Guards who is for most part the fourth Syndick and of the two Majors and at the same time receive their pay The Majors are members of the Council of twenty five Majors and commonly the two youngest are chosen It is really a place of great fatigue for they are obliged by turns once a week to releive the Guards every evening and to go the rounds twice a night about the City to visit the Sentinels they are allowed indeed to discharge their Office on horse back being attended by some Soldiers and a Lantern And certainly since the Scalado and surprize that the Duke of Savoy attempted to have made on this place there is no City in the world more vigilant and that uses greater diligence to prevent the like for the future for four of the Council of the two hundred every week go the rounds nightly both before and after the Majors rounds and every hour of the night the Sentinels are visited the Guards being alwaies doubled when there is any suspition of danger Pomps and vain shows There is a Court established here a gainst Pomps and vain Shows consisting of a Syndick as President the Procurator General and four Deputies who meet commonly on Monday after dinner The time when the Councils meet Twice a year the General Council of the People meets after morning Sermon in St. Peters Church to wit on the first Sunday of November for the Election of the Lieutenant and two Auditors and the first Sunday of January for the Election of the four Syndicks Procurator General and Treasurer The Council of 25. The Council of twenty five sits every morning and on occasion in the afternoon excepting Sunday and Thursday when they never meet unless matters of State or other things of great importance require their attendance The Council of 200. The Council of the two hundred meet the first Friday morning of every month after that the Council of 25 is up for treating of matters of State and affaires of publick benefit but if other necessary matters do require acâ—â—â—ding to exigency they meet oftner and because many Civil matters are transferred from the Council of twenty five to that of the two hundred they assemble sometimes three days a weak for the decision of such actions There is no appeal to be made to the Council of the two hundred in any action under fifty Crowns the parties being obliged to deposit twenty and besides alledge that the sentence given by the twenty five is against the Edict which is the Municipal Law of Geneva The Council of threescore There is moreover a Council of sixty the Members whereof are chosen out of the body of the two hundred and are men of mature judgment and such as have born the charge of an Auditor but this Council seldome meets and only upon matters of State You must observe that the Members of the Council of twenty five sit in all other Councils whether of the General that of the 200 or of the sixty The Lieutenant assisted by his six Auditors holds a Court daily Lieutenant and tho all be not present yet it is still a Court the first Auditor in absence of the Lieutenant being President thereof In the Court which is called the Court of Appeals a Syndick is President Appeals and it is composed of five Judges or Counsellors who are Members of the two hundred and continue in place for three years They are to meet once a week according as causes happen for from the sentence of the Lieutenant they remove to this Court of Appeals and from 〈◊〉 the Council of twenty five When an action whether Civil or Criminal is to be decided in the Counâ—â—â—… twenty five all the Kindred and Relations of the Parties withdraw so that to fill up the Quorum of that Court as of the other of Appeals they take Assessors out of the number of the two hundred who sit not on the bench but on certain seats provided for them in the middle of the Hall but if the number of the Judges not excepted against exceed the half the Court is compleat and no Assessors are called The Congregation of the Ministers The Congregation of Ecclesiasticks that is of the Ministers who Preach the Gospel consists of twenty four Church-men that is of twelve Ministers of the City and as many of the Country about which belongs to the Soverainity of Geneva Every Friday Morning this Assembly meets to treat of the affaires of their Ministery and the Purity of Religion thô upon urgent occasions they meet at other times not only all the Ministers but likewise the Professors are admitted into this Congregation the truth is the professors of Theology Greek and Hebrew are commonly Ministers and tho those of Philosophy be not yet they have place in the Congregation The Consistory The Consistory which is held every Thursday is composed of all the Ministers and nine other persons of exemplary life and Mature age whom they call Elders two of which are commonly members of the Council of twenty five A Minister with the title of Moderator is President of the Consistory who is changed weekly but the twelve Country Ministers are never admitted to be Moderators The Italians and Germans have likewise their Consistories composed