church from the West to the Cupula is one hundred paces the bredth fortie sixe the Cupula is in circute three hundred paces with a guilt Ball of Brasse on the toppe wherein twenty men may stand vpright of the Church of San Lorenzo is a very faire and beautifull Librarie built and furnished with Bookes by the familie of Medici the roofe is of Cedar very curiously wrought with knots and flowers and right vnder each knot is the same wrought with no lesse Arte in the pauement In this Library I told three thousand nine hundred bookes very fairely bound in Leather after one sort all bound to their seates which were in number sixtie eight and which is the greatest grace and cost also very many of the bookes were written with the Authours owne hands There is also â—t the farther end of this Librarie one other of prohibited bookes which I could not see The great Seale of Florence is the Lyon and Hercules their Armes were in former times a Flower de Lise argent in a field gules but vpon the banishment of the Ghibelline faction they are altered to the contrary the Field to the colour of the flower and the flower to the colour of the field Within these hundred yeares haue beene of this Cittie three Popes Iohn and â—â—lius Medici Lâ—â— the tenth and Clement the seauenth and Hippolisus Aldebrandiui called Clement the eight that yet liueth Here haue also flourished many famous men in matter of learning as Francesco Guicciardini for a iudiciall Historiographer Nicolas Machianelli for a worldly Politician Michel Angelo for an excellent Painter Petrache and Dante for singular Poets and Boccace for his pleasant garbe and refining their language and many others Hauing gazed your fill vpon the beauties of this Towne if for varieties sake and your better recreation you will walke abroade into the Villa per spasso as the Italian saith you shall haue there in view so many and such goodly Pallaces for the space of six or seauen miles compasse as they say would make one other Florence But aboue all the great Dukes Pallace of Pratolino built by his brother Francesco is the most admirable not for the Pallace it selfe or manner of the building for there are many can match it if not excell it But for the exquisite and rare inuention of Water-workes wherein it is excellent and thought to exceede Tiuoli by Rome so much in this kinde commended The house it selfe is built in forme of a Romaine T the head of the letter which is the front of the house being in length seauenty paces the other part fifty foure the roomes for offices of Court and lodgings are seauenty whereof these are all of one bignesse forme and furniture with three goodly Halles richly furnished running along the middest of the Pallace from the one end to the other and the one opening into the other so as according to the winde or sunne he may giue his intertainement for the best ease of them he feasteth It is seated betweene two high Hilles vpon a third lower then they from which hilles yee descend some quarter of a mile by a way set with quick-set kept after our English fashion yee mount vp to the Terreno of the Front by twelue staires very faire of Stone directly wherevpon at the head of a Garden set round with Statues of the Muses in a ground sencibly ascending is seene a huge Giant cut out of the maine Rock with all his parts as armes hands legges and feete symmetricall to his head wherein may stand a dozen men In it are kept Pigeons the loouers whereat they come in and out are his eares the windowes which giue light to the roome are his eyes Out of his mouth falleth into a very fine poole all the water that serues the worke on the other side the Pallace among which are many sights yeelding very great content as Noes Arke with all kinds of beasts Hercules fighting with a Dragon Birds artificially singing Organs musically playing showers of Raine plentifully downe powring and infinite sort of such deuise more delightsome to be seene then pleasant to be discoursed of To conclude the deuise so good the workmanship so rare and the charge so great as it is said constantly that it cost Duke Francesco three hundred thousand Crownes The great Duke hath another Pallace two miles from Florence called Castello onely for pleasure but not so beautified nor full of water-workes as this of Pratolino an other distant 10. miles off called Il Poggio Imperiale more profitable then they both in forme quadrangular fifty six paces square Where besides the pleasure it yeelds of hunting it yeeldeth also summering and Haye for his Horses and keepeth the great Duches a dairie of three hundred Kine a commodity worth the remembring in this state where in three-score miles are not seene three-score head of Cattle nor so much good pasture ground that I saw in the whole countrey I am now before I proceede to the other chiefe Citties to remember in a word how and when the Florentines came impatronized of diuers other states of Tuscany and what forme of gouerment they had in former times vntill Leo and Clement for I must there needs begin when I shall come to speake of the great Dukes title This Cittie of Florence after many conflicts with the olde Citty of Fesulae whereof now almost remaineth no memory but the hilles whereon it stood getting the vpper hand and many of that olde towne following the fortune of the winner comming hither to dwell it grew to beare the name of a great and rich Cittie which till then euer since the time of Sylla by whom they say it was first founded and made a Collony of the Romaines bare rather the name of a Bourough then otherwise And after a combination of these two Citties into one Comminalty they quartered the Armes of Fesulae which were a Moone Azure in a field Argent with those of Florence being a Flower de Lise Argent in a field Gules It was afterward subiect to diuers sackings and subuersions by the Gothes Gaules and Lomgobards partaking with other Citties of Italy in those miseries which these Nations inflicted Insomuch as there was nothing remaining of their auncient glory but ruines and desolation what the barbarous crueltie of such an enemie could not tyranise vpon In these tearmes Charles the great found it who caused it to be reedified appointing for the gouerment thereof two Consuls and a Senate of an hundred After this they altered the gouerment conferring it vpon ten called Antiani Aldermen as I take it in the yeare 1254. Shortly after in the yeare 1287. they wan the Citty of Pistoia and about the same time they purchased their liberty of the Emperour Rodolphe for three-score thousand Duckets And againe changed their forme of gouerment to eight Priori and a Gonfalonier of Iustice who was to hold his place for 2. moneths only Presently after they bought Arezzo of
Mastino della sala for forty thousand Duckets And in the yeare 1471. they wan by force Volterra one of the 12. first Citties of Tuscany and honoured with the birth of the Poet Persius They got also Pysa the whole State thereof of whose reuolt and recouery what parts taking there was what time was spent and how many Millions it cost them to be repossessed thereof Guicciardine very fully discourseth and were here too tedious to be particularly related The gouerment of a Gonfalonier was altered by Gualteri Francese Duke of Athens who at the Citties request requiring aide was sent thither by Robert king of Sicilie and at his first comming deposed the Gonfalonier and Priory vsurped himselfe but he was quickly expulsed and the former officer reinuested till the time of Pope Alexander the sixt whose sonne Casar Borgia duke Valentinois sought to bring in the three banished Medici Piero Giouanni and Guiliano wherevpon the Florentines made Piero Sederini their Gonfalonier perpetuall as Buonacorsi an approued Italian writer Guicciardine in his fist booke doth testifie These alterations haue been since the restauration of the city by Charles which notwithstanding Guicciardine lib. 1. car 17. saith was openions inneterata benche falsa che Carlo l'hauesse reidificatâ— an old but false coniecture that Charles did reedifie it besides those also which it suffered afterwards which shall more fitly be remembred hereafter From Florence I must passe to the Cittie Pistoia seated at the other end of this valley 20. miles off But the Castle of Pratu being in the way and commanding the passage I dare not but salute it the rather for that I spent foure moneths in that Towne There are in Italy among I know not how many thousands foure principall Castles aboue the rest reputed as Leander Alberts in his view of Italy discourseth Barletta in Puglia in the kingdome of Naples Fabriana in Marca Anconitana vnder the state of the Church Crema in Lombardia vnder the Venetians and Prato in Tuscana vnder the great Duke It is heere to be obserued that these are called Castles not that they be onely Fortresses and places of strength but that they be large townes fortified with wall and Bulwarke and haue their Territories they onely want Bishops Seas wherein they differ from Citties It standeth in the middest of this Valley vpon the riuer Bisentio it is in forme sex-angular at each corner a Bulwarke alla Moderna very defensible the walles in circuite two miles with an olde peece at the East built they say by Frederico Barbarossa The Contado the Territory of this Towne is in length eight miles in bredth foure in circuite foure and twentie within which compasse with those within the Towne are fiftie nine Churches eight and thirtie Monasteries and other religious houses and of all sorts of people sixteene thousand whereof two thousand are religious Here is they say the Girdle of our Lady brought thither by a Marchant from the Indies whether it was first carried by S. Thomas the Apostle a Relicke which they hold in high esteeme keepe with very great care come to see with great deuotion and is shewed to the people with great reuerence once in a yeare that is on our Ladies day in September in the time of their Faire and when is most concourse of strangers There came that day in deuotion to see me not the Girdle two English Gentlemen my friends we obserued if it be not impertinent here to remember that there were in view vpon the Market place of people at the shewing of this Relicke about eighteene or twenty thousand whereof we iudged one halfe to haue Hattes of Strawe and one fourth part to be bare legged that we know all is not gold in Italy though many Trauellers gazing onely on the beautie of their Citties and the painted surface of their houses thinke it the onely Paradize of Europe But if they would with me fordida rura Atque humiles intrare casas visere gentem they would surely graunt that pouertie and famine had not a greater kingdome in those countries where Crassus starued his Armie then they haue heere But no maruaile though Prato be poore being so vnlustly and cruelly sacked in the yeare 1512. by the Spaniards vnder the conduct of Raymondo Cardona for want of pay which the Florentines ought him and his Souldiers who most vilely gaue the sacking of this pretty and then rich towne to the barbarous insolencie of the proud Spaniard and came themselues with bagges of Crownes to purchase the lands of the poore harmlesse Pratesi wherewith they were forced to redeeme their liberty after the rauishing of their wiues killing of their children robbing their shops and houses and other such insolent out-rages whereof Guicciardine lib. 11. complaineth that from their auarice lust and cruelty nothing was safe And Buonacorsi saith that they spared neither virgin infant nor church Paulus Ionius affirmeth that the Spanish cruelty in this sack of Prato did farre exceed that of the Dutch