with the same which is plac'd at the top of the Steeple with the Wings spread and the hand pointing to the Wind. The Walls of this Steeple are double on the inside between which you circulate insensibly ascending without any Steps until you come to the Bells insomuch as one is apt to believe that to raise such a building upon so mean a foundation the Expence under Ground cannot be much inferiour to that above from whence is discern'd their Dominion upon Terra firma as likewise several other places beyond that Sea Of the Religious Houses and Churches of Venice IT will be a difficult matter to find any City so fill'd with Churches as this of Venice there are 72 Parishes all serv'd by ordain'd Priests above 30 Monasteries and about 35 Convents of Religious Women besides several Chappels and a great many Confraternities of Penitents which are here call'd Schools much like those that were formerly and are yet in some Provinces of France I do not know what hath been the occasion of the Veneteans affecting to dedicate their Churches to the Saints of the old Testament there being several consecrated to St. Job St. Mones St. Daniel St Jeremy St. Samuel St. Zachary as if the Book of Martyrs was not sufficiently fill'd when they begun to build their Churches The greatest part of the Parish Churches are small neither are they the richest or best adorned those of the Convents both Men and Women are the most handsome and neat but some of the great Confraternities are incomparably more magnificently Built and better Furnish'd both with Pictures and noble Services of Plate The Venetians having a greater Inclination to these particular Devotions than for their Parish Churches which do not much affect them Yet nevertheless there is not that Church in Venice in which there is not something remarkable either for Painting or Architecture Those who are well acquainted with Venice are of the opinion that she hath near upon as many excellent pieces of Painting as all the other parts of Italy together for not only the major part of the Nobles Houses but likewise other particulars are fill'd with the choicest pieces yet much more the Churches and other publick Places whose Walls and Ceilings are cover'd with the the best Drawings of the greatest Masters The School or Confraternity of St. Roch hath the precedency for Riches beauty of Architecture and for the extraordinary number of Tintoret's Works That of St. Mark is not much inferior the Front being in Basse relief of extraordinary Marble and the inside wholly painted by the hand of the same Master which hath produc'd so vast a quantity of extraordinary Works that the life of another Painter would not be sufficient to execute what he did in two Years only at the Church of St. Roch. The Church of St. Sebastian is admirable both for its beauty and great number of pieces by Paul Veronese who lies there Interr'd That of St. Mary Major hath divers Works of Bassan extreamly fine but among all the modern Churches for Architecture that of our Lady Delta Salute must be reckon'd in the first place when finished it was built upon the occasion of a Vow the Republick made in hopes of being deliver'd from a great Plague the design is particular and its scituation admirable being at the entrance of the great Canal It is a great Octagonal that incloseth one not so large whose eight Pillars at the Angles support a very handsom Cupola The great Altar is at the lower end of a great Oval inrich'd with several curious Figures of white Marble which represent the driving away of that raging Sickness by the zeal and piety of the Republick there are six more Chappels in the other six sides of the Octagone with Altars and Ballusters of Marble the Porch and outside of the building is not much less adorn'd than the Inside The Church and Convent of St George Major that solely possesseth a little Island over against the Place of St. Mark at the distance only of a Musket shot are most noble buildings here is that admirable piece of the Marriage of Cana in Galilee it wholly takes up the end of the Refactory and is esteem'd for the Master-piece of Paul Veronese This Abby is of the Order of St. Benedict the Garden is the most agreeable Spot of Venice it is encompass'd with Terrass Walks rais'd like Ramparts from whence you behold whatsoever is worthy of observation in the Lagunes The Convent of St. John and Paul in the City is remakable for the fine Dormitory the Church is one of the largest but the Piece of St Peter the Martyr done by Titian's Hand is its finest Ornament it was both the Master-piece of that great Painter and one of the four finest in the World but is at present so much abused that it is in danger of being quite gone in 20 Years more it being not only kept in a bad place but likewise the Painters that are continually copying of it have already passed their sponges so often upon the Face of the Saint that the colour is in a manner quite extinguished notwithstanding all the care that is observ'd to prevent the Copyers from approaching it too nigh as likewise to prevent their working but upon particular leave There are at Venice several small Churches of an uncommon and particular agreeableness built by the Architects Sansouin and Du Palcadio the last of these never did any thing comparable to the Church of our Saviour at La Zueca it being much like to that of our Lady De La Salute and the effect of a Vow made by the Republick as it was design'd for the Capuchins who would not accept it in that magnificence it was first intended so one must allow that Du Palladio hath dexterously deceiv'd their Eyes and acquir'd a more than ordinary beauty to the simplicity of this Structure by building it according to the most exact rules of Art and Proportion rather than by the most ostentary decorations of Artichecture which may nevertheless be there in some measure admir'd the Roof is plain and even vaulted but thought to be too much declin'd It would be very tedious to enter into the particulars of all things of this Nature at Venice I shall content my self with mentioning only the great number of Mausoleum's that are in their Churches they being Erected to the Memory of almost all their Doge's and principal Senatoss The Venetians having been ever very careful in raising noble Monuments to the Virtue and Memory of their great Men by which means Venice abounds with a mighty number of fine Marble Sepulchres amongst which the magnificence of that for the last Doge Pasaro at the Cordelier's is much Esteem'd as likewise that of their victorious General Mocenigo at the Friers Mendicawts Of the Mercery and Rialto THese two places are the Richest in Venice best Peopled and the most agreeable to the Eye next to the Place of St Mark all that part from the
but feebly repeated as likewise the whole medly of this Confusion which composes the principal part of the Feast So that by this means it sometimes happens that the Thriftiness of the good Management is visibly apparent through the whole Course of the Transaction Such a Rejoycing is not ended in one Forenoon but the Diversion is for three Days continued by Balls at the House of the New Procuratour where the great Resort of People the number of Masques the Riches of the Furniture the cooling Liquors which are not in these Occasions less abounding than at the Marriages of the Nobility during which there are not only Fire-works and Bonfires before the House of the Procuratour but likewise throughout the whole City before those of his Friends and Relations which Rejoycings being ever accompanied with the frequent Discharges of Powder-Boxes render this Feast not less Great and Magnificent than if the Republick had gain'd some notable Victory over her Enemies Of their Boxing or Fights at Cuffs Il Pugni THE City is divided as it has been observ'd into Six several Quarters three being on this side and as many on the other side of the Great Canal Yet the People are divided only into two Factions each of which has three Wards or Quarters in their Parties The Castelani are the first who have that Name from the Quarter of Castelo in which is the Patriarchal Church at one of the extremities of this City The others are the Nicoletti's so call'd from the Church of St. Nicholas at the farthest end of the Quarter which has the greatest number of Common People and Fishermen who are the bravest and those that make the best Sport in these Engagements So the Party of the Nicoletto's has commonly the Advantage over their Adversaries the Castelans The Animosity of the People seems so great in these Occasions which I am at present upon Describing That one would think a People brought up in these Partialities and in this manner so strangely divided should never be able to live in that Union and Tranquillity which is necessary to the preservation of the State There are among these sorts of People several Heads of the Factions who really believe That they cannot be esteem'd as Men of Worth if they engage into the opposite Party Insomuch that they had rather miss a good Opportunity of providing for their Daughters than to marry them to a Man of the contrary Side These Partialities are not found to affect the Common People only but even in some measure to reach the Nobility who declare themselves of the Faction of the Quarter they live in yet with this Difference That they esteem these Boxing-Matches for Diversions which the meaner People convert into an Affair of Importance and Reputation And among the rest even the Strangers are Engag'd into the Parties For such as come to Venice from Chiosa are esteem'd as Castelans and those who arrive here by Mestre or by Fucine are reputed Nicholettis There is no doubt but that the Republick can without much trouble disperse these Partialities by continually preventing the two Parties from coming to Blows as it sometimes happens But the Senate is of the Opinion That if the People should form a Conspiracy against the State or the Nobility that it would be almost impossible for two such opposite Factions to unite so far as to joyn in a Design of this nature By which means they think themselves secure of one half or at least to oppose the Designs of the other by the ready Succours they might expect from the contrary Party And the rather by reason that the Castelans esteem themselves for a more civiliz'd People than the Nicoletti's as also more engag'd to the Nobility and zealous to the Government Therefore the Republick do's not only tolerate this Division already reigning in the People but they likewise encrease it by permitting of it to be observ'd in that manner it is acted If the Presidents of the Council of Ten who are the principal Officers of the Civil Government should permit the full Liberty of these Fights to the People so great is the Animosity as likewise the desire of acquiring the Reputation of being a Man * Che fa ben i pugni that uses his Fists well so strong among the Gondoliers and Populace That these Exercises would not only happen upon every Holy-day as they frequently do upon certain Bridges of the City but they would undoubtedly become common to the Day even throughout all the Seasons of the Year The difficulty which is found in preventing these Fights when any of the Presidents of the Council of Ten are against it may be admitted as a very good Instance of what is here said For the Captain of the Sbirri's and his People are scarce able to get those Orders obey'd being the Guard that is placed upon Saint Barnaby's Bridge which is the usual Field of Battel and do's only prevent them at that Place for they are sure to seek others more remote rather than to be depriv'd of the pleasure of Fighting Such of the Gondoliers as have acquir'd the Reputation of good Boxers will not hire themselves unless they are permitted by the Agreement to signalize themselves in these Famous Occasions Even the little Children that accidentally meet in the Streets do demand of each other who they are for and if they are of contrary Factions they are certain not to part without Blows The Humour runs strangely upon this rough Exercise for the people do ever stop to behold and encourage them even to such a degree that the most general Diversion of this City is the Sight of the Pugni as they are practis'd in almost all the Seasons of the Year being sometimes seen even when the Ice is in the Canals The order that I did propose to my self has not permited me to speak of it in any other Place so I shall Conclude the Description of the Publick Recreations with that of these Fights which are of three different sorts viz. La Montre La Frotte and the Battel-Array La Montre is that sort of Fight which is perform'd Hand to Hand between two Men but with very singular Circumstances The Bridge of St. Barnaby is usually the Theater of these Tragy-Comedies for this Bridge hath an equal number of Steps on each side as likewise two Keys almost of an equal bigness which is possessed by the Parties of the two Factions so that the Advantages in all respects are equal on both sides Moreover the Canal is long and directly straight whose Houses are by this means conveniently scituated for the great number of Spectators that flock hither from all Parts of the City so soon as these Boxing-Matches are known The Houses and Windows are not only fill'd with them but likewise the tops of the Houses the Keys and Neighbouring Bridges are cover'd with 'em as also the Barques and Gondolo's in the Canal Yet the particular Matches are not begun until the
to separate the rest and disperse that terrible Storm which must have ruin'd them beyond recovery As the Principal strength of Venice consists in the shallowness of the Lagunes so it sometimes causes great fears to the Republick for the Ground rising continually higher and damming up the entrances of the Ports makes them apprehend they may at length become dry at least inaccessible to all sorts of Vessels and at the same time not habitable by reason of the corruption that would proceed from thence evident in some neighbouring Isles where the malevolent Exhalations of those Marshy Grounds cause them to be forsaken by every one In effect the diminution of the Waters depth is so considerable that formerly where there was Eight and Ten Fathom Water in the Port of Malamoco there is not at present above Two or Three insomuch that the great Ships are now oblig'd to take the opportunity of the highest of the Tide to get out They must be undoubtedly mistaken who believe the Sea rather retires than the Land grows upon them it being evident that the common Tides beat against the foundations of the most Ancient Palaces and other Edifices of Venice which are not of a much younger Date than the very Foundation of the Republick it self These inconveniences being of the last importance have put the Republick to an inexpressible charge within these last Forty years They are very ready to hear all Enginiers that entertain them with the cleansing and keeping the Lagunes clear of Mud For which reason they have always at hand a great number of vast Machines both to scour them and deepen the Canals As the Republick is of the Opinion that these Beds of Earth are particularly caused by the falling in of the Brente and Piave occasioning the Sand to settle here so they thought by an extraordinary Work to take such measures as might prevent it by turning the course and conveying the Water towards Brondoto a new Canal cut in the Plains for above Thirty Miles together So these Waters are carried above the entrance of the Three Ports by little Channels which being scarce able to resist against the rapidity of the Stream are found to be a great Charge and not much Benefit Some believe that this diminution of the depth proceeds from the enlarging of the Lagunes to which purpose the Venetians levell'd a high Dyke that was formerly from the Town of Chiosa to Lizza Fusina consequently above Twenty Miles long for it being directly opposite to the flowing of the Sea so it was also the occasion of its returning with greater force which did not only carry away that Filth and Mud which now remains since the motion is abated by the liberty of flowing into that great space but likewise the course being at that time more rapid did then scour the Port of Malamoco which is over against it Of the Islands which are in the Lagunes THere are reckon'd to be about 60 Islands in the Lagunes of which above 25 are built upon and very well inhabited therein comprehending those that divide the Sea from the Lagunes To which the Venetians give the name of Lido or Shoar-Islands These are as hath been already said long and narrow the Soil poor and Sandy yet the industrious Labour of the Inhabitants hath render'd it rich and fertile in many places insomuch that one sees here many Gardens Of all the Islands which lie against the Sea that called Polesina is the best Peopl'd and the most agreeable it reaches from Polesin the Port of Chiosa to that of Malamoco being about 15 Miles long and 3 or 400 Paces over towards the Lagunes it is built the Houses small but pretty and neat the rest of it even to the Sea is improved by Gard'ning as likewise the most part of the other adjacent Isles in which there are computed to be about Fourteen thousand Inhabitants that cultivate them and furnish Venice with the greatest part of those vast quantities of Fruits and Roots that are there consumed The other inhabited Islands about Venice are either entirely possessed by some one Religious House whose Walls are encompassed with Water on all sides as those of the Holy Ghost of St. George D'Alega St. Seconde with several others or divided into Villages and little Towns well inhabited As also handsome Churches and Convents of Religious of both Sexes So are the Islands of Bouran Mayorbe Torcelle Four or Five Miles from Venice They were very considerable in the beginning of the Republick but the alteration of the Air as formely mentioned has caused them to be forsaken by their best Inhabitants These Islands are erected into a Bishoprick but the Bishop is forc'd to make his Residence in another place even the Religious that have Houses there are necessitated to quit them all the Summer by reason of the malignity of the Air leaving some poor Priests to assist those Inhabitants that are obliged to continue there As to the Religious Women they not being allow'd the liberty to remove themselves but forc'd to stay against their Inclinations express to such as come to see them an extream dissatisfaction of carrying in their Faces the evident signs of the ill Air they live in for nothing can be a more sensible mortification to them than to be reckon'd Forty at Five and twenty by reason of their fallow and unhealthy Complexion Of all the Islands of the Lagunes next to those that form the Body of the City of Venice that of Mouran is the most considerable It is a little City lying North of Venice and about Canon shot from it There is a great Canal that passes through it with several other smaller Canals many Noble Palaces and agreeable Pleasure-houses of the Noble Venetians Here are several Churches and some Convents the number of Inhabitants are esteemed at 20000. The Island of Mouran is famous for its great number of Glass Furnaces and Shops along the side of the great Canal Here you may see them continually lading great quantities of Glass and Chrystal Glasses of an extraordinary Beauty which are from hence sent into all parts of Europe However the Merchants to their great Concern are sensible of this mighty decay of Trade by the prohibition of France against importing Glass into that Kingdom and establishing those Glass-houses which have attained there to such a perfection in ordering their Chrystal that I have heard a Famous Master here promise a hundred thousand Florins to any one that would shew him how to temper his Chrystal Glasses like to that of an extraordinary clear and beautiful Cup which was brought from France Of the City of Venice VEnice hath the quality of all extraordinary things it being almost impossible by a description only to form such an Idea of it as shall exactly answer to the reality of what it is Nevertheless after having comprehended what the Lagunes or Lakes are 't will be easy to represent this famous City as rising out of the Sea in the
which comes to the Church of St. Mark it is a very Ancient piece of Architecture embellish'd with many Figures the entrance is through a long Porch which on the Right Hand hath a communication with the Court That of the Left with the Church of St. Mark The extremity of the Entrance on this side ends at the foot of an open Stair-Case The Court is reasonably large the three parts of the House are the three sides that have been already spoken of and the Piazza or Gallery at the entrance supports one Story Magnificently Built and contiguous to the Church which makes the Fourth Round about the Court ranges a very large Gallery whose Pillars are of Marble cut in Panes and deep Pannels supporting another Gallery which is in the First Story even to that without which looks upon the Place but nothing equalizes the Beauty of the Front of that part of the Palace which you see coming in from the Place answering to that upon the Canal This Building is not so Ancient as the rest of the Palace but seemeth to have been built in the most flourishing Days of the Republick the whole height which is above the Second Gallery being Adorn'd with Demi-Pillars Fesloons Arabian Work and other pieces in Bas relief all which are in Marble of an extraordinary Beauty What is most remarkably fine in the Court of the Palace both for the Marble and the Sculpture is the Front of the Gallery by which you enter for here are several very fine Antick Figures but the Adam and Eve at the Gate of this Gallery which is opposite to the Stairs are Two excellent Figures The Stairs are of Marble of one Range and open conducting you to the Gallery of the first Story terminated by Two Noble Colossus's of Sausouin In the first Story of the Palace there is a very great number of Rooms that look both upon the Court and Place being even with the Galleries on both sides which are frequented for the Assemblies of as many different Magistrates and Officers of Justice A most Magnificent pair of Stairs that begins at the Second Story in the middle of that part in the Center leaves you at the first Landing-place on the Left Hand at the Appartments of the Doge and the next Ascent brings you to the Hall of the College the Pregadi Scrutiny and Council of Ten as likewise to the Inquisitors of the State to the Great Hall of the Great Council In short by a Labyrinth of Communications you pass through all the Rooms of the Palace from whence you descend another great pair of Stairs not very far from the first Here you see in all these places great variety of Wainscoting and Roofs richly Gilt and Painted The Walls are covered instead of Tapestry with noble pieces of excellent Paintings purposely design'd for these places The greatest Masters of the Tuscan School as Georgeon Titien Paul Veronese Palme Tintore and several others have endeavoured to exceed each other in the several Master-pieces of their Profession But according to my Opinion the most admirable of all these is the Paradise of Tintore in the Great Hall of the Great Council where you may count above a Thousand Figures incomparably better finished then any of his other Works and which by an admirable diversity without confusion plainly shew you the excellent Genius of this Painter I shall only touch at these things en passant to the end it may be seen by the Instances of these excellent Works and mighty Buildings what the Greatness of this Republick hath been more especially in the Third and Fourth Ages in which time they could go by Land through their own Dominions from Venice to Constantinople The Doge then joining to his other Titles that of King of Candia and Negropont as likewise Lord of half the City and a Fourth part of the Empire of Constantinople Of the Church of St. Mark ST Mark 's Church is the place where all the Solemn Ceremonies are performed and properly the Chappel of the Doge This is a Collegiate Church without having any Jurisdiction abroad it depends entirely on the Doge therefore he makes the Presentation where he thinks fit which Person is likewise Dean of the Chappel officiating with Mitre and Cross with all other Episcopal Functions For which reason this Preferment is always conferr'd upon a Noble Venetian whose Revenue is about Five Thousand Ducats besides an Abby that commonly goes with it This Prelate hath Six and twenty Canons under him who are all of the Doge's nomination Besides these there is a Seminary of young Men that are designed to the Service of this Church Upon the Principal Solemnities of the Year especially in the Holy Week they follow the Rituals of the Church of Alexandria for according to Ancient Tradition the Body of St. Mark was brought from thence which hath given occasion to this Custom ever since in observing several particular Ceremonies The most remarkable is the Procession of the Holy Sacrament which is carried in great Solemnity upon Good Friday at Nine in the Evening round about the Place in a Coffin covered with Black Velvet The Popes were never able to abolish this Custom it was formerly practis'd throughout the whole State but the Republick have limited the use of it now to the Churches of this City only all which at that time make the like Procession within the districts of their several Parishes Nothing can be more Glorious than Venice upon this Night which is illuminated with Millions of Flambeaux the Place of St. Mark being then one of the finest Sights imaginable for there are two great Flambeau's or Tapors of white Wax at each Window of the Procuratory's that surround the Great Place This double row of Flambeaus regularly placed with those upon the Church Gate have together a very noble Effect illuminating all the Processions of the Confraternity and neighbouring Parishes that purposely come into the Great Place In these Processions you see several Penitents disguised with Caps of Two Foot high upon their Heads who as they march just behind the Cross do so severely lash themselves that the Blood follows every stroke They have for this purpose a Discipline of several strings of knotted Whipcord which they hold between their two Hands and dipping of it in a pot of Vinegar for that use carried by them they whip themselves so exactly and in such a cadence that they must necessarily have studied the Art to acquit themselves of it as they do In the mean time the whole City seems to be on fire by the great numbers of Processions where the white Wax is so little spar'd that one would almost imagine they consume as much there upon this occasion as might serve all Italy a Twelve Month. The Church of St. Mark hath another particular privilege which is to perform the Office of the Mass at six in the Evening upon Christmas-Eve They begin the Office at the 24th Hour Two Hours afterwards they
