Roade from whence they were constrained by the season of the yeare to retire home and such were the sudden great showers of raine that the Bisshop of Munster was forced in disorder to raise his siege at Groeningen and the French to quit Gorcom I could ad many more observations of the Providences of God to these people as the preserveing the Prince of Orange from the many treacherous designes contrived against him from his Cradel but Moses must be preserved to goe in and out before his people certainely never young Prince Indured so many fatigues as did his Highnes in his tender yeares of which I was an eye witnes and had his Highnes had the yeares and Experience and such a good disciplinde Armie as now he hath in the yeare 1671 when the French Entered the Country his Highnes had given them as good a welcome as he did at Bergen I will say no more of this subject only this that the peace at Nimwegen was also a very wonderful thing for that not above 8 dayes before the peace was signed most of the Plenipotentiaries did believe the war would have continued another yeare first because the King of Denmark and Duke of Brandenburg prospered Exceedingly against Sweedland and totally refused the propositions of France and secondly because the French King writ such Bitter letters against the States Generall yet 8 dayes after drest a letter unto the States in which he calles them his good friends and old Allyes offering them not only Mastricht but every foot of ground they could lay claime to in the world also giveing them new Termes and Conditions as to their priviledges in France by way of Trade Neither can I forget how speedilie and as strangly the mighty French King did quit his Conquered Townes after the Valiant Prince of Orange took Naerden which was the first step to the Frenchs ruine in the States Dominions I come now according to promess in the beginning of this book to give the reader some Remarkes I made in other Countries where I have been during my sixteen years travels To give a full account of all that might be observed in so many Countries is not a taske for one man nor a subject for so small a book I shall onely therefore briefely take notice of some remarkable matters which may in some measure satisfie the curiositie of my Country men who have not been in the said places and convince if possible all of them that no Countrey that ever I was in afords so great conveniencies for the generalitie of people to live in as the Kingdome of England doth Though I have twice made the grand tour of Germany Hungary Italy and France and after my return back to England travelled a third time through Holland as for as Strasbourg and so back by Francfort to Denmark and Sweden yet the reader is not to expect I should follow a Geographicall method and order in speaking of the places I have been in that is to be lookt for in the map and not in travels but onely that I mention places as I found them on my rode according as busines or curiositie led mee to travel The first considerable place I then met with after I was out of the dominions of the States General was Cleave the capital citie of the Province so called a fair and lovely citie standing upon the Rhine and the rivers Wall and Leâ—k This Province much resembles England in rich soyl and pleasantness of its rivers The inhabitants of the Countrey would have mee beleeve that they were originally descended of those Saxons who made a descent in to England and conquered it and to convince the truth of this they shew'd mee a cloyster standing on a hill called Eltham from which they say our Eltham in Kent had its name I was made to observe also two places standing upon the Rhine neare Emmerick called Doadford and Gronâ—wich which according to them gave the names to Dedford and Greenwich in England but many such analogies and similitudes of names are to be found in other places of Germany but especially in uper Saxony and Denmark The greatest part of this Province of Cleave and part of the duchy's of Julieres and Berg and of the Provinces of Marke and Ravensbourg belongs to the Elector of Brandenbourg the rest belonging to the Duke of Newbourg now Elector Palatine and the Elector of Cologne The inhabitants are partly Roman Catholicks partly Lutherans and partly Calvinists who all live promiscuously and peaceably together both in city and Countrey The citie of Cleave is the out most limit of the territories of the Elector of Brandenbourg on this side of Germany from whence his Electorall Highness can travel two hundred dutch miles out right in his own Dominions and never sleep out of his own Countrey but one night in the territories of the Bishop of Osnabrug From Cleave I went to a small town called Rhinberg but a very strong fortification belonging to the Elector of Cologne which dies at two miles distance from the citie of Wesel that belongs to the Elector of Brandenbourg Through Disseldorpe scituated on the Rhine and the Residence of the duke of Newbourg I went next to Cologne a very large city called by the Romans Colonia Agrippina and the French Rome d'Allemagne Cologne is an Imperial citie and a Republick though for some things it does Homage to the Elector of that name and receives an oath from him It is much decayed within these hundred years having been much priest ridden a misfortune that hath undone many other great cities The Jesuits have had so great influence upon the Magistrats that they prevailed with them to banish all Protestants who removed to Hambourg and Amsterdam so that Cologne is become so dispeopled that the houses dayly fall to ruine for want of inhabitants and a great deal of corn and wine now grows within the walls upon ground where houses formerly stood I dare be bold to affirm that there is twice the number of inhabitants in the parish of St. Martins in the fields then there is in Cologne and yet it contains as many parish churches monasteries and chappels as there are days in the year The streets are very large and so are the houses also in many of which one may drive a Coach or waggon into the first room from the streets but the streets are so thin of people that one may pass some of them and not meet ten men or women unless it be Church men or Religious sisters The most considerable inhabitants of the citie are Protestant Merchants tho but few in number and they not allowed a Church neither but a place called Woullin a mile without the citie the rest of the inhabitants who are lay men are miserably poor There are no less than 3000 Students in Cologne taught by the Jesuits gratis who have the priviledge to beg in musicall notes in the day time and take to them selves the liberty of borrowing hats
and cloaks in the night but if in the Jesuits Schools there be any rich Burgemasters sons who have parts they are sure to be snapt up and adopted into the societie Formerly before the matter was otherwise adjusted in the diet of Ratisbonne there have been designs of voteing Protestant Magistrats into the government again but so soon as the Jesuits come to discover who of the Magistrats were for that they immediately preferred their sons or daughters and made them chanons abbots or chanonesses and so diverted them by interest It 's pity to see a city so famous for traffike in former times now brought to so great a decay that were it not for the trade of Rhenish wine it would be utterly forsaken and left wholy to the Church men The continuall alarms the Magistrats have had by forreign designs upon their liberty and the jealousies fomented among themselfs as it is thought by the Agents and favourers of France and especially the Bishop of Strasbourg have for severall yeares kept them in continuall disquiet and necessitated them to raise great taxes which hath not a litle contributed to the impoverishing of the people especially the boars round about who tho the Countrey they live in be one of the most pleasant and fertile plains of Germany yet are so wretchedly poor that canvas cloaths wooden shoes and straw to sleep on in the same room with their beasts is the greatest worldly happiness that most of them can attain unto The Elector of Cologne is a venerable old man Bishop of four great bishopricks viz Cologne Liege Munster and Heldershime He divides his time betwixt his devotion and experimental studies being punctuall in saying of mass every morning and constant in his Elaboratory in the afternoon for he is much addicted to chymistry and leaves the administration of Government to his Cozen the Bishop of Strasbourg To speak of all the miracles of the three Kings of Cologne and the vast number of saints who were removed out of England and interred there would be but tedious and perhaps incredible to the reader aswell as wide of my designe I shall therefore proceed From Cologne I took water on the Rhine and advanced to the citie of Bon and so forward to Coblints the residence of the Elector of Trier over against this city on the other side of the Rhine stands that impregnable fort called Herminshine built on a high rocky hill as high again as Windforcastle and on the north side of it the River Mosel falls into the Rhine over