A Book of Voyages. Patrick O’Brian
my former letter, I must again declare to you, that since we see this republick support itself with so much honour and reputation for so many ages, it must of necessity be allow’d this commendation, of being govern’d by the rules of the most refin’d policy. This is the way men judge, deducing the causes from the effects. And tho’ experience shews us, that all things which are excellently contriv’d, do not equally succeed, yet, for the most part, we find, that fortune is the consequence of prudence, and that those which are best order’d, have generally the most prosperous event.
Now, as for the magistrates who govern, I will not pretend to give you any particular or general account of them, because I remember to have often seen the books of Contarini and Giannotti in your hands; so that I might better be inform’d by you in that point, than otherwise. But as to the place where they assemble, I must acquaint you, that the chamber of the great council is all over masterly painted, and will easily hold a thousand men. There are rows of benches about so order’d, that tho’ there are seats on both sides, no man turns his back upon another, but they are all face to face. At one end of this hall, where the floor is somewhat raised, is the Doge’s seat, fixed in the wall, with benches on both sides. On that which is on his right sit three counsellors, and one of the heads of the Quarantie, or council of forty; and on his left, a like number of counsellors, and the other two heads of the Quarantie. Opposite to the Doge, that is, at the other end of the hall, sits one of the heads of the council of ten, and at a small distance, one of the advocates of the commons. In the middle are two Censors, some steps above the floor of the hall; and to conclude, in the angles are the old and new auditors.
I have taken great pleasure these days in hearing some trials before the council of twelve, and the Quarantie; for the advocates did not talk, but roar; not argue, but scold; and that their way of pleading would make a statue burst with laughing. On the other hand, they have this very commendable custom, that they only endeavour to gain the judges by proper words, and arguments drawn from natural reason, and well digested, according to the rules of rhetorick, without perplexing themselves with quotations and precedents: the reason whereof perhaps is, because those judges are not always very well read in the civil, and much less in the canon law; and therefore no proofs are at first offer’d, but only a plain bill of what is requir’d, Besides, the most famous advocate, is not allow’d to speak above an hour and an half; a custom, as I take it, observed by the ancients, who measur’d the time allotted for that purpose, by a water hour-glass; whence they said dare aquam, and dicere ad horam; that is, to allow water, which was the measure of the time, and to speak by the hour: as I think I have read in Quintilian; and once observ’d a curious place of Philostratus, in the life of Apollonius Thyanæus. Those who spoke by this rule, dicebant. ad clepsydram, talk’d by the water hour-glass; and therefore Martial, scoffing at one Cæcilianus, said,
Septem clepsydras magnä tibi voce petenti,
Arbiter invitus, Cæciliane, dedit.
At tu multa diu dicis: vitreisque tepentem
Ampullis potas semisupinus aquam.
Ut tandem saties vocemque, sitimque, rogamus,
Jam de clepsydra, Cæciliane, bibas.
Which is to this effect. Cæcilianus, the judge, much against his will, allows you to plead whilst seven glasses are running, which you demand with much clamour. You talk much a long while together, and to refresh you, take off several glasses of warm water. That you may at length satiate your voice and your thirst, we intreat you, Cæcilianus, to drink out of the hour-glass.
But methinks, to repeat such things to you, who are so well acquainted with them, by continual reading of good authors, is like carrying of flowers to Flora, and fruit to Alcinous. However it is, the judges give their opinions after this manner: To denote the affirmative judgment, they put a white ball, made of linen, into a vessel of the same colour; for the negative, a green ball into a green vessel; and in a doubtful case, a reddish one, which neither affirms nor denies, into a red vessel; all this in open court, and before the parties themselves. The best custom, in my mind, is, that every one may be there present with his cap or hat on his head, perhaps in token of liberty, or even mask’d, as every one pleases. But what a heinous crime this would be in Naples!
Adjoining to the grand council, is the armory, not furnish’d with any great store of arms, but with the curiousest and rarest armour in Europe; for, besides what the republick itself has bought at several times, and upon sundry occasions, a great quantity has been presented them by the most potent monarchs, very wonderful both for workmanship and value. Among the rest is remarkable, an engine, which at once fires four thousand muskets, and might be of good use upon any mutiny of the people, or such other sudden accident. There are innumerable Turkish colours, tho’ there must be more of the Venetians at Constantinople. Among the greatest rarities, is a crystal fountain, and St. Mark’s head, drawn with a pen, in which the strokes are not plain lines, but contain the whole gospel of our Saviour’s Passion, almost invisible to the eye, so that it cannot be read without a very convex magnifying glass. The provost marshal of Venice, call’d the great captain, has charge of this place, and when I was there I had like to have taken him for a bishop, for he had on a long purple robe, lin’d with crimson damask, and edg’d with furs, and a cap on his head like those the noblemen wear. This post is worth three thousand ducats a year.
On Candlemas Day in the evening, I went to Santa Maria Formosa, because the Doge was to be there, according to antient custom. Touching the original of this practice, it is to be observ’d, that in former ages, the most beautiful maids in Venice, and the adjacent ports on the continent, were given in marriage to those who offer’d most money for them; and then that money was distributed among the ugliest, for them to get husbands by their portions. This good custom having multiply’d the people, another yet better was introduced, which was, that after the betrothing, all the maidens were conducted back to St. Pietro a Castello, call’d Olivole, carrying their portion with them, and there they staid all Candlemas night. The bridegrooms coming in the morning, with all their kindred, they heard the high mass together, and then the nuptial ceremonies being perform’d, they return’d home joyfully with their beloved brides. The Istrians, who were then enemies to the city, knowing this custom, laid hold of the opportunity, and coming over privately by night, in well-rigg’d vessels, carry’d off both the maids and their portions, before any could rescue them. This accident causing a mighty uproar in Venice, abundance of vessels were fitted out in an hour; but particularly by the inhabitants of Santa Maria Formosa’s ward, who overtaking the ravishers at Caorle, where they were dividing the booty, made a most bloody slaughter of them, and brought home again the afflicted ladies, with all the rest that had been taken away. These people being order’d by the nobility boldly to ask any reward for their bravery, answer’d, We desire nothing but that you be obliged, in memory of this action, to come once a year, with your prince, to our church. The Doge reply’d, And what if it should happen to rain on that day? Then, said they, we will send you hoods to keep you dry, and if you are thirsty we will also make you drink. In pursuance of which promise, the joyners, and fruiterers, send the prince two hoods on Candlemas day, with two bottles, the one of white the other of red wine, stopp’d with oranges, which are afterwards placed on two stands by the high altar in the said church. Such a sort of ceremony is perform’d by the fathers of mount Olivet towards the patriarch, on Ascension-day, presenting him with a bason full of pick’d chestnuts.
Being come into the church, I saw, in the first place, a canopy of crimson damask set up for the Doge, on the right side of the altar, all the wall being hung with the same.
When it was time to begin the even song, he sat down under it, and the French embassador at a small distance from him. On both sides sat several senators and counsellors, some more some less raised up from the ground, according to their degree and quality. When the Magnificat was begun, he took a lighted candle into his hand, and, the solemnity being over, went away to his boat. The attendance was as follows, first went the clergy of the church with their cross, then follow’d the senators and counsellors, according to their rank, clad in crimson damask, and such of them as had been embassadors, by way of distinction, had an edging of gold-colour cloth embroider’d. Next came