command given that no violence should be offered him that he might be reserv'd for the law and som exquisit torture The Queen grew half distracted hereupon who had been crown'd Queen of France the day before in great tryumph but a few days after she had something to countervail if not to overmatch her sorrow for according to Saint Lewis law she was made Queen Regent of France during the Kings Minority who was then but about years of Age Many consultations were held how to punish Revillas and ther were some Italiaâ—… Physitians that undertook to prescribe a torment that should last a constant torment for three days but he scap'd onely with this His body was pull'd between four horses that one might hear his Bones crack and after the dislocation they were set again and so he was carryed in a Cart standing half naked with a Torch in that hand which had committed the murrher and in the place where the act was done it was cut off and a Gauntlet of hot Oyl was clap'd upon the stump to stanch the bloud whereat he gave a dolefull shrike then was he brought upon a stage wher a new pair of Boots was provided for him half fill'd with boyling Oyl then his body was pincer'd and hot Oyl powr'd into the holes in al the extremity of this torture he scarce shew'd any sense of pain but when the Gauntlet was clap'd upon his Arms to stanch the Flux at which time he of reaking bloud gave a shrike onely He boar up against all these torments about three hours before he dyed all the confession that could be drawn from him was That he thought to have done God good service totake away that King which would have embroil'd all Christendom in an endlesse War A fatall thing it was that France should have theee of her Kings com to such violent deaths in so short a revolution of time Henry the second running at Tilt with Monsieur Montgomery was kill'd by a Splinter of a Lance that pierc'd his eye Henry the third not long after was kill'd by a young Fryer who in lieu of a Letter which he pretended to have for him pull'd out of his long sleeve a Knife and thrust him into the Bottom of the belly as he was coming from his Close stool and so dispatcht him but that Regicide was hack'd to peeces in the place by the Nobles The same destiny attended this King by Ravillac which is becom now a common name of reproach and infamy in France Never was King so much lamented as this ther are a world not onely of his Pictures but Statues up and down France and ther 's scarce a Market Town but hath him erected in the Market place or ore some Gate not upon Sign-posts as our Henry the eight and by a publick Act of Parliament which was confirmed in the Consistory at Rome he was entiâ—…led Henry the Great and so plac'd in the Temple of Immortality A notable Prince he was and of in admirable temper of body and mind he had a gracefull facetious way to gain both love and aw he would be never transported beyond himself with choler but he would passe by any thing with some repartie som witty strain wherein he was excellent I will instance in a few which were told me from a good hand One day he was charg'd by the Duke of Bovillon to have chang'd his Religion he answer'd No cosin I have chang'd no Religion but an Opinion And the Cardinall of Perron being by he injoyn'd him to write a Treatise for his Vindication the Cardinal was long about the work and when the King ask'd from time to time where his Book was he would still answer him That he expected som Manuscripts from Rome before he could finish it It happen'd that one day the King took the Cardinall along with him to look on his Workmen and new Buildings at the Louvre and passing by one corner which had bin a long time begun but left unfinished The King ask'd the chief Mason why that corner was not all this while perfected Sir it is because I want som choice Stones no no said the King looking upon the Cardinall It is because thou want'â—… Manuscripts from Rome Another time the old Duke of Main who was us'd to play the drol with him coming softly into his Bed-Chamber and thrusting in his Bald-head and Long-neck in a posture to make the King merry it happen'd the King was coming from doing his Ease and spying him he took the round Cover of the Close-stool and clap'd it on his Bald-Sconce saying Aâ—… Cousin you thought once to have taken the Crown off of my head and wear it on your own but this of my Tail shall now serve your turn Another time when at the siege of Amiâ—…ns he having sent for the Count of Soissons who had 100000 Franks a yeer Pension from the Crown to assist him in those wars and that the Count excused himself by reason of his yeers and poverty having exhausted himself in the former wars and all that he could do now was to pray for his Majesty which he would do heartily This answer being brought to the King he replied Will my Cousin the Count of Soissons do nothing else but pray for me tell him that Prayer without Fasting is not available therefore I will make my Cousin Fast also from his Pension of 100000. per annum He was once troubled with a fit of the Gout and the Spanish Ambassador coming then to visit him and saying he was sorry to see his Majesty so lame he answered As lame as I am if ther were occasion your Master the King of Spain should no sooner have his foot in the stirrop but he should find me on Horseback By these few you may guesse at the Genius of this spritfull Prince I could make many more instances but then I should exceed the bounds of a Letter When I am in Spain you shall hear further from me and if you can think on any thing wherin I may serve you beleeve it Sir that any imployment from you shall be welcom to Your much obliged Servant J. H. Paris 12. of May 1620. XIX To my Brother Dr. Howell BROTHER BEing to morrow to part with Paris and begin my journey for Spain I thought it not amisse to send you this in regard I know not when I shall have opportunity to write unto you again This Kingdom since the young King hath taken the Scepter into his own hands doth flourish very much with quietnes and Commerce nor is there any motion or the least tintamar of trouble in any part of the Countrey which is rare in France T is true the Queen Mother is discontented since She left her Regency being confin'd and I know not what it may com unto in time for she hath a strong party and the murthering of her Marquis of Ancre will yet bleed as som fear I was lately in societie of a Gentleman who was a Spectator of
his Gallies are call'd The black Fleet because they annoy the Turk more in the bottom of the Straits then any other This State is bound to keep good quarter with the Pope more then others for all Toscany is fenc'd by Nature her self I mean with Mountains except towards the Territories of the Apostolic See and the Sea it self therfore it is call'd a Countrey of Iron The Dukes Palace is so spacious that it occupieth the Room of fifty Houses at least yet though his Court surpasseth the bounds of a Duke's it reacheth not to the Magnificence of a King's The Pope was sollicited to make the gran Duke a King and he answer'd That he was content he should be King in Toscany not of Toscany wherupon one of his Counsellors replied That it was a more glorious thing to be a gran Duke then a petty King Among other Cities which I desiâ—…'d to see in Italy Genoa was one wher I lately was and found her to be the proudest for buildings of any I met withall yet the people go the plainest of any other and are also most parsimonious in their diet They are the subtillest I will not say the most subdolous dealers they are wonderfull wealthy specially in Money In the yeer 1600 the King of Spain owed them eighteen millions and they say it is double as much now From the time they began to finger the Indian Geld and that this Town hath bin the Scale by which he hath conveyed his Tresure to Flanders since the VVars in the Netherlands for the support of his Armies and that she hath got som priviledges for the exportation of VVools and other commodities prohibited to others out of Spain she hath improv'd extremely in riches and made Saint George's Mount swell higher then Saint Marks in Venice She hath bin often ill favouredly shaken by the Venetian and hath had other enemies which have put her to hard shifts for her own defence specially in the time of Lewis the eleventh of France at which time when she would have given her self up to him for Protection King Lewis being told that Genoa was content to be his he answerd She should not be his long for he would give her up to the devill and rid his hands of her Indeed the Genowaies have not the Fortune to be so well belov'd as other people in Italy which proceeds I beleeve from their cunningnes and over-reachings in bargaining wherin they have somthing of the Iew. The Duke is there but Biennial being chang'd evry two yeers He hath fifty Germans for his Guard ther be four Centurionâ—… that have 100 men a peece which upon occasions attend the Signory abroad in