other Fat 's a litle before the Ambassadours with other forrein Ministers and Persons of qualitie mounted the stairs to come to the place of entertainment The Elector caused twelve drummers with as many Trumpeters some Kettledrums and other musick to be lodged in the belly of the Tun with orders to strike up upon a signall given when the Elector drank the French Kings health All being sate down at table and merrily feeding the Elector drank the health and the signall was given whereupon the musick began to play its part with such a roaring and uncouth noise out of that vast cavitie below that the French and other Persons of qualitie who were unacquainted with the designe looking upon it to be an infernall and ominous sound in great astonishment began to cry out Jesus Marie The worlds at an end and to shift every one for himself in so great disorder and confusion that for haste to be gone they tumbled down staires one over another All that the Elector could say to compose them was either not heard or not valued nor could any thing satisfie and reassure them till they saw the Actors com marching out of their den Had not many Persons of qualitie and travellers seen this Fat as wel as my self who know that what I say of its incredible bigness to be true I should be afraid the Reader might think I imposed upon his credulitie From Heidleberg I went to see that impregnable Fort or citadell of Manheim alias Fredericks-berg built by the Elector Frederick brother to Prince Rupert a Prince of as good a head as any Germany affoarded who though some have too partially Judged of him by his misfortunes yet by the wisest of the age was acconnted the Cato of Germany The wisest and best-men of the world have been unfortunate which makes some to be of the opinion that God in his wisdom thinks fit it should be so least otherwise they might attribute their prosperitie rather to the wise direction of their own conduct then his all seeing Providence and indeed dayly experience seemes to evince the truth of this since wee see knaves and fools advanced to preferment and richess when men of virtue and parts die neglected and poor in the eyes of the world though rich in the enioyment of a contented mind But this is a digression which the honour I have for the memory of that great man hath led mee into and therefore I hope will be pardoned by the Reader In the citadel of Manheim I saw some of the Records of that illustrious familie which without dispute is the most ancient of all the Secular Electors being elder to that of Bavaria which sprung from one and the same stock to wit two Emperours of Germany Many writers derive them originally from Charle le maigne by the line of Pepin King of France There have been severall Emperours of that race one King of Denmark and four Kings of Sweden one of which was King of Norway also besides many great Generals of Armies in Germany Hungary France and other Countries Since I can remember there vere five Protestant Princes heires to that Electorall dignity alive which now by their death is fallen to the Duke of Newbourg a Roman Catholick whose Daughter is Empress of Germany and another of his Daughters maryed to the King of Portugall Being so neare Strasbourg I had the curiositie to goe see what figure that famous citie now made since it had changed its master for I had been thrice there before when it flourished under the Emperours protection with the liberty of a Hausiatick town And Indeed I found it so disfigured that had it not been for the stately Cathedrall Church and fair streets and buildings I could scarcely have know'n it In the streets and Exchange which formerly were thronged with sober rich and peaceable Merchants you meet with none hardly now but men in buff Coats and scarffs with rabbles of Soldiers their attendants The churches I confess are gayer but not so much frequented by the inhabitants as heretofore seing the Lutherans are thrust into the meanest churches and most of the chiefe Merchants both Lutherans and Calvinists removed to Holland and Hambourg Within a few years I beleeve it will be just such another city for trade and Richess as Brisac is It was formerly a rich city and well stockt with Merchants and wealthy inhabitants who lived under a gentle and easy government but now the Magistrats have litle else to doe in the government but onely to take their rules and measures from a citadell and great guns which are Edicts that Merchants least understand I confess Strasbourg is the less to be pityed that it so tamely became a slave and put on its chains without any strugling Those Magistrats who were instruments in it are now sensible of their own folly and bite their nails for anger finding themselves no better but rather worse hated than the other Magistrats who did what they could to hinder the reception of their new masters the French I quickly grew weary of being here meeting with nothing but complaints of poverty and paying exorbitant taxes I therefore soon returned to my Petty London Francfort and from thence went to Cassells the chiefe residence of the Landgrave of Hessen This Prince is a Calvinist as most of his subjects are very grave and Zealous in his religion He married a Princess of Courland by whom he hath an hopefull issue to wit three sons and two Daughters The late King was God father to one of his sons who was Christened by the name of Charles Captain William Legg Brother to the Lord Dartmouth representing his Majestie as his Envoy The court of this Prince does indeed resemble a well governed colledge or Religious Cloyster in regard of its modestie and regularitie in all things and especially in the houres of devotion He is rich in money and entertains about nine thousand men in constant pay under the command of Count van derlipp a brave and expert Soldier his Lieutenant Generall but can bring many more upon occasion into field This familie hath been very happy both in its progenie and alliances many wise Princes of both sexes having sprung from it and the mother of this present Landgrave may be reckoned amongst the illustrious women of the present and past ages After the death of William the 5. Landgrave of Hessen her husband she not only supported but advanced the war wherein he was engaged did many signall actions Enlarged her territories and at the conclusion of the peace kept under her pay 56 Cornets of horse in five Regiments 166 Companies of foot besides thirteen Companies of Dragons and 14 independent Companies in all 249 Companies of horse and foot she was a Princess extreamly obliging to strangers especially virtuous and learned divines I had the honour a good many yeares agoe to kisse her highnesses hand at which time she was mighty Zealous in promoting an accommodation amongst different Religions as
Swedland I went to the danish Court at Coppenhaguen Copenhaguen is the capitall city of Zeeland Jutland or Denmark and place of residence of the King It stands on a flat encompassed with a pleasant and delightfull Countrey much resembling England The streets of the city are kept very neat and cleane with lights in the night time for the convenience and safetie of those who are then abroad a custome not as yet introduced into Stockholme where it is dangerous to be abroad when it is dark The Kings men of war lye here very conveniently being orderly ranged betwixt Booms after the manner of Amsterdam and neare the Admiralty house which is a large pile of building well furnished with stores and Magazines secured by a citadell that not onely commands the city but also the Haven and entrey into it The Court of Denmark is splendid and makes a far greater figure in the world then that of Sweden tho not many yeares agoe in the time of Carolus Gustaphus the father of the present King of Swedland it was almost reduced to its last when the walls of Copenhagen saved that Crown and Kingdome That siege was famous caried on with great vigour by the Swede and as bravely maintained by the Danes The monuments whereof are to be seen in the canon bullets gilt that still remain in the walls of some houses and in the steeple of the great Church of the town The Royall palace in Copenhaguen is but small and a very ancient building but his Majesties house Fredenburg is a stately fabrick of Modern Architecture and very richly furnished Denmark is at present a flourishing Kingdome