only Daughter and she was married to Maximilian the Emperour of the house of Austria from whom the inheritance descended unto Charles the fifth Emperour who yeelding it over to his Son Philip the second did charge him to intreat that people well which he forgetting to do under pretence of rooting out the profession of Religion did intangle himselfe and all that Countrey with a very long bloudy and wearisome warre There is no part of Europe which for the quantity of the ground doth yeeld so much riches and commodities as the Low-Countries do besides their infinite store of shipping wherein they exceed any Prince of Christendome They were in time past accounted a very heavy dull people and unfit for the Wars but their continual combating with the Spaniards hath made them now very ingenious ful of action and managers of great causes appertaining to fights either by sea or land The 17 Provinces are these Brabāt Gelderlād Artois Valencois Luxenburg Flanders Henault Lile Namurce Holland Zeland Tornabū Tornacetium Mechlin Utrecht and the East and West Freezeland France hath many petty Governments that do border upon it as the Dukedome of Savoy the State of the Switzers the Dukedome of Lorraine the Burgundians or Walloons against all which the King is forced to keep his frontier Towns There is nothing more famous in this Kingdome then the Salique law whereby it is provided that no woman nor the heire of her as in her right shall injoy the Crown of France but it goeth alwaies to the Heire Male. The Author of the Commentaries against Machiavel reputeth it a great blessing of GOD that they have the Salique Law in France and that not so much saith he because Woman by the infirmity of their Sex are unfit to govern for therein many men who have enjoyed Kingdomes have been and are very defective but because by that meanes the Crowne of France is never endangered by Marriage of a forraigner to come under the subjection of a stranger And this is the opinion of Philip de Comines in the 8 Booke of his Commentaries This Law is very ancient among them so that it cannot certainly be defined when it was Enacted but by vertue thereof Edward the 3. King of England and his Heires were cut off from inheriting the Crowne of France whereunto by marriage of a Daughter he was Heire in generall And by reason of this Law Henry the fourth late King of France rather injoyed that Dominion than the Sonne of the Duke of Lorraigne who-was neerer of blood by descending from the Elder Daughter of King Henry the second The Switzers are a People called in old time Helvetii who have no Noblemen or Gentlemen among them but only the Citizens of their Townes the yearely Officers whereof and their Council do govern their State There are in Switzerland 23 Cities or Towns which they call their Cantons although some rather think that name properly doth signifie the Rulers of those Towns and of them some do retain to this day the Romish Religion but some others have embraced the Gospel The Country where they live is not very fertile and being farre from any Seas they have no vent for their people but by sending them forth as hired souldiers which for their pay do fight oftentimes in Italy and France and sometimes in Germany Neare unto one part of them standeth Geneva which is challenged by the Duke of Savoy to have heretofore belonged to his Dominion but they pretend themselves to be a free City and by the help of Protestant Princes but especially by some of the Helvetians do so maintain it In this place there is a rare Law that if any Malefactor who hath fled out of his own Country be convinced of any grievous crime he suffereth there as if he were in his own Country Which they are forced to do because their Cities would be full of all sorts of Runnagates in as much as they stand on the confines of divers Princes and States Of Germany THE next Countrey unto France on the East side is Germany which is bounded on the West with France and the Low-Countries on the North with Denmark and the Danish Seas on the East with Prussia Polonia and Hungary on the South-East with Istria and Illyricum on the South with the Alpe-hils and with Italy The Governour General of this Country is called the Emperour of Germany who is chosen by three spiritual Princes the Archbishop of Collen called Coloniensis the Archbishop of Ments called Moguxtinus and the Archbishop of Trevers called Treverensis and three temporall Princes the Duke of Saxony the Marquesse of Brandenburgh and the Count Palatine of Rhene which if they cannot agree as to make a major part in their election then the King of Bohemia hath also a voice whereof it commeth to be said that there be seven Princes Electors of the Empire The manner of the choice of the Emperor was established by a Decree which is commonly called Bulla Aurea which was made by Charles the 4 Emperor of Germany and King of Bohemia wherein he doth set down all the circumstances of the Election of the Emperor and appointeth the King of Bohemia to be Sacri Imperii Archipincerna which is the Cup-bearer The 3 Bishops of Colen Ments and Trevers to be the Arch-Chancellours of the three several parts of the Empire the Count Palatine of the Rhene to be Sacri Imperii Archidapifer which should have the setting on of the first dish the Duke of