no good agreement Thence to Jeni Palanka where we passed the River Sarvizza formerly Vrpanus a handsom River arising near Vesprinium and passing Alba Regalis or Stullweissenburg the ancient place of Sepulture of the Hungarian Kings which makes a triangle with Buda and Strigonium and running into the Danube below From thence by Setzwar to Botoseck where we travelled by night and had a Horse-guard of Spahies till we came to Setz a large Town where I observed the ruines of an old Castle and a round Palesado upon the Hill Here is also a new Chan or Caravansara then to Mohatz Before we came to this place we passed by a small Bridge over the Brook Curasse which upon great rains over-flows the Neighbour parts near which Ludovicus the unfortunate King of Hungary perished being stifled in a muddy place where his Horse plunged after the Battel fought with the Forces of Solyman on the other side of the Town We went to see the place where so noble a Prince lost his life and an inconsiderate Battel lost the Crown of Hungary This Battel was fought the 29th day of October in the Year 1526. Cotriscus who was near the King's Person when he was drowned related the manner of it to the Hungarians and shewed them the place where he fell in from whence the King's Body was afterwards taken up entire and carried to Alba Regalis where with great Solemnity it was buried among the Sepulchres of the other Kings of Hungary his Predecessors Hereabouts we met with a Caravan of two or three hundred Persons some going to a place of Devotion and having Janizaries with them to guard them others intending by permission to seat themselves in other parts of Hungary And in divers places I met with numerous droves of Oxen driven towards Vienna upon the account of the Eastern Company of that City who furnish that place and Country about and are permitted to pass free by the Grand Seignior This day we leâ—t Quinque Ecclesiae and Zigeth on the right hand this last is a strong place seated by the side of a Fenn in which there is an Island and beyond that a Castle Count Sereni defended this Place against the Turks with unparalleled Bravery and when he had lost the Town retired into the Island and last of all into the Castle and when there were but four and twenty of them left alive they all Sallied out together choosing rather to die every man than to give Solyman the Magnificent who besieged them any pretence to the Town by their Surrender and Solyman himself died likewise in the Camp and hath a Sword hanging by his Tomb in Constantinople as a peculiar honour to him in regard that he did not only spend a great part of his life but also died in War From hence by Barinowar Darda or Draza unto Esseck or Osseck conceived to be old Mursa or not far from it It is seated low and the Streets are planked with Trees Upon one side of the Gate is part of a Roman Inscription M. AELIAN c. on the other side a Maids head in a Stone there is also a Dyal which is not ordinary brought from Serinwar and the greatest piece of Ordnance which I saw in all those parts not lying upon a Carriage but upon Bodies of Trees But that which is most remarkable here is the well contrived Bridge of Wood made partly over the River Dravus and partly over the Fenns adjoyning being five Miles long being rayled and having Towers at every quarter of a Mile that part over the River Dravus was burnt down by Count Nicolas Serini in the last Wars and another built since He that beholds this Bridge the Towers of Wood upon it the strong rayles and floar and the numerous supporters of it cannot but wonder how they should be supplied with Wood to build it or maintain it But hereof I speak elsewhere this is the greatest Passage in Hungary from Servia and the Turkish Dominions Had this been well defended when Solyman invaded Hungary he had not probably obtained so easie a March unto Buda And to hinder the Supply of the Grand Visiers Army from other parts of Turky Count S rini burned down that part which was built over the Dravus and in his return burnt Quinque Ecclesiae or the City of five Churches which lieth Westward from Esseck From thence we came to Valcovar where there is a handsom wooden Bride over the River Walpo or Valpanus plentiful of Fish and upon which to the Westward stands the Town of Walpo taken by the Turks in the Year 1545. by the Treachery of the Dependants after that it held out three Mâ—nths under the Command of Perennus's Lady and Friends and the Garrison was notwithstanding put to the Sword Then by Sotzin Palanka and Towarnick or Tabornick to Metrouitza a large Town and a great place for a Fair strengthned by the adjacent Lake So to Simonovitz leaving at a good distance on the right hand the famous old Sirmium now an inconsiderable place whereof I have also said somewhat elsewhere They call this Country Schremnia and that more near the Dravus Bossega In this Country many Families and the Inhabitants of divers little Towns live all under ground I had formerly read of Troglodytes and subterraneous Nations about Aegypt but I was much surprized to see the like in this place and could not but say unto my self Now I believe the Troglodytes of old Whereof Herodotus and Strabo told Since every whâ—re about these parts in holes Cunicular men I find and humane Moles Near these Habitations are Wells to supply them with Water which they draw up like Dyers and Brewers and Dogs come out upon Strangers As we travelled by them the poor Christians would betake themselves to their holes like Conies So that to satisfie our curiosities we were fain to alight and enter their houses which we found better than we expected divided into partitions with Wooden Chimneys and a Window at the farther end a little above the ground and all things as neatly disposed as in other poor houses aâ—ove ground although but meanly after the fashion of those parts Their Speech is a Dialect of the Schlavonian Then travelling on between the Danubius and the Savus we came to Zemlin upon the Danul e from whence we had a fair Prospect of Belgrade into the Castle of Zemlin Stephen the usurping King retired and died From hence we passed by Water unto Belgrade Belgrade Taurunum Alba Graeca Greek-Weissenburg or Nandor Alba as the Hungarians call it it is a large strong populous and great Trading City in Servia or Moesia Superior seated at the Confluence of the River Savus and Danubius having the first on the West the other on the North. The Danubius is here very broad runs â—uriously and seems to cut off the Savus as the Rhosne doth the Soane by Lyon in France The Water of the Danube seems more white and yellow troubled and more confused Turbidus
round hole A neat Table of Inlaid Stone made by the present Empress Dowager Eleonora A Nail of our Saviour's Cross almost a foot long our Saviour's Blood and two Thorns of his Crown the one whiter than the other Priests Garments covered all over with large Pearl The great and high esteemed Agate Dish between three and four spans Diameter with XRISOS naturally in it Unto which one applied that of St. Luke Dico vobis quia si hi tacuerint lapides clamabunt Unto which magnificent Rareties there is one more added the noble Chain of Pearl of eight yards long taken from the Graff Teokeoly in the late Hungarian war as I understand since my Return I went unto divers noted Places about Vienna I walked unto the Hill of Vienna two English miles distant from the Town going up all the way by an easie Ascent from whence I had a prospect of the City and the Compagnia about it together with the high Mountains in Steirmark covered with Snow and in my return saw the Palace of the Empress Dowager without the Town called la Favorita and passed by the Convent of the Paulini About two English miles Eastward from Vienna there is a very noble Garden-place belonging to the Emperor built by Rodolphuâ— the Second which hath been formerly well furnished and provided with Plants but now seems to be neglected and somewhat ruinous It consists of an inward and an outward square Garden The inward is two hundred ordinary paces square about the same bigness with the Place Royal at Paris It hath a Portico or Cloyster supported by Forty Pillars of white Stone on each side and is covered with Copper as are also the Pavilions which the common people think to be Gold Besides this there is an handsom row of Buildings well seated called Néw-gabaú in which at present are many wild Beasts kept Lions and Tigres breed here and have young ones Some say this was the place of Solyman the Magnificent's Tent when he besieged Vienna But it is rather the Figure of his Pavilion which was placed on the other side of the City There is also about two or three miles from Vienna a noted place of Devotion called Arnols much frequented especially in Lent divers carrying Crosses very heavy all the way upon their shoulders There is here a little House built exactly after that of the Scpulchre at Jerusalem and also a handsom Copy of the Picture of our Saviour and the Virgin Mary with their exact heights That of our Saviour is about two yards high that of the blessed Virgin three or four fingers breadth lower These are taken from the Original in St. John de Lateran at Rome Hither the Empress desired to go one morning from her own Palace on Foot out of Devotion which she performed though with a great deal of difficulty she being not used to walk and the way was dusty The Emperor accompanied her and all the Court followed on foot which made a handsome shew Nearer unto Vienna there is also a remarkable place for Devotion called Itzing and in the way from Vienna unto it the twelve Stations of the Cross are marked out in imitation of what is observed near Jerusalem in the Via Crucis or Dolorosa in our Saviour's proceeding from the City unto Mount Calvary the the Figures thereof are printed and the several paces between every Station set down The Emperor hath a handsom Park near Vienna called the Brater wherein I beheld the effects of the great Lightning and Thunder which happened three days before upon many great Trees which were torn split or twisted There is a House of Pleasure in it where among other things I could not but take notice of a Musical Instrument which I had not seen before a Seat or Chestdrum it hath a Cord like that of a Sea-trumpet but sounds like a Kettle-drum I went also unto Laxamburg whither the Emperor often retires he hath a House in this place but it is old and not large There is also a House of Pleasure in the Mote into which there is no other passage but through a high Corridore Tâ—e Castle is commodiously seated for the Emperors recreation and there is an eight-square House in the Marsh from which the Nobility and the Empress Dowager sometimes used to shoot she being very expert therein Over the Gate of the Emperors House hangs a great Rib and Jaw-bone whereof I could get no better account than they were the Rib and Jaw-bone of a heathen maid They seemed to me to be Bones of an Elephant But many things that are old or obscure they call in this Country Heathen as Roman Coyns they call Heathen money And the Peasants brought me in a place which had been formerly an old Roman Station part of the bit of a Bridle digged up which they concluded to be a Heathen Key From hence I went unto Mannersdorff seated not far from the River Leyta where there is a natural hâ—t Bath called the Wildebath it arises under a Church the Church being built over the Spring-head The water of it is but Luke-warm and therefore when they desire it hotter they boyl it and so bathe in Tubs in a large room From that Substance which sticks to the sides of the Coppers in the boyling of it they judge it to be impregnated with Sulphur Salt-peter and Chalk The water colours the stones and makes them look when wet like fine Turquoisâ—s And the vapour of the Bath hanging upon the Moss on the sides gives it an Amber or Gold colour The â—hysicians of Vienna have given a good account concerning the use of these Baths in High-â—utch Not far from hence is a noted Quarry of Stone out of which a great part of Vienna is built The Stones are large and they cut and square them at the Quarry From hence I proceeded to the Newsidler sea or Lake so called from Newsidle which is a Town seated upon the Northern part of it consisting of one street and some back-houses and a small square old Castle upon a Hill from whence I had a good prospect over the Lake It is about three German miles broad and seven miles long The fairest Lake in these parts affording plenty of Fish encompassed and thickly set about with small Towns and Villages and hath no River at least not considerable running into or out of it A little way from the Gate of Nâ—â—sidle they dig out a black earth out of which they make Salt-peter In this Journey not far from Himburg we passed by a place called Rauckward which though it seems not high looks over a great part of Austria and as far as Brin the second City of Moravia a part also of the Kingdom of Bohemia and a part of the Kingdom of Hunâ—arâ—a I went afterwards four English miles up the Stream of the Danube to see a noted Quarry of Stone in a Hill called Altenburg The beds rows or cases of the Stones lie not horizontally but rather elevated Northward about
present Emperor Leopoldus encompassed and supported with arms and Trophies with this Inscription Imp. Caesar Leopold 1. P. F. Augus P. P. Imperator Caesar Leopoldus Primus Pius Faelix Augustus Pater Patriae And on the reverse an Arm coming out of a Cloud over the City of Vienna which supports the Imperial Crown Sword Scepter and Globe with this Inscription Consilio et Industria The Second Medal hath high Dutch Inscriptions On the obverse the Seige of Vienna with this about it This is the Finger of God And on the reverse this Inscription The Turkish pride which streightned Vienna from the fourteenth of July to the twelfth of September 1683. was that day totally destroyed by the hand of the Lord. To these I have also added a noble Gold Medal of the Emperor Ferdinand the second These are all delineated bigger than they really are that they might appear the more plainly yet this last weighs above sixteen Guinneys and is no ordinary Piece A JOURNEY FROM VIENNA IN AUSTRIA TO HAMBURG TAking a farewel of the Imperial City of Vienna I ordered my Journey for Prague in Bohemia which is usually six days Journey by Coach in the Summer and eight in the Winter I went over the great Bridge of Vienna upon the large Stream of the Danube passing by the chappel of St. Bridget of an eight-square Figure This Bridge is a very great and massy work supported by many high Trees and Timber and hath between two and three thousand Trees laid upon it cross or side by side from one side of the Bridge to the other for the passage over it after the German manner of making Bridges At Ratisbone there is a handsome Stone-bridge over the Danube and between that place and Vienna divers of Wood but from Vienna to Belgrade I observed none but what were made with Boats Having passed the River I entred into the Trans-Danubian Austria or that part of Austria which lies between the Danube and the River Theya and came unto Corneuburg a pretty Town about which place the Emperor often hunts it is near the Hill Bisneberg which is opposite unto Kalenherg The Swedes advanced far when they took this place in the last wars and held it so well that they were not easily forced out of it From thence I came to Stockerau near the mouth of the River Mida where it runs into the Danube A place much noted for the death of St. Colman a Scotch Saint highly honoured in these parts From thence to Guntersdorff so to Colnedorff or Koldorff which although it be on the South of the River Theya is accounted the first Village of Moravia and then came unto Znaim In all this part of Austria which extends a great length on the North side of the Danube conceived to have been anciently inhabited by the Marcomanni and Quadi there are few or no Towns of antiquity largeness or note for the Romans made their Stations and Colonies upon the South-side of the Danube but the Country is full of Villages and populous One of the chiefest Towns is Crembs which some call Cremona Austriae which I saw as I came down the Danube A great part of this Country was notably harrassed and plundered by the Swedes The Soyl is light and easie to be ploughed Zanim is a handsome place with many Painted Houses in it and accounted the fourth chief Town in Mahren or Moravia Olmütz Brün and Iglaw being the other three this place is famous for the death of the Emperor Sigismund It is seated by the River Theya which divides Moravia