the chiefe City by the Lattines called Mediomatricum and Metis is now vulgarly called Metz which City the King of France tooke in the yeere 1551 from the Empire in the time of the Emperor Charles the fifth who besieged the same long but in vaine the Kings of France still holding it The Dukedome of Burgundy belonged of old to the Empire but is now subiect to the Kings of France the chiefe City whereof is Dijon where the Parliament of the whole Dukedome is held It hath other Cities namely Beaulue Challon Chastillon Noyres and a place called Bourgougne which gaue the name to the Dukedome yet others write that it had the name of Bourges that is Townes The County of Burgundy belonged of old to the Empire but is now subiect to the King of Spaine whose progenitor married the daughter and heire of the Duke of Burgundy at which time the Kings of France tooke the foresaid Dukedome from the said daughter and heire And this County is vulgarly called Franche Conte as free from tributes It hath two free Cities Dole an Vniuersity and Besancon 2 The second part of Transalpina Gallia is Narbonensis which onely at this day yet not all may truly be called Gallia It was of old called Braccata of the Inhabitants apparell and is called Narbonensis of the chiefe City Narbona lying vpon the Riuer Athesis neere the Mediterranean Sea which Strabo witnesseth to haue beene of old a famous City for trafficke The Riuer Rhodanus runnes through it which falling from the Alpes and increased by Araris but still retaining the first name fals into the Mediterranean Sea This part called Narbonensis by the benefit of the Ayre and Sunne yeelds Figges Grapes Cytrons Peaches Pomegranates Chessenuts rich Wine and all delicate fruites and all the fields are made odoriferous by wild Rosemary Myrtels Palmetrees and many sweete hearbes and the Inhabitants haue lately planted Canes of sugar To conclude the Prouince is very pleasant and plentifull in all things On the West side of Rhodanus the Tectosages dwelt of old in the Prouince called Languadoc hauing that name because the Inhabitants vse Oc for the French Ouy The chief Cities thereof are Narbona aforesaid Mompeliers of old a famous Vniuersity Clermont The Dukedome of Sauoy lies in a corner from the alps to the mediterranean Sea of old inhabited by the Focuntij and it lying on the same side of the Alpes with France is reckoned a part thereof but the Duke thereof is an absolute Prince and the chiefe City is Chambery The Prouince is very fertile and where it is more barren yet affoordes excellent fruites and all things for foode at a conuenient price Dolphiny lies betweene the Riuer Rhodanus and the Dukedome of Sauoy and giues the name of Dolphin to the French Kings eldest sonne Prouence is a most sweete Territory and hath the Cities Marseile famous by trade with the Turkes Arles and Auignon subiect to the Pope for when many Popes were at one time Iohn the two and twentieth did long sit in this City giuen by Ioane Queene of Naples to the Popes in the time of Clement the sixth alienated from the Kingdome of Naples by her and annexed to the Patrimony of Saint Peter in the yeere 1360. The Principalitie of Orange is an absolute dominion hauing the chiefe City of the same name and seated betweene Languedoc Dolphiny and the Popes Territorie of Auignon The ayre of the Northerne part of France is purer then that of England and being not couered with cloudes drawne out of the Sea as England is for that cause in winter becomes more cold and in summer more hot and farre lesse annoied with mists rainy weather But on the other side more lesse according to the clyme the parts of France lying towards the Mountaines Pirenei and neerer to the Equinoctiall line are subiect to intemperate heate yet often allaied by the winds blowing from the Sea and by the shaddow of the Mountaines This Southerly part yeeldes all the fruites of Italy and in the Northerly parts as in Normandy they haue abundance of Apple and Peare trees of which they make great quantity of Sider and Perry and this part as towards the Sea it yeelds also plenty of Corne so within Land it affoords the like of Wines And in the very Northerly Iland called France they haue plenty of Grapes vpon pleasant hils watered with sweet Riuers but the wine made of them is small and sharpe All France is most pleasant and not onely about Narbona but in many other territories according to the commodity of the clime it yeelds great plenty of red and white wines exported in great quantity which are held excellent to be drunke the white in the moaning and the red with meate which red is otherwise reputed vnholsome as prouoking and causing rhumes France aboundeth with all things necessary for food as well Corne as Cattell red Deare Fowle and also with all kinds of Fish by reason it is partly compassed with the Sea and vpon all sides is watered with sweete Riuers For fier they vse wood and coales yet haue they no pit coales or sea coales but haue their sea eoales out of England for their Smiths Forges and where they haue lesse store of wood within land there they burne straw furres and other kinds of stubble They haue good races of Horses which the greater part vse in the Warre who are not able to buy Neapolitan Coursers Spanish lanets or English Coursers bred of the Neapolitan Horses and English Mares but for their iournies they haue no Gueldings or ambling Nagges as wee haue but commonly vse trotting and stoned Nagges The Gentlemen doe not meddle with trafficke either because it was of old forbidden to great Lords and Gentlemen lest the Kings impositions should thereby suffer domage they being by singular priuiledges exempted and freed from all such burthens or because in deed they thinke such trafficke ignoble and base and so vnfit fot them which error the French no lesse deerely buy then the English as I haue shewed in the discourse of Italy and shall againe proue in that of England In generall the French are lesse studious of Nauigation or industrious in that kind because they abound almost with all things for plentifull foode and rich attire and if they want any thing strangers gladly bring it to them and exchange it for their wines salt and course linnen cloaths neither haue I heard or read that they euer did any braue exploit by sea They haue in time of warre some few men of warre for piracy and some few ships to export their commodities but they saile onely to neighbour Countries as out of Normandy and Bretaigne into England Ireland and the Low-Countries and onely those of Marseile to Tripoli in Syria As for the Colonies which in our Age they haue led into the West Indies their vnhappy successe therein hath discouraged them from like new attempts And whosoeuer sees their rich Cities within
bridles and if a man ride into a Towne vpon a Post-horse he must either goe away on foote or take another Post-horse there for no priuate man dare let him a horse which makes passengers loth to hier post-horses of returne though many times they may be had at good rate rather then he will returne emptie with them yet if a man will walke a mile or two he may easily hier a horse in other Townes which are frequent in Italy And let no man maruel that these Princes fauour the Post-masters and Inkeepers to the preiudice of strangers because in that respect they extort great rents from them By the way in the Village Bel ' Aria each of vs paid two bolinei for passage of a Riuer The Brooke Rubico now called Pissatello by this way to Rimini did runne from the West into the Adriatique sea and there of old was a Marble pillar with this inscription in Latin Here stay leaue thy Banner lay down thy Armes and leade not thy Army with their Colours beyond this Brooke Rubico therefore if any shall goe against the rule of this commaund let him be iudged enemie to the people of Rome c. And hereupon it was that Iulius Caesar returning out of France and first stopping here and then after he had seene some prodigious signes passing ouer this Brooke with his Army vttered words in Lattin to this effect Let vs goe whither the prodigics of the Gods and the sinnes of our enemies call vs. The Die is cast In the Market-place of Rimini is a monument of the same Caesar yet remaining where words in the Latin tongue are grauen in a stone to this effect The Consuls of Rimini did repaire this pulpit decaied with age in the moneths of Nouember and December in the yeere 1555. Vnder that is written Caius Caesar Dictator hauing passed Rubico here in the Market place of Rimini spake to his fellow souldiers beginning the ciuill warre In the same Market-place of Rimini is a pleasant Conduit of water The Citie hath no beautie and lyeth in length from the East to the West On the West-side is a bridge built by the Emperour Augustas which they hold to be very faire Towards the East is a Triumphall Arke built by the same Augustus with old inscriptions and a pinackle erected which shewes the Flaminian way to Rome and the Emilian way towards Parma I said that the Popes territory extendeth this way as high as Ancona and these inhabiters of Marca are accounted a wicked generation the greatest part of the cut-throtes and murtherers dispersed through Italy being borne in this Country Our Hoste vsed vs very ill demaunding of each of vs a poli for our bed and three polo for our supper and when we desired a reckoning demaunding for a little piece of an Ele one polo and a halfe and for three little Soles tenne bolinei besides that by the aforesaid priuiledge he forced vs being Post-master to take horses of him at what price he listed The next morning we rode fifteene miles to the Castle la Catholica where is a bridge diuiding the territories of the Pope and the Duke of Vrbine then we rode to Pesaro ten miles and each man paied for his horsefoure poli and all our way was through fruitful hills and little mountaines This Citie hath a faire round Market-place and a plesant Fountaine therein distilling water at eight pipes The aire is thought vnwholesome for which cause and the great plentie of fruit nothing is more frequent here then Funerals