the Finances of which there are such a Number in France as Rouen Tholouse Orleans Limoges c. Jurats of Bourdeaux are as the Eschevins or Sheriffs in other Cities Mareschalship is the Office and Jurisdiction of a Marshal of France The Lord Marshals of France in the time of Francis I. were but two who having their several Provinces assign'd 'em by the King rode their Circuits into 'em and were present at all General Musters to observe how Military Discipline was observ'd to View the Fortifications and Reparations of Frontier Towns How the Arsenals were stor'd with Ammunition and Provisions and lastly to provide for the Punishment of Idle Vagrant and loose Persons But now their Number is uncertain the Marshal's Battoon of Command being given as the Reward of Prowess and Conduct Presidial Seats are Courts of Justice Establish'd in the Year 1551. in divers good Towns of France wherein Civil Causes not exceeding 250 Livres Tournois are heard and adjudg'd Soveraignly and without Appeals Seneschalship the Jurisdiction of a Seneschal who is a Chief Justice or Magistrate of a Precinct who has the same Authority which is enjoy'd by a Bailli from whom he differs only in Name Historical Voyages Travels OVER EUROPE CHAP. I. Of Europe in general THE World is usually divided into four Parts that is to say Asia Africa America and Europe This last is the smallest of all but without contradiction the most considerable in regard it is most Populous most Fertile and under the most noble and best order'd Forms of Government The Bounds of it to the North are the Northern or the Frozen Sea to the West the Atlantick Ocean the Mediterranean to the South which separates it from Africa and to the East the Aegean Sea the Streight of Gallipoli the Sea of Marmara the Streight of Constantinople the Black Sea the Palus Maeotis the Tanais c. which part it from Asia The Length of it from Cape St. Vincents in the Western part of Spain to the mouth of the River Ob in the Frontiers of Muscovy is about thirteen hundred Leagues Moreover there are always said to be in Europe besides the Territories of the Church in Italy two Empires that of Germany and that of Turky seven Kingdoms under different Soveraigns who acknowledge no Superior France Spain England Portugal Sweden Denmark and Poland The first six Hereditary the latter Elective There are now nine Electorates Mayence Treves Cologne Bohemia Bavaria Saxony Brandenburgh the Palatinate and Hanover which are all Soveraign States under the Titles of Dukedoms Marquisates c. We have also in Europe two Great Dukedomes Muscovy and Tuscany Six other Dukedoms besides those which are enclos'd within the Empire viz. Lorrain Savoy Mantoua Modena Parma and Curland Seven Republicks viz. The United Provinces otherwise call'd Holland Switzerland Venice Genoa Luca St. Marin and Ragusa And besides all this there is the Arch-Dukedom of Austria the Patrimony of the Empire who also possesses Bohemia and Hungary As for the Principalities of Transylvania Moldavia and Walachia they are possess'd by particular Princes who are tributary either to the Emperor or the Grand Signior and sometimes to both together The Principal Islands of Europe are England united to Scotland Ireland Majorca Minorca Sicily Sardignia Corfu Creet and an infinite number of others in the Archipelago And the Highest Mountains are in France the Pyreneans and the Alpes La Sierra Morena in Spain the Apennine in Italy Parnassus in Greece the Crapack in Poland the Rhipheans in Muscovy and Mont Gibel in Sicily This part of the World is water'd with an infinite number of fair Streams and vast Rivers which contribute not a little to the Fertility of it The most considerable are the Seine the Loire the Garonne the Rhone in France the Duero the Tagus the Guadiana the Guadalquivir the Ebro in Spain the Po and Tibur in Italy the Danaw the Rhine the Elbe the Order in Germany the Vistula and Niepor in Poland the Volga and Don in Muscovy the Thames Severn and Trent in England the Tay in Scotland and the Shanon in Ireland CHAP. II. Of France in general FRance is to Europe as Europe is to all the other parts of the World for number of Inhabitants for the Ingenuity of the People the Fertility of the Soil the Temper of the Climate and the Excellency of the Wine The Government is Monarchical but too severely Absolute tho the Nobility are brave and