and the King who hath now made it hereditary surpasses most of his predecessours in power and wealth He hath much enlarged his dominions aswell as Authority and by his personall and Royall virtues no less then the eminent qualities of a great many able ministers of State he hath gained the universall love of his subjects and the esteeme of all forreigne Princes and States The Court it much frequented every day but especially on Sundays where about eleven of the clock in the morning the Nobility forreigne Ministers and Officers of the Army assemble and make a glorious appeareance There one may see many Knights of the order of the Elephant of Malto but I never saw any order of the like nature as that of Sweden that King rarely appearing in his George and garter but on days of publick audience I have observed at one time above 150 coaches attending at the Court of Denmark which are ten times more than ever I saw together at that of Sweden The King is affable and of easy access to strangers seen often abroad by his subjects in his gardens and stables which are very large and well furnished with all sorts of Horses He is a great lover of English horses and dogs and delights much in Hunting as his eldest son the Prince with his brothers doe in cockfighting in so much that the English Merchants can not make a more acceptable present to those Princes then of English game-cocks The standing forces of Denmark are well disciplined men and commanded by good Officers both natives and strangers both French and Scots as Major General Duncan and Major General Veldâ—n both Scottishmen whom I saw at Copenhaguen The Soldiers aswell as courtiers are quartered upon the citizens a custome which is likewise practised in Sweden and tho somewhat uneasy yet not repined at by the people who by the care and good government of the King find trade much advanced For his Majestie by encouraging strangers of all religions to live in his dominions and allowing the French and dutch Calvinists to have publick Churches hath brought many tradeing families to Coppenhaguen and by the measure he hath taken for settling trade in prohibiting the importation of forreigne manufactures and reforming and new modelling the East and West India Companies hath much encreased commerce and thereby the wealth of his subjects so that notwithstanding the new taxes imposed upon all coaches waggons Ploughs and all reall and personall estates which amount to considerable summs of money the people live very well and contented There are commonly about eight thousand men in garison in Coppenhaguen and his Majesties Regiment of foot guards who are all cloathed in red with cloaks to keep them warm in the winter time is a very handsome body of men and with the horse guards who are bravely mounted and have their granadeers and Hoboyes make a very fine shew His Majestie hath caused severall new fortifications to be built upon the Elb and other rivers and hath now in his possession that strong Castle called Hilgueland at present commanded by a Scottishman The Queen of Denmark is a most virtuous Princess sister to the present Landgrave of Hessel-Cassel and in persuasion a Calvinist having a chappell allowed her within the Court though the publick religion of the King and Kingdome be Lutheran The Clergie here are learned many of them having studied at Oxford and Cambridge where they learnt the English language and amongst the Bishops there is one Doctor King the son of a Scottishman But seing it is my designe rather to observe the condition of the people then to be punctuall in describing all the rarities that are remarkeable in the Countries I have been in I shall conclude what I have to say of Denmark by acquainting the Reader that the people of that Countrey live far better then the Swedes and aswell as most of their adjoyning neighbours and that there are severall places both there and in Norway which have the names of English towns as Arundale Totness London c. When I fist began to write this treatise I had some thoughts of making observations upon the severall governments of other States and Dominions where I had travelled some years before I was in the Countries I have been speaking of as of the rest of Germany Hungary Switzerland Italy and France but that was a subject so large and the usefulness of it to my present designe so inconsiderable that by doeing so I found I could neither satisfie the curious by adding any thing materiall to those many who have already obliged the publick by the remarks of their travells in those places or make my discontented Countrey men more averse then they are already from removing into those Countries where I think few of them will chuse to transport themselves for the sake of liberty and Propertie tho England were even worse than they themselves fancy it can be All that remains to be done then is to conclude this treatise with an obvious and popular remark that those Countries where cities are greatest and most frequented by voluntary inhabitants are alwayes the best to live in and by comparing the city of London with all other cities of Europe and demonstrating by the surveys I have made which I think will hardly be contradicted or confuted that of all the capitall cities of Europe
Englands subjects is evident for in the yeare 1674 at the opening of the waters after a great frost there departed out of Rotterdam 300 Sail of Englesh Scotch and Irish Ships at once with an Easterly wind And if a reason should be demanded how it coms to passe that so many English Ships should frequently com to that haven It is casilie answered because they can ordinarily Load and unload and make returns to England from Rotterdam before a Ship can get clear from Amsterdam and the Texel And therfore your English Merchants find it Cheaper and more commodious for trade that after their goods are arrived at Rotterdam to send their goods in boats Landward in to Amsterdam This citie is famous as beeing the place where Great Erasmus was born whose Statue of Brasse stands erected in the Market place And although the buldings here are not so superb as those of Amsterdam Leyden or Harlem yet the places worth the seeing are first the Great Church where Several Admirals Lay Stately Entombed here you see their Admiraltie East Indie and Stathouses together with that caled hot Gemeen Lands Huis From Rotterdam you may for 5 stivers have a boat to bring you to Delph but before you com thither you passe thro a faire village called Overschie where the French and English youths are trayned up in litterature as to the Latin and Dutch tongue Booke keeping c from thence in the same boat you com to Delph which is famous for making of Porceline to that degree that it much resembles the China but onely it is not transparent In Delph is the great Magasin of Arms for the whole Province of Holland Their churches are verie large in one of which are Tombs of the Princes of Orange Admiral Tromp and General Morgans Ladie and in the Cloyster over against the Church you have an Inscription in a Pillar of Brasse shewing after what manner William the 1 that famous Prince of Orange was Shot to death by a miscreant Jesuist with his deserved punishment Delph hath the 3 d voyce in the States of Holland and sends its Deputies unto the Colledge of the States General and to all other colledges of the Commonwealth They have also a Chamber in the East-Indie Companie as shal be more largely spoken to when we shal com to treat of the State of the said Companie From Delph you may by boat be brought to the Hague for 2 Stivers and an halfe Which is accounted the fairest Village in the world both for Pompous buildings and the largenes thereof Here the Princes of Orange hold their Residence as also the States General and the Councel of State Here you have the Courts of Justice Chancerie and other Courts of Law Here you see that Great Hall in which many Hundreds of coulers are hung up in Trophie taken from the Emperor Spaniard and other Potentates with whom they have waged war There Councel Chambers are admired by all that see them Many faire Libraries they have belonging to particular men The Princes Pallace is a most superb building And there are many costlie Gardins adjoyning to the Hague together with that to the Princes house in the Woad in which house are in a large Hall the most rare and costly Pictures