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Leader (1850-1860), 9th December 1854, Edition Town of 2, Page 1170

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      same cruel despotism that las so long : shed ; its withering breath over her mountains andHieEipliUJiB , her flowery prairies * anil tlte Banks of her lovely rivers . War ; with ite : terrible ; -injridents ^ . iainot forever ; aodi wijEn . Peace ) , with her prunmg-hook and 3 CLy ^ htvterr arts aad learning ^ . at . length dtvelisaafely on the- shoces- of the old Prtrpontas ^ : thfeni majy * ariseioni tha site of <hy > Gaiata * a . noble ; city , -worthy its : position , amLthfiiEireiTosrer-of . Eeea ^ may ab length find , rest-whea it is- surrounded by houses aadfJtetories , libraries andtachoola , whichi would * defy , au-the ludfer-matcb . es , in Ghiis tettdoaii to / destroy them .

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      ^ VESTE . TIAN EMBASSY EETCSiAlTD . Selection of Despatches wmtten by the Venetian-Ambassador Sebastian Giwtinian—1515-15191 . TraoBliated ; by Bawdott Brown ; . Smith , Elder , and ; Coi EEeue is a-book illustrative of secret di p lomacy—a book precious in a week in . which ttie jaanuTar . maud is agonised in fear of what our governing classes may h& . doing with the Austrian alliance . The , comparison between Venice and England dates fco . ru , before ; Mr , XHsraeli ' a tirne f a parallel between the position of Venice , wheji , from . 1500 to 1550 r was allying- herself with all t iujf ! despotisms , inb order to keep the- Turks out o £ Constantinople and her Egypfef and-: tha positio-a . of Englaauiiat-tlua- moment coalescing herself -with the dynasties of : Germany and' France , in ; order t » keep -the-Busfiiana-out of Stftmhoul , might now be worked osfr with great effect : the moiial being ,

      xtbcfc as Venice- suffered' from sacrificing * the Italian republicans to- her haute gt&iique and ; commercial : interests ^ sa Brtglanffmay- be drifting Srto a League of'Qambray catastrophe , because she is neglecting- nationalities and cultivating th . e alliances of . tnose -who are the enemies of air the Reform ideas of Qie age . Eyoxa considerations of ' tnis sort , we think Mx . Rawdian Brown ' s publication Is timel y ^ and ? we . have rea < £ his translations of these cfiplomatie letters waflbu singular interest . Tiiey deal with . a . remarkable period , and tbucwsi .. & . «¦ strongest light upon , the * personal history o £ that period .. The diplomatist ¦ vv ^ .-. iavt&e hero ?> vte able man , a man ) picked fgrva * delicatecluty r aadit&e chanui of : his letters consists in thet fact that * Key were written * ibr > a ^ "Foreign ' offiee ** - wbich ; never ? bad " blue hooks , "

      «* d which aerer contemplated passible publication . They describe the actual' socialantf political circumstances of England-of that day -with minuteness , and : with the cosmopolitan philosophy ; of- ' Venetians ; But it- is for tie personal" sketches that they are chiefly valuable—of Henry FIILin his grand timej when he was young , rie \ h , and honest ; and of the Lord Cardinal aJSrTFork , in Wolsey ' s happiest period , wEen England was the arbiter in Httrope , and when Itex Meus was too much engaged in- jousting' and loving to- interfere witft ; Ego . We , however , cannot make extracts with any effect from the correspondeace ^ for th e single letters are only- fragmentary references to a question , detailed in a series ; and for a series we have no space . We refer our readers to the two volumea-r-delightful reading . Hoi the least interesting , portion of the book is the account of the Griuetii ^ a ^ iiaixuly ,. a . perfect fanulyr . ornauce : ?—

      Qnuthe-fall ftf . the Hferaelian Bynaaty ( a . » 4 711 ) ,, in . the person of the Emperor Jfciataiiian H ., » the anryivora ofc his family emigrated > flrst to Istriaj . wheratliey founded the city of Justinopoli ,. BowcalledC ! 8 po > d , ' Iatria ,, and in the course of ' half a century , ^ r « ifindaome o £ their . de 3 cendaaiaestabliah 6 d , iu ; Venice ; fan amongst the tribunes in djievyoar 7 i 56 , ^ raB-aiGcinstiniai ^ . whoso , daughter , subsequently inarriedj Doge Angelo Bodbeax In the 12 th century , three members of therGiuatinian family wore Procurators of . Sfc . MaBfa * , a dignity- inferior only to / that of the ; Doge , who-was almost invariably ttfcoaen . fromt their body .

