taken to prevent
usurpation of the rights of the Republic, while the count was received
with great splendour. On disembarking, he presented himself to the
people, received from the signory the standard of S. Biagio, and, with
this in his hand, swore on the gospels to preserve and observe the
customs and laws of Ragusa. Then he went to the cathedral, receiving at
the door incense and holy water from the chapter, who gave him the
gospels to kiss, upon which he renewed his oath in front of the altar.
After a canon had delivered an oration in praise of him and of the doge,
he returned to the piazza, still bearing the standard, where he received
the homage of the people, "who swore the holy pact with the
Serenissima," the standard of S. Mark being unfurled.

The people were divided into five castes--clergy, nobles, citizens,
workmen (sailors, merchants, &c.), and countrymen. There was a gulf
between nobles and people. The countrymen were like serfs attached to
the land, and spoken of as "tilings" belonging to their masters. Among
the nobles were two orders. Those of ancient lineage were called
"Salamanchesi," from the University of Salamanca, where they had been
educated; the "Sorbonnesi" (from the Sorbonne) were nobles of more
recent date.

After the earthquake of 1667 several citizen families were ennobled. But
between the two ranks of nobles the antipathy was so great that they
never intermarried. The plague of 1526 destroyed 20,000 persons, that of
1348, 11,000, and the earthquake of 1667 some 6,000. It has been
computed that in the times of her prosperity Ragusa counted 40,000
inhabitants. In connection with the visitations of the plague it may be
noted that in 1466 the musicians of the rector were ordered to go every
Saturday to play before the houses of large donors to the votive church
of S. Biagio; but by the request of their descendants this custom was in
1548 replaced by a similar concert in front of the altar of the crucifix
in that church.

In 1805 the first capital sentence for twenty-five years was pronounced.
The city went into mourning, and an executioner had to be brought for
the purpose from Turkey.

The salt monopolies and the customs were the most important parts of the
revenue, but there were also important manufactures. Ragusa made woollen
and silk stuffs after the looms for silk were brought from Tuscany in
1539, and shoes and glass, coral wares and wax, besides salt and other
things were produc