Pleasant NANTS Is less than Anger 's but rather better Biult Nants they have an old Castle litile worth which with suitable Walls is all their Fortification In the Carmelites Church there is a Tomb of Francis the 2 d. Duke of Bretagne wrought by Mich. Colombus which has many Figures about it and all perfect the Country is flat and woody stands near the Sea and upon the Loire but its principal Trade is Brandy near the Town the Prince of Conde has a House which has a good Prospect ROCHEL Is less than Nants has two or three Rochel Streets built with low Arches under which are all their Trades-men like an Exchange and excepting those and some few Houses the Town is very ordinary not having one good Church The Harbour is little and too shallow at flowing water for any Ship of burthen it has towards the Sea two Block-houses for its defence which is in effect all its Fortification 'T is almost all Hugenots and their principal Trade Salt The Country from Nants thither something resembling England being Enclosure and Pastorage excepting a Fen of seaven Leagues next Rochel the Sheep very remarkable being most black with white foreheads and tayles ROCHFORT The place where the King builds Rochfort and lays up his lightest Ships of 40 50 60 and 70. Guns the Charante a little dirty River or rather Ditch not so large as Puddle-dock being the Harbour wherein they ride and so shallow as well as narrow that they cannot sail with their Guns in them at the mouth of it is a little Fort and by the side of it is a fine Store-house built of Free-stone the length of 20. Ships with several Appartments for such a number which lye every one over against their own dressing-room and have their Terrible Names upon black Marble in Golden letters over every door The Country thereabouts Marshy and bad BLAYE A great old Castle upon the River Giron Blaye the use of it to examine such Ships as pass to Bourdeaux and the place where the English Trading for Wine were to leave their Guns with this River two Leagues nearer Bourdeaux the Garonne and Dordogne joyn all which are muddy and troubled as a Torrent or Land-flood BOURDEAUX Stands upon the Garonne a River Bourdeaux more like Earth than Water being near the Sea is there very broad It has one good Street with two or three good Houses in it the rest of the Town narrow and ill built It has 12. Parishes but never a good Church is govern'd by a Mayor and six Jurats or Aldermen is an Arch-Bishops Seat and has a Parliament Close to it stands a new Cittadel call'd Chasteau Trompette design'd more to awe the City than defend it which makes the Inhabitants hate the name of it 't is very regular and beautiful has two Ditches within the outwardmost is conveniencies for Horse and in the other for Foot The Country about it is a flat cover'd with Vines their sole Trade Wine which scarce any but the English buys POITIERS A stragling ill Scituated Town low Poitiers Marshy ground about it and no good Water in it the circuit of the Walls shews it has been larger much than it is the best Building is the Church of St. Peter by Harry the 2 d. King of England 't is a Bishops Seat and govern'd by a Mayor CADILLIAC A little infignificant Wall'd Town Cadilliac but the Duke of Espernons House there is not much inferior to that of Richelieu being of the same sort of Building and has a better Scituation has finer Gardens and Orengery but the dispute by his Nephews about the Title makes it very much out of Repair AGEN A Wall'd Town stands upon the Garonne Agen. neither well built large nor otherwise considerable only that Scalligers House is there to be seen and is a Bishops Seat on the side of a Hill near it is the Habitation of five Hermits who have very good Appartments hewn out of the solid Rock as also a Church in which is a Spring that does wonders produc'd there by the Tears of a Female Saint 13000. years agoe the Father that shew'd it me has been there 45. years and is the most Devout most Reverend and most Simple Old Man I have seen from hence is easily discerned the Pyrenees and a Country both fertile and pleasant MONTAUBAN A little Town pretty well built Montauban the Market place has all the Houses upon Arches and under them their Shops in one part of it is a publick Fountain which no Town else in France can boast nor so good Wine and Provisions 't is a Bishops Seat but consists most of Hugenots TOULOUSE Stands on a flat is not bigger than Toulouse Rouen but esteemed the second City of France is generally built of a pale soft brick and so are the Churches which might be demolished by scratching it has divers Monasteries and some very large a fine Town-house and at the West-end a very good bridge almost equal to Pontneuf but the River under it not to be prais'd in the Summer The Soyl is so hot that in three months the Dead are dryed and taken up again and put into Vaults where they may be Visited It has an Arch-Bishop and a Court of Parliament who glory in the priviledge of raising such money as the King requires themselves and not to have the Officers of the Taille among them It swarms with Lawyers and is Poorer than any other part of France yet the Country from Bourdeaux thither the most fertile of the Kingdom lying between two Rivers and two