and every Citie hath his particular Councell and place of assemblie save only when they are to sit upon matters of importance and such as concerne the generall estate then they appoint a generall Diet and that to be held in some one of the Cities which they thinke most convenient whereunto foure or five of the most principall of every Citie are bound to resort In their consultations for the most part they are comfortable one to another and because one Citie is as free as another having no one chiefe Governour superiour to any other in case the cause be it peace or warre concerne the universall State of all the Cantons looke how the major part of voices shall sway in the Senate so it prevaileth and that which the greater number resolve upon is without more adoe put in execution The benefit which they gaine by a common warre Is divided in common but if sometimes two or three united Cantons purchase any bootie by their peculiar Armes of that purchase the residue can claime no share Yet hath it happened that the residue thinking themselves injured in not participating generally have raised divers controversies and because as aforesaid they are equally free and as great is the soveraigne authoritie of one Citie as of another both parties have appealed unto the French King who upon hearing of the cause in question gave judgement That a particular gaine appertained to particular persons And so the rest Therefore when they are either occasioned or determined to make any particular warre the united Cantons erect lights and make bone-fires but when they are to raise forces in generall as suppose they should for the French King first they strike up their Drumme then all the Cities doe presents as many persons as they thinke good which may be to the number of five and thirtie or fortie thousand of whom after the Captaines have culd out their limited portions the residue are licensed to depart to their owne homes Every Citie hath his principall Standard with their peculiar armes and devices therein to distinguish one people from another And because no politike body can stand without a head although in no case they will tolerate one absolute Governour over the whole yet are they contented to submit themselves to the government of one particular Magistrate in every particular Citie him they terme Vnama The elect on of which Officer is on this manner On the first Sunday in May the principall of all the houses and families thoâ—ow every Canton of all sorts and qualities assemble themselves either in some meadow or else in the chiefest streets of their Citie where all of them taking their places in order the Vnama whose time of office is now expired seating himselfe in a place somewhat above the rest after some stay riseth up and maketh a speech to the people excusing himselfe in good termes of his insufficiencie to discharge the weight of the office committed unto his charge and craveth pardon of that which he hath through ignorance or negligence committed to the prejudice of the common good and therewithall offereth to resigne his determined office into the hands of the people Immediately upon this resignation with a loud voice hee nominateth the partie whom in his judgement he thinketh worthy to succeed in his place He that is nominated commeth forth before the multitude and presenting himselfe before them after some speeches nominateth a second the second with like ceremonie a third The nomination being ended the chiefe of the companies demand of the people which of these three thus nominated they are willing to elect So naming them anew one by one the multitude lift up their hands at the naming of him whom they desire to be their Governour And oft-times it falleth out that he that hath beene once Vnama in desert of his justice and good carriage towards them hath beene chosen againe the second time This election finished they proceed to the choice of other Officers This Officer continueth in his place three yeares and although he be the chiefest amongst them yet goeth hee but little better attired than the meanest only attended with five or six persons He dwelleth in his owne house because they imploy the publike places for the holding of the Diets the keeping of their Munition and Artillerie and other furniture belonging to the warres In criminall causes he can doe nothing without the counsell of the fifteene but in civill matters he hath larger limitation Next the Vnama is that Officer of Iustice who is as it were the Chancellor and the second person in that State After him are certaine Counsellors men well experienced in affaires of Princes and occurrence of Provinces Then the Chamberlaine and his is the charge of the Munition and publike Treasure Next to him are the foure Deputies in authoritie greater than the Counsellors and may doe many things in absence of the Vnama so as the Chancellor be present These with the Vnama make the fifteene which governe the State as well in peace as in warre and are ever present at the hearing and deciding of all occurrences arising within the Territorie of their owne Canton These are from yeare to yeare confirmed by the people although as doth the Vnama they continue their office for three yeares These send Governours to the Castles on the Frontiers and to decide inferiour matters they allow ten persons chosen out of the meaner sort but the parties in controversie may appeale to the fifteene other Iudges or further appeales as in the Civill Law they have not to flie unto For their chiefest care is their tillage and warfare coveting to live simply and plainly and not to intrap one another in quarrels and suits of Law The partie evicted is severely punished Neither will they suffer any of their people to appeale out of their owne Countries and if any offend therein he is grievously chastened Thorow the whole world Lawes are not observed with lesse partialitie for they are never-altered according to the humours of the inconstant multitude nor violated without due penaltie inflicted for as of those five sorts of populâ—r governments which Aristotle discourseth of there is none more dangerous than that wherein the will of the people beareth sway above reason and standeth for Law as Zenophon writeth of the Athenians so no forme of government can be compared to that wherein the Commonaltie without dâ—tinction live subject to the censure of the Law in regard of which policie wee ought not to marvell if this Common-weale have flourished now these two hundred and fiftie yeares in great reputation of valour For â—â—y two meanes hath this estate beene preserved viz. by unpartiall administration of justice and frequencie of neighbourly feastings whereas the scornfull ambition of great men hath heretofore ruinated the popular estates of the Megarians the Romans the Florentines the Syennois and the Genoese Of which sort the Swizzers have none at all or if there be any as there are but
all the City became to bee divided into Neri and Bianchi this sedition was not of long time after pacified Arezzo being by long dissention amongst themselves almost brought to wracke as the other cities of Tuscane likewise were was sold to the Florentines by Lewis of Anjou for forty thousand Florens of gold and not many yeeres after Cortona by King Ladislaus With the State of Florence doth confine that of Sienna a City builded by the Senoni and of late time become subject to the house of Medici It is five miles in compasse strong by situation and whereunto Cosmo the great Duke adjoyned a Citadell From Florence it is not above thirty three miles distant but the people thereof are much differing in Manners as also disposition they sparing slow and unsociable towards Strangers these bountifull and of kinde entertainment they loth to part with money and provident these liberall and onely caring for the present they grave melancholie and alwaies expecting their profit these plaine and of cheerefull countenance the one inclined to traffique and gaine the other content with their Revenues and the fruits of their Farmes Sienna hath a large and fruitfull Territory wherein are contained in the Cities of Pienza Montalcino Chiusi Soana and in Maremma Massa and Crosseâ—o the ports of Orbetelio Portercole with twenty six other walled Townes The coast beginneth at Capiglia and extendeth to the little River of Fiore being all good soile for Corne but the aire is so infectious that none live long therein The ports doe all belong to the King of Spaine together with the Hill Argentino a place famous by the discourse which Claudius Ptolomeus made thereof for the excellency of the situation fit for the building of a royall Citie Next this Province beginneth the patrimony of Saint Peter bequeathed to the Church by the Countesse Matilda These may be partly ghessed at by the numbers of people which not to over-reach with the Italians are valued 800000. soules or perchance a million in all his dominions So then out of every 16000. people to allow three hundred souldiers which is the proportion of the Muster-books in Prato then will 800000. people allow 15000. souldiers and though the Duke as some writers affirme hath sometimes confessed that he hath thirty or 36000. souldiers yet I suppose you shall doe him no wrong not to allow him above 20000. in ordinary seeing a Captaine of their owne at once confessed but 15000. These are trained once a moneth except in Florence where they are not suffered to weare Armes the liberty to weare which causes divers to sue to be souldiers those in ordinary pay are bestowed in his Garrisons Thirty Castles and Forts he hath and in some of them fifty in others but fifteene souldiers Sixteene Cities with Garrison also he hath in some of which he keepes not much above the said number though in others two or three hundred He hath in ordinary for his Guard one hundred horse at six and thirty shillings nine pence apeece a moneth and foure hundred light horse more at fifteene shillings nine pence one other troope of horse he hath for what service and in what pay I know not The Garrison Souldier hath one and twenty shillings a moneth the traine Souldier nothing His Force at Sea he never recovered since the defeat given by the Turkes where hee lost two of his best Gallies and one Galleon His whole Fleet is about twelve Gallies and five Galleasses for honour and increase of his power by Sea hath hee instituted the Knights of the Order of Saint Stephen who are his Commanders His chiefe Port and Arsenall is Porto Ferraro in the I le of Elba Of great Ordnance were told in the Castle of Livorno threescore and foure and in that of Florence one hundred and fifty by which may be ghessed that hee hath no want of munition The charge of his Gallies for these six moneths in which they be commonly at Sea is about 18000. gold Crownes each Crowne worth six shillings sterling There is not so much as a root nor the dunging of an Asse for which something is not paid to the great Duke Victuals Lodging Weddings Bargaines Law-suits setting up of young Tradesmen all must be paid for So that his ordinary and knowne revenue is valued at 1100000. Ducats which comes to 279000. pound sterling a yeere besides his extraordinaries A wonderfull summe for a petty Prince especially in such a thrifty place where all expences defrayed he may in times of peace put up one halfe if not two thirds of his intire Revenue Ordinaries and Extraordinaries arising to one thousand pound a day His neighbour Princes are all jealous of him hee of them and all watchfull one over another But the greatest eye-sore his greatnesse is to the State of Lucca which lies in Tuscany and all the whole length being fifty miles surrounded by this Dukes dominions This makes them at great and continuall charge of Garrisons and to put themselves under the protection of the Spaniard the feare of whose power slaves off the Duke from attempting upon that State which might hee once obtaine hee might truly then write himselfe Great Duke of Tuscany Whereas now having but part of it he may be answered as the Pope did his Predecessor So he may write himselfe the Greatest Duke of all Tuscany rather than The Great Duke of all Tuscany The State of the Kingdome of Naples THe chiefe place hereof in ancient time was Capua the pleasant situation whereof was the overthrow of Hanâ—â—bal and his army Cicero writeth that the Romans were Lords of three imperiall Cities Carthage Corinth and Capua The two first being farre off they utterly ruinated of Capua they long consulted in the end they concluded that it were extreme tyrannie to spoile so noble a city of Italy But for their better security they confiscated the Territories thereof and deprived it of all forme and Majesty of Common-wealth They let the buildings stand to serve for receit of those which should till the ground Naples is now the chiefe seat not onely of Campagnia but of the whole Kingdome and is indeed a princely City it is in compasse seven miles but narrow of late times it is much augmented and would increase continually if the King of Spaine had not forbidden a further increase by building whereunto he was moved partly by the complaints of the Barons whose Tenants to injoy the liberties granted to the Neapolitans did forsake their owne dwelling to seat themselves there partly by the danger of rebellion which in so mighty a City cannot easily be repressed It is strongly walled and hath in it three Castles the chiefe whereof is Castle Novo builded by Charles of Angcow The haven is not large nor safe but that inconvenience is somewhat eased by an artificiall key It hath likewise an Arsenall wherein all Instruments of warre are forged Amongst other religious places of which sort there are many and those
and short that it cannot ripen the clusters of the vine It bringeth forth a race of excellent horse fit for journies in regard of their ambling paces but not commendable for indurance It breedeth the injurious Wolfe and the Fox as also all other creatures tame and gentle necessary for life but of lesser growth except the Grey-hound Almost all the woods are replenished with Deere and those so fat that they can frant runne for fatnesse with Bores Hares in great abundance Goats Fallow-Deere Hedg-Hogges and Moales are seldome seene but Mice infinite it aboundeth also with Falcons Merlins Eagles Cranes and in the Northerly parts with Swannes Storks are very rarely heard of thorow the whole Island but such as are there found are blacke Pies and Nightingales are altogether wanting By reason of the Sea their famous Rivers and spacious Lakes it is served with most excellent Fish and that peculiar to this Island onely For to let passe many other in Vlster the Ban being a most faire and cleare water and arising out of the Lake of Eaugh is the most plentifull River for Salmon that is to be found thorowout all Europe For plenty and varietie the like is to be reported of Sineus and Erno a Lake by Camdens report thirty miles long and fifteene broad Report saith that this was once a delicate plot of ground and well inhabited but for the bestiall abuse of the people it was suddenly swallowed in the waters And to prove this true men say that in faire seasons the Turrets and tops of houses are in the bottome to bee discerned The Island became subject to the Crowne of England about the yeare of our Lord 1175. Henry the second then reigning At what time Roderic King of Conaght intituling himselfe King of Ireland inforced the residue of those petty Roytelets to crave assistance of the King of England under whose protection they voluntarily yeelded their obeysance It hath fifty Bishopricks whereof Armach is a Primacy and Metropolitan of the whole Island Cassils is another Archbishopricke authorized by Pope Eugenius and hath under it nine suffragan Bishops Dublin is another and Toam another It is divided into foure Provinces viz. Leynster which Eastward respecteth EnglaÌ„d Mounster which lieth towards France Southward Conaght exposed to the West And Vlster situated in the Northerly part of the Island Some adde a fifth placed in the middest and terme it Meath Every one now is subdivided into Counties and each Countie into Baronies and hundreds and every Barony into Parishes consisting of Manors Townes and Villages after the manner of England â— That parcell of territorie which anciently was termed the Pale is about the quantity of Yorke-shire in England and is a Country at this day inhabited by Noblemen and Gentlemen descended of Engliâ—â— race being civill men and have continued their obediencâ— to the Crowne of England and retained their English language since the first conquest This people doe commonly marry within themselves and not with the meere Irish who could never in their sundry rebellions draw the said inhabitants to joyne with them by flattery or expell them by force The first Colonies planted therein were composed of worthy and noble Englishmen and especially seated in Dublin and other Cities and borough townes thorowout the Realme whose progeny having the mannagement of the affaires of the kingdome subdued by degrees the greatest part of the Irish and brought them under subjection to the Crowne of England And so long as they and their posterity were imployed as principall Officers in time of warre and peace being men throughly informed of all passages within the Kingdome and acquainted with the dispositions of the people the Realme was worthily governed and duly increased in civility and yeelded some profit to the crowne without charge Other English Colonies at sundry times have there beene since planted and especially by our late and moderne Soveraignes in the Provinces of Mounster and Vlster by the name of Vndertakers whereupon it groweth that the Realme is now inhabited with English and Irish descended of English race and with the meere and ancient Irishmen unto whose Nobilitie and Gentry the sir-names of Mac or O are commonly added Vpon the Conquest Henry the second established the lawes of England then being divided into kinds viz. the Common law as that the elder should inherit his fathers lands and Custome law that by the particular custome of Manors and Townes lands should be divided by the custome of Gavelkinde amongst all his sonnes or that the youngest sonne onely should inherit the same by the custome of Borough-English whereunto is to bee added a third viz. the Statute law He and his successors held the possession thereof with 〈◊〉 soveraigne royalty and kingly prerogatives by the nâ—me of Lords of Ireland untill the day of king Henry the eighth who by act of Parliament was acknowledged intituled and entred King of the said kingdome and so continueth it unto this day being governed as a distinct kingdome by a Lieutenant for Authority Traine Furniture Provision c. farre surpassing any Deputation thorowout Christendome wherein Courts of Parliament are have there beene held conâ—â—sting of the three Estates of the kingdome in the same forme as is used in England by commission from the King under the great seale of England authorizing the Viceroy or Deputie to summon a parliament there and to give the Royall assent unto such acts as are agreed upon in that Parliament wherein the King and his Councell of Estate of England are to bee informed by certificate under the great seale of Ireland by force of a Statute made in Ireland in the tenth yeare of Henry the seventh And after the kings allowance the bils to be enacted and propounded in the Parliament there So the Lord Deputy by force of the said Commission gives the Kings royall assent to such acts as are agreed upon in the said Parliament there So as I said before Ireland is not onely governed by the Common lawes of England by certaine ancient customes of that realme and this and by divers statutes here and there also upon occasion enacted but also the like Courts and formes of Iustice are there according to the said lawes used and administred And also the Iudiciall records are made in Latine and the Iudges and Lawyers doe plead in English as is accustomed in England For the studying of which Lawes the Irish Gentlemen doe send their sonnes to the Innes of Court in England being alwayes such as are descended of English race and not of meere Irish who are allowed to practise in England after they are called to the Barre as Englishmen are also allowed to practise in Ireland Neither the Nobility nor Commons of Ireland have any suffrage in the election of the Viceroy or blazing of Soveraigne Magistrates but all is done by the King and such as are especially authorized And the inhabitants of Cities and Borough-townes in Ireland by their charters which they have from the
to his children and kinsfolkes to reward servants or to countenance followers with libertie of civill conversation of comely burials and mourning for the dead of rejoycings at mariages of honest and friendly visitations and harmlesse recreation where every man eateth under his owne Vine and doth what seemeth good in his owne eyes so it tend not to scandall Then let mee be bold to shew him the noble Kingdome of England which to approve I intend by way of comparison wherein most of our Gentrie are well acquainted to make good what I thinke without offence may be truly avouched And first wee will begin with those Countries of which wee have only knowledge by way of traffike and so travell into Russia and Aethiopia But there alas to say nothing of the government the sole load-starre of goodnesse and happinesse the two extremities of heat and cold debarre both Plentie and Abundance from unloading their laps amongst the Inhabitants comparable to our happinesse and satisfaction As for their government and uniformitie of a Common-wealth the name of Emperours only excepted there is nothing worthy observation more than the tyrannous controlling of Lawes and the immediate prostitution of all sorts to the imperious will of the prevailer nor in truth have they temple palace wisdome peace or tranquillitie such as Royaltie or good government intendeth but both Empires especially Russia have suffered many convulsions from ambitious Vsurpers and unworthy Princes who have traiterously supplanted one another and by indirect courses brought the subject into the house of slaughter which undoubtedly is the maine reason why they cannot come neere magnificence provision in house-keeping navie multitude of Princes Nobles or subjects with the equality of obedience to advance a true Scepter or to manifest the glory of a king by the flourishing condition of all estates In a word their Cities and Townes are subject to such bestiality and confusion that they seeme rather routed troopes of deformity than men orderly disposed to the mannagement of affaires either of commerce or of Noble trade And so in all other particulars there is a meere disparity betweene them and our proposition Shall we come neerer home and with prying eyes like the Censors of Rome looke into the Empire of Germany there the Princes are so absolute and the Emperour so timorous to raigne as Asueroth did from India to Aethiopia over 127. Provinces that neither the Queene of Saba will come to heare his wisdome nor to view the order of his Palace neither will the King of Arabia send him presents nor the Confederates admire his magnificence The Merchant will not bring him horse and fine linnen from remote places nor supply his wants according to the prerogative of Kings Nor are the Cities ordered by the appointment of his Ministers nor can he send his chariots to this place nor his horse-men to that nor his Army whither he lists nor fill the streets of Ierusalem when he would solemnize a Passeover for the people live divided and the Burger boasteth of his policie in manumitting themselves and giving their Townes the usurpation of chiefe commandery as for the having of many commodities tending either to necessity or pleasure alas the commutation consisteth in the inriching one another wherin all the corruptions of avaâ—ice are put in practice finally God wot to the augmentation of the Empires Majesty So that their Marts and Faires are as so many boothes of drunkards where with in stead of Ships at Sea they fill the fields with wagons full of strange creatures who make their bellies as great devourers as the Sea Nor can he goe with the wise King to view his navie at the red Sea shores not in person visit the Cities which want fortification or repairing nor in truth doe any thing to come neere the six steps of gold on Solomons throne but eat and carouse yet farre from the meane of mirth Shall we venture over the Alpes and the gulfe of Venice into Italy and there search the Apennine Hils the fields of Campania the garden of the World Lombardy the territories of Rome or attractive Naples for an instance of this our Greatnesse and Happinesse No surely For throughout this goodly territory in one corner ruleth the Spaniard at another end the Savoyen then is intermingled a confused government of pettie Princes Next lieth the Venetian state who meerely out of parsimonie like their adjoyning neighbours the Florentines have obtained the reputation of wealth and greatnesse As for the Duke he is but a voice unsignificant for the Senate carrieth the sword And lastly the Church with the mercenary contraries of blessing and cursing keepeth Saint Peters patrimony as safe as if the indubitate heire of some noble family should maintaine the privileges of his deceased Ancestors But should I knit all these models together and set up the wals of Rome incompassed with her seven hils in such an order that the fabricke might boast of twenty miles circuit and the government lift up a head of Daniels vision againe Or that in a yeare of Iubile I could settle you under the wings of an Angell on the top of the Popes Palace as the Devill carried our Saviour to the pinacle of the Temple And there shew you the consistory of Cardinals triumphs of a Popes Inauguration his stately carriage adorned with his triple crowne on mens shoulders with all the appurtenant shewes and ceremonies yet would all come short to our example For the very provision of our Kings Palace would exhaust the Country consume the commodities and like barren ground drinking up the raine devoure the plenty of the Land and pull in peeces their best compacted husbandry As for their drinking in vessels of gold well may it serve to divulge the glory of some ambitious triumph but nothing verifie the bounty of an overflowing cup considering the wines are not onely small but the vintage so barren and penurious that to conceale the scarcity thereof by parsimonious custome of the Country women and children are forbidden to drinke thereof As for the Villano he is glad of water to quench his thirst fetcht from muddy channels falling from the mountaines of snow and cleansed with much adoe by the swift course of Eridanus Many other defects doe bespot the face of this goodly creature and debarre it from the boast of our essentiall happinesse For though the Inne-keepers daughter goe in a satten gowne and that the bravery of Italy be discovered in the attire of the people as if every burre had golden kernels and every corner were full of silkwormes yet is there neither method of government nor can the inhabitans rejoyce under unity or any privileges of a strong compacted Administration tending to the assurance of love true alliance or obedience so that in a manner all the defects deforming the beauty of Kingdomes more than some private blessings and those scattered as it were by the hands of divine goodnesse may be here lookt upon with
seated in an I le of the Seine We may distinguish it thus into Transequana Cisequana and Interamnis The part beyond the Seine that on this side the Seine and that in the I le incompast with the River It is reputed not onely the Capitall Citie of France but also the greatest in all Europe It is about the wals some ten English miles these are not very thicke the want whereof is recompenced with the depth of the ditch and goodnesse of the Rampart which is thicke and defensible save on the South side which no doubt is the weakest part of the Towne on which side it is reported that the Lord Willoughby offered the King in foure dayes to enter at such time as he besieged it Whereunto the King condescended not by the counsell of the old Marshall Biron who told him it was no policie to take the bird naked when hee may have her feathers and all On the other side especially towards the East it is very well fortified with Bulwarke and Ditch faire and moderne The Ramparts of the gates S. Anthony S. Michel and S. Iames and elsewhere were made 1544. This Bastile of Saint Anthonie was built some say by the English and indeed it is somewhat like those peeces which they have built elsewhere in France as namely that at Roven howbeit I read in Vigner his Chronicle that it was builded by a Provost of Paris in the time of Edward the third of England at what time our Kings began their first claime and had as yet nothing to doe in this Citie So in this Towne the Chastelet was built by Iulian the Apostata the Vniversitie was founded by Charlemaigne Anno 800. who also erected those of Bologna and Padoa The Church of Nostre Dame was founded Anno Dom. 1257. If you would know the greatnesse of the great Church of our Lady the roofe thereof is seventeene fadome high it is foure and twenty fadome broad threescore and five fadome long the two Steeples are foure and thirty fadome high above the Church and all founded upon piles The Towne-house was finished by Francis the first Anno 1533. with this inscription over the Gate S.P.E.P. that is For his well-deserving Senate People and Burghers of Pariâ— Francis the first most puissant King of France commanded this House to be built from the foundation and finished it and dedicated it to the calling of the Common Councell and governing the Citie in the yeare aforesaid This is as you would say the Guild-Hall of the Towne The Hostel Dieu in Paris was augmented and finished in 1535. by Antoine de Prat Chancellour in this Citie his pourtraict with Francis the first is upon the doore as yee enter This is as we call it at London the Hospitall The Palace de Paris was built by Philip le Bel 1283. purposing it should have beene his Mansion-house but since it hath beene disposed into divers Courts for the execution of Iustice just like Westminster Hall which likewise at first was purposed for the Kings Palace Here you have such a shew of Wares in fashion but not in worth as yee have at the Exchange Here is a Chappell of the Saint Espirit built by Saint Lewis 1242. Here are all the seven Chambers of the Court of Parliament which was first instituted by Charles Martel father to King Pepâ—â— Anno 720. but of them all the great Chamber of Paris is most magnificently beautified and adorned by Lewis the twelfth At the entry is a Lion couchant with his taile betweene his legs to signifie that all persons how high soever are subject to that Court. The Chamber also of Compts built by this Lewis is a very faire roome at the entry whereof are five pourtraicts with their Mots The first is Temperance with a Diall and Spectacle her word Mihi spreta voluptas I despise pleasure Secondly Prudence with a Looking-Glasse and a Sive her word Consiliis rerum speculor I prie into the counsell of things Iustice with a Ballance and a Sword her Mot Sua cuique ministro I give to every man his owne Fortitude with a Tower in one arme and a Serpent in the other her word Me dolor atque metus fugiunt Both paine and feare avoid mee And lastly Lewis the King with a Scepter in one hand and holding Iustice by the other and this written for his word My happy Scepter in calme peace doth flourish While I these Heaven-bred Sisters foure doe nourish The buildings of this Citie are of stone very faire high and uniforme thorowout the Towne only upon the port N. Dame our Ladies Bridge which is as it were their Cheapside Their building is of brick-bat all alike notwithstanding the fairest Fabrick in the Towne and worthily is the Kings Castle or Palace of the Louvre at the West It is in forme quadrangular the South and West quarters are new and Prince-like the other two very antique and prison-like They were pulled downe by Francis the first and begun to be re-built but finished by Henry the second with this inscription The most Christian King Henry the second began to repaire this time-ruined Edifice The Vniversitie in times past was wont to have by report above thirty thousand Schollers of all sorts but many of these children such as our petty Schooles in the Countries are furnished withall The streets both in the Citie Vniversitie and suburbs are very faire strait and long very many of them the shops thicke but nothing so full of wares nor so rich as they of London in comparison whereof these seeme rather Pedlars than otherwise But for number I suppose there be three for two of those The Faulxbourges are round about the Citie ruined and utterly desolate except those of Saint Germaines which was very fairely builded and was very neere as great as the faire Towne of Cambridge The benefit of this Towne is very great which it hath by the River as by which all the commodities of the Country are conveyed whereupon Monsieur de Argenton reports of it Of all the Townes that ever I saw it is environed with the best and fertilest Country And he there reports that for twenty moneths that hee was prisoner he saw such an infinite company of boats passe and repasse but that he was an eye-witnesse he would have thought it incredible which he also after proves by the maintenance of the three Armies of the three Dukes of Burgundie Guiennae and Bretaigne which consisted of an hundred thousand men against the Citie of Paris wherein they had besieged Lewis the eleventh and yet neither the Campe nor Towne had any want of victuals Some say this Towne was builded in the time of Amazias King of Iuda by some Reliques of the Trojan warre and that it was called Lutece à Luto because the soile in this place is very fat which is of such nature as ye cannot well get it out it doth so staine whereof they have a By-word It staineth like the durt of
Paris Others say it was called Paris of Parresia a Greeke word which signifieth saith this Author hardnesse or ferocitie alleaging this verse Et se Parrisios dixerunt nomine Franci Quod sonat andaces c. And the Franks called themselves Parrisians which signifieth Valiant And by this Etymologie would inferre that the French is a warlike Nation But he is much mistaken in the word for it signifieth only a boldnesse or libertie of speech which whether they better deserve or to be accounted valiant you shall see when I come to speake of the Frenchmans humour and nature in generall As for the nature of the people of this Towne their Histories tax it of infinite mutinies and seditions matchable to the two most rebellious Townes of Europe Liege and Gant and yet this last is praised in one thing That they never harme their Princes person whereof the Baricades as also the late assasinations of Henry the third and Henry the fourth make Paris most unworthy And du Haillan saith of them when they stood fast to Lewis the eleventh against the three Dukes above named That the Parrisians never held good side nor never shewed any honestie but then only But I can read no such matter in Commines for I well remember that even then divers of the chiefe of the Towne had practised secretly with the enemie and were upon termes of concluding when by the Kings wisdome they were prevented The Armes in this Citie were given them Anno 1190 by Philip le Bel who creating them a Provost and Eschevins like Office as our Maior and Aldermen Gave them for Armes Gules a Ship Argent and a Cheefe seeded with Flower de Lyce Or. Yee shall heare the French bragge that their Citie hath beene besieged an hundred times by the enemie and yet was never taken since Caesars time The reason whereof one of their best Writers gives because saith he iâ— is very weake and therefore alwayes compoundeth I compare Paris with London thus Theirs is the greater the uniformer built and stronglier situate ours is the richer the more ancient for I hold antiquitie to be a great honour as well to great Cities as to great Families Yea if to some comparisons would not seeme distastfull I dare maintaine that if London and the places neere adjoyning were circum-munited in such an orbicular manner as Paris is it would surely exceed it notwithstanding all its attributes of a Winding river and the five Bridges sorting forsooth to uniformitie of streets as indeed we now behold it And more than that I am nothing doubtfull in opinion that the Crosse of London is every way longer than any you make in Paris or in any other Citie of Europe By this word Crosse I meane from Saint Georges in Southwarke to Shoreditch South and North and from Westminster to Whitechapell West and East meeting at Leaden-hall All the way she environed with broader streets comelier monuments and handsomer buildings than any you can make in Paris or ever saw either in Millan at this houre being the greatest Citie in Italie in Noremberg or Ausburg for Germanie in Madril or Lisbone for Spaine or finally in Constantinople it selfe Concerning populousnesse if you please to take London meerely as a place composed of Merchants Citizens and Tradesmen and so unite the Suburbs adjoyning it farre exceedeth Paris But taking all'together and at all times it must be confessed that there be more people of all sorts two for one if not more in Paris than in London Or if you will behold it in a Terme-time according to our custome of speciall resort I doubt not but you may be encountred with equall numbers of callings and professions As for Paris the better halfe are Gentlemen Schollers Lawyers or Clergie-men The Merchant liveth obscurely the Tradesman penuriously and the Craftsman in drudgerie yet all insolent and tumultuously affected upon the least unaccustomed imposition or supposall of alteration of their ridiculous ceremonies Instead of a beastly Towne and durtie streets you have in London those that be faire beautifull and cleanly kept Instead of clouds ill aire and a mirie situation London for the greatest part of the yeere affordeth a Sun-shining and serene element a wholsome dwelling a stately ascention and a delicate prospect In stead of a shallow River bringing only Barks and Boats with wood cole turfe and such Country provision you have in London a River flowing twenty foot high adorned with stately Ships that flie to us with merchandize from all the parts of the world And to descend to inferiour observations I say that the River only Westward matcheth that of Paris every way supplying the Citie with all the fore-mentioned commodities at easier rates In stead of ill-favoured woodden bridges many times indangered by tempests and frosts we have at London such a bridge that without exception it may worthily be accounted the admirablest Monument and firmest erected Collosseum in that kinde of all the Vniverse whether you respect the foundation with the continuall and substantiall reparation of the Arches or behold the imposed buildings being so many and so beautifull In stead of an old Bastile and ill appearing Arsenall thrust as it were into an out-cast corner of the City wee have in London a Fabrike of greatest antiquity for forme majesticall and serving to most uses of any Citadell or Magazine that ever you saw It containeth a Kings Palace a Kings Prison a Kings Armory a Kings Mint and a Kings Wardrobe besides many other worthy Offices so that the residents within the wals have a Church and are a sufficient Parish of themselves In stead of an obscure Louvre lately graced with an extraordinary and immatchable gallery the onely Palace of the King In London his Majesty hath many houses Parks and places of repose and in the shires confining such a number for state receit and commodiousnesse that I protest amazement knowing the defects of other places Nor doe I here stretch my discourse on the tenter-hookes of partiality but plainly denotate what many my country-men can averre that to the crowne of England are annexed more Castles Honours Forrests Parks Palaces Houses of state and conveniencie to resort unto from the incumbrances of the Citie than any Emperour or King in Europe can at this day challenge proprio jure In stead of an old ruinous Palace as they terme their House of Parliament Hall of Iustice concourse of Lawyers and meeting of certaine Tradesmen or Milleners like an exchange London hath such a Cirque for Merchants with an upper quadrant of shops as may make us envied for delicacy of building and statelinesse in contriving For a state-house we have in London the Guild-hall and for Courts of Iustice Westminster hall two such fabriks that without further dispute they make strangers aske unanswerable questions when being brought to the light of understanding by particulars they lift up their hands and say Oh happy England Oh happy