Warlike This Kingdom is seated between the forty second and fifty first degree of Latitude and the fifteenth and nineteenth of Longitude It is bounded to the West by the Great Ocean to the East by the Rhine and the Alpes that separate it from Germany and Italy to the South by the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyreneans that divide it from Spain and to the North by St. Georges-Channel which the French call La Manche that parts it from England But these Bounds have not hinder'd the Kings from frequently extending their Dominions beyond these Limits and without searching past Ages for Examples no body can be ignorant that in our days neither the Rhine the Alpes nor the Pyreneans could stop the Rapidness of the Conquests of Lewis the XIV France is about two hundred and sixty Leagues in length if we take it from the Coasts of Britany to the Frontiers of Switzerland and two hundred and forty in breadth from Dunkirk ro Perpignan The Kingdom is compos'd of Three Estates the Clergy the Nobility and the People In 1614. the States General of the Kingdom being summon'd to meet at Paris appear'd there under Twelve great Governments which are Picardy Normandy Champagne the Island of France Britany Orleanois Burgogne Lionois the Dauphinate Provence Languedoc and Guienne and under these Governments are comprehended Le Maine Anjou Tourain Poictou Xaintoin Perigort Limozin Querci Rovergne Auvergne Gevodan Albigeois Bearne Bigorre Foix Cominges Armagnac Vivarez Le Forest Beaugelois Bugeay Valcomay La Bresse Nivernois Bourbonnois Berri Salogne Gatinois Beauce c. All this shews us that France must needs be a very Potent Kingdom since it includes so great a number of Fair Provinces some of which contain more Cities Burroughs and Villages then many Soveraign Kingdoms and Principalities But if you add to these the Conquests of Lewis the XIII and XIV you will find the Limits of this Kingdom to be of a much larger Extent since those two Monarchs subdu'd Franche Contè Lorraine Alsatia Artois part of Flanders Hainault Luxemburgh c. France which was known to the Ancients under the name of Gaul is a Hereditary Kingdom the Crown of which cannot descend to the Female Sex by vertue of the Salique Law It always belongs to the Eldest Son and for want of Male Issue to the next of Kin. France has beheld upon the Throne Kings of three Races The first was that of Meroveus the second that of Charlemaigne and the third that of Hugh Capet Pharamond was the first King of France
VOYAGES AND TRAVELS OVER ALL Europe CONTAINING All that is most Curious in that Part of the WORLD In Eight TOMES Done out of French LONDON Printed for H. Rhodes next Bride-Lane in Fleetstreet and J. Harris at the Harrow in the Poultry 1693. FRENCH F. H. van Hove Sculp Licensed Jan. 20th 1692-93 Edm. Bohun TO THE READER 'T Is a Custom among Travellers that are Persons of Curiosity that when they come to any City or Town of Note one of the first Questions which they put to their Hosts is generally what is most-remarkable in the Place To this Monsieur la Fer Geographer to the Dauphin of France makes a particular Answer so far as concerns the most Considerable Cities and Towns of Europe in Eight small Tomes of Historical Travels successively intended to be presented to your View wherein he gives a neat and short Accompt of what is most worthy the Observation of a Quaint and Inquisitive Traveller in all the most Eminent Places of this the Most Noble fourth Part of the World A pleasing Pocket Information for a Traveller where e're he comes to desire to see and not to ask what is to be seen He gives yee moreover the true Character of the several People by telling yee their Predominant Humours which is no less a useful Direction for him to manage his Conversation with that variety of Strangers among whom his Curiosity or his Business leads him These Historical Travels will consist of Eight Volumes of which the First as you see begins with France The Second will treat of Spain and Portugal The Third of Italy The Fourth of Germany Switzerland and Hungary The Fifth of Muscovy Turky and Tartary The Sixth will enclose Poland Swedeland and Denmark The Seventh Holland and the Low-Countries And the Eighth will Comprehend England Scotland and Ireland Neither is it to be thought that these are Collections and Relations of the Author by hear-say for he tells yee