Saxony to be Sacri Imperii Archimariscallus whose office is to beare the sword and the Marquesse of Brandenburgh to be Sacri Imperii Archi-Camerarius or great Chamberlaine all which Offices they supply on the day of the Emperours Coronation It appears by all the Romane Stories that in times past the Empire went sometimes by succession as unto the Sons of Constantine and Theodosius sometimes by Election and that either of the Senate or of the Souldiers who oftentimes also in mutiny did elect men unworthy yet such as fitted their purpose But now of late the Electors do choose some Prince of Christendome who hath otherwise a Dominion of his own which may helpe to back out the Empire and therein of late hath appeared the great cunning of that which we call the house of Austria whose greatest title within this 300 yeares was to be a mean Count of a mean place namely the County of Haspurg But since that time they have so planted and strengthened themselves that there have been 7 or 8 Emperours lately of that family but the Empire is not tied unto them as may appeare by the possibility which the Duke of Saxony and Francis the great King of France had to ascend to that Dignity When Charls the fifth was chosen Emperour one of the meanes whereby the possession hath been continued to that house hath been the electing of some one to be Rex Romanorum whilest
Lapland Biarmia and thereabouts they are people so rude and heathenish that as Olaus Magnus writeth of them looke whatsoever living thing they doe see in the morning at their going out of their doors yea if it be a bird or a worm or some such other creeping thing they do yield a Divine Wâ—…ship and Reverence thereunto for all that day as if it were some inferiour God Damianus à Goes hâ—…th written a pretty Treatise describing the manner of those Lappians The greatest part of the Country of Russia is in the winter so exceeding cold that both â—…he Rivers are frozen over the land covered with snow and such is the sharpnesse of the aire that if any go abroad bare-faced it causeth their flesh in a short time to rot which befalleth to the fingers and toes of divers of them therefore for a great part of winter they live in stoves and hot-houses and if they be occasioned to go abroad they use many furs whereof there is great plenty in that Country as also wood to make fire but yet in the summer time the face of the soyle and the aire is very strangely altered insomuch that the Countrey seemeth hot the birds sing very merrily and the trees grasse and coâ—…n in a short spâ—…ce do appear so chearfully green and pleasant that it is scant to be beleeved but of them which have seen it Their building is most of wood even in the chiefe City of Mosco insomuch that the Tartars who lie in the North-east of them breaking oft into their Countries even unto the very Mosco do set fire on their Cities which by reason of their woodden buildings are quickly destroyed The manner of government which of late years hath been used in Russia is very barbarous and little less than tyrannous for the Emperour that last was did suffer his people to be kept in great servility and permitted the Rulers and chief Officers at their pleasures to pil and ransack the common sort but to no other end but that himself might take occasion when he thought good to call them in question for their misdemeanor and so fill his own coffers with flee cing of them which was the same course the old Roman Empire did use calling the Deputies of the Provinces by the name of Spunges whose property is to suck up water but when it is full then it selfe is crushed and yi ldeth forth liquor for the behalfe of another The passage by Sea into this country which was wont to be through the Sound and so afterward by land was first discovered by the English who with great danger of the frozen Seas did first adventure to saile so far North as to compass Lapland Finmark Scricfinia Biarmia and so passing to the East by Nova Zembla halfe the way almost to Cathaio have entred the River called Ob by which they disperse themselves for Merchandize both by water and land into the most parts of the dominion of the Emperor of Russia The first attempt which was made by the English for the entrance of Moscovia by the North seas was in the daies of King Edw. the sixt at which time the Merchants of London procuring leave of the King did send forth Sir Hugh Willoby with shipping and men who went so far toward the North that he Coasted the corner of Scricfinia Biarmia and so turned toward the East but the wheather proved so extream the snowing so great and the freezing of the water so vehement that his ship was set fast in the ice and there he his people were frozen to death and the next year some other comming from England found both the ship and their bodies in it and a perfect Remembrance in writing of all things which they had done and dis covered where amongst the rest mention was made of a land which they had touch'd which to this day is known by the name of Sir Hugh Willobies Land The Merchants of London did not desist to pursue this discovery but have so far prevailed as that they have reached one halfe of the way toward the East part of Chyna and Cathaio but the whole passage is not yet opened This Empire is at this day one of the