EUROPAE Modernae SPECULUM OR A VIEW of the Empires Kingdoms Principalities Seignieuries and Common-wealths OF EUROPE IN Their present State their Government Policy different Interest and mutual Aspect one towards another from the Treaty at Munster Anno 1648. to this present year LONDON Printed for Peter Parker and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head-Alley next Lombard-street 1666. By Order and appointment of the Right Honourable Mr Secretary Morrice let this be Printed JOHN COOKE To the READER WHen the whole World stands amazed suspecting its own Fate and most of the Kingdoms of Europe are a Riddle to themselves When the wiser sort of Mankind discourse Events and the rest dread them When Men apprehend Things by piece-meals and discourse Business by parcells A clear compleat and impartial State of Affairs such as this representing all Europe in one entire View must needs be as Vseful in the Perusal as it was Plausible in the Vndertaking Especially since 1. It contains such Discourses as were not the Author 's Reading but his Observation of Things that happened not only since he remembred but since he observed too 2. It 's not only Lumen Siccum I mean such an Account of Things as is not steeped in either Humour or Interest 3. It 's not only a Superficial Relation of Affairs but a deep and solid Inquisition into their Grounds and Bottomes Not a short Gazet of 1665. but prudent Reflections on the State of most Kingdomes since the Peace at Munster 1648. With what Content the Politician here may observe the Interests and Pretensions of Europe With what Satisfaction the Curious may here discern the Fate of Empires With what Pleasure the Gentleman notes here the Successions Alliances and Relations of Christendom With what Gust the Novelist gains here the Ground and Reason of most Vndertakings Transactions Successes and Miscarriages With what Delight the Retired Man looks in one View on the several Aspects of each Kingdom one towards the other and expects in silence the issues of Grand Counsels and Revolutions looking wisely into the dark but pleasing Prospect of Futurity upon the Concerns of late Posterity Is not so easily expressed as experienced it being the issue of calm Reason in large Breasts that are not content to Inhabit the World only but to Understand it too To see the Grandeur and Glory of France the Decaying and Infirmities of Spain the fatal Resolutions of Holland the uncertain Fortune of the Empire the Troubles and Disorders of Poland the Settlement and Strength of England Sweden and Denmark the general Design of Europe for Free-Trade the old Claims Pretensions and Titles of States and Kingdomes the Riches Power Sea Land-Forces and Policies of each Government the Failures Over-sights Errours and Defects of most Potentates the Plots Designs and Inclinations of each Common-wealth the Situations Dependencies Respects and Confederacies of most Nations in one entire Prospect is such a Satisfaction to inquisitive and reasoning Spirits as may excuse this publication of a Posthumous work whereof the Author saw two third Parts printed especially since that next to Authors and Composers of Books their Conservators and Guardians deserve most Thanks and Commendations We think we owe a great deal to such as Photius and Stobeus and the publick-spirited Sirmondus of the late Times through the industry of whom we do enjoy many things which but for them we might have lost How comes it to pass that we have nothing unless meer Fragments and arrant Scraps of such as Berosus Citesius Megastenes Theopompus Eughorus Callisthenes and Timuus Or that we want so many Books of Diodorus Siculus Polybius Livius and Dion Cassius But because there were not in all Times Men of faithful industrious and publick Souls that looked on themselves as Citizens of the World and could not enjoy a thought of their own but what they made as we do these Discourses common to Mankind Vale. Europae Modernae Speculum OR A VIEW OF THE Empires Kingdoms Principalities Seigneuries and Common-Wealths OF Europe In their Present State WITH Their Distinct Interests Policies and Concerns THere was once but one uniform simple and genuine Reason the sure Guide and unerring Rule of all humane Counsels until the depravity of Mans Nature by its Luciferian Arrogance would needs exalt Sense above her and sought out many devices to accomplish it One of the chief Projections hereto was the deriving and slucing out that comprehensive and capacious receptacle the conservation of the publick good lodged in the depths of wisdom into manifold branches and oblique narrow windings and Maeanders of private advantages which so drained and exhausted that first Bed and copious source of all those blessings which the first Age of the World enjoyed that it is now become a meer shallow conception and like the Springs of the River Nilus more in Notion and Speculation than of any certain Existence And this hath been the labour and industry of all Persons in all ages the Populacy and the Vulgar as guilty of the Innovation as those Potentates whom they implead of a most injurious