3b2 ABBEY OF SAN FRU TTUOSO. 



dependent upon the Abbey, The number of churches 

 under the control of the Abbey was constantly increasing, 

 and in the course of tlie thirteenth century tlie Dorias chose 

 San Fruttuoso as their burial place. Here Admiral Egidio 

 Doria, the victor of Meloria, and other admirals of this illus- 

 trious house found their last resting place. This aroused 

 the jealousy of the rival monaster)' of Cervara and resulted 

 in the monaster\- of San Fruttuoso being closed by Pope 

 Julius III in 1550 and its being handed over to the secular 

 rule of the Dorias. Andrea Doria then had the tower built 

 to protect the y\bbe\' from the Corsairs. Rut the pro- 

 tection of the Dorias did not last long, so that all the 

 monuments of ancient times would have disappeared had 

 not the Abbey been cared for with pious affection by 

 the fishermen. The offerings are but small which these 

 men, both few and poor, have been able to contribute 

 to their parish ; hence the church looks a little dilapidat- 

 ed and the ashes of the Saint rest under an unpreten- 

 tious altar, although thc^' arc considered the oldest relics 

 in Liguria. A ihght of stone steps leads down from the 

 church to the ancient Abbey. A small quadrangle with 

 old cloisters opens to the left, whilst in front is a vaulted 

 chamber which contains the tombs of the Dorias. These 

 also have suffered and only the slender pillars and arches, 

 consisting of alternate black and white marble as the 

 taste of the fourteenth century dictated, tell of former 

 splendour. These monuments can no longer be said to be 

 beautiful; but they afford food for reverent contemplation. 

 We now entrusted ourselves to the sea. Westward 

 the sky had veiled itself in mist, an*d the signal station 



