shoulders of these slaves In a word as a lawfull and just Prince hath a great regard and singular care to have the liking and love of his people by which being guarded and environed as with a strong rampire hee is able to withstand all attempts so contrariwise tyrants knowing themselves hatefull to their subjects imploy their whole study how to win the favour of their souldiers and slaves thereby to represse innovations at home and invasions from abroad Seeing therefore the safety and foundation of their greatnesse is built on the entertainment of their Souldiers as their Naiors their Ianizars free or bond strangers or subjects yea whatsoever they be it must needs follow that onely actions of warre may be the end and scope of their cogitations as likewise that they be very prodigall to keepe their estates very well furnished and appointed with souldiers and provisions And these reasons I take to be sufficient inducements to beleeve the reports of this King of Cambaia and these other barbarous Indian Princes For besides that I spake of before it is reported that with this army did march a thousand peeces of Ordnance among which were foure Basiliskes every one drawne with an hundred yoke of Oxen five hundred Wagons laden with Gun-powder and Bullets two hundred armed Elephants five hundred Chests full of Gold and Silver to pay souldiers wages besides many Princes and petty Lords with their Followers Merchants Victualers Artificers and their Seruants numberlesse Notwithstanding this his incredible preparation hee was twice overthrowne by Marhumedio once in the Territory of the City of Doce and another time at Mandao from whence disguising his apparell to save his life he fled to Diu. Being out of danger and feare he sent Ambassadors to Soliman with a present esteemed worth 60000. Crownes desiring his aid in these warres But afterward weighing in his minde that these affaires required speedier succours hee contracted a league with those Portugals which were neerest adjoyning to make them his friends and partners of the Warre the composition was that he should permit them to build a Castle in the Iland of Diu. Now to speake of Marhumedius his fortunes were not much unlike to those of Tamerlan for as this Prince brought terror and feare upon the inhabitants of Persia and Asia so did that no lesse innovation and trouble upon India and the Orient This defeated in battell Bajazet Emperour of Turkes that overthrew Badurius King of Cambaia and his army farre greater than his owne both of them had the sirname of Great When the Mogors understood of the riches of India and the fertility thereof they never ceased by a continuall course of victory their armes and invasions till they had made themselves Lords of the Provinces lying betweene Caucasus and the Sea Ganges and the River Indus In this tract are contained seven and forty Kingdomes For Adabar the successor of Marhumedius won Madabar with the better part of Cambaia Of what goodly consequence this Province is may bee imagined by the famous City of Madabar Campana so called for situation upon the top of a high hill rising in the midst of a spacious plaine and Cambaia a City consisting of an hundred and thirty thousand houses as likewise by the populous host of King Badurius his warlike provision for such an army and plenty of graine to sustaine such multitudes I assure you the world affords not a soile for all necessaries for the life of man as Rice Corne Pulse Sugar Oxen Sheepe Pullen of all sorts and Silke more richer or plentifull than this Province wherein also there are reported to be sixty thousand Burroughs which number certainly is very great and admirable Guicciardine writeth that in Netherland within the Territory of the seventeene Provinces are contained two hundred and eight walled Townes and an hundred and fifty Burroughs enjoying the rights and privileges of Cities and six thousand three hundred Villages having Parish Churches In Naples are a thousand eight hundred of these some are Townes some but Castles In Bohemia are seven hundred and fourescore Townes and thirty two thousand Villages In France as Iohn Bodine writeth are two thousand seven hundred Boroughs having Parish Churches besides those in Burgundie which in those times were not numbred amongst the Townes of France I write this to induce a true and absolute judgement of the power of any Province by the number of Parishes for I know that that ought to be made according to their greatnesse but yet their number maketh much to the purpose as in both which Cambaia may carry the credit and esteeme of a most spacious populous and puissant Kingdome Acabar also conquered the rich Kingdome of Bengala so that a man may truly say that in this part of the Orient there are three Emperours one in Cambaia the other in Narsinga and the third in Bengala whereof Cambaia and Bengala farre exceed all the other Provinces in fertility of soile and concourse of Merchants both riotously abounding in Sugar Cotton-wooll Cattell Elephants and Horses In Bengala also groweth long Pepper and Ginger The first is watered and cut as it were into two halfes by the River Indus the other by Ganges having two famous Mart-townes Satagan and Catagan The great Mogor doth likewise possesse the Kingdomes of Citor Mandao and Delly wherein he keepeth his Court. He hath infinite store of Horses Elephants and Camels as also all sorts of Artillery and warlike furniture by meane whereof he is growne fearefull to the whole Inhabitants of the East It is written of him that he is able to bring into the field three hundred thousand horse and that there are within his Dominions fifty thousand Elephants Some man perhaps will aske how it commeth to passe that this Prince being so mighty and his neighbours so naked unarmed and poore doth not get into his possession the Dominion of the rest of India and the Orient In this as in the former unlikelihoods the wisest man is soonest answered There are many obstacles one is that as the spirit and body of man cannot endure in continuall travell and motion for that is onely proper to God and Nature so a continued and open passage is not evermore given to the ambitious apprehensions of Kings and Princes Great Empires seldome feare forren invasions yet oftentimes faint they under their owne weight It is not destinied unto great things to stand alwayes at the highest much lesse to increase they have their floud but upon a remedilesse condition that there follow an ebbe They are lifted on high but by the irrevocable decree of Nature that a fall succeed yea and that themselves by themselves decline The greater they are the more subject to mutabilitie the larger the harder to hold and mannage they move but slowly and of what effect celerity is in warre who knoweth not The greatest conquest carrieth the greatest envie with it and greatest care to conserve what is got and yet not care but long continuance perfecteth these
are very good Weapons But in the same time and under the same Duke and Captaine they performed very little against the Spaniards though with farre over-ballanced numbers as in divers places of Sleyden manifestly appeareth Touching their actions in the Low-Countries in the Prince of Orange his time in France during the civill warres and sithence for the King if I mistake it not it hath alwayes beene praise enough for them if they have helped to keepe their enemies from doing any great matters though they have performed nothing themselves Of latter time they have rather increased than diminished this opinion in the warres ten yeares since in Hungarie besides many other times of notable disorders amongst them by false Alarmes They fled most shamefully out of the Island of Komora being charged by a few Tartars who with infinite hazzard and inconvenience swam over a part of the Danubie to come at them The Summer after Count Charles of Mansfielt their Generall had them in such jelousie as when the Turkes only with some twelve or fourteene thousand men came to victuall Gran and past almost close by their Tents and they being at least fifty thousand strong he durst not set upon them till they retired having performed the project of their journey left the Germans who were by farre the greater part of his Armie being lustily charged might give backe so indanger the whole Campe. To omit many other particularities about this point too long to dwell upon in this discourse they are no more to be commended for their discipline than for their valour for though they be commonly very well armed and keepe indifferent good order in their march yet are they for the most part no more watchfull and provident in their Campe than if they were safely intrenched in an Ale-house Quarrelsome exceedingly and in a manner given to drinking continually and almost every common souldier carrying with him his she-baggage besides his bagge and other furniture Of their unreasonable spoiling and free-booting the French Stories make sufficient relation and it hath alwayes beene hard to discerne whether those Nations that have called them to their succour have received more detriment by them or by their professed enemies For instance of their spoiling humour the Marquesse of Turloch taking in the Marquesdome of Baden and being constrained to keepe some foure or five thousand men in sundry places in garrison they all offered though he gave them very extraordinary pay to serve without any wages so they might have free libertie of pillage Therefore let it not seeme strange that I produce these generall examples of this Nation for though in divers Provinces they are much differing in complexion in stature and many other circumstances yet for warre especially for their vices in warre they are in a manner all of the same aire They have greatly affected the English Nation but of late were they not a little distasted upon pretence of injuries done them about prizes Sea matters and suppressing their privileges of the Stillyard wherein though they themselves as being Inland people and trading little by Sea are nothing interessed yet their neighbours of Hamborough Lubech and divers other Hanse-townes making all these matters farre greater and worse than indeed they are have spread even into their minds the contagion of their owne grudge The Councell of Saxony are at this time few Amongst them there are some that are of the Nobility Counsellours rather in name than effect For in that they live in their Countries they are seldome present at any consultations and meddle little in the ordinary government of the State The rest after the manner of Germany are most Civilians The whole government of the affaires as also the Court is very private Other particulars I cannot specifie neither in truth if a man consider their outward portlinesse though otherwise I doubt not but wise enough doe they merit the setting downe of any For being as all Germans are plaine and homely in their behaviour and entertainment they are both in their retinue apparell and all things else very sutable so that not onely in this Court but in the Courts of divers great Princes of Germany they goe usually apparelled in blacke Leather or Linnen died blacke the chiefest having only an addition for ornament sake of the Princes picture in gold or a chaine of one or two boughts whereby they seeme such leatherne and linnen Gentlemen as if they were in England all men would take them for honest factors unto Merchants or else some under-Clerke of an Office rather than such great and chiefe Counsellours to so great Princes and Estates But as it should be great folly for a man to judge the preciousnesse of a Iewell by the case wherein it is kept and much greater to esteeme it by the cover of the case sed even so by the same reason it were an equall indiscretion to estimate a mans worth either by their body or apparell the one being but an earthen case of the heavenly minde the other but the outward cover of that worthlesse box So on the other side it is an undeniable certainty that not only the common people and strangers but even wise men are moved and stirred up with outward shewes and their mindes according to those exterior matters prepared to receive a deepe impression either of like or dislike favour or disfavour of reverence or carelesse retchlesnesse and debased dispositions The Revenues of this Dukedome are as most men affirme very great and without comparison the greatest of any German Prince whatsoever The meanes whereby it ariseth to that greatnesse are divers first the great quantity of Silver Mines and such like whose profit notwithstanding is very uncertaine according to the goodnesse or badnesse of the veines the great impositions upon all sorts of Merchandize and the assize upon Beere which only in the Citie Liepsiege being a little Towne of two Parishes amounteth yearely to above twenty thousand pounds sterling The tenths of all sorts of increase as Corne Wine c. The Salt-houses at Hall and some other places which being all to the Duke besides the Lands of the Dukedome being very great and the Taxes and Subsidies assessed at their Parliaments or Diets with divers other casualties which fall not within my knowledge But above all the greatest is an imposition which hath long time beene laid upon the people towards the maintenance of the warres against the Turke which notwithstanding they have beene suspended for a long space lately yet under colour of being sufficiently provided and furnished against future necessities they have beene continued and the treasure converted to the Princes private use arising in all this time to that quantity that if it had beene reserved to the pretended use the warres might be continually very royally maintained I speake as much as is required on the behalfe of that Dukedome and the people freed these many yeares from the imposition which notwithstanding is not
mountaines have naturally wanted there hath Art supplied the defect either by military Fosses as in that great bank or trench upon New-market heath which served for a boundarie to the kingdome of the East-Angles and by raising up wonderfull and stupendous wals as namely in that wall of China which where the hils brake off was continued and fortified for six hundred miles together and that admirable Roman wall in the North of England even crosse the Iland from Sea to Sea for the keeping out of the Picts To conclude mountaines and wals made good by the natives preserve them in safety but being once mastered and overpassed by the Conquerour give way to a fatall and a sudden inlargement to his Empire and set a small period to the others liberty When Hannibal had once passed the Alpes within a little after he presented his Army before the gates of Rome When Tamerlane had wonne the wall of China he did what he list afterwards in the Country the Brittains losing their wall could not hinder the Picts from setting up their kingdome and surely since the Spaniard hath gotten the passage over the Alpes and made himselfe master of the Valtoline hee hath in expectation swallowed up all Germany and in a manner besieged even France it selfe Of those other fortifications of nature Marishes Wildernesses and Sandy desarts I have lesse to say T is well knowne what advantage the Irish Kernes have made of their bogges and woods Two famous Cities in Europe are built in marishes namely Venice in Italy and Dort in Holland and both of them be called maiden Cities for that hitherto they could never be ravished never conquered La Fert one of the strongest townes in France is thus situated and in our Barons warres have many sheltred themselves in the I le of Elie. He that is to beleaguer townes thus situated fights not against men but nature Marishes admit no drie lodging for the foot no approaches for the horse no sure ground for Ordnance or heavie carriages The towne feares no undermining and a marish finally is not except by long siege and famine otherwise to be conquered but as heretikes be and that 's with faggots and when that way approaches be made over it the towne is ours and Empire is inlarged Amongst Woods and Wildernesses those of Hercynia and Ardenna have of old beene famous and were sometime bounders to the unlimited Roman Empire it selfe nor have they beene conquered by force but by time As for Desarts and Sands I will mention no more but those vast Desarts of Arabia which the Turke cals his but cannot conquer An unknowne Sea and solitude of heath and Sand is said to keepe the two mighty Empires of the Chinois and great Mogor from incroaching one upon another In such sands have whole Armies and Caravans beene buried over these they travell as at Sea by observing the starres and by Card Compasse Of all the rest before named these be the surest fortresses and the most insuperable no Army that 's wisely led dares venture to march over the hot sands of Lybia Desarts afford no towns for shelter no food for men no pasture or so much as water for horses all must be brought with them and he that shall thinke to inlarge his Empire by making an invasion this way shall finde it worse than a long suit for a dribling debt the charges will amount to more than the principall To conclude this tedious discourse man looks upon the world upon Seas Rivers Mountains Marishes c. as upon things set there casually or by chance but God made them there upon most wise designe here he casts up a mountaine and that barres a conquerour here he powres out a River and in passing of that overthrowes an Army there plants he a wood and by dressing an ambush in it gives away a victory and upon changing the fortune of the field Empires take their beginnings or periods lawes and religions their alterations the pride and policies of men are defeated that his owne power and providence might onely be acknowledged For by helpe of these naturall causes sayes God silently unto Tyrants and conquerours as at first he said unto the Sea Hitherto shall thy proud waves goe and no further Of Travell LAstly sithence Plato one of the Day-starres of that knowledge which then but dawning hath since shone out in cleerer brightnesse thought nothing fitter for the bettering of our understanding than Travell aswell by having a conference with the wiser sort in all kindes of learning as by the Eye-sight of those things which otherwise a man cannot attaine unto but by Tradition A sandy foundation either in matter of Science or Conscience Let me also in this place be bold to informe you that all purpose to Travell if it be not ad voluptatem solùm sed ad utilitatem argueth an industrious and generous minde Base and vulgar spirits hover still about home Those are more Noble and Divine that imitate the Heavens and joy in motion Hee therefore that intends to Travell out of his owne Countrey must likewise resolve to Travell out of his Countrey fashion and indeed out of himselfe that is out of his former intemperate feeding disordinate drinking thriftlesse gaming fruitlesse time-spending violent exercising and irregular misgoverning whatsoever He must determine that the end of his Travell is his ripening in knowledge and the end of his knowledge is the service of his Countrey which of right challengeth the better part of us This is done by preservation of himselfe from Hazards of Travell and Observation of what he heares and sees in his Travelling The Hazards are two of the Minde and of the Body that by the infection of Errours this by the corruption of Manners For who so drinketh of the poysonous cup of the one or tasteth the sower liquor of the other 〈◊〉 the true rellish of Religion and Vertue bringeth â—ome a leaprous Soule and a tainted body retaining nothing thing but the shame of either or repentance of both whereof in my Travell I have seene some examples and by them made use to prevent both mischiefes which I will briefly shew And first of the better part Concerning the Travellers Religion I teach not what it should be being out of my Element nor inquire what it is being out of my Commission only my hopes are he be of the religion here established and my advice is he be therein well setled and that howsoever his imagination shall be carried in the voluble Sphere of divers mens discourses yet his inmost thoughts like lines in a Circle shall alwayes concenter in this immoveable point Not to alter his first Faith For I know that as all innovation is dangerous in a State so is this change in the little Common-wealth of a Man And it is to be feared that he which is of one Religion in his youth and of another in his manhood will in his age be of neither Wherefore if
hundred were superfluous and to his hurt And thus ratably according to the number he keepeth The ordinary rate of his expence is this ten gold Crownes a moneth his owne diet eight for his man at the most two Crownes a moneth his Fencing as much for Dancing and no lesse for his Reading and fifteene crownes monethly for his Riding but this exercise hee shall discontinue all the heat of the yeare The remainder of his hundred and fifty pound I allow him for Apparell Books Travelling Charges Tennis-play and other extraordinary expences Let him have foure bils of exchange with him for the whole yeare with Letters of advice to be paid him quarterly by equall portions so shall he not want his money at the day nor be driven to those shifts which I have seene divers put to by long expecting Letters out of England which either their friends forgetfulnesse or the Carriers negligence or the miscarrying of their letters by intercepting or other accident hath caused If he carry over money with him as by our Law he cannot carry much let it bee in double Pistolets or French crownes of weight by these he is sure to sustaine losse in no place and in Italy to gaine above twelve pence in the pound Concerning his bookes let them be few or none to carry from place to place or if any that they be not such as are prohibited by the Inquisition lest when his Male is searched as it is at every Cities gate in Italy they bring him to trouble whatsoever they be they will put him to charge for he payeth Tole for them at every such Towne I would only have him to carry the papers of his own observation especially a Iournall wherin from day to day he shall set downe the divers Provinces he passeth with their commodities the Townes with their manner of buildings the names and benefit of the Rivers the distance of places the condition of the soyle manners of the people and what else his eye meeteth by the way remarkable When hee commeth to the place of his residence let him furnish himselfe with the best bookes of that profession to which he addicted his study or other he shall finde not to be got here in England and at his departure send them home by his Merchants meanes I must advise as well for his Apparell as for his Bookes that upon his journey he be not overcharged with overmuch luggage even a light burthen farre carried is heavy beside somewhat is like wise to be paid for these at the entry of every City gate Let him also take heed that the apparell he weares be in fashion in the place where he resideth for it is no lesse ridiculous to weare clothes of our fashion among them than at our returne to use still their fashion among us A notorious affectation of many Travellers And lastly because it is not amisse to be acquainted as well with the divers natures of Nations soyles and people as with theorike of instructions first I counsell my Traveller not to make any long abode in any Region which he findeth not agreeable to his naturall constitution neither let him be ignorant of such comforts as may prove best preservatives for his health for although I hold it not best discretion to use the body to much physicke yet in causes of extremity to know the helpe of Nature I hold it no vanity For the Soile wherein Townes and Cities are seated if it be sandy or gravelly ground and neere unto some fresh brooks springs or river it may probably promise health both to the inhabitant and stranger but if the earth bee moorish and stand much upon springs and low towards the Sea it may prove healthfull to the inhabitant yet hurtfull to the stranger comming from a more healthfull Soile For the people let him chuse chiefly and longest to stay amongst those kinde of Nations who stand most affected to the nature of his native Country and let him bee never perswaded that his neerest neighbours are his greatest friends for you shall often finde no greater an enemy than within the wals of thine owne house I will first speake of the Spaniard Him you shall finde in nature proud yet cunning He will ordinarily use a kinde of courtesie and seeme wise touching the world and politike in plotting his will valiant where he may either purchase riches or reputation jealous of his mistresse envious of worthinesse malicious upon suspition and bloudy in execution The Italian is more courteous but no lesse cunning affable where he seems to affect but deadly dangerous where he growes jealous thrifty in his purse valiant in his kinde and onely bountifull to his masters Sharply conceived of fresh memory and for the most part excellently spoken Many of them are good Schollers some very good horsemen and for such Courts as their Dukedomes afford you shall finde many fine Gentlemen Their Ladies and chiefe women for the most part are painted but witty in speech modest in carriage and where they affect very bountifull The chiefe men as the Lords Governours and great Magistrates are commonly ambitious covetous and vitious And if you have the good hap to come into their houses you shall seeme to see the nature of a devill solacing in Paradise For you shall observe a stately house richly furnished a Lady fairely painted and gorgeously attired you shall see a Garden full of sweet flowers and dainty fruits a cage of singing birds and perhaps a consort of sweet musicke a banquet of excessive charge and amidst all those you shall see an old sheep-biter with a nose too tedious for his face his beard like the bristles of a hog with a slavering lip a bleare-eye of a swelling speech courting of a comely Lady and couching of a cold peece of comfort being no lesse youthfull in desire than aged in performance But take heed that in too much eying of his Lady he grow not jealous of your affection and suspitious of her favour to the assured shortning of your dayes by a poysonsome tricke of an Italian fico when he pretends most kindnesse For the younger sort rather follow their good exercises than conferre with their capacities and above all company avoid the haunting of brothell houses which are there most infinite in number common in use They will impaire your health impeach your purse abase your credit and increase the ruine of your content and fortunes For France you shall finde the people proud and phantasticall kind but variable jealous in being a friend and lost upon a light humour cunning in policie and bloudy in revenge The Noblesse commonly learned the Souldier more desperate than valiant much given to venery and irreligion and making no conscience of abuse for the purchase of a commodity The Governours wise the Merchant rich and the peasant a poore slave The Ladies witty but apish and in their fancies as humorous as amorous few of
Which done they flie to the mountaines and in despight of any forces continue unsubjected howsoever unpunished And therefore since I have deciphered the persons let me in a word advise thee of their properties that is to take heed of the pride of Spaine the poyson of Italy the treason of France and the drinke of Flanders Beware of company and let not rash trust in friendship produce matter of fruitlesse repentance Remember that Damon and Pithias Pilades and Orestes are all dead or else it is but a dead story Nature alters like humours and complexions every minute of an houre And should I not speake too much to the worlds shame I would advise thee to thinke that there is no one man faithfull to another in the world And therefore in this dangerous age since every man is neerest and onely neere unto himselfe and hee is held the onely wise man who hath the world at most command let no man so presume of his owne sufficiency as to neglect the benefit of counsell Take a young man for thy companion rather than for thy friend The world affordeth but one Phenix and let not any man be so conceited as to thinke to finde him in his owne imagination Serve God with devotion and then care not for the devils illusion When thou returnest from these forren men and forren places resolve then also to leave their forren manners First come home to thy selfe and then fashion thy carriage thy apparell thy studies thy conscience and thy conversation to the best patterne of the place from whence at first with good intent thou began'st thy pilgrimage So shall the remembrance of thy travell be pleasant the profit infinite and thy returne an ornament to King and Country THE SECOND BOOKE Of Europe The Commendations Bounds Religions and Languages of it IT now remaineth that I beginne to tell you how according to our best and latest Cosmographers this great Globe for parts and parcels whereof so great and universall quarrels have from the beginning beene entertained amongst Princes Peoples and Nations hath beene divided into seven parts The first three whereof viz. Europe Africa and Asia were knowne to the Ancients The fourth is America Septentrionalis containing the Provinces of Estotilant Terra de Labrador Terra de Biccaleos Nova Francia Norimbega Florida Nova Hispania and others The fifth is America Meridionalis which is a peneinsula and disjoyned from the former by a small Isthmus or necke of Land containing the Regions of Brasil Tisnada Caribana Peguana and Peruvia The sixt is termed Terra Australis wherein lieth Psitaicorum regio Terra del feugo Beach Lucach and Maletur situate betweene Iava major and Iava minor The last being under the Northerne Pole is the least of the residue all almost unknowne and divided by Mercator upon a meere fabulous report of one that was never there into foure Islands lying in a manner under the very Pole This part hath not hitherto beene discovered the neerest approach that any man of Europe ever yet made to the North Pole was by one Marmaduke who in a ship of Hull arrived in 82. degrees that is no neerer than within 8. whole degrees of the Pole mountaines of Ice keeping him from discovering further Of all these seven parts because Europe is farrelesse than any of the rest and yet exceedeth them all in Noblenesse Magnificence multitude of people in might puissance and renowne we will first beginne with the description thereof It is bounded on the North with the North Ocean Sea on the South with the Mediterranean on the East with the floud Tanais and on the West with the West Ocean It containeth more than foure and twenty Christian Kingdomes at this day as farre excelling the residue of the Provinces in Religion Arts Valour and Civilitie as in elder age it did surpasse them in Prowesse and Reputation The principall Provinces are Spaine France Belgia Germany Italy Sclavonia Greece Hungary Poland Lituania Moscovia and that toward the North called Scandia wherein are Denmarke Norwey Swethland Iutland c. The Islands are Brittaine containing the Kingdomes of England and Scotland Ireland Island and Engroneland in the North Ocean In the Mediterranean are Sicilie Candia Corsica Sardinia Majorca Minorca Nigropont Malta Corsu Salamine Mitâ—lene Sciros with many other in the Archipelago The aire hereof is passing good wholesome temperate and soile exceeding fertile Therein are many goodly Cities famous Mart-Townes and learned Vniversities The people thereof have in all ages excelled all other Regions in Courage Arts sharpnesse of Wit and all other gifts of Nature In times past it commanded Asia and Afrike by the Armes of the Greeks and Romans and at this day it is of great force by the power of the Turks and Muscovites and of no lesse reputation by the Navigations of the English Dutch Spaniards and Portugals so as it seemeth that Nature hath given unto this people a precedency to rule and governe forren Provinces as men farre surpassing all other Nations in wisdome courage industry and invention This least and best part of the greater portions of the world was so named of Europa daughter of Agenor King of Phoenicia brought into these parts by Iupiter in honour of whom the Phoenicians being the first Navigators and discoverers of these countries might as well leave her name to all their new discoveries the habits manners and languages of these parts especially at those times being all one or not much different as the Turks Aethiopians and all those of the East call us by one name of Franks and the Kingdomes of France England Spaine Germanies c. are in the histories of the warres of the Holy Land all together called the Kingdome of the Franks our Languages the Franke tongue and our Religion the Franks Religion The figure of Europe is fancied to resemble a Queene and so is she indeed of all the world her Princes having some dominion or other in all parts of the world and they none in her The Crowne and Head of this Queene is Spaine her Necke must bee that part of France under the Pyrenaean mountaines her Brest France it selfe her Armes Italy and Brittaine her Belly Germany her Navell Bohemia the rest of her Body hidden under her lower garments are Denmarke Sweden Lituania Prussia Poland Hungaria Dalmatia Grecia Moldavia Tartary and Muscovia This Queene at this day commands 28 Kingdomes all gathered up by three Emperours the German Turke and Muscovite and eight Kings France England and Spaine hereditarie Bohemia Hungaria Poland Denmarke and Sweden elective Princes States and Common-wealths in Italy and the Germanies many and potent some one of them Venice or the Low Countries by name too hard a match for the most potent Prince of Asia or Africa could they but come at him For Riches we have the most usefull and substantiall for goodly Cities Italy alone hath more than Asia Africa and America all together if other parts have any fortified townes thye here saw