Usurpation of their right all times concurring in their suffrage against this first Law seeking nothing else in the changes and vicissitudes of so many Governments but their temporary ease and some particular Emoluments to themselves although they have vainly pretended that those their restless Agitations and irregular confused wayes to the perturbation of the publique were nothing else but natural tendencies how violent soever to that common Center the Good of the Whole That Principle of Common Good how iluded By which means it hath come to pass that the World hath put on another dress and hath been disguised in various shapes of Policies such as would best sute the Humour and Genius of People without consulting that first and perpetual Principle which in this crazy declension of all things must needs be supposed to abate and lose of its vigour And to help out this Position Men have invented an Artifice by placing such and such Nations under such such Climes Temperatures which either do so rarefact and attenuate it in some sharper and serener Aires of Europe that it is as good as lost or else condensate it in some thicker and grosser Regions that it is as difficult to be found And under these or the like Capricies are the Europeans rendred obnoxious to one another by natural Antipathies framed to keep them in mutual abhorrence as if wise Nature when she framed but one Man in the beginning out of whose Loyns all Nations should proceed had composed him to their very purpose of inconsistent and unsociable Qualities and Materials which hath been fomented also by two of the most powerful Passions Jealousie and Ambition the Effects whereof in sundry National Quarrells have almost extinguished both the Combatants But Jealousie is the uncurable Disease which hath made Christendom to languish under a tedious and wasting Consumption in spite of all cure and remedy even
Customes that are paid in the Haven Towns the Chief whereof in Sweden are Caymare Lodhuys and Stockholme where at some times four hundred Ships of Burden lye at Anchor Also Auge Revel Riga Parnovia and the Narve But these Customes are much improved since the Confirmation of his Acquists in Germany by the Munster Treaty 1648. by which he had the Upper Pomerania the Inheritance of the Marquess of Brandenburg with the City of Wismar in the Dutchy of Mecklenbury and Isle of Rugia with the Bishopricks of Bremen and Verden c. bordering along the other side of the Baltique Sea by which he hath a wide inlet into Germany given him in recompence of those Places he had Conquered in the more inward Parts so that this great addition of Territory hath made him a far more considerable Prince than ever he was and the Dane by sad Experience found as much in that War he managed against him in 1658. when by the Conjunction and Contiguity of those German Provinces he speeded without Obstruction out of Poland to stop the Progress of the Danish Armes and with speedy success reduced that King by the Agreement at Rosckeild to a very petty and pittant Soveraignty for thereby as good as one half of his Kingdom was passed over to the Swede the Principal Member whereof was Schoneland one of the fruitfullest Provinces but formerly belonging to Sweden with some other Places particularly the great Bayliwick of Drontheim in Norway which would have dis-membred that Kingdom and rendred the Dane but a precarious Prince of the rest But this and divers other former Concessions by that Treaty were annihilated or retrenched by the succeeding Agreement in the Swedes Leageur before Copenhagen after their Defeat in the Assault of that Town by the Mediation and Guaranty of the English Dutch and French Ambassadors in May 1660. nevertheless Schoneland remained to the Swede with some of the Baltique Islands and other Places not to be particularized in this Discourse All which Estates being laid and joyned together in some manner it were supposable at first view that he might easily render himself Master of the Baltique Sea but when it is again considered of what strength the Dane the Hanse Towns are as Lubeck Hamborough Dantzick together with the Interest of the Dutch in the Trade therein it will seem a tougher matter and too big for his Naval strength which yet of it self is very considerable No doubt the Swede hath chawed deliciously upon the Design but could never digest it it sufficeth him at present that his Ships are Toll free as they pass the Sound and that he enjoyeth other Priviledges which the Violence of his Armes have purchased him of the Princes his Neighbours As to the Force of this Kingdom it hath been perceived of what Effect and Puissance it is by that War it carried on under the late King Charles Gustavus against the Pole the Dane and the Muscovite at one and the same time But truly I cannot tell whether I may ascribe those Numbers of Men with which they have enterprised so much lately either to the Production of their own Country or their Fortune which hath drawn so many Foreigners into their service in which there is a certainty of Pay and general good respect had to them if they prove men