which there is a Stately stone bridge This Prince governs his subjects as the other Spirituall Electors doe that is both by temporall and spirituall authority which in that Country is pretty absolute The chiefe trade of this Countrey is in wine corn wood and Iron The next Countrey I came to was that of the Elector of Mayence who is likewise both a secular and Ecclesiasticall Prince and governs his subjects accordingly He is reckoned to be wholely for the Interests of the French King who notwithstanding of that pretends a title to the citadel of Mayence As I was upon my Journey to Mayence by land I made a turn down the Rhin to visit the famous litle city of Backrack and some towns belonging to the Landgrave of Hessen but especially Backrack because Travellers say it much resembles Jerusalem in its scituation and manner of buildings The Burgemaster of this city told mee that the whole Country about Backrack does not yield above 200 fouders of wine a year And yet the Merchants of Dort by an art of multiplication which they have used some years furnish England with severall thousande of fouders Here I shall take the liberty to relate a strange story which I found recorded in this Countrey tho I know it to be mentioned in History There was a certain cruel and inhumane Bisshop of Mayence who in a year of great scarcity and famine when a great number of Poor people came to his gates begging for bread caused the Poor wretches men women and children to be put into a barn under pretext of relieving their necessities but so soon as they were got in caused the barn doors to be shut fire set to it and so burnt them all alive And whil'st the poor wretches cried and shreeked out for horrour and pain the Barbarous miscreant said to those that were about him harke how the Rats and mice doe crie But the just Judgement of God suffered not the fact to pass unpunished for not long after the cruel Bishop was so haunted with Rats and mice that all the guards he kept about him could not secure him from them neither at table nor in bed At length he resolved to flee for safetie into a tower that stood in the middle of the Rhine but the Rats pursued him got into his chamber and devoured him alive so that the Justice of the Almighty made him a prey to vermine who had inhumanely reckoned his fellow Christians to be such The tower which I saw to this day is called the Rats-tower and the story is upon record in the city of Mayence On my Journey from thence I came to the litle village of Hockom not far distant famous for our Hockomore wine of which though the place does not produce above 150 fouders a year yet the Ingenions Hollanders of Dort make some thousand fouders of it goe of in England and the Indies From Hockom I proceeded to Francfort a pleasant city upon the river of Maine called formerlâ—y Teutoburgum and Helenopolis and since Francfort becaus here the Franconians who came out of the Province of Franconia foarded over when they went upon their expedition into Gallia which they conquered and named it France and I thought it might very well deserve the name of Petty-London because of its Priviledges and the humour of the citizens It is a Hansiatick and Imperiall town and Common-wealth the Magistrats being Lutherans which is the publick established Religion though the Cathedrall church belongs to the Roman Catholicks who also have severall monasteries there The citie is populous and frequented by all sorts of Merchants from most parts of Europe part of Asia also becaus of the two great faires that are yearely kept there Many Jews live in this city and the richest Merchants are Calvinists who are not suffered to have a Church in the town but half an houres journey out of it at a place called Bucknam where I have told seventy four Coaches at a time all belonging to Merchants of the city It was in ancient times much enriched by Charle le maigne and hath been since by the constitution of the Golden bull amongst other honours Priviledges its appointed to be the place of the Emperours Election where many of the ornaments belonging to that August ceremonie are to be seen It is strongly fortified having a stately stone bridge over the Maine that joynes it to Saxe-housen the quarter of the great master of the
his place This custome is Religiously observed by all his highnesses garrisons whilest he himself with his Children being five sons two Daughters and two Daughters in law goe constantly to the Calvinist Church adjoyning to the Court. Amongst other acts of publick pietie and charitie this Prince hath established and endowed some Religious houses or Nunneries for Protestant young ladies where they may live virtuously and spend their time in devotion as long as they please or otherwise marry if they think fit but then they lose the benefit of the Monastery There is one of these at Herford in Westphalia where I was and had the honour to wait upon the Lady Abbess the Princess Elisabeth eldest sister of the Elector Palatine and Prince Rupert who is since dead Notwithstanding the late wars with Sweden and that by the prevalency of France in that hasty treaty of peace concluded at Nimwegen his Electorall Highness was obliged to give back what he had Justly taken from that crown yet his subjects flourish in wealth and trade his highness having encouraged manufactures of all sorts by inviting Artizans into his dominions and estalished a Company of tradeing Merchants to the West-Indies which will much advance navigation amongst his subjects And in all humane probabilitie they are like to continue in a happy condition seing by the alliances his highness hath made with the Protestant Princes of the Empire and especially the house of Lunenbourg they are in no danger of being disturbed by their neighbours I told you before that the Prince of Brandenbourg was married to the Daughter of the duke of Hanover so that so long as that alliance holds the families of Brandenbourg and Lunenbourg will be in a condition to cast the ballance of the Empire they both together being able to bring into the field 80000 as good men as any are in Europe When I parted from Berlin I made a turn back to Lunenbourg in my way to Swedland where I found severall of my Countrey men Officers in the garison who shew'd mee what was most remarkeable in the city as the Saltworks which bring in considerable summes of money to the duke of Lunenbourg the Stathouse and Churches in one of which I saw a communion table of pure ducat gold From thence I went into the Province of of Holstein and at a small sea port called Termond of which I spake before I embarked for Sweden He that hath read in the histories of this last age the great exploits of Gustavus Adolphus and his Swedes perhaps may have a fancy that it must be an excellent Countrey which hath bredsuch warriours but if he approach it he will soon find himself undeceived Entering into Sweedland at a place called Landsort wee sailed forwards amongst high rocks having no other prospect from Land but mountains till wee came to Dollers which is about four Swedish that is twenty four English miles from Stockholm the capitall citie of the Kingdome upon my comeing a shore I confess I was a litle surprised to see the poverty of the people and the litle wooden houses they lived in not unlike Soldiers huts in a leaguer but much more when I discovered litle else in the Countrey but mountanous rocks and standing lakes of water The Reader will excuse mee I hope if I remarke not all that I may have taken notice of in this Countrey seing by what I have already written he may perceive that my designe is rather to observe the manner of the inhabitants living then to give a full description of every thing that may be seen in the Countrey they live in However I shall say somewhat of that too having premised once for all that the ordinary people are wretchedly poor yet not so much occasioned by the Publick taxes as the barrenness of their Countrey and the oppression of the nobles their Landlords and immediate superiours who till the present King put a stop to their violences tyrannically domineered over the lives and fortunes of the poor peasants From Dollers I took waggon to Stockholm changing horses three times by the way by reason of the badness of the rode on all hands environed with rocks that hardly open so much as here and there to leave a shred of plain ground At two miles distance upon that rode the citie of Stockholme looks great becaus of the Kings palace the houses of Noblemen and some Churches which are seated upon rocks and indeed the whole citie and suburbs stand upon rocks unless it be some few houses built upon ground gained from the rivers that run throw the town Stockholme has its name from a stock or logg of wood which three brothers threw into the water five miles above the city making a vow that where ever that stock should stop they would build a castle to dwell in The stock stopt at the Holme or rock where the palace of the King now stands and the brothers to be as good as their word there built their castle which invited others to doe the like so that in process of time the other rocks or holmes