from Austria and running at last into the River Marck affords accommodation of passage into the Danube From thence we passed by Vlverskirkeâ— Paulitz and Moravian Budweisse to Zimmaw and by Byrnitz came to Igla or Iglau upon the River Iglâ— which at last runs into the great River Marck a very pleasant place seated upon a Hill on the Frontiers of Bohemia It is well fortified à la moderna upon one side and hath one of the largest Piazza's that I have seen Moravia is a pleasant and fruitful Country affording plenty of necessaries for life the people are plain dealing stout and make good Souldiers It is commodiously furnished with Rivers the greatest whereof is the Mora or Marck which arising in the Northern part thereof runs quite through the Country and enters the Donaw by Teben not far from Presburg The other considerable Streams are the Theya or Thaisa the Swarta the Schwitta which run into the Marck In the last Turkish wars the Tartars having passed the Wag in Hungaria made incursions into Moravia and carried away some thousands of the Inhabitants Leaving Igla wee soon came into Bohemia first coming into Steâ—ken then to Teutchin Broda by the River Sacâ—ua formerly a strong place taken by Zisca the famous Bohemian General who then forced the Emperor Sigismund to fly out of Bohemia by the way of Igla From thence we came to Haberne and so to Janikaw At this place upon the 24 th of February 1643. was fought that memorable Battel between the Swedes commanded by Leonard Torstenson and the Imperialists under Count Hatzsield Goetz and other Commanders The Imperialists had the better at first but falling upon the Enemies Baggage and being two greedy of Booty they were defeated three thousand slain four thousand taken prisoners with their General Hatzsield and six or seven Colonels The success hereof gave the Swedes advantage to proceed further and into Silesia and Austria In this Town meeting with a Gentleman who came from Schaclitz which is not far from the Risgeburg or Mountain of Gya its about the Head of the River Elbe I enquired of him concerning the spirit Ribensal which is said to insest that Country but he could say nothing therein of his own knowledge and though he was confident that there was such a Spirit yet he confessed that for twelve years it had done no hurt In Hills Mounâ—ains and places of Mines such reports are ordinary It is reported that a Spirit haunts the Silver Mines of Brunswick and another to be in the Tinn Mine of Slackenwalde in this Country of Bohemia and to walk in the shape of a Monk who strikes the Miners sings and plays on the Bag-pipes and doth many such Tricks And Agricola in the latter end of his Sixth Book De re M tallica gives this for one reason why Mines or passages in Mines are given over From Janikaw I travelled to Czaslaw a good Town and the chiefest in the Czaslawer Circle In this place they say that Zisca was buried that famous Bohemian General he lost one Eye by an Arrow and was at length blind of both yet gave not over the war and proved successful in it He wished his Friends to make a Drum of his Skin which should serve to fright away their Enemies And though he cared not for any Sepulchral Monument yet he had one in this place From Czaslaw we came to
a piece Counts and Barâ—ns with three a Knight with two and a Gentleman with one The hour and place for the Turnamenâ— being appointed he that had a desire to break a Lance there came to the President 's Lodgings to have his Name written down which was done in the presence of three Heralds to whom the Champion delivered his Helmet and Sword and after he had been at confession presented himself in the Lists with one or more Squires according to his quality The Horses of the Combatants were to be without fault or exception the Caparisons and Furniture such as gave no offence their Saddles without any extraordinary rising before and behind and all things equal After which they performed all kind of Exercises on Horse back and after the Jousts were ended every man repaired to the President of his Nation to wait for the Sentence of the Judgâ—s and he that best deserved the Prize received it either from the hand of some Lady or from the Prince that gave it These Pastimes were afterwards disused upon the Emulation it caused between the Princes and Nobility who strove to outvy one another or upon wars in which there was no leisure for such Exercises or perhaps upon consideration that divers brave men lost their lives in these Encounters and no less a Prince than Henry the Second King of France neglecting to wear his Beaver down was slain in a Turnament And at Darmstadt also in the year 1403. at the Three and twentieth Turnament which was held in Germany the Gentlemen of Franconia and those of Hesse drew so much blood upon one another that there remained dead upon the place seventeen of the former and nine of the latter The Winter growing on called me to make haste to Hamburg from whence I intended to pass by Sea into England and therefore I took the advantage of the Stage-Coaches at Magdeburg and in four days came to Hamburg I traveled through a Country for the most part barren of little accommodation or scarce any thing very remarkable through part of the Elector of Brandenburg and then through the Duke of Lunenburg's Country passing by the City of Lunenburg a handsom walled City beautified with divers fair Churches with high Spires The Church of St. Lambert the Town-house and the Duke's Palace are fair Here are salt-springs in the Town very beneficial to the place and supplying the neighbour Countries The Town is commanded by a Hill near to it called Kalkberg which lies on the North-side In this Road through lower Saxony I could not but take notice of many Barrows or Mounts of Earth the burial Monuments of great and famous Men to be often observed also in open Countries in England and sometimes rows of great Stones like those in Wormius his Danish Antiquities And in one place I took more particular notice of them where three massy Stones in the middle were encompassed in a large square by other large Stones set up on end Hamburg is a fair City and one of the great ones in Germany it is seated in a Plain being populous rich and remarkably strong It is fortified according to the modern manner much after the way of Holland with works of earth but in no place yet covered or faced with brick or stone The Territory belonging to it is but small it is divided into the new and the old Town There are five Gates The Stone gate leading towards Lubeck the Dome-gate the Alten-gate or which leads unto Altenaw a place near the Town belonging to the King of Denmark where the Romanists and Calvinists have their Churches the Bridge-gate and the Dike-gate The Buildings of this City are handsom and commonly have a fair entrance into them The Senate-house is noble adorned with carved Statua's of the Nine Worthies The Exchange or place of meeting for Merchants was then enlarging it being too small to receive those Numbers which frequented it Many of their Churches are very fair with high Steeples covered with Copper The Front of St. Katherines is beautiful The Steeple of St. Nicholas is supported with great gilded Globes The other great Churches are the Dome-Church St. Peters St. Jacob the greater and less St. Michael the New-Church in the New town The lesser Churches are St. Gertrude St. Mary Magdalen and the Holy Ghost They have a Sermon every day as in other Lutheran Cities The River Alster runs through it into the Elbe and turns many Mills and the Tide comes up into divers Streets through Channels although it be distant eighteen German miles from the Sea or Mouth of the Elbe This place abounds with shipping and many of good Burden and is well seated for Trade as having an open passage into the Ocean and being but a days Journey from Lubeck on the Baltick Sea and being seated upon the long River Elbe the third great River of Germany whereby it may have Commerce with a great part of that Country and as far as Bohemia Hamburg is full of Strangers and Merchants of several Countries The English Company have good Privileges and a rich Trade and Ships come laden thither with Cloth to the value of an hundred thousand pounds sterling and they live here in good Reputation and to the honour of their Country they are Persons of worth courtesie and civility and I heartily wish them all success in their Affairs I must not omit the acknowledgment of my particular Obligation to that learned and worthy Person Mr. Griffin Preacher unto the Company Mr. Free the Treasurer Mr. Banks who hath been in many places of Natolia and the Holy Land Mr. Jenkinson and my very obliging Friends Mr. Catelin and Mr. Townly This place hath the happiness to be quiet when the great Princes of Europe are at war for it desires to hold a strict Amity with Princes and declines all Dissention with them I found a Ship at Hamburg bound for London and while it was fitting for Sail I made a short excursion into part of the King of Denmarks Country and returning to Hamburg again I ordered my affairs for England upon the first wind and hoped the next Tide to get over the Altenaw-sand and to pass the Blanckness but a cross wind prevented so that I left not Hamburg till the tenth of December and then I had the good company of Mr. Hoyle who came from Narva and set Sail in a new Ship but the days being at the shortest and the nights dark in the New-Moon the Tide falling also in the day time we were able to get no further the first day than Stadt or Stoade upon the River Zwingh a strong Town belonging to the King of Sweden where the Ships that come up the River pay Custom and where the English Merchants had formerly their Residence when they left Hamburg upon a Discontent December the 11 th we came by Gluckstadt belonging to the King of Denmark where the Castle the King's Palace and the Church are handsom and Anchored that night before
the Mouth of the River Oast which arises in Bremerland and falls into the Elbe a mile from Brunsbüttel on the other Holsatian shoar December the 12 th we lost sight of the Northern shoar and passed Cook 's Heaven in full hopes to put out to Sea that night but about Three in the Afternoon we were becalmed a League and a half below it where we were forced to come to an Anchor again lest the strong Ebbe should set us on ground among the Sands we lay that night between Thicksand on the North and Newark on the South right over against a Light house December the 13 th the wind turning Westerly and blowing hard we returned to Cook 's Haven and came to Anchor Here I came ashoar and went up the Land to the Fort in this place belonging to the City of Hamburg It is a high square Work with a double Ditch and and some Vessels come up to the Fort but the Ditch or Channel which comes thither out of the Elbe is dry at low water The Town is called Reutsbüttel not far from the Lands end Two or three days after with a cold North-East-wind we set sail for England Coming out of the Elbe we were all the Afternoon in sight of an Island called Heilige-landt or Holy-land belonging to the Duke of Holstein which being very high Land is to be seen at a good distance and is of excellent use to direct and guide Ships into the Mouth of the Elbe without which they would be at a great loss the Country about that Rivers Mouth being all very low Land Heiligeland is a small Island having about two thousand Inhabitants and six or seven small Vessels belonging to it which are imployed a great part of the year in bringing Lobsters and other Fish to London or Quinborough the Inhabitants living most upon Fish We bore out to Sea all night and the next day made towards the Land again and sailed in sight of Schiemoniekeoghe Amelandt and Schelling in the Evening we saw the Lights at the Vly and Texel when we were near the Land we were much troubled with the Frost and cold Weather and less when we were off at Sea The next day we had a fair wind and made such way that in the Evening we took down our Sails and let the Vessel drive not being willing to deal with the shoar in the night The next morning we soon discovered the North foreland covered with Snow and came to an Anchor in Margaret Road where the wind growing very high we rode it out for two days and two nights and came safe on shoar praised be God upon Christmas-day morning Now having made so long a walk in Germany I must confess I returned with a better opinion of the Country than I had before of it and cannot but think it very considerable in many things The Rivers thereof are noble and seem to exceed those of France and Italy Of the Rivers of Italy the Padus or Po is the most considerable which notwithstanding hath no very long course before it runs into the Adriatick Sea And Italy being divided by the Appennine-bills runing from West to East the Rivers which arise from either side cannot be long neither on the South-side before they run into the Mediterranean as the Arno Garigliano and others Nor on the North side before they run into the Adriatick or the Po. The chief Rivers of France as the Loyre the Seine the Rhosne and the Garonne I cannot but highly commend having passed upon them for divers days There are also four great Rivers in Germany the Danube the Rhine the Elbe and the Oder but none of France seem comparable unto the Rhine and Danube France having the Sea upon the North the West and the two large Provinces of Languedoc and Province upon the Mediterranean Sea hath the opportunity of Noble Cities and Seaports But some doubt may be made Whether any thereof do exceed Hamburg Lubeck and Dantzick The great number of populous large and handsome Cities doth afford great content unto a Traveller in Germany for besides about Sixty six free Imperial Cities there are many more of good note belonging to particular Princes and divers highly priviledged And surely a true Estimation of the Cities and Towns of these days cannot be duly made from the Accounts and Descriptions thereof lest an hundred years since or more for since those times Buildings have been better modelled and ordered Fortifications and Out-works more regularly contrived Convents and Publick Houses more neatly and commodiously built and the fair Colleges and Churches of the Jesuites which are now to be seen in most do much set off the Beauty of great Places Every where we meet with great and populous Towns Villages Castles Seats of the Nobility Plains Forests and pleasant Woods And besides the satisfaction we may have from Objects above ground we may find no small content in the wonders thereof under it in Mines Minerals almost of all sorts of Gold Silver Copper Iron Tinn Lead Quicksilver Antimony Coal Salt Sulphur Cadmia and others where there are also singular Artificers and Workmen in the several Artifices thereof Conversation with the People is easie they behaving themselves without much Formality and are plain dealing and trusty so that a Traveller needs not to be so sollicitous and heedful of what he hath as in some other Countries which are esteemed of greater Civility The Women are generally well-complexioned sober and grave and they have not yet learned the custom of their Neighbours of France and Holland to admit of being saluted by Men faithful to their Husbands and careful in the affairs of their Houses They make good provision against the cold of their Country by sleeping between two Feather-beds and Stoves The common Stoves in Inns wherein there are for the most part several Companies eating drinking and in the night sleeping are convenient considering the great cold or at least tolerable but they being rooms close shut up the smell of the meat and especially of Cabbage an usual Dish amongst them makes them unpleasant so that sometimes I preferred the course of hot Countries while I called to mind that in Province and Italy we drank frozen Julebs which we dissolved with the heat of our hands slept upon a sheet on the outside of the Bed with all the Windows of the Chamber open and as we sate at dinner there was a Fann in the middle of the Room hanging over our Heads about two yards broad which with a string was pulled backward and forward to cool us and divers had Pans filled with Snow to cool the sheets when they went into their Beds Germany is a great Hive of men and the mighty destruction of men made by the last German wars and by the Plague is so repaired that it is scarce discernible They are fruitful and full of Children They are not exhausted by Sea Colonies sent forth or by peopling American Countries but they have some
