penny halfe-penny whereof eight make an English penny The Irish Histories report that a Bishop Iustice of Ireland vnder Iohn King of England did coyne moneys in Ireland of the same purenes and weight with the English And the Irish had a Mint-house at the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne But in our memory the Irish haue not enioyed any priuiledge of coyning moneys but haue continually receiued them from the Mint of England And for the most part of Queene Elizabeths Raigne they had the same coyne with the English saue that the Irish shillings were stamped with a Harpe the Armes of the Kingdome and being called Harpers were only worth 9 pence English But ciuill warre hauing set all Ireland in a combustion the same Queene more easily to subdue the rebels did take siluer coyne from the Irish some few yeers before her death paid her Army with a mixed base coyne which by Proclamation was commanded to bee spent and receiued for sterling siluer mony for no pieces of gold were at any time expressely coyned for the Irish. And this base mixed money had 3 parts of copper and the fourth part of siluer which proportion of siluer was in some part consumed by the mixture so as the English Goldsmiths valued a shilling thereof at no more then 2 siluer pence though they acknowledged the same to be worth 2 pence halfe penny At last the ciuill warre being appeased immediately before the Queenes death King Iames her successor in the yeere 1605 took away this mixed coine restored their old siluer harpers to the Irish. Moreouer in the happy beginning of King Iames his Raigne the Irish had the vnder written old coynes which Sir George Carey Knight at that time Lord Deputie and yet continuing Treasurer at wars for that Kingdome did so gather vp as at this day none of them are to be found These coynes were thus called First they had siluer groats called broad faced groates which of old were coyned for foure pence though some of them were now worth eight pence Also they had siluer groats called crosse-keele groats stamped with the Popes tripple Crowne likewise coined for foure pence but being of more value And these groats were either sent hither of old by the Popes or for the honour of them had this stampe set vpon them Lastly they had siluer groats of like value called Dominus groats of the Kings of England then called Domini that is Lords of Ireland Also they had Rex groats so called of the Kings of England after they had the stile of Kings of Ireland which were coyned for foure pence but by the mixture of copper were onely worth two pence Also they had white groats which were coyned for foure pence but of such base allay as nine of them were giuen for an English shilling They had little brasse pence and pence of a second kinde called Harpers being as big as an English shilling They had also brasse farthings called smulkins whereof foure made a penny Lastly there were lately found brasse coynes by plowing vp the earth whose stampe shewed that the Bishops of Ireland had of old the priuiledge of coyning And of all these moneys aforesaid some were coyned at London some at the Mint at Yorke and some at the Mint at Bristow in England Being to write of the diuers moneys of Germany I thinke fit first to set downe some Lawes of the Empire about coyning of moneys In the Diet or Parliament at Augsburg in the yeere 1551. it was decreed by the Emperour together with the Electors Princes States the Counsellors of those that were absent the Ambassadours and Substitutes that in the greater pieces of coynes to that piece included which is worth six creitzers the Mint-masters of a marke of Colen pure siluer should make eight gold guldens and a halfe with halfe a creitzer the gold gulden being esteemed at seuentie creitzers making in siluer ten guldens twelue creitzers and a halfe the siluer gulden being esteemed at sixtie creitzers And that hereafter in the sacred Empire the vnder written pieces of moneys should be coyned namely the great siluer piece and two halfes of the same answering in value to a gold gulden Also pieces of twenty creitzers twelue ten sixe three and one Also that the States according to the conditions of their Countreys should coyne for common vse certaine pieces of small moneys with pence and halfe pence That the Rhenish guldens of the Electors and the guldens answerable to them should be worth seuentie two creitzers And that all dollers being worth sixty six creitzers and so half dollers should be admitted by the Counsellers but for the rest that they should certifie the Emperor the true value of each to the end he might prescribe how each coyne according to the value made by them should be receiued and spent or prohibited And left the Empire should by fraudes suffer losse in the carrying out of vncoyned siluer and bringing in of forraine moneys it was in the means time decreed that no man should carry out of the Empire any vncoyned siluer and that those who had the Regall priuiledge of coyning should not fell the same to any other but vseit themselues with this condition that hereafter of a siluer marke of Colen weight they should make ten siluer guldens with twelue creitzers and a halfe the gulden being esteemed at sixtie creitzers so as in that summe there should be found a siluer Marke of the said weight excepting alwaies the charges of coyning for the smaller pieces of moneys And this to bee done vpon penaltie of losing that priuiledge Moreouer it was decreed that vpon paine of burning all men should abstaine from clipping and washing of coynes or any abasing of them with like fraudes Lastly it was decreed that the States hauing the priuiledge of coyning should not hereafter vpon penaltie bring any dollers guldens groshes or halfe or fourth parts of groshes to the mint excepting those who had mines of their owne who were not sorbidden to coyne as much gold and siluer as they had in their owne mines so they coyned according to the foresaid decree and that no other should coine any other gold then according to the value and weight vsed by the Emperor and the Princes of the Empire vpon the Rheine In the Dieta at Spyre in the yeere 1557 it was decreed that hereafter the stipends should be increased to the Assessors of the Imperiall Chamber so as a Gulden hauing beene giuen hitherto for 16. Batzen or sixty foure Creitzers should hereafter be paied from the Callends of Aprill in the yeere 1558 for seuenty seuen Creitzers Likewise in the Dieta at Augsburg in the yeer 1558 it was decreed that the following stipends should be paid to the Iudge and Assessors of that chamber Namely that the Iudge being an Earle or Baron should haue 2000. guldens and if he were a Prince his stipend should be increased That an Assessor being an Earle or Lord should haue
inheritance in Brabant and Flaunders excepting the Principality of Orange seated in France neare the City of Marseits und when he suspected the counsels of the King of Spaine into whose net Count Egmond confident in his innocency and great seruice done to the King and the Count of Horne vnaduisedly fell he first withdrew himselfe into France and after into Holland where as I said hee ioyned with the States of the Vnited Prouinces and was much respected and loued of them all inioying from them honourable meanes of maintenance well deserued in that his name and assistance much profited the common cause He had many wiues first he married the Countesse of Buren sole daughter and heire to her father and she bare him a sonne who in the beginning of these troubles was a Student in the Vniuersity of Louan whence the Gouernour called him and sent him into Spaine and she bore him likewise a daughter which was married to Count Hollock a German well respected by the States for his warlike reputation and good seruices done to them and he with his wife liued in Holland when I passed through these parts His second wife was the sister to the Elector of Saxony by whom he had the foresaid Count Maurice who yet being young succeeded his father in the generall conduct of the States Army and about this time whereof I write had taken two strong Cities in Brabant the inheritance of the Prince of Orange namely Bredaw and Getrudenberg and because they were part of the Earledome of Buren some difference was then about them betweene the said Count Maurice and his said sister by the fathers side wherein it was generally said that the States fauoured the Count. Also the Prince had by this wife a daughter after married to the Gouernour of Friesland His third wife was sister to the Duke of Mompensier in France which had been a Nun and by her hee had sixe daughters Lewis married to the Palatine of the Rhein Marie then liuing at Hage the third liuing then in France the fourth with the Count of Schwarthenburg and Francis also then liuing at Hage and a sixth then brought vp in the County of Nassaw His fourth wife was a French Lady of the Family Chastillon famous in that worthy Admirall of France killed in the Parisian Massacre And this wife after the Prince was slaine liued then at Hage with her onely sonne by him who being borne at Delph in Holland was therefore and for many respects much regarded by the Hollanders and yet being a childe was honoured with military commands and a large stipend for his maintenance and shortly after had the title of Colonell of Holland with no small addition to his meanes Being now to speake of the Magistrates Lawes and degrees of Orders in this Commonwealth it will not be amisie first for coniecture of the generall estate of Netherland to write some few things out of Marchantius a Flemming and other approued Authours particularly of the County of Flanders for the preheminence it alwaies had ouer the rest of the Prouinces The chiefe strength of the Common-wealth of Flanders is in the Counsell or Parliament of the three generall States namely of the Clergy the Nobility and the foure members in steed of the people making the third estate in other Kingdomes and without the consent of these the Earles were neuer wont to exact money or make warre And howsoeuer the King of Spaine hath weakned the authority of this Counsell yet when Subsidies are imposed the very forme of old proceeding comforts the people as a shadow of their old liberty The Earle by writing is to appoint the time and place of this Assembly or in the Earles name the Counsell of Flanders vsed to call together the Burgesses or Deputies thereof In these three States the Clergy is of chiefe dignitie as well for their degree as for the greatnesse of their reuenewes and many Territories vnder their command and among these were onely fiue Bishops till Pope Pius the fourth in the yeere 1560 estalished three new seates of Bishops at Gant Bruges and Ypre The first degree of Nobility is that of Barons hauing their name of Banners which they are bound to follow whereof there bee very many in Flanders and of them some in later times haue beene raised to the titles of Earles and Princes In the second ranke are the Lords of Townes and Villages whence Gentlemen haue their sirnames and they cannot be numbered without tediousnesse But almost all of them haue possession giuen them from some of the Feudatory Courts of the Earles of Flanders and differ in many customes but in this all agree that he who hath this fee cannot alienate it without the consent of the Prince and the next heire or vpon oath giuen in Court that hee doth it for pouerty and want The inheritance of Fees descends to the eldest sonnes a third part reserued for the younger brothers so they giue ouer to the elder their part in the other goods that are not in Fee And it is an high fault if these Lords impose any tribute vpon their subiects except it bee with the consent of the Earle of Flaunders There bee some of these that are called vassals whereof some are clients of an higher some of a lower degree And the Earle of Flanders hath about seuenteene feudatory Courts and the number is very great of Clients in Fee depending immediately vpon one or other of the said Courts whereby the Earle hath many pecuniary profits and other seruices vpon fines and alienations of inheritance In the third rancke of Gentlemen are they who hold inheritance in Fee whereof some are tied to the Iurisdiction and Counsell of the Earle as the Chancelor so called of correcting or cancelling writings ill drawne with blotting outlines which dignitie is tied to the Prepositure of Bruges Church and before the Counsell of Flaunders was erected this Office was of greater authoritie then now it is Others of this kind are Burgraues or Castellanes or high Sheriffes who are set Iudges ouer Townes and Castles with prerogatiue to haue a proportion of the mulcts or fines which dignity belongs to certaine Families and may be alienated to others by sale or for dowrie in marriage and all haue not the like but diuers iurisdiction and preheminence The Burgraue of 〈◊〉 hath the Lordship or command of the Towne which no other Burgraue hath the ruling of the weights in the Market the customes at the Gate capitall Iudgement the fines that are vnder three pounds of Paris and a part with the Earle of the greater fines and the power to appoint the Baily Scabins and Burgomafter and a third part of the goods of bastards dying without children Also the Burgraue of Ypre takes an oath to himselfe of the Officers of that Towne as well as to the Earle and he hath the fines and power to appoint Magistrates Others of this third rancke of Gentlemen haue warlike Offices by inheritance as the