and French at the sack of Brescia so much detested Hence is it that at this day the name of Spaniard is there most odious for among all other names of infamy and reproach when they haue called one Poltrone Furfante Manigoldo Traditore and all that naught is they end alwayes in this Spagnaolo intending it should seeme that there is not a worse name vnder the sunne But leauing them expostulating this iniurie of the Florentines and bewailing their owne miseries I will proceed to the Cittie of Pistoia It is seated at the West end of the Valley in circuite two miles and a halfe the walles old and weake built by Desiderius king of the Lombards Howbeit the Bulwarkos are very moderne and strong with a Cittadell built by Duke Francesco and manned with a sufficient garrison to keepe the towne in awe This Towne is called of Cato and Pliny Pistorium and of Ptolomey Pistoria quasi Pestoria saith one of the pestilence that there raigned among the souldiers which remained of Catelines Campe after he was ouerthrowne who they say was the first builder thereof Others will haue it called of â—isis and ópos that is the faithfull Territorie Others because it is the doore of the Mountaines which the word also signifietlâ— for from hence is away to passe through the â—pennines into Frame â— by which the French forces passed into Tuscany and so to Naples in the time of Charles the eight as by the historie appeareth All which are either false coniectures and carry no correspondencie of trueth with history or at least are idle suppositions and carry with them no matter of import For what reason is there that the Grecians should giue names to townes in Tuscany who neuer came ouer the Riuer Tener or that they should christen this and no other or that a Romaine should be the Father and a Greeks the Godfather but were it so it little importeth and therefore I haue purposely
State which is somewayes fiftie miles in length is euery way enuironed whose greatnesse is nothing pleasing to the Lucchesi neither can they well digest that his title di Toscana and therfore the Signoria of this State sending letters of congratulation they say but it is more probable about some other their affaires to Cosmo Medici presently after his creation of great Duke they stiled their letters thus All' Ilsmo e Ecâ—smo principi Cosmo Medici gran Duca m Tuscana To which garbro of theirs the Italia â—rime also alludeth which saith thus S' il Duca hauesse Lucca è Serezzana Saretbe il gran Duca di Tuscana Implying that it is no reason he should be intitled great Duke of the whole hauing no more but the one halfe But how sooner this towne stand prouista as it braggeth and are able to keepe him out of themselues two or three yeares together more then probable it is that the feare of the Spanish King to whose protection it is recommended doth curbe his desire in attempting the action watching ouer this prety State with an ambitious and couetous eye come Lo sparuicre alla quaglia as the Hauke ouer the Quaile hoping one day for an oppertunitie I am now by order-leauing Lucca to looke to her selfe to passe the Monte Saint Iulian and arriue at Pisa a Cittie in former times very populous as any in Tuscany now so dispeopled as there are not iudged aboue fourteteene thousand persons though in circuite it be little lesse then Florence the Walles for the most part are of Bricke but in some places of square Stone the Ramparts conuenient the Bulwarkes not many nor correspondent the peece of cheefest import is the Castle vpon the South-west of the towne wherein is a garrison of fiftie with munition and other necessaries for the vse as is abouesaid of keeping the Citty in awe The scite hereof is in a Plaine vpon the Riuer Arno which passeth through the middest therof with one bridge onely and falleth into the Sea some sixe miles belowe whereby it appeareth that the land hath lately gotten much vpon the Sea on this coast as we finde in diuers places vpon our coast in England for that in the time of Strabo he reporteth it was but twenty furlongs off which is two miles and a halfe distant from the Sea Out of this Riuer is cut a Ditch from this Towne to Linorno fifteene miles long for the more conuenient carriage of such wares as arriue in that Roade and are thence conueyed by water from Pisa vp to Florence and so by land into other places of Tuscany Romagna Lombardia and Rome also The Boates wherein these wares are carried are but small in number betweene six and seauen hundred which our English Marchants Burlando gibing call the great Dukes fleete The nature of this plaine is for the most part marish though in times past it was fit either for pasture or tillage as by the commoditie thereout reaped for the maintenance of the cittie appeareth by Guicciard But since that the Cittie being conquered by the Florentines and most of the auncient Pisani departed some into Sicilia other into Sardegna Corsica and other places preferring a voluntary bannishment before a forced subiection the Towne hath beene so desolate as there haue not beene people sufficient to maintaine this plaine against the fury of Arno whereby it hath beene much wasted as hath partly beene said There are besides the commodity of the seat lying betweene Florence and Lyuorno three other causes that this Cittie is frequented otherwise it would be very desolate The first is the especially fauour of the Prince himselfe who because he was here borne beareth an extraordinary affection to the place as by his often comming and long tarrying appeareth Another is for that it is the place where properly the order of S. Stephen is resident where the Knights of this order haue their Pallace Officers and other dependances The last for that there is a studie as they call it in Italy a Vniuersity erected by Cosmo and is reasonably frequented In this Towne among many other Churches and Monasteries is that excellent Fabrick of the Battisterio built they say in fourteene dayes It standeth hard at the West-end of the Duomo which for the beauty thereof might haue compared with that of Siena so much commended had it not by mishap beene burned in the yeare 1595. in October it is now in the repairing at the great Dukes charges Howbeit in liew hereof he hath raised the price of his Salt fiue Quatrini in the pound throughout this State for the space of ten yeares and it is to be thought by examples too many of like nature in other places that being once grauted it shall not then be ended On the North of this Church is the Campo Santu as they call it their Golgetha or place of buriall the earth whereof was brought in ships from the Terrasanta as their Histories record as they affirme the dead consume there in foure and twenty houâ—es Not farre from this place is an old ruinous Tower called by them Torre di fame in memory of the mercylesse crueltie of Ruggiero the Archbishop who vpon suspition of treason immured therein Conte Hugolino a Noble Pisano and his foure children causing them to be starued of whom Dante the Poet in his 33. chapter dell'inferno very elegantly discourseth faining that there for a torment due to such a fact the Conte liâ—eth vpon the Bishops-head with a neuer satisfied greedinesse Here is also an Arsenall wherein the Duke hath two or three of his Galleys in mendâ—ng but no new in the making neither Artillerie or any thing els worth the remembrance Heere the great Duke hath a Pallace but so ill contriued and so vnworthy the presence of so great a Prince as it is said the deuiser thereof looking for great praise at the Dukes hands for his rare plotte and finding after that it disliked his Highnesse in a melancholie discontent threw himselfe into the Arno he hath also another lesser house lately built wherein are many small Statues of Marble and Mettall many Medalles and Pictures some painted others of Feathers very exquisitely artificiall Besides peeces of Vre vntried both of golde siluer Corall vnpollished whereof yee shall see some growe vpon the Sculles of dead-men with infinite such like more delightfull to be seene then needfull to be related of Vnto this building is adioyning a Garden of Simples not much inferiour to that of Padoa But the thing of best vse and greatest cost and therefore vnfittest to be forgotten is a Conduict of water vpon Arches into the Towne from Valdeculci fiue mile off where with the better part of the Cittie is serued Other buildings I remember not worth the remembring except the Campanile which Architecture hath this varietie that the top thereof by a line perpendicularly downe-falling to the ground and sheweth that it is prominent or hanging ouer the Basis ten or twelue foote
therefore subiect to the ouer-flowing of Arno whereof it hath tasted this present Winter to the Countries great losse That of Lucca enuironed with Hilles and the Citty in the middest like a center in a circle That of Carsigniana vnder the Dukedome of Ferrara And lastly the Plaines of Maremma in the State of Siena the most large and whither for the Wintering of their Cattle they are sent in October from the Mountaines It hath the name of Mare the Sea and therefore we â—ay well English it the Marshes of Siena it runneth along the Sea-coast almost seauentie miles in lenghth betweene the two Riuers Gornia and Pesua not much inhabited with people through the badnesse of the ayre The Portes are Ciuita Vecchia in the Popes State for Ottia is on the other side of Tyber Orbitello Port-ercole Telamone Castiglione in the Maremma howbeit vnder the King of Spaine as is also the Monte Argentaro and the Port of Piombine The onely Porte of worthe vnder the great Dukes State is that of Liuorne capable of any Fleete whatsoeuer It is rather to be called a Roade then a Harborough and to be obserued that this Sea neither ebbeth nor floweth Here his Highnesse daily buildeth meaning to make it a Cittie the walles and fortifications being almost finished It is in forme sixe square in circuite a mile three quarters the length of the Curtaine is two hundred and sixteene paces the face of the Bulwarke is one hundred thirtie and eight From the Spurre which is fifteene paces thick to the Flanker which is so many broade are eighteene paces The Diameter of the Piazza is foure hundred and fiftie This proportion no doubt swarueth from the strict rules of fortification neither can I warrant the relation true by the line I was forced to passe it in hast and sanquam aliud agens to auoide all ielousie whereof I thought fit to aduertise the curious Reader and to preuent the enuious detracter Here is bestowed great cost being indeed the onely Keye by which all commodities are transported and brought in not onely for the vse of Tuscany but euen for the most places of Italy so that it bringeth in a very great enrate to the great Dukes coaffers as I must more particularlie and more fitlie aduertise hereafter The Princes and States interessed in Tuscany are these The Pope who possesseth all from Tiber to Fiore and so right vp from the Sea to the ridge of the Appeninâ— which is some fourth part of the whole The Spanish King hath the coast of Maremma and the Portes thereof as is aboue said wherein he keepeth garrison besides Pontremoly and one other Forte or two on the side of Liguria The Dukedome of Ferrara hath the valley of Carsigniana The State of Genoa Serezzana The state of Lucca hath all her possessions herein The Dukes of Vâ—bâ—â— Parma and Brauianâ— haue also each of them a Peece howbeit most of this is in the church part which is called the Patrimony of Saint Peter There is also the Signior di Pcombiâ—e the Marquesse di Massa and other inferiour Princes interessed in this Country of an other