churches, and reckon about five thouſand ſouls in their community.
St. Marino was its founder, a Dalmatian by birth, and by trade a maſon. He was employed, about thirteen hundred years ago, in the reparation of Rimini, and after he had finiſhed his work, retired to this ſolitary mountain as very proper for the life of a hermit, which he led in the greateſt auſterities of religion. He had not been long here, before he wrought a reputed miracle, which, joined with his extraordinary ſanctity, gained him ſo great an eſteem, that the princeſs of the country made him a preſent of the mountain, to diſpofe of it at his diſcretion. His reputation quickly peopled it, and gave riſe to the republic which calls itſelf after his name. The beſt of their churches is dedicated to the ſaint, and holds his aſhes. His ſtatue ſtands over the high altar, with the figure of a mountain in his hands, crowned with three caſtles, which is likewiſe the arms of the commonwealth. They attribute to his protection the long duration of the ſtate, and look on him the greateſt faint next the bleſſed Virgin. In their ſtatute-book is a law againſt ſuch as ſpeak diſreſpectfully of him, who are to be puniſhed in the ſame manner as thoſe who are convicted of blaſphemy. This petty republic has laſted thirteen hundred years, while all the other ſtates of Italy have ſeveral times changed their maſters and forms of government. Their whole hiſtory conſiſts in two purchaſes of a neighbouring prince, and two wars, in which they aſſiſted the pope againſt a lord of Rimini.
They would probably ſell their liberty as dear as they could to any that attacked them; for there is but one road by which to climb up to
