Part 5
The applauding Italian sayth, that Europe is the head of the World, Italy the face of Europe, and Venice the eye of Italy; and indeed, it is the strongest, and most active part of that powerfull body: Whereby it would appeare, that in the last subversion of the latter [The Venetians are sprung of the Romans.] Monarchy, the Romane Genius made a Pythagoricall transmigration into Venice; whose peace hath procured the plenty, and whose warres the peace of all Christendome. The lawes of this City permit not the younger sonnes of the best Gentry to marrie, least the number increasing should deminish the dignity: Yet neverthelesse they permit them unlawfull pleasures, and for their sakes allow publicke stewes. The Jewes here, and in Rome, weare red, and yellow hats for notice sake, to distinguish them from others: which necessary custome (would to God) were enjoyned to all the Papists here in England, so should we easily discerne them from the true Christians. And finally, to discourse upon the provision of their magnificent Arsenall, Artillery, Munition and Armor, the division of streetes with channels, the innumerable bridges of stone and timber, their accustomable kind of living, apparell, curtesies, and conventions; and finally, the glory of Gallants, Galleries, Gallies, Galleasses and Gallouns, were a thing impossible for me briefly to relate. Wherefore since the situation thereof, and the decorements of their beautifull Palaces, are so well knowne, and their generall customes by the better sort, I desist, concluding thus; this incomparable mansion is the onely Paragon of all Cities in the World.
Mine aforesaid Consort and I having spent ten dayes in viewing and reviewing this City and circumjacent Isles, and my purpose reaching for Greece and Asia, as his was to recrosse the snowy Alpes, my muse remembreth our sad departure.
[Mr. Arthur his farewell from Venice.] Now freindly Arthur left me, courts the Maine Of pleasant Lombardy: By Trent againe Beares through the Alpes, in his Tirolian wayes, And past Bavaria, where Danubio strayes He fell on Rhyne, and downe these curlings came: Then shipd for Albion, neare to Ratterdame: And coasting Isis, viewd that royall court, Where once Appollo did in glory sport; Fraught with Ambrosian nectar; crownd his daies On Pindus tops, to have Mecenas praise This light ohumbrat, Arthur courts the North [The Earle of Glencairne.] And servd a noble Earle of auncient worth Full eighteene yeares: till death that darts our woe First smote his Lord and then his Countesse so: Now they are fled, and he is left alone Till heavens provide his hopes some happy one Which if to his desert, such fortune came, A Princely service, might his merit clayme. Where wishing both his fate, and worth to be I'le Venice leave, and visit Lombardie.
In the time of my staying here, I went forth to Lombardy, and visited the famous Cities of Padua, Verona, and Ferrara. The commendation of which is celebrated in these verses:
Extollit Paduam, juris studium, & medicinæ. Verona, humanæ dat singula commoda vitæ. Exhaurit loculos ferrarea ferrea plenos.
In Padua I stayed three moneths learning the Italian tongue, and found there a Countrey Gentleman of mine, Doctor John Wedderburne a learned Mathametician, but now dwelling in Moravia, who taught me well in the language, and in all other respects exceeding friendly to me. Padua is the most melancholy City of Europe, the cause onely arising of the narrow passage of the open streets, and of the long galleries and dark-ranges of pillars, that goe alwhere on every hand of you, through the whole streets of the Towne: The Schollers here in the night commit many murthers against their privat adversaries, and too often executed upon the stranger and innocent, and all with gun-shot or else stilettoes: for beastly Sodomy, it is as rife here as in Rome, Naples, Florence, Bullogna, Venice, Ferrara, Genoa, Parma not being exempted, nor yet the smallest Village of Italy: A monstrous filthinesse, and yet to them a pleasant pastime, making songs, and singing Sonets of the beauty and pleasure of their Bardassi, or buggerd boyes.
I commend the devotion of Venice and Genua, beyond all the other Cities of Italy; for the Venetians have banished the Jesuites out of their Territories and Ilands: [A comparison of Jewes and Jesuits.] And the Genueses have abandoned the society of Jewes, and exposed them from their jurisdiction. The Jewes and the Jesuites are brethren in blasphemies; for the Jewes are naturally subtill, hatefull, avaritious, and above all the greatest calumniators of Christs name: and the ambitious Jesuites, are flatterers, bloudy-gospellers, treasonable tale-tellers, and the onely railers upon the sincere life of good Christians. Wherefore I end with this verdict, the Jew and the Jesuite, is a Pultrone and a Parasite.
