The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz Volume II Part 5

To my mind, we act much more rationally; for tho' our _Germany_ is divided into many more Dominions than _Italy_ is, we do however form a Body against Foreigners, who have a Design upon our Estates and our Liberties.

The lesser Princes comply with the Emperor's Will; and their own Interest, and that of the Empire, is all one. Our Princes visit and a.s.sociate with one another, and maintain a Sort of common Friendship; the _Italian_ Princes on the contrary never visit one another; and when by chance a Sovereign of four or five Leagues of Country comes to have an Interview with such another Sovereign as himself, it takes up as much Negociation to adjust it, as was necessary to settle the Interview between _Philip_ IV.

and _Lewis_ XIV. But is it not ridiculous to see such petty States act towards one another with as much Finesse and Craft as the most powerful Kingdoms? 'Tis this Diffidence, this reciprocal Hatred between the Governments and Towns of _Italy_, that has made them for a long time the Sport of Foreigners; whereas, if these People did but keep up a good Understanding with one another, they would soon drive them out; for Nature has furnish'd them with Ditches and Walls, which if they don't defend, 'tis their own Fault: But it seems as if Providence, by which the Fate of all Dominions is determin'd, would not have it so.

Adieu, Sir, for the present: I cannot be sure when I shall write to you again, much less when I shall have the Pleasure of embracing you, tho'

there's scarce a Day pa.s.ses over my Head but I do it in Imagination. Do you but render me like for like, and be a.s.sur'd that n.o.body in the World is more strictly than I am, _Yours, &c._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

LETTER x.x.xV.

_SIR_, _Genoa, Nov. 2, 1731._

The Road from _Rome_ to LORETTO has been so fully describ'd, that I think I should pa.s.s it over in Silence; nor shall I say any thing more to you of the _Santa Casa_, which you know in what manner the Angels bore to the Place where it now stands. If you would be inform'd of the Treasure of this House, look into the Voyages of _Misson_, who has given a large Account of every Particular: Since he wrote, the Treasure is not very much increas'd, the Princes having almost done making their Offerings to it.

The Queen of _France_ has lately settled a perpetual Endowment on it for the Celebration of four Ma.s.ses a Day, by way of Thanksgiving for the Birth of the Dauphin.

From _Loretto_ to BOLOGNA the Road is good, and 'tis a fine fruitful Country; I stay'd three Days the longer at that City, on purpose to see the Cardinal _Grimani_, who is Legate there from the Holy See. He is a Prelate of great Virtue, sound Morals, and polite, but unaffected Behaviour. He has been _Internuncio_ at _Brussels_, _Nuncio_ at _Cologne_, and in _Poland_, and in this Quality he resided at _Vienna_, when he was advanc'd to the Purple. I knew him at all those _Nunciatures_; I saw him at _Rome_, when he went thither to receive the Hat, and I have now seen him again at _Bologna_, and find he is the same Man now he is both Cardinal and Legate, that he was when but an _Internuncio_[17]. For 'tis only in vulgar Souls that Honours change Manners.

Notwithstanding the Reluctance I had to repa.s.s the _Apennine_ Hills a second time, I was forced to resolve upon it, or else to renounce all Thoughts of being at _Leghorn_ at the Arrival of the Fleets from _Spain_ and _England_, I have been at FLORENCE, and have had the Honour to wait on the Great Duke, and Madame the Electoress Palatine Dowager. I had formerly paid my Compliments to this Princess, both here and at _Dusseldorp_, and she was now pleas'd to call me to mind again, and to shew me abundance of Respect and Kindness: Her most Serene Electoral Highness lives very retir'd, and is almost continually at her Devotions: She has her own Ladies of the Bed-chamber; but as for the rest, she is attended by the Officers of the Great Duke, and makes use also of that Prince's Equipage.