and Forests Grand Master of the Artillerie and others I shall speake of them when I come to relate of the Kings Forces in generall to which place these Offices especially appertaine The first Office then of Court is that of the great Master which in elder times was called Earle of the Palace and after changed into the name of Grand Seneschall and now lastly into Grand Maistre It is his Office to judge of matters of difference betweene other Officers of Court He had also the charge to give the word to the Guard to keepe the Keyes of the Kings private Lodging and to determine in disputes among Princes that followed the Court for their Lodgings In assemblies he sitteth right before the King a staire lower as you reade in the Dern Trobl Great Butler or Taster was in former times a great Office in the Kings House they had place in the Courts of Iustice as Peeres This Office was long in the Counts of Seulis It is now vanished and only there remaines that of the Grand Panetier This Office is ancient he hath besides the Kings House super-intendence over all Bakers in the Citie and Suburbs of Paris They which were wont to be called Pantlers Tasters and Carvers are now called Gentlemen Wayters of the Court. The Office of great Chamberlaine was long in the House of Tankervile he lay at the Kings feet when the Queene was not there His Privileges are now nothing so many as in times past Those which were then called Chamberlaines are now Gentlemen of the Chamber The Office of great Esquire is not very ancient though now it be very honourable and is the same that Master of the Horse is in the Court of England for it is taken out of the Constables Ofâ—â—â—â— to whom it properly appertained It was first instituted at the time of Charles the seventh In the Kings entrance into the Citie he carries the Sword sheathed before him The Cloth of Estate carried over the King by the Maior and Sherifes belongs to his Fee No man may bee the Kings Spur-maker Mareschall and such like Officer but he must have it of him as also other inferiour Offices belonging to the Stables He had in times past the command over Stages of Post-horses but now the Controller generall of the said Posts hath it The Office of Master or Steward of the Kings House hath charge over the expence of the Kings House For a marke of his authoritie he carries a truncheon tipt at both ends with silver and gilt and marcheth before the Sewer when the Kings dinner comes to the Table No Sergeant can arrest any of the Kings House without their leave They serve quarterly they were wont to be but foure but now I have heard it credibly said they be eightie in name but all of these doe not execute the Office The Great Provost of France and of the Kings House was so called since Charles the ninth for before he was called Roy des rebauds King of the Rascals His Office is to stickle amongst the Servants Pages Lacquies and Filles de joye Punkes or pleasant sinners which follow the Court and to punish all offences in these people I should have named before these last as a place more honourable the Office of Great Faulconer and Common Hunt who have authoritie over all Officers of Chase. They of the Kings Chamber are either Gentlemen of the Chamber of whom I spake before or Groomes of the Chamber which are but base Groomes and Yeomen The hundred Gentlemen of his Guard though there be two hundred of them they hold and use a weapon called Le bec de corbin They march two and two before him they are part French and part Scots The Scot carries a white Cassocke powdered with silver plates and the Kings device upon it The French weare the Kings Colours There is also a Guard of Swisse attired in partie-coloured-Cloth drawne out with silke after their Countrey fashion these follow the Court alwayes on foot the other on horse There belong to the Court also the Marshals of Lodgings and Harbingers they have like Offices as the Harbingers in the English Court there bee also divers others which are here needlesse to be spoken of It followeth I speake of his Forces aswell horse as foot of which this Country is very well furnished and indeed vaunteth and I thinke worthily to be the best and greatest Gens d'armerie of any Realme in Christendome but on the other side their foot have no reputation Insomuch as at the Siege of Amrens we should heare the Spaniard within the Towne speake over the wals to our English Souldier in their Trenches after we had saved the Kings Cannon from which the French were shamfully beaten by them within fallying out upon them You are tall Souldiers say they and we honour you much not thinking any foot to come neere us in reputation but you and therefore when you of the English come downe to the Trenches we double our Guard and looke for blowes but as for these base and unworthy French when they come we make account we have nothing to doe that day but play at Cards or sleepe upon our Rampart Of both these Forces of horse and foot of France you are to note this which followeth It is reported of the great Turke that when he conquereth any Province or Country he divideth the Lands upon his horsemen and to each his poâ—tion â—ith an exemption of paying either Rent Tax or â—allage whatsoever only they are bound to serve the Grand Seigâ—ior with a proportion of horse at their owne charge and in their owne person in his warres except either age or sicknesse hinder which are the two only excuses admitted These are called his Timariots of like Nature were the Calasyres or Mamalucks of Aâ—gypt So did the Kings of France in former times bestow upon Gentlemen divers lands and possessions freeing them likewise from taxes and aids upon condition to have their personall service in time of need These Lands were called Feifs instituted before Charlemaigne his time but till then they were given onely for life as at this day are those of the Turks but since they bee hereditary The word Feif hath his Etymology of Foy Faith signifying Lands given by the King to his Nobility or men of desert with Hauâ—â—â— et basse â—ustice with an acknowledgment of fealty and homage and service of the King in his warres at their owne charge Some Feif was bound to finde a man at Armes some an Archer some the third and some the fourth of a man at Armes according to the quantity of Land he held He that had Land from the value of five to six hundred Livres rent that is from fifty to sixty pound sterling was bound to finde a man on Horse-backe furnished for a man at Armes and from three to foure hundred a good light Horse-man who if it please the Prince and upon occasion of service shall
as it were the Dowre which the State brings to the King her Husband for her tuition defence and maintenance And therefore one saith It belongs not to the King but to the Crowne There are two sorts of Domaines first the Rent which the King holds in his hands of the Feifs given for service Secondly that which is united and incorporate to the Crowne The rights of the Domaine are these Rents Feifs Payments at alienations Tributes Penages Toll of whatsoever enters or comes out of Cities Woods Forests and divers other That is Domaine which belongeth to the Crowne First either by Possession time out of minde Or secondly by Re-union for want of heires males as the Apennages when they returne or by Confusion for want to such as can make just claime much like our concealed Lands in England Or lastly by Confiscation of offenders inheritances Of this last sort we reade that in the time of Saint Lewis there were confisked to the Domaine the Countries of Dreux Bray Fortyonne and Monstrevil Languedocke Guyenne Anjow Maine Turraine Auvergne And after in the time of Philip the Dutchy of Alencon the Countries of Perche Perigort Poutieu La Marche Angoulesme and the Marquisat of Saluzzes But Bodin saith most of this came to the Crowne by force La siur 〈◊〉 Serre saith it came by way of Exchange or purchase But the Author of the Commentaries of the estate of the Religion and policie of France is of the first opinion Thus great was the Domaine in former times that of it selfe without oppressing the people with impositions it was sufficient to maintaine the State and greatnesse of the Kings of France but it is now utterly wasted It is well knowne that the Domaine which alone maintained heretofore the beautie and lustre of the Royall Estate is not now such as it was in the reignes of King Lewis the eleventh Charles the eighth and Lewis the twelfth The continuance of our warres hath caused it to be engaged in many hands in such sort that there is need of more than 15. or 16. thousand pounds sterling to redeeme that which is worth above five millions of pounds And Bodin saith that almost all the Countries Baronies and Seigneuries of the Domaine are aliened for the ninth or tenth part of that they be worth Yee must observe that the lands of the Domaine are not alienable but in two cases 1. For the Apennage of the Kings brother 2. For the warres And these must be confirmed by the Arrest of the Parliament For all other cases all Lawyers and Historians of France agree That it is inalienable and many Arrests have beene made of late yeares to confirme it I have read that the Charta Magna of England saith the Kings when they are crowned take an oath not to alien ti so doe they here in France And there is no prescription of time to make such sales or alienations good but that they may be recovered and repurchased whensoever the Crowne is able To this purpose Plutarch saith well Men cannot prescribe against God nor particulars against the Respublique 2 Concerning the second meanes of raising Money by conquests the present State of France can yeeld no example it hath beene long but on the saving hand 3 For the third meanes it is now out of season it was used in that good old world when men wiped their nose on their sleeve as the French man sayes for now Princes are so farre from giving as they hardly pay that they owe. 4 The fourth meanes also of Pension which Princes have upon some consideration of their Allies helpeth the French Kings coffers nothing at all for they rather give than take As for example to divers Cantons of the Swisses to whom at first they payed not above one hundred and twentie thousand Livres yearely but for these sixtie yeares they never pay lesse the yeare than two Millions For saith Commines Lewis the eleventh entered league with the Swisses and they into his Pension to whom he yearely gave forty thousand Florins whereof 20. went to the Cities and 20. to particular men upon condition to have a certaine proportion of their forces to serve in his warres upon all occasions An advantagious alliance for the Swisse in my opinion who by this meanes enrich themselves cleare their Countrey of many idle and bad members and lastly breed good souldiers to serve themselves upon need at another mans cost The Turke hath also a Pension of the Emperour of Germany for certaine Lands hee holdeth in Hungary which hee notwithstanding vaunteth to be a Tribute Many examples might bee alleaged of this kinde as of Philip of Macedon that by Pensions got all Greece partiall on his side and the Kings of Persia by Pension got ever the forces of Asia diverted 5 The fifth which is of Trafficke availeth nothing the French Kings for they hold it here a base and sordid kinde of profession for a Gentleman much more for a King to trade by Merchandize And by the Lawes of England France and Germanie he loseth the quality of a Nobleman that doth Trafficke Notwithstanding these Lawes and the disparagement that it brings to Nobility yet so sweet is the savour of gaine that many have used this as no small meanes to increase their Finances The great Duke of Tuscane present gaines infinitely this way and the more by his most unlawfull and tyrannous Monopolies for he commonly buyeth up all the Graine of his owne Countrey at his owne price yea and that which commeth from other places also and then sendeth out a Bando or Proclamation that no man shall sell any corne thorowout his State till his owne be sold forcing also all Bakers and other people to buy thereof This manner of ingrossing Alphonsus of Arragon also used by the testimony of Bodin The Kings of Portugal also and the Seignory of Venice have beene great Traders by Merchandize but it hath beene in an honester fashion at sea and not to the grinding of their poore subjects The Nobilitie also of Italy in all Cities except Naples hold it no dishonour to Trafficke in grosse 6 The sixth meanes of raising money upon all Wares and Merchandize that come in and goe out of the Countrey is the most ancient and best agreeing with reason and used by all Princes in the World The particulars comprised under this branch are these Customes inward and outward By these the Prince is to have Impost five in the hundred So much just had the Romans as Cicero witnesseth in his Praetorship of Sicilia The Turke takes Ten in the hundred of the stranger and five of the subject the French quite contrarie You must observe that which here I call the Domaine forraine is generally called the Aides first granted by the Estates to Charles Duke of Normandie when Iohn his father was prisoner in England which was the payment of twelve Deniers upon all Merchandizes and Wares which should bee sold in this Kingdome except upon
Wine Corne Salt and all manner of drinke but since it hath beene made perpetuall and augmented by the imposition upon Wine sold every where and in Normandie by retaile This is like the slavish Gabell upon all manner of food which the Princes take of their subjects through Italy or the Assize upon Bread and Beare which the States have in the Low-Countries a grievance whereof we smart not in England as also we are free from many other burthens which the people of this Country are forced to beare Touching the Gabell of Salt which is also comprised under this head Some say it was first erected by Philip le Long Others by Philip de Valois 1328. True it is that the Ordinance of Francis the first 1541. sets downe an Impost of 24. Livres upon every Muy and in the yeare 1543. an ordinance was made for Gabell to be taken upon all sea-fish salted And in 1544. it was ordained that all Salt should be sold and distributed into the Magazines or Storehouses of every severall generality The benefit of this one commodity hath beene very commodious to the crown till the yeare 81. when the king was forced for want of money to let it out to others whereby he lost as is in my Authour proved eight hundred thirty six thousand crowns yearely Here is also a kinde of tax called the Equivallent that is an imposition laid upon some persons and places but not generally to have liberty to buy and sell salt and to be exempt from the Magazines The Impost of Wine is laid upon all without exception or exemption whatsoever it is the twentieth part to the King besides all other rights as of Billots entring into Cities passages by Land River and such like Besides a later imposition of five Sols upon every Muy levied by Charles the ninth 1516. Concerning the Traicte forraine it is of like nature with the Aids save that it is leviable upon more particular sorts of merchandize Besides the Aids is an Impost upon things spent in the Land and the traicte forraine is of such commodities as are transported out as of wheat rye barley oats wine vineger verjuce cider beeves muttons veales lambes swine horses lard bacon tallow oyle cheese fish of all sorts silks and cloaths of all sorts leather of all sorts and finally all other merchandize as fruits parchment paper glasse wood ropes c. 7 The seventh ground or foundation of Finances is the Imposition upon the subject that is not upon the wares or commodities but upon the persons themselves according to their abilitie and it is much like the levying of the tax and subsidy in England where every one payeth ratably to the lands and goods he possesseth And therefore Haillan judgeth well to say they be neither personall nor reall but mixt Assessed in the place of their dwelling according to all the goods of the partie assessed in what part soever they lie or abide These Tailles were first raised by Saint Lewis but by way of extraordinary subsidie Charles the seventh made them ordinary for the maintenance of his Gens d'armerie And whereas at first they were never levied but by consent of the three States and to endure but while the warre lasted he made them perpetuall Therefore saith one that which was at first yeelded of favour is since exacted as patrimoniall and hereditary to our Kings Yet is it to bee observed that these Tailles are only liable upon the Flat Pais all Cities are exempt as also all Officers of the Kings house all Counsellors Lawyers and Officers of Courts of Parliament all the Nobility the Gens d'armes the Officers of warre the Graduates of Vniversities c. The Taillon is another imposition raised by Henry the second Anno 1549. which was to amend the Wages of Gens d'armes who by reason of the smallnesse of their pay lay upon the poore Villages and eat them up for the ease whereof this imposition was devised which also lieth upon the poore Country-man whereby at first he was somewhat eased but now all is perverted the poore is still oppressed and yet he payeth still both Taille and Taillon Lastly there is the Sold or pay of 50000. foot which were erected by Lewis the eleventh into eight Legions six thousand to a Legion which with their Officers came to about this number To maintaine these Legions there was a tax levied upon all sorts of persons privileged in the Taille but only the Nobles There are also of the Decymes Tenths levied upon the Church For the levying of the Taille Taillon and wages of 50000. foot you must note that the King sends his Letters Patents by Commissioners to the Treasurers of each generality These according to the summe rate each election this is as ye would say every hundred in a Shire or Bailywicke and then send to these elections to have the said summe gathered in their severall Townes and Hamlets according as they be rated So doe they to the Maicures Consuls Eschevins and chiefe Officers of every City that are liable to any of these payments who rating every man according to his ability give these Rolles to certaine Collectors to gather it up these are bound to bring it quarterly to the Receivers These carry it to the Receivers generall in the same species that they received it and from them to have an acquittance after the accounts have beene perused by the Controler generall And these are all the meanes by which Princes raise their Finances whereof ye see some nothing to pertaine to the French King but to others and some to him only not to others There yet remaineth one other meanes though extraordinary to a Prince to get money which the necessities of the times and the want of other meanes have forced the French Kings of late yeares to use This is the vent or sales of Offices a very dangerous and hurtfull merchandize both for the Prince and subject This Lesson saith Bodin the French Kings first learned of the Popes with whom it is still as familiar as old to sell Bishopricks livings and Ecclesiasticall promotions This the Popes first beganne at Avignon in France where their means was scant and they in many necessities which still continues both in the Courts of Rome and France when there is no such necessity Better is a bad President than none at all A course saith one of great and dangerous consequence but clothed with necessity It is indeed thrice dangerous because sales of Offices cause sales of Iustice for what these Purchasers pay in grosse they must needs get in retaile forgetting what was said to Sophocles the Governour of Athens A Governour must not onely have his hands cleane but his eyes also They cannot say as Pericles did on his death bed Hee had never made any Athenian weare mourning Robe For these by selling Iustice and robbing the poore of their right give the Fatherlesse and oppressed Widow just cause to complaine and of wearing that mourning robe
of them tooke up just Armes of late even against the Emperour Subjects these Cities and States are but yet were they no freer than the subjects of other Princes they durst not make leagues amongst themselves to the prejudice of their Emperour Thirdly even these Imperiall Cities have some other Lords besides the Emperour or the Maior or Officers of their owne Townes Thus the Marquesse of Onspach being of the House of Brandenburgh stil challengeth the ancient Office and Title of his Family which is to be Burgrave of Nurembergh which is a principall Imperiall Citie We see also what power and favour the King of Poland had in these warres with Sweden in the Imperiall Citie of Dantzik which put it selfe under his protection Wormbs also in the Palatinate under protection of the Palsgrave received an Armie of the Princes of the Vnion in favour of him even against the present Emperour Finally the House of Austria holds the Empire in that fashion that Adonias laid claime to the Kingdome wherein another sate confirmed and perished for want of supportation For besides that it is not hereditary neither can he after Coronation command like an absolute Soveraigne nor expect or inforce the reciprocall duties betweene Prince and Subject nor is hee powerfull enough to countermand the Privileges of the Empire no nor to call the Diet without the consent of the major part of the Electors For some Provinces are as it were members of the Empire yet disunited for neither doe they nor will they acknowledge that they belong at all to the Empire as the Kings of Denmarke and Sweden the Duke of Prussia the Elector of Brandenburg that now is who requires Investiture of the Polander not of the Emperour the Switzers and the Netherlands Others confesse the Emperour for their Soveraigne Prince but they come not to the Diets of the Empire nor will beare the Tax and Tallages of the Empire as the Dukes of Savoy Lorraine and the Princes of Italy Others come to the Diets and pay all impositions and these are properly the Princes ' and Cities of Germanie But the King of Bohemia by the grant of Charles the fourth is exempted from all contributions As for the other Princes they be so many and by leaguing together so mighty that they attend in Court at pleasure contest with the Emperour at pleasure raise forces at pleasure and supply his wants of Exchequer at pleasure Some of them have to doe both in the Diets and at the Election of a new Emperour those be the Electors three Bishops and three Princes But as at first Wenceslaus the Emperor was faine to bribe them with many Privileges and Lordships for their voices in his Election so still they must be courted if the Emperour desires to have his sonne or brother chosen after him or any great favour done unto him If they be displeased they are strong enough to ruffle with him The other Princes live of themselves and the Emperour is oftner beholding to them than they to him so that these be but Lordly Subjects of the Empire To speake now in a word These are truly termed the States the Princes and Cities of the Empire who have to doe in the Diets or Parliaments and as members of one bâ—die participate of good and evill of advantage or disadvantage thorowout the whole Empire These living after the manner of a Commonwealth well united make use in manner aforesaid of the Emperour for their head and common safetie And such be divers of the lesser Princes together with the Hanse-townes and Imperiall Cities Free or Imperiall Cities are they which are not directly within the Inheritance of any Prince though they stand within his Territory For example Heidleberg Wormbs and Spiers are all in the Palatinate whereof the first is the Princes owne and not Imperiall the other be Imperiall and not the Princes Such Cities have obtained their freedome either for money or for service done to the Emperour whereupon some of them are so strong so privileged and so populous that out of obstinate repining at Taxes and Impositions they have many times opposed against their naturall Lords yea and in hostile manner excluded them from the superioritie of commanding witnesse the contentions heretofore betweene the Citie of Brunswicke and their owne Duke the exclamations of the Cities and Princes when the Landigrave of Hessen was imprisoned and the generall cause of the Protestants protesting in every place against the Ecclesiasticall proceedings and Imperiall threatnings These Cities governe themselves by their owne Lawes being bound no further than to pay two fifth parts of whatsoever generall contribution is assessed in the Imperiall Diets They pay tribute to the Emperour some say fifteene thousand Florens but they have for the most part sufficient revenue of their owne to defray the charges The nature of other Cities you have before read of The Diets now be the things by which the Emperour rules all if he be able to make a partie The ordinances of these Diets cannot be frustrated but by another Diet but of putting the Decrees in execution the Emperour hath the full power and the sole authority And therfore as touching preheminence and dignity hee is to be accounted the first and chiefe of the Christian Princes as the person upon whom the Majestie of the Roman Empire resteth and who ought to defend the Nation of the Germans the Church of God the Catholike Faith and to procure the peace and wel-fare of the whole Christian world And this is something towards the understanding of the State of the Empire in Germany Go we now to relate of the other chiefe Princes there And first of those which worthily challenge the next place the Electors of which the Palsgrave is chiefe The State of the Prince Elector Palatine HIs Dominion containes the Vpper and the Lower Palatinate The Lower is the chiefe of the two as being both the richest the largest and the Seat of the Elector A goodly and a delicate Country it is almost two hundred miles in length and about halfe so much in breadth lying on both sides of the famous Rhine and watered besides with the Neccar whose bankes are inriched with the most generous Wines It touches upon Lorraine at the Southwest and hath the Duchie of Wirtenberg upon the East Of this Countrey because of the armie of the Destroyer may we speake in the Scripture phrase The Land is as Eden before them and as a desolate wildernesse behind them her goodly and strong Cities her pleasant fields and delicate vineyards are fallen into the possession of those that reaped where they did not sow To this Principalitie was the Title of the first Elector incorporate It and Bavaria were made a Kingdome Anno 456. which Charles the Great conquered in whose Line it continued from the yeare 789. till Otho's time Anno 955. whose heires continued in them but not as a Kingdom till the yeare 1043. at which time Henry the third deprived Prince Conrade of
effusion of bloud than any the mercilesse Tyrants of the former Monarchies As for the College of Cardinals It stretcheth out the Westerne Churches on the Tenter-hookes of Vain-glory and Authority suffering no man no not so much as in thought if it were possible to depresse or question the privileges of religious persons who according to their meanes live in great State keepe Curtizans travell in Carosses though but for a quarter of a mile to the Consistory solemnize feasts and banquets make shew of ceremonies and are in truth of no Religion So that if a man were an Atheist and had no conscience to beleeve that God must one day call us to account for our transgressions I had rather live a religious man in Rome than be a Nobleman in Naples who of all men living wash their hands most in carelesnesse being never disturbed with worldly cares or incumbrances The great Duke of Tuscanie IT lieth betweene the Apenine and the Sea and containeth from Magra to Tenere above two hundred threescore and ten miles It hath larger Champians than Liguria because the Apenine stretcheth not so neere the Sea and so inlargeth the plaine In it are many large valleyes populous and rich in commodities But to speake of particulars when we are past Magra Sarazana offereth it selfe to our view a Citie holden by the Genoise with great jealousie by reason of the neighbour-hood of the great Duke and a little higher lieth Pentrimoli a Castle belonging to the King of Spaine of great account and situated not farre from the Sea then Massa and Carrara places famous for their quarries of white Marble Lucca standeth on the River Serichio Pisa on Arno and beyond the Citie of Florence To the State whereof belongeth Pistoia Volterra Montepulcino Arezzo Cortona Those of Lucca doe stand upon their guard for maintenance of their liberties The Citie is three miles in compasse strong in situation and wals and well stored with Artillery and Munition On the North it confineth Carfagnana a fruitfull Valley and well inhabited with serviceable people on the other parts it is incompassed with the Territories appertaining to the Great Duke Pisa was once of such wealth that at one instant the Citizens thereof held warre against the Venetians and the Genois They grew great by the overthrow which the Sarazens gave to the Genois in the yeare 1533. the remainder of which defeature was received into the protection of their Citie and declined by the slaughter of their people and also of their Navie given them by the Genois neere to the Isle Giglio For thereby they became so weake that not able to sustaine their wonted reputation they were forced to submit themselves under the protection of Florentines against whom when Charles the eighth invaded Italy they rebelled But being againe reduced to their former obedience the Citie notwithstanding was in a manner left desolate because the Citizens impatient of the Florentines government passed into Sardinia Sicil and other places to inhabit So that the place wanting Inhabitants and the Countrey people to manure it the situation thereof being low and moorish by reason of Fens and Marishes it became infectious Cosmo the great Duke undertooke to re-people it againe and to further his intention he builded there a stately house for the receit of the Knights of Saint Stephen gracing it with many privileges which yet to this day remaine unaltered As also by founding an Vniversitie by easing the people of many taxes and by dwelling himselfe amongst them two or three moneths in the yeare Florence is the fairest Citie in Italy it is in compasse six miles It is divided into foure and fortie Parishes and into one and twentie Companies It hath in it threescore and six Monasteries and seven and thirtie Hospitals The Citizens bought their freedome of the Emperour Rodolfe for six thousand Crownes as they of Lucca theirs for 10000. In whose time and ever since it hath flourished in great prosperity For upon occasion the City is able to arme 30000 men and the Country 60000. It is strongly walled the situation thereof being low especially on the North side but on the other parts is somewhat subject to the command of certaine hills which overlooke it the inconvenience whereof they have prevented by fortifications It hath a Citadell built by Duke Alexander and after inlarged by Cosmo. The streets thereof are straight large and very cleane kept There are to be seene the most artificiall buildings of all Europe both publike and private Charles Arch-Duke of Austrich was wont to say that it was a City not to be showne but on Holidaies No soile is tilled with more art diligence and curiosity for you shall see one little peece of ground to bring forth Wine Oyle Corne Pulse and Fruits Notwithstanding it will not afford sufficient victuals for a third part of the yeere to remedy which scarcity it was not without good reason that they spent two millions of Crownes for the recovery of Pisa. The last Duke became an earnest Petitioner to the Pope that he might be created King of Tuscanie but the Pope not brooking so lordly a Title in so neere a neighbour answered that hee was content that hee should bee King in Tuscanie but not King of Tuscanie which scholler-like distinctions great Princes cannot well digest The qualities of the Tuscans appeare by the excellency of the Florentines whom Nature above all the Provinces of Italy hath adorned with sharpnesse of wit frugality providence industry and speciall insight into the Negotiations of Peace and Warre yea their continuall dissentions and hazzards wherein they have almost lived from the first foundation of their city I doe to nothing so much attribute as to the sharpnesse of their wits So the civill discords of the Pistolians did not onely ruinate their owne estate but therein likewise ingaged Florence yea and as a man may say drew all Tuscanie after it by the factions of the Neri and Bianchi for thus it happened Two young men descended of Noble Families falling out the one of them chanced to be lightly hurt the Father of the other to extinguish all sparkes of malice and that no further inconveniencie should arise upon that quarrell sent his sonne to aske forgivenesse of him that was hurt but the effect insued contrary to his expectation for the Father of the wounded Gentleman caused his servants to lay hold on him and cut off his hands and so sending him backe againe willed him to tell his Father that wounds were not cured with Words but with Weapons Hereupon grew betweene those two Families a mortall and cruell warre which drew the rest of the Cities into the quarrell and was the cause of great effusion of bloud yea the Florentines in stead of executing due punishment upon the principall authors of the faction received the banished on both sides into their City where the Donati undertaking the protection of the Neri and the Chersi of the Bianchi
and their valour the battell fought at Lepanto to the utter rowting of the Turkish Navie is a sufficient Testimony Besides these they maintaine six thousand men at Armes well mannaged and appointed the like whereof is not to be found in all Italy besides Touching their sea-forces they have on the firme Land ten thousand men inrolled to serve at the Ore And of these kind of Men all Dalmatia and Sclavonia doth yeeld them what numbers they will besides and that at a reasonable hand The City of Venice alone armeth upon occasion fifty Gallies and Candy forty What their whole power and forces every way may amount unto they shewed in the Warre of Ferrara wherein they had on foot two severall Armies one about Ferrara the other on the Confines of Millan They had at the same time besides two severall Navies the one upon the Po the other upon the sea to observe the proceedings of Naples and all this without associats In the warre against Lewis the twelfth King of France their Armie was composed of two thousand men at armes three thousand light-horse and thirty thousand foot In the yeare 1570. they armed forth one hundred and fiftie lesser Gallies eleven great Gallies one Gallion and twenty five tall ships alâ—eit that number by occasion of Pestilence happening in the Navie was reduced to one hundred and twenty and seven lesser Gallies and fourteene ships the other Vessels remaining untoucht like as had befalne them before in the yeere 36. when as they had the name onely to make one part of three but indeed they made a full halfe of all the Christian forces besides But because there is nothing that can give more certaine conjecture of the power of any State than to have sustained and gone through with great and perillous warres it will not be unpleasant to set downe some of their most important actions which in that kind they have supported Anciently they had warre with the Kings of France and in that warre they discomfited Pepin sonne to Charlemagne They warred afterward with the King of Hungarie and tooke from them the Townes which they now hold in Dalmatia and Sclavonie They fell at debate with the Emperours of Constantinople and gat from them the Cities of Salonich and of Moria One the most dangerous warre that they ever had was that which they managed with the Genois and yet at length such was the issue thereof that howsoever having lost to the Enemy Chiozza and were neere driven to their utter desolation yet was the Enemy so far off from gaining an intire victory upon them that in the pursuit thereof he most of all destroied himselfe insomuch that having for maintenance of that warre engaged the Revenues of the State of Saint Georgo so by little and little through feeblenesse growing upon them they were compelled to throw the City within the armes and protection sometimes of France and sometimes of Millan so that to this day they could never recover their pristinat fortunes Then had they to doe with the Visconti Princes of Millan who were at that time dreadfull thorow Italie yet by that warre the Venetian not only gained profit but honour also They opposed themselves against all the Princes of Italie in the prosecution of Ferrara and that with such successe that in fine they annexed to their owne Dominion all the Polesine of Raviso And after they had irritated the Princes of Italie these letted not to draw upon themselves a warre undertaken by all the Potentates of Christendome combined against them in the confederation concluded at Cambray which warre as it was the most haplesse and despairefull that ever they managed through the miscarriages of their Armies at Carravaggio at Brescia and at Vicenza yet in the end they remained Lords still of their owne and of being conquered at last remained with Conquest They have for many ages together waged warre with the Turke especially with Amurath the second Mahomet the second with Bajazeth and with Selim the second They maintained a sixteene yeares warres with Mahomet the second even him which had the fortune to have subdued two Empires Constantinople and Trapisond to have destroyed twelve Kingdomes and to have sacked two hundred Cities Which warre they finished although not altogether to their profit They held warres for seven yeares without intermission with all the Princes of Christendome and went away winners neither in all these occasions were they destitute either of men or money In our memorie they warred with Selim the second and in that warre they disbursed above twelve millions of money The like excessive summes they spent in their warres with Michael Emperour of Constantinople in the enterprize of Ferrara and in the warre undertaken of the confederacie at Cambray All which so inestimable summes notwithstanding at this day whether they were parcels of their owne treasure or lones of money from others they have re-imbursed or extinguished The Princes that border and confine upon the Venetian are these the Turke the King of Spaine the Pope and the house of Austria As touching the Turke whose State and power hath been so regarded in the worlds opinion hee seemeth at this time rather to be impaired than otherwise Whereof one great signe is his protraction of the warre in Hungarie these many yeeres with Armies of much better qualitie than any his Predecessors were wont to lead or send thither Whereupon it hath happened that not onely his forces have oftentimes beene broken and discomfited but also the Prince himselfe hath hardly escaped from being taken or slaughtered if on our parts there had beene either better Chiefes to temporize with him or more agreement in those Heads to assaile him Notwithstanding hee hath there lost the Townes of â—ilâ—ch Lippa Rab and Strigonium places of great consideration He hath also the second time lost Invarine These losses doe more than countervaile the winning of Agria from us being a fortresse of many knowne imperfections for site and building besides the withdrawing of â—ranâ—lvania and Valachia from his subjection with the alienation of many rich Provinces in Asia The State of these presents considered the Venetian for that part of dominion that confineth upon the Turke had never more cause to thinke himselfe better secured from violence especially having all Maritime Townes both by Sea and Land gallantly fortified which strength is also the greater by the facility the Sea affordeth to succour his owne and to distresse his enemie Touching the King of Spaine upon whom they doe border as well in the Adriatique as in Lombardie it is now more than threescore yeares that there hath beene any variance at all befallen them Neither in truth can it turne the Venetian to any great gaine to have warre with so powerfull a King nor the King of Spaine to make warre in Italy where by putting things in uprore and tumult hee might perhaps hazzard some part of his owne For that Warre as Emanuel Duke of Savoy was
