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
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
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
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
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
frequent Jostlings more particularly at the several Turnings which are very numerous Nevertheless being pav'd with Brick the side uppermost free of Coaches Horses Carts and other Carriages these conveniences of Walking are the more easie and make amends for the straitness of them The Pavement grows smooth and becomes so unequally worn in the length of time that the least Rains make them extreamly slippery but it is not the same upon the Keys for here you go with less constraint as not being enclos'd between 2 Rows of Houses besides these discharging themselves into the Canals are much cleaner and drier than the Streets You see at Venice the ends of several Streets moderately large as also a great many little Places or Squares besides those that each Church hath before it which are generally pretty large as likewise several others of a more inconsiderable bigness The want which they have at Venice of fresh Water did oblige such as have built to continue so many little Places or Squares that they might have in the midst of each a publick Cistern which they improperly call Wells as being only fill'd with Rain Water convey'd to them in Stone Gutters from the tops of Houses by the means of little Pipes or Funnels that are fix'd to all their Walls However they do positively affirm that there is spring Water in some of these Wells which is not altogether improbable for that yellow and ill smelling Clay which upon their cleansing is thrown out of those places may in some measure justifie their argument besides Reason and Experience shew us there may be Springs of fresh Water under such Grounds as are cover'd with salt Water Although the Water is not generally very good at Venice yet some of these Wells afford that which is very good But such as are desirous of better have their Water brought them in Boats for that purpose only from the Brente which they pour into those Wells to purifie where it afterwards becomes extraordinary healthful All the Dyers are oblig'd to this Expence in Water more especially in delicate Tinctures for that of the Canals is only proper for their first washings It is wonderful that the Water should not be good at Padua and almost throughout the whole Dominion of this State in Italy but even much worser than that of Venice I imagine this to be partly the Reason of their mixing the Wines with a fourth if not a third part Water that so by the Fermentation of the Wine in the Vessel at the time of the Vintage the Water may the better incorporate which alteration renders it abundantly more healthful Besides I am of the opinion that the natural hardness of their common Wines which grow upon great Trees about Venice as likewise in moist Bottoms do's much more oblige them to follow this method for their natural harshness preserves them a long time although mix'd with Water I cannot forbear observing in this place the advantage the Country of Modena hath over her Neighbouring Provinces for as that Province is very low of Scituation you have the Water very bad when they only sink to such a certain depth but up on passing that they find a level of hard Stone through which they must sink their trouble is not only rewarded with an excellent Water but the Stone serves them instead of Bricks for the Work and mouth of the Well to which the Water rises in abundance I remember one at the Capucins of Modena which continually ran over making a little Stream of most excellent Water Of Saint Mark 's Place THat open space of Ground before the Church of St. Mark commonly call'd St. Mark 's Place is assuredly one of the most magnificent Places of Europe not only by reason of the greatness but likewise for the sumptuousness of the Buildings that surround it and the mighty concourse of Strangers continually there This Place hath much the Form of an L revers'd or is rather two different Places the first whereof and the least capacious ' is scituated towards the South and looks upon the Sea here is without dispute the most agreeable prospect of Venice being that part which is commonly represented in the Draughts of this City The Sea beats against the side of this Place which is built of Free-stone with several handsome Steps Upon this Key are rais'd 2 extraordinary high Pillars of Marble being both 2 intire solid pieces and about 60 paces distant from each other Upon that of the Right hand is seen the winged Lion of St. Mark cast in Brass on the other the Effigies of St. Theodorus first Patron of this City The Architect that rais'd these 2 Columns after they had lain a long time upon the Key there not being any Engineers whose experience afforded them sufficient assurance to attempt it demanded only of the Republick as an ample recompence of his labours the liberty of Playing at all Games of Hazard upon the Steps that encompass the Pedestals of these Pillars which was granted him with a considerable Pension for his Life Amongst a great number of Vessels over against the Place of St Mark there lies always an arm'd and equipp'd Gally with her Stern between the 2 Pillars ready as they say against any occasion that might unexectedly happen to defend the Place against all Popular Tumults In the mean time she learns the Slaves the use of their Oars with which unhappy People the Gallies of this Republick are Mann'd The Ducat of St. Mark closeth this Place on the Right hand towards the East and one Wing of the Suburb building of the New Procuratory which is here only one Story but adorn'd at the top by a noble Ballustrade with several Figures encloseth it on the opposite side This magnificent Building is according to the Architecture of Sansouin and makes a return or right angle to the Left hand representing the Front 3 times * Or in length longer and double the height so encloseth all that side of St. Mark 's Place One part of the same Procuratory adjoining to the Noble Gate of the little Church of St. Geminius is the bottom or lowest part of this Place The Ancient Edifice of the Old Procuratory being opposite to the New is carried on in the same proportion with the other to the fine great Dial that hath a Prospect upon the Sea and this makes the Third side of the First Place The Gate of the Church of St Mark advancing more into the Place than the Palace to which it is contiguous and opposite to that of St Geminius makes the Fourth side as also the Noble Prospect of this Famous part of the City There is under the two Wings of the new Procuratory a large Arch'd Gallery or Piazza sustain'd by handsom Pillars wrought about their Middles the Angles enrich'd with Ornaments and rais'd Works of an extraordinary Beauty The old Procuratory hath likewise a Piazza on the other side of the Place insomuch that one may almost make the Tour
sing Mass with four Quires of Musick in much Solemnity and a mighty concourse of People The disorders and scandals that were us'd to happen at this Solemnity when perform'd at Midnight was the occasion of the permission which this Church hath to celebrate that Office at Six The Architecture of this Church is Antick Solid and Massive with Five very low Domes covered with Lead a row of small Windows ranging above the Cornish the two sides of the Church are a sort of an inclos'd Gallery and separated from the rest There is in the External Front of the Church five great Doors Adorn'd with an abundance of Porphyr Pillars and several other sorts of fine Marble Above the Moulding of the Door there is a Caridor enclosed with solid Ballusters that reach from one end of the Front to the other in which place upon the four great Pedestals above the great Door are placed four noble Horses of Brass no where to be match'd in Beauty these together with the Painting after the Mosaique manner which reaching from the Moulding of the Doors to the highest part of this Building compleats the rich Embellishments of the Gate of St. Mark The Beauty and Antiquity of these Horses have occasioned the Curious to make a strict enquiry into them and it is believed that these are the Horses which when Nero triumph'd over the Parthians were given to him to be put to the Chariot of the Sun upon the Triumphal Arch then consecrated to him at Rome as may be seen engraven upon the Reverse of some Medals of this Emperor Constantine the Great sent them to Constantinople and plac'd them in the Hippodrome or as others will have it upon the Gate of Sancta Sophia When the Venetians joined by the Naval Forces of the French Princes took the City of Constantinople Marin Zen who was the first Podestal or Governor that the Republick sent thither to Command in that part of the Conquest which belonged to them was the Person who sent these Horses to Venice where they were kept a considerable time before their Value and Beauty were discovered but afterward placed upon the Gate of St. Mark 's Church This Church is built in the form of a Cross without any ornaments of Architecture within the Walls as likewise the Great Pillars that support the Body of the Church are of a Grey Marble streak'd with Black which great pieces are so curiously inlay'd and so rarely ordered that one would imagin