A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 162 – Subpart 165
A Description of the City of Venice, with her Rarities, which was begun to bee built Anno Christi 421. upon the 25th of March, and upon seventy and two Islands.
This Wonder of Cities, is seated in the bosome, or betwixt the Armes of the Adriatick Sea: It is built upon four thousand Islands, and is (as it were) chained together by four thousand Bridges. The occasion which made these watry Isles a mansion for men, was when that Northern Deluge of Goths, Vandals, Huns, and Longobards did overflow all Italy, the people of all sorts fled to these lakes, to avoid the land torrent that was like to swallow them up; and finding the Air to bee gentle, and fit for habitation, and propagation, they pitched their Tents upon these Isles, and associated them by conjoyning Bridges.
There are seventy two Isles that support Venice: and the nearest part of the Continent is five miles distant: There are banks, and ditches cast up to preserve her from the impetuousnesse of the waves of the Sea, extending in length above six miles. Shee is above eight miles in circuit. Through the banks in seven places, there are passages broken for boats, but not for bigger vessels. Besides there be above twenty thousand Gondolaes, or Boats, which ply up and down perpetually, in each of which are two rowers at least, so that upon occasion, shee can suddenly make an Army of above fifty thousand Gondoliers. Shee hath for her Motto, Nec fluctu, nec flatu movetur. Nor winds, nor waves can stir her.
Her Fabriques, publick and private are extraordinary specious, and sumptuous, and her streets so neat, and evenly paved, that in the depth of winter a man may walk up, and down in a pair of Sattin Pan-tables, and Crimson Silk stockings, and not bee dirtied. There are above two hundred Palaces fit to receive any Prince with his ordinary retinue: Her situation is so rare, every street almost having an arm of the Sea running thorow it; and her structures so magnificent, and neat, that shee ravisheth therewith all strangers that come to visit her.
She hath in her one hundred and fifty Churches, and Monasteries: but especially three things worthy of sight, viz. St. Mark's Church and Steeple, the Treasury, and the Arsenal.
St. Mark's Church is built throughout with rare Mosaique work, and yet the furniture of the Church surpasseth the Fabrique in richnesse; Her walls are inlaid in many places with precious stones of diverse colours, and in such a manner, that they seem rather to be the work of Nature, than of Art.
It is built in the form of a Crosse, whose corners are highly vaulted, and covered with bright Lead, as all the rest of the Church is. The whole Bulk is supported with most curious Arches joyned together by marvellous Art. The inside from the middle to the highest part thereof glistereth with gold, and the concavity of the vaults is enriched with divers curious, and antick pictures. That which is from the gilding down to the pavement, is excellently joyned together with goodly Tables of Marble, by whose pleasant veins in form of rays, the eyes of the beholders are rather fed than satisfied. The seats below are of an extraordinary red stone, like to Porphyry, the Pavement is all of Marble engraven with diverse figures wholly different, and of various colours: There are sundry Columnes and Tables of Parian, Spartan, and Numidian work, that environ the seats on both sides the Quire. The entrance into the Church on both sides, is in a manner of the same trimming: while gilded Arches are sustained without, by more than three hundred exquisite Pillars, the space between those Pillars being filled with choyce Tables of Marble. On the height of this entrance, are four great brazen horses all gilded over, in a posture as if running, and neighing. All this bears up the highest top of the Church divided into six Steeples, every of which is like a Pyramid, and hath on the sharpest point thereof, a white Marble Statue of a naked man standing upright. Divers other representations delightfull to the eye, and wrought with exceeding skill, do beautify the spaces between the Steeples, and all that which is vaulted underneath is covered with Gold▪ In sum, there is no place in the whole Church, either within, or without, but it's either adorned with Marble, Gold, or precious stones; so that the two Columnes of Alabaster, and the Chalcedony stones which are in the middest of the pavement, are accounted the least curiosities.