and short that it cannot ripen the clusters of the vine It bringeth forth a race of excellent horse fit for journies in regard of their ambling paces but not commendable for indurance It breedeth the injurious Wolfe and the Fox as also all other creatures tame and gentle necessary for life but of lesser growth except the Grey-hound Almost all the woods are replenished with Deere and those so fat that they can frant runne for fatnesse with Bores Hares in great abundance Goats Fallow-Deere Hedg-Hogges and Moales are seldome seene but Mice infinite it aboundeth also with Falcons Merlins Eagles Cranes and in the Northerly parts with Swannes Storks are very rarely heard of thorow the whole Island but such as are there found are blacke Pies and Nightingales are altogether wanting By reason of the Sea their famous Rivers and spacious Lakes it is served with most excellent Fish and that peculiar to this Island onely For to let passe many other in Vlster the Ban being a most faire and cleare water and arising out of the Lake of Eaugh is the most plentifull River for Salmon that is to be found thorowout all Europe For plenty and varietie the like is to be reported of Sineus and Erno a Lake by Camdens report thirty miles long and fifteene broad Report saith that this was once a delicate plot of ground and well inhabited but for the bestiall abuse of the people it was suddenly swallowed in the waters And to prove this true men say that in faire seasons the Turrets and tops of houses are in the bottome to bee discerned The Island became subject to the Crowne of England about the yeare of our Lord 1175. Henry the second then reigning At what time Roderic King of Conaght intituling himselfe King of Ireland inforced the residue of those petty Roytelets to crave assistance of the King of England under whose protection they voluntarily yeelded their obeysance It hath fifty Bishopricks whereof Armach is a Primacy and Metropolitan of the whole Island Cassils is another Archbishopricke authorized by Pope Eugenius and hath under it nine suffragan Bishops Dublin is another and Toam another It is divided into foure Provinces viz. Leynster which Eastward respecteth EnglaÌ„d Mounster which lieth towards France Southward Conaght exposed to the West And Vlster situated in the Northerly part of the Island Some adde a fifth placed in the middest and terme it Meath Every one now is subdivided into Counties and each Countie into Baronies and hundreds and every Barony into Parishes consisting of Manors Townes and Villages after the manner of England â— That parcell of territorie which anciently was termed the Pale is about the quantity of Yorke-shire in England and is a Country at this day inhabited by Noblemen and Gentlemen descended of Engliâ—â— race being civill men and have continued their obediencâ— to the Crowne of England and retained their English language since the first conquest This people doe commonly marry within themselves and not with the meere Irish who could never in their sundry rebellions draw the said inhabitants to joyne with them by flattery or expell them by force The first Colonies planted therein were composed of worthy and noble Englishmen and especially seated in Dublin and other Cities and borough townes thorowout the Realme whose progeny having the mannagement of the affaires of the kingdome subdued by degrees the greatest part of the Irish and brought them under subjection to the Crowne of England And so long as they and their posterity were imployed as principall Officers in time of warre and peace being men throughly informed of all passages within the Kingdome and acquainted with the dispositions of the people the Realme was worthily governed and duly increased in civility and yeelded some profit to the crowne without charge Other English Colonies at sundry times have there beene since planted and especially by our late and moderne Soveraignes in the Provinces of Mounster and Vlster by the name of Vndertakers whereupon it groweth that the Realme is now inhabited with English and Irish descended of English race and with the meere and ancient Irishmen unto whose Nobilitie and Gentry the sir-names of Mac or O are commonly added Vpon the Conquest Henry the second established the lawes of England then being divided into kinds viz. the Common law as that the elder should inherit his fathers lands and Custome law that by the particular custome of Manors and Townes lands should be divided by the custome of Gavelkinde amongst all his sonnes or that the youngest sonne onely should inherit the same by the custome of Borough-English whereunto is to bee added a third viz. the Statute law He and his successors held the possession thereof with 〈◊〉 soveraigne royalty and kingly prerogatives by the nâ—me of Lords of Ireland untill the day of king Henry the eighth who by act of Parliament was acknowledged intituled and entred King of the said kingdome and so continueth it unto this day being governed as a distinct kingdome by a Lieutenant for Authority Traine Furniture Provision c. farre surpassing any Deputation thorowout Christendome wherein Courts of Parliament are have there beene held conâ—â—sting of the three Estates of the kingdome in the same forme as is used in England by commission from the King under the great seale of England authorizing the Viceroy or Deputie to summon a parliament there and to give the Royall assent unto such acts as are agreed upon in that Parliament wherein the King and his Councell of Estate of England are to bee informed by certificate under the great seale of Ireland by force of a Statute made in Ireland in the tenth yeare of Henry the seventh And after the kings allowance the bils to be enacted and propounded in the Parliament there So the Lord Deputy by force of the said Commission gives the Kings royall assent to such acts as are agreed upon in the said Parliament there So as I said before Ireland is not onely governed by the Common lawes of England by certaine ancient customes of that realme and this and by divers statutes here and there also upon occasion enacted but also the like Courts and formes of Iustice are there according to the said lawes used and administred And also the Iudiciall records are made in Latine and the Iudges and Lawyers doe plead in English as is accustomed in England For the studying of which Lawes the Irish Gentlemen doe send their sonnes to the Innes of Court in England being alwayes such as are descended of English race and not of meere Irish who are allowed to practise in England after they are called to the Barre as Englishmen are also allowed to practise in Ireland Neither the Nobility nor Commons of Ireland have any suffrage in the election of the Viceroy or blazing of Soveraigne Magistrates but all is done by the King and such as are especially authorized And the inhabitants of Cities and Borough-townes in Ireland by their charters which they have from the
Kings of England doe elect their Magistrates and Officers as the Cities and townes of England doe In England the ancientest Earles of Ireland do give precedency to the Earleâ— of England for that they have no voice in the Parliament of England neither hath the Nobility of England any voyce or prerogative in the Parliaments of Ireland so Irishmen borne are denizens by birth in England and may beare Office and inherit lands in England as experience teacheth without charters of denization as Englishmen are and doe in Ireland And so Irishmen pay onely such customes and duties in England as Englishmen doe and ought The Wards of the Nobilitie are disposed of by the King and of inferiour persons by the Viceroy and certaine of the Councell there according to their Commission Even so titles of honours lands and offices are usually granted by the Kings of England under the great seale of England or Ireland according to pleasure The incivility wherewith this so goodly a kingdome hath beene much branded hath chiefly arisen from want of education and learning And secondly for that the Country aboundeth with idle men having no trade whereupon to live which onely abuse hath incouraged rebellion the Ring-leaders not doubting to bee followed by these swarmes of dissolute persons ready to take armes upon any occasion for desire of spoile But verily sithence that now of late the King of Peace and Pietic hath wiped away all distrust of former neglects by his continuall industry to plant Religion and Arts to re-people the wasted Provinces and to extirpate the innated idlenesse of the worst bred Irish there is no question under God to be made but that this beautifull Island being so neere a neighbour so fruitfull in soile so rich in pasture more than credible beset with so many woods inriched with so many Minerals watred with so many Rivers invironed with so many Havens lying fit and commodious for Navigation into most wealthy Countries will in time prove profitable to the Church advantagâ—ous to the Prince pleasing to the Inhabitants and comparable to any the best and civillest kingdomes of the Christian Common-weale Great Brittaine THe whole Island of Brittaine once divided now re-united under the name of the kingdome of Great Brittaine is an Island situated in the maine Ocean over against France and divided into foure great Provinces The first whereof the Englishmen doe inhabit the second the Scots the third the Welshmen and the last the Cornishmen Every one of those doe differ from other either in language in manners or in customes England so termed of the Englishmen the Inhabitants thereof is by much the greater and goodlier portion and divided into nine and twenty Provinces which they terme Shires Of the which ten doe make the prime part of the Kingdome and inclining towards the South have their existence betweene the Thames and the Sea Next as farre as the Trent which runneth thorow the middest of England are sixteene other Shires proportioned whereof the first six lie towards the East and the other ten lie more to the Inland other six border upon Wales and are bounded towards the West About the heart of the Kingdome lie Darbishire Yorkeshire Lancashire and Cumberland And upon the left hand inclining towards the West Westmerland Vpon the contrary side lie Durham and Northumberland Provinces opposed to the North and sometime appertaining to the Crowne of Scotland These Shires are two wayes divided first into six circuits parted among the Iudges who twice a yeare goe over them for the holding of Assises Secondly into two Archbishopricks Canterbury who hath two and twenty Bishoprickes under his Province and Yorke who hath three in his These are by the Grecians termed Dioceses and take their denominations from the Cities wherein the Bishops have their Seas the chiefe whereof is London and was once the seat of an Archbishop now translated unto Canterbury This prime part upon the East and the South is bounded with the Ocean upon the West with Wales and Cornwall upon the North with Tweed the bounder also of England and Scotland At this River of Tweed endeth the length thereof which being accounted to beginne at the Shore which lieth most Southerly is from thence reckoned to containe about three hundred and twenty miles On this side the Humber it is accounted the fertilest for corne beyond mountainous but excellent for herbage For albeit to one that beholdeth it afarre off it seemeth all champiâ—n notwithstanding it hath many hils and those for the most part destitute of wood as also most pleasant vallies wherein especially the Gentlemen have their mansions who according to their old customes dwell not in Townes but approach the Vallies and Rivers and inhabit the Villages as I thinke the better to avoid the furie of tempestuous winds whereunto the Island is sometime subject Wherby it commeth to passe that the Yeomen conversing with the Gentry doe in every place savour of some good fashion and the Vpland Cities are the lesse famoused The land generally is exceeding fertile and plentifull in beasts whereby it commeth to passe that the English people are more addicted unto Grazing than unto Tillage so that almost the third part of the soile is reserved rather for Cattell Deere Conies and Goats a for of this sort also there is great store in Wales And in every Shire you shall see Parkes impaled and Forrests replenished with these beasts in the hunting whereof the Nobility and Gentry doe much delight there being more Parks in England than in all Europe besides For provision of the Inhabitants neither is it lesse stored with corne wilde fowle and fish so that for plenty goodnesse and sweetnesse it needeth neither the helpe of France no nor of any neighbour-bordering Country Among other things the flesh especially of their Swine Oxen and Veales have the best rellish of any part of Christendome and of Fish their Pike and Oysters It bringeth not forth Mules nor Asses but of Horse for pace the best in the world and of those infinite proportions for service running and coursing The wealth hereof consisteth in the never-decaying Mines of Tinue and Lead of Copper Iron and Coales On the Downes groweth a small and tender kinde of grasse neither dunged nor watred with spring or river but in Winter nourished with the moisture of the aire and in Summer with the dew of Heaven which is so gratefull and pleasing to the Sheepe that it causeth them to beare fleeces of singular goodnesse and exceeding finenesse The Island breedeth no Wolves nor any other ravening beast and therefore these their flockes wander night and day by Hils Dales and Fields as well inclosed as common without feare or danger Most delicate Cloths are woven of this Wooll which from thence are transported in great abundance into Germany Poland Denmarke Sweveland Italy Turkie and the Indies where they are in high request There grow all sorts of pulse great store of Saffron yea infinite quantities of
Beere are transported from thence into Belgia as also Pelts Hides Tallow and Sea-coale The Island is so commodiously seated for the Sea that it is never without resort of Portugall Spanish French Flemmish and Easterling Merchants The traffike betweene the English and the Flemmish ariseth to an inestimable value for Guicciardin writeth that before the tumults of the Low-countries they bartered for twelve millions of crownes yearely The aire is somewhat thicke and therefore more subject to the gathering of clouds raine and winds but withall lesse distempered with heat or cold for the same reasons of crassitude The nights are lightsome and in the Northermost parts of the Land they are so short that the falling and rising of the Sunne is discernde but by a small intermission for that the Island is situated almost full North and the Sunne in the Summer time moving slowly and staying long in the Northerne Climates doth almost compasse it round above In the Winter it is as farre removed when approaching neerer the South it runneth towards the East I my selfe have observed that in the City of London being seated in the Southerly part of the Island about the Summer Solstice the night hath not beene above five houres long At all seasons of the yeare the Country is most temperate being subject to no extraordinary evill influence of the Heavens so that diseases are not there very common and therefore lesse use of Physicke than in other places yea many times some people there are who attaine unto one hundred and ten yeares of age yea some to one hundred and twenty Earth-quakes are here seldome heard of and lightnings almost to speake of as seldome The soyle is very fruitfull and plentifull and of all necessaries it yeeldeth abundance except of those things which are peculiar to hotter or colder Regions Vines are fostered rather for the pleasure of their shadowes than for the increase of their profits yet prosper they in all places and bring forth Grapes which notwithstanding hardly wax ripe unlesse an unusuall hot Summer or an artificiall reflexion doe helpe them Wheat Rye Barley and Oats are sowed in their seasons other graines they commonly use not and of Pulse onely Beanes and Pease The fruits suddenly knot but ripen slowly the cause of either is the overmuch moisture both of the soile and the aire Wine as aforesaid the Land affordeth not in stead whereof beere is in request without controversie by use a pleasant and wholsome Beverage Wines are transported from France Spaine and Canaie The Woods are full of fruit trees and most plentifull of Mast. The Rivers faire and runne through many Provinces The Downes are many yet neither cumbred with wood nor overlayed with water which by reason therof bringeth forth a tender and short grasse gratefull and sufficient for the pasturage of infinite flockes of sheepe And whether it be by the influence of the Heavens or the goodnesse of the land they yeeld the finest and softest freeces thorow the whole world And first I must put you in minde of a Miracle how this beast besides the dew of Heaven ordinarily tasteth of no other water so that the shepherds of purpose doe drive them from all watry places upon true observation That to let them drinke is to let them bane Without doubt this is the true golden Fleece wherein the maine wealth of the whole Island consisteth And for to buy this commoditie immensive treasure is yearely reconveyed into the Land by Merchants from whence it is never conveyed because it is provided by the Lawes of the Kingdome That no person transport Gold or Silver Plate Iewels c. Whereby it commeth to passe that no Countrey under the Cope of Heaven is richer than England For besides those masses of Coyne which passe this way and that way through the hands of Tradesmen Merchants and Gentlemen there is almost no person of meane condition but for the use of his daily table he hath either a Salt Cups or Spoones of Silver and according to his estate more or lesse for divers services It is no lesse stored with all kinde of Beasts except Asses Mules Camels and Elephants It bringeth forth no materiall venomous Creature or Beast of prey save the Fox worthy talking of for the race of the Wolves is quite extinguished and therefore all sorts of cattell stray as they list and are in safetie without any great care-taking for an Heards-man so that you shall see Heards of Rother Beasts and Horses and Flocks of Sheepe in all places wandring by day and by night upon Hils and in Vallies in Commons and inclosed Grounds by ancient Customes laid open after Harvest wherein every Neighbour claimeth communitie to feed his Cattell For in truth the Oxe and the Weather are Creatures especially ordained for the Table than whose flesh there is not in any place a more savourie or delicious service Of the two the Steere is the best especially if it be seasonably powdered of which there is no marvell for that this choice is altogether exempted from labour and fed up for food and withall the diet of the English Nation consisting most upon flesh The people are tall of stature faire of complexion for the greater part gray-eyed and as in pronunciation they approach the Italian so in constitution of body and fashion they doe well-neere imitate them They are civilly qualified and take counsell by leasure knowing that profitable proceedings have none a more dangerous adversary â—han rashnesse Of their owne dispositions they are courteous and in all good offices forwards especially the Gentry even towards strangers Their acquaintance they invite to their houses and there entertaine them kindly and feast them both at noone and at night merrily neatly heartily and bountifully and this they terme courtesie or neighbourhood In battell they are fearlesse excellent Archers and in service unindurable of temporizing and therefore the sword being once drawne they forth with set at all upon the hazzard of a battell knowing that all good successe attendeth the fortune of the Victor Fortresses they build none but rather suffer those which heretofore have beene built and are now by age growne ruinous utterly to perish but being once in forren parts they retaine all military discipline to the utmost For Booke-men their maintenance is bountifull their proficiencie commendable and their number numberlesse Their attire differeth not much from the French their women are amiable and beautifull and attired in most comely fashion Their Cities are honourable their Townes famous Hamlets frequent and Villages every where magnificent So that if any courteous Traveller would desire of mee to behold an Idea of happinesse in abstracto fitting for the generall necessitie of life and upright conversation viz. the use of diet clothing sociable feastings solemne festivals and banquets with approbation of magnificence Or demand to see the place where Law indifferent to all sorts permitteth the private man to thrive to purchase estates to devise chattels and inheritances
to his children and kinsfolkes to reward servants or to countenance followers with libertie of civill conversation of comely burials and mourning for the dead of rejoycings at mariages of honest and friendly visitations and harmlesse recreation where every man eateth under his owne Vine and doth what seemeth good in his owne eyes so it tend not to scandall Then let mee be bold to shew him the noble Kingdome of England which to approve I intend by way of comparison wherein most of our Gentrie are well acquainted to make good what I thinke without offence may be truly avouched And first wee will begin with those Countries of which wee have only knowledge by way of traffike and so travell into Russia and Aethiopia But there alas to say nothing of the government the sole load-starre of goodnesse and happinesse the two extremities of heat and cold debarre both Plentie and Abundance from unloading their laps amongst the Inhabitants comparable to our happinesse and satisfaction As for their government and uniformitie of a Common-wealth the name of Emperours only excepted there is nothing worthy observation more than the tyrannous controlling of Lawes and the immediate prostitution of all sorts to the imperious will of the prevailer nor in truth have they temple palace wisdome peace or tranquillitie such as Royaltie or good government intendeth but both Empires especially Russia have suffered many convulsions from ambitious Vsurpers and unworthy Princes who have traiterously supplanted one another and by indirect courses brought the subject into the house of slaughter which undoubtedly is the maine reason why they cannot come neere magnificence provision in house-keeping navie multitude of Princes Nobles or subjects with the equality of obedience to advance a true Scepter or to manifest the glory of a king by the flourishing condition of all estates In a word their Cities and Townes are subject to such bestiality and confusion that they seeme rather routed troopes of deformity than men orderly disposed to the mannagement of affaires either of commerce or of Noble trade And so in all other particulars there is a meere disparity betweene them and our proposition Shall we come neerer home and with prying eyes like the Censors of Rome looke into the Empire of Germany there the Princes are so absolute and the Emperour so timorous to raigne as Asueroth did from India to Aethiopia over 127. Provinces that neither the Queene of Saba will come to heare his wisdome nor to view the order of his Palace neither will the King of Arabia send him presents nor the Confederates admire his magnificence The Merchant will not bring him horse and fine linnen from remote places nor supply his wants according to the prerogative of Kings Nor are the Cities ordered by the appointment of his Ministers nor can he send his chariots to this place nor his horse-men to that nor his Army whither he lists nor fill the streets of Ierusalem when he would solemnize a Passeover for the people live divided and the Burger boasteth of his policie in manumitting themselves and giving their Townes the usurpation of chiefe commandery as for the having of many commodities tending either to necessity or pleasure alas the commutation consisteth in the inriching one another wherin all the corruptions of avaâ—ice are put in practice finally God wot to the augmentation of the Empires Majesty So that their Marts and Faires are as so many boothes of drunkards where with in stead of Ships at Sea they fill the fields with wagons full of strange creatures who make their bellies as great devourers as the Sea Nor can he goe with the wise King to view his navie at the red Sea shores not in person visit the Cities which want fortification or repairing nor in truth doe any thing to come neere the six steps of gold on Solomons throne but eat and carouse yet farre from the meane of mirth Shall we venture over the Alpes and the gulfe of Venice into Italy and there search the Apennine Hils the fields of Campania the garden of the World Lombardy the territories of Rome or attractive Naples for an instance of this our Greatnesse and Happinesse No surely For throughout this goodly territory in one corner ruleth the Spaniard at another end the Savoyen then is intermingled a confused government of pettie Princes Next lieth the Venetian state who meerely out of parsimonie like their adjoyning neighbours the Florentines have obtained the reputation of wealth and greatnesse As for the Duke he is but a voice unsignificant for the Senate carrieth the sword And lastly the Church with the mercenary contraries of blessing and cursing keepeth Saint Peters patrimony as safe as if the indubitate heire of some noble family should maintaine the privileges of his deceased Ancestors But should I knit all these models together and set up the wals of Rome incompassed with her seven hils in such an order that the fabricke might boast of twenty miles circuit and the government lift up a head of Daniels vision againe Or that in a yeare of Iubile I could settle you under the wings of an Angell on the top of the Popes Palace as the Devill carried our Saviour to the pinacle of the Temple And there shew you the consistory of Cardinals triumphs of a Popes Inauguration his stately carriage adorned with his triple crowne on mens shoulders with all the appurtenant shewes and ceremonies yet would all come short to our example For the very provision of our Kings Palace would exhaust the Country consume the commodities and like barren ground drinking up the raine devoure the plenty of the Land and pull in peeces their best compacted husbandry As for their drinking in vessels of gold well may it serve to divulge the glory of some ambitious triumph but nothing verifie the bounty of an overflowing cup considering the wines are not onely small but the vintage so barren and penurious that to conceale the scarcity thereof by parsimonious custome of the Country women and children are forbidden to drinke thereof As for the Villano he is glad of water to quench his thirst fetcht from muddy channels falling from the mountaines of snow and cleansed with much adoe by the swift course of Eridanus Many other defects doe bespot the face of this goodly creature and debarre it from the boast of our essentiall happinesse For though the Inne-keepers daughter goe in a satten gowne and that the bravery of Italy be discovered in the attire of the people as if every burre had golden kernels and every corner were full of silkwormes yet is there neither method of government nor can the inhabitans rejoyce under unity or any privileges of a strong compacted Administration tending to the assurance of love true alliance or obedience so that in a manner all the defects deforming the beauty of Kingdomes more than some private blessings and those scattered as it were by the hands of divine goodnesse may be here lookt upon with
undertakings or our Merchants adventures over the face of the universe of French or Spanish Victories releevement of neighbours or expatiating of honourable reputation amongst the Mâ—sâ—ovites in the North or the Mogores in the East but unpartially bid you looke upon the face of the kingdome as now it stands If the glory of a King consist in the multitude of subjects how honourable is the State of England at this day which most harmoniously and absolutely commandeth over the English Scotch Irish Welch the French of Gernsey and Iersey If you desire to behold Palaces goodly buildings where are so many so good belonging to any kingdome in the world If a Court I verily beleeve for State good order expences entertainment and continuall attendancie other places will be found to come farre short If shipping a Royall Navie I hope you may depart with satisfaction especially if you were instructed in the secrets of their service and strength But let late triall performed in the face of the world make due report of those vertues If you will mâ—â—ter us at land who can shew such companies of foot such sufficient troops of serviceable horse and so many worthy â—â—â—â—tors and so well appointed what subject living in a civill Common-wealth can shew me as I can doe many in England a Gentleman of his owne tenants able to bring such faire companies of men into the field If martiall spectables be distastefull then looke upon the Nobility and grave Counsellors but withall prepare a reverent respect and settle your esteeme so resolutely towards them for their orderly life their sweetnesse of manners integritie in deciding of controversies and affability in admitting of Sutors that although you come from the Grands of Spaine the Princes of France and the ostentous pompe of Cardinals yet be not too prejudicate nor transported with selfe-conceited wilfulnesse and you shall see as great bravery retinue and observation amongst us as any subject in the world dare challenge After them looke upon inferiours you shall see them generally so many and so well attended and appointed that I protest them farre exceeding other places both for gracefull shew and sufficiency of execution Will you be ravished indeed and transported with the love of the world Come and behold the beauty of our Ladies and their disposing at a night of solemnity to which if you adde the generall contentment which our English women afford without sophisticate and adulterate favours there is no man can hold his peace but proclaime our preheminence If you would see justice proud of her entertainment and how she presents both praemium and poenam to the severall attendants at the barre looke into our Courts and view the same in most perspicuous eminence without so much as the least cloudy respect of persons If you will enter our Gentlemens houses I hope there are no such cupboords of plate beds of velvet or imbroidery hangings of tapestrie variety of roomes duty of servants order of house-keeping store of pastime and all in grosse that man can desire in any Country in the World If you will search our Cities and Townes what they want in outward deceit of formality it is supplied in sweetnesse and delicacie within doores surpassing the best of them in wealth and furniture As for expences I am sure some Citizens of London are at more annuall charge of diet than the Dukes of Venice Florence or Genoa If you will examine our Merchants however some great Fowker or Agent for a whole Kingdome for Genoa Antwerp Brussels or other Cities may surpasse us for usury and supposition of wealth there died not two such in one yeare and out of one Towne in the world as Sir Iohn Spencer and Master Sutton Generally all the rest surpasse for curious fare statelinesse education and orderly contributions Besides they live at home in case purchase Land with security bring up their children daintily and decently maintaine their families in obedience and cannot be matched by any forren opposition Finally if you would bee acquainted with the tradesman artizan and other of manual occupations looke how he lives looke how he fares looke where he dwels looke what he weares looke where he goes to buy his meat to such markets and shambles that the very sight astonisheth all strangers being once made acquainted with their rarity and goodnesse But indeed if you would have cause of wonder then looke upon the husbandman and compare him to men of like ranke in other places and I beleeve upon mature consideration our adversaries will repine at their felicities and our friends embrace our noble freedomes with desire of limitation In Turkie with the rest hee is a poore and unfortunate slave and whether Muscelman or Christian he dare not manure his ground to the best profit and therefore liveth poorely and sluttishly In Hungary and those parts they resemble carrion for living under the Turke nothing is his owne and in the Christian government all is taken from him either to furnish the warres or to maintaine the souldier In Italy they are a little better as long as they be able to pay their rents and husband their grounds Yet doe they seldome live of their owne or lead a life beseeming the freedome of conversation Besides in many places they are so terrified with the wretched troopes of the Bariditie who make prey of their labours that they know the robbers yet dare they neither detect them nor deny to entertaine them After the fashion of Italy they will be a little gawdie especially the women in apparell and are very industrious as having in one selfe-same field if the soile will yeeld it though it consist but of an acre both Corne Vines and Fruit-trees Honey Roots Sallets Bees and Silk-wormes He is now called a Villano and serveth to no other use than to inrich his Lord feeding himselfe upon Garlike and Onions and is acquainted with no good thing but superstition a few gawdy cloaths and the incontinent life of Curtizans In Spaine it is farre worse the Contadini are numbred amongst the reproaches of their government and esteemed almost as the Asses that bring their Cabages Melons and such like trash to the markets For he dare not attempt to cheapen any thing appropriate to the use of the Gentleman As flesh fish wheat or excellent fruits Nor must he if he have of his owne but furnish the market with the best feeding himselfe on the worst and vilest stuffe Besides the errour of Italy if the mother have a comely daughter or worse she is contented for money to yeeld to prostitution c. In France the peasant is not onely beastly within doores but churlish savoring nothing but his labour with base and servile behaviour with poore and miserable expences with obscene and filthy lodging with jealous and malicious entertainment with illiberall and ill-becomming freedome of speech against both Court and
