as it were the Dowre which the State brings to the King her Husband for her tuition defence and maintenance And therefore one saith It belongs not to the King but to the Crowne There are two sorts of Domaines first the Rent which the King holds in his hands of the Feifs given for service Secondly that which is united and incorporate to the Crowne The rights of the Domaine are these Rents Feifs Payments at alienations Tributes Penages Toll of whatsoever enters or comes out of Cities Woods Forests and divers other That is Domaine which belongeth to the Crowne First either by Possession time out of minde Or secondly by Re-union for want of heires males as the Apennages when they returne or by Confusion for want to such as can make just claime much like our concealed Lands in England Or lastly by Confiscation of offenders inheritances Of this last sort we reade that in the time of Saint Lewis there were confisked to the Domaine the Countries of Dreux Bray Fortyonne and Monstrevil Languedocke Guyenne Anjow Maine Turraine Auvergne And after in the time of Philip the Dutchy of Alencon the Countries of Perche Perigort Poutieu La Marche Angoulesme and the Marquisat of Saluzzes But Bodin saith most of this came to the Crowne by force La siur 〈◊〉 Serre saith it came by way of Exchange or purchase But the Author of the Commentaries of the estate of the Religion and policie of France is of the first opinion Thus great was the Domaine in former times that of it selfe without oppressing the people with impositions it was sufficient to maintaine the State and greatnesse of the Kings of France but it is now utterly wasted It is well knowne that the Domaine which alone maintained heretofore the beautie and lustre of the Royall Estate is not now such as it was in the reignes of King Lewis the eleventh Charles the eighth and Lewis the twelfth The continuance of our warres hath caused it to be engaged in many hands in such sort that there is need of more than 15. or 16. thousand pounds sterling to redeeme that which is worth above five millions of pounds And Bodin saith that almost all the Countries Baronies and Seigneuries of the Domaine are aliened for the ninth or tenth part of that they be worth Yee must observe that the lands of the Domaine are not alienable but in two cases 1. For the Apennage of the Kings brother 2. For the warres And these must be confirmed by the Arrest of the Parliament For all other cases all Lawyers and Historians of France agree That it is inalienable and many Arrests have beene made of late yeares to confirme it I have read that the Charta Magna of England saith the Kings when they are crowned take an oath not to alien ti so doe they here in France And there is no prescription of time to make such sales or alienations good but that they may be recovered and repurchased whensoever the Crowne is able To this purpose Plutarch saith well Men cannot prescribe against God nor particulars against the Respublique 2 Concerning the second meanes of raising Money by conquests the present State of France can yeeld no example it hath beene long but on the saving hand 3 For the third meanes it is now out of season it was used in that good old world when men wiped their nose on their sleeve as the French man sayes for now Princes are so farre from giving as they hardly pay that they owe. 4 The fourth meanes also of Pension which Princes have upon some consideration of their Allies helpeth the French Kings coffers nothing at all for they rather give than take As for example to divers Cantons of the Swisses to whom at first they payed not above one hundred and twentie thousand Livres yearely but for these sixtie yeares they never pay lesse the yeare than two Millions For saith Commines Lewis the eleventh entered league with the Swisses and they into his Pension to whom he yearely gave forty thousand Florins whereof 20. went to the Cities and 20. to particular men upon condition to have a certaine proportion of their forces to serve in his warres upon all occasions An advantagious alliance for the Swisse in my opinion who by this meanes enrich themselves cleare their Countrey of many idle and bad members and lastly breed good souldiers to serve themselves upon need at another mans cost The Turke hath also a Pension of the Emperour of Germany for certaine Lands hee holdeth in Hungary which hee notwithstanding vaunteth to be a Tribute Many examples might bee alleaged of this kinde as of Philip of Macedon that by Pensions got all Greece partiall on his side and the Kings of Persia by Pension got ever the forces of Asia diverted 5 The fifth which is of Trafficke availeth nothing the French Kings for they hold it here a base and sordid kinde of profession for a Gentleman much more for a King to trade by Merchandize And by the Lawes of England France and Germanie he loseth the quality of a Nobleman that doth Trafficke Notwithstanding these Lawes and the disparagement that it brings to Nobility yet so sweet is the savour of gaine that many have used this as no small meanes to increase their Finances The great Duke of Tuscane present gaines infinitely this way and the more by his most unlawfull and tyrannous Monopolies for he commonly buyeth up all the Graine of his owne Countrey at his owne price yea and that which commeth from other places also and then sendeth out a Bando or Proclamation that no man shall sell any corne thorowout his State till his owne be sold forcing also all Bakers and other people to buy thereof This manner of ingrossing Alphonsus of Arragon also used by the testimony of Bodin The Kings of Portugal also and the Seignory of Venice have beene great Traders by Merchandize but it hath beene in an honester fashion at sea and not to the grinding of their poore subjects The Nobilitie also of Italy in all Cities except Naples hold it no dishonour to Trafficke in grosse 6 The sixth meanes of raising money upon all Wares and Merchandize that come in and goe out of the Countrey is the most ancient and best agreeing with reason and used by all Princes in the World The particulars comprised under this branch are these Customes inward and outward By these the Prince is to have Impost five in the hundred So much just had the Romans as Cicero witnesseth in his Praetorship of Sicilia The Turke takes Ten in the hundred of the stranger and five of the subject the French quite contrarie You must observe that which here I call the Domaine forraine is generally called the Aides first granted by the Estates to Charles Duke of Normandie when Iohn his father was prisoner in England which was the payment of twelve Deniers upon all Merchandizes and Wares which should bee sold in this Kingdome except upon
triall for landing or adventure the surprisall of some famous port for want whereof in former ages Xerxes suffered that terrible defeature at Thermipola Before this was done why ranne they away of what were they so fearefull who came like souldiers and resolute men under the title of assurance to conquer such a Nation Did the terrour of a storme onely drive them from hence in such haste were they not resolved to endure such weather as should happen in so great an enterprise Did they thinke to winne England with bigge lookes or to have tamed the people by tricks and dalliance as they had done the surly Portugues and fine Italians their neighbours Surely it seemed the Southerne winds had only inflated their minds as it is reported it doth their mares in the Asturies Where let us leave them and wish that some of those Worthies who yet live and were eye-witnesses of those great and fortunate expeditions undertaken and effected within the 44. yeares space of Her Royall government would take the paines to commit the Relation thereof to everlasting record Which done I make no doubt but that it would appeare beyond all objection That although the English Nation had long breathed under the milde aspect of so gracious a Lady yet 〈◊〉 it no lesse exercised in militarie discipline abroad than in peaceable pleasures at home Yea that the politike Regiment and heroicall actions of a maiden Queen have hardly since the conquest been exceeded by any her Majesties most famous progenitors For be it either in the wise reformation or wonderfull re-establishment of Christian Religion wherein she shewed no lesse constancie than true sincerity or otherwise in continuall comfort or liberall assistance of her distressed neighbours and allies whereof she had a royall and Christian-like regard or else in resolute repelling and fortunate invading her most mighty enemies wherein she was alwayes blest from above with happy and victorious successe her enterprises evermore were crowned with happinesse and in regard thereof throughout all nations her Counsellors were reputed grave and prudent the Realme flourishing and powerfull and herselfe magnanimous and renowned the fruits whereof I doubt not but we enjoy at this day The force at land is nothing inferiour to that at Sea for the kingdome is divided into 52 Shires in one only whereof commonly called Yorkeshire it is thought seventy thousand foot-men may be levied Every shire hath a Lieutenant who seeth to the election and training of souldiers when necessity requireth In chusing of souldiers they take the names of all the inhabitants In the Country from above sixteene yeares of age to sixtie and out of these they chuse the likeliest and ablest for service The taller and stronger are chosen for footmen and these divided into foure kinds The first are Archers by whose dexterity they conquered the greatest part of France tooke King Iohn captive and held Paris sixteene yeares in subjection The Arrowes of the Parthians were never more dreadfull to the Romans than the Bowes of the English to Frenchmen The second sort used browne Bils well headed with Iron with which they would strike and also plucke a man from his horse This was the ancient weapon of the Britons The other two use and experience of latter times hath taught them the one is the Harquebuze the other the Pike a fit weapon for their constitution by reason of their tall strong and man-like stature For their service on Horsebacke they chuse men of small stature but well set active and nimble These horsemen are of two sorts some heavie armed those for the most part are Gentlemen other lighter armed and some riding after the manner of the Albannesses some after the fashion of Italie using a Scull a Iacke a Sword and long light Speares And although they are able to bring to the field 2000. men at Armes and infinite troopes of light Horsemen yet their Horsemen never carried reputation to their Footmen For Edward the third and Henry the fifth which made so many journeyes into France and obtained so many famous victories to shew what confidence they reposed in their Infantely ever left their horse and put themselves into the battell of their footmen wheras the French Kings not daring to inure the Commons to warfare left leaving their manuall occupations and trades they should grow insolent in the warres to which humour they are greatly addicted alwayes put