THE VOYAGE
OF ITALY
efore I come to a particular description of Italy, as I found it in my Five several voyages through it, I think it not amiss to speak something in General, of the Country it self, its Inhabitants, their Humours, Manners, Customs, Riches, and Religion.
The Fertility of Italy.For the Country it self, it seemed to me to be Natures Darling, and the Eldest Sister of all other Countreys; carrying away from them all the greatest blessings and favours, and receiving such gracious looks from the Sun and Heaven, that if there be any fault in Italy, it is that her Mother Nature hath, cockered her too much, even to make her become Wanton. Witness luxuriant Lombardy, and Campania antonomastically Fœlix, which Florus, Trogus, and Livy think to be the best parts of the world, where Ceres and Bacchus are at a perpetual strife, whether of them shall court man the most, she by filling his Barns with Corn; he by making his Cellars swimme with Wine: Whiles the other parts of Italy are sweating out whole Forests of Olive-trees, whole Woods of Lemmons, and Oranges, whole Fields of Rice, Turky Wheat, and Muskmillions; and where those Bare Hills, which seem to be shaven by the Sun, and cursed by Nature for their Barrenness, are oftentimes great with child of pretious Marbles, the ornaments of Churches and Palaces, and the Revenues of Princes: witness the Prince of Massa, whose best Revenues are his Marble Quarries: Nature here thinking it a far more noble thing to feed Princes, than to feed sheep. It abounds also in Silks and Silkworms; out of which they draw a notable profit, and for the feeding of them they keep a world of Mulberry trees whose leaves are the food of those little worms, whose excrement is our pride; thus, Adam like, we are clad in leaves again, but leaves once removed. It's rich also in Pasturage and Cattle, especially in Lombardy, where I have seen cheeses of an excessive greatness, and of a Parmesan goodness. The surface also of the Eath is covered with many curious Simples, and wholesome Herbs: Hence so many rare Essences, Cordials, Perfumes, Sweet Waters, and other Odoriferous Distillations, so common here, that ordinary Barbers and Laundresses will sprinkle them in your Face and perfume your Linnen with them over and above your bargain. Hence none of the meanest things to be seen in Italy, are the Fondaries or Stilling Houses of the Great Duke of Florence, the Speciary or Apothecaries Shops of the Dominicans of S. Marco, and of the Augustins of S. Spirito in Florence; of the Roman Colledge, and of the Minimes of Trinita di Monte in Rome: where even death it self would find a cure in nature, if it were not a curse from the author of nature. In fine, it excells in all kind of provisions, either for dyet or sport; and I have seen in Rome whole cart-loads of Wild Boars, and Venison, brought in at once to be sold in the Market; and above threescore Hares in Florence brought in, in one day by the two Companies of Hunters, the Piacevoli and Piatelli, on a general hunting day.
An objection against Italy.Yet after all this, some cry out against Italy, for being too hot; and paint us out its Air as an unwholesome Pestilential Air; its Sun, as an angry Comet, whose beams are all pointed with Plagues and Feavers; and the Countrey it self, as a place where starving is the only way to live in health; where men eat by Method and Art; where you must carry your body steadily, or else spill your life; and where there are so many Provincial Sicknesses and Diseases; as the Catarrhs of Genua, the Gout of Milan, the Hemorrhoids of Venice, the Falling Sickness of Florence, the Feavers of Rome, and the Goistre of Piedmont.
Answer.For my part, when I am told, that there were in Plinies time, fourteen millions of men in Italy: when I read that there are now above three thousand Cities in Italy,Baltazar Bonifacius in hist. Ludicra l.13 c. 13. and most of them Cities of Garbo: when I meet with National Diseases in every other Country, as the Kings-Evil in Spain, the Pox in France, the Consumption in Portugal, the Cholick in England, the Dysentery in Gascony, the Head-ake in Tolouse, &c. when I reflect, how this Sun hath blessed Lombardy, and made Campania Happy: when I call to mind, that it hath filled the Cellars of Italy with above Thirty several sorts of Wines: when I remember, what health it hath powred into several herbs here, what admirable fruits it furnisheth the Markets withal, what ornaments it affords to Gods Houses, overcrustting almost all the chief Churches of Italy,Sol & homo generant hominem. Plutarchus in Gracchi. with exquisit marbles; when I consider in fine, how this Sun hath helpt to make so many brave Soldiers, and Scholars, I dare not speak ill of the Sun, or Air of Italy, least BalzacBalzac in I vol. Liter. check me, as Gracchus did him who spoke ill of his Mother, with a Tu Matri meæ maledicis, quæ Tiberium Gracchum genuit? Darest thou speak ill of that Sun which helpt to make Cæsar?
