presence of the Magistrate and next to that their most considerable Trade is whiting of Wax and making of Verdegrese The Country about it is a little wild as the rest of France having no Enclosure Meadow or Pasturage nor other Shade nor Tree but Olive nor River nor Water worth mentioning and which is a greater defect for the Ladys there is wanting an agreeable Walk who having neither Park nor Garden on the Plough'd ground do Trespass every Evening At a Leagues distance on one side is the Sea and on the other Mountains FRONTIGNAN A little ill-favour'd beggarly Frontignan Town yet Wall'd remarkable for the Vines PORTSETTE Where the King is making a Harbor Portsette in the Mediterranean and has advanc'd a Mole already 600. yards designs another Parallel to it and the entrance to be just in the middle the Stone they blow up out of a Mountain close by it which is very good Marble Here the famous Canal falls in which is to joyn both Seas but is scarce so large or deep as that in St. James's Park the Garonne that runs that way has saved a great expence yet is never the less excessive but so wisely plac'd upon the Provisions that Country spends that his Majesty is a gainer by it There are two or three Basons and Reservers one prodigious being a Valley stopt up at one end but the art to get water into them is not yet known NISMES Where there is an Amphitheatre built Nismes by the Emperor Trajan the Walls the least ruin'd of any the Romans have left it has 63. Arches and 470. paces in compass there is also a House on Corinthian Pillars 10. in front and 6. at each hand suppos'd to have been a Capitol and the Ruins of a Temple to Diana upon the head of a Rivelet The Town is not for any thing else considerable the Trade making of Stuffs and the Country thereabouts Rocky The Hugenots have a Temple in it which is large and well contriv'd and no less than 1200. Communicants belonging to it near a third part of the people in these parts of France being of that Religion PONT du GARD An Aquaduet made by the Pont du Gard. Romans 82. foot high between two Hills cross a River almost perfect still it has three rows of Arches one upon another and the lowermost serves for a Bridge AVIGNON Is the Popes bought for a safe Retreat Avignon upon occasion is Govern'd by a Vice-Legate has the best Walls of any Town in France though but little good Building in it stands upon the rapid River Rome half of which being the Kings the Bridge between the two Owners remains broken The greatest Curiosities are the Altar-piece in the Celestines Church given by a King of Cecilly which has 40. Figures all cut in one Marble and Laura's Tomb Petracks Mistriss in the Cordeliers Church with the Verses found in it written by him and the Medaille of a Fortune with it In this City are abundance of Poor Jews which for distinction wear yellow Hats and to them an equal number of Whores which are the greatest part of the Inhabitants the Country thus far stony with many rows of Hills ORENGE A little Town very ancient as the Orenge Ruines of the Antiquities there do shew It has now lost its Walls and Castle the Principallity extends about 8. miles in length and 6. in breadth and is very Fertile VIENNE A little City standing likewise upon the Vienne Rhosne remarkable for Pilates having dwelt there and the old Tower of the Gate-house from which he threw himself into the River VALENCE Another Wall'd City not worth notice Valence unless the breeding Lawyers can make it valueable It has a Bishop who is Count of Valence and Die two Bishopricks united and is temporal Lord not only of that but of several other places in that Country LYONS Is Scituate between two Hills and lyes Lyons about the belly of the biggest in form of a half Moon so close crouded up that some part of it is crept upon them It stands on the Rhosne and Saone two Rivers that by the help of the Mountains furnishes it with Foggs that for most part of the Winter conceal the Sun the Buildings are high Streets large Shops better People neater and richer much than in Paris It Trades considerably with Germany and Italy Prints Books and exchanges Money for all Europe It has an Arch-Bishop that esteems himself Primate of France Eleaven Parishes and in the great old Church of St. John a ridiculous Clock mightily valued there which besides twenty other tricks has little brass Angels that appear when it strikes a Cock that is to be supposed to Crow c. but the Closet of Monsieur Ceruiere does ten times exceed it The most extraordinary thing is the Town-house which is equal to that at Amsterdam with pretty Walks behind it It is rather less than Rouen and may be term'd the fourth great Tower of France the Country about it not very fertile but from Beauvoysin thither seems pleasant by reason of its ugly Neighbour Savoy GRENOBLE Stands at the foot of a great Mountain Grenoble and upon the little River Isere besides the Torrent called the Drac It has the Fortification of 8. Bastions is the place where the Parliament of the Province Assemble and is famous for Gloves GRAND CHARTREUX Scituate in the most Chartreux Solitary place that can be found in the World amongst horrid Mountains worse than the Alpes and the way from Chambery hewn out of the side of Rocks in steps with continual