Place to the Bridge of Rialto is call'd the Mercury which are 5 or 6 narrow Streets in Length where are expos'd to Sale all sorts of rich Silks Stuffs Tissue's of Gold Points de Venise Rubans Silver and Gold Lace Velvets Damasks and Brocards of an extraordinary price which being mixed with many other sorts of Merchandizes makes this one of the most agreeable parts of all Venice The little Place of St. Bartholomew that joins the Mercury to the Bridge of Rialto is intirely Inhabited by the Druggists where you find all the Commodities that come out of the Levant and Germany the Liveliness of these places with the continual concourse of People do render them altogether as agreeable as the most frequented Streets of Paris or even the Galleries of the Exchange or Palace The Quarter of the Rialto is the most ancient Part of the City for here they laid the first Foundation of it it is one entire and handsome Island being apart from the Mercery on the other side of the Bridge at the bottom whereof on the left hand is a long Gallery with Shops of Draperies and other sorts of Stuffs the Ware-houses are over head and on the right is the Place of Rialto in which the little Church of St. James being the ancientest of this City and built above 1200 Years since makes one of the Sides near the Bridge the other two is an Acrade under which the Merchants meet about their Affairs of Commerce Behind the Church of St. James on the side of the great Canal you behold a very ancient Building and for the most part of Marble under which are most dismal Prisons it was formerly the Palace or Court of Justice for the whole City they yet continue it the Assessions-house of several Magistrates for Causes both Civil and Criminal appertaining to the Jurisdiction of the Rialto There is upon the same side of the great Canal a large arched Building in which they sell all sorts of Provisions the great number of Vessels that cometh daily to these Places laden with Fruits Roots and Fish which they bring from the Isles adjacent and Continent do evidently shew the Greatness of this City Yet wherein most appears the mighty Riches of this City is the extraordinary number of Goldsmiths and Jewellers at the end of the Street over-against the Bridge where may be seen the finest and richest Stones of Europe Of the Arsenal of Venice THere is nothing so famous as the Arsenal of Venice nor any thing that does so much demonstrate the Power of this Republick it is the Object of all Strangers Admiration and the Foundation of the Strength of the State The Grand Signior values it so much as by Report to prefer it to whatever else the State possesseth It is of a large Circumference being more than 2 Miles about taking up all the Eastern Division of the City from which it is only separated by a small Canal that washes three sides of it and the Lagunes the fourth that lies towards the North it is inclosed with very high Walls and Towers at certain Distances where is kept a very exact Guard especially in the Night the Centinels can by little Bells in those Towers advertise the Corps du Guard in case of Attempts and other Accidents of Fire that may casually happen or premeditately break forth upon the Instigations of any secret Enemy It was the first thing that was to have been executed in the Conspiracy of the Spaniards in the Year 1618 whilst the other Confederates attack'd the Body of the Nobility in the Palace of St. Mark but Heaven prevented the Blow by the means of two French Men that had received some Hints of their Design and immediately took Post to inform the Senate of their Danger The Arsenal is so important to the Republick that there is not any thing which gives them so much occasion of Care and Distrust for not only the security of the City and State but likewise the greatest part of this Republick's Power depends upon it It would take up a whole Volume to describe all that is remarkable in the Arsenal therefore I shall let it suffice to observe in general That there are in the several Apartments a most surprizing quantity of Arms both for Horse and Foot as likewise for the Ships and Gallies all very neat and kept in an extraordinary order you see in one Room the necessary Arms for 10000 Men in another for 20000 even to a third and fourth for 30 or 40000 each The same Care is here observed in reference of the Naval Stores for in one Room there are the Necessaries for 20 Gallies another 30 and a fourth of 40 On one hand you see all sorts of Arms for 40 Ships on the other for 10 Galeasses In short it 's almost impossible to imagine what a prodigious quantity of Arms there is in these Magazines The Republick entertained Henry the Third in great State when he visited the Arsenal where the Pleasure they gave him in seeing a Galley fitted up and rigg'd out while he was at Dinner was not the least Satisfaction they Complimented His Majesty with during the time he stayed at Venice Under these Rooms there are several distinct Store-houses for all sorts of Furniture and Military Equipage It is reckoned there are above 800 Pieces of Cannon for the Service of Sea and Land of Bullets Bombs Granades and Mortars a proportionable Number and even the same of Collars for the Artillery-Horses The Masts Yards Oars Pulleys Sails Ropes Anchors Nails and all sort of Iron-work necessary in the building of Ships are here kept in their separate and distinct Places insomuch that whatsoever is necessary for any Expedition of either Sea or Land may be seen in the greatest abundance Without doubt they are always in a condition of fitting out a Hundred Gallies or Galeasses and as able to Arm a Hundred thousand Men which would be more than sufficient to allarm the greatest Potentates of Europe if Men and Money were equally answerable to these mighty Stores There are in the Arsenal Three very large wet Docks which are supplied with Water by the Lagunes round which are a great many Houses large enough to contain Two Vessels and keep them from the injuries of the Weather here they refit and build their Vessels Gallies and Galleasses which are not Launch'd until they design to use them These places are not only full of whatsoever is necessary for present Service but likewise of the remainders of their victorious Armies and the many Prizes they have taken from the Turks in those signal Victories they have frequently obtain'd both by Sea and Land By these mighty Stores the Republick is ever able to fit out in a very small time a Fleet of Forty Gallies and as many Galleasses of Nine or Ten that are in the Docks there is one of an extraordinary largeness but not yet finish'd This sort of Vessels are equal to the largest Ships in Length and
thick and made hollow for the more easie play of the Oar. The Gondolier behind stands on the Poop to see over the Tilt or Covering that so he may have a right Steerage He is upon a long Board that reaches above four Fingers beyond the Left side of the covered part of the Poop insomuch that he is quite out of the Gondola holding the end of a long Oar that is supported on the Right side by a piece of Wood like to the other at the head but about Two Foot high After this manner he Rows keeping stroke to the Gondolier before without which the Gondola can neither go right or even It is very agreeable to observe the Air and Grace these Men affect in the management of their Gondola's they stand most an end upon their Right Leg with the Left stretch'd out behind them their Body bending down and quite out of the Gondola whereby if it happens that they run foul of one another at the turning of any corner for want of giving timely notice or by the breaking of an Oar they are certain to fall into the Water which is no great trouble or inconveniency to them unless it chance to fall out at the course where the mighty number of Boats and the swiftness of their motion does not seldom occasion them the utmost danger As the Gondoliers have not their Oars any ways fastned to the Gondola so they make their stroaks either shorter or longer according to the breadth of the Canal or the multitude of Gondola's that are frequently seen together Nothing can be more charming than the easiness of this passage you Eat and Drink quietly Read Converse Sing Play upon all sorts of Instruments without any manner of inconvenincy or probability of Danger One cannot without admiring behold them pass so direct smooth and fast avoid in a moment such obstacles as one not us'd to them must think impossible turn the corners of the Canals with so great exactness and expedition that it is no ways capable of a description stop short in their full course turn or go back with an equal facility In short they govern those Boats with the utmost dexterity which are the effects of an Address that cannot but surprize all who see them The Gondoliers do constantly every night take away all that is loose or not fixed to their Gondola which they carry home with them they take down the whole Tilt or Covering La Caponera together which they call La Caponera afterwards whatsoever else is not safe to leave abroad in the Morning early they Equip their Gondalo with the same ease and expedition The conveniency of having at Venice all things necessary to a great City BEsides those Advantages here common to all Maritime Cities the City of Venice hath a more peculiar one which comes from her being situated in the middle of the Lagunes For she is the Center in which several Rivers do end as the Po the Adige the Brente and the Piave besides a great many Canals this Republick hath made in their Territories for the conveniency of bringing whatsoever is necessary by the Brente which the remotest Provinces of Tuscany produce The Vessel you take at Turin brings you to whatever House you please in Venice without which conveniency of passage it would be a very difficult Matter to see that mighty abundance there is at Venice of all things necessary to a great City Few particulars would be able to build the fine Houses one sees here The Wood is floated down hither Stone and Marble are brought partly upon the floated Timber and partly upon those great Pontons that cross even the Adriatick Gulph In this manner all sorts of Materials are brought hither by an admirable ease from a thousand different places into all the several Quarters and House of this City The great expence of Venice is what they are obliged unto in the foundation of their Buildings for besides the great quantity of piles and great Stones necessary to that work the Damms only they are forced to make against the Water to bring the place into a condition of being work'd upon lies them in very considerable Sums A Procurator of St. Mark offered lately Eight thousand Ducats which is about Fourteen hundred pounds Sterling to stop the Water sink and raise about 60 Foot in length to the surface of the Water La Procurator Bon. the Front of a Palace which he was at that time going to build upon the great Canal By the conveniency of Boats they cry about the City their Fruits Roots Wood Wine Provisions and all sorts of Houshold-Ware whereby a poor Man that is but able to purchase an Oar is sufficiently qualified to get an honest Livelyhood You see Old Men Women and Children managing all sorts of Boats as likewise many begging Monks who implore your Charity in the Boats they work But what is most admirable is to see little Children alone managing of great Boats laden with Merchandize that contain more than Twenty Carts would be able to draw which is of mighty conveniency to such as must remove their Families for one Man can carry at once all their Goods without the least damage Of the Trade of Venice VEnice is so advantagiously situated for Commerce that since the foundation of the Republick to the present Age there hath been scarce any City in Europe more known for it Formerly the Venetians were the only Traders into the Levant and Eastern India for their Vessels received at Aleppo and Alexandria such Commodities as were brought from Egypt Syria and the Red Sea which they afterwards Transported into all the Ports of Europe selling them at such prizes they were pleas'd to set upon them The Spaniard discovering the Riches of the West-Indies through the bold attempts of Christopher Columbus which inspiring the Portugueze and some other Nations with the courage of passing the Line and doubling the Cape of Good-Hope did the Venetians undoubtedly more damage than all the chargeable Wars they have had with the Turks But of all those who have gained by the New Discoveries none have done it with a success equal to that of the Hollanders who have found the means of making themselves the Masters of all Trade The most considerable Trade that remaineth now to the Venetians are only those of Constantinople and Germany For which reason the vending of their rich Silks and other principal Manufactures is of the last importance to them therefore they continue these Trades with the greatest application Besides these they furnish Germany Italy and Spain with Chrystal and Looking-Glasses France with Velvets and Brocades and all places with their Points excepting France where they are prohibited and Manufactures established for the making of them yet notwithstanding that perfection they have attained they continue to value most those of Venice It is hardly to be believed what great quantities of Brouards Damasks and Cloaths of Gold that the Turks and Armenians do continually send From
hence to Constantinople and Persia to maintain this important Commerce between the Venetians and the Subjects of the Grand Seignior the Republick doth upon all occasions shew the greatest regards to those of that Nation inhabiting among them They have given them an Old Palace upon the great Canal in which all the Turks live together Il Palazzo di Turchi having sufficient Warehouse-room for such Merchandizes they export as likewise for their Leathers Wax and Silk which they bring in great quantities from the Levant but if there happen any difference between them and the Subjects of the Republick in which the former think themselves injur'd they demand satisfaction in such an extraordinary manner and receive it so readily that one would almost believe they dare not venture to refuse it to them To render this Commerce more assured and easy they have invented a particular Model of a Vessel that is properly a Demi-Galeasse here call'd the Traffique-Gally which carries to Spalatro in Dalmatia at a Crown per Piece the Bales of all the Traders in this City from whence they are carried upon Camels to Constantinople and Asia This Galley is fraighted seven or eight times a year with a mighty number of Bales to the great advantage of the Republick and such particulars as are concerned in that Trade The Commerce they have with Germany is the first and the most ancient this City hath had which being not much less advantagious to the State than that of the Levant so they have omitted nothing that might contribute to the preservation of it to which purpose the Republick hath accommodated the German Merchants with a very handsom and ancient Palace near the Bridge of Rialto in which they keep their Warehouse The Traders of that Nation are very conveniently Lodg'd there and at a very easy Rate enjoying many extraordinary Privileges which do very much contribute to the improvement of this Commerce This Palace is finely Painted on the outside by Georgeon and Titien but much decayed at present yet there remaineth several noble Fragments what is most valuable in this Magazine is a Hanging of Gilt Leather with several Figures all done by Paul Veronese which is undoubtedly one of the best Pieces this Famous Painter ever did One sees continually before this Palace a great number of Bales some of which they send by Sea into Syria and others by Land Upon the Revenues of this Magazine is Assign'd those Appointments which are annually allow'd by the Republick to the Doge for the maintainance of his Houshold as likewise to defray the Charges of those publick Entertainments he is oblig'd to make Four times a year for such Ambassadors and Senators as are present at the Solemn Functions of those Days which shall be Treated of in their proper place Of the Merchants Bank or what they Il Banco del Giro call Bank del Giro THis Bank is a Depository of Money which the Merchants of this City have made into the hands of their Prince for so they commonly call the Republick who is the Guardian of it they likewise defray the Charge of the Officers and Accountants belonging to it The Sacred and inviolable Security of this Bank is a mighty advantage to the Merchants As also an extraordinary conveniency to Trade in general very great Payments are hourly made without any manner of Disbursement by only changing the Names of the Parties whereby vast sums of Money are continually circulating and changing of Masters without passing from the Coffers of the Prince who makes use of this Fund free from all charges of Interest If any of those concerned in this Fund have occasion for their Money or any part of it they are sure of finding the Bank always ready to answer Desires But as these Effects are more valued here than ready Money by reason of the great conveniency in safely negotiating without any manner of disbursements so there are always a great many People who are willing to purchase those Sums at more than Par not-notwithstanding this Fund allows of no interest for the Bank being settled at Five Millions of Ducats all others are debarr'd of the opportunity of making farther Subscriptions They commonly judge of the Merchant's Riches by the Sums he hath in the Bank Del Giro so called by reason of the continual Cirulation of those Sums such whose Families are not very well known have usually no more credit allow'd them than what they find of Effects Registred in the Bank whose Security and Administration are so inviolable and faithful that if any accidents happen by the corrupt management of the Officers The Republick is ever ready to make good such Sums with their own Money The Goodness of the Air at Venice ONe would hardly believe that the Air of Venice is so good as it really is but experience convinces such as continue there all the several Seasons of the year notwithstanding the great moistness of the place and the inconstancy of the Weather that passes from one Extremity to another both in Winter and Summer should seem at first to occasion many indispositions to the People that live in an Air of this nature The Mists that are usually here in the beginning of the Winters do often continue for several days together so thick and cold that they are not to be endur'd in any other place without very great inconveniencies In Summer the Tempests and extream heats are so very frequent and so suddenly interrupted with cold Winds Rains and Storms that it is much to be admired that in a City where they are not us'd to have three days of one continu'd weather yet they should enjoy an Air incomparably more sweet and healthful than those we find in the more agreeable and temperate Climates The pernicious Effects of the Evening Air that reigns in all other parts of Italy are altogether unknown at Venice Old and Young go bare-headed here Night and Day both Winter and Summer without the least inconveniencies and by the particular benignity of the Air Rheums and Defluxions are less frequent here than in any other place I ever knew one cannot desire a greater demonstration of this Truth than by what may be observ'd in the Churches or in any other great concourse of the People where during the seasons most liable to Coughs and Colds it is very rare to hear the least symptomes of them Besides to the goodness of the Air is due the Colour and Complexions of both Men and Women which are much better and more lively than those who live at Rome as likewise in most parts of the other Cities of Italy Their Teeth are sound and white their Heads are well covered with good full Hair which grows very fast especially among the Nobles who are very curious of it which is much the better because they do not accustom themselves to the use of Hats In short it is very surprizing that however hot the day is which occasions the Nights to seem the
Charges whereof the Republick defrays For which reason the first thing entred upon after the Death of the Doge is to choose three Inquisitors to examine into his Conduct to hear such Complaints as may be made against his way of Living and to do Justice to the meanest Demands at the Expence of the Inheritance whereby the Misery of the Subjection in which he lived appears not to cease with his Life It even looks as if the Republick would moderate the satisfaction which the Doge might possibly have by dying in hopes of being regreated by the Publick for the Senate assists at this Funeral Pomp in Vests of Scarlet to shew the People by the Singularity of this Ceremony that it is not the Government of the Prince which composes the Happiness of the State as likewise that the Republick being free ought not to shew any Marks of Affliction at his Death The Obsequies of the Doge are no sooner over but a Great Council of all the Nobility above Thirty is held where they choose five Persons who are to draw up the Heads of the Inaugural Oath that is the Laws which he solemnly swears to observe upon his Election These Nobles are empowered to add or retrench from them as they shall judge necessary for the good of the State by which means the Republick deprives the Doge of explaining to their disadvantage the terms of these Obligations which compose an in the Volume The Prudence of the Republick is much to be admired in her choice of the one and forty Electors of the Doge by making Merit and Fortune equally to concur to such an important Action for a long circuit of Ballotations and reciprocal Elections has render'd of no effect the designs of all Parties leaving the Families the satisfaction which almost every one of them finds in contributing to the Election of a Prince for all the Nobility that are at the Gâ—eat Council draw each of them one Ball out of an Urn in which are Thirty gilt ones Such as have the gilt Balls are by Lot reduced to the Number of Nine these Nine choose Forty which are by Lot reduced to Twelve who have the nominating of five and twenty that are afterwards reduc'd again to Nine who choose Five and forty Gentlemen out of which Number Eleven are taken by Lot and these have the Nomination of the one and Forty real Electors of the Doge After the Approbation of these Electors by the Great Council they retire into the Palace of St. Mark out of which they cannot stir until they have Elected a Doge Altho these Elections are seldom made very tedious yet the Electors have been five or six Months before they could determine the Matter for the one and forty Votes there must be twenty five of Accord to choose the Doge All the time the Electors are thus shut up they are very carefully kept and treated almost in the same manner as the Cardinals in the Conclave The first thing the Doge does upon his Election after the usual Oaths of observing the Statutes is to shew himself to the People But as the Republick does not permit him the Taste of pure Joys without the Relish of some Bitterness which may make him sensible of the Restraint and Servitude to which his Condition engages him so they bring him down through the Hall where his Body is to be expos'd after his Death Here he is complimented upon his Exaltation by the Great Chancellour to the end he may remember that in this place he shall be Examin'd when he is Dead if he hath quadrated all his Actions according to the Rules of Justice The Doge after this goes into a sort of an Engine which they call a Well that is purposely kept in the Arcenal for the use of this Ceremony It really hath the external resemblance of a Well Supported by a wooden frame like a Litter but of an Extraordinary length the two sides of whose ends are joyn'd together About two hundred men belonging to the Arcenal carry this Engine upon their Shoulders the Doge sitting in this Well with one of his Children or nearest Relations standing upright behind him who hath two Basons full of Gold and Silver medals purposely coin'd for this occasion with such figures and Inscriptions as he thinks fit which he throws among the People whilst the Doge is carrying round about the place of Saint Mark. The custom of bestowing these Liberalities upon the People was first Introduced in the Year 1172 by the Famous Doge Sebastian Ziani that Triumph'd over the Emperor Frederick the second by taking Otho Son of this Emperor Prisoner in the Naval Victory he obtain'd over him in the defence of Pope Alexander the Third The Doge thought it Necessary to shew this Liberality to the People as the sweetest charm and the most proper remedy to allay their indignation for being depriv'd of their Right of Electing the Prince which they had alone enjoyed for several Ages This Doge was moreover so Rich that he built at his own proper charge all the old Procuratories leaving besides very immense Riches to the Church of Saint Mark Insomuch as it was commonly believed among the People that he had found some mighty Treasure Of the Six Councellors of the Doge the three Presidents of the Council Criminal of Forty and of the Vice Doge AS the Dignity of Councellor to the Prince is usually thought more Honouraâ—le than judg'd necessary for them to be converiant in the important affairs of State so they are not generally the best Heads of the Republick who officiate in this Employ for they always bestow these promotions upon the eldest Senatours of the first Nobility They are Councellors for a Year yet they assist at the College no more than Eight Months the other four they preside in the Council Criminal of Forty as the three Presidents of that Chamber have likewise two Months Session in the College The Doge the Six Counsellours and the three Presidents of the Council Criminal of Forty who are called Vice Councellors represent the Seignory and give Judgment in all Priviledge causes that are pleaded at the College There are so many Councellors as there are Quarters in the City but a Noble that lives in one Ward or quarter cannot be Councellor for another for every Councellor is the chief man of the Ward Although they are call'd Councellors of the Doge yet they are in reality Councellors of the Seignory For which Reason they have a greater Power than the Doge himself seeing they can do that without him which he can only do by their presence They are cloath'd in Red and wear the Ducal Vest with great wide Sleeves all the while they are in Office whereas the Presidents of the Criminal of Forty wear the violet vest according to the common custom with narrow Sleeves They advise together upon the heads they are to propose to the Great Council yet a Councellor of the Seignory may