of their Ministers and some Elders who meet commonly after Sermon and treat of the affairs of their several Churches but they depend on the greater Consistory There is a kind of Hospital commonly called the French-Box The French Box. which takes care to releive all the poor Families of strangers for none are received into the great Hospital but onely Burgesses Citizens and poor Travellers without any respect to their Religion or Country The Italian and German Boxes The Poor Families of the Italian Nation are releived out of the Box of the Italian Consistory and the Germans out of the German-Box Administration of the Holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is Administred to the People four times a year to wit at Easter Whitsuntide in the beginning of September and at Christmass but alwaies on a Sunday and that twice in every Church with great concourse of Communicants The Italians likewise and Germans receive four times a year in their seververal Churches so that the Sacrament is administred twelve times a year in Geneva that is once a Month a thing most convenient for Travellers and the sick The Italian Church is much antiener than that of the Germans Heretofore the Spaniards had a Church but for want of people of that Nation it is now lost The Colledge The Colledge for Letters is constituted of a Rector who is a Minister seaven Professours to wit three of Theology one of Hebrew another of Greek and two of Philosophy There is moreover a Principal who is a Minister also set over the Regents of the Schools where the youths study humanity a libruy keeper who has
collected into a body and published have been reduced into a better forme and contain two parts the one concerning the Elections of Magistrates and their duty and the other relating to the decision of Civil causes Publick Revenue The publick Revenue of the State amounts to about one hundred thousand Crowns but the Subjects are not at all burthened paying only for maintaining of the Guards and some small duty for Grinding of their Corn Importation of Wine and at present a little voluntary Contribution for the fortifications so that a man for himself and Family of six persons may pay in all ten Crowns a year such as have real estates pay the accustomed tithes and Merchants the usual duties The publick and ordinary expence is considerable Expences forty thousand Crowns a year not being sufficient to pay the Sallaries of the Counsellers Ministers Professors Regents Soldiers and defray the charges of the publick Fabricks Arsenal Warlike provisions and the like besides many other casual and extraordinary charges that happen daily The Territory of Geneva is as healthfull Territory and as fruitful as it is little and narrow And therefore most part of the Geneveans settle their estates in Savoy and France and pay the same publick duties as the native subjects of those two Princes do none of the Neighbouring Princes come near the Territory of Geneva for plenty the Geneveans useing all dilligence to supply what it wants in extent by pains and cultivation so that it produces Corn Wine Turnips Barly Hay and all sorts of Graine the Fruits it commonly yields are Nuts Apples Pears Cherries Almonds Chesnuts Apricoks but very few Figs. The Air. The air is good and healthful being purified by the North-wind that frequently blows there the winter is not so sharp as in Germany and other Northen Countries nor the Summer so hot as in Italy and some places of Dauphiny the weather indeed is sometimes excessively hot in the Summer and as cold in the Winter but that continues but for a few dayes In times past the Inhabitants of Geneva have been reckoned dul The nature and temper of the people not to say of a silly and blockish Spirit but at present by their commerce with Forrainers they are pollished and refined and not only skilful in their workes but are become speculative and subtile managing their affiairs so cunningly that it is not easie to over-reach them Their jealousie over strangers They are very observant and jealous of strangers especially the inferior people nevertheless they are respected and made wellcome especially such as come to traffick or Sojourne and live in pension among them in a word they who have mony and afford them occasion of profit are there as in other places well esteemed of Geneveans good Politicians They are very expert in affairs of State and know well what measures to take with their Neighbours as they have on many occasions made appear and certainly if they were not so they had very often been embroyled with the Duke of Savoy which they have hitherto prudently avoided Rigour against delinquents They were accustomed for a long time to receive and protect all that came and embraced the Reformed Religion but at present the City being well peopled they are not so ready to admit of such Those who have committed any crime in any other place had not best flie to Geneva for that City is a cage for such as retreat thither to avoid punishment and many who have expected safety have been