forraigne vices or vertues but with Brutus that they will they will too much For Bohemia and Switzerland that seated in the center of Germany this on the Northwest side of the Alpes I haue contained their Geohraphicall description in that of Germany and haue spoken something of them in this discourse of Germany It remaines to adde something of them touching the particular subiects of this Chapter The Bohemians drinke the Wines of Hungarie being much better then those of Germany and haue much better Beere in regard they haue great plenof Corne and the Sweitzers drinke the delicate Wines of Italy Neither of their traffickes is comparable to that of Germany because Bohemia is farre within land and hath no great commodities to bee exported and Sweitzerland is addicted to the mercinarie seruice of forraigne Princes in their warres changing their cattell for the VVines of Italy and content with their owne so they want not plenty of good drinke Some Cantones of the Sweitzers make great gaine of spinning wooll whereof they make pieces of cloth some 134 elles long and lest couetousnes of priuate men might preiudice the common good they appoint ouerseers to this trade who punish all fraudes seuerely and some capitally For foode they abound with Hony Butter and Milke and haue plenty of Venson found in the wilde Alpes and especially of excellent sorts of fish by reason of their frequent Lakes In publike Innes a meale is giuen for sixe or seuen batzen They are hospitall towards strangers and among themselues they haue publike houses where they meete and shoote with Crosebow and musket with like exercises There they sometimes eate together and inuite guests to these houses as to a Tauerne And to the end all things may there be done with more modesty the tables of the Magistrates and all other sorts of men are in one and the same roome In meates they vse moderation and for drinking vse farre lesse excesse then the Saxons somewhat lesse then they of vpper Germany They haue strict lawes to imprison Drunkards for a yeere and at solemne feasts the vulgar sort are admonished to behaue themselues modestly yet drunkennesse hath such patronage among the best sort as it cannot be banished They bragge of their ancient temperance and say that excesse came into the Commonwealth together with the accepting of military stipends from forraigne Princes Bohemia abounds with Corne Cattle Fish as plenty of Salmons Woods good Horses but heauy like those of Freesland and with Niter which it is death to carry out yet for gaine of fifty in the hundred there want not who hazard that danger I say it hath the commodities and also produceth Wines but very sharpe and vnpleasant and hath some mines of mettals Howsoeuer it bee much more Southerly then England yet the Italian fruits as figges are there most rare which in Winter they keepe in cellers and onely in Summer time set them abroad in Gardens and in like sort but with great difficulty they preserue Rosemary but they haue no Lawrell at all The men drinke if it be possible more then the Germans and are much more subiect to gluttony and their women swill Wine and Beere daily and in great excesse which to the Germans is most reprochfull In the Innes they giue large dyet for some fiue Bohemish grosh a meale and vpon the confines of Germany towards Nurnberg for some twenty creitzers a meale But the Bohemians eate often in the day and sit almost continually at the Table and since at Prage and in many other places all things are sold out of the Innes after the maner of Poland the Bohemians seldome eat at an ordinary but demand what meate they will vpon a reckoning For the rest Boemerland and Sweitzerland little differ from Germany for the diet the Hosts the Innes excesse of drinking or any like things CHAP. IIII. Of the vnited Prouinces in Netherland and of Denmarke and Poland touching the said subiects of the precedent third Chapter THE longitude of Netherland lyes or extends seuen degrees and a halfe from the Meridian of twenty two degrees and a halfe to that of thirty degrees and the Latitude lyes or extends fiue degrees from the paralell of forty eight degrees and a halfe to that of fifty three degrees and a halfe It is called Netherland as a Country lying low and the people for language and manners hath great affinitie with the Germans both being called Dutchmen by a common name Of old this Country was a part of Gallia transalpina that is beyond the Alpes from Italy which was subdeuided into Comata and Narbonensis and againe Comata so called of the peoples long haire was subdeuided into Aquitanica Celtica or Lugdunensis and Belgica This part called Belgica containes the Lowcountries whose dominion hath been by marriage deriued from the Burgundian family to that of Austria and some diuide this Countrie into seuenteene Prouinces whereof some still remaine subiect to the King of Spaine others of which I am to speake being vnited in league haue recouered their libertie by the sword and at this time did make warre with the Spaniard about the same But some Maps among these seuenteene Prouinces reckon the County of Valkenburg which is part of the Dukedome of Limburg other Maps make Mechlin and Antwerp to bee Prouinces which are both contained in the Dukedome of Brabant Therefore I better approue those who diuide the whole Country into fifteene Prouinces namely the Counties of Artois of Flanders of Hanaw of Zeland of Holland of Zutphan and of Namurs and the Dukedomes of Luxenburg of Brabant of Limburg and of Gelderland and the territories of West-Freesland of Groning of Vtrecht of Transisola 1 The County of Artois hath many faire Cities whereof Arras is the chiefe giuing the name to the Prouince and to those rich hangings wherwith our great men adorne their Pallaces 2 Flanders is the largest County the chiefe Cities whereof are Ghant where the Emperour Charles the fifth was borne and Bruges whether great concourse of Merchants was made of old so as the strangers hearing no other name but Flanders did by custome impose the name of Flanders on all the fifteene Prouinces and the name of Flemmings on all the inhabitants Flanders hath other Cities namely Calleis Dunkerk Ostend and Sleuse all lying on the Sea coast whereof Sleuse is a Municipall Village of Bruges but at this time was it selfe strongly fortified and Ostend taken from the Spaniards by the States of the vnited Prouinces was at this time committed by them and vnder their pay to the custody of an English Garrison vnder Sir Edward Norreys Knight This Prouince yeelds plenty of Corne and Flax and is very rich with making Linnen and Woollen Cloathes It hath excellent pastures and is inriched with Cheese Butter Oyle made of Rape-rootes Salt and the fishing of Herrings but it yeelds no Wine The famous Wood Arduenna lies in the confines thereof towards land where
the Bishoprick of Licge pertaines to it wherein the City of Liege is the Bishops seate and the territory thereof yeelds a little quantity of a small wine and hath Mines yeelding a little Iron some leade and brimstone and a very little quantity of good gold The Mountaines yeeld a black Alablaster with marble and other stones especially stony coales in great quantity which being there found at first are now called generally Liege Coales 11 The Dukedome of Gelderland was of old inhabited by the Menappij and Sieambri and aboundeth with excellent pastures and meadowes so as great Heards of Cattle brought thither out of Denmarke to be sold are for great part fatted there The chiefe City is Nimmengen the second Harduike a fortified City subiect to the vnited States and the third Arnheim also subiect to them 12 The Territory of West-Freessand is diuided as Holland with artificiall ditches and aboundeth with eocellent pastures for fatting of the greatest heards of Cattle and yeeldeth it selfe all kinds of cattle of extraordinary bignesse as Horses of Freesland vulgarly knowne It hath many Cities where of the chiefe are Lewerden Dockam Fronikar an Vniuersity and Harlingen not to speake of nine other Townes fortified with wals and ditcbes This Territory is subiect or associated to the vnited States 13 The Territory of Groningen made part of Freesland by Cosmagraphers is also subiect to the States and hath the name of the chiefe City strongly fortified and seated in a fenny soyle 14 The Territory of Vtrecht is also associated vnder the same vnited States whose chiefe and very pleasant City is called Vtrecht 15 The Territory of Transisole vulgarly called De land ouer Ysseli the Land beyond Yssell is also associated to the vnited States whereof the chiefe City is Deuentry which besieged by the States Army in the yeere 1591 was then subdued and it lies neerer to the Sea It hath another City called swoll The vnited Prouinces of Netherland through which onely I did passe haue a most intemperate Aire the Winter cold being excessiue and the Summers heat farre exceeding the ordinary heate of that clime The reason of the cold is that the Northerne winds of themselues ordinarily cold doe here in a long course on all sides glide vpon the German Sea thereby gathering farre greater cold and so rush into those plaine Prouinces no where stopped either by mountaines or woods there being no Mountaines scarce any hils no woods scarce any groues to hinder them from violent passage with their vttermost force Like reason may be giuen for the heate For the same open Plaine no way shaddowed from the beames of the Sunne by opposition of Woods or Mountaines must needs in Summer be subiect to the heate of the Sunne and winds from land Adde that in Winter the frequent Riuers Lakes and Pooles or standing waters in finitely increase the coldnesse of the aire These waters aswell running as standing are almost all Winter frosen ouer with a thicke ice so as they will beare some hundreths of young men and women sliding vpon them with pattins according to their custome Yea the Arme of the Sea called Zwidersea lying within land betweene Holland and Freseland though it be large and deepe hauing only two flats or shoales yet being compassed with Ilands and the Continent is many times in Winter so frosen ouer as Victualers erect Tents in the middest of it hauing Beere and Wine and fier made vpon iron furnaces to refresh such as passe vpon sledges or sliding vpon iron patterns from one shoare to the other This cold is the cause why their sheepe and cattell are kept in stables to bring forth their young And howsoeuer the same be done in Italy subiect to great heate yet it is not of necessitie as here but out of the too great tendernesse of the Italians towards the few cattle they haue And this is the cause that how soeuer they vse not hot stoaues as the Germans doe yet the Weomen as well at home as in the Churches to driue away cold put vnder them little pannes of fier couered with boxes of wood boared full of holes in the top And this sordid remedy they carry with them by the high way in waggons which the Danes or Mosconites vse not though oppressed with greater cold onely some of the more noble Weomen disliking this remedy choose rather to weare breeches to defend them from the cold In this distemper of Aire it cannot be expected that there should be plenty of flowers and summer fruites No doubt in regard of the fatnesse of the soile watered with frequent ditches and through the foresaid heat of the Summer they might haue plenty of flowers and fruits were it not impossible or very difficult to preserue them from perishing by the winters cold and were not the Inhabitants carelesse of such dainties though in later times as they haue admitted forraigne manners so luxury hath more power with them then formerly it had I haue oft seene one Apple sold for a blancke and those great Cherries which are brought into England grow not here but in Flaunders and the Territories within Land They haue abundance of Butter Cheese and Rootes and howsoeuer they haue not of their owne full sufficiency of other things to maintaine life yet they abound with the same brought from other parts Some prouinces as the Bishoprick of Vtrecht yeeld corne to be transported but in generall the vnited Prouinces of which only I discourse in this place haue not sufficient corne for their owne vse yet by traffick at Dantzke they furnish themselues many other nations therewith They haue little plenty of Riuer fish excepting onely Eales but in the Mosa as it fals from Dort to the sea they haue plenty of Salmons and other fish which fishing did of old yeeld great profit to the Prince and Merchants And for Sea fishes salted and dried they make great trafficke therewith My selfe lying for a passage in the Iland Fly did see great quantity of shell-fish sold at a very low rate Great heards of Oxen and Calues are yeerely brought into these parts out of the Dukedome of Holst vnited to the Kingdome of Denmarke in which parts they feed most on dry and salt meates and these Heards are fatted in the rich pastures of Gelderland and Freesland There is great abundance of Sea Fowles especially in West-Freesland and they want not land Fowles They carefully nourish Storkes as presaging happinesse to an Aristocraticall gouernement making them nests on the tops of publike houses and punishing any that driue them away or trouble them In which kind also they preserue Hernes making nests in those groues which are onely in few Cities They haue a race of heauy Horses and strong which they sell in sorraigne parts vsing onely their Mares to draw Waggons and for like vses at home The Prouinces on the Sea Coast as I formerly said burne their owne earth by the frequent digging whereof they say the Sea or lake
inheritance in Brabant and Flaunders excepting the Principality of Orange seated in France neare the City of Marseits und when he suspected the counsels of the King of Spaine into whose net Count Egmond confident in his innocency and great seruice done to the King and the Count of Horne vnaduisedly fell he first withdrew himselfe into France and after into Holland where as I said hee ioyned with the States of the Vnited Prouinces and was much respected and loued of them all inioying from them honourable meanes of maintenance well deserued in that his name and assistance much profited the common cause He had many wiues first he married the Countesse of Buren sole daughter and heire to her father and she bare him a sonne who in the beginning of these troubles was a Student in the Vniuersity of Louan whence the Gouernour called him and sent him into Spaine and she bore him likewise a daughter which was married to Count Hollock a German well respected by the States for his warlike reputation and good seruices done to them and he with his wife liued in Holland when I passed through these parts His second wife was the sister to the Elector of Saxony by whom he had the foresaid Count Maurice who yet being young succeeded his father in the generall conduct of the States Army and about this time whereof I write had taken two strong Cities in Brabant the inheritance of the Prince of Orange namely Bredaw and Getrudenberg and because they were part of the Earledome of Buren some difference was then about them betweene the said Count Maurice and his said sister by the fathers side wherein it was generally said that the States fauoured the Count. Also the Prince had by this wife a daughter after married to the Gouernour of Friesland His third wife was sister to the Duke of Mompensier in France which had been a Nun and by her hee had sixe daughters Lewis married to the Palatine of the Rhein Marie then liuing at Hage the third liuing then in France the fourth with the Count of Schwarthenburg and Francis also then liuing at Hage and a sixth then brought vp in the County of Nassaw His fourth wife was a French Lady of the Family Chastillon famous in that worthy Admirall of France killed in the Parisian Massacre And this wife after the Prince was slaine liued then at Hage with her onely sonne by him who being borne at Delph in Holland was therefore and for many respects much regarded by the Hollanders and yet being a childe was honoured with military commands and a large stipend for his maintenance and shortly after had the title of Colonell of Holland with no small addition to his meanes Being now to speake of the Magistrates Lawes and degrees of Orders in this Commonwealth it will not be amisie first for coniecture of the generall estate of Netherland to write some few things out of Marchantius a Flemming and other approued Authours particularly of the County of Flanders for the preheminence it alwaies had ouer the rest of the Prouinces The chiefe strength of the Common-wealth of Flanders is in the Counsell or Parliament of the three generall States namely of the Clergy the Nobility and the foure members in steed of the people making the third estate in other Kingdomes and without the consent of these the Earles were neuer wont to exact money or make warre And howsoeuer the King of Spaine hath weakned the authority of this Counsell yet when Subsidies are imposed the very forme of old proceeding comforts the people as a shadow of their old liberty The Earle by writing is to appoint the time and place of this Assembly or in the Earles name the Counsell of Flanders vsed to call together the Burgesses or Deputies thereof In these three States the Clergy is of chiefe dignitie as well for their degree as for the greatnesse of their reuenewes and many Territories vnder their command and among these were onely fiue Bishops till Pope Pius the fourth in the yeere 1560 estalished three new seates of Bishops at Gant Bruges and Ypre The first degree of Nobility is that of Barons hauing their name of Banners which they are bound to follow whereof there bee very many in Flanders and of them some in later times haue beene raised to the titles of Earles and Princes In the second ranke are the Lords of Townes and Villages whence Gentlemen haue their sirnames and they cannot be numbered without tediousnesse But almost all of them haue possession giuen them from some of the Feudatory Courts of the Earles of Flanders and differ in many customes but in this all agree that he who hath this fee cannot alienate it without the consent of the Prince and the next heire or vpon oath giuen in Court that hee doth it for pouerty and want The inheritance of Fees descends to the eldest sonnes a third part reserued for the younger brothers so they giue ouer to the elder their part in the other goods that are not in Fee And it is an high fault if these Lords impose any tribute vpon their subiects except it bee with the consent of the Earle of Flaunders There bee some of these that are called vassals whereof some are clients of an higher some of a lower degree And the Earle of Flanders hath about seuenteene feudatory Courts and the number is very great of Clients in Fee depending immediately vpon one or other of the said Courts whereby the Earle hath many pecuniary profits and other seruices vpon fines and alienations of inheritance In the third rancke of Gentlemen are they who hold inheritance in Fee whereof some are tied to the Iurisdiction and Counsell of the Earle as the Chancelor so called of correcting or cancelling writings ill drawne with blotting outlines which dignitie is tied to the Prepositure of Bruges Church and before the Counsell of Flaunders was erected this Office was of greater authoritie then now it is Others of this kind are Burgraues or Castellanes or high Sheriffes who are set Iudges ouer Townes and Castles with prerogatiue to haue a proportion of the mulcts or fines which dignity belongs to certaine Families and may be alienated to others by sale or for dowrie in marriage and all haue not the like but diuers iurisdiction and preheminence The Burgraue of 〈◊〉 hath the Lordship or command of the Towne which no other Burgraue hath the ruling of the weights in the Market the customes at the Gate capitall Iudgement the fines that are vnder three pounds of Paris and a part with the Earle of the greater fines and the power to appoint the Baily Scabins and Burgomafter and a third part of the goods of bastards dying without children Also the Burgraue of Ypre takes an oath to himselfe of the Officers of that Towne as well as to the Earle and he hath the fines and power to appoint Magistrates Others of this third rancke of Gentlemen haue warlike Offices by inheritance as the
priuiledge of age and sex euen where the Parents leaue Children lawfully begotten I returne to the foresaid Prouinces which I said to be vnited in mutuall league for their defence against the Spaniards The said Prouinces at the first breaking out of the ciuill warre when Antwerp was besieged humbly and instantly besought Elizabeth Queene of England to vndertake their patronage and defence and to encourage and giue her more power offered her the Soueraignety of those Prouinces but the most wise Queene with graue counsell and for weighty reasons refused to take them for Subiects Perhaps among other reasons of greater weight fearing lest vndertaking that warre as Queene of the Prouinces most part of the burthen thereof should fall vpon her English subiects thinking it probable that the Netherlanders being a people which had often taken Armes against their Prince of all other things least bearing new taxes and impositions which they professed next the persecution for Religion to be the chiefe cause of this warre would alwaies be apt to stir vp sedition when her Maiesty as their Prince should impose but half the tributes customes which themselues by general consent for loue of liberty haue imposed born with incredible patience during this warre And howsoeuer her Maiesty desired their liberty should be preserued yet the peace betweene England and Spaine howsoeuer shaken by many iniuries on both sides prouoking desire of reuenge notwithstanding was not yet fully broken And it seemes probable to me not knowing those counsels but by coniecture that her Maiesty being a woman the King of Spaine being powerfull and some of her Subiects being alienated from her for the reformation of Religion thought it more wisdome to suffer warre for her iust defence then her selfe openly to beginne the same yet would shee not altogether neglect the afflicted people of those Prouinces but resolued with the States thereof that they should make Count Maurice sonne to the Prince of Orange Generall of their Army gouerning their owne affaires and her Maiesty should professe the defence of that afflicted people with whom England alwaies had strict league of trade and amity till meanes might be vsed for restoring them to the King of Spaines fauour Whereupon at the instant suite of the States the tenth of August in the yeere 1585 her Maiesty granted them an aide of fiue thousand Foot and a thousand Horse to whom her Maiesty was to giue pay during the warre yet so as the Prouinces were bound to make restitution of all her expences when the warre should be composed and for pledge of performance should giue into her Maiesties hands the Towne of Vlishing in Zealand with the adioining Castle of Rammekins to be kept with a Garrison of seauen hundred English foote and the Towne of Brill with some adioining Forts to be kept with a Garrison of 450 English Foot the said Prouinces being bound as I said to make reall satisfaction to her Maiesty at the end of the warre for all expences aswel of the said Forces as of these Garrisons which amounted yeerly to the summe of one hundred twenty six thousand pounds sterling And her Maiesty for the safety of her neighbours bore this intollerable burthen till the yeere 1594 at which time Sir Thomas Bodley Knight her Maiesties Ambassadour for those Prouinces by a new transaction diminished those great expences the wealth of those Prouinces being then much increased aswell by the concourse of Merchants leauing desolate Flanders to dwell in that flourishing State as because they had brought many Countries by right of warre to yeeld them contributions namely all the Sea Coast of Brabant some part of Flanders with the Countries vulgarly called Ommelands Drent Twent Linghen Limbrough and Walkenbrough and had greatly increased their tributes aswel in Holland Zeland Freesland and Vtrecht as in Guelderland Zutphan Dlandt ouer Ysell and lastly had taken many strong Townes of no small moment namely Deuenter Zutphan Nimmenghen Stonwicke Bredaw Hulst Steneberg and Groninghen The state of those Prouinces being as I said thus increased and her Maiesty being forced for many yeeres to keepe a strong army at home to subdue the Irish Rebels her Maiesties Ambassadour at the foresaid time made a new transaction with the States for diminishing the charge of the English Forces seruing them And this helpe so long giuen by her Maiesty to the vnited Prouinces cannot seeme of smal moment For howsoeuer the Queen did not alwaies keepe the full number of the said Forces and sometimes called home or cashiered part of them yet shee did alwaies maintaine the greatest part decreasing or increasing the same according to the necessity of the present affaires and imploied the Forces called home onely in voiages by Sea profitable aswell to the vnited Prouinces as to England and that for a short time of Sommer seruice after sending them backe to serue the States The States who gouerne these Prouinces if they haue made no change in particulars which at pleasure they both can and vse to doe are graue men Counsellors or Burgesses vulgarly called States chosen by the people of each City and Towne not for a limited time but during pleasure and with full power who residing in the chief City of the Prouince haue care all iointly of the prouinciall affaires and each particularly of his Cities or Townes affaires And this Counsell must needes be distracted with diuers opinions arising from the diuers affaires of each Prouince City Town and the seuerall commandements they receiue at home These prouinciall States chuse among themselues one two or three Burgesses for each Prouince according to the condition and capacity of those that are chosen for how many soeuer they be they haue but one voice for their Prouince at generall meetings and these they send to reside at Hage in Holland with like authority as they haue there to gouerne the publike affaires of all the vnited Prouinces and they are called the generall States And as the prouinciall States may be diminished in number or increased according to the occasions of the publike businesse or of any particular meeting and may bee called home by the Citizens who chuse them so the generall States chosen by them to reside at Hage enioy their places vpon like condition And out of these generall States certaine chosen men are made Counsellors to order the affaires of warre and to assist and direct the Generall of the Army therein Others are set ouer the affaires of the Admiralty others ouer the Chauncery of Brabant and others ouer diuers particular Offices I call them Counsellors of the Chauncery of Brabant who manage the affaires of Brabant belonging to Holland This must alwaies be vnderstood that the Burgesses or States of Holland in respect of the dignity of that Prouince many waies increased and inriched aboue the rest haue somewhat more authority and respect then any other but the wheele of the publike State is turned by the Senate of the generall States residing
at Hage yet so as they doe not take vpon them to determine difficult matters without some diffidence till they haue the consent of their particular Cities and Prouinces except they be made confident by the concurring of eminent men who can draw or leade the people to approue of their doings or in such cases as by long practice they fully know not vnpleasing to the people So wary are they notwithstanding the Prouinciall States from their Communities and the generall States at Hage from them haue most ample power and absolute commission in expresse words to doe any thing they iudge profitable for the Commonwealth And it is a remarkeable thing to obserue their Art when in difficult cases they desire to protract time or delude Agents how the generall States answere that they must first consult with the prouinciall States and they againe answere that they must first know the pleasure of their Communities before they can determine and each of them hath nothing more in his mouth then the consent of his superiours for so they call them Whereas if businesse were so to be dispatched no doubt great difficulty would arise in all particular actions In the Senate of the generall States besides the States themselues Count Maurice hath as I thinke a double voice yet I neuer obserued him to be present at their assemblies The Ambassadour of England hath likewise his voice and Count Solms as I heard because he married the widdow of Count Egmond and for his good deserts in the seruice of the vnited Prouinces hath for himselfe and his heires the like priuiledge Thus the Commonwealth in generall is Aristocraticall that is of the best Men saue that the people chuseth the great Senate which rules all Touching the Commonwealths of particular Cities Amsterdam is the chiefe City of Holland where the great Senate consists of thirty sixe chiefe Citizens whereof one dying another is chosen into his place and this Senate yeerely chuseth foure Consuls who iudge ciuill causes and haue power to appoint ten Iudges of criminall causes vulgarly called Skout though they be not of that Senate The other Cities are in like sort gouerned but according to the greatnesse of the City or Towne they haue greater or lesser number of Senators The Tributes Taxes and Customes of all kinds imposed by mutuall consent so great is the loue of liberty or freedome are very burthensome and they willingly beare them though for much lesse exactions imposed by the King of Spaine as they hold contrary to right and without consent of his Subiects they had the boldnesse to make warre against a Prince of such great power Yet in respect of the vnequal proportioning of all contributions they are somewhat at ods among themselues many times iarre so as it seemed no difficult thing to breake their concord had not the common Enemy the eminent danger of Spanish reuenge together with the sweetnesse of freedome once tasted forced them to constant vnity This I dare say that when they humbly offered themselues vassals to the Queene of England in the first infancy of their Common-wealth if her Maiesty or any other Prince whosoeuer vndertaking their protection had burthened them with halfe the exactions they now beare it is more then probable that they would thereby haue beene so exasperated as they would haue beene more ready to haue returned vnder the obedience of the King of Spaine whose anger they had highly prouoked then to endure the yoke of such a Protector For each Tunne of Beere which they largely swallow they pay into the Exchequer sixe Flemmish shillings each shilling being sixe stiuers I meane of Beere sold abroad for they pay onely foure shillings for such Beere as men brew for the vse of their priuate families which frugality few or none vse except perhaps some brew small Beere for their Families and indeed I doubt they would find small frugality in brewing other Beere for themselues if the Cellar lay open to their seruants And howsoeuer the Tunnes be of diuers prices according to the goodnesse of the Beere namely of two three foure fiue or sixe Guldens the Tunne though at Leyden onely the Brewers may not sell Beere of diuers prices for feare of fraud in mixing them yet there is no difference of the Tribute They haue excellent fat pastures whereof each Aker is worth forty pound or more to be purchased and they pay tribute for euery head of cattle feeding therein as two stiuers weekely for each Cow for the Paile the great number whereof may be coniectured by the plenty of cheese exported out of Holland and the infinite quantity of cheese and butter they spend at home being the most common food of all the people For Oxen Horses Sheepe and other Beasts sold in market the twelfth part at least of the price is paid for tribute and be they neuer so often by the yeere sold to and fro the new Masters still pay as much They pay fiue stiuers for euery bushel of their owne wheate which they vse to grind in publike Mils And since they giue tribute of halfe in halfe for foode and most necessary things commonly paying as much for tribute as the price of the thing sold the imposition must needs be thought greater laid vpon forraigne commodities seruing for pleasure pride and luxury besides that these tributes are ordinary and no doubt vpon any necessity of the Commonwealth would be increased French wines at Middleburg the Staple thereof and Rhenish wines at Dort the Staple thereof are sold by priuiledge without any imposition but in all other places men pay as much for the Impost as for the wine Onely in the Campe all things for food are sold without any imposition laid vpon them And some but very few eminent men haue the priuiledge to pay no imposition for like things of food Each Student in the Vniuertie hath eighty measures of wine vulgarly called Stoup allowed him free from imposition and for six barrels of Beere onely payes one Gulden and a quarter that is two shillings six pence English being altogether free from all other tributes which priuiledge the Citizens enioy in the name of the Students dieting with them and no doubt the Rector and professors of the Vniuersity haue greater immunity in these kinds One thing is hardly to be vnderstood how these Prouinces thus oppressed with tributes and making warre against a most powerfull King yet at this time in the heate of the warre which vseth to waste most flourishing Kingdomes and make Prouinces desolate had farre greater riches then any most peaceable Countrey of their neighbours or then euer themselues formerly attained in their greatest peace and prosperitie Whether it be for that according to the Poet Ingenium mala sape monent Aduersity oft whets the wit so as by warre they are growne more witty and industrious Or for that Flanders and Antwerp the famous City in former times so drew all trafficke and rich Merchants to them as
all the neighbour Prouinces were thereby impouerished all which trade by the warre fell to Holland most strong in shipping or for that the vnited Prouinces haue such commodity by the Sea and waters running to all Townes and by the strength of their cities as in the heat of war they are free from the enemies incursions or any impediment of their traffick and seeme rather to carry the war to their confines then to haue it in their bosomes In which point it is not vnpleasant to remember how the Hollanders mock the Spaniards as if not acquainted with the Northern Sea the ebbing and flowing therof they thought they might at pleasure come into any hauen leade their army into any of those Prouinces that when the Spaniards first entered Holland with their Army and they cutting the banckes of the sea drowned their Country the Spaniards were therewith astonished and gaue gold chaines money and the most precious things they had to the Country people on condition they would bring them out of those watery places to firme land If any man require truer and greater reasons of these Prouinces growing rich by warre let him make curious search thereof for it is besides my purpose No doubt the frequent Armes of the sea within land passing by their Cities the innumerable waters though for the most part standing or little mouing which by made ditches carry boats and barkes to all their Cities being there more frequent then in any other part of the World and to all their Villages and compasse almost all their pastures yeeld no small commodity to their Common-wealth For they hauing little of their owne to export and wanting Corne Wood or Coales and many necessaries for their vse yet by this onely benefit and their singular industry not only most abundantly inioy all commodities of all Nations for their owne vse but by transporting them from place to place with their owne ships whereof they haue an vnspeakable number make very great gaine being delighted in Nauigation by nature as borne and bred in the midst of Seas and waters and hauing by warre heating their Flegmaticke humours attained to such skill therein as for trafficke they saile to the most remote coasts of the world and in processe of time being growne so bold sea-men as they will scarcely yeeld in this Art to the English for many former yeeres excelling therein So as their tributes imposed on Merchants commodities must needs be of exceeding great moment And not to weary my selfe with the curious search thereof I will onely adde for coniecture of the generall one particular related to me by credible men That in time when Italy suffered dearth and was supplied with corne from these parts the tributes of one Citie Amsterdam in one weeke exceeded the summe of ten thousand pounds sterling whence the reuenewes of all tributes in all the Hauens and Cities may bee coniectured to be excessiuely great So as adding the impositions vpon domesticall things and the great contributions paid by the enemies subiects vpon the confines in time of warre to purchase the safety of their persons and goods with freedome to till their grounds from the rapine of freybooting souldiers a man may well say that the vnited Prouinces are no lesse able then they haue been daring to doe great things This Common-wealth is gouerned by particular lawes and customes of diuers places and by the publike edicts vpon diuers new occasions made by the States of the Prouinces and these wanting by the Ciuill law The particular Cities are gouerned after the manner aboue named And particularly at Leyden my selfe haue obserued the inhabitants of Villages called by writings set vpon posts in the publike streets to haue their controuersies iudged by the Magistrates of the city not at any set time of the yeere but according to the occasions of other affaires at the Iudges pleasure High iniuries and maimes of any member are punished by the law which passeth ouer lighter iniuries not giuing such ample satisfactions to the wronged euen by word as the constitutions of the Sweitzers giue so as with them no lesse then in England quarrels and brawlings are frequent and often breake out into man-slaughters wherein those who will reuenge themselues by force first agree betweene themselues whether they will strike or stab and then drawing out long kniues which they ordinarily weare they wound one another by course according to their agreement either by slashes or stabs which they call schneiden and stecken They commonly allow mony to be put out to vse and to the end poore men vpon pawnes may borrow small summes for a short time they admit an Italian or Lumbard vulgarly so called in each Citie who taking a pawne lends a gulden for a brasse coine called a doigt by the weeke But this Lumbard in the French Church there is not admitted to receiue the Communion The pawne vseth to bee worth a third part more then the mony lent and one yere a day being past after the mony is due the vsurer hath the pawne to himselfe but before that time the debter at his pleasure may at any time haue his pawne first paying the borowed mony with the vse to the day of paiment And the common report then was that the States would take this as a publike Office into their owne hands to help the poore not able to pay by selling the pawnes to the owners best profit Touching inheritance Vpon the Mothers death the children may compell their Father to deuide his goods with them least perhaps hee should consume or waste the same And the wife that brought a dowry be her husband growne neuer so rich by his trade may when shee dies giue not only her dowry but halfe her husbands goods gotten in mariage to her owne Kinsmen after his death if shee haue no children by him and if she brought no dowry yet shee hath the same right to dispose of halfe her husbands goods gotten in mariage and as is supposed by their mutuall labor A sonne may not be disinherited but vpon causes approued by the Law for the Father is bound to giue a third part of his estate among his children and only hath power to dispose of the rest or any part thereof in Legacies at his pleasure The wiues of Holland buy and sell all things at home and vse to saile to Hamburg and into England for exercise of traffique I heard from credible men that the Citizens of Enchusen within thirty yeeres then past vsed to marry a wife and put her away at the yeeres end if they liked her not which barbarous custome Ciuility and Religion hath since abolished and at Delph I did see two examples of men who hauing buried their wiues did after marry their wiues Sisters It is no rare thing for blowes to happen betweene man and wife and I credibly heard that they haue slight punishments for that fault and my selfe did heare the Crier summon a man
in the morning to twelue We come out at first tenne companions in this iourney but at the very comming out 〈◊〉 six of them left vs despairing to passe against a contrary winde in a foule rainy day and their feet sticking fast in the dirt and they mocked at our obstinacy in going Within a while my selfe was wet to the skinne and my shooes at euery step were almost to the off so as I was forced to binde them on with foure points neither did any of vs looke backe at his fellow to helpe him if hee could not follow and if I should haue fallen into the Sea I am confident none of them would haue come back to succour me After we had gone halfe a mile one of our foure companions being a young man with a blacke beard able body would not goe one foot further though he had but one Stiuer in his purse and was forced to borrow money of vs that he might stay in a poore Ale-house When we came to Aldernsea the Free-booters spies came to the Inne gaped vpon vs so as though I were wet to the skin yet I durst not pull off any thing to dry sest my inward garments better then my vpper should betray my disguise neither durst I call for wine and spend freely lest they should thinke I had store of money Each of vs paied seuen Stiuers for his dinner Here another of our companions left vs being so tired as hee went to bed without eating one bit So as now I had onely one companion left called Anthony a man of little stature and a Citizen of Emden We so be free of this dangerous iourney went forward and as we came out of the Village the Free-booters spies came close to vs and beheld vs narrowly but seeing vs all couered with dirt they tooke vs for poore men and a prey vnfit to be followed Wee gathering vp strength went on till at last wee were so weary as hauing no strength to chuse our way wee cast away our staues and went almost vp to the knees in dirt in the lower way At last hauing gone one mile as me thought wondrous long from one of the clocke in the afternoone to fiue wee came to Emden where my selfe entring the gate could not stand till the Souldiers writ our names but had lyen downe on the ground if they had not giuen mee a seat Now being out of all danger of the Free-booters in giuing my name I wrote my selfe an English-man the standers by not a little wondring that I had put my self to this dangerous passage And truly this iourney if it were free from all danger yet the ill diet and lodging would yeeld trouble enough for which I appeale to Lipsius who hath pleasantly written of the entertainement in West-Phalen and Oldenburg The Citie of Emden lies in the vtmost border of the Empire and is onely diuided by the Riuer Emsz from the vnited Prouince of Netherland and by an Inland Sea from West Freez-land being one of them The Countrey about Emden aboundeth with villages and from a Tower at Goricome a man may see at once vpon a saire day twenty two walled Townes Not farre from this City neere 〈◊〉 is the place where the Duke of Alūa defeated the forces of Lodwick of Nassaw his Dutch-men refusing to fight except they were first paied All the fields about Emden are drowned in winter and the City lying vpon the Sea for want of fresh waters they dresse most of their meat with raine water The aire is very vnhealthfull but the City is fairely built of bricke and the Citizens are very curteous On the South side the Riuer Emsz washeth the City with his salt streames on which side is the Hauen and the Citizens are said to haue some three score ships of a hundred tunnes a peece and some six hundred barkes of their owne In the Church-yard on this side many peeces of Ordinance are laid towards Leere and Dunort the Counts Fort and the like are laid vpon the Hauen and some places of aduantage for the City hath no walles on this side On the West side beyond the water lyeth Marish ground to the mouth of the Sea and vpon this side is a strong old Castle On the North side the City is compassed with a wall of earth and deepe ditches full of water and there be two strong gates Belgar-port and New-port without which the fields are Fenny On this side there is a passage by boat to the suburbes on the East side where the fields without the towne are faire pastures in summer but all ouerflowed in winter and vpon the Rampier of the wall are many Winde-mils The City is of a round forme if it were not somewhat longer from the East to the West At Emden they pay ordinarily six Stiuers a meale three stiuers for a quart of English beere eleuen Stiuers for a quart of Spanish wine thirteene Stiuers a quart of Rhenish wine and seuen Stiuers for French wine my selfe paid for supper and breakfast twenty three Stiuers CHAP. IIII. Of my iourney from Emden in Germany to Leyden in Holland and through the vnited Prouinces of the Low-Countries ON Thursday the twenty seuen of October in the yeere 1592 I tooke ship after dinner at Emden being to saile into West Freesland one of the vnited Prouinces and paied for my passage tenne Stiuers The same night wee cast anchor neere Vrspenhurn a Fort seated beyond the Emsz and belonging to the States of the vnited Prouinces and beyond this Port towards Plaunders on the same side of the Emsz lieth the Territory of the City Groning seated in an Iland rich in pastures and at this time gouerned by a Spanish Garrison which the Citizens had willingly receiued though the States after besieged this City and droue out the Spaniards and vnited the City to the rest As we lay at Anchor two little Ilands lay on the North side one subiect to Emden the other to Groning and beyond them lay the German Sea On Friday wee set saile with a scant winde and towards night were left vpon a Flat vulgarly called Gat where the water forsaking vs we walked out of the ship vpon the sand compassed round about with the Sea till the same flowing backe againe our ship floated On Saterday we set saile againe and towards night rested vpon a like Flat expecting the floud Three of these Flats are in this Inland sea and there be two like Flats in the Inland sea beteene Freesland and Holland At last wee landed on Sunday in Freesland at the Village Aniou lying neere the Sea shore whether wee hired a sledge for eight stiuers and were drawne thither ouer the yce and snow After we had dined for twelue stiuers each man whereof more then halfe was reckoned for drinke we went in a skeut by water in foure houres space one mile to Dockam and each man paid for his passage foure stiuers and a halfe we could not passe