greatest dominions in the world both for compasse of ground for multitude of men saving that it lyeth far North and so yieldeth not pleasure for good Traffick with many other of the best situated nations Among other things which do argue the magnificence of the Emperour of Russia this one is recorded by many who have travelled into those parts that when the great Duke is disposed to sit in his magnificence besides great store of Jewels and abundance of massie plate both of Gold and Silver which is openly shewed in his Hall there do sit as his Princes and great Nobles cloached in very rich and sumptuous attyre divers men ancient for their yeares very seemly of countenance and grave with white long beards which is a goodly shew besides the rich state of the thing But Olaus Magnus a man well experienced in those Northern parts doth say how truely I cannot tell that the manner of their sitting is a notable fraud and cunning of the Russian in as much as they are not men of any worth but ordinary Citizens of the gravest and seemliest countenance which against such a solemnity are picked out of Mosco and other places adjoining and have robes put on them which are not their own but taken out of the Emperours Wardrobe Of Spruce and Poland IN Europe on the East and North corner of Germany lyeth a Countrey called Prussia in Latine most times Borussia in English Pruthen or Spruce of whom little is famous saving that they were governed by one in a kinde of order of Religion whom they call the Grand-Master and that they are a meanes to keep the Moscovite and the Turke from some other parts of Christend me This Country is now grown to be a Dukedome and the Duke thereof doth admit traffick with our English who going beyond the Hance Townes do touch upon his country and amongst other things doe bring from thence a kinde of leather which was wont to be used i Jerkins and called by the name of Spruce-Leather-Jerkins On the Eâ—…t side â—… Germany between Russia and Germany â—…eth Polonia or Poland which is a â—…gdome diffeâ—…ing from others 〈◊〉 Europe because the King there is â—…osen by Election out of some of the Princes neere adjoining as laâ—…ely Henry the third King of France These Elections oftenâ—…mes doe make great factions there so that in taking parts they grow often there into Civill warre The King of Polonia is almost continually in warre either with the Moscovite who lyeth in the East and North-East of him or with the Turke who liâ—…th on the South and South Eâ—…st and someâ—…imes also with the Princes of Germany whereupon the Poles doe commonly desire to chule warriours to their King In this
another of his Family was Emperour which Charls the fifth effected in his life time for his Brother Ferdinandus who after succeeded him and that hath been the attempt of Albertus late Cardinal and now Arch-Duke of Austria that he might be established in the hope of the Empire during the life of his brother 〈◊〉 the Second now Emperour and King of Bohemia Rex Romanorum is he who is fâ—…rre already invested in title to the Empire so that upon the death resignation or deposition of the then being Emperour he is immediately to succeed He who is now Emperor of Germany is called Caesar or Romani Imperii Imperator but very improperly in as much as the case is farre different from that which was when the Romane Empire did flourish for then the Territories thereof were very great all under the Regiment of one man unless it pleased him to associate to himself some other But Theodosius did divide the Empire into two soveraignties which were called the East and West Empires made Constantinople to be the chief seat of Arcadius one of his sons and Rome to be the principal City of Honorius the other which Westerne Empire continued in his glory but a while for the Gothes and Lombards and other barbarous People did both over-run it and as good as extinguish it in the which case it continued to the dayes of Charles the Great who revived it again but although there was some shew of Dominion belonging unto him in Italy yet his principal residence was in France and his successours after him removed it into Germany so that properly he is now to be called Imperator Germanorum It was a great policy of the Bishops of Rome that the Emperour was wrought to leave Italy and keep himselfe in Germany for the Popes did not like to have a strong Neighbour so near who might at his pleasure chastise or depose them if he saw good And the eunning of those Popes was such also that they weakned the state of the Emperor exceeding much in Germany by giving great exemptions to the Princes thereof insomuch that Munster rightly complaineth The Emperor beareth the Spread Eagle with two heads noting the East and West Empire but saith he one of the heads is quite pulled off and so be almost all the feathers and in the other head although life remaineth yet there is little spirit or vigour Surius in his Commentaries of the year 1530. reporteth that to the Emperour of Germany belongeth three Crownes The one of Silver which intendeth the Kingdome of Germany The second of Iron which is for the Kingdome of Lombardy And the third of Gold which is for the Sacred Romane Empire In Germany all are at a kind of commandement of the Emperour but most of the Princes otherwise