Belgrade Mahomet the great brought two hundred Ships and Gallies well appointed up the Stream And the Hungarians sent so many down the Stream from Buda that after a sharp encounter they took twenty of the Turkish Vessels and forced the rest on Shoar near the Camp so that to prevent falling into the Enemies hand Mahomet was fain to cause them to be set on fire The Christians had a great Fleet at the Siege of Buda when all miscarried under Count Regensdorff For the History delivers that the Christian Fleet consisted of four and twenty Galliots about fourscore small Pinnaces and little less than an hundred Ships of Burthen and other great Boats By the help of such Naval Vessels Wolfgandus Hodder did a good piece of Service when Solyman besieged Vienna for he came out of Presburg with armed Vessels and sunk the Vessels sent from Buda with the great Ordnance to batter the Walls of Vienna And as this Country aboundeth in Rivers so is it not without some notable Lakes as the Lake Balaton or Platsee or Volcaea of old extending a great length between Vesprinium and the Dravus with some strong Forts upon it This Lake put a stop unto the cruelty of Solyman's Souldiers who destroyed all from Buda unto the Lake Balaton And since it lyeth on the East of the River Leyta we may also reckon in the Newsidler Sea a pleasant Lake seven German Miles long and three broad so called from Newsidel a small Town of one street and some backward Houses with a small square Castle upon an Hill by it from whence I had a good prospect over all the Lake In the Commotions of Botscay fourteen Villages about this Lake were burnt by Turks Tartars and rebellious Heyducks The Hungarians call it Terteu and Pliny Peiso It is in the middle way between Vienna and Sabaria the birth-place of Saint Martin The long extended plain of Pampus in Paraguay in America exceeds all others as being two thousand Miles in length And I have heard that famous Navigator Captain Narborough say who not long since was Commander of the Sweepstakes and made a Voyage in her into the South-Sea that there is all low Land from the River of Plate unto the middle of the Straights of Magellan Moscovia and Poland have long Plains but many of them Woody and obscured by Trees but none more open and clear Plains than this Country The greatest Plains I have observed in England are those of Salisbury Lincoln and New-Market But these are but long Walks compared with those of Hungary and are exceeded by the Plains of Austria from Vienna unto Mount Simmeren unto the Borders of Styria And though the Vpper-Hungary be hilly and plentiful in Wood yet are there large Plains below I travelled from Vienna to Belgrade about four hundred Miles upon continued and not interrupted Plains which often appeared like the Sea without any visible Eminencies only a short and plain Wood by Bacna and Shilberg beyond Dotis and if we reckon the full of this Plain it will prove much longer extending from Mount Kalenberg or Cetius two German Miles West-ward of Vienna and so beyond Belgrade still along the North side of the Danube unto the Borders of Walachia which will make a larger extent than the famous long Walk from Agra to Lahor in India This plainness of the Country affords an handsome way of Travelling in open Chariots carrying one or two Men with a Charioter drawn by two or three sometimes four Horses a Breast and room enough to lye down In this manner I travelled from Buda to Belgrade over fair large Plains and many Miles upon Green-Swarthe and unworn Wayes especially in the County of Sirmium or Schremnia as they now call it No Country hath so large a share of Capital Cities upon the Danube for whereas from the course thereof from Vlme unto Belgrade there are reckoned Ten very considerable ones there are no less than four thereof that is Presburg Strigonium Buda and Belgrade accounted unto Hungary and Buda with the addition of Pest on the otherside the Water seems to be the largest of them all and I believe the largest also of any upon that Stream As the Rivers are full of Fish so are they covered with Fowl in the Winter Swans I observed none in the Danube but many other Fowls and some Pelicans not far from Belgrade As the Waters are also fruitful in Fish so the Land aboundeth in other Provisions and very eminently in the two supporters of Life Bread and Wine their Bread is hardly exceeded by any in Europe worked up and kneaded with long continued labour and so made light wholsome and well tasted and at so cheap a rate that for two pence as much is afforded there as twelve pence with us in England And indeed in all the Turkish Dominions where I travelled I met with so good and well tasted Bread that with Wine it was a Feast and with Water a sufficient Repast Grapes they have very delicious and large those at Virouichitz by Vacia are of eminent Note Wines also of a generous and noble sort the Wines of Tokay are highly esteemed the Sirmian Wines are very rich and pleasant in the South part of Hungary in which Province the Emperor Probus is said to have planted Vines about Mount Almus or Arpataro In many other places the Wines are very noble and some brought unto Vienna where there are above thirty sorts of Wines to be sold brought from several Parts And as the ground is not unfruitful in its own Nature so they are not without the practise of Good-Husbandry both in their Arable and Pasture Grounds especially in Vpper-Hungary and Parts not subjected to the Turks I being there about the end of February saw every night all the Country about us on fire occasioned by burning the Stubble and Grass and Herbs which afterwards arose with plenty again Saepe etiam sterileis incendere profuit agros Atque levem stipulam crepitantibus urere flammis To set their Fields on fire and Stubble burn With crackling Flames does to their profit turn They use not Barnes or Stackes of Corn but have many deep and large Caves under Ground wherein they lay it up safe both from Robbers and sudden incursion of Enemies At Clesch near Toopolchan when the Turks and Tartars made their Inroads in the last Wars the People retired and hid themselves in such Cavities but some Turks speaking Schlavonian told them that the Coast was clear and the Enemy gone and so tempting them out of their Holes they were unfortunately deceived into Captivity and carried away into remote Countreys never to be heard of again There is also great plenty of Deer Hares all sorts of Poultrey Partridges and Pheasants great store of Sheep which in divers places have long Spiral Horns and very long curled Wooll And Oxen in great numbers whereof 't is thought they send an hundred thousand yearly into Italy Germany and other Parts and it is
Custom with those who buried their Treasure to place Serpents there in token of a Faithful keeper After the Peasants had taken no man knew what others took from thence more than Twenty thousand Ducats And the report was that they might have taken an hundred Thousand For that had sometimes been the abode of King Lysimachus Whereof Ferdinand had a Thousand and Castalde three Hundred Which Coin remained in this place from Lysimachus's time Among other notable Antiquities there were also found two Medals of Gold the one of Ninus the other of Semiramis which were sent to the Emperor Charles the Fifth And there was not any Man in all that Province of what Authority or reputation soever who had not some of these Medals so infinite was found this Sum to be In the Old Roman Towns through which I passed the People upon notice given would bring what Coins they had called by them Heathen-money In the Countries of Servia and Bosna the Armenians and Jews make Collections and send them to Ragusi from whence the greatest part is carried into Italy I must not omit one Copper Coin of the Emperor Julius Philippus which I found common in those Parts and very rare in others it hath on the Obverse the Head of Philippus with this Inscription I M P. C. M. JVL. PHILIPPVS AVG. on the Reverse a Woman between a Lyon and a Bull with the Inscription P. M. S. COL VIM AN. VII which may be Provinciae Moesiae Superioris Colonia Viminacium Annona Septimo data Viminacium was a Roman Colony in Moesia Superiour now Servia and conceived to be Singidunum or Senderin upon the Danube at the entrance of the River Moschius or Morava by the Lyon and the Bull might be declared the goodness of the Soil fit for Agriculture and the Valour and Courage of the People and by those fierce Animals sitting so quietly together that by the Prudence of Philippus Agriculture went on and none found opposition from the Lyca or force of others Annona Septimo data The Seventh time of the distribution of Corn under Philippus The Legio decima sexta frumentaria which was quartered in that place having the Charge of the conducting thereof as the Learned Tristan has conjectured an Hungarian Râ—g 22 W Sherwinâ—â— This is the Habit of an Hungarian which is found to be so fit and convenient for all sort of Exercise especially on Horseback and in War that it is made use of also by the Croatians Schlavonians and other Nations and by the Turks themselves who live near the Frontiers although otherwise they seldom change their own Habits The Hungarians delight most in Colours wearing Blew Yellow Green and Purple Cloth and it is rare to see any one in Black the Priests themselves being habited in long Purple Garments The Hungarians usually carry in their hands a Club or Iron Mace of which they have two sorts a Catshan and a Delta or Balta as they pronounce it The Catshan hath a globular Iron head with furrows in it and spaces cut away to render it more light and easie to be handled this is expressed in the Figure of the Hungarian Habit the Delta hath a head somewhat like a Hammer but broader and at the end makes the shape of that Letter A JOURNEY FROM Vienna in Austria TO Larissa in Thessalia HAVING passed the Winter in the Imperial City of VIENNA I took a Journey into Hungary to view the Copper Silver and Gold Mines in those Parts And not long after although I had already had a fair sight of Italy I made a Journey unto VENICE passing through Austria Styria Carinthia Carniola and Friuli and soon after my return to Vienna I met with an opportunity which carried me unto the Ottoman Court which then and a long time before resided at the famous Old City of LARISSA in Thessaly You are not to expect the Names of all Places which I passed yet divers you will find mentioned which are not to be found in Mapps except you have some more exact than any I have met with Between Vienna and Presburg above the confluence of the River Marck with the Danube I could not but take notice of the Town of Petronell and Haymburg Hill and Castle Petronell is conceived to have been Old Carnuntum a strong Hold of the Pannonians in vain attempted by the Romans an Hundred and seventy years before the Incarnation but was afterwards subdued in the time of Augustus made a Roman Colony and the Station of the Legio decima quarta gemina and the Classis Istrica and in process of time so enlarged that it became the chief City of Pannonia Superior and comprehended that tract on the South Bank of the Danube wherein now stand Haymburg Dutch Altenburg and St. Petronell I had been formerly at Petronell to inform my self in the noble Ruines and Antiquities thereof where I met with variety of Medals Inscriptions remainders of a noble Aquaeduct and the Remains of a goodly Fabrick which I thought might be the ruine of a Temple of Janus but it is conceived to have been a Triumphal Arch erected in Memory of a great Victory over the Pannonians and Dalmatians by Tiberius in the Ninth year of our Lord. My noble Friend Petrus Lambecius hath set forth the Figure of one side thereof in the Second part of his Description of the Imperial Library and of the back part I took a Draught my self This and other Carnuntine Antiquities may be seen in the same Author and more may be expected when that Worthy Person shall please to Publish his Carnuntum redivivum In this place the Emperor Antoninus Philosophus in order to his Wars with the Marcomanni now Moravians resided the space of Three years and died at Vindobona now Vienna and here Severus was elected Emperor by the German Legions But this Noble and Ancient City was ruined in after-times by Attila the Hunne in his Incursions into these Parts Yet there are still remaining many marks of its Ancient Greatness And though Grass now grows where Old Carnuntum stood yet by an observing Eye the Foundations of their Houses and their Streets are still discoverable and such great quantities of Roman Coins have been of a long time and are still found there that the Boors are commonly well furnished with them of whom I purchased a great number and Mr. Donellan an Irish Gentleman who then travelled with me and was walking in my Company viewing these Old Remains of former Greatness by chance strook with his foot a Silver Coin out of the Earth Presburg Posonium Pisonium and by some thought to be Flexum is a pleasant City seated on the North side of the Danube ten German miles Eastward from Vienna the chief City of Hungaria in the Impeperial Dominions thereof since the loss of Buda the place of Convention for the Estates and since the loss of Strigonium the Metropolitan City The City is pleasant the Castle is stately beautiful and well situated on the top of a
shall make but short mention as particularly of Newhewsell by the Hungarians called Vywar seated by the River Neutra not far from Nitria a strong place and Bishops See taken by Count de Souches in the last wars Newhausl is a strong Hold regularly fortified with six large Bastions which makes it lie in the form of a Star it was surrendred after six storms unto the grand Visier who presently besieged it after that Count Forchatz the Governour had rashly lost a great part of his men at the Battel of Barchan where the bones of the Slain lie yet in the Field The Turkish Bassa lives in the Palace which belonged to the Arch-bishop of Presburg and has converted the Church into a Moschea The Bassa growing too familiar with the neighbour Governour of Komara was jealously looked on by the Grand Seignior who sent one to take of his head and put another into this Government This place commands contribution from a good part of the Country between the River Waag and the Neutra and between the Neutra and the River Gran and in places where we lodged in those parts the Master of the house told us he was obliged to give notice unto the Turks who and how many were in his house whereof we were not unwilling resolving to be gone before the account thereof could come unto them If the Visier had not spent time about the siege of Newhewsell but marched into Austria when the Emperour was yet unprovided the Auxiliary forces farr off and Vienna and all the Country about in great fear he might have probably left sad effects in those parts but attempting some time after to break into Austria by Saint Godard when the Imperial forces were in readiness and the great bodies of Auxiliaries of Germans and French came up he was repulsed with great loss of his best Soldiers and readily clapt up a peace which kept these parts in quiet for many years Sene Sone or Senia a Village near the Danube and remarkable place for variety of Antiquities where by the help of the Byro or Judge of the Town I met with divers Coins and some of Gold some Intaglia's and as they called it a Heathen or Râ—man Key Whereof I presented some unto Petrus Lambecias who shewed them unto the Emperor This place being in the contribution Country to the Turks hath been little enquired into and therefore the Antiquities thereof were the more welcome Amongst all the Inscriptions of Gruter I find but one or two of Senia The People say this place was formerly called Apollonia but without any good ground Passing from Raab to Dotis St. Martinsberg offers it self to view an handsome Town and strong Hold upon the top of a high Hill overlooking all the Country This is still in the Christians hands though it hath formerly been taken by the Turks once in Amurath the third's time Dotis Tata or Theodata about twelve English miles from Gomora where there is a Castle with a Ditch about it and also some Natural Baths near it It hath been often taken and retaken Graff Zacki a Noble Hungarian was then Governor whose singular Civilities I must always acknowledge and indeed in these parts I was at best content in the company of Souldiers for they commanded all and were generous and free hearted Persons and could commonly speak either Latine High-Dutch or Italian my company was the more acceptable to them because I had seen many parts of