end they may throw the ball into which side they please without being discerned therefore to give several balls to serve a friend or to injure an Enemy is forbidden upon the penalty of being for ever excluded the Council which is the same thing with being deprived of Nobility as hath sometimes happened In these Ballotations the party 's of the Young-men are almost ever the strongest especially when the matter in debate is for the mortification of a Senator either by not continuing him in his Dignity at the end of the year or by fetching a Noble out of the great Employs of the Seignory to execute one of the least considerable Offices in the State as I have already observed for not having regulated his conduct according to their sentiments In the Great Council hatred and Enmity put in Practice all the Artifices of revenge it is there that Dissimulation reigns in the full height where not being Liable to be detected of falsehood they usually protest to the Excluded all the good offices of sincere Friendship Notwithstanding that these secret ways of satisfying their passions are attended with no other effect than that of preventing the Nobility from carrying their resentments higher yet this advantage is very considerable to a Republick which can apprehend nothing so much as the division of her principal Members but the reciprocal dependance in which the Great Council keeps the Nobles and the continual fear of seeing themselves Balloted to the prejudice of their Interest and Honours does not only oblige them to observe the necessary measures of living well with each other at least apparently in a perfect good understanding but these considerations do moreover inspire them with a real Zeal and an intire attachement to the good of the Publick which are the most assured meanes for a Nobleman to attain the principal Employs of the Republick as likewise to acquire the esteem and affection of his equals if he any ways studies their good Opinions All the Ballotations of the great Council are perform'd in a manner before the eyes of the Publick for the doors are not only open but there is likewise an elevated bench for such Strangers who come out of curiosity to see these Gentlemen pass their Suffrages but as the Nobles that come to the Great Council are permitted to speak their sentiments upon the things proposed by the Councellor for the week according to the custom of the Sage for the week in the Senate or to give his Opinion upon any other important matter of State so in these occasions all strangers are oblig'd to go out that they may not enter into the Cognisance of those things that belong to the Nobility only There is in the Hall of the Great Council a sort of a chair which is design'd for the use of such as harangue in the assembly it was there that Marc Attonio Cornaro more than a Year after the loss of Candia made an unexpected Speech upon the Surrender of that place where by the strength of his Arguments he brought the Senate at that instant to resolve upon the Trial of Francis Morosini Captain General who delivered it to the Turks and he made Avogador to give the Instructions and prosecute the matter that was the Person who made the accusation Nevertheless this General who got himself promoted to the Dignity of Procurator of Saint Mark for the assurances he gave to the Republick that he would be buried in the ruines of Candia before he would yield up the place even at that very time when he was forc'd in Necessity to capitulate shewed here no less address to extricate himself out of the Danger He endeavour'd at first to gain time and to assure himself of what votes he could in the Great Council by distributing large Summs of Money among the Poor Nobility who are at Venice called Barnaboti being most of them live in the Ward or Quarter of Saint Barnaby he likewise contriv'd it so that the Chevalier Johannes Sagredo made there an excellent Speech in his behalf wherein he shewed the weakness of the Accuser who could not answer the force of his Reasons and consequently was thought not to be the Author of that harangue he pronounc'd against this General Yet this did not hinder them from suspecting that the Chevelier Sagredo was well rewarded for the trouble as likewise his Son afterwards in another case for having maintain'd a bad cause in the Senate in consideration of two hundred Pistols presented him The Son was banish'd both the City and State of Venice and the Father upon the Point to succeed the Doge of the same Name who did not so long enjoy that Dignity as his merits deserved bad the Mortification of seeing his exclusion Publickly pass'd both by the Nobility and People The Nobility sufficiently demonstrate the distrust they live in by all the precautions they take 〈◊〉 the safety of the Great Council and the 〈◊〉 which the smallest occasions are capable of causing to them Not long since there was near the Place of Saint Mark a litâ—â—e Galiot of people from the Coast of Greece whom they call Maignotes Greeks both by Religion and Nationa but resembling the Turks by whom they are Subdued yet their Upland Countrymen continue to defend themselves by the means of their Mountains the poet Wretches Selling their Cheeses about the City were insulted by a Venetian according to the custom of their Country they went to his House took him by force without doing him any harm to carry him before the Judges of the Palace in order to have Justice done them The Great Council being Assembled that day the Guards at the doors seeing these people make to them stopp'd and drove them away by force but they not understanding the venetian Language took this proceeding for a new affront went back to their Galiot from whence they return'd with the rest of their Countrymen and Seymiters in hand resolutely going to attack the Guards who immediately made a discharge upon them Which join'd with the noise upon the place and the sight of naked Arms before the Door of the Great Council Struck such a Terrour upon the Assembly that it was judg'd to be a Conspiracy against the Nobility Some stood neither able to stir or speak others endeavour'd to save themselves by the Top of the Palace but the more couragious betook themselves to the Armes in the little Arcenal of the Council of Ten which is for that purpose near the Hall But the tumult being appeased by the presence of the Procurators of the Guard the Ignorance of these strangers was excused and the Nobility got clear of their dreadful apprehensions I shall not stop here to enter into the description of all the Magistracies of Venice which particulars would not be less Tedious than they are unnecessary to the understanding the form of Government in this Republick I shall only add that there are above Three Score several Tribunals or Courts of Justice which
Podestate and the Captain about the matter of Jurisdiction so they are oblig'd to give the Senate an account of it before they proceed further the Podestate hath the precedency in all Publick Functions where they appear together so it is he who hath the burden of the most important affairs for the Cognisance of Causes Civil and Criminal and whatsoever regards the Government the Peace and Quiet of the People belong to him The Captain of Arms hath the command of the Souldiers and all Military People within the Limits of his Jurisdiction he hath the Cognisance of Crimes committed in the night and the care of paying the Publick charges by the means of the Receivers who are accountable to him The Cities of Padua Vicenza Verona Bressia Bergamo Crema and Treviso as the head Cities of Provinces and the most considerable upon Terra Firma have each of them a Podestate and a Captain of Arms. In the other â—ess considerable Cities these two Employs are united in the Person of the Podestate they are both of them for Sixteen Months and the Salaries the Republick allows these Officers are from Ten to Forty Ducats a Month for which Reason the Nobles which she deputes into the Great Cities are usually very considerable for their Riches to the end they may live handsomly and honour the dignity the poor Nobles do sufficiently find their accounts in the small Podestary's by not being obliged to any manner of expence As most of the Great Podestaries are very burthensome so the Gentlemen Nominated to them do sometimes rather choose to pay two thousand Ducats and to be debarr'd coming into the Great Council for two years than to accept those Employs which are more Prejudicial to them than these Penalties which the Laws impose upon such as refuse them yet is is a very Surprising thing how some of these Podestats as those commonly sent to Vicenza who are scarce Thirty Years of Age and who rarely have perform'd any other study or acquir'd further experience than what they have gained in the Intrigues and Ballotations of the Great Council should Judge and decide with so Singular a Prudence the most important affairs relating to the Subjects of the Republick It is true they always call to their Assistance Doctors of Civil Law in the Cities of their residence by whose advice they Regulate the decisions of the more difficult cases The Republick always sends a Noble of the first order into the Province of Frivoli with the title of Proveditor General of Nova Palma which is the handsomest and most regular Place in all their Diminions upon Terra Firma it is a Frontier Town to the Emperor and a mighty check against those Incursions that the Turks have frequently attempted on this side At Dine which is the residence of the Patriarch of Aquilea there is a Lieutenant and some Subaltern Officers In Istria of which Capo'd Istria is the Capital there are four Episcopal Cities and five less considerable who have all Podestats The Magistracies of Frivoli and Istria are for two years as likewise those of Dalmatia and the Isles of the Levant by being too far to be oftner removed The Republick confers the titles of Proveditors Counts Governours Captains or Castellans upon such Nobles as she sends into the Cities of Dalmatia for the Administration of Justice the Magistrates of the two principal places the Counties of Zara and Spalatro being two Archbishopbricks are assisted by a Council of three Noble Venetians without whom they are not to come to any Resolution yet all these Officers obey the Proveditor of the Province who hath an absolute command in these affairs as likewise in those of the Military concern The Troupes maintain'd by the Republick in this Province which borders upon the territories of the Grand Seignior are however commanded by a foreign General who is in all occasions to follow the orders of the Proveditor General The Isles of Corfu Zante and Cafalonia are each of them Governed by a Proveditor assisted by a Council of three Noble Venetians Corfu is the most considerable not only for being an Archbishopbrick but likewise because it commands the entrance of the Gulph therefore the Venetians provide for the Security of this place with so much more Application as it is the Preservation of their Levant Trade and observed with the Greatest Jealousie by the Turks The Four Thousand Janisaries that appear'd not long since upon the Coast over against Corfu occasioned to the Senate a mighty uneasiness Notwithstanding the strength and good condition of the Fortress of this Important place There is a General of the three Islands to whom the particular Proveditors owe the same obedience which the Magistrates of the Cities of Dalmatia do to the Proveditor General of this Province These are the Officers to whom is confided the Authority of the Prince in the several States of the Republick Yet as there is no part in the Body of the strongest and Healthfullest Man that is not liable to be abus'd by ill Management so there are no Laws in the best ordered State that can prevent the Corruption of some Members that compose it The Republick therefore hath thought sit to make use of the Inquisitors to prevent and cure at the same time both these Distempers Of the Inquisitors of Terra Firma THE Republick commonly holds every five years in all the Provinces an Extrordinary Court or Session and for this purpose chooses out three of the first Senators to whom is given the Name of Inquisitors of Terra firma to distinguish them from those of the State but as this Commission is in no manner agreeable to them by reason of the Severity they are oblig'd to shew against such as are complained of so they only accept of it as not daring to refuse it they are to examine into the administration of the Podestats the behaviour of the Captains and other Publick Officers as likewise to receive the People's complaints against their behavour and to do them Justice in the wrongs received but excepting of Extortion and the ill application of the publick revenues the Noble Venetians need not much fear the Punishments that are due to an irregular Administration These severe Magistrates go attended with a Troop of Horse Officers and an Executioner that so they may seeing they have sufficient power and Authority render a quick and rigorous Justice upon the Lawful complaints of the People yet Notwithstanding the great noise of these examining Inquisitors the Tempest Lights commonly upon some Miserable Wretch or Gentleman of Terra firma their Gentry having more cause of apprehension than any others whatever as being the People that are most Liable to be made Examples This Severity keeps the Magistrates to their Duty the Country Nobility in fear and Submission and insinuates to the People the Mildness and equity of the Goverment under which they live As the Provinces of Terra firma are in a manner under the eyes of the Republick so the
Men of War have likewise their distinct Generals in time of War at present the Republick hath only two Galliasses at Sea whose Station is at Corfu there are likewise some Men of War for the Convoys of Merchants who attribute their frequent losses in the Levant to the want of the Necessary Number of Men of War which the Republick ought to have at Sea for the Security of their Commerce Whether the Republick hath a Naval Army for the execution of some design or that she hath only the usual forces which she maintains in times of Peace and the Squadron of the Gulf Yet she always Creates a Proveditor General of the Sea who hath the command of the Fleet. This Employ is executed by one of first Senators he hath an absolute Power over the Officers Souldiers and Seamen being enabled to put to Death any of them as likewise to dispose of all the Offices of the Fleet. The Proveditor General of the Sea commonly resides at Corfu his Employ continues two Years at the end of which he gives the Senate an account of the administration of his Office When the Republick enters into a War by Sea she does not give the command of her forces to a foreign General as is practis'd in those a-shoar but in these important junctures upon which seems to depend the intire safety of the State the Republick constitutes some Noble Venetian General by Sea who does not only command the other before mentioned General Officers but likewise all Governours of Maritime Places to whom he sends his orders according to the various circumstances of the time and War he moreover disposes and orders without controul all Offices and Revenues appointed for the support of the Army Yet the apprehensions of an Inquiry and the indispensable necesity of giving the Senate an exact report of what he had done makes the General very assiduous in finding out plausible pretences to all the miscarriages for which he is accountable at the expiration of this almost Sovereign Authority which always ceases before he returns to Venice to appear befor the College This most eminent Dignity in the State is only while the War continues The Procurator Francis Morosini was the last that executed it who defended the City of Candia in the late Wars it is thought the Republick had not a more proper Person for the execution of this considerable post and the examination which was made into his conduct for the Surrendring of that Place and the inquiries into his Administration of the Revenues which made him twice a Prisoner and both times in danger is an evident proof how difficult it is to Serve a Republick where a General is in a manner oblig'd to satisfie the the smallest Scruples of his greatest Enimies When the Republick creates a Generalissimo by Sea She sends into the Fleet a foreign General who hath the command of all the Forces that are to be Employed in their descents on shoar yet he is not to undertake any thing upon his own bottom but this General receives his orders from the Generalissimo The Marquess de St. Andrè commanded in that quality at Candia whose acceptable Services were acknowled'd by a considerable Pension from the Senate until such time as he died Of the Revenues and Expence of the Republick IT would be very Tedious to give a long account of the Revenues of the Republick and to make a particular Calculation of what each City and Province amounts to I shall content my self with observing in General how much the usual account is that by the knowledge of the Revenues of the State one may be able to Judge of the greatness of their strength I shall at the same time endeavour to shew what ways and means the Republick hath taken to oppose all the attempts of the Turks both by Sea and Land as likewise to maintain a War for five and twenty years together against so Powerful an Empire It is a difficult matter to know the exact value of these Revenues being the Republick is always Augmenting and Diminishing of them according to the Necessities of the War and occasions in Peace However according to Computation of the Rigister of Receipts before the pressing Necessities of the last War of Candia it appeared that the established Revenue did amount to no more than Fourteen Millions of Livers French Money One half of this Revenue proceeded from the Duties at Venice upon the Importation and Exportation of goods in the excise upon Provisions and all other Merchandises sold at the tenth penny Duty and duties arising from the Islands of the Lagunes as likewise upon all goods in the Limits of the Country near Venice which is called the Dutchy or Dogate The other part of this Revenue rises from the Cities and Provinces of Terra Firma in impositions upon Goods Provisions custom of Merchandise in Tithes and the Tenth Penny as likewise from what is raised in Istria Dalmatia and the three Islands of Corfu Zant and Chefalnia To this Revenue must be added the Casual Emoluments of the Palace Sale of Offices Confiscations and several other Duties that amount to considerable Summs The Salt Works at Corfu produc'd two Millions that at Chiosa one by which it appears that the Republick received above Eighteen Millions In War the Republick Augments the old impositions and establishes new ones Taxes the easy and the Ecclesiasticks from whom by the Pope's consent she draws very considerable Summs in all her Wars against the Turks They likewise obtained the Abolition of several Orders as those of the Holy Ghost and the Croisade the Sale of whose effects amounted to very considerable Summs The Republick doubles the Contributions of all the City Companies as likewise those of the Gondaliers the Six Great Confraternities of the City who are very Rich she draws besides great Summs from the Jews who were oblig'd in the late Necessities of the State to a Loan of Three Millions at three per Cent. Besides the particular Taxes of the Richer Jews which amounted also to three Millions of Livers At the opening of the entrance into the Great Council by the Creation of new Nobles the Republick hath in a manner always acquired Inexhaustible Treasures the great Number of Supernumerary Procurators of Saint Mark who Purchase their Dignities at Thirty Thousand Ducats each have been very Powerful Supplies to the Exigencies of this State insomuch that these extraordinary ways of raising Money the most important of which are here only mentioned have been these Rich Mines from which the Republick have found the means of making that Resistance which hath been the Admiration of all Europe The established expences of the Republick do not annually exceed Ten Millions of Livers which are partly employed to defray the charges of the Doge of Ambassadors the Salaries of Officers the pay of both Horse and Foot upon Terra Firma and in the Levant as likewise to defray the charges of the Navy Arcenal and Fortifications of the State As
Third Part. I did not think fit to draw into one Chapter all the Laws of the Venetian Policy as judging they would be better dispersed in the several Places according to the Subject of the Discourse so they will be sure to make a greater impression upon the Mind of the Reader whose Memory being fixed and by this means assisted will more easily preserve an Idea of them However I have endeavoured to keep every thing to its proper Place and particular Chapter as well to avoid Repetitions as not to be oblig'd to seek for one and the same thing in several different Places For these Reasons and to avoid tiring the Reader with tedious Digressions and troublesome References I have so ordered it that whatsoever might seem obscure is ever explain'd by what hath been said before I could very much wish I had been able to write with more Politeness yet am in hopes that the singularity of the Subject will make amends for the faults of the Stile and as I have no other end in this Treatise than to shew a great many things of which we were very ignorant without being moved to it by any other Reason or Design so I hope it will be favourably received I only desire that the small pains I have taken to bring this into our Language and to divert the Inquisitive may make amends for what shall be found amiss in the Translation Fra. Terne THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST PART THE description of the Lagunes in the middle of which is Situated the City of Venice Page 1 Of the Islands which are in the Lagunes p. 8 Of the City of Venice p. 10 Of the Canals and Bridges p. 13 Of the great Canal p. 15 Of the Bridge of Rialto p. 17 Of the Established Ferries or Passages for the publick Conveniency p. 18 Of tbe Streets and Places p. 20 Of St. Mark 's Place p. 22 The Broglio p. 25 Of the Ducal Palace of St. Mark p. 28 Of the Church of St. Mark p. 31 Of the Treasure of Venice p. 36 Of St. Mark 's Steeple p. 41 Of the Religious Houses and Churches of Venice p. 43 Of the Mercery and Rialto p. 47 Of the Arsenal of Venice p. 48 Of the Gondola's p. 55 Of the Activity of the Gondoliers p. 60 The Conveniency of having at Venice all things necessary to a great City p. 62 Of the Trade of Venice p. 64 Of the Merchants Bank or what they call Bank Del Giro p. 67 The goodness of the Air at Venice p. 68 Of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea and Lagunes of Venice p. 72 The CONTENTS of the Second PART OF the Rise and Original of the Republick of Venice and their Form of Government p. 3 Of the several Forms of Government that were at Venice p. 10 Of the Antiquity of the Venetian Nobility p. 15 Of the first Order of the Venetian Nobility p. 18 Of the second Order of the Venetian Nobility p. 22 Of the Third Order of the Venetian Nobility p. 23 Of such as have been made Noble by their Merits p. 27 Of the Venetian Citizens p. 30 Of the Venetian Gentry on the Continent p. 32 Of the Procurator of St. Mark p. 35 Of the great Chancellor of the Republick p. 40 Of the Government of the Republick in General p. 42 Of the Ecclesiastical Government p. 44 Of the Patriarch of Venice p. 46 Of the Patriarch of Aquilea p. 48 Of the Election of the Curates or Parish Priests of Venice p. 49 Of the Dependencies in which the Ecclesiastick and Religious live in regard of the Government p. 52 Of the Inquisition of Venice 75 Of the Political Government of the Republick p. 62 Of the College p. 63 Of the Doge p. 65 How the Doge goes Attended upon Solemn Ceremonies p. 77 Of the Election of a Doge p. 83 Of the Six Councellors of the Doge the Three Presidents of the Council Criminal of Forty and of the Vice Doge p. 87 Of the Six Great Sages p. 90 Of the Five Sages of Terra Firma p. 91 Of the Five Sages of the Orders p. 93 Of the Audiences of Ambassadors p. 95 Of the Pregadi p. 102 Of the great Council p. 107 Of the Council of Ten. p. 118 Of the Inquisitors of State p. 121 Of the Two Avogadors p. 126 Of the Council Criminal of Forty p. 131 Of the Method observed in Criminal Cases p. 133 Of the Magistrates of the Pomp. p. 137 Of the Magistrates for the Inspection of the Monasteries p. 141 Of their Secret Spies and Informers p. 143 Of the Podestats Captains of Arms and other Officers that the Republick sends into the several Provinces p. 147 Of the Inquisitors of Terra Firma p. 152 Of the Forces of the Republick both by Sea and Land p. 154 Of the Revenues and Expence of the Republick p. 161 CONTENTS OF THE THIRD PART Of the Education and Manners of the Young Nobility p. 3 Of the Habits of the Noble Venetians p. 11 Of the Venetian Ladies p. 18 How the Noble Venetians wait on the Ladies p. 24 Of the Marriages of the Noble Venetians p. 30 Of the Religious Women p. 35 Of the Liberty of Venice p. 42 Of the Courtizans p. 47 Of the Publick Diversions of the Carneval p. 55 Of the Ridotti or Basset-Banques p. 58 Of the Opera's p. 60 Of the Comedy p. 65 Of the little Balls or those call'd Feasts p. 68 Of the Herculean Exercises and Bull Feasts p 69 Of the Ceremony upon Maundy Thursday p. 72 Of the Fresque p. 75 Of the Festival of the Churches p. 80 Of the Dances of the Girls p. 82 Of the Feast of the Ascension p. 84 Of the First occasion of the Ceremony that is observ'd upon Ascension-Day in Espousing of the Sea p. 87 Of the Feasts of the Doge p. 87 Of the Feasts and Ceremonies that are us'd at the Marriages of the Noble Venetians p. 96 Of the Regate or Rowing Matches of the Gondola's p. 102 Of the Entrances of the Procurators p. 106 Of their Boxing or Fights at Cuffs p. 110 THE FIRST PART OF The Advantagious Situation OF VENICE AND What is most Remarkable there The Description of the Lagunes in the middle of which is situated the City of Venice THere is scarce any one who hath not heard that the City of Venice is situated in the Sea yet it is not an easie matter to form to ones self a true Idea of the particular Disposition of this Place seeing among those who have been there and that have likewise made some stay there are many that do confound the Sea with the Lagunes without ever observing that these are absolutely distinct from the Sea as being certain great Plains which industrious Nature hath purposely overflowed designing to render the Situation of Venice not less strong than agreeable Above those Places in the bottom of the Adriatick Gulph on the West side where the Rivers Fo and Adigè fall into the Sea Nature hath opposed the Violence