fourth part So that there remaineth a Moitie vnder the great Dukes gouernment whereof I haue vndertaken to giue this superficiall suruey which followeth This State besides that it is enclosed with the Mountaines as with a wall on three-sides and with the Sea on the fourth and so consequently by scituation passing strong it hath also many Castles and Fortresses as Rodicofany Monte-falcon Pelegrine Charole Sansubastians Lusignano Monterisine Empoli Castrecaro Saffa and diuers others to the number of thirty wherein is garrison more or lesse But of others which stand rather to shew the manner of fortifications in elder ages and the force of time by which they are ruined then for any vse of the time present there are aboue three hundred By which number may very probably be coniectured their many and diuers States in this small circuite in former times for as it appeareth by Historie not onely Florence Siena and Pisa which of late yeares were reduced into one gouernment but also Pistoia Arezzo Volterra and almost all the Citties now vnder the great Duke had euery one their seuerall and distinct state Wherevpon it was necessary each State should haue her Castles and Fortes to affront those that confined vpon them As for those former wherein is garrison the most of them in the iudgment of men experienced haue their defect either in their forme and manner of fortification which is All' Antica or in their Piazzâ— which are very little and so thought vncapale of sufficient number to defend them But besides these he hath in each cittie a Cittadell and therein a garrison which are all very moderne and strong the vse of which Peeces are not so much for defence of the Townes where they be as to keepe in awfull termes the citties themselues as by the cittadell at Florence and Fortresse of Siene appeareth Of Citties there be sixteene the one halfe in the state of Florence the other in that of Siena of the fonner state these be the names Florence whereof is an Archbishoprick his name that now is Alexander Medici Pisa an Archbishoprick also his name Carolus Antonius â—uteus Pistoia Arezzo Volterra Certuâ—iâ— Burgo san Sepolchro and Monte Pulciano Of the other state are these Siena an Archbishoprick his name Ascanius Piceothuomineus Motalcino Grossetto Chiusi Soana Pienza Massa and Celle christened a cittie fiue yeares since Many of these I saw not and therefore presume not to speake of at large in the foure chiefest Florence Pisa Siena and Pistoia I spent some time and hold them worthy of some little remembrance in this discourse before I come to speake of the generall parts of this state Florence is seated at the head of a very faire valley and enuironed with high Mountaines especially towards Bologna it hath the streetes very long streight large and faire paued with a broad stone which they call Lastra so as no weather makes them foule it is beautified with many stately Pallaces which haue more del Reale then del Cittadinesco as that of the Signioria that of the Pitti where is alwayes the great Dukes court that of the Medici that of the Strozzi and many others it is graced with many large Piazzeâ— and in them many Statues some of Brasse as that of Cosme the first great Duke and others very many and very curious some of Marble some of Alabaster it is diuided with the Riuer Arno and vpon this foure faire Bridges of Stone to passe from one part of the cittie to the other It is adorned with many faire Monasteries and churches but aboue all with the most magnificent and admirable Fabrick of the Duome the workmaÌ„ship of that excellent Architeck Brunelleschi dedicated to Santa Maria del â—iore and is they say the true Modle of the church of Santa Sofia in Constantinople The body of this
by the square As for the Cittie it selfe it is the greater halfe voide wherein is nothing but Gardens of hearbes and rootes the houses that there be are for the most part so old and ruinous as that the great Duke hath lately giuen commandement that euery one according to his abilitie should either build new or at the least repaire and trim them on the out-sides for the better grace of the towne So vnlike is Pisa to it selfe which in former times was able to wage battaile at land with the Florentines at Sea with the Genoese yea and with Venice also And before that to conquere Sardigna to ouercome the King of Carthage and bring him prisoner to Rome to recouer Palermo in Sicilia from the Sarazens to assist the French with a mighty Nauie in their voyage to the holy land to send fortie ships to the recouery of Alexandria for Almerick King of Ierusalem to aide th'Emperour Frederick Barbarossa against the state of Millan besides many other their famous and victorious conquests wherevpon one saith Erat Pisa altera Roma fuimâ—â— Troes fâ—â— Ilium nunc seges vbi Trola fuit To speake of the diuers gouerments of this Towne and the many alterations it hath suffered were a discourse though not altogether needlesse or impertinent yet so large or rather tedious as would be altogether disproportionate to my former breuitie I will leaue it therefore altogether vntouched and go forward my iourney to Siena This Cittie chalengeth the title of much Antiquitie being built by Sanesius the sonne of Remus Romulus his brother which may seeme to carry some matter of truth for that the Armes of the Cittie is a Wolfe with two Infants sucking vpon her which Armes are to be seene in diuers places of the Towne both in Marble and Mettall It is called by Pliny Colonia Senensis and by Tacitus in the 20. booke of his Historie but whether it was built by Sanesius or the Galli Senones that went with Brennus into Italy I leaue indifferent to the Reader this last is alleaged out of Ptolomies Fables though I rather subscribe to the former It is seated vpon the tops of diuers small hils very neerely meeting together which with their declinings makes the Scituation very vneuen and such as I haue not else-where seene by reason whereof it is iudged infinitely strong as not hauing any commanding hill neere whereby it might be preiudiced nor any way by which forces may be brought before it saue onely at the two gates towards Rome and Florence yet there so narrow as there cannot possibly come aboue ten Souldiers alla filata in rancke So that as Liuorno is the key by which all forces must passe that by Sea would approach Florence so is Siena the Porte or gate by which they must enter that eyther from Naples or the Churches state would come to anoye it For from the way of Romagna or Bologna there is very hard passage for an Armie so sharpe and inaccessible are the mountaines which being well considered by Cosmo then Duke of Florence no maruaile though he neuer rested till he had got the towne and whole state of Siena into his hands The meanes thus The Cittie about fortie fiue yeares since being besieged by the forces of the Pope Charles the fift and Cosmo Duke of Florence rendred it selfe at length to the Emperour and receaued a garrison of Spaniards but keeping still their manner of gouerment which they before vsed The Emperour by earnest sollicitation of the D. d'Alua in whom the Duke of Florence his purse they say had got him great interest was content to render it into the Duke of Florence his possession for certaine summes of money to be paid besides a yearely rent with a recognition that it was holden of him and certaine other couenants which some say were neuer performed as also that this contract was made without the consent of Philip king of Spaine that now is whereof were not his hands full of actions in other places it is thought some stirre might arise So that Cosmo de' Medici the second Duke of Florence vnited that state with this of Siena which is by estimation bigger then the state of Millan and the most fruitefull part of all Tuscany Wherevpon he altered his Stile which before was Dux Florentiae and intituled himselfe Dux Florentiae Senarum The ornaments of speciall note in this towne are three The first is the Duomo no great but a faire and rich Fabrick all the out-side of Marble so is the Pauement the roofe guilt at the foote thereof are very curiously cut in stone and guilded also all the Popes from the first till within these eighty yeares The second is the Citterne a place whereout of the Rocke floweth aboundance of waters and haue their Citterne and Pooles very well cut of Stone to receaue the same The last is the Piazza one hundred and sixtie paces in length and one hundred and ten in breadth vety steepely descending At the head hereof is a very faire Fountaine and at the foote is the Pallace of the Signoria round about it are very faire and high houses I haue not seene a Market-steede excepting that of Sancto Marco in Venice so beautifull The fairest Pallace of this Cittie not excepting the great Dukes is that of the Piccol huomini begun by Pius Secundus and ended by Pius Tertius both of this family which needs not much enuie the most stately of those in Florence The walles of this Cittie as also the houses and streets are all of Bricke They haue here they say the arme of S. Iohn Baptist which they very religiously and with much reuerence hold as a relick It was sent by the Turke to Aeneas Siluim Piccol huomini being Pope by the name of Pius Secundus in liew whereof this Pope sent him the halfe Moone for a Crest There is a Fortresse at the North-west of this towne reputed strong howbeit the forme being Quadrangular and therefore the angles not so obtuse as in those of fiue or more it is iudged of moderne Enginers as namely of Maggi a late Italian writer in the subiect of fortifications not to answer the reputation it hathâ—n generall The Artillery herein they say for we may not enter it much and good the garrison but fiue and twentie at this present the end is to command the towne vpon any occasion This Citty like that of Pisa is noted to be much decaied since their subiection to the family Medici there not being now aboue two and twenty thousand persons where in times past were alwayes aboue fiftie The Gentlemen of this Citty are noted to be generally more ciuill affable courteous to strangers then they are in other places They liue altogether vpon their reuenues without exercising any trade of Merchandize or exchange vpon the Banck which course notwithstanding all the Nobilitie of Florence and Pisa euen to the great Duke himselfe