I did not suppose that I should be able to pay my Respects to the Great Duke, because I had been told, that it was very difficult to get an Audience of him; yet I attain'd to that Honour at the very Time when I least of all expected it. As I was going from the Electress's Apartment, I met one of the Great Duke's _Valets de Chambre_, who came to tell me, That his Royal Highness wanted to speak with me: This Message so surpriz'd me, that I thought the Man mistook me for another Person, till he convinced me of the contrary: I was obliged to yield Obedience, and the _Valet de Chambre_ introduc'd me to the Audience: I found the Great Duke sitting upright in Bed, accompany'd by several Lap-dogs, with nothing on but a Shirt without Ruffles, and a long Cravat about his Neck of coa.r.s.e Muslin: His Cap was very much besmear'd with Snuff, and truly there was nothing neat nor grand about him: By his Bed-side there stood a Table in Form of a Beaufet, upon which there were Silver Buckets, that contain'd Bottles of Liquors and Gla.s.ses: His Royal Highness receiv'd me however with great Marks of Goodness, reproach'd me because I had not yet desired to see him, and said to me in the kindest Manner possible, That I did very ill to treat my old Friends with so much Indifference. The Prince remember'd he had known my Father, and he call'd to mind, that when he was at _Berlin_, my Parents paid him all due Respects; he ask'd me what News from the Court of _Prussia_? and wanted to know all the Alterations that had been made there since his Time: He talk'd to me of the Court of _Rome_, and particularly of the Pope; and said with a Smile, That the Holy Father was at first his Subject, afterwards his Equal, and now the Master of him, and of all the Catholic Princes. The Conversation at length took a gayer Turn, and ran upon Pleasures, good Chear, and the Bottle. The Grand Duke said, 'twas too early in the Day to drink Wine, (for 'twas no more than Two o'Clock in the Afternoon) but that he had a choice Dram, of which I should taste, and he was so good as to fill me a Gla.s.s of it out of a Bottle which was by his Bed-side. 'Twas to no Purpose for me to protest, that I never drank Drams; I was fain to drink that Gla.s.s, then another, and after that a third. The Great Duke a.s.sum'd no State upon Account of his Rank, but treated me as his Equal, and drank Gla.s.s for Gla.s.s with me.

I was just going to fall at his Knees, and to beg Quarter, when, as good Luck would have it, _Joannino_, his favourite _Valet de Chambre_, came in, and whisper'd something in his Ear. Upon this the Great Duke put on a serious Air, and soon after dismiss'd me, but charg'd me not to go from FLORENCE before I had receiv'd his Commands. _Make yourself as merry as you can_, said the Prince; _but be sure not to go away without taking year Leave of me_. Two Hours after I return'd to my Inn, his Royal Highness sent me a Present of Fowls, _Bologna_ Sausages, Cheese, Sweetmeats, and other good Things, together with several Dozens of Bottles of most excellent Wine; so that I a.s.sure you I had Subsistence enough for three Months.

I stay'd four Days, expecting the Great Duke's Orders; but as none came in all that Time, I desir'd his Favourite _Joannino_ to ask him if he had any Commands for me; upon which he sent me word, that he desir'd I would stay two Days longer, and that then he would see me. I heard that a Courier was arriv'd from _Leghorn_, which brought him News, that the _Spanish_ Fleet had been seen at Sea; upon which I thought, that the Grand Duke would be very much taken up with his Ministers; but I was soon inform'd, that he left all Matters intirely to the Management of his Ministers, the Commandeur _d'Elbene_, and the Marquis _Rinuccini_, who settled every thing as they thought fit with Father _Ascanio_, the _Spanish_ Minister.

