of Spaine Histories witnesse that some of these Prouinces did owe homage to the Empire and the rest to the King of France till they fell into the hands of the powerfull Dukes of Borgundy who by diuers transactions tooke all rights from the Kings of France and because the Empire hath been euer since in the House of Austria it cannot seeme strange the Kings of Spaine being of the same House that these Prouinces haue been freed of the homage due to the Empire The Emperour Charles the fifth happily gouerned these Prouinces with great iudgement handling the people gently who had alwaies been held vnder a gentle yoke by their Princes inioying great priuiledges inuiolably kept to them neuer vsed to absolute gouernement but hauing often taken Armes when their Princes imposed exactions vpon them or broke any of their priuiledges and so bringing their Princes to iust and equall termes But his son Phillip K. of Spaine and many other Kingdomes straying from his Fathers example in the gouernement of Netherland and obstinately despising his counsell which at his death as it were by his last Testament he gaue him to handle this people gently and not induring their voluntarie and free subiection hath caused the greater or at least the richer part of these Prouinces to fall from him and his heires For vpon the first dissention about Religion Pope Pius the fourth induced Phillip King of Spaine to publish a Decree in Netherland for the establishing of the infamous Inquisition first inuented in Spaine of late to punish the Iewes and Saracens who being Christians yet retained their owne rites and also for the execution of the Decrees made in the Councell of Trent which done more then 400 Gentlemen made petition to the King to abolish this decree and ioyning the intercession of the Emperor sent this petition to the King by the hands of diuers Lords and Gentlemen whereof the Prince of Egmond was one who had done the King very great seruice in the battell of Saint Quintens These petitioners were despised by the Spaniards and called Geuses that is beggers or poore slaues and the King sent them backe vnregarded and sent the Duke of Alua to go uern Netherland who cruelly raged against the Professors of the reformed religion beheaded the Prince of Egmond and the Earle of Horn both Knights of the golden fleece and on all sides proceeded butcherly In the meane time the Prince of Orange who formerly had in vaine perswaded the Prince of Egmond to fly foreseing this tiranny with other banished Geutlemen was gone out of Netherland and fled to the Prince of Condy in France At last the Duke of Alua hauing brought all in subiection reformed the policy and imposed an exaction of the tenth penny was recalled into Spaine whither he retourned with much treasure he had extorted and Don Iuvan of Austria succeeded in that Gouernment in whose time the fatal Ciuill warre began in Flaunders and shortly after mutinous troopes called Male contents ioined together neither acknowledging the King nor the States of the Prouinces and while Don Iunan pursued them he died in the Camp in the yeere 1578. Then Alexander Farnese Duke of Parma was made Gouernor of Netherland and the King persisting in his purpose to bring that people to absolute subiection and the Professors of the reformed religion being grieuously persecuted and all the people being murinously affected for the newe and tirannicall exaction of the tenth penny without consent of the generall States the troubles still continuing in Flaunders at last some few Prouinces hauing the Prince of Orange for their Generall in the warre strictly combined themselues in league for mutual defence So Flaunders and the firme land was left vnder the Spanish yoke but the confederate Prouinces firmly resoluing to cast off all subiection to the King of Spaine instituted a new forme of common wealth For the Prince of Orange wisely and variantly procuring the publike good was in the yeere 1584 traiterously slaine with a baller by a desperate Roague whereupon the cities of Flaunders lay open to the Duke of Parma But the foresaid vnited Prouinces cast themselues into the protection of the Queene of England and if my memory faile not they are thus named Holland Zealand Vtreiht Groning west Friesland besides many townes for Gelderland some fortes and strong cities of Brabant and Ostend in Flaunders a towne for neerenes fit to annoy the Enemy And the foresaid fortes and strong cities for the most part lying vpon the coast of the sea within land vpon the mouth of the Rheine where it fals into the sea gaue free traffick by sea to the vnited Prouinces forbad the same to the cities within land and besides yeelded this commodity that as the Spanish soldiers from their forts send frey booters to spoile the vnited countries of Gelderland Groning Friesland so the soldiers of the states might frōthence make incursiōs vpō the countries subiect to the King of Spaine wherby the country people were forced to pay large yeerly cōtributions to be free from this spoile The few inhabitants of these small Prouinces whome men will iudge but a breakefast to the Spanish Army notwithstanding haue not only bene able to this day to keepe out these powerfull forces from entring their territories but may iustly brag that they haue wonne many strong forts and townes from the Spaniard and carried their Army into Flaunders where in a field fought at Newport they obtained a glorious victory against the Spaniardes And so much in small progresse of time haue their iust and moderate Counsells increased their common-wealth gouerned with great equity and equality as at last forsaken as it were by the King of France for the time hauing little helpe from England they alone did not onely long defend themselues from the powerfull reuenge of the Spaniard but stoutly bearing out the warr to a wished peace are now no more to be pittied but in common iudgment rather to be enuied and feared by their neighbours Mention hath bene made of the Prince of Orange and hereafter mention is to be made of his sonne Count Maurice therefore it will not be amisse to say somthing of this noble family The vnited Prouinces consisting of citizens and the common people there being few Gentlemen in Friesland and few or none in Holland and Zeland and such kind of Plebean men vnfit to leade Armies they aswell for the common-wealths sake first tooke the Prince of Orange for their head as after for thankfulnes to him much esteemed the Family of Nassaw and besides others of that Family gouerning in Friesland and other parts made choise of the said Princes sonne Count Maurice to be General of their Army but with limited power from the States and he hath a double as I thinke voice in their publike meetings in which notwithstanding hee seldome or neuer vsed to be present His father the Prince of Orange had all his
and returne into England If any say we spent lauishly let him know that my dearest brothers death and my necessary stay thereupon and a desperate sickenesse into which I fell vpon griefe very much increased the said expences Adde that I being pressed with these miseries had now spent all the money we brought in our purses and then suffered great losse by the money taken vpon exchange to be paid in England and being weake after my sickenesse was forced much to increase my charge by taking a seruant to wait vpon me From which extraordinary mischiefes God deliuer all that vndertake this iourney and yet I am deceiued if the ordinary burthens will not seeme more then enough heauy to them But I returne to the relation of my iourney It is the Mariners fashion that being to goe to Sea they will affirme they set sayle presently that the Merchants and passengers may bring their goods on board which done they will not easily take them out againe though that ship after long delaies should goe last out of the Hauen Therefore wee kept our goods in our lodging still inquiring after the Scriuano who dwelt hard by vs and when he professed seriously that hee would take shippe the next day then we presently shipped our prouisions So on Friday the 19 of Aprill after the new stile in the yeere 1596 we together with the Patron our Master went aboard And the Patron returned that night to Venice but we lodged in the ship The Patron had some monethspast promised me and my brother that we should set our chests vpon which we were to rest aboue the hatches hard by the sterne where the shippe being great wee had commodity to set them in a place couered ouer the head but open on the side towards the prowe and this place was close at the other end lying at the very doore of the Patrons cabbin where he slept and laid his priuate goods And this place seemed to me very pleasant and fit to rest in since we were couered from raine and the winds blew commonly vpon the sterne while we were at sea for we sayled commonly with a fore wind the winds being more constant in that sea at set seasons of the yeere then in our seas and for the time of our abiding in Hauens and otherwise in that calme sea if the winds were contrary yet in summer time and in a clime so neere the AEquinoctial line we could receiue no hurt but rather pleasure by their coolenesse Besides being thus parted from the Mariners we were free from lice and all filthinesse wherewith the French-men our consorts were much annoied who slept vnder the hatches and that the rather because they wore woollen stockings wee silke drawne ouer with linnen and they slept in their apparell we only in our doublets and linnen breeches and stockings which doublets of ours were lined with taffetie wherein lice cannot breed or harbour so as howsoeuer I wore one and the same doublet till my returne into England yet I found not the leaft vncleanlinesse therein And giue me leaue to ioy in my good fortune as the common sort speake Namely that the taffety lining of my doublet being of greene colour which colour none may weare vpon great danger but onely they who are of the line and stocke of Mahomet of whom I could challenge no kindred yet it hapened that by sleeping in my doublet aswell by land as by sea no Turke euer perceiued this my errour Neither did I vnderstand by any Christian no not by our English Merchants at Haleppo in what danger I was for the same till I came to Constantinople where our English Ambassadour told mee of the strict Law forbidding the vse of this colour and that a poore Christian some few dayes before had been beaten with cudgels at Constantinople and was hardly kept from being killed because ignorantly he wore a paire of greene shoo-strings Whereupon I was yet in feare when all danger was almost past yet would I not cast off my doublet but onely more warily kept the lining from sight till I entred the Greeke ship wherein I passed thence to Venice and so was free from all danger I returne to my purpose The Patron of our ship as I said returned to Venice but we staied in the ship to dispose all our prouisions fitly for the iourney The next day being the twentieth of Aprill after the new stile the Patron Scriuano and all the Merchants came aboard and the following night being cleere our ship was drawne out of Malamocco the Venetian Hauen by little boats fastened to the ship by ropes and making their way with oares for great shippes vse no sayles to goe out of this Hauen Vpon Sunday the 21 of Aprill in the yeere 1596 being thus put to sea wee set saile with a faire winde Then all falling on our knees we prayed vnto God for a happie Voyage kneeling aboue the hatches but praying euery man priuately and silently to himselfe Some write that in the Ships of Venice they vse to pray publikely in Latin euery day after the Roman fashion and some dayes to celebrate Masses but in this our ship the Patron and most of the Marriners were Greekes and onely the Scriuano that is Scribe with some Merchants were Italians and of the Roman Religion Therefore euery day a Bell was rung at prayer time but each man prayed priuately after his owne manner There were besides in the ship many Easterne Christians of diuers Sects and Nations and Turkes and Persians yea very Indians worshipping the Sunne all which at the ringing of this bell to prayer went vnder the hatches My selfe and my brother willingly prayed with them aboue the hatches after the foresaid manner whereof we thought no scruple of conscience to bee made since Greekes prayed with vs as well as Italians and French whose difference in Religion was well knowne to themselues so as this our priuate prayer was voide of all dissimulation And we were glad that no profession of our Religion was imposed vpon vs in regard of our consorts with whom we were to goe to Ierusalem and of the Italians who after our returne might perhaps meete vs in Italy Prayers being ended they vsed a cerimony which I liked well for the sub-Patron giuing the signe with his siluer whistle all the Marriners bareheaded and turning their faces to the East cryed with a loud voyce Buon ' viaggio Buon ' viaggio that is a good voyage and the same signe giuen did cease and againe cried so three times Vpon Tuesday the Patron with the Scriuano standing by him stood vpon the Castle of the ship and made a solemne Oration to the sub-Patron and the Marriners standing vpon the lower hatches whom he admonished how they should behaue themselues and especially to refraine from swearing blasphemy and sodomie vnder great penaltie Then he wrote the names of the Marriners and gaue euery man his charge And lastly turning himselfe to the passengers exhorted them
vitae which they call Harach and drinke as largely as Wine for ten meidines foure pounds of wine for one zechine Bisket for the Turkes haue no other bread but cakes baked on the harth for thirty meidines which things we prouided for our Supper and to carry with vs by the way yet might we haue bought and did buy most things by the way excepting Wine and Bread which are hardly found and must be carried by those that will haue them The guide of our Carauan was detained here by his businesse most part of the next day being Wednesday and in the meane time it fortunately happened that a Turkish Basha returning with his traine from his Gouernement and being to goe our way rested here so as his company freed vs the rest of our iourney from feare of theeues Vpon Wednesday in the afternoone we setforward in the company of this Basha and iournied all night in this Plaine wherein there was not the shadow of one tree and at eight of the clock the next morning we did sit downe in the open field resting vnder the ruines of old walles Here the Ianizaries of the Basha inquired curiously after the condition of me and my brother so as our Muccaro aduised vs to giue them halfe a piastro which they receiuing promised to defend vs from all iniury but in the meane time they did so swallow our wine as when it was spent we were forced to drinke water to which we were not vsed Vpon Thursday at three of the clock in the afternoone we set forward and about midnight we came to the Citie Marrha where our Muccaro and diuers others payed each of them ten meidines for cafar or tribute and at the Citie Gate a man was hanged in chaines also the next day we did see another impalled that is sitting and rotting vpon a stake fastned in the ground and thrust into his fundament and bowels Vpon Friday before day wee set forward and passing a stony barren way but full of Walnut trees vpon which many birds did sit and sing wee came in foure houers space to an Hospitall which they call Caon and it was stately built of stone in a round forme with arches round about the Court-yard vnder which arches each seuerall company chose their place to eate and rest both which they must doe vpon the ground except they bring Tables and beds with them Neither were any victuals there to be sold or dressed but euery man bought his victuals in the Village adioyning and dressed it after his manner The same Friday at foure in the afternoone wee went forward and riding all night did vpon Saturday early in the morning sleepe an hower in the open field while meate was giuen to our beasts Then going forward we came by Noone the same day being the nine and twentie of Iune after the Popes new stile which I haue followed hitherto being in company of Italians and Friers to the famous Citie of Haleppo where the English Merchants liuing in three houses as it were in Colledges entertained my brother and mee very 〈◊〉 And George Dorington the Consul of the English there led vs to the house wherein he liued with other Merchants and there most courteously entertained vs with plentifull diet good lodging and most friendly conuersation refusing to take any money for this our entertainement And howsoeuer wee brought him onely a bill of exchange for one hundred Crownes yet when we complained to him that we now perceiued the same would not serue our turnes hee freely lent vs as much more vpon our owne credit Yea when after my brothers death my selfe fell dangerously sicke and was forced to goe from those parts before I could recouer my health so as all men doubted of my returne into England yet he lent me a farre greater summe vpon my bare word which howsoeuer I duly repayed after my comming into England yet I confesse that I cannot sufficiently acknowledge his loue to mee and his noble consideration of poore and afflicted strangers The Citie Haleppo is said to haue the name of Halep which signifies milke because the Prouince is most fruitfull or of the word Aleph as the chiefe Citie of Syria and to haue been called of old Aram Sohab mentioned the second of Samuel the eight Chapter and third verse or at least to be built not farre from the ruines thereof The Trafficke in this place is exceeding great so as the goods of all Asia and the Easterne Ilands are brought hither or to Cayro in Egypt And before the Portugals found the way into East India these commodities were all brought from these two Cities And the Venetians and some free Cities of Italy solly enioyed all this trafficke of old But after that time the Portugals trading in East India serued all Europe with these commodities selling them yea and many adulterate Druggs at what price they listed cutting off most part of this trafficke from the Italians At last the French King making league with the great Turke the Merchants of Marsiles were made partners of this trafficke and in our age the English vnder the Raigne of Queene Elizabeth obtained like priuiledge though great opposition was made against them by the Venetians French Merchants And the Turkey company in London was at this time the richest of all other silently enioying the safety and profit of this trafficke vnderstand that when I wrote this the trafficke into the East Indies was nothing at all or very little knowne to the English or Flemmings This City lies within Land the Port whereof called Alexandretta by the Christians and Scanderona by the Turkes I shall hereafter describe The building of this City as of all houses in Syria is like to that of Ierusalem but one roofe high with a plaine top plaistered to walke vpon and with Arches before the houses vnder which they walke dry and keepe shops of wares The City is nothing lesse then well fortified but most pleasantly seated hauing many sweet gardens The aire was so hot as me thought I supped hot broth when I drew it in but it is very subtile so as the Christians comming hither from Scanderona a most vnhealthfull place hauing the aire choaked with Fens continually fall sicke and often die And this is the cause that the English Factors imployed here seldome returne into England the twentieth man scarcely liuing till his prentiship being out he may trade here for himselfe The Christians here and the Turkes at the Christians cost drinke excellent wines where of the white wines grow in that territory but the red wines are brought from Mount Libanus Moreouer all things for diet are sold at cheape rates and indeed the Turkes want not good meat but only good Cookes to dresse it The English Merchants can beare me witnes that these parts yeeld sheepe whereof the taile of one wreathed to the ground doth weigh some thirty or more pounds in fat and wooll In one of the City gates they shew the Sepulcher
appeales for vniust causes should be punished by paying charges and being fined and that no appeale should bee admitted vnder the value of fifty Guldens excepting those who haue priuiledge to appeale for lesse summes and that no appeale be made for corporal punishments That the Chamber should be held at Spire till it be otherwise decreed by Parliament but that in time of famine or plague they may for the time choose another place That two brothers should not be the one an Assessor the other a Procter That the Iudges shall meete three dayes in the weeke and eight of them at the least shall be present That execution of iudgement shall first be required by letters of the Court to which if the Defendant shal not yeeld obedience he shal be cited to appeare and shall be condemned in costs and the Plaintife shall be put in possession of his goods and the Defendant by the Popes priuiledge granted to this Court shall be excommunicated and then execution shall be desired from the Magistrate of the Community or in case the defendant be powerful it shall be desired from the Emperour himselfe Lastly that no appeale nor petition against the iudgement of the Chamber shall be admitted And thus much breefly written of the Imperiall Chamber or Court shall suffice Onely I will adde that appeales were of old granted to the Electors subiects and at this day in some cases and aboue a certaine value are granted to the subiects of Princes and Cities and that in difficult causes the Germans often referre them to beiudged by the Colledges of ciuill Lawyers in the Vniuersity but since Princes and Cities weekely hold Courts of iudgement so as execution is done before appeale can be made and since many Cities and Princes haue priuiledges against appeales granted to them from the Emperor these appeales are many times and by diuers meanes made voide In this Chamber the Emperour himselfe may be accused and many times a Gentleman or any man of inferior condition hauing difference with a Princes gaines the cause against him and the great differences of Princes wont to breake into warre vse quietly to be composed in this Court The cheefe Iudge if he be Earle or Barron hath two thousand Guldens yeerely by the statute made in the yeere 1548 and hath more if he be a Prince An Assessor if he be an Earle or Barron hath yeerely by the same statute seuen hundred Guldens if he be a Doctour of the Ciuill Law or a Gentleman he hath fiue hundred Guldens and each Aduocate in Exchequer causes hath yeerely three hundred Guldens and by a statute in the yeere 1557 they receiue for each Gulden 77 Creitzers for bettering of their pensions whereas formerly each Gulden was valued at sixteene Batzen or sixty foure Creitzers Touching capitall iudgements By the Ciuill Law in most heinous offences the affection is punished though it take no effect yet in common custome and after the forme of the Statutes of Italy he that hath a mind to kill is not punished except he doe kill The old Law of Saxony respects the fact not the will but of late the Electors of Saxony haue made a Statute which is yet in vigour that he that prouokes a man to fight or threatens death to him shall dye though hee neuer assaile him The Germans hold it reprochfull to apprehend any malefactor which is onely done by the Serieants of the Hangmans disgracefull Family My selfe obserued that a young man Kinsman to the Consul or Maior of a Citie hauing killed a Gentleman remained two howers in the Citie and then fled without any stop by the Serieants who notwithstanding did afterwards for fashion sake pursue him some few howers Yet I must needs confesse that the Germans are generally most seuere in Iustice sparing not the Inhabitants more then strangers yea in some cases fauouring strangers more then the Inhabitants as in debts which a stranger cannot stay to recouer by long processe My selfe hauing a sute for money at Lindaw my aduocate would by no meanes take any fee of me and the Iudge gaue mee right with great expedition In criminall offences they neuer haue any pardons from Court which are common in forraigne Kingdomes but the punishment is knowne by the fact so the malefactor be apprehended For all hope of safety is in flight yet I deny not that fauour is often done in the pursute For since onely the Serieants can apprehend there is no place where more malefactors escape by flight In the Citie of Lubeck most honoured for Iustice the common report was that the very Iudges and Senators had lately wincked at a Gentlemans breaking of prison and flight with his keeper whom being imprisoned for a murther they could neither execute without greatly offending the King of Denmark nor otherwise set free without scandall of Iustice. A man suspected of any crime or accused by one witnesse is drawne to torture yet is neuer condemned vpon any probability till himselfe confesse the fact which confession is easily extorted because most men had rather dye then indure torment So as many times innocent men haue been after knowne to haue perished by their owne confessions as with vs sometimes innocent men haue been knowne to dye being found guilty by a Iurie of twelue sworne men And because it cannot be that the iudgements of men should not often erre hence it is that the Ciuill Lawyers haue a strange yet good saying that a mischiefe is better then an inconueniency namely that it is better one innocent man should dye by triall then many nocent persons should escape for want of triall In Germany not onely men but women also being accused are put to torture And for diuers great crimes the Law iudgeth them to death with exquisite torments And because they can hardly bee indured with Christian patience lest the condemned should fall into despaire the very Preachers when they haue heard their confessions and setled their mindes in true faith by rare example of too great charitie permit and aduise that they be made drunken to stupifie their sences so as thus armed they come forth with more bold then holy mindes and lookes and seeme not to feele vnsufferable torments of death Neare Lindaw I did see a malefactor hanging in Iron chaines on the gallowes with a Mastiue Dogge hanging on each side by the heeles so as being starued they might eate the flesh of the malefactor before himselfe died by famine And at Franckford I did see the like spectacle of a Iew hanged aliue in chaines after the same manner The condemned in Germany lose not their goods but onely in case of Treason against their absolute Lords But in Bohemia the goods of the condemned fall to the Emperour as he is King of Bohemia in the Territories belonging to the King and to the Princes and Gentlemen in the Territories whereof they are absolute Lords as they are all in their owne lands In Germany Courtiers and Students of Vniuersities