Roman Gate and bearing the Carrier company of whom I hired my horse rode 12 miles the first day after dinner to Marignano through a plaine Country of rich pastures where I paied 3 reali for my supper The second day I rode 30 miles to the Castle Pizighitone through like rich Pastures hauing by the way paid 24 soldi for my dinner and neere my iournies end 3 soldi for my passage ouer the Riuer Adda and at this Castle 1 paied 30 soldi for my Supper The French King Francis the first taken prisoner by the Emperour in the yeere 1525 was for a good space kept with much honour in the tower of this Castle The third day in the morning 1 rode ten miles to Cremoná The Family Pallauicini at this day chiefe in the City when the Empire of Rome decaied made themselues Lords of this Citie whom Galeatius Vicount of Milan subdued and vnited the City to the State of Milan and so by the said Dukedome subdued by the Spaniards it came into their subiection The Cardinall Francis Sfondrato and Eusebius the writer of the Ecclesiasticall Historie were borne in this Citie The forme of the City seemes very like to a Cardinals Hat with broad brimes and it is seated in a Plaine one mile distant from the Riuer Po. Wee entred this Citie by the narrow part lying towards Milan and there is a most strong Fort built to keepe the Citizens in awe and kept by a Spanish Garison and seated in a plaine field wherein are no other buildings but the Fort it selfe From hence going to the opposite broader part of the Citie is a large and very faire Market place neare which is a Tower or Steeple of such height and beautie as the Italians prouerbially say One Peter at Rome one Hauen at Ancona one Tower at Cremona thereby noting the excellencie This Tower is built of bricke and hath foure hundred ninetie and two staires in the ascent Neare the same is a statua of a Giant who they say was ouercome by Hercules the founder of the Citie and the Citizens keepe a feast once a yeere at which time with many ceremonies they adorne this statua with rich robes Neere this Tower and Market place lies the stately Cathedrall Church and the fairest and richest Monastery is that of Saint Dominick This Citie hath many stately Pallaces and the streetes thereof are broad and very pleasant Here I payed thirtie three soldi that is the fourth part of a Ducaton for my supper From hence to Mantua are fortie fiue miles whether I hired a horse for fiue lires The first day we rode twentie two miles where going out of the Dutchie of Milan and passing the Riuer Oye wee entered the Dutchie of Mantua and then rode nine miles to Mercaria And by the way we passed the pleasant Castle or rather Citie called Bozilia belonging to Iulius Gonzaga being of the Family of the Dukes of Mantua which Castle was built with open cloisters or arches toward the streete vnder which the passengers walke drie in the greatest raine and such are the buildings of the Cities in this Dukedome and in many neighbour places By the way also in a solitary Inne I paid fifteene soldi for my dinner and at Mercaria I payed thirtie foure soldi for my supper The second day we rode fourteene miles to Mantua through most fruitfull fieldes tilled after the manner of Lombardy and in a most durtie highway The Histories report that this Citie had the name of Manto the daughter of Tyresias It is seated in the middest of Fennes or Lakes made by the Riuer Mencius The buildings are partly of Brick partly of Free stone and the streetes are large and cleane The forme of this Citie is round saue that the foresaid Lakes on the North and East-sides enter into the Citie in the forme of an halfe Moone Comming from Cremona I entred Mantua on the West side by the Gate Praedella where is a faire streete called Il Borgo On the same side towards the South is the Gate Pistrella which leades to the Dukes stately Pallace called Teye seated some mile out of the Citie and compassed with water where in the Giants Chamber I did see most faire pictures and it is built in a quadrangle onely two stories high with a low roofe after the manner of the building of Italy On the South-side is the Gate of 〈◊〉 whence the way lies by the banke of the Lake to a Village called Petula two miles distant from the Citie in which they say that the famous Poet Virgil was borne and shew the house where his parents dwelt Partly on the North and partly on the East side the Citie is compassed with Lakes which vsually are couered with infinite number of water foule and from these Lakes there is a passage into the Riuer Po and so by water to Venice On the North-East side is the Gate of S. George whence betweene the two Lakes is a causey two hundred walking paces long and beyond it a bridge of stone fiue hundred paces long like to a faire gallery couered ouer the head and supported with bricke pillars hauing open windowes two paces distant one from the other then passing a draw-bridge you come to another causey betweene the said two Lakes which causey is two hundred forty walking paces long before you come to firme land On the East side of the said bridge and within the Citie the Dukes stately Pallace lies vpon the Lake and to this Pallace ioyneth the Cathedrall Church of Saint Peter where also is a pleasant Market-place There lie the Dukes stables and in one of them were some hundred horses for the saddle and in the other as many for the Coach and he hath a third stable without the Gates wherein is the like number of young Colts On the North-side at the furthest banke of the Lake is one onely Gate and a like bridge to passe into the Suburbes and there lics the way to the chiefe Pallace of the Duke some few miles distant from the Citie called 〈◊〉 the building whereof is onely two stories hic with a low roofe and the chiefe chambers were hung with guilded leather after the Italian maner three skins whereof were commonly sold for a Crowne and the Gardens of this Pallace were exceeding pleasant In the middest of the Citie Mantua is a large Market place wherein the Iewes haue their shops and sell all manner of wares for all trafficke is in their hands growing rich by the pouertie of the Citizens and being so much fauoured by the Duke as they dwell not in any seuerall part of the Citie but where they lift and in the very Market-place neither are they forced as in other parts of Italy to weare yellow or red caps whereby they may bee knowne but onely a little piece of yellow cloth on the left side of their cloakes so as they can hardly be distinguished from Christians especially in their shops where they weare no cloakes Such
prospect and likewise a faire picture of Lucretia ready to die No situation can be imagined more pleasant then that of Arqua lying in the mouth of Mountaines abounding with Oliue trees and opening themselues vpon a fruitfull plaine on the East and North sides This plaine yeeldeth nothing in pleasantnes or in fruitfulnes to that of Capua famous for the corrupting of 〈◊〉 Army But it is a 〈◊〉 worke to praise the Euganian hils which so many Poets and Writers haue magnified Vpon Friday the third day of March after the new stile in the beginning of the yeere 1593 according to the Italians beginning the yeere the first of Ianuary of the end of the yeere 1594 according to the English beginning the yeere vpon the twenty fiue of March I turned my face to iourney towards my deere Countrey And the first day I rode eighteene miles to Vicenza through a most pleasant plaine tilled after the manner of Lombardy where one and the same held yeelds plenty of corne and hath Elme trees growing in the furrowes which support the vines so that one field giues bread wine and wood for to burne By the way my curiositie made me turne aside two miles out of the way that I might see a wonderfull Caue and a most pleasant parlor at Costoza in the house of Cesario Irento a Gentleman of Vicenza The Caue was large and fit to receiue diuers bands of souldiers The Parlor was called the prison of AEolus god of the Windes because there were certaine mils which in summer time draw much wind out of hollow Caues and disperse the same through all the chambers of the Paliace refreshing all that dwell there with a most pleasant coole air And vpon this Parlor this verse of Virgill was written AEolus hic clauso ventorum 〈◊〉 cere regnat AEolus here in the winds prison raignes The City of Vicenza is a faire City compassed with a wall of bricke but the building howsoeuer it be very stately is not like to that of other Cities in these parts in this one point namely that the second story of the houses hangeth ouer the streetes and being supported with arches giueth the passengers shelter from raine Here I did see a Theater for Playes which was little but very faire and pleasant In the market place there is a stately Pallace and the monastery of Saint Corona belonging to the preaching Friars is fairely built and hath a rich Library and the Friars keepe for a holy relike the Thorne wherewith Christ was crowned The Citie is subiect to the Venetians and is seated in a plaine hauing mountaines somewhat distant on the North and South sides Here I paid forty soldi for my supper and eighteene soldi for three measures of oates called quarterolli and for the stable so they call hay straw and the stable roome and so I will hereafter call it I paid twenty soldi Here I hired a horse for fiftie six soldi for a foote-man that had attended me hither and was to returne to Paduoa From Vicenza I rode thirty miles to Verona in a most pleasant plaine tilled after the manner of Lombardy lying on my left hand towards Italy farther then I could see and hauing fruitfull nils on my right hand towards the Alpes abounding with vines growing low vpon hort stakes and yeelding rich wines I entered Verona on the East side by the Bishops gate called Porta del'vescono They write that the City was of old called Berona by the name of the Founder thereof but the Friar Leander of Bologna writes that the City was built by the Tuseans and had the name of the Family Vera and was after rebuilt by the Galli Cenomani This most faire City is built in the forme of a Lute the necke whereof lies towards the West on which side the Riuer Athesis running towards the East doth not only compasse the City but runs almost through the center of the body of this Lute so as the lesse part of the body lies on the North side of the Riuer The bankes of Athesis vulgarly called 〈◊〉 Adice are ioined together with three bridges of stone and one of marble and are adorned on both sides with many ruines of an old Theater and old triumphall arches The City is compassed with a wall of bricke and is seated towards the South vpon the end of a large slony plaine and towards the other sides vpon pleasant hils rising towards the distant mountaines It is not built with the houses cast out towards the streetes and supported with Arches to auoid raine as other Cities are in those parts but the building of the houses is stately and the Cathedrall Church is remarkeable for the antiquity as likewise the Church of Saint Anastatius for the great beauty thereof and towards the wals the ground lies void of houses as the manner is in strong Townes It hath a pure aire and is ennobled by the ciuility and auncient Nobility of the Citizens who are indued with a chearefull countenance magnificent mindes and much inclined to all good literature Verona was a free City vnder the Empire about the yeere 1155 till the Family of the Scaligeri growing great in the City about the yeere 1259 did by little and little inuade the freedome of the City and made themselues Lords ouer it At last Anthony Scaliger killing his brother Bartholmew partner with him of that Lordship about the yeere 1381 was driuen out of the City by Vicount Iohn Galeatius the first Duke of Milan and he being dead William Scaliger helped by Francis Carrariensis droue the Garrilon of Milan out of the City in the yeere 1404. But the said Francis killing the said William by poison and the Family of the Scaligers being then so wasted as scarcely any one was to be found of that name the Venetians tooke occasion by this detestable treason of the said Francis to make the City subiect to them but their Army being defeated by the French in the yeere 1509 by a composition made betweene the French King and the Emperour Maximilian the City became subiect to the said Emperour till the Venetians recouered the same out of his hands in the yeere 1517 vnder whose subiection the City to this day flourisheth in great aboundance of all things On the North-side of the City without the wals is the mountaine Baldo hanging ouer the City and famous for the great plenty of medicinable herbes and vpon the side of this mountaine within the wals are no buildings but onely a strong Fort. On the south side lies the way to Mantua 23 miles distant and vpon the same side lies the foresaid stony plaine fiue miles long and ennobled with many skirmishes battels and victories In this plaine the Consull Caius Marius defeated the Cimbri and Odoacer King of the Heruli who destroied the Westerne Empire was defeated by Theodoricus King of the Ostrogothes and the Dutch Emperour Arnolphus Duke of Bauaria was defeated by Hugh of Burgandy then possessing Italy