The Great Duke lay snug in his Bed, not that he was sick, but out of pure Indulgence. 'Tis now twenty-two Months since he went out of his Palace, and above seven since he put on his Cloaths. His Levee is not till Noon, and then he sends for such as he has Business with to his Bed-chamber; but this is an Honour which the _Florentines_ don't easily attain to; for he seems to be fondest of the _German_ Nation, whose Language he speaks well, and pretends even to know its various Dialects. There are few Pilgrims that pa.s.s this Way, either to or from _Rome_, but he sends for them to his Court, where he converses whole Hours with them, refreshes them with his Cordials, and puts a Crown in their Pockets when they go away: He dines at Five o'Clock in the Evening, and sups at Two in the Morning: He always eats alone, commonly in his Bed; and spends two or three Hours in Table-Talk with _Joannino_, and some young Fellows call'd _Ruspanti_, because they are Pensioners to the Great Duke, and paid in _Ruspes_, which are a Coin of the same Value as _Sequins_; and some of them have two, three, and even five _Ruspes_ a Week. They are paid by _Joannino_ every _Wednesday_ and _Sat.u.r.day_; but all their Business is to attend the Great Duke, whenever he sends for them at Dinner or Supper; 'tis said their Number consists of above three hundred, and that they cost his Royal Highness 80,000 Crowns _per Ann._ They consist of all Nations, but of _Germans_ more than any other. They wear no Livery, nor are they all clad alike; and they are only Known by their Locks, which are always very much curl'd and powder'd.

When the two Days which the Great Duke had order'd me to stay were expir'd, I again sent for his Leave to be gone; upon which he commanded me to wait on him, and receiv'd me altogether as kindly as he did the first Time: He kept me near three Hours, during which he did me the Honour to talk with me on a thousand different Subjects; and then he dismiss'd me, saying, _Farewel, go to +Leghorn+, and see my new Guests safe ash.o.r.e_.

I cannot leave FLORENCE, without thinking it my Duty to mention some Persons of Note to you, whom I was acquainted with at this Court.

The Commandeur _d'Elbene_ is Steward of the Great Duke's Houshold, and President of his Council, and venerable both for his Age and his Merit.

The Marquis _Rinuccini_ is the second Minister, but is properly the Soul of the Council, having been employ'd in Business a long time; for in 1711 he was the Great Duke's Envoy at the _Hague_, and about that Time he attended the late Elector Palatine to the Election of an Emperor at _Franckfort_. He was afterwards sent Envoy from the Great Duke to the Congress at _Utrecht_, and from thence he went to _England_: When he return'd from his Emba.s.sies, the late Great Duke admitted him a Member of his Council, and put him at the Head of Foreign Affairs, of which he has still the Direction. 'Twas he that dispos'd the Great Duke and the Electress to submit to the Times, and to recognize Don _Carlos_, the Infante of _Spain_, for their Successor: And in fine, he is the Man that settles all Matters against the Arrival of that Prince, who is expected here with very great Impatience.

Tho' the n.o.bility of FLORENCE are in general very civil to Foreigners, yet 'tis certain, that the Marquis _Richardi_ is one of those Gentlemen that give them the best Welcome; and as he is one of the richest Gentlemen in _Tuscany_, he is also one of those that keep the best House; he has three Sons, and one of them is a Prelate; the eldest of them, Don _Vincenzo_, who is like some Day or other to be the Head of the Family, has travell'd very much, and is certainly a Gentleman of very great Acquirements and Merit.

There are a great many fine Ladies here, but they don't dress well, and have not near so much Liberty as those of _Rome_: There's one Madame _Suarez_ indeed, that cuts a very great Figure, and keeps open House to all Comers; she receives Foreigners in a grand Manner, especially the _English_; but her House would be better, if there was not so much Gaming in it.

Before I set out from FLORENCE, I can't think it will be improper to give you a few Particulars concerning the Family of the _Medicis_, which is near being extinct in the Person of the Great Duke _John Gaston_.

This Family has given seven Sovereign Princes to _Tuscany_. _Cosmo_ the First, of that Name, was also the first Great Duke. He obtain'd that t.i.tle about _Ann._ 1568. from the Emperor _Maximilian_ II of whom he had demanded the t.i.tle of _King of Hetruria_; but the Emperor return'd him for Answer, That he knew of but one King in _Italy_, and that was himself.

