by one of the Aduocators all such as haue beene conuicted of this crime as named with titles of reproach to the end that the shame and infamie of so foule a fact may neuer growe out of date or be forgotten The magistrates who haue charge ouer the treasure are of two sortes But returning to the purpose The magistrates who haue charge ouer the Treasure are of two sortes as likewise is the treasure it selfe for eyther it consisteth of the publike rentes reuenewes and tributes or else when great and important occasions shal so require the same is raised of taxes and subsidies that are leuied according to the abilitie of the citizens which oftentimes hapneth when warres with which our city hath been much afflicted do grow vppon vs eyther by sea or land as when the Turke incrochingly assaileth our dominions whose mighty puissance and formidable attempts aswell against vs as against the whole commonwealth of Christendome wee alone not without exceeding charge and detriment haue resisted and kept at a baye many yeares or else when christian princes not brooking the greatnes of the Venetian empire haue conspired against the same as in the fifteenth yeare before this in manner all the greatest princes of christendome were strongly linked leagued and confederated against vs but God be thanked their endeuours were withstoode and our affaires though for a while declining were yet at length restored into their former estate flourishing erected grearnesse Seeing then that this common treasure consisteth of two kindes two likewise are the kinds of magistrates to whose charge they are committed The one for the subsidies leuied of the people and the other for the common rents and tributes These tributes are leuied eyther of goods transported out of the City or els of such as are brought into the same others the like also are collected and gathered out of those other citties that are vnder the Venetian dominion The tributes Tolles and customes of the citie aswell through the great aboundance of marchandize and infinite assembly of marchants as also the innumerable multitude of people that dwell within the same are farre greater then a man would imagine and as the kinds of these matters marchandize are diuers so likewise are the officers ouer them instituted ordained as it best seemed vnto thē to whose supremecharge superintendance they belong to acquaint you with the particularities peculiar offices of euery one of which would rather breed a vaine and werisome tediousnes then any necessarie or pleasing delight for which cause I thought it not amisse to ouerslippe those magistrates whose offices are not of continuance but are onely instituted vppon occasions In summe the chiefest point belonging to all these officers is to be heedefull that no parte of this commō treasure be embezeled misemployed or carelesly regarded all controuersies likewise arising about this money are by them iudged and determined so soo e as they haue gathered in their mony they carie The Gouernour◠of the publike rents the same to the gouernours of the publike Rents for so is this magistrate called to whose presidence this matter is committed which because it is a very great and a very honorable charge the same is not wont to be giuen but vnto the noblest citizens which to the end they should the more willingly of themselues desire or at least not refuse the same being profered as the burthen and care there of is great and weightie so are there thereunto many both profitable and honorable The creation of the vnder Officers belongeth to the gouernours the common Treasure authorities annexed for the creatiō of all such vnder officers as are paid out of the common treasure as Serieants Somners Purseuants Ordinarie gardes and therest of that kinde lyeth wholy in their power whome hauing satisfyed and payd they bring the rest The Treasurers of the Chamber of the City that remaineth to the Treasurer at the Chamber of the City to which magistrate finally is brought the whole summe of the common money collected eyther within or without the towne by whatsoeuer officer or treasurer and they do againe imploy the same vpon publike vses according to the order and direction of the Senate keeping a Register both of their receipts and paymentes which office because it requireth a painefull trauell and continuall diligence the same is wont to be giuen to the yonger sort of the nobilitie prouided alwayes that they be such whose sincerenesse and integrity of life do no way degenerate from the noblenesse of their stocke to the ende that the publike mony bee not priuately misemployed and these treasurers of the City haue in manner as greate authority in the Senate as the other lawfull Senators Peculiar Officers appointed ouer such mony as is leuied by taxation but as for the money which in the necessities and distresses of the commonwealth is leauied of the citizens by way of taxation though at length the same come as to the treasurer of the town Chamber yet are there peculiar and proper officers thereunto assigned sometimes vpon an occasion of collecting a summe of money the Senate maketh a decree for the raising thereof without any clause of restirution interest or vtilitie to returne backe to those of whome it is leuied which happeneth neuerthelesse very seldome for commonly or rather alwaies vnlesse extreame occasion require the contrarie the Senate as their chiefest care is directed to the generall good of the commonwealth so also haue they a most especiall and singular regarde of the particular estate of the citizens The summe that is to be leuied being determined time appointed for the payment thereof euery one bringeth in as much thereof as he was rated at which is exacted and gathered in by the gouernors of the rentes and by them brought to the Treasurers of the Chamber But oftentimes vpon these taxations of money the Senate limites and appointes a time for restitution thereof vnto the Citizens with some allowance Interest allowed vnto the citizens for such money as is leuied of them also of profite and interest for the same and to that ende are there certaine rentes and determinate tributes assigned and made ouer but afore our time the Senate sundrie times were wont to make a decree concerning this exacted summe of money that there should not be made any mention of restitution nor any time thereunto appointed vnlesse the same should be for the generall good and benefite of the common wealth
benefit and commoditie was so exceedingly of our ancesters respected through dearth and scarsity of corne might fall into the extremitie of Famine There are therefore appointed three maysters or ouerseers of this matter of corne whose Magistracie endureth sixteene monthes their office charge is carefully to prouide that the Citie bee neuer at any time afflicted with the scarcitie of corne of which if at any time they stand in doubt they presently repaire vnto the Duke and to the Colledge of the Sages and there the matter being well debated doe at length determine what course is therein best to be taken Sometimes there is a certaine rewarde and recompence out of the common treasure appointed to those that shall from farre countries transport any corne to Venice Sometimes they bargayne with merchantes for the vndertaking to bring by a certayne time such quantity of corne as they shall agree vpon to Venice from out of forraigne regions and for the same to be payed out of the publike treasure which promise vnlesse the marchantes faithfully performe they are by the senate amerced in a great summe of money And whereas the commonwealth buyeth this corne deerely and at a great rate it selleth the same againe to the common people very good cheape and at a small price suffring sometimes therein a great and exceeding losse There are besides this many other excellent lawes and decrees concerning this matter of corne which if I should perticularly rehearse I should digresse farther from my purpose then were fit Now followeth that Magistrate to whose prouidence and care all such thinges as tend to the health and holesomenesse of the citie do appertain His chiefest office is to foresee that there come not into the citie any contagious infection which if at any time it happen to creepe in as sometimes it chanceth then to take such diligent and carefull order that in as much as may bee the same come not to spreade any further To which ende there are certaine goodly commodious houses built in the lakes three miles off from the citie and adioyning neer vnto them there are gardens of great pleasure into which houses if any of the people fall sicke he is presently conueyed with his whole familie and those that haue had any cōuersation with him that is so fallen sicke to the end they infect not others must also leauing their owne mansions be remoued to other publique houses built to the same vse but in a part without the citie quite contrarie to the other where they are constrained to remaine the space of fortie daies if during which time they continue sound and well then they are suffred to returne to the citie and to their dwelling places There is also a great care had of their housholde stuffe least by the contagion thereof any one should get infection This Magistrate likewise hath a care that there bee not any stinking or rotten meate or any other vnholesome thing solde that might any way offend or bee noysome to the health of the Citie Finally his onely care is to preuent infection and sicknesse and to preserue purenesse and health within the citie This office was instituted not long before our time whereas before the cittie was sundry times so mortally afflicted with the plague that whole families flying the infection thereof leauing their proper habitations forsooke the towne went to the next countries vpon firme lande But since the creation of this new magistrate Gods goodnesse be thanked there hath not beene in a manner any pestilence at all though sometimes as in such a maruellous concourse of people out of all partes can hardly bee auoided some houses haue beene infected but by the diligence of this magistrate and especially Gods fauour assisting him therein the disease hath not taken roote nor been suffred to spread it selfe abroade The gouernment and manner of the Arsenall Now we come to speake of the honourable gouernment of our Arsenall the same being a singular ornament not onely to Venice it selfe but generally such is the statelinesse and glorie thereof an honour and dignitie to all Italy because it is a matter of infinite magnificence and maiestie and worthy of all admiration The Arsenall is built on that side of the citie which of all others is neerest to the maine sea hollowed out into three bosomes or to speake more properly into three diuided entries into euerie of which the sea entreth by one onely gate the same being so large that it is capable of the greatest Gallies This gate is fortified on each side with two strong Towers which are ioyned together with a mightie drawbridge and a huge percullisse which are neuer opened but vpon the occasion of letting Gallies out or in There is no other passage to go into the inner partes of the Arsenall but onely by this gate The first bosome or entrie within the same though it be the least of the three yet notwithstanding it is very great and spacious being roofed couered and tyled round about on euery side in manner of certain vaults vnder which the gallies that are come from sea do repose til new ocasion fall out of employing them safe free from the annoyance eyther of wind or weather so that they continue many yeares sound and good likewise vnder these vaultes doe they build their new Gallies and mende and make vp their old a worke surely of great goodlinesse and glory and most fitte and commodious for the maintenance of a nauie Next this bosome or gully there is an inwarder maruellously great and large ordered round of euery side with such vaultes as I spake of of which vaultes you shall not see any one emptie but in those that are wide two Gallies and in the narrower one at least The third being not much inferior to the second in largenesse was but a little before our time added to the two former and is compassed about with goodly wals and builded with many vaults which though they bee not all as yet finished yet dayly they are diligently in hande about the ending and accomplishing thereof There is onely one way by which men go from one to the other and on the outside they are compassed all about with one wall distinguished here and there with certaine towers in the which there are nightly watches kept to preuent the daunger of fire the treachery of any ill disposed person or any other casualtie whereby so goodly and excellent a worke might come to be spoyled or defaced Within the walles are certaine roomes replenished with all manner of Nauale instruments all kindes of artificers thereunto belonging haue there their workehouses and shops There great quantities of brasse are melted for the making of their artillerie likewise there are also made infinite prouisions of gunpowder so that within the Arsenall there wanteth not any thing which appertayneth to the affaires of the sea There you may beholde an infinite number of workemen euery one exercising his owne particular