of desert It is certain that in the late Danish War he had above sixty thousand men in Pay which is a number that few Princes can long maintain together and yet such is the good luck of these Martial Princes that they have been served faithfully without any Pay for many Months together as certain of Satisfaction somewhere either by the Swede or from the Enemy who is looked upon as very good Security in all the Undertakings of this Prince As to the Policy of this Kingdom having touched before that the Government is Monarchical we will briefly describe the menage of it Matters of Peace and War of Embassyes and Alliances are proposed by the King to the Senate for their Resolution which the Senators deliver with an entire Liberty and most Voices carry it but if it happen that the Vote be contrary to the Kings purposes he will assemble the States General to obtain of them what he cannot of the Senate These Estates are composed of the Nobility of the Clergy of Merchants and of the Peasants of the King that is to say Peasants that serve not Gentlemen in English Yeomen but subsist of themselves The Nobles that sit in such Parliaments or Estates General are of the eldest of their Families the Church sends two Priests of every Community or Diocess the Cities two Merchants and every Shire two of its Inhabitants These four Bodies consider of the Kings Will and Demand and by the major Voice determine of it if their Voices be equal the King makes the Election himself and gives the casting Voice for his own Designes and Interest All other Matters are referred to one of these seven Councills viz. The Council of Justice where presides the Lord Chief Justice assisted by four Senators six Gentlemen and six Doctors 2. The Council of War where presides the Constable assisted by four Senators Marshalls 3. The Council of the Admiralty where presides the High Admiral with four Senators Vice-Admiralls 4. The Chancery where presides the High Chancellour assisted with four Senators and the Secretaries of State 5. The Council of the Revenue where presides the High Treasurer assisted by four Senators These five Officers are called the five great Lords and are Tutors of the King and govern the Kingdom absolutely during his Minority being now in the 8th year of his age 6. The Council of Trade where a Senator is President assisted by four more of the same rank and order 7. The Council of the Mountains as we have of the Marshes where sit the same number and quality of Persons as in the Council of Trade The whole Kingdom into which are reckoned the late Acquists is divided into five Governments General viz. Of Finland of Ingermanland of Liefland of Pomerania and Schonen and obeys four great Presidents of Justice He of Finland holds Judicatory at Obo He of Ingermanland and Schonen at Norkopin the third of Liefland at Dort and of Pomerania at Wismar and acknowledges twenty nine Lieutenant Generalls Governours of Provinces for the King The Interest of Sweden is to keep and maintain Peace with the Muscovite to alarum equally and to divide Poland and Denmark not to quarrel by any means with the Hollander and to esteem and highly respect their strict Confaederacy with France and to seek all occasions of a War in Germany to be therein assisted with the French Money and Supplies not to neglect the friendship of the King of England who can when he pleaseth interest himself in any Difference in the Baltique Sea by a potent Umpirage Touching the Turk they are not over-forward in that service as expecting nothing but blows for other mens sakes nevertheless
and the praeferring to Benefices The whole Revenues of the Clergy are valued at six Millions of Gold yearly Rent there being 34. Cathedral Churches all richly endowed some whereof having 50. some a 100. and some 200. Millions of yearly Revenue and in particular the Metropolitan Arch-Bishop of Toledo hath more than 300. Millions Neither do the Kings of Spain care to parcel these Churches to a greater number although over-grown with their plenty for then they should with more difficulty make use of the Revenues and Notes thereof when occasion required which is very often upon any disastrous Event As he likewise layes extraordinary Taxes upon the Laity in the like Occurrence for in the Kingdom of Castile alone Philip the 2d had nigh 8. Millions of Gold in one year reckonning hereto also the Profits which his Orders of Knighthood yield him viz. 200. Millions of Crowns so that here is Revenue more than enough were it not for the Canker of Interest at the Bank of Genoa nor are the Merchants of Antwerp without their share in the partition thereof and now the Amsterdammers also This Princes Coyn notwithstanding is the best in Europe since all their Neighbours make a gain of them as a Piece of Reals or 8. Six-Pences in our Money goeth in France for 4 s. 6 6. a Doublin in Gold that which is a Pistolet with them being 13. Shillings is in France and other Places 29. Reals which is 14 s. 6 d. of our Money Most of the Coyn that passeth for Wine Bread Fruit c. is of Brass which they call Quartas and Quartillas of their Maravedies 