so far disappointed that though they had committed crimes in remote places yet at the suite of the plantiffs they have been made prisoners where they promised themselves all kind of liberty and afterwards brought to Trial and hanged Geneva hath no Soveraign upon earth Soverainry and depends upon none but God Almighty the Senate having the same authority in their state that the greatest Monarch in the world has in his own dominions and are as careful to preserve it Strangers who pass through or Sojourne at pensions in Geneva are kindly received by the Inhabitants and to gratifie them the Senate does affectionately protect them causing them to be treated with all imaginable civility insomuch that offences that in other places would be severely punished are passed over and connived at in Geneva for the honour and respects sake which is shewed there to Gentlemen Travelers It is a common but false report in Italy that Monks Friers Religions Priests of the Church of Rome are badly used when they pass through Geneva for they themselves find the contrary in their Travels and if any man should offer insolence to a Priest or Frier in that City he would certainly be punished nor do the people refuse Charity and lodging to the poor Religious when they demand it The rate of pensions for diet Pensions is commonly twelve Crowns a month for the Master and six for the Servant but there are inferiour pensions also to wit from seaven to eight Crowns a man and the entertainment according to the price nevertheless for Gentlemen who expect to be well treated the lowest is ten and the highest twelve Crowns a month all the City over Fishing in the Lake of this City is very considerable both for profit and pleasure Fishing they commonly take trouts of four score pound weight at twelve ounces the pound and in the midle of the River opposite to the Town preserve their fish alive for use in two little deal board houses made for that purpose In the Summer time it is a very pleasant recreation to go a Fishing here and both strangers and Citizens mightily delight in it All sorts of exercises are taught in this City Exercises as well as in any other place there is a good Master for riding the great Horse and for the first month four Pistols and three for every month after he has a Stable very well furnished with Horses For Fencing Danceing Mathematicks Geography and the Languages there is choice of Masters also so that Travellers may Sojourne in this City with as much ease to the purse and advantage for Education as in most parts of Europe Inns. There are many Inns and publick Houses here in all of which as a Traveller is of quality and intends to order his expences he will find entertainment answerable to the rate he payes The Arms of Geneva The Armes of Geneva are a half Eagle and Key the Eagle signifying that the City is Imperial and the Key that it hath been an Episcopal See but the Antient Arms of that City was a Sun which they still use on a Seal and has been retained since the time that Geneva as has been already observed worshipped Apollo The Posts The French Post comes hither twice a weak to wit on Monday at ten of the Clock in the morning and parts on Tuesday at noon and on Friday in the Morning which parts again in the Evening
means of the defence and preservation of the City On what Geneva builds its considence yet the Geneveans trust not altogether to their own strength they are sensible enough of their weakness and inability to withstand the designes of their powerful enemies who are very industrious in contriving their ruine Their chief trust therefore is in God under whose protection they are to sacrifice their lives and fortunes in maintaining of their dearly beloved darling Liberty as by experience they have already made appear They can muster of their own some thousands of well trained Soldiers but in case of War or Siege the four Protestant Cantons of Switzerland are obliged by mutual Articles to send them a supply of four thousand men and it being the common maxim of States-men and skilful Souldiers that the preservation of Geneva depends on the Friendship of Switzerland and the Liberty of Switzerland on the safety of Geneva the Catholick Cantons themselves for reasons of State and that they may not by losing that barrier expose their Liberty to the descretion of a Conquerour will in case of need contribute both men and mony for the assistance of that place In the year 1602. Experience confirmed this for in the space of few hours great supplies of men hastened in time of danger to Geneva And the Scalado hapned about midnight in the bitterest time of Winter yet next Evening about two thousand men under several Commanders came from the Neighbouring parts of Switzerland to the relief of the City and about four thousand more were upon the march thither but the danger being over they were with thanks dismissed The History of this enterprize deserves some mention On Saturday night the twelfth of December An account of the Scalado 1602. About midnight the Forces of Charles