especially in weaving cloth of gold and silk The Dominions of it are eighty miles the revenue is eighty thousand crowns yearly it can raise for war fifteen thousand foot and three thousand horse the Government is mixed of Aristocracy and Democracie the principal Magistrate called Gon Falinere is changeable every second month assisted by a certain and determinate number of citizens whom they change every sixth month also during which time they lie together in the Palace or common-hall their Protector is also elective of some neighbour King or State their Religion is Popish they have two Bishops onely acknowledging the Arch-bishop of Florence for their Metropolitan The Common-wealth of Genoa in Italy lieth west of Tuscany from which it is divided by the river Macra They were anciently a large State but have now onely Liguria and the Isle of Corsica in their power the men were good warriors Merchants and given to usury which they learned of the Jews Mr. Heylin reporteth that it was the saying of a merry fellow that in Christendome there were neither Scholars enough Gentlemen enough nor Jews enough not Scholars enough for then so many would not be double or treble-beneficed not Gentlemen enough for then we should not have so many Pesants turn Gentlemen nor Iastly Jews enough for then so many Christians would not turn Usurers The Women here are priviledged above all Italy having liberty to talk with whom they will and be courted by any that will both publikely and privately from hence and some other particulars they have made this proverb of the State of the Countrey Mountains without wood Seas without fish Men without faith and Women without shame They have a Duke and eight more assistant with him all subject to the general Councel of four hundred men the Duke and his eight assustants hold but two years Spain is their Protector and they have one Arch-bishop fourteen Bishops This Common-wealth hath maintain'd it self in perfect peace at home and free Commerce at Sea by its good Government for many ages past having sometimes been troubled by the quarrelling interests of its Neighbour potent Princes viz. the Duke of Savoy the French and the Dutchy of Millain belonging to the Spaniard They are the King of Spain's constantest Exchequer The State of Lumbardy in Italy is bounded on the east with Romandiola and the State or Territory of Ferrara on the west with that part of the Alps which divides Italy from France on the north reckoning Marca Trevigiana within the bounds thereof with that part of the Alps which lyeth towards Germany and on the south with the Apennine which parteth it from Liguria or the States of Genoa as Italy is the Garden of Europe so Lumbardy is the Garden of Italy for the fruitfulness The Dukedome of Millain in Italy hath on the east the States of Mantua and Parma on the west Piemont and some part of Switzerland one of the Provinces of the Alps on the north Marca Trevigiana and on the south the Apennine which parteth it from Liguria or the States of Genoa It hath had several Lords and Dukes of Millain accounted the chief Dukedom in Christendom but now under the Spaniards the annual rent worth eight hundred thousand Duckets but considering all charges the Spaniard is taken to lose in keeping it The arms are Argent a Serpent Azure crowned Or in his Gorge an infant Gules There are one Arch-Bishop six Bishops The title to this Dutchy was as above long contested for by the two Crowns of France and Spain but was finally vested in the most Catholique King during the last rupture between those two Monarchs this was a sad Theatre of War and Bloodshed The last parting blow not to recite more before the whole general peace concluded 1659. was at the City of Pavia besieged by Prince Tho. of Savoy General for the French and the united strength of Savoy and Prince of Modena which by the valour of the besieged and the succour brought them by the Marquess of Caracena Governour of Millain was freed after four months siege and the two aforesaid Princes put to the rout with the loss of 3000. Men some Cannon Bag and Baggage the said Duke shot in the Arm and the Prince thereby contracted such a Feaver that it soon after ended him The Dukedome of Mantua in Italy is bounded on the west with Millain on the east with Romandiola on the north with Marca Trevigiana and on the south with the Dukedom of Parma the Soyl is reasonable good and yieldeth all sorts of fruits being well manured plentifull in Corn Pastures and abundance of Vines but the Inhabitants not so civil and well bred as the rest