that he had been Abroad in Forreign Countries about Twelve or Thirteen Years and that all that while he made his Remarks upon the Religion Customs Humours and Strength of several Nations and observ'd what was most rare and curious in their Countries Confessing withal that he took into his assistance the Memoirs of a certain Learned Friend of his who had been Two and Twenty Years Collecting 'em together but liv'd not long enough to put 'em into Order About the same time came forth the King's Geographer de la Croix's Universal Geographie or his New Method for the Understanding that Science but besides that there is little in it but what has been repeated over and over again and that we had nothing to do with learning Geography I made a Vow had I been a Novice not to learn it by his New Method which is the Obscurest that ever I met with in regard he has so conceal'd and hid up his Towns in References and Subdivisions of Provinces that he that looks for any City must run from Post to Pillar and be at a tedious and unnecessary Trouble prevented by the common Alphabetical Way before he can find it out However I made this Use of him that where he had any thing Proper for our Vse which la Ferr had for brevity omitted I thought it but reason that one Brother should help another and to that end I took out all that was material in him and made for our Purpose Which as it serves to Complete la Ferr so it does de la Croix no Injury who may go on with his New Method for all us 'T is to be confess'd That out of a natural Propensity of the French to brag of their own Country Monsieur la Ferr is sometimes too apt to fall into Extasies and Raptures in Applause of the Beauties and Prodigies of Transcending France and the Conquests of his Invincible Monarch But though we could not but leave some sprinklings of his Folly in some places as well because we could not interrupt his Sence as to shew the Nature of the French Bird yet care has been taken to Prune off the greatest part of those Impertinencies and to keep him as close as possible to his Text For in short the Thing in the main is Vseful and Pleasant as being the most Delightful part of Geography altogether a Novelty and prosecuted with Judgment by the Author to the great Benefit and Ease of those who not having the Opportunity or Bodies fitted to endure the Tempers of various Climates are by this means enabled to Travel over whole Countries and Regions with their Eyes and have all the Curiosities of Europe brought home to their own Studies at the Labour and Expence of other Men. ADVERTISEMENT YOu will meet with many Hard Names of French Courts and Jurisdictions in the following Relations which many in England understand no more then the French understand our Cursitors Custos Brevium's Philizers Sheriffs Turns Wardmoots c. And therefore we thought it convenient to give a short Exposition of what the Reader will frequently find repeated in this first Volume BAilliage is the Precinct Office Jurisdiction of a Bailly A Bailli is a Magistrate appointed within a Province or certain Precinct to execute Justice maintain the Peace and preserve the People from Oppression Vexation and Wrong To which purpose he takes Cognizance of Treasons committed False Money Coin'd of Robberies Murthers Rebellions c. He makes Proclamation in his own Name calls the Ban and Arriere Ban and leads forth those that are rais'd by it He also determines Appeals from the Sentences of the Provosts and other Inferiour Judges Chamber of Accompts The Court of Accompts or of the Exchequer of which there is one in every Town of France where there is a Parlament Chamber of Money Chambre de Monnoyes is a Soveraign Court wherein the Currantness Weight and Value of Money are examin'd and the Disorders and Offences of Mintmen Coyners and Clippers punish'd Which Court has two Presidents and Eight general Assistants belonging to it The Exchequer of Normandy is an Assembly of High Justiciaries wherein the Decrees Orders Commissions and Injunctions awarded by Bailli's Viscounts c. may be 〈◊〉 and avoided A Chancery By the Chanceries of Cities are meant the Perites Chanceleries or the Chanceries of Parlaments which are visited once a Year by the Masters of Requests in their Circuits assign'd them by the Grand Chancellor of France Consular Jurisdiction The Consuls in the good Towns of France are Five Honest and Substantial Citizens who Determine all Cases of Debt not exceeding 400 Livres Tournois a Livre Tournois is Two Shillings English between Merchant and Merchant their Authority continues a Year and the utmost Punishment they can inflict extends but to Imprisonment Election The Office and Circuit of an Eleu who is a General Assessor of the Kings Aids and Subsidies who rates and taxes the Villages and Parishes of the Election or Division wherein he resides Generality A Place for the General Receipt of