to the vttermost part of the Iland Also on this side is a new Hauen made for ships in the winter time and the gate is called Rammakins Port of the said Castle On the West side you may see Vlishing a mile off and in a cleere day the Downes of Kent in England On this side within the wals is a round market place and the Senate-house of anticke building and two Gates called of the Cities to which they leade Vlishing port and Longe-ville port On the North side is an Abbey and pleasant walking and another publike House for exercise of shooting This populous City hath onely two Churches either because the people being of many sects in Religion and much occupied in trafficke scarce the third part comes to Church or else because the people being much increased by strangers comming to dwell in these parts vpon the stopping of the passage to Antwerp in the ciuill warres it is no wonder that the old Churches will not receiue them The Citizens may at pleasure drownd all the fields about them And this one and the chiefe Iland of Zealand called Walkerne containeth siue walled Cities besides Villages but the aire is reputed vnwholsome Midleburge is the chiefe place of trafficke in Zealand as Amsterdam in Holland From hence I went in a long Waggon couered with hoopes and cloth to Vlishing a long mile and paid for my passage two blankes Ten English foot companies one hundred and fifty in each company vnder the gouernment of Sir Robert Sidney kept this strong Towne for the Queene of England and vnder her pay being ingaged to her for money lent the States and the ten Captaines in course watched each third night The City is little and of a round forme but very strong It hath a narrow Sea on the West side where vpon the last confines of Zealand and the vnited Prouinces is one of the three passages whereof I formerly spake to the Maine Sea On this side is the Mountaine of the Mill where the Souldiers watch nightly and beyond the Mountaine is a damme to let in the Sea at pleasure On the South side is the Gate Waterport strongly fortified lying vpon the Inland Sea On this side towards the North the Sea flowing into the Towne maketh one Hauen and towards the East another and diuideth the City into three parts the Old the New and the Middle whereof any one being taken by the enemy yet the other are fortified for defence Beyond these Hauens or channels is a Mountaine lying ouer the City vpon which the Souldiers kept guards day and night as they did likewise vpon the Bridge diuiding the Cities and vpon other lower hils at all the gates of the City and in prayer time at the doore of the English Church This Church is on the East side and is common to the English and Dutch at diuers houres Betweene the high mountaine this Church was the Gouernours House belonging of old to the Counts of Zealand and the publike house for exercise of shooting but lesse pleasant then the like houses are in other Cities On the same East side lie two waies one to Rammakins Castle the other to Midleburge On the North side the Downes of Kent in England may easily be seene and there is the Hospitall or Gast-house for sicke people and for sicke and maimed souldiers of which a Mountaine thereby hath the name On this and the East sides are two Mils to retaine the water when the Sea ebs that the ditches round about may alwaies be filled and if need be to ouerflow the fields These ditches are commonly a pikes depth and can by no art or enemy be dried The Citizens want good water hauing no wels nor any fresh water but raine water kept in Cesternes The foresaid number of Souldiers in the Garrison was not sufficient to master the Citizens onely their couragious minds dispising death kept the Citizens in such awe as they durst not attempt to recouer their liberty by force which they hoped to obtaine by peaceable meanes and the vnited Prouinces depended vpon the opinion of the Queenes aid perhaps more then vpon the aid it selfe so as either failing they were like to be a prey to the Spaniards Since that time I heard the Garison was diminished so as it seemes the English had lesse strength to keepe it if the States changing their minds should attempt to surprise it Being inuited by my English friends I spent nothing in this City Hence I returned to Midleburge on foot vpon a paued causcy hauing on each side rich corne fields and faire pastures with many orchards and in the mid-way a Gentleman called Aldegondey famous for his wisdome hath his Castle wherein he dwelt At Midleburge I paid six stiuers for my supper and two for my bed and prouiding victuals to carry by Sea I paid for a loyne of mutton twenty foure stiuers as also for my washing seuen stiuers and staying in the Towne two daies I spent in all foure guldens and foure stiuers I tooke ship at ten in the morning and betweene the Iland Der-goese and the Inland Sea called Zurechsea I saw two Towers of Villages swallowed in the foresaid deluge and sayling by the Iland Plate and the Iland of Brill we passed certaine booyes directing to find the channell The next day in the afternoone I landed at Roterodam in Holland and paid ten stiuers for my passage Thence I passed in two houres space by boat to Delph and paid two stiuers for my passage Thence in two houres space I passed to the Hage by Waggon and paid for my passage two stiuers for which iourney one man alone may hire a Waggon for seuen stiuers At the Hage Count Maurice with his mother in law the Countesse of Orange born of the Noble Family of the Chastillons in France and the Generall States of the vnited Prouinces and Princes Ambassadours haue their residence which made me desirous to stay here a while to which purpose I hired a chamber for which for my bed sheets tableclothes towels and dressing of my meat I paid twenty fiue stiuers weekely I bought my owne meat and liuing priuatly with as much frugality as conueniently I might I spent by the weeke no more then fiue guldens and a halfe though all things were in this place extraordinarily deere My beere in one weeke came to foureteene stiuers and among other things bought I paid for a quarter of lambe thirty stiuers for a Hen seuen stiuers for a Pigeon foure stiuers for a Rabet three stiuers I remember not to haue seene a more pleasant village then this great part of the houses are fairely built of bricke though many of them in by-streetes be couered with thatch and some few are stately built of free-stone The village hath the forme of a Crosse and vpon the East side comming in from Leyden there is a most pleasant Groue with many wild walkes like a maze and neerer the houses is another very pleasant walke
it aboundeth with Wood but towards the Sea they burne Turfe made of earth and also burne Cow dung 3 The County of Hanaw hath the Principality of Arscot vnited to the Dukedome of Brabant by which the Dukes sonne hath the title of Prince The chiefe Cities of this County are Mons and Valinciennes It hath mines yeelding Leade and Marble of many colours and a good kind of Coales 4 The County of Zeland is by situation the first of the Vnited Prouinces consisting of many Ilands whereof seuen are principall and the chiefe is Walcherne the chiefe Citie whereof is Midleburg famous for trafficke and the Staple for Spanish and French Wines Neere that is the City Vlishing strongly fortified being the chiefe of the Forts then ingaged to the Crowne of England and kept by an English Garrison vnder the command of Sir Robert Sidney Knight for the second Fort ingaged to England lyes in another Iland and is called Brill being then kept by an English Garrison vnder the command of the Lord Barrows All these Ilands are fertile and yeeld excellent Corne more plentifully then any other Prouince so as one aker thereof is said to yeeld double to an aker of Brabant But they haue no sweete water nor good aire and for want of wood burne turffe They take plenty of sea-fishes which they Salt and carry into other Countries Madder for dying of wooll growes there plentifully which likewise they export and grow rich by selling these commodities as likewise Spanish and French Salt and like trafficke 5 The County of Holland called of old Battauia and inhabited by the Chatti as Tacitus writes is in situation the second of the vnited Prouinces but the first in dignity The Cities whereof are Amstelrodam famous for trafficke Rhoterodam where Erasmus was borne Leyden an Vniuersity Harlem Dort the staple for the Rhenish Wines and Delph all very faire Cities And I may not omit the most pleasant Village of the Hage called Grauenhage because the Counts Court was there and it is now the seate of the vnited States wanting onely wals to make it numbred among the most pleasant Cities being no doubt a Village yeelding to none for the pleasant seat This Prouince doth so abound with lakes pooles of water and artificiall ditches as it giues passage by water as well as by land to euery City and poorest Village which are infinite in number And these ditches itoweth for the most part to the Riuer Rheine For the Rheine of old running towards Leyden did fall a little below it into the Sea but at this day by reason the Land is low and subiect to ouerflowings it hath changed the bed and at Lobecum in the Dukedome of Cleue deuides it selfe into many branches The first runnes to Arnheim a City of Gelderland then to Vaua Rena and Battouodurum where Lecca receiues his waters and takes away the name from the Rheine yet so as a little branch thereof still holds the name of Rheine which running to Mastricht there deuides into two one whereof fals into Vecta and so into an arme of the Sea neere Munda the other runnes by Woerden and after a long course necre Leyden is deuided into fiue little branches whereof three fall into a lake and the fourth turnes to Renoburg and leeseth it selfe in mountaines of sand neere the Village Catwicke I remember that the water falling through Leyden is called Rheine so as I thinke it probable that all the standing waters lying betweene the seuerall pastures there come from the Rheine after it hath lost the name I said that the Rheine at Battouodurum is called Lecca which runnes to Culenburg and to Viana where in a ditch is the fountaine of Isala which runnes to 〈◊〉 Thus to omit the little branch at Battouodurum the first branch of the Rheine is lost in the Riuers Lecca and Isala The second branch bends from Lobecum to Neomagum and fals into the Brooke Meroutus taking the name of the old Family of Kings among the Gals where is an old Castle compassed with the Brooke and of the same name then running to Dort in Holland it receiues the foresaid Lecca and Isala and so neere Rhoterodame fals into the Mosa and vnder that name fals neere Brill into the German Sea The third branch of the Rheine running from Lobecum within two miles of Arnheime fals into the ditch of Drusus or rather of Germanicus and so runnes to Dewsborows the City of Drusus where it receiues the old Isala springing in Westphalia and by the name of Isala or Isell running to Zutphane and then to Deuentry fals into Tatus at Amstelrodame and by an arme of the Sea is carried to West-Freesland and so fals into the German Sea neere the Iland Flye 5 To returne to my purpose Holland is little in circuite but abounds with people and dwellings and being poore of it selfe is most rich by industrie and wanting both Wine and Corne yet furnisheth many Nations with both Neither Wooll nor Flax grow there but of both brought in to them they make linnen clothes much prised and also Woollen both carried to the very Indies I need not speake of Holland Cheeses so vulgarly knowne and much esteemed Lastly Holland is famous for the traffique of all commodities and the Romans so highly esteemed the Fortitude and faithfulnes of the old Battani as they had a Band of them for their Guard 6 The County of Zutphane is accompted part of Gelderland and subdued by the States Arinie was ioyned to the vnited Prouinces in the yeere 1591. 7 The County of Namures so called of the Cheese Citie hath Mines of Iron and plenty of stony Coale contrarie to all other Coales in that it is quenched by the infusion of Oyle It hath also an ill smell which they take away by the sprinckling of Salt and it burnes more cleere hauing water cast vpon it This County hath also quarries of Free-stone and of Marble of diuers colours 8 The Dukedome of Luxenburg hath the name of the chiefe Citie and the inhabitants of the vpper part are Germanes but they of the lower parts are like the French in language and Manners 9 The Dukedom of Brabant hath faire Cities namely Antwerp most famous before the ciuil War because Maximilian of Austria brought thither frō Bruges in Flanders the famous traffique of all Nations by a ditch drawne to Sluce onely to bee failed vpon at the flowing of the Sea tides At this day forsaken of Merchants it lies ouergrowne with grasse and the said trafficke inricheth Holland and the vnited Prouinces The next City is Brissell of old the seate of the Dukes and now of the Spanish Gouernours Then Louan a famous Vniuersity Then Mechlin subiect to the vnited States Then Bergen-ap-zome a fortified City at this time committed to the custody of Sir Thomas Morgan Knight with an English Garrison The Inhabitants of this Dukedome were of old called Tungri 10 The Dukedome of Limburg hath Mastricht for the chiefe City
Bohemia Flemish Danish Polonian 〈◊〉 Turkish Ann. 1169. Anno 1339 Ann. 1400. Anno 1577 The rebellion of the Earle of Desmond Ann. 1578 Tyrones Rebellion Hugh Earle of Tyrone 〈◊〉 Ann. 1588. Anno 1589 Sir William Fitz-williams Lord Deputie Ann. 1590. Ann. 1590. Ann. 1590. Ann. 1591 Ann. 1592. Ann. 1593. Ann. 1594 Anno 1594 Sir William Russel Lord Deputie Ann. 1595. L. Deputy L. General together Ann. 1596. An. 1597. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord Instice Lord Lieftenant and Lords Instices An. 1598. The defeat of Blackewater Anno 1598 Earle of Essex Lord Lieutenant The Establishment An. 15999. Camden saith onely one thousand Lords Instices Charles Blonnt L. Mountioy L. Deputy The Rebels strength An. 1599. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Connaght Vlster Lemstor A new Lord President of Mounster Affaires of Mounster The fight at the Moyry Carlingford fight Mounster An. 1601. Mounster The landing of the Spaniards Tyrones Forces shew themselues Tyrone shewes himselfe horse and foote Tyrone redues to assayle our Campe. The defeate of Tyrones forces The Spaniard parlies The conditions of the Spaniards yeelding Kinsale and other places The siege of Kinsale raised The Lord Deputy enters into Tyrone The affaires of Mounster The Earle of Tyrone receiued to mercy King Iames proclaimed The mutiny of the Cities in Mounster about Religion Sir George Carey left L. Deputy by the Lord Mountioy L. Lieutenant returning into England The death of the Lord Mountioy created Earle of Deuonshire Anno 1613 Uoraciti Fortitude and strength Wit and wisdome Crueltie persidiousnesse couetousnes and prodigality usie Suspition Madnesse Venerie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion Softnesse of skinne Cleanlinesse Luxurie Leuitie Fortunatenesse Diuels and the possessed with diuels Prouerbiall speeches of Trauellers in generall Prouerbiall speeches in particular of Germany Bohemia and Sweitzerland Prouerbiall speeches of Netherland or the Low-Countries Of Denmarke and Poland Prouerbiall speeches of Italy Particularly of the Italian Cities Of Turkey Of France England Poland and Ireland Germany and Sweitzerland and Boemerland The Alpes Low-Countries Denmark Poland Italy Turkey France England Ireland Scotland Sepulchers in generall Publike buildings for Merchants to meete Senate-houses Publike places for recreation Stables Clockes Theaters and water Conduits Bridges Goldesmiths shops Churches and Colledges Buildings in Germany Of Sweitzerland Of Boemerland Low Countries Of Denmark Of Poland Of Italy Of Turkey Of France Of England Of Scotland Of Ireland Of Forts in generall In generall of Geography Equator Meridian Paralells The fiue Zones Degrees Longitude and Latitude Zones Clymes Parts of the World Of Germany Sweitzerland Bohemia Vpper Germany containing Sweitzerland 19 Prouinces of lower Germany among which Bohemia is reckoned The situation of Germany The fertility of Germany Of the trafick of Germany The Germans diet Boemerland and Sweitzerland Of both in general Sweitz particularly Dohemerland particularly The first branch of Rheine The second branch The third branch The situation The fertility of the vnited Prouinces The traficke Dict. Denmarke The situation The Fertilty The traffake The 〈◊〉 Poland The situation The fertilty The traffick The dyot Italy The situation The 〈◊〉 The traffick Silk wormes The traffick Their diet The situation The fortility The traffick Their diet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The situation The fertility and trafficke Their Diet. England The shires of Wales Other shires of England The situation The fertility and trafficke Their dyet Scotland The Ilands The situatio The fertility The trafficke The diet Ireland The funatiō The fertility and trafficke The Dyet Germany Bohmerland Sweitzerland Netherland Denmarke The Polonians Italie Turkey France England Ireland The historocall introduction The House of Austria The Empe rours pedegree The house of Austria The Emperours Dominions Bohemia Hungary The Emperour and his Court. The 〈◊〉 rors Election The institution of the Electors and diuers constitutions of the Empire concerning the Electors and other Officers and the Emperor himselfe At Coronation and like Feasts The generall date of the Empire The state of certaine Princes Of Cities Of Bishops Of secular Princes Of free Cities Of the Dietaes Of the Empires Common-wealth in generall The Taxes Impositions and Renenews Their warlike prouision in time of peace Their Ward fare of old Their horsemen at this day Their footemen at this day Their warfare in generall at this day Their Nauall power at this day The Imperiall Chamber Capitall iudgements Ciuil Iudgements The Lawes of Inheritance The degrees in Family First the Wiues Of seruants Of Sons and Daughters The degrees in Common-wealth Gentleman The generall Orders of Knights The Order of the Germā Knights Vpon the dissolution of this Order the Duke of Prussia was created The ordinaery degree of Knighthood in Germany Bishops Husbandmen The degrees in Bohemia The Princes of the Empire and free Cities The Duke of Saxony Elector The Count Palatine of the Rheine Elector and the Duke of Bauaria The Elector Palatine of the Rheine The Margraue of Brandeburg Elector The Spirituall Electors The Langraues of Hessen The City of Nurnberg chosen Angsburg Strasburg Franckfort Lubecke Hamburg Brunswicke The Dukes of Brunswick and of Luneburg The Duke of Brunswicke The City the Dukes of Luneburg Dantzke Emden Foure parts of the Commonwealth Thirteene Cantons Fellowes in league Stipendiary Cities and Gouernements Forraigne leagues for 〈◊〉 namely the papall leagues Forraigne hereditary leagues as that of Milan The Burgundian and Austrian league The German Emperors renew the League of Austria Phillip King of Spaine renewes the Leagues of Burgundy and Milan The League of Sauoy The French league Of the Sweitzers Common-wealth in generall The Tributes The Lawes Duells Iudgements Lawer Their Warfare Particular Common-wealths 13 Cantons in three fermes The sixe Townes and Villages of the first forme Foure Townes of the second Forme Three Cities of the third forme Of the fellowes in league Of the Abbot Towne of S. Gallus Of the Grisons Of the Valesians Of the Towne of Bipenne Of the stipendiary Cities Of the Gouernements The Commonwealth of Netherlan in generall Flaunders The House of Austria The vnited Prouinces The Ciuill warre The vnited States The Prince of Orange killed England protects them The House of Nassaw The Cōmonwealth of Flanders Of the commonwealth of the vnited Prouinces protected by the Queene of England The States or chiefe Gouernors Common-wealths of particular Cities The Lawes The Wines The Gentlemen Capitall Iudgements Of their 〈◊〉 in generall Their Foote and Horse Of their 〈◊〉 power
the land being seuered from it by waters and on the sea being hedged in with a strong sea banke but also giue ioyfull rest vnder their power to their subiects on land though exposed to the assault of their enemies The City parted in the middest with the great channell comming in from the sea banke neere the two Castles is of old diuided into six sextaries or six parts vulgarly sestieri three on this side the channell and three beyond the channell The first sextary on this side the channell is that of Saint Marke for howsoeuer it be not the Cathedrall Church yet it is preferred before the rest as well because the Duke resides there as especially because Saint Marke is the protecting Saint of that Ciry The body of which Saint being brought hither by Merchants from Alexandria this Church was built in the yeere 829. at the charge of the Duke Iustinian who dying gaue by his last will great treasure to that vse and charged his brother to finish the building which was laid vpon the ruines of Saint Theodores Church who formerly had beene the protecting Saint of the City And the same being consumed with fire in the yeere 976. it was more stately rebuilt according to the narrownes of the place the Merchants being charged to bring from all places any precious thing they could find fit to adorne the same whatsoeuer it cost The length of the Church containeth two hundred foot of Venice the bredth fifty the circuit 950. The building is become admirable for the singular art of the builders and painters and the most rare peeces of Marble Porphry Ophites stones so called of speckles like a serpent and like stones and they cease not still to build it as if it were vnfinished lest the reuenues giuen by the last wils of dead men to that vse should returne to their heires as the common report goes There were staires of old to mount out of the market place into the Church till the waters of the channell increasing they were forced to raise the height of the market place On the side towards the market place are fiue doores of brasse whereof that in the middest is fairest and the same with one more are daily opened the other three being shut excepting the dayes of Feasts Vpon the ground neere the great doore is a stone painted as if it were engrauen which painting is vulgarly called Ala Mosaica and vpon this stone Pope Alexander set his foot vpon the necke of the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa adoring him after his submission The outward part of the Church is adorned with 148. pillars of marble whereof some are Ophytes that is speckled and eight of them are Porphry neere the great doore which are highly esteemed And in all places about the Church there be some six hundred pillars of marble besides some three hundred in the caues vnder ground Aboue these pillars on the outside of the Church is an open gallery borne vp with like pillars from whence the Venetians at times of Feasts behold any shewes in the market place And aboue this gallery and ouer the great doore of the Church be foure horses of brasse guilded ouer very notable for antiquity and beauty and they are so set as if at the first step they would leape into the market place They are said to be made to the similitude of the Horses of Phoebus drawing the Chariot of the Sunne and to haue beene put vpon the triumphall Arke of Nero by the people of Rome when he had ouercome the Parthians But others say that they were giuen to Nero by Tiridates the King of Armenia and were made by the hands of the famous engrauer Lisippus These Horses Constantine remoued from Rome to Constantinople and that City being sacked the Venetians brought them to Venice but they tooke of the bridles for a signe that their City had neuer beene conquered but enioied Virgin liberty And all the parts of these horses being most like the one to the other yet by strange art both in posture of motion and otherwise they are most vnlike one to the other Aboue this gallery the Image of Saint Marke of marble and like images of the other Euangelists of the Virgin Mary and of the Angell Gabriell are placed and there is a bell vpon which the houres are sounded for the Church hath his Clocke though another very faire Clocke in the market place be very neere it The roofe in forme of a Globe lies open at the very top where the light comes in for the Church hath no windowes and the Papist Churches being commonly darke to cause a religious horror or to make their candles shew better this is more darke then the rest I passe ouer the image of Saint Marke of brasse in the forme of a Lion guilded ouer and holding a booke of brasse Likewise the artificiall Images of the Doctors of the Church and others I would passe ouer the Image of the Virgin Mary painted ala Mosaica that is as if it were engrauen but that they attribute great miracles to it so as weomen desirous to know the state of their absent friends place a wax candle burning in the open aire before the Image and beleeue that if their friend be aliue it cannot be put out with any force of wind but if he be dead that the least breath of wind puts it out or rather of it selfe it goes out and besides for that I would mention that those who are adiudged to death offer waxe candles to this Image and as they passe by fall prostratero adore the same To conclude I would not omit mention thereof because all shippes comming into the Hauen vse to salute this Image and that of Saint Marke with peeces of Ordinance as well and more then the Duke A Merchant of Venice saued from shipwracke by the light of a candle in a darke night gaue by his last will to this Image that his heires for euer should find a waxe candle to burne before the same Aboue the said gallery are little chambers in which they lay vp pieces of stone and glasse with other materials for the foresaid painting ala Mosaica which is like to engrauing and Painters hauing pensions from the state doe there exercise that Art highly esteemed in Italy The outward roofe is diuided into foure globes couered with leade Touching the inside of the Church In the very porch thereof is the Image of Saint Marke painted with wonderfull art and the Images of Christ crucified of him buried and of the foure Euangelists highly esteemed besides many other much commended for the said painting like engrauing and for other workemanship And there be erected foure great pillars of Ophites which they say were brought from the Temple of Salomon At the entery of the doore is an old and great sepulcher in which lies the Duke Marine Morosini Not far thence is the image of Saint Geminian in pontificall habit and another of Saint Katherine both painted with great
Countrey Graced with Titles and Magistracy With his Learning he made Venice happy These things I say are in these Churches most remarkeable The second sextary on this side the channell vulgarly I l sestiero di Castello hath the name of the Castle Oliuolo which seated towards the sea may seeme to be diuided from the Citie yet it is ioyned thereto by a long bridge Of old it was a City by it selfe and therefore the Dukes Throne being established in the Iland Realto the Bishops seat was made here who is inuested by the Duke and was consecrated by the Patriarke of Grado till that being extinguished this was raised to the dignity of a Patriarke in the yeere 1450. In the Cathedrall Church of Saint Peter this is written vpon the Chappell in Latine Who ere thou be that approachest worship Within these grates of Iron the crosse is inclosed that is adorned with three haires of the beard of Christ with a naile the cup in which he drunke to his Disciples and with a peece of the true Crosse c. This Patriarcall seat hath two old pulpits of marble the monuments of the Bishops and Patriarkes which with the adioining Pallace of the Patriarkes are the most remarkeable things thereof In the Church of Iohn Baptist in Bragola many curious pictures the sepulcher of that Saint guilded ouer the Image of Christ the pictures of the lesse Altar especially that of Christ baptised that of Saint Hellen that of Christs resurrection and the liuely picture of Christ sitting with his Apostles at his last supper In the Church of Saint Mary Formosa this inscription is read Vincentius Capellus most skilful in Nauigation and Prefect of the Gallies nolesse praised of old who receiued signes of honour from Henry the seuenth King of Britany c. There vpon the great and very faire Altar the Images of the foure Euangelists and vpon the top that of Christs resurrection and of two Angels In the Church Saint Marina the statua on horsebacke erected by the Senate to Tadeo della volpe of Imola and the great Altar with the pillars of prophry In the Church of Saint Leone the Images of Saint Ierome of Christ at supper with his Disciples of Iohn the Euangelist and Saint Michaell all painted by the hands of most skilfull workemen In the Church of Saint Anthony foure most faire Altars in the second whereof the Image of Christ and in the third rich with excellent pillars the History of ten thousand Martyres painted and in the fourth the espousals of the blessed Virgin areal painted with singular Art and a foot statua erected by the Senate to Victor Pisanus In the Church of Saint Dominicke the library and pictures of the Altars In the Church of Saint Francis di Paola many things giuen vpon vow and hung vpon the wals In that of Saint Francis della vigna a very faire and stately Church the Altar of the Chappell belonging to the Family Grimani and the pictures brasen images of the same and in the Chappell of the Family Dandoli the picture of Saint Laurence martyred and in the Chappell of the Iustiniani being very rich the Images of the foure Euangelists and twelue Prophets In the Chappell of our Lady the monument of Marke Anthony Morosini Knight and Procurator famous in the warre which the French King Lewis the twelth made in Lombardy and thrice Ambassador from the State also the famous library of this monastery and the bels which they say were brought out of England after Queene Maries death In the Church of the Saints Iohn and Paul being one of the chiefe Churches the situation the architecture the pictures and the monuments of sixteene Dukes and another of Marke Anthony Bragadini who hauing defended the Iland Cyprus from the Turkes when they tooke it had his skinne fleed off by the command of the tyrant against his faith in the yeere 1571. Also three horsemens statuaes one to Leonardo de Prato Knight of Rhodes another to Nichola Orsino Count of Pitiglia both erected in the Church the third for greater honour erected in the market place to Bartholmeo Coleoni of Bergamo for his good seruice to the State in their Warres all three crected by the Senate Also a foot statua erected by the Senate to Deunys Naldo a most valiant Commander of their foote and the stately sepulcher of Iames de Cauallis and the Chappell of the Rossary magnificall in the architecture in rare marbles in the art of engrauers and excellent pictures especially that of Christ crucified In the Church of Saint Mary delle Virgini a Cloyster of Nunnes built by the Dukes and belonging to them by speciall right two marble sepulchers In the Church Saint Gioseppe the admirable monument of the Germani with admirable Images engrauen of the Duke Grimani created and his Dutchesse Morosini crowned and the like curiously wrought also the Image of Christ transfigured and another of Christ buried are the most remarkeable things And whereas the grauen images of this Church be of rare beauty they say that the chiefe of them were brought out of England after the death of Queene Mary In the Church of Saint Fustina a parish Church and yet the chiefe cloyster of Nunnes twice rebuilt by the family Morosini two curious statuaes of marble of Paros In the Church of the Holy sepulcher being a cloyster of Nunnes the sepulcher of Christ like that at Ierusalem of ophites and like stones In Saint Zachary a cloyster of Nunnes the pall of the Virgin painted another like it in the chappell the sepulcher or Altar vnder which the said Saint father to Iohn Baptist is laid and at the backe of the great Altar three sepulchers of Porphry and Ophyts the stones of the great Altar and the stately architecture of the Church are the things most remarkeable and the same cloyster hath great reuenues In generall vnderstand that the Churches are for the most part built of bricke and some few of free stone though they be so couered with Marbles and like stones as the bricke or free stone is scarce seene in the inside In the Priory of S t Iohn belonging of old to the Templary Knights now to the Knights of Rhodes or Malta it is remarkeable that the reuenues thereof be great and that the Priory is giuen by the Pope which Paul the third gaue to the Cardinall Saint Angelo his nephew for so they call their bastards whom Alexander the Cardinall of Farness succeeded yet not as Cardinall but as Knight of Malta and after him the Pope gaue it to the Cardinall Ascanio Colonna And the most remarkable things in the Church are the pall of the great Altar the supper of our Lord painted the picture of Christ speaking with the woman of Samaria and that of Herods banquet when he gaue Iohn Baptists head to Herodia The Greeke Church belongs to this sextary built in Rio di San ' Lorenzo The almes-house Saint Lazero feeds foure hundred or fiue hundred poore people
places ioined in one whereof two may rather be called the market places of the Dukes Pallace ioining to the Church of Saint Marke the one being on the furthest side from Saint Marke betweene the pallace aud the great channell the other right before the pallace towards the channell foure hundred foot in length and some one hundred and thirty in bredth The third is before the Church doore of Saint Mark and lies in length fiue hundred and twenty foot towards the Church of Saint Geminiano and hath one hundred and thirty foot in bredth which may more properly be called the market place of Saint Marke The fourth is on the other side of the Church towards the Church of Saint Basso In this market place of foure ioined in one are solemne spectacles or shewes and all processions made and there on Ascention day is the Faire held and the markets on wednesday and saterday there they vse to muster souldiers and there the gentlemen and strangers daily meet and walke Before the doore of Saint Markes Church are three peeces of brasse carued and for bignesse like the bodies of trees vpon which at festiuall daies three rich banners are hung in signe of liberty or as others say for the three Dominions of Venice Cypro and Candia Vnder the tower of the Clocke fifty foot distant from Saint Markes Church is a passage to and from this market place and this tower all couered with marble beares a remarkeable Clocke which sheweth the course of the Sunne and the Moone daily and the degrees they passe and when they enter into a new signe of the Zodiacke and aboue that the guilded Image of our Lady shineth placed betweene two doores out of one of which doores onely at solemne Feasts an Angell with a Trumpet and the three Wise Men of the East following passe before our Ladies Image and adore her and so goe in at the other doore Aboue that there is a carued Image of a Lyon with wings and vpon the very top two brasen Images called the Mores which by turnes striking with a hammer vpon a great bell sound the houres The houses opposite to the Pallaces of the Procurators of Saint Marke are called the houses of the State and they belong to the Church of Saint Marke and hauing some fifty shops vnder the Arches of the vpper roofes where men may walke dry when it raines they yeeld great rents to the Church Opposite to these are the Pallaces of the said Procurators which are also in the said market place which I said to be more properly called the market place of Saint Marke and these being stately built sixty sixe foot high and the stones curiously carued doe not onely adorne the market place but in summer giue a pleasant shade to passengers besides that vnder the Arches of them men may walke drie in the greatest raine and the shops vnder these Arches yeeld great rents and vnder these Pallaces out of foure little streetes there be so many passages to and from the market place These Pallaces are built at the charge of the State the nine Procurators being to haue nine Pallaces for as yet they were not all built but in the meane time any pallace falling voide it was giuen to the eldest of them that had none yet not according to their age but according to their election The steeple or belfrey of Saint Marke distant some eighty foote from the Church and set ouer against it is to be admired not onely for the foundation strangely laid vnder the earth but also for many other causes It is built foure square each square containing forty foot and it is three hundred thirty three foot high of which feet the pinacle containes ninety sixe and the woodden Image of an Angell aboue the pinacle couered with brasse and guilded and turning with the wind containes sixteene feete It is adorned with high pillars of marble and with a gallery at the bottome of the pinacle made with many pillars of brasse and vpon the pinacle with great marble Images of Lyons and from the top in a cleere day men may see a hundred miles off the ships vnder sayles and it beares foure great bels whereof the greater called La Trottiera is rung euery day at noone and when the Gentlemen meet in Senate with like occasions but when a new Pope or Duke is made all the bels are rung and the steeple is set round about with waxe candles burning I went to the top of this steeple which hath thirty seuen ascents whereof each hath foureteene lesse ascents by which the going vp is as easie as if a man walked on plaine ground at the contriuing whereof I much wondered In the lodge of this steeple the foure brasen Images of Pallas Apollo Mercury and of Peace and aboue them the figure of Venice with the Dominion by sea and land and the Image of Venus the Goddesse of Cyprus and of Iupiter the King of Candia present themselues and neere the great gate the Images of the blessed Virgin and of Saint Iohn Baptist are highly valued Right ouer against the Dukes Pallace in the foresaid second market place of the pallace is the library whose building is remarkable and the architecture of the corner next the market place of the Bakers is held by great Artists a rare worke and diuers carued Images of Heathen Gods and Goddesses in the old habit are no lesse praised as done by the hands of most skilfull workemen On the inside the arched roofes curiously painted and the little study of iuory with pillars of Allablaster and rare stones and carued Images in which an old breniary of written hand and much esteemed is kept are things very remarkeable The inner chamber is called the study in which many statuaes and halfe statuaes twelue heads of Emperors and other things giuen to the State by Cardinall Dominicke Grimani are esteemed precious by all antiquaries And in this Library are laid vp the Bookes which the Patriarke and Cardinall Bessarione gane to Saint Marke that is to the State by his last will and the most rare books brought from Constantinople at the taking thereof and otherwise gathered from all parts of Greece Out of this Library is a passage to the chambers of the Procurators of Saint Marke before you enter them most faire statuaes aud on the inside rare pictures draw your eies to them Not farre from thence are two pillars the third whereof in taking them out of the ship fell into the sea and could neuer be recouered and they be of huge bignesse for the erecting whereof as a most difficult thing great rewards were giuen to a Lumbard and immunity was giuen to him by priuiledge for all that should play at dice vnder them Since it is accustomed that all condemned men are executed betweene these pillars which of old were put to death neere the Church of Saint Iohn Bragola and vpon one of these pillars stands the brasen statua of Saint Marke vnder the forme
thereof namely clothes of Gold Damasks and Grogerans to the value of a thousand thousand zechines as the report went and setting the ship on fire tooke away the marriners for slaues And the very time of my being in this Iland seuen Turkish Gallies lay vpon this coast and robbed all the Venetian ships falling into their hands so as howsoeuer they had peace then with the Turkish Ottoman yet their ships durst not stirre out of this hauen Whereupon they hauing now occasion to send out ships for Corne the Magistrate forced the Master of an English ship then harbouring there to wast these ships though much against his will when there were some 20 Venetian ships in the same Hauen whereof diuers were of 400 or 500 tuns Also at this time it hapned that a Spanish ship of Catolonia was driuen into this Harbor and the Magistrate calling our Merchants before him would haue forced them to giue caution that the English ships then lying there should not assaile the same though betweene England Spaine war had now long time bin proclaimed but they contesting against this course as iniurious to them yet could not be dismissed till they gaue their words that our ships should not assayle the same by day or night so long as it lay in this Hauen And this Spanish ship for long time not daring to goe forth at last vpon occasion of Venetian Gallies landing there was wafted by them and so escaped Vpon the robbing and burning of the foresaid Venetian ship by Turkish Pyrates the Venetian Baliffe so they call their Ambassadour lying then at Constantinople had obtained the great Turkes Mandate that these Pyrates gallies being burnt they should presently be sent in bonds to his Court and this Mandate was brought by a Chiauss or Pencioner who came in the same ship with vs whereupon the Pyrates being more inraged against the Venetians did at this time take and spoyle another Venetian ship of some foure hundred and fifty Tunnes called the Syluester and not content with the most rich booty did cast into the Sea many Marriners yeelding to mercy and could hardly be perswaded by the intercession of Turkes passengers in the same ship to spare the liues of some twenty chiefe Marriners yet aliue and to forbeare the burning of the ship The Italians of best iudgement did not expect that the great Turke would duly punish these outrages but rather were of opinion that himselfe and his chiefe Visere would draw the greatest part of the prey to their own hands and that the Turkish Gouernours inticed by like participation would endeuour to free these Pyrates and doe their best to nourish them yea that this very Chiauss now sent with a Mandate to suppresse them would be induced by bribes to returne to Constantinople with relation that the Pyrates could not be found so they did as no doubt they would for a time hide themselues and in conclusion that the Venetians after hauing spent much money in obtaining new Mandates for their apprehension should find no other remedy but to repell force by force Vpon Wednesday the thirtieth of March after the old stile in the beginning of the yeere 1597 we set sayle but by contrarietie of winds were againe driuen backe into the Hauen of Zante Vpon Friday the first of Aprill after dinner againe we set saile and the second of Aprill sayling by the Iland Cefalonia whereof I spake in our voyage from Venice to Ierusalem we cast anchor in the outward Hauen of the Iland Corfu because the Master of our ship was sicke and this his sickenesse increasing we set saile to returne backe to the chiefe City of that Iland the Hauen whereof we entered the sixth of Aprill From Zante to Cefaloniae are seuenty miles and from thence to Corfu are 120 miles This Iland Corfu inhabited by Greekes is very fertile yeelding plenty of fruites corne wines and Currands and this Hauen is fortified with two Forts cut out off a Rocke namely the old and the new Fort which is more then a mile in circuit both being very strong and held vnexpugnable so as this Iland is worthily reputed one of the chiefe Keyes of Christendome The Master of our ship hauing recouered his health wee set saile vpon Tuesday the twelfth of Aprill and returned againe to the foresaid outward Hauen of Corfu Iland where an old woman a passenger died and her kinsemen carried her body to be buried on Land Here againe we were forced to stay the winds being contrary Atlast vpon the nineteenth of Aprill towards euening with a faire wind we ioyfully set saile and the twentieth day we sailed ouer the streight Sea betweene Greece and the Prouince of Apulia in Italy Vpon Friday the two and twentieth of Aprill towards the euening hauing sayled some two hundred miles from the said streight we were carried by the shoare of the City Raguza with a faire gale of wind and had the wind beene neuer so contrary yet our Master knowing some late difference risen betweene the Raguzeans and Venetians would not willingly haue landed in that Hauen The blame of which difference some imputed to the Raguzeans in that they fauoured the Scocchi a Neighbour people vpon the shoare of Sclauonia who being subiect to the Emperour and Christians yet robbed all kinds of ships passing these Seas and had lately spoiled and burnt a Venetian Gally in the Port of Rouinge But other alleaged a more probable cause thereof namely that some Venetian Gentlemen for some venerious in solencies there committed had Iately beene slaine in a tumult Raguze of old called Epidaurus and the chiefe City of Selauonia is foure hundred miles distant from Venice built at the foot of an high mountaine vpon the Sea shoare and hath great trafficke by those Seas and huge ships which the Kings of Spatne haue often hired and ioined to their Nauy The gouernement is popular and this City to the wonder of many doth to this day maintaine the liberty though it be seated betweene the very iawes of the two powerfull States of the great Turke and Venetians to one of which all other neere Townes Ilands and Countries are subiect For the Venetians are loath to driue them being Christians to such despaire as they might be forced to yeeld themselues to the great Turke and the City is very strongly fortified towards the sea whence the Venetians can onely assaile them besides that they pay great customes of their trafficke to the State of Venice for which reason that State attempts nothing against the freedome of the City Againe the Turkes knowing that if they should besiege the City by Land the Citizens would with all their best moueables flie into Italy by Sea and receiuing also a great yeerely tribute from the trafficke of this City where the great Turke hath his owne Officer called Chiaussagha to gather the same are also content not to molest them by warre especially since they know that the Pope the King of Spaine