of Italy childish in their Apparel without Manly gravity in entertainment of friends and exacting all they can from strangers it is a Soveraignty and hath had many Dukes thereof The chief Order of Knighthood in these Dukedomes is of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ instituted Ann. one thousand six hundred eight it consisteth of 20 Knights whereof the Mantuan Dukes are Soveraigns The collar hath threds of gold laid on with fire and enterwoven with these words Domine probasti To the collar are pendent two Angels supporting three drops of blood and circumscribed Nihil isto triste recepto It is accounted a great circuit but not worth above five hundred thousand Ducats the arms are Argent a cross Patee Gules between four Eagles sable membred of the second under an Escuchion in fise charged quarterly with Gules a Lion Or and Or three bars Sable here are one Archbishop and four Bishops In the year 1627. the 26 of December Duke Vincent of Mantua deceasing without Children the succession fell to the Duke of Nevers a Peer of France of the illustrious kin and family of Gonzaga who received it and precipitated his investiture therein without the knowledge of the Emperour to whom that Dutchy is Feudatory The Spaniards out of jealousie the Savoyards out of an old pretension seized of many places in Montferrat and besieged Casal The Duke of Neverâ—… garrisoned many tenable places and joyned with the Venetians untill such time as the French forces arrived who had been detained at the seige of Rochel under the command of the Duke of Crequi who opposed those Armies and at last came an Army of twenty thousand out of Germany sent by the Emperour to assert his own Authority By these numerous Hosts the Country was almost depopulated the Churches robbed the Germans being most Lutherans and so enemies to the Romish Superstition till at last by the powerfull instance of Cardinal Richleiu who set up this Duke in spight of the Emperour and to allay the greatness of the House of Austria a peace was concluded at Vienna wherein the Duke of Nevers was established and did his Homage and published just as the Armies of the French and their Confederates were ready to joyn in battell at the Seige of Casal defended by the brave French Marquess De Toyrass
who maintained the Isle of Rhee against the Duke of Buckingham newly before This Ducall Family is now by Marriage principally allyed to the Emperour and House of Austria I shall pass by the Dukedoms of Modena Parma and Mountferrat as being all three but small estates of Italy and havinâ—… but four Bishops amongst them all the arms of Modena the same with the Dukedom of Ferrara and the arms of Mountferrat Gules a chief Argent thus much for Italy These three small principalities have afforded very excellent Couragious Princes Not to mention the exploits of that renowned Alexander Duke of Parma Governour of the Low-Countries for the King of Spain in the time of Queen Elizabeth it shall suffice to say that they ballance the over-growing Power of either of the Monarchs of France or Spain siding alwayes with the weakest lest they become a prey to the Conqueror and to that purpose are commonly divided in the Quarrel siding in opposition yet exercise no Hostility upon each others Dominions Moun ferrat is now annexed to the Dutchy of Mantua whose Duke is Prince of the same The Principality of Piemont a part of the Alpes situate at the foot of the Mount is bounded on the east with Millain and Mountferrat on the west with Savoy on the north with the Switzers and on the south it runneth in a narrow valley to the Mediterranean having Mountferrat on the one side Provence and a part of the Alpes upon the other it is very fertile compared with Savâ—…y and Switzerland but thought to be inferiour to the rest of Italy the Arms of this Principality are Gules a Cross Argent charged with a Label of three points Azure It is now subject to the Dukedom of Savoy This Principality hath been often made the seat of War especially in the Reigns of Hen. the 4. and Lewis the 13th of France in the passage of their Armies into Italy and the Duke of Savoy who is Prince and Soveraign thereof hard put to it most of his strong holds being seized while he partaked with the Spaniard but since the alliance of that Duke with the French it hath had a refreshment which hath been inteâ—…rupted by some intestine troubles about Religion a great part thereof being of the Reformed Religion witness that Massacre there for which such liberal Collections and Contributions were made in 〈◊〉 