20. make three-pence but sometime the King enhanceth the Price of this Brass Money of a sudden and with a great deal of profit to himself brings a great loss upon Trade All their Meat Fruit and Bread are sold by the Pound and not except before an Officer which they call Alcalda so that no Stranger can be deceived in price or weight As to the Interest of these Princes it hath been evidently seen what it hath been but since the French mated them under Francis the First and held them to it till Lewis the 14th was too powerful for them since the Dutch baffled them and We triumphed over them they have been put to defend their own instead of over-running others Their Designes are now to secure their Estates and to draw from them that Revenue into their Coffers which was squandred away in the War without any account and yet to be as gentle a Soveraign as possible For all the late League the Spaniard nor French will ever joyn Interests or agree together more than they do in their Humours or Fashions In fine they really hate one another but more revengefully the Spaniard frets at the French as he that first put a stop to his Career of Ambition and therefore there 's nothing but Jealousie and Suspition between them however smoothed and oyled over with Court Artifices alike understood for such on both sides nor have their late frequent Consanguinities and Marriages any influences to draw them nearer to any amicable understanding With the Dutch he firmly keeps a good Correspondence as his very good Friends since Fate would needs have it so and useth them very respectfully as his good Neighbours and as security to his Estates in Flanders for the Dutch as was said do not love the Frenchmens vicinity For the King of England he cherisheth a more than usual respect testified by those publique Honours done his Ambassador Sr. Richard Fanshaw in that Kingdom and inviolably observeth the Peace betwixt us With the Duke of Savoy he is newly reconciled and certainly that Duke who hath the Citadel of Verceil restored him by this King by vertue of the late Treaty hath no great Antipathy against Him for he hath suffered twice more from the French than from the Spaniard who is as well able to Defend Him as he is conveniently scited to Offend him upon every displeasure The Duke of Parma is allyed to him and so sure to his Interest The Florentine is stiff but is aequal between the French and Him The Mantuan will be Neutral and the Pope his secret Friend The Prince of Modena will hardly engage any more against Him for in a manner he is the Umpire of all Quarrells between those Princes He is Patron also to the Common-Wealth of Luca. And for the States of Venice ever since the Dutchy of Millain came to the possession of this Crown they have set them down with great quietness rather looking to the strengthening of their own than attempting his and good reason too for our Ancestors have seen the Spanish favouring the Venetians when their Estate was dangerously hazarded by the Turk chearfully to have entred into the Actions of Cephalonia and Lepanto when nevertheless at the same instant they had at their own Doors Algier Tunis and other African Ports their dangerous Enemies The State of Genoa must favour the King of Spain and stand by him for he is their Protector and owes them vast summs which by any partiality of their side will be wholly lost With all the Catholique Princes of Germany he is in perfect Correspondence and how great a relation and necessity of mutual adhaerence there is between the Emperour and Him no man is ignorant confirmed now and more intimately contracted by the late Marriage of the Infanta With the King of Fez and Morocco his Catholique Majesty is in League but it is of no use or availment to him Of the Religion of Malta the King taketh a particular protection as that in like sort depends wholly upon his pleasure and doth readily execute his Royal Commandements serving him often in keeping the Coasts of Spain and the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicily from Incursions of Pyrates and that without one penny cost or charges to the King As to the Turk he maintains no intercourse nor useth any Trade with him and yet he hath neither Peace nor War with him Peace he pretends he ought not to have and the other he careth not for and the Turk is as unwilling to quarrel as he remembring what he suffered from him at Lepanto So that pivate Damages are privately made good and the Algier men do take upon themselves the Rupture if any louder Mischief happen of which the Spaniard will not complain It is thought that this King is Superiour to the Turk in Naval Furniture and Provision and the Courage and Ability of Seamen for his Biskayners and Catalonians are hardly to be paralleled for enduring of Winter weather and Tempests and the Turk is alwayes moared at home from October to March besides the convenience of his Coast for building of Ships and Gallies of which he hath a 100. in readiness and the Turk hath but two Places all along his African Coast viz. Algier and Tunis where he can build a Vessel Upon this account it was that Philip the 2d was advised to seize upon the Morea and
