that great Conqueror From his Loins after several generations descended Billiengus a potent King of the Vandals whose Mother say some was Charles the Great 's Sister He was the first that after his own conversion brought in the profession of Christianity into Mecklenburg tho afterwards at the instigation of his Son Micislaus both himself and all his Subjects turn'd Apostates The next famous Prince of Mecklenburg was Gottschalck surnam'd the Godly who would often himself take the pains to preach Christianity to his Subjects by whom he was at last for his Religion murder'd in the year 1066. From him descended amongst many others Henry II. who dying in the year 1228 left behind him two Sons Nicolot and John From the former of these sprang all the succeeding Princes of the Vandals until William the last Prince of that Line who died in the year 1430. From the later surnam'd Knese Janko or John the Divine because he had taken a Doctor of Divinity 's degree in the University at Paris are descended the present Dukes of Mecklenburg This John left behind him Henry who was six and twenty years kept prisoner by the Turks Father to Henry surnam'd the Lion whose two Sons Albert and John Dukes of Mecklenburg were by the Emperor Charles IV. created Princes of the Empire in the year 1349. Which is not to be understood tho I find this construction put upon it by several of the modern German Historians as if these two Princes before Charles's creation had been only ordinary Lords or Barons of Mecklenburg and by the Emperor advanc'd to the dignity of Princes or Dukes For from him they receiv'd no more than an admission into the number of the Estates of the Empire under whose protection they were brougth by making themselves members thereof upon condition they should be subject to its Laws and contribute to its necessities Albert's eldest Son Albert II. was chosen King of Sweden and not long after taken prisoner by Margaret Queen of Denmark by whom after several years imprisonment he was at last releas'd upon the payment of a vast ransom So that the management of the Dukedom of Mecklenburg was committed to his Brother Magnus a Prince that if we believe Chytraeus who in his first Book of the Saxon Chronicle has given him a noble character was nomine re Magnus endow'd with all the excellent qualities that are requisite to make a brave Prince His Son John who succeeded his Father in the Dukedom founded the University at Rostock in the year 1419. This Duke's Successors Henry the Fat and Magnus II. Founder of the Cathedral Church at Rostock upon the death of William the last Prince of the Vandals made themselves Masters of the whole Land of Mecklenburg After the death of this Magnus and his Son Albert II. the Dukedom came to his Grandchild John Albert in the year 1547 who first brought in the Lutheran Confession into his Dominions by demolishing Popish Abbeys and converting their Revenues to the use of the University at Rostock His Son John III. who died in the year 1592 left two Sons the eldest was Adolph Frideric who married Ann-Mary Countess of East Frisland by whom amongst other children he had Christian-Ludowic the present Duke of Mecklenburg-Swerin His youngest Son was Gustavus Adolphus who seated himself at Gustrow In the late Civil Wars in Germany the whole Land of Mecklenburg was overrun by the Imperial Army and the Dukedom conferr'd upon their ambitious and at last unfortunate General Albrecht Duke of Friedland However within a little while after the two Dukes Adolph Frideric and John Albrecht were reinstated in their Dominions by Gustavus Adolphus the victorious King of Sweden their Kinsman For a character of the present Dukes of Mecklenburg the Reader may have recourse to the following descriptions of Swerin and Gustrow the places of their residence The strength of these Princes would be considerable enough Militâ—â—â— strength sufficient to secure their own Territories and keep their neighbours in awe if firmly united Their equal pretensions to the sole government of the City and University at Rostock did formerly occasion some animosities between the two Houses but this quarrel has for some years last past been quite laid aside and now a difference in Religion the Duke of Swerin being a Romanist and he of Gustrow a Lutheran is the greatest cause of their mutual fears and jealousies Heretofore they thought it their chief interest to adhere to the Swedes and secure themselves under the wings of the potent Kings of that Nations but when after the