Velvet Coats ther be eight chief Governours and 400 Counsellours amongst whom ther be five Soverain Syndics who have authority to censure the Duke himself his time being expir'd and punish any Governour else though after death upon the Heir Amongst other customs they have in that Town one is That none must carry a pointed Knif about him which makes the Hollander who is us'd to Snik and Snee to leave his Horn-sheath and Knif a Shipboard when he comes a shore I met not with an Englishman in all the Town nor could I learn of any Factour of ours that ever resided there Ther is a notable little active Republic towards the midst of Toscany call'd Luca which in regard she is under the Emperours protection he dares not meddle withall though she lie as a Partridg under a Faulcons Wings in relation to the gran Duke besides ther is another reason of the State why he meddles not with her because she is more beneficiall unto him now that she is free and more industrious to support this freedom then if she were becom his vassall for then it is probable she would grow more carelesse and idle and so could not vent his commodities so soon which she buyes for ready money wherin most of her wealth consists Ther is no State that winds the peny more nimbly and makes quicker returns She hath a Counsell call'd the Discoli which pryes into the profession and life of evry one and once a yeer they rid the State of all Vagabonds So that this petty pretty Republic may not be improperly parellell'd to a Hive of Bees which have bin alwayes the emblems of industry and order In this splendid City of Florence ther be many rarities which if I should insert in this Letter it would make her swell too big and indeed they are fitter for Parol Communication Here is the prime dialect of the Italian spoken though the pronunciation be a little more guttural then that of Siena and that of the Court of Rome which occasions the Proverb Lingua Toscana in boca Romana The Toscan toung sounds best in a Roman mouth The peeple here generally seem to be more generous and of a higher comportment then elsewhere very cautious and circumspect in their negotiation whence ariseth the Proverb Chi há da far con Tosco Non bisogna chi sia Losco VVho dealeth with a Florentine Must have the use of both his Ey'n I shall bid Italy farewell now very shortly and make my way are the Alps to France and so home by Gods grace to take a review of my frends in England amongst whom the sight of your self will be as gladsom to me as of any other for I professe my self and purpose to be ever Your thrice affectionat Servitor J. H. Florence 1 Novemb. 1621. XLII To Cap. Francis Bacon from Turin SIR I Am now upon point of shaking hands with Italy for I am com to Turin having already seen Uenice the rich Padoua the learned Bologna the fat Rome the holy Naples the gentle Genoa the proud Florence the fair and Milan the great from this last I came hither and in that City also appears the Grandeur of Spains Monarchy very much The Governour of Milan is alwayes Captain Generall of the Cavalry to the King of Spain thorowout Italy The Dnke of Feria is now Governour and being brought to kisse his hands he us'd me with extraordinary respect as he doth all of our Nation being by the maternall side a Dormer The Spaniard entertains there also 3000 Foot 1000 Light-Horse and 600 men at Arms in perpetuall pay so that I beleeve the benefit of that Dutchy also though seated in the richest Soyl of Italy hardly countervails the charge Three things are admir'd in Milan the Dome or great Church built all of white Marble within and without the Hospitall and the Castle by which the Cittadell of Antwerp was trac'd and is the best condition'd Fortresse of Christendom Though Nova Palma a late Fortresse of the Venetian would go beyond it which is built according to the exact Rules of the most modern Enginry being of a round form with nine Bastions and a street levell to evry Bastion The Duke of Savoy though he passe for one of the Princes of Italy yet the least part of his Territories lie
there being squander'd up and down amongst the Alps but as much as he hath in Italy which is Piemont is a well peepled and passing good Countrey This Duke of Savoy Emanuel is accounted to be of the ancient'st and purest extraction of any Prince in Europ and his Knights also of the Anunciade to be one of the ancient'st Orders though this present Duke be little in Stature yet is he of a lofty spirit and one of the best Souldiers now living and though he be valiant enough yet he knows how to patch the Lions-skin with a Fox-Tail and whosoever is Duke of Savoy had need be cunning and more then any other Prince in regard that lying between two potent Neighbours the French and the Spaniard he must comply with both Before I wean my self from Italâ—… a word or two touching the genius of the Nation I find the Italian a degree higher in complement then the French he is longer and more grave in the delivery of it and more prodigal of words insomuch that if one were to be worded to death Italian is the fittest Language in regard of the fluency and softnes of it for throughout the whole body of it you have not a word ends with a consonant except som few Monosyllable Conjunctions and Propositions and this renders the Speech more smooth which made one say That when the confusion of toungs happen'd at the building of the Tower of Babel if the Italian had bin there Nimrod had made him a Playsterer They are generally indulgent of themselves and great embracers of pleasure which may proceed from the luscious rich Wines and luxurious Food Fruits and Roots wherwith the Countrey abounds Insomuch that in som places Nature may be said to be Lena sui A Baud to her self The Cardinal Medici's Rule is of much authority amongst them That ther is no Religion under the Navill And som of them are of the opinion of the Asians who hold that touching those naturall passions desires and motions which run up and down in the bloud God Almighty and his Handmaid Nature did not intend they should be a torment to us but to be us'd with comfort and delight To conclude in Italy ther be Virtutes magnae nec minora Vitia Great vertues and no lesse vices So with a tender of my most affectionat respects unto you I rest Your humble Servitor J. H. Turin 30. Novemb. 1621. XLIII To Sir I. H. from Lions SIR I Am now got ore the Alps and return'd to France I had cross'd and clammer'd up the Pyreneans to Spain before they are not so high and hideous as the Alps but for our Mountains in Wales as Eppint and Penwinmâ—…ur which are so much cry'd up amongst us they are Mole-hills in comparison of these they are but Pigmeys compar'd to Giants but blisters compar'd to Impostumes or Pimples to Werts Besides our Mountains in Wales bear always somthing usefull to man or beast som grass at least but these uncouth huge monstrous excrescences of Nature bear nothing most of them but craggy Stones The tops of som of them are blanch'd over all the yeer long with Snows and the people who dwell in the Valleys drinking for want of other this Snow-water are subject to a strange swelling in the Throat called Goytre which is common amongst them As I scal'd the Alps my thoughts reflected upon Hannibal who with Vinegar Strong-Waters did eat out a passage through those Hills but of late yeers they have found a speedier way to do it by Gun-Powder Being at Turin I was by som disaster brought to an extreme low ebb in money so that I was forc'd to foot it along with som Pilgrims and with gentle pace and easie journeys to clime up those Hills till I came to this Town of Lions where a Countrey man of ours one Mr. Lewis whom I knew in Alieant lives Factour so that now I want not any thing for my accommodation This is a stately rich Town and a renowned Mart for the Silks of Italy and other Levantin commodities and a great bank for mony and indeed the greatest of France Before this Bank was founded which was by Henry the first France had but little Gold and Silver insomuch that we read how King Iohn their Captive King could not in four yeers raise sixty thousand Crowns to pay his Ransome to our King Edward And Saint Lewis was in the same case when he was prisoner in Egypt wher he had left the Sacrament for a gage But after this Bank was erected it fill'd France full of money They of Luca Florence and Genoa with the Venetian got quickly over the Hils and brought their moneys hither to get twelve in the hundred profit which was the interest at first though it be now much lower In this great Mercantil Town ther be two deep navigable Rivers the Rhone and the Sone the one hath a swift rapid cours the other slow and smooth And one day as I walk'd upon their Banks and observed so much difference in their cours I fell into a contemplation of the humors of the French and Spaniard how they might be not improperly compar'd to these Rivers the French to the swift the Spaniard to the slow River I shall write you no more Letters untill I present my self unto you for a speaking Letter which I shall do as soon as I may tread London stones Your affectionate Servitor J. H. Lions 6. Novemb. 