it to be the Work of some extraordinary Pencil From the opening of the lowest Arches even to the Vaults and Domes all is covered with Ancient and Modern Mosaick Work upon a Ground of Gold you see in many places very noble pieces of Painting by the most Famous Hands the Great Altar the inclosure of the Quire the Three Doors within the Porch are all of the finest Marble in short here is nothing that is not extraordinary Rich and Noble To avoid being tedious I will not enter into the description of particulars it will be sufficient to observe in general the Marble the Pillars the large Tables of Gold and Silver set with the richest Stones both in the Front and Tables of the Altar The Riches expos'd upon Solemn occasions the Pavement of the Church part Grotick part in divisions of Inlayed or parketted Marble of several Colours and Figures as also the great Doors of Brass wrought through and curiously Adorn'd with rais'd Work as they were when brought from Sancta Sophia hither the bare reflection upon all these things will sufficiently make it appear that the Republick could not have any thing less than the Spoils of Constantinople to acquire this mighty Collection of inestimable things Of the Treasure of Venice VVHat is commonly call'd the Treasure of Venice is but in effect the Treasure of St. Mark 's Church which is yet divided into two parts One properly belonging to the Treasure of the Church and the other to that of the Republick The Reliques compose the first part a vast quantity of Jewels as likewise of Plate Vessels and Crowns make the other all which are very carefully kept in the Church as a most sacred Depository whose Keys are committed to the Custody of a Procuratour of St. Mark a Dignity that is by the Venetian Nobility esteemed in the higest Rank as it will appear in its proper place There is to be seen among the Reliques of all that Religion esteemeth most Sacred a great number of Gold and Silver Shrines viz. of Silver Vessels for the use of the Altar But of all the Reliques which the People and the Republick most esteem and honour is the precious Blood that is kept in an Ampoule or Cruet which with most particular Ceremonies is three or four times a Year expos'd to the publick view by reason of the frequent Miracles they pretend do happen upon these Expositions by Curing many possess'd People which they bring hither from other places against these Solemnities in a prodigious concourse of People and Processions They have in the Treasure no other Reliques of St. Mark than that of his Thumb which they say he cut off because he would not enter into the holy Order of Priesthood as thinking himself unworthy of it and the Gospel which they pretend is the the true Original and of his own hand writing but they only shew the rich Shrine in which they say it is inclos'd But since the Tradition of the Country will have it that his whole Body was brought hither it is very surprizing that they should have no more of the Reliques yet the reasons given for it are too singular to be pass'd over in silence In the Year 827 under the Doge Justiniani Participate Badociarius certain Grecian Priests that serv'd a Chappel near Alexandria in which lay the Body of St. Mark were so enrag'd against the Mahometans who possess'd the Country for demolishing this holy Structure upon the account of building other places with the Materials that they yielded to the pressing intreaties of 2 Venetian Merchants and deliver'd to them this holy Relique which they convey'd to Venice The Doge and People receiv'd the Body of St. Mark with an expressible Joy and Devotion They made him the Protector of this City and Republick and rais'd in honour of him this Church which being almost quite consum'd by fire was rebuilt more Magnificently than ever and afterwards enrich'd with the Spoils of the Venetian Conquests in the Levant The devotion which the People and the Republick at first conceiv'd for their new Patron did apparently diminish for about 270 Years after the Translation of St. Mark there was no body that either knew or had heard where the Body of the holy Evangelist was placed upon which the People and the Republick made their recourse to God Almighty with their general Prayers and a Three days rigorous Fast and being assembl'd in the Church of St. Mark they besought him with Tears to signifie unto them whereabouts his Body
was and they beheld as it is said one of the Pillars of the Church to open from whence came an Arm of the Saint with a Ring upon the Finger All the Prelates and Principal Nobles then present there reiterated upon this Miracle the the fervency of their Prayers to the blessed Saint beseeching him to bestow upon them the Ring he had upon his Finger in testimony that his Body lay within that Chest which appear'd in the middle of the Pillar from whence his Arm came but as there being no likelihood of obtaining this favour the Noble Dominique Delphin out of much zeal and confidence approach'd the Arm and kissing the hand of the Saint he receiv'd this precious Relique The Arm return'd into the Chest the Pillar clos'd and the Ring was afterwards lost through a great number of various accidents as may be seen at large in the Chronicles of Venice In memory of this famous Miracle of the apparition of St. Mark they have continu'd it as a Holy-day ever since keeping it every Year with much Solemnity Yet no body knows which is the Pillar that open'd and shut again However the People are satisfi'd the knowledge of it is reserv'd to the Doge the Procuratour of the Treasure the Dean of the Chappel and some other Officers of the Church but that they are oblig'd by Oath never to reveal the Secret to any others In a place adjoining to that where the Reliques are kept they shew you the riches of their Treasure plac'd upon the shelves of a great Press cover'd over with black Velvet for the more advantageous appearing of them The Procurator with the Keys stands within a row of Balisters which is at such a distance that one cannot reach them with their Hands The most remarkable things of this Treasure are 12 golden Corslets made like small breast-Pieces set over with very large Pearls and an infinite number of rich Stones of different Seizes as likwise 12 Crowns of beaten Gold of the same workmanship with the Corslets which do not weigh less then if they were for common use of Iron and Musket proof They say that 12 Ladies of Honour of the Empress of Constantinople were us'd upon solemn Occasions to carry these rich Ornaments on their Heads but at present they are only us'd to adorn the steps to the Altar when the other riches of the Treasury are expos'd upon any great Festival There are likewise six great Rubies although they are not cut yet they make an extraordinary shew they are not set but run upon a gold Wyre that passes through them it is affirm'd that the largest weighs six Ounces The Ducal Horn or Cap being the Crown that is worn by the Doge in the Ceremony of Coronation is in my opinion the richest thing in the Treasury It is a Cap of Crimson Velvet the back part being something rais'd in a round point hath occasion'd to it that Name The lower part of the Front is enclos'd by a Plate of Gold about 2 Fingers broad which with the cross pieces that encloseth it at top are cover'd with Stones of an extraordinary value as likewise the 4 Angles within the cross'd Bars at the point or extremity of it there is set a very fine Diamond indifferently large but very high which was presented to the Republick by Henry the 3 d. of France at his return form Poland Yet all these rich Stones are mightily exceeded by a row of very large Pearls that are hung round the Front of the Crown their beauty and greatness do undisputably render this both the finest and the richest piece of all the Treasury There is a much admir'd Cup which is cut out of a Turkish Stone that exceeds in greatness an ordinary silver Porringer the outside foliage of the Stone is wrought into a foliage of Vines both large and deep There is likewise a little Paile of one single Ruby which is bigger than a common Ewer if I had not seen an expert French Jeweller examine them in his Hands assuring them to be really what they are said to be I should have had some difficulty to have believ'd them right Besides these there are in the Treasury an infinite number of rich things Crosses set with Pearls and Diamonds great pieces of Plate Scepters of great value an abundance of Agat and Cornelian Vessels of several Figures likewise several other pieces in rare transparent Stone of one price as also very large sufficient in number to make out an intire Service which evidently shews what hath been the magnificence of the Emperours of Constantinople the greatest part of these rarities being the fragments of that Court brought hither by the Venetians and others The Treasury had formerly many other things not much Inferiour in value to these as a golden Chain of such an extraordinary length and bigness that 40 Porters were employ'd to the carrying of it as likewise 12 or 15 Millions of coin'd Gold which was only kept to shew the People and Strangers their great riches upon days of Solemnity the Chain being hung along the Piazza of the Palace upon St. Mark 's place with a Cup of Gold between each 2 Pillars the Republick were us'd to add every Year some new Links to it But the War of Candy