reporteth that their battell seemed rather to consist of Giants than of ordinary Souldiers Neither hath any Nation ever dealt more at adventure or hath used more boldnesse and blinde fury than the Portugals whose voyages beyond the Cape of Good-Hope and the Straights of Sinca-Pura their conquests of Ormus of Goa of Malacca and the Moluccos the defence of Cochin of Diu of Chaul and of Goa are more true and commendable than in reason likely to have prospered Military valour now is usually increased by some such like means as these First by using them to the wars Secondly by treating them like free men not like slaves Thirdly by inuring them to Arts manly Fourthly by appointing military rewards and honours for the souldiery When people are inured to the warres it takes away the horrour and hideous feare of it and makes it but a kinde of trade to the followers who desire it to live by it One of our lusty ploughmen of mid England would at fifty-cuffes or cudgels soundly beclowt a Hollander but yet for that he never saw men with iron faces he durst as well take a sheet of an hedge as come within the cracke of a pistoll whereas t is usuall for the Bores of Holland some with firelocks some with Loapestaves to make out parties of foot to goe a-bootehaling and even to set upon the horse of the enemie And all this is because the Englishman is not used to it and the Hollander is For the same reason there is much difference betwixt the same people in time of warre and after a long and effeminating peace That felt Hannibals souldiers after their long and lazie quarter in Capua Before Da'lvaes comming into the Low-Countries to provoke the Hollanders there was not a more simple cullion in the world than a Dutchman and now no where a braver man and what hath effeminated our English but a long difuse of armes Finally though in a hard battell there would appeare a great deale of difference betwixt an old beaten souldier who had seene men die familiarly even the sight of bloud making men fierce and fearelesse and a man of our traine bands of London yet surely would the Londoner much sooner prove fit for a battell than the unexperienced country-man even for that little use which he hath had of his Armes in the Artillery garden and Military yard of such force is use and custome to the increase of military valour Most requisite it is that what people a Prince would make valiant he should use freely and not like slaves A Nation overlaid with taxes will never prove military In France therefore where the peasant is but the day-labourer for his Land-lord the Monsieur and never suffered to eat good bit to weare good ragge or scarce to lay up a quart-deseue at the years end the Prince does not much trust to the Enfantery which is made up of this slavish people Inforced impositions mightily abate peoples love and courages and the blessing of Iudah and Issachar will never meet That the same people should prove the Lions whelpe which is used like an Asse betweene two burthens But where the yeoman or husbandman may eat what he breeds spend what he earnes and have the benefit of the Law against the best gentleman of the Country there are they fit for an helmet And all this is in England in no Nation under heaven does the common man live so freely or dares spend so frankly no where so free minds or so able bodies Three other usages have we had in England which have kept our people in spirit and valour One was the tenure of Knights service by vertue of which when the Lord of the Mannor was called to serve the King he drew his Tenants after him who would not budge a foot but live and die with their Land-lord and Captaine for if they proved cowards to their Land-lord how should they looke his sonne in the face and how disgraced should they be at their returne into their owne Country Thus proved we victorious in France The second usage was perfected by King Henry the seventh which was to reduce the Farmes and houses of husbandry to a standard assigning such a proportion of land to each as might breed a subject to live in a convenient plenty neither with so much as should effeminate him into the ease of a gentleman nor with so little as should discourage him with beggery The third usage was the frequency of Serving-men and Retainers who before that the sinne of drunkennesse had overflowed their gals and courages were no whit for valour and service inferiour to the Yeomanrie All these being kept in freedome were maintained in courage able and willing to serve both their Prince and Country A third thing necessary to breed courage in a Nation is if other reasons of State will beare it that there be more addicted to arts manly than unto sedentary and within-doores occupations Such I mean as require the strength of the backe and brawne of the arme rather than the finenestle of the braine or finger Some have thought that the multitudes of Monkes and Friers would if need were be a great strengthening to the Papacie and fight hard for their Grandfire of Rome But most assuredly those cage-birds have no military minds at all When Rome was beleagred by the Duke of Burbon in Charles the fifth his time and taken too not a Frier came to the rescue The Kings of England have sometimes made bold with the treasure of the Monasteries but never thought their persons serviceable Had they beene martiall-minded such multitudes would never have suffered themselves to be turned out of their warme nests in King Henry the eighths time without stroke striking And surely the taking in of the Dutch and Waltons into our Cities of England was more out of charity than policie for they being all given to neat and delicate manufactures may seeme rather to bring riches than strength to the kingdome Nor have our Kings hitherto tryed any of them in their souldierie Studious delicate and sedentary arts are not fit for armes t is the whip the plough-stafte the slayle the hammer and the hatchet that breeds the lusty souldier that makes able bodies and couragious spirits Another great maintainer of courage is the invention and worthy bestowing of military honours and rewards after the service is done The Romanes had their Triumphs and Ovations their Garlands and their Donatives to inhearten their souldiers Orders of Knighthood were also invented for this purpose But what 's all this to the common Souldier who hath no reward assigned untill he be lame and that a little from the Treasurer As for releefe in an hospitall a serving-man can make better meanes to get into it than a poore souldier after twenty or thirty years service This is a discouragement But nothing so bad as the Spaniards whose practice hath beene for these many ages to reward most of his great Captaines
Which done they flie to the mountaines and in despight of any forces continue unsubjected howsoever unpunished And therefore since I have deciphered the persons let me in a word advise thee of their properties that is to take heed of the pride of Spaine the poyson of Italy the treason of France and the drinke of Flanders Beware of company and let not rash trust in friendship produce matter of fruitlesse repentance Remember that Damon and Pithias Pilades and Orestes are all dead or else it is but a dead story Nature alters like humours and complexions every minute of an houre And should I not speake too much to the worlds shame I would advise thee to thinke that there is no one man faithfull to another in the world And therefore in this dangerous age since every man is neerest and onely neere unto himselfe and hee is held the onely wise man who hath the world at most command let no man so presume of his owne sufficiency as to neglect the benefit of counsell Take a young man for thy companion rather than for thy friend The world affordeth but one Phenix and let not any man be so conceited as to thinke to finde him in his owne imagination Serve God with devotion and then care not for the devils illusion When thou returnest from these forren men and forren places resolve then also to leave their forren manners First come home to thy selfe and then fashion thy carriage thy apparell thy studies thy conscience and thy conversation to the best patterne of the place from whence at first with good intent thou began'st thy pilgrimage So shall the remembrance of thy travell be pleasant the profit infinite and thy returne an ornament to King and Country THE SECOND BOOKE Of Europe The Commendations Bounds Religions and Languages of it IT now remaineth that I beginne to tell you how according to our best and latest Cosmographers this great Globe for parts and parcels whereof so great and universall quarrels have from the beginning beene entertained amongst Princes Peoples and Nations hath beene divided into seven parts The first three whereof viz. Europe Africa and Asia were knowne to the Ancients The fourth is America Septentrionalis containing the Provinces of Estotilant Terra de Labrador Terra de Biccaleos Nova Francia Norimbega Florida Nova Hispania and others The fifth is America Meridionalis which is a peneinsula and disjoyned from the former by a small Isthmus or necke of Land containing the Regions of Brasil Tisnada Caribana Peguana and Peruvia The sixt is termed Terra Australis wherein lieth Psitaicorum regio Terra del feugo Beach Lucach and Maletur situate betweene Iava major and Iava minor The last being under the Northerne Pole is the least of the residue all almost unknowne and divided by Mercator upon a meere fabulous report of one that was never there into foure Islands lying in a manner under the very Pole This part hath not hitherto beene discovered the neerest approach that any man of Europe ever yet made to the North Pole was by one Marmaduke who in a ship of Hull arrived in 82. degrees that is no neerer than within 8. whole degrees of the Pole mountaines of Ice keeping him from discovering further Of all these seven parts because Europe is farrelesse than any of the rest and yet exceedeth them all in Noblenesse Magnificence multitude of people in might puissance and renowne we will first beginne with the description thereof It is bounded on the North with the North Ocean Sea on the South with the Mediterranean on the East with the floud Tanais and on the West with the West Ocean It containeth more than foure and twenty Christian Kingdomes at this day as farre excelling the residue of the Provinces in Religion Arts Valour and Civilitie as in elder age it did surpasse them in Prowesse and Reputation The principall Provinces are Spaine France Belgia Germany Italy Sclavonia Greece Hungary Poland Lituania Moscovia and that toward the North called Scandia wherein are Denmarke Norwey Swethland Iutland c. The Islands are Brittaine containing the Kingdomes of England and Scotland Ireland Island and Engroneland in the North Ocean In the Mediterranean are Sicilie Candia Corsica Sardinia Majorca Minorca Nigropont Malta Corsu Salamine Mitâ—lene Sciros with many other in the Archipelago The aire hereof is passing good wholesome temperate and soile exceeding fertile Therein are many goodly Cities famous Mart-Townes and learned Vniversities The people thereof have in all ages excelled all other Regions in Courage Arts sharpnesse of Wit and all other gifts of Nature In times past it commanded Asia and Afrike by the Armes of the Greeks and Romans and at this day it is of great force by the power of the Turks and Muscovites and of no lesse reputation by the Navigations of the English Dutch Spaniards and Portugals so as it seemeth that Nature hath given unto this people a precedency to rule and governe forren Provinces as men farre surpassing all other Nations in wisdome courage industry and invention This least and best part of the greater portions of the world was so named of Europa daughter of Agenor King of Phoenicia brought into these parts by Iupiter in honour of whom the Phoenicians being the first Navigators and discoverers of these countries might as well leave her name to all their new discoveries the habits manners and languages of these parts especially at those times being all one or not much different as the Turks Aethiopians and all those of the East call us by one name of Franks and the Kingdomes of France England Spaine Germanies c. are in the histories of the warres of the Holy Land all together called the Kingdome of the Franks our Languages the Franke tongue and our Religion the Franks Religion The figure of Europe is fancied to resemble a Queene and so is she indeed of all the world her Princes having some dominion or other in all parts of the world and they none in her The Crowne and Head of this Queene is Spaine her Necke must bee that part of France under the Pyrenaean mountaines her Brest France it selfe her Armes Italy and Brittaine her Belly Germany her Navell Bohemia the rest of her Body hidden under her lower garments are Denmarke Sweden Lituania Prussia Poland Hungaria Dalmatia Grecia Moldavia Tartary and Muscovia This Queene at this day commands 28 Kingdomes all gathered up by three Emperours the German Turke and Muscovite and eight Kings France England and Spaine hereditarie Bohemia Hungaria Poland Denmarke and Sweden elective Princes States and Common-wealths in Italy and the Germanies many and potent some one of them Venice or the Low Countries by name too hard a match for the most potent Prince of Asia or Africa could they but come at him For Riches we have the most usefull and substantiall for goodly Cities Italy alone hath more than Asia Africa and America all together if other parts have any fortified townes thye here saw
Kings of England doe elect their Magistrates and Officers as the Cities and townes of England doe In England the ancientest Earles of Ireland do give precedency to the Earleâ— of England for that they have no voice in the Parliament of England neither hath the Nobility of England any voyce or prerogative in the Parliaments of Ireland so Irishmen borne are denizens by birth in England and may beare Office and inherit lands in England as experience teacheth without charters of denization as Englishmen are and doe in Ireland And so Irishmen pay onely such customes and duties in England as Englishmen doe and ought The Wards of the Nobilitie are disposed of by the King and of inferiour persons by the Viceroy and certaine of the Councell there according to their Commission Even so titles of honours lands and offices are usually granted by the Kings of England under the great seale of England or Ireland according to pleasure The incivility wherewith this so goodly a kingdome hath beene much branded hath chiefly arisen from want of education and learning And secondly for that the Country aboundeth with idle men having no trade whereupon to live which onely abuse hath incouraged rebellion the Ring-leaders not doubting to bee followed by these swarmes of dissolute persons ready to take armes upon any occasion for desire of spoile But verily sithence that now of late the King of Peace and Pietic hath wiped away all distrust of former neglects by his continuall industry to plant Religion and Arts to re-people the wasted Provinces and to extirpate the innated idlenesse of the worst bred Irish there is no question under God to be made but that this beautifull Island being so neere a neighbour so fruitfull in soile so rich in pasture more than credible beset with so many woods inriched with so many Minerals watred with so many Rivers invironed with so many Havens lying fit and commodious for Navigation into most wealthy Countries will in time prove profitable to the Church advantagâ—ous to the Prince pleasing to the Inhabitants and comparable to any the best and civillest kingdomes of the Christian Common-weale Great Brittaine THe whole Island of Brittaine once divided now re-united under the name of the kingdome of Great Brittaine is an Island situated in the maine Ocean over against France and divided into foure great Provinces The first whereof the Englishmen doe inhabit the second the Scots the third the Welshmen and the last the Cornishmen Every one of those doe differ from other either in language in manners or in customes England so termed of the Englishmen the Inhabitants thereof is by much the greater and goodlier portion and divided into nine and twenty Provinces which they terme Shires Of the which ten doe make the prime part of the Kingdome and inclining towards the South have their existence betweene the Thames and the Sea Next as farre as the Trent which runneth thorow the middest of England are sixteene other Shires proportioned whereof the first six lie towards the East and the other ten lie more to the Inland other six border upon Wales and are bounded towards the West About the heart of the Kingdome lie Darbishire Yorkeshire Lancashire and Cumberland And upon the left hand inclining towards the West Westmerland Vpon the contrary side lie Durham and Northumberland Provinces opposed to the North and sometime appertaining to the Crowne of Scotland These Shires are two wayes divided first into six circuits parted among the Iudges who twice a yeare goe over them for the holding of Assises Secondly into two Archbishopricks Canterbury who hath two and twenty Bishoprickes under his Province and Yorke who hath three in his These are by the Grecians termed Dioceses and take their denominations from the Cities wherein the Bishops have their Seas the chiefe whereof is London and was once the seat of an Archbishop now translated unto Canterbury This prime part upon the East and the South is bounded with the Ocean upon the West with Wales and Cornwall upon the North with Tweed the bounder also of England and Scotland At this River of Tweed endeth the length thereof which being accounted to beginne at the Shore which lieth most Southerly is from thence reckoned to containe about three hundred and twenty miles On this side the Humber it is accounted the fertilest for corne beyond mountainous but excellent for herbage For albeit to one that beholdeth it afarre off it seemeth all champiâ—n notwithstanding it hath many hils and those for the most part destitute of wood as also most pleasant vallies wherein especially the Gentlemen have their mansions who according to their old customes dwell not in Townes but approach the Vallies and Rivers and inhabit the Villages as I thinke the better to avoid the furie of tempestuous winds whereunto the Island is sometime subject Wherby it commeth to passe that the Yeomen conversing with the Gentry doe in every place savour of some good fashion and the Vpland Cities are the lesse famoused The land generally is exceeding fertile and plentifull in beasts whereby it commeth to passe that the English people are more addicted unto Grazing than unto Tillage so that almost the third part of the soile is reserved rather for Cattell Deere Conies and Goats a for of this sort also there is great store in Wales And in every Shire you shall see Parkes impaled and Forrests replenished with these beasts in the hunting whereof the Nobility and Gentry doe much delight there being more Parks in England than in all Europe besides For provision of the Inhabitants neither is it lesse stored with corne wilde fowle and fish so that for plenty goodnesse and sweetnesse it needeth neither the helpe of France no nor of any neighbour-bordering Country Among other things the flesh especially of their Swine Oxen and Veales have the best rellish of any part of Christendome and of Fish their Pike and Oysters It bringeth not forth Mules nor Asses but of Horse for pace the best in the world and of those infinite proportions for service running and coursing The wealth hereof consisteth in the never-decaying Mines of Tinue and Lead of Copper Iron and Coales On the Downes groweth a small and tender kinde of grasse neither dunged nor watred with spring or river but in Winter nourished with the moisture of the aire and in Summer with the dew of Heaven which is so gratefull and pleasing to the Sheepe that it causeth them to beare fleeces of singular goodnesse and exceeding finenesse The Island breedeth no Wolves nor any other ravening beast and therefore these their flockes wander night and day by Hils Dales and Fields as well inclosed as common without feare or danger Most delicate Cloths are woven of this Wooll which from thence are transported in great abundance into Germany Poland Denmarke Sweveland Italy Turkie and the Indies where they are in high request There grow all sorts of pulse great store of Saffron yea infinite quantities of