of Europe there also are those magnificent and unparalled Gardins of the Heer Bentham of Amesland and others I might here speak of the splendor of the Prince of Orange his Court of his noble virtues and valour of the most virtuous and Beautiful Princesse his royal confort but I dare not least I should infinitely fal short of what ought to be and which others have alreadie don before me and therfore leaving the Hague I shal onely tel you that from thence you may for 7 Stivers have a boat to bring you to Leyden Leyden is a faire and great citie and the Universitie is verie famous beeing frequented by 1000 of Students from all parts as Hungarie Poland Germanie yea from the Ottomans Empire it self who pretend to be grecians besides the English Scots and Irish who this years were numbred to be above 80. The most remarkable things here to be seen I shal summarilie set down As the place called the Bergh formerly a Castle belonging to the Prince of Liege in Flanders The Stathowse the Vniversitie Schooles specially that of the Anatomie which excels all the Anatomie Schooles in the world a Book of the rarities whereof you may have for 6 Stivers their Physick Garden and the Professors Closet are al ravishing in rare Curiosities But as to their Colledges they are but two and verie small not ro be compared with the smallest Hals in Oxford neither have they any endowments their maintenance being onely from the charitable collections of the Ministers of Holland neyther are any Students to remain longer there then til they attain the degree of Batchelers of Art One of the Curators beeing demaunded by me why so rich a Commonwealth as Holland is did not build and endow Colledges after the manner of Oxford and Cambridge answered they had not so many able and publick spirited men as are in England and to deal plainly with you said he had we such Colledges our Burgemasters and Magistrates would fil them with their own and their friends sons who by leading a lazie and idle life would never becom capable to serve the Common-wealth and therefore he judged it much better to put them to Pension in Burgers howses leaveing them to the care of the Professors who are verie diligent in keeping the Students at their exercises both at Publick lectures and in their private howses also where they cause them Punctually at their appointed houres to come to their examinations and lectures besides those they have in Publick Thier churches are rare so are the walks round the citie and the fortifications verie pleasing to behold Here you have the River Rhine running through the citie and falling into it from Catwyckop Zee Leyden is verie famous in historie for the long Siege it held out against the Spaniard From hence for twelve stivers and an half you are brought to Harlem by water being twelve English miles Harlem is famous in that Costor one of their Burgers first invented the Art of Printing This Costor beeing suspected to be a Conjurer was fain to flee from Harlem to Cologne in Germany and there Perfected his Invention having in Harlem onely found out the way of printing on one side of the Paper The first book he ever printed is kept in the Stathouse for those that are curious to see it Here is one of the fairest and largest Churches of the 17 Provinces in the wals whereof there remain to this day sticking canon Bullets shot by the Spaniards during the Siege thereof In this Church are three Organs as also the model of the three Ships that sayled from Harlem to Damiater seasing the Castle in which the Earl of Holland was kept prisoner and brought him away to Holland In the
one further I have compared the Bank of Venice with Hamburg and find both those Banks fall very much short with the bank of Amsterdam There are many other particulars I could name as Arguments to prove the great Riches Trade of Amsterdam as those vast Quantities of Wynes Brandewynes they sell in the North Eastseas those vast Countryes adjoyning thereunto from whence they bring Hemp Pitch Tar furnish France Italy Spain with the same they likewise have much Ingrossed the Copper Iron of Sweedland I will say no more of her stores Magazins but shall in the next place say some thing of her Churches Charitie to the Poore I will not speake much of her Churches but only that they are in General large and well built In one of them the States have Spared no cost to exceed the whole world in 3 things Viz an Organ with sets of Pipes that counterfit a Corus of Voyces it hath 52 whole stops besides halfe stops hath 2 rowes of Keyes for the feet and three rowes of Keyes for the Hands I have had people of Quality to heare it play who could not believe but that there were men or Women above singing in the Organ untill they were convinced by goeing up into the Organ Roome The second is such a large Carved Pulpet Canapie as cannot be found elsewhere in the world The third is a Screene of brasle The Stathouse in this Citty is a wonderfull superb Building on the uppermost part of which is a large Magazin of Armes The Copper Statues that stand on top of the Stathouse are very large peeces Exellently cast Espetially that called Atlas who hath a Globe of the world on his back that will hold 30 Barels of water for me to speake of the several rarityes of Pictures Carved works marble in this Stathouse of the Globes Celestiall Terrestriall that are on the floor of the great Hall would make a Booke of it selfe I therefore will speake of their Almeshouses of the Government of the poore of their Prisons houses of Correction This Citty is said to have 20000 poore Every day at Bed board The Almeshouses are many look more like Princes Palaces then Lodgings for poore people First there are houses for poor Ouldmen Women then a large square Palace for 300 Widdowes then there are Hospitals for Boyes Girles for Burgers Children for strangers Children or those cald Foundlings all these boyes girles have Every sonday other dayes of Worship 2 doites given them by the Fathers of these Houses the which the Children put into the Deacons sack when they gather for the Poore in the Churches Then there is an Hospital for fooles a Bedlam There are Houses where Common Beggers Gamesters frequenters of Taphouses are Kept hard at work There is also a House called the Rasphouse where petty Theeues such as slash one another with Knives such as beg with cheating devises women with fained great Bellyes men pretending to have been taken by the Turk others that pretend wrack at sea such as beg with a Clapper or a Bell as if they could not speake or heare such as these are kept hard at work Rasping Every day 50 pounds between 2 of them or Else are beaten with a Bulls Pissel if yet thy rebel wont work they are set in a Tub where if they doe not pump the water will swell over their heads Then there is a House where whores are Kept to worke as also disobedient Children who live Idle take no course to maintain themselves likewise Women commonly drinking themselves drunck and scolds Althese sorts of Hospitals Almeshouses are Stately Buildings richly adorned with Pictures their Lodgings very neat cleane In some of the Boyes Girles Hospitals there are 1500 in some 800 in some 500 in a House Then they have Houses where a man or a Woman may have their Dyet washing Lodging for his life giving a small summe of money These are called Brouders houses the Almes Children of this citie are held in such Veneration respect that a man had as good strike a Burgemasters Child as one of them These Children are permitted to travel in any of the Treckscuts freely without money These Hospitals are Governed by Men women as are of an unspotted life reputed to be rich devout pious it is very observable that the Women Governe their Women Hospitals better then the men do theirs yea it is a General observation in this Country that where the Women have the direction of the purse Trade the husband seldom prove Bankrupts it being the propertie of a true borne Hollands-wife presently after marriage to apply her selfe wholly to ber Business but I forbear to say any more of the Duch Houswives for feare of displeasing our English Dames not so much addicted at least not so Generally bred up to Industry but to returne to the Acts of Charitie of Amsterdam the which is so Extraordinary that they surpas al other Cittyes in the World for they are dayly houerly giveing to the