wont to say hath something of the nature of Dice which no man knoweth how they will runne I may say as much of the house of Austria Princes that doe exceedingly cherish and affect quietnesse wherewith they are become great and with the same meanes doe maintaine their greatnesse Of the Church it were alike superfluous to speake for that neither Saint Peter can make any excuse to make warre upon Saint Marke nor will Saint Marke seeke to trouble Saint Peter unprovoked In summe the Venetian hath two maine advantages above all other Princes The one is that they have a councell that is immortall the other that the heart of the State cannot be pierced unto by any enemie And so conclude that the Pope and the Venetian at this time are more potent and of greater antiquity in Italy than ever heretofore they have beene not only for that the Pope hath a more ample Territory and that but little incumbred with petty Lordships and that the Venetian hath his Dominion better fortified and his Coffers fuller than in times past but also in regard that the States of Naples and Millan are in the hands of a Prince absent and farre off and therefore circumspect to raise innovations Lombardie anciently called Cisalpina extendeth from Panaco unto Sesia lying betweene the Apeniae and the Alpes Marca Trivigiana sometime called Venetia lieth betweene the Menzo and the Po. Most commonly both Provinces passe under the name of Lombardy because there the Kings of the Longobards seated their dwellings longer than in any other place of Italy Besides the soyle the ayre and the Inhabitants hold such correspondencie that they ought not to be distinguished This is the richest and civillest Province of Italy For such another peece of ground for beautifull Cities goodly Rivers Fields and Pastures for plenty of Fowle Fish Graine Wine and Fruits is not to be found againe in all our Westerne world arising partly by the ease of Navigable Rivers as Tesino Adda Oglio Menzo Adige and Po partly by channe's cut out of those Rivers and partly by the great Lakes of Verbano Lario and Benaco No lesse commodâ—ty ariseth by the plaines passable for Carts Mules and other carriage The greatnesse likewise of the Lords of Lombardie hath bin a great furtherance thereto For while the Visconti reigned this State maintained wars of great importance against most puissant Princes And for the Empirie hereof happened those notable wars of our daies betweene the Emperor and the French King And no marvell that two such puissant Potentates contended with so great effusion of bloud for this Dukedome for though to many it should not seeme great yet in very truth for the wealth of the Country and the quantity it hath been of as great reputation as some Realmes of Europe some Dukes whereof have possessed greater Territories enjoyed wealthier Revenues and have beene more puissant in Warres and more honourable in Peace than divers Princes graced with Kingly titles Amongst the Cities of these Provinces accounting Venice amongst the Islands Millan without controversie holdeth the precedencie It is able to reckon upon two hundred thousand persons and hath a large and populous Territory A Citie saith Guicciardine most populous and rich in Citizens plentifull in Merchants and Artificers proud in pompes and sumptuous in ornaments for men and women naturally addicted to feastings and pleasure and not only full of rejoycing and solace but also most happy in all other nature of contentment for the life of man And however now the Spaniard one in the Citie and another in the Castle overlooketh both City and Country yet is the bravery of the place very little abated nor doth the Nobleman shrinke under the burthen but carrieth his load lightly however his inward grones are breathed yet lifteth he up a face of chearefulnesse as if he dranke wine and fed on oyle according to the properties of either so good and bountifull is the Country The second Citie of Lombardie is Brescia not for compasse or multitude of people for it is not able to make fiftie thousand men but by reason of the large jurisdiction thereof comprehending therein many large Towns and populous Champians therefore censured to be able in all to levie 350000 men Among the Townes subject thereto Asalo and Salo have the preheminence amongst the Vallies Valcamonia being fifty miles in length and therewith populous and full of Iron Mines Bologna if it please you to account it in Lombardie and Verona are alike populous Verona is larger and of more beautie Bologna more rich and commodious as well for that it hath a larger Territory â— also for that there is no City that doth more absolutely enjoy her owne commodities and doth more freely partake of others by the great resort of Courtiers Clergie-men and Officers dispersed through all the Ecclesiastike State To which three things are much availeable the Vniversitie where all professions are practised their wealth which is equally divided and lastly their inclination and patience to take paines and doe service Betweene Verona and Padoa there is no great difference in respect of circuit but Verona hath double the people Whereof the Venetians to supply that defect doe as much as they may grace their Vniversitie and the Schollers As in this Province the Cities are great and beautifull so are the fortresses many and impregnable And whereas other Provinces have their places of strength on their Frontiers in this the neerer you approach the centre the stronger shall you see the Country planted and fortified The Dukedome of Vrbine THis State touching the Apenine mountaines on the South and the Adriatike Sea upon the North is on the two other sides high hemb'd in with the dominions of the Pope whose Liege-man or Feudatary the Duke hereof is for severall bounties received from the Church This State is threescore miles long and five and thirty broad containing seven Cities and two hundred Castles and Villages The land very good His Revenue comes in two wayes First from his subjects which he being a gracious Lord is not above an hundred thousand ducats a yeare But secondly he much helps himselfe by the Sea and especially by his customes upon Wine and Corne exported of which last there is a great trade in his ports Of this Revenue he issues but 2200. ducats a yeare by way of tribute or acknowledgement to the Pope and the great Duke of Tuscanie which last sometimes writes himselfe Duke of Vrbine also Both these gape for the Duchie if the succession should faile A pretty case lately hapned thereupon It chanced that Guido Baldus Duke of Vrbine in his owne life time resigning his Estate to the sonne and that sonne dying without issue before his father in the yeare 1624. that both these pretenders being ready to seaze upon it and yet 〈◊〉 afraid of another the old Duke was re-estated with both their consents The great Duke of Tuscanio hath as it seemes since
hath hitherto done nothing To rehearse therefore what hee is and how his time and Armes have beene imployed may against these calumnies serve for a reall Apologie This Gabriel Bethlen whom we call Bethlen Gabor now writing himselfe Prince of the Sacred Roman Empire Lord of some part of Hungaria Duke of Oppelen and Ratibor c. was about the yeare 1580. borne of an ancient Nobility in his owne inheritance of Iktar aforesaid His Fathers name was the Lord Wolfgang Bethlen his Mother was descended also of the house of Kornis a Noble and an Ancient Sept or Tribe of the Sicali which bee the eldest Inhabitants of Transilvania His childhood was rather addicted to Armes than to Letters his Tutor had much adoe in keeping him from his delight of riding the great horses c. But comming to more maturity and discretion he so well redeemed his time lost at schoole that he attained to so much perfection in the Latine tongue as he was able extempore to answer the Emperours Ambassadours Oration in that language Anno 1622. Being afterwards brought up in the Court of Stephan Bathori Prince of Transilvania whose house in those dayes was a very schoole of military knowledge and exercises he so approved himselfe to that judicious Prince as he first of all made him a Captaine and to be briefe he was by the next Prince Stephan Boczkai made Generall of his Armies This honour and his fortunate management of it obtained him a wife of the noble Family of the Caroli by whom he had divers children though now all deceased Prince Boczkai dying the next Prince Gabriel Bathori continued him likewise in his military honour aforesaid swearing him also of his Privie Councell But this double greatnesse made him envied of the Nobility and this following occasion rendred him hatefull to the Prince It fortuned that in the yeare 1611. this Gabriel Bathori most unjustly bereaved the Saxon Nation of their chiefe City of Hermansradt whereupon complaint is made to the great Turke abroad and at home that Nation makes choice of the favour and greatnesse of Bethlen Gabor to be their mediator to the Prince Youthfull Bathori hereupon suspects him to be too popular offers him both ill language and blowes to boot Bethlen avoiding the Court escapes to Buda and from thence to Constantinople where hee was faine to stay two whole yeares Meanes being made in the meane time for the Saxons they obtaine an Armie of the Turke and request him to appoint Bethlen Gabor for his and their Generall Thus in October 1613. is he called backe to redresse the wrongs offered by a hated Prince and to releeve the miseries of his owne Countrie So welcome he proves and so successefull that the States and Chiefes both of the Saxons and the Siculi run amaine to Clausenburgh in the chiefe Temple wherof they for three daies together hold a great Councell about the deposing of their Prince Whereupon Bathori making shew freely to relinquish that which he could not hold did with a loud voice in the hearing of our Author then 15. years old and a studient in the Towne grant a free election for himselfe professing in these very words That whatsoever Prince this Kingdome of Transilvania shall make choice of I saith he am ready also to acknowledge for my Prince upon condition that he exercises no tyranny upon the three Nations of the Siculi Saxons and Hungarians Upon this resignation is Gabriel Beâ—hlen elected and sworne Prince of Transilvania Gabriel Bathori a Prince neither lawfully elected nor lawfully governing retires himselfe to his Castle of Varadmum where he is shortly and treacherously murthered by his owne servants for which they are executed by Bethlen Gabor the yeare following He being thus setled first of all sets upon the reparations of the Castles and Forts of his Countrey re-edifies and inlarges Varadinum lately dismantled by the Turkes Thus spends he his two first yeares 1614. and 1615. The next yeare the Turke comes downe against Poland with 410000. men and the Polander meets him with 250000. Gabriel foreknowing that whosoever gained the victory might afterwards turne his Armes upon him goes with 25000. men into the neighbour Moldavia where the other two Armies lay incamped with this handfull of men he passes the River Nester puts himselfe betwixt both Armies mediates a peace effects it is storm'd at by the Turkes and much thanked by the Polander but ill requited afterward when in the yeare 1620. Bethlen was ingaged in his warres with the Emperour Returning home hee the same yeare 1616. being his third founds a College at Alba Iulia takes order for solemne and frequent disputations against the Arrian and Papists converts many of the first sort The next two 〈◊〉 â—e reviâ—es and betters the execution of good lawes reduces Justice and Civility and though the warres were 〈◊〉 and the Reformed Religion much afflicted in German◠〈◊〉 c. yet hee intends his owne Government and intermeddles 〈◊〉 but intercepting at length some intelligence of the publike designâ— of the Princes leaguers of the Romisâ— Religion which was utterly to root out the Reformed and perceiving the Iesuites and others more busie and pragmaticall at home and that the Emperours Armie pretended to be sent against the Turkes was now upon its march and very suspiciously advanced as farre as the frontiers of his Transilvania he thinks it time to take the alarum he armes and with a small company drawes neere to observe the motions of the Imperialists stands still upon the defensive and does no more Not long after is his aid solicited by the Ambassadours of Bohemia Moravia and Silesia his confederates miserably troubled by the Emperor for Religion For them he first peaceably mediates to Caesar and being neglected hee in the yeare 1620. leads out his Armie if not to releeve them yet to countenance their cause and to draw the Emperour to more moderate conditions In their quarrell and Religions he takes Presburg from the Imperialists October 13. 1620. Next yeare he passes the Danubie and to be short is fairely elected King of Hungarie and though hee had the Imperiall Crowne of Hungarie in his owne hands yet refused he to be crowned with it This temper of his preserved him for besides the treachery of his owne Popish subjects he had heard a suspitious word let fall by the Emperour of the Turks to this purpose Now saith he that Bethlen Gabor is King of Hungarie he must needs in the next place affect our Buda the ancient royall Citie to reigne in This word made him feare the Turks and foâ—beare his owne Coronation onely carrying the Crowne away with him Thus ended the yeare 1621. The next yeare the Emperour remanding the Crowne Bethlen assembles a Parliament at Cassaw where the Popish patty prevailes the Crowne is sent backe the title of King is laid downe in lieâ— of which he receives these conditions from the Emperour First he is acknowledged a soveraigne and independent Prince Secondly he is
boughs and leaves having great flocks of Cattell which they preserve with much care These are the chiefe the residue are not worth the reading for nothing can be spoken unto but their barrennesse or fertility their poverty or riches blessings and curses peculiar more or lesse to every of these Nations The Xeriffe AMongst all the Potentates of Africkâ— I doe not thinke that there can any one be found to excell this Prince either in wealth or power His Dominion containeth all that tract of Mauritania which the Romans called Tingitana and stretcheth from the promontorie Bayadir or Tanger and from the Atlantike Ocean to the River Mulvia In which progresse is contained the best portion of all Africke the best inhabited the pleasantest the fruitfullest and most civill Herein amongst others are the famous Kingdomes of Fez and Marocho the one divided into seven Provinces the other into eight The Countrey is divided into Plaines and Mountaines the Mountaines are inhabited with a fierce people rich in pastures and Cattell and possessing a great part of the lesse and bigger Atlas Betweene the greater Atlas and the Ocean lieth the Plaine Countrey and therein the Royall Citie of Marocho distant foureteene miles from Atlas watered with many Springs Brookes and Rivers In times past this City contained one hundred thousand housholds and was the chiefest of Africke but by little and little it is decayed and now lieth more waste than inhabited In the Kingdome of Marocho besides others is Tedsi a Towne of five thousand hoâ—sholds and Tagoast of eight thousand Taradent giveth place to none for Noblenesse and traffike though for largenesse and circuit It is situated betweene Atlas and the Ocean in a plaine sixteene miles long and little lesse broad abounding with Sugar and all kinde of provision The good regard and continuall abode which Mahumet Xeriffe made in this place did greatly augment ennoblish this Towne Being past Atlas you enter into most batle plaines wherein how fruitfull the soile is of Sugar Olives Cattell and all good things can hardly be spoken Fez. THe Kingdome of Fez likewise containeth divers Provinces excellent well peopled Amongst them is Alga a territory of eightie miles long and sixty broad Elabut is an hundred miles long and sixty broad Eriffe is a Province wholly mountainous therein are said to bee three and twenty branches of the Mount Atlas inhabited for the most part with savage and barbarous people Caret is drie and rockie more like Lybia than Barbarie Now because the glory and Majesty of this Kingdome consisteth especially in the City of Fez I thinke it not amisse to describe the situation thereof It is divided in two parts a little distant one from another the one is called the old Town the other the new A little River likewise divideth the old Towne into two parts the East part is called Beleyda containing foure thousand housholds the West part is commonly called old Fez and hath fourescore thousand and upward standing not farre from the new Fez which likewise hath eight thousand Old Fez standeth partly upon hils partly on plaines and hath in it fifty Mahumetan Temples of admirable largenesse All of them have their fountaines and pillars of Alablaster and Jasper Besides these there are six hundred of a lesse sort amongst which that which is commonly called Carucen is most beautifull built in the heart of the City and containing halfe a mile in compasse In breadth it containeth seventeene Arches in length an hundred and twenty borne up by two thousand five hundred white marble pillars under the chiefest Arch where the Tribunall is kept hangeth a most huge Lampe incompassed with an hundred and ten lesser Under the other Arches hang very great Lamps in each of which burne an hundred and fifty lights They say in Fez that all these Lamps were made of the Bels which the Arabians brought out of Spaine who not onely made prey of Bels but of Columnes Pillars Brasse Marble and whatsoever was rich first erected by the Romans and afterwards by the Gothes There are in Fez above two hundred Schooles two hundred Innes and foure hundred Water-mils every one driven with foure or five wheeles There are also divers Colleges among which that which is called Madarac is accounted for one of the most finest peeces of workmanship throughout all Barbarie There is likewise 600. Conduits from whence almost every house is served with water It were a long labour to describe their Burse they call it Alcacer it is a place walled about having twelve gates and divided into fifteene walkes where Merchants meet to dispatch their businesse under Tents Their delightsome Gardens and pleasant Parkes with the Rillets and waters running thorow them I can hardly describe For the most part the King keepeth his Court at Fez wherein he hath a Castle Palaces and Houses adorned with rare workmanship rich and beautifull even to his hearts desire He hath a way under ground from the old Towne to the new For greatnesse and statelinesse thereof by the grant of former Kings it injoyeth this strange privilege not to indure any siege unlesse the Citizens shall thinke their Prince for strength and force able and equall to cope with his Enemy if not without reproach of treason they may yeeld their City before the enemie approach within halfe a mile of it This have they done that so goodly and so flourishing a City should not suffer spoile under pretext of unprofitable temporizing It is of no lesse moment for situation store of Corne Oyle Flax and Cattell than for pleasantnesse of territory and plenty of Water The Wals are very strong and defended with many Bulwarkes The Inhabitants are very thriftie given to traffike and especially to the making of Cloths of Wooll Silke and Cotten The Kings eldest sonne is called the Prince of Mequivez Though the Kingdome have no good Havens upon the Mediterranean Sea yet great store of Englishmen and Frenchmen resort to Alarach Aguer and other Ports in the Ocean whereof some belong to the Kingdome of Fez and other to the Kingdome of Marocho They carrie thither armor and other wares of Europe which they barter for Sugar and other commodities But how the Kingdomes of Fez and Marocho two severall principalities with their dependances became subject to one Crowne I thinke it worthy relation because a more strange and memorable accident hath not happened in our age About the yeare 1508. a certaine Alfaique borne in Tigumedet in the Province of Dura beganne to grow in reputation a man of a reaching wit and no lesse ambitious than learned in the Mathematickes his name was Maâ—umet Ben-Amet otherwise called Xeriffe by his owne commandement This man deriving his pedigree from Mahumet and emboldned by the civill warre of Africke and the differences of the States and Common-weales thereof wherein in those daies the Portugals were of no small puissance began to dreame on the conquest of Mauritania Tingitana Which the better to
most part upon Millet leading a bestiall life without Religion and accompanying with one anothers Wives They know no other names than such as are given them for some note or marke of their bodie as Blinde Lame Tall Bold c. This King is very puissant in people of whom he exacteth no other tribute than the tenths of the increase of their liveli-hoods For exercise and in stead of occupations they give themselves to steale to slay their neighbours and to take them prisoners and then to barter them for Horses with the Merchants of Barbarie He hath under him many Kingdomes and Nations some white some blacke He is an heavie enemie to the Abessines taking away their Cattell rifling their Mines and leading away the people in captivity His Horsemen ride after the Spanish manner armed with Launces steeled at both ends Darts Arrowes but their inrodes resemble rather robberies and garboiles than wars managed by valiant souldiers The Turke likewise on the East and the King of Adel on the South-East doe cruelly vex him for they have curtal'd his large dominion and brought his Provinces into great misery In the yeare 1558. the Turke harried the whole Territory of Bernagasso and tooke from Prester Iohn whatsoever he was Lord of upon the Sea-coast especially the Haven and City of Suaquen and Erococo in which place the mountaines betweene Abex and the Red-Sea make a gate as it were for the traffike and carriages of the Abessines and Arabians And since that Bernagasso was forced to submit himselfe to the Turkish commands to buy his peace and in name of a tribute to pay 1000 ounces of Gold yearely The King of Adel is his no lesse infestious enemie he bordereth upon the Kingdome of Fatigar and his Seigniory stretcheth along the Red-Sea as farre as Assum Salir Mith Barbora Pidar and Zeila Many ships come from Aden and Cambaia to Barbora with Merchandize which they trucke for Flesh Honey Wax and Victuall these commodities are carried to Aden Gold Ivory and such wares are sent to Cambaia the greatest part of Victuall Hony Wax Corne and Fruits brought from Zeila are carried into Aden and Arabia also much Cattell especially Sheepe having tailes of twenty five pound weight with heads and necks all blacke the rest of their bodies all white Of these Cattell there are some altogether white with turning crooked tailes as long as a mans arme and dew-laps like Oxen. Some of their Kine have hornes with many branches like our Deere othersome have one horne in their fore-head growing backward a span and a halfe long The chiefe City of this Kingdome is Arar thirty eight leagues distant from Zeila towards the South-East He professeth Mahumetisme and since his conversion hee hath intituled himselfe with the surname of Holy avowing continuall warre against the Abessine Christians and therefore he watcheth the time of the foresaid Fast of fifty dayes when he entreth their Territories burneth their Villages taketh prisoners and then committeth a thousand other mischiefes The Abessine slaves doe often leave their Country and take upon them great journies putting themselves in the service of great Lords where many times by their industry and good carriage they become high Commanders in Arabia Cambaia Bengala and Sumatra For the Mahumetan Princes being all Tyrants and Lords of those Countries which they have forced from the Gentiles to secure their estates doe never trust to their home-bred subjects but wage strangers and slaves unto whose fidelity they commit their persons the managing of all the affaires of their Kingdomes And amongst all sorts of slaves the Abessine is in greatest esteeme for his faithfulnesse and towardly disposition The King of Adel overlayeth Aegypt and Arabia with their slaves which he changeth with the Turks and Princes of Arabte for armour provision of warre and souldiers In the yeare of our Lord 1500. Claud King of Abex perceiving himselfe inferiour unto Grand Ameda King of Adel for he had vexed his Land fourteene yeares with incursions forsaking the frontiers retired himselfe into the inward parts of his Kingdome intreating for aid of Stephen Gama Vice-Roy of India under Iohn the third King of Portugal who was then in the Red-Sea with a warlike Navie In compassion of his miseries and Religion he sent him foure hundred Portugal shot very well furnished under the conduct of Christopher his Brother By the aid and use of their Artillery he overthrew his Enemies in two battels but the King of Adel obtaining of the Governour of the City of Zebit one thousand Harquibushers and ten peeces of Ordnance in the third fight put the Portugals to flight and slew their Captaine Afterwards when Adel had sent away these Turkes King Claudius set upon him at unawares by the River Zeila at the Mountaine Sana with eight thousand footmen five hundred Abessine horsemen and the remainder of the living Portugals one of whom gave Grada-Amada his deaths wound But in March 1560. Claudius fighting with the Moores of Malaca gaining the victory was slaine in the battell Adam his brother succeeded against whom being a Demi-Mahumetan the greatest part of the Abessine Nobility rebelled and was overthrowne in the yeare 1562. by Bernagasso By this casualty did the Aethiâ—pian affaires ebbe and slow But in the reigne of Alexander things beganne in some sort to returne to their ancient State by the aid of the Portugals who furnished them with weapons both offensive and defensive and by their example incouraged them to be stout and couragious against their enemies All that were living after the defeature of Christopher Gama and all that ever went thither since that day to this doe remaine there marrying Wives and begetting Children King Alexander gave them leave to elect a Justicer and to end all matters of controversie amongst themselves which maketh them so willing to stay and teach them the use of Weapons the manners of warfare and how to fortifie places of importance Sithence those times Francis Medicis contracting friendship with the Abessine divers Florentines some for pleasure and some for profit have travelled into those Provinces wherein when they are once entred the King intreateth them so faire and giveth them so liberally whereon to live that they can hardly obtaine licence to returne againe into their owne Countries Besides these he hath other enemies as the King of Daâ—caâ— whose Citie and Haven is Vela upon the Red-Sea and the Moores of Doba a Province divided into fourteene Lieutenantships These people though they are accounted within the limits of the Abessine Empire yet doe they often rebell having a Law amongst themselves that no young man may contract Matrimony unlesse hee can bring good proofe that he hath slaine twelve Christians Monomotapa VPon this Continent are contained many other Kingdomes As Gualata small and poore Tombuto great and populous Melli rich in Corne Flesh and Cotton-wooll Guinea is next greater and richer than any other within the Moores Countrey except Aegypt and Abessine Angola
was afterwards driven many yeres together to victuall the Countrie especially the great Townes out of his owne Countrie of Russia And againe when he first conquered the Countries he committed no lesse an error in suffering the Natives to keepe their possessions and to inhabit all their Townes onely paying him a tribute under the government of his Russe Captaines whose conspiracies and attempts were the losse of these places The like fell out at the Port-Towne of Narve in Liesland where his Son Iuan Vasiliwich built a Towne and a Castle on the other side of the River called Ivangorod to keep the Countrie in subjection which so fortified was thought to be invincible When it was furnished for reward to the Architect being a Polonian he put out both his eyes to disable him to build the like againe But having left all the Natives within their owne Countrie without abating their number and strength in due order the Towne and Castle not long after was betraied to the King of Sweden Therefore I conclude that that Prince whose Kingdome is able to afford him an hundred and fiftie thousand Horse to be bravely furnished if he can bring into the field but the third part I speake of war and not of incursions Some more modest in writing affirme that the Moscovite could levie an hundred and fiftie thousand Horse if necessitie to defend himselfe forced him thereunto And that Iohn the third in the voyage of Astrachan entertained an hundred twentie thousand Horse and twentie thousand foot The same King invading Livonia in the time of King Alexander levied a mightie Army and notwithstanding maintained another upon the borders of the Kingdome The great Duke Iohn adjoyning to his troops of Horse certaine thousands of shot most Strangers which yeelded him notable service in the defence of his Cities And to make good the aforesaid proportion of Cavalrie the Englishmen who by reason of their intercourse in those Countries are best acquainted with these Relations doe write that the ordinarie number of souldiers entertained in continuall pay is this first hee hath his Dowrancie viz. Pensioners or guard of his person to the number of 15000. horsmen with their Captaines other Officers that are alwaies in a readinesse These 15000. are divided into three sorts the first are cheife Pensioners they receive some an hundred some fourescore rubbles a yeare none under seventie The second sort receive betwixt sixtie and fiftie none under fortie The third and lowest sort receive thirtie a yeare some 25 some 20 none under 12. the whole summe ariseth to fiftie five thousand rubbles by yeare Besides these 15000 Horsemen being the guard of the Emperours owne person when himselfe goeth to the wars resembling the Roman praetorian souldiers there are 110. men of speciall account for their Nobilitie and trust chosen by the Emperour who are bound to finde 65000. Horsemen with all necessaries meet for the wars after the Russian manner For the which service they are yearly allowed for themselves and their companies the summe of 40000. rubbles These 65000. are bound to repaire to the field every yeare towards the borders of the Chrim Tartars except they be otherwayes appointed whether there be wars with the Tartar or no. And because it should not prove dangerous unto the State to intrust so great a power to Noblemen first as they are many viz. 110. so are they changed by the Emperour at his pleasure Secondly they have their maintenance of the Emperour being men otherwise borne but to small Revenue Thirdly for the most part they are about the Emperours person being of his Councell either speciall or at large Fourthly they are rather pay-masters than Captaines to their Companies themselves not going forth ordinarily to the wars save when they are directed by speciall command So the whole number of horsemen alwayes in readinesse and continuall pay are fourescore thousand few more or lesse If he need a greater number which seldome hapneth then he entertaineth those Gentlemen which are out of pay If yet he want he giveth charge unto his Noblemen that hold Lands of him to bring into the field everie man proportionable number of his Servants called Rolophey viz. such as till his Lands with their furniture the which service being done presently they lay downe their Weapons and returne againe to their servile labours Of Footmen in continuall pay he hath twelve thousand all Harquebushers whereof five thousand attend about the citie of Mosco or where the Emperour shall abide and two thousand called Stremaney strelsey or Gunners at the stirrop about his own person at the Court or House where himselfe lodgeth The residue are placed in Garrisons till times of service and receive for their salarie every man seven rubbles a yeare besides twelve measures apeece of Rice and Oates Of mercenary souldiers being strangers 1588 he had three thousand Polonians Of Chyrchasses who are under the Polonians about foure thousand Of Dutch and Scots 150. Of Greekes Turkes and Swedens all in one band a hundred or thereabouts These they imploy only upon the Tartarian side and against the Siberians as they doe the Tartar souldiers whom they sometime hire but only for the present on the other side against the Polonian and Sweden Concerning their arming they are but sleightly appointed The Common Horseman hath nothing but his Bow in his case under his right arme and his Quiver and Sword hanging on the left side except some few that beare a case of Dags or a Iavelin or short Staffe along their Horse side The Noblemen ride better and richer appointed their Swords Bowes and Arrowes are of the Turkish fashion and practise as the Tartars to shoot forwards and backwards as they flie or retire The Footman hath nothing but his peece in his hand his casting-hatchet at his backe and his sword by his side provision of victuall the Emperour alloweth none either for Captaine or Souldier neither provideth any except peradventure some corne for their money Every man is to bring sufficient for himselfe for foure moneths and if need require to give order for more to be brought after him to the Campe from his Tenant that tilleth his Land or some other place for diet and lodging every Russie is prepared a Souldier before-hand for though the Chiefe Captaines carry tents with them after the fashion of ours with some better provision of victuall than the rest yet the common sort bring nothing with them save a kinde of dried bread with some store of meale which they temper with water and so make it into a ball or small lumpe of dough and this they eat raw in stead of bread their meat is Bacon or some flesh or fish dried after the Dutch manner If this Souldier were as hardy to execute as he is able to beare out toyle and travell or as apt well trained as he is indifferent for his lodging and dyet he would farre exceed the servitors of other Provinces For every Souldier
speech is very sudden and loud speaking as it were out of a deepe hollow throat Their chiefest exercise is shooting wherein they traine their children from their infancie and to conclude are the very same people whom the Greekes and Latines called Scytha-Nomades or the Scythian Shepherds There are divers other Tartars as I have afore said bordering upon Russia as the Nagaij the Cheremissens the Mordwits the Chircasses and the Shalcans all differing in name more than in custome or condition from the Chrim Tartar except the Chircasses that border South-East toward Lituania who are farre more civill than the rest of the Tartars of a comely personage and stately behaviour as imitating the fashion of the Polonian whereof some of them have subjected themselves to this Crowne and professe Christianity The Nagaij lieth Eastward and is reckoned the best man of warre among the Tartars but very savage above all the rest The Cheremissen Tartar lieth betweene the Russie and the Nagaij and are of two sorts the Luganoy that is of the valley and the Nagornay viz. of the hilly Countrey These have so troubled the Russe Emperour that under colour of a yearely pension of Russie commodities he is content to buy his peace yet with condition to serve him in his warres The most rude and barbarous is the Mordwit Tartar a people having many selfe-fashions and strange kinds of behaviour differing from the rest Next to the Kingdome of Astraehan the farthest part South-East of the Russie dominion lieth the Shalcan and the Country of Media whither the Russie Merchants travell for raw Silks Syndon Saftron Skins and other commodities The next bordering neighbour by Finland side is the King of Sweveland Of late times this King holding a long warre against him tooke from him by force the Castles of Sorenesco and Pernavia the great and the lesse in Livonia on the one side while King Stephen vexed him with a cruell warre on the other In the utmost bound of the Finland Bay the Swevian to his great charge possesseth the fortresse of Viburge maintaining therein a great Garrison to resist the attempts of the Russe Likewise in that Sea and on the coast adjoyning he keepeth the ships of warre as well to be ready at all assayes against the approaches of this great Duke as also to forbid the Easterlings the bringing in of munition and warlike furniture into any part of the Russies Dominions neither doth he suffer other Ships to saile in those Seas without a speciall Placard signed with his owne hand By the benefit of this Navy the King wheresoever he finds meanes to use it becommeth master of the Sea and by vertue thereof seizeth upon many places on the coast of Livonia and the bordering territories But where the Dukes horse or his great numbers of footmen may stand him in stead as in the open field removed from the Sea there he maketh his part good enough and most commonly puts the Swevian to the worst The best is Nature hath placed betweene them such rough Mountaines such cold such Ice and such snowes that they cannot greatly endamage one another The last neighbour is the King of Poland betweene whom and the great Duke this is the difference The Moscovite hath more territories the Polonians better inhabited and more civill the Moscovite more subjects and more subject the Polonian better souldiers and more couragious the Moscovites are apter to beare the shocke than to give a charge the Polonians to charge the Moscovite is fitter to keepe a fortresse the Polonian to fight in the field the Moscovite forces are better united the Polonian more considerate and better armed the Moscovite lesse careth for want and extremities the Polonian death and the sword yea either Nation is of greater worth when either of their Princes is of greater magnanimity As it hapned when Basilius conquered the great Duchie of Smoloncke and Poloncke and the large circuit of Livonia And againe when Stephen King of Poland in his last warres against Iohn Basilius his sonne reconquered Poloncke with divers other places of good reckoning besieged the City of Plesko and forced the Moscovite to leave all Livonia whereby I conclude such as is the valour and wisdome of either Prince such is the force and courage of their people Tartaria THe Empire of Tartaria laid prostrate under the Throne of the Great Cham. called Dominus dominantium and Rex regum spreadeth if selfe with to large imbracement that it extendeth from the Northerne Olba or if you will Tamais even to the Easterne Sea sometime surnamed the Atlanticke whose vast Lap is almost filled with a fry of Ilands and begirteth all the Countries called Scythia Ievomongal Sumongal Mercat Metrit the vast Desart of Lop Tangut Kataia and Mungia so that shouldering all the Northerne shore of the Caspian it runneth along without controll by the high looking walls of China and is over-shadowed by those formidable Mountaines Riphei Hyperborei Iman and Caucasus And although the Chrim Tartar would faine challenge affinity with the Turke expecting that if the Ottoman line should faile the greatest share of the worlds magnificence would devolve to him yet dare he not but acknowledge the Emperour Cham for his Lord paramount and is affrighted when hee heareth of any complaints to his prejudice From Scythia to the Province of Tangus they live in troops or hoords and remove from place to place according to the temperature of the season and plenty of feeding Nor before the yeare of Redemption 1â—12 did we in Europe heare of the name of a Tartar but of Scythians Sarmatians Albanians and such who were all Idolaters They are men of square Stature broad Faces hollow Eies thin Beards and ugly Countenances swartish of Complexion not for that the Sunne kisseth them with extraordinary kindnesse but for that the aire and their sluttish customes corrupteth their bloud and bodies To which inconveniences Nature notwithstanding hath prevailed in the distribution of valour swift foot-manship vigilancy and patience to endure the many incumbrances of travell hunger and want of sleepe They love horses and from that love accustome themselves to a savage drinking of their bloud practicing a cunning theft therem which being inpunishable occasioneth many pretty changes both in keeping their owne and purloyning from others as if some civill Artist had instructed them in the Lacedemonian Lawes which tolerated theft for the better animating one another in the spoyling of their enemies In their travels and removement they are governed by their Stars and observing the North pole they settle according to its motion They live free from covetousnesse and are thus farre happy that the strange corruption of wealth breedeth no disorders amongst them yet have they a kinde of trafficke and by way of exchange continue mutuall commerces loving presents and can be contented to bee flattered even in their Barbarisme as all the Easterne people of the world I thinke are affected either by nature or tradition