trade office There are besides these certaine great and ample roomes wherein there is alwaies readie an vnmeasurable abundance of armour weapons and artillerie of all sorts likewise of sailes cables tacklings ankers oares and such like euery kinde laide vp seperately by it selfe In so much that when the senate shall determine to set forth a nauie all thinges thereunto belonging are readie in a moment All these thinges and seuerall workes are vnder the authoritie of this Magistrate of which I determined to speake hee maketh choyce as well of the Carpenters as of the smithes and tryers of mettall and all other kindes of workemen belonging to the businesse of the sea hauing care that each of them performe his businesse with diligence for the payment of all which Nauale workes and other charges thereunto belonging there is mony deliuered vnto him out of the common treasure The Colledges allowance being therein first demanded and they made acquainted with his reckonings This magistrate in the time of our auncestors was of singular reputation and honour but in these times of ours the same is much diminished and of lesse estimation In so much that when any great occasion happeneth requiring extraordinary diligence and care the senate electing certaine counsellors of the grauest and best experimented sort doth appoint the managing of those waighty sea businesse vnto them appointing the others to be by them wholly directed Now last of all wee are to speake of the Procurators The procurators of Saint Marke of Saint Marke being of all the other magistrates the greatest and most honourable next vnto the Duke For their time of authoritie is not limited but continueth during life To this honour is also adioyned the perpetuall dignitie and place of a Senator and equall power of suffrages with the lawful Senators and this they haue besides aboue all other magistrates that whereas the elder citizens doe not giue any preheminence of place to the other but onely in certaine courtes the honour thereof is alwayes and in euerie place yeelded to the Procurators for in what Court or place soeuer they sitte they are euer alike honoured with the highest place as though they did in euerie place performe the office of the magistrate there presiding Their office is to take vpon them the defence tutorshippe of Orphelins who being vnder age and their fathers deade without making any will haue not any tutor or ouerseer appointed them for which cause this charge and office is neuer giuen to any but to such as are throughly knowne to be of singular good conscience and integritie of life and haue passed in a manner through all the other offices of the citie without any touch of dishonour and a generall approbation of an vncorrupted vertue and so at length after their long seruice to the commonwealth doe obtayne therein this great and principall dignity which continueth with them during their liues In times passed this office was of passing great and honourable estimation not onely within Venice but also in forrayne regions in so much that not onely the subiectes and neere borderers but also forreners and strangers made them by testament their executors and put wholly into their hands the administration of their goodes during the minority of their children Likewise great summes of money are committed to them to bee by their discretion dispensed and bestowed among the poore so that in these times of ours great and mighty summes of money are committed to their fidelity as well to the vse of Orphelins and the poore as otherwise This office was at the first instituted to the ende that the heritages and substances of those citizens that should eyther die in seruice of their countrey or in traficke of marchandise among forraine nations shoulde not bee by fraude misemployed or diuerted from their heires This charge confidence therefore is especially giuen to those whose conscience behauiour and conuersation a long approouedexperience hath allowed for excellent without exception The addition of new procurators from time to time At the first beginning they were onely three that did exercise this office Afterwarde vpon the increase of the citties greatnesse three more were added vnto them but their authoritie so diuided that the old shoulde still retayne the charge of those pupilles and Orphelins which are on the farther side of the channel that runneth through the middle of the Citie and the new to haue the gouernment looking to of those that are on this side halfe of the city belonging to the charge of the former three and halfe to that of the later three Besides these there are other three that are as it were patrons of the royal sumptuous and magnificent Temple of Saint Marke vnder the protection of which blessed holy Euangelist the commonwealth of Venice being directed with excellent lawes hath at length increased into this greatnesse of empire and of these last as of the noblest they all do take their name and are called Procurers of Saint Marke I will not at this present say any thing of the gorgeous architecture of this Temple nor of the abundance of beautifull marbles nor of the multitude of goodly pillers nor of the glorious workes as well guilded carued as richly wrought in Porphire and Iasper stone of which the whole roofe and pillers are made yea and the very pauementes because I thinke there are very fewe but haue seene the same or at least hearde the fame of the magnificence thereof These three Procurators haue charge continually to looke to the maintayning of this goodly Temple and amending the decayes thereof as also to the priests to the end that diuine seruice may therein be said according to the dignitie of our city the worthines of our blessed patrone aduocate S. Marke These therfore in my iudgement beyond al other magistrates are most necessary and expedient in this prosperity and happinesse of our citie The carefull vsage of the mint is a matter not lightly to bee esteemed because nothing strengtheneth more the trafick trading of a citie then the purity goodnes of the mony neyther is the carefull prouision of corne a matter of light regard likewise the prouiding for the health of the citizens the repairing of wayes bridges and common buildinges are offices of singular auaile fitnesse and necessitie All these thinges are in a manner common to euery other citie But this other chiefly and aboue all the rest pertayneth vnto Venice that is to say the carefull prouision and superintendance of sea matters the defence of Orphlins because many of the Cittizens aduenturing their liues abroad eyther about the publike busines or els in traficke of marchandize come to ende their dayes and therefore these magistrates are ordained to the ende to defend their children from wrong wherby it may appeare to those that shall consideratelie and with an indifferent eye looke into the order and gouernment of this common wealth that our ancesters did
not omit anything that might tend to the common benefite and good of their Countrie The end of the fourth booke The Fift Booke of the Magistrates and commonwealth of Venice SEing that the whole forme and order of the gouernment of our common wealth is in manner of vs already expressed and the office and order of the magistrates within the Cittie I thinke I shall not doe a thing vnpleasing or vnfitte for the matter I haue in hand if I speake somewhat of The gouernment abroade the magistrates abroad The gouernment of the watâ—es those I meane that haue rule and authority in such citties as are vnder the subiection of the state of Venice then of our militare charges The offices of the citizens that are not nobly born gouernments and lastly of the offices of the other cittizens that are not within the order of nobilitie which being declared and made manifest I may and that as I trust without reprehension conueniently and with the conclusion and shutting vp of this worke The manner vsed by the Venetians in gouerning such Cities as are vnder their subiection Ouer the nobler Citties of the state there are appointed foure magistrates one onely Gouernour doth iustice to all determining and sentencing all causes aswell ciuile as criminall This Gouernour hath alwaies sitting with him in iudgement men skilfull in the lawes whose counsell he vseth though the whole authoritie rest in himselfe Besides him there is a Captain generall commander ouer the souldiers of that territory aswell those that are in garrison in the citties as those that are encamped or lodged abroade in the countrie ouer them hath the Gouernour no charge at all but onely the Captaine generall besides the care of the Castell the walles and the Gates are committed to the Captaine likewise of the rentes and tributes aswell of the citie as of the whole countrie belonging vnto it besides these there is a Treasurer or two that administreth payeth and recouerth the publike money and keepeth the bookes and register of the publike accountes but he doeth not any thing without the commandement of the Captaine and sometimes both of the Captain and the Gouernour which manner of administration seemed much more fit then if both the authority and the handling of the money should haue beene committed to one of them alone whereby the publike treasure might much more easily haue beene embezeled and mispent but the money that remaineth ouerplus aboue the charges of the Prouince is carried to Venice and deliuered to the Treasurers of the Citie to whose office as I saide before the publike money is brought from all partes The fourth magistrate of authority in euery principall Cittie is the Liuetenant of the Castles in some places there is but one and in some more they command ouer those souldiers that are in garrison of the Castles and haue the charge of such weapons victuall artillery and munition as are within the Castle yet the Lieutenant hath not so absolute authority within the Castle but that he is alwaies subiect to the commandement of the captaine generall to whose authority and power all things of that kinde are wholy attributed but in lesser citties or townes there is no captaine generall all thinges being there vnder commandement of the Gouernour Likewise in such townes as are within the precinctes of greater citties the Gouernour onely administreth right to the townsmen and no other magistrate though the Treasurers captains haue also authority throughout the whole Territory of the chiefe Citties from all these Gouernours appeale may be brought to the new Auditors sometimes also the Aduocators were wont to sit with the Gouernours vpon sentences of life and death but because thereby iudgements were oftentimes delayde and lewd persons in the meane time not punished there was a lawe made by the colledge of the ten that the Aduocators should not haue any farther authority in such iudgements as were giuen by the gouernour but that he should onely vse the aduise of such Doctors of law as before I said were to sit with him in iudgement And this in my opinion already saide may suffice concerning the magistrates by whome our commoÌ„ wealth is gonerned both abroade and at home But seeing there is aswell a reckoning to bee made of managing warres as of maintaining peace which whosoeuer wholy