many conquests of the brave Gustavus Adolphus the power of those Princes grew so formidable as to threaten an universal slavery to their neighbours round about them rather then the defence of any of their Liberties the Dukes of Mecklenburg thought it high time to relinquish that party and join with the Dane and Branburger in opposing their common enemy the King of Sweden They saw Wismar rent out of their hands without any probability of being ever recover'd and they had reason to fear that a great part of the adjoining Country would follow it if their ruin were not timely prevented by the strength of their new Allies The whole Land of Mecklenburg so much I mean as is now subject to the two Dukes which bear that Title is usually divided into these six parts Territries The Dukedomes of Mecklenburg strictly so call'd and Vandalia the Earldom of Swerin the Baronies of Rostock and Stargard and the Bishopric of Butzow In the Dukedom of Mecklenburg are reckon'd the Cities of Wismar to which is the neighbouring Island Poel Tempsin Gades Rhena and Bucow In the Dukedom of Vandalia Gustrow Sterneberg Malchin Stavenhagen Ivenack Neu-Calven Warin Pentzlin Rebell Wredenhagen Malchau Tetrou Goltberg Parchum Plage Lupsian Grabou Domitz Neu-Statt Eldenau and Gorlosen In the Barony of Rostock the City of Rostock Ribnitz Gnoien Tessin Laga Schwan Salines and Morlou In the Barony of Stargard Brandeburg Stargard Furstenburg Strelitz Mirow Fredland and Wesenberg And lastly in the Bishopric of Butzow the City of Butzow and the Peninsula of Swerin The most considerable Cities in the Dukedom of MECKLENBURG I. LUBEC Lubec This City is indeed situate in Wagerland and for that reason we have already given the Reader some short account of it in the Description of Denmark but because it is of it self an Imperial City wholly independant upon the Crown of Denmark and immediately subject to the Emperor of Germany we have reserv'd a more particular survey of it for this place And it cannot so properly be referr'd to any particular Province of the Empire as the Dukedom of Mecklenburg For altho the Citizens of Lubec do not pay any manner of tribute or homage to the Princes of Mecklenburg yet it may perhaps as justly be reckon'd part of that Dukedom as Bremen which never yet acknowledg'd any subjection to the Kings of Sweden may be esteem'd part of that Principality which now bears
their due place The chief Rivers are the Weser by which all manner of Merchandise are convey'd from Bremen up as far as Brunswic Rivers Leina Innerste Ocker with some more of less note which supply the neighbourhood with Fish It is observable Forts that every-where in the Dukedom of Brunswic as well as in the County of Blackenburg you may meet with the Ruins of old Forts and Castles on the tops of high Hills and ragged Mountains which by most Antiquaries are conjectur'd to be the Reliques and Rudera of so many Roman Fortifications and an evident argument that the Seat of the war betwixt the Romans and the Germans was for some time at least in this part of the Empire I had rather think them the work of some Saxon Commanders when engaged in the defence of their Country and Paganism against the Assaults of Charles the Great or perhaps built by that mighty Emperor to secure his Conquests However thus much we may venture to conclude from these venerable Tents of Mars 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 that the Lower Saxons those especially that inhabited these parts were anciently a stout and warlike people men that were hardly conquer'd and afterwards with more difficulty kept in subjection And such their progeny are still reckon'd They are men of a larger size then most others of the German Nation and withall inur'd to a coarse fare and cold lodging Their ordinary diet is dry'd Swine's flesh and Sawsedges which they digest with as much ease as any of their neighbour Nations do their choicest delicacies From their great greediness in devouring this sort of diet they are usually call'd by the Hollanders and other Germans Speckmuffen or Bacon-guts With these meats they eat a black and harsh tasted bread made of the coarsest Wheat or Rye-meal This in their barbarous and rustic dialect they call Pumpernickell a compound that has no manner of affinity with any primitive in the High Dutch tongue Some of their learned men give this account of the word that a French Gentleman travelling this Country and being ask'd what he thought of this kind of bread made answer that it was bon