1621. XLIIII To Mr. Tho. Bowyer from Lions BEing so neer the Lake of Geneva curiosity would carry anyone to see it The Inhabitants of that Town me thinks are made of another past differing from the affable nature of those peeple I had convers'd withall formerly they have one policy lest that their pretty Republic should be pester'd with fugitives their Law is That what stranger soever flies thither for sanctuary he is punishable there in the same degree as in the Country wher he committed the offence Geneva is govern'd by four Syndncs and four hundred Senators She lies like a Bonetwixt three Mastiffs the Emperour the French King and the Duke of Savoy they all three look upon the Bone but neither of them dare touch it singly for fear the other two would flie upon him But they say the Savoyard hath the justest Title for ther are Imperiall Records extant That although the Bishops of Geneva were Lords Spirituall and Temporall yet they should acknowledge the Duke of Savoy for their Superiour This man's Ancestors went frequently to the Town and the Keys were presently tender'd to him But since Calvins time who had bin once banish'd and then call'd in again which made him to apply that speech unto himself The stone which the builders refused is becom the head stone of the corner I say since they were refin'd by Calvin they seem to shun and scorn all the World besides being cast as it were into another mould which hath quite alter'd their very naturall disposition in point of Morall Society Before
King to violat his promise being the first that ever he made them The King is so incens'd against them that their Deputies can have neither accesse to his Person nor audience of his Counsell as they stile themselves the Deputies of the Assembly at Rochell but if they say they com from the whole body of Them of the pretended reform'd Religion he will hear them The breach between them is grown so wide that the King resolves upon a fiege This resolution of the Kings is much somented by the Roman Clergy specially by the Celestines who have 200000 Crowns of gold in the Arsenal of Paris which they would sacrifice all to this service besides the Pope sent him a Bull to levy what sums he would of the Gallican Church for the advancement of this design This resolution also is much push'd on by the Gentry who besides the particular emploiments and pay they shall receive hereby are glad to have their young King train'd up in Arms to make him a Martiall man But for the Merchant and poor Peasan they tremble at the name of this War fearing their teeth should be set on edge with those soure grapes their fathers tasted in the time of the League for if the King begin with Rochell 't is fear'd all the four corners of the Kingdom will be set on â—…re Of all the Towns of surety which They of the Religion hold Rochell is the chiefest a place strong by nature but stronger by Art It is a Maritim town and landward they can by sluces drown a leagues distance 't is fortified with mighty thick walls bastions and countersâ—…arps and those according to the modern rules of Enginry This amongst other cautionary Towns was granted by Henry the fourth to them of the Religion for a certain term of years which being expir'd the King saith they are devolv'd again to the Crown and so demands them They of the Religion pretend to have divers grievances first they have not been paid these two years the 160000 Crowns which the last King gave them annually to maintain their Ministers and Garrisons They complain of the Kings carriage lately at Bearn Henry the greats Countrey which was merely Protestant where he hath introduc'd two years since the public exercise of the Masse which had not bin sung there fifty years before he alter'd also there the Government of the Countrey and in lieu of a Viceroy left a Governor only and wheras Navarrin was formerly a Court of Parlement for the whol Kingdom of Navar that 's under France he hath put it down and published an Edict that the Navarrois should com to Toloâ—…se the chief town of Languedoc and lastly he left behind him a Garrison in the said Town of Navarrin These and other grievances they of the Religion propos'd to the King lately desiring his Majesty would let them enjoy still those privileges his Predecessor Henry the third and his Father Henry the fourth afforded them by Act of Pacification But he made them a short answer that what the one did in this point he did it out of fear what the other did he did it out of love but he would have them know that he neither lov'd them nor fear'd them so the busines is like to bleed sore on both sides nor is ther yet any apearance of prevention Ther was a scuffle lately here 'twixt the Duke of Navers and the Cardinal of Guise who have had a long sute in law about an Abbey and meeting the last week about the Palace from words they fell to blows the Cardinall struck the Duke first and so were parted but in the afternoon ther appear'd on both sides no lesse than 3000 horse in a field hard by which shews the populousnes and sudden strength of this huge City but the matter was taken up by the King himself and the Cardinall clapt up in the Bastile wher the King saith he shall abide to ripen for he is but young and they spake of a Bull that is to come from Rome to decardinalize him I fear to have trespas'd too much upon your patience therfore I will conclude for the present but will never cease to profess my self Your thrice humble and ready Servitor J. H. Paris Aug. 18. 1622. XX. To D. Caldwall Esqr. from Poyssy My dear D. TO be free from English and to have the more conveniency to fall close to our busines Mr. Altham and I are lately reâ—…'d from Paris to this Town of Poyssy a pretty gentile place at the â—…oot of the great Forrest of Saint German upon the River Sequana and within a mile of one of the Kings chiefest standing Houses and about 15 miles from Paris Here is one of the prime Nunneries of all France Lewis the ninth who in the Catalog of the French Kings is call'd St. Lewis which Title was confirm'd by the Pope was baptiz'd in this little Town and after his return from Egypt and other places against the Saracens being ask'd by what Title he would be distinguish'd from the rest of his Predecessors after his death he answer'd that he desir'd to be call'd Lewis of Poyssy reply being made that ther were divers other places and cities of renown wher he had perform'd brave exploits and obtain'd famous victories therfore it was more fitting that som of those places should denominat him no said he I desire to be call'd Lewis of Poyssy because there I got the most glorious victory that ever I had for there I overcame the Devill meaning that he was Christned there I sent you from Antwerp a silver Dutch Table-book I desire to hear of the receit of it in your next I must desire you as I did once at Rouen to send me a dozen pair of the whitest kidskin glov's for women and half a dozen pair of knit's by the Merchants post and if you want any thing that France can afford I hope you know what power you have to dispose of Poyssy Septem 7. 1622. Your J. H. XXII To my Father from Paris SIR I Was afraid I should never have had ability to write to you again I had lately such a dangerous fit of sicknes but I have now pass'd the brunt of it God hath been pleas'd to reprieve me and reserve me for more days which I hope to have grace to number better Mr. Altham and I having retired to a small Town from Paris for more privacy and sole conversation with the nation I tyed my self to a task for the reading of so many books in such a compasse of time and therupon to make good my-word to my self I us'd to watch many nights together though it was in the depth of Winter but returning to this Town I took cold in the head and so that mals of rheum which had gather'd by my former watching turn'd to an impostume in my head wherof I was sick above forty days at the end they cauteâ—…is'd and made an issue in my check to make vent for the impostume and that