boile it no longer There are not farre hence may I digresse so farre waters of such a scalding and sulphurious nature as if a Dog or such like creature be tied to a rope and throwne therein for the space of a quarter of an houre yee pull out nothing but the bare bones And true it is that the aire here abouts sometimes of the yeare is so contagious as the inhabitants abandon their homes The place being so dangerous I will dwell no longer vpon the discourse thereof but returne to the Salt-pits out of which the great Duke maketh no small benefit considering he buyeth it at one quattrini the pound and selleth it againe at twelue and in some parts of his State at fifteene which being bought at this rate commeth to two Duckets the Staio Howbeit it is said of some that it costeth him fiue quattrini the pound which I rather beleeue and so his gaine is but two third parts Sure I am that there is a Bando vpon a great penaltie that none presume to buy but of his officers onely And seeing here is mention made of the great Dukes impositions vpon Saltâ— I will also annex his gaine raised by Wheate though I must confesse their place more proper when I shall speake of his Reuenew After the Raccoltâ— haruest when wheate is at the cheapest a note is taken of euery mans particular croppe how much he hath what will seed his ground and serue his house the rest the officers will buy at the price of the Market he is not as I take it directly forced to sell it but a Bando is sent forth that no man shall buy and so by consequent because he must needs haue money with an vnwilling willingnesse he is content they shall haue it This is bought vnder pretence to haue the Citties well stored whether it is carryed into the great Dukes Granaries in which places for any accident either of dearth or of warre though for the one the countrey is well secured here is very good store to be found It was reported in the Magizini Store-houses at Pisa when I was there there was no lesse then one hundred and fiftie thousand Staia And it was likewise holden for certaine that some yeares of plentie he buieth eight or nine hundreth thousand at the rate commonly of foure or fiue Liuers the Staio a Liuer is nine-pence sterling and selleth it againe as this yeare he did for aboue ten Now by buying such an infinite Masse and selling it at such a rate the gaine is easily computed to be almost as many Duckets as were Staia bought His subiects will tell vs of a Millons gaine some yeare but that were infinite Now least when the new Corne comes into his Granaries he should not vent the old as being sustie or hauing some other fault a Bando is sent out that the Bakers shall bake no other There is another inconuenience stranger then this a case wherein a man may not serue himselfe of his owne which had it not beene tolde me by a Gentleman Sanese of good credit I should hardly haue beleeued much lesse haue aduentured to aduertise thereof If a Gentleman of Siena haue a Villa in the Territory of Mont Alcina neare by and therein good store of Wheate to serue his turne for the maintenance of his house in Siena and whether it may be with little cost brought as not being farre off and where perhaps he cannot well spare money to buy of others notwithstanding he cannot be suffered to bring of his owne to his house but must there take of the great Duke to make his prouision How hurtfull these Monopolies and ingrossings are the lawes made against them in well gouerned states doe witnesse and the people where they be practised doe feele Of their Pastures and feeding for Cattell I shall not need to speake for they be not herewith acquainted as not being able to spare one Staiora from tillage except in the Maremma and lowes of Pisa which being little and soone spoken of and not hauing whereof to be spoken but that it is little I will leaue as also all other things to be obserued in the Countrie itselfe and proceed to the gouernment The Gouernment to speake in one word and not to vse a harder terme is meerely Despoticall The Prince himselfe is of stature meane of colour by complexion browne by age grisled of body corpulent of age somewhat aboue fiftie his name Ferdinando who till his brothers death was Cardinall which dignity he hath since renounced hauing attained this Scepter whereof he had not beene capaple if he had before entered the order of Priest-hood He is of the familie Medici a noble house of Florence the first raiser whereof was Lippo not three hundred yeares since whose Father though a Colliar yet he by his vertues and his posteritie also succeeding from time to time aduanced the reputation of this name to the greatnesse wherein now it is whereof hath beene many Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and other personages of great place besides two Popes two and twenty Gonfaloniers and foure Dukes of these three haue had the title of Great as elsewhere is shewed The discent of this Prince might be deriued from Lippo but for breuities sake I will omit foure or fiue and begin at Giouanni the Father of the first Cosmo because from him come the two houses that haue had the Signiory of this State as in this table following appeareth The line Masculine of the familie Medici Giouanni Cosmo Contessina Bardi Piero Lucretia Turna buoni Lorenzo Clarice orsina Piero Alfonsa orsina Lorenzo Maddalcha di Bologna Alexandro D. di Fioe Marâ— d'Austria Caterina Regina di Francia Giouanni Leo 10. Guigliano D. di Nemors filiberta di Sauoia Hippolito Cardinale Asdruball Cauall Gierusalemme Guigliano Guiglio Clem. 7 Giouanni Gineua Alessandri Cosimino Carlo Lorenzo Gineura caualcanti Pierfrancesco Laudomia Acciaioli Lorenzo Semiramus Appiana Pierfrancisco Maria Soderini Lorenzo This is he that murdered Alexander first D. of Florence in detestation of which fact the house where it was coÌ„mitted stands ruined as in the Via Larga there appeareth Francesco graÌ„ D. Giouanni d'Austria Don Philippo PreÌ„cipe di Tuscana morto Don Antonio D. di Capistrano bastard aliue Giouanni Cardinale Don Piero morto Don Garzia morto FerdinaÌ„do gran D. Christina di Lorena Don Cosmo Prencipe di Tuscana Don Francesco Dâ—â— Guigliano Vescouo Auerardo Giouanni Caterina Zforza Giouanni Maria Saluiati Cosmo GraÌ„ duca di Tuscana Leonora di Toledo Don Piero Leonora di Toledo Don Cosmo. Don Gouantiâ— bast aliue The discent and issue of the great duke appearing in this table it remaineth that I speake of his parentage His Highnesse matched in the house of Lorraine with Madama Christina that Dukes daughter Don Caesare d' Estê base sonne to Alphonso the second the Duke of Fexrara that now is married to his Sister Don Virginio Orsinâ— Duke
determine And sure I am of this that besides many particulers heere remembred as also the Rents and Reuenues of his proper lands belonging by many descents to him of others not accounted in this valuation of his yearely Entrate there is yet one thing behinde vntouched or thought of by others which will appeare no small matter and is this In euery Citty and towne corporate as I may say in Tuscanie there was before their subiection to the family Medici a CoÌ„munità that is an Entrate in coÌ„mon of the Citty by which all publick charges were defrayed all officers maintained and many other good and charitable workes performed This Entrate arose vpon the Tenths Tithes of euery mans crop or fruite for in Tuscany the parish Priest hath them not he hath onely his offering Church-rights with a house and some certaine ground thereto belonging as yee would say Glebe-land It grew also vpon the bread and flesh thus euery file of bread as they terme it cost a quatrino the signing euery Bullock cost foure Liuers the killing euery Swine two euery Weather cost two guigly There were also in times past people of charitable disposition who dying without children made the Communità their heâ—re to their goods and land which they call the Entrate of the Geppo that is the Stock and is a member of the Communist Now that which did yearely remaine of the Entrate all charges deducted was put to the common Treasurie for to helpe in time of dearth or warre or such like publick necessity An example hereof I will take the towne of Prato Here the Entrate of the Communità is twenty six thousand Duckets the yeare the Entrate of the Ceppo is eight thousand in all thirty foure hereout they allow the Pâ—desta one thousand the Captaine of the trained Souldiers six hundred the Chauncellor fiue hundred they allow for a feast euery two moneths among the eight Pricori at the choosing of their Gonfalioniere twenty duckets They allow their Iudge who is a Doctor of the Ciuill law fiue hundred also the wages of the Bargello and Sbirri as one would say the Vnder-shiriffe and his Sergeants the wages of the Trumpetters the stipend of foure Schoole-maâ—sters the salarie of two Phisitions and two Chirurgions the keeping often Schollers at the Vniuersitie in Pisa also the maintaining of two Hospitals one of Bastards th' other of sick aged and impotent persons whereof there are in all to the number of three hundred and fiftie besides the giuing of portions to poore maides that are married from hence or to young boyes that are put to some occupation as also the Almes euery Friday of fourteene Staia of Corne two barrels of Wine and one of Vineger giuen to the poorer sort And lastly that which they giue to the Poueri Vergognosi that is such housholders as are poore and are ashamed to beg whereof there is consideration had by the foure that are in office for that purpose These and all other their common charges as trimming of Churches repairing of Bridges mending of high wayes and such like being defrayed it is certaine that there yearely remaineth one fourth part ' at the least which now goeth not to the common treasure as in times past but to the great dukes coffers the like is to be said of all other places in this Dukedome But it is to be obserued that before this money which resulteth of the Communità be carryed to Florence to the dukes Exchequer it is put into the Monte di Pietà the Bancke of Pitty a place where any poore man may pawne his houshold stuffe or cloathes or whatsoeuer els is worth money prouided alwayes the gage be worth more then the money he taketh this money he hath for a day and a yeare after fiue in the hundred And if at the time he returne not to redeeme the thing engaged it is sold by Trumpet for what can be gotten where-out the principall and interest being taken the poore man shall haue the rest So that the great Duke hauing this ouerplus for now it is their Prouerbe Il'Duca è la Communità in euery Citty and great towne and the vse besides for the money which will amount to a round summe through the whole State for there be of these Banckes in euery place it is to be coniectured that his whole Entrate is a greater matter then it is ordinarily taken for of them who esteeme it at one Million and one hundred thousand Duckets I should rather condiscend to them that rate it at one Million and a halfe Concerning his expenses it is harder to guesse at then his Entrate those of the Duke Francesco were supposed about fiue hundred thousand Duckets these of this Duke they say be much lesser And as the Duke his brother had diuers Captaines and men of commaund his Stipendaries who receiued of him some three thousand fiue huÌ„dred duckets the yeare some three thousand some two and some lesse according to their nobility and the qualitie of the place wherein they had charge so is it to be thought that the Generall of the foote the Collonell of his horse the generall of his Galleis and other inferiour Commanders who vpon occasion are bound to serue him in their places are with sufficient pension rewarded each particulers pension how much it is without more certaine information then I had I dare not presume to say choosing rather to be defectiue in a generallity then being too particuler to erre As for his expence vpon his troope of horse the Lance hath 7. Piastras 1. fiue shillings 3. pence a peece a moneth the light-horseman hath three now in the time of peace in warres a better proportion The Souldier in all his garrisons hath foure Piastras a moneth the officers proportionate each in his place to this rate As for the trained Souldier he is in peace no charge to the Duke for he findeth himselfe shot powder armour weapon and all things necessary and is bound to keepe them in good order the Captaines and officers of these are paid out of the Communità as hath beene abouesaid The charge of his Galleys allowing as Don Antonio Doria in his discourse how to resist the Turke at Sea doth proportion that is each moneth fiue hundred gold crownes a Galley coÌ„meth in the halfe yeare which time they be commonly at Sea to the sum of eighteene thousand gold crownes The charge of his Court as by the number of persons therein aboue enformed may be collected cannot be great I haue heard one of his seruants say that the Steward is allowed for Spezierie Spicery fifteene thousand duckets that all other charges may treble so much more As for all officers of Court but these few before remembred they feede at their owne tables His Pages which are Gentlemens sonnes of the Citty or other places in number as I take it sixteene are at his charges kept at Schoole at dyet in the Citty His Staffieri
