THE PRESENT STATE OF GENEVA With a brief DESCRIPTION Of that CITY And several changes and alterations it hath been subject to from the first foundation thereof untill this present year 1681. LONDON Printed for William Cademan at the Popes-head in the New-Exchange in the Strand 1681. TO THE REDER Courteous Reader THis Book was at first a Manuscript composed in Italian for the use of the present Great Duke of Florence by Signior Gregorio Leti the ingenious Author of the Cardinalismo and Nepotismo from whom the Translator had it at Geneva Some necessary occasions having called the Author lately into this Country the Translator communicated to him his design of turning that Treatise into English which he not only approved of as knowing the value of the thing but hath since added with his own hand some remarkable passages which conduce not a little to the accomplishment of the work and are of so fresh a date as cannot as yet have been published by any other So that Reader you have here within the narrow compass of so little a Treatise all that indeed can be said or is necessary to be known concerning that so famed City and Republick Farewel THE PESENT STATE OF GENEVA c. GENEVA Antiquity as appears by some Chronicles of the Country of Vaux is one of the ancientest Cities of Europe being commonly supposed to have been built by Lemanus Son of Hercules the great King of the Gaules who gave the name likewise to the Lake Lemane by many called the Lake of Geneva The first foundation of it was laid in the year of the World 3994. upon a little rising Hill covered with Juniper Trees called by the French Geneuriers from whence it afterwards took the name of Geneura Lemanus having granted many Priviledges to the place and erected the same into a City incorporated with great immunities and freedomes prescrib'd them a Form of Government suitable to the Customes of those times In the time of Julius Caesar this City was of great renown and by him called the Bulwork of Helvetia Julius Caesar and frontiere Town of the Allobrogi which name at present it deserves more than ever When the eruption was made upon the Swissers in the year of God 230. by the Emperor Heliogabalus Heliogabilus Geneva was almost utterly destroyed by Fire but in the time of Aurelian the Emperour Destroyed about the year of Grace 270. it was by the command of the same Emperor rebuilt Rebuilt who having bestowed many priviledges on those that came to repair it commanded it for the future to be called Aurelia but the Inhabitants could not easily banish from their minds the ancient name of Geneva which to this day it holds tho during the Life of Aurelian they called it Aurelia The Situation of this City is one of the pleasantest in Europe being on the North side washed by the Lake and on the South adorned with a spatious Neighbouring Plain reaching to the very Walls and encompassed by two large Rivers the Rone and the Arue This plain serves the Citizens for a place of diversion and Recreation There they walk to take the Air and refresh themselves in the delightful Gardens which inviron it of which there is a great number There likewise they train and exercise their Souldiers and divert themselves at Play in a long Mall Plain Palace This Plain is commonly called the Plain Palace and in a Corner thereof where the Arue falls into the Rone there is a spatious burying place for the dead Burying-Place The Confines of Geneva are on the East and South the Dutchy of Savoy on the West the Country of Gex belonging to the King of France and on the North side the Lake Lemane and beyond that Switzerland From the Steeple of St. Peters Church which is a strong high Tower might have been seen formerly six tho at present but five Principalities the Spanish Burgundy being united to France to wit Savoy France the Spanish Burgundy Switzerland Sion and Geneva a thing so singular as cannot be parallel'd in the World This City hath of a long time been walled Fortifications and indifferently well fortified but since the year 1659. the Fortifications both within and without have been augmented with Bastions half-Moons and Bulwarks at which they are still busily imployed the Engineer of the Republick an expert and skilful Artist daily assisting and over-seeing their work In the year 1662. The States and other private Persons of the United Netherlands made a Present to the Republick of above thirty thousand Crowns Hollanders which Sum was applyed to the raising of a strong and regular Bulwork on the side of the Rone whereon by Order of the Senate this Inscription was put Oppugna oppugnantes me ex munificentiâ Celsiss Ordinum Faederatorum Belgii 1663. The