Congregation of Gondaliers in which this sort oâ— People who are not indeed very well instructed in the Necessary Points of Religion Assembled every Sunday to learn the Duty of Christians and the most important Truths of our Faith So this Congregation became in a little time very numerous and there was much reason to believe it would have been attended with the best Effects but some of the Noble Venetians knowing very well that their Gondaliers were not ignorant of what passed in their Families nor even their more publick and private Designs of which they discourse in their Gondalo's occasioned them to suspect that the Jesuits intended to penetrate into these Matters informing themselves of their Affairs and secretest Intrigues by the means of this Congregation Upon this bare Conjecture the Matter was made known to the Senate where it was adjudg'd to be of greater consequence than it appeared so it was resolved at that instant to send an Order of the Senate requiring them to desist the continuance of that Congregation as likewise their Orders to the Father that undertook the Business to leave Venice and not return before such a time There hath been lately another Instance of Severity upon the Jesuits that was equally surprizing to every Body A Young Man of Padua after the Deaâ—h of his Father retired to their Order as designing to receive the Habit he being left in full Possession of the Estate his Father gave him pass'd a Procuration to the Father Rector at Padua enabling him to sell his Effects and dispose of them as should be thought convenient while he perform'd his Noviceship at Boulogna to which place he was sent The Mother of the Young Man perceiving the Injury done her made her Complaint to the College of the Republick who referr'd the Matter to the Tribunal of the Council of Ten they immediately summon'd the Father that received the Procuration with Orders to deliver it up to them The Rector at Padua by reason of his great Age and his Indisposition of the Gout sent a Father of their Order to appear for him but omitted sending the Procuration The Order was immediately repeated whereupon the Father took Boat from whence he was brought to their Presence in a Chair but these Judges making his Disobedience an Affair of State delivered him to the Inquisitors of the Republick who sent him to the Leads which is a very dismal Prison where he continued a Fortnight the Procuration was retain'â— and the Young Man appearing declar'd he would not be a Jesuite The Senate hath lately thought fit to lay the greatest Infliction imaginable upon them by obliging thâ—m to go several times a Year in Procession like the other Communities with the Surplice and Candles in their Hands so to pass over the Place of St. Mark in the presence of the Seignory then accompanied bâ— the Nuncio and other Ambassadors residing at Venice But the Parte or Decree that the Senate lately made which forbids any of that Order to remain above three Years within the States of the Republick is the most sensible Blow that could have been given them for it seems to overthrow the most Essential Maxims of their Society I shall leave it to any ones Judgment if these Examples of severity towards one of the most powerful Societies and which 〈◊〉 the best received by mâ—st Courts of Europe are not sufficiently perswasive to retain all the other Religious and Ecclesiasticks in that absolute Dependance which the Republick requires from them in respect of the Governmâ—nt especially seeing they do not permit the Ecclesiastical Superiours to regulate their Conduct or trouble them for their disorderly ways of Living Of the Inquisition of Venice WHEN it is known with what Spirit this Republick governs and the Jealousie they have of the Ecclesiastical Authority one cannot at first but wonder to see the Inquisition established in the City and Dominions of this Republick yet when the Circumstances of the Admission are known and how that Jurisdiction is limited we must cease wondring to admire on the contrary the Wisdom of the Senate who perfectly knowing all the Consequences of that Formidable Authority have been no ways less careful from the very beginning to prevent the Estabâ—ishment of it with that ample power which this Tribunal hath in other Countries than they of the Court of Rome on the other hand have us'd Skill and Authority for the gaining of this important Advantage but the Consent of the Senate being necessary to the Establishing of this Matter the Pope was forc'd to agree to such Conditions as render this Tribunal of the Inquisition little less dependant upon the Political Government than of the Secular Courts The Holy Office is Compos'd of the Pope's Nuncio Residing at Venice of the Patriarch of Venice who as a Noble Venetian is a Religious Observer of the Laws of the Republick of the Father Inquisitor who is ever of the Order of St. Francis and of two Principal Senators as Assistants without whose Presence and