themselves their hopes upon the fortune of their Cavalry being all almost Gentlemen But forasmuch as the French maintaine no good races of horse and to purchase them from other places is a matter of great charge and good cannot alwayes be gotten for money for these reasons and for that Horsemen are nothing so serviceable in the field as footmen I thinke the French have often beene so defeated by the English To shew what force the Kings of England are able to bring into the field let these examples stand for many Henry the eighth passed to Bullvigne with an Army divided into three Battalions In the Vantguard passed twelve thousand footmen and five hundred light-Horsemen cloathed in blew Iackets with red guards The middle ward wherein the King was and passed last over consisted of twentie thousand footmen and two thousand horse cloathed with red Iackets and yellow guards In the rereward was the Duke of Norfolke with him an Army like in number and apparell to the first saving that therein served one thousand Irishmen all naked save their maneles and their thicke gathered skirts Their Armes were three Darts a Sword and a Skeane They drew after them one hundred great peeces besides small an Army by the censure of Guicciardini not more notable by the multitudes of souldiers and consideration of their valour than most glorious by the presence and Majesty of their King in whose person appeared at that instant being in an age disposed and active all those tokens of honour and magnanimity which rising after to their full ripenesse and perfection by degrees of time study experience made him the most renowned and mighty Prince that lived in his age in all this part or circuit of the earth which we call Christendome Their carriages were so many that therewith they intrenched their Campe like a wall And for the conveyance of their Ordnance their baggage and their provision they transported into the Continent above five and twenty thousand horse beside all other kinde of cattell In the aforesaid yeare of 88. after that Queene Elizabeth had provided fully and sufficiently to prevent her enemies at Sea then ceased she not to be as carefull at Land over her owne and her peoples safeties And therfore to be ready against any sinister accident which it might have pleased the Almighty to have given her at Sea at land she appointed five and twenty thousand souldiers to attend the enemy all along the Southerne coast At Tilbury lay the Earle of Leicester with one thousand horse and two and twenty thousand foot
that of the Sunne is the best and the halfe Crowne Those of silver are the Livres or Franc which is two shillings sterling The quart d'escu which is one shilling six pence The Teston which is halfe a sous lesse The peece of ten sous which is one shilling sterling the halfe quart d'escu the halfe Teston and the peece of five sous that is six pence sterling Those of Brasse is the price of six Blanks which is three pence that of three blanks three halfe pence The sous of twelve deniers the liard of foure deniers the double of two and lastly the denier it selfe whereof ten make one penny sterling This baser and smaller kind of money hath not beene used in France but since the beginning of the civill warres The Teston is the best silver It remaineth I speake of the Administration and Execution of Iustice and of those places and persons where and by whom it is done I will therefore beginne with their assemblies as the highest and greatest Court of all which well resembleth the Parliament of England the Dyet of the Empire or the Councell of â—â—e Amphythrions in Greece There are three especiall causes of calling these Assemblies The first when the succession of the Crowne was doubtfull and in controversie or when it was to take order for the Regency during the Kings Captivity or Minority or when they had not the right use of their wits Hereof yee have examples Anno 1327. Saint Lewis an Infant and Charles the sixth An. Dom. 1380. a Lunaticke and 1484. Iohn a prisoner For all which occasions Assemblies were called to determine who should have the Regency of the Realme in the meane while The second cause is when there is question of reforming the Kingdome correcting the abuses of Officers and Magistrates or appeasing troubles and seditions The third cause is the want and necessitie of the King or Kingdome in which case the Estates are exhorted to give subsidies subventions aids and gratuities For in former times the Kings contenting themselves with their Domaine and impost of such wares as came in or went out of the land the two most ancient and most just grounds of Finances were not accustomed to levie and impose upon their Subjects any tax whatsoever without the consent of the three States thus assembled The next Soveraigne Court for so the French call it is the Court of Parliament The true Temple of French Iustice Seat of the King and his Peeres And as Haillan cals it the Buttresse of Equity This Court very much resembleth the Star-Chamber of England the Arcopage of Athens the Senate of Rome the Consiglio de' dieci of Venice There are no Lawes saith Haillan by which this Court is directed it judgeth according to equity and conscience and mitigateth the rigour of the Law Of these Courts of Parliament ye have eight in France That of Paris the most ancient and highest in preheminence which at first was ambulatory as they call it and ever followed the Kings Court whithersoever it went but since Philip le Bel it hath beene sedentary in this Citie That of Grenoble was erected Anno 1453. That of Tholouse Anno 1302. That of Bourdeaux Anno 1443. That of Dijon in the yeare 1476. That of Roven in the yeare 1501. That of Aix the same yeare And lastly that of Bretaigne at the yeare 1553. Anciently all Arch-Bishops and Bishops might sit and give voices in this Parliament of Paris but in Anno 1463. it was decreed that none but the Bishop of Paris and Abbot of Saint Denis might sit there except he be of the Bloud for all these are privileged The Presidents and Counsellors of the Court of Parliament of Paris may not depart the Towne without leave of the Court by the ordinance of Lewis the twelfth in the yeare 1499. The Senators ought alwayes to bee present because things are carried with more Majesty when the Court is full To this Parliament they appeale from all other subalterne Courts throughout the Realme as they doe in Venice to the Consiglio grande Neither can the King conclude any warre or peace without the advice and consent hereof or at least as Haillan saith he demandeth it for fashion sake sometime when the matters are already concluded The Parliament of Paris consisteth of seven Chambers the Grande câ—ambre and five others of Enquests and the Tournelles which is the chamber for the criminall causes as the other six bee for the civill It is called the Tournelles because the Iudges of the other Chambers sit there by turnes every three moneths the reason whereof Bodin giveth that it might not alter the naturall inclination of the Iudges and make them more cruell by being alwayes exercised in matter of condemnations and executions There be of this Court of Presidents Counsellors Chevalliers of honour Procureurs Advocates Clerks Sergeants and other Officers of all sorts not so few as two hundred Besides this Court there are also other Courts for the administration of Iustice in this Citie as the Chatellet of Paris with a Lieutenant civill and another criminall and the Hostel de Paris with a Prevost and other inferiour Officers which is as ye would say the Guild-Hall of the Citie So have ye throughout the Realme certaine places as all Cities in generall where there be Chatellets like our places of Assise and in them a Lieutenant civill and criminall to judge and determine all causes reall and personall and here many Lawyers and Procurers as our Counsellors at Law and Atturnies who plead before those Lieutenants and Prevosts and certaine Counsellors which are the Iudges in these Courts whereof the number is incredible in France Insomuch as you may well say of them as is said of Sienna There be more Readers than Auditors so here be more Pleaders than Clients This Chiquanery Petti-fogging multiplicitie of Pleaders came first from the Popes Court when his seat was at Avignon as my Author saith who in the same place cals these Advocates The Mice of the Palace The processes and suits in these Courts throughout France are innumerable wherein wee come nothing neere them and yet there is no want of these in England For I have heard of 340. Nisiprius between parties tried at one Assize in Norfolke as many I thinke as in halfe England besides But these are onely twice in the yeare that causes are tried at Assises in our Country whereas here they are tried every day in the yeare that is not festivall So that it is not much unlikely that here are as many Processes in seven yeares as have beene in England since the conquest There are besides these Courts of Chatellets in Cities the Courts also of Bailywicks and Sheriffalties who as Haillan saith keepe Courts in each Province and judge in all matters civill and criminall Here is also the Privie Councell or Councell of affaires of the Counsellors among which are his foure Secretaries he calleth certaine every morning at his rising to whom he
distresses and labours of warre but by night they never goe upon any service By it selfe alone this Nation hath done nothing of reckoning but accompanied with others it hath made good assaies of its owne valour alwayes boasting of the taking of the French King of the victories of Germany of the enterprise of the Tercers and of the happy fight at the Curzolary without once remembring their contrary successes of Goletta Algiers and England Of ordinary revenues from Italy it receiveth foure millions of gold Much of that of Naples is pawned the which the Kingdome of Sicilie doth yearly supply by sending thither ordinarily foure thousand crownes and the Councell of Spaine taking order for the rest These States in Italy are defended from the forces of bordering Princes partly by nature of site and partly by the aid of strong Forts ordinarily maintaining in the presidiarie places ten thousand Spanish foot-men 1200. men at Armes three hundred light-horse and thirty six Gallies for guard of the Sea-coasts Of sixteene are of Genoa twentie five of Naples twelve of Sicilie and three of Savoy This is the appointed number but you shall seldome see it so strong For notwithstanding this Armada the coasts are badly secured as it appeared by the late yeares example in the dammages done by the Turkish Navie upon Puglia and Calabria amounting as it is reported to the summe of more than a million and a halfe of gold He serveth himselfe also when occasion requireth with the Gallies of Malta with the Popes which are eighteene and sometimes also with those of the great Duke of Tuscan And all these charges are nothing neere defrayed by the foure millions of revenue so that Italy stands the Spaniard in much more than hee gets by it The witty Boccalini brings in Lorenzo Medices weighing the Estates of