City seems divided Bridges because the Rone running through it maketh two Islands that sustain four Bridges two whereof which joyn to St. Gervase have houses and shops upon them but the other two that are united with the body of the City since the fire in the year 1670. have been left open without any houses to cover them Before the Reformation there were many casual fires sometimes in one Fires and sometimes in another part of the City but since the year 1534 that the Reformation began until 1670. by the grace of God and provident care of the Magistrates the City remained free from any such accident when on Monday the 17th of January about twelve of the Clock at night a dreadful fire broke out upon one of the largest and most inhabited of the four Bridges and burnt with so much force and rage that in the space of three hours tho the night was calm without a breath of Wind stirring the whole buildings to the number of threescore and ten houses were utterly consumed in the Conflagration above an hundred and thirty Families deprived of habitation and a hundred Persons Men Women and Children destroyed in the merciless flames a dreadfull argument that if the People could not escape with their Lives they cou'd not save their Goods The loss was reputed to amount to a French Million of Mony and was the greater because many substantial Merchants lived upon that Bridge Many Collections were presently made throughout the City for the relief of those poor People that were burnt out of all and the Protestants of Switzerland Germany and other places gave seasonable instances of their Charity to the distressed upon that occasion The Bridge is now rebuilt with most excellent Workmanship New-Bâ—idge but by Decree of the Senate no houses nor Shops are for the future to be built upon it tho it be much stronger now than it was before so that the City seems at present divided The Fabrick of their houses is not very considerable Their Building the People having been alwayes more addicted to convenience than magnificence so that we need say nothing
but of their publick Structures which are the Town House repaired and beautified since the Reformation the Arsenal five publick Granaries the Mint and the Towers two of which stand one on each side of the New-Bridge Ecclesiastick Buildings The Ecclesiastick Fabricks are the four Churches to wit St. Peters the Cathedral St. Gervase St. Magdalens and St. Germans besides two little Chappels where the Lectures of Theology Greek Hebrew and Philosophy are held and in the biggest of the two preaching in high Dutch There is besides a Colledge built since the Reformation containing Schools for the Youth that learn humanity and houses for the Ministers and Professors There were heretofore most magnificent Buildings both for the Regular and Secular Clergy and especially the rich Abbey of St. Victor the Abbot whereof was a Temporal Prince invested with many Jurisdictions In the great Hall of the Colledge is the Library furnished with excellent Old Books The Library Keeper is a Minister who is to take care of it and shew it to such Strangers as desire to see it Every day in the week there is preaching in two places to wit in the Preaching Churches of St. Peter and St. Gervase and thrice a week in St. Magdalens but on Sunday there are three Sermons at St. Peters and as many at St. Gervase's that is two in the forenoon and one in the afternoon besides Catechizing at Noon in each of the said Churches There is preaching twice every Sunday likewise at St. Magdalens in the Morning and Evening with Catechizing at Noon Every Sunday Morning and Wednesday in the afternoon there is a Sermon in High Dutch and every Thursday in Italian St. Peters Church was in ancient times dedicated to Apollo as is to be seen in some very old Inscriptions several Cardinals and many Prelates of great Renown were buried in this Church when the Romish Religion flourished here and since the Reformation in one of its Chappels Anâ—o 1628. was interred Emilia of Nassau and sometime after the Princess her Sister both Sisters to the Prince of Orange Emilia being Wife to Don Antonio King of Portugal who was banished by the Spaniards In another Chappel lies the Body of the Duke of Rohan buried in the year 1638 in a most magnificent Monument built by his Dutchess who was laid there also near her Husband in the year 1660. as their Son Tancred was in the Year 1661. There are two Hospitals Hospitaâ—â— the one within the City for releif of the Poor not only of the Place but likewise of all sorts of Strangers and the other without the City in the Burying-place of the Plain-Palace being a Pest-house for