Approbation all other Proceedings are invalid and their Decrees of no effect by which means and through the Pretences that the matter in question will be contrary to the Interest and Laws of the State The mighty business of this Tribunal is reduced to a narrower compass than one would easily believe Manifest Heresie is almost the only thing to which the Inquisition hath Right of Cognizance it is said manifest because the greatest part of those things that attend or may proceed from it and support it belong to the Secular Judges who having the care of the Publick Tranquillity committed to them do both cause an exact Observance to all Orders and particular Inspection to be made into these Matters Besides the Inquisition is not to concern themselves with such as do not profess the Roman Catholick Religion and since the compiling of the Catalogue of Forbidden Books which the Republick caus'd to be made upon the Setting up of the Inquisiâ—ion about one hundred Years past the Holy Office is not permitted to censure any others than what are Condemn'd by the Republick Nevertheless that the Senate may be the more assur'd of their own Conduct as well in relation to Matters of Religion as in regard of the just Rights of the Court of Rome they have thought fit to maintain two Doctors which are called Counsellors of State one is Religious the other is a Secular according to whose Opinions they take their necessary Measures in these Occasions insomuch that the Senate doth never receive either Bulls Briefs or Excommunications until such time as these Doctors have throughly examined them and reported them to contain nothing contrary to the Laws and Liberty of the State The Republick doth permit the Greeks and Armenians the free Exercise of their Religion which they enjoy in their several Churches altho the Greeks have so much moderation as not to declare themselves to be Schismaticks yet they sufficiently own that they depend on the Patriarch of
of this Place defended both from Sun and Rain The great resort of People and the diversity of all sorts of Goods exposed to sale in these Shops which are in the Piazza do not a little contribute to the Beauty of the Place in which you see directly against the Gate of St. Mark Three Great and Rich Pedestals of Brass upon them Three extraordinary high Ancient Staffs to which are fastned upon Festivals and other Solemn Days the Ancient Standards of this Republick The Broglio ALL manner of Sollicitations for the accomplishing of any Business are at Venice call'd Broglio yet this expression is more Il Broglio properly applicable to those Parties and Factions which the Venetian Nobility practise in the obtaining of the Dignities But as this Name is given to the place where the Nobility Assemble to this intention so my design is to speak here of that part of St. Mark 's Place which is called The Broglio for here the Venetian Gentry daily appear to manage their Interests and form their Parties The first Place of St. Mark seems to be divided in Three Parts by the low'ring of the Pavements and the Two little Water conveyances which separate them from one another When the Nobles meet in the Morning they make use of the Piazza under the Palace of St. Mark as also one Third Part of the Place on that side When they go to the Broglio in the Afternoon they have the Piazza of the first Wing of the New Procuratory with the adjoyning part of the place so that part which they frequent in the Forenoon is defended from the Morning Sun as likewise that of the Afternoon from the declining Beams of the Sun While the Nobles are at the Broglio Two Thirds of the Place of St. Mark remains free to such whose Business calls them thither or otherwise brought out of Curiosity who are equally oblig'd not to mingle with the Nobility by entring into that space which they at those times reserve to themselves it being reasonable that they should enjoy a full liberty when they are probably Treating upon the most important and private Concerns of the State as likewise of their own most particular Interests Nevertheless they do not immediately acquaint a Stranger with his inadvertency that does unknowingly either cross or stand some time upon the Broglio much less occasion him to be detained as many imagine It is not one of the least Curiosities of Venice to see in the Morning early of the more pleasant Season a great number of the Noble Venetians even from the most elevated Dignities of the Republick to the most inferior Particulars of that Body Walking and Discoursing there saluting each other with the profoundest Reverences of Respect but much more to behold the Chiefest Senators Brigue the Suffrages of the lowest Nobility which they do with all the extraordinary demonstration of Civility although the Government doth strictly forbid such indirect Practices and forming of Parties unless it be in criminal Matters yet the Broglio may be said to be the real Market of the publick Suffrages