swept away this Treasure and the Chain became Sequins in the pressing necessities of the State during which several Noble Families found the means of turning the misfortunes of the Republick to their own private advantages which are to this day possess'd by their Posterity Of Saint Mark 's Steeple THE Steeple of St. Mark is not less remarkable for the inconveniency and disadvantage it occasions to the great Place than for its own extraordinary beauty Yet the Venetians esteem it as one of the chief Ornaments of their City This Steeple is built near the Angle which composes the two Wings of the new Procuratory's so the Church being advanc'd into the Place of the other side the Steeple possesses that spot of Ground which is between the two places of St. Mark and being directly over against the door of the Palace deprives it of that prospect it would otherwise have upon the great Place It is a bold piece of Work supports it self is 4 square and built of Brick being about 25 Foot square on each side and 180 Feet up to a certain Cornish of Marble from whence you have a pleasant prospect of the whole City without seeing any of the Canals by reason of the height of the Houses which are extraordinary close join'd but one beholds the whole beauty and mighty largeness of the Lagunes in which the built Islands seem to be Villages and small floating Cities It is about 160 Feet more from the Bells to the top of the Steeple which is sustain'd by Pillars that have another Cornish and a Pyramid on the top of it covered with several pieces of Copper guilt which time hath rendered like Brass as also an Angel near 8 Foot high cover'd
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
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
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
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
troubles that might happen to rise the Senat could not but have very great Apprehensions of this Nobility if they lived in a Perfect good understanding with each other but they endeavour to keep them at variance by sowing Jealousies among them when more proper Occasions are wanting to enervate their Forces There was a manifest proof of this Policy in the time of Francis Erizzo's being General of the Forces in Frivoli who was afterwards Elected Doge He observed that the Nobility of this Province living in a very good Intelligence might possibly join themselves at the first Opportunity and declare in Favour of the Emperour to which province he makes great pretensions and so deprive the Republick of a very Advantageous Frontire to their States he acquainted the Senate with his sentiments who much approv'd the foresight of their General and the expedient proposed against those dangerous consequences The Project was for to send him several Letters Patents with a blank space for the Names of such he should think fit to honour with the title of Marquis or Count so these marks of Favour being distributed by the General contrary to what in Justice they ought to have been did not miss of being attended with the proposed Effects in strowing among that Gentry those seeds of implacable discord which dividing the Families arm'd Brother against Brother causing an Infinite Number of Murthers and the Treasury to be fill'd with the confiscated Estates of this Nobility Which for a long time freed the Republick of that fear they had conceiv'd from the good correspendence which was formerly among the Gentry of that Province Of the Procurator of Saint Mark. Gli Procuratori di St. Marco AFter having shewn what the qualities are of those Persons invested with the Management of the Sovereign Power I think it will not be improper to speak of the dignity of the Procurator of Saint Mark as also of that of the Great Chancellor for as they acquire those in possession of them very Eminent places in the Republick by introducing them into a great share of the Management of the State so it is Necessary to know what these dignities are before we enter upon the description of the Councils of the Republick as well to Facilitate the Intelligence of the matters I shall engage in as to avoid sending the Reader to other places for what he may more properly find here These Two great Dignities with that of Doge are the only Preferments that are conferr'd for Life they being bestow'd upon services Done to the State The great Priviledges and Extraordinary Prerogatives attending the Dignity of Procurator of St. Mark do render it the utmost Point of the Ambition of the Venetian Nobility Especially seeing that of Doge as shall be observed is upon such hard Conditions as make it only sought for by a few of the Senators A Venetian Gentleman cannot pretend to the Honour of a Procurator's Vest but through the important Services he hath render'd to the State in the discharge of several Embassies by the command of the Naval Forces or through the long Exercise of the most considerable Employs of the State This dignity hath the precedence in the Senate as likewise the place of all the Venetian Nobility for the Procurators are esteem'd the first Senators and by this Quality are exempted of all the Expensive Publick Employs excepting that of Embassador extraordinary and other Important Commissions as was the adjusting of the limits between the Port and the Republick which the Procurator Nani successfully Executed after the Peace of Candia We see by the Annals of Venice that it is above Six Hundred Years since there was a Procurator who undertook the care of building this Church he manag'd the revenue and was a sort of an Ecclesiastical Intendant The Republick made a Second Procurator about Fourscore Years afterwards but the Revenues of the Church mightily encreasing the Republick created three Procurators to each of which was assign'd at several times two Associates so that about two Hundred and Thirty Years ago the Number was settled at Nine who are divided into three Procuratories or Chambers the first is called the Procuratory above Stairs this takes Cognisance of whatever regards the Church The Second and Third have the direction of whatsoever is bequeath'd to the Poor Inhabiting this side of the Great Canal as likewise those of the other side that Canal for which reason these Chambers are distinguish'd by these several Terms Di Procuratie di Sopra di Citra di Vltra The Republick was not only oblig'd to create Nine Procurators of Saint Marks for to dispose of the great Riches bequeath'd to the Church of Saint Mark and the Poor especially after they were much augmented by the great Gifts of the Rich Doge Sebastian Ziani but they were likewise willing to encrease the Number of this Dignity that they might be more able to recompence the Services of the Nobility particularly observing that there is nothing so satisfactory or so much sought for by the Venetian Nobles These Nobles are the Executors of all Charitable and Pious Legacies Tutors of Orphans and the Protectors of Widows They Annually apply considerable Sums to the marrying of poor Young Women and permit several Families to live Rent-free in the Houses that belong to their Procuratories The Place which this Dignity possesses in this Republick hath Ever render'd it so much desir'd by the Venetian Nobility that the Senate hath in all the troublesome Wars of the State been able to raise considerable Treasures by selling the Vest of Procurator but so many have never been known at once as in the last War of Candia for in the Year 1672 there were five and thirty living They that Execute the Nine places of the Ancient Procuratories are called Procurators by merits to distinguish them from such as have bought this dignity Nevertheless they all enjoy the same Privileges there being no difference between them excepting that when a Procurator by merit dies the great Council do proceed always to the choice of another before the deceased is Interred besides they do not fill up those that have acquired it by their Money but endeavour to reduce them to the Number established the Nobility that purchas'd the Vests of Procurators pay'd for them Thirty Thousand Ducats but those that I mentioned who after they had bought their Nobility would ascend to this dignity by a ladder of Gold payed down double that Sum as not being just that the most Junior Nobility should be used on this occasion with the same consideration of that of the more Ancient Order All the Procurators wear the Ducal Vest that is with long Sleeves hanging to the ground and according to their degree of Seniority have habitations in the stately new Procuratories But the Library of which they are the Keepers and the Chamber of the Archives of the Republick to which they are Guardians as likewise the apartment where the Council commonly assembles three
