Church This drew a vast number of Spectators together who all considered the poor Fryer as a Saint and in the mean while the four Fryers that managed the imposture magnified the Miracle of the Apparition to the skieâ— in their Sermons The Fryer's Confessor was upon the Secret and by this means they knew all the little passages of the poor Fryers life even to his thoughts which helped them not a little in the Conduct of the matter The Confessor gave him an Hostie with a piece of Wood thaâ— was as he pretended a true piece of the Cross and by these he was to fortify himself if any other Apparition should come to him since evil Spirits would be certainly chained up by them The Night after that the former Apparitionâ— was renewed and the masqued Fryer broughâ— two others with him in such Vizzards that the Fryâ—â— thought they were Devils indeed The Fryer presented the Hostie to them which gave them such a cheek that he was fully satisfied of the vertue of this preservative The Fryer that pretended he was suffering in Purgatory said so many things to him relating to the Secreâ—s of his life and Thoughts which he had from the Confessor that the poor Fryer was fully possessed with the opinion of the reallity of the Apparition In two of these Apparitions that were both managed in the same manner the Fryer in the Masque talked much of the Dominican Order which he said was excessively dear to the B. Virgin who knew her self to be conceived in Original sin and that tbe Doctors who taught the contrary were in Purgatory That the Story of S. Bernards appearing with a spot on him for having opposed himself to the feast of the Conception was a Forgery but that it was true that some hideous Flies had appeared on St Bonaventures Tomb who taught the contrary That the B. Virgin abhorred the Cordeliers for making her equal to her Son that Scotus was damned whose Canonization the Cordeliers were then soliciting hard at Rome and that the Town of Bern would be destroyed for harbouring such plagues within their walls When the injoined discipline was fully performed the Spirit appeared again and said he was now delivered out of Purgatory but before he could be admitted to Heaven he must receive the Sacrament having died without it and after that he would say Mass for those who had by their great charities â—escued him out of his pains The Fryâ—r fancied the â—oice resembled the Priors a little but he was thâ—n so far from suspecting any thing that he gave no great heed to this suspition Some dayes after this tbe same Fryer appeared as a Nun all in Glory and told the poor Frier that she was St. Barbary for whom he had a particular devotion and added that the B. Virgin was so much pleased with his charity that she intended to come and visit him He immediately called the Convent together and gave the rest of the Fryers an account of this Apparition which was entertained by them all with great joy and the Fryer languished in desires of the accomplishment of the promise that St. Barbara had made him After some dayes the longed for delusion appeared to him clothed as the Virgin used to be on the great Feasts and indeed in the same Habits there were about her some Angels which he afterwards found were the little Statues of Angels which they set on the Altars on the great Holy Dayes There was also a pulley fastned in the room over his head and a cord tied to the Angels that made them rise up in the Air and flie about the Virgin which increased the delusion The Virgin after some endearments to himself extolling the merit of his charity and discipline told him that she was conceived in Original Sin and that Pope Iulius the Second that then reigned was to put an end to the Dispute and was to abolish the Feast of her Conception which Sixâ—us the fourth had instituted and that the Fryer was to be the Instrument of perswading the Pope of the truth in that matter She gave him three drops of her Sons blood which were three tears of blood that he had shed over Ierusalem and this signified that she was three hours in Original Sin after which she was by his Mercy delivered out of that State For it seems the Dominicans were resolved so to compound the matter that they should gain the main point of her Conception in Sin yet they would comply so far with the reverence for the Virgin with which the World was possessed that she should be believed to have remained a very short while in that State. She gave him also five drops of Blood in the form of a Cross which were Tears of Blood that she had shed while her Son was on the Cross. And to convince him more fully she presented an Hostie to him that appeared to as an ordinary Hostie and of a sudden it appeared be of a deep â—ed colour The cheat of those supposed visits was often repeated to the abused Fryer at last the Viâ—ginâ—old â—old him that she was to give him such maâ—ks of her Sons Love to him that the matter should be past all doubâ— She said that the five wounds of St. Lucia and S. Catharine were real wounds and that she would also imprint them on him so she bid him reach his hand he had no great mind to receive a favour in which he was to suffer so much but she forced his hand and struck a nail thro it the hole was as big as a grain of pease and he saw the Candle clearly thro it this threw him out of a supposed transport into a real Agony but she seemed to touch his hand and he thought he smelt an Oyntment with which she anointed it tho his Confessâ—r perswaded him that that was only an imagination so the supposed Virgin lest him for that time The next night the Apparition returned and brought some linnen Clothes which had some real or imaginary vertue to allay his Torment and the pretended Virgin said they were some of the Linnings in which Christ was wrapped and with that she gave him a soporiferous draught and while he was fast asleep the other four wounds were inprinted on his body in such a manner that he felt no pain But in order to the doing of this the Friers betook themselves to Charms and the Subpriâ—r shewed the rest a book full of them but he said that before they could be effectual they must renounce God and he not only did this himself but by a formal act put in writing signed with his Bloodâ— he dedicated himself to the Deyl it is true he did not oblige the rest to this but only to renounce God. The composition of the Draught was a mixture of some Fountain-water and Chrism the Hairs of the Eyebrows of a Child some Quiâ—ksilver some grains of Incense somewhat of an Easter Wax Candle some consecrated Salt and the Blood of an