Precipices a roaring Torrent in the bottom and through the melancholly shade of Pines and Fir-trees the House large but far from being beautiful or regular has about 50. Fathers and half as many Brothers which are necessary Tradesmen that work continually for the others none else being admitted A Stranger that is so Foolishly curious as to come there is Lodged for a Night and a Father whose particular business it is entertains him and in the Morning he Records himself in a Book at his going away On the top of the Hill in the Desart is the Chappel of St. Bruno once his Habitation which he finding very cold resolv'd t' abandon but St. Peter appeared to him and would never be quiet till he had promis'd the contrary which is the sole reason that all these wise Fathers remain in this miserable place though they have many pleasanter in that and other Provinces the King of France Duke of Savoy and other Princes having been so great Benefactors to them that 't is thought they are now able to ransome almost any one of them ROHANNE NEVERS MOULINS BOURBON Rohanne Nevers Moulins Bourbon Briare BRIARE c. Are not worth notice nor the Country comparable to that part of the Loire below Orleans BEAUVOIS ABBERUILE MONTREUILLE Beauvois Abberuile Montreuille Boulonne BOULONNE are pretty well Fortified but not in
Pleasant NANTS Is less than Anger 's but rather better Biult Nants they have an old Castle litile worth which with suitable Walls is all their Fortification In the Carmelites Church there is a Tomb of Francis the 2 d. Duke of Bretagne wrought by Mich. Colombus which has many Figures about it and all perfect the Country is flat and woody stands near the Sea and upon the Loire but its principal Trade is Brandy near the Town the Prince of Conde has a House which has a good Prospect ROCHEL Is less than Nants has two or three Rochel Streets built with low Arches under which are all their Trades-men like an Exchange and excepting those and some few Houses the Town is very ordinary not having one good Church The Harbour is little and too shallow at flowing water for any Ship of burthen it has towards the Sea two Block-houses for its defence which is in effect all its Fortification 'T is almost all Hugenots and their principal Trade Salt The Country from Nants thither something resembling England being Enclosure and Pastorage excepting a Fen of seaven Leagues next Rochel the Sheep very remarkable being most black with white foreheads and tayles ROCHFORT The place where the King builds Rochfort and lays up his lightest Ships of 40 50 60 and 70. Guns the Charante a little dirty River or rather Ditch not so large as Puddle-dock being the Harbour wherein they ride and so shallow as well as narrow that they cannot sail with their Guns in them at the mouth of it is a little Fort and by the side of it is a fine Store-house built of Free-stone the length of 20. Ships with several Appartments for such a number which lye every one over against their own dressing-room and have their Terrible Names upon black Marble in Golden letters over every door The Country thereabouts Marshy and bad BLAYE A great old Castle upon the River Giron Blaye the use of it to examine such Ships as pass to Bourdeaux and the place where the English Trading for Wine were to leave their Guns with this River two Leagues nearer Bourdeaux the Garonne and Dordogne joyn all which are muddy and troubled as a Torrent or Land-flood BOURDEAUX Stands upon the Garonne a River Bourdeaux more like Earth than Water being near the Sea is there very broad It has one good Street with two or three good Houses in it the rest of the Town narrow and ill built It has 12. Parishes but never a good Church is govern'd by a Mayor and six Jurats or Aldermen is an Arch-Bishops Seat and has a Parliament Close to it stands a new Cittadel call'd Chasteau Trompette design'd more to awe the City than defend it which makes the Inhabitants hate the name of it 't is very regular and beautiful has two Ditches within the outwardmost is conveniencies for Horse and in the other for Foot The Country about it is a flat cover'd with Vines their sole Trade Wine which scarce any but the English buys POITIERS A stragling ill Scituated Town low Poitiers Marshy ground about it and no good Water in it the circuit of the Walls shews it has been larger much than it is the best Building is the Church of St. Peter by Harry the 2 d. King of England 't is a Bishops Seat and govern'd by a Mayor CADILLIAC A little infignificant Wall'd Town Cadilliac but the Duke of Espernons House there is not much inferior to that of Richelieu being of the same sort of Building and has a better Scituation has finer Gardens and Orengery but the dispute by his Nephews about the Title makes it very much out of Repair AGEN A Wall'd Town stands upon the Garonne Agen. neither well built large nor otherwise considerable only that Scalligers House is there to be seen and is a Bishops Seat on the side of a Hill near it is the Habitation of five Hermits who have very good Appartments hewn out of the solid Rock as also a Church in which is a Spring that does wonders produc'd there by the Tears of a Female Saint 13000. years agoe the Father that shew'd it me has been there 45. years and is the most