CHAPTER II

Genoa.—Litigation with certain merchants.—San Lorenzo.—Genoese
possessions abroad.—The inhabitants,—A rising.—SeSlri Levante,
—Portovenere.—Spezia.—Lerici.—Pietrasanta.—Leghorn,—The
vessel taken by the Count of Modica.—Niccolo Piccinino,—Pisa.—
Florence,—PiSloia.—Bologna,—Pope Eugenius,—Ferrara.—Bills
of Exchange,—Venice,

We entered the harbour of Genoa close by the Mole,
and were very cheerfully received both by men and
women, but they were very sad at the fate of the
caracks, as no one knew what had become of them.
We disembarked, but before entering the city we went
half a league from there to the church of Nueftra Dona
que Corona,^ according to the vow which we had made
during the ftorm. I then took a lodging for the fifteen
days that I had to remain in Genoa, and, indeed, I
had need of repose, for I was overcome with fatigue,
and unhappy, and sea-sick, and quite out of conceit
with myself, and this was the firft time that I began to
know God. For some days I was engaged in litigation
with certain merchants who would not honour some
bills of exchange which I had. But the Doge^ and
many of the lords of the place showed me much honour
and favour, and made the merchants pay me what was
mine, with double the cofts which they had put me to.
This city is very ancient. They say that it was
founded by Janus Prince of Troy^, after the deftruftion
of that city, and, indeed, it seems to have been the work
of a defeated man, for it is placed upon a very high
mountain above the sea, and all the houses are like
towers of four or five ftoreys or more, while the ftreets
are very narrow and difficult of access. The soil is
very unproduftive, but the people are induftrious,
and they import provisions from all parts of the world,-

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