penny halfe-penny whereof eight make an English penny The Irish Histories report that a Bishop Iustice of Ireland vnder Iohn King of England did coyne moneys in Ireland of the same purenes and weight with the English And the Irish had a Mint-house at the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne But in our memory the Irish haue not enioyed any priuiledge of coyning moneys but haue continually receiued them from the Mint of England And for the most part of Queene Elizabeths Raigne they had the same coyne with the English saue that the Irish shillings were stamped with a Harpe the Armes of the Kingdome and being called Harpers were only worth 9 pence English But ciuill warre hauing set all Ireland in a combustion the same Queene more easily to subdue the rebels did take siluer coyne from the Irish some few yeers before her death paid her Army with a mixed base coyne which by Proclamation was commanded to bee spent and receiued for sterling siluer mony for no pieces of gold were at any time expressely coyned for the Irish. And this base mixed money had 3 parts of copper and the fourth part of siluer which proportion of siluer was in some part consumed by the mixture so as the English Goldsmiths valued a shilling thereof at no more then 2 siluer pence though they acknowledged the same to be worth 2 pence halfe penny At last the ciuill warre being appeased immediately before the Queenes death King Iames her successor in the yeere 1605 took away this mixed coine restored their old siluer harpers to the Irish. Moreouer in the happy beginning of King Iames his Raigne the Irish had the vnder written old coynes which Sir George Carey Knight at that time Lord Deputie and yet continuing Treasurer at wars for that Kingdome did so gather vp as at this day none of them are to be found These coynes were thus called First they had siluer groats called broad faced groates which of old were coyned for foure pence though some of them were now worth eight pence Also they had siluer groats called crosse-keele groats stamped with the Popes tripple Crowne likewise coined for foure pence but being of more value And these groats were either sent hither of old by the Popes or for the honour of them had this stampe set vpon them Lastly they had siluer groats of like value called Dominus groats of the Kings of England then called Domini that is Lords of Ireland Also they had Rex groats so called of the Kings of England after they had the stile of Kings of Ireland which were coyned for foure pence but by the mixture of copper were onely worth two pence Also they had white groats which were coyned for foure pence but of such base allay as nine of them were giuen for an English shilling They had little brasse pence and pence of a second kinde called Harpers being as big as an English shilling They had also brasse farthings called smulkins whereof foure made a penny Lastly there were lately found brasse coynes by plowing vp the earth whose stampe shewed that the Bishops of Ireland had of old the priuiledge of coyning And of all these moneys aforesaid some were coyned at London some at the Mint at Yorke and some at the Mint at Bristow in England Being to write of the diuers moneys of Germany I thinke fit first to set downe some Lawes of the Empire about coyning of moneys In the Diet or Parliament at Augsburg in the yeere 1551. it was decreed by the Emperour together with the Electors Princes States the Counsellors of those that were absent the Ambassadours and Substitutes that in the greater pieces of coynes to that piece included which is worth six creitzers the Mint-masters of a marke of Colen pure siluer should make eight gold guldens and a halfe with halfe a creitzer the gold gulden being esteemed at seuentie creitzers making in siluer ten guldens twelue creitzers and a halfe the siluer gulden being esteemed at sixtie creitzers And that hereafter in the sacred Empire the vnder written pieces of moneys should be coyned namely the great siluer piece and two halfes of the same answering in value to a gold gulden Also pieces of twenty creitzers twelue ten sixe three and one Also that the States according to the conditions of their Countreys should coyne for common vse certaine pieces of small moneys with pence and halfe pence That the Rhenish guldens of the Electors and the guldens answerable to them should be worth seuentie two creitzers And that all dollers being worth sixty six creitzers and so half dollers should be admitted by the Counsellers but for the rest that they should certifie the Emperor the true value of each to the end he might prescribe how each coyne according to the value made by them should be receiued and spent or prohibited And left the Empire should by fraudes suffer losse in the carrying out of vncoyned siluer and bringing in of forraine moneys it was in the means time decreed that no man should carry out of the Empire any vncoyned siluer and that those who had the Regall priuiledge of coyning should not fell the same to any other but vseit themselues with this condition that hereafter of a siluer marke of Colen weight they should make ten siluer guldens with twelue creitzers and a halfe the gulden being esteemed at sixtie creitzers so as in that summe there should be found a siluer Marke of the said weight excepting alwaies the charges of coyning for the smaller pieces of moneys And this to bee done vpon penaltie of losing that priuiledge Moreouer it was decreed that vpon paine of burning all men should abstaine from clipping and washing of coynes or any abasing of them with like fraudes Lastly it was decreed that the States hauing the priuiledge of coyning should not hereafter vpon penaltie bring any dollers guldens groshes or halfe or fourth parts of groshes to the mint excepting those who had mines of their owne who were not sorbidden to coyne as much gold and siluer as they had in their owne mines so they coyned according to the foresaid decree and that no other should coine any other gold then according to the value and weight vsed by the Emperor and the Princes of the Empire vpon the Rheine In the Dieta at Spyre in the yeere 1557 it was decreed that hereafter the stipends should be increased to the Assessors of the Imperiall Chamber so as a Gulden hauing beene giuen hitherto for 16. Batzen or sixty foure Creitzers should hereafter be paied from the Callends of Aprill in the yeere 1558 for seuenty seuen Creitzers Likewise in the Dieta at Augsburg in the yeer 1558 it was decreed that the following stipends should be paid to the Iudge and Assessors of that chamber Namely that the Iudge being an Earle or Baron should haue 2000. guldens and if he were a Prince his stipend should be increased That an Assessor being an Earle or Lord should haue
man should after that presume to take the name and title of Oneale He had three sonnes Henry Con and Tirlogh cast in prison by Hugh the Rebell Matthew Okelly till 15 yeres age reputed the son of a Black Smith at Dudalke giuen Con O Neale by a Smiths wife at her death This Bastard hee appointed to succeed him by the Kings letters Pattents at which time he was created Baron of Dungannon but he was killed in his Fathers life time by Shane the legitimate sonne of Con whose bastard this Matthew was Brian killed by Odonnel at the instance of Shane O Neale Hugh preserued by the English from Shane married the Daughter of Tirlogh Linnogh Oneale whom he put away by diuorce and after prooued an Arch-Rebell This Hugh sonne to the Bastard Matthew borne of a Smiths wife and reputed the Smiths sonne till he was fifteene yeeres of age liued sometimes in Ireland and much in the Court of England and was supported against Turlogh Linnogh Oneale with the title of Barron of Dungannon by his fathers right He had a troope of horse in Queene Elizabeths pay in the late warres of the Earle of Desmond in which and all occasions of seruice he behaued himselfe so valiantly as the Queene gaue him a yeerely pension of one thousand Markes He was of a meane stature but a strong body able to indure labors watching and hard fare being with all industrious and actiue valiant affable and apt to mannage great affaires and of a high dissembling subtile and profound wit So as many deemed him borne either for the great good or ill of his Countrey In an Irish Parliament he put vp his petition that by vertue of the letters Patents granted to his Grand-father to his Father his heires he might there haue the place and title of the Earle of Tyrone and be admitted to this his inheritance The title and place were there granted to him but the inheritance in regard the Kings of England by the attainder of Shane were thereof inuested was referred to the Queenes pleasure For the obtaining whereof Sir Iohn Perrot then Lord Deputie vpon his promise of a great rent to be reserued to the Crowne gaue him his letters of recommendation into England where he so well knew to humour the Court as in the yeere 1587 he got the Queenes Letters Pattents vnder the great Seale of England for the Earledome of Tyr-Oen without any reseruation of the rent he had promised to the I Deputy wherwith though his Lordship were offended in that the Pattent was not passed in Ireland and so the said rent omitted yet in reuerence to the great Lords who had procured this grant in England he did forbeare to oppose the same The conditions of this 〈◊〉 were that the bounds of Tyrone should be limited That one or two planet namely that of Blackwater should be reserued for the building of Forts and keeping of Garrisons therein That the sonnes of Shane and Tirlogh should be prouided for and that he should challenge no authoritie ouer the neighbour Lords bordering vpon Tyrone or any where out of that County And such were his indeauours in the Queenes seruice such his protestations of faith and thankfulnesse as Tirlogh Linnogh by the Queenes intercession was induced vpon certain conditions for his maintenance to surrender the County and all command in those parts vnto him Cormoe preserued from Shane by the English now rebelling with Hugh Neale Conuelagh Turlogh Lynnogh tooke the title of Oneale after Shane he was aged and so loued quietnesse the rather for feare of the children of Shane and of Matthew the Bastard He was obedient to the Queene but made warre vpon Odonnel the Iland Scots of whom he killed in the field Alexander Oge who murthered Shane Oneale Sir Arthur O Neale Knight liuing in this Rebellion This Sir Arthur serued the Queene against Hugh the Arch-Rebell who had two of his sons in prison but two or three other sonnes were with their father at Laughfoyle among the English The Spanish forsooth inuincible Nauy sent to inuade England in the yeere 1588 being dispersed and prouing nothing lessethen inuincible many of them were wrecked on the Coasts of Ireland whereof some were harboured by the Earle of Tyrone with whom since he was thought to haue plotted the following mischiefes And shortly after in the end of this yeere or beginning of the next Sir Iohn Perrot being reuoked Sir William Fitz-williams was sent Lord Deputy into Ireland I haue heard that he hauing been formerly Lord Deputy when he returned and sued for recompence of his seruice a great Lord should answer him that such imployments were preferments and not seruices to challenge reward And therefore it in this new imployment any shall thinke that he followed this counsell seeking to make it a preferment to him and his family I doe not much maruell thereat This I write of heare-say but as in the generall relation following I purpose to write nothing which is not warranted either by relations presented to the Queene by the principall Councellers of Ireland or by Letters interchanged betweene the States of England and Ireland or like authenticall writings so for the particular of the aboue named Lord Deputy if perhaps some may thinke any thing obserued by me to derogate from him I protest that whatsoeuer I write is in like sort warranted and may not be omitted without the scandall of Historicall integrity being obiections frequently made by the Rebels for excuse of their disloyalty aswell in all their petitions as treaties of peace But howsoeuer I cannot but mention these imputations yet I aduise the Reader to iudge of them as obiections of the Rebels who in their nature are clamorous and could no way make their excuse so plausible as by scandalizing the chiefe Gouernor And I further protest that as I shall in the due place once mention an honorable answer of this L. Deputy to part of the chief complaints made by the Irish against him so I would most willingly haue inserted his full iustification if any such memoriall had come to my hands Sir William Fitz-williams being Lord Deputy of Ireland Sir Iohn Norreys was Lord President of Mounster who made his brother Sir Thomas his Vice-president and Sir Richard Bingham was Gouernor of Connaght This Lord Deputy now againe entering the gouernement of Ireland that Kingdome was in the best estate that it had beene in of long time not only peaceable and quiet so as any the greatest Lord called by letter or messenger readily came to the State there and none of them were known to be any way discontented but also most plentifull in corne cattel and all manner of victuals But within three moneths after his taking of the sword some Irish informed him that the aboue named Spaniards last yeere wrecked on the Coasts of Connaght and Vlster had left with the Inhabitants in whose hands they fell great store of treasure and other riches This
among them Religion was made the cloake of Treason to admit no English Shiriffes in their Countries and to defend their libertie and rights against the English In the Moneth of August 1592 the Earle of Tyrone by his letters to the Lords in England iustified himselfe against the complaint of Sir Tyrlogh Lynnogh apparantly shewing that his sonne Con Oneale did not disturbe the Commissioners sitting in Monaghan but that they hauing one hundred Foote for their guard were afraid of two Horsemen which they discouered He wrote further that he had brought Odonnel into the State who since his aboue-mentioned escape out of prison had stood vpon his defence and that he would perswade him to loyalty and in case hee were obstinate would serue against him as an enemy And further craftily intreated the Lords that he might haue the Marshalls loue that they being neighbours might concurre the better for her Maiesties seruice and that their Lordships would approue of his match with the Marshals sister for whose content he did the rather desire his loue In the beginning of the yeere 1593 or about this time a Northerne Lord Mac Guire began to declare himselfe discontent and to stand vpon his defence vpon the execution of Mac Mahowne and the ielousies then conceiued by the Northerne Lords against the English This Mac Guire Chiestaine of Fermannagh auowed that he had giuen three hundred Cowes to free his Countrey from a Shiriffe during the Lord Deputies Gouernment and that not withstanding one Captaine Willis was made Shiriffe of Fermannagh hauing for his guard one hundred men and leading about some one hundred women and boyes all which liued on the spoile of the Countrey Hence this barberous Lord taking his aduantage set vpon them and droue them into a Church where he would haue put them all to the sword if the Earle of Tyrone had not interposed his authoritie and made composition for their liues with condition that they should depart the Countrey Whereupon the Lord Deputy Sir William Fitz Williams sent the Queenes forces into Fermannagh wonne Mac Guires Castle of Exiskillen and proclaimed him Traytor And the Irish auow that the Lord Deputy there let fall threatning speeches in publike against the Earle of Tyrone calling him Traytor These speeches comming to the Earles hearing he euer after pretended that they were the first cause that moued him to misdoubt his safetie and to stand vpon his defence now first combining himselfe with Odonnell and the other Lords of the North to defend their Honours Estates and Liberties When Tyrone first began to plot his Rebellion he said to haue vsed two notable practises First his men being altogether rude in the vse of Armes he offered the State to serue the Queene against Tyrlogh Lynogh with sixe hundred men of his owne and so obtained sixe Captaines to traine them called by our men Butter Captaines as liuing vpon Cesse and by this meanes and his owne men in pay which he daily changed putting new vntrained men in the roome of others he trained all his men to perfect vse of their Armes Secondly pretending to build a faire house which our State thinkes a tye of ciuilitie he got license to transport to Dungannon a great quantitie of Lead to couer the Battlements of his house but ere long imployed the same only to make bullets for the warre But I returne to my purpose Sir Henrie Bagnoll Marshall of Ireland had formerly exhibited to the State diuers articles of treason practised by the Earle of Tyrone who now would not come to the State without a protection To these articles the Earle answered by letters saying that the Marshall accused him vpon enuy and by suborned witnesses and that he together with the Lord Deputy apparantly sought his ouerthrow Further complaining that the Marshall detained from him his sisters portion whom hee had married and that according to his former complaint he vsurped iurisdiction ouer all Vlster and in particular exercised it ouer him Yet these articles of treason against the Earle were beleeued in England till he offered by his letters to stand to his triall either in England or Ireland And accordingly he answered to the said Articles before the Lord Deputy and Councell at Dundalke in such sort as they who had written into England against him now to the contrary wrote that hee had sufficiently answered them Whereupon the Lords of England wrote to the Earle of Tyrone in the moneth of August of the following yeere that they approued his answeres and that in their opinion he had wrong to be so charged and that publikely before Iudges and especially that his answeres were for a time concealed Further they commended him for the token of loyalty he had giuen in dealing with Mac Guire to submit himselfe exhorting him to persist in his good course and charging him the rather for auoiding his enemies slaunder not to medle with compounding of Controuersies in Ulster out of Tirone without the Lord Deputies speciall warrant At the same time their Lordships wrote to the Lord Deputy taxing him and the Marshall that they had vsed the Earle against Law and equitie and that hee the Lord Deputy was not indifferent to the Earle who offered to come ouer into England to iustifie himselfe Thus was the Earle cleared in shew but whether through feare of his enemies or the guiltines of his conscience he shewed himselfe euer after to be diffident of his owne safety In the beginning of the yeere 1594 Mac Guire brake into open Rebellion he entered with forces into Connaght where the Burkes and Orwarke in Letrim commonly called Orwarkes Countrey for disobediences to the State had been prosecuted by Sir Richard Bingham Gouernour of that Prouince This foretunner of the greater conspirators shortly after seconded by Mac Mahowne was perswaded to enter Connaught by Gauranus a Priest whom the Pope forsooth had made Primate of all Ireland and was incouraged thereunto by his ominating of good successe But by the valour of Sir Richard Bingham the Gouernour Mac Guire was repelled with slaughter of many of his men among whom this pretended Primate was killed Against this Mac Guire the Earle of Tyrone serued with the Queenes forces and valiantly fighting was wounded in the thigh yet this Earle prouiding for his securitie about this time imprisoned the aboue mentioned sonnes of Shane Oneale who had escaped out of Dublin Castle and if they had been there kept would haue been a sure pledge of his obedience neither would he restore them to libertie though he were required so to doe but still couering his treacherous heart with ostentation of a feare conceiued of his enemies he ceased not daily to complaine of the Lord Deputies and Marshals enuy against him and of wrongs done him by the Garrison souldiers Thus the fier of this dangerous Rebellion is now kindled by the aboue named causes to which may be added the hatred of the conquered against the Conquerors the difference of Religion
hold which he wisely did hauing experienced his false subtiltie and knowing that he sought delaies onely till hee could haue aide from Spaine But the Lord Generall whether it were in emulation of the Lord Deputy or in his fauour and loue to Tyrone was willing to reclaime him by a Gentle course which that crafty Fox could well nourish in him And it seemes some part of the Winter passed while this proiect was negotiated betweene them For in the beginning of the yeere 1596 a Comission was procured out of England whereby her Maiestie though iustly offended with Tyrone and his associates about their demaunds in the former conference with Sir Henry Wallop and Sir Robert Gardner yet in regard of their letters of humble submission since that time presented to her doth signifie her gratious pleasure to Sir Iohn Noreis Lord Generall and Sir Geffry Fenton her Maiesties Secretary for Ireland giuing them authoritie to promise pardon of life and restoring of lands and goods to the said Lords seeking with due humilitie her Royall mercy and to heare them with promise of fauourable consideration in all their complaints And thus much the Commissioners signified to Tyrone and Odannell by Captaine Sant Leger and Captaine Warren sent of purpose vnto them with instructions dated the eleuenth of Aprill this present yeere 1596 and with reference of other particulars to a meeting appointed to be at Dundalke The twentie of the same month Tyrone at Dundalke before these Commissioners craued the Queenes mercy on his knees signing with his hand a most humble submission in writing vowing faith in the presence of Almightie God who seeth into the secrets of all mens hearts and to vse still his owne words most humbly crauing her Maiesties mercy and pardon on the knees of his heart His first petition for liberty of Religion was vtterly reiected For the second touching freedome from Garrisons and Sheriffes he was answered that her Maiestie would not be prescribed how to gouerne In the third interceding for Orelyes pardon it was disliked that he should capitulate for others yet giuing hope of his pardon vpon his owne submission For the fourth concerning the Iurisdiction of Armagh the answer was that her Maiesty would reserue all the Bishops right For the fifth concerning the freeing of Shane Oneales sons it was referred to her Maiesties further pleasure Finally he promised to 〈◊〉 from aiding the Rebels and from intermedling with the neighbor Lords To make his Country a Shiere to admit a Shiriffe To renounce the title of Oneale To confesse vpon his pardon all his intelligences with forraine Princes and all his past actions which may concerne the good of the State To rebuild the Fort and Bridge of Blackwater and to relieue the Garrison for ready money at all times To deliuer in sufficient Pledges To dismisse all his Forces to pay such reasonable fine to her Maiesties vse as should be thought meete by her Maiestie Hugh Odonnel at the same time did agree to diuers articles for the good of his Countrey and made his like humble submission The like did Hugh mac Guire Bryan mac Hugh Euer Oge Roe mac Cooly Bryan Orewark called Ororke Shane Mac Bryan Phillip O Reyly and others To each one was giuen vnder the Commissioners hands a promise of her Maiesties pardon vpon putting in of Pledges And Proclamation was made to giue notice hereof to all the Queenes subiects that in the meanetime no acts of hostilitie might be done against any of those who had thus sub mitted themselues Thus the Vlster Rebels by a submission too honest to be truly intended by them whilest Pledges were expected and Pardons drawne were freed from the prosecution of the Queenes Forces this Summer And euen at this time did Tyrone solicite aide in Spaine and two or three messengers came secretly to the rebels from thence by whom many of them as Ororke Mac William c sent a writing signed to the King of Spaine couenanting that if hee would send sufficient Forces they would ioyne theirs to his and if he would at all relieue them in the meane time they would refuse all conditions of Peace But Tyrone though consenting yet was too craftie to signe this Couenant yea craftily he sent the King of Spaines answere to the Lord Deputie whilest hee notwithstanding relied on the promised succours I finde nothing of moment done this Summer by the Forces with the Generall being restrained by the last agreement at Dundalke onely about the end of August hee wrote out of Connaght vnto the Lord Deputie complaining of diuers wants and desiring more Forces to be sent him To whom the Lord Deputie answered that his Lordship had warrant to supply some of his wants in the Countrie and denied the sending of any Forces to him because himselfe was to goe into the Field By this time the rebels of Lemster were as I formerly mentioned growne strong Feogh Mac Hugh breaking his protection entred into acts of hostilitie and he together with the O Mores O Connors O Birnes O Tooles the Cauenaghs Butlers and the chiefe names of Connaght animated by the successe of Vlster men combined together and demaunded to haue the barbarous titles of O and Mac together with lands they claimed to be restored to them in the meane time spoiling all the Country on all sides About the moneth of Ianuary Sir Richard Bingham Gouernour of Connaght who had valiantly beaten Ororke out of his Countrie and prosecuted the Bourks and other Rebels was called into England vpon complaints of the Irish and Sir Conyer's Clifford was sent to gouerne Connaght This Gentleman complained off by the Irish was valiant and wise but some of our English Statesmen thought him too seuere and that he had thereby driuen many into rebellion howsoeuer himselfe very well experienced in the Country and those who best vnderstood the Irish nature found nothing so necessarie for keeping them in obedience as seueritie nor so dangerous for the increase of murthers and outrages as indulgence towards them His answers to their complaints could not be so admitted as for the time some discountenance fell not on him which reward of seruices he constantly bore till in short time after to his great grace the State thought fit againe to vse his seruice in a place of great commaund in the Armie Sir Iohn Norreys Lord Generall Sir George Bourcher Master of her Maiesties Ordinance and Sir Geffery Fenton her Maiesties Secretary for Ireland being by Commission directed to treat againe with Tyrone did by their letters dated the twenty of Ianuarie remember him of the fauour he had receiued at the last treatie at Dundalke and charged him as formerly he had been charged with high ctimes since that committed by him to the violation of the Articles then agreed on therefore aduising him that since they were for her Maiesties seruice to draw to the Borders he would there testifie to them his penitencie for offences done since his pardon by
such an humble and heartie submission as they might recommend into England from him Tyrone by his answere of the two and twentie of Ianuarie acknowledged vnder his hand her Maiesties mercy therein extended to him and confessed offences and breaches of the Articles there signed withall desiring them to examine the wrongs and prouocations by which he had beene driuen thereunto and protesting his sorrow for these offences The same day he met the Commissioners neere Dundalke where he being on the one side of the Brooke they on the other hee put of his hat and holding it with great reuerence in his hand said to them That hee was come thither not onely to shew his duty to them as her Maiesties Commissioners but his inward desire to bee made continued a subiect When he would haue remembred the wrongs since his late Pardon prouoking him to disloialtie they cut him off by remembring him of all the benefits and that of his last pardon receiued from the Queene which should haue counterpoised his wrongs and haue kept him in duty He confessed this with shew of great remorse and protested before God and heauen that there was no Prince not creature whom he honoured as he did her Maiestie nor any Nation of people that he loued or trusted more then the English Protesting further that if her Maiestie would please to accept of him againe as a subiect and to take such course as hee might bee so continued thus still he reserued pretence of wrongs to shaddow his future disloialties then he doubted not but to redeeme all his faults past with some notable seruices Besides hee gaue answers to diuers questions and signed them after with his hand First asked what messages and letters had passed betweene Spaine and him he answered neuer to haue receiued any but incouragements from Spaine and assurances of an Army to aide him that he neuer had further contract with the Spaniards and that he had sent the King of Spaines letter aboue mentioned to the Lord Deputie and Counsell that he neuer receiued thence any money or ought of value nor any of his confederates to his knowledge Only Odonnel had some fifteene barrels of powder whereof he should haue had a portion but neuer had it Secondly for the late Submitties Pardons and Pledges hee vndertooke that with all speede the Pledges should be sent to Dublin with Agents to sue out the Pardon 's granted in the last Treatie at Dundalke Thirdly for his making O kealy he vowed that the Gentlemen of the Countrie made him and that he would hereafter neuer meddle in the causes of the Brenny Fourthly for the Rebels of Lemster and the Butlers he answered that he neuer had confederacy with any but Feogh Mac Hugh and for the Butlers hee neuer had any thing to doe with them Fiftly for Agents in Spaine he denied to haue any or to know any his confederates had Sixthly for his iealousie of the State hee auowed it to be vpon iust causes which hee would after make knowne This done hee desired Captaine Warren might come ouer the Brooke to him and then by him he requested that himselfe might come ouer to the Commissioners in token of his faithfull heart to her Maiestie which granted he with great reuerence saluted them and with hat in hand lifting vp his eyes to Heauen desired God to take vengeance on him if her Maiestie vouchsafing to make him a subiect and to cause the Articles of Dundalke to be kept to him he would not continue faithfull and desired neuer to see Christ in the face if he meant not as he spake He confessed that the Spanish ships lately arriued in the North had brought Odonnel the Kings letter signifying that he heard the Earle of Tirone to be dead and the Irish to haue receiued a great ouerthrow desiring to be aduertised of their State And that Odonnel before his comming had giuen answer that if the King sent an Army he would take his part and hoped the like of the other Irish. But at his comming that the Spanish Captaine excusing that the King had not written to him he only told him that promise had not been kept with him by the English and therefore he would not refuse the Kings promised aide And with many execrations swore that the Captaine left neither Munition nor Treasure with him and that he neuer receiued any thing from the King of Spaine but that letter ahoue mentioned which he sent to the Lord Deputy And that he neuer wrote but three letters into Spaine all about one time and as he thought all intercepted Lastly he vehemently denied to haue incited any Mounster men to rebellion since his last pardon So with like reuerence as formerly he tooke his leaue Vpon aduertisement hereof into England the Commissioners receiued ample power to conclude all things with Tyrone Thus much they made knowne to him by letters sent to him by his old friend Captaine Warren the ninth of March with instructions to appoint the second of Aprill the day of meeting at Dundalke which Tyrone accepted with shew of ioy to be receiued to her Maiesties mercy the sweetnes whereof he had often experienced and of feare to be pursued by her forces which he professed himselfe not able to resist But by his letters the fifteene of March he made doubt of meeting pretending that his pledges were not changed according to couenant nor restitution made him by those that had preyed his Country and that his confederates could not come so soone The Commissioners replyed by letters the two and twenty of March that these were but delayes since the pledges at the meeting vpon his putting in his eldest sonne for pledge should be restored and he in all things reasonably satisfied protesting that if he refused this occasion they could doe no more for him since her Maiesty would be no longer abused by his faire promises and delayes Adding that he must conforme himselfe to the directions they had and could not alter Master Secretary wrote out of England vnto the Commissioners the two and twenty of March That her Maiesty was displeased to haue the treaty thus delayed and charged to haue the meeting in a Towne as a submission of the Rebels not in the field as a parley That her Maiesty prepared for the warre resoluing not to haue any more treaties if this tooke not effect Lastly desiring them to acquaint the Lord Deputy with all their directions and the issues and to excuse his not writing to his Lordship thinking that the Commissioners were not at Dublyn with him Vpon the tenth of Aprill in the yeere 1597 the Commissioners againe pressed Tyrone by letters not to slacke his owne greatest good by delayes and appointed for the last day of meeting the sixteenth of that present moneth and that his confederats not able then to come should draw after as soone as they could protesting that this was the last time that they would write vnto him Tyrone on the
Pursell Baron of Loughwey 200 foot 6 horse The Omulrians three hundred foote sixe horse The Omaighirs sixtie foote three horse The Okennydayes fiue hundred foot thirty horse The Burkes in the Lord Burkes Countrie two hundred foote foure horse In the County of Corke Iames Fitz-thomas the supposed Earle of Desmond two hundred and fifty foote thirtie horse The Lord of Dewallough two hundred foote eight horse Barry Oge and the Lord Barryes brother in the Muskerye one hundred and twentie foote three horse Dauy Burke in the Carbrye fiue hundred foote In the County of Limrick Pierce Lacy with diuers septs had three hundred foote and fifteene horse In the County of Kerrie the Lord Fitz Morrice Thomas Oge Iohn Delahyde with others fiue hundred foote thirtie horse In the County of Desmond called Oswylliuan Beare and Oswilliuan Mores Countrie Dermod Mac Owen vsurping the name of Mac Arty Moore had fiue hundred foote six horse In the County of Waterford the Rebels had two hundred foote and ten horse In all the Rebels of this Prouince of Mounster were strong fiue thousand thirtie foote and two hundred fortie two horse This number the Earle of Ormond iudged to bee the least and thought the horse one hundred more in number Obserue that all the Cities and Port-townes and almost all the Castles in this Prouince of Mounster and many great Lords and Gentlemen held for the Queene Fourthly and lastly for the Prouince of Connaught In the County of Roscommen the Castles of Roscommen Athlone Tulske Boyle and Ballinestawe were kept at her Maiesties charge and the Rebels of diuers septs had fiue hundred foote fixtie horse In the County of Sligo O Connor Sligo and diuers septs of rebels had three hundred foot and thirtie horse and onely the Castle of Calony held for the Queene Orworke in Leytrim called Ororkes Countrie had sixe hundred foote sixtie horse and not any Castle was kept for the Queene In the County of Maio some three Castles lately held for the Queene but were thought to be rendred vp to Mac William who with his followers had sixe hundred foot sixtie horse In the County of Galloway the towne of Galloway of Atheurie and the Castle of Milech held for the Queene but many septs of the Country were in rebellion who had some foure hundred ninetie foote In the County of Clare the Earle of Thomonds brother who first was vpon suspition committed to prison by the said Earle and after released with the Obryans and Mac Marres and other septs had sixe hundred foote fiftie horse and not one Castle was there kept for the Queene In all the rebels of this Prouince of Connaught were strong three thousand and seuentie foote two hundred and twentie horse And the Rebels in all the foure Prouinces were strong eighteene thousand two hundred fortie sixe foote and two thousand three hundred forty sixe horse The Earle of Essex in the moneth of Aprill dispatched two letters to the Lords in England by the first whereof he aduertised them of this strength of the rebels and by the second that Tyrone had in counsell resolued first to hearten his confederates and strengthen them in their dependency on his protection then to make two heads against the Queenes forces the one in Vlster of some sixe thousand horse and foote vnder his owne commaund and the other in Connaght of some foure thousand horse and foote vnder Odonnells commaund and further aduertised their Lordships that many in Mounster had taken a solemne oath at a publike Crosse in that Prouince to be stedfast in their rebellion And that no traytor sought pardon but vsed such insolent behauiour as might well shew they had no such thought That the mindes of the very subiects were so alienated from the English as well for Religion as Gouernement as some who could bring one hundred horse and three hundred foote into the field vpon priuate reuenge would protest not to be able to serue the State with sixe horse or foote That euery actiue borderer had a solliciter with the Rebels and almost euery one of the greatest in the State had some Rebell or other to his Client Concluding that small or no assistance could be promised from the Irish so as howsoeuer the Queenes Army was great yet he durst boldly say that the playster would doe no more then couer the wound After few dayes of rest good part of the English forces being drawne together this noble Lord Lieutenant gaue entrance to his first actions from which the progresse commonly receiueth a kind of ominous luster or staine And therein hee attempted not the head of the Rebellion according to his own aduise in England and the Queens expresse commaund but was induced by some of the Counsell in that State aiming at their owne priuate interest more then the publike good to leade his forces against some few Rebels in Mounster where he tooke the Castle of Cahir belonging to Edward Butler Baron of Cahir and making a great prey of the rebels cattle in those parts he cast the terror of his forces on the weakest enemies whom he scattered and constrained to flie into Woods and Mountaines to hide themselues The fifteenth of Iune while the Lord Lieutenant was yet in this Mounster iourney he receiued aduertisement from a Captaine whom he had imployed by sea into the North to spie out Tyrones actions that two ships lately come from Spaine had put confidence in Tyrone who went from Dungannon to Loughfoyle about that businesse but they brought onely munition not any treasure That Tyrone had giuen forces to Brian Mac Art sonne to Art Mac Baron that hee might take pledges and watch ouer Neale Mac Brian whom he suspected and had charged Mac Genis to doe the like ouer Mac Cartan also suspected by him so as there was no possibilitie to parley with them according to the instructions giuen by his Lordship That Tyrone kept his great pledges Shane Oneales sonnes in an Iland within a strong fastnesse but as yet had neither gathered at home nor receiued from forraine parts any treasure That both Tyrone and Odonnel had their Agents in the out Iles of Scotland to sollicite the Redshankes to assist them for pay That the King of Spaine had promised them aide of men which they would not haue landed in Vlster but in some Port of Mounster or at Galloway in Connaght That Scots daily carried Munition to them which trafficke might be hindred by two Gallies with Oares but no ship vsing sayles could stop their passage That the grosse of the Northerne Rebels in Vlster and part of Connaght drawne together would be nine thousand foote and one thousand foure hundred horse That they were confident to draw the warre into such a length as should be vnsupportable to the State of England To which end Odonnel had hired a Masse of Redshankes who were to be cessed in Connaght and Mounster because Tyrone hauing deadly fewde with some of the chiefe Leaders durst not trust them
let you know that as it cannot be ignorance so it cannot be want of meanes for you had your asking you had choice of times you had power and authority more ample then euer any had or euer shall haue It may well be iudged with how little contentment wee search out this and other errours for who doth willingly seeke for that which they are so loth to find but how should that be hidden which is so palpable And therefore to leaue that which is past and that you may prepare to remedy matters of weight hereafter rather then to fill your papers with many impertinent arguments being in your generall Letters sauouring still in many points of humours that concerne the priuate of you our Lord Liefetenant we doe tell you plainely that are of that Councell that we wonder at your indiscretion to subscribe to Letters which concerne our publike seruice when they are mixed with any mans priuate and directed to our Counsell Table which is not to handle things of small importance To conclude if you will say though the Army be in list twenty thousand that you haue them not we answere then to our Treasurer that we are ill serued and that there need not so frequent demands of full pay If you will say the Muster-master is to blame we much muse then why he is not punished though say we might to you our Generall if we would Ex Iureproprioiudicare that all defects by Ministers yea though in neuer so remote Garrisons haue beene affirmed to vs to deserue to be imputed to the want of care of the Generall For the small proportion you say you carry with you of three thonsand fiue hundred foot when lately weaugmented you two thousand more It is to Vs past comprehension except it be that you haue left still too great numbers in vnnecessarie Garrisons which doe increase our charge and diminish your Army which VVe command you to reforme especially since you by your continuall reports of the state of euery Prouince describe them all to be in worse condition then euer they were before you set foote in that Kingdome So that whosoeuer shal write the story of this yeeres action must say that We were at great charges to hazard Our Kingdome and you haue taken great paines to prepare for many purposes which perish without vnderstanding And therefore because We see now by your own words that the hope is spent of this yeeres seruice vpon Tyrone and O Donnel We doe command you and our Councell to fall into present deliberation and thereupon to send Vs ouer in writing a true declaration of the State to which you haue brought our Kingdome and what be the effects which this iourny hath produced and why these Garrisons which you will plant farre within the land in Brenny and Monaghan as others whereof We haue written shall haue the same difficulties Secondly VVe looke to heare from you and them ioyntly how you thinke the remainder of this yeere shal be imployed in what kind of warre and where and in what numbers which being done and sent Vs hither in writing with al expedition you shal then vnderstand Our pleasure in all things fit for our seruice vntill which time We command you to be very carefull to meete with all inconueniences that may arise in that Kingdome where the ill affected will grow insolent vpon Our ill successe and the good subiects grow desperate when they see the best of Our preseruing them We haue seene a writing in forme of a cartell full of challenges that are impertinent and of comparisons that are needelesse such as hath not been before this time presented to a State except it be done now with a hope to terrifie all men from censuring your proceedings Had it not bin enough to haue sent Vs the testimony of the Counsell but that you must call so many of those that are of slender experience and none of Our Counsell to such a forme of subscription Surely howsoeuer you may haue warranted them Wee doubt not but to let them know what belongs to Vs to you and to themselues And thus expecting your answere We ende at Our Mannor of Nonsuch the fourtenth of September in the one and fortieth yeere of Our Raigne 1599. The Lord Lieutenant being nettled or rather galled with this letter resolued to leaue Adam Loftus the Lord Archbishop of Dublin and Sir George Cary Treasurer at Warres to gouerne the Kingdome in his absence and presently sayling into England posted to the Court where altogether vnlooked for he arriued the eight and twentie of September and presented himselfe on his knees to the Queene early in the morning being in her priuate chamber who receiued him not with that chearefull countenance which she was wont to shew him but after a briefe conference commanded him to retire to his chamber and there to stay vntill hee knew her further pleasure from whence his Lordships next remoue was to the Lord Keepers house in state of a prisoner The list of the chiefe Officers of the Kingdome and the Army and the disposall of the forces made in September 1599 when the Lord Lieutenant left the Kingdome Officers and Gouernours Lord Lieutenant the Earle of Essex Lord President of Mounster void by the death of Sir Thomas Norreys Place of chiefe Commissioner of Connaght void or prouisional Lieutenant of the Army Earle of Ormond Treasurer at Warres Sir George Carey The Marshals place of Ireland void Master of the Ordinance Sir George Bourcher Marshall of the Campe prouisionally Sir Oliuer Lambert Lieutenant of the Horse Sir Henrie Dauers Serieant Maior Sir Arthur Chichester Colonels of Horse Sir William Euers Sir Griffin Markham Colonels of Foote Earle of Kildare Earle of Thomond Lord of Dunkellin Lord Audley Lord Dunsany Sir Edward Denny Sir Matthew Morgan Sir Charles Piercy Sir Henry Dockwra Sir Christopher Saint Laurence Sir Iohn Bolles Sir Edward Harbert Sir Charles Wilmott Sir Henrie Power Sir Arthur Sauage Foure Corporals and a Prouost-Marshall of the Army The disposall of the forces Horse in Mounster The Earle of Thomond 25. Sir Anthony Cooke 50. Sir Warham Saint Leger 25. Captaine Thomas White 50. Foote in Mounster Earle of Thomond 200. Master Treasurer 100. Sir Henrie Harington 100. Sir Henry Power 200. Sir Edward Denny 150. Sir Anthony Cooke 100. Sir Charles Wilmott 150. Sir Francis Barkley 100. Sir Iohn Dowdal 100. Captaine William Power 150 Captaine Clare 150. Captaine Browne 100. Captaine Kearnys 100. Captaine Bostock 100. Captaine Brooke 100. Captaine Rande 100. Captaine Flower 100. Captaine Diggs 100. Captaine William Tirwhit 150. Captaine Parken 100. Captaine William Hartpoole 100. Captaine Francis Kingesmil 100. Horse in Connaght Earle of Clanrickard 50. Prouost Marshall 10. Sir Theobald Dillon 15. Captaine George Blunt 12. Foote in Connaght Earle of Clanrickard 100. Lord of Dunkellyn 150. Sir Arthur Sauage 200. Sir Thomas Bourke 100. Sir Gerrald Haruy 150. Sir Hugh O Connor 100. Sir Theobald Dillon 100. Captaine Badbye 150.