guerdons com slow yet they com sure And it is oftentimes the method of God Almighty himself to be long both in his rewards and punishments As you have berest the French of their Sain-Esprit their Holy Spirit so ther is news that the Hollander have taken from Spain all her Saints I mean todos los santos which is one of the chiefest staples of Sugar in Brasill No more but that I wish you all health honor and hearts desire London 26 of Octob. 1627. Your much obliged Nephew and Servitor J. H. XII To Captain Tho. B. from York NOble Captain Yours of the first of March was deliverd me by Sir Richard Scott and I held it no profanation of this Sunday evening considering the quality of my subject and having I thank God for it performed all Church duties to employ som hours to meditat on you and send you this frendly salute though I confess in an unusuall monitory way My dear Captain I love you perfectly well I love both your person and parts which are not vulgar I am in love with your disposition which is generous and I verily think you wer never guilty of any Pusillanimous act in your life Nor is this love of mine conferr'd upon you gratis but you may challenge it as your due and by way of correspondence in regard of those thousand convincing Evidences you have given me of yours to me which ascertain me that you take me for a true frend Now I am of the number of those that had rather commend the vertue of an enemy than soeth the vices of a friend for your own particular if your parts of vertue and your infirmities were cast into a ballance I know the first would much out-poise the other yet give me leave to tell you 〈◊〉 ther is one frailty or rather ill favor'd custom that reigns in you which weighs much it is a humor of swearing in all your discoursâ—…s and they are not slight but deep far fetch'd Oathes that you are wont to rap out which you use as flowers of Rhetoric to enforce a â—…aith upon the hearers who beleeve you never the more and you use this in cold bloud when you are not provok'd which makes the humor far more dangerous I know many and I cannot say I my self am free from it God forgive me that being transported with choler and as it were made drunk with passion by som sudden provoking accident or extreme ill fortune at play will let fall Oaths and deep Protestations but to belch out 〈◊〉 send forth as it were whole volleys of Oaths and Curses in a calm humor to verifie every triviall discours is a thing of horror I knew a King that being cross'd in his game would amongst his Oaths fall on the ground and bite the very earth in the rough of his passion I heard of another King Henry the fourth of France that in his highest distemper would swear but Ventre de Saint Gris by the belly of Saint Gris I heard of an Italian that having been much accustomed to blaspheme was wean'd from it by a pretty wile for having been one night at play and lost all his money after many execrable Oathes and having offerd money to another to go out to face heaven and defie God he threw himself upon a Bed hard by and there fell asleep The other Gamsters plaid on still and finding that he was fast asleep they put out the candels and made semblance to play on still they fell a wrangling and spoke so loud that he awaked he hearing them play on stil fell a rubbing his eyes and his conscience presently prompted him that he was struck blind and that Gods judgment had deservedly fallen down upon him for his blasphemies and so he fell to sigh and weep pittifully a ghostly Father was sent for who undertook to do som acts of penance for him if he would make a vow never to play again or blaspheme which he did and so the candles were lighted again which he thought were burning all the while so he becam a perfect Convert I could wish this Letter might produce the same effect in you Ther is a strong Text that the curse of heaven hangs always over the dwelling of the swearer and you have more fearfull examples of miraculous judgments in this particular than of any other sin Ther is a little town in Languedoc in France that hath a multitude of the Pictures of the Virgin Mary up and down but she is made to carry Christ in her right arm contrary to the ordinary custom and the reason they told me was this that two gamsters being at play one having lost all his money and bolted out many blasphemies â—…e gave a deep Oath that that whore upon the wall meaning the picture of the blessed Virgin was the cause of his ill luck hereupon the child removed imperceptibly from the left arm to the right and the man fell stark dumb ever after'â—… thus went the tradition there This makes me think upon the Lady Southwells news from Utopia that he who sweareth when he playeth at dice may challenge his damnation by way of purchase This inâ—…andous custom of Swearing I observe reigns in England lately more than any wher els though the German in his highest puff of pasâ—…ion swear by a hundred thousand Sacraments the Italian by the whore of God the French by his death the Spaniard by his flesh the Westiman by his sweat the Irish man by his five wounds though the Scot commonly bids the devill hale his soule yet for variety of Oaths the English Roarers put down all Consider well what a dangerous thing it is to tear in pieces that dreadfull name which makes the vast fabric of the world to tremble that holy name wherein the whol Hierarchy of Heaven doth triumph that blisful name wherin consists the fulnes of all felicity I know this custom in you yet is but a light disposition t is no habit I hope let me therfore conjure you by that power of frendship by that holy ligue of love which is between us that you would suppress it before it com to that for I must tell you that those who could find in their hearts to love you for many other things do disrespect you for this they hate your company and give no credit to whatsoever you say it being one of the punishments of a swearer as well as of a lyar not to be beleeved when he tells truth Excuse me that I am so free with you what I write proceeds from the clear current of a pure affection and I shall heartily thank you and take it as an argument of love if you tell me of my weaknesses which are God wot too too many for my body is but a Cargazon of corrupt humors and being not able to overcome them all at once I do endeavor to doe it by degrees like Sertorius his soldier who when he could not cut off the Horse tayl with his sword
This new-year scarce would serve me so farewell Cal. Apr. 1629. Your son and servitor J. H. XXVIII To the right honble the Earl of Bristol at Sherburn Castle My Lord I Attended my Lord Cottington before he went on his journey towards Spain and put him in mind of the old busines against the Vice-roy of Sardinia to see whether any good can be don and to learn whether the Conde or his son be Solvent He is to land at 〈◊〉 one of the Kings ships attends him and som Merchant men take the advantage of this Convoy The news that keeps greatest noise now is that the Emperour hath made a favourable peace with the Dane for Tilly had cross'd the Elve and entred deep into Holstein land and in all probability might have carried all before him yet that King had honorable termes given him and a peace is concluded though without the privity of England But I beleeve the King of Denmarc far'd the better because he is Granchild to Charles the Emperours sister Now it seems another spirit is like to fall upon the Emperour for they write that Gustavus King of Swâ—…thland is struck into Germany and hath taken Meclenburgh the ground of his quarrell as I hear is that the Emperour would not acknowledg much less give audience to his Ambassadors he also gives out to com for the assistance of his Allies the Dukes of Pomerland and Meclenburgh nor do I hear that he speaks any thing yet of the Pr. Palsgraves business Don Carlos Coloma is expected here from Flanders about the samâ—… time that my Lord Cottington shall be arriv'd at the Court of Spain God send us an Honourable peace for as the Spaniard saies Nunâ—…avi tan mala paz que no fuesse mejor que la mejor guerra London 20 May. 1629 Your Lordships most humble and ready Servant J. H. XXX To my Cosen I. P. at Mr. Conradus Cousin A Letter of yours was lately deliverd me I made a shift to read the superscription but within I wonderd what language it might be in which 't was written at first I thought 't was Hebrew or som of her Dialects and so went from the liver to the heart from the right hand to the left to read it but could maâ—…e nothing of it then I thought it might be the Chineses language and went to read the words perpendicular and the lines were so crooked and distorted that no coherence could be made Greekâ—… â—… perceiv'd it was not nor Latin or English So I gave it for meere gibbrish and your characters to be rather Hieroglyphicks then Letters The best is you keep your lines at a good distance like those in Chancery-bills who as a Clerk said were made so wide of purpose because the Clients should have room enough to walk between them without justling one another yet this widenes had bin excusable if your lines had bin streight but they were full of odd kind of Undulations and windings If you can write no otherwise one may read your thoughts as soon as your characters It is som excuse for you that you are but a young beginner I pray let it appear in your next what a proficient you are otherwise som blame may light on me that placed you there Let me receive no more Gibbrish or Hieroglyphicks from you but legible letters that I may acquaint your friends accordingly of your good proceedings So I rest Westminst 20 Sept. 1629. Your very loving Cosen J. H. XXXI To the Lo. Viscount Wentworth Lo. President of York My Lord MY last was of the