in the Moneth of August and the Inhabitants seldome liue to be 50 yeeres old each of vs paid a Polo for our dinner calling for what meate we liked and agreeing first for the price From hence to Ancona ate fortie fiue miles and wee hired three Horses for twentie fiue Poli with condition that our guide vulgarly called Veturale or Veturino should pay for his horse-meate and bring them backe againe After dinner we rode fiue miles to the little City Fano compassed with high walles of Flint and lying vpon a hill-side towards the sea and subiect to the Pope where we did see a triumphall arck of marble curiously engrauen Then we rode fifteene miles more to Senogalita a strong Citie and subiect to the Duke of Vrbin By the way we passed the Bridge Di Metro hauing foure-score Arches and the Bridge Di Marctta hauing fiftie Arches both built of wood and very low as seruing to passe ouer little Brookes which notwithstanding by reason of the Mountaines being neere doe often ouer-flow All this dayes iourney was by the Sea-shore on our left hand towards the North and fruitfull hills of corne towards the South ouer which hung the Apenine Mountaines whence many times the waters discend violently by reason of the narrow valley betweene the fea and the said Mountaines It is prouerbially said of the Magistrate of Senogallia il Podesta commanda fallo stesso that is The Gouernour commaunds and doth it himselfe whereby it seemes he is little esteemed The Citie is of a small circuit but very strong and the houses are built of bricke with a roofe something flat after the Italian fashion The Inne is without the gate and so the more comodious for strangers who may come late and departe earely which they could not do if their lodging were within the walls It is true that he who buyes hath need to sell for the Duke extorting great rent from the Inkeeper he in like sort oppresseth the passengers for a short supper at a common table each man payed foure Poli or Poali a coine so called of Pope Paul The next morning we rode fifteene miles to Fimesino and tenne to Ancona hauing the sea on our left hand towards the North and fruitfull mountaines on our right hand towards the South Fimesino is a Fort and belongs to the Pope but the Inne without the gate belongs to the Duke of Vrbine And againe when you haue passed the Bridge all the Territorie to Ancona is subiect to the Pope The Citie of Ancona is compassed with three Mountaines and hath the forme of a halfe Moone On the North side is a Mountaine vpon which the Gouernour dwelles and vpon the East side is another Mountaine and vpon the side of these two Mountaines the Citie is built to the valley and sea-side towards the North. On the South-side is the third Mountaine vpon which is the Castle called Capoaè Monte built in the same place where the Temple of Venus stoode and vpon this side the Citie is narrow there being no houses built vpon the Mountaine but onely in the valey vpon the sea The Pope hath souldiers in this Castle and thereby keepes the Citie in subiection for the Citizens long defended their liberty and how soeuer they were subiect to the Pope yet secretly chose their Magistrates euery yeere to the yeere 1532 at which time Pope Clement the seuenth built this Castle against the Turkish Pirates but
the Creeke of Pozzoli of this Citie Suetonius writes that the Emperour Tiberius consulting about his successor and inclining more to his true Nephew Thrasyllus the Mathematitian should answere that Catus should no more raigne then he should ride ouer the Creeke of Baie Wherefore Caius being Emperour and hearing of this diuination not as others say in emulation of Xerxes who made a Bridge ouer Hellespont nor to the end that with the fame of this great worke he might terrifie the rebellious Germans and Britans did build a Bridge ouer this creeke of the sea being about three miles long that hee might thereupon passe from Baie to Pozzoli Of this Bridge thirteene piles of bricke may bee seene neere the shore at Pozzoli and as many on the other side neere the shore of Baie and some of these piles haue yet arches vpon them but ready to fall And from these piles the Inner part of the bridge was founded vpon two rankes of shippes fastened with ancors and couered ouer with a bancke of earth to make the passage like the way of Appius The rest Suetonius addeth in these or the like words Ouer this bridge he went to and fro for two daies the first day vpon a trapped horse hauing his head adorned with a Crowne of Oake leaues and bearing an Hatchet a Sword and a Garland and a robe of cloth of Gold The next day in a Coch-mans habit driuing a Coch drawne by foure famous horses carrying before him Darius a childe one of the pledges giuen by the Parthians his Pretorian Souldiers accompanying him and his friends following him in a Coach c. He that desires to comprehēd the magnificence of this work must first know that the Mediterranean sea is very calme hauing little or no ebbing or flowing and that this Creeke is yet more calme and that this bridge was built in the furthest part of the Creeke very neere the land These things considered if my iudgement faile not there is greater cause of wonder at the Bridge built by the Duke of Parma besieging Antwerp being in like sort built vpon barkes fastened one to the other and also at the Bridge of London bearing a great ebbing and flowing of the sea and built of free stone vpon so firme a foundation as it beareth many great and faire houses vpon it but whatsoeuer the magnificence were surely the vanitie of this worke was great to spend so much vpon this Bridge the way by land being not a mile longer then by the Bridge Giue me leaue to digresse so farre as to remember that the Territorie of Falernum is not farre from Pozzols the wine whereof called Falernum is so much praised by Horace After dinner we went from Pozzoii to view the Antiquities lying vpon this Creeke and first we came to the Labyrinth a building vnder ground which hath the name of the multitude of roomes with such passages to and fro as a man may loose himselfe in them and here wee had not onely neede of the thread of Ariadne but of light also to conduct vs. Leander thinks that all this building was to keepe fresh water Then we came to the Amphitheater being of an Ouall forme the inner part whereof is 172 foot long and 88 broad the building whereof is little ruined And Suetonius writes that this was built for the Plaies of Vulcan Not farre thence neere the shoare is a fountaine of cleare and sweete water flowing plentifully out of the sea so that for a great distance we might with our eies distinguish the same from the sea water which Leander thinks to haue been brought by pipes vnder the earth to these houses of the old Romans Neere this place are the ruines of many buildings now called Belgeimano which the Emperour Tiberius is said to haue built when hereturned with triumph from the German warre Betweene the rocks that compasse this sea is the way Attellane which leades those that passe to Rome to the way of Appins and there be many baths for most of the waters are medicinall Neere the Lake of Auernus vpō the side towards Pozzoli lies a Mountaine q which lately broke out of the earth where of old were the bathes of Tripergola whence the dwellings in this part and this place are called Tripergola and here of old were many large and stately buildings but by reason of many Earthquakes and roberies of Pirats the houses were long since forsaken and at last in the yeere 1538 were swallowed vp by the earth For in that yeere vpon Michaelmas day was a terrible Earthquake in this place which brake out with fire in great flames casting vp stones with a great tempest of winde and darkenesse of the aire so as the people thought the worlds end was come And at this time the ashes of this fire were carried by the winde to places twentie miles distant At last after seuen daies this confusion ceased and then the aforesaid Mountaine breaking out of the bowels of the earth was first seene being three miles high and at the bottom foure miles compasse Vpon the toppe of this Mountaine is a hole some fistie paces broad which towards the bottom growes more and more narrow where it seemeth round and of little compasse hauing a cleare water yet giuing a stink of brimstone and this hole is like a Theater made by art In the foresaid fearefull Earthquake caused by the breaking out of the vapours inclosed vnder the hollow earth many famous bathes were lost and no more seene Not farre hence is the Mountaine of Christ so called because they say that Christ with the squadrons of the Fathers passed this way when hee ascended from Hell But the French Gentleman Villamont worthily iudgeth this to be fabulous and likewise the miracle of the Crucifex here bearing the markes of Christ yet doth he giue too much credit to the miracles of Loreto Vpon the shore of the creek of r Baie lies the Lake as Virgil saith of the foule stinking Auernus This Lake is a naturall Hauen but is not vsed because the Hauen of Lucrinus is betweene it and the sea It is compassed with high hils on all sides but onely where the Sea enters on the South-side at a passage fifty paces broad and the forme of it is round and the hils that compasse it now seeme pleasant but of old were all couered with a thicke wood which shutting vp the aire and by the shadow drawing many birds to it was thought to be the cause that these birds stifled with the smell of brimstone fell suddenly dead till the Emperour Augustus caused the wood to be destroied And of the birds thus killed the Lake was called Auernus For this smell of brimstone and the shadow of the foresaid wood darkening the Lake and the blacke colour of the water and because the sunne is shut out from the Lake by the hils this Lake was feined by the Poets to be one of the Lakes of hell Leander writes of a fountaine here the water
