party-coloured Ensignes These and such like furnitures doe cause them to bee discerned of their fellowes make them seeme terrible to their Enemies and doe encourage their minds to fiercenesse and prowesse Their Horse are but small yet very nimble and farre more couragious than the Dutch It is thought that upon necessity Poland is able to raise an hundred thousand horse and Lituania seventy thousand but far inferiour in goodnesse to the Polish They have so great trust in the great number of their horse that nothing fearing the power of any Enemies they regard not the building of Fortresses but resolve that they are able to defend their Country their Wives and Children their liberty and goods in the open field against any Prince whatsoever boasting that in either chance of warre they never turned their backes Sigismund Augustus laboured that in the Diets of the Kingdome order might be taken for the fortifying of Cracovia because of neighbour-hood of the Emperour but he could never effect it partly because it should not give their Kings opportunity of absolute authority and tyrannicall Emperie partly because they thinke themselves by noble courage sufficiently able to defend the Kingdome They have no infanterie for all the people of the Kingdome are divided either into Merchants and Artificers which inhabit the Cities or labourers which live in the country in such subjection as we spake of before and this is the reason that the Gentlemen onely goe to the war and will not in any case serve on foot but alwaies when occasion serveth they doe give wages unto the German and Hungarish footmen and of these King Stephen in his journey into Livonia entertained under his colours little lesse than 16000. to convey his great Ordnance 1609. Sigismund being called into Moscovie by the treason of Sulskey who had slaine Demetrius his Lord and Master in Mosco departed from Cracovia with 30000. horse and 10000. foot exceedingly well furnished and resolute Wherein in truth consisteth the sole commendation of the Polish Gentlemen As for manners for the most part they are discourteous and uncivill a very murderous and wicked people especially in their drunkennesse and that towards strangers For Pioners they use the Tartars and their owne unplandish people The Kingdome is sufficiently furnished stored with great Ordnance and all furniture belonging thereto of which it can suffer no manner of scarcitie first because the Gentlemen and Noblemen keepe many in their castles next for the neighbour-hood of Germany which is exceeding rich in Metall to that use and plentifull of Antificers to forge anything belonging thereunto And though it is not usuall to see many castles in Polonia yet the Fortresses of Leopolis and Camentzie in Russia the Castle of Cracovia in the lesse Poland Polocensis on the Frontiers of Moscovia Mariembourge and some other Townes in Livonia are peeces in truth of great strength These forces of Polonia which wee have spoken of are such in quantity and quality that few Nations in Europe can equall them none surpasse them one thing they want and that is Celeritie For to the sure strengthening of every Kingdome foure things are required that is to say That their forces be of their owne subjects That it be Populous Valiant and Quicke their owne because it is dangerous trusting to a stranger Populous because of re-enforcements after checkes or overthrowes Valiant because number without courage little availeth yea it bringeth forth confusion And Quicke that they may lightly move and speedily be drawne whither necessitie enforceth The last of these foure are Polacks especially want that is Celerity occasioned two waies First for defect of absolute authority in the Prince which is much checked by prolonging and adjourning of Parliaments procured many times by the frowardnesse of the Nobilitie And secondly for want of ready money and quicke levies thereof For the King hath no power to determine any thing to denounce warre to impose taxes or to gather treasure without the consent of these Parliaments and these Parliaments where it is necessary that many be present are like an Engine made of many peeces which without losse of time can neither easily be joyned nor readily moved For in warlike affaires those Princes make best speed which are best able to command and have most money in readinesse otherwise in appointing and ordering the Diets and devising that the Actions may answer the Counsels than in executing and in providing of money there hapneth such losse of time that little is left for the beginning of the journey much lesse to accomplish Besides the Barons and Nobles are at such charges and tarry so long when they are there that at their departure they have little left to maintaine after-charges It may be that for the defence of the State quicker and readier resolution would bee taken because of the imminent danger fatall in generall But for the conquest of any forren place I beleeve they will alwaies proceed with like flownesse and irresolution for the hope of good doth not so much move vs as the feare of evill Yet hath our age seene in the reigne of Sigismund Augustus the Moscovite to have conquered the Provinces of Moloch and Smolock and that without resistance or revenge a cowardize ill beseeming so great a King and so mighty a State as likewise hee invaded Livonia without impeachment which had shadowed it selfe under the protection of the said Sigismund In the daies of Henry of Anjow Iohn Prince of Moldavia even he that with an undaunted spirit and famous victory held warre against the Turke was shamefully forsaken of them contrary to the covenants of confederacy betweene him and this Sigismund concluded So that we must needs confesse that such as is the courage valour and reputation of the Prince such is the resolution alacrity and forces of the Polackes of themselves populous valiant and couragious Stephen Bathori had good testimony hereof in whose time Polonia not onely maintained the honour of a King sufficient to defend it selfe from forren Armes but also to make conquests of great matters from most potent Enemies And seeing we have spoken of Celerity a vertue most necessary for every State it shall not bee amisse to speake of the causes thereof which as is aforesaid are two viz. The reputation of the Prince which giveth it life and store of Coine which preserves it in action for wee have seene in mightiest Armies the body by the slownesse of the head to have spent the time most idly and very famous victories for want of money to give continuall motion to action to have brought forth small or no effects Besides the disposition of a Souldier is a great helpe hereunto for no man can truly praise the German and Bohemian Foot-men for Celerity but this commendation without doubt is proper to the Italian Spaniard and Frenchmen not onely for that they are of better constitution of body but for that which in warre is all in all they are better contented
much more and besides an infinite provision which they reserve and is paid them over and except their Rents by their Farmers and Tenants as of Wheat foure millions five hundred thousand quarters of Rye two millions three hundred thousand quarters of Oats nine hundred thousand of Barley eight hundred thousand of Pease and Beanes eight hundred sixtie thousand Capons one hundred sixty thousand Hens five hundred sixtie thousand Partridge 50000. Beeves 12000. Muttons one million two hundred thousand Wine one million two hundred thousand Cuues Egges seven millions Butter 230000. Quintaux Cheese five hundred thousand Hogs one hundred thirty six thousand Pigges three hundred forty thousand Tallow sixty thousand Quintaux Hey six hundred thousand loads Straw eight hundred thousand Wood two millions with an infinite proportion of other necessaries imaginary only and incredible And yet he there a voweth all things with as great confidence as if himselfe had had the true abstract from all the Bookes of Accounts in each Monastery and Benefice in this Land For how is it possible the Church should have 200. millions of crownes yearely Rent when as by the computation here are but just so many Arpens of Land in all France which to rate one with another at a crowne an Arpen comes to this account which he allowes the Clergie and then is there nothing left for the other two States of the Nobilitie and people But inasmuch as the better halfe of their Revenue is by the Baise-mani there remaineth the better halfe of the Land to the other two States which notwithstanding is a proportion small enough Neere unto this reckoning commeth that which we reade in Bodin of Alemant a president of accounts in Paris whose judgement must carry good authority in this case as a thing belonging to his profession and wherein he was best experienced The Church Revenues in Land are reckoned orderly at twelve millions and three hundred thousand Livres but I dare justifie saith he that of twelve parts of the Revenues of France the Church possesse seven This opinion Bodin seemes to allow But it is rather thought to be true that the Comment de l' estat saith who of the two hundred millions of Arpens allowes the Church forty seven millions which by particulars of their Vineyards Medowes arable-Pastures and Heaths with their Woods is there set downe which here to follow in particular were too tedious Besides this Temporall they have their Baise-mani as is said that consisteth in Churchings Christnings Marriages Burials Holy-bread Indulgences Vowes Pilgrimages Feasts Processions Prayers for cattle for seasonable weather for Children against all manner of diseases and infinite such purposes for which the superstitious people will have a Masse said which they pay the Priest for particularly over and besides all this there is scarce that Arpen in all France upon which there is not some Dirige or de profundis some libera me Domine or some reckoning or other liable Concerning them of the Reformed Religion whom here in contempt they call Hugnonets yee may note that the number is not small considering that after the conference of Poissie above forty yeares since here were found 2150. Churches of them whereof not one hath escaped without some murthers or massacres and we may imagine that since that time this number is much increased But as for Religion it hath onely beene the cloake and shadow of their ambitious pretences without the which they could never have insinuated themselves so farre into the hearts of the people who are alwayes the gros de la bataille the maine Battell and without whom the Nobilitie may well quarrell but they cannot fight And therefore yee shall reade in some of the same Religion reformed That there were Huguonets as well of Estateâ— as of Religion These have now free permission to professe and places allotted for exercise with all libertie of conscience possible save that in the chiefe Cities of France they have no Churches allowed neither can be buried in Christian buriall as they call it if any of them die among the Catholikes with whom not withstanding they now live peaceably thorowout the Countrey But me thinkes they have here small reason to let them live together in a house and not suffer them to lie together in a Church-yard And as for warring any longâ—r for Religion the French-mâ—â— utterly disclaimes it he is at last growne wise marry he hath bought it somewhat deare The Italian is wise bâ—forehand the Almaine in the doing and the Frenchâ— after the thing is done saith one of their own writers let us pâ—sâ—aetor sapâ—â—â— Concerning the Nobilitie of France saith La Nove They are exceeding valorous and courteous and there is no State in Christendome where they are in so great number It hath beene argued before in this Relation that there be at least 50000. able to beare Armes but that is thought with the most Monsieur du Fay thinks them about thirty thousand in which number ye must conclude all degrees of Gentlemen from the highest to the lowest that beare Armes for so the French call their Noblesse whereas we in England make two distinct orders of the Nobility Gentry as they call it Those are Noble which can prove a long tract of time wherein a Fee and Knights service thereto belonging hath resided in their family And another Writer saith In France men are esteemed Noble by bloud and profession of Armeâ— And sure if there be difference in Nobility as there must needs bee because the causes be different for some are ennobled by their valour and Martiall knowledge and others by their Offices and prudence in the manage of matters of Estate I see no reason but that these last should be holden the more Noble Nobility if I may so say alwayes giving the first place to them that are of Noble Houses by Race For of all these three sorts the French Writers speake when they say There is a difference of Nobles The first by Race The second by Ennobling and of Ennobling there are two sorts One by Patent duly proved in the Court of Parliament The other by meanes of Offices to which they are advanced And howsoever Turquet hereof inferreth that it is la vertu que fait la Noblesse carâ—ily a de nobles vilains et de vilains nobles Vertue that maketh Nobility for there are Noble Peasants and peasantly Nobles yet sure it is that the degenerating of one from the Vertue of his Ancestors cannot prejudice the Nobility nor Eclipse the glory of his Succeeder who as Histories shew many times excell all the former of their house The highest degree of honour in France is the Pairrie in which order have beene sometimes seven sometimes eleven never above seventeene and most commonly twelve Whereupon they are called the Twelve Peeres of France These have the precedence before all the rest of the Nobility and of these they of the Bloud although they were latest called into the Pairrie Of these Peeres
to treason His Land-forces consist in Cavalrie and Infanterie the best footmen of all the German Nations is the Wallon and it is well knowne that in all ages the Spanish have beene accounted one of the most valourous Nations of the world The French in nine yeares were subdued to the Roman yoke the Spaniards held out two hundred The power and person of Augustus Caesar were requisite to the subduing of the Cantabrians whereas they not onely delivered their owne Country from subjection of the Moores but invaded Africke and therein tooke many strong places So the Portugals invaded Barbarie tamed the coast of Guinea Aethiopia and Cafraria they conquered India Malaca and the Moluccas The Castilians sailing through the Atlanticke sea subdued the New-world with all the Kingdomes Provinces and people therein and finally drove the French from Naples Sicil and Millaine This people is much inclined to melancholy which maketh them solemne in their conversation slow and advised in action they love complement and stand much upon appearance presuming greatly of themselves and exceedingly boasting of their owne doings and to maintaine their reputation they will imploy all they have in furniture and apparelâ— in suffering of hunger thirst heat cold labour and extremities they will lay up any Nation in Europe By these vertues they have atchieved the glory of so many victories and although somtime they have beene overcome notwithstanding they vanquished their vanquishers as it fell out at Ravenna They never suffered any famous defeature but in the journeys of Algier and England the one by the casualty of Tempest the other by the skilfull prowesse and Sea-faring dexterity of the English Three or foure thousand of them turned topsie-turvie the better part of Germanie and made way with their Swords thorow the thickest of their enemies In the journey of Carven in Barbarie being foure thousand foot souldiers of great valour they made a brave retreit the space of foure or five miles beset and charged with twenty thousand horse by the King of the Moores at least five or six times with the losse onely of eighty men and the slaughter of eight hundred of the enemie They serve better on foot than on horsebacke although they have horses of excellent courage and better with the Harquebuze than with any other kind of weapon With great care they will cover their losses and weaknesse As concerning their Cavalrie it cannot be gain-said but that the Spanish Genet is the noblest horse of Christendome farre excelling the Courser of Naples or the horse of Burgundie so much esteemed of the French of the Freeslander and in so great request with the Germans It should seeme that nature herselfe hath armed this people in giving them the Iron Mines of Biskay Guipuscoa and Medina with the temperature of Baion Bilbo Toledo and Calataiut the Armories of Millan Naples and Boscoducis the corne and provision of the inexhaustible Garners of Apulia Sicil Sardinia Artesia Castile and Andaluzia with the plentifull vintages of Soma Calabria San Martin Aymont and sundry other places To conclude this Prince is so mighty in gold and silver that there with to spare his owne people ingaged in the defence of so many Territories Provinces and Frontiers from undoubted destruction he is able to wage what numbers of horsemen and footmen of the German and Italian Nations it pleaseth him The Princes whose dominions are bordering and in regard of their forces are any way able to endanger his dominions are the Venetians the Kings of France and England and the Turke The Venetians long since the Duchie of Millan came to the possession of this Crowne have set them downe with great quietnesse rather looking to the strengthning and keeping of their owne Townes and peeces than-to the winning of others from their neighbours And good reason it is sithence peace is the surest anchor-hold of their Common-wealth Concerning France sithence the French Nation hath put an end to their civill discontents what Trophee or Triumph can the Spaniard boast to have carried from them Indeed it cannot be denied but in elder dayes the warinesse of the one hath turned the furious attempts of the other to matter of too late repentance For the great Captaine surprizing Barletta and then encamping upon the banks of Gariglano first tooke from them the possession of the Kingdome of Naples and afterwards all hope of regaining it againe By the same temporizing Anthony Leva wearied King Francis at Ticinum and Prosper Collonna cleared the Duchie of Millan In assaulting of Townes and Fortresses I confesse fury to be of great moment I confesse likewise that by this vertue the French prevailed at Ioious Momedium and Caleis but in set battels as at Graveling Saint Quintins and Siena most commonly they have had the foile for in the field good order skilfull conduct doth more prevaile than valour and furious resolution In all assaults fury and resolution more than counsell or temporizing In the East Indies he confineth with the King of Persia betwixt whom there is not any evill intelligence but contrariwise rather great tokens of much love and amitie as by whose helpe that King hopeth to finde meanes to overthrow the Turke Howbeit hee hath very oftentimes denied him assistance and aid in those warres which hee made against the house and family of Ottoman being very much urged and sought unto by the Persian to send unto him some of his people men expert and skilfull in casting of great Ordnance as also in building of Forts and other the like matters of defence and assistance Excusing himselfe with the perill of his Religion which doth not permit Christian Princes to lend aid unto Infidels though indeed the true cause was because he would not thereby give an occasion of future trouble molestation to himselfe by communicating these two advantages so important in war in his navigation to the Indies which are adjoyning to the Persian Sea But the Persians taking Ormuz from the Portugal shews that they do not at this day much regard the Spaniard With the King of Fesse and Morocco his Catholike Majestie is in league upon interest of those States which hee possesseth in Africa His Catholike Majestie would very willingly that the great Duke of Tuscanie should wholly depend upon him but he is so farre from that that he doth not onely depend but in many occasions hath still shewed himselfe opposite unto this Crowne and hath lately discovered himselfe to be a welwiller to the Crowne of France by joyning alliance with the most Christian King and therefore it is not likely that any good intelligence can bee betwixt them In like manner the Ambassadour of Tuscanie is but of indifferent regard in that Court but since the Emperour and the Duke are allied by marriage there is greater respect The Duke of Parma is not onely a devout servant and a neere kinsman but also a subject to this Crowne by the