Moscovie will suffer any of their subjects to travell out of their Dominions nor any stranger to enter in unlesse he come as an Ambassadour neither in this case is it lawfull for him to converse freely or to range at pleasure They live under divers Princes the principall whereof are those that weare greene on their Turbants These as aforesaid inhabit Shamercand and are at continuall enmity with the Persians Next are those of Bochan Mahumetans then those of Mogor of whom you shall heare hereafter and lastly those of Kataia whereof wee now intreat Never was there any Nation upon the face of the earth that enjoyed a larger Empery than they doe or have undertaken haughtier exploits and I would that they had had some who might have recommended by writing their doings to the World M. Paul Venetus writeth that this people once inhabited Ciurga and Barge Provinces situated upon the Scythicke Ocean without Citie Castle or House wandering like the Arabians from place to place according to the season of the yeare They as before acknowledged Un-cham whom some interpret Prester Iohn for their Soveraigne Lord to whom they gave the tenth of their cartell In processe of time they multiplied to such numbers and Un-cham being jealous of their neighbour-hood began to lessen their numbers and forces by sending them now hither now thither upon most long and desperate voyages as occasion offered Which when they perceived they assembled themselves resolving to leave their naturall soile and to remove so farre from the borders of Vn-cham that never after hee should have cause to suspect them this they performed After certaine yeares they elected amongst them a King called Changis to whom for the greatnesse of his glory and victories they added the Sir-name and Great This Changis departing from his owne Territories in the yeare of our Lord 1162. with a most fearefull Armie subdued partly by force and partly by the terrour of his name nine Provinces At last being denied the daughter of Un-cham in mariage he made warre upon him and overcomming him in battell cast him out of his Kingdome After the death of Changis his successours afflicted Europe In the yeare 1212. they drove the Polesochi from the bankes of the Euxine Sea In the yeare 1228. they spoiled Russia In the yeare 1241. they razed Kiovia the chiefe Citie of the Rutheni and Batu their Captaine wasted Polonia Silesia Moravia and Hungarie Innocent the fourth amazed with the tempest of these invasions in the yeare 1242. sent certaine Friers of the orders of Dominicke and Francis to the Court of this Great Cham to intreat a peace for Christendome The circuit of this Empire in the times above spoken of stretched from the uttermost bounds of Asia to Armenia and from Bengala to Volga yea their incursions pierced to Nilus and Danubius The Macedonian and Roman Empires were never so large But because they were rather Runnagates than men of warre wanting politicke government and military discipline sometime ruling one Province sometime another they rather wrought spoile and terrour to the conquered Nations than feare of bondage or subjection and at last seated themselves beyond the Mountaine Caucasus After it became divided into many Principalities yet so that the Title and Majestie of the Empire remained alwayes to the Cham who as wee said before tooke the originall of this name from the Great Changis The Region for the most part is very populous full of Townes rich and civill which you may the rather beleeve first for that the Tartars choosing this for their Countrey beautified it with the spoiles of Asia China and that part of Europe which they harried and were never wonne or taken from thence againe to this day next for that the Provinces are most commodiously situated for Trafficke and Negotiation partly by reason of their admirable Plaines and huge Lakes Amongst which are Cazaia whose waters are salt Guian Dangu Xandu and Catacora and partly by reason of their large Rivers which with a long course doe run by the Provinces of Curato Polisango Zaiton and Mecon Paulus Venetus calleth it Quion A great helpe hereunto likewise is the variety of fruits and the abundance of Graine Rice Wooll Silke Hempe Rhubarbe Muske and excellent fine Chamlets Paul writeth that it affordeth Ginger Cinamon and Cloves which I can hardly beleeve In many Rivers are found graines of gold Their coine is not all of one value In Kataia a coine is currant made of the blacke rinde of a certaine tree growing betweene the body and the barke this rinde being smoothed rounded and tempered with a gummie substance is stamped with the Image of the Great Cham. In the Kingdoms of Caâ—acan and Carazan certaine sea-fish shels are currant which some men terme Porcelline This kinde of money is frequent in many places of India and Aethiope By this meanes the Princes get to themselves all the Gold and Silver of the Provinces which they cause to be molten and laid up in most safe places without ever taking any thing from thence againe In like sort Prestâ—r Iohn is thought to be Lord of inestimable Treasure while he maketh graines of Salt and Pepper to passe for currant Coine amongst his subjects They brew an excellent beverage of Rice and Spice which sooner procureth drunkennesse than Wine As the Arabians so they delight in sowre milke or Cosmus a kinde of churned sowre Mares-milke very forcible to turne the braine His force consisteth first as we told you in situation in spacious Territorie in goodly Cities in plenty of provision and in rich Revenues for amongst other things hee taketh the tenths of Wooll Silke Hempe Graine Cattell and is absolute Lord of all but the chiefe sinews of his State consisteth in his armed troopes These live alway in the field 4. or 5. miles remote from the Cities Over and above their Salarie they are allowed to make profit of their Cattell Milke and Wooll When he goeth to warre according to the custome of the Romans hee mustreth part of the Souldiery which lyeth dispersed thorow the Provinces For the most part all the Nations of the Tartars except the Varcheni who are not subject to the Great Cham fight on horseback Their Weapons are the Bow and Arrow with which they fight very desperately They are very swift their Tents are made of woven Wooll under which they keepe in foule weather Their chiefest meat is milke dried in the Sunne after the Butter is squeezed out yea the bloud of their horses if famine enforce them They fight not pell-mell with their enemies but sometime on the front sometime on the flanke after the Parthian manner overwhelming them as it were with a showre of arrowes Whosoever carrieth himselfe valiantly standeth assured of reward and is graced with honour immunities and gifts Twelve thousand horsemen are appointed for the guard of this Prince and it is said that of this kinde of force he is able to levie a greater power than any other
flesh whereof in honour of his Idols was given to the poore The souldiers were clothed in garments of Cotton-wooll so close and hard quilted that they would beare out the thrust of a Launce or a Sword Every Elephant was trimmed in a covering of Cotton-wooll with a frame on his backe bearing fouremen To their tuskes were fastned long and broad swords to cut in sundâ—r whatsoever stood in their way The footmen were armed with bowes javelins swords and bucklers In the fight when the King perceived Idalcan by the fury of his great Ordnance to make havocke of his men and dismay the residue leaping into the head of the battell he is reported to use this Prince-beseeming incouragement Beleeve me my companions Idalcan shall rather boast that he hath slaine than overcome a King of Narsinga With which words and ensample his souldiers all inflamed and ashamed of their cowardize with a furious charge broke the enemies aray and put Idalcan to flight Amongst other spoiles they tooke foure thousand Arabian horses one hundred Elephants foure hundred great peeces besides small The number of Oxen Buffals Tents and Prisoners was inestimable With Idalcan were forty Portugals with the then King of Narsinga twenty In his reigne two of his Captaines rebel'd Virapanai usurped Negapatan and Veneapaâ—â— the territory adjoyning to Matipura Calecute THe most noble part of India is that which lieth betweene the Mountaine Gaâ—e and the Indian Ocean It stretcheth from Cape Comerin to the River Cangiericor three hundred leagues long In this Province reigneth the Kings of Calecute though he may not be compared with the Prince above spoken of for number and power yet for pleasant plentifull situation he may be said farre to surpasse him For the Region is so cut as it were into many parcels sometimes by câ—â—ekes of the Sea sometime by Rivers and sometime by Lakes that Nature as it should seeme would have it divided into severall Provinces as Travancar Colan Cochin Crangonar Calecute Tavo and Canonor A few yeares agoe Perâ—imal King of all Malabar ruled these Provinces who after he became a Mahumetan and resolved to travell to Meca there to spend the remnant of his dayes divided the land into many principalities but with this proviso That all soveraigne authority should rest in the King of Calecute with the title of Samori which signifieth Emperour or as some write God on earth Although the reputation of this King be much eclipsed by the Portugals partly by diversion of trafficke from his Countries and partly by assisting his rebels and vassals the Kings of Tavor and Cochin and though his title of Samori be little regarded yet retaineth he his wonted Majestie in very good sort amongst the Barbarians Calecute is five and twenty leagues long Malabar in the broadest place exceedeth not ten The City of Calecute from whence the Province taketh his name is three miles long situated upon the Sea side It containeth but few houses and those of little worth not above ten fifteene or twenty nobles rent by the yeare which is the common rent of all the housing of the East Indies if the Arabians or Portugals be not dealers therein The Inhabitants live upon Rice Palmito Cattell and Fish Their riches consist in Ginger and Pepper which draweth yearely a great masse of treasure into the havens of this Kingdome The Arabians were Lords of this trafficke for many ages till the Portugals setting light by the incredible dangers of a long navigation arrived there not above a hundred yeares since and bartered their wares for Pepper and other commodities And as the Portugals enriched the Townes of Cochin so did the Arabians Calecute and that Kingdome For this commodity is of such consequence that it not onely enricheth the Prince with presents customes but in such sort augmenteth the state of the merchants that some of them are comparable to many Dukes in Europe and Kings in Africke In their wars in Malabar they use not the service of horse not onely for that the climate breedeth none for those that they have are brought out of Persia and Arabia but for that the nature of the Countrey is not fit for horsemanship For as in â—wevia the footmen use no Pikes and the horsemen no Launces for the thicknesse of the woods which makeâ—h them unserviceable so in Malabar because of the streights rivers of the Sea and Marishes they seldome use horses so that all their forces consist in shipping and footmen It is strange to see how ready the Souldier of this Countrey is at his weapons they are all Gentlemen and termed Naiâ—â—s At seven yeâ—res of age they are put to Schoole to learne the use of their weapons where to make them nimble and active their finewes and joynts are stretched by skilfull fellowes and annoynted with the oyle Sesamus by this annoynting they become so light and nimble that they will winde and turne their bodies as if they had no bones casting them forward backward high and low even to the astonishment of the beholders Their continuall delight is in their weapon perswading themselves that no Nation goeth beyond them in skill and dexterity Every one inureth himselfe to that weapon whereto he findeth his body most agreeable Their ancient weapons were the Javelin the Bow and the Sword but after the comming of the Portugals they learned so exactly the mixture of metals the casting of great Ordnance and the practice thereof that some say their artillery and powder surpasseth ours They goe to warre all naked save their privities neither use they head-peeces which is the reason that in fights and skirmishes they shew exceeding agility charging and retiring more like Falcons than Souldiers When a man would take them to be farre off he shall see them hovering round about him in a trice so that it is as dangerous to follow them flying as to deale with them fighting They are swift as Leopards and their flight as much to be feared as their charge If they come to hand-strokes which they will not doe but upon necessity or advantage they use altogether to strike with the point They binde Copper or Silver shingels to the hilts of their swords the sound whereof instead of Drums and Trumpets incourageth them to the incounter They will lie so close under their bucklers that you shall not see any part of their bodies lie open to the danger There are one kinde of Naires called Amochi which curse themselves their kindred and posterity with most bitter execrations if they leave injuries done to their society unrevenged If their King happen to be slaine so much the more furious runne they thorow fire water and assured destruction to revenge his death And therefore the Kings of India suppose their estates weake or strong as they perceive the numbers of those Amochi to be few or many By the Law of the Countrey they may not marry but they are all allowed women in common They maintaine those women according to their birth
reporteth that their battell seemed rather to consist of Giants than of ordinary Souldiers Neither hath any Nation ever dealt more at adventure or hath used more boldnesse and blinde fury than the Portugals whose voyages beyond the Cape of Good-Hope and the Straights of Sinca-Pura their conquests of Ormus of Goa of Malacca and the Moluccos the defence of Cochin of Diu of Chaul and of Goa are more true and commendable than in reason likely to have prospered Military valour now is usually increased by some such like means as these First by using them to the wars Secondly by treating them like free men not like slaves Thirdly by inuring them to Arts manly Fourthly by appointing military rewards and honours for the souldiery When people are inured to the warres it takes away the horrour and hideous feare of it and makes it but a kinde of trade to the followers who desire it to live by it One of our lusty ploughmen of mid England would at fifty-cuffes or cudgels soundly beclowt a Hollander but yet for that he never saw men with iron faces he durst as well take a sheet of an hedge as come within the cracke of a pistoll whereas t is usuall for the Bores of Holland some with firelocks some with Loapestaves to make out parties of foot to goe a-bootehaling and even to set upon the horse of the enemie And all this is because the Englishman is not used to it and the Hollander is For the same reason there is much difference betwixt the same people in time of warre and after a long and effeminating peace That felt Hannibals souldiers after their long and lazie quarter in Capua Before Da'lvaes comming into the Low-Countries to provoke the Hollanders there was not a more simple cullion in the world than a Dutchman and now no where a braver man and what hath effeminated our English but a long difuse of armes Finally though in a hard battell there would appeare a great deale of difference betwixt an old beaten souldier who had seene men die familiarly even the sight of bloud making men fierce and fearelesse and a man of our traine bands of London yet surely would the Londoner much sooner prove fit for a battell than the unexperienced country-man even for that little use which he hath had of his Armes in the Artillery garden and Military yard of such force is use and custome to the increase of military valour Most requisite it is that what people a Prince would make valiant he should use freely and not like slaves A Nation overlaid with taxes will never prove military In France therefore where the peasant is but the day-labourer for his Land-lord the Monsieur and never suffered to eat good bit to weare good ragge or scarce to lay up a quart-deseue at the years end the Prince does not much trust to the Enfantery which is made up of this slavish people Inforced impositions mightily abate peoples love and courages and the blessing of Iudah and Issachar will never meet That the same people should prove the Lions whelpe which is used like an Asse betweene two burthens But where the yeoman or husbandman may eat what he breeds spend what he earnes and have the benefit of the Law against the best gentleman of the Country there are they fit for an helmet And all this is in England in no Nation under heaven does the common man live so freely or dares spend so frankly no where so free minds or so able bodies Three other usages have we had in England which have kept our people in spirit and valour One was the tenure of Knights service by vertue of which when the Lord of the Mannor was called to serve the King he drew his Tenants after him who would not budge a foot but live and die with their Land-lord and Captaine for if they proved cowards to their Land-lord how should they looke his sonne in the face and how disgraced should they be at their returne into their owne Country Thus proved we victorious in France The second usage was perfected by King Henry the seventh which was to reduce the Farmes and houses of husbandry to a standard assigning such a proportion of land to each as might breed a subject to live in a convenient plenty neither with so much as should effeminate him into the ease of a gentleman nor with so little as should discourage him with beggery The third usage was the frequency of Serving-men and Retainers who before that the sinne of drunkennesse had overflowed their gals and courages were no whit for valour and service inferiour to the Yeomanrie All these being kept in freedome were maintained in courage able and willing to serve both their Prince and Country A third thing necessary to breed courage in a Nation is if other reasons of State will beare it that there be more addicted to arts manly than unto sedentary and within-doores occupations Such I mean as require the strength of the backe and brawne of the arme rather than the finenestle of the braine or finger Some have thought that the multitudes of Monkes and Friers would if need were be a great strengthening to the Papacie and fight hard for their Grandfire of Rome But most assuredly those cage-birds have no military minds at all When Rome was beleagred by the Duke of Burbon in Charles the fifth his time and taken too not a Frier came to the rescue The Kings of England have sometimes made bold with the treasure of the Monasteries but never thought their persons serviceable Had they beene martiall-minded such multitudes would never have suffered themselves to be turned out of their warme nests in King Henry the eighths time without stroke striking And surely the taking in of the Dutch and Waltons into our Cities of England was more out of charity than policie for they being all given to neat and delicate manufactures may seeme rather to bring riches than strength to the kingdome Nor have our Kings hitherto tryed any of them in their souldierie Studious delicate and sedentary arts are not fit for armes t is the whip the plough-stafte the slayle the hammer and the hatchet that breeds the lusty souldier that makes able bodies and couragious spirits Another great maintainer of courage is the invention and worthy bestowing of military honours and rewards after the service is done The Romanes had their Triumphs and Ovations their Garlands and their Donatives to inhearten their souldiers Orders of Knighthood were also invented for this purpose But what 's all this to the common Souldier who hath no reward assigned untill he be lame and that a little from the Treasurer As for releefe in an hospitall a serving-man can make better meanes to get into it than a poore souldier after twenty or thirty years service This is a discouragement But nothing so bad as the Spaniards whose practice hath beene for these many ages to reward most of his great Captaines
and in Armes the State being disarmed not looking for any such innovation So the Barbarians subdued the Empire of Rome The Arabians the Empire of the East of Aegypt and of Spaine Charles the eighth King of France gained Italy The Portugals India The Castilians the new world and Soliman the Kingdome of Hungary The division of the neighbouring States either into Common-wealths or into petty Seigniories and those of small power gave courage to the Romans to make themselves Lords of Italy and made an easie passage for the Venetians into Lumbardy This also made the attempt of Thusian light unto the Florentines and no lesse that of Barbary to the Castilians which they would have found very hard of either the one or the other had expected them with armed forces The variance and jarring of the adjoyning Princes did open the way to the Turks to enter so farre into Christendome and with little trouble to invest himselfe of many kingdomes therein So Amurath the third presuming upon the civill discords of the Princes of the bloud Royall of Persia made that attempt with great advantage So againe the Persian upon the difference of the Scrivano and the Bashawes of Syria hath resumed the advantage and accordingly prospered Neither doth the whole mischiefe arise out of these intestine jarres onely but in all factions one part will be sure to intreat the aid of some forren Prince against the other than which no man can have a better occasion because then he commeth armed into the owners house at his owne request So the Romans set foot in Sicil being cald in by the Mamertines In Greece by the Athenians In Numidia by the sonnes of Micipsa In Provence by the Marsilians In France by the Hedui and so from time to time by divers others So Amurath the first King of Turks got hold in Europe being requested in aid by the Emperour of the East being then in warre with the Princes of Greece So Soliman in Hungarie being intreated by Queene Isabel and afterwards by King Iohn So the Aragons in the kingdome of Naples being drawne thither by Queene Ioane the second and so Henry the second King of France made himselfe Lord of three great Cities of the Empire Often hath it beene seene that he that is now called in as a friend does after prove an enemie and if one party in a civill warre cals in a forren arbitrator both parties cannot get him out againe But another no lesse successefull opportunity hath also beene made use of and that by way of marriage By apprehending the opportunity of a marriage were the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster and the two kingdomes of England and Scotland united But no Prince hath made so great advantage of marriage as the Spaniard The match of Ferdinand and Elizabeth was the very foundation of their greatnesse By marriages were the severall Provinces of the Low Countries united all which fell to Spaines at a clap Finally for this advantage hath the house of Spaine three times purchased dispensations from Rome for incestuous marriages and more they intended too Charles the fifth Emperour was solemnly contracted to our Queene Mary and Philip the second King of Spaine sonne to the said Emperour both wedded and bedded her nay upon strong appearances suspected it then was that King Philips curtesies to Queene Elizabeth were for his owne ends that if Queene Mary should die without issue he might marrie her also which he afterwards attempted by the Count de Feria promising to obtaine a dispensation so should England have beene laid to Spaine and what should then have hindred his Monarchie Now besides those advantages of humane policie and strength before mentioned God himselfe hath reserved a power at his owne disposing in the giving away of victories and in the cutting short or inlargement of Empire And to this end hath ordained these naturall Agencies and Assistances of Seas Rivers Mountaines Marishes Wildernesses and the sandie Desarts By these helps he the weake to hedge and ditch out their incroaching neighbours and by granting the mastership over these to another Nation he can at pleasure scourge the rebellion or unthankfulnesse of those people whom before he defended by them And of these helps of nature something will we say and in their order And first for the benefit of the Sea Concerning the profits of Merchandize both for importing and exporting of commodities I will not here speake though even that tends so much to the inrichment and augmentation of the honour of the State that in all treaties of warre and peace I see that the articles concerning traffike are sometimes two thirds of the treatie for so were they I am sure in that politike and nice-driven negotiation of the peace betwixt England and Spaine in the beginning of the Reigne of King Iames the Lord Treasurer Cecil Northampton and the greatest Sages of the kingdome being Commissioners on our partie and the best pates of Spaine for theirs but here I will onely treat of the Sea as of a Soveraigne friend and bulwarke to that Nation that is neerliest situated unto it and a maine helpe towards the keeping or inlargement of dominion The Poets you know made a God of Neptune that obtained the soveraingty of the Sea as well as of him that had the government of the Land and truly to be Lord of the narrow Seas and to enjoy a royalty That the ships of all Nations shall strike faile to one of the Kings ships is none of the least honours and to bee master of the Sea is more of it selfe than a pettie Monarchie He that is so indeed may give the law as well as he that is master of the field The Sea-fight at Actium was it that made Augustus Caesar sole Emperour of the world and Pompey learned it of old Themistocles that he that had the best Navy would in the end prove the Conquerour The victory that the Christians got at Lepanto so arrested the inâ—â—â—aching of the Turkish greatnesse that they have done little upon Chirstendome never since I mention not 88. nor that the resistance that the Hollanders have beene able to make against the greatest Monarch of the world proceeds meerly from the advantage they have of him by their commodious situation upon the Sea and by having more havens and ships than he This certainly will prove true that if ever the Monarchie of Spaine be broken it must be by Sea even by the Fleets of England and Holland and that know the Counsellours of the Emperour and Spaine well enough who to make themselves masters of some good ports have supplied their defect of a Navy by a chargeable land army For what thinke you else should be the designe of Monsieur Tilly but to take the Sea by Land to make his master Lord of Stoad Hamborrough Luckstadt with other Hansee townes and the Sowndt of Denmarke and what makes the Emperour who yet had never greater vessel than a Punt or Yaugh upon the
Which done they flie to the mountaines and in despight of any forces continue unsubjected howsoever unpunished And therefore since I have deciphered the persons let me in a word advise thee of their properties that is to take heed of the pride of Spaine the poyson of Italy the treason of France and the drinke of Flanders Beware of company and let not rash trust in friendship produce matter of fruitlesse repentance Remember that Damon and Pithias Pilades and Orestes are all dead or else it is but a dead story Nature alters like humours and complexions every minute of an houre And should I not speake too much to the worlds shame I would advise thee to thinke that there is no one man faithfull to another in the world And therefore in this dangerous age since every man is neerest and onely neere unto himselfe and hee is held the onely wise man who hath the world at most command let no man so presume of his owne sufficiency as to neglect the benefit of counsell Take a young man for thy companion rather than for thy friend The world affordeth but one Phenix and let not any man be so conceited as to thinke to finde him in his owne imagination Serve God with devotion and then care not for the devils illusion When thou returnest from these forren men and forren places resolve then also to leave their forren manners First come home to thy selfe and then fashion thy carriage thy apparell thy studies thy conscience and thy conversation to the best patterne of the place from whence at first with good intent thou began'st thy pilgrimage So shall the remembrance of thy travell be pleasant the profit infinite and thy returne an ornament to King and Country THE SECOND BOOKE Of Europe The Commendations Bounds Religions and Languages of it IT now remaineth that I beginne to tell you how according to our best and latest Cosmographers this great Globe for parts and parcels whereof so great and universall quarrels have from the beginning beene entertained amongst Princes Peoples and Nations hath beene divided into seven parts The first three whereof viz. Europe Africa and Asia were knowne to the Ancients The fourth is America Septentrionalis containing the Provinces of Estotilant Terra de Labrador Terra de Biccaleos Nova Francia Norimbega Florida Nova Hispania and others The fifth is America Meridionalis which is a peneinsula and disjoyned from the former by a small Isthmus or necke of Land containing the Regions of Brasil Tisnada Caribana Peguana and Peruvia The sixt is termed Terra Australis wherein lieth Psitaicorum regio Terra del feugo Beach Lucach and Maletur situate betweene Iava major and Iava minor The last being under the Northerne Pole is the least of the residue all almost unknowne and divided by Mercator upon a meere fabulous report of one that was never there into foure Islands lying in a manner under the very Pole This part hath not hitherto beene discovered the neerest approach that any man of Europe ever yet made to the North Pole was by one Marmaduke who in a ship of Hull arrived in 82. degrees that is no neerer than within 8. whole degrees of the Pole mountaines of Ice keeping him from discovering further Of all these seven parts because Europe is farrelesse than any of the rest and yet exceedeth them all in Noblenesse Magnificence multitude of people in might puissance and renowne we will first beginne with the description thereof It is bounded on the North with the North Ocean Sea on the South with the Mediterranean on the East with the floud Tanais and on the West with the West Ocean It containeth more than foure and twenty Christian Kingdomes at this day as farre excelling the residue of the Provinces in Religion Arts Valour and Civilitie as in elder age it did surpasse them in Prowesse and Reputation The principall Provinces are Spaine France Belgia Germany Italy Sclavonia Greece Hungary Poland Lituania Moscovia and that toward the North called Scandia wherein are Denmarke Norwey Swethland Iutland c. The Islands are Brittaine containing the Kingdomes of England and Scotland Ireland Island and Engroneland in the North Ocean In the Mediterranean are Sicilie Candia Corsica Sardinia Majorca Minorca Nigropont Malta Corsu Salamine Mitâ—lene Sciros with many other in the Archipelago The aire hereof is passing good wholesome temperate and soile exceeding fertile Therein are many goodly Cities famous Mart-Townes and learned Vniversities The people thereof have in all ages excelled all other Regions in Courage Arts sharpnesse of Wit and all other gifts of Nature In times past it commanded Asia and Afrike by the Armes of the Greeks and Romans and at this day it is of great force by the power of the Turks and Muscovites and of no lesse reputation by the Navigations of the English Dutch Spaniards and Portugals so as it seemeth that Nature hath given unto this people a precedency to rule and governe forren Provinces as men farre surpassing all other Nations in wisdome courage industry and invention This least and best part of the greater portions of the world was so named of Europa daughter of Agenor King of Phoenicia brought into these parts by Iupiter in honour of whom the Phoenicians being the first Navigators and discoverers of these countries might as well leave her name to all their new discoveries the habits manners and languages of these parts especially at those times being all one or not much different as the Turks Aethiopians and all those of the East call us by one name of Franks and the Kingdomes of France England Spaine Germanies c. are in the histories of the warres of the Holy Land all together called the Kingdome of the Franks our Languages the Franke tongue and our Religion the Franks Religion The figure of Europe is fancied to resemble a Queene and so is she indeed of all the world her Princes having some dominion or other in all parts of the world and they none in her The Crowne and Head of this Queene is Spaine her Necke must bee that part of France under the Pyrenaean mountaines her Brest France it selfe her Armes Italy and Brittaine her Belly Germany her Navell Bohemia the rest of her Body hidden under her lower garments are Denmarke Sweden Lituania Prussia Poland Hungaria Dalmatia Grecia Moldavia Tartary and Muscovia This Queene at this day commands 28 Kingdomes all gathered up by three Emperours the German Turke and Muscovite and eight Kings France England and Spaine hereditarie Bohemia Hungaria Poland Denmarke and Sweden elective Princes States and Common-wealths in Italy and the Germanies many and potent some one of them Venice or the Low Countries by name too hard a match for the most potent Prince of Asia or Africa could they but come at him For Riches we have the most usefull and substantiall for goodly Cities Italy alone hath more than Asia Africa and America all together if other parts have any fortified townes thye here saw
Kings of England doe elect their Magistrates and Officers as the Cities and townes of England doe In England the ancientest Earles of Ireland do give precedency to the Earleâ— of England for that they have no voice in the Parliament of England neither hath the Nobility of England any voyce or prerogative in the Parliaments of Ireland so Irishmen borne are denizens by birth in England and may beare Office and inherit lands in England as experience teacheth without charters of denization as Englishmen are and doe in Ireland And so Irishmen pay onely such customes and duties in England as Englishmen doe and ought The Wards of the Nobilitie are disposed of by the King and of inferiour persons by the Viceroy and certaine of the Councell there according to their Commission Even so titles of honours lands and offices are usually granted by the Kings of England under the great seale of England or Ireland according to pleasure The incivility wherewith this so goodly a kingdome hath beene much branded hath chiefly arisen from want of education and learning And secondly for that the Country aboundeth with idle men having no trade whereupon to live which onely abuse hath incouraged rebellion the Ring-leaders not doubting to bee followed by these swarmes of dissolute persons ready to take armes upon any occasion for desire of spoile But verily sithence that now of late the King of Peace and Pietic hath wiped away all distrust of former neglects by his continuall industry to plant Religion and Arts to re-people the wasted Provinces and to extirpate the innated idlenesse of the worst bred Irish there is no question under God to be made but that this beautifull Island being so neere a neighbour so fruitfull in soile so rich in pasture more than credible beset with so many woods inriched with so many Minerals watred with so many Rivers invironed with so many Havens lying fit and commodious for Navigation into most wealthy Countries will in time prove profitable to the Church advantagâ—ous to the Prince pleasing to the Inhabitants and comparable to any the best and civillest kingdomes of the Christian Common-weale Great Brittaine THe whole Island of Brittaine once divided now re-united under the name of the kingdome of Great Brittaine is an Island situated in the maine Ocean over against France and divided into foure great Provinces The first whereof the Englishmen doe inhabit the second the Scots the third the Welshmen and the last the Cornishmen Every one of those doe differ from other either in language in manners or in customes England so termed of the Englishmen the Inhabitants thereof is by much the greater and goodlier portion and divided into nine and twenty Provinces which they terme Shires Of the which ten doe make the prime part of the Kingdome and inclining towards the South have their existence betweene the Thames and the Sea Next as farre as the Trent which runneth thorow the middest of England are sixteene other Shires proportioned whereof the first six lie towards the East and the other ten lie more to the Inland other six border upon Wales and are bounded towards the West About the heart of the Kingdome lie Darbishire Yorkeshire Lancashire and Cumberland And upon the left hand inclining towards the West Westmerland Vpon the contrary side lie Durham and Northumberland Provinces opposed to the North and sometime appertaining to the Crowne of Scotland These Shires are two wayes divided first into six circuits parted among the Iudges who twice a yeare goe over them for the holding of Assises Secondly into two Archbishopricks Canterbury who hath two and twenty Bishoprickes under his Province and Yorke who hath three in his These are by the Grecians termed Dioceses and take their denominations from the Cities wherein the Bishops have their Seas the chiefe whereof is London and was once the seat of an Archbishop now translated unto Canterbury This prime part upon the East and the South is bounded with the Ocean upon the West with Wales and Cornwall upon the North with Tweed the bounder also of England and Scotland At this River of Tweed endeth the length thereof which being accounted to beginne at the Shore which lieth most Southerly is from thence reckoned to containe about three hundred and twenty miles On this side the Humber it is accounted the fertilest for corne beyond mountainous but excellent for herbage For albeit to one that beholdeth it afarre off it seemeth all champiâ—n notwithstanding it hath many hils and those for the most part destitute of wood as also most pleasant vallies wherein especially the Gentlemen have their mansions who according to their old customes dwell not in Townes but approach the Vallies and Rivers and inhabit the Villages as I thinke the better to avoid the furie of tempestuous winds whereunto the Island is sometime subject Wherby it commeth to passe that the Yeomen conversing with the Gentry doe in every place savour of some good fashion and the Vpland Cities are the lesse famoused The land generally is exceeding fertile and plentifull in beasts whereby it commeth to passe that the English people are more addicted unto Grazing than unto Tillage so that almost the third part of the soile is reserved rather for Cattell Deere Conies and Goats a for of this sort also there is great store in Wales And in every Shire you shall see Parkes impaled and Forrests replenished with these beasts in the hunting whereof the Nobility and Gentry doe much delight there being more Parks in England than in all Europe besides For provision of the Inhabitants neither is it lesse stored with corne wilde fowle and fish so that for plenty goodnesse and sweetnesse it needeth neither the helpe of France no nor of any neighbour-bordering Country Among other things the flesh especially of their Swine Oxen and Veales have the best rellish of any part of Christendome and of Fish their Pike and Oysters It bringeth not forth Mules nor Asses but of Horse for pace the best in the world and of those infinite proportions for service running and coursing The wealth hereof consisteth in the never-decaying Mines of Tinue and Lead of Copper Iron and Coales On the Downes groweth a small and tender kinde of grasse neither dunged nor watred with spring or river but in Winter nourished with the moisture of the aire and in Summer with the dew of Heaven which is so gratefull and pleasing to the Sheepe that it causeth them to beare fleeces of singular goodnesse and exceeding finenesse The Island breedeth no Wolves nor any other ravening beast and therefore these their flockes wander night and day by Hils Dales and Fields as well inclosed as common without feare or danger Most delicate Cloths are woven of this Wooll which from thence are transported in great abundance into Germany Poland Denmarke Sweveland Italy Turkie and the Indies where they are in high request There grow all sorts of pulse great store of Saffron yea infinite quantities of