Austria An Image of our Lady in Ivory enrich'd with Pretious Stones A Missal in Manuscript the Cover of which is enrich'd with Plates of Gold A Manuscript of the Four Evangelists written above Eleven hundred Years ago in Letters of Gold and Silver upon Purple Vellum In the Third Ambrie The Head of St. Denis enrich'd with Pretious Stones His Cross of Wood all cover'd with Gold and Precious Stones as also his Travelling Stick The right Hand Flesh and Bone of the Apostle St. Thomas in a Shrine of Gold enrich'd with Pearls Rubies and great Pearls An enamell'd Shrine where through a Christal you see the Lower Chap of St. Lewis The Crown of the same St. Lewis of massy Gold beset with Pretious Stones A Seal of Gold with a Saphir Stone wherein his Image is engrav'd with these Letters S. L. A Sword which he brought in his first Expedition from the Holy Land A wooden Cup of Tamarisk wherein he drank A Shrine which he carried along with him in his Expeditions with a Bone of St. Denis His Hand of Justice of Silver gilt The Clasp of his Cloak of the same beset with Pretious Stones A Chalice of Oriental Agate with a great number of Pretious Stones The Effigies of the Queen of Sheba upon a Brouch of Agate A Gondola of Agate and Onyx The two Crowns of Lewis XIV the one of Gold the other enamell'd In the Fourth Ambrie A great Image Silver gilt of St. Benedict extreamly Rich. A great Cross of massy Gold cover'd with Pearl and enrich'd with large Saphirs The Oratory of Charlemain all of Gold where the multitudes of Saphirs Emraulds Agates and Oriental Pearls that glitter in it vastly enhaunce the Price of it This Oratory preserves an Arm of St. George The Crown of Charlemain all of Gold and embellish'd like the Oratory This Crown is carry'd to Reims at the Coronation of our Kings with the Scepter the Hand of Justice the Spurs the Clasp for the Mantle the Book of Ceremonies and Prayers for the Coronation All the Ornaments are of that Richness as befits the Use which is made of ' em The Crown of Gold that Joane of Eureux were enrich'd with Rubies Saphirs and Pearl serves for the Coronation of the Queens that is Perform'd at St. Denis Several Vessels of Gold Chrystal and other Materials very Rich. The Portraiture of Nero upon an Agate which is look'd upon as one of the Noblest Pieces of Curiosity in the Treasury In other Cupboards in General There are moreover Four other Ambries which do not contain such vast Wealth but only Reliques or Antiquities of which these are the most considerable An enamell'd Shrine embellish'd with Pretious Stones wherein lyes the Body of St. Lewis Judas's Lanthorn the Sword of the Maid of Orlean's a Unicorn's Horn seven foot long and a Stool of Copper which as they say was Dagobert's Throne Beside all these things of which I have given you a Catalogue there are several other things very remarkable which I insert not here for fear of being Tedious and therefore to conclude this Chapter I shall only inform the Reader that the Monks who shew the Treasury very distinctly give an accompt of every thing and tell you the time and the occasion that all these Curiosities were brought to this Place CHAP. XXIII Of Normandy and the Country of Maine NOrmandy is a very fair large Province of France with the Title of a Dukedom bounded Eastward by the Island of France and Picardy by the Ocean to the North by Bretagne to the West and Beausse and le Maine to the South The length of it is Seventy two Leagues de la Croix says 73. from Aumale to the Coast of Courantin and Thirty in breadth 37. says de la Croix from Alenson to the City of Eu The Name of it is absolutely German for Noort-Man signifies a Man of the North so that the Name it bears was given it by the People of the North that Pipirated upon the Seas and afterwards settl'd themselves in Normandy and ravag'd the Country to the very Walls of Paris