The Arsenal of Venice is one of the greatest Magazines of Armes in all the World; It's three miles in compasse, wherein there are above three hundred Artificers, perpetually at work, who make, and repair all things that belong thereto. This Arsenal hath armes to furnish two hundred thousand men, and hath constantly belonging to it two hundred Gallies in Dock, or abroad in course, besides Galliasses, and Galleons, with all provisions necessary for them. Amongst the Armors, are one thousand coats of plate; garnished with gold, and covered with velvet, so that they are fit for any Prince in Christendome.
The Treasury of St. Mark is cried up through the World: They say there is enough in it to pay six Kings Ransomes. There are Jewels of all sorts, and sizes, Diamonds, Rubies, Saphires, Emerauds, Cups of Agat… of an huge bigness. The great Diamond which Henry the third gave when hee was made a Gentleman of Venice: There you may see an Armour all of massie Gold, beset all over with great Pearles, Turkies, Rubies, and all manner of precious stones, in such a quantity, and bigness, that they alone would make a rich Treasury. There are also twelve Corslets of Gold beset with precious stones. There is an huge Gold chain that reacheth from Pillar to Pillar: Diverse Chests of Gold, and amongst others, one great Iron Chest with this inscription, When this Chest shall open, the whole earth shall tremble. There are two large Unicorn's horns. A great Bottle made of a Chalcedonian stone transparent, and clear, which will hold above a quart. There is a Garnet of a vast size, formed into the shape of a Kettle which will hold neer a Gallon. There are many Crosses, and Crucifixes of massie Gold beset with Jewells of all sorts: There are the Crowns of Cyprus, and Candy, as also that of the Dukes of Venice all inlaid with choyce rich Diamonds, great Rubies, Emerauds, Saphires, and other stones that would beget astonishment in the beholders. In that of the Dukes, there is one great Ruby worth an hundred thousand Crowns. There are Cups of sundry formes cut out of rich stones, with dishes of sundry kinds. There are divers presses full of plate, huge, and massy, with Statues of Silver, and large Chalices of gold, and variety of other rich things, the worth whereof no eye is able to judge. There are moreover twelve Crowns of massie Gold, which were taken at the sacking of Constantinople, when the French, and Venetians divided the spoyles. Pacheco the Spanish Ambassadour, comming to see this Treasury, fell a groping whether it had any bottom, and being asked why? answered; In this amongst other things, my great Masters's Treasure, differs from yours, in that his hath no bottom, as I finde yours to have. Alluding to the Mines in Mexico, and Potofi.
In one of its Islands called Murano, Crystall Glasses are made where you may see a whole street; on the one side having above twenty Furnaces perpetually at work both day, and night. If one of these Furnaces bee removed to any other Island, or but to the other side of the street, though they use the same men, materials, and fuel, yet can they not make Glasse in the same perfections for beauty, and lustre, as in this place. Howels Survey.
The City of Padua Described.
Padua is a City within the Venetian Territories, and was erected into an Academy. Anno Christi 1222. Shee is famous every where for a Seminary of the best Physicians, and hath a Garden of great variety of Simples. It was formerly girt with a treble wall: but a double contents her now, which hath very deep ditches round about: For the River Brent with vast charges, and labour was brought to this City, which hath much advantaged her, both for Strength, and Navigation: It is situated in a most pleasant, and plentiful plain, enjoying a sweet temperate Clime, with a singular good soil, by reason of the Neighbourhood of the Eugonian Mountains on the West side of it. Her circumference is neer upon seven miles; Her Temples, and dwelling houses, both publike and private, are more magnificent than elsewhere. Shee hath six stately Gates: Five large Market-places, within the walls twenty two great Churches, twenty three Monasteries, twenty nine Nunneries. She hath the most renowned Hall for publike Justice of any City in Italy, covered all over with Lead, and yet propped by no pillars. The Council-Court hath gates, and Columes of Marble; Shee hath twenty eight Bridges, Arched over the Brent which runns thorow her. She hath very spatious Piazza's: Shee hath six Hospitalls, three for the poor, and three for Pilgrims. Shee hath a place called Monte de Pieta, set up on purpose to root out the Jews usury, who used to demand twenty per cent: for Brocage: Shee hath other two Hospitals for Orphans, and poor children. There are thirty eight thousand Crowns deposited in the hands of several persons of quality (to whom the poorer sort may repair with their pawns, and if it bee under thirty shillings, they pay no use for their mony, if it bee above, they pay five per centum) for relieving the poor.