was onely proper to the place at which we landed where they make salt till many Ilanders affirmed to me that the very earth the sweet hearbs the beasts feeding there and the fountaines of waters had a naturall saltnes The houses are built after the manner of Asia of a little stone one roofe high and plaine in the top which is plastered and there they eate and sleepe in the open aire By the assistance of a Venetian Merchant seuen of vs hired a ship of a Greeke dwelling in Cyprus for twenty eight zechines to Ioppa now called Iaffa or Giaffa with condition that he should stay at Ioppa fifteene dayes to expect our returne from Ierusalem and should thence carry vs to Tripoli in Syria The most part of these zechines wee left in the hand of the Venetian Merchant to be deliuered to the Master of this ship at his returne if he brought our testimonie vnder our hands that hee had performed all couenants with vs for wee also conditioned with him that hee should stay longer then fifteene dayes at Ioppa if neede were for our returne we paying him a zechine for euery day aboue fifteene which he should stay there for vs. We might haue hired a ship or Barke for ten zechines directly to Ioppa without these conditions of staying there and carrying vs to Tripoli And because the Turkish Gouernors of Cities vse to impose great tributes vpon Christians driuen into their Hauens somtimes by tricks of fraude to bring them in danger of life onely to spoile them of their money some of our Consorts would haue added another condition that the Master should not carrie vs to any Port but that of Ioppa had not the rest iudged it vnreasonable to tie him for performance of that which was onely in the power of God according to the windes which might force him to take harbor My selfe did familiarly know an English Gentleman who shortly after comming to Scanderona and there taking ship to passe by this shoare to Ioppa and so to Ierusalem if an honest man had not forewarned him had by the treason of a Ianizare in the way bin sold for a slaue to the inland Turks whence he was like neuer to be redeemed being farre remoued from Christians who onely trade vpon the Coasts And he was so terrified with this danger as he returned into England without seeing Ierusalem to which he had then a short iourney only carrying with him a counterfet testimonie and seale that he had been there because he had put out much money vpon his returne I formerly said that we lodged at Cyprus in a Monastery whence being now to depart the Friers of our company and also the Lay-men gaue each of vs eight lires of Venice to the Guardian of the Monastery and one lire to the Frier that attended vs in the name of gift or almes but indeede for three dayes lodging and dyet Vpon Friday the twentie foure of May we seuen Consorts namely two Franciscan Friers one Erimitane Frier and two Lay men all Frenchmen and my selfe and my brother hired a boat in the Hauen for foure lires of Venice to carrie vs to the Cyprian Barke we had hired and we carried with vs for our food a cheese costing foure Aspers a Iarre of Oyle costing sixe Aspers and a vessell of Wine called Cuso somewhat bigger then an English barrell and full of rich Wine but such as fretted our very intrals costing one Zechine and foure soldi of Venice and two Turkish aspers and egges costing twenty three aspers beside Bisket which we brought out of the Greeke ship In twilight for the nights vse not here to be darke we set saile and were forced to goe backe towards the West along the shoare of Cyprus to the Promontory called Capo di Gatti that is the Cape of Cats that we might from thence according to the Marriners experience fetch a faire winde So we sailed that euening thirtie miles of Italy I meane and the next day twentie miles to a Village of Cyprus called Lemisso where Christians ships vse to put in Here we cast anchor all the six twentie day of May expected a winde which we got at midnight following Ioppa is no more then two hundred fiftie miles from Cyprus and may easily be run in two nights and a daies saile with a faire winde yet how soeuer the wind was most fauourable to vs wee could see no land till Wednesday thetwenty nine of May at which time we found our selues by the ignorance of the Marriners to be vpon the Coast of Egypt neere the Citie Damiata which we might see seated vpon the banke of Nilus and they said it was some sixe miles from the Sea Now our Marriners seeing the shoare knew better to direct our sayling and the night following we lay at anchor neere this shoare Vpon Thursday we coasted the land of the Philistines and first did plainely see the Citie Gaza and after thirtie miles sayle the Citie Ascolon neere which we cast anchor for that night Vpon Friday being the last of May after two miles saile we entered the Hauen of Ioppa From hence we sent a messenger hired for fourteene meidines to the Subasha of Ramma intreating him that he would giue vs leaue to passe to Ierusalem and send vs a souldier to protect vs. The foresaid shore of the Philistines seemed to be a wild narrow and sandy plaine neere the sea with mountaines pleasant and fruitfull towards the East vpon Palestine The City of Ioppa mentioned in the scriptures had some ruines of wals standing which shewed the old circuit thereof but had not so much as any ruines of houses onely we did see the exactors of tribute come out of two ruinous Towers and some ragged Arabians and Turkes lying with their goods within certaine caues who also slept there or in the open aire These goods are daily carried hither and from hence vpon the backs of Cammels whereof we might see many droues laded both come and goe For this cause we would not land but thought better to lie in our shippe especially since the place affoorded no entertainment for strangers and our Mariners brought vs egges and fruites and we had with vs wine and bisket which notwithstanding we did hide left the Arabians or Turkes should take it from vs if they came to our Barke The Hauen is of little compasse but safe for small Barkes and was of old compassed with a bricke wall the ruines whereof still defend it from the waues of the sea The situation of Ioppa is pleasant vpon a hill declining towards the sea and the fields are fertile but were then vntilled Here the Prophet Ionas did take ship as it were to flie from God and the Machabei as appeares in the first booke and twelfth chapter here burnt the ships and the Apostle Peter lodging in the house of Simon was taught the conuersion of the Gentiles by a vision and here he raised vp Tabitha from death as the
vitae which they call Harach and drinke as largely as Wine for ten meidines foure pounds of wine for one zechine Bisket for the Turkes haue no other bread but cakes baked on the harth for thirty meidines which things we prouided for our Supper and to carry with vs by the way yet might we haue bought and did buy most things by the way excepting Wine and Bread which are hardly found and must be carried by those that will haue them The guide of our Carauan was detained here by his businesse most part of the next day being Wednesday and in the meane time it fortunately happened that a Turkish Basha returning with his traine from his Gouernement and being to goe our way rested here so as his company freed vs the rest of our iourney from feare of theeues Vpon Wednesday in the afternoone we setforward in the company of this Basha and iournied all night in this Plaine wherein there was not the shadow of one tree and at eight of the clock the next morning we did sit downe in the open field resting vnder the ruines of old walles Here the Ianizaries of the Basha inquired curiously after the condition of me and my brother so as our Muccaro aduised vs to giue them halfe a piastro which they receiuing promised to defend vs from all iniury but in the meane time they did so swallow our wine as when it was spent we were forced to drinke water to which we were not vsed Vpon Thursday at three of the clock in the afternoone we set forward and about midnight we came to the Citie Marrha where our Muccaro and diuers others payed each of them ten meidines for cafar or tribute and at the Citie Gate a man was hanged in chaines also the next day we did see another impalled that is sitting and rotting vpon a stake fastned in the ground and thrust into his fundament and bowels Vpon Friday before day wee set forward and passing a stony barren way but full of Walnut trees vpon which many birds did sit and sing wee came in foure houers space to an Hospitall which they call Caon and it was stately built of stone in a round forme with arches round about the Court-yard vnder which arches each seuerall company chose their place to eate and rest both which they must doe vpon the ground except they bring Tables and beds with them Neither were any victuals there to be sold or dressed but euery man bought his victuals in the Village adioyning and dressed it after his manner The same Friday at foure in the afternoone wee went forward and riding all night did vpon Saturday early in the morning sleepe an hower in the open field while meate was giuen to our beasts Then going forward we came by Noone the same day being the nine and twentie of Iune after the Popes new stile which I haue followed hitherto being in company of Italians and Friers to the famous Citie of Haleppo where the English Merchants liuing in three houses as it were in Colledges entertained my brother and mee very 〈◊〉 And George Dorington the Consul of the English there led vs to the house wherein he liued with other Merchants and there most courteously entertained vs with plentifull diet good lodging and most friendly conuersation refusing to take any money for this our entertainement And howsoeuer wee brought him onely a bill of exchange for one hundred Crownes yet when we complained to him that we now perceiued the same would not serue our turnes hee freely lent vs as much more vpon our owne credit Yea when after my brothers death my selfe fell dangerously sicke and was forced to goe from those parts before I could recouer my health so as all men doubted of my returne into England yet he lent me a farre greater summe vpon my bare word which howsoeuer I duly repayed after my comming into England yet I