the Duchesse Beatrice his wife those of the Towne presented him the Keyes thereof therby acknowledging him their chiefe Lord and Master During the civill warres in France the Towne was marvellously peopled insomuch as there were to the number of twelve or fourteene thousand strangers the greatest part whereof were Gentlemen but since those troubles began to diminish the number likewise hath decayed and at this instant there are not many besides the Inhabitants by reason whereof the Towne is very much impoverished The Towne is governed by a Councell of two hundred called the great Councell out of which is chosen another Councell composed of five and twentie and of these foure especiall men called Sindiques who have the managing of the whole Common-wealth unlesse it be in some great matters wherein the whole State is deeply interessed as in making of peace or warre in leagues offensive and defensive appeales c. The people are governed by the Civil Law the Iudge whereof is called a Lieutenant Criminall before whom all causes are tried and from whom there is no appeale unlesse it be to the generall Councell of two hundred When the Towne was besieged in eightie nine the Venetians did not only send them intelligence of sundry practices against them but also sent them twenty foure thousand crownes to maintaine their warres and out of England they had thirteene thousand crownes The Great Duke of Thuscan did likewise send them many intelligences at the same time and heretofore when as the Pope the King of Spaine the French King and the Duke of Savoy have joyned their powers together with purpose to besiege them the Emperour hath not only revealed all their practices but offered to aid them with men and money yea and sometime the Dukes of Savoy have lent them money to maintaine them against the others For hee had rather the Towne should remaine as it doth than fall into any other mans hands than his owne Queene Elizabeth highly favoured it and releeved it so did all the Protestant German Princes together with the French King Who though â—ee be of a contrary Religion yet hath he had it alwayes in especiall protection The people are very civill in their behaviour speech and apparell all licentiousnesse being severely corrected and especially dancing Adultery is punished with death and the Women drowned in the Rosne simple Fornication with nine dayes fasting bread and water in prison for the second offence whipping out of the Towne and the third time with banishment The Towne lent unto Henry the third King of France a little before his death 450000. crownes and twelve Canons which are not yet restored the Bernesi seeme to be their friends but those of Geneva are very jealous of them and dare not trust them The Ministers have a consistorie unto which they may call publike offendors and such as give scandall unto others and there reprove them and if the crime be great and the partie obstinate they forbid him the Communion if notwithstanding hee persist they may excommunicate him But the Ministers cannot call any before them into the Consistory but by the authoritie of a Sindique who must assist them otherwise the Ministers have power to summon any Man They have their maintenance out of the common Treasury and meddle with no Tithes Master Beza in eighty seven had some 1500. Florens for his stipend which amounteth to some seven or eight and fiftie pounds sterling besides twenty coupes of corne and his house All which will hardly amount to fourescore pounds the rest of the Ministers had some six or seven hundred Florens twenty coupes of corne and their houses The Ministers in the countrie have three hundred forty and five Florens and twenty coupes of corne The Professor in Divinity hath per annum 1125. Florens and twenty coupes of Corne The Professor in Law 580. Florens The Professor in Greeke 510. Florens The Professor of Philosophy 600. Florens and twenty coupes The Professor in Hebrew 510. Florens All honest exercises as shooting in Peeces Crosse-Bowes Long-Bowes c. are used on the Sabbath day and that in the morning both before and after the Sermon neither doe the Ministers finde any fault therewith so that they hinder not from hearing the word at the time appointed Swizerland IN the daies of Caesar this Province contained two hundred and forty miles in length and one hundred and fourescore in breadth which circuit or territorie seeming too narrow a roome to containe so valiant and a warlike people that not long before had overthrowne L. Cassius a Roman Consull slaine the Consull himselfe and sold the souldiers for bondslaves upon these apprehensions and the conceit of their owne valours they began to entertaine a resolution by conquest to gaine a larger territory correspondent to the ambitious greatnesse of their minds and to forsake their owne country which first gave them breath and being In heat whereof they prepare for their departure they provide victuals study tillage two yeeres buy carts and cariage beasts and left any mans courage should decline with the time they make a law that every one should be in readinesse to set forward in the beginning of the third yeere Being upon their way and hearing that Caesar then Proconsull of France had caused the bridge of Geneva to be hewne downe and to debarre them of passage had raised that famous fortification betweene the Lake and Mount Iura they sent some of their greatest Commanders to Caesar to intreat a quiet passage thorow the Roman Province At their appointed day of Audience hearing Caesars deniall they resolve to open the way with the power of their forces In triall of which project after they had received divers defeatures they againe sent their Ambassadors to Caesar to intreat an acceptation of submission throwing themselves at his feet and with many supplications craving such favoâ—rable conditions of peace as might best comfort so distressed a people and beseeme the glory of so mighty a conquests which requests Caesar upon delivery of pledges mercifully granted injoyned them to returne to the Country from whence they came and to build the cities and villages which before their comming forth they had destroyed Ever since which time they retained the reputation of their ancient glory but never enterprized to forsake their limited habitations The number of Men Women and Children that were in that journey was 3680000. whereof 920000. were fighting men of them that returned and saw the fortune of both their States was 110000. Some hold opinion that this Nation is utterly extinguished and that the present Inhabitants whereof we now intreat both for their resemblance in manners and phrase of speech are descended from the Germans It is almost all situated amongst the Alpes and therefore supposed to be the highest Region in Europe and the rather for that the most famous Rivers of this part of the World viz. Rhone Rodan and Po falling from these high places doe disperse their chanels
especially if they were not naturally Spaniards first with an empty title and lastly being not otherwise able to pay or recompence them with a Spanish sico. A great and a maine advancer of a cause and enlarger of Empire is Religion or the pretence of it Religion is well called the soule of the State and is ever the prime thing to be looked into most bitter dissentions and hinderances of all great actions still proceeding from discontentments in Religion Anima est actus corporis sayes the Philosopher T is the soule that gives action and motion to the body and if the affections and passions of the soule bee composed to a well ordered and contented tranquillity and serenity there followes health strength and growth in all the limbs and members of the body The conscience is an active sparke and can easily man up all the powers of soule and body either for the maintenance or enlargement of it's libertie Bonum est sui communicativum Religion contrary to counsell desires ever to be made publike the spirituall man as well as the naturall ever having a desire generare sibi simile to beget others in his owne likenesse to compasse Sea and Land to make a Proselyte As therefore Princes have still accounted it a dangerous thing to arme Religion against themselves so have they most willingly accepted of the countenance of Religion No such encouragement could come to the Israelites or disheartning to the Philistines as when the Arke of God was in the host of Israel who is able to stand against these mighty gods say they Most surely is the kingdome of the Pope founded whose ground is layed in the conscience The Turke pretending to propagate his Religion with fire and sword we see how that hath advanced his conquests and what advantage hath the Spaniard more made use of in these late warres than a specious pretence of rooting out the Protestants and the re-establishing of the Catholike Religion by which secret he hath not onely staved off the popish Princes and Erectors of Germany not onely from defending the common libertie of their country but to enter that which they call the holy league with him whereby for zeale of enlarging their Religion they in the meane time weaken themselves that he at last picking a slight quarrell with them may swallow them up one after another having long before designed them Papists as well as Protestants to a common destruction for though the Spaniard pretends Religion yet he intends Monarchie This plot beginning to be discovered we see most of the Princes of Christendome drawing to a leaguer war that is to a cōfederacy of all Protestant Princes against all Popish who sees not that if the Romish religion prevailes the King of Spaines Monarchie must needs prove as Catholike that is universall as his religion and then will he prove the Catholike King indeed Now that the pretence of Religion may take the better 't is necessary that there be an union in it among all the subjects of the grand pretender or at least that those of the adverse opinion be so few and weake that they be not able to put an Armie into the field tolerations of Religion are most dangerous and surely should the King of England much exhaust his land forces to make a potent invasion upon the Spanish dominions the Iesuites would presently stirre up our Papists to call him backe againe for the stinting of a domestike rebellion for to be feared it is that though all our Recusants be the King of Englands subjects yet too many of them be the King of Spaines servants No sooner on the otherside did the French King this present yeare lead his Army over the Alpes into Italy but the Duke de Rohan thought it a fit opportunity for the Protestants to struggle for their liberty And therefore plainly as of all good causes Religion is the chiefe so in Religion there must be unitie and that makes it irresistable Finally as naturall bodies are best nourished by things of that nature and kinde whereof they consist even so that Empire which is gained or inlarged by Religion must ever be maintained by it T was therefore the old rule amongst the Conquerours to bring in their owne language lawes and religion among their new subjects The Romanes did this every where and the Norman did it in England The Spaniard indeed hath not much stood upon lawes and language but hath ever beene diligent for his Religion and though in the Palatinate he suffered some Protestant Ministers awhile to make the conquest the sweeter yet those being either dead or wearied out he never suffered another Protestant to succeed The diligence and fury of the Emperour for rooting out those of the Augustane confession in Bohemia c. may well confirme the truth of this observation The qualities of weapons and the order of discipline are important instruments of this martiall greatnesse Advantage of weapons is like good casting and strict discipline like skilfull playing both which must needs winne the game The Macedonians by their Pikes and the Romans by their Pyles the Parthians and English by their long bowes have still beene victorious The same thing doth engine and fortification The gunne hath brought all weapons to an equality that onely domineeres now Nothing resists it but the spade T is a weapon of terrible execution serviceable both by Sea and Land yet are not the slaughters made by the gunne any way comparable for numbers to those bloudy battels wonne by the sword The charges of this disables Princes from levying Armies equall for multitudes to the Ancient which now adayes beginne to be incredible Infinite were it to speake of the new invented engines and fire-workes and of the severall provisions to prevent them and whether after-ages shall invent a more terrible weapon than the gun is to us uncertaine which if it proves the Inventor gets incredible advantage Treasure is an advantage of great importance forasmuch as there is nothing more necessary in warres or of more use in peace By meanes hereof the Florentines became Lords of a great part of Tuscany they bought many Cities they freed themselves from the incursions of divers enemies they maintained the warres many yeares against the Pisans and against the prowesse of those peoples and the power of those Princes which did aid them and at the last brought that warre to good end By meanes hereof the Venetians made themselves Lords of a good part of Lumbardy and endured the forces of the King of Hungary the Arch-duke of Austria and of divers other Princes Whereby it appeareth that money worketh two notable effects to the augmentation and continuance of the greatnesse of kingdomes and estates The one to provide and gather forces and those being gotten to uphold and maintaine with supplies of Souldiers victuals munition and armes The other that it doth offer us opportunity if not to weaken and vanquish the enemy having gotten the
my Traveller will keep this Bird safe in his bosome he must neither be inquisitive after other mens Religions nor prompt to discover his owne For I hold him unwise who in a strange Countrey will either shew his minde or his money A true friend is as hard to finde as a Phenix of which the whole world affoords but one and therefore let not this my Traveller be so blinde as to thinke to finde him every where in his owne imagination Damon and Pithias Pilades and Orestes are all dead or else it is but a dead Story And therefore let him remember that Nature alters like humours and complexions every minute of an houre And as I would not have him to change so would I wish him to beware how he heare any thing repugnant thereto for as I have tied his tongue so must I stop his ears left they be open to the smooth incantations of an insinuating Seducer or the subtill arguments of a sophisticall adversarie To this effect I must precisely forbid him the fellowship or company of one sort of people in generall those are the lefuites underminers and inveiglers of greene wits seducers of men in matter of Faith and subverters of men in matter of State making of both a bad Christian and a worse Subject These men I would have my Traveller never heare except in the Pulpit for being eloquent they speake excellent language and being wise therefore best knowing how to speake to best purpose they seldome or never handle matter of controversie As for other orders of Religion Friers of Monkes or whatsoever let him use them for his bettering either in matter of language or other knowledge They are good companions they are not so dangerous they talke more of their cheere than of their Church of their feasts than their Faith of good wine than good workes of Curtisans than Christianitie The reason is because few of them are learned many carelesse in their profession almost all dissolute in their conversation I have excepted against the Persons I will now protest against the Places These are Rome Rhemes and Doway but these two last being out of all ordinary road of Travell I say he that goes that way goes doubly out of his way and shall neither have this discourse for his direction nor me for his companion Let me only say of Rome because it is the Seminary and Nursery of English Fugitives and yet a place most worthy to be seene vel antiquitatis causa vel novitatis that it is suspected of all knowne to many and proved by some to be dangerous that way Thus much of the Persons and Places have I noted hee that shall meet with others of like condition and danger let him see and shun It remameth I speake of bettering the minde by the knowledge and understanding of tongues for as for learning the liberall Sciences he hath much better meanes at home their manner of teaching and orders of Vniversities being farre inferiour to ours For the attaining therefore of Language it is convenient that he make choice of the best places These are Orleans for the French Florence for the Italian and Lipsicke for the Dutch tongues for in these places is the best Language spoken And as we observe a difference of speech in our Countrey of the North from the South and the West from both or as wee have learned of the Greeks that they had five severall kindes of Dialects so differ they infinitely in Germany but that of Misnia is the best where Lipsicke stands More in France where the Picard speakes one the Norman another the Eriâ—â—an his the Gascoigne his the Provenciall and Savoyard theirs the Inlanders theirs but of all these the Orleanois is the best As also in Italy the Roman hath one kinde of phrase and pronunciation the Neapolitan another the Venetian a third the Bergamasco a worse but the best of all is the Tuscan where Florence stands yet I prescribe not these places so precisely as that he may not live in others and learne the Language as well for in Tuscany Stena and Prato are some places where the speech is as good as that of Florence and more retired and of lesse charge therefore fitter for some whose proportion for expence is but small So have ye in Germany Heidleburge as good as Lipsick And in France Blois as good as Orleans Having made choice of the place his next care must be to make choice of a good Reader whereof he shall finde in Travell great scarcity Let good acquaintance or good fortune bring him to the best For were it that there were good Readers it were here needlesse to set downe a course of learning for hee might have a better direction from them But for the cause alleaged I will presume to advise him that the most compendious way of attaining the tongue whether French or Italian is by Booke I meane for the knowledge For as for the speaking he shall never attaine it but by continuall practice and conversation He shall therefore first learne his Nounes and Verbs by heart and specially the Articles and their uses with the 〈◊〉 words Sum and Habeo for in these consist the greatest observation of that part of speech Let not your Reader reade any Booke of Poetry and the first but some other kinde of Stile and I thinke meetest some moderne Comedie Let his Lecture consist more in questions and answers either of the one or the other than in the Readers continued speech for this is for the most part idle and fruitlesse by the other many errours and mistakings either in pronunciation or sense are reformed After three moneths he shall quit his Lectures and use his Master only to walke with and discourse first the one and then the other for thus shall be observe the right use of the phrase in his Reader heare his owne faults reproved and grow readie and prompt in his owne delivery which with the right straine of the accent are the two hardest things in language Privately hee may for his pleasure reade Poetry especially if at his returne hee meane to Court it but for his profit if hee be a man of meanes and likely hereafter to beare charge in his Countrey or if a man of endevours and willing to preferre himselfe by service I wish him to Historie If one that would make a fortune by the warres I commend him beside History to the Mathematicks discourses of warre and bookes of fortification To this Reading he must adde a continuall talking and exercising of his speech with all sorts of people with boldnesse and much assurance in himselfe for I have often observed in others that nothing hath more prejudiced their profiting than their owne diffidence and distrust To this I would have him adde an often writing either of matter of translation or of his owne invention where againe is requisite to the Readers eye to censure and correct for who so cannot write the language
pitifull eyes and much lamented with judiciall hearts And however the ostentous heaps of stone transport the sleight credulity of the ignorant that it surpasseth for Cities buildings and outward magnificence yet when you come to examine particulars you shall finde it like a rotten post gilded on the out-side For what saith Tacitus Cities are compacted of men and obedience of people subject to a good forme of government and not of houses and palaces made of lime and stone unfurnished of dwellers void of hospitality and jealous of each others best inclinations So that besides all naturall imperfection in Italy there is neither roome in the house for servants nor litter forthy Camels neither canst thou fetch the well-sed Veale from thy droves nor dresse fine Venison nor kill the fat Calfe as in other Countries which makes me to remember a pleasant jest of one of the same Country spoken to a stranger demanding the reason why the Muttons and Cattell were so small and leane Because quoth he we Italians eat up the grasse in sallets and by robbing the pastures deceive the Cattell In another place a Curtizan being questioned of the conditions of men in her faculty concerning businesse of Incontinency onely answered Seignior Il Italiano pisciarum molto Neither to slatter them according to the ridiculous soothing of Princes can I exemplifie any of their glorious actions abroad or famous attempts at home more than the ruining one of another and making of forts and fortifications which sometimes have proved as fatall as Perillus his Bull to the Inventor imboldning disobedience to relie on a wrong security and at all times augmenting distrust and foule suspitions amongst their best Cities and governments How is Millan and Naples curbed and the brave liberty of the Gentry strangely fettred by the terror of late built citadell Of which notwithstanding even the Spaniard himselfe is transported to imagine That souldiers may be corrupted and no place to be so impregnable but the endevours of men can frustrate and overcome And were it not to overlooke them with a malevolent aspect I could informe you that notwithstanding their dispersion of their wares and Merchandizes throughout all the Ports of Europe and Turkie yet is is bounded with such wants and oversights and that within the compasse of their Mid-land Seas except in pursuing of some small pyracies as that I never read nor heard that ever they made true use of navigation nor admitted the just conditions of Saylers and Souldiers In so much that on my knowledge even the potentest state there boasting of the bravery of 200. gallies and eight or ten galleasses neither hath sufficient men to man twenty nor can without time and great expences amongst themselves fill up the inventory of that scarcity Shall we then come to Spaine where the Grands of the Kings Court have golden keyes to his chamber and are privileged by patent to stand covered before his Majestie where the Exchequer is full of gold from India and the Treasurers bring in accounts of 100000. Souldiers in garrison with other imployments yearly paid orderly supplied where the Nobleman insulteth for his Gotish-bloud and will prove a true Castilian more ancient in Gentry than the race of Othoman and every man weareth his sword point-blancke looking as high though not so bigge as a German who hath eat and drunke more at a meale than a Don doth in a weeke