were covered with buildings which at length became the capital citie of the Kingdome It is now embellished with a great many Stately houses and much emproved from what it was 4â—0 yeares agoe as indeed most cities are for the Stathouse then built is so contemtible and low that in Holland or England it would not be suffered to stand to disgrace the nation The Council Chamber where the Burgemaster and Raedt sit is two rooms cast into one not above nine foot high and the two rooms where the sheriffs and the Erve colledge which is a Judicature like to the Doctors Commons in England sit are not above eight foot and a halfe high The Kings Palace is a large square of stone building in some places very high but an old and irregular fabrick without a sufficient quantitie of ground about it for gardens and walks It was anciently surrounded with water but some yeares since part of it was filled up to make a way from the castlegate down into the old town In this Palace there are large rooms but the lodgings of the King Queen and Royall familie are three pair of stairs high the rooms in the first and second story 's being destin'd for the Senat Chamber and other courts of Judicature The Kings library is four pair of stairs high being a room about fourty six foot square with a closet adjoyning to it not half the dimensions When I considered the appartments and furniture of this Court I began to think that the French Author wrote truth who in his Remarks upon Swedland sayes that when Queen Christina resigned the Crown to Carolus Gustaphus the father of this present King she disposed of the best of the furniture of the Court and gave away a large share of the Crown lands to her favorites in so much that the King considering the poor condition she had left the Kingdome in and seeing the Court
les then the Vniversal Empire and that how formidable soever he were yet they not onely maintained their pretensions but with uninterrupted prosperitie and succesfulnesse advanced their trade and spread their conquests in all the foure parts of the world Rome it self though most famous and victorious yet could not as is believed in so short a time do what by this Commonwealth hath bin effected In India and Affrica they soon forced the Spaniard and Portugeses to yeeld to them most of their trade and posessions And tho England put in for a share yet they were a long while vigourously opposed by the Dutch and to this hour have enough to do to keep what they have gotten so that in lesse then an hundred years this Commonwealth by their industrie and art in trading are becom so excessive rich and potent that they began to insult and would needs be Arbitraters to their neighbouring Princes and States and encroach upon their Territories and Dominions This drew upon them that fatal war before mentioned by which they were sorely weakned and brought so low that except God by a more then ordinarie Providence had protected and appeared for them they had certainly bin ruinated and never able to recover themselves again however their pride hereby was much abated And as Luxurie and lasciviousnes are the sad effects of prosperitie as wel as Pride so such vices in a bodie Politick and Common-wealth as do corrupt the radical humors by abating the vigour of the Vital parts doe insensiblie tend to the consumption and decay of the whole That this Commonwealth hath much recovered its strength may clearly appeare if we consider what great things they have effected since the little time they have enjoyed peace They have in lesse then 7 yeares built about 40 gallant ships of war They have laid out vast sums of treasure in refortifying Narden Mastricht Breda the Grave and many other places They have payd vast sums of money to their Allies for their auxiliarie troopes as also 200000 pound sterling to the King of England to Enjoy their peace with him And besides all this their Encrease in Riches and power may be guest at by the many stately houses built within these 5 years in Amsterdam Rotterdam and other places to all which we may ad to what excessive hight the Actions of the East and West-Indie Companie are risen and the obligations from the Sates are so esteemed as to securitie that they Can get as much money as they please at 2 Per cent not to speak of the Exceeding encrease of their subjects occasioned by the French Kings tyrannie against the distressed Protestants in France Alsace and other parts of his Conquests neither wil we speak of other signes of the encrease of this Commonwealth as not Judging it convenient to commit them to paper but wil now proceed to shew the Method of Living and travelling in the Dominions and places of the States which if you do wel consider you May see how happie and easie the Government of England is above that of other Nations The Brill in Holland is the Usual place where the Packet and Kings pleasure boats bring on such as come for to see the United Provinces here be sure to furnish your self wel with money From hence you take a boat to Maseland Sluce or Rotterdam which if you goe in Companie with others wil only cost you 5 stivers but if you take one for your self wil cost 25. stivers for Maseland Sluce and a Ducaton to Rotterdam The Fifth part of which goes to the States for a tax they call Passagie Gelt and the other 4 parts are for the boat Men or Shippers who also out of their gaines must Pay a tax to the States so that by computation you pay a fift pennie to the States for your travelling either in boats by water or in waggons by land As you passe by Maseland Sluce you 'l see a verie faire fishing village to which belong near two hundred Herring Buisses but if you goe by the way of Rotterdam you sail by two old Townes Called Flardin and Schiedam yet let me advise you before you depart from the Bril to take a serious view of it as beeing the citie which in Queen Elisabeths time was one of the Cautionarie Townes pawned to England The Brill had a voyce among the States but by reason Rotterdam hath got away their Trade by which having lost its former lustre is now become afishing town onely Rotterdam is the second Citie for trade in Holland and by some is caled little London as having vast traffick with England in so much that many of the citisens speak good English There are in this citie two considerable Churches of English and Scotch and how great a trade they drive with the King of Englands subjects is evident for in the yeare 1674 at the opening of the waters after a great frost there departed out of Rotterdam 300 Sail of Englesh Scotch and Irish Ships at once with an Easterly wind And if a reason should be demanded how it coms to passe that so many English Ships should frequently com to that haven It is easilie answered because they can ordinarily Load and unload and make returns to England from Rotterdam before a Ship can get clear from Amsterdam and the Texel And therfore your English Merchants find it Cheaper and more commodious for trade that after their goods are arrived at Rotterdam to send their goods in boats Landward in to Amsterdam This citie is famous as beeing the place where Great Erasmus was born whose Statue of Brasse stands erected in the Market place And although the buldings here are not so superb as those of Amsterdam Leyden or Harlem yet the places worth the seeing are first the Great Church where Several Admirals Lay Stately Entombed here you see their Admiralitie East Indie and Stathouses together with that caled het Gemeen Lands Huis From Rotterdam you may for 5 strivers have a boat to bring you to Delph but before you com thither you passe thro a faire village called Overschie where the French and English youths are trayned up in litterautre as to the Latin and Dutch tongue Booke keeping c from thence in the same boat you com to Delph which is famous for making of Porceline to that degree that it much resembles the China but onely it is not transparent In Delph is the great Magasin of Arms for the whole Province of Holland Their churches are verie large in one of which are Tombs of the Princes of Orange Admiral Tromp and General Morgans Ladie and in the Cloyster over against the Church you have an Inscription in a Pillar of Brasse shewing after what manner William the 1 that famous Prince of Orange was Shot to death by a miscreant Jesuist with his deserved punishment Delph hath the 3 d voyce in the States of Holland and sends its Deputies unto the Colledge of the States General and to all other colledges