confesse that I cannot sufficiently acknowledge his loue to mee and his noble consideration of poore and afflicted strangers The Citie Haleppo is said to haue the name of Halep which signifies milke because the Prouince is most fruitfull or of the word Aleph as the chiefe Citie of Syria and to haue been called of old Aram Sohab mentioned the second of Samuel the eight Chapter and third verse or at least to be built not farre from the ruines thereof The Trafficke in this place is exceeding great so as the goods of all Asia and the Easterne Ilands are brought hither or to Cayro in Egypt And before the Portugals found the way into East India these commodities were all brought from these two Cities And the Venetians and some free Cities of Italy solly enioyed all this trafficke of old But after that time the Portugals trading in East India serued all Europe with these commodities selling them yea and many adulterate Druggs at what price they listed cutting off most part of this trafficke from the Italians At last the French King making league with the great Turke the Merchants of Marsiles were made partners of this trafficke and in our age the English vnder the Raigne of Queene Elizabeth obtained like priuiledge though great opposition was made against them by the Venetians French Merchants And the Turkey company in London was at this time the richest of all other silently enioying the safety and profit of this trafficke vnderstand that when I wrote this the trafficke into the East Indies was nothing at all or very little knowne to the English or Flemmings This City lies within Land the Port whereof called Alexandretta by the Christians and Scanderona by the Turkes I shall hereafter describe The building of this City as of all houses in Syria is like to that of Ierusalem but one roofe high with a plaine top plaistered to walke vpon and with Arches before the houses vnder which they walke dry and keepe shops of wares The City is nothing lesse then well fortified but most pleasantly seated hauing many sweet gardens The aire was so hot as me thought I supped hot broth when I drew it in but it is very subtile so as the Christians comming hither from Scanderona a most vnhealthfull place hauing the aire choaked with Fens continually fall sicke and often die And this is the cause that the English Factors imployed here seldome returne into England the twentieth man scarcely liuing till his prentiship being out he may trade here for himselfe The Christians here and the Turkes at the Christians cost drinke excellent wines where of the white wines grow in that territory but the red wines are brought from Mount Libanus Moreouer all things for diet are sold at cheape rates and indeed the Turkes want not good meat but only good Cookes to dresse it The English Merchants can beare me witnes that these parts yeeld sheepe whereof the taile of one wreathed to the ground doth weigh some thirty or more pounds in fat and wooll In one of the City gates they shew the Sepulcher
multitude of Turkes and Moores ceased not to girne laugh at our sighes and teares neither know I why my heart-strings brake not in these desperate afflictions but I am sure from that day to this I neuer enioied my former health and that this houre was the first of my old age Towards the euening the same fourth day of Iuly we descended with the said English Factor taking care to haue our baggage carried from the mountaines towards Scanderona little distant frō this place in the furthest Northerne part of the vally vpon the seashore From hence Iasper Tyant our louing consort in this misery returned back to Haleppo but my selfe not knowing what to resolue nor hauing power to thinke of disposing my selfe remained at Scanderona in the English Factors house The next night while I lay waking I heard multitudes of Woolues as I thought howling vpon the mountaines of Byland and in the morning I vnderstood by the English Merchant that a kind of beast little bigger then a Foxe and ingendered betweene Foxes and Wolues vulgarly called Iagale vsed to range vpon these mountaines in troopes and many times to scratch the bodies of the dead out of their graues whereupon I hired an Asse to carry me and a Ianizare to accompany me and went to see the place of my brothers buriall from which part I thought to heare those howlings And there beyond my expectation I found that they had scratched vp the earth almost to his body and the Turkes made no doubt but that these beasts hiding themselues from day light would according to their manner returne the next night to deuoure his body Therefore I hired many poore people to bring stones whereof I made such a pile round about his body as I preserued that prey from their cursed iawes which done I returned to Scanderona so called by the Turkes which the Christians call Alexandretta This is a poore Village built all of straw and durt excepting the houses of some Christian Factors built of timber and clay in some conuenient sort and it lies along the sea-shoare For the famous Citie of Haleppo hauing no other Hauen the Merchants doc here vnloade their goods but themselues make haste to Haleppo staying as little here as possibly they can and committing the care of carrying their goods thither vpon Camels to the Factors of their Nation continually abiding here The pestilent aire of this place is the cause that they dare not make any stay here for this Village seated in Cilicia now called Caramania is compassed on three sides with a Fenny Plaine and the fourth side lies vpon the Sea In the way to Haleppo as I remember towards the East there is in this Plaine a Fountaine of cleare water some mile distant from this Village and howsoeuer all other waters falling out of the Fen are most vnwholsome yet the goodnes of this Fountaine is so much prized as the Merchants vse to carrie their meate thither and eate there vnder a pleasant shade Not farre from this Fountaine there stands an old Castle at the foote of the mountaines which they call the Castle of Penthesilea Queene of the Amazons On the same side beyond the Fen is a most high mountaine which keepes the sight of the Sunne from Scandarona and being full of bogges infects the Fenny Plaine with ill vapours and beyond this mountaine my dearest brother lies buried On the other side towards the North as I remember in the way leading to Constantinople the like Fenny Plaine lies and the mountaines though more remote doe barre the sight of the Sunne and the boggy earth yeelding ill vapours makes Scanderona infamous for the death of Christians On the same side Asia the lesse stretcheth it selfe into the sea towards the West and in the next shoare thereof is a pleasant Village now called Bias which of old was called Tarsus where Saint Paul was borne being sixe miles from Scanderona and seated in the same Prouince of Cilicia and abounding with fruits silke-wormes and al things necessarie to sustaine life Scanderona on the South side towards Palestina is also compassed with the like fenny Plaine but farre more large then on the other sides Finally on the West side towards the Sea and Italy is a safe Hauen in the furthest part of the Mediteranean Sea towards the East And into this Sea the Prophet Ionas was cast and preserued miraculously by a Whale was in this part cast vpon the shoare they say that the Owes of the Sea doe here much increase the malignitie of the aire yet the Sea men vse to sleep in their ships and seldome to come on land till the Sunne be risen aboue the mountains hiding it and hath drawne vp the ill vapours The foresaid mountaines of Cilicia are held for part of Mount Taurus which in Scythia is called Caucasus and in these parts Amanus I haue formerly said that these parts neere the Equinoctiall Line haue seldome any raine but the earth is commonly moistned with the dew falling after Sunne-set But while I staied here a great tempest fell of thunder haile and raine vpon the seuenth of August and the raine did not fall by drops but by pailefuls as wee reade it falles but much more violently towards West India and neere the Equinoctiall Line and as no violent thing is perpetuall so this tempest soone passed Shortly after I came to this vnhappy Village Scanderona the griefe of my mind cast me into a great sicknesse so as I who in perfect health had passed so many Kingdomes of Europe at this time in the very flower of my age first began to wax old This sicknesse brought the first weakenesse to my body and the second proceeding of another griefe after my returne into England tooke from mee all thought of youthfull pleasures and demonstratiuely taught me that the Poet most truly said Cura facit canos that is Care maketh gray-headed While I languished here in a lasting sicknes it hapned that vpon occasion I looked vpon the two testimonies giuen to my brother and my self at Ierusalem of our hauing been there and I was not a little astonished to see that they being both at the same time cut out of the same skin of parchment and written with the same hand and inck yet that of my brother was in all parts eaten with wormes when mine was altogether vntouched And after I did more wonder that to this day the same Testimonie giuen to my brother is no more eaten with wormes then at that time it was and mine still remaines vnperished My foresaid sicknesse was so vehement and so long that all men doubted I would neuer recouer so as my friends in England after they had heard of my brothers death were aduertised within few weekes that my selfe also was dead But for my part though my nightly dreames that I was walking in the caues and sepulchers of Italy might haue somewhat discouraged me and though I had no other Phisitian then the