      • Afitep the lapse of , four , centuries and a half the Giustiniant seem not to have lost the Beoollcction-of their wrongs and , of thoin former greatnessj . and accordingly , , ia the . year tlZQ , wheni in < consequence / of the ? seizure by the Emperor Manuel Cojnneuus of all -the Venetian traders in his dominions , the Republic declared war against tha Greeks , fliey : eagerly * jwaUfidauimselVea of so fab . an opportunity for avenging the murder of iiiewaaceatopy . and . aftei the , example ofi tlujj Roman Fabii , volunteered'tb . B , services of theifc wtole ; raca : in the . cauae of their- adopted country , - and in = her defence-they em-. baskjadlnot ; leaa than j > n < j hundred combatants ,, all bearing the name of . < xiustinian , and iacludiwg- avamaa agyd , Procurator . of ; Sfc .. Mark ?» .

      Eto ^ t ¥ italo , Miehi * l apd / th e Giuattniani . steered ; their ; gallant , flfeetfira fc to , Dalmatia » £ we the punishment of . certain rebels there ,, and then , made for Hegroponty . tha Gfovernon off which ; island apologised for his , master the . Emperor moat . abjectly ,, and prevailed upon the Doge to avert the calamities of war by sending an embassy to GfanBtautinoplfet thiftaKtifico wbich > oo )» ooalod ttie most atrocious treachery , succeeded ; thA-VienotianufloGtiretirecL to winter , at Soio , whore ; the springs had- bean poisoned ,, and ofioJUdhjondredendltmrBUty ; sail ) only , sbcteejuretttrnod . to theLA , driatic , irithitho scanty remoont :- \ vhicli had-escaped : the tncacliery andtpestilence of the Greek . islands . Amongst tho-sunvdvoraof tliia Venotian oxpodition thoro was not found one of th « Giuatiniani ; , their resenibuxncfl to thei ^ abii wa » oomplete , and . all . Vonioe , patrioiana and plebeians , mourned the extinction of such a race . They felt that high name and dflaflont . are . pledges fom honoiu $ ibli ) , exertion , and , aa » thoi laymen of / the Qiuatinian fixuwly ) had- pwab , < jd ,, tU ( ji Republic dotormined ^ , if possible ^ to preaorvo . thq name by moan »» G aBeDuediotinetmonk , the ¦ solo ; survivor of Mia ^ family ; who d ^ v elt at tlie . Lido

      ift > , tiiQi monastery of SHU Niohola 9 ., Ani embasByi woa . forthvuthl doajpatched to fropo Mfwaxvtex U 3 H ; and . JOUrtboneMorosiai ' . an d ' Tomiiniaao Falior obtaimed rroin » his HV > li « nes » ia difipensa ^ ion fijomi themaonaatiai vowa . taUen , by Eather Nicholas Giuetiniaw ,. and to / liUn . Dbgo / Vitalo-aEichieligaiLvotho liand ; o £ liia dijughtarf-Ajinaj together with- an ample , dower , coiwiatiaff pjB tho ; thr ^ e . Venetian parislioa of ; St . Uf > i » 6 , Sb Giovanni Bwgola ,, andLr : Bb < . I ? a » fcideonn < . TheioflfspriDgi of thb marriagBiwweiiwMtioroua : of nine aon ^ . oano . by immoiM ^ ite ^ hftd theiSA l ^ fucUoniofrtttldng p » irt im tho- conquest of Gonr . 8 tattti » oplo ,, A . D . 1204 ? 5 . am » thBr . Mttroo , establiahqA himselfJ inithoMlandiofrOandiaj « ndiwaa prabftbly onei of ! Uioflrsb shippers- of a « ek < and mulmaoy , winoa with which Ewgtond wao- suppliiod by the . Venetians during s « vornl csnturica ; and ! a third . < 3 Sncomo ) also- aopowpftnwil , BogoiKaadoloiwliieii h&j cntoredGonstaJitinoplo ; of tho dangtUborsy Mojrtha , I \ targaBeti .. and Bbrtolobta ,. one manriod into , tlnjihousoof Batethftiaotiontl , bocanw ) 'I 4 i « . wift > . of- one . of thu aoallgeraof Verona' 5 anil tho third took tbe-voil .