of the Commonwealth They have also a Chamber in the East-Indie Companie as shal be more largely spoken to when we shal com to treat of the State of the said Companie From Delph you may by boat be brought to the Hague for 2 Stivers and an halfe Which is accounted the fairest Village in the world both for Pompous buildings and the largenes thereof Here the Princes of Orange hold their Residence as also the States General and the Councel of State Here you have the Courts of Justice Chancerie and other Courts of Law. Here you see that Great Hall in which many Hundreds of coulers are hung up in Trophie taken from the Emperor Spaniard and other Potentates with whom they have waged war. There Councel Chambers are admired by all that see them Many faire Libraries they have belonging to particular men The Princes Pallace is a most superb building And there are many costlie Gardins adjoyning to the Hague together with that to the Princes house in the Woad in which house are in a large Hall the most rare and costly Pictures of Europe there also are those magnificent and unparalled Gardins of the Heer Bentham of Amesland and others I might here speak of the splendor of the Prince of Orange his Court of his noble virtues and valour of the most virtuous and Beautiful Princesse his royal consort but I dare not least I should infinitely fal short of what ought to be and which others have alreadie don before me and therfore leaving the Hague I shal onely tel you that from thence you may for 7 Stivers have a boat to bring you to Leyden Leyden is a faire and great citie and the Universitie is verie famous beeing frequented by 1000 of Students from all parts as Hungarie Poland Germanie yea from the Ottomans Empire it self who pretend to be grecians besides the English Scots and Irish who this years were numbred to be above 80. The most remarkable things here to be seen I shal summarilie set down As the place called the Bergh formerly a Castle belonging to the Prince of Liege in Flanders The Stathowse the Vniversitie Schooles specially that of the Anatomie which excels all the Anatomie Schooles in the world a Book of the rarities whereof you may have for 6 Stivers their Physick Garden and the Professors Closet are al ravishing in rare Curiosities But as to their Colledges they are but two and verie small not to be compared with the smallest Hals in Oxford neither have they any endowments their maintenance being onely from the charitable collections of the Ministers of Holland neyther are any Students to remain longer there then til they attain the degree of Batchelers of Art One of the Curators beeing demaunded by me why so rich a Commonwealth as Holland is did not build and endow Colledges after the manner of Oxford and Cambridge answered they had not so many able and publick spirited men as are in England and to deal plainly with you said he had we such Colledges our Burgemasters and Magistrates would fil them with their own and their friends sons who by leading a lazie and idle life would never becom capable to serve the Common-wealth and therefore he judged it much better to put them to Pension in Burgers howses leaveing them to the care of the Professors who are verie diligent in keeping the Students at their exercises both at Publick lectures and in their private howses also where they cause them Punctually at their appointed houres to come to their examinations and lectures besides those they have in Publick Their churches are rare so are the walks round the citie and the fortifications verie pleasing to behold Here you have the River Rhine running through the citie and falling into it from Catwyckop Zee Leyden is verie famous in historie for the long Siege it held out against the Spaniard From hence for twelve stivers and an half you are brought to Harlem by water being twelve English miles Harlem is famous in that Costor one of their Burgers first invented the Art of Printing This Costor beeing suspected to be a Conjurer was fain to flee from Harlem to Cologne in Germany and there Perfected his Invention having in Harlem onely found out the way of printing on one side of the Paper The first book he ever printed is kept in the Stathouse for those that are curious to see it Here is one of the fairest and largest Churches of the 17 Provinces in the wals whereof there remain to this day sticking canon Bullets shot by the Spaniards during the Siege thereof In this Church are three Organs as also the model of the three Ships that sayled from Harlem to Damiater seasing the Castle in which the Earl of Holland was kept prisoner and brought him away to Holland In the Tower of this Church hang two silver beâ—s which they also brought from thence and now ring them everie night at nine a clock Harlem is renowned for making the finest linnen cloth Tyfinies Dammasks and silk Stufs also Ribands and Tapes They have Mils by which they can weave fortie and 50 Pieces at a time they make the finest white thread and Tapes for lace in the whole world there Bleacheries surpas al other whatsoever their waters whitening cloath better then any in the seventeen Provinces They have a most pleasant grove like a little Wood divided into Walks where on Sondays and holly dayes the Citisens of Amsterdam and other places come to take their pleasure Harlem is the second citie of Holland and sends in Deputies unto all the Colledges of the Gouvernment From hence you have a passage by boat to Amsterdam for six stivers but when you are come half way you must step out of one boat to goe into another where you see a Stately Pallace where the Lords called Dykgraves sit Everie one of these Lords hath his Apartment when he coms for the concerns of the Sea-dykes and bancks here are also 2 large Sluces having gates to let in or out water from the Harlemmer Meer Near this place about Ano 1672 a part of the Seabanck was broken by a strong Northwest wind drowning all the land betwixt Amsterdam and Harlem which cost an incredible vast sum to have it repaired They sunck in this breach 400 smal vessels fild with earth and stones for a foundation to rebuild the wel upon and by unspeakable industrie and charges at last repaired the Banck I come now to speak of Amsterdam which having bin the place of my abode for several years I shal give a more large and punctual account thereof then I doe of other places It is esteemed by Intelligent men the second citie in the world for trade and not inferiour to any in wealth Certainly Amsterdam is one of the beautifullest cities in the world their buildings are large their streets for the most part pleasantly planted with trees paved so neatly as is to be found no where els in any other Countrie save in some
of the 17 Provinces And although as I have alreadie said Amsterdam may Justly be taken for the second or third citie after London and Paris yet it hath neither Courtnor Vniversitie as they have And now in treating of all the excellencies and virtues of Amsterdam I shal not hyperbolise or flatter for before I have don you shal see I shal also faithfully declaime against the evils mistakes and vices in it Amsterdam stands upon a thousand Morgans of Land encompassed with a verie strong wal and Bastions most pleasant to behold with a verie large Burgaval or Gracht as they cal it for the defence of three parts of the citie the fourth being secured by the sea or Ty. There are 13 Churches in this citie for those of the reformed religion called dutch Presbiterians to meet and worship in with two Frencb one Highdutch and one English all Presbiterian Churches who onely are alowed Bels and whose Ministers are maintayned by the Magistrate All these Churches or congregations make up onely a third part of the Inhabitants of the citie The Papists who have eightie five howses or Chappels to meet in for their worship make another third part and have a long square of howses for their Nuns to live in who are not shut up in Cloysters as in Papists countries they are wont to doe but may goe in and out at their pleasure yea and marrie also if they grow wearie of a Nunnish life These Churches of the Papists have no bels allowed them beeing lookt upon as conventicles and are many times shut up and again opened at the Scouts pleasure The other third part of the citie is made up by Jewes Lutherans Arminians Brownists or English Independents Anabaptists and the Quakers None of which as was also said of the Papists have bels allowed them but are accounted Conventicles and all that marie amongst them must first be maried by the Magistrate and then if they pease among themselves in their own assemblies neyther are any of them admitted unto any Office in the Government but onely such as are of the reformed or Presbiterian profession The Jewes who are verie considerable in the trade of this citie have two Synagogues one whereof is the Largest in Christendom and as some say in the world sure I am it far exceeds those in Rome venice and all other places where I have bin Within the Court yard where their Synagogue stands they have severaâ— Roomes or schooles where their children are taught Hebrew and verie carefully to the shame of Christians negligence brought up and instruckted in the Jewish principles Amsterdam for the wise Statesmen it hath produced is said to be a second Athens others make it the Storehowse or Magasin of Europe for that it hath such great store of Corne wherewith it furnishes many other nations And secondly for the exceeding great Magasin of Spices which in antient times the Venetians brought by land furnishing all parts of Europe but now is don by the East-Indie Companie which not onely supplyes Europe therewith but many places in the Indies also Thirdly it hath inconceivable store of al manner of provisions for war In so much that England and divers other nations send to