vse of thy victorie Besides that wit and wisedome cannot generally be thus ioyned in one subiect except we will graunt that women commonly most wittie are also commonly most wise There is a mediocrity required in wisedome Nolt altum sapere Be not too wise cuen as Salomon aduiseth not to be too lust meaning in outward appearance for the inward man cannot be too iust But mediocrity perhaps will be iudged rather to be found in the inhabiters of the worlds middle regions Againe howsoeuer wee may graunt that the Italians in the founding of their Empire by valiant acts and learned writings left notable markes and euidences of their wisedome yet in our age they may perhaps be preferred to others for some indowments of Nature but must yeeld the preheminence of valour and learning to some other Nations The vaine wisedome of man tires it selfe in vaine while it attributes so many and so great changes in the world to this or that Clime or Starre or any naturall cause rather then to looke backe to the first mouer of all humane things and acknowledge his finger in the disposing of them They affirme that the Northerne people are most cruell and Tacitus accuseth the Germanes Transsilnanians and olde Brittaines of cruelty Bodine disputes wittily against this opinion first because fat men as the Northerne are better men then those who are leane as the Southerne men be and he calls Caesar to witnesse who was not afraid of the fat men Anthony and Dolabella but of the leane men Brutus and Castius In my opinion fat men whose heate is decayed are thereby lesse bold for any great enterprise Onely I admire Luther who alone and weake did wonderfully oppose himselfe to the great multitude of Papists and power of the Popes But I remember that Melancton a leane man and skilfull in the Greeke Hebrew tongues and vniuersally learned did assist him yea the Germanes say that Melancton was more learned and Luther more bold So as according to the course of the world it is likely that Melancton did much in that great worke whereof Luther bare the name Besides that we must attribute the happy and wonderfull reformation of Religion to higher causes then those vnder the Moone namely not to the naturall heate of men but to the boldnesse proceeding from the diuine heat of the holy spirit Bodine affirmes that Northerne men because they are fat are lesse prone to the extremities of good or euill and so concludes them to be lesse cruell which he shewes by examples in that the Carthaginians and other people of the South vsed to pull out eyes to pull off the skinne to burne with a slow fier and to impale or set vpon stakes and to vse like cruelties towards condemned men and that those of America vse to smeare their children with the blood of their enemies whereas on the contrary the Romans were mercifull first beheading condemned men then by the law of percins forbidding Citizens to be beaten with rods after punishing by staruing by banishment In my opinion he might haue added the lenity of the Britans being more northward where the greatest offences are punished with hanging except 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing and quartering are added yet the seuerity thereof is commonly 〈◊〉 by letting them hang till they be dead Bodine addes that Northerne men did alwaies assaile with open force and were soone pacified whereas Southerne men assuled with Fox-like craft and were cruell to those that submitted to them But in the end while he confesseth that the Germans being Northern break the bones of condemned men vpon the wheele and that the Greekes being southerly put to death by 〈◊〉 of the Hemlocke and that in Chios they mingle water to make them die without paine by these contradictions he rather obscures then illustrates that which he would proue For my part while I consider these and like examples so contrary in both kindes together with the great changes of the World in diuers times so as they whom one age were cruell become in another age mercifull While I consider the old in egrity of the Romans when they reproched the Carthaginians to be breakers of faith and find them after to become greater breakers thereof concluding that no faith is to be kept with Heretikes with which note they brand any enemy at pleasure and bringing in diuellish equiuocation the plague of integrity which takes away all faith among men and lastly prouing these things not with words but with fier and sword Vpon these considerations I am induced to conclude not onely for cruelty but for all vices and vertues That Southerne men as more witty if they be good proue best if ill proue worst and that the degrees of good or ill proceed not from wit but from the application of it to good or ill Therefore not the North nor the South but Phylosophicall precepts godly lawes and the knowledge of Gods word or otherwise the wants thereof make men good or ill and where knowledge religion and good lawes flourish there vertues are practised but among barbarous and superstitious people liuing in Cimerian darkenesse all vices haue euer and will for euer flourish Abraham conceiued iust feare lest for his Wiues beauty he should suffer violence and death only because the feare of God was not in those places where he soiourned for this feare of God in himselfe mercifull and so commanding his children to be mercifull doth restraine the most fierce natures from offering any wrong to their neighbours Also Phylosophy did keepe the very Heathen within limits of honesty and Iustice which as the Poet saith Emollit mores nee sinit esse feros Doth soften manners with remorse And keepes them from a furious course In like sort old Writers affirme that Northern men are most perfidious but nothing is more easie then in all sorts of men to find examples of perfidiousnes 〈◊〉 witnesseth that the old Egyptians were naturally most perfidious yet are they most southerly In like sort the Southerne Carthaginians were of old most infamous for treacherous acts On the contrary many Histories taxe northerne men for breaking leagues Also the Northerne Gothes Southerne Spaniards obiected mutuall breaches of faith one to the other Therefore as I said knowledge and religion are the causes of all vertues as ignorance and atheisme or superstition are the causes of all vices neither are these causes hereditary to any clime or nation but are dispersed through the world by supernal distribution diuersly at diuers times They write that Southerne men are rather sparing and frugall then couetous and that Northerne men are prodigall and giuen to rapine but the Egyptian Cleopatra passed the Romans and all others in luxury And at this day nothing can be added to the rapacitie and couetousnesse of the Turks and more specially of those most towards the South daily exercised both against Christians and among themselues And this seemes to be attributed to their corrupt and
tyrannicall forme of gouernment and to their ignorance of Religion as also of liberall and manuall Arts not to the situation of the Prouinces I confesse that in generall Southerne men are now more frugall in diet and apparrell then Northerne But the Iewes and Southerne men are and euer haue beene great vsurers extortioners and amassers of treasure so as they must also be reputed couetous And as the Italians are most frugall so haue the Romanes in their riches beene monsters for Luxurie So as rhe clime cannot be the cause But indeede riches are cause of Pride and Luxurie as the examples of all times and nations doe teach And the same riches are cause of couetousnesse according to the Poet. Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit As money growes so groweth auatice Prodigality at this day not for the climes sake but for some other cauies may iustly be imputed to Northerne men yet this vice dispersing treasure vitiously is not so great a vice as that of rapine and couetousnesse hiding those treasures and burying them from vse Olde Writers taxe Southerne men most for Iealousie No doubt the most sharpe sights are sometimes dimmed and so for what cause so euer it must be confessed that the sharpe witted Southerne men are to this day madly iealous alwayes tormenting themselues with this restlesse passion and vsing their wiues like slaues yet no whit more freed thereby from fatall hornes though to preserue their wiues chastitie they permit the Stewes and that because they liue among men who no lesse vexe themselues in finding meanes to enioy these forbidden Loues then the other are vexed in the courses to preuent their enioying thereof and because their wiues so watched thinke themselues to bewray simplicity and ignorant folly if they omit any occasion of offending this way though it were with neuer so base a man Hauing taxed the wittie Southerne men with iealousie yet they in generall conclude that Northerne men are most suspitious and that vpon a contrary cause namely the defect of wit No doubt they who are most guilty of their owne defects take in worst part the whisperings priuate laughters of those that are in their company Yea I wil say of experience that I found the Italians nothing nice to shew their strong Forts to me and other strangers and that in Northerne parts the same were not to be seene by strangers or at least with great difficulty By which and like arguments casie to be brought I am induced to thinke that want of true iudgement is the cause of suspition but not the sole nor yet the chiefe cause thereof To omit many other causes sometimes an ill conscience makes men suspitious as we reade that our tyrant Richard the third vpon the least shadow or shaking of a leafe had his hand vpon his dagger Againe the best and wisest men are iustly suspitious when they liue among wicked men or haue necessarie affaires with them Therefore let Southerne men consider whether they vse not more to wound their owne consciences with guiltinesse of wicked deedes then Northerne men vse to doe and whether they be not more iustly to be accused of treacheries poysonings and like high crimes then the other For no doubt the iealous Southerne men by guiltinesse of these crimes in spite of their wit and wisedome shall become in all kinds most suspitious Olde Writers affirme that Southerne men are more prone to madnesse then the Northerne and they report that infinite numbers of mad men are found in Affrique where many Almes-houses are built onely to receiue the sicke of this kinde and that the South parts of Spayne doe abound with distracted