where so many kingdomes are united making a more perspicuous shew over the universe than the seven starres doe in the Firmament over the single planets in their separated spheres where they can without boasting I will not say vaine-glory tell you divers Histories of their voyages at Sea discoveries and plantations of Countries conquests of both the Indies and Armies in the field shall wee I say here cast Anchor and looke out a match for our example Me thinkes I am answered by every man that weares a great ruffe and a full paire of hose If Spaine doe not equall it who can doe it I will not tell you that as yet but presuming to shut Spaine out of doores for entring into the privy chamber of our example let me assure you upon subsequent proofe that would Apollo pardon the comparison I can compare his Indian wealth to nothing so like as to Midas wish who notwithstanding his golden fortunes wanted as all men know the use of natures benefits and could neither eat nor drinke without choaking But to particulars What hath Spaine worthy commendation much lesse what prerogative of happinesse Canaan flowed with milke and honey blessings of food and increase that the King had not only his provision without repining but Israel as the sand of the Sea ate dranke and made merry which Spaine cannot doe The burnt hils and desart places will pregnantly prove the assertion The Country man hideth his garlike and onions as ashamed of his diet The Citizen powders fish and buyeth cheese of the Dutchman The Gentry is limited what he shall eat and how much meat he shall carry home The Court hath much adoe to be supplied and many concussions are put in practice from the Kings prerogative to furnish the offices with reasonable allowance and in truth the provision is farre short from the expences of other places For in generall they are sometimes afraid to want bread inploying certaine Agents for transportation both of corne and victuall even from remote Countries tempting us with gold and payment of ready money For which purpose onely is there a Proviso in their Acts of Parliament concerning the exportation of coyne Of which at a word though they have great cause to boast yet by the way let me demand how came the discontents in Flanders Brabant c. who incited the garrisons of Antwerp Brussels and other Townes to mutinie who distasted sundry times whole Armies upon their marches and imployments who counselled the Treasurer to be so slacke in payment of Liberances and Souldiers pensions who doth every yeare thrust the garrisons into penury and scarcity in so much that not only in the Low-countries but even in the governments of Millan Naples and Sicil the Souldier wanteth and many times is compelled to remit the one halfe to purse up the other Is it not for lacke of Treasure the pride whereof hath made his heart fondly to swell or by disorderly distributions Or more truly to procure humane necessities the magazin whereof continually lyeth in the English and Dutchmans hands Let not man therefore be afraid of this monster Opinion nor seduâ—ed with the vanitie of reports For put them to skirmish â—f understanding and the wealth of Spaine will prove but false fire according to the late and neere experimented Proverbe The King of Spaines pay is the greater but the Dutch the better As for their hungry boasting of fruits and herbs it is in a manner an offence to Nature For God made the beasts of the earth to have sustenance from the same but man to
losse of their Country in their utmost extremities retired themselves and there partly by the strength of the Mountaines and partly by the fastnesse of the Woods and Bogs where with that Province was for the most part replenished they purchased unto themselves places of safety which unto this day they have made good and retaine Thence-forth the English stiled the Countrey Wales and the Inhabitants Welshmen which denomination in the German language signifieth a Stranger an Alien a Guest or a New-come person that is to say one that speaketh a different language from that of the German for in their understanding Walsh signifieth a Forrainer or Stranger whether it be Italian or Frenchman if he differ in language from the German and Man is as Homo in Latine The Angles therefore being a people of Germany becomming Lords of Brittanie after their Country manner termed those Brittons who escaped the ruine of their Country Wallons or Welshmen for that they spake a language contrary to that of their owne and also the Soile whither they fled to inhabit Wallia which Name the Nation as well as the people retaine unto this day And so the Brittons lost their name together with their Empire The soile of the Country especially of that which adjoyneth unto the Sea or consisteth of Champian is most fertile which both to Man and Beast supplieth great store of provision but contrariwise for the Major part it is barren and lesse fruitfull and peradventure for that good husbandrie is wanting which is the cause that the Husbandmen live hardly eat Oaten-bread and drinke Milke sometime mingled with water In it are many fine Townes with fortified Castles and foure Bishopricks if Hereford be accounted in England as aforesaid according to the Moderne description The people have also a different language from the English which they who boast to derive their pedegree from the Trojan Line doe affirme to participate partly of the Trojan antiquity and partly of the Grecian Verily however the case standeth their pronuntiation is not so sweet and fluent as is the pronuntiation of the English for that the Welsh in my opinion do speak more neere the throat whereas on the contrary the English truly imitating the Latines doe pronounce their words a little betweene their lips which to the Auditor yeeldeth a pleasing sound Thus much of Wales the third portion of Brittany THe fourth and last part followeth and that is Cornewall This Province taketh its beginning upon that part of the Iland which looketh towards Spaine and the setting of the Sunne To the Eastward it stretcheth ninetie miles even a little beyond Saint Germains a fine Village and seated towards the right hand upon the Sea-shore where its greatest breadth is but twenty miles over For this portion of ground upon the right side is incircled with the Ocean upon the left with that inlet of Sea which as before we told you pierceth into the Land as farre as Chepstow where taking the similitude of a horne it runneth along first narrow and afterwards broader a little beyond the Towne of Saint Germaines Eastward it bordereth upon England upon the West the South and the North the maine Ocean incompasseth it The Soile is very barren and yeeldeth profit rather by the toyle of the Husbandman than its owne good nature But for Tinne it is admirable bountifull in the Mines whereof consisteth the better part of the Inhabitants happinesse However the Language is greatly different from the English but with the Welsh it participateth with no small affinitie for either language hath the denomination of many things in common The onely difference is that a Welshman hearing a Cornishman speaking rather understandeth some words than his whole speech A thing worthy admiration that in one and the same Iland there should be so different a confusion of Languages Cornewall pertaineth unto Exeter Diocesse and in times past was thought worthy to be accounted for a fourth part of the Iland partly for the dissimilitude of the language and partly for that it received the first inhabitants as aforesaid But afterwards the Normans who constituted a new forme of a Common-wealth admitted Cornewall amongst the number of the Counties THe first are the Sorlings lie against the Cape of Cornewall They are now termed Silly and are few lesse than 145. covered with grasse and inclosed with huge and massie rocks They are fruitfull enough for Corne but are used altogether to the feeding of Conies Cranes Swannes and Sea-Fowle Some of them yeeld Tinne and the fairest thereof is called Saint Maries being fortified with a Castle and Garrison The residue of lesse fame for brevitie we will willingly omit In the Severne Sea lie Chaldey and Londay Londay is two miles long and as many broad full of good pasture and abounding with Conies and Doves and those Fowles which Alexander Necham termeth Ganimed his birds And though it be wholly incircled with the Sea yet it yeeldeth fresh water from the Mountaines and openeth but one only passage where thorow two men can hardly passe afront the residue is inclosed with high and horrible overshuts of Rocks MOna or Anglesey is a famous Iland separated from Wales by a small fret the ancient dwelling place of the Druides It is two and twenty miles long and threescore broad Although that in ancient times this Iland seemed barren and unpleasant yet in these dayes it hath beene so well husbanded and become so fertile that it is stiled the Mother of Wales It is sufficiently stored with Cattell it yeeldeth the Grind-stone and the Minerall earth whereof Allom and Vitriall are confected It once contained 363. Villages and is at this day reasonable populous The Ilanders are wealthy and valiant and altogether speake the Welsh tongue MAn lieth just betweene the Northerne parts of Ireland and Brittaine In length it containeth little lesse than thirty Italian miles in bredth where it is broadest not above fifteene and in some places hardly eight In Bedas time saith Camden it contained three hundred families but now it can shew not above seventeene parish Churches It yeeldeth plentifull store of Flax and Hempe Tillage and Pasture Wheat and Barley but especially of Oats whereof for the most part the inhabitants feed There are also droves of Rother beasts to be seene flocks of sheep without number but generally all sorts of Cattell are lesse of growth than in England In stead of Wood they use a bituminous Cole in digging whereof sometimes they light upon trees buried in the earth The Inhabitants above all things hate theft and begging being but weake by nature Those which inhabit the Southerne parts speake the Irish tongue those whâ—ch dwell towards the North speake the Scottish THe Hebrides are foure and forty in number and lie upon the South of Scotland the Orcades are thirty and extend towards the North. The Inhabitants of the former speake Irish the people of the latter Gottish Wight is seated in the Brittish Ocean the
quit his Horse and serve on foot provided that he have with him a vallet Harquebusier But they that had lesse than three or foure hundred had a lesse proportion of charge There be foure exceptions where a man is not bound to serve in person If he be sicke if aged if he beare some Office if he keepe some frontier place or other Castle of the Kings for in this case hee may send another They are bound upon forfeiture of their Feif to serve three moneths within the Land and forty dayes without not counting the dayes of marching You must observe that as the Seigneurs hold their Feif of the King in Haute justice so other Gentlemen hold of them in Basse justice upon charge to follow these Seigneurs at all times to the wars For the Feif is the thing by the acceptation whereof they that hold it are bound in oath and fidelity to their Lords and therefore are called their Vassals of Wessos the old Gaule word which signifieth Valiant for to such were the Feifs given As for Serfes Slaves or Villaines they 〈◊〉 domesticke and serve upon baser condition for wages and victuals There is also the subject that is the poore peâ—sant that laboureth and tilleth the Feifs and therefore yee shall heare Monsieur le Gentleman speake of ses terres ses hommes ses subjects His lands his men and his subjects and yet himselfe is Vassall to the Seigneur that holds in haute justice But you may note that no word of service whatsoever in this discourse doth prejudice the liberty naturall of the Vassall Neither the subject nor the Serf are bound to goe to the wars but only the Vassall The mustering and gathering together of these forces obliged by these Feifs is called the Ban and Arrier-Ban of the Almâ—â—â—e words Hâ—râ— exerâ—iâ—us an Army and Ban convâ—â—atio a calling together This Ban and Arrier-ban consisted anciently of twelve and sometimes fifteene thousand Gens d'armes But after the corruption thereof when the Feifs came to be in the hands of unable and unworthy men the Kings of France were forced of later times to erect the Gens d' armes des Ordonnances the men at Armes of his Ordinances in Charles the seventh his time For ye must consider that there have beene foure principall causes of the overthrow of this Ban and Arrier-ban The first were the gifts to the Clergy who as is reported have the sixth part of these Feifs in their hands and contribute nothing to the warres for as one saith they will lose nothing pay nothing contribute nothing toward their guarding and yet notwithstanding they will be guarded The next was the voyages to the Holy-land for when one had made a vow to goe thither to serve against the Saracens and Iâ—tidels he sold his Feif to furnish him to that purpose The third was the warres with the English wherein by force they lost them The last cause is the sales of them to all sorts of people without exception as the Lawyer the Yeoman or any other unable person whatsoever that will buy them which till Charles the seventh they might not doe Ye see then how necessary it was this old institution being corrupted and quite decayed to erect a new which they called Les Gens d' armes des ordonnances because at their first erection there were divers Lawes and ordinances made for them to observe which who so brake was severely punished They were at first only 1500. But after they were increased to an hundred cornets and given to divers Princes of the bloud and Nobles of France to conduct and command with an honourable pension In these troops should bee 6000. for in some there are an hundred in others but fifty Howbeit it is thought in each troope there are some dead payes for the benefit of the Ofâ—â—cers and that in truth there be not above foure thousand in all For the maintenance of this Gens d' armerie there is a tax yearely levied upon the people throughout all France called the Taille Concerning both the number of the Gens d'armes and their proportion of allowance by the Taille it is thus as La Nove judgeth The horsemen in the time of Henry the second exceeded the number of 6000. launces but they are now but 4000. and in mine opinion it were fit to entertaine in time of peace foure Regiments of Infantery of six hundred men apeece As touching the Infantery Francis the first was the first that instituted the Legionaries which were in all eight and every Legion to containe six thousand according to the rate of the ancient Romans The first Legion was of Normandy The next of Bretaigne One in Pâ—cardie One in Burgundie In Champaigne and Nivernois one In Dolphenie and Provence one In Lyonnois Auvergne one And one in â—angâ—â—docke These companies were shortly after cassed and againe within eighteene yeares erected and are now againe of late yeares dissolved and in their place the Regiments now entertained are five in number The Regiment of the Guard the Regiment of Picardie the Regiment of Champaigne the Regiment of Piemont and lastly the Regiment of Gascoâ—ne commonly called the Regiment of Navarrâ— In each of these is twelve hundred These are all now in time of peace bestowed in garrison-townes and frontier places except those of his guard Boâ—â—â— opâ—â—ion is that foure Legions of 5000. apeece would â—usfice to be maintained in this land for saith he the Roman Empire which was twenty times as great had never but eleven Legions in pay but this is to be understood of them which were in pay ordinary in Italy besides those Legions which they had in other their Countries as England Spaine Low-Countries c. For otherwise we read of â—hose Emperours that had thirtie one Legions and Bodin himselfe confesseth that Augustus had at one time entertained in pay forty Legions at eleven millions charge the yeare But this Writer though he be approved as he well deserves yet I thinke if he failed in any of his discourse it was in matter of warre the profession whereof did ill agree with his long robe yee shall therefore take the judgement of a discreeter souldier of France for your direction what force the French can make or entertaine of others which is this If our King perceived that any neighbour of his meant to invade his Frontiers I thinke he might easily compose an Army of sixty companies of men at Armes twenty Cornets of light horse and five troops of Harquebusiers on horse-backe amounting all to ten thousand horse To which he might adde three or foure thousand German Rutters and one hundred Ensignes of French foot and forty Ensignes of his good Confederates the Swissers and yet maintaine his other Frontiers sufficiently manned So that ye may conclude that foure thousand men at Armes well complete and with a proportion of light-horse and foot answerable sheweth the whole flower beauty and force of France Howsoever the Author of the Cabinet confidently avoweth
Wine Corne Salt and all manner of drinke but since it hath beene made perpetuall and augmented by the imposition upon Wine sold every where and in Normandie by retaile This is like the slavish Gabell upon all manner of food which the Princes take of their subjects through Italy or the Assize upon Bread and Beare which the States have in the Low-Countries a grievance whereof we smart not in England as also we are free from many other burthens which the people of this Country are forced to beare Touching the Gabell of Salt which is also comprised under this head Some say it was first erected by Philip le Long Others by Philip de Valois 1328. True it is that the Ordinance of Francis the first 1541. sets downe an Impost of 24. Livres upon every Muy and in the yeare 1543. an ordinance was made for Gabell to be taken upon all sea-fish salted And in 1544. it was ordained that all Salt should be sold and distributed into the Magazines or Storehouses of every severall generality The benefit of this one commodity hath beene very commodious to the crown till the yeare 81. when the king was forced for want of money to let it out to others whereby he lost as is in my Authour proved eight hundred thirty six thousand crowns yearely Here is also a kinde of tax called the Equivallent that is an imposition laid upon some persons and places but not generally to have liberty to buy and sell salt and to be exempt from the Magazines The Impost of Wine is laid upon all without exception or exemption whatsoever it is the twentieth part to the King besides all other rights as of Billots entring into Cities passages by Land River and such like Besides a later imposition of five Sols upon every Muy levied by Charles the ninth 1516. Concerning the Traicte forraine it is of like nature with the Aids save that it is leviable upon more particular sorts of merchandize Besides the Aids is an Impost upon things spent in the Land and the traicte forraine is of such commodities as are transported out as of wheat rye barley oats wine vineger verjuce cider beeves muttons veales lambes swine horses lard bacon tallow oyle cheese fish of all sorts silks and cloaths of all sorts leather of all sorts and finally all other merchandize as fruits parchment paper glasse wood ropes c. 7 The seventh ground or foundation of Finances is the Imposition upon the subject that is not upon the wares or commodities but upon the persons themselves according to their abilitie and it is much like the levying of the tax and subsidy in England where every one payeth ratably to the lands and goods he possesseth And therefore Haillan judgeth well to say they be neither personall nor reall but mixt Assessed in the place of their dwelling according to all the goods of the partie assessed in what part soever they lie or abide These Tailles were first raised by Saint Lewis but by way of extraordinary subsidie Charles the seventh made them ordinary for the maintenance of his Gens d'armerie And whereas at first they were never levied but by consent of the three States and to endure but while the warre lasted he made them perpetuall Therefore saith one that which was at first yeelded of favour is since exacted as patrimoniall and hereditary to our Kings Yet is it to bee observed that these Tailles are only liable upon the Flat Pais all Cities are exempt as also all Officers of the Kings house all Counsellors Lawyers and Officers of Courts of Parliament all the Nobility the Gens d'armes the Officers of warre the Graduates of Vniversities c. The Taillon is another imposition raised by Henry the second Anno 1549. which was to amend the Wages of Gens d'armes who by reason of the smallnesse of their pay lay upon the poore Villages and eat them up for the ease whereof this imposition was devised which also lieth upon the poore Country-man whereby at first he was somewhat eased but now all is perverted the poore is still oppressed and yet he payeth still both Taille and Taillon Lastly there is the Sold or pay of 50000. foot which were erected by Lewis the eleventh into eight Legions six thousand to a Legion which with their Officers came to about this number To maintaine these Legions there was a tax levied upon all sorts of persons privileged in the Taille but only the Nobles There are also of the Decymes Tenths levied upon the Church For the levying of the Taille Taillon and wages of 50000. foot you must note that the King sends his Letters Patents by Commissioners to the Treasurers of each generality These according to the summe rate each election this is as ye would say every hundred in a Shire or Bailywicke and then send to these elections to have the said summe gathered in their severall Townes and Hamlets according as they be rated So doe they to the Maicures Consuls Eschevins and chiefe Officers of every City that are liable to any of these payments who rating every man according to his ability give these Rolles to certaine Collectors to gather it up these are bound to bring it quarterly to the Receivers These carry it to the Receivers generall in the same species that they received it and from them to have an acquittance after the accounts have beene perused by the Controler generall And these are all the meanes by which Princes raise their Finances whereof ye see some nothing to pertaine to the French King but to others and some to him only not to others There yet remaineth one other meanes though extraordinary to a Prince to get money which the necessities of the times and the want of other meanes have forced the French Kings of late yeares to use This is the vent or sales of Offices a very dangerous and hurtfull merchandize both for the Prince and subject This Lesson saith Bodin the French Kings first learned of the Popes with whom it is still as familiar as old to sell Bishopricks livings and Ecclesiasticall promotions This the Popes first beganne at Avignon in France where their means was scant and they in many necessities which still continues both in the Courts of Rome and France when there is no such necessity Better is a bad President than none at all A course saith one of great and dangerous consequence but clothed with necessity It is indeed thrice dangerous because sales of Offices cause sales of Iustice for what these Purchasers pay in grosse they must needs get in retaile forgetting what was said to Sophocles the Governour of Athens A Governour must not onely have his hands cleane but his eyes also They cannot say as Pericles did on his death bed Hee had never made any Athenian weare mourning Robe For these by selling Iustice and robbing the poore of their right give the Fatherlesse and oppressed Widow just cause to complaine and of wearing that mourning robe