of this State The common use of these Sollicitations at the Broglio do so well accustom the Venetian Nobility to Civility and Compliment that it is by none so well understood as by those of this Body Those several Humiliations are so necessary that when a Petitioner hapneth not to make them profound enough to their Fancy they say he is Duro di Schina or That he hath a stake in his Back for which reason he is oftentimes oblig'd to a longer Attendance than he otherwise had been especially if they sollicite any Favour of importance Which hapned not many years past to the young Mocenigo who made it his business to be re-admitted into the Body of the Nobility from which he was expelled by an irrevocable Act sentencing him to death for assassinating one Foscarini in a Box at the Play-house but as they never proceed to the execution of these Sentences upon the Nobility unless it be in things that concern the State so his Pardon pass'd the Great Council at the Second Baloation During the time of the Broglio the rest of the Place is never without great numbers of People of all Qualities and Nations of Europe Turks Armenians Persians Greeks Spaniards Germans French c. But the Morning is chiefly for the Men of Business and such of the Lawyers as are oblig'd to attend the Palace In the Afternoon the Strangers Novelists and such of the Nobles as think fit make there appearance here with many others of all sorts to divert themselves in regarding the Watermen Mountebanks Jugglers and Tooth-drawers all whose Harangues are extreamly diverting Among the many Diversions and the several Gentlemen of Industry upon this Place none are so ridiculous as the Fortune-tellers who by an attentive observation of the Face and by inspecting the Lines of the Hand taking their proportions and distances which they measure with Compasses upon the Globe persuading the silly People that they are perfectly conversant with the knowledge of things to come and for about Five pence not worth Two pence our Money they whisper to them all the secret Accidents of their Lives About this time of the day you may be sure to find the Friends and Partisans of the Two Crowns assembled in clusters about the Place who beyond all other parts of Italy with much reason and vigour descant upon the several Transactions of the Times and by the Gazetts decide the Fates of the greatest Princes Of the Ducal Palace of St. Mark THe Palace of St. Mark is a large square Building one of the two principal Fronts whereof looks towards the Sea the other upon the first Place as hath been already said They are both Adorn'd with Two Porches one above the other whose Pillars and open Arches are of common Marble but of an order of Architecture not less Rich than Ancient The Walls are quite plain but divers Red like some sort of painted Brick and dispos'd into several large Quarrels of various colours even to the very Pinnacles which are entire of Free-Stone and variously Figured The Roof is of Lead but very low yet when this Building is exactly considered the Magnificence of the Republick is apparent in all its parts The Third Front of the Palace being opposite to that which regards the Place is upon a little Canal to which you come by Gondole This part is of a more modern Architecture and from the surface of the Water for about Twelve Foot high it is cut in Diamond-square You go into it by six large Doors whose Steps are covered with Water the rest of the Front which is an extraordinary height and length with long Balconies on the First and Second Floors is of common Marble embellished with several fine Works Bas Relief and so well built that this part of the Palace seems to be of one entire Stone The Principal Gate of the Palace is in that corner of the Place
the five Sages of Terra firma There is for each place a little Seat of gilt Leather with little moving desks both high and Flat to Separate them from each other which by drawing to them when they please makes Room for such as are to have place in their Audience according to the different Characters they appear in The five Sages of the order are set upon a bench with a back to it which is plac'd below on the left hand without the Estrade and underneath the Sages of Terra firma the Secretaries of the College some of whom are Interpreters at the Audiences of Embassadours and other forreign Ministers who have their places upon a bench on the other side but at a much greater distance from the Throne of the Prince Of the Doge IT may be observed by what is said that since the Republick hath been govern'd by Doges there hath happen'd no alteration in their Method of Government which hath not tended to the Diminution of the Princes Authority insomuch that the last reform at the Serrar del Consiglio in the Year 1289 depriv'd the Doges of the Credit then remaining to them upon the Creation of that Council which was one Hundred and Seventeen Years before this reform The Senat knows perfectly well that