first current since which I receiv'd one from your Lordship and your comands therin which I shall ever entertain with a great deal of cheerfulnes The greatest news from abroad is that the French King with his Cardinal are com again on this side the Hills having don his business in Italy and Savoy and reserv'd still Pignerol in his hands which will serve him as a key to enter Italy at pleasure Upon the highest Mountain 'mongst the Alps he left this ostentous inscription upon a great Marble piller A la memoire eternelle de Lovis treiziesme Roy de France de Navarre Tres-Auguste tres-victorieux tres-heureux Conquerant tres-juste Lequel apres avoir vaincu toutes les Nations de l'Europe Il à encore triumphé les elements Du ciel de la terre Ayant passé deux fois ces-monts au mois de Mars avec son Armee Victorieuse pour remmettre les Princes d'Italie en leurs estats Defendre protegerses Alliez To the eternall memory of Lewis the thirteenth King of France and Navarr most gracious most victorious most happy most just a Conquerer who having orecom all Nations of Europ he hath also triumph'd over the Elements of Heaven and Earth having twise pass'd ore these hills in the month of March with his victorious Army to restore the Princes of Italy to their estates and to defend and protect his Allies So I take my leave for the present and rest Westmin 5 Aug. 1629. Your Lopp most humble and ready Servitor J. H. XXXII To Sir Keneime Digby Knight SIR GIve me leave to congratulat your happy return from the Levant and the great honour you have acquir'd by your gallant comportment in Algier in reescating so many English slaves by bearing up so bravely against the Venetian Fleet in the bay of Scanderoon and making the Pantaloni to know themselves and you better I do not remember to have read or heard that those huge Galleasses of Saint Mark were beaten afore I give you the joy also that you have born up against the Venetian Ambassadour here and vindicated your self of those foule scandalls he had cast upon you in your absence Wheras you desire me to joyne with my Lord Cottington and others to make an Affidavit touching Bartholomew Spinola whither he be Vezino de Madrid viz. free Denison of Spaine I am ready to serve you herein or to do any other office that may right you and tend to the making of your prize good Yet I am very sorry that our Aleppo Merchants suffer'd so much I shall be shortly in London and I will make the greater speed because I may serve you So I humbly kiss my noble Ladies hand and rest Westmin 25 Novemb. 1629. Your thrice-assured Servitor J. H. XXXIII To the Right honble Sir Peter Wicths Ambr. at Constantple. SIR MAster Simon Digby delivered me one from your Lordship of the first of Iune and I was extremely glad to have it for I had receav'd nothing from your Lordship a twelvemonth before Mr. Controuler Sir Tho. Edmonds is lately return'd from France having renew'd the peace which was made up to his hands before by the Venetian Ambassadors who had much labour'd in it and had concluded all things beyond the Alps when the King of France was at Susa to relieve Casal The Monsieur that was to fetch him from Saint Denis to Paris put a kind of jeering complement upon him
Christendom they say ther are as many Gallies and Galeasses of all sorts belonging to Saint Mare either in Cours at Anchor in Dock or upon the Carine as ther be dayes in the yeer here they can build a compleat Gally in half a day and put her a float in perfect Equippage having all the ingredients fitted before hand as they did in three hours when Henry the third pass'd this way to France from Poland who wish'd that besides Pâ—…is and his Parliament Towns he had this Arsenal in exchange for three oâ—… his chiefest Cities Ther are three hundred people perpetually hero at Work and if one comes young and grows old in Saint Mâ—…es service he hath a Pension from the State during life Being brought to see one of the Clarissimos that governs this Arsenall this huge Sea Store House amongst other matters reflecting upon England he was saying That if Cavaglier Don Roberto Mansell were now here he thought verily the republic would make a proffer to him to be Admirall of that Fleet of Gallies and Galeons which are now going against the Duke of Ossuna and the Forces of Naples you are so well known here I was since I came hither in Murano a little Island about the distance of Lambeth from London wher Crystall-Glasse is made and 't is a rare sight to see a whole Street where on the one side ther are twenty Furnaces together at work They say here that although one should transplant a Glasse-Furnace from Murano to Venice her self or to any of the little assembly of Islands about her or to any other part of the Earth besides and use the same Materials the same Workmen the same Fuell the self same Ingredients every way yet they cannot make Crystall Glasse in that perfection for beauty and Iustre as in Murano som impute into the qualitie of the circumambient Ayr that hangs ore the place which is purified and attenuated by the concurrence of so many fires that are in those Furnaces night and day perpetually for they are like the Vestall fire which never goes out And it is well known that some Ayrs make more qualifying impressions then others as a Greekâ—…old â—…old me in Sicily of the Ayr of Egypt wher ther be huge common Furnaces to hatch Eggs by the thousands in Cameâ—…s Dung for during the time of hatching if the Ayr happen to come to be overcast and grow cloudy it spoyls all if the Skie continue still serene and clear not one Egg in a hundred will miscaâ—…ry I met with Camillo your Consaorman here lately and could he be sure of entertainment he would return to serve you again and I believe for lesse-salary I shall attend your commands herein by the next and touching other particulars wherof I have written to Captain Bacon So I rest Venice May the 30 1621 Your most humble and ready Servant J. H. XXIX To my Brother from Venice Brother I Found a Letter of yours that had lain dormant here a good while in Mr. Symns hands to welcom me to Venice and I thank you for the variety of news wherwith she went sreighted for she was to me as a Ship richly laden from London useth to be to our Marchants here and I esteem her Cargazon at no lesse a value for she inrich'd me with the knowledg of my Fathers health and your own with the rest of my Brothers and Sisters in the Countrey with divers other passages of contentment besides she went also ballasted with your good instructions which as Marchants use to do of their commodities I will turn to the best advantage and Italy is no ill Market to improve any thing the onely procede that I may use the mercantil term you can expect is thanks and this way I shall not be wanting to make you rich returns Since I came to this Town I dispatch'd sundry businesses of good value for Sir Robert Mansell which I hope will give content The art of Glasse-making here is very highly valued for whosoever be of that profession are Gentlemen ipso facto and it is not without reason it being a rare kind of knowledg and chymistry to transmute Dust and Sand for they are the onely main Ingredients to such a diaphanous pellucid dainty body as you see a Crystal-Glasse is which hath this property above Gold or Silver or any other minerall to admit no poyson as also that it never wastes or loseth a whit of its first weight though you use it never so long When I saw so many sorts of curious Glasses made here I thought upon the complement which a Gentleman put upon a Lady in England who having five or six comly Daughters said He never saw in his life such a dainty Cupboard of Crystall-Glasses the complement proceeds it seems from a saying they have here That the first handsom Woman that ever was made was made of Venice-Glasse which implies Beuty but brittlenes withall and Venice is not unfurnish'd with som of that mould for no place abounds more with Lasses and Glasses but considering the brittlenes of the Stuff it was an odd kind of melancholly in him that could not be perswaded but he was an Urinal surely he deserv'd to be piss'd in the mouth But when I pried into the Materials and observ'd the Furnaces and the Calcinations the Transubstantintions the Liquefactions that are incident to this Art my thoughts were rais'd to a higher speculation that if this small Furnace-fire hath vertue to convert such a small lump of dark Dust and Sand into such a specious clear Body as Crystall surely that gran Universall-site which shall happen at the day of judgment may by its violent-ardor vitrifie and turn to one lump of Crystall the whole Body of the Earth nor am I the first that fell upon this conceit I will in large my self no further to you at this time but conclude with this Tetrastic which my Brain ran upon in my Bed this morning Vistrea sunt nostrae comissa negotia curae Hoc oculis speculum mittimus ergo luis Quod speculum Est instar speculi mea littera per quod Vivida fraterni cordis imago nitet Adieu my dear Brother live happily and love Ven the 1. of June 1621. Your Brother J. H. XXX To Mr. Richard Altham at Grayes-Inne from Venice Gentle Sir O dulcior illo Melle quod in ceris Attica ponit apis O thou who dost in sweetnesse far excell That Iuycc the Attic Bee store's in her cell My dear Dick I Have now a good while since taken footing in Venice this admired Maidâ—… Citie so call'd because she was never deflour'd by any enemy since she had a being not since her Rialto was first erected which is now above twelve Ages ago I protest unto you at my first landing I was for som dayes ravish'd with the high beuty of this Maid with her lovely countenance I admir'd her magnificent buildings her marvailous situation her dainty smooth neat streets wheron you may walk most
