Gold and they who draw these do remain in the room but others do go into the great Council Hall in the mean while of the nine who remained the four who had the first four balls do name five men apiece whom they please and the five who had the five last balls do every one name four others which number makes forty in all and every one may name himself for one and these are called the Electors of the first Election who are confirmed by the Gran Consiglio after which they break up But the next day the forty men do put in forty balls of which twelve are of Gold and the rest of Silver of these remain onely the twelve who have drawn the golden balls who are called the Electors of the second Election Every one of these doth name two more but he who drew the first golden ball names three in all twenty five then these twenty five put in balls again of which nine are of gold and they who draw them are called the Electors of the third Election Again every one of these nine names what four he pleases but he who drew the last golden ball names only three this makes up thirty five who put in as many balls whereof eleven are of gold and they only who draw them do remain these eleven name every one four in all forty four after which are again thrown in forty one balls of gold and three of silver the three with the silver ones are excluded but the others remain who are confirmed by the Gran Council and these do Elect the Duke In order thereunto they lock up themselves within the Council Hall though the whole Palace be at that time under lock and key and three of the most venerable of the company they chuse to be Priori of the Election and two others to be Secretaries the other thirty six divide themselves into four parties every one going into what party he pleaseth after this the three Priori do sit upon three chairs higher then the rest and the two Secretaries over against with a Table before them then the Secretaries call the thirty six one after another who put every one in a Box prepared for that effect the name of him whom he desires should be Duke and usually all those of one party do put in but for one So that thereby four only are in nomination after this the Secretaries open the Box and read the names of those who are put in who if they be in the company are desired one after another to withdraw into another room after which the Priori or Presidents aske every one of the Electors whether they have any thing to object against those who are in nomination why any one should not be chosen and if any thing be brought against him he is called in to clear himself which if he cannot do he is excluded and another named in his place Then are laid two boxes before the Secretaries the one for the affirmative the other for the negative within these every one is to put alittle ball and if in the affirmative there be more then in the other it will remain and this is done for every one of the four of whom he who hath most balls doth remain but the Votes for the affirmative must not be less then twenty five and they will not give over voting till it be come to that number or past it This being done if he who is chosen be without he is sent for if within they make him sit and the forty or forty one acknowledge him to be Duke and waite upon him to his house where he stayes for two dayes till his Ducal habit be made then in the morning he goes to hear Mass at the Church of St. Mark attended by all his Electors and forrain Ministers then he goes into a Pozzo as they call it a kind of seat or chair with one of his nighest relations and the Chancellour and so is carried by twenty four Masters of the Arsenal about the Palace of St. Mark at the same time the Doge and his kinsman throwing monies amongst the people till they come to the gate of the Ducal Palace where he is expected by those who elected him and the chief of the Priori layes the Ducal Cap which is a kind of Crown upon his head giving him the title of Serenissimo and so wait on him to the ordinary lodging of the Doges where he begins to receive publick visits of the Magistrates and forrain Ministers He is allowed by the Republick five hundred Zecchini or about two hundred and fifty pound by the month for they are not very willing to bestow both honour and riches upon one it is true he hath also the disposal of some Ecclesiastical Offices and of other places which he may sell if they happen to be vacant in his time once a week that is every wednesday he uses to go down into the Courts of Justice when Judges do sit exhorting every one of them to do good speed and justice and if any one hath applyed himself to him he Commends the cause to the Judges as the case requires The Ceremony I mentioned of the Dukes instauration is the more considerable because it befalls him but once in his life But there is another which once a year he performs when he Espouses the Sea upon Ascension day which to see as well as the Carnaval is worth the curiosity of strangers for as one allows a great liberty of Mascarads and variety of sports so the other affords as curious a shew as can be seen The Duke attended by Ambassadours and by the Chief Nobles in a rich and stately Ship or Barge though indeed it is neither but of a singular making named Bucentoro attended by several thousands of Gondola's goes three or four miles out to Sea amongst the shooting of the Guns in the ships which are thereabouts and the sounding of Trumpets he casts a Ring into the Sea and pronounces these Italian words Io ti sposo in Segno di Dominio I Espouse thee in token of my Dominion