Amsterdam to buy Arms Bufcoats Belts Match c yea here are several Shopkeepers who can deliver Armes for 4000 or 5000 men and at a cheaper rate then can be got any where else and this they can doe by reason of their great Industry in the Ingrossing most of the Iron workes on the Rhine and other Rivers which run into Holland Forthly Amsterdam hath more store of sawed and prepared Tymber for shipping then can be found in any one Nation in the world and this is the reason why her Neighbour town Sardam is made capable of Building ships 20 per cent cheaper then they can doe in England or France So that both France and Spaine do many times buy them in Holland as lately the King of Spaine bought 10 Capital Ships of the two Brothers the Melts Merchants in this citie Fifthly Amsterdam is the staple where the Emperor sels his Quicksilver not only to the Spaniard to use in his mines in the Indies but for the making of Cinoprium or Vermillion with which Amstrerdam furnisheth not only Europe but many places in the Indies Sixtly Amsterdam is the Market where the French King bought his Marble for Versellis Louvre and other of his Palaces in France There are such Vast Magasins in Amsterdam that a man would think that sees them there were Quaries of Marble neare the City Gates Seaventhly Amsterdam hath the most considerable Bank that now is in the whole World I have compared the Bank of Venice with that of Genua and both their Banks write not of so much money in two dayes as Amsterdam doth in one further I have compared the Bank of Venice with Hamburg and find both those Banks fall very much short with the bank of Amsterdam There are many other particulars I could name as Arguments to prove the great Riches Trade of Amsterdam as those vast Quantities of Wynes Brandewynes they sell in the North Eastseas those vast Countryes adjoyning thereunto from whence they bring Hemp Pitch Tar furnish France Italy Spain with the same they likewise have much Ingrossed the Copper Iron of Sweedland I will say no more of her stores Magazins but shall in the next place say some thing of her Churches Charitie to the Poore I will not speake much of her Churches but only that they are in General large and well built In one of them the States have Spared no cost to exceed the whole world in 3 things Viz an Organ with sets of Pipes that counterfit a Corus of Voyces it hath 52 whole stops besides halfe stops hath 2 rowes of Keyes for the feet and three rowes of Keyes for the Hands I have had people of Quality to heare it play who could not believe but that there were men or Women above singing in the Organ untill they were convinced by goeing up into the Organ Roome The second is such a large Carved Pulpet Canapie as cannot be found elsewhere in the world The third is a Screene of brasse The Stathouse in this Citty is a wonderfull superb Building on the uppermost part of which is a large Magazin of Armes The Copper Statues that stand on top of the Stathouse are very large peeces Exellently cast Especially that called Atlas who hath a Globe of the world on his back that will hold 30 Barels of water for me to speake of the several rarityes of Pictures Carved works marble in this Stathouse of the Globes Celestiall Terrestriall that are on the floor of the great Hall would make Booke of it selfe I therefore will speake of their Almeshouses of the Government of the poore of their Prisons houses of Correction This Citty is said to have 20000 poore Every day at Bed
board The Almeshouses are many look more like Princes Palaces then Lodgings for poore people First there are houses for poor Ouldmen Women then a large square Palace for 300 Widdowes then there are Hospitals for Boyes Girles for Burgers Children for strangers Children or those cald Foundtings all these boyes girles have Every sonday other dayes of Worship 2 doites given them by the Fathers of these Houses the which the Children put into the Deacons sack when they gather for the Poore in the Churches Then there is an Hospital for fooles a Bedlam There are Houses where Common Beggers Gamesters frequenters of Taphcuses are Kept hard at work There is also a House called the Rasphouse where petty Theeues such as flash one another with Knives such as beg with cheating devises women with fained great Bellyes men pretending to have been taken by the Turk others that pretend wrack at sea such as beg with a Clapper or a Bell as if they could not speake or heare such as these are kept hard at work Rasping Every day 50 pounds between 2 of them or Else are beaten with a Bulls Pissel if yet thy rebel wont work they are set in a Tub where if they doe not pump the water will swell over their heads Then there is a House where whores are Kept to worke as also disobedient Children who live Idle take no course to maintain themselves likewise Women commonly drinking themselves drunck and scolds Al these sorts of Hospitals Almeshouses are Stately Buildings richly adorned with Pictures their Lodgings very neat cleane In some of the Boyes Girles Hospitals there are 1500 in some 800 in some 500 in a House Then they have Houses where a man or a Woman may have their Dyet washing Lodging for his life giving a small summe of money These are called Brouders houses the Almes Children of this citie are held in such Veneration respect that a man had as good strike a Burgemasters Child as one of them These Children are permitted to travel in any of the Treckscuts freely without money These Hospitals are Governed by Men women as are of an unspotted life reputed to be rich devout pious it is very observable that the Women Governe their Women Hospitals better then the men do theirs yea it is a General observation in this Country that where the Women have the direction of the purse Trade the husband seldom prove Bankrupts it being the propertie of a true borne Hollands-wife presently after marriage to apply her selfe wholly to her Business but I forbear to say any more of the Duch Houswives for feare of displeasing our English Dames not so much addicted at least not so Generally bred up to Industry but to returne to the Acts of Charitie of Amsterdam the which is so Extraordinary that they surpas al other Cittyes in the World for they are dayly houerly giveing to the poore Every House in Amsterdam hath a Box hanging in a Chaine on which is written Think on the Poore so that when any merchant sels Goods they commonly conclude no bargain but more or less is put in the Poores Box These Boxes art Lockt up by the Deacons who once a quarter goe round the Citty take the Money out of the Boxes Then twice a week there are men belonging to the Hospitals that goe round the Citty ring a bell at every House to Know what the Master or mistris of the House will give to the Box who Generally give not less then 2 stivers Then every first Wedensday of the moneth the Deacons in their turne goe round the Citty from House to House to receive what every house Keeper will give to the Poore Then on the week before the Sacrament is given a Minister with an Elder goes round the City to every House where any members of the Presbiterian Religion live there ask if any Differences be in the familie offering their service to reconcile them alsoe to Instruct prepare such as are to receive the Sacrament At this tyme a Minister may be seen to goe into a Taphouse or Taverne for which at another tyme he would be counted a wyne biber the worst of Reprobates At this tyme while these Ministers Elders goe about the City on their Visiations the people take an Occasion to give to the Poore And here I ought not to omit telling you of their great Charitie to the distressed French Prosestants who are here in great Numbers They maintaine no less then 60 French Ministers unto many handicraft Tradesmen and makers of stuffs Cloath they lend sums of Money without Intrest to buy Working Tooles materials for their work but this is no other then they formerly did to the Poore distressed Protestants of Ireland Piemont their Charitie was not a littel that they gave to Geneve towards the building their Fortifications And here give me leave to tell you what King Charles the second said of the Charitie of Amsterdam when the Duke of Lotherdal heareing that the Prince of Oranges Armie was not able to oppose the french from advanting so neare to Amsterdam the Duke Jeareingly said that Oranges would be very scarse in Holland after Amsterdam should fall into the french hands to plunder to which his Majestie said that he was of opinion that God would preserve Amsterdam from being destroyed if it were only for the great charitie they have for the Poore the which put the Duke out of Countenance I will say no more of their Charitie only this that they leave no stone unturned to bring moneyes into the Poores stock they make the stage players pay 80000 Gilders a yeare to the Poore thert is not a Ropedancer puppetplayer or any of that sort of unnecessary Vermin which frequent faires but pay the 3d penny to the Poore which is carefully looked after by placeing an Almesman at the doore of the Booths to see that they cheat not the Poore of their share I shall now in the next place say some thing of the Clergie I meane those called the States Clergie for the States are absolutely head of their Church when any synod of Divines meet two of the States are alwayes present to heare that they debate nothing relating or Reflecting on the Government or Governers if they doe presently the States cry ho la mijâ— Heeren Predicantenâ— if their Ministers meddel with any thing relating to the Goverment in their Pulpits they send them a briefe which some call a paire of shooes to quit the City some times Impriprison them to boot but if they behave themselves quietely well as they ought to doe they thâ—n are respected by the people as Gods upon earth They have a forme of prayer sent them how they shall pray for the States Prince of Orange nor must they meddell with any other Religion in the Country because all sorts are Tollerated