      Duthor Nickoliia , Gluctinima , having fully- realised tho hoposi ofi the . Venetians who drew him from his doiator , returned onco more to hia cell' at tho Lido ( that strip of laaatl ^ Tihichiacpuratotj . the logoona ofi Vonioe from * the opouAdriatic ) ,, aadiAnna Miohiol -vrithdir « rr < to ui nunnery on the island of Ainiano , in \ vhi « li plucoa thoa « two xegenonotonjiof . thxjrfainilyt of Heraollua diod ehartly ; after , in what ia toimaod " tho odour of aoaiHtlty . " iibch Lombarxlion lilntorian of tho " IHuHtrioua Fwmili «» of Italy , " tho Count Litta « pti » JwJi © pf tlvoiroHoa , of Fnthor Niqholfta in tho ohuroh of S > OcorgioMa ( rgiore ,. alHrm » ' tuat / ftomihinxxUl tlto » Qiuntiniuni of Vonioe aro doscondod ,. and . poBltlvoly desuia » that

      the Giustiniani of Genoa are in any ivaj' authorised to claim the same origin indeed he asserts that no family ever existed in Genoa who were lawfully entitled to the hereditary surname of Giu&tinian . In the palmy days of the Venetian Republic the descendauta of th « Benedictine monk , numbered fifty distinct families ; and as " manv as t ; vo . hundred individuals bearing the name of Giustinuiu are said to have sat at one time in the Grand Council of Venice , a . tradition , however , which Count Litta . gives good reason to doubt .. At the close of the 17 th . century , forty of the Giustinian families ¦ were extinct , and at this present time there remain only four . ....... Amongst ths-twelve children of Nicholas Giustinian , one bore the name of Stefano- ; and his lineal descendant , Sebastian ,, it is who has furnished matter for the present volume . He was the son of Marino , by the daughter of Pisro Gradenigo , and was bom in , the year 1460 .

      Another episodical passage is the following account given hy another Venetian diplomatist , _ Badoer , who was , sent to the court of our Ilenrv V ^ MI , and 1 was found in London by Giustinian . Badoer appears to have been of the grumbling class of travellers ; but his chapter of complaints presents a singularly vivid picture of Europe of the period . His conceit is splendid : —

      FBOBI THE AMBASSADOR . IN ENGLAND , ANDREW BADOER . ( Describing his journey and aivival there . ~ ) London , July 24 , 1512 , Honoured and Noble Brother , —In the month of January , in the year 1508-9 , when , the hostilities of France against the most Illustrious Signory began to manifest themselves , remedies being sought agairfst the Gallic toils , the most sage counsellors appointed to govern us determined to send , hither privily an ambassador to induce this most serene King to attack France ( on-whose crown he has claims , it in justice appertaining to him ) , and . to arouse Mm . to make a diversion over there in our favour ; the need being extremely urgent ; , and to despatch some one forthwith ^ and speedily ; though , as the roads were intercepted , everywhere , it was impossible to effect the Journey save afc the most manifest peril of one ' s life . Inquiries were raade over Venice for one who had the hearb to venture through such a hurrieane ,. the fire raging most fiercely in every quarter ; and at length , after many consultations , no one else being found to then : taste , I was electedto tliis mission , without my knowledge , by the High Council-of Ten and the Junta , according to a motion carried therein ^ and assuredly by the will of God and for the most excellent Signory ' s weal , with one hundred ducats per month for ray expenses , whereof I was not required , to give account to any one .

      Thistopk place on the last day of January , 1508-9 , when his Serenity the Doge ( to whom may 0-od grant long ; life ) sent for me * and 0 s I knew nothing of the mattei , I stared at hiin . in surprise ; whereupon , he told me I had been appointed Ambassador here , exhorting me to serve the State in . so sage manner , binding me in such wise , that I could only reply Jiat volunias tua ; and pardon my presumption , brotheK , Master Luke , but by God no one sav ^ e myself was capable of executing this , mission . In the first place , laying aside the perils aforesaid , it was easy for me to go in safety by any road , being well acquainted with the French and German tongues , and with that on this country , which is as little known at Venice as modern Greek or Sclavonic iu London ; ask tlose who know me , and you will hear , and for so great an accomplishment I thank Almighty Godi I thus in fine resblred to come and serve the most illustrious State , especially being sent by the Council of Ten , having always understood that whosoever obtains their esteem , may be deemed fortunate . I therefore looked- forward and not . behind me , inflamed by the most ardent love for my country .