ridges of Hills CARCASSONNE Is in two parts both distinctly Carcassonne Wall'd call'd the Citty and the Town but neither of them worth notice nor yet the Castle the Country here is stony and barren and about this Town are the first Olive-Trees I found NARBONNE Is the Frontier Town to Spain Narbonne stands low and unhealthfully but pretty well Fortified is an Arch-Bishops Seat whose House is the best there it has some pieces of Bridges Aquaduets c. remaining of the ancient Romans has no River but a cut out of the Aude BEZIERS Has a Scituation upon a little Hill and Beziers the little River Orb by it with a pretty good Bridge over it the Country still Barren but full of Olive-Trees which here either breed or some way draw a Quicksilver to their roots that in time destroys them MONTPELIER Is one of the best built Towns Montpelier in France though one of the least all of Stone and most of it uniform but the Streets insufferably narrow it stands on the side of a little Hill so that coming from Toulouse all the Towns is seen every House appear one behind another is Wall'd and has a little Cittadel built about 40. years agoe something like Chasteau Trompette has Physick-Schools and Garden and at some certain times the Apothecaries make the famous Confection of Alkermes in the
for yet greater Ornament the Roof is adorn'd with Pinacles to approach the Door there are two ascents of Marble Diamond cut on the last a little gilded jette d'eau and in each corner at the setting on of the wings two gilded Vollerys or Cages stuck against the Wall like Martins Nests It affords not above three Appartments the Kings the Queens and Dauphins has some rich Furniture and much painting but his Majestys Bed-Chamber is most Bizzare being meubl'd principally with Purslain which it has in greater quantity and variety than any Potters Shop in Europe adjoyning to this and the Queens Appartment is a Terrase pav'd with Marble supported with Pillars and a Bason in the mid'st of it The Garden is very large and being a continued descent from the House makes that side of it to appear higher and more beautiful has many Fountains Basons Statues and great Walks with tall Trees and Hedges at the lower end a Canal in which is a Yacht with all her Rigging The King and all the Court enjoy the pleasure of it in their Coaches the Deep-loose Sand rendring it not agreeable to walk in The Ministers and Nobility have Houses set at some distance on a piece of ground waste like Common TRIANO half a mile from Versailles stands a Triano very fine Summer-House with Walks and Statues almost as beautiful as the other the Roof all cover'd with Purslain Pots or their Counterfeits within furnish'd with Pictures and paved with Marble REGALIO At the bottom of one of the great Regalio shady Walks was an Amphitheatre made of Boughs and Flowers wherein was conceal'd three sets of Musick with which the King did entertain the Ladys In another open part of the Garden amongst the Fountains was an infinit number of Trees set with their branches full of Candles in the mid'st of them a Table with a Machine upon it whereon was most artificially hung all manner of Fruit as if it were natural with branches leaves c. In the middle of it abundance of Wax-Candles and round about the bottom places for dishes and covers COUNTRY Towards Orleans has several agreeable Country Hills with pretty Houses on them and two or three wall'd Towns not much inferior to those upon the Loire ORLEANS Is large ill built ill paved not one Orleans good House or Gentleman living in it and yet has about forty Churches it stands on the River Loire which is very broad and beautiful but very shallow its chiefest Trade is Wine and Corn the Fortifications gone to ruin AMBOIS A little wretched Wall'd Town remarkable Ambois for a Staggs horn kill'd by Francis the First in the Forrest of Ardenne which are fifteen foot high his ribs they show seaven foot long and of a prodigious thickness and the joynt of his neck which is a solid bone is a foot diameter all kept in the old ruinous Castle there in which there is nothing else to be observ'd but a winding Stair-case made for Coaches to run up 35. fathoms to the Chambers the Prospect of the Country from it is extream pleasant the River very large which having forsaken his old Channel has there two stone Bridges BLOIS Has nothing good in it but its Scituation Blois MARMOUSTIER A large Abby wherein is kept Marmoustier the St. Ampoule that anointed Henry the Fourth it ebbs and flows with the Moon and was sent from Heaven to cure St. Martins Legg which the Devil made him break by stealing away the Stair-case from his Chamber now a pretty Marble Chappel on the side of the Church they also show a vast Tunn wherein he kept his Wine which probably was the Friend that stole away the Stairs TOURS Is not near so big as Orleans though Tours pretty large the Houses are most of them cover'd with blew slate as well on the sides as roofe the Streets narrow the best Church St. Gratian built by the English and has the Windows painted as if they were Enamell'd by the Rampart is a long Walk or Maille well set with Trees It had a Castle but now Ruins along the River-side is a Rock under which there are infinit numbers of