of the Winds by a mighty Dike which runs from the South to the North for the space of about 35 Leagues and 5 or 600 Paces in breadth which defends the Country from being easily overflown but the Sea having forced this Neck of Land hath made it self six Passages in so many several places which overflowing all the low Grounds beyond this Bank gave occasion to this The Lagunes Name of Lagunes leaving in this great District several Islands about 5 or 6 Miles in compass which are not much above the surface of the Water The Lagunes lie from South to North against the * Continent or Terra firma main Land from the Polesin towards the Po and Adigè from the Padouan to the Brente from the Themisan and Friuli towards the Mouth of the Plavis or Anassus making a great Demi-Oval which is closed towards the Sea by the before-mentioned Remainders of the Neck of Land being so many natural Defences against the Adriatick and whereby the Sea hath here made the same number of distinct Islands as she hath opened Passages to drown the low Country and form the Lagunes The six Passages by which the Sea falls into the Lagunes are the only Ports by which one passes from the Sea to this City The first to begin at the most Southern part is the Port of Brondolo which being almost stopt up with the Sands by reason of the Adigè and the falling in here of the new Brente is now no more frequented The second is the Port of Chiosa an Episcopal City situated 24 Miles from Venice and is something like it by reason of the Situation and Canals The third is the Port of Malamoco from the Village of that Name here all the great Ships come as being deeper than any of the other Ports the Road is very good and capable of containing a great number of Ships The fourth is the Port of the Lido over-against the most Eastern Point of Venice and only a Mile from it Through this Port the Gallies and other great Vessels after having unladed at the Lazaret of Malamoco pass on to St. Mark 's Place as also to several other places of the City by the means of the great Canal which crosses it There is above the Lido the Mouth of St. Erasmus and something further that of the Three Ports so called by reason of the three Openings pretty near one the other but the Water is so low in these places that they are only frequented by the Boats of Fishermen It may be seen by what is here said that Venice is naturally defended against all the Attacks of a Naval Force being the Ships cannot come any nearer than the Port of Malamoco for those that would pass on to Venice by the Lagunes are obliged after being unladed to be towed up through certain Passages where the deepness of the Water sufficient for Ships of Burthen is marked out by great Piles or else to return to Sea taking the same course that the Gallies do and come in through the Port of the Lido For the great Currant of the Water hath preserved here by means of the Flood a deeper Channel than is found in any other part of the Lagunes Of all the Ports that of the Lido is most in their Eye being the nearest to the City and the easiest to be approached but the Republick hath taken care of it by a well fortified Castle with Water-Batteries on the right on the left is only a Wall for Musketiers whose Discharges must be of very good effect being the entrance of the Port is nothing near Musket-shot over Notwithstanding this advantagious Situation of this City Experience hath shewn that if a Naval Army should get the Possession of one of these Passages the City of Venice would be in a little time reduced to great Extremities as it happened in the year 1380 in the War between the Venetians and Genoueses who by the taking of the Port of Chiosa under their General Doria struck the City into such a Fear that it was debated in the Senate if they should abandon the Town and transport themselves to Candia This Deliberation had been followed with the Execution of it if they had not at that time received the News of the Victory they gained at Sea by a General Victor Pisani under the Doge Andre Contarini there in Person which came so opportunely as to deliver the Republick from the most terrible Fear they ever knew Wherefore as the Entrances of Malamoco and the Lido are the most important and a Descent made at the first of these Ports would easily render the Enemy Masters of the second by possessing the whole Isle between them which is not above 5 Miles long and 4 or 500 Paces broad so the Republick hath caused it to be cut near the Lido by a * A deep Ditch Fossè that crosses it fortified with Bastions their Casemats and Courtines faced with Brick towards Malamoque which is the most dangerous Part. Venice enjoys more Security towards the side of the main Land for in all that compass of Ground which borders upon the Lagunes towards the West there are only two principal Ways that lead to the City the one is a Village called Mestre where all things are brought which come out of Germany to go to Venice by the means of a Canal that goes into the Lagunes The other is called Lizza Fusina here ends the old Canal of the Breute This Water is prevented from falling into the Lagunes by a Sluce by reason of the Prejudice it might occasion Whatsoever comes from Padua and from the greatest part of the Territories of Venice is brought to Fusina if it does not go down the before mentioned Rivers The Passages that lead from these two Places to Venice as likewise some others less considerable are not direct but marked out at certain Distances by high Piles which the Republick are sure to have cut in any pressing Necessity rendering the City inaccessible to all Enemies on that side For however small their Boats may be yet it will be impossible for them to make their passage of Five Miles without running on ground besides with the help of certain Boats and Machines of Defence in the Arsenal of Venice they will according to their own Opinions easily render ineffectual all attempts of an Enemy King Lewis the XII in Confederacy with most Princes of Europe that Pope Julius the 11th had Armed against the Venetians after having beaten their Army advanced to Fusina from whence the City of Venice is plainly seen Here he intended to attempt the passage of the Lagunes in order to render himself Master of the City but the Pope having recovered Romagnia that was not only usurp'd from him but the chief occasion of the war became unwilling to see the entire ruine of the Republick and the too powerful establishment of the French in Italy withdrew himself from the Ligue which gave the address of the Venetians opportunity
middle of these overflown Plains which seems to have been the design of Nature as contributing to its Beauty Security and Conveniency not less to the great Power and long Continuation of this Republick And whatever part of the Town you arrive at either from Terra Firma or from the Sea this City shews it self equally Peculiar and Majestical Yet you have the prospect of the most Beautiful part in coming from Chiosa by the Lagunes For at Ten Miles distance you begin to have the Prospect it there seeming to float upon the Surface of the Waters environ'd with a Forest of Barques and Ships which by degrees permits you full of Admiration to behold the Magnificent Buildings of the Palace and St. Mark 's Place * The Church Della Salute and the Palace of Cornaro as likewise some others of the most sumptuous Edifices upon the Great Canal which you have on the Left Hand The draught of the Situation of Venice does much resemble the shape of the Turbot and the Eastern extremity being the Arsenal makes the Tail The City is wholly built upon Piles whose Foundations are not only laid in those places where the Earth appear'd above the Water but likewise driven into those considerably under it by which means they have in a manner brought together a great number of little Isles that encompass the principal which being join'd by Bridges forms the Body of this vast City that does not only seem to be the Queen of all the Islands in the Lagunes but likewise absolute Mistress of the Gulf to which Sovereignty she pretends In short her greatness Situation her external Majesty join'd to the great number of her Inhabitants the great concourse of Stangers and her method of Government render her admir'd by all the World Sannazar one of the most excellent Wits of the Age made formerly these six Verses which gives Venice the glorious Preference and to the Author the honour of having them engrav'd on Marble Viderat Adriacis Venetam Neptunus in undis Stare Urbem toto dicere jura Mari. I nunc Tarpeias quantum vis Jupiter arceis Objice illa tua Maenia Martis ait Si Tiberim Pelago confers Urbem aspice utramque Illam homines dices hanc posuisse Deos. There is computed to be in Venice about One Hundred and Fourscore thousand Inhabitants notwithstanding it is open on all sides without Gates or Walls having no other Ramparts than the Houses and Palaces of particulars neither Fortification nor Citadel and without Garison yet it assuredly is one of the strongest Cities of Europe Although the Island of Zueque is perfectly separated from Venice yet La Zueca it continues to be part of it It seems to be a great half Moon and a Counter-guard that covers more than half the City towards the South reaching from over against the Place of St. Mark even to the most Western extremity from which places it is separated by a large Canal of above 300 feet over This Island was formerly inhabited by the Jews which occasion'd it the name of Judaic and since by corruption that of Zueque It is of an equal breadth being about 300 paces over there is a Key on that side of it which looks towards the City nobly built with magnificent Churches as likewise abundance of noble Houses with spacious Gardens behind them that reach even to the Lagunes This Island being divided by 7 or 8 Canals that cross it there are as many Bridges which continue the Key from whence the prospect of the City is not less agreeable than that of La Zueca from the City and if the smallest gust of Wind did not continually hinder the Gondolo's from crossing the great Canal La Zueca would undoubtedly be the most charming part of this City Of the Canals and Bridges THE great number of Canals by which one may come into this City from every side and that cross it in every place divides it into an incredible number of small Islands insomuch that there are several single Houses that are on all sides wash'd by the Waves From whence it happens there is no place in Venice but to which one may come by Water as likewise on Foot by the means of about 500 Bridges that facilitate the Communication of a great number of little Streets c. that cross the City and almost as many Keys that are built along the Canals The greatest part of the Canals in the heart of the City are very narrow and have no Keys which evidently shews that the first Founders of Venice were mighty Husbands in managing the Ground that was so precious or that they had not in their thoughts the Idea of what this City hath since attain'd Some of the other Canals have but one single Key and others Il Fundamento two but so narrow that two People can hardly walk together yet there are some very spacious and convenient but without either Rails or Balusters open and made into Stairs over against each House which descend very low for the more easie use of the Gondolo's at all times of the Tide by which means those frequent descents or stairs have so La Riva straitned the Keys that all Passengers more especially in the Night are oblig'd to keep close to the sides of the Houses or otherwise at almost every step expose themselves to the dangers of the Canal The depth of these Canals are different but when the Tide is at the highest it is in most places 5 or 6 Foot excepting the great Canal of which the depth is very considerable it is nothing less than a worthy Subject of admiration but more in those parts of the Town most frequented by the poorer People to see the great numbers of little Children playing upon the very sides and edges of these Canals which in all other places would affect the Parents with the perpetual apprehension of their falling into the Water yet it no ways troubles them here neither is it scarce known that any such accidents happen in these places Most part of the Bridges of Venice are made of Stone and Brick so delicately Built that the Arch is not above 8 Inches thick but the sides and middle are of a very hard sort of free Stone the Arches are so high that the passage is no ways incommodious to the Gondolo's and other Vessels that are continually passing the Canals You ascend these Bridges on either side by 4 or 5 steps of white Stone that is much like Marble which in time become so smooth and polish'd that in a Rain or Frosty weather it is very difficult to keep from falling as these Bridges are without Rails or any other security so one ought to have a special regard to their Feet for the white Stone is one of the 3 things that the Venetian Proverb recommends to the care of all Stangers Of the great Canal NOthing contributes more to the beauty of Venice than the great Great Canal Canal which beginning
near the Place of St. Mark goes winding through the Centre of the City and ends towards the West over against Fucina where the Breute as hath been formerly observ'd falls into the Lagunes from whence it must be allow'd that the great Canal was heretofore the true Course of this River as likewise that part of the City where the Bridge of Rialto now is was really the principal Port that the Paduans had in the Lagunes This Canal is near 2 Miles long and 50 or 60 paces over which turns so often about the middle of the City that to cross from one part to the other you must pass this Canal at least 3 times It is on both sides adorn'd with the noblest Palaces of Venice but beside the want of a Key that might continue it as a Terrass from one end to the other there is a great number of little Houses among them which do diminish those advantages that would be otherwise due to these magnificent Buildings In several other places of this City may be seen many noble Houses and Palaces But without detaining my self here upon this Description of them I shall only add that as the 2 Palaces of Cornaro and Grimani upon the great Canal are the most Magnificent of all so their Frontispieces may serve as Models to the Buildings of the greatest Princes Besides these one sees upon the great Canal and in all other parts of this City a great number of the more antique Artichecture whose Fronts being adorn'd with large Balconies of Marble both in the first and second Floors do evidently demonstrate the Ancient Wealth and Power of this Republick The Water of the great Canal by reason of the great depth is always clean and clear the Currant in the flux and reflux of the Tide is not much less Rapid than those of Rivers The Gallies and laden Vessels find sufficient Water in every part of it this Canal seems to be the great Vein which refreshes all the little parts of the vast Body of this City by the means of an abundance of little Branches or Veins that issue from it Of the Bridge of Rialto THE great Canal that divides Venice into almost two equal parts hath only one Bridge over it which is directly in the Centre of the City and in that quarter from which it takes the Name This Bridge was Built of Wood until the Year 1587 at which time the Republick under the Doge Pascal Cigogne caus'd it to be built with Stone The greatest Ararchitects of the Age were consulted about this magnificent Work among the several Designs that of one Arch was preferr'd to all the others which is so large that a Gally with her Mast let down can at all times go through it and her Oars rowing The foundation of this Bridge is on each side laid upon 10000 Elm Piles after having first by a prodigious Charge kept up the Water in certain deep places until they had sunk 16 Foot into the Earth to render the Work more substantial The Centre of the Bridge is but a moderate part of a great Circle they not being willing to raise it in proportion to the Diameter yet to ascend the Bridge with the most conveniency it is very broad and all built of very large stones not much inferior to Marble for hardness This Bridge hath on each side 2 rows of shops whose Timber-work being rais'd Arbour like and covered with Lead renders the appearance of it very agreeable there is in the middle between this double row of Shops a space moderately large from hence you go up several steps until you come to the uppermost part which is open on both sides like a Porch here you command on both hands the prospect of the great Canal and enter into the 2 Corrido's or Galleries which being behind the Shops continue from one end of the Bridge to the other A great Ballustrade with very handsom Cornishes is the support of these 2 Galleries the whole is so regular a Piece of Artichecture that this Bridge is of an extream advantageous effect to the beauty of the great Canal The publick Registers assure us that the Republick spent upon this Building the sum of 250000 Ducats that for 2 Years all places of the City were filled The Ducat being about 4 s. English with Materials and that a mighty number of Stone-Cutters were incessantly employ'd however this Bridge does not at first sight appear to have been an enterprize of such great Importance Of the establish'd Ferry's or Passages for the publick conveniency BEsides the excessive charges of building more Bridges upon the great Canal I am of the opinion that the hinderance they would be to the continual passage of great Vessels and the prejudice that the beauty of the prospect would receive may be allow'd to be sufficient reasons against all such attempts moreover the Policy of this Government is that they may be able in any sudden Revolution to defend one part of the City against the other which would be no difficult matter seeing there is but one Bridge to defend But as it would be an extream inconveniency to the Inhabitants if they were oblig'd to pass the Bridge upon every Li Tragetti occasion of going into the other part of the City so there are for their greater ease at least upon the great Canal 18 or 20 establish'd Passages that is several Gondoliers always ready at a convenient place to Ferry over in their Gondoliers the Passengers from one side to the other for which they pay something less than a half-peny of our Money There are many more of these Passages in those quarters of the City where for want of Bridges the circumference of going by Land would be too large All the publick Gondoliers are oblig'd to serve such as will make use of them at the rate of 15 d. their Money an hour which does not exceed 5 of ours The Ferry Gondolo's having but one Oar the Passage is not less tedious than inconvenient for these brutish Gondoliers are so unreasonable when they happen upon a Stranger that is ignorant of the Language and unacquainted with the Customs of the Town to Treat him with the utmost incivilities telling one another in such occasions that they have met with a Polander being then certain to insist upon the double price of what they ought to have pretending they must by these means reimburse themselves of those considerable Sums which they are oblig'd to pay the Republick for the Liberty of the Ferry that is for the permission of keeping a Gondole to that purpose Besides they are oblig'd to answer those extraordinary contributions which is laid upon their Company in all the urgent necessities of the Republick Of the Streets and Places LAnd is so precious at Venice that it is not to be admir'd if all the Streets are so narrow that those of the most frequented will scarcely permit two People to Walk together which is the occasion of
colder and more dangerous all over Italy yet at Venise they undress to their Shirts so pass the Evening uncovered in their Gondola's or in walking by the Canals without perceiving the least of inconveniencies The greatest part of such who find themselves convinc'd by experience and who are loath to admit the Air to be naturally good in such a situation attribute the cause of this healthfulness to the great number of Fires that must continually be in so compact and populous a City for my own part I do not deny but that the great number of Fires may for a time resist the bad Effects of an ill Air but I am perswaded besides the accustomed moderation of their Hearths at Venice that it is scarcely to be believed that the ordinary Fires of a Town can have so much in-influence as to alter the nature of the Air and render it healthful in all times of the year It may be believed with more probability that the continual salt Vapours of the Sea with which this Air must abound preserves it in one constant quality and more easily hinders those various inonveniencies as being less subject to receive the thick exhalations of the Earth which are undoubtedly of a more suffocating nature consisting of corrosive Salts that abound in most Grounds which have a greater force and disposition to corrupt the goodness of the Air than the strongest influences of the most malevolent Planets so allowing that the nature of the place renders the Air of Venice subject to frequent alterations yet nevertheless it preserves it self without altering the quality However to speak truth the Climate is not very agreeable in Winter for as this City is every where open so it is consequently exposed to all Winds this season is so cold and troublesome here that I may say as it is hotter here than it is at Paris so one feels a more sharper cold but indeed it is not of such long continuance to which may be replied that it is not so easy to keep off the Cold here as it is in many other places for whatsoever Care one uses in closing the Curtains of the Gondola yet they can never be so close as the well fix'd Glasses of a Coach Yet the pleasure of Venice in the Summer does amply recompence the inconveniencies of the Winter for during the greatest Heats you are no sooner in your Gondola but you are sure to enjoy upon the Canals even at Noon-day a most agreeable refreshing Air but it is most commonly Two Hours before Sun set that one begins to be sensible of those delightful Breezes that are yet infinitely more pleasant in the Evening at which time you enjoy the pleasure of the Water without disturbance frequently meeting extraordinary good Voices and upon the great Canal extraordinary fine Concerts of Musick which the Gallants of the City have in Boats to Serenade the Ladies and Nuns who are much pleased with these Diversions They are so extreamly fond here of these Nigh Concerts that upon the least notice of them ' the great Canal is oftentimes not large enough for those great number of Gondola's that come to partake of the Diversion the liberty of the Night and sweetness of the Air equally inspires with desire both Sexes to pass away endeshabille the Evenings upon the Water every one endeavours to avoid being known so you find a mighty silence in the midst of this great concourse fully and quietly enjoying the pleasure of the Musick and the most agreeable Delights of the cool Breezes Of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea and Lagunes of Venice I will finish this first part with the observations I have made upon the Ebbe and Flood which are very considerable both in the Lagunes and City of Venice The Tide does regularly Ebbe and Flow Twice in Four and twenty Hours which keeping the Water ever clean and clear in the Canals is one of the greatest conveniencies and those extraordinary advantages that Venice enjoys in her Situation as likewise one of the most particular things worthy of a Stranger 's observation There are two reasons of admiration in the Ebbe and Flood of the Lagunes at Venice The first is because we have not thorougly penetrated into the general causes of the Sea 's rising and falling the second is seeing there is scarce any appearance of either Ebbe or Flood in the whole Mediterranean and Adriatick Gulph yet that of the Lagunes at Venice is very great as likewise regulated to certain times I shall not amuse my self and the Reader by reporting the many extravagant opinions of several Authours in relation to the general causes of so extraordinary a matter Some do only entertain the curiosity of their Readers with Fables and others with such improbable and abstruse reasons as merit no consideration here Among the Philosophers of the present Age Galileas hath very ingeniously attributed it to the motion of the Earth making it appear as a necessary consequence to the reasons he alledges for it Not to detain my self upon a matter that may be difficult to render apparent I shall think it sufficient to observe here that the Ebbe and Flood does answer exactly to the motion of the Moon falling every day like her 50 Minutes later than the preceding the Tides being higher in the new and full Moons than in either of the other quarters as also the same difference between the Equinoctial and Solstice it is much to be suppos'd that the Body and motion of the Moon are the real causes of the Ebbe and Flood as likewise those many various accidents that attend them As the Opinion of Monsieur Descartes is satisfactory with all the probability that can be desir'd in reference to this Wonder that hath for so many Ages kept the World in Suspence so it is reasonable we should admit it for the best at least until Reason or Experience shall make those Discoveries that may afford our Judgments more Natural and Sensible Arguments of the contrary So allowing this to be the general Cause of the Ebbes and Floods one may in Course come to the Reason of those in the Lagunes at Venice It is impossible that the Cause which produceth the Flux and Reflux of the Ocean should have those Effects in that vast Masse of Water without making any Impression upon those of the Mediterranean but the reason why it is not so very apparent must be attributed to the manner of the Tides flowing in the Ocean which is throughout that Sea between the Tropicks and Poles from the South to the North Whereas the Mediterranean lying considerably on this side the Tropick and only a sort of a great Canal from the East to the West and very small of breadth in comparison to the Ocean so it is not to be imagin'd that the Flux and Reflux can be very sensible there as well because this Sea is very narrow in breadth from North to South as likewise by reason of the distant situation from the