Vpon the same South side within the wals is a faire market place and the Pallace of the Venetian Gouernour which Gouernour in Italy is vulgarly called Il Podesta And necre the wals on this side lies a stately Monument of an old Amphitheater at this day little ruined vulgarly called Harena and built by Luc Flaminius though others say it was built by the Emperour Octauius It passeth in bignesse all the old Amphitheaters in Italy and the outside thereof is of Marble and the inner side with all the seates is of bricke It is of an ouall forme and the inner yard is sixety three walking paces long and forty eight broade where the lowest seates are most narrow whence the seates arise in forty foure staires or degrees howsoeuer others write that there be onely forty two degrees and they so arise as the vpper is still of greater circuit then the lower And the shoppes of the Citizens built on the outside vnder the said increase of the inner circuit haue about fifty two walking paces in bredth which is to be added to make the full breadth of the inside It hath eighteene gates and betweene euery Arch are very faire statuaes and the seates within the same are said to bee capable of twentie three thousand one hundred eightie and foure beholders each one hauing a foote and a halfe allowed for his seate Each one of vs gaue two gagetti to the keeper of this monument Alboinus King of the Lombards was killed by his wife at Verona In the Monastery of Saint Zeno is a Monument erected to Pipin sonne to Charles the Great and betweene this Monastery and the next Church in a Church yard vnder the ground is the Monument of Queene Amalasaenta Barengarius King of Italy was killed at Verona and this City braggeth of two famous Citizens namely the old Poet Catullus and Guarinus a late writer The territorie of this Citie is most fruitfull abounding with all necessaries for life and more specially with rich Wines particularly the Retian wine much praised by Pliny and preferred to the Wine of Falernum by Virgill which the Kings of the Gothes were wont to carrie with them as farre as Rome It is of a red colour and sweet and howsoeuer it seemes thicke more fit to be eaten then drunke yet it is of a most pleasant taste The Lake Bennaeus is much commended for the store of good Carpes and other good fish besides this territory yeelds very good marble Here I paid forty soldi for my supper and sixteene soldi for the stable that is for hay and straw and eighteene soldi for three measures of Oates Certaine Gentlemen bearing me company from Paduoa to this City and being to returne thither did here each of them hire a horse for three lires and a halfe to Vicenza where they were to pay for their horse meat From hence I rode fifteene miles to the Castle Peschiera built by the old Lords of Verona and seated vpon the Lake Bennacus vulgarly called Il Lago di Gardo where they demanded of me two quatrines for the passage of a bridge but when I shewed them my Matricula that is a paper witnessing that I was a scholler of Paduoa they dismissed me as free of all Tributes And in like sort by the same writing I was freed at Paduoa from paying six soldi and at Verona from paying eight soldi I rode from this Castle seuen miles to a Village seated vpon the same Lake famous for the pleasant territory and the aboundance of good fish and here I paid twenty soldi for my dinner and eight soldi for my horse meat All my iourney this day was in a most sweet plaine rising still higher with faire distances so as the ascent could hardly be seene After dinner I rode eighteene miles to Brescia which City flourished vnder thelold Emperours of Italy then was subiect to the Lombards and tyrant Kings of Italy and they being ouercome to Charles the Great and French Gouernours then to the Westerne Emperours of Germany and to the Italian family of the Berengarij And it obtained of the Emperour Otho the priuiledge to be a free City of the Empire till being wasted by the factions of the Guelphi and Gibellini the Scaligeri a family of the same City made themselues Lords thereof whom the Vicounts of Milan cast out of the Citie and when Phillip Maria Duke of Milan oppressed the City and would not be induced to ease the same of his great impositions they yeelded themselues in the yeere 1509 to the French King who had defeated the Venetian Army Then by the French Kings agreement with the Emperour Maximiltan the Citie was giuen into the Emperours hands whose Nephew the Emperour Charles the fifth restored the same to the French King Francis the first who likewise in the yeere 1517 gaue the same into the hands of the Venetians The most fruitfull territorie of Brescia hath mines of Iron and brasse and I thinke so many Castles Villages and Houses so little distant the one from the other can hardly be found else where The Brooke Garza runs through the City which is of a round forme and is seated for the most part in a plaine and towards the North vpon the side of a mountaine where a Tower is built which hath many houses adioining and in this Tower or Castle the Venctian Gouernour dwels who takes an oath that he will neuer goe out of the same till a new Gouernour be sent from Venice The Cities building is of bricke the streetes are large and are paued with flint Boniface Bembus was a Citizen of Brescia and the Brescians as also the Citizens of Bergamo are in manners and customes more like the French their old Lords then the other Italians farther distant from France and the very weomen receiue and giue salutations and conuerse with the French liberty without any offence to their husbands which other Italians would neuer indure Here I paid forty soldi for my supper and forty soldi for foure measures of oates and for the stable From hence I rode thirty two miles to Bergamo and as the territories in this part of Italy lying vpon the South sunne which beats vpon the sides of the hils and mountaines with great reflection of heat and vpon the other side defended from the cold windes of the North and East by the interposition of the Alpes are singularly fruitfull and pleasant so for the first twenty miles of this daies iourney they seemed to me more pleasant then the very plaine of Capua yeelding plenty of corne and of vines growing vpon Elmes in the furrowes of the lands which Elmes are planted in such artificiall rowes as the prospect thereof much delighteth the eye And the other twelue miles were yet more pleasant being tilled in like sort and towards my iournies end yeelding most large and rich pastures The City Bergamo after the Roman Empire was extinct first obeyed the Lombards then the French and following the fortune
the loue of the Irish to Spaine whence some of the are descended the extortions of Sheriffes and sub-Sheriffes buying these places the ill gouernement of the Church among our selues and the admitting Popish Priests among the Irish and many such like And this fier of rebellion now kindled shall be found hereafter to be increased to a deuouring flame by slow slender oppositions to the first erruptions before they had libertie to combine and know their owne strength by not laying hands timely on suspected persons of quality to preuent their combining with the rest especially in Mounster being as yet quiet by intertaining and arming of Irish men a point of high ouersight begun by S r Ioh. Perrot increased by S r Will. Fitz. Williams the present L. Deputy who at the first sending of forces into Formannagh gaue power to certaine Irish men to raise companies which they did of their own Country men so as this ill custome being after continued it both furnished the enemy with trained men and filled our Bands with such false hearted souldiers as some doubted whether we had not better haue them enemies then friends By a Treatie entertained at the very entrance of the Rebellion before any blow was strucken which made the Traytors proud and daunted the hearts of good subiects By ensuing cessations long cotinuing and giuing liberty to the Traytors to strengthen their combination and to arme themselues in forraine parts and at home whereupon all idle and discontented people had opportunitie to draw into Tyrone and the Traytor Earle of Tyrone had meanes to oppresse the bordering Lords of Countries adioyning whereof many feeling once his power some for feare some for loue ioyned with him Besides that the Army in the meane time was not onely an excessiue charge to the Queene but lay idle and in stead of hurting the enemy oppressed the subiect thereby daily driuing many into Rebellion Lastly for I will not more curiously search the causes being not suteable to so briefe a narration as I intend the Rebellion was nourished and increased by nothing more then frequent Protections and Pardons granted euen to those who had formerly abused this mercy so as all entred and continued to bee Rebels with assurance to be receiued to mercy at their pleasure whereof they spared not to brag and this heartened the Rebell no lesse then it discouraged the subiect This present yeere 1594 about the month of August Sir William Fitz-williams the Lord Deputy being recalled into England Sir William Russell tooke the sword About this time Vlster men in open hostility distressed her Maiesties forces and Tyrone so I will hereafter call him deseruing no addition of title hauing long absented himselfe from the State was vndoubtedly reputed a party in their rebellion when his sudden voluntary appearance before this new Lord Deputy at Dublin in the very first moneth of his gouernement made many hope better of him He most assuredly promised al humble obedience to the Queene as well before the State at Dublin in his own person as to the Lords in England by his letters and making his most humble submission to her Maresty besought to be restored to her former Grace from which he had fallen by the lying slanders of his enemies not by any his iust desert The Marshall Sir Henry Bagnoll was then ready to proue before the Lord Deputy Articles of high treason against Tyrone and to auow that he sent mac Guire with his Primate into Connaght That hee had secret intelligence with the Traytors Mac Guire and Odonnell and had communicated counsels with them and gaue them aide in the wasting of Monnaghan and the besieging of Eniskellin by his brother Cormac mac Baron and by Con his owne base son and that he by threats had drawne the Captaines of Kilulto and Kilwarny from their faith and alleageance to the Queene It was in Councell debated whether Tyrone should be staied to answere hereunto and the Lord Deputy was of opinion he should be staied but most of the Counsellers either for idle feare or inclination of loue to Tyrone thought best to dismisse him for that time and the counsell of these as more in number and best experienced in Irish affaires the Lord Deputy followed This much displeased the Queene since this Foxes treasonable practises were now so apparant and her selfe had forewarned that in case he came to the State he should be staied till he had cleered himselfe of all imputed crimes And the Lords in England by their letters thence sharpely reproued the Lord Deputy for so dismissing him which might giue the Rebels iust cause to thinke that they durst not charge him with treason for feare of his forces and their Lordships