over thee this he doth in the name of the Republick which by a grant of Pope Alexander the third thereby expressing his Obligation to her for her assistance against the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa with the approbation of all Italian Princes and States and of several parts of Europe and by a long successive possession hath the Royalty of the Adriatick Sea or gulf of Venice which hitherto the Republick hath stoutly secured from Turks and Pyrates Having mentioned the Carnaval I must explain what it is At a certain time of the year immediately before Lent about Shrove-Tuesday but some dayes sooner according to the new Stile Roman Catholicks do observe a custome which they received from Heathens which is to pass that time with all the mirth and sports they can conceive glutting themselves with pleasures before they enter into Lent which they account to be a time of
Chief Citizens who are appointed for that purpose by vertue of an ancient priviledge of the City of whom one half are Gown-men and the other half are Trades-men and they ever have a share in matters of justice with the Rettore and his Court and this jurisdiction is called the Consolaria whence it is that constantly they over-vote the Potesta this is the name of the Chief Magistrate in every City and his Court This is their way of absolving or chastizing the guilty for the faults which daily are committed amongst them but because the Republick took notice that in crimes of a higher nature justice was not duly administred after a debate upon the matter it was resolved to elect an extraordinary Magistrate called Avogadore who upon occasion of hainous faults should go into the City to get secret informations of the whole business which being done he brings it to Venice where sentence is pronounced Thus great mischiefs are restrained and justice is duly executed but this manner of proceeding displeases very much and causes great alterations in the minds of those high spirits who see their priviledges are thereby weakned and derogated from however the Vicentines seeing they have in their hands no strong holds nor none that can be made such think it fit to yield obedience in a thing which is just in it self Now follows the City of Verona which hath six miles in circuit she is one of the fairest within the Venetian Dominions with a very large Ditch Counterscarps and good Bulwarks in the midst of it is the Castle very strong stored with all manner of provision and ammunition the City is strongly seated in the midst of a great open and champion Country and in a place somewhat high 't is backt with some little hills upon the which is another Castle with other strong fortifications which command the Countrey about and through the middle of the City runs the River Agide very great and navigable which falling into the Gulf of Venice the City may easily receive thence supplies of men and provision She is one of the Chief Keyes of Italy towards Germany as it appeared clearly in the wars of Maximilian and Charles the fifth Emperours against the Republick That it hath been a considerable City the Amphitheatre there which is the least defaced of any in Italy doth testifie and Histories tell us that when some of the Family Seala were Lords of it she was the head of a potent State of which Padoa Vicenza Treviso Ceneda Belluno Feltre Brescia Parma and Luca were members Part of its Territory is barren of sixty miles in length but for the unfruitfulness there is never great plenty in the City which as well as Vicenza hath the Consolaria and though those of Verona be not so bad as the Vicentini nor do not so many mischiefs yet upon extraordinary cases the Avogadore is sent to them which the more it appears unjust the more 't is unsufferable for them to see this breach made to their priviledges and they are the more exasperated when they see that Governours act sometimes contrary to their Laws and Customes Within the Jurisdiction of this City are two indifferent good strong holds one is Legnago towards the Mantoan which also doth defend that part of the Padoan the other is Peschigra of a far greater concernment then the former for 't is accounted to be the Key of all other places beyond the River Mincio whence 't is easie to make incursions upon all other places thereabouts if once this were lost all the rest would be in a great danger Those of Verona are accounted to be of a proud nature of a fantastical humour To this purpose I think it not amiss to mention a Proverb usual in those parts when some great mischief hath been committed there which happens very often they use to say Such a mischief hath been committed according to the custome of Padoa Vicenza and Verona whereby is meant the number of murthers without grounds which is according to the temper of the people The truth is a great number of murthers and of like mischiefs is daily committed in those Countries and in the rest of the Republick and as far as I could observe this is chiefly caused by the example of some of the Nobles and by the favour they shew to delinquents in such cases 'T is very strange that upon a Tryal for a mans Estate no body will speak a word for him for in this matter they are just enough but upon life and death for murther or any other wicked act provided it be not against the State there will be friends enough to speak on ones behalf So that in this justice often is corrupted by favour Those of Verona are further of a High and Lordly carriage because they are very rich but spend it very profusely and often they run