Common-wealth In Germanie the Boore is somewhat better for he eateth flesh sometimes though vilely dressed will be drunke and merry must be alwayes imployed and alwayes an hungred or desirous of drinke And can apparell himselfe handsomely to goe to Church on Sundayes or Holy-dayes But they are dangerous in their tumults and rages and not to be trusted upon reconciliation after a wrong In Ireland he is termed a churle in England a Clowne but looke on him truly as he liveth indeed and you shall finde him a carefull maintainer of his family in continued descents and in times past he would not have altered his addition of rich Yeoman for the vain-glorious title of poore Gentleman You shall see them dwell in neat houses Manors Lordships and Parks to the annuall value of a thousand pounds sometimes their sonnes knighted their daughters well bestowed their other children so dispersed that Lawyers Citizens Merchants are raised throughout the kingdome from the sonnes and kindred of these countrimen Yea you shall see them invited to the Court by service or promotion and knowing that the breath of Kings advanceth or dejecteth can attend the good hoâ—re and such graces as a Princes favour may distribute to a well-deserving subject Thus liveth our Countriman and is able though but a Farmer to lodge you sweetly and handsomely to set a peece of plate on the Cupboord five or six dishes of good fare on the Table with fresh and fine linnen and a cheerefull welcome He is so nurtured besides that he can tell his Lawyer a formall tale and complaine to the Iustice if a farre better man wrong him And finally in a carowse of good liquor of his owne brewing can chaunt it with the Poet Anglia Liberagens cus Liberamens c. Concerning traffike and imployment at Sea what kingdome hath more commodities within it selfe wanteth lesse or is better furnished from forraine parts So that whether for gaine sake they make sale of the best things or that there is a secret in importation or that our Merchants are curious in selecting the choicest I know not but am sure that our England is the very shop of the World and Magazine of Natures dainties If it be a blessing for every man to eat under his owne roofe to sit with the pleasure of conversation in his Orchard or Garden to enjoy the fruits of the earth with plentie to live in neighbourly gratuities having in a manner our doores open all night to have many children servants and store of cattell to purchase great estates marry our daughters beyond expectation and strengthen one another in worthy families and sutable kindred Then looke upon England and tell mee where is the like If it be a blessing not to be suppressed with superiours not to have the Common-wealth rent in peeces by tyrannie not to see others enjoy the fruits of our labours not to be tormented with intrusion usurpation or malicious lookes of covetous Landlords Looke amongst us and demand Who can complaine Or at least who is so wronged but he may have satisfaction or redresse If it be a blessing to enjoy the preaching of the Gospell to be freed from corrupt and absurd ceremonies to rejoyce in the libertie of an upright conscience to continue in a true perfect and established Religion to abound with reverend learned men to have liberall exercise and dispute of our faith to be resolved of our doubts with moderate perswasion and disswasion and to have all controversies tried upon the touchstone of Gods truth Come and heare us and tell mee wherein you are not satisfied If it be a blessing to have sociable conversation and yet with convenable respect to continue the freedome of neighbourly meetings exempted from the intolerable yoke of jelousie to love one another with those comfortable conditions of charitie to feast without scandall to entertaine without repining and to be merry without incontinencie examine the conditions of us all generally and setting mens imperfections aside which follow life as the shadow doth the Sunne and tell mee where is offence If it be a blessing to make the best use of Natures blessings to be rather helpfull than stand in need of others to take and leave warre with all Kingdomes of the World to have confining Princes congratulate us by Embassage and to welcome all commers with a noble and correspondent invitation take up our example put us to the triall and see whether I speake vaine-gloriously To conclude with the best of all blessings if it be a blessing to live under a Royall Monarch to rejoyce in the kindred alliance and strong confederacie of Kings to have adjoyning Countries studie our observation and to see our Country and people flourish in all good things Looke upon us pencell out our defects if you can and let not emulation which attendeth on vertuous desires be turned into envie or so corrupted with malice that you will not yet confesse our blessed prerogatives But you will say for all this we neither fetch gold from Ophâ—r nor are our Cities of sufficiencie to march in the first ranke of magnificence To the first I answer directly wee may if we list either fetch treasure where it is or bee the cause that it shall be brought us even to our owne doores in peace For I am sure wee have not onely Ships and Men but such hands and spirits as with Davids Worthies can pull the speare out of the hands of the Philistines and sweetnesse from the strongâ— and who shâ—ll hinder us I hope neither Spaine if there were occasions not the Gallies of Messina or Malta nor the Confederate Princes of Italy nor the Navie of Turkie nor the fortifications of China nor any one worldly Prince unlesse our sinnes and profanation cause the Angell of the Lord to keepe us backe or strike us with terrour But happy be the conditions of true worthinesse true valour even for conscience and honours sake will doe no wrong As for our buildings and Cities I answer Ars non habet miâ—â—cum â—sâ—â—gnorantem and men are too prejudicate that either say or thinke so For of my owne knowledge there are not so many beautifull Churches and stately houses within the circular dimension of so much ground in the world so that if our Gentlemen admitting the custome of living in Cities as they doe in most parts of Europe could range all the edifices of eminence in a Shire within a wall or that wee were sited in a Continent like the thorow-fare of France Germany or Italy we should questionlesse have more glorious great and populous Cities than any Kingdome which with Ahasuerosh can hold up a Scepter of potency to keepe Majesty from violence though a decree of defiance were published never so terribly yea I will avow that our Townes and Villages esteeme of them as you please considering the use and necessity of travell doe farre surmount the Hosteries and entertainment of all other nations And am sure if you will
of round fish as Lamprey Conger Haddocke so likewise in divers seasons divers other sorts as Mackerels in the end of the Spring and Herrings in the beginning of Autumne as wee have in England c. And this Countrey must needs be well stored with Fish for besides the benefit of the Sea the Lakes and Ponds belonging only to the Clergie which at the most have but one third of France are reported to be one hundred fifty five thousand The Rivers also of France are so many as Boterus reporteth of the Queene Mother she should say here were more than in all Christendome but we hold her for no good Cosmographer True it is that the Rivers here are many and very faire and so fitly serving one the other and all the whole as it seemeth Nature in the framing of our bodies did not shew more wonderfull providence in disposing Veines and Arteries throughout the bodie for their apt conveyance of the bloud and spirit from the Liver and Heart to each part therof than she hath shewed in the placing of these waters for the transporting of all her commodities to all her severall Provinces Of all those these are the principall the Seine upon which standeth the Citie of Paris Roven and many other It hath his head a little above Chatillon in the North-west of Lingonois and receiveth nine Rivers of name whereof the Yonne the Marn and the Oyse are navigable that is doe carry Boats with saile The Soane whereupon standeth the City of Amiens Abbevile and many other It hath his head above S. Quintin divideth Piccardy from Artois and receiveth eight lesser Rivers The Loire hath standing upon it the Cities of Orleans Nantes and many other his head is in Auvergne it parteth the middle of France his course is almost two hundred leagues it receiveth seventy two Rivers whereof the chiefe are Allier Cher Maine Creuse Vienne all navigable The Garond upon which standeth Bourdeaux Thoulouse and other Cities it hath his head in the Pereney Mountaines it divideth Languedocke from Gascoine it receiveth sixteene Rivers whereof Iarne Lot Bayze Derdonne and Lisâ—e are chiefest And lastly the Rhosne upon which standeth the Citie of Lions Avignon and divers others It hath his head in the Mountaines the Alpes dividing Dolpheny from Lyonnois and Province from Languedocke it receiveth thirteene Rivers whereof the Seane the Dove Ledra and Durance are the chiefest All the other Rivers carry their streames into the Ocean Some at S. Vallery Seine at New-haven Loyre beneath Nantes and Garona at Blay only the River of Rhosue payeth his tribute to the Mediterranean at Arles The Seine is counted the richest the Rhosue the swiftest the Garond the greatest the Loyre the sweetest for the difference which Boterus makes of them where he ornits the Garond and makes the Sâ—ane a principall River is generally rejected The Ports and Passages into France where Custome is paid to the King were in times past more than they be now the names of them at this present are these In Picardie Calais Bologue Saint Vallerie In Normandie Diepe Le Haure de Grace Honnesleux Caen Cherbrouge In Bretaigne S. Malo S. Brieu Brest Quimpercorentine Vannes Nants In Poiâ—tow Lusson les sables d'Olonne In Rochellois Rochell In Xantogne Zonbisse In Guyenne Bourdeaux Blay Bayonne In Languedocke Narbonne Agde Bencaire Mangueil In Provence Arles Marseilles Fransts In Lâ—onnois Lions In Burgogne Ausonne Laugers In Campagne Chaumons Chalons Trois In the Territory Metzin Metz Toul Verdun In all thirty seven Of all these Lions is reputed to be the most advantagious to the Kings Finances as being the Key for all Silkes cloaths of Gold and Silver and other Merchandize whatsoever which come or goe from Italy Swisserland and all those South-east Countries into France which are brought to this Towne by the two faire Rivers of Rhosne and Sâ—â—n the one comming from Savoy the other from Burgundie and here meeting For profit next to Lions are Bourdeaux Rochell Marseilles Nants and Newhaven But for capabilitie of shipping I have heard that Brest excelleth and for strength Caâ—aâ—â— especially as it is now lately fortified by the Spaniard which was not let long since to be called The goodliest government in the world at least in Christendome There are requisite in all Ports to make them perfect these foure things 1. Roome to receive many and great Ships 2. Safe Riding 3. Facilitie of repelling forren force 4. Concourse of Merchants The most of the French Ports have all foure properties except only the last which in the time of these civill broiles have discontinued and except that wee will also grant that Calais failes in the first The Cities in France if you will count none Cities but where is a Bishops See are onely one hundred and foure there be so many Arch-bishops and Bishops in all as shall in more fit place be shewed But after the French reckoning calling every Ville a Citie which is not either a Burgade or a Village we shall finde that their number is infinite and indeed uncertaine as is also the number of the Townes in generall Some say there be one Million and seven hundred thousand but they are of all wise men reproved Others say six hundred thousand but this is also too great to be true The Cabinet rateth them at one hundred thirtie two thousand of Parish Churches Hamlets and Villages of all sorts Badin saith there be twentie seven thousand and foure hundred counting only every Citie for a Parish which will very neere agree with that of the Cabinet and therefore I embrace it as the truest By the reckoning before set downe of two hundred leagues square which France almost yeeldeth wee must compute that here is in all fortie thousand leagues in square and in every league five thousand Arpens of ground which in all amounteth to two hundred millions of Arpens which summe being divided by the numbers of the Parishes sheweth that one with another each Village hath one thousand five hundred and fifteene Arpens which measure is bigger than our Acre We may if we will abstract a third because Bodin will not admit France to be square but as a Lozenge For in matter of such generalitie as this men doe alwayes set downe suppositions not certainties If a man will looke thorowout all France I thinke that some Castles excepted he shall not finde any Towne halfe perfectly fortified according to the rules of Enginers The Citie of Paris seated in a very fruitfull and pleasant part of the I le of France upon the River of Sein is by the same divided into three parts that on the North towards Saint Denis is called the Burge that on the South towards the Fauxburges of S. Germaines is called the Vniversitie and that in the little I le which the River there makes by dividing it selfe is called the Vilâ—e This part no doubt is the most ancient for saith my Author Lutetia is a City of the Parisians
seated in an I le of the Seine We may distinguish it thus into Transequana Cisequana and Interamnis The part beyond the Seine that on this side the Seine and that in the I le incompast with the River It is reputed not onely the Capitall Citie of France but also the greatest in all Europe It is about the wals some ten English miles these are not very thicke the want whereof is recompenced with the depth of the ditch and goodnesse of the Rampart which is thicke and defensible save on the South side which no doubt is the weakest part of the Towne on which side it is reported that the Lord Willoughby offered the King in foure dayes to enter at such time as he besieged it Whereunto the King condescended not by the counsell of the old Marshall Biron who told him it was no policie to take the bird naked when hee may have her feathers and all On the other side especially towards the East it is very well fortified with Bulwarke and Ditch faire and moderne The Ramparts of the gates S. Anthony S. Michel and S. Iames and elsewhere were made 1544. This Bastile of Saint Anthonie was built some say by the English and indeed it is somewhat like those peeces which they have built elsewhere in France as namely that at Roven howbeit I read in Vigner his Chronicle that it was builded by a Provost of Paris in the time of Edward the third of England at what time our Kings began their first claime and had as yet nothing to doe in this Citie So in this Towne the Chastelet was built by Iulian the Apostata the Vniversitie was founded by Charlemaigne Anno 800. who also erected those of Bologna and Padoa The Church of Nostre Dame was founded Anno Dom. 1257. If you would know the greatnesse of the great Church of our Lady the roofe thereof is seventeene fadome high it is foure and twenty fadome broad threescore and five fadome long the two Steeples are foure and thirty fadome high above the Church and all founded upon piles The Towne-house was finished by Francis the first Anno 1533. with this inscription over the Gate S.P.E.P. that is For his well-deserving Senate People and Burghers of Pariâ— Francis the first most puissant King of France commanded this House to be built from the foundation and finished it and dedicated it to the calling of the Common Councell and governing the Citie in the yeare aforesaid This is as you would say the Guild-Hall of the Towne The Hostel Dieu in Paris was augmented and finished in 1535. by Antoine de Prat Chancellour in this Citie his pourtraict with Francis the first is upon the doore as yee enter This is as we call it at London the Hospitall The Palace de Paris was built by Philip le Bel 1283. purposing it should have beene his Mansion-house but since it hath beene disposed into divers Courts for the execution of Iustice just like Westminster Hall which likewise at first was purposed for the Kings Palace Here you have such a shew of Wares in fashion but not in worth as yee have at the Exchange Here is a Chappell of the Saint Espirit built by Saint Lewis 1242. Here are all the seven Chambers of the Court of Parliament which was first instituted by Charles Martel father to King Pepâ—â— Anno 720. but of them all the great Chamber of Paris is most magnificently beautified and adorned by Lewis the twelfth At the entry is a Lion couchant with his taile betweene his legs to signifie that all persons how high soever are subject to that Court. The Chamber also of Compts built by this Lewis is a very faire roome at the entry whereof are five pourtraicts with their Mots The first is Temperance with a Diall and Spectacle her word Mihi spreta voluptas I despise pleasure Secondly Prudence with a Looking-Glasse and a Sive her word Consiliis rerum speculor I prie into the counsell of things Iustice with a Ballance and a Sword her Mot Sua cuique ministro I give to every man his owne Fortitude with a Tower in one arme and a Serpent in the other her word Me dolor atque metus fugiunt Both paine and feare avoid mee And lastly Lewis the King with a Scepter in one hand and holding Iustice by the other and this written for his word My happy Scepter in calme peace doth flourish While I these Heaven-bred Sisters foure doe nourish The buildings of this Citie are of stone very faire high and uniforme thorowout the Towne only upon the port N. Dame our Ladies Bridge which is as it were their Cheapside Their building is of brick-bat all alike notwithstanding the fairest Fabrick in the Towne and worthily is the Kings Castle or Palace of the Louvre at the West It is in forme quadrangular the South and West quarters are new and Prince-like the other two very antique and prison-like They were pulled downe by Francis the first and begun to be re-built but finished by Henry the second with this inscription The most Christian King Henry the second began to repaire this time-ruined Edifice The Vniversitie in times past was wont to have by report above thirty thousand Schollers of all sorts but many of these children such as our petty Schooles in the Countries are furnished withall The streets both in the Citie Vniversitie and suburbs are very faire strait and long very many of them the shops thicke but nothing so full of wares nor so rich as they of London in comparison whereof these seeme rather Pedlars than otherwise But for number I suppose there be three for two of those The Faulxbourges are round about the Citie ruined and utterly desolate except those of Saint Germaines which was very fairely builded and was very neere as great as the faire Towne of Cambridge The benefit of this Towne is very great which it hath by the River as by which all the commodities of the Country are conveyed whereupon Monsieur de Argenton reports of it Of all the Townes that ever I saw it is environed with the best and fertilest Country And he there reports that for twenty moneths that hee was prisoner he saw such an infinite company of boats passe and repasse but that he was an eye-witnesse he would have thought it incredible which he also after proves by the maintenance of the three Armies of the three Dukes of Burgundie Guiennae and Bretaigne which consisted of an hundred thousand men against the Citie of Paris wherein they had besieged Lewis the eleventh and yet neither the Campe nor Towne had any want of victuals Some say this Towne was builded in the time of Amazias King of Iuda by some Reliques of the Trojan warre and that it was called Lutece à Luto because the soile in this place is very fat which is of such nature as ye cannot well get it out it doth so staine whereof they have a By-word It staineth like the durt of
They be good foot and better than their neighbours as we may say now adayes of the English and Swissers And in another place where he opineth of the manner of service he saith My opinion is that in battels Archers are the weight that turnes the balance And of Archers the English are the flower where he likewise discourseth how dangerous a thing it is to abide a battell except your foot be much the better which in my opinion was no little cause why the French King fought not with the Cardinall in the yeare 97 before Amiens because the enemies foot were holden in number eighteene thousand though I hardly thinke they were so many A number full as great as the French and the souldier farre better they being all French except some three thousand English and Swissers and theirs the choice men of all his Garrisons and experienced souldiers in those Low-Countries For true it is that the Kings Gens d'armes were two for one and holden also much the better men as well because there was in a manner all the Nobilitie and flower of France as also that they had the advantage in the manner of weapon for that the French serveth with the Pistoll and the Spaniard still holds him to his Launce But I make no question that the consideration of the oddes on foot was not the chiefe cause why there was no battell that day for wee had a goodly faire field and plaine as might bee possible as also large a singular advantage for him which is strongest in Horse So had wee the wind and Sunne in our backes which are holden no small helpes But this was the reason the King thought it no policie to play all his Rest at once where hee might have lost more at one Game than he had got in eight yeares he had no reason but to make the Card that was now going a Bridge of Gold as the Proverbe is considering that by this meanes he should gaine the Towne of Amiens re-assure other Cities that then stood wavering and recover his reputation in the world which by the losse of that Towne was much disputed It now remaineth I speake of his Expence which chiefly consisteth in these two things before spoken of namely his Court and his Forces wherein it is very hard to relate an exact proportion considering not only the variety and difference of Writers but also the uncertaintie of the number of Pensionaries or provisioned And lastly the change and alteration of their allowance not continuing alwaies the same Howbeit that which is most commonly reported and seemeth neerest the truth is this The maintenance of five Regiments of foot at six crowns the moneth commeth to foure hundred sixty eight thousand crownes the yeare besides the pension of five Collonels at two thousand crownes apeece thirtie Captaines at one thousand pension a man as many Lieutenants at five hundred and Ensigns at three hundred apeece which is in all seventie foure thousand which added to the first summe makes the whole charge of these Regiments yearely to amount to the summe of five hundred fortie two thousand crownes This proportion differeth not much from that of Bodin where he saith The King might maintaine in ordinary twentie thousand foot at the rate of three million and five hundred thousand Livres which if you reduce to crownes and to one number of six thousand foot commeth to a lesse rate than that other namely to foure hundred eight thousand three hundred thirty three crownes but I thinke that former is neerer the truth For the allowance of his Gens d'armes which are reckoning at six thousand as is before said though in truth there bee but foure for he payeth thus many I follow the proportion of them that say that 51750. crownes is the ordinary allowance for one company of an hundred yearely for where are six thousand men at Armes in the field are eighteene thousand Horse in all After this rate then of the hundred before set down the whole Gens d'armery amounteth to 3105000. crownes For the expence of his Court you shall heare it to be thus rated The Table of the King and those of the Gentlemen of the Chamber at 112000. crownes for his pettie pleasures a thousand crownes a day in all 165000. But this was a proportion for the last King who was a great giver For the great and little Stable 190000. For the Constable 24000. For the Gran Maistre great Master 20000. For the Marshals of France 18000. apeece when they were but foure for now it is a Title only without either pension or command save only in the foure chiefe For the Admirall 15000. For the Grana Veneur great Hunt 16000. For the Governours of his Provinces in all 188000. For the Gentlemen of his Chamber their pension 1200. crowns a peece in all six hundred thousand For the Captains of his Guards on Horse two thousand apeece For their Lieutenants eight hundred For two thousand Swisses of his Guard ten crowns a moneth 24840. For all other domesticall Officers one hundred thousand For Heraults six thousand For Marshals of lodgings and Fourriers 4600. For Prevost Marshals of Provinces a thousand apeece in all twentie foure thousand For twenty foure hundred Archers to attend these Prevosts in the execution of their Office seven hundred and twenty thousand crownes For his Ambassadours in divers Countries two hundred and fiftie thousand For his Officers of Finances Treasurers Receivers Controllers and such other like Offices thorow France an infinite and incredible summe As also for such numbers of horse and foot as the Cabinet setteth downe besides these Gens d'armes and Regiments which ye heare provided for and in the Kings pay But yee must observe that of all these Court-charges and others here before mentioned except those of his forces yee are not to make any ground as of a truth they being only the supposed charges set downe by the said Author who for his errours in other matters hath also lost his credit in this To speake either particularly of the Court-expences or generally what they be certaine I cannot not having heard any thing thereof but only that it is supposed the charge of the Kings House is five hundred crownes a day It now remaineth to speake of his Entrade or Revenue for a Prince cannot have peace without warre nor warre without men nor men without money nor money without meanes nor are there any meanes but these Domaine Conquests Gifts of his friends Pension of his Confederates Trafficke Impositions upon Merchandize brought in or carried out Impositions upon Subjects And yet one other which the Kings of France have lately invented to helpe when all other failed which is Sales of Offices more dangerous and prejudiciall to the State than any other Of these eight meanes I will give you particular observations and then conclude what is generally holden to bee the whole Revenue of the Crowne of France by all these meanes First the Domaine is