the original of so many great Cities and good Towns in this Kingdom and those most commonly seated upon the Banks of Rivers And although it have many goodly Havens yet the Up-land Towns are fairer and richer than those that stand near the Sea Marseilles excepted which argueth their wealth to be their own and not brought from foreign Countries for there the Sea Towns excell those of the Land as Genoa Venice Ragula but where the prosperity of Cities dependeth wholly upon the Land there it is otherwise as in Millain Nurenberg and most of the Towns of Germany Flanders and Hungary All this notwithstanding although almost like goodness of Soyl be proper to the whole Realm of France as likewise the situation of the Rivers commodious yet Paris excepted whose largeness proceedeth from the Kings Court the Parliament and the University the Towns there are for the most part but small and mean yet beautiful commodious and very populous so that in a Description of the Number of this People written in the Reign of Charles the 9th it is asserted that the Number of the Inhabitants exceeded 15. Millions And as the Cities and Towns in France may boast of their Rivers so the Castles and Villages of Noblemen are no less pleasured and favoured with the pleasure and strength of Lakes and Marishes which although they may not be compared to those of Italy and Switzerland yet are they so many and so fall of excellent Fish that the numbers of the one may aequal the largeness of the other The same may be spoken of Woods not so well as thick grown out of those Woods in times past the Kings Revenue did arise and the Noblemen do make great profit by selling great quantities thereof for fire-wood but greater by sales of Timber Trees which they use for want of Stone in the greatest part of their Buildings In regard of the commodious situation and current of these Rivers serving so fitly for the transportation of Victuals from one place to another this Kingdom is so abundantly furnished with all plenty of Provision that it is able to nourish an Army in the Field how multitudinous soever When Charles the 5th entred France first by Provence and afterwards by Champaign it maintained One hundred and fifty thousand Souldiers besides the ord nary Garrisons In the Reign of Charles the 9th and since that in the time of the League a greater number there were maintained in this Kingdom 20000. Horse 30000. Footmen Strangers and of French 25000. Horse and 100000. Foot Besides this plenty there is enough to spare being four wayes or Loadstones to draw Riches from foreign Nations 1. Corn carried into Spain and Portugall 2. Wines transported into England Scotland the Low Countries and the Inhabitants of the Baltique Sea Together with Salt wherewith the whole Kingdom and the bordering Nations are plentifully stored This Salt s made in Provence of the salt water of the Mediterranean Sea and at Brouage in Xaintong where the heat of the Sun ceaseth his vertue of making getting and boyling Salt of Sea water not daring to yield so great a favour any farther Northward I mean of Sea water because further North there is Salt found also but made either of some special Spring water as in Lorrain or compound of some Mineralls mix'd with fresh waters as in Poland England Germany or else taken forth of some Salt Mines as were once in Sweveland but of this Merchandise of Salt something more shall be said hereafter The 4. and last Commodity is Canvass and Linnen Cloth whereof what profit ariseth is hardly credible to those who have not made an inspection into it what abundance thereof is carried into Spain and Portugal and England and Holland also to make Sayls for the furnishing of Shipping There groweth also Woad Saffron and other Merchandise of smaller value which though they arise not to aequalize the above-said Commodities yet they arise to a competent summ so that the Emperour Maximillian used to say That France was a continual flourishing Medow which the King did mow as oft as he listed And Foreigners from the mouth of Maximillian the Emperour who Charactered the several Princes and Subjects of Europe call him Rex asinorum for the continual Burdens and Pressures he layes upon his People so that in Normandy the Peasants wear wooden Shooes and neither eat nor drink Flesh Wine or Beer throughout the year Having intimated before that we should not travel this Country for that it is so generally known we will survey only those places that are of modern concernment Omitting therefore the names of some eminent places which have given title to the Kings of France as Valois Bourbon which aspect the History but are far deducible and supposed to be generally known here also to pass by the Sabique Law which admits no female to a Scepter under pretence whereof our Edward the 3d. was put from his title to France by Philip the first King of the House of Valois we will mention only three places which of all the Members and Provinces of France keep themselves yet distinct and absolute Soveraignties notwithstanding that the French Kings in all