Inhabitants saith Camden are warlike the soile gratefull to the Ploughman and well replenished with pastures It hath in it six and thirty Villages Hamlets and Castles in Beda's time twelve hundred families Iarsey lying over against Constans an ancient Citie of Normandy containeth about thirty miles in circuit and is environed with Rocks and dangerous Shallowes It is very fruitfull in fruit and cattell in plenty of fish and by reason of their many Orchards abounding with that kinde of wine which the English call Sider In stead of wood which the Iland wanteth they make their fewell of Sea-weed dried in the Sunne and growing so thicke upon the Rocks that a farre off a Sea-man would judge them to be whole Acres of Copice With the ashes hereof they manure their grounds It containeth twelve Parishes Garnsey is twenty miles distant from Iâ—rsey somewhat lesse and nothing so fruitfull It nourisheth no venomous creature as doth the former It is better fortified by nature and from the tops of the broken Rocks wherewith it is incircled doe the Lapidaries and Glasiers fetch that most hard stone where with they cut their Iewels and Glasse The Haven likewise is more secure and safe for shipping and Merchants especially at the harbour of S. Peter where by ancient privileges of the Kings of England saith Camden is continuall truce be the warre never so open and furious betweene the French and the English For in these times may the Merchants of either Nation resort without wrong or danger They want wood likewise and therefore either use the foresaid weed for fewell or Sea-coles brought out of England France FRance hath beene much larger than now it is as of old containing Switzerland Piedmont and Lumbardy beyond the Alps and on this side extending to the banks of Rhine yea the Wallon Countries were then reckoned unto France and some others which later Geographers have laid unto Germany France as now it is is on the North bounded with Lou-Germany a strait imaginary line in stead of a better bounder being drawne from Calais all along beyond Lorraigne within a league of Zaverne in Alsatia three or foure leagues short of Strasburg on the left and North side of which line lie Flanders the Wallons of Hannow and Luxemburg and on the right side Picardy part of Champaigne and Lorraine on the North-west it is washed with the Brittish Ocean on the West with the Sea of Aquitaine on the South it is thwarted by the Pyrenean Mountaines which part it from Spaine being toward the East lickt with the Mediterranean Sea On the fuâ—l East doe the Alps divide 〈◊〉 from Italie being on this side trenched upon by that part of Germany which lies betweene it and the Rhine which was the old bounder of this kingdome And this is the accuratest limitation It lies under the Northerne temperate Zone within the 13. and 19. Parallels The latitude beginning about the middle of the fifth Climate where the longest day is fifteene houres and extending to the middle of the eighth where the longest day is sixteene houres and an halfe In longitude it taketh up all those Meridians which are betwixt the fifteenth and the nineteenth There is no Country in the world better situate than that of France for it participateth of the Climate both hot and cold It is in length from Bologne to Marseilles two hundred leagues after the rate of three English miles a league and in breadth from Mount S. Bernard to S. Iohn de Luze as much for it is holden by some Authors to be of figure quadrate which notwithstanding Bodin denieth avowing it to be in forme of a Lozenge with whom La Nove consenteth measuring it thus From Calais to Narbone North and South it is two hundred leagues from Rochel to Lions West and East it is 120. leagues from Mets to Bayon North-East and South-West it is two hundred leagues and from Morley in Bretagny to Antibe in Province North-West and South-East it is as much True it is that many places within this compasse are not holden of the King as Avignon and what else the Pope hath Toul Verdun and Mets are holden of the Empire and Cambray of the house of Austrich in like case of protection as Constance in Swisserland Virich in the Low-Countries and Vienna in Austria and as Lucca and Genoua in Italy are protected by the King of Spaine so doe Lorraine also and Savoy hold of the Empire As contrarily there be places out of this circuit which notwithstanding hold of this Crowne in right and owe him fealty and homage as the Spaniard for the Counties of Flanders and Arâ—oâ—s which he hath ever since the time of Francis the first denied to render The divers Provinces of the Country are very many the chiefe are these Picardy Normandy I le of France Beauois Bretaigne Anjou Maine Poictou Lymosin Zantonge Champaigne Berry Salogne Auvergne Nivernois Lyonnois Charrolois Bourbonois Dolphein Provence Languedocke Tourraine and Burgundy The thing of best note in each of these is their singular Commodities and fruits where with they are blessed for the sustenance of the Inhabiter Insomuch that as they say of Lombardy that it is the Garden of Italy so may we truly say of France that it is the Garden of Europe Picardy Normandâ— and Languedocke are goodly Countries of Corne as any in Christendome All the Inland Countries are full of Wine Fruits and Graine in some great store of Wood in others of Flax in others of Mines of Salt in others of Iron Insomuch as one saith All things necessary for mans life overâ—low there in such abundance that in counterchange onely of the Corne Wine Salt and Wood transported into forren Countries there is yearely brought into France twelve hundred thousand pounds sterling And another no lesse approved and as well practised in the state of France saith The springs of Salt Wine and Corne are not to be drawne drie In which place he complaineth that the Kings of France were wont in times past to helpe their need with sales of wood which are now of late yeares so spoiled as France shall shortly be forced to have their Lard from other Countries as also wood to build and burne a complaint which I have often heard in England Other Provinces have also their especiall commodities wherin they excell their neighbours as in â—â—â—nosin the best Beeves about Orleans the best Wines in Auvâ—rgne the best Swine in Berry the best Muttons where there is such store as thereof they have a Proverbe when they would tax a fellow for his notable lying that tels of a greater number than the truth they say â—ie there be not so many Sheepe in Berrie They partake also in Sea Commodities as upon the coast of Picardy where the share is sandy they have store of flat fish upon the coast of Normandy and Guyen where it is Rockie Fish of the Rocke as the French call them and upon the coast of Bretaigne where it is muddy store
people Besides these publike Receptacles we have private and goodly Colleges for Lawyers fitted for their private and publike uses receit of their Clients conveniently appropriated to their Offices All workes rather of oftentation amongst our selves than of imitation in others In stead of obscure Churches we have first the goodliest heape of stones namely Pauls next the most curious viz. Westminster Abby in the world and generally all out Churches exceed for beauty and handsomnesse In stead of Gentlemen riding on durty foot-cloaths and women footing it in the mierie streets the one with an idle Lackey the other with no company at all we have fashionable attendance handsome comely passage either in Carosse Coach or on horsebacke and our Ladies and Gentlewomen are never seene abroad without an honourable retinue In stead of confused intermixtures of all sorts as Citizens Lawyers Schollers Gentlemen Tradesmen and Religious persons so that you can scarcely know the one from the other nor the master from the man in London the Citizen lives in the best order with very few houses of Gentlemen interposed But in our suburbs the Nobility and Gentry have so many and such stately buildings that one side of the River may compare with the gran Canale at Venice but if you examine their receit and capacity Venice and all the Cities of Europe must submit to truth for in London and the places adjoyning five hundred severall houses may beare the attribute of Palaces wherein five thousand persons may conveniently be lodged In stead of a poore Provost and a disorderly company of Merchants and Tradesmen we have a Podesta or Maior that keepeth a Prince-like house accompanied and attended with grave and respective Senators and comely Citizens having severall Hals where every craft and mystery is governed by ancient persons of the same society and profession At time of yeare producing such solemne and rich triumphs that strangers have admired the brave spirits of Mechanicall men To conclude if you looke on and in our London truly as it is composed of men following trades and occupations there is not such a Citie such a Government such a method of conversation such an unity of society and good neighbourhood such a glasse to see lovelinesse and beauty in such a chamber of wealth and such a store-house of terrestriall blessings under the Sunne againe Or if you please to view it without at all times and yet consider the keeping of our Country houses you may boldly say There are not so many Gentlemen to be seene in any place nor to so good purpose generally for speaking somewhat liberally like an Orator of Contentation I aske if the pleasures of Paris can bring you into walkes of such variety with so little charge and expence as London can Surely no. And with us our riding of horses musicke learning of all Arts and Sciences dancing fencing seeing of comedies or enterludes banquets maskes mummeries lotteries feasts ordinary meetings and all the singularities of mans inventions to satisfie delight are easie expences and a little judgement with experience will manage a very meane estate to wade through the current of pleasure yea although it should runne unto voluptuousnesse But shall I dare to speake of our Court the map of Majesty in respect whereof Biron compared all others to confusion If I doe for stately attendance dutifull service plentifull fare orderly tables resort of Nobles beauty of Ladies bravery of Gentry concourse of civill people princely pastimes and all things befitting the Majesty of a King or glory of a Nation I may say for England as the King of France once answered the Emperours tedious Title France France France and nothing but France So England England England and nothing but England to their proudest comparisons Affirming that if ever Countrey Kingdome or Prince came neere Salomons royalty plenty peace and beatitude England and in England London hath the preheminence Besides the Cities and Ports of France well fortified there be also infinite numbers of Castles Cittadels which the people call The nests of Tyrants and the Prince Chastivillains Of the Castles the number is therefore most great and as uncertaine by reason that every Noblemans house of any age is built in defensible manner An example of one for many hundreds you may take that of Roch-fort belonging to the Seigneur de la Tremouville which in the civill warres endured a siege and five thousand Cannon shot and yet was not taken It is judged by the wisest that in great Kingdomes such as France no places should bee fortified but the frontiers after the example of Nature who armeth the heads and heeles of beasts but never the bowels nor middle part as in England where except frontier places none but his Majestie have fortified places You must understand that here in France all Inhabitants of Cities are liable to the common charges of the fortification of their Cities reparations of Bridges Fountaines High-waies such like And because the richer sort should not levie the money and then keepe it to themselves or imploy it as they list they must give information to the Chancellor of the necessity of the Levie and procure Letters Patents for the same by authority whereof they gather the money and use it yeelding after to the Kings Procurer their account And for their Watch and Ward it goes by course as in the City of Embden and divers other in those low countries As for Castles the Seigneur or Captaine may not force Vassall faire le guet to watch and ward except in frontier places upon forfeiting of their estates After this generall Survey of the Country it selfe wee must observe something of the government wherein I will not trouble you with fetching their first Pedigree from beyond the Moone as many of theâ—r Histories labour nor by disputing the matter whether it bee true or no that they came from Troy into the marishes of Maeotis whence after some small abode they were chased by the Roman Emperour into Bavaria and after into Frankeland in Germany It shall suffice that from hence this people came into France wherein all Writers agree For after the declination of the Roman Empire when the Ostrogothes conquered Italy the Visigothes Spaine and the Vandals Affrike then did the Burgundians and Franconians divide this Country betweene them conquering it upon the old Inquilines the Gaules who from Caesars time till then had not tasted the force of a forren power The Government was under Dukes till the yeare 420. when as Pharamond caused himselfe to bee intituled King In this race it remained till 751. when Pepin suppressed his M. Chilpericke and usurped His line lasted till 988. when Hugh Capet gave the checke to the succession of Charlemaignes line who was Pepins sonne and invested himselfe with the Diadem From him it hath lineally descended by heires males to the house of Valois and for want of issue malâ— in them is now come to
and in Armes the State being disarmed not looking for any such innovation So the Barbarians subdued the Empire of Rome The Arabians the Empire of the East of Aegypt and of Spaine Charles the eighth King of France gained Italy The Portugals India The Castilians the new world and Soliman the Kingdome of Hungary The division of the neighbouring States either into Common-wealths or into petty Seigniories and those of small power gave courage to the Romans to make themselves Lords of Italy and made an easie passage for the Venetians into Lumbardy This also made the attempt of Thusian light unto the Florentines and no lesse that of Barbary to the Castilians which they would have found very hard of either the one or the other had expected them with armed forces The variance and jarring of the adjoyning Princes did open the way to the Turks to enter so farre into Christendome and with little trouble to invest himselfe of many kingdomes therein So Amurath the third presuming upon the civill discords of the Princes of the bloud Royall of Persia made that attempt with great advantage So againe the Persian upon the difference of the Scrivano and the Bashawes of Syria hath resumed the advantage and accordingly prospered Neither doth the whole mischiefe arise out of these intestine jarres onely but in all factions one part will be sure to intreat the aid of some forren Prince against the other than which no man can have a better occasion because then he commeth armed into the owners house at his owne request So the Romans set foot in Sicil being cald in by the Mamertines In Greece by the Athenians In Numidia by the sonnes of Micipsa In Provence by the Marsilians In France by the Hedui and so from time to time by divers others So Amurath the first King of Turks got hold in Europe being requested in aid by the Emperour of the East being then in warre with the Princes of Greece So Soliman in Hungarie being intreated by Queene Isabel and afterwards by King Iohn So the Aragons in the kingdome of Naples being drawne thither by Queene Ioane the second and so Henry the second King of France made himselfe Lord of three great Cities of the Empire Often hath it beene seene that he that is now called in as a friend does after prove an enemie and if one party in a civill warre cals in a forren arbitrator both parties cannot get him out againe But another no lesse successefull opportunity hath also beene made use of and that by way of marriage By apprehending the opportunity of a marriage were the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster and the two kingdomes of England and Scotland united But no Prince hath made so great advantage of marriage as the Spaniard The match of Ferdinand and Elizabeth was the very foundation of their greatnesse By marriages were the severall Provinces of the Low Countries united all which fell to Spaines at a clap Finally for this advantage hath the house of Spaine three times purchased dispensations from Rome for incestuous marriages and more they intended too Charles the fifth Emperour was solemnly contracted to our Queene Mary and Philip the second King of Spaine sonne to the said Emperour both wedded and bedded her nay upon strong appearances suspected it then was that King Philips curtesies to Queene Elizabeth were for his owne ends that if Queene Mary should die without issue he might marrie her also which he afterwards attempted by the Count de Feria promising to obtaine a dispensation so should England have beene laid to Spaine and what should then have hindred his Monarchie Now besides those advantages of humane policie and strength before mentioned God himselfe hath reserved a power at his owne disposing in the giving away of victories and in the cutting short or inlargement of Empire And to this end hath ordained these naturall Agencies and Assistances of Seas Rivers Mountaines Marishes Wildernesses and the sandie Desarts By these helps he the weake to hedge and ditch out their incroaching neighbours and by granting the mastership over these to another Nation he can at pleasure scourge the rebellion or unthankfulnesse of those people whom before he defended by them And of these helps of nature something will we say and in their order And first for the benefit of the Sea Concerning the profits of Merchandize both for importing and exporting of commodities I will not here speake though even that tends so much to the inrichment and augmentation of the honour of the State that in all treaties of warre and peace I see that the articles concerning traffike are sometimes two thirds of the treatie for so were they I am sure in that politike and nice-driven negotiation of the peace betwixt England and Spaine in the beginning of the Reigne of King Iames the Lord Treasurer Cecil Northampton and the greatest Sages of the kingdome being Commissioners on our partie and the best pates of Spaine for theirs but here I will onely treat of the Sea as of a Soveraigne friend and bulwarke to that Nation that is neerliest situated unto it and a maine helpe towards the keeping or inlargement of dominion The Poets you know made a God of Neptune that obtained the soveraingty of the Sea as well as of him that had the government of the Land and truly to be Lord of the narrow Seas and to enjoy a royalty That the ships of all Nations shall strike faile to one of the Kings ships is none of the least honours and to bee master of the Sea is more of it selfe than a pettie Monarchie He that is so indeed may give the law as well as he that is master of the field The Sea-fight at Actium was it that made Augustus Caesar sole Emperour of the world and Pompey learned it of old Themistocles that he that had the best Navy would in the end prove the Conquerour The victory that the Christians got at Lepanto so arrested the inâ—â—â—aching of the Turkish greatnesse that they have done little upon Chirstendome never since I mention not 88. nor that the resistance that the Hollanders have beene able to make against the greatest Monarch of the world proceeds meerly from the advantage they have of him by their commodious situation upon the Sea and by having more havens and ships than he This certainly will prove true that if ever the Monarchie of Spaine be broken it must be by Sea even by the Fleets of England and Holland and that know the Counsellours of the Emperour and Spaine well enough who to make themselves masters of some good ports have supplied their defect of a Navy by a chargeable land army For what thinke you else should be the designe of Monsieur Tilly but to take the Sea by Land to make his master Lord of Stoad Hamborrough Luckstadt with other Hansee townes and the Sowndt of Denmarke and what makes the Emperour who yet had never greater vessel than a Punt or Yaugh upon the