for those Protestants in time of Oliver Savoy strictly and specially so called is bounded on the East with Wallisland and part of Piemont on the west with Daulphin and La Bresse on the south with some parts of Daulphine only and on the north with Switzerland and the lake of Geneva The Country is altogether Hilly and Mountainous very healthful but not very fruitful The Common People are naturally very dull but the Gentry pleasant ingenious and civil There have been near thirty Earls and Dukes of Savoy It is a very strong place with fortifications of nature the Revenue ordinarily a million of Crowns yearly The onely Order of Knighthood here is that of the Aâ—…nunciado ordained one thousand four hundred and eight their Collar is of fifty links to shew the mysteries of the Virgin at the end is her pourtraicture with the history of the Annunciation in stead of a Motto these Letters F. E. R. T. i. e. Fortituâ—…o ejus Rhodum tenuit are engraven to every plate or link of the Collar each link being interwoven one within another in form of a true lovers knot the number of Knights is fourteen beside the Duke the Soveraign of the Order the Solemnity held annually on our Lady-day the Arms are G. a crosse A. Geneva is a City of the Dukedome of Savoy now a free State having cast off both the Pope and their own Duke and kept free by their neighbours jealousie each of other touching it the Religion is Calvinist Protestant the Government Presbyterial the Language the worst French the People industrious and Merchants their situation for neighbours advantagious thereunto Of the Duke and this Dutchy enough hath been said before in the Historical description of Mantua and Piedmont onely thus much may be added that the present Duke is Cousin German to our Soveraign King Charles the Second by his Mothers side who is Sister to our present Queen Mother and that he is the powerfullest Arbitrator of the Affairs of Italy and hath the peculiar stile of His Highness Royal as a pretender to the Kingdoms of Cyprus as also Ierusalem and Portugal Wallisland reacheth from the Mountain de Burken to the Town of St. Maurice where the hills do close and shut up the valley which is so narrow in that place that a bridge laid from one hill to another under which the River Rosne doth passe is capable of no more than one Arch onely and that defended with a Castle and two strong Gates on other parts it is invironed with a continual Wall of steep and horrid Mountains covered all the year long with a crust of Ice nor passable at all by Armies and not without much difficulty by single passengers so that no Citadel can be made so strong by Art as this Countrey is by nature The Valley is very fruitful in Saffron Corn Wine and most delicate Fruits having Meadows and pleasant Pastures They have also a Fountain of Salt and many hot Baths and Medicinal VVaters they have Cattel enough to serve them also a wild Buck equal to a Stag in bigness footed like a Goat and horned like a fallow Deer leaping with wonderful agility and not so easily caught but in Summer time for then with the heat he is blind The People are courteous towards Strangers but very rough and churlish towards one another They are of the Romish Religion and subject to the Bishop of Sion The Deputies of the seven Resorts having not onely voices with the Cantons in his Election but being chosen they joyn with him also in the Diets for choosing Magistrates redressing grievances and determining matters of State Of this Countrey few Military Occurrences are historified for that it is by Nature as it is described no way fit for the entertainment of Mars and is onely a nursery no residence for Souldiery Switzerland hath on the east side the Grisons and some part of Tyrol in Germany on the west the Mountain Iove and the lake of Geneva which parts it from Savoy and Burgundy on the north Suevia another Province also of the Upper Germany and on the south Wallisland and the Alpes which borders on the Dukedome of Mâ—… It is totally in a manner over-grown with craggy Mountains but such as for the most part have grassy tops and in their hollowness rich Meadows and nourishing Pastures being two hundred fourty miles in length and one hundred eighty in breadth The Inhabitants are rich and rugged of disposition like their Land good Souldiers and mercenary almost to every one their Religion mixed some Papists some Protestants-Zwinglians yet they have agreed to tolerate one another their