or Footemen are allowed six Piastras the moneth they are about thirty His guarde of Swisses haue foure Piastras the moneth both these and they feed at their owne charge or soiorne at some place for they haue no allowance out of the dukes kitchin not so much but the Cookes as I haue heard hauing done their office go to their owne houses to meat A builder this duke is not at Liuorno where indeed is very great cost bestowed very many daily working howbeit considering the labour of his Galley-slaues which all the winter are there imploied and of many poore men in the country which vpon light faults are thither confined whose labour he hath paying nothing it may appeare the charge is not halfe so much as it would cost another There are also to be considered these expenses which they call spese segrete secret charges no doubt are very great for that this Prince maketh his way to many effects of much importance by money as namly in the Court of Rome where although the Pope that now is was choseÌ„ without the good wil or rather quite against the desire of this Prince although the family Aldobrandini was alwaies an empeacher of the Medicies greatnesse and though likewise the father of this Prince executed the father of this Pope and albeit lastly this Pope desireth nothing more then that by his meanes his natiue countrey might recouer her former liberty yet notwithstaÌ„ding so strong is this Princes faction in that Colledge and so many his friends by meanes of his money as he resteth secured from any such danger The like intelligence it is said he hath in the Spanish court by presents and pensions to the Infanta others of the Counsaile so as by his money he is able to diuert what purposes soeuer He hath also at his maintenance secret espials in Florence for his better securitie as not yet forgetting the treason of Pucci in his brothers dayes Concerning his Coines there is the gold crowne of eight Liuers the Ducket of siluer seauen Liuers which is there called a Piastra and so much must you value the ducket in all this discourse the halfe Ducket the Testone two Liuers the Liuer one Giuglio a halfe the Giuglio which is six-pence sterling the halfe Giuglio all these are of siluer The Crazia of Brasse with a surface of siluer the value three-farthings sterling And lasty the quattrino which is the fift part of a Crazia there was also in times past the denaro the fourth part of a quattrino wherof one hundred three-score were sixpence sterling but now there are few of them to be seene none to be paid They of the countrey will complaine that now they haue none but Moneta grossa great money It was a good world say they when we might haue chaÌ„ged a quattrino into 4. denari with these haue bought herbes vineger oile Salt the 4. substantiall parts of a sallet this the better part of an Italian dinner whereas now it wil cost theÌ„ so many quattrini a great alteration a grosse sum As touching the manage of matters of state the administration of Iustice and the disposing of Offices true it is that the great Duke though all matters do absolutely and plenarily depend vpon his will and pleasure yet notwithstanding he will for the most part haue the iudgement and counsaile of the Archbishop of Pisa a man who for his dexteritie of wit and experience in matters of State hath purchased himselfe great credit and reputation with his Prince next vnto him he hath other his Courtiers to whom sometimes he will communicate some causes but neither all nor alwayes which causeth the Prince to be more absolute procureth his Counsels a more secret proceeding giueth his actions a more speedy dispatch and peraduenture also a more happy issue so that it cannot properly be said of this Court that there is a Counsell of state but that euery thing immediatly hath his motiue processe and ending of the Princes will and pleasure Concerning the admâ—nistration of Iustice and election of officers it differeth not much from the auncient custome of that Cittie when it was free the diuers Magistrates and the manner of new choosing them is this There is in the Citty of Florence the Gran Consiglio the Seminary as it were out of which all other Magistrates are chosen Of these some are elected by the great Duke himselfe as the Quaranâ—t ' Otto of the chiefe Cittizens and such in whom his Highnesse most affieth Of which nuÌ„ber there must alwaies be one at the least in any other of importance But the Lieutenant of the Citty and the Sei Consiglieri must be all out of these fortie eight and these also chosen by the Duke as likewise the Dodeci di Collegio Other Officers are chosen by Ballot as the Commissari the Proueditori the Capitani Vicari Podestâ and diuers others For all they that haue office place of command throughout this state of Florence are Gentlemen of that Citty as they of the other are all Gentlemen of Siena There is also in Florence the Gl'Otto di guardia e balia an office of great authoritie for these onely giue sentence of life and death and iudge in criminall causes these haue their place only foure moneths In this office the Prince hath alwayes a Secretarie a Beneplacito his name now in place is Buoninsegni who euer goeth to his Hâ—ghnesse to enforme him of the matters in the Court before they be by the Otto determined and this office hath intelligence of all matters in all criminall Courts in the state by whom the Courts haue directions from the Prince before they proceed to the iudgement or execution of the malefactor An instance of this we had this Ianuary last past which I the rather remember to make knowne what care his highnesse hath to giue our countrey good satisfaction of whom all English Gentlemen receiue very gracious fauours as to be admitted to the presence at any Veglia Reuells or other time of extraordinary sight also to haue the priuiledge to weare Armes and other such like An English Gent'eman was by a base groome of the house where he lodged throwne into the Arno for the money he was supposed to haue in his lodging the offender vpon suspition being apprehended and receiuing the Strappado diuers times and in the highest degree notwithstanding persisted obstinately in the deniall The lawe is there that except he confesse the fact he cannot be executed how pregnant so euer the presumption be against him insomuch it was thought he should haue beene discharged wherevpon the court sent to his Highnesse for direction he returned them order to vse all manner of torments which possible or in any cases that court could inflict and if yet he would not confesse to torture him till he dyed According to this commission they gaue him the Sueglia a kinde of torture where hauing
and King of Aragon to enter into a confederation with the Florentines and to re-inuest them of Pisa inferring that by this meanes the French forces might be diuerted which otherwise with the helpe of this state being seated in the middest of Italy might effect matters of preiudiciall consequent to all three so fitly stands it either to dispeople the enimies forces or to reinforce their owne And therefore Guiccardine very iudicially determineth that it was a powerfull estate rather per l'opportunità del cito che per la grandezza del Dominio by the fitnesse of the scituation then by the greatnesse of the Dominion But if we define the middest of Italy in an Arithmeticall proportion that is the center equally distant from both extreams it will appeare to be true which Pliny and Varro report confirmed also by Leander Albertâ— concerning Lago di pâ—e del luco which Taciâ—us in his first booke calleth Lacus Velnius in Sabina which they hold to be the middest of Italy Concerning the Riuers of worth there be few of name many for the Italian hath a name for euery ditch whereof if we allow them not Tiber Arno is their chiefe This Riuer was so named by Hercule Lybicus whose surnames were Libarno that is the Lyon of Lybia and Musarno that is the learned and valiant for Ar in the Arabian tongue signifies a Lyon He was the sonne of Osyris and Isis called Iupiter and Iuno by the Greekes and grand-childe of Ianus called by the Greekes Ogyger and by the Chaldeans and Hebrews Noah wherevpon stand the Citties of Florence and Pisa Serchio which runneth by Lucca Ombrone by Pistoia Bisentio by Prato Chiana which passeth by the vale of Arezzo and falleth into the Arno Mognâ—ne which runneth neere Ciuita vecchia into the Sea Fiero which deuideth the great Dukes state and the Popes towards the Tuscan sea Paglia which deuides those two states towards the Appenninâ—â— ouer which we passe by a bridge built by Gregory the 13. in our iourney from Florence to Rome betweene Rodicofany and Aquapendente that belonging to the great Duke this to the Pope True it is that Guicciardini in the 4. booke of his History and namely in that part of the booke which by order of th'inquisition is left out of all alowed copies because in this place though himselfe were the Popes creature and had great charge vnder him yet he fully learnedly and truly sheweth how by little and little and by bad meanes the Church grew to her greatnesse how she came not onely to quit her obedience to the empire but to haue also a power and stroke in the election of the Emperour himselfe not onely to make the Pope gouernour of Rome but to incroach also vpon the Territories and Citties of Romagna the Marquisate of Ancina the Dutchie of Spoletum and Beneuentum the superiority ouer the kingdome of Naples and the possession of that part of Tuscany now called the Patrimony of S. Peter he I say diuideth the Popes state in this Country from the rest of Tuscany thus Eterminata dal torrente di Pescia dal Castello di San Luirico nel Conâ—ado di Siena da vna banda dall altra dal Mare di sotto dal fuime di Teuere that is it is limited on the one side with the Riuer Pescia and the Castell Saint Luirick in the territories of Siena and on the other with the Riuer Tyber and the Tyrrhene Sea But I rather tie my selfe to the former limits for that the Paglia is farre beyond Saint Luirick whether the great Dukes state now reacheth There is also Câ—cina which riseth a little aboue the Cittie of Massa and so passing along the Countrey of Volterra fulleth into the Sea with many such other which in England we rather call Brookes or Riuerets for of all these there are few sit either for burthen or Boate in Summer except the Arno yet heere often times scarce water for a Mill as by their deuises at Florence to penne it vp appeareth The reasons that the waters of this State are so small be two the former is the violence of their downefall from the hilles the better is because their heads are so neare to the Sea as they cannot haue space to be enlarged by the receipt of other lesser Brookes by which meanes onely all Riuers grow great as namely the Rheine and Danowe whereof this last hath from his head which is in the Forrest Nera to the Mare Maggiore where he payeth his tribute aboue two thousand miles and receaueth into his bed by the way three score nauigable Riuers The Lakes in this State are neither many nor great nothing so faire or fruitfull as those of Lombardy namely Lago di Garda Lago d Iseâ— Lago d Como and Lago Maggiore the chiefe in Tuscany are these Lago di Trasimenâ— vnder the Pope who letteth it out to diuers Farmers for ten thousand Duckets