daughter for a present and came with him from Bagdat besides one accident that happened to him was thâ—… he had an Eunuch who was used to be drunk and whom he had commanded twice upon pain of life to refrain swearing by Mahomet that he would cause him to be strangled if he found him the third time so yet the Eunuch still continued in his drunkenes heerupon the Turk conceiving with himself that ther must needs be som extraordinary delight in drunkenes because this man preferred it before his life fell to it himself and so drunk himself to death In Asia ther is no beer drunk at all but Water Wine and an incredible variety of other drinks made of Dates dried Raisons Rice divers sorts of Nutts fruits and roots In the Orientall Countries as Cambaia Calicut Narsingha ther is a drink call'd Banque which is rare and precious and 't is the height of entertainment they give their guests before they go to sleep like that Nepenthe which the Poets speak so much of for it provokes pleasing dreames and delightfull phantasies it will accommode it self to the humor of the sleeper as if he be a souldier he will dream of victories and taking of towns if he be in love he will think to enjoy his mistress if he be covetous he will dream of mountaineâ—… of Gold c. In the Moluccas and Philippines ther is a curious drink call'd Tampoy mâ—…de of a kind of Gilliflowers and another drink call'd Otraqua that comes from a Nut and is the more generall drink In China they have a holy kind of liquor made of such sort of flowers for ratifying and binding of bargaines and having drunk therof they hold it no less than perjury to break what they promise as they write of a River in Bythinia whose water hath â—… peculiar vertue to discover a perjurer for if he drink therof it will presently boyl in his stomack and put him to visible tortures this makes me think of the River Styx among the Poets which the Gods were used to swear by and it was the greatest oath for performance of any thing Nubila promisse Styx mihi testis erit It puts me in mind also of that which som write of the River of Rhine for trying the legitimation of a child being thrown in if he be a basterd he will sink if otherwise he will not In China they speak of a tree called Maguais which affords not only good drink being pierced but all things else that belong to the subsistence of man they bore the trunk with a nâ—…wger and ther issueth out sweet potable liquor 'twixt the rinde and the tree ther is a cotton or hempie kind of moss which they wear for their cloathing it beares huge nuts which have excellent food in them it shoots out hard prickles above a fathom long and those arme them with the bark they make Tents and the dotard trees serve for firing Afric also hath a great diversity of drinks at having more need of them being a hotter Countrey far In Guiney or the lower Ethiopia ther is a famous drink call'd Mingol which issueth out of a tree much like the Palm being bored But in the upper Ethiopia or the Habassiâ—… countrey they drink Mead decocted in a different manner ther is also much wine there the common drink of Barbary after water is that which is made of Dates But in Egypt in times passed ther was beer drunk call'd Zithus in latin which was no other than a decoction of Barly and water they had also a famous composition and they use it to this day called Chiffi made of divers cordialls and provocative ingredients which they throw into water to make it gustfull they use it also for fumigations But now the generall drink of Egypt is Nile water which of all waters may be said to be the best insomuch that Pindars words might be more appliable to that than to any other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It doth not only fertilize and extremely fatten the soil which it covers but it helps to impregnat barren women for ther is no place on earth wher peeple encrease and multiply faster 't is yellowish and thick but if one cast a few Almonds into a potfull of it it will becom as clear as rock water it is also in a degree of lukewarmnes as Martialls boy Tolle puer calices tepidique toreumata Nili In the new world they have a world of drinks for ther iâ—… no root flower fruit or pulse but is reducible to a potable liquor as in the Barbado Island the common drink among the English is Mobbi made of Potato roots In Mexico and Peru which is the great continent of America with other parts it is prohibited to make Wines under great penalties for fear of starving of trade so that all the Wines they have are sent from Spain Now for the pure Wine Countries Greece with all her Islands Italy Spain France one part of foure of Germany Hungary with divers Countries therabouts all the Islands in the mediterranean and Atlantic sea are Wine Countries The most generous wines of Spain grow in the mid-land parts of the continent and Saint Martin beares the bell which is near the Court Now as in Spain so in all other wine Countries one cannot pass a daies journey but he will find a differing race of wine those kinds that our Merchants carry over are those only that grow upon the sea-side as Malagas Sheries Tents and Aligants of this last ther 's little comes over right therfore the Vinteners make Tent which is a name for all Wines in Spain except white to supply the place of it Ther is a gentile kind of white wine growes among the mountains of Galicia but not of body enough to bear the sea call'd Ribadavia Portugall affords no wines worth the transporting they have an od stone we call Yef which they use to throw into their Wines which clarifieth it and makes it more lasting Ther 's also a drink in Spain call'd Alâ—…sha which they drink between meales in hot weather and 't is a Hydromel made of water and hony much of the tast of our Mead In the Court of Spain ther 's a German or two that brews beer but for that ancient drink of Spain which Pliny speaks of compos'd of flowers the receit therof is utterly lost In Greece ther are no wines that have bodies enough to bear the sea for long voyages som few Muscadells and Malmâ—…es are brought over in small Casks nor is ther in Italy any wine transported to England but in bottles as Verdé and others for the length of the voyage makes them subject to pricking and to lose colour by reason of their delicacy France participating of the clymes of all the Countries about her affords wines of quality accordingly as towards the Alpes and Italy she hath a luscious rich wine call'd Frontiniac In the Countrey of Province toward the Pyrâ—…nies in Languedoe ther are wines congustable with
pull it upon her own head I am sorry to understand what they write from Venice this week that ther is a discovery made in Italy how France had a hand to bring in the Turk to invade the Territories of Saint Mark and puzzle the peace of Italy I want faith to beleeve it yet nor can I entertain in my brest any such conceit of the most Christian King and first Son of the Church as hee terms himself yet I pray in your next to pull this thorn out of my thoughts and tell mee whether one may give any credit to this report We are now â—…ot-free as touching the Northern Army for our dear Brethren have truss'd up their Baggage and put the Twâ—…d 'twixt us and them once again deer indeed for they have cost us first and last above nineteen hundred thousand pound Sterling which amounts to neer upon eight Millions of Crowns with you there yet if reports be true they left behind them more than they lost if you go to number of men which will be a brave race of mestisos heerafter who may chance meet their Fathers in the field and kill them unwittingly he will be a wise child that knows his right father Heer we are like to have four and twenty Seas emptied shortly and som do hope to find abundance of Tresure in the bottom of them as no doubt they will but many doubt that it will prove but â—…um Tolosanum to the finders God grant that from Aereans wee turn not to be Arrians The Earl of Strafford was accounted by his very enemies to have an extraordinary talent of judgment and parts though they say he wanted moderation and one of the prime Precepts he left his Son upon the