Europe and when the Spaniards saw the revenue of Spaine alone to weigh within a few millions as much as France with great chearefulnesse they gate on their spectacles and would needs cast their dominions of Italie into the scale but perceiving the beame to turne contrary to their expectation all ashamed they tooke them out againe and durst not put in their dominions in Africa and the Low-Countries The mindes of these his Italian subjects are exceedingly exasperated through the insolencie of their government their intolerable charges and the burthen of infinite taxations which are continually imposed upon them finding out daily one meanes or other to raise new summes of money The Neapolitans are most doubted for revolt by reason of the instability of that people alwayes desirous of change and novelties Millaine is also suspected by reason of the dammage which they undergoe by lodging of souldiers at discretion being growne to a custome with the small desolation of divers families The Indies are divided into Orientall and Occidentall the King pretending to be sole Lord both of the one and the other The Orientall not only are indangered by the English Navies which in time of warre doe continually trouble them but in hazard also if not to be lost yet to be forced to share quiet and peaceable Trafficke both to the English and Netherland Merchants The King maintaineth there for custodie of those Countries many ships of Warre having also distributed eight thousand foot-men for the ordinary safegard of the Forts The West-Indies exceeding rich and abounding with gold and silver are divided into two parts Peru and New Spaine These Countries are full of Mines in which is found great store of gold keeping therein the Indians continually at worke living very barely and undergoing the punishment of their ignorance and pusilanimity in suffering themselves to be easily overcome and so basely subjected The King hath the fifth part of all extracted from the Mines These Indies in the time of Charles the fifth yeâ—â—ded no more than five hundred thousand crownes of gold by yeare but they now yeeld an exceeding commodity to this King for in some yeares past comprehending the Buls of the Crosse and other confiscations in those parts he hath received from thence ten millions of gold yea fifteene and seventeene millions many yeares since that His Highnesse Ministers doe still procure some new gaine in those parts and the people still continue their Navigation thither with more gaine upon their returne than one hundred for another The Merchants carry thither Wines Woollen-cloth and other merchandize of these parts and bring from thence in lieu thereof over and besides divers sorts of Spices a great quantitie of Goldiâ— by extraction of which the fruitfulnesse of the Mines is no whit diminished but it seemeth that they doe rather daily more and more increase and multiply in such sort that the Countrey-men in tilling the ground doe finde great-store thereof together with the clods of earth when they dig it up and in my time there was discovered a Mine of Quicksilver which will yeeld exceeding profit and incredible gaine True it is that all these profits have their interest but they arise not to above twenty in the hundred laid out by reason of Convoyes for security of the Fleet. For there is alwayes maintained strong guards in the Isle of Iava apt by reason of the situation to give the Empire of all these parts to him that can make himselfe once Master thereof The souldiers which hee sent into these parts have for their pay two crownes a moneth in such sort that the Land-souldiers the guarders of the Forts and the Gallies which he maintaineth for this purpose is a speciall cause that his Majestie expendeth in interests and charges amongst the Indies more by a great deale than a million and a halfe of gold Which maketh me nothing to wonder that although this King by reason of his abundance of Treasure and many other infinite riches brought yearely from the Indies should seeme to be richer than other Princes and his state much more wealthy and aboundant yet in truth the great Turke not having any mines of gold is more mightier and farre wealthier And so in true interpretation is France England and Netherland as late experience the touch-stone of ambiguities hath fully discovered Whereupon it must needs follow that this Crowne is either much hindred by ingagement in war want of home-bred necessities or by uncertaine returnes of its Fleets subject every yeare to the casualties of Seas currents and surprisals If these be not the causes of so many crosses as our eyes have lately discovered then surely his neighbouring Princes must be thought to be Lords of a valianter people than are his Spanish For say they it appeareth by record from time to time kept in the Citie of Sivil that in threescore and fourteene yeares space there have come into Spaine two hundred and threescore millions of gold Of all which summe there remaineth now in Spaine by conjecture in ready money and plate wherewith this Nation is much delighted about six and fifty millions Five and twenty the
Citie of Placentia and therefore wholly depends thereupon having taken a secret oath to obey him in all commands Proceeding with all possible respect not to give the least occasion of offence by reason that the investiture of Placentia was not granted absolutely to the house of Farnesi but only to the fourth descendencie after which it returnes againe to the King of Spaine as Duke of Millan And therefore his Excellencie that hee may not separate himselfe from his Majesties good liking did lately refuse to linke himselfe in alliance with the great Duke lest hee should displease the King whose minde he saw was bent against 〈◊〉 The Duke of Vrbine being a Prince of small power wholly relies upon his Majestie as receiving his greatest benefit from him to whom he hath committed the charge of all his Italian Cavalrie The Common-wealth of Genoa is like a ship beaten at Sea and tost with contrary winds tempestuous stormes placed as it were betwixt two anchors which are Prince Doria a true borne Citizen and the Ambassadour of the Catholike King who hath the protection thereof in his Masters name to his great benefit If ever he chance to become Sole-Lord thereof it will adde a greater Dominion to his greatnesse for the nature and quality of the situation of that Citie whereof the Spaniards were wont to say That if the King their Master were but once Lord of Marsettes in Provence and of Genoa in Italy by the benefit of these two famous ports hee might easily arrive to the Monarchie of the whole World But howbeit the King of Spaine be not Lord thereof nor yet hath so great a part therein that he can assuredly say that it wholly rests at his command yet by favouring and upholding the greatnesse of the Prince Doria he maketh him the Instrument to serve his turne and by his meanes obtaineth what hee will or can in reason desire of that people deeply interessed in regard that his Majestie hath taken up great summes of money upon interest of them and therefore will take heed how they breake with him lest they be hindred of their gaines peradventure of their principall It hath beene thought that some Kings have beene behinde hand with them for more than a million and a halfe of gold How much Genoa depends upon him was seene in these late warres in which they were wholly protected by him Of the Religion of Malta the said King taketh a particular protection as that in like sort depends wholly upon his pleasure and doth readily execute his royall commandements serving his turne oftentimes in keeping the Coasts of Spaine and the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicily from the incursions of Pyrates and that without any one penie cost or charges to the said King whereof in proper place The Seigniory of Lucca hath placed both it selfe and all that it hath fearing the potencie of the great Duke under the protection of his Majesty In generall the Spanish Nation beareth little love to the Venetian Common-wealth as suspecting it to favour the French and for the strict friendship which it holds with the most Christian King and the most renowned State of England of late his apparant and professed Enemies Againe there is also little inclination of love towards this State because they thinke that it maketh profession to ballance the States and Forces of the Princes of Italy and though they esteeme well enough of it yet they love it not a jot Notwithstanding the Spaniards know that in those warres which may happen betwixt the Turks and this people they cannot out of their particular interests but aid and assist them and that on the contrary from them they have no hope of retribution unlesse in like occasion But withall they assuredly beleeve that the aids which they shall afford it shall be but feeble and slowly subministred in such sort that they shall not give it any great re-enforcement but only such as may be sufficient to save it from ruine yea scarce that Finally for a perfect review of this tedious discourse I wil recite unto you these weighty secret and last instructions given by Philip the second King of Spaine to his son Philip the third father of this present King teaching him how to governe himselfe and his Kingdomes after the decease of his said father brought to light by a servant of Don Christophero di Mora called Roderigo and translated out of Spanish and Dutch into English that the world may see how judiciously this manuscript of the Kings owne hand agreeth with the purport of these Relations SOnne I have often troubled my mind and entered into most deepe and serious considerations how to leave a quiet and setled estate unto you after my decease Howbâ—â—â— neither the long time of my life nor the opportunity of Princes affected to my service would afford me sufficient assistance in this behalfe I confesse that I have spent more than 594. millions of Duckets in lieu whereof I have enjoyed nothing the space of three and thirty yeares but heart-sorrow and vexation of spirit True it is that I recovered Portugal but as lightly as France is escaped from me so likewise may Portugal slide backe Would to God I had followed the counsell of Charles the Emperour my Lord Father of famous memory for then could I much more quietly brooke those my sorrowes and die with a more willing minde leaving to you the succession of this mortall life This then besides so many stately Kingdomes and Seigniories as a perpetuall testament I leave behinde unto you as a mirrour and Looking-glasse wherein you may see how to frame your actions and to carry your selfe in your government after my death Alwayes looke well to the charges and alterations of other States and Countries to the end you make use and reap good profit thereby as occasion shall serve and withall have a cautelous and circumspect eye over them that be in Counsell with you Two meanes you have whereby to maintaine your Spanish Kingdomes the one is Government the other the Trade of the Indies Touching your Government you must draw unto you and relie either upon the Nobilitie or the Spiritualtie of your Dominions If you leane unto the Spiritualtie you must seeke to briâ—ile and curbe the other as I have done but if you meane to strengthen your selfe with the Nobility cut short the Livings and Revenues of the Spiritualtie as much as is possible For holding them both in equall favour they will consume you and besides you shall set your Realmes out of quiet and never come to resolution the ballance being over-weighed sometimes by the one and sometimes by the other My Counsell is that you hold in league with the Provinces of the Netherlands especially if you meane to helpe your selfe with the Nobilitie for they be friends to France England the German Princes And neither Italy Poland Sweden nor Denmarke can stand you much in stead As for the King of Denmarke