professed to doubt that Tyrones performance would not be such as might warrant this act The Lord Deputy shortly after tooke the field and leauing for martiall causes the Earle of Ormond for ciuill causes the Lord Chanceller to gouerne Lemster and those parts in his absence drew the forces into Fermannagh that he might releeue Enis-Kellin and expell mac Guire out of his Countrey This winter following it seemes there was some negotiation on both sides about peace For in the moneth of February the Lords of England wrote to the Lord Deputy of her Maiesties dislike of certaine writings sent ouer from Odonnel and Sir Arthur Oneale namely that in their petitions they included the pardon of mac Guire and Orwarke commonly called Orurke That they indented with the Lord Deputy that he should come to Dundalke within a moneth and especially that the Lord Deputy by Sir Edward More should desire a fortnight more for his comming thither Their Lordships also signified that the Queene sent ouer 2000 old souldiers which had serued vnder General Norreys in Britanny giuing order that they should be diuided into hundreds and so many Captaines besides that 1000. souldiers were leuied in England to be sent thither And because their Lordships iudged that all the practises of the Northern Lords came out of Tyrones schoole how soeuer he grossely dissembled the contrary their Lordships aduised the Lord Deputy to offer Odonnel pardon so as he would seuer himselfe from Tyrone And that the rather because he was put into rebellion by Sir Iohn Perrots imprisoning him without any cause Tyrone hearing that supplies of souldiers namely the old souldiers of Britany were comming for Ireland and that Garrisons of English were to be planted at the Castles of Ballishanon and Belike lying vpon the Lake Earn thought it no longer time to temporise Wherefore about this time of this yeere ending or the first entrance of the yeere 1595 he drew his forces together and in open hostilitie suddenly assaulted the Fort of Black-water built vpon the passage into Tyrone on the South side and taking the same raced it and broke downe the Bridge And now the Northerne Rebels with Banners displaied entred the Brennye Yet at this time Tyrone subtilly made suite for
Pursell Baron of Loughwey 200 foot 6 horse The Omulrians three hundred foote sixe horse The Omaighirs sixtie foote three horse The Okennydayes fiue hundred foot thirty horse The Burkes in the Lord Burkes Countrie two hundred foote foure horse In the County of Corke Iames Fitz-thomas the supposed Earle of Desmond two hundred and fifty foote thirtie horse The Lord of Dewallough two hundred foote eight horse Barry Oge and the Lord Barryes brother in the Muskerye one hundred and twentie foote three horse Dauy Burke in the Carbrye fiue hundred foote In the County of Limrick Pierce Lacy with diuers septs had three hundred foote and fifteene horse In the County of Kerrie the Lord Fitz Morrice Thomas Oge Iohn Delahyde with others fiue hundred foote thirtie horse In the County of Desmond called Oswylliuan Beare and Oswilliuan Mores Countrie Dermod Mac Owen vsurping the name of Mac Arty Moore had fiue hundred foote six horse In the County of Waterford the Rebels had two hundred foote and ten horse In all the Rebels of this Prouince of Mounster were strong fiue thousand thirtie foote and two hundred fortie two horse This number the Earle of Ormond iudged to bee the least and thought the horse one hundred more in number Obserue that all the Cities and Port-townes and almost all the Castles in this Prouince of Mounster and many great Lords and Gentlemen held for the Queene Fourthly and lastly for the Prouince of Connaught In the County of Roscommen the Castles of Roscommen Athlone Tulske Boyle and Ballinestawe were kept at her Maiesties charge and the Rebels of diuers septs had fiue hundred foote fixtie horse In the County of Sligo O Connor Sligo and diuers septs of rebels had three hundred foot and thirtie horse and onely the Castle of Calony held for the Queene Orworke in Leytrim called Ororkes Countrie had sixe hundred foote sixtie horse and not any Castle was kept for the Queene In the County of Maio some three Castles lately held for the Queene but were thought to be rendred vp to Mac William who with his followers had sixe hundred foot sixtie horse In the County of Galloway the towne of Galloway of Atheurie and the Castle of Milech held for the Queene but many septs of the Country were in rebellion who had some foure hundred ninetie foote In the County of Clare the Earle of Thomonds brother who first was vpon suspition committed to prison by the said Earle and after released with the Obryans and Mac Marres and other septs had sixe hundred foote fiftie horse and not one Castle was there kept for the Queene In all the rebels of this Prouince of Connaught were strong three thousand and seuentie foote two hundred and twentie horse And the Rebels in all the foure Prouinces were strong eighteene thousand two hundred fortie sixe foote and two thousand three hundred forty sixe horse The Earle of Essex in the moneth of Aprill dispatched two letters to the Lords in England by the first whereof he aduertised them of this strength of the rebels and by the second that Tyrone had in counsell resolued first to hearten his confederates and strengthen them in their dependency on his protection then to make two heads against the Queenes forces the one in Vlster of some sixe thousand horse and foote vnder his owne commaund and the other in Connaght of some foure thousand horse and foote vnder Odonnells commaund and further aduertised their Lordships that many in Mounster had taken a solemne oath at a publike Crosse in that Prouince to be stedfast in their rebellion And that no traytor sought pardon but vsed such insolent behauiour as might well shew they had no such thought That the mindes of the very subiects were so alienated from the English as well for Religion as Gouernement as some who could bring one hundred horse and three hundred foote into the field vpon priuate reuenge would protest not to be able to serue the State with sixe horse or foote That euery actiue borderer had a solliciter with the Rebels and almost euery one of the greatest in the State had some Rebell or other to his Client Concluding that small or no assistance could be promised from the Irish so as howsoeuer the Queenes Army was great yet he durst boldly say that the playster would doe no more then couer the wound After few dayes of rest good part of the English forces being drawne together this noble Lord Lieutenant gaue entrance to his first actions from which the progresse commonly receiueth a kind of ominous luster or staine And therein hee attempted not the head of the Rebellion according to his own aduise in England and the Queens expresse commaund but was induced by some of the Counsell in that State aiming at their owne priuate interest more then the publike good to leade his forces against some few Rebels in Mounster where he tooke the Castle of Cahir belonging to Edward Butler Baron of Cahir and making a great prey of the rebels cattle in those parts he cast the terror of his forces on the weakest enemies whom he scattered and constrained to flie into Woods and Mountaines to hide themselues The fifteenth of Iune while the Lord Lieutenant was yet in this Mounster iourney he receiued aduertisement from a Captaine whom he had imployed by sea into the North to spie out Tyrones actions that two ships lately come from Spaine had put confidence in Tyrone who went from Dungannon to Loughfoyle about that businesse but they brought onely munition not any treasure That Tyrone had giuen forces to Brian Mac Art sonne to Art Mac Baron that hee might take pledges and watch ouer Neale Mac Brian whom he suspected and had charged Mac Genis to doe the like ouer Mac Cartan also suspected by him so as there was no possibilitie to parley with them according to the instructions giuen by his Lordship That Tyrone kept his great pledges Shane Oneales sonnes in an Iland within a strong fastnesse but as yet had neither gathered at home nor receiued from forraine parts any treasure That both Tyrone and Odonnel had their Agents in the out Iles of Scotland to sollicite the Redshankes to assist them for pay That the King of Spaine had promised them aide of men which they would not haue landed in Vlster but in some Port of Mounster or at Galloway in Connaght That Scots daily carried Munition to them which trafficke might be hindred by two Gallies with Oares but no ship vsing sayles could stop their passage That the grosse of the Northerne Rebels in Vlster and part of Connaght drawne together would be nine thousand foote and one thousand foure hundred horse That they were confident to draw the warre into such a length as should be vnsupportable to the State of England To which end Odonnel had hired a Masse of Redshankes who were to be cessed in Connaght and Mounster because Tyrone hauing deadly fewde with some of the chiefe Leaders durst not trust them
any seruice with the horsemen Now his Lordship was purposed to scourge them and according to his singular secrecie did so keepe his Counsell from divulging and so cunningly masked his intent as he came vpon them when they were most secure It was confidently giuen out that his Lordship meant presently to vndertake some seruice against the O-Mores of Leax and Oconnors of Ophalia and to that purpose meant to lie with his houshold at Monastreuen a great house kept by a Constable for the Queen yea to make this proiect more beleeued his Lordship sent Arras hangings and many prouisions to that house And now the forces hauing beene refreshed his Lordship the twenty two of December being Monday rode to the Nasse twelue miles distant from Dublyn where the rendeuous was appointed that day for the Lemster Garrisons for it was fit those bordering on the North should be left strong On Wednesday his Lordship sent most of his houshold right forward to Monastreuen thirteene miles distant but himselfe with the rest of his seruants and the forces suddenly turned on the left hand into the Glinnes and after a day and nights tedious march ouer steepe mountaines couered with snow he arriued on Thursday being Christmas day at Phelim mac Feogh his house so suddenly as his wife and eldest sonne were taken and himselfe hardly escaped at a backe window and naked into the woods where he kept a cold Christmas while my Lord liued plentifully in his house with such prouisions as were made for him and his Bonnaghs and kerne to keepe a merry Christmas To vent his anger he daily offered slight skirmishes vpon aduantage but his heart was nothing eased therewith being continually beaten His Lordship with the Queenes Forces lay in this Countrey till about the twentieth of Ianuary In which time his troopes spoiled and ransacked the Countries of Rannelagh and Cashay swept away the most part of their cattle and goods burnt all their Corne and almost all their Houses leauing little or nothing to releeue them and to finish the worke his Lordship planted two strong Garrisons vpon them the one at Wicklo on the East side not able to come neerer because a ship with our tooles and instruments was beaten backe by ill weather and could not arriue in time the other at Tullogh vpon the west so as they could not long hold from submitting or flying being thus hedged in This done his Lordship came to Monastreuen with purpose to vndertake the Mores and Connors But hauing in few daies setled a correspondency for proceeding in that seruice betweene our Forces in those parts and the neighbouring septs of Odempsies and some suspected subiects of whose faith till then his Lordship stood not assured and discerning the Mores to be weake in Leax after the killing of their Chiefecashe Oway mac Rory and the burning and spoiling in the Leax iourney so as they had not meanes to keepe their Bonnaghs and hearing that the Oconnors were fled far from that part of Ophaly so as neither of them could be found to make resistance to any reasonable strong Forces His Lordship leauing in these parts some few Companies to assist the subiects rode from Monastreuen the twentie nine of Ianuary to Abiconal nine miles passing by the ruined City of Kildare now altogether disinhabited The thirtieth we passed the Liffye and came to Milhussy one Master Hussyes Castle eleuen miles passing by some pleasant Villages and by Menouth a faire house belonging to the Earles of Kildare now in the hands of the Countesse Mabell an old widdow The thirty one we came to Trym eight miles champion ground This is a pleasant towne for seate if the inhabitants were sutable through