the Liberty of the Republick is Incompatible with the Interests of a Prince that shall pretend himself to be above the Laws therefore they have not only Subjected the Doge without any manner of Reservation but they have likewise added some as to his particular which do in many cases render his condition Inferiour to that of a private Senatour thus from being formerly Prince of the Republick he is now become a meer Image and the Real shadow of that Majesty which the Senate truely preserves within the Limits of her own Power only Nevertheless they raise to the Dogal Dignity such Senatours as have most distinguish'd themselves by their particular Services and they are usually taken from being Procurators of Saint Mark or that have honourably supported the Dignity of Embassadours the Supreme command of their Fleets or that have exercis'd the Principal Functions of the State But as the Senate Introduces them into this high place to make use of their Names only in the Government so the ablest Senatours are not always the most fit Persons for that Station The advanc'd Age easy temper and the Illustrious Birth are the three principal and most essential qualities that promote them to the dignity Reason of State requires their Princes to be particularly mild and peaceable that so they may yield and submit the easier to their sentiments as have a greater share than he in the Government Dominico Contarini lately Doge did not pass through all the degrees that usually raise the Noble Venetian to this Dignity for he was at the time of his being Elected Doge improving the Pleasures of his Country Seat but he being of one of the most Illustrious Families and which hath at several times afforded Eight Doges to this Republick to which may be added an evenness of Temper an Affability so charming and his Person so Noble and Majestical that he equally gained both the Love and Veneration of the Nobility and People The Young Gentlemen especially were so taken with his Merit that I have oftentimes hear'd them say aloud upon observing of him in the Administration of the publick Functions Le adorabile quel vectio Nicolas Sagredo who succeeded him is the first Doge of this Family which is of the Second class or order of Nobility he was made for his great Merits Procurator of Saint Mark having been a great while in the most considerable Employs of the Republick and actually had the greatest share in the Government of the State Insomuch that his Elevation must be rather ascrib'd to his own perticular Merits than to the Factions of his Friends Notwithstanding the severity of the Conditions that attend the Dogal Dignity yet there were never so many known to stand for it as upon this Election or so many Persons capable to discharge the Duties of this great Place This Dignity is no ways less burthensome to the Family than it is to the Person of the Doge for his Brothers Sons and Grandsons can have no considerable Employs in the Republick which have any Affinity with the Government if they have any or chance to be Embassadours they are oblig'd to quit those Affairs upon his Election If the Doge is a Married Man his Wife is not Treated with the Title of Princesse neither hath the Senate thought fit to Crown them this last Age as being desirous either to Moderate the Ambition of the Women or to save those great Sums that were expended upon the Coronation of the last Princess Wife to the Doge Martin Crimani The particular restraint that is laid upon the persons of the Doges as likewise their ways of living and all these other Circumstances of that condition together are not sufficient to deter such Families as have given no Doges to the Republick from making their utmost Efforts to attain this Honour by which they do not only hope to bring themselves into a much greater consideration but likewise to Establish their Fortunes by the Sums they may acquire if the Doge happens to live many Years after his Election which is one of the Reasons why the Doge is Created for Life besides if it was for a certain space of time only he would not be so much consider'd in all other Courts neither would the Senate be able to keep him in the great restraint that is now imposed upon him through the Fear of being depos'd or of a retrospection into his conduct after Death to the mighty Prejudice of his whole Family As the Republick hath sometimes forc'd their Princes to assume and continue this Dignity so they have likewise depos'd others whose Age or Infirmities have rendred them useless to the State yet in reality the Republick makes a greater use of their name than their presence upon which Apprehensions the Doge never desists from going to the Colledge and all other Courts of Justice to which the Duties of his Station oblige him unless he finds himself altogether uncapable of doing it therefore I do not in the least doubt but that Dominico Contarini did expect some such Resolution upon his long Indisposition of the Palsy that deprived him for Eighteen Months of the use of one side of his Body For when any Embassadour sent to compliment him he always concluded his thanks with his being much better and that he was in hopes to see the Embassadour in a little time at the College The Doge presides in all the Councils but he is esteem'd Prince of the Republick only at the head of the Senate at the Tribunals where he assists and in the Ducal Palace of Saint Mark out of which places he hath much less Authority than some other particular Persons for he dares not engage in any business