THE SECOND PART
Now step I o're the gulfe, to th' Istrian shoare, Dalmatia, Slavonia, Ilyria, more, Valona, Albana, Epyre in Greice, And Morea fat, where Jason hurt his fleece: The Adriatick, and Ionean Iles, And Lesinaes great monster; Athens styles; With Lacedemon sackt, and Sparta rent From auncient worth: Arcadia poore and shent: Our gulfe Lepanto, the Ætolian hight, And all these coasts, till Candy come in sight.
After my returne from Padua to Venice & 24. days attendance devasted there for passage, I imbarked in a Carmoesalo, being bound to Zara Novo in Dalmatia: Scarcely had we lost the sight of Venice, but we incountred with a deadly storme at Seroco e Lenante. The Master had no compasse to direct his course, neither was he expert in Navigation; because they use commonly, either on the South or North sides of the Gulfe, to hoise up sayles at night, and againe breake of day they have full sight of land; taking their directions from the topped hills of the maine continent. The tempest increasing, and the winds contrary, we were constrained to seeke up for the Port of Parenzo in Istria.
Istria was called Giapidia, according to Pliny; Cato affirmeth it was called Istria of one Isiro, but by the moderne writers, l'ultima Regione di Italia. By Ptolomeus it is sayd to be of length 100. miles, and forty large, but by mine experience onely 80. long and 20. large.
Istria hath on the South Friuli and the sea: on the West Stria: on the North Carniola: on the East the gulfe [The antiquity of the Istrians.] Carnaro or Quevero. It is thought the Istrians were first a people of Colchis in Natolia, who by King Ætas being sent to pursue Jason and the Argonauts (who had stolne the golden fleece and his daughter Medea) either because of the long journey, or feare of the Kings anger durst not returne, and so remained in this Country, where they enjoyed a long freedom, til by many incursions of piracy, still molesting the Venetians they lost many of their Townes Anno 938. & afterward the whole Country made tributary by Duke Henry Gondolo about the yeare 1200.
That part which bordereth with the sea, belongeth to the Venetians, but the rest within land holds of the Emperour, and the Archduke of Austria. The Country it selfe aboundeth in cornes, wines and all kinds of fruites necessary for humane life. Neare to this haven wherein we lay, expecting roome windes, I saw the ruines [Justinopoli decayed.] of old Justinopoli, so called of Justinian the Emperour, who builded it upon an Iland of a miles length, and three acres broad: And to passe betwixt the City and the firme land, there was seven bridges made. It was aunciently strong, but now altogether decayed: The principall Cities in Istria at this day, are these, Parenzo, Humago, Pola, Rovigo.
The windes favouring us, we weighed Ankors, and sayled by the Iles Brioni, so much esteemed, for the fine stones they produce, called Istriennes: which serve to beautifie the Venetian Palaces. About midday I saw Mount di Caldaro, on the foote of which, the auncient City of Pola is situated, having a harbour wherein small shippes may lie. True it is, this Port is not much frequented, in respect of a contageous Lake neare to it, which infecteth the ayre with a filthy exhalation. I saw hard by this place, the ruines of the Castell di Oriando, the Arke Triumphant, and the reliques of a great Amphitheatre. This Pola was called by Pliny, Julia pietas; and it standeth in the South-east part of Istria. Continuing our course, we passed the perillous gulfe of Carnaro.