pour cheval i. e. good diet for a Horse which words being not rightly proportion'd to the mouths of the Brunswic Bores that heard him were by them miserably corrupted into the word before-mention'd Their Land affords no Wine but they think that defect abundantly recompensed by the great quantities of Beer brew'd in most places of note The Brunswickers are not 't is true so complaisant in their behaviour and carriage as some other Germans which a Traveller may meet with but their unfeign'd humanity and hospitality will sufficiently atone for their want of Courtship They know how to be civil to a stranger without flattery and in in their entertainment of Travellers their performances are commonly as large as a French man's promise We have already in the description of the Dukedom of Luneburg acquainted the Reader that the whole Dukedom of the Lower Saxony which was afterwards subdivided into those of Brunswic and Luneburg was formerly subject to one Prince and we have there also given him an account of the first original of this Dominion with the continuance of it under several Princes during the union of its members The first division of these Territories hapned in the year 1264 at which time Duke Otho's two Sons Albert and John not liking to be copartners in the Government of the Lower Saxony divided the Land assigning to the former the City and Dukedom of Brunswic and to the later the other of Luneburg However upon the death of William Duke of Luneburg Grandchild to the foremention'd Duke John without issue male in the year 1368 the two Dukedoms were again jointly subject to Duke Magnus surnam'd Torquatus But in this they could not long continue for Torquatus's Sons as ambitious of independant and absolute Government as their predecessors again separated Courts Bernbard the elder Brother claiming this Dukedom to himself and assigning Luneburg to Henry his younger Brother After whose death his Son William surnam'd Victoriosus for his valorous exploits fell upon his Uncle Bernhard whom he reduc'd to those straits at last that he made him and his two Sons change Dukedoms with him From that time the Dukedom of Brunswic was enjoy'd by William and his Successors until the extirpation of that Line in Frideric Vlrich who died without issue A. D. 1634. In the year 1491 this Dukedom was divided by Henry the elder and his Brother Eric into two equal shares whereof all the Country betwixt the Rivers Deister and Leina together with the Territories of Gottingen and known by the name of the Dukedom of Brunswic-Wolfenbuttel remained in the possession of Henry But soon after Eric's Line upon the death of his Son Eric II. in Italy A. D. 1584. was extinct and these two Dukedoms again united in the House of Wolfenbuttel In which condition they remain'd till the death of Frideric Vlric before-mention'd After which the Dukedoms of Wolfenbuttel and Calenberg descended upon some younger Brothers of the House of Luneburg The famous and learned Prince Augustus was advanc'd to Wolfenbuttel where he is now succeeded by his Son Rodulphus Augustus Of these two Dukes the Reader may expect a larger character in the following description of the Palace at Wolfenbuttel 'T will not be impertinent in this place to relate for the Reader 's diversion the Romantic History of the first original of the ancient Guelphian Family 〈…〉 which formerly afforded Dukes at the same time of Bavaria and Saxony and of which the Dukes of Brunswic and Luneburg are now the sole Relicts The story goes thus Jermintrudis Countess of Altorf in Schwaben having accused a poor woman of Adultery and caused several severe punishments to be inflicted on her for having had twelve children at a birth was within a while after delivered of the same number her self and all of them Sons Her Husband Count Isenberd being absent at the time of her delivery she commanded the Midwife to kill eleven of them fearing possibly she her self might undergo the same punishment or scandal at least which the poor beggar woman had done upon her instigation The Midwife going to execute her Ladies barbarous commands was met by the Count returning home who enquiring what she carried in her Apron was answer'd Woelpen i. e. Whelps But suspecting the truth of what she said upon her refusal to shew them examining farther into the matter forc'd her to confess the whole story Upon which enjoining the old womans secresie and concealing the knowledg of the fact from his Countess he put out all the children to Nurse taking care their education should be answerable to their quality At the end of six years the Count invited to a great feast most of his own and his Lady's Relations to whom in the midst of their jollity he presented his eleven Sons all attired alike to their Mother who