men And this is agreeable to nature and the Rules of naturall Philosophie For howsoeuer the situation of places cannot properly be the cause of any vertue or vice yet it is probable that it may cause diseases or health Bodine against the iudgement of Hipocrates proueth that Northerne men are more venerious then Southerne First because our bodies haue greater inward heate in Winter then in Sommer and so in Winter are more apt for the act of generation the same reason being of a Northerne and Southerne bodie as of Winter and Sommer I should thinke that the hot and dry Southerne men are most prone to venery but that the colde and moist Northerne Men are most potent therein Againe Aristotle saith that they who ride most are most venerious which Bodine also obiecteth against Hipocrates who falsely holds that the Northerne mens riding makes them lesse fruitfull in generation It is most certaine by our and all mens experience that great part of Asia and especially the Southerne Prouinces lie at this day waste or little inhabited though Poligamy be permitted among them I meane the hauing of many wiues for one man and that all Europe on the contrary is wonderfully populous and especially in the most Northerne parts though no man hath more then one wife allowed him By this one argument it is most manifest that the Northerne men are most potent for generation And it is no lesse manifest that Southerne men haue more desire by the multitude of their wiues their libidinous vsing the loue of boyes and all mens consent so generall as it needs no further proofe yea men of experience say that Northerne men only trauelling towards the South are more and more troubled with this restlesse desire Bodine disputes that Southerne men are longer liued then Northerne contrary to the opinion of Pliny First because Elephants who as Aristotle saith haue the longest liues of all other are onely found in the South I remember that the Turkes at this day repute them old weomen or past the age of loue who are come to the age of 25 yeeres and that my selfe did see few or no men in Asia who had gray beards and it any had grey hayres it was not for the number of their yeeres but because they grow old sooner then Northern men I cannot so well speake of other Nations where I liued a short time and as a stranger but I remember that in Benerly a Towne of Holdernes in England there liued in our age one Iemings a Carpenter whom the men of those parts report to haue liued 120 yeeres and that he married a young woman some few yeeres before his death by whom being of good fame he had foure children and that his eldest sonne by his first wife then liuing was 100 yeeres old or thereabouts but was so decrepite as he was rather taken for the father then the sonne And lest I should seeme by one Swallow to make summer as the Prouerbe is the men of Hereford-shire can witnes that such examples are not rare in England where in the raigne of King Iames they made a morris-dance of fifteene persons all borne in the same County or within the compasse of 24 miles who made 1500 yeeres betweene them some being little lesse then 100 yeers old and
some faire passing that age Many such examples are not wanting in England and Ireland to proue that Northerne men are longest liued My selfe haue knowne some and haue credibly heard of many more weomen of one 100 yeers age in these Kingdomes The Irish report and will sweare it that towards the West they haue an Iland wherein the Inhabitants liue so long as when they are weary and burthened with life their children in charity bring them to die vpon the shoare of Ireland as if their Iland would not permit them to die In ourtime the Irish Countesse of Desmond liued to the age of about 140 yeeres being able to goe on foote foure or fiue miles to the Market Towne and vsing weekly so to doe in her last yeeres and not many yeeres before shee died shee had all her teeth renewed Againe Bodine may best be confuted with his owne argument for as he saith that Sortherne men are longest liued so he confesseth that they are most giuen to venery whereas they that are like the Cocke Sparrow cannot be long liued And whereas old writers affirme that the Inhabitants of the middle regions are of shortest life because Southerne men vsed to great heate and Northern men vsed to great cold can easily beare them both but the Inhabitants of the middle regions being oppressed both with cold and heate are subiect to these changes of the Ayre which breed diseases and old age This seemes to me as if they should say that custome makes extreme things but not temperate things to be tollerable since those of the middle regions are no lesse vsed to the changes of their temperate ayre then the others are to the extremities and their changes Giue me leaue to say contrary to the vulgar opinion that the purenes or any properties of the ayre doe not so much cause long or short life as the changes of ayre by long iournies or by remouing mens dwellings from one ayre to another which changes are more powerfull the more violent they are and that to men of all climes whether they iourney or remoue dwelling from the North to the South or from the South towards the North. This experience teacheth by many examples First of great trauailers whereof infinite nombers in youth die before they returne home Secondly of those that dwell in the Fennes of Lincolnshire and of Essex in England where they that are borne and liue all their dayes in those Fennes and in that vnhealthfull ayre liue to be of very olde age and with good health but it they remoue dwelling to a purer ayre soone die as likewise they that are borne in purer ayre and come after to dwell in those Fennes liue very short time This in generall I say because many very aged people are found in those Fennes but particularly I am confirmed in this opinion as by many other so by one pleasant example of a Husbandman whom my selfe did see in Essex who dwelling in the Fennes not farre off was threescore yeares olde healthfull and like to liue long and within few yeares past had married and buried eight wiues all which hee had brought to his house in the Fennes vpon one Nagge of some fortie shillings price for these women borne in purer ayre soone died after they came to dwell with him in the Fennes Many proue that Southerne men are most religious by their sumptuous Churches in which it is a great trespasse so much as to sper by the very Princes of Affrick entring the profession of Monkes by their Fasts frequent praying whipping of themselues lawes made against irreligious persons and the Pontificiall habit of their Kings On the contrarie they affirme that Northerne men as women and children soone make and as soone breake leagues of amitie doe soone and greedily imbrace any Religion and no lesse speedily cast it off againe As the Ostrogothes and Visigothes being driuen from their seate became Christians vnder the raigne of the Emperour Valens and soone after terrified with burnings fell from the Christian Faith And the Gothes in Italy first became Christians then Arrians Yea Gotland soone receiued the Christian Faith and presently returned to their Idolatrie And the Turkes soone fell to the Arabians Religion As also Tartares were easily drawne on both hands for the point of Religion And lastly the Germanes taxing the Papall frauds together with their neighbours did of their owne accord fall from the Popes obedience without any force or violent constraining But on the contrarie that Southerne men euer did slowly imbrace any new Religion and howsoeuer they were often diuided into Sects yet could neuer be drawne to change their Religion without miracles and force of Armes So as Antiochus by no torment could draw any one of seuen brethren or their mother that exhorted them to be constant so much as to tast Swines flesh It is easie to oppose examples and arguments to the fore-said examples and arguments If we behold the Temples Monasteries Bels and other old ornaments or religious vestures of our Northerne Iland England no doubt they farre paste those of the South where neither the present Churches building nor the ruines of like olde building shew the like if any magniffcence Yea rather the Sepulchres then the Moschees or Churches of the South may be thought sumptuous Neither want we examples of Northerne Kings as of the Saxons in England and Gothes in Italy who put on Monks habits nor yet of Nations in Europe who haue violently with much suffering maintained their rites of Religion Moreouer see how these men omit to distinguish superstition from Religion They confesse that the Northerne men first discouered the Papall fraudes yet they will also haue them more simple whence it followes that the sharpe-witted Southerne men did first see these fraudes and couer them for feare of the Popes persecutions or because they esteemed Religion onely a State policie and knowing the truth yet abstained from reformation Surely Petrarch Dante 's and other free wits of Italy did see the Papall frauds before the Germanes and though fearefully yet plainly pronounced Rome to be Babylox But our Northerne Luther when at Rome he had seene the licentious Romanes and their criminall frauds could not abstaine but he must needes diuülge these impostures of Religion and being weake for his defence yet could not but oppose himselfe to most powerfull enemies Northerne men are soone drawne with the loue of Religion the of feare due to God they like Foxes may command ouer Lyons which our good Epimethei at last by the euents perceiuing doe so much abhorre all hypocrisie and whorish painting of Religion as by no danger they can bee frighted from professing truth whose constancy in suffering persecution for the same is abundantly witnessed by the multitude of them burnt in France as Sleyden writes of his owne sight and by the more violent at least more lasting persecution of them by fier vnder Marie late Queene of England Therefore let vs say that Northerne men are