times endeavoured the Union of the like parcels to the Crown witness the Dutchy of Britany of some late Ages and now the Principality of Aurange the County of Venascine or the Papal Jurisdiction of Avignon and lastly the Dutchy of Nivernois all which are totally exempt from any dependance on the Crown The Principality of Orange did belong to the County of Provence as did Avignion being Tributaries thereto and made 2 parts of 3 the other being for many years in the Kings possession by the resignation of the last Earl of Provence who died issue-less and is governed by a Parliament held at Aix This Principality was once in the Possession of the noble family of Chaalons who had it in marriage with an Heir General and obtained the absolute Soveraignty thereof from the Earl of Province with the Priviledge of Coyning and all other Royalties added to the Title of Prince of Orange by the Grace of God To this Family succeeded the House of Nassaw by their marriage of the Heir General likewise about the year 1500. in which House it hath ever since continued without any disturbance until the year 1660. In the beginning whereof the Cardinal Mazarine seeing the Restitution of our Government resolved to seize it into the French Kings hands before any stop might be put to his proceedings by our Kings Intervention and accordingly by menaces to the Count of Dhona the Governour and other artifices upon pretence of misdemeanours and outrages committed by those Protestant People upon their Catholique Neighbours to the endangering the Peace by a Treaty managed by Monsieur Jure Millet the Kings Commissioner possessed himself of the Town Castle and Principality upon Condition to render it with all the stores c. to the Prince at his Majority or in case of his decease to the
and they are seven in number which that the King may be the better informed of all Affairs they keep alwayes near about his Person in several Chambers under one Roof their Names are these The Council of Spain 2. Of the Indies 3. Of Italy 4. Of the Low Countries 5. of War 6. Of the Order of St. John And 7. Of the Inquisition In these the slow and considerate Advisoes of Fabim rather than the praecipitant Resolutions of Marcellus are received In as much as may be Innovations and change of ancient Customes are avoided by which constancy and their wariness in their Actions they do seldom commit any oversight or fall into any disorder or rupture at home By this way of Council the King rangeth under his Obedience Castilians Arragons Biscayners Flemings Italians Indians Christians and Gentiles People utterly different in Laws Customes and Natures as if they were all of one Nation and all his natural Subjects The ill Correspondency that is alwayes amongst those Counsellours who aemulate one anothers greatness is the Cause of long Deliberations and Slackness in Matters of greatest Importance but all Matters once resolved on in Council pass indifferently with incredible and surpassing secrecy as well those of mean as those of the weightiest Consideration Secrecy of all securing every particular and being indeed the true scope of all Matters of State for Designes as soon as they have taken air are blasted therewith In this point Philip the 2d of Spain the ablest Prince of his time was very tenacious doing many things with his own hand which never came near his Secretaries but were transmitted by himself uncopied but what he took likewise himself to his Expresses and Dispatches In his last Advice to his Son there are these words Do not offend or anger the Secretaries deliver them alwayes work of small or great importance and make proof of them rather by your Enemies than your Friends lock your chief secrets in your own breast In this Prince failed that high-flown Ambition which had tormented his Father Charles and Himself during the whole course of their Reign namely the Conceit of an Universal Monarchy nor did it dye with him for having all his life studied nothing more than the ruine of France by the League and his own Armes he commended the pursute of the Design to his Son having also a little before his death resolved on another Expedition for England having procured a more exact account of its Havens the Roman Catholicks c. but his Successor Philip the 3d. for his Son Charles was murthered in the Inquisition as suspected to favour the Protestants by his own consent seeing how the Treasure was wasted and his Fathers Credit engaged for divers vaste Summs of Money not fully paid to this day but running on Interest and discharged by degrees resolved to steer another Course and first made Peace with England and then a Truce with the Dutch for 12. Years and as the greatest Act of his Reign utterly expelled the Moors 1100000. being driven out after their former Expulsion by Ferdinand who lest the Country should be dispeopled suffered such as would turn Christians to stay but now the Inquisition discovered them all for Hypocrites and entitled the King to a brave Patrimony This same Philip the 3d. was a great Stickler for the House of Austria in the German War newly begun with the Elector