receiving of the infected in time of the Plague when the Catholick Religion reigned here there were seven Hospitals Master of the Hospitals The Master of the Hospital continues in place three years but he is usually confirmed by the Counsel of two hundred who have the power of Election for the next three years and this place as being very profitable is much sought after He hath for his Assistants who are the Governors of the Hospital nine Laymen with a Minister and a Syndick who is President in all Courts kept for the management of the Revenue of the Hospital Visiting of the dead When any one dies the body is instantly veiwed by a Chirurgion appointed by the Senate for that purpose and without this search it cannot be buried The Dead are buried without any ceremonious Pomp Burying being accompanied to the Grave by few or many according to the quality of the person but there is no obligation upon any to be present unless invited Burying of Strangers of Quality Persons of Quality who are strangers are interred in the Cloyster of St. Peters where Theodore Beza who departed this life in the Year 1604. lies buried Church-yard of St. Gervase In the Church yard of St. Gervase lie seventeen Citizens who dyâ—d fighting nobly in the defence of their Country the night of the Scalado to whose memory the Senate caused this following Inscription to be cut in a Wall D. O. M. S. Quorum infra nomina Scripta Corpora sita Posteri nostri dum ingressis ipsâ in pace urbem hostibus fortiter arma sua sedulo munia alia pernecessario tempore oppâ—nunt glorioso laudabilique exitu pro Repub ceciderunt ad d. XII Decemb. 1602. Many of the Inhabitants who die in that quarter of the City are usually buried in this Churchyard Marriages are here celebrated with the usual Ceremonies Marriages that is with the consent of the Parties who being agreed and having mutually past a Promise of Marriage and interchang'd a Ring if they think it fit they make a note of the Banes with the names of the Persons to be married which being signed by the cheif Syndick is given to the Minister who publishes the same from the Pulpit three Sundayes successively and afterwards no lawful impediment being objected they may marry when they please in the Parish Church of the Husband or in any other Church if they judge it more convenient The Burgesses and Citizens are not tied to give any security but the Inhabitants or Inmates as they are called if they intend to marry are obliged to pay to the Hospitals or French Box about three Pistols or to give in security for a greater Sum that is for thirty Crowns Publick dancing and musick are not allowed Dancing however for the most part they connive at it and suffer the Bridegroom and Bride to pass away their time with some Dance or Ball within doores When any impediment of Marriage is objected the matter is brought before the Consistory or Presbytery who receive the necessary informations in the case And in matters of Importance the parties must be cited and appear before the Magistrates and their cause legally tried Inhabitants Burgesses and Citizens Geneva is inhabited by three sorts of persons Inhabitants or Inmates Burgesses and Citizens The Inhabitants pay greater contributions than the other and yet they enjoy not the same priviledges Besides the Senate may send them going when they please and it is likewise permitted to them upon leave asked to be gone if they think it convenient The Burgesses are those who buy their Freedom and enjoy all sorts of priviledges but cannot be admitted to the highest Dignities and at present the price of ones Freedome is determined according to the pleasure of the Council The Sons of Burgesses born within the City are Citizens and may attain to the highest place and Dignity in the Republick A Colony of divers Nations In former times Geneva was a Colony of the Allobrogi but since the reformation it is become a mixed Colony of all the Nations of Europe especially of French Germans Italians and Spaniards who being persecuted for the truth of the Gospel repair daily thither in whole Families Hence it is that when before the reformation there were not