1. Of the fit meanes to trauell and to hier Coaches or Horsesin generall Chap. 2. Of Sepulchers Monuments and Buildings in generall for I haue formerly spoken particularly of them Chap. 3. Of Germany Bohmerland and Sweitzerland touching the Geographicall description the situation the fertility the trafficke and the diet Chap. 4. Of the vnited Prouinces in Netherland and of Denmark and Poland touching the said subiects of the precedent third Chapter Chap. 5. Of Italy touching all the subiects of the third Chapter going before The third Booke Chap. 1. Of the geographicall description of Turky the situation fertility trafficke and diet Chap. 2. Of France touching the particular subiects of the first Chapter Chap. 3. Of England touching the particular subiects of the first Chapter Chap. 4. Of Scotland touching the subiects contained in the first Chapter Chap. 5. Of Ireland touching the particular subiects of the first Chapter The fourth Booke Chap. 1. Of the Germans Bohemians Sweitzers Netherlanders Daues Polouians and Italians apparell Chap. 2. Of the Turkes French English Scottish and Irish apparell Chap. 3. Of the Germans and Bohemians Commonwealth vnder which title I containe an historicall introduction the Princes Pedegrees and Courts the present state of things the Tributes and Reuenewes the military state for Horse Foot and Nauy the Courts of Iustice rare Lawes more specially the Lawes of inheritance and of womens Dowries the Capitall Iudgements and the diuersitie of degrees in Families and in the Common-wealth Chap. 4. Of the particular Commonwealths as well of the Princes of Germany as of the free Cities such of both as haue absolute power of life and death Chap. 5. Of the Commonwealth of Sweitzerland according to the diuers subiects of the third Chapter Chap. 6. Of the Netherlanders Commonwealth according to the foresaid subiects of the third Chapter The rest of this VVorke not as yet fully finished treateth of the following Heads Chap 1. OF the Commonwealth of Denmarke vnder which title I containe an historicall introduction the Kings Pedegree and Court the present state of the things the Tributes and Reuenewes the military power for Horse Foot and Nauy the Courts of Iustice rare Lawes more specially those of Inheritance and Dowries and Contracts for mariage the Capitoll or Criminall Iudgements and the diuersitie of degrees in Families and the Commonwealth Chap. 2. Of the Commonwealth of Poland vnder which title c. Chap. 3. Of the Commonwealth of Italy touching the historicall introduction the Princes pedegrees the Papall dominion and the Late power of the King of Spaine with some other subiects of the first Chapter Chap. 4. Of the particular Commonwealth of Venice touching most of the foresaid subiects Chap. 5. Of the Commonwealth of the Duke of Florence the Cities of Lucca and Genea with the Dukes of Urbino and of Mantoua Chap. 6. Of the Commonwealth of Italy in generall touching the rest of the heads which belong to the generall State of Italy rather then of any part thereof Chap. 7. Of the Commonwealth of the Turkish Empire vnder which title c. as followeth in the first Chapter Chap. 8. Of the Commonwealth of France vnder which title c. Chap. 9. Of the Commonwealth of England vnder which title c. Chap. 10. Of the Commonwealth of Scotland vnder which title c. Chap. 11. Of the Commonwealth of Ireland vnder which title c. Chap. 12. Of Germany touching Religion Chap. 13. Of Bhemerland Sweitzerland the vnited Prouinces of Netherland of Denmark and Poland touching Religion Chap. 14. Of Italy touching Religion Chap. 15. Of the Turkish Empire touching Religion Chap. 16. Of France England Scotland and Ireland touching Religion Chap. 17. Of the Germans nature wit manners bodily gifts Vniuersities Sciences Arts language pompous Ceremonies specially at Marriages Christnings and Funerals of their customes sports exercises and particularly hunting Chap. 18. Of the Bohemians Sweitzers and Netherlanders of the vnited Prouinces their natures wits manners c. Chap. 19. Of the Danes and Polonians nature c. Chap. 20. Of the Italians nature wit c. Chap. 21. Of the Turkes nature c. Chap. 22. Of the Frenchmens nature c. Chap. 23. Of the Englishmens nature c. Chap. 24. Of the Scotchmens and Irishmens natures wits manners c. Chap. 25. A generall but briefe discourse of the Iewes the Grecians and the Moscouites A briefe Table to vnderstand in the First Part the expences in small Coynes most commonly spent For England A Gold Angell of the standard of 23 Caracts 3 graines and an halfe is three peny waight and 8 graines and is giuen for ten siluer shillings 12 pence making a shilling the siluer being of the standard of 11 ounces two peny weight and the shilling foure penny or ninety six graines weight For Scotland and Ireland The English Coynes are currant and spent For Germany The Reichs Doller of Germany is worth foure shillings foure pence and the siluer Gulden is accounted three shillings foure pence English Twenty Misers siluer Groshen 32 Lubecke shillings 45 Embden stiuers foure Copstucks and a halfe 55 groates 36 Maria grosh 18 spitz-grosh 18 Batz make a Reichs Doller Two sestings make a Lubecke shilling foure Drier a siluer grosh two dreyhellers a Drier two schwerd grosh a schneberger foure creitzers a batz foure pfennning a creitzer For Bohemia Three Pochanels make a Creitzer 9 creitzers and one Pochanell make foure weissgrosh of Morauia 30 grosh a Doller two hallers a pfenning and 5 pfenning a grosh For Sweitzerland Six Rappen make a Plappart or 3 Creitzers and 20 Plapparts or 60 Creitzers make a siluer gulden two finferlins make a finfer and 5 a batz foure angster make a creitzer twelue a Bemish 60 creitzers a siluer gulden For the Low Countries Foure Orkees or Doights make a stiuer two blanks a stiuer and a halfe six stiuers a shilling 20 stiuers a gulden or three shillings foure pence being two shillings English 20 shillings a pound and one hundred pound Flemish makes sixty pound English For Denmarke Two Danish shillings make one Lubecke and 66 Danish shillings make one Reichs Doller For Poland Thirty Polish Grosh make a siluer Gulden 40 a Reichs Doller three Pochanels a Creitzer seuen a Grosh For Italy The siluer Crowne almost fiue shillings English is giuen for 7 Lires of Uenice two Lires make a Iustino 20 Soldi a Lire one Lire and 4 Soldi a Mutsenigo 4 Bagatines a Quatrine two Betsior 3 Quatrines or a Susine and a halfe make a Soldo two Quatrines make a Susine three Susines a Boligneo and 12 Bolignei a Lire Ten Giulij or Poali or Carlini make a siluer Crowne ten Baocci a Giulio or Paolo foure Quatrines a Baocco eight Baelli or Creitzers make a Giulio twenty Soldi or Bolignei of Genoa make a Lire of Genoa whereof 15 make 20 shillings English and 3 of these Lires with 15 Soldi make a siluer Crowne seuen Soldi and an halfe make a Reale foure Soldi a Caualotto
for all that beg are sent thither and they haue many of these houses These are the most remarkeable things in the Churches of this sextary The third sextary or sixth part of the City on this side the channell meaning towards the gulfe of Venice vulgarly is called Ilsestiero di Canaregio of the canes or pipes which they were wont to vse in the building of ships In the Church of the Prophet Ieremy built by three families Morosini Malipieri and Runandi the sepulcher of Saint Magnus who built eight Churches when the City was first founded and the Image of the blessed Virgin much adored In the Church of Saint Marciali the Images aswel of the great Altar as of the Altar of Angelo Raphaeli In the Apostles Church where excellent sermons are made in the Lent the carued Image of our Lady vpon the Altar and her picture vpon the same painted by Saint Luke In the Church of Saint Iohn Chrysostome the pictures of three Theologicall vertues of Saint Marke and the carued Images of the Virgin and the Apostles In the Church of Saint Giob the ingrauing of the chappell of the Grimani and of the Altar of the Foscari the picture of Christ in the garden with his Apostles sleeping and the pictures of the next Altar namely that of the Virgin Saint Sabastian and Saint Giob In the Church of Saint Mary de serui the pictures of the great Altar especially of the Virgins assumption and also of the Virgins Altar and of Saint Augustins Altar especiall that of the wise men adoring Christ and the carued Images of another Altar the Marble sepulcher of Duke Andrea Vendramini being the fairest of all other in the City and the Oratory of the banished men of Lucea who first brought into this City the weauing of silke and of whom many were made Gentlemen of Venice In the Church of Saint Mary del ' Orto the huge Image of Saint Christopher the History of Moses and the prophicies of the last iudgement painted the painting of the arched-roof rare for perspectiue Art and che chiefe of that kinde the Monument of Iasper Contarini Cardinall of the Marble of Paros and the pillers of our Ladies Altar with many Marble stones In the Church of Saint Mary de Crostechieri the ancient pictures the notable pall of Saint Laurence worth seuen thousand crownes and the pictures in the chappel of Lewis Vsperi In the Church of Saint Lucia the Monument and chappell of the Saints In the chappell of Saint Luigi the great Altar fairest of those built of wood In the Church of Saint Mary of the Miracles the fairest of any Nunnery for the beauty and rare stones the walles couered with Marble two Marble Images of two children vnder the Organs the works of famous Praxitiles the Images of marble of Paros the stones of Porphery and Ophytes wonderfully carued the great Altar of Marble ingrauen with great Art the brasen Images of Saint Peter Saint Paul and of Angels These are the things most remarkeable In the Church of Saint Mary of Mercy Sansouine witnesseth this Epitaph which I will set downe left any should thinke incredible the like practises of Papists against Emperours and Iohn the King of England in these words To Ierom Sauina a Citizen of Venice Prior of Saint Maries notably learned in good Arts but more renowmed for piety which hee also shewed at his death towards his enemy who gaue him poyson in the challice at the Lords Supper by many arguments of his charity He died in the yeere MDCI. Also in the great schoole the same is witnessed in these wordes To Ierom Sauina wickedly killed by poyson giuen O horrible villany in our Lords Supper c. The fourth sextary or sixth part of the City and first of those beyond the channell meaning towards the Territorie of Paduoa is vulgarly called of the chiefe Church Il sestiero di San ' Polo In which Church of Saint Paul the most remarkeable things are these the picture of Christ washing his Apostles feet the pall of siluer guilded and the precious stones vpon the great Altar the pictures of the Altar of the holy Sacrament and of the blessed Virgin and the Images of Saint Andrew and the Apostles vpon pillars In the very faire market place of the same Church of old a market was weekely held and to the yeere 1292 the market was held heere on Wednesday and in the market place of Saint Marke on the Saturday but at this day none is held here but both in the place of Saint Marke for the benefit of those that dwell there and that the houses may bee more deerely let which belong to Saint Marke Neere the Church of Saint Siluestro the Patriarkes of Grado dwelt till the Bishop of Castello Oliuolo was made Patriarke In the Church of Saint Iames of Rialto narrow but very faire the precious stones and the pictures of great Art and antiquitie and the fiue Altars In the Church of Saint Mary Gloriosa faire and great the Belfrey stately built the Monument of the most famous Painter Titiano two Images of Marble neere the great doore the Marble Image of Saint Iohn ouer against the Florentine chappell the chancell paued with Marble and adorned with the grauen Images of the Prophets at the charge of the family Morosini the rare pictures of the great Altar the Epitaph of Francis Bernardo who being imployed into England in his yong yeeres made peace betweene King Henry and the French King Francis which many great men had attempted in vaine and for this braue act was Knighted by both the Kings These things in this church are most remarkeable The fifth sextary and the second beyond the channel of the chiefe Church is called il Sestiero di Santa Croce in which Church being a cloyster of Nunnes Duke Dominick Morosini lies buried with this inscription Here lies Dominick Morosini Duke of Venice with Sophia his Dutchesse hee was a good Duke and most wise full of faith and truth c. He tooke the City Tyrus and vnder him Istria and Pola were subdued with fifty gallies where of were Captaines his sonne and Marino Gradonico This glorious Duke died in the yeere MCLVI Also the Marble pillers of the great Altar the brasen Angels and the brasen Images of Christ rising from the dead of Saint Francis and Saint Anthony In the Church of Saint Simion Prophet the picture of Christs supper with his Apostles In the Church of St. Giacomo dell ' Orio a piller esteemed for a Iewell a Marble pulpit one of the fairest in the City and the Images of the chappell for christning In the Church of Saint Eustace the pictures of Christ whipped of Christ carrying his crosse and of Christ praying in the garden all of great Art In the Church of Saint Mary Mater Domini the great Altar of most pure siluer and the passion of Christ ingrauen the Altar of the blessed Virgin with her picture and the Altar of the holy Sacrament
besides he vsed it to bring the Citizens in absolute subiection The streetes are narrow and the wayes ill paued with Flint The Hauen is of a triangular forme and is now very pleasant as of old it was of great fame for a most secure Port yet it seemed not to me capable of many or great ships Perhaps it was of old fit to receiue the Roman Nauie of Gallies but since they haue neglected to preserue it Traiane the Emperour repaired this Hauen and adorned it with a stately triumphall Arke of marble which remaines to this day About this Hauen there is pleasant walking and the place where the Marchants meete called la Loggia lying vpon the sea is as sweete an open roome as euer I saw but narrow and nothing answerable for stately building to the Exchange of London It is beautified with sweete pictures among which one of an Angell which lookes right vpon you on which side soeuer you behold it is much esteemed They haue a prouerb one Peter in Rome one Tower in Cremona and one Hauen in Ancona for the excellency of them Neere the gate of the Citie to my remembrance on the East-side is a very sweete Fountaine powring water out of many heads of stone At Ancona according to the custome of passengers we agreed with a Vetturine or letter of horses that each of vs paying him fiftie fiue Poli hee should finde vs horses and horse meate and our owne diet to Rome and to this end his seruant followed vs on foote after the fashion of the Italians who ride slowly and these seruants are called Vetturini or Vetturals Now we were to crosse the bredth of Italy frō the Adriatique to the Tyrrhene Sea The first day in the Morning we rode fifteene miles to a little Citie called Madonna di Loretto through fruitfull Mountaines and passing an high Promontary By the way was an Altar with this inscription in Latin O passenger goe on merily c. Gregorie the thirteenth hath well paued the rest of the way The like inscription is in the ascent of the Mountaine vpon which the little Citie Loreto stands for this way in a fruitfull Countrey of corne and a dirty soile was paued at the charge of the said Pope A certaine chamber hath giuen beginning to this Citie and the Church thereof then which nothing is esteemed more holy among the Papists and because many gifts of great price vse to be giuen by vow to our Lady of this Church the City is well fortified against Pirats who did once spoile the same and were like againe to be inuited by the hope of rich spoiles to the like attempt if the Towne lay vnfortified It is of little circuit and lieth in length from East to the West so narrow as it hath almost but one streete in the bredth and all the houses of this streete are Innes or Shops of them that sell Beades to number prayers On the East side after a steepe descent of a Mountaine lies a valley of two miles and beyond that the sea On the North side to wards Ancons though the sea be very farre distant yet from this Citie seated vpon a high Mountaine it may easily be seene Vpon the dores of this Church famous for mens superstitious worship these verses are written Illotus tlmeat quicunque intrara Sacellum In terris nullum sanctius orbis habet Enter not here vn washt of any spot For a more holy Church the world hath not At the Church dore is a statua of brasse erected to Pope Gregorie the thirteenth As I walked about the Church behold in a darke Chappell a Priest by his Exorcismes casting a diuell out of a poore woman Good Lord what fencing and truly coniuring words he vsed How much more skilfull was he in the diuels names then any ambitious Roman euer was in the names of his Citizens whom he courted for their voices If he had eaten a bushell of salt in hell If he had been an inhabitant thereof surely this Art could neuer haue been more familiar to him He often spake to the ignorant woman in the Latin tongue but nothing lesse then in Tullies phrase and at last the poore wretch either hired to deceiue the people or if that be more probable drawne by familiar practice with the Priest or at least affrighted with his strange language and cries confessed her selfe dispossessed by his exorcisme In the body of the Church a Table of written hand in the Greeke Latin and many other tongues was fastened to a Piller setting downe at large the wonderfull historie of the Chamber in the midst of the Church which I confesse was lesse curiously obserued by me abhorring from that superstition hastening from thence as much as I might yet giue me leaue to set down the sum thereof out of the itinerary of Villamont a French Gentleman This Chamber or Chappell saith he is the very house in which the Queene Virgin of Nazaret was borne brought vp and saluted by the Angell foretelling her of Christs birth and in which Christ was conceiued and in which the Virgin dwelt after Christs ascention accompanied with the holy Apostles especially with Saint Iohn by Christs commaund which the Apostles after the Virgins death for the great mysteries done here turned into a Chappell consecrated to the sacrificing of Christ and dedicated the same and with their owne hands made the great Crosse of wood now set in the window of the Chappell and in which Saint Luke made with his hand the picture and Image now set aboue it Let mee adde This Chappell from a House became a Chamber and of a Chamber was made a Chappell and it is built of bricke and is thirtie foote long twelue and a halfe broad In the chimney as Villamont saith as yet remaine the holy ashes which no man dare take away and the Altar also vpon which the Masse is sung was made by the Apostles hand There is a roome into which you first enter which is diuided from the Chappel by an iron grate for no man enters the chappell without leaue but must say his prayers in the outter roome yet leaue is giuen to any that aske it Villamont addeth that he found by diligent search that this Chappell was much reuerenced in the primitiue Church but the holy land being subdued by Sarasens then by Turkes he faith it hapned in the yeere 1291. that this house was taken vp from the foundations by Angels who in the night miraculously carried it to the Sea shoare of Sclauonia where it was made knowne to the people by the shining of the Virgines Image and then by a vision of a religious man the Virgine her selfe made knowne the History to him He addeth the Virgins Oration wherein shee giues her selfe many titles which in later ages were first inuented and shee doth so extoll her owne praises with her owne mouth as hee that reades the old song of the blessed Virgin would cry out with the Latine Poet onely
