A Book of Voyages. Patrick O’Brian
kneel on, and the other a little folding stool, like those the bishops use upon some occasions. Then the Doge himself had an under garment, or tunick, of a rich white silk, and the upper or vest, crimson lin’d in ermin; his cap was also of white silk, with the usual ducal point, or horn. He is of stature low, but of a good constitution, tho’ seventy years of age, very pleasant, well spoken, good, and gracious. After him, besides the person carrying the train, came a nobleman with a naked tuck in his hand, and another courtier carrying the umbrello. The two Gondolas, or boats, which he and all the company went in, were curiously glazed and adorn’d with a beautiful covering of crimson damask, on which were his arms, and those of St. Mark. Each of them was rowed by four men, clad in red. The great captain also appear’d that day in his robes, his very upper garment being of crimson damask, edg’d with furs of the same colour. In short, he looks like something more than a mean provost, in his habit and behaviour.
The next day the Doge went to St. Mark’s, with the same attendance but clad in white brocade, the upper garment of gold, and the under of silver. At his entring into the church he had holy water brought him by a canon; and then he went into the choir and sate down before the high altar, on a seat made in the wall like a pulpit, without a canopy. Close by, on a low seat, was the French embassador, and the emperor’s, the Spanish never being present, on account of some controversy about precedence; but they had a desk to kneel at without cushions. After the Doge had kiss’d the Gospel, and been thrice incensed, the embassadors kiss’d it, and each was twice incensed: After the consecration, the same was repeated, every senator was once incensed, that is, the censer once wav’d to him, and kiss’d the image of St. Mark, as the others had done before. Four canons came twice and bow’d to the Doge, and he at the offertory gave them a piece of gold. When out of the church, he stopp’d before the giants, and having dismiss’d all those great men, retir’d to his apartment.
I cannot at present acquaint you with any thing else that is curious, except that yesterday the council often sate, on account of a barbarous murder, committed on a design of robbing, by one Andino Furno of Torino, on the body of his master, who was a good priest; and this very day he was beheaded between the columns of the Brojo, or the publick place for voting, and his body quarter’d, a great multitude looking on; for no man has been executed these four years. I am sorry this letter should end with a doleful relation; but I ought to be much more concern’d for troubling you so long with my simple tales, so wishing you all happiness, &c.
LETTER IV
Of the arsenal, mint, Jews quarter, churches, &c.
VENICE, FEBRUARY THE 12th, 1686
I have been above this hour puzzling my brain, to begin to write handsomely; and whether it be my misfortune, or my dullness that occasions it, I do not see any likelihood of succeeding; so that this bout, instead of patience, you must afford me your compassion, looking on me as a man quite beside myself among so many opera’s, plays, masks, sports, entertainments, and delights; but now give me leave to acquaint you, in short, with what I have seen this week.
The famous arsenal of this city, is a place wall’d in, about three miles in compass. Here about two thousand men are continually at work, upon all things necessary for ships, either of war or merchants. Here are great numbers of galleys, galeasses, transports and other great ships; some of them newly begun, others further advanc’d, and others finished, under very large and spacious arches; besides those taken from the Turks, which lie about in several places, as monuments of the Venetian valour. In one place you may see a numerous train of artillery, with all things belonging to it; in another match, ball, bombs, grenadoes, and all such sorts of inventions. Here are breast-plates, belly-pieces, helmets, and bucklers; there pikes, swords, scymitars, spears, bows, and guns; there sails, rudders, anchors, cables, each of them in a several storehouse. In short, this looks like the palace of Mars, furnish’d both with armour for defence, and weapons for slaughter; so that they can in an hour fit out fifty galleys, and twenty galeasses.
The mint is under the court of the procurators in St. Mark’s square, where they coin gold, silver, and brass, not with a mill, but the hammer; and in some rooms there are chests of money, belonging to private citizens, who leave it there for more security, as we use to put it into the banks.
The Jews quarter is a spacious place, and has something in it worth a curious man’s observation; as the school where they teach Hebrew, and several synagogues. I went into one call’d the Spanish, because those of that nation meet in it, and saw those wretches sitting on long benches, saying their fruitless prayers, with hoods on their heads, and a white clout on their shoulders, with tassels at the four corners. Their Rabbi sate at one end of the room on a chair, somewhat raised from the ground, who cry’d out like a mad man, the other Jews answering at times. I was full of admiration when I saw five books taken from under the altar, written on vellum, being kept between two tables cover’d with silk, and silver plates. They were carried to the Rabbi for him to read a while, according to their superstitious rites. I was told they were the books of Moses, and that when they were to be copy’d, the transcriber must be a month in purifying himself for that work, nor eat any thing on the days he writes, and make fresh ink in a very clean vessel; adding, that in case one single point were amiss, the whole copy would be look’d upon as erroneous. Next I went up to the galleries where the women meet, where I found a bride, who told me, she had been a month upon her purification, before she could be admitted to that place.
As for the churches I have hitherto seen, the finest in my opinion are, that of the barefoot Carmelites, remarkable for its famous marble frontispiece, and the sixteen statues within it; La Salute, which is oval, and adorn’d both within and without, with incomparable marble statues; that of St. John and Paul, which is spacious enough, and has many chapels, embellish’d with many marble statues, especially that of our lady. In this church-yard, on a large pedestal, stands a brass statue a-horseback, representing Bartholomew Coglione of Bergamo, a renowned soldier in his time, and as such remarkable at the famous battle of Lepanto against the Turks. That of St. George, of the fathers of Cassino, is also rich in statues, both brass and marble, and valuable for its magnificent choir. The library of this place must be allow’d to be one of the best in the city, as well for the number as the variety and choice of books, not to mention the curious binding, the fine cases, all shut up with the clearest glasses, and the noble statues and pictures; for in my opinion, the true ornament of libraries consists in the books themselves, and all the rest is the contrivance of idle persons, who do not much apply themselves to reading. The garden also deserves to be taken notice of for its stately walks, most artfully adorn’d with tall and thick cypress trees, and odoriferous myrtles, and cover’d over with several choice vines.
I shall not say any thing of S. Mark at this time, for fear of growing too tedious; but shall reserve it for the next week. I shall now only add, that the cloaths here are every where excessive costly, and the masks wonderful extravagant, thanks to the vast multitude of strangers resorting hither this year; and many things would have been done, had not the senate forbid all persons wearing gold or silver, much less jewels; as also sitting to talk together under the arches of St. Mark. However, no man forbears diverting himself as he best likes. There is continual revelling and dancing; gaming in all parts; every where comedies and serenades; and to say all in a word, Venice at these times is the habitation of the graces, and of all sorts of delight. Yet amidst these universal pleasures, some things happen which provoke tears, or at least compassion. Yesterday, in the afternoon, a new-marry’d man carry’d his wife mask’d into the aforesaid place of St. Mark, where he stepping a little aside upon some occasion, she was taken away by two masks, who having feasted with her at an inn, vanish’d, and the poor wretch being left by herself, was fain to pawn her bracelets to the host, for the mischievous entertainment. Is not this as pleasant an adventure as any you have heard at home? But if I should tell you that I am myself become a knight-errant, would it not make you laugh? On Saturday, as soon as I got into the street, a mask took me by the hand, having a scarlet coat on his back, with gold lace, a garment much used here, and invited me to go drink some muskadine wine. This he did after such a manner, and as familiarly, as if he had been very long well acquainted with me, so that suspecting nothing, I freely went along with him; but when I came to unmask to see who it was, alas! I found a woman. God knows what art I used to get off clear from her, being well satisfy’d