William the Norman laid Claim to England and Invading it under Pretence of Title his Successors Kings of England became Masters of Normandy But Philip the August united it to the Crown of France Charles the Seventh expell'd the English This Province being the most Northern part of the Kingdom is also the Goldest It is divided into Upper and Lower It abounds in all sorts of Fruit especially Pears and Apples of which they make Cider and which serves 'em instead of Wine for Wine they have none but what they fetch from the Neighbouring Provinces As for Corn it produces more then suffices the Inhabitants The Dyers also have their Madder and Woad from thence The Humour of the Common People does 'em no great Credit They are look'd upon to have more defects then Perfections The Normans are accus'd to be very cholerick litigious upon every Trifle and not to be too great Slaves to their words when their Interest is concern'd So then when you deal with a Norman the first Question is whether he will insist upon the Privileges of the Country that is to say whether he will go from his word when the Bargain is concluded And therefore when a Man has fail'd of his word 't is a common thing to say He is a Norman But the Gentry and Persons well educated who have a share of Honour are to be excepted out of this Number Moreover they have as great an Antipathy against the Bretons as the Bretons have against them Rouen is the Principal City of Normandy dignify'd with an Archbishop's See and the Seat of a Parliament a Chamber of Accompts an Audit of the Treasurers of France a Chamber of Money and a Presidial Court The Parliament had that Name given it first of all by Francis I. in 1515. whereas before it was call'd the Court of Exchequer founded by Philip the Fair in 1286. This City is seated upon the Banks of the River Seine on the one side on the other in a Valley environ'd with Hills thick spread with Wood. From the East come little Rivers which run through the Town keep the Streets clean and after they have turn'd several Mills fall into the Seine But the nearness of it to the Sea is that which makes it a Town of great Trade when Commerce is open Among those things which it has most remarkable we are to admire the Bridge of Boats over the Seine Two hundred and seventy Paces in length For though it be all Pav'd and appear as firm as a Bridge of Stone yet it rises and sinks according to the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea This Bridge was made to supply the want of another Stone Bridge of 15 Arches that was ruin'd and was accompted one of the Fairest Bridges in France The Castle is fortified with Eleven great Towers which all Vessels outward or inward bound are engag'd to salute with Three Guns at
Hardouin formerly Tutor to the King informs us in his History of Henry the Great For the Spaniards then Masters of Artois understanding that Amiens was only guarded by the Citizens laid a Design to surprize it To which purpose by the favour of the Night they laid a Party of Souldiers in Ambuscado near the City and so soon as the Gates were open'd they order'd other Souldiers in the Habit of Peasants to drive several Carts to Market of which one being laden with Nuts they let a Sack fall as if it had been by Accident in the Gate upon which the Nuts tumbling out and the Guards being no less busie upon the Scramble the suppos'd Peasants stopp'd up the Gate with their Carts while the Spaniards that lay in Ambush advanc'd and seiz'd upon the City But they did not keep it long for Hen. IV. retook it by main force within a few Months after and built a Cittadel to secure it for the future from the like Mischances There is now to be seen upon one of the Gates this Distich Amiens was taken by Fox-like Craft and retaken by Lion-like Force The Cathedral is a Noble Structure the Body of the Church being lookt upon to be the most beautiful in the whole Kingdom It is dedicated to the Holy Virgin and the Treasury that belongs to it is very Rich where among other things is preserv'd the Head of John the Baptist in a Shrine set all with Pretious Stones and brought from Constantinople by one Vallon de Sarton a Gentleman of Picardy The Pillars the Quire the Chappels the Tombs the Paintings the Place for the Singing Men the Portal over which are two great Towers adorn'd with above a Thousand Statues are all admir'd by