Charges whereof the Republick defrays For which reason the first thing entred upon after the Death of the Doge is to choose three Inquisitors to examine into his Conduct to hear such Complaints as may be made against his way of Living and to do Justice to the meanest Demands at the Expence of the Inheritance whereby the Misery of the Subjection in which he lived appears not to cease with his Life It even looks as if the Republick would moderate the satisfaction which the Doge might possibly have by dying in hopes of being regreated by the Publick for the Senate assists at this Funeral Pomp in Vests of Scarlet to shew the People by the Singularity of this Ceremony that it is not the Government of the Prince which composes the Happiness of the State as likewise that the Republick being free ought not to shew any Marks of Affliction at his Death The Obsequies of the Doge are no sooner over but a Great Council of all the Nobility above Thirty is held where they choose five Persons who are to draw up the Heads of the Inaugural Oath that is the Laws which he solemnly swears to observe upon his Election These Nobles are empowered to add or retrench from them as they shall judge necessary for the good of the State by which means the Republick deprives the Doge of explaining to their disadvantage the terms of these Obligations which compose an in the Volume The Prudence of the Republick is much to be admired in her choice of the one and forty Electors of the Doge by making Merit and Fortune equally to concur to such an important Action for a long circuit of Ballotations and reciprocal Elections has render'd of no effect the designs of all Parties leaving the Families the satisfaction which almost every one of them finds in contributing to the Election of a Prince for all the Nobility that are at the Gâ—eat Council draw each of them one Ball out of an Urn in which are Thirty gilt ones Such as have the gilt Balls are by Lot reduced to the Number of Nine these Nine choose Forty which are by Lot reduced to Twelve who have the nominating of five and twenty that are afterwards reduc'd again to Nine who choose Five and forty Gentlemen out of which Number Eleven are taken by Lot and these have the Nomination of the one and Forty real Electors of the Doge After the Approbation of these Electors by the Great Council they retire into the Palace of St. Mark out of which they cannot stir until they have Elected a Doge Altho these Elections are seldom made very tedious yet the Electors have been five or six Months before they could determine the Matter for the one and forty Votes there must be twenty five of Accord to choose the Doge All the time the Electors are thus shut up they are very carefully kept and treated almost in the same manner as the Cardinals in the Conclave The first thing the Doge does upon his Election after the usual Oaths of observing the Statutes is to shew himself to the People But as the Republick does not permit him the Taste of pure Joys without the Relish of some Bitterness which may make him sensible of the Restraint and Servitude to which his Condition engages him so they bring him down through the Hall where his Body is to be expos'd after his Death Here he is complimented upon his Exaltation by the Great Chancellour to the end he may remember that in this place he shall be Examin'd when he is Dead if he hath quadrated all his Actions according to the Rules of Justice The Doge after this goes into a sort of an Engine which they call a Well that is purposely kept in the Arcenal for the use of this Ceremony It really hath the external resemblance of a Well Supported by a wooden frame like a Litter but of an Extraordinary length the two sides of whose ends are joyn'd together About two hundred men belonging to the Arcenal carry this Engine upon their Shoulders the Doge sitting in this Well with one of his Children or nearest Relations standing upright behind him who hath two Basons full of Gold and Silver medals purposely coin'd for this occasion with such figures and Inscriptions as he thinks fit which he throws among the People whilst the Doge is carrying round about the place of Saint Mark. The custom of bestowing these Liberalities upon the People was first Introduced in the Year 1172 by the Famous Doge Sebastian Ziani that Triumph'd over the Emperor Frederick the second by taking Otho Son of this Emperor Prisoner