do reiect cannot as Plato sayth in his Polytiques long defend and maintaine themselues in freedome and libertie But those that haue left vnto their posterity the true directions of a commonwealth commended the vse of both to the end that in times of warre they should not bee vnfit for the exercises thereof and that in peace they might liue in honest exercises vnder the lawes and statutes of their Country so that alwaies the vertue and exercises of warre haue a reference to the studyes of peace as being of the two the most excellent and desirable for such is the verie force working and operation of nature it selfe in euery thing that first it should couet and seeke that which is to it selfe conueuient and then resist and defend themselues from that which is contrarie thereunto which in all liuing creatures that are created with any perfection of nature is easie to bee discerned for there is none of them which wanteth a desire leading him to that which to his nature is most agreeable and likewise there is adioyned to the same a force and abilitie to be angrie which Plato placeth in the heart to the end that through the stirring therof euery creature might be prone to resist and repell that which is to his nature noysome and contrarie the first seedes then of eyther of these partes being by nature placed in the mindes of men as being of all other creatures the most perfect ought of ciuile men to be embraced that they may bring forth the fruites of eyther effect that is both of warre and peace which course was not neglected of our ancesters howsoeuer to some it seeme otherwise for though the citty being builded in the sea and at the first for many years careles of extending their dominion and rule ouer the continent did not apply themselues to land wars yet did they with maruelous glory of successe bend themselues to warres by sea atchiuing therewith many notable exploits aswell in defence of their owne liberty as in reuenge of iniuries done theÌ„ by their enemies and many great and glorious deeds of the Venetians do yet remaine in ancient recorde many triumphes and victories wrested by sea from fierce and puissant nations whereby it is easie to coniecture of the mightinesse of the Venetians by sea in forepassed times but in the end yeelding to the instaÌ„t petition of the oppressed bordering people who could not endure the rapines and cruelties of seuerall tyrants that had brought them into subiection they sent forces into the mayneland and expelling the tyrants did with an infinite applause and willingnes of the people receiue all
those Prouinces of their olde consideration into their protection as though they had neuer beene disunited thereby setting them free from out the seruitude of insolent strangers which being the remainder ofspring of those Barbarians that had wrought that general deuastation in Italy had then nestled themselues and helde the people in a most cruell and miserable bondage This increase therfore of dominion being added to the former greatnesse of the city their desire and indeuour was not onely to comfort and cherish this new receiued people with wholesome and profitable lawes but also to finde out meanes whereby to maintaine and preserue their recouered freedome and tranquilitie but the situation of their City being in the sea on the other side vtterlie diuerted their mindes from wholy applying themselues to land wars aswel through the inconueniency of the City thereunto as also for the auoiding of ciuill disturbance and tumult for of necessity those citizens to whose lot the managing of these saide wars should haue befallen might haue spent the greater parte of the yeare vpon firme land aswell to ride and practise their horses as also to inure and exercise themselues in sundry manners of skirmish and kinds of fight and withall for their better skill in military and martiall affaires it should haue beene necessary for them when occasion of employment wanted at home to frequent forrein warres thereby aswell to confirm their courages as to strengthen their bodies and so to enable themselues in that function for the seruice of their country whereas otherwise without this kinde of exercise they would haue beene vntill eyther to command as captaines or to obey his scutchions But now this their continual frequentation of the continent and diuorcement as it were from the ciuile life would without doubt haue brought forth a kinde of faction different and disioyned from the other peaceable Citizens which parcialitie and diuision wold in time haue bred ciuile warres and dissentions within the City I omit in the meane time to speake of those high and ambitious thoughtes that such would haue entertained as did see themselues mighty in armes followed with affecting troupes of vnquiet souldiers who according to the nature of men enclining still to the worse might easily bee stirred to mischiefe which The ouerthrow of Rome proceeding through the mightines of her owne Cittizens onely cause among the Romains as many of their ancient histories do notably remember wrought strange effectes in sundry of their Cittizens prouoking them to disobey and set at nought the lawes of the Senate and their country and finally Iulius Caesar exceeding the limites of all respect to tyrannize ouer that commonwealth to which hee did owe all duty and obedience To exclude therfore out of our estate the danger or occasion of any such ambitious enterprises our auncesters held it a better course to defend their dominions vppon the continent with forreyn mercenarie souldiers than with their homeborn citizens to assigne them their pay and stipende out of the tributes and receipts of the Prouince wherein they remayned for it is iust and reasonable that the souldiers shoulde be maintained at the charge of those in whose defence they are employed and into their warfare haue many of our associates been ascribed some of which haue attained to the higest degree of commandement in our Straungers receiued into the Venetian nobility Bartholomeo Coglione captain generall of the Venetian armie army for the exceedingnes of their deserts been enabled with the title of citizens gentlemen of Venice amongst which the name of Bartholomeo Coglione of Bergamo is yet honorable among vs who after many great exploits prosperous successes being captaine general of our army hauing amplified enlarged the boundes of the Venetian Empire was in eternall memory of his great and glorious actions honored of our commonwelth with his statue on horseback set vp and erected in the fayrest and goodliest place of our Citty The Cittizens therefore of Venice for this only cause are depriued of the honors belonging to warres by land and are contented to transferre them ouer to straungers to which ende there was a lawe solemnely decreede that no Gentleman of Vevice should haue the charge and commaundement of aboue fiue and twentie souldiers though the same law hath not beene in these times of ours altogether obserued but through the course of custome in a manner abrogated by reason of the many and sundrie warres wherewith we haue beene encombred so that nowe when wee haue any warres by land there are some of Legates or proueditors our Gentlemen sent into the Armie who therein doe beare office and authority while the warre endureth as namely the Treasurers and Legates who neuer stirre from the side of the Captaine Generall of our Armie who is alwaies a straunger which hath no authority to doe or deliberate any thing without the aduice of the Legates The warre being ended eyther Magistrate returneth home giuing vppe his authority and putting himselfe into order and this is wholy the manner of the Venetians warfare by land But for warres by sea and nauigation both our citie is much more thereunto opportune and cōmodious as also our people much more thereunto by nature addicted and enclined for our Citty lying seated in the sea needeth not greatlie feare any harme from forreyne land armies and as for it selfe to haue fostred or nourished forces to send vnto lande warres thereby to wrong or prouoke the bordring people that had not onely beene vniust but also very incommodious onely from sea therefore was their daunger and the same great if they should not haue beene throughly furnished with meanes of defence Therefore did the Citie turne all their care to strength and puissance by sea trayning vp their youth framing their whole manner of life thereunto The education of the Venetian gentlemen For the education of their gentlemen hath alwayes beene such that from their infancie till such time as the heares of their beards beginne to appeare they should be vnder the tutorship of schoolemaysters and instructed in learning according to their capacities and from thence forward except some fewe wholly addicted to some profession of learning they shoulde apply themselues to nauigation being thereunto as it were euen drawen by their owne inclination and nature Many do saile into farre regions as well by trafique to increase their substance as also by experience to gain the knowledge of the gouernment lawes conditions customes of other countries Many put themselues into the gallies of warre there enuring and practising their bodies to labour and their minds to the knowledge of the excellent arte of Nauall discipline in which the Venetians haue as I say alwaies beene worthily renowned And there is an ancient law continuing euen till these times of ours in force and vigor that there should be a yearely Encouragement for yong gentlemen to to frequent the sea stipend allowed out of the common
poore would make these to bee their executors and wholy referre the bestowing thereof to their discretion insomuch that some of these fellowships in greatnesse of matters committed to their charge do scarsely giue place vnto the Procurators of that marke which is one of the most honourable offices belonging to the Patrician of which none though he be a brother No Patrician may be head of these fiue fellowships of the fellowship may attaine to any of the precedentships thereof that dignitie belonging onely to the plebeians wherein also they imitate the nobility for these heades of societies doe among the people in a certaine manner represent the dignitie of the procurators but to the end that neither their societies nor their heads may any way be daungerous or cumbersome to the common wealth they are all restrained vnder the power and authoritie of the Councell of ten so that they may not in any thing make any alteration nor assemble together vnlesse it be at appointed seasons without their leaue and permission such honours doe the plebeians of eyther sort attaine vnto in this commonwealth of ours to the end that they should not altogether thinke themselues depriued of publike authority and ciuile offices but should also in some sort haue their ambition satisfied without hauing occasion either to hate or perturbe the estate of nobilitie by which equall temperature of gouernment our common wealth hath attained that which none of the former haue though otherwise honorable and famous for from the first beginning till this time of ours it hath remained safe and free this thousand and two hundred yeares not only from the domination of Straungers but also from all ciuile and intestine sedition of any moment or weight which it hath not accomplished by any violent force armed garrisōs or fortified towers but onely by a iust and temperate manner of ruling insomuch that the people do obey the nobilitie with a gentle and willing obedience full of loue and affection farre from the desire of any straunge change of which this time of ours hath made euident proofe for when all the greatest princes of Christendome had combined themselues together with intention vtterly to ouerthrow deface and abolish the greatnesse glorie the very name of the Venetians and that our armie had beene vanquished by Lewes king of France neare to the Cittie of Cassano in the territorie of Cremona with incredible slaughter and the Almaines of one side and Iulius Bishop of Rome threatning and besieging vs with their armies and all our dominions vpon the maine land being reuolted from the Venetian gouernment In this our extremitie and generall perturbation the people