poore Every House in Amsterdam hath a Box hanging in a Chaine on which is written Think on the Poore so that when any merchant sels Goods they commonly conclude no bargain but more or less is put in the Poores Box These Boxes art Lockt up by the Deacons who once a quarter goe round the Citty take the Money out of the Boxes Then twice a week there are men belonging to the Hospitals that goe round the Citty ring a bell at every House to Know what the Master or mistris of the House will give to the Box who Generally give not less then 2 stivers Then every first Wedensday of the moneth the Deacons in their turne goe round the Citty from House to House to receive what every house Keeper will give to the Poore Then on the week before the Sacrament is given a Minister with an Elder goes round the City to every House where any members of the Presbiterian Religion live there ask if any Differences be in the familie offering their service to reconcile them alsoe to Instruct prepare such as are to receive the Sacrament At this tyme a Minister may be seen to goe into a Taphouse or Taverne for which at another tyme he would be counted a wyne biber the worst of Reprobates At this tyme while these Ministers Elders goe about the City on their Visiations the people take an Occasion to give to the Poore And here I ought not to omit telling you of their great Charitie to the distressed French Protestants who are here in great Numbers They maintaine no less then 60 French Ministers unto many handicraft Tradesmen and makers of stuffs Cloath they lend sums of Money without Intrest to buy Working Tooles materials for their work but this is no other then they formerly did
to Amsterdam The other lesser Chambers of Delph Rotterdam Horne and Enchusen never haveing the assembly of the 17 in their Chambers so that only Amsterdam and Zealand have the honour of that grand Councel I will therefore crave leave to describe unto you the Chamber of Amsterdam it being the most Considerable of the Chambers belonging to this famous Company In there house or Palace within the ould City are many large Offices or appartments as first on the Lower Floor is their Parlement Chamber where the 17 doe sit Next to this Chamber are several faire Chambers for the Committes to sit in They have also a Chamber of Audience where they do receive Princes or Ambassadors or other great men as have occasion to speak with them In one of these Chambers are the Armes of several Indian Princes they have Conquered On the same Floor is their Tresury Office where their Receivers sit and receive money and pay out the orders or assignments of the Company Neer to that Chamber sits their grand Minister the Heer Peter van Dam who is said to be a Second John de Wit for parts but he hath not one drop of John de Wits or Lovestine bloud against the good Prince of Orange This great minister is a man of Indefaigable Industry and labor night and day in the Companyes service He reads over twice the great Journal Bookes which come from the Indies and out of them makes minets to prepare matters of concerne necessary to be considered by the grand Councel of the 17 and by the Inferiour Committes of the Company and prepares Instructions and orders to be sent to their Chief Ministers in the Indies I could say many more things of his great worth and Virtues but shall for beare least I should be Judged a flatterer Overagainst this great Ministers Office sitt in a Chamber many Clarkes or under Secretaryes who receive from this Minister their Ordrs of dispatches in the affaires of Company and next to this Chamber is a Register Office where are kept the Journal bookes of the Indies where you may see the names of al the men and women that have ever served the Company in the Indies with the tyme of their death or departing the Companyes service Then next to that is a Councel Chamber where the Residing Chamber or Committe of the Company alwayes sitts Then assending up staires there sitt their Book-holders who keepe the accounts of all the Transactions of those that buy or sel actions of the Company and over against this office sitts the Heer Gerbrand Elias who is the second Advocate of the Company On this floore are several large Roomes in which are great stores of Packt Goods and also a Roome with all sorts of Drugs Tee and Wax Ambergreace and Musk and on the same floore is a Chamber where the Commissiners sitt who governe the Packhouses And next to them sitt their Clarks who keepe the Registers of the sales of the Company Goods And on the same Gallery or Floore is a Chamber where are kept the severall Bookes of Divinitie printed in the Indian Language that are sent to the several Colonies of the Company And at the end of this Gallery is a Magazine full of Medicaments and Instruments for Barber Chirurgions Chests to furnish the Companyes Shipps and Garrisons in the Indies Then assending up another paire of staires there are several large Magazins of Nutmegs Cloves Mace and Sinamond and in a long Gallery are many men at work sorting of Spices fitt for sale Then ascending up another paire of staires there are many Roomes full of Spices then desending into the Court-yard there is a Guard Chamber where every night the house keeper hath a Watch and on the other side of the Gate there is the Chymist who with his men prepares Medicaments for the Indies Adjoyning to this Court yard is their Way-house and Packhouse for Pepper and Grosle Goods But before I leave this house in the ould part of the City I must say some thing of the maner or method used in the Transactions of the Jewes and others who make a Trade of buyng and selling the Actions of the Company the which is a great mystery of Iniquitie and where it inricheth one man it ruins an hundred The Jewes are the chiefe in that Trade and are said to negotiate 17 parts of 20 in the Company These Actions are bought and sould 4 tymes a day at 8 in the morning in the Jewes street at a 11 on the Dam at twelve and at one a Clock upon the Exchange and at six in the evening on the Dam and in the Coledges or Clubs of the Jewes until 12 at midnight where many tymes the Crafty Jewes and others have Contrived to Coine bad newes to make the Actions fall and good newes to raise them the which craft of doing at Amsterdam is not taken notice of which is much to be wondered at in such a wise Government as Amsterdam is for it is a certaine trueth they many times spread scandalous reports touching the affaires of State which passe amongst the Ignorant for truth I shall now in the next place say some thing of their Pallace or Magazine in the new part of the City the which may more properly be called an Arsenal It is a building so superb that it lookes more like a Kings Pallace then a Magazin for Merchants I have measured the Ground on which this Arsenal stands which I find to be 2000 foot and square every way reckoning the Motes or Burgals about it I remember the Ingenious Sr. Joseph Williamsen measured the two Rope-allies by telling the stone figures in the wal found them to be 1800 foot long the like whereof is not to be seene in the world On the backside of this Rope-allie lyes a store of 500 Large Anchors besides small ones In this Arsenal they build the Ships belonging to this Chamber and here are al sorts of worke houses for the Artificers that serve the Company And in a Chamber next to the Joyners Office is a model of a Ship they now build their Ships by which cost 6000 Gilders When a man beholds the great stores of Tymber Cordage and the Provisions of war in their Magazin a man would think there were enough to furnish a whole Nation In this Arsenal the Ships unload their Goods layd up in several apartments in the grand Magazin and afterward is removed to the house in the ould part of the City as their is occasion for sale In the upper part of this large Pallace sit the saile Makers at worke but on the Lower part of this house is an appartment where the Bewinthebbers assemble upon occasion of Businesse This Arsenal is not to be seen by strangers without a Ticket from the Bewinthebbers Now al what I have spoaken of these two houses or Magazins doth only belong unto the Chamber of Amsterdam There are yet other Chambers of the Company who according to their Quota or stock