in the Naval Victory he obtain'd over him in the defence of Pope Alexander the Third The Doge thought it Necessary to shew this Liberality to the People as the sweetest charm and the most proper remedy to allay their indignation for being depriv'd of their Right of Electing the Prince which they had alone enjoyed for several Ages This Doge was moreover so Rich that he built at his own proper charge all the old Procuratories leaving besides very immense Riches to the Church of Saint Mark Insomuch as it was commonly believed among the People that he had found some mighty Treasure Of the Six Councellors of the Doge the three Presidents of the Council Criminal of Forty and of the Vice Doge AS the Dignity of Councellor to the Prince is usually thought more Honouraâ—le than judg'd necessary for them to be converiant in the important affairs of State so they are not generally the best Heads of the Republick who officiate in this Employ for they always bestow these promotions upon the eldest Senatours of the first Nobility They are Councellors for a Year yet they assist at the College no more than Eight Months the other four they preside in the Council Criminal of Forty as the three Presidents of that Chamber have likewise two Months Session in the College The Doge the Six Counsellours and the three Presidents of the Council Criminal of Forty who are called Vice Councellors represent the Seignory and give Judgment in all Priviledge causes that are pleaded at the College There are so many Councellors as there are Quarters in the City but a Noble that lives in one Ward or quarter cannot be Councellor for another for every Councellor is the chief man of the Ward Although they are call'd Councellors of the Doge yet they are in reality Councellors of the Seignory For which Reason they have a greater Power than the Doge himself seeing they can do that without him which he can only do by their presence They are cloath'd in Red and wear the Ducal Vest with great wide Sleeves all the while they are in Office whereas the Presidents of the Criminal of Forty wear the violet vest according to the common custom with narrow Sleeves They advise together upon the heads they are to propose to the Great Council yet a Councellor of the Seignory may
are usually possess'd by Nobles of the first and Second Orders that Scruple not to attain unto these Employs by others that are inferior to them and the less being there are besides the advantage of Thirty Ducates a Month Salary many opportunities of bringing themselves into consideration among the rest of the Nobility by the means of their entrance into the Senate and several other advantages which their Offices give them of attaining the principal Employs The Nobles of rich families that are desirous of the merits that are acquir'd in this Office make use of their utmost endeavors and deepest intrigues to attain unto this Magistacy without passing the other two Councils of Forty which are the usual steps to that of the Criminal but these Offices the rich Nobles infinitely esteem beneath them Of the method of proceeding in Criminal Cases UPon the committing of a Crime at Venice iâ— looks as if they applied themselves more to procure the necessary proofs of the fact than to secure the offenders And after they have got those proofs they send the Captain Grand to force open the door of his House which is searohd in much order and upon this Officers reporting that he could not find him he is Summon'd to appear at such a time more or less ample according to the enormity of the crime during which time the Criminal is safe provided he appears not at the publick places of St. Mark and Rialto he may likewise desire three farther Prolongations of time and if he sees it will not be easy to prove his innocency or to extricate himself out of the affair by the favour of a Protector he provides for his sasety by the lightness of his heels which is no very difficult matter if he hath the assistance of a Noble whose Gondalo will Transport him out of the State setting him upon the Coast of Ferrara or else the first Gondalo Lands him upon Terra firma from whence he can easily get out of the State of the Republick From whence it proceeds that the Major part of Criminals are at Venice condemn'd by contempt this being what they call Bandire but the sentence of Judgment is accompanied with these or other circumstances proportionable to the crime That the condemn'd can never purchase his favour as it is practis'd at Venice that he who kills him within the States of the Republick shall have such a Summ which shall be payed double if he kills him in another Country And if the crime does any ways sensibly touch the Republick they add to this reward the power of pardon to another Criminal that so they may deprive the Offender of all means of Security Yet it happened notwithstanding the Sentence of the Council of Ten against the young Mocenigo for shooting of Foscarini as before