S44- Mi s s o n’s Travels through the Book II, 
of faluting them ia to kifs their Sleeve, which about 
the Elbow is as big as a moderate Sack, and ferve 
fometimes to carry Provifions in from the Market* be* 
caufe they fcarce ever appear with any Attendance at 
their Heels. They are never faluted in the Street, ex- 
cept by thofe who wear the fame Robe* being rather 
fear’d than lov’d by the People, not fo much on ac- 
count of the Hardfhips they fuffer from them, as for 
want of knowing them, the Nobles being not permit- 
ted to converfe familiarly with any body. The Nobi- 
lity of Venice is not reftrained to the eldefl; Sons, as in 
England^ but they are not permitted to traffick, much lefs 
to marry with Foreigners. Thofe Marquijfes, Counts^ 
and other titular Nobles belonging to the Venetian State, 
are no Noblemen of Venice^ but either fuch as really 
enjoy’d thefe Dignities in their refpe6live Countries be- 
fore they became fubjedt to the Venetians^ or by the Ve- 
netians^ Itnce their Conquefts, have been dignified with 
thefe Titles to humble the reft* and by a Confufion of 
new Titles* abate the Pretenfions of the ancient Nobi- 
lity of thofe Countries. There are a third Sort of titular 
Nobility in the Venetian State, whofe Anceftors, though 
not fully entitled to thofe Dignities, yet had fome Pre- 
tenfions to them, ' and upon the Change of the Govern- 
ment, alfumed thefe Titles by the Connivance of the 
Venetians, 
Your Information concerning the Duke or Doge 
of Venice^ is wrong in all its Parts *, for, I can affure 
you, he bears only the Figure of a Prince, and the Sha- 
dow of Greatnefs without any real Subftance *, much in 
the lame Manner the Dukes of Aquitain and Normandy 
do at the Coronation of a King of England. It is 
true, he has fome outward Marks of Grandeur annex’d 
to his lofty Title, but thefe are beftow’d on him no 
otherwife than as he is a Reprefen tative of the Repub- 
lick, as Ambaffadors are of their Matters, That this is 
true beyond allContradidlion, you will very clearly perceive, 
if you confider, that all his Councellors have a conftant 
Eye over all his AdHons, and have an Authority to vifit 
his Clofet every Hour. It is not in his Power to par- 
don any Criminal ; he can’t fo much as pafs over to the 
Continent without Permiffion from the State ; and he 
no fooner fets Foot alhore on that Side, but his Ducal 
Authority and Dignity ceafe, and he is confider’d as 
Nothing more than a bare Nobleman of Venice ; im- 
mediately all his Kindred* that were before in any Of- 
fices, are turn’d out, and when he dies, there is no fuch 
Thing as the leaft publick Mourning upon that Occa-, 
fion. He is, befide this, as much fubjedl to the Law 
as the meaneft Perfon, and the Inquifition of State is 
chiefly level’d at his Power, which is fo ftreightned, 
that except two or three inconfiderable Privileges, he 
pofleflTes Nothing beyond other Noblemen ; thefe are, 
that he has a double Voice in the Grand Council^ and 
the Difpofal of divers little Offices belonging to the Pa- 
lace, and the Norhination of the Primicerio and Canons 
of St. Mark. The Honours, as I told you before, 
which are paid to him, being nothing elfe than the 
Marks of the Sovereignty of the Common-wealth in 
their Reprefentative ; it is in this Senfe he bears the 
Title of Duke and of His Serenity^ (a Title efteemed 
here beyond that of Highnefs) and when he appears 
abroad upon any folemn Occafion, has a Torch carried 
before him, a folding Chair (having two Arms and 
no Backj with itsCuffiion, eight Silver Trumpets, and 
as many Standards with the Arms of Venice and per- 
haps fome Hautboys : Of thefe Standards two are 
white, two red, two violet, and two blue, which, they 
fay, fignify. Peace., War., T'ruce, and the League : 
They ftiew’ci us that the two red ones were carried firft, 
the State being then engaged in a War againft the 
^urks, whereas in Time of Peace, the white ones 
precede the reft. He has alfo a Kind of Umbrello car- 
ried after him. 