the yeare which haue the fishing whereof it is very fruitfull and yeeldeth them also no little gaine The profit which the Duke of Ferrara raised by the Lake of Comacchiâ— who they say in Venice made thereof yearely foure-score thousand Duckets makes this more probable But this Lake of Trasimene now called Lago di Perugia is much more renowned for the notable ouerthrow giuen there by Hanniball to the Romaines neare wherevnto is that faire plaine called Ossaia of the bones of the dead there flaine by the rashnesse of C. Flaminius the Consul as Polibius in his third booke Liny in his two and twentith and Plutarcke in the life of Haniball auowe The other memorable blow giuen them if it be not here impertinent to remember was that at Canne in Puglia called by Liuâ—e in his twentie and one booke Caâ—nusium where was slaine P. Emilius the Consul L Acilius and L Furuis Bibaâ—ulus the Quaestors one and twentie Tribunes of Souldiers fourescore Senators fortie thousand foote two thousand and seauen hundred horse all Romaines and as many Anuiliaries as Plutarch in the liues of Hanniball and Scipio and Solinus Italicus in his ninth booke confesse There are diuers Lakes betweene Pisa and Liuorne but small and of no name There are more not farre from the Cittie Colle Laego di Bolsena called by ancient writers Lacus Vulsiniensium Lâ—go di Bassanello anciently called Lacus Vadeâ—onius where the Romaines vtterly subdued the Tuscans Lago di Bracciane called formerly Lacus Sabbatinus Lago di Vicco called by Virgill in his seauenth Aenead and Siluius Italicus in his eight booke Lâ—cus Cimini of the Mountaine so called standing betweene this Lake and the Cittie of Viterbo Lago di Montâ— Rosa not large but deepe neere Rome with few others The Plaines are also few for they before are allowed but one fourth part the chiefe are these That of Florence wherein liue aboue two hundred thousand persons that neere Arezzo called Vald ' Arno because the Riuer passeth by it the most fruitfull that of Pisa the most lowe and
auoided these fruitlesse etimologies else could I haue said before that Florence was called either Fluentia because it stands betweene the two waters Mognone and Arno or Fiorentia of Fiore a flower because it is the flower and beauty of Italy or Firenze which Giambolare one of their writers deriues from a Caldey word and signifies he saith a valiant Souldier as who would say the Florentines were such which I haue not yet read and I am sure they of Siena will not confesse who will not let to bragge how often they haue beaten them in the field Indeede I well remember that writers giue them th' attribute of Ingenious and wise as namly Macciauelly in his Florentine history and Guicciardine in the very beginning of his booke Cart. 2. Howbeit I could easily condiscend to the opinion of Imbalt a French commaunder who vpon good experience Guicciardine lib. 5. cart 144. Non saptua doue consistesse lingegne tantu celebratu de Fiorentini could not finde where that great witte of theirs laye So likewise these word-founders will haue their Cittie Arezzo to be so old as that it was built when for want of a fit name they were faine to call it Earth for so in the Hebrew tongue it signifieth But seeing that Tully and Varro call it Aretium and not Arezium me thinkes they might better derine it from Mars which the word well beareth for I am well assured that historie makes the Arrettines and their neighbours the Perugians farre better Souldiers then the Florentines But I will not ouer-charge this short discourse with deriuations I had rather leaue them with the capriccious Antiquaries of Tuscany and returning to Pistoia say that though it be very little it is very rich as hauing a Contado full of oyle and wine insomuch as it is said they presse yearly one hundred thousand Barrels of Wine whereof they send the one halfe to Florence of which the great Duke hath gabell a custome one Guilio six-pence sterling for euery Barrell at the entery into euery Cittie gate besides the tenth leuied vpon it before and an imposition after vpon euery tauerne as shall more fitly in the discourse of his entrate be aduertised This Towne is famous or rather in famous for the two factions of the Bianchi and Nery which ruined themselues and troubled the peace of Florence also it began thus Two young Gentlemen of the towne falling out and so proceeding from words to blowes it chanced one of them receiued a light hurt The father of the other because he would kill all motions to a farther quarrell sends his Sonne to aske pardon of the Father and Parentage of the other whom he had hurt but he causing his seruants to lay hold on him commaunded his right hand to be cut off and sent him away with this answere Va dal tuo Padre digli che le ferite non si curano con parole ma colferro Goe to thy father and tell him hurts are not cured with words but with the sworde Herevpon grew that great and bloudy enmitie betweene those two houses which drew into it all the great families of Pistoia as also them of Florence where the Donati banded with the Neri and the Circhi with the Bianchi Since which faction there hath also another risen no lesse dangerous then the former betweene the Cancellieri and the Panzadici scarse yet so composed but that vpon euery small occasion it is ready to breake out This Towne pretendeth to be much priuiledged aboue all other Citties vnder the great Duke for at the time when they yeelded to the State of Florence it was among other Capitulacons concluded that in any Bando Proclamation whatsoeuer except the Cittie and Contado of Pistoia were expresly named it was to be vnderstood exempt freed from the same which indeed is still obserued howbeit a course is taken neuer to leaue that clause out so that I see small reason they haue to bragge so much thereof The people in and without the Citty are supposed sixtie foure thousand the Religious are much about the the rate of them in Prato an eight part I cannot passe the direct way from hence to Pisa whether the course of this discourse directs me vnlesse I passe vnder the walles of Lucca which being no part of this State I know not how I may speake of that haue vndertaken to write of nothing else and yet passing so neare I know not how to auoide some mention thereof that am likewise to aduertise of what I haue seene Wherefore betweene a doubt which is lesse fault to digresse in my narration or be diuerted out of my way I will speake so little as if it be a fault to digresse it may be excused because this little is nothing if it be a fault to write so little it may be answered I durst not digresse The Citty of Lucca was anciently called Fredia and afterwards being the first of the twelue old Citties of Tuscany that receiued the Christian faith light of the Gospell it changed the name of Lucca a Luce herewith accordeth Fuccio Vberti Ma perche alluminata della fede Fu pria ch altra Cittade di Tuscana Cangio il suo nome e Lucca le si diede It is seated as is before said like a Center in a Circumference in the middest of a faire and pleasant valley enuironed with wast and huge Mountaines The walles in circuite two miles are of Brick very new strengthned with a very thick Rampart and fortified alla moderna with very many and defensible Bulwarkes Insomuch as it is thought that when the Bulwarke that is now in the making at the North-west of the towne is finished with one other at the East which is already purposed and the Terra-pieno Rampart of this East side made answerable to the rest which is also intended it shall then haue in all eleuen Bulwarkes and will without exception be one of the best fortified townes in Italy They keepe in the towne a garrison continually of three hundred Souldiers and are able they say to drawe into their Cittie at two daies warning out of their owne territorie thirtie thousand able mē for seruice for which nūber they haue prouision of armes victuals and all things necessary vpon occasion I was in their Granaries where I saw as they credibly rated it of Wheate Rie Beanes and Chestnut Mealn the quantitie of six hundred thousand Staies which of our measure maketh about fifty thousand quarters besides so much more kept in diuers conuents and Monasteries of the towne which they call their Prouisione d' Abondanza store All which prouision is able in case of a Siege to maintaine the Citty for two yeares at the number of three-score thousand people allowing twelue Staies a man the yeare a proportion in those parts and such cases very large The reasons of these fortifications garrisons and prouisions which they make is the iealous feare they haue of the great Duke of whom all their
generall food of the Tuscan at whose table a Sallet is as ordinary as Salt at ours for being eaten of all sorts of persons at all times of the yeare of the riche because they loue to spare of the poore because they cannot choose of many Religious because of their vow of most others because of their want it remaineth to beleeue that which themselues confesse namely that for euery horse-load of flesh eaten there is ten cart loades of hearbes and rootes which also their open Markets and priuate tables doe witnesse and whereof if one talke with them fasting he shall haue sencible feeling But for the better proofe of the little flesh here spent it shall not be amisse to remember what the Chancellor of Prato told me concerning this matter who seemed by his discourse a man of good vnderstanding who ought by his office to haue the knowledge hereof very familiar vpon some conference with him had about the great Dukes impositions and Gabell which he had in that state he tolde me among diuers other matters which shal be remembred hereafter that he had out of Prato the precincts thereof a thousand Duckets communibm annis for the flesh there eaten at the rate of fiue denari the pound for so much he hath Now if we reduce Duckets to denari which are the fourth part of a Quattrino deuide that number by fiue we shall finde the number of pounds of flesh eaten there after the rate of twelue ounces to the pounds for so is their weight of all things whatsoeuer which summe by the rule of three we may reduce to pounds English of sixteene ounces and then deuiding by fourteene know how many Stone is there eaten in a yeare According to which computation we shall finde 18000 Stone the people there being as is already said 16000 persons so that there is little more then a Stone a peece for the yeare a proportion which in Newgate market and S. Nicholas-shambles will hardly be beleeued Pythagoras found by the dimension of the foote the perfect Rieratte of Hercules Phidias of Athens found by the paw of the Lion the true proportion of the whole body so by this small store of flesh spent in Prato may well be conceiued what proportion is spent in the whole state of Tuscany It may here not impertinently be remembred speaking of flesh of a kinde of meate which the Italian hath out of Barbaria howbeit in no great quantity which they call Micista it is a powder made of Beefe dried sold in their shops for the nature of the flesh of Africk being such not to take Salt the Alarbaes of that countrey dwelling in tents which they alwayes remoue when their cattle haue eaten vp the pasture to some other place doe bake their flesh in Ouens so drie till it may be beaten to powder which done they barrell it vp carry with them for a kind of very good food And I haue heard also that the Tartars bring of this into the warres wherof they feed and wherwith putting about two handfuls of it into water they giue their â—orsâ—s which without any other prouinder keepeth them fat â—isty As concerning their