observed was accompanied with all the rigour that is usual in the greatest offences against the State the Betrayers of their Country and the intacco di cassa which is the Embezelling of the Publick Treasure that this Noble had his pardon and was re-establish'd in his Estate and Nobility When the Offender is in prison and his case ready to be heard the Avogador orders it upon what day he pleases at which time the Criminal is brought to the feet of the Judges where he alledges all he can against him exaggerating the crime with all the Circumstances that can render it odious always concluding with the merits of a very vigorous punishment In all these publick Actions as likewise in the Speeches that are made in the Senate and in the Great Council the Nobility and Lawyers are to speak no other than the Venetian Language excepting in the Introductions of their discourses where they may make use of the pure Italian if they can or otherwise this affectation would undoubtedly cause a ridiculous Emulation which must at length render them unintelligible to the Publick Besides the natural Language is most consistent with the dignity of the Nation which of late times is much improved in regard to what it was for I have observed that in their Pleadings they affect a masculine stile which words and expressions have much of the Latin Tongue and likewise seem to have a greater force and Energy than those of the Tuscan The Counsel for the Party replies to all the heads of the accusation in short he Employs his whole force and runs through all the figures of Retorick in his pleading to move the Judges to pity he even descends from the chair where he speaks throws himself at their feet with the Offender his wife and his Children all in tears to implore the mercy of the Bench. This Melancholly Spectacle which resembles the custom of the ancient Romans inspires so much pity to the Assenbly that it even causes tears from the most obdurate Natures There is always a great Number of People at these Criminal causes who sit on each side and upon the steps of the Tribunal that is very much raised from the Floor but it is very Surprising to see the most part of them that come hither out of curiosity sitting in masks between the Judge and the Criminal It is one of the Privileges of that Venetian Liberty which this Republick so mightily boasts of After the Council hath spoke every body retires and then they ballot the Opinion of the Avogadors against that proposed by the Judges which is the most moderate so the plurality of balls decides it they do moreover determine by ballotation all the Circumstances of the Punishment and in this manner these Judges pass Sentence of Life and Death without being oblig'd to express the Reason of their Opinions or without knowing who is either for or against the Criminal as they are the Masters and Sovereigns so no Body examines if they have the Necessary knowledge or taken their degrees in the Faculties of the Law to render them Capable of these Judicatures But they Judge according to their Laws as do the Officers in an Army according to the Military Statutes their conscience and their Natural Lights are the Principal Rules of their Judgment The greatest Inconveniency in the Justice of Venice is the great length of time before they proceed to the Trials of Criminal Matters usually letting the offender Lie and Rot in their Miserable Prisons for to Expiate as they say some part of their Crime by this long Punishment Yet what seems to me more Rigorous are the frequent condmnations to dark Prisons for Eight Ten or more Years and often for Life for the Hideousness of their Prisons which are almost under Water is certainly something more Terrible than Death it self Moreover the Republick having great occasions for Slaves Sentence of Condemnation to the Galleys is pass'd for very small Crimes But the abuse that reigneth at Venice of shewing Favour for Money must certainly be a very Dangerous Maxim Notwithstanding the considerable Profit of the invention which brings Great Treasures to the Republick yet it is an Encouragement to
great numbers of them are tumbled into the Canal who notwithstanding their being cloathed do seem no more concern'd than if they had fell upon Straw Such as do not Fight on these Occasions use their utmost Endeavours to excite their Parties to behave themselves Gallantly The Venetian Gentlemen encourage the Contenders by sometimes promising them to Reward their Courage It has several times happenned that some of these Nobles have been so zealous for the Reputation of their Factions that through Indignation to those of their Party that have not behav'd themselves to their Minds they have gone from the Bridge and stripping themselves of their Vests have espous'd the Party with the best of their Endeavours by their Example inspiring Courage to the Vanquish'd and bringing them off with Victory or at least by having more Honourably contended for it The