Burroughs of People like those of Coneys the Trade is Spinning Weaving and ordering of Silks it is an Arch Bishops Seat the Scituation in that part of the Country which they call the Garden of France SAUMURE A little Wall'd Town under a Hill Saumure close by the Loire not bigger than Windsor-Castle the Walls very clean and free from Buildings In the Subburbs which is much larger than the Town is a pretty new Cloister of Nostre dame d'Ardilliers wherein is every day wrought Miracles From the brow of the Hill on which stands an old Ruinous Castle there is a Prospect of a Country something like that about Windsor it has abundance of Hugenots and their Churches as in other Citys without the Walls and Subsists by being a School to Germans and English In the Road to Richelieu are two eminent Convents 2 Convents of the Order of St. Benoist of Men and Women remarkable in that the Men are subject to the Women and receive their Orders from them the Lady Abbess is Sister to Madam Montespan and in her Chappel lye two Kings of England Bury'd who were Benefactors to it Henry the Second and Richard Cordelyon RICHELIEU The famous Pallace of Richelieu Richelieu is much less and much lower Scituated than Audlyend has a Mote about it and a Canal at 50. yards distance again from that which with several Cutts and Ditches go a second time round it in breadth it is a single House has but one chief Court the Stables and Offices plac'd on each hand in the approach to it the Chambers are pretty square Rooms but their Roofs all too low which their heavy Timbers make to appear worse there is great store of carved work on the Chimneys Doors and Joice and much French painting on the Ceelings The Park exceeds the Garden being very fine in its kind has some Stags in it a thing so rare in France that they wonder at them there as Monsters Near to this Pallace is a Town built by the same Cardinal and exactly Uniform Wall'd and Moted too it consists of one Street and two broad places at each end whereof the one is a Market but is so desolate and poor that one would suspect the Plague were in it Anger 's Stands upon the Main a River that runs Anger 's into the Loire and almost as fair 't is Wall'd ill built not large has an old Castle almost ruinous which is yet a Garrison and they show in it a Cage of wood in a Dungeon wherein was formerly kept Prisoner a Queen of Scicily 21. years it has a very good Maille set with double rows of Trees on each side near as long as that in St. James's Park not far from it a little Forrest the Country about it low yet Wooded Fertile and
Belvedere miles which tumbles down in Cascata's and other infinit forms seaven several times the side of the Hill being cut into so many ascents and plains three of these Fountains are met in so many several Stories before the Pallace and the other four in the same manner above it two of the uppermost being rustick with great store of Trees are of all the rest the most agreeable but from that call'd the Theatre which is a sumptuous wall with Balustres and Statues on the top and Niches for those of Atlas Polyphemus Hercules c. on the sides is imitated Rain Hail Snow and Thunder which may be heard four miles and the same water makes Organs play Horns winde and in a Room called the Hall of Apollo he with all his Muses on Mont Barnassus joyn in Concert That of Ludovisa has many of the same Ornaments Villa Ludovisia and Fountains amongst the rest in a thick Grove of Trees a noble Bason enclos'd with marble Balustres out of every Rail of which runs a thread of Water besides the great one in the mid'st and lesser about it Much bigger and of more State than either of the Villa Montedragoni former is that of Montedragoni has the same Prospects such like Water works fine Gardens Fountains a Park c. The approaches to it through long walks set with Lawrel-Trees and Hedges TIVOLI Stands yet higher than Frescati and a Tivoli little further from Rome but has the Prospect of it and the Compagna beyond it Here is the Grand Cascata or Cattaract of the River Aniene or Teverone which falls with that Violence that it makes a Mist for a great distance round about on the corner of a Hill by it is the Ruins of a Temple wherein Sibilla Tiburtina was ador'd and under it the Grotta where she lived Here also is the Pallace and famous Garden belonging Villa d'Este now to the Duke of Modena which is larger has better Prospect more Fountains greater Variety of Water-works Grotta's c. than any other Villa whatsoever besides the Models it has of old Rome where are most of the Temples and publick Buildings according to their ancient Figures In the Rode to it runs the little stinking Nitrous River Albula River Albula which though not much bigger than New-River is yet sufficient to Poyson a Country About Twelve miles from Rome is a Summer Castel Gandolfo House of the Popes but has nothing but its Scituation considerable stands on a Hill has a Lake like a great Fish-pond by it and a View of Rome before it VELETRI Is a little pretty Town in it is the Veletri Statue of Urban the 8th and the Pallace and large â—arden of Ginetti the Walks all set with Lawrel-Hedges and in them Lawrel-Trees which look with great round tops and streight Stocks like