Devout most Reverend and most Simple Old Man I have seen from hence is easily discerned the Pyrenees and a Country both fertile and pleasant MONTAUBAN A little Town pretty well built Montauban the Market place has all the Houses upon Arches and under them their Shops in one part of it is a publick Fountain which no Town else in France can boast nor so good Wine and Provisions 't is a Bishops Seat but consists most of Hugenots TOULOUSE Stands on a flat is not bigger than Toulouse Rouen but esteemed the second City of France is generally built of a pale soft brick and so are the Churches which might be demolished by scratching it has divers Monasteries and some very large a fine Town-house and at the West-end a very good bridge almost equal to Pontneuf but the River under it not to be prais'd in the Summer The Soyl is so hot that in three months the Dead are dryed and taken up again and put into Vaults where they may be Visited It has an Arch-Bishop and a Court of Parliament who glory in the priviledge of raising such money as the King requires themselves and not to have the Officers of the Taille among them It swarms with Lawyers and is Poorer than any other part of France yet the Country from Bourdeaux thither the most fertile of the Kingdom lying between two Rivers and two ridges of Hills CARCASSONNE Is in two parts both distinctly Carcassonne Wall'd call'd the Citty and the Town but neither of them worth notice nor yet the Castle the Country here is stony and barren and about this Town are the first Olive-Trees I found NARBONNE Is the Frontier Town to Spain Narbonne stands low and unhealthfully but pretty well Fortified is an Arch-Bishops Seat whose House is the best there it has some pieces of Bridges Aquaduets c. remaining of the ancient Romans has no River but a cut out of the Aude BEZIERS Has a Scituation upon a little Hill and Beziers the little River Orb by it with a pretty good Bridge over it the Country still Barren but full of Olive-Trees which here either breed or some way draw a Quicksilver to their roots that in time destroys them MONTPELIER Is one of the best built Towns Montpelier in France though one of the least all of Stone and most of it uniform but the Streets insufferably narrow it stands on the side of a little Hill so that coming from Toulouse all the Towns is seen every House appear one behind another is Wall'd and has a little Cittadel built about 40. years agoe something like Chasteau Trompette has Physick-Schools and Garden and at some certain times the Apothecaries make the famous Confection of Alkermes in the
Ambrose himself lyes Bury'd The Closets of Sig re Canonico Setali in which are Curiosities all manner of Rarities In the first great variety of Burning-glasses and Reflecting-steels of great breadth and several other Instruments for Solar and Mathematical experiments In others are all sorts of Stones Minerals Shells Horns Beasts Fishes c. that are rare as Camelions Rhinocera's Sword-fishes c. Cloth of the stone Abestos that is made clean by throwing into the fire a Load stone but of two ounces weight that takes up 25. pound of Iron in another all manner of Clocks and Watches as those of perpetul motion with Bullets of local motion c. In others Armes of India China c. with their Kings and Priests hahits curious Figures in Ivory Anatomies of Abortives fine Cabinets Collections of Medails c. strange Looking-glasses Nuts China Manuscripts c. CITTADEL Is larger than that of Antwerp and Cittadel is esteemed one of the best in Europe has all sorts of Conveniencies and Shops within it self to Accomodate the Soldiers which are all Spaniards it stands close by the Town but the Government independant of him that governs Milan The City has twelve Senators chosen by the King Government whereof three must be always Spaniards these make and alter Laws determine all Causes Civil and Criminal without appeal the Governor has the priviledge of being a Judge amongst them and such is their respect to him that they never reject any thing he propounds The Revenue Spain draws from it yearly is not less Revenue than a 100000. l. Sterl Their Dominions so large in this fertile Country of Strength Lombardy that they can raise 50000. Men. It ahounds with Artizans of all sorts in so much Artizans that 't is thought to have more than all Italy Lodi Piacenza Two pretty little Towns the first Lodi Piacenza frontier to the Venetians in the latter stands an excellent brass Statue of Alexander Farnese the great General on Horse back the Country about these Towns a perfect Garden PARMA Has a pretty River runs through it and Parma is esteemed to be three miles in compass the Walls very good and regular The Duke's Pallace has two square Courts and the Theatre for Opera's in it the finest in the World being able to receive 14000. persons and may hear from the extremities of it distinctly by the side of it is a less for Comedies which is very pretty At some distance he has a Summer House with Gardens Fountains Orangery c. but out of order His Stables are very good and his Coaches excel all Christendom in Richness and Ugliness the one all of Plated-silver emboss'd as also the Carriage and Naves another of Velvet Embroider'd so massie and gross that it seems as rich but