Europe before which they would much enquire after But to return into the road again we parted from Comora being towed by a Saick of twenty four oars The Hungarians rowing upon one side and the Germans on the other they saluted the Fortress with two small Guns which they carried at the head of the Saick and so we passed by Sâ—ne Nesmil Rodwan and came to Motch the exact place of the Frontiers Here we expected a Turkish Convoy which coming betimes in the morning we made ready for them their Officers went first on shoar then our Veyda or Veyuod with the Interpreter and chiefest of the company both parties walking slowly and at meeting gave hands to one another then we delivered our Boat unto the Turks which they fastned to their Saick and sent one iâ— to our Boat to steer it and turning about saluted the Christians with one Gun and then with eighteen Oars rowed down the Danube we carrying the Eagle in our Flag they the Double Sword Star and Half-Moon The Turkish Saick convoyed us to Strigonium or Gran and set our Boat on shoar in the Town and so left us the Governor also took no notice of us either in hopes of a present or some private interest but an Aga who came with four troops of Horse from Newhewsell being come into the Castle asked the Governor as we were informed by a Turk that came unto us what he meaned to have so little care of his head to deal with us after this manner who were not sent to him or to a Bassa or a Visier but to the Sultan and no doubt had a Present for him whereupon we were soon dispatched This City of Gran Strigonium or Ostrogon is seated on the South-side of the Danube near the Confluence with the River Gran divided into the upper and lower and both walled the lower Wall doth well command the Danube St. Thomas Hill hard by the Town is also walled because it commandeth the Town There are in this place Natural Baths of a moderate heat This hath been the Metropolitan City of Hungary where St. Stephen the first Christian King of Hungary was born and King Stephen the third buried Scarce any place has suffered more strong and notable Sieges besieged in vain by John King of Hungary taken by Solyman recovered by Count Mansfelt for Matthias the Arch-Duke besieged again in vain but taken in the time of Sultan Achmet by the mutinous baseness of the Christian Defendants who shutting up Count Dampier the Governor delivered the place unto Aly-Beg the Turkish General but after many years it was taken again by the Christians under the Duke of Lorraine in the year 1683. Over against Strigonium lieth Barchan between these two places there is a Bridge of Boats From Strigonium we passed to Vicegrade or Vizzegrade The upper Castle of this place is seated upon a very high Rock where the Crown of Hungary hath been formerly kept the lower Castle hath been fair there is also a handsome Fabrick of square Stones and Arches the ruines whereof do still remain this place was retaken from the Turks by the Forces of the Arch-Duke Matthias in the time of Mahomet the Third but betrayed and delivered up by the Treachery of the Heyducks in the Reign of Sultan Achmet Charles King of Naples and sworn King of Hungary was wounded on the head by Forchatz and being carried into the Castle under pretence of laying a Plaster on his head was strangled This place yielded to the Duke of Lorraine 1684. Over against
Vizzegrade lieth Maroz where there is a large Church and the place having voluntarily submitted unto the Turks the Christians paying a small Tribute lived under no great oppression Below this Town the Danube divides and makes a fair large Island called St. Andrews Island still rowing down by which we passed by Virovichitz a noted place for pleasant Vineyards and good Grapes and an old ruine of Stone upon the shoar of St. Andrews Isle where the Turks told us there was formerly a Stone Bridge we came to Vacia in former times a Bishop See which hath now two Mosches and one Christian Church without the Wall This place was seized upon sacked and burnt by the Turks 1541. but taken by the Emperors Forces under the Command of the Duke of Lorraine in the Year 1684. after he had overthrown the Turks in Battel near the Town but was quitted again at the latter end of the Autumn there being a ridge of Hills near it which over-look the Town and render it not easie to be defended Here we changed our Convoy again and passed unto Buda the Capital City and Royal Seat of the Kings of Hungaria and the residence of a Turkish Visier who hath divers Bassa's under him It is a large City and of a pleasant situation devided into the upper and lower Town wherein are some ruines and reliques of Magnificent Structures rais'd by the Hungarian Kings especially Matthias Corvinus whose Palace the Visier possessed But much abating of its ancient glory There are also some fair Mosches Caravansara's and very Magnificent Baths There is also a high Hill called St. Gerard's Mount which hath a Fort on the top and over-looks the Town and Country The natural Baths of Buda are esteemed the noblest of Europe not only in respect of the large and hot Springs but the Magnificence of their Buildings For the Turks bathe very much and though little curious in most of their private houses yet are they very sumptuous in their publick Buildings as their Chars or Caravansara's Mosches Bridges and Baths declare There are eight Baths whereof I had opportunity to take notice during my stay at Buda three toward the East and South-East part of the City in the way leading towards Constantinople and five towards the West end of the Town in the way towards old offen and Strigonium The first is a large open Bath at the foot of a high rocky Hill called Purgatory whereof the People have some odd and scrupulous Apprehensions The second is covered with a Cupola and stands nigh the same Hill but more into the Town and near a place where they use Tanning The third is called the Bath of the green Pillars though at present they be of a red colour it stands over against a Caravansara The Water is hot but tolerable without the Addition of cold water it is impregnated with a petrefiing Juyce which discovers it self on the sides of the Bath upon the Spouts and other places and makes a grey Stone The Exhalation from the Bath reverberated by the Cupola by the Irons extended from one Column to another and by the Capitals of the Pillars forms long Stones like Isicles which hang to all these places The Water is let out at night when the Women have done bathing who often stay late The Bath is round set about with large Pillars supporting a Cupola which hath openings to let out the Steam and yet the whole Room continues to be a hot Stove The Baths of the West end of the Town are first Tactelli or the Bath of the Table a small Bath covered the Water white and of a Sulphureous smell they drink of this as well as bathe in it what they drink they receive from a Spout bringing the Water into this place I delivered a five-Sols piece to a Turk who was bathing in it to gild for me which he did in half a Minute by rubbing it between his fingers while the hot Water fell from the Spout upon it The second is Barat Degrimene or the Bath of the Powder-Mill it rises in an open Pond near the High-way and mixes with the fresh Springs which makes the Pond of a whitish colour in one part and clear in the other as also cold and hot in several parts This conveyed cross the High-way into a Powder Mill becomes useful in making of Gun-powder The third is cuzzoculege the little Bath or the Bath of the Saint for which name the Turks give a superstitious reason It is kept by Turkish Monks The Bath where the Springs arise is so hot as scarce to be endured but being let out into another bathing place at some distance it becomes tolerable and fit for use This Water hath neither colour smell nor taste different from common Water and deposeth no sediment only the sides of the Bath are green and have a fungous substance all over The fourth is Caplia a very noble Bath but part of the Buildings was consumed this year 1669. by a great Fire that happened in Buda but is since repaired by the Turks The Water is very hot not without a petrefying Juyce in it The Building about is eight square with a noble Bath in the middle with a Circle of a Trench of Water about it for the better Ornament to bathe the feet in on every side it hath a Niche wherein is a Fountain in the middle of the Anti-Chamber where they leave their Cloths there is also a fair Stone Bason and a Fountain The fifth is the Bath of Velibey which hath a strong sulphureous smell and a petrefying Juyce in it and is so hot that to make it tolerable it requires the addition of cold Water this is the noblest of all The Anti-Chamber is ve y large the Bath-Room capacious and high-Arched adorned with five Cupola's one a very fair one over the great round Bath in the middle and one lesser over each of the four corners where are either Baths or Bath-stoves for private use in these the Turks take off the hair of their Bodies by a Psilothrum mixt with Soap it being not their Custom to have any hair except their Beards Twelve Pillars support the great Cupola between eight whereof are Fountains of hot Water and between the others are places to sit down where the Barbers and Bath-men attend and each of these places has two Cisterns of Free-stone into which are let in hot Bath-water and also cold Water to be mixed and tempered as every one pleaseth Men bathe in the Morning and Women in the Afternoon When any man intends to bathe having entred the first Rooms he finds there divers Servants attending who furnish him with a Cloth and Apron Then he puts off his Cloths and having put on the Apron he enters the second Room wherein is the great Bath and sits on the side of the Bath or between the Pillars near a Fountain where the Barber strongly rubs him with his hand opened stretching out his Armes and lifting them up after which the
Party bathes Then if he be a Subject of the grand Seignior's or it be the Custom of his Country he hath his head shaved and if a young man his beard except the upper Lip next the Barber rubs his Breast Back Armes and Legs with an hair Cloth while he either sitteth or lieth with his face downward then washes his head with Soap and after throws cold Water upon him all over his Body and then he walks in the steam of the Bath for a time The Germans call this City Offen and some will have it founded by Buda the Brother of Attila the Famous King of the Hunnes And to speak the truth among all the numerous Countries and Places Conquered by that Warlike Nation they could not choose out indeed a nobler Seat to build a City in where besides the advantage of their natural Baths and Stoves this being placed upon the Banks of the greatest River in Europe where it runs in one entire Stream and the City rising up by degrees to the top of Hills affording from most Streets of the Town a Prospect of twenty Miles or more on the other side of the Danube as far as ones eye can reach with the view of Pest and the long Bridge of Boats and the beautiful fruitful Country about it renders it most exquisitely pleasant and delightful and was the Royal Seat of the Hungarian Kings and Queens till that Solyman the Magnificent entered it with his Sons Selimus and Bajazet on the Thirteenth of â—ugust in the Year One Thousand Five Hundred Forty One and made a Decree that Buda should be from that day kept by a Garrison of Turks and the Kingdom converted into a Province of the Turkish Empire and the Queen and her young Son be sent into the Country of Lippa beyond the River Tibiscus at a little distance from Buda or Offen there is another Place called old Offen conceived to be Sicambria of old where the Sicambrian Souldiers quartered in the time of the Romans and some Antiquities and Inscriptions have been taken notice of in that place Over against Buda upon the Eastern-shoar of Danubius stands the City Pest being Quadrangular and seated upon a Plain and by â—eason of its Wall and the Towers of the Mosches makes a handsom show from Buda It gives the name unto the County or Comitatus Pesthiensis Hungaria being divided into Counties like England between this place and Buda the handsom Bridge of Boats is above half a Mile long The habit of the Turkish Women seemed new and strange to me Breeches almost to their feet a kind of Smock over them and then a long Gown with their Head-dress which setches about covering their face except their eyes and makes them look like Penitents but it was not unpleasant unto me as taking away the occasion of Pride and Folly though otherwise it can have no good grace in a stranger's fancy During our Stay at Buda we went into a Turkish Convent where the Prior or Superior called Julpapa or Father of the Rose with some of his Brethren brought us into a large Room like a Chappel and entertained us with Melons and Fruit at parting we gratified them with some pieces of Silver which were kindly accepted The Julpapa had his Girdle or Ceinture embossed before with a whitish Stone bigger than the palm of my hand which was Galactites or Milk-stone whereof they have a great opinion because in their belief Mahomet turned a whole River in Arabia into this kind of Stone We lodged at an old Rascians house where we were well accommodated having from it a fair Prospect over the Danube the long Bridge and Pest and a good part of the Country Divers Turks and some Chiauses resorted unto us where they were treated to their content The Master of the House was thought to hold secret correspondence with a Franciscan Friar of Pest and to give intelligence of Occurrences unto the Ministers of State at Gomora Rab and Vienna he prevailed with me to pen a Letter in Latin and Italian wherein I was not unwilling to gratisie him because it contained nothing besides an account of some Prisoners and the encroachment of the Armenian Merchants upon the Trade As we were riding in the City divers of the common Turks murmured that we should ride where they went on foot But I was pleased to see many Turks to salute Seiginor Gabriel the Emperors Courrier in our Company and to take his hand and put it to their foreheads but was much more delighted with the courteous entertainment of Mortizan Ephendi a person of note and who had been an Envoy extraordinary at Vienna He received us in an handsom large Room and treated us with great kindness saying that he desired our company not to any Feast but to a Treat of Affection and Respect such as might declare that we had conversed like friends and eat and drunk together he called for a stool that I might sit down it being then uneasie to me to sit cross-legged and asked me whether I would learn the Turkish Language or whether I would go to the Port and how I liked Buda and among other questions asked what was the King of Poland's name and when I told him Michael Wisnowitski his reply was s mewhat strange unto me saying Michael that 's a good name that 's the name of the greatest Saint in Heaven except Mary and so having entertained us he dismissed us with good wishes At our return to this place after two days stay the Governor sent us with four and twenty Horse Souldiers into Christendom again these guarded us with great care a day and a night till they saw us safe at Dotis But now leaving Buda we travelled by Land Eastward and passing by the ruines of the King of Hungary's Mint-house by Ham Zabbi Palanka and by Erzin we came to Adom in Turkish Tzan Kurteran or anima liberata so named by Solyman the Magnificent because in his hasty retreat from Vienna he first made a quiet stop at this place and there could think himself secure from any pursuit of the imperial Forces This place was afterwards taken by Graff Palsi from thence we came to Pentole or Pentolen Palanka This or Adom is conceived to be the old Potentiana where the Hunnes invading those parts fought a bloody Battel with the Romans under the conduct of Macrinus and Tetricus but were overthrown From hence to Fodwar in sight of Colocza seated on the other side of the Danube in the road to Temeswar formerly an Arch-Bishops See whereof Tomoreus was Bishop whose rashness conferred much unto the loss of Hungary at the Battel of Mohatz Then by Pax or Paxi unto Tolna formerly Altinum or Altinium where the Hunnes being recruited fought a second Battel obtained the Victory and expulsed the Romans though not without the loss of forty thousand of their own men This hath been a very great place but burnt by the Christians The Hungarians and Rascians who inhabit here living in
