Month: October 1644 (Page 2 of 2)

We lay at Cannes, which is a small port on the Mediterranean; here we agreed with a seaman to carry us to Genoa,

The next day, we lay at Périgueux ((This does not make sense – Périgueux is at least 600km away from the previous day’s town and it seems that Evelyn was on his way to Cannes, which according to the diary he reached the following day.  It seems unlikely that Evelyn would have been able to do this – perhaps more likely that this entry is placed in the wrong date -GS)) , a city built on an old foundation; witness the ruins of a most stately amphitheatre, which I went out to design, being about a flight-shot from the town; they call it now the Rolsies. There is also a strong tower near the town, called the Visone ((From Vesuna, its old Roman name. –AD)), but the town and city are at some distance from each other. It is a bishopric; has a cathedral with divers noblemen’s houses in sight of the sea. The place was formerly called Forum Julij, well known by antiquaries.

10th October, 1644. We proceeded by the ruins of a stately aqueduct ((There is a large aqueduct within the town -GS)). The soil about the country is rocky, full of pines and rare simples.

We took mules, passing the first night very late in sight of St. Baume, and the solitary grot where they affirm Mary Magdalen ((It seems that the cave or “grot” was not discovered until 1647 -GS)) did her penance.

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We went then to visit the galleys, being about twenty-five in number; the capitaine of the Galley Royal gave us most courteous entertainment in his cabin, the slaves in the interim playing both loud and soft music very rarely. Then he showed us how he commanded their motions with a nod, and his whistle making them row out. The spectacle was to me new and strange, to see so many hundreds of miserably naked persons, their heads being shaven close, and having only high red bonnets, a pair of coarse canvas drawers, their whole backs and legs naked, doubly chained about their middle and legs, in couples, and made fast to their seats, and all commanded in a trice by an imperious and cruel seaman. One Turk amongst the rest he much favoured, who waited on him in his cabin, but with no other dress than the rest, and a chain locked about his leg, but not coupled. This galley was richly carved and gilded, and most of the rest were very beautiful.

After bestowing something on the slaves, the capitaine sent a band of them to give us music at dinner where we lodged. I was amazed to contemplate how these miserable caitiffs lie in their galley crowded together; yet there was hardly one but had some occupation, by which, as leisure and calms permitted, they got some little money, insomuch as some of them have, after many years of cruel servitude, been able to pur- chase their liberty. The rising-forward and falling- back at their oar, is a miserable spectacle, and the noise of their chains, with the roaring of the beaten waters, has something of strange and fearful in it to one unaccustomed to it. They are ruled and chastised by strokes on their backs and soles of their feet, on the least disorder, and without the least humanity, yet are they cheerful and full of knavery.

After dinner, we saw the church of St. Victor, where is that saint’s head in a shrine of silver, which weighs 600 pounds. Thence to Notre Dame, exceedingly well – built, which is the cathedral. Thence to the Duke of Guises Palace, the Palace of Justice, and the Maison da Roi; but nothing is more strange than the great number of slaves working in the streets, and carrying burdens, with their confused noises, and jingling of their huge chains. The chief trade of the town is in silks and drugs out of Africa, Syria, and Egypt, and Barbary horses, which are brought hither in great numbers. The town is governed by four captains, has three consuls, and one assessor, three judges royal; the merchants have a judge for ordinary causes. Here we bought umbrellas against the heats, ((Umbrellas, at this date, though used abroad, were unfamiliar in England. “Temperance and an umbrella must be my de- fence against the heats,” writes Edward Browne (Sir ThomasBrowne’s eldest son) from Venice in 1665.] Coryat describes them thus in 1608 :—“ Also many of them [the Italians] doe carry other fine things of a far greater price, that will cost at least a duckat, which they commonly call in the Italian tongues umbrelloes, that is, things that minister shadow unto them for shelter against the scorching heate of the sunne. These are made of leather something answerable to the forme of a little cannopy, & hooped in the inside with divers little wooden hoopes that extend the umbrella in a pretty large compasse. They are used especially by horsemen, who carry them in their hands when they ride, fastening the end of the handle upon one of their tliighes ; and they impart so long a shadow unto them, that it keepeth the heate of the sunne from the upper parts of their bodies” (Crudities, 1776, i. 135).] –AD)) and consulted of our journey to Cannes by land, for fear of the Picaroon Turks ((Barbary pirates who were active in most of coastal Europe at the time – GS)), who make prize of many small vessels about these parts; we not finding a galley bound for Genoa, whither we were designed.

We had a most delicious journey to Marseilles, through a country sweetly declining to the south and Mediterranean coasts, full of vineyards and olive-yards, orange trees, myrtles, pomegranates, and the like sweet plantations, to which belong pleasantly-situated villas ((The bastides or country-houses of Provence. –AD)),  to the number of above 1500, built all of freestone, and in prospect showing as if they were so many heaps of snow dropped out of the clouds amongst those perennial greens. It was almost at the shutting of the gates that we arrived. Marseilles is on the sea-coast, on a pleasant rising ground, well-walled, with an excellent port for ships and galleys, secured by a huge chain of iron drawn across the harbour at pleasure; and there is a well-fortified tower with three other forts, especially that built on a rock ((Fort St. Nicolas. –AD)); but the castle commanding the city is that of Notre Dame de la Garde (([The church of Notre Dame de la Garde was rebuilt in 1864 on the site of a former chapel of 1214 –AD)). In the chapel hung up divers crocodiles’ skins.