Parish-Priests of Venice EITHER the Republick design'd to prevent the Ecclesiasticks from owing of Obligations to any other Power than that of the Senates or else to maintain only the Ancient Customs of the Church by leaving the Election of the Curate to the Liberty of the Parishioners who are to choose a Priest out of their own Parish and that seems most worthy of it for his Capacity and Seniority of Service but to evade the great Factions that were formerly made upon these Occasions both by the Priests and the Parishioners the Senate hath ordered that the Election shall be made within the Term of three Days after the Death of a Curate in defect whereof the Republick hath the Nomination All Proprietors of Houses within the Limits of the Parish Noble Venetians Citizens and Tradesmen do meet in the Church to proceed to an Election by plurality of Voices but as it behoves them to examine into the Merits of all the qualified Priests they compare one with the other according to their degree of Seniority where in a studied Harangue and the Youngest speaking first they magnifie to you all the Services they have done to the Parish and Parishioners after which they are ballotted to see who hath the Majority of the Suffrages or else they choose by Acclamation he that hath the most Merit or the greatest Party The Ecclesiasticks of Venice are generally of mean Extraction besides their Learning is not more eminent than their Vertue so it is no wonder if there happen at these Elections such particular things as are hardly to be believ'd by those that are not acquainted with Venice You see several of these Priests who the better to perswade the Assembly of the Merit they have acquired in their Parishes summon before them several poor Women where they Interrogate them Who was it Assisted you in your Necessity Who Maintain'd you in your Sickness Who Protected you in your Persecution Was it not I that did these things for you It is no difficult matter to imagine what sort of Answers are made to these Interrogations But what is incomparably beyond all the rest is to hear the Harangue of a Pretending Curate who endeavouring to exalt his own Merits makes no scruple of exposing the greatest Infamies of his Concurrents assuring them he is not a Drunkard as such a one is nor a Libertine like another and that he gives no Scandal in keeping Women as the third doth In short he sticks not at exposing the most secret things provided he can make any advantage of them to the prejudice of his Adversaries The Address of him that was lately Elected in one of the best Parishes of Venice seems to me the more Ingenious by being covered under the Vail of the highest Simplicity this Man who was the Ancientest of the Qualified Priests and who probably had formerly miss'd of his Aim by too much enlarging upon the Chapter of his own Merits appear'd now the last of the Assembly and follow'd a new Method he came into the middle of the Company leaning upon his Staff and Coughing very much where he utter'd these few words according to the Venetian Expression These Gentlemen have obliged me to appear before you I can say nothing more for my self than that I am an Honest Man you may make me Curate if you please but if you believe me not you may let it alone This new way made so great an Impression upon them that without examining any further into his Merits he was immediately declar'd Curate by the common Consent of all the Assembly The Rejoycings that follow these Elections are no ways less particular they make a great many Bonfires and Illuminations for three Nights together before the House of the Curate at which times they honour him with the Discharge of their Muskets and others Write in great Characters his Commendations upon the Walls of all the Squares and other open Places of the Parish which express all his Merits and mentioning the Number of Years he hath pass'd in the Service of that Church Of the Dependance in which the Ecclesiasticks and Religious live in regard of the Government AS the Republick is very sensible by their frequent Experience that it is of the greatest Importance to have both the Secular Priests and the Religious intirely engag'd to their Interests so they are willing to wink at several sorts of Disorders which might be easily rectified but they think it the surest way to engage both of them to their Interests by that Indulgence they shew them in regard of their Conduct However the Senate never fails of obtaining that through fear and severity of Punishment which they cannot effect by more moderate Methods for they do not only severely punish such as oppose the Execution of their Orders but they likewise take notice of them that were not submit with a perfect and blind Obedience The Jesuits are a late Instance of this Severity for notwithstanding they were not less useful at Venice than they are in other places to whose College most of the Noble Venetians send their Children yet that does not any ways diminish the Caution which the Republick hath of them for they have a continual Eye over them observe all their Motions not pardoning the least appearance of things contrary to their Interests or Intentions especially since their Re-establishment at Venice When Pope Paul V. interdicted the Republick of Venice the Jesuits Capouchins and Theatins were the only Orders that obeyed the Censures of Rome for which reason they were Expell'd both the City and State of Venice but after that Difference between the Pope and the Venetians was adjusted the Capouchins and Theatins were receiv'd and admitted to the Possessions of their Houses yet the Senate resolv'd to adhere to their Resolutions of Excluding the Jesuits who were not comprehended in this Agreement but were afterwards Re-established at Venice as likewise throughout the whole State of the Republick upon the pressing Instances of Pope Alexander VII to the Senate in that Juncture of time when they expected from him very powerful Succours for the Relief of Candia Besides the Sollicitations of the Pope the Jesuits mightily wanted the good Opinions of some of the principal Senators but the Eloquent Harangue for their Establishment of the Procurator Pezzaro who was afterwards Doge determin'd the Senate to consent to their Return The Republick however had received the Advantages of the Sale of their Effects yet that was not sufficient for they made them purchase very dearly the Convent they live in at present which formerly belong'd to the Religious of the Crusado which Order being abolished their Effects were given to the Republick to carry on the War of Candia but since this Re-establishment the Senate shews a greater Exactness than formerly to make these Fathers observe a quite different Conduct from what they do in all other Countries It is not long since a Father of Wit and Merit among the Jesuits undertook to erect a
his Serenity Pope Alexander the III in acknowledgment of the Protection which the Republick shew'd him and of the Singular Services of Prince Sebastian Ziani presented the Doge with the Golden Chair the Cushion and the Ombrelle of the same as likewise the Tapers the Standards and Trumpets which are at present the chief part of the Pomp of these Ceremonies Then the Doge comes between the Pope's Nuncio and the Embassador of France If there were any Embassadors at Venice as formerly there was and are now at Rome they would march a Breast according to their places on each side of the Nuncio and Embassador of France But since the Republick according to the example of the Court of Rome decided the preseance of place in Favour of France against the Crown of Spain Messire Francis de Nouailes being at that time Embassador to the Republick from Charles the IXth the Embassador of Spain hath not appear'd at any of these Publick Functions which is the Reason that he is less known and beloved at Venice than the Embassador of France who is commonly called by the People the Embassador as if there was no other of that Character Upon these Ceremonies the Doge wears a Vest with straight Sleeves that reaches to the Ground this is fastned before by about a dozen large Vermillion Buttons that come to his Girdle which clasps together with Buckles of Gold over these is the long Ducal Cloak all which are of a Gold brouard or Silver mix'd with Red or White according to the day of the Solemnity the Ducal Cap is of the same Silk with a large border of Gold tishue which represents the Diademe his two Valets de Chambre hold the train of his Cloak and the eldest Ecuyer carrys the Ombrelle over his Head which is very large rais'd like a Pavilion covered with Rich Gold brouard round about it is a Campage like that of the Popes The Councellors of the Doge follow two and two together but the first is accompanied by the Noble that is elected for the first Podasty or Government that comes vacant within the States of the Republick he marches on the right hand of the Councellor carrying with both hands a large Sword in a Scabbard of Flowered Velvet covered with Vermillion Filagreen This Sword is like that which the Pope Consecrates every Christmas Day with a Hat of Black Velvet lined with Ermin and the Holy Ghost embroider'd in Pearls upon the Head which is sent to that Christian Prince who fights against the Enemies of the Church That behind the Doge is the mark of the Dignity of great Ecuyer of the Eastern Empire which was conferr'd upon the Doge Peter Gradenigo by the Emperor Michael which several other Doges possest after him for if this Sword was carried after the Prince and at the Head of the Seignory it would represent the Senate to have the whole Authority of which the Doge hath only for himself the shadow of that Greatness whose Pomp and Trophies that precede him are no more than a vain and an imaginary appearance of Dignity The six Councellors of the Doge are follow'd by the three Presidents of the Council Criminal of Forty the two Avogadors the three Chiefs of the Council