This gulfe or bay of Carnaro, runneth in North, and by East 50. miles within land, at the narrow entry whereof, it hath a part of Istria on the West, and the Dalmatia on the East: The Venetians use to keepe alwayes certaine Gallies at the mouth of this bay, on the Dalmatian side, to intercept the cursary of the Scoks: In the bottome of this Carnarian gulfe are placed Senna, Gradisca, and Novagard, the chiefe Cities of Croatia: the people which inhabit these Townes, and the adjoyning Countrey are called Scoks, a kind of Dalmatians, being of a robust nature, courageous and desperate: Their weapons are broad two handed swords, long Skenes, carrying targets at their girdles, and long Gunnes in their hands: They are marveilous swift on foote, and dayly annoy by land their neighbouring Turkes with inrodes, fetching away great spoyles and booties, of [The Scoks live under the house of Austria.] cornes, cattell and horses: And by Sea with Frigots and Brigantines did ever and often vexe the Venetian commerce, in their owne domesticke waters: The great losses which from these incursive people the Venetians had from time to time received, and the other dammages they inflicted upon the Turkes in their trafficking with Venice, for whom the Venetians are bound by former articles of peace, to keepe harmelesse within their owne gulfe from all Christian invasions, was the onely and urgent cause that moved the Venetians to wage warre with Ferdinando then Duke of Grasse, and now Emperour, Anno Domini, 1616. And besieged Gradisca to their no small disadvantage, both of charges and losse of men: For the towne being strongly fortified with walles and munition, and 2000. Scoks within to defend it, would often at the neare approaching of the enemy make a salley forth on horse and foote, giving many miserable overthrowes to the Assailants: To the which detriments, for twenty dayes space I was a testator, being after my returne from Affricke in my second travels, as I was going for Hungary, Moldavia, Valecchia and Transilvania, taking this countrey in my way: And one morning at the breake of day, I saw 800. Scoks issuing out of towne, make bloudy havocke of 3000. of the Venetian army: [Croatia.] This part of Croatia is exceeding fertile, abounding in cornes, wines, bestiall and pastorage, though then by lawlesse, and turbulent souldiers, it was miserable defaced.
The whole number of these Scoks that are able to carry armes, be not above sixe thousand men: They are wonderfull kinde to strangers, which to me in no small measure was extended, and that by the better sort their Captaines and Commanders, and onely for the affinity of Scoki and Scoti, although I dare sweare, there is little or none at all betwixt the two Nations.
Having passed Carnaro, we sayled close by the Ile Sangego, called formerly Illrides: This Isle is of circuit foure score, and of length thirty miles. Our fresh water waxing scant, and the winds falling out contrary to our expectation, we sought into Valdogosto in the Isle of Osero, which is a safe haven for ships and Gallies. This Osero was first named Asphorus, and then Absirtides, of a Captaine Absertus, who came from Colchis, accompanied with many people, to bring backe Medea to her carefull father. Whose purpose being frustrated, stayed still, and inhabited this land. A fit oportunity obtained upon the [Zara nova.] eighth day, we arrived in the roade of Zara in Dalmatia; for there the Carmoesalo stayed, and I was exposed to seeke passage for Ragusa.
By the way, I recall the great kindnesse of that Dalmatian Maister, for offering my condition, I found him more then courteous, and would have no more but the halfe of that, which was his bargaine at Venice. Besides this, he also entertained me three dayes, with a most bountifull, and kind acceptance: My solitary travelling he oft bewailed, wishing me to desist, and never attempt such a voyage; but I giving him absolute, and constant answers, appeased his imagined sorrow.
[Ignorance and Sloth.] True it is, that ignorance and sloth, make every thing terrible unto us, and we will not, because we dare not, and dare not, because we will not: This makes us submit our selves to any thing, that doth either flatter or threaten us: And like some sottish weakelings, that give the reines of their governement into the hands of their Wives or Servants, thinking then they buy their peace when they sell it; thus doe they grow upon us, I meane ignorance and sloth, and by composition, not force, become masters of the place, being just so strong, as we are weake. And as contrary newes delivered at one time, maketh one to heare with joy, and remember with sorrow; even so an unresolved man, in high and heroyicke designes, though seeming forward is distracted here, set on feare there, and rent asunder every where with the flashing frights of desperation: But a constant resolution can couragiously support all things; Ubicunque homo est, ibi beneficio locus est. And congratulating this Skippers courtesie, I bad farewell to his councell.
Zara is the capitall city of Dalmatia, called of old, Jadara. The inhabitants are governed by a Camarlingo, or Chamberlaine, in the behalfe of Venice. The walles whereof are strongly rampired with earth; surpassing the tops of the stone-worke: and fortified also with high Bulwarkes, and planted Canons on elevated Rampires of earth: which are above forty cubites higher then the Walles and Bulwarkes; standing in the foure severall corners of the city.
