686 Mr, R A Y ^ 
Mod of the Italians of any Fafhion wear black or 
dark colour’d Cloaths, and for the Failiion ot them 
follow the French^ but not too haftily, excepting thofe 
Countries which are fubjeff to the King of Spain^ which 
ufe the Spanijh Habit. As for their Vices, they are chiefly 
taxed for three, i. Revenge^ they thinking it an ig- 
noble and unmannerly Thing to put up or pafs by any 
Injury or Affront. Many Times alfo they diflemble or 
conceal their Difpleafure and Hatred under Pretence 
of Friendfhip, that they may more eafily revenge 
themfelves of whom they hate, by poifoning, aflafll- 
nating, or any other Way ; for nothing will fatisfy 
them, but the Death of thofe who have injured them ; 
and there are Bravo’s and Cut-throats ready to murther 
any Man for a fmall Piece of Money. Befides, which 
is worft of all, they are implacable, and by no Means 
to be trufted, when they fay, they pardon. Hence 
they have a Proverb among them, Amicitie reconciliate 
(F menejire rifcaldate non furono mai grate. The Wo- 
men alio provoke their Children to revenge the Death 
of their Fathers, by fhewing them the Weapon where- 
with they were murthered, or Cloaths dip’d in their 
Blood, or the like by which Means Feuds be- 
tween Families are maintained and entailed from 
Generation to Generation. Thefe are the Qualities 
for which we ufually fay an Englijhman Italianate is a 
Devil incarnate. 2. Luji^ to which the Inhabitants of 
hot Countries are, by the Temper of their Bodies, in- 
clined. Hence it is, that all Cities and great Towns 
do fo fwarm with Courtezans and Harlots •, and, to 
avoid worfe Evils, the State is neceffitated to give them 
publick Toleration and Proteftion. As for mafculine 
Venery and pther Works of Darknefs, 1 fhall not 
charge the Italians with them, as not having fufflcient 
Ground fo to do, and becaufe, (as Barclay faith) Hac 
fcelera tenebris damnata & negari faciliiis a confciis pof- 
fnnt^ Cf ab ^mulis fingi. 3. Jealoufy., which flrangely 
pofTeffes this People fo that for every little Sufpicion 
they will fhut up their Wives in a Chamber, and carry 
the Key with them, not fuffering them to ftir Abroad, 
unlefs themfelves accompany them. To falute an Ita- 
liaiPz Wife with a Kifs is a ftabbing Matter ; and to 
call a Man Cornuto, or Cuckold in good Earneft, is 
the greatefl Affront or Difgrace you can put upon him. 
The married Women in Italy, by this Means, have but 
bad Lives, being for the moft Part confined to their 
Houfes, except when they go to Chureh, and then they 
have an old Woman attending them ; the Doors of 
their Houfes fhut up at Dinner and Supper ; all Vifits 
and familiar Difcourfes with Men denied them ; nei- 
ther can they fpeak or fmile without Sufpicion. One 
Reafon of this, among others, may be, becaufe the 
Husbands knowing themfelves to be fo difhonefl and 
falfe to their Wives, they prefume, that had they Op- 
portunity, they would not be more true to them. And 
yet for all this Guarding and Circumfpe(fl:ion, are not the 
Italian Dames more uncorrupt than the Matrons of 
other Nations, but find Means to deceive their Huf- 
bands, and be difhoneft in Spight of Jealoufy. 
To thefe I might add Swearing, which is fo ordi- 
nary among all Sorts, the Priefls and Monks themfelves 
fcarce abftaining from Oaths, that I believe they ac- 
count it no Sin. It is a general Cuftom all over Italy 
to fleeo an Hour or two after Dinner, in Summer- 
time *, fo that from Two of the Clock till Four in the 
Afternoon, you fhall fcarce fee any body flirting about 
the Streets of the Cities. Indeed if one fits flill it is very 
hard to keep his Eyes open at that Time. Either this 
Cuftom did not prevail when the School of Salerno 
wrote their Phyfick Precepts, or that Direction Sit bre- 
ves aut nullus tibi Somnus meridianus, was calculated for 
England, to whofe King that Book was dedicated. And 
yet ftill the Italian Phyficians advife People, either not 
to fleep at all after Dinner, or, if they muft fleep, to 
ilrip off their Cloaths and go to Bed, but only to take a 
Nod in their Chair fitting. 