of Ten the two Censors and several Senators marching two and two in the Ducal Vest of Purple very large and the Sleeves as wide as the Vest is long The Doge attracts with this Train both the Admiration and Veneration of the People who are much delighted in these Ceremonies where they all continually implore the Benediction of the Almighty upon his Person knowing well that although they have sometimes reason to exclaim against the Rigours of the Government yet it is not the * Prince who is the occasion of them notwithstanding that such Publications are made in his Name When the Procession is in this manner come to the Church of St. Mark the Doge places himself in the first Seat at the Right Hand of the Entrance into the Church the Nuncio and Ambassadour of France are on his side without observing any void space of Respect from him the Counsellors sit on the same side and in the same Row but at some distance from them All the chief Persons assisting in these Ceremonies with the Doge and Counsellors are seated on the same side upon two rows of Benches the Senators who here represent the Pregadi are on the other hand however they equally share in this Honour with the Doge by receiving the same Ceremony of the Pax and Incense which is to inform the Publick that they do not appear at these Functions to augment and grace the Train of their Prince but that they are equally with him the Essential Members of the Body of the Republick After the Ceremonies are over the Doge goes back attended in the same manner to the Palace The Nuncio and the Ambassadour bring him to the bottom of the Stairs where they take leave of his Serenity But instead of retiring at that instant they fall off to the right Hand where they stand until the last Senator is past by them This Custom which seems so very repugnant to the Dignity of Embassadors was first introduced by the Nuncio of a Pope who soliciting the Senate upon some important Affair was pleas'd to compliment these Gentlemen with this mark of Civility But the Republick who is so well vers'd in drawing Advantages from all Accidents will never admit of any Overtures to abolish a Custom so very acceptable to them for according to their real Maxims the Senators are thereby as much honour'd as the Doge by the Ministers of the greatest Princes of Christendom These publick Ceremonies are chiefly occasion'd by the happy Discoveries of some Conspiracy or upon some Sedition appeas'd the gaining of a Victory or some other Advantage to the State in which Accidents the Republick does much affect to shew their Piety and Acknowledgments by these Publick Thanksgivings they offer up to the Almighty which Functions are become so frequent that with those of the Solemn Festivals they chiefly compose the Business of the Embassadors residing here Of the Election of a Doge BEFORE they proceed to the Choice of a New Doge they perform the last Duties to the Deceas'd with all the Magnificence due to the Condition of his Station his Body is Embalm'd which lies in State for three Days together in a great Room upon a Bed of Cloath of Gold where the Sword and Spurs are by a very particular Custom laid the wrong way However the occasion of the Body's lying in this manner is not only to give the People an opportunity of rendring their last Respects to the Prince but it is particularly to receive such Complaints as may be made against his Conduct and Administration of Affairs as also time for the Creditors to call for their Demands which his Heirs are oblig'd to pay immediatly or to have the Deceas'd depriv'd of the Funeral Honours the
Left-hand carrying he Right upon the Stomack in the opening of the Vest whereby is commonly seen the Handle of their Dagger One that would not look very well in our Champaign-Dress makes an extraordinary Figure in the Vest For few of them have their Legs well made or Straight besides they generally turn their Feet inwards This fault is common to both Sexes at Venice for the Policy of the Country does not permit to the Ladies the Advantage of Dancing-Masters and the Negligence of the Young Nobility is such that they will not long constrain themselves to go otherwise altho' they have had the good Fortune to meet with some Foreign Masters that have given them the necessary Instructions The Young Nobility are not oblig'd to wear this Habit unless they have attain'd to the Years of entring into the Great Council which is at Twenty five provided they are not of the Thirty which by particular Privilege are by Lot drawn every Year from among those above Twenty two that give in their Names for their chance to this Preferment Nevertheless their Parents if they can perswade them to it put them into the Vest at Fifteen or Sixteen for this Garment which is by the Republick call'd the Habit of their Religion does in some measure oblige such as wear it to observe some Rules of Decency and engage them to live with more Moderation than those that are not honour'd with it Yet the Nobility are not the only Persons that wear at Venice this sort of Apparel The Physitians Lawyers Secretaries of the Republick Notaries several other Officers of the Palace and a great many Citizens have the same Apparel without any manner of distinction insomuch that without a great familiarity with them it is altogether impossible to make any distinction between them It has been often times proposed to have some external Mark whereby the Nobility might be distinguish'd from such as are not of that Body but the Senate could never be induced to admit of the proposition Some say that the intention of the Republick is thereby to shew the number of their Nobility larger than it really is and by that means render it more considerable in the thoughts of their Subjects and those Strangers that come to Venice Others imagine that the Nobility think themselves safer by this mixture for if there should happen again any Conspiracies against the whole Body of the Nobility they would have less opportunity of saving themselves as being now in a manner undiscernably mix'd with a multitude of them which such Conspirators would not destroy I am of the opinion that this Habit being in common between the Citizens and Nobility does not a little help to acquire these the friendship of the Former who are part of the Principal Members in the Body of this State and who are much better beloved by the People than the Nobility as being infinitely more obliging and Moderate Yet certain it is that the Republick has very good Reasons in adhering to these Resolutions for she is absolutely against all Innovations of this Nature notwithstanding the Shame which the Dignity of this Vest receives by a great many dirty Wretches going in it to Market to buy a Penny-worth of Anchovies I do not mean any of those Gentlemen that do it for their Pleasure by sending home what they like which is the common Custome of Italy and many Provinces of France As the Habit of a Noble Venetian attracts a Respect to them that wear it so it reduces them to such a Servitude to the Nobility that excepting those who are by their Employs oblig'd to wear the Vest few of the Citizens are found willing to put it on for in the most of those Families that have several Children they give it him that is least capacitated for any other Business and which is only to preserve to the Family the Honour of having the Vest The common People Strangers and all other Persons are no ways obliged to shew any particular Respect upon meeting any of the Nobility in the Streets and by the Liberty of the Country their Gentlemen do not expect to be saluted by them but if any of those wearing the Vest who are not Noble Venetians should pass by them without making their profoundest Respects to their Excellencies of which Venice abounds they would possibly expose themselves to something more severe than a simple Reprimand The Young Nobility cannot behold a Citizen in a Vest without Contempt and some sort of Envy who are by this means as well clad as themselves besides they are sensibly touched to see their Inferiours so perfectly resembling to them and their Capriciousness hath so far transported them which they term Bel humore that the Gentlemen of this Illustrious Body have often times forc'd into the Canals those Young Citizens who have according to their Sentiments so much copied upon the Original and played the Gallants Of the Venetian Ladies ALL Ladies whither Citizens or Strangers that are of a Condition above the Plebeians assume at Venice the Quality of Gentledonna yet only the Wives and Daughters of the Noble Venetians can properly be called Gentledonna's and Patricie Venete They are for the most part large of Stature Majestick High and Disdainful in appearance for I am perswaded that in private they want neither Sweetness nor Complaisance they only seem to be of this Humour as not having that Air of Quality which the Ladies of other Countries have by living more sociably and less retired from the Commerce of the World Their way of living is so particular and reserved that it is not altogether exempt of Brutishness they never or very rarely visit each other and if they happen to meet any where they do not converse together unless they are very particular Friends and even this only happens among them that have established a particular Society In the main they are continually at home and Undress'd excepting on Holidays and some other Publick Solemnities of the Church at which these Ladies do usually appear at least they whose Husbands are less Jealous and more Affable than a great many others have so much Complaisance as to permit them to go to Church which is one of the greatest Diversions they enjoy and they stay there as long as they can before they return Yet there are those who allow their Wives no farther Liberty than to perform their Devotions in the nearest Church to them Some carry this excess of Jealousie to a higher degree who without any scruple make their own Houses their Wives Prisons from whence they are never permitted to stir Of six or seven Hundred Ladies of Venice there are not above fifty or sixty that appear at Church at a time or any where Publickly But upon any general Rejoycing or at the Marriage of a Person of the first Quality upon which occasions the Ladies are usually invited as they were to a splendid Ball at an Academy about two Years since upon this occasion there appear'd