of Venice were so farre from attempting any thing against the Nobilitie that weeping they threw themselues at their feete offering their liues and goodes to the defence of the common wealth and in effect reforming it for hauing easily recouered Iadoua through the great loue and affection of the inhabitants towardes vs when Maximilian the Emperour raising euery where forces came with a mighty Armie to besiege the same Cittie many not onely of the Gentlemen but also of the plebeians waging sundrie souldiers at their owne charge went vnto the defence thereof indeuoring themselues there in such noble and valorous sort that the Emperour was constrained to withdraw his Army without deliuering so much as one assault to the Cittie neither with greater adoe were the rest of the Cittie 's recouered they all flocking againe to the Venetian Empire as to a wished hauen of all securitie and calmenesse an excellent argument of a iust domination to gouerne those that are desirous and willing so to be gouerned which that it falleth not out so without cause as any man may perceiue that shall marke the course of our proceedinges for we leaue to euery The equity temperance of the Venetians gouernment citty that commeth into the fellowship of our gouernment their own municipate lawes and statutes and the Cittizens euery one in their owne citties obtaine many great and honorable places and not a few towns of those abroad in the countrie are gouerned by magistrates of their owne chosen among themselues as for those citties that are of greater fame and in which our gouernours do rule there do alwaies sit with them in Iustice Doctors of the law with whome our gouernours are to consult before they determine any thing which is both a matter of great honour and reputation as also of great gaine and commoditie vnto them these manner of offices may not bee executed by any of the Nobilitie of Venice but are eyther chosen from among the plebeians or else and that in a manner alwaies from out the citties subiected to our fellowship And therfore it may easilie appear that this our commonwealth is tempered with that moderatiō which seemeth chiefly and neerest to imitate nature For in the body of a liuing creature the office of looking about and seeing is attributed onely to the eyes and the other lesse noble offices left vnto the other members that are depriued of the vse of seeing obaying and not dissenting from that which by the eyes they are enformed but going and bending themselues thether whether they are by them directed and so the whole frame of the body is preserued and maintained in an excellent vnity and agreement which not vnlike reason is the supreme rule of thinges in the common-wealth of Venice committed to the Gentlemen as to the eyes of the citie and the vnnobler offices to the people both together making a happie and wel compacted bodie The eyes of the commonwealth not onely seeing for themselues but for all the other members and the other partes of the citie not so much regarding themselues as willingly obeying the direction of the eyes as being the principallest partes of the common-wealth whereas whatsoeuer commonwealth shall suffer it selfe to be carried away into that folly and madnes as to many it hath happened that the people will challenge vnto it selfe the office of seeing vsurpe the exercise of the eyes necessarily the whole commonwealth must tumble into a downefall and ruine And on the other side if the gentlemen shal onely prouide for their owne good neglecting that of the other members stirring thereby the people to enuie indignation it were impossible that it should go wel eyther with the one or the other Our ancestors therefore by the imitation of nature haue prouided both for the one and the other inconuenience and haue therein vsed the iust temperature and excellent moderation that none vnlesse he be worse then a detractor may any way blame or finde fault with a gouernment so vertuously established and so temperately maintayned which I beseech the Almighty and euerliuing God long to preserue in happinesse and safetie For if it bee credible that any good thing commeth to men from God then can there nothing bee more assured then that this great felicity is happened to the Citie of Venice through
townes castels and villages they possesse seuen faire cities as Treuigi Padoua Vicenza Verona Brescia Bergamo and Crema By sea they are Lords of Cypres Candia Corfu and many other Islandes Vppon the coastes also of Sclauonia Dalmatia and Histria they possesse many goodly Cities and castelles Besides these the rents of their owne citie their customes and tolles by sea and their ordinarie yearely taxation or rather as they call it tribute of the inhabitantes amounteth to an excessiue summe in so much that their reuenews one way or other is knowne to beat the least 1200000. Duckets by the yeare their charges yearely occasions of disburstment are likewise very great for alwaies they do entertain in honorable sort with great prouision a Captaine generall who alwaies is a stranger borne he that now enioyeth that place is one Iohn Baptista de Monte a Florentine borne a notable soldier and a very honourable Gentleman one vnder whome I haue serued in the warres and am in all thankefulnesse to acknowledge many fauors that I receiued both from him and his brother Camillo de Monte. Besides they do continually entertayne in pay a thousand men at armes and a great number of footemen sufficient to keepe and defend those places in the which they keep garisons alway as well in times of warre as of peace they giue likewise great pensions to many gentlemen and Captaines whose seruice they vse when neede requireth The most part of their land forces they maintaine in Lombardie where by reason of the aboundance of victuailes they may liue commodiously and when time of warre so requireth they send them thence whither they shall thinke good They also keepe continually tenne or twelue armed Gallies of warre which are distributed in Cypres Candia and Corfu and other commodious places In euery Galley they haue 150. rowers for there are 50. benches and vpon euerie bench three rowers besides euery one contayneth betweene 80. and 100. soldiers to fight The charges of euery Galley one way or other amount to 700. duckettes a month likewise their prouisions of warre and the charges of and concerning their Arsenall are of an infinite and excessiue expence They haue alwaies armour in the Arsenall to arme ten thousand men and in the armory of the Dukes pallace to arme 1500. against whatsoeuer sodaine inconuenience might happen besides an innumerable quantity of munition pertaining to the sea and artillery of all sort in maruellous proportion In times of warre and necessitie they do sometimes propose great offices and dignities to sale for a certaine summe of money for which when sundry offer the summe proposed yet none is elected vnlesse he ouercome his competitors and riuals by suffrage so that commonly not withstanding the sale thereof yet the same neuer falleth vpon any but vpon the wisest and most sufficient men Collections taken out of the historie of Signior Bernardo Giustiniano a Gentleman of Venice TOuching the original of the name of the Venetians there are sundry opinions Some write that they come of a certaine people of Asia called Eneti who after the destruction of Troy hauing lost Philemene their king came with their nauie vnder the conduct of Antenor into those lakes of the Adriatique sea giuing the name of Veneti vnto that part of Italy where they setled which opinion is by Liuie maintayned Plinie Cato and Cornelius Nepos deriue the Venetians absolutely from the of spring of the Troianes Seruius Grammaticus will needes haue their nomination to come from Enetus king of the Sclauonians But once howsoeuer they differ in their true originall they all agree that they are of great antiquitie famous euen in their first beginnings The Cantons of Venice did before the inhabitation of the lakes vnder that name embrace a great circuite vppon the mayne lande as all Marca Treuigiana and the greater part of Foro Iulio but now onely the Iles inhabited places within the lakes do retaine and peculiarly challenge to themselues the name of Venice The situation thereof is so strange and singular in it selfe that it brooketh no comparison or resemblance with any other Citie eyther of this present or former ages the manner wherof is this There is a long banke that encompasseth the vtmost Gulfe of the Adriatique sea within the inner parte whereof are certaine great marishes or fennes occasioned partly by the descent of the riuers from the maineland partly by the flowing of the sea within these were sundry little townes built by those that endeuoured to defende themselues from the furie of the land warres and lastly Venice Nature the mistresse and best working perfectresse of thinges defendeth them from the violence of the sea by the opposition of this banke increased with huge heapes of sand and yet not altogether without the artifice and trauaile of man by fortifying against the sea in places needful with strong palisadoes and mightie peeres or bulwarkes of stone These lakes were in times passed vpon their brinkes to the maine land encompassed and adorned with many great and renowned cities as Aquileia on the east side thereof sometimes a famous Colonie of the Romanes next vnto it Concordia then Vderzo then Altinos likewise Triuigi and Padoua then the Moncellese which some will needes haue to be that which was called Acello then vpon the bounding and shutting vp of the vtmost point Adria Rauenna which was in those daies also inuironed about with marishes and fennes and cleansed by certaine ditches that as Strabo writeth were made for the same purpose but whereas in the beginninges of Augustus Caesar the buildings thereof were all of woode Afterwards Augustus and his successors Tiberius Traiane Valentian and Theodoricke enobled it with goodly edifices of marble and free stone each of them doing somewhat as well in erection of many sumptuous priuate pallaces as publique magnificent Temples for the Gods And withall they filled and choaked vp those marishes in sorte that they reduced them to firme ground so that whereas before it was of all sides enuironed about with those waters it is now distant three miles from them Besides sundry of lesse reckoning there do disgorge downe into these Lakes seuen famous riuers that come descending from the Alpes as Taliagmento Liuenza La Piaue La Brenta Bachiglione Adice and Poe which two last riuers the Adice and the Poe haue filled and stuffed vp those parts of the Lakes into which they fall with sande and the like haue sundry of the other riuers done in many places but where the industrie and trauaile of men hath defended and preuented the inconuenience thereof For those marishes and Lakes whose length in times passed little lesse extended then two hundred miles are now reduced to the halfe thereof Their breadth where they are now at largest not being aboue twelue mile whereas in the time of our ancestors it was twice as much which being a thing that the enemies of the Venetian State could neuer accomplish though with great endeuour many times they attempted to