in the Baloick Sea with Riga the chief City of Liefland a wealthy Maritine City being seated as the Grand Emporium of the more remote North-east Countreys as Russia c. and was the onely Port of Trade thither before the passage about the North-Cape to Arch-Angel was found out The Swede a miracle is now in full peace with all his Neighbours but no doubt according to Custome is contriving another Invasion upon some of his Neighbours Russia is the last Region towards the East in Europe a good part of it is Asia it is boâ—…ded on the North with the Frozen Sea on the East with Tartaria on the West it borders upon Livonia and on the Realm of Sweden and on the South with the Sea called Mare Câ—…spium the greatest part is extreme cold but for the help of the Inhabitants Nature hath stored it with Furs Sables white Fox Martins and other commodities as Cattel Corn and Fruit the whole Region is subject to the Emperour of Russia a wast tract and as wilde a Government The people are base ignorant and contentious and foolishly superstitious after the Greek Church they deny the proceeding of the holy Ghost they bury their dead upright with many other Ceremonies Muscovia is the Seat of the Empire The Countrey affords very good flax and hoops to make casks and ropes and store of hides as well of Oxen as of Elks much salt-fish and whales grease the Arms are Sable a partel open of two leases and as many degrees Or. Here is one Patriarch two Arch-Bishops eighteen Bishops The Emperour hereof is the onely Tyrant for Government in Europe and the people more absolute slaves than in Turkey which makes them though perpetually in War with the Tartars and every other year with the Polanders no better Souldiers Slavery begetting in them mean and abject Spirits so that of many years they have effected nothing considerable save the taking in of the City and Dutchy of Smolensko in the year 1654. taken from them thirty years before where upon their besieging of it with an Army of an hundred thousand men they were besieged themselves with an Army of Poles not above ten thousand in the open fields and were forced upon hard conditions to render themselves for which the Russian General nd his Son lost their heads at their return to Musco They attempted Riga also in 1657. from the Swedes but even as the place was by Famine and Scarcity of men ready to Capitulate the Emperour in dispair broke up his Siege and departed A peace is now concluded this year 1662. at Stockholm by the Russian Ambassadours sent thither in most solemn manner But the Poles and they are still at War with mutual success some fifty years ago the Pole in behalf of Demetrius a counterfeit Emperour made an in-road into Russia of above 1200. miles length and was possest of the City of Musco which by the valour and Conduct of one Collonel Hamilton a Scot was rescued and the Poles glad to depart whose reward of the greatness whereof he was so confident as that to make himself capable thereof he turned Russian and renounced his Religion was but neglect and jealous distrust of his abilities This Emperour is likewise forced to keep a constant Army of fifty thousand men to attend the Tartars and Cossacks bordering upon his Kingdom of Astracan who every year invade him and make incursions some hundreds of miles when in their return with their spoil and booty the Russian either way-lays or overtakes him and gives Battel If the Russian prevail he enters their Countrey and makes havock with Fire and Sword if not the Tartar keeping what he has plundered is content to leave his victory and return home Nevertheless every year Ambassadors some hundred in number come to Musco but their main design is to get Presents of Silken Vests and Rayments they look and are sure to receive from the Emperour The Predecessor of this Emperour shewed himself very affectionately respectful to our Soveraign and regardful of his Cause when upon the murder of his Father he presently seized all the Estates of the English and would have sold them and delivered the product thereof to my Lord Wentworth then Ambassador from His Majesty and for his use if he had not wholly refused it telling the Emperour They were his Masters Subjects whom he ought rather to protect than to spoil for the Rebellion of other People in England whereupon the Emperour lent a sum of Money freely himself with promise of further assistance but would by no means grant the English their Priviledges of being Custome-free till His Majesties Restitution This Great Duke lives in great State and Splendor in a most ample and Magnificent Pallace and Castle at Musco City which is now half built from Timber with