a mighty Number among which few could be said to be either beautiful or agreeable but especially the last of these Charms was generally wanting There are several of those that are allowed by their Husbands to appear abroad who are Agreeable Gentile and very Handsome However they are strangely Accoutred through the great desire they have to follow the French Fashions for they always run beyond the Rules of the Mode by the ill Judgment of their lamentable Taylors In former Years they Dress'd themselves with great Bunches of Ribbans on each Shoulder and when the Men left off those Knots of Ribans for large Tufts of Silver and Gold the Ladies did the same wearing great Knots of that Work upon their Shoulders and Tossels at their Girdles tagg'd with great Points As the Old and Deform'd love to spruce themselves no less than the Young so they Curl Powder and cover themselves to that degree with Ribans so ill suited to their Age and Complexions that in reality one cannot see a more extraordinary Figure than one of these antiquated Ladies usually make In coming from France to Venice one finds so great a difference between the Air of these Ladies and those of France as one would not believe that the Eyes should ever be able to Fancy them But having seen the other Parts of Italy one soon acknowledges that the Venetian Ladies appear very well and if the Severity that is observed upon their account did not restrain them they would always appear in that Magnificence they are sometimes seen when they are permitted to shew themselves in their Pearls and Jewels Next to their fine Points and magnificent Gowns of Gold or Silver Tissue they have nothing that does adorn them more or better becomes them than the Flowers they wear especially those on their Heads they have an extraordinary Fancy in disposing of them in their large Commodes As these Flowers have an admirable good effect in their Dresses so they have of them for all the several Seasons of the Year It is the most agreeable Present that a Lover can make to his Mistress and he in return takes it for a most peculiar Favour to have that Flower bestowed upon him that hath had the preference of the rest by having been worn in the middle of her Bosom which they ever have very much exposed to view When a Lady goes into the Church she moves very slowly her Gown is very long and large training upon the Ground The use of Pages or Footmen being utterly unknown at Venice she is forc'd to choose her own Place which she does with the greatest Air of Haughtiness dispossessing both Citizen and Gentleman without shewing any Demonstration of Civility for the Place she takes from either As their Parents when they are Children nor their Husbands after they are Married do much regard if they can make the Reverence customary with other Ladies so there are very few that know how to acquit themselves of it when they are indispensably obliged to receive the Salute or to return the Civility to any Person of great Consideration they are then out of Countenance for they perform that Civility by three several Motions bending the Knees lifting up the Belly and nodding the Head to each Gesture all which is done with Eyes and an Air that sufficiently explain the Confusion they are under The Venetian Ladies are attended to the Church by as many Waiting-Women as they have who do not stir one step from their Mistresses for they usually stand in the greatest Crowds both before and behind their Ladies not a little proud to wait upon Persons of that Quality Nothing can be more inconvenient than these Troops of Waiting-Women in such great Crowds yet the Nobility are no ways backward in Civility to them by reason of the good Offices they are able to do them but more especially to those that wait upon the more beautiful Ladies These Waiting-Women part of whom being hired only for Days of Ceremony are all clad in Gowns of black Serge and great Taffeta Scarfs they are usually so familiar with their Ladies that Strangers do wonder not without reason to see them upon their Knees leaning against their Ladies but such ought to know that these Women are all the Company they have at home with whom they pass their time in working of Point de Venise and consequently are fallen into the Custom of Laughing and Talking familiarly with them The Unmarried Ladies never see the Light in Publick but through a great Veil of fine white Gause which comes down before to the bottom of their Gowns the two corners are tied with Knots of Ribbans that hang just above the Ground This Veil being thus cast over them covers their Arms and Face which they sometimes remove with their Hands yet only so far as is requisite to see before them In this manner the Young Ladies of Quality go to Church upon Holy-days and as for other occasions of going abroad they are Strangers to them This Veil hath something of Majesty in it and becomes them very well that do not cover their Faces with it The Young Ladies of Quality that design to be Religious wear it in that manner some time before they renounce the World the same Veil is the usual Dress of the City Ladies The Courtisans are forbid the Use of it however they sometimes wear it to counterfeit the Honest Women and deceive Strangers The Venetian Ladies wear it sometimes en deshabillee especially when they are performing their Devotions I remember some Eminent Preachers exhorted them to the Use of it at least in the Time of Passion Week during which they frequently go to the Sermons that are Preach'd upon that extraordinary Occasion The Reports of those prodigious high Shooes or Pattins that the Venetian Ladies wore not long since are really true for the Daughters of the last Doge Dominica Contarini were the first that freed themselves from this intolerable Fashion Some of them were at least two Foot high so that they seem'd like the Statue of Colossus rather than Women as not being able to set one Foot before the other without the help of two Women to lean upon It is much to be supposed that the Policy of the Husbands introduced this Fashion with which they are said to be very well pleased for an Ambassadour discoursing lately with the same Doge and some of his Counsellours at the Assembly of the Palace before they went to the Chappel fell upon the Use of these extravagant Engines designedly alledging That these little Shooes were undoubtedly much more Commodious to which one of the Councellors replied with an Austere Meen and twice repeated it They are indeed too Commodious Pur tropo Commodi pur tropi How the Noble Venetians wait upon the Ladies THE Young Nobility have usually no other Business than to go if they think fit upon Sundays and Holy-days to the Great Council as also to appear at the Broglio if they have any
seeing nothing of their Necks or Shapes are hidden Here are many sorts of Liquors and Ices for the Accommodation of the Ladies in which there are likewise convenient Places for the Dressing of all sorts of Victuals that lie expos'd and ready for the Spit to engage such as wait upon the Ladies at the Opera and Play-House to divert the remainder of the Evening with the Collation-Pleasures which are usually taken in these Places Of the Opera THE invention of Opera's is due to the City of Venice Although they were formerly particularly fine yet Paris at present surpasses whatever can be seen here of this nature It was not at first imagin'd that these Compositions could agree with the Genius of the French Language which is almost natural to the Italian and in reality if it had not been for that able Master who first undertook it who was no less Lully Familiar with all the Beauties of the Italian Musick than with those Delicacies of the French if it had not been I say for his great Experience in making those agreeable Compositions which are sung in two such different ways it may be believed that this Noble and Magnificent Diversion would not have been attended with that Success which it has since had both at Court and in Town At Venice they Act in several Opera's at a time The Theaters are Large and Stately the Decorations Noble and the Alterations of them good But they are very badly Illuminared the Machines are sometimes passable and as often ridiculous the number of Actors is very great they are all very well in Clothes but their Actions are most commonly disagreeable These