Citie with murthers which being extinct the faction of the Cancellieri and the Panzaditi began which lasted almost to our time with incredible hatred and murther But of late times the Duke of Florence published an Edict that vpon great penaltie no man should weare any Roses or other signes of faction which till that time they did beare vpon the parts of their body where they might most easily be seene From hence I walked three miles through little Mountaines to Sarauale and two miles to Pouanni where the Plaine begins to open and three miles to the Brooke Pescha where I paied a Creitzer for my passage by boate and fiue miles to Borgo nuouo through Mountaines full of Chess-nuts and other nut trees and eight miles in the territorie of Lucca through a large plaine to a solitarie Inne called La Moretta By the way I paid vpon reckoning on reale and a halfe for my breakefast and in this Inne I lodged and paied at an ordinarie three reali for my Supper The next morning I walked one mile to Lucca the Emperour Charles the fourth made this Citie free which hath kept the Libertie to this day gouerned by Senators but liues in parpetuall feare of practises against this libertie from the great Duke of Florence It is seated in a plaine and strongly fortified and compassed with Mountaines on all sides but somewhat distant and onely lies open on the side towards Pistoia being two miles in compasse and hauing about thirtie foure thousand Inhabitants The strectes are narrow and paued with broad free stone most easie to walke vpon The Pallaces of the chiefe Gentlemen are built of free stone with a low roofe after the Italian fashion and they haue many pleasant Gardens within the walles In the corner towards North-west by North is a strong castle neere which lies the Cathedrall Church stately paued with Marble but very darke as most of the Papists Churches are built either because they think darkenesse increaseth Religion or to make it an excuse for their burning candles in the day There also lies the Senate house and al the Innes are in one street that they may more easily look into strangers for any practise against their liberty for which cause no man may weare any weapons in the city nor so much as a knife except the point be blunt These Citizens first spread through Italy the Art of making silke and weauing it into clothes and by this traficke they haue very rich families Here I paid at an Ordinaric o reali for my dinner and supper From Lucca I walked miles through a pleasant Plaine to the Mountaine of Pisa which diuides the Territories of those two Cities and it is very high stoney yet is full of Rosemary Time and sweet smelling hearbs the passage of it is 2 miles long After I went 3 miles through fenny ground often ouerflowed with the Riuer Arno and came to Pisa. Arno is a little Riuer talling from the Apenine Mountaines neere Florence through which City it runs and so passeth through a most pleasant and fruitful Plaine to Pisa through which Citie it also runs and by reason of the narrow bed and the neere Mountaine of Pisa is subiect to ouerflow vpon any great raine so as with great hurt it drowneth the fields of Pisa and those that lie frō thence to the Sea Pisa of old famous for nauigation was made free by the Emperor Charles the fourth about the yeere 1369. But long after it was the second time sold to the Florentines by Galeacius Vicount of Millan Then they practised with the French to recouer their liberty when Charles the eight passed that way to conquer Naples til they were the third time subdued by the Florentines since which time the family of Medici inuaded the liberty of Florence together with that of Pisa vnder the title of Great Duke of Florence which they hold to this day But whē Pisa was thus brought in subiection to Florence many of the chiefe Citizens chose rather to liue at Venice and other places in perpetual banishment with their posterity then to be subiect to the Florentines Pisa was of old called Alpheo of the builders comming from their dwellings neere 〈◊〉 a Riuer in Greece The brook Arno runs from the Last to the west through Pisa seated in a Plaine and towards the North-West by North is a Gate and a most faire Cathedral Church paued with Marble curiously wrought hauing a most faire pulpit In which Church neere the high Alter is the Sepulcher of the Emperor Henrie the seuenth whom Plutina and many German Writers affirme to haue been poisoned by a wicked Monk of the Order of the Predicants at the Communion of our blessed Lords Supper Vpon this monument these words are written in Latin In this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be dispised are contained the bones of Henry the seuenth Count of Luceburg and after the seuenth Emperour of that name which the second yeere after his death namely 1319. the twentyfiue day of the Sextiles c. were brought to Pisa and with great honour of funer all laid in this Church where they remaine to this day The steeple is neere the Church but feuered from it which seemes to threaten the salling from the top to the bottome but that is done by the great Art of the workemen deceiuing the eye for it is as strongly built as the Church I ascended the same by two hundred and forty staires of marble in which ascent it hath seuen galleries on the out side Not farre then to is a yard vsed for common buriall called the holy field vulgarly Campo Santo In which the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa returning from Hic usalem did lay great stone of that earth which he had vsed for ballast of his ships and they say that dead bodies laid there doe-consume in a most short time This yard is compassed with a building all of Marble which lies open like a Cloyster we call it a terras and the same is couered with lead very sumptiously hauing in bredth 56 pillars and in length 189. each distant from the other thirteene walking paces So as in my opinion this yard for buriall is much more stately then that most faire yard for the same purpose which I formerly discribed at Leipzig in Germany called in Dutch Got saker In this place is a sepulcher stately built of marble of diuers colors with this inscriptioin Latin Pope Gregory the thirteenth borne at Bologna commanded this to be made so the most 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Lawyer Iohn Buon ' Compagno his brother by the Fathers side deceased in 〈◊〉 the yeere 1544 at Pisa where he was chiefe Professour of that Law Here I did see another sepulcher with this inscription in Latin To Mathew Curtius Physitian Duke Cosmo made this at his owne charge in the yeere 1544. At the West corner of the City is the Armory vulgarly called L Arsenalo where they build and keepe the Dukes Gallies which were there at
miles in a dirty way to Tortona where I paid one soldo for tribute as all passengers pay and seuen soldi for my dinner vpon reckoning Thence I walked after dinner in a dirty way fiue miles to Ponte Curon and further in a way somewhat fairer fiue miles to Voghera All this way in the Dutchy of Milan was in a most fruitfull plaine of corne with Elmes planted in the furrowes and vines growing vpon them and such is the way in all Lombardy and to the very City of Paduoa At Voghera I paid three reali for my supper and bed And here by chance I sound an English Merchant in the Inne who talking rashly did voluntarily without being examined whence he was professe himselfe to be a Dutchman and my selfe in disguised poore habit sitting at the lower end of the table and speaking to him in the Dutch language he was forced for want of the language to say that he was a Dutch-man but borne vpon the confines of France and knowing no no other language but the French whereupon I speaking to him in the French tongue he had as little skill in that as in the Dutch so as I might perceiue that he dissembled his Countrey and being not willing to presse him as hauing beene my selfe often forced in like sort to dissemble my Countrey did forbeare to speake any more to him in the Dutch or French tongue we began to discourse in Italian wherein he had spoken little before he vttered these words Iome ne repentiua that is Irepented my selfe therof whereas an Italian would haue said Iome ne pentiua by which fillable added by him I presently knew he was an English man Supper being ended he perceiuing himselfe to haue beene thus pressed by a poore fellow sitting at the lower end of the table tooke me for a spie and feared I should betray him and presently went into the stable where he commanded his seruant to saddle their horses that they might ride all night towards Genoa But I following him and boldly speaking English to him he was soone content to stay all night and to take me in my homely apparell for his bedfellow Hauing passed this night merrily I hired a horse the fourth day for foure cauellotti and rode eleuen miles to Bastia then I walked on foot seuen miles to Paula and being afoote-man I paid fiue foldi for my passage ouer the Riuer Po. This iourney hitherto was in a dirty way hauing plaine fields on both sides tilled after the foresaid manner of Lombordy and many rich pastures which are rare in all other parts of Italy Entering Paula I passed a stately bridge built ouer the Riuer 〈◊〉 which runnes from the West to the East and after sixe miles falleth into the Riuer Po. This bridge was two hundred walking prices long and so broad as two carts might passe together and was built of stone and couered ouer the head with a roofe with open aire on the sides supported with pillars The City lies in length from the East to the West and a new faire street diuides it in the middest by the bredth from the South to the North. On the West side of this street are two market places one greater then the other In the lesse is a 〈◊〉 called Regia Sole of mixt mettall vulgarly Dibronzo which some write to haue beene made with art magicke by the Emperour Anastasius for his own image and to haud beene placed by him vpon the pillar of the souldiers at Rauenna where he kept his Court and after Rauenna was taken by Charles the great that this Image being to be carried into France was by the way left here Others will haue it the statua of the Emperour Antoninus Pias for they are deceiued who thinke it the statua of Odoacer King of the Lombards who hath another statua in this market place On the 〈◊〉 West side of the foresaid new street towards the North-side is the Castle which Iohn Galiacius first Duke of Milon built and the same Dukes Library but almost voide of Bookes and in this Castle lies a Garison of Spaniards Neere that is the Church of Saint 〈◊〉 in a Chappol whereof is a stately Sepulcher in which they say the bones of that Saint were laid being brought thither out of the Iland Sardinia And this sepulcher is of marble curiously engrauen and worthy to be sought out and beheld There I did reade this inscription written in Latin vpon another sepulcher The French King Francis the first being taken by Caesars Army neere Pauia the foureteenth of Febru 〈…〉 among other Lords these were Lorayne Francis Duke of Lorayne Richard de la Poole Englishman and Duke of Suffolke banished by his tyrant King Henry the 〈◊〉 At last Charles Parken of Morley kinseman of the said Richard banished out of England for the Catholike Faith by Queene Elizabeth and made Bishop hereby the 〈◊〉 of Phillip King of Spaine ded out of his small meanes erect this Monument to him c. In a Cloyster of the same Church is a Sepulcher of this Charles Parken Bishop decensed in the yeere 〈◊〉 There is another Monument of 〈◊〉 King of Lombardy and another of the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with this inscription in Latin Most 〈◊〉 in the Greeke and Latin langues who being Consull was sent hither into bamshment And with these verses Hath Death 〈◊〉 ought my goodnes mounts the Skies Great is my same my worke liues in mens eyes On the East side of the saide new streete and towardes the North lies the Church of Saint Francis where is a monument of Baldus the Ciuill Lawyer and they shew his head of an extraordinarie bignesse Without the walles of the Citie on the North side is a piece of ground of some twentie miles circuit compasted with a wall in many places broken downe vulgarly called Il Barco that is the Park which Iohn Galiacius Duke of Milan walled in to keepe fallow Deare Hares and Conies but at this day it is diuided into Pastures and plowed fieldes On the furthest side of this Parke from the City is the place where the French King Francis the first was taken prisoner by the Army of the Emperour Charles the fifth Not farre thence is the Monastery of the Carthusians called la Certosa where the building of the Church the stones of Marble the engrauing the top couered with Leade part of the great Altar of Alablaster highly valued the Sepulcher of Iohn Galiacius first Duke of Millan and the reuenew of the Church exceeding three hundred thousand Crownes by the yeere deserue admiration The buildings of the Citie are of bricke and seeme to be of great antiquitie The Emperour Charles the fourth in the yeere 1361 at the instance of Galiacius the second gaue this Citie the priuiledges of an Vniuersitie The King of Spaine permits lewes to dwell here but they may not stay in Milan aboue twentie foure houres This Citie was the seate of the Kings of Lombardy whose old Castle is
suddenly he changed his minde for feare of a great Rhume wherewith he was troubled or being discouraged with the difficulty of the iourney and would needs returne to Emden with purpose if hee were to be belieued to returne the next Spring to some place neere Ierusalem in an English ship which he thought more commodious He professed that he had put much money out vpon his returne and since hee was old and very sickly and after so long a iourney and so much money spent would needes returne home I cannot thinke that he euer vndertooke this iourney againe Many Papists thinke they must haue the Popes Licence to goe this iourney and Villamont a French Gentlemen writes that otherwise they incurre the censure of the Church and affirmes that the Pope writ vnder his licence these words Fiat quod petitar that is let that be granted which is craued and vnder the remission of his sinnes Fiat Faelix that is Let him be made happy And he addes that he was forced to take as much paines and to spend as much and to vse as much helpe of the Popes Officers for the obtaining of these two sutes as if he had beene a suter for a Bishoppricke But I know many Papists that haue gone from Venice to Hierusalem who either cared not for this licence or neuer thought vpon it and how soeuer it may giue some credulous men hope of fuller indulgence or merit surely it will serue them for no other vse Among our consorts I neuer heard any mention thereof neither did the Friars at Ierusalem inquire after it When I first began to thinke of vndertaking this iourney it was told me that each Ascension day a Venetian gally was set forth to carry Pilgrimes to Ierusalem But it seemes that this custome is growne out of vse since few are found in these daies who vndertake this iourney in regard of the Turkes imposing great exactions and doing foule iniuries to them For the very Friars which euery third yeere are sent into those parts to doe diuine duties to the Papist Merchants there abiding the Friars formerly sent being recalled vse to passe in no other then common Merchants ships In the end of March we had the opportunity of a ship passing into Asia which at that time of the yeere is not rare This ship was called the lesse Lyon and the Master whom the Italians cal Patrono was Constantine Coluri a Grecian as most part of the Marriners are Greekes the Italians abhorring from being sea men Concerning diet some agreed with the Steward of the ship called Ilscalco and they paid by the moneth foure siluer crownes each crowne at seuen lyres and I marked their Table was poorely scrued For our part we agreed with the Master himselfe who for seuen gold crownes by the month paid by each of vs did curteously admit vs to his Table and gaue vs good diet seruing each man with his knife and spoone and his forke to hold the meat whiles he cuts it for they hold it ill manners that one should touch the meat with his hand and with a glasse or cup to drinke in peculiar to himselfe Hee gaue vs wine mingled with water and fresh bread for two or three daies after we came out of any harbour and otherwise bisket which we made soft by soaking it in wine or water In like sort at first setting forth he gaue vs fresh meates of flesh and after salted meates and vpon fasting dayes he gaue vs egges fishes of diuers kinds dried or pickled sallets sod Rice and pulse of diuers kinds Oyle in stead of butter Nuts fruit Cheese and like things Also we agreed that if our iourney were ended before the moneth expired a rateable proportion of our money should be abated to vs. Each of vs for his passage agreed to pay fiue siluer crownes of Italy And howsoeuer I thinke they would not haue denied vs wine or meat betweene meales if we had beene drie or hungry yet to auoide troubling of them my selfe and my brother carried some flaggons of rich wine some very white bisket some pruines and raisins and like things And to comfort our stomackes in case of weakenesse we carried ginger nutmegs and some like things and for remedies against agues we carried some cooling sirops and some pounds of sugar and some laxatiue medicines Also we carried with vs two chests not onely to lay vp these things but also that we might sleepe and rest vpon them at pleasure and two woollen little mattresses to lie vpon and foure quilts to couer vs and to lay vnder vs which mattresses and quilts we carried after by land or else we should haue beene farre worse lodged in the houses of Turkes besides that many times we lay in the field vnder the starry cannopy In stead of sheetes we vsed linnen breeches which we might change at pleasure Howsoeuer all Nations may vse their owne apparell in Turky yet the clothes of Europe and especially the short clokes are most offensiue to them so as the wearer prouoketh them thereby to doe him iniuries Therefore my selfe and my brother bought each of vs a long coat of as course stuffe as we could find a long gowne of a course and rough frize Our swords daggers and European garments we left in our chests with a Flemmish Merchant lying at Venice to be kept against our returne and howsoeuer he falling banckerout left the City before that time yet our goods were by the publike Officer laid apart and readily deliuered to vs at our returne Whereas we left our swords at Venice know that no Turkes and much lesse Christians carry any Armes except when they goe some iourney and that we were not ignorant that howsoeuer Christians may defend themselues from theeues by the high way yet it was hard to distinguish betweene the Turkes violent extortions with the iniuries of them and the Ianizares by the high waies and flatrobberies by theeues and that whosoeuer should draw a sword or a knife against these men or any Turke scoffing and defpising him should be sure to die an ill death by publike Iustice which notwithstanding I know not how any man carrying Armes could haue the patience to endure Therefore since the Turkes iournying in great troopes were sufficiently armed against theeues and in all euents are vnfaithfull fellow souldiers to a Christian ioining with them excepting the Ianizares who how soeuer they make a shew of feare of theeues that they may seeme better to deserue their wages yet haue seldome or neuer beene assaulted by them For these and other reasons wee left our swords at Venite which reasons it would be tedious to vrge and chose rather vnarmed then armed to suffer iniuries which there cannot be auoided My selfe and my brother Henry who died this yeere in the moneth of Iuly spent foure hundred and eighty pounds sterling in this iourney from England to Ierusalem and thence to Haleppo and in my particular iourney after his death to Constantinople
good sons yet in truth we were wel contented with this faire occasion to restraine our gift which howsoeuer it were farre from bounty yet was it free from base sparing since we gaue at Bethlehem for our diet another present to those Friars and while we visited the monuments of Ierusalem being daily abroad and commonly dining in Villages we were onely beholding to these Friars for some ten suppers besides that we had alwaies professed pouerty most safe to strangers To which may be added that in this Prouince whether for abundance of all things or want of mony all things were sold at cheap rates for when we went out to see the mountains or hill Countrey of Indea and dined in a Village I remember we bought twentie egges for a meidine and a pound of mutton for fiue meidines foure cakes for one and a hen for two meidines and a halfe In the Monastery they gaue vs enough of mutton hennes and sallets and of good wine but some what sharpe the Friars our consorts did eate continually with the Friars and we Lay-men by our selues the Friars onely once inuiting vs to eate with them in the publike Refectory If this discourse makes any surmise that we did some things against our conscience while wee liued in this Monastery let him reade the foure and twentie Precept of Dissimulation in the Chapter of Precepts the third Part and the first booke wherein I haue explaned my opinion of the outward reuerence of the body shewed in time of the Papists Diuine seruice And for the rest let him know that I now confesse as I did formerly that we therein erred that we did not first goe to Constantinople or Haleppo from whence hauing a Ianizare to guide vs chosen by our Ambassador or Merchants we might haue escaped many of those troubles which now we endured being alone and that with no greater charge then now we were at since these troubles increased our charge and might also easily haue obtained any courtesie at these Friers hands or at least haue seene Ierusalem safely though they were ill affected to vs. But since many things diuerted vs from this course and now we were fallen into these Italian Friars hands we thought best to bring our selues out of this danger by discretion and moderation in our deeds and words Also I confesse that in those dayes my conscience was not so tender as since by the grace of God I haue found it yet was it neuer so insensible as it could haue passed ouer the worshipping of an Idoll or the denying of my faith If I had heere gone to Masse it would seeme no wonder to our English Gentlemen who haue liued any time in Italy and I am confidently of opinion that no man returnes home with more detestation of the Papists Religion then he who well instructed in the truth hath taken the libertie to behold with his eyes their strange superstitions which one of experience may well see without any great participation of their folly For my part as I had alwayes beene vnwilling to be present at their Masse so I abhorred from the receiuing of the Lords Supper with them And this was the highest mischiefe which we could be forced to incurre at Ierusalem Now for the Communion of our Lords Supper except it be in great sicknesse and danger of death they neuer impose it so earnestly on any man as hee may not with discreete answeres put it off till another time without all suspition of contrarietie in Religion For their Masses they neuer sing or mumble them but in the mornings and that fasting Now wee came the fourth of Iune in the afternoone to Ierusalem and the fifth and sixth dayes we went abroad before full day to see the Monuments and returned not to the Monasterie till night at which time the greatest offence to our conscience that could happen was to heare them sing Psalmes in their Chappell Vpon Friday the seuenth of Iune we tooke our iourney to Bethlehem where my brother falling sicke we had scarse leasure to satisfie our curiositie much lesse to be present at any vnpleasing rites of their Religion Vpon Saturday the eight of Iune our consorts returning to Ierusalem wee tooke occasion by my brothers sicknesse to stay at Bethlehem and came not to Ierusalem till Sunday at night On Munday the ninth of Iune we visited the Mountaines or Hill Countrey of Iudea at which time my brother was so ill disposed as our Consorts themselues doubted his death and for my part I was all the day troubled with a weaknesse of bodie And because the greatest danger of our participating with them in their Rites was like to bee when we should be locked with them in the Church of the Sepulcher which onely remained to bee seene by vs I made such vse of this my brothers and my owne weakenesse as increasing their opinion of his danger and my selfe taking many occasions to make them thinke my sicknesse the greater it happened that in the euening our Consorts burning with desire of returning homeward appointed the next day for the visiting of the Sepulcher but I in respect of my owne and my brothers weakenesse desired to haue it deferred some few dayes till the very Friers our consorts impatient of delay and yet vnwilling to incurre the blame of leauing vs behind them made free offer to vs of that which wee most desired saying that in their chambers within the Church they had beds for vs to rest vpon and that they would prouide vs meate and all necessaries which we could haue staying in the Monastery We gladly took this condition and so being locked vp in the Church of the Sepulcher vpō Tuesday the eleuenth of Iune in the afternoone after we had satisfied our curiositie we laid vs downe vpon the beds and onely forbearing meate for auoiding of suspition we rested there till Wednesday the twelfth of Iune in the afternoone when we came forth and returned to the Monastery The thirteenth day we had no thought but of making vs ready for our returne and the next day early in the morning wee departed from Ierusalem So as in all this time the Friers themselues our consorts had no leasure to bee at a Masse but onely the Sunday when we were at Bethlehem and in the Church of the Sepulcher when vpon pretence of sicknesse we rested on our beds Otherwise we professed our selues Catholiques as the Papists will be called yet enemies to the King of Spaine as the enemie of our Queene and Country And when our superstitious consorts being now to leaue Ierusalem had gathered great heapes of stones from the monuments to carrie into their Country and had receiued of the Guardians gift for great treasure holy beades Agnus Dei and like trash wee so refused to take any such burthen as still we bewailed our mistortune that we being not to returne the right way home as they did but to passe to Constantinople could not carrie such reliques with vs