methodes they have in building preserveing their Shipps when built but I shall refer you to that Exellent peece written by the Heer Witsen on that subject And shall now in the next place say some thing of their famous Company called the East-India Company of the Netherlands This Company is said to be a Commonwealth within a Commonwealth it is true if you consider the Soveraigne Power Priviledges they have granted them by the States General likewise consider their riches Vast Number of subjects the many Territories Colonies they possess in the East-Indies they are said to have 30000 men in constant pay above 200 Capital Shipps besides Sloopes Catches Yachts This Company hath by their Politick contrivances sedulons Industry possessed themselves of many Colonies formerly belonging unto the Spaniards Portugeeses diverse Indian Princes as good Christians have been at great Charge in Planting the Gospel of Christ in many parts there Printing in the Indian Language Bibles Prayer Bookes Catechismes for the Instruction of the Indians maitaineing Ministers Schoolemasters to inform those that are converted to the Christian faith And now because I have said that this Company is so considerable as it were a Commonwealth apart I will demonstrate it to be so first by their power Riches strength in the Indies secondly what figure they make in Europe this verie briefly for if I should speake of every particular as to their posessions in the Indies it would swell into many Volumes But I will only begin with them at the Cape of de Bonne Esperance where they have built a Royall Fort in which they maintaine a Garrison of souldiers to defend their Shipps which come there to take in fresh Water from thence let us take a view of them in the Iland of Java where they have built a faire City called Battavia fortified it with Bastions after the Mode of Amsterdam This City is the place of Residence of their grand Minister of State called the General of the Indies he hath allowed him 6 Privie Councellers in Ordinary 2 extraordinary These governe the concernes of the Company throughout the Indies They make peace war send ther Ambassadors to all parts thereof as occasion requireth This General hath his Guards of Horse Foot all sorts of Officers servants as if he were a soveraigne Prince the whole Expence whereof is defraied out of the Companys stock This General hath much of the Direction of Bantam and other parts of the Iland of Java From whence let us take a view of them in their great possessions in the Moluceas Ilands those of Banda where they are become so formidable that they looke as if they aimed at the soveraingtye of the Southseas They have also a great Trade in China Japan from whence let us return to the Ilands of Sumatra on the coast of Bengale where they have several Lodges In Persia they have likewise great Commerce are so considerable that they wage war with that mighty Monarch if he wrongs them in their trade They also have several Colonies Lodges on the coast of Malabar Cormandel in the Country of the Great Magul King of Galcanda But principally let us behold them in the rich Iland of Zylon where they are Masters of the plaine Country so that the Emperor or King of that Iland is forced to live in the Mountains whilst this Company possess the City of Colomba other the most considerable Garrisons of that Iland It is said that the Company hath there in their pav 3600 Souldiers at least 300 Gunus planted in their Forts Garrisons In a word they are not only masters of the Cinamon but of all other Spices except Pepper that they would also have had it bin for their Intrest to Ingrosse but they wisely fore saw that the English would be a Block in their way therefore they contented themselves to be masters the Mace Cynamon Cloves and Nutmegs with which they not only serve Europe but many places in the Indies I will say no more of them in the Indies But let us see what figure they make in Europe And first to begin with them in Amsterdam where they have two large Stately Palaces one being in the ould part of the City and the other in the new In that of the ould part of the City they keep their Court and there sits the Resident Committie of the Company where alsoe they make the sales of the Company goods There for six yeares the grand Councel or assembly of the 17 doe meet and after six yeares are expired the grand Councel of the 17 doe assemble at Middelburg in Zealand for two yeares and then againe returne to Amsterdam The other lesser Chambers of Delph Rotterdam Horne and Enchusen never haveing the assembly of the 17 in their Chambers so that only Amsterdam and Zealand have the honour of that grand Councel I will therefore crave leave to describe unto you the Chamber of Amsterdam it being the most Considerable of the Chambers belonging to this famous Company In there house or Palace within the ould City are many large Offices or appartments as first on the Lower Floor is their Parlement Chamber where the 17 doe sit Next to this Chamber are several faire Chambers for the Committes to sit in They have also a Chamber of Audience where they do receive Princes or Ambassadors or other great men as have occasion to speak with them In one of these Chambers are the Armes of several Indian Princes they have Conquered On the same Floor is their Tresury Office where their Receivers sit and receive money and pay out the orders or assignments of the Company Neer â—o that Chamber sits their grand Minister the Heer Peter van Dam who is said to be a Second John de Wit for parts but he hath not one drop of John de Wits or Lovestine bloud against the good Prince of Orange This great minister is a man of Indefaigable Industry and labor night and day in the Companyes service He reads over twice the great Journal Bookes which come from the Indies and out of them makes minets to prepare matters of concerne necessary to be considered by the grand Councel of the 17 and by the Inferiour Committes of the Company and prepares Instructions and orders to be sent to their Chief Ministers in the Indies I could say many more things of his great worth and Virtues but shall forbeare least I should be Judged a flatterer Overagainst this great Ministers Office sitt in a Chamber many Clarkes or under Secretaryes who receive from this Minister their Ordrs of dispatches in the affaires of Company and next to this Chamber is a Register Office where are kept the Journal bookes of the Indies where you may see the names of al the men and women that have ever served the Company in the Indies with
ould Burgemaster had for his kind and Chargable Entertainment in thus feasting his Countrymen was to be sloutted at and pasquild The sparkes of Amsterdam saying in all places that the ould man being now past the yeares of pleasure himselfe would have none others to take theirs And here I shall put a period to what I thought fitt to observe of the States of the Vnited Provinces only I will beg leave to say something to the Hollander by way of advise viz That now they are in a prosperous condition Rich and at ease They would looke back and remember what God in his Infinite goodnes mercy did for them in the dayes of their greatest calamities for my owne part I cannot but admire the great providence of God in preserveing them from being devoured by their many Enimies they had in the last warr besides their enimies at home some of which particulars as they then happened give me leave to relate At the tyme when the French came to Inuade the Territoryes of the States General it then looked as if God had markd out the way for the French to March by sending such a wonderfull drye season that the Rivers of the Rhine Beta Wall and other Rivers were fordable so that the French only waded throw and became so Victorious that in a little space of tyme what by the Treasons of some and the Ignorance and cowardise of others Intrusted with the Militia and Garrisons the French became Masters of above 40 Cittyes and Garrisons at which tyme there was nothing to be heard of in the States Dominions but confusion and miserie even in the strong and rich Citty of Amsterdam it self who at this tyme beheld the French Armie like a mighty Torrent comeing within sight of the Citty and at the same tyme wanting water in their Canalls and Burgwalls