glorious church which is now there to be seene In the yeare 1202. they gat the Iland of Crete now The times of their conquestes called Candia which did before pertaine to the Emperour of Constanstinople also vnder Otto the 3. Emperour of that name they adioyned to their dominion many other Ilands and cities principally Parence Pole Arbu Coricte Corcyre now called Corphu Pharo also nowe called Lesima and many other citties where Pyrats had their receipt Some few years after the Turke began to make wars vpon them and taking from them the fayre cities of Tirachum in Albany and Croy in Slcauonia did so abase them and bring them to such a diffidence of their strength that to obtaine his frendship they were faine to giue him 13. fayre cities which they had conquered and wonne from the Emperour of Greece besides Cosdre a most goodly cittie of Albany in the yeare 1400. they got Vincensa that appertaitained to the Vicount of Mylan in the year 1472. they got Padoua and Verona from the Romaine Empire in the yeare 1402. they possessed themselues of the realme of Cipres some say by a detestable and vnchristian practise which was in order as followeth The heires males of right and lawfull line fayling The historie of the vniust practise vsed by the Vene tians in their possession of Cipies in Cipres Lews D. of Sauoy hauing married Charlot the lawfull daughter to king Ihon was called and receiued of all with great joy as their king Iaques bastarde brother to the said Charlot finding himselfe too weak to resist the said Duke of Sauoy fled with his friends into Alexandria to demaund aide of the Souldan Iaques was a young Gentleman of two and twentie yeares of age of a comely stature and very beautifullpersonage the Souldan was moued with his presence and prayers promising him succour did presently apparrell him with royall ornamentes proclaming him his tributarie king of Cipres and withall commaunded the Duke of Sauoy to get him home into his owne countrie who sent him backe a very submisse embassage with fauour and humble wordes offering him his perpetuall loue and seruice and a yearesy tribute and withall a yearely pension of tenne thousand crownes to Iaques during his life the matter was long debated of in the Councell of the Souldan who was sundry times inclining to the acceptation ofthese offers but in the ende such were the perfwasions and instant meanes vsed by Iaques to the contrarie especially hauing by solicitation gained the Venetians and Mahomet Emperour of the Turkes to fauour his party that the Souldan granting fully to his request tooke his oath and sent him into Cipres with a great army of men when at his first ariuall he constrained Lewes with such Frenchmen as were with him to retire himselfe into a Castle which also in time he made him to abandon and so became Lord of the whole Iland shortly after he married the daughter of a Gentleman of Venice called Marcus Cornarius which daughter was after the death of Iaques adopted by the Senate and by this meanes they possessed themselues of the Realme for she being great with child at the death of her husband the Venetians as tutors retired her vnto them and tooke adminstration of the Realme some will say that they poisoned the child afterwards as likewise they had done the father before others write otherwise that they did not get the realm by so great wickednesse but that after the death of the father and the sonne they succeeded in the Realm by way of adoption and inheritance Venice hath in circuit eight Italian miles and is seated within the flats of the sea there is a naturall Sebastian Munster in his card of Venice The circuit of the citty Ilands about it banke in the sea high and eminent that defendeth the towne from the impious fury of the waues and giueth passage and porte in sundry places to the saylers chiefly at two Castles and at Chosa an episcopall City distant from the towne fiue and twentie miles vppon the way to Ferrara there are about Venice 25. Ilandes which are in manner all enhabited of Monkes the rest is to be seenein the Carde Seb. Munster The number of bridges and boates This City of Venice hath threescore and two parishes and one and forty Monasteries it hath as manie Channels as streetes there are foure hundred publike Bridges besides particulars there are of boats for all vses eight thousande in the Arsenall which is rounde about inuironed with walles there are continually foure hundred men which are dayly imployed in mending and making of Galleis and other things pertaining to the Sea in the Isle of Meurano fast by they make very cleare and goodly glasses commonly Christall glasses called Christal glasses which are thence transported into all countries Notes out of Girolamo Bardi THe first that euer inhabited vpon that Iland called the Rialto where Venice now standeth was one Giouani Bono a poore man that hauing there a simple cottage did liue with his family by taking of fish afterwardes Radagasso with an armie of Gothes entring into Italy sundrie from of the firme land fled into this poore mans house for safety of their liues and among the rest one Entinopus a carpenter of Candia who found meanes to build himselfe there a house maintaining himselfe afterwards by the making of small barkes and boates After Radagasso Alaricus comming like a tempest into Italy there fled so many ouer thether as that at length there were built foure twentie seuerall houses of bordes and reedes but in the yeare of our Lord 418. the fury of the warres being somewhat mitigated the most part of these fugitiues had gotten themselues into Padoua whereof a suddain hearing great and fearefull rumors of newe intended entries into Italy by Aiulfo king of the Vissigots with a mighty multitude of Barbarians by a generall consent they agreede to make some firme place within these lakes and thereupon to build a citty which they presently effected vpon the foresaide Iland gathering into the same the people that were dispersed about the other Ilandes and withall making it of the best defence they could they called it by the name of Venice the beginning of this Citties foundation was laide in the yeare 421. vpon the 25. day of March about noon there were three Consuls chosen by those of Padoua to haue the ouersight and charge the rest whose names were Alberto Faletro Tomaso Candiano and Zeno Daulo this is a breuiat drawn out of the ancient Records of Padoua Afterwardes the ruine and desolation of manie fayre citties vpon the maine land gaue a speedy mightinesse and encrease to this new erected citie insomuch that many of the noblest land inhabitantes fled thether with their treasures and richest moueables transporting euen their goodly pillers carued stones and other matter to build withal to Venice erecting thereunto themselues new and stately mansions so that in the end delighted with the security
likewise in their office are written vp the names of all such boyes as doe for wages tie themselues to the seruice of maysters They were wont to deale in the matter of wools butnow since the increase of that marchandise there is appointed a particular officer ouer the same Al manner of trades are vnder this office They that keepe shoppes haue the allowance of the signes from hence They may be appealed from to the Cathaueri and to the old Auditors according to the causes Consoli di Marcantanti to this office is all manner of marchandise subiected wherein there is eyther buying or selling They proceed briefly by way of extension Sopraconsoli are those that haue to doe with Marchantes that breake bankerout and with matters of pawnes They grant protection to such as are indebted whereby their bodies may be kept free frō prison they proclaime with a very solemne ceremony those that are fugitiue for debt limiting thē a certain time of returne which if they doe not they then sell all such goodes of theirs as they can lay their hands on and therewith pay the creditors as farre as it will stretch The fugitiues vppon their returne are bound fully and wholly to present all their goodes into this office of which they then receyue a protection for a month in which time they haue libertie to agree with the creditors if they can if not then the Sopraconsulles are to make their agreement for them alwaies prouided that afore the satisfaction of any creditors the dower of the parties wife the rent of his house and the money belonging to the Signeorie if he haue any thereof in his handes are still first deducted Iustitia Noua is an office to which belongeth the ouersight of Innes and Tauernes to reforme their abuses to see that their wines be not mingled or corrupted this office was instituted in the yeare 1261. There are also certaine officers ouer the Salt called Signori al Sale Ragione Vecchie are certaine that are appointed to entertaine such strangers and embassadors as the state will haue honoured and to defray such charges as thereby shall arise to the state out of the common treasure Ternaria Vecchia is an office that exacteth the custome of Oyles and haue superintendence of all things thereto appertayning Signori alla Grassa are such as do ouersee the abuses in Cheese salt meates Suet and such like and haue power to punish those that commit any falshood or abuse thereabout Signori dipanni a ora haue the charge and ouersight of Goldweauers and such as do make cloth of Golde Tissue and such like to the end there be no falshood vsed which if they find they haue authoritie to take the cloathes away and to cut them in peeces Proueditori di Commune are certaine magistrates instituted of purpose for the common good They are to see that such shippes as be made be well wrought great and capable fit to the proportion and that at their setting forth they be not ouerburthened They are to repaire the streets to paue them to keep the bridges of the Citie in good order all the lesser schooles and fraternities are vnder them as the greater are vnder the Counsell of tenne They looke into the abuses of all handy crafts and punish such as vse deceipt They haue charge ouer the ordinary ferries They looke into the priuiledges of the communalty and taxe the prices of bookes The Citie of Venice is diuided into sixe parts which they call Sestieri three of one side the great channell and three on the other their names are thus Castello S. Polo S. Marco S. Croce Canareio Dorso Duro The names and number of the parishes and Monasteries contayned vnder Castello Parishes 1. S. Pietro di Castello 2. S. Biasio 3. S. Martin 4. S. Giouani in Bragola 5. S. Antonin 6. S. Trenita 7. S. Seuero 8. S. Prouolo 9. S. Giouani nouo 10. S. Maria formosa 11. S. Marina 12 S. Lio. Other Churches 1 S. Giouanide Forlani 2 S. Philippo e Giacomo 3 S. Georgio de Greci Monasteries 1 S. Domenico 2 S. Francesco della Vigna 3 S. Antonio 4 S. Giouani e Paulo Cloysters of Nunnes 1 S. Maria delle virgini 2 S. Daniel 3 S. Anna 4 S. Ioseph 5 S. Maria celeste 6 S. Sepolchro 7 S. Lorenso 8 S. Giouani Laterano 9 S. Zaccaria The names and number of the parishes and Churches vnder S. Marke Parishes 1 S. Marco 2 S. Geminian 3 S. Moyse 4 S. Maria Zobenigo 5 S. Mauritio 6 S. Vitale 7 S. Samuel 8 S. Angelo 9 S. Benedetto 10 S. Paternian 11 S. Fantin 12 S. Luca 13 S. Saluatore 14 S. Bartholomeo 15 S. Giulian 16 S. Basso Monasteries 1 S. Stefano 2 S. Saluatore Cloysters of Nunnes 1 S. Rocco 2 S. Margarita Other Churches 1 S. Theodore 2 S. Maria della Faua 3 S. Maria in Broglio 4 S. Scola della Giustitia The names and numbers of the parishes and Churches vnder Canareio Parishes 1 S. Lucia 2 S. Hieremia 3 Marcuola 4 S. Maria Magdalena 5 S. Marcilian 6 S. Fosoa 7 S. Felice 8 S. Soffia 9 S. Apostoli 10 S. Cancian 11 S. Maria noua 12 S. I. Chrisostome 13 S. Lunardo Monasteries 1 S. Iob. 2 S. Maria de serui 3. S. Maria del horto 4. S. Maria del de Crocechiers Cloisters of Nunnes 1 S. Lucia 2 S. Catherina 3 Corpo di Christo 4 S. Luigi 5 S. Hieronimo 6 S. Maria di miracoli The names and number of Churches vnder S. Paulo Parishes 1 S. Paulo 2 S. Tomaso 3 S. Sti◅ 4 S. Augustin 5. S. Boldo 6 S. Aponal 7 S. Siluestro 8 S. Giouani 9. S. Matheo 10 S. Giacomo Monasteries 1 S. Mario de Frati minori The names numbers of parishes and Churches vnder Sancta Croce Parishes 1 S. Croce 2 S. Simeon grande 3 S. Simeon Apostol◠4 S. Giouan decollato 5 S. Giacomo dell'orio 6. S. Stai 7. S Maria mater Domini 8 S. Cassano Another Church 1 S. Nicolo de Tolentino Cloysters of Nunnes 1 S. Croce 2 S. Andrea 3 S. Chiara The names of sundry little Islandes contayned vnder this quarter of the citie that are inhabited by Fryers Monkes Nunnes and other religious people 1 S. Helena 2 S. Andrea della certosa 3 S. Georgio maggiore 4 S. Clemente 5 S. Maria delle gratu 6 S. Spirito 7 S. Francesco dal diserto 8 S. Giacomo di Paludo 9 S. Nicolo del Lito 10 S. Christoforo dellapace 11 S. Michaele 12 S. Georgio d' Alega 13 S. Angelo de Concordia 14 S. Secondo 15 S. Seruolo 16 S. Erasmo 17 S. Lazaro 18 S. Lazaretto nouo 19 S. Lazaretto vecchio The names numbers of parishes and Churches vnder Dorso duro Parishes 1 S. Nicolo 2 S. Rafaelo 3 S. Basilo 4 S. Margarita 5 S. Pantalaone 6 S. Barnaba 7 S. Trouaso 8 S. Agnese 9 S. Vido 10 S. Gregorio 11 S. Eufemia della giudeca Frieries 1 Giacomo della giudeca 2 I. Capuccini 3 S. Gio.