graine in Tuscany it is very much in kind very little in quantity wherof most years they haue too sencible feeling are supplied out of other places as Sicilia Sardigna somtimes England the East-countries they haue of Wheat more then either Rie or Barley yet of neither sufficient as for their Sagina Panico Miglio Surgo Turco and such like they are fine names but make but course meale and bread only for the poorer sort who might they not want thereof would thinke their market much amended Their haruest is in Iune they mowe their Wheate and Rie reape their Barley quite contrary to the common course in England they cut their corne while it is somwhat greene I take it least it should shill they suffer it afterwards to stand in shocks â—ill it be well withered and dryed then making a store on the ground where it grew they presently thresh it stack vp the Strawe for their necessarie vses the same ground which hath carried this crop if it be in heart is againe presently tilled and sowed with Miglio Panico Sagina or some pulse or other which againe they reape in September They measure their corne by the Staio as we ours by the Strike or Bushell it containeth in weight fiftie fiue pounds at twelue ounces the pouÌ„d And as we measure our land by the Acre so they theirs by the Staioro which taketh his name of the Staio because one of these parcels of land if it be on the hilles will aske a Staio of corne to feed it otherwise in the valleys euery measure will ordinarily feed foure Straiora I suppose that six of these make one of our Acres The country-man will stirre of them as we call it eighteene with his two yoake of Oxen the one yoake feeding while the other laboureth in one day He hath for his labour foure Crazie a peece which is three-pence starling so that he and his beasts earne some foure shillings six-pence sterling the day how this agreeth with our rate in England I cannot say I went not out so good a husband The staioro doth ordinarily yeeld seauen and eight staia crop which is little short of the proportion of foure quarters an Acre The nature of the soile is generally light and sandy laid in small ridges like the fields of Norfolke which as I take it argueth the lightnesse But by reason of the Citties great townes neare and the number of people it is much forced and made more fruitfull For there are those who all their life time doe nothing but with their Asse go vp and downe the cities gathering vp the dung in the streetes and carrying it to the land of those with whom they haue bargained paying out of euery Asses burthen one quattrino to the Duke before they passe the gates but this is a discourse for another place It remaineth to speake of the Salt another coÌ„moditie which they haue here in Tuscany in some reasonable manner It is very white and good much better then that of the Churches Salt which hath almost the colour of Saw-dust or that of Liguria which is little better The two places from whence they haue this commoditie is the Citty of Grossetta in the Maremma and the pits not far from the Citty of Volterra howbeit they make of it at these pits in greater measure where it is reported are daily made throughout the yeare twenty foure Moggie euery of these measures being foure and twenty Staia that is of our measure some sixteene Strike a peece so that there are dayly made 48. quarters They know when it is sufficiently boiled by the throwing in of an Egge for if it sinck then is it not yet perfect but if it swimmeth a galla then they
di Bracciano that now with the Dutchesse his wife sister to the Cardinal Mont ' Alto is in Court is sonne of another of his Sisters The Duke of Montona married Madama Leonora of this house he hath also neere alliance with the family Zforza And it was said in the Court at my comming from Liuorno that Rannuio Fernese Duke of Parma should marry Maria sister to Leonora both daughters to Francesco his brother Howbeit it was afterwards reported that he should marry the sister of Cardinall Mont ' Alto neece to Sixtus Quintus whom sinde he hath married and Maria is wife to Henry the 4. King of France His Armes are six Apples or Balles of gold in a field Azure vnto which some say is added since his obtaining the Scepter the Armes of Florence the Flower de Lise But hauing the authoritie of one so approued as is Guicciardine to the contrary I rather say with him that this addition was giuen of speciall fauour to the familie Medici by the house of France by whom in his first booke page 16. it is plaine that when Charles the eight entended his voyage for Naples he sought as a league much importing that action the friendship of the Florentine State and that as he there saith if they would not ioyne with him in the seruice yet at least they would grant him passage for his armie and victuals for his money whereto he laboured by letters both the State in generall and Piero Medici in particular in which his letters to Medici he putteth him in minde of the maâ—ie fauours and honours done by Lewes the eleuenth to Lorenzo his father and to his auncestors that they had giuen molte dimostrazioni per conseruation della grandezza d'essi Many proofes of willingnesse to preserue the Medicies greatnesse and that they had honoured in testimonio de beneuolenza l'insegneâ—ora con l'insegne proprie della casa di Francia in shew of their loue their armes with theirs of France Concerning his Stile it is to be obserued that since the gouernment came to the haÌ„ds of this familie it hath altered foure times for first when by Clement the 7. his meanes who was a Medici Alexandro had obtained the signory of Florence he was entituled Prior perpetuall after that matching in the house of Austria he was created Duke of Florence The title yet changed twice more in the person of Cosmo father to this great duke now liuing for hauing vnited the States of Florence and Siena he was entituled Dux Florentiae et Senarum And after by Pius Quintus he was created Magnus Dux Hetruriae for some speciall seruice done to the Church This title of Duke is not of any great antiquitie in Italy for although Titus Liuius speaketh of Duces yet he meaneth Captaines of Souldiers or rather such as had the leading of an Armie by the Senates appointment and not such as haue absolute authoritie ouer Citties and Countries The first bringer in of this name into Italy was Longinus King of the Lombardes one hundred sixtie sixe yeares after the declination of the Romaine Empire By him at the first were created foure which bore their title of these places Beneuentum Turine Fruily and Spoleto At which time also were instituted the two Marquesarts of Ancona and Treuiso which still liue in the names though dead in the persons that should haue them and it should seeme in some sort this title of Marquesse was better then that of Duke For in their language saith Biondo it signifieth Perpetuum Magistratum because they might leaue their title and Signorie to their heires which the Dukes could not doe but by the leaues of the Kings of Lombardie Some say this word of Marques is deriued from the French Marque which signifieth a Prouince as that a Marques should signifie the President of a Prouince Others thinke it is deriued of the Dutch word Marchk among whom this title is in great honor signifieth a Signor ouer a Country to some limit or marke for so Altimeri in his Scholia vpon Cornelius Tacitus interpreteth As for this title of great Duke there neuer was any before in Italy nor I thinke in Europe but he of Musconia Of Dukes there be diuers in this Countrie of Italy as the Dukes of Ferrara Muntoua Parma Vrbino besides foure and twenty in the kingdome of Naples Concerning his claime and right to the Crowne it is beyond the compasse of a bare relation as this is to dispute how good it is but rather to discourse what it is neither to determine how iustly his Predecessors got it but how lineally it is deuolued from theÌ„ to him The meanes how this house rose to such superioritie in a coÌ„mon-wealth where was alwaies maintained such equallitie is by the Florence historie easily discerned to be their popularity insinuatiue stealing into the peoples good opinions ouer whoÌ„ they oftentimes in cases of insolencies oppressions by the nobler sort vndertooke the Patronage became as it were the Tribunes of the people in Rome or the Auogadori del Commune in Venice who as I take it are Aduocates Intercessors for the câ—tizeÌ„s preferring their sutes to the Courts Howbeit there is a difference for this is an office instituted that was a fauor enchroched vpoÌ„ this is by law limitted that was by maÌ„s nature so infinite as it staid not running on this plausible race till the wished goale was gotten Venice hath beene wise in this case where it hath been danger for a great man to deserue too well and be loued too much for which cause only as in their Annals appeareth some of theÌ„ haue lost their liues fearing what this popularitie of theirs might effect if it were put to the triall holding belike that principle good in a coÌ„monwealth which is a ground in matters of the Church which saith Melius est pevire vnuÌ„ quaÌ„ vnioneÌ„ It is better one perish then vnitie factions being as daÌ„gerous in the one as schismes in the other To which purpose Athens and Rome can afford many fit examples indeed so many as it were needlesse to recount either that of Scilla and Marius Caesar and Pompeius Octavius and Anthonius or any other particulars either of the one state or the other And but that the colours Noble and Popular were in seuentie sixe in good time vnited in the Citty of Genoa there had not wanted at this day an example in that Citty also eyther of the family Doria Spinoli Grimaldi or Fieschi as by Oberto Foglietta a very iudiciall writer of these times is proued But to returne to the history of the family Medici it is to be vnderstood that Lorenzo grand-child to the first Cosmo who for his well deseruing of the Common-wealth was sir-named Pater Patriae vncle to Clement the 7. who for deserts cleane contrary merited the title of Ruina Reipub He I say after the death of his brother Guigliano who was slaine by the families