discipline they only of all Christendome have made best use thereof As the people to whose glory industry patience and fortitude and that in a good cause too much honour and commendation can never be attributed The States of the Low-Countries ALL the seventeene Provinces of Netherland were sometimes under one Lord but privileges being broken and warres arising the King of Spaine the naturall Lord of all these Low-Countries was in the treaty of peace Anno 1606. inforced to renounce all pretence of his owne right to these confederate Provinces Since when we may well handle them by themselves as an absolute and a free State of Government as the Spaniard himselfe acknowledged them The Provinces united are these Zeland Holland Vtrich Over-Isell Zutphen Groningen three quarters of Gelderland with some peeces of Brabant and Flanders This union was made Anno 1581. The Fleets and Forces of which Confederation are from the chiefe Province altogether called Hollanders The first of these is Zeland whose name given it by the Danes of Zeland in Scandia notifies its nature A land overflowed with the Sea Broken it is into seven Ilands whereof those three to the East beyond the River Scheld and next to Holland are Schowen Duvelant and Tolen the other foure be Walcheren Zuyd-beverlant Nort-beverlant and Wolferdijck 1. T'land van Schowen is seven of their miles about parted with a narrow fret from Nort-beverlant The chiefe towne is Zierickzee the ancientest of all Zeland built 849. The Port sometimes traded unto is now choaked with sand which they labour to cleare againe 2. Duveland so named of the Doves foure miles about hath some townes but no City 3. Tolen called so of the chiefe towne as that was of the Tolle there payed by the boats comming downe the Scheld 4. The chiefe of the seven is Walcheren ten miles compasse so named of the Walsh or Galles In the middle of it is Middleburgh the prime Citie of Zeland and a goodly Towne other Cities it hath as Vere Armuyden and Flushing all fortified 5. Zuyd-beverlant Nort-beverlant so named of the Bavarians The first is now ten miles about The Cities are Romerswael much endangered by the Sea and divided from the Island and Goesse or Tergoose a pretty and a rich towne 6. Nort-beverlant quite drowned in the yeare 1532. but one towne 7. Wolferdijck that is Wolfers-banke hath now but two Villages upon it Zeland hath ten Cities in all The land is good and excellently husbanded the water brackish Their gaines comes in by that which brought their losses the Sea Their wheat is very good some store they have the Cowes but more of Sheepe great store of Salt-houses they have for the refining of Salt of which they make great merchandize The Zelanders were converted to the faith by our Country-man Willebrord before Charles the greats time HOlland so named either quasi Holt-land that is the Wood-land which woods they say were destroyed by a mighty tempest Anno 860. the roots and truncks of which being often here found or quasi Hol-land Hollow and light land as it is indeed But most likely it is that the Danes also comming from Olandt in their owne Countrie gave name to this Province as they did to Zeland also The whole compasse is not above sixtie of their miles the breadth in most places is not above six houres travelling with a Wagon and in some places scarce a mile over The whole is divided into South-Holland Kinheymar West-Freesland Waterlandt and Goytland The chiefe Towne is Dort but the goodliest and richest is Amsterdam one of the greatest Townes of merchandize in the whole world they have almost twenty other Cities strong and elegant At Leyden there being a College and Vniversity Their banks mils and other workes for keeping out the Sea be most admirable vast and expensive Three of the foure Elements are there and in Zeland starke naught then Water brackish their Aire foggie their Fire smokish made of their Turses for which they are said to burne up their owne land before the day of Iudgement The men are rather bigge than strong some accuse them to love their penny better than they doe a stranger Their women are the incomparable huswives of the world and if you looke off their faces upon their linnen and houshold stuffe are very neat and cleanly At their Innes they have a kinde of open-heartednesse and you shall be sure to finde it in your reckoning Their land is passing good for Cowes they live much upon their butter and they bragge mightily of their cheeses As for flesh-meat I thinke that a Hawke in England eats more in a moneth than a rich Boore nay than a sufficient corporall Burger does in six weekes The industry of the people is wonderfull so many ditches have they made thorow the Country that there is not the most Iâ—land Boore but he can row from his owne doore to all the Cities of Holland and Zealand The Dutchman will drinke indeed but yet he still does his businesse he lookes still to the maine chance both in the City and Country by Sea and Land they thrive like the Iewes every where and wee have few such drunkards in England too many wee have apt enough to imitate their vice but too too few that will follow them in their vertue THis Duchie lies on the East of Holland and Brabanâ— touching also upon Cleve and Iuliers It hath two and twenty Cities and good Townes whereof Nimwegen Zutphon Ruremond and Arhneim are the chiefe Some peeâ—es the Spaniard here hath â— and the whole Country having heretofore beene infeâ—ted with the warres makes â— a little to come behinde his fellowes The land and people differ not much from those of Holland saving that towards Cleveland it is more mountainous the Champian is very rich pasturage for grazing THis touches Gelderland upon the South West-Freesland upon the North Westphalia upon the East and the Zuydersee on the West The chiefe Citie is Deventer others of the better sort be Campen Zwol Steinwick Oetmarse Oldenzeel Hesselâ—â— Vollenhoven c. This Countrey was of old inhabited by the Franks or Frenchmen of which there were two tribes the Ansuarii which gave name to the Hanse-townes whereof Deventer was first and the Salii which tooke name from the River Isala upon which Deventer stands and these gave name to the Salique Law which you see did rather concerne these Countries than France it selfe and was made by a barbarous people in an age as barbarous though this onely was pretended to barre women from the crowne of France and to hinder our Kings and occasion those warres and bloudsheds THe Bishopricke of Vtrecht hath Holland on the North and Gelderland on the West The circuit is but small yet hath it five pretty Cities whereof Vtrecht it selfe is large delicate and rich inhabited by most of the Gentry of Holland Much harassed hath it beene but now well recovered since it came into the union GRoningen
call it in their tongue the Devils Head Gothia signifieth a good Country which doth well agree thereto for the abundance of sustenance no Region being comparable unto it for fertility of Flesh Fish and Corne. Next followeth Sweveland which is larger than Norwey and Gotland both together In Sweveland is Vpsalia their chiefe Citie an Archbishopricke and an Vniversity and Stockholme the Kings seat Stringa Envecopia Orogundia Arboia Arosia Then comes Finland situated betweene the Balticke and Finland Bay where stand Abo the chiefe City Rangina and Augo both famous Mart-Townes Vames Viburge and Castelholme in the Alandian Islands The Husbandmen doe not inhabit in Townes but by reason of the plentie of Timber and Woods the Vallies and other places are so well defended from the fury of the Northerne wind that they live here in very good sort keeping in their houses flocks of Cattell and all sorts of instruments to digge to build or to make any thing necessary for the life of man and this is the reason that Townes here are neither so faire nor so frequent as in Germanie or England Over and above the Cities and Villages there are accounted 1433. Parishes in some of which a thousand people or as they terme it a thousand housholders or fires doe inhabit but there are few of these Parishes in which at the least there are not one hundred families By this a man 〈◊〉 judge the number of this people especially if he consider the fruitfulnesse of their generation for the Women of Finland by a secret operation of their Beere as some think become exceeding fruitfull The men live here very long chiefly in the most Northerly parts neither is it miraculous amongst them to see a man live above an hundred thirty or forty yeares And in truth this long living is the cause of their propagation for where men live shortest lives there the vertue of generation must needs soonest decay and therefore our Lord God in the beginning of the world did permit mankinde to live seven hundred yeares and more that the world might the sooner be peopled and the act of generation which now for the shortnesse of our lives is determined within forty yeares was then more vigorous at one hundred and upward than in this our age at twenty There is not onely Finland but Finmacke also bordering upon the North Ocean and lying beyond the Arctike circle whose barbarous inhabitants be Witches and Idolaters They usually sell winds to Merchants to carry their ship to any Port and to bring them backe againe which some making just scruple of have laid wind-bound in the harbour whiles others have made prosperous voyages Bothnia or Bodia which gives name to the Sinus Bodicus is also under his dominion To these may be added these new conquests which this present King Gustavus Adolphus the gallantest and most warlike Prince of these times hath already made or shall make hereafter in Prussia where he hath taken Elbing and other Townes and Lands from the Polander with whom he is still in warres and now ready to come with an Army also into Germany He hath under him eleven Dukedomes twelve Earledomes and seven Bishopricks The whole is from Stockholme one way a thousand Italian miles and twenty dayes journey another The riches of this kingdome consisteth in plenty of victuals which this word Gothia signifying an heavenly Region as we said before and Finland signifying a fine land or Country doe well witnesse Their provision is Flesh fresh-Fish salt-Fish Fish dried in the smoke and Sunne Corne and Beere whereof there is so great abundance that it is a hard thing to see a begger amongst them and Travellers are there freely entertained The Innes at this day in the Villages being the Parsons houses who expect some rare toy by way of gift rather than of pay for they doe it of courtesie It is so rich in Mines of Lead Copper Silver and some Gold that no Province in Europe may compare therewith And these Mines are to be found in every place if the Country people bound to carry wood to the Mines and to servile works did not hide and hinder the discoverie thereof as much as in them lieth Most fine Silver is found in the Province of Vestros and more would be were it not for the envie of the Inhabitants who though they know not the use of trying of Mâ—ttals doe notwithstanding murmure that any strangers should imploy their labours therein And this their frowardnesse toward strangers ariseth not of hatâ—ed but upon a jealousie that they should be over-reached or otherwise abused for by nature they are simple and well meaning not given to ambition nor infected wâ—th avarice The Kings revenue consisteth in foure things the tenths of Ecclesiasticall livings Mine Tributes and Customes The profits of the Church-livings amount to a great summe of money for in this Kingdome there were seven Cathedrall Churches threescore Monasteries of Men and Women endowed with most rich revenues First Gustan and after his sonne Eric seized the greatest part thereof into their possessions Of the Mines some are wrought at the Kings charges some at the charge of private persons allowing the tenth part to the King Of three Copper-works I have knowne the tenth part which is the Kings to amount to the value of three thousand Dolars yearely hereby estimation may be made of the Silver and Lead But his taxes doe farre surpasse all his other In-comes for he levieth the tenth of Rie Wheat Barley Fish Oxen Skinnes and such like Of the tenth of Oxen at some times he hath gathered eighteene thousand and with them maintaineth his Court his Officers his Navie and his Armies for in the time of warre either with the Dane or Moscovite he alloweth his Souldiers victuals and by this meanes provideth it at very easie rates as well offending as defending The mariage of the Kings daughters is at the disposition of the people and they allow them besides Silver Plate and other gifts one hundred thousand Dolars for a Dowrie Of the Vplandish people and others which pay not the imposition of victuals the King is accustomed to exact of every poll according to his ability five Dolars or more yearely The customes are paid in the Haven-Townes the chiefe whereof are Calmar Loabuis and Stockholme whereat sometimes three hundred ships of burthen are to bee seene Abo Auge Revalia Parnovia and Narve It is thought that the King doth lay up in his Treasury six or seven hundred thousand Dolars over and above the expences upon the fortresses of Revalia and Viburgh for so did he in the yeare 1578. out of two or three Mines onely and yet this was but the Kings tenth whereas if need be he may take all the silver and pay the masters of the worke with victuals Câ—pper or other commodity There are maintained in Sweveland and Gothland about thirty two Companies every troope consisting of five or six hundred Souldiers all Harquebusiers alwayes
obedience so that at this day the Empire is inclosed in Germanie Whereupon sithence the glory thereof at this day consisteth only in Germanie It is good reason to say somewhat of this most ample and flourishing Province It lyeth betweene Odera and Mosa betweene Vistula and Aa and betweene the German Sea the Baltick Ocean and the Alpes The forme thereof is foure-square equall in length and breadth stretching six hundred and fifty miles every wayâ— That it aboundeth with Corne Cattell and Fish let experience shew For Charles the fifth had under his Ensignes at Vienna ninety thousand foot-men and thirty five thousand horse Maximilian the second at Iavorin had almost one hundred thousand footmen and thirty foure thousand horse and yet no man complained of dearenesse or scarcitie In the warre betweene Charles the fifth and the Protestants for certain moneths one hundred and fifty thousand men sustained themselves abundantly in the field And surely of all Europe it is the greatest Countrey and beautified with the best and richest store of Cities Townes Castles and Religious places And in that decorum and order for in a manner see one and see all as if there had beene an universall consent to have squared them like Courts to one anothers proportion whereto may be added a secret of moralitie That the inhabitants for honesty of conversation probity of manners assurance of loyaltie and confidence of disposition setting apart their imperfect customes of drinking exceed our beleefe For notwithstanding these their intemperate meetings and phantasticalnesse in apparell yet are they unoffensive conversible and maintainers of their Honours and Families wherein they steppe so farre as if true Gentrie were incorporate with them and there had his principall mansion And wanted they not an united and heeditary succession of government having sometime an Emperour by partiality of election and sometime by the absolute command of the Pope I should stand as forward as the best to say with Charles the Emperour That they were indeed a valiant a happie and an honourable Nation But in respect of these apparant and materiall defects in some abatement of their ostentation concerning their owne glory and the honour of Majestie in my judgement they should not doe amisse to reforme the custome of intituling the younger sonnes of Dukes Earles and Barons by the honourable Titles of their Ancestours especially sithence the Italians in facetiousnesse doe jest That these Earles of Germanie the Dukes of Russia the Dons of Spaine the Monsiers of France the Bishops of Italy the Knights of Naples the Lairds of Scotland the Hidalgos of Portugal the Nobles of Hungarie and the younger Brethren in England make a very poore company Otherwise if noveltie transport you to view their Palaces of Honour you shall eft-soones bee brought into their well fortified Cities wherein you shall finde Armorie Munition c. with a presence of the very Burgers excellently well trained in Militarie discipline you shall see brave musters of Horse with their exercises of Hunting Hawking and Riding yea how every man liveth of his owne the Citizen in quiet and the women blessed with plentifull issue The Nature of this Climate is temperate enough somewhat of the coldest yet tolerable and healthie No place thereof unlesse by nature it be utterly barren lieth unmanured insomuch that few remainders of that huge wood of Hercynia are to bee seene at this day unlesse in place where humane necessitie requireth their growing or Nature hath made the Earth fit for no other imployment as are the Blacke-Wood the Ottonique Wood and the Woods of Bohemia And yet doe they neither carry that horrid face of thicknesse as in old times neither are they so untravelled or unhabitable but exceeding full of Habitations Hamlets Villages and Monasteries It is rich in Mines of Gold Silver Corne Vines Bathes and all sorts of Metall and therein surpasseth the residue of the Provinces of Europe Nature hath also bestowed upon the Vp-land Countries many Springs and pits of Salt Water of which hard Salt is boiled Neither is it lesse stored with Merchandize for the Inhabitants more than any other Nation doe excell in curious workmanship and mechanicall invention and it is so watered with Navigable Rivers that all sorts of merchandize wares are with ease conveied from one place to another The greatest of them is Danow next the Rhene which runneth cleane through the Country from the South to the North as the Danow from East to West Albis riseth in Bohemia passeth by Misnia Saxonie Marchia and the ancient Marquisat Odera springeth in Moravia watereth Sâ—â—â—sia the two Marquisats and Pomeran Then followeth Wesar Neccar Mosa Moselia Isara Câ—nus Varia the Mase This divideth Germanie into two parts the higher and the lower The high stretcheth from the Mase to the Alpes the low from the Mase to the Ocean It is divided into many Provinces the chiefe whereof I meane the true members of the Empire are Alsatia Swevia Bavaria Austria Bohemia Moravia Silesia Lusatia the two Marquisates Saxonie Masaia Thuringia Franconia Hassia Westphalia Cleveland Magunce Pomeran In these Provinces besides Belgia and Helvetia are esteemed to bee ten Millions of men and eightie great Cities Villages innumerable and those plentifully stored with all sorts of Mechanicall Occupations Those which are seated neere Rivers for the most part are builded of Stone the Vp-land part of Stone and part of Timber The Houses thereof are very faire and high the Streets strait large and paved with stone yea more neat and handsome than those of Italy Strabo writeth that the Romans excelled the Grecians in cleanlinesse of their cities by reason of their Channels to conuâ—y away the soile but at this day the Dutch-men doe farre exceed the Romans herein These Cities are of three sorts viz. free Cities yet those stiled imperiall Hanse-townes and Cities by inheritance immediately holden of Princes and Prelates The free Cities are those which are by time and prescription immediately subject to the Emperour and have no other protector but him onely In times past they have beene accounted 96. now 60. Of Hanse cities there were 72. mutually bound by ancient leagues to enjoy common privileges and freedomes both at home and in forren Countries In ancient times they were of high estimation in England and other Provinces in regard of their numbers of shipping Sea-trade whereby they stored all Countries with their Easterne commodities and served Princes turnes in time of warre with use of shipping But at this day wee shall finde neither themselves nor their meanes so great that the English should either feare them or favour them especially in cases of prejudice I write this because of their continuall grudges and complaints against our Nation For if the State upon occasion as of late yeares after the example of other Princes should forbid them all offensive trade into Spaine which is their chiefest support they would in short time be quit of that indifferent
is brought out of Germanie The Countie is so populous and so replenished with buildings in all places that here are credibly affirmed 29237. Cities Townes and Villages to be numbred Others say 780. Castles and walled Townes and 32. thousand Villages Here is also plentie of Fowle and great store of Fresh-water Fish by reason of the great Lakes which are found in many places of this Kingdome The people are for the most part Lutherans and their language is more than halfe Polish They are a free people and after the death of their King they may make choice of whom they will to be their Governour So did they lately chuse Matthias And for their more strength and better securitie against the Romanists they linked themselves with the Silesians their next neighbours in a perpetuall and firme bond of amitie offensive and defensive against all men whatsoever The people of Bohemia live in great plentie and delicacie they much resemble the English the women be very beautifull white-handed but luxurious and that with libertie of their husbands also They are divided in opinion of Religion the Protestants of the Augustane Confession being so potent that they were able to chuse a King and to put out the Emperour Their Kingdome is meerely elective although by force and faction now almost made hereditary to the House of Austria which it seemes it was not when as within these two Ages that State made choice of one M. Tyndall and English Gentleman father to M. Doctor Tyndall Master of Queenes College in Cambridge sending over their Ambassadors to him and by them their presents which story is famously knowne in Cambridge Their chiefe Citie Prague is one of the greatest of Christendome as being three townes in one each divided from other by the River Multaw and all three conjoyned by a goodly woodden bridge of foure and twenty arches by it runnes the famous Elve which receives two others into him in that Country Eger and Wattz The Kingdome hath many mighty men of estate into whose Lordships the Countrey is altogether divided and not as others into Shires and Counties The King hath three silver Mines and one of gold some pearles are there found also The tinne Mines there were first found by an English Tinner who fled thither for debt and is the best of Europe next our English All the Nobilitie and Gentrie are by their tenures obliged when their King is in the field to wait upon him on horsebacke completely armed which are enow to make an Army of twenty or thirty thousand This service the Protestants promised to King Fredericke of late but the tenth man appeared not They serve willinger on horsebacke than on foot and are rather for a Summer service than to lie in the field all Winter and yet are every way better souldiers than the Germans The Protestants were suffered to plant and increase there by the craft and plot of Cardinall Glessel who was governour to the Emperour Matthias his pretence was that they would bee a sure bulwarke against the Turke should spare the service and lives of the Catholikes this was his pretence but his plot was an expectation of some stirres to be raised by them which some lay he did in hatred of the house of Austria whom hee desired to see set besides the cushion others imagine it was but a tricke to make the great men of the Protestants to forfeit their Estates Howsoever the plot tooke and the Cardinall after the taking of Prague being invited to a banquet by the Elector of Mentz was by him sent prisoner to Rome where he remained two yeares but was afterward both inlarged and rewarded And this was one of the secrets of the Mysterie of iniquitie Moravia lying on the East of Bohemia so named of the River Mora for the bignesse thereof affordeth more corne than any Country of Europe It aboundeth also with good and pleasant wine like unto Rhenish and is wonderfully replenished in all parts with faire Cities Towns Villages all built of stone or bricke It is very mountainous and woody but the South part is more champian It containes two Earledomes one Bishopricke divers Baronies two good Cities and foure or six faire Townes The people be very martiall and fierce especially the mountainers who stood so stoutly to King Frederick at the battell of Prague that had all the rest of the Army done so the Kingdome had not beene lost It is a free State like Poland and may make choice of whom they will to be the Lord whose stile is to be called Margrave of Moravia And for that informer times the Emperour and Matthias his brother offered them some wrongs concerning religion they have sithence contracted a league offensive and defensive with the Nobility of Hungarie and Austria as well against the invasions of the Turke as the oppressions of the Romanists Amongst these Provinces Silesia and Lusatia are as large as Bohemia but in strength and numbers of people farre inferiour These two Provinces with Moravia are incorporate to the Crowne of Bohemia Silesia lies on the East of Bohemia Poland on the South of it to which it sometimes belonged Hungaria and Moravia on the East It is two hundred miles long and fourescore broad It is a most delicate and a plentifull Country finely divided in the middle by the faire River Oder on which stand foure or five handsome Cities the chiefe of which is Breslaw the Bishop whereof is for his revenue called the golden Bishop here is also an Vniversity Niesse is also another Bishopricke who now is a Cardinall The people especially of the Cities be civill and generous nor is there any where a more gallant or warlike Gentry which the Turke well tried in the warres of Hungarie for very sufficient serviters they be both on horse and foot and they are able to levie great numbers The government is Aristocraticall that is by the States yet in most things a dependant upon the will of the King of Bohemia It was sometimes divided amongst fifteene Dukes but all their families being extinct nine of those Lordships are escheated to the King of Bohemia the other six still remaine amongst three of the heires of the ancient owners The two Dukedomes of Oppelen and Ratibor in this Country were by this present Emperour given to Bethlem Gabor in consideration of his relinquishment of the Crowne of Hungaria For which two Dukedomes and for the lands of the old Marquesse of Iegerensdorff in Lusatia who being prescribed by the Emperour and beaten out by the Duke of Saxony fled to Bethlem Gabor who had newly married his neece that is the sister to the present Elector of Brandenburgh whose fathers brother this Iegerensdorff was For these lands I say came part of the discontents still depending betweene Bethlem Gabor and the Emperour T is reported that if King Frederick would have laid downe his right to Bohemia the Emperour would have beene content to have made him King of Silesia
Lusatia is on the South bounded with Silesia t is neere upon two hundred miles long and fifty broad it lies betweene the Rivers Elve and Viadrus and is divided into the Vpper and Lower both given to Vratislaus as Silesia also was King of Bohemia by the Emperour Henry the fourth Anno 1087. It still retaines the honour of a Marquisate Gorlitz is the chiefe Citie and a faire one Bandzen Sutaw Spremberg and Tribel bee neat and well peopled Townes The people as in Northerly situation they are neerer to the Germans so are they like them more rough mannerd than the Silesians and Bohemians Their Countrey is fruitfull enough and there may upon necessity be levied twenty thousand foot as good as any in that Kingdome All these incorporate Provinces use the Sclavonian tongue Sâ—ria is rich in Mines of Silver and Iron threescore miles broad and an hundred and ten long Carinthia a hilly and woody Countrey is seventy five miles long and fifty five broad Carniola with the bordering Countries up to Tergisâ—e is an hundred fiftie miles long and forty five broad They are plentifull of Corne Wine Flesh and Wood. The Country of Tirol is full of Mines of Silver and Salt-pits and is eighteene German miles long and broad The territories Swevia Alsatia and Rhetia doe pay little lesse than two millions and a halfe of ordinary revenue and so much extraordinary besides the eighteene Cantons of Rhetia are under the same jurisdiction They are so well peopled that upon occasion they are able to levie an hundred thousand footmen and thirty thousand Horse I know no other Province in Europe able to say the like And therefore the Emperour is not so weake a Prince as those ignorant of the State of Kingdomes doe suppose him to be reporting his Territories to be small unprovided of necessaries poore in money and barren of people But this is certaine that as he is Lord of a large dominion fertill rich and infinite of people so let every man thinke that by the neighbourhood of the Turke bordering upon him from the Carpathian Mountaines to the Adriatike Sea the forces of a mightier Prince may seeme small be overlaid For what Prince is there bordering upon so puissant an enemie but either by building of fortresses or by entertaining of Garrisons is not almost beggered I will not say in time of warre but even during the securest peace especially considering that the forces of the Turke are alwayes ready strong and chearefull yea better furnished in the time of peace than any other Nation in the hottest fury of warre Wherefore it stands him upon who is a borderer upon so powerfull an enemie either for feare or jealousie to be ever watchfull to spare no charges as doth the Emperour retaining in wages continually twenty thousand souldiers keeping Watch and Ward upon the borders of Hungarie These aske great expences and yet lesse than these are not to be defraied for the strengthning of other places besides other expences not meet here to bee spoken of To conclude with the State of the Empire though it cannot be said to be hereditary nor to have which is strange any chiefe City appropriate to the residence or standing Court of the Emperour as Rome sometimes was yet for neighbourhood and conveniences sake the Emperours have in this last age beene chosen out of the house of Austria yea when there have beene severall brothers of them they have all lookt for the Empire one after another and have had it too And for the same reasons have the Bohemians made choice of the same person yea and sometimes the Hungarians also the Austrian being the ablest Prince to defend them against the Turks So that Bohemia though in possession of the Emperour yet is no more part of the Empire than Hungaria is but a Kingdome absolute of it selfe free to chuse a King where it pleases So that the Emperour in Germany is to be considered two wayes first as a German Prince secondly as the German Emperour First as a Prince he hath by inheritance the lands and honours of his family such bee Austria Alsatia Tirol Styria Carinthia Carniola with some parts of Rhetia and Swevia and these dominions are like other principalities subjects of the Empire and for them the Emperour is his owne subject Secondly as a German Prince though not by inheritance but by election may the Emperour be considered when he is King of Bohemia Which though it be an independant kingdome yet being included within Germany and the King of Bohemia by office chiefe Taster to the Emperour and one of the seven Electors of the German Empire as having the casting voice if the other six be equally divided nay and with power to name himselfe if he be one of the two in election in consideration hereof may he thus also be brought within the Empire But yet neither of these wayes can the Emperour or Empire so properly be considered Thirdly therefore to speake of him as the German Emperour is to consider of him as Lord of those portions and States of the Empire properly so called And those be either the States or Imperiall Cities of Germanie The States and Princes of Germanie are naturally subjects to the Emperour yea and officers to his person too which is a part of their honour so the Palsgrave is chiefe Shewer and Brandenburgh Sword-bearer c. They are also as subjects to be summoned to the Imperiall Diets their lands are to be charged towards the Emperours warres made in defence of the Empire But yet on the other side the German Princes bee not such subjects as the Lords of England and France but much freer Lorraine is a member of the Empire and yet will not that Duke suffer the Emperour to have any thing to doe in his dominions and if any other Prince should take up Armes against the Emperour as Saxonie did in the case of Luther yet cannot the Emperour escheat their lands as other Princes may serve their Rebels by his owne private power without the consent of the other Electors Princes in a Diet. So that the German Princes be subjects and no subjects The Emperour is as it were the Grand Land-lord who hath made away his right by lease or grant but hath little to doe till the expiration or forfeiture The second member of the Empire be the Imperiall and Hanse-townes in which because they have lesse power the Emperour hath more than in the Princes Estates Theâ—e acknowledge the Emperour for their Lord but yet with divers acceptions For first they will stand upon their owne privileges and for them will deny any request of the Emperour Secondly they depend and trust unto their owne private confederacies amongst themselves as much as to the Emperour as the Switzers and Grisons leaguers amongst themselves and the Princes of the lower Creitz or circle of Saxony amongst themselves in defence of which the King of Denmarke as Duke of Holstein being one