Justice belongs but the Sentence must be immediatly executed and therefore the Executioner appears who taking the Prisoner by the hand leads him into a low room where having put the Halter about his neck and bound him an Auditor and the City Marshal on Horseback with the Officers and Executioner on foot bring him to the place of Execution and stirr not from thence till the Malefactor be dead Place of Execution Ordinarily persons are put to death in the plain Palace without the City and in the place of Molard Geneva has at several times contracted alliances Alliances both in the times of the Bishops and since and that with several Princes and Republicks particulary with the Common-wealth of Venice with which until this day they entertain a very good corespondence in so much that they willingly suffer their Captaines to levy men amongst them In the year 1518. 1518.1526 The Genevians made a League with the Canton of Fribourg which in the year 1526. Was confirmed with closer obligations of Friendship and enlarged with new Articles The Canton of Berne with that of Fribourg being therein comprehended and all three together obliged in a perpetual and individual League with one another The reformed Religion being afterwards in the year 1535. 1535. Established in Geneva the States of Fribourg moved by their Church men sent Ambassadors to Geneva declaring that if they would not returne into the bosome of the Catholick Church they would be obliged to break the League to these propositions the Genevians would not condescend but protested they would faithfully observe the alliance The year following which was 1536. 1536. The States of Berne understanding that the Fribourgers had made a League with the Genevians sent Ambassadors to Geneva where a League for twenty five years was concluded betwixt Geneva and Berne this Legue expiring in the year 1558. On the first of January of the same year a perpetual League was concluded betwixt these two States May the 8th 1559 Henry the third 1559. King of France and Poland made Alliance with Berne Solerne and Geneva in which treaty Geneva was by that King called the key of Switzerland and he alwaies esteemed it so having recommended to the Switzers the preservation of that City Lastly on the eighteenth of October 1584. 1584. Zurich made a mutual League with Geneva in memory whereof the Senate crected a Marble Monument with this inscription which is to be seen in the Hall of the Town house on the side as you go to the Arsenal Anno à vera religione divinitus cum vetere libertate Geneva restituta Inscription quasi novo Jubileo inennte plurimis vitatis domi foris insidijs supâ—ratis tempestatibus quod Helvetiorum primariâ—… Tigurini Bernarum exemplo aequo jure in societatem perpetuam nobiscum venerint prius novo vinculo adstrinxerint S. P. Q. G. quod faelix esse velit D. O. M. tanti benesicii Monumentum consecrarunt Besides the above mentioned alliances Geneva holds friendship and correspondence upon account of the Prorestant Religion with the English Hollanders and Protestant Princes of Germany all which in time of need would do them senâ—e good Offices but the truth is the Jealousie that reignes amongst neighbouring Princes has a greater influence upon the preservation of the Liberty of Geneva than any other consideration whatsoever Protestants of France This City is looked upon as the only City of refuge for the Protestants of France seeing upon occasion of any persecution they can retreat into this place and that makes them on their part so solicitous for its safety and preservation that on all occasions they would be ready to shew the effects of their good inclinations towards it as they have already done during the War with the Duke of Savoy and it is certain that no sooner would any new War begin in Geneva but that the Protestants of the best quality in France would come to its assistance knowing very well that if they be deprived of that Sanctuary they must remaine exposed to the will of their enemies As to the forces of Geneva without doubt they are but inconsiderable Forces Arsenal they have in the first place an Arsenal provided of all sorts of Armes for arming of six thousand men at least besides a great many old Armes and Colors taken from their enemies in the time of the War There is no great store of Cannon in the Arsenal because this City being a Frontier place has the Walls both day and night well furnished with great Gunns and certainly there is no frontiere place better provided with Cannon Private Arms. The private Houses are sufficiently furnished with Armes and there is no Citizen but hath Armes for two or three men there are several that can Arme twenty five or thirty and some are so well provided that they can conveniently Arme three hundred Soldiers so that every private House may be called an Arsenal hence according to computation it is commonly reckoned that in Geneva there are Armes for forty thousand men The City is alwaies well furnished with Provisions and Ammunition of all sorts conveniently distributed into Magazines and Store houses in the several quarters of the Town Provisiâ—â—â—… so that if an accident should happen in