Travellers In ancient time Caesar made it a Magazine for his Army and held an Assembly of the Gauls in this City The Emperor Antoninus and M Aurelius his Son much enlarg'd it and the Emperors Constantine Constans Julian Valentinian Valens Gratian and Theodosius made choice of it for the Place of their Residence among the Gauls Queen Isabel of Bavaria settl'd a Parlament in this City but now the Bishop the Vidame and the Bailli are Chief in Authority next the King The other Principal Cities of Picardy are Soissons Laon and Noyen all three Episcopal Sees For the last of which the Huguenots have a great Veneration as being the place of Calvin's Nativity Corbie is a place of strength surpriz'd by the Spaniards in 1636. but soon after regain'd by the French And the Story goes That being press'd by the K. of France's Army the Spaniards wrote to Prince Thomas then General of the Spanish Army in these words Fiat misericordia tua Domine super nos quemadmodum speravimus in te Let thy Mercy be shewn us Lord as we have put our Trust in thee Senlis is also an Episcopal City with a Presidial Court. In the Parts adjoyning to it stand several stately Houses of Pleasure as Vernueil Chantilli Dreux and Anet which is a Palace becoming the Residence of a King and whither the Dauphin often retires for the Pastime of Hunting Among the Wonders of this Castle great Observation is to be taken of the Clock For when it is ready to strike you shall see about Fifteen or Eighteen Hounds of Brass come out and open with a full Cry after which follows a Stag of the same Metal bigger then the life and strikes the Hour with his Foot Usually Bourbonnois and the County of Oie is joyn'd to Picardy The first owns Boulogne for the Capital City the other Calais Boulogne is seated upon the Streight of Calais being a Bishop's See with a County and a Bailliage The Cathedral Church is consecrated to our Lady and to which the Kings of France at their first coming to the Crown are by Custom oblig'd to offer a Heart of massy Gold weighing 2000 Crowns Lewis XI was so devoted to the Holy Virgin that he would needs have the Count of Artois hold of our Lady of Boulogne and not of him In 1544. the English besieg'd and took it but it was restor'd again to the French by the Peace concluded in 1550. Calais is a Town seated upon the Narrowest part of the Streight between England and France built in a Triangular Form defended by a good Castle having no access to it from the Land but over a Causey that crosses a great Marsh or Fenn and you must have the Permission of the Garrison of Risban to enter the Port. The most remarkable things in this Town are the two Towers the Altar of the great Church the rich Tabernacle and the stately Domo It was tak'n by Edward III. of England and remain'd in Possession of the English 210 Years till the Reign of Queen Mary History observes that when the French had expell'd the English one of the Duke of Guise's Officers cry'd to an English Man in a jeering manner When will you come agen To whom the other reply'd When the Measure of your Sins is full and that we are less Wicked then you Intimating thereby that the English would never set foot there agen so long as the French Nation continu'd well united to their Head Abbeville seated upon the River Somme is one of the strongest and most Important Places of France She has all along preserv'd her Privileges and is call'd the Faithful and the Maiden because she was never taken The Somme brings up Barks to the very Middle of the Town CHAP. XXV CHampaigne dignify'd with the Title of an Earldom is bounded by Lorrain and part of Franche Conté to the West it has Picardy and the Island of France Burgundy to the South and Hainault and Luxemburgh to the North. The Extent of it from North to South is 70 Leagues 67 says de la Croix that is to say from Ravieres to Rocroy and from West to South-East 47 Leagues It abounds in Corn and Cattel and the Wine which it produces is extreamly desir'd at the Tables of Princes and great Lords The Champenois are somewhat Opinionated nevertheless they are irreconcileable Enemies of Libertinism and Impiety Rheimes the Capital City of this fair Province may vaunt it self to be one of the fairest and most famous in the Kingdom For her Archbishop has the Advantage of being the First Duke and Peer of France The Cathedral of this City is dedicated to our Lady adorn'd with the most noble Front of any Cathedral in France and the most admir'd for the Architecture the Figures and Base Reliefs that render it so Gorgeous In this Church it is that the Archbishop of Rheims Crowns the Kings of France with the Holy Oil sent from Heaven to Crown Clovis I. the First King of France The Antiquity of it appears by the Inscriptions of the Names of the Pagan Deities upon the Gates and Caesar's Fort close by the City which is also the seat of a Presidial Court a Bailliage and a University founded by Charles of Lorrain Archbishop of the City by