Opera's are long yet they would divert the Four Hours which they last if they were compos'd by better Poets that were a little more conversant with the Rules of the Theater For in this matter their present Compositions are very deficient insomuch they are frequently not worth the Expence that is made upon them The Ballets or Dancings between the Acts are generally so pittiful that they would be much better omitted for one would imagine these Dancers wore Lead in their Shoes yet the Assembly bestow their Applauses on them which is meerly for want of having seen better The Charms of their Voices do make amends for all imperfections These Men without Beards have delicate Voices besides which they are admirably suitable to the greatness of the Theater They commonly have the best Women-Singers of all Italy for to get a famous Girl from Rome or any other Place they do not scruple at giving Four or Five hundred Pistoles with the Charges of the Journey and yet their Opera's last no longer than the Carnaval Their Airs are languishing and touching the whole composition is mingl'd with agreeable Songs that raise the Attention the Symphony is mean inspiring rather Melancholy than Gaiety It is compos'd of Lutes Theorbos and Harpsicords yet they keep time to the Voices with the greatest exactness imaginable If the French have at first some difficulty to understand their Words the Italians and all other Strangers have much more trouble in France where they do not only Sing lower but pronounce their Words with much less distinction The great Chorus of Musick that so often fills the French Theater of which one indeed can hardly distinguish the Words is very disagreeable to the Italians who say That this is much more proper to the Church than the Stage as likewise that the great number of Violins spoils the Symphony of the other Musick which they think can be only agreeable to the French unless it is when they play alone in other Occasions Although they allow the French to succeed very well in their Dances yet they are of the Opinion that there are too many of them in their Opera's whose Compositions are likewise too short for their Fancies which they think are not sufficiently fill'd with Intrigues Their Compositions are always concluded with the Character of an Old Woman that gives good Advice to the Young but falling in Love her self without any probability of a return she runs into the repetition of a great many pleasant Fancies They that compose the Musick of the Opera endeavour to conclude the Scenes of the Principal Actors with Airs that Charm and Elevate that so they may acquire the Applause of the Audience which succeeds so well to their intentions that one hears nothing but a Thousand Benissimo's together yet nothing is so remarkable as the pleasant Benedictions and the Ridiculous Wishes of the Gondoliers in the Pit to the Women-Singers who cry aloud to them Sias tu benedetta benedetto el padre che te genero But these Acclamations are not always within the bounds of Modesty for those impudent Fellows say whatever they please as being assur'd to make the Assembly rather Laugh than Angry Some Gentlemen have shewn themselves so Transported and out of all bounds by the charming Voices of these Girls as to bend themselves out of their Boxes crying Ah cara mi Butto mi Butto expressing after this manner the Raptures of Pleasure which these divine Voices cause to them I need not omit the Priests in this Place for according to the Example of Rome they are no ways scrupulous of appearing upon the Stage in all manner of Parts and by acquiring the Character of a good Actor they commonly get that of an honest Man I remember once that one of the Spectators discerning a Priest in the Disguise of an Old Woman cry'd aloud ecco Pre Pierro che fa'la vecchia Nevertheless all things pass with more decency at the Opera than at the Comedy as being most commonly frequented by the better sort of People One pays Four Livers at the Door and Two more for a Chair in the Pitt which amounts to Three Shillings and Six-Pence English without reckoning the Opera-Book and the Wax-Candle every one buys for without them even those of the Country would hardly comprehend any thing of the History or the subject matter of the Composition The Gentledonna's frequent the Opera much more than the Comedy by reason the Diversions of that place are express'd with more Civility than those of the other As they are at this time allowed to dress with their Jewels so they appear most splendidly by the means of the many lighted Tapers which are in those Boxes Here their Lovers are employed in the Contemplation of their Charms and they on their side shew by some Signs that they are pleas'd with the assiduity of their Services Whenever a new Girl appears to Sing at the Opera the principal Nobles esteem it a point of Honour to be Master of her and if she Sings well they spare nothing that may accomplish the Design of getting her One of the Cornaro's was upon one of these occasions Rival to the Duke of Mantua they both endeavour'd to exceed each other in their Presents yet the Charms of her Voice were not accompanied with all those of Beauty The
Proceedings of the Gentlemen who do not miss these Occasions of making a regular Court to their Mistresses As the Liberty of going to the Fresque is one of the greatest that Husbands allow to their Wives so it is one of the most sensible Chagrins for 'em to be debarr'd of it The Men of Gallantry do not only distinguish themselves by the neatness of their Gondolos and Watermen but likewise by the small and light Bodies of their Gondolo's which are purposely made for the Fresque as likewise by the charge they are at in getting these Gondoliers that are eminent for their great strength and Address For with this Equipage they follow the Ladies where they please and at four stroaks without the least appearance of Design are always able to come up with the Boats of the Ladies for all this good management is understood by Signs made to the Gondoliers who dive so readily into the Intention of their Masters that it looks as if hazard only had occasioned those Meetings The greatest piece of Malice that can be offer'd to a Rival in these Junctures is when he keeps up with the Gondolo of the Lady to open the passage with the Head of one 's own Boat and so pass between them The Ambassadors go commonly Incognito to the Presque that is with only one Gondolo and a Gentleman Sometimes they appear there in Ceremony with all their Attendance but then they keep the middle of the Canal with a slow motion for at those times their Gondoliers are not to shew the utmost of their Vigour Nothing is more curious or admirable than to observe the dexterity of these Men at the two ends of the Course where in all the seeming appearance of Confusion fifteen or twenty Gondolo's shall turn at a time with so much exactness that notwithstanding their great Lengths they are seldom or never seen to jostle or run foul of each other The Courtesans are forbidden to appear at the Fresque unless it be upon some Day of rejoiceing at which time they are permitted to go in Masques But all Foreign Gentlemen enjoy herein the same liberty with the Venetian Nobility All these frequent Turns with which our enamour'd Gallants endeavour to shew the assiduity of their Services are concluded with the Day so this Diversion generally lasts about an Hour and half at most and longer than this time the strongest of the Gondoliers would not be able to bear the fatigue of so violent an Exercise Of the Festival of the Churches THERE would be some reason of Admiraration to see the solemn Festivals of the Churches plac'd among the Publick Diversions if the Custom of Venice had not converted them into a Recreation so much pleasing to the Ladies and Gentlemen as it affords them wherewithal to pass the Day very agreeably I shall not speak here of the usual Holy-days nor the Places where the Ladies us'd to hear Mass upon Days of Obligation as at the * A fine Church in Venice Salute in Summer at the Carmelites in the Winter and the Chappel of the Rosary belonging to the Dominicans every first Sunday in the Month in which Places the handsome Ladies seldom miss appearing and to stay from nine in the Morning until twelve at Noon For these Occasions are esteem'd as Permissions which they are sure to enjoy But what I design to say here is something of those particular Festivals which are Celebrated with Solemnity and which for the Noble Entertainment of Musick and the great Concourse of People are esteem'd as convenient Opportunities for the Nobles and Ladies to see each other twice a Day The most diverting of these Festivals are those Monasteries of Religious Nuns of Saint Lawrence Saint Daniel Saint Cosmo de la Celestia Saint Katharine and several others where those Ladies especially the Sacristines are always Employ'd in making of Artificial Nosegays of Gold and Silver-Thread as likewise of Points de Venise to which they add some Natural Flowers They distribute a prodigious Quantity of these to the Nobles and Gentledonna's and to their particular Friends to whom they are sent so soon as they come into the Church And if the Person to whom they present the Nosegay is distinguish'd by some Character then a Priest in Surplice brings it to him upon a Silver-Plate with a Compliment from the Nun that sent