the place the City could sustaine no great prejudice thereby the other stores being sufficiently provided to supply the loss they keep constantly Ammunition as Powder Bullets Match and the like enough for a two years Siege and a sufficient quantity of Corne for three years having Mills within the Town alwaies in readiness to grind it Military exercises The Genevians are generally well trained in the exercises and discipline of Warr and though they can brag of no famous Commanders their wars having been more defensive than offensive yet they have Soldiers of long experience in the wars and take care to exercise their youth to Warlik exercises by conferring honor and reward on those especially who at some set times in the year obtaine the advantage of shooting Kings of the several kinds of Arms. They preforme those exercises chiefly in the Spring the fittest time for recreation and to raise in their youth a generous emulation for Honor they make him who hath shot best in the Cannon Musket Bow Cross-bow or Pistol King of that kind of Armes wherein he hath excelled giving him a mark of Honor and some priviledges in reward of his dexterity But the King of the Harquebuses is in greatest esteem amongst them and besides the Priviledges which are allowed him he is after his Election attended home by the Chief of the City with show and triumph The publick reaps no small benefit from those delightful exercises for the Citizens are thereby trained in the discipline of War and by the Honor and priviledges conferred upon the Kings encouraged to noble undertakings But though brave men and good Arms be the ordinary
the price of a single Letter from Lions to Geneva paying three Solzs Twice a week the Messenger or Carrier arrives also his business is to convey to and fro between Lions and Geneva all sorts of goods and to conduct Strangers that are pleased to Travel with him a single person pays him for passage and entertainment upon the rode about a Pistol and for every pound of goods at sixteen ounces the pound tow Solzs The German Post comes in on Monday towards Evening and goes out on Tuesday at the same time The Letters pay more or less according to the distance of the place from whence they come The Post of Turin which brings all the Letters of Italy comes in on Wednesday and sets out on Thursday but all Letters that are sent by that Post must be paid for to Cambray Hackney Horses and Coaches There is no want of Hackney Horses nor of Messengers or Vittorins as they are called in Geneva the usual hire of a Horse is twenty Solz a day such as Travel with the Vittorin pay for all charges at most half a Pistol a day a peace and if the Company be greater the rates will be less you may likewise have Hackney Litters at the rate of a Pistol a day less or more according to the season of the year or circumstances of the Master Here are to be had no Hackny Coaches and there are not above seven or eight persons who keep Coaches in this Town Three Faires a year are kept here Faires to wit on the twenty ninth of June the first of August and the twenty second of February but they are but ordinary Faires the Trade running chiefly in beasts especially Horses and Cattel there is a Magistrate appointed over the first to decide the controversies that may happen each Fair lasts three dayes and on the second all the Inhabitants are obliged to wear Swords the Guards of the City and Gates being for Greater security reinforced that day They have two weekly Markets also on Wednesday and Saturday Mornings which are frequented by vast numbers of Savoyards and French from the County of Gez who supply the City with all manner of provisions and buy from thence what they need in the Countrey This is all that can be said concerning the State and Government of Geneva but before we bring this little Treatise to a conclusion It will not be amiss to take some notice of the French Kings late resolution of setling a Resident in that City Whereby as he had a probable opportunity of introducing the Mass into that place so had he a particular design by making appear that the protection of that Republick belonged to him to put a stop to the pretention of the Switzers who especially those of the Canton of Bearn endeavoured in effect under pretence of Friendship and alliance to skrew themselves into a kind of Authority there insomuch that upon the least occasion they wrote Letters to the Magistrates of Geneva in so imperious a style that they seemed rather to command than entreat But the French who of late are seldome asleep when their interest lies at stake and who pretend to sway or give laws to all Europe having the matter