take on them as absolute Governours in their Dominions so that they have liberty of Religion they do make Lawes they do raise souldiers they do stampe money with their own pictures as absolute Princes so doth the Duke of Saxony the Arch-Bishop of Colen and the rest The Princes of Germany came to that great strength of theirs by meanes of a base and inferior man who aspiring to the Empire whereof he was unworthy was content to release unto the Princes almost all kind of their service and duty so that their subjection since that time is little more then titulary yielding only very small maintenance to the Empire either in tribute souldiers or otherwise and albeit sometimes they refuse not to come by themselves or their Agents to the Diets and Parliaments holden by the Emperour yet that is as much for the safeguard of themselves from the invasion of the Turk who is not farre from them as for any other respect and the pay which they allow in such cases is rather held by them to be a contribution than any imposition to be admitted by duty yet there is extant a book where the particulars are mentioned how the Princes and free Cities are bound to maintaine upon their own charge three thousand eight hundred forty two horses and sixteen thousand two hundred foot for the service of the Emperour when he shall see cause but how smal a trifle is that in respect of the strength of so huge a Country The Princes themselves are so strong many of them that they dare encounter with any who oppugn them insomuch that whereas Charls the fifth was doubtless the greatest Emperour that had been from the daies of Charles the Great yet the Duke of Saxony and the Lantsgrave of Hassia with some few Cities which were confederate with them did dare to oppose themselves against the said Charles and entring the field with him did oftentimes put him to great inconveniences yea it is supposed by some that howsoever he had a hand upon these two yet his inability to match the rufling of some of those Princes was not the least cause why he resigned the Empire to his brother Ferdinando The manner of Germany is that the Title of Nobility which is in the Father commonly is imparted to all the Sonnes so that every Sonne of a Duke of Saxony is called Duke of Saxony and every Child of the Count of Mansfield is honored by the name of Count or Countesâ—…e of Mansfield but in the eldest House the chief Livelyhood doth remaine for keeping upright the dignity of the Family There are also Free States and Cities which have the same Authority as Argentine Franckeford and others This is to be noted of the Germanes that they may boast this above other more Westernly Nations of Europe that they are an unmixed Nation for whereas the Lombards and Gothes at severall times have set down in Italy and mixed themselves with the people thereof the Gothes Vandals and Saracens in Spaine the Francks in Gaule or France and the Normanes also the Saxons Angles Danes and Normanes in Great Britaine they have been free from such inundation and mixture yea many of the people that have afflicted and inhabited these other Nations have come from thence so that therein Germany hath an advantage of these other Nations that have been subject hereunto Of Italy ON the South side of the Alpes and Germany lyeth Italy stretching it selfe out at length toward the South and East It hath on the South side the Iland of Sicilia on the East that part of the Mediterranean which is called Mare Adriaticum or Mare superum which severeth Italy from Grecia on the West side that part of the Mediterranean which is called Mare Tyrrhenum or Mare Inferum and the upper or more Northen part of it neer Liguria Mare Ligusticum This Country for the figure thereof is by some likened unto a long leafe of a tree It hath in the middle of it which goeth all in length a mighty mountain named Mons Apenâ—…inus which is likened unto the Spina or Ridge-bone of the back Out of this Hill spring
divers Rivers which run on both sides of it into the Adriaticke and Tyrrhene or Tuscane Seas As in other Countries so in Italy in times past there were divers severall people and severall Provinces like our Shires in England and so there be at this day but the main division of Italy is properly into four parts as in our age we doe account it The first Lombardy which lyeth to the North. The second Tuscane which boundeth toward the Mediterranean Sea which way Corsica the Iland lieth The third is the Land of the Church which is the Territory of the Bishop of Rome and containeth in it that which is called Romania The fourth is Naples and in this division now is all Italy comprehended The North part of this Italy is that which in ancient time was called Gallia Togata or Gallia Cisalpina inhabited then by French men It is now called Longobardia or Lombardia wherein stand many rich Governments as the Dukedome of Millain of Mantua of Florence others It is for the pleasantness thereof in respect of the soile aire waters and great variety of wines and fruits likened now by some to Paradice or the Garden of God In this Italy which was heretofore one entire Government in the flourishing estate of the Romans are now many absolute States and Princedomes by the great policy oâ—… the Bishop of Rome who thought it the best way to make