of them tooke up just Armes of late even against the Emperour Subjects these Cities and States are but yet were they no freer than the subjects of other Princes they durst not make leagues amongst themselves to the prejudice of their Emperour Thirdly even these Imperiall Cities have some other Lords besides the Emperour or the Maior or Officers of their owne Townes Thus the Marquesse of Onspach being of the House of Brandenburgh stil challengeth the ancient Office and Title of his Family which is to be Burgrave of Nurembergh which is a principall Imperiall Citie We see also what power and favour the King of Poland had in these warres with Sweden in the Imperiall Citie of Dantzik which put it selfe under his protection Wormbs also in the Palatinate under protection of the Palsgrave received an Armie of the Princes of the Vnion in favour of him even against the present Emperour Finally the House of Austria holds the Empire in that fashion that Adonias laid claime to the Kingdome wherein another sate confirmed and perished for want of supportation For besides that it is not hereditary neither can he after Coronation command like an absolute Soveraigne nor expect or inforce the reciprocall duties betweene Prince and Subject nor is hee powerfull enough to countermand the Privileges of the Empire no nor to call the Diet without the consent of the major part of the Electors For some Provinces are as it were members of the Empire yet disunited for neither doe they nor will they acknowledge that they belong at all to the Empire as the Kings of Denmarke and Sweden the Duke of Prussia the Elector of Brandenburg that now is who requires Investiture of the Polander not of the Emperour the Switzers and the Netherlands Others confesse the Emperour for their Soveraigne Prince but they come not to the Diets of the Empire nor will beare the Tax and Tallages of the Empire as the Dukes of Savoy Lorraine and the Princes of Italy Others come to the Diets and pay all impositions and these are properly the Princes ' and Cities of Germanie But the King of Bohemia by the grant of Charles the fourth is exempted from all contributions As for the other Princes they be so many and by leaguing together so mighty that they attend in Court at pleasure contest with the Emperour at pleasure raise forces at pleasure and supply his wants of Exchequer at pleasure Some of them have to doe both in the Diets and at the Election of a new Emperour those be the Electors three Bishops and three Princes But as at first Wenceslaus the Emperor was faine to bribe them with many Privileges and Lordships for their voices in his Election so still they must be courted if the Emperour desires to have his sonne or brother chosen after him or any great favour done unto him If they be displeased they are strong enough to ruffle with him The other Princes live of themselves and the Emperour is oftner beholding to them than they to him so that these be but Lordly Subjects of the Empire To speake now in a word These are truly termed the States the Princes and Cities of the Empire who have to doe in the Diets or Parliaments and as members of one bâ—die participate of good and evill of advantage or disadvantage thorowout the whole Empire These living after the manner of a Commonwealth well united make use in manner aforesaid of the Emperour for their head and common safetie And such be divers of the lesser Princes together with the Hanse-townes and Imperiall Cities Free or Imperiall Cities are they which are not directly within the Inheritance of any Prince though they stand within his Territory For example Heidleberg Wormbs and Spiers are all in the Palatinate whereof the first is the Princes owne and not Imperiall the other be Imperiall and not the Princes Such Cities have obtained their freedome either for money or for service done to the Emperour whereupon some of them are so strong so privileged and so populous that out of obstinate repining at Taxes and Impositions they have many times opposed against their naturall Lords yea and in hostile manner excluded them from the superioritie of commanding witnesse the contentions heretofore betweene the Citie of Brunswicke and their owne Duke the exclamations of the Cities and Princes when the Landigrave of Hessen was imprisoned and the generall cause of the Protestants protesting in every place against the Ecclesiasticall proceedings and Imperiall threatnings These Cities governe themselves by their owne Lawes being bound no further than to pay two fifth parts of whatsoever generall contribution is assessed in the Imperiall Diets They pay tribute to the Emperour some say fifteene thousand Florens but they have for the most part sufficient revenue of their owne to defray the charges The nature of other Cities you have before read of The Diets now be the things by which the Emperour rules all if he be able to make a partie The ordinances of these Diets cannot be frustrated but by another Diet but of putting the Decrees in execution the Emperour hath the full power and the sole authority And therfore as touching preheminence and dignity hee is to be accounted the first and chiefe of the Christian Princes as the person upon whom the Majestie of the Roman Empire resteth and who ought to defend the Nation of the Germans the Church of God the Catholike Faith and to procure the peace and wel-fare of the whole Christian world And this is something towards the understanding of the State of the Empire in Germany Go we now to relate of the other chiefe Princes there And first of those which worthily challenge the next place the Electors of which the Palsgrave is chiefe The State of the Prince Elector Palatine HIs Dominion containes the Vpper and the Lower Palatinate The Lower is the chiefe of the two as being both the richest the largest and the Seat of the Elector A goodly and a delicate Country it is almost two hundred miles in length and about halfe so much in breadth lying on both sides of the famous Rhine and watered besides with the Neccar whose bankes are inriched with the most generous Wines It touches upon Lorraine at the Southwest and hath the Duchie of Wirtenberg upon the East Of this Countrey because of the armie of the Destroyer may we speake in the Scripture phrase The Land is as Eden before them and as a desolate wildernesse behind them her goodly and strong Cities her pleasant fields and delicate vineyards are fallen into the possession of those that reaped where they did not sow To this Principalitie was the Title of the first Elector incorporate It and Bavaria were made a Kingdome Anno 456. which Charles the Great conquered in whose Line it continued from the yeare 789. till Otho's time Anno 955. whose heires continued in them but not as a Kingdom till the yeare 1043. at which time Henry the third deprived Prince Conrade of
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
garrison to keepe the Towne in obedience To it resort divers Merchants for traffique and many Gentlemen to leaâ—â—â— the â—â—â—â—uage There are besides divers other pretty and reasonable stâ—oâ—g Townes but above all Dresden the ancient seat of the Dukes of Saxonie It standeth in the Countie of Misâ—â—a round and containing in compasse about the walls the circuit of two English miles These Walls are of faire and large squared stones wel countermined with earth on the inside and wonderfully fortified with seven strong Bulwarks and as many great Mounts on the outside On the which as also on the walls are one hundred and fifty goodly peeces of Brasse artillerie with a garrison of five hundred well appointed Souldiers in continuall pay This City within the walls hath eight hundred houses foure Churches three Gates two faire Market places and a great Bridge of stone over the Elve The Mote which incompasseth the wall is deepe and cleere without any filth or weeds and is on all sides walled with faire stones to the bottome The streets are not many but very faire the houses not very great but of one uniformitie and pleasing to behold In most of the streets runneth from the River a small streame of water and in many of these streets are tubs placed upon sleds full of water alwaies ready to be drawne by horses or men whither occasion of fire should crave imployment For prevention whereof they maintaine men of purpose to walke every night in the streets and some to watch carefully on the highest Towers The Palace of the Duke is of great beauty and majesty the Chambers are flowerd with coloured Marbles and garnished round with Stags heads of extraordinary greatnesse many bed-steds and tables also are of divers coloured Marbles most curiously carved and polished Within the Palace is an Armory for horsemen of unspeakable magnificence with a great number of horses curiously framed in wood and painted to the life with as many woodden men on their backes furnished most richly with all furniture fit for a horseman to use in the warres Amongst these are the lively portraictures of many of the Dukes of Saxonie carved and painted to life covered with such robes armour and furniture for their horses made of gold and silver and set with precious stones as they used to weare when they were living There are also thirty six sleds for pleasure of great beauty and rare invention with two carved and painted horses to every of them richly furnished with silver bits and the bridles and capar sons imbrodered with silver and gold hanging full of silver bels according to the German custome Here are also many Chambers full of Masking garments and other abiliments for triumphs and pastimes both for Land and Water In this Armory also are many costly weapons both offensive and defensive such so good and so rich as mony can procure or the wit of man invent Vnder this Armory standeth a most princely Stable arched with stone and supported with goodly pillars of Marble Out of every of which pillars runneth sweet and fresh water for the daily use of the Stable The rackes are of iron the mangers plated over with copper the stalles for the Horses of strong carved timber every Stall having a faire glazed window and every window a greene curtaine The ground betweene the stalles is paved with faire broad stones In this Stable are an hundred eight and twenty horses and yet no wet nor filth to be perceived nor dung to be seene or smelt Neere unto the Palace standeth the Arsenall wherein is seene such plenty of great Artillerie yellow as gold such strange Engins and such wonderfull qualities of all kind of Armour and Munition whatsoever necessary for the Wars or a long siege that for Land-service it farre excelleth the Arsnall of Venice or any other Storehouse in Europe able to arme 300000. Horse and Foot at a dayes warning And as the Armory and Arsenall excell all others so the City for its quantity in my judgement is to be accounted the fairest and strongest of Europe and that far surpassing Noremberg Anwerp or Lubech at this day reckoned to bee the prime Cities of Christendome Besides this Armory all the Cities and Townes have their Armories very well kept and provided neither are the Noblemen Gentlemen and Country people unfurnished There are in Saxonie three Vniversities Wittenberg Liepâ—que and Iene The first is supposed to be the prime-Vniversity of all Germany It is about two miles compasse within the walls being neither strong nor faire In it are only two Churches and foure Colleges being neither rich nor beautifull and in them about a thousand Students of all sorts It hath a strong Bridge of Timber over the Elve and a faire Castle or Palace appertaining to the Duke In the Church of this Castle are interred the bodies of M. Luther and P. Melancthon under two faire Marble stones with superscriptions of copper upon them and their pictures from head to foot in great tables set up by them The other two have some six or seven hundred Schollers a peece but in Colleges Lectures Order Proceeding and all things else infinitely inferiour either to Cambridge or Oxford There are all professions in each of them but Wittenberg is esteemed the chiefe Seminary of Divines Iene of Civilians and Liepsiege of Philosophie All the Dukedome but especially Misen is one of the pleasantest and fruitfullest parts of all Germany and in truth much exceeding any that I saw but onely the Dukedome of Wittenberg It hath great store of very good Corne of all sorts reasonable good and convenient store of most sort of Cattell of Horses they have plenty and those strong and tall of stature but fitter to draw than to serve yet very well fitting their manner of service being heavily armed viz. with a Petronell a case of Pistols a Courtle-axe and divers times with a Battle-axe over and above all which his Horse must be able to carry two or foure bottles of Wine or Beere in his great heavy Saddle left in any case his Master should faint for want of liquor in his journey But their best races they have out of the nether Saxonie where there be exceeding store The Bullocks are but small and nothing good Of sheepe they have in some places indifferent store especially within these few yeeres of body little and but reasonable good yet so as bearing indifferent good wooll either the sheepe themselves or their fleeces are bought up by the Netherlands and imployed in the making of cloth to some prejudice of ours in England They have great store of Mines of most sorts as Silver Copper Tin Lead Iron and as they say some Gold The chiefe places of the Silver Mines are Tiberg Aviberg Mariaberg and other Townes at the foot of the Bohemian Mountaines In Voitland there are also some Hills very rich in Minerals especially one called which being much celebrated for having some Rivers running out
of it East West North and South is exceedingly spoken of for Silver and Gold Mines insomuch as in a Storie written of the Mines of Saxonie called Berg-Cronicon it is affirmed that this Hill yeelded to the Dukes of Saxonie in eight yeares twenty two Millions of Florens only for the Tenths Besides these Mines the Duke hath the Mine of Mansfielt pawned to divers Merchants of Norimberg and Augusta and are thought to be worth yearely thirty thousand pounds sterling It is held that all his Mines of Saxonie besides those of Mansfielt yeeld the Duke one yeare with another seven hundred thousand Florens which is about an hundred and thirty thousand pounds sterling Other commodities of worth they have none but flax and a kinde of thicke course cloth which by reason of the exceeding falsifying and dearenesse of ours groweth every day into more and more request with them The whole Dukedome but especially Misen is very populous full of Cities walled Townes and Country Villages and all of them very well peopled It is certainly affirmed that the Duke at twenty dayes warning is able to make an Armie of fourescore thousand men very well armed and furnished The people generally are reasonable faire of complexion and flaxen haired but not well favoured either men or women in behaviour as civill as any part of Germanie whatsoever especially the women who taking themselves as they are indeed for the fairest and best spoken of all Dutchland are in their apparell and entertainment indifferently gracefull For their disposition as indeed almost all the rest of the Germans it is very honest true and not ordinarily given to any notorious vice but drinking nor willingly offering any injurie either to their owne country-men or to strangers but when they are drunke and then very quarrelsome and as it is said more valiant than when they are sober Wise in mediocritie but not of any great sharpnesse or subtiltie of wit Of body strong and big boned especially the Countrey people but of a kinde of lumpish heavie and unactive strength fitter for husbandrie and other toilesome labour than fighting In their chiefe Cities some few give themselves at their great and principall Feasts to a little use of their Peece in shooting at a marke but otherwise by reason of their long peace altogether untrained to the warres or any warlike exercises But the use of the pot serveth for all other pastimes and delights in which notwithstanding they have very small store of wine yet they are nothing inferiour to any other part of Dutchland They have great store of Artizans and Handy-crafts men of all sorts but in their severall trades nothing so neat and artificiall as the Netherlanders and English or those of Norimberg and Augusta Of Merchants they have great store especially in Liepsiege and other chiefe Cities and those for the most part very rich whereof this reason is yeelded that though they have no commodities save those before mentioned nor are neere the Sea or any great Rivers by which they may have cheape and commodious importation or exportation of wares yet Germanie is so seated in the midst and heart of all Christendome and Saxonie in the bowels of it as by continuall trafficking with England France the Low-Countries Italie Poland and all the Easterne Countries and by daily conveying all the commodities of each Countrey over-land to others that want them they grow very wealthy For such as give themselves to the warres and have no other profession of living though generally all the Germans are mercenary souldiers and so their service accordingly yet I heard of as few in this Province as in any part of Germanie whether it were that the wars of Hungarie imployed them all or that other Princes growing weary of their service their occupation began to decay Touching the Nobilitie I can say nothing in particular of their numbers names titles dispositions c. only in generall there be Earles and Barons Some are meerely subject to the Duke others are borderers which are only but homagers as the Princes of Anhalt the Counts of Mansfielt the Counts of Swarzenberge c. Of Gentils there are good store to the number as it is supposed of three or foure thousand at the least by which meanes the Duke is alwayes in his warres well furnished with Horsemen every one one with another bringing three or foure good horses with him to the field The Nobilitie and Gentilitie generally thorow all Germanie and particularly in this Dukedome have great royalties and revenues The lands goods and chiefe houses are usually equally divided amongst all the children reserving but little prerogative to the eldest brother The Honours likewise descend equally to the whole Familie all the sonnes of Dukes being Dukes and all the daughters Duchesses all the sonnes of Counts Counts and the daughters Countesses c. They are exceedingly had both Noblemen and Gentlemen in extraordinary reverence and estimation amongst the vulgar people which both in their Gate and Seats in publike places they very religiously maintaine In time of Peace they are but little used in counsell or matters of State being almost all utterly unqualified either with wisdome learning or experience only contenting themselves with shadow of honour which their ancestors have left them And if they have beene famous as by the raising of their Houses to that greatnesse it should seeme they have â—eene they imitate them in nothing but in only continuing their so long and so holily observed order of carowsing In time of warre which hath beene for many yeares till the late warres of Hungarie very small or rather noâ—â— â—ecause of their greatnesse both in Revenues and number of Tenants their service hath beene usually imployed but now by reason of their long disuse of Martiall matters which therefore seemed to make some amends or at least some excuse of their other defects they are become if I ghesse not amisse not to fit for their greatnesse as unfit for their want of knowledge every way either in experience or contemplation And truly I cannot so much as heare almost of any of them either Noble or Gentlemen that give themselves to any Noble studies exercises or delights except now and then to the hunting of the wilde Boare by which and by accustoming their heads to the wearing of their heavie thrummed Caps in stead of a head-peece they take themselves to be greatly enabled for service For the valour and warlike disposition of the people of this Dukedome I cannot commend them above the rest of their Country-men neither shall I as I thinke need to stand much upon that point sithence their actions shall plead their sufficiencie in generall The great matters which they have undertaken and the little that they have performed will produce sufficient testimonie What they did one against another in the time of Charles the fifth is not much materiall to prove their courage since without question Bulrushes against Bulrushes
onely still continued but since the last warres increased What the generall summe of all the revenues arise unto I have nothing certaine neither indeed is it certaine in it selfe a great part thereof as aforesaid consisting upon casualties as the Mines and Tenths c. But for mine owne particular conceit being not altogether unconfirmed by other mens opinions I cannot imagine how that it can arise to lesse than foure hundred thousand pound sterling yearely at the least Thus have I briefly runne over some few particulars of the great and noble Dukedome of Saxony worthy a much more ample discourse and a farre more worthier and better informed discourser being all things considered not onely the greatest and mightiest Princedome under the Empire but even greater and mightier I meane as it stood united in the time of Christianus than the Empire it selfe For though the Emperour by his sacred Imperiall Seat bee his Liege-Lord and in greatnesse of dominion farre superiour yet is he in revenue in great love of his people in warlike provision and in German leagues and confederacies farre inferiour The State of the Marquesse Elector of Brandenburg THis Prince possesseth a larger tract of land than doth the other Electors and hath more Noblesse Gentry and people yet is a great deale of his land very wilde and barren much of his people poore and himselfe though of great revenue yet farre short of that of Saxony Brandenburg lies on the East limited with Poland on the West with Saxonie touching upon Lusatia on the South The compasse is about five hundred miles wherein are reckoned fifty Cities great and small and threescore and foure walled Townes The whole Marquisate is divided into the Old the chiefe Towne whereof is Brandenburg and the Nen the greatest Citie therein being Franckford upon Oder famous for the Mart and Vniversity The Princes Seat is at Berlin This twofold division is againe subdivided into eight Provinces from which the Nobilitie take their titles one of these Crossen by name being a Dukedome For in Germany you are to understand a Dukedome may be contained within a Marquisate yea and a Duke come behinde a Count for that in the Empire precedencie goes not as with us by title but by bloud and antiquity The name of the present Elector is Iohannes Georgius in whose line the title hath continued these two hundred and eleven yeares Besides now the bare Country of Brandenburg this Prince hath other dominions many townes and lands both in Lusatia and Silesia which with that of Onspach by Nurenberg goe commonly away to the younger of the family all which write themselves Marquesses of Brandenburg The three Dukedomes of Cleve Iuliers and Berg have also beene united to this family though now almost twentie yeares since the Duke of Cleve dying without issue these three States are yet in controversie betwixt this Marquesse and the Duke of Newenburg Besides these is hee Duke of Prussia which is a great Country into which the King of Poland is to give him investiture So that hee and the Archbishop Elector of Cullen be Lords of the greatest tracts of lands of all the Princes of Germany The revenues out of Brandenburg are thought to amount to forty thousand pounds sterling and certainly his profits out of all his other Estates cannot but double that summe A sufficient rent for such a Prince if you consider the cheapnesse of all things in his Country He is Lord of much people and therefore of many souldiers The Duke of Brunswicke hath a large dominion well peopled well furnished and himselfe of a great revenue but both in place much inferiour being no Elector being as of body the strongest so also of minde the vilest natured people of all Germanie In other things likewise he is inferiour to the Duke of Saxonie a great part of his Country being barren and his subjects poore The Duke of Bavaria hath a large rich and goodly Country lying in great length on both sides the Danubie a great revenue and his subjects in good estate but as being almost the only Catholike great Prince of the temporalty of no great party and unfurnished of warlike provision but much more of treasure being exceedingly behinde hand principally through the abuse of his Iesuites by whom being wholly governed he hath spent and daily doth infinitely in building them Churches Altars and Colleges and endowing them with large revenues What is above written of the Duke of Bavaria's estate was something to the truth at the time of the former edition of this booke for certainly the house of Bavaria is wholly Iesuited insomuch as the father of this present Duke giving over the government retired himselfe into a house of Iesuites and this present Duke besides other his large bounties and buildings hath already estated eighteene hundred pound sterling a yeare upon the English Iesuites with condition that it shall goe to the Vniversity of Oxford so soone as that shall be converted to Popery So that the case is now altered with the Duke of Bavaria hee hath gotten part both of the Vpper and Lower Palatinate into his hands yea and the Electorship it selfe is estated upon him Thus for the time are the Palatinate and Bavaria fallen both upon one person againe as they were before the yeare 1294. when as Lewis the Emperour Prince of both of them gave the Palatinate to his elder sonne and Bavaria to the younger after which the Palatine marrying the heire of Bavaria againe united them But about 125. yeares since the Emperour Maximilian againe parted them giving Bavaria to the Ancestor of this present Maximilian He is Vncle to King Frederike himselfe hath no issue his second brother is the Elector of Cullen and a third brother he hath who is not childlesse Bavaria touches both Austria Bohemia and the Vpper Palatinate too aptly situated for the late warres both to distresse his nephew and to aid the Emperour What forces he is able to make did then appeare and his revenue must bee answerable The Duke of Wirtemberg as in dignitie he is inferiour to all these so doth hee if I be not deceived approach neerest in most particulars of greatnesse to the Duke of Saxonie having a Country in circuit but small being not much bigger by ghesse than Yorkeshire but very full of neat Townes and rich Villages very well peopled and they generally very rich The land is not so fruitfull as in other places but farre excelling the best in England that ever came under my view abounding exceedingly especially about Stutgard with wine and the Countrey so pleasantly diversified as that the hils whereof it is full and River sides being only imployed to Vines the plaines are every where full of corne of all sorts of excellent meadow and pasture with sufficient store of wood The Duke himselfe is well loved of his people very rich in treasure and yearely revenue so that setting the mines aside he is thought to be equall if not
few which escaped the generall massacre yet are they contented without laying any claime to their ancient gentility to range themselves with the residue of the basest commonalties and can but seldome be admitted to the chiefest magistracies being commonly bestowed upon Butchers and such like Mechanicall Artizans Italy ITaly according to Plinie the most beautifull and goodliest Region under the Sun the Darling of Nature and the Mother of hardy Men brave Captaines and valiant Souldiers flourishing in all Arts and abounding with Noble wits and men of singular spirits is situate under a Climate most wholesome and temperate commodious for Traffike and most fertile for Corne and Herbage containeth in length from Augusta Pretoria unto Otranto one thousand and twenty miles and in breadth from the River Vara in Provence to the River Arsia in Friuli where it is broadest foure hundred and ten miles and in the narrow places as from the mouth of Pescara to the mouth of Tiber an hundred twenty six miles So that to compasse it by Sea from Vara to Arsia are three thousand thirty eight miles which with the foure hundred and ten by land maketh the whole circuit three thousand foure hundred forty eight miles Thus it appeares to bee almost an Iland in shape of a legge bounded on the East with the Adriatike Sea on the South and West with the Tirrhene Seas and on the North with the Alpes the which for that it is described by others we will but point to and so much the rather because there is no Country in the world better knowne and more frequented by strangers Inheritance there descend to the children as Lands holden by Gaâ—â—â—â—nd with us in some parts of England so that one brother hath as good a share as another and if the older be borne to the title of a Coâ—â—e so is the younger and so called yea if there be twenty brethren except it be in the Estates of Princedomes as Mantua Ferrara Vrbin and such like which evermore descend to the eldest entirely By this meanes it commeth to passe that often times you shall see Earles and Marquesses without Lands or goods yet most strictly standing upon descents and the glory of their names for themselves and their issues for ever But the Gentlemen which have whereof to live are reported to surpasse the Gentry of any other Nation in good carriage and behaviour and for the most part professe Armes and follow service And to bee discerned from the vulgar they all in generall speake the Courtisan which is an excellent commendation considering the diversitie of Dialects amongst them For leaving the difference betweene the Florentine and the Venetian the Milanois and the Roman the Neapolitan and the Genois which may well be likened to the difference betweene a Londoner a Northerne man yet by the tongue you shall not lightly discerne of what part of the Countrey any Gentleman is No more different are they in manners and behaviour honourable courteous prudent and grave withall that it should seeme each one to have had a Prince-like education to their superiours obedient to equals respective to inferiours courteous to strangers affable and desirous by kinde offices to winne their love Of expence and lone of his mony very wary and will be assured to be at no more cost than he is sure either to save by or to have thanke for In apparell modest in furniture of houshold sumptuous at their table neat sober of speech enemies of ill report and so jealous of their reputations that whosoever speaketh ill of one of them if the party slandered may know it and finde opportunitie to performe it the party offending shall surely die for it The Merchants likewise for the most part are Gentlemen For when of one house there bee three or foure brethren lightly one or two of them give themselves to traffike And sometimes if they chance not to divide their Fathers substance and patrimonie as many times they doe not then doe they which professe themselves Merchants travell for the welfare of their brethren joyntly participating of losse and profit But in outward shew these carry not like reputation to the Gentlemen afore spoken of for they professe not Armes but desire to live in peace and how to vent their wares and have new traffike into strange Countries yet have no lesse reputation of Nobility for their trade of Merchandize but by reason they stay at home and use the richest Farmes and follow Husbandrie by their Bailises and Factors they become the best and wealthiest Merchants in all Christendome Their Artificers are thought the best workmen of the world and are so well paid that many live by their labours as well as many doe by Revenues yea and grow very rich and within two or three descents to the reputation of Gentry The poorer sort are the husbandmen for they are oppressed on all hands in the Country liveth no man of wealth The Gentry and wealthier sort dwell in Townes and walled Cities leaving the Villages fields and pastures to their Tenants not at a rent certaine as we doe in England but to halfes or to the thirds of all graine fruit and profit arising of the ground according as it shall be either barren or fertile And this the poore Tenant must till and manure at his owne charge so that the Lords part commeth cleare without disbursing one penny yet shall you see many faire houses in the villages but they are onely for the owners pastime in Summer For then they leave the Cities for a moneth or two where under the fragrant hedges and bowers they solace themselves in as much pleasure as may be imagined And for the most part every man hath his Mistresse with instruments of musicke and such like pleasures as may serve for recreation and delight Thus much of the manners and nature of the inhabitants now will wee speake of the estates of the Country The King of Spaine hath the greatest part for his share as Naples and the Duchie of Millaine The Pope hath the Citie of Rome Campagnia part of Maremma part of Tuscan the Duchie of Spoâ—et Marca d' Ancona Romagnia and the Citie of Bononia The Venetians have for their part the Citie of Venice with the townes in and about that Marish called La contrada di Venetia La marka Trivigrina a great part of Lombardie and part of Istria They likewise are and have beene Lords of certaine Islands some whereof the Turke hath wonne from them The Common-weale of Genoa hath the territorie about them called at this day Il Genovosaio and anciently Liguria Tuscan once Heâ—ruria is divided into divers Seigniories whereof the Bishop of Rome holdeth a small part but the greatest is under the jurisdiction of Florence Then are Common-wealths of Sienna and Lucca whose Territories are not great 13. The Duke of Ferrara hath part of Romagnia and part of Lombardie 14.
