The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 234 (Color Image)

0234	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

I 88 MARCO POLO BooK II.

•

time-keeper to enable them to know the hour of the day

or night. And so when one hour of the night is past

the sentry strikes one on the wooden instrument and on

the basin, so that the whole quarter of the city is made

aware that one hour of the night is gone. At the second

hour he gives two strokes, and so on, keeping always

wide awake and on the look out. In the morning again,

from the sunrise, they begin to count anew, and strike

one hour as they did in the night, and so on hour after

hour.

Part of the watch patrols the quarter, to see if any

light or fire is burning after the lawful hours ; if they

find any they mark the door, and in the morning the

owner is summoned before the magistrates, and unless he

can plead a good excuse he is punished. Also if they

find any one going about the streets at unlawful hours

they arrest him, and in the morning they bring him before

the magistrates. Likewise if in the daytime they find

any poor cripple unable to work for his livelihood, they

take him to one of the hospitals, of which there are

many, founded by the ancient kings, and endowed with

great revenues. Or if he be capable of work they oblige

him to take up some trade. If they see that any house

has caught fire they immediately beat upon that wooden

instrument to give the alarm, and this brings together

the watchmen from the other bridges to help to extin-

guish it, and to save the goods of the merchants or others,

either by removing them to the towers above mentioned,

or by putting them in boats and transporting them to the

islands in the lake. For no citizen dares leave his house

at night, or to come clear the fire ; only those who own

the property, and those watchmen who flock to help, of

whom there shall come one or two thousand at the

least.]

Moreover, within the city there is an eminence on

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