more detestable in its shape being as big as a Chamber having four great arm'd Chairs in it besides the usual Seats behind them again and the Gilding is equal to the rest of the foolish cost of which the Wheels have their proportion The Cupola of the Duomo is Painted by the hand Duomo of Carreggio but faded very much and the Floor is paved with large Marble The Duke's Revenue is said to be 400000. Crowns Revenue a year of which he spends much in Guards never going abroad without one of Halberds and one of Carabines and his Mother and Dutchess have the like In all his Dominions he can raise about 20000. Strength Men having other little Territories besides that rich Cauntry about Parma The Government of his Towns is by Podesta's Government which have Power in all civil matters and a Governor has the care of the other but all Appeal upon occasion to the Councel of State at Parma of which Marquess Vigolino is the principal His Intrest is French Intrest REGIO is the Duke of Modena's Frontier and Regio best Town of which Prince Lewis is Governor MODENA In the Pallace is an Apartment of Modena six Rooms as richly gilded and furnished as any in Italy the Dukes Stables and Horses better much than Parma close by the Town he has a good Cittadel and in the rest of his State he has two more The chief Manufacture of this City is making of Trade Vizard-Masks and Masquerading Habits for which they have a very good return and the Duke though but 16. years old is a great encourager of Trade and Protector of Virtuosi His Revenue is about 300000. Crowns a year including Revenue his little Mountainous Country of Garfagna next Tuscany which supplyes him with Oyle His Intrest and Government is exactly the same Intrest with Parma and his chief Councellor is Secretary Gatti When he goes abroad in the same manner attended too has the same Guards can raise as many Men upon occasion and has very near as many Acres as his Neighbor Duke BOLOGNA Stands at the end of that rich Tract Bologna of Land that scarce the World cau equal is large well built most of it upon Portico's like Covent-Garden has several fine Monasteries but that of St. Dominick is the greatest nourishing 150. Fryers That of St. Michele in Bosco being on a Hill with admirable Prospect excels all the rest and has the finest Dormitory The City is rather under the Protection then Government Government of the Pope for though he have a Cardinal-Legate there he can act nothing of Consequence without the consent of the Senate who have the Militia in their own hands which in the State consists of ten thousand Foot and a thousand Horse besides six thousand Citizens Commanded by a Maestro di Campo of their own for all which they have Magazins of Amunition c. and can as easily re-take the Government into their hands as they did unwisely part with it Though they Coyn their Money with the Popes Armes upon it they also impale their own device of Libertas with it and as a further mark of liberty they constantly maintain at Rome an Embassador but the Legate lives in greater State amongst them and at their charge too having Guards of Horse and Foot which continually attend him and besides the charge of Vice-Legate and other Officers sends the Pope yearly a hundred thousand Crowns clear which arises from Impositions on Salt and Fish the Post and the Secretary-Office for senceless Dispensations c. Their chief Trade and business is Silk of which Trade their is brought out of their own Territories to every Fair a million and two hundred thousand pound weight besides 200000. by Strangers all which is order'd in Bologna and employs thirty thousand People and their Hemp not less than 12000. besides little Doggs Wash-balls and Salsicci which are the best in the World FLORENCE Stands close under the Appennines Florence and seems every way else to have a large Plain enclos'd with Hills in which are an infinite number of Villas and some of them very
100000. Duccats to be made noble which last has been of ill Consequence for being most Merchants that were so admitted that mony and they being otherwise employ'd they have since considerably decay'd in their Trade the soul of that and all other States In the same time they also had a Lottery with which they got a very great sum of money and drew most of it out of Strangers pockets and a long time publickly delay'd the giving the Prizes alledging they were not all drawn so had the use of both Of greatest advantage is the Banco di Giro where Banco di Giro the Republick have the Benefit of more than five Millions of Duccats without a farthing Interest every Merchant putting in part of his Estate there which upon any bargain is pass'd to another without other delay or circumstance then altering the name and if any man would have ready money for his Intrest in it there are always those ready to give it him and who have not moneys in this manner have not any Credit for there they go to see the worth first of him they intend to trust and accordingly confide Money constantly paid into the Publick Treasury  Duccats Datij di Venezia 1724988 Decime ordinarie 240000 Dalli Taglioni 80000 Dall Impositione del Campadego 70000 Dalle Decime del Clero 10000 Dalli Contributioni dell'arti 60726 Dall Universita dell Hebrei 