RELATIONS OF THE MOST FAMOVS KINGDOMES AND Common-wealths thorowout the WORLD Discoursing of their Situations Religions Languages Manners Customes Strengths Greatnesse and Policies Translated out of the best Italian Impression of Boterus And since the last Edition by R. I. Now once againe inlarged according to moderne observation With Addition of new Estates and Countries Wherein many of the oversights both of the Author and Translator are amended And unto which a Mappe of the whole World with a Table of the Countries are now newly added LONDON Printed by IOHN HAVILAND and are to be sold by IOHN PARTRIDGE at the signe of the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard 1630. TO THE READER THat this Author hath beene so carefully translated into the Latine Spanish French and English languages is a concluding argument to me that no man of those Nations hath hitherto written so well in this Argument else what needed they to translate him Nay and doubly translated hee hath beene not onely into their tongues but into their bookes seeing that all the Writers of Geographie since his time have translated no small part of him into their Writings Of some of which what is from hence borrowed is their very chiefe credit and ornament How much I pray hath that voluminous French Writer translated into Latine by Godofredus and into English by our Mr. Grimestone beene beholding unto this Author How much hath that Turncoat Apostatizing Plagiarie that Enemie and Threatner of our English Nation closely lurcht out of this Author Some of our owne have beene more ingenuous to name him when they quote him and that 's faire play What the Setters forth of the two former Editions in our language meant in concealing his name we will not doe them so much wrong as to ghesse at Our Title page acknowledges him to be that famous Borero the Italian a Writer that still passes amongst his owne people not only for a Wit but for a Iudgement His way of writing is his owne for t is New and to commend the usefulnesse of it let this be enough that the nimblest Politico's of these active times could perchance have wisht That the Relations of Giovanni Botero had only beene in their owne Libraries That in this third Edition we have taken upon us to adde some new Discourses and to Augment divers of the old we were emboldned unto by the voyces and judgements of the Buyers whom we perceived to be better pleased with those inlargements in the second Edition than with the first In what we have done we have bound our selves to the Authors way and method and how much wee have added the next Page shall tell you We must not in the meane time conceale from you how that divers of the Italians who are as naturall haters as they are fearers of the Spanish greatnesse have taken the same exceptions to Botero that the French of old did to Proislart who for writing so gloriously of the English victories and so truly of the French overthrowes have thought to disgrace his whole storie by calling him a Pensioner of England and a man hired to write by the good Rose-nobles of England In like manner hath Botero say some beene suspected to have had a feeling of the Spanish Pistolets for that hee hath written so magnificently of that Nation This hath made us so wary and so carefull withall by the truth of history to examine whatsoever might that way seeme hyperbolicall Some things in that kinde wee had rather leave to be amended by your judgements than either too much to wrong that Nation or to correct our Copie by bringing it under our Index Expurgatorius Our Author deserves rather to bee numbred among the Polititians than amongst the Historians or Geographers T is to his purpose sometimes to deliver you the situation of the Countrey he discourses upon so to shew you first the Greatnesse of each Kingdome Secondly how formidable or helpefull each Prince is likely to prove to his next neighbour out of which two considerations arise most of those leagues Alliances and those other Tyes of State betwixt Kingdome and Kingdome Thirdly wee hence learne how suddenly either Forces or Merchandizes may bee transported from one Nation to another And all these helpe him to relate of the Greatnesse and Riches of each Kingdome which to doe bee two of his maine purposes The Historie that hee makes use of is to shew you the valours of people the power of taking opportunities the advantages of the use of severall weapons c. and that is also to his purpose Both Geographie and History together which bee the two favourite studies of the times doe serve finally for the delight of the Reader and doe altogether make up our Author into a complete and a fine companion for Gentlemen for Souldiers for Schollers and for all men to passe the time withall and for such an one we here commend him to your acquaintance Fare well and make him your owne Relations newly added or very much inlarged in this Edition Newly added MOst of the Chapter of Observation Navarre 194 The Lords the Estates part of the Low-Countries 200 Vrbine 361 Mantua 362 Millaine 316 Savor 364 Malta 373 Transylvania 394 Estate of Bothlen Gabor in Hungaria 399 A briefe Chronicle of his birth and fortunes 399 The Palatinate 285 Brandenburg 300 Inlarged ROman Empire 284 Bavaria 301 Genoa 337 Tuscanie 324 Sicily 369 Bohemia 376 With divers others altered and amended thorow out the whole and some new Additions in the Indies not here mentioned RELATIONS of the World THE FIRST BOOKE Of Observation BEing to relate of the Customes Manners and Potencies of Nations and great Princes my scope shall not bee to trouble your Readings with proofes out of such obsolete Authors as are accounted very ancient for with these Themes by reason of Indiscoverie those Ages were not so well acquainted Againe their Observations Rules and Caveats being not so well digested nothing so certaine as ours of these lightsomer times were neither so pleasant nor so usefull as these more assured more moderne Relations Time and the Warres have altered much since Aristotle and Ptolomies dayes whose Rules and Observations have since growne partly out of use and beene partly bettered I cannot certainly subscribe to the opinions of such Philosophers who building all upon Influences and Constellations will have the faculties of Soules and Bodies to bee governed by the Starres and Climates But my meaning is to lay downe some few Observations arising from the immutable providence of Nature which remaineth constant immortall and is never changed unlesse by Accident Violence or Times tyrannie which notwithstanding in the revolution of an Age or two returneth againe to its prime operation From thence I will descend to discourse of such Reasons as may in all probabilitie give occasion or advantage to one Prince or Nation to excell another either in keeping or inlarging Thirdly I will lay downe some Instructions for travell And comming in the
of all writers not because their pastures are better or sweeter than those of the South by the censure of Plinie but for the nature and temperature of the Heavens and the Ayre And as the Northerne man by nature is hot and moist the Elements of fecunditie so there is no question but that of all people they are and have beene the most populous For from the Goths the Scythians the Germans and the Scandians not onely vast desarts and goodly Cities have beene founded and inhabited but from their loynes also have Colonies beene derived thorowout all Europe Well therefore might Methodius and P. Diaconus resemble their Armies to swarmes of Bees And most true it is that Iornandes and Olaus terme the North the Store-house of mankinde because from thence the Goths the Gepidae the Hunnes the Cimbrians the Lombards the Alani the Burgundians the Normans the Picts the Heruli the Swevians the Slavi the Swizzers and the Russians have not denied to fetch their pedigrees Which maketh me to muse upon what reasons Hippocrates could build to say That the Northerne Nations were unapt for generation causa frigiditatis whereas the conjectures of heat and moisture argued in their hot and fervent breathings proceeding from the stomacke and more apparant in Winter than in Summer are not so effectually verified in any people as in the inhabitants of the North. The true motives I say of promptnesse to generation and not of sensuall concupiscence as Aristotle also would have us to imagine A vice more proper to the Southerne man performance to the Northerne man Which indifferent limitation was without doubt allotted to either climate by the handy-worke of God that those who were of sufficiencie for generation should not greatly be addicted to pleasures the residue which wanted of that measure of heat and moisture should delight in wantonnesse to raise their appetites without the which they would neither propagate their issue nor by inter-marriages maintaine humane societie And that this inward heat also maketh the people of the North more couragious taller and stronger than the Nations of the South is apparantly discernable not in our parts onely by the operation of nature but also in the people dwelling beyond the Tropike of Capricorne where the more they decline from the Aequator the more they spread in stature and tallnesse For the land of the Pentagones of some termed Giants is situated under the same latitude that Germanie is Which assertions holding true it is no wonder that this strong and couragious people the Scythians have from the beginning cruelly invaded the South erecting therein many goodly Trophies whereas from the South hath scarce ever beene attempted a journey worth speaking of to the indammagement of the North. The Assyrians vanquished the Caldeans the Medes the Assyrians the Greeks the Persians the Parthians the Greekes the Romans the Carthaginians the Goths the Romans the Turks the Arabians the Tartars the Turkes and beyond Danubius the Romans were ever unwilling to attempt Indeed Trajan erected an admirable bridge of stone over that River for it had twentie arches the rumes whereof by report are to be seene at this day But after that the same Trajan perceived that those Nations were neither easily beaten nor being beaten would or could away with subjection he commanded the bridge to be broken Semblably the English have given the French and