which he desires Bullingers Advice And in many Letters writ on that subject it is asserted that both Cranmer and Ridley intended to procure an Act for abolishing the Habits and that they only defended their Lawfulness but not their Fitness and therefore they blamed private Persons that refused to obey the Laws Grindal in a Letter dated the 27th of August 1566. writes That all the Bishops who had been beyond Sea had at their return dealt wiâ—h the Queen to let the matter of the Habits fall but she was so prepossessed that tho they had all endeavoured to divert her from prosecuting that matter she continued still inflexible This had made them resolve to submit to the Laws and to wait for a fit opportunity to reverâ—e them He laments the ill effects of the opposition that some had made to them which had extreamly irritated the Queens Spirit so that She was now much more heated in those matters than formerly he also thanks Bullinger for the Letter that he had writ justifying the Lawful use of the Habits which he says had done great service Câ—x Bishop of Ely in one of his Letters laments the aâ—ersion that they found in the Parliament to all the Propâ—sitions that were made for the Reformation of Abuses Iewel in a Letter dated the 22th of May 1559. writes That the Queen refused to be called Head oâ— the Church and adds That that Title could not be justly given to any mortal it being due only to Christ and that such Titles had been so much abused by Antichrist that they ought not to be any longer continued On all these Passages I will make no reflections here For I set them down only to shew what was the sense of our Chief Church-men at that time concerning those matters which have since engaged us into such warm and angry Disputes and this may be no inconsiderable instruction to one that intends to write the History of that time The last particular with which I intend to end this Letter might seem a little too learned if I were writing to a less knowing Man than your self I have taken some pains in my travels to examin all the Antient Manusâ—ripts of the New Testament concerning that doubted pasâ—age of St. Iohns Epistle There are three that bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one Bullinger doubted much of it because he found it not in an antient Latin Manuscript at Zurich which seems to be about 800. years old For it is written in that hand that began to be used in Charles the Great 's time I turned the Manuscript and found the passage was not there but this was certainly the errour or omission of the Coppier For before the General Epistles in that Manuscript the Preface of St. Ierome is to be found in which he sayes that he was the more exact in that Translation that so he might discover the fraud of the Arrians who had struck out that passage concerning the Trinity This Preface is printed in Lira's Bible but how it came to be left out by Erasmus in his Edition of that Father's works it that of which I can give no account For as on the one hand Erasmus's sincerity ought not to be too rashly censured so on the other hand that Preface being in all the Manuscripts Antient or Modern of those Bibles that have the other Prefaces in them that I ever yet saw it is not easy to imagin what made Erasmus not to publish it and it is in the Manuscript Bibles at Basil where he printed his Edition of S. Ieromes Works In the old Manuscript Bible of Geneva that seems to be above 700. years old both the Prefaâ—e and the Pâ—ssage are extant but with this difference from the common Editions that the common Editions â—et the Verse concerning the Father the Word and the Spirit before that of the Water the Blood and the Spirit which comes after it in this Copy And that I may in this place end all the Readings I found of this passage in my Travels there is a Manuscript in St. Mark 's Library in Venice in three Languages Greek Latin and Arabick that seems not above 400. years old in which this passage is not in the Greek but it is in the Lâ—tin set after the other three with a sicut to joyn it to what goes before And in a Manuscript Latin Bible in the Library of St. Laurence at Florence both St. Iâ—romes Preface and this Passage are extant but this Passage comes after the other and is pinned to it with a sicut as is that of Venice yet siâ—ut is not in the Geneva Manuscript There are two Greek Manuscripts of the Epistles at Bâ—sil that seem to be about 500. years old in neither of which this passage is to be found they have also an Ancient Latin Bible which is about 800. years old in which tho St. Ierom's Prologue is inserted yet this Passage is wanting At Strasâ—â—â—rg I saw four very Ancient Manuscripts of the New Testament in Latin three of these seemed to be about the time of Charles the Great but the fourth seemed to be much antienter and may belong to the seventh Century in it neither the Prologue nor the Place is extant but it