Upon thefe Occafions the Doge is generally accompa- 
nied by the Nuncio., and the Ambafladors refiding at 
Venice, except the Minifter of Spain, who never appears 
at thefe Solemnities, to avoid difputing with the French 
Ambaflador about Precedence ; all thefe Minifters have 
their Hats on j the Duke never pulls offhis ducal Cornet, 
except when the Hoft is elevated, of when he is vifited 
by a Prince of Royal Extradion, or by a Cardinal, who 
fits in a like Chair with the Duke, and even on his 
right Hand. After thefe march the chief Senators, be- 
fore whom is carried the Sword of State, as an evident 
Mark of the Sovereignty of the Council. It is true, 
upon their Coin the Duke’s Name is ftamp’d, but on 
the Reverfe you fee him on his Knees, at the Feet of 
the Primicerio, who fits and reprefents St. Mark ; of 
him the Doge takes the Oath of Fidelity, with the Mafs- 
book in one Hand, and with the other receiving the 
Standard of Venice j fo it is evident, that his Image 
bears no more Marks of Honour here than that of the 
Primicerio. The Letters of foreign Princes are affo 
direded and delivered to the Doge, but he is fo far from 
having any Power of opening them, that he muft de- 
liver them to the Council i The fame Thing is obferved. 
in refped to Ambafladors ; for after Matters have been 
deliberated and concluded in the Council, the Anfwer 
is put fo exadly into the Duke’s Mouth, that fhould 
he commit the leaft Miftake, he is correded upon the 
Spot. Thus in all Ads or Declarations, of State, he 
is no more than the Herald, who has the Honour of 
publilhing what is enaded by the Senate. 
I will not pretend to unravel to you the Myfteries of 
the Venetian Common-wealth, the lame being above 
my Purpole, and even out of my Knowledge, for want 
of Efficient Time to be fully inftruded in fo mahy 
Things: I will only add concerning the Patriarch of 
Venice, that after he is eleded by the Senate, he receives 
his Confirmation froni the Pope r Though his Station 
is very eminent, yet his Authority is kept within very 
narrow Bounds ; for, except two or three Benefices, the 
People of each Parifli chufe their own Curates, and the 
Clergy acknowledge no Superiority but that of the Se- 
nate. This Prelate muft always be chofen out of the 
Nobility, and his Garment is of a Violet Colour *, he ftiles 
himfelf Divini Miferatione Venetiarum Patriarcha, i. e. 
by God*s Mercy Patriarch of Venice ; but not as others 
do, Et San5la Sedis ApoSiolicre Gratia ; and by the Grace 
of the Holy Apojlolick See ; the Venetians acknowledging 
no fuch Superiority. For the reft, this Eledion is com- 
monly carried on by Intereft and Intrigue, as in the 
chufing of a Pope, little Regard being had to Merit j 
and it is beyond all Difpute, that the Ignorance of the 
Clergy here is greater than what can well be exprefs’d or 
imagin’d •, to remedy which, as alfo their Licentiouf- 
nels, and the too free Converfation with the Nuns, Car- 
dinal Barberigo, Bifhop of Padua, a wife and vene- 
rable Perfon, has taken a great deal of Pains of late 
Years, but to little Purpofe. 
I muft not forget to tell you a pleafant Secret they 
make ufe of here, in Behalf of fome Priefts that 
are Muficians : You are not ignorant, that one of the 
main Qualifications belonging to a Prieft, is to be a 
compleat Man ; but as the Sweetnefs of the Voice is of 
great Ufe, both in their Opera’s and Churches, they 
have found out this Expedient, that a Prieft thus fitted 
for Mufick, may exercife the Fundions of Priefthood, 
provided he carry the fame Implements that belong’d 
to his Body in his Pocket. Is not this a moft religious 
Diftindion ! 
Father Mark Aviano, whom I mention’d in my Let- 
ter from Augsburgh, is here at prefent, but I could ne- 
ver hear him preach, the Crowd of the People being 
fuch, that they were forc’d to break a Hole through 
the Wall of the Church, to let him go into it from a 
neighbouring Houfe. 
5. It is one of the Peculiarities of Venice, that fome 
of the Churches are dedicated to Saints that were never 
canonized, fuch as the good Man Job, the Prophets 
Mofes, Samuel, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Zachary, to whom 
there might be fome others added. I had the Curiofity 
to vifit the Temples that are confecrated to thofe illuf- 
trious Names, but could not find any Thing more ex- 
traordinary in them, .than their Dedication. One of 
the fineft of thofe facred Strudures is that which is de^ 
dicated to St. Mofes *, it has a majeftick Front, which 
was built by Alexander T’remignone, at the Charge of the 
Procurator Vincint Fini, They preferve feveral Re- 