richnes of the matter as maruelous for the most singular curiositie of workemanshippe he doth infinitly extoll the steeple of S. Marke the same being so huge high stately that in fayre weather it is seen discerned of those that do sayle from Istria being a hundred miles off in distance The speciall care and ouersight therof is committed alwayes to a man of especiall good quality and reckoning who hath for his allowance a Marriages yearely stipend of 150. Crownes The marriages among the nobility are for the most part alwaies treated of by a third person the bride being neuer suffered so much as to behold her future husband nor he her till their marriage dower and all thinges thereunto appertaining bee fully agreede vpon and concluded which being done the next morning the Bridegrome goeth to the court of the pallace there the match being published receiueth well wishing speeches and salutations from such of the nobility as doe enter into the pallace and withall inuiteth his frendes to the house of the brides father to be there at a certain time appointed in the afternoon at the entry of the dore they are attended by the bridegroom his kinsemē brought vp into a hall where are none but only men there the bride is brought forth apparelled by an ancient custome all in white and her haire hanging at her shoulders wouen in out with fillets of gold where being betrothed with many solemne ceremonies shee is led round about the hall with the sound of flutes and drums and other instruments and so still dauncing in a soft measure shee boweth down to those that salute her hauing so shewed her selfe to them all shee goeth in and rerurneth out again if any men frends that had not seen her before do chance to come which being ended shee descendeth down and in company of diuers gentlemen that did all the while attend in seuerall chambers she entreth into a Gondola so being waited on with a great number of other Gondals shee goeth vp and downe to the Nunries especially to those wherein any of her kinswomen is professed and all this shewing of her selfe abroad is to no other end but that in regarde of her children and fundrie other thinges it may after happen she may make her marriage apparant and manifest to all men at euery marriage there is a gentleman or two chosen whome they call Compari that are as it were maisters of the Reuels because their charge is to see vnto the musicke and whatsoeuer shewes or pastimes pertaining to the feast the next morning the friendes and kindred do vse to present the new married couple with sundrie restoratiues and sweet meates Christninges Their Christninges are somewhat different from that custome of other places for the father inuiteth not two godfathers and a godmother or two godmothers and a godfather but as many in māner as they list insomuch that somtimes there haue been 150 at the christning of the child together in the church but to the end that this goshipship shold no way be a bar or impedimēt among the Gentlemen in matter of marriage it was by a law ordayned that one gentleman shold not take another gentleman for his goship whence it commeth that whē the priest powreth the water on the childs head he first maketh mention of the law and thē demandeth if there be among the goships any one of the Venetian nobility there are not admitted to the ceremony of the christning any womē but only the nurse that hath the charge of the child the next day the father sēdeth to euery gossip a marchpane euery of thē returneth backe some presēt or other to the child according to the custom of the city their greatest magnificēce charge is at the natiuity of the childe for then they doe wonderfully exceede Birth of their childrent not onely in sumptuousnes of their banquets but also in rich furniture and decking of their house and great shewes of riches and stately plate and siluer vessell Likewise there is no part of the world where the funerals euen of the meanest citizens are solemnized with greater ceremony and expence neither is there any country or nation to bee found where straungers find better entertainement and liue with greater security Pastimes of the nobiltie The plaesures recreations pastimes of the gentlemen are of sundry and diuerse sortes among the rest they take great pleasure in fouling making great matches who can kill most foule in a day turning the ende therof still to banketting and pleasures They haue boates for the purpose which they call Fisolares in regarde that the foule in whose pursuit they take greatest pleasure is called Fisolo in euery of these boates they haue six or eight seruantes apparrelled in blewish and greenish garmentes suted as neare as they can to the colour of the water who row the boate vp and downe and turne her suddenly to euery side as they are commaunded by their Maister who sitteth close with his peece or bow wholy intentiue vppon his sporte if hee chaunce to misse when hee shooteth the Fisolo presentlie dyueth vnder the water and where he riseth againe thither they turne their boate sodenly with passing nymblenes many boates go to this pastime together with exceeding charge to the gentlemen that owe them vpon their return they hang the foule which they haue killed out of the windowes as hunters do vppon their dores the heads of beares harts or bores taking it as a great reputation to kill more of these in a day then their fellowes Likewise they haue many wayes kinds and instruments to take fish withall which the gentlemē for their recreation do take sundry times great delight in There are also vpon the maine land in the territories of Padoua and Vincentia but chiefly in Istria goodly champaignes faire couertes and delightfull woodes full of all manner of chase whither in few houres they saile from Venice and apply themselues to hunting and hauking sundry dayes together Matches of their Dukes The Duke of Venice hath by auncient priuiledges confirmed from sundry Emperours authority to create Earles knights and likewise poets Laureat with eyther of which dignities their Dukes haue at sundry seasons honoured and rewarded the vertue of such as deserued well The Dukes haue oftentimes matched in the greatest and royallest houses of Christendome as in their following liues partly shall bee shewed which allyance with forraine princes of great mightinesse and power growing suspected and formidable to the common-wealth there was a law made in the yeare 1327. that the Duke might not take the daughter of any straunger to his wife no though by priuiledge and adoption he had obtained the right and tytle of a Venetian gentleman and in the yeare 1383. it was ordayned that he shoulde not marry the daughter sister or kinsewoman of any forraine prince without licence and consent from the great councell and in the yeare 1385. that
he should neyther giue nor receyue any fee of what sort soeuer which lawes and ordinances were still from time to time corroborated and kept in vigor His wife is honored with the tytle of a princesse spoken vnto with all reuerence and in stile fitting so great a dignitie The Dukes in times past were wont in their writing to honour themselues with high and princely styles as calling themselues Dukes of Venice Dalmatia and Croatia and Lords of a halfe part a quarter of the whole Romain Empire which vanity of titles was in the yeare 1360. absolutely forbidden and taken away and this manner established which as yet they do still retaine viz. I. D. by the grace of God Duke of Venice c. Their money is stamped with the inscription of their name but it is not lawfull for them to ingraue emborder or paint their peculiar armes in any ensignes Banners Gallies or places of honour but onely in the frame of the Pallace A Breuiate of the History liues of the Venetian Princes Pauluccio Anafecto 1. Duke the yeare 697. PAuluccio Anafecto was a citizen of Heraclia borne of a noble family singularly respected for his wisedome and integritie which caused the people to elect him for their prince He was inuested in that high honour without any great pompe of ceremony saue onely that they tooke his oath that he should alwaies administer iustice sincerely without all partialitie or regarde of persons who to satisfie the peoples expectations did presently bend his whole endeuor to his countries good he appointed strong guardes euery where vpon the passage of the Lakes which hee fortified with Castelles commanding and imposing vpon euery towne a certayne quantity of armed shippes to bee readie vpon all occasions hee entred into league with Luitbrand King of Lombardy obtayning of him many Charters and priuiledges whereby hee did not onely greatly benefite himselfe but also his countrymen and subjectes by maintaining himself them in the good grace fauor of that cruell and barbarous nation Finally hauing ruled 20. yeares 6. monethes and 8. daies he dyed leauing behind him an honourable memory of his name and was buried at Heraclia Marcello Tegaliano Duke 2. chosen the yeare 717. ALI the prouinciall Magistrates seeing the benefite receyued by the happy gouernment of their former Prince assembled themselues in Heraclea and there by common consent elected in place of the deceased Duke Marcellus who was before Captaine or chiefe of the gentlemen for though the high and soueraigne authority belonged vnto the Duke yet there were also assistant with him the Tribunes and the captaine of the gentlemen the names of which offices were brought first into Italy by the Greekes He was a man wise in counsell and valorous in armes There hapned in his time great and mortall contention betweene the churches of Aquileia and Grado for the Patriarchshippe and preheminence He by meanes of Pope Gregory the second defended the Church and Patriarch of Grado but Luitbrand king of Lombardie vpheld and fauoured Serenus the Patriarke of Aquileia Hauing ruled 9. yeares and 21. dayes he died in Heraclia 3. Orso Hipato Anno 726. TO Marcellus succeeded Orso Hipato likewise borne of a noble family in Heraclia He made at the Popes instigation war vpon Luitbrand king of Lombardie who had besieged Rauenna which he relieued taking Hildebrand the kings nephew prisoner killing in the field Paredo Duke of Vicenza but vpon his returne home in a sedition he was most cruelly murdered by his owne citizens 4. Theodato Hypato Anno 742. AFter the death of Orso the multitude growing into dislike of a princely gouernment altered the forme therof electing a magistrate to rule them whose authoritie should continue onely a yeare and thâ—n another to be chosen in his place granting him no farther dignity of title then to be called mayster of the soldiers The first elected was Dominico Leone the second Foelice Cornicola the third Deodatus sonne to Duke Orso the fourth Giuliano Hypato the last Iohn Fabriciaco after the expiration of whose yeare the people growing into dislike with this kind of gouerument in respect of a contentious warre that had passed betweene the cities of Heraclia and Sesolo whereby both the one and the other wer almost destroyed assembled themselues at Malamocco about the creation again of a new Duke which was Theodato Hypato ordayning the seate of his Dukedome to be in Malomocco which as then flourished aboue the rest both in riches and number of men Hee did for a while many notable things to the great liking of his people but in the end aspiring to reuenge his father the last Dukes death and to that ende