Line and Tropicks in which places the Flux hath the most considerable effects From hence it comes that the Tides make but a small impression upon the Mediterranean which not being able to move the Waters causeth in them only Currents in many places as may be observ'd in the Sea of Genoa the Phare of Messina and several other Islands of the Archipelago But as the Adriatick Sea is a Gulph of the Meditarrenean and the most Northern part of it so consequently the impression it suffers being neither interrupted or stopt by such Coasts at the mouth of the Gulph that hinders its flowing in most other places so it must indubitably occasion the Waters to fall in here keeping their course along the Coasts to the very utmost end of the Gulf where being stopt they must necessarily rise until they have attained a moderate height This is exactly what is observ'd in this Sea for upon the Coasts of Calabria and the Kingdom of Naples you can only remark a setting of the Water without any manner of Elevation but in the middle of the Gulph and at Ancona the Flood begins to be visibly apparent which becomes infinitely more sensible at Rimini Ravenna upon the Lido of Venice and at Aquilea which lies directly in the very bottom of the Gulph The Flux of the Ocean is greater as it is distant from the places where it begins which is between the Two Tropicks consequently causing the Tides to be much higher upon the Northern than upon the Southern Coasts so the Tide of the Adriatick Gulph making only a small impression in the beginning by degrees appears at the lower end of the Sea a very considerable Tide and the more by reason this motion ever gains new force by its continuation So I am at present to give my reason for the Tides being much higher in the Lagunes and Canals of Venice than they are even in the Gulph it self I attribute it to the nature and disposition of the Place which I have already describ'd in the beginning of this part shewing them to be Plains that the Sea overflow'd when she made those Breaches in that Neck of Land which formerly denied her entrance For that little the Flood is in the Sea is by these natural Dikes which sustain the violencies and afterward permitting an open passage into the Lagunes mightily increas'd especially after having pass'd those Channels formerly mention'd it comes to be of so much consideration by many reasons more palpable than those I have alledg'd that what is not but little considerable in the Sea occasions of course a very considerable Flood in the Lagunes In short there is Six hours Tide of Flood which being stopt by the Coasts of Terra firma it then commonly rises to the height of Four foot in the Canals of Venice so takes its Course to the Sea through the Waters being fallen by the Ebbe of the Gulph which affords it the requisite means of returning in the same space of time and through the same places that the Flood brought it into the Lagunes One may in a Calm Season at the Mouth of the Lido observe with much pleasure the making of the Tide you see of a sudden and from time to time behold certain great Waves that mount themselves above the smooth surface of the Water which after having for some time held a murmuring and impetuous Course do at length loose themselves in the Lagunes at considerabe distance from the place where they first appear'd In this manner the Water is rais'd by the Flood and the Lagunes Swell'd like a great Sea whose Islands in the middle seem to be as many Sands and half drown'd Cities At or about half Ebbe you begln to see the Lagunes lie uncover'd of Wâ—ter which then seem to be about the City so many fine Meadows cross which the Tide hath made several Canals for the discharge of the Waters which are at all times deep enough for the greatest Barque to which purpose the most considerable of them are as hath been observed set out with Piles by which they keep on their Way when the Lagunes are cover'd without any danger of running aground It is nothing less particular than agreeable to behold the Canals of this City that seem to be so many Rivers change the Course of their Stream every Six hours which is more remarkable in the great Canals but especially in such as are long straight and whose extremities lie to the Sea they receive the Water directly without any circulation which must always diminish something of that Force attending the motions of the Ebbe and Flood of these Tides It is observable at Venice that the Canals after the Winter Solstice and espcially in February are drain'd so very low that they are frequently not able to make use of their Gondola's for several Hours between the times of Ebbe and Flood excepting the great Canal which by reason of the great Currant there both in the ebbing and flowing of the Tides does always preserve a sufficient depth without being ever cleansed which they are frequently oblig'd to do with extraordinary charges in the other Canals of Venice Upon the blowing of the Syroc which is the South-east Wind the Tide flows so high as to cover with Water all the Keys of the City the quarter from whence this Wind comes does directly answer the Situation of the Gulph and so mightily augments the strength of the Tide that the Sea did once overflow all the Streets and Places and fill'd with salt Water all the Wells of Venice End of the First Part. OF THE CITY AND Republick of Venice PART II. Of the Foundation of the Republick of Venice and their Form of Government The First Rise of Venice THE Manner of Peopling the Isles of the Lagunes and the Qualities of their first Inhabitants are variously represented Some bring them from the City of Vannes in Britany by reason they were called Veneti in Caesar's Commentaries others will have it that they were Originally only Fishers As if the best Provinces of Italy such as those are in the State of Venice could probably want Inhabitants and that the Advantagious Situation of these Islands was not likely to draw to them some considerable Persons as well as so many Poor Eugitives in that Calamitous time which furnish'd this Countrey with Inhabitants For my own part I shall not detain my self here to assert my Opinion as being contented to follow the most probable Conjectures and such which best shew us the true beginnings of the City and Republick of Venice After the Emperour Constantine the Great had remov'd the Seat of the Empire to Constantinople Italy was afflicted with a long continuance of mis-fortunes and frequently harrass'd with the Invasions of the Barbarians In the Year 407 the Goths under their King Radagaisius over-run Italy putting all to Fire and Sword The Neighbouring People to the Lagunes found their safest Protection in those Maritime Islands in the most part of which Isles were
The same Annals add That Pepin having embarqu'd his Forces upon Floats to transport them by Night to the Rialto there rose so great a Tempest that it broke his Floats and drown'd most part of his Soldiers which bad success so alter'd the Courage of the King that he resolv'd to leave those people in quiet but desiring to see the Rialto was receiv'd there with such Demonstrations of Joy and so many Marks of Honour that in a pure Sentiment of Affection for those People he threw his Scepter into the Sea with this Imprecation Thus may they perish who attempt the Peace of this Republick Nevertheless the following matter of these Annals and the Testimony of several Creditable Authors do plainly prove that Pepin was received at the Rialto rather as a generous Conquerour than a Prince ill treated by bad fortune to whom the Republick would not have consented after the loss of his Army what they had obstinately refused when he was in a condition of getting it by force In short the King Exercis'd all Acts of Sovereignty leaving several marks of liberality to the Doge and Publick as likewise discharging the Republick of the Tribute they annually payed him and presented them with five Miles of extent on Terra firma against the Lagunes with ample liberty of Trafficking both by Sea and by Land It is moreover said that Pepin observing the Doge to wear no External mark of dignity took off one of the Sleeves of his Vest and put it upon the Doge's Head in the form of a Bonnet from whence comes the Original of the Ducal Horn so Named from the pointed end of this Sleeve upon his head It was then that Venice received the first time this appellation for Pepin would have the Isle of Rialto with the other Neighbouring Islands to bear the Name of Venice which was then that of the whole Neighbouring province to the Lagunes and that the Rialto should be from thence forwards the residence of the Doges and Senate of the Republick These were the beginnings and first Progresses of the Republick of Venice who acknowledgeth her Principal Establishment and first Grandeur to be owing to the magnanimity and generous Conduct of a French King Of the several forms of Government that were at Venice BY what hath been said it may be observed that this Republick was subject during her Infancy to many changes and several methods of Government for if we reckon from the beginning of the Year 421 they were the Cousuls of Padua who Govern'd this State The Power of the Tribunes continued without Interruption near upon 300 Years The Doges Reign'd after them with an absolute Power for several Ages Yet before the Government arrived to that Degree of Perfection in Policy they now have there happen'd under the Doges several considerable changes which I shall observe in this Relation From the first Election made in the Year 709 at Heraclea of Paul Lucio Anafeste until that of Sebastian Ziani the Doges reign'd with an absolute Authority the People electing him by their Acclamations whom they Judg'd most worthy of the Dogal dignity who Acted as Monarch for he was Master of his own Council nor accountable to any body for his Administration in short he had a despotick Power both in Peace and War The History of Venice gives us the Examples of several Doges that made their Brothers or their Children to be elected for their Collegues and Successours But the Sovereign Authority of the Prince having oftentimes expos'd the State to many dangerous accidents and the Tumultuary Elections of the People frequently ending with the greatest Inconveniencies The Principal Citizens met together upon the Death of their Prince Vital Micheli to consult how they might prevent those disorders before they proceeded to the election of a new Doge and accordingly chose eleven Persons of Probity who retiring into the Church of Saint Mark elected Sebastian Ziani And to take for the future from the People the right they had of choosing the Doge as likewise at the same time to moderate the great Authority of the Prince they established an Independant Council from which should be drawn by Election the Electors of the Doge An alteration of this consequence that established an intire new method of Government would without dispute have caus'd a Revolution in the State but they found an expedient that pleas'd the People which was to allow them in exchange the liberty of Nominating Twelve Tribunes who should have Power of opposing the Ordinances of the Prince which should be of no validity if they were not approv'd by them resolving in this to follow the Example of the Ancient Government of Rome Their Tribunes who were two in each of the Six Wards of the City had moreover a right of choosing every Year upon the Feast of Saint Michael Forty such Persons as they judg'd proper in each Ward or Quarter to Compose the great Council they then establish'd consisting of Two Hundred and Forty Citizens impartially chosen and without distinction in all the different Estates to wit the Nobility Citizens and Tradesmen as this Council was to be renewed every Year so every one was to be of it in his turn or at least had the right of pretending to it This method of Government continued a Hundred and Seventeen Years unto the Year 1289 At which time the Doge Peter Gradenigue took upon him the intire alteration of the form of this Republick and to establish a perfect Aristocracy in fixing the great Council for ever to a certain Number and their Descendants who taking upon themselves for the future the whole Cognizance of all matters of State were to have the Sovereign Administration exclusive to all the other Families Whether this Doge was desirous to abolish Democratical government out of a good Intention to the welfare of his Country or by a more secret passion of being reveng'd on these Families that opposed his Election is uncertain but he pass'd a Decree in the Council of * A Soveraign Court of Forty Judges Forty which Ordered That all such who had compos'd the Great Council for the Four preceeding Years should be ballotted in this Chamber and those who had Twelve Favourable Balls should be with their Descendants admitted to the Great Council for ever He caused this Decree to be Registred and took his Measures so well that he excluded all such as were disaffected to him However unjust and unequal this proceeding seems to be in regard of several considerable Families yet the Republick owes to it the establishment of the perfectest Government that ever was and which happily continues to this very time It is Nevertheless to be supposed that such a change was not made without occasioning great troubles in the Republick but they were soon quash'd by punishing of the Weak and Satisfying of the more Powerful with such Privileges as exempted them from the Number of the excluded Several Noble Families that did not then foresee the
mighty consequence of this exclusion yet irritated to see such preferr'd before them as were their Inferiors did however detain themselves from discovering their Resentments as possibly not thinking that by this Establishment which is called Il serrar del Consiglio the Families which Compos'd it should mount to those high Degrees of Preferment as for ever to remain Masters and they the Subjects to be absolutely govern'd by them for the future who were only to have for their share a passive and blind obedience But Bagamonte Trepolo Chief of one of the first and Ancientest Families of the Republick Joyn'd by the Quirini and some other Illustrious Families animated by the hatred they had to the person of the Doge Gradenica as likewise incensed against those Novelties he made in the State entered into a Bloody Confederacy to free themselves by Assassinating the * The Establishment of the Council of Ten. Doge and all his Party but this Chief with several of his Confederates perished in the attempt which gave occasion to those New Regulations that have maintain'd and will preserve this Government for the future in that Vigour and Union we behold it at present Before we enter into the particulars of the Government of this Republick it will be proper to say something of those who are the Masters That is of the Venetian Gentry afterwards of the Citizens of Venice and the Nobility of terra firma for through an admirable Subordination they have all of them some part in the Government of the State Of the Antiquity of the Venetian Nobility THE Venetian Gentry pretend themselves to be of a more ancient descent than any other Nobility in Europe Some of these Nobles that were never beyond their Lagunes do imagine there is no difference between a Noble Venetian and a Sovereign Prince But not to engage my self with these Ridiculous fancies I ought to say before I enter into the Particulars of the Venetian Nobility that it is true according to the sentiments of the most experienc'd Genealogists that it is very difficult not to say impossible for particular families to produce Authentick Acts of their Nobility for above Six Hundred Years especially to prove exactly a higher line of descendance Whether this difficulty proceeds from the little care of those who preceeded us or that the great Revolutions to which all States are liable by confounding the order of things may not have been the occasion of it or lastly that our Families not being distinguish'd by Names above those times are the real cause of disabling us from penetrating into the obscurity it hath brought into this part of History I do mantain that none of these Reasons are valid in regard of the ancient Families of Venice there being those that have indubitable proofs of an Antiquity not only equal but likewise which are before the time of the first Foundation of this Republick The truth of this will admit of no Objection if we observe that the Faliers and Candians with several other Noble Paduans that were sent by the Senat as the first Consuls to the Rialto and that the Tribunes who govern'd afterwards these Islands for three Centurys together were Persons of quality Powerful both in Effects and Credit as the Badouaire's at the Rialto so if the Families that bear these Names at present in Venice are really descended from those who were formerly there distinguish'd by them it must be granted that the antiquity of this Nobility goes much beyond those Limits the Genealogists prescribe The proofs that may be deduc'd for the continuation of these Families without any Interruption appear so much more Authentick as they are Establish'd upon such acts that are no ways liable to any manner of Falsification They being taken partly from the History of Venice which is the less to be Suspected of Corruption in regard to the Antiquity of the Nobility by Reason the Historian had no design in promoting it The first of these proofs is that there never happen'd at Venice any of those Revolutions that by Wars Seiges and Burnings destroyed the Memory of things or that at least have troubled the order and confounded the knowledge of matters neither hath there been those sorts of Interruptions and Suppositions which have in other Countries insensibly disjointed the descents of Families which even hinder us at present from attaining the True Knowledge of them The Second and strongest of all the proofs to be alledg'd is taken from the same History where we find the Names of the Noble Venetians to be always certain as never assuming the Names of either Titles or Dignities which they usually do in France The same Custom is yet inviolably observed at Venice and as one of the Fundamental Laws of the State So their Proper Names have remain'd the same at all times of which may be made several Instances beyond all manner of Contradiction The Family of the Badouaires having given Tribunes to the Isle of Rialto for Three Hundred Years together as hath been already said the last of those Tribunes was one of the Twelve Electors of the first Doge and the first Doge Elected at Venice was one of that Family who afterwards continued Doges from Father to Son for six or seven Descents insomuch that they miss'd but little of continuing that Dignity down to their Posterity Since which time we may see for Eight Hundred Years several long Descendancys in the History of Venice where the Sons are never otherwise called than by the Names of their Fathers I might alledg for the last Instance as not being of small Importance to prove the Verity of this Assertion That their Ancient Houses having been always within the City of Venice so they have in all times been acknowledg'd for what they are at present notwithstanding that Lowness to which some are reduc'd yet it never did deprive them of that Consideration their Antiquity gives them The other Illustrious Families whose Glory is not less interested to prevent the usurpations of a false Nobility than to see those extinguish that have the right of antiquity always give place and still continue to shew them that honour Of the first Order of the Venetian Nobility THE first Order of the Venetian Nobility consists in those twelve Families that were the twelve Electors of the first Doge of this Republick which have wonderfully preserv'd themselves unto this instant in which length of time many other great Houses are intirely extinguish'd Those twelve Families which they called Electoral are Contarini Morosini Badouari Tripoli Micheli Sanudi Gradenighi Memmi Falieri Dandoli Polani Barozzi Nevertheless this antiquity is of no advantage to them excepting a general consideration which may occasion them to be preferr'd before others in either Employments or Alliances provided that their merits be answerable to their birth through which means several of these Ancient Families have particularly rais'd themselves of late for the new Nobility created by Money have not been able to