place sprung out of Hills of Allum Brimstone and Niter but their Waters are not so hot here as at Baden Drunk inwardly they have been known to cure Asthmaes and all manner of stoppage and shortness of breath as also old and inveterate Agues and Feavers By washing and bathing they cure the Itch Scab and Leprosie and are an excellent remedy against old sores and bruises Rotel Sponheim Susenburg and Mahlberg Badenweiler are places which have been formerly of some note by reason of the Castles or Palaces of some ancient Princes of the Empire who have borrow'd their Titles from the ancient Seat of their Family And hence the names of these old Towns are still registred in the Titles of the Marquises of Baden but otherwise they have nothing worthy of a description THE LANDGRAVIATES OF ALSACE ALSATIA or Elsass has its name in all probability from the River Ell or Ill which runs thorow it Whence Elsassen as the Germans call the inhabitants of this Country signifies no more then die an der Elle Sassen oder wohnen i.e. the people that dwell on the banks of the Elle Some I know would have the ancient name of the Country to be Edel-Sassen intimating a delicate and Noble Seat our Countryman Mr. Sheringham as we have elsewhere observed makes this a part of the Territories of the ancient Saxons and by them call'd Edel-Sassen or Noble as a piece of the richest and pleasantest ground they were masters of The Country is certainly as these later Etymologists would make it as rich and noble a Province as any in the German Empire and as plentifully stock'd with all manner of necessaries especially Corn and Wine The Hills are commonly cover'd with Chesnut-Groves and Leberthal with some other Valleys afford good store of Copper Lead and other Mettals In some places you meet with rich Meadows and fat Pasture-grounds which furnish the inhabitants with good Butter and a sort of Cheese equal if not preferable to the best in Holland 'T is bounded on the East with Schwaben and the Dukedom of Wirtenberg on the South with Switzerland on the West with the Dukedom of Lorrain and on the North with the County Palatinate of the Rhine The length of it is reckon'd at about twenty German miles tho the bredth scarce any where exceeds four This whole Land was formerly subject to the Kings of the Francks and by their King Hilderic bestow'd under the name of a Dukedom on his Favorite Etico in the year 684. Etico was succeeded by his Son Adelprecht who left his two Sons Linfrid and Eberhard Coheirs of the Dukedom After this the Dukes of this Country were driven out of their Dominions by Charles Martel Hofmeister or Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold to the King of France But in the days of the Emperor Otho I. the Counts of Kiburg the Emperor's Kinsmen got possession of Alsatia and as some will have it were made the first Landgraves of this Country Others say that 't was first divided into two Landgraviates in the reign of the Emperor Otto III. In whose time the Upper Alsace came first into the hands of the Counts of Hapsburg who from thenceforward were Lords of that part of the Country The Lower Alsace was afterwards by the Earls of Ottingen who got the possession of it after the decease of Henry its Landgrave without issue sold to the Bishop of Strasburg who is like to continue Master of it so long as the French King will give him leave Alsatia is usually divided into the Upper and Lower Alsace besides the lesser Territories of Ortenaw Brisgow Hagenaw Sungaw c. But most of these petty Provinces may be referr'd to the Upper Alsace and coming within the bounds of the Upper Landgraviate and the rest to the Lower The chief Cities and great Towns in the Lower ALSACE NEXT to Strasburg of which anon the chief Town in the Lower Alsace is Zabern Zabern or Elsasszabern as 't is sometimes call'd to distinguish it from the other two Cities of the same name one in the Palatinate and the other in Bergen 'T is thought to be the Tabernae mention'd by Antonine and Marcellinus one of the old Roman Garrisons demolish'd by the ancient Germans but rebuilt by Julian the Apostate The City is defended by a strong Castle on the top of a high Rock up to which you are led by a narrow and rugged way cut out of the hard craggy Mountain