Page:The Voyage of Italy (1686).djvu/154

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108
The Voyage of Italy.
Part I.

in Turkey to call Men to their Mosques in stead of Bells, as we have. The head of a Halbard ringing like a Bell. A Halbard to fould up in three, and to carry under your Cloak privately. A Staff of a white Cane, in which are curiously engraven in black, the Histories of the Apocalypse. It was the Duke of Urbin's. In fine, the Loadstone holding up threescore pound weight of Iron; and holding one Key to another, for a matter of five or six Keys.

The 1. Cabinet.

After the Armory, we were let into the five Cabinets full of precious Jewels, Pictures, and other rare curiosities. In the first Cabinet I was shown a curious Candlestick to hang up in the middle of a Room, with several Branches spreading from it, and all of yellow Amber, including within it a world of little figures of white Marble or Wax, neatly cut in little, and appearing through the transparent yellow Amber: This Candlestick was given by the Dutchess of Luneburg, to the Duke of Saxony, and by him to Prince Matthias Brother to this Great Duke of Florence. In the same Cabinet I saw a Table of polished stones of several colors and lustre, inlay'd into Birds and Flowers. The head of Tiberius Cæsar in one Turkey stone, as big as a Ducks egg, and of an inestimable value. A curious Cabinet, or two of Ivory Cups, brought out of Germany by Prince Matthias. In the same Cabinet I saw the picture of Cardinal Bembo in a neat Mosaick work; and an other piece of divers Birds in Mosaick also, rarely done by Marcellas Provincialis. I saw also there divers little old Pagan Idols in Iron and Brass, a design ofRa-