The City of Millan described.
The City of Millan in Italy lies within a stately wall of ten miles compasse. Its situated in a great Plain, and hath about it green Hills, delightful Meadows, navigable Rivers, enjoyes an wholesome air, and the fertile Country about it, furnisheth it with all store of necessary provision. The City it self is thronged with Artisans of all sorts. There bee many stately Churches in it, and before that of St. Lorenzo there stand sixteen Marble Pillars, being a remnant of the Temple of Hercules. But of all the Churches, the Cathedral is most costly. 'Tis all of white Marble, and about it are five hundred Statues of the same: There is a late building added to it which is very glorious, especially for the huge Pillars of Granito, an excellent sort of Marble: Private mens houses also in Millan are not inferiour to those of other Cities in Italy. The streets are of a more that common breadth, and there are very many Gardens within the Walls. The greatest Hospital in Italy is that in Millan, which is a square of Columnes, and Porches six hundred Roods about, seeming fitter to bee a Court for some King, than an Hospital for the poor. The Castle in Millan is accounted by all Engineers the fairest, and strongest Citadel in Europe. Riamund's Mer. Ital.
The City of Naples described.
Naples the Metropolis of that Kingdome, stands upon the shore of the Mediterranean Sea: Its reckoned the third City in Italy, and so great are the delights that nature hath allotted to this place, that it is still frequented by persons of great quality. The streets of it are generally well paved, of free stone, large, and even: The houses are very uniform, built flat on the top to walk on; a notable convenience in those hot Countries. Another like accommodation which this City hath against the heat, is the Mole, which is an Artificial street casting it self into the Sea, whither all the Gentry at the evenings resort to take the Fresco. Amongst the Palaces that of the Vice-Kings is the fairest: It hath three Castles; and the Churches generally are very curious and costly, filled with Marble Statues. This City is exceeding populous, and consequently vicious: Hee that desires to live a chaste life must not set up there: For as their Gardens are well filled with Oranges, so their houses want not Lemmons; there are usually thirty thousand Courtesans registred that pay taxes for their pleasure.
Near unto Naples is Virgil's Tomb upon an high Rock. And the Crypta Neapolitana in the rocky Mountain Pausylippus, cut thorow, very high, spacious, and well paved, so that for the space of a mile, two Coaches may go on front under the earth: In the midst is a Madonna, with a Lamp perpetually burning. Not far off is the Hill of Brimstone, on which neither grass nor any herb grows; but 'tis all white with ashes, and ever casts out of several holes a continual smoak, with flames, making the very earth to boil: The ground is hollow underneath, and makes an hideous noise, if struck upon with an hammer. On the other side Naples, is the Mountain of Vesuvius, brother to Aetna, upon the top whereof is a terrifying spectacle, viz. a Vorago, or hole about three miles in compass, and half as much in depth, and in the midst is a new hill that still vomits thick smoak which the fire within hath raised within these few years, and it still daily increaseth. Pliny the Naturalist being too inquisitive after the cause of this fire, changed life for death upon this Mountain. Idem.
Virgil made a Talisman, or Brazen Fly, which hee set upon one of the Gates of the City of Naples, which for the space of eight years kept all manner of Flies from comming into the City. Gaffarels Unheard of Curiosities. part. 2. chap. 7. See more there.