very deepe and couers all the ground for nine moneths of the yeere yet notwithstanding the vallyes and discents of them lying open to the South Sunne and taking life from the heate thereof are very fruitfull Lastly in generall through all Germany the aboundance of Lakes and Mountaines doth increase this cold of the aire in diuers places except they bee something defended from the same by Woods adioyning and in some places as namely at Heidelberg where the Cities are almost fully inclosed with Mountaines the cold windes in Winter doe more ragingly breake in on that side the Mountaines lve open the more they are restrained and resisted on the other sides As likewise by accident the Sunne beames in Summer reflecting against those Mountaines though in a cold Region are so violently hot as the Cities at that time are much annoyed with multitudes of flies which not onely vex men but so trouble the horses as they are forced to couer them with cloathes from this annoyance The foresaid intemperatenesse of cold pressing great part of Germany in stead of fier they vse hot stoues for remedie thereof which are certaine chambers or roomes hauing an earthen ouen cast into them which may be heated with a little quantity of wood so as it will make them hot who come out of the cold and incline them to swetting if they come neare the ouen And as well to keepe out cold as to retaine the heate they keepe the dores and windowes closely shut so as they vsing not only to receiue Gentlemen into these stoues but euen to permit rammish clownes to stand by the ouen till their wet clothes be dried and themselues sweat yea to indure their little children to sit vpon their close stooles and ease themselues within this close and hot stoue let the Reader pardon my rude speech as I bore with the bad smell it must needes be that these ill smelles neuer purged by the admitting of any fresh ayre should dull the braine and almost choke the spirits of those who frequent the stoues When my selfe first entred into one of them this vnwonted heate did so winde about my legges as if a Snake had twined about them and made my head dull and heauy but after I had vsed them custome became another nature for I neuer inioyed my health in any place better then there This intemperatenesse of cold is the cause that a Lawrell tree is hardly to be found in Germany and that in the lower parts towards Lubeck they keepe Rosemary within the house in eartherne pitchers filled with earth as other where men preserue the choice fruits of the South yet can they not keep this Rosemary when it prospers best aboue three yeeres from withering For this cause also they haue no Italian fruits in Germany onely at Prage I did see some few Orange trees preserued in pitchers full of earth by setting them fourth in the heate of the Summer dayes and after drawing them into houses where they were cherished by artificiall heate And the like fruits I did see at Heidelberg in the Pallatine Electors Garden growing open in Summer but in winter a house being built ouer them with an ouen like a stoue and yet these trees yeelded not any ripe fruit when as at London and many parts of England more Northerly then those parts of Germany we haue Muske Mellons and plenty of Abricots growing in Gardens which for quantitie and goodnesse are not much inferiour to the fruits in Italy Also this cold is the cause that in Misen where they plant vines and in the highest parts of Germany on this side the Alpes where they make wine thereof the Grapes and the wine are exceeding sower Onely the wines vpon Neccar and those vpon the West side of the Rheine are in their kinds good but harsh and of little heate in the stomacke The cherries called Zawerkersen are reasonable great but sower And the other kind called Wildkersen is little and sweete but hath a blacke iuyce vnpleasing to the taste They haue little store of peares or apples and those they haue are little and of small pleasantnesse onely the Muskadel peare is very delicate especially when it is dried And the Germans make good vse of those fruits they haue not so much for pleasure when they are greene as for furnishing the table in Winter For their Peares and Apples they pare them and drie them vnder the Ouen of the stoue and then dresse them very fauorly with Cynamon and Butter In like sort they long preserue their cheries drie without sugar and the greater part of their cheries they boyle in a brasse cauldron full of holes in the bottome out of which the iuce falles into another vessell which being kept growes like marmalade and makes a delicate sauce for all roasted meates and will last very long as they vse it The Italians haue a Prouerb Dio da i panni secondo i freddi that is God giues cloathes according to the colds as to the cold Muscouites hee hath giuen futtes to the English wooll for cloth to the French diuers light stuffes and to Southerlie people stoore of silkes that all Nations abounding in some things and wanting others might be taught that they haue neede of one anothers helpe and so be stirred vp to mutuall loue which God hath thus planted betweene mankind by mutuall trafficke For this must be vnderstood not onely of clother but also of all other things necessary for human life Germany doth abound with many things necessary for life and many commodities to be transported For great Cities and Cities within land of which Germany hath store those argue plenty of commodities to bee transported and these plenty of foode to nourish much people And since that paradox of Cicero is most true that small causes of expence rather then great reuenues make men rich surely by this reason the Germans should bee most rich They neuer play at Dice seldome at Cardes and that for small wagers They seldome feast and sparingly needing no sumptuary Law es to restraine the number or costlinesse of dishes or sawces They are apparrelled with homely stuffes and weare their clothes to the vttermost of their lasting their houshold stuffe is poore in gifts they are most sparing and onely are prodigall in expences for drinking with which a man may sooner burst then spend his patrimony They haue Corne sufficient for their vse and the Merchants in the Cities vpon the sea coast export Corne into Spaine aswell of their owne as especially of that they buy at Dantzke They want not Cattle of all kinds but they are commonlie leane and little so are their horses many in number and little in stature onely in Bohemia they haue goodly horses or at least great and heauy like those in Freeseland but I remember not to haue seene much cattle or great heards thereof in the fields of any Towne the reason whereof may be gathered out of the following discourse of the Germans
the Bishoprick of Licge pertaines to it wherein the City of Liege is the Bishops seate and the territory thereof yeelds a little quantity of a small wine and hath Mines yeelding a little Iron some leade and brimstone and a very little quantity of good gold The Mountaines yeeld a black Alablaster with marble and other stones especially stony coales in great quantity which being there found at first are now called generally Liege Coales 11 The Dukedome of Gelderland was of old inhabited by the Menappij and Sieambri and aboundeth with excellent pastures and meadowes so as great Heards of Cattle brought thither out of Denmarke to be sold are for great part fatted there The chiefe City is Nimmengen the second Harduike a fortified City subiect to the vnited States and the third Arnheim also subiect to them 12 The Territory of West-Freessand is diuided as Holland with artificiall ditches and aboundeth with eocellent pastures for fatting of the greatest heards of Cattle and yeeldeth it selfe all kinds of cattle of extraordinary bignesse as Horses of Freesland vulgarly knowne It hath many Cities where of the chiefe are Lewerden Dockam Fronikar an Vniuersity and Harlingen not to speake of nine other Townes fortified with wals and ditcbes This Territory is subiect or associated to the vnited States 13 The Territory of Groningen made part of Freesland by Cosmagraphers is also subiect to the States and hath the name of the chiefe City strongly fortified and seated in a fenny soyle 14 The Territory of Vtrecht is also associated vnder the same vnited States whose chiefe and very pleasant City is called Vtrecht 15 The Territory of Transisole vulgarly called De land ouer Ysseli the Land beyond Yssell is also associated to the vnited States whereof the chiefe City is Deuentry which besieged by the States Army in the yeere 1591 was then subdued and it lies neerer to the Sea It hath another City called swoll The vnited Prouinces of Netherland through which onely I did passe haue a most intemperate Aire the Winter cold being excessiue and the Summers heat farre exceeding the ordinary heate of that clime The reason of the cold is that the Northerne winds of themselues ordinarily cold doe here in a long course on all sides glide vpon the German Sea thereby gathering farre greater cold and so rush into those plaine Prouinces no where stopped either by mountaines or woods there being no Mountaines scarce any hils no woods scarce any groues to hinder them from violent passage with their vttermost force Like reason may be giuen for the heate For the same open Plaine no way shaddowed from the beames of the Sunne by opposition of Woods or Mountaines must needs in Summer be subiect to the heate of the Sunne and winds from land Adde that in Winter the frequent Riuers Lakes and Pooles or standing waters in finitely increase the coldnesse of the aire These waters aswell running as standing are almost all Winter frosen ouer with a thicke ice so as they will beare some hundreths of young men and women sliding vpon them with pattins according to their custome Yea the Arme of the Sea called Zwidersea lying within land betweene Holland and Freseland though it be large and deepe hauing only two flats or shoales yet being compassed with Ilands and the Continent is many times in Winter so frosen ouer as Victualers erect Tents in the middest of it hauing Beere and Wine and fier made vpon iron furnaces to refresh such as passe vpon sledges or sliding