In many Cities of Italy are Hofpitals where Pilgrims 
and poor Travellers are entertained, and have their 
Diet and Lodging for three Days, if they have Reafon 
s Fravels ' Book II. 
to ftay fo long, gratis, befides a Piece of Money when 
they go away. There are Hofpitals alfo to receive ex- 
posed Children, if I may fo term them, that is, without 
any E.xception, that fhall be brought and put in at a 
Grate on Purpofe, where, upon ringing a Bell, an Of- 
ficer comes prefently and receives the Child, and ask- 
ing the Party that brought it. Whether it hath been 
baptized .f* carries it to a Nurfe to give it Suck, and 
there it is maintained till it be grown up. The Place 
where it is put in is fo ftrait, as to admit only Children 
new born, or very young. This I look upon as a good 
Inftitution in great Cities, taking away from Women 
the Temptation of Murthering their new-born Chil- 
dren, or deftroying their Conception in the Womb to 
hide their Shame. I know what may be objedled a- 
gainft it, viz. That it emboldens them to play the wan- 
ton, having fo fair a Way of concealing it, fed ex ma- 
ils minimum. In Rome, Venice, and fome other Cities 
of Italy, they have a Way of exercifing Charity, little 
ufed among us ; feveral Confraternities of well-difpofed 
Perfons raife Sums of Money by a free Contribution 
among themfelves, which they beftow yearly in Por- 
tions for the marrying of poor Maids, which elfe might 
v;ant Husbands, and be tempted to difhoneft Fraflices 
to maintain themfelves. 
This I look upon as well-plac’d Alms, and worthy of 
Imitation, it being very convenient, and in a Manner 
neceffary, that new-married People lliould have fome- 
what to furnifh their Houfes and begin the World with, 
and no lefs fitting that young Perfons fhould be encou- 
raged to marry, as well for multiplying of People, 
wherein the Strength of the Common-wealth chiefly 
confifts, as for the preventing thofe Evils to which 
young and Angle Perfons are ftrongly tempted and 
inclined. It is a troublefome Thing to travel with Fire- 
arms in Italy, you being forced in moft Cities to leave 
them at the Gate with the Guard, who give you a Tally 
or Token ; and when you leave the City, you bring 
your Tally, and receive your Arms. This is done to 
prevent Afifaults and Murders, which are fo frequent in 
many Cities of Italy. For this the Great Duke of Tuf- 
cany is much to be commended, there being no fucli 
Murthers and Outrages committed in any of the Cities 
under his Dominion, as in other Places ; fo diligent is he 
in fearching out, and fevere in punifhing Bravoes, 
Cut-throats, Aflaffins, and fuch Kind of Malefadlors. 
As much might be faid for the Pope in the City of 
Rome, but in other Cities in his Territories there is 
killing enough. 
When you depart from any City, you muft be fure 
to take a Bill of Health out of the Office that is kept 
every where for that Purpofe, without which you can 
hardly get to be admitted into another City, efpecially 
if it be in the Territory of another Prince^ or State. 
If any one comes from an infefted or fufpefled Place, 
he is forced to keep his ^larantain (as they cal! it) 
that is, be fhut up in the Lazaretto or Peft-houfe forty 
Days, before he be permitted to come into the 
City, fo fcrupuloufly careful are they to prevent Con- 
tagion. 
In Rome, and other Cities of Italy, we have often ob- 
ferved many Labourers that wanted Work ftanding in 
the Market-places to be hired, whither People that 
want Help ufually go and bargain with them ; which 
Cuftom illuftrates that Parable of our Saviour, recorded 
in the Beginning of the Twentieth Chapter of St. Mat- 
thew^^ Golpel, wherein the Houftiolder is faid to go out 
about the third Hour, and fee others funding in the Mar- 
ket-place. Verfe 8 ; and in Verfe 6, he is faid to find 
others about the eleventh Hour, and to fay to them, ^vhy 
fiandye here all the Day idle? and Verfe 7. they anfwer, 
Becaufe no Man hath hired us. In Italy, and other hot 
Countries, fo foon as they have cut down their Corn, 
they threfti and winnow it ufually, or at Jeaft a great 
Part of it, on a Floor made in the open Air, before 
they bring it into the Houfe. Hence in the Scripture 
v/e read of threfliing Floors as open Places without 
Roof or Cover. Such, I fuppofe, v.?as that where Boaz 
winnowed Barley, Ruth iii. 3. Neither is it any Won- 