There lye continually in it; a great Garrison of Souldiers to defend the towne and Citizens, who are maintained by the Duke of Venice: for he is Signior thereof. They have indured many invasions of the Turkes, especially in the yeare one thousand five hundreth and seventy, when for the space of fourteene moneths, they were dayly molested and besieged, but the victory fell ever to the Christians: If the Turkes could win this place, they might easily commaund the Adriaticall Seas, in regard of that faire Haven which is there, to receive Ships and Gallies; which maketh the Venetians not a little fearefull because of their safeguard.
Yet they licentiate the neighbouring Infidels to traffick with them, but when they enter the gates, they must deliver their weapons to the Corporall of the Squadron company: Neither may they stay within all night under the paine of imprisonment. [Dalmatia.] Dalmatia was called so of Mauritius the Emperour. The foure principall Provinces whereof are these, Atheos, Senebico, Spalleto and Tragurio. A part of which belongeth to Venice, another part to the arch Duke of Austria, and a third unto the Turkes. Zara is distance from Venice two hundreth miles.
When the wandring night was chased from the inferiour Ilands, by the recoursing day, and the Sunne had imparted his brightnesse to our under neighbours, and our dreames ready to possesse the Theater of the fancy, the wearisome creatures of the world declining to their rest; and under shaddow of the pale Lady of the night; even then, from Zara I imbarked in a small Frigot, bound for Lesina, with five Slavonian Marriners: who sometimes sailed, & somtimes rowed with Oares: in our way we past by the Ile of Brazza, which is of no great quantity, but fertile enough for the Inhabitants, and kept by a Gentleman of Venice. It lieth in the mouth of the gulfe Narento, that divideth Dalmatia from Slavonia: Many fondly conceive that these two kingdomes are all one, but I hold the contrary opinion, both by experience, and by auncient Authors: having passed Capo di Costa, which is the beginning of Slavonia, I saw upon my right hand, a round Rocke of a great height, in forme of a Piramide; being cognominated by Easterne Mariners, Pomo, aunciently Salyro, for the good Faulcons that are bred therein. It standeth in the middest of the Gulfe betweene Slavonia and Italy, and not habitable.
A little beyond that Rocke, I saw the three Iles Tremiti: The chiefest whereof is called Teucria, but they are vulgarly called the Iles of Diomedes, who was King of Etolia. They are right opposite to Mount Gargano, now called [Mount S. Angelo.] Saint Angelo, and distant from the maine land of Apulia in Italy about nine miles.
This Mount Saint Angelo standeth in Apulia, bending in the Sea with a large promontore, it is in compasse ninety miles? Neare to this Mountaine, was that great battell fought, betweene Hanniball and the Romanes: the overthrow fell to the Romanes, under the conduct of Paulus Æmilius, and other Consuls, of whom were slaine fourty two thousand and seven hundred; And if Hanniball had followed this victory, he had easily that day subdued the common-wealth of Rome: which made Maharball Captaine of his horse-men rebuke him thus, Vincere scis Hanniball victoria uti nescis.
Thou canst o'recome thy foes in bloody fight, But can not use the victory aright.
The like said Cæsar of Pompey, when he lost the first battell they fought at Pharsalia in Greece; O Pompey, Pompey, If thou hadst knowne how to have used the victory, as thou hadst it, thou mightest have beene this day Lord of the whole World.
[A woful battell.] So to our lamentable memory, may that last battell be recorded fought in Hungary, betweene the Turkes and Christians, of whom Maxamilian Duke of Isbrugh this present Emperours Uncle was Generall: who having had a nocturnall victory, and the Infidels put to the flight, they remaining in the Campe more busie about the spoyles then their owne safety; the Turkes returned againe before day, the Christians being disordered with booties and the ravening of their whores, they put them all to the edge of the sword: O miserable confusion! Little better might I speake of the battell of Lepanto being abusd even in the using of it, and that glorious victory no waies followed, as good fortune had given them an awfull opportunity: For Don John of Austria their Generall had a greater mind to seaze upon the Ile of Corfu, and to robbe Venice of her liberty, then to prosecute with vengeance the brave beginning of so notable a victory; and yet his treachery was discoverd, and by the Venetian Generall speedily disappointed, to his eternall shame both wayes.