find a shorter way or a more Honourable method of establishing themselves as likewise to come into Reputation than by purchasing the Alliance of the Ancient Nobles Those of these great Houses which have preserv'd themselves in the highest consideration upon the account of their great Riches and Alliances are the Contarini and the Morosini It is the common Opinion that the first were Counts of the Rhine before they settled here which is now something more than Twelve Hundred Years Yet they have no other Proofs of this Original than the pretended Etymology of their Name This House increas'd to such a degree that it is divided at least into Fifty several Branches neither is there any in the Republick that Counts a greater Number of Heads in the Great Council and consequently can make a more Powerful Faction That of Morosini is likewise one of the most numerous and most considerable for the same Reasons after these two Families follow the Badouari the Tripoli Micheli Gradenighi and the Sanudi which yet continue to be of great consideration in this State The Memmi Falieri Dandoli are neither Rich in Effects or Powerful by their Parties the Polani Barozzi live in obscurity rather through the defect of their merits than by the want of Riches which they might sufficiently find in the more Powerful Families of the New Nobility if they could but distinguish themselves fit to be rais'd by such Alliances Next to these Twelve Electoral Houses there are four Families that do not yield much in antiquity to them for they are established upon the most Authentick Records which were signed in the Year 800 upon a Contract made between the Abbey of St. George Major and the before-mention'd Twelve Houses for which Reason the first are called the Twelve Apostles and the others the four Evangelists They are the Justiniani Cornari Bragadini and the Bembi The Cornari and Justiniani have maintain'd themselves in a much greater Figure than the others the first hath had Alliances with Crown'd Heads it was moreover a Daughter of this House Married to the last King of Cyprus that brought this Kingdom to the Republick which they possess'd until the conquest of it by Mustapha Bassa General to the Emperor Zelim The Justiniani are reckon'd at Venice to be of the Blood of the Emperors of Constantinople for which Reason they bear the Spread Eagle as their Arms. The Annals of Venice do mention a very advantageous Passage to this House The Republick having just Reasons of resentments against the Emperour who did ill by the Venetian Merchants Trading into the Levant they made War with him at Constantinople under the Doge Nidal Micheli about the Year 1156 All of the Family of Justiniani embark'd upon this Fleet of a Hundred Ships which the Republick fitted out to Sea in so many Days to go and revenge themselves for the wrongs they pretended were done them by the Greeks in depriving them of their goods as likewise of their Right to the succession of the Empire After the conquest of the Kingdom of Negepont this Army was ruin'd before Constantinople through Misery and Sickness but more especially by reason of the Waters which the Emperour Emmanuel caus'd to be Poisoned All the Justiniani dyed in this expedition but the Doge Micheli being desirous to re-establish so Noble a Family obtained to this Purpose a Commission from the Pope to take from a Convent Brother Nicolas Justiniani of the order of Saint Benedict to whom he gave his Daughter in Marriage from whence are issued all those of this House who continue to make a very considerable Figure in this Republick But the good Monk having had several Children return'd to his Monastery to follow the course of life he was in before his Marriage They do likewise comprehend with in the first order of Nobility eight more Houses which with the other four make twelve whose Antiquity is in a manner Parallel to those of the first twelve in that long before the Serrar del Consiglio they were considerable and particularly the Quirini Delfini Soransi the Zorzi and the Marcelli which do yet distinguish themselves in the Republick the others are fallen from their former lustre through extream Poverty to which they are reduced After the General Tiepolo had intirely destroyed the City of Acria in Syria for having several times revolted against the Republick who conquered it Several Illustrious Houses of that City retired to Venice where they maintain'd themselves in a more than ordinary Reputation before the establishment of the great Council in which they had Session and are received at present among the Nobility of the first Extraction Of the Second Order of the Venetian Nobility THE Serrar del Consiglio of the Doge Gradenigo by Perpetuating the Government of the Republick in those Families only that have since Compos'd it did at the same time render them all Noble who were of it the second order of the Venetian Nobility is Compos'd out of those Nobles as have no Ancienter Title than the Establishment of the Great Council and who are inserted from that time in the Golden Book that is the Catalogue they then began to make of all the Families of the Venetian Nobility which being now four Hundred Years since the first settlement of the Catalogue occasions this Nobility to be much esteemed more especially since the urgencies of the State have obliged them to a farther augmentation upon two several occasions Of the great Number of Families that were upon this change united to the Body of the Nobility there are yet above Fourscore in Being of which the most considerable are the Mocenighi a Family that is Rich Numerous and Illustrious for the great Men she hath given to the State the Capeli Foscarini Foscari Grimani Gritti Goussoni Loredani Donati Malipierri Nani Pisari Pisani Priuli Ruzzini Sagredi Valieri Venieri the Basadonna and some others most of which have given Doge's to the Republick and have yet very considerable Interests through the great Number of Votes they make in the Council In this second degree of Nobility are reckoned Thirty Families that were admitted in 1380 Ninety one Years after the Serrar del Consiglio they were received at the ending of the War with the Genoueses during which these Thirty Families of Citizens and Burgers of sundry Professions did assist the Republick with such considerable Summs that the Senate Judg'd them worthy of an equal Acknowledgment There are now Eleven of these Thirty Families extinct and of those which remain only the Trevisani Vendramini Reniere the Justi Pasquilighi do distinguish themselves in this great Body of Nobility Of the Third Order of Venetian Nobility IN this Order is comprehended Fourscore Families that purchas'd their Nobility at one Hundred Thousand Ducats each after the Republick had Exhausted her Coffers in the late War of Candia at this juncture the Senate made no distinction among the Persons that offered themselves that is from the
not within the State so all such as are of it may when they are at Venice take the Vest enter and ballot in the great Council The Pio's Malateste's and Bentivoglio's are the Principal private Families of Italy to which the Republick hath presented the Venetian Nohility The Martininguo's and the Colalte's both Powerful Lords one in the Country of Brescia and the other in the Marches of Trevisano are two Houses which the Republick have for their Merits jointed to the Body of the Nobility by Reason of the great Credit they have in these Provinces which are Subjects of the State but these Lords live at home without concerning themselves with the Affairs of the Republick The Bennoni and Savorniani who for their Merits were received into the order of Nobility live at Venice they wear the Vest enter into the Council and are engaged in the interests of the Republick the first gave them formerly the City of Crema of which they were Lords the latter were very Powerful in Frivoli they gave the state divers Forteresses which are at present Garrison'd Frontiers against the Emperour Of the Venetian Citizens THey mean by the word Citizen at Venice all the good Families of Venetian Citizens composing the Second State between the Nobility and People I do place here the Citizens before the Nobilty of Terra Firma because this Body hath a greater Affinity with the Government of the Republick than the Nobility of the Country and City 's of the State yet among this Gentry there is a considerable Number that would not yield in either Birth or Riches to the best Houses of Venice if they lived without the dominions of the Republick There are two distinctions in the Venetian Citizens the first are originally Citizens by Birth being descended from these Families which before the Establishment of the Great Council had the same share in the Government that the Venetian Nobility now have alone who did remain in the order of Citizens by their misfortune of being excluded the Great Council upon the new Institution of the Doge Gradenigo In another form of Government several Families of these ancient Citizens may value themselves as the better sort of Gentry for there are several of them which have the same name and bear the same Arms with the Noble Venetians of the first Order The second Order of Citizens is compos'd of such as have either by their Merits or Money obtain'd this place in the Republick both of them enjoy the same Privileges they may wear the Vest as well as the Noble enter into the charges and Employs that the Republick hath design'd to the Citizens who being upon Terra Firma are by their quality of Venetian Citizens equal to the Nobility of the Country enabling them to enter with this Nobility into the Councils of Cities These in return enjoy at Venice the same Privileges of Citizens but the greatest part of them do not esteem themselves much Inferior to the Noble Venetians Infinitely counting below their quality all the privileges of that Order in the City in which are likewise comprehended the Physicians Lawyers Merchants the Manufacturers of Gold and Silver Silks and the makers of Glass at Mouran who pretend themselves to be elevated to the degree of Nobility by Henry the third The Republick doth much honour or at least seemeth to respect the true Citizens either to render their Subjection more tolerable or because they being Modester than the Venetian Gentry are much more beloved of the People They confer upon the Citizens of Merit and such as engage themselves to the Service of the Republick the charges of Secretaries to the Senat and of all Tribunals that take Cognisance of the Affairs of State They are likewise made Secretaries of Embassies and Residents with forreign Princes in short they give them all those Employs which are thought below a Noble Venetian The aim of all the Citizens and the highest of what they can attain unto in the Service of their Several Employs and charges is the dignity of great Chancelour of the Republick the Rank and seeming greatness of him that Possesseth this place would render the execution of it worthy the most principal Senatour if the Republick Jealous of their Authority had not Confin'd this Great Employ to the bare Execution of the Office not allowing him either Voice or Credit in the Courts of Justice as shall be observ'd in the proper Pace Nevertheless this being the highest place a Citizen can pretend to so they limit their Ambition to it boasting with Justice that as the Republick does oftentimes find Taitours among the Body of the Nobility so they have always been exempt of these Reproaches for the Citizens have ever been inviolaby Attach'd to the interests of the State Of the Venetian Gentry upon the Continent ALl the Gentry out of Venice and within the dominions of the Republick are comprehended under the name of Noble's of Terra Firma excepting some Families of the third or fourth Class of Venetian Gentry However antient that the Nobility of the Gentry of Terra Firma is yet the Venetian Nobles will admit of no Comparison with them pretending there is the same difference between them as between the Sovereign and Subject This uncouth and haughty usage does intirely Alienate the Affections of the Nobility upon Terra firma and is frequently attended with dangerous disputes between them and the young Noble's of Venice who being sometimes in the Cities of the States do find themselves opposed as to point of place by the first when they are from Venice without any Publick Imploys The Gentry of Terra Firma do compose the Council of the Cities where they live They can regulate several things in regard of the Government and Publick interest which are no ways relating to the Political part of Government for such the Republick confides intirely to the Management of the Venetian Nobility Yet when ever these Gentlemen do engage themselves in the Service and Armies of the Republick they are consider'd with very good Employs and Governments of Places and Citadels in their Provinces however they are not in this matter us'd more kindly than the Forreign Officers Least this Nobility should become too considerable the Republick is never backward in taking all occasions of reducing their Power their smallest Faults are Capital Crimes for which they are proscrib'd and their Effects Confiscated if a Gentleman of Terra Firma hath the boldness to make or Sustain a Quarrel with a Noble Venetian the Severity of the Punishment does soon discover the difference which the Republick will have between a Noble Venetian who is believ'd born to command and another whose Merits lye in Obedience The Senat knows very well that the Land Nobility cannot bear without Resentments the great Elevating of that Nobility and that they are very uneasy at the thoughts of the Sovereign Power 's being lodg'd only with them to whom they esteem themselves no ways inferior for which Reasons upon the least
the Republick The Name of Pregadi is given to the Senate because formerly it was assembled but upon extraordinary occasions as when any affair of importance required the advice of the Principal Citizens they were then desired to be there At present the Senate assembles every Wednesday and Saturday But the Sage for the week can Summon an extraordinary Pregadi when the affairs that are to be brought thither require the speedy deliberation of the Senate According to the first Institution the Pregadi was compos'd of Sixty Senators which was called the ordinary Pregadi But as they have been oblig'd to add several others according to the urgency of affairs so they created sixty more which is called la Guinta These Sixcore are always possess'd by Persons of an advanc'd Age and known Merits and of the first Nobility All the Members of the College those of the Council of Ten the Forty Judges of the Council Criminal and all the Procurators of Saint Mark have entrance into the Pregadi as likewise the greatest part of the Magistrates of the City whereby this assembly of the Senate may amount unto about Two Hundred and Fourscore Gentlemen part of them having deliberative voices others are only there to observe and form themselves to business The Doge the Councellors of the Seignory and the Great Sages are the only Persons whose Opinions can be Ballotted which is to avoid the confusion that would proceed from the diversity of sentiments in so great an assembly where the Opinions cannot pass if they have not one half of the voices Yet those who have not the right of voting may harangue in the defence or against the Opinions proposed As the Sixscore ordinary and extraordinary Senators are every year Ballotted in the great Council to be chang'd or continu'd as this assembly thinks necessary so the desire which every one of them have to be continued in the condition that is so very honourable and the fear of being deprived of it by the great Council that never spares any Body inviolably engages them to the Duty of their Employs and prevents them from making any ill use of their Authority No body can imagine but that there must be great Inconvenience's to be feared seeing all affairs are regulated by the plurality of Voices more especially because they are made by balls that are thrown into boxes which the Secretaries carry about the Hall some of which are mark'd with the word YES and the other NO the last are designed for the balls of such that equally reject both pro and the contra which are called the Non Suceres for as these Votes are given so as it shall not be distinguish'd what any one hath done so such a person is oftentimes of an Opinion that he durst not own if he was to declare himself publickly Amongst the multitude of Senators in the Pregadi there are some very Ignorant who are only introduc'd hither in honour of their Age and Family There are others very poor who may be liable to err from the Right way Neither is there any want of those Old fellows who have any other knowledge than that of their Ancient Customes these are the Opiniators that never acommodate their Judgments to the various Junctures of time and who regard Novelty as a Crime against the State Insomuch that the Senate must be often Subject to fall upon those Resolutions which would not be ever conformable to the real Interests of the Republick if the most able heads of this Body who are Sensible of the defects did not prevent these inconveniency's by another that some times ruines their affairs which is by temporizing that so in time and by the force of their Speeches they may prevail upon their Sentiments to give the true motion to these important affairs Secrecy is rarely to be found in a multitude that abounds with Youth and Poverty it is therefore much to be admir'd how it becomes inviolable at Venice seeing the Examples of such who have sold it to the Ministers of Great Princes are not at all considerable in Number but the Republick hath provided against it by the power she hath given the Inquisitors of State to punish the Guilty as shall be observ'd hereafter and by the oaths that are renewed so often as they enter upon any matter of the last importance as likewise by the exclusion of all such as have any relation with the Court of Rome when the affairs lyes that way however far the affinity or dependance is distant for the Senate is not Satisfied with excluding all Ecclesiasticks from the Government but they even distrust their Fathers and nearest Allied insomuch that when any thing is there agitated which may any ways concern the Court of Rome it is Publickly cried in the Pregadi Fuora Papalini that is for all such as have Children or Brothers provided with benefices or other Ecclesiastical dignities to withdraw themselves at that instant least the Secret of the State should be made known to foreign Princes Of the Great Council THE whole Authority of the Republick is divided between the Senate and the Great Council and as the first regulates without controul the affairs of State so the second disposes absolutely of all Magistracy's upon which depend the Order of Government This Council hath power to Erect new Laws choose Senators confirm the Elections of the Senate Nominate to all Employs to Create the Procurators of St. Mark the Podestats Governors and Commanders that are sent in to the several Provinces in short the Great Council hath the rectifying of all publick â—rrors as also to reform the methods of such who use not their Authority to the Satisfaction of the Nobles consequently as the Great Council is the assembly General of the Nobility so it is also the first Tribunal the basis and support of the Government All the Venetian Gentlemen of five and twenty and that have assum'd the Vest may enter into the Great Council and claim the Right of balloting that is of Voting To gratifie moreover the young Nobility of twenty thirty of them are drawn by lot who have the same priviledge with those of five and twenty This ceremony is observ'd upon the day of St. Barbara so the thirty which Fortune hath particularly favour'd from the Names of all the rest in the Urne are called Barbarini The Republick hath often times bestowed this privilege upon the Children of such Nobles as have very eminently served the State in any perticular juncture during the War dispensations of Age were sold at two hundred Ducates this Sum is no ways considerable in regard of the advantages that are acquired by the entrance into the Great Council which renders these Nobles of the Body of the Republick who by the right of Balloting are received into the same consideration with the other more ancient Members of the State The Great Council assembles all Sundays and Holidays excepting that of St. Mark and those of the Virgin This Council is not to
continue their sitting after it is dark in Summer they begin at Eight in the Morning and sit until twelve in the Winter they sit from twelve to Sun-set after which time no propositions can be made in that place insomuch that such as are begun and cannot be expedited before these Limits elapse are balloted again in the next Session as if they haâ—â— never been mentioned This Assembly is held in the Largest Hall of the Palace there is at the bottom of it a sort of a Throne like to that in the College upon which the Doge and the Councellors of the Seignory take their places The Presidents of the Council of Ten the Avogadors and the Censors sit upon rais'd benches in the Hall they being to take care that the Nobles may do nothing contrary to the order of the Statutes The greatest Assemblies of the Great Council are rarely above six hundred Gentlemen who sit upon benches plac'd in rows along the Hall but there are as many more that have right of entrance who are either employed in the Provinces or upon some other occasions of absence do not appear at the Council As the Great Sages may Summon an Extraordinary Senate so the Councellors of the Signory have power of Assembling the Great Council so often as the multitude of Employs to distribute or the urgency of business shall require it To which purpose a bell is rung which they call the Trotiere this is answered by the five principal bells in the five other Wards of the City at which Signal the Nobility never fail of appearing at the Council where the wearing of Arms is forbidden upon pain of Death and to be immediately thrown out of the Windows least the heats in Balloting might Chance to occasion some disorders For which reason they leave their Stiletto's in their Gondalo's as likewise such other Arms as they usually wear in all other places For the security of this Assembly against which the History of Venice mention several Conspiracies that were formely laid with the Intention of destroying the whole Body of Nobility at once they place guards at all the chief entrances into the Palace and the others are kept shut In which occasions they make use of the Artificers and Workmen of the Arcenal who are the faithfullest Subjects of the Republick And as this Council is only held upon Holydays to the end that all the Magistrates may be present so the Works of the Arcenal are thereby no ways retarded This Militi a is under the Command of the Procurators of St. Mark not only by Reason they are Persons of the greatest Authority but likewise because they do not go to the Great Council as being above all Magistracy's there distributed or possibly being they are exempt of the passive suffrage so they ought not to pretend to the active They never propose distribution of above nine Employs in a Session by reason of the Custom of having the Names of the Electors that Nominate the Parties to be decided by Chance leaving it to either merit or faction to dispose of it afterwards in favour of one of the four Nobles which the Electors have chosen for the Execution of each Office Yet that there may only be Six and Thirty Electors among all the Nobility then present this method is observed in the manner of drawing the Lots There is placed on each side the Throne of the Seignory over against the two last Councellors two high and deep Cups into which they may reach their hands but cannot see which to choose the Secretaries count so many balls as there are Nobles in the Assembly which number is divided into the two Cups in each whereof there are moreover thirty gilt balls the others are white At the feet of the Doge there stands a third Cup in which there is the same Number of balls as there are Gilt ones in the other two that is Sixty of which thirty six only are Gilt. After this the Nobles being call'd by a Secretary according to the Benches they sit on come two and two together to draw each of them a ball out of the Cup on the side they are of if it is white they throw it away if a gilt one the Gentleman shews it and gives it the Councellor next the Cup then advancing to the Doge draws one of the sixty balls if he Pitches upon a gilt one he is of the Number of Electors that have the distribution of the Charge but if it is white he retires to his place After there are Nine Electors made in this manner they withdraw with a Secretary into a separated Room from the Council where after they have drawn Lots for their places he that is the first Nominates a Noble for the first of the Employs that is to be given the others do the same according to the places of their Lots These Nine Electors do then ballot one after another the Nine Nobles elected he that hath not six Balls is excluded and he that is Nominated continues until there is one that hath six of the Suffrages When Nine other Electors are by Lot drawn in the Great Council they are to proceed in the same method by Nominating and Balloting Nine several Nobles for the same Nine Employs which is thus observed until the Six and Thirty Electors drawn into four several Bodys of Nine each have elected Thirty Six Gentlemen that is four to each Employ upon which they are Balloted one after another by the Great Council he of the four having most Balls stands provided with the Employ to which he was Named To accomplish these Ballotations with the less loss of time there are a great many Children of the Hospital of Foundlings who carry in a Bag little Balls of stuff about the bigness of a Hasil Nut they have likewise in their hands a Box somewhat resembling to that which collects the Suffrages of the Senate excepting in these there are only two distinct places one for the YEA's the other for the NO's there being no doubtful or indifferent voices in the distribution of the Employs as there are for the uncertain ones of the Various Opinions upon the affairs of State These Children go up and down the Hall crying alloud the Name of the Noble balloted But this way of balloting is manag'd with so much confusion by the Children that carry the boxes Tumultuously to and again as likewise with so little dignity by the Nobles who some times unheedingly drop their Balls in walking unconcernedly about the Hall in the whole this want of order is highly undecent and altogether opposite to the Gravity that ought to be inseparable to such an Illustrious Assembly There are several Senators dispers'd about the Hall to take care that no abuses may be committed in the Ballotations yet it is impossible for them to be sure that a Noble shall not take two Balls being the long entrance of the box intirely hides the hand yet it is purposely so contrived to the