The Duchie of Mantua lieth wholly in Lombardie and the Duchie of Vrbin betweene Marca d' Ancona and Tuscane 15. The Duchies of Parma and Placentia are in Lombardie and holden of the Church Of these Princes and Common-wealths every one holdeth himselfe in his owne Territorie absolute Prince and Governour and maintaineth his estate upon the custome taxes and impositions of the people For lightly they have little or no Lands of their owne THe Estate of the Pope is twofold the one consisteth in Temporall Dominion the other in Spirituall Iurisdiction His Temporall Dominion is likewise divided into two kinds the one profitable and as a man may terme it an hereditarie the other immediate and holden in fee of he Church As touching his Temporall Dominion hee is Lord of a great part of Italie as of all that lieth betweene the River Fiore and Cajetta betweene Preâ—est and the Truentian streights except the Duchie of Vrbin In that compasse are incircled the Provinces of Bonnonia and Romandiola Marchia Vmbria the Duchie of Spoleto S. Peters patrimonie Tuscan and lately Ferrara It is seated in the heart of Italie stretching from the Adriatike to the Tirrhene Sea and in regard of situation as also in plenty of provision as corne wine and oyle it is comparable to any State of Italie For Romandiola imparteth great store unto their neighbours the Venetians and Sclavonians And yet have the Inhabitants sufficient for their owne provision Marchia reacheth from Tronto to Foglia betweene the Apenine and the Sea it is divided into little hils and plaines It is rich of Wine Oyle and Corne having divers great Townes and Castles therein The Citie of greatest trading is Ancona by reason of the Haven to which many Lasterne Merchants doe repaire The fairest is Ascoli the most powerfull Fermo because of many Fortresses subject unto it Macerata is a new Citie and because it lieth in the middest of the Province it is the Governours seat In some yeares it hath supplied the Venetians wants with many thousand measures of Corne and Oyle And although Vmbria is not so plentifull of graine as to spare for their neighbours yet is it able to maintaine it selfe without buying of others and in stead thereof it is abundantly stored with Wines Cattell and some Saffron S. Peters Patrimonie and Tuscan often releeved Genoa and at some seasons Naples This territorie bringeth forth fierce and warlike souldiers and herein it is reported to excell all the residue of the Italian Provinces Bonnonia Romania and Marchia are able to levie twenty thousand foot-men and the other Provinces as many In the time of Pope Clement Marchia alone aided him with a thousand souldiers The chiefe Seat is Rome once the Lady of the World and at this day inhabited with two hundred thousand soules but two parts thereof consisting of Church-men and Curtizans The second Bononia wherein are eighty thousand of both sexes Next to these are Perugia Ancona Ravenna and some fiftie others The defensible places are the Castle and Borough of Rome Ovietta Teracine c. It is a great credit and commendation to this State to have many Noblemen therein to excellent in Negociation of Peace and Warre that the residue of the States and Princes doe most commonly choose their Leaders and Lieutenants out of these Provinces If the Prince hereof were secular both for people and power hee might very well be compared with any State of Italy Besides these Dominions the Pope hath the Territory of Avignon in France wherein are foure Cities and fourscore walled Townes In Naples he hath Benevent Romagna extendeth from Foglia Panora and from the Apenine to the River Po. For temperature and fertilitie it is like to Marchia but hath generally more famous Cities as Rimini Cesana Faensa Ravenna Turly Imola Sarsina Cervia Bertinoto once a Bishops Seat but now translated to Forlimpoli The Noblest of all these is Ravenna where some Emperor have kept their Courts and after them their Exarches or Lieutenants When Pipin having expulsed Astolpho put the Church in possession thereof this Territorie comprehended Bolognia Regio Modena Parma Piacenza Ravenna Sarsina Claesse Forli Forlimpoli and made one estate called Pentapoli which indured an hundred eightie three yeares even to the yeare of our Lord 741. in which yeare it ended by the taking of Ravenna by Astolph King of Lombards So that first the Roman Emperours especially Honorius and after him the Kings of the Gothes and then Exarches amongst all the Cities of Italy chose this for the Seat of their Courts which from amongst other respects I suppose to proceed by reason of the plentifull Territory now covered with water and the conveniencie of the Haven which at this day is likewise choaked This Province was first called Flaminia but Charles the Great to raze out the remembrance of these Exarches and to make the people willing to obey the Roman Prelats called it Romagnia As touching his immediate Soveraigntie he is Lord Paramount of the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicil and the Duchies of Vrbin Ferrara Parma Placentia and many others Where his authoritie is maintained he hath supreme government of all religious Orders and bestoweth the Ecclesiasticall Benefices at his dispose Having many strings to his Bow he hath many meanes to raise money so that Xistus the fourth was wont to say That the Popes should never want Coine as long as their hands were able to hold a pen. Paul the third in the league betweene him the Emperour and the Venetians against the Turk bare the sixth part of the charges of that warre Against the Protestants and in aid of Charles the fifth he sent twelve thousand foot-men and five hundred horse-men bearing their charges during the warre this was he that advanced his house to that honour wherein it continueth to this day in Florence Pius the fifth aided Charles the ninth King of France with foure thousand footmen and a thousand horse Xistus the fifth in five yeares and a halfe of his Pontificacie raked together five millions of crowns and spent bountifully notwithstanding in bringing Conduits and Water-pipes into the Citie and in building Pyramides Palaces and Churches So that it should seeme that the Entrado could not but amount to much above the value of ten hundred thousand crownes per annum for Newman a late Writer would have this surplusage to be raised upon use money yearely laâ—d up in the Castle of Saint Angelo And this to arise of his ordinary Revenues within his Territories of Italy Since those times it cannot but be much more augmented by the addition of the Dukedome of Ferrara as also for that in those dayes the monethly expence of the Court being thirtie thousand crownes is in these times defalked unto five thousand A State wherein you shall see Religion metamorphosed into policie and policie meditating nothing but private greatnesse the Man-seeming-God affecting Honour Majestie and Temporall riches with no lesse ambition and
all the City became to bee divided into Neri and Bianchi this sedition was not of long time after pacified Arezzo being by long dissention amongst themselves almost brought to wracke as the other cities of Tuscane likewise were was sold to the Florentines by Lewis of Anjou for forty thousand Florens of gold and not many yeeres after Cortona by King Ladislaus With the State of Florence doth confine that of Sienna a City builded by the Senoni and of late time become subject to the house of Medici It is five miles in compasse strong by situation and whereunto Cosmo the great Duke adjoyned a Citadell From Florence it is not above thirty three miles distant but the people thereof are much differing in Manners as also disposition they sparing slow and unsociable towards Strangers these bountifull and of kinde entertainment they loth to part with money and provident these liberall and onely caring for the present they grave melancholie and alwaies expecting their profit these plaine and of cheerefull countenance the one inclined to traffique and gaine the other content with their Revenues and the fruits of their Farmes Sienna hath a large and fruitfull Territory wherein are contained in the Cities of Pienza Montalcino Chiusi Soana and in Maremma Massa and Crosseâ—o the ports of Orbetelio Portercole with twenty six other walled Townes The coast beginneth at Capiglia and extendeth to the little River of Fiore being all good soile for Corne but the aire is so infectious that none live long therein The ports doe all belong to the King of Spaine together with the Hill Argentino a place famous by the discourse which Claudius Ptolomeus made thereof for the excellency of the situation fit for the building of a royall Citie Next this Province beginneth the patrimony of Saint Peter bequeathed to the Church by the Countesse Matilda These may be partly ghessed at by the numbers of people which not to over-reach with the Italians are valued 800000. soules or perchance a million in all his dominions So then out of every 16000. people to allow three hundred souldiers which is the proportion of the Muster-books in Prato then will 800000. people allow 15000. souldiers and though the Duke as some writers affirme hath sometimes confessed that he hath thirty or 36000. souldiers yet I suppose you shall doe him no wrong not to allow him above 20000. in ordinary seeing a Captaine of their owne at once confessed but 15000. These are trained once a moneth except in Florence where they are not suffered to weare Armes the liberty to weare which causes divers to sue to be souldiers those in ordinary pay are bestowed in his Garrisons Thirty Castles and Forts he hath and in some of them fifty in others but fifteene souldiers Sixteene Cities with Garrison also he hath in some of which he keepes not much above the said number though in others two or three hundred He hath in ordinary for his Guard one hundred horse at six and thirty shillings nine pence apeece a moneth and foure hundred light horse more at fifteene shillings nine pence one other troope of horse he hath for what service and in what pay I know not The Garrison Souldier hath one and twenty shillings a moneth the traine Souldier nothing His Force at Sea he never recovered since the defeat given by the Turkes where hee lost two of his best Gallies and one Galleon His whole Fleet is about twelve Gallies and five Galleasses for honour and increase of his power by Sea hath hee instituted the Knights of the Order of Saint Stephen who are his Commanders His chiefe Port and Arsenall is Porto Ferraro in the I le of Elba Of great Ordnance were told in the Castle of Livorno threescore and foure and in that of Florence one hundred and fifty by which may be ghessed that hee hath no want of munition The charge of his Gallies for these six moneths in which they be commonly at Sea is about 18000. gold Crownes each Crowne worth six shillings sterling There is not so much as a root nor the dunging of an Asse for which something is not paid to the great Duke Victuals Lodging Weddings Bargaines Law-suits setting up of young Tradesmen all must be paid for So that his ordinary and knowne revenue is valued at 1100000. Ducats which comes to 279000. pound sterling a yeere besides his extraordinaries A wonderfull summe for a petty Prince especially in such a thrifty place where all expences defrayed he may in times of peace put up one halfe if not two thirds of his intire Revenue Ordinaries and Extraordinaries arising to one thousand pound a day His neighbour Princes are all jealous of him hee of them and all watchfull one over another But the greatest eye-sore his greatnesse is to the State of Lucca which lies in Tuscany and all the whole length being fifty miles surrounded by this Dukes dominions This makes them at great and continuall charge of Garrisons and to put themselves under the protection of the Spaniard the feare of whose power slaves off the Duke from attempting upon that State which might hee once obtaine hee might truly then write himselfe Great Duke of Tuscany Whereas now having but part of it he may be answered as the Pope did his Predecessor So he may write himselfe the Greatest Duke of all Tuscany rather than The Great Duke of all Tuscany The State of the Kingdome of Naples THe chiefe place hereof in ancient time was Capua the pleasant situation whereof was the overthrow of Hanâ—â—bal and his army Cicero writeth that the Romans were Lords of three imperiall Cities Carthage Corinth and Capua The two first being farre off they utterly ruinated of Capua they long consulted in the end they concluded that it were extreme tyrannie to spoile so noble a city of Italy But for their better security they confiscated the Territories thereof and deprived it of all forme and Majesty of Common-wealth They let the buildings stand to serve for receit of those which should till the ground Naples is now the chiefe seat not onely of Campagnia but of the whole Kingdome and is indeed a princely City it is in compasse seven miles but narrow of late times it is much augmented and would increase continually if the King of Spaine had not forbidden a further increase by building whereunto he was moved partly by the complaints of the Barons whose Tenants to injoy the liberties granted to the Neapolitans did forsake their owne dwelling to seat themselves there partly by the danger of rebellion which in so mighty a City cannot easily be repressed It is strongly walled and hath in it three Castles the chiefe whereof is Castle Novo builded by Charles of Angcow The haven is not large nor safe but that inconvenience is somewhat eased by an artificiall key It hath likewise an Arsenall wherein all Instruments of warre are forged Amongst other religious places of which sort there are many and those
other advantages required in the situation of a City hath those two which are required in a well seated City whereof having already discoursed in the site of England wee will here surcease further to dilate of The safety then of this City groweth from the Waters and the situation thereof in the Water where neither it can be well approached or assaulted by Land for the interposition of the Water betweene it and the Land nor yet by Sea for that the streames are not navigable but by Vessels of the lesser size onely for greater ships riding out of the Channels where the Water is somewhat deepe would drive and riding within the Channels with every turning water should bee on ground So that a Navie of lesser shipping would doe no good and greater shipping cannot well there be mannaged In conclusion these Waters are rather made for the places and entertainment of peace than for motions of warre We may adde to these difficulties which nature and the situation doe present another as great which ariseth from the power and provisions of the City which are ever such as will better inable the Inhabitants to offend another in those Waters than any man can invent to offend them All which young Pepin tasted to his losse Who with his ships and men fild all the Coast From the Fornaci to the greater shore And Laid a bridge to passe his ventrous boast From Mâ—lamocco all the Channellore Even to Rialto yet for all this boast Hee 's faine to flie with shame the Seas doe drowne His men His bridge the waves have beaten downe And lastly wee may adde the continuall Art and care which the Seigniorie doth use ever to augment something to the fortification of this their Citie and State The whole Dominion of the Venetian Seigniorie is divided into firme land and Sea By the firme land we understand all that which they possesse in Lombardie in Marca Trâ—visâ—â— and in Friuli for that all those parcels doe make one continued country passable from one to the other without helpe of Sea Wee will terme that Sea which confineth with the Lake Sea-ward or that which cannot be approached without passing by Water This State is againe divided into Continent and Island On the Continent they have Istria Dalmatia Sclavonia Albania or at least some parts thereof The Islands stand partly within the Gulfe not farre distant from the Continent and part of them are without the Gulfe which are Corfu Cephalonia Zante Candia Cenigo Tine and other in the Adriatique The State of the firme Land containeth one of the Marquisats of Italie to wit Trevisa which besides the head Citie whereof it taketh its name hath also in it the Cities of Feitre Belluno and Câ—nâ—da It hath moreover two of those Cities which are of the first ranke of the Cities in Italie namely Venice and â—resâ—la Nor let it seeme strange to any man that Treckon â—râ—scia amongst the said Cities considering that for largenesse of Territorie it giveth place to no Citie thorow Italâ—â— containing in length one hundred miles and in bredth fiftie considering also the number of Inhabitants and the entrade it yeeldeth to the Seigniorie besides the private revenue of the Citie it selfe In all which few other Cities come neere it There is also in the firme Land the Citie of Verona called so for its superemment conditions as Verâ— una and is the first of the second ranke of Cities of Italie The Citie of Padoa which for goodnesse of soile exceedeth Bolognia it selfe There are also the Cities of Bergamo Vicenza and Crema There is againe the State of Friuli with two honourable Cities Vdine where the Lieutenant of the State resideth and Cividal besides a number other populous Townes little inferiour to Cities Lastly there is the fruitfull Polesine with the noble Citie of Rovigo therein with other places of good respect If wee consider the water there are few States of Italy that have more abundance in that kinde either for standing Waters or Rivers In the Territorie of Bergamo is the Lake of Iseo in the Country of Brescia the Lake of Idro In the Veronesse and Brescian is the Lake of Guardo It is also watered with many great Rivers that not only serve to make the fields fruitfull but also to fortifie the place And those Rivers are Oglio Chiese Navilio Mincio Seri Mela and Garza which indeed is rather a Mountaine Bourne than a River c. The Countrey of Polesine and Padoa are so stored with Lakes and Rivers that therein is no Burg or place which standeth not within five miles of some fresh Water And all this Countrey of the firme Land whereof I have spoken is also for aire exceeding wholesome and temperate as the complexions and cheerefull countenances of the Inhabitants can well witnesse together with the quicknesse of their apprehension and wit as well for matter of Armes as Learning Touching the Land this State hath in it many parts that are very diverse in qualitie some-where exceeding happy and fruitfull but lesse industrie in the people other-where the people are exceeding industrious but the ground defective Againe some parts there are where both the people are exceeding carefull industrious and the soile also good Of the first sort is the Territorie of Crema of Padoa of Vicenza of Trevisa and the Polesine Of the second sort is the Countrey of the Bergomasche the Veronise and Friuli Of the third sort is the Country of Brescia And touching the first it is almost incredible what the riches and increase is of those grounds what fresh Meadowes what fruitfull arable what abundance of Cattell of Flesh of all things that come of Milke what plenty of Corne of Pulse of Fruit Wood Flax Linnen and Fish Amongst all which particularities the Padoan doth notwithstanding excell which for goodnesse of soile doth carrie the praise from all the rest of Lombardie The wealth of this Territory may hence be conjectured that it hath the richest Bishopricke and Prebendaries of Italy It hath one of the richest Abbeies of Saint Benet in Italy which is Saint Iustina It hath one of the most beautifull Convents of the same order viz. that of Praxa It hath the richest Monastery belonging to the Austen-Friers which is that of Caudiana It hath two of the greatest Churches that may bee found in Italy which are Saint Iustina and Saint Anthony with one of the greatest Customes of salt in Europe In the time of the Roman Common-wealth no City of the Empire had more Knights of Rome than had Padoa For that as Strabo testifieth there were sometimes counted five hundred of them at once Which must needs proceed from the extraordinary goodnesse of the soile and the greatnesse of private livelihoods But at this day the greatnesse of the Venetian Nobilitie hath in great part diminished the Nobilitie of other Cities Amongst which Aquileia in old time tooke in compasse twelve miles and made an hundred and twenty thousand Citizens
Candie In which respect it standeth fitly both to hinder an enemie that would assault the Islands and Continent within the Gulfe and to releeve Candie if it were distressed It also â—eth fitly to defend all the Westerne parts and to molest the East It standeth in so excellent a Seat for the defence of Italy that it may properly be termed the Bastion thereof It standeth well also for the conquest of Greece bordering upon it as it wereâ— strong mount or Cavallier I standeth opportunely for the receit releeving and uniting of the Forces and Navies of Christendome against the Infidelt And albeit the Island be not very plentifull in graine yet thorow the vicinitie thereof to Puglia and Epyre and the facile transportation it hath to Venice and Sicill it cannot want any necessaries The experience whereof hath beene manifested both in the time of the Romans and in our dayes also The Roman fleet made head alwayes at Corsu There also in the civill warres betwixt Caesar and Pompey did ride M. Bibuluâ— Pompey's Generall And in our memorie the forces of the league concluded by Paul the third and Pius the fifth did there assemble and from thence set forward The Island was of so powerfull an estate that it armed 6â— Vessels to Sea It aboundeth with excellent Oyle Wine Wax Hony and fruits of all sorts All which commodities it hath in that goodnesse proportion that better in the same kind are not to be found through the whole earth It hath in length 60 miles 20 miles over and in circuit an hundred and twenty It hath three places of great importance to wit the old Citie neere the old Seat of Pagiopili the new Fort and thereto adjoyning the Castle Saint Angelo besides sixty eight Townes Next in order is Cephalonia containing in compasse an hundred threescore and six miles It hath two hundred Townes with Havens belonging unto them Two whereof Argostoli and Guiscardo are most famous the third is Nallo It yeeldeth store of Graine Oyle Sheepe Cheese Wooll Honey and Currans and these in such plenty that thereby it receiveth great and yearely Revenues Candia is likewise one of the most renowned Islands of the Mediterranean It containeth in length two hundred sixty miles in breadth fifty and in compasse in regard of the many promontories it maketh almost six hundred It yeeldeth great plenty of Wine with us called Malvesies Cheese and Honey It is seated so conveniently and with such advantage for marine occurrances that Aristotle censured it to be Lady of the Sea His reason because it lieth very neere the middle betweene Europe Asia and betweene Greece the Islands of the Archipelago which in a manner Court her as their Mistresse and Soveraigne It lieth from Constantinople three hundred and fifty miles from Alexandria and Soria five hundred from Caramania Epire and Cyprus three hundred from Afrike two hundred There remaine behinde two other Islands Cerigo and Tine Of which Cerigo containeth in compasse sixty miles In situatian it is mountainous having one good City seated on the top of a Hill It hath two Havens the one called Delphino the other Tine That looketh North this South It hath besides divers creeks but narrow and unsafe with the ancients it was of good esteeme for Leon of Sparta considering well the seat and quality of the place wished that either it had never beene or being it had beene drowned as soone as it had beene made Which wish as things afterwards fell out wrought him a great opinion of wisdome and foresight For Romaratus who banished from Sparta and sojourned with Zerxes counselled him to bring up all his Navie unto this Island if hee meant to impatronize himselfe of Greece as hee might easily have done if hee had followed that counsell as in few yeares after did Nicius Generall of the Athenians in the warre of Peloponnesus In our time it is called the Lanthorne of the Archipelago Tine is in the middest of Archipelago six miles from Delos round about which Delos lie the Cyclades in number fifty three It hath in circuit forty miles with one great and populous Citie and by reason of the Site which is on a Hill very strong very many Townes it hath besides And herewith endeth the Sea-Dominion of the Venetian In all which there are little lesse than three hundred and fiftie thousand soules Which number perhaps is greater than a man at first would beleeve especially if he consider withall how some of these parts as Sclavonia are not very fruitfull and many of the Islands are barren besides the terrour of the Turkish incursions Insomuch that if their Countries were under any other Lord than the Venetian they would surely be defarted But the Seigniory with entertaining peace with all their Neighbours with building of Forts maintaining of Garrisons in places of necessitie and with exceeding expence of money keepe and maintaine their people in this sort as at this day we see them inhabited Fame reporteth the Venetians to be exceeding rich But besides opinion there is great reason why they should be so indeed First they are Lords of a large Territory both by Land and Sea but chiefly on Land where they have Cities of the best ranke of Italy with large and opulent Territories adjoyning unto them and full of people industrious and thriftie They have also rich Bishoprickes wealthy Abbeyes with the fattest and most commodious benefices of Italy Families both for Nobilitie and Revenue worshipfull and Buildings for State and Magnificence singular Besides which they have also very wealthy commonalties Amongst which to omit many Brescia alone hath eighteene thousand crownes of yearely Revenue and Asola which is but a Towne subject to Brescia ten thousand Another reason is the great advantage which the Venetian hath for Trafficke both in drawing unto himselfe other mens commodities and in venting his owne I call his owne commodities whatsoever is growing or made within the State or whatsoever Trade besides he hath ingrossed or by prescription of time appropriated to himselfe This advantage is marvellous great throughout the whole State of Venice for that the firme Land on every side is full of navigable Rivers and Lakes Besides it is for the greater part a plaine Countrey so that the conveyance of all sorts of Merchandize by Cart or by Horse is very easie They are also in possession of the Valleyes and passages of the Rhetian Giulian and Carmian Alpes by which lieth all the Traffick betweene Italy and Germanie The State of the Sea is full of excellent large and safe Harbours especially Dalmatia and Sclavonia The Islands have the like especially the greater ones as Corsu and Candia But the flower of gaine and emolument to this State is the Trafficke of the great Sea of Soria and Aegypt which the Venetian had altogether in his hand especially so much of the ancient Trafficke for spice which hath beene and yet is of reasonable good consequence unto them In summe all the
wont to say hath something of the nature of Dice which no man knoweth how they will runne I may say as much of the house of Austria Princes that doe exceedingly cherish and affect quietnesse wherewith they are become great and with the same meanes doe maintaine their greatnesse Of the Church it were alike superfluous to speake for that neither Saint Peter can make any excuse to make warre upon Saint Marke nor will Saint Marke seeke to trouble Saint Peter unprovoked In summe the Venetian hath two maine advantages above all other Princes The one is that they have a councell that is immortall the other that the heart of the State cannot be pierced unto by any enemie And so conclude that the Pope and the Venetian at this time are more potent and of greater antiquity in Italy than ever heretofore they have beene not only for that the Pope hath a more ample Territory and that but little incumbred with petty Lordships and that the Venetian hath his Dominion better fortified and his Coffers fuller than in times past but also in regard that the States of Naples and Millan are in the hands of a Prince absent and farre off and therefore circumspect to raise innovations Lombardie anciently called Cisalpina extendeth from Panaco unto Sesia lying betweene the Apeniae and the Alpes Marca Trivigiana sometime called Venetia lieth betweene the Menzo and the Po. Most commonly both Provinces passe under the name of Lombardy because there the Kings of the Longobards seated their dwellings longer than in any other place of Italy Besides the soyle the ayre and the Inhabitants hold such correspondencie that they ought not to be distinguished This is the richest and civillest Province of Italy For such another peece of ground for beautifull Cities goodly Rivers Fields and Pastures for plenty of Fowle Fish Graine Wine and Fruits is not to be found againe in all our Westerne world arising partly by the ease of Navigable Rivers as Tesino Adda Oglio Menzo Adige and Po partly by channe's cut out of those Rivers and partly by the great Lakes of Verbano Lario and Benaco No lesse commodâ—ty ariseth by the plaines passable for Carts Mules and other carriage The greatnesse likewise of the Lords of Lombardie hath bin a great furtherance thereto For while the Visconti reigned this State maintained wars of great importance against most puissant Princes And for the Empirie hereof happened those notable wars of our daies betweene the Emperor and the French King And no marvell that two such puissant Potentates contended with so great effusion of bloud for this Dukedome for though to many it should not seeme great yet in very truth for the wealth of the Country and the quantity it hath been of as great reputation as some Realmes of Europe some Dukes whereof have possessed greater Territories enjoyed wealthier Revenues and have beene more puissant in Warres and more honourable in Peace than divers Princes graced with Kingly titles Amongst the Cities of these Provinces accounting Venice amongst the Islands Millan without controversie holdeth the precedencie It is able to reckon upon two hundred thousand persons and hath a large and populous Territory A Citie saith Guicciardine most populous and rich in Citizens plentifull in Merchants and Artificers proud in pompes and sumptuous in ornaments for men and women naturally addicted to feastings and pleasure and not only full of rejoycing and solace but also most happy in all other nature of contentment for the life of man And however now the Spaniard one in the Citie and another in the Castle overlooketh both City and Country yet is the bravery of the place very little abated nor doth the Nobleman shrinke under the burthen but carrieth his load lightly however his inward grones are breathed yet lifteth he up a face of chearefulnesse as if he dranke wine and fed on oyle according to the properties of either so good and bountifull is the Country The second Citie of Lombardie is Brescia not for compasse or multitude of people for it is not able to make fiftie thousand men but by reason of the large jurisdiction thereof comprehending therein many large Towns and populous Champians therefore censured to be able in all to levie 350000 men Among the Townes subject thereto Asalo and Salo have the preheminence amongst the Vallies Valcamonia being fifty miles in length and therewith populous and full of Iron Mines Bologna if it please you to account it in Lombardie and Verona are alike populous Verona is larger and of more beautie Bologna more rich and commodious as well for that it hath a larger Territory â— also for that there is no City that doth more absolutely enjoy her owne commodities and doth more freely partake of others by the great resort of Courtiers Clergie-men and Officers dispersed through all the Ecclesiastike State To which three things are much availeable the Vniversitie where all professions are practised their wealth which is equally divided and lastly their inclination and patience to take paines and doe service Betweene Verona and Padoa there is no great difference in respect of circuit but Verona hath double the people Whereof the Venetians to supply that defect doe as much as they may grace their Vniversitie and the Schollers As in this Province the Cities are great and beautifull so are the fortresses many and impregnable And whereas other Provinces have their places of strength on their Frontiers in this the neerer you approach the centre the stronger shall you see the Country planted and fortified The Dukedome of Vrbine THis State touching the Apenine mountaines on the South and the Adriatike Sea upon the North is on the two other sides high hemb'd in with the dominions of the Pope whose Liege-man or Feudatary the Duke hereof is for severall bounties received from the Church This State is threescore miles long and five and thirty broad containing seven Cities and two hundred Castles and Villages The land very good His Revenue comes in two wayes First from his subjects which he being a gracious Lord is not above an hundred thousand ducats a yeare But secondly he much helps himselfe by the Sea and especially by his customes upon Wine and Corne exported of which last there is a great trade in his ports Of this Revenue he issues but 2200. ducats a yeare by way of tribute or acknowledgement to the Pope and the great Duke of Tuscanie which last sometimes writes himselfe Duke of Vrbine also Both these gape for the Duchie if the succession should faile A pretty case lately hapned thereupon It chanced that Guido Baldus Duke of Vrbine in his owne life time resigning his Estate to the sonne and that sonne dying without issue before his father in the yeare 1624. that both these pretenders being ready to seaze upon it and yet 〈◊〉 afraid of another the old Duke was re-estated with both their consents The great Duke of Tuscanio hath as it seemes since