which the Boyne runnes and it hath the ruines of a sumptuous Castle This place his LP thought fittest for his present residence for if Captaine Tirrel now the chiefe rebel in Ophalia should draw his force to the South of the Country from hence his Lordship might easily fall back on him If the rebels in the West desired to passe into Mounster as they intended then our forces were so disposed as they could not escape without fighting with vs vpon diladuantage to them And if neither fell out then his Lordship purposed to plant a Garrison at the Cauan in the Brenny and to settle our aboue mentioned Mac Guire in Fermanagh At this time his LP desired to haue authoritie out of England to passe Tirconnel the Countie of Odonel to Neale Garue reseruing eight hundred Acres about Ballishannan and the fishing of the Erne to her Maiestie And such was the opinion of the seruice his turbulent spirit could doe the State as he had the grant of three hundred foot and one hundred horse in her Maiesties pay on condition he should bring the men seruiceable and maintaine them so without further charge to her Maiestie From Trym lying in East Meathe his Lordship the eleuenth of Februarie passing by the Barron of Trimblestones house rode to the Lord of Deluins house in West Meath eleuen miles distant The twelfth we passed ten miles further to Molingar the Shire towne of West Meath compassed with bogges Thence the fourteenth wee went to Ballymore Sir Frances Shanes house ten long miles The sixteenth to Sir Tibbot Dillons house seuen miles Thence the seuenteenth to Athlone fiue miles where the Gouernour of the Prouince of Connaght vseth to lye in a strong Castle belonging to her Maiestie which being scituate in Connaght is deuided from the Towne by a Riuer and a faire bridge of stone with eight arches lying in West Meath And all this Countrie is Champion whereof the greatest part lay waste His Lord returned back the eighteenth of February to Sir Tibbot Dillons house and the nineteenth to Danoar twelue miles being Brian Mac Gohagans Castle in West Meath While his Lordship lay in this Castle he rode forth the twentieth of February to view a strong hold seated in a plaine and in a little Iland compassed with bogges and deepe ditches of running water and thicke woods in which fastnesse Captaine Tirrel with some of the boldest Rebels then lay At the first approch to the bogge two shot of the Rebels came out our horsemen standing on a hill moued continually but my selfe being a raw souldier stood stil and because I had a white horse I gaue the Rebels a faire marke so as the first shot flew close by my head and when I apprehending my danger turned my horse the second flew through my cloake and light in my padde saddle which saued my life and brused my thigh Presently his Lordship seat Sir Christopher Saint Laurence Captaine Winsor Captaine Roper and Captaine Rotheram with wings of Foote into the Wood to discouer the fortified Iland And on the other side sent Captaine Leg to the same purpose While these skirmished with the rebels lying intrenched Master Darcy riding by the skirt of the Wood was shot in the neck The two and twenty day his Lordship drew forth againe
Carew Lord President of Mounster departing from Kilkenny where hee had beene some daies detained by the Earle of Ormonds surprisall at a parley with the rebels came to Waterford And Thomas Fitz-Iames bastard sonne to Iames Fitzgerald late Lord of the Decies chiefe rebell in the County of Waterford fearing present prosecution made sure to be receiued to her Maiesties mercy which the Lord President granted aswell to draw from the titulary Earle of Desmond some part of his strength as to open the passage betweene Waterford and Yoghall by land formerly shut vp so as nothing could passe any way but by sea The twenty three of Aprill at Dungaruen his Lordship receiued aduertisement that Florence mac Carty after many fauours from the State being wholly hispaniolised had great power in Carbry and Desmond and according to his plot with Tyrone at his being there was entered into open action so they terme rebellion That Captaine Flower Sergeant Maior of Mounster had hereupon entered Carbry with 1200 foot and 100 horse burning and spoiling the same and killing many rebels That Florence had leuied of the Prouincials and Bonnaghs so they call waged souldiers 2000 foot yet neuer attempted the English till in their returne they came within fiue miles of Corke where in a fastnesse the midway betweene Corke and Kinsale they assailed the English and were beaten by them some 100. of the Rebels being slaine in which conflict Captaine Flower had two horses slaine vnder him The twenty foure the Lord President came to Corke where he receiued the State of the Prouince by the relation of Sir Henry Pore sole Commissioner for Mounster since the killing of his partner Sir Warham S t Leger by Mac Guire likewise killed in the fight and vnderstood the rebels to be strong and masters of the field supplied with all necessaries from the Townes through the perswasion of Priests and the couetousnesse of the Townesmen About this time Fitzgibbon called the White Knight either ill vsed by Tyrone at his being in Mounster or fearing prosecution submitted himselfe to her Maiesties mercy Likewise Florence mac Carty by perswasion of friends and vpon safe conduct came to the Lord President and protested loialty to her Maiesty but refused to giue his sonne for pledge left his waged souldiers should cast him out of his Countrey till his Lordship threatned to lay aside all other seruice sharpely to prosecute him whereupon he consented for his pledge but required to haue the County of Desmond giuen to him and his 〈◊〉 with title of Mac Carty More or Earle of Clanoar with like high demands which being reiected he desired leaue to sue for these graces in England with promise not to serue against her Maiesties forces in the meane time wherewith the Lord President was satisfied hauing no other end for the present then to make him stand neutrall while the whole forces were imploied against the titulary Earle of Desmond Iames Fitzthomas called the Suggon Earle by nickename Now one Dermod Oconnor hauing no lands yet by marriage with the daughter of the old Earle of Desmond and his great valour had the leading of 1400. Bonnaghs And because the Lord President hoped to ragine the rebels one by another at this time by the wife of the said Dermod and other Agents his Lordship plotted with him vpon promise of great rewards to kill Iames the titulary Earle of Desmond And in like fore one Iohn Nugent a rebell vpon promise of pardon and reward did within few daies vndertake to kill Iohn the said Earles brother About the beginning of May Redman Burke leading 500 Rebels lost 120. of them while he aduentured to take a prey in 〈◊〉 Countrey 〈◊〉 being nourished by the Lord President with hope to be Baron of Letrim drew his men out of 〈◊〉 into Ormond with purpose to leade them into Connaght And Tyrrell leader of the Northerne men staied not long behind him pretending discontent against Dermod Oconnor but indeed fearing some plot against his head It had beene long rumored that the Lord President would take the field the sixth of May which made the rebels draw to a head and spend their victuals so as after ten dayes they were forced to disperse themselues The twentieth of May the Lord President tooke the field and marching towards Lymbricke setled Warders in some Castles to secure the passage thither from Kilmallock At Lymricke his Lordship vnderstood that Iohn Nugent aboue named being ready as he had vndertaken to kill Iohn brother to the titulary Earle of Desmond was by accident hindered from discharging his Pistoll and being apprehended was put to death but as well Iohn as the titulary Earle his brother were so terrified herewith as they durst neuer keep together thought themselues least secure in the head of their owne men from like practises The Lord President marched into Iohn Burkes Countrey and spoyling the fame forced him to seeke her Maiesties mercy on his 〈◊〉 which at last he obtained though with difficulty His Lordship hauing gained here plenty of graine for the Army sent fiue hundred foot into Omulrians Countrey who spoiled the same and killed many rebels Then his Lordship returned to Limricke without any losse and in the beginning of Iune diuided the Army into garrisons not far distant which his Lordship did though the time were fit for seruice that he might attend the plot with Dermod Ocannor for killing the titulary Earle of Desmond which could not well be done except the rebels were dispersed who would keepe together as long as the English Army was in the field Besides his Lordship vpon their breaking tooke aduantage to settle a garrison at Asketon without any resistance Dermod Ocannor tooke the titulary Earle prisoner in the name of Oneale pretending by a forged letter that he had plotted his death with the Lord President presently sent his wife for the money promised in reward wishing the Lord President to draw his forces to Kilmalloch where he would deliuer him the prisoner which his Lordship did accordingly the sixteenth of Iune but the rebels hauing notice hereof drew together foure thousand in number stopped the passages set the titulary Earle at liberty and besieged Dermod Ocannor in a Castle till the Lord President marching thither the 29 of Iune forced forced them to leaue the siege His Lordship kept the field tooke the chiefe Castle of the Knight of the vally wherein were slaine threescore warders tooke other Castles and did many good seruices the rebels in great number lying neere him but neuer 〈◊〉 to fight by reason of the ielousies between them whereupon 2500. Connaght men were sutors to his Lordship to returne home without impediment from his 〈◊〉 At this time Ocannor Kerry yeelded his Castle to the Queene and was receiued to mercy and the Lord President at last granted a passe to the Rebels of Connaght but the Lord Burke not knowing thereof for a priuat reuenge set vpon them as they marched home 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three
out through the dispersed clouds and shining so bright as our best Marrines easily discouered the Harbour of Yoghall and the tide seruing happily we passed the barre into the same And the next morning we might see the danger we had escaped most apparant for our ship was so farre vnable to indure the waues of the sea with her great leake and the foulenesse of the Pumpes if we had been forced to keepe a bord till the next daies light might make vs know the coast as the same night she had sunke in the quiet Harbour if the Marriners had not chosen rather to driue her on ground At this time I found the State of Ireland much changed for by the flight of the Earle of Tyrone and the Earle of Tirconnell with some Chiefes of Countries in the North and the suppression and death of Sir Cabier Odogherty their confederate in making new troubles all the North was possessed by new Colonies of English but especially of Scots The meere Irish in the North and ouerall Ireland continued still in absolute subiection being powerfull in no part of the Kingdome excepting onely Connaght where their chiefe strength was yet little to bee feared if the English-Irish there had sound hearts to the State But the English Irish in all parts and especially in the Pale either by our too much cherishing them since the last Rebellion in which we found many of them false hearted or by the Kings religious courses to reforme them in their obstinate adiction to Poperie euen in those points which oppugned his Maiesties temporall power or by the fulnesse of bread in time of peace whereof no Nation sooner surfets then the Irish were growne so wanton so incensed and so high in the instep as they had of late mutinously broken of a Parlament called for the publike good and reformation of the Kingdome and from that time continued to make many clamourous complaints against the English Gouernours especially those of the pale against the worthy Lord Deputy and his Ministers through their sides wounding the Roiall authoritie yea in all parts the Churle was growne rich and the Gentlemen and Swordmen needy and so apt to make a prey of other mens goods The Citizens of Mounster had long since obtained the renuing of their old Charters with all their exorbitant priuiledges and were now growne most refractory to all due obedience especially for matters of Religion In which parts the very numbers of the Priests swarming among them and being actiue men yea contrary to their profession bloudy in handling the sword far exceeded the number of the Kings souldiers reduced to very