Battel-Array is a General Engagement that is made between the two Factions but with all the necessary Precautions that can be taken between the Parties to render the Fight more Equal that so the Glory may be entire to the Victorious When Cardinal Chigi was at Venice Cardinal Delfino that Entertain'd him was very desirous to have shewn him this Diversion and was accordingly a considerable time Negotiating with the Heads of both the Parties to induce them to a general and famous Battel The Difficulties were so great that the Cardinal in Person sollicited those of the Artisans that had the greatest Authority in their Factions He went to their Shops caress'd intreated and promis'd them to bestow a considerable Prize on the Victorious Matters were at length agreed on a Bridge was chosen upon the Key of the Incurables which is very spacious The Steps were made larger that were something smaller than those on the other side of the Bridge and certain Places of the Key were taken in with Planks which otherwise would have permitted more space to the Nicoletti's than it was possible for the Castelans to have The Fury of the Combat wholly possess'd the Thoughts of the People nothing else was discours'd among them insomuch that it seem'd as if the entire Overthrow of one of the Parties was at hand But the Presidents of the Council of Ten with much reason fearing that this Animosity which had hitherto never appear'd so great might be attended with dangerous Consequences thought it absolutely requisite to forbid the Battel So unless these Parties do secretly agree between themselves there is no general Battel or Guerra ordinata to be seen yet when it happens the greatest part of the Combatants provide themseves with Back and Breast-Pieces of Gilt Pastboard which they put over their Naked Bodies both for the finery of the Shew as also to break the force of their Adversaries Stroaks The Victory of this Battel consists in getting Possession of the Bridge for which reason it do's not so much depend upon the dint of Blows as upon the Endeavours of both Parties to drive away their Adversaries Yet that the Dispute may begin upon equal Terms the Combatants put themselves in order The first Ranks are brought close to each other upon the very Center of the Bridge Then they begin to break each others Ranks with the greatest Fury but being well supported and each side alternatively push'd by the other such violent Efforts are usually made by the great number of Contenders that they in the first Ranks are of course born from the Ground or the main Bodies being closer join'd than the Flanks those of both the Right and Left sides are consequently so violently press'd by the Center as they are sometimes forc'd to leap into the Water by Ffties and Sixties at a time In this Condition only the first Ranks of the two Parties are able to Fight who are yet oblig'd to hold their Hands up to have the free Exercise of them The hindmost are sure to get upon their Companions and passing over their Heads go to Attack their Enemies whose Noses and Faces would undoubtedly suffer without any Danger to the Assailants if they of the contrary Party did not take the same Method insomuch that the Fight of this second Story becomes more terrible than the other In which Occasions the utmost Endeavours being repeated with all imaginable Fury to bring each others Flanks into Disorder the greatest Confusions happen at which time they are born by Crowds into the Canal Insomuch that it is really wonderful that these Fights are not terminated with the Death of a great many of the Combatants Besides the Heat of their Contention do's so Animate this Multitude of People and the Indignation of the Inferior Party is so great that they would undoubtedly betake themselves to their Arms if the Order was not very exact and rigorous in preventing the Danger of these Accidents However it has sometimes happen'd that the Pavement of the Key has been torn up to make use of the Stones for want of other Arms whereby it is not without some reason that this Fight is call'd by the Venetians una stragge di Christiani The Rejoycings of the Victorious are continu'd for three Days after the Fight for which purpose a Boat is Adorn'd with Garlands and a great Crown hung in the middle which they conduct with Beat of Drum thro' all the Canals and Quarters of their Party as likewise to the Houses of the Nobles as most espous'd their Cause who always bestow some Money or Barrels of Wine on them to Solemnize the Glory of the Victory By Night they walk up and down with Flambeau's of Straw follow'd by the Boys who run after them on the Keys perpetually Huzzaing the Name of their Faction The Vanquished are on the contrary so mortifi'd as some of them dare not return to their Habitations for their Wives have sometimes not only refus'd them Entrance but driven them away reviling their Cowardize with the most injurious Terms Via di qua infami por chi vituperosi FINIS