pressed them to confesse their sinnes and so to receiue the Lords Supper which when they refused to doe it was apparant to the Friars that they were of the reformed Religion whom they terme heretikes Whereupon the Friars beganne to neglect them I will not say to hate them and while the two which were wounded staied for recouery of their health and so detained the other two with them it happened that the third fell sicke So as none had their health now but Master Verseline who louingly and like a seruant more then a friend prouided all necessaries for his companion Master Bacon till at last himselfe also fell sicke and was the first of them that died Then within eight daies space all the rest died either for that they were neglected by the Friers which I thinke sufficient in that Countrey to cast away any in their case or by their too much care namely by poison as some suspect for the Friars haue one of their order who is skilfull in physicke and hath a chamber furnished with cooling waters sirops and other medicines most fit for that Countrey When they were dead the Friars gaue into the Turkes hands the bodies of the two Flemmings and Master Verseline who had little store of crownes which belonged to the great Turke as heire to all strangers and the Turkes permitted them to be buried vpon Mount Syon without the wals in the Church yard proper to the Christians of Europe But Master Bacon ouerliuing the rest and now seeing his life to depend vpon the Friars care of him shewed a Nouice Friar long bracelets of peeces of gold twined about his arme and promising to giue them all to him and greater rewards if he would goe with him into England so as he would take care of him in his sickenesse he had perswaded the young Friar to goe with him into England and to promise him faithfull seruice there yet when this Nouice at his confession made this knowne and after verified as much to the Guardian and chiefe Friars I know not whether the hope of this booty made him die sooner but I am sure he liued very few daies after And giue me leaue to tell the truth these Friars either to gaine his money which was due to the Great Turke or for feare that inquisition should be made by the Turkes after the cause of his death appearing by manifest signes vpon his body as others suspected and reported I say these Friers buried this Gentleman in a yard of their Monastery secretly which if the Great Turke or any of his Magistrates had knowne no doubt they would gladly haue taken this occasion to extort much money from the Frires since by the like forged accusations they vse sometimes to oppresse them the very Turkes hauing at other times themselues buried dead bodies within the circuit of the Monastery and after caused them to be digged vp as if they had beene casually found and then crying that their Ottoman was deceiued put the Friars to pay large ransomes for redeeming of their liues And let no man wonder that these hungry Gouernours of Cities and Prouinces in Turkey should vse like frauds to intrap Christians as they doe very frequently since they buy their Offices and many times are recalled before they be warme in their seats if any man at Constantinople offer larger summes for their imployment So as this one Prouince of Palestine and one City of Ierusalem though hauing small or no trafficke hath had in one yeeres space foure Zaniacci the old being recalled to Constantinople assoone as his successour had outbribed him there And this is one of the greatest mischiefes in this Empire since starueling flies sucke much more then those that are fully gorged The foresaid Zaniacco is chiefe Gouernour for military and ciuill affaires of all Pallestine and lies at Ierusalem in the house of Pontius Pilate His Substitute or Liefetenant is called Catake who cast one of our consorts for a time into prison because he complained of the Turkish exactions and his owne pouerty The third Magistrate is called Cady who gouernes Ecclesiastiall matters and dwelt in Salomons house as they call it at Ierusalem neere the yard of the old Temple of the Iewes in which now a Turkish Mosche was built and of this man we had our leaue to enter the City and to see the sepulcher and being called before him we were commanded to put off our shooes he sitting crosse leg'd like a Tailor on the ground vpon a Turkey Carpet The fourth Magistrate was called Agha who kept the Castle of Ierusalem and when we walked one euening on that part of the roofe of our Monastery whence we had the fairest prospect into the City he sent a messenger to command vs to retire from beholding the Castle or otherwise he would discharge a peece of Ordinance at vs. CHAP. III. Of our iourney from Ierusalem by land to Haleppo by Sea to Tripoli in Syria by land to Haleppo and Scanderona and of our passage by Sea to the Iland Candia VPon Friday the fourteenth of Iune in the yeere 1596 we went out of Ierusalem and by the same way and in the same manner as wee came rode backe to Ramma deliuering to our guide as many zechines as before to pay for the Turkish exactions and to our Muccari for their Asses which we had hired Neither did any memorable thing happen to vs by the way saue that when we came neere to Ramma and by chance rode ouer the place of buriall for the Turks where some women were then mourning for their dead friends they thinking it a reproch that we should ride ouer their graues did with inraged countenances fling stones at vs till wee appeased them by dismounting from our Asses The fifteenth of Iune we came backe to Ioppa where our guide gaue three meidines to a Ianizare that hee would beate with a cudgell certaine Arabians who had offered vs wrong by the way which hee did readily and roundly Then without delay we went aboard our little Greeke Barke which according to our bargaine at Cyprus staied here for our returne For the Master thereof was further tied to transport vs from hence to Tripoli in Syria neither had he yet receiued full paiment for transporting vs hither the money being left in Cyprus with an Italian Merchant who was to pay it him at his returne if hee brought a testimony vnder our hands that he had performed his bargaine to vs. This condition we made prouidently and by aduice of experienced men for otherwise the Master of our Barke vpon any profitable occasion would haue left this port before our returne from Ierusalem and wee should hardly haue found another Barke here in a place not much frequented with ships Besides that the restraint of the money not to be payed but vpon a testimony brought vnder our hands was a good caution that he should not vse vs ill nor any way betray vs. The sixteenth of Iune vpon
brother to the Lord Deputies wife and Robert Turnour Seriant Mastor of the Army and two foster brethren to Henry 〈◊〉 of Kildare who with his troope of Horse valiantly serued vpon the Rebell and tooke the death of his foster brethren so to heart after the education of the Irish as he shortly after died Many also were wounded among whom Thomas Walker was of chiefe name When the Lord Deputy first resolued to draw vp to Blackewater he sent directions to Sir Conyers Clifford to come vp with the Connaght forces by the way of Ballyshainnon and to meete him there which he in like sort attempted but being ouer matched by the Rebels lying in his way could not peirce so farre but was forced to retire and by that retreat wonne great reputation to himselfe and the men vnder him for hauing with him some sixe or seuen hundred foote onely of which part was of the old Britan Souldiers and being assayled by more then 2000. Rebels during thirty miles march he valiantly repelled them and safely retired to the garrison The Lord Deputy leaning the Fort at the Blacke-water well guarded to the charge of Captaine Thomas Williams withdrew the Forces towards the Pale Now the Rubels tossed betweene hope feare and shame resolued to besiege the Fort and Tyrone thought his reputation lost if he recouered it not and so with ioynt force they compassed and assay led the same Whereof the Lord Deputy being aduertised with all possible expedition gathered the forces to leade them to the reliefe of that fort and the Rebels hearing of his Lordships approach quitted the siege of the Fort and retired into their strengths Whereupon the Lord Deputy marched forward and hauing passed the Blackwater Fort and purposing to enter and passe the pace leading to Dungannon Tyrones chiefe House he fel suddenly sicke and being carried backe in his horse litter to Armagh and thence to the Newry died in the way to the great ioy of the Rebels deiected with his sharpe prosecution and bold aduentures and to the no lesse griefe of the English erected with hope of good successe Howsoeuer many of good iudgement held his purpose of passing to Dungannon very dangerous and altogether fruitlesse since no garrisons being planted to gaine ground no other issue could be hoped in the best euent then a bragge of courage in passing to Tyrones cheefe feate which no other Deputy had yet attempted And as they greatly commended the Lord Deputies valour in these actions so they feared the ingaging and losse of the Queenes Army by this or some like bold attempt After his death Sir Thomas Norreys Lord President of Mounster was vnder the great seale of Ireland prouisionally made Lord Iustice of the Kingdome as the customeis in such sudden changes who repaired to Dublin and there executed his place for one month as I thinke of September and no longer for he being sick cast down in minde by the great sorrow he had conceiued for the late death of his worthy brother made great suite to the Queene and the Lords in England to be eased of this burthen of being Lord Iustice and to haue leaue to retire himselfe to his gouernement of the Prouince of Mounster And so Adam Loftus Lord Chauncellor of Ireland and Lord Archbishop of Dublin and Robert Gardner chiefe Iustice of Ireland by letters out of England the thirteene of October were made Lords Iustices for the ciuell gouernement and the Earle of Ormond with title of Lord Liefetenant of the Army was authorized to command in cheefe for all martiall affayres Tyrone after his old custome flies vnto the Lord Lieftenant with protestations of loyalty and complaines of wrongs inforcing his disloiall courses which his Lordship aduertising into England receiued authority from thence to treat with Tyrone about his submission hauing Sir Geffery Fenton Secretary of Ireland ioyned with him for an assistant Hereupon ensued a meeting at Dundalke on the 22 of December where Tyrone made his most humble submission in writing acknowledging her Maiesties great mercie in giuing him and his Associates their pardons vpon former submissions and vpon the knees of his heart as he writes professed most heartie penitencie for his disloialtie and especially his foule relopses thereinto humbly befeeching the Lord Lieutenant to be a meanes to her sacred Maiestie for his pardon withall making knowne his grieuances which how soever they could not iustifie his offence yet might in some measure qualifie the 〈◊〉 thereof And till these might be booked to be sent ouer with his Submission most humbly crauing of his Lordship to grant a truce or cessation of Armes for eight weeks following And further to the end it might appeare that his submission proceeded from his heart promising that for the time of this cessation there should be no impediment giuen to her Maiesties Ministers bringing victuals to Blackwater Fort yea that for a poore token of his humblest duty hee would voluntarily giue to the hands of the Captaine fortie Beeues and suffer the souldiers to cut and fetch in wood or any other prouisions For his performance whereof hee offered presently to giue Pledges to his Lordship The same day hee subscribed the following articles propounded to him by the Lord Lieutenant First he promiseth for him and his associates faithfully to keepe her Maiesties Peace during the cessation Secondly that hee will presently recall all Vlster men sent by him into Lemster leauing those who should not obay his directions to the Lord Lieutenants discretion Thirdly it any during the Truce shall breake into Rebellion he promiseth not to aide them so as none depending on his Truce be in the meanetime taken in by the State without his consent Fourthly he agreeth to a generall Liberty of buying necessaries for his men in the Pale and for the Queenes subiects in Vlster and nothing to be forceably taken on either side Fiftly that vpon pretended wrongs no reuenge be taken but restitution be made within ten dayes after complaint Sixthly that during the Truce hee shall haue no intelligence with the King of Spaine or other forraine Prince but acquaint the State with any message hee shall receiue or proiect he shall heare Seuenthly that he shall presently draw a booke of his grieuances such as he can proue without mention of friuolous matters vnworthie her sacred Maiesties view Eightly that he will deliuer into the Fortforty Beeues and giue safe conduct to her Maiesties Ministers to vittaile the said Fort of Blackwater and suffer the souldiers to cut and fetch wood on the South-side of Armagh and for all other necessaries permit them to agree with the owners so as they come not of themselues into his Countrie but haue his men with them in company Ninthly that any prey being tracked into his Countrie he shall make restitution and deliuer the theeues to be executed and if any be stopped from following of his track the stopper shall answere the goods so tracked which course the Lord
of the Lord Liefetenant the Lords Iustices caused Tyrones pardon to be drawne and sealed with the great seale of Ireland bearing Date the eleuenth of April in the fortith yeere of her Maiesties Raigne and of our Lord the yeere 1598. Tyrone receiued his generall pardon but continuing still his distoyall courses neuer pleaded the same so as vpon his aboue mentioned 〈◊〉 in September 1595. you shall find him after 〈◊〉 in the yeere 1600. The Irish kerne were at the first rude souldiers so as two or three of them were imployed to discharge one Peece and hitherto they haue subsisted especially by trecherous tenders of submission but now they were growne ready in managing their Peeces and bold to skirmish in bogges and wooddy passages yea this yeere and the next following became so disasterous to the English and successefull in action to the Irish as they shaked the English gouernement in this kingdome till it tottered and wanted little of fatall ruine Tyrone wanted not pretences to frustrate this late treaty and to returne to his formen disloyalty and the defection of all other submitties depending on him followed his reuolt First he sent aid to Phelim mac Feogh chiefe of the Obirnes the sonne of Feoghmac Hugh killed in Sir William Russels time to the end he might make the warre in Lemster against the English And because the English Fort of Blackewater was a great eye sore to him lying on the cheefe passage into his Countrey he assembled all his forces and assaulted the same But Captaine Thomas Williams with his company vnder him so valiandy repelled the great multitudes of the assaylants with slaughter of many and the most hardy attempting to scale sort which was onely a deepe trench or wall of earth to lodge some one hundred Souldiers as they vtterly discouraged from assayling it resolued to besiege it a farre off and knowing they wanted victuals presumed to get it by famine This Captaine and his few warders did with no lesse courage suffer hunger and hauing eaten the few horses they had liued vpon hearbes growing in the ditches and wals suffering all extremities till the Lord Lieftenant in the moneth of August sent Sir Henry Bagnoll Marshall of Ireland with the most choice Companies of foote and horse troopes of the English Army to victuall this Fort and to raise the Rebels siege When the English entered the Pace and thicke woods beyond Armagh on the East side Tyrone with all the Rebels forces assembled to him pricked forward with rage of enuy and setled rancour against the Marshal assayled the English and turning his full force against the Marshals person had the successe to kill him valiantly fighting among the thickest of the Rebels Whereupon the English being dismaied with his death the Rebels obtained a great victory against them I terme it great since the English from their first arriuall in that Kingdome neuer had receiued so great an ouerthrow as this commonly called The defeat of Blackewater Thirteene valiant Captaines and 1500. common Souldiers whereof many were of the old companies which had serued in Brittany vnder Generall Norreys were slaine in the field The yeelding of the Fort of Blackwater followed this disaster when the assaulted guard saw no hope of reliefe but especially vpon messages sent to Captaine Williams from our broken forces retired to Armagh professing that all their safetie depended vpon his yeelding the Fort into the hands of Tyrone without which danger Captaine Williams professed that no want or miserie should haue induced him thereunto Shortly after Sir Richard Bingham aboue mentioned late Gouernour of Connaght and vnworthily disgraced was sent ouer to succeede Sir Henrie Bagnoll in the Marshalship of that Kingdome By this Victory the rebels got plenty of Armes and victuals Tyrone was among the Irish celebrated as the Deliuerer of his Country from thraldome and the combined Traytors on all sides were puffed vp with intolerable pride All Vlster was in Armes all Connaght reuolted and the Rebels of Lemster swarmed in the English Pale while the English lay in their Garrisons so farre from assailing the Rebels as they rather liued in continuall feare to be surprised by them After the last yeeres nauall expedition out of England into the Ilands certaine old Companies of one thousand and fiftie foote drawne out of the Low Countries were appointed to Winter in the West parts of England To these nine hundred and fiftie new men were added this Summer and the command of these two thousand Foote and of one hundred Horse was giuen to Sir Samuel Bagnol who was appointed to goe with them to Loughfoyle in the North of Ireland but after the defeate of Blackwater they were countermaunded to goe into Lemster to strengthen the Queenes Forces in the heart of the Kingdome The old Companies Sir Samuel Bagnol Colonell 150 1050 Foot Captaine Iohn Iephson 100 Captaine Iosias Bodley 100 Captaine Iohn Sidney 100 Captaine Foulke Conway 100 Captaine Nicholas Pynner 100 Captaine Edward Blaney 100 Captaine Tobey Calfeild 100 Captaine Austin Heath 100 Captaine Owen Tewder 100 To these were added new men partly vnder old Captains as Captaine Francis Roe Captaine Charles Egerton Captaine Ralph Bingley and partlyvnder new Captaines 950 Foot Besides Sir Samuel Bagnol the Colonell had the command of a Troope of Horse new raised 100 Horse After the defeate of Blackwater Tyrone sent Ony Mac Rory O More and one Captaine Tyrel of English race but a bold and vnnaturall enemy to his Countrie and the English to trouble the Prouince of Mounster Against whom Sir Thomas Norreys Lord President opposed himselfe but assoone as he vpon necessarie occasions had with-drawne his forces to Corke many of the Mounster men now first about October 1598 brake into rebellion and ioyned themselues with Tyrones said forces spoyled the Country burnt the Villages and puld downe the houses and Castles of the English against whom especially the femall sex they committed all abominable outrages And now they raised Iames Fitzthomas a Geraldine to be Earle of Desmond which title had since the warres of Desmond bin suppressed with condition that forsooth he should be vassall to Oneale The Mounster Rebellion brake out like a lightning for in one moneths space almost all the Irish were in rebellious Armes and the English were murthered or stripped and banished Thus hauing inflamed Mounster with the fire of Rebellion and leauing this sedition to be cherished and increased by this new Earle of Desmond and other Rebels of that Prouince the Vlster forces returned backe to Tyrone The infection which Mounster men had drawne from the corrupted parts in Rebellion did more and more spread it selfe so as the old practises long held by the Arch-Traytor Tyrone to induce them to a reuolt now fully attained their wished effect To the working whereof in the hearts of the seditious there wanted not many strong motiues as the hatred which the Geraldines bare to those English Vndertakers of whom I formerly spake in
and had too few followers and too small an estate to imbrace so great a businesse So as the Earle not obscurely affecting this imployment himselfe to the end he might more strongly confirme that dependancy which all military men already had on him and his enemies willingly giuing second to this his ambition that by his absence they might haue better aduantages to hurt him and to benefit them selues at that time the said Earle easily drew this fatall gouernement on his owne shoulders which was one of the first steps and not the least cause of his ruine Being now to write of this Honourable Lord Mountioy my deceased Lord and Master I doe faithfully professe and pray the Reader confidently to beleeue which I hope most easily to obtaine of those who best know me that as in the duty of a seruant I will not omit any thing I remember which may turne to his Lordships Honor so in my loue to truth I will be so farre from lying and flattering as I will rather be bold modestly to mention some of his defects whereof the greatest Worthies of the World cannot be altogether free To which I will onely adde that as I esteeme lying and flattery by word of mouth among the liuing to be vnfallible notes of basenesle and ignorance so I iudge these vices infamous and sinfull when they are left in print to deceiue posterity Since the first may detect falshood by inquiring the truth but the latter haue no meanes to rectifie their misinformed iudgements Thus I returne to proceed in my former narration and first I will delineate after my best skill the true portraiture of this worthy Lords body and mind then I will collect the Councels by which he tamed this Monster of Rebellion and lastly I will discend by order of time to his Lordships particular actions But ere I take my pensill in hand to figure this Noble Lords person I must acknowledge my weakenesse such as I cannot fully apprehend his compleat worthinesse and therefore desire that those of greater iudgement to discerne the same will impute all defects to the vnskilfulnes of the workeman and that with others to whom his Lordship was lesse knowne my rude Pen may not derogate any thing from his due praise Againe giue me leaue to remember that which I receiued from his mouth that in his child-hood when his Parents would haue his picture he chose to be drawne with a Trowell in his hand and this Mot Adreadificandam antiquam Domum To rebuild the ancient House For this noble and ancient Barrony was decaied not so muchby his Progenitors prodigality as his Fathers obstinate addiction to the study and practise of Alchumy by which he so long laboured to increase his reuenues til he had almost fully consumed them Now to the purpose let vs obserue how he fulfilled this ominous presage in rebnilding that Noble House till by his vntimely death the same was fatally eclipsed againe He was of stature tall and of very comely proportion his skin faire with little haire on his body which haire was of colour blackish or inclining to blacke and thinne on his head where he wore it short except a locke vnder his left eare which he nourished the time of this warre and being wouen vp hid it in his necke vnder his ruffe The crown of his head was in his latter dayes somthing bald as the forepart naturally curled he onely vsed the Barber for his head for the haire on his chin growing slowly and that on his cheekes and throat he vsed almost daily to cut it with his sizers keeping it so low with his owne hand that it could scarce bee discerned as likewise himselfe kept the haire of his vpper lippe something short onely suffering that vnder his hether lip to grow at length and full yet some two or three yecres before his death he nourished a sharpe and short pikedeuant on his chin His forehead was broad and high his eyes great blacke and louely his nose something low and short and a little blunt in the end his chin round his cheekes full round and ruddy his countenance cheerefull and as amiable as euer I beheld of any man onely some two yeeres before his death vpon discontentment his face grew thinne his ruddy colour failed growing somewhat swarthy and his countenance was sad and deiected His armes were long and of proportionable bignes his hands long and white his fingers great in the ende and his leggs somewhat little which hee gartered euer aboue the knee wearing the Garter of Saint Georges order vnder the left knee except when he was booted and so wore not that Garter but a blew ribben in stead thereof aboue his knee and hanging ouer his boote The description of his apparrell may be thought a needelesse curiositie yet must I adde some few words thereof be cause hauing promised the liuely portraiture of his body aswell as his minde the same cannot otherwise bee so liuely represented to the imagination besides that by his clothes some disabilities of his body to vndertake this hard war may be coniectured and especially thë temper of his mind may be liuely shadowed since the Wise man hath taught vs that the apparrell in some sort shewes the man His apparrell in Court and Cities was commonly of white or black Tafetaes or Sattens and he wore two yea sometimes three paires of silke stockins with blacke silke Grogran cloakes guarded and ruffes of comely depth and thicknesse neuer wearing any falling band blacke beauer hats with plaine blacke bands a taffaty quilted wastcoate in summer a scarlet wastcoate and sometimes both in winter But in the Country and specially keeping the Field in Ireland yea sometimes in the Cities he ware Ierkins and round hose for hee neuer ware other fashion then round with laced panes of russet Cloath and clokes of the same cloth lined with Veluet and white Beuer hats with plaine bands and besides his ordinarie stockings of silke he wore vnder bootes another paire of Wollen or Wosted with a paire of high linnen bootehose yea three wastcotes in cold wether and a thick ruffe besides a russet scarfe about his necke thrice folded vnder it So as I neuer obserued any of his age and strength to keepe his body so warme He was very comely in all his apparrell but the Robes of Saint Georges order became him extraordinarilie well For his diet he vsed to fare plentifully and of the best and as his meanes increased so his Table was better serued so that in his latter time no Lord in England might compare with him in that kinde of bountie Before these warres he vsed to haue nonrishing breakefasts as panadoes and broths but in the time of the warre he vsed commonly to breake his fast with a drie crust of bread and in the Spring time with butter and sage with a cup of stale beere wherewith sometimes in Winter he would haue suger and Nutmeg mixed He fed plentifully both at dinner