52000 D'uffitij e Cariche Vitalitie 25000 Dalli Datij di Terra ferma 1168973 Dalle Decime 2810000 Dalli Taglioni 110000 Dall ' Impositione del Campadego 90000 Dalle Decime del Clero 100000 Dalle Colte 40000 Rendite di Dalmatia 11448 Rendite delle tre Isole 132258  4195393 Constant Disbursments out of the Treasury  Duccats Officiali del Arsenale 124000 Per comprare Robbe bisognose al detto Arsenale 89033 Frutti chepaga la Zecca 1692657 Per Salnitri 36000 Per Paga del Armata e suoi Bisogni 399043 Per i Biscotti 200000 Per mantenemento delle Fortezze 29000 Militie e Fortezze delle tre Isole 200053 Salarij del Ser mo Doge 97778 Cancellaria Ducale 11910 Per spese straordinarie 148924 Per il Magistrato dell Aque 40738 Per l'occorrenze del Con o. di Dieci 42350 Per la Fanteria di Terra ferma 128140 Per la Cavalleria della Medesima 32380 Per la Cavalleria di Dalmatia 31680 Per l'Offitiali condotti 25000  3135786 Traffick for many Reasons is forbidden to the Nobili Traffick yet privately nevertheless most of them do use it but the Trade in General now is very inconsiderable having long agoe lost that of the Indies from Aleppo and since that with the Turks the Genoese being crept into it besides what the English and Dutch did furnish in the time of their War with Candia before which they made in Venice yearly 2600. Cloaths now not 500. which they sent into Turkie besides Silks Gold Silver Christal Glasses c. some of which went further on into Persia Arabia and Armenia To avoid Transportation of their Mony to any Forraign Country they wear nothing but their own Manufacture having very severe Laws against Extravagance of Habit. The Pope and this Republique are like those Twins which Intrest with Pope growing together in their bodys find such Impediment that the one would certainly destroy the other if they did not both know that on the life of his Companion depended his own and not daring to Ruine they assist each other To Savoy though they hate that Duke for his pretension Savoy to Cyprus they always give their assistance lest a more powerful Neighbour should come in his place They have much esteem and affection for the great Tuscany Duke believing him very wise and of great knowledge in State affairs and because Neutral to the two powerful Crowns of France and Spain and as a mark of their respect his Resident is received with open doors a Complement not allow'd to any other Prince in Italy There was anciently great Enmity between the State Genoua of Genoua and this Republick but since they appear'd for the Intrest of France as well as Spain it is much lessen'd The Duke of Mantoua they call their Son having Mantoua been under their Protection in his Minority and upon any occasion are ready to defend his State at their own expence being desirous he should absolutely depend upon them With Modena they are luke-warm and with Parma Modena and Parma no correspondence upon occasion of a disgust given his Resident at Venice whether now he sends no more With the Swizzers and Grisons they have great Swizzers and Grisons Friendship as well in respect of resemblance of Government as to resist Spain or the Emperor against either of which for their sakes they would make no scruple to declare open War and do the like to France To the Emperors damage they are always forward to Emperor contribute where it is not prejudicial to themselves and the rather because conscious how much they Usurp of his They conclude he can never be their Friend and are so strickt in their Dominion over the Adriatick that they make him pay an acknowledgment for all Vessels that come into any of his own Ports in that Sea With Spain at present they have a pretty good Spain Correspondence because more inconsiderable than it formerly was There is no Nation they hate so much as the French France for they look upon them as Authors of the War in Candia and the loss of it too giving them seeming succours only and behaved themselves there as they did in their Fleet assisting of the English With England they ever had and still have a good England Correspondence With Holland they did believe they should have had Holland a lasting Amity since they had both the same designes and the same fears from the two Crowns but now out of Emulation of the Hollanders too great Dominion at Sea there is no more that Friendship Denmark and Sweden are so remote that they are Denmark Sweden insignificant to them but their good wishes they would soonest bestow on the latter With the Great Turk they are forc'd to keep an Embassador G. Turk called il Bailo lest he ravish some of their Territories in Dalmatia c. and out of that fear frequently make presents to him and the principal Sultana's in the Seraglio PADOUA Stands on the River Brent on the Banks Padoua of which all the way to it are Villas of the noble Venetians 't is environ'd with a Ditch and great Ramparts fac'd with Stone but not alla moderna is very large and therefore very weak low Built few Inhabitants and most of the Houses upon Portico's of very ordinary Pillars It has about 400. Schollars and 40. Professors paid by the Republick but scarce any Colledges The Anatomy Schools only are remarkable and the great Hall of Justice big almost as that in Westminster and like it without Pillars