Subterraneous water finding vent over-flowed the Neighbour Plaines We came afterwards to Egribugia where we again left the Plains and travelled over high rocky Hills to Sariggioâ—e Whence passing through the River Injecora we came to Sarvitza a noted Place built partly upon an Hill and partly in the Plain The Christians live most in the upper part the Turks in the lower there is also a Castle upon a very high Rock not far from hence we went through a passage cut through the Rocks like to a great Gate and a small River passing also through it which makes a fast Pass and commands the passage of this Country which put me in mind of la Chiusa in the Julian Alpes between Vensone and Ponteva which passage the Venetians shut up every night we took notice also in our Journey of the first Turkish Moschea which was built in these parts upon that place where the Turks first rested after they had taken the strong Castle and Passage of Sarvitza Here we also passed by a Hill of a fine red Earth whereof they make Pots and Vessels like those of Portugal Earth which are of esteem all about these Parts We proceeded over dangerous Rocks in narrow hanging ways still on Horse-back although we had little pleasure to look down the Precipices on one hand and see the Carkasses of Horses in some places which had fallen down and broke their necks Afterwards we had the Mount Olympus on our left hand till we came to Alessone or Alesswn a considerable place where there is a Greek Monastery and Monks of the Order of St. Basil The Monastery was of a different kind of building from any I had then seen From hence passing over a River we entered into a round Plain of about five Miles over with divers Towns pleasantly seated in it Then over an Hill again which is a Spur of Mount Olympus upon the top whereof an old Man stood beating of a Drum to give notice unto Passengers on both sides that those parts were free from Thieves From this Hill as we descended we had a good Prospect of the Plains of Thessaly and at the foot of it we turned to the left and passed over a River which runs from under a rocky Mountain not in small Springs but the whole body of the River together and then through Vineyards and Cotten Fields to Tornovo and from thence to Larissa where the Ottoman Court resided of which places we shall speak more hereafter In our return we left the road about Kaplanlih and turned unto Skopia a City of great Trade and the largest in these parts Scopia or Scupi of Ptolomy named Vscopia by the Turks is seated in the remotest parts of Maesia Superior or the Confines of Macedonia at the foot of Mount Orbelus upon the River Vardar or Axius in a pleasant and plentiful Country seated partly on Hills and partly on Plains It was first a Bishops afterwards an Arch Bishops See still a pleasant and populous place There are seven hundred Tanners in it and they Tann in great long Troughs of Stone and make excellent Leather wherewith they furnish other parts There are some handsom Sepulchral Monuments and many fair Houses as that of the Cadih and that belonging to the Emir or one of Mahomets Kindred whose Father was of great esteem in these parts In the Court-yard of the Emir's House stands a remarkable and peculiarly contrived Fountain in manner of a Castle set round with many Towers out of the tops whereof the Water springs forth Their best Houses are furnished with rich Carpets to tread upon and the Roofs divided into Triangles Quadrangles and other Figures fairly gilded and painted with several Colours but without any Imagery or Representation either of Animal or Vegetable Here is also a fair Bezestan covered with Lead many Streets covered over with Wood and divers places are fair both within and without the Town being set off by Trees and pleasant Hills and Dales There are a great number of Moschea's or Turkish Churches The fairest is on a Hill and hath a large Portico before it supported by four Marble Pillars near which is a Tower of Wood with a Clock and a Bell in it from whence I had a good Prospect of the City There is also an Arch which seems to be Ancient and a rivolet running under it A large Stone also which seems to be part of a Pillar with this Inscription SHANC A little way out of the City there is a noble Aqueduct of Stone with about two hundred Arches made from one Hill to another over the lower ground or Valley between which is a handsome Antiquity and adds to the honour of this place When Mahomet the First conquered this City he placed a Colony of Asiaticks in it which makes it the more Turkish Great Actions have been performed hereabouts in the time of the Romans particularly by Regillianus as is testified by Trebellius Pollio that he won so many Battles and carried on such mighty things at Scupi that he deserved a Triumph Hereabouts also stood Paraecopolis and Vlpianum The Sanziack of this Place is under the Begleâ—beg of Rumelia or Graecia A Trade is driven from hence to Belgrade and to Thessalonica or Salonichi and many other places I have been more particular concerning this City because Geographers pass it over in a few words and I could never meet with any who had been at it From hence we travelled to Catshanich a Fortress that commands the passage b tween the Hills and afterwards advanced so far as to enter the famous Plains of Cossova in Bulgaria which some take to be Campus Merulae a Plain not very much exceeding Lincoln Heath yet the Stage of great Actions Here the greatest Christian Army that was ever brought into the Field in Europe consisting of five hundred thousand men under Lazarus Despot of Servia fought with the Forces of Amurah the first and lost the day In which Battle Lazarus was slain and Amurah viewing the dead bodies was stabbed by Michael Cobilovitz a Christian Souldier left for dead in the Field Amurah hath in these Plains a Memorial Monument unto this day and that part is called the Field of the Sepulchre in the same Plains was also fought that remarkable Battle between Hunniades and Mahomet for three days together where Hunniades having very unequal Forces was at last over-thrown We proceeded forward to Prestina a good Town and where we expected good accommodation but having entered into a fair Room we found a man lying down in it sick of the Plague So we consulted our safety and stayed not long and having a Gypsie to our Guide we travelled through a Country thinly inhabited but fruitful and pleasant and were much refreshed with fair Cornelions which grew plentifully in the ways we passed also by an hot Bath a little on the right hand The Bath is an arched Room well built and very refreshing unto Travellers It hath a red Sediment and is impregnated with
a succus lapidescens and makes a gray Stone It is within two hours going of Bellacherqua or Cursumnè where I observed a Convent and an old Church with two handsom Towers From whence passing over the Hill Jasnebatz we came to Eshelleck between the two Morava's and so by a Castle upon a Hill near unto which is a noted Convent wherein is kept the body of Kenez Lazarus and the body of St. Romanus and so proceeded But I must not forget to say something of Larissa THE DESCRIPTION OF LARISSA AND THESSALY LARISSA is the chief City of Thessaly seated by the River Peneus the chief River of that Country Upon the North it hath the Famous Mountain Olympus and on the South a Plain Country It is now inhabited by Christians Turks and Jews hath fair Bezestens divers Turkish Moschea's and Christian Churches in it It is pleasantly seated and upon a rising ground on the upper part whereof stands the Palace of the Grand Seignior which he hath made use of during his residence in this place it is contrived with jetting large Windows on four sides near which he took his repast and pass-time according as the Wind served or afforded the best ventilation It is also an Arch-Bishop's See having divers Suffragan Bishops under it The Reverend Father Dionysius was then Arch-bishop The Church of St. Achilleus is the Cathedral where I heard Divine Service the Arch-bishop being present and standing in his Throne in his Episcopal habit and his Crosier in his hand when three or four of us Strangers came into the Church he sent one to fume us with Incense and â—weet Odours The Grand Seignior kept his Court in this place for some years in order to his Affairs in Candia and for the great convenience of Hunting and Hawking wherein he exceedingly delights When I came away it was said that he would go to Negroponte but he remained at Larissa some months after until he removed to Saloniâ—hi and afterwards to Adrianople The Greeks who are forward to magnifie the Concerns of their Country speak highly of Mount Olympus and Homer would have it to be the habitation of Jupiter and the Gods and to be without Clouds but unto me some part of the Alpes seem much higher and I have seen Clouds above it and in September there appeared no Snow upon it which the high Peaks in the Alpes Pyrenaean and Carpathian Mountains besides many others in Europe are never without And Olympus also was plentifully supplied with it upon the first Rain that fell in that Country it not being unknown to you I suppose that when it rains upon the Valleys at the same time it snows upon high Mountains and this Hill I must confess to be visible at a great distance for I beheld it from Eccisso Verbeni in Macedonia seventy miles from it and it consists not of one rising Peak as it is sometimes described but is also extended a great way in length and makes good the Epithere of Homer Longum tremere fecit Olympum If the word be there taken nor only for high but long This Hill chiefly extending from East to West makes the Inhabitants at the foot of the North and South sides to have a different temper of Air as if they lived in Climes much distant which makes the expression of Lucan very Emphatical Nec metuens imi Borean habitator Olympi Lucentem tot is ignorat noctibus Arcton Paulus Aemylius the Roman Consul winding about this Hill by the Sea-side overcame King Perseus and so conquered Macedonia When King Antiochus besieged Larissa Appius Claudius raised the Siege by great fires made upon part of Mount Olympus the King apprehending thereby that the whole force of the Romans were coming upon him But the Exploit of the Consul Martius upon this Hill was most remarkable and unparallel'd by any since who being sent against King Philip the last of that Name brought his Souldiers over Olympus by passages unknown and such difficult ways that his men were fain to wallow and make hard shift down and his Elephants by strange contrived Engines somewhat like draw-Bridges one under another were let down into the Plains as Sir Walter Rawleigh hath more largely described the same And as the Grand Seignior hath honoured Larissa by a long aboad in it so King Philip of Macedon the last of that Name did the like for we find he passed the Summer at Larissa the same Year when Hannibal took Saguntus in Spain Whether Xerxes were here when his great Army passed through Thessaly towards Thermopylae Histories do not declare But King Philip Father unto Alexander the Great after he had quieted the Illyrians and Pannonians bent his mind upon Greece in order whereto he took the City Larissa upon the River Peneus and thereby got so good footing in Thessaly that he made great use of the Thessalians in the following Wars with Greece Before the Battle of Pharsabia as Caesar delivers Scipio lay with a Legion in this City and this was the first place unto which Pompey retired after his Overthrow according to that of Lucan Vidit prima tuae testis Larissa ruinae Nobile nec victum fatis caput And not staying there he went along the River and taking Boar went out to Sea and was taken in by great Ship then ready to weigh Anchor The River Peneus which runs by Larissa is the chiefest in Thessaly and into which most of the other Rivers run arising from Mount Pindus and running into the Sinus Thermaicus or Gulf of Salonichi passing by the famous Valley of Tempe and running between Mount Olympus and Ossa into the Sea In that famous Expedition against the Graecians Xerxes would have made his entrance by this way for Herodotus delivers that he failed from Thermae now Salonichi unto the mouth of the River Peneus to observe if there were any passage or any could be made to enter into Thessaly and finding upon enquiry that the River had no other passage and that it could not be turned he said That the Thessalians had done wisely to yield and make their peace with him for by stopping of the River Peneus Thessaly might have been drowned I found the Epithete of Homer very agreeable unto this River for it hath a clear stream and bottom and the Fable of Apollo and Daphne the Daughter of Peneus who was turned into a Bay-Tree had a proper Scene in this place for on the Banks of the River Bay-trees grow plentifully unto this day There is an handsome Stone Bridge over this River consisting of Nine Arches and peculiarly contrived with holes and passage in the solid parts between the Arches to afford some passage unto the water when it is high and hinder the bearing down of the Bridge in high waters and great floods The City being full many Turks had their Tents in the Fields by the River side and lower Grounds which being of various colours and not far from a large Moschea and
and particularly because the famous Hippocrates the Father of Physicians lived and practised here as may be collected from the Oration of his Son Thessalus and the Narration of his Life by Soranus annexed to his Works wherein it is delivered That he lived in Thessaly and was warned by a Dream to abide in that Country That the Princes and Rulers of the Barbarous Nations about Illyria and Paeonia sent hither to him as also the King of Macedonia That he dyed in or about Larissa That he was buried between Larissa and Gyrton and it may be observed in the Epidemies or Books of Hippocrates wherein he sets down the Particulars of the Diseases of his Patients together with their Names and Places of Habitation That a great number of his Patients were of the City of Larissa Many famous Battles have been fought in the Plains of Thessaly and a greater than any there might have been if the Graecians had accepted of the Challenge of Mardonius the Persian General when he sent unto them to come out of their fast Places and fight with them in Thessaly where there were Plains and open Places enough wherein to show their Valour The Thessalians are an handsom race of People having black Hair black Eyes and their Faces of a fresh and florid sanguine much like our fresh Complexions in England so that Strangers much admired the Women and spoke often of the bel sangue de' Greci or fair blood of the Graecians The Macedonians who live in hilly Countries are of a coarser Complexion and the Moreans or Peloponnesians who live more South-ward incline unto a swarthiness They have always had the name of good Horse-men and the Country still abounds in good Horses They have also great Buffalo's esteemed the largest in Greece except those of Santa Maura in Epyrus There are also large and well-coloured Tortoises of a fine yellow and black and esteemed very good meat But the Turks laughed at the Christians for feeding on such Food where they might have Mutton Pullets and Partridges The Country produces very large fair and delicious Figs Water-melons the largest and most pleasant I have tasted which were very refreshing unto us as also fair and delicate Pomegranates Orainges Limons and Citrons Vines which are low like those about Montpellier and not supported but the Branches and Clusters great and the Grapes as big as good Damasens and of a delicious taste The Wine of the Country is rich but much thereof hath a resinous taste or tang of the Boracho They plant Tabaco and esteem it better than what is brought from other Parts as being more strong and pungent The Fields are spread with Sesamum and Cotton Trees but the Trees grow low yet make a fair show The Country abounds in Almonds and Olives and the Greeks delight most in the ripe Olive pickled as we in the green The Gourdes in the Hedges with their large yellow Flowers and the many sorts of green Thorns and ever-green Oaks make the ways pleasant The Ilex coccifera and Chermes-berry or the Excretion serving for dying and making the Confection of Alchermes grows plentifully in these Countries and with this Aegeus in old Time tinged the Sails which he presented to Theseus upon his Voyage to Crete ordering him if he overcame the Minotaure and returned fortunately to make use of these Sails beautifully coloured in token of Victory Upon the high Hills grow Asclepias and Helleborus in the stony Plains