      and left my affairs m confusion , starting with a trifle of money that might have sufficed , had I merely been ^ going to Mestre or Treviso , and not to travel through fire and water , as 1 may say , to the end of the world , and in peril of my life . This , however , was my folly ; induced by the hope of obtaining , besides the certain promise of 100 ducats per month , great credit with the Government , as has been the case , to my knowledge , witiL many more fortunate than myself , though their deserts are far inferior to mine . With these aspirations , then , I set out , and so much the more willingly , being-- persuaded by his sublimity the Doge , who lbves me , and urged niy undertaking the service . " Knowest thou not , " aaid he , "how those whom the Council of Ten sends on similar errands of need are rewarded ? " In short , I allowed myself to be persuaded , and in six days got ready ; and depaited iu so auspicious an hour , that after riding twenty-six days I reached London , where I am now ; nor do 1 know what more could have been expected of a man at my age , which was then sixty-two years , and encountering on the road such disasters as the following : —First , rode

      I incessantly day and night in disguise , crippling and laming myself so , that I shall never again be as sound as I was previously ; for when on the Mount St . Gothard , my liorso fell under me , whilst riding over ice and in tbe dark , I received such a wound on my right leg , that it was bared to the bone two inches deep , and by good fortune he fell to the right ; for had ho slipped on the other side , I should have gone downia precipice , and no further news of me would over have bcon heard , except from the two eantonniers , who were at my horse ' s head to guide my way . At length , by God's grace , I got to tho inn , ami it was the night of the Carnival , and being late , I- could got nothing but broad and wine for my supper , and dressed my leg myself . On tho following morning , which was Ash Wednesday , I got to Basle ( sic ) at about nine , and there embarked , to proceed by water , tho Rhine being , moreover , very mtich swollen ; and having gone thus some way down the stream , wo got into a largo vessel loaded with merchandise , on board of which were my horses likewise ; and tho bottom of tllis boat struck- upon some sedges under waterin tho middle of tho stroam , near a

      , shoal , past which the water rushed' -with groat violence : tho boat wont over on its side , and there we wore , between tho sedges and tho » honl , when , from the shock , tlio planka of tho boat separated , and she was carried to tho shoal , on which we all jumped'immediately , landing the horses also , and the boat flllcd w } th water , for Itivus neither pitched nor ca \ ilked , but merely nailed together like the little barges wliioh bring ogga to Venice . We > passed tho night couuting tho hours ; nnd I , with my wounded log , and all tho rest of us likewise ,, well drenched . Finally , praised bo Gt >< l , the boat w » a repaired , and took us safe to Strasburg . This part of my adventures I have -chosen to tell you in detail ; and for tho rest , it will fminco to say that , as suspicion was everywhere alive , it bohoved rno to givo account to everybody of what I was doing ,, and not change coloui * whilst telling my tnlo ; no sometimes I pawed for an Englishman , and- sometimes for a Scotchman , whilst at others I thought it safer to make myself out a Groat , and subject of tho ] &mnoror '» , saying I was on my way to

      tho court , wltithorl hnd boon sont , for a good secret ron » on , to his Cwsarian Majority , whowas them on tho bowlers of Fltimlorn ; with thia protouoo , I went on for sonic days , having mndo my face very black according to a device of my own ; and when I hurt passed the territory vrhoro ho was , 1 replied to nil inquiries thitt I waa a mosnengor of tho King of England ' s , returning from court , nnd 1 omno on thus , in another suitable disguise , until 1 got roar Calais , which itt ufortHled town in l'ioardy , on tho main land , belonging to tho King of England . I oxptiriuiicocl (^ renter dliUuulty in getting Into this place than hud bofnllen mo throughout ' , the real , of my journey , tho country boingopen on ovory side , with nuinoroua fortified towiw bulonging to tho French on tlw bordora , whiuli aro very Htrictly gnardud from four of tho Englirih , ho that , on 0110 inn I tho eiuno morning , I wan thrloo stopped by three French companion , who Inquired my ormnd ; and finding myself at . 0110 time distant ; two miloB from CnlaiH , and at tlio other one mile , I nnsworod haughtily , that I wa » uu Kiiglialiman coming from Finn-

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      KE * @ TTEEE ; LEABER , [ Satib 3 >^

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 9, 1854, page 1170, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2068/page/18/