However, to gratify _Cosmo_'s Vanity, _Maximilian_ invented the t.i.tle of _Great Duke_, that of _Arch Duke_ being already the Appenage of the House of _Austria_. The Names of the seven Great Dukes, with their Alliances, are as follow.

_+Cosmo I.+ who married +Eleanor+ of +Toledo+._

_+Ferdinand I.+ who married +Joan+ of +Austria+._

_+Francis I.+ who married +Mary Magdalen+ of +Austria+._

_+Cosmo II.+ whose Wife was +Claude+ of +Lorain+._

_+Ferdinand II.+ married to +Mary de la Rovero+, d.u.c.h.ess of +Urbino+._

_+Cosmo III.+ who married +Margaretta Louisa+ of +Orleans+._

_+John Gaston+, married to +Anna Maria Frances+ of +Saxe-Lawenbourg+._

The Family of _Medicis_ calls to my Mind that of the _Kettlers_, Dukes of _Courland_; and I fansy the following Parallel will hold between the two Families. The _Medicis_, before they were Sovereigns of _Tuscany_, were Standard-Bearers of FLORENCE; the _Kettlers_ were Gentlemen, and Grand Masters of the _Teutonic_ Order in _Courland_. The Emperor _Maximilian_ II. made _Medicis_ Grand Duke: _Sigismond Augustus_, King of _Poland_, made _Kettler_ a Duke. The two Families have each given seven Sovereigns to _Europe_, and they are alike related to the greatest Families. The last of the _Medicis_, and the last of the _Kettlers_, were married to Princesses of the _Saxon_ Family. They both see Foreign Powers disposing of their Succession before they are dead[18]. Both Families began to flourish almost at the same time, at the two Extremities of _Europe_; and in all Appearance their Period is like to be the same.

I could stay but six Days at _Florence_ this Journey, because I had a mind to see the Landing of the _Spaniards_ at LEGHORN. I had no Time neither to lose, for they came into the Road the Day before I arriv'd, and landed two or three Days after. The Fleet was compos'd of two Squadrons, one of which, _viz._ the _English_, consisting of thirteen Ships, was commanded by Admiral _Wager_. The two Squadrons set Sail at one and the same time, but had been dispers'd by a Storm in the Gulph of _Lyons_. The _English_ came in all together; but the _Spaniards_ arriv'd one after another, and some of their Transports were lost. In fine, the Troops were all landed on the second of _November_, _All Souls Day_, whereon there fell a terrible Rain, on which the Superst.i.tious sounded dismal Conjectures. The Marquis _de Charni_[19], the Commander of the _Spanish_ Forces, came on Sh.o.r.e the Day preceding, to adjust all Matters with the Marquis _Rinuccini_, whom the Grand Duke had sent for that Purpose to LEGHORN. The _Spanish_ General was oblig'd to take an Oath of Fidelity to the Grand Duke before the Marquis _Rinuccini_, which when he had done, the _Spanish_ Forces enter'd the City, incorporated themselves with those of the Grand Duke, and mounted Guard on the very same Day that they landed. It is stipulated, that there shall be always two Thirds _Spaniards_ to one Third of the Great Duke's Soldiers. The _Spanish_ Army consists of no more than 6000 Men, but then they are the Flower of their Troops, and there are Arms and Equipage for above 20,000. There's one _Swiss_ Regiment, another of _Walloons_.