very deep into debts Then is Brescia a very Noble City sited in a levelled ground yet at the foot of some hills it hath four miles and two hundred paces in circuit Upon the hill is a Castle of very great strength with Ravelins Bullwarks and sure places for succours infallibly to come in with such store of provision and ammunition that according to probability they may hold out for several years in their own defence There are also springs of very good water with a matter of six score pieces of Ordinance Between the City and the Castle are places under-ground and Vaults very deep through the which can come to them all manner of relief Above the City is a ditch of thirteen paces broad with Bullwarks and the Walls have good Ramparts in it are above 62000 Inhabitants who are so throug'd by reason of the great quantity of Wares especially of all manner of Armes that in it there is no place empty and as Verona is the fairest this is the richest and the most Merchant of all others There are not many fine houses for those of Brescia do not much care for the Magnificence of Palaces The Territory is 100 miles in length and 50 in breadth and about 300 in compass and is full of all things This City hath within her Jurisdiction above 240 Towns wherein are accounted to be 350000 Souls Moreover the City enjoys a very noble priviledge viz. That no man of what Nation soever he be though he were a Venetian may purchase any Lands within her Territory except he be a Brescian and herein doth consist the safety and the greatness of that people all the States thereabouts remaining incorporated to the Citizens So that for this as other Concessions which the Republick hath granted them Namely That the Citizens are chosen to be Rectors Potestá or Magistrate of all Towns and Castles within their Jurisdiction Brescia is the happiest of all other Cities within the State of the Republick They have further in their hands two Fortresses of concernment viz. Asola and Orcinvovi which last hath been of late repaired and reduced to
inquiring into such things so that this disorder increases every day without hopes of remedy which in time may happen to cause a malignant and remediless distemper 'T is true that according to the ancient institution of the Republick they use to lay up a certain sum of monies paid out of some Revenues appointed to that end in a particular place or treasure which in Venetian they call Casson Grande with this inscription Quando questo scrinio Sáprirà Tutto ' l mundo tremerà That is in English When this great Chest shall open be The world to tremble you shall see Hitherto it hath not been medled with for all their extraordinary occasions but 't is reserved to the last extremity and as far as I heard some few years ago it was not much above six Millions of Gold which cannot be much increased by reason of the present War which hath forced them to borrow monies And this is all I intend to say about the incomes and expences of this Republick I must now speak of her Forces which do consist in her Armes and Martial posture to the perfection of which and the observation of Military Discipline four wayes are to be followed The First settles that general manner of Education whereby men are brought up to obedience unto the Laws and fitted to undergo hardship and other inconveniencies which constantly do attend a warlike profession and which are the grounds of strength and activity qualities so necessary to Souldiers The Second shews how to make a right choice of Souldiers a thing very useful seeing the diversity of Climates causes such a variety in particular qualifications of Nations for let breeding in every Country be what it will it can never work in a Souldier born in a hot Country such a strength of body an undaunted heart and a not valuing of death as it will be found in those who are born and brought up in a cold Climate who on the other side will not be so prudent so subtle and so considerate as the former and he who is born in a temperate Countrey is thereby disposed both to prudence and strength whence appears the errour of that common saying He who hath Men hath Souldiers Forms cannot be applyed nor imprinted but according to the disposition of the Matter The Third way gives those orders and directions which teach how to arm States with their proportion and the Souldiers with those Armes which they are fittest for because some Nations have greater inclinations and dispositions to be horsemen then to be footmen some are fitter for Land-service them for the Sea and the very sorts of Armes and the way of arming men are of great concernment to observe good orders and so to do great services The Fourth way doth teach the five Functions or Duties of War namely Navigation how to encamp and fight in the field how to defend himself and how to besiege assault and take strong places These four wayes are of such a concernment to the greatness of an Empire that though it was otherwise ill-regulated in some things the only military Discipline being well performed and upon good grounds would be sufficient to make it subsist a long time as by experience it hath been seen in every State but above all in that Potent Roman Common-wealth which more then any other that ever was had almost every hour the causes of her ruine at hand but the exactness and goodness of her Discipline was a present remedy to the distempers of that State and hindered the sad effects of them And to come to the first head which is the true and right ground of all States the Republick hath setled her Militia called