by William III. Bishop of Strasburg This Prelate and his successors have usually kept their Residence at Zabern where they had also erected a Court of Judicature for the decision of all Controversies arising within the Precincts of their Diocess but 't is thought that the French King who pretends to be Master of the place will employ the Castle otherwise hereafter 2. Weissenburg WEISSENBURG is an Imperial City but reckon'd a part of the Lower Alsace as being incorporated into the Province of Hagenaw Beatus Rhenanus says that 't was the Seat of the ancient Sebusii and therefore 't is call'd by Latin Authors Sebusium Dagobert King of France presented this City with a Crown of Silver gilt with Gold and adorn'd with a great many Turrets and other flourishes of Art whose diameter was four and twenty foot In remembrance of which noble present the Citizens had a Crown of Copper of the same bigness hung up in their great Church which continued there till in the late Civil Wars of Germany 't was broken in pieces by the Soldiery who siezed on it for good plunder The same King granted the Citizens of Weissenburg priviledg to hunt and fish within the compass of a certain circle which in some places reaches two German miles from the Town in others no more then one This Circle is in their Charter stiled Emunitas which the modern inhabitants of the place have corrupted into Mundat The Emperor Charles IV. made the Abbot of this place as well as of the Monasteries at Fulda Kempten and Murbach a Prelate of the Empire bestowing on him the Title of a Prince and allowing him to sit at his feet in all Diets and other public Assemblies of the States General of the Empire 3. Brisach The Imperial City Hagenaw is seated between the two Rivers Motter and Sorna about four German miles from Strasburg 'T is encompassed round with a sandy Soil and thick Woods but at some distance from the Town there are large and pleasant Corn-fields with good store of Vineyards It has anciently been reckon'd one of the four chief Villages of the German Empire and indeed it may now as properly as ever be term'd a Village since 't was burnt to the ground by the French Forces A. D. 1677 but had in it even in those days the supreme Court of Judicature for both the Upper and Lower Alsace Afterwards the Emperor Frideric I. wall'd it round beautifying it with a fair Palace wherein himself for some time kept his Residence and making it
them Gudbrandus Thorlacius an Islandish Bishop and discreet person saith that the Islandish Chronicles affirm that they used formerly to trade to Engroneland and that in the days of Popery that Country had Bishops Now our men in all the places where they have landed find none but Savages and those also Idolaters speaking a language different from all that ever they heard though the Natives in their customs most resemble the Laplanders of whom more in due place The occasion of our voyages to those Coasts Later discoveries by the English Sir Martin Frobisher was to find out a way to China c. by the Northwest which had been fruitlesly sought toward the North-east The first whom we read to have searched the North-west for a passage was Martyn Frobisher who in 1576 with two Barks coming to the height of 62 deg found a great Inlet called by him Frobishers Straits whereinto having sailed 60 leagues with main land on either side returned He found there a certain Oar which he conceived to be of Gold and the next year he made a second voyage to fetch a quantity of it but it proving to be nothing but black Lead answer'd not expectation yet they found a Silver Mine which lay so deep and fast in the Rocks that they could not dig it They melted Gold also but in very small quantities out of several stones they found there upon Smiths Isle They found also a dead fish of about twelve foot long not unlike in shape to a Porcpoise having an horn six foot long such as is commonly called Unicorns-horn growing out of his snout which is still kept at Windsor In 1578 he went out again upon a discovery wherein passing as far as he thought good he took possession of the Land in the name of Queen Elizabeth calling it Meta incognita In 1583 Sir Hum. Gilbert Sir Humphrey Gilbert upon the same design went to the great River of St. Laurence in Canada took possession of the Country and setled a fishing trade there This voyage I suppose was made upon suggestion of a Greek Mariner who assured some of our Nation that himself had passed a great Strait North of Virginia from the West or