that of the Sunne is the best and the halfe Crowne Those of silver are the Livres or Franc which is two shillings sterling The quart d'escu which is one shilling six pence The Teston which is halfe a sous lesse The peece of ten sous which is one shilling sterling the halfe quart d'escu the halfe Teston and the peece of five sous that is six pence sterling Those of Brasse is the price of six Blanks which is three pence that of three blanks three halfe pence The sous of twelve deniers the liard of foure deniers the double of two and lastly the denier it selfe whereof ten make one penny sterling This baser and smaller kind of money hath not beene used in France but since the beginning of the civill warres The Teston is the best silver It remaineth I speake of the Administration and Execution of Iustice and of those places and persons where and by whom it is done I will therefore beginne with their assemblies as the highest and greatest Court of all which well resembleth the Parliament of England the Dyet of the Empire or the Councell of â—â—e Amphythrions in Greece There are three especiall causes of calling these Assemblies The first when the succession of the Crowne was doubtfull and in controversie or when it was to take order for the Regency during the Kings Captivity or Minority or when they had not the right use of their wits Hereof yee have examples Anno 1327. Saint Lewis an Infant and Charles the sixth An. Dom. 1380. a Lunaticke and 1484. Iohn a prisoner For all which occasions Assemblies were called to determine who should have the Regency of the Realme in the meane while The second cause is when there is question of reforming the Kingdome correcting the abuses of Officers and Magistrates or appeasing troubles and seditions The third cause is the want and necessitie of the King or Kingdome in which case the Estates are exhorted to give subsidies subventions aids and gratuities For in former times the Kings contenting themselves with their Domaine and impost of such wares as came in or went out of the land the two most ancient and most just grounds of Finances were not accustomed to levie and impose upon their Subjects any tax whatsoever without the consent of the three States thus assembled The next Soveraigne Court for so the French call it is the Court of Parliament The true Temple of French Iustice Seat of the King and his Peeres And as Haillan cals it the Buttresse of Equity This Court very much resembleth the Star-Chamber of England the Arcopage of Athens the Senate of Rome the Consiglio de' dieci of Venice There are no Lawes saith Haillan by which this Court is directed it judgeth according to equity and conscience and mitigateth the rigour of the Law Of these Courts of Parliament ye have eight in France That of Paris the most ancient and highest in preheminence which at first was ambulatory as they call it and ever followed the Kings Court whithersoever it went but since Philip le Bel it hath beene sedentary in this Citie That of Grenoble was erected Anno 1453. That of Tholouse Anno 1302. That of Bourdeaux Anno 1443. That of Dijon in the yeare 1476. That of Roven in the yeare 1501. That of Aix the same yeare And lastly that of Bretaigne at the yeare 1553. Anciently all Arch-Bishops and Bishops might sit and give voices in this Parliament of Paris but in Anno 1463. it was decreed that none but the Bishop of Paris and Abbot of Saint Denis might sit there except he be of the Bloud for all these are privileged The Presidents and Counsellors of the Court of Parliament of Paris may not depart the Towne without leave of the Court by the ordinance of Lewis the twelfth in the yeare 1499. The Senators ought alwayes to bee present because things are carried with more Majesty when the Court is full To this Parliament they appeale from all other subalterne Courts throughout the Realme as they doe in Venice to the Consiglio grande Neither can the King conclude any warre or peace without the advice and consent hereof or at least as Haillan saith he demandeth it for fashion sake sometime when the matters are already concluded The Parliament of Paris consisteth of seven Chambers the Grande câ—ambre and five others of Enquests and the Tournelles which is the chamber for the criminall causes as the other six bee for the civill It is called the Tournelles because the Iudges of the other Chambers sit there by turnes every three moneths the reason whereof Bodin giveth that it might not alter the naturall inclination of the Iudges and make them more cruell by being alwayes exercised in matter of condemnations and executions There be of this Court of Presidents Counsellors Chevalliers of honour Procureurs Advocates Clerks Sergeants and other Officers of all sorts not so few as two hundred Besides this Court there are also other Courts for the administration of Iustice in this Citie as the Chatellet of Paris with a Lieutenant civill and another criminall and the Hostel de Paris with a Prevost and other inferiour Officers which is as ye would say the Guild-Hall of the Citie So have ye throughout the Realme certaine places as all Cities in generall where there be Chatellets like our places of Assise and in them a Lieutenant civill and criminall to judge and determine all causes reall and personall and here many Lawyers and Procurers as our Counsellors at Law and Atturnies who plead before those Lieutenants and Prevosts and certaine Counsellors which are the Iudges in these Courts whereof the number is incredible in France Insomuch as you may well say of them as is said of Sienna There be more Readers than Auditors so here be more Pleaders than Clients This Chiquanery Petti-fogging multiplicitie of Pleaders came first from the Popes Court when his seat was at Avignon as my Author saith who in the same place cals these Advocates The Mice of the Palace The processes and suits in these Courts throughout France are innumerable wherein wee come nothing neere them and yet there is no want of these in England For I have heard of 340. Nisiprius between parties tried at one Assize in Norfolke as many I thinke as in halfe England besides But these are onely twice in the yeare that causes are tried at Assises in our Country whereas here they are tried every day in the yeare that is not festivall So that it is not much unlikely that here are as many Processes in seven yeares as have beene in England since the conquest There are besides these Courts of Chatellets in Cities the Courts also of Bailywicks and Sheriffalties who as Haillan saith keepe Courts in each Province and judge in all matters civill and criminall Here is also the Privie Councell or Councell of affaires of the Counsellors among which are his foure Secretaries he calleth certaine every morning at his rising to whom he
incredible to beleeve and odious to heare how the Frenchman will talke impudently utter what he foolishly conceiveth not onely of all forren States and Princes of the World but even of their owne State and King himselfe of whom he will not spare to speake whatsoever hee heareth and sometimes also more than the truth which insufferable vice of theirs I here put in the first place because I hold it of all others the most disloyall and unlawfull Hereof the wisest soâ— of them much complaine and wish reformation but it is a thing so naturall with them as Expellas furca licet usque recurret He hath besides this liberty of speaking a propertie incident to such like natures namely an inquisitive listning and hearkning after newes which is an old fashion of theirs and hath continued with them many hundred yeares It is usuall with all the Gauls both to constraine Travellers though unwilling to stay and to inquire of each of them what hee hath heard or understood of every matter and with the popular in Townes to flocke about Merchants and compell them to tell from what parts they come and what newes they heard there And led by these rumours and heare-sayes they determine many times of most weightie affaires of which determinations they must needs eft-soones repent them Concerning the diet it is to keepe no diet for they feed at all times there being among them very few which besides their ordinary of dinner and supper doe not Gouster as they call it and make collations three or foure times the day a thing as usuall with the women as men whom yee shall see in open streets before their doores cat and drinke together No marvell therefore though the Italian cals them the only Gourmands The French fashion is to lard all meats whose provision ordinary is not so plentifull as ours nor his Table so well furnished howbeit in Banquets they farre exceed us for he is as friand licourish as the Trencher-men of Media or Aesope the Tragedian who spent fifteene thousand crownes at one feast in the tongues of Birds only He liveth not like the Italian with Roots chiefly and Hearbs nor like the Lacedemonian that weares his haire shaven close to his skinne bathes himselfe in cold water eats browne bread and sups blacke broth Nor like the Scythian who faith hunger is my best cheere the ground my bed Beasts skins my clothing but rather like Alcibiades of whom Plutarch reporteth that hee was over-delicate in his dyet dissolute in love of wanton women excessive in banquets and over-superfluous and â—ffeminate in apparell As for the poore Paisant hee fareth very-hardly and feedeth most upon bread and fruits but yet hee may comfort himselfe with this that though his fare be nothing so good as the Plough-mans and poore Artificers in England yet is it much better than that of the Villano in Italy Of the French Buildings I have spoken before in the Relation of Paris both that it is lately growne to be more magnificent than it was in former times and that many thereby have much weakened their estate You may therefore observe that as I there said the Citie of Paris was better built than that of London so are in generall all the Cities and Villages in France fairer than ours in England comparing the one with the other As for the manner of Building here how beautifull soever it be to the eye the Offices and roomes me thinkes are not so well contrived as ours to the use One thing there is by which they are much beautified namely the blewish kinde of Tyle which here they have in great quantitie the which is very hard and therefore durable and very thinne and light and therefore not so burthensome to a house as is our Tyle in England Concerning their Apparell if yee well observe that of the Citizen both men and women it is very seemely and decent that of the Paisant very poore all whose apparell for the most part is of Linnen As for that of the Noblesse yee shall heare what La Nove saith The Noblesse in their expence in apparell are excessive and very rich And yet mee thinkes nothing so rich and costly as ours the onely excesse whereof is the greatest prejudice and hinderance to the Common-wealth This Author reproveth two things in the French Apparell First that every Gallant forsooth must have many sutes at once and change often in the yeare and therefore saith he if in the Court they spie one in a sute of the last yeares making they scoffingly say We know him well enough he will not hurt us hee 's an Apple of the last yeare The second thing he dislikes is this that every two yeare the fashion changeth And hereof it commeth that when yee see all other Nations painted in the proper habit of their Countrey the Frenchman is alwayes pictured with a paire of Sheeres in his hand to signifie that he hath no peculiar habit of his owne not contenteth himselfe long with the habit of any other but according to his capricious humour deviseth daily new fashions This varietie of fashions a man may well note in the Fripperies of Paris whereof saith La Nove if one would make a pourtraict in a Table it would be the most sportfull thing that may be I am now by order to speake of his Exercises wherein me thinkes the Frenchman is very immoderate especially in those which are somewhat violent for yee shall see them play Sets at Tennis in the heat of Summer and height of the day when others were scarce able to stirre out of dooâ—es This immoderate play in this unseasonable time together with their intemperate drinking and feeding is the only cause that here yee see them generally itchie and scabbed some of them in so foule a sort as they are unfit for any honest Table Among all the other exercises of France I preferre none before the Palle-maille both because it is a Gentleman-like Sport not violent and yeelds good occasion and opportunitie of discourse as they walke from the one marke to the other I marvell among many more apish and foolish toyes which wee have brought out of France that wee have not brought this sport also into England Concerning their shooting with the Crosse-bow it is used but not very commonly Once in a yeare there is in each City a shooting with the Peece at a Popingay of wood set upon some high Steeple as also they doe in many places of Germanie He that hitteth it downe is called the king for that yeare and is free from all Tax besides he is allowed twentie crownes towards the making of a Collation for the rest of the shooters And if it happen that three yeares together he carry the Prize he is free from all tax and imposition whatsoever all his life after This custome no question is very laudable whose end tendeth much to a publike benefit for by this practice and emulation he groweth more
proportion which as yet remaineth As for that true estimation which is so much spoken of beyond Sea and vaunted of in Historie almost nothing remaineth at this present but bare report For of those which in some good measure seeme to hold up their heads and appeare by their Deputies in their assemblies they are seldome of one minde as being in truth unable unlesse with much adoe to bring up the charges and contributions necessary and incident for the defence and maintenance of their leagues privileges and trade in forren parts and at home Maidenburg is one of these Hanse-towns and the Countie wherein it standeth is also Maidenburg It is one of the most ancient townes of Germany and containeth in circuit about three miles The streets are very large but durtie and the houses built partly of stone and partly of timber many of them being ancient and faire The wals are strong and upon them are mounted many good peeces of brasse Ordnance It hath ten Churches the Inhabitants for the most part being Lutherans It standeth upon the river Elve over which it hath a faire and large bridge of timber The Emperour this summer laid siege to it which upon composition he afterwards raised Hamburg standeth in the land of Holst upon the River of Eâ—â—â— also It is foure miles in compasse and of great strength and much resorted unto by forren Nations for traffique of Merchandize In it are nine Churches and many large streets which are very durtie in foule weather The greatest part of the Inhabitants are Brewers for here are said to bee 777. Brewers forty Bakers two Lawyers and one Physitian for most of their quarrels and contentions as they beginne in drinke so they end in drinke And being sicke and ill at ease their physicke is to fill their guts with Hamborow Beere if that helpe not their case is desperate It is one of the Hanse-townes also and the people are Lutherans Stoad being neither faire nor great standeth within the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Brâ—me but not subject unto him by reason it is one of the Hanse-townes It standeth about two English miles from the river of Elve and hath a small creeke called the Swing which runneth through the citie into the river and beareth small barques for transportation of Merchandize In it are foure Churches and a Monastery of Lutheran Friers It was this last yeere taken by the Emperour Of other goodly Cities there are a farre greater number some by inheritance belonging to the Temporall Princes and some to the Spirituall In criminall causes they inflict most sharpe torments and unusuall kinds of death a signe of the cruelty of their Natuâ—â—â— They were the inventors of Printing of Guns and of â—lockes things of notable use for mankind The people is divided into foure sorts Husbandmen they beare â—o office Citizens Noblemen and Prelates The laâ—â— thâ—ee sort make the Assembly States of the Empire Oâ— Prelates the Archbishops Electors have the chiefest place The Archbishop of Ments is Chancellour for the Empire the Bishop of Colen is Chancellour of Italy and the Bishop of Treuers is Chancellour of France The Archbishop of Saltzburg is of greatest jurisdiction and revenue The Bishop of Maidenburg writeth himselfe Primate of Germany Breme and Hamburg had jurisdictions next follow above forty other Bishops the Great Master of the Dutch Order and the Prior of the Knights of Ierusalem then seven Abbots and they likewise are States of the Empire Of secular Princes the King of Bohemia is principall who is chiefe Tasier the Duke of Saxonie Marshall the Marquesse of Brandburg high Chamberlaine the Earle Palatine Sewer Besides thesâ— places there are thirty other Dukes amongst whom the Arch-Duke of Austria holdeth the highest place and of these Dukes the King of Deâ—marke by his tenure of the Dukedome of Holsatia is reckoned to be one The Marquesses Lantgraves Earles and Barons are innumerable It is thought that the Empire receiveth every way above seven millions which is a great matter yet besides ordinary the people not over pressed as in Italy doe pay other great subsidies to their Princes in times of danger The Empire was bound at least wise accustomed to furnish the Emperour when hee went to Rome to bee crowned with twenty thousand footmen and foure thousand Horse and to maintaine them for eight moneths and therefore it was called Romanum subsidium The revenues of the Cities and Lay-Princes have beene greatly augmented since the suppressing of Popery and bringing in of new impositions which taking their beginning from Italy evill examples spread farre quickly passed over to France and Germany In times of necessity great taxes are laid upon the whole Empire and levied extraordinarily And that they may bee gathered with the greater ease Germany is parted into ten divisions or circuits which have their particular assemblies for the execution of the Edicts made in the generall Diets of the Empire As concerning their multitudes it is thought that the Empire is able to affoord two hundred thousand Horse and Foot which the warre before spoken of may prove to be true As likewise the forepassed warres of France and Belgia which were ever continued in those two Provinces for the most part with German souldiers Their forces may the better be transported from place to place by reason of the commodiousnesse of many faire and navigable rivers At one time Wolfang Duke of Bipont led into France an Army of twelve thousand footmen and eight thousand horsemen in behalfe of the Protestants and at the same time the Count Mansfield was leader of five thousand horsemen of the same Nation in behalfe of the Catholikes William of Nassaw had in his Armie eight thousand German horsemen and ten thousand foot-men the Duke of Alva had at the same instant three thousand What should I speake of the numbers that entred Flanders with Duke Casimere Or those that entred France under the same Leader in the yeere of our Lord 1578. Or to what end should I make mention of that Armie whereof part served Henrie the fourth part the league But to prove that this Nation must be very populous seeing that warres are continually open in some one or other part of Christendome and no action undertaken therein wherein great numbers of Germans are not waged and entertained To speake nothing of the Netherlands who in times past have resisted the whole power of France with an Armie of fourescore thousand men or of the Swissers who in their owne defence are thought able to raise an Army of one hundred and twenty thousand souldiers I will only put you in minde of that expedition which they made out of their owne Territories into Lumbardie in defence of that State against Francis the French King with an Armie of fifty thousand foot-men The best foot-men of Germany are those of Tirol Swevia and Westphalia the best horse-men those of Brunswicke Cleveland and Franconia But plainly the best horsemen of Germany