vpon iron patterns from one shoare to the other This cold is the cause why their sheepe and cattell are kept in stables to bring forth their young And howsoeuer the same be done in Italy subiect to great heate yet it is not of necessitie as here but out of the too great tendernesse of the Italians towards the few cattle they haue And this is the cause that how soeuer they vse not hot stoaues as the Germans doe yet the Weomen as well at home as in the Churches to driue away cold put vnder them little pannes of fier couered with boxes of wood boared full of holes in the top And this sordid remedy they carry with them by the high way in waggons which the Danes or Mosconites vse not though oppressed with greater cold onely some of the more noble Weomen disliking this remedy choose rather to weare breeches to defend them from the cold In this distemper of Aire it cannot be expected that there should be plenty of flowers and summer fruites No doubt in regard of the fatnesse of the soile watered with frequent ditches and through the foresaid heat of the Summer they might haue plenty of flowers and fruits were it not impossible or very difficult to preserue them from perishing by the winters cold and were not the Inhabitants carelesse of such dainties though in later times as they haue admitted forraigne manners so luxury hath more power with them then formerly it had I haue oft seene one Apple sold for a blancke and those great Cherries which are brought into England grow not here but in Flaunders and the Territories within Land They haue abundance of Butter Cheese and Rootes and howsoeuer they haue not of their owne full sufficiency of other things to maintaine life yet they abound with the same brought from other parts Some prouinces as the Bishoprick of Vtrecht yeeld corne to be transported but in generall the vnited Prouinces of which only I discourse in this place haue not sufficient corne for their owne vse yet by traffick at Dantzke they furnish themselues many other nations therewith They haue little plenty of Riuer fish excepting onely Eales but in the Mosa as it fals from Dort to the sea they haue plenty of Salmons and other fish which fishing did of old yeeld great profit to the Prince and Merchants And for Sea fishes salted and dried they make great trafficke therewith My selfe lying for a passage in the Iland Fly did see great quantity of shell-fish sold at a very low rate Great heards of Oxen and Calues are yeerely brought into these parts out of the Dukedome of Holst vnited to the Kingdome of Denmarke in which parts they feed most on dry and salt meates and these Heards are fatted in the rich pastures of Gelderland and Freesland There is great abundance of Sea Fowles especially in West-Freesland and they want not land Fowles They carefully nourish Storkes as presaging happinesse to an Aristocraticall gouernement making them nests on the tops of publike houses and punishing any that driue them away or trouble them In which kind also they preserue Hernes making nests in those groues which are onely in few Cities They haue a race of heauy Horses and strong which they sell in sorraigne parts vsing onely their Mares to draw Waggons and for like vses at home The Prouinces on the Sea Coast as I formerly said burne their owne earth by the frequent digging whereof they say the Sea or lake
ciuill warres I omit the Kings and Queenes Counties namely Ophaly and Leax inhabited by the Oconnors and Omores as likewise the Counties of Longford Fernes and Wicklo as lesse affoording memorable things 3 The third part of Ireland is Midia or Media called by the English Methe in our Fathers memory deuided into Eastmeath and Westmeath In Eastmeath is Drogheda vulgarly called Tredagh a faire and well inhabited Towne Trym is a little Towne vpon the confines of Vlster hauing a stately Castle but now much ruinated and it is more notable for being the ancient as it were Barrony of the Lacies Westmeath hath the Towne Deluin giuing the title of Baron to the English Family of the Nugents and Westmeath is also inhabited by many great Irish Septs as the Omaddens the Magoghigans Omalaghlens and MacCoghlans which seeme barbarous names Shamon is a great Riuer in a long course making many and great lakes as the large Lake or Lough Regith and yeeldes plentifull fishing as doe the frequent Riuers and all the Seas of Ireland Vpon this Riuer lies the Towne Athlon hauing a very faire Bridge of stone the worke of Sir Henry Sidney Lord Deputy and a strong faire Castle 4 Connaght is the fourth part of Ireland a fruitfull Prouince but hauing many Boggs and thicke Woods and it is diuided into sixe Countyes of Clare of Letrim of Galloway of Rosecomen of Maio and of Sugo The County of Clare or Thowmond hath his Enrles of Thowmond of the Family of the Obrenes the old Kings of Connaght and Toam is the seate of an Archbishop onely part but the greatest of this County was called Clare of Phomas Clare Earle of Glocester The adioyning Territory Clan Richard the land of Richards sonnes hath his Earles called Clanricard of the land but being of the English Family de Burgo vulgarly Burck and both these Earles were first created by Henry the eight In the same Territory is the Barony Atterith belonging to the Barons of the English Family Bermingham of old very warlike but their posteritie haue degenerated to the Irish barbarisme The city Galway giuing name to the County lying vpon the Sea is frequently inhabited with ciuill people and fairely built The Northern part of Connaght is inhabited by these Irish Septs O Conor O Rorke and Mac Diarmod Vpon the Westerne coast lyes the Iland Arran famous for the fabulous long life of the inhabitants 5 Vlster the fifth part of Ireland is a large Prouince woody fenny in some parts fertile in other parts barren but in al parts greene and pleasant to behold and exceedingly stoared with Cattell The next part to the Pale and to England is diuided into three Countyes Lowth Down and Antrimme the rest containes seuen Counties Monaghan Tyrone Armach Colrane Donergall Fermanagh and Cauon Lowth is inhabited by English-Irish Down and Antrimme being contained vnder the same name and the Barrons thereof be of the Berminghams family and remaine louing to the English Monaghan was inhabited by the English family Fitzursi and these are become degenerate and barbarous and in the sense of that name are in the Irish tongue called Mac Mahon that is the sonnes of Beares I forbeare to speake of Tyrone and the Earle thereof infamous for his Rebellion which I haue at large handled in the second part of this work Armach is the seate of an Archbishop and the Metropolitan City of the whole Iland but in time of the Rebellion was altogether ruinated The other Countyes haue not many memorable things therefore it shall suffice to speake of them briefely The neck of land called Lecale is a pleasant little territory fertile and abounding with fish and all things for food and therein is Downe at this time a ruined Towne but the seate of a Bishop and famous for the buriall of S Patrick S. Bridget and S. Columb The Towne of Carickfergus is well knowne by the safe Hauen The Riuer Bann running through the Lake Euagh into the Sea is famous for the fishing of Salmons the water being most cleare wherein the Salmons much delight The great Families or Septs of Vlster are thus named O Neale O Donnel wherof the chiefe was lately created Earle of Tirconnel O Buil Mac Guyre O Cane O Dogharty Mac Mahown Mac Gennis Mac Sorleigh c. The Lake Ern compassed with thicke Woods hath such plenty of fish as the fishermen feare the breaking of their nets rather then want of fish Towards the North in the middest of vast woods and as I thinke in the County Donergall is a lake and therein an Iland in which is a Caue famous for the apparition of spirits which the inhabitants call Ellanui frugadory that is The Iland of Purgatory and they call it Saint Patricks Purgatory fabling that hee obtained of God by prayer that the Irish seeing the paines of the damned might more carefully auoide sinne The land of Ireland is vneuen mountanous soft watry woody and open to windes and flouds of raine and so fenny as it hath Bogges vpon the very tops of Mountaines not bearing man or beast but dangerous to passe and such Bogs are frequent ouer all Ireland Our Matriners obserue the sayling into Ireland to be more dangerous not onely because many tides meeting makes the sea apt to swell vpon any storme but especially because they euer find the coast of Ireland couered with mists whereas the coast of England is commonly cleare and to be seene farre off The ayre of Ireland is vnapt to ripen seedes yet as Mela witnesseth the earth is luxurions in yeelding faire and sweete hearbs Ireland is little troubled with thunders lightnings or earthquakes yet I know not vpon what presage in the yeere 1601 and in the moneth of Nouember almost ended at the siege of Kinsale and few daies before the famous Battell in which the Rebels were happily ouerthrowne we did nightly heare and see great thundrings lightnings not without some astonishment what they should presage The fields are not onely most apt to feede Cattell but yeeld also great increase of Corne I wil freely say that I obserued the winters cold to be far more mild thē it is in England so as the Irish pastures are more greene and so likewise the gardens al winter time but that in Summer by reason of the cloudy ayre and watry soyle the heate of the Sunne hath not such power to ripen corne and fruits so as their haruest is much later then in England Also I obserued that the best sorts of flowers and fruits are much rarer in Ireland then in England which notwithstanding is more to bee attributed to the inhabitants then to the ayre For Ireland being oft troubled with Rebellions and the Rebels not only being idle themselues but in naturall malice destroying the labours of other men and cutting vp the very trees of fruits for the same cause or else to burne them For these reasons the inhabitants take lesse pleasure to till their grounds or plant trees content to