Februarie the Lord Deputie landed in Ireland and there receiued the sword and within few dayes by warrant out of England he granted her Maiesties letters Pattents to Sir George Carew to bee Lord President of Mounster which place liad layen void some few moneths from the death of Sir Thomas Norreys The 27 he receiued aduertisement from the Earle of Ormond Generall of the English forces till his comming ouer that Tyrone was in the West part of Mounster hauing about him not only his owne forces but those of the Rebels of that Prouince which were so great as he had not hitherto power to oppose them but now hauing gathered all the Queenes forces he could make purposed the next morning to set forwards towards him The fifth of March his Lordship receiued aduertisement from other parts that Tyrone could not escape in his returne to the North but either ouer the Riuer Shanon which passage the Earles of Thomond and Clanrickard might easily stop or by the Westward borders of the Pale where if his Lordship would draw his forces to Athboye Mullingar Ballymore and Athlone it was not possible for him to escape them That Tyrone had thus engaged himselfe presuming on the corruption of the State and little expecting his Lordships so sudden comming ouer so as if his Lordship forgaue him this fault he was not like to catch him againe in the like neither could any thing but want of intelligence make his Lordship faile in stopping the returne of Tyrone and his forces into the North. Aduising his Lordship to be wary in crediting intelligences which were commonly false and made of purpose and to expect that besides the knowne enemy and a confused warre he should finde a broken State a dangerous Counsell and false hearted subiects The eight of March the Earle of Ormond sent aduertisement that Tyrone purposed to passe the Riuer Shanon That he had written to the Earle of Thomond to draw towards him that they might oppose his passage but that his Lordship could not performe his order by reason that the Mayor of Leymricke would not afford him carriage for his victuals That Tyrone in scattered Troopes and a cowardly manner hastened his returne and that present day had marched foure and twenty miles without any stay That Sir Warham Sent Leger and Sir Henry Power ioint Commissioners for gouerning of Mounster with the forces vnder their charge had met neere Corke with Hugh Mac Gwter chiefe Lord of Fermanagh in the North and that in the incounter Sir Warham Sent Leger and the said Mac Guire were killed That his Lordship had burned all the Townes where the Traytors might find reliefe and that they vsed the same course towards her Maiesties Subiects The same day the Lord Deputy receiued further aduertisement from Mounster that Tyrone was compassed in by the Earle of Ormond on the one side and the Earle of Thomond on the other and by the Commissioners forces on the third side who ruled the Prouince after the death of Sir Thomas Norreys vntill a Lord President should be chosen for he that was newly sent ouer was yet at Dublyn that the Mayor of Lymbricke had commandement to lay ships and boates to hinder his passage by that Hauen as likewise the Mayor of Galway to interrupt his passage by sea and the Earle of Clanrickard to stop his passage by land through Connaght So as how soeuer he were fiue thousand strong in able men besides many of baser sort yet he being far from any second of Vlster men in whom the chiefe strength of the Rebellion consisted and no way able to returne thither his vtter confusion was confidently hoped But these were onely Irish oftentations of seruice which seldome vse to take effect and many times are not truly intended as the sequell will shew And lest the Lord Deputy should expect faithfull dealing of the English Irish Subiect in the other kind of seruice by supplying the Army of necessaries the nobilitie Gentrie of the very English Pale the same day exhibited a petition to his Lordship to preuent the opinion of disloialtie vpon refusal of such supplies by pretending of disabillitie vpon the great spoyles which aswell the rebels as the English souldiers had made vpon all the inhabitants The Lord Deputie had written a former letter to Master Secretarie in excuse of not reducing the Armie from foureteene thousand foote to twelue thousand according to the new Establishment aswell because the same was to begin the first of Februarie which his Lordship could not effect since he arriued not in Ireland vntill the twentie sixe of the same moneth as also because the Army was presently farre diuided the greater part thereof being with the Earle of Ormond and for that whensoeuer they returned the discharged Companies must presently bee reduced into some other or else so many men and Armes should bee meerely lost as the Lords Iustices had lately found by experience when determining to cast a Company of one hundred and fiftie being by Pole a hundred of the oldest and best souldiers with purpose next day to deliuer them to other Captaines vpon the diuulging thereof onely three of the whole Company with their Armes could be found to be so transmitted To this letter formerly written and perswading that the two thousand might still be continued in pay his Lordship receiued the following answere from her Maiestie dated the fifteenth of March. Elizabeth Regina ALthough we haue vpon your earnest request in whose affection and duty we doe repose trust and confidence yeelded to the continuance of fourteene thousand foot for some small time both because we conceiue that according to your reasons it will giue good assurance to the Plantation of Loughfoyle and the reduction of Lemster and preuent the present terror which this proud attempt of Tyrones to passe ouer all the Kingdome hath stricken into the hearts of all our Subiects and would increase if we should presently haue abated our numbers yet must welet you know that we doe expect at your hands and doe determine that assoone as the present bruites are passed you shall diminish the same by little and little hereafter according to our first determination for we haue had too good proofe of that gouernement as not to know and discerne that all the mischiefes of our seruice haue growne most by lacke of discretion and order by vaine iournies whilst better opportunities haue beene lost by vndiscreet carriages of all secret purposes by placing Captaines of small merit or experience and which is aboue all by nourishing the Irish who are snakes in our bosomes whilst we hold them and when they are out doe conuert vpon our selues the experience and strength they haue gotten by our making them to be Souldiers And therefore you shall vnderstand now that although we haue beene content to grace some such as are of noble houses and such others as haue drawne blood on the Rebels with charge of Companies yet we find it now growne
worthily and all things prospered vnder his worke she would not giue incouragement to the Rebels by his absence whom his presence had so daunted The List of the Army and the distribution of the same into Garrisons in the end of Nouember Twelue Colonels of the Armie The Earle of Thomond Lord Dunkellin Sir Henrie Dockowra Sir Arthur Chichester Sir Henrie Power Sir Charles Percy Sir Matthew Morgan Sir Christopher Saint Laurence Sir Charles Wilmot Sir Arthur Sauage Sir Richard Moryson Sir Iohn Bolles Foote at Carickfergus Sir Arthur Chichester Gouernour 150. Sir Foulk Conway 150. Captaine Richard Croftes 100. Captaine Charles Egerton 100. Captaine Gregorie Norton 100. Horse Sir Arthur Chichester 25. Captaine Iohn Iephson 100. Foote at Mount Norreys Captaine Edward Blaney Gouernour 150 Sir Samuel Bagnol 150. Captaine Henrie Athyerton 150. Horse at the Newry Sir Samuel Bagnol Gouernour 50. Foote Sir Oliuer Saint Iohns 150. Sir Francis Stafford 200. Captaine Iosias Badley 150. Captaine Edward Treuer 100. Captaine Edward Fisher 100. Captaine Rauenscroft 100. Foote at Carlingford Captaine Richard Hansard 100. Foote at Dundalke Sir Richard Moryson Gouernour 150. Sir Henrie Dauers 150. Captaine Tobie Cafeild 150. Captaine Ferdinand Freckleton 100. Captaine Ralph Constable 100. Horse Sir Henrie Dauers 50. Foote at Arde. Sir Charles Percy 150. Sir Garret More 100. Captaine Thomas Mynne 100. Captaine Thomas Williams 150. Captaine Francis Roe 100. Horse Sir Henrie Dauers 50. Sir Garret More 25. Foote at Ballymore Sir Francis Shane 100. Captaine Thomas Roper 150. Captaine Rotheram 100. At Mullingar The Lord of Deluin 150 Foote Sir Christopher Saint Laurence 25 Horse At the Nauan Sir Thomas Maria Wingfeild 150 Foote The Lord Deputie 100 Horse Foote at Drogheda Captaine Billings 100. Captaine Linley 100. Captaine Iefferey Dutton 100. Captaine Morice 100. Captaine Bentley 100. Foote at Trymme Sir Christopher Saint Laurence 150. Sir Edward Harbert 100. Captaine Yeluerton 100. Foote at Kelles The Lord of Dunsany 150. Captaine Hugh Orely 100. Horse Lord of Dunsany 50. Foote at Aboy Clancary and the Castles of Ophalia Sir Henrie Folliot 150. Captaine Lionel Guest 150. oir Henrie Warren 100. Foote in the Fort of the Dingon and at the Nasse Sir George Bourcher 100. The Lord Dunkellin 150. Sir Henrie Harrington 100. Captaine Thomas Boyse 100. Horse at New castle Captaine Daughtrey 50. Sir Henrie Harrington 25. At Athey Reban and the borders of Leax Sir Henrie Poore 150. Sir Iames Fitzpiers 150. Master Marshel 150. Captaine Philips 100. Sir Thomas Loftus 100 Foote The Marshall 50 Horse Foote in the Forts Sir Francis Rush 150. Foote in Occarrals Countrie Captaine Mollrony Ocarrol 100. Foote and Horse in Kilkenny The Earle of Ormond Lieutenant of the Armie 150. Captaine Marbery 100 Foote The Earle of Ormond 50 Horse Foote and Horse in Kildare The Earle of Kildare 150 Foote The Earle of Kildare 50 Horse Foote and Horse in the Countie of Waxford Sir Olin'r Lambert 150. Captaine Iohn Master son 100. Captaine Esmond 150 Foote Sir Oliuer Lambert 25 Horse Foote at Dublin The Lord Deputies Guard commanded by Captaine Berry 150. Foote and Horse in Connaght Sir Arthur Sauage Gouernour 150. The Earle of Clanrickard 150. Sir Thomas Bourk 150 Sir Tibbot Dillon 100 Captaine Clare 150. Captaine Tibot Nelong 100. Captaine Thomas Bourgh 100 Foote The Earle of Clanrickard 50. The Lord Dunkellin 25. The Marshall of the Prouince 12 Horse Horse in the Pale at the Captaines disposall neere themselues or attending their persons Sir Edward Harbert 12. Sir William Warren 25. Sir Iohn Barkley 12. Captaine Rich. Greame 50. Captaine Garret Fleming 25. Captaine Pigot 12. Captaine Darcy 25. At Loughsoyle a remote Garrison vnder Sir Henrie Dockwra his command Sir Henrie Dockwra 50 Sir Iohn Bolles 50 Horse Foote vnder 25 Captaines 2900. In the Prouince of Mounster at the Lord Presidents disposall The Lord President 50. Sir Anthony Cooke 50 Captaine William Taaf 25 Horse Foot der 23 Captaines 2800. Totall of Horse 1198. Totall of Foote 14150. From Dundalke the Lord Deputy with his seruants and voluntary horsemen rode to Dublin the seuenteenth of Nouember Within few dayes vpon Sir Arthur Sauage his intreatic to goe for England about his priuate affaires his Lordship gaue him licence and appointed Sir Iohn Barkely to supplie his place of Prouisionarie Gouernour of the Prouince of Connaght At the same time his Lordship wrote into England for authoritie to passe vnto certaine submitties their Countries with reseruation of her Maiesties rights and some other conditions for her profit and seruice more particularly on the behalfe of Connor Roe Mac Guyre who being put from the Chiefery of his Country by Tyrone had quitted al his possessions and goods to come to the Queenes seruice when Tyrone had two of his sonnes for pledges of which the elder lately escaping from the rebels had likewise submitted himselfe and they both had serued valiantly in the late Northerne iourney so as the father had his horse killed vnder him and the sonne killed three rebels with his owne hand And from thence both going into Fermanagh had drawne many of that Country to follow them in the Queenes seruice diuerting all the Countrie from assisting Tyrone Besides that in a late skirmish they had taken Cormock Tyrones brothers eldest sonne a young man of the greatest hope in the North whom the Rebels purposed to create Oneale after Tyrones death for which respect he was a better pledge then any of Tyrones sons This youth they had brought to the Lord Deputy with great hazard to conuoy him and that when 3000. pound and other ample conditions were offered them for his ransome In the same moneth of Nouember many of the Northerne Rebels with great troops among them a Mounster man Piers Lacy of English race a famous rebell drew into the Brenny meaning to passe to the Shannon side and so into Mounster after they had strengthened the broken rebels of the Pale with some assistance But this their passage was so stopped as it tooke no effect The sixth of December his Lordship was aduertised from an honourable friend in Court that his late proceedings were mentioned by all men with much honour and most of all by the Queen who vttered to himselfe the most gracious and kind speeches of his Lordship and the most extolling his valour and worthy parts that euer he had heard her vse of any Till this time the rebels of the Mountaines neere Dublyn called the Glinnes gaue allarums almost euery night in the Suburbes of Dublyn But the time when the insolency of some of them should bee chastened was now come The Obirnes hauing Phelim mac Feogh the chiefe of their Sept after the death of Feogh mac Hugh formerly mentioned inhabited the Glinnes bordering on the plaines of Dublyn extending some foure or fiue miles that way and these being neerer then the O Tooles and other their confederates were most insolent vpon that City and the Counsell there residing when the Lord Deputy was farre off in
commanded by himselfe by Captaine Hobbies company commanded by himselfe Captaine Nuses commanded by his Lieftenant and by Captaine Roger Haruy his company himselfe commanding in chiefe as Captaine of the watch there that night for as euery Colonell watched each third night so euery Captaine watched in one place or other each second night Also this night the Fort on the West side neere the Towne betweene the two Campes which was cast vp the day before was manned by Captaine Flower commanding in chiefe and his company by Captaine Spencer and his company by Captaine Dillon and his company and by the companies of Sir Arthur Sauage Sir Iohn Dowdall Captain Masterson and Sir William Warren commanded by their Liefetenants together with certaine squadrons out of the Earle of Thomonds quarter in our second campe which stood in guard without the Trenches Now within an hower after night and some two houres before the Moone rose it being very darke and rainy the Spaniard impatient of the Forts building the day before so close to the Townes West gate and resoluing to attempt brauely on our Ordinance planted on the East side made a braue sally with some two thousand men and first gaue slightly towards the Trenches on the West side but presently with a grosse and their chiefe strength fell vpon the Trenches in which the Artillery lay on the East side continuing their resolution to force it with exceeding fury hauing brought with them Tooles of diuers sorts to pull downe the Gabbyons and the Trenches as also Spykes to cloy the Ordinance The allarum being taken in the campe the Marshall and Serieant Maior Sir Richard Moryson Sir William Fortescue Sir Francis Rushe and Captaine Roc fallied presently with some sixe hundred men towards the Cannon and Sir Beniamin Berry with some one hundred men fell directly towards the Port of the Towne next to the Campe and the Lord Deputy sent out Sir Oliuer Saint Iohns with seconds Vpon the Marshals arriuall and charge the enemy brake and our men did execution vpon them Sir Bentamin Berry fell directly vpon the enemies seconds whom he charged and brake killing many of them and taking the Commander of that body being an ancient Captaine of great estimation with the enemy At the same time the enemy gaue vpon our trenches and Fort built the day before on the West side and continued the attempt long with great fury till Captaine Flower in heate and without direction sallying out of the Fort to follow part of their forces discomfited the enemie entered the Fort before he could returne and possessed themselues of our trenches Yet still our men continued the fight and Sir William Godolphin gaue many braue charges with his horse to countenance our men till the Earle of Clanrickard was sent to second them on this part with Captaine Skipwith Captaine Clare Captaine Boise Captaine Thomas Bourke and some threescore men for the rest of the Regiment was not aduanced so farre Then his Lordship and the rest charged the enemies grosse being without the Fort and brake them and did execution vpon them falling towards the towne and so returning thence entred the West Fort again with little resistance for the enemie abandoned it This Fort his L P. and his Company made good till he was relieued from the Lord Deputie In this salley in all the enemy left in the field aboue one hundred and twenty dead bodies besides such as were killed neere the Towne and could not next day bee discerned by vs. And wee tooke thirteene prisoners among whom was a Captaine Reformado as they terme them for honour of antiquitic who was taken by Henslo Captaine of our Pioners and a Serieant and a Drumme After we heard by some of the Towne that they left dead aboue two hundred of their best men among whom were two Captaines two Alferoes and the Serieant Maior being the second Commander to Don Iean and Don Carloes and that more then two hundred of them were hurt On our part Captaine Flower Captaine Skipwith and the Earle of Clanrickards Lieutenant were hurt and Captaine Spencer and Captaine Dillon and Captaine Flowers Lieutenant were killed in the West Fort who staying in the Fort when Captaine Fllower sallied were there found dead in the place which they were commanded to make good and with their faces to the enemie in as honourable manner as could be expected from any souldier The enemy sallying on our Fort guarding our Cannon cloyed a demy-culuering of ours which being a little crased was left without the Fort but the next morning it was made seruiceable againe Some of them were killed vpon the cannon and vpon the powder and the trenches about the cannon were in some places filled with dead bodies for in that particular attempt they left seuenty two bodies dead in the place and those of their best men whereof some were found hauing spikes and hammers to cloy the cannon And in generall among the dead bodies many were found to haue spels caracters and hallowed meddals which they woare as preseruations against death and most of them when they were stripped were seene to haue scarres of Venus warfare Wee tooke some fortie shouels and as many mattocks and much Armes left in the field which tooles were so massie as they had great aduantage of vs therein and the sight of them would haue put her Maiesties Ministers of the Ordinance to shame who for priuate gaine sent sale ware to vs vnfit to be vsed In defending this fort of the cannon Captaine Rotheram and Iames 〈◊〉 Ensigne woon great reputation by their valour and the courage they gaue to others Because the Earle of Clanrickards Company had watched the night before this Sir Henry Follyot was sent with his Regiment to guard the Westerne fort till morning Some hower before this skirmish the Lord Deputie was aduertised by one Donnogh O Driscoll that sixe Spanish ships were put into Castle Hauen and that six more were sent with them from the Groyne but in the way were scattered from these by tempest and that since it was not knowne what became of them That in these six ships arriued were two thousand Spaniards with great store of Ordinance and Munition and that by their report twentie thousand more were comming presently after them The third of December by reason of rany weather nothing could be done onely vpon relation of a French runnaway that the enemy purposed to sally againe some of our men were for a short time drawne to Armes but in vaine The fourth day we receiued a confirmation of the Spaniards arriual at Castlehauen whereupon it was resolued in Counsel that our first camp should be more strongly fortified and that al our horse should be drawne into it and that the quarter or lesser camp on the West side consisting now onely of three Regiments namely of the Earle of Thomond Sir Richard Percy and Sir Christopher Saint Laurence should rise and sit downe farther off towards the South-gate hauing