Le-Cernide upon such manner of Souldiers as no great success is to be expected not to mention long or old things the examples of their last Wars in Friuli shew it where the Republick having gathered these men to offend some places and to defend others and they not being used to hardships and inconveniencies of War before they could be put upon any Service of concernment diseases got in amongst them so that only for want of rest many fell into great distempers insomuch that according to the common opinion either by the sword or of natural death there died about thirty thousand However when they are employed in the defence of places if they enjoy necessary conveniencies and be not reduced to wants and hardships they are fit enough to perform their part better then in the field Of this sort of Souldiers the Republick hath forty thousand foot listed and could raise many more upon occasion but as I said no great hopes are to be conceived of them they wanting experience in that profession as a thing which they do not apply themselves to except upon emergencies and what they act is out of impetuosity more then out of any real courage or well grounded valour and they excepting some few are fitter for the plough then the sword especially the Padoans out of which Country the Republick hath many such ones and this is to be attributed to their natural genius and temper rather then to any want of exercise and care taken of them for they are often exercised and trained up to shoot Guns and Musquets though their Officers who take this care upon themselves being chosen more by favour then according to merit know for their part as little of it as others and they still remam in the same pass Hence that Common-wealth doth find how vain 't is to relie upon an unexperienced multitude of people So that to say the truth that Republick is more inclined to follow Sea affairs then those of any other sort and from her beginning and the situation of the Chief city it doth appear that she hath no exact experience of Land business because in their deliberations and counsels about Land-affairs they are forced to make use of strangers for Officers and that which is of great importance they must lay the ground of all their hopes upon the strength and valour of forreign Souldiers who often prove to be dangerous and many times unprofitable On whom a Prince can never settle his Empire upon sure grounds they being disunited by reason of the ambitious temper of the Nations which is often attended with unfaithfulness And suppose they are neither of these yet they will be lusty and ready to commit insolencies because neither the desire to defend a a just cause nor any other motive of that nature makes them to be Souldiers all that they can say for it is a short pay which not being sufficient to put them very far upon venturing of their life often they become stubborn and disobedient to their Officers and upon this account the Republick will ever prefer to live in peace rather then offend others for too much trusting to their own Forces which though they be great yet they are such in name and opinion if not more at least as much as in reality I say
second about differnces arising between Brethren when they divide any State the third is concerning successions ab intestato when a man hath made no Will The fourth is matter of bounds and limits of buildings that one doth not encroach upon anothers ground and the like Further this Court judges of all Causes between nigh and strict relations The Court dell ' Essaminatore examines witnesses ad perpetuam rei memoriam takes cognizance whether sales were well or ill made and intervenes to sales made by the Commissary doth sign the instruments of Donation and keeps a register of all conditional Legacies There are also li Cattaveri who take care to recover those goods which fall to the State from them who dye without making any Will and leave no Successours they revoke and take away penalties laid by other Judges if they think it fit they sell all Incanto by the publick Cryers invitation in the name of the State those Lands which belong to it to those who offer the most at port-sale They are judges of things found at Sea and of treasures discovered under ground They hear differences between those who go in pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Masters of ships who carry them wherefore in this Office is written the name of every Pilgrim bound for that place they also decide matters of prices The Piovego doth judge about contracts of Usury Of Causes about high wayes and takes care that no particular man doth build or otherwise trespass upon the Channels or upon the Streets The Office of the Sindici is to oversee unreasonable and excessive charges made in the acts of Justice they take the place of ordinary Judges when they are chosen by the parties The Sopragastaldi are ordinary Judges of the Execution of Sentences they sell goods by an intermitted Sentence and hear differences about Intermissions Executions and Contradictions The Superiori are to censure and mend the acts of the Supragastaldi in those errours which may happen to arise from their Sentences The Auditori Vecchi are to hear the Appeals of the City Causes of the Courts of St. Mark and of Rialto they either do refer Causes or else bring them into the Quarantia civil Vecchia They judge whether the testimony of Witnesses ought to be received or not and generally the causes of Compromessi or references to Arbitraters are brought into this Office The Auditori Nuovi hear of Causes from abroad by