Magistrates of the Citty take out of the Merchants Bank a Sufficent stock of money to supply the Lumbert a Banck that Lends out money and is Governed by 4 Commissioners chosen out of the Magistrates who sitt in Court every day in the Lumbert which is a large pile of Building 3â—0 foot long containing several Chambers and magazines under one Roof in these several Chambers the Commissioners have Officers sitting to lend money upon all sorts of Goods even from a paires of shooes to the richest Jewell c. This is a great convenicence for Poore people yea for Merchants also who some tymes may want money to pay a bill of Exchange and prevents the Cheatting and Extraordinary Extortion used by the Pawne brokers in England France and other Countryes And besides the Poore have their Pawns safely and well preserved neither are they punctually sould when the yeare is out or denied under the pretext of being mislaid as the Poore are often tymes served by the wicked Pawn broakers There is also another convenience in this Lumbert viz an Exellent way they have of discovering Thieves and the stollen goods They publish two generall open sales of the Goods pawnd twice a yeare that such as will may redeeme their goods and paying the Intrest may have them although the time be relapsed Thus much as to the Lumbert I was once according to my duty to waite upon our present King at the Bank of Merchants where shewing his Majestie the way of keeping the Journall Book of the Bank which is of a prodigious bigness his Majestie was Extreamly pleased with the Contrivance of preserveing it from fire saying that the course they tooke might be of great use for the preserving Patents and the deeds of Noblemens Estates This contrivance which perhaps may be thought usefull or imitable I shall therefore discribe it It is a large firestone shaped like a Chest and set upright in a stone wall having a large brass doore of a Vast thicknes with flops to fall over and Cover the Lock and Hinges into this chest the Booke is drawn upon Rouls it being of such a Bulk and waight as cannot be handed in by a man and there it is so securely preserved that although the house should be burnt the Booke in al probabilitie would be safe Should I here give an account of the Vast summes of money that dayly are written of in this Bank I might probably be thought to speake at Random but this I may bouldly affirme that it farr Exceeds all the Bankes in Europe both for Riches and Business and their Credit is such that the Italians French Germans and English have great summes in the same neither was ever any man refused his money in the worst of times A second Tax is what ariseth from the just and laudable Establishment of a Register A Tax which I think most men will be willing to submit to Except such as designe to cheat and defraud their Naibours and live by such like sins and Confusion and for the most part die with the curse of the people This Register in Holland begitts such assurance and Safetie in dealling that in purchasing of houses or land a Childe tho overreached in the Value yet cannot be cheated as to the title The methodes of which Register I have by me for the use of our King and Parlement when they please to Command it The third and last Tax is that of sealed paper as it is practised in Holland The Method of which I likewise keep by me for his Maiestie and Parlements Commands There are many other things might be spoken as to the Government of Amsterdam but I may not tyre your patience However one considerable thing I would not passe by touching the Melitia There are in Amsterdam 60 Companyes of Foot the least of them haveing 200 men some 300 which in a modest account amounts at least to 15000 men in which number neither Jews nor Anabaptists who carry no Armes are reckned only they are obliged to Contribute to the maintenance of the 1400 Souldiers who are kept in Constant pay as a Guard for the Citty and towards the night watch or Ratelwatch who walke the streets the whole night to keepe good Orders and tell us every halfe houre what a Clock it is There are also upon every Church Tower Trumpetters who sound every halfe houre and if any fire breakes out in the Citty they give a Signall on which side of the Citty the fire is and ring the Firebell and they have Exellent wayes on a suddain in such sad accidents to Quench Fire but I may not inlarge any longer but hasten out of Holland And yet before I leave Amsterdam I must vindicate her from a malitious aspersion cast upon her by the Ignorant they accuse her to have very rudely and uncivilly affrouted the Duke of York beeing there Anno 1681 All which is very false True the English Phanaticks of Amsterdam were so malitiously wicked as to spread severall lyes of his Sacred Person and stird up the Canalie as much as they could to affront his Highnes but as for the Magistrates they payd him verie great respects first sending me to the Hague to know what day his Highnes would please to honor their Citty with his presence that thereby they might be prepared to receive his Royall person with all the honor emaginable being resolved to Treat his Highnes in their Stathouse and that the Burgers should be in their Armes also giveing out orders for Coaches and the Admiraltys Yagts to attend his Highnes when ever he pleased to come but his Highnes by Collonel werden let me know that I should attend the Burgemasters and thank them for their kind presentation but his Highnes was resolved to see theit Citty incognito and therefore desired the Burgemasters not to put themselves to any maner of Trouble Notwithslanding the Magistrates Commanded their Yatchts to lye ready the halfeway Harlem and Vice Admiral de Ruiter Dirick Tulp and others went out in their Coaches to meet his Highnes and conduct him into the Citty at which tyme our English Phanaticks Especially those called Monmouths twelve Apostels did all that they could to stir up the rude multitude to affront his Highnes crying out to them This is he that brought the last war upon you and with his Jesuits would cut all the Protestants Throats But the next day after his Highnes was com into the Citty Burgemaster Valkenier the great Solon of Amsterdam sent for me and tould me that although the Burgemasters which are the Soveraignes of the City give no Visits to strange Princes unless they be Crouned heads yet said he I have a great Ambition to pay a Visit to the Duke of York upon severall respects first as being the brother of so great a King and as he is our Statholders Vnckell and Father in law and therefore said he you shall procure me Audience in the privatest maner imaginable for I designe to goe
with you to him without so much as a footman attending me here upon I waitted upon the Earle of Peterborow and Collonel Werden and Collonel Porter to desire them to aquaint his Highnes with the Burgemastrs designe whereupon his Highnes turnd to me and said Mr. Carr when the Burgemaster pleaseth whereupon I went immediately to the Burgemaster and attended him to his Highnes quarters the newes whereof comeing to the Cittizens they gathered together in great Multitudes to see whether this great man their Petty God did humble himself so far as to pay a Visit to his Highnes whereas the other Burgemasters only sent a Secretary and one of there Pensionaries to Visit the Duke of Monmouth and all Ambassadors have no other Complement but by Secretaries or Pensionaries After the Burgemaster had had a long houres Audience with the Duke in a Roome a part I attended the Burgemaster to his Daughter Pelicorns house the which was neare his Highnes Lodgings for the Tumult of the Burgers was so great that the Burgemaster did not care to pas by them and being come into his daughters Parler he began to speake to me after this maner Sir I never in all my life met with a Prince so generally Experienced in all things a Prince that hath far penetrated into the affaires of Europe and hath the right measures of the present State of our Country and discourses as if he sate in our Councell but above all I was mightly pleased to heare him declare himselfe so freely touching Liberty of Conscience commending the wisdome of our State in Opening their Gates to all tender Consciences and that is it said his Highnes that makes you so considerable and enticeth the Rich Merchants of other places to come live amongst you whereas the folly of the Spanish Inquisition hunts away the chiefest of their Traders the Jewes and