losse and as they esteeme it disgrace they become so many enemies to me many of them clamorous against me my proceedings And whereas by some of your L ps letters it pleased you to let me know that your sending many Captaines proceedeth from my recommending of many vnto you I do humbly assure your L ps that almost all which came ouer were strangers to me if the rest haue had letters from me I wrote them at their request onely to testifie that they had behaued thēselues no otherwise then honestly here which was the least I could afford them when I was forced to take away their Companies But if her Maiestie expect an abatement of her Lyst I beseech your L ps to consider my hard condition For if I discharge such as you send ouer I doe not onely become odious vnto them but offend many of your Lordships by whose fauour they obtained that charge And if I discharge such old Captaines as I found here and of whose sufficiency I haue since had continuall experience by their often aduenturing their bloud and liues I should not onely returne vnto her Maiestie importunate sutors armed with good iustice to craue reward but my selfe should incurre the same and more iust dislike of them and their friends But that which for her Maiesties seruice grieueth me most is that I should thereby disinable my selfe hereafter to doe her Maiestie that seruice which heretofore I haue done and next vnto God must attribute to their valour and sufficiency For touching the Irish by whose discharge I meane to make no small abatement I haue heretofore laboured by vnsensible degrees to deminish that charge and I will chuse a fit time fully to effect it the sudden doing whereof might cause rather an increase then decrease of her Maiesties charge We haue lately recommended some of the incorporate Townes here to your Lordships and may happily haue occasion to doe the like to draw them if it might bee to a more affectionate furtherance of the seruice at the least to hold them with some contentment though indeed they haue not affoarded vs that helpe that they both might and ought Yet our meaning was not thereby to presse your Lordships to any inlargement of their Franchises for which happily they will thereupon be sutors for we confesse truly to your Lordships that we think these Corporate Townes in generall haue already too great and too many priuiledges and immunities vnlesse they better knew or would more readily endeuour to deserue them which we thought meete at this time to giue your Lordships a taste of least they might otherwise make that vse of our letters that we intended not Further we desire that your Lordships will perswade her Maiestie to resolue presently to make Cittadels in the chiefest of these Townes without which we shal neuer bring them to performe their duties And so c. Don Iean whether with or without authoritie giuen him from Spaine I know not had often discoursed with the Lord Deputy during their abode together at Corke that it was no vnlikely or difficult worke to make Peace betweene England and Spaine yea he went so farre as to vrge the Lord Deputy to deale therein But his Lordship onely made answere that he knew her Maiestie to be graciously inclined to hold good amity with all Christian Princes yet as she was confident in her owne power so she was in all things iealous of her Honor and especially in that point wherein her Royall meaning had not bin intertained with the like by the State of Spaine whence we had receiued such ill measure in all our late treaties to that purpose as all men were discouraged to be any more made instruments therein Whereupon Don Iean sware vnto his Lordship that as he left the State of Spaine affected vpon his knowledge it was then a thing easie to effect and a thing much desired of them to haue firme Peace betweene England and Spaine And he further added that if vpon his arriuall in Spaine finding things to stand in the same condition he did at the returne of our ships thence giue his Lordship any inckling thereof then vpon his reputation his Lordship dealing with the State of England in that matter should loose no honour thereby The Lord Deputie hitherto had done no more then answere Don Ieans proposition in ciuill tearmes wherein hee had spoken no more then any priuate man might lawfully haue done if he had licence to confer with him yet lest he might be thought to haue exceeded his Commission in this nice discourse and hauing good reasons to imagine that as God many times doth worke by vnlikely yea by contrary meanes so hee and Don Iean out of then Commission to make warre one vpon the other might proue Commissioners for making a Peace his Lordship aduertised thus much to Master Secretary in England praying to haue further warrant and instructions if it were thought fit hee should further proceede therein But by Don Ieans silence from Spaine this ouerture passed as a dreame and tooke no effect as long as the Queene liued The foure and twentieth day of March being the last day after the English writing of the yeere 1601 the Lord Deputie and Counsell being at Kilkenny and intertained by the Earle of Ormond in his house wrote this following letter to the Lords in England IT may please your Lordships hauing certaine intelligence since our comming to this place that Don Iean with all the rest of the Spaniards departed from Kinsale on Tuesday the 16 hereof and that the wind since that time hath serued them so well as we assure our selues by this they are neere the Coast of Spaine wee thought fit hereby to giue your Lordships notice therof that you may know we are free now of them all Since our being here there hath been brought in a notorious rebell one William Mac Hubbard lately taken in Vpperossery who of late hath done great spoiles and murders in these parts more then any other so as we haue caused him to bee executed in this Towne to the great terror of many About the same time that he was executed a sonne of Garret Mac Mortaghes named Moris Mac Garret died of a hurt lately giuen him in fight who was a most dangerous young man like to trouble all the Countrie The death of these two Rebels as also of a notorious Rebell by birth of Mounster lately slaine called Dermot Mac Awlye who was an inward man and a great practising instrument with Tyrone will greatly quiet all these parts and your Lordships can hardly thinke what a great change wee finde already by their so happy and timely cutting off And as for Sir Fynneen O Dryscoll O Donneuan and the two sonnes of Sir Owen Mac Carty they and their followers since their comming in are growne very odious to the rebels of those parts and are so well diuided in factions among themselues as they are failen to preying and killing one
be concealed especially in him vpon whole face all men eyes were cast himselfe was content to insinuate that a tender sorrow for losse of his Soueraigne Mistresse caused this passion in him but euery dull vnderstanding might easily conceiue that thereby his heart might rather bee more eased of many and continuall ielousies and feares which the guilt of his offences could not but daily present him after the greatest security of pardon And there needed no Oedipus to find out the true cause of his teares for no doubt the most humble submission he made to the Queene he had so highly and proudly offended much eclipsed the vaine glory his actions might haue carried if he had hold out till her death besides that by his cōming in as it were between two raignes he lost a faire aduantage for by Englands Estate for the present vnsetled to haue subsisted longer in rebellion if he had any such end or at least an ample occasion of fastning great merit on the new King if at first and with free will he had submitted to his mercy which hee would haue pretended to doe onely of an honourable affection to his new Prince and many would in all likelihood haue beleeued so much especially they to whom his present misery and ruined estate were not at all or not fully knowne The sixth of Aprill the Earle of Tyrone made a new submission to the King in the same forme he had done to the Queene the name onely changed He also wrote this following letter to the King of Spaine IT may please your most Excellent Maiesty Hauing since the first time that euer I receiued letters from your Highnesse Father and your Maiesty or written letters vnto you performed to the vttermost of my power whatsoeuer I promised insomuch as in the expectation of your assistance since the repaire of O Donnell to your Maiesty I continued in action vntill all my neerest kinsemen and followers hauing forsaken me I was inforced as my duty is to submit my selfe to my Lord and Soueraigne the beginning of this instant moneth of Aprill in whose seruice and obedience I will continue during my life Therefore and for that growing old my selfe I would gladly see my sonne setled in my life time I haue thought good giuing your Maiesty all thankes for your Princely vsage of my sonne Henry during his being in Spaine most humbly to desire you to send him vnto mee And for the poucrtie whereunto I was driuen I haue in sundry letters both in Irish and other languages so signified the same as it were inconuenient herein to make relation thereof And so I most humbly take my leaue From Dublin c. Your Highnesse poore friend that was Hugh Tyrone Together with the same he wrote another letter to his sonne Henry to hasten his comming from Spaine into Ireland but without any effect Lastly the Lord Deputic renewed to the Earle of Tyrone his Maiesties Protection for a longer time till hee could sue out his Pardon and sent him backe into his Countrey to settle the same and to keepe his friends and former confederates in better order vpon this change of the State Sir Henry Dauers who lately brought letters to the Lord Deputy from the Lords in England returned backe with purpose to repaire presently vnto the King wherevpon the Lord Deputy commended to his relation the following instructions signed with his Lordships hand Wherein you must note that his Lordship omits the newes of the Queenes death receiued by the seruant of a Gentleman as aforesaid the same being onely a priuate inteliigence whereupon hee could not safely build his late proceedings and that his Lordship onely insists vpon letters from the State which could onely giue warrant to the same The instrustions are these You are to informe the Kings Maiesty that at your comming ouer hither the fifth hereof with the letters from the Lords in England signifying the decease of my late Scueraigne Mistresse you found with mee heere at Dublin the Earle of Tyrone newly come in vpon Protection and by that meanes the Rcalme for the present generally quiet all expecting that vpon a conclusion with him which then euery one conceiued to be likely in as much as he put himself into my hand which till that time he would neuer doe to any the Countrey would in short time be thorowly settled so that euery one thet found himselfe in danger did presse me in a manner hourely for his pardon foreseeing that he that staied out longest was sure to be made the example of the Iustice of the State where such as could soonest make their way by assuring their future loyaltie and seruice were hopefull to lay hold vpon their Soueraignes mercy Now to the end you may acquaint his Maiesty how farre forth I haue proceeded with the Earle of Tyrone and vpon what warrant you shall be heereby thus remembred He had often made great meanes to be receiued to mercy which as often I had denied him prosecuting him to the vttermost of my ability being cuer confident in opinion that vntil I had brought him very low driuen him out of his own Countrey as I did the last Summer and left Garrisons vpon him that tooke most of the Creaghts and spoiled the rest of his goods hee would not bee made fit to crauc mercy in that humble manner that was beseeming so great an offender In December last when I was at Galloway he importuned me by many messages and letters and by some that he trusted very well vowed much sincerity if hee might be hearkened vnto there and at that time hee sent me a submission framed in as humble manner as I could reasonably require To that I sent him this answer that I would recommed it to her Maiesty but vntill I had further direction from her I would still prosecute him as I did before and get his head if I could and that was all the comfort I gaue him yet ceased he not to continue a sutor with all the earnestnesse that hee could deuise hoping in the end to obtaine that hee desired In the month of March I receiued letters from her Maiesty of the sixteenth and sauenteenth of February whereby I was authorised to giue him my word for his comming and going safe and to pardon him so as he would come parsonally where I should assigne him to receine it and yeeld to some other conditions in the last of those two letters contained And withall I was specially required aboue all things to driue him to some issue presently because her Maiesty then conceiued that contrariety of successes heere or change of accidents in other parts might turn very much to her disaduantage for which she was still apt to beleeue that hee lay in wait and would spin out all things further then were requisite with delayes and shifts if I should not abridge him Shortly after the Earle renewing his former suit with very great carnestnesse and in most humble manner as may
that being a publike place I cannot but take notice thereof and maruell how you dare presume to dispose at your pleasure of the Abbey or any thing belonging to his Maiesty and therefore againe charge you vpon your alleagiance to forbeare any publike exercise of that Religion prohibited by the Lawes of this Realme and fully to reforme these disorders according to my directions vpon your extreame perill The same day his Lordship wrote this following letter to the Mayor of Corke AFter my very hearty commendations I did first receiue some mutual complaints informations from the cōmissioners of Mounster you wherof so far as they concerne your particulars I will take notice be glad to heare you both or your Agents for you reforme what I shall find amisse in either but of publike offences or errours I must take publike knowledge And first for the Proclamation of the King wherein I am informed that you were not onely your selues slow and backward but made resistance to those who being Gouernours in that Prouince in our late Soueraignes time and hauing our directions were not like to abuse or deceiue you and offered with due forwardnes and obedience after your vnfitting and dangerous delaies to haue published the same whereof I cannot but maruell and thinke you much to be blamed in so vndoubtfull a right and with directions receiued from those in authority to make such needlesse consultations and much more to offer violent resistance to those who better vnderstood their duties and were euer ready in so much loyalty to performe it yet in regard of your solemne and ioyfull publication thereof I am willing to interpret your actions to the best and take your good performance for an excuse But I am further giuen to vnderstand that you haue suffered the publike celebration of the Masse to be set vp in your City of your owne fancies and without publike authority both against the lawes of this Realme and I assure you contrary to that Religion which his Maiesty zealously professeth Whereof I cannot but take publike notice as you haue publikely offended the King and his Lawes and as I haue done before so againe I charge you vpon your alleagiance to desist from such seditious insolencies and to apprehend the chiefe Authours thereof which if you doe not presently obey I shall be forced against my will to vse his Maiesties Sword and Power to suppresse the same Further you haue by your letters made suit vnto me to haue the Kings Fort Halebolin committed to your custody and I am informed that you haue proceeded in that insolency as to stay his Maiesties Munition and victuals and Artillery which vpon speciall trust of your loyalty was kept in your City from being transported from thence to the reliefe of the Kings Fort. It may be you haue rashly and vnaduisedly done this vpon some opinion of the ceasing of authority in the publike gouernement vpon the death of our late Soueraigne which is somewhat more though no way in true and seuere iudgement excusable and I thinke otherwise you would neuer haue beene so foolish to runne into so great danger but since as it hath pleased his Maiesty to renue and confirme vnto me by his royall letters and Letters Pattents vnder his Scale the place of his Deputy in this Kingdome and to signifie his gracious pleasure to continue all other his Officers and Magistrates aswell martiall as ciuill in their former authority and iurisdictions so by vertue thereof and power giuen me from his Maiesty I haue renewed the Lord Presidents Pattent and granted a new commission to Sir Charles Wilmott and Sir George Thornton with charge and authority to gouerne the Kings Forces Forts and places of strength and to defeud the Townes from forraigne inuasions and intestine mutinics or rebellions and further to gouerne that Prouince according to his Maiesties directions In which command of theirs there is no derogation from your ciuill gouernement and limited authority if you rightly vnderstand the one and the other Therefore as you should at first haue concurred with them put in so great place of trust ouer you by your late Queene and Mistresse especially in dangerous times of change for the peaceable gouernement of all vnder both your charges that you might haue deserued his Maiesties gracious acceptance of your seruice by presenting all things in the best state you could to his Highnesse first view so now I require you vpon your allegiannce to be assisting and obedient to them in all things touching his Maiesties seruice and not to presume to interrupt the conuayance of the Kings victusls munition or artillery vnto such places as shall be thought fit by them for the furnishing of his Maicstics Forts or Forces wheresoeuer they thinke conuenient This if you shall performe I shall be glad to interpret your past actions to the best finding your endeauours to redeeme what you haue done amisse and not bee forced against my will to take notice of the height of your offences or errours and vse his Maiesties power to redresse them I haue since the writing hereof seene a letter presented me by Master Meade in deniall and excuse of these informations and if I shall find you conformable and obedient to these my directions I will be glad to haue occasion to interpret all things past in the better part and take as little notice as I can thereof And so c. The same day the Lord Deputy wrote this following letter to the Mayor of Lymricke AFter my hearty commendations I haue not written vnto you that I remember since I sent you directions for the Proclamation of the King which because I vnderstand you published according to your duety with all due solemnity and signes of ioy and continued in duetifull sort not being seduced vnto disorders as some of the Townes of that Prouince were I thought rather to haue cause to commend you and giue you encouragement in your loyall proceedings then any way to blame you but I haue since beene enformed that you haue taken example of other Cities seduced by their Priests and against his Maiesties Lawes and I assure you contrary to the religion he zealously professeth vpon your owne fancies without authority set vp the publike celebration of the Masse whereof I cannot but take publike notice as you hane publikely offended the King and his lawes and therefore I charge you vpon your alleagiance to desist from such seditious insolencies and to apprehend the chiefe authours thereof which if you doe not presently obey I shall be forced against my will to take more seuere notice thereof then willingly I would And so hoping that in a matter of so great consequence you will be better aduised I expect to haue answere from you The eight and twentieth day his Lordship wrote this following letter to the Commissioners of Mounster AFter my hearty commendations I haue already sent you your Commission renewed for continuance of your authority and signed the
lesse good and faire yet was knowne to few or none Not vnlike to that Matrone who thought all mens breath did stinke as her husbands did But it is the part of an industrious man to act their affaires in the world tho sluggards lie by the fire Of a man Parents challenge a part Friends a part and the Common-wealth a part and hee was iudged an vnprofitable seruant by the most true Oracle of God who hid his Talent Neither doe the Verses of the Lyricall Poet obiected in the third place any whit moue me Oblitusque meorum obliuiscendus illis Abroad forgetting thine at home forgot by thine And in another place Romae laudetur Samos Chios Rhodos absens In Samos Rhodes and Chios what may please Let vs at Rome commend sitting at ease O poore effeminate Horace let his Genius pardon me a very hogge of the Epicures heard and to vse his owne words borne to consume corne Is any mutuall remembrance of kinsmen more pleasing then that which is caused by mention of their vertues If a man should offer to show thee all the strange miracles of Africk wouldst thou answer goe your waies and paint them which done I will gladly see them or if one would show thee Paradice and the infinite flowers and fruits thereof wouldst thou rather snort in a chimney corner and not shake off the least drowsinesse for the very possession of that happy inheritance but if hee would goe and paint them then promise perhaps and at leasure to view them yet as Socrates for arguments sake was wont to defend the contrary to all disputers so I rather iudge that Horace thus writes in the person of the Epicure after the manner of Poets or for pastime and spending of vacant time then that it was his owne iudgement There want not some who discourage men from this course by the manifold difficulties and dangers thereof But as the Poet saith Per ardua virtus Vertue climbes craggy Rockes Nec iacet in molli vener anda scientia lecto Venerable science with his gray head Is neuer found on a soft feather bed Many more there bee who tremble at the very thought of dangers of death to which this course of life is subiect Behold Salomous sluggard who saith There is a Lion by the way a Lion is in the streets Fearest thou the Sea because it swalloweth many Why fearest thou not a bed in which more haue breathed there last But a greater feare distracteth euen the mindes of the wiser sort that they see many returne from forraine parts corrupted with vices proper to them according to the Flemings Prouerb that no man was euer made more healthfull by a dangerous sickenesse or came home better from a long voyage And because it is hard to learne vertues and more hard not to learne vices or to depose them once learned from hence they say it is That so many homebred Angels returne from Italy no better then Courtly Diuells Surely this is iust as if a man should say I haue a ground ouergrowne with bushes which I feare to root vp because nettells or darnell will more easily spring then grasse or corne Fields are made fruitfull by tillage so are men made more wise by knowledge of forraine Kingdomes The Italians say excellently Coglier ' le roso lasciar ' le spine Sweet Roses gathered make an end And leaue the prickles that offend Wee must obserue vertues for imitation and vices that wee may abhorre them Contraries are manifested by contraries beautie shineth more being set with a deformed foyle and the glory of vertues is more eminent by the obiect of base vices Yet that which was said of the Athenians may truely be said of the best wits of all sexes and conditions If they be good they are best if ill worst Thus Histories witnesse that women by nature most witty haue often giuen extraordinarie testimonies of excellent goodnes or monstrous badnesse Thus Swetonius saith of Caesar. Magnas virtutes magna comitantur vitia Greatest vertues of the minde With like vices are combinde Thus the English Prouerb saith No knaue to the learned knaue I confesse that steepe mountaines yeeld most violent streames but it is a point of Art to lead these streames in a faire bed till they fall into the Sea This is the scope of all I say That by this course the good become best the bad proue worst Surely out of the holy Scriptures the Atheist gathereth most profane arguments as the godly Reader sucks the Eternall food of his soule Bees and Toades draw hony and poyson out of the same hearb To conclude the ill humors of the body growne predominant turne the best meats to their nourishment yet none but a mad man for the abuse of that which is of it selfe good will forbid to read the most holy Scriptures to gather sweetest flowers or to eate the best meates Zwinglius writes of a certaine Earle who after long absence returning to his home and no lesse to his former vices as a dog to his vomit and being for the same reproued did answere that his Taylor also returned to his occupation But Cato the younger was of a more vertuous minde whose regular moralitie could not bee corrupted by wanton Asia but made his familiar friend Curio a false Prophet therein Farre greater was the vertue of Scipio who in Spaine left a faire Virgin vntouched and yet would see her that hee might excell Alexander the Great in the rare emulation of continency who durst not behold the captiue daughters of Darius least he should be subdued by women who had conquered men Liue with good men seeke out honest not licentious houses to lodge in For the Italians say well Dammi con chi tu viui io saprò quel ' che tu fai. Tell me with whom thou dost conuerse And I will soone thy deedes rehearse Restraine the vices to which thou art naturally most inclined by forcing thy selfe to exercise contrary vertues For the Poet saith truely Animum rege qui nisi paret Imperat Be sure to rule thy minde in all thou dost If it obey not then it rules the rost Let the incontinent man restraine his vnbridled lust by the remembrance of his chast Mistresse at home which will make him feare the miserable diseases incident to the vnchast as Seamen tremble to strike vpon a Rocke Let him that is giuen to excessiue drinking of wine while yet he is sober behold the rediculous gestures the dull braine the shickle memory the oppressed stomacke with each weakenesse and deformity of the drunkard so by one vices remedy let him learne to cure all the rest There is no danger to so wary minds either of leesing their owne vertues or of learning forraigne vices besides that sweet vertues are of such power as they forcibly drawe euen negligent men standing least vpon their guard to admire loue and exercise them Yea let these strict censurers of manners tell me if they haue
