e in the upper part,
and, below, two others apparently going to divide a fish--at each side
vine scrolls springing from vases; another is carved with figures of
griffins. There are two window-slabs with pierced patterns: one has
simple rhomboidal forms; the other a central stem, with curling branches
terminating in trefoils of much more advanced type, suggesting the
panels in the later tomb of the Dogaressa Michieli in the atrium of S.
Mark's, Venice. The basilica was restored in 1409-1414, and in the
sixteenth century, with the assistance of Venice, at which time the
baldacchino was destroyed. The church stands on the edge of the land,
and has a small round-arched arcade on the facade divided by the
doorway, which is covered with a pointed hood on brackets. In the gable
is an oculus. The campanile resembles S. Mark's, Venice, as is usual.
Within, a Venetian Madonna and Child is preserved, Mantegnesque in
style, and therefore ascribed to Mantegna or John Bellini. In the
eighteenth century a picture by the latter was sent to Venice to be
restored, and, if this is the picture, the restoration was very
thorough. The baptistery, destroyed in 1780, had a vestibule like that
at Concordia. It was octagonal, with four little round-headed windows,
and the hexagonal font was built up from the floor, the rim being level
with the top-most of the three steps which surrounded the building.
Three steps also descended into it.

The city swore fealty to Venice in 1270. It still retains a portion of
its ancient battlemented walls, which have a curious feature--a
projecting spur, which runs out into the sea a long way, and was
probably intended to make the sea-front secure at low water. The commune
was very zealous in its preparations for war, and, according to the
statute, a citizen who wounded or killed a spectator during military
evolutions or practice was able to secure immunity from punishment!

In 1466 the see was divided from the patriarchate of Venice by Paul II.,
Francesco Contarini being made bishop, and was enriched by the gift of
the property of the suppressed bishopric of Equilium. Fifty years before
leave was granted to the then bishop to sell wine grown in his vineyards
outside the territory.

IX

PARENZO

The next town along the coast, Parenzo, is celebrated for its fine
sixth-century cathedral, the pride of the whole of Istria "the land of
basilicas," and is the headquarters of the Istrian Archaeological
So