Scaffold was that he should not â—…ddle with Church-lands for they would prove a Canker to his estate Heer are started up som great knowing men lately that can shew the very track by which our Savior went to Hell they will tell you precisely whose names are written in the Book of Life whose noâ—… God deliver us from spirituall pride which of all sorts is the most dangerous Heer are also notable Staâ—…-gazers who obtrude to the world such confident bold Predictions and are so familiar with heavenly bodies that Pâ—…elomy and Tychobrach were but ninnies to them we have likewise multitudes of witches among us for in Essex and Suffolk ther wer above two hundred indicted within these two yeers and above the one half of them executed more I may wel say than ever this Island bred since the Creation I speak it with horror God guard us from the Devill for I think he was never so busie upon any part of the earth that was enlightned whith the beams of Christianity nor do I wonder at it for ther 's never a Cross left to fright him away Edenburgh I hear is fallen into a relâ—…pse of the Plague the last they had rag'd so violently that the fortieth man and woman lives not of those that dwelt there four years since but it is all peepled with new faces Don and Hans I hear are absolutely accorded nor doe I believe that all the Artificers of policy that you use there can hinder the peace though they may puzzle it for a while if it be so the peeple which button their doublets upward will bee bettor able to deal with you there Much notice is taken that you go on there too fast in your acquests and now that the Eagles wings are pretty well clyp'd 't is time to look that your â—…ower-de-lâ—…e grow not too rank and spread too wide Wheras you desire to know how it fares with your Maâ—…er I must tell you that like the glorious Sun he is still in his own Orb though clowded for a time that hee cannot shoot the beams of Majesty with that lustre hee was wont to do never did Cavalier wooe fair Lady as he wooes the Parliament to a peace 't is much the Head should so stoop to the Members Farewell my noble frend cheer up and reserve your self for betâ—…r days take our Royall Master for your pattern who for his longanimity patience courage and constancy is admir'd of all the world and in a passive way of fortitude hath out-gon all the nine VVorthies If the Cedar be so weather-beaten we poor shrubs must not murmure to bear part of the storm I have had my share and I know you want not yours The Stars may change their Aspects and we may live to see the Sun again in his full Meridian in the inâ—…erim com what com will I am Fleet 3 Feb. 1646. Entirely yours J. H. LXXIX To Sir K. D. at Rome SIR THough you know well that in the carriage and cours of my rambling life I had occasion to be as the Dutchman saith a Landloper and to see much of the world abroad yet me thinks I have travell'd more since I have been immur'd and martyrd 'twixt these walls than ever I did before for I have travelled the Isle of Man I mean this little world which I have carryed about me and within me so many yeers for as the wisest of Pagan Philosophers said that the greatest learning was the knowledg of ones self to be his own Geometrician If one do so he need not gad abroad to see new fashions he shal find enough at home he shal hourly meet with new fancies new humors new passions within doors This travelling o're of ones self is one of the paths that leads a man to Paradice it is true that 't is a dirty and a dangerous one for it is thick set with extravagant desires ' irregular affections and concupiscences which are but od Comerades and often times doâ—…ly in ambush to cut our throats ther are also som melancholy companions in the way which are our thoughts but they turn many times to be good fellows and the best company which makes me that among these disconsolat walls I am never less alone than when I am alone I am oft times sole but seldom solitary som ther are who are over-pestered with these companions and have too much mind for their bodies but I am none of those Ther have been since you shook hands with England many strange things happened heer which posterity must have a strong faith to believe but for my part I wonder not at any thing I have seen such monstrous things you know ther is nothing that can be casuall ther is no success good or bad but is contingent to man somtimes or other nor are ther any contingencies present or future but they have their parallels from times passed â—…ot the great Wheel of Fortune upon whose Rim as the twelve signs upon the Zodiac all Worldly chances are emboss'd turns round perpetually and the Spokes of that Wheel which point at all human Actions return exactly to the same place after such a time of revolution which makes me little marvail at any of the strange traverses of these distracted times in regard ther
rid to Court And there he left his Ass The Courtiers kic'd him out of doores Because they had no grass grace The Ass went mourning up and down And thus I heard him bray If that they could not give me grass They might have given me hay But sixteen hundred forty three Who so ere shall see that day Will nothing find within that Court But only grass and hay c. Which was found to happen true in White-hall till the soldiers comming to quarter there trampled it down Truly sir I find all things conspire to make strange mutationâ—… in this miserable Island I fear we shall fall from under the Suâ—…ter to be under the Sword and since we speak of Prophecies 〈◊〉 am afraid among others that which was made since the reformation will be verified The Church man was the Lawyâ—…r is the Soldier shall be Welcom be the will of God who transvolves Kingdoms and tumbles down Monarchies as mole-hills at his pleasure so I rest my dear Doctor Fleet 9 Aug. 1648. Your most faithfull Servant J. H. XXIII To the honble Sir Edward Spencer Knight at his House near Branceford SIR VVEE are not so bare of intelligence between these walls but we can hear of your doings in Branceford That so generall applause wherby you were cryed up Knight of the shire for Middlesex sounded round about us upon London streets and echo'd in every corner of the Town nor dâ—… I mingle speech with any though half affected to you buâ—… highly approves of and congratulates the election being glad that a Gentleman of such extraordinary parts and probity as also of such a mature judgement should be chosen to serve the public I return you the Manuscript you lent me of Daemonologie but the Author therof and I are two in point of opinion that way for he seems to be on the negative part and truly he writes as much as can be produc'd for his purpose But ther are som men that are of a meer negative genius like Iohannes ad oppositum who will deny or at least cross and puzzle any thing though never so cleer in itself with their but yet if c. they will flap the lie in Truths teeth though she visibly stand before their face without any visard such perverse cross-graind spirits are not to be dealt withall by argumente but palpable proofs as if one should deny that the fire burns or that he hath a nose on his face tâ—…er is no way to deal with him but to pull him by the tip of the one and put his finger into the other I will not say that this Gentleman is so perverse but to deny ther are any Witches to deny that ther are not ill spirits which seduce tamper and convers in divers shapes with human creatures and impell them to actions of malice I say that he who denies ther are such busie spirits and such poor passive creatures upon whom they work which commonly are call'd Witches I say again that he who denies ther are such spirits shewes that he himself hath a Spirit of contradiction in him opposing the current and consentient opinion of all Antiquity we read that both Iews and Romanes with all other nations of Christendom and our Ancestors heer in England enacted laws against VVitches sure they were not so silly as to wast their brains in making laws against Chymeras against non entia or such as Plato's Ktâ—…etismata's were The Iudaicall law is apparant in the holy Code Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live the Roman law which the Decemviri made is yet extant in the twelve tables Qui â—…ruges incantassent paenas danto They who should inchant the fruit of the Earth let them be punish'd The Imperiall law is known by every Civilian Hi cùm â—…ostes naturae sint supplicio afficiantur These meaning Witches because they are enemies to nature let them be punish'd And the Acts of Parlement in England are against those that invoke ill spirits that take up any dead man woman or child or take the skin or bone of ay dead body to employ it to sorcery or charm wherby any one is lam'd or made to pine away c. such shall be guilty of â—…lat â—…elony and not capable of Clergy or Sanctuary c. What a multitude of examples are ther in good authentic Authors of divers kinds of fascinations