Spanish many famous overthrowes especially to the French in France it selfe even to the hazard of their State and yet never could either of both the Nations at any time though often attempted set sure footing in England These inrodes of the aforesaid barbarous Nations I would not reiterate but that in them to mine understanding the grievous threats of Ezechiel Ieremie Esay and the rest of the Prophets That from the North should arise warres footmen horsemen and the ruine of kingdomes have beene in and by them accomplished and most properly ought to bee referred to that fore-divided partition which stretcheth from the five and fortieth degree to the fiftieth and five where Biarmia is situated For those which dwell beyond being either none or very few are dried up to use Hippocrates his terme with as vehement cold as the people living under the Tropikes are with heat Not by reason of their inward heat as Aristotle in his Meteors dreamed but by the rigour of the cold piercing their bodies and wasting their humours unto which humours the Northerne people are generally subject A manifest signe whereof is their immoderate drinking which in the Saxons and the inhabitants of the Baltike Sea could never yet be moderated by time nor statutes And that these humours cause the body to spread let the Monsters of the Sea resolve our doubts who grow to that immensive vastnesse above all other living creatures propter humiditatis copianâ— But as I take it this overmuch moisture in the Northerne people turneth them often into many grievous inconveniences For if you observe any of those Nations to travell towards the South or to make warres in hot Countries you shall finde them to faint and perish through immoderate sweating as Plutarch in the life of Marius observed in the Rhewmatike bodies of the Cimbrians And as experience manifesteth in the Horse who being by nature hot and moist liveth barely in Aethiopia and liketh well in Scythia whereas on the contrary the Asse being cold and drie is lustie and of good service in Afrike in Europe poore and base in Scythia not to be found And what now we have spoken of the strength and courage of men is observed also to be true of horses The Turkish and Barbary horses are like their Masters rather well limbd and well spirited than for labour or long journeyes The Spanish Iennet like the men of his nation quickly proves good for a souldier both best when best caparisond The Hungarian is a fierce assailant and his horse must bee lookt too for feare of running away with the Coach The high and low Dutch are bigge boned but foggie people and the Germane horse is not to travell above thirtie miles a day that nation admires a poore English Hackney The Tartar is a stubbed squat fellow hard bred and such are their horses And so for our English Of the people of the South THe people of the South as concerning the constitutions of their bodies are said to be cold drie thicke-skin'd thinne and short hair'd weake browne small timbred blacke eyed and shrill voiced the Northerne men contrarie and the middle people indifferently participating of both The Spanish women terme the Germaneâ— Mallespisces that is spongie fishes for their continuall drinking and in Italy and Provence the inhabitants doe much wonder at the English the French and the Flemmings for their nightly complaints of the bitings of the Gnats and Cimeces a kinde of wormes breeding in their beds and bedsteads whereas they themselves doe little regard them But as the bodies of the Northerne people are endued with strength and courage
Inhabitants saith Camden are warlike the soile gratefull to the Ploughman and well replenished with pastures It hath in it six and thirty Villages Hamlets and Castles in Beda's time twelve hundred families Iarsey lying over against Constans an ancient Citie of Normandy containeth about thirty miles in circuit and is environed with Rocks and dangerous Shallowes It is very fruitfull in fruit and cattell in plenty of fish and by reason of their many Orchards abounding with that kinde of wine which the English call Sider In stead of wood which the Iland wanteth they make their fewell of Sea-weed dried in the Sunne and growing so thicke upon the Rocks that a farre off a Sea-man would judge them to be whole Acres of Copice With the ashes hereof they manure their grounds It containeth twelve Parishes Garnsey is twenty miles distant from Iâ—rsey somewhat lesse and nothing so fruitfull It nourisheth no venomous creature as doth the former It is better fortified by nature and from the tops of the broken Rocks wherewith it is incircled doe the Lapidaries and Glasiers fetch that most hard stone where with they cut their Iewels and Glasse The Haven likewise is more secure and safe for shipping and Merchants especially at the harbour of S. Peter where by ancient privileges of the Kings of England saith Camden is continuall truce be the warre never so open and furious betweene the French and the English For in these times may the Merchants of either Nation resort without wrong or danger They want wood likewise and therefore either use the foresaid weed for fewell or Sea-coles brought out of England France FRance hath beene much larger than now it is as of old containing Switzerland Piedmont and Lumbardy beyond the Alps and on this side extending to the banks of Rhine yea the Wallon Countries were then reckoned unto France and some others which later Geographers have laid unto Germany France as now it is is on the North bounded with Lou-Germany a strait imaginary line in stead of a better bounder being drawne from Calais all along beyond Lorraigne within a league of Zaverne in Alsatia three or foure leagues short of Strasburg on the left and North side of which line lie Flanders the Wallons of Hannow and Luxemburg and on the right side Picardy part of Champaigne and Lorraine on the North-west it is washed with the Brittish Ocean on the West with the Sea of Aquitaine on the South it is thwarted by the Pyrenean Mountaines which part it from Spaine being toward the East lickt with the Mediterranean Sea On the fuâ—l East doe the Alps divide 〈◊〉 from Italie being on this side trenched upon by that part of Germany which lies betweene it and the Rhine which was the old bounder of this kingdome And this is the accuratest limitation It lies under the Northerne temperate Zone within the 13. and 19. Parallels The latitude beginning about the middle of the fifth Climate where the longest day is fifteene houres and extending to the middle of the eighth where the longest day is sixteene houres and an halfe In longitude it taketh up all those Meridians which are betwixt the fifteenth and the nineteenth There is no Country in the world better situate than that of France for it participateth of the Climate both hot and cold It is in length from Bologne to Marseilles two hundred leagues after the rate of three English miles a league and in breadth from Mount S. Bernard to S. Iohn de Luze as much for it is holden by some Authors to be of figure quadrate which notwithstanding Bodin denieth avowing it to be in forme of a Lozenge with whom La Nove consenteth measuring it thus From Calais to Narbone North and South it is two hundred leagues from Rochel to Lions West and East it is 120. leagues from Mets to Bayon North-East and South-West it is two hundred leagues and from Morley in Bretagny to Antibe in Province North-West and South-East it is as much True it is that many places within this compasse are not holden of the King as Avignon and what else the Pope hath Toul Verdun and Mets are holden of the Empire and Cambray of the house of Austrich in like case of protection as Constance in Swisserland Virich in the Low-Countries and Vienna in Austria and as Lucca and Genoua in Italy are protected by the King of Spaine so doe Lorraine also and Savoy hold of the Empire As contrarily there be places out of this circuit which notwithstanding hold of this Crowne in right and owe him fealty and homage as the Spaniard for the Counties of Flanders and Arâ—oâ—s which he hath ever since the time of Francis the first denied to render The divers Provinces of the Country are very many the chiefe are these Picardy Normandy I le of France Beauois Bretaigne Anjou Maine Poictou Lymosin Zantonge Champaigne Berry Salogne Auvergne Nivernois Lyonnois Charrolois Bourbonois Dolphein Provence Languedocke Tourraine and Burgundy The thing of best note in each of these is their singular Commodities and fruits where with they are blessed for the sustenance of the Inhabiter Insomuch that as they say of Lombardy that it is the Garden of Italy so may we truly say of France that it is the Garden of Europe Picardy Normandâ— and Languedocke are goodly Countries of Corne as any in Christendome All the Inland Countries are full of Wine Fruits and Graine in some great store of Wood in others of Flax in others of Mines of Salt in others of Iron Insomuch as one saith All things necessary for mans life overâ—low there in such abundance that in counterchange onely of the Corne Wine Salt and Wood transported into forren Countries there is yearely brought into France twelve hundred thousand pounds sterling And another no lesse approved and as well practised in the state of France saith The springs of Salt Wine and Corne are not to be drawne drie In which place he complaineth that the Kings of France were wont in times past to helpe their need with sales of wood which are now of late yeares so spoiled as France shall shortly be forced to have their Lard from other Countries as also wood to build and burne a complaint which I have often heard in England Other Provinces have also their especiall commodities wherin they excell their neighbours as in â—â—â—nosin the best Beeves about Orleans the best Wines in Auvâ—rgne the best Swine in Berry the best Muttons where there is such store as thereof they have a Proverbe when they would tax a fellow for his notable lying that tels of a greater number than the truth they say â—ie there be not so many Sheepe in Berrie They partake also in Sea Commodities as upon the coast of Picardy where the share is sandy they have store of flat fish upon the coast of Normandy and Guyen where it is Rockie Fish of the Rocke as the French call them and upon the coast of Bretaigne where it is muddy store