Palatine at which time in 1621. he died and his Son Philip the 4th succeeded with whom was that fruitless Treaty of the Marriage of the Infanta and the Restitution of the Palatinate This Prince hath been embroyled in the Dutch and French War all along against his Inclination which is otherwise disposed for he loves quiet and pleasure and vacancy from those troubles of Empire which afflict ambitious People and it is hoped therefore he will hearken now in his old age to a Composure with Portugal from which he hath reaped more loss and dishonour than the Kingdom can be worth to him Besides there are some Reasons of State why the Army of Spain should be disbanded and no Forces more than usual kept on Foot lest the General make some disturbance in the Succession who hath the Clergy and the Souldiery on his side However at present nothing is more eagerly carried on than the Preparations for this Campagnia but what the issue will be either Peace or Victory time will decide As to the Forces of this Kingdom the same may be said of them as of the Bees Quae Regio in terris nostri non plena laboris There is no Nation in Europe but the remote Northern Kingdomes that have not felt the Puissance thereof and it is well known that in all ages the Spanish have been accounted one of the most Valorous Nations in the World The French in nine Years were subdued to the Roman Yoak the Spaniards held out 200. and then too the Fortune and Person of Augustus Caesar the Universal Conquerour was requisite to their Subjugation They serve better on Foot than on Horseback although they have Horses of excellent Courage and better with the Harquebuze than with any other Weapon As concerning their Cavalry it cannot be gain-said but that the Spanish Gennet is the noblest Horse in Christendom far excelling the Courser of Naples or the Horse of Burgundy so much esteemed of the French or the Friesland Horse in so great request with the Germans And it should seem that Nature her self hath armed this People in giving them the Iron Mines of Biskay Guypuscoa and Medina with the Temperatures of Bilbo Toledo c. To conclude as to the number of the Forces aforesaid this Prince is of that Mightiness and Reputation to this day that besides his own Subjects he is able to wage what numbers of Horsemen and Footmen of the Germans Italian and Dutch Nations it pleaseth him besides his Noblemen are bound to bring so many Horse into the Field c. And he that remembers how the War was carried on in Catalonia Portugal Italy and the Low Countries together cannot but resolve that his Puissance is most considerable At all times his Majesty is likewise constrained to maintain a strong Armada in these Seas to safeguard the Navigation to the Indies besides 24. Gallies to guard the Coast from the Turks the Charge whereof is a Million of Crowns There are besides 8000. praesidiary Souldiers and no more in the Frontier and Coast Towns of Spain the Charge whereof I saw not computed As to the Revenue of this Potentate the ordinary Income thereof amounts to six Millions of Gold or 11. Millions of Crowns yearly whereof much is engaged for the Debts of the Crown the rest is spent in Charges of the Wars the maintenance of the Kings Houshold and in the Gallies furnished against the Barbary Pirates To this may be added as another ordinary Revenue the two Millions of Crowns which he receives yearly of the Clergy together with the Commendams of vacant Praesentations
as the King is a Prince of the Empire He is also a Prince and Member of the Circle of the Rhine made so by the aforesaid Treaty at Munster he is obliged and hath accordingly sent away his Aides into Hungary but so unwelcome is the Nation to the Germans that they had like to have been engaged and set upon in their passage near Erford by those whom they came to assist so that they have little encouragement to that service Besides He is in League or some rude manner of Friendship with the Tartar who merited of him well in the Polish War and he himself is so great an Invader and Souldier of Fortune that Religion or its Interest weighs little with him however our Puritans cried up the Great Gustavus for a Zealot All therefore that will be done by him in this Affair will be more out of necessity and the Laws and Decree of the Empire and the Example of other Princes than his own Choice and Generosity And so we pass to his Neighbour the Dane DENMARK DENMARK is bounded on the East and South with the Baltique Sea On the North with Norwey bounded on the West and North with the German and Frozen Sea and Sweden and on the West the said German Ocean The entire Body of this Kingdom was made up principally in form of three Parts The First is the Realm of Denmark containing both the Jutlands part of Scandia adjoyning upon the Swedes Country as Halland and Schonen which is now in the Swedes possession and the Islands of the Baltique Sea 2. Norwey To which must be added the Islands of Iceland and Freezeland in the Northern Ocean where such abundance of Cod is taken by the Dutch the Danes and Us of large extent but of little benefit to this Crown 3. The Dukedome