Irish Lords and Gentlemen he number of the rebels were now there increased beyond estimation For the Prouince of Connaght the rebels were increased three hundred by the reuolt of O Conner Sligo besides the vncertainty of Tybot ne Long who had one hundred Irish men in her Maiesties pay So as at this time I may boldly say the rebellion was at the greatest strength The meere Irish puffed vp with good successe and blouded with happy incounters did boldly keepe the field and proudly disdaine the English forces Great part of the English-Irish were in open action of rebellion and most part of the rest tempofised with the State openly professing obedience that they might liue vnder the protection thereof but secretly relieuing the rebels and practising with them for their present and future safeties Among the English the worthy Generals of this age partly by this fatall warre partly by the factions at home were so wasted as the best iudgements could hardly finde out any man fit to command this Army 〈◊〉 hiefe The English common souldiers by loosenesse of body the natural sicknosse of the Country by the pouerty of the warre in which nothing was to bee gained but blowes and by the late defeates wherein great numbers of them had perished were altogether out of heart The Colonels and Commanders though many in number and great in courage and experience yet by these considerations of the Armies weakenesse were somewhat deiected in mind Yea the very Counsellors of State were so diffident as some of them in late conferences with Tyrone had descended I know not vpon what warrant to an abiect Intreaty for a short cessation Not to speake of the Generall distraction of the hearts of all men in England and much more of the souldiers by the factions of this age between the worthy Earle of Essex now imprisoned and his enemies able to ruine a great Kingdome much more to diuert the successe of any great action And the generall voyce was of Tyrone among the English after the defeat of Blackwater as of 〈◊〉 among the Romans after the defeat of Cannas Thou knowest how to overcome but thou knowest not how to vse victorie To conclude not onely the remote parts but the very heart of the Kingdom now languished vnder the contagion of this rebellion Leax and Ophalia being possessed by the O Mores and the O Conners and the Glynnes or Mountainous Country on the South-West side of Dublin being in the hands of the 〈◊〉 and O 〈◊〉 and more remotely of the Cauanaghs who nightly made excursions to the very Gates of the City giuing alarum of warre to the long gound Senate and as it were to the chaire of Estate In this miserable estate was Ireland when the Lord Mountiey like a good Planet with a fortunate aspect began to shinethereon whose happy actions I will now set down particularly yet as briefly as I can The tenth of Ianuary towards the end of the yeere 1599 the Lords of England signified by their letters to the Lord Archbishop of Dublin and Sir George Carey Treasurer at warres which were then Lords Iustices of that Kingdome that from that day forward the entertainement due to them as Lords Iustices should cease and bee conferred on Charles Blount Lord Mountioy whom her Maiestie had made Lord Deputie And now Tyrone who hitherto had contained himselfe in the North onely making short excursions from thence into the Pale being proud of victories and desirous to shew his greatnesse abroad resolued with his forces to measure the length of Ireland and to the end hee might by his presence strengthen and increase the rebellion in Mounster which in absence by practises he had raised vnder the religious pretence of visiting a piece of Christs Crosse kept for a holy relike in the Monastery of the holy Crosse in the County of Tipperary he entred this iourny about the twentieth of Ianuarie On the three and twenty the rebels of the Brenny met him in the Cauan from whence he marched forward taking the rebels of Lemster in his company and leading with him some two thousand fiue hundred foot and two hundred horse leauing the rest of his forces the Gentlemen of the North to guard those parts The intent of his iourney was to set as great combustion as he could in Mounster and so taking pledges of the rebels to leaue them vnder the command of one chiefe head This Moneth of Ianuary her Maiestie signed that warrant which is vulgarly called the great Warrant for Ireland whereby authority is giuen to the Lord Treasurer and Chamberlaine of the Exchequer in England that according to an Establishment after signed by her Maiesty the first of February and to begin that day wherein the Army is reduced to twelue thousand foote and one thousand two hundred horse they should pay to the Treasurer at warres for Ireland such summes as should bee signed by sixe of the priuy Counsell of England the Lord Treasurer the Principall Secretary and the vnder-Treasurer alwaies being three of them Secondly aboue the foure thousand pound for extraordinaries therein mentioned to pay him such sums as should by the same be signed Thirdly to pay in like sort according to an Establishment or list of Officers and others not contained in the former Establishment it not exceeding yeerely fifteene thousand pound which List was then to bee signed by the Lords of her Maiesties Counsell Fourthly to pay in like sort diuers Officers payable out of the reuenues in case the reuenues extended not to pay them Fifthly to pay in like sort all summes for reinforcing the Army for leauyes of men for conducting transporting and victualling them at Sea according to the rates of the first Establishment The Establishment signed by her Maiestie the first of February 1599. The Lord Deputies entertainement to be paid according to the List after following which List was to be signed by the Lords Officers of the Army Lieutenant of the Army per diem threell Serieant Maior per diem twentys Comptroler Generall of the victuals per diem tens Foure Commissaries of victuals whereof three at sixes per diem and the fourth at eights per diem Twelue Colonels each at tens per diem A Prouost Marshall for Loughfoyle another for Ballishannon each at foure shillings per diem Summa per annum foure thousand foure hundred fiftie three pound The pay of three hundred horse diuided into sixe Bands each Band consisting of fiftie viz the Captaine foure shillings per diem Lieutenant two shillings sixe pence per diem Cornet two shillings per diem and fiftie Horsemen at eighteene pence per diem a piece The pay of two hundred Horse diuided into foure Bands each Band consisting of fiftie viz. Captaine foures per diem Lieutenant twos six d. per diem Cornet twos per diem and fiftie Horsemen at fifteene d. a piece per diem The pay of seuen hundred Horse diuided into fourteene Bands each Band consisting of fiftie viz.
score of them besides many drowned The sixteenth of Iuly the Lord President bestowed the Army in garrisons The 23 of Iuly his Lordship 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 againe to releeue the men he had formerly sent into Kerry and marching thither took 〈◊〉 the chiefe house of the Lord Fitz Morrice and many other Castles for griefe whereof the said Lord died yet leauing a sonne then as dangerous as himselfe The Lord President returned to Cork about the eighteenth of August leauing Sir Charles Wilmot Gouernour of Kerry a valiant Gentleman a chiefe Commander vnder him and in the first ranke of those instruments he vsed in all seruices who in short time brought most of the freeholders of Kerry to due subiection and droue the titulary Desmond out of those parts All the garrisons in time of haruest gathered as much come as they could and destroied the rest which made the rebels not able to subsist the yeere following Sir George Thornton hearing that the titulary Earle of Desmond passed neere Kilmalloch sent the garrison out and Captain Greame charging them with his troope of horse killed 120. of them in which conflict the English got 300. garons laden with baggage 150 pikes and peeces with other weapons and 40. horse but the English had 16. horses killed in the fight The titulary Earle of Desmond could neuer after draw 100. men together was forced to flie into Tipperary with his brother Iohn Pierce Lacy an Archrebel the Knight of the Glin whence his brother Iohn hasted into Vlster for reliefe from Tirone And in the end of this Summer vpon the departure of the Bonnaghs of Connaght and Vlster the good successe of the English many of the Prouincials submitted themselues yet sent to Rome for dispensation of their so doing About the middest of October Iames Fitzgerald who had long been imprisoned in the Tower of London being the next true heire to the last Earle of Desmond and released by the Queene with title of Earle by letters Pattents sent to the Lord President and promise of a good proportion of land to support his dignity at the end of the warre according to his deserts in her Maiesties seruice and in the meane time to liue vpon pay in the Army landed at Yoghal and the eighteenth day came to the Lord President at Mallogh and was industrious in the Queenes seruice Desmod O Connor being in Connaght and hearing of the young Earle of Desmondi arriuall vpon promise of great seruices had the Lord Presidents protection to come vnto him but was set vpon by Tybot we long his men defeated he taken and hanged whereupon Tibet hauing then a Company in her Maiesties pay was cashered Florence mac Carty hauing all this while practised vnderhand many things against the State and putting still off his appearance by delatory excuses at last in October by the desperatenesse of his estate was forced to submit and obtained pardon vpon pledges of his loyaltie The 〈◊〉 Earle of Desmond stealing backe into Mounster liued as a Wood-kerne neuer hauing more then two or three in his Company In Nouember Sir Charles Wilmot took the last and only Castle the Lord Mac Morice had in Kerry his eldest son therin betraied by a Priest for safetie of his life and great prouisions laid vp in that Castle In these two last moneths Sir Richard Percy lying in Garrison at Kinsale twice passed into the Country and tooke preyes of fiue hundred Cowes killing many rebels In December the Lord President had notice where the titulary Earle lurked and sentmen to surprise him but he escaped in such haste as hee left his shooes behind him And now there was not a Castle in Mounster held for the rebels nor any company of ten rebels together though there wanted not loose 〈◊〉 bonds dispersed in all corners so as his Lordship had leisure to looke into the Corporate Townes being aiders abetters and procurers vnder hand of this rebellion all the Queenes treasure being spent in them by the souldiers and they vnderhand supplying the rebels with all necessaries though at excessiue rates The rebels fled outof Mounster into Tiperarie and Ormond had hitherto liued there among the Bullera being subiects without any disturbance the rather for the Earle of Ormonds mounting for the death of his most worthy and vertuous Lady but in Ianuary his Lordship sent some forces against them who killed many and forced the rest to flie where of some were drowned passing the waters then very high and some chiefe rebels were taken and hanged at kilkenny About the end of Ianuary the Lord President sent 〈◊〉 foote of the Mounster List to be disposed by the Lord Deputie as he had direction to doe His Lordship to settle the Country the better refused to renew any protection so as all were forced to sue their pardons and in two moneth a space before the end of Februarie vpon his Lordships recommendation morethen fourethousand Mounster men had their pardons granted by the Lord Deputie and passed vnder the great Seale The second Booke CHAP. I. Of the Lord Deputies particular proceedings in the prosecution of the Rebels and of the Speniards inuading Ireland in the yeere 1601. WHile the Lord Deputy lay at Drogheda namely from the the one and twentie of March till the sixteene of Aprill vpon which day he returned to Dublin his Lordship assembled the Counsellers of State to attend him there And vpon the eight and twentie of March 1601 the Lord Deputie and Counsell wrote from Drogheda vulgarly called Tredagh their ioynt letters to the Lords in England whereby they aduertised that the Lord Deputie hauing spent the greatest part of Winter in the Irish Countries of Lemster had by burning their Corne consuming their cattel and killing many of them so scattered their maine strength as certaine of the chiefe had since submitted to the Queenes mercy and the rest were seuered into small companies and vnlike to draw to any dangerous head yea Tirrel in opinion the greatest among them taken for Tyrones Lieutenant in Lemster being forced out of his greatest fastnesse now with a few base Kerne following him was driuen to wanderin Woods and Boggs seeking to escape into the North as shortly after he did notwithstanding that certaine English Companies were left to hunt him in his walkes and to stop his passage That his Lordship desirous to be at hand to watch all opportunities of seruice vpon the Northerne borders had pierced into the Fearny and that Sir Richard Moryson Gouernour of Dundalk with his Garrison had formerly wasted and now passed through the Fewes and met his Lordship there so as both these Countries being spoiled Euer Mac Cooly chiefe of the Fearny and Turlogh Mac Henry Captaine of the Fewes had both been humble suters for her Maiesties mercie and were commanded to appeare shortly and make their humble submissions which course likewise the septs of the Brenny were 〈◊〉 to take for many of them chastised by the Army and vtterly
subiects safely to trade in his Countrey That hee will extort no blacke Rents or make other exactions on his people but by due course of a subiect For sincere performance hereof he testified that he had taken his corporall oath vpon his knees before the Lord Deputy and Councell the same oath being solemnly ministred to him and taken by him in the said assembly and did againe vow the same vpon his saluation religiously professing that if he should break those Articles or any of them he would acknowledge himselfe not onely to be worthy of all infamy and extreame punishment but euer after to bee most vnworthy to beare the name of a Christian or to inioy the society of men to which as hee had vnfainedly sworne so now in witnesse thereof he did in this written forme of submission set to his hand with addition of the day of the moneth and of the yeere when this act was done by him The sixteenth of Aprill the Gouernour of Loughfoyle by his letters intreated that a pardon might be parsed to Hugh Boy which businesse the bearer had vndertaken to solicite and that Neale Garue to whom the Queene had granted Odonnels Countrey might be sent backe from Dublin because the Irish were consident that vpon his arriuall all the people of Tirconnell would flocke vnto him Further aduertising that the garrison of the Liffer had burnt the New-towne and killed twelue kerne and thirty eight of other people and had brought backe some three hundred Cowes And that the garrison of Donnegall had burnt in Ocanes Countrey a great village and many women children and Cowes with the houses and had killed someforty kerne and churles The three twenty of Aprill his Lordship kept S. Georges feast at Dublin with solemne pompe the Captains bringing vp his meat some of the Colonels attending on his person at Table To which feast the Rebels were inuited whom his Lordship lately receiued to mercy vnder her Maiesties protection till their pardons might be signed namely Turlogh Mac Henry Captain of the Fewes Euer Mac Cooly chiefe of the Fearney Obanlon a Lord of Vlster Phelim Mac Feagh chief of the Obyrnes Donnell Spaniagh chiefe of the Cauanaghs in Lemster These were entertained with plenty of wine and all kindnesse his Lordship assuring them that as he had bin a scourge to them in rebellion so he would now be a mediator for them to her Maiesty in their state of subiects they standing firme and constant to their obedience And no doubt as there is a secret mystery of State in these solemne pomps and as his Lordship therein for his person and carriage was most comely and if I may vse the word Maiesticall so the magnificence of this feast wrought in the hearts of those Rebels and by their relation in the hearts of others after submitting both hauing first experienced the sharpenesse of the Queenes sword such an awfull respect to her Maiesty and such feare tempred with loue to his Lordship as much auailed to containe them in due obedience From the end of March to the beginning of May vpon the Lord Presidents intercession by letters to the Lord Deputy many pardons were granted for life land and goods to Chiefetaines of Countries and Gentlemen in Mounster namely to Mac Carty Reough Chieftain of Carbery and two hundred ten followers as well men as women and children to Oswylliuan Beare and some fiue hundred twenty eight followers as also to Oswylliuan Brantry to Iohn Odoyre of Tiperary and some one hundred fifty followers to Fitz Iames Gerrald with some three hundred seuenty followers and to Teig Mac Mereretagh Obrian in the County of Lymrick with some two hundred twenty one followers and some others which for brenity I omit And it was concluded at the Councell Table on the last of Aprill that the two following Prouisoes should bee inserted in all pardons and charge was accordingly giuen to the Queenes learned Counsell and to the Officers and to his Lordships Secretaries whose hands al pardons passed that the said Prouisoes should be continually inserted namely First in regard some notorious Rebels of the Pale might passe as followers to remote Lords that the pardon be not auailable to any but to the naturall inhabitants tenants and knowne followers of the Lord so pardoned Secondly in regard many Rebels taken and to be iudged according to the Law might by oucrsight bee pardoned prouiso was to be entred that no pardon should auaile any who were already in prison or vpon bayle The second of May his Lordship wrote to the Lords in England that Mounster was not only wel reduced but began to taste the sweetnes of peace that the like might be said of Lemster except the Mores and Conners who were scattered had sought but could not obtain of him the Queens mercy That the Northern borders of Vlster were assured namely Ohanlons Country the Fewes Clancaruill the Ferney most of the Galloglasses and many of the Mac Mahownes and that a garrison was planted in the Brenny and the Queenes Mac Gwyer setled in Fermanagh That Sir Henry Dockwra at Loughfoyle and Sir Arthur Chichester at Carickefergus commonly called Knockefergus had made their neighbours sure to the State and both had done her Maiesty excellent seruice That onely Connaght most easily to be reduced was most out of order That for this reason hee thought fit to plant Ballishannon garrison through Connaght which might be reduced with the very passing of the Army and therefore had perswaded the Magazin of victuals at Galloway specially since from those parts his Lordship might easily ioine with the Lord President in case Spaine should inuade Mounster That in the meane time his Lordship would draw one thousand foot out of Mounster to serue in Vlster and for a time borrow thence fiue hundred Foot and fifty Horse for Connaght iourney the forces remaining being sufficient to guard Mounster and greater then he had left in Lemster in the peace whereof he might seeme to haue more proper interest But if Spaine should inuade Mounster then all the Army was to be drawne thither and great supplies sent out of England since the defection of the Irish was like to be great euen of those who yet had neuer declared any malice against the State yet that his Lordship desired presently no supplies in regard of her Maiesties excessiue charge in leuying and transporting them trusting that by the Rebels forces diminished occasion would be giuen to cast some of the Army with which cast Companies the defects of the standing might be supplied wherein his Lordship promised to proceed without preferring such as quen with their blood shed in his fight deserued aduancement or satisfying some worthy Commanders whose entertainement he had rather lessened or pleasuring those who might iustly challenge preserment from him Therefore praying that her Maiesty would not command him to bestow new Companies as of late shee had done vpon such as of late had beene absent and had
onely serued at the loosing of the Kingdome so as they were least fit to be preferred before those who had hazarded their liues in regaining it Adding that he writ not this to vphold any priuate dependency on himselfe esteeming it a great vanity so to doe but onely to strengthen himselfe so long and no longer then he should be imploied in her Maiesties seruice That in stead of new supplies he desired leaue to entertaine some of the Irish Submitties in pay by them to consume the Rebels and by the Rebels to diminish their number since two things remained to settle the Kingdome First the ridding Ireland of the Swordmen to which end the Irish affected some iourney into the Low Countries or the Indies which could not make them any whit more able Souldiers then now they were not adde to their knowledge of warre fit for Ireland which they now had but three parts of foure were like neuer to returne if they were ingaged in such a voyage Secondly the making of the English owners fit to inhabit their lands which was most difficult in regard of their pouerty and of the great quantities of lands they possessed since in particular of some gentlemen of Leax and Ophalia each possessed as much land as being well inhabited would maintaine more men then all the Rebels of those Counties were in number About the tenth of May his Lordship gaue warrant to passe the pardon of Phelim mac Feogh Obirn of the Glinnes with his followers and likewise of Phelim mac Feogh O Toole of the Fartrey with fifty six followers And vpon the humble submission of Rossemac Mahowne his Lordship granted him her Maiesties protection till he might sue out his pardon About this time his Lordship had aduertisement from Sir Henry Deckwra Gouernour at Loughfoyle That he had taken in Odogherties Countrey and secured the passages into it as well against Odonnell as the false Inhabitants That he hauing gathered the forces to spoile Hughmac Hugh Duffes Countrey the proiect was frustrated by and Irishman stealing from the Army and giuing them intelligence hereof so as they droue the prey sarre oft into remote parts That Neale Garue with Cormocke O Neale dispatched lately from Dublin were arriued at Loughsoyle That he the said Gouernour deferring the prosecution of Ocane because he had no Hauen in his Countrey for the landing of Spaniards nor could escape from the English forces though Spaniards should land the same time resolued to enter Hugh mac Hugh Duffes Countrey as more fit to receiue forraigne forces and to supply them with victuals or other necessaries And to this end that he had assembled the forces to the Liffer That Shane mac Manus Oge Odonnell commanding certaine Ilands in the Sen did there offer to submit but vpon such conditions as were vnfit yet the Irish extolling his valour and intreating for him and Neaie Garue for the time being content to spare him of the men allowed him fifty foot and twenty fiue horse that he the Gouernour had further promised him vpon acceptable seruice to procure him as many more men in her Maiesties pay whereuppon he had taken his oath of obedience and had secretly sent word to his people to spoyle Rory Odonnels Countrey who then had him in no suspition This done that he the Gouernour suddenly entered Hugh Duffes Countrey aforesaid and spoyled the same taking a prey of more then one thousand Cowes with great numbers of Garrons Sheepe and Goates That thence he marched into Fanaght where 〈◊〉 Oge mac Swinedoe Lord of the Doe met him on the borders and deliuering the chiefe pledges of his Countrey for his and their loyalty tooke his oath of obedience to her Maiestie That hearing of Odonnels drawing into those parts he thence retired with great part of the forces leauing Neale Garue with his Irish and some English Companies for his assistance to spoyle and absolutely waste Fannaght to whom Mac Swine Fannaght Lord of the Countrey presently deliuered pledges of his loyalty taking his oath of obedience to her Maiestie at which time likewise Mac Swine Bane and O Boyle earnestly solicited the Gouernour to be receiued to mercy That Neale Garue by the keeping of Tirconnell granted him at Dublyn for the time till her Maiesty might please to passe the same to him by Letters Pattents and by great gifts he had there receiued was puffed vp with pride desiring present possession of the Countrey and calling the people his subiects and saying to the Gouernours face that he would punish exact cut hange them as he list But that he had calmed him with seuere speeches with charge not to meddle with any man or any part of the Countrey vpon his alleagiance since he had no right but from her Maiesties bounty not yet fully expressed and that not soueraigne but limitted so as might best stand with the peoples good who were not his but her Maiesties subiects That he found him to be in his nature proud valiant miserable tyrannous vnmeasurably couetous without any knowledge of God or almost any ciuility good to be vsed while he was satisfied which he could hardly bee being like a Quince requiring great cost ereit be good to eat or whilst he was kept vnder which was the fitter course to be held with him yet that he thought him sure to the State in regard of the pledges he had giuen but much more because he could no way better his estate by leauing the Queenes seruice nor be secure of any word from Odonnell whose brother he had killed That Cormacke O Neale being of late come from Dublyn could hitherto haue done no seruice but that he was of reasonable esteeme among the people of his Countrey and was of a mild honest disposition willing to serue without grating beggery or vnreasonable demands yet was Irish and little lesse barberous then the better sort of wood kern That comming out of the woods without friend or kinseman he could then giue no pledges but his wife and children were since come to him and within the Gouernours power besides that he seemed not to be inclined to trechery neither could mend his estate by leauing the Queenes seruice to which he came in voluntarily without calling forcing or composition and therein remained with his desires limitted and to be contented with reason That Hugh Boy was subtill wise ciuil a Papist and aliened but not deeply malicious against Odonnels person yet firme in his allegiance hauing come in with his Countrey and deliuered his chiefe pledges offering any other to be deliuered vpon command and hauing shewed the passages into his Countrey and himselfe sollicited and furthered the fortifying thereof daily giuing sure and important intelligences to the great furtherance of the seruice besides that all his wealth lay within the power of the Queenes forces Lastly that betweene these submitties were factions and heart-burnings which discreetly measured could not but aduantage the seruice The fifteenth of May the Lord Deputy receiued by the
Generals before me but since it is the Queenes pleasure I must endure it and you chuse a fit time to obtaine that or any thing else against me Yet I will concurre with you in the seruice as long as it shall please her Maiesty to imploy vs here but hereafter I doubt not but to giue you satisfaction that I am not worthy of this wrong The Counsel my self vpon occasion of extraordinary consequence sent for some of the Companies of Mounster out of Connaght when we heard you were to be supplied with two thousand out of England but we receiued from them a flat deniall to come and the coppy of your letter to warrant them therein If you haue any authority from the Queene to countermand mine you may very well iustifie it but it is more then you haue vowed to me to haue when I before my comming ouer protested vnto you that if you had I would rather serue the Queene in prison then here My Lord these are great disgraces to me and so conceiued and I thinke iustly by all that know it which is and will be very shortly all Ireland My alleagiance and owne honour are now ingaged with all my burthens to goe on in this worke otherwise no feare should make me suffer thus much and what I doe it is onely loue doth moue me vnto it for I know you are deere to one whom I am bound to respect with extraordinary affection And so my Lord I wish you well and will omit nothing while I am in this Kingdome to giue you â—he best contentment I can and continue as Your assured friend Mountioy The Lord President within few daies not onely with a calme noble and wise answere pacified his Lordships anger but also by many good Offices betweene his Lordship and Master Secretary with whom as a most inward friend hee had great power so combined their new begunne loue as hee ingaged his Lordship in a great bond of thankefulnes to him The eleuenth of August his Lordship wrote to the Gouernour of the Newry that to auoid the continuall trouble of Conuoyes hereafter he should presently send vp as great prouision of victuals to Armagh as possibly he could while his Lordship lay in that part with the Army For two daies after by reason of much raine falling and the expecting of these victuals his Lordship lay still in the Campe neere Mount Norris The thirteenth the victuals came but not in such great proportion as was directed because the victuler had failed to bake great part of his meale and the Cowes expected from Dundalke were not yet sent by the Submitties according to their promise The same day his Lordship rose and incamped three miles short of Armagh The foureteenth his Lordship rose with the Army and put all the victuals he had receiued into the Abbey of Armagh and the Fort of Blackewater and returned back to the same camping place The fifteenth his Lordship drew backe to his former Campe neere Mount Norreis and sent out some Companies of Horse and Foote to the skirts of the wood neere the Fort to guard those that cut wood for making of Carres to transport more victuals to the said garrisons The sixteenth his Lordship drew backe to Carickbane neere the Newry to hasten the prouision of victuals in as great quantity as might be which was dispatched within few dayes The twenty three his Lordship wrote the following letter to M r Secretary SIR I did euer foresee and haue signified so much that any forraine succours would cleane alter the State of this Kingdome and the whole frame of our proceedings and doe find that the assurance that these people doe now receiue thereof doth make them stand vpon other termes then they were wont and much diuert our purposes which we had conceiued with good reason and great hope Of any but the English we haue small assurance and of them the Army is exceeding weake The Irish newly submitted their wauering faith hithetto we haue vsed to great effect for we haue wasted them and the rebels by them but when we come to lay our Forces in remote garrisons they flie the hardnes of that life and doe againe betake themselues vnto any head that is of power to spoile and with the best paid and preuailing party they will euer be I am certainely told by Sir Iohn Barkely that some Spaniards that arriued at Sligo as they say to discouer and with assurance of the present comming of a great force doe there fortifie and as he hath been more particularly informed not in a compasse only capeable of themselues but in such sort as it will be able to lodge great numbers This my being preuented to follow my purposes in these parts as I would draweth me into the Pale to aduise of the best assurance for the maine and yet not to quit my purposes in such sort in these parts but if the Spaniards doe not come I may againe look this way with my former desire which was to beat the chiefe Traitor cleane out of his Conntrey for vntill that be done there will be euer left a fier which vpon all occasions will breake out more and more violently When I haue spoken with the rest of the Counsell and considered more neerely the disposition of these inward parts I will more largely relate vnto you my opinion neither will I now much trouble you with my owne estate although not onely my selfe but I protest the seruice doth feele the effect of a general conceiued rumour of her Maiesties displeasure to me I am so neerely interessed therein that I cannot speak much of that matter without the preiudice of a priuate respect to my selfe but onely this I most humbly desire her Maiestie for her owne sake to vse me no longer here then shee thinketh me fit to be trusted and graced for without both I shal but striue against the wind and tide and be fit for nothing but my owne poore harbour vnto the which I most humbly desire to be speedily called with her gracious fauour since my owne conscience maketh me presume to desire so much that best doth know with how vntollerable labour of minde and body I haue and doe continually serue her And so Sir I beseech God to send you as much contentment as I doe want The 23 of August 1601. Yours Sir to doe you seruice Mountioy The fortifying of the Spaniards at Sligo vanished with the rumour which was grounded vpon some arriuing to bring the Rebels certaine newes of present succours and presently returning And the brute or perhaps his Lordships iealousie of her Maiesties displeasure arose from the confessions of some examined about the rash attempts of the vnfortunate Earle of Essex who had accused the Lord Deputy to be priuy to that proiect His Lordship purposing to draw into the Pale or parts neere Dublyn left his forces in the North for those of Loughfoyle had not yet correspondency with these in this following manner
theirs doubled I am the bolder to pronounce it in his name that euer hath protected my righteous cause in which I blesse them all And putting you in the first place I end scribling in hast Your louing Soueraigne E. R. The same day his Lordship receiued letters from the Lords in England signifying that renne shippes of warre set sayle from Rochester with the first wind after the eight of October last to attend the Coast of Mounster wherein were sent two thousand foot for the Army in Mounster vnder Captaines appointed That two thousand more were then leuied to bee sent to the Army by the way of Bristow and Barstable which were left to his Lordship to bee disposed in supplies or Companies as hee thought fit That one thousand foote more were sent to supplie Loughfoyle Garrison That two hundred horse were sent to his Lordship for the Army and fifty horse to Loughfoyle That they had sent his Lordship besides the former twenty last of powder thirty last more That they had sent large prouisions of victuals And that they greatly commended the Lord Presidents prouidence that he had made his souldiers former ly liue of their pay in money and so preserued the former store of victuals in Mounster for this time without which the Army could not haue kept the field till the new prouisions ariued The last part of their L PS letter followeth in these words Hereunto we must adde this as that whereof our selues haue been a good while both hearers and obseruers That no Prince can apprehend with better acceptation your Lordships proceeding in that Kingdome then her Maiestie doth in so much as she vsed often this speech that she would not wish her Army there nor the safetie of her people in better hands then in yours In whom and so in other Principall Officers of her State and Army as she doth obserue that all difficulties are well entertained with alacritie and resolution so we must let your Lordship know that when her Maiestie had read a priuate letter of yours to mee the principall Secretarie written from kilkenny with your owne hand assoone as you had heard the newes of a forraigne enemie it pleased her Maiestie to cause it bee read to vs all as being written in a stile wherein shee discerned both the strong powers of your owne minde in promising to your selfe all happy successe against such an enemie and the liuely affections you beare to her person for which you desire to bee made a Sacrifice wherein although you haue not deceiued her former expectation yet her Maiestie would haue you know that shee doth not doubt but you shall liue to doe her many more seruices after you haue made the Prouince of Mounster serue for a Sepulcher to these new Conquerours Of the foure thousand men which now her Maiestie sendeth into Mounster wee send onely two thousand vnder Captaines the rest wee leaue to conductors to be vsed as you shall please when they arriue and to displace any whom wee doe send if you thinke them not sufficient Now therefore till wee heare further from you wee haue no more to say but that wee account our selues all in one ship with you that wee will all concurre to aduance by our Ministerie whatsoeuer her Maiestie shall resolue to doe for you all of vs hauing one ende and one desire to inable you as her Maiesties principall instrument to free that Kingdome from the malicious attempts of forraine power and to redeeme it out of the in ward misery by intestine rebellion The fifth of Nouember foure barkes with munition and victuals that were sent from Dublin arriued in Kinsale harbor and vpon certaine intelligence that Tyrone was comming vp with a great Army to ioyne with the Spaniard it was resolued by the Counsell of States and the Colonels of Councell at warre that the next day the Camp should be fortified against Tyrone on the North side furthest from the towneward and that the next day following the Lord President with two Regiments of foote consisting of two thousand one hundred men in Lyst and with three hundred twentie fiue horse should draw to the borders of the Prouince to stop or at least hinder Tyrones passage To which purpose the Lord Barry and the Lord Bourke with the forces of the Countrie had direction to attend the Lord President The sixth day the Campe was accordingly fortified and the seuenth in the morning the Lord President with the said horse and foote left the Campe at which time it was concluded by both Counsels that wee could attempt nothing against the towne vntill either the Lord President returned or the new Forces and prouisions promised from England arriued it being iudged a great worke for vs in the meane time to continue our lying before the Towne since the Spaniards in the Towne were more in number then we who besieged them The same seuenth day his Lordship and the Counsell here wrote to the Lords in England this following letter IT may please your Lordships The first and second of this present moneth we receiued her Maiesties and your Lordships most comfortable letters of the fourth and sixth of the last and for the speciall care it pleaseth you to take of vs doe yeeld as we haue iust cause our most humble and heartiest thankes protesting that we will labour to deserue the same and the continuance which it pleaseth your Lordships to promise thereof with the vttermost of our endeuours and seruices euen to the sacrificing of our liues And in the meane time humbly pray your Lordships both to accept in good part and fauourably to report vnto her Maiestie what hitherto we haue been able to performe though nothing to that we did affect if our meanes had answered our desires or that little we expected to come fome Dublin which we sent for vpon the Spaniards first landing here had by a more fauourable wind arriued sooner as we hoped Wee beseech your Lordships giue vs leaue to referre you for your information in that point to the Iournall which herewithall we send for thereby wee conceiue will best appeare both what wee haue done and were enabled to doe since the returne of Master Marshall and other Officers and Commanders sent of purpose into the Pale and the parts Northwards to draw the forces thereabouts the more speedily hither to vs and to hasten hither such other prouisions as 〈…〉 here we should haue need off And with your Lordships fauour license vs to adde that wee can hardly proceede any further till our supplies of men and munitions come for we finde it a worke of great difficulty and assured losse of men and expence of al prouisions of warre to vndertake with these meanes we haue to force so many men out of any place although it were not greatly otherwise fortified but by the bodies of men onely whereas this Towne of Kinsale hath a good wall and many strong Castles in it Wee doe looke howerly for Tyrone esteemed to
confident assurance shortly to haue new supplies of all things Adding that he preserued his strength to be able to front vs in a breach which their hearts not failing they had hands and brests to stop against trebble our forces though he would giue the Viceroy that right that his men were passing good yet spent and tired with a Winters siege obstinately continued beyond his expectation but with such caution and so good guard as he hauing watched all aduantages could neuer make a salley without losse to his part wherein hee acknowledged himselfe much deceiued that grounding vpon some errour in our approches he had promised himselfe the defeate of one thousand men at least and at one blow but said he when we meete in the breach I am confident vpon good reasons to lay fiue hundred of your best men on the earth which losse will make a great hole in your Armie that hath already suffered such extremity Lastly he concluded that the King his Master sent him to assist the two Counts O Neale and O Donnel and he presuming on their promises to ioyne their forces with his within few daies had first long expected them in vaine and sustained the Viceroyes Army and at last had seene them drawne to the greatest head they could make lodged neere Kinsale reinforced with Companies of Spaniards euery hower promising him reliefe and at last broken with a handfull of men and blowne asunder into diuers parts of the World O Donnell into Spaine O Neale into the furthest North so as now finding no such Counts in rerum Natura to vse his very words with whom he was commanded to ioine he had moued this accord the rather to disingage the King his Master from assisting a people so weake as he must beare all the burthen of the war and so perfidious as perhaps in requitall of his fauour they might at last bee wonne to betray him Relation of this conference being made to the Lord Deputy and Counsell they considered that the treasure that Don Iean brought was at first but one hundred thousand Ducates whereof the greatest part could not but be spent in paying his souldiers 4 moneths and other occasions of expence for which and other good reasons they concluded not to stand vpō the first article especially since many strong reasons made the agreement as it was honorable so to seeme very profitable to the State of England namely that our Army was wasted tired with the winters siege That it was dangerous to attempt a breach defended with so many able men That if wee should lodge in the breach yet they hauing many strong Castles in the Towne so much time might be spent ere we could carry it as our Fleete for want of victuals might bee forced to leaue vs. That at this time our Army was onely prouided for sixe dayes That we had not munition or Artillerie to make any more then one batterie in one place at once fiue of our pieces being crased That vpon any disaster befalling vs the Irish were like to reuolt That besides the taking of Kinsale the other places held by the Spaniards as Baltymore Custle hauen and Beare-hauen would haue made a long and dangerous warre with infinite charge to the State of England they being strongly fortified and well stored with all prouisions of warre and our Army being so tired as it could not attempt them without being first refreshed and then being supplied with all necessaries to the vnsupportable charge of our Sate must haue been carried by Sea to those places vnaccessable by land Lastly that in this time the King of Spaine could not but send them powerfull seconds being thus farre ingaged in his Honour Besides that by this long warre wee should bee hindred from prosecution of the Rebels who were now so broken as in short time they must needes be brought to absolute subiection After many goings to and fro certaine Articles were agreed vpon the second of Ianuary towards the end of the yeere 1601 according to the English who end and begin the yeere at our Lady day in Lent but the Articles beare date the twelfth of Ianuarie 1602 after the new stile and according to the Spanish manner to begin the yeere the first day of the same moneth The Lord Deputy gaue me the said Articles in English to be faire written that the coppy thereof being signed by both the Generals might be sent into England And likewise his Lordship commanded me to translate the same Articles into the Lattin and Italian tongues that two coppies of each being signed by the Generals one of each might remaine with the Lord Deputy and the others be sent to the King of Spaine These Articles follow word by word in English as they were signed by the Lord Deputy and the Spanish Generall Mountioy IN the Towne of Kinsale in the Kingdome of Ireland the twelfth of the moneth of Ianuary 1602 betweene the noble Lords the Lord Mountioy Lord Deputy and Generall in the Kingdome of Ireland for her Maiesty the Queene of England and Don Iean de l'Aguyla Captaine and Campe-Master Generall and Gouernour of the Army of his Maiesty the King of Spaine the said Lord Deputy being encamped and besieging the said Towne and the said Don Iean within it for iust respects and to auoide shedding of blood these conditions following were made betweene the said Lords Generals and their Campes with the Articles which follow 1 First that the said Don Iean de l'Aguyla shall quit the places which he holds in this Kingdome as well of the Towne of Kinsale as those which are held by the souldiers vnder his command in Caste-Hauen Baltimore and the Castle at Beere-Hauen and other parts to the said Lord Deputy or to whom he shall appoint giuing him safe transportation and sufficient for the said people of ships and victuals with the which the said Don Iean with them may goe for Spaine if he can at one time if not in two shippings 2 Item that the souldiers at this present being vnder the command of Don Iean in this Kingdome shall not beare Armes against her Maiesty the Queene of England wheresoeuer supplies shall come from Spaine till the said souldiers bee vnshipped in some of the Ports of Spaine being dispatched assoone as may be by the Lord Deputy as he promiseth vpon his faith and honour 3 For the accomplishment whereof the Lord Deputy offereth to giue free pasport to the said Don Iean and his Army as well Spaniards as other Nations whatsoeuer that are vnder his command and that hee may depart with all the things hee hath Armes Munition Money Ensignes displaied Artillery and other whatsoeuer prouisions of warre and any kind of stuffe as well that which is in Castle-Hauen as Kinsale and other parts 4 Item That they shall haue ships and victuals sufficient for their money according and at the prices which here they vse to giue that all the people and the said things may be