is added at the foot of the page with another hand In two of the other the Prologue is extant but the Place is noâ— only in one of them it is added on the Margin In the fourth as the Prologue is extant so is the Place likewise but it comes after the verse of the other three and is â—oyned to it thus Sicut tres sunt in coelo It seem'd strange to me and it is almost incredible that in the Vatican Library there are no Antient Latin Bibles where above all other places they ought to be lookt for but I saw none above 400. years old There iâ— indeed the famous Greek Manuscript of great value which the Chanoine Shelstrat that was Library keeper asserted to be 1400. years old and proved it by the great similitude of the Characters with those that are upon S. Hippolites Statue which is so evident that if his Statue was made about his time the antiquity of this Manuscript is not to be disputed If the Characters are not so fair and have not all the marks of Antiquity that appears in the Kings Manuscript at Iames's yet this has been much better preserved and is much more entire The Passage that has led me into this digression is not to be found in the Vatiâ—an Manuscript no more than it is in the Kings Manuscript And with this I will finish my account of Zurich The publick Library is very noble The Hall in which it is placed is large and well contrived there is a very handsome Cabinet of Medâ—ls and so I will break off but when I have gone so much farther that I have gathered Materials for another Letter of this Volum you may look for a secâ—nâ—
sate among them and drew his Ballot as a Noble Venetian many Popes have procured this honour for their Nephews Only the Barberines would have the Venetians offer it to them without their asking it and the Venetiâ—ns would not give it without the others asked it and so it stuck at this But during the War of Candy Cardinal Franâ—is Barberiâ—e gave twelve thousand Crowns a year towards the War and the temper found for making them Noble Veuetians was that the Queen Mother of France moved the Senate to grant it In all â—he Creations of Seâ—ators before the last War of Candy they were free and the Considerations were either great Services or the great Dignity of those on whom they bestowed this Honour Those new Families are divided into those that are called Ducal Families and those that were called simply New Families the Reason of the former designation is not rightly understood but one that knew all that related to that Constitution particularly well gave me a good account of it That which naturally occurs as the Reason of it is that all those Families that are called Duâ—al have had the Dukedom in their House But as all the old Families have had the same Honour though they carry not that Title so some of the nâ—w Families have also had it that yet are not called Ducal Others say that those Families that have had branches who have been made Dukes without their being first Procurators of S. Mark or that have been chosen to that Honour without their pretending to it are called Ducal But the true Account of this is that from the year 1450. to the year 1620. for a hundred and seventy years there was a combination made among those new Families to preserve the Dukedom still among them For the old Families carrying it high and excluding the new Families from the chief Honours nineteen of the new Families entred into mutual Ingagements to exclude the ancient Nobility It is true they made the Dukedom sometimes fall on some of the new Families that were not of this Association but this was more indifferent to them as long as the ancient Famillies were shut out and that it appeared that they bore the chief sway in the Election This Combination was a thing known to the very people tho the Inquisitors did all they could to break it or at least to hide it so that I never met with it in any of their Authors But this failed in the year 1620. when Memmio was chosen Dâ—ke who was descended of one of the ancient Nobility which was so great a mortification to the Case Ducale that one of them Veniero hanged himself by the Rage to which that Disgrace drove him yet his man came into the room in time before he was dead and cut him down and he lived long after that in a better mind Since that time one of the Bembo's two of the Cornaro's and one of the Coâ—tarini's and the present Prince of the Iustâ—niani the first of that family that hath had that honour have been Dukes who are all of the ancient Families So that this Faction is now so intirely buried that it is not generally known even in Veniâ—e it self that it was ever amongst them and thus time and other Acâ—idâ—nts bring about happy Events which no Care nâ—r Industry could produce For that which all the Endeavours of the Inquisitâ—rs could not compass was brought about of it self It is true the Factions in Veniâ—e tho violent enough in the persons of those who manage them yet are not derived by them as an Inheritance to their Posterity as it was among the Florentines who tho they value themselves as a size of men much above the Venetians whom they despise as a phlegmatick and dull race of people yet shewed how little they understood with all their vivacity to conduct their State since by their domestick Heats they lost their Liberty which the Venetians have had the wisdom still to preserve This Faction of the Case Ducale was perhaps willing to let the matter fall for they lost more than they got by it for the Ancient Families in revenge set themselves against them and excluded them from all the other advantagious Imployments of the State. For the others being only united in that single point relating to the Dukedom the Ancient Families let them carry it but in all other Competitions