fortifying strongly the Castle of Brondolo the people being incensed by one Galla a seditious person and made belieue that he went about to make himselfe an absolute tyrant tooke him prisoner depriued him at once both of his eyes and Dukedome 5. Galla. Anno 755. AFter him succeeded Galla but as he got this dignitie by sinister practise so behauing himselfe wickedly therein hee was within the yeare taken by the people depriued of his eyes and sent into perpetuall banishment 6. Domenico Monegario Anno 756. IN his place was elected Domenico Monegario but withall somewhat to curbe his authority there were two Tribunes appointed to assist him in the expedition of all great affaires but he hauing a fierce and aspiring spirite contemned the assistance of the Tribunes insomuch that the people misliking his tirannicall manner deposed him and put out his eyes 7. Mauritio Galbaia Anno 764. IN his steed was elected Mauritio Galbaia of a noble family of Heraclia much respected as well for his wisedome as his riches He gouerned with such equitie and loue that the people to gratifie him were contented to giue him for companion with equall authoritie in gouernment Giouani his son At length hauing gouerned the state 23. yeares he deceased leauing Giouani his son alone in the Dukedome who also shortly after tooke vnto him for partner in gouernment Mauritius his son who going to Grado by his fathers commission tooke spoyled the Citie and threw the Patriarch headlong from the toppe of a high tower for reuenge of which wicked crueltie Obelerius and Fortunatus nephewes to the Patriarch entred into conspiracy against the Dukes drawing vnto them sundry other discontented men that were of great power which Dukes hearing presently fled away Giouan to Mantouo and Mauritius into Fraunce where they ended their liues 9. Obelerio Anno 804. AFter them was created Obelerio Antenorio otherwise called Anafesto who tooke Beato his brother for companion in gouernment and as some say a thirde called Valentino likewise his brother But at such time as king Pepin made warre vpon the Lakes they being suspected to haue giuen him secret fauour and assistance were by a generall consent of the people banished out of the state vpon which the people did assemble themselues at Ryalto and there with a
fetch him from Rauenna to Venice in triumphes with 200. sayle inuesting him presentlie in the roya ltie of their Dukedome hee put away his first wife Giouanna and married the Lady Voldrada daughter to Marquis Guido whose dowry was great and rich Girolomie Bardi calleth her Vadetta sayeth that she was daughter to Alberto L. of Rauenna not onely in mony and Iewels but also in Castles and fortresses insomuch that growing insolent therewith hee called in mercenarie souldiers to the guard of his pallace and person in fine his manners were so outragious and himselfe grew so odious to the people that assēbling themselues in a fury they slew both him his little sonne within his pallace which they burned to the ground 23. Pietro Orseolo Anno. 976. THis great outrage being committed they elected Pietro Orseolo for their prince who being of a noble family and from his youth wholy giuen to deuotion was maruelous vnwilling to accept this high dignitie fearing least the same wold be a hinderance to the contemplature life which he chiefly desired he had by his wife Foelicia one sonne and no more like to him both in name and condition he repayred the church of S. Mark and the walles of Grado and succoured Bari against the Sarazens at length falling into acquaintance with one Guarino Abbot of S. Michaels of Cusano in Gascoyne hee grew so farre in loue with the reuerence of his person and the integrity of his conditions that determining to abandon the world hauing first distributed great gifts among the poore he departed one night in disguised garments with the said Giouani which Giouani Gradinigo and Giouani Morosmo his sonne in law and Romualdo Marino of Rauenna without saying a word thereof eyther to his wife or sonne he tooke with him much money which he bestowed in adorning the church of S. Michaell wherein hee made himselfe Monke and at the end of nineteene yeares dyed not without fame of doing many miracles hee was aged fifty yeares when hee entered into religion 24. Vitale Candiano anno 978. THe flight of Duke Orseolo being discouered Vitale Candiano sonne to Pietro the third was substituted in his place but falling into a grieuous infirmitie he renounced the Dukedome vowing that if he recouered to make himselfe a Fryer which hee performed and afterward comming to end his dayes hee was buried in the Church of S. Hilary 25. Tribuno Memo anno 479. TRibuno Memo beingelected Duke was so vexed with ciuill discord that was betweene the two mightie families of the Morasins and Calopins that renouncing the Dukedome he betooke himselfe to religion wherin he shortly finished his dayes and was buried in Saint Zacharies church 26. Pietro Orseolo anno 991. IN his place was chosen Pietro Orseolo sonne to that other Pietro whose life was so religious and holy he Conquered in a manner all Dalmatia and hauing done many other notable thinges especially in erection of Churches and sumptuous monumentes for Saintes hee dyed in the eighteenth yeare of his rule 27. Ottone Orseolo anno 1009 SVch was the peoples loue to the Father that they confirmed the gouernment to his sonne Ottone being a young man of eighteene yeares of age but of a very goodly personage and of a most exeellent spirite he married the sister of Geta king of Hungarie hee was excellentlie learned and of great liberality but in the end by the conspiracie practise of Dominico Flabanico hee was driuen out of Venice and confined to Constantinople in the seuenteenth yeare of his rule where shortly after hee dyed 28. Pietro Centranico anno 1026. IN place of Ottone was created Pietro Centranico or as some call him Barbolano but the city being then in tumult and hee vnpleasing to the people Orso brother to Ottone being then Patriarke of Grado by raising a faction tooke him prisoner and cutting off his beard constrained him to make himselfe a Fryer sending in the meane time for his brother Ottone to Constantinople hee himselfe by the consent of the people till then supplying the Ducall roome which Dominico Flabanico and his adherents that had been cause of Ottones banishment vnderstanding presentlie fled the citie but newes being brought of Ottones death Orso willingly surrendred vp the scepter and Domenico returned and that with such happy successe that he was presently elected Duke of Venice 29. Domenico Flabanico anno 1032. DOmenico Flabanico by reason of many yeares long experience was well acquainted with the world and subtle in his proceedings he ordained by a general consent of the rest that thence forward no Duke might admit any partner in gouernment and withall that none of the Orseoles might euer after bee capable of the Ducall dignitie hee ruled openly tenne yeares 30. Domenico Contarino Anno 1043. DOmenico Contarini was with exceeding contentment of the whole people elected Duke being of a noble family and withall of a very gentle and curteous disposition he did many notable thinges and dyed in the 26. yeare of his rule 31. Domenico Syluio Anno 1071. DOmenico Syluio presentlie vpon his election married the sister of Nicephorus Emperour of Constantinople at whose perswasion he made warre vpon Robert Duke of Puglia but being ouerthrowne in a great battel at Duraizo hee was chased out of Venice 32. Vitale Falero Anno. 1083. ANd in his stead was chosen Vitalo Falero who by reason of certain donations from the Emperour was the first that entituled himselfe Duke of Dalmatia and Croatia finally hauing ruled thirteene years hee dyed and was buried in the church of S. Marke 33. Vitale Michaele Anno 1096. VItale Michaele being installed Duke did many thinges gloriously in the wars against the Infidels in Asia and hauing onely ruled fiue years was succeeded by Ordelaffo Faliero 34. Ordelaffo Faliero Anno 1102. VVHo hauing married a wife of rovall parentage did assist Baldowin king of Ierusalem with a hundred sayle of shippes in his warres against the infidels and lastly he was slaine in an encounter at Zara hauing ruled 19. yeares 35. Domemco Michaele Anno 1119. DOmenico Michaele at instance of Pope Calisto went to Ioppo that was besieged by the Turkes whom he raysed from the same hauing with him two hundred sayle of ships he tooke also Tyre and gaue it to the Patriarch of Ierusalem and vpon his returne hee tooke from Emanuel Emperour of Greece the cities of Scio Samo Rodes Metellino and Andro and returned victorious to Venice where in the xi yeare of his rule hee deceased 36. Pietro Polani Anno 1130. PIetro Polani sonne in law to the former Duke began his rule in the yeare 1131. a man so singularly respected for his wisedome and integritie that the Emperors Corradus and Emanuel did chuse him for an Vmpier and Arbitrator of such differences as were betweene them hee conquered Fano and ouerthrewe those of Padoua and Pisa Lastly in assembling a mighty nauie in fauor of Emanuel the Emperour he fell sicke and died 37. Domenico Morosmi Anno 1148. DOmenico Morasmi
neuerthelesse elected by the Fathers and constrained to take vpon him the gouernment which he did with great comfort to the citie but with maruelous discouragement to himselfe because it had beene foretold him that whensoeuer hee should come to bee Duke the commonwealth shold labour with extreame affliction to preuent which hee bent his whole endeuour and care to the well discharging of his dignity but diuine deliberations are not to bee resisted for not long after he found himself entangled with many dangerous warres as with the Tryestines and Leopola Duke of Austria and with Francisco de Carrara a most sharpe and bitter enemie to the very name of the Venetians who had contracted against them a League which the King of Hungarie the Patriarke of Aquilia and the whole commonwealth of Genoua insomuch that besides a general reuolution and change of Fortune through the whole state the Genoweses encroched so neare vpon Venice that they tooke from it the cittie of Chroggia threatning vtter ruine and subuersion to the whole state but in this greatest downefall and calamitie such was the constant vertue and resolute courage of the Venetians and their prince that assembling the remainder of their force together they assailed with such fiercenesse the Genoweses in Chroggia that they did not onely recouer the cittie but also discomfit their enemies in a famous ouerthrow to the maruelous glorie of their Duke who was there in person they brought backe with them to Venice 4142 Genowes prisoners who in manner all ended there their liues and 2600. Padowans besides the Duke brought with him among many other ensignes banners and standardes the shield of the Captaine generall of the Genoweses as a chiefe Trophei the same being made of hardned leather according to the fashion of that time but very gorgeously guilted and embosted with the picture vpon it of S. George a horsebacke being the arms of the cōmonwelth of Genoway the D. ended his daies in the 15. year of his Dukedom hee was buried in S. Stephens church with this Epitaph written in Gotish letters vpon his Tombe Hic sacer Andreas stirps Contarena moratur Dux patriae precibus senior qui Ianua ciues Marte tuos fundens victor classe potitus