obiected that Duke Francesco in the terme of those ten yeares had many hundred thousand duckets confiscate to his coffers by the treason of Pucci who with his complices had plotted to enuite the Duke the Cardinall and Don Piero to a feast and there to murder them all and so to recouer their liberty It may hereto be answered that he was likewise a Prince of very great expences and that for instance in that very time he built the Pallace and water-workes of Pratolino which cost him at the least three hundred thousand duckets As for this great Duke now liuing his expences are small for so great a Prince as by the small number of them which liue in Court may appeare And yet euery Carneuale time he retireth himselfe from Florence where is much to be spent to Pisa where is somewhat to be gained he saith he doth it for the affection he beareth that towne his people say for the loue he hath to spare our English Marchants there say it is for loue of their commodities which about that time arriue and are brought vp by his officers It is likewise knowne he hath great summes of money in banck which must needs bring in their yearely gaine besides three-score thousaÌ„d duckets entrate which he yearly detaineth from his brother Don Piere who liueth in Spaine the gaine of Wheate before remembred all which with his yearly reuenue may make one strongly perswaded that his ready money is little lesse then that which is iudged of them which rate it at the highest I should surely thinke it an incredible masse but that I haue read for certaine that in the yeare 1592 the ready money of Amurath father to Mahomet the third the great Turke now liuing was at the least fifty millions And although the disproportion of their Entrates may seeme much to weaken the force of this comparison yet I see not considering on the other side as great difference in their expenses but that it may carry some good shew of likelyhood To conclude this point it appeareth that the great Duke hath two Reuenues whereby he groweth rich that is great impositions and great sparing for sparing is a great reuenue There yet remaineth two other meanes to make him absolutely rich the loue of his subiects and their priuate wealth for the wealth of the Subiect is the wealth of the king and where the people is rich the Prince is not poore But sure it is that he hath neither the one nor they the other It is to be thought that he which hath money such store wanteth no forces for money is called the sinews of warre I will therefore to this short discourse of his Riches adde in a word what is thought of his forces His strength at Sea is not great for he hath not aboue six Galleys neither hath had since the ouerthrowe that the Turkes gaue him at the little Ilands Formiche where he lost two of his best Galleys and one Galleon In these that remaine he hath besides Munition ordinary that is eight or ten a peece about two hundred Souldiers and eight hundred slaues He hath also much good Munition and a competent number of Souldiers in his Fortes of the Porto Ferrario in the Iland of Elba of which place his Father was impatronized by the Lord thereof the Signor di Piombino with the consent of Charles the fift both because the Patron therof was not able to defend it against the Corsari which daily robbed and spoyled it as also because for the small defence it had it might haue fallen into the hands of the Turkes and so by reason of the Scite standing very fitly for such a purpose it might haue preiudiced the whole country of Italy Notwithstanding all the reuenue of the Isle is left free to the Lord of Piombino vnder his command are all other the towns vnfortified places In this Port which is capable of what fleet soeuer do all ships that trade from the Leâ—aâ— westward contrariwise touch as in a place as necessary fit and secure as are the Terseres to the Spaniards failing to the West-Indies so that if he with this Isle had also a good number of Galleis and a purpose to offend he might very easily infest all the Seas vpon the coast of Barbary vpon Pronence Lyguria Tuscania and all that side of Italie and in a manner make himselfe Lord of those Mid-land Seas He hath also as is reported one hundred Soldiers good Artillerie in a Fort he holdeth at Marseilles called Castle dite by the sufferance of which peece the Genoeses ship was in Ianuary last taken wherof the parties grieued complained lately to the great Duke where besides foure hundred Spaniards put to the Gallies was also found foure hundred thousand crownes sent thether from Spaine He hath also in those thirty Castles and Fortes before spoken of wherein are garrisons but very small as in some fiftie and in others fiue and twentie in others not aboue fifteene in some fewer by reason of the good tearmes he standeth in with his neighbours Princes or at least by the good fauour of the time for that they be otherwise diuerted that would be busie to the number of six hundred in all He hath likewise in all his sixteene Citties garrisons of Souldiers more or lesse as in the Cyttadell S. Miniato and the new Fortresse at Florence one hundred twenty in Pisa fiftie in Siena twentie fiue in Liuorno two hundred and twenty c. In all which places he is said to be very well prouided of Munition Armour weapons Powder shott and such like military prouision the certaine quantity wherof I cannot certainly enforme because but vpon especiall fauour and by commandement they dare not let one come into their Fortes And to write what others say were to erre himselfe and seduce others I was by good meanes in the Castle at Liuorno where I told of field peeces three-score and foure whereof they told me that twelue were canon and demi-canon by which proportion it is to be coniectured that he is very well furnished These Souldiers of whom is already spoken are all in pay he hath also a Rassegna his trained Souldier as we in England call them about the number whereof there is great difference between that which is writteÌ„ by way of relation that which is by way of conference reported Relations theÌ„ which nothing is more false write that there be thirty six thousand but I talked with a Captaine who hath the mustering charge of three hundred within the precincts of Prato then whom no man should know better and he tolde me but of fifteene thousand In this diuersitie of report I haue no other guide to direct me to whether of these I should giue credit then by a rateable proportion of the part with the whole to inferre whether of these two commeth nearer to the trueth in this manner It is now certainly holden that the number of
industrious very apt to learne they proceed for an inche they stand vpon the aduantage they will not loose the droppings of their nose This writer hath gotten and worthely for many his ouersights in that booke the imputation of a notable lyar and for his egregious partiallities on the Spanish side the note of a notorious flatterer But sure had the rest of his Booke beene able in the Ballance of truth to haue holden counterpeasable to this iudiciall report of the Florentines he had well deserued the Pasport of Seene and allowed Cum Priuilegio And yet by his leaue I cannot beleeue without some good reason that the Florentine generally hath such a perlous wit such a subtill conceit I would sooner subscribe he had a subtill dyet for as hath before beene said I am of that French-mans minde that could not finde where that great witt of theirs lay whatsoeuer either by Macciauell his report in his historie or in his person may to the contrary be alleadged I haue heard of some English Gentlemen whose abode hath beene there longer and therefore their experience greater meanes also very good to entertaine conuersation that the Florentine will be very affable and ready to obserue vs with all possible complement so long as we will consort him to the Bardello giue his loose and lasciuious discourse the hearing which is euer of his Mistrisse if not of a worse theameâ— But if at any time we offer the occasion of any better talke would discourse with him about some matter of pollicie or historie or Art or such like he straight shakes vs off with a shug of the shoulder actuÌ„ est scilicet we haue lost our companion in this onely wise that he will not talke because he cannot For who will thinke that this people which do all things alla mostraâ— and speakes alwayes alla grande witnesse their great houses and small furniture of the one their great words and small matter of the other would be squeamish of their knowledge if they had it that haue such quintessence of termes to grace it Indâ—ed I veâ—â—ly thinke that when the Florentine was Lord and Patrone of Pisa Pistoia Volterra Arezzo and those other Citties that then he had wit But now I see not why we should not say of him as we vse to doe of young vnthrifts that were left rich and haue foolishly spent or lost it They were well if they had had wit to keepe it I dare say that if Maccianell were againe liuing and should see them that were wont to rule a state now not to bring a few Lettice from their Villa but at the gate to toll for them he would vnsay that which he had formerly said and sweare they had no witte I would not haue said thus much but that their writers will needs all of them put the witte vpon them and they for sooth will needs take it As though witte were confined to Florence and bandâ—ted froÌ„ all other citties Let it be concluded of Florence as of all other places without this singularitie that there be some wise men but more fooles and so I will leaue them As for their aptnesse to learne where of this author speaketh if he meane mechanicall Artes it is not seene in their shoppes where yee shall almost haue nothing handsomly dâ—ne except workes in cloath of golde and siluer Anâ— as for their liberall Sciences it is not seene in their Schooles where in one Vniuersitie yee â—hall scarse finde two that are good Grecians without the which tongue they holde in our Schooles in England a man neuer deserueth the reputation of learned Indeed it cannot be denyed that in two faculties this towne haâ—h had famous men in Painting and Poetry and I verily thinke that herein Italy generally excelleth Anâ— no maruâ—ile when all their time is spent in Amours and all their churches deckt with colours Their nature he saith is close and retired but sure it is that after some small acquaintance especially if he hope to gaine any thing by you his manner is to offer you all possible courtesies his house his seruants himselfe and what not he will proffer you his Iewell or any thing whâ—ch liketh you and euer importune you to dine wâ—th him with all ceremony and complement for here they grow mâ—rry he holds it for the greatest discourtesie in the world and a mala creanzaille manners to accept any his offers it is not the fashion of Tuscany for were this custome of taking once vp the complement of offering would soone downe What else Roterus saith I hold most true either of the Florentines industry greedy gaining or of his parsimony thin feeding Especially at his owne table or at his Inne where he paieth according to his feeding but let him come to another mans table or to a certaine ordinary and he will hold the last vie with the tallest Trencher-man of all Mâ—dià Of whom one may rightly say as the Poet speakes of the harlott in the Comedy at their owne borde Nibil videtur niundius nec magis compositum quicquam nec magis elegans but at anothers cost yee shall note illorum ingluuiem sordes inediam Though concerning the place it is quite contrary for the harlots do pitissare abroad and deuorare at home As touching their apparell it is both ciuill because black and comely because fitted to the body For their names they be those of the old Romaines onely altered with an Italian pronounciation and determination Concerning their language it is the best of Italy As for those vngratefull Tuscans that in no case will acknowledge to be beholden to the Latines but will eyther haue it a mother toung of it selfe or at the least the daughter of the Caldean tongue for that it hath the Afixa as me te se ne ve and such like very agreeable with that other language I dare not giue them credit for if it were plumed of the Romans feathers I thinke it would be but a naked language True it is that from the French and Dutch tongues it borroweth much and somewhat from the Greekes As abbassare allogiare auanzare comminciare donna gaglicardo and infinite others from the French Arnese becoo brano brindisi elmo fiasce fresce giallo and many moe from the Dutche They haue also from the Greekes as Battezzo catedra catarro golfo gamba mottegio rimbombo rio c. So that if the Gothe and Vandall had also theirs I thinke this Tuscane tongue would be left nothing but her quaint diminitiâ—es wherin consisteth hâ—r onely grace as of Pouero the plaine song she runnes a descant of Pouerone Pouerino Poueretto and Poueraccio and so almost of any worde whatsoeuer This Language also challengeth to haue a singular grace in her vocall terminations as in such words as these Rinfrescatoio Temperatoio Cuoio Asciugatoio and such like which they of Tuscany say are of a more sweete desinence