I have been to see the two Admiral Ships: The _English_ has three Decks, and carries 86 Guns: The _Spanish_, which had Admiral _Mari_ on board, carries 90 Guns, has three Decks also, and is by much bigger than the _English_ Man of War: It had been fitted up for bringing over the Infante Don _Carlos_, and no Expence was spar'd to render it magnificent. The Admiral's Cabbin was hung with Sky-blue and Silver Brocade; the Tables, Chairs, and the Frames of the Pier Gla.s.ses, _&c._ were of _Indian_ Lacca Red and Gold: But notwithstanding all this Magnificence, the _English_ Ship was the neatest, and far out-did the _Spaniard_ in the civil Treatment of those that went aboard. The _English_ Naval Officers are almost all Men of Quality: They strove who should be the most polite to such as came to visit them, and talk'd very modestly both of their Ships and their Tackling; whereas the _Spaniards_ bragg'd of theirs beyond measure; they pretended that their Ships, which had only two Decks, were much easier to work than those of the _English_, which are all of three Decks; and affirm'd, that as their Ships were broader and longer, and their Decks higher, they were much more formidable than the _English_, and not so much incommoded by the Smoak in a Battle. On the other hand, I was told by an _Engish_ Officer, That a Ship with three Decks was preferable to one that had but two, because when 'tis a high Sea, and they are forc'd to shut up the lowermost Deck, there are still two Batteries remaining, whereas a Ship with but two Decks, in the same Case, can have but one remaining: Besides, a Ship with three Decks, _said the Officer_, being higher than a Ship with but a couple, has a great Advantage over what the other has, when they come to Boarding. As I understand nothing of Navigation, I know not whether my _Englishman_ was in the right. But be that as it will, I am of the Opinion, which prevails almost universally, that whenever it shall please G.o.d to let second Causes have their Effects, it will be always safer to _lay a Wager_ on the Side of the _English_ than on the _Spanish_ Ships.

On St. _Charles_'s Day, which was the Festival of the Infante Don _Carlos_, the Marquis _Mari_ gave us a grand Feast: I say _us_, because I was there, as well as all _Leghorn_, _Florence_, _Sienna_, _Lucca_, and _Pisa_, which you'll say was a goodly Company, and I a.s.sure you moreover, it was very gay. The _Florence_ Gentry, who expected that the Infante would have come with the Fleet, had all bespoke new Apparel; and as they are naturally very prodigal, they spar'd no Cost upon this Occasion. The _Lucquese_ Gentry did not come short of them, of whom it may be said, that taking the _Milanese_ and _Genoese_ along with them, they are of all the _Italians_ the most polite, and have most of the Air of Men of Quality.

Besides the _Italians_, there was so great a Concourse of _Englishmen_ and Foreigners at LEGHORN, that all the Lodgings were taken up; nevertheless Provisions were in great Plenty, and as cheap as ever.

The _English_ are return'd home. 'Tis said, that the Infante[20] will come hither speedily by Land. The _Tuscans_ long mightily to see him, and expect he will work Miracles; for besides what they have heard in his Praise, they lay great Stress upon a Prophecy of _Nostradamus_, who says in one of his Stanzas,

_Du plus profund de l'Occident d'Europe, De doubles Nopces un Enfant naitra, Qui vers le Po menera grande Troupe: Son bruit au Regne d'Orient plus croitra._

_i. e._

'In the most Western Part of _Europe_ an Infant shall be born of a double Marriage, who shall lead a great Force towards the _Po_, and whose Fame shall spread to the Eastermost Kingdom.'

This Child, _born of a double Marriage_, must be the Infante, who is the Son of _Philip_ V. by his second Wife.

I heartily wish that I cou'd have staid at _Florence_ till this Prince arriv'd; but I have order'd my Affairs so as to be at _Paris_ before _Christmas_, and I must steer my Course accordingly. Yet before I leave LEGHORN, I must give you some Account of this City, which is of more Note for its great Trade, than for its Antiquity. 'Tis one of the neatest Cities in _Italy_, and that to which there's the greatest Concourse of Foreign Merchants, either for the sake of Trade, or for Shelter from their Creditors: The City is well built, the Streets broad, strait and lightsome, and several have Ca.n.a.ls in them, after the Manner of _Holland_.