and victuals as her Maiestie thought fit prouisionally to send though for lacke of aduertisement wee could not make any other particular iudgement what were too much or too little Only this we know that if that body of Spanish forces which are now in that Kingdome shall not be defeated before the like body of an army or a greater arriue her Maiesty shall be put to such a warre in the end as howsoeuer this State may vndergo the excessiue charges of continuall leauies and transportation which you wil well consider to be of intolerable burthen to this Kingdome all circumstances considered yet such will be the extreme difficulties to maintaine such an Army in that Realme where it must fight against forraigne Armies and an vniuersall rebellion and in a climate full of contagion and in a Kingdome vtterly wasted as we do wel foresee that it wil draw with it more pernicious consequents then euer this State was subiect to For whosoeuer shall now behold the beginning of this malitious designe of the King of Spaine must well conclude although he hath now begun his action vpon a false ground to find a powerfull party in that Kingdome at his first discent wherin he hath bin in some measure deceiued yet seeing he is now so deepely ingaged and so well findeth his errour that he will value his honour at too high a rate to suffer such a worke to dissolue in the first foundation In consideration whereof her Maiesty like a prouident Prince resolueth presently to send a strong Fleet to his owne coast to preuent his new reinforcement not doubting if such a disaster should happen that these forces should remaine so long vnremoued by you in Ireland which we cannot beleeue that her Maiesties Fleet shall yet be in great possibilitie to defeate the new supplies by the way for which purpose her Maiestie perceiuing how dangerous a thing it is for the Fleete in Ireland to lie off at Sea in this Winter weather which they must doe if it be intended that they shall hinder a descent and how superfluous a thing it is to maintaine such a Fleet only to lie in Harbours her Maiestie is pleased to reuoke the greatest part of her Royall ships hither and to adde to them a great proportion and send them all to the Coast of Spaine leauing still such a competent number of ships there as may sufficiently blocke vp the Harbour and giue securitie and countenance to transportation To which end we haue written a letter in her Maiesties name to reuoke Sir Richard Leuison and to leaue Sir Amias Preston with the charge of those ships contained in this note to whom we haue giuen directions in all things to apply himselfe to those courses which you shall thinke most expedient for that seruice You shall also vnderstand that we haue now directed Sir Henrie Dockwra to send eight hundred men by pole to Knockfergus to Sir Arthur Chichester and commanded him to make them vp one thousand and so with all speede the said Sir Arthur himselfe to march vp with a thousand of the best men to your reinforcement in Mounster And thus hauing for the present little else to write vnto you till we heare further we doe conclude with our best wishes vnto you of all happy and speedy successe And so remaine c. at the Court at whitehall the foure und twentieth of December 1601. The same eleuenth day of Ianuary his Lordship receiued other letters from the Lords dated the seuen and twentieth of December signifying that whereas his Lordship had often moued on the behalfe of the Captaines that they might receiue their full pay without deduction of the souldiers apparrell which they themselues would prouide now her Maiestie was pleased to condescend thereunto I remember not whether his Lordship had moued this since or before the new mixed coyne was curtant but sure this was great aduantage to her Maiestie at this time hauing paied siluer for the apparrell and being to make the full pay in mixed money The same eleuenth day of Ianuary his Lordship receiued from the Lords in England letters dated the fiue and twentieth of Nouember signifying that a proportion of victuals was prouided at Plimoth for which he should send foure Merchants ships of the Queenes Fleere at Kinsaile And requiring to bee aduertised vpon what termes the Spaniards had yeelded which were then sent ouer for England that they might be disposed accordingly By the old date of this letter and another aboue mentioned of the two and twentieth of Nouember receiued all on the eleuenth of Ianuary it may appeare how necessarie it is to haue the Magazins in Ireland well stored and how dangerous it is that the Army should depend on sudden prouisions The same day his Lordship receiued letters from the Lords in England that her Maiestie had made a leauy of foure thousand foote whereof two thousand were now at the Ports to be imbarked for Mounster namely one thousand one hundred committed to the charge of eleuen Captaines and nine hundred vnder the conduct of some of the said Captaines left to his Lordships disposall The fourteenth his Lordship lying at the Bishop of Corkes house receiued this following letter from Don Iean lying in the Towne of Corke translated out of Spanish Most Excellent Lord SInce they carried me to the Citie of Corke certaine Merchants haue told me they thinke they should find ships to carry me and my folke into Spaine if your excellency would giue them license and pasport of which I humbly beseech your highnes as also that of your great beniguitie your excellency will haue pitie of these his prisoners who here do expect the great mercie which so great a Prince as your Excellency vseth towards his seruants and prisoners These poore prisoners suffer extreme wants both with hunger and cold for there is no sustenance giuen them at all nor find they any almes I beseech your Excellency will bee pleased to haue compassion of them There is one dead of hunger and others are ready to die of it God keepe your Excellency the yeeres which we his seruants wish his Excellency From Corke the foure and twentieth of Ianuary 1602 stile nouo and as they write Your Excellencies seruant Don I can del ' Aguila The Spanish prisoners were these Taken at Rincorran Castle men and women 90. Taken at Castle Nyparke 16. Taken in the sallye the second of December 13. Taken at Tyrones ouer throw the foure and twentieth of December aswell principall as ordinary men one and forty prisoners in all one hundred sixtie besides the runnawaies during the siege were thirty and these together with many of the said prisoners had been sent into England and the rest of whom Don lean writes were still prisoners as 〈◊〉 The foure and twentieth of Ianuary the Lord Deputy and Councell here wrote to the Lords in England this letter following MAy it please your Lordships wee haue receiued your letters of the foure and
doe her fome acceptable seruice in recompence of his transgression in the same protesting to serue her Maiesty against all men either of Ireland or forraigners that shall endeauour the disturbance of this Countrey That he shall put into her Maiesties hands his eldest sonne for the assurance of his future loyalty and foure principall gentlemen of his blood as hee formerly promised That hee shall at his charge find workemen to build such Forts in the County of Tyrone and in such places as the Lord Deputy shall thinke fit That he shall permit throughout Tyrone her Maiesties Officers of Iustice as the Sheriffes and others to haue free liberty to execute their Offices as is accustomed in other Prouinces and Counties of the Realme and answere all other duties formerly agreed vpon That he shall onely vndertake for himselfe and his pledges to lie for no more then those that dwell vpon that land onely that is contained in his Letters Pattents not any way vndertaking for the rest of Tyrone as Turlogh Brassiloes sonnes Mac Mahound O Cane Macgenis Macguire the two Clandeboyes and all of the East side of the Ban. That if any of his neighbours shall continue in rebellion none of their people shall be harboured in Tyrone and likewise that none of Tyrone shall by his consent or knowledge succour any Rebell or giue assistance to them and if any such offender shall happen to be discouered either by himselfe or any other her Maiesties Officers vpon knowledge thereof that hee shall doe his best endeuour to prosecute the parties offending and either take them whereby they may be tried by the lawes of the Realme or kill them if they may not otherwise bee had and shall assist her Maiesties Officers in taking to her vse the goods and chattels of the offenders and their retinues That he shall not onely truely pay all her Maiesties rents and duties from this time forward due vnto her out of Tyrone but also pay the arrerages that for many yeeres haue beene by him detained That in respect of the great charges that he hath put her Maiesty vnto although it be not the thousand part of her disbursements In nomine pene which in all such great offences is accustomed towards the victualing of her Maiesties garrisons he shall pay two thousand Cowes within sixe moneths That the County of Tyrone may bee limited and no more by him to be possessed then is contained in his Letters Pattents That the territory of Tyrone may be diuided into shires and haue gaoles as he hath formerly desired That he put at liberty the sonnes of Shane O Neale and all other prisoners English and Irish. These things you shall onely propound as from your selfe yet as conceiuing that they will be demanded at his hands if he be receiued and to draw as large an ouerture from him of what he will agree vnto as you can perswade him telling him that the greater assurance he doth giue the state of his loyalty the greater will be his safety for we shall conster his good meaning by his free offer thereof and after we shall haue the lesse reason to be lealous of him The fifteenth of February the Lord Deputy and Counsell here wrote to the Lords in England this following letter MAy it please your Lordships The foureteenth of this last moneth we disparched Sir Richard Moryson with our letters to your Lordships from this place and the nine and twentieth we wrote againe by Captaine Butler yet to this day the wind nath continued still so Westerly as since the departure of Sir Richard no shipping is 〈◊〉 to vs either out of England from your Lordships as we desired or from Waterford Wexford and those parts as we directed to carry away the Spaniards hence nor yet vntil sunday the seuenth hereof could those ships stirre that lay ready at Kinsale to be sent to Baltimore Castle Hauen and Beere Hauen but now they are gone we hope that the seruice to be done by them which is the possessing of the Castles and sending away the Spaniards in them will be presently accomplished although the wind hath serued them so scantly as wee feare they will hardly recouer all the places whereunto they are directed There is onely one Scottish ship gone from Kinsale for Spaine which carried one hundred sixety Spaniards with part of the Artillery but there lies now ready at the Harbour for the first wind so much shipping as will carry away one thousand fiue hundred more so as there will bee yet remaining in Kinsale aboue one thousand Spaniards which with the first shipping that comes from the other Ports shall be imbarked Don Iean staies to goe last It appeareth by some letters intercepted which wee send herewithall vnto your Lordships that the King of Spaine purposeth to send a larger supply hither with all expedition Don Iean assures vs to doe his best to stay them and if he arriue first in Spaine he makes no doubt to disswade their comming but if they should come before his departure he promiseth to returne them according to his couenant in the contract if they doe not come vnder the command of some other that hath a commission a part from his from the King The Irish haue of late receiued letters from Odonnell to encourage the Rebels to perseuer in their rebellion assuring them of present aide from Spaine in the meane time the best of them all doe but temporize being ready to assist them when they come especially if they come in any strength as it is to bee thought in all reason they will hauing found their first errour Her Maiesty must therefore be pleased to be at some charge to erect fortifications at Beere Hauen Kinsale and this place the commodities and weakenesse of these places being as well knowne to the Spaniards as to vs and further with all speed to erect Cittadels at Lymbrick Corke and Waterford though it bee onely to assure the Townes from reuolt It appeareth by the King of Spaines letter and so by the Duke of 〈◊〉 that his heart is very much set vpon the enterprize of Ireland and therefore it is not vnlike but that he may send more supplies after or before Don Ieans arriuall in Spaine either vnder him or some other Commander which if hee doe it is also likely the same will be sent shortly For preuention thereof if in your Lordships wisdome it shall be thought meet we doe humbly beseech that the foure thousand supplies heretofore desired and by your Lordships intended may bee presently sent hither whereof two thousand to be erected into companies and their Captaines to be named here and the other 2000 for supplies of the Army which is exceeding weake for our men die daily in greater numbers then they died in the camp the infection being greater and by some thought a kinde of plague for the people in the Townes die in farre greater numbers then the souldiers though we hope the contrary And wee doe further desire
in the title of her fauour and my desert and doe remember how doubtfull the fortune of the warre is I cannot but feare that one disaster shall be put into the ballence against all my labours and endeauours and therewithall conclude and confesse that I couet no mortall fortune more then to bee fairely rid of the part which I play on so dangerous a stags before these serpents may find any aduantage to hisse at me Whereas otherwise if I had beene secure of her Maiesties fauour against these Vipers tongues I should with confidence and alacrity goe towards the greatest dangers that can rise against me but as God hath hitherto stopped their mouths so I hope for her Maiesties good if not for mine he will continue his fauour who prosper me in all things as I doe sincerely intend her seruice c. The eighteenth day the Lord Deputy receiued letters from the Lords in England signifying that besides the two thousand last sent the greatest part vnder Captaines the rest left to his Lordships disposall now vpon a second leauy two thousand more were appointed to bee embarked the sixe and twentieth of the last moneth all which were left to his Lordships disposall excepting one Company giuen to Captaine Thomas Dutton vpon his Lordships letters of speciall recommendation The same day his Lordship receiued from the Queene this following letter Elizabeth Regina RIght trusty and wellbeloued we greet you well The report which your letters by Dauers haue brought vs of the successe it hath pleased God to giue you against our Rebels and the Spaniards combined with them was receiued by vs with such contentment as so great happy an accident could affoord Wherefore although we as euer we haue done in all other happinesse which hath befallen vs ascribe the highest praise and thankes to his diuine Maiesty yet forasmuch as wee doe accompt that they who are the seruants of our State in like actions are made participant in a second degree of his fauour bestowed vpon vs by their vertue and industry wee cannot but hold them worthy of thankes from vs as they haue receiued honour from him Among whom you being there the chiefe not onely as chiefly put in trust by vs but as we plainely perceiue in vigilancy in labour and in valour in this late action wee could not forbeare to let you see how sensible we are of this your merit It is true that before this good successe vpon the Rebels wee were in daily attention to haue heard of some quicker attempt vpon the Towne then any was made both in respect that your owne Letters tended to such sence and especially because protraction of time brought with it apparant dangers as well of accesse of new supplies from our forraine enemies as of defection of a people so vnconstant of disposition and so rebellious to gouernement as those of that nation euer haue beene But wee that time hauing vnderstood by those iournals which were committed to S t Iohns and Dauers some reasons which haue moued you to the course you haue taken rather then to haue vsed speed in attempting seeing all assaults are accompanied with losse and euery losse in such a time multiplied in rumour and wholly conuerted by practice to the preiudice of the cause in question which is maintained now as things doe stand by the reputation of your army wee doe now conceiue that all your workes haue had their foundation vpon such reasons as you thought most aduantagious for our seruice It remaineth therefore now and so we desire it may be made knowne to our Army that haue serued vnder you in such manner as you shall thinke best to expresse it that as we doe know they haue indured many incommodities in this siege which wee would haue beene glad they could haue auoided hauing made so good proofe of their valour and loyalty as they haue done at this time so as we rather seeke to preserue them as the best treasure of a Prince then to suffer them to wast if otherwise our Kingdome could haue beene kept from danger of forraigne conquest and intestine rebellion so we expect it at the hands of the better sort of our seruitors there that it shall well be infused into the minds of the rest that whatsoeuer either our owne directions or expending of treasure could doe for preuention of those difficulties which follow all armies and are inseperable where the warre is made in a climate so il tempered for a winters siege hath beene royally and prouidently afforded them A matter of much more charge and vncertainty because all our care and direction haue attended the winds and weathers curtesie To conclude with answere to your demands for further supplies of men Although wee hope that the time is so neere of the finall conclusion of your happy successe against the remnant of the strangers in that poore Towne being pressed with so many wants and with the dispaire which our late victory will adde herevnto as that hardly any supplies sent from vs can come before it haue taken effect yet because you may perceiue how much wee attribute to your iudgement in any thing which for our affaires is there desired we haue as by our Counsell hath beene signified vnto you giuen order for foure thousand men to be sent thither out of hand with the full proportion of munition which you desire In which kind of prouisions we find so great consumptions as we must require you to take some better order with them that haue the distribution thereof For if it bee obserued what quantities haue beene daily sent ouer and yet what daily wants are pretended the expence will bee found insupportable and so much the rather because all men know that whatsoeuer the Irish Companies receiue except now in this action is continually conuerted for money to the vse of the Rebels Giuen vnder our Signet at our Pallace at White-Hall the 44 yeere of our Raigne the twelfth of Ianuary 1601. In the beginning of this Letter aboue the Queenes hand signed these following words were ouerwritten by the Queenes owne hand viz. Though for feare of worse end you did desire as we confesse we once thought to direct to end this worke before either Enemy or Rebell could increase the perill of our honour yet wee hope that no such aduenture shall bee more made but that their confusion bee ere now lighted on their owne heads And let Clanrickard and Thomond know that we doe most thankefully accept their endeauours For your selfe we can but acknowledge your diligence and dangerous aduenture and cherish and iudge of you as your carefull Soueraigne The twentieth of February twenty Spanish Captaines with 1374 common Souldiers being before imbarked at Kinsale in six English ships sailed for Spaine The seuen and twenty day the Lord Deputy and Counsell here wrote to the Lords in England this following letter MAy it please your Loedships since our last dispatch the fifteenth hereof 1400 of the Spaniards that
entertainement cannot allow so much for his horse but by that meanes both the Horse will be starued and the Oates will perish before they be spent In time of plenty the ordinary rate of Oates in Ireland was but at twelue pence the barrell yet they are now well content to pay six shillings a barrell which is at the highest rate the Souldier can giue Of these particulars wee humbly pray redresse from your Lordships And so c. From Corke c. The first of March the Lord Deputy by letters from the Lords in England was required to send ouer a Lieftenant being one of the late cast Companies but still remaining in Ireland to the end he might answer before their Lordships certaine complaints made against him For whereas many Officers in the late leuies of men had receiued in the Country able and sufficient men as wel to serue vnder themselues as to be conducted ouer to be disposed by the Lord Deputy whereof they had for diuers sums of money dismissed many at the Sea side pretending that they were lame or sicke and that they had taken better men in their place neither of these pretences being true Their Lordships purposed to inflict some exemplary punishment for this great offence and therefore required this Lieftenant to be sent ouer who was accused among and aboue the rest The eight of March Sir Oliuer S. Iohns who was sent into England from Kinsale with newes of the good successe in the taking of Rincoran and Nyparke Castles and the happy repulse of the Spaniards sallying vpon our Cannon returned backe to Corke and brought from the Queene this following letter Elizabeth Regina RIght trusty and welbeloued we greet you well By the genlemans relation whom last you sent vnto vs and by your Letters we receiued with much contentment the newes of the rendition of Kinsale and other places held by the Spaniards in that Kingdome wherein although by comparing the same with those reports which were brought vs by diuers that they were not onely in misery for victuall but in penury of men as not being fiue hundred strong we conceiued that you might haue giuen them stricter lawes in their composition and so doe now perceiue how easie a matter it is for those that are neerer hand to the matters of warre then we are to be mistaken yet vpon those considerations which we haue obserued in your iournall last sent ouer containing many important circumstances which did leade you to that course amongst which no one hath so much moued vs as that assault would haue shed the blood of our subiects which is dearer to vs then any reuenge or glory we doe account it both in the successe one of the most acceptable accidents that hath befallen vs and in your carriage thereof discerne it to haue beene guided with as many parts of an able and prouident Minister as any we haue vsed in seruice of like nature And therefore hold it both iust and necessary for vs to yeeld you this testimony of our gracious acceptation of your endeauours which haue beene accompanied with so much paine and perill It remaineth now seeing the state of all things there and your owne desires doe require it that wee speake something of those things which are fit to be thought of for the time to come whereof seeing this euent hath both already begun and is very like to worke great alteration to our aduantage That which we could wish you to aime at is in sum next to the safety of the Kingdome to giue all possible ease to our State by diminishing that great consumption of treasure which of late yeeres wee haue sustained And yet how to direct precisely by what meanes and parcels in euery particular the same is to be done is very hard for vs at this present especially vntill we shall receiue from you and our Counsell there further light by the information of the state of all things now after these successes together with your owne opinion thereupon onely as it is apparant to vs already by your letter that in your own iudgement hauing due sence of the infinite inconueniencies which daily are multiplied vppon this Kingdome by that occasion you did immediatly after the rendition both cast some part of our Army there and stay the supplies comming from hence so in that course we doubt not but you doe and will continue as farre forth as things may beare it in taking care that our Army be not weakened by holding more small garrisons then are necessary And this we may with very good reason say out of obseruation of that which hath passed of latter yeeres and agreeable to your owne opinion That one charge there is very great to vs and yet without any manner of ground of safety if there were cause of aduenture and that is the entertainement of great numbers of Irish wherein we will note vnto you these two considerations First that when things there were at most hazard for vs your owne spirit was doubtfull of the seruice which might be reaped by them Secondly that heretofore when they haue beene vsed it hath not beene seene that either they were entertained at the same rate of pay with our owne Nation or so mixed in common with them in regiments but euer kept more apart both in companies seuerall and vsed in places and in seruices proper for them which course although this extraordinary danger of our Kingdome hath giuen occasion to dispence with yet doubt we not but in your owne conceit you will thinke it meet with all conuenient speed to reforme and giue beginning to it by such degrees of dimunition and in such measure as you shall find to be most for the good of our seruice For the matter which hath beene moued to you from the Arch-trairor we commend your handling of the offer in that you haue kept the dignity of the place you hold and therein ours and yet we doe not mislike that you did not so desperately reiect him as to conclude him thereby from opening the further scope of his desires And though till the next ouerture we haue little more to write vnto you yet we may say thus much in generality that the monstrousnesse of his fact stained with so many and deepe spots of offences of seuerall natures and degrees though none more odious then his ingratitude and the quicke sence we haue alwaies of the biemishing of our honour doth not permit vs to hold any other way with him then the plaine way of perdition And therefore doe aduise you to all courses that may winne vs glory vpon him and if our Armes must be accompanied with any part of mercy rather to imploy the same in receiuing the secondary members and Vriaghts from him by whom that life which is left him standeth then to make so much account of so vile an head as to thinke him worthy to be recouered but rather that abandoned of God and men he may be left to feele
to find that you are ioined with Dockwra and Chichester because that is the thing which hath beene long wished often attempted but neuer before effected being indeed the true consequence of Our Plantation with great expence both at Loughfoyle and in other parts of Vlster So as when Wee perceiue that now the time is come when you may make an vniuersall prosecution and when We find that your owne words giue such hope that this vngratefull Traitor shall neuer be able to hold vp his head againe if the Spaniard doe not arriue Wee thought it fit to touch these two things following First to assure you that Wee haue sent a Fleete to the Coast of Spaine notwithstanding Our former Fleet returned with the Caricke there to attend his Coast and all such Fleetes as shall be prepared to annoy Vs. Next We doe require you euen whilest the Iron is hot so to strike as this may not onely proue a good Summers iourney but may deserue the title of that action which is the warres conclusion For furtherance whereof We haue spared no charge euen now againe to send a Magazine of victuall and other necessaries to those places by which you may best maintaine those garrisons with which you resolue to bridle those Rebels We haue heard likewise from Carew our President of Mounster that he hath taken the Castle was held by the Rebels at Beere Hauen and defended with the Spanish Ordinance In that Prouince We find by him that there is constant expectation of Spanish succours for which reason and considering what promises the King of Spaine doth make them and with what importunity they begge it at his hands besides one other crast they vse to hide from him all feare which might diuert him from that enterprize agreeing amongst themselues how great soeuer their miseries be to conceale the same from him and his Ministers as appeareth well by a letter of Odonnels owne hand intercepted of late by which he writes to a Rebell called O Connor Kerry desiring him to aduertise him of the state of Ireland but in no sort to deliuer any bad report of their losses because he would be loth that the Spaniard should know it We doe require you very earnestly to be very wary in taking the submissions of these Rebels who euer make profit of their comming in Some let slip of purpose by the Archtraitor others when they haue compounded for their owne peace are notoriously knowne to fill their Countries with more Cattle then euer they had in seuen yeeres before which is a matter that most notoriously discouereth that the great bordering Traitors whose Countries are sought to be laied wast doe find a safe protection for their goods vnder them A matter whereof we speake in no other sort then by way of caution knowing that no rule is so generall either to leaue or take which may not change in respect of circumstances Giuen vnder our Signet At our Mannor of Greenewich the fifteenth day of Iuly in the foure and fortieth of Our Raigne To this letter in the Margent were added these words in her Maiesties owne hand We con you many laudes for hauing so neerely approched the villanous Rebell and see no reason why so great forces should not end his daies whose wickednesse hath cut off so many and should iudge my selfe mad if we should not change your authority for his life and so we doe by this Since neither Spaniard nor other accident is like to alter this minde as she that should blush to receiue such indignity after so royall prosecution We haue forgotten to praise your humility that after hauing beene a Queenes Kitchin maide you haue not disdained to bee a Traitors skullion God blesse you with perseuerance Your Soueraigne E. R. At the same time his Lordship receiued this following letter from Master Secretarie MY very good Lord it must not seeme strange to you to find this marginall cotation in her Maiesties letter whereby the last authority in pardoning Tyrone is so absolutely retrenched For first as her Maiesty in these cases may well out of experience of gouernement assume more to her royall prudence then any of her Counsell so God in Heauen doth know that euen in these great causes shee is pleased to proceed more absolutely then euer according as shee pleaseth to approue her will by the Rules of her owne Princely iudgement So as if you consider how little good the last authority which was giuen you to pardon no more but his life could haue effected you will easily imagine that wee thought it to little purpose here to offend by contestation against this letter when in both the directions the difference was of so little consequence Lastly the change that is proceeded meerely from the hopes which your owne letters to the Treasurer haue giuen of our opinion so to ruine him as he should neuer be able againe to stand whereof it is true that her Maiesty hath taken so good and comfortable hold the same being so iust and agreeable to the difficulty of her owne nature to forgiue that offender as although in effect shee had done little more then nothing before yet shee thinkes any mercy to him to bee much It remaineth therefore that I resort to explane my selfe in my former aduice when I and some others wished you though you had warrant to conclude for no more then life onely that you should notwithstanding seeing you had warrant sufficient to heare from him in no case forbeare to discouer what were his highest or what would be his lowest for this was our intent as faithfull Counsellors if you found the State to be such as without his submission to be a Subiect all others comming in would be idle and that to offer him nothing but life which he hath already and will keepe too long I feare mee were the way to lacke that good which by yeelding to more might haue been effected that then and in such case you should not forestall him so peremptorily in your dealing with him as to repell those ouertures which hee would make for though you were not to conclude for more then you had warrant yet when you might send ouer what it was and what your opinion was thereupon it might be that when her Maiesty should see what might haue come shee would be content for the good of her Kingdome to descend from the greatnesse of her owne heart full of iust indignation against him These things I touched out of the infinite caution wherevnto the experience of my misfortune to be misiudged presseth mee more violently then any other whereby I would secure my selfe against any doubts that I would practice vpon you in any thing for any respect whatsoeuer which might be pernitious to you to whom I haue professed all honest friendship For I protest vnto you howsoeuer it may be some mens Phylosophy to conclude that all priuate considerations must be extinguished when there is question of the good of a mans Countrey
fearefull to come to you and therefore desires my license to go for England which I haue now sent him with this purpose to giue him contentment as much as may bee and yet when he comes to mee I meane to schoole him and so I hope to hold him in good termes for so at this time especially it doth behoue vs to bring our great worke to the better conclusion I make no question but that both he and O Connor Sligo and the rest of them doe all somewhat iuggle and play on both hands to serue their owne turnes and therefore truly deserue the lesse fauour for they so doe here for the most part and yet I winke at it But since it behoneth vs so greatly to draw the warre to an end to ease her Maiestie of that exceeding charge and consumption of men and Armes which her Maiestie and the State of England are growne verie wearie of and indeed vnwilling to continue much longer Wee that are here imployed as chiefe instruments to effect what so earnestly is desired must beare more for our Countries good then our owne natures can well endure and therefore let mee aduise you with much earnestnesse to apply your selfe vnto it as the onely and sole meanes to make our doings acceptable in England where we must be censured and by your next let me know certainly I pray you whether you haue done any thing already for the intituling of her Maiesty to any of their lands in that Prouince or whether you haue any way attempted it or giuen them cause to suspect it I shall be well satisfied with your answere presuming that you will doe it sincerely yet if any such thing be I pray you proceed no further in it but labour by all meanes to winne them both because I know it to be her Maiesties pleasure and that the multitude of Subiects is the glory of a Prince and so euery way it is fittest to reclaime rather then destroy them if by any good meanes it might be wrought O Connor Slige as you know was restrained of his liberty by the Rebels and that I thinke vpon a letter I sent vnto him so that hee hath a iust pretence for his standing out so long and for any action into which he shall enter neither shall we be able to disproue his allegations though perhaps himselfe be not innocent neither at the beginning nor now You must therefore be content to thinke that what he doth is by compulsion though indeed you doe not thinke so for some reasons apparant to your selfe Your stone worke at Galloway about the Bulworkes will I feare proue chargable and very long yet can I doe no more then recommend it to your good husbandry and discretion who may best iudge what is fittest Tyrone is not yet gone ouer the Earne but lies betweene that and Ruske where I haue planted a garrison and another at the Agher hard by the Clogher which lie both very fitly to doe seruice vpon him To the former all the Garrisons neere the Blackewater and that at Mountioy and Monaghan may fitly draw vpon all occasions and so I haue lefe order with Sir Arthur Chichester who hath the chiefe care of all And to the latter and to Omy which is but twelue miles from it Sir Henry Dockwra hath promised me to put vp most of the Forces of Loughfoyle and to lie there about himselfe To Eniskillin or there about Sir Henry Follyot hath direction to draw his whole Force leauing a Ward onely at Ballishannon and Beleeke which is already done but hee hath not his boates yet from you which is a great hinderance vnto him and therefore I pray you send them with all speed possible if they be not gone already Touching your motion for Master Atturney I now returne to Dublyn where if he cause it to be moued at the Table I will with the rest yeeld to any thing that is fit In the meane time you may vse the chiefe Iustice in those businesses who hath allowance for his diet and is of great experience and continuance in that Prouinee so as thereby hee may best know euery mans disposition I pray you let me heare stom you againe with as much speed as you can touching the state of that Prouince vnder your gouernement And so hoping for all these late bruites that we shall not this yeere be troubled by the Spaniards or if we be that their number shall be small for so Master Secretary hath confidently written to me out of England I commend me right heartily to you From the Newry this twelfth of September 1602. The Lord Deputy being arriued at Dublyn and this Summers seruice ended since the composing of the Irish troubles was henceforward to bee wrought by the garrisons planted in all parts vpon the Rebels and the setling of the State to be managed by Counsellors Sir Henry Dauers Serieant Maior of the Armie was the rather induced by the necessity of his priuate affaires to discontinue his seruice in Ireland Whereupon his place of Serieant Maior being void was conferred vpon Sir Arthur Chichester And because Sir Richard Moryson had a pretence to the place by former hopes giuen him from the Lord Deputy his Lordship to giue him contentment raised his Company of foote reduced lately in a generall cash to 150 to the former number of two hundred The seuen and twenty of September the Lord Deputy at Dublyn teceiued from the Lords in England this following letter directed to his Lordship and the Counsell of Ireland AFter our hearty commendations to your good Lordship and the rest of the Counsell there Whereas your Lordship in your late letters of the twenty nine of the last Iuly doth aduertise vs of a great abuse crept in amongst the Ministers of the victuals in that Realme namely that you cannot know from any of them when the victuals arriue in any Port nor whether it be of an old contract or a new nor whether it be for her Maiesty or themselues and by that meanes you can neuer find how you are prouided for nor what you may further expect and which is worse that the Rebels doe get of the best victuals that are sent thither and you cannot call the Victualer to acount thereof because he affirmes stifly that he is warranted by vs to sell it for his benefit and so as he sell it to the subiect how ill soeuer affected it is no fault of his if the Rebels afterwards get it Vpon this information from your Lordship we haue not onely called all the Victualers to account how this great abuse is committed but haue perused our former order taken this time 2 yeers when we contracted with them to appoint commissaries there for the keeping issuing of victuals by whose default being their Ministers it should seeme these lewd parts are plaied Therefore for your Lordships satisfaction in the first point the answer of Tolles and Cockain will suffice who doe absolutely affirme that they sent
thinke whom we know to be honest diligent and a sufficient seruant that we doe touch you in the least degree with lacke of sinceritie or desire to doe vs seruice for of both these Wee haue great reason to take gratious recognition but rather to let you to know how sensible We are of the clamour how negligent your Deputies haue been in many places to charge Vs here how great portion of treasures is due by your certificats and how necessary it is seeing but by this coyne those expences cannot be borne that all super fluous charge be cut off and this matter of the exchange corrected in some degree or other before like a Canker it consumes Our treasure which is the sinewes of our Crowne We pray you therefore as We doe meane here to doe with Our priuie Counsell call to you some three or foure of that Counsell of the best vnderstanding and thinke among you of some better cautions for this matter of exchange wherein seeing We doe see the State of that Kingdome principally with your eyes We shall be contented to incline most to those courses which you shall find conuenient And because no day goeth ouer our head wherein we are sure there is not some increase to that loade Wee doe hereby giue you Our Deputie authoritie without tarrying to aduertise Vs of your opinion one way or other to publish a Proclamation or order either for tolleration or explanation of the forme of Our former institutions which shall seeme best to you with consideration of all due circumstances not doubting but you shall finde many things which were fit for Vs to suffer in the beginning which by change of circumstances may now be altered And because in these matters of paiments which flow like bloud out of the vaines time is pretious if there be any thing which you and that Counsell shall find fit to be done for preuention of some part of this abundant consumption growing by the freedome of all persons to haue the exchange seeing the distance of place to be passed by sea is subiect to length and vncertaintie We are content prouisionally to warrant your proceedings in any thinh you doe or publish in Our name It remaineth now that We doe satisfie you Our Deputie of some other things contained in your priuate letters to the Secretary First for your doubt you may not vse your best meanes to explore the practices of Spaine and the inward treasons of the Rebell because your Ministers may often prooue vnhonest Wee haue no more to say then this That if you consider that We haue trusted you as absolutely with that Kingdome as euer We did Deputie you neede make small doubt of any other interpretation of your actions in that point towards you for when soeuer the greatest curiositie shall censure our actions it shall neuer appeare where Wee see faith and dutie onely intentionall in origine that Wee would be willing to censure the actions of Our Ministers according to the successe And therefore as We doe leaue liberty here in England to Our Secretary of State to employ such persons as are likest to discouer practises though Wee allow not any immediate treaties or corespondencies with subiects of other Prouinces but where We are particularly acquainted with it so doe We giue you warrant by such ordinarie meanes as may bee taken by opportunity of persons to passe to and fro vnder colours of trade or traffick to forraigne parts to informe your selfe of the enemies preparations in such things as belongs thereunto that you may be able from time to time to fashion your owne present proceedings according to such aduertisements as may be brought you seeing you may sometimes receiue them with more expedition and more freedome for things concerning that Realme then they can bee vsually conuaied to our Ministers here from those whom they imploy for our seruice from whence you haue seene what iudgement We haue made all this yeere of their distraction and weakenesse though We stick not in some measure to prouide for you though farre short of that which Wee must haue done if Wee had credited those bruites which were brought into that Kingdome by such as We are perswaded if it were wel obserued came out of Spaine ful of deuice and practice to blow that abroad which they beleeued not Next concerning your opinion for the ordering of some prouinciall Gouernements and making your residence at Athloue for the place VVee know it is scituate very well to answere all seruices and as things stand Vlster hath neede of good distribution now as much as Connaght wherein as VVe can very well like that you doe prepare for residence in that place whereby the limits of Our Pale may bee enlarged so VVe wish you that both in Vlster and in Connaght you doe fashion the commandment in such sort as one Gouernour haue not too much Countrie to rule for where men are more absolute then ordinary they are commonly apt to vse things with lesse care and moderation so as in that matter VVee confesse to you that VVee had rather haue many good subiects imployed in many places then any one to manage too much For the matter of charge of your residence because we know not what charge belongs vnto it to make the place capable nor how it may stand with the State of the Towne of Dublyn which is a Port and not to be ouerthrowne standing so commodiously for passage out of England We would haue all circumstances wel considered and then you shall receiue more of Our direction Lastly for Tyrone We doe so much mislike to giue him any grace that hath beene the onely author of so much effusion of bloud and the most vngratefull Viper to Vs that raised him and one that hath so often deceiued Vs both when hee hath craued his pardon and when he hath receiued it of Vs as when Wee consider how much the VVorld will impute to Vs of weakenesse to shew fauour to him now as if without that we could not giue an ende to this Rebellion VVee still remaine determined not to giue him grace in any kinde And seeing it is vnsafe for any Prince to make all faults appeare veniall because euery offender will thereby become insolent and seeing in common reason the cutting off so many associates must needes haue left him a bodie without limmes and so not worthy Our respecting VVee doe very well allow of your late reiecting him For when VVee looke on his manner of seeking mercy at all times VVe doe still certainely conclude that it is done vpon some practise to serue some present turne seeing one day hee onely desires simple mercy for his life and another day falles to capitulate neither can VVee see why so much depends vpon his reduction when for ought VVe know no man can aduise vs if hee should come in and bee at libertie hereafter out of Our hands how VVee could bee so assured of him but that still Wee must bee in