smal or no strength And many loose mē flocked into that Prouince out of the Low-Countries who being trained there in the Irish Regiment with the Arch-Duke daily sent ouer new men to bee in like sort trained there and themselues lay dispersed and hidden in all corners with hearts no doubt apt to imbrace mischieuous enterprises And howsoeuer the English Lawyers comming ouer after the last warre vaunted Ireland to be reduced to ful obedience by their Itinerary circuits scarce mentioning with honour the sword that made way to them yet they were therein deceiued that the Irish in their clamorous and litigious nature flying to them with many complaints did it onely to get countenance to their causes from them who were strangers to them perhaps against former iudgements of the Gouernours who better knew them and so to oppose one Magistrate against another not as they might perhaps thinke in sincere affection to be ruled by the Lawes Yea those Chiefes of Countries who vsed to waite on them to the limits of their Country did it rather to keepe the people by their awfull presence from exhibiting complaints against themselues then as the Iudges thought out of their dutifull respect to them or to the State For otherwise euen among the English-Irish in the inferiour persons from the Counstables to the Iustices of Peace and so vpward Iustice had not his due course which can neuer haue life but in the mouing of al the members with due correspondency and many outrages were by the English-Irish and meere Irish done against the English lately planted there So as now when Ireland should haue enioyed the fruites of the last warre in the due subiection of the meere Irish these times threatned the next combustions from our degenerate English Irish. Onely the louers of peace were erected to good hopes by a generall confidence that our Soueraigne would apply his Royall power seuere Iustice most auaileable in Ireland and other his heroick vertues to the timely preuention of any mischieuous issue as not long after his Maiestie happily began with bringing those his subiects to conformity of making wholesome Lawes for the publike good by common consent of that Kingdomes three Estates assembled in his Royall Court of Parliament at Dublyn in the yeere 1614 to which worke and all his Royall counsels God giue happy successe The Lyst of Officers Generall and Prouinciall Warders Horsemen and Footemen as they stood at this time of Peace Officers Generall The Lord Chichester Baron of Belfast Lord Deputy of Ireland hauing enioyed that place many yeeres beyond all example of former times Sir Thomas Ridgeway Treasurer at Warres Sir Richard Wingfeild Marshall of Ireland Sir Olyuer S. Iohns Master of the Ordinance Sir Iohn King Muster-master Sir Allen Apsley and Thomas Smith Commissaries of victuals Edward Lenton Prouost Marshall of the Army Sir Iosus Bodley Directer General and Ouerseer of the Fortifications Sir Thomas Dutton Scout-Master Captaine Iohn Pikeman and Captaine William Meeres Corporals of the field Officers Prouinciall The Lord Dauers Lord President of Mounster and Sir Richard Moryson his Vice-President besides the command in his owne right left him by the Lord Lieutenant Mountioy at his leauing the Kingdome Sir Richard Aldworth Prouost Marshall of Mounster The Earle of Clanrickard Lord President of Connaght Sir Oliuer S. Iohns his Vice-president besides his imployments in his owne right Captaine Charles Coote Prouost Marshall of Connaght Sir Henry Dockwra Gouernour of Loughfoyle Edmond Ellys Prouost Marshall there Sir Henry Follyot Gouernour of Ballishannon The Lord Chichester Gouernour of Carickfergus Sir Henry Power Gouernour of Leax Sir Edward Blaney Seneshal of Monaghan and commander of the Kings Forts there Robert Bowen Prouost Marshall of Lemster Moyses Hill Prouost Marshall of Vlster Captaine William Cole for Ballishannon and Captaine Hugh Clotworth for Loughchichester both Captaines of Boatmen Warders Dublin Castle Roger Dauies hath Warders 14. Maryborough Sir Adam Loftus warders 16. Phillipstowne Sir Garret Moore warders 12 Duncannon Sir Laurence Esmond warders 30. Dungaruan Sir George Carey warders 12. Castlemaigne Sir Thomas Roper warders 17. Limrick Castle Sir Francis Bartley warders 20. Castle Parke Captaine Skipwith warders 20. Halebolin Sir Francis Slingesby warders 20. Athlone Castle the Earle of Clanrickard warders 20. Ballenfad Captaine S. Barbe warders 10. Dromruske Captaine Griffoth warders 9. Carickfergus Castle
all these pieces of flesh as also the intralles of beasts vnwashed they seeth in a hollow tree lapped in a raw Cowes hide and so set ouer the fier and therewith swallow whole lumpes of filthy butter Yea which is more contrary to nature they will feede on Horses dying of themselues not only vpon small want of flesh but euen for pleasure For I remember an accident in the Army when the Lord Mountiey the Lord Deputy riding to take the ayre out of the Campe found the buttocks of dead Horses cut off and suspecting that some soldiers had eaten that flesh out of necessity being defrauded of the victuals allowed them commanded the men to bee searched out among whom a common souldier and that of the English-Irish not of the meere Irish being brought to the Lord Deputy and asked why hee had eaten the flesh of dead Horses thus freely answered Your Lordship may please to eate Pheasant and Patridge and much good doe it you that best likes your taste and I hope it is lawfull for me without offence to eate this flesh that likes me better then Beefe Whereupon the Lord Deputy perceiuing himself to be deceiued further vnderstanding that he had receiued his ordinary victuals the detaining whereof he suspected and purposed to punish for example gaue the souldier a piece of gold to drinke in Vsquebagh for better disgestion and so dismissed him The foresaid wilde Irish doe not thresh their Oates but burne them from the straw and so make cakes thereof yet they seldome eate this bread much lesse any better kind especially in the time of warre whereof a Bohemian Baron complained who hauing scene the Courts of England and Scotland would needes out of his curiosity returne through Ireland in the heate of the Rebellion and hauing letters from the King of Scots to the Irish Lords then in Rebellion first landed among them in the furthest North where for eight dayes space hee had found no bread not so much as a cake of Oates till he came to eate with the Earle of Tyrone and after obtaining the Lord Deputies Passe to come into our Army related this then want of bread to vs for a miracle who nothing wondred thereat Yea the wilde Irish in time of greatest peace impute couetousnesse and base birth to him that hath any Corne after Christmas as if it were a point of Nobility to consume all within those festiuall dayes They willingly eate the hearb Schamrock being of a sharpe taste which as they runne and are chased to an fro they snatch like beasts out of the ditches Neither haue they any Beere made of Malt and 〈◊〉 nor yet any Ale no not the chiefe Lords except it be very rarely but they drinke Milke like Nectar warmed with a stone first cast into the fier or else Beefe-broath mingled with milke but when they come to any Market Towne to sell a Cow or a Horse they neuer returne home till they haue drunke the price in Spanish Wine which they call the King of Spaines Daughter or in Irish Vsqueboagh and till they haue out-slept two or three daies drunkennesse And not onely the common sort but euen the Lords and their wiues the more they want this drinke at home the more they swallow it when they come to it till they be as drunke as beggers Many of these wilde Irish eate no flesh but that which dyes of disease or otherwise of it selfe neither can it scape them for stinking They desire no broath nor haue any vse of a spoone They can neither seeth Artichokes nor eate them when they are sodden It is strange and ridiculous but most true that some of our carriage Horses falling into their hands when they found Sope and Starch carried for the vse of our Laundresses they thinking them to bee some dainty meates did eate them greedily and when they stuck in their teeth cursed bitterly the gluttony of vs English churles for so they terme vs. They feede most on Whitmeates and esteeme for a great daintie sower curds vulgarly called by them Bonaclabbe And for this cause they watchfully keepe their Cowes and fight for them as for religion and life and when they are almost starued yet they will not kill a Cow except it bee old and yeeld no Milke Yet will they vpon hunger in time of warre open a vaine of the Cow and drinke the bloud but in no case kill or much weaken it A man would thinke these men to bee Scythians who let their Horses bloud vnder the eares and for nourishment drinke their bloud and indeed as I haue formerly said some of the Irish are of the race of Scythians comming into Spaine and from thence into Ireland The wild Irish as I said seldome kill a Cow to eate and if perhaps they kill one for that purpose they distribute it all to be deuoured at one time for they approue not the orderly eating at meales but so they may eate enough when they are hungry they care not to fast long And I haue knowne some of these Irish footemen seruing in England where they are nothing lesse then sparing in the foode of their Families to lay meate aside for many meales to deuoure it all at one time These wilde Irish assoone as their Cowes haue calued take the Calues from them and thereof feede some with Milke to reare for breede some of the rest they 〈◊〉 and seeth them in a filthy poke and so eate them being nothing but froth and send them for a present one to another but the greatest part of these Calues they cast out to bee eaten by Crowes and Woolues that themselues may haue more abundance of Milke And the Calues being taken away the Cowes are so mad among them as they will giue no Milke till the skinne of the Calfe bee stuffed and set before them that they may smell the odor of their owne bellies Yea when these Cowes thus madly denie their milke the women wash their hands in Cowes dung and so gently stroke their dugges yea put their hands into the cowes taile and with their mouthes blow into their tailes that with this maner as it were of inchantment they may draw milk from them Yea these Cowes seeme as rebellious to their owners as the people are to their Kings for many times they will not be milked but of some one old woman only and of no other These wild Irish neuer set any candles vpon tables What do I speak of Tables since indeede they haue no tables but set their meate vpon a bundle of grasse and vse the same Grasse for napkins to wipe their hands But I meane that they doe not set candles vpon any high place to giue light to the house but place a great candle made of recdes and butter vpon the floure in the middest of a great roome And in like sort the chiefe men 〈◊〉 in their houses make fiers in the middest of the roome the smoake whereof goeth out at a hole in the top