Carduas globosus Cystus Lavender Marjoram Rosemary and other sweet smelling Plants The Platanus or Plain-tree grows most sair large and well spread in Macedonia affording a refreshing shade so that it is less to be wondred at that Hippocrates found Democritus sitting under a Plain-tree at Abdera in Macedonia Some of the seeds and tusts I brought with me into England They use much Garlick in most of their Dishes and their Onions are extraordinary as large as two or three fair ones with us and of a far better taste being sharp quick and pleasantly pungent and without any offensive smell Though I were no lover of Onions before yet I found these exceeding pleasant and comfortable to the Stomach They are used at most Collations and eaten with Bâ—ead in good quantity I asked a Chiaus then with us who had travelled through most of the Turkish Dominions whether he had any where met with so good Onions as these of Thessaly who answered me that the Onions of Aegypt were better which was the first time I sensibly understood the expression in Scripture and ceased to wonder why the Israelites lingred after the Onions of that Country They have a Fruit which they call Patlejan or Melanzan between a Melon and a Cucumber out of which they make a very pleasant Dish by taking out the middle or seeds of it and filling it up with the meat of Sawsages and then pare it and boyl it Of the Agents of foreign Countries there attended on the Grand Seignior the Resident of the Emperor of Germany the Ambassador of Ragusi and another of Wallachia which are Ambassadors of the Confines the Ambassadors for Trade residing about Constantinople and not obliged to keep close unto the Sultan Larissa being full and pestered with People the Emperor 's Resident desired of the Sultan leave to abide in some Neighbour Town who bade him to make choice of any Place or any House he liked which concession moved him to cast his Eye upon Tornovo a large and pleasant City of Thessaly about ten Miles West-ward from Larissa and seated near the Hills where most of the Inhabitants are Christians there being only three Moschea's but eighteen Churches of the Greeks whereof the chiefst which I observed were these the Cathedral Church of St. John the Church of St. Demetrius of Cosmus and Damianus of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin of St. Elias this is the Habit of their Monks where there is also an adjoyning Monastery seated on the side of the Hill of St. Anastasius of the twelve Apostles of St. Nicholas with a Convent also and of St. Anthony the Hermite The Bishop hereof is under the Arch-bishop of Larissa A Greecian Monke pag 42 A Greek monastary at Alessone p. 66 The monastary of St Elias by Tornodo And I could not but take notice how these Eastern Parts of Europe abounded with Christians of the Greek Church beyond my expectation and since they are thus to be found in many large Countries In Graecia and the Greek Islands in the Turkish Parts of Dalmatia and Croatia in Rascia Bosnia Servia Thracia Sagora Bulgaria Sirfia Bessarabia Cossackia Podolia Moldavia and Wallachia and the vast Dominions of the Emperor of Russia they must needs make a notable part of Christendom and put me more sensibly in mind of an Expression of a learned Writer If we should collect and put together all the Christian Regions in Europe which are of the Greek Communion and compare them with the Parts professing the Roman Religion in
and thence to Breda they reported his entertainment in Walcheren amounted to fifty thousand Guldens The Women in this Island wear most of them red Cloth and straw-Hats if a Man dies a great bundle of Straw is laid at the Door if a Boy a little one if a Woman the straw lies on the left side of the Door when any woman is brought to bed they fasten a piece of Lawne to the ring and rapper of the Door and make it up into a little baby or puppet finely pleated and in such manner as to distinguish of what sex the young Child is Returning to Middleburg by Land I observed there was a row of Trees round the Town between the moat and rampart where ordinarily there is only a breast-work or a hedge and embarked at Middleburg again and passed down the River by the fort Rammakins and so for the Schelde Sayling up that noble River till we had passed the Fort Frederick Henrick and came to Lillo where we stayed till the Vessel was searched Over against Lillo lies another Fortification called Lifgens hoek the Fort de la croix is the last that belongs to the Hollanders and lies on the North side of the River the Banks are cut nigh to it and the Country drowned for its greater Security The Spanish Forts hereabouts to defend the Frontiers are the Philip the Pearl and the Maria. The River Scaldis or Scheld mentioned by Caesar is a gallant River affording plenty of Fish and convenience for Navigation and passage unto several noted places It arises in the Country of Vermandois passing to Cambray Valencienne so to Tournay or Dornick Oudenard Gaunt Rupelmond and Antwerp and pursuing its course is afterwards divided into two streams whereof the Southern is called the Hont the other runs by Bergen ap Zome and afterward into the Sea between the Isles of Zealand The next day morning we went on our Voyage still up the Scaldis or Schelde and arrived at Antwerp Where I had the good fortune to see Mr. Hartop one very well known in all those parts and of high esteem for his personal strength and valour A Gentleman also so courteous that he makes it his business to oblige strangers he shew'd me many curiosities in this City carrying me with him in his Coach The Walls of Antwerp are very large faced with Brick and Free-stone having divers rows of Trees upon them broad walks and conveniences for the Coaches to make their tour upon The Bastions are not so large as generally they build now a dayes yet after the modern way The Ditch is very broad and deep the Country about it all Gardens The Cittadel is a regular Fortification of five Bastions wherein lies always a Garrison of Spanish Souldiers upon every curtain there are two mounts or Cavaliers and between them below a row of building or lodgings for the Souldiers the ears of the Bastions are cut down and Casamates made or Case matte and Palisado's set round upon the Esplanade the Walls are lined with excellent Brick and Stone nor is there any where a more regular beautiful Fortification of five Bastions that is finished it commands the City the River and the Country besides this Cittadel there is another Fort within the Town near the Schelde to command the River having eight Guns in it called St. Laurence Fort. The Exchange is handsome supported by 36 Pillars every one of a different carving four streets lead unto it so that standing in the middle we see through every one of them The Meer or Largest street is considerable for the water running under it and for the meeting of Coaches upon it every evening to make their tour through the streets of the City which are clean and beautiful at one end of it stands a large Brass Crucifix upon a Pedestal of Marble The Jesuites Church goes far beyond any of that bigness that I have seen out of Italy The Front is noble with the Statua of Ignatius Loyala on the top A great part of the inside of the Roof was painted by Rubens and some of it by Van Dyke there be many Excellent peices of flowers done by Segers a Jesuite the Carving and gilding of all the works is exquisite The Library of the College is great and the Books disposed handsomely into four Chambers the Founder hereof was Godfridus Houtappel whose Monument together with his Wife and Children are worth the seeing in a Chappel on the South side of this Church In the Church of the Carmeli tes is a large Silver Statua of our Lady and models of Cities in stone Onser Lieven-Vrowen Kerck or the Church of our blessed Lady is the greatest in the City and the Steeple one of the fairest in World five hundred foot high one of their feet is eleven of our inches so as it is 459 of our feet In this Church there is much carving and a great number of Pictures highly esteemed among which one piece is much taken notice of drawn by Quintin at first a Smith who made the neat Iron work of the Well before the West door and afterwards to obtain his Mistress he proved a famous Painter his head is set up in Stone at the entrance of the Church with an inscription and this verse Connubialis amor de Mulcibre fecit Apellem I was at the famous Abby of St. Michael pleasantly seated upon the Schelde where among other curiosities I saw a glass which represented the Pictures of our Saviour and and the Virgin Mary collected from the putting together of divers other heads One was represented from a Picture wherein were thirteen faces and another from one of twelve over the blessed Virgin was this Inscription Diva nitet varis expressa Maria Figuris The Countess of Brabant's Tomb who was drowned and her Statua as also the Monument of Ortelius are here shewn Marcarius Simoneus was then Abbot the Monks 63. Near unto the Wharf-gate is the Church of St. Walburgis an English Saint who contributed much towards the conversion of these Countries The Town-house is fair the House built for the East-country Merchants is very stately and large but runs now to ruine in this I saw among other curiosities divers strange Musical instruments which at present are not understood or at least not made use of The Hessen house hath been also formerly considerable The water which they make use of in Brewing is brought by an Aqueduct from Herentall about thirty miles distant from hence and is conveyed into the Town by a large Channel peculiarly walled in by it self where it passes the Ditch in this City are many good collections of Pictures both Ancient and Modern and excellent Miniature or Liming by Gonsol one fine piece which I saw was peculiarly remarkable it being the work of 35 several Masters From Antwerp I passed to Brussels by water changing Boats five times and going through divers locks by reason the Country is so much higher about Brussels and the water
above two hundred foot lower at Antwerp At Fontaine a league and half from Brussels three Rivers cross one another one of them being carried over a bridge The Piazza of Brussels is fair and oblong in figure upon one of the longest sides stands the Town-house and over against it the Kings-house where upon a Scaffold hanged with Velvet Count Egmond and Horne were â—â—headed the whole Piazza being hanged with Black Cloth Upon the top of the Town-house stands St. Michael the Patron of the City in Brass Count Marsin's house formerly belonging to the Prince of Orange hath a fair Court and overlooks a good part of the City but a quarter of it is ruined by Lightning The Thunderbolt or Stone which they affirm to have effected it is bigger than two Mens heads and hangs up upon the door at the entrance The Jesuites Church is handsom and in it the fair white Tower is beautifully gilded at the top The Carmelites Church hath a noble Altar and near unto the Church is the Statua of a pissing boy which is a continual Conduit The Armory was well furnished as we were informed before the Governors of the low Countries sold the Arms and Cassel Roderigo the Governor left it very bare There remains the Armour of Charles the fifth of Duke Albert of the Prince of Parma Ernestus and of the Duke d'Alva and of the Duke Alberts horse who being shot saved his Master and died the same day twelve month Spears for the hunting the wild Boar one with two Pistols The Armour of Cardinal Infante and of an Indian King A Polish musket which carries six hundred paces Charles the Fifth's Sword for the making the Knights of the Golden Fleece and Henry the Fourth's Sword sent to declare war Good Bucklers for Defence and some well wrought especially one with the Battel of Phrrhus and his Elephants and banners taken with Francis King of France at the Battel of Pavia Somewhat like Godfrey of Bouillons shooting the three Pigeons near the Tower of David is the shot which Infanta Isabella made when with an Arrow she killed a Bird in memory whereof a Bird pierced with an Arrow is set upon the top of a Tower in the Court which is large and if the New Buildings and Design were continued it would be very handsome Before the Court stands five brass Statues The Park is pleasant with Trees set in order and adorned with Grotto's Fountains and Water-works which come very near the Italian one piece somewhat imitating Frascati in which all Musical Instruments are imitated and a perpetual motion attempted and on the Front of the Buildings stand the Caesars heads But the Echo is most remarkable which may perfectly be distinguished to ten or twelve Replies The greatest Church is that of St. Gudula in which is her Statua the Devil striving to blow out the Light of her Lanthorn The two Chappels therein are remarkable the one built by Leopoldus very fair on the out-side the other towards the North hath been visited by five Kings in which is the Host which bled being stabbed by the Jews In the Dominican Church is the Monument of the Duke of Cleve and his Dutchess in Corinthian brass But for a New Church that of the Begennes or Pious Maids is very considerable there being Eight hundred of them in this City who have a particular place allotted to them where they have built this milk-white Church The Plague was much in this place at that time three hundred Houses being shut up and Garlands placed on the doors in the middle of which was written IH †S. I saw the English Nunnery and other considerable Buildings And after I had refreshed my self at the Fish-Tavern which is worth the seeing especially for two Rooms in it furnished from top to bottom with very good Pictures I returned to Antwerp Octob. 4. I travelled through an open Country and lodged at Molin brusle The Spanish Souldiers met us upon the Road this day some of them well mounted and armed and begged of us and were well satisfied with a small Benevolence The next day we entred the Country of Liege and passed great Heaths and on the Sixth in the morning arrived at Maestreicht Trajectum ad Mosâ—m or Maestreicht is a strong Town seated upon the Maes four Leagues below Liege The Out-works are very considerable the Wall is old Towards the South-east lies a Hill which arises gently and overlooks part of the Town Under this Hill is one of the noblest Quarries of Stone in the World To secure the Town from the disadvantage it might receive from this Hill there was formerly a Fort built upon it but it hath been long since slighted and they have made out an Horn-work within Musket-shot of it and the Bastion answering to it is made very high to cover the Town On the other side of the River stands Wicke very well fortified also and rather stronger than Maestreicht into which they might retire if the Town should be taken by Storm it being united to Maestreicht by a handsom Bridge over the Maes consisting of Nine Arches All about Wicke the Country is flat there are many Inhabitants in it and a handsom Glass-house The private Houses of Maestreicht are generally covered with a black Slat or Ardoise otherwise not very beautiful The Town-house is fair seated in one of the Piazza's built of white Stone it hath Nine large Windows in a row on each side and within is very well painted by Theodorus van der Schuer who was Painter to the Queen of Sweden In another Piazza is a Fountain rows of Trees and the great Church This Town was besieged and taken from the King of Spain by the Confederate States in the year 1632. October the Seventh I dined at Gollop a small place and came that night to Aken Aix la Chapelle or Aquisgrane an ancient noble City the Inhabitants Courteous and much frequented by reason of its hot Baths of which I shall speak more particularly in my Journey from Colen to London Leaving Aken I travelled towards Juliers or Gulick but it being late before we arrived the Gates were shat up so as we went only under the Walls leaving it on our right hand Near unto Gulick runs a shallow swift River called the Roer At the Mouth of it where it falls into the Maes is seated a considerable Town called Roermonde through which I passed in the year 1673. when Sir Lioncl Jenkens and Sir Joseph Willamson were sent Plenipotentiaries to Cologne in our Journey from Antwerp to that City We then pasâ—ed the Country of Brabant by the way of Thornhaut Weert Roermonde and the next Night passing by Erkelens lodged at Castro or Caster in Gulickland where there are still the remains of an old Castle formerly built for the Defence of that part of the Country Roermonde is seated upon a rising Hill near the River Roer hath a Colledge of Jesuits in it a handsome Piazza and an