released his claime to the Pope who now solely after the death of this old man lookes for it but many thinke his nose will be wiped of it for that the Archduke Leopold brother to this Emperour hath in the yeare 1626. married the daughter and heire of this old Duke Guido And this may happen to be the occasion of a breach betweene the Pope and the house of Austria especially of the Duchie fals void in the life and height of this present Emperour and that the Spaniard and he get the better of it in the wars of Mantua Modena is an hereditary Dukedome full of riches and fashionable Gentry after the best Italian manner newly allied to Mantua and reasonably well fortified against his dangerous neighbour in Millan and inviteth you to the view of a very delicate Country The Duke dome of Mantua MAntua is a late Dukedome erected of an ancient Marquifate in the name of Gonzaga He liveth in better fashion of Courtship than the other Princes with a Guard of Switzers The Citie is large boasteth of Virgils birth and the delicate streames of Po over which for all the swiftnesse and largenesse a gallerie-bridge transporteth both Coach Cart and Horse under which are preserved many Courtly Barges both for magnificent shewes and pleasure of the water in Summer time as also for the necessities of the Inhabitants thorowout the yeare This State abutting upon the East of Millane hath the Marquifate of Moutferrat annexed unto it and is now the field of warre in Italie Rich men never want heires weake titles rather than no titles are made use of Thus comes the quarrell The Towne of Mantua was as the rest of Italy sometimes belonging to the Empire from which all going away the famous Matilda laid hold on this which with the rest of her estate she bequeathed to the Church of Rome Under the Popes the name of Poledroni bearing great sway grew at last too strong and usurped from their Lord about foure hundred yeares since from whom Gonzaga at last snatcht it who so well inlarged both the territorie and honour that it grew to be a Marquifate and some hundred and five yeares since was it made a Dukedome by the Emperour Charles the fifth about which time Duke Frederike obtained the Marquifate of Montferrat also and that by mariage of Margarita It so happened that a younger sonne of this Familie plants himselfe in France whole descendant upon the late death of his cousin Ferdinand Gonzaga who having beene first a Cardinall before hee came to be Duke of Mantua was unmaried and thereupon died without issue now puts in for the Duchie as next of the bloud So that the Cardinall-Duke being dead without issue the Pope claimes his share and hath it The Emperour puts in for his title pretending the Estate escheated to him for want of issue The heire in the meane time hastens out of France gets possession of Mantua and of the good will of the people also The Emperour he cals in the King of Spaine to trie his title by the sword and if not to hinder or regaine possession yet to inforce him to demand investiture of the Emperour The Duke craves aid of France the King himselfe leads an Armie thither which this present yeare having passed the Alps by the Duke of Savoyes stopping up the passage against him miscarries in Pledmont The Savoyard is proved the Duke of Mantuaes enemie for the Marquifate of Montferrat which he pretends a triple title unto all which were adjudged weake and insufficient pleas by Charles the fifth being made Vmpire by both parties But what he could not obtaine by Law he hopes in the weaknesse of the new Duke to doe by power striking in especially with the Spaniard with whom he is now made friends upon it the Spaniard restoring some Townes in Montferrat which the Savoyard had seized upon in the last vacancie An. 161â— but had beene taken from him againe in the late warres with Spaine So that the poore Dukedome of Mantua is like to be undone by foure Pretenders The Heire the Pope the Emperour and the Savoyard The Spanish forces of Millane are too neere unto Mantua and the Savoyards to Montferrat These be his neighbours and enemies The Dukedome of Mantua is indifferent rich and able to live of its owne Seven good Cities it hath whereof Mantua is one of the strongest in Italie three sides being fortified with a wide River Montferrat is larger than the Duchie of Mantua containing about threescore good walled Townes three of which be faire Cities Both territories together containe as much land as the great Duke of Tuscanie is master of yet his yearly Revenues come not to much above 500000 Ducats for that he uses his subjects well and wants the commoditie of the Seas For his Forces Italy hath not better Horsemen nor any willinger to serve their Prince Divers strong Townes he hath and all little enough at this time The State of the Duke of Savoy THe State of this Duke lyes in two Countries in France where Savoy is seated and in Italy where he possesses part of Piedmont But what Nature and the Alpes have disjoyned Marriage and Warres have united His Dominions in France reach as farre as Geneva the County of Burgunde Bresse Provence and Daulphine on Germanie side they touch upon the Switzers and in Italy are they bounded with Millane Montferrat and the State of Genoa The length is three hundred miles the breadth an hundred and threescore the compasse nine hundred To begin with Savoy from whence the Prince hath his Title The fable I see passes currant that these mountaine-passages being infested with theeves the Countrey was thereupon named Malvoy which disorders being reformed by a Nobleman the Emperour rewarded him with the title of Duke and named the Countrey Saulvoy that is the Safe-way But hee that shall remember that the Noticia of the Empire mentions the very name of Sabaudia will know it to be ancienter than the moderne French tongue from whence this fable derives it Savoy containes the Earldome of Geneva the Marquifate of Susa the County of Morienne the Lordships of Tharentaise Brengeois Faucignie Chablais and Pays de Vaul with three Bishoprickes whereof the Duke hath the nomination It containes foure or five good Cities whereof Chamberie is a Parliamentary Towne and the Seat of the Duke on that side Situate it is in a rich and delicate Valley full of Gentlemens houses and every way inclosed with high mountaines The Valleyes be fruitfull enough but the Mountaines very inhospitable which is the occasion that there be but five hundred thousand soules in all Savoy Many and large Lakes it hath and those very well fisht Piedmont is much the pleasanter and the richer Country though the common people be poore enough as scorning to worke and caring but to have from hand to mouth The chiefe Honour or Title that the Duke here hath is the Marquifate of Saluzzes The other part of
Piedmont is taken up with Montferrat but that belongs to Mantua Though in all Piedmont there be reckoned one Duchie of Aosta Marquisates fifteene Earldomes fifty besides Baronies many but these alas bee but petty ones such as have but Fiefs being but Gentlemen holding Fees or Mannors of the Dukes favour of which one writes that singly they are not very rich though all together they make a great noise Three Counties are reckoned in it and in them seven good Cities besides an hundred and fifty walled Townes Whereupon a Gentleman of that Nation boasted that his Countrie was an intire Citie of three hundred miles compasse Piedmont is said no nourish seven hundred thousand soules whereof the lesser halfe may be reckoned within this Dukes Dominions so that he may have some eight or nine hundred thousand subjects in the whole number The Dukes chiefe Citie here is Turin honoured now with an Vniversitie A strong place but made lesse than it was when the French were Masters of it that it might be the more defensible Saluzzes is a Bishops See also The first Founder of this Noble Family was Beroaldus of Saxonie brother to Otho the third Emperour who flying hither for killing that brothers wife taken in the act of Adultery was first made Generall to the Duke of Burgundie for whom he conquered Maurienne on Italy side which Lands the Duke giving to him hee became Lord of Maurienne His sonne was first made Count or Earle of Maurienne who marrying the daughter and heire of the Marquesse of Susa joyned both those Titles together His grand-childe inlarged his Dominion by the conquest of some of the neighbour Valleyes and his sonne Amadeus was for service done to the Emperour Henry the fifth made Earle of Savoy His grand-childe Humbert marrying the Count of Geneva's daughter made his father in Law to submit and acknowledge obedience unto him This Prince also upon the sailing of the heires of the Princes of Piedmont â—â—ts in for himselfe conquers divers places and takes Piedmont into his title also His son gains further upon his neighbours His grand-childe Peter winnes the Citie of Turine and gets confirmations of Richard Duke of Cornwall his kirsman and then Emperour in those Valleyes conquered by himselfe and his grand-father His sonne Philip marrying the heire of Burgundie was in her right made Earle of Burgundie and Savoy His brothers sonne Amadeus the fourth gained the Countrey of Bresse by marriage also His sonne Edward was made a Prince of the Empire and his son Amadeus wanne something from the Count of Geneva To whose sonne Amadeus the sixth part of Piedmont veelded itselfe He instituted the Order of Knight-hood of the Annanciada To his sonne Amadeus the seventh did the Countrey called Nizza en Provenza freely yeeld To honour his sonne Amadeus the eighth did the Emperour Sigismund advance Savoy to the title of a Dukedome Him did the Councell of Basile choose to be Pope which he afterwards quit to compound the schisme His sonne Lewis was in his fathers life-time first called Prince of Piedmont which is ever since the title of the heire apparrant he also obtained to be called Earle of Geneva Charles the first made the Marquesse of Saluzzes to performe homage Finally this present Duke of Savoy Charles Emmanuel first got that Marquisate of Saluzzes intirely into his hands which Henry the fourth of France wrung from him and made him release the County of Bresse to have Saluzzes againe And thus by degrees and yeares came this Family to these possessions Besides all which hee makes title and claime to the Marquisate of Montferrat the Earldome of Geneva the Principalitie of Achaia in Greece and the kingdome of Cyprus His ordinary Revenues are thus collected His customes upon Salt fiftie thousand crownes from Susa foure and twenty thousand forren Merchandize eighteene thousand from Villa Franca c. five and twentie thousand Ancient Rents c. threescore and ten thousand The ordinary tax of Piedmont two hundred threescore and three thousand from confiscations condemned persons commutations of punishments and of the Iewes c. fifty thousand The totall is five hundred thousand French crownes What his extraordinaries may amount unto cannot be knowne but certaine it is that in a few yeares he raised eleven millions of crownes out of Piedmont alone So that we may well allow him one million of yearely commings in one with another out of which these summes are yearely issued upon certaine expences Diet wages c. of the Dukes owne Court threescore thousand crownes Allowed to the Duchesse twenty thousand The Duke of Nemeurs his kinsman pension fourteene thousand Standing wages to Iudges Counsellors c. on both sides the Alpes fourescore and ten thousand Vpon Embassadors Intelligences c. sixteene thousand Vpon his Guard Pages Messengers c. ten thousand Given away in Pensions and favours twelve thousand Expences of pleasure ten thousand Charges of his souldiery ten thousand and of his Gallies two and twenty thousand The totall is three hundred and eightie thousand French crownes The rest goes into the Treasury But in this former account the expences upon building and repairing of Forts is not reckoned which must needs amount to a masse of money seeing that no Prince of Europe in so little ground unlesse those of the Low-Countries perchance hath so many fortified places and few stronger in the world either by Nature of Arâ— eight hundred Castles being reckoned in Piedmont alone Of Land-souldiers his muster-bookes shewes him about twenty thousand often exercised by their Captaines and Collonels and three Gallies for scowring of the Coast. And now for the State and termes he stands in with other Princes his neighbours they be these To the Papacie is his Family much beholding the Pope having made his second son Victor a Cardinall and his third son Philibert Admirall of the Gallies of the Church A great dependancie hath he on the Pope besides for whereas Cardinall Aldabrandino Nephew to Clement the eighth hath purchased Raiensa in Piedmont to the Duke after whose decease that rich Territory must fall to the Church unlesse the Pope be pleased to confirme it upon the Duke With Spaine both the Duke and his eldeâ—â— son Philip Emanuel have very neere alliance Aâ— time there was that the Spaniard with-held his Pension from the Duke and he againe discharged his garrison of Spaniards in Turâ—ne c. but all being now piec't up betweene them it concernes Spaine not to displease him because hee may stop up the passages by which the Spanish forces might march out of Italy into Germanie Venice and hee are in a common league and correspondencie Divers States and persons of the Switzers take pension of him and the Citie of Geneva is in bodily feare of him so was Genoa in these late warres and may be againe With other Princes of Italy he is in good termes except with Mantua it equally concernes them all to see that one another grow not too great and
especially to looke to the Spaniard The only feare is from the French who will be revenged for the defeat of his Armie How able the French is to hurt him was lately seene when Henry the fourth quickly overran all Savoy and the second time inforced him to release Bresse for Saluzzes Nor wants he pretences seeing King Francis the first made nine yeares warre in Piedmont and notwithstanding the Law Salicke claimed Savoy in the right of his mother who was sister to Philibert who died without Issue Vpon which pretence Charles Duke of Savoy was beaten of Piedmont unto which his son was not restored but upon marriage of the said King Francis daughter of which marriage this present Duke Charles Emanuel comes And here by the way let me adde an observation concerning the French playing fast and loose with their Salick law It is true indeed that Margaret sole daughter and childe of Edward Duke of Savoy was in the yeare 1329. put by the Succession being excluded by the Lawes of the Empire as mine Author notes Constantia daughter of Duke Peter was also put by it the next heire male both times succeeding and yet notwithstanding these Examples and that Law the French King claimes the Dukedome Will not they give the English leave to doe as much Sicilie THis is the chiefe Iland of the Mediterranean Sea and for the bignesse the most delicate of the whole world For the abundance of Corne it was called the Granary of Italy their store of Siâ—ke may be seene upon the backe of every Tradesmans wife Wines and Honey most plentifull and delicious adde to these Sugar Oyle Salt and Saffron yea Gold Silver and precious Stones the Emerald and Aggats and what would yee desire more if Fish and Fowle the Sea and Rivers yeeld it them Admirable were the 〈◊〉 that the Ilanders might attaine unto could they but make the best of their owne and worke their Silkes Sugars and other commodities This made it so populous of old that Pliny reckoned up threescore and twelve Cities of which Syracusa alone was two and twenty miles about The Map and History shewes it divided into three parts or Governments Mona Noto and Mazzaro in all which be eight or nine Cities and walled townes It was of old times called Trimaâ—ria of the shape which is like a long Triangle and beleeved sometimes to have beene firme land with Italy from whence it is not at this day above one mile and aâ— halfe distant and from Greece and hundred forty and foure In processe of time and variety of fortunes this little Iland hath successively beene mastered by fifteene severall Nations The thirteenth in order were the French These being insolent and hated the Sicilians willingly received and as quickly crowned Peter of Arragon laying claime to it whereupon the French Lord of it Charles of Province for avoiding the effusion of Christian bloud challenges King Peter to try their titles by a single combat the place to be Burdeaux and the Iudge our Edward the blacke Prince the flowre of Chivalry Peter accepts the combat but in the meane time one Iohn de Prochita shewes him a safer way to his quiet The plot was this a secret and sure-bound agreement with the Sicilians to serve all the French upon the Iland as the English sometimes did the Danes to kill them all man houre the common watch-word was the tolling of the Bels to Even-song the feat was atchieved Anno 1281. whence like our Hocking daâ—es for the death of the Danes they begunne their proverbe of The Sicilian Vespers Thus Arragon got it in the right of which Crowne the Spaniard holds it It is at this day governed by a Vice-Roy under the Spanish Councell for Italy consisting of three Spaniards and three Italians having for their President the Constable of Castile who by authority from the King doe create Governours Iudges and Commanders c. It yeeldeth to the Coffers of Spaine yeerely six hundred thousand Ducats but that drawne backe againe in rewards and paiments It feedeth and maintaineth about a million of soules and what force out of that proportion it is able to raise may bee conjectured by that levie which Don Garzia of Toledo made onely out of the south angle of the Iland at what time the Turke passed by it to the invasion of Malia consisting of three thousand Horse and ten thousand Foot For remonstrance of the populousnes of the ancient world wonder you may how this then-goodly Iland in the daies of Dionysius the elder being but Lord of Syracusa and the adjoyning territories continually maintained ten thousand foot-men and as many horse-men for his guard with foure hundred Gallies at Sea of which now in these times the whole Kingdome affordeth but eight A people they are standing much upon their Honour yet excessively given to idlenesse talkative busie-headed quarrelsome jealous and revengefull Their commodities are exported by strangers and withall the profit themselves little traffiking abroad and therefore unexpert in the art of Navigation selling their Sugars unextracted from the Cane to the Venetians and buyâ—ng it againe from them after it is refined The Vpland sort so unhospitable to strangers that without a sufficient guard there is no travelling without assured destruction by robbery and murder The better sort especially about Messana live in all abundance and delicacie having more than enough of food of fruits and of excellent wines They are Spanish in attire and the meanest Artificers wife is clothed in Silke whereof infinite quantities proceed from the woâ—ne a part whereof is wrought into rude stuffes for their owne uses Eight thousand Bails are yeerely made in the Iland and five thousand fetcht from thence at the Mart-time by the Gallies of Naples Ostia Ligorne and Genoa their language is Italian but corrupted with the Greeke French and Spanish The Garrison appointed for the security of the South part of the Iland consisteth of two hundred Spaniards and three hundred horsemen of the Country adjoyning who â—â—ive by turnes and nightly scoure and guard that Coast. So on the North towards Calabria Philip the second erected a very strong Castle and thrust into it a guard of naturall Spaniards The whole iland nominateth seven Princes foure Dukes thirteene Marquesses fourteene Earles one Vicount and eight and forty Barons The chiefe and ancientest of whom rather of policy than free will for the most part of their lives attend in the Court of Spaine it hath also three Archbishops and nine Bishops under them The Iles of Malta or the Estate of the Knights of the Rhodes THis Iland being the same Melita where Saint Paul shooke off the Viper lyeth in the Lybian Sea iust betwixt Tripolis in Barbary and the South-East angle of Sicilie being distant from the former threescore leagues of Sea measure and separated from the latter threescore miles of Italy the compasse also being threescore miles and but threescore villages in the whole Iland So that
Persians but the Georgians and Arabians also betooke themselves to the exercise of Armes and therein attained to such ability that to this day they are ever and anon in tumult and beginne to recover some of their losses This was the true reason as aforesaid that induced Amurath and his Counsellours distrusting the obedience of that people against the Turkish custome there to erect many Citadels as at Chars Nassivan Lori Teflis and at Tauris whereinto they thrust great Garrisons as namely into that of Tauris eight thousand The predecessors of Amurath who reposed the maine reputation of their forces to consist in being Masters of the field made no account of these holds maintaining this rule That who is strong in the field needeth not the assistance of Holds and who will maintaine many fortresses garrisoned can never be very strong in Campania From these and such like oversights have arisen all the corruptions whereof I have spoken in this relation of the Turkish greatnesse Whereby those Armies which were wont to amount to two hundred thousand fighting men and upward and their Navies accustomed to bee of two hundred saile and more are now brought to a farre lesse reckoning They are now come to fifty thousand the proportion that Hebraim brought with him not many yeares since into Hungarie And to some thirty six Gallies or thereabouts with which Cicola Admirall of that Empire came of late into the Levant Seas By which diminutions it hath fallen out that a poore Prince of Transilvania durst meet Sinan Bassa and fight with him and that the Vayvod of Valachia durst also make him the like opposition So likewise I say that this one Kingdome and one Common-wealth hath done more in abatement of the ambition and checking the fortune of the Ottoman than all Christian States have done all together For where all the rest of the Princes bordering anciently upon them were in short time devoured spoiled of their Estates the Hungarian and the Venetian alone have for the space of one hundred and fifty yeares and more maintained themselves And though both the one and the other have quitted unto the Ottoman some parts of their Territories yet have they well warded and retained the residue So that to speake truth Christianity hath at this day no other frontier upon the Turke but what is theirs which how much it importeth no man can rightly judge who hath not by experience made triall how dreadfull the Ottoman power is to all those that dwell neere it And howbeit in these later yeares the Hungarian hath had in his favour the continuall supplies of Germanie and the Venetian hath beene assisted by the association of the Pope and the Spaniard yet it is to be understood that unlesse both those and these had had of their owne a sufficient body of warre the cold assistance of others would finally have helped their sudden necessities The State of Bethlen Gabor in Transilvania c. THis Country hath Nature it selfe at one time both fortified and honoured for the woods and Hercynian mountaines doe round about inviron it gathering it into the shape of a Crowne The length is two hundred twenty five miles English and the breadth two hundred The Ancients made it a part of Dacia but the latter Writers from the lying of it beyond the woods have called it Transylvania 〈…〉 name Sienburgen or the new Latine name Septâ—m â—aâ—â—ra it hath not from the seven Castles set to defend the Frontiers as some mistake it but from those seven Quarters or Camps into which the old Hunnes at their invasion divided their Army Thorow these woods and mountaines there be but eleven Avenues or entrances out of other Countries into Transylvania T is inhabited by three severall Nations the Siculi which be the ancientest the Hungarians and the Saxons The Religions publikely professed are three also The Arrian the Romish and the Reformed and this last divided into the Lutheran and Calvinisticall The Popish hath continued there of old The Arrian heresie was first brought in by Blandrata Anno 1556. It chiefly infected the Towne of Clausenburg where even at this day the Arrians have a populous College and a free Church though by the religious diligence of Bethlen Gabor scarce one fourth part of the City be now infected with this poyson Both Papists and Arrians professe in great freedome for that the Prince at his Inauguration is alwayes sworne to defend them As members politike of the Kingdome The Saxons use their own mother tongue the rest speak the Hungarian The number of Seven is much observed in Transilvania for by this number is the whole Countrey variously divided For first both the Siculi and Saxons and each severally have divided their portions into seven Countries or Seats the Shire-towne as it were being head of the Villages about it to which Townes those of that division repaire for matter of Justice Secondly there bee seven capitall Townes unto which the Villagers round about are to bring their Taxes and Tributes where being received by Auditors and under-Treasurers it is afterward returned into the grand Exchequer Thirdly over and above all these is the whole land of Transilvania divided into seven larger Counties First Coloszien whose Metropolis or chiefe City is Clausenburg Secondly Szolnok whose chiefe Towne is Dees Thirdly Dobocen-Landt The fourth Countie hath Alba Iulia or Weisenburg for its chiefe and that famous for the Residence and Palace of the Prince The fifth is named Thorden from Thorda its Metropolis The sixth is Keokeollea which takes name from the River Keokeolleo and gives name to its chiefe Towne Keokeolleovar The seventh and last Towne and County is Hungad which gave birth and name to the famous Family of Hungades Seven principall Cities it also hath First Hermanstadt the ancient Metropolis of Transylvania Secondly Cronstat Thirdly Szas Fourthly Clausenburg Fifthly Bestereze Sixthly Sespurg And seventhly Medroish in the middle of all the Countrey The whole Countrey is very fruitfull in one commoditie or other Corne Beeves Muttons and Fish Gods plentie all cheape beyond imagination a fat one being not worth above ten or twelve shillings English So much Wine they have in some places that at Vintage time it may be bought for an English farthing or halfe-peny a pinte Very rich it is also underground as in Salt-pits Stone-quarries whereof some be pretious and mines both of Gold and Silver Iron Quick-silver and other metals So that nothing is wanting for the life of man either for nutriment or ornament and that which is part of a wonder also though there be no where more store of money yet be there no where meaner prizes for their commodities For proofe of this at the election of Bethlen Gabor there were an hundred measures of Wheat sold in Clausenburg Market for one Rix Dollar and few Gentlemen there be who yearely reape not ten twenty or thirty stacks of Wheat as big as houses saith mine Author Their droves and flocks be answerable
boughs and leaves having great flocks of Cattell which they preserve with much care These are the chiefe the residue are not worth the reading for nothing can be spoken unto but their barrennesse or fertility their poverty or riches blessings and curses peculiar more or lesse to every of these Nations The Xeriffe AMongst all the Potentates of Africkâ— I doe not thinke that there can any one be found to excell this Prince either in wealth or power His Dominion containeth all that tract of Mauritania which the Romans called Tingitana and stretcheth from the promontorie Bayadir or Tanger and from the Atlantike Ocean to the River Mulvia In which progresse is contained the best portion of all Africke the best inhabited the pleasantest the fruitfullest and most civill Herein amongst others are the famous Kingdomes of Fez and Marocho the one divided into seven Provinces the other into eight The Countrey is divided into Plaines and Mountaines the Mountaines are inhabited with a fierce people rich in pastures and Cattell and possessing a great part of the lesse and bigger Atlas Betweene the greater Atlas and the Ocean lieth the Plaine Countrey and therein the Royall Citie of Marocho distant foureteene miles from Atlas watered with many Springs Brookes and Rivers In times past this City contained one hundred thousand housholds and was the chiefest of Africke but by little and little it is decayed and now lieth more waste than inhabited In the Kingdome of Marocho besides others is Tedsi a Towne of five thousand hoâ—sholds and Tagoast of eight thousand Taradent giveth place to none for Noblenesse and traffike though for largenesse and circuit It is situated betweene Atlas and the Ocean in a plaine sixteene miles long and little lesse broad abounding with Sugar and all kinde of provision The good regard and continuall abode which Mahumet Xeriffe made in this place did greatly augment ennoblish this Towne Being past Atlas you enter into most batle plaines wherein how fruitfull the soile is of Sugar Olives Cattell and all good things can hardly be spoken Fez. THe Kingdome of Fez likewise containeth divers Provinces excellent well peopled Amongst them is Alga a territory of eightie miles long and sixty broad Elabut is an hundred miles long and sixty broad Eriffe is a Province wholly mountainous therein are said to bee three and twenty branches of the Mount Atlas inhabited for the most part with savage and barbarous people Caret is drie and rockie more like Lybia than Barbarie Now because the glory and Majesty of this Kingdome consisteth especially in the City of Fez I thinke it not amisse to describe the situation thereof It is divided in two parts a little distant one from another the one is called the old Town the other the new A little River likewise divideth the old Towne into two parts the East part is called Beleyda containing foure thousand housholds the West part is commonly called old Fez and hath fourescore thousand and upward standing not farre from the new Fez which likewise hath eight thousand Old Fez standeth partly upon hils partly on plaines and hath in it fifty Mahumetan Temples of admirable largenesse All of them have their fountaines and pillars of Alablaster and Jasper Besides these there are six hundred of a lesse sort amongst which that which is commonly called Carucen is most beautifull built in the heart of the City and containing halfe a mile in compasse In breadth it containeth seventeene Arches in length an hundred and twenty borne up by two thousand five hundred white marble pillars under the chiefest Arch where the Tribunall is kept hangeth a most huge Lampe incompassed with an hundred and ten lesser Under the other Arches hang very great Lamps in each of which burne an hundred and fifty lights They say in Fez that all these Lamps were made of the Bels which the Arabians brought out of Spaine who not onely made prey of Bels but of Columnes Pillars Brasse Marble and whatsoever was rich first erected by the Romans and afterwards by the Gothes There are in Fez above two hundred Schooles two hundred Innes and foure hundred Water-mils every one driven with foure or five wheeles There are also divers Colleges among which that which is called Madarac is accounted for one of the most finest peeces of workmanship throughout all Barbarie There is likewise 600. Conduits from whence almost every house is served with water It were a long labour to describe their Burse they call it Alcacer it is a place walled about having twelve gates and divided into fifteene walkes where Merchants meet to dispatch their businesse under Tents Their delightsome Gardens and pleasant Parkes with the Rillets and waters running thorow them I can hardly describe For the most part the King keepeth his Court at Fez wherein he hath a Castle Palaces and Houses adorned with rare workmanship rich and beautifull even to his hearts desire He hath a way under ground from the old Towne to the new For greatnesse and statelinesse thereof by the grant of former Kings it injoyeth this strange privilege not to indure any siege unlesse the Citizens shall thinke their Prince for strength and force able and equall to cope with his Enemy if not without reproach of treason they may yeeld their City before the enemie approach within halfe a mile of it This have they done that so goodly and so flourishing a City should not suffer spoile under pretext of unprofitable temporizing It is of no lesse moment for situation store of Corne Oyle Flax and Cattell than for pleasantnesse of territory and plenty of Water The Wals are very strong and defended with many Bulwarkes The Inhabitants are very thriftie given to traffike and especially to the making of Cloths of Wooll Silke and Cotten The Kings eldest sonne is called the Prince of Mequivez Though the Kingdome have no good Havens upon the Mediterranean Sea yet great store of Englishmen and Frenchmen resort to Alarach Aguer and other Ports in the Ocean whereof some belong to the Kingdome of Fez and other to the Kingdome of Marocho They carrie thither armor and other wares of Europe which they barter for Sugar and other commodities But how the Kingdomes of Fez and Marocho two severall principalities with their dependances became subject to one Crowne I thinke it worthy relation because a more strange and memorable accident hath not happened in our age About the yeare 1508. a certaine Alfaique borne in Tigumedet in the Province of Dura beganne to grow in reputation a man of a reaching wit and no lesse ambitious than learned in the Mathematickes his name was Maâ—umet Ben-Amet otherwise called Xeriffe by his owne commandement This man deriving his pedigree from Mahumet and emboldned by the civill warre of Africke and the differences of the States and Common-weales thereof wherein in those daies the Portugals were of no small puissance began to dreame on the conquest of Mauritania Tingitana Which the better to
Sonnes he tooke the City Tremissen But Sal Aries Vice-Roy of Algier being jealous of these good fortunes gathered a puissant host recovered Tremissen put the Xeriffe to flight tooke Fez and bestowed it with the Territory upon the Lord of Velez who afterward in a battell against the Xeriffe lost both life and Kingdome At last in his journey to Taradant by the subordination of the Vice-Roy of Algier he was murdered in his Tent by certaine Turkes who with their Captaine Assen comming to Taradant rifled the Kings Treasures but were all slaine except five by the Inhabitants in their journey homewards This came to passe 1557. when Muley Abdala the Xeriffes sonne was proclaimed King Let this suffice for the originall of the Xeriffe now let vs see how these risings were like the fortunes of Ismael King of Persia. Both of them in small time conquered many Provinces both grew great by the ruine of their Neighbours both suffered crosses by the armes of the Turkes and to them lost part of their Dominions Selim tooke from Ismael Caramit and divers other Cities of Mesopotamia The Vice-Roy of Algier drove the Xeriffe from Tremissen and the adjacent Territory Selim won Tauris the chiefe seat of Persia and then gave it over Sal Aries tooke Fez the head City of Mauritania and left it This Potentate is absolute Lord of the bodies and goods of his Subjects whatsoever imposition he layeth on them they repine not thereat For Tribute hee taketh the tenth and the first fruits of their fruits and cattell yet is it most true that for first fruits he taketh not above one in twenty and though it exceed that number even to one hundred yet he nevertaketh above two Of every Acre of Land he taketh a ducat and the fifth part and so much of every houshold and so of every pole male and female above fifteene yeares of age yearely If he want he taketh a greater summe To make the people more willing to pay what is imposed he alwaies demandeth more than is paid that so by paying their due they may thinke they are well dealt withall in seeming to be forgiven somewhat of his full demand The Inhabitants of the Mountaines a savage people for the difficult accesse unto them hee cannot inforce to pay tribute but those that manure the plaines hee constraineth to give the tenth of their harvest Besides these Revenues he taketh Toll and Custome of all kindes of Merchandize in Cities inward of a citizen two in the hundred of a stranger ten His rent of Mils is a great matter for upon every Asse load of Graine grinded in Fez he taketh halfe a reall in this Towne there are above foure hundred Mils The Church of Carruven was indowed with 80000. Ducats of yearely Revenue the Colleges and Monasteries of Fez with much more which now are escheated into the Kings Coffers Moreover he is heire to all the Judges whom they call Alcaids and hath the bestowing of all their Offices When they die he seizeth upon all their Horses Armour Apparell and all their other Chattels If the intestate leave Children behind him fit for the warre he bestoweth his Fathers annuitie upon them if they be Sons and young he nurseth them till they come to full yeares if Daughters he maintaineth them till they finde husbands To be fiâ— gring the wealth of the richer sort he hath some Office of Lieutenantship with an annuitie to sell them but commonly to prevent those sales they will not be knowne of their abilities removing their aboads farre from the Court and Kings sight which is the cause that the City of Fez is much fallen from the ancient splendour Hee hath no Castles or peeces well fortified but onely Aguer Larach lately taken and Tituan upon the Sea side His chiefest confidence is in the valour of his Souldiers especially his Horse-men like the Turke and Persian In this regard he taketh no great care to furnish himselfe with Ordnance yet hath he great store thereof in Fez Marocho Taradant and in the aforesaid haven Townes taken from the Portugals and others As he seeth occasion he causeth new to be cast for which service he can want no workmen out of Europe In Marocho he hath an Arsenall wherein he layeth up monethly at least forty six Quintals of Gun-powder Here he causeth his Harquebushes and Bowes likewise to be made In the yeare 1569. by fire which hapned among the Gun-powder houses the greatest part of the City was very much defaced His souldiery is of divers sorts the first consisteth of 2700. Horsemen and 2000. Harquebushers part lying in Garrison in Fez and part in Marocâ—o where also lyeth the Court. The second consisteth as a man may say of a royall troope of 6000. horse all Gentlemen Pensioners and of great reputation These ride upon brave Horses with rich Caparisons their Armes and Furniture shining with Gold Silver Stones and all things else which for variety of colours or rich devices may delight the eye with a gallant shew or feed the humour of the curious beholder To these servitors besides their allowance of Corne Provender Butter and Flesh for themselves their Wives Children and Servants they receive yearely from seventy to one hundred ounces of Silver The third sort are a kinde of Timariots for the Xeriffe doth allot a certaine portion of Land and Tenants to his Sonnes Brethren and Men of quality amongst the people of Africke and Arabia for the maintenance of their degrees Those whom they terme Alcaids looke to the manuring of the fields gather the rents of Corne Rice Oats Oyle Butter Flesh Poultry and Mony and distribute it monthly amongst the Souldiers to every man according to his place They likewise give them Linnen Woollen and Silke for their Garments Armour and Horses for service If their horses chance to be slaine they give them new so did the Romans to those which served on the horses of the State The Commanders of these troops are very carefull to see their souldiers in heart and full of life excellent well armed and competently attired They receive betweene foure and twenty and thirty ounces of Silver yearely The fourth sort make the Arabians who commonly live in Tents divided by 120. under their severall Leaders to bee alwaies ready upon all occasions They serve on Horse-backe but more like Theeves and Out-lawes than Souldiers The fifth sort is like the presse of the Christian Common-weales These companies consist of Citizens Villagers and Mountaine-people Of these men the King maketh no reckoning neither doth he willingly arme them for feare of sedition and innovation unlesse it be to war upon the Christians wherein he cannot forbid them to serve For upon remembrance of the slaughter of the Moors by the Christians spoken of in their Mahumeticall Legend the more Christians they slay the easier they thinke shall be their passage to Heaven Hereupon you shall see herds of people running to this warre desiring there to die