of Holstein containing 4. Provinces but now exempt from the Kingdom and other Jurisdictions added to the said Dukedom which are likewise aliened from Denmark of which more hereafter The Kingdom of Denmark lyeth partly in the Cimbrick Chersoness adjoyned to the Dukedom of Holstein as both the Jutlands out of which some part is newly borrowed to adde to the said Dutchy divided into several Districts and partly in Scandia but principally in the Islands As for the Dutchy of Holstein it hath of late years been unfortunate to the Danes being over-run by the Imperialists in 1628. in the Reign of Christiern the 4th but honestly restored by the Emperour upon easie Conditions Then it was harrassed by the Swede in 1643. and 4. and now finally freed by them from the Crown of Denmark only the best part of Jutland remaines in its pristine obedience In Scandia Schonen being gone Halland and Blecking is all he holds there and indeed they are fine Provinces but the unkind separation of their Sister of Schonen which signifies Beautiful renders them a little unpleasant to the Kings view and prospect So that his chiefest strength of his Dominions lies in the Islands in number 35. two of which Zeland and Fuenen or Fionia are most considerable and made more eminently famous by the late Swedish War the Latter for the Passage of the King of Sweden over to it upon the Sea on the Ice with Horse Foot and his great Artillery with the loss only of two Troops and the Defeat of his Forces there afterwards by the Confaederate Armies The Other for the Castle of Cronenburg that guards the Sound and Copenhagen the Royal Residence of the Kings of Denmark and which for almost two years space withstood a most perrillous Siege and finally beat off the Swedes with great loss and thereby overthrew all their Designes which proved in effect the death of that King It is a low Town ordinarily built and hath nothing of Magnificence in it but the Spirit of the Inhabitants the Kings Palace being no extraordinary Building save that its covered with Copper The Kingdom of Norway toward the North is separated from Lapland by high and craggy Rocks and the Eastern and Western Parts are hard to travel for the same reason The Land is not very fruitful of Corn and therefore the Inhabitants the meaner sort eat Stockfish which transported into other Parts is exchanged for Corn. The Inhabitants are naturally honest and not a Thief among them and very Civil to Strangers and formerly very Martial for these People were first called Normans and were Ancestors to our Conquerours but such is the hard Condition under which they are kept by the Danes though in appearance Fellow Subjects ever since the Union of the two Kingdomes by the Marriage of Aquinus in 1359. with Margaret the Daughter and Heir of Waldemar the 3d. of Denmark the Issue of which Marriage died and left this Kingdom to the Usurpation of his Mother Margaret whose Successors have continued it to this day that the Norwegians have wholly lost their Courage and former Valour not being suffered to go out of the Kingdom to traffique their own Commodities which besides Fish are rich Furrs Tallow Butter Tann'd Leather Train Oyl Pitch Clap-board Masts Deal-boards and Fire-wood from the Custom whereof ariseth the Kings greatest Profits being received for him at Bergen and Wardhouse but this Revenue is very inconsiderable The whole Realm is divided into five Lieutenancies or Governments which in this uncultivated remote Country will not concern us in any particulars no more than the appendixed Islands above mentioned Having thus summarily discoursed of the Parts of this Kingdom we will briefly mention the Government which having been placed in an Haereditary Monarchy from the Foundation of this Estate was challenged as Elective by the Usurped Power of the Nobles and People by their Deposing of Ericus about 1420. and Electing his Cosen Christopher Count Palatine of the Rhine who dying without Issue they again chose Adolph Duke of Holstein who excusing himself by reason of his age by his advice they chose his Nephew Christiern Earl of Oldenburg who brought both those Estates to this Crown Since when they continued the fashion of an Election but never passed by the next Heir until the year 1660. when in consideration of this Kings extraordinary Care Valour and Vigilance in defence of his People against the Swedes they resolved to restore what they had so long detained by returning the Government into the old Channel and making it again Haereditary in the Family of this Prince although with much reluctancy and discontent of many of the Grandees By which change so lately made there can no perfect account be given of the present administration being solely at the Kings disposal as it is with other absolute Monarchs As to the Nobles they are reputed the most antient of all Europe and the Gentry the like and to preserve and maintain that honourable Esteem they never match into Plebeian Families but keep their Blood unmix'd and pure in its first Current The Gentry are neither so fierce nor so subtle as their Neighbours and are very generous