his peace or to speake how little then doth it become him to be so talkatiue as he would hier one to heare him My selfe haue heard many who had scarce seene the Lyone of the Tower and the Beares of Parish-Garden as I may well say in comparison of their small iourneys and experience with other mens so ingrosse all the talke of the Table in relating their aduentures as if they had passed the pillars of Hercules nothing could be asked which they could not resolue of their owne knowledge hauing well learned the precept of Ouid to Louiers Et quae nescieris vt bene nota refer What thou know'st not boldly relate as if thou knew'st thereof the state And this they did with great applause of the ignorant and no lesse derision of experienced men who in their discourse had often found them lyers and well knew that as many hastning out at one gate passe more slowly so vessels full of good liquor sound not so much as the emptie and they who vnderstand much are not so free in imparting it And these be the men who haue branded Trauellers with the tytle of Lyers but a wise man ought to distinguish such sponges from praise-worthie Trauellers For in all arts professions and courses of life some take vpon them the skill and facultie of the best who are commonly most ignorant and impotent therein and it were great iniustice to ascribe the weaken effe of the one to any defect in the other or in the art and course it selfe Therefore Nauita de ventis de Taur is narret Arator Let Marriners of the winds force And Plowmen of their Buls discourse but I would haue a Traueller after his returne like an Orator or Poet so well instructed in all subiects of discourse as nothing should be altogether strange to him yet so discreete also as hee should not but vpon some faire occasion speake of those things whereof he could discourse most eloquently and iudicially And since stale Harlots by this art make their putrified wares saleable how much more shall Trauellers whose discourse more pleaseth in the stomack then in the mouth make the very stones and insensible creatures to daunce and hang vpon their mouthes as they are said to haue been moued by the eloquence and musick of Vlysses and Orpheus CHAP. III. Of the opinions of old Writers and some Prouerbs which I obserued in firraigne parts by reading or discourse to be vsed either of Trauellert themselues or of diuers Nations and Prouinces OLD Writers affirme that the Northerne men in respect of their heate kept in by the cold are generally greater eaters then Southerne men Thus they proue it Because all men haue a better stomacke in Winter then in Summer because Northerne men passing towards the South daily leese their appetite and because both men and beasts of the South are more leane then those of the North. This opinion is of it selfe true but the arguments for proofe admit some exceptions for the Turkes towards the South be fatter generally then our men of the North not that they eate more but that they are Eunuches and giuen to idlenesse I say therefore that the opinion is generally true but by many accidents proues false namely in places which suffer not the extremity of cold in the North or of heate in the South and comparing barren Pastures in the North with fertile pastures in the South and vpon like accidents hindting the true effects The fortitude of the minde and the strength of the body for the same reason they attribute to Northerne men and shew by Histories that hereupon they were euer Conquerours as the Medes against the Assirians the Assirians against the Chaldeans the Greekes against the Persians the Parthians against the Greekes the Romans against the Carthaginians the Gothes aginst the Romans the Turkes against the Arabians the Tartars against the Turkes the English against the French euen in France though the French called in by the English could neuer conquer them Lastly they conclude that the Scythians are most valiant and the best Souldiers of the World The truth is that the Romans were ouerrunne by barbarous people of the North yet not for their want of valour but by their dissention and the vastnesse of their Empire falling with his owne weight yet the same Romans subdued and long held in subiection many Nations of the North as France the Low-Countries and Britanny And no doubt the hope of spoile not valour or strength made the barbarous people ouerrunne the Romans who might haue beene quiet from them if they had been poore No man will fish with a golden hooke for a halfe penny fish Againe the riches of the Romans made them effeminate which likewise incouraged the barbarous people to assaile them But it were fitter to say that wisdome and wit rather then heate or cold make men to be valiant For no man contemnes death or hath due respect of honour but hee with whom reason preuailes more then nature Nature hath his force as the Eagle begets not a Doue but reason rather then nature is the cause that when common Souldiers runne away yet Gentlemen chuse rather to dye then escape by flight Not so much because they are borne of a Noble race as because they will not be a reproach to themselues and their race Not because Gentlemen dye with lesse paine then the common sort but because they better vnderstand that the soule is immortall that he dies in a good cause who fights for his Country and that an honorable death is to be preferred before a disgracefull life In all great Empires valour and learning flourished together and decayed together with the ruines of the Empires following their decay as in those of the Assirians Persians Medes and the Empires more knowne to vs by Histories of the Greekes and Romanes Therefore howsoeuer strength and an innated boldnesse are propagated and come by Nature yet true fortitude is not found in the North nor in the South nor proceedes from nature but where learning flourisheth and cowardise is reputed basenesse and where the word of God teaching the immortality of the soule and the vanities of mortall life most raigneth there men are most valiant Also they affirme that the Southerne men are more wittie and more wise then Northerne because the barbarous Gothes and Northerne people when they got great victories yet could not make true vse of them but lost Prouinces for want of wit and wisedome in as short a time as they got them by their valour and strength Surely variable fortune did exercise and tosse part of the Gothes and vandales yet other part of the Gothes and the Longobards subdued the plaine Country of Italy and these setled a long lasting Kingdome calling it Lombardie And though Hannibal were a Southerne man yet of him after the field woone by him at Canna it was first said Hannibal thou knowest how to ouercome but thou knowest not how to make
vse of thy victorie Besides that wit and wisedome cannot generally be thus ioyned in one subiect except we will graunt that women commonly most wittie are also commonly most wise There is a mediocrity required in wisedome Nolt altum sapere Be not too wise cuen as Salomon aduiseth not to be too lust meaning in outward appearance for the inward man cannot be too iust But mediocrity perhaps will be iudged rather to be found in the inhabiters of the worlds middle regions Againe howsoeuer wee may graunt that the Italians in the founding of their Empire by valiant acts and learned writings left notable markes and euidences of their wisedome yet in our age they may perhaps be preferred to others for some indowments of Nature but must yeeld the preheminence of valour and learning to some other Nations The vaine wisedome of man tires it selfe in vaine while it attributes so many and so great changes in the world to this or that Clime or Starre or any naturall cause rather then to looke backe to the first mouer of all humane things and acknowledge his finger in the disposing of them They affirme that the Northerne people are most cruell and Tacitus accuseth the Germanes Transsilnanians and olde Brittaines of cruelty Bodine disputes wittily against this opinion first because fat men as the Northerne are better men then those who are leane as the Southerne men be and he calls Caesar to witnesse who was not afraid of the fat men Anthony and Dolabella but of the leane men Brutus and Castius In my opinion fat men whose heate is decayed are thereby lesse bold for any great enterprise Onely I admire Luther who alone and weake did wonderfully oppose himselfe to the great multitude of Papists and power of the Popes But I remember that Melancton a leane man and skilfull in the Greeke Hebrew tongues and vniuersally learned did assist him yea the Germanes say that Melancton was more learned and Luther more bold So as according to the course of the world it is likely that Melancton did much in that great worke whereof Luther bare the name Besides that we must attribute the happy and wonderfull reformation of Religion to higher causes then those vnder the Moone namely not to the naturall heate of men but to the boldnesse proceeding from the diuine heat of the holy spirit Bodine affirmes that Northerne men because they are fat are lesse prone to the extremities of good or euill and so concludes them to be lesse cruell which he shewes by examples in that the Carthaginians and other people of the South vsed to pull out eyes to pull off the skinne to burne with a slow fier and to impale or set vpon stakes and to vse like cruelties towards condemned men and that those of America vse to smeare their children with the blood of their enemies whereas on the contrary the Romans were mercifull first beheading condemned men then by the law of percins forbidding Citizens to be beaten with rods after punishing by staruing by banishment In my opinion he might haue added the lenity of the Britans being more northward where the greatest offences are punished with hanging except 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drawing and quartering are added yet the seuerity thereof is commonly 〈◊〉 by letting them hang till they be dead Bodine addes that Northerne men did alwaies assaile with open force and were soone pacified whereas Southerne men assuled with Fox-like craft and were cruell to those that submitted to them But in the end while he confesseth that the Germans being Northern break the bones of condemned men vpon the wheele and that the Greekes being southerly put to death by 〈◊〉 of the Hemlocke and that in Chios they mingle water to make them die without paine by these contradictions he rather obscures then illustrates that which he would proue For my part while I consider these and like examples so contrary in both kindes together with the great changes of the World in diuers times so as they whom one age were cruell become in another age mercifull While I consider the old in egrity of the Romans when they reproched the Carthaginians to be breakers of faith and find them after to become greater breakers thereof concluding that no faith is to be kept with Heretikes with which note they brand any enemy at pleasure and bringing in diuellish equiuocation the plague of integrity which takes away all faith among men and lastly prouing these things not with words but with fier and sword Vpon these considerations I am induced to conclude not onely for cruelty but for all vices and vertues That Southerne men as more witty if they be good proue best if ill proue worst and that the degrees of good or ill proceed not from wit but from the application of it to good or ill Therefore not the North nor the South but Phylosophicall precepts godly lawes and the knowledge of Gods word or otherwise the wants thereof make men good or ill and where knowledge religion and good lawes flourish there vertues are practised but among barbarous and superstitious people liuing in Cimerian darkenesse all vices haue euer and will for euer flourish Abraham conceiued iust feare lest for his Wiues beauty he should suffer violence and death only because the feare of God was not in those places where he soiourned for this feare of God in himselfe mercifull and so commanding his children to be mercifull doth restraine the most fierce natures from offering any wrong to their neighbours Also Phylosophy did keepe the very Heathen within limits of honesty and Iustice which as the Poet saith Emollit mores nee sinit esse feros Doth soften manners with remorse And keepes them from a furious course In like sort old Writers affirme that Northern men are most perfidious but nothing is more easie then in all sorts of men to find examples of perfidiousnes 〈◊〉 witnesseth that the old Egyptians were naturally most perfidious yet are they most southerly In like sort the Southerne Carthaginians were of old most infamous for treacherous acts On the contrary many Histories taxe northerne men for breaking leagues Also the Northerne Gothes Southerne Spaniards obiected mutuall breaches of faith one to the other Therefore as I said knowledge and religion are the causes of all vertues as ignorance and atheisme or superstition are the causes of all vices neither are these causes hereditary to any clime or nation but are dispersed through the world by supernal distribution diuersly at diuers times They write that Southerne men are rather sparing and frugall then couetous and that Northerne men are prodigall and giuen to rapine but the Egyptian Cleopatra passed the Romans and all others in luxury And at this day nothing can be added to the rapacitie and couetousnesse of the Turks and more specially of those most towards the South daily exercised both against Christians and among themselues And this seemes to be attributed to their corrupt and
kind one sort called Dyaper wrought in Misen and bombast or cotton Into Spaine they export linnen cloth wax brasse copper cordage Masts for shippes gun-powder bombast or cotton and Nurnberg wares so they call small wares Againe they receiue all kinds of silkes from Italy whereof they vse little quantity for their owne apparrell but send great store ouer land to those Cities on the Sea-coast where the English Merchants reside to be sold vnto them For the English Merchants had their Staple first at Emden the Count whereof vsed them well yet in the warre betweene England and Spaine this place grew dangerous for them for the enemie often tooke their goods and made them prisoners at the very mouth of the Harbour Whereupon they remoued to Hamburg where being oppressed with new impositions and being denied the publike exercise of their Religion they went from thence and settled their Staple at Stoade In like sort the English Merchants trading for Poland and those parts first had their Staple at Dantzk in Prussen by Staple I meane their residence in a City giuing them priuiledge to stop any forraigne wares intended to be carried further and to force the Merchant to sell them there except hee had rather returne with them to the place from whence hee came But when the Dantzkers vnder pretence of the Sueuian warre exacted of them a doller for each woollen cloath and asmuch for a last of any other goods and after when the warre was ended would remit nothing of this imposition And further when they forbad the English by a Law to dwell in Poland the commodities whereof were onely sold there left they should learne the language and find the mysteries of the trade And lastly when they exacted as much weekely of an Englishman dwelling in the City as they did of a Iew dwelling there The English made agreement with the Senate of Meluin for eleuen yeeres to pay them sixe grosh for each cloth or other last of goods and to pay as much more in the Citie Kettle to the Duke of Prussen for his giuing them free passage to Meluin and so they settled their Staple there Wherupon the Dantzkers being offended with the Citizens of Meluin and the Hamburgers no lesse with those of Stoade procured the free Cities by a publike writing to outlaw not onely Meluin and Stoade for receiuing the English to the common preiudice of the rest but also Koingsperg the seate of the Duke of Prussen and the free Citie Lubeck for fauouring the English in this course and permitting them being strangers to sell their goods to any other then the Citizens of each seuerall Citie But I will returne to the trafficke of Germany I formerly said that the Germans receiued all kindes of silke stuffes from Italy From the English they receiue woollen clothes lead and such like things From Spaine they bring in their owne ships wine fruites oyle salt wooll and more commonly coined siluer And because the trade of Prussen a German Prouince but lately annexed to Poland is of great importance with all strangers I will adde this that the English bring thither great quantitie of tynne and woollen cloathes with copper and like things And that they bring from thence Pitch liquid Pitch Hempe Flaxe Cables Masts for shippes boards and timber for building Linnen cloates Wax minerall Salt which in Poland they dig out of pirs like great stones and the same being put to the fire is made pure and being blacke his colour is more durable and lesse subiect to giuing againe then our boiled salt Also they bring from thence pine ashes for making of Soape and great quantity of Corne. Yet the English seldome haue neede of their Corne for the vse of England which many times of their owne they transport to other Nations but they buy it as the free Cities doe to transport it to others and the Low-Countrey men buy it as well for themselues as to serue Spaine therewith so as great quantity thereof is distracted into all parts of Europe The Amber that is brought from these parts is not gathered at Meluin or Dantzke but on the sea side of Konigsperg where the Duke of Prussen holds his Court and all along the Coast of Curland where howsoeuer it lies in great quantity scattered on the sand of the Sea yet is it as safe as if it were in warehouses since it is death to take away the least peece thereof When it is first gathered it is all couered ouer with drosse but after it is polished becomes transparantly bright At Dantzke I did see two polished peeces thereof which were esteemed at a great price one including a frogge with each part cleerely to be seene for which the King of Poland then beiyg there offered fiue hundred dollers the other including a newt but not so transparant as the former Some thinke this Amber to be a gumme distilling from trees and by these peeces falling vpon frogges and like things this opinion should seeme true but those trees from which they hold this Amber to distill abound in Germany yet Amber is onely found vpon this Coast of the Balticke Sea Others thinke rather that Amber is generated by the Sea and it is most certaine that Marriners sounding farre from the Land often find sand of Amber sticking to their plummets whereof my selfe was an eye witnesse And Munster holds them to be deceiued who thinke Amber to be a gumme distilling from trees and because it is fat and burnes being put to the fier concludes it to be a fat clay or bituminous matter affirming that it is not onely found vpon the Sea Coast but often caught at Sea in nets and he adds that being liquid it often fals vpon and includes little beasts which growe with it to the hardnes of stone and that it smels of mirh The diet of the Germans is simple and very modest if you set aside their intemperate drinking For as they are nothing sumptuous but rather sparing in their apparell and houshold stuffe so they are content with a morsell of flesh and bread so they haue store of drinke and want not wood to keepe their stoaues warme And in generall since they affect not forraigne commodities but are content with their own commodities and are singular as well in the Art as industry of making manuall workes they easily draw to them and retaine with them forraigne Coynes The free Cities vse to haue alwaies a yeeres prouision of victuals laid vp in publike houses to serue for homely food for the people in case the City should happen to be besieged They commonly serue to the Table sower Cabbages which they call Crawt and beere or wine for a dainty boyled with bread which they call Swoope In vpper Germany they moreouer giue veale or beefe in little quantities but in lower Germany they supply the meale with bacon and great dried puddings which puddings are sauory and so pleasant as in their kind of mirth they wish prouerbially for