command all So that Adams wisdome gave them titles and his superioritie prescribed subjection but how to mans use for mans sustenance for mans necessitie and lastly for mans delight Thus doth oile make a cheerefull countenance and wine a gladsome heart Thus did the Kings table furnish it selfe in this sense the songs of David praise God for his many blessings Thus were incense and odours provided and the love of brethren compared to the dew of Hermon and the costly ointment on Aarons vestures which blessed allowances make mee to remember a speech of Sir Roger Williams to an idle Spaniard boasting of his country citrons orenges olives and such like Why saith he in England wee have good surloines of beefe and daintie capons to eat with your sauce with all meat worthy the name of sustenance but you have sauce and no sustenance and so mich God dich you with your sustenancelesse sauce Canaan had neighbourly meetings feasts of triumphs and times of private rejoycings Spaine dares not nor can bid you welcome Idle jelousies private hate or hatefull pride feare of expences and vaine-glorious speeches will quickly debarre you from the pleasure of invitation from the freedome of conversing one with another which cannot savour the noble entercourses of mutuall amitie Canaan had the Temple furnished as God commanded the Priest obedient to the King the Prophets in estimation and the Feasts orderly celebrated Spaine is polluted with worse severitie than Paganisme hath invented viz. the cruell Office of Inquisition wherewith the Kings themselves have beene so over-awed by the insolence of the Clergie that some of them have not spared to commit repentant error to please the Pope Canaan was a receptacle of strangers and Princely solemnities Spaine hateth all men commits them to fire and sword and cannot order one solemne Festivall unlesse at a Kings Coronation a Princes mariage or a Cardinals jollitie where yet an Italian invention shall fill a table with painted trenchers and dishes of China but a hungry belly may call for more meat and he never the neerer Canaan had cities of refuge cities of store cities of strength cities for horses and all for the Kings magnificence to all which the wayes lay ordered and men passed to and fro without danger and want In Spaine you must have a guide yea sometime a guard and are so farre from expecting releefe after your dayes travels that if you have not a Borachio before your saddle and made your provision on the backe of an Asse you may happen to be tired for want of sustenance and faint with Ismael for lack of water Canaan had beautifull women and the Scripture sets it downe as a blessing of God But Spaine must mourne for strange disparity and either lament that her women are painted like the images of the grove or sit in the high-way as Thamar did to deceive Iuda For in truth they are for the most part unpleasing swartish or else by comming to be Curtizans dangerous and impudent Thus as yet Salomon must sit without compare and his kingdome unmatchably triumph with a noble prerogative But what must we thinke of France sayes one is not your breath now almost spent and will you not be satisfied with the goodliest kingdome of the world The answer shall not be peremptory nor derogate from the merit of its least worth of vertue yet are they traduced for many defects and I beleeve will fall short to our expectation at least I am sure dare not abide the touch of triall In Salomons Court the Queene of Saba commended the obedience of the Princes the sitting of the Kings servants the ordering of the Palace and the multitude of the provisions daily brought in In France the Princes contest with the King the Clergie affront the Princes beare downe the States the Pages mocke the Gentlemen and the Gentlemen are proud of nothing but slovennesse unbeseeming familiarity and disorder So that with much adoe the mechanicall man stands bare to the King and the Princes sit at meat like Carriers in an Hostry without reverence silence or observation and a vile custome having got the upper hand hath depressed the Majestie of such a place which indeed reduced to uniformity would much augment the glory of Europe A wise State and potent Kings have built Navies and travelled themselves in person to view them raising customes from their Merchants loving and maintaining good Mariners and Pilots contracting leagues with remote Princes and making the confirmation of them honourable and advantagious But France wanteth shipping is carelesse of Navigation can raise no good Sailers seldome attempteth voyages or discoveries and consequently hath its Cities and Merchants conversing without forme or noble condition For in Paris they dare talke of the Kings mistresses intermeddle with all tractates of Parliaments and State call any Prince Hugonet who dares onely say That Nostre Dame is but a darke melancholike Church and finally justifie very monstrous and abusive actions So that to tell you of their inconstant and refractorie dispositions at all times would sooner discover their loathsome effusions of Christian bloud than prevent the customary and mischievous practices of this people As for the Court by reason of inveterate disorders it is a meere map of confusion and exposeth many actions more ridiculous than worthy of imitation The Husbandman he is termed a Peasant disparaged in his drudgery and servile toilsomnesse liveth poore and beastly is afraid of his owne shadow and cannot free the Vineyards from theeves and destroyers Yea all the Countrey swarmeth with Rogues and Vagabonds whose desperate wants drive them to perpetrate many hainous murthers although for the most part the Provosts of every government are very diligent The cause as I conjecture for that the passages are toylesome and disordered yea many times dangerous to which may be added the much connivencie at notorious crimes with many particulars choaking the breath of happinesse from giving life to a glorious kingdome indeed if the reciprocall duties betweene Prince and Subject were but moderately extended But now to produce England shall we say that it is matchlesse or faultlesse Surely no we have no doubt our imperfections as well as other Nations But certainly by that time the Reader in the ballance of judgement hath poysed the differences of plenty and scarcity of necessaries and abilities for Peace and Warre the one for life the other for defence I make no question but for the first when he hath read the censure of the Pope how that England was verè hortus delictarum vere puteus inexhaustus his Holinesse if he might have it for catching had no reason but to conclude Ergò ubi multa abundant de multis multa possunt extorqueri For the second how ever France and Spaine have beene alwayes accounted the ballances of Europe yet hath England stood as the beame to turne the Scale which particularly to prove I will never goe about by recitall of our Ancestors
let loose the Queene of Cities as they terme Paris to looke bigge and angerly upon us our London can affront her with a matching countenance and over-match her in many severall excellencies And surely if any man should materially object against these my assertions I should deeme him either some young humorist some petulant factor discontented traveller or head-strong Papist of which profession I misdoubt not but to finde many amongst men who being either distressed at home or unsetled abroad to their private ends will not blush with the King of Assyria to laugh at the weaknesse of Iuda for being confident in the promises of God will raile on religion condemne government extoll petty Princes and with Naaman the Syrian preferre the waters of Babylon before the wholesome River of Iordan But come to particulars they sticke in the clay and like an unbroken colt flâ—â—ging up and downe and sweating with rage and neither able to goe forward in a handsome course nor remaine patient in expecting the will of the Rider Or open them but one window to let in but the light of our glory by discoursing of our Navie the generall musters of the Country the arming of every Gentlemans house a Noblemans attendance a Ladies jewels the Majestie of our Vniversities the happinesse of our Husbandman the wealth of our great Cities and order in the administration of the sameâ— Then stand they with Niobe transhaped into stone and remaine confounded by reason of their former perverse and ignorant wilfulnesse But I will not be uncivill in exprobration only let me tell them that because in beastly Galata and Constantinople the Merchant may goe into divers Bashawes and Greekish houses and there by entertainment transported with outward deceit of colours as painting gilding in-laid workes and such like hee maketh a wonder at the cost and pompous expences not remembring how their best masters in England are scarce admitted up staires into many worthy houses of our Noblemen and Gentlemen which being admitted would afford other manner of discoveries both magnificent and wealthy even to true admiration Because in Venice they have overlooked the Bucentaure S. Marks Palace and Piazza a dainty front of buildings on the grand Canale the College of Iesuits a Mercer or two that selleth Copes and rich cloaths of gold for high Altars the fundamento novo the Arsnall c. Therefore England hath but poore furniture wanteth the essentiall meanes of Princelinesse and Majestie is onely gawdie in colours a little imbroidery and gold lace which they allow to Players and Mountebanks both in Venice Florence Verona and the rest of her Cities Because in Genoa Naples Rome and some other places they may see an even street of houses with a pillar or two of jet jasper and hard marble a Cardinals Palace and six moils in a Carosse to attend him but to the conclave a stately Mosque in Turkie the Domo in Florence new Saint Peters at Rome and some other ostentous buildings they say our beauty is eclipsed and wee must submit the controversie to the apparant bravery of forren magnificence whereas in truth they hold no more comparison for Majesty though dispersedly either with our Courts late Country buildings demesnes adjacent and commodious houses about the Citie for receit capacity and entertainment than bird-cages doe to delightsome Arbours But who are they that so entertaine Tables with this returne of discourse surely none but our fashion-follow-Travellers who with many long lookes expecting in an Almanacke for a yeare of Iubile flie over Sea by flocks towards Rome Where by the way in Ausburg Noremberg and some other Cities of Germanie meeting with a flaggon of wine wherewith the Burgers according to custome with such entertainment use to welcome strangers they presently write over with what state they were feasted and how graciously admitted into Cities resembling new Ierusalem in respect of our disproportion of building and unequall fashion of our streets Because in France they may drinke wine of Orleance or Lyons and for their money satisfie incontinencie wherein yet they confesse Italy to surpasse Oh! say they England is a barren Countrey and farre from becircling her forehead with the garland of Bacchus or wreath of Abundance but sitteth desolate like a widow having the curse of baldnesse inflicted upon her Because in Padoa they are told of Antenors Tombe in the streets seene the Amphitheatres in Verona or Rome monuments truly resembling the wrinkles of an old face or beheld the wals of Constantinople the ruinous Colosses of the Citie with the Aquaduct in the Country Oh! these be Kingdomes that make aged Time young againe and surpasse our new Nation for wonders and works of Majestie Because they have beheld though peradventure with little understanding the forts of Mount-mâ—lian and Saint Katherines the citadels of Millan and Antuerp the Castles of Naples and Saint Angelo and have beene acquainted with the examination of passengers at Lyons Millan and the frontier Townes of the Princes of Italie They presently exclaime against our weaknesse and ill-advised discipline which leaveth our Country as it were naked to all inconveniences of wind and weather In the next ranke come up our male-contents and they are such as being meerely gulled with pride selfe-conceit and fantastick vaine-glory have run a prodigall hunting-journey with Esau untill being weary and hungry they have beene inforced to sell their birth-rights for a messe of pottage Then with Yorke and Stanly and thousands more they enter into violent courses curse David raile on their Countrey and accuse Authoritie of injustice and partialitie With the Dukes of Guise and Bâ—ron they set up the praises of the Spanish King and the tender-heartednesse of the Pope for the decay of Religion supposing themselves sufficiently magnified for contesting with Kings and sleighting the Princes of the bloud In the reare slily stealeth up the obstinate Papist To him urge honestie reason yea the Scriptures and hee will discharge no other shot but the Ordinance of the Church Put him from that slanker and you shall see him like an Adder lurking in the grasse to sting the heele of the passenger And that is with telling you that in France the Church at Amiens hath delicate Pictures the nostre Dame at Roan and Paris maintaine brave processions Our Lady at Sichem works only miracles yea more than miracles for they will tell you of a Virgin got with childe in a Nunnerie by one of her sisters For say they she protested before our Lady that she never knew what the company of man meant But leaving these men to themselves and the sting of their owne consciences we will proceed to shew you with what affections other Nations doe at this day Court us France is so strengthened and beautified at home by the multitude of Princes and noble Gentlemen that now at this day enjoying the Kingdome intirely to themselves they are confident to defend it not seeking ambitiously to offend others though haply envying to
honourable respect of our Nobilitie wherein though they possesse few Castles or strong places invironed with rampiers and ditches neither that the Titles of Dukes Marquesses or Earles are more than titular as bestowed upon desert at the pleasure of the Prince yet have they the government of Provinces with subordinate authoritie over the people to the great quiet of the State and the prosperitie of the kingdome where on the contrary the Nobilitie in France possessing some absolute and some mixt jurisdiction with hereditary titles c. being Lords not only of Townes but of great and goodly Cities also and receiving homage and fealtie of their tenants doe as wee have often seene but badly and at pleasure acknowledge the soveraigntie of the King and the Arrest of the Parliaments SCotland another portion of Brittaine in times past began at the Mountaine Grampius and from thence to its utmost border was extended Northward But in future times by the extinguishment of the Picts it reached also unto Tweed and sometimes also to Twine the chance of warre so moderating in these counterchanges as in all other worldly occurrences Whereupon its longitude from Tweed unto the utmost limit is thought to be foure hundred and fourescore miles But as this Province is longer than England so is it narrow for that it endeth like unto a wedge For the unshapeable and rough Mountaine Grampius whereof even Tacitus in the life of Agricolâ— made mention runneth thorow the very heart thereof even from the German shore that is from the mouth of the River Dee unto the Irish coast and unto that Lake which the Inhabitants call Lomund which lieth betweene that country and the said mountaine The Kingdome hath every where safe harbours creekes lakes marishes rivers and fountaines replenished with fish As also mountaines and in tops thereof large plaines yeelding abundance of grazing to cattell and woods wonderfully abounding with venerie By the advantages of which place the people being sustained could never be fully conquered for every Province Woods and Marishes were ready refuges to their safeties and wilde beasts and plentie of cattell remedies against famine for their bodies Those who inhabit the Southerne part as by much the best so are they the better qualified the civillest and speake the English language And sithence that Nature hath denied them plentie of fewell their firing is of a blacke stone which they digge out of the earth The people who dwell in the Northerne and Mountainous parts are a very savage and uncivill kinde of men and termed Silvestres viz. Highland-men These after the Irish fashion were accustomed to be cloathed with a mantle and a shirt coloured with Saffron and to goe bare legged as high as their knees Their weapons are Bow and Arrowes with a very broad Sword Dagger sharpe but on one edge They all speake Irish and feed upon fish milke cheese and flesh and have great store of cattell They differ from the English both in Lawes Customes for the one retaineth the Civill Law as almost doe all other Nations but the English have their peculiar or Municipall Lawes In other things they differ not much Their Language as aforesaid is one and the same the same constitution of body equall courage in battell and semblable addiction unto hunting even from their Childhoods Their houses in the Villages are very small and covered with straw or reed wherein as well their cattell as themselves in manner of stables doe reside Their townes except that of S. Iohns are invironed with no walls so that it should seeme that their couragious minds doe repose the safetie of their lives in the only vertue of their bodies They are also ingenious which their learning manifesteth so that unto what Art soever they doe addict their capacities they easily profit therein And those also who meditate nothing but sloth ease and lazinesse though by refusall to take any paines they live most basely and beggerly yet will they not let to boast of their Gentrie and that so presumptuously as if it were more commendable for a man well descended to beg than to betake himselfe to any ingenious profession for the sustentation of his carkase But withall they are accounted naturally to be very zealous in Religion About Scotland in the Irish Ocean are more than forty Islands by Pliny termed Britaniae but by others Meraniae and Herbrides The biggest of these in length exceeds not thirty miles in bredth not above twelve Amongst them is Iona famous for the ancient sepulture of the Scottish Kings All the Inhabitants speake the Irish tongue a pregnant argument that they are descended from the Irishry Beyond Scotland Northwards lie the Orcades in number saith Ptolomy thirty being partly seated in the Deucalidon Ocean and partly in the German The chiefe whereof is called Pamonia and therein is an Episcopall Sea being subject unto the King of Great Brittaine The Islanders speake the Gotish tongue a record that they are descended from the Germans Of stature they are all of a sound constitution whereby it commeth to passe that for the greater part they are long-lived although most commonly they live upon fish The soile is in a manner alwayes covered with snow in many places it will scarce beare graine but of trees almost none Beyond the Orcades heth Thule from whence but one dayes saile saith Pliny is the Frozen Sea and therein Island whereunto at this day our Merchants doe make an annuall trading to fish themselves or to buy fish of others Which for that it is neerest unto the Pole some doe judge to bee Thule And this is all that I have to say concerning the situation of Scotland now will I turne my pen to the nature and fashions of the Inhabitants WAles is accounted the third portion of the Island In regard of the heart of England it lieth upon the left hand and in manner of a Peninsula stretcheth into the Ocean on all sides incircled with the Sea save towards the East where it is bounded with the Severne the separatresse of Wales and England although many late Writers as abovesaid make the City of Hereford the bounder thereof and will have Wales to beginne at Chepstow where the River Wy being united with Lugge and passing by Hereford falleth into the Sea This River as Severne ariseth from an Inland part of Wales from one and the selfe-same Mountaine but whether from one and the selfe-same Fountaine I am not able to shew and it Cornelius Tacitus as aforesaid termeth Antona For even thither reacheth a huge arme of the Sea which cutting in betweene the Land by the West watreth Cornwall on the right hand and Wales on the left This Topography we follow as the Moderne and therefore say that Wales from Chepstow where it taketh beginning is extended Northward a little above Shrewsbury as â—arre as Chester Hither it was as Memory recordeth that the reliques of those Brittons who over-lived the generall slaughter after the
people Besides these publike Receptacles we have private and goodly Colleges for Lawyers fitted for their private and publike uses receit of their Clients conveniently appropriated to their Offices All workes rather of oftentation amongst our selves than of imitation in others In stead of obscure Churches we have first the goodliest heape of stones namely Pauls next the most curious viz. Westminster Abby in the world and generally all out Churches exceed for beauty and handsomnesse In stead of Gentlemen riding on durty foot-cloaths and women footing it in the mierie streets the one with an idle Lackey the other with no company at all we have fashionable attendance handsome comely passage either in Carosse Coach or on horsebacke and our Ladies and Gentlewomen are never seene abroad without an honourable retinue In stead of confused intermixtures of all sorts as Citizens Lawyers Schollers Gentlemen Tradesmen and Religious persons so that you can scarcely know the one from the other nor the master from the man in London the Citizen lives in the best order with very few houses of Gentlemen interposed But in our suburbs the Nobility and Gentry have so many and such stately buildings that one side of the River may compare with the gran Canale at Venice but if you examine their receit and capacity Venice and all the Cities of Europe must submit to truth for in London and the places adjoyning five hundred severall houses may beare the attribute of Palaces wherein five thousand persons may conveniently be lodged In stead of a poore Provost and a disorderly company of Merchants and Tradesmen we have a Podesta or Maior that keepeth a Prince-like house accompanied and attended with grave and respective Senators and comely Citizens having severall Hals where every craft and mystery is governed by ancient persons of the same society and profession At time of yeare producing such solemne and rich triumphs that strangers have admired the brave spirits of Mechanicall men To conclude if you looke on and in our London truly as it is composed of men following trades and occupations there is not such a Citie such a Government such a method of conversation such an unity of society and good neighbourhood such a glasse to see lovelinesse and beauty in such a chamber of wealth and such a store-house of terrestriall blessings under the Sunne againe Or if you please to view it without at all times and yet consider the keeping of our Country houses you may boldly say There are not so many Gentlemen to be seene in any place nor to so good purpose generally for speaking somewhat liberally like an Orator of Contentation I aske if the pleasures of Paris can bring you into walkes of such variety with so little charge and expence as London can Surely no. And with us our riding of horses musicke learning of all Arts and Sciences dancing fencing seeing of comedies or enterludes banquets maskes mummeries lotteries feasts ordinary meetings and all the singularities of mans inventions to satisfie delight are easie expences and a little judgement with experience will manage a very meane estate to wade through the current of pleasure yea although it should runne unto voluptuousnesse But shall I dare to speake of our Court the map of Majesty in respect whereof Biron compared all others to confusion If I doe for stately attendance dutifull service plentifull fare orderly tables resort of Nobles beauty of Ladies bravery of Gentry concourse of civill people princely pastimes and all things befitting the Majesty of a King or glory of a Nation I may say for England as the King of France once answered the Emperours tedious Title France France France and nothing but France So England England England and nothing but England to their proudest comparisons Affirming that if ever Countrey Kingdome or Prince came neere Salomons royalty plenty peace and beatitude England and in England London hath the preheminence Besides the Cities and Ports of France well fortified there be also infinite numbers of Castles Cittadels which the people call The nests of Tyrants and the Prince Chastivillains Of the Castles the number is therefore most great and as uncertaine by reason that every Noblemans house of any age is built in defensible manner An example of one for many hundreds you may take that of Roch-fort belonging to the Seigneur de la Tremouville which in the civill warres endured a siege and five thousand Cannon shot and yet was not taken It is judged by the wisest that in great Kingdomes such as France no places should bee fortified but the frontiers after the example of Nature who armeth the heads and heeles of beasts but never the bowels nor middle part as in England where except frontier places none but his Majestie have fortified places You must understand that here in France all Inhabitants of Cities are liable to the common charges of the fortification of their Cities reparations of Bridges Fountaines High-waies such like And because the richer sort should not levie the money and then keepe it to themselves or imploy it as they list they must give information to the Chancellor of the necessity of the Levie and procure Letters Patents for the same by authority whereof they gather the money and use it yeelding after to the Kings Procurer their account And for their Watch and Ward it goes by course as in the City of Embden and divers other in those low countries As for Castles the Seigneur or Captaine may not force Vassall faire le guet to watch and ward except in frontier places upon forfeiting of their estates After this generall Survey of the Country it selfe wee must observe something of the government wherein I will not trouble you with fetching their first Pedigree from beyond the Moone as many of theâ—r Histories labour nor by disputing the matter whether it bee true or no that they came from Troy into the marishes of Maeotis whence after some small abode they were chased by the Roman Emperour into Bavaria and after into Frankeland in Germany It shall suffice that from hence this people came into France wherein all Writers agree For after the declination of the Roman Empire when the Ostrogothes conquered Italy the Visigothes Spaine and the Vandals Affrike then did the Burgundians and Franconians divide this Country betweene them conquering it upon the old Inquilines the Gaules who from Caesars time till then had not tasted the force of a forren power The Government was under Dukes till the yeare 420. when as Pharamond caused himselfe to bee intituled King In this race it remained till 751. when Pepin suppressed his M. Chilpericke and usurped His line lasted till 988. when Hugh Capet gave the checke to the succession of Charlemaignes line who was Pepins sonne and invested himselfe with the Diadem From him it hath lineally descended by heires males to the house of Valois and for want of issue malâ— in them is now come to
that there may easily be mustred and maintained fourescore and odde thousand horse of one sort or other that is launce and light-horse But I feare me we may say of them as Plutarch saith of the Nobles of Athens having usurped upon the Democracie of that Citie They were indeed but foure hundred and yet caused themselves to be stiled the five thousand So I feare me hee reckoneth after the Athenian rate ten for one The Cabinets reason is this There be in France 50000. Gentlemen that are able to beare Armes for saith he rate this proportion at a Gentleman in each league by the measure of â—rance which are forty thousand in square and it wanteth but a fifth Howbeit saith he in some Countries yee shall have thirty or forty within the compasse of one league besides their children Out of these if the King would he might compose a Gens d' armerie of 8000. men at Armes and 16000. Archers which body of 24000 Gentlemen would represent in the field 60000. horse Hee aught also have a cavallerie Legiere of foure or five thousand Gentlemen He might also furnish the Ban and Arneâ—-â—an according to the old fashion with twelve or fifteene thousand Gentlemen And yet might he have besides all this foure or five thousand for the state of his Court and government of his Provinces This is his computation But you shall see it proved when we come to speake of the Nobility of France that it is exceedingly shortned in number and decayed in estate and therefore nothing able to come neere this number As good a consequent it were to say â—hat because ye have two or three millions of men in England able to fight that therefore our State can bring so many into the field without considering the provision of Armes and all other things necessarie But this Cabinet was made by one of the Religion that was transported out of himselfe by the heat of his zeale and hate to the temporall livings of the Church Whose projects and drifts are much like those of the Supplication of Beggers a booke made in King Henry the eighths dayes where he frameth in his fanâ—â— an Vtopia and felicity not to be hoped in France building Castles in the Aire and concluding that if it would please the King to alien the Church temporall livings and unite them to the Domaine nihil est dictu facilius a thing easily said but not easily done that over and besides the forces o fourescore thousand horse abovesaid he might alâ—o maintaine an Infantery of the French Gentlemen of twâ—lvâ— thousand Item another of the popular of forty â—â—ght thousand and lastly yet another Infantery legionarie of forty eight thousand The Supplication was answered by Sir Thomas Moore his booke called The Pitifull complaint of the puling soules â—â— Purgatory How well I know not but of this I am sure that if such a number of horse and foot should either bee â—aintained upon the Church living or upon the poore people upon whom all these charges of the Gens d'armes lieth here would be many more pâ—liâ—g soules and pitifull complaints in France than are in Sir Thomas Moores Purgatory It then remaines that wee hold our selves to the judgement of La Nove afore set downe who also confesseth that in Charles the sixth his time there were in the field twenty two thousand Launces but since the Gens d'armerie was inâ—â—ituted were never but once at Valencieâ—nes above ten thousand For as for that great number whereof yee reade in M. d' Argenton that besieged Lewis the eleventh in Paris they were the forces of three great Princes and the better part Burgognions The French reckon above an hundred and twenty strong Townes some very strong already all the rest easie to be made defensible Their Ordnance and Field-peeces they have reduced to a proportion of boare and length that so the gartridges and bullet of the same weight may be service able for most of their peeces and if a carriage breakes the peece may be readily mounted upon another The usuall length of their Field-peeces is almost ten foot the length of the carriage fourteene foot so that both together take up nineteene foot being mounted upon the Batterie Of all Nations the French confesse that they feare none but the Switzers and them they doe for that being so neere neighbours they may fall upon them at unawares To prevent which they have fortified the Frontiers next to them knowing well that the nature of the Switzer is rather to hazzard a field than to sit downe about a lingring siege But these Frenchmen have forgot that England is farre too hard for them at Sea and that Spaine and the Emperour together have in a manner besieged them round about by Land I must now remember you of the Officers for the warre in France and because warre is made both by sea and by land I must also reckon the sea Officers but as for the French Kings forces at sea I have not yet learned that he hath any and therefore can say little thereof The first and principall and which commandeth all in the Kings absence even the Peeres and Princes of the bloud whaâ—soever is the Constable who as hath before beene remembred hath his name of Comes stabulâ— for in former tâ—nes the Kings chiefe Officers were called Counts with an addition of their Office as Comes Palatit Comes Praesidii Comes reâ—â—m privatarum Comes sacrarum largitionum Com 〈◊〉 Comes navium Count of the Palace Count of the Guard c. And though he hath not now the command of the Kings horse yet keepeth he still the name This Office was erected in Lewis le Gros his time it was bestowed upon the house of Memorencie in Francis the first his time and remaineth still in the same The ancient device of the house of Memorencie is this God and the prime Christian and ancientest Baron of France He hath the keeping of the Sword Royall And as the great â—squire hath the Sword in the Scabberd Azure seeded with Flowers de Lyce Or added to his Armes so beareth the Constable for an honour the naked Sword The Marshals beare the Battell-axe and the Admirals the Anchor The Constable and Marshals give the oath to the King He sitteth chiefe Iudge at the Table of Marble upon all perâ—â—â—s â—â—its actions and complaints whatsoever touching the warres When the King entreth a Citie in his greatest pompe or upon a deliverie he goeth before with the Sword naked and when the King sitteth in Assembly of the three States he is placed at his right hand He that killeth the Constable is guiltie of high Treason The Marshals are named as some say of Marc. Cheval a Horse and Schal Master or Commander of the Horse Others of Marcha that is March or Frontier quasi Praefectus limitum as it were Governour of the Marches Till Francis the first there were but two in all France afterward foure and now ten for
that of the Sunne is the best and the halfe Crowne Those of silver are the Livres or Franc which is two shillings sterling The quart d'escu which is one shilling six pence The Teston which is halfe a sous lesse The peece of ten sous which is one shilling sterling the halfe quart d'escu the halfe Teston and the peece of five sous that is six pence sterling Those of Brasse is the price of six Blanks which is three pence that of three blanks three halfe pence The sous of twelve deniers the liard of foure deniers the double of two and lastly the denier it selfe whereof ten make one penny sterling This baser and smaller kind of money hath not beene used in France but since the beginning of the civill warres The Teston is the best silver It remaineth I speake of the Administration and Execution of Iustice and of those places and persons where and by whom it is done I will therefore beginne with their assemblies as the highest and greatest Court of all which well resembleth the Parliament of England the Dyet of the Empire or the Councell of â—â—e Amphythrions in Greece There are three especiall causes of calling these Assemblies The first when the succession of the Crowne was doubtfull and in controversie or when it was to take order for the Regency during the Kings Captivity or Minority or when they had not the right use of their wits Hereof yee have examples Anno 1327. Saint Lewis an Infant and Charles the sixth An. Dom. 1380. a Lunaticke and 1484. Iohn a prisoner For all which occasions Assemblies were called to determine who should have the Regency of the Realme in the meane while The second cause is when there is question of reforming the Kingdome correcting the abuses of Officers and Magistrates or appeasing troubles and seditions The third cause is the want and necessitie of the King or Kingdome in which case the Estates are exhorted to give subsidies subventions aids and gratuities For in former times the Kings contenting themselves with their Domaine and impost of such wares as came in or went out of the land the two most ancient and most just grounds of Finances were not accustomed to levie and impose upon their Subjects any tax whatsoever without the consent of the three States thus assembled The next Soveraigne Court for so the French call it is the Court of Parliament The true Temple of French Iustice Seat of the King and his Peeres And as Haillan cals it the Buttresse of Equity This Court very much resembleth the Star-Chamber of England the Arcopage of Athens the Senate of Rome the Consiglio de' dieci of Venice There are no Lawes saith Haillan by which this Court is directed it judgeth according to equity and conscience and mitigateth the rigour of the Law Of these Courts of Parliament ye have eight in France That of Paris the most ancient and highest in preheminence which at first was ambulatory as they call it and ever followed the Kings Court whithersoever it went but since Philip le Bel it hath beene sedentary in this Citie That of Grenoble was erected Anno 1453. That of Tholouse Anno 1302. That of Bourdeaux Anno 1443. That of Dijon in the yeare 1476. That of Roven in the yeare 1501. That of Aix the same yeare And lastly that of Bretaigne at the yeare 1553. Anciently all Arch-Bishops and Bishops might sit and give voices in this Parliament of Paris but in Anno 1463. it was decreed that none but the Bishop of Paris and Abbot of Saint Denis might sit there except he be of the Bloud for all these are privileged The Presidents and Counsellors of the Court of Parliament of Paris may not depart the Towne without leave of the Court by the ordinance of Lewis the twelfth in the yeare 1499. The Senators ought alwayes to bee present because things are carried with more Majesty when the Court is full To this Parliament they appeale from all other subalterne Courts throughout the Realme as they doe in Venice to the Consiglio grande Neither can the King conclude any warre or peace without the advice and consent hereof or at least as Haillan saith he demandeth it for fashion sake sometime when the matters are already concluded The Parliament of Paris consisteth of seven Chambers the Grande câ—ambre and five others of Enquests and the Tournelles which is the chamber for the criminall causes as the other six bee for the civill It is called the Tournelles because the Iudges of the other Chambers sit there by turnes every three moneths the reason whereof Bodin giveth that it might not alter the naturall inclination of the Iudges and make them more cruell by being alwayes exercised in matter of condemnations and executions There be of this Court of Presidents Counsellors Chevalliers of honour Procureurs Advocates Clerks Sergeants and other Officers of all sorts not so few as two hundred Besides this Court there are also other Courts for the administration of Iustice in this Citie as the Chatellet of Paris with a Lieutenant civill and another criminall and the Hostel de Paris with a Prevost and other inferiour Officers which is as ye would say the Guild-Hall of the Citie So have ye throughout the Realme certaine places as all Cities in generall where there be Chatellets like our places of Assise and in them a Lieutenant civill and criminall to judge and determine all causes reall and personall and here many Lawyers and Procurers as our Counsellors at Law and Atturnies who plead before those Lieutenants and Prevosts and certaine Counsellors which are the Iudges in these Courts whereof the number is incredible in France Insomuch as you may well say of them as is said of Sienna There be more Readers than Auditors so here be more Pleaders than Clients This Chiquanery Petti-fogging multiplicitie of Pleaders came first from the Popes Court when his seat was at Avignon as my Author saith who in the same place cals these Advocates The Mice of the Palace The processes and suits in these Courts throughout France are innumerable wherein wee come nothing neere them and yet there is no want of these in England For I have heard of 340. Nisiprius between parties tried at one Assize in Norfolke as many I thinke as in halfe England besides But these are onely twice in the yeare that causes are tried at Assises in our Country whereas here they are tried every day in the yeare that is not festivall So that it is not much unlikely that here are as many Processes in seven yeares as have beene in England since the conquest There are besides these Courts of Chatellets in Cities the Courts also of Bailywicks and Sheriffalties who as Haillan saith keepe Courts in each Province and judge in all matters civill and criminall Here is also the Privie Councell or Councell of affaires of the Counsellors among which are his foure Secretaries he calleth certaine every morning at his rising to whom he