the third Man was agreed upon as most agreeable to these Gentlemen He said that a Nunnery of the Order of Saint Francis in a certain Island two Miles distant from Venice was at that time Repairing and that he thought they could not pass the tsme better than to take that opportunity of entring the Breach All of them immediately Dress'd themselves in White took Boats and atriv'd at the Place about Midnight which they entred unto the very Dormitories The first of the Religious that came running out upon the noise by her shricks alarm'd the whole Covent upon which the Bell was Rung and several of the Inhabitants came to give their Assistance But the Nobles not thinking themselves safe fled to theit Gondolo's and return'd to Venice This Action was mightily nois'd about in the Morning various were the Opinons upon this Disorder at the Nunnery and several different Relations made of it but at the end of Three Days the Authors were discover'd and Banish'd the City upon very rigorous Penalties Yet in less than Six Months they appear'd there again without any farther Notice being taken of them It is nevertheless certain that there are a great many Civil Gentlemen among the Young Nobility of Venice yet they are generally these as have spent some time in other Countries who having seen another Nobility in Europe which not being less regarded for their Personal Merits than for their Births do observe a quite different Conduct and by their Civilities they shew to Strangers which is even sometimes to excess do mightily distinguish themselves from those Nobles that were never out of their State Of the Habit of the Nobles IT is observ'd that the Venetian Nobility have ever imitated the long Garnment of the Levant and the ancient Custom of Rome For several Ages past rhey did wear along Blew Robe but at length it was unalterably fix'd to a long back Vest that comes down to the Ground The Sleeves are half an Ell wide and come down to the Wrist They are made very narrow at the end leaving only space enough to put through the Hand but the Sleeve is round at the bottom of the end like a Night-Gown in which the Nobility carry what others usually wear in the Pockets of their Coats The Collar of the Vest is rais'd directly up round about the Neck and open before as likewise the Doublet which is very high and of the same shape A starch'd little round Band is sow'd to the inside Shirt negligently falls a Finger's breadth over the Collar of the Wastcoat and the Neck of the which is usually fastned with a Gold or Diamond-Buckle In Summer they wear the Vest open and flying back the forepart being lined with Black Taffaty But the indispensable Obligation of having it in all Seasons of Padua-Cloth is during the great Heat a most insupportable Punishment to the greatest part of the Nobility The Gentlemen are all mighty fond of the French Fashion for they wear under their Vests very pretty Wastcoats of Black Silk but they always run into Excess sometimes by short little Wastcoats Scallop'd at the bottom or else with others very large and odly ruffled with Laces Altho' they are forbid the Use of Points of Venice yet the Necks and Wrists of their Shirts are frequently Laced with them as likewise the Back of the Sleeve and that this may be more seen they usually turn up the Sleeve of the Vest which ought to be worn over their Hands for the Taylors that make these Vests are obliged under great Forfeitures to cut the Sleeves long and the Vest short that is so as it may not hang upon the Ground which is the direct contrary to what they desire All those that wear the Vest as Senators Nobles and Citizens have only on their Heads a knit Cap of Worsted which is edg'd about with a sort of long wrought Fleece-Wool that something resembles a Hat-band The greatest part of the Young Nobility wear this Cap more in their Hands than upon their Heads by which use and the care they have of their Hair one sees here such beautiful Heads that are no where else to be found However this did not prevent them from making use of Scisars when they were so earnestly bent upon Perukes the Use of which is yet forbidden However they begin to fall into them again and the more by reason the Inquisitors of State are easily prevailed upon to permit the Wear of the short Wig and Cap. I doubt not but that they will be permitted again for these they wear at present do perceptibly become longer every Day more than other insomuch that a little more time will without dispute render that Fashion general They are oblig'd to wear a Stole of an Ell long over their Vests this is a certain breadth of the same Cloath with the Vest doubled and sowed together with two very large Lists at the Ends This is cast over the left Shoulder to one of which ends was formerly fastned the Cap as are at present the Aumuce of the Regular Cannons so the other end of this Stole or Hanging-Sleeve came almost down to their Heels At present this is esteem'd for a Mark of Authority a Noble dares not appear at the Broglio without this on the Shoulder However the Citizens that wear the Vest have the same Badge with which they all cover their Head when they chance to be surprized in the Streets by a Shower of Rain Only the Counsellors of the Doge the Procurators of St. Mark the Presidents of the Council of Ten the great Sages and the Sages of Terra firma are excused from the Inconveniencies of this heavy Garment in Summer who by a particular Privilege wear as it has been observed a Vest of fine Camblet But as the Nobility may be pitied in this Season so they are no less to be envied in Winter For in the Month of December they begin to line their Vests with Furs the more Ancient intirely through the Body but others the Extremities and Sides only with a Border of fine Blewish Fur about four Fingers broad that comes down on each Side from the top to the bottom of the Vest the same is edg'd round the Hand of the Sleeve This Border or Edging comes about a Finger's breadth below the bottom of the Vest on the inside The Vest is cross'd over their Stomachs from the Left to the Right which they fasten by a Girdle of Velvet about three Fingers broad which they wear about their Wastes this Girdle is stitch'd on the Sides with an Edging of Silk it is Adorn'd with a dozen Silver-Bosses that cover the whole fore part of the Girdle This is made exactly to the bigness of the Waste for at the Ends there are two large Silver-Hasps which clasp together over the Belly Nothing can look greater than this sort of Habit under which the Nobility seem to be well made they commonly turn back the forepart of the Vest with the
their Application from Publick Affairs in which they place their greatest Honour and most important Advantages or that they find sufficient Pleasures in those unrestrain'd Lives they lead which they esteem amply equal to the Pleasures of Matrimony is not to be determin'd by me But most certain it is that they are very willing to charge the Care of the Family upon him they judge most proper to perpetuate the Name of the House This Custom has been the occasion of that Scandal which is so ready to every Body's Tongue as believing That the method of Venice is for one Brother to Marry for the convenience of all the others I can affirm this is not said without some Reason Yet it would be of very little purpose to search out any instances of this matter For all such as know the Disposition of the Venetian Nobility will easily agree That those Persons who make the Debauchees to pass for acts of Gallantry are not to be credited in their Opinions unless their Sentiments seem sufficiently strenuous to make us submit our Faith in favour of what can at most be but barely believed A Gentleman said one Day to a Woman of Intrigue upon the account of a Gentledonna famous at Venice for her extraordinary Beauty That it must be a great satisfaction to serve a Lady of so much Merit She replied without Hesitation There was nothing to be done Perra la gha quatro cognai in case for that there were Four Brothers in Law at home with her The Nobility is permitted by the Laws of the Republick to Ally themselves to the Families of Citizens to Marry the Daughters of the Glass-makers of Murano as likewise of those who Work in Rich Silks of Gold and Silver-Tissue by reason they do enjoy as has been already observ'd the Privilege of Citizens In this manner the Repuhick gives the Decaying Families frequent opportunities of Re-establishing their Fortunes by Marrying those Women where want of Quality is recompens'd in the great Summs they bring to their Husbands Besides they do not only render the Citizens more Affectionate by these Alliances which unite them in Blood and common Interest to the Nobility but likewise in Honouring these Professions they make their Commerce Flourish and the City Famous in Foreign Countries so the Repullick does hereby continue to preserve the greatest Advantage emaining to them which is their Reputation If a Gentleman Marries any other Person the Issue is deem'd Ignoble the Order they observe is so exact and rigorous in avoiding of all Abuses of this Nature That a Noble of the First Order would not be excus'd if he does not within the time limited by the Law which is only a few Days to those Residing at Venice appear before one of the Avogadors with two Witnesses to affirm That this Gentleman has had by such a Person his Wife according to common Fame a Child call'd by such a Name After this Formality the Avogador Records it upon the Golden Book Without which however Legitimate the Child of a Noble may be having all other requisite Marks of Lawful Extraction yet it will not be esteem'd for Noble Venetian He will be debarr'd from entring into the Great Council until he is Re-invested with the necessary Qualities which is not be done without so much Difficulty Trouble and Expence that there are even at this Day several Branches of the Nobility of the First Order who are reduc'd to the Order of Citizens by their Childrens being ommitted to be inserted into the Golden Book within the Terms limited Of Religious Women AS I have engag'd my self to say something of the way of Living of all sorts of People so I must not pass by the Nuns unmention'd I acknowledge this matter to be not less Ample than Curious yet I am perswaded that all is not to be Credited which is commonly said upon this Subject neither would it be handsome for any one to Write all he knows after having attain'd a particular famialiarity with the Transactions of some Monasteries Of Four and thirty Convents of Nuns at Venice above half of them Live according to the Rules of other Places Of those Monasteries whose Rules do not oblige them to a Life so much retir'd from the World there are Seven or Eight particularly which admit only the Venetian Gentledonna's the others are fill'd with Persons of different Qualities As the Convents in which the Nuns are Gentledonna's do esteem themselves infinitely above the others so there are likewise a much greater number of brisk Ladies handsome and very agreable withal extremely delighted in the familiarity they maintain with the Town The other Monasteries not being in that Consideration which a Nobility without mixture acquires to the first nevertheless are never without having some profess'd Gentledonna's and Citadine's who are no ways inferior to the former It is a difficult matter to meet with any of the Young Religious in either of these Convents who will not as to her own particular ingeniously own That she is purely become engag'd to that Life through the Obedience she had to her Parents desire or from being plac'd there from her very Childhood insomuch that if one entertains them with the Thoughts of coming out they commonly make their Answer Magari that is very willingly if it were possible Upon telling these Religious they are under Vows which oblige to a quite different Life from that of the World many of them will say They know not what the Nature of a Vow is And ask you If their Hearts could be capable of forming such real Intentions at the time they were forc'd to shew their Compliance Some endeavours being us'd to perswade one of these Nuns That by Virtue of the Habit she wore she was engag'd to a Course of Life directly opposite to what she observ'd Very well says she I wear this Habit here because my Friends will give me no others but if I could have those that are made after the variety of the fashion I would more readily wear them than these I have on When one considers according to the true sentiments of Religion the Irregular Lives of most of these Nuns I must confefs the Disorder seems strangely deplorable but on the other Hand by regarding these Persons as Ladies of Quality who never had a Vocation to the Condition they are in and that do not prefer the Convent to the Houses of their Friends out of any other reason than for the Liberty they enjoy there as being permitted to see whomsoever they please it may be alledg'd That they are not to be so severely Censur'd as other Women in Religion that might chance to lead the same Course of Life Moreover such as establish any Commerce with them esteem them for a sort of Young Women whose Parents do rather choose to throw into these Places than to be their Guardians in the World for here they are sure to spend their Lives with much more Discretion than possibly they might in
must be acknowledged that nothing can be of a more agreeable effect to the Eye Of the Liberty of Venice I Do not pretend to speak of the Original Liberty of Venice for those who are desirous to inform themselves farther than what is mention'd in the Beginning of the Second Part of this Treatise may find that Matter in other Works examin'd to the Bottom I only Design to say something of that Liberty which is at Venice so much in every one's Mouth even from the meanest of the People to the first of the Senators Somo a Venetia We are in a place of Liberty Which is frequently the Answer for the Incivility of the one and the Insolence of the other sort who are oftentimes wanting in the Respect they ought to have for some Persons altho ' they are not Noble Venetians For the People think when they have done what becomes them in this matter to the Nobility that they are not oblig'd to have a Deference to any others whoever they are I should be mightily embarrass'd if I were to give an exact Definition of the Liberty of Venice for it does not only comprehend the Free Condition of all the Subjects of the Republick especially for the People of Venice to follow without restraint whatsoever may contribute to their Pleasures provided they are not incompatible with the Publick Good but likewise this very Liberty comprehends in those occasions where the Authority of the Government is not prejudic'd an intire exemption from Punishment the deficiency of that Respect which is due from Inferiors to Superiors True it seems to me that this Liberty of Venice is properly a Political Libertinism advantageous to the Republick convenient to the Nobility and agreable to the People who are not sensible that this Liberty which they pretend to have above those People that are under a Monarchy is in reality but a vain Chimera What has been already said sufficiently shews their manner of Living as also what are the principal Occupations and Inclinations of the Venetian Nobility Therefore in the remaining Part of this Treatise I will endeavour to give a lively Draught of the real Genius of this People yet not so as to enter into the particular Conduct of all sorts of Conditions believing that upon this Subject of the Venetian Liberty enough may be said in general to shew in what manner they Live at Venice and how every one may Regulate himself by the Dictates of his own Fancy Upon Observing of the Religious we shall meet with those Irregularities of Conduct that are no where else to be found and the Reason of it is because they cannot expect to escape so esialy as at Venice Besides as to the Court of Rome no Prince is so much engag'd in Interest to assure himself of the Religious by the means of a Liberty that takes from them the Esteem of the People and consequently brings them into a more absolute Dependance than can be accomplish'd by a Soveraign Authority That the greatest part of the Ecclesiasticks are only Exemplary for the Scandal they occasion to their Orders And as they are generally of the meanest Extraction so there are very few Houses of the Nobility where one of these Priests do not Execute divers different Employs moreover it is very rare to hear of an unfortunate Accident and a Priest not concern'd in the Business It is not to be deny'd but that there are many Curates of an Irreproachable Life who are without Dispute sufficiently qualify'd to procure some Moderation in these Publick Disorders if the Evil was not Originally without Remedy However when the Reformation of Manners depends only upon the Pastors it is much to be suppos'd That for one who shall have the Zeal and Abilities necessary to perform it there will be many whose Engagements lying directly opposite to the Application of their Duties will make but a very indifferent progress in any Works of this Nature The Liberty of Venice makes every thing Authentick for whatsoever the Life is or Religion one Professes provided you do not Talk or Attempt any thing against the State or the Nobility one may be sure to Live unmolested for no Body will go about to Censure their Conduct or to oppose the Disorders of their Neighbours If any tender-conscienc'd Persons should be desirous to remove a Courtisan out of their House or Neighbourhood they would not be able to accomplish it without alledging some Reasons besides the Scandal and bad Example of it for they take so little notice of things of this Nature that it is nothing extraordinary to see a Noble Venetian Living in the First Story of a House and a Courtisan in the Second or possibly this may be some Place of Publick Business which the Noble no ways esteems as inconvenient to him Herein consists the reality of this Liberty of Venice yet nothing renders the Subjection of this People more easy than to see there is no Diversions at Venice which is not in common between them and the Nobility for they mingle themselves with those of that Illustrious Body at all Ceremonies and other Publick Rejoycings without any manner of constraint and these Gentlemen of their sides require no sort of external Respect from them which Policy produces all the good Effects that can possibly be expected from such a Conduct If we consider the Country-People we shall find them sensible of this Liberty for besides their being in a manner almost exempt from Impositions and free of all Military Quarterings yet they do moreover find the Government of the Republick extremely easy by reason their Podestates being only for a short continuance and their Administration ever liable to a Retrospection detains them mightily from making the People uneasy therefore the Conduct they observe is so much to the contrary That they rather affect the most Popular manner and even to allow free Access to their Palaces whensoever they please which strangely gains their Affections They behold also with much Pleasure the Nobility of Terra Firma that are so very proud of their Quality to be not only treated with the same measure that is us'd to them but even worse for those Gentlemen rarely meet with less severity than the Senate thinks it intirely their Interest to diminish their Power insomuch the People of the Provinces and those of the City are equally possess'd That they cannot be more Happy than they are under the Government of this Republick This Famous Liberty draws Strangers hither in Multitudes where the Pleasure and Diversions of the Place as sure empty their Pockets Soveraign Princes and other Persons of the greatest Quality are frequently there for that convenient Custom of being Incognito joined to the Charms of the Venetian Liberty do mutually engage them to purchase their Pleasures at extraordinary Rates The late Duke of Savoy uncer the Name of Marquess de Salluces was there a considerable time in which he consum'd mighty considerable Summs The Duke of Mantua makes several
Journeys hither in the Pleasant Season of the Year besides which he never misses a Carnaval but he Lives in such a manner at Venice as it plainly appears he does not much apply himself to what ought to be inseparable to the Rank and Dignity of a Soveraign Prince The Princes of Brunswick had a Furnished Palace at Venice before the War in which they usually pass'd the Winter It is affirm'd That in the time of Fifteen or Sixteen Years they spent at least Twelve Millions of Crowns and that the Banker who made these Remittances got at least Five hundred thousand Livres for his own share with which he afterwards Purchas'd the Dignity of Noble Venetian and these are the Principal Franchises of this so much boasted Liberty Of the Courtisans MAny of those who know Rome and Venice are at a loss which of these two Cities is the most Libertine and most plentifully serv'd with Courtisans For my one part I am certain nothing can be equal to what is Practised at Venice both as to the great number of Persons and the ample liberty which every one takes without the fear of being troubled for it To say the truth the Character of Courtisan according to the Sentiments of the People does something diminish the Credit of them that profess it yet on the other side this Character is so far advantagious as it acquires to them a consideration proportionable to the Quality of those that frequent them And as there is not a Courtisan who does not shelter her self under the name and protection of some Noble Venetian which they sometimes do at an extraordinary Price so this renders them respected by the meaner People who Envy more their good Fortune than they have Aversion to the Trade they Profess Two hundred and fifty four Years since Venice being destitute of Courtisans the Republick was oblig'd to procure and encourage the coming in of Foreign Women Doglioni that writ the Remarkable Transactions of Venice does here much amplify the Wisdom of the Republick who by this means provided against the frequent Attempts that were daily made upon the Persons of many Modest Women for even the most Sacred Places could not be esteem'd as assur'd Sanctuaries and in which the Chastity of the Women were out of all danger Therefore as the Republick seem'd to believe that the Sea-Air render'd this Disorder habitual and without remedy so they judg'd it necessary to provide against those bad effects in permitting the use of Courtisans as likewise by establishing an Order whereby they might contribute to the mutual Support of each other The Conduct of all these Bonny Lasses was committed to the direction of an Honourable Matron to whom was deposited the Profits they made by their Calling who every Month distributed the Sums she thought necessary for them allowing each of them proportionable to the Merits of what she earn'd This prudent Conduct has so well establish'd the Courtisans that the Republick need not fear Venice will ever want them for the future All the Streets and Canals are abundantly supplied with these sort of Ladies who commonly stand at their Windows and Balconies set out with a mighty profusion of Ribbans where they expose their best Charms to excite the Inclinations of all passing by them butas they have the Reputatation of being the Handsomest of all Italy so they have that also of bestowing those Presents which are not soon to be forgotten The Daughters of the Common People among whom there are a great many Pretty Creatures are the Nursery that stocks the Courtisans For the Young Nobility Living in Idleness place their greatest Diversions in finding out those from among these Young Women that are most agreeable to their Fancies endeavouring by Perswasions Promises and Money to induce them to deliver up what is desired of them The Gentlemen that are able to pay for their Pleasures choose the Handsomest of them whom they endeavour to have at Eight or Ten Years Old These are carefully elevated as Fruits which they Design to pluck when at the height of Perfection But as most of these poor Creatures do at length find themselves betrayed in their Hopes are at last reduc'd to take up the Profession of Publick Courtisans A Gentleman thinks himself no ways ungrateful to a Person that has treated him with the last Complaisance if he associates to their Commerce some substantial Merchant that contributes handsomly to her Maintenance and his Equivalent is Pay'd in the Protection he gives her Thus they divide between them the Days of the Week alternatively enjoying their Pleasures without any mixture of Jealousy But these Gentlewomen most commonly grow weary of the Constraint they are oblig'd to Live in being much Delighted to be Courted by others as Persons of Merit that so they may make a better Hand of their Favours or possibly becoming sensible of some new Tenderness trespass upon the Friendship of those that Maintain'd them So they are not only Abandon'd but likewise see themselves strip'd at once by the Noble of whatsoever might contribute to their future Establishment When a Young Woman goes privately from her Parents to yield her self up to the Lover she is esteem'd very fortunate if the Gentleman or Citizen that Debauch'd her makes some small Provision for her Maintenance The whole consists in some Poor Lodging that he Hires hung with Gilt Leather a few Cloaths and a small Weekly Allowance This is the Fortune of these Young Women who are yet Envy'd by all others of their Condition From whence it happens that although one hears every Day of those Rapes yet being with the Consent of the Women they are thought no ways Criminal so it is only call'd Menar via una puta Such of the Young Wives as are not satisfy'd with their Husbands or that love their Diversions are sometimes seen to do the same thing Notwithstanding the Avagadors are the Judges of these Disorders yet it is very difficult for the Parents or Husbands to obtain Judiciary Satisfaction when a Noble is at the bottom of it To speak the Truth there rarely happens any Prosecution upon these Matters for of Ten Young Creatures that engage into this Condition Nine of them are Prostituted by their Mothers or Aunts who may receive One or Two hundred Ducats as the Price of their Childrens Virginity which they say is to Marry them after the time of the Agreement is expir'd I was once by chance at a Treaty of this Nature A Foreign Gentleman of my Acquaintance had been sometime Bargaining for a Young Woman the Aunt at last brought her to him but he deferring to give a positive Answer alledging That the Young Woman was not as then sufficiently Furnished nor her Neck come to the Perfection he desired The Aunt told him plainly That he was not to make any farther scruples-about the business for the Father Preacher of one of the First Convents of Venice which she Nam'd was in Treaty for her and had already made