they set up alwayes such Competitors against the Pretenders that were of the Ducal Families that were much more esteemed than these were so that they shut â—hem out of all the best Offices of the Republiâ—k Such a Faction as this was if it had been still kept up might in Conclusion have proved fatal to their Liberty It is indeed a Wonder to see the Dignity of the Duke so much courted for he is only a Prisoner of State tyed up to such Rules so severely restrained and shut up as it were in an Apartment of the Palace of S. Mark that it is not strange to see some of the greatest Families in particular the Cornaro's decline it All the Family if ever so numerous must retire out of the Senate when a Duâ—e is chosen out of it only one that is next to him of kin sits still but without a Vote And the only Real Priviledge that the Duke hath is that he can of himself without communicating with the Savii propose matters either to the Council of Ten to the Sâ—nate or to the Great Counâ—il whereas all other propositions must be first offered to the Savii and examined by them who have a sort of Tribunitian Power to reject what they dislike and tho they cannot hinder the Duke to make a Proposition yet they can mortifie him when he hath made it they can hinder it to be voted and after it is voted they can suspend the execution of it till it is examined over again And a Duke that is of an active Spirit must resolve to indure many of these Aâ—flictions and it is certain that the Savii do sometimes affect to shew the Greatness of their Authority and exercise a sort of Tyranny in the rejecting of Propositions when thy intend to humble those that make them yet the greatest part of the best Families court this Honour â—f Dukedom extreamly When Sagredo was upon the point of being chosen Duke there was so violent an Out-cry against it over all Veniâ—e because of the Diâ—grare that they thought would come on the Republik if they had a Prince whose Nose had miâ—carried in some unfortunate Disorders the Senate complyed so far with this Aversion that the people testified that tho the Inquisitors took care to hang or drown many of the chief of the Mutineers yet they let the design for Sagredo fall Upon which he was so much disgusted that he retired to a house he had in the Terra firma and never appeared more at Venice During which time of his Retirement he writ two Books the one Memorie Ottomâ—niche which is Printed
making those Advantages of so rich a soil that a more industrious sort of people would find out For it amazes a Stranger to see in their little Towns the whole men of the town walking in the Market places in their torn Cloaks and doing nothing and tho in some big towns such as Capua there is but one Inn yet even that is so miserable that the best Room and Bed in it is so bad that our Footmen in England would make a grievous Outcry if they were no better lodged nor is there any thing to be had in them the Wine is intolerable the Bread ill Baked no Victuals except Pidgeons and the Oil is rotten In short except one carries his whole Provision from Rome or Naples he must resolve to indure a good deal of Misery in the four days journey that is between those two places And this is what a Tâ—â—veller that sees the Riches of the soil cannot comprehend but as they have not hands enough for their soil so those they have are generally so little imployed that it is no wonder to see their soil produce so little that in the midst of all that abundance that Nature hath set before them they are one of the poorest Nations of Europe But beside this which I have named the vast and dead Wealth that is in the hands of the Churchmeâ— is another evident cause of their misery One that knew the State of this Kingdom well assured me that if it were divided into five parts upon a strict survey it would be found that the Churâ—hmen had four parts of the five which he made out thus they have in Soil above the half of the whole which is two and a half and in Tythes and Gifts and Legacies they have one and a half more for no man dieâ—â— without leaving a considerable Legacy to some Church oâ— some Convent The Wealth that one sees in the City of Naples alone passeth imagination there are four and twenty Houses of the Order of the Dominicans of both Sexes and two and twenty of the Franciscans seven of the Iâ—suites besides the Convents of the Olivitaâ—es the Theatines the Carmelites the Benedictines and above all for scituation and riches the Carthusians on the top of the Hill that lieth over the Town The riches of the Annunciata are prodigious It is the greatest Hospital in the World the Revenue is said to be four hundred thousand Crowns a year the number of the Sick is not so great as at Milan Yet one convenience for their Sickâ— observed in their Galleries which was considerable that every Bed stood as in an Alcove and had a Wall on both sides separating it from the Beds on both hands and as much void space of both sides of the Bed that the Bed it self took up but half the Room The young Children that they maintain are so many that one can hardly believe the numbers that they boast of for they talk of many thousands that are not seen but are at Nurse a great part of the wealth of this House goeth to the inriching their Church which will be all over within crusted with inlayings of lovely Marble in a great variety and beauty of colours The Plate that is in the Treasury here and in the Dome which is but a mean building because it is ancient but hath a Noble Chappel and a vast Treasure and in a great many other Churches are so prodigious that upon the modestest estimate the Plate of â—he Churcâ—es of Naples amounts to eight millions of Crowns The new Church of the Iesuites that of the