Brick-Houses the Fire when it happened before usually burning down a third part thereof the flame running three or four miles in an instant He is also very wealthy all his Subjects riches being his own when he pleaseth and therefore very potent The Patriarch now governeth Him and his Empire being the Chief Minister or Commander of State The Emperours Name is Alexei Michalowich Poland is bounded on the south with Moldavia and Hungary on the east with Muscovia and with the Tartaries Praecopenses on the west with Germany and on the north with the Baltick Sea Their Religion is partly with the Greek Church partly with the Roman and so there are here of the Romish Church three Arch-bishops and ninteen Bishops and of the Greek Church two Archbishops and six Bishops The Arms are one Gem and Eagle an Ass Argent Crowned and Nowed Or for the Region of Polonia and two Gules a Chevaleir armed Cap aâ—…pe advancing his sword Argent mounted upon a barbed Courserof the second for the Dukedom of Lituania the commodities sent hence are Spruce or Dantz Beer Amber Wheat Rye and other grain Honey Wax Hemp Flax Pitch and Tarr it hath also Mines of Copper and Iron This Kingdom as well as the great Dutchy of Lituania is elective and hath had Kings often from their Neighbour Nations such is the aemulation among the chief Nobility They have of late years been addicted to the French and now to the Duke of Anguien Son to the Prince of Conde supposed to succeed King Casimir It is reckoned one of the Bulwarks of Christendom to the east against the Turk and Tartar but hath been lately miserably harrassed by the Swede and Transylvanian who came to his assistance under Ragotzki It proved luckily for this People that the King of Denmark quarrell'd with the Swede and raising a formidable Army drew him to defend his own Countrey out of the Bowels of Poland and made him leave his design of Conquest thereof which he had promised to himself The Marquiss of Brandenburgh assisted him in the beginning but seeing his unreasonable Encroachments and the injustice of his Arms which he might afterwards upon the same pretences use against his
to the 25. of March 1641. but five months there are reckoned 150000. Protestants slain and murthered by the Catholick confederate Rebels After many Combats and change of Fortune and Governors in that Kingdom it was by Ireton Cromwel's Son in Law totally reduced and the prime ringleaders of the Rebellion with Sir Phelim O Neale of the Family of Tyrone their Generalissimo deservedly executed The Isles belonging to Great Brittain are the Surlings or Scillies Garnesey Iarsey Wight Anglesey Man Hebrides 〈◊〉 and many others All which three Kingdoms and Islands aforesaid make up one Realm restored to the Government of his most Sacred Majesty Charâ—…es the second whom God long preserve Their Religion is Protestant their Church Government by Gods mercy again Episcopal The Low Countries contain seventeen Provinces the Dukedoms of Erabant Guelderland Lymburge and Luxenburgeâ—… the Counties of Flanders Artois Utrecht Henault Holland Zeland Nâ—…men Zutfen the Marquisate of the Holy Empire the Lordships of Freezland Mechlen Overysel and Graving All which are Lands above measure well tilled and inhabited contaâ—…ning two hundred and eight Cities fortified with Walls and Ditches and about six thousand three hundred Villages with Parish-Churches beside the Castles Forts and Noble-Mens Houses which are almost infinite in number This Land is watered with many excellent Rivers as the Rhine the Mose the Mard the Scheld and others It hath also many commodious Sea-Havens abounding in Ships and very skilful and expert Mariners and Pilots as by their Navigations may appear whereby they have compassed as it were the whole World The Inhabitants are also very valiant and notable Warriours as well by Sea as by Land as their Enemies themselves will witness They are excellently well skilled in all cunning and handy-crafts Many attribute unto them the Invention of the Sea-Compass as also the Needle and laudable Art of Printing Books they send abroad into other parts all sorts of Linnen and Woollen Cloth Camerick Pasement-lace of Gold Silver and Silk Taffata Wrought Velvet Grograms Sayes whole and half Velvet Bags Silk Laces Say and Liâ—…en All manner of twined Thred wrought Silk refined Sugar prepared Buff and Ox-hides as also Spanish Leather Pictures Books Cables Ropes and other Ship-furniture Cards Pins and all kind of Mercery dried and salt Fishes Herrings Butter Cheese and Bisket the People are of the Reformed Religion