others For my part said his Highnes I never was for oppressing tender Consciences in England for nothing more disturbs the peace and quiet thereof then forceing men by Penal Lawes to become all of one Religion To conclude said the Burgemaster do but Remark this one thing and remember it if you outlive me viz that if ever this great Prince come to be King of England he will alter all the Measures of Europe and possiblie become the Arbiter thereof After which discourse the Burgemaster said let me now present you mijn Heer Consul with a Glasse of Rhenish wyne to his Highnes health and pray when you have an Opportunitie to speake with his Highnes assure him that he hath in Amsterdam a true and faithfull freind and moreover he said when I speake next with our Statholder the Prince of Orange and our Pensionarie Fagel I will doe his Highnes Justice and thus wee parted but the civil deportment of this Burgemaster was not all for other great ones of the Citty did their part also as Vice-Admiral de Ruiter with at least 30 Captains of the Admiralty Chamber of Amsterdam attended his Highnes to shew him the Men of warr and Magazins of the Admiralty likewise Sir Dirick Tulp and the Heer Peter van Dam and others the Bewinthebbers of the East-India Company attended his Highnes to the East-Indie House where was spread a Banquet of Sweetmeats and rich Wines and they offered his Highnes a present but his highnes would not accept of any only two large Bookes in which were Painted all the Beasts Fishes and Foules and likewise all the Plants Flowers and Fruites of the East-Indies and because his Highnes had tasted the Mum in the East-Indie Magazine and liked it the Company caused twelve Caskes to be neatly hoopt and gave me them to be sent after his Highnes to Brussels And I know it was the resolution of the Bewinthebbers to have spared no cost if his Highnes would have accepted of a Treat in their house by all which you see that the Magistrates and chiefe men in Amsterdam were not guilty of Rudenes to his Highnes but it was the Canalie And now haveing said so much good of the States Government and of Amsterdam in particular it will not be amisse to take notice of some Bad customes and practises now in vogue in Holland and leave it to the reader to Judge what they may portend There are tollerated in the Citty of Amsterdam amongst other abuses at least 50 Musick houses where lewd Persons of both sexs meet and practise their villanies There is also a place called the Longseller a Tollerated Exchange or publick meeting house for whores and Rogues to Rendevous in and make their filthy Bargains This Exchange is open from six a clock afterdinner untill nine at night Every whore must pay three stivers at the dore for her entrance or admission I confess the Ministers preach and exclaim from the pulpit against this horrible abuse but who they be that Protect them I know not yet I have heard some plead for the tolleration of these wicked meetings upon pretext that when the East-India fleets come home the Seamen are so mad for women that if they had not such houses to bait in they would force the verie Cittyzens wives and Daughters but it is well known that as money does countenance so Discipline might suppress that abuse The ould severe and frugall way of Liveing is now allmost quite out of Date in Holland there is very littell to be seene of that sober modestie in Apparell Diet and habitations as formerly In stead of Convenient Dwellings the Hollanders now build Stately palaces have their delightfull Gardens and houses of pleasure keep Coaches waggons and sleas have very rich furniture for their horses with Trappings adorned with silver Bells I have seen the Vanitie of a Vintners sonne who had the bosses of the bit and Trapping of his horse of pure silver his footman and Coachman having silver fringd Gloves yea so much is the humour of the women altered and of their Children also that no Apparel can now serve them but the best and richest that France and other Countryes affoards and their sonns are so much adicted to play that many families in Amsterdam are ruined by it not that England is lesse Extravagant then the Duch who as I said before got such great Estates by their frugalitie whilest they were not addicted to such prodigalitie and wantoneste as the English are whose excesse I can not excuse neverthelesse the grave and sober people of Holland are very sensible of the great alteration that now is in their Country and as they say Paracelsus used to cure his patients of their disease with a full belly so a good Burgemaster desirous to convince his Amsterdammers of their dissolute kind of life invited the Thirty six Magistrates and their wives to a feast who being come and the Ladyes big with Expectation of some rare and Extraordinary Entertainment sat down at table where the first course was Buttermilk boild with Appells Stockfish Buttered Turnips and Carrots lettice Salade and red Herrings
of their Citty and other Cittyes too for they had neither fortifications nor Souldiers to man their walls Thus the whole Country and Cittyes of Rhineland were like to fall under the Crneltyes and Tyranny of the French but God a second tyme sent these people reliefe from Heaven first by giveing such undanted Courage to that great States man Pensionarie Fagel that he forced Koningsmark to Rally his Troopes together and to make a Stand neare Leyden offering himselfe to dye at the head of them if there were occasion but God reserved him for a furder good to the Commonwealth by sending such a sudden Thaw as was never seen before for in less then ten howers the Ice so sunk and such Floods of snow came downe from the high lands that the French were fain to make a very disorderly retreat Marching up to the middel for hast because on the Banks there could not march above four men a brest so they were constrained to leave behind them the greatest part of the Plunder they had robed from the Innocent Country people and the nimble Duch men on their Scatses so long as the Ice would beare them did shoot downe the French like Ducks diving under water so that it cost Luxenburgs Armie deare tho they had the pleasure to burne the poore people of which the French afterward wickedly made their boast The third was as wonderfull as the two others and although I doe not believe miracles as doe the Papists yet I say nothing I ever observed looked more like a Miracle then this to wit when the English and French Fleet lay before Scheveling with a designe to land and the French ready on their March to joyne with the English and other French as soon as they should land at the same tyme the Bisshop of Munster lyeing before Groeningen and the French before Gorcom so that now all things looked with a dreadfull face for the States yet at this very tyme God sent a 3 d reliefe by sending such Mists and wonderfull sorts of Tydes as so separated the two Fleets that the English were forced to quit Scheveling shore and were driven on the side of the Texel Roade from whence they were constrained by the season of the yeare to retire home and such were the sudden great showers of raine that the Bisshop of Munster was forced in disorder to raise his siege at Groeningen and the French to quit Gorcom I could ad many more observations of the Providences of God to these people as the preserveing the Prince of Orange from the many treacherous designes contrived against him from his Cradel but Moses must be preserved to goe in and out before his people certainely never young Prince Indured so many fatigues as did his Highnes in his tender yeares of which I was an eye witnes and had his Highnes had the yeares and Experience and such a good disciplinde Armie as now he hath in the yeare 1671 when the French Entered the Country his Highnes had given them as good a welcome as he did at Bergen I will say no more of this subject only this that the peace at Nimwegen was also a very wonderful thing for that not above 8 dayes before the peace was signed most of the Plenipotentiaries did believe the war would have continued another yeare first because the King of Denmark and Duke of Brandenburg prospered Exceedingly against Sweedland and totally refused the propositions of France and secondly because the French King writ such Bitter letters against the States Generall yet 8 dayes after drest a letter unto the