the first patternes Vniversities indowed we onely have Our Armes and Navigations have made us Lords of the Vniverse Our Arts mechanicke are incomparable And all these hath God Almightie blessed with the seat of the Christian Religion among us Europe is much inlarged to the Northward since Ptolomees time The bounds are best seene in the map the length of it is about 3600. Italian miles the breadth 2200. miles The Religions are such as are professed in severall nations either by toleration as the Iewish by the Turke Emperour Pole Pope Venetian and Amsterdam or the Heathen in some remoter parts of Lapland Finland and Norwey where they are rather Witches than Christians Religions established by command are first Mahometisme under the Turke Secondly the Greeks religion in the same parts and in Russia Thirdly the Romish in Spaine Italy France Poland most of the dominions of the Emperour and other Princes of Germanie the Walâ—â—ns and Archduchesse Countries Fourthly the reformed Churches and they follow the doctrine either of the Scriptures Fathers and Councels according to their puâ—â—ty as in England or else have they a relation to the opinions of Doctor Luther as those of Sweden Denmarke the dominions of the Electors of Saxony Brandenburgh and divers others of Germany or of Master Calvin as in France especially the Palatinate Hessenland and Low Countries Calvinisme is also received in Hungaria and Transilvania where there be many reliques withall of Antitrinitarians Arrians Ebionites and Anabaptists Lower likewise in five of the thirteene Cantons of Helvetia and amongst the Grisons doe the Calvinists professe publikely In Bohemia Moâ—avia Silesia c. the Protestants of the Augustane confession were esteemed two third parts Of these severall Churches though some follow the Augustane confession as the Lutherans some the Helvetian as the Switzâ—â—s some the Gallicane as the Calvinists yet all of them agree in the fundamentall and saving points and all accord in their detestation of the Roman as is to bee seene in the Harmony of Confessions Of the Languages of Europe Scaliger finds eleven mother tongues the foure noblest of which be the Greeke Latine Sclavonian and Dutch each subdivided into her daughter-dialects â—â—e learned Greeke is no where vulgarly spoken at this day The moderne is nothing but a barbarous composition of Turkish Sclavonian and Italian with the old Greeke corrupted The Latine worne also out of vulgar use is degenerated into the Italian Spanish and French all which three were anciently called Romanse The Sclavonian is a large a stately tongue it hath these dialects the Bohemian Russian Polonian 〈◊〉 Windish and the Dalmatian The Characters be of two kindes the ancient called the Dalmatian and the Russian letter corrupted from the Greekish These Sclavonian dialects and tongues doe differ yet not so much as the Italian and Spanish The worst of the foure best is the German tongue and that varied into the high and Low Dutch as also into the Saxish Frisâ—an English North-Albing and the Danish which last is variously spoken by the Danes of Denmarke Sweden and Norway whence the Island speech also commeth if these two last be not the ancient Gothish The other seven of meaner elegancie are first the Albanian spoken by the Epirotes Secondly the Tartarian Thirdly the Hungarian brought out of Asia by the Hâ—nnes Fourthly the Finns and Laplanders speech in the North of Sweden Fifthly the Irish. Sixthly the Welsh whose worth being most expressively significant and having beene the language of the ancient Celtae and â—oken in the most part of Europe could not be valued because not understood by the learned Scaliger Dialects if this but much varied are our Cornish and that of Brittaigne in France Seventhly The Biscaigners inhibiting for seven dayes journey on both sides the Pyreâ—â—â— mountaines T is the reliques of the ancient Spanish before it was altered by the Latine Scaliger never heard of the Monks language spoken by ours of the I le of Man the most of which is surely derived from the Irish. The Wallons also of the Low Countries have a French dialect scarce to be understood by a peasant about Paris Ireland THis kingdome by the English Spanish and French is tearmed Irland or Ireland by the Brittish Yuerdhon by the Inhabitants Eryn According to the Celestiall Globe it is situated betweene the Artike Circle and the Tropike of Cancer but neerer the Artike containing in Latitude foure degrees and an halfe and according to the computation of our late Writers betweene the twentie and the 25. Paralels In the South parts their longest day is of sixteene houres with three fourths In the Northerne of almost eighteene According to the Terrestriall it stands between the greater Brittanie and Spaine on the East disjoyned from England wich a tempestuous sea termed Hibernicum not above one dayes sailing upon the West beateth the vast Ocean upon the North where the Deucalidon Ocean disgorgeth it hath Island disjoyned no further than a ship in one day may saile unto upon the South it beholdeth Spaine distant three dayes sailing and the Vergivian Sea From South to North it representeth an Ovall forme and by halfe is lesse than Brittanie Amongst many writers Camden whom a man may best relie upon reporteth that it containeth 400. miles in length and in breadth 200. The aire hereof is most wholsome the situation milde the weather temperate but not altogether good to ripen fruit For neither in Summer season the heat is so parching that it driveth the Inhabitant to seeke the shade neither the cold in Winter so rigorous but that he may well live from the fire side By the influence of the aire all parts of the yeare are tolerably warme It bringeth forth no venomous creature neither nourisheth any brought from other places The quality of the soile and constellation of the Heavens is moist with the most whereupon it commeth to passe that both inhabitants and strangers are troubled with the flix and Rheumes and holpen or prevented with drinking Aqua-vitae The Land is of divers Natures in some place rough and mountainous in others boggie and waterish shadowed with huge woods and exposed to the winds with intermixture of many great Lakes Yea in the ridge of their highest hils mountaines indeed I cannot terme them you shall find pooles marishes It hath goodly havens and delectable plaines but neither comparable to the woods for largenesse nor greennesse It is generally fertile except Vlster which in some parts is fertile in othersome barren And Conaght which in times past through idlenesse hath beene lesse manured than any other Country is fuller of hils and bogges and for the greatest portion woody The hils swarme with cattell and sheepe from whence they reape plenty of butter cheese and milke The wheat thereof is small and short and those vines which they cherish serve rather for shade than profit For in those countries the sunne entring into Virgo causeth cold gales to blow and in Autumne the' after-noones heat is so faint
and short that it cannot ripen the clusters of the vine It bringeth forth a race of excellent horse fit for journies in regard of their ambling paces but not commendable for indurance It breedeth the injurious Wolfe and the Fox as also all other creatures tame and gentle necessary for life but of lesser growth except the Grey-hound Almost all the woods are replenished with Deere and those so fat that they can frant runne for fatnesse with Bores Hares in great abundance Goats Fallow-Deere Hedg-Hogges and Moales are seldome seene but Mice infinite it aboundeth also with Falcons Merlins Eagles Cranes and in the Northerly parts with Swannes Storks are very rarely heard of thorow the whole Island but such as are there found are blacke Pies and Nightingales are altogether wanting By reason of the Sea their famous Rivers and spacious Lakes it is served with most excellent Fish and that peculiar to this Island onely For to let passe many other in Vlster the Ban being a most faire and cleare water and arising out of the Lake of Eaugh is the most plentifull River for Salmon that is to be found thorowout all Europe For plenty and varietie the like is to be reported of Sineus and Erno a Lake by Camdens report thirty miles long and fifteene broad Report saith that this was once a delicate plot of ground and well inhabited but for the bestiall abuse of the people it was suddenly swallowed in the waters And to prove this true men say that in faire seasons the Turrets and tops of houses are in the bottome to bee discerned The Island became subject to the Crowne of England about the yeare of our Lord 1175. Henry the second then reigning At what time Roderic King of Conaght intituling himselfe King of Ireland inforced the residue of those petty Roytelets to crave assistance of the King of England under whose protection they voluntarily yeelded their obeysance It hath fifty Bishopricks whereof Armach is a Primacy and Metropolitan of the whole Island Cassils is another Archbishopricke authorized by Pope Eugenius and hath under it nine suffragan Bishops Dublin is another and Toam another It is divided into foure Provinces viz. Leynster which Eastward respecteth EnglaÌ„d Mounster which lieth towards France Southward Conaght exposed to the West And Vlster situated in the Northerly part of the Island Some adde a fifth placed in the middest and terme it Meath Every one now is subdivided into Counties and each Countie into Baronies and hundreds and every Barony into Parishes consisting of Manors Townes and Villages after the manner of England â— That parcell of territorie which anciently was termed the Pale is about the quantity of Yorke-shire in England and is a Country at this day inhabited by Noblemen and Gentlemen descended of Engliâ—â— race being civill men and have continued their obediencâ— to the Crowne of England and retained their English language since the first conquest This people doe commonly marry within themselves and not with the meere Irish who could never in their sundry rebellions draw the said inhabitants to joyne with them by flattery or expell them by force The first Colonies planted therein were composed of worthy and noble Englishmen and especially seated in Dublin and other Cities and borough townes thorowout the Realme whose progeny having the mannagement of the affaires of the kingdome subdued by degrees the greatest part of the Irish and brought them under subjection to the Crowne of England And so long as they and their posterity were imployed as principall Officers in time of warre and peace being men throughly informed of all passages within the Kingdome and acquainted with the dispositions of the people the Realme was worthily governed and duly increased in civility and yeelded some profit to the crowne without charge Other English Colonies at sundry times have there beene since planted and especially by our late and moderne Soveraignes in the Provinces of Mounster and Vlster by the name of Vndertakers whereupon it groweth that the Realme is now inhabited with English and Irish descended of English race and with the meere and ancient Irishmen unto whose Nobilitie and Gentry the sir-names of Mac or O are commonly added Vpon the Conquest Henry the second established the lawes of England then being divided into kinds viz. the Common law as that the elder should inherit his fathers lands and Custome law that by the particular custome of Manors and Townes lands should be divided by the custome of Gavelkinde amongst all his sonnes or that the youngest sonne onely should inherit the same by the custome of Borough-English whereunto is to bee added a third viz. the Statute law He and his successors held the possession thereof with 〈◊〉 soveraigne royalty and kingly prerogatives by the nâ—me of Lords of Ireland untill the day of king Henry the eighth who by act of Parliament was acknowledged intituled and entred King of the said kingdome and so continueth it unto this day being governed as a distinct kingdome by a Lieutenant for Authority Traine Furniture Provision c. farre surpassing any Deputation thorowout Christendome wherein Courts of Parliament are have there beene held conâ—â—sting of the three Estates of the kingdome in the same forme as is used in England by commission from the King under the great seale of England authorizing the Viceroy or Deputie to summon a parliament there and to give the Royall assent unto such acts as are agreed upon in that Parliament wherein the King and his Councell of Estate of England are to bee informed by certificate under the great seale of Ireland by force of a Statute made in Ireland in the tenth yeare of Henry the seventh And after the kings allowance the bils to be enacted and propounded in the Parliament there So the Lord Deputy by force of the said Commission gives the Kings royall assent to such acts as are agreed upon in the said Parliament there So as I said before Ireland is not onely governed by the Common lawes of England by certaine ancient customes of that realme and this and by divers statutes here and there also upon occasion enacted but also the like Courts and formes of Iustice are there according to the said lawes used and administred And also the Iudiciall records are made in Latine and the Iudges and Lawyers doe plead in English as is accustomed in England For the studying of which Lawes the Irish Gentlemen doe send their sonnes to the Innes of Court in England being alwayes such as are descended of English race and not of meere Irish who are allowed to practise in England after they are called to the Barre as Englishmen are also allowed to practise in Ireland Neither the Nobility nor Commons of Ireland have any suffrage in the election of the Viceroy or blazing of Soveraigne Magistrates but all is done by the King and such as are especially authorized And the inhabitants of Cities and Borough-townes in Ireland by their charters which they have from the
to his children and kinsfolkes to reward servants or to countenance followers with libertie of civill conversation of comely burials and mourning for the dead of rejoycings at mariages of honest and friendly visitations and harmlesse recreation where every man eateth under his owne Vine and doth what seemeth good in his owne eyes so it tend not to scandall Then let mee be bold to shew him the noble Kingdome of England which to approve I intend by way of comparison wherein most of our Gentrie are well acquainted to make good what I thinke without offence may be truly avouched And first wee will begin with those Countries of which wee have only knowledge by way of traffike and so travell into Russia and Aethiopia But there alas to say nothing of the government the sole load-starre of goodnesse and happinesse the two extremities of heat and cold debarre both Plentie and Abundance from unloading their laps amongst the Inhabitants comparable to our happinesse and satisfaction As for their government and uniformitie of a Common-wealth the name of Emperours only excepted there is nothing worthy observation more than the tyrannous controlling of Lawes and the immediate prostitution of all sorts to the imperious will of the prevailer nor in truth have they temple palace wisdome peace or tranquillitie such as Royaltie or good government intendeth but both Empires especially Russia have suffered many convulsions from ambitious Vsurpers and unworthy Princes who have traiterously supplanted one another and by indirect courses brought the subject into the house of slaughter which undoubtedly is the maine reason why they cannot come neere magnificence provision in house-keeping navie multitude of Princes Nobles or subjects with the equality of obedience to advance a true Scepter or to manifest the glory of a king by the flourishing condition of all estates In a word their Cities and Townes are subject to such bestiality and confusion that they seeme rather routed troopes of deformity than men orderly disposed to the mannagement of affaires either of commerce or of Noble trade And so in all other particulars there is a meere disparity betweene them and our proposition Shall we come neerer home and with prying eyes like the Censors of Rome looke into the Empire of Germany there the Princes are so absolute and the Emperour so timorous to raigne as Asueroth did from India to Aethiopia over 127. Provinces that neither the Queene of Saba will come to heare his wisdome nor to view the order of his Palace neither will the King of Arabia send him presents nor the Confederates admire his magnificence The Merchant will not bring him horse and fine linnen from remote places nor supply his wants according to the prerogative of Kings Nor are the Cities ordered by the appointment of his Ministers nor can he send his chariots to this place nor his horse-men to that nor his Army whither he lists nor fill the streets of Ierusalem when he would solemnize a Passeover for the people live divided and the Burger boasteth of his policie in manumitting themselves and giving their Townes the usurpation of chiefe commandery as for the having of many commodities tending either to necessity or pleasure alas the commutation consisteth in the inriching one another wherin all the corruptions of avaâ—ice are put in practice finally God wot to the augmentation of the Empires Majesty So that their Marts and Faires are as so many boothes of drunkards where with in stead of Ships at Sea they fill the fields with wagons full of strange creatures who make their bellies as great devourers as the Sea Nor can he goe with the wise King to view his navie at the red Sea shores not in person visit the Cities which want fortification or repairing nor in truth doe any thing to come neere the six steps of gold on Solomons throne but eat and carouse yet farre from the meane of mirth Shall we venture over the Alpes and the gulfe of Venice into Italy and there search the Apennine Hils the fields of Campania the garden of the World Lombardy the territories of Rome or attractive Naples for an instance of this our Greatnesse and Happinesse No surely For throughout this goodly territory in one corner ruleth the Spaniard at another end the Savoyen then is intermingled a confused government of pettie Princes Next lieth the Venetian state who meerely out of parsimonie like their adjoyning neighbours the Florentines have obtained the reputation of wealth and greatnesse As for the Duke he is but a voice unsignificant for the Senate carrieth the sword And lastly the Church with the mercenary contraries of blessing and cursing keepeth Saint Peters patrimony as safe as if the indubitate heire of some noble family should maintaine the privileges of his deceased Ancestors But should I knit all these models together and set up the wals of Rome incompassed with her seven hils in such an order that the fabricke might boast of twenty miles circuit and the government lift up a head of Daniels vision againe Or that in a yeare of Iubile I could settle you under the wings of an Angell on the top of the Popes Palace as the Devill carried our Saviour to the pinacle of the Temple And there shew you the consistory of Cardinals triumphs of a Popes Inauguration his stately carriage adorned with his triple crowne on mens shoulders with all the appurtenant shewes and ceremonies yet would all come short to our example For the very provision of our Kings Palace would exhaust the Country consume the commodities and like barren ground drinking up the raine devoure the plenty of the Land and pull in peeces their best compacted husbandry As for their drinking in vessels of gold well may it serve to divulge the glory of some ambitious triumph but nothing verifie the bounty of an overflowing cup considering the wines are not onely small but the vintage so barren and penurious that to conceale the scarcity thereof by parsimonious custome of the Country women and children are forbidden to drinke thereof As for the Villano he is glad of water to quench his thirst fetcht from muddy channels falling from the mountaines of snow and cleansed with much adoe by the swift course of Eridanus Many other defects doe bespot the face of this goodly creature and debarre it from the boast of our essentiall happinesse For though the Inne-keepers daughter goe in a satten gowne and that the bravery of Italy be discovered in the attire of the people as if every burre had golden kernels and every corner were full of silkwormes yet is there neither method of government nor can the inhabitans rejoyce under unity or any privileges of a strong compacted Administration tending to the assurance of love true alliance or obedience so that in a manner all the defects deforming the beauty of Kingdomes more than some private blessings and those scattered as it were by the hands of divine goodnesse may be here lookt upon with