communicates apart his principall and most importing affaires where are read all letters which come from other Princes and such like publike businesse and after a conclusion what is to be done the dispatch thereof is committed to the Secretaries The other is the Great Councell or Councell of Estate which at first was as it were a member of the Parliament and consisted of the Princes of the Bloud and Nobility having only to deale in the matters of the policy generall of France or of warres or of the enacting and publishing of Edicts But the faction of Orleans and Burgundy caused it to bee changed to a choice number of Counsellors provisioned of 1000. crownes pension apeece yearely Of this Councell the Chancellor is chiefe for neither the King himselfe nor any Prince of the Bloud comes there This is the Court of which the Frenchman saith every time it is holden it costs the King a thousand crownes a day And now saith Haillan he cannot keepe them so cheape so infinite is the number of them growne Where he also complaines that this Conseil d' Estat which was wont only to determine publike affaires as the establishment of justice the Reglement of Finances and redressing of common grievances is now so charged with private contentions as the glory thereof is much diminished The Chancellor anciently served as a Secretarie and so was called in the old Charters of France where hee is likewise called the Grand Referendaire The Secretary doth signe and the Chancellor doth seale The Secretary is next in office who at first were called Clerks They are either of the Finances which have their place among the Officers of the Finances before remembred or of Affaires which we heare speake of Of these are foure which are called principall Governours and Lieutenants generall of Cities and Provinces are as it were Vice-royes and Regents of those places committed to them and indeed the persons sustaining these charges are much more Noble than those of the Secreâ—aries as being for the most part conferred upon the Princes of the Bloud and Peeres of France The Governours of Cities were in old time called Dukes and they of Provinces Counts They were at first only in Frontier Provinces but now since the troubles of France they have had the command over Cities and Countries even in the midst and bowels of the Land So that now saith Haillan France is become a Frontier to it selfe on every side There are but few Cities whereof anciently there were Governours as Rochel Calais Paronne Bologne Mondidier Narbonne Bayonne and two or three others Others that had keeping of some small Castle or Fort was onely called the Keeper or Captaine at most But now saith Haillan lib. 4. every paltry fellow that hath the keeping of a Pigeon-house must forsooth be called My Lord the Governour and my Mistresse his Wife My Lady the Governesse The Governour of Daulphenie hath greatest privileges for hee giveth all Offices in his Province in other places they can give none except they have it by expresse words in their Patent The Governour may not be absent above six moneths in a yeare but the Lieutenant must never be absent without leave of the Prince except teh Governour be present There is yet an Office whereof I must remember you which is one of the chiefest in France either for honour or profit called grand Maistre des Eaues Forests All matters concerning the Kings Chases Forests Woods and Waters whatsoever are determined by him by the Grand M. Enquesteur and by their Reformateur at the Table of Marble under him are infinite sorts of Officers and divers others As the particular Master of each Forest their Lieutenants Overseers of the sale of woods and the other Officers here specified But I will not load this short Relation with reckoning up all the divers and infinite sorts of Officers where with France herselfe seemeth tâ— be over-loaden as partly ye have heard already and yee shall reade in Bodin how hee complaines not only of the multiplicitie of Offices in generall but also that even the Councell of Estate is surcharged with number where you may likewise observe how he approves the Privie Councell of England erected some foure hundred and odde yeares since where are never saith he above twentie by whose sage direction the Land hath long flourished in Armes and Lawes And for the execution of Lawes and administration of Iustice yee may remember what hath beene said before that the Lawes are good and just but not justly executed Where Haillan comparing the time saith Then great ones were punished but since only pettie fellowes and great ones goe Scot-free Th'ensnaring Lawes let Crowes goe free While simple Doves entâ—ngled bee HAving thus related of the Topography and Policie of France it remaineth I speake somewhat of the Oeconomie that is of the people of France comprised under the three Estates of the Clergie the Nobilitie and Comminaltie of the severall humour profession and fashion of each of them which is the third and last branch of this Relation The Church Gallicane is holden the best privilege of all those of Christendome that have not yet quit their subjection to the Pope It hath alwayes protested against the Inquisition It is more free from payments to the Pope than the Church of Spaine as also to the King For here in France they only pay the Disme but in Spaine the King hath his Tertias Subsidio Pilâ— and Escusado in all a moitie of the Church living Indeed it is reported of this Catholike King that he hath founded many Abbeyes and Religious Houses but what saith his Subject He steales the sheepe and gives the Trotters for Gods sake In this Church of France are twelve Archbishopricks one hundred and foure Bishoprickes five hundred and fortie Archpriories one thousand foure hundred and fifty Abbeys twelve thousand three hundred and twenty Priories five hundred sixtie seven Nunneries one hundred and thirtie thousand Parish Priests seven hundred Convents of Friers and two hundred fiftie nine Commendums of the Order of the Knights of Malta There are saith the Cabinet du Roy three millions of people that live upon the Church of France where he particularly setteth downe in each Diocesse the number of all sorts of Religious people as also the number of their Whores Bawds Bastards and Servants of all sorts And why not saith he as well as the Magitians undertake in their Inventory of the Diabolike Monarchie to set downe the names and surnames of 76. Princes and seven millions foure hundred and five thousand nine hundred twentie and six Devils The Church hath for all this rabble to live upon these two things First her Temporall Revenues and secondly her Spirituall which they call the Baise-mani Of her Temporall Revenues divers men judge diversly The Cabinet who in all his computations makes of a Mouse an Elephant saith that they are fourescore millions of crownes the yeare besides the Baise-mani which is as
but Paper and a few Sols and doublesse of Brasse that made it so swell in all scarce eighteene pence sterling Hee is Oftentator a Craker who comming to such as have great horses to sell makes them beleeve he will buy some And at great Faires drawing to their shops that sell apparell cals to see a sute of an hundred pounds and when they are agreed of the price fals out with his boy for following him without his purse Such a one was the Gallant who in the middest of his discourse with many Gentlemen suddenly turned backe to his Lackie and saith Fetch me my Clocke it lies in my lodging in such or such a place neere such or such a Iewell The Lalero bethinks himselfe that it is in his pocket which hee knew well enough before presently he puls it out not so much to shew how the time passeth whereof he takes little care as the curiousnesse of worke and the beauty of the case whereof hee is not a little bragge and enamoured To speake thus particularly of all his severall humours and customes would be very prolix and not much necessary I will onely referre you to the fourth of Tullies Rhetorick where he speaketh of a bragging Rhodomonte and to the first Booke of Horace Satyres speaking of an endlesse and needlesse Prater a fastidious irksome companion Where you shall see the French naturall very lively and admirably well described I will only speake of his impatience and precipitation in deliberations of Warre or Peace and such other affaires of greatest importance and so end To this effect Bodin saith of him The French is of so sudden and busie disposition that he quickly yeelds to that a man demands being soone tired with messages to and fro and other delayes peculiar to the Spaniard And in another place The Spaniard had need of a more ready dispatch than he hath and the French of more moderation in his actions and passions And whereas Commines saith of us that we be not so craftie in our treaties and agreements as the French I thinke saving the credit of so great an Author he might better have said so head-strong and precipitate But where he saith that he that will treat and determine matters with us must have a little patience I yeeld unto him hee hath good reason so to say for his Countrey-men the French can endure no delay they must propound conclude all in one day By this haste of theirs they lost more saith Bodin by one Treatie at Cambrey Anno 1559. to the Spaniard than he had before got of the French in fortie yeares by warre Navarre TO the Title and Armes of France wee see these of Navarre annexed notwithstanding that this Kingdome lies Westward of the Pâ—rencan mountaines touching upon Arragon on its South and Biscar on its North part two of the Spanish Provinces The old Inhabitants were the Vascones the Berones c. The present name of Navarre it hath either from the Spanish word Navas signifying a Campagnia or woodlesse champaigne Country or field naturally fenced with trees round about of which divers are in this Kingdome or else from Navarrin a towne in the mountaines and a chiefe Fort against the Moores of old time About the yeare 716. Garcia Ximenes freeing it from the Moores gained it the honour of a petty Kingdome which his Ancestors so well increased that within three hundred yeares after Sancho the great wrote himselfe King of Spaine for Leon he held by force Arragon had beene before united by marriage and himselfe obtained Castile in right of his wife out of other parts hee had driven the Moores also But this union himselfe againe disjoynted by a division of 〈◊〉 amongst his owne sonnes Navarre thus againe dissevered came about the yeare 1483. unto Katherine Countesse of â—â—ix and Bigorre and Princesse of Bearne who unhappily marrying with Iohn Earle of Albret a French Counâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 those three of his wives also lost the Kingdome to the Spaniard The quarrell was this Lewis the twelfth of France falling at warres with the Spaniards Venetians and Germans was seconded by this Iohn of Albret and both for this opposed and excommunicated by the Pope Iulius tâ—e seâ—oâ—d Navarre being by a Bull exposed to the Invader Vpon this hint Ferdinand of Spaine puts in demands passage thorow Navarre for his Army pretended against the Moores which upon deniall of his request he turnes upon Navarre and before the slow succours could come out of France carries the whole Kingdome not so much as a box on the eare being given in resistance Thus the Spaniard gaâ— the possession though Henry of Albret sonne to Katherine and Iohn aforesaid retaines the title from whom also the French King challengeth it as being descended of this Henry and his wife Margaret of Valois Sister to King Francis of France from whom came Ioan Albret Queen of Navarre whose husband was Anthony Duke of Burbon whose son was Henry the great King of Navarre first and of France afterward whose sonne in Lewis the thirteenth the present King of France The chiefe Citie of Navarre is Pampelona the strength is made use of by the Spaniard as a Bulwarke against France there being but two passages thorow the Pyrenean mountaines out of this kingdome into Bearne in France which he easily keepes fortified Belgia Netherland NExt lyeth the seventeene Provinces called the Low-Countries the Netherlands or Germania Inferior concerning whom the world can but wonder how any Prince would neglect such a benefit and inheritance of goodnesse greatnesse and wealth which united with the love of the Inhabitants would have exceeded Spaine for Revenues multitude of people Cities shipping and all things else tending to worldly felicitie In observing the distraction whereof a discreet Reader may truly learne the inconstancie of worldly prosperitie most commonly procured by Princes themselves in following ill counsell and youthfull distemperature The Region containeth the Dukedomes of Brabant Limburk Luzzenburg and Gâ—lderland the Earledoms of Flanders Artoys Hennalt Holland Zealand Nemours and Zâ—â—phâ—â— the Marquesaâ—e of the Empire the Lordships of Friesland Mâ—eâ—â—lin Virech Over-isel and Groning East Friesland belongeth to a Prince of its owne who ever disclaimed to bee united to the residue belike to prevent all claime that either Empeâ—our or King might by cavill lay thereunto They invented the Art of Printing restored Musicke framed the Charioâ— devised the laying of colours in Oyle the working of colours in Glasse the making of Tapestrie Sayes Searges Woosteds Frisadoes and divers sorts of Linnen-cloth with innumerable other small trifles all sorts of Clocks and Dials and the Mariners Compasse In these Provinces are numbred two hundred and eight great Townes munited with wals ramparts ditches warlike ports draw-bridges and in which are continuall guards either of the Burgers of Souldiers lying there in garrison according to the proximitie of the enemie the importance of the place of necessitie of the time The Villages or Dorps are six thousand
discipline they only of all Christendome have made best use thereof As the people to whose glory industry patience and fortitude and that in a good cause too much honour and commendation can never be attributed The States of the Low-Countries ALL the seventeene Provinces of Netherland were sometimes under one Lord but privileges being broken and warres arising the King of Spaine the naturall Lord of all these Low-Countries was in the treaty of peace Anno 1606. inforced to renounce all pretence of his owne right to these confederate Provinces Since when we may well handle them by themselves as an absolute and a free State of Government as the Spaniard himselfe acknowledged them The Provinces united are these Zeland Holland Vtrich Over-Isell Zutphen Groningen three quarters of Gelderland with some peeces of Brabant and Flanders This union was made Anno 1581. The Fleets and Forces of which Confederation are from the chiefe Province altogether called Hollanders The first of these is Zeland whose name given it by the Danes of Zeland in Scandia notifies its nature A land overflowed with the Sea Broken it is into seven Ilands whereof those three to the East beyond the River Scheld and next to Holland are Schowen Duvelant and Tolen the other foure be Walcheren Zuyd-beverlant Nort-beverlant and Wolferdijck 1. T'land van Schowen is seven of their miles about parted with a narrow fret from Nort-beverlant The chiefe towne is Zierickzee the ancientest of all Zeland built 849. The Port sometimes traded unto is now choaked with sand which they labour to cleare againe 2. Duveland so named of the Doves foure miles about hath some townes but no City 3. Tolen called so of the chiefe towne as that was of the Tolle there payed by the boats comming downe the Scheld 4. The chiefe of the seven is Walcheren ten miles compasse so named of the Walsh or Galles In the middle of it is Middleburgh the prime Citie of Zeland and a goodly Towne other Cities it hath as Vere Armuyden and Flushing all fortified 5. Zuyd-beverlant Nort-beverlant so named of the Bavarians The first is now ten miles about The Cities are Romerswael much endangered by the Sea and divided from the Island and Goesse or Tergoose a pretty and a rich towne 6. Nort-beverlant quite drowned in the yeare 1532. but one towne 7. Wolferdijck that is Wolfers-banke hath now but two Villages upon it Zeland hath ten Cities in all The land is good and excellently husbanded the water brackish Their gaines comes in by that which brought their losses the Sea Their wheat is very good some store they have the Cowes but more of Sheepe great store of Salt-houses they have for the refining of Salt of which they make great merchandize The Zelanders were converted to the faith by our Country-man Willebrord before Charles the greats time HOlland so named either quasi Holt-land that is the Wood-land which woods they say were destroyed by a mighty tempest Anno 860. the roots and truncks of which being often here found or quasi Hol-land Hollow and light land as it is indeed But most likely it is that the Danes also comming from Olandt in their owne Countrie gave name to this Province as they did to Zeland also The whole compasse is not above sixtie of their miles the breadth in most places is not above six houres travelling with a Wagon and in some places scarce a mile over The whole is divided into South-Holland Kinheymar West-Freesland Waterlandt and Goytland The chiefe Towne is Dort but the goodliest and richest is Amsterdam one of the greatest Townes of merchandize in the whole world they have almost twenty other Cities strong and elegant At Leyden there being a College and Vniversity Their banks mils and other workes for keeping out the Sea be most admirable vast and expensive Three of the foure Elements are there and in Zeland starke naught then Water brackish their Aire foggie their Fire smokish made of their Turses for which they are said to burne up their owne land before the day of Iudgement The men are rather bigge than strong some accuse them to love their penny better than they doe a stranger Their women are the incomparable huswives of the world and if you looke off their faces upon their linnen and houshold stuffe are very neat and cleanly At their Innes they have a kinde of open-heartednesse and you shall be sure to finde it in your reckoning Their land is passing good for Cowes they live much upon their butter and they bragge mightily of their cheeses As for flesh-meat I thinke that a Hawke in England eats more in a moneth than a rich Boore nay than a sufficient corporall Burger does in six weekes The industry of the people is wonderfull so many ditches have they made thorow the Country that there is not the most Iâ—land Boore but he can row from his owne doore to all the Cities of Holland and Zealand The Dutchman will drinke indeed but yet he still does his businesse he lookes still to the maine chance both in the City and Country by Sea and Land they thrive like the Iewes every where and wee have few such drunkards in England too many wee have apt enough to imitate their vice but too too few that will follow them in their vertue THis Duchie lies on the East of Holland and Brabanâ— touching also upon Cleve and Iuliers It hath two and twenty Cities and good Townes whereof Nimwegen Zutphon Ruremond and Arhneim are the chiefe Some peeâ—es the Spaniard here hath â— and the whole Country having heretofore beene infeâ—ted with the warres makes â— a little to come behinde his fellowes The land and people differ not much from those of Holland saving that towards Cleveland it is more mountainous the Champian is very rich pasturage for grazing THis touches Gelderland upon the South West-Freesland upon the North Westphalia upon the East and the Zuydersee on the West The chiefe Citie is Deventer others of the better sort be Campen Zwol Steinwick Oetmarse Oldenzeel Hesselâ—â— Vollenhoven c. This Countrey was of old inhabited by the Franks or Frenchmen of which there were two tribes the Ansuarii which gave name to the Hanse-townes whereof Deventer was first and the Salii which tooke name from the River Isala upon which Deventer stands and these gave name to the Salique Law which you see did rather concerne these Countries than France it selfe and was made by a barbarous people in an age as barbarous though this onely was pretended to barre women from the crowne of France and to hinder our Kings and occasion those warres and bloudsheds THe Bishopricke of Vtrecht hath Holland on the North and Gelderland on the West The circuit is but small yet hath it five pretty Cities whereof Vtrecht it selfe is large delicate and rich inhabited by most of the Gentry of Holland Much harassed hath it beene but now well recovered since it came into the union GRoningen
call it in their tongue the Devils Head Gothia signifieth a good Country which doth well agree thereto for the abundance of sustenance no Region being comparable unto it for fertility of Flesh Fish and Corne. Next followeth Sweveland which is larger than Norwey and Gotland both together In Sweveland is Vpsalia their chiefe Citie an Archbishopricke and an Vniversity and Stockholme the Kings seat Stringa Envecopia Orogundia Arboia Arosia Then comes Finland situated betweene the Balticke and Finland Bay where stand Abo the chiefe City Rangina and Augo both famous Mart-Townes Vames Viburge and Castelholme in the Alandian Islands The Husbandmen doe not inhabit in Townes but by reason of the plentie of Timber and Woods the Vallies and other places are so well defended from the fury of the Northerne wind that they live here in very good sort keeping in their houses flocks of Cattell and all sorts of instruments to digge to build or to make any thing necessary for the life of man and this is the reason that Townes here are neither so faire nor so frequent as in Germanie or England Over and above the Cities and Villages there are accounted 1433. Parishes in some of which a thousand people or as they terme it a thousand housholders or fires doe inhabit but there are few of these Parishes in which at the least there are not one hundred families By this a man 〈◊〉 judge the number of this people especially if he consider the fruitfulnesse of their generation for the Women of Finland by a secret operation of their Beere as some think become exceeding fruitfull The men live here very long chiefly in the most Northerly parts neither is it miraculous amongst them to see a man live above an hundred thirty or forty yeares And in truth this long living is the cause of their propagation for where men live shortest lives there the vertue of generation must needs soonest decay and therefore our Lord God in the beginning of the world did permit mankinde to live seven hundred yeares and more that the world might the sooner be peopled and the act of generation which now for the shortnesse of our lives is determined within forty yeares was then more vigorous at one hundred and upward than in this our age at twenty There is not onely Finland but Finmacke also bordering upon the North Ocean and lying beyond the Arctike circle whose barbarous inhabitants be Witches and Idolaters They usually sell winds to Merchants to carry their ship to any Port and to bring them backe againe which some making just scruple of have laid wind-bound in the harbour whiles others have made prosperous voyages Bothnia or Bodia which gives name to the Sinus Bodicus is also under his dominion To these may be added these new conquests which this present King Gustavus Adolphus the gallantest and most warlike Prince of these times hath already made or shall make hereafter in Prussia where he hath taken Elbing and other Townes and Lands from the Polander with whom he is still in warres and now ready to come with an Army also into Germany He hath under him eleven Dukedomes twelve Earledomes and seven Bishopricks The whole is from Stockholme one way a thousand Italian miles and twenty dayes journey another The riches of this kingdome consisteth in plenty of victuals which this word Gothia signifying an heavenly Region as we said before and Finland signifying a fine land or Country doe well witnesse Their provision is Flesh fresh-Fish salt-Fish Fish dried in the smoke and Sunne Corne and Beere whereof there is so great abundance that it is a hard thing to see a begger amongst them and Travellers are there freely entertained The Innes at this day in the Villages being the Parsons houses who expect some rare toy by way of gift rather than of pay for they doe it of courtesie It is so rich in Mines of Lead Copper Silver and some Gold that no Province in Europe may compare therewith And these Mines are to be found in every place if the Country people bound to carry wood to the Mines and to servile works did not hide and hinder the discoverie thereof as much as in them lieth Most fine Silver is found in the Province of Vestros and more would be were it not for the envie of the Inhabitants who though they know not the use of trying of Mâ—ttals doe notwithstanding murmure that any strangers should imploy their labours therein And this their frowardnesse toward strangers ariseth not of hatâ—ed but upon a jealousie that they should be over-reached or otherwise abused for by nature they are simple and well meaning not given to ambition nor infected wâ—th avarice The Kings revenue consisteth in foure things the tenths of Ecclesiasticall livings Mine Tributes and Customes The profits of the Church-livings amount to a great summe of money for in this Kingdome there were seven Cathedrall Churches threescore Monasteries of Men and Women endowed with most rich revenues First Gustan and after his sonne Eric seized the greatest part thereof into their possessions Of the Mines some are wrought at the Kings charges some at the charge of private persons allowing the tenth part to the King Of three Copper-works I have knowne the tenth part which is the Kings to amount to the value of three thousand Dolars yearely hereby estimation may be made of the Silver and Lead But his taxes doe farre surpasse all his other In-comes for he levieth the tenth of Rie Wheat Barley Fish Oxen Skinnes and such like Of the tenth of Oxen at some times he hath gathered eighteene thousand and with them maintaineth his Court his Officers his Navie and his Armies for in the time of warre either with the Dane or Moscovite he alloweth his Souldiers victuals and by this meanes provideth it at very easie rates as well offending as defending The mariage of the Kings daughters is at the disposition of the people and they allow them besides Silver Plate and other gifts one hundred thousand Dolars for a Dowrie Of the Vplandish people and others which pay not the imposition of victuals the King is accustomed to exact of every poll according to his ability five Dolars or more yearely The customes are paid in the Haven-Townes the chiefe whereof are Calmar Loabuis and Stockholme whereat sometimes three hundred ships of burthen are to bee seene Abo Auge Revalia Parnovia and Narve It is thought that the King doth lay up in his Treasury six or seven hundred thousand Dolars over and above the expences upon the fortresses of Revalia and Viburgh for so did he in the yeare 1578. out of two or three Mines onely and yet this was but the Kings tenth whereas if need be he may take all the silver and pay the masters of the worke with victuals Câ—pper or other commodity There are maintained in Sweveland and Gothland about thirty two Companies every troope consisting of five or six hundred Souldiers all Harquebusiers alwayes
ready to march whither occasion calleth Because of the thicknesse of the Woods the Horsemen serve with Petronels and seldome use Pikes or Launces These are most excellent Footmen for every souldier is able to make and furnish himselfe with any furniture whatsoever even the making of his owne Flaske and Touch-box as likewise the common people in Pervina and the neighbouring Provinces being contented with a little have alwayes accustomed to make all implements for their houses and bodies to build to weave to play the Tailors to sow to reape and to forge tooles fit for their businesse And as for these Trades which are neither common nor necessary a to paint to worke in silver and such like there are notwithstanding found among them very good worke-men wanting rather matter than Art to worke upon The Swevian Horse-men are divided into thirteene Companies Sweveland and Gothland maintaine eleven and Finland two and upon necessitie they can raise a greater force for the Dukedome of Vrmeland as report goeth is able to furnish better than ten thousand men with Horse In Marchland there is such plentifull breed of Horse that there they are sold at a very low rate both these Provinces are in Gothland Their Horse is not so bigge bodied as the Frieslander but exceeding hardie active able to endure travell and fed with a little I will not omit to speake of two Noble usages of the King of Swethland towards his Souldiers one is that if a Souldier be taken prisoner he is ransomed at the Kings charges the other that if his Horse be slaine the King bestoweth another upon him To his Captaines and those which serve on Horse-back in part of payment of their wages hee giveth yearely a Garment which the Germans terme Idolis and may be taken for a Cassocke The rest of the Captaines meanes if he serves within the Kingdome against the Dane or Moscovite is but foure Dollars a moneth and exemption for himselfe and family from other duties and payments to the King The common souldier is not thus exempted unlesse in time of warre or danger his other pay is one Dollar and a quarter for a moneth small pay if you consider not the cheapnesse of victuals In their marches in loose troopes they are billetted in the next houses at the countries charges But when the Armie is in the field altogether the King findes them victuals without deducting it out of their meanes It was not long since that the Horseman in time of peace received more than twenty Dollars standing for a yeare with a Horsemans coat and his exemptions but this is increased in the warres The Officers of Horse-troopes receive monethly pay for themselves their servitors horse-boyes c. The Nobilitie and Courtiers also Privie Councellors excepted which may be about three hundred in all are bound to wait on the King on horseback every of which for himselfe and followers receiving each five Dollars a moneth Every Captaine must be a Gentleman borne As touching their Sea-affaires by reason of their huge Sea-coast and infinite Havens the Kingdome swarmeth with Mariners and shipping which the King may arrest in his Dominions as other Princes are accustomed to doe hee maintaineth commonly fiftie Ships of warre whereof every one carrieth fortie peeces of Ordnance more or lesse King Gustavus first brought in the use of Gallies In the Warre which King Iohn waged with the Danes before the Peace treated on at Stetin was agreed he put to Sea seventie great ships besides other of smaller burthen in which were 22000. fighting men In the Summer time they warre at Sea in the Winter at Land for then the Rivers are frozen as likewise the Sea neere the shore for a great space Seeing I have spoken of Guns I will adde thus much that the King is thought to have about eight thousand great Peeces the most part of Brasse and that hee could cast many more if hee had more store of Tin In the Castle of Stockholme only are numbred foure hundred Certaine it is that the King can on the sudden rigge up a sufficient Fleet both for defence and offence and that cheaper than any Prince of Christendome For first he hath store of Mariners and they easily paid as desiring little more than cloaths and victuals Their cloathes are simple enough and their victuals the Countrie is bound to send them a proportion namely of Beefe Bacon Salt-fish Butter Barly and Peason As for materials for building a ship he either hath them of his owne timber pitch iron and cordage or else they are brought him but from the next doore Brasse peeces such plentie of metall he hath that they cost him little or nothing So that well might King Iohn the third of Swethland affirme that he would set out and maintaine as good a Fleet for 100000. Dollars as the King of Spaine could for a million of pounds The chiefe of the Kings Navie in time of peace rides like our Kings at Chatham commonly in two places either at Stockholme where they may lye safe even afloat without mooring or so much as anchoring the Harbour being thirty English miles within Land and the high cliffes keeping off all winds The other Stations are in Finland still in a readinesse against the Muscovite and to watch that nor Armes nor munition be brought them out of Germanie The chiefe Fort of this Countrey is the Finnish Sea which breaking in about Dantzik runs up with a long gut or free thorow the midst of his Countrey from South to North a great deale beyond the Arctick Circle into Finmarch and Lapland another Arme of it neere the first entrance parting Liefland and Finland of which it is called the Finnish Bay flowing even to the Frontiers of Russeland Both of them are wonderfull strengths eases and riches to his Countrey Fortified Townes and Castles he hath in all his Frontiers upon the Dane and Muscovite some twentie in all Vpon the West-side of Swethland is Denmarke on the East Moscovie with both which he hath had long war The Swevians have suffered much losse by the Denmarkes for King Christian the second besieged Stockholme and forced it committing all kinde of cruelty against the Inhabitants filling the Citie with bloud and dead carkases The title which the Dane pretendeth to the Crowne of Swethland is the cause of their enmities The Havens the situation of the Countrey and especially Gothland which is a member of Gothia and therefore the Swevian claimeth it as his right affordeth the Dane this facility of invading at his pleasure After Gustavus recovered the Kingdom he and his son Henry and John reigned successively and although bloud enough hath beene shâ—â— in the warres betweene Gustavus and the Paris yet the Kingdome hath retained her honour and the Citâ—e of Lubeck the mightiest State in that Sea sometimes by consederating with the one sometime with the other doth in so even a ballance poise the differences of these two Nations as it suffereth
not the one to practise against the other upon the perill that may ensue to the offender In waiting with the Moscovite the Swevian hath most advantage because Finland which bordereth upon Russia by reason of the great Marishes whereof it is full yeeldeth hard and perillous passage to the Enemie oftentimes swallowing up whole Armies in those congealed Waters there be Keepers of the Castles of Viburge Narve Ravelia and other piles and peeces upon the borders of the great Duke of Moscovia excellent well fortified as bridles to stop his violent courses In which hee doth very wisely for those peeces which lie in the Territories of our Enemies are to be regarded most carefully because they bring forth two notable effects first they defend what is ours and offend what is the Enemies The further they are distant from our borders the better they stand us instead for while the Enemie is occupied in besieging thereof our owne State standeth in quiet and time affordeth meanes for rescue or delivery thereof at leasure and that without spoile to our owne people or losse of our proper revenues They grieve the Enemie with so much the more dammage by how much the neerer they are situated unto him Of this effect was Calais in the possession of the English and the places which the Spaniards and Portugals hold in Africke But the Fortresses built in our owne borders serve to no other end than to defend what is already ours and that to our great disadvantage for as often as they are invaded all things are done at a sudden and it cannot be avoided but somewhat will fall to the spoile of the Enemie To end with the King of Swethland he is so much better able than the Moscovite to defend his Territories by how much Sea-forces joyned to Land-forces are able to prevaile against a State furnished with Land-forces only Spaine EVROPE is in the Mappe shaped something like a Queene and there is Spaine made the head of it and perchance there may prove some fatalitie in it The shape of Spaine doth indeed resemble a Dragon which is a creature of prey and for devouting Spaine indeed hath in hope and designe already devoured all Europe and would be head of the Monarchie Bâ— stay the proverbe is That Serpens nisi serpentem come devis non fit Draco Vnlesse one Serpent eat another hee never proves a Dragon there be many Countries that Spaine must first eat up before it proves the European Dragon and Monarch England France Netherland c. all must be careâ— first But soberly to consider of the matter Spaine hath already done very well towards it for â—â—hence the remembrance of later times a larger Empire hath not befallen any Christian Potentate than that which the Spanish enjoyeth at this day especially since the union of the Kingdome of Portugal with the dependencies thereof unto this Crown For besides the large and faire Provinces in Europe the goodly Regions of Asia and divers rich Territories in Africke he enjoyeth in peace and securitie without any corrivall oâ— competitor the New World in circuit more spacious than either Europe or Africke In Europe hee is sole Soveraigne of Spaine holding it whole and entire A thing worthy observation for that by the space of eight hundred yeares before our age it never obeyed any one Prince but was dismembred and peece-meale claimed by divers Seigniors Hee hath very much shaken Belgia and Lordeth it over the Kingdome of Naples containing in circuit a thousand and foure hundred miles and retaineth Insubria otherwise called the Duchie of Milâ—une comprehending three hundred miles in circuit Of the Islands he holdeth Majorique Minorique and Evisa the first of three hundred miles circuit the second of an hundred and fifty the third of eight Sicil is reported to containe seven hundred Sardinia five hundred threescore and two In Africa he holdeth the great Haven called Masalquivir the most secure and safe harbour in the whole Mediterranean Sea Hee hath also Oran Mililla and the rooke commonly called the Paevion of Velez And without the Streights he possesseth the Canary Islands twelve in number and the least of seven containing ninety miles In the right of the House of Portugal hee possesseth the famous places of Sepra and Tangier and of late he hath conquered Alarach the which may rightly bee surnamed the Keyes of the Streights yea of the Mediterran Sea and Atlantique Ocean Without the Streights he holdeth the Citie of Mazaga and by the same Title in the vast Ocean he claimeth the Terceraz Port-Santo and Madera famous for the Wines which grow therein and the Lady-like Iland of all the Atlantique containing by estimation 160. miles in compasse Then the Ilands of Cape Verd seven in number Vnder the Aequinoctiall he holdeth the Iland of S. Thomas some what more spacious than Madera but most plentifull in Sugar and from thence rangeth over that huge tract of Land which tendeth from Cape Aguer to Cape Guardafu Lastly he pretendeth to be Lord of all the Traffique Merchandize Negotiation and Navigation of the whole Ocean and of all the Ilands which Nature hath scattered in these Seas especially betweene the Cape of Good-hope and the promontory of Guardafu In Asia in the aforesaid right of the Crowne of Portugal he ruleth the better part of Westerne Coasts viz. Ormus Diu Goa and Malaca Ormus for his commodious situation is become so rich that these verses are growne to a common proverbe among the Arabians As in a Ring the well set stone appeareth to the eye Such to the worlds round circle doth rich Ormus-Ilandlie A great portion of Arabia Felix belongeth to the Principalitie of Ormus as likewise Balsara the Iland-Queene within that Gulfe for plentie circuit varietie of fruits and the rich fishing of Pearle But this goodly Iland and Castle of Ormus is since taken from him by the Persians with the aid of our East-Indian Fleet and there are continuall fights with the Portugall Frigats maintained by the English and Hollanders So that on those coasts he rather exerciseth Pyracie than Dominion In this Sea the Portugals possesse Damian Bazain Tavaan and Goa which Citie to omit Chial Canora Cochin and Colan is of so great esteeme that it is thought to yeeld the King as great a revenue as many Provinces in Europe doe their Lords and finally the Portugals hold all that Sea-coast which lieth betweene the Citie Damian and Malepura wherein no Prince except the King of Calecute challengeth one foot of Land The Iland of Zeilan wherein they possesse a strong Haven and a Castle commonly called Columbo may rightly be called the delight of Nature They enjoy also Malaca which in those places is the bound and limit of their Empire as also the staple of the Traffique and the Navigation of the East Ocean and of all those Ilands being so many and so spacious that in circuit of Land they may well be compared to all Europe To continue their