Orange-Trees In the the most shady parts there are some thicker than my middle and tall as Elmes and being on the side of a Hill has a fine Prospect of the Campagna TARACINA Has nothing now remarkable but the Taracina Ruins of an old Temple FUNDI Is the first Town in the Kingdom of Naples Fundi and having been since the time of the Romans burnt has nothing in it more worth Notice MOLA Is a little Town by the Sea side where Mola Cicero had a Villa and his several Grotta's with Fountains in the sollid Rock divers Archt Vaults with his place of Burial are still remaining the Garden close by the Sea and now full of tall Orange-Trees GAETA Is a little Town and Castle on a Promontary Gaeta that stands in the Sea joynd to main Land only by a little neck Here is kept the body of the famous Bourbon and is shown the Rock that split at our Saviour's Passion In the open Fields without any House or other Amphitheatre Ruine than of an Aquaduct stands the remains of an Amphitheatre near a fine River which was anciently the Scituation of the Town Minturna Here an open fertile Country begins to show it self the way from Rome thus far being full of Hills with nevertheless some fruitful Valleys and those Mountains cover'd with Figgs Olives Orange-Trees Sage Rosemary c. CAPUA Is a little insignificant Town and two Capua miles distant now from the place where that great City stood of which there is no other remains but the Ruins of an Amphitheatre and some pieces of such other publique Structures here is the entrance on the Campagna felice which all the way to Naples is a Garden something like Lombardy but in all respects finer NAPLES Has one end next the Mediterranean Naples like a Crescent as Genoa's middle stands and the rest of it oblong backward from it Beyond the little neck of Sea is Mont Vesuvius and a range of some other barren Mountains behind it a Semicircle of fruitful Hills and on the other side the delicious Campagna The Houses in general are well built of Stone high well-glaz'd and flat-roof'd to walk upon the Streets admirably paved and some of them very large has some very great Piazza's many Pallaces fine Gardens Fountains and the best Churches of any City in the World On a Hill that over-looks it is the Castle of St. Ermo Castel St. Ermo cut out of the solid Rock into that form Near that is the rare Carthusian Monastery which Carthusian Monastery has a Prospect as good if not better than Greenwich The Town the Sea the Country Islands and Promontories at a very great distance the Cloister is of white polish'd Marble with Pillars and Balustres of the same and in the mid'st of the Quadrangle Hedges of Oranges c. The Church Chappels and Sacristy are yet much finer being not only Marble but richly gilded and painted the Floors admirably paved with squares of white and red and the great quantity and great pieces of Plate as remarkable as the rest St. Paolo was anciently ths Temple of Castor and St. Paolo Pollux as the noble Portico great Pillars Architrave c. with the Greek Inscription still remaining showes 'T is now Dedicate to St. Peter and St. Paul under whose Statues lies two Truncks which they make the Vulgar believe were the Statues of the first Patrons and that the Voyces of these Apostles made them to tumble down the Walls and Pillars of this Church are cover'd with Silver Vewes the Roof rarely painted and gilded The Anunciata is very stately the Roof Cupola c. Anunciata painted and gilded as the former In the Treasury are vast Figures Vessels c. of Silver In the Sacristy they show the two Infants of Bethlemme with their Wounds c. Adjoyning is the great and well-endow'd Hospital which maintains near 3000. Poor The Jesuits is a noble Structure the best of the Order Il Giesu S. Maria Nuova Olivietani c. fine and rich in all respects as the others so is that of S
Country Dance was ever better perform'd not the least mistake or error happening all the time The Soveraignty is in the Grand Councel which Government consists of all the other Councels and Magistrates next in the Senate or Pregadi the Colledge the Councel of Ten the Quarante Criminale c. The Grand Councel having the Supream power confers Grand Councel Dignities makes Laws Creates Magistrates and all the other Councels and into it no Noble Venetian can enter before the Age of 25. years except by Balloting for it and then if it be his lot he may sit at 20. The Pregadi are the body of the Senate so called Pregadi from being pray'd to come to Councel has now an addition of 60. more called the Giunto and admits besides the Colledge the Concillij Criminali the Councel of Tenn and some other Magistrates in all to the number of 276. who Vote by little soft Balls like Buttons white and yellow put into a Box devided of the same colours which takes away all fear of making Enemies and prevents Cabals and Factions To these are belonging 24. Secretaries 12. attending the others with Embassadors The Colledge consists of the Doge and six Councellors Colledge together stiled the Sig ria and the eldest of them in the Doges absence supplies his place so that business has no delay There sits likewise three Capi of the Quarante Criminale which represent that Councel six Savij Grandi five di Terra Ferma and