them to whose heire Fredericke Barbarossa restored the Palatinate in the yeare 1183. since which time as Munster saith it ever continued in that male Line untill these unfortunate warres The Lower Palatinate hath beene twice augmented once by the Emperour Wenceslaus who bestowed Oppenheim and two other Imperiall Townes upon the Elector for his voice in the Election The second augmentation was by the ransome of the Duke of Wirtenberg and the Archbishop of Mentz both taken in one battell by Prince Frederike Anno 1452. out of both whose Countries lying next unto the Palatinate the victorious Palatine tooke some what to lay to his owne For which and other quarrels there hath still continued a grudging in the Archbishops towards the Palsgraves Mentz whose Archiepiscopall Citie is also in the Palatinate laying a claime to a Monastery and the lands upon the Bergstraes or mountaine within two English miles even of Heidleberg The Palsgrave hath many prerogatives above the Electors of â—ther sort He taketh place of the Duke of Saxony and the Marquesse of Brandenburgh because Henry the first Palatine was descended of Charles the Great for which cause in the vacancie of the Empire he is also Governour of the West parts of Germanie with power to alienate or give Offices to take fealty and homage of the Subjects and which is most to sit in the Imperiall Courts and give judgement of the Emperour himselfe The Land naturally is very rich the Mountains are full of Vines Woods and such excessive store of red Deere that Spinola's souldiers in the late warres had them brought to them like Beefe or Bacon How famous the Rhenish Wines are I need not say Of Corne they have no want Silver also is here digged up Goodly Townes and strong it had such store as if they had had nothing but Cities All which are now divided betwixt the Emperour the Bavarian and the Spaniard The Prince also was said to have two and twenty Palaces But the chiefest ornament was the incomparable Library of Heidleberg not for the beauty of the roome for it was but in the roofe of the chiefe Church and that by a long wall divided into two parts but for the numbers of excellent Manuscripts and printed bookes with which it was then better stored than Oxford yet is The Princes Revenue arose first out of his owne Lands and Customes of his Manours Secondly out of the tenths and wealth of the Monasteries and estate of the Church confiscated which perchance made up one quarter if not more of his whole estate Thirdly from the Toll of one Bridge over the Rhine he yearely had about twentie thousand crownes Fourthly some say that one silver mine yeelded him threescore thousand crownes All together the revenues of this and the Vpper Palatinate lying next to Bavaria and some thirty English miles distant from this Lower were valued to amount unto one hundred sixtie thousand pounds sterling of yearely Revenues Finally of the three Temporall Electors goes this common proverb in Germanie That the Palsgrave hath the honour Saxony the money and Brandenburgh the land for Saxony indeed is richer and Brandenburghs Dominions larger than those of the Prince Elector Palatine The State of the Elector of Saxonie THe Dominion of the Dukes of Saxonie containeth the Marquisat of Mâ—sen the Lantgravedome of Turinge Voitland part of Nether Saxonie almost within two Dutch miles of Maigdburg part of the Lands of the Earles of Mansfielt pawned to Augustus for some summes of money and a parcell of Frankhenland The whole Country is seated almost in the midst of Germanie on all sides very farre from the Sea except Voitland very plaine and Champion sprinkled here and there with some few of them navigable The chiefest of them all is the Elve â—o which all the rest pay the tribute of their waters All of it together is imagined to bee in bignesse about a third part of England or somewhat more The climate in temperature is not much differing from ours of England It confineth on the South-East with the Kingdome of Bohem and is parted with many high hils and great woods on the South with the Bishop of Bambergs Countrie and on the South-west with the Lantgrave of Hesse on the North and North-west with the Counts of Mansfielt the Princes of Anâ—â—â—â—â— and the Citie of Maidburgh of which this Duke writeth himselfe Burgrave and the Marquesse of Brandeburghs eldest son Arch-Bishop yet is it not under either Iurisdiction but freely governed within it selfe On the North-east lyeth the Marquesdome of â—randeburgh and the Lansknites who partly belong to the Marquesse and partly to the Emperour It is in peace at this time as all Germanie beside with all the Neighbour-Princes Betweene the Bohemians and them there is a great league but betwixt the Emperour and their Dukes great jealousies under hand The Duke of Saxonie the Marquesses of Brandeburgh and the Lantgraves of Hesse have many yeeres they and their ancestry beene linked together and both Lutherans howbeit the Lantgrave is thought to fâ—vour of Calvinisme The Bishop of Bamberge both himselfe and his Countrie are all Catholiques but of no power to hurt though they were Enemies The Counts of Mansfielt have a grudge to the house of Saxonie because most of their land being pawned to Augustus is as they pretend wrongfully detained the debt being long since satisfied but they are so many and so poore as they may well have the will but not the power to annoy Saxonie in Religion Catholiques The Princes of Anhault as also the Counts of Mansfield are homagers to this Duke but of small power or riches In Religion Calvinists For home defence and strength this Dukedome is so strong by nature on Boheme side and upon the frontiers and within Land so well fortified by Art with reasonable strong Cities Townes and Castles so well peopled and all places of strength so well looked unto and kept in so good order that it seemeth provided to withstand the Enemy not onely of any one but of all the Neighbour-Provinces The greatest and chiefest Citie within this Dukedome is Erdford seated in Turing not subject to the Duke but a free and Hanse-towne the next unto it is Leipsique the Metropolis of Misâ—n a Towne very well seated both for profit and pleasure yet of no great strength though it held out Iohn Fredericke a siege of two or three moneths with small disadvantage of building very faire and stately most of the houses of seven eight or nine Stories high but all of Bricke and no Stone It is greater than Dresden and hath many faire and large streets and yet inferiour in beautie and strength for the Duke will not suffer the Inhabitants neither to fortifie nor to repaire the walls left they should againe rebell as in former times within the walls are nine hundred Houses it hath three Churches five Colleges and about foure hundred Students as also a faire Castle with a small
and every Citie hath his particular Councell and place of assemblie save only when they are to sit upon matters of importance and such as concerne the generall estate then they appoint a generall Diet and that to be held in some one of the Cities which they thinke most convenient whereunto foure or five of the most principall of every Citie are bound to resort In their consultations for the most part they are comfortable one to another and because one Citie is as free as another having no one chiefe Governour superiour to any other in case the cause be it peace or warre concerne the universall State of all the Cantons looke how the major part of voices shall sway in the Senate so it prevaileth and that which the greater number resolve upon is without more adoe put in execution The benefit which they gaine by a common warre Is divided in common but if sometimes two or three united Cantons purchase any bootie by their peculiar Armes of that purchase the residue can claime no share Yet hath it happened that the residue thinking themselves injured in not participating generally have raised divers controversies and because as aforesaid they are equally free and as great is the soveraigne authoritie of one Citie as of another both parties have appealed unto the French King who upon hearing of the cause in question gave judgement That a particular gaine appertained to particular persons And so the rest Therefore when they are either occasioned or determined to make any particular warre the united Cantons erect lights and make bone-fires but when they are to raise forces in generall as suppose they should for the French King first they strike up their Drumme then all the Cities doe presents as many persons as they thinke good which may be to the number of five and thirtie or fortie thousand of whom after the Captaines have culd out their limited portions the residue are licensed to depart to their owne homes Every Citie hath his principall Standard with their peculiar armes and devices therein to distinguish one people from another And because no politike body can stand without a head although in no case they will tolerate one absolute Governour over the whole yet are they contented to submit themselves to the government of one particular Magistrate in every particular Citie him they terme Vnama The elect on of which Officer is on this manner On the first Sunday in May the principall of all the houses and families thoâ—ow every Canton of all sorts and qualities assemble themselves either in some meadow or else in the chiefest streets of their Citie where all of them taking their places in order the Vnama whose time of office is now expired seating himselfe in a place somewhat above the rest after some stay riseth up and maketh a speech to the people excusing himselfe in good termes of his insufficiencie to discharge the weight of the office committed unto his charge and craveth pardon of that which he hath through ignorance or negligence committed to the prejudice of the common good and therewithall offereth to resigne his determined office into the hands of the people Immediately upon this resignation with a loud voice hee nominateth the partie whom in his judgement he thinketh worthy to succeed in his place He that is nominated commeth forth before the multitude and presenting himselfe before them after some speeches nominateth a second the second with like ceremonie a third The nomination being ended the chiefe of the companies demand of the people which of these three thus nominated they are willing to elect So naming them anew one by one the multitude lift up their hands at the naming of him whom they desire to be their Governour And oft-times it falleth out that he that hath beene once Vnama in desert of his justice and good carriage towards them hath beene chosen againe the second time This election finished they proceed to the choice of other Officers This Officer continueth in his place three yeares and although he be the chiefest amongst them yet goeth hee but little better attired than the meanest only attended with five or six persons He dwelleth in his owne house because they imploy the publike places for the holding of the Diets the keeping of their Munition and Artillerie and other furniture belonging to the warres In criminall causes he can doe nothing without the counsell of the fifteene but in civill matters he hath larger limitation Next the Vnama is that Officer of Iustice who is as it were the Chancellor and the second person in that State After him are certaine Counsellors men well experienced in affaires of Princes and occurrence of Provinces Then the Chamberlaine and his is the charge of the Munition and publike Treasure Next to him are the foure Deputies in authoritie greater than the Counsellors and may doe many things in absence of the Vnama so as the Chancellor be present These with the Vnama make the fifteene which governe the State as well in peace as in warre and are ever present at the hearing and deciding of all occurrences arising within the Territorie of their owne Canton These are from yeare to yeare confirmed by the people although as doth the Vnama they continue their office for three yeares These send Governours to the Castles on the Frontiers and to decide inferiour matters they allow ten persons chosen out of the meaner sort but the parties in controversie may appeale to the fifteene other Iudges or further appeales as in the Civill Law they have not to flie unto For their chiefest care is their tillage and warfare coveting to live simply and plainly and not to intrap one another in quarrels and suits of Law The partie evicted is severely punished Neither will they suffer any of their people to appeale out of their owne Countries and if any offend therein he is grievously chastened Thorow the whole world Lawes are not observed with lesse partialitie for they are never-altered according to the humours of the inconstant multitude nor violated without due penaltie inflicted for as of those five sorts of populâ—r governments which Aristotle discourseth of there is none more dangerous than that wherein the will of the people beareth sway above reason and standeth for Law as Zenophon writeth of the Athenians so no forme of government can be compared to that wherein the Commonaltie without dâ—tinction live subject to the censure of the Law in regard of which policie wee ought not to marvell if this Common-weale have flourished now these two hundred and fiftie yeares in great reputation of valour For â—â—y two meanes hath this estate beene preserved viz. by unpartiall administration of justice and frequencie of neighbourly feastings whereas the scornfull ambition of great men hath heretofore ruinated the popular estates of the Megarians the Romans the Florentines the Syennois and the Genoese Of which sort the Swizzers have none at all or if there be any as there are but
well maintained there is the house of Piety called Il monte della pieta which by ordinary Revenues and gifts may dispend yeerely 60000. Crownes wherewith amongst other charitable workes it maintaineth thorow the Kingdome two thousand Infants It is one of the regions belonging to the Kingdome of Naples It is bounded with the River Iano and the Terrhene and Ionian Seas it is in compasse above five hundred miles and is divided into two Provinces the one lieth on the Terrhene Sea where in ancient times the Brutians did inhabit and that part is properly called Calabria the other lieth on the Ionian and called Magna Graecia It is divided into the higher and lower Of the higher the chiefe seat is Cosenza of the lower Catanzara Cosenza is a large Citie Catanzara a strong Betweene the Cape of the Pillars and the Cape Alice is Corone a place of very wholesome aire Vpon this territorie Anno 1551. the Navie of the Great Turke landed and made some stay which was the cause that moved Charles the fifth to fortifie this Citie It is a thing worthy to be noted how much the Inhabitants of this country in former ages exceeded the numbers of this present for in those dayes this Citie sent more men against the Locrians than the whole Kingdome of Naples is now able to afford being numbred to an hundred and thirty thousand A little above that doe inhabit the Sabarits who were alwayes able to arme thirty thousand At Tarent beginneth the Country of Otranto in ancient times called Iapigia It containeth all that corner of land almost invironed with the Sea which lieth betweene Tarent and Brundusium In it as Strabo writeth were once thirteene great Cities but in his time onely two Tarent and Brunduse The aire is very healthfull and though the superficies of the soile seeme rough and barren being broken with the plough it is found to bee excellent good mold It is scarce of water neverthelesse it yeeldeth good Pasture and is apt for Wheat Barley Oats Olives Cedars excellent Melons Oxen Asses and Mules of great estimation The people are in their manners dangerous superstitious and for the most part beastly The Gentlemen lovers of liberty and pleasure scoffers at Religion especially at that which we terme the reformed and yet themselves of their owne great blasphemers For outward shew they live in great pompe and make the City more stately because they are not permitted to live in the Countrey yet as they dare they bitterly grone under the Viceroyes controll who exerciseth the Spanish pride amongst them so that in these dayes they come nothing neere their native glory nor customary wantonnesse In this Country is bred the Tarantola whose venome is expelled with Fire and Musicke as Gellius reporteth out of Theophrash his History of living creatures There are likewise bred the Chersidi serpents living both on the land and in the Sea yea there is no part of Italy more cumbred with Grashoppers which leave nothing where they come but would utterly consume in one night whole fields full of ripe corne if Nature by sending the birds called the Gaive into those quarters had not provided a remedie against this misery The place at all times of the yeare endureth much dammage by Haile Thunder is as usuall in Winter as in Summer This Province is situated betweene two Seas The Citie is seated in an Island like unto a ship and joyned to the Continent with bridges where the tide setteth violently on the other side the two Seas joyne together by meanes of a trench cut out by mans hand and is of largenesse sufficient to receive a Gally Where the Citie now standeth was before a rocke and is holden to be the strongest fortresse of the Kingdome From thence along the shore lieth Caesaria now ruined by them of Gallipoli Gallipolis is seated on a ridge of land running into the Sea like a tongue On the furthest point whereof standeth the Citie and is of great strength by reason of the situation being fenced with unaccessible rocks well walled and secured by a Castle with which motives of encouragement in the warres betweene the French and the Arragons the citizens thereof to their great honour continued ever faithfull to the fortunes of the Arragons It hath beene counted one of the chiefest Cities of Italy it is now by their civill dissentions almost desolated the cause as I take it wherefore the aire thereabouts is become so unhealthfull an influence incident to all great Cities For as nothing doth better temper the aire than the frequencie of Inhabitants because by husbandry and industry they drie up Fennie and unwholesome places prune such woods as grow too thicke and obscure with their fires purge noysome exhalations and with their high buildings extenuate grosse vapours So on the contrary there is nothing apter to breed infection than desolation for so the places are not onely deprived of the aforesaid helps but even the houses and their ruines are receptacles of infection and matter of corruption Which appeareth to be true by the ruines of Aquilea Rome Ravenna and Alexandria in Aegypt For which inconvenience the Grecians never built huge Cities Plato would not that his should exceed 500. families and Aristotle wished that all his people might at once heare the voice of one Crier This Province extendeth from the confines of Brunduse to the River Fortore It is divided into two territories the one at this day called Bari and by the Latines Peucetia the other Puglia and by them Dawnia divided each from other by the River Lofanto In the second part it comprehendeth Capitanato containing in it many great Cities places of trade and Fortresses of good account Amongst the number whereof is Mansredonia built by K. Manfredi in a high place healthfull with a convenient and safe harbour It lieth under the hill Gargano at this day called S. Angelo because of the appearing of S. Michael who is honoured there with great devotion It should seeme that in this hill all the riches of Puglia are heaped together it hath plenty of water an element rare in this Province The Sarazens finding the opportunitie of the situation thereof did there fortifie therein maintained themselves a long time for in truth there is no place better to molest the Kingdome and to command the Adriatike Sea Puglia is another Province of this Kingdome it is bounded with the River Fortorie and the River Tronto in which circuit are contained many people Towards the Sea it is a fruitfull Country in the middest rough and mountainous and the coldest Region in the Kingdome The wealth thereof consisteth in Cattell and Saffron The Country of Malsi is divided with the River Pescara the Governour thereof resideth in San-Severino This Province hath no famous place upon the Sea-coast but in the Inland Benevento was given to the Church by Henry the fourth in recompence of