from so disunited mindes as they haue He addes that the free Cities of the Empire yeeld a small yeerely tribute to the Emperour of fifteene thousand Guldens It is well nowne that those Cities of old custome maintained twenty thousand foote and foure thousand Horses for the Emperours Army when he went to be crowned at Rome but this custome by long discontinuance is vanished since the Emperours for many ages haue forborne this expedition The matter of greatest moment is the contribution which for the doubtfull affaires of the Empire hath been accustomed to be granted by the three Estates in Parliament And these such as they are yet are more easily or hardly obtained of that free Nation as the Emperour hath more or lesse reputation with them But that it may appeare that the Empire wants not treasure the sinew of war let vs gather by one particular example what may generally be iudged of this subsidie In the time of the Emperour Maximilian the first the following subsidie was granted in a Dyet or Parlament at Worms by consent of the Estates for the vse of the Common-wealth and especially for the warre against the Turkes which at that time much lesse pressed Germany then it doth in these our daies First it was decreed that for foure yeeres next following each person of any sex or quality howsoeuer possessing through long and broad Germany or being worth by all meanes 500 gold Guldens should yerely pay half a gold Gulden to this purpose and each one of lesse value should pay a quarter of a gold Gulden and all Iewes as well men as women and children should pay yearely by the Pole one gold gulden That Princes Barons for decency yet of their free will should contribute much more And that this collection should be made not onely in the priuate Dominions of the Emperour but in the priuat Teritories of al Princes and the mony first deliuered to the Superintendents or chiefe Ministers of Gods word and by them be conueied to seuen Treasurers residing at Franckfort the first appointed by the Emperour the second by the Electors the third by other Princes the fourth by the Prelates the fifth by the Earles and Barons the sixth by the Knights the seuenth by the free Cities all which were to take their oathes for the faithfull execution of this office After it was againe decreed in the Diet held at Nurnberg that for the Turkish warre each 40 inhabitants reckoning the husband wife and children for one person should maintaine one Footeman That men and maid seruants should giue the sixth part of their yeerely wages and each one hauing no wages should pay a shilling of Germany That spirituall persons men and women that is Nunnes as well as others should for each forty Guldens value pay one gold Gulden and in like sort the spirituall Orders of Knights and namely those of Saint Iohn and all Monasteries and Almes-houses and whatsoeuer spirituall communities should giue the like contribution excepting the foure Orders of Mendicant Friers of which each fiue Monasteries were to maintaine one Footeman That men and maid-seruants of Spirituall persons should pay as much as those of the Layety That no Elector or Prince should maintaine lesse then fiue hundred Horses and each Earle should maintaine one Horseman That Knights should contribute according to their estates That the Iewes should pay by the Pole one gold Gulden yearely the rich paying for the poore That all Preachers should in the Pulpit exhort men willingly to giue these contributions giuing hope that they shall be diminished according to the booties gotten by victories And that Bishops should make collection of this money and deliuer it ouer to the Counsellers of the States Twenty Noble men were at that time chosen to haue care of the Commonwealth for matters of peace and warre who in difficult accidents were to call vnto them the sixe Electors the King of Bohemia in the Emperours person not reckoned and certaine other Princes And this must alwaies be vnderstood that these collections are made in Germany with great seuerity or strictnesse where he that dissembles his full wealth shall be forced to repaire all the domage the Commonwealth hath sustained thereby and shall bee also deepely fined when the fraude is made knowne which at least will appeare at the death of each priuate man by his last will and testament So as these subsidies must needs be of great moment But the Germans in our daies though ready to be deuoured by the Iawes of the Turkish Tyrant yet for the aboue-named causes very vnwillingly grant these contributions yea for the very Turkish warre The Germans for the said mutuall iealosies at this day in the greatest Peace at home yet liue as in the time of a Ciuill warre at least in common feare of surprising so as almost in all Cities they haue victuals laid vp in Storehouses to beare a yeeres siege and besides this publike prouision all housholders are commanded to make their priuate prouisions before hand of dried fishes corne and like things to eate of fewell to burne and of all necessaries to exercise their manuall trades The Cities haue Watchmen continually dwelling with their families on the top of high Steeples and Towers who by sound of Trumpet and by hanging out flags of diuers colours one for horsemen another for footemen continually giue warning what people approach to the Towne and in what number and besides these Watchmen are inioyned to sound their Trumpets at certaine howers of the day and night The very recreations of the Citizens are no other then shooting in Pieces and Crosebowes at markes in publike houses and thus they exercise themselues on Holidaies and at all idle times shooting for wagers both priuate and publike and for like rewards and prises So as they must needes bee thereby much better trained vp for warre Yet their footemen in warre doe not so much vse the Piece as the Pike and their Horsemen contrarie to the custome of other Nations are generally armed with two short Pistols not at all with Lances To conclude if any man in this time of peace shoote ofa piece within the wals of a Citie he shall no lesse then in a Towne of Garrison bee drawne by the Serieants before the Magistrate be sure to pay a mulct for his error Caesar reports that the Schwaben or people of Sueuta a great Prouince in Germany most part of vpper Germany hauing been so called of old were most warlike yet at the first hearing so feared the Romans as some thought to leaue their dwellings some made their last wils and all mourned and were sad He reports also that the halfe part of this people was imployed and nourished in Armes and the other halfe gaue themselues to Husbandry and that so by yeerely course they were one yeere Husbandmen another yeere Souldiers That none of them had any priuate fields nor dwelt in one place more then a yeere Lastly that freedome
haue their proper Iudges and Prisons so as by singular priuiledge they may not be tried in any other Court. And of old the Students of many Vniuersities had such priuiledges at this day not fully allowed as for murther they could not be punished further then with expulsion In Germany they haue a custome to giue a condemned man to a Virgin that desires him for her husband but according to the circumstances of the crime they grant or denie the same The office of the hangman is hereditary so as the sonne cannot refuse to succeede his father And of late the hangmans sonne of Hamburg being a Student and learned if not a graduate in the Vniuersity of Basil after his Fathers death was called home by the Senate of Hamburg and forced to doe his Fathers Office which is most ignominious but of great profit For the Germans hold it reprochfull to take off the skinne of any beast dying of it selfe so as the hangman doing that Office hath the skinnes for his labour The Germans are so supersticious as they thinke it a great reproch to touch the head or body of any put to death and thinke it most ridiculous for any man to salute the hangman or speake curteously to him and esteeme it a foule fault to eate or drinke with them or any of his Family Therefore the Hang-man and those of their Family who helpe them in their Office and succeed them hauing no children doe all weare a greene cap or some apparent marke by which they may be knowne or at least are tied to professe their quality when they come into any company left any man should offend in the former kindes And in publike Tauernes they haue Tables proper to them at which the basest body will not sit for any reward If they performe not their Office with dexterity they feare to be stoned by the people whose rage many times in that case they haue hardly escaped but being expert in doing their Office and hauing most sharpe Swords they commonly shew great dexterity in beheading many at one time and as it were in a moment They are commonly thirsty of blood so as the common report was that the hangman of Torge beheaded some of his companions with the Sword of Iustice because they would not pledge him when they were so fully drunken as they could no more whereupon the Sword was taken from him and is to this day kept in the Senate-house and onely deliuered to him at times of execution And that this rascall could not liue a weeke without drinking the blood of some Beast Besides at Breme not long before this time forty freebooting souldiers being beheaded at one time and the hangman hauing failed in giuing a foule wound to the first man executed and hauing with much difficulty appeased the peoples anger for the same hee presently drunke some of the mans blood that was dead and after hee had fetched a friske or two beheaded all the rest with strange dexterity as it were in a moment Of old among the Germans man-slaughter was punished by a mulct of cattle but no man escaped death for adultery At this day as after will appeare they punish man-killers more seuerely and adultery in most places is death and in no part of Germany free from seuere punishment Not onely the free Cities of the Empire haue the priuiledge of the Sword or capitall Iustice granted to them by Emperours but also many Cities subiect to inferiour Princes haue that priuiledge granted by some of their Lords and those Cities that haue it not yet vpon accidents of capitall offences obtaine it for the time by petitionary letters at Court so as the Prince permits Iustice the City giues sentence and sees execution done in the place where the crime was committed and presently after the fact neuer vsing as we doe to send Iudges from County to County at set times of the yeere For casuall man-slaughter or by chance medly as we terme it the Ciuill Law giues arbitrary punishment but the Law of Saxony punisheth it with a certaine and expresse mulct namely of one Wehrgeld and by the Ciuill Law not onely the principall but euery one that is accessary payes the whole mulct whereas by the Saxon Law if it be not knowne which of them killed him all iointly pay but one mulct Killing in sudden anger which we call manslaughter is punished with beheading through all Germany and Bohemia and that without delay for if the offender be apprehended he shall within few howers or next day be beheaded and put in the same Coffin with him that he killed and so both are buried with one funerall pompe and in the same graue and if vpon escape the man-slayer liue within the confines of the Empire whensoeuer his fact is knowne he shall be sent backe to the place where he committed it contrary to the custome of Italy where the Princes cherrish or at least giue safe aboade to the banished men of the next Countries Onely I must except the Lords and Gentlemen of Bohemia who vpon capitall offences are not presently iudged but are referred to the next Parliament In free Cities I haue obserued this forme of iudgement and execution The Iudge sits before the tribunall couered with blacke cloth and the Senators and Consuls sit vpon a bench aboue him and this place of Iudgement is commonly in a Porch or Terras vnder the Senate-house hauing one side all open towards the market place Then the Crier who carries the Sword before the Iudge cals out the accuser and the hangman comming forth accuseth the Malefactor which done the Cryer leades the Malefactor before the Tribunall where he is againe accused and confesseth the fact according to his confessions formerly made either in torture or before the Senators appointed to examine him Then the Iudge giues sentence and breakes his white rod. This done the Hangman repeates the sentence in the market place and presently the Malefactor is brought forth to be beheaded This man-slaughter in sudden sury is very frequent among the Germans by reason of their excessiue drinking In the City of Hamburg I obserued thirty seuen to be thus killed in the space of six weekes and onely three of the manslayers to be beheaded the rest escaping by flight And at Prage in Bohemia I obserued fifteene seruants of the Polonian Ambassadour whereof many were Gentlemen and thirteene Bohemians and Germans to be wounded to death in their cups within the space of three weekes all the manslayers escaping excepting one poore clowne who was executed It is true that Post-Horses are kept for the Sergeants to pursue Malefactors yet they slowly follow Gentlemen or those that haue good friends howsoeuer they would soon apprehend a stranger or a poore offender neither vse they earnestly to pursue any except they be hired by the friends of him that is killed or be otherwise terrified by the Magistrate For combates in Germany reade the precept of patience in the Chapter of Precepts
the Daughter and Heire to the sickely Duke to whom himselfe was next of kinne by the Fathers side and Heire And it was a common speech that the said sickely Duke had lately lent forty thousand Guldens to the King of Poland and that the Elector of Brandeburg had offered seuen Tunnes of gold to the King of Poland that his Grandchild might succeed in the Dukedome of Prussia but that it was flatly refused by the Senate of Poland so as it was diuersly thought according to mens diuers iudgements what would become of the Dukedome after the said sickly Dukes death some iudging that the King of Poland would keepe the Dukedome falling to him others that the powerfull Family of Brandeburg would extort the possession thereof by force of money or of armes I omit the military Orders of Knights in England France and Netherland to be mentioned in their due place Among the Germans I could not obserue any ordinary degree of Knights conferred in honour vpon such as deserue well in ciuill and warlike affaires such as the Kings of England giue to their Subiects with the title of Sir to distinguish them from inferiour Gentlemen But in our age we haue seene Master Arundell an English Gentlemen created Earle of the Empire for his acceptable seruices to the Emperour Christian Elector of Saxony deceased did institute a military Order of Knights like to the Teutonike Order saue that it is no Religious Order and he called it Die gulden geselschaft that is the Golden Fellowship by which bond hee tied his neerest friends to him And the badge of the Order was a Iewell hanging in a chaine of gold hauing on each side of the Iewell engrauen a Heart peirced with a Sword and a Shaft and vpon one side neere the Heart was the Image of Faith holding a Crucifix with these words grauen about the Heart Virtutis amore that is for loue of Vertue vpon the other side neere the Heart was the Image of Constancie holding an Anker with these words grauen about the Heart Qui perseuer at adfinem saluus erit that is He that perseueres to the end shall be saued Lastly about the circle of the Iewell these great letters were engrauen F. S. V that is Fide sed vide namely in English Trust but beware The Prouinces of the reformed Religion haue no Bishops but the reuenues of the Bishoprickes are either conucrted to godly vses or possessed by the Princes vnder the title of Administrators And in like manner the reuenues of Monasteries for the most part are emploied to maintaine Preachers and to other godly vses but in some places they still permit Monkes and Nunnes I meane persons liuing single but not tied with Papisticall vowes for the education of their children and the nourishing of the poore In each City and each Church of the City many Ministers or Preachers serue who haue no tythes but onely liue vpon Pensions commonly small and not much vnequall For Ministers commonly haue one or two hundreth Guldens and the Superintendants one or two thousand Guldens by the yeere besides wood for fier and Corne and some like necessaries for food These Superintendants are instead of Bishops to ouersee the Cleargy but are not distinguished in habite or title of dignity from the other Ministers yet to them as cheefe in vertue and learning as well the Ministers as all other degrees yeeld due reuerence and in all Ecclesiasticall couses they haue great authority But otherwise Germany hath many rich and potent Bishops of whom generall mention is made in the Chapter of Prouerbs and particularly in this Chapter much hath beene said of the three spirituall Electors The Husbandmen in Germany are not so base as the French and Italians or the slaues of other Kingdomes but much more miserable and poore then the English Husbandmen yet those of Prussia a fat and fertile Country come necrest to the English in riches and good fare The other being hired by Gentlemen to plough their grounds giue their seruices at low rates and pay so great rent to their Lords as they haue scarcely meanes to couer nakednes with poore clothes and to feed themselues with ill smelling coleworts and like meate In Morauia incorporated to Bohemia and lying betweene it and Polonia the husbandmen are meere slaues And at my being there I heard that the Barron of Promnetz hauing been lately in Italy did make free a slaue of his who was there a Potecary and gaue him a present Also I vnderstood by discourse that the Marquesse of Anspach in Germany hath many meere slaues for his husbandmen But all other in Germany are free howsoeuer without doubt they be greatly oppressed not only by the Gentry but also by the Church-men so as wee find in late histories that the Bawren or clownes in the yeare 1502 made a rebellion perhaps with the mind after the example of the Sweitzers to get liberty by the sword but yet pretending only reuenge vpon Bishops and Church-men prouerbially saying that they would not suffer them to draw breath And it is probable that the neighborhood of the Sweitzers who rooted out their Noblemen got liberty by the sword makes the Gentlemen of Germany lesse cruell towards the poore clownes For either vpon that cause or for the fertility of the Country no doubt the clownes in Sueuia and places neare Sweitzerland liue much better then in any other parts as likewise in places neere Denmarke and Poland admitting slaues generally the poore people are more oppressed then any where else through Germany In Bohemia the highest degree is that of Barons and the Gentlemen haue the same priuiledges with them all other in townes and fields are meere slaues excepting Cities immediately subiect to the Emperor as King of Bohemia where many are either emancipated for mony or find more clemency vnder the yoke of a German Prince For in lands belonging to the Barons and Gentlemen the King hath no tribute but all is subiect to the Lord with absolute power of life and death as likewise the King hath his lands and some thirty Cities in like sort subiect to him And howsoeuer the Gentlemen doe not commonly exercise this power against the people left the Germans should repute them tyrants yet with wonder I did heare at Prage that a Baron had lately hanged one of his slaues for stealing of a fish It is free for a Gentleman to hang any of his slaues for going into strange Countries without being made free if he can apprehend him Many times they giue them leaue to goe into forraigne parts to learne manuary arts but they call them home at pleasure and when they come back make them worke for the Lords behoofe They take their Daughters for mayd seruants and Sonnes for houshold seruants at pleasure And these poore slaues can leaue their children nothing by last Will and Testarnent but all their goods in life and at death belong to the Lords and they will find
them be they neuer so secretly hidden In the Prouince of Morauia incorporated to Bohemia I haue formerly said that the Gentlemen haue like priuiledges and absolute power ouer their subiects being all born slaues And in Germany that the Marquis of Anspach hath like born slaues And I shall in due place shew that in Denmark and Poland the people are meere slaues so as the Gentlemen and Lords recken not their estates by yearly rents but by the number of their Bawren or clownes who are all slaues In Bohemia the goods of condemned persons fall to the Lord of the fee. Among the Barons the Baron of Rosenburg was cheefe who for life was chosen Viceroy and dwelt vpon the confines of Austria being said to haue the yearly rents of eighty thousand Dollers but in respect he had no Sonne to succeede him he was lesse esteemed especially himselfe being decrepite and his brother also old and without probable hope of issue The second family of the Barons was that of the Popels hauing many branches and plenty of heires One of them was at that time in great grace with the Emperor Rodulphus And the whole family for the issue was much estemed of the people and States of the Kingdome In Bohemia as in Poland Gentlemen cannot be iudged but at fower meetings in the yeare and then are tried by Gentlemen so as the accusers being wearied with delaies the offenders are commonly freed but men of inferior condition are daily iudged and suddenly tried The Bohemians giue greater titles to Gentlemen by writing and in saluting then the Germans where notwithstanding as appeares in the due place there is great and vndecent flattery by words among all degrees I did not obserue or reade that the Bohemians haue any military or ciuill order or degree of Knightes as the English haue The Hussites hauing changed nothing in religion saue onely the communicating of the Lords Supper in both kinds with some other small matters yet I did not heare that they haue any Bishops and I am sure that the Bishopricke of Prage had then been long void They and all of the reformed Religion in Bohemia send their Ministers to Wittenberg an Vniuersity in Saxony for receiuing of Orders with imposition of hands from the Lutheran Superintendant and the Ministers of that place CHAP. IIII. Of the particular Common-wealths as well of the Princes of Germany as of the Free Cities such of both as haue absolute power of life and death IT remaineth to adde something of priuat Princes Courts and the Gouernement of the free Cities And since I haue formerly said that these Princes and Cities hauing absolute power of life and death are many in number and that according to the number of the Princes the places also where taxes and impositions are exacted are no lesse frequent as well for subiects as strangers passing by both for persons and for wares And that they who deceiue the Prince in any such kind neuer escape vnpunished Now to auoid tediousnesse I will onely mention the chiefe Princes and Cities by which coniecture may be made of the rest and this I will doe briefely without any repetition of things formerly set downe Touching the Electors I haue formerly related the principall lawes of the golden Bulla The Duke of Saxony is one of these Electors many waies powerfull and he deriues his pedegree from Witikind a famous Duke of the Germans in the time of the Emperour Charles the Great who forced him to lay aside the name of King permitting him the title of a Duke and to become Christian in the yeere 805. Witikynd the second Deitgrenius Frederike Fredericke inuested Marquis of Misen by the Emperour Henrie the first he died in the yeere 925. Bruno Dittimare Christian inuested Marquis of Lusatia by the Emperor Otho the first Theodorike died in the yeere 1034. Henrie Marquis of Misen and Lusatia died in the yeere 1106. Timo. Conrade the Great died in the yeere 1150. Otho the Rich built Friburg where hee had found Mines of Siluer and died in the yeere 1189. Theodorike was poisoned by the Citizens of Leipzig in the yeere 1220. Henrie by right of inheritance became Langraue of Thuring and died 6287. In right line from Henrie discends Fredericke who chosen Emperour yeelded the Empire to his Competitor the Emperour Charles the fourth taking mony for giuing vp his right and he died in the yeere 1349. In right line is Fredericke the Warlike who ouercame the Bohemians rebelling against the Emperour receiued the Scholers of Prage to study at Leipzig restrained the title of Dukes of Saxony to Families which after the Emperours of Saxonie had been confusedly vsurped and lastly appropriated the title of Elector to his Family He died in the yeere 1423. Fredericke the Gentle died in the yeere 1464. Ernestus the Elector died in the yeere 1486. The Elector Frederike the Wise who put the Empire from himself chose Charles the fifth Hee did found the Vniuersitie at Wittenberg and died 1525. Iohn Elector exhibited the eformed Confession at Augsburg and died 1533. Iohn Frederike for the Reformed Religion deposed from the Electorship by the Emperour Charles the fifth He married Sibill daughter to the Duke of Iuliar and died 1554 Iohn Frederike proscribed by the Empire and prosecuted by Augustus Elector of Saxonie in the Emperours name was taken prisoner by him at the taking and razing of Gotha Iohn Casimire borne of his fathers second wife Elizabeth daughter to Frederike Elector Palatine He was borne 1564 and married Anna daughter to Augustus Elector of Saxonie Iohn Ernest then vnmarried borne in the yeere 1566. These Dukes of Saxony then liuing were called the Dukes of Coburg Iohn William serued the King of France in those Ciuill warres and died 1573. Will. Frederik borne of another daughter to Frederike Elector Palatine 1562 he buried the daughter to the Duke of Wirtenberg and married the daughter of Philip Lodowick Prince Palatine 1591. He was Tutor to the sonnes of Christian Elector preferred to the Duke of Coburg because his father was proscribed and neuer restored Iohn borne 1570 then vnmarried This Duke of Saxonie was called the D. of Wyneberg The last Elector of this branch Albert the Stout Duke of Saxonie died in the yeere 1500. George of Leipzig called the Popish was Duke of Saxonie and died in the yeare 1539. Henrie Duke of Saxonie made Gouernour of Friesland by his father was there in danger to be put to death had not his father come to deliuer him he died in the yeere 1541. The first Elector of this branch Mauritius made Elector by the Emperor Charles the 5 was borne 1521 died 1553. Augustus Elector maried Anne daughter to the K. of Denmarke and died 1586 Eight Boyes and three Girles died Christian the Elector married the daughter to the Elector of Brandeburg and died 1591. Three young daughters Christian the second Elector but then a Pupill borne 1583 the fiue and twentieth of September at three of