shirt till it be worne And these shirts in our memory before the last Rebellion were made of some twenty or thirty elles folded in wrinckles and coloured with saffron to auoid lowsinesse incident to the wearing of foule linnen And let no man wonder that they are lowsie for neuer any barbarous people were found in all kinds more slouenly then they are and nothing is more common among them then for the men to lie vpon the womens laps on greene hils till they kill their lice with a strange nimblenesse proper to that Nation Their said breeches are so close as they expose to full view not onely the noble but also the shamefull parts yea they stuffe their shirts about their priuy parts to expose them more to the view Their wiues liuing among the English are attired in a sluttish gowne to be fastned at the breast with a lace and in a more sluttish mantell and more sluttish linnen and their heads be couered after the Turkish manner with many elles of linnen onely the Turkish heads or Tulbents are round in the top but the attire of the Irish womens heads is more flat in the top and broader on the sides not much vnlike a cheese mot if it had a hole to put in the head For the rest in the remote parts where the English Lawes and manners are vnknowne the very cheefe of the Irish as well men as women goe naked in very Winter time onely hauing their priuy parts couered with a ragge of linnen and their bodies with a loose mantell so as it would turne a mans stomacke to see an old woman in the morning before breakefast This I speake of my owne experience yet remember that the foresaid Bohemian Barron comming out of Scotland to vs by the North parts of the wild Irish told me in great earnestnes when I attended him at the Lord Deputies command that he comming to the house of Ocane a great Lord among them was met at the doore with sixteene women all naked excepting their loose mantles whereof eight or ten were very faire and two seemed very Nimphs with which strange sight his eyes being dazelled they led him into the house and there sitting downe by the fier with crossed legges like Taylors and so low as could not but offend chast eyes desired him to set downe with them Soone after Ocane the Lord of the Countrie came in all naked excepting a loose mantle and shooes which he put off assoone as he came in and entertaining the Barron after his best manner in the Latin tongue desired him to put off his apparrel which he thought to be a burthen to him and to sit naked by the fier with this naked company But the Barron when he came to himselfe after some astonishment at this strange right professed that he was so inflamed therewith as for shame he durst not put off his apparrell These Rogues in Summer thus naked beare their armes girding their swords to them by a with in stead of a girdle To conclude men and women at night going to sleepe lie thus naked in a round circle about the fier with their feete towards it and as I formerly said treating of their diet they fold their heads and vpper partes in their woollen mantles first steeped in water to keepe them warme For they say that woollen cloth wetted preserues heate as linnen wetted preserues cold when the smoke of their bodies hath warmed the woollen cloth CHAP. III. Of the Germans and Bohemians Commonwealth vnder which title I containe an Historicall introduction the Princes pedegrees and Courts the present state of things the tributes and reuenews the military state for Horse Foote and Nauy the Courts of Iustice rare Lawes more specially the Lawes of inheritance and of womens Dowries the capitall Iudgements and the diuersitie of degrees in Family and Common-wealth COnstantine the great made Emperour about the yeere 306 remoued his seate from Rome to Constantinople and at his death deuided the Empire among his children And howsoeuer the Empire was after sometimes vnited in the person of one Prince for his reigne yet it could neuer bee againe established in one body but was most commonly deuided into the Easterne and Westerne Empires In the time of Augustulus Emperour of the West the remote Countries of the Empire recouered their liberty by the sword and barbarous Nations in great armies inuaded the Empire till they possessed Italy so as this Emperour was forced to depose his Imperiall dignity about the yeere 476. And thus the Westerne Empire ceased till Charles the great King of France about the yeere 774 subdued the Lombards and was at Rome saluted Emperour of the West by Pope Leo the third and the Princes of Italy From which time the Empires of the East and West of old deuided by inheritance among brothers and Kinsmen had no more any mutuall right of succession but began to bee seuerally gouerned Histories write that Charles the great King of France was descended of the Germans and that all Gallia Transalpina that is beyond the Alpes and vpper Germany as farre as Hungary were by a common name called France onely deuided into Easterne and Westerne France And the diuers Nations of Germany formerly gouerned by their Kings and Dukes were at this time first vnited vnder this Charles the great About the yeere 911. Conrade the first Ion to the Duke of Franconia a large Prouince of Germany was first out of the race of Charles the great saluted Emperour of the West by the Princes of Germany though Charles the Simple and others of the race of Charles the great still reigned France to the yeere 988 yet with lesse reputation then their progenitors had and troubled with many confusions Thus Germany deuiding it selfe from France drew to it selfe the Empire of the West whereof in our age it retaineth rather the shadow then the old glory Foure Dukes of Saxony succeeded Conrade in this Empire and in the time of Otho the third Duke of Saxony and Emperour contrary to the former custome whereby the Emperours succeeded by right of bloud or the last testament of the deceased Emperour or by the consent of the Princes of Germany the election of the Emperour was in the yeere 984 established hereditary to seuen Princes of Germany called Electors by a law made by the Emperour and the Pope From that time the Empire hath remained in Germany with free election yet so as they most commonly therein respected the right of bloud in which respect the house of Austria hath long continued in the possession of the Empire And the Emperours of Germany for many ages by this right gouerned Italy and receiued their Crowne at Rome till wearied and worne out by the treacheries of the Popes and forced to beare the publike burthen vpon their priuate reuenues they were made vnable to support their former dignity For these causes Rodulphus of Habsburg of the house of Austria chosen Emperour in the yeere 1273 first
Emperour Maximilian the first made with Mathias Huniades as by the right of his wife being sister and heire to the said Lodouicus and he caused his sonne Maximilian the second to bee chosen King in his life time as his sonne Rodolphus at this time Emperour was chosen King ' while his Father liued and vnder them through ciuill dissentions and the fearefull neighbourhood of the great Turke great part of this Kingdome hath beene subdued by that Tyrant and for the rest the Emperor Rodolphus to the great reproch of the Empire was forced to send yeerely tribute to Constantinople till the free Cities of Germany slacking to pay this tribute the Great Turke tooke that wished occasion to make warre against the Christians and finding none weaker to resist him then the Emperour hath in our age horribly wasted Hungary and subdued the greatest part of that Kingdome The said tribute was said to be seuen tunnes of gold each three yeeres as I haue heard by graue and learned men but I know not how conuersant in matters of State Rodolphus the Emperour was of a middle stature somewhat corpulent with a ruddy but sower countenance a short thicke beard and browne coloured haire At that time mourning for his dead sister he wore blacke garments of small price Hee was said to loue solitarinesse and to exercise the Arts of Alchumy and Painting Hee was most easie of accesse and very affable so as euery man spake to him with small reuerence and in the Chamber of Presence the Courtiers and strangers gaue no reuerence to the Chaire of Estate the Sword and the Scepter but stood by with their heads couered yea laid their hands or leaned vpon the cushion without any ceremony of reuerence He was esteemed sparing of speech and liberall in his nature so as he rewarded his Courtiers honourably though slowly for want of money which made him not able to shew any magnificence Nothing was more common in euery mans mouth as well German as Bohemian then that hee was much addicted to the warfare of Venus bearing in his body strange scarres and priuy maimes thereof but abhorred from the warre of Mars At Vienna I did see Ernestus and Mathias brothers to the Emperour eating at one Table together for they admit all subiects and strangers to come into the roome where they eate at the times of dinner and supper Before the Arch-Dukes came in all stood with their heads couered Then the Caruer making himselfe ready to serue at the Table laid his hat vpon the Chaire of Estate contrary to our English manner who giue reuerence to that Chaire though our Princes be absent When the Arch-Dukes sate downe at Table all the standers by bended their knees They both sat on one side with their backes to the wall and each had a Foole to stand by him one at the Tables end another on the opposite side to whom with their owne hands they gaue largely to eate which they greedily deuoured The two Arch-Dukes did both together feede on spoonemeates For other dishes liking either of them each called for them by a becke or dumbe signe and so refused other but if any one dish liked them both it was first set before Ernestus and after before Mathias Both had one taster but each had his Cupbearer They spake not a word one to the other or to any attending and Ernestus did swallow his drinke Mathias did sip it Ernestus was somewhat like the Emperour his brother saue that his haire was blacker and his countenance more warlike Mathias was very slender with a more effeminate face and a thinne or no beard and whitish haire Their apparrell was nothing lesse then sumptuous These brothers of the Emperour had no possessions of inheritance allotted vnto them but were content to haue their expences borne by the Emperour Many Pensioners liued in the Emperours Court but few had diet and lodging therein The Emperour had one hundred Hascheres to whom hee gaue for diet to each twelue Rhenish Guldens by the moneth and for apparrel to each foure twenty Guldens by the yeere Hee had one hundred for his Guard called Trabantoes of which each one had eight Guldens by the moneth for his diet and if any one of them had serued ten yeeres to him the Emperor vsed to giue a pension aboue his wages granted for life and to dispose them in Monasteries when they grew olde and vnfit for seruice Ten Hascheres and twelue Trabantoes attended each day and watched the night in the Court who for that time had at the Emperours charge plenty of bread and wine Many Gentlemen had pensions to keepe Horses to the number of some 1500 and for each Horse they were allowed ten guldens by the moneth but these stipends being paid but once in two yeeres and then not fully they kept not these Horses at all times in full number but only when they heard that the payment was like to be made because they were so paid the officers neuer mustred them but at that time Some few had diet and lodging in the Court as 6 Gentlemen of the Chamber whereof each had a pension of forty Guldens by the moneth and sixe vnder them who had twenty Guldens by the moneth Likewise sixty Truxes who had each a Pension of thirty Guldens and sixty Horsemen called Hofdiener that is Seruants at Court who were allowed for each horse as I formetly said ten Rhenish Guldens by the moneth and no man had allowance for more then three horses Likewise a Master of the Wardrobe had twenty Guldens and a Controler had the like pension Sixteene Boies the sonnes of Gentlemen were Pages to the Emperour to whom he gaue apparrell and diet in the Court The very chiefe Counsellers had yeerely pensions from the Emperour He had three Fauorites a Bohemian Barron of the Popells the Lord of Firstemburg a German and Rumpf a Gentleman of Ausirta who was in chiefe grace with him and was said to haue a pension of fiue hundred Dollors by the moneth and to haue receiued by gift in the space of one yeere eighty thousand gold Guldens The wages and pensions were very vncertainly paid so as the Courtiers vsed diligently to obserue when the reuenew of any Prouince was brought in that by such opportunitie they might get part of the money due to them But when the Emperours cofers were full these paiments were easily obtained so as I haue knowne forty thousand Dollers distributed for wages and Pensions at one time The Emperour had fiue stables and in one sixtie heauie horses of Germany in the second twenty Spanish Genets and in the other three 60 forraigne horses of the best races From Charles the Great the Westerne Emperors were either appointed by the dying Emperours Testament or chosen by the generall consent of the Princes in both which courses the next heyres were commonly preferred till the reigne of Otho 3. in his time his Kinsman Brenno a Saxon was chosen Pope taking the
