11th. To the Exchange, and there all the news is of the French
and Dutch joyning against us; but I do not think it yet true. In
the afternoon, to Sir W. Batten's, where in discourse I heard the
custome of the election of the Duke of Genoa, who for two years
is every day attended in the greatest state, and four or five
hundred men always waiting upon him as a king; and when the two
years are out, and another is chose, a messenger is sent to him,
who stands at the bottom of the stairs, and he at, the top, and
says, "Va. Illustrissima Serenita sta finita, et puede andar en
casa."--"Your serenity is now ended; and now you may be going
home;" and so claps on his hat. And the old Duke (having by
custom sent his goods home before,) walks away, it may be but
with one man at his heels; and the new one brought immediately in
his room, in the greatest state in the world. Another account
was told us, how in the Dukedom of Ragusa, in the Adriatique, (a
State that is little, but more ancient, they say, than Venice,
and is called the mother of Venice, and the Turkes lie round
about it,) that they change all the officers of their guard, for
fear of conspiracy, every twenty-four hours, so that nobody knows
who shall be captain of the guard to-night; but two men come to a
man, and lay hold of him as a prisoner, and carry him to the
place; and there he hath the keys of the garrison given him, and
he presently issues his orders for that night's watch: and so
always from night to night.
Pages:
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298