five Savij alli Ordini which last are young men plac'd there only to Learn These receive Petitions open Letters give Audience to publick Ministers c. but no positive Answers those depending on the Senate Embrs. Aud. At the Entrance of Embassadors into this Colledge they all rise up and are bare except the Doge who is so only to Cardinals and Princes on whose right hand they are afterwards plac'd The Doge is chosen by all the Nobility of above Doge thirty years old by Ballotting several ways for Electors and then they again for others varying so often to prevent Factions The Duke when Elected has no Soveraignty but in Name the honour of a Throne his Mantle and fantastick Crown yet to make him something esteem'd they allow all Letters to be directed to him Money Coyn'd and Dispatches Sign'd by him but no Guards least he should make himself more considerable His constant Revenue but 100. Zecchins a week and his Children and Brothers deprived th' enjoying any great charge in the State during his Life he himself not being permitted to go out of Venice without Leave and is then without any power The Councel of Tenn now increas'd to the number Councel of Tenn of Seaventeen besides the Duke and his six Councellors Elected of different Families without the least affinity or Alliance are Judges of Treasons and all Criminal matters of highest importance and Instituted for a check upon the Nobilli These chuse amongst themselves Inquisitors three Inquisitors of State who serve by turns have power to enquire against the Doge himself and every slight suspicion is sufficient to Banish Imprison or punish with Death without mercy any that reveal their secrets or Usurp any of the publick Treasure or Revenue not regarding the doing an Injustice to particulars for the publick good The 40 Criminale is form'd most of the Nobilli too Quaranta Criminale of which sort of Council there are two more of a second Rank or Poorer Nobillity instituted that none might be discontented but every one might have his share in the Government The one is called Civil Vecchia the other Civil Nuova The first for Appeals from the City the latter from the Country and they sit in Senate by turns every sixteen Moneths which Change is practis'd in the Senate it self the Councel of Tenn and in all other Offices and Magistrates except the Chancellor The People by that means in a little space being freed from Oppression and ill Governours if such should chance to be Elected Besides so many Councels prevents the Altering of the Government which from a few might easier succeed and sooner dispatch Business The Six Savij Grandi are a kind of Ministers of State who every day after Councel consult together Savij Grandi of that Dayes Business and once a Week carry what is Ripe to the Senate and being Men of great Experience their Preparation prevents the Confusion that would arise from so many Opinions the Ignorant being ever the greatest Number in all Assemblies The Savij di Terra Ferma are inferior to the Former 5 Savij di Terra Ferma can give their Votes in the Colledge but not in the Senate And of these are chosen the Savio Cassiere and the Savio alla Scrittura the first provides and disburses the Money the other has the Superintendance of the Militia The Procuratorij ought to be but Nine but are now Procuratorij Thirty six encreased by their Necessities in the Warr of Candia then selling these Honours for 20000 Duccats a piece but as they dye will come to their first Institution The Dignity is esteem'd very great for having the doors of the Senate always open to them and freed from being sent Embassadors except in extraordinary yet this Office nevertheless is void of all power not having the liberty to enter either into the Grand Councel or that of Tenn but is purely Church-warden and without any other Authority than what relates to the Church of St. Mark the having a care of Orphans c. Citizens are admitted to have several Charges one Grand Chancellor of the Principal is made Grand Chancellor with the Title of Ex câ— Ducal habit and the priviledge to enter into Senate Councels c. where he may give his Opinion but not Vote his allowance 3000. Duccats a year and worth 10000. more is the only place that is for term of Life and esteem'd the best in the Republique They have also three Avogadors a sort of Attorney Avogadors General which to make more fierce and keen are allow'd good part of the Estates Confiscated The several Providitori c. because too tedious I omit but 't is to be observ'd that no man is suffer'd to enjoy two places be they never so inconsiderable and the Nobility must run through the most inferior employments before they can possess those that are desirable by which means they arrive at the great ones when they are in riper years and fitter to manage them and the small ones are not despised for if any refuse the charge he is Elected to he is fined 2000. Duccats and Banish'd the Grand Counsel for two years The noble Families with those added in the War of Number of Nobility Candia are about 220. and before that to conceal their small number and take away emulation they gave leave to Secretaries Lawyers Physicians and Notaries to wear their habits which they still continue They are