way of Appeal they interpose arbitrary sentences where judges have judged amiss they order suspention of tryals for two months In a word this Office decides all broils made by Rectors of places receiving all Appeals except from two like sentences After these Rectors are gone from their Government the Auditori do receive Appeals one month after within the State called Trevigian and of other Cities and Castles two months after But about Sea-affairs they receive it at all times receiving priviledged persons and things as Orphans Widows the poorest sort of people to whom no time is limited to Appeal and Churches Universities and pious places Their letters of Appeal do usually suspend definitive Execution except within the Trevician State the Sebenico and places of the Levant Within the Frinli Appeals are decided within four months otherwise they are executed by Sureties The Auditori Nuovissimi judge of Causes to the value of fifty Duckets and less for those of more they come before the Auditori Nuovi The Lords di notte in Civile or Civil Causes take cognizance of Leases of Houses matters of cheat see that bonds made about charges at Law be executed and are likewise Executors of Sentences passed without the City The Lords di notte in Criminale in Criminal Causes are appointed to prevent and stop fires within the City to keep goods orders at nigh and hinder all manner of violences even by drawing of blood and wounding if it cannot be done otherwise These being joyned with the Quarantia do order the punishment inflicted upon thieves and against Husbands who have more then one Wife and against Wives who have many Husbands they chastise those who have defloured Maids killed Thieves or bought stollen goods They have authority over the Jewes who kept communication with Christians and also they punish Physitians Apothecaries and Chyrurgeons who do not declare who are those who lay under their hands to be cured of wounds The Quarantia vecchin Civile doth judge of Causes of the Auditori vecchi which themselves have brought into this Court where also is debated about pardons graces and amnesties granted to Malefactors they judge of Baloting between equal numbers or when there is no casting Vote or Ball and they see that in baloting the oath taken be observed They also receive Appeals from Judges within the City and wo be to them who have any thing to do here upon that account for nothing in the world is so tedious as are their proceedings The Quarantia Nuova hears Causes brought in by the Auditori Nuovi once a month gives in a Cause to those about the Kingdome of Candia with some other dispatches and provisions and also receives some Appeals from Judges in the Country One must be past 30 years old to be admitted into these Quarantia's The Collegio of the 25 passes definitive sentences upon Causes of 300 Duckets and less For the space of two months hears the Causes of the City and for two other months those of the Country The Quarantia Criminale doth decide Criminal Causes as well Originatively as brought before them by way of Appeal The Avogadori do bring them in as into their right and proper Council where they are debated Pro and Con the States Council speaking against the guilty whom answers are returned to by the Advocate of the prisoner or by the Straordinarii Likewise the Sindici or the Overseers of Governments at Sea do speak against the guilty as do the Avogadori They also supervise the acts of publick Notaries The Lords All Acque about waters are the Overseers of Lakes Ponds and other fresh waters They take care that the Channels be kept clean The Lords or Signiore all' Biade take care that the City be plentifully supplyed with all manner of provisions So for the Sea places and the like Those All' Sanità for health look to every thing that might bring an infection into the City as Diseases or any filthy and corrupt thing that is brought to be sold Physicians who are willing to practice must take a License in this Office as Mountebanks and others who appear so upon Stages must also do so Herein are entred the names of Cortagiane or prostitute women at present as it is guessed to the number of twenty five thousand or there abouts besides the number of those who are private and of married women which must needs be vast in so populous a City The causes of which I think to be in part the nature of the Climate of the Dyet the temper of the people and in part that
actions they avour one another not knowing how soon it may happen to be the turn of every one of them upon this account they go unpunished so that of a hundred hardly the third part is accused and of these the proofs are clear hardly against the half and those who are convinced are but slightly punished so that this proceeding encourages them to be imperious peremptory and unjust to others Yet the fault of this is not to be attributed to the Magistrates for in things of concernment they are very exact in doing justice when they who are wronged apply themselves to them for redress But the question is how they may bring in their complaints to them which is very difficult not only because clear proofs are not easily brought in against them some of their excesses being committed either in the dark and secretly or very dexterously but chiefly because as soon as a Nobleman hath misdemeaned himself he stops proceedings against him either with threatnings or flatteries promises and if need be with money which indeed is the last remedy they use but for the most part they lay the fault upon the Bravi that is in plain English