And Ravenna which was situated in a Lake as Venice is was once of such respect that it was thought fit and chosen first by Honorius and afterwards by the Gothes and Exarchs for the seat of the Empire In our daies by the conjuration of Cambraie it was besieged by Maximilian with seven hundred French Launces a thousand two hundred men at Armes Italians 18000. Dutch foot six thousand Spaniards two thousand Italians in pay and six hundred Adventurers of divers Nations with a huge quantitie of Artillery and all other Munition Against this force the Seigniory opposed as great a force for defence and put into the Citie six hundred men at Armes fifteene hundred light-Horse as many Carabines under very expert Commanders And for foot they had above twelve thousand Italians ten thousand drawne out of the Gallies a great number of Gentlemen of Venice and Peasants of the Country without number together with an Army of inestimable quantity of Munition and victuall with which quantity of men and provisions the greatnesse of their workes and fortifications well answered Now there being about and in Padoa two so great and populous Armies one to assault it another to defend it and that this infinite number of Horse on both sides did never cease from boot-haling and forraging the Country about setting fire on all that they could not carry away and that the Peasants had also conveyed away as much as they could into the Citie and the adjoyning holds yet did neither of these Armies ever want victuals during all that siege And yet as fruitfull as is Padoa the Country of Crema is no whit behinde it for all things for store and finenesse of flax beyond it Of Polesine it shall only suffice to say that it holdeth the like proportion with Padoa The Country of Vicenza hath the Champian exceeding fat and for that part thereof which is hilly few Countries come neere it for pleasantnesse It leaneth its shoulders upon the Alpes it hath on the right hand the new River on the left Bronta in the middest of it runnes Bacchilion Remon c. it is the Garden of Venice The Territory of Trevisa as it cannot bee reckoned amongst the fertillest yeâ— it is numbred amongst the pleasantest Now the Countries where the industrie of the people is more than the goodnesse of the soile are those of Verona Bergamo and Friuli For in the Bergamash there is more than forty miles of mountaine the Veronese hath many miles of champian altogether barren and sandy The like hath Friuli whence it commeth that these parts are much subject to dearths and scarcity of corne but what they want in Bread is re ompenced in Wine abundantly so that as I understand the Island alone of Scala which is one great Village in the Veronesse doth rent in this commodity to the number of five thousand crownes yearely Nor are they destitute of very good Wooll whereof they of Verona doe weave Cloths and Felts The Burgamash an infinite quantity of Dornix besides Broad-clothes and Kersies which they vent partly into Lombardie and partly into Almaigne The fruitfulnesse of the soile and industry of the people together is notably discovered in the territory of Brescia insomuch that I beleeve that no part of Italy in these two points can be compared thereto for opulencie and plenty in those two parts which for goodnesse of soile wee count to be fertill There is no private mans Garden for art and gracefulnesse of compartment or order more exquisitely cast or more diligently planted or more neatly kept and dressed than this whole territory Now touching that part of the â—rescian territory that is unfruitfull impossible it were to declare the diligence and art that is there used for ploughing of mountaines and for planting of Vines throughout the said mountaines But a sufficient testimonie thereof will bee that the barrenest part of this territory is no lesse well inhabited than is the best In the towne of Cordove alone it is knowne that if need require they are able in one day to make two hundred Harquibushes at all points out of the Masse although there be no Harquebush that goeth through lesse than ten hands at the least No Iron is brought in more than groweth in the Country and yet little goeth out imwrought Some is sold made into barres but most into wares In the City of Brescia are accounted more than two hundred Smiths shops of which fifty at least are Cutlers There are also some Iron Mines in Vâ—â—l Coâ—â—â—â—â—â— which yeeld water for six furnaces and six mills in which they make plate for Armour In the Citie of Cordove are made in great quantity Swords Daggers Halberds Knives and other like weapons In the Marquisate of Trevisae great quantity of excellent steele and so in Alphaga Soldo and in Cador exceeding good Swords are wrought in Belluno Felire and Seravalle The dominion which the Venetian hath by Sea is of two kinds as hath formerly bin said partly Continent partly Islands The greatest territory of the Continent is Istria and the best unlesse it were for that the ayre thereof is naturally unwholesome or rather to speak freely contagious and pestilent especially about Nola. For which cause that it grow not to be disinhabited the Seigniory alloweth to all men that will dwell there a certaine quantity of land with divers immunities and privileges besides It yeeldeth great abundance of Oyle Fish and Salt Dalmatia Sclavonia and Albania afford excellent wines and in these quarters partly by the commodiousnesse of the Sea and partly by reason of the entértainment and pay that runs there amongst the garrisons with the carefull industry of the Inhabitants the people live indifferently well there The Islands belonging to this State and lying within the Gulfe are not many The names of them are Veggia Arbe Brazza Pago Liesina Curzola Lissa with the Islands of Zara and Sesa They all yeeld in generall Wines of reasonable goodnesse Cherso with some other doe exceed for plenty of Cattell Milke Meats and Wooll Pago hath Salt-pits and yeeldeth great profit Veggia hath store of Pulse light Wines Wood and Horse though small They are all beautified with Havens excepting Arbe which defect is there recompenced with the naturall pleasantnesse of the Country They have very rich Fishings especially Lesina whose Sea yeeldeth Pilchers in great abundance The greatest of these Islands is Lesina containing in compasse fifty miles The best peopled is Curzola The most delicious Arbe and both with the parts of the Continent over against them whereof wee spake before doe yeeld great number of serviceable men for the field and the Gallies It remaineth to speake of the Islands out of the Gulfe Of which the first inorder is Corfu for commodiousnesse of situation of great account For it lieth in a manner in the very centre of all the Sea-dominious belonging to this State betweene the Adriatike and the Ionike Seas equally distant from Venice and
Manicongo Coâ—go Mombassa Quiolasafola Melinde Mosambique Monâ—â—â—â—gi with the rest within land are all inhabited with Moores Mahumetans Heathen and barbarous people who live plentifully upon those good nutriments which God and nature hath provided for those places traffiking and bartering one with another some for Ambergrice Wax Silver Copper and Rice some for Gold Pearle Linnen and Silks and others for Ivory Cotton and such inbred commodities as each Province peculiarly can spare to the necessities of the other Monomotapa seemeth to be civiller and better governed than any of the residue and is almost an Island lying betweene the Rivers of Cuama and Spirito Sancto from whence it stretcheth along the Sea-coast to the Cape of good Hope and on the North to the Kingdome of Moâ—emugi It is an hundred and fifty leagues in compasse and all the Vice-Royes or Lieutenants throughout that whole territory doe acknowledge the King thereof for their Soveraigne Of Townes and Villages they have few but Cottages many and those compacted of timber thatcht Cities there are also many whereof Zimbas and Benemetaxa are betweene twenty and five and twenty miles distant from Sofola towards the West The soile aboundeth with Corne and Cattell great and small wandring by herds through the fields and woods By the store of teeth from thence yearely transported we can but conjecture that lesse than five Elephants cannot but die in this Country these beasts are herevery huge There is no climate like it for plenty of Gold for there are said to be three thousand Mines whereout Gold is usually digged Which commodity is also found as well in the Plaines as in Rocks and in Rivers Whereof the Mine of Manica Boro Quiticui and Teroâ— which some men all Butna are the chiefest So that some men are of opinion that out of this Countrey Salomon procured his Gold and Ivory to be brought unto Ierusalem Which seemeth not unlikely for that in this Kingdome were found many old and Prince-like buildings and those very costly in Timber Stone Chalke and Wood which in the Countries thereabouts are not to be found The Government is great and extendeth over many warlike people all Pagans meane of stature blacke well set and very swift Their weapons are Darts and light Targets and the men much given to rebellion the cause wherefore the Prince retaineth the heires of his vassall Princes to be secured of their parents as also that he entertaineth strong Regiments in severall Provinces divided into legions after the Roman manner Amongst the which that he accounteth his battalion of Amazons comparable for trust of person to the Turkish Pretorian Ianizars with their manner of warfare copulation and educating of their males according to the ancient custome of those masculine Viragoes you may by my leave confidently beleeve because some late travellers have as lately reported it But truth it is that according to their uncivill civility they converse with the King kneeling on their knees and to sit in his presence is the use with them as with us to stand and that is granted but to great Lords onely The assay of meat and drinke is not made before but after the Prince hath eat and drunke Here are no prisons because Law passeth upon the offender in the very moment wherein the offence was committed The offences most severely punished are Witch-craft Theft and Adultery They pay no other tribute but certaine daies worke and presents without which no man may appeare in the Princes presence The King beareth in his Coat-Armour a little spade with an Ivory handle and two small Darts One of them not long since was converted and baptized by Gonsalva Silva a Iesuite with the greater part of his Courtiers but afterwards by the perswasion of certaine Moores in great credit about him hee caused him to bee slaine Sebastian King of Portugall offended hereat proclaimed warre against him under the leading of Francisco Berotio This Armie consisted of sixteene hundred the greatest part Gentlemen to whom the Monomotapa fearing their Armes and valour offered honourable conditions but the Captaine whom no offer or indifferency could satisfie was overcome and his Armie utterly consumed yet not by the enemy but by sicknesse and in the infectious aire of the Country Aegypt IN this description I will rather follow the opinion of Ptolomy and some others who make it a part of Africa than those who either referre some portion thereof to Asia and the residue to Africke It is a most noble and ancient Region much celebrated both in Scripture and other profane Writers for the excellency and antiquity thereof In holy Writ as witnesseth Iosephus it is called Misraim and so the Inhabitants For Misraim was the Sonne of Chus the Sonne of Cham the Sonne of Noe. The Arabians call the country Mesre but the Inhabitants Chibeth for such was his Name that first brought his Colonie into these parts It is plaine sandy and low Land without Mountaines which is the reason that it cannot be seene afar off the aire is hot and infectious and therefore either to avoid or mollifie the intolerable heat of Summer Sunne the Inhabitants are accustomed in all their Cities upon the tops of their Houses to build open Tarases to let the wind drive in thorow all their roomes Yet is not this Country as the rest of Africke infested with the Southerne winds ingendred of heat but is especially refreshed with the Northerne which here is moist and in other places drie It hath no Earth-quakes nor showres but of very able fertility and if it raine as it seldome doth it bringeth many diseases as Murres Catars Agues and such like The inundation of Nilus is mother of all fertility the want thereof an assured prediction of famine and scarcitie The Country is full of cuts and inlets from this River which long agoe Sesostris caused to bee intrenched left those Townes which were situated from the maine banke in the heart of the Kingdome should want water upon the ebbing of the River This inundation causeth such plentifull harvests that through the whole earth better increase and speedier ripenesse is not to be found The wealth hereof is rather to be admired than estimated in reviewing the spendor magnificence of their regall Antiquities their Labyrinths their Pyramides water-works all built and perfected at inestimable charges The ruines whereof are to be seene at this day whereunto the bravest Monuments of the Roman Empire are nothing comparable The revenue of this Kingdome in times past both in regard of the fertilitie of Nilus and the infinite quantity of Merchandize transported from Aethiopia Arabia and India hath beene very great Some report saith Ptolomie that Auletes received from hence twelve millions and fifty talents which according to the computation of Budaeus ariseth to seven millions and a halfe of Crownes the Romans received a farre greater masse but now by the Portugall Navigations it yeeldeth the Turke no such reckoning Howbeit
confesse the truth the great Dukes have mightily inlarged their bounds and have taken the great Duchies of Severin and Smoloneke Bulchese Prescovia Novogrod Iaroslave and Roscovia some of them from the Polaques and some from other Potentates they possessed thirtie great Townes in Lituania with Narve and Dorp in Livonia but they are all quite gone being of late yeares surprized by the Kings of Poland and Sweveland The chiefe Citie of the Kingdome is Mosco where the Patriarch resideth Roscovia and Novogrod are the Seats of Archbishops Cortisa Resania Columna Susdelia Casan Vologda Tuera Smoloncke Plescovia Staritia Sloboda Ieroslave Volodomir from whence the Kings Seat was translated to Mosco by Iohn the second Mosayco Saint Nicholas Suâ—ana Vstium and Gargapolia are Bishoprickes The Emperour abideth in the Citie of Mosco which taketh his name from the River arising fourescore and ten miles higher into the Countrey The Citie hath beene greater than now it is and was nine miles compasse the forme thereof is in a manner round invironed with three wals the one within the other and streets lying betweene whereof the inmost wall and the buildings closed within it lying safest as the heart within the body fenced and watered with the River Mosco that runneth close by it is all accounted the Emperours Castle The number of houses thorow the whole Citie being reckoned by the Emperour a little before it was fired by the Enemie was accounted to be 41500. in all But since it was sacked 1571. and burnt by the Tartars it containeth not above five miles According to Possevinus a Writer of good judgement and industrie there are housed in this Citie thirty thousand people besides Oxen and other Cattell Doctor Fletcher writeth that it is not much bigger than the Citie of London Novograde hath the name of Great and yet the same Author alloweth it not above twenty thousand Inhabitants as likewise Smoloncke and Plescovia As the Russe saith here was committed that memorable warre so much spoken of in histories of the Scythian servants that tooke armes against their Masters who in memory of their great victorie have ever since in their coine stamped the figure of a horse-man shaking a whip aloft in his hand This seemeth most incredible to me if it bee true as some write that Plescovia when King Stephen of Poland besieged it had within it fifty thousand foot-men and seven thousand Horse Truly this is a great number and though they were not all Moscovites yet this reckoning asketh a great proportion of Inhabitants For if the King thrust in fifty seven thousand fighting men it must needs be that the Inhabitants were very many moe Some will have it that in times past the Country was better replenished with people and that afterwards it became desolate for three causes the first was the Plague a new disease in Moscovie which gleaned away many thousand soules the second the Tyranny of their Emperours who have put infinite numbers to death especially of the Nobility the third the Incursions and robberies of the Tartars Precopians and the Nagayans which never cease vexing their bordering neighbours For the nature of these roguish Tartars is to make spoile of all men and to captivate their bodies selling them to the Turkes and other Nations By reason whereof many farre removed Provinces partly upon feare and partly upon policie are suffered to lie waste and unmanured And this is all the good which ambitious Princes gaine by their undiscreet invasions of their neighbours to the destruction of their people and their owne vexation No Prince made longer journeyes and greater expences than the great Duke Iohn he vanquished the Kingdomes of Casan to Volga and Astrachan on the Caspian Sea he subdued a great part of Livonia But what honour what profit or what continuance of security gained he by these victories What was the end of this warre In those expeditions perished infinite numbers of men in journeying in assaults with the Sword with sicknesse with hunger and other extremities When he had overcome them he was enforced to keepe great Garrisons yea to bring thither whole Colonies Besides when men were so farre from home either busied in getting other mens goods or in keeping what they had got their wives stayed at home like widdowes and the inward part of the Realme remained empty as a heart void of bloud wanting his necessary nutriment whilst the Inhabitants were wasted on the skirts of the Kingdome And therefore when it was invaded by King Stephen of Poland these remote forces were wanting to make resistance and through this oversight he lost againe Pozovia and other peeces of good reckoning yea and was enforced to leave the whole possession of Livonia to the Polander To proceed the soyle of the Countrey for the most part is of a sleight sandy mould yet very much different one place from another for the yeeld of such things as grow out of the earth Northwards toward the parts of Saint Nicholas and Chola and North-East toward Siberia it is barren and full of desart Woods by reason of the climate and extremity of cold So likewise along the River Volga betwixt the Countries of Casan Astrachan notwithstanding the soyle be fruitfull it is all inhabited saving that upon the West-side the Emperor hath some few Castles and Garrisons in them This happened by meanes of the Chrim Tartars that will neither plant Townes to dwell in living a wilde and vagrant life nor suffer the Russe being farre off with Colonies to people those parts From Vologda which lieth almost a thousand seven hundred versts from the Port of Saint Nicholas downe toward Mosco and to toward the South parts that border upon the Chrim containing the like space of a thousand seven hundred Verstz or thereabouts it is a very pleasant and fruitfull Countrey yeelding Pasture and Corne with Wood and Water in great store and plenty The like is betweene Rezan lying South-East from Mosco to Novogrode and Vobsco that reacheth farthest towards the North-West So betwixt Mosco and Smolensko that lieth South-West towards Lituania is a very fruitfull and pleasant soyle and also very fertill and commodious for those Inhabitants that dwell therein The Countrey differeth very much from it selfe by reason of the yeare so that a man would marvell to see the great alteration and difference betwixt Winter 〈…〉 In Winter it lieth under snow which falleâ—◠〈…〉 unually sometime a yard or two of thicknesse but deeper towards the North. The Rivers and other waters are frozen up a yard or more thicke how swift or broad soever they bee And this continueth commonly five moneths viz. from the beginning of November till towards the end of March about which time the snow beginneth to melt The sharpnesse whereof you may judge by this for that water dropped downe or cast up into the aire congealeth into Ice before it come to the ground In extremity of weather if you hold a pewter dish or a pot in your
hand or any other metall except in some chamber where their warme Stoves be your fingers will freeze fast to it and draw off the skin at parting when you passe out of a warme roome into a cold you shall sensibly feele your breath to wax thick and stifling with the cold as you draw it in and out Divers not onely that travell abroad but in the very markets and streets of their Townes are monstrously pinched yea killed withall so that you shall see many drop downe in the streets many travellers brought into the Townes sitting dead and stiffe in their sleds And yet in Summer-time you shall see such a new hue and face of a Countrey the Woods so fresh and so sweet the Pastures and Meddowes so greene and well growne and that upon the sudden with such variety of flowers and such melody of Birds especially of Nightingales that a man shall not lightly travell in a more pleasanter Countrey Which fresh and speedy growth of the Spring seemeth to proceed from the benefit of the Snow which all the Winter time being spread over the whole Countrey as a white robe keepeth it warme from the rigour of the frost and in the Spring-time when the weather waxeth warme and the Sunne dissolveth it into water it doth so throughly drench and soke the ground being of a sleight and sandy mould and then shineth so hotly upon it againe that it even forceth the Herbs and Plants to shoot forth in great plenty and variety and that in short time As the Winter season in these Regions exceedeth in cold so likewise I may say that the Summer inclineth to overmuch heat especially in the moneths of Iune Iuly and August being accounted the three chiefest moneths of burning heat in those places much warmer than the Summer in England To returne to our relation of the soyle and climate for the most part it is covered with Woods and Lakes these Woods are the branches of Hircinia spreading it selfe through all the North and perhaps more in this Province than in any other Here grow the goodliest and tallest trees of the world thorow which for their thicknesse the brightnesse of the Sun-beames can hardly pierce An unspeakable quantity of Rozin and Pitch distilleth out of these trees and here is the never-wasting Fountaine of Wax and Hony For without any industry of man the Bees themselves build their Hives in the Barks and hollownesse of trees Here is all plenty of Cattell and wilde Beasts Beares Martins Beasts called Zibellini Wolves and blacke Foxes whose skins doe beare highprices Of the timber of these trees āre squared all necessaries aswell for buildings as all other uses the Wals of the Cities are framed of beames cut foure-square fastned together filling all the chinks vacant places with earth And of these beames likewise they build platformes of such height and thicknesse that they beare the weight of great Ordnance how massie soever They are subject to fire but not easily shaken with the fury of battery For Waters Moscovie may well be called the mother of Rivers and Lakes witnesse Duyna Boristhenes Volga Duyna Onega Moscua Volisca and the famous Tanais the Lakes of Ina upon which standeth the great Novograde Voluppo and many others The abundance of these Waters doe make the ayre colder than is requisite for the increase of Cattell or growth of Plants and although cold is thought more wholsome than heat yet are their Cattell of small growth thereby and many times their fruits come not to ripening and the earth being drowned with the waters for the most part becommeth light and sandie and then either with too great drought or too much moisture it destroyeth the fruit Winter in some sort lasteth nine moneths little more or lesse in seasonable times the soyle bringeth forth plenty of graine and feeding for Cattell It also bringeth forth Apples Nuts and Filberds other kinds of fruits they scarcely know Of Fish they raise their greatest gaine as having greatest abundance of that commodity they dry them in the frost and wind as in Norway and other Northerly Nations and they lay it up for store as well in their Townes of Warre as for their private Families The Kingdome is not full of Merchants because by nature the Inhabitants are idle And that Province cannot abound with Merchants where Arts and Artificers are not favoured And againe the government is absolute mixed with a kind of tyranny enforcing slavish prostitution So that in the chiefest and best ordered Townes of Novograde and Mosco many strange and fearefull concussions have beene practised Concerning which you have whole Commentaries from whence you may take notice how he once nailed an Ambassadours Hat to his head because he abated him of that reverence appropriate to so great a Majesty How Sir Tho. Smith was entertained with a contrary satisfaction and welcome How Mosco is compared to the grand Caire for spaciousnesse of ground multitude of houses and uncomlinesse of streets so that as the one is patible of stinke corruption and infectious aire so this other is not free from beastlinesse smoke and unwholesome smels They have not the use of the Sea because it is not lawfull for a Moscovite to travell out of his Princes Dominions such and such store of wares as they have as Skinnes Rosin and Wax they barter for Cloth and divers other commodities which the Armenians bring to Astrachan by the Caspian Sea and the English to Saint Nicholas by the Bay of Graduicum This Government is more tyrannicall than of any other Prince in the World for he is absolute Lord and disposer of the bodies and goods of his subjects Therefore Mahumet the Visier was wont to say That the Moscovite and the great Turke amongst all the Princes of the earth were only Lords of their owne Dominions and in that regard thought the journey of King Stephen of Poland would prove full of danger and difficulty The Kingdome is divided into foure parts by them termed Chetferds those governed by foure Lieutenants not resident upon their charges but attending on the Emperours person wheresoever he goeth and there holding their Courts but especially at Mosco the prime seat of the Empire where from their under-Deputies they receive the complaints of the Provinces and informe the Kings Councell of the businesse and from them againe receive instructions for amendment or reformation For you must note that the great Duke doth not trust any particular Nobleman with any eminent place of honour or dignitie but placeth therein a certaine Duke of meanest ranke and no great capacitie adjoyning with him in commission a Secretary to assist him or to speake more properly to direct him for in execution the Secretary doth all And being thus united they have authority over all persons in criminall and civill causes in levying of Taxes and Subsidies in mustring of Souldiers and commanding them to all services imposed by the Emperour or his Councell And to prevent all