to ply their Sluces and such was the scarcity of Raine that a payle of fresh water was worth 6 pence Thus heaven seemed to frowne on them as well as the French Armie by the shutting up as it were the Conduits of Heaven and yet a worse thing had like to have fallen out for at the same tyme the Divisions grew so high amongst the Magistrates in the Stathouse that it was putting to the Question wheather or no they should not goe and meet the French King with the Keyes of their Citty to save it from fire and Plunder now nothing in all probabilitie could save this rich Citty from falling into the hands of the French but an immediate hand from Heaven and it had undoubtedly come to passe had not providence caused the French to make a stand at Muyden two howers from Amsterdam at what time the Valiant Roman of Amsterdam Scout Hasselaer like a true father of his Country opposed the French party in the Councell calling out to the Burgers from the Stathouse to take Courage and rather choose to dye like old Battavians with their swords in their hands then tamely and Treacherously to yeald up their Citty to the mercy of the French as some of the Magestrates were about to doe this so Incouraged the Burgers that with great Courage they mand ' the walls and heaven then assisting them with a suden and plenty full raine that they plyd their sluces and drouned the Lands round the Citty 3 and 4 foot high in some places which caused the Victorious French Armie to make a quick retreat as farr as Utrick else the Monsieur had payd deare for seeing of Amsterdam Thus was Amsterdam delivered by the hand of Heaven A second was when that Bloody Duke of Luxenburg who gloryed and thanked God that he was borne without pitty or remors of Conscience took the opportunitye of an exceeding hard frost to march his Armie over the Ice as it had been drye ground burning in his way the three faire Villages of Bodygrave Swammerdam and Goudse-sluys Acting there a more cruell Tradigie and worse then ever did Turk for they Generally save the Country people for Ransom but this cruell Prince caused strong Guards to surround the villages and burnd men Women and Children together Thus he began his march with a designe to burne Leyden Hague Rotterdam Delph and all the rich Country of Rhineland and this he might have done in all probabilitie for first the Governor of Newsluce who commanded the post that should have stopt the French Treacherously delivered up the fort without firing a Gunn and the handfull of Troopes then under General Koningsmark were so Inconsiderable that they joyned to the Souldiers under Pain and Vin the Governer of new Sluce were not Able to make head as could oppose Luxenburgs Armie and at the same tyme the good Prince of Orange was with the States Armie at Charle le Roy. Now was Leyden ready to meet the French with the Keyes of their Citty and other Cittyes too for they had neither fortifications nor Souldiers to man their walls Thus the whole Country and Cittyes of Rhineland were like to fall under the Crueltyes and Tyranny of the French but God a second tyme sent these people reliefe from Heaven first by giveing such undanted Courage to that great States man Pensionarie Fagel that he forced Koningsmark to Rally his Troopes together and to make a Stand neare Leyden offering himselfe to dye at the head of them if there were occasion but God reserved him for a furder good to the Commonwealth by sending such a sudden Thaw as was never seen before for in less then ten howers the Ice so sunk and such Floods of snow came downe from the high lands that the French were fain to make a very disorderly retreat Marching up to the middel for hast because on the Banks there could not march above four men a brest so they were constrained to leave behind them the greatest part of the Plunder they had robed from the Innocent Country people and the nimble Duch men on their Scaâ—ses so long as the Ice would beare them did shoot downe the French like Ducks diving under water so that it cost Luxenburgs Armie deare tho they had the pleasure to burne the poore people of which the French afterward wickedly made their boast The third was as wonderfull as the two others and although I doe not believe miracles as doe the Papists yet I say nothing I ever observed looked more like a Miracle then this to wit when the English and French Fleet lay before Scheveling with a designe to land and the French ready on their March to joyne with the English and other French as soon as they should land at the same tyme the Bisshop of Munster lyeing before Groeningen and the French before Gorcom so that now all things looked with a dreadfull face for the States yet at this very tyme God sent a 3d reliefe by sending such Mists and wonderfull sorts of Tydes as so separated the two Fleets that the English were forced to quit Scheveling shore and were driven on the side of the Texel
people here grone under heavy taxes and impositions The State becaus of continuall Alarms they have from the King of Denmark or other neighbours and the intestine broiles that frequently happen here as well as at Cologne where the Burgemasters are often in danger of their lives from the mutinous mobile being forced to maintain six or seaven thousand men in pay besides two or three men of war to guard their havens from pirats I shall not name all the wayes of imposing taxes which this Commonwealth uses becaus in most they imitate the methods of the States Generall as to that which have bin mentioned before I shall onely take notice of some peculiar customes they have wherein they differ from Holland When a Barber shoe maker or any other Artizan dies leaving a widow and Children another of the same trade is not admitted to set up for himself as a master unless he compound with the widow for a piece of money or else marry her or a daughter of hers with her consent If any man cause another to be arrested for debt or upon any other suit the plaintif must goe along with the Officer who arrests the party and stay by him untill the prisoner be examined by the sheriff so that if the sheriff be not to be spoken with that night the plaintiff must tarry with the prisoner all night untill the sheriff examine the matter and see cause of discharging or committing the party but this a plaintiff may doe by a procuration Notariall If a prisoner be committed for debt the plaintiff must maintain him in prison according to his qualitie and if the party lye in prison during the space of six yeares at the expiration of that time the prisoner is discharged and if during the time of his imprisonment the plaintif doe not punctually pay the prisoners allowance at the months end the prisoner is set at liberty and nevertheless the plaintiff must pay the Gailer the last months allowance This state is severe in the execution of Justice against thieves murders and cheats There is no pardon to be expected for murder and a Burgemaster himself if guilty cannot escape The punishment for Murder is here as in Sweden breaking malefactors on the wheele pinching their breasts and Arms with hot Pincers speeting them in at the fundament and out at the shoulder they have also cruel wayes of torturing to make prisoners confess And are very carefull not to be cheated in their publick revenue their accisemen and collectors being punished as in Holland They take a very good course not to be cheated in their accise for all the mils of the Countrey are in the hands the State so that no baker nor brewer can grind his own corn but must have it ground at the States mills where they pay the accise There is a Generall tax upon all houses and that is the Eight penny which nevertheless does not excuse them from chimney money The States here as at Genoa in Italy are the publick vintners of whom all people must buy their wine which they buy from the Merchants or otherwise import it in their own ships In their ceremonies of burying and Christening they are ridiculously prodigall as for instance If one invite a Burgemaster he must give him a ducat in gold if a Raâ—dtsheer that is an Alderman a Rixdollar to every Preacher Doctor of Physick Advocat or Secretary halfe a Rixdollar and to every Schoolmaster the third part of a Rixdoller The women are the inviters to Burialls weddings and Christenings who weare an Antick Kind of a dress having mitered caps as high again as the Miter of a Bishop The Churches here are rich in revenues and ornaments as Images and Stately Organs wherein they much delight They are great lovers of Musick in so much that I have told â—5 masters of severall sorts of Musick in one Church besides those who were in the Organ-gallery Their Organs are extraordinarely large I measured the great pipes in the Organs of St. Catharins and St. James's Churches and found them to be 3 foot and 3 quarters in circumference and 32 foot long in each of which Organs there are two Pipes 5 foot and 8 inches round The wealth and trade of this citie encreases dayly They send one year with another 70 Ships to Greenland and have wonderfully engrossed that trade from England and Holland and it is beleeved that small and great there are