The poore Slavonians being fatigated in their hunger-starving Boat, with extraordinary paines (for we had three daies calme, which is not usually seene in these Seas) were enforced to repose all night at the barren Ile of St. Andrew: This Ile is of circuite foure miles, but not inhabited: The excessive raine that fell in the evening, made us goe on shoare, to seeke the coverture of some rocke; which found, we lay all night on hard stones, and with hungry bellies: for our provision was spent. The breach of day giving comfort to our distressed bodies, with favourable windes at the Garbo e ponente, we set forward, and about midday we arrived in the Port of Lesina, of which the Ile taketh the name.
This Ile of Lesina is of circuite, a hundred and fifty miles, and is the biggest Iland in the Adriaticke Sea: It is exceeding fertile, and yeeldeth all things plentifully, that is requisite for the sustenance of man. The City is unwalled, and of no great quantity, but they have a strong fortresse, which defendeth the Towne, the Haven, and the vessels in the Roade. The Governour, who was a Venetian, after he had enquired of my intended voyage, most courteously invited me three times to his Table, in the time of my five dayes staying there: And at the last meeting, he reported the story of a marvellous mis-shapen creature borne in the Iland, asking if I would goe thither to see it: wherewith (when I perfectly understood the matter) I was contented: The Gentleman honoured me also with his company, and a horse to ride on, where when we came, the Captaine called for the father of [A Monster borne in Lesina.] that Monster, to bring him foorth before us. Which unnaturall Childe being brought, I was amazed in that sight, to behold the deformity of Nature; for below the middle part, there was but one body, and above the middle there was two living soules, each one separated from another with severall members. Their heads were both of one bignesse but different in Phisnomy: The belly of the one joyned with the posterior part of the other, and their faces looked both one way, as if the one had carried the other on his backe, and often before our eyes, he that was behind, would lay his hands about the necke of the formost. Their eyes were exceeding bigge, and their hands greater then an Infant of three times their age. The excrements of both creatures issued foorth at one place, and their thighes and legges of a great growth, not semblable to their age, being but sixe and thirty dayes old; and their feete were proportionably made like to the foot of a Cammell, round and cloven in the middest. They received their food with an insatiable desire, and continually mourned with a pitifull noyse; that sorrowfull man told us, that when the one slept, the other awaked, which was a strange disagreement in Nature. The Mother of them bought dearely that birth, with the losse of her owne life; as her Husband reported, unspeakeable was that torment she indured, in that woefull wrestling paine. I was also informed afterwards, that this one, or rather twofold wretch lived but a short while after we saw them.
Leaving this monstrous shapen Monster to the owne strange, and almost incredulous Nativity, we returned to Lesiva. But by the way of our backe comming, I remember that worthy Gentleman who shewed me the ruines of an old house, where the noble [Demetrius.] King Demetrius was borne; and after I had yeelded by bounden and dutifull thankes unto his generous minde, I hired a Fisher-boate to goe over to Clissa, being twelve miles distant. This Ile of Clissa is of length twenty, and of circuit threescore miles: It is beautified with two profitable Sea-ports, and under the Signiory of Venice. There are indifferent good commodities therein; upon the South side of this Iland lieth the Ile Pelagusa, a rocky and barren place.
Departing from thence in a Carmoesalo bound to Ragusa, we sailed by the three Iles, Brisca, Placa, Igezi; And when we entred in the Gulfe of Cataro, we fetched up the sight of the Ile Melida, called of old Meligna: Before we could attaine unto the Haven, wherein our purpose was to stay all night, we were assailed on a sudden with a deadly storme: Insomuch, that every swallowing wave threatned our death, and bred in our breasts, an intermingled sorrowe of feare and hope. And yet hard by us, and within a mile to the ley-ward, a Barbarian man of war of Tunneis, carrying two tyre of Ordonance, and 200. men, seaz'd upon a Carmosale of Venice, at the first shot, she being loaden with Malvasie and Muscadine and come from Candy, and had us also in chase till night divided our contrary designes. The winds becomming favourable, and our double desired safety enjoyed, both because of the sea storme, and of the stormy Pyrat, we set forward in the Gulfe of Cataro, and sayled by the [Cursola.] Ile Cursola: in this island I saw a walled towne called Curzola, which hath two strong Fortresses to guard it. It is both commodious for the trafficke of Merchandize they have, and also for the fine wood that groweth there, whereof the Venetian Ships and Gallies are made: An Iland no lesse pleasant then profitable; and the two Governours thereof are changed every eighteene moneths, by the State of Venice.