popular Innovations he will be sure that they shall neither bee borne within the territories of their Government neither that they possesse one foot of inheritance within their jurisdictions And being every yeare subject to change of which hee will not faile for their new avarice they stand assured first to bee extremely hated of the people and worse used of the Emperour For few of them have the favour to avoid the Pudkey or whip when their time is expired and therefore doe make full account as they cannot otherwise chuse being to bribe the Emperour the Lieutenant of the Chetfird and to provide for themselves having in allowance the best not above a hundred markes the worst but thirty per annum Fuan Vasilowie shall be an example of this severity who having before him a Diak or Secretary accused for taking a Goose ready dressed stuft full of silver by way of a bribe caused the offender to be brought into the Market place of Mosco there himselfe making an honest Oration unto the people asked his Polachies or Executioner Who could cut up a Goose And then commanded he one of them first to cut off the parties legs about the midst of the shins then his armes above his elbowes still asking the miserable offender If Goose-flesh were good meat in the end to chop off his head in similitude of a Goose ready dressed But in the foure Townes whereof three border upon the Polonian and Sweden and the other upon the Chrim Tartar viz. Smolonsko Vobsko Novograd and Cazan he is somewhat more advised and honourable For being peeces of great import in them he appointeth men of more sufficient and better ranke two in each Towne whereof one is ever of his Councell of Estate These have larger commission and without adjournment or appeale may proceed to execution in all criminall causes yet are they changed every yeare and have for their allowance some seven hundred rubbles and some foure hundred To preserve his Majesty and reputation he useth as incredible policy as hee doth unusuall severitie First it is not lawfull for any of his subjects to depart the Realme upon paine of death and therefore no man there dare goe to Sea no not speake to an Ambassadour or use the counsell of a forren Physician without licence He weareth apparell of inestimable value joyning the Ornaments of a Bishop to the Majestie of a King by wearing a Miter on his head shining with Diamonds and rich stones When he weareth it not on his head he placeth it before his Chaire of Estate and oftentimes changeth it in boast of his riches In his left hand he beareth a most rich Crosier apparelled in a long Garment not much unlike to that which the Pope weareth when he goeth to Masse his fingers are full of Gold Rings and the Image of Christ and his blessed mother the Virgin are over the Chaire wherein he sitteth The Privie Chamber and great Chamber are full of men cloathed in Cloth of Gold downe to the foot but never used unlesse upon occasion of Festivals or entertainement of Ambassadours In matter of Ceremonie for the most part they follow the Greeke Church the Priests marrie maintaine adoration of Images Fast and compel to confession which the common people suppose most necessary especially for the Nobles and Gentrle retayning a sensualitie of life and libertie of voluptuousnesse The Princes themselves are very devout at the Table as often a dish is changed or they have a desire to drinke they make many signes of the Crosse. That no man should prove a better Scholler than himselfe he suffereth no schoole but of writing reading to be kept In their Liturgies they read nothing but the Evangelists some Historie the lives of Saints a Homily of Iohn Chrysostome or some such like yea they would hold him for an Heretike that should goe about to professe himselfe better learned and assure himselfe hee shall not escape punishment Which is the reason that their Notaries nay the Secretaries themselves commonly can neither write nor answer Ambassadors of forren Princes no farther than they are taught by the great Duke When they negociate they no sooner name the great Duke but all of them rise up with great reverence the like is done at his Table when he drinketh or carveth to any man and so in a thousand like casualties they are taught even from their cradles to beleeve and talke of their great Duke as of God using these phrases in their ordinarie talking God onely and our Great Semapor knoweth this Our Great Lord knoweth all things All we enjoy health and riches all proceedeth from our Great Duke For the subjects seeing such State and Magnificence in the Prince and knowing no more than he is taught at home reverence and obey him as slaves not as subjects accounting him rather a God than a King Those Lords which he hath under him are only graced with Titles not as we have Dukes Barons c. Bestowing upon one a Hamlet upon another a Farme and these not hereditarie unlesse he confirme it and when he hath confirmed it the Farmers not withstanding pay him a portion of their fruits and owe him villaine-service which is the cause that every man dependeth on the will of the Prince and looke by how much the richer by so much the deeper is he indebted unto him â— The Native commodities are Furs Wax Honie Tallow Hides Traine-Oyle Caveare Hemp Flax Salt Tar Slud Salt-peter Brimston and Tron Besides the great quantitie of Furs spent in the Countrie the onely defence of the Country-people in the winter season there are transported some yeares by the Merchants of Turkie Persia Bougharia Georgia Armenia and the Christians to the value of foure or five hundred thousand rubbles yearely Of Wax fiftie thousand poad every poad contayning fortie pounds Their Hony is almost all spent within the Countrie in their ordinarie drinkes and other uses Of Tallow in times past they have shipped out 100000. poad yearely Of Hides 100000. Of Flax and Hemp one hundred ships and so semblably of other Merchandizes But you must understand that by reason of the idle carelesnesse of the people occasioned through the extreme tyrannie of their Emperours whereof you shall heare hereafter at this day three parts of that reckoning in every commoditie are abated For the receiving of which riches and Revenues he hath as it were three principall Treasures The Steward of his House Every Chetsird within his owne Province And the Office called the great Income The Stewards Office receiveth yearely above the expence of his house twentie three thousand rubbles The fourth Chetfirds for Soak and Pol-mony foure hundred thousand rubbles And the office of the great Income for custome and rents eight hundred thousand rubbles And all this in readie coyne For besides this revenue ordinarie he receiveth extraordinarily in furs and other commodities out of Siberia Pechora Permia and other remote places a great masse of
Husbandry and Traffickâ—◠〈◊〉 they needs must yea no more than their owne necessity as neere as they can shall enforce them to make â—eere at the yeares end For say they Why should we sow and another reape Or why should we reape and another devoure the reward of our labours This is the cause that in the Ottoman Dominions you shall see admirable â—uge Woods all things laid waste few Cities well peopled and especially the better part of the fields lying unmanured An assertion easily and probably to be proved by Constantinople it selfe No object in the world promiseth so much afarre off to the beholders and entered so deceiveth expectation the best of their private buildings being inferiour to the more contemptible of ours and is said to containe but seven hundred thousand soules halfe of them Turkes and the other halfe Iewes and Christians and those for the generall Grecians An estimate neere which as I have heard our London may affoord And no wonder for in our Countries by the abundance of people ariseth the dearenesse of victuals but in Turkie through the scarcity of Inhabitants the greatest number of the Husbandmen perish with carrying provision and other necessaries to the remote places thorow which their Armies are to travell In their Gallies likewise falleth most commonly so great a mortality that of ten thousand Rowers haled from their houses scant the fourth part returneth againe This the rather hapneth because the Turkes in Winter time as aforesaid mooring their Gallies doe not inure their Sea-men and Gally-slaves to change of aire and the discommodities of tempestuous Seas in all seasons The whole trade of Merchandize for the most part is in the hands of Iewes or Christians of Europe Epidaurians Venetians Frenchmen and Englishmen In so large a Territory as the Turke hath in Europe there is never a famous Mart-towne but Constantinople Capha and Thessalonica In Asia but Aleppo Damasco Tripoli and Adena In Africke Cair Alexandria and Algier Although the ordinary Revenues are no greater than aforesaid yet the extraordinary arise to a richer reckoning and that by confiscations and presents For the Bassaes and great Officers as Harpies sucke the very bloud of the people and after they have heaped up inestimable riches for the most part they escheat to the coffers of the Grand Seignior It is reported that Ibraim Bassa carried from Cair six millions and Mahumet Visier a farre greater masse Ochiali besides other riches had three thousand slaves The Suliana Sister to Selim the second received daily five and twenty hundred Chechini and for the ease of pilgrims and travellers journeying betweene Cair Meca she began to trench a water-course along the way an enterprize great chargeable and majesticall Yea to give you an estimate of his Revenues I have seene a particular of his daily expences amounting by the yeare to one million nine hundred threescore and eight thousand seven hundred thirty five pounds nineteene shillings eight pence sterling answered quarterly without default with the allowance of foure hundred ninety two thousand an hundred threescore and foure pounds foure shillings and eleven pence which is for every day five thousand three hundred ninety and three pounds fifteen shillings and ten pence upon which account runneth for his owne diet but one thousand and one Asper a day according to the frugall custome of his Ancestors amounting in sterling money by the yeare to two thousand one hundred ninety two pounds three shillings eight pence Amongst five and forty thousand Ianizars dispersed thorow his whole Dominions every one at six Aspers a day is expended five hundred ninety one thousand and three hundred pounds The tribute-children farre surmount that number and are allowed one with another three Aspers a day The five Bassaes besides their ordinary revenue receive one thousand Aspers a day and of ordinary revenue the chiefest receiveth for his Timar or annuitie threescore thousand Ducats the second fifty thousand Ducats the third forty thousand the fourth thirty thousand and the fifth twenty thousand In Europe he maintaines three Beglerbegs viz. in Greece one another in Hungary and a third in Sclavonie at a thousand Aspers a day the fourth in Natolia the fifth in Carmania of Asia at like allowance The Admirall receiveth two thousand one hundred and ninety pounds the Captaine of the Ianizars one thousand nine hundred and fiftie pounds besides his annuitie of twenty thousand Ducats by the yeare The Imbrabur Bassa Master of the Horse receiveth three hundred and eight and twenty pounds his annuitie is fifteene thousand Ducats The Captaine of the Spahi or Horse-men receiveth one thousand nine hundred threescore and one pounds the Capigi Bassa head Porter one thousand foure hundred and fourteene pounds The Sisingar Bassa Controller of the Houshold two hundred threescore and three pound The Chaus Bassa Captaine of the Pensioners two hundred threescore and two pounds sixteene shillings besides his annuitie of ten thousand Ducats The residue of the foresaid account is expended upon inferiour officers and attendants upon the Court Citie and Armies every man receiving according to his place and calling viz. the Masters of the Armory Masters of the Artillery Physitians Porters of the Court and Citie Archers of his Guard Servitors of his Stable Sadlers Bit-makers Captaines of Gallies Masters Boat-swaines Pursers Shipwrights and such like Where note by the way That a Sultany is equall to the Chechini of Venice and sixscore Aspers amount to a Sultanie To raise his Donatives to a high reckoning it is a custome that no Ambassadour appeare before him empty-handed no man may looke for any office or honourable preferment if money be wanting no Generall may returne from his province or journey without presents and you must thinke that so magnificent a Prince will swallow no trisles The Vaâ—vods of Valachia and Moldavia hold their estates by vertue of their bribery and yet are often changed For the Estates are given to the best Chapmen who make good their dayes of payment oppresse the people and bring the Commons to extreme povertie Notwithstanding all this we have seene the Persian warre to have drawne driâ— his Coffers and emptied his Treasures Not long sithence both at Constantinople and thorow the whole Empire the value of Gold was raised above beleefe insomuch that a Chechin of Gold went for double his value and the alay of Gold and Silver was so much abased that the Ianizars finding themselves aggrieved thereat brought great feare not onely upon the Inhabitants but also to the Grand Seignior in threatning That they would set fire on Constantinople In Aleppo threescore thousand Ducats were taken up of the Merchants in the name of the Grand Seignior But although his Revenues are not so great as the spacious apprehension of so mightie an Empire may seeme to produce yet hath he an assistance of greater value than his surest revenues and that is his Timariots or stipendaries For it is the custome of the Ottoman Princes to seize
it is well knowne but at this day it is Turkish and without any famous Cities save in a peece of Albania In it is nothing memorable but the Mount Athos or the holy Mount It is 75. miles in compasse three dayes journey long and halfe a dayes journey broad resembling the shape of a man lying with his face upward whose highest Cone alwayes covered with snow is seene thirtie miles off at Sea It is exceeding fertile in Grasse Fruit Oyle and Wine Long agoe it was dedicated in honour of Saint Basile to the Greeke Caloieri and endowed with privileges which at this day it enjoyeth by the Turkes good favour that is to say that no man neither Grecian nor Turke may inhabit in this place except he be a Priest So that their number in these dayes are about six thousand dispersed into twentie and foure Monasteries ancient and warlike so built for feare of theeves and pyrats although there be no such great cause In these Monasteries are many relickes which cause great concourse of people and they are stately built and richly adorned This hill is in as great request with the Grecians for their sanctimonious strictnesse of life as is Rome with the Latines yea the Turks themselves doe send hither many bountifull almes None of them live idly but must doe somewhat and so doe daily for the oeconomike of the house as to dresse Vines fell Timber yea to build ships and such like mechanicall labours They are poorely clad like Hermits neither weare they shirts of Linnen but Woollen and them they spin and sow themselves never giving themselves to studie and that more is many of them can neither write nor read And yet notwithstanding if any man have occasion to journey by their houses he shall if he please finde viands scot-free according to his calling Epyre now Albania was once a very famous Province as witnesseth P. Aemilius It had in it seventie Cities now destroyed and turned into ruines or Villages meanly inhabited For the most part it is woodie and barren but neere the sea fertile and adorned with very beautifull havens Achaia is a very goodly Region as may be gathered by the goodly Cities which therein once flourished viz. Delphos Thebes Athens Megara many moe now destroyed So is Peloponnesus termed by Plinie the bulwarke of Greece It yeeldeth all things that man can desire either for life or pleasure And although the ancient Cities be now defaced yet is it for quantitie the best peopled part of Greece It is now under the Turke and counted the best Sangiak-ship in Turkie as bound to bring at the commandment of the Beglerbeg of Greece one thousand horsemen under his owne pay It is worth yearely fourteene Ducats The Ilands adjoyning unto these large continents I will not discourse of for as they are diverse in worth and estimation so are they many in number and for the most part not worthy relation Dalmatia is at this day divided into Sclavonia Dalmatia and Albania Sclavonia lieth upon the West Albania upon the East and in the middle Dalmatia In all fertilitie it is as good as Italy Of a Countrie first wasted by Caesar Augustus secondly by the Gothes thirdly by the Turkes and at this day shared amongst three such Lords as are the Venetians the Turke and the Emperour it may be said to be reasonable well inhabited And so it is having many fine Cities in it as Iadera Ragusa c. Howbeit that part which is subject to the Turke lieth almost desart by reason of their continuall inrodes Bossina or Maesia superior is also a parcell of Illyria and erected into a Turkish Beglerbeg-ship having under it nine Sangiaks Servia now Rascia lieth between Bosnia and Bulgaria it was taken by the Turke 1438. and reduced into a Sangiak-ship under the Beglerbeg of Buda Bulgaria which some take for the lower Maesia is so famous a Province that the Turkish Emperour hath erected it for the cheife Seat of the Beglerbeg of Europe under whose command are twentie and one Sangiaks Valachia containeth the two Provinces of Moldavia and Transalpina Valachia is a plaine and fertile Countrey smally inhabited and destitute of fire-wood but stored with excellent Horse Cattell and Mines of Gold and Silver if the people durst dig them for feare of the Turkes It is 500. miles long and 120. broad It hath one Archbishop and two Bishops and is more populous than Moldavia They speake both one language being almost halfe Italian This Countrey and Moldavia are plagued with three bad neighbours viz. the Turkes the Tartars and the Cassoks They follow the Greeke Church and in matters of Religion obey the Patriarch of Constantinople They are the same which in ancient times were called Daci The Turks have often attempted with their mightiest powers to have made a small conquest of these Provinces but they have hitherto bin valiantly resisted and repulsed partly by the Natives and partly by the Polonians Transylvanians and the Cassoks in dislike of each others bad neighbourhood Yet is it tributarie to the Grand Seignior and payeth him yearely twentie foure thousand Chechini Moldavia being in a manner round is almost 300. English miles over every way It hath two Archbishopricks and two Bishopricks and is exceeding fertile in Corne Wine Grasse and Wood. It affordeth great plentie of Beefe and Mutton and therwith feedeth Polonia a great part of Germanie the populous citie of Constantinople A great fat Oxe in this Country is valued but at thirtie shillings a Sheepe at three shillings The tenth whereof which of duty is yearely payed to the Prince amounteth to 150000. The Clergie and Gentrie for they alwayes can make best shift for themselves contribute no parcell hereof It hath a small River passing thorow the Country and falleth into Danubius neere unto Gallatz called Pruta the water whereof as also of Danubius is unwholsome to drinke for it causeth the body to swell In 1609. certaine English Gentlemen travelling 240. miles in this Country could meet but with nine Towns and Villages in all the way and yet for above a hundred miles space together the Grasse groweth at least one yard high and rotteth every yeare upon the ground for want of Cattell and manurance On the East it hath the black Sea on the West Podalia on the North the Tartars and on the South the Danubie and the Country of Bulgaria It payeth yearely unto the Great Turke by way of Tribute 3200. Chechini besides one thousand horses sent yearely unto Constantinople for a present from both these Princes of Moldavia and Valachia It also payeth tribute to the Polander but how much I cannot shew you Therin dwell many Armenians Iewes Hungarians Saxons and Ragusians who forestall the whole traffick in those parts bartering their Corne and Wine into Russia and Polonia and their Skins Wax Hony powdered Beefe Butter and Pulse into Constantinople The Malmesey likewise which is