Amissam Veneto clugiam pacemque reduxit 63. Michaell Morosimi anno 1381 MIchaell Morosimi dyed the fourth moneth of his rule of the plague vnder his picture in the pallace is written Paucadamus patriaefestina morte repressi 62. Antonio Veniero anno 1381. ANtonio Veniero next succeeded being then captaine generall for the state in Candia a man of such seueritie and iustice that he sharpely punished his owne sonne for hauing committed a youthfull insolence he succoured the Emperour Emanuell against the Turkes hee maintained and preserued the Duke of Mantua in his state against the Duke of Milan hee obtained the Isle of Corfu not long afterfalling into infirmitie he departed this life 63. Michaele Steno anno 1400. THe funerals of the former Duke being sumptuously performed Michaell Steno was elected Duke being procurator of S. Marke aged 69 yeares rich and greatly respected for his vertue in his time the commonwealth possessed themselues of Vicenza Feltro Bassano Belluno Verona and Padoua hauing liued thirteen yeares in this dignitie hee ended his dayes 64. Tomazo Mocenigo anno 1413. TOmaZo Mocenigo conquered a great part of Friuilti from the king of Hungary and hauing ruled tenne yeares departed this life 65. Francesco Foscari anno 1423. NEuer any mans election was dearer vnto the citie then this of Francesco Foscari insomuch that they reuelled and feasted a whole yeare for ioy therof presently vpon his creation the king of Denmarke at his instant and earnest request was adopted into the number of the Venetian Gentlemen the said king and Ihon Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople met both at one time in Venice the Emperour to craue succour against the Turke the king to take passage thence towardes Ierusalem with intent to visite the Sepulchre of Christ shortly after there met also the Despot of Rascia and the Duke of Mylan the one to request mony and meanes of defence against the Turke the other to entreate the Senate to take vpon them the decision and arbitrement of certain differences between him and his cosins lastly the prince being 84. years of age in respect of his impotencie was dismissed of gouernment and dyed within two dayes after 96. Pasquall Malipiero anno 1457. PResently vpon the election of this prince there was a law made that the Duke might not at any time to come thereafter be depriued in his time the art of Printing was thether brought out of Germany but they writ that it had beene in vse in China 500. yeares before he liued onely foure yeares 67. Christophoro Moro Anno 1462. ANd in his place was elected Christophoro Moro procurator of S. Marke aged 72. yeares a man held in great reputation for his wisedome integrity he made sharp wars vpō the Turke in Greece with diuerse variable successes in the end he dyed in the ninth yeare of his rule 68. Nicholo Trono anno 1471 ANd Nicholo Trono was enstalled Duke he established Hercole da Esle in his Dukedome of Ferrara he made confederation with the king of Persia against the Turke hee got into his handes the kingdome of Cipres by reason of the tutorshippe of the young king committed vnto him and hauing liued little lesse then two years ended his dayes 69. Nicolo Marcello anno 1473. IN his place was established Nicholo Marcello procurator of S. Marke aged 76. yeares he ouerthrew an armie of the Turkes at Scutari and hauing giuen an excellent tast of his gouernmēt to the people was taken out of this world after hee had ruled 15. month es 70. Pietro Mocenigo anno 1474. PIetro Mocenigo being procurator of S. Marke and of the age of 69. years was chosen in his room he had spent the greatest part of his yeares in great and principal employments abroad for the commōwealth chiefly in the wars wherof there is a particular treatise written by Coepio Coriolan that liued in those times he liued onely 14. monethes after his enstalment 71 Andrea Vendramino anno 1476. ANdrea Vendramino was 84. years of age when he was elected Duke he had beene in his youth one of the most beautifull and comely Gentlemen of Venice and in all respects accordingly accomplished hee made war against the Turke and defended Croy in Albana which they had besieged constraining them to raise their siege with great ouerthrow and discomfiture but while there was a treaty of peace entertayned the Duke departed this life in the 20. moneth after his election 72. Giouani Mocenigo anno 1477. GIouani Mocenigo after great domage receiued by the Turke concluded a peace with him he got Corinto in Dalmatia he made war vpon Ferrara he sent Roberto of Saint Seuerin against Ferdinand king of Naples finally he dyed in the 7. yeare of his rule 73. Marco Barbarico anno 1485.
increasing to a greater mightinesse state it seemed a thing not conuenient to the greatnes of so noble a cōmonwealth to commit to the rash wauering voice of the multitude a matter of so great waight honor and dignity It was therfore decreed that there should be chosen out 11. of the most sufficient citizens that this authority of creating the prince shold be wholy vnto thē cōmitted but afterwards as with their empire their ambitiō increased there were appointed certain seueral parliaments or sessions a kind of intricate way found out in this election of the Duke which least there should be any thing wanting in my vndertaken taske I wil briefly expresse The Duke being deade and his obsequies deuoutly and honourably solemnized the Counsellors who presently vpon the princes death during the interregne or vacancy betaking themselues to the publike pallace appointed for the princes habitation do call assemble The Dukes actions examined after his death together the great councell In that first assemblie after the Dukes decease there are according to the maner of the sessions before expressed 5. citizens created whose office is diligently to looke into to examine the actions of the deceased prince and if they found any thing done by him against the lawes and statutes then by opinion and authoritie of the councell to cancel and disanull the same If he haue receiued a bribe of any man or haue been sparing in that due and ordinary expence which belongeth to his dignitie then vpon the report of these fiue cōmissioners there is such a fine and amercement imposed vpō his heires as the lawes command the penaltie is onely money which is leuied vpon the Princes inheritance caried into the treasure house In the same session are likewise chosen fiue other citizens who immediatly vppon their election doe retire themselues into an aparted roome or conclaue adioyned to the session house out of which they doe not depart till after many matters well debated they doe at length determine whether there is any thing that in their opinion ought to be taken away or added to the princes authoritie The matter being well discussed among them the councel is called together again which being done they then come forth of the conclaue for before they may not and euery of them declareth his opinion to the Councell concerning the authority of the prince and then it being of the whole assembly together aduised on it is by suffrages decreed which shal be most for good of the commonwealth And that decree is presently registred among the lawes which the following Prince is bound to obserue The authority and power of the prince being once setled and determined the next day after is spent in that intricate kinde of sessions in which the Prince is accustomed to bee chosen No citizen allowed in those sessions which concerne the election of their prince vnder the age of 30 yeares All the citizens that are aboue thirtie yeare olde do assemble and meet together for no one vnder that age is by an auncient institution of the commonwealth admitted into that Councell or sessions then the citizens are all of them numbred and so many as they are in number so many little balles are throwen into a potte of which thirtie are golde and the rest siluer The pot is placed iust before the tribunal of the sessions where the Counsellors do stand and by the same standeth a little boy which pulleth out the lottes The citizens are called and doe come vnto the potte euery one according vnto the ranke and order in which he sitteth but no one is suffred as in their other sessions the custome is to put his hand into the potte onely the boy which standeth by draweth out for each of them his ball Those that chaunce vpon a siluer ball do presently depart forth of the sessions but hee whome fortune shal fauor with one of those that are of gold is presently in a high voice published and pronounced by the secretary and immediately goeth his waies apart into the inner roome and all his kindred and neere allies doe presently arise out of their places and all go together into one part or corner of the hall There they are numbred and so many as they are so many siluer balles are 30. chosen out of the whole multitude drawen out of the potte and giuen them vpon which without delay they depart out of the hall so that onely thirtie to whose lot the golden balles do befall are chosen and elected out of the whole assembly of citizens and that being done the councell is dismissed These 30. reduced to 9. After they are all departed those thirtie come again out of the conclaue trie once more their chaunce by lottery afore the Counsellors so that of their number onely nine whom this new lottery shall fauour are made Electors and the rest being dismissed they go againe into a closet appointed for the purpose and there are locked in alone no one no not a seruant suffred to The 9. chuse 40. speake with them nor they may not thence depart till they haue chosen fortie men of which fortie no one can of them be declared as elected and chosen vnlesse he haue first sixe balles or suffrages in his fauour so that if there bee foure of the nine contrary to him hee may not be elected So soone as they are once agreede in the choise of these fortie men they sende word thereof vnto the Counsellors by the publique guardian or Porter presently the Counsellors vnlesse the day bee very farre spent doe call and assemble the great councell which being altogether in the Court there is a list brought out of the closet wherein the names are written of the Electors and then the chiefe Secretary ascending the Tribunall doth with a high voyce pronounce the names of the fortie elected cittizens of which euery one as he heareth himselfe named doeth arise from his seate and going to the Tribunall of the Counsellors doeth there sitte downe and then goeth thence into an appointed closet or inner roome but if any one chaunce to be away he is presently enquired for by the Counsellors and the Presidentes of the fortie and sought for with great diligence throughout the cittie So soone as hee is founde out hee is immediatly by those Magistrates brought into the sessions and thence into the Conclaue to his fellowes without suffring him to speake or talke with any man by the way thereby to exclude all ambition and subornation out of the sessions which the will of our auncestors was shoulde be handled with all vprightnesse and sinceritie By this meanes the fortie designed cittizens doe come together vnawares and being come together the Councell is presently dismissed Then these fortie doe come forth agayne out of the closet into a large and open hall before the counsellors and there by the same manner of lotterie as is The 40. reduced to 12. before