The Inhabitants and their wits.Yes, yes, it's this great blessing of God, warm Sun, which hath so throughly baked the Italian wits, that while (according to the observation of Charles the V) the French appear not wise, but are wise: the Spaniards appear wise, but are not wise: the Dutch neither appear wise, nor are wise; the Italians only both appear wise, and are wise. Hence the Italians anciently afforded us those prodigies of wit and learning, and set us those fair Copies in Liberal Arts and Sciences, which all men follow, but none attain unto so much, as those that write the Italian hand; that is, the Modern Italians themselves.
Poets Ancient and Modern in Italy.For if the Italians anciently had their Virgil, their Ovid, their Horace, their Persius, and Propertius in Poetry, the Modern Italians spur close up to them, and have their Tasso, their Petrarch, their Sannazarius, their Marino, and Guarini.
Historians.If the old Italians had their Salust, Livy, Tacitus, and Valerius Maximus in History; the Modern Italians have their Guicciardine, Bentivoglio, Davila, Strada, aud Baptista Fregosus, surnamed the second Valerius Maximus.
Orators. Prodigies of Learning.If the ancient Italians had their pompous Orators, their Cicero, Hortensius, Porcius Latro, Junius Gallio, Aulius Fuscus &c. The Modern Italians have their Panigarola, Manzini, Varchi, and Loredano.
If the antient Italians had their Vast knowing Varro, the Modern Italians have their omniscious Baronius, who read almost all that other men had written, and wrote more almost, then other men can read.
Divines.If the ancient Italians had their Divines, writing of the Number and Nature of their Gods, to wit, Varro and Tully; the Modern Italians have their Divines too, their inimitable S. Thomas of Aquin, and his learned second Cardinal Cajetan.
Philosophers.If the ancient Italians had their Philosophers, their Pliny, their Cato, their Seneca, &c. the Modern Italians have their Ficinus, their Cardan, and their Picus Mirandula.
Architects.If the ancient Italians had their rare Architects, Statuaries, Painters; the Modern Italians have their Brunelleschi, Palladio, Fontana, and Cronaco, in Architecture; their Bandinelli, Donatello, Oliverio, and Bernini in Sculpture;Sculptors. Painters. their Raphael, Michel Angelo, Titian and Sarto, in Painting.
Ancient and modern Captains.If in fine, the ancient Italians had their brave Captains, their Scipio, Duilius, Marius, and Cæsar, the Modern Italians have their Scipio too, to wit, their Alexander Farnese, whose true actions make Romances blush, having done that really, which Fables can scarce faign in galantry; their Duilius too, to wit, their Andrea Doria the Neptune of the Ligurian Seas, who alone taught his Countrey not to serve; their Marius also, to wit, their brave Castruccio, who from a Common Soldier mounted up by deserts to the highest Military Commands in the Emperors Army; and so stitched his fortune as he went along to Honours, that it never ravelled out again, or failed him: In fine, their Cæsar too, to wit, the Marquis Spinola, or rather, the Achilles of Italy, who took that Troy of Ostend after three years Siege. This Siege was far more famous than that of Troy, because far truer. For in the Siege of Troy it was Poetry onely that made the war, that framed and filled the Wooden Horse with Worthies;See Verstegan in his Restitution of Decayed Intelligence. that dragged Hector round about the walls; it was Pen and Ink that killed so many men somno vinoque sepultos; and Troy was easily burnt, because it was built of Poets Paper. But at Ostend all was real, and all Europe almost, who had their forces, or eyes there, were witnesses of it; and all this done by Spinola an Italian.
The Italian Humour.As for the Italian humor, it is a Middling humor, between too much gravity Of the Spaniard, and too great levity of the French. Their gravity is not without some fire, nor their levity without some steam. They are apish enough in Carneval time, and upon their Stages, as long as the Visard is on, but that once off, they are too wise to play the Fools in their own Names, and own it with their own Faces. They have strong fancies, and yet solid Judgments; A happy temper, which makes them great Preachers, Politicians, and Ingeneers; but withal they are a little too melancholy and jealous: They are great Lovers of their Brethren and near Kindred, as the first Friends they are acquainted withal by Nature; and if any of them lie in pass and fair for advancement, all the rest of his Relations will lend him their Purses, as well as their Shoulders, to help him up, though he be but their younger Brother. They are sparing in Diet, both for to live in health, and to live handsomly: making their Bellies contribute to the maintenance of their Backs, and their Kitchen help to the keeping of their Stable. They are ambitious still of Honours, remembring they are the Successors of the Masters of the the World, the Old Romans; and to put the World still in mind of it, they take to themselves the glorious Names of Camillo, Scipione, Julio, Mario, Pompeo, &c. They are as sensible also of their Honour, as desirous of Honours; and this makes them strickt to their Wives, even to jealousie, knowing that for one Cornelius Tacitus, there have been ten Publii Cornelii; and that Lucius Cornificius is the most affronting man. They are hard to be pleased, when they have been once red hot with offence; but they will not meet revenge in the face, and field; and they will rather hire it, than take it. In fine, they affect very much compounded names, as Piccolomini, Capilupo, Bentivoglio, Malespina, Boncompagno, Malvezzi, Riccobono, Malatesta, Homodei, and such like married Names.