let loose the Queene of Cities as they terme Paris to looke bigge and angerly upon us our London can affront her with a matching countenance and over-match her in many severall excellencies And surely if any man should materially object against these my assertions I should deeme him either some young humorist some petulant factor discontented traveller or head-strong Papist of which profession I misdoubt not but to finde many amongst men who being either distressed at home or unsetled abroad to their private ends will not blush with the King of Assyria to laugh at the weaknesse of Iuda for being confident in the promises of God will raile on religion condemne government extoll petty Princes and with Naaman the Syrian preferre the waters of Babylon before the wholesome River of Iordan But come to particulars they sticke in the clay and like an unbroken colt flâ—â—ging up and downe and sweating with rage and neither able to goe forward in a handsome course nor remaine patient in expecting the will of the Rider Or open them but one window to let in but the light of our glory by discoursing of our Navie the generall musters of the Country the arming of every Gentlemans house a Noblemans attendance a Ladies jewels the Majestie of our Vniversities the happinesse of our Husbandman the wealth of our great Cities and order in the administration of the sameâ— Then stand they with Niobe transhaped into stone and remaine confounded by reason of their former perverse and ignorant wilfulnesse But I will not be uncivill in exprobration only let me tell them that because in beastly Galata and Constantinople the Merchant may goe into divers Bashawes and Greekish houses and there by entertainment transported with outward deceit of colours as painting gilding in-laid workes and such like hee maketh a wonder at the cost and pompous expences not remembring how their best masters in England are scarce admitted up staires into many worthy houses of our Noblemen and Gentlemen which being admitted would afford other manner of discoveries both magnificent and wealthy even to true admiration Because in Venice they have overlooked the Bucentaure S. Marks Palace and Piazza a dainty front of buildings on the grand Canale the College of Iesuits a Mercer or two that selleth Copes and rich cloaths of gold for high Altars the fundamento novo the Arsnall c. Therefore England hath but poore furniture wanteth the essentiall meanes of Princelinesse and Majestie is onely gawdie in colours a little imbroidery and gold lace which they allow to Players and Mountebanks both in Venice Florence Verona and the rest of her Cities Because in Genoa Naples Rome and some other places they may see an even street of houses with a pillar or two of jet jasper and hard marble a Cardinals Palace and six moils in a Carosse to attend him but to the conclave a stately Mosque in Turkie the Domo in Florence new Saint Peters at Rome and some other ostentous buildings they say our beauty is eclipsed and wee must submit the controversie to the apparant bravery of forren magnificence whereas in truth they hold no more comparison for Majesty though dispersedly either with our Courts late Country buildings demesnes adjacent and commodious houses about the Citie for receit capacity and entertainment than bird-cages doe to delightsome Arbours But who are they that so entertaine Tables with this returne of discourse surely none but our fashion-follow-Travellers who with many long lookes expecting in an Almanacke for a yeare of Iubile flie over Sea by flocks towards Rome Where by the way in Ausburg Noremberg and some other Cities of Germanie meeting with a flaggon of wine wherewith the Burgers according to custome with such entertainment use to welcome strangers they presently write over with what state they were feasted and how graciously admitted into Cities resembling new Ierusalem in respect of our disproportion of building and unequall fashion of our streets Because in France they may drinke wine of Orleance or Lyons and for their money satisfie incontinencie wherein yet they confesse Italy to surpasse Oh! say they England is a barren Countrey and farre from becircling her forehead with the garland of Bacchus or wreath of Abundance but sitteth desolate like a widow having the curse of baldnesse inflicted upon her Because in Padoa they are told of Antenors Tombe in the streets seene the Amphitheatres in Verona or Rome monuments truly resembling the wrinkles of an old face or beheld the wals of Constantinople the ruinous Colosses of the Citie with the Aquaduct in the Country Oh! these be Kingdomes that make aged Time young againe and surpasse our new Nation for wonders and works of Majestie Because they have beheld though peradventure with little understanding the forts of Mount-mâ—lian and Saint Katherines the citadels of Millan and Antuerp the Castles of Naples and Saint Angelo and have beene acquainted with the examination of passengers at Lyons Millan and the frontier Townes of the Princes of Italie They presently exclaime against our weaknesse and ill-advised discipline which leaveth our Country as it were naked to all inconveniences of wind and weather In the next ranke come up our male-contents and they are such as being meerely gulled with pride selfe-conceit and fantastick vaine-glory have run a prodigall hunting-journey with Esau untill being weary and hungry they have beene inforced to sell their birth-rights for a messe of pottage Then with Yorke and Stanly and thousands more they enter into violent courses curse David raile on their Countrey and accuse Authoritie of injustice and partialitie With the Dukes of Guise and Bâ—ron they set up the praises of the Spanish King and the tender-heartednesse of the Pope for the decay of Religion supposing themselves sufficiently magnified for contesting with Kings and sleighting the Princes of the bloud In the reare slily stealeth up the obstinate Papist To him urge honestie reason yea the Scriptures and hee will discharge no other shot but the Ordinance of the Church Put him from that slanker and you shall see him like an Adder lurking in the grasse to sting the heele of the passenger And that is with telling you that in France the Church at Amiens hath delicate Pictures the nostre Dame at Roan and Paris maintaine brave processions Our Lady at Sichem works only miracles yea more than miracles for they will tell you of a Virgin got with childe in a Nunnerie by one of her sisters For say they she protested before our Lady that she never knew what the company of man meant But leaving these men to themselves and the sting of their owne consciences we will proceed to shew you with what affections other Nations doe at this day Court us France is so strengthened and beautified at home by the multitude of Princes and noble Gentlemen that now at this day enjoying the Kingdome intirely to themselves they are confident to defend it not seeking ambitiously to offend others though haply envying to
of round fish as Lamprey Conger Haddocke so likewise in divers seasons divers other sorts as Mackerels in the end of the Spring and Herrings in the beginning of Autumne as wee have in England c. And this Countrey must needs be well stored with Fish for besides the benefit of the Sea the Lakes and Ponds belonging only to the Clergie which at the most have but one third of France are reported to be one hundred fifty five thousand The Rivers also of France are so many as Boterus reporteth of the Queene Mother she should say here were more than in all Christendome but we hold her for no good Cosmographer True it is that the Rivers here are many and very faire and so fitly serving one the other and all the whole as it seemeth Nature in the framing of our bodies did not shew more wonderfull providence in disposing Veines and Arteries throughout the bodie for their apt conveyance of the bloud and spirit from the Liver and Heart to each part therof than she hath shewed in the placing of these waters for the transporting of all her commodities to all her severall Provinces Of all those these are the principall the Seine upon which standeth the Citie of Paris Roven and many other It hath his head a little above Chatillon in the North-west of Lingonois and receiveth nine Rivers of name whereof the Yonne the Marn and the Oyse are navigable that is doe carry Boats with saile The Soane whereupon standeth the City of Amiens Abbevile and many other It hath his head above S. Quintin divideth Piccardy from Artois and receiveth eight lesser Rivers The Loire hath standing upon it the Cities of Orleans Nantes and many other his head is in Auvergne it parteth the middle of France his course is almost two hundred leagues it receiveth seventy two Rivers whereof the chiefe are Allier Cher Maine Creuse Vienne all navigable The Garond upon which standeth Bourdeaux Thoulouse and other Cities it hath his head in the Pereney Mountaines it divideth Languedocke from Gascoine it receiveth sixteene Rivers whereof Iarne Lot Bayze Derdonne and Lisâ—e are chiefest And lastly the Rhosne upon which standeth the Citie of Lions Avignon and divers others It hath his head in the Mountaines the Alpes dividing Dolpheny from Lyonnois and Province from Languedocke it receiveth thirteene Rivers whereof the Seane the Dove Ledra and Durance are the chiefest All the other Rivers carry their streames into the Ocean Some at S. Vallery Seine at New-haven Loyre beneath Nantes and Garona at Blay only the River of Rhosue payeth his tribute to the Mediterranean at Arles The Seine is counted the richest the Rhosue the swiftest the Garond the greatest the Loyre the sweetest for the difference which Boterus makes of them where he ornits the Garond and makes the Sâ—ane a principall River is generally rejected The Ports and Passages into France where Custome is paid to the King were in times past more than they be now the names of them at this present are these In Picardie Calais Bologue Saint Vallerie In Normandie Diepe Le Haure de Grace Honnesleux Caen Cherbrouge In Bretaigne S. Malo S. Brieu Brest Quimpercorentine Vannes Nants In Poiâ—tow Lusson les sables d'Olonne In Rochellois Rochell In Xantogne Zonbisse In Guyenne Bourdeaux Blay Bayonne In Languedocke Narbonne Agde Bencaire Mangueil In Provence Arles Marseilles Fransts In Lâ—onnois Lions In Burgogne Ausonne Laugers In Campagne Chaumons Chalons Trois In the Territory Metzin Metz Toul Verdun In all thirty seven Of all these Lions is reputed to be the most advantagious to the Kings Finances as being the Key for all Silkes cloaths of Gold and Silver and other Merchandize whatsoever which come or goe from Italy Swisserland and all those South-east Countries into France which are brought to this Towne by the two faire Rivers of Rhosne and Sâ—â—n the one comming from Savoy the other from Burgundie and here meeting For profit next to Lions are Bourdeaux Rochell Marseilles Nants and Newhaven But for capabilitie of shipping I have heard that Brest excelleth and for strength Caâ—aâ—â— especially as it is now lately fortified by the Spaniard which was not let long since to be called The goodliest government in the world at least in Christendome There are requisite in all Ports to make them perfect these foure things 1. Roome to receive many and great Ships 2. Safe Riding 3. Facilitie of repelling forren force 4. Concourse of Merchants The most of the French Ports have all foure properties except only the last which in the time of these civill broiles have discontinued and except that wee will also grant that Calais failes in the first The Cities in France if you will count none Cities but where is a Bishops See are onely one hundred and foure there be so many Arch-bishops and Bishops in all as shall in more fit place be shewed But after the French reckoning calling every Ville a Citie which is not either a Burgade or a Village we shall finde that their number is infinite and indeed uncertaine as is also the number of the Townes in generall Some say there be one Million and seven hundred thousand but they are of all wise men reproved Others say six hundred thousand but this is also too great to be true The Cabinet rateth them at one hundred thirtie two thousand of Parish Churches Hamlets and Villages of all sorts Badin saith there be twentie seven thousand and foure hundred counting only every Citie for a Parish which will very neere agree with that of the Cabinet and therefore I embrace it as the truest By the reckoning before set downe of two hundred leagues square which France almost yeeldeth wee must compute that here is in all fortie thousand leagues in square and in every league five thousand Arpens of ground which in all amounteth to two hundred millions of Arpens which summe being divided by the numbers of the Parishes sheweth that one with another each Village hath one thousand five hundred and fifteene Arpens which measure is bigger than our Acre We may if we will abstract a third because Bodin will not admit France to be square but as a Lozenge For in matter of such generalitie as this men doe alwayes set downe suppositions not certainties If a man will looke thorowout all France I thinke that some Castles excepted he shall not finde any Towne halfe perfectly fortified according to the rules of Enginers The Citie of Paris seated in a very fruitfull and pleasant part of the I le of France upon the River of Sein is by the same divided into three parts that on the North towards Saint Denis is called the Burge that on the South towards the Fauxburges of S. Germaines is called the Vniversitie and that in the little I le which the River there makes by dividing it selfe is called the Vilâ—e This part no doubt is the most ancient for saith my Author Lutetia is a City of the Parisians
as it were the Dowre which the State brings to the King her Husband for her tuition defence and maintenance And therefore one saith It belongs not to the King but to the Crowne There are two sorts of Domaines first the Rent which the King holds in his hands of the Feifs given for service Secondly that which is united and incorporate to the Crowne The rights of the Domaine are these Rents Feifs Payments at alienations Tributes Penages Toll of whatsoever enters or comes out of Cities Woods Forests and divers other That is Domaine which belongeth to the Crowne First either by Possession time out of minde Or secondly by Re-union for want of heires males as the Apennages when they returne or by Confusion for want to such as can make just claime much like our concealed Lands in England Or lastly by Confiscation of offenders inheritances Of this last sort we reade that in the time of Saint Lewis there were confisked to the Domaine the Countries of Dreux Bray Fortyonne and Monstrevil Languedocke Guyenne Anjow Maine Turraine Auvergne And after in the time of Philip the Dutchy of Alencon the Countries of Perche Perigort Poutieu La Marche Angoulesme and the Marquisat of Saluzzes But Bodin saith most of this came to the Crowne by force La siur 〈◊〉 Serre saith it came by way of Exchange or purchase But the Author of the Commentaries of the estate of the Religion and policie of France is of the first opinion Thus great was the Domaine in former times that of it selfe without oppressing the people with impositions it was sufficient to maintaine the State and greatnesse of the Kings of France but it is now utterly wasted It is well knowne that the Domaine which alone maintained heretofore the beautie and lustre of the Royall Estate is not now such as it was in the reignes of King Lewis the eleventh Charles the eighth and Lewis the twelfth The continuance of our warres hath caused it to be engaged in many hands in such sort that there is need of more than 15. or 16. thousand pounds sterling to redeeme that which is worth above five millions of pounds And Bodin saith that almost all the Countries Baronies and Seigneuries of the Domaine are aliened for the ninth or tenth part of that they be worth Yee must observe that the lands of the Domaine are not alienable but in two cases 1. For the Apennage of the Kings brother 2. For the warres And these must be confirmed by the Arrest of the Parliament For all other cases all Lawyers and Historians of France agree That it is inalienable and many Arrests have beene made of late yeares to confirme it I have read that the Charta Magna of England saith the Kings when they are crowned take an oath not to alien ti so doe they here in France And there is no prescription of time to make such sales or alienations good but that they may be recovered and repurchased whensoever the Crowne is able To this purpose Plutarch saith well Men cannot prescribe against God nor particulars against the Respublique 2 Concerning the second meanes of raising Money by conquests the present State of France can yeeld no example it hath beene long but on the saving hand 3 For the third meanes it is now out of season it was used in that good old world when men wiped their nose on their sleeve as the French man sayes for now Princes are so farre from giving as they hardly pay that they owe. 4 The fourth meanes also of Pension which Princes have upon some consideration of their Allies helpeth the French Kings coffers nothing at all for they rather give than take As for example to divers Cantons of the Swisses to whom at first they payed not above one hundred and twentie thousand Livres yearely but for these sixtie yeares they never pay lesse the yeare than two Millions For saith Commines Lewis the eleventh entered league with the Swisses and they into his Pension to whom he yearely gave forty thousand Florins whereof 20. went to the Cities and 20. to particular men upon condition to have a certaine proportion of their forces to serve in his warres upon all occasions An advantagious alliance for the Swisse in my opinion who by this meanes enrich themselves cleare their Countrey of many idle and bad members and lastly breed good souldiers to serve themselves upon need at another mans cost The Turke hath also a Pension of the Emperour of Germany for certaine Lands hee holdeth in Hungary which hee notwithstanding vaunteth to be a Tribute Many examples might bee alleaged of this kinde as of Philip of Macedon that by Pensions got all Greece partiall on his side and the Kings of Persia by Pension got ever the forces of Asia diverted 5 The fifth which is of Trafficke availeth nothing the French Kings for they hold it here a base and sordid kinde of profession for a Gentleman much more for a King to trade by Merchandize And by the Lawes of England France and Germanie he loseth the quality of a Nobleman that doth Trafficke Notwithstanding these Lawes and the disparagement that it brings to Nobility yet so sweet is the savour of gaine that many have used this as no small meanes to increase their Finances The great Duke of Tuscane present gaines infinitely this way and the more by his most unlawfull and tyrannous Monopolies for he commonly buyeth up all the Graine of his owne Countrey at his owne price yea and that which commeth from other places also and then sendeth out a Bando or Proclamation that no man shall sell any corne thorowout his State till his owne be sold forcing also all Bakers and other people to buy thereof This manner of ingrossing Alphonsus of Arragon also used by the testimony of Bodin The Kings of Portugal also and the Seignory of Venice have beene great Traders by Merchandize but it hath beene in an honester fashion at sea and not to the grinding of their poore subjects The Nobilitie also of Italy in all Cities except Naples hold it no dishonour to Trafficke in grosse 6 The sixth meanes of raising money upon all Wares and Merchandize that come in and goe out of the Countrey is the most ancient and best agreeing with reason and used by all Princes in the World The particulars comprised under this branch are these Customes inward and outward By these the Prince is to have Impost five in the hundred So much just had the Romans as Cicero witnesseth in his Praetorship of Sicilia The Turke takes Ten in the hundred of the stranger and five of the subject the French quite contrarie You must observe that which here I call the Domaine forraine is generally called the Aides first granted by the Estates to Charles Duke of Normandie when Iohn his father was prisoner in England which was the payment of twelve Deniers upon all Merchandizes and Wares which should bee sold in this Kingdome except upon
Wine Corne Salt and all manner of drinke but since it hath beene made perpetuall and augmented by the imposition upon Wine sold every where and in Normandie by retaile This is like the slavish Gabell upon all manner of food which the Princes take of their subjects through Italy or the Assize upon Bread and Beare which the States have in the Low-Countries a grievance whereof we smart not in England as also we are free from many other burthens which the people of this Country are forced to beare Touching the Gabell of Salt which is also comprised under this head Some say it was first erected by Philip le Long Others by Philip de Valois 1328. True it is that the Ordinance of Francis the first 1541. sets downe an Impost of 24. Livres upon every Muy and in the yeare 1543. an ordinance was made for Gabell to be taken upon all sea-fish salted And in 1544. it was ordained that all Salt should be sold and distributed into the Magazines or Storehouses of every severall generality The benefit of this one commodity hath beene very commodious to the crown till the yeare 81. when the king was forced for want of money to let it out to others whereby he lost as is in my Authour proved eight hundred thirty six thousand crowns yearely Here is also a kinde of tax called the Equivallent that is an imposition laid upon some persons and places but not generally to have liberty to buy and sell salt and to be exempt from the Magazines The Impost of Wine is laid upon all without exception or exemption whatsoever it is the twentieth part to the King besides all other rights as of Billots entring into Cities passages by Land River and such like Besides a later imposition of five Sols upon every Muy levied by Charles the ninth 1516. Concerning the Traicte forraine it is of like nature with the Aids save that it is leviable upon more particular sorts of merchandize Besides the Aids is an Impost upon things spent in the Land and the traicte forraine is of such commodities as are transported out as of wheat rye barley oats wine vineger verjuce cider beeves muttons veales lambes swine horses lard bacon tallow oyle cheese fish of all sorts silks and cloaths of all sorts leather of all sorts and finally all other merchandize as fruits parchment paper glasse wood ropes c. 7 The seventh ground or foundation of Finances is the Imposition upon the subject that is not upon the wares or commodities but upon the persons themselves according to their abilitie and it is much like the levying of the tax and subsidy in England where every one payeth ratably to the lands and goods he possesseth And therefore Haillan judgeth well to say they be neither personall nor reall but mixt Assessed in the place of their dwelling according to all the goods of the partie assessed in what part soever they lie or abide These Tailles were first raised by Saint Lewis but by way of extraordinary subsidie Charles the seventh made them ordinary for the maintenance of his Gens d'armerie And whereas at first they were never levied but by consent of the three States and to endure but while the warre lasted he made them perpetuall Therefore saith one that which was at first yeelded of favour is since exacted as patrimoniall and hereditary to our Kings Yet is it to bee observed that these Tailles are only liable upon the