in the wind thought it convenient to send a Resident to Geneva to the end that by exercising there some litte Jurisdiction by which the Law of Nations is allowed to publick Ministers they might baulk the Switzers in their pretensions and confirm their King sole Protector of that City and Republick About the end therefore of the year 1679 Mounsieur Chanvigny was sent Resident to Geneva a man of a low Stature but hotter temper than well suited with his Age of threescore years This man having a Son in orders and in expectation of Preferment that he might curry favour with the Church-men and especially the Court of Rome began to exercise his charge with extreme violence insomuch that not satisfied with the allowance of a Chappel in his own House for his private devotion he wrote Letters all about inviting the Catholicks in the Neighbourhood at Geneva to come publickly to Mass at his House Nor did he stop here but sollicited all the Curats and Monks in those parts to come and say Mass in Geneva and often employed several of the Jesuits of Horne to Preach inviting all the Neighbouring Catholicks to the exercise This was so ill relished by the People that some of the rabble cast of all respect due to a Person of his Character so that two of them were committed to Prison being accused for having fired some Pistol-shot within the Court of the said Resident The noise of this reaching as far as Paris moved the most Christian King to take information of the matter of Fact who thereupon ordered the releasing of the Poisoners and recalled Chanvigny to Paris sending in his place Monsieur du Pré a person of very great experience as the offices which he hath discharged hath sufficiently made appear And the truth is this Gentleman lives in very good correspondence both with the Senate and people and tho he have Mass said in his House yet it is with such moderation as in appearance removes all â—â—â—…nsie from the minds of the People who now begin to be acquainted with the freakishness and in constancy of Fortune FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for William Cademan Bookseller at the Popes-head in the New-Exchange in the Strand Folio AN Institution of General History or the History of the World by William Howel L. L. D. in two Vol Historical Collections or an exact account of the proceeding of the four last Parliaments of Queen Elizabeth of famous Memory Pharamond Compleat English Clelia a Romance English Parthenissa Compleat English An Historical Heroick Poem on the Right Honourable Thomas Earl of Ossory Written by Elkanah Settle Quarto An Historical relation of the first discovery of the Isle of Madera The Protestant Religion is a sure foundation c. by the Right Honourable Charles Earl of Derby The Jesuits Policy to suppress Monarchy by a Person of Honour A warning Peace for the unready in two Visitation Sermons at Preston by Seth Bushel D. D. The great Efficacy and necessity of good Examples especially in the Clergy in a Visitation Sermon at Guilford by Thomas Duncomb D. D. A Sermon Preached before the King by Miles Barne Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty A Sermon Preached at the Assises at Lancaster by Henery Pigot B. D. Gods Revenge against Murther demonstrated in the Persecution of Henry Symbal and William Jones Executed for the Murthering Sir Richard Sandford Plays in Quarto The Rivalls a Comedy Catalines Conspiracy Island Princess Flora's Vagaries Town Shifts Citizen turned Gentleman Morning Ramble Macbeth Cambyses Empress of Morocco Conquest of China Herod and Mariamne Notes on Morocco Ibrahim Love and Revenge Pastor Fido. Pope Joan. Fatal Love or forc't inconstancy Careless Lovers English Princess Reformation Spanish Rogue Marcelia The Mall Rehearsal Mock Tempest Dumb Lady Gentleman Dancing Master Alcibiades Dutch Lovers Pysoes Conspiracy Siege of Memphis Rival Kings Constant Nimph. Wrangling Lover Tom Essence French Conjurer Wits Led by the Nose Counterfeit Bridgroom Tunbridge Wells Conspiracy or Change of Government Revenge or a Match in Newgate Octavo and Twelves The Spanish History or the differences that hapned in the Court of Spain between Don John of Austria and Cardinal Nitard with all the Letters and the Politick Discourses relating to those Affairs Reflections upon Ancient and modern Philosophy The English Princess or the Duchess Queen A pleasant Novel Court-songs and Poems being an exact Collection The Temple of Death with other Poems by a person of honour Hogan Moganides or the Dutch Hudibras Liquor Alcahest or the Immotal Dissolvert of Paracelsus and Helmont Philosophical Essay or the history of Putrifaction by Dr. Sherly FINIS