Apostles and that of S. Paul are surprizingly rich the gilding anâ— painting that is on the Roofs of those Churches have cost millions And as there are about a hundred Câ—nvents in Naples so every one of these if it were in another place would be thought well worth seeing tho the riches of the greater Convents here make many of them to be less visited Every year there is a new Governour of the Annun inta who perhaps puts in his own Pocket twenty thousand Crowns and to make some Compensation when he goeth out of Office he giveth a vast piece of Plate to the House a Statue for a Saint in Silver or some Coloss of a Candlestick for several of those pieces of plate are said to be worth ten thousand Crowns and thus all the Silver of Naples becomes dead and useless The Jesuites are great Merchants here their Wine-Cellar is a vast Vault and holds above a thousand Hogsheads and the best Wine of Naples is sold by them yet they do no retail it out so scandalously as the Minims do who live on the great square before the Viceroys Palace and sell out their Wine by retaâ—l they pay no Duty and have extraordinary good Wine and are in the best Place of the Town for this retail It is true the Neapolitans are no great Drinkers so the Profâ—s of this Tavern are not so great as they would be in colder Countries for here men go only in for a draught in the mornings or when they are athirst Yet the House groweth extream rich and hath one of the finest Châ—ppâ—ls that is in all Naples but the Trade seems very unbecoming men of that Profession and of so strict an Order The Câ—nvents have a very particular priviledge in this Town for they may buy all the Houses that ly on either side till the first street that discontinueth the Houses and there being scarce a street in Naples in which there is not a Convâ—nt by this means they may come to buy in the whole Town And the progress that the Wealth of the Câ—ergy makes in this Kingdom is so visible that if there is not some stop put to it within an Age they will make themselves Masters of the whole Kingdom It is an amazing thing to see so profound an ignorance as reignâ— among the Clergy prevail so effectually for tho all the Secular persons here speak of them with all possible scorn yet they are the Masters of the Spirits of the People The Women are infinitly Superstitious and give their husbands no rest but as they draw from them great presents to the Church It is true there are Societies of men at Naples of sreer thoughts than can be found in any other place of Italy The Greek Learning begins to flourish there and the nâ—w Philosophy is much studied and there is an Assembly that is held in D. Ioseph Valletâ—'s Library where there is a vast Collection of well chosen Books composed of Men that have a right tast of true Learning and good Sense They are ill looked on by the Clergy and represented as a set of Atheists and as the Spawn of Pomponatius's School But I found no sucâ— thing among them for I had the Honour to meet twice or thrice with a considerable number of them during the short stay that I made among them There is a learned Lawyer Francisco Andria that is considered as
to be genuine I could not agree to Mr. Schelâ—â—â—t that the General Bull of Confirmation ought to â—e limited to the other that enumerates the particular â—â—crees but since that particular Bull was never disâ—overed till he hath found it out it seems it was â—ecretly made and did not pass according to the forms of the Consistory and was a fraudulent thing of which no noise was to be made in that Age and therefore in all the Dispute that followed in the Council of Basil between the Pope and the Council upon this very point no mention was ever made of it by either side and thus it can have no force unless it be to discover the Artifices and Fraud of that Court That at the same time in which the Necessity of their affairs obliged the Pope to confirm the Decrees of the Council he contrived a secret Bull which in another Age might be made use of to weakeâ— the Authority of the General Confirmation that he gave and therefore a Bull that doth not pass in due Form and is not promulgated is of no Auâ—hority and so this pretended Bull cannot limit the other Bull. There were some other things relating to this Debate that were sheweâ— me by Mr. Schelstrat but these being the most important I mention them only I will not give you here a laâ—ge â—ccount of the Learned Men at Rome Bellori is deservedly famous for his knowledge of the Greek and Egyptian Aâ—â—iquities and for all that belongs to the Mythologies anâ— Superstitions of the Heathens and hath a Closet richly fuâ—nished with things relating to those matters Fabretti iâ— justly celebrated for his Understanding of the Old Romaâ— Architecture and Fabricks Padre Fabri is the chief Honour of the Iesuits Colledge and is much above the common Rate both for Philosophy Mathematicks and Churcâ—-History And he to whom I was the most obliged 〈◊〉 Nazari hath so general a view of the several parts oâ— Learning tho he hath chiefly applied himself to Philosopâ—â— and Mathematicks and is a man of so ingaging a Civility and used me in so particular a manner that I owe him as well as those others whoâ— I have mentioned and whoâ— I hath the Honour to see all the acknowledgments 〈◊〉 Esteem and gratitude that I can possibly make them One sees in Cardiâ—al d' Estrè all the advantages of a hiâ—â— birth great Parts a generous Civility and a measâ—â—â—â— of knowledge far above what can be expected from a person of his rank but as he gave a noble Protection to 〈◊〉 of the most learned Men that this Age hath produced Mr. Launnoy who lived many years with him so iâ—â—â—visible that he made a great progress by the conversation