The great Square is beautiful, and the Port magnificent, being divided into the great and little Harbours, the former of which has been render'd convenient by the Expence of a fine Mole, and some Towers that serve for Light-houses; the other, which has a very narrow Entrance, serves for the Gallies. There's an admirable Marble Statue of _Cosmo_ I. _de Medicis_, which is rais'd on a Pedestal of the like white Marble: The Great Duke is represented in Armour, with a Ducal Mantle over his Shoulders, a Turban on his Head, and a Scymitar at his Feet. The Concomitants of this fine Statue are worthy of a nice Observation: At the very Foot of the Base or Pedestal, at the four Corners, there are as many Slaves in Bra.s.s, representing _Turks_, in admirable Att.i.tudes, which seem, as it were, chain'd to the Pedestal: The _Connoisseurs_ reckon them Master-pieces: Their Proportion, which is twelve Foot, makes the Vulgar think they represent four Giants; but Tradition says, that they are the Figures of four _Turks_, _viz._ the Great-Grandfather, the Grandfather, the Father, and the Son; who being all on board a _Turkish_ Vessel, the youngest of them, who was an Astrologer, prophesied to his Companions, as they embark'd, that on such a Day they shou'd all be taken into Slavery by the Christians; which Prediction, to their Misfortune, came to pa.s.s; for they were taken by the Great Duke's Gallies, and this Prince caus'd their Statues to be carv'd, to transmit the Event to Posterity.

PISA, tho' a much more considerable City than _Leghorn_ for its Antiquity, and the Beauty of its Buildings, is not so pleasant a Place by far. 'Tis a large, fine, well built City, but extremely thin of People; 'tis divided into two Parts by the River _Arno_, which comes from _Florence_, and forms two stately Kays here. The Cathedral is a great stately Fabric of _Gothic_ Architecture: It has three great Gates, the Doors or Leaves of which are of Bra.s.s, and represent the Pa.s.sages mention'd in the New Testament, a Proof how grosly they are mistaken, who say they were the Gates of _Solomon_'s Temple; but they are not near so fine as those at the Baptistery of _Florence_. The Inside of the Church is answerable to the Magnificence of the Outside, and the Roof is supported by sixty Marble Columns.

I say nothing to you of the Tower that leans to one Side, and which consists of six or seven Degrees or Rows of Pillars one above another, nor of the stately Baptistery, much less of the Church-yard, call'd _il Campo Santo_. Look into _Misson_, he will tell you the Measures of every thing; for that Gentleman always carry'd Mathematical Instruments about him, so that there was nothing but what he measur'd and weigh'd.

PISA is a City, which a Traveller can't avoid seeing, but 'tis impossible for him to stay in it; the People being so proud of the Honour their Ancestors gain'd by the Conquest of _Carthage_, that their Vanity is perfectly surfeiting.

Having stay'd but one Day at _Pisa_, I proceeded in my Journey to _Genoa_, pa.s.sing thro' the Forest of VIAREGGIO, where, if I had had a great Charge of Money about me, and had credited what my Guide said, I shou'd have sweat for Fear; because he affirm'd to me, that there was not a Week throughout the Year but Pa.s.sengers were robb'd and murder'd in this Forest. But when I came to the Village of _Viareggio_, which stands in the Middle of the Forest, I heard that every Word my Guide has told me was false; and that since the Courier from _Lucca_ was robb'd, which was eighteen Years ago, they had not heard of any Robbers this Way: This put me very much in Heart again, for, to be plain with you, I don't care to tilt with Highwaymen; but for all this, an _Italian_ Lacquey that I have in my Service, cou'd not be easy: As we had still three Leagues of this Forest to pa.s.s thro', he conjur'd me to take a Guard; but I banter'd him, and proceeded on my Way. My Lacquey rode by me on Horseback, telling his Beads. I had scarce travell'd half a League, but I saw five Men coming arm'd; my Lacquey, who was the first that spy'd them, cry'd out like a Madman, _Jesu Maria! what! must I die without Confession? Misericordia!