Wine Corne Salt and all manner of drinke but since it hath beene made perpetuall and augmented by the imposition upon Wine sold every where and in Normandie by retaile This is like the slavish Gabell upon all manner of food which the Princes take of their subjects through Italy or the Assize upon Bread and Beare which the States have in the Low-Countries a grievance whereof we smart not in England as also we are free from many other burthens which the people of this Country are forced to beare Touching the Gabell of Salt which is also comprised under this head Some say it was first erected by Philip le Long Others by Philip de Valois 1328. True it is that the Ordinance of Francis the first 1541. sets downe an Impost of 24. Livres upon every Muy and in the yeare 1543. an ordinance was made for Gabell to be taken upon all sea-fish salted And in 1544. it was ordained that all Salt should be sold and distributed into the Magazines or Storehouses of every severall generality The benefit of this one commodity hath beene very commodious to the crown till the yeare 81. when the king was forced for want of money to let it out to others whereby he lost as is in my Authour proved eight hundred thirty six thousand crowns yearely Here is also a kinde of tax called the Equivallent that is an imposition laid upon some persons and places but not generally to have liberty to buy and sell salt and to be exempt from the Magazines The Impost of Wine is laid upon all without exception or exemption whatsoever it is the twentieth part to the King besides all other rights as of Billots entring into Cities passages by Land River and such like Besides a later imposition of five Sols upon every Muy levied by Charles the ninth 1516. Concerning the Traicte forraine it is of like nature with the Aids save that it is leviable upon more particular sorts of merchandize Besides the Aids is an Impost upon things spent in the Land and the traicte forraine is of such commodities as are transported out as of wheat rye barley oats wine vineger verjuce cider beeves muttons veales lambes swine horses lard bacon tallow oyle cheese fish of all sorts silks and cloaths of all sorts leather of all sorts and finally all other merchandize as fruits parchment paper glasse wood ropes c. 7 The seventh ground or foundation of Finances is the Imposition upon the subject that is not upon the wares or commodities but upon the persons themselves according to their abilitie and it is much like the levying of the tax and subsidy in England where every one payeth ratably to the lands and goods he possesseth And therefore Haillan judgeth well to say they be neither personall nor reall but mixt Assessed in the place of their dwelling according to all the goods of the partie assessed in what part soever they lie or abide These Tailles were first raised by Saint Lewis but by way of extraordinary subsidie Charles the seventh made them ordinary for the maintenance of his Gens d'armerie And whereas at first they were never levied but by consent of the three States and to endure but while the warre lasted he made them perpetuall Therefore saith one that which was at first yeelded of favour is since exacted as patrimoniall and hereditary to our Kings Yet is it to bee observed that these Tailles are only liable upon the Flat Pais all Cities are exempt as also all Officers of the Kings house all Counsellors Lawyers and Officers of Courts of Parliament all the Nobility the Gens d'armes the Officers of warre the Graduates of Vniversities c. The Taillon is another imposition raised by Henry the second Anno 1549. which was to amend the Wages of Gens d'armes who by reason of the smallnesse of their pay lay upon the poore Villages and eat them up for the ease whereof this imposition was devised which also lieth upon the poore Country-man whereby at first he was somewhat eased but now all is perverted the poore is still oppressed and yet he payeth still both Taille and Taillon Lastly there is the Sold or pay of 50000. foot which were erected by Lewis the eleventh into eight Legions six thousand to a Legion which with their Officers came to about this number To maintaine these Legions there was a tax levied upon all sorts of persons privileged in the Taille but only the Nobles There are also of the Decymes Tenths levied upon the Church For the levying of the Taille Taillon and wages of 50000. foot you must note that the King sends his Letters Patents by Commissioners to the Treasurers of each generality These according to the summe rate each election this is as ye would say every hundred in a Shire or Bailywicke and then send to these elections to have the said summe gathered in their severall Townes and Hamlets according as they be rated So doe they to the Maicures Consuls Eschevins and chiefe Officers of every City that are liable to any of these payments who rating every man according to his ability give these Rolles to certaine Collectors to gather it up these are bound to bring it quarterly to the Receivers These carry it to the Receivers generall in the same species that they received it and from them to have an acquittance after the accounts have beene perused by the Controler generall And these are all the meanes by which Princes raise their Finances whereof ye see some nothing to pertaine to the French King but to others and some to him only not to others There yet remaineth one other meanes though extraordinary to a Prince to get money which the necessities of the times and the want of other meanes have forced the French Kings of late yeares to use This is the vent or sales of Offices a very dangerous and hurtfull merchandize both for the Prince and subject This Lesson saith Bodin the French Kings first learned of the Popes with whom it is still as familiar as old to sell Bishopricks livings and Ecclesiasticall promotions This the Popes first beganne at Avignon in France where their means was scant and they in many necessities which still continues both in the Courts of Rome and France when there is no such necessity Better is a bad President than none at all A course saith one of great and dangerous consequence but clothed with necessity It is indeed thrice dangerous because sales of Offices cause sales of Iustice for what these Purchasers pay in grosse they must needs get in retaile forgetting what was said to Sophocles the Governour of Athens A Governour must not onely have his hands cleane but his eyes also They cannot say as Pericles did on his death bed Hee had never made any Athenian weare mourning Robe For these by selling Iustice and robbing the poore of their right give the Fatherlesse and oppressed Widow just cause to complaine and of wearing that mourning robe
much more and besides an infinite provision which they reserve and is paid them over and except their Rents by their Farmers and Tenants as of Wheat foure millions five hundred thousand quarters of Rye two millions three hundred thousand quarters of Oats nine hundred thousand of Barley eight hundred thousand of Pease and Beanes eight hundred sixtie thousand Capons one hundred sixty thousand Hens five hundred sixtie thousand Partridge 50000. Beeves 12000. Muttons one million two hundred thousand Wine one million two hundred thousand Cuues Egges seven millions Butter 230000. Quintaux Cheese five hundred thousand Hogs one hundred thirty six thousand Pigges three hundred forty thousand Tallow sixty thousand Quintaux Hey six hundred thousand loads Straw eight hundred thousand Wood two millions with an infinite proportion of other necessaries imaginary only and incredible And yet he there a voweth all things with as great confidence as if himselfe had had the true abstract from all the Bookes of Accounts in each Monastery and Benefice in this Land For how is it possible the Church should have 200. millions of crownes yearely Rent when as by the computation here are but just so many Arpens of Land in all France which to rate one with another at a crowne an Arpen comes to this account which he allowes the Clergie and then is there nothing left for the other two States of the Nobilitie and people But inasmuch as the better halfe of their Revenue is by the Baise-mani there remaineth the better halfe of the Land to the other two States which notwithstanding is a proportion small enough Neere unto this reckoning commeth that which we reade in Bodin of Alemant a president of accounts in Paris whose judgement must carry good authority in this case as a thing belonging to his profession and wherein he was best experienced The Church Revenues in Land are reckoned orderly at twelve millions and three hundred thousand Livres but I dare justifie saith he that of twelve parts of the Revenues of France the Church possesse seven This opinion Bodin seemes to allow But it is rather thought to be true that the Comment de l' estat saith who of the two hundred millions of Arpens allowes the Church forty seven millions which by particulars of their Vineyards Medowes arable-Pastures and Heaths with their Woods is there set downe which here to follow in particular were too tedious Besides this Temporall they have their Baise-mani as is said that consisteth in Churchings Christnings Marriages Burials Holy-bread Indulgences Vowes Pilgrimages Feasts Processions Prayers for cattle for seasonable weather for Children against all manner of diseases and infinite such purposes for which the superstitious people will have a Masse said which they pay the Priest for particularly over and besides all this there is scarce that Arpen in all France upon which there is not some Dirige or de profundis some libera me Domine or some reckoning or other liable Concerning them of the Reformed Religion whom here in contempt they call Hugnonets yee may note that the number is not small considering that after the conference of Poissie above forty yeares since here were found 2150. Churches of them whereof not one hath escaped without some murthers or massacres and we may imagine that since that time this number is much increased But as for Religion it hath onely beene the cloake and shadow of their ambitious pretences without the which they could never have insinuated themselves so farre into the hearts of the people who are alwayes the gros de la bataille the maine Battell and without whom the Nobilitie may well quarrell but they cannot fight And therefore yee shall reade in some of the same Religion reformed That there were Huguonets as well of Estateâ— as of Religion These have now free permission to professe and places allotted for exercise with all libertie of conscience possible save that in the chiefe Cities of France they have no Churches allowed neither can be buried in Christian buriall as they call it if any of them die among the Catholikes with whom not withstanding they now live peaceably thorowout the Countrey But me thinkes they have here small reason to let them live together in a house and not suffer them to lie together in a Church-yard And as for warring any longâ—r for Religion the French-mâ—â— utterly disclaimes it he is at last growne wise marry he hath bought it somewhat deare The Italian is wise bâ—forehand the Almaine in the doing and the Frenchâ— after the thing is done saith one of their own writers let us pâ—sâ—aetor sapâ—â—â— Concerning the Nobilitie of France saith La Nove They are exceeding valorous and courteous and there is no State in Christendome where they are in so great number It hath beene argued before in this Relation that there be at least 50000. able to beare Armes but that is thought with the most Monsieur du Fay thinks them about thirty thousand in which number ye must conclude all degrees of Gentlemen from the highest to the lowest that beare Armes for so the French call their Noblesse whereas we in England make two distinct orders of the Nobility Gentry as they call it Those