Trade with the Chinois and the Ilanders of Tidore and for their entercourse to the Moluccas and Banda they have erected certaine strong places in all of them but indeed resembling rather Factories than Castles Certainly it would amaze a man to thinke how many puissant Kings and fierce Nations are bridled and yoked by the Armes of twelve thousand Portugues for in so huge a tract of Land and Sea there neither are nor ever were a greater number inhabiting and those few not only to have discovered and conquered the Atlanticke Indian and the East-Seas but also ever since till now of late to have kept and defended the Soveraigntie thereof against all Invaders How ever their fame and fortunes at this day seeme to be eclipsed by the trading of the Dutch English Merchants they will not sticke to relate unto you how by the vertue of their Armes they tooke the kingdome of Ormus from the Vassall and Confederate of the King of Persia as also how they drowned and defeated at Diu the Navie of the Sultan of Aegypt fully furnished with Mammeluks a kinde of Souldierie no lesse famous for their valour and discipline than the Pretorian Turkish Ianizars As also that they made good the said place against the leagues of the Turkes and Guzarits In the Red-sea they have often foiled the Turkish Armada In the yeare 1552. they defeated his whole Fleet at Ormus In Taproban they affronted the Kings of Decan Cambaia Calecute and Achem Princes favoured throughly assisted with the forces of the said Emperour Yea such have beene their expeditions into Cambaia India that Ocean and along the coasts of Asia that in desert of glory and admiration they are by their owne Writers censured to be nothing inferiour to the victorious Alexander yea so much the rather to be preferred because neither in circuit nor numbers of people they were ever comparable to the Macedonian for with nineteene ships they overthrew the Aegyptian Navie farre more powerfull in number and furniture with two thousand Souldiers they forced Goa and recovered it being lost with fifteene hundred With eight hundred they won Malaca and not with many more Ormus But little need the Portugals bragge of their victories atchieved upon effeminate barbarous and naked men such as in the West-Indies would by troopes run away from one of the Spaniards horses or dogs I wonder that twelve thousand Portugals have done no more against so little resistance But let the Portugals bragge of their victories against the English and Hollanders And though there be but twelve thousand Portugals inhabiting there yet are they continually supplied from home and they make the poore Blacks and Natives of those Indies to serve them in their Gallies Warres and drudgerie Lastly the King of Spaine can command his subjects at home in Portugal yet these 〈◊〉 yeeld him but little obedience so that here the Spaâ—â—â— hath no dominion Another member of the Spanish-Dominions lieth in the New-World wherein because he hath no corrivall able to make head against him he challengeth as his owne what soever either by discoverie or conquest he attaineth unto This New-Worlds dominion is divided into Continent and Islands In the North-sea are so many Islands most of them of forty miles in compasse that their number can hardly be ascertained or knowne and some of them are rich and spacious sufficient to erect a great and stately Kingdome Of these Boriquen is three hundred miles long and threescore broad â—amaica is little lesse Cuba is three hundred long and twenty broad Hispaniola containeth a thousand and six hundred miles in compasse On the Continent he is absolute Lord say they of all that Sea-coast which watereth Florida Nova-Hispania Iucatan and all that spacious Soâ—therly Peninsula to the Cape of California and Quivira For even so farre have the Discoveries and Navigations of this Nation pierced The coast of Nova-Hispania counting his beginning at the Towne of Santa Helena and cutting by Panama to Quivira containeth about five thousand and two hundred miles in length to which if you please to adde the upland Regions coasting towards the North you shall finde no lesse than nine thousand miles Peru beginning at Panama containeth by the Maritime coast twelve thousand and six hundred miles of which three thousand lying betweene the River Maragnon and the River of Plate and including Brasil doe acknowledge the Soveraigntie of Portugal In the Continent are many Kingdomes and Seigniores amongst which those of Mexico and Peru once most powerfull and wealthy Dominions were counted chiefe and as it were two imperiall Monarchies These Kings lived a long while in great Majestie inhabited sumptuous Palaces and maintained a mighty troope of their vessels for the guard of their persons On one quarter they inlarged their bounds and transferred their Religion and Language to the skirts of Iegnan Pecan two hundred leagues remote from Mexico and on another quarter as farre as Guatimall 300. leagues distant In these places they made the North and South Seas their bounds but Mecoican Tapcalan and Terpeacan they could never bring under their yoke Their differences with the citie of Tascala incouraged the Spaniards to invade their dominions and being entered made their victorie easie and the end fortunate this happened in the yeare 1518. This people divided into seven Tribes came into those Regions from that part of the North where of late yeares the Spaniard dâ—scovered a most wealthy and populous Province which at this day they call New-Mexico Besides Merchandize incredible treasures of Gold and Silver are transported out of Nova-Hispania and Peru. Of those treasures commonly Peru yeeldeth two parts and Nova-Hispania the third which is more rich in Merchandize than Mexico Amongst the rest it yeeldeth Cochinolla a commoditie of inestimable value and infinite store of Hides The Islands also afford plentie of Hides Cotton Wooll Sugar Cana-fistula Hard wax and Pearles Amongst these riches and treasures of Peru two things are wonderfull One that in the Silver-Mines which were discovered in Potosie in the yeare 1545 there is and hath beene found so huge a masse of Bullion that the fifth part which is the Kings in the space of forty yeares amounted to one hundred and eleven millions of Pezoes neither yet did two third parts pay their customarie due to his Majestie The other is the Quicksilver-Mines in Guas-valcan found in the yeare 1567. out of which the King hath received forty thousand Pezoes all charges defrayed And in truth were it not for the tribute of these Westerne Mines neither could the pride of Spaine be divulged nor the Cities of Sivil or Lisbone cum multis aliis be enriched nor the Escurial blazoned no nor life haply maintained nor the Ports frequented nor the native commodities to satisfaction of forien importation countervailed nor the Garrisons paid nor such frequent troopes of strange souldiers yearely entertained But it is a strange thing to note that whereas Nature hath
Citie of Placentia and therefore wholly depends thereupon having taken a secret oath to obey him in all commands Proceeding with all possible respect not to give the least occasion of offence by reason that the investiture of Placentia was not granted absolutely to the house of Farnesi but only to the fourth descendencie after which it returnes againe to the King of Spaine as Duke of Millan And therefore his Excellencie that hee may not separate himselfe from his Majesties good liking did lately refuse to linke himselfe in alliance with the great Duke lest hee should displease the King whose minde he saw was bent against 〈◊〉 The Duke of Vrbine being a Prince of small power wholly relies upon his Majestie as receiving his greatest benefit from him to whom he hath committed the charge of all his Italian Cavalrie The Common-wealth of Genoa is like a ship beaten at Sea and tost with contrary winds tempestuous stormes placed as it were betwixt two anchors which are Prince Doria a true borne Citizen and the Ambassadour of the Catholike King who hath the protection thereof in his Masters name to his great benefit If ever he chance to become Sole-Lord thereof it will adde a greater Dominion to his greatnesse for the nature and quality of the situation of that Citie whereof the Spaniards were wont to say That if the King their Master were but once Lord of Marsettes in Provence and of Genoa in Italy by the benefit of these two famous ports hee might easily arrive to the Monarchie of the whole World But howbeit the King of Spaine be not Lord thereof nor yet hath so great a part therein that he can assuredly say that it wholly rests at his command yet by favouring and upholding the greatnesse of the Prince Doria he maketh him the Instrument to serve his turne and by his meanes obtaineth what hee will or can in reason desire of that people deeply interessed in regard that his Majestie hath taken up great summes of money upon interest of them and therefore will take heed how they breake with him lest they be hindred of their gaines peradventure of their principall It hath beene thought that some Kings have beene behinde hand with them for more than a million and a halfe of gold How much Genoa depends upon him was seene in these late warres in which they were wholly protected by him Of the Religion of Malta the said King taketh a particular protection as that in like sort depends wholly upon his pleasure and doth readily execute his royall commandements serving his turne oftentimes in keeping the Coasts of Spaine and the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicily from the incursions of Pyrates and that without any one penie cost or charges to the said King whereof in proper place The Seigniory of Lucca hath placed both it selfe and all that it hath fearing the potencie of the great Duke under the protection of his Majesty In generall the Spanish Nation beareth little love to the Venetian Common-wealth as suspecting it to favour the French and for the strict friendship which it holds with the most Christian King and the most renowned State of England of late his apparant and professed Enemies Againe there is also little inclination of love towards this State because they thinke that it maketh profession to ballance the States and Forces of the Princes of Italy and though they esteeme well enough of it yet they love it not a jot Notwithstanding the Spaniards know that in those warres which may happen betwixt the Turks and this people they cannot out of their particular interests but aid and assist them and that on the contrary from them they have no hope of retribution unlesse in like occasion But withall they assuredly beleeve that the aids which they shall afford it shall be but feeble and slowly subministred in such sort that they shall not give it any great re-enforcement but only such as may be sufficient to save it from ruine yea scarce that Finally for a perfect review of this tedious discourse I wil recite unto you these weighty secret and last instructions given by Philip the second King of Spaine to his son Philip the third father of this present King teaching him how to governe himselfe and his Kingdomes after the decease of his said father brought to light by a servant of Don Christophero di Mora called Roderigo and translated out of Spanish and Dutch into English that the world may see how judiciously this manuscript of the Kings owne hand agreeth with the purport of these Relations SOnne I have often troubled my mind and entered into most deepe and serious considerations how to leave a quiet and setled estate unto you after my decease Howbâ—â—â— neither the long time of my life nor the opportunity of Princes affected to my service would afford me sufficient assistance in this behalfe I confesse that I have spent more than 594. millions of Duckets in lieu whereof I have enjoyed nothing the space of three and thirty yeares but heart-sorrow and vexation of spirit True it is that I recovered Portugal but as lightly as France is escaped from me so likewise may Portugal slide backe Would to God I had followed the counsell of Charles the Emperour my Lord Father of famous memory for then could I much more quietly brooke those my sorrowes and die with a more willing minde leaving to you the succession of this mortall life This then besides so many stately Kingdomes and Seigniories as a perpetuall testament I leave behinde unto you as a mirrour and Looking-glasse wherein you may see how to frame your actions and to carry your selfe in your government after my death Alwayes looke well to the charges and alterations of other States and Countries to the end you make use and reap good profit thereby as occasion shall serve and withall have a cautelous and circumspect eye over them that be in Counsell with you Two meanes you have whereby to maintaine your Spanish Kingdomes the one is Government the other the Trade of the Indies Touching your Government you must draw unto you and relie either upon the Nobilitie or the Spiritualtie of your Dominions If you leane unto the Spiritualtie you must seeke to briâ—ile and curbe the other as I have done but if you meane to strengthen your selfe with the Nobility cut short the Livings and Revenues of the Spiritualtie as much as is possible For holding them both in equall favour they will consume you and besides you shall set your Realmes out of quiet and never come to resolution the ballance being over-weighed sometimes by the one and sometimes by the other My Counsell is that you hold in league with the Provinces of the Netherlands especially if you meane to helpe your selfe with the Nobilitie for they be friends to France England the German Princes And neither Italy Poland Sweden nor Denmarke can stand you much in stead As for the King of Denmarke
obedience so that at this day the Empire is inclosed in Germanie Whereupon sithence the glory thereof at this day consisteth only in Germanie It is good reason to say somewhat of this most ample and flourishing Province It lyeth betweene Odera and Mosa betweene Vistula and Aa and betweene the German Sea the Baltick Ocean and the Alpes The forme thereof is foure-square equall in length and breadth stretching six hundred and fifty miles every wayâ— That it aboundeth with Corne Cattell and Fish let experience shew For Charles the fifth had under his Ensignes at Vienna ninety thousand foot-men and thirty five thousand horse Maximilian the second at Iavorin had almost one hundred thousand footmen and thirty foure thousand horse and yet no man complained of dearenesse or scarcitie In the warre betweene Charles the fifth and the Protestants for certain moneths one hundred and fifty thousand men sustained themselves abundantly in the field And surely of all Europe it is the greatest Countrey and beautified with the best and richest store of Cities Townes Castles and Religious places And in that decorum and order for in a manner see one and see all as if there had beene an universall consent to have squared them like Courts to one anothers proportion whereto may be added a secret of moralitie That the inhabitants for honesty of conversation probity of manners assurance of loyaltie and confidence of disposition setting apart their imperfect customes of drinking exceed our beleefe For notwithstanding these their intemperate meetings and phantasticalnesse in apparell yet are they unoffensive conversible and maintainers of their Honours and Families wherein they steppe so farre as if true Gentrie were incorporate with them and there had his principall mansion And wanted they not an united and heeditary succession of government having sometime an Emperour by partiality of election and sometime by the absolute command of the Pope I should stand as forward as the best to say with Charles the Emperour That they were indeed a valiant a happie and an honourable Nation But in respect of these apparant and materiall defects in some abatement of their ostentation concerning their owne glory and the honour of Majestie in my judgement they should not doe amisse to reforme the custome of intituling the younger sonnes of Dukes Earles and Barons by the honourable Titles of their Ancestours especially sithence the Italians in facetiousnesse doe jest That these Earles of Germanie the Dukes of Russia the Dons of Spaine the Monsiers of France the Bishops of Italy the Knights of Naples the Lairds of Scotland the Hidalgos of Portugal the Nobles of Hungarie and the younger Brethren in England make a very poore company Otherwise if noveltie transport you to view their Palaces of Honour you shall eft-soones bee brought into their well fortified Cities wherein you shall finde Armorie Munition c. with a presence of the very Burgers excellently well trained in Militarie discipline you shall see brave musters of Horse with their exercises of Hunting Hawking and Riding yea how every man liveth of his owne the Citizen in quiet and the women blessed with plentifull issue The Nature of this Climate is temperate enough somewhat of the coldest yet tolerable and healthie No place thereof unlesse by nature it be utterly barren lieth unmanured insomuch that few remainders of that huge wood of Hercynia are to bee seene at this day unlesse in place where humane necessitie requireth their growing or Nature hath made the Earth fit for no other imployment as are the Blacke-Wood the Ottonique Wood and the Woods of Bohemia And yet doe they neither carry that horrid face of thicknesse as in old times neither are they so untravelled or unhabitable but exceeding full of Habitations Hamlets Villages and Monasteries It is rich in Mines of Gold Silver Corne Vines Bathes and all sorts of Metall and therein surpasseth the residue of the Provinces of Europe Nature hath also bestowed upon the Vp-land Countries many Springs and pits of Salt Water of which hard Salt is boiled Neither is it lesse stored with Merchandize for the Inhabitants more than any other Nation doe excell in curious workmanship and mechanicall invention and it is so watered with Navigable Rivers that all sorts of merchandize wares are with ease conveied from one place to another The greatest of them is Danow next the Rhene which runneth cleane through the Country from the South to the North as the Danow from East to West Albis riseth in Bohemia passeth by Misnia Saxonie Marchia and the ancient Marquisat Odera springeth in Moravia watereth Sâ—â—â—sia the two Marquisats and Pomeran Then followeth Wesar Neccar Mosa Moselia Isara Câ—nus Varia the Mase This divideth Germanie into two parts the higher and the lower The high stretcheth from the Mase to the Alpes the low from the Mase to the Ocean It is divided into many Provinces the chiefe whereof I meane the true members of the Empire are Alsatia Swevia Bavaria Austria Bohemia Moravia Silesia Lusatia the two Marquisates Saxonie Masaia Thuringia Franconia Hassia Westphalia Cleveland Magunce Pomeran In these Provinces besides Belgia and Helvetia are esteemed to bee ten Millions of men and eightie great Cities Villages innumerable and those plentifully stored with all sorts of Mechanicall Occupations Those which are seated neere Rivers for the most part are builded of Stone the Vp-land part of Stone and part of Timber The Houses thereof are very faire and high the Streets strait large and paved with stone yea more neat and handsome than those of Italy Strabo writeth that the Romans excelled the Grecians in cleanlinesse of their cities by reason of their Channels to conuâ—y away the soile but at this day the Dutch-men doe farre exceed the Romans herein These Cities are of three sorts viz. free Cities yet those stiled imperiall Hanse-townes and Cities by inheritance immediately holden of Princes and Prelates The free Cities are those which are by time and prescription immediately subject to the Emperour and have no other protector but him onely In times past they have beene accounted 96. now 60. Of Hanse cities there were 72. mutually bound by ancient leagues to enjoy common privileges and freedomes both at home and in forren Countries In ancient times they were of high estimation in England and other Provinces in regard of their numbers of shipping Sea-trade whereby they stored all Countries with their Easterne commodities and served Princes turnes in time of warre with use of shipping But at this day wee shall finde neither themselves nor their meanes so great that the English should either feare them or favour them especially in cases of prejudice I write this because of their continuall grudges and complaints against our Nation For if the State upon occasion as of late yeares after the example of other Princes should forbid them all offensive trade into Spaine which is their chiefest support they would in short time be quit of that indifferent
proportion which as yet remaineth As for that true estimation which is so much spoken of beyond Sea and vaunted of in Historie almost nothing remaineth at this present but bare report For of those which in some good measure seeme to hold up their heads and appeare by their Deputies in their assemblies they are seldome of one minde as being in truth unable unlesse with much adoe to bring up the charges and contributions necessary and incident for the defence and maintenance of their leagues privileges and trade in forren parts and at home Maidenburg is one of these Hanse-towns and the Countie wherein it standeth is also Maidenburg It is one of the most ancient townes of Germany and containeth in circuit about three miles The streets are very large but durtie and the houses built partly of stone and partly of timber many of them being ancient and faire The wals are strong and upon them are mounted many good peeces of brasse Ordnance It hath ten Churches the Inhabitants for the most part being Lutherans It standeth upon the river Elve over which it hath a faire and large bridge of timber The Emperour this summer laid siege to it which upon composition he afterwards raised Hamburg standeth in the land of Holst upon the River of Eâ—â—â— also It is foure miles in compasse and of great strength and much resorted unto by forren Nations for traffique of Merchandize In it are nine Churches and many large streets which are very durtie in foule weather The greatest part of the Inhabitants are Brewers for here are said to bee 777. Brewers forty Bakers two Lawyers and one Physitian for most of their quarrels and contentions as they beginne in drinke so they end in drinke And being sicke and ill at ease their physicke is to fill their guts with Hamborow Beere if that helpe not their case is desperate It is one of the Hanse-townes also and the people are Lutherans Stoad being neither faire nor great standeth within the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Brâ—me but not subject unto him by reason it is one of the Hanse-townes It standeth about two English miles from the river of Elve and hath a small creeke called the Swing which runneth through the citie into the river and beareth small barques for transportation of Merchandize In it are foure Churches and a Monastery of Lutheran Friers It was this last yeere taken by the Emperour Of other goodly Cities there are a farre greater number some by inheritance belonging to the Temporall Princes and some to the Spirituall In criminall causes they inflict most sharpe torments and unusuall kinds of death a signe of the cruelty of their Natuâ—â—â— They were the inventors of Printing of Guns and of â—lockes things of notable use for mankind The people is divided into foure sorts Husbandmen they beare â—o office Citizens Noblemen and Prelates The laâ—â— thâ—ee sort make the Assembly States of the Empire Oâ— Prelates the Archbishops Electors have the chiefest place The Archbishop of Ments is Chancellour for the Empire the Bishop of Colen is Chancellour of Italy and the Bishop of Treuers is Chancellour of France The Archbishop of Saltzburg is of greatest jurisdiction and revenue The Bishop of Maidenburg writeth himselfe Primate of Germany Breme and Hamburg had jurisdictions next follow above forty other Bishops the Great Master of the Dutch Order and the Prior of the Knights of Ierusalem then seven Abbots and they likewise are States of the Empire Of secular Princes the King of Bohemia is principall who is chiefe Tasier the Duke of Saxonie Marshall the Marquesse of Brandburg high Chamberlaine the Earle Palatine Sewer Besides thesâ— places there are thirty other Dukes amongst whom the Arch-Duke of Austria holdeth the highest place and of these Dukes the King of Deâ—marke by his tenure of the Dukedome of Holsatia is reckoned to be one The Marquesses Lantgraves Earles and Barons are innumerable It is thought that the Empire receiveth every way above seven millions which is a great matter yet besides ordinary the people not over pressed as in Italy doe pay other great subsidies to their Princes in times of danger The Empire was bound at least wise accustomed to furnish the Emperour when hee went to Rome to bee crowned with twenty thousand footmen and foure thousand Horse and to maintaine them for eight moneths and therefore it was called Romanum subsidium The revenues of the Cities and Lay-Princes have beene greatly augmented since the suppressing of Popery and bringing in of new impositions which taking their beginning from Italy evill examples spread farre quickly passed over to France and Germany In times of necessity great taxes are laid upon the whole Empire and levied extraordinarily And that they may bee gathered with the greater ease Germany is parted into ten divisions or circuits which have their particular assemblies for the execution of the Edicts made in the generall Diets of the Empire As concerning their multitudes it is thought that the Empire is able to affoord two hundred thousand Horse and Foot which the warre before spoken of may prove to be true As likewise the forepassed warres of France and Belgia which were ever continued in those two Provinces for the most part with German souldiers Their forces may the better be transported from place to place by reason of the commodiousnesse of many faire and navigable rivers At one time Wolfang Duke of Bipont led into France an Army of twelve thousand footmen and eight thousand horsemen in behalfe of the Protestants and at the same time the Count Mansfield was leader of five thousand horsemen of the same Nation in behalfe of the Catholikes William of Nassaw had in his Armie eight thousand German horsemen and ten thousand foot-men the Duke of Alva had at the same instant three thousand What should I speake of the numbers that entred Flanders with Duke Casimere Or those that entred France under the same Leader in the yeere of our Lord 1578. Or to what end should I make mention of that Armie whereof part served Henrie the fourth part the league But to prove that this Nation must be very populous seeing that warres are continually open in some one or other part of Christendome and no action undertaken therein wherein great numbers of Germans are not waged and entertained To speake nothing of the Netherlands who in times past have resisted the whole power of France with an Armie of fourescore thousand men or of the Swissers who in their owne defence are thought able to raise an Army of one hundred and twenty thousand souldiers I will only put you in minde of that expedition which they made out of their owne Territories into Lumbardie in defence of that State against Francis the French King with an Armie of fifty thousand foot-men The best foot-men of Germany are those of Tirol Swevia and Westphalia the best horse-men those of Brunswicke Cleveland and Franconia But plainly the best horsemen of Germany
Lusatia is on the South bounded with Silesia t is neere upon two hundred miles long and fifty broad it lies betweene the Rivers Elve and Viadrus and is divided into the Vpper and Lower both given to Vratislaus as Silesia also was King of Bohemia by the Emperour Henry the fourth Anno 1087. It still retaines the honour of a Marquisate Gorlitz is the chiefe Citie and a faire one Bandzen Sutaw Spremberg and Tribel bee neat and well peopled Townes The people as in Northerly situation they are neerer to the Germans so are they like them more rough mannerd than the Silesians and Bohemians Their Countrey is fruitfull enough and there may upon necessity be levied twenty thousand foot as good as any in that Kingdome All these incorporate Provinces use the Sclavonian tongue Sâ—ria is rich in Mines of Silver and Iron threescore miles broad and an hundred and ten long Carinthia a hilly and woody Countrey is seventy five miles long and fifty five broad Carniola with the bordering Countries up to Tergisâ—e is an hundred fiftie miles long and forty five broad They are plentifull of Corne Wine Flesh and Wood. The Country of Tirol is full of Mines of Silver and Salt-pits and is eighteene German miles long and broad The territories Swevia Alsatia and Rhetia doe pay little lesse than two millions and a halfe of ordinary revenue and so much extraordinary besides the eighteene Cantons of Rhetia are under the same jurisdiction They are so well peopled that upon occasion they are able to levie an hundred thousand footmen and thirty thousand Horse I know no other Province in Europe able to say the like And therefore the Emperour is not so weake a Prince as those ignorant of the State of Kingdomes doe suppose him to be reporting his Territories to be small unprovided of necessaries poore in money and barren of people But this is certaine that as he is Lord of a large dominion fertill rich and infinite of people so let every man thinke that by the neighbourhood of the Turke bordering upon him from the Carpathian Mountaines to the Adriatike Sea the forces of a mightier Prince may seeme small be overlaid For what Prince is there bordering upon so puissant an enemie but either by building of fortresses or by entertaining of Garrisons is not almost beggered I will not say in time of warre but even during the securest peace especially considering that the forces of the Turke are alwayes ready strong and chearefull yea better furnished in the time of peace than any other Nation in the hottest fury of warre Wherefore it stands him upon who is a borderer upon so powerfull an enemie either for feare or jealousie to be ever watchfull to spare no charges as doth the Emperour retaining in wages continually twenty thousand souldiers keeping Watch and Ward upon the borders of Hungarie These aske great expences and yet lesse than these are not to be defraied for the strengthning of other places besides other expences not meet here to bee spoken of To conclude with the State of the Empire though it cannot be said to be hereditary nor to have which is strange any chiefe City appropriate to the residence or standing Court of the Emperour as Rome sometimes was yet for neighbourhood and conveniences sake the Emperours have in this last age beene chosen out of the house of Austria yea when there have beene severall brothers of them they have all lookt for the Empire one after another and have had it too And for the same reasons have the Bohemians made choice of the same person yea and sometimes the Hungarians also the Austrian being the ablest Prince to defend them against the Turks So that Bohemia though in possession of the Emperour yet is no more part of the Empire than Hungaria is but a Kingdome absolute of it selfe free to chuse a King where it pleases So that the Emperour in Germany is to be considered two wayes first as a German Prince secondly as the German Emperour First as a Prince he hath by inheritance the lands and honours of his family such bee Austria Alsatia Tirol Styria Carinthia Carniola with some parts of Rhetia and Swevia and these dominions are like other principalities subjects of the Empire and for them the Emperour is his owne subject Secondly as a German Prince though not by inheritance but by election may the Emperour be considered when he is King of Bohemia Which though it be an independant kingdome yet being included within Germany and the King of Bohemia by office chiefe Taster to the Emperour and one of the seven Electors of the German Empire as having the casting voice if the other six be equally divided nay and with power to name himselfe if he be one of the two in election in consideration hereof may he thus also be brought within the Empire But yet neither of these wayes can the Emperour or Empire so properly be considered Thirdly therefore to speake of him as the German Emperour is to consider of him as Lord of those portions and States of the Empire properly so called And those be either the States or Imperiall Cities of Germanie The States and Princes of Germanie are naturally subjects to the Emperour yea and officers to his person too which is a part of their honour so the Palsgrave is chiefe Shewer and Brandenburgh Sword-bearer c. They are also as subjects to be summoned to the Imperiall Diets their lands are to be charged towards the Emperours warres made in defence of the Empire But yet on the other side the German Princes bee not such subjects as the Lords of England and France but much freer Lorraine is a member of the Empire and yet will not that Duke suffer the Emperour to have any thing to doe in his dominions and if any other Prince should take up Armes against the Emperour as Saxonie did in the case of Luther yet cannot the Emperour escheat their lands as other Princes may serve their Rebels by his owne private power without the consent of the other Electors Princes in a Diet. So that the German Princes be subjects and no subjects The Emperour is as it were the Grand Land-lord who hath made away his right by lease or grant but hath little to doe till the expiration or forfeiture The second member of the Empire be the Imperiall and Hanse-townes in which because they have lesse power the Emperour hath more than in the Princes Estates Theâ—e acknowledge the Emperour for their Lord but yet with divers acceptions For first they will stand upon their owne privileges and for them will deny any request of the Emperour Secondly they depend and trust unto their owne private confederacies amongst themselves as much as to the Emperour as the Switzers and Grisons leaguers amongst themselves and the Princes of the lower Creitz or circle of Saxony amongst themselves in defence of which the King of Denmarke as Duke of Holstein being one
the Duchesse Beatrice his wife those of the Towne presented him the Keyes thereof therby acknowledging him their chiefe Lord and Master During the civill warres in France the Towne was marvellously peopled insomuch as there were to the number of twelve or fourteene thousand strangers the greatest part whereof were Gentlemen but since those troubles began to diminish the number likewise hath decayed and at this instant there are not many besides the Inhabitants by reason whereof the Towne is very much impoverished The Towne is governed by a Councell of two hundred called the great Councell out of which is chosen another Councell composed of five and twentie and of these foure especiall men called Sindiques who have the managing of the whole Common-wealth unlesse it be in some great matters wherein the whole State is deeply interessed as in making of peace or warre in leagues offensive and defensive appeales c. The people are governed by the Civil Law the Iudge whereof is called a Lieutenant Criminall before whom all causes are tried and from whom there is no appeale unlesse it be to the generall Councell of two hundred When the Towne was besieged in eightie nine the Venetians did not only send them intelligence of sundry practices against them but also sent them twenty foure thousand crownes to maintaine their warres and out of England they had thirteene thousand crownes The Great Duke of Thuscan did likewise send them many intelligences at the same time and heretofore when as the Pope the King of Spaine the French King and the Duke of Savoy have joyned their powers together with purpose to besiege them the Emperour hath not only revealed all their practices but offered to aid them with men and money yea and sometime the Dukes of Savoy have lent them money to maintaine them against the others For hee had rather the Towne should remaine as it doth than fall into any other mans hands than his owne Queene Elizabeth highly favoured it and releeved it so did all the Protestant German Princes together with the French King Who though â—ee be of a contrary Religion yet hath he had it alwayes in especiall protection The people are very civill in their behaviour speech and apparell all licentiousnesse being severely corrected and especially dancing Adultery is punished with death and the Women drowned in the Rosne simple Fornication with nine dayes fasting bread and water in prison for the second offence whipping out of the Towne and the third time with banishment The Towne lent unto Henry the third King of France a little before his death 450000. crownes and twelve Canons which are not yet restored the Bernesi seeme to be their friends but those of Geneva are very jealous of them and dare not trust them The Ministers have a consistorie unto which they may call publike offendors and such as give scandall unto others and there reprove them and if the crime be great and the partie obstinate they forbid him the Communion if notwithstanding hee persist they may excommunicate him But the Ministers cannot call any before them into the Consistory but by the authoritie of a Sindique who must assist them otherwise the Ministers have power to summon any Man They have their maintenance out of the common Treasury and meddle with no Tithes Master Beza in eighty seven had some 1500. Florens for his stipend which amounteth to some seven or eight and fiftie pounds sterling besides twenty coupes of corne and his house All which will hardly amount to fourescore pounds the rest of the Ministers had some six or seven hundred Florens twenty coupes of corne and their houses The Ministers in the countrie have three hundred forty and five Florens and twenty coupes of corne The Professor in Divinity hath per annum 1125. Florens and twenty coupes of Corne The Professor in Law 580. Florens The Professor in Greeke 510. Florens The Professor of Philosophy 600. Florens and twenty coupes The Professor in Hebrew 510. Florens All honest exercises as shooting in Peeces Crosse-Bowes Long-Bowes c. are used on the Sabbath day and that in the morning both before and after the Sermon neither doe the Ministers finde any fault therewith so that they hinder not from hearing the word at the time appointed Swizerland IN the daies of Caesar this Province contained two hundred and forty miles in length and one hundred and fourescore in breadth which circuit or territorie seeming too narrow a roome to containe so valiant and a warlike people that not long before had overthrowne L. Cassius a Roman Consull slaine the Consull himselfe and sold the souldiers for bondslaves upon these apprehensions and the conceit of their owne valours they began to entertaine a resolution by conquest to gaine a larger territory correspondent to the ambitious greatnesse of their minds and to forsake their owne country which first gave them breath and being In heat whereof they prepare for their departure they provide victuals study tillage two yeeres buy carts and cariage beasts and left any mans courage should decline with the time they make a law that every one should be in readinesse to set forward in the beginning of the third yeere Being upon their way and hearing that Caesar then Proconsull of France had caused the bridge of Geneva to be hewne downe and to debarre them of passage had raised that famous fortification betweene the Lake and Mount Iura they sent some of their greatest Commanders to Caesar to intreat a quiet passage thorow the Roman Province At their appointed day of Audience hearing Caesars deniall they resolve to open the way with the power of their forces In triall of which project after they had received divers defeatures they againe sent their Ambassadors to Caesar to intreat an acceptation of submission throwing themselves at his feet and with many supplications craving such favoâ—rable conditions of peace as might best comfort so distressed a people and beseeme the glory of so mighty a conquests which requests Caesar upon delivery of pledges mercifully granted injoyned them to returne to the Country from whence they came and to build the cities and villages which before their comming forth they had destroyed Ever since which time they retained the reputation of their ancient glory but never enterprized to forsake their limited habitations The number of Men Women and Children that were in that journey was 3680000. whereof 920000. were fighting men of them that returned and saw the fortune of both their States was 110000. Some hold opinion that this Nation is utterly extinguished and that the present Inhabitants whereof we now intreat both for their resemblance in manners and phrase of speech are descended from the Germans It is almost all situated amongst the Alpes and therefore supposed to be the highest Region in Europe and the rather for that the most famous Rivers of this part of the World viz. Rhone Rodan and Po falling from these high places doe disperse their chanels