Flat Pais all Cities are exempt as also all Officers of the Kings house all Counsellors Lawyers and Officers of Courts of Parliament all the Nobility the Gens d'armes the Officers of warre the Graduates of Vniversities c. The Taillon is another imposition raised by Henry the second Anno 1549. which was to amend the Wages of Gens d'armes who by reason of the smallnesse of their pay lay upon the poore Villages and eat them up for the ease whereof this imposition was devised which also lieth upon the poore Country-man whereby at first he was somewhat eased but now all is perverted the poore is still oppressed and yet he payeth still both Taille and Taillon Lastly there is the Sold or pay of 50000. foot which were erected by Lewis the eleventh into eight Legions six thousand to a Legion which with their Officers came to about this number To maintaine these Legions there was a tax levied upon all sorts of persons privileged in the Taille but only the Nobles There are also of the Decymes Tenths levied upon the Church For the levying of the Taille Taillon and wages of 50000. foot you must note that the King sends his Letters Patents by Commissioners to the Treasurers of each generality These according to the summe rate each election this is as ye would say every hundred in a Shire or Bailywicke and then send to these elections to have the said summe gathered in their severall Townes and Hamlets according as they be rated So doe they to the Maicures Consuls Eschevins and chiefe Officers of every City that are liable to any of these payments who rating every man according to his ability give these Rolles to certaine Collectors to gather it up these are bound to bring it quarterly to the Receivers These carry it to the Receivers generall in the same species that they received it and from them to have an acquittance after the accounts have beene perused by the Controler generall And these are all the meanes by which Princes raise their Finances whereof ye see some nothing to pertaine to the French King but to others and some to him only not to others There yet remaineth one other meanes though extraordinary to a Prince to get money which the necessities of the times and the want of other meanes have forced the French Kings of late yeares to use This is the vent or sales of Offices a very dangerous and hurtfull merchandize both for the Prince and subject This Lesson saith Bodin the French Kings first learned of the Popes with whom it is still as familiar as old to sell Bishopricks livings and Ecclesiasticall promotions This the Popes first beganne at Avignon in France where their means was scant and they in many necessities which still continues both in the Courts of Rome and France when there is no such necessity Better is a bad President than none at all A course saith one of great and dangerous consequence but clothed with necessity It is indeed thrice dangerous because sales of Offices cause sales of Iustice for what these Purchasers pay in grosse they must needs get in retaile forgetting what was said to Sophocles the Governour of Athens A Governour must not onely have his hands cleane but his eyes also They cannot say as Pericles did on his death bed Hee had never made any Athenian weare mourning Robe For these by selling Iustice and robbing the poore of their right give the Fatherlesse and oppressed Widow just cause to complaine and of wearing that mourning robe
that of the Sunne is the best and the halfe Crowne Those of silver are the Livres or Franc which is two shillings sterling The quart d'escu which is one shilling six pence The Teston which is halfe a sous lesse The peece of ten sous which is one shilling sterling the halfe quart d'escu the halfe Teston and the peece of five sous that is six pence sterling Those of Brasse is the price of six Blanks which is three pence that of three blanks three halfe pence The sous of twelve deniers the liard of foure deniers the double of two and lastly the denier it selfe whereof ten make one penny sterling This baser and smaller kind of money hath not beene used in France but since the beginning of the civill warres The Teston is the best silver It remaineth I speake of the Administration and Execution of Iustice and of those places and persons where and by whom it is done I will therefore beginne with their assemblies as the highest and greatest Court of all which well resembleth the Parliament of England the Dyet of the Empire or the Councell of â—â—e Amphythrions in Greece There are three especiall causes of calling these Assemblies The first when the succession of the Crowne was doubtfull and in controversie or when it was to take order for the Regency during the Kings Captivity or Minority or when they had not the right use of their wits Hereof yee have examples Anno 1327. Saint Lewis an Infant and Charles the sixth An. Dom. 1380. a Lunaticke and 1484. Iohn a prisoner For all which occasions Assemblies were called to determine who should have the Regency of the Realme in the meane while The second cause is when there is question of reforming the Kingdome correcting the abuses of Officers and Magistrates or appeasing troubles and seditions The third cause is the want and necessitie of the King or Kingdome in which case the Estates are exhorted to give subsidies subventions aids and gratuities For in former times the Kings contenting themselves with their Domaine and impost of such wares as came in or went out of the land the two most ancient and most just grounds of Finances were not accustomed to levie and impose upon their Subjects any tax whatsoever without the consent of the three States thus assembled The next Soveraigne Court for so the French call it is the Court of Parliament The true Temple of French Iustice Seat of the King and his Peeres And as Haillan cals it the Buttresse of Equity This Court very much resembleth the Star-Chamber of England the Arcopage of Athens the Senate of Rome the Consiglio de' dieci of Venice There are no Lawes saith Haillan by which this Court is directed it judgeth according to equity and conscience and mitigateth the rigour of the Law Of these Courts of Parliament ye have eight in France That of Paris the most ancient and highest in preheminence which at first was ambulatory as they call it and ever followed the Kings Court whithersoever it went but since Philip le Bel it hath beene sedentary in this Citie That of Grenoble was erected Anno 1453. That of Tholouse Anno 1302. That of Bourdeaux Anno 1443. That of Dijon in the yeare 1476. That of Roven in the yeare 1501. That of Aix the same yeare And lastly that of Bretaigne at the yeare 1553. Anciently all Arch-Bishops and Bishops might sit and give voices in this Parliament of Paris but in Anno 1463. it was decreed that none but the Bishop of Paris and Abbot of Saint Denis might sit there except he be of the Bloud for all these are privileged The Presidents and Counsellors of the Court of Parliament of Paris may not depart the Towne without leave of the Court by the ordinance of Lewis the twelfth in the yeare 1499. The Senators ought alwayes to bee present because things are carried with more Majesty when the Court is full To this Parliament they appeale from all other subalterne Courts throughout the Realme as they doe in Venice to the Consiglio grande Neither can the King conclude any warre or peace without the advice and consent hereof or at least as Haillan saith he demandeth it for fashion sake sometime when the matters are already concluded The Parliament of Paris consisteth of seven Chambers the Grande câ—ambre and five others of Enquests and the Tournelles which is the chamber for the criminall causes as the other six bee for the civill It is called the Tournelles because the Iudges of the other Chambers sit there by turnes every three moneths the reason whereof Bodin giveth that it might not alter the naturall inclination of the Iudges and make them more cruell by being alwayes exercised in matter of condemnations and executions There be of this Court of Presidents Counsellors Chevalliers of honour Procureurs Advocates Clerks Sergeants and other Officers of all sorts not so few as two hundred Besides this Court there are also other Courts for the administration of Iustice in this Citie as the Chatellet of Paris with a Lieutenant civill and another criminall and the Hostel de Paris with a Prevost and other inferiour Officers which is as ye would say the Guild-Hall of the Citie So have ye throughout the Realme certaine places as all Cities in generall where there be Chatellets like our places of Assise and in them a Lieutenant civill and criminall to judge and determine all causes reall and personall and here many Lawyers and Procurers as our Counsellors at Law and Atturnies who plead before those Lieutenants and Prevosts and certaine Counsellors which are the Iudges in these Courts whereof the number is incredible in France Insomuch as you may well say of them as is said of Sienna There be more Readers than Auditors so here be more Pleaders than Clients This Chiquanery Petti-fogging multiplicitie of Pleaders came first from the Popes Court when his seat was at Avignon as my Author saith who in the same place cals these Advocates The Mice of the Palace The processes and suits in these Courts throughout France are innumerable wherein wee come nothing neere them and yet there is no want of these in England For I have heard of 340. Nisiprius between parties tried at one Assize in Norfolke as many I thinke as in halfe England besides But these are onely twice in the yeare that causes are tried at Assises in our Country whereas here they are tried every day in the yeare that is not festivall So that it is not much unlikely that here are as many Processes in seven yeares as have beene in England since the conquest There are besides these Courts of Chatellets in Cities the Courts also of Bailywicks and Sheriffalties who as Haillan saith keepe Courts in each Province and judge in all matters civill and criminall Here is also the Privie Councell or Councell of affaires of the Counsellors among which are his foure Secretaries he calleth certaine every morning at his rising to whom he
discipline they only of all Christendome have made best use thereof As the people to whose glory industry patience and fortitude and that in a good cause too much honour and commendation can never be attributed The States of the Low-Countries ALL the seventeene Provinces of Netherland were sometimes under one Lord but privileges being broken and warres arising the King of Spaine the naturall Lord of all these Low-Countries was in the treaty of peace Anno 1606. inforced to renounce all pretence of his owne right to these confederate Provinces Since when we may well handle them by themselves as an absolute and a free State of Government as the Spaniard himselfe acknowledged them The Provinces united are these Zeland Holland Vtrich Over-Isell Zutphen Groningen three quarters of Gelderland with some peeces of Brabant and Flanders This union was made Anno 1581. The Fleets and Forces of which Confederation are from the chiefe Province altogether called Hollanders The first of these is Zeland whose name given it by the Danes of Zeland in Scandia notifies its nature A land overflowed with the Sea Broken it is into seven Ilands whereof those three to the East beyond the River Scheld and next to Holland are Schowen Duvelant and Tolen the other foure be Walcheren Zuyd-beverlant Nort-beverlant and Wolferdijck 1. T'land van Schowen is seven of their miles about parted with a narrow fret from Nort-beverlant The chiefe towne is Zierickzee the ancientest of all Zeland built 849. The Port sometimes traded unto is now choaked with sand which they labour to cleare againe 2. Duveland so named of the Doves foure miles about hath some townes but no City 3. Tolen called so of the chiefe towne as that was of the Tolle there payed by the boats comming downe the Scheld 4. The chiefe of the seven is Walcheren ten miles compasse so named of the Walsh or Galles In the middle of it is Middleburgh the prime Citie of Zeland and a goodly Towne other Cities it hath as Vere Armuyden and Flushing all fortified 5. Zuyd-beverlant Nort-beverlant so named of the Bavarians The first is now ten miles about The Cities are Romerswael much endangered by the Sea and divided from the Island and Goesse or Tergoose a pretty and a rich towne 6. Nort-beverlant quite drowned in the yeare 1532. but one towne 7. Wolferdijck that is Wolfers-banke hath now but two Villages upon it Zeland hath ten Cities in all The land is good and excellently husbanded the water brackish Their gaines comes in by that which brought their losses the Sea Their wheat is very good some store they have the Cowes but more of Sheepe great store of Salt-houses they have for the refining of Salt of which they make great merchandize The Zelanders were converted to the faith by our Country-man Willebrord before Charles the greats time HOlland so named either quasi Holt-land that is the Wood-land which woods they say were destroyed by a mighty tempest Anno 860. the roots and truncks of which being often here found or quasi Hol-land Hollow and light land as it is indeed But most likely it is that the Danes also comming from Olandt in their owne Countrie gave name to this Province as they did to Zeland also The whole compasse is not above sixtie of their miles the breadth in most places is not above six houres travelling with a Wagon and in some places scarce a mile over The whole is divided into South-Holland Kinheymar West-Freesland Waterlandt and Goytland The chiefe Towne is Dort but the goodliest and richest is Amsterdam one of the greatest Townes of merchandize in the whole world they have almost twenty other Cities strong and elegant At Leyden there being a College and Vniversity Their banks mils and other workes for keeping out the Sea be most admirable vast and expensive Three of the foure Elements are there and in Zeland starke naught then Water brackish their Aire foggie their Fire smokish made of their Turses for which they are said to burne up their owne land before the day of Iudgement The men are rather bigge than strong some accuse them to love their penny better than they doe a stranger Their women are the incomparable huswives of the world and if you looke off their faces upon their linnen and houshold stuffe are very neat and cleanly At their Innes they have a kinde of open-heartednesse and you shall be sure to finde it in your reckoning Their land is passing good for Cowes they live much upon their butter and they bragge mightily of their cheeses As for flesh-meat I thinke that a Hawke in England eats more in a moneth than a rich Boore nay than a sufficient corporall Burger does in six weekes The industry of the people is wonderfull so many ditches have they made thorow the Country that there is not the most Iâ—land Boore but he can row from his owne doore to all the Cities of Holland and Zealand The Dutchman will drinke indeed but yet he still does his businesse he lookes still to the maine chance both in the City and Country by Sea and Land they thrive like the Iewes every where and wee have few such drunkards in England too many wee have apt enough to imitate their vice but too too few that will follow them in their vertue THis Duchie lies on the East of Holland and Brabanâ— touching also upon Cleve and Iuliers It hath two and twenty Cities and good Townes whereof Nimwegen Zutphon Ruremond and Arhneim are the chiefe Some peeâ—es the Spaniard here hath â— and the whole Country having heretofore beene infeâ—ted with the warres makes â— a little to come behinde his fellowes The land and people differ not much from those of Holland saving that towards Cleveland it is more mountainous the Champian is very rich pasturage for grazing THis touches Gelderland upon the South West-Freesland upon the North Westphalia upon the East and the Zuydersee on the West The chiefe Citie is Deventer others of the better sort be Campen Zwol Steinwick Oetmarse Oldenzeel Hesselâ—â— Vollenhoven c. This Countrey was of old inhabited by the Franks or Frenchmen of which there were two tribes the Ansuarii which gave name to the Hanse-townes whereof Deventer was first and the Salii which tooke name from the River Isala upon which Deventer stands and these gave name to the Salique Law which you see did rather concerne these Countries than France it selfe and was made by a barbarous people in an age as barbarous though this onely was pretended to barre women from the crowne of France and to hinder our Kings and occasion those warres and bloudsheds THe Bishopricke of Vtrecht hath Holland on the North and Gelderland on the West The circuit is but small yet hath it five pretty Cities whereof Vtrecht it selfe is large delicate and rich inhabited by most of the Gentry of Holland Much harassed hath it beene but now well recovered since it came into the union GRoningen
hee getteth his Revenues by forren Nations Sweden is alwayes at division and unfit in regard of situation The Polacks be as Masters over their Kings Italy though it be rich yet it is farre distant from these before named besides that all the Princes therein are of divers humours and dispositions But on the other side the Netherlands are exceeding populous and abound mightily in shipping the Inhabitants being a people most constant in labours diligent in searching out things profitable couragious in their attempts patient in adversitie True it is that I have bestowed those Provinces upon your Sister Isabella Clara Eugenia howbeit in the transport thereof are comprized an hundred meanes whereby you may helpe your selfe The principall whereof be that you are Tutor and over-seer of all her children and that shee may alter nothing in the Catholike Religion These two maine points being taken away you are absolutely dispossessed and quit of the Netherlands and other Kings would be so forward to draw them unto their allegeance that it may haply redound to your overthrow Contrariwise if you meane to rely and cleave to the Clergie and State Spirituall you shall purchase your selfe many enemies I have had the experience thereof but hold all correspondencie with the Popes Give them much bee friendly alwayes to them Entertaine such Cardinals as be most in credit with them Make your selfe Master of the Conclave Make much of the German-Princes Bishops and use to bestow no more pension on them by the hand of the Emperour but deale so as they may acknowledge your selfe for the giver surely they will serve you the more willingly and receive your gifts with greater gladnesse As for them that be of baser degree and qualitie let them not come neere you and so shall you seeme to give your Nobilitie and Commons the better countenance For certainly I must needs say their pride is great they are mighty in substance whatsoever they desire must be done they will be chargeable unto you and in the end will seeke to rule your Scepter Wherefore make your partie good by the meanes of such as are descended of Noble parentage and great Families and promote them now and then to some Spirituall livings The common sort is not so serviceable for they will procure you such unspeakable hatred as that thereby you might be forced to consume your treasure and therefore repose your trust in none of them unlesse they be of great qualitie Abandon and shake off your English Spies Cleare your selfe of the French charges Vse the service of some part of the Netherlandish Nobilitie so that you may joyne and knit them unto your best and most trusty subjects Now as concerning the travell and Navigation to the East and West Indies therein doth consist all the power and might of the Kingdome of Spaine as likewise the straining and bridling of the Italians France and England cannot be debarâ—ed from medling with the aforesaid Trade and Navigation their powers be great their Sea-men be many their Seas be too large their Merchants too rich their Captaines and souldiers too greedie of money and their subjects too trustie I have for your sake in the transport of the Low-Countries put down a proviso altogether to restrain the Netherlanders from dealing in the aforesaid Trade but I feare that time and men will prove changeable wherefore you must doe two things First alter often your Governours Secondly those which you draw from thence you shall put in Office here at home and make them of the Councell of India in Spaine So shall you never in my opinion be deceived but both parties will discover your profit and seeke their owne honour If you perceive the Englishmen prepare to bereave you of these commodities as being strong both in shipping and Mariners for the French I make small account see that you strengthen your selfe with the Netherlands notwithstanding that a great part of them be Hereticks and would so continue with condition that they shall have full liberty to utter all their commodities in Spaine and Italy paying their royall Incomes and Customes and all duties belonging unto you and then also you may grant unto them passage to travell and trade unto your East and West Indies provided that they put in good security in Spaine and take upon them a corporall oath that upon their returne from the Indies they shall arrive in some part of Spaine and there to unload upon paine of death if they shall be found to doe otherwise Mine opinion is that they will never refuse to accept of this easie condition and to accomplish the same and by these meanes shall the Indian and Spanish be linked and knit to the Netherlandish trade and England and France must then live upon their owne purses My Sonne I could relate unto you more secrets for the conquests of other Kingdomes and Countries but all such advertisements with the discourses thereupon delivered unto me and by me amended you shall finde in my Cabinet Cause Christopher de Moro immediately to deliver the key unto you lest these so weighty secrets come into the hands of some other Vpon the seventeenth of September I caused the transcript or last scribled coppy of these remembrances being in divers places intâ—rlined amended and altered to be cast into the fire but I feare somewhat thereof might underhand be kept and reserved wherefore set your eares to hearken thereafter I have this present day added thus much If you can deale with Antonio Peres to draw him into Italie or at least to procure him to doe you service in some other Countries but into Spaine or the Netherlands 〈…〉 come Touching your marriage the particular writings thereof remaine under the custodie of the Secretarie Moreover remember that you often read over this signed Bill and these Writings here-about was never any body in counsell with me but mine owne hand Have alwayes an especiall care over your Counsellors and over those that are neere unto you The deciphering of Letters you must your selfe take upon you Doe not offend nor anger your Secretaries deliver them alwayes worke of small or great importance make proofe of them rather by your enemies than by your friends And although you be enforced to discover your secrets to your dearest favourites yet locke the chiefest alwayes within your owne brest Thus much gentle Reader as it is thought hath beene saved out of those notes and writings which were seene to be burned and this I thought good to publish for the common understanding Portugal THis Kingdome which is not above 320. miles long and sixtie broad not very populous and but meanly rich in essentiall revenues by navigation and Acquisition of late dayes it held equall ranke with the most famous Provinces of the world yea this humour of industrie so possessed their minds that they solely undertooke the famous expeditions of Barbarie Aethiopia India and Brasile Wherein within these hundred yeares they have taken and fortified the principall places
