CORFU. 



213 



protection and privileges of the church — a punishment 

 ' equally dreaded as the severest corporal pain. Should 

 the protopapa receive a sufficient pecuniary inducement, 

 he will himself pronounce the anathema, by repairing 

 before the house of the person at the head of his clergy, 

 all habited in black, and preceded by a great crucifix 

 with a black flag. The object of vengeance, however, 

 can render the excommunication altogether nugatory, 

 and be restored against its effects by obtaining a coun- 

 ter-excommunication, which is attended with no dif- 

 ficulty, and the same priest is wont to be alike zea- 

 lous in the service of both. But the ceremony be- 

 ing expensive, the denounced sometimes retaliates 

 by assassinating his enemy. Availing themselves of 

 such an engine, the Venetian government has been 

 known to obtain the excommunication of whole vil- 

 lages, where it was impolitic to use a military force; 

 all intercourse between the inhabitants and their neigh- 

 bours was by that means cut off, and they were soon 

 glad to testify their submission. The people at large 

 witness these excommunications with uncommon awe : 

 they firmly believe that the earth trembles at the mo- 

 ment the anathema is pronounced, and they utter loud 

 cries of terror. 



Marriage in Corfu are celebrated according to the 

 Greek ritual, and attended with various allegorical ce- 

 remonies. A table is prepared in the best apartment, 

 on which the Bible is laid between two wax tapers ; 

 there is also on a salver at one side, a glass or small 

 phial of wine and a little bread ; and on another sal- 

 ver, at the opposite side, garlands of rose-coloured rib- 

 bands. When the ceremony is finished, a crown is 

 made by interlacing the two tapers, which is placed 

 above the nuptial bed, to figure the union perpetually 

 to subsist between the spouses. The wife, by esta- 

 blished custom, is then seen dissolved in tears, to tes- 

 tify her regret at quitting the virgin state. But 

 the husband has to dread the malevolence of those who 

 envy his approaching felicity; and if, at the moment 

 of consent, any byestander shall cast three knots on a 

 cord and throw it in the fire, it is confidently believed 

 that he will thenceforward be completely enervated. 

 This species of incantation, by knotting a cord, has been 

 known even in our own country ; and records, not of a 

 very ancient date, preserve the confessions of some un- 

 happy wretches condemned to the flames, acknowledging 

 its purport in the most unequivocal language. However, 

 it is not void of remedy in Corfu, for the husband, by 

 placing a pistol, which has served for several assassina- 

 tions, under his pillow, will break the charm. Should 

 he not be completely satisfied of his wife's integrity be- 

 fore the marriage, he can return her to her relations, 

 which is the greatest misfortune to which she can be 

 exposed, as she thereby loses all consideration among 

 her companions. 



Unlike that reluctance to part with a favoured ob- 

 ject which is felt over all the world, preparations for 

 interment are instantly made when a person expires in 

 Corfu, and two hours scarcely elapse before the body 

 is committed to the earth.' Meantime it is clothed in 

 the best apparel wliich it wore during life, and enve- 

 loped in such a way as to leave nothing but the head 

 and hands exposed. Thus clothed, it is laid on tres- 

 sels covered with a crimson carpet, with a cushion un- 

 der the head, and a crucifix between the hands : and 

 if the person was unmarried, the body is crowned with 

 artificial flowers. Great lamentations follow, in the 

 course of which are heard eulogiums on the deceased, 

 intermingled with regrets for hi»l oss; the body is next 



carried forth to the church, where the religious part 

 of the ceremony is performed. When this is finished, 

 all the friends kiss the deceased, at the same time ut- 

 tering something in a low whisper ; and it is thought a 

 mark of great respect to a stranger, which he cannot 

 easily refuse, to invite him to pay the like tribute of 

 regard. The dead are interred within the churches, 

 excepting those of the lowest order, who are deposi- 

 ted in a small adjoining cemetery. Every three months, 

 wine, oil, and bread, are brought to the grave, and 

 the deceased is called on, with loud lamentations, to 

 partake of the repast, in which the priests officiating in 

 the church are accustomed to devour when there is no 

 hazard of detection. Mourning consists of apparel uni- 

 versally black, which is extended even to the linen, and 

 all care of their person is entirely neglected. For the 

 nearest relations it continues a year ; and sometimes, 

 by a disgusting practice, the linen is never changed 

 during the whole period. 



From the change of masters which Corfu has so re* 

 peatedly undergone of late, it is unnecessary for us to de- 

 tail the forms of government that have prevailed. But 

 we may observe, that this being reckoned the principal 

 of the Venetian islands, to which all the others were held 

 subordinate, it was provided with a governor, or provedi- 

 tore generate; who was frequently a senator. He was as- 

 sisted by several other persons, some appointed by the 

 senate, others by himself; and his nomination common- 

 ly took place a year before his predecessor went out of 

 office. Much state was attached to the situation, and 

 the proveditore annually gave entertainments of cere- 

 mony to the clergy, the Venetian noblesse, the military, 

 the Corfiote noblesse, and the commons. By a strange 

 fashion, these entertainments, amidst the appearance of 

 splendour, were a source of profit, for the islanders made 

 abundant supplies for them ; and of many present, each 

 according to custom, adroitly slipped an oil draught 

 under his own plate. By this the donor drew on him- 

 self for a certain quantity of oil from the first harvest, 

 payable either in kind or by an equivalent in money. 

 All the draughts were collected by an aide-de-camp, 

 and put into the hands of the proveditore, who en- 

 trusted one of the nobles of the country with levying 

 the amount on becoming clue. The proveditore every 

 year made a voyage among the other islands, purposely 

 to examine what contributions could be obtained from 

 them. His secretary took charge of the inquisitorial 

 proceedings which emanated from this institution at 

 Venice ; and he himself, as sovereign administrator of 

 justice, decided on the lives and fortunes of the island- 

 ers, though his sentence might be reviewed by differ- 

 ent tribunals. Means were too easily found to evade 

 the punishment due to crimes; but when once a cul- 

 prit was condemned, he was, during twenty-four hours 

 preceding execution, chained to a post in the corner of 

 a chapel. In the middle of it was a large stone table, 

 whither he was conducted to partake of a sumptuous 

 repast, served by the domestics of the governor in their 

 richest livery. The repast finished, he was again'put 

 in chains, and remained there until led forth, accom- 

 panied by a procession of penitents to punishment, 



The inhabitants of Corfu pique themselves on their 

 illustrious descent, and many claim an origin from the 

 ancient Greeks and Romans. There are two kinds of 

 noblesse. One, it appears^ could be created by a coun- 

 cil of nobles, but not unless the family of some indivi- 

 dual had become extinct ; the dignity of the other flow- 

 ed from the Venetian government. In the former case, 

 it was necessary that the elect possessed a certain re<» 



Corfu. 