incantations prestigiations of philtres spells charmes sorceries characters and such like as also of magic negromancy and divinations surely the Witch of Endor is no fable the burning of Ioan de' Arc the Maid of Orleans in Roven and of the Marchioness d'Ancre of late yeers in Paris are no fables The execution of Nostredamus for a kind of Witch sonâ—… fourscore yeers since is but a modern story who among other things foretold Le Senat dâ—… Londres tuera son Roy the Senat of Londâ—…n shall kill their King The best Historians have it upon record how Charlâ—…mains Mistress inchaâ—…ed him with a ring which as long as the had about he he would not â—…uster her dead carkase 〈◊〉 be carried out of his chamber to be buried and a Bishop taking it out of her mouth the Emperour grew to be as much bewitch'd with the Bishop but he being cloyed wiâ—…h his excess of favour threw it into a pond wher the Emperours chiefest pleasure was to walk till his dying day The story tells us how the Waldâ—…nses in France wer by a solemn arrest of Parlement accus'd and condemn'd of Witchraft The Malteses took Saint Paul for a Witch Saint Augustin speaks of women who could turn men to horses and make them carry their burthens Danaeus writes of an enchanted staff which the Devill summoner like was us'd to deliver som market-women to ride upon In som of the Northern Countries 't is at ordinary to buy and sell winds as it is to do wines in other parts and heeâ—… of I could instance in som examples of my own knowledg Every one knows what Oâ—…aus Magnus writes of Erich's King of Swethland corner'd cap who could make the wind sift to any point of the compass according as he turn'd it about Touching Diviners of things to com which is held a species of VVitchcraft we may read they were frequent among the Romanes yea they had Colleges for their Auguâ—…s and Aruspices who us'd to make their predictions somtimes by fire somtimes by flying of fowl somtimes by inspection into the entrails of beasts or invoking the dead but most frequently by consulting with the Oracles to whom all Nations had recours except the Iewâ—…s But you will say that since Christianity displayed her banners the Cross hath scar'd away the Devill and struck the Orâ—…cles dumb as Plutarch reports a notable passage of Thamus an Italian Pilot who a little after the birth of Christ sailing along the coasts of Calabria in a still silent night all his passengers being asleep an airie cold voice came to his eares saying Thamus Thamus Thamus The great God Pan
blossoming as it were in every Line I mean those sweet expressions of Love and Wit which in every period were intermingled with so much Art that they seem'd to contend for mastery which was the strongest I must confesse that you put me to hard shifto to correspond with you in such exquisit strains and raptures of Love which were so lively that I must needs judg them to proceed from the motions from the Diastole and Systole of a Heart truly affected certainly your heart did dictat every syllable you writ and guided your hand all along Sir give me leave to tell you that not a dram nor a doze not a scruple of this pretious love of yours is lost but it is safely tresur'd up in my Brest and answer'd in like proportion to the full mine to you is as cordiall it is passionat and perfect as love can be I thank you for the desire you have to know how it fares with me abroad I thank God I am perfectly well and well contented with this wandring cours of life a while I never enjoyed my health better but I was like to endanger it two nights ago for being in som joviall company abroad and coming late to our lodging we were suddenly surprized by a crue of Filous of night Rogues who drew upon us and as we had exchang'd some blowâ—… it pleas'd God the Chevatieur de Guet an Officer who goeâ—… up and down the Streets all night a horseback to prevent disorders pass'd by and so rescued us but Iack White was hurt and I had two thrusts in my Clock Ther 's never a night passeth but some robbing or murther is committed in this Town so that it is not safe to go late any where specially about the Pont-Neuf the New Bridg though Henry the Great himself â—…ies Centinell ther in Arms upon a huge Florentine horse and sits bare to every one that passeth an improper posture me thinks to a King on horseback not longsince one of the Secretaries of 〈◊〉 wherof ther are here always four having bin invited to the Suburbs of Saint Germains to supper left order with one of his Laquays to bring him his horse about nine it so happen'd that a mischance befell the horse which lam'd him as he went a watring to the Seine insomuch that the Secretary was put to beat the hoof himself and Foot it home but as he was passing the Pont-Neuf with his Laquay carrying a Torch before him he might ore hear a noise of clashing of Swords and Fighting and looking under the Torch â—…d perceiving they were but two he bad his Laquay go on they had not made many paces but two armed men with their Pistols cock'd and swords drawn made puffing towards them whereof one had a paper in his hand which he said he had casually took up in the streets and the difference between them was about that Paper therefore they desir'd the Secretary to read it with a great deal of complement the Secretary took out his spectacles and fell a reading of the said Paper whereof the substance was That it should be known to all men that whosoever did passe over that Bridge after nine a Clock at night in Winter and ten in Summer was to leave his Cloak behind him and in case of no Cloak his Hat The Secretary starting at this one of the Camerades told him That he thought that Paper concern'd him so they unmantled him of a new Plush Cloak and my Secretary was content to go home quietly and en Cuerpo This makes me think often of the excellent Nocturnall Government of our City of London wher one may passe and repasse securely all hours of the night if he give good words to the Watch. Ther is a gentle calm of Peace now throughout all France and the King intends to make a progresse to all the Frontier Towns of the Kingdom to see how they are fortified The Favourit Luines strengthneth himself more and more in his minionship but he is much murmured at in regard the accesse of Suiters to him is so difficult which made a Lord of this Land say That three of the hardest things in the world were To quadrat a Circlâ—… to find out the Philosophers Stone and to speak with the Duke of Luines I have sent you by Vacandary the Post the French Bever and Tweeses you writ for Bever-hats are grown dearer of late because the Iesuits have got the Monopoly of them from the King Farewell dear child of Vertue and Minion of the Museâ—… and continue to love Paris 1. of May. 1620. Your J. H. XVIII To Sir James Crofts from Paris SIR I Am to set forward this week for Spain and if I can find no commodity of embarcation at Saint Malos I must be forc'd to journey it all the way by Land and clammer up the huge Pyreneyhills but I could not bid Paris adieu till I had conveyed my true and constant respects to you by this Letter I was yesterday to wait upon Sir Herbert Croft at Saint Germains where I met with a French Gentleman who amongst other curiosities which he pleased to shew me up and down Paris brought me to that place where the late King was slain and to that wher the Marquis of Ancre was shot and so made me a punctuall relation of all the circumstances of those two acts which in regard they were rare and I beleeve two of the notablest Accidents that ever happen'd in France I thought it worth the labour to make you partaker of som part of his discours France as all Christendom besides for ther was then a truce twixt Spain and the Hollander was in a profound Peace and had continued so twenty yeers together when Henry the fourth fell upon some great Martiall design the bottome whereof is not known to this day and being rich for he had heap'd up in the Bastile a mount of Gold that was as high as a Lance he levied a huge Army of 40000 men whence came the Song The King of France with fourty thousand men and upon a sudden he put this Army in perfect equippage and some say he invited our Prince Henry to come unto him to be a sharer in his exploits But going one afternoon to the Bastile to see his Tresure and Ammunition his Coach stopp'd suddenly by reason of some Colliers and other Carts that were in that narrow street whereupon one Ravillac a lay Jesuit who had a whole twelve month watch'd an opportunity to do the act put his foot boldly upon one of the wheels of the Coach and with a long Knife stretch'd himself over their shoulders who were in the Boot of the Coach and reach'd the King at the end and stab'd him right in the left side to the heart and pulling out the fatall Steel he doubled his thrust the King with a ruthfull voice cryed out Ie suis blesse I am hurr and suddenly the bloud issued at his mouth The Regicide villain was apprehended and