obedience so that at this day the Empire is inclosed in Germanie Whereupon sithence the glory thereof at this day consisteth only in Germanie It is good reason to say somewhat of this most ample and flourishing Province It lyeth betweene Odera and Mosa betweene Vistula and Aa and betweene the German Sea the Baltick Ocean and the Alpes The forme thereof is foure-square equall in length and breadth stretching six hundred and fifty miles every wayâ— That it aboundeth with Corne Cattell and Fish let experience shew For Charles the fifth had under his Ensignes at Vienna ninety thousand foot-men and thirty five thousand horse Maximilian the second at Iavorin had almost one hundred thousand footmen and thirty foure thousand horse and yet no man complained of dearenesse or scarcitie In the warre betweene Charles the fifth and the Protestants for certain moneths one hundred and fifty thousand men sustained themselves abundantly in the field And surely of all Europe it is the greatest Countrey and beautified with the best and richest store of Cities Townes Castles and Religious places And in that decorum and order for in a manner see one and see all as if there had beene an universall consent to have squared them like Courts to one anothers proportion whereto may be added a secret of moralitie That the inhabitants for honesty of conversation probity of manners assurance of loyaltie and confidence of disposition setting apart their imperfect customes of drinking exceed our beleefe For notwithstanding these their intemperate meetings and phantasticalnesse in apparell yet are they unoffensive conversible and maintainers of their Honours and Families wherein they steppe so farre as if true Gentrie were incorporate with them and there had his principall mansion And wanted they not an united and heeditary succession of government having sometime an Emperour by partiality of election and sometime by the absolute command of the Pope I should stand as forward as the best to say with Charles the Emperour That they were indeed a valiant a happie and an honourable Nation But in respect of these apparant and materiall defects in some abatement of their ostentation concerning their owne glory and the honour of Majestie in my judgement they should not doe amisse to reforme the custome of intituling the younger sonnes of Dukes Earles and Barons by the honourable Titles of their Ancestours especially sithence the Italians in facetiousnesse doe jest That these Earles of Germanie the Dukes of Russia the Dons of Spaine the Monsiers of France the Bishops of Italy the Knights of Naples the Lairds of Scotland the Hidalgos of Portugal the Nobles of Hungarie and the younger Brethren in England make a very poore company Otherwise if noveltie transport you to view their Palaces of Honour you shall eft-soones bee brought into their well fortified Cities wherein you shall finde Armorie Munition c. with a presence of the very Burgers excellently well trained in Militarie discipline you shall see brave musters of Horse with their exercises of Hunting Hawking and Riding yea how every man liveth of his owne the Citizen in quiet and the women blessed with plentifull issue The Nature of this Climate is temperate enough somewhat of the coldest yet tolerable and healthie No place thereof unlesse by nature it be utterly barren lieth unmanured insomuch that few remainders of that huge wood of Hercynia are to bee seene at this day unlesse in place where humane necessitie requireth their growing or Nature hath made the Earth fit for no other imployment as are the Blacke-Wood the Ottonique Wood and the Woods of Bohemia And yet doe they neither carry that horrid face of thicknesse as in old times neither are they so untravelled or unhabitable but exceeding full of Habitations Hamlets Villages and Monasteries It is rich in Mines of Gold Silver Corne Vines Bathes and all sorts of Metall and therein surpasseth the residue of the Provinces of Europe Nature hath also bestowed upon the Vp-land Countries many Springs and pits of Salt Water of which hard Salt is boiled Neither is it lesse stored with Merchandize for the Inhabitants more than any other Nation doe excell in curious workmanship and mechanicall invention and it is so watered with Navigable Rivers that all sorts of merchandize wares are with ease conveied from one place to another The greatest of them is Danow next the Rhene which runneth cleane through the Country from the South to the North as the Danow from East to West Albis riseth in Bohemia passeth by Misnia Saxonie Marchia and the ancient Marquisat Odera springeth in Moravia watereth Sâ—â—â—sia the two Marquisats and Pomeran Then followeth Wesar Neccar Mosa Moselia Isara Câ—nus Varia the Mase This divideth Germanie into two parts the higher and the lower The high stretcheth from the Mase to the Alpes the low from the Mase to the Ocean It is divided into many Provinces the chiefe whereof I meane the true members of the Empire are Alsatia Swevia Bavaria Austria Bohemia Moravia Silesia Lusatia the two Marquisates Saxonie Masaia Thuringia Franconia Hassia Westphalia Cleveland Magunce Pomeran In these Provinces besides Belgia and Helvetia are esteemed to bee ten Millions of men and eightie great Cities Villages innumerable and those plentifully stored with all sorts of Mechanicall Occupations Those which are seated neere Rivers for the most part are builded of Stone the Vp-land part of Stone and part of Timber The Houses thereof are very faire and high the Streets strait large and paved with stone yea more neat and handsome than those of Italy Strabo writeth that the Romans excelled the Grecians in cleanlinesse of their cities by reason of their Channels to conuâ—y away the soile but at this day the Dutch-men doe farre exceed the Romans herein These Cities are of three sorts viz. free Cities yet those stiled imperiall Hanse-townes and Cities by inheritance immediately holden of Princes and Prelates The free Cities are those which are by time and prescription immediately subject to the Emperour and have no other protector but him onely In times past they have beene accounted 96. now 60. Of Hanse cities there were 72. mutually bound by ancient leagues to enjoy common privileges and freedomes both at home and in forren Countries In ancient times they were of high estimation in England and other Provinces in regard of their numbers of shipping Sea-trade whereby they stored all Countries with their Easterne commodities and served Princes turnes in time of warre with use of shipping But at this day wee shall finde neither themselves nor their meanes so great that the English should either feare them or favour them especially in cases of prejudice I write this because of their continuall grudges and complaints against our Nation For if the State upon occasion as of late yeares after the example of other Princes should forbid them all offensive trade into Spaine which is their chiefest support they would in short time be quit of that indifferent
them to whose heire Fredericke Barbarossa restored the Palatinate in the yeare 1183. since which time as Munster saith it ever continued in that male Line untill these unfortunate warres The Lower Palatinate hath beene twice augmented once by the Emperour Wenceslaus who bestowed Oppenheim and two other Imperiall Townes upon the Elector for his voice in the Election The second augmentation was by the ransome of the Duke of Wirtenberg and the Archbishop of Mentz both taken in one battell by Prince Frederike Anno 1452. out of both whose Countries lying next unto the Palatinate the victorious Palatine tooke some what to lay to his owne For which and other quarrels there hath still continued a grudging in the Archbishops towards the Palsgraves Mentz whose Archiepiscopall Citie is also in the Palatinate laying a claime to a Monastery and the lands upon the Bergstraes or mountaine within two English miles even of Heidleberg The Palsgrave hath many prerogatives above the Electors of â—ther sort He taketh place of the Duke of Saxony and the Marquesse of Brandenburgh because Henry the first Palatine was descended of Charles the Great for which cause in the vacancie of the Empire he is also Governour of the West parts of Germanie with power to alienate or give Offices to take fealty and homage of the Subjects and which is most to sit in the Imperiall Courts and give judgement of the Emperour himselfe The Land naturally is very rich the Mountains are full of Vines Woods and such excessive store of red Deere that Spinola's souldiers in the late warres had them brought to them like Beefe or Bacon How famous the Rhenish Wines are I need not say Of Corne they have no want Silver also is here digged up Goodly Townes and strong it had such store as if they had had nothing but Cities All which are now divided betwixt the Emperour the Bavarian and the Spaniard The Prince also was said to have two and twenty Palaces But the chiefest ornament was the incomparable Library of Heidleberg not for the beauty of the roome for it was but in the roofe of the chiefe Church and that by a long wall divided into two parts but for the numbers of excellent Manuscripts and printed bookes with which it was then better stored than Oxford yet is The Princes Revenue arose first out of his owne Lands and Customes of his Manours Secondly out of the tenths and wealth of the Monasteries and estate of the Church confiscated which perchance made up one quarter if not more of his whole estate Thirdly from the Toll of one Bridge over the Rhine he yearely had about twentie thousand crownes Fourthly some say that one silver mine yeelded him threescore thousand crownes All together the revenues of this and the Vpper Palatinate lying next to Bavaria and some thirty English miles distant from this Lower were valued to amount unto one hundred sixtie thousand pounds sterling of yearely Revenues Finally of the three Temporall Electors goes this common proverb in Germanie That the Palsgrave hath the honour Saxony the money and Brandenburgh the land for Saxony indeed is richer and Brandenburghs Dominions larger than those of the Prince Elector Palatine The State of the Elector of Saxonie THe Dominion of the Dukes of Saxonie containeth the Marquisat of Mâ—sen the Lantgravedome of Turinge Voitland part of Nether Saxonie almost within two Dutch miles of Maigdburg part of the Lands of the Earles of Mansfielt pawned to Augustus for some summes of money and a parcell of Frankhenland The whole Country is seated almost in the midst of Germanie on all sides very farre from the Sea except Voitland very plaine and Champion sprinkled here and there with some few of them navigable The chiefest of them all is the Elve â—o which all the rest pay the tribute of their waters All of it together is imagined to bee in bignesse about a third part of England or somewhat more The climate in temperature is not much differing from ours of England It confineth on the South-East with the Kingdome of Bohem and is parted with many high hils and great woods on the South with the Bishop of Bambergs Countrie and on the South-west with the Lantgrave of Hesse on the North and North-west with the Counts of Mansfielt the Princes of Anâ—â—â—â—â— and the Citie of Maidburgh of which this Duke writeth himselfe Burgrave and the Marquesse of Brandeburghs eldest son Arch-Bishop yet is it not under either Iurisdiction but freely governed within it selfe On the North-east lyeth the Marquesdome of â—randeburgh and the Lansknites who partly belong to the Marquesse and partly to the Emperour It is in peace at this time as all Germanie beside with all the Neighbour-Princes Betweene the Bohemians and them there is a great league but betwixt the Emperour and their Dukes great jealousies under hand The Duke of Saxonie the Marquesses of Brandeburgh and the Lantgraves of Hesse have many yeeres they and their ancestry beene linked together and both Lutherans howbeit the Lantgrave is thought to fâ—vour of Calvinisme The Bishop of Bamberge both himselfe and his Countrie are all Catholiques but of no power to hurt though they were Enemies The Counts of Mansfielt have a grudge to the house of Saxonie because most of their land being pawned to Augustus is as they pretend wrongfully detained the debt being long since satisfied but they are so many and so poore as they may well have the will but not the power to annoy Saxonie in Religion Catholiques The Princes of Anhault as also the Counts of Mansfield are homagers to this Duke but of small power or riches In Religion Calvinists For home defence and strength this Dukedome is so strong by nature on Boheme side and upon the frontiers and within Land so well fortified by Art with reasonable strong Cities Townes and Castles so well peopled and all places of strength so well looked unto and kept in so good order that it seemeth provided to withstand the Enemy not onely of any one but of all the Neighbour-Provinces The greatest and chiefest Citie within this Dukedome is Erdford seated in Turing not subject to the Duke but a free and Hanse-towne the next unto it is Leipsique the Metropolis of Misâ—n a Towne very well seated both for profit and pleasure yet of no great strength though it held out Iohn Fredericke a siege of two or three moneths with small disadvantage of building very faire and stately most of the houses of seven eight or nine Stories high but all of Bricke and no Stone It is greater than Dresden and hath many faire and large streets and yet inferiour in beautie and strength for the Duke will not suffer the Inhabitants neither to fortifie nor to repaire the walls left they should againe rebell as in former times within the walls are nine hundred Houses it hath three Churches five Colleges and about foure hundred Students as also a faire Castle with a small
of it East West North and South is exceedingly spoken of for Silver and Gold Mines insomuch as in a Storie written of the Mines of Saxonie called Berg-Cronicon it is affirmed that this Hill yeelded to the Dukes of Saxonie in eight yeares twenty two Millions of Florens only for the Tenths Besides these Mines the Duke hath the Mine of Mansfielt pawned to divers Merchants of Norimberg and Augusta and are thought to be worth yearely thirty thousand pounds sterling It is held that all his Mines of Saxonie besides those of Mansfielt yeeld the Duke one yeare with another seven hundred thousand Florens which is about an hundred and thirty thousand pounds sterling Other commodities of worth they have none but flax and a kinde of thicke course cloth which by reason of the exceeding falsifying and dearenesse of ours groweth every day into more and more request with them The whole Dukedome but especially Misen is very populous full of Cities walled Townes and Country Villages and all of them very well peopled It is certainly affirmed that the Duke at twenty dayes warning is able to make an Armie of fourescore thousand men very well armed and furnished The people generally are reasonable faire of complexion and flaxen haired but not well favoured either men or women in behaviour as civill as any part of Germanie whatsoever especially the women who taking themselves as they are indeed for the fairest and best spoken of all Dutchland are in their apparell and entertainment indifferently gracefull For their disposition as indeed almost all the rest of the Germans it is very honest true and not ordinarily given to any notorious vice but drinking nor willingly offering any injurie either to their owne country-men or to strangers but when they are drunke and then very quarrelsome and as it is said more valiant than when they are sober Wise in mediocritie but not of any great sharpnesse or subtiltie of wit Of body strong and big boned especially the Countrey people but of a kinde of lumpish heavie and unactive strength fitter for husbandrie and other toilesome labour than fighting In their chiefe Cities some few give themselves at their great and principall Feasts to a little use of their Peece in shooting at a marke but otherwise by reason of their long peace altogether untrained to the warres or any warlike exercises But the use of the pot serveth for all other pastimes and delights in which notwithstanding they have very small store of wine yet they are nothing inferiour to any other part of Dutchland They have great store of Artizans and Handy-crafts men of all sorts but in their severall trades nothing so neat and artificiall as the Netherlanders and English or those of Norimberg and Augusta Of Merchants they have great store especially in Liepsiege and other chiefe Cities and those for the most part very rich whereof this reason is yeelded that though they have no commodities save those before mentioned nor are neere the Sea or any great Rivers by which they may have cheape and commodious importation or exportation of wares yet Germanie is so seated in the midst and heart of all Christendome and Saxonie in the bowels of it as by continuall trafficking with England France the Low-Countries Italie Poland and all the Easterne Countries and by daily conveying all the commodities of each Countrey over-land to others that want them they grow very wealthy For such as give themselves to the warres and have no other profession of living though generally all the Germans are mercenary souldiers and so their service accordingly yet I heard of as few in this Province as in any part of Germanie whether it were that the wars of Hungarie imployed them all or that other Princes growing weary of their service their occupation began to decay Touching the Nobilitie I can say nothing in particular of their numbers names titles dispositions c. only in generall there be Earles and Barons Some are meerely subject to the Duke others are borderers which are only but homagers as the Princes of Anhalt the Counts of Mansfielt the Counts of Swarzenberge c. Of Gentils there are good store to the number as it is supposed of three or foure thousand at the least by which meanes the Duke is alwayes in his warres well furnished with Horsemen every one one with another bringing three or foure good horses with him to the field The Nobilitie and Gentilitie generally thorow all Germanie and particularly in this Dukedome have great royalties and revenues The lands goods and chiefe houses are usually equally divided amongst all the children reserving but little prerogative to the eldest brother The Honours likewise descend equally to the whole Familie all the sonnes of Dukes being Dukes and all the daughters Duchesses all the sonnes of Counts Counts and the daughters Countesses c. They are exceedingly had both Noblemen and Gentlemen in extraordinary reverence and estimation amongst the vulgar people which both in their Gate and Seats in publike places they very religiously maintaine In time of Peace they are but little used in counsell or matters of State being almost all utterly unqualified either with wisdome learning or experience only contenting themselves with shadow of honour which their ancestors have left them And if they have beene famous as by the raising of their Houses to that greatnesse it should seeme they have â—eene they imitate them in nothing but in only continuing their so long and so holily observed order of carowsing In time of warre which hath beene for many yeares till the late warres of Hungarie very small or rather noâ—â— â—ecause of their greatnesse both in Revenues and number of Tenants their service hath beene usually imployed but now by reason of their long disuse of Martiall matters which therefore seemed to make some amends or at least some excuse of their other defects they are become if I ghesse not amisse not to fit for their greatnesse as unfit for their want of knowledge every way either in experience or contemplation And truly I cannot so much as heare almost of any of them either Noble or Gentlemen that give themselves to any Noble studies exercises or delights except now and then to the hunting of the wilde Boare by which and by accustoming their heads to the wearing of their heavie thrummed Caps in stead of a head-peece they take themselves to be greatly enabled for service For the valour and warlike disposition of the people of this Dukedome I cannot commend them above the rest of their Country-men neither shall I as I thinke need to stand much upon that point sithence their actions shall plead their sufficiencie in generall The great matters which they have undertaken and the little that they have performed will produce sufficient testimonie What they did one against another in the time of Charles the fifth is not much materiall to prove their courage since without question Bulrushes against Bulrushes