trust True it is that we conceiue you haue cause to maruell that in so great distance of time so smal quantitie of so great a masse as was prouided hath arriued there which if it hath happened by contrariety of winds onely then must your Lordship be satisfied and wee excused But howsoeuer it be by the coppie of the Contracts 〈◊〉 vnto your Lordship by vs with the charge the victuals did amount vnto we doubt not but you rest thorowly satisfied of our care and leaue vs rather cause to suspect that our former letters written to your Lordship concerning the victualing causes haue not come to your hands or that the contents of them are out of your remembrance For in them namely that of the fourth of August last wee did not onely send your Lordship as formerly wee did of all the rest a coppie of the contract made by the victualers but did satisfie you in diuers things whereof we doe find you do complaine which by our former letters we deliuered and signified at large and we both remember well the things you noted the course we held for your satisfaction To which we ad nothing more but doe repeate vnto you that we then did say in that point that wee finde it a great fault in the Commissaries of the victuals there that they do neuer informe you of the arriuall of victuals in those parts nor vpon what contract they are prouided which would well become both the Commissarie and Surueior of the victuals for by many letters sent from him to vs we are particularly certified both of the victuals that arriue there and vpon what contract they are furnished Besides the victualers here doe protest that they doe prouide no victuals at all but for the vse of the Armie and to furnish the contracts so as what quantities soeuer are sent thither the same are to be taken for her Maiesties vse and to bee accounted to furnish the contracts vntill they bee compleate and then the ouerplus is to passe to serue the next contract For it may fall out that such victuals as are sent to one place may by contrarietie of winds arriue in another Prouince or Port which now as the Purueiours doe informe vs hath of late happened to one of their Barkes driuen into Corke and there staied by the Gouernour which should haue come to Galloway and so that Towne thereby disfurnished and those that are sent sooner from hence may arriue later and sometimes miscarry But the chiefest matter that doth breede scruple doubt and matter of abuse is that there are not appointed there in the vsuall Ports where there are Magizines as in Dublin Carlingford Corke Lymricke Carickfergus Loughfoyle and Galloway some sufficient persons who with the Maior and Officers of the Ports may ouer-see the vnlading of the victuals from time to time and take knowledge of the goodnesse of the victuals and the quantities of the same and to charge the Surueyors of the victuals to performe their duties likewise and to be enformed of the fame and certifie you thereof wherein or in any other sort if any abuse be committed by the Commissaries it is both the earnest request of the Vndertakers and our absolute desire and that which your Lordships place doth require to see some exemplary punishment inflicted vpon them for their euill carriage which may and ought to be reformed So as for an answere to that letter we must still referre you to our former letters namely those of the fourth of August last forasmuch as is to bee performed by vs here who see and heare with others eyes and eares in that place and not our owne And where wee doe vnderstand by your late letters also that the Commissaries and Agents for the Vndertakers doe refuse to take beèues at twentie shillings a piece the victualers here doe not onely deny the same to be done by their priuitie but earnestly beseech vs as often they haue done that they may haue them at that price and in our letters sent by Necowmen at their entreatie we did require that your Lordship would bee pleased to take order they might haue at reasonable rates such beeues as were taken from the enemie which sute they doe renew and doe assure vs they will bee glad to receiue them at that rate And forasmuch as many great and heauie accounts are to bee taken before either reckonings can bee cleared or faults clearely distinguished her Maiestie hath resolued immediatly after Christmas to send ouer some well chosen Commissioners both for integritie and experience in all things in this nature to examine and suruey the state of her Maiesties receipts and issues To whom as shee nothing doubteth but your Lordship whose zeale and care appeares so greatly in her Maiesties seruice will giue the best support which you can possibly afford them so her Maiestie requireth your Lordship now vpon conference with the Counsell there to appoint a day for all those inferiour persons who haue any thing to doe with the matters of accounts receipts and expence to come to Dublin to the intent that those which shall be sent ouer may not loose their time by attending their repaire from remote places nor your Lordship whose eyes and iudgement will giue great light to that Commission may bee otherwise distracted by any new iournies or prosecutions to which the growing on of the yeere may inuite you For the present desire you haue that some Commissioners should be sent ouer for the passing of some lands to the Submitties with such reseruations as are fittest for her Maiestie shee meaneth presently to send ouer authorite accordingly liking very well amongst othings that you intend to cut off all dependancy vpon the Irish Lords which is one very necessarie consideration Lastly because your L p and the Counsell may know that although it is not to be looked for at the hands of any Prince that they should vnnecessarily keepe Companies in pay for the reliefe of any Captaine yet because her Maiesty in her owne disposition intendeth nothing lesse then to neglect those seruitors of hers whom you shall testifie to haue deserued extraordinarily being like to suffer penury by this cashering shee hath willed vs to let you know that shee is pleased to continue to euery such Captaine and so many other Officers as you thinke necessary their ordinary pay whereby they may bee enabled to maintaine themselues there about you for many good purposes vntill some other occasion offer itselfe to imploy them elsewhere or some Company there fall within your gift to conferre it vpon them which being done that entertainement may cease And now that you perceiue her Maiesties resolution whereof shee hath much hastened the sending away vnto you in which respect wee cannot so particularly touch all things as we would wee must now conclude that howsoeuer her Maiesties pleasure is that those errours of subordinate Ministers in these matters of accompts and reckonings should be thus mentioned to your
the Queene and to mingle lenity and seueritie so as some bee punished for these notorious abuses when they are apparantly proued let him rage and storme while he wil and others winked at whose faults are apparant and yet more closely carried from direct and manifest proofes by testimony of witnesses and therwithall to get what by faire meanes and by force as I see best occasion to temper them the best pledges he hath for himselfe and the best of his people into my hands being once possessed of them to keep them till I see greater cause of assurance of his fidelitie or at the least a lesse occasion of suspition which course I am alreadie entred into vnder a good colour as hauing taken his second sonne the elder being at Dublin together with two more of the chiefest men about him with his owne consent in the name of pledges for others but in truth most of all for himselfe I am not ignorant but he will grieuously complaine against me for those courses and many of our owne Nation will whet him forward some for want of knowledge of the truth some blinded with priuate malice against my owne person and whatsoeuer shall happen amisse vpon cause of his discontentment will be imputed to me and the corruption of my dealings but I flie to your honour for succour and gladly submit my selfe to a better course if I may be instructed for such is the state of the businesse betweene me and him without partiallitie or malice both vpon the dutie of my alleageance and perill of my soule Together with this letter Sir Henry Dockwra sent to his Lordship the copy of the following letter he had lately written to the Lords in England MOst Honourable Lords the iourny mentioned in my former letters and intended vpon Ocane I set forward on before Captain Vaughan departed the Riuer hauing first shipped all necessary prouisions for planting a Garrison at Colrane and seene them downe the Lough with a faire wind to carry them thither before I set forth How be it hauing passed through the Countrie and effected in a manner all things to my owne desire being come vnto the place I found not the ship nor any apparance of newes what was become of her which the Master excuseth but so as I leaue to your Lordships to iudge whether sufficiently or no this bearer being instructed with the full state of the cause The summe and effect of that iourney was that notwithstanding this I sent downe Captaine Orme with two hundred English and the Irish of Enishlowen to passe ouer at the Greene Castle by water to the end that he entring at one end of the Countrie and I at the other the prey might the more assuredly be takē or at least the more spoile done my selfe went ouerland passed two paces without resistance entred the third beate them from defence of it set fire on their Camp containing 30 great houses all full of Corne tooke Ocanes brother prisoner that had before perfidiously reuolted from the Queenes seruice whom I sacrificed in the place and so passed by not through the Wood because it was no ordinarily passage and a faire way did lie by the Sea side hard by so came into the Plaines and heart of the Countrie burning and spoiling till I met that night with Captaine Orme at a place of strength agreed vpon betweene vs who comming a way least looked for lighted vpon the killing of some few of the people and a small prey of fifty Cowes and fiue hundred sheepe for with the rest for all his sudden comming they made away and got to the Mountaines For foure daies space together afterwards I deuided the forces into three bodies and trauersed first about and then through the Country spoiling and burning such a quantity of Corne and number of houses as I should hardly haue beleeued so small a circuit of ground could haue afforded if I had not seene it And because I failed of meeting the ship I held my course towards Tyrone intending all vnder one iourney to haue wasted and spoiled as high as Dungannon but that I was preuented by a sudden thaw of weather after a long frost and snow which raised the Riuers that with much difficulty I could recouer home But being returned I met with letters from Dunagal aduertising me of their great want of victuall by reason that the ship which I had a moneth before dispatched away with all prouisions was not then arriued Whereupon hauing diuers other reasons also to draw me that way I resolued to make my next iourney thither and to settle and establish the Garrison of Ballyshannon So with one hundred Gartons loade of Bisket and munition I passed vnto them and happily relieued their greatest wants in a most seasonable time At my comming I found there was a ship from Galloway arriued within the harbor of Calbeg and during the time I was there the other that I had sent frō hence came also into the same harbor but by extremity of weather which I was ancie witnes vnto neither of thē both was able to put in either to Ballishannon or Dunnagall all the time I was there which was twenty dayes so that the further fruit of my comming thither consisted onely in this that I caused Neale Garue to make a cutting vpon the Country for Cowes wherwith the garrison was plentifully releeued went to Ashrawe and there left foure companies of foot and fifty horse which I carried from thence besides those that were at Dunagall before setled then there got in a sufficient quantity of Corne to feed the Horse neere all the Winter long fet in turffe and old houses for fewell by the commodity of the garrous which I carried with me saw the scituation of Bundroise and Dulike and all that part of the Countrey and so returned to Dunagall where I tooke in Mac Swine Fannaght and some others of the Countrey for whom Neale Garue had vndertaken and deliuered in pledges of his owne such as in truth I made choice of more to bridle himselfe then for any great assurance I thinke they are for the other Howbeit the state of things stood in such termes chiefely by reason of the extreme foulenesse of weather that I was not altogether vnwillingly drawne to accept of their subiection vpon slender assurance whom had the time serued to compell to other conditions I should hardly haue delt withall or giuen care vnto in any sort But this is the aduantage which I thinke my selfe to haue gained by taking them in that Neale Garues importunitie is satisfied who if his humours be altogether restrained will vndoubtedly proue a desperate Rebell himselfe settled in full possession of his owne Countrie if he can keep it furnished with meanes to feede his people of his own which before I could not be rid of but he would wring the Queens store and besides bee alwaies complaining as hee did still of his halfe pay in which notwithstanding he is now
so they become most miserable creatures so hard a thing is it to keepe them together to be turned ouer to other Companies when once they know of their cashering as I remember your Lordships haue noted the like difficulty in your letters to keepe together and to send ouer the whole numbers by you appointed to come into this Kingdome And in this cashering of Companies according to her Maiesties expresse pleasure which her Highnesse prescribeth to be of the Irish Companies that the English may subsist and be made strong although I would willingly performe this direction and to that end haue discharged a number of Irish Companies heretofore and now yet seeing the Arch-rebell doth yet hold out albeit I haue directed such a course for his prosecution by Sir Arthur Chichester who is in pursuit of him as before the Spring I hope he shall be quite broken and that this rebel O Rowrke hath drawne such a head together I thinke it not amisse yet to continue some of the Irish Companies for a time hoping with Gods good fauour that ere it be long I may reduce the Army to a lesser number and then with more conueniency and lesse danger may discharge the Irish Companies which in the meane time I will so exercise and employ as they shall not be idle but shall be still exposed to endure the brunt of the seruice vpon all occasions And touching the continuing of this seruice against the Rebell O-Rowrke and his Confederates which we are of opinion may not be delaied for the preuention of further dangers as also for the vpholding of her Maiesties Army in regard of the generall scarcity of all sorts of victuals in all parts of this Kingdome wee humbly pray your Lordships to remember that a proportion of victuals be sent to Galloway Ballishannon and Lymrick with all speed without the which we see no meanes how this seruice can be followed or the Army in generall may be preserued from perishing For where it is expected by your Lordships that some great numbers of Beeues and other victuals may be gotten from the Rebels we haue already so impouerished them by prosecutions as they are ready to starue And amongst the Subiects of the Pale their Haruest was so vnseasonable and their Corne was so destroied by the weather as numbers of subiects will vndoubtedly die of famine and we see no meanes for her Maiesties Army in this Kingdome to subsist especially for this present yeere but vpon prouisions to be sent out of England which in discharge of our bounden duties wee thought meet plainely to signifie vnto your Lordships and doe humbly leaue it to your carefull prouidence For such abuses as haue beene committed in disposing of the victuals we shall be ready vpon the arriuall of such Commissioners as are purposed to be sent to yeeld vnto them our best assistance and in the meane season to haue all things in readinesse against their comming The sixteenth of Ianuary the Lord Deputy receiued the following letter directed from her Maiesty to his Lordship and the rest of the Counsell for Ireland Elizabeth Regina RIght trusty and welbeloued We greet you well The abuses which by the frauds of Merchants doe daily multiply in the course of exchange doe cast vpon Vs so great burthen and We find them to be so impossible to be preuented by any cautions that can be deuised whereof wee haue sufficient proofe in the like fruit that followeth of the restraints made since the first Proclamation published as We can find no other way to remedy those inconueniences but by taking from the Merchant all benefit of exchange other then hereunder is mentioned in the forme of a Proclamation which We thinke good to be published in that Kingdome to make knowne to all men in what manner We intend to allow of the exchange from the day of the publishing thereof which therefore you shall cause to be done immediately vpon the receipt of these Our letters And for that Our intent is by this Proclamation as you may perceiue by the tenour thereof to explane all former Proclamations and Orders touching this matter of the exchange and that from the day of the publishing of this new declaration of Our pleasure the same onely be taken for the rule of the exchange and no benefit of Our former Proclamation to be allowed to any yet because in some of them there bee some clauses meet for Vs to be continued Wee haue here vnder made a short note of those clauses out of the said Proclamations which clauses Our pleasure is that you cause to bee taken verbatim and inserted into this Proclamation when you shall publish it or else to expresse the substance of them in such words as you shall thinke fit or to alter or omit any of them or to adde to this new direction for our aduantage requiring you in your consideration of this our purpose to cast aside all priuate respects and onely to aime at the ease of our great charge so farre forth as it may be done without inconueniency of greater moment to Our State there then our charge is to Vs. The Proclamation VPon the alteration of the Standard of Our Monies in this Realme whereunto Wee were led aswell by examples of Our Progenitors who had euer made a difference betweene the Monies of this Realme and Our Realme of England as also by a necessary prouidence of keeping the sterling Monies both from the hands of Our Rebels here and also from transportation into forraigne Countries which chiefly by the said Rebels and their Factors was done We did erect an Exchange for the vse of all sorts of Our Subiects others vsing entercourse between these 2 Realmes for conuerting of Monies of the new Standard of this Realme into sterling Monies in England and of English Monies into those of this Realme reciprocally hoping that the honest and vpright carriage of Merchants in an equal exercise of trafficke between the two Realmes would haue caused in the said Exchange an indifferent and mutuall commodity both to the Merchant for his trade and to Vs for Our payments and both their Our intentions haue concurred in preseruing the sterling Monies from the Rebels and from transportation into forraigne Countries but in this little time of experience which We haue made thereof being not yet two yeeres past Wee haue found Our expectation greatly deceiued and the scope giuen the first institution of the Exchange exceedingly abused by the slights and cunnings of Merchants which though Wee did immediatly vpon the beginning of the Exchange discouer to be breeding yet did Wee not thinke that the same would euer haue growne to such a hight as since We haue perceiued Wherefore We did by some restrictions and limitations seeke to containe those frauds within reasonable bounds but it falleth out that the remedies proposed haue beene so farre from the easing of the griefe as whatsoeuer hath beene by Vs prescribed for the redresse hath but
greater Forces then euer yet were kept in this Kingdome And although it hath beene seldome heard that any Army hath beene carried on with so continuall action and enduring without any intermission of Winter breathings and that the difficulties at this time to keepe any Forces in the place where we must make the warre but especially our Horse are almost beyond any hope to preuent yet with the fauour of God and her Maiesties fortune I doe determine my selfe to draw into the field as soone as I haue receiued her Maiesties commandements by the Commissioners whom it hath pleased her to fond ouer and in the meane time I hope by my owne presence or directions to set euery party on worke that doth adioyne or may bee drawne against any force that now doth remaine in rebellion In which iourney the successe must bee in the hands of God but I will confidently promise to omit nothing that is possible by vs to bee done to giue the last blow vnto the Rebe lion But as all paine and anguish impatient of the present doth vse change for a remedie so will it bee impossible for vs to settle the mindes of this people vnto a peace or reduce them vnto order while they feele the smart of these sensible grietes and apparant feares which I haue remembred to your Lordships without some hope of redresse or securitie Therefore I will presume how vnworthy soeuer I am since it concernes the Prouince her Maiestie hath giuen me with all humblenesse to lay before your graue iudgements some few things which I thinke necessarie to bee considered of And first whereas the alteration of the coine and taking away of the exchange in such measure as it was first promised hath bred a generall grieuance vnto men of all qualities and so many incommodities to all sorts that it is beyond the iudgement of any that I can heare to preuent a confusion in this estate by the conunuance thereof that at the least it would please your Lordships to put this people in some certaine hope that vpon the ende of the warre this new standard shall bee abolished or eased and that in the meane time the Armie may bee fauourably delt with in the Exchange since by the last Proclamation your Lordships sent ouer they doe conceiue their case will bee more hard then any others for if they haue allowed them nothing but indefinitely as much as they shall meerely gaint out of their intertainements that will proue nothing to the greater part For the onely possibility to make them to liue vpon their intertainement will bee to allow them exchange for the greatest part thereof since now they doe not onely pay excessiue prices for all things but can hardly get any thing for this money and although wee haue presumed to alter in shew though not effect the Proclamation in that point by retaining a power in our selues to proportion their allowance for exchange yet was it with a minde to conforme our proceedings therein according to your Lordships next directions and therefore doe humbly desire to know your pleasures therein For our opinions of the last proiect it pleased your Lordships to send vs I doe humbly leaue it to our generall letters onely as from my selfe I made ouerture to the Counsell of the other you sent directed onely to my selfe and because I found them generally to concurre that it would proue as dangerous as the first I did not thinke it fit any otherwise to declare your Lordships pleasure therein And whereas it pleased your Lordships in your last letters to command vs to deale moderately in the great matter of Religion I had before the receit of your Lordships letters presumed to aduise such as delt in it for a time to hold a more restrained hand therein and we were both thinking ourselues what course to take in the reuocation of what was already done with least incouragement to them and others since the feare that this course begun in Dublin would fal vpon the rest was apprehended ouer all the Kingdom so that I think your Lordships direction was to great purpose the other course might haue ouerthrowne the meanes to our owne end of reformation of religion Not that I thinke too great precisenesse can bee vsed in the reforming of our selues the abuses of our owne Clergie Church-liuings or discipline nor that the truth of the Gospell can with too great vehemency or industrie bee set forward in all places and by all ordinary meanes most proper vnto it selfe that was first set forth and spread in meekenesse nor that I thinke any corporall prosecution or punishment can be too seuere for such as shall bee found seditious instruments of forraigne or inward practises nor that I thinke it fit that any principall Magistrates should bee chosen without taking the Oath of Obedience nor tollerated in absenting themselues from publike Diuine Seruice but that wee may bee aduised how wee doe punish in their bodies or goods any such onely for Religion as doe professe to bee faithfull subiects to her Maiestie and against whom the contrarie can not be proued And since if the Irish were vtterly rooted out there was much lesse likelihood that this Countrey could be thereby in any time planted by the English since they are so farre from inhabiting well any part of that they haue already and that more then is likely to be inhabited may be easily chosen out and reserued in such places by the Sea-side or vpon great Riuers as may be planted to great purpose for a future absolute reducement of this Countrey I thinke it would asmuch auaile the speedy setling of this Countrey as any thing that it would please her Maiesty to deale liberally with the Irish Lords of Countries or such as now are of great reputation among them in the distribution of such lands as they haue formerly possessed or the State here can make little vse of for her Maiesty If they continue as they ought to doe and yeeld the Queene as much commodity as she may otherwise expect shee hath made a good purchase of such subiects for such land If any of them hereafter be disobedient to her lawes or breake forth in rebellion shee may when they shall be more diuided ruine them more easily for example vnto others and if it be thought fit may plant English or other Irish in their Countries For although there euer haue beene and hereafter may be small eruptions in some places which at the first may easily be suppressed yet the suffering them to grow to that generall head and combination did questionlesse proceed from great errour in the iudgement here and may be easily as I thinke preuented hereafter And further it may please her Maiesty to ground her resolution for the time and numbers of the next abatement of the lyst of her Army somewhat vpon our poore aduice from hence and to beleeue that wee will not so farre corrupt our iudgements with any priuate respect as
Roman Religion with the appeasing thereof in the beginning of the yeere 1603. Together with the Lord Deputies recalling into England and the rewards there giuen him for his seruice in the beginning of the yeere 1603 with mention of his vntimely death within few yeeres after and a word of the State of Ireland some ten yeeres after THE fiue and twentieth of March in the beginning of the yeere 1603 the Lord Deputy wrote this following letter from Mellifant Sir Garret Moores house to Master Secretary in England SIR I haue receiued by Captaine Hayes her Maiesties letters of the sixth of February wherein I am directed to send for Tyrone with promise of securitie for his life onely and vpon his arriuall without further assurance to make stay of him till her pleasure should bee further knowne and at the same time I receiued another from her Maiestie of the seuenteenth of February wherein it pleased her to inlarge the authority giuen vnto me to assure him of his life liberty and pardon vpon some conditions remembred therein And withall I receiued a letter from your selfe of the eighteenth of February recommending to me your owne aduice to fulfill as far as I possibly could the meaning of her Maiesties first letter and signifying her pleasure that I should seeke by all the best meanes I can to promise him his pardon by some other name then Earle of Tyrone and rather by the name of Barron of Dungannon or if it needes must bee by the name of some other Earle Secondly to deliuer him his Country in lesse quantity and with lesse power then before he had it And lastly to force him to cleare his paces and passages made difficult by him against any entrie into his Countrie And now since it hath pleased her Maiesty by so great a trust to giue me so comfortable Arguments of her fauour I am incouraged the more freely to presume to declare my selfe in this great matter which I call great because the consequence is great and dangerous to be delt in without the warrant of her gratious interpretation And though my opinion herein should proceede from a long and aduised consideration described with large and many circumstances and confirmed with strong and iudiciall reasons yet because I thinke it fit to hasten away this messenger I will write of these things somewhat though on the sudden and commit the rest to the sufficient iudgement and relation of the Lord President now in his iourney towards you and the rather because I finde him to concurre with mee in the apprehension of this cause and of the state of all other things of this Kingdome And first for her Maiesties first letter I pray you Sir beleeue me that I haue omitted nothing both by power and policy to ruine him and vtterly to cut him off and if by either I may procure his head before I haue engaged her Royall word for his safety I doe protest I will doe it and much more be ready to possesse my selfe of his person if by only promise of life or by any other meanes wherby I shal not directly scandal the maiesty of publike faith I can procure him to put himself into my power But to speak my opinion freely I thinke that he or any man in his case would hardly aduenture his liberty to preserue onely his life which he knoweth how so well to secure by many other waies for if he flie into Spaine that is the least wherof he can be assured and most men but especially he doe make little difference betweene the value of their life and liberty and to deceiue him I thinke it will bee hard for though wiser men then hee may be ouer-reached yet he hath so many eyes of iealousie awake that it will bee vnpossible to charme them and I do vpon assured ground beleeue that it is nothing but feare of his safety that of a long time especially of late hath kept him frō conformity to the State and if any thing do keep him now from accepting the lowest conditions and from setling himself and his hart to a constant seruing of her Maiestie it will be feare of an absolute forgiuenes or the want of such an estate as may in any measure cōtent him The danger of his subsisting as he doth is either if there come no forraine forces to maintaine still a loose head of Rebellion which will be better able to offend any such as are become subiects then we can be if we were a thousand times more to defend them at all times and in all places to stirre vp and to maintaine al humors and to be a wound remaining open vnto which they may haue recourse and vpon all accidents bee readie to swell or to infect the whole bodie of this Kingdome Otherwise if there should be any inuasion to be a powerfull and politick head to draw this Countrie to their assistance If there come no forraigne Forces and that hee should bee cut off yet is it likely some other in the nature of a spoiling outlaw would arise vp in his place as ill as himselfe and if hee bee kept prisoner the like effects will arise as if hee were dead If hee bee cut off or kept prisoner and the Spaniards should arriue most of the Swordmen will flocke vnto them for aduantage of pay and the discontentment of Lords of Countries would be as great or greater then if hee were amongst them and therefore they as likely to fall then as now to the Spanish partie but if it were possible to make him a good subiect the vse her Maiestie may make of him must bee amongst these people since during his life and libertie none will aspire to that place of O Neale which doth carrie with it so great an interest in the North and what interest hee hath hee may bee led to employ to suppresse and settle the mindes of the people to gouernement and hauing once declared himselfe to bee a dutifull subiect it will be first a great discouragement for the Spaniards to come and if they doe come if hee continue honest his presence and interest will sway the North from giuing them assistance or annoying the subiects if we withdraw our Garrisons and make the rest of Ireland more aduised how they declare themselues against the State Sir to conclude because I cannot shortly expresse mine owne minde herein I thinke it best if it please her Maiestie to receiue him to her mercy so that first his submission bee made in as humble sort and as much for her Maiesties Honour as can be deuised and then that she assure him of absolute forgiuenesse and forgetting of his faults and as much honour and profit as he had before prouided that wee take from him as much as possibly wee may those lockes wherein his chiefest strength lyes Otherwise I am perswaded either the Queene shal not serue her owne turne by him if shee keepe him prisoner or he will serue his turne if he liue at
true obedience to her royall person crown prerogatiue and lawes and to be in all things as farre and as dutifully conformable thereunto as I or any other Nobleman of this Realme is bound by the duty of a subiect to his Soueraigne or by the Lawes of this Realme vtterly renouncing and abiuting the name and title of O Neale or any other authoritie or claime which hath not beene granted or confirmed vnto mee by her Maiesty and that otherwise by the Lawes of this Realme I may not pretend inst interest vnto and I doe religiously sweare to performe so much as is aboue mentioned and the rest of these Articles subscribed by my owne hand as farre as shall any way lie in my power and to deliuer such pledges for the performance thereof as shall be nominated vnto me by the Lord Deputy I doe renounce and abiure all forraigne power whatsoeuer and all kind of dependancy vpon any other Potentate but her Maiesty the Queene of England France and Ireland and doe vow to serue her faithfully against any forraigne power inuading her Kingdomes and to discouer truely any practises that I doe or shall know against her roiall person or Crownes and namely and especially I doe abiure and renounce all manner of dependancy vpon the King or Estate of Spaine or treaty with him or any of his confederates and shall be ready with the vttermost of my ability to serue her Maiesty against him or any of his forces or confederates I doe absolutely renounce all challenge or intermedling with the Vriaghts or softering with them or other neighbour Lords or Gentlemen out of my Countrey or exacting any blacke rents of any Vriaghts or bordering Lords I doe resigne all claime and title to any lands but such as shall be now granted vnto me by her Maiesties Letters Pattents Lastly as the onely being a Subiect doth include all the duties of a Subiect so will I be content to be informed and aduised by her Magistrates here and will be conformable and assisting vnto them in any thing that may tend to the aduancement of her seruice and the peaceable gouernement of this Kingdome as namely for the abolishing of all barbarous customes contrary to the lawes being the seeds of all inciuility and for the cleering of difficult passages and places which are the nurseries of rebellion wherein I will employ the labours of the people of my Countrey in such sort and in such places as I shall be directed by her Maiesty or the Lord Deputy and Counsell in her name and will endeuour for my selfe and the people of my Countrey to erect ciuill habitations and such as shall bee of greater effect to preserue vs against theeues and any force but the power of the State by the which we must rest assured to be preserued as long as we continue in our duties This submission was presented by the Earle of Tyrone kneeling on his knees before the Lord Deputy and Counsell and in the presence of a great assembly At the same time the Earle promised to write vnto the King of Spaine for the recalling of his sonne from thence into Ireland and to doe the same at such time and in such words as the Lord Deputy should direct Likewise he vowed to discouer how farré he had proceeded with the King of Spaine or any other forraigne or domesticall enemies for past or future helpes and combinations Then the Lord Deputy in the Queenes name promised to the Earle for himselfe and his followers her Maiesties gratious pardon and to himselfe the restoring of his dignity of the Earledome of Tyrone and of his bloud and likewise new letters Pattents for all his lands which in his former letters had been granted to him before his rebellion excepting onely the Country possessed by Henrie Oge Oneale and the Fues possessed by Turlogh Mac Henrie to both which at their submission the Lord Deputie had formerly promised that they should hold the same immediately from the Queene to which ende this exemption and reseruation was now made of these Countries and the disposing of them left to her Maiesties power And likewise excepting and reseruing three hundred acres of land to bee laid to the Fort of Mountioy and three hundred more to the Fort of Charlemont during her Maiesties pleasure to hold any Garrisons in the said Forts To these exemptions of Henrie Oge and Turlogh Mac Henrie their Countries and themselues from the Earles right or power he gaue his full consent as likewise to the reseruation of the lands laid to the said Forts He promised to reduce his Countrie to pay her Maiestie like composition as Connaght now did and for long time had paied and to answere rising out of souldiers and all charges for aduancing her Maiesties seruice The third of Aprill the Lord Deputy hauing the Earle of Tyrone in his companie rode to Tredagh and from thence vpon the fourth day to Dublyn The next day an English ship arriued in that Hauen in which came Sir Henrie Dauers who brought with him letters from the Lords in England aduertising the Queens death and that Iames the first was proclaimed King of England Scotland France and Ireland the coppy of which Proclamation they sent to the end it should here be published in like sort Also in the same ship came one Master Liegh kinsman to the Lord Deputy who brought his Lordship a fauourable letter from the King out of Scotland This Master Liegh his Lordship presently graced with the honour of Knighthood And concerning the gentleman formerly spoken of whose seruant brought the first newes of the Queenes death I was not deceiued in the honour I did ominate to him as I haue formerly written for after he had followed my aduice in the manner of his imparting that important newes to the Lord Deputy his Lordship conceiued so good an opinion of him for his discretion and for the particular affection hee had expressed towards him by the tender of his seruice in following his fortune this doubtfull time as his Lordship did not onely by the way from Meltfant to Dublyn extraordinarily grace him and often call him not without some admiration of the better sort of his traine to ride by his side talking familiarly with him but now vpon his arriuall to Dublyn vpon this occasion of honouring his cozen Leigh did also knight him In the meane time according to the Lord Deputies commandement the Counsellers of the State the Noblemen Knights and chiefe Commanders of the Army then being at Dublyn assembled together in the Castle to whom his Lordship made knowne the Queenes death and the Kings Proclamation which he first then all in course signed and presently taking Horse with ioyfull acclamations published the same through the chiefe streets of Dublyn I cannot omit to mention that the Earle of Tyrone vpon the first hearing the Lord Deputies relation of the Queenes death could not containe himselfe from shedding of teares in such quantity as it could not well
the other third part of that allowance except he had other great Fees and place of commodity in this Kingdome his Lordship nominated as before Sir George Cary to be most fit for that place some other Counsellers being in this one point ioyned with him namely to signe all such warrants as should be signed for the disbursing of the Treasure The instructions giuen to Master Cooke were these To procure a new Pattent to the Lord Mountioy with title of Lord Lieutenant and with authority to leaue Sir George Carey Treasurer at Warres to be Lord Deputy and so his Lordship to come presently ouer 2. To procure new Pattents for Wards letting of the Kings lands compounding the Kings debts c. as before 3. To solicite for victuall munition and mony 4. To moue the change of the base coine now currant 5. To aduertise the newes from Spaine 6. To solicite the sending of new Seales namely the great Seale Signets Counsell seales for the State Mounster and Connaght for the Kings Bench Common pleas and Exchequer 7. To procure authoritie to passe estates to the Irish Lords After King Iames his Proclamation at Dublin the Lord Deputy sent like Proclamations to all Gouernours Magistrates and Officers of Prouinces Cities and Countries to be in like sort published and with all made knowne to them seuerally his Maiesties pleasure signified in his letters directed to the Lords in England to continue all Gouernours Magistrates and Officers and all his Maiesties Ministers as well Martiall as Ciuill of both the Kingdomes of England and Ireland in as absolute authorities and iurisdictions of their places as before the decease of the late Queene Elizabeth of famous memory they enioyed and exercised the same as also to continue and establish all the Lawes and Statutes of both Kingdomes in their former force and validity till such time as his Maiesty should please to take fuller knowledge and resolue for the publik good of any alteration not intended but vpon some speciall and waighty causes and should please to giue notice of his pleasure Further his Lordship aduised them to concurre with him in the vigilant care to present all things in the best estate might be to the first view of so worthy and mighty a Soueraigne The twelfth of Aprill the Lord Deputy receiued letters from Sir Charles Wilmott and Sir George Thorneton appointed Commissioners with ioynt authority for gouerning the Prouince of Mounster in the absence of Sir George Carew Lord President late gone for England aduertising that they had blocked vp Mac Morrish in the Castle of Billingarry belonging to the Lord Fitz-morrice and hoped by the taking thereof to cleere the Prouince of all open Rebels The fifteenth of Aprill his Lordship receiued a letter from Ororke humbly imploring the Queenes mercy and the same day after his hearing of the Queenes death another in like humblenesse crauing the Kings mercy The sixteenth day his Lordship receiued letters from the Mayor of Corke aduertising that hee had receiued the Kings Proclamation the eleuenth of Aprill and had deferred the publishing thereof to this day onely to the end it might be doue with more solemnity humbly praying that in regard the Fort built for defence of the Harbour of Corke from forraigne inuasion was not kept by a Commander sufficient to secure the same for the Crowne his Lordship would accept the offer of him the Mayor and therest of the corporation of the said City to keepe the same for his Maiesty at their owne perill Lastly complaining that the Souldiers now keeping the Fort did shoote at the Fishermen and at the Boates sent out of the Towne for prouisions vsing them at their pleasure The same sixteenth day his Lordship was aduertised by seuerall letters First that the Citizens of Waterford had broken vp the doores of the Hospitall and had admitted one Doctor White to preach at Saint Patrickes Church and had taken from the Sexton the keyes of the Cathedrall Church of themselues mutinously setting vp the publike celebration of the Masse and doing many insolencies in that kind Secondly that Edward Raghter a Dominican Frier of Kilkenny assisted by some of the Towne came to the Blacke-Fryers vsed for a Session-House and breaking the doores pulled downe the benches and seates of Iustice building an Altar in the place of them and commanded one Biship dwelling in part of the Abbey to deliuer him the keyes of his House who was to take possession of the whole Abbey in the name and right of the Friers his brethren The eighteenth day his Lordship was aduertised from the Commissioners of Mounster that the Citizens of Corke had not onely refused to ioine with them in publishing the Proclamation of King Iames but had drawne themselues all into Armes and kept strong guardes at their Ports and had absolutely forbidden the Commissioners to publish the same with such contemptuous words and actions as would haue raised a mutiny if they had not vsed greater temper That the Townesmen had made stay of boats loaded with the Kings victuals and munition for the Fort of Haleholin saying that the Fort was built within their Franchizes without their consent and was meetest to be in the custody of the City Whereupon they the said Commissioners accompanied with the Lord Roche and some 800 persons of the Countrey all expressing muchioy but none of the Citizens assisting or expressing any ioy did publish the Proclamation vpon an hill neere the Towne with as much solemnity as might be and had furnished the Fort with victuals and munition from Kinsale And they besought his Lordship speedily to reestablish by new Letters Pattents the Magistrates authority because the ceasing thereof by the Queenes death had especially emboldened these Citizens to be thus insolent The same day one Edward Gough a Merchant of Dublyn newly comming out of Spaine and examined vpon oath said that at Cales he saw the Ordinance shipped to S. Lucas for forty sayle as he heard there ready to goe for Lisbone where was a fleete of 140 ships prepared as some said for Ireland or as others said for Flaunders but hee heard no Generall named onely heard that Don Iean de l'Agula was againe receiued to the Kings fauour The 22 day his Lordship wrote to the Soneraigne of Kilkenny that howsoeuer he had no purpose violently to reforme Religion in this Kingdome but rather prayed for their better vnderstanding yet he could not permit yea must seuerely punish in that Towne and otherwhere the seditious mutinous setting vp of the publike exercise of Popish Religion without publike authority and likewise with preiudice done to those of the prosession established by God and by the Lawes of both the Realmes requiring that hee and they should desist from such mutinous disorders apprehending the chiefe authors and if they wanted power to suppresse the sedition of a few Priests Friers his L P offered to assist them with the Kings forces for he would not faile to giue life to the