belonging to this Commonwealth five thousand sayl of Ships After Amsterdam Genoa and Venice their bank is reckoned the chiefe in credit but in trade they are accounted the third in Europe and come next to London and Amsterdam Hambourg is now become the Magazine of Germany and of the baltick and northern seas They give great priviledges to the Jewes and to all strangers whatsoever Especially the English Company of Merchant Adventures whom they allow a large building where they have a Church and where the deputy governour Secretary Minister and the other Officers of the Company live to whom they yearly make present of Wine Beere Sheep Salmond and Sturgeon in their seasons And so much of Hambourg From Hambourg I went to Lubeck which is also a Commonwealth and Imperiall town It is a large well built city containing ten parish Churches the Cathedrall dedicated to St. Peter being in length 500 foot with two high spires all covered with brass as the rest of the Churches of that city are In former times this city was the place where the deputies of all the Hansiatick towns assembled and was once so powerfull as to make war against Denmark and Sweden and to conquer severall places and Islands belonging to those two Crowns nay and to lend Ships to England and other Potentates without any prejudice to their own trade wherein they vied in all parts with their neighbours but it is now exceedingly run into decay not onely in territories but in wealth and trade also And the reason of that was chiefely the inconsiderate zeal of their Lutheran Ministerê° who perswaded the Magistrates to banish all Roman Catholicks Calvinists Jews and all that dissented from them in matter of Religion even the English Company too who all went and setled in Hambourg to the great advantage of that city and almost ruine of Lubeck which hath not now above 200 Ships belonging to it nor more territories to the State than the city it self and a small part called Termond about eight miles distant from it The rest of there territories are now in the possession of the Danes and Swedes by whom the burghers are so continually allarmed that they are quite tired out with keeping guard and paying of Taxes The city is indeed well fortified but the government not being able to maintain above 1500 Soldiers in pay 400 Eurghers in two Companies are obliged to watch every day They have a large well built Stathouse and an Exchange covered on the top whereof the globes of the world are painted This Exchange is about
contemptible that the libraries of many Grammar Schools and of privat men in England or Holland are far better stored with books then it is Upon viewing of it and that of the Kings Palace I called to mind the saying of a French man upon the like occasion That Swedland came behind France and England in the knowledge of men and things at least 800 yeares yet some Swedes have been so conceited of the antiquity of their Countrey as to bragg that Paradice was seated in Sweden that the Countrey was turned into such heaps of rocks for the rebellion of our first parents and that Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel in a Countrey three Swedish miles distant from Vpsall A French man standing by and hearing this Romantick story as I was told fitted him with the like telling him that when the world was made in six days at the end of the creation all the Rubbish that remained was throw'n together into a corner which made up Sweden and Norway And indeed the French seeme to have no great likeing to the Countrey what ever kindness they may have for the people for a French Ambassadour as an author of that Countrey relates being by order of Queen Christina treated in a Countrey house 4 Swedish miles from Stockholme and upon the rode goeing and comeing with all the varieties and pleasures that the Countrey could affoard on purpose to make him have a good opinion of the same made answere to the Queen who asked him upon his return what he thought of Sweden that were he master of the whole Countrey he would presently sell it buy a farme in France or England which under favour I think was a litle tart and sawcy Having stayed a considerable time in Swedland and most part at Stockholme I set out from thence to goe to Elsenbourg by land and went a litle out of my way to see a small city called Eubrone famous for a coat of Arms which it got in this manner A certain Masculine Queen of Denmark who had conquered a great part of Sweden comeing to this city asked the Magistrates what was the Arms of their city who having told her that they had none she plucked up her coats and squatting upon the Snow bid them take the marke she left there for their Arms It 's pity she did not give them a suitable motto to it also What that figure is called in blazonerie I know not but to this day the city uses it in their Armes and for marking their commodities This Queen came purposely into Sweden to pay a visit to a brave woman that opposed a King of Swedland who in a time of famine would have put to death all the men and women in his Countrey above sixty years of age The Countrey all the way I travelled in Swedland is much of the same qualitie of the land about Stockholme untill I came neare the Province of Schonen which is called the store house and Kitchin of Sweden where the Countrey is far better It was formerly very dangerous to travell in this Province of Schonen becaus of the Snaphances who were a kind of bloody robbers now utterly destroyed by the King so that it is safe enough travelling there Entering into Schonen I saw twenty nine of these rogues upon wheeles and elsewhere in the Countrey ten and twenty at severall places The King used great severitie in destroying of them some he caused to be broken upon the wheele others speeted in at the fundament and out at the shoulders many had the flesh pinched off of there breasts and so were fastened to stakes till they died and others again had their noses and both hands cut off and being seared with a hot Iron were let goe to acquaint their camerades how they had been served The King is very severe against Highway-men and duellers In above a hundred miles travelling wee found not a house where there was either French wine or brandie which made mee tell a Swede of our Company who was travelling to Denmark that I would undertake to shew any man 500 houses wherein a traveller might have wine and other good accommodation in the space of an hundred miles upon any rode from London There are severall small towns and fertile land in this Countrey of Schonen lying upon the Sound at the narrowest part whereof lies Elsenbourg burnt down by the Danes in the last war Here I crost over to Elsenore the passage being but a league broad The King of Denmark has a castle at Elsenore which commands the narrow passage of the Sound where all Ships that enter into or come out of the Baltick sea must pay toll Having visited this castle and stai'd about a fortnight with the English Consul and Sr. John Paul late resident at the Court of Swedland I went to the danish Court at Coppenhaguen Copenhaguen is the capitall city of Zeeland Jutland or Denmark and place of residence of the King It stands on a flat encompassed with a pleasant and delightfull Countrey much resembling England The streets of the city are kept very neat and cleane with lights in the night time for the convenience and safetie of those who are then abroad a custome not as yet introduced into Stockholme where it is dangerous to be abroad when it is dark The Kings men of war lye here very conveniently being orderly ranged betwixt Booms after the manner of Amsterdam and neare the Admiralty house which is a large pile of building well furnished with stores and Magazines secured by a citadell that not onely commands the city but also the Haven and entrey into it The Court of Denmark is splendid and makes a far greater figure in the world then that of Sweden tho not many yeares agoe in the time of Carolus Gustaphus the father of the present King of Swedland it was almost reduced to its last when the walls of Copenhagen saved that Crown and Kingdome That siege was famous caried on with great vigour by the Swede and as bravely maintained by the Danes The monuments whereof are to be seen in the canon bullets gilt that still remain in the walls of some houses and in the steeple of the great Church of the town The Royall palace in Copenhaguen is but small and a very ancient building but his Majesties house Fredenburg is a stately fabrick of Modern Architecture and very richly furnished Denmark is at present a flourishing Kingdome and the King who hath now made it hereditary surpasses most of his predecessours in power and wealth He hath much enlarged his dominions aswell as Authority and by his personall and Royall virtues no less then the eminent qualities of a great many able ministers of State he hath gained the universall love of his subjects and the esteeme of all forreigne Princes and States The Court if much frequented every day but especially on Sundays where about eleven of the clock in the morning the Nobility forreigne Ministers and Officers of the Army