onely still continued but since the last warres increased What the generall summe of all the revenues arise unto I have nothing certaine neither indeed is it certaine in it selfe a great part thereof as aforesaid consisting upon casualties as the Mines and Tenths c. But for mine owne particular conceit being not altogether unconfirmed by other mens opinions I cannot imagine how that it can arise to lesse than foure hundred thousand pound sterling yearely at the least Thus have I briefly runne over some few particulars of the great and noble Dukedome of Saxony worthy a much more ample discourse and a farre more worthier and better informed discourser being all things considered not onely the greatest and mightiest Princedome under the Empire but even greater and mightier I meane as it stood united in the time of Christianus than the Empire it selfe For though the Emperour by his sacred Imperiall Seat bee his Liege-Lord and in greatnesse of dominion farre superiour yet is he in revenue in great love of his people in warlike provision and in German leagues and confederacies farre inferiour The State of the Marquesse Elector of Brandenburg THis Prince possesseth a larger tract of land than doth the other Electors and hath more Noblesse Gentry and people yet is a great deale of his land very wilde and barren much of his people poore and himselfe though of great revenue yet farre short of that of Saxony Brandenburg lies on the East limited with Poland on the West with Saxonie touching upon Lusatia on the South The compasse is about five hundred miles wherein are reckoned fifty Cities great and small and threescore and foure walled Townes The whole Marquisate is divided into the Old the chiefe Towne whereof is Brandenburg and the Nen the greatest Citie therein being Franckford upon Oder famous for the Mart and Vniversity The Princes Seat is at Berlin This twofold division is againe subdivided into eight Provinces from which the Nobilitie take their titles one of these Crossen by name being a Dukedome For in Germany you are to understand a Dukedome may be contained within a Marquisate yea and a Duke come behinde a Count for that in the Empire precedencie goes not as with us by title but by bloud and antiquity The name of the present Elector is Iohannes Georgius in whose line the title hath continued these two hundred and eleven yeares Besides now the bare Country of Brandenburg this Prince hath other dominions many townes and lands both in Lusatia and Silesia which with that of Onspach by Nurenberg goe commonly away to the younger of the family all which write themselves Marquesses of Brandenburg The three Dukedomes of Cleve Iuliers and Berg have also beene united to this family though now almost twentie yeares since the Duke of Cleve dying without issue these three States are yet in controversie betwixt this Marquesse and the Duke of Newenburg Besides these is hee Duke of Prussia which is a great Country into which the King of Poland is to give him investiture So that hee and the Archbishop Elector of Cullen be Lords of the greatest tracts of lands of all the Princes of Germany The revenues out of Brandenburg are thought to amount to forty thousand pounds sterling and certainly his profits out of all his other Estates cannot but double that summe A sufficient rent for such a Prince if you consider the cheapnesse of all things in his Country He is Lord of much people and therefore of many souldiers The Duke of Brunswicke hath a large dominion well peopled well furnished and himselfe of a great revenue but both in place much inferiour being no Elector being as of body the strongest so also of minde the vilest natured people of all Germanie In other things likewise he is inferiour to the Duke of Saxonie a great part of his Country being barren and his subjects poore The Duke of Bavaria hath a large rich and goodly Country lying in great length on both sides the Danubie a great revenue and his subjects in good estate but as being almost the only Catholike great Prince of the temporalty of no great party and unfurnished of warlike provision but much more of treasure being exceedingly behinde hand principally through the abuse of his Iesuites by whom being wholly governed he hath spent and daily doth infinitely in building them Churches Altars and Colleges and endowing them with large revenues What is above written of the Duke of Bavaria's estate was something to the truth at the time of the former edition of this booke for certainly the house of Bavaria is wholly Iesuited insomuch as the father of this present Duke giving over the government retired himselfe into a house of Iesuites and this present Duke besides other his large bounties and buildings hath already estated eighteene hundred pound sterling a yeare upon the English Iesuites with condition that it shall goe to the Vniversity of Oxford so soone as that shall be converted to Popery So that the case is now altered with the Duke of Bavaria hee hath gotten part both of the Vpper and Lower Palatinate into his hands yea and the Electorship it selfe is estated upon him Thus for the time are the Palatinate and Bavaria fallen both upon one person againe as they were before the yeare 1294. when as Lewis the Emperour Prince of both of them gave the Palatinate to his elder sonne and Bavaria to the younger after which the Palatine marrying the heire of Bavaria againe united them But about 125. yeares since the Emperour Maximilian againe parted them giving Bavaria to the Ancestor of this present Maximilian He is Vncle to King Frederike himselfe hath no issue his second brother is the Elector of Cullen and a third brother he hath who is not childlesse Bavaria touches both Austria Bohemia and the Vpper Palatinate too aptly situated for the late warres both to distresse his nephew and to aid the Emperour What forces he is able to make did then appeare and his revenue must bee answerable The Duke of Wirtemberg as in dignitie he is inferiour to all these so doth hee if I be not deceived approach neerest in most particulars of greatnesse to the Duke of Saxonie having a Country in circuit but small being not much bigger by ghesse than Yorkeshire but very full of neat Townes and rich Villages very well peopled and they generally very rich The land is not so fruitfull as in other places but farre excelling the best in England that ever came under my view abounding exceedingly especially about Stutgard with wine and the Countrey so pleasantly diversified as that the hils whereof it is full and River sides being only imployed to Vines the plaines are every where full of corne of all sorts of excellent meadow and pasture with sufficient store of wood The Duke himselfe is well loved of his people very rich in treasure and yearely revenue so that setting the mines aside he is thought to be equall if not
this Iland goes much upon the number of threescore Many masters hath this also had first the Phenicians and then the Greekes thirdly the Moores of Barbary from them the Spaniard tooke it after their expulsion out of Spaine Charles the fifth lastly gave it to the Knights of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem when the Turke had beaten them out of the Rhodes Anno 1522. the length of it is twenty miles and the breadth twelve The countrey people both in language and attire much resemble their old Masters and Sires of Affrica their Arabick Dialect being much corrupted with words crept in out of the severall Countries from whence their Knights doe come The women are handsome and the men jealous The Citizens be altogether Frenchified The whole number of Inhabitants is about 20000. The weather is hot and the soile barren as being onely a flat Rocke with a pan of earth a foot or two thicke Trees hath it few and Rivers none watered only with fountaines and raine water All their Corne is Barley which and Olives makes the best part of a Malteses dinner Plenty of Anice seed Comine seed and Hony they vent to Merchants Here also growes the perfectest Cotton Wooll The people are healthy dying rather of age than of diseases The Religion Popish Foure Cities be upon the I le quartered under the command of ten Captaines whereof Valetta is both the fairest and the strongest built 1565. and so named of Valetta the Grand Master famous for his valour against the Turks Founded upon a rocke it is high mounted wonderfully fortified close to the Sea and by land assaultable onely at the South end Victualled continually it is for three yeares new provision still supplying the expence of the old sent in from Sicily and by reason of the heat of the Country preserved under ground This small City is neighbour to two others La Isula and Saint Hermes each distant but a musket shot from other neere to the Haven and on the East end and North side of the Iland from which Malta the fourth City is eight small miles separated Two Forts more it hath Saint Michael and Saint Angelo So that all together this Iland is thought the most impregnable place of the world The Knights of Ierusalem since called of the Rhodes command all in all here no man daring to contradict Of these there bee five hundred continually resident in the Iland and five hundred mâ—re a thousand being their whole number dispersed in other Alberges or Hospitals in Europe Of them at this day there be seven seminaries one of France in generall one of Auvergne one of Provence one of Casrile one of Germany one of Arragon and one of Italie the eighth of England was suppressed by Henry the eighth These knights be all Friers by profession their Vow was to defend the Sepulcher of Christ now it is to defend the Romish Religion and Countries against the Infidels Of every one of these there is a Grand Prior having goodly houses and Seminaries in divers Countries living in great plenty and reputation Such an house of theirs was that of Saint Iohns commonly called Saint Ioanes without Smithfield The builder of which house was Thomas Docwra Prior then whose name lives in Esquires estate at Offley in Hartford shire c. A Knight of this order was to prove himselfe a Gentleman for six descents over the gate therefore may you see that testified by so many Eschutcheons There also is to be seene their Vow and Title expressed in the Motto Sarie ✚ Boro The word Sarie being accented with harsh aspirations to brand the Saracens with a note of wickednesse Both words with the figure of the crosse betwene signifie thus much Defender of the Crosse of Christ against the wicked Saracens This is written in the Saracen tongue the language of Malta which words expressing their Vow and Title is not much unlike to that of Raimund the first Master of their order whose Motto was The poore servant of Christ and defender of the Hospitall of Ierusalem And thus much by the way out of Docwra's pedigree for preserving of this antiquity Of these thousand Knights of the Rhodes there be sixteene more eminent than the rest called Great-Crosses for that the white crosse upon their blacke cloake which is the cognizance of their order they are privileged to weare larger than the rest Over all these there is one grand Master for whose election two are appointed out of each of the eight Nations two supplying the place of the English also these sixteene make choice of a Knight a Priest and a Frier-servant and those three nominate one of the sixteene Great Crosses to bee Grand Master for which place the foresaid Docwra was once in competition The stile of this Master is The illustrious and most reverent Prince my Lord Frier great Master of the Hospitall of Saint Iohns of Ierusalem Prince of Malta and Goza The Estate of the Grand Master arising out of the profits of the Iland of Malta â—tselfe is valued at ten thousand ducats besides what he hath out of the I le of Goza which the ancients called Glacon and Strabo Gaudon lying but one mile to the South-west of Malta and twenty miles in compasse The rest of his Entrada is made up out of fat Commendams of Ecclesiasticall dignities in severall Countries and of pensions from other Princes He hath an allowance out of the publike treasury the tenth of all prizes by Sea as also the whole or the cheife part of whatsoever estate any of the officers belonging to his owne person shall chance to leave behinde them The severall Knights are very rich besides their temporall lands in severall Countries enjoying divers Commendams and pensions also of which they are capable after five yeares of their admission and when they have made foure martiall expeditions Their common treasury is maintained by the gifts of Princes by the admissions of novices into their order each Knight paying an hundred and fifty crownes and every Frier-servant an hundred at his first entrance and lastly by the deaths of their brethren for when any of the Fraternity dies the whole order is heire excepting onely of one fifth part These consist not so much in the number of the Knights for they are but five hundred upon the Iland at once though the other five hundred are to come in upon summons as in their valour and resolution the whole Iland may perchance make six or eight thousand men able to beare armes and Goza the third part of that number The Ilanders are alwayes well trained for land-service and how much they are able to doe was seene by their repulsing the Turkish invasion By Sea the religion maintaineth but only five Gallies and one ship by report so stinted each galley carrying seventeene peeces of Ordnance and foure or five hundred men More than these wise men peradventure will imagine that a barren and small Iland living for the most part
the middest of a Lake and is in the Maps falsly called Echyed And those be the Countries of Hungaria which lying neere to the Turke and further from the Emperor did for their owne safeguard voluntarily at first put themselves under the protection of Bethlen Gabor whom with the Transilvanians they also elected for their Prince And now follow those seven Counties which the same Prince hath by the sword and conquest taken from the German Emperour which lie next in situation unto those before mentioned The first of these is that of Szâ—atmar lying neerer to Transilvania and touching both upon Maramaros and Szolnok aforesaid The chiefe Towne gives name to the Shire being a very strong one and served by a most plentifull Country about it The next Country so conquered is Zabolczi whose Burrough Towne is Debrecen situate in a large and most fertile levell of an hundred English miles long and broad and adorned with a goodly College of Students This County from the Southerne parts of Hungaria subject to the Turkes reaches over the goodly River Tibiscus fifty English miles right out ascending from the East to the South and West in which parts be the townes and villages of the warlike Hayduks so famous in the Turkish History a free people they held themselves all Gentlemen in service of no Lord but of their Leaders in time of warres and those are still of their owne Nation yet all bound to serve in the Armies of the Prince of Transilvania They live by their owne private Lawes and are most stiffe for the Calvinist Religion Next come those Counties which lie in the midst of these aforenamed The first of which is Bereghez whose Metropolis is Berekszas and this is the driest and barrennest Country of Hungaria Here is the Fort of Echyed so built in the midst of Lakes and Bogs that there is no approach to be made within foure miles of it either by horse or foot but by one bridge onely This makes it have the name of the strongest peece of all Bethlen Gabors Dominions perhaps of the whole world and therefore chosen by him to keepe the Crowne of Hungaria in when he had it in his custody Anno 1622. All these three Countries aforesaid conquered from the Emperour together with these former which belong unto him by Election lie situated in the forme of a ragged Triangle betwixt Transilvania and the River Tibiscus the first line whereof is made up by the County Maramaros out of which Tibiscus flowes originally The second line is either made by the River of Maros Marusius which falls â—nto the Tibiscus neere IÃ ppa a towne of the Turkes dominions although the better and evener line be made by the County Belenges The third line of this Triangle towards the West ends at the Castle of Tokai under whose walls the River Brodogh falls into the Tibiscus From this Castle we beginne to account the other foure conquered Counties which lie on Hungaria side and in respect of Transilvania are beyond the Tibiscus The first of which lying beyond Tibiscus and Brodogh is called Vgocz or Vngh of a River of that name whose chiefe towne is Vnghar the second is Hommona where the Iesuites have a College This Country touches upon Poland The second of these conquered Counties a member also of this latter is called Zemlen as its chiefe City also is Its second City is Saros Patak where the Palatine or Earle-marcher of that part of Hungaria subject to Bethlen Gabor usually keepes his residence Ennoblished it is besides with the greatest College belonging to the reformed Religion in all those parts wherein namely are fourescore Fellowes three hundred Schollars a Master and foure Readers all maintained by their owne setled Revenues like ours in England and all planted in a dainty aire a rich and most delicate Country The third conquered County is Porsod whose Metropolis is Tokay aforesaid which with its Fort and Castle was in consideration of 60000. pounds rendred by the Emperour unto Bethlen Gabor in the yeare 1628. August the 10. which its new Lord hath since re-edified This towne is overlookt by that which they call The golden Mountaine three English miles in height and seven in compasse which beares a wine of a more delicate and rich race than the Canaries and inestimable plenty too here and all abouts the Country This Country confronts upon the Turkish Territories and beyond Rudabaneya in the west parts begins the dominion of the Emperour The fourth of these Counties of his beyond Tibiscus and the utmost bounds of his conquests is called Abavyvar whose Metropolis is Cassovia the fairest and richest of all those parts and newly walled and fortified by the Conquerour Inhabited it is by the Hungarian and German Nations both of which here have their severall Churches Here likewise is a College as there also bee at Geonez and Sepsi two neighbour Cities Here also is the Bishopricke of Lelesz which being popish was upon request delivered up unto the Emperours disposing in that late treaty of Pacification And these be the goodly dominions of Bethlen Gabor in Hungaria which on the East are bounded with Transilvania on the West with the Turkish parts of Hungaria on the North with Poland and on the South with the Counties of Heves Torn and Genevar c. all subject to the Emperour As for his two Dukedomes of Oppelen and Ratibor in Silesia they being farre distant and chargeable to hold hee made a faire surrender of them into the Emperours hands in that treaty of Peace concluded betwixt them Anno 1624. What Revenues and Certainties may bee raised from hence is not to bee ghessed at in these troublesome times in which seasons quiet possession is to bee accounted the chiefe part of the Revenues seeing the subject is then rather to bee releeved than oppressed The Forces which hee is able to raise from hence with his owne pay and money must needs be very great seeing that with them hee hath not onely defended himselfe and gained upon the Emperour but so farre pressed upon him as to set so many townes on fire in Austria it selfe that by the light of those Bonefires the Emperour might reade a Letter in his owne Bed-chamber in Vienna Bethlen Gabor finally both for his valour and fortune is more dreaded by the Emperour than any other Christian King or Potentate of Europe And now for that this Prince hath so arrested the incroching greatnesse of the Emperour Ferdinand in those parts that he may well be called The scourge of the house of Austria he is therefore most mortally hated by all the Papists of Christendome who are sottishly addicted unto that Family Hence those scornes and slanders of him that he was basely borne that he was a Turke in Religion yea Circumcised and an hundred other Iesuiticall knaveries And for that hee hath not still beene ready to doe as we would have him in England since these infortunate warres of Bohemia even we good Protestants have thought that hee