We lay at Loumas ; the next morning, came to Aix, having passed that extremely rapid and dangerous river of Durance. In this tract, all the heaths, or commons, are covered with rosemary, lavender, lentiscus, and the like sweet shrubs, for many miles together ; which to me was very pleasant.

Aix is the chief city of Provence, being a Parliament and Presidential town, with other royal Courts and Metropolitan jurisdiction. It is well built, the houses very high, and the streets ample. The Cathedral, St. Saviour’s, is a noble pile adorned with innumerable figures ; especially that of St. Michael ; the Baptisterie, the Palace, the Court, built in a most spacious piazza, are very fair. The Duke of Guise’s house is worth seeing, being furnished with many antiquities in and about it. The Jesuits have here a royal College, and the City is a University.

…and, lodging one night on the way, we arrived at noon at Avignon.

This town has belonged to the Popes ever since the time of Clement V.; being, in 1352 ((In 1348. -AD)) alienated by Jane, Queen of Naples and Sicily ((Jane, or Joanna I Queen of Naples, sold Avignon to Pope Clement V in 1348 for 80,000 florins – GS)). Entering the gates, the soldiers at the guard took our pistols and carbines, and examined us very strictly ; after that, having obtained the Governor’s and the Vice-Legate’s leave to tarry three days, we were civilly conducted to our lodging.

The city is on the Rhone, and divided from the newer part, or town, which is on the other side of the river, by a very fair stone bridge (which has been broken); at one end is a very high rock, on which is a strong castle well furnished with artillery. The walls of the city are of large square freestone, the most neat and best in repair I ever saw. It is full of well-built palaces; those of the Vice-Legate and Archbishop being the most magnificent.

There are many sumptuous churches, especially that of St. Magdalene and St. Martial, wherein the tomb of the Cardinal d’Amboise is the most observable  ((I believe Evelyn is referring to the tomb of Cardinal Jean de la Grange, a somewhat famous tomb. Jean de la Grange was Cardinal of Amiens otherwise known as the diocese of Ambianum – possibly leading to Evelyn’s confusion. The tomb of Cardinal d’Amboise has always been in Rouen Cathedral -GS)) . Clement VI. lies buried in that of the Celestines, the altar whereof is exceeding rich : but for nothing I more admired it than the tomb of Madonna Laura, the celebrated mistress of Petrarch (( In the Church of the Cordeliers, destroyed in the Revolution. It was then, says Arthur Young (Travels, etc., 1792, i. 173:

“nothing but a stone in the pavement, with a figure engraven on it partly effaced, surrounded by an inscription in Gothic letters, and another in the wall adjoining, with the armorial of the family De Sade”—to which Laura belonged. The last remains of Laura were taken to the Bibliothèque Nationale in 1793—says Mr. Augustus Hare—and have been lost. But he quotes a charming quatrain, either by Francis I. or Clement Marot, which was added when the tomb was opened in 1533 :—
“0 gentille âme, estant tant estimée,
Qui te pourra louer qu’en se taisant ?
Car la parole est toujours réprimée
Quand le sujet surmonte le disant.”

[Translation

O gentle Soul, being so esteemed,
Who could praise you save in silence?
For speech is always restrained
When the subject surpasses the speaker. ]

South-Eastern France, 1890, p. 368.   –AD))

We saw the Arsenal, the Pope’s Palace, and the Synagogue of the Jews, who here are distinguished by their red hats. Vaucluse, so much renowned for the solitude of Petrarch, we beheld from the castle ; but could not go to visit it for want of time, being now taking mules and a guide for Marseilles.

and the next morning by Pont St. Esprit, which consists of twenty-two arches; in the piers of the arches are windows, as it were, to receive the water when it is high and full. Here we went on shore, it being very dangerous to pass the bridge in a boat.

Hence, leaving our barge, we took horse, seeing at a distance the town and principality of Orange

Hence, the next morning we swam (for the river here is so rapid that the boat was only steered) to a small village called Tain, where we dined. Over against this is another town, named Tournon, where is a very strong castle under a high precipice. To the castle joins the Jesuits’ College, who have a fair library (( Founded by the favourite of Francis I., the Cardinal de Tournon, in 1542. It was later an Ecole Militaire. –AD)). The prospect was so tempting, that I could not forbear designing it with my crayon.

We then came to Valence, a capital city carrying the title of a Duchy; but the Bishop is now sole Lord temporal of it, and the country about it. The town having a University famous for the study of the civil law, is much frequented; but the churches are none of the fairest, having been greatly defaced in the time of the wars. The streets are full of pretty fountains. The citadel is strong and garrisoned. Here we passed the night, and… [continues next day]