States in which he calles them his good friends and old Allyes offering them not only Mastricht but every foot of ground they could lay claime to in the world also giveing them new Termes and Conditions as to their priviledges in France by way of Trade Neither can I forget how speedilie and as strangly the mighty French King did quit his Conquered Townes after the Valiant Prince of Orange took Naerden which was the first step to the Frenchs ruine in the States Dominions I come now according to promess in the beginning of this book to give the reader some Remarkes I made in other Countries where I have been during my sixteen years travels To give a full account of all that might be observed in so many Countries is not a taske for one man nor a subject for so small a book I shall onely therefore briefely take notice of some remarkable matters which may in some measure satisfie the curiositie of my Country men who have not been in the said places and convince if possible all of them that no Countrey that ever I was in afords so great conveniencies for the generalitie of people to live in as the Kingdome of England doth Though I have twice made the grand tour of Germany Hungary Italy and France and after my return back to England travelled a third time through Holland as for as Strasbourg and so back by Francfort to Denmark and Sweden yet the reader is not to expect I should follow a Geographicall method and order in speaking of the places I have been in that is to be lookt for in the map and not in travels but onely that I mention places as I found them on my rode according as busines or curiositie led mee to travel The first considerable place I then met with after I was out of the dominions of the States General was Cleave the capital citie of the Province so called a fair and lovely citie standing upon the Rhine and the rivers Wall and Leck This Province much resembles England in rich soyl and pleasantness of its rivers The inhabitants of the Countrey would have mee beleeve that they were originally descended of those Saxons who made a descent in to England and conquered it and to convince the truth of this they shew'd mee a cloyster standing on a hill called Eltham from which they say our Eltham in Kent had its name I was made to observe also two places standing upon the Rhine neare Emmerick called Doadford and Gronewich which according to them gave the names to Deaford and Greenwich in England but many such analogies and similitudes of names are to be found in other places of Germany but especially in uper Saxony and Denmark The greatest part of this Province of Cleave and part of the duchy's of Julieres and Berg and of the Provinces of Marke and Ravensbourg belongs to the Elector of Brandenbourg the rest belonging to the Duke of Newbourg now Elector Palatine and the Elector of Cologne The inhabitants are partly Roman Catholicks partly Lutherans and partly Calvinists who all live promiscuously and peaceably together both in city and Countrey The citie of Cleave is the out most limit of the territories of the Elector of Brandenbourg on this side of Germany from whence his Electorall Highness can travel two hundred dutch miles out right in his own Dominions and never sleep out of his own Countrey
pursued him got into his chamber and devoured him alive so that the Justice of the Almighty made him a prey to vermine who had inhumanely reckoned his fellow Christians to be such The tower which I saw to this day is called the Rats-tower and the story is upon record in the city of Mayence On my Journey from thence I came to the litle village of Hockom not far distant famous for our Hockomore wine of which though the place does not produce above 150 fouders a year yet the Ingenions Hollanders of Dort make some thousand fouders of it goe of in England and the Indies From Hockom I proceeded to Francfort a pleasant city upon the river of Maine called formerley Teutoburgum and Helenopolis and since Francfort becaus here the Franconians who came out of the Province of Franconia foarded over wfien they went upon their expedition into Gallia which they conquered and named it France and I thought it might very well deserve the name of Petty-London because of its Priviledges and the humour of the citizens It is a Hansiatick and Imperiall town and Common-wealth the Magistrats being Lutherans which is the publick established Religion though the Cathedrall church belongs to the Roman Catholicks who also have severall monasteries there The citie is populous and frequented by all sorts of Merchants from most parts of Europe part of Asia also becaus of the two great faires that are yearely kept there Many Jews live in this city and the richest Merchants are Calvinists who are not suffered to have a Church in the town but half an houres journey out of it at a place called Bucknam where I have told seventy four Coaches at a time all belonging to Merchants of the city It was in ancient times much enriched by Charle le maigne and hath been since by the constitution of the Golden bull amongst other honours Priviledges its appointed to be the place of the Emperours Election where many of the ornaments belonging to that August ceremonie are to be seen It is strongly fortified having a stately stone bridge over the Maine that joynes it to Saxe-housen the quarter of the great master of the Toutonick order The government is easy to the people they not being taxed as other cities are and had it not been for the Alarmes the French gave them during the last war they had not been much troubled but being forced to keep three or four thousand men in constant pay to defend their fortifications the Magistrats were constrained to raise money by a tax Besides that of the Emperour they are under the protection of some neighbouring Princes as of the Landgrave of Hessen Cassells Landgrave of Armestadt the Count of Solmes and the count of Hanau who are either Lutherans or Calvinists amongst whom the Late Elector Palatine was also one but whether the present who is Roman Catholick be so or not I cannot tel This city takes great care of their poor and in their charitie to poor travellers exceed Holland I have seen a list of seaven thousand whom they relieved in one year Their great hospitall is a large court or palace where the English Merchants formerly lived in the time of Queen mary's persecution of the Protestants who when they were recalled by Queen Elisabeth were so generous as to give the whole court with all their Packhouses and lands to the poor of the city It was my fortune to be there in that cold Winter in the year 1683. and saw a ceremonie performed by the Wine coopers of the citie who are obliged by law that when ever the Maine lyes fast frozen over for eight days together to make a great Fouder fat Hoops and Staves and set it up compleat upon the Ice It was very good diversion to see so many hands at worke and to observe the jollity and mirth of the many thousands of spectators who wanted not plenty of Rhenish wine to carouse in I had the curiositie afterward to goe to the court of the Landgrave of Armestadt a Lutheran Prince who lives in part of the richest soyle in Germany His Highness is a very courteous and obligeing Prince to Strangers and his subjects are in a pretty good condition again though they have been great sufferers by the last war between the Landgrave of Hessen and this familie From thence I went to Heidleberg a city I had been formerly in in the life time of that wise tho unfortunate Prince Elector elder brother to Prince Rupert Here I had the Honour to pay my dutifull respects to the Elector the son of that great Prince whose commissary I had the honour to be for two years together in Amsterdam This Prince since my being there is lately dead and left behind him the reputation of having been a Zealous thorough paced Calvinist and so constant a frequenter of the church that some Sundays he went thrice a day to Sermon but never failed if in health to be once a day at least at the garrison-church where he took particular notice of such officers as were absent He was married to a most virtuous lady the Royall sister of the King of Denmark and his brother Prince George During his life time the university of Heidleberg flourished exceedingly so that the number of students was so great that Chambers and lodgings in the citie were