that being a publike place I cannot but take notice thereof and maruell how you dare presume to dispose at your pleasure of the Abbey or any thing belonging to his Maiesty and therefore againe charge you vpon your alleagiance to forbeare any publike exercise of that Religion prohibited by the Lawes of this Realme and fully to reforme these disorders according to my directions vpon your extreame perill The same day his Lordship wrote this following letter to the Mayor of Corke AFter my very hearty commendations I did first receiue some mutual complaints informations from the cōmissioners of Mounster you wherof so far as they concerne your particulars I will take notice be glad to heare you both or your Agents for you reforme what I shall find amisse in either but of publike offences or errours I must take publike knowledge And first for the Proclamation of the King wherein I am informed that you were not onely your selues slow and backward but made resistance to those who being Gouernours in that Prouince in our late Soueraignes time and hauing our directions were not like to abuse or deceiue you and offered with due forwardnes and obedience after your vnfitting and dangerous delaies to haue published the same whereof I cannot but maruell and thinke you much to be blamed in so vndoubtfull a right and with directions receiued from those in authority to make such needlesse consultations and much more to offer violent resistance to those who better vnderstood their duties and were euer ready in so much loyalty to performe it yet in regard of your solemne and ioyfull publication thereof I am willing to interpret your actions to the best and take your good performance for an excuse But I am further giuen to vnderstand that you haue suffered the publike celebration of the Masse to be set vp in your City of your owne fancies and without publike authority both against the lawes of this Realme and I assure you contrary to that Religion which his Maiesty zealously professeth Whereof I cannot but take publike notice as you haue publikely offended the King and his Lawes and as I haue done before so againe I charge you vpon your alleagiance to desist from such seditious insolencies and to apprehend the chiefe Authours thereof which if you doe not presently obey I shall be forced against my will to vse his Maiesties Sword and Power to suppresse the same Further you haue by your letters made suit vnto me to haue the Kings Fort Halebolin committed to your custody and I am informed that you haue proceeded in that insolency as to stay his Maiesties Munition and victuals and Artillery which vpon speciall trust of your loyalty was kept in your City from being transported from thence to the reliefe of the Kings Fort. It may be you haue rashly and vnaduisedly done this vpon some opinion of the ceasing of authority in the publike gouernement vpon the death of our late Soueraigne which is somewhat more though no way in true and seuere iudgement excusable and I thinke otherwise you would neuer haue beene so foolish to runne into so great danger but since as it hath pleased his Maiesty to renue and confirme vnto me by his royall letters and Letters Pattents vnder his Scale the place of his Deputy in this Kingdome and to signifie his gracious pleasure to continue all other his Officers and Magistrates aswell martiall as ciuill in their former authority and iurisdictions so by vertue thereof and power giuen me from his Maiesty I haue renewed the Lord Presidents Pattent and granted a new commission to Sir Charles Wilmott and Sir George Thornton with charge and authority to gouerne the Kings Forces Forts and places of strength and to defeud the Townes from forraigne inuasions and intestine mutinics or rebellions and further to gouerne that Prouince according to his Maiesties directions In which command of theirs there is no derogation from your ciuill gouernement and limited authority if you rightly vnderstand the one and the other Therefore as you should at first haue concurred with them put in so great place of trust ouer you by your late Queene and Mistresse especially in dangerous times of change for the peaceable gouernement of all vnder both your charges that you might haue deserued his Maiesties gracious acceptance of your seruice by presenting all things in the best state you could to his Highnesse first view so now I require you vpon your allegiannce to be assisting and obedient to them in all things touching his Maiesties seruice and not to presume to interrupt the conuayance of the Kings victusls munition or artillery vnto such places as shall be thought fit by them for the furnishing of his Maicstics Forts or Forces wheresoeuer they thinke conuenient This if you shall performe I shall be glad to interpret your past actions to the best finding your endeauours to redeeme what you haue done amisse and not bee forced against my will to take notice of the height of your offences or errours and vse his Maiesties power to redresse them I haue since the writing hereof seene a letter presented me by Master Meade in deniall and excuse of these informations and if I shall find you conformable and obedient to these my directions I will be glad to haue occasion to interpret all things past in the better part and take as little notice as I can thereof And so c. The same day the Lord Deputy wrote this following letter to the Mayor of Lymricke AFter my hearty commendations I haue not written vnto you that I remember since I sent you directions for the Proclamation of the King which because I vnderstand you published according to your duety with all due solemnity and signes of ioy and continued in duetifull sort not being seduced vnto disorders as some of the Townes of that Prouince were I thought rather to haue cause to commend you and giue you encouragement in your loyall proceedings then any way to blame you but I haue since beene enformed that you haue taken example of other Cities seduced by their Priests and against his Maiesties Lawes and I assure you contrary to the religion he zealously professeth vpon your owne fancies without authority set vp the publike celebration of the Masse whereof I cannot but take publike notice as you hane publikely offended the King and his lawes and therefore I charge you vpon your alleagiance to desist from such seditious insolencies and to apprehend the chiefe authours thereof which if you doe not presently obey I shall be forced against my will to take more seuere notice thereof then willingly I would And so hoping that in a matter of so great consequence you will be better aduised I expect to haue answere from you The eight and twentieth day his Lordship wrote this following letter to the Commissioners of Mounster AFter my hearty commendations I haue already sent you your Commission renewed for continuance of your authority and signed the
dispensation on their side Therefore let the Papists feare to giue their followers leaue to heare vs in our Schooles or Churches lest they be chained with the force of truth And let vs securely permit our men to passe into the heart of Italy so they be first of ripe yeeres and well instructed Vpon my word they run no other danger then the escaping the snares of the Inquisition of which discretion I shall speake at large in the foure and twentieth Precept of Dissimulation in the next Chapter If any man obiect that some of our young Schollers haue passed into their Seminaries beyond the Seas let him consider that they were not seduced abroad but first infected at home in their parents houses and our Vniuersities which mischiefe Parents and Magistrates ought to preuent by keeping the suspected at home for the rest there is no danger But behold when I thought to haue finished my taske carpers consumed with enuie who barke at trauellers as dogs at the Moone and thinking to gaine reputation by other mens disgrace they are not ashamed to say that vagabond Caine was the first Traueller Old Writers I confesse sometimes vse the word of Perigrination for banishment but God be praised here is no question made of banished or cursed men driuen out from the sight of God They which spend the greater part of their yeeres in forraigne places as it were in voluntary banishment may more instly bee compared to Caine and are not vnlike to rude Stage players who to the offence of the beholders spend more time in putting on their apparrell then in acting their Comedy for life is compared to a stage and our Parents and Kins-men expecting our proofe to the beholders Therefore it is fit to restraine this course within due limits to which the Romans as Suetonius writes prescribed perhaps too strictly three yeeres In the last place they that detract from Trauellers to the end they may choke vs with our owne disdaine if not with arguments send out their spyes in their last skirmish to cast this Dart at vs. After so many dangers and troubles how many of you after your returne are preferred in the Common-wealth To what purpose doe you tire your selues in attaining so many vertues Is it to exercise them leaning on a plowmans or shepheards staffe I should enter a most spacious field of common griefe if I should search the causes why in our age great part of the Counsellours of States and Peeres of Realmes rather desire to haue dull and slothfull companions then those that are wise and ambitious and so in like sort rather base and expert ready seruants then those thot are free and learned Knowledge puffeth vp and I remember of late a learned Physician who being sent for by a great Lord and he being offended at his long stay freely and boldly answered that knowledge could not dance attendance Hence is our calamity to omit the more curious search of this euill whose first encounter astonisheth me though I am not ignorant of the cause but let him that cast this Dart tell me whether this ill be uot common to all men of vertue and if it be so he must at least confesse with the Poet Solamen miser is socios habuisse doloris Partners in griefe doe solace giue And let all rare men in any kind of vertue when they are despised or neglected comfort themselues with this Phylosophicall precept of Aristotle that vertue is desired for it selfe not for any thing else So I say the fruit of trauell is trauell it selfe Hauing thus retorted our enemies weapons vpon their owne breasts because the common sort is more moued with examples then arguments it remaines that in the last place I should adorne the triumph of this vertuous industry with some few and speciall examples Many have beene found who haue passed into remote parts of the World onely to gaine health farre greater is the number of them who as the Poet saith Pauperiem fugiunt vltra Garamant as Indos Who further runne to shunne base pouerty Then Garamants and Indians doely And greatest is the number of them who following the standard of ambition haue pierced to the very gates of hell with sound of Drummes and Trumpets To conclude as diligent Merchants gather precious wares into one storehouse so Phylophers haue from the first ages of the World passed by flockes into forraigne parts to gaine knowledge as the Egyptians into Chaldea the Greekes into Egypt and the Romans into Greece Pythagorus walked sarre and neere not onely to learne but also in diuers places to get Disciples whom he might teach for the Poet saith well Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter To know auaileth thee no whit If no man know thou knowest it To be briefe if wee will credit old monuments which I confesse to suspect hee came in person and sowed the precepts of his Phylosophy euen among the Britaines deuided from all the World Plato hath written some-what too seuerely against Trauellers perhaps like Alexander the Great who was angry with his Master Aristotle because hee had published the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hee had read vnto him thereby leauing him nothing wherein he might excell others so Plato hauing gotten the name of Diuine by his very trauels would forbid or limit the same to others that he might shine among the Phylosophers Velut inter stellas Luna minores As the bright Moone among the lesser starres It is most certaine that hee was not onely industrious but euen curious in this course so as he sayled into Sicily the entrance of which Iland was vpon paine of death forbidden to strangers onely that he might see the burning of the Mountaine AEtna Apelles by drawing of a most subtile lyne at Rhodes was made knowne to Protogenes Homer being blind yet ceased not to trauell In our Age they which are renowned at home for any Art are not content therewith except they may passe into forraigne Courts to make knowne their skill The most ancient Lawgiuers got the experience by which they had rule in their Cities not by secure study at home but by aduenturous trauels abroad as the Poet saith Ingenium mala saepe mouent Aduersities doe often whet our wits Moyses Orpheus Draco Solon Mines Rhadamanthus Licurgus and almost all the Consuls of Rome themselues had beene in forraigne parts and granted ample priuiledges to strangers Among Physicians we read that Esculapius and Hypocrates trauelled and that Galene was at Smyrna Corinth Alexandria in Palestine at Lemnos Ciprus and at Rome and Auicenna boasteth that he had passed through the whole World I know that many in our Vniuersities become learned Physicians but no doubt they would haue beene more learned if they had passed into forraigne parts One Land yeeldeth not all things A man shall hardly learne at home the diuers natures of hearbes and other things or the diuers dispositions of one and the same body according to
the measure There be in the same golden Bull many Lawes made against drunkennesse at such time as the Germans hauing warre with the Turkes beganne to looke into themselues for reforming of notorious vices wherein it is decreed that Courtiers giuen to this vice should be expelled the Courts of Princes and that all Magistrates should search out drunkards and seuerely punish them But giue me one Prince free of this vice who may thus punish his Courtiers My selfe being at a great Dukes funerall did see a Prince his neere cozen drinke so stiffely to expell sorrow as all his sences and almost his spirits were suffocated there with and of many Princes there present pardon me to speake truth I did not see one sober at this funerall Feast what would these Princes haue done at a Marriage Princes haue a custome to drinke by Attourney when they are sickely or ill disposed and many times they reward this substitute strongly bearing much drinke as for a good seruice to the Common wealth yet except they be very sicke few are found which will not in person performe their owne taske Giue me one Magistrate of so many thousands who with his owne innocency is armed with boldnesse to punish others Giue mee one I am ashamed to say it but truth is truth I say giue me one Minister of Gods Word who preacheth against excesse of drinking My selfe haue heard some hundreths of their Sermons yet neuer heard any inuectiue against this vice Turpe est Doctori cam eulpa redurguit ipsum The teacher needs must be ashamed Who for the same offence is blamed Onely the Weomen of Germany are most temperate in eating and drinking and of all I did euer see most modest in all kinds of vertue yet the Weomen of Bohemia vse as great or little lesse excesse in drinking as Men not without a staine to their reputation of chastity The Weomen of Germany haue a custome to helpe their Husbands or Friends by sipping of the cup but I did neuer see any chast woman as most of them are drinke largely much lesse to be drunken But for Men of all sorts whatsoeuer Si quoties peccant toties sua fulmina mittat Princeps exiguo tempore inermis erit If the Prince smite as oft as they offend His Sword and Arme will faile him ere the end Thus howsoeuer the Germans be honest deceiuing neither stranger nor Countrey man and haue abundance of all things to sustaine life yet strangers by reason of the generall in temperance of the Nation are either allured to participate this vice of drinking with them or at least by ill custome are drawne to partake their punishment in paying of the shot and through their churlish rusticity are ill entertained and yet forced to reward the seruants whose attendance deserues nothing lesse It remaines that I should enforme passengers how to apply themselues to the Germans in this drinking custome so as at least with lesse hurt or offence they may passe throught their territories For those who passe suddenly through the same without long abode in any place nothing is more easie then to shunne all participation of this nice by consorting themselues with fit companions in their journey so as they being the greater part as well in the Coach as at the Table may rather draw the lesser part in sobriety then be induced by them to excesse But they who desire to conuerse with the 〈◊〉 and to learne their language cannot possibly keepe within the bounds of 〈◊〉 and must vse art to shunne great or daily excesse Such a passenger sitting do 〈◊〉 Table must not presently drinke of all the Cups begunne to him from others for the Germans are so exceeding charitable to all Men as they will furnish him presently with new Cuppes on all hands for feare that hee should suffer thirst He shall doe better to set the cups in order before his trencher and first to drinke of those of lesser quantity but euer to keepe one or two of the greatest to returne in exchange to him that drinkes to him For this kind of reuenge as I may terme it the Germans feare more then the Irish doe great gunnes and to auoide the same will forbeare to prouoke him with garausses For they loue not healths in great measures which they call Infloribus but had much rather sip then swallow In this kinde I remember a pleasant French Gentleman much distasted them who inuited to a feast and admonished that hee could not possibly returne sober did at the very beginning of supper drinke great garausles of himselfe calling for them besides the small healths commended to him from others which vnwonted kind of skirmishing when they disliked he presently replied Why should we leese time since we must be drunken let vs doe it quickly the sooner the better and therewith hee so tyred those at the table as hee found no man would in that kind contend with him But to the purpose If the cuppes set about his trencher increase in number he may easily finde occasion as when his consorts goe out to make water either to conuey some of them to their trenchers or to giue them to the seruant to let away After supper he may nod and sleepe as if he were drunken for Stultitcam simulare loco prudentia summa Sometimes the foole to play Is wisdome great they say And so hee shall bee led to a bed which they haue in all their stoues and call the Faulbett that is the slothfull bed Otherwise hee may faine head-ach or feare of an ague or if these excuses preuaile not as seldome they doe while hee states in the roome because they cannot indure to haue a sober man behold them drinking then as if hee went out to make water or speake with some friend hee shall doe best to steale away and howsoeuer hee haue confidently promised to returne yet to come no more that night no not to fetch his cloake or hat which are alwaies laid vp safely for him especially if hee foresee the skirmish like to bee hot But aboue all let him take heede of the old fashion to take leaue of his companions and bid them good night for the Germans vpon no intreaty or excuse will suffer any man to goe to bed so sober If there bee musicke and dancing their dances being of no Art and small toyle hee had much better daunce with the women till midnight then returne to the table among the drinkers for one of these foure he must doe drinke sleepe daunce or steale away no fifth course remaines Lastly let him warily chuse his companions of that Nation with good triall of their honest dispositions But with strangers as English French and Polakes let him carefully eschew excesse of drinking For these and especially the English when they are heated with drinke are obserued to bee mad in taking exceptions and in the ill effects of fury being more prone to quarrels then the Dutch and hauing no meane in imitating
the title of Great Duke and is a most large Prouince fenny and woody so as in Summer there is no passage into it but in winter when the Fenns are frozen Merchants trade with the inhabitants Vilna is the Metropolitan city and seate of the Bishop It hath very few Townes and the Villages are commonly distant 20 German miles one from the other They haue plenty of hony wax a kind of beast like an oxe called Alce wilde beasts and rich furres but they scarce know the vse of mony 6 Volhinia is the most fertile prouince of that Kingdom and fullest of faire townes and Castles 7 Russia or Reutenia hath many Townes whereof the most knowne is Leopolis vulgarly Leimpurg and it is famous for swift and good horses not to speake of the rich furres and other commodities 8 Lastly Podolia aboundeth with excellent Pastures but hath few Cities or Townes In general Poland is subiect to as great cold as the lower part of Germany lying vnder the same Parallel and the Countries as they lie more Northerly so they suffer more cold for the coast of the Baltike Sea the more it lyes towards the East the more it still bends to the North besides that the plainenes of the Countrie and the frequency of Lakes and Fennes doe more increase the cold They vse stoues heated with earthen ouens for remedy against cold as the Germans doe The reuenews of the King and Gentlemen are moderate scarce sufficient to maintaine a plentiful table and to exchange with Merchants for Wines and Spices which they much vse especially in dressing of fish and for forraigne Stuffes and Clothes of Silke and Wooll Poland aboundeth with beasts aswell wild as tame and yeeldeth excellent horses not great but quicke and stirring Neither doe the Gentlemen more delight in any thing then in their horses so as they hang gold chaines and lewels at their eares and paint them halfe ouer with exquisite colours but in that vncomely that they are not naturall for horses as the Carnatian colour and their hinder parts they adorne with rich Furres and skinnes of Lions and Leopards and the like aswell to terrifie their enemies as to adorne and beautifie their horses Poland likewise aboundeth with Flesh Whitemeate Birds fresh-water-Fish it being farre within land and al kind of Pulse as Pease and the like It hath some but very few mines of Gold and Siluer towards the Carpatian Mountaines of Hungary and of Iron and Brimstone It abounds with Hony which they find in hollow trees and caues of the earth besides the Husbandmans hiues It yeelds great quantity of Wax Flax Linnen clothes made thereof Hempe Pich of both kinds Mafts for shippes Beares and Timber rich Furres Salt digged out of pits Amber Soape-ashes and all kinde of Graine especially Rye which hath made Daniske famous for relieuing all Nations therewith in time of dearth No maruell then if Merchants bring vnto them Silkes of Italy Cloth of England Wine of Spaine and the very Spices of India with most remote commodities since they not onely sell them at what price they list but also bring from thence such precious foresaid commodities Poland is all farre within land excepting Borussia vulgarly Prussen which with immunities is subiect to this Kingdome though I haue described it among the Prouinces of Germany because the people are Germans in language and manners And the very inhabitants of Borussia haue but few ships vsing strangers to export their commodities Poland aboundeth with the foresaid most necessary commodities and the people liue content with their owne yet are they not rich because they want the foresaid forraigne commodities farre brought and so deare And they haue so little Gold and Siluer as despising all in respect of it they sell all commodities at a most low rate especially those which are for daily foode and vnfit to be exported And in truth my selfe hauing in Poland and Ireland found a strange cheapenesse of all such necessaries in respect they want and so more esteeme Siluer This obseruation makes me of an opinion much contrary to the vulgar that there is no more certaine signe of a fluorishing and rich commonwealth then the deare price of these things excepting the yeeres of famine nor any greater argument of a poore and weake State then the cheape price of them and it makes me confident to conclude that old wiues snared with papisticall superstition doe foolishly attribute the late deare prices to the change of Religion in our time while they ignorantly extoll former times wherein twenty foure Eggs were sold for a penny for in our Age our Kings haue more royall Tributes our Nobles farre greater reuenews our Merchants much greater wealth then euer our progenitors had and this is the cause that all things for diet and appartell and our very wanton desires are sold at much higher prices then in former ages because our riches make vs not able to want any thing to serue our appetite at what price soeuer it is set Againe for Italy it hath no great store of flesh birds fish and like things for food in regard of the populousnesse thereof yet the Inhabitants holding it no disgrace to be sparing in diet and modest in apparell so it be clenly in regard of this generall temperance and that the Nobility disdaineth not to weaue silkes and trade for them being the sinew of that Countrey howsoeuer all things are sold there at most deare prices yet no Princes considering things to be considered no Gentlemen no Merchants of the vniuersall World haue greater treasures and wealth then those of Italy I haue said that Poland doth abound with all kinds of flesh whitmeates fresh-water fish and all things necessary for foode and that it yeelds no Wine which the Inhabitants seldome drinke but in place thereof they vse Beere which they of Dantzk brew very strong and good and they make a drinke of Hony which they esteeme almost as much as wine and the best composition thereof is made in the Prouince of Masjouia They haue such store of Butter as I haue seene them anoint Cart wheeles therewith but it is more white and lesse sauoury then ours This Kingdome hath few Cities and if a stranger will for a time soiourne in any of them he shall easily find a German or Netherlander to be his Host who will entertaine him more commodiously then any of that Nation though perhaps at extraordinary rates as my selfe found abiding with a Netherlander at Crakaw The Innes in the chiefe Cities affoord conuenient beds and plenty of flesh and fresh-water fish And these fish they dresse with pepper and spice more then enough for which kinde of Cookery the Polonians are praised aboue the Germans or any other Nation yet the spite being farre brought and deerely sold makes the sawce farre more costly then the fish it selfe There is scarce any Gentleman who hath not the skill and doth not vse to dresse fish for his owne eating In
is more famous then any other in this Prouince whose Region called Saba is celebrated for plenty of Franckensence and it hath woods of Trees which being cut yeeld a frothy humour that turnes into that odour The Cities of happy Arabia are 〈◊〉 Tolnaby that is the City of the Prophet because Mahomet is said to haue written his Alcorane there and Mecha famous by Mahomets Sepulcher The Kingdome of Ormus is part of happy Arabia hauing a peculiar King but tributary to the King of Spain as he is King of Portugall the Metrapolitane City whereof rich in trade is called Ormus 3 Babilonia the third part of the Turkish Empire in Asia hath the metrapolitane City of old called by the same name but in these dayes called Bagdet 4 Chaldea the fourth part lies on the East side of Babilonia whereof the chiefe City is called Vhrr in the Scriptures from whence Abraham vpon Gods commandement went to Haran a City of Mesapitania 5 Assiria the fifth part is so called of Assur the sonne of Shem whereof the chiefe Cities are Ninus called Niniue in the Scriptures the old seate of the Kings built by Assur and Aruela famous by the victory of Alexander the Great against Darius the Persian King 6 The Ilands of Asia are the sixth part of the Turkish Empire in Asia the greater and they lie either in the Mediterranean Sea or in the Archipelagus or in the Indian Seas In the Mediterranean Sea lies Candia of old called Creta famous of old for hauing one hundred Cities and by the labyrinth of Daedalus and it was called Creta of the Earths whitenesse from whence great quantity of Muskadine Wines are exported into diuers parts of Europe and it is subiect to the State of Venice Rhodes lieth in the same Sea and was of old famous for the residence of the Knights of Hierusalem but at this day is possessed by the Turkes driuing out those Knights who now haue their residence in Malta an Iland neere that of Sicily Cyprus is an Iland in the same Sea and is most fertile yeelding Canes of Hony whence Suger is made and rich Wines and aboundiug with many things required for life and for pleasure and this Iland the Turks in the last Age took from the Venetians by force of Armes the chiefe Cities whereof are Famagosta and Nicosia The Archipelagus hath innumerable Ilands whereof the principall and most fruitfull are Tenedos small in circuit but famovs by the Nauy of the Greekes harbouring there at the siege of Troy Lesbos Lemnos Mitelene at this day called Metalon of the chiefe City Samnus of old called Sicania where Hypocrates was borne and Chios now called Zio more esteemed then any of the rest for the Marble Malmesey wine Masticke the iuyce or gumme of the tree called Lentiscus and no lesse for the many rich commodities it yeelds then for the goodnes and largenes of the soyle The Ilands of the Indian Sea belong not to the Turkes and therefore I will omit them The Turkish Empire stretcheth it selfe yet farther containing great part of Affrica which by the Grecians was called Libia and the word in the Greek tongue signifying horror and cold gaue the name to Africa as being void of cold The Mountaine Atlas in Affrick as Taurus in Asia which in some parts is called Caucasus and Imaus as the Mountaines of Europe are generally called the Alpes doth diuide this Countrie into many parts stretching it selfe towards the East and so forward to Nilus which parts or Prouinces are knowne by these names Mauritanta Affrica the lesser Syrenaica Marmarica AEgyptus Lybia AEthiopia the Regions vnder the Mountaines of Luna and the Ilands 1 Mauritania Tingitana containes two Kingdomes Fessa whereof the King of Spaine holds som part and Morcco subiect to the Turkes Of old it had these townes Tingis Metropolitane and Luxon neere which are the Gardens Hesperides which the Poets fable to haue Aples and trees of gold At this day the two chiefe Cities are called Fessa and Morocco At the Straight Sea betweene Spaine and Affricke the mountaines Abila in Affrick and Calpa in Spaine are of that forme as men would iudge they were once ioyned whereupon the Poets fable that Hercules deuided them and did let in the Ocean and so made the Mediterranean sea and for this cause the Straight is called the narrow Sea of Hercules and the Pillars of Hercules were erected on Affrickes side which the Emperour Charles the fifth added to his Coate of Armes Mauritania Caesariensis was also called Numidia for the people being rich in Cattell and dwelling in Tents and when they had eaten the grasse of one place then remouing to another were of their pastures called Nomades and after changing a letter became to bee named Numidae 2 Affrica the lesse a most fertile Region of old is at this day called the Kingdome of Tunis and the chiefe Citis are Hippon Metropolitan where Saint Austin was Bishop Vtica renowned for hauing Cato a Citizen Carthage where Tertullian was borne Tunis at this day chiefe Madaura where Lucius Apuleius was borne and Iacapa where the Vines are said to yeeld Grapes twise in the yeere The Brooke Rubricatus is famous for the Serpent killed there by Attilius Regulus in the time of the first Punike warre The quick-sands or sholes of the Sea adioyning are much feared of Marriners lying sometimes deepe sometimes shallow as the sands are driuen into diuers parts by diuers winds blowing and stormes and they are two The lesse not farre from Carthage the greater towards Syrenaica At this day all this Sea-coast is called Barbary and is subiect to the Turkish Ottoman 3 Sirenaica hath the name of the chiefe Citie Syrene which of old had emulation for greatnesse with Carthage and therein were borne Aristippus the Philosopher Calimachus the Poet and Eratostines the Mathematician and assome say Symon who carried the Crosse of Christ. 4 Marmarica is sandy and of old therein was the Temple of Iupiter called Hammon of the sands and these two Prouinces are annexed to Egypt 5 Egypt is most fertile the very garner of the vniuersall World and famous for the antiquitie of the Kingdome The vpper part thereof was called Thebais the lower towards the Mediterranean Sea was called Deltica of the letter Delta The Cities thereof no lesse famous in these dayes then of old are these Alexandria built by Alexander the great at the mouth of the Riuer Nilus whose body there buried was seene by Augustus and heere Ptolomy was borne who did gather in this Citie the famous Library of seuen hundred thousand volumes which were all consumed by fier The next chiefe Citie is Canopus where stood the Temple of Syrapis or Osyris Then Pelusium at this day called Damiata seated vpon the mouth of Nilus called Pelusium Lastly the chiefe Citie of all is Babylon built by the Babylonians permitted to dwell there which at this day is hugely increased and is called Alcaiero that is This Caiero from whence some fortie
Emperour Maximilian the first made with Mathias Huniades as by the right of his wife being sister and heire to the said Lodouicus and he caused his sonne Maximilian the second to bee chosen King in his life time as his sonne Rodolphus at this time Emperour was chosen King ' while his Father liued and vnder them through ciuill dissentions and the fearefull neighbourhood of the great Turke great part of this Kingdome hath beene subdued by that Tyrant and for the rest the Emperor Rodolphus to the great reproch of the Empire was forced to send yeerely tribute to Constantinople till the free Cities of Germany slacking to pay this tribute the Great Turke tooke that wished occasion to make warre against the Christians and finding none weaker to resist him then the Emperour hath in our age horribly wasted Hungary and subdued the greatest part of that Kingdome The said tribute was said to be seuen tunnes of gold each three yeeres as I haue heard by graue and learned men but I know not how conuersant in matters of State Rodolphus the Emperour was of a middle stature somewhat corpulent with a ruddy but sower countenance a short thicke beard and browne coloured haire At that time mourning for his dead sister he wore blacke garments of small price Hee was said to loue solitarinesse and to exercise the Arts of Alchumy and Painting Hee was most easie of accesse and very affable so as euery man spake to him with small reuerence and in the Chamber of Presence the Courtiers and strangers gaue no reuerence to the Chaire of Estate the Sword and the Scepter but stood by with their heads couered yea laid their hands or leaned vpon the cushion without any ceremony of reuerence He was esteemed sparing of speech and liberall in his nature so as he rewarded his Courtiers honourably though slowly for want of money which made him not able to shew any magnificence Nothing was more common in euery mans mouth as well German as Bohemian then that hee was much addicted to the warfare of Venus bearing in his body strange scarres and priuy maimes thereof but abhorred from the warre of Mars At Vienna I did see Ernestus and Mathias brothers to the Emperour eating at one Table together for they admit all subiects and strangers to come into the roome where they eate at the times of dinner and supper Before the Arch-Dukes came in all stood with their heads couered Then the Caruer making himselfe ready to serue at the Table laid his hat vpon the Chaire of Estate contrary to our English manner who giue reuerence to that Chaire though our Princes be absent When the Arch-Dukes sate downe at Table all the standers by bended their knees They both sat on one side with their backes to the wall and each had a Foole to stand by him one at the Tables end another on the opposite side to whom with their owne hands they gaue largely to eate which they greedily deuoured The two Arch-Dukes did both together feede on spoonemeates For other dishes liking either of them each called for them by a becke or dumbe signe and so refused other but if any one dish liked them both it was first set before Ernestus and after before Mathias Both had one taster but each had his Cupbearer They spake not a word one to the other or to any attending and Ernestus did swallow his drinke Mathias did sip it Ernestus was somewhat like the Emperour his brother saue that his haire was blacker and his countenance more warlike Mathias was very slender with a more effeminate face and a thinne or no beard and whitish haire Their apparrell was nothing lesse then sumptuous These brothers of the Emperour had no possessions of inheritance allotted vnto them but were content to haue their expences borne by the Emperour Many Pensioners liued in the Emperours Court but few had diet and lodging therein The Emperour had one hundred Hascheres to whom hee gaue for diet to each twelue Rhenish Guldens by the moneth and for apparrel to each foure twenty Guldens by the yeere Hee had one hundred for his Guard called Trabantoes of which each one had eight Guldens by the moneth for his diet and if any one of them had serued ten yeeres to him the Emperor vsed to giue a pension aboue his wages granted for life and to dispose them in Monasteries when they grew olde and vnfit for seruice Ten Hascheres and twelue Trabantoes attended each day and watched the night in the Court who for that time had at the Emperours charge plenty of bread and wine Many Gentlemen had pensions to keepe Horses to the number of some 1500 and for each Horse they were allowed ten guldens by the moneth but these stipends being paid but once in two yeeres and then not fully they kept not these Horses at all times in full number but only when they heard that the payment was like to be made because they were so paid the officers neuer mustred them but at that time Some few had diet and lodging in the Court as 6 Gentlemen of the Chamber whereof each had a pension of forty Guldens by the moneth and sixe vnder them who had twenty Guldens by the moneth Likewise sixty Truxes who had each a Pension of thirty Guldens and sixty Horsemen called Hofdiener that is Seruants at Court who were allowed for each horse as I formetly said ten Rhenish Guldens by the moneth and no man had allowance for more then three horses Likewise a Master of the Wardrobe had twenty Guldens and a Controler had the like pension Sixteene Boies the sonnes of Gentlemen were Pages to the Emperour to whom he gaue apparrell and diet in the Court The very chiefe Counsellers had yeerely pensions from the Emperour He had three Fauorites a Bohemian Barron of the Popells the Lord of Firstemburg a German and Rumpf a Gentleman of Ausirta who was in chiefe grace with him and was said to haue a pension of fiue hundred Dollors by the moneth and to haue receiued by gift in the space of one yeere eighty thousand gold Guldens The wages and pensions were very vncertainly paid so as the Courtiers vsed diligently to obserue when the reuenew of any Prouince was brought in that by such opportunitie they might get part of the money due to them But when the Emperours cofers were full these paiments were easily obtained so as I haue knowne forty thousand Dollers distributed for wages and Pensions at one time The Emperour had fiue stables and in one sixtie heauie horses of Germany in the second twenty Spanish Genets and in the other three 60 forraigne horses of the best races From Charles the Great the Westerne Emperors were either appointed by the dying Emperours Testament or chosen by the generall consent of the Princes in both which courses the next heyres were commonly preferred till the reigne of Otho 3. in his time his Kinsman Brenno a Saxon was chosen Pope taking the
them be they neuer so secretly hidden In the Prouince of Morauia incorporated to Bohemia I haue formerly said that the Gentlemen haue like priuiledges and absolute power ouer their subiects being all born slaues And in Germany that the Marquis of Anspach hath like born slaues And I shall in due place shew that in Denmark and Poland the people are meere slaues so as the Gentlemen and Lords recken not their estates by yearly rents but by the number of their Bawren or clownes who are all slaues In Bohemia the goods of condemned persons fall to the Lord of the fee. Among the Barons the Baron of Rosenburg was cheefe who for life was chosen Viceroy and dwelt vpon the confines of Austria being said to haue the yearly rents of eighty thousand Dollers but in respect he had no Sonne to succeede him he was lesse esteemed especially himselfe being decrepite and his brother also old and without probable hope of issue The second family of the Barons was that of the Popels hauing many branches and plenty of heires One of them was at that time in great grace with the Emperor Rodulphus And the whole family for the issue was much estemed of the people and States of the Kingdome In Bohemia as in Poland Gentlemen cannot be iudged but at fower meetings in the yeare and then are tried by Gentlemen so as the accusers being wearied with delaies the offenders are commonly freed but men of inferior condition are daily iudged and suddenly tried The Bohemians giue greater titles to Gentlemen by writing and in saluting then the Germans where notwithstanding as appeares in the due place there is great and vndecent flattery by words among all degrees I did not obserue or reade that the Bohemians haue any military or ciuill order or degree of Knightes as the English haue The Hussites hauing changed nothing in religion saue onely the communicating of the Lords Supper in both kinds with some other small matters yet I did not heare that they haue any Bishops and I am sure that the Bishopricke of Prage had then been long void They and all of the reformed Religion in Bohemia send their Ministers to Wittenberg an Vniuersity in Saxony for receiuing of Orders with imposition of hands from the Lutheran Superintendant and the Ministers of that place CHAP. IIII. Of the particular Common-wealths as well of the Princes of Germany as of the Free Cities such of both as haue absolute power of life and death IT remaineth to adde something of priuat Princes Courts and the Gouernement of the free Cities And since I haue formerly said that these Princes and Cities hauing absolute power of life and death are many in number and that according to the number of the Princes the places also where taxes and impositions are exacted are no lesse frequent as well for subiects as strangers passing by both for persons and for wares And that they who deceiue the Prince in any such kind neuer escape vnpunished Now to auoid tediousnesse I will onely mention the chiefe Princes and Cities by which coniecture may be made of the rest and this I will doe briefely without any repetition of things formerly set downe Touching the Electors I haue formerly related the principall lawes of the golden Bulla The Duke of Saxony is one of these Electors many waies powerfull and he deriues his pedegree from Witikind a famous Duke of the Germans in the time of the Emperour Charles the Great who forced him to lay aside the name of King permitting him the title of a Duke and to become Christian in the yeere 805. Witikynd the second Deitgrenius Frederike Fredericke inuested Marquis of Misen by the Emperour Henrie the first he died in the yeere 925. Bruno Dittimare Christian inuested Marquis of Lusatia by the Emperor Otho the first Theodorike died in the yeere 1034. Henrie Marquis of Misen and Lusatia died in the yeere 1106. Timo. Conrade the Great died in the yeere 1150. Otho the Rich built Friburg where hee had found Mines of Siluer and died in the yeere 1189. Theodorike was poisoned by the Citizens of Leipzig in the yeere 1220. Henrie by right of inheritance became Langraue of Thuring and died 6287. In right line from Henrie discends Fredericke who chosen Emperour yeelded the Empire to his Competitor the Emperour Charles the fourth taking mony for giuing vp his right and he died in the yeere 1349. In right line is Fredericke the Warlike who ouercame the Bohemians rebelling against the Emperour receiued the Scholers of Prage to study at Leipzig restrained the title of Dukes of Saxony to Families which after the Emperours of Saxonie had been confusedly vsurped and lastly appropriated the title of Elector to his Family He died in the yeere 1423. Fredericke the Gentle died in the yeere 1464. Ernestus the Elector died in the yeere 1486. The Elector Frederike the Wise who put the Empire from himself chose Charles the fifth Hee did found the Vniuersitie at Wittenberg and died 1525. Iohn Elector exhibited the eformed Confession at Augsburg and died 1533. Iohn Frederike for the Reformed Religion deposed from the Electorship by the Emperour Charles the fifth He married Sibill daughter to the Duke of Iuliar and died 1554 Iohn Frederike proscribed by the Empire and prosecuted by Augustus Elector of Saxonie in the Emperours name was taken prisoner by him at the taking and razing of Gotha Iohn Casimire borne of his fathers second wife Elizabeth daughter to Frederike Elector Palatine He was borne 1564 and married Anna daughter to Augustus Elector of Saxonie Iohn Ernest then vnmarried borne in the yeere 1566. These Dukes of Saxony then liuing were called the Dukes of Coburg Iohn William serued the King of France in those Ciuill warres and died 1573. Will. Frederik borne of another daughter to Frederike Elector Palatine 1562 he buried the daughter to the Duke of Wirtenberg and married the daughter of Philip Lodowick Prince Palatine 1591. He was Tutor to the sonnes of Christian Elector preferred to the Duke of Coburg because his father was proscribed and neuer restored Iohn borne 1570 then vnmarried This Duke of Saxonie was called the D. of Wyneberg The last Elector of this branch Albert the Stout Duke of Saxonie died in the yeere 1500. George of Leipzig called the Popish was Duke of Saxonie and died in the yeare 1539. Henrie Duke of Saxonie made Gouernour of Friesland by his father was there in danger to be put to death had not his father come to deliuer him he died in the yeere 1541. The first Elector of this branch Mauritius made Elector by the Emperor Charles the 5 was borne 1521 died 1553. Augustus Elector maried Anne daughter to the K. of Denmarke and died 1586 Eight Boyes and three Girles died Christian the Elector married the daughter to the Elector of Brandeburg and died 1591. Three young daughters Christian the second Elector but then a Pupill borne 1583 the fiue and twentieth of September at three of