old Abby with divers Monuments very ancient founded by Gerard Earl of Guelderland From this Town their Excellencies were saluted with the Guns from their Walls charged with Bullets The Spaniards in most places striving to express the highest of their respects From Gulick I travelled to Cologne where I arrived October the 10 th 1668. A JOURNEY FROM COLEN TO VIENNA COlen Coln or Colonia Agrippina was anciently the Capital City of the Vbii a people who were at first possessed of the Countries now called Berg and March but being over-run by the Germans next to them Agrippa Lieutenant of Gallia received them into protection and placed them upon this side of the Roman shoar of the Rhine where they built this place and called it Opidum Vbiorum and the Romans seating themselves here for the defence of the Country in Honour of Agrippina daughter to Germanicus and wife to Claudius whose Birth place it was gave it afterwards the Name of Colonia Agrippina It is at present one of the largest if not the greatest of any City in Germany secured towards the Land by a high Wall and two deep Trenches and towards the Water by a Wall of Stone The Rhine renders it delightful upon one side and divers rows of Trees enclose the Town towards the Land They have some Out-works as Half-moons and Ravelins but their best security is in the great number of men which they are able to raise within themselves Many of the Streets are broad and paved with broad stones It received the Christian Faith very early and Maternus was their Bishop above 1350 years since who subscribed amongst others to the Council of Arles They have a great number of Churches and well endowed which take up a great part of the Town the Prebends and Canons Houses having in many places Vincyards and large Gardens adjoyning Towards the North end of the Town the Church of St. Kunibald is considerable The Convent of the Dominicans is fair and newly built with a Garden in the Court and all the Chambers uniform The Jesuites Church is well built and stored with rich Copes Altar-pieces and other Ornaments In the Church of St. Gereon a Saint of great name here martyred about Colen in the time of Maximianus are about a thousand Saints heads and on each side of the Altar a large Statua whereof one is of a Moor and under the Quire another Church The Convent of the Carmelites is also considerable wherein the Treaty of Peace was held with good accommodation in it though with no success in the year 1673. In the Church of St. Vrsula is her Tomb and the Tombs of divers of the Eleven thousand Virgins martyred by the Huns. Upon the Monument of St. Vrsula is this Inscription Sepulchrum Sanctae Vrsulae indicio Columbae detectum Upon many of the Tombs which are old are Crosses and Lamps Many Bones and Heads of the Martyrs are also kept in this Church The Cathedral is dedicated to St. Peter and is very large but not finished The Body of the Church hath four rows of Pillars within it The Quire is handsome and very high behind it are believed to be the Tombs of the three Wise men which came from the East to worship our Saviour or the Kings of Arabia of whom it was prophesied that they should bring Gifts commonly called the three Kings of Colen Melchior who offered Gold Gaspar Frankincense and Balthasar Myrrh Their Bodies as the account goes were first removed to Constantinople by Helena the Mother of Constantine the Great then to Milan by Eustorsius Bishop thereof and they have now rested at Colen for above five hundred years being translated from Milan hither by Rainoldus Bishop of Colen in the year 1164. There are also divers other Monuments of Bishops and Noble Persons in Brass and Stone and one in the shape of a Castle with six Towers The Canons of this Church are all Noblemen among whom the Duke of Newburg who ordinarily resides at Dusseldorff about twenty English miles below this City upon the Rhine hath two Sons In a Church dedicated to all the Apostles they shew us a Tomb which being opened by Thieves intending to plunder it the Woman buried in it arose up and went home and lived with her Husband divers years after In one of the Streets is a Tower or rather one Tower upon another which seems to be ancient now made a Prison Upon another Ruine also in the Streets lies a Tomb made out of one Stone of which sort of Tombs there are many in this City and other places but the greatest number of them I ever saw was at Arles in Provence The Senate House is Noble having a fair Tower upon it from whence there is a good prospect over the City Upon the Front of the Senate House is a Man in Basso relievo fighting with a Lyon who as it was related to me was formerly one of the Consuls who having had a contest with some Clergy-men about the Government of the City on a suddain they caused a Lyon to be let in upon him upon which occasion he behaved himself so well as he delivered himself and slew the Lyon The Elector or Archbishop of Colen hath two Places in the City but by agreement between him and the Town he is not to stay here above three days together Only this present Archbishop upon the coming down of the Imperial Forces and his loss of Bonna took Sanctuary here in the Convent of St. Pantaleon where he continued a great while The City is Imperial and Free and yet it doth Homage to the Elector much after this Form We free Citizens of Colen promise to the Archbishop to be faithful and favourable unto him as long as he preserves us in Right and Honour and in our ancient Pivileges Vs our Wives our Children and our City of Colen Most of the City are of the Roman Church and the whole Town so full of Convents Churches Church-men and Reliques that it is not undeservedly styled the Rome of Germany The Lutherans have also a Church within the Walls and the Calvinists at Malheim half a League down the stream on the other side of the Rhine Over against Colen lies Dutz a small Village inhabited chiefly by Jews The Vessels which come out of tho Low-Countries hither are long round bellied and of great burden Near to the Wall of the Town upon the Quay or Key is a kind of Harbour made for them into which they may be drawn and escape the Injuries they would otherwise suffer by the Ice in Winter Besides the rich Clergy there are many wealthy Citizens and Merchants here and they maintain a Traffick and Correspondence with divers Countries especially by the convenience of the Rhine They speak not the best High-dutch but Latin and French are understood by many Divers Hosts in Inns speak Latin and the Servants French which proves a good help unto Travellers It was made an University about the year 1388. Besides the General
of Benedictines which takes place of any other in Austria stands upon a Hill which over-looks the Town the River and the Country about is richly endowed and remarkable for the Monuments of many great Persons and the Tomb of St. Colman much honoured in these parts We dined at Steyn where there is a Bridge over the Danube Near to this lies Crembs another walled Town and over the water Mautern and not far from it the rich Convent of Ketwein After this the River Traisn or Tragisama comes in from the South Having passed by the noted Town St. Pold or St. Hippolitus we lodged this Night at St. Eldorff and the next day passed by Thuln Stockerau and Cloistor Neuburg to Vienna THE DESCRIPTION OF VIENNA VIENNA or Wien which the Turks call Beach is the Chief City of Austria in the Latitude of forty eight Degrees twenty Minutes not much differing from the Latitude of Paris The old Seat of the Dukes of Austria and for a long time of the Emperors of Germany According to ancient account it stands in Pannonia superior the Bounds of Pannonia extending unto Kalemberg or Mons Cetius five or six Miles Westward of Vienna beyond which still Westward all that lies between that Hill and the great River Oenus or Inne which runs into the Danube at Passaw or Castra Batava was anciently called Noriâ—um It was an ancient place of Habitation in the time of the Romans and called Vindobona as the Learned Petrus Lambecius hath at large declared where the Classis Istrica sometimes lay and the tenth German Legion had its station all this shoar or side of the Danube being famous for the Actions of Roman Emperors against the Marcomanni and Quadi who possessed the Country on the other side of the River and especially for the Wars of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Philosophus who notably defeated those Nations and who as Aurelius Vicâ—or who was Governor of Sirmium in Pannonia inâ—erior in the time of Constantius affirms fell sick at Carnuntum now Petronel and died at Vindobona now Vienna And to confirm the Antiquity hereof besides what Wolfgangus Lazius hath delivered not many years since some Antiquities were found For in the year 1662. when a Wall was digged up near the old Palace the Workmen digging still on below the Foundation found a Stone Trough or Coffin containing hard Earth and Bones with a small Gold Coyn a Glass Urn enclosed in a Brass one an Iron Knife like a Sicespita or Knife used about Sacrifices a little Roll or Scroll of pure Gold shut up with a Golden cover at both ends wherein was an Inscription in strange Characters Not far from the Sepulchral Monument were found a Head in Brass a Brazen Patera Lamps Lachrymatories and other Vessels and a Copper Coyn of Antoninus Caracalla The writing in the Golden Scroll which no man could read was conceived by the Learned Lambecius to be the old Pannonian Character and that this might be the Monument of some Pannonian Priest in the days of Caracalla who as good Authors deliver spent some time about these parts It is seated on the South-side of the Danube on the ripa Romana that side nearest to Rome and many Roman Colonies according to the usual position of Roman Stations both upon this River and the Râ—ine as may be exemplified in Colen Bonna Andarnach Coblentz Ments Wormes Spier and Strasburg And in like manner in the old Roman Stations on the South or Roman side of the Danube which were in no small number in or near the Austrian shoar as Carnuntum or Petronel Vischmund or Aquinoctium Ebersdorff or Ala Nova Melck or Ncmale Arlape or Pechlarne Lentia or Lintz for hereby they better secured their Conquests and hindred the incursions of the Barbarians before them It is not seated upon the main stream of the Danube but by a branch thereof for the River running through a low Country it is divided into several Streams and makes many Islands A small River named Wien runs by the East part of this City and enters the Danube below it which upon floods doth often much hurt yet sometimes low and very shallow so as I have stepped over it some will have it to give the Name unto this City it divides part of the Suburbs from it and hath divers Bridges over it For that we may have a distinct apprehension of Vienna we must consider the City and Suburbs thereof the Suburbs are very great and not without fair Houses Gardens Walks and all Accommodations at large The City it self is that walled and fortified part designed not only for convenience of Habitation but also to sustain a Siege or any Attack from the Turk and is now separated from the Suburbs by a fair Esplanade or open Ground above a Musket shot over The Houses near the wall were pulled down since the last Fortification in the Turkish war when they were in some fear that the Turkish Forces about Gran and New-husel would move towards them It is fortified a la moderna with ten Bastions towards the Land and a very deep Ditch into which they can let the Daâ—ube and with two other Bastions towards the water on that part of the River which lies on the North-side of the Town These two latter are called the Works of Gonzaga The Bastions are large upon one of them I saw Count Souches muster a good part of the Militia of the City The Ditch is large and very deep into which although they can let in the River yet it is commonly kept dry lest they might incommode their deep Cellars There are two walls the one old and inward little considerable at present built at first with the ransom of our King Richard the First who in his return from the Holy War was detained Prisoner by the Duke of Austria upon the 20 th of December 1192. The Austrians pretending they had received some affront from the King at Joppa and that he had taken down the Ensign and Banner of Duke Leopold in a contemptuous way The other outward of a great breadth made of Earth and faced with Brick edged with Free-stone so well built as to render this City one of the most considerable fortified places in Europe The Esplanade gently descends from the Town for three hundred Paces there are very few Outworks It is very uncertain who was the first Builder of Vienna and after it had been long built it ran to decay again for Four hundred years together till Henry the First Duke of Austria in the year 1158. did much repair it and the ransom afterwards of King Richard beautified it The whole compass taking in the Suburbs makes a very large Circuit but the City it self which is walled in may be about three miles in Circumference and is exceeding populous as full of People for the bigness of the place as most of the great Cities And I could not but take delight to behold so many Nations in it as Turks Tartars Graecians Transylvanians Sclavonians
met with in one place made me think of Nero's admirable Fish-pond built in the like manner within the Earth We came out again near to a Convent upon the Banks of the River and returned by water to Maestreicht The next day we parted Company Mr. Newton Mr. Ettrick Mr. Grove Mr. Carlton and Mr. Newcomb went for Aken and Colen Mr. Bates and Mr. Daston went up the River again to Liege at which place staying a day or two to find a convenience to pass to Brussels we were nobly entertained at a Dinner with Venison Wild-boar and other Dishes by that worthy Person and Learned Mathematician Franciscus Slusius one of the great Canons of Liege who also continued his high Civilities to us to the last Minute we stayed in Town Leaving Liege we soon came in sight of Tongres or Tungrorum opidum the most ancient place in all these Countries Ortelius would have it to be called of old Atuatuca It was a strong hold before the coming of Julius Caesar into Gaul and was afterwards made a Roman Station and in process of time became so great that Attila the Hun destroyed an hundred Churches in it it being at that time a Bishops See which in the year 498 St. Servasius removed unto Maestreicht Many old Coins and Antiquities are still found here and part of an old Chappel said to be built by St. Maternus Disciple to St. Peter is still remaining When the King of France made his great inroad into the Low-Countries 1672. he borrowed this Town of the Elector of Cologne and then passed on to Maseick where crossing the Country to the Rhine by the sides of these great Rivers Rhine and Maes he made that notable Incursion and quitted not Tongres till he had taken Maestreicht the year following We dined this day at Borchloe and lodged at St. Truyn or St. Truden a handsome little Town so called from a Church and Abbey herein dedicated to that Saint The next day we dined at Tienen or Tilmont on the little River Geet once one of the chief Towns in Brabant but long since decayed In these Plain Countries in many places we saw small Hills or Sepulchral Eminences of the Ground And near unto the Walls of Tienen are three very remarkable ones said to be the Tombs of great Commanders In the Evening we came to Lovain Lovain is the chief City of that quarter of Brabant which comprehendeth Arschot Halen and Judoigne an ancient and large City pleasantly seated upon the River Dele it is of great Circuit and the compass of the wall accounted above four miles about but there are many void Spaces Hills Fields and Gardens within it which makes it very pleasant and delightful There are herein divers good Buildings Convents and Churches the chief whereof is the stately Church of St. Peter the Convent of the Carthusians the Hospital The publick Palace or Senate-house is also Noble It is the great Vniversity of these parts said to have had its beginning about 926. but endowed by John the Fourth Duke of Brabant and confirmed by Pope Martin the Fifth 1425. There are forty three Colleges in it wheâ—eof the four chief are Lilium Falco Callrum Porcus Goropius Becanus a Learned Man and Native of Brussels affirms That no Vniversity in Italy France Germany or Spain is to be compared unto it for its elegant and pleasant Situation The Vniversity