are Noble which can prove a long tract of time wherein a Fee and Knights service thereto belonging hath resided in their family And another Writer saith In France men are esteemed Noble by bloud and profession of Armeâ— And sure if there be difference in Nobility as there must needs bee because the causes be different for some are ennobled by their valour and Martiall knowledge and others by their Offices and prudence in the manage of matters of Estate I see no reason but that these last should be holden the more Noble Nobility if I may so say alwayes giving the first place to them that are of Noble Houses by Race For of all these three sorts the French Writers speake when they say There is a difference of Nobles The first by Race The second by Ennobling and of Ennobling there are two sorts One by Patent duly proved in the Court of Parliament The other by meanes of Offices to which they are advanced And howsoever Turquet hereof inferreth that it is la vertu que fait la Noblesse carâ—ily a de nobles vilains et de vilains nobles Vertue that maketh Nobility for there are Noble Peasants and peasantly Nobles yet sure it is that the degenerating of one from the Vertue of his Ancestors cannot prejudice the Nobility nor Eclipse the glory of his Succeeder who as Histories shew many times excell all the former of their house The highest degree of honour in France is the Pairrie in which order have beene sometimes seven sometimes eleven never above seventeene and most commonly twelve Whereupon they are called the Twelve Peeres of France These have the precedence before all the rest of the Nobility and of these they of the Bloud although they were latest called into the Pairrie Of these Peeres
of round fish as Lamprey Conger Haddocke so likewise in divers seasons divers other sorts as Mackerels in the end of the Spring and Herrings in the beginning of Autumne as wee have in England c. And this Countrey must needs be well stored with Fish for besides the benefit of the Sea the Lakes and Ponds belonging only to the Clergie which at the most have but one third of France are reported to be one hundred fifty five thousand The Rivers also of France are so many as Boterus reporteth of the Queene Mother she should say here were more than in all Christendome but we hold her for no good Cosmographer True it is that the Rivers here are many and very faire and so fitly serving one the other and all the whole as it seemeth Nature in the framing of our bodies did not shew more wonderfull providence in disposing Veines and Arteries throughout the bodie for their apt conveyance of the bloud and spirit from the Liver and Heart to each part therof than she hath shewed in the placing of these waters for the transporting of all her commodities to all her severall Provinces Of all those these are the principall the Seine upon which standeth the Citie of Paris Roven and many other It hath his head a little above Chatillon in the North-west of Lingonois and receiveth nine Rivers of name whereof the Yonne the Marn and the Oyse are navigable that is doe carry Boats with saile The Soane whereupon standeth the City of Amiens Abbevile and many other It hath his head above S. Quintin divideth Piccardy from Artois and receiveth eight lesser Rivers The Loire hath standing upon it the Cities of Orleans Nantes and many other his head is in Auvergne it parteth the middle of France his course is almost two hundred leagues it receiveth seventy two Rivers whereof the chiefe are Allier Cher Maine Creuse Vienne all navigable The Garond upon which standeth Bourdeaux Thoulouse and other Cities it hath his head in the Pereney Mountaines it divideth Languedocke from Gascoine it receiveth sixteene Rivers whereof Iarne Lot Bayze Derdonne and Lisâ—e are chiefest And lastly the Rhosne upon which standeth the Citie of Lions Avignon and divers others It hath his head in the Mountaines the Alpes dividing Dolpheny from Lyonnois and Province from Languedocke it receiveth thirteene Rivers whereof the Seane the Dove Ledra and Durance are the chiefest All the other Rivers carry their streames into the Ocean Some at S. Vallery Seine at New-haven Loyre beneath Nantes and Garona at Blay only the River of Rhosue payeth his tribute to the Mediterranean at Arles The Seine is counted the richest the Rhosue the swiftest the Garond the greatest the Loyre the sweetest for the difference which Boterus makes of them where he ornits the Garond and makes the Sâ—ane a principall River is generally rejected The Ports and Passages into France where Custome is paid to the King were in times past more than they be now the names of them at this present are these In Picardie Calais Bologue Saint Vallerie In Normandie Diepe Le Haure de Grace Honnesleux Caen Cherbrouge In Bretaigne S. Malo S. Brieu Brest Quimpercorentine Vannes Nants In Poiâ—tow Lusson les sables d'Olonne In Rochellois Rochell In Xantogne Zonbisse In Guyenne Bourdeaux Blay Bayonne In Languedocke Narbonne Agde Bencaire Mangueil In Provence Arles Marseilles Fransts In Lâ—onnois Lions In Burgogne Ausonne Laugers In Campagne Chaumons Chalons Trois In the Territory Metzin Metz Toul Verdun In all thirty seven Of all these Lions is reputed to be the most advantagious to the Kings Finances as being the Key for all Silkes cloaths of Gold and Silver and other Merchandize whatsoever which come or goe from Italy Swisserland and all those South-east Countries into France which are brought to this Towne by the two faire Rivers of Rhosne and Sâ—â—n the one comming from Savoy the other from Burgundie and here meeting For profit next to Lions are Bourdeaux Rochell Marseilles Nants and Newhaven But for capabilitie of shipping I have heard that Brest excelleth and for strength Caâ—aâ—â— especially as it is now lately fortified by the Spaniard which was not let long since to be called The goodliest government in the world at least in Christendome There are requisite in all Ports to make them perfect these foure things 1. Roome to receive many and great Ships 2. Safe Riding 3. Facilitie of repelling forren force 4. Concourse of Merchants The most of the French Ports have all foure properties except only the last which in the time of these civill broiles have discontinued and except that wee will also grant that Calais failes in the first The Cities in France if you will count none Cities but where is a Bishops See are onely one hundred and foure there be so many Arch-bishops and Bishops in all as shall in more fit place be shewed But after the French reckoning calling every Ville a Citie which is not either a Burgade or a Village we shall finde that their number is infinite and indeed uncertaine as is also the number of the Townes in generall Some say there be one Million and seven hundred thousand but they are of all wise men reproved Others say six hundred thousand but this is also too great to be true The Cabinet rateth them at one hundred thirtie two thousand of Parish Churches Hamlets and Villages of all sorts Badin saith there be twentie seven thousand and foure hundred counting only every Citie for a Parish which will very neere agree with that of the Cabinet and therefore I embrace it as the truest By the reckoning before set downe of two hundred leagues square which France almost yeeldeth wee must compute that here is in all fortie thousand leagues in square and in every league five thousand Arpens of ground which in all amounteth to two hundred millions of Arpens which summe being divided by the numbers of the Parishes sheweth that one with another each Village hath one thousand five hundred and fifteene Arpens which measure is bigger than our Acre We may if we will abstract a third because Bodin will not admit France to be square but as a Lozenge For in matter of such generalitie as this men doe alwayes set downe suppositions not certainties If a man will looke thorowout all France I thinke that some Castles excepted he shall not finde any Towne halfe perfectly fortified according to the rules of Enginers The Citie of Paris seated in a very fruitfull and pleasant part of the I le of France upon the River of Sein is by the same divided into three parts that on the North towards Saint Denis is called the Burge that on the South towards the Fauxburges of S. Germaines is called the Vniversitie and that in the little I le which the River there makes by dividing it selfe is called the Vilâ—e This part no doubt is the most ancient for saith my Author Lutetia is a City of the Parisians
is a City of West-Freesland and the head of 145. villages about it It hath had a chargeable neighbour of the Spanish garrisons in Lingen Oldenzeel but by benefit of the Sea they obtaine both liberty and riches T is very full of Cattell and of Mechanicks their breed of Oxen and Horses are the largest of Europe And so much for the descriptions of these united Provinces The chiefe Entrata or revenue of this people is gained out of the Sea which is not onely invaluable but incredible it being reported that there be more ships belonging to Amsterdam alone than to all England almost a thousand ships going in and out every tide The Custome paid by the Merchant is very great and their Excise upon victuals doth almost maintaine their warres the Inholder paying as much for the Excise as he did at first for the thing T is beleeved that for very butter and cheese sold out of Holland alone they receive a million of Gold yearley All the people be wonderfull induâ—â—rious scarceâ— poore mans childe of five or six yeares old which cannot earne the best part of his owne living Their gaines by fishing is inestimable their Linnen Salt and other curious manufactures are good merchandize all the world over and finally none of their least commodities is the Warres for whereas all other Nations are undone by them they have the secret to thrive and to grow exceeding rich by them These are of two sort Land-forces and Sea-forces In their severall garrisons they cannot have fewer than foure and twenty thousand in continuall pay and their times of leaguer or being in the field costs them a thousand pound a day more than odinary This very yeare 1629. the Prince of Orange is said to have had off and on neere upon 60000. men at the siege of S'Hertoghenbosch his trenches being 18. or 20. miles about and yet hath hee left his Townes well garrison'd They have had an Army on foot continunally for these 60. yeares together and such a one as were it imployâ—d in an invasive as it hath beene in a defensive warre I see no reason but it might long agoe have overtunne even Spaine it selfe It hath still beene the prime schoole of warre for all Europe Their Sea-forces increase every day and yet were the three Provinces of Holland Zeland and Freestand able many yeares agoe to make three thousand lusty ships fit for warre and burthen They have for these eight or ten yeares togâ—ther had two or three severall Fleets about the West Indies as namely that whereof Monsieur L'Ermite was Admirall which sent home many a rich prize That which tooke Todos los Santos and those two which this very yeare tooke those two