thorow divers Provinces of Christendome It is called in Historie Confoederatorum Regio a State popular and subject to no one Prince And although it seeme to bee environed with steepe and barren Mountaines alwaies covered with Snow yet in truth it is fertile enough and intermixed with fruitfull places full of excellent Pastures wherein they bring up infinite numbers of Sheep and Cattell to their inestimable profit by venting of Butter Cheese and other white meats to forren Nations Of Wheat and Wine they have no such plenty but are glad to crave in aid of their neighbours to releeve their wants From the times before spoken of untill the comming of the Sarazens into Italy at what time the Pope sent an honourable Embassage of Cardinals to intreat their favour and assistance they seemed to live contented within theior owne limits and onely in reward of their many good services imployed for the defence of the Church and Christendome they desired of his Holinesse that they might live in liberty in these places which they then inhabited with the use of their owne Lawes and ancient Customes Which the Pope not onely granted but in token of their worthinesse and valour he gave them a red banner with the Image of the Crucifix painted therein After this service they againe gave themselves to a quiet and peaceable life to follow tillage and to husband their granges untill such time as certaine Noblemen their neighbours began to incroach upon them and to exercise tyrannicall jurisdiction over them Which kind of servitude as people bearing in fresh remembrance their ancient and generous â—â—â—utation being unable to endure and inured to give and not to take the law of their neighbours opposed their forces against the insolency of this Nobilitie The discontentment first burst out in the yeere of our Lord 1300. about which time the Counts of Aspurgh afterward Dukes had placed in one of their Castles of Vrania in Valstreet a Gentleman proud above measure unsociable and in lust insatiable At first he was secret but by custome imboldned in Feasts and publike Banquets hee would boast how he had now abused one Woman then another at last amongst the rest having ravished a very young and beautifull Damsell he was slaine by her two Brethren The Count agrieved hereat offered to doe justice upon the offenders but the Inhabitants of that Vallie valiantly resisted overthrew two or three of his Castles in one day and slew divers of his Officers Which president the Vndervaldenses imitating committed the like outrage upon the Gentlemen of their Territorie exclaiming that the tyranny of the Nobilitie had inforced them to this action The first of the Confederates were the Suavi those of Vro Zurich and Vndervald who so well as they might in so sudden an innovation gave themselves to peace and to respect the good of the league and the confederate Cities The residue of the Noblemen and Gentlemen fearing if this example were left unpunished the sore would grow incurable as an evill which could bring forth no lesse a mischiefe than the utter losse of their jurisdiction mustred all their friends and followers determining either to tame or to raze these confederated Cantons But the Swizers well acquainted with the difficult passages of the Country easily frustrated the attempts of their enemies thereby rather increasing than diminishing their liberty Lupold Duke of Austria enterprizing upon them with a mighty Army for the same quarrell had the like fortune So in succeeding ages had Charles Duke of Burgundy by their service undertaken and performed for the defence of Rhene Duke of Lorrainâ— They are men of large stature and very seldome goe armed but serve onely with the Pike or two-hand-sword because they feare no other forces save the fury of the great Artillery from which say they a brest-plate or curace is not able to defend them And because of their order they thinke it a matter impossible for any forces to breake them or to enter upon them neerer than a Pikes length In a pitcht field without doubt they are excellent good Foot-men but to invade a Province they have little courage and lesse to defend it and commonly where they are not able to maintaine their accustomed order of fight they availe nothing as in the warre of Italy was plainly manifested especially when they were put to assaults as at Padoa and other places wherein they gave but weake testimonies of valour whereas when they fought it out in open field at the Pikes length they carried themselves valiantly insomuch that at the battell of Ravenna if the French had beene without their assistance they had questionlesse lost the glory of that daies victory For before both Armies came to handy-strokes the Spanish had already overthrowne the French and Gascoine Foot-men and if the Swizers had not seconded them they had beene all slaine or taken So in the warre of Guien it plainly appeared that the Spanish were more afraid of one band of Swizers whereof the King had waged ten thousand than of any of the rest of the French Regiments Thus by the reputation of these and their former exploits they wonne unto their Nation so glorious a perpetuity of their Armes and valour that ever since they have beene called unto the aide of divers Princes and in continuall action under some one State or other bordering upon them but especially under the Kings of France of whom they entertaine sometimes more and sometimes lesse Sithence the reigne of Lewis the 11. they have beene in perpetuall league and in their pension to whom they give yearly fortie thousand Florens twentie thousand to the Cities and twentie thousand to particular persons They againe are divided into thirteene Cantons eight whereof are Catholike the residue of the Religion But those of the Religion are much greater and out of these it is that the Kings of France are supplied the residue are in pension with the King of Spaine When the French King demandeth any forces out of their Cantons they call a Diet the charge whereof as likewise the souldiers wages the King defrayeth These forren bands more or lesse to whom he alwayes committeth the battell and the guard of his Cannon as for entring of breaches and giving assaults they doe expresly capitulate to be exempt with the five Regiments before spoken of in the discourse of France are his maine moderne forces on foot but when he would have greater numbers he giveth his Captaines Commissions to take up souldiers thorow the whole Realme not by presse as with us but by striking up the Drumme when if any come voluntarily and take pay they are inrolled and injoyned to serve otherwise not The government of these thirteene Cities with their dependances which they terme Cantons is meerely popular for though the members seeme to be separated yet live they as one body firmly knit and united having a chiefe Magistrate over every Territorie chosen by the commonalty of every particular Citie
few which escaped the generall massacre yet are they contented without laying any claime to their ancient gentility to range themselves with the residue of the basest commonalties and can but seldome be admitted to the chiefest magistracies being commonly bestowed upon Butchers and such like Mechanicall Artizans Italy ITaly according to Plinie the most beautifull and goodliest Region under the Sun the Darling of Nature and the Mother of hardy Men brave Captaines and valiant Souldiers flourishing in all Arts and abounding with Noble wits and men of singular spirits is situate under a Climate most wholesome and temperate commodious for Traffike and most fertile for Corne and Herbage containeth in length from Augusta Pretoria unto Otranto one thousand and twenty miles and in breadth from the River Vara in Provence to the River Arsia in Friuli where it is broadest foure hundred and ten miles and in the narrow places as from the mouth of Pescara to the mouth of Tiber an hundred twenty six miles So that to compasse it by Sea from Vara to Arsia are three thousand thirty eight miles which with the foure hundred and ten by land maketh the whole circuit three thousand foure hundred forty eight miles Thus it appeares to bee almost an Iland in shape of a legge bounded on the East with the Adriatike Sea on the South and West with the Tirrhene Seas and on the North with the Alpes the which for that it is described by others we will but point to and so much the rather because there is no Country in the world better knowne and more frequented by strangers Inheritance there descend to the children as Lands holden by Gaâ—â—â—â—nd with us in some parts of England so that one brother hath as good a share as another and if the older be borne to the title of a Coâ—â—e so is the younger and so called yea if there be twenty brethren except it be in the Estates of Princedomes as Mantua Ferrara Vrbin and such like which evermore descend to the eldest entirely By this meanes it commeth to passe that often times you shall see Earles and Marquesses without Lands or goods yet most strictly standing upon descents and the glory of their names for themselves and their issues for ever But the Gentlemen which have whereof to live are reported to surpasse the Gentry of any other Nation in good carriage and behaviour and for the most part professe Armes and follow service And to bee discerned from the vulgar they all in generall speake the Courtisan which is an excellent commendation considering the diversitie of Dialects amongst them For leaving the difference betweene the Florentine and the Venetian the Milanois and the Roman the Neapolitan and the Genois which may well be likened to the difference betweene a Londoner a Northerne man yet by the tongue you shall not lightly discerne of what part of the Countrey any Gentleman is No more different are they in manners and behaviour honourable courteous prudent and grave withall that it should seeme each one to have had a Prince-like education to their superiours obedient to equals respective to inferiours courteous to strangers affable and desirous by kinde offices to winne their love Of expence and lone of his mony very wary and will be assured to be at no more cost than he is sure either to save by or to have thanke for In apparell modest in furniture of houshold sumptuous at their table neat sober of speech enemies of ill report and so jealous of their reputations that whosoever speaketh ill of one of them if the party slandered may know it and finde opportunitie to performe it the party offending shall surely die for it The Merchants likewise for the most part are Gentlemen For when of one house there bee three or foure brethren lightly one or two of them give themselves to traffike And sometimes if they chance not to divide their Fathers substance and patrimonie as many times they doe not then doe they which professe themselves Merchants travell for the welfare of their brethren joyntly participating of losse and profit But in outward shew these carry not like reputation to the Gentlemen afore spoken of for they professe not Armes but desire to live in peace and how to vent their wares and have new traffike into strange Countries yet have no lesse reputation of Nobility for their trade of Merchandize but by reason they stay at home and use the richest Farmes and follow Husbandrie by their Bailises and Factors they become the best and wealthiest Merchants in all Christendome Their Artificers are thought the best workmen of the world and are so well paid that many live by their labours as well as many doe by Revenues yea and grow very rich and within two or three descents to the reputation of Gentry The poorer sort are the husbandmen for they are oppressed on all hands in the Country liveth no man of wealth The Gentry and wealthier sort dwell in Townes and walled Cities leaving the Villages fields and pastures to their Tenants not at a rent certaine as we doe in England but to halfes or to the thirds of all graine fruit and profit arising of the ground according as it shall be either barren or fertile And this the poore Tenant must till and manure at his owne charge so that the Lords part commeth cleare without disbursing one penny yet shall you see many faire houses in the villages but they are onely for the owners pastime in Summer For then they leave the Cities for a moneth or two where under the fragrant hedges and bowers they solace themselves in as much pleasure as may be imagined And for the most part every man hath his Mistresse with instruments of musicke and such like pleasures as may serve for recreation and delight Thus much of the manners and nature of the inhabitants now will wee speake of the estates of the Country The King of Spaine hath the greatest part for his share as Naples and the Duchie of Millaine The Pope hath the Citie of Rome Campagnia part of Maremma part of Tuscan the Duchie of Spoâ—et Marca d' Ancona Romagnia and the Citie of Bononia The Venetians have for their part the Citie of Venice with the townes in and about that Marish called La contrada di Venetia La marka Trivigrina a great part of Lombardie and part of Istria They likewise are and have beene Lords of certaine Islands some whereof the Turke hath wonne from them The Common-weale of Genoa hath the territorie about them called at this day Il Genovosaio and anciently Liguria Tuscan once Heâ—ruria is divided into divers Seigniories whereof the Bishop of Rome holdeth a small part but the greatest is under the jurisdiction of Florence Then are Common-wealths of Sienna and Lucca whose Territories are not great 13. The Duke of Ferrara hath part of Romagnia and part of Lombardie 14.
The Duchie of Mantua lieth wholly in Lombardie and the Duchie of Vrbin betweene Marca d' Ancona and Tuscane 15. The Duchies of Parma and Placentia are in Lombardie and holden of the Church Of these Princes and Common-wealths every one holdeth himselfe in his owne Territorie absolute Prince and Governour and maintaineth his estate upon the custome taxes and impositions of the people For lightly they have little or no Lands of their owne THe Estate of the Pope is twofold the one consisteth in Temporall Dominion the other in Spirituall Iurisdiction His Temporall Dominion is likewise divided into two kinds the one profitable and as a man may terme it an hereditarie the other immediate and holden in fee of he Church As touching his Temporall Dominion hee is Lord of a great part of Italie as of all that lieth betweene the River Fiore and Cajetta betweene Preâ—est and the Truentian streights except the Duchie of Vrbin In that compasse are incircled the Provinces of Bonnonia and Romandiola Marchia Vmbria the Duchie of Spoleto S. Peters patrimonie Tuscan and lately Ferrara It is seated in the heart of Italie stretching from the Adriatike to the Tirrhene Sea and in regard of situation as also in plenty of provision as corne wine and oyle it is comparable to any State of Italie For Romandiola imparteth great store unto their neighbours the Venetians and Sclavonians And yet have the Inhabitants sufficient for their owne provision Marchia reacheth from Tronto to Foglia betweene the Apenine and the Sea it is divided into little hils and plaines It is rich of Wine Oyle and Corne having divers great Townes and Castles therein The Citie of greatest trading is Ancona by reason of the Haven to which many Lasterne Merchants doe repaire The fairest is Ascoli the most powerfull Fermo because of many Fortresses subject unto it Macerata is a new Citie and because it lieth in the middest of the Province it is the Governours seat In some yeares it hath supplied the Venetians wants with many thousand measures of Corne and Oyle And although Vmbria is not so plentifull of graine as to spare for their neighbours yet is it able to maintaine it selfe without buying of others and in stead thereof it is abundantly stored with Wines Cattell and some Saffron S. Peters Patrimonie and Tuscan often releeved Genoa and at some seasons Naples This territorie bringeth forth fierce and warlike souldiers and herein it is reported to excell all the residue of the Italian Provinces Bonnonia Romania and Marchia are able to levie twenty thousand foot-men and the other Provinces as many In the time of Pope Clement Marchia alone aided him with a thousand souldiers The chiefe Seat is Rome once the Lady of the World and at this day inhabited with two hundred thousand soules but two parts thereof consisting of Church-men and Curtizans The second Bononia wherein are eighty thousand of both sexes Next to these are Perugia Ancona Ravenna and some fiftie others The defensible places are the Castle and Borough of Rome Ovietta Teracine c. It is a great credit and commendation to this State to have many Noblemen therein to excellent in Negociation of Peace and Warre that the residue of the States and Princes doe most commonly choose their Leaders and Lieutenants out of these Provinces If the Prince hereof were secular both for people and power hee might very well be compared with any State of Italy Besides these Dominions the Pope hath the Territory of Avignon in France wherein are foure Cities and fourscore walled Townes In Naples he hath Benevent Romagna extendeth from Foglia Panora and from the Apenine to the River Po. For temperature and fertilitie it is like to Marchia but hath generally more famous Cities as Rimini Cesana Faensa Ravenna Turly Imola Sarsina Cervia Bertinoto once a Bishops Seat but now translated to Forlimpoli The Noblest of all these is Ravenna where some Emperor have kept their Courts and after them their Exarches or Lieutenants When Pipin having expulsed Astolpho put the Church in possession thereof this Territorie comprehended Bolognia Regio Modena Parma Piacenza Ravenna Sarsina Claesse Forli Forlimpoli and made one estate called Pentapoli which indured an hundred eightie three yeares even to the yeare of our Lord 741. in which yeare it ended by the taking of Ravenna by Astolph King of Lombards So that first the Roman Emperours especially Honorius and after him the Kings of the Gothes and then Exarches amongst all the Cities of Italy chose this for the Seat of their Courts which from amongst other respects I suppose to proceed by reason of the plentifull Territory now covered with water and the conveniencie of the Haven which at this day is likewise choaked This Province was first called Flaminia but Charles the Great to raze out the remembrance of these Exarches and to make the people willing to obey the Roman Prelats called it Romagnia As touching his immediate Soveraigntie he is Lord Paramount of the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicil and the Duchies of Vrbin Ferrara Parma Placentia and many others Where his authoritie is maintained he hath supreme government of all religious Orders and bestoweth the Ecclesiasticall Benefices at his dispose Having many strings to his Bow he hath many meanes to raise money so that Xistus the fourth was wont to say That the Popes should never want Coine as long as their hands were able to hold a pen. Paul the third in the league betweene him the Emperour and the Venetians against the Turk bare the sixth part of the charges of that warre Against the Protestants and in aid of Charles the fifth he sent twelve thousand foot-men and five hundred horse-men bearing their charges during the warre this was he that advanced his house to that honour wherein it continueth to this day in Florence Pius the fifth aided Charles the ninth King of France with foure thousand footmen and a thousand horse Xistus the fifth in five yeares and a halfe of his Pontificacie raked together five millions of crowns and spent bountifully notwithstanding in bringing Conduits and Water-pipes into the Citie and in building Pyramides Palaces and Churches So that it should seeme that the Entrado could not but amount to much above the value of ten hundred thousand crownes per annum for Newman a late Writer would have this surplusage to be raised upon use money yearely laâ—d up in the Castle of Saint Angelo And this to arise of his ordinary Revenues within his Territories of Italy Since those times it cannot but be much more augmented by the addition of the Dukedome of Ferrara as also for that in those dayes the monethly expence of the Court being thirtie thousand crownes is in these times defalked unto five thousand A State wherein you shall see Religion metamorphosed into policie and policie meditating nothing but private greatnesse the Man-seeming-God affecting Honour Majestie and Temporall riches with no lesse ambition and
well maintained there is the house of Piety called Il monte della pieta which by ordinary Revenues and gifts may dispend yeerely 60000. Crownes wherewith amongst other charitable workes it maintaineth thorow the Kingdome two thousand Infants It is one of the regions belonging to the Kingdome of Naples It is bounded with the River Iano and the Terrhene and Ionian Seas it is in compasse above five hundred miles and is divided into two Provinces the one lieth on the Terrhene Sea where in ancient times the Brutians did inhabit and that part is properly called Calabria the other lieth on the Ionian and called Magna Graecia It is divided into the higher and lower Of the higher the chiefe seat is Cosenza of the lower Catanzara Cosenza is a large Citie Catanzara a strong Betweene the Cape of the Pillars and the Cape Alice is Corone a place of very wholesome aire Vpon this territorie Anno 1551. the Navie of the Great Turke landed and made some stay which was the cause that moved Charles the fifth to fortifie this Citie It is a thing worthy to be noted how much the Inhabitants of this country in former ages exceeded the numbers of this present for in those dayes this Citie sent more men against the Locrians than the whole Kingdome of Naples is now able to afford being numbred to an hundred and thirty thousand A little above that doe inhabit the Sabarits who were alwayes able to arme thirty thousand At Tarent beginneth the Country of Otranto in ancient times called Iapigia It containeth all that corner of land almost invironed with the Sea which lieth betweene Tarent and Brundusium In it as Strabo writeth were once thirteene great Cities but in his time onely two Tarent and Brunduse The aire is very healthfull and though the superficies of the soile seeme rough and barren being broken with the plough it is found to bee excellent good mold It is scarce of water neverthelesse it yeeldeth good Pasture and is apt for Wheat Barley Oats Olives Cedars excellent Melons Oxen Asses and Mules of great estimation The people are in their manners dangerous superstitious and for the most part beastly The Gentlemen lovers of liberty and pleasure scoffers at Religion especially at that which we terme the reformed and yet themselves of their owne great blasphemers For outward shew they live in great pompe and make the City more stately because they are not permitted to live in the Countrey yet as they dare they bitterly grone under the Viceroyes controll who exerciseth the Spanish pride amongst them so that in these dayes they come nothing neere their native glory nor customary wantonnesse In this Country is bred the Tarantola whose venome is expelled with Fire and Musicke as Gellius reporteth out of Theophrash his History of living creatures There are likewise bred the Chersidi serpents living both on the land and in the Sea yea there is no part of Italy more cumbred with Grashoppers which leave nothing where they come but would utterly consume in one night whole fields full of ripe corne if Nature by sending the birds called the Gaive into those quarters had not provided a remedie against this misery The place at all times of the yeare endureth much dammage by Haile Thunder is as usuall in Winter as in Summer This Province is situated betweene two Seas The Citie is seated in an Island like unto a ship and joyned to the Continent with bridges where the tide setteth violently on the other side the two Seas joyne together by meanes of a trench cut out by mans hand and is of largenesse sufficient to receive a Gally Where the Citie now standeth was before a rocke and is holden to be the strongest fortresse of the Kingdome From thence along the shore lieth Caesaria now ruined by them of Gallipoli Gallipolis is seated on a ridge of land running into the Sea like a tongue On the furthest point whereof standeth the Citie and is of great strength by reason of the situation being fenced with unaccessible rocks well walled and secured by a Castle with which motives of encouragement in the warres betweene the French and the Arragons the citizens thereof to their great honour continued ever faithfull to the fortunes of the Arragons It hath beene counted one of the chiefest Cities of Italy it is now by their civill dissentions almost desolated the cause as I take it wherefore the aire thereabouts is become so unhealthfull an influence incident to all great Cities For as nothing doth better temper the aire than the frequencie of Inhabitants because by husbandry and industry they drie up Fennie and unwholesome places prune such woods as grow too thicke and obscure with their fires purge noysome exhalations and with their high buildings extenuate grosse vapours So on the contrary there is nothing apter to breed infection than desolation for so the places are not onely deprived of the aforesaid helps but even the houses and their ruines are receptacles of infection and matter of corruption Which appeareth to be true by the ruines of Aquilea Rome Ravenna and Alexandria in Aegypt For which inconvenience the Grecians never built huge Cities Plato would not that his should exceed 500. families and Aristotle wished that all his people might at once heare the voice of one Crier This Province extendeth from the confines of Brunduse to the River Fortore It is divided into two territories the one at this day called Bari and by the Latines Peucetia the other Puglia and by them Dawnia divided each from other by the River Lofanto In the second part it comprehendeth Capitanato containing in it many great Cities places of trade and Fortresses of good account Amongst the number whereof is Mansredonia built by K. Manfredi in a high place healthfull with a convenient and safe harbour It lieth under the hill Gargano at this day called S. Angelo because of the appearing of S. Michael who is honoured there with great devotion It should seeme that in this hill all the riches of Puglia are heaped together it hath plenty of water an element rare in this Province The Sarazens finding the opportunitie of the situation thereof did there fortifie therein maintained themselves a long time for in truth there is no place better to molest the Kingdome and to command the Adriatike Sea Puglia is another Province of this Kingdome it is bounded with the River Fortorie and the River Tronto in which circuit are contained many people Towards the Sea it is a fruitfull Country in the middest rough and mountainous and the coldest Region in the Kingdome The wealth thereof consisteth in Cattell and Saffron The Country of Malsi is divided with the River Pescara the Governour thereof resideth in San-Severino This Province hath no famous place upon the Sea-coast but in the Inland Benevento was given to the Church by Henry the fourth in recompence of
for shipping but Savona had a better if the jealous Genoise had not choaked it The people are wittie active high minded tall of stature and of comely personage They build stately At home they live sparingly abroad magnificently Genoa is now the Metropolitan Citie of the Province and by reason of situation was holden to be one of the Keyes of Italy The people thereof were once very famous for their manifold victories and great command by sea insomuch that wrastling with the Venetians they had almost bereaved them of their estate and taken their Citie But Fortune favouring the Venetians and crossing the Genoise even to their utter undoing ever since this Citie hath declined and that not only in regard of their former defeature and their continuall and civill discords but also for that they have given over their trafficke and care of their publike good and have betaken themselves to live by usury retaile and mechanicall Trades altogether regarding their private benefit whereupon not being of puissance as in former ages to make good their actions they were forced to put themselves under the protection sometimes of the Kings of France and sometimes of the Duke of Millaine and now under the Spanish This hath sometimes beene much more potent and Mistres not only of divers lands in Tuscany as also of the Ilands of Corsica and Sardinia upon the Coast of Italy but of Lesvos Chios and other Ilets in the Greekish Seas of Pera likewise hard by Constantinople of Capha and other places in the Taurica Chersonesus These last places they have lost to the Turkes Sardinia to the Arragonians their possessions in Tuscanie to the great Duke nothing is now left them but Liguria and Corsica Liguria is on the East divided from Tuscanie by the River Macra touching the Apenine hils on the North and on the South open to its owne Sea The length is about fourescore miles the breadth threescore and five It hath some halfe dozen of eight good Townes besides Genoa which Citie being six miles in compasse is for the wealth and buildings called Genoa the proud The people are many whereof eight and twenty Families of Gentlemen out of whom the Councell of foure hundred is chosen The men noted for hastie chopping in of their meat are therefore of bad complexions the women better and in this freer than the rest of Italy that they may be made Court unto whence the proverbe Genoa hath a Sea without fish Mountaines without grasse and Women without honestie They are governed by a Duke but hee is no other but a Maior chosen every yeare and directed by a Councel of 16. Their several factions have brought them to this passe They are great Bankers and mony Masters and seldome is their Protector the King of Spaine out of their debt Their Merchants hold up one another by Families Their Revenues are about 430000. crownes Their force is nothing so great as when they conquered Sardinia Corsica and the Baleares or as when they were able to maintaine seven Armies in the warres of the Holy Land or set forth an hundred threescore and five Gallies in one Fleet. They must by law have alwayes five and twenty Gallies in their Arsenall foure of which are still to scoure the Coasts In Genoa they have a Garrison of the Ilanders of Corsica and there of Genoise Some troopes of horse they keepe to guard their shore But their best strength was five yeares since seene to be the King of Spaine The State of Venice IN the very bottome of the Adriaticke called at this day the Gulfe of Venice is a ridge of Land reaching from the Lime-kils called by them Fornaci to the mouth of the River Piane in forme of a Bow and containeth in length thirty five miles and in bredth two where it is broadest and in some places no more than what an Harquebuze can shoot over This ridge is parted and cut what by the falling of Rivers the working of the Sea into seven principall Ilands the Ports of Brondolo of Chiozzo of Malamoco of the three castles of Saint Erasmus the Lito Maggiore or great shore and the Treports Betweene that part of this ridge which is called Lito and the Continent standeth the Lake of Venice in compasse ninety miles In this Lake is seated the City of Venice upon threescore and twelve Ilands distant from the shore two miles and from the firme land five divided with many Channels some greater some lesser It was begunne to be built in the yeere 421. the five and twentieth of March about noone It increased in people with the report of the Hunnes comming into Italy and more afterwards by the desolation of Aquily and the bordering Cities as Padoa and Monselice destroyed by Agilulfus King of Lombardy Some are of opinion that anciently the Lake reached up as high as Oriago which standeth upon the Brent which being true then was Venice ten miles distant from the Continent The City amongst many other Channels which doe incircle it is divided by one maine Channell for his largenesse called the Grand Canale into two parts whereof the one part looketh South-west the other North-east This Channell in his winding maketh the forme of the letter S. backward And it is the more famous for the admirable prospect of so many most curious and goodly Palaces as are built all the length of it on either side to the astonishment of the beholders Some report that the Channell was the bed of the old River Brenta which it made before the course thereof was turned by making the banke of Leccia fusina and so broke out and emptied it selfe by the mouth which is called the three Castles On the middle of this Channell standeth the bridge of Rialto built first of wood but in our time re-edified and built of stone and that with such excellency of workmanship that it may justly bee numbred amongst the best contrived Edifices of Europe This Bridge joyneth together the two most and best frequented parts of the City the Rialto and Saint Markes Many lesse Channels fall into this which are passed over either by Bridges or Boats appointed for that purpose The City hath in circuit seven miles and yeeldeth an inestimable Revenue About the City especially North-ward lie scattered here and there in the Lake seventy five other Ilands the chiefe whereof are Murano and Burano both for circuit building and number of Inhabitants Especially Murano abounding all over with goodly Houses Gardens and a thousand other objects of delight and pleasure Here are these so famous Glasse-houses where so many admirable inventions in that kinde are made in Gallies Tents Organs and such like whereof the quantity yeerely vented amounteth to 60000. Crownes Now the City of Venice which from her Infancy hath maintained her selfe free and as a Virgin for one thousand and three hundred yeeres and that hitherto hath beene untouched with any injury of War or Rapine amongst
other advantages required in the situation of a City hath those two which are required in a well seated City whereof having already discoursed in the site of England wee will here surcease further to dilate of The safety then of this City groweth from the Waters and the situation thereof in the Water where neither it can be well approached or assaulted by Land for the interposition of the Water betweene it and the Land nor yet by Sea for that the streames are not navigable but by Vessels of the lesser size onely for greater ships riding out of the Channels where the Water is somewhat deepe would drive and riding within the Channels with every turning water should bee on ground So that a Navie of lesser shipping would doe no good and greater shipping cannot well there be mannaged In conclusion these Waters are rather made for the places and entertainment of peace than for motions of warre We may adde to these difficulties which nature and the situation doe present another as great which ariseth from the power and provisions of the City which are ever such as will better inable the Inhabitants to offend another in those Waters than any man can invent to offend them All which young Pepin tasted to his losse Who with his ships and men fild all the Coast From the Fornaci to the greater shore And Laid a bridge to passe his ventrous boast From Mâ—lamocco all the Channellore Even to Rialto yet for all this boast Hee 's faine to flie with shame the Seas doe drowne His men His bridge the waves have beaten downe And lastly wee may adde the continuall Art and care which the Seigniorie doth use ever to augment something to the fortification of this their Citie and State The whole Dominion of the Venetian Seigniorie is divided into firme land and Sea By the firme land we understand all that which they possesse in Lombardie in Marca Trâ—visâ—â— and in Friuli for that all those parcels doe make one continued country passable from one to the other without helpe of Sea Wee will terme that Sea which confineth with the Lake Sea-ward or that which cannot be approached without passing by Water This State is againe divided into Continent and Island On the Continent they have Istria Dalmatia Sclavonia Albania or at least some parts thereof The Islands stand partly within the Gulfe not farre distant from the Continent and part of them are without the Gulfe which are Corfu Cephalonia Zante Candia Cenigo Tine and other in the Adriatique The State of the firme Land containeth one of the Marquisats of Italie to wit Trevisa which besides the head Citie whereof it taketh its name hath also in it the Cities of Feitre Belluno and Câ—nâ—da It hath moreover two of those Cities which are of the first ranke of the Cities in Italie namely Venice and â—resâ—la Nor let it seeme strange to any man that Treckon â—râ—scia amongst the said Cities considering that for largenesse of Territorie it giveth place to no Citie thorow Italâ—â— containing in length one hundred miles and in bredth fiftie considering also the number of Inhabitants and the entrade it yeeldeth to the Seigniorie besides the private revenue of the Citie it selfe In all which few other Cities come neere it There is also in the firme Land the Citie of Verona called so for its superemment conditions as Verâ— una and is the first of the second ranke of Cities of Italie The Citie of Padoa which for goodnesse of soile exceedeth Bolognia it selfe There are also the Cities of Bergamo Vicenza and Crema There is againe the State of Friuli with two honourable Cities Vdine where the Lieutenant of the State resideth and Cividal besides a number other populous Townes little inferiour to Cities Lastly there is the fruitfull Polesine with the noble Citie of Rovigo therein with other places of good respect If wee consider the water there are few States of Italy that have more abundance in that kinde either for standing Waters or Rivers In the Territorie of Bergamo is the Lake of Iseo in the Country of Brescia the Lake of Idro In the Veronesse and Brescian is the Lake of Guardo It is also watered with many great Rivers that not only serve to make the fields fruitfull but also to fortifie the place And those Rivers are Oglio Chiese Navilio Mincio Seri Mela and Garza which indeed is rather a Mountaine Bourne than a River c. The Countrey of Polesine and Padoa are so stored with Lakes and Rivers that therein is no Burg or place which standeth not within five miles of some fresh Water And all this Countrey of the firme Land whereof I have spoken is also for aire exceeding wholesome and temperate as the complexions and cheerefull countenances of the Inhabitants can well witnesse together with the quicknesse of their apprehension and wit as well for matter of Armes as Learning Touching the Land this State hath in it many parts that are very diverse in qualitie some-where exceeding happy and fruitfull but lesse industrie in the people other-where the people are exceeding industrious but the ground defective Againe some parts there are where both the people are exceeding carefull industrious and the soile also good Of the first sort is the Territorie of Crema of Padoa of Vicenza of Trevisa and the Polesine Of the second sort is the Countrey of the Bergomasche the Veronise and Friuli Of the third sort is the Country of Brescia And touching the first it is almost incredible what the riches and increase is of those grounds what fresh Meadowes what fruitfull arable what abundance of Cattell of Flesh of all things that come of Milke what plenty of Corne of Pulse of Fruit Wood Flax Linnen and Fish Amongst all which particularities the Padoan doth notwithstanding excell which for goodnesse of soile doth carrie the praise from all the rest of Lombardie The wealth of this Territory may hence be conjectured that it hath the richest Bishopricke and Prebendaries of Italy It hath one of the richest Abbeies of Saint Benet in Italy which is Saint Iustina It hath one of the most beautifull Convents of the same order viz. that of Praxa It hath the richest Monastery belonging to the Austen-Friers which is that of Caudiana It hath two of the greatest Churches that may bee found in Italy which are Saint Iustina and Saint Anthony with one of the greatest Customes of salt in Europe In the time of the