required by the Ciuill Law Out of this great Counsell the new Senate is yeerely chosen and when the time of Election is at hand this great Counsel names a Consull and a Scabine of the Gentlemen called ancient or out of the cheefe of the next Order and in like sort the old Senate of the yeere past names three of the ancient Gentlemen These fiue are called the Electors of the new Senate and as soone as they are chosen all Magistracy ceaseth Then these Electors being sworne are shut vp into a Chamber whence they come not forth till they haue chosen twenty six Consuls and Scabines of each thirteen Then they chuse the rest of the new Senate and assoone as they are chosen they name among themselues those that are called ancient which are commonly the same men except some bee put in the place of them that are dead for it is a disgrace to be put from that dignity This Election is made in one day and the Senate consists of forty persons whereof thirty foure are Patricians or Gentlemen and so the gouernement is especially in the hands of the Gentlemen as a thing whereof they hold the common people to be vncapable Of these Gentlemen are 〈◊〉 the seuen Men and the Senate of the ancient as also the Captaines and Treasurers To be a Doctor of the Ciuill Law makes a Gentleman or any other to be vncapable of a Senators place But when in dificult cases they neede the aduise of Doctors they send two Senators to consult with them who relate their iudgment to the Senate For this cause and because all iudgments are according to equity not after the strict Law there be fowe Doctors in that Citty neither haue they many Aduocates the Senate giuing stipend onlyto foure who plead all causes Yet the Citty intertaines some Doctors to aduise them at I formerly said to assist them in iudgment exhibiting the cause in writing as also to be Ambassadors To the said 34 Gentlemen 8 Plebeans are added which make the said Senate and these Plebeans haue free voyces but are remoued from secret Counsels and hauing liberty to be absent seldome meete with the Senate except they be called So as the common people haue little or no authoritie and are kept vnder in so much as meetings excepting funerals and like ceremonies and walkings by night are forbidden yet they haue their priuiledges inuiolably kept and liue in great libertie vnder a most equall gouernement Of these Gentlemen gouerning the Citie they haue as I haue heard twenty eight honourable Families or there about And of the said thirty foure Gentlemen of the Senate eight are called the Ancient who like old soldiers are freed from seruice the other twentie sixe diligently attending the publike affaires with capitall and Ciuill iudgements and one of them is chosen to intertaine passengers worthy of Honor by presenting wine to them in name of the Senate and also to call the Senate together to propound the causes vpon which they deliberate to aske their Voyces and to doe many like duties These twenty sixe Gentlemen are diuided into thirteene Consuls and thirteene Scabines and these Scabines iudge capitall causes first examined by the whole Senate as the Consuls iudge Ciuill causes And they so diuide the yeere betweene them as each of them for a moneth is Consull or Scabine Out of them are chosen seuen men who haue the greatest authority and determine all secrets of State and to them the Treasurers make account And howsoeuer two of one Family may be Senators yet two of one Family cannot be of these seuen men Three of these seuen are chosen Captaines who haue the keeping of the Armory and the keyes of the Gates and vpon any tumult all flie to them and yeeld them obedience Two of these Captaines are Treasurers where of the chiefe hath the first place in all Assemblies To these Treasurers one of the Plebeans is added to ouersee the expence of the treasure and two of the best sort of the Plebeans are Clerkes of the Exchequer but onely the two chiefe Treasurers disburse and lay vp all moneys They haue in all publike Counsels two Chauncellors whereof one alwaies attends the Counsell of seuen men and these Chauncellors write the Decrees of Counsell receiue and reade write and send all letters being as Secretaries and they haue sixe Clerkes to write vnder them All the Senators haue their seuerall stipends out of the common Treasure Each of the seuen men hath yeerely fiue hundred Guldens besides gainefull Offices as the keeping of the Seales and each Treasurer hath eight hundred Guldens and each Chauncellor two hundred Guldens yeerely In Iudgements they doe not much vse the pleadings of Proctors or Aduocates but vse to iudge summarily vpon oath or to appoint Arbiters to compound controuersies But among the Courts of Iudgements one is of fiue men from whom there is no appeale yet they referre the greatest causes to the Senate The second Court is of eight men and hath two Tribunals where the causes of citizens are determined which exceede not the value of thirtie two Crownes and these two Tribunals in greater causes are vnited and haue three or foure Doctors appointed by the Senate to aduise them for onely the Scabines iudge and from these Tribunals appeale is granted to the Senate if the cause exceede the value of fiue hundred Crownes These chuse a Iudge to see their Decrees put in execution and to see capitall offenders executed They appoint a Iudge for the Villages and territories subiect to the City for whose assistance the Senate chuseth some out of the great Counsell These weekely giue the Law to the Villages and Country people and by the exercise of this Office the Iudges are inabled for the Office of Scabines Also they chuse a Iudge to haue care of the Faires and Markets who sets the price of Bread Flesh and all things there sold and he hath foure Senators to assist him in weekely inquiring after the workes of Artificers that they sell no vnperfect workes nor vse any fraude Of the Senators three are chosen supreme Tutors for pupils and widowes who diuide inheritances see that all Testaments be performed and appoint new Tutors in case the old bee dead suspected or absent These supreme Tutors prouide that the moneis of pupils be put forth to vse and that the profit returnes to the pupills They receiue the accompts of the Tutors and prouide that the Pupils be religiously and honestly brought vp One Senator is set ouer each Church Monastery and Almes house to see the reuenues well administred and to promote the causes thereunto belonging Fiue Gouernors are set ouer the Territory without the walls among which the Chancelor hath yearly one hundreth Crownes each of the rest twenty fiue Crownes for stipend In time of warre they chuse seuen Senators who take vpon them the care to prouide all necessaries for the same I vnderstoode there that not long before they
chief Consul hauing notice therof commanded the gates to be shut and the streets to be chained when the Duke had long sate vpon the cart with some annoiance by reason of raine and found he could not goe back and thought it dangerous to goe into any priuate house at last the Consul bought his wood and so drew the Duke to his house where he intertained him honorably yet remembred him that he had put himselfe in needles danger knowing the ill affection of the common people towards him and then sending for the Dukes servantes to attend him led him out of the city with honour Luneburg a free City of the Empire is strongly fortified and statly built but hath no lesse ielosy with the neighbor Dukes bearing the title of the City yet they neither dwell in the City nor medle with the gouernment therof but abide at Cella and at Sethern some twelue miles distant and in other Cities of that Prouince according to the diuision of their inheritance betweene them The Citizens of Luneburg knowing that of old they bought their liberty of these Dukes and that to this day they pay them some tributes iustly feare lest the Duke or his Brothers and Cosens being many in number shold practise any thing against their liberty or at least being poor shold seek new occasiōs to extort mony frō them The Duke of old had a strong Castle built vpon a Mountaine hanging ouer the City vulgarly called Kalckberg that is the Mountaine of Chalke but the Butchers of the City at a Shroftide making shew of mustering in Armes tooke this Castle for which seruice to the Common-wealth the Butchers to this day haue the keeping therof But the Citizens are so suspitious lest it should be betraied to the Duke for mony as if any of them who keep it doe at any time goe forth of it into the City or to any other place they are no more permitted to enter the same Vpon the furthest shore of the Baltike sea towards the North-east the free City of Dantzke is seated It is free in respect of priuiledges for traffique and for that it is gouerned by the Senators and the Lawes of the City yet not numbered among the Imperiall Cities because it in some sort acknowledgeth the King of Poland and paies some couenanted tributes to his Minister residing in the City In the time of Stephen Bathory Prince of Transiluania and King of Poland this City was by him besieged and forced to pay these tributes Whervpon the Citizens to pay them without their own preiudice doubled all Impositions vpon strangers trading there The Consul of the City there as in all Germany is vulgarly called Burgomaster he iudgeth all ciuill criminal causes but appeales are granted from him to the Colledge of ciuil Lawyers from them to the Senate of the City and in some causes from the Senate to the King of Poland This City consists of three Cities vulgarly called Reichstat Furstat Altstatt that is the City of the Kingdome the fore City and the old City and each hath his gates and his Senate and the Consull may be chosen out of either Senate so as for the time of his Office he reside in the cheefe City called Reichstatt Here be the furthest limits of the Empire towards the North and the East And from hence towards the West Iles the shore of the Balticke Sea and of the German Ocean vpon which are seated Stetinum Meckleburg Lubecke Hamburg and Breame Imperiall Cities and free as weli for priuiledges of trafficke in neighbour Kingdomes as for absolute gouernement at home And in East-Freesland for West-Freesland belongs to Netherland the furthest limits of the Empire towards the West and North end in the City of Emden This City hath his Count bearing title of the City and of late he kept his Court therein but the Citizens professing the reformed Doctrine of Caluin and the Count attempting to force them to the profession of Luthers Doctrine not long before I passed that way the Citizens expelled the Count and gaue oath to the Senators of the City to obey them to be ready in armes for the defence of the City and not to remoue their dwellings from thence without leaue of the Senate And the Citizens were thus confident because the City lies vpon the confines of the Netherlanders who maintained men of warre in that Inland Sea and vpon the Riuer passing by the wals of the City to stop any passage and to defend the ships of Merchants forced in those flats to expect the returne of the tide And generally it was thought that Emden would ioine in league with the vnited Prouinces of Netherland but as yet it remained vnder the Empire not free by priuiledge nor yet subiect to the Count of Emden This Count at this time had two sonnes by the daughter of the King of Suelia and howsoeuer his younger brother by the loue of his mother had obtained the best part of the inheritance yet he had no children nor was thought likely to haue any so as no doubt was then made but that the whole inheritance would after his death returne to the children of the elder brother And these things shall suffice briefly written in generall of the Common-wealth of Germany and in particular of the absolute Dominions vnder the Empire CHAP. V. Of the Common-wealth of Sweitzerland according to the diuers subiects of the former Chapters THE Sweitzers deriued of diuers peoples and among others of the Schwalen and Friselanders howsoeuer they be Germans both in language and manners yet because the old Galles gaue them a seat at the foote of the Alpes they were accounted Galles or French till the time of Iulius Caesar. In the Commentaries of Caesar wee find their Commonwealth diuided into foure Communities whereof one namely that of Zurech had not long before ouerthrown the Army of Lucius Cassius Consul of Rome About this time the Sweitzers weary of their barren seat attempted to seeke a new place of dwelling had not Caesar ouercome them and contained them at home And from that time to the daies of Charles the Great and so long as his race possessed the renewed Empire of the West they were still esteemed Galles but when that imperiall dignity fell to the Germans they became subiects to those Emperours and were numbred among the Germans hauing the same manners lawes and customes with them as at this day they haue The Emperours gouerned this Nation by Gouernours vulgarly called Reichs vogt till at last the Common-wealth of the Sweitzers was seuered from that of the Germans and made a free state which in the age before ours hath gotten great reputation And here it is worthy to be obserued that the ambition of Popes and their diuellish tyranny ouer the Emperours not onely after some eight hundred yeeres from Christ caused almost all the Garboyles of States whereof we haue heard or read or which with our owne eyes wee haue
Abbot and Towne of Saint Gallus the Rhetians or Grisons the Bishop of Sedun the Valcsians and the Townes Rotauile Mulhasium and Bipenue And the gouernements are Turgea that of Baden of the Rhegusci of the Sarunetes of the free Prouince the Lugani the Locarnenses the Inhabitants of the middle Valley and the Bilitionenses That of Turgea is subiect to the seuen old Cantons yet Bern Friburg and Solothurn haue also their rights in capitall causes That of Raden the Sarunetes the Rhegusci and the free Prouince are subiect likewise to the seuen old Cantons onely Bern hath beene admitted partner in that of Baden and Apenzill in that of the Rhegusci The foure Italian gouernements are equally subiect to all the cantons excepting Apenzill and the Bilitionenses are subiect to the three old Cantons All these ioined haue these Cities and Townes Zurech Bern Lucern Zug Bazill Friburg Solothurn Schafhusen the Towne of S. Gallus Chur of the Grisons Sedun of the Valesians Roteuil Mulhuse Bipenne all the rest dwell in Villages Among the cantons Bazill of the Rauraci Schafhusen of Germany Glarona in part of the Grisons Vria in part of the Lepontij are seated out of the old confines of Sweitzerland and so are all the fellowes in league excepting the Abbot and Towne of S. Gallus and the Towne Ripenne Among these the old Nation of the Rhetians now called Grisons were of old called Valesiani Viberi Seduni and Veragri And Roteuile is a city of Germany and Mulhuse of the Sequaui in France Among the gouernements the Rhegusci and the Sarunetes are of the old Rhetians and the Luganenses the Locarnenses the Mendrisij and the Inhabitants of the middle Valley and the Bilitionij are of the Lepontij and Italian Nation which tongue they speake Many doubt to number these confederates among common-wealths since each of them is no otherwise tied to the decrees of the other then by free consent as all priuate societies are whereas in a commonwealth the greater part binds all yet because they haue one common councell and most of the Prouinces are ruled thereby because warre and peace is made by common consent and they liue almost vnder the same lawes and customes and are vnited strictly in perpetuall league Semler concludes that this society comes neerest to the forme of a common-wealth for whereas some hating the nation obiect Anarchy to them and say they got freedome by killing the Gentlemen and others interpreting it more mildly and confessing the oppression of the Gentlemen yet iudge the reuenge to haue exceeded all measure the truth thereof will appeare by the History of Semler and others shewing that great part of the Gentry was extinguished by the House of Austria Therefore it must be a mixt commonwealth if such it may be called being neither a Monarchy of one iust King Aristocraty of iust great men nor Democrity a popular state much lesse any of the corrupt commonwealths called Tyranny Oligarchy and Anarchy that is the tyranny of a King or of noble men or a confused State the equity of the gouernment shewing that it much differs from them The Vrij Suitij Vnderualdij the Glaronenses dwelling scattered and Zug though it be a Towne gouerne all with the consent of the people Zurech Bern Lucern Bazill Friburg Solothurn and Schafhusen are gouerned by the cheefe men but since the Magistrates are chosen by the people some of these Cities are more some lesse Aristocraticall or popular The Ambassadours sent to publike meetings haue Aristocraticall forme but since they are chosen by the people with limited power it may seeme popular And it is not vnequall that the people hauing setled freedome with their danger should be partners of their gouernement but in the meane time the Sweitzers auoide as much as they can the discommodities of a popular State while none but the best and most wise are sent to the meetings and howsoeuer their power is limited yet when they returne they so relate all things to the people as they easily vnderstand them and giue consent thereunto But to make the strict vnion of these confederates more apparant it will not be amisse to peruse some of the heads of the league between the eight old Cantons Therin first is cautioned of sending mutuall aides so as first in publike counsell the iustnes of the warre may be examined Then the aides are not to be required of all but of each particular Canton according to their mutuall leagues Zurech by old league hath right to require aides of the first six Cantons and by a new league also of Bern. And Bern requires aide of the three first Cantons and they of Bern. Lucerna requires aide of fiue Cantons The three first Cantons require mutuall aides of one another and of all the rest Zug and Lucerna are bound to aide the fiue Cantons Glarona requires aide of the three old cantons and Zurech Thus while one Canton cals the next ioined to it in league howsoeuer each one cannot require aid of all or each one by right of league yet in any common danger all the Cantons bring their forces being called of some one or more Cantons in league with them besides that they haue wisely decreed that in sudden dangers all shall bring succours whether they be called or no. They which are called to giue aide by vertue of any league serue at their owne cost without any pay Between Bern and the three old Cantons it is decreed that if the aides be sent beyond certaine bounds then they which called them shall giue them pay and in like sort certaine bounds of sending aides are limited between all the rest of the Cantons in their seuerall leagues with all conditions expressed In any siege the Canton which causeth it is bound to find many necessaries but if the cause be publike all prouisions are made at the publike charge The foure old cantons and Glarona cannot make any new league which is free to the rest alwayes preseruing the old league which they also may encrease or diminish by common consent It is decreed that euery fiue or ten yeeres this league shall be renewed by word or writing or if need be by oath Zu rech Bern Vria Suitia and Vnderualdia in this league except the rights of the Roman Empire Lucerna and Zug the rights of the Dukes of Austria Glarona the rights of their lawfull Magistrates and each Canton the rights of old leagues When the said eight Cantons receiued the other fiue into their number besides the foresaid heads it was decreed among other things in their league that the fiue last cantons howsoeuer wronged should make no warre without the consent of the eight old Cantons and in like sort that they should make no league without their consent neither in time of warre should refuse good conditions of peace And lastly it was decreed that without great cause no warre should be made in places out of the mountaines and difficult passages of that Prouince where
they could not fight with aduantage The thirteene Cantons haue that priuiledge that they deliberate and determine the affaires of the commonwealth in publike meetings by voices and gouerne by equall right the gouernments gotten iointly by them and haue equal part in all booties The greatest Senate is when all the Ambassadours that is chosen Burgesses of the cantons and Fellowes in league are called together which is seldom done but in the causes of making warre or peace onely the Ambassadors of the thirteene Cantons being commonly called to counsell Al Ambassadors haue equal right in giuing voices but two or more being sent from one Canton haue but one voice In causes concerning the gouernements belonging to seuen or eight or 12 Cantons onely the Ambassadours or Burgesses or States of those Cantons meet to whom the gouernement belongs and so the Burgesses of all other seuerally for things belonging to themselues but where the cause concernes the publike State the full Senate of all the Cantons is called to the meeting Since the late differences of Religion new and particular meetings haue beene instituted The Cantons of the Roman Religion Vria Suitia Vnderualdia Lucerna and Zug ioined in a more strict league doe often meete together when any man names the fiue Cantons simply they meane them not the hue old cantons howsoeuer naming the three seuen or eight Cantons they are taken according to the time of their entring into league And sometimes the Cantons of Frihurg and Solothurn being also of the Roman Religion come to the meetings of the said fiue Cantons Greatest part of the Citizens of Glarona and Apenzill are of the reformed Religion and the foure Cities chiefe of the Cantons namely Zurech Bern Bazill Schafhusen haue altogether cast off the Roman Religion haue particular meetings but not often yet when I passed through this Prouince I vnderstood that Glarona was altogether of the reformed Religion and that Apenzill was numbred among the Cantons of the Roman Religion The great Senate determines of warre peace leagues each hauing freedome to refuse any league likewise of making Lawes of sending receiuing answering Ambassadors of gouernments of distributing gainefull Offices of difficult causes referred to the Senate by Gouernors of appeales made from Gouernours to the Senate Ambassadours or Burgesses in place of Iudges are sent about the moneth of Iune to heare the causes of the Italian gouernments from whom they may appeale to the Senate and these appeales as all other are determined by the Senate in the meetings at Baden where also they deliberate of customes impositions the reuenues and if need be of punishing the Gouernours or displacing them in which case the Canton which sent that Gouernour appoints another The City Zurech chiefe of the Cantons hath the first place not by antiquity but dignity and of old custome hath the highest authority to call the Senate together signifying to each canton by letters the cause the time of each meeting yet if any canton thinke it for the publike good to haue an extraordinary meeting they write to Zurech to appoint the same or if the cause admit no delay they meet vncalled Most commonly the generall meetings are at Lucern Zurech Bremogart and Baden but more commonly in these daies almost continually they are at Baden in respect of the commodity of the houses and Innes the pleasant situation famous medicinall Baths and because it is seated in the center of Sweitzerland and is subiect to the 8 old cantons The cantons of the Roman religion commonly haue their particular meetings at Lucerna sometimes at Bockenried of the Vrij or Brame of the Suitij are called together by the canton of Lucern and the cantons of the reformed religion haue their particular meetings commonly at Arowike vnder Bern somtimes at Bazil are called together by the canton of Zurech Forrain Ambassadors require of Zurech to haue audience in the Senate but the peculiar meeings for French causes are called by the French Ambassador as often as he wil at Solothurn where he resideth or at Lucern other Ambassadors shold not be denied extraordinary meetings so they pay the expences as the French Ambassador doth The ful Senate yeerly meets about September at Baden about which time I said that Burgesses in place of Iudges are sent to heare the causes of the Italian gouernments And in this first meeting the greatest causes are not determined either because the Ambassadours or Burgesses or States haue not full power or for other causes but another meeting is there appointed and howsoeuer this Senate is onely called for publike causes yet those being ended they vse to heare priuate causes also Assoone as the said Burgesses or States at the appointed day come to the City the Burgesse of Zurech sends the Vice-gouernor of Baden to salute them to acquaint them with the time of meeting Then they sit downe in the Court first the Burgesses of Zurech in a place raised higher then the rest 2. Those of Bern Thirdly Those of Lucerna as chief though not in antiquity yet in dignity and after the rest according to the antiquity of their Cantons The Burgesse of Zurech first makes an Oration and propounds the causes vpon which they are to consult adding what his Canton hath commanded him in each particular and then the rest speake in order according to the directions giuen them at home The vnder Gouernour of Baden of what Canton soeuer he be askes and numbers the voices The peculiar meetings of particular Cantons and those for French affaires haue no set times Each Canton hath publike Magistrates vulgarly called Vmbgelten who administer the Impositions vpon wine and corne and gather them by their deputies They pay tribute only for that wine which is sold in Tauerns and for that corne which is exported or vsed by Bakers for otherwise the Citizens pay not for wine and corne brought iuto their priuate houses and spent therein And I haue obserued that they pay in some places the value of 24 measures tribute for a vessell of wine containing ninety six measures The salt which is brought in is onely sold by the Senate of each Citie or Canton and I vnderstood by discourse that the Citizens may not buy salt or take it of gift out of the Citie Particularly at Schafhusen the Customes are great especially for salt in respect that the water of the Rheine hath a great fall from a rocke so as all ships must be vnladed before they can passe by that Citie In generall the Sweitzers especially want wine corne and salt as may appeare by the couenants of their forraigne leagues and otherwise the tributes are small which can bee imposed vpon such a free Nation Concerning their Lawes I haue formerly said that the senerall Cantons are not bound one to the decrees of the other except they freely consent thereunto yet that they all haue one Common Councell and almost all
demands with other men yea at home froward and obstinat in traffick and in following their Comands vnder whose pay they serue in war Their chiefe men haue pensions of Princes to fauour them in their publike meetings and so publike Counsels being referred to priuate profit they are apt to be corrupted and by degrees fall at discord among themselues with great lessning of the reputation they had gotten among strangers He addes that the Sweitzers at the Popes instigation armed against the French in Milan as if it were onely the act of Suitia and Friburg who pretended offence against the French for a messenger of theirs killed by them And that the French King for sparing a small addition to their Pensions neglected to reconcile himselfe to them and so lost their friendship which after hee would haue redeemed with great treasure hoping that either they would not arme against him or if they did that hauing no horse nor artilery they could do him small hurt The same Guicciardine in the actions of the yere 1513 witnesseth that the Sweitzers had then gotten great reputation by the terrour of their Armes and that it seemed then that their States or Burgesses and souldiers began to carry themselues no more as grasers or mercinary men but as Senatours and subiects of a well ordered Common-wealth and that they now swaied all affaires almost al Christian Princes hauing their Ambassadours with them by pensions and great rewards seeking to haue league with them and to be serued by them in their warres But that hereupon they grew proud and remembring that by their Armes the French King Charles the eighth had got the Kingdome of Naples and Lewis the twelfth the Dukedome of Milan with the City and State of Genoa and victorie against the Venetians they began to proceede insolently in the affaires with Princes that the French King Francis the first then wooed them and to haue audience gaue them the Forts of Lugana and of Lugarna with such indignitie did Princes then seeke their friendship Yet that hee could not obtaine his demaunds but that they rather chose vpon ample conditions of profit to assist the Duke of Milan Also in the actions of the yeere 1516 when the Emperour ioyned with other Princes in League against the King of France he writes that the Sweitzers according to their Leagues serued both on the Emperours and the French Kings side And that the Emperour knowing the hatred that Nation bore to the House of Austria feared lest the Sweitzers on his owne part should serue him as they serued the Duke of Milan at Nouaria thinking it more probable in that he wanted money to content them whereof the French King had plenty And that hee feared this the more because their generall Captaine had with much insolency demanded pay for them And that hereupon the Emperour retired with his Army the Sweitzers not following him but staying at Lodi which after they sacked and so returned home Of the other side hee writes that onely some few of the Sweitzers were at first come to the French party who professed to bee ready to defend Milan but that they would in no wise fight against their Countrimen on the other side That the French complained of the slow comming of the rest and at first doubted lest they should not come and when they came feared no lesse lest they should conspire with their countrimen seruing the Emperour or left vpon pretence of their Magistrates command they should suddenly leaue thē and returne home That the French iustly complained thus of their slow cōming purposely vsed to be affected by them and continued to doubt of their faith especially because they had alwaies said that they would not fight with their country men and to feare as before lest the Cantons should recall their men from seruing the French which feare after increased when they saw two thousand of them already returned home and doubted that the rest would follow Also in the actions of the yeere 1526 he writes that the French King made request to haue a great leauy of Sweitzers hoping they would readily serue him the rather to blot out their ignominy in the battell of Pauia but that this Nation which not long before by their fierce nature had opportunity much to increase their State had now no more either desire of glory or care of the Common-wealth but with incredible couetousnesse made it their last end to returne home laded with money managing the warre like Merchants and vsing the necessitie of Princes to their profit like mercenary corrupt men doing all things to that end in their publike meetings And that the priuate Captaines according to the necessity of Princes stood vpon high termes making most impudent and intollerable demaunds That the French King requiring aides of them according to his league they after their accustomed manner made long consultations and in the ende answered that they would send no aides except the King first paid them all pensions due in areare being a great summe and not suddenly to bee prouided which their delay was very hurtfull to the King making his Army long time lie idle By the premises we may gather that the Sweitzers Armes were first made knowne to forraine parts about the yere 1483 that they increased in reputation to the yere 1513 when they attained to the height of their glory which fel in few yeres by the foresaid iealousies and couetous practises And no maruell for their leagues and leuies are made with huge expences Their Bands are great consumers of victuals and wasters of the Countries they passe They make frequent and great mutinies for pay They haue league with the Emperour as possessing the Arch-Dukedome of Austria with the Kings of Spaine as Arch-Dukes of Austria by title as heires to the Duke of Burgundy and Conquerors of the Dukedome of Milan and with the Kings of France vpon ample Pensions Now all the warres of those times hauing been managed by these Princes and the Sweitzers by league seruing on all sides since they will not fight against their Countrimen small trust can be placed in their auxiliary Bands If any man speake of the King of England he did not in those times leade any army into the continent but associated with one of the Kings of Spaine or France or with the Emperour in which case the Sweitzers serued vpon the same condition on both sides And if any of their confederates should make warre with the King of England at home they shall haue no vse of Sweitzers who condition in their leagues not to bee sent beyond the Seaes nor to be imploied in Nauall fights If any man speake of the warres in Netherland the Sweitzers wil be found no lesse vnprofitable to their confederates those wars consisting in taking and defending strong places and the Sweitzers couenanting in their leagues not to haue their bodies diuided nor to serue in that kind And in truth since all the rage of late warres commonly
reuenge and rapine it was taken from them Vpon the rumour of any crime committed these men with their seruants armed are sent out into the country to apprehend the malefactors It was credibly told me that the Emperor Charles the fifth hauing suddenly commanded a man to be hanged who after by an others confession of the fact was found guiltle vpon this error made a decrec that no hangman should euer liue at the Hage or neerer the court then Harlam to the end he being not at hand the Magistrate might lesse offend in deliberate or protracted iudgments For as in vpper Germany so in Netherland there is litle or no distance of time betweene the offence committed and the execution of iudgment whereas in England these iudgments are excercised at London once in six weeks for the Country at two or foure set times in the yeere No man is put to death without confession of the fact neither doe they as in Germany force confession by torture but they condemne vpon one witnes where probable coniectures concur to proue the malefactor guilty I thinke sauing the iudgment of the better experienced in these affaires that the military discipline of the States Army is very commendable For since those common-wealthes are most happy where rewardes and punishments are most iustly giuen surely the States neither detaine nor delay the paiments due to the soldiers nor leaue vnpunished their insolencies nor yet their wanton iniuries either towardes the subiects or the Enemy yeelding vpon conditions In the camp all things for food are free from all impositions so as a man may there liue more plentifully or more frugally then in any of their Cities And besides the soldiers pay duly giuen them all sick wounded persons are sent to their Hospitals vulgarly called Gaslhausen that is houses for Guests where all things for health food and clenlines of the body are phisically plentifully and neately ministred to them of which kinde of houses fairely stately built they haue one in each City Also when they are recouered of theire sicknesses and wounds they are presently sent backe to the Campe or their winter Garrisons They who are maimed in the warres and made thereby vnfit for seruice haue from them a Pension for life or the value of the Pension in ready mony On the other side they so punish the breakers of martiall discipline as when bandes of Soldiers are conducted to any seruice or Garrison through the middest of their Cities or Villages not one of them is so hardy as to leaue his rancke to doe the least wrong to any passenger or to take so much as a chicken or crust of bread from the Subiects by force And while my selfe was in those parts I remember that vpon the giuing vp of a Castle into the States hands after Proclamation made that no Souldier should doe the least iniury to any of those who had yeelded the same a souldier wantonly taking one of their hats away or changing his hat with one of them was presently hanged vp for this small insolency For warre by land they haue no great power I speake particularly of the vnited Prouinces not of Netherland in generall which we reade to haue of old raised an army of eighty thousand men For since the subiects cannot be pressed to the warre but when their owne City or Towne is besieged and in that case their Magistrate going before them and leading them to the wals and since the number of them is very small who willingly follow that profession hereupon almost all their army consisted of strangers and long experience hath concluded mercenary Souldiers to be vnfit for great Conquests So as wise men thinke for this reason that the Common wealth of the States is more fit by due obseruing of their leagues and amity with confederates and neighbours to defend their owne then ambitiously to extend their Empire by inuading others They haue heauy Friesland Horses more fit to endure the Enemy charging then to pursue him flying I speake not of Flanders and the other Prouinces yeelding good light Horses but all the waies and passages being fenced in with ditches of water they haue at home lesse vse of Horse which makes them commonly sell these Horses in forraigne parts vsing onely Mares to draw their Waggons and for other seruices of peace which Mares are very beautifull and good The Inhabitants of these Prouinces by nature education and art are most fit for Nauigation as in the exercise of all Arts they are no lesse witty then industrious so particularly they haue great skill in casting great Ordinance in making gunpowder cables ankers and in building ships of all which things and whatsoeuer is necessary to naualll warre they haue great abundance the matter being bought in forraigne parts but wrought by their owne men at home So as they are most powerfull at Sea neither hath any King a Nauy superior or equall to theirs excepting onely the King of England And for coniecture of their generall power at Sea I will be bold to adde what I haue credibly heard That one City of Amsterdam at this time had some hundred shippes for the warre or men of warre and some foure hundred ships of Merchants well armed for defence besides as they said some ten thousand Barkes or without all doubt an vncredible number Therefore if perhaps the vnited Prouinces forgetting their old league with England and our late merit in defending their liberty shall at any time resolue to haue warre with England which for the good of both Nations God forbid then are such bloody fights at Sea like to happen as former Ages neuer knew Yet the course of those times whereof I write gaue small probability of any such euent like to happen for many reasons combining our minds together First the happy amity that hath beene time out of mind betweene our Nations Next the bond of loue on our part towards those wee haue preserued from bondage and the like bond of their thankefulnesse towards vs which howsoeuer ambition may neglect or despise yet neuer any Nation was more obliged to another in that kind and so long as the memory thereof can liue it must needs quench all malice betweene vs. Besides that they being not able to raise an Army of their owne men by Land aswell for want of men as because it must consist altogether of voluntaries no man being bound to serue in the warre except his Towne be besieged and his owne Magistrate leade him to the walles they haue hitherto happily vsed and may euer so vse our men for souldiers wherein Britany aboundeth aboue all other Nations neither doe they by much so esteeme the auxiliary bands of any other Nation as of ours Lastly in that they wanting many necessaries of their owne and yet abounding in all things by trafficke cannot long subsist without the freedome thereof and nothing is so powerfull to diminish their wealth and to raise ciuill discords among
and the State of Venice would assist the Raguzeant against them and no way indure that the Turkish Ottoman should make himselfe Lord of that Hauen Vpon the three and twenty of Aprill towards euening we sayled by the little Iland Augusta being yet of a good large circuit and populous and subiect to the Raguzeans but the Coast is dangerous for ships arriuall by reason of the Rockes called the Augustines and by the little Iland Corsolavi Some Ilands in this Sea are subiect to the Raguzeans and some neere to the Northerne continent haue the Great Turke for their Lord but the rest are subiect to the Venetians and are very many in number but little and good part of them little or not at all inhabited The Italians our consorts told vs of an Iland not farre distant called Pelaguza and lying neere the continent of Italy vpon the Coast whereof the famous Turkish Pyrate of Algier a Hauen in Africa was lately wont to houer and lie hidden and made rich booties of the Venetian and Italian Merchants Vpon Sunday the foure and twenty of Aprill we had in sight and little distant the little Ilands Catza and Lissa and in the afternoone on our left hand towards Italy the Iland Pomo and in the euening towards Dalmatia two Ilands and vpon the continent the City Zaga being some two hundred miles distant from Venice And the night following we sailed ouer an arme of the Sea some thirty miles broade lying betweene Dalmatia and Istria called Il Cornaro which we passed without any appearance of danger though otherwise it be generally reputed so dangerous as the Venetians offended with any Marriner vse this imprecation Maledetto sia il Cornaro che t' ha lasciato passare that is Cursed be the Cornaro for letting thee passe Vpon Monday the fiue and twenty of Aprill as we sailed by the Coast of Istria one of the Marriners aged and as we thought honest and of some authority among the rest priuately admonished me that I should safely locke vp our goods in our chests left the inferior Marriners should steale our shirts or any other thing they found negligently left which they vsed to doe especially at the end of any voyage Vpon Tuesday the sixe and twenty of April we cast anchor beyond Pola in the continent of Istria a City now ruined and vpon the seuen and twenty day we entred the Hauen of Rouinge in Istria subiect to the Venetians where the ships vse to take a Pilot for their owne safety or els are tied so to doe by some old priuiledge of that City Here the Prouisors for health gaue vs liberty of free conuersation as they had formerly done at Zante seeing no man in our ship to be sicke or sickely And I did not a little wonder when I obserued each second or third person of this City to halt and be lame of one foot which made me remember the Citizens of Islebe in Germany and in the Prouince of Saxony where almost all the men haue wry neckes whereof I knew the cause namely because they vsed daily to dig in mines with their neckes leaning on one side but of this common lamenes of the Inhabitants in Rouinge I could not learne any probable cause except it were the foule disease of lust raigning in those parts which I rather thought likely because the lamenesse was common to weomen as men Now the sayling in our great ship was like to be more trouble some dangerous and slow whereupon fiue of vs ioyning together did vpon the thirtieth of Aprill after the old stile hier a boate of sixe Oares for seuen Venetian Duckets to Venice where we arriued the next day towards euening and staied in our boat vpon the wharfe of the Market place of Saint Marke till the Prouisors of health sitting in their Office neere that place came vnto vs and after some conference vnderstanding that we and our ship were free of all infection or sicknesse gaue vs free liberty of conuersation Wee staied three dayes at Venice to refresh our selues and paied each man three lyres for each meale in a Dutch Inne Then hauing receiued money of a Merchant I went to the Village Mestre and there bought of Dutchmen newly arriued in Italy two horses for my selfe and my man the one for thirtie the other for twentie ducates These horses I sold at Stode in Germany after my iourney ended at or about the same rate He that hath the Dutch tongue and either knowes the waies of Germany himselfe or hath consorts skilfull therein being to trauell from Stode or those parts into Italy shall finde more profit in buying a horse in those parts of Germany for so hee shall saue great summes vsually paid for coches and at the iournies end or rather by the way towards the ende of his iourney may in Italy sell his horses with good profit In the Village Mestre each of vs paid each meale fiftie soldi that is two lires and a halfe From hence we took the right way to Augsburg in Germany to Nurnberg Brunswick and to Stode an old Citie lying on the Northern Sea of Germany The particulars of which iourney I here omit hauing in my iourney to Ierusalem passed the very same way from Stode to Venice So as it shall suffice to adde some few things in generall Within the confines of Italy each man of vs paid for each meale fortie and sometimes fiftie Venetian soldi and for hay and stable for his horse commonly at noone foure soldi at night twelue soldi and for ten measures of oates giuen each day to each horse fiftie soldi After we entred Germany each man paid each meale commonly twentie creitzers at Inspruch twentie foure and somtimes twentie six creitzers for hay six creitzers a day or there-abouts and for ten measures of oates seruing one horse for a day wee paid fiftie creitzers In the middle Prouinces of Germany each of vs paid for each meale commonly sixteene creitzers that is foure batzen and in the parts vpon the Northerne sea some foure Lubeck shillings And from the Citie Armstat seated betweene Augsburg and Nurnberg to the said Northern sea side we had a new measure of oates called Hembd one of which measures was sold for some tenne Lubeck shillings and serued three horses for our baite at noone and another was almost sufficient for them at night From Stode seated vpon the German Sea we passed in a boat to the outmost Hauen where wee went abroad an English ship vpon the fourth of Iuly after the old stile being Tuesday The sixt of Iuly early in the morning we set sayle and the eight of Iuly we came vpon the most wished land of England and cast anchor neere Orford a Castle in Suffolke Vpon Saturday the ninth of Iuly after the old stile we landed at Grauesend and without delay with the night-tide passed in a boat to London where we ariued on Sunday at foure of the clock in the morning the tenth of