If you will heare of their riches then must you raise your eyes East-ward and take notice of Tangut a wealthy Province affording many things befitting Europe especially Rhubarb a simple of that prerogative as if the whole world of necessity should be beholding unto them for this distribution In Kataia amongst many others the great City of Cambalu will excite admiration if you may be induced to measure a quadrant of thirty miles compasse and over-looke at every corner a square Tower very neere forty furlongs in circuit in which the Emperours Munition Armour and provision for warre are secured In Mangia as Queene of the rest is the City of Quinzay having a circumference of an hundred miles by reason that a great Lake divideth the streets into Chanels over which are numbred twelve hundred and threescore bridges some opening the Arches so high and wide that a good Ship under saile hath a passage of ease For beleefe I will neither force the travels of Sir Iohn Mandevil nor the writings of Munster nor the constant asseveration of moderne Travellers but for mine owne part I would modesty perswade you That the world is a stage of variety and that within our owne Kingdome we are acquainted with such novelties of wonder that if they were but delivered by report wee would soone prove as incredulous of the one as we are of the other But to proceed As I told you the ancient Provinces were divided into three particulars and in those dayes knowne by the names of Sarmatia Asiatica both Scythiaes and the Regions of Serica now Kataia Most fierce and barbarous Nations did alwaies inhabit this Country as first the Amazons a warlike kinde of women which in their daies casting away the properties of their sex vexed the whole world usurped Asia and built Ephesus Upon their small extirpation arose the Scythians no lesse dreadfull than the former Then succeeded the Gothes or Getes termed by their neighbours Polouci that is ravenous or theevish These the Tartars tamed and then erected their Monarchie about the yeare of our Lord 1187. or as others say 1162. electing for their King one Cingis a man of base birth and calling This mans followers at that time lived without Manners Law or Religion in the plaines of Caracoram tended their Cattell and paied their duties to K. Vn-cham otherwise Presbyter Iohn who without doubt in those daies kept his Court in Tenduch in the Kingdome of Argon But this King Cingis first subdued the Kingdome of Vn-cham and afterwards imposed the yoke of subjection on the bordering Provinces And certainly that famous Comet seene in the moneth of May 1211. lasting eighteene daies and glimmering on the Gothes Tanais and Russia with its taile extended towards the West did foreshew the succeeding inundation of these Tartars For in the yeare following this Nation whose name as I said was not so much as dreamed of before in Europe wholly subdued Sarmatia Asiatica or Scythia invaded Russia Hungaria and Polonia And lastly erected other famous Monarchies in China Mein and Bengala So that at this day it is divided into five great Provinces Tartaria minor lying in Europe betweene Tanais and Boristhenes Tartaria deserta of old Sarmatia Asiatica containing most of the Hords but not all Zagatai Kataia And lastly that great Promontory which lieth out-stretched in the furthest part thereof towards the North and East and may be called Tartaria antiqua as the motherplace of the true Tartar Nation utterly unknowne to Ptolomie Those that live in the open field about the Euxine Sea the Lake of Meoris and the Tauricke Chersonesse which adjoyneth upon Boristhenes and Tanais in Europe are the Precopenses In this straight or Peninsula standeth Theodosia now Caffa once a Colonie of the Genois now a Sangiacie of the Turkes Their whole Territories are very fruitfull for Corne and Cattell and tho people more civill and courteous than many of the residue yet retaining a smatch of their ancient Barbarisme For they are sworne enemies to the Christians yearely invading Russia Lituania Valachia Polonia and many times Moscovie yeelding to the Turke in the name of Tribute yearely three hundred Christian soules To one of these Princes Selimus gave his daughter in marriage This in old time was called Sarmatia Asiatica and better inhabited before the comming of the Tartars It lyeth betweene Tanais the Caspian Sea and the Lake of Kitay It is a plaine Country by nature fertile if it were manured by these Tartars nothing given to husbandry but addicted to lead a roguish and wandring life after the manner of the Arabians Their chiefe delight is in hunting and warfare Mill and Panicke they cast carelesly into the ground which notwithstanding yeelds sufficient increase Their store of Horse and Cattell is so plentifull that they have to spare for their Neighbours For the most part they dwell upon Cartrages covered with skins and woollen cloth Some defensible Townes they have whereunto they flie in times of necessity Astrachan is situated upon the Caspian Sea it is rich affordeth excellent good Salt and very well frequented by Moscovish Turkish Armenian and Persian Merchants In the yeare 1494. it was taken by Iohn Basilides great Duke of Moscovie and by him with the Title thereof annexed to the Moscovian Empire The Zagatayan Tartars were so named of their Prince the Brother of the great Cham or Can which once reigned amongst them They are now called Ieselbas that is to say Greene-heads of the colour of their Turbants They inhabit the ancient Countries of Bactria Sogdiana and Margiana in times past the habitation of the Massagetes so famous in Armes These are the most honourable people of the Tartars indifferent civill given to Arts and Lords of many faire Cities built with stone as Shamercand once a Towne of great fame and renowned for the birth of the great Tamerlan or Temar-lang but now decayed Kataia AS our Ancestors were ignorant of the Regions situated upon the East side of the Caspian which they imagined to bee a branch of the Ocean even so as yet little or nothing knoweth this Age what Regions lie or what people inhabit beyond that Sea and the Mountaines commonly called Dalanguer and Vssont M. Paul Venetus was the first that brake the ice in describing of those Countries and of him we received what we know of the Tartars The great distance of Countries the difficulty of the journey and the inaccessible situation of places hath hindred the discovery of those Provinces and the great Duke of Moscovie by whose Dominions we may easiest travell thither will suffer no strangers to passe thorow his Kingdome The Caspian Sea a passage no lesse fitting for the journey is not frequented and by the way of Persia infinite Mountaines and vast Desarts dividing both Provinces oppose themselves against us And to the further hindrance of this discoverie neither the great Cham neither the King of China nor the Duke of
Christians of the Greek Church To which if you adde the Empire of Trebisond you shall then finde him great Controller of the Black-sea For although Russia Bogdonia Moldavia and some Polanders keepe the North and West shores yet is it as a man who alwaies for feare the theeves approach dare not slacken his guards for doubt of surprisall Next doth the pride of his Greatnesse send you into Assyria Syria Palestine Mesopotamia Iudea the three Arabies the Red-sea Aegypt and the shores of Afrike as farre as the confederation of the Kings of Barbarie Fâ—z and Marocco Neither resteth he there but he can bring you to the Towers of Alexandria and bid you looke Northward as farre as is possible at all the Ilands in the Archipelago except Caâ—die and some few other under the Venetian But is this sufficient Stay and answer your selves The fields of Greece lye waste and are ashamed to shew forth that disparitie of countenance which in times past Thracia Macedonia Thessalia Epyrus and Peloponnesus smiled with in ancient times Nay more his Bashawes will bring you to Buda and Belgrade and affright you with Hungaries conquest telling you that now it knoweth no other Proprietor but the Turke as Conquerour And concerning the Princes of Transylvania Slavonia Poland and others with whom he hath contracted a Treatie of pacification they notwithstanding observe such correspondencie as Wolves and Dogges doe watching advantages to prey upon the harmelesse His principall Cities are Trebisond Amasia Babylon or rather the ruines of confusion Tauris gotten if not regotten from the Persians Mecha famous for the history and death of Mahomet Cairo once Memphis of late new Babylon now the mirrour of heat dust sluttishnesse and the mortalitie of an hundred thousand in a yeare when the Pestilence rageth amongst them Aleppo the chiefe Seat of Syria and Constantinople a Citie exceeding all the Cities in Europe for populous numbers For it is thought that seven hundred thousand soules reside therein which if it be true it is well-neere twice as much as may be said of Paris Shall I come backe againe and tell you of Ierusalem Tyrus and Sidon Alas they are but names and all the miseries denounced by the Prophets have broken their bones asunder and bruised them like a rod of iron The few Cities of Europe the poore harbours of Asia the port Townes of the Ilands and the two Castles of the Hellespont stand upon no better termes Only Algier lifteth up the head of a strong Castle protesting a generall entertainment to Pirats and bragging of the defeature of Charles and Emperour Now if you demand how from so small a mole-hill such mountaines have beene raised know That in the yeare of grace 1300. did Ottoman the sonne of Zichis step before other Families and as if hee were adopted the darling of successe in his fathers behalfe obtaine jurisdiction over Bithynia Cappadocia and most part of Pontus His successour Orchanes conquered the great Citie of Prusia and made it the Seat of his Kingdome but in the two and twentieth yeare of his Progresse he was slaine by the Tartars and left his sonne Amurath to succeed both in his honour and family who perceiving the dissention of the Greekes and division of the Empire spent not his labours without a great satisfaction for with the water that drave the Mill hee drowned the same and invited as a guest to this banquet of Combats became Master of the feast So he made a conquest of Gallipolis Cherfonesus Peloponnesus Hadrianopole Servia Bulgaria and Mysia but after three and twentie yeares convulsion of the Grecian glory hee was stabbed with a dagger and so gave way to his sonne Bajacet to fill the chaire of imperiousnesse He began well attaining Phocis Macedonia and had indangered the most part of Thracia had not fortune kept him from insulting and tript up his heeles even in the race of his Triumph For with the losse of two hundred thousand Turkes against the valiant Tamberlane he also lost his freedome and how he died our Stages have instructed Mechanicall men yet in the meane while did Calephin his sonne take up the Colours of defiance and forbearing the revenges of Asia he wrecked his anger on Sigismond and determined to have over-run the other Kingdomes of Europe But prosperitie was not so attendant for ere six yeares had inlarged the branches of his strange spreading tree the axe was put to the root and as in Daniels vision Nebuchadnezzar-like hee fell to the earth But this stumpe sprung againe and Mahomet his sonne in imitation of his fathers progresse set forward his journey and wan Valachia Slavonia and infested all the borders of the Ionian sea making Hadrianople the store-house of his projects wherein for foureteene yeares he raised up such ornaments of Mars and Bellona that he terrified the Emperour of Germanie and all the Confederates of Hungarie Presently followed Amurath the second who filled up his Inventorie with Epyre Aetolia Achaia Beotia Attica and Thessalonica now Salenica subject to the Venetians with the gulph of Napoli adjacent to Nigropont Next him Mahomet the second overthrew the Schoole of Athens on a fatall day the nine and twentieth of May 1452. forced Constantinople whereof when Corinth Lemnes Mitylen Caplea a Towne belonging to the Genois and many other Ilands understood they tooke the course of prostitution and had some mercie extended The like part played Trebisond after that God gave him leave to continue two and thirtie yeares in pompe and jollitie After him Bajacet the second obtained Naupast Methon and Dirachium from the Venetians Then made hee a contract with Fortune for the most part of Dalmatia and thought to have bargained for Austria but the conditions were somewhat too unreasonable and an envious hand poysoned his bodie as ambition had inthralled this minde which was imputed to his sonne Selimus in detestation of his long life after whose departure this Selimus set forward for the conquest of Africa uniting Aegypt and Damascus to the Empire Now behold Fortunes wanton Soliman the magnificent who stepped backe againe into Europe and over-reached Belgrad Buda and Strigonium leaving Hungarie as a sorrowfull mother mourning for the losse of her dearest infants Yet herewith not satisfied he besieged Rhodes loading his Camels with the broken Colossus therein sometime erected to which hee added the devastation of the five Churches and Iula At Zigoth he was arrested with an imperious interdiction from his supreme Commander and so died His sonne Selim the second lived and reigned untill Cyprus fell from the Venetians 1570. This losse resembled a stone pulled from a ruinous wall which being loose before did not much indanger the foundation which the following battell of Lepanto did somewhat repaire by the reputation whereof the enemie ever since hath beene more considerate to try Masteries at Sea After him time wrought Amurath the third great Lord of Lords over-looking the most part of Europe and the West of Asia more proud of
Virgins to be deflowred of Idols abominable their exorcismes damnable and the varietie of senselesse profanations most contemptible It is not so spacious but it is as fertill for it yeeldeth not only what is fitting for humane life but whatsoever the delicate and esseminate appetite of man may lust after Many Plants yeeld fruit twice or thrice a yeare and that not only by the temperature of the ayre but by the number of the rivers and plentie of waters which doe both cause trafficke thorow every corner of the Region and so water it on all sides that it resembleth a most pleasant and delectable garden-plot Of this plentie there are three causes one the prodigall expences of the King in digging of trenches thorowout the whole Land sometime cutting thorow rockie Mountaines sometime damming up deepe valleyes to make them levell with high mountaines and to draine the waters of Lakes and Marishes the other for that the whole Region is situated under the temperate Zone and in no place either by nature or mans industrie wanteth moisture so that all creatures taking nourishment of heat and moisture must needs here wonderously prosper In no place Plants may take larger scope to spread their branches nor Cattell larger walkes to wander in than in this Country The last reason is for that the idle are neither severely punished nor altogether tolerated but every one is forced to doe somewhat no foot of land is left unhusbanded nor dramme of stuffe cast away unwrought Among other things note-worthy this one is of great consideration that in Cantan they maintaine foure thousand blind people to grinde corne and Rice every childe is set about somewhat according to his yeares and strength those only who are truly impotent in their limbs and have no friends living to succour them are provided for in Hospitals That none may excuse themselves in saying hee can doe nothing every one is bound to learne his fathers occupation which is the reason that the children borne as it were tradesmen learne their fathers occupations before they perceive it by continuall practice becomming in time most artificiall mechanickes He that cannot live at Land seeketh his maintenance at Sea for that is no lesse inhabited than the Land yea infinite housholds live on the Rivers in Boats without comming to Land for a long season Some whereof live by ferrying over people some by transporting passengers and their merchandize others keepe shops others vessels of lodging for their Merchants and Travellers Whatsoever is needfull for cloathing for food or nourishment delight or ease of a civill life is to be found in the middest of great Rivers Many likewise nourish all sorts of Poultrie especially Duckes in their vessels To hatch the egges and to nourish the young ones they use not the dams as we doe but an artificiall heat in a manner as they doe in Aegypt especially at Cair All night he keepeth them in his Boat and at morning sendeth them to feed in the fields sowed with Rice where all day long having fed on the weeds to the great good of the husbandman they returne toward evening to their Cages at the sound of a little Bell or Cimball Many live by carrying Fish both salt and fresh into the high Countries for in the Spring when the Rivers rise through thawes and landstouds so incomparable quantities of sea-fish doe abound in the havens and creekes that the fishermen depart rather wearied than wanting This fish the Skippers buy for a small matter of the fishermen and keeping them alive in certaine vessels made for the purpose they transport them into Provinces farre remote from the Sea There they are sold and preserved in Pooles and Stewes neere Cities and great Townes to serve the Markets and Tables of the richer Chinois all the yeare long Because it is forbidden any inhabitant to passe out of the Land without leave and therewith neither but for a certaine time limited it must needs be that by the daily increase of people the Country is even pestered with inhabitation It hath beene observed among themselves that for every five that have died seven have beene borne The Climate is so temperate and the aire so wholsome that in mans memory any universall pestilence hath not beene knowne to infest the Country Notwithstanding left any man should thinke this people to enjoy all sweets without some mixture of sowre you must note that their earth-quakes are more dreadfull unto them than any pestilence to us for whole Cities have beene swallowed and Provinces made desart by this punishment These casualties choke up the course of ancient Chanels and make new where were never any before they lay Mountaines levell with the ground and make havocke of the people In the yeare 1555. a deluge breaking out of the bowels of the earth devoured an hundred and fourescore miles of firme land with the Townes and Villages standing thereupon those which escaped the floud lightning and fire from Heaven destroyed There are said to be in China one hundred and fifty Cities two hundred thirty five great Townes one thousand one hundred fifty foure Castles and foure thousand two hundred Boroughs without walls wherein souldiers are quartered of Villages and Hamlets some of them containing a thousand housholds the number is infinite for the Country is so covered with habitation that all China seemeth but as one Towne They have two Metropolitan Cities Nanquin and Panquin In Nanquin toward the North the King keepeth his Court under the jurisdiction of the one are seven Provinces under the other eight Both of them are so spacious that it is a daies journey for a horseman to ride from one end to the other Of the number of the Inhabitants no certainty can bee produced but according to manuscript relations and the report of travellers it is said that the Kingdome containeth threescore and ten millions of living soules This is an admirable report and not to bee beleeved if it be compared with the Provinces of Christendome but surely something above conceit is to be credited to those spacious populous and barbarous Nations Let us set the largenesse of their Provinces the circuit of their Cities their plenty and abundance of all things and in all places either in prospering by nature or mans industry with their number and inhabitation and we shall finde a Country like enough to afford such a reckoning with places cities and dwellings able to containe them and nourishment sufficient to maintaine them Italy exceedeth not nine millions Germany excluding the Swizzers and Netherlands not ten and with the foresaid Provinces not above fifteene which number peradventure France may reach unto Spaine is farre inferiour to Italie Sicilie hath but one million and three hundred thousand England three millions and Belgia as many if by the continuance of the warre in those Countries that number be not much decayed The Italians conceit marvellous highly of themselves thinking no Province upon the face of the earth for wealth and
is not onely fast locked but sealed and may not be opened before the seale at morning bee throughly viewed To speake truth their souldiers horsemen and footmen by land or sea are more famous for their numbers their gallant furniture and plenty of provision than for strength and courage For the Inhabitants partly by their effeminate and wanton kinde of life partly by their forme of government whereby they are made vile and base have little valour or manhood left them They use no forren souldiers except those whom they take in war these they send into the in-land Countries where being marked to distinguish them from other they serve more like slaves than souldiers yet have they pay with rewards for their good service and punishment for their cowardize true motives to make men valorous The rest which are not inrolled are not suffered to keepe weapons in their houses Their Sea-forces are nothing inferiour to their Land-forces for besides their ordinary Fleets lying upon the Coasts for the safety of the Sea-townes by reason of the abundance of navigable Rivers and so huge a Sea-tract full of Havens Creeks and Islands it is thought that with case they are able to assemble from five hundred to a thousand such great Ships which they call Giunchi we Iunks To thinke that treasure cannot bee wanting to levie so great a number of Ships Souldiers and Marriners many men affirme that the Kings revenues amount to an hundred and twenty millions of gold which value although it may seeme impossible to him that shall make an estimate of the States of Europe with the Kingdome of China yet may it finde place of beleefe if he doe but call to minde First the nature and circuit of the Empire being little lesse than all Europe Next the populousnesse of the Inhabitants accompanied with inestimable riches Then the diversity of Mines of Gold Silver Iron and other sorts of Metall the unspeakable quantity of Merchandize passing from hand to hand by so many navigable Rivers so many armes and in-lets of the Sea their upland Cities and maritime Townes their Tolls Customes Subsidies and lastly their rich wares brought into Europe Hee taketh the tenth of all things which the earth yeeldeth as Barley Rice Olives Wine Cotton Wooll Flax Silke all kinds of Metall Fruits Cattel Sugar Hony Rubarbe Camphire Ginger Wood Muske and all sorts of Perfumes The custome only of Salt in the City Canto which is not of the greatest nor of the best trafficke yeeldeth 180000. Crownes yearely the tenth of Rice of one small Towne and the adjacent Territory yeeldeth more than 100000. Crownes By these you may conjecture of the rest He leaveth his subjects nothing save food clothing He hath under him no Earles Lords or Nobles of any degree no nor private persons indowed with great wealth Wherefore since this Empire is so huge and all the profits thereof are in his hands how can the former assertion of so great and yearely a revenue to men of reason seeme any thing admirable at all There are two things moreover which adde great credit to this reckoning one is that all his impositions are not paid in Coine but some in hay some in Rice Corne Provender Silke Cotton Wooll and such like necessaries the other is that the King of 120. millions which he receiveth disburseth againe three parts thereof And so since it goeth round from the King to the people it ought to seeme no wonder if the people be able to spare it againe for the Princes use at the yeares end For as waters doe ebbe as deepe as they flow so impositions easily levied suffice for the expences of the State and the people receive againe by those expences as much as they layed out in the beginning of the yeare This King feareth no neighbour but the great Cham of Tartaria all the rest acknowledge vassalage Against this enemy the ancient Kings built that admirable wall so much renowned amongst the wonders of the Ortem Towards the Sea hee bordereth upon the Iaponians and Castilians The distance betweene Iapan and China is divers From Goto one of the Islands of Iapan to the City Liampo is threescore leagues from Canian 297. The Islanders of Iapan doe often spoile the Sea-coasts of China by their incursions descending on land and harrying the Countrey more like Pyrates than men of Warre For in regard that Iapan is divided into many Islands and into divers Seigniories ill agreeing amongst themselves though they excell the Chinois in armes and courage yet are they not of sufficient power to performe any action of moment against them Upon another Frontier lye the Spaniards of whom the Chinois not without good cause are very jealous because of the situation of the Philippinae commodiously seated for the invasion of China and the fame of the riches well knowne to the Spanish But the King of Spaine wisheth rather to plant Christianitie peaceably amongst them wherof there was once good hope that God had opened a passage For though the Chinois will suffer no stranger to enter within their Dominions yet certaine Jesuites zealous in the increasing of Christian Religion in a Territory so spacious as that is entred with great secrecie and danger and procuring the favour of certaine Governours obtained a privilege of naturalization specially Frier Michael Rogerius who in the yeare 1590. returned into Europe to advise what course were best to take in this businesse After whose departure intelligence was brought from two Friers which remained behinde that after divers persecutions they were then constrained to forsake the Citie wherein they sojourned and to make haste to sea-ward Nor plainly would the Chinois suffer the said Frier Rogerius to come into their Countrey as himselfe confessed to an English Gentleman of very good worth and curious understanding Mr. W.F. who purposely asked that question of him If any man of Europe hath beene in China it is Matthew Riccius the Jesuite The Portugals are likewise eye-sores unto them but by the report of their justice and the moderation which Ferdinand Andrada shewed in the government of the Island of Tamo and by the Traffick which they exercise in those seas they can better digest their neighbour-hood than that of the Spanish This was the first Portugal that arrived in the Citie of Cantan and set on land Thomas Perez Legier for Emanuel King of Portugal But other Captaines being there afterwards dis-embarked behaved themselves so lewdly that they occasioned the said Ambassadour to be taken for a Spie and cast into prison where hee died most miserably the residue were intreated as enemies At last it was permitted the Portugals for traffick sake to set a Factory in Macao where againe before they had strongly fortified their Colonie they were constrained to submit to the limitations of the Chinois to whom in short time for their strength wisdome friendship and alliance with the Castilians they became suspitious and therefore they doe daily more and more bridle
thousand houses of Spaniards and sixtie thousand of the native Indians The gold and silver of these parts is neither so much nor so good as that of Peru but Merchandize Mechanicks and Husbandrie infinitely more flourish Some one private man the Spaniards report to be master of thirtie yea fortie or fiftie thousand head of Cattell The profits arising from hence to the King of Spaine will not the Spanish Writers suffer to be intirely knowne This they bragge of that the yearely fishing of the Lake of Mexico is worth twenty thousand crownes and that Mexico Citie glories in foure faire things Women Cloaths Streets and Horses Guatimala IT is both the name of a Towne as also of the Province The Old-towne so called was destroyed by the fall of an Hill thereunto adjoyning and an hundred and twentie Spaniards miraculously overwhelmed with the ruine thereof About three miles from thence is the New-towne situated containing eightie or ninetie faire stone houses therein all covered with tile It is much subject to Earth-quakes but otherwise of a good temperate aire fruitfull of corne and plentifull of trees brought out of Spaine which doe not well prosper therein Fonduras IT is a great Countrey and was exceeding well inhabited before the arrivall of the Spaniards And howbeit they boast of the erection of five Townes therein yet all of them consist not of above an hundred and twentie or an hundred and thirtie houses and those for the most part built of reeds and straw yea and but poorely inhabited because the gold which is their sole desire beginneth to faile Nicaragua NIcaragua stretcheth towards the South-sea lying South-east from Mexico and is not very great but rich fruitfull and pleasant insomuch as the Spaniards call it Mahomets Paradise but so extreme hot that it is not to be travelled by day but by night It should seeme that their Winter beginneth in May for from thence it raineth six whole moneths the other six are very faire and drie and day and night being of equall length Honey Wax Cotton-wooll and Balsam grow there in great abundance with many other kinds of fruits which are neither found in other Provinces nor yet in Hispaniola There are some few Kine but many Hogs and those brought from Spaine Parrots are there as common as Crowes in England The Countrey is well replenished with Indian Villages their small houses consisting of reeds and straw The gold that they have is brought from other places and so is all other metall In manners they resemble the Mexicans and so in apparell and language save that the Mexican is the better with the use whereof a man may travell fifteene hundred miles and is easily to be learned One Lake it hath three hundred miles about which hath no vent into the Ocean The chiefe Cities are Nueva Granado and Leo the Seat of a Bishop Cuba CVba or Fernandina is a great Island and by reason it hath on the East-side Saint Domingo on the West Iucatan on the North Florida and on the South Iamaica it is very much frequented by Merchants It is more long than broad and containeth in length from East to West three hundred miles and from North to South threescore and ten In breadth it is not above nineteene miles in some places but fifteene The ground is high rough and full of Hils the Rivers small yet rich of Gold and Copper The aire is temperate but of the coldest The soile affordeth great store of Mather it is full of Woods and fresh-fish by reason of the faire Rivers therein It boasteth of six Townes inhabited by Spaniards whereof that of Saint Iames is a Bishops See and Havana the chiefe Staple where yearely all the ships make their Rendevouz The people resemble those of Hispaniola but differ in speech and goe all naked being now almost rooted out and supplanted by the Spaniards Here though the Gold bee course yet the Brasse is most pure It beareth plentie of Sugar Ginger Cassia Aloes Cinamon The common people may not eat Serpents it being meat for their masters Iamaica or the I le of Saint Iago IAmaica lieth seventeene degrees on this side the Equinoctiall and hath on the East S. Domingo on the West the Cape of Iucatan on the North Cuba and on the South Lacerena The breadth surpasseth the length being from East to West about fiftie miles and from North to South twentie In it the greater part of the Inhabitants by farre are Spaniards sixtie thousand Natives being by them destroyed like their neighbours of Lucaya It is very fruitfull both toward the Sea as also to the Inland and was in times past very populous and such as were more wittie and subtill both in warre and other professions than were their neighbours It yeeldeth also Gold and very fine Cotton-wooll And at this present it is full of such beastials as the Spaniards have brought thither out of Spaine The women here killed their owne children rather than suffer them to serve the Spaniards Hispaniola HIspaniola which the Natives call Haitie for greatnesse is the second Island in those parts On the East-side lieth Saint Iohns on the West Cuba and Iamaica on the North the Islands of the Canibals and on the South the firme land The Compasse thereof is foure hundred French miles being broader than it is long For in length it is from East to West an hundred and fiftie miles and from North to South fortie miles It is stored with Azure Basill-wood Cotton-wooll Amber Gold Silver and abundance of Sugar It is so fruitfull that within sixteene dayes Radishes Lettuce and Cole-wort will ripen and be readie to be eaten and within six and thirtie Melons Cucumbers and Gourds will be as forward It hath many Townes whereof that of Saint Domingo is the principall as containing above five hundred houses and those inhabited by Spaniards and built after the Spanish fashion Next their Gold their greatest trading is Sugar and Hides For all sorts of Cattell brought thither out of Spaine have so prospered therein that some are owners of six or eight thousand beasts Here are the Spaniards said to have wasted three millions of Indians The Gold is better here than in Cuba The Sugar yeelds twentie or thirtie fold and Corne an hundred fold Foure goodly Rivers it hath and five or six handsome Townes of Spaniards Boriquen BOriquen or the Iland of Saint Iohn on the East hath the Island of Saint Cruz on the West other small Islands Northward Saint Domingo and on the South the Cape of Paria From East to West it is fiftie miles long and eighteene broad In forme it is almost square and is populous well housed having many good Havens and replenished with Woods The Inhabitants are valiant and have Warre continually against the Canibals Upon the North-side it is rich in gold but towards the South fruitfull of bread grasse fruit and fish The two chiefe Townes are Saint Iohns and Puerte Rico. Should I run over all the Coast of Paria