the Hectors who being men of no fortune do for a subsistance accompany them and act according to their orders or else upon some of their Servants whom they send out of the way or they induce some to be false witnesses for them whereby they put a cheat upon the Lawes and Justice whence we see that in Venice they have also as in other places a new Logick and a way of drawing strange consequences as this He is a gallant man for he hath three or four thousand pound a year because by the strength of his monies he can come off with any bad and base actions like great flyes who having strong wings fly through cob-webs when poor weak ones are caught So that if sometimes it falls out that a Nobleman be punished with Exile or Prison in a short time he is released by the means of friends and monies This shews how the best things are apt to be corrupted and that this Republick so famous and so excellent doth degenerate in her members which in time may infect the head and the whole body for bad humours of this kind are apt to break out at one time or other especially in this place where the old as the young Noblemen are divided into factions and parties and have intestine hatred one for another and against the Citizens with the former by reason of envyings in point of honour and dignity with the latter upon the account of Riches and this ever causes corruption in a Common-wealth Hence it is that on the other side Subjects of all degrees and qualities are dissatisfied for things named before and particularly seeing themselves deprived of their goods upon slight grounds and that they cannot enjoy charges and offices wherein they think themselves used not as patriots but like strangers Merchants also and Tradesmen have some grounds of discontent because the Nobles having of late turned their Trade which was by Sea into that which is by Land either by Authority or by strength of monies have ingrossed it to themselves whether it be Corn Wine Silks Iron Wool Timber Coals and any other considerable commodities which is the cause of complaints and miseries pitty-worthy for the Nobles being monied men they get things over the head of their inferiours But the worst is that these excesses are committed in a cruel manner and they in great numbers are sent into all parts of the Dominions where they extort from the Subjects monies to satisfie their Covetousness and Ambition and act many unjust things which are effects of their tyranny but are the cause of the damages and injuries of Subjects whereby justice is perverted charity destroyed honesty suppressed the fear of God removed from before their eyes and the people defrauded of the protection they have a right to expect whence sad consequences may be drawn against those States where crimes go unpunished for 't is not enough to see good actions rewarded if bad ones be not discountenanced though as I have already expressed the Magistrate is not to be blamed for these miscarriages yet in time these things cause ruine and destruction to States A great prosperity is the greatest enemy of men for it makes them insolent licentious bold to do evil and even apt to disturb their own rest and of others and 't is certain that usurpation abuses and other injuries take so deep roots in the breasts of Subjects that upon a favourable occasion they will resent it These corruptions as they are prejudicial to the States wherein they are spread so they prove oftentimes beneficial to forraign Publick Ministers who know how to use the Covetousness of some useful persons and their Masters monies according to the fidelity they ought to have for his interests and 't is a thing which Venetians practise and the Spaniards most of all other Nations to leave it to the discretion of their Ministers in forrain places to distribute that way what sums they think fit for which they take their word and ask no further account of it knowing that to stint and confine would not onely discourage them but also prove prejudicial to their affairs no monies being better employed then those which are laid out upon such occasions and though they should amount high yet a good advice or another good affair pays for all And in this case no manner of friendship is to be slighted or rejected though it were never so low and contemptible because it may be profitable upon some accounts and it may serve at one time or another Now as to matter of Trade which just now I was speaking of although it be commonly known to be beneficial to Nations yet because every one is not well acquainted with the reason and causes of it 't will not be amiss to say something about it not as to the particulars of it for it would take up too much time there being so many and several wayes according to the nature of places and Countries and those who understand well the manner of it are to be esteemed in a State and their advice is to be taken about the way of settling and improving it by Princes and their Ministers the truth of which is so well known and so important that in all Countryes there are Councels and Committees settled about it who are willing to hear any thing that may be proposed tending to the advantage of it and they who make a constant practice and profession of it must needs by their own experience be able to give light and directions about it and herein their opinion is to be taken as soon if not sooner then that of the greatest Statesmen if reason be joyned to their experience The truth is I look upon this as the ground and bottome of Policy for let the occasions of the State as to charges be