Misericordia!_ I put my Head out of the Chaise to take a View of the Men, who had innocently put my Lacquey into such a Fright, and found by their Garb, that they were Soldiers from _Lucca_, who patroll'd there for the Security of the Forest. The Panic which my Lacquey was under made me at first laugh very heartily, but I soon changed my Note; for when we came to PIETRA-SANTA, a little Place in the State of _Lucca_, he had not Strength to alight from his Horse; for the Fright had so seiz'd him, that he was almost dead: He wanted a Confessor; but I thought a Surgeon would do every whit as well for him, and therefore I sent for one, and caus'd him to bleed the Fellow, who in two Hours time grew better. I took him into my Chaise, and went and lay at Ma.s.sA DI CARRARA, the Capital of a very small Feodal Sovereignty of the Empire, belonging to Cardinal _Cibo_, the last of his Family. After his Death, this Princ.i.p.ality is to fall to his Niece, who, 'tis said, is design'd for the young Prince _Eugene_ of _Savoy_, Nephew[21] to the Great _Eugene_, and Lieutenant-General of the Emperor's Forces.

The Founder of this Family was _Alberic Cibo_, the natural Son of _Innocent_ VIII. and, for his Sake, the Emperor _Maximilian_ II. erected _Ma.s.sa_ into a Feudal Princ.i.p.ality of the Empire: This City has nothing remarkable in it but the Prince's Palace, which makes some Shew. The Emperor keeps a Garrison in it[22]. The People at _Ma.s.sa_ are of good florid Complexions, and the Country is famous for its Quarries of Marble, and for Oil in abundance.

From _Ma.s.sa_ to SERSANA, or SARZANA, a City in the State of _Genoa_, the Country is extremely well cultivated, being planted with Olive-Trees and Vines. In this City the _Genoese_ have a Governor, or Podestat, but they keep a very sorry Garison in it; and if the Republic has no better Soldiers to withstand the _Corsicans_, who are call'd the _Devils_ of _Italy_, I question whether the Rebellion will be soon suppress'd. The Sergeant of the Guard at the Gate made me a very civil Pet.i.tion for Charity, which he a.s.sured me was a small Tribute due to him from Foreigners.

From _Sersana_ I proceeded to LERICI, a little Town on the Sea-side. There I put my Chaise on board a Felucca, and arriv'd in less than twenty-four Hours at _Genoa_, tho' I stay'd some Hours at SESTRI, an Episcopal City of that Republic: It is a small, but pleasant Town, and very agreeably situate upon a Rock forming a Cape, which runs very far into the Sea. This Town is defended by a Fort, which seem'd to me to be well furnish'd with Cannon, but the Garison is no better mann'd than that of _Sersana_.

GENOA, from that Side which is next the Harbour, affords one of the greatest and finest Points of View in the World; and though most of the Streets are narrow, close, and not very lightsome, yet among all the Towns of _Italy_ it is with Justice call'd the _Superb_; for there is not a City in _Europe_, where there are more s.p.a.cious and magnificent Palaces, and where the Houses are in general better built. This rich and stately City has been subject to several Revolutions, but never suffer'd a greater Shock than in 1684. when 'twas bombarded by Order of _Lewis_ XIV. The Marquis _de Seignelai_, who was the Minister of his Revenge, discharg'd his Commission so well, that from the 18th of _May_ to the 28th, he caus'd 13,000 Bombs to be thrown into the Town. The _Genoese_ were oblig'd to humble themselves, and the King granted them a Peace, on Condition that they wou'd send four Senators into _France_, to make their Submission to him by the Mouth of the Doge, whose t.i.tle was to be kept up, tho', according to the Laws of the Republic, he loses it as soon as he stirs a Foot out of the City, _Francis-Maria-Imperiali Lercari_ was then the Doge, who went to _Versailles_, and had his Audience there on the 15th of _May_ 1685. He affected to appear very gay there, by which means he gave more l.u.s.tre to the Satisfaction which he came to make, than to his own Dignity.