Their Manners. See Monsignor Caza, Stephano Guazzo, Baltazar Castiglione.As for their Manners, they are most commendable. They have taught them in their Books, they practise them in their actions, and they have spred them abroad over all Europe, which owes its Civility unto the Italians, as well as its Religion. They never affront strangers in what Habit soever they appear; and if the strangeness of the Habit draw the Italians eye to it, yet he will never draw in his mouth to laugh at it. As for theirs Apparel or Drefs, it's commonly Black and Modest. They value no bravery but that of Coach and Horses and Staffiers; and they sacrifice a world of little satisfactions to that main one of being able to keep a Coach. Their Points de Venice, Ribbans and Gold Lace, are all turned into Horses and Liveries; and that Money which we spend in Treats and Taverns, they spend in Coach and Furniture. They never whisper privately with one another in company, nor speak to one another aloud in an unknown tongue when they are in conversation with others, thinking this to be no other then a lowd whispering.
Their Ceremonies.They are precise in point of Ceremony and Reception; and are not puzzled at all, when they hear a great man is coming to visit them. There's not a man of them, but he knows how to entertain men of all conditions; that is, how far to meet, how to place them, how to stile and treat them, how to reconduct them, and how far. They are good for Nunciatures, Embassies, and State Employments, being men of good behavior, looks, temper, and discretion, and never out-running their business. They are great Lovers of Musick, Meddals, Statues, and Pictures, as things which either divert their Melancholy, or humor it: and I have read of one Jacomo Raynero a Shoomaker of Bolognia, who gathered together so many curious Meddals of Gold, Silver, and Brass, as would have become the Cabinet of any Prince. In fine, they are extreamly civil to one another, not onely out of an awe they stand in one towards another, not knowing whose turn it may be next, to come to the highest Honours; bur also out of a Natural Gravity and Civil Education, which makes even Schoolboys (an insolent Nation any where else) most respectful to one another if words and deeds; treating one another with Vostra Signoria, and abstaining from all gioco di mauo. Nay Masters themselves here, never beat their Servant, but remit them to Justice, if the fault require it, and I cannot remember to have heard in Rome, two Women scold publickly, or Man and Wife quarrel in words, except once; and then they did it so privatly and secretly, and scolded in such a low tone, that I perceived the Italians had reason about them even in the midst of their choler.
Their particular Customs.As for their particular Customs, they are many, They marry by their cars, oftener then by their eyes; and scarce speak with one another, till they meet before the Parish Priest, to speak the indissolvable words of wedlock. They make children to go bareheaded, till they be four or five years old, hardning them thus against rheums and catarrhes when they shall be old. Hence few people in Italy goe so warm on their heads, as they do in France; men in their houses wearing nothing upon their heads but a little calotte; and Women for the most part, going all bareheaded in the midst of Winter it self. Women here also wash their heads weekly in a wash made for the nonce, and dry them again in the Sun, to make their hair yellow, a colour much in vogue here among Ladyes. The men throw of their hats, cuffs, and bands, as well as their cloaks, at their return home from visits, or business, and put on a gray coat, without which they cannot dine, or sup;, and I have been ivited to dinner by an Italian, who before dinner, made his men tak off our hats and Cloaks, and present every one of us (and we were five in all) with a coloured coate, and a little cap to dine in. At dinner they serve in the best meats first, and eat backwards, that is, they begin with the second course, and end with boyld meat and pottage. They never present you with salt, or braines of any fowle, least they may seem to reproach unto you want of wit. They bring you drink upon a Sottocoppa of silver, with three or four glasses upon it, Two or three of which are strait neckt glasses (called there caraffa's) full of several sorts of wines or water, and one empty drinking glasse, into which you may powr what quantity of wine and water you please to drink, and not stand to the discretion of the waiters as they do in other Countries. At great feasts, no man cut for himself, but several Carvers cut up all the meat at a side table, and give to the waiters, to be carryed to the Guests; and every one hath the very same part of meat carried unto him, to wit, a wing and a legg of wild fowl, &c, least any one take exceptions that others were better used then he. The Carvers never touch the meat with their hands, but only with their knife and fork, and great silver spoon for the sauce. Every man here eats with his fork and knife, and never toucheth any thing with his fingers, but his bread: this keeps the linnen near, and the fingers sweet. If you drink to an Italian, he thanks you, with bending, when you salute him, and lets you drink quietly, without watching (as we do in England) to thank you again when you have drunk: and the first time he drinks after that will be to you, in requital of your former courtesy.