the Daughter and Heire to the sickely Duke to whom himselfe was next of kinne by the Fathers side and Heire And it was a common speech that the said sickely Duke had lately lent forty thousand Guldens to the King of Poland and that the Elector of Brandeburg had offered seuen Tunnes of gold to the King of Poland that his Grandchild might succeed in the Dukedome of Prussia but that it was flatly refused by the Senate of Poland so as it was diuersly thought according to mens diuers iudgements what would become of the Dukedome after the said sickly Dukes death some iudging that the King of Poland would keepe the Dukedome falling to him others that the powerfull Family of Brandeburg would extort the possession thereof by force of money or of armes I omit the military Orders of Knights in England France and Netherland to be mentioned in their due place Among the Germans I could not obserue any ordinary degree of Knights conferred in honour vpon such as deserue well in ciuill and warlike affaires such as the Kings of England giue to their Subiects with the title of Sir to distinguish them from inferiour Gentlemen But in our age we haue seene Master Arundell an English Gentlemen created Earle of the Empire for his acceptable seruices to the Emperour Christian Elector of Saxony deceased did institute a military Order of Knights like to the Teutonike Order saue that it is no Religious Order and he called it Die gulden geselschaft that is the Golden Fellowship by which bond hee tied his neerest friends to him And the badge of the Order was a Iewell hanging in a chaine of gold hauing on each side of the Iewell engrauen a Heart peirced with a Sword and a Shaft and vpon one side neere the Heart was the Image of Faith holding a Crucifix with these words grauen about the Heart Virtutis amore that is for loue of Vertue vpon the other side neere the Heart was the Image of Constancie holding an Anker with these words grauen about the Heart Qui perseuer at adfinem saluus erit that is He that perseueres to the end shall be saued Lastly about the circle of the Iewell these great letters were engrauen F. S. V that is Fide sed vide namely in English Trust but beware The Prouinces of the reformed Religion haue no Bishops but the reuenues of the Bishoprickes are either conucrted to godly vses or possessed by the Princes vnder the title of Administrators And in like manner the reuenues of Monasteries for the most part are emploied to maintaine Preachers and to other godly vses but in some places they still permit Monkes and Nunnes I meane persons liuing single but not tied with Papisticall vowes for the education of their children and the nourishing of the poore In each City and each Church of the City many Ministers or Preachers serue who haue no tythes but onely liue vpon Pensions commonly small and not much vnequall For Ministers commonly haue one or two hundreth Guldens and the Superintendants one or two thousand Guldens by the yeere besides wood for fier and Corne and some like necessaries for food These Superintendants are instead of Bishops to ouersee the Cleargy but are not distinguished in habite or title of dignity from the other Ministers yet to them as cheefe in vertue and learning as well the Ministers as all other degrees yeeld due reuerence and in all Ecclesiasticall couses they haue great authority But otherwise Germany hath many rich and potent Bishops of whom generall mention is made in the Chapter of Prouerbs and particularly in this Chapter much hath beene said of the three spirituall Electors The Husbandmen in Germany are not so base as the French and Italians or the slaues of other Kingdomes but much more miserable and poore then the English Husbandmen yet those of Prussia a fat and fertile Country come necrest to the English in riches and good fare The other being hired by Gentlemen to plough their grounds giue their seruices at low rates and pay so great rent to their Lords as they haue scarcely meanes to couer nakednes with poore clothes and to feed themselues with ill smelling coleworts and like meate In Morauia incorporated to Bohemia and lying betweene it and Polonia the husbandmen are meere slaues And at my being there I heard that the Barron of Promnetz hauing been lately in Italy did make free a slaue of his who was there a Potecary and gaue him a present Also I vnderstood by discourse that the Marquesse of Anspach in Germany hath many meere slaues for his husbandmen But all other in Germany are free howsoeuer without doubt they be greatly oppressed not only by the Gentry but also by the Church-men so as wee find in late histories that the Bawren or clownes in the yeare 1502 made a rebellion perhaps with the mind after the example of the Sweitzers to get liberty by the sword but yet pretending only reuenge vpon Bishops and Church-men prouerbially saying that they would not suffer them to draw breath And it is probable that the neighborhood of the Sweitzers who rooted out their Noblemen got liberty by the sword makes the Gentlemen of Germany lesse cruell towards the poore clownes For either vpon that cause or for the fertility of the Country no doubt the clownes in Sueuia and places neare Sweitzerland liue much better then in any other parts as likewise in places neere Denmarke and Poland admitting slaues generally the poore people are more oppressed then any where else through Germany In Bohemia the highest degree is that of Barons and the Gentlemen haue the same priuiledges with them all other in townes and fields are meere slaues excepting Cities immediately subiect to the Emperor as King of Bohemia where many are either emancipated for mony or find more clemency vnder the yoke of a German Prince For in lands belonging to the Barons and Gentlemen the King hath no tribute but all is subiect to the Lord with absolute power of life and death as likewise the King hath his lands and some thirty Cities in like sort subiect to him And howsoeuer the Gentlemen doe not commonly exercise this power against the people left the Germans should repute them tyrants yet with wonder I did heare at Prage that a Baron had lately hanged one of his slaues for stealing of a fish It is free for a Gentleman to hang any of his slaues for going into strange Countries without being made free if he can apprehend him Many times they giue them leaue to goe into forraigne parts to learne manuary arts but they call them home at pleasure and when they come back make them worke for the Lords behoofe They take their Daughters for mayd seruants and Sonnes for houshold seruants at pleasure And these poore slaues can leaue their children nothing by last Will and Testarnent but all their goods in life and at death belong to the Lords and they will find
the weauer After sworne men measure and marke the cloth besides other officers who curiously and particularly view each cloth I said before in the History of this towne that it made warre vpon the Abbot when he sought to remoue from it to another towne more absolutely in his power not only the gainefull trade of clothworking but also the holy reliques whereby in those daies great gaine came to them Among the Rhetians or Grisons each conuent or meeting or community hath his Amman and chiefe Magistrates yeerely chosen and a generall Gouernor of the whole leage called Landtrichter that is Iustice of the land yeerly chosen at the publike meeting They haue many conuents or meetings but only three leagues The head of the second league called the house of God is the City of Chur which hath a Cathedrall Church and the common-wealth thereof is not vnlike that of Zurech The three leagues haue but one common-wealth for howsoeuer most places haue their owne Magistrates and Lawes or rather customes and Courts of Iustice aswell for Ciuill as criminall causes yet the chiefe power is in the common or publike Senate of the three leagues consisting of the Burgesses of the seuerall conuents not vnlike the generall Senate of the Sweitzers and the meeting of all the people is seldome called But they haue another Counsell or Senate of the chief men namely the Prouinciall Iudge of the vpper league the Consull of Chur for the league of the house of God the Amman of the third league of the ten Iurisdictions with other chosen men ioined to them but this Counsell hath not full power for the acts thereof are referred to the communities of the leagues that stands in force which the greater part of them doth confirme and the iudgments of such causes as are referred to the seuerall communities are registred in a written booke They determine controuersies and giue Iudgements as the Sweitzers doe Among their Statutes it is decreed by common consent that the Bishop of Chur or any Ecclesiasticall person shall not appoint any Ciuill Magistrates but that they shall be chosen by the voices of the people The three leagues haue their prefectures or gouernments vnder them the gouernor of their Italian prefectures as of those vnder the Sweitzers is vulgarly called Il Podesta from whom the subiects may appeale The three leagues by course appoint these Gouernors for two yeeres and the conuentes or communities by course in their owne league name the said Gouernors for two yeeres Touching the Valesians The conuents of vpper Valesia are seuen and of the lower are six The Bishop of Sedune is the Prince of the Country or region who is named the Earle and Gouernor of the same and he is chosen by the Cannons of the Church at Sedune and by the Burgesses sent from the seuen conuents of vpper Valesia The Captaine of the Country is next to the Bishop and is chosen by the Bishop and the said Burgesses for two yeeres and confirmed by the publke consent of the seuerall conuents and to him all Ciuill causes are referred Each conuent hath a chiefe Magistrate or Maior or Castellan who with the Senate of that counent iudgeth Ciuill and capitall causes and vnder him is the Amman whichis the highest officer in the Cautons dwelling in villages Appeales are admitted from all the seuerall conuents to the publike Senate of Valesia consisting of Burgesses chosen by the conuents and this Senate meetes at Sedune twise euery yere and the Bish op sits in that Counsell and the Baly takes the Voyces By this Senate the Common-wealth is gouerned the gouernours and publike Officers are chosen and it is called the highest Court from which there is no appeale The Lords of Chiurone of old were of great authority and are the Marshalls of the Bishopricke of Sedune Vicounts of Sedune and Seneschalls or Stewards of Valesia The Valesians haue a peculiar Statute to represse the violence of mighty men The Common wealth is gouerned by the Bishop and the seuen Conuents of vpper Valesia whom lower Valesia obeyeth being distributed into sixe prefectures or gouernments and three other prefectures out of Valesia taken or subdued in the Sauoian warre are also subiect to them The Towne of Bipenne hauing league with the three Cantons for ciuill causes acknowledgeth the Bishop of Basil and for Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction is vnder the Bishop of Losanna but hath cast of the yoke of the Papacy and obtained immunitie from the Bishop of Losanna when that Bishoprick and Citie were taken and made subiect to the Canton of Bern. The Bishop of Basil appoints the Maior out of the Senate of the Towne and the Maior taketh an oath from the Citizens and they likewise an oath from him and he with the Senate iudgeth criminall causes and is President for capitall Iudgements The Bishop hath halfe of all fines aboue three pound and certaine tythes with some other reuenewes but the Customes Impositions and Tributes belong to the Citie The Citizens serue the Bishop of Basil in warre but no further from the Towne then they may returne home the same day but if he will vse them further he must hire them with pay The same priuiledges were granted to this Towne by the Bishop in the yeere 1382 which he granted to the lesser Towne of Basil. The publike Senates as well the greater as the lesser are yeerely chosen by all the Citizens and the Master of the Citizens or Burgomaster is next in authority to the Maior and is chosen by both the Senats and when they consult of the Common-wealth the Maior and the Officers of the Bishop goe out of the Counsell The Consull Tribunes Iudges and other Officers are chosen by both the Senates onely the Ensigne is chosen by all the people and he with the Consull hath the care of Pupils This Towne hath some subiects and their Conuents without any Gouernour exercise Iudgements but the greatest matters are referred to the Senate of the Towne The Stipendiary Townes or Cities of the Cantons haue two Counsels or Senates and he that is President of the publike Counsell is called Schuldthess as set ouer debts and at Baden he is chosen by both the Senates Also they haue their Officers their Exchequers and Tributes belongiug to each City but at Baden the customes at the gate belong to the Towne but the impositions vpon Merchandise belong to the Cantons to which the Towne is subiect Lastly they haue Iurisdiction in Ciuill criminall and capitall causes Among them the Towne of Frawenfeld redeemed it selfe from the seruitude of the Monastery of Augia for no small part of the Citizens were Ecclesiasticall slaues to that Monastery At this day it giues an oath to the Lord of Augia the priuiledges alwaies preserued and that Monastery is incorporated to the Bishoprick of Constantia vulgarly called Costnetz The City Iudges haue also power to iudge and punish capitally Touching the prefectures or gouernementes vnder the