Saint Mary's beacon., 1880-02-19
Mercy n cassr Disguise.

Beyond doubt. the most striking sight
OF Florence, Italy, whether vie wed his-
tofically. esthetfcalIy, or practically, is
the Society OF the Misericordia. OF
Brethren Of Mercy. as IT makes its dali
ly rounds Of the city in quest oi the
MANNED, sick, dying or dead that re-
quIre its services. The origin Of this
remarkable institution being quite as
strange as its appearance, il is worth
while to describe both. II dates back
$50 years. or TO the eally part Of the
thirteenth century.
Even then Florence was a thriving
commercial mart. just beginning 10 be
distinguished Tor its manufacture Of
cloth and other staple merchandise,
which gave employment to numerous
body Of porters or faechini. as strong aS
beasts OF burden, and dong mainly
their work Of carrying goods from one
place 10 another in the city. They
were then, as ever since, noted for
their rapacity, profanity and bullying
traits which no police regulations seemed
capable of entirely represSing. At this
time, A. ID. 1910, their headquarters
was a cellar oi large building very
near the spot on which the present Du-
ONO was afterwards erected. Here,
when not at work, they caroased, gam
.bled and quarreled as the devil prompted
them, making themselves perpetual
nuisance TO all respectable citizens.
Itso happened, however, that one Of
them, a foreman named Piero Di Luca
BOrsi, becoming disgusted with their
conduit, was moved to propose that
thenceIOrward any one guilty OF bias
phemy or profsning the names Of God
and the Holy Virgin should pay fiue
Of about 1penny, but equivalent to three
or four times that sum IN present values
Of coin. Noone who has moi heard and
understood the volubility of the lowest
classes of Italians IN oalhs, and fully Ia
ken id their extraSaganl grotesqueness,
lewdness and saetilegiousness, can form
the faintest idea OF their diabOIical ac-
complishments in this line. The worst
Anglo-SaxOn cuFSing is sugar and wa
ter alongside Of it--in fact, might be
accepted a. complimentary well-wish-
ing. a - sle4.s8 asa
Piero's compansons found il so diff
cult 10 RESTRAIN their tongues that he
soon collected fines enough to buy six
beds, which, with the consent Of his as-
sociates, he devoted to the service OF
the poor in the hoSpitals-one for each
quarter 6f the city-and 20 .he hire ol
persons to transport the suck to them
from their homes, or whoever might
meet with accidents in the streets, or
be suddenly stricken by disease. By
his happy idea Piero thus interested hIs
fellows m q charitable enterprise and
devised the means of getting good cut
of their evil. From this extraordinary
seIf-imposed tax by the hesrtiest Of low
cast sinners on their own vices, there
grew up one OF the longest-lived. most
aristOcratic. and most aourishing Of the
benevolent societiesin Europe, govern
ed bv the striciest religious principles
and rigidIy prscticing the strietest rites
OF the Roman Catholic Church.
lis simple, democratic organization
lasted only a short time. The mobiles
and rich citizens, pereeiving the good IL
dGEOBptin8c0 ID tt8 stHdu " Woys SOOu
took n up, and. supplying ample funds,
reorganized II, under the auspices softhe
municipality. into the great Company Of
the Miserscordia, which, after 600 years
OF unremitiing labor, remains unchang-
ed 10 forms. costumes. and regulations,
and ss as active 81 ever. Suitable build
lngs and chapel were provided on the
sizes now occupied bs is Offices and
their necessary outfit. Several hun
dred citizens immediately inscribed
their names on its rolls for voluntary
service. including the most distinguish
ed families, under the direction Of Cap
tains and sub-oGicers. From that Pc
riod until n0m the society has been fash
ionsbIe and paisonixed and served BY
the highest classes. Grand Dukes
Dukes. Princes. MsEquIses. Counts and
Barons without number have subjected
themselves. 10 is spverrst labOrs and
most usensal duties with rival zeal.