South Ocean and offer'd to be Pilot for the discovery but dyed before he came into England In 1585 Mr. Davis Mr. John Davis was employed with two Barks to the same search The first Land he came to he named the Land of Desolation and is one part of Groneland then he arrived in 64 deg 15 min. in Gilberts Sound where they found a great quantity of that Oar which Frobisher brought into England and also Lapis Specularis Thence they went to 66 deg 40 min. to Mount Raleigh Totness Sound c. where they saw some few low shrubs but nothing else worth noting In 1586 he made a second voyage to the same place where he found amongst the Natives Copper Oar as also black and red Copper Thence they searched many places Westward and returned with good hopes of discovering the desired passage In 1587 he made a third voyage to 72 deg 12 min. the compass varying to 82 deg Westward the Land they called London-Coast and there they found an open Sea and forty leagues between Land and Land thinking this to be the most likely place to find the passage and it was from him called Fretum Davis Thus from time to time proceeded the discovery of these Countries Mr. Hudson but now not upon hopes of a passage to the Indies but for the profit of trading till Mr. Hudson in 1610 after he was satisfied that there was no passage North-easterly was sent to make a trial here also He proceeded an hundred leagues further than any before had done and gave names to certain places as Desire-provokes Isles of Gods mercies Prince Henry's-Cape King James's Cape Queen Ann's-Cape and the like but the Ice hindred him from going further and the sedition of his men from returning home In 1612 James Hall returning into England James Hall and with him William Baffin who discovered Cockins Sound in the height of 65 deg 20 min. which differed in Longitude from London 60 deg 30 min. Westward They saw also the footing of a great Beast they supposed an Elk or the like James Hall was killed in the Boat by a Native pretending to trade with them They tried the Mine at Cunninghams River which the Danes had digged before and found it to be nothing worth There were Rocks of very pure stone finer and whiter than Alabaster and Angelica growing plentifully in many places which the Savages use to eat In 1615 Mr. Baffin was sent again Mr. Baffin he found Fair-Point to differ in Longitude from London 74 deg and 5 min. Westward But the chief thing they discover'd was that there was no passage in the North of Davis Straits it being no other than a great Bay but that profit might be made by fishing for Whales Morsses and Unicorns of which there are good store In 1616 Mr. Baffin went again In Sir Tho. Smiths Sound 78 deg Lat. their Compass varied 56 deg Westward the greatest variation that is any where known Despairing to discover their desired North-west passage they returned home and since that we hear of no more voyages made from England upon that design The King of Denmark also By the Danes partly to advance the trading of his own and partly to renew his ancient pretence to that country if any thing should be discovered worth the claiming whilst the English were busie in these discoveries set out two Ships and a Pinnace 1605 the Admiral was Capt. John Cunningham a Scot Godske Lindenaw a noble Dane was Vice-Admiral the chief Pilots were James Hall and John Knight English men Gotske arrived on some part of the country where he traffick'd some small matters with the natives took two of them and returned into Denmark The other two Ships arrived at Cape Farewell thence went to Frobishers Straits gave Danish names to divers places traded with the natives of whom they brought away three and found certain stones in a place call'd Cunninghams Ford out of an hundred pound of which were extracted twenty-six ounces of fine silver In 1606 He sent again four Ships and a Pinnace Godske Lindenaw Admiral and James Hall Pilot-General they brought away five of the natives In 1607 James Hall was sent again but the Seamen mutining as soon as he came to the coast brought the Ship back again into Denmark without any thing done The King of Denmark set out two Ships more under Christian Richardson an Holsteiner with Norwegian and Iselandish Mariners who returned before they saw shore More of their expeditions we know not till 1619 when he sent out John Munck with two Ships They arrived safe at Cape Farewell 60 deg 30 min. where their tackle was so frozen and full of isicles that they could not handle them the next day was so hot