They count not the hours of the day as we do, from twelve to twelve; but they begin their count from Sun-set, and the first hour after sun-set is one a clok; and so they count on till four and twenty, that is till the next Sun-set again. I have often dined at sixteen a clock, and gone abroad in the Evening, to take the arye, at two and twenty. They call men much by their Christian names, Signor Pietro, Signor Francesco, Signor Jacomo, &c. and you may live whole years with an Italian, and be very well acquainted with him without knowing him, that is, without knowing his distinctive surname.Nomen quasi notamen. S. Aug. People of quality never visit one another, but they send first, to know when they may do it without troubling him they intend to visit: by by this means they never rush into one anothers Chambers without knocking, as they do in France; nor cross the designs or business of him they visit, as they do in England with tedious dry visits; nor finde one another either undressed in clothes, unprovided in compliments and discourse, or without their attendants, and train about them. In the streets men and women of condition, seldome or never go together in the same Coach, except they be strangers, that is, of an other Town, or Country: nay husbands and wives are seldome seen together in the same Coach, because all men do not know them to be so. In the streets, when two persons of great quality meet, as two Embassadours, or two Cardinals, they both stop their coaches, and compliment one another civilly, and then retire; but still he that is inferiour must let the others coach move first. If any man being a foot in the street, meet a great man, either in coach, or a foot, he must not salute him in going on his way, as we do in England and France, without stopping; but he must stand still whiles the other passeth, and bend respectfully to him as he goes by, and then continue his march. In fine, of all the Nations I have seen, I know none that lives, clothes, eates, drinks, and speakes so much with reason, as the Italians do.
Their Riches.As for their Riches, they must needs be great. That which is visible in their magnificent Pallaces, Churches, Monasteries, Gardens, Fountaines, and rich furnished Roomes, speakes that to be great which is in their Coffers: and that which the King of Spain draws visibly from Naples every year, shews what the other parts of Italy could do for a need, if they were put to it by necessity, Nay, lam of opinion, that the very Sacristy of Loreto, the Gallery of the Duke of Florence, and the Treasury of Venice, would upon an emergent occasion of a Gothick, or Turkish invasion, be able to maintain an army for five years space; and the Plate in Churches and Monasteryes, would be able to do as much more, if the owners of it were soundly frighted with a new Gothick irruption. As for the Riches of particular Princes in Italy, I will speak of them, as I view their States here below.
Their Religion.In fine, as for their Religion, its purely that which other Countryes call by the name Catholique, and which in England they commonly call, the Religion of the Papists. And though there they think to nickname the Catholick by calling him Papist, yet the well instructed Catholick knowing that the name of Papist, comes not from any Sect-master, as, Socinian, and Brownist do; nor from any Sectary Meeting place, as Hugonots from the Gate of Hugo in Tours in France, near unto which they met privately at first to teach and dogmatise: nor from any pub∣lick sectary action, as Anabaptists, Dippers, Quakers &c. do: but from the word Papa, which signifies Father, and is not the name of any one man, or Pope, but onely signifies his Fatherly office of Pastor; tho Catholick, I say, is no more troubled at this name of Papist, then he was when he was called in the late troubles, Royallist (for adhering to the King, which is not the name of any of our Kings,Rex est nomen officio. S. Ambr. but his Office onely) and not Cromwellist, which was the name of one adhering to a particular man called Cromwel, and an unlawful usurper of Power. As for the true name indeed, which is Catholick, all those of that Church have ever called themselves by no other Name then this of Catholick, the wisest of Protestants also acknowledge it publickly to be their distinctive name: witness that solemne meeting at Munster, some years agoe, about the General Peace of Christendome, where the Publick Instrument of that Peace sheweth plainly how that the Protestant Plenipotentiaries (the wisest men of that Religion) treated with the Papists, as some call them, under the name of Catholicks: and though in many other titles and denominations, they were very wary and scrupulous, even to the long suspension of the Peace, yet they willingly concluded, subscribed, and signed that Peace made with them, under the name of Catholicks. I say this onely, for to make men understand, what the true name of the Religion practised over all Italy is, to wit, Catholick.
Having said thus much of Italy in general, I will now come to a particular Description of it, according to the ocular observations I made of it in five several Voyages through it. In which Description, if I be a little prolixe, it is because I rid not Poste through Italy, when I saw it; nor will I write poste through it, in describing it, being assured, that Epitomes in Geography are as dissatisfactory, as Laconick Letters would be in State Relations; and that the great Atlas, in nine great volumes in folio, is not onely Atlas Major, but also Atlas Melior.