it One sometimes sees of these Nosegays that are all Point de Venise and of a very considerable Value The Churches are always Magnificently Adorn'd and the Musick is Excellent yet these are not the Motives which bring hither such a number of Gentledonna's for whom are plac'd in the Church a great many Elbow-Chairs in which they remain from Morning to Noon likewise from after Dinner to the Hour of the Fresco which always ends the Diversions of these Holy-days But as the Ladies talk of one side and the Gentlemen on the other so the Crowd and Clamour is generally so great that these Assemblies shew but a small appearance of Devotion for even in time of Service they entertain the Nuns at the Grate of the Choir who without any difficulty Treat their Friends with Iced Waters and Liquors especially in the more sultry Season These Feasts are so frequent in Fine Weather that they who only endeavour to Divert themselves or that love Musick may find sufficient Opportunity of passing their Times pleasantly But those who are not altogether Strangers at Venice but have some Familiarity with the Intrigues of particular Nobles and Ladies may be wonderfully diverted by Observing in these Junctures the various Personages of Lovers as their Regards their Actions and all the different ways of assuring the Ladies they serve with the fervors of an excessive Passion Of the Dances of the Girls SUCH as have been delighted in observing the singular and agreeable Manner of the usual Dances of the young Women will not think it strange to see this reckon'd here in the Number of the Publick Diversions which in it self appears so common Yet seeing this Diversion do's oftentimes amuse the Venetian Nobility as likewise the Ladies who stop their Gondolos to behold these Dances upon the sides of the Canals but especially all Strangers being so mightily pleas'd with it I have thought it not amiss to speak particularly of this among the other Diversions of the pleasant Season Upon all Holy-days the Daughters of the Common People assemble in the most spacious Places of the Streets or Keys but most commonly in the little Squares of their Quarters Among the Common People there being not much less liberty between the Men and the Women the Boys and the Girls than is usually practised in France so these Girls are not always the only Dancers They are very neatly dress'd in a Garb not much differing from Ours They usually have for these Occasions a coloured Silk or Brocatelle-pair of Bodice without Sleeves a Serge-Petticoat bound about with a small Galoon and a Pair of curious white Shoes the Sleeves
which is perform'd with the same Ceremonies Yet of all these various Regates the Boats with four Oars that pass with most swiftness are not esteem'd as the pleasantest Sights Those that are work'd by one Man whether Gondolos Boats or Fisoleros have something that render them much more extraordinary For you behold a robust Gondolier upon the Poop naked to his middle his Head bound his Face pale and fixed his Body stooping to the Oar all his Muscles extended and his Breast swoln using his utmost Efforts to get the better of his Adversaries However he is to manage his Strength in such manner as it may last him to the end of the Course which is about two Miles As Skill is not less requisite than Strength in all these sorts of Exercises so it is extremely pleasant to observe these Men take their Advantages either in avoiding the force of the opposite Stream and keeping in the very Heart of the Tide when it is with them Or directly following the Course of the Peotes which by opening of the Water do render their way more easy Their Artifices do sometimes proceed farther especially when near each other for he that has got on Head of the other seldom fails of cunningly giving his Foot to the Boat of his Adversary by which means he advances himself and throws back the other Yet the Regates of the Women which for their singularity excell all those of the Men are frequently added to render the Sight more diverting For many of the Fisher-mens Wives being us'd to go off with their Husbands are in a manner no less dextrous at this Work than the Men insomuch that they of two Oars have oftentimes done very extraordinary Matters in these Occasions But as the Women have not that Vigour and Boldness which is necessary in Attempts of this nature so the Prizes that are bestow'd upon them are inferiour to those which are design'd for the Men. Of the Entrance's of the Procurators UPON the Publick Entrance of a New Procuratour of St. Mark that is when he goes in Ceremony to Compliment the Doge and take Possession of his New Dignity which is perform'd with much Pomp and Shew to the great Satisfaction of the People in general These Magnificent Entrances being to pass through the Mercery so the Merchants of this Place never fail in adorning those Streets with the greatest variety of Beauty and Riches by which they endeavour to shew the Respect they have to the Person and Family of the Procuratour The Streets being cover'd over Head from the Bridge of Rialto to the Place of St. Mark with great Pieces of White Cloth do seem to be so many Galleries adorn'd with fine Pictures rich Brocards Cloths of Tissue the finest Points of Venice and the richest Laces both of Gold and Silver Insomuch this Appearance of so many Rich Things with which the Merchants endeavour to exceed each the other renders this Shew one of the gallantest and most diverting Spectacles that can possibly be seen During which you are sure to find a prodigious Concourse of People upon the Place of St. Mark and the same in the Mercery where the Ladies do usually take up their Standing in the Shops of the Merchants Yet as a Publick Rejoycing without the Liberty of the Masques would here be but little satisfactory so seldom less than one half of the Spectators are sure to be in Disguise especially the Women and Courtesans to the end they may partake of the Joy of these Ceremonies with the less Constraint as likewise the Pleasures of their farther and more particular Designs The New Procuratour goes to the Church of St. Salvador at the Entrance into the Mercery where he is met by all the Procuratours Senators and such of the Venetian Gentry as accompany him to his Audience After having heard High Mass which is perform'd in great Solemnity and with the best of Musick they go out two and two together If the Procuratour is a Knight of St. Mark he wears a Cap of Gold upon his Head He is led by the Senior Procuratour in which manner he is follow'd by the rest These are follow'd by the Nobles the Friends and Relations of the Procuratour all in the Ducal Vest of Purple In which Order they proceed through an incredible Concourse of People until he comes to St. Mark 's Palace where he goes up to the College whose Doors are open according to the Custom that is observ'd at the first Audiences of Ambassadors He likewise is to observe the same Method in three times Saluting of the College but he takes his Place between the Great Sages and the last of the three Presidents of the Forty Criminal which is the Place that belongs to the Envoys of Princes After having return'd his Thanks to the Republick for his Election and taken the usual Oaths he goes from thence with the same Attendance to the New Procuratory's where he enters into the Possession of his Dignity If the Finery of the Mercery the concourse of People the great number of Masques that are permitted even to enter the College and the Presence of the Nobility assisting at this Ceremony do render this Shew very Noble and Magnificent the Return of the Procuratour is no ways less Graceful and Stately He goes into his Gondolo at the Pillars of St. Mark where he is saluted by the Cannon of the Galley that always lyes there and in case there be any more lying ready at Venice they upon this Occasion come to an Anchor in the Great Canal where they hang out all their Streamers and Penants saluting him with the Discharge of both great and small Shot In the mean time several other Barques are Mann'd forth by the Servants and Dependants of the Procuratour's Family who mingling among the other Boats incessantly divert them with the Musick of their Trumpets and the Discharge of their Guns As the Gondoliers of all the respective Ferries of the City are oblig'd to set out a Peote of ten Oars to attend this Solemnity for which they receive half a Ducat and a certain quantity of Bread and Wine that is distributed to them at the House of the Procuratour So nothing can be more delightful than the variety of their Barques for these Gondoliers being desirous to be distinguish'd disguise themselves very odly For one Peote seems to be Mann'd by ten Spaniards ridiculously dress'd another by so many hump-Shoulder'd Fellows the third by as many Men in Womens Apparel and the others according to their particular Humours Insomuch that it is almost impossible to imagine any thing resembling to this Sight who continually pass backwards and forwards upon the Great Canal with perpetual Huzza's to the Procuratuor as Vivat la ca Grimani when the Cavalier Giovanni Grimani was rais'd to that Dignity Yet in case of any Defraud in the distribution of the Bread the Wine and the Money as happen'd at a preceding Election these Huzza's and Acclamations of Joy are then
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