mighty prizes from the Plate Fleet and the Brasile Fleet within the same space having oftentimes twentie or fortie ships imployed against the Dunkirker All this while have they maintained their Trades and Factories in New Holland the East-Indies Muscovia c. where oftentimes have they beene so strong that they have beaten our English from the Trades once broke they our Muscovia Company what they did at Amboyna is too famous and how much our East-India Company hath beene indammaged by them let them tell you This I repeat not to refresh the complaint but to set forth their power and plainly they are at least Quarter-masters of the Narrow Seas Finally the Low-Countries may say as Tyrus did in the Prophet I sit like a Queene in the midst of the Sea So that were the Spaniard but Master of their Ports nothing could hinder him from his designed Monarchie This is their honour that for these many yeares they have inforced the King of Spaine to spend his Indies upon them they have still kept him at the staves end if hee hath besieged one of their Townes they have besieged another of his for Ostend they tooke Sluce Groll for Breda and at this very instant all the Spanish power was not able to beat them from the siege of S'Hertoghenbosch But at Sea they are ever terrible to him ever aforehand with him and their Coines are made of his Gold and Silver They have still fiftie saile of ships upon the Coast of the West-Indies fiftie saile more going out and fiftie more comming home with their Fleets they have this Summer beaten his Armada troubled Carthagena and mightily inricht themselves by his Prizes Finally they are the people that next to the Spaniard have the honour of it both by Land and Water the greatest Monarchs are glad of the Friendship of this Nation whom our finicall people stile no better than a company of Boores and Mechanicks and this also makes for their honour For no where such Boores to be found no where such Mechanicks others derive honour from their Ancestors but they from their owne valour and vertue Their Government is administred according to the Rules of the Civill Lawes of the Empire respect being had to the privileges of each private people and Citie who enjoy theâ—â— ancient Customes and Lawes municipall The stile of their principall Governours is The high and mightie Lords the States Generall These are chosen by the particular States of the severall Provinces of the Vnion out of the Nobilitie and primest Magistrates both of the Provinces and Citizens And these receiving power from the rest doe in their meetings at the Hage plenarily conclude upon all the great Actions of State either for Peace Warre Religion Treasure Leagues Trafficks and all publike things whatsoever Amongst these the Legier Ambassador of England hath hitherto beene admitted in all consultations and so hath the Prince of Orange as being Generall of their Armies These States doe every weeke choose a new President among themselves the proposition is made and the Votes are collected by an Advocate who is a standing Officer for the purpose From their Placaerts Proclamations or Edicts there is no appeale as carrying the same power of Law with them that Proclamations and Acts of Parliament doe with us To enter into the Governments of the Courts of Iustice and of the severall Provinces and Corporations would require a volume by it selfe Libertie of Conscience being one of the maine pretences of their falling off from the Spaniard they might seeme to deale hardlier with others than they did with themselves should they not now give what themselves tooke Libertie of Conscience Publike profession therefore of all Religions except the Popish and Arminian even of Iudaisme is there tolerated Each Faction cals it selfe a Church and every new-fâ—ngled giddie Enthusiasticall Button-maker is able enough to make a Faction The generall Religion of the States and best people is Calvinisme the profession whereof though fatall to Monarchies agrees well enough with the parity of Free States where the people and citizens have so much voice and authoritie Their Ministers are here better respected than in the French Churches But our men at home zealous ones of the Geneva discipline
are much deceived if they looke for such a face of a Church such decent Service of God such devotion or strict observation of the Lords day in any of the Calvinist Churches as in the Church of England the Faires and Kirck-masses as they call them are on Sundayes in the after-noone as much frequented there as the Churches were in the fore-noone The States I suppose cannot on the sudden reduce perfection in the profession of Religion for that the Papists are both subtill and diligent to work upon the discontents of the people and to turne them to a rebellion unto which the Historians have noted these Nations to be naturally not indisposed Denmarke ALthough it may seeme needlesse to make mention of Scandia which is that whole Pen-insula of huge circuit which is almost incompassed with the waves of the Sea and abutteth Northward and Eastward upon the German and Sarmatian Coasts because it is as it were situated in another World and with whom there is no great entercourse of trading yet for the spacious largenesse thereof containing two Kingdomes viz. Norway and Sweveland with part of Denmarke it may well deserve a place amongst other Kingdoms spoken of in these Relations It is situate in that part of Europe which some terme Scandia others Scandavia or Balthia from whence issued the Gothes and Vandales the very rooters up of the Roman Empire It is subject both to the Danish and Swevian Crowne The King of Denmarke besides the Cimbrian Chorsonesse where Holsatia Ditmarsen the Dukedome of Slesia Flensburge Friesland and Iuthland Regions fruitfull and replenished with store of cattell and wilde beasts doe lie retaineth other spacious Islands the best whereof-stand in the entrance of the Baltike sea being fifteene in number all comprehended under the name of Denmarke The chiefest of them is Seland containing threescore miles in length and little lesse in breadth It excelleth the rest both for number of Villages the mildnesse of the aire and because that Copenhagen stands in it which hath beene and is the Seat of their Kings He hath also Gothland under his jurisdiction which is placed right over against Gothia One of his Kinsmen hath the Government of Osilia or Oesel a prettie Island in the greater Gulfe of Livonia and ruleth those fat and plenteous Counties which lie on the Continent of Livonia Scania likewise acknowledgeth his Soveraigntie extending from Nihuse to Timale and hee holdeth the Kingdome of Norway which from the Confines of Scania extendeth and stretcheth Northward a thousand three hundred miles to the Castle of Wardhouse upon which border the Lappians The Isles adjoyning thereto Sania Shetland and Faria lying in the maine Sea are in his tenure In times past the people of Norway have beene of great puissance they afflicted England scounged France and therein obtained a Province called to this day Normandie In Italy they conquered the Kingdome of Sicil and Apulia And in the holy Warre Boemond Leader of the Normans wonne the Principality of Antiâ—ch In the North Ocean besides that of Friesland and the Sea-coast of Island and Groineland he holdeth the Dominions of the foresaid Islands of Shetland and Faria The Orcades acknowledged the Kings of Norway for their Lords although they are now subject to the Brittish Crowne Sithence then the Kingdome of Norway became Elective and turmoiled with civill warres and intestine discords it came to the possession of the Danish Kings who that he may hold it surely intreateth the Inhabitants cruelly spoiling them of their substance and to leave no hope of better fortune to this miserable people hee holdeth fortified all the Creekes and Havens of the Sea-coast The wealth of the Kingdome consisteth in the abundance of cattell and sea-fish whereof there is such store that of the herring-fishing only a mighty masse of money is yearely gathered so huge is the number of all sorts of fish that at some times of the yeare a ship can make but slow way in the Sea and the Marishes and Medowes adjoyning thereunto are very pleasant and savourie to the feeding of their cattell Scandia is rich in corne and pasture and well replenished with people Norwey hath no riches of any moment except Timber fit for the erecting of houses and building of ships from thence transported into Holland and Flanders and cattell affording great store of cheese and milke Some profit also ariseth of a kinde of fish dried in the wind which the Dutchmen call Stock-fish It is taken in Ianuarie and laid in the wind and cold untill it be indurate and hardned like Wood and then carried into divers Regions as a kinde of sustenance The greatest matter of gaine to the King of Denmarke is the narrow Sea or Strait betweene Cronburg and Eltzenburg commonly called the Sont or Sound which is a passage so narrow that no shipping can passe that way without the licence and favour of the Watchmen keeping Garrison on either side there to receive the imposts and customes of the arriving Vessels It is easily gathered to what summe of money that impost amounteth by the infinite number of shipping of Holland Zealand France England Scotland Norway and the Balticke Sea that saile in those Seas and of necessitie must passe the jawes of that narrow Strait The Inhabitants are as greedie of Rhenish French and Spanish Wines the Spices of Portugal and the Fruits of Andaluzia as they againe are needie of the Wax Honey Skins and Corne which are brought thither from Prussia Livonia Moscovia and the bordering Nations The Entrada or Tribute due to the King ariseth First out of the Sowndt thorow which sometimes passe two hundred sometimes three hundred vessels in a day many of which are to pay a Rose-noble of gold not only in value but in specie for their passage and some more some lesse which cannot but amount to an incredible summe His gaines likewise upon Herrings and other fish of which there is infinite store in all those Northerne Seas comes to a great matter Adde to this his Customes upon Mast and Cordage Pitch Tarre c. fetcht from him by the Hamburgers Lubeckers and others Mighty droves of Beeves and other Cattell are out of his Dominions sold into Germany out of every one of which he hath his Geldt or tribute In Dietmarsâ—n a Countrey for store of cattell like our Rumney-marsh is a place called the Gap thorow which their infinite droves must passe where the Kings toll is about twelve pence English for every hoofe of greater cattell that is foure shillings for a beast Innland also is as beneficiall unto him in the same kinde and much more It hath beene observed that 50000 Oxen have been driven out of these Provinces into Germany for which toll hath beene paid at Guithorp He reapeth some profit likewise of Ward-house whither the English now of late yeares have sailed betweene Norwey and Groenland some to Colmogro others to Stockholme not farre from Saint Nicholas where they traffique with the Russies for Wax