frequent his Dominions Without the which inticements peradventure they might be unwilling to hazard their estates from farre Nations amongst such barbarous and unsure customers For sure hee was that his Neighbours could not and the Portugals would not supply those necessities which concerned the life and essence of an intire Estate THE FIFTH BOOKE Of India commonly called Asiatica or East-India INdia is a spacious portion of Asia the most Noble part of the World and far exceeding any other apportionment comprehended under one name Tartarie only excepted As that which without other addition lifteth up her Title alone to challenge all the Territories betweene China and Persia A conteinue almost twelve hundred leagues yet divided into many Kingdomes Amongst whom he is principall that most obtaineth by force and popularitie The Region is most wholesome to inhabit by the favour of the Westerne winds but in regard of its spaciousnesse subject to diverse Temperatures As in some places to heat viz. towards the Equator In some to temperatures or rather to cold as towards the North. But generally for goodnesse of situation health and fertilitie it is farre better than any other Countrey And therefore seldome or never feeleth famine or scarcitie the misery whereof is prevented by the benefit of Rivers as in Aegypt For the two great Rivers of Indus and Ganges water it thorowly which being divided into a thousand brookes insulteth of two Summers temperature of Aire with duplicitie of increase And that wee are but Adventurers for those delicacies which shee vtlipendeth and yet not admitted to the understanding of one halfe of her worth yet hath it its Desarts scorching Sands places infested with wilde Beasts and unpeopled by reason of impenetrable woods And although the Region wanteth Wheat yet aboundeth it with divers sorts of fruits of Pulses of Barley and Rice Vines they haue none but rare and therefore brew their Beverage of Barley and Rice Fruit-trees and trees fit to make linnen cloth of they have in abundance and out of the Palme they produce Wine Vinegar and fruit to eat The particular of their Silkes Bombasies Elephant Serpents Spices Stones and divers famous Rivers being well knowne I will not stand to recite The natures and fashions of the Inhabitants briefly I will who being diversly dispersed into divers Regions and Principalities doe diversly differ in language visage habit manners and religion Both men and women imitate a noble pompe as not incountred abroad nisi mâ—gna comitante caterva using many odours in their baths and washings nor are they without oiles and perfumes jewels pearls and other ornaments befitting the businesse they intend Of whom the foure principall Nations that inhabit this tract are the Indians viz. the Natives and they for the most part are Gentiles The second are the Iewes and they are dispersed here as else-where over the whole face of the earth The third are the Mahumetans whereof some are Persians and some Scythians now called Mogors living in the upland Countries The fourth are the Moores or Arabians who within these two hundred yeares usurping upon the maritime coasts of the Country have built them places and Cities very fit for Trafficke and expulsed the Natives into the more Inland Countries And now of late besides those ancient Christians which Saint Thomas converted there reside many Portugals natives and Mâ—sticos who are daily converted by the industry of the Iesuits to the Christian beleefe who have taught them to baptize Children and to fast Wherein they are now tedious observants as all barbarous people are the best maintainers of customes and ceremonies especially where the Roman Church instructeth The Portugals intruded by armes prayers and policie Their purchases I account to be so farre from the name of a Conquest as was the possession of the English from the Crowne of France when they held nothing but â—alais in Picardie Howbeit for state and ostentation every third yeare a Vice-Roy is sent to Goa from whom and from whence all inferiour deputations have their directions and governments Here he hath his Councell his Nobles his Chancery and Iustices as is used in Portugal from whence in Civill cases the parties may appeale to Portugal but in Criminall no one person except he be a Gentleman He is very magnificent in State and never goeth abroad unlesse to Church and then attended with musike and accompanied with all the principall Gentlemen and Burgers of Goa on horsebacke with a guard of souldiers before behinde and on each side It is a place of great honour and profit For besides the presents which the bordering Princes round about Goa send them at their first entrances for contraction of peace and friendship by their Embassies they have also the management of the Kings revenues and treasure with absolute allowance from his Majestie to give spend and reward as best pleaseth him When a new Vice-Roy arriveth the time of the former being expired hee presently dispatcheth his Lieutenants with sufficient authoritie in their Masters name to receive the possession of the Government of India and to prepare the Palace Whereupon the old Vice-Roy maketh quicke and cleane riddance of all Vtensils neither leaving one stoole in the Palace nor one peny in the Treasury So that these great Officers by reason of their short time of imployment have enough to doe The first yeare to furnish their house with necessaries The second to gather treasure and to respect the causes that moved them to come into India The third and last yeare to prepare themselves and to settle their businesses in order left they be overtaken and surprised by the approach of a new successour The like is to be understood of all the Captaines in the Forts and of all other Officers thorowout these Indies The Great Mogor IT shall alwayes beene beleeved that the territory lying betweene Ganges and the 〈◊〉 Indus hath evermore beene subject to great and mighty Monarchs For to be silent in matter of more ancient memory about the yeare of our Lord 1300 there reigned in the Kingdome of Delos and Arabian Prince of the fâ—â—t of Mahumet named Sanofaradin as Iohn Barros reporteth of so great power strength that he enterprised the conquest of Asia Upon which resolution forsaking these Regions in which Indus and Ganges take heir beginnings with a mighty Army by little and little he subdued those Princes and people which did oppose against him untill he pierced to the bounds of Canora where it beginneth at the River Bate about Chaul and stretcheth betweene Bate the Gulfe of Bengala to Cape Comerine When he had wonne so large and famous a territory resolving to returne to Delos he left Abdessa his Lieutenant in Canora This man encouraged by the victories of his Master and presuming upon his owne good fortune bereaved the Gentiles of the greater part of Canora and hauing gathered a most mighty and populous Army compacted of Gentiles Mahumetaâ— and Christians after he had reigned twenty
actions and while time passeth the neighbouring Nations provide if not infest for their owne safety yea most commonly by losse of time proceedeth the losse of victories opportunity Hee that hath overcome his enemie standeth oftentimes in feare of his friend yea of such as have been fellowes and partners with him in all his fortunes so that to secure himselfe of these and such like casualties hee is constrained even in the course of victory to found the retreit and surcease his projects Againe continuall victory maketh leaders insolent souldiers mutinous refusing to passe forward at the command of their Generall as it hapned to Alexander and Lucullus Great enterprises even brought to their wished end enrich the purses of certaine private men but leave the Princes Coffers empty who neverthelesse must be at the charge to maintaine continuall companies and keepe them in continuall pay without which course the casher'd souldier is ever ready to follow any faction whensoever it shall be offered Moreover this numberlesse Army which Marhumedius led against the King of Cambaia did not onely waste the Regions where thorow it passed and encamped but likewise by devouring all things that the face of the earth yeelded bereaved it selfe of the meanes which Nature in measure had afforded to every creature to maintaine liâ—e by and so it often hapneth that those Armies which in apprehension seeme invincible for their hugenesse are most commonly overthrowne by famine the fore-runner of pestilence For proofe hereof we have seene the invadations of Attila Tamerlane and those barbarous Nations stand on foot but a little space whereas the Grecians Macedonians Carthaginians Romans Spaniards and English have done great matters with meane Armies For things that are moderate last and dure as small Rivers which what they cannot doe in one yeare in two or more they finally accomplish whereas immoderate and violent are like to torrents making more noise and fury than hurt or hinderance violently comming and violently againe carrying themselves away Therefore against such mighty impressions the surest safety is to draw the warre out at length and onely to stand upon the defensive for let such Armies rest assured that they cannot so long hold out but they will waver either for want of provision scarcity of coine infection of the aire or infirmities of their owne bodies The other thing is that prosperity blindeth the winner making him carelesse adversitie ripeneth the loser and maketh him wary and industrious so fortune changing her copie the affaires of the winner decline the good successe of the loser groweth every day better than other Besides conquests are not perfected but by processe of time old age creepeth upon the person of Princes and how fit a crasie body a vigorous spirit nummed with old age is for the consummation of a conquered estate the lives of Iulius Caesar and Charles the fifth may stand for examples Lastly to answer those who unlesse they be eye-witnesses will never be answered let them know that nothing so much hindereth the invasive ambition of this Prince as the Nature of places For Caucasus stretcheth it selfe into a thousand branches in those parts incompasseth whole Kingdomes with some parcels thereof by some it runneth by the sides to others it is more defensive than any artificiall rampire sometime it wholly shutteth up passages sometime it maketh them inaccessible These difficulties are more iujurious to the Mogor than to any other Prince because the strength and sinewes of his forces consist in horse which as they are of great consequence in Campania so amongst hils and rocks they are of small service Of this quality are the frontiers of Persia and the Kingdome of Sablestan on every side hem'd in with that part of Caucasus which the â—râ—cians call Paropamise Segestan is likewise so invironed that the River Il-mento were it not for searching out infinite windings and turnings thorow naturall vallies could hardly finde passage to pay his tribute to the famous Ganges In Cambaia it selfe when the Mogors are of such fearfull puissance live the Resbuti not dreading them one whit by reason of the strength of the Mountaines These Resbuti are the remainder of the Gentiles that betooke themselves to the mountaines betweene Cambaia and Diu when the Mahumetans first entred these Countries and since that day by strong hand they have preserved their libertie infesting often the plaine Countrie with their incursions Other Provinces there are utterly barren not onely wanting water but all necessaries else of this kinde is Dolcinda upon the skirts of Cambaia through which it is impossible to lead an Army To these discommodities you may adde the losse of time which Princes being Lords of ample and spacious dominions are constrained to make in their voyages For the better part of Summer is spent before they can arrive at their Rendevous with their horses halfe dead through travell and the Armie halfe in halfe in number and courage diminished yea Winter overtaketh them commodious for their enemies and disadvantagious for them for they must lie in the field and open aire among mire and frosts their enemies under a warme roofe and wholesome harbour Whereupon wise Princes which have beene to make long Land-journies thorow divers Provinces of divers natures for feare of such like discommodities have thought it best to provide shipping and to use the opportunity of Rivers or Sea as did Caesar Germanicus in the warre of Germanie after he perceived that in the protracting of time which was requisite for the marching of his Armie the greater part of his men and horses were idle consumed by infirmities labours and the length of journeyes But the Mogor is utterly destitute to this advantage upon one side he hath no Haven on another the Portugals are his jealous neighbours who with two Castles of great strength at Diu Damain have shut up the whole gulfe of the Cambaian sea Finally the puissance of their neighbours hath beene as great a controler to their furious invasions as any other naturall cause viz. the King of Barma who is nothing inferiour in power and riches for he is Lord of so many Kingdomes and of so fierce and warlike a people and can bring such swarmes into the field that he iâ— fearelesse of any of his Tartarian neighbours And as the Mogor ruleth farre and wide betweene Ganges and Indus so doth this King betweene Ganges and Siam As the one deviseth to offend so by little and little the other waxeth wife to defend For by nature man is more prone to provide for his owne safety than ready by wrong to oppresse others being alwayes more carefull to conserve than forward to destroy It cannot be expressed how full of subtilty shifts devices and industry man is to defend him and his for hee useth for his owne safeguard not that onely which is properly defensive but even that also which humane wisdome hath invented or Nature created any way offensive Neither ever was there any instrument invented for
reporteth that their battell seemed rather to consist of Giants than of ordinary Souldiers Neither hath any Nation ever dealt more at adventure or hath used more boldnesse and blinde fury than the Portugals whose voyages beyond the Cape of Good-Hope and the Straights of Sinca-Pura their conquests of Ormus of Goa of Malacca and the Moluccos the defence of Cochin of Diu of Chaul and of Goa are more true and commendable than in reason likely to have prospered Military valour now is usually increased by some such like means as these First by using them to the wars Secondly by treating them like free men not like slaves Thirdly by inuring them to Arts manly Fourthly by appointing military rewards and honours for the souldiery When people are inured to the warres it takes away the horrour and hideous feare of it and makes it but a kinde of trade to the followers who desire it to live by it One of our lusty ploughmen of mid England would at fifty-cuffes or cudgels soundly beclowt a Hollander but yet for that he never saw men with iron faces he durst as well take a sheet of an hedge as come within the cracke of a pistoll whereas t is usuall for the Bores of Holland some with firelocks some with Loapestaves to make out parties of foot to goe a-bootehaling and even to set upon the horse of the enemie And all this is because the Englishman is not used to it and the Hollander is For the same reason there is much difference betwixt the same people in time of warre and after a long and effeminating peace That felt Hannibals souldiers after their long and lazie quarter in Capua Before Da'lvaes comming into the Low-Countries to provoke the Hollanders there was not a more simple cullion in the world than a Dutchman and now no where a braver man and what hath effeminated our English but a long difuse of armes Finally though in a hard battell there would appeare a great deale of difference betwixt an old beaten souldier who had seene men die familiarly even the sight of bloud making men fierce and fearelesse and a man of our traine bands of London yet surely would the Londoner much sooner prove fit for a battell than the unexperienced country-man even for that little use which he hath had of his Armes in the Artillery garden and Military yard of such force is use and custome to the increase of military valour Most requisite it is that what people a Prince would make valiant he should use freely and not like slaves A Nation overlaid with taxes will never prove military In France therefore where the peasant is but the day-labourer for his Land-lord the Monsieur and never suffered to eat good bit to weare good ragge or scarce to lay up a quart-deseue at the years end the Prince does not much trust to the Enfantery which is made up of this slavish people Inforced impositions mightily abate peoples love and courages and the blessing of Iudah and Issachar will never meet That the same people should prove the Lions whelpe which is used like an Asse betweene two burthens But where the yeoman or husbandman may eat what he breeds spend what he earnes and have the benefit of the Law against the best gentleman of the Country there are they fit for an helmet And all this is in England in no Nation under heaven does the common man live so freely or dares spend so frankly no where so free minds or so able bodies Three other usages have we had in England which have kept our people in spirit and valour One was the tenure of Knights service by vertue of which when the Lord of the Mannor was called to serve the King he drew his Tenants after him who would not budge a foot but live and die with their Land-lord and Captaine for if they proved cowards to their Land-lord how should they looke his sonne in the face and how disgraced should they be at their returne into their owne Country Thus proved we victorious in France The second usage was perfected by King Henry the seventh which was to reduce the Farmes and houses of husbandry to a standard assigning such a proportion of land to each as might breed a subject to live in a convenient plenty neither with so much as should effeminate him into the ease of a gentleman nor with so little as should discourage him with beggery The third usage was the frequency of Serving-men and Retainers who before that the sinne of drunkennesse had overflowed their gals and courages were no whit for valour and service inferiour to the Yeomanrie All these being kept in freedome were maintained in courage able and willing to serve both their Prince and Country A third thing necessary to breed courage in a Nation is if other reasons of State will beare it that there be more addicted to arts manly than unto sedentary and within-doores occupations Such I mean as require the strength of the backe and brawne of the arme rather than the finenestle of the braine or finger Some have thought that the multitudes of Monkes and Friers would if need were be a great strengthening to the Papacie and fight hard for their Grandfire of Rome But most assuredly those cage-birds have no military minds at all When Rome was beleagred by the Duke of Burbon in Charles the fifth his time and taken too not a Frier came to the rescue The Kings of England have sometimes made bold with the treasure of the Monasteries but never thought their persons serviceable Had they beene martiall-minded such multitudes would never have suffered themselves to be turned out of their warme nests in King Henry the eighths time without stroke striking And surely the taking in of the Dutch and Waltons into our Cities of England was more out of charity than policie for they being all given to neat and delicate manufactures may seeme rather to bring riches than strength to the kingdome Nor have our Kings hitherto tryed any of them in their souldierie Studious delicate and sedentary arts are not fit for armes t is the whip the plough-stafte the slayle the hammer and the hatchet that breeds the lusty souldier that makes able bodies and couragious spirits Another great maintainer of courage is the invention and worthy bestowing of military honours and rewards after the service is done The Romanes had their Triumphs and Ovations their Garlands and their Donatives to inhearten their souldiers Orders of Knighthood were also invented for this purpose But what 's all this to the common Souldier who hath no reward assigned untill he be lame and that a little from the Treasurer As for releefe in an hospitall a serving-man can make better meanes to get into it than a poore souldier after twenty or thirty years service This is a discouragement But nothing so bad as the Spaniards whose practice hath beene for these many ages to reward most of his great Captaines