Virgins to be deflowred of Idols abominable their exorcismes damnable and the varietie of senselesse profanations most contemptible It is not so spacious but it is as fertill for it yeeldeth not only what is fitting for humane life but whatsoever the delicate and esseminate appetite of man may lust after Many Plants yeeld fruit twice or thrice a yeare and that not only by the temperature of the ayre but by the number of the rivers and plentie of waters which doe both cause trafficke thorow every corner of the Region and so water it on all sides that it resembleth a most pleasant and delectable garden-plot Of this plentie there are three causes one the prodigall expences of the King in digging of trenches thorowout the whole Land sometime cutting thorow rockie Mountaines sometime damming up deepe valleyes to make them levell with high mountaines and to draine the waters of Lakes and Marishes the other for that the whole Region is situated under the temperate Zone and in no place either by nature or mans industrie wanteth moisture so that all creatures taking nourishment of heat and moisture must needs here wonderously prosper In no place Plants may take larger scope to spread their branches nor Cattell larger walkes to wander in than in this Country The last reason is for that the idle are neither severely punished nor altogether tolerated but every one is forced to doe somewhat no foot of land is left unhusbanded nor dramme of stuffe cast away unwrought Among other things note-worthy this one is of great consideration that in Cantan they maintaine foure thousand blind people to grinde corne and Rice every childe is set about somewhat according to his yeares and strength those only who are truly impotent in their limbs and have no friends living to succour them are provided for in Hospitals That none may excuse themselves in saying hee can doe nothing every one is bound to learne his fathers occupation which is the reason that the children borne as it were tradesmen learne their fathers occupations before they perceive it by continuall practice becomming in time most artificiall mechanickes He that cannot live at Land seeketh his maintenance at Sea for that is no lesse inhabited than the Land yea infinite housholds live on the Rivers in Boats without comming to Land for a long season Some whereof live by ferrying over people some by transporting passengers and their merchandize others keepe shops others vessels of lodging for their Merchants and Travellers Whatsoever is needfull for cloathing for food or nourishment delight or ease of a civill life is to be found in the middest of great Rivers Many likewise nourish all sorts of Poultrie especially Duckes in their vessels To hatch the egges and to nourish the young ones they use not the dams as we doe but an artificiall heat in a manner as they doe in Aegypt especially at Cair All night he keepeth them in his Boat and at morning sendeth them to feed in the fields sowed with Rice where all day long having fed on the weeds to the great good of the husbandman they returne toward evening to their Cages at the sound of a little Bell or Cimball Many live by carrying Fish both salt and fresh into the high Countries for in the Spring when the Rivers rise through thawes and landstouds so incomparable quantities of sea-fish doe abound in the havens and creekes that the fishermen depart rather wearied than wanting This fish the Skippers buy for a small matter of the fishermen and keeping them alive in certaine vessels made for the purpose they transport them into Provinces farre remote from the Sea There they are sold and preserved in Pooles and Stewes neere Cities and great Townes to serve the Markets and Tables of the richer Chinois all the yeare long Because it is forbidden any inhabitant to passe out of the Land without leave and therewith neither but for a certaine time limited it must needs be that by the daily increase of people the Country is even pestered with inhabitation It hath beene observed among themselves that for every five that have died seven have beene borne The Climate is so temperate and the aire so wholsome that in mans memory any universall pestilence hath not beene knowne to infest the Country Notwithstanding left any man should thinke this people to enjoy all sweets without some mixture of sowre you must note that their earth-quakes are more dreadfull unto them than any pestilence to us for whole Cities have beene swallowed and Provinces made desart by this punishment These casualties choke up the course of ancient Chanels and make new where were never any before they lay Mountaines levell with the ground and make havocke of the people In the yeare 1555. a deluge breaking out of the bowels of the earth devoured an hundred and fourescore miles of firme land with the Townes and Villages standing thereupon those which escaped the floud lightning and fire from Heaven destroyed There are said to be in China one hundred and fifty Cities two hundred thirty five great Townes one thousand one hundred fifty foure Castles and foure thousand two hundred Boroughs without walls wherein souldiers are quartered of Villages and Hamlets some of them containing a thousand housholds the number is infinite for the Country is so covered with habitation that all China seemeth but as one Towne They have two Metropolitan Cities Nanquin and Panquin In Nanquin toward the North the King keepeth his Court under the jurisdiction of the one are seven Provinces under the other eight Both of them are so spacious that it is a daies journey for a horseman to ride from one end to the other Of the number of the Inhabitants no certainty can bee produced but according to manuscript relations and the report of travellers it is said that the Kingdome containeth threescore and ten millions of living soules This is an admirable report and not to bee beleeved if it be compared with the Provinces of Christendome but surely something above conceit is to be credited to those spacious populous and barbarous Nations Let us set the largenesse of their Provinces the circuit of their Cities their plenty and abundance of all things and in all places either in prospering by nature or mans industry with their number and inhabitation and we shall finde a Country like enough to afford such a reckoning with places cities and dwellings able to containe them and nourishment sufficient to maintaine them Italy exceedeth not nine millions Germany excluding the Swizzers and Netherlands not ten and with the foresaid Provinces not above fifteene which number peradventure France may reach unto Spaine is farre inferiour to Italie Sicilie hath but one million and three hundred thousand England three millions and Belgia as many if by the continuance of the warre in those Countries that number be not much decayed The Italians conceit marvellous highly of themselves thinking no Province upon the face of the earth for wealth and
people comparable to Italie but they forget that as it is long so it is narrow and nothing wide or spacious neither that two third parts have not one navigable River a want of great consequence neither that the Apenine a Mountaine rockie and barren doth spread it selfe over a fourth part thereof Let them nor deceive themselves nor condemne anothers plenty by their owne wants nor measure others excesse by their handfuls For fertility doth France in plenty of Graine or Cattell give place to Italy or England for Cattell for Wooll Fish or Metall Or Belgia for number or goodlinesse of Cities excellency of Artificers wealth or merchandise Or Greece for delectable situation commodious Havens of the Sea or pleasant Provinces Or Hungarie for Cattell Wine Corne Fish Mines and all things else But I will not stand upon these discourses only let me tell you that Lombardy containeth the third part of Italy a Province delightsome for battle-plaines and pleasant Rivers without barren mountaines or sandy fields and to be as full of people as the whole halfe of Italy besides Yea what may bee said of Italy for profit or pleasure that may not bee spoken particularly of France England Netherland and both the Panonies Wherefore since the Country is not onely large and spacious but united populous plentifull and rich at least let it bee beleeved and accounted for one of the greatest Empires that ever was The Government is tyrannicall for thorowout the Kingdome there is no other Lord but the King they know not what an Earle a Marquesse or a Duke meaneth No fealty no tribute or toll is paied to any man but the King He giveth all magistracies honors He alloweth them stipends wherewith to maintaine their estates and they dispatch no matter of weight without his privity His vassals obey him not as a King but rather as a God In every Province standeth his portraicture in gold which is never to be seene but in the new Moones then is it shewed and visited of the Magistrates and reverenced as the Kings owne person In like manner the Governours and Judges are honoured no man may speake to them but upon their knees Strangers are not admitted to enter into the Kingdome left their customes and conversation should breed alteration in manners or innovation in the State They are onely permitted to trafficke upon the Sea-coasts to buy and sell victuall and to vent their wares They that doe trafficke upon the Land assemble many together and elect a Governour amongst them whom they terme Consull In this good manner strangers enter the Kingdome but alwaies waited on by the Customers and Kings Officers The Inhabitants cannot travell but with a licence and with that neither but for a prefixed season and to bee sure of their returne they grant no leave but for traffickes sake and that in Ships of an hundred fifty tun and not above for they are jealous that if they should goe to sea in bigger vessels they would make longer journies To conclude it is a religious Law of the Kingdome that every mans endevours tend wholly to the good and quiet of the Common-wealth By which proceedings Justice the mother of quietnesse Policy the mistresse of good Lawes and Industry the daughter of peace doe flourish in this Kingdome There is no Country moderne or ancient governed by a better forme of policy than this Empire by vertue whereof they have ruled their Empire 2000. yeares And so hath the State of Venice flourished 1100. yeares the Kingdome of France 1200. It is a thousand two hundred yeares since they cast off the yoke of the Tartars after their ninety yeares government For their Arts Learning and Policy they conceive so well of themselves that they are accustomed to say that they have two eyes the people of Europe but one and the residue of the Nations none They give this report of the Europeans because of their acquaintance with the Portugals with whom they trafficke in Macoa and other places and the renowne of the Castidians who are their neighbours in the Philippinae Printing Painting and Gun-powder with the materials thereunto belonging have beene used in China many yeares past and very common so that it is with them out of memory when they first began Their Chronicles say that their first King being a great Necromancer who reigned many thousand yeares past did first invent great Ordnance and for the antiquity of Printing there hath beene Bookes seene in China which were printed at least five or six hundred yeares before Printing was in use with us in Europe and to say when it first began it is beyond remembrance But not to make our Readers beleeve reports beyond probability or credit we must needs informe the truth That the Arts and Manufactures of China are not comparable to ours of Europe Their buildings are base and low but one story high for feare of earth-quakes which makes them take up more roome on the ground than in the ayre no marvell then if their Cities be great Their Painting is meere steyning or trowelling in respect of ours Their Printing is but stamping like our great Letters or Gaies cut in wood for they cut many words in one peece and then stampe it off in paper This makes their Printing very difficult and chargeable and therefore so little used Of liberall Arts they know none but a little naturall Rhetoricke which he that there excels in is more beholding to a good wit and a fine tongue than to the precepts of his Tutor Their great Ordnance be but short and naught Finally they are a people rather crafty than wise their common policy is made up of warinesse and wilinesse By the multitudes of people before spoken of you may imagine the state of his forces for herein all other provisions take their perfection But to speake somewhat in particular The power of this Prince remembring his countenance and nature detesting all invasions is more ready and fit to defend than offend to preserve rather than to increase His Cities for the most part are builded upon the bankes of navigable Rivers environed with deepe and broad ditches the walls built of stone and bricke strong above beleefe and fortified with ramparts and artificiall bulwarks Upon the borders toward Tartarie to make sure worke against such an enemy they have built a wall beginning at Chioi a City situate betweene two most high mountaines and stretching it selfe toward the East six hundred miles between mountaine and mountaine untill it touch the cliffes of the Ocean Upon the other frontiers you may behold many but small holds so built to stay the course of the enemie untill the Country forces bee able to make head and the Royall Army have time to come leasurely forward for in 400. great Townes hee keepeth in continuall pay forces sufficient upon the least warning to march to that quarter whither occasion calleth Every City hath a Garrison and Guard at the gates which at nights
thousand houses of Spaniards and sixtie thousand of the native Indians The gold and silver of these parts is neither so much nor so good as that of Peru but Merchandize Mechanicks and Husbandrie infinitely more flourish Some one private man the Spaniards report to be master of thirtie yea fortie or fiftie thousand head of Cattell The profits arising from hence to the King of Spaine will not the Spanish Writers suffer to be intirely knowne This they bragge of that the yearely fishing of the Lake of Mexico is worth twenty thousand crownes and that Mexico Citie glories in foure faire things Women Cloaths Streets and Horses Guatimala IT is both the name of a Towne as also of the Province The Old-towne so called was destroyed by the fall of an Hill thereunto adjoyning and an hundred and twentie Spaniards miraculously overwhelmed with the ruine thereof About three miles from thence is the New-towne situated containing eightie or ninetie faire stone houses therein all covered with tile It is much subject to Earth-quakes but otherwise of a good temperate aire fruitfull of corne and plentifull of trees brought out of Spaine which doe not well prosper therein Fonduras IT is a great Countrey and was exceeding well inhabited before the arrivall of the Spaniards And howbeit they boast of the erection of five Townes therein yet all of them consist not of above an hundred and twentie or an hundred and thirtie houses and those for the most part built of reeds and straw yea and but poorely inhabited because the gold which is their sole desire beginneth to faile Nicaragua NIcaragua stretcheth towards the South-sea lying South-east from Mexico and is not very great but rich fruitfull and pleasant insomuch as the Spaniards call it Mahomets Paradise but so extreme hot that it is not to be travelled by day but by night It should seeme that their Winter beginneth in May for from thence it raineth six whole moneths the other six are very faire and drie and day and night being of equall length Honey Wax Cotton-wooll and Balsam grow there in great abundance with many other kinds of fruits which are neither found in other Provinces nor yet in Hispaniola There are some few Kine but many Hogs and those brought from Spaine Parrots are there as common as Crowes in England The Countrey is well replenished with Indian Villages their small houses consisting of reeds and straw The gold that they have is brought from other places and so is all other metall In manners they resemble the Mexicans and so in apparell and language save that the Mexican is the better with the use whereof a man may travell fifteene hundred miles and is easily to be learned One Lake it hath three hundred miles about which hath no vent into the Ocean The chiefe Cities are Nueva Granado and Leo the Seat of a Bishop Cuba CVba or Fernandina is a great Island and by reason it hath on the East-side Saint Domingo on the West Iucatan on the North Florida and on the South Iamaica it is very much frequented by Merchants It is more long than broad and containeth in length from East to West three hundred miles and from North to South threescore and ten In breadth it is not above nineteene miles in some places but fifteene The ground is high rough and full of Hils the Rivers small yet rich of Gold and Copper The aire is temperate but of the coldest The soile affordeth great store of Mather it is full of Woods and fresh-fish by reason of the faire Rivers therein It boasteth of six Townes inhabited by Spaniards whereof that of Saint Iames is a Bishops See and Havana the chiefe Staple where yearely all the ships make their Rendevouz The people resemble those of Hispaniola but differ in speech and goe all naked being now almost rooted out and supplanted by the Spaniards Here though the Gold bee course yet the Brasse is most pure It beareth plentie of Sugar Ginger Cassia Aloes Cinamon The common people may not eat Serpents it being meat for their masters Iamaica or the I le of Saint Iago IAmaica lieth seventeene degrees on this side the Equinoctiall and hath on the East S. Domingo on the West the Cape of Iucatan on the North Cuba and on the South Lacerena The breadth surpasseth the length being from East to West about fiftie miles and from North to South twentie In it the greater part of the Inhabitants by farre are Spaniards sixtie thousand Natives being by them destroyed like their neighbours of Lucaya It is very fruitfull both toward the Sea as also to the Inland and was in times past very populous and such as were more wittie and subtill both in warre and other professions than were their neighbours It yeeldeth also Gold and very fine Cotton-wooll And at this present it is full of such beastials as the Spaniards have brought thither out of Spaine The women here killed their owne children rather than suffer them to serve the Spaniards Hispaniola HIspaniola which the Natives call Haitie for greatnesse is the second Island in those parts On the East-side lieth Saint Iohns on the West Cuba and Iamaica on the North the Islands of the Canibals and on the South the firme land The Compasse thereof is foure hundred French miles being broader than it is long For in length it is from East to West an hundred and fiftie miles and from North to South fortie miles It is stored with Azure Basill-wood Cotton-wooll Amber Gold Silver and abundance of Sugar It is so fruitfull that within sixteene dayes Radishes Lettuce and Cole-wort will ripen and be readie to be eaten and within six and thirtie Melons Cucumbers and Gourds will be as forward It hath many Townes whereof that of Saint Domingo is the principall as containing above five hundred houses and those inhabited by Spaniards and built after the Spanish fashion Next their Gold their greatest trading is Sugar and Hides For all sorts of Cattell brought thither out of Spaine have so prospered therein that some are owners of six or eight thousand beasts Here are the Spaniards said to have wasted three millions of Indians The Gold is better here than in Cuba The Sugar yeelds twentie or thirtie fold and Corne an hundred fold Foure goodly Rivers it hath and five or six handsome Townes of Spaniards Boriquen BOriquen or the Iland of Saint Iohn on the East hath the Island of Saint Cruz on the West other small Islands Northward Saint Domingo and on the South the Cape of Paria From East to West it is fiftie miles long and eighteene broad In forme it is almost square and is populous well housed having many good Havens and replenished with Woods The Inhabitants are valiant and have Warre continually against the Canibals Upon the North-side it is rich in gold but towards the South fruitfull of bread grasse fruit and fish The two chiefe Townes are Saint Iohns and Puerte Rico. Should I run over all the Coast of Paria