of so extraordinary a person and as for Theogicol Learâ—ing there is now none of the Colledge equal to him Cardinal Howard is too well known in England to need any câ—â—racter from me The elevation of his present condition hath not in the least changed him he hath all the â—â—eetness and gentleness of temper that we saw in him in England and he retains the unaffected Simplicity and Humility of a Fryer amidst all the Dignity of the Purple and as he sheweth all the generous care and concern for his Country-men that they can expect from him so I met with so much of it in so many obliging marks of his goodâ—ess for my self that went far beyond a common civility that I cannot enough acknowledge it I was told the Pâ—pes Confessor was a verâ— extraordinary man for the Oriental â—earning which is but little known in Rome He is a Master of the Arabick Tongue and hath writ as Abbot Nazari told me the learnedst Book against the Mahometâ—n Religion that the World hath yet seen but is not yet Printed He is not so much esteemed in Rome as he would be elsewhere for his Learning is not in vogue and the School Divinity and Casuistical Learâ—ing being that for which Divines are most esteemed there he whose â—tudies lead him another way is not so much valued as â—e ought to be and perhaps the small account that the Pope makes of Learned Men turns somewhat upon the Confessor for it is certain that this is a Reign in which Learning is very little incouraged Upon the general Contempt that all the Romans have for the present Pontificate one made a pleasant reflection to me he said Those Popes that intended to raise their Families as they saw the censure that this brought â—â—on them so they studied to lessen it by other things that might soften the Spirits of the people No man did â—ore for beautifying Rome for finishing St. Peters and the Library and for furnishing Rome with Water than Pope Paul the V. tho at the same time he did not forget his Family and tho the other Popes that have raised great Families have not done this to so eminent a degree as he did yet there are many remains of their Magnificence whereas those Popes that have not raised Families have iâ— seems thought that alone was enough to maintain their Reputation and so they have not done much either to recommend their Government to their Sâ—bjects or their Râ—igâ— to Posterity and it is very plain that the present Pope taketh no great care of this His life hath been certainly very innocent and free of all those publiâ—k Scandals that make a noise in the World and there is at present a regularity in Rome that deserveth great commendation for publick Vices are not to be seen there His personal Sobriety is also singular One assured me that the Expence of his Table did not amount to a Crown a day tho this is indeed short of Sisto V. who gave order to his Steward never to exceed five and twenty Bajokes that is eighteen pence a day for his Diet. The Pope is very careful of his Health and doth never expose it for upon the least disorder he shuts himself up in his Chamber and often keepeth his Bed for the least indisposition many days but his Goverâ—ment is severe and his Subjects are ruined And here one thing cometh into my mind which perhaps is not ill grounded that the Poverty of a Nation not only dispeoples it by driving the People out of it but by weakning the natural fertility of the Subjects for aâ— men and women well cloathed and well fed that are not exhausted with perpetual Labour and with the tearing Anxieties that Want brings with it must be much more lively than those that are pressed with Want so it is very likely that the one must be much more disposed to propagate than the other and this appeared more evident to me when I compared the Fruitfulness of Genevâ— and Switzerland which the Barrenness that reigns over all Italy I saw two extraordinary instances of the copious productions of Genâ—va Mr. Tronâ—hin that was Proâ—essâ—â— of Divinity and Father to the Iudicious and worthy Proâ—essor of the same name that is now there dyed at the age
ever I saw in private hands together with a Noble Library in which there are Manusâ—ripts of good antiquity that belongs to the Family of Fesch and that goeth from one learned man of the Family to another for this Inheritanâ—e can only pass to a man of Learning and when the Family produceth none then it is to go to the publick In Basil as the several Cempaâ—ies have been more or less strict in admitting some to a Freedom in the Company that have not been of the Trade so they retain â—heir Privilâ—dges to â—his day For in such Compaâ—ies that have once received such a number that have not been of the Trade â—s grew to be the majority the Trade hath never been able â—o recoveâ— their Interest But some Companies have been more cautions and have never admitted any but those that were of the Trade so that they retain their Interesâ— still in Government Of these the Butchers were named for one so that there are alwayes four Butcâ—ers in the Council The great Council consisteth of two hundred and forty but they have no power left them and they are only assembled upon some extraordinary occasions when the little Council thinketh fit to communicate any important matter to them There are but six Bailiages that belong to Basil which are not imployments of great advantage for the best of them doth afford to the Bailiâ— only a thousand Livres a Year They reâ—kon that there are in Basil three thousand Men that can bear Arms anâ— that they could raise four thousand more out of the Canton so that the Town is almost the half of this State and the whole maketh thirty Parishes There are eighteen Professors in this University and there is a Spirit of â— more free and