fetch 'em from that Chappel leaving the value in other Commodities with which their Vessel is best provided All Nations even the Turks themselves goe thither for what they want and 't is said that if they fail to leave a Compensation their Ships can stir no farther let the Wind be never so favourable We are assur'd that several have known this to be true by many Tryals However it be that Chappel is hewen out of a Rock and some Paces from thence there is a Spring of excellent fresh Water which will keep sweet a long time at Sea As for Sardigna there are not so many Remarks to be made upon that Island All that I can say of it is that 't is an Island in the Mediterranean Sea with the Title of a Kingdom belonging to the King of Spain who Governs it by a Viceroy The Air is so thick that formerly such persons were banish'd thither as the State had a mind to be rid of that there is a Breed of Great Dogs there bigger then the Dogs in England and such an infinite number of Rats that the King of Spain has enjoyn'd all the Owners of Houses to keep as many Cats as they have Rooms The Ancient Sardignians had a Law which ordain'd that the Sons should knock out their Parents Brains when once they came to be Superannuated for fear the Infirmity of their Minds should incline 'em to commit Faults prejudicial to their Families or the Government CHAP. XIV Of the Island of Corse THis Island is seated to the North of Sardigna from whence it is separated by a Channel that may be Sail'd over in an hour and lies between the 40 and 42 Degree of Latitude and between the 31 and 32 of Longitude The largest extent of it from South to North is about 40 Leagues 20 Broad and in Circuit about Fourscore and Ten. It is said to have been so call'd from a Woman of Liguria whose Name was Corsa Bubulca who carried thither a Colonie out of her own Country The Island of Corse has belong'd to the Genoeses ever since the year 1559. at what time Henry II. Granted it to 'em at the request of the Spaniards after the Battel of St. Quintin Nevertheless the People are not pleas'd with their Government and the Genoeses on the other side who are afraid of their Revolting or lest some Foreign Power should make themselves Masters of it do as much as in them lies to lay it waste and give out that the Air is too unwholsome for People that are not bred there Besides that the Soil is so ungrateful that it will hardly return the Seed that is sown in it However 't is certain that this is spoken either out of Malice or Sloth for that it brings forth Corn Wine and all sorts of Fruits more then sufficient the Inhabitants that it produces good Horses and Timber for Shipping and that there are in it several Mines of Copper Lead c. Baths and Mineral Fountains among which that of Povera in the Province of Ampugnano cures the Dropsie Besides that they fish for Coral upon the Coasts Moreover this Island might be made a place of great Trade for that there is no want of good and convenient Havens of which the chiefest are San Fiorenzo Ajacho and Porto Vecchio big enough to contain whole Fleets The First was formerly Fortifi'd by the French but the Genoeses have demolish'd the best Works having left nothing but the Foundations which are of Free-stone The Corses are good Soldiers very strong but very slothful and no less revengeful so that upon their Death-beds they recommend the revenge of Injuries done 'em to their Kindred Thô there be Five Bishopricks in the Island yet there is but one considerable City which is Bastia the Metropolis of the Country and Residence of the Governor There are but Five hundred Men in the Pay of the Republick for security of the whole Island so that it might be an easie thing to surprize it especially for those that are stronger at Sea then the Genoeses are The END