scarce and Spanhemius was about quitting Leyden to return to his professors place in Heidleberg but how matters stand since his death I am as yet ignorant This Countrey is called the paradise of Germany for its fruitfulness in wine corn and all sorts of fruit I my self have seen growing in one plain at the same time vines corn chestnuts almonds dates figs cherries besides severall other sorts of fruit And as the Countrey is fertile in yeelding the fruits of the Earth so the people are carefull in providing store room for them This I take notice of because of the prodigious Rhenish wine fats which are to be seen there amongst which there are seaven the least whereof holds the quantitie of 250 barells of Beere as I calculated but the large and most celebrated fat is that which goes by the name of the great Tun of Heidleberg and holds 204 fouders of wine and cost 705 L. Sterling in buildiug for which one may have a very good house built This fat I have seen twice and the first time was when the Elector treated the French Ambassadours that came to conclude the match betwixt his daughter and Monsieur the French Kings brother who married her after the death of our Kings sister his first wife at which treat there happened an adventure that I shall here please the Reader with In a gallery that is over this fat the Elector caused a table to be placed in the midle exactly above the bunghole of this Monstrous vessell and to be covered with a costly banquet of all sorts of sweet meats The day before all the wine being emptied out of this Tun into
the Roman Catholick Lutheran and Calvinist but especially betwixt the two latter and therefore entertained Doctor Duris at her court in Cassels who wrote severall pieces upon that subject of reconciliation and with lome of his friends had a conference with a learned priest that came from Rome to forward the project whereupon the Doctor published his book of the Harmoney of Consent which is highly esteemed in Germany From this Princes court I directed my journey to Hanover taking Lambspring in my way a place where there is a convent of English Monks and there I met with a very aged worthy and harmeless Gentleman St. Thomas Gascoigue a Person of more integrity and pietie then to be guilty so much as in thought of what miscreants falsly swore against him in the licentions time of plotting the Lord Abbot and severall of the Monks I had seen there formerly This monastery is very obliging to all strangers that travell that way as well as to theire own Countreymen and is highly respected by the neighbouring Princes of all persuasions as the Princes of the house of Lunenburg the Landgrave of Hessen and Elector of Cologne who as Bishop of Hildersheim is their ordinary The town of Lambspring is Lutheran though under the government of the Lord Abbot and his chapter who constantly choose Lutheran Magistrats and Officers for the civill administration and live together in that love and unitie that as yet there hath never the least debate happened amongst them and indeed this harmoney is now to be observed in most parts of Germany where different Religions are professed When I considered so many goodly faces both of Monks and students in that Abbey I could not forbeare to make a serious reflexion on the number of the English whom I had seen in the colledges and Cloysters abroad as at Rome Rattesbonne Wirtzburg in Lorraine at Liege Louvain Brussels Dunkerk Ghent Paris and other places besides the severall Nunneries and withall on the loss that both King and Kingdome suffered thereby when so many of our natives both men and women should be constrained to spend their own Estats and the benevolence of others in a strange Land which amounts to more money than at first one may imagine and this thought I confess made me wish it were otherwise I would not have the Reader to mistake mee here as if I espoused or pleaded for any particular party No I plead onely for the sentiments of humanity without which our nature degenerates into that of brutes and for the love that every honest man ought to have for his Countrey I am asmuch a friend to the Spanish Inquisition as to the persecuting of tender Conscienced protestants provided there be no more but Conscience in the case and I could heartily with that Papists and Protestants could live as lovingly together in England as they doe in Holland Germany and other Countries for give mee leave to say it I love not that Religion which in stead of exalting destroys the Principles of morality and humane societie I have met with honest men of all persuasions even Turks and Jews who in their lives and manners have far exceeded many of our Enthusiastick professors at home and when ever this happened I could not forbeare to love the men without embraceing there Religion for which they themselves are to account to their great master and Judge In my progress towards Hanover I touched at Hildersheim a city whose Magistrates are Lutheran though Roman Catholicks have the Cathedrall Church and severall monasteries there The court of Hanover makes another kind of figure than that of Cassels it being the court of a greater Prince who is Bishop of Osnaburg duke of Brunswick Lunenburg Hanover c. Here I had the honour to kiss the hands of the Princess Royall Sophia youngest sister to the late Prince Rupert Her highness has the character of the Merry debonnaire Princess of Germany a lady of extraordinary virtue and accomplishments and mistriss of the Italian French High and low dutch and English languages which she speaks to perfection Her husband has the title of the Gentlemen of Germany a gracefull and comely Prince both a foot and on horseback civill to strangers beyond compare infinitely Kind and beneficent to people in distress and known in the world for a valiant and experienced Soldier I had the honour to see his troops which without controversie are as good men and commanded by as expert Officers as any are in Europe Amongst his Officers I found brave Steel-hand Gordon Collonel of an Excellent Regiment of horse Grimes Hamilton Talbot and others of our Kings subjects God hath blest the Prince with a numerous offspring having six sons all galant Princes of whom the two eldest signalized themselves so bravely at the raising of the siege of Vienna that as an undoubted proofe of their valour they brought three Turks home to this court prisoners His Eldest son is married to a most beautifull Princess sole heiress of the duke of Lunenbourg and Zell his elder brother as the lovely Princess his daughter is lately married to the Electorall Prince of Brandenbourg He is a gracious Prince to his people and keeps a very splendid court having in his stables for the use of himself and children no less than fifty two sets of coach horses he himself is Lutheran but as his subjects are Christians of different persuasions nay and some of them Jews too so both in his court and army he entertains Gentlemen of various opinions and Countries as Italian abbots and Gentlemen that serve him and many Calvinist French Officers neither is he so bigotted in his Religion but that he and his Children goe many times to Church with the Princess who is a Calvinist and joine with her in her devotion His Countrey is good having gold and silver mines in it and his subjects live well under him as doe those also of his brother the duke of Lunenbourg and their Cozen the duke of Wolfembottel which are the three Princes of the house of Lunenbourg of whom it may be said that they have alwayes stuck honestly to the right side and befriended the interests of the Empire so that no by respect neither honour nor profit could ever prevail with them as it has with others to make them abandon the publick concern From this Princes court I went to Zell the residence of the duke the elder brother of the familie This Prince is called the mighty Nimrod becaus of the great delight he takes in horses dogs and hunting He did mee the honour to let mee see his stables wherein he keeps 370 horses most of them English or of English breed His dogs which are also English are so many that with great care they are quartered in severall apartments according to their Kind and qualities there being a large office like a brewhouse employed for boyling of malt and Corn for them It is this valiant Prince who tooke Tieves from the French and made