except the Spanish Provinces and they are Papists they suffer any Religion among them the principal Order of Knighthood ordained by these Princes is that of the Golden Fleece instituted one thousand four hundred thirty nine ordained as someâ—… conceive from Gideons Fleece Their Habit is a Collar of Gold interlaced with Iron seeming to strike fire out of a Flint Or Ex ferro flammam being the word at the end whereof hung the Foison'd Or or a Fleece of Gold the King of Spain may now make as many of them as he please There are in these parts three Arch-bishops fifteen Bishops These Provinces have been Governed by several distinct Soveraigns as the Dukes of Brabant and Guelderland Earls of Flanders Holland Henault and Zeland c. All which by several Marriages of the Co-heirs for want of Issue-male at last devolved the entire Soveraignty into the House and Family of the Dukes of Burgundy the Male-line whereof expiring the Heir General Married with Maximilian Arch-Duke of Austria in the time of H. 7. and conveyed these seventeen Provinces to her Son Philip the 1 of Spain by Marriage with Ioan Daughter and Heir of Castile and Arrâ—…gon in whose Posterity they continue the Emperour Charles the fifth in his division of his Estates leaving these to his Son Philip the second who by the Tyranny of the Duke of Aâ—…va and the Establishing the Inquisition and a bloody Council like our High Courts of Justice contrary to the Fundamental Laws of those People so alienated the Affection of those Provinces that they the most of them revolted and being Headed and led by William Prince of Aurange Count of Nassâ—…n and a Feudatory Subject of Burgundy shook off the yoke of Spain and declared themselves a Free Estate for that the King of Spain had forfeited his Right Title and Authority over them The Wars thereupon are so famous both for the length vigourousness and policy thereof both in Battels and Seiges it becoming a Trade in which most of the young Gallants of all Nations were bred and also for the renown of those Captains Generals on both sides such as Prince William assissinated by a Bâ—…rgundian Prince Maurice and Prince Frederick Grandfather to this prince of Aurange on the Estates side who were mainly supported by the English and by their blood raised to this Grandeur and partly also by the French and Alexander prince of Parma natural Son to Charles the fifth and the Marquiss of Spinola on the King of Spains who by more moderation and Arms regained some provinces of the Defection but seven of them to wit Holland Zeland and â—…trecht and Overysel part of Brabant and most part of Guelderland and Zutfen could never be reduced but after a War of 80. years he was constrained to acknowledge them a Free State or Commonwealth now Governed in Common by the States General and in particular by the Estates of each individual Province This peace was concluded on at Munster in 1647. to the great content of the Spaniard who was embroiled in a fierce War against the French who therefore mightily obstructed the proceeding thereof but after this calm there arose such a Tempest at Sea that had neer sunk them to their former condition of the distressed Estates by a difference between the up-start Common-wealth of England and them concerning Traffique and Soveraignty of the Sea The usurping Protector after six terrible Naval Fights to secure his invasion of the Government granted them peace in 1653. which hath been better confirmed by our Soveraign Charles the second since his Restitution of which they seemed to be as exceedingly and pompously during his stay in their countrey just before his happy return as concernedly joyous Of the ten other provinces belonging to the Spaniard two of them Artois and Henault are conveyed and transferred to the French in portion for the late Marriage and a part of West-Flanders in which is seated that memorable and well fortified Port of Dunkirke at present acknowledgeth the Dominion of the Crown of England being put into English Hands during the Usurpation in 1658. after the joynt Conquest of it by their and the French Forces the same year Germany is one of the greatest Provinces in Europe and is in the midst thereof bounded on the East with Hungaria and Polonia on the South with Italy and Bolonia on the West with France and on the North with the North-Sea and with the Sea called Mare Balticum In the midst whereof lieth Bohemia wherein stands Prague where the Emperour commonly keeps his Court It is adorned with magnificent Towers well fortified and furnished with such a number