Emannel Duke of Savoy attacqued Geneva by Scalado in this manner The Signior D' Albigni the Dakes Licutenant the Duke in person being come post to Champey a Village near to Geneva with twelve hundred men advanced towards the wall of the City without any noise of Drum or Trumpet and an hour before midnight began the Scalado making use of three Ladders most artificially made as may be seen at present in the Arsenal one Father Alexander a Jesuite standing at the foot of the midle-most and encouraging all the Soldiers with assurance of indulgence and pardon in name of the Pope though the enterprize was attempted without the Popes knowledge Two hundred and fifty were already got into the City before any perceived it But God Almighty infatuated their Council seeing they might as easily have brought in above a thousand and cut all the Citizens to peices but by their own oversight or unskilfulness they were discovered three hours before day by a Sentinel from the Tower of the Mint House the City taking thereupon the Allarm the bravest and most active Citizens two hours before day put themselves in Armes and after some hot skirmishes and brisk fighting about break of day obtained the Victory and beate out the enemy who had the ill luck that their Petarde notwithstanding all their diligence did no execution seventeen of the Valientest Citizens were killed and ten wounded in the action the enemies had fifty four killed and thirteen taken Prisoners some of which were wounded by leaping over the walls the City Canon having broken their Ladders early next Morning the Council sate to consult what must be done with the thirteen Prisoners and because the people cried for Justice they were all condemned to be hanged though they were not persons of the least quality in Savoy amongst whom were the Barons of Sonaz Attignac and Chaffardon The Baron of Attignac having a broken Legg was carried to the Gallows in a chair all of them pretended to be used as Prisoners of War but the City told them they were traitors peace breakers and assassins and used them accordingly haveing on Sunday the thirteenth of December about noon caused them all to be hanged The bodies of those that were hanged as well as of those that were killed in the action were publickly exposed until Tuesday the fifteenth of the same month and then their Heads to the number of sixty seven cut off and placed upon Poles and their bodies cast into the Rone according to the Sentence pronounced by the Council of sixty who because they themselves had confessed that their orders were to kill men women and Children without distinction and to cast their bodies into the same River thought it just to do unto them what they intended to have done to others After this the Peace being broken the Geneveans made several incursions into Savoy but in the Month of July following by the Mediation of the seaven neutral Cantons of Switzerland and the Authority of the most Christian King which next to Providence had the chief influence on the negotiation peace was concluded betwixt the Duke of Savoy and the States of Geneva notwithstanding which peace the Duke afterwards left no means unassayed to surprize the City but all his industry and attempts have been successless Combourcier beheaded Wednesday April the 19th 1609. Signior della Cambourcier Lord of Terrail was beheaded in the place of Molard opposite to the Harbour because he had promised the Duke of Savoy as he himself confessed to assault Geneva on the side of the Harbour for which purpose he came to the City to view and mark out the place Peter De la Batide Peter della Batide an ingeneer and complice with Combourcier was on the 21st of April hanged in the same place As to wealth Riches Geneva is none of the Richest though it be Richer at present than it was before the Reformation It is true some private persons use their utmost endeavours to raise themselves by trading in Germany Italy Holland Switzerland and other Neighbouring places but the number of Merchants is inconsiderable in respect of the artificers and tradesmen The Trade of Bookselling is in great esteem here Booksellers and there are some Booksellers who have great stores and variety of books especially of such as are prohibited of all sorts and in all Languages by reason of the convenience of the Situation of the place Geneva being as it were the centre to Germany France and Italy There are about seven or eight in Geneva who trade for above a hundred thousand Crowns a year some of which are worth so much but trade not so openly as others do and above a hundred Families who live handsomly and commondiously by commerce but most part of the Towns people are employed in handicraft Trades Geneva hath its Laws and institutions by the Geneveans called Edicts Laws taken for most part from the Civil law and the particular customes of the Country that have been in practice for two or three hundred years but in such cases as are not determined by edicts they have alwaies recourse to the Civil Law these edicts since they were first