generous Learning stirring there than I saâ— in all those parts Theâ—e is a great decency of Habit iâ— Basil and the Garb both of the Councellors Ministerâ— and Professors their stiff Rufs and their long Beards have an Air that is August The appointments are but smalâ— for Councellors Ministers and Professors have but â— hundred Crowns a piece It is true many Ministerâ— are Professors so this mendeth the matter a little Bâ—â— perhaps it would go better with the State of Learninâ— there if they had but half the number of Proâ—â—ssors and if those were a little better incouraged No wherâ— is the rule of St. Paul of Womens having on theiâ— heads the Badge of the Authority under which they arâ— brought which by a phraâ—e that is not extraordinarâ— he calleth Power better observed than at Basil foâ— all the Marriâ—d Women go to Church with a Coiâ— oâ— their Heads that is so â—olded that as it cometh dowâ— so far as to cover their Eyes so another folding covereth also their Mâ—uth and Chin so that nothing 〈◊〉 the Nose appears and then all turns backward in a â—oling that hangeth down to their midleg This is alwâ—â—â— White so that there is there such a sight of White Heads in their Churches as cannot be found any where else The Unmarried Women wear Hats turned up in the brims before and behind and the brims of the sides being about a foot broad stand out far on both hands This fashion is also at Strasburg and is worn there also by the Married Women I mentioned formerly the constant danger to which this Place is exposed from the neighbourhood of Hunâ—ingen I was told that at first it was pretended that the French King intended to build only a small Fort there and it was believed that one of the Burgomasters of Basil who was thought not only the wisest man of that Canton but of all Switzerland was gained to lay all men asleep and to asâ—ure them that the suffering this Fort to be built so near them was of no importance to them but now they see too late their fatal Error For the place is great and will hold a Garrison of three or four thousand Men it is a Pentagone only the side to the Rhine is so large that if it went round on that side I believe it must have been a Hexagone the Bastions have all Orillons and in â—he middle of them there is a void space not filled up with earth where there is a Magazine built so thick in the Vault that it is proof against Bombs The Râ—mparts are strongly faced There is a large Ditch and before the Cortine in the middle of the Ditch there runs all along a Horn work which is but ten or twelve foot high and from the bottom of the Rampart there goeth a Vaulâ— to this Horn-wâ—rk that is for conveying of men for its defence before this Horn-work there is a half Moon with this that is peculiar to those new Forâ—ifications that there is a Ditâ—â— that cuts the halâ— Moon in an Angle and maketh one half Moon within another beyond that there is a Counterscarp about twelâ—e foot high aboâ—e the Water with a covered Way and a Glaâ—y designed tho not executed theâ—e is also a great Hâ—rn-work besides all this which runs out a huge way with its Out-works towards Bâ—sil there is also a Bridge laid over the Rhine and there being an Islanâ— in the River where the Bridge is laid there is a Horn-work that filleth and fortifieth it The Buildings in thâ—s Forâ— are beautiful and the Square can hold above four thousand Men the Works are not yet quite finished but when all is compleated this will be one of the strongest placeâ— in Europe There is a Cavelier on one or two of the Bastions and there are halâ— Moons before the Bastions so that the Switzers see their danger now when it is not easy to redress it This place is scituated in a great Plain so that it is commanded by no rising ground on any side oâ— it I made a little Tour into Alsace as far as Mountbelliard the Soil is extream rich but it hath been so long a Frontier Country and is by consequence so ill peopled that it is in many places over-grown with Woodâ— In one respecâ— it is fit to be the seat of War for it is full of Iron-works which bring a great deal of Money into the Country I saw nothing peculiar in the Iron-Works there except that the sides of the great Bellows were not of Leather but of Wood which saves much mony so I will not stand to describe them The River of the Rhinâ— all from Basil to Spire is so low and is on both sides so covered with Woods that one that cometh down in a Boaâ— hath no sight of the Country The River runneth sometimes with such a force that nothing but such woods could preserve its Banks and even these are not able to save them quite for the Trees are often washed away by the very Roots so that in many places those Trees ly along in the Channel of the River It hath been also thought a sort of a Fortification to both sides of the River to have it thus faced with Woods
Town but their numbers are not considerable I was told there were some ancient Manuscripts in the Library that belongeth to the Cathedral but one of the Prebendaries to whom I addressed my self being according to the German Custom a Man of greater Quality than Learning told me he heard they had some ancient Manuscâ—ipts but he knew nothing of it and the Dean was absent so I could not see them for he kept one of the Keys The lower Palatinate is certainly one of the sweetest Countryes of all Germany It is a great Plain till one cometh to the Hills of Heidelberg the Town is ill scituated just in a bottom between two ranges of Hills yet the Air is much commended I need say nothing of the Castle nor the prodigious Wine-Cellar in which tho there is but one celebrated Tun that is seventeen foot high and twenty six foot long and is built with a strength liker that of the ribs of a ship