is under the Government of a Rector who is in great esteem and honour among them This Vniversity hath produced many Learned Men But neither the Buildings of the Colleges nor their Endowments do equal those of our Vniversities and the Situation thereof seems not to exceed that of Oxford We travelled from hence to Brussels being most part of the way in the sight of the very high Tower of the Church of St. Rombald at Machlin Count Monterei was then Governour of the Low-Countries and resided at Brussels the ordinary Seat of the Governours of the Spanish Netherlands which City he had taken care to fortifie and to make it more tenable if it should be attempted by the French From Brussels we passed to Antwerp where we were handsomely treated by Mr. Wauters and Mr. Hartop and having visited some of our Friends the next day we passed the River Schelde and took Coach in the morning travelling through a fruitful plain flat Country set with rows of Trees in most places and arrived in the evening at Ghent Gaunt Gandavum or Ghent is esteemed to be the greatest City not only of Flanders but of all the Low-Countries and challenges a place amongst the greatest in Europe but at present it decreases and decays rather than encreases And if Charles the Fifth were now alive he could not put Paris into his Gant a greater Glove would not fit that City which is so much increased since his time In Ghent are many noble Convents among which the Jesuites is one of the fairest There is a Cloister also of English Nuns The Cathedral is stately and the Tower belonging to it being very high gives a prospect of a pleasant and fruitful Country round about it There are divers Piazza's large and fair in one of which stands a large gilded Statua of Charles the Fifth Emperor and King of Spain who was born in this City The whole Town is generally well built and the Streets are fair and clean The Inhabitants hereof have been taken notice of to be extreamly given to Sedition and for their sakes a great many other Cities in Europe are punished and have in a manner totally lost their Liberties For the Spaniards to curb the Seditious humour of the People of Ghent were put upon the Invention of building Cittadels in Cities whereby a few Souldiers are able to suppress any Commotion or beat down the Town so that here I saw the first Cittadel that was built in Europe by Charles the Fifth It is not large and the Bastions little and though of a Regular Figure yet not so convenient as those of latter days since that Art hath been improved From Ghent we passed by water about Twenty English miles to Bruges a very elegant large City and formerly a place of very great Trade being within three Leagues of the Sea so that from the tops of their highest Buildings the Ships under Sail are visible and at the same time a Fleet of Ships and a large Territory of a fruitful pleasant Country comes under your eye It is fortified with Works of Earth and deep Ditches The Convents are numerous The artificial Cuts of Water from this Town to all places makes it of easie access and though it hath no Port the Passage from hence to Ostend by water is short And they are at present upon a Design of bringing Ships up to this City Ostend is about Ten English miles from Bruges seated upon the waves of the German Ocean which wash it continually on one side And they have now contrived it so as to let
sharp pointed Sword Who could contrast with such a cunning strong and active combatant Quis Myrmilloni componitur aequimanus Thrax The Thracian fighter would often engage with him and the Retiarius many a time and would come up to him with his Net in his hand singing this Non te peto piscem peto Quid me fugis Galle Another sort of Gladiators were named Samnites whose armour is described by Livy Their shields were inlayed engraven and imbossed with Silver and with Gold One end of their shield with which they guarded their breast was flat broad streight and even the other end next their shoulder was narrower that it might be turned and moved with more ease besides which they had a long strong Sword a Breast-plate a Helmet with Feathers upon the Crest and a Boot upon their left leg These Gladiators were in great request in Campania from whence the Romans learned many of their Amphitheatrical sports and exercises and they fought against the Pinnirapi and the Provocatores Besides these there were others called Dimachaeri who fought with two Swords and others named Laquearii these were dangerous fellows that fought with Sword and Halter and had two ways with them to entangle and destroy their Enemies The Meridiani were a bold desperate Crew who came rushing into the Amphitheater at Noon when the Gladiators had concluded and the Spectators were dismissed and with their drawn Swords ran at one another without Order Art or Armour and scorning to make use of Head-pleces Shields and such like Hindrances and Delays of Death butchered one another presently But that which is still more strange the tender Female Sex was not exampted from these sharp rude exercises Hos inter fremitus novosque lusus Stat Sexus rudis insciusque ferri Et pugnas capit improbus viriles They picked out the most beautiful comely lovely young Women that could be found and put them to School to a Lanista or Master of Defence to be instructed in the Art of Fighting where a tender young Gentlewoman that had scarce strength enough to exercise at a carving School must be fencing every Morning with a great Fellow and be set such rude Lessons as these None of your shifting Gallick play Great Caesar likes the Samnite way Come close strike home and you 'll one day Bear your Foes life and Fame away And if you miss of Victory In graceful postures learn to dye For those who were put to a Lanista in the most severe way were bound to be burnt whipped and fall by the Sword Igne uri virgis caedi ferroque necari Now to see one of these fine young Women fight well dressed with her golden Shield and her fair Plume of Feathers the Emperor himself could not forbear commending and crying out sometimes Well played fair Lady or as Xerxes said when he beheld from a high Hill the Sea-fight at Salamis and Artemisia had sunk one of his own Ships instead of one of the Enemies well fought Queen Artemisia my Women fight like Men and my Men like Women However we have very good Authority to assure us that the Women fought stoutly To see oâ—e of those spruce Dames lay it on Like any right bred raging Amazon You 'd think your self near to fierce Thermodon Credas ad Tanaim ferumque Phasim Thermodenâ—iacas calere turbas And that they generally fought after the manner of the Samnites we may learn from Juvenal where he takes notice what a fine Credit it would be for a man to cry out at a publick Sale of his Wives Goods who gives most for my Wives Boots who bids Money for her Corselet Helmet Gauntlets Quale decus rerum si conjugis auctio fiat Baltheus Manicae Cristae Crurisque sinistri Dimidium tegmen But Domitian the Emperor went still beyond this when he set his Gladiators together in the night and made his Dwarfs fight those little Pygmaean Creatures But we need say no more of them for it may be thought by some that Whether they slew or whether they were slain They'd both make but one Morsel for a Crane And indeed it is high time to leave this omnium Daemonum templum as Tertullian calls it altogether and pass forward to more pleasing objects Parting therefore from Verona in the Morning we travelled through a delightful plain Country 24 Miles and came early in the Afternoon to Mantua Mantua is pleasantly seated in a Lake like to the Description of the situation of the great City Mexico This Lake of about five Miles long is made by the opening of the River Mincius or Mentzo a delightful stream which runs slowly spreads it self wide and bears its name high amongst the noted Floods of this Region Frondentibus humida ripis Colla levant pulcher Ticinus Addua visa Caerulus velox Athesis tardusque meatu Mincius And again Volucres quas excipit amne quieto Mincius This River runs into the Po and rises out of the Lacus Benacus and is so full of Reeds in many places especially near Mantua that I cannot omit Virgil's proper elegant way of mentioning his own Country Rivers Hinc quoque quingentos in se Mezentius armat Quos patre Benaco velatus arundine glaucâ Mincius infesta ducebat in aequora pinu The entrances into Mantua over the lake are made good by strong Causeys of five or six hundred paces long having Draw-bridges at each end and that over which we passed called Ponte di St. Giorgio hath a covered Bridge for a great space together and a Tower in the middle The Ponte de' Molini hath twelve Mills in the Arches called the twelve Apostles which afford the Duke a considerable Revenue The Streets are large strait and clean Here are eight Gates eighteen Parishes and forty Monasteries The Domo or Cathedral is built after the design of Giulio Romano the Roof of which is painted with Azure and Gold in this Church they preserve the Body of St. Anselm Bishop of Luca in the Church of St. Andrew is the Body of St. Longinus the Martyr together with some drops of the Blood of our Saviour which are said to be brought hither by that holy man The Duke's Palace is stately and magnificent and was the best furnished of any in Italy till the Imperial Army plundered it in the time of the Emperor Ferdinand the Second in the year 1630. There are three Suburbs which appear like to so many distinct little Towns Porto Forteze Borgo di St. Giorgio and Il Te. The Duke hath also divers Country Houses as that of Marmirola in the way to Verona which is nobly furnished hath Royal Apartments good Gardens Fountains and Water-works La Favorita is upon the side of the Lake and hath about a hundred Rooms in it La Virgiliana is another pleasant Country House with a Farm adjoyning to it called thus by reason that it is near to the Village of Petola formerly called Andes where Virgil
his modesty as Suetonius relates it and unwillingness to seize upon and continue so great an Empire with the hazard of so many brave mens lives that served him and therefore early in the morning after a draught of cold water he stabbed himself with a dagger under the left Pap in the ninety fifth day of his reign and the thirty eight year of his life This town hath at present about three or four thousand Inhabitants and a good Garrison belonging to the Duke of Modena it being near to the state of Milan Mantua and Parma The Spanish Troops under the command of the Marquiss of Carracena attempted to surprize it in the year 1655 but were repulsed by the Duke of Modena's forces Having passed Briscello we crossed the River Nicia now Lenza and soon came to Parma The Dukedom of Parma is guarded by the Apennine mountains and divers Rivers and is a very fruitful Country affording plenty of excellent wines and some good Muscatelli fruits of various sorts rich pastures plenty of Cattel the best Cheese in Italy great store of Chestnuts and Tartufali Truffes Tubera terrae Roots without Stems or Plants growing from them which they hunt after with a pig which smells them out and discovers where they are these are a great dish in Italy and though they seem to have no great nourishment in them are esteemed to be provocative And besides these this Country affords some mines of Copper and Silver and very fine Wool Velleribus primis Apulia Parma secundis Nobilis The City of Parma is very ancient inhabited long since by the Tuscans then by the Boii next by the Romans a Colony being sent hither from Rome about a hundred and eighty two years before the coming of our Saviour and another in the time of Augustus Caesar But upon the declining of the Roman Empire it ran through divers fortunes served sometimes Venice and sometimes Milan till it was conquered by Pope Julius the second and given by Paul the third to his Son Petro Luigi Farnese about a hundred and thirty five years since in whose Family it still continues It is a Delightful Airy well seated City the Houses being low the Streets broad and the River Parma running between the City and the Suburbs both of which are well fortified with good Bastions and a broad Ditch It hath three handsom bridges over the River The Duke's Palace is splendid his Coaches extremely rich his Gardens worth the seeing with the Grotto's Fountains Water-works and Bows of Orange Trees The lodgings are furnished with excellent pictures vessels of Porphyry A gath and Jaspis The Cathedral is fair and stately In the Capucines Church is the tomb of Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma one of the greatest commanders of his time and of his Dutchess Maria of Portugal The Church of St. John is large and beautiful and adorned with the paintings of those great Masters Corregio and Parmegiano and the Benedictin Convent adjoyning is one of the largest and fairest of the order This City was formerly besieged for two years together by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa who in hopes to make himself Master of it built another Town near to it called Victoria but those of Parma behaved themselves so stoutly that they freed themselves and ruined his new Town of Victory From Parma we went to Fornovo ten miles from thence seated upon the swift River Taro and rendred remarkable by the battel gained here by Charles the eight King of France against the confederate Princes of Italy in the year 1494 in hisre turn from the conquest of Naples The River Taro is a remarkable River which runs and plays about the plains before it falls into the Po and is very swift although it be not streight but notably winding and turning At first sight I conjectured that it would prove a troublesome River when it was shut up between the Hills and so we found it for as soon as we had left the open spacious plain Country in which we had travelled with pleasure from Padoa hither and had got in between the spurs of the Apennine and entered the Val di Taro the valley in which this River runs we were forced to travel many times inconveniently upon the sides of the hills on the right hand and on the left and furthermore to cross the River it self above forty times and in one passage one Gentlemans Mule fell down with him in the middle of the River but after we came past Borgo di Valle the River was less and we turned more to the right hand and climbed up the Apennine Mountains Borgo or Borgo di Valle is a walled Town at the upper end of this valley upon the side of the hills where we shew our bills of health and where the Duke of Parma keeps a Garrison The Banditi appearing in these parts the day before the Governor sent a guard of Musqueteers with us to convoy us with safety over the hills into the State of Genoa The Apennine is a row of Mountains of many hundred miles long beginning at the Alpes continued from one end of Italy to the other and ending by Reggio or Rhegium upon the Sicilian Sea and in some places are more than a hundred miles broad and by this means take up the greatest part of Italy and render it a Mountainous Country and though there be many valleys between yet the hills do really reach and extend themselves from the Tyrrhene to the Adriatick from the lower to the upper sea conformable to the description of them by Lucan Hinc Tyrrhena vado frangentes aequora Pisae Illinc Dalmaticis obnoxia fluclibus Ancon And this makes the travelling in Italy to be generally on Horseback or upon Mules whereas in France one may travel five hundred miles together in Coaches and in Germany all over the Country and if it were not for Campania foelix and the great continued plain Country between the Alpes and Apennine Italy could never make good the high Character it has Ovid mentions the Airy Alpes and cloudy Apennine and most Mountains have clouds about them and in the evening the Clouds floating in the Air after Sun set slip away towards the next high hills and take up their rest in the hollow spaces of the Mountains and when the Sun rises next day and warms the Air the clouds dislodge again rise up and wander through the Skies but the Apennines are more cloudy generally than other hills whether for having the Seas on both sides of them or for other reasons I leave to the more accurate searchers into nature to judge and we have travelled for many days together in the Countries of the Apennine Mountains with the Clouds continually about us either a little over us under us or passing through them not without admirable variety of prospect and from the top of a Mountain to see a valley with Houses and Towns in it and then the clouds creeping over the next hill to