himselfe great to weaken the Empire So he hath not only driven the Emperor out of all Italy into Germany but â—…ath diminished his Majesty in both by making so many petty Governments which hold themselves soveraigne Rulers without relation to any other As there are many States in Italy so one of the chiefest are the Venetians called Resp Venetorum or the State of Venice because they are not governed by any one but by their Senate and Gentlemen although whey have a Duke with those stampe their mony is coined and in whose name all their executions of Justice are done But this Duke is every way limited by the State This City of Venice which joineth to a corner of Lombardy standeth in Estuarium or shallow of Earth in the North part of the Adriaticke Sea so safely that it is held invincible There is in it but one street of firme Land into the other the Sea doth flow at every tide They have been a great and rich State not only possessing much in Italy as Paduâ—… their University and other things which still they do but a great part of Illyricum and many rich Ilands in the Mediterranean as Candy called commonly Creta Cyprus Zazinthus and others But Cyprus was taken from them a little before that fight at sea wherein Don John of Austria together with the Venetians had so renowned a victory against the Turke at the fight neer Lepanto The impoverishing of their State hath partly been by the incroaching of the Turk but especially by the decaying of that Traffick which they had to Alexandria in Egypt for their spices and other riches of Persia Arabia and the East Indies since the course of the Portugals to those Eastern Countries hath been by Sea by the backside of Africa These Venetians which in times past were great Warriours do now altogether decline enmity or hostility with all other Princes adjoyning and therefore by all meanes do take up quarrels and cease controversies by wisdome and patience temporising with the Turke the King of Spaine and the Emperour who are most like to offend them The manner of their Government and the excellent course which they have in chusing their Duke is written by Contarenus and some others of their Country-men When they do make any warres they seldome send forth any General of their own but entertaine some Prince of Italy who is renowned for the wars In Lombardy standeth also the Dukedome of Millain a most rich and pleasant thing which sometime had bin govern'd by a Duke of their own but of late hath been possessed by the Spaniard sometime by the French and is now in the Government possession of the K. of Spain In Tuscany the Chiefe City and Commander of all the rest is Florence where is supposed to be the best Language of Italy called the vulgar Italian and the most circumspect policy of all the Governments of Christendome which hath much bin increased since the time of Machiavel who was Secretary or Recorder to that State This was in times past â—… free City but of late by the policy of the Family of the Medices it is brought under the subjection of a Duke which raigâ—…eth as an absolute Prince and by little and little hath so incroched on his own Citizens and Neighbours round about him that he hath gotten to be called and that not unworthily Magnus Dux Hetruriae or the great Duke of Tuscany A great part of the rising of the Family of the Medices which are now Dukes of Florence may be ascribed to the cunning carriage of themselves but it hath been much advanced forward by their felicity in having two Popes together of that house which were Leo the Tenth and Clement the Seventh who by all means labored to stablish the Governments of their Country upon their Kindred and it made not the least accesse thereunto that affinity was contracted by them with the Kings of France when Kâ—…erine de Medicâ—…s Neece to Pope Clement the Seventh was married to the younger Sonne fo Francis the first whose Elder brother dying that younger came to be King of France by the name of Henry the 2d. for as in the time of her husband she laid the foundation of her aspiring so after the death of the said husband when she bare the name of the Queen Mother This Queen Mother swayed all at her pleasure in France during the successive reigne of her three Sons Francis the second Charls the ninth and Henry the third in all which time no doubt she promoted Florence and the Florentines to her uttermost A good part of Italy is under the Bishop of Rome which is commonly called The land of the Church where the Pope is a Prince absolute not onely Spiritual as elsewhere he claimeth but also Temporall making Lawes requiring Tribute raising Souldiers and executing Justice as a Monarch The Bishops of Rome do pretend that Constantine the Great did bestow upon them the City of Rome together with divers other Cities and Towns near adjoyning and the Demeans of them all to be as the Patrimony of Saint Peter as many times they do tearme it But Laurentius Valla in his set Treatise of this Argument hath displaied the falshood of that pretence and iâ—… truth the Greatness of the Popes hath risen first by Phocas who killing his Master the Emperour of Rome and being favoured by the Bishop of that Sea and so aspiring himself to the Empire did in recompence thereof suffer the Bishop of Rome to be preclaimed Universal Bishop