than the Staves of a Tun yet there are many other Tuns of such a prodigious bigness that they would seem very extraordinary if this vast one did not Eclipse them The late Prince Charles Lewis shewed his capacity in the peopling and setling this State that had been so intirely ruined being for many Yâ—ars the Seat of War for in four years time he brought it to a Flourishing condition He raised the Taxes as high as was possible without dispeopling his Country all mens Estates were valued and they were taxed at five per cent of the value of their Estates but their Estates were not valued to the rigour but with such abatements as have been ordinary in Englaâ—d in the times of Subsidies so that when his Son offered to bring the Taxes down to two per Cent of the real value the Subjects all desired him rather to continue them as they were There is no Prince in Germany that is more abâ—oâ—â—te than the Elector Palâ—tine for he layeâ—h on his Sâ—bjectâ— what Taxes he pleaseth without being limited to any forms of Goâ—ernment And here I saw that which I had alwayes believed to be true that the Subjects of Germany are only bound to their particular Prince for they swear Allegeance singly to the Elector without any reserve for the Empâ—rour and in their Prayers for him they name him their Soveraign It is true the Prince is under some ties to the Emperour but the Subjects are under none And by this Dâ— Fabritius a learned and judicious Professor there explained those words of Pareus's Commentary on the Romans which had respect only to the Princes of the Empire and were quite misunderstood by those who fancied that they favoured Rebellion for there is no place in Europe where all rebellious Doctrine is more born down than there I found a great spirit of Moderation with relation to those small Controversies that have occasioned such heat in the Protestant Churches reigning in the University there which is in a great measure owing to the Prudence the Learning and the happy Temper of Mind of D. Fabritius and D. Mick who as they were long in England so they have that generous largness of Soul which is the Noble Ornament of many of the English Divines Prince Charls Lewis saw that Manheim was maâ—ked out by Nature to be the most important place of all his Territory it being scituated in the point where the Neckar falleth into the Rhine so that those two Rivers defending it on two sides it was capable of a good Fortification It is true the Air is not thought wholsome and the Water is not good yet he made a fine Town there and a Noble Cittadel with a regular Fortification about it and he designed a great Palace there but he did not live to build it He saw of what advantage Liberty of Conâ—cience was to the peopling of his Country so as he suffered the Iews to come and settle there he resolved also not only to suffer the three Religions â—olerated by the Laws of the Empire to be professed there but he built a Church for them all three which he called the Church of the Câ—ncord in which both Calvinists Lutherans and Papists had in the order in which I have set them down the exercise of their Religion and he maintained the peace of his Principality so intirely that there was not the least Disorder occasioned by this Toleration This indeed made him to be lookt on as a Prince that did not much consider Religion himself He had a wonderful application to all affairs and was not only his own chief Minister but he alone did the work of many But I were Injust if I should not say somewhat to you of the Princely Vertues and the Celeâ—rated Probity of the present Pr. Elector upon whom that Dignity is devolved by the extinction of so many Prâ—nces that in this Age composed the most numerous Fâ—mily of any of that rank in Europe This Prince as he is in many respects an honour to the Religâ—on that he professes so is in nothing more to be commended by those who difâ—er from him than for his exact adhering to the Promises he made his Subjects with relation to their Religion in which he has not even in the smallest matters broke in upon their establisht Laws and tho an Order of Men that have turned the world up-side down have great credit with him yet it is hitherto visible that they cannot carry it so far as to make him do any thing contrary to the established Religion and to those â—acrâ—d Promises that he made his Subjects For he makes it appear to all the world that he does not consider those as so many words spoken at first to lay his people asleep which he may now explain and observe as he thinks sit but as so many Ties upon his Conscience and Honour which he will Religiously observe And as in the other parts of his Life he has set a Noble Pattern to all the Princes of Europe so his exactness to his Promises is that which cannot be too much commended of which this extraordinary Instanâ—e has been communicated to me since I am come into this Country The Elector had a Procâ—ssion in his Court last Corpus Christâ— day upon which one of the Ministers of Heidelberg preaâ—ht a very severe Sermon against Popery and in particular taxed that Procession perhaps with greater plainness than discretion Thâ—s being brought to the Electors Ears he sent presently an Order to the Ecclesiastical Senate to suspend him That Court is composed of some Secular men and some Churchmen and as the Princes Authority is delegated to them so they have a sort of an Episcopal jurisdiction over all the Clergy This Ordâ—r was a surprise to them as being a direct bâ—each upon their Laws and the liâ—erty of their Reliâ—ion so they sent a Depuâ—ation to Court to let the Elector know the reasons that hindred them from obeying his Oâ—ders which were heard with so muâ—h Justice and Gentleness that the Priâ—ce