very Considerable Offers As this Libertinism cannot be particular to the Nobility only without infusing the Contagion into all other Conditions so it comes to pass That all Citazens Tradesmen and Strangers have in regard of their Pleasures full Liberty at Venice to do what they please yet they are to avoid all such Places which the Venetian Gentry reserve to themselves for by doing otherwise they might chance to be made sensible of that Intrusion But the Nobles agree very well among themselves as to the matter of Keeping for if Two of them are not able to Maintain a Woman they like which Society is term'd Farcasa than each of them brings in his Friend to the Partnership that so they may render the Charge more easie I have known Three Gentlemen in Treaty about a Woman for a Year together before they could settle the Conditions of the Bargain yet what is more Extraordinary one of these Nobles was Marry'd to a Gentledonna of one of the best Houses of Venice and is likewise one of the Richest of all the new Created Houses However he Associated himself to the others which looks as if he did expect to find those Pleasures more agreeable being divided than in particular Their whole Society usually consists in these sorts of Extravgancies They meet at the Courtisans where they Divert themselves by all manner of means pretending That by Living thus in Common they have no reason to be jealous and consequently enjoy their Pleasures with less inquietude But as it is difficult for such a Licentious Voluptuousness to be contented with one sort of Excess so it is not hard to believe those who affirm That the Courtisans are employ'd to such Infamous uses that notwithstanding all the Charms of Ensnaring by their extraordinary Laciviousness such as frequent them yet it is impossible but that so much Lewdness must create in most the greatest of Aversions Where there is so much Disorder and such a general Corruption it is not to be admir'd that the Distemper which usually follows this Vice should be generally spread I do not say only among the Courtisans who are almost all infected with it but likewise among the Marry'd Women of which number I must less except the Gentledonna's than the Wives of the Commonalty The reason of it is the Young Nobility and the Marry'd Nobles being equally addicted to this excessive Lewdness so they must necessarily share among them the Trouble which this Disorder produces As the one makes no scruple in communicating to their Ladies what they have acquir'd by their Ungenerous Proceedings so the others pay the Favours they receive from their Mistresses with Presents of the same nature whereby it happens this Corruption is in a manner here Universal It may be easily imagined from what has been said That there is scarce a City in Europe where this Distemper is so common I am certain by my own particular knowledge that several New-marry'd Gentledonna's mistaking this Distemper for Indispositions usual to Women have been reduc'd to a most Deplorable Condition without knowing what it was until the virulency of the Illness and the nature of the Remedies they took did at length acquaint them with the truth of their Distemper The Republick does not think She ought to Rectify these Disorders or stop the progress of so much Libertinism But on the contrary She esteems it for an Evil that is advantagious to the State which like a Lethargy stupifies the boiling Blood of their Youth not only enervating the Vigour of them whose Impetuous Natures might be dangerous but it likewise empties the Purses of such Strangers who come in great numbers to Venice for the love of Her Lascivious Pleasures Moreover the People being educated in Softness are not desirous of any alterations in Government So the Nobility being intirely addicted to the pursuit of their Pleasures are not distrusted of meditating Novelties that might be prejudicial to the State but expect without impatience the Places and Dignities which Age and their Qualities Intitle them to in the Republick As there is nothing more certain That without the particular favour of the Almighty the Vices of Youth follow Man to the Grave so it is no wonder if the most Venerable Heads of the Venetian Nobility do continue to observe the same Habitude They are so little Circumspect in things of this nuture and so extremely open in these Practices that the Husbands make no difficulty to say they are to Dine with their Courtisans that Day and their Wives are to send them what they order to be brought upon such occasions I shall rather leave it to be imagin'd than to express here those Base and and Extravagant Artifices that these Reverend Heads use as Incitements to those Pleasures which the natural weakness of their Ages yet deprive them from tasting To conclude this Matter at the Place where I begun it I shall add That the Condition of a particular Courtisan is so little prejudicial to her Reputation who only Abandons her self to one Person that if such a Young Woman retires from that Life and Marries she is afterwards esteemed free of all Reproach In these Hope 's several Young Caeatures deliver themselves to their Inclinations but it is rare to see them retire for their Lewdness join'd to that Liberty which they so much esteem as being free from the Constraint they were forc'd to under their Parents are indissoluable Bonds engaging them to a Profession that is actually Honoured by Daughters of Noble Families Of the Publick Diversions of Venice IF all that has hitherto been said may be allowed to be a true Idea of the City of Venice the Government of the Republick and the Customs of the Venetians I am in hopes the Subject I am at present entring upon will not only give the finishing Touch to this Portraiture which I have endeavour'd to draw with the greatest Exactness and Resemblance but I am in hopes it will illustrate the rest by shewing in their most lively Colours the Wit and Genius of the Venetians Therefore as Venice has hitherto appear'd singular in all things so She will much more in the nature of her extraordinary Diversions There are various sorts of Diversions for the several Seasons of the Year I will say something of all those that agreeably Divert such Persons as are only at Venice upon the account of their Pleasures Yet to observe some order in this matter I will begin with the Carnaval by describing all the Diversions that render it so Famous Afterwards I will speak of those that are perform'd in the Summer concluding with the Publick Rejoicings which frequently happen upon many Occasions Of the Carnaval THE Carnaval of Venice is so Famous all over Europe that those of other Countries who are desirous to see Venice wait this Opportunity at which time this City is usually full of Strangers of all Nations but the greatest part of them whom Curiosity brings hither find themselves deceiv'd in
their Expectations for the Beauties of the Carnaval doe not as they imagine consist in the Magnificence of the many Publick Shows or in the Pompous Masquerades that are oftentimes seen in several other Parts of Italy Therefore it is something difficult to say precisely from whence proceeds that esteem which is so generally conceiv'd of the Carnaval yet I am perswaded that an infinity of things concur to the rendering of it Famous particularly the Custom of assuming any sort of Disguise the great Liberty which all Masques every where enjoy the inviolable Respect that is shewn them and the great number of Diversions which are then at Venice Nothing can be more singular than to see in a manner all the City in Masquerade the Mothers carrying in their Arms their little Children in Disguise Such of both Sexes as go to the Market or to the Haberdashers for Six Penny-worth of Tape are sure to be in Masque The Place of Saint Mark is the great Theater upon which is to be seen the chief Appearance of the Carnaval for there is scarce a Masque in Venice that does not come here about an Hour before Sun-set insomuch that the great Capaciousness of the Place is barely sufficient to receive them and others that come to see them The Gentledonna's do not only Disguise themselves to partake of the Diversions in the last Days of the Carnaval but such as have Intrigues do at this time by a Thousand different ways deceive both Husband and Guards For there is hardly any or House which is not in a manner open to the Masques whereby this time of Carnaval seems to be the Season in which the Gallants get in the Harvest of their Amours for in this juncture are gather'd all the Fruits of those Intrigues that have been in suspence during the other less favourable Seasons New Correspondences are settled even with the Ladies most narrowly watch'd by taking the exactest and most probable means for the long Continuance of them The length of the Carnaval which begins after Christ-mass Holy-Days is one of the things that contribute most to render it agreeable 'T is likewise impossible to express what a Consternation there is throughout the whole City especially of such Persons that wait with impatience the various Advantages of this Season when One of the Presidents of the Council of Ten either through Capriciousness or possibly some other Motives forbids the use of Masquerade or at least restrains the appearance of them to the last Days of Carnaval only As this Order takes away the greatest part of the Pleasures of the Season so it may be said That it is very rare notwithstanding the frequent threatnings to accomplish the Execution of it especially if some Reason of State do not particularly oblige the Council to it However they are always permitted to go in Masques to the Banque's the Opera and Comedy The Carnaval is likewise the principal Season of the Courtisans They Dress themselves very Neatly in their Disguises in which they appear upon the Place of Saint Mark where they endeavour to Contract new Familiarities Yet a great part of them are Hired or retain'd for the whole time of the Carnaval seeing he cannot expect to pass for a Man of Gallantry that has not such a Companion in this time of Diversion in which it is accounted Honourable to appear with a Lady at the Opera Play-House Ball and all other Places of Diversion Of the Ridotti or Basset-Banque's WHen the Evening puts an end to the Diversions of the Place of Saint Mark those of the Ridotti begin these Places being so call'd where the Venetian Nobility keep an open Bank against all such as are desirous to try their Fortunes at Play There are several of these Banks at Venice which the Nobility frequent all the Year round but the Great Ridotti of the Carnaval is in a House near the Place of Saint Mark to which resorts a great deal of Company when the Diversions of the aforesaid Place are over They scruple at letting any enter that are not in Masquerade for that Privilege is reserv'd to the Venetian Nobility However a counterfeit Beard Nose or any other thing that causes an alteration in the Face is sufficient and such as are not desirous to Play may take it off if they please when they are in There are a great many Sconces c. in a Hall and several other Rooms of the same Floor round which are plac'd a great many Tables to each of which there is a Noble who sits on that side next the Wall to keep the Banque Before each of them there are Two Candles several Packs of Cards a Cup full of Gold-Pieces and another of Silver-Ducats In this manner they sit ready to receive all such as are willing to Play either Masques or Venetian Gentlemen The Crowd is so great that very often one can hardly pass from out of one Room into another nevertheless the Silence here observ'd is much greater than that in the Churches Strangers are much surpriz'd at this Spectacle which is infinitely more admirable for the Singularity then diverting in its Pleasures The Game play'd here is Basset only which was unknown in France until Signior Justiniani now Ambassador for that Republick very lately brought it into fashion at Paris Since which it is become so common as to need no Description here it being only used with this difference at Venice that neither the Noble who deals or the Masques that Play do ever exchange any Words with each other The Young Venetian Gentlemen commonly choose rather to Play than to keep the Banque but to see in how much Tranquillity and Gravity very Considerable Summs are lost is really so very Extraordinary that one would almost think this is a School to learn the Art of behaving one's self with Moderation in the Alternatives of Fortune rather than a Place of Diversion and Gaming A Noble Man very rarely continues to keep the Banque for a whole Carnaval so the Tables are successively undertaken by different Gentlemen who are not all equally good Gamesters for some lose and others get Considerably but those that love Play and are well acquainted with Venice do generally know which are the Nobles that have the Reputation of being the fairest Gamesters For however equal this Game seems to be yet there are several Gentlemen so very dextrous in cutting and drawing the Cards that the most intelligent and quick-sighted Player may be sometimes deceiv'd As the Person who Plays may heap what Summ he pleases without any exception by the Noble that Deals so he may leave off after he has acquir'd a considerable Summ at once or by length of Play to which the Noble has no other remedy than biting his Fingers and saying to himself La maledetta Maschara The Gentledonna's frequently Play at the Ridotti without any other Disguise than that of a Velvet-Visard whereby such as know them Unmask'd have not much trouble to do it here
old Halbards others with great Scymiters some with Pikes and others with old fashion'd Spadons which they carry naked between both their Hands When the Seignory comes down into a great Room that is even with the Galleries of the first Floor of the Palace this pleasant Militia passes in a Re-view before the Doge and the Ambassadors The variety of their Arms and Habits join'd to the Irregularity of their March occasions a Sight the most extraordinary in its nature that I ever yet beheld For some run others march gravely some make their most profound Reverences to the Seignory and others strutting by without taking notice of them All this is perform'd with the Sounding of Trumpets that run a Foot at the Head of each Company in short this whole Ceremony resembles more some Popular Emotion than any Publick Rejoicing From hence they pass to the Piazza that go's out upon the Place where they are no sooner arriv'd but he of the Butchers to whom the Honour of the Execution is design'd with one flourish of his Sword strikes off the Head of the Bull in presence of almost the whole City the Place the Palace the Procuratories and several Scaffolds erected on this occasion being all full with an infinite number of People that come hither to see the Ceremony as likewise to partake of the Diversions that attend it of which the Fire-works at two in the Afternoon seem the most singular To all these is usually added that most agreeable Spectacle to the People of seeing a Man fly down a Cord which is fastned to the Steeple of St. Mark at one end and the other to the Galley that lyes between the two Columns At this time all the City seems to be in a terrible Confusion which continues the rest of the Week every one being Jours gras permitted to wear in his own Defence excepting some Arms what sort of Weapons he pleases which is by reason of the great many Bulls that are Baited in several Places and afterwards run through the City One sees the Populace glittering with Axes Sabres naked Swords great Forks and Iron-headed Clubs insomuch that one can hardly believe but that all the City of which the Shops are shut must be in some dreadful Sedition so all such as are any ways apprehensive of Enemies are sure to be upon their Guards these last tumultuous Days of the Carnaval Of the Fresque THE Diversion of the Fresque is not only the first of all those which the pleasant Weather brings in but it is likewise the most agreeable to the Ladies and Gentlemen as it is also the most singular and the most surprizing thing that a Stranger can see at Venice for so they call the Cours and the Evening-Diversions upon the Waters It is certain one cannot give it a more proper Name than that of the Fresque for in the greatest heats of Summer one is sure to be free from those sultry Heats and clouds of Dust that are so troublesom in other Places on the contrary you are during those Heats here sensible of a charming Coolness for it would be even impossible to take this Diversion in any other Seasons than that of the Spring and Summer They regularly begin the Fresque upon the second Holy-day of Easter which continues unto Saint Jerom's Day being one of the last in September But as the Ladies do not dress themselves every Day by reason most of them live very retir'd so it comes to pass that the Fresque is only us'd upon Sundays and Holy-days and some particular solemn Days of Churches which the Gentledonna's frequent or upon the occasion of any Publick Rejoycings to which the Ladies are Invited For during the good Season all these Diversions are ended with the Fresque which is taken towards the end of the Great Canal over against the Church of Saint Jerom being this Place is less frequented with Barques and other Vessels Besides such as are desirous to see this agreeable Diversion may conveniently see it upon one of the two Keys which are at this Place of an indifferent length upon each side of the Great Canal They begin to appear at the Fresque about the three and twentieth hour that is a good half hour before Sun-set The Company comes by degrees and the Gondoliers shew not their vigour in the beginning but make an easy way by turning backwards and forwards in the length of eight hundred Paces but these Men by insensibly putting on or the emulation that always reigns amongst them animates them to excite each the other it so happens at length they pass with so much force and swiftness that it is hardly to be credited and the Sweat that comes through their Sattin-Doublets which they who are in Liveries do generally wear shew plainly they are not less wet than if they had been dipt in the Canal It is not long since this Diversion of the Fresque was introduc'd or at least brought to what it is at present For the Gentleman that first establish'd it do's yet enjoy the satisfaction of his Invention who for having been the Author of this agreeable and singular Diversion do's certainly deserve to have his Statue erected in the middle of the Great Canal Such as are not accustomed to the Gondalos do not at first relish the Pleasures of this Recreation for when they see this part of the Great Canal covered with three or four hundred Gondolos that continually pass by each other with an inconceivable dexterity and swiftness their Heads run round and they imagine they are just upon the point of being crush't in pieces and inevitably lost In reality the Sight of a great many Gondolos that are working one way and just ready to run upon others that steer an opposite course both of them making such good use of their Oars that the Water is all in a froth from the swifness of their motions is enough to make one imagine that either the one or the other must be broke into a thousand Pieces Yet by the Agility and Experience of these Gondoliers upon which the most timerous repose themselves without fear of Danger these thin and nimble Boats do pass like Lightning without hurting each other The worst of it is one is sometimes a little wet for the Water being so violently agitated and press'd between two Gondolos holding a different Course do's frequently fly over so unexpectedly that it is almost impossible in those occasions to avoid the small inconveniency of it As the Salt-Water is apt to spot any coloured Silks so the Ladies provide against those Accidents by turning up their uppermost Petticoat They are generally alone and attended only by one or two Waiting-Women at most But those that are particular Friends do oftentimes take this Diversion together and leave their Women behind them When there are four of 'em they place themselves at the Corners of the Gondolo regarding each other like speechless Statues for their principal Employ is to observe the
the Nobles that present themselves to the Ladies are not to take the Refusal amiss for which reason they do not Address themselves to a Lady unless she be without her Glove which is an assured Sign that the Lady will not decline the Offer since according to the Custom of Venice it would be a high piece of ill Breeding for a Lady to give a Gentleman her Hand with the Glove on The Pleasures of these Balls are only to the Venetian Nobility for Strangers and the Nobles in Masques are not admitted to the liberty of Dancing However both the one and the other endeavour to Entertain the Ladies they like at least they have the satisfaction of taking a full View of them and if they are in Intrigue with them they endeavour to make use of the favourable Juncture which is very rare by reason they are too narrowly observ'd in these Places Yet during the last hour of the Ball the Masques are usually permitted to Dance It is then that our Secret Lovers make the best of the Opportunity and that they may Entertain their Mistersses with more freedom and less suspicion they frequently find the means of expeditiously changing their Habits As there are very few Husbands who are not inquisitive to know with whom their Wives have Danc'd so there are likewise but few of the Ladies that are not able to answer the Impertinencies of such frivolous Questions However no Body but the Brothers and the nearest of Kin to the Gentledonnas do assume the liberty of talking familiarly with them who sit fix'd in their Chairs like so many Statues all the Gentlemen standing at some little distance from them while the Masques and the Strangers go through the Rows considering with much ease the Beauties of the Ladies as they slowly pass by them In the mean time they are continually ply'd with cover'd Crystal-Cups of Sherbet and all sorts of ic'd Waters The Venetian Gentry and the Strangers have their Shares of these Liquors but for the Entertainment of the others there is a separate Chamber In this manner these Marriage-Feasts continue for the space of two Days that is from two in the Afternoon until the Hour of the Fresque in the Evening and in Winter they Dance by Candle-Light until it is Supper-time Of the Regate or Rowing-Matches of the Gondolo ' s. WHEN the Republick thinks fit to Entertain a Prince or any Foreigner of Quality with a Publick Sight it is usually with the Diversion of the Regate that is a Tryal of Skill is appointed between several sorts of Boats These are the beloved Holy-days and the Darling-Diversion of Venice for the Use of the Oar is so much the Genius of the People that every one in a manner applies himself to it as likewise the greatest part of the young Nobility not only through the design of shewing their great Strength and Address but that they may upon certain Occasions be able to dispense with the Service of their Gondoliers especially in those Transactions that are perform'd best without Witnesses When a considerable Regate is design'd there is order'd a certain number of middle and lesser siz'd Gondolo's with as many Fisolero's which are so very small and light that they may be easily carried upon a Man's Shoulders These Matches are commonly for three of each sort of these Boats one with four Oars the other of two and the the third but one The diversity renders the Shew very pleasant which is yet more for the greater number of Matches They who strive for the Regate or Prize of the Gondolo's endeavour to chuse them that are the lightest and best Built from whence they take all the Furniture even so much as the two Irons at the ends They Scrape and Tallow her and sometimes use Soap to render her way thro' the Water more easy Yet least these disfurnish'd Boats might chance to open through the great stress of the Action they fasten a Rope very strongly from the Head to her Stern nailing cross her several light Triangular Plates which mightily preserves her from the Violence of the Agitation They that have the Management of the other sort of Boats do use the like necessary Precautions as likewise to prepare themselves for it with Exercising their Bodies and trying their Boats Nothing can be finer than the Great Canal upon which they Row these Matches The Balconies and Windows of all the Houses and Palaces are Adorn'd with rich Carpets and Cushions and fill'd with mighty numbers of People The Roofs of the Houses the Bridge of Rialto and a prodigious number of Gondolos and Barques on both sides are cover'd with People In this manner appear'd that Regate which Cardinal Delfino made not long since for the Cardinal Chigi notwithstanding he was then at Venice Incognito To render this Diversion the finer several of the Young Nobility set out certain Peotes These are long Barques that have a Deck of Planks upon which are spread Carpets of Damask or Turkey-Work that reach even down to the Water Ten Gondoliers all clad in the same Livery have the working of these Vessels which they ever do standing upright and the two or three Nobles that are at the Expence of the Boat lye in Masques upon the Cushions that are at the Head attended by several Trumpets in the Stern The great Number and the variety of the Peotes are the principal Ornaments of these Sights which are always made in fair Weather The Boats that are to Row for the Prizes do meet at that end of the City nearest the Lido where those that are Equipp'd for the same Match lye rang'd in a Line from whence they give way upon the Signal that is made them by the Trumpets It would be no great Diversion to see the Boats that contend for the Prizes pass alone with much swiftness but the Peotes which in a manner fly through the Water do preceed the rest to obviate all Embarassments that would be otherwise continually happening The great number of Four-Oar Gondolos the multitudes of Boats following them the perpetual Acclamations of the People to animate the Contenders in Emulation of each other and to shew their utmost Strength and Address All these added together do certainly make one of the most extraordinary Sights that can possibly be seen The length of this Course is from the place before-mention'd to the end of the Great Canal where in the midst of the Water there is a great Pile Erected round which they are oblig'd to pass returning with all imaginable Expedition to the Palace for here the Prizes are distributed to them who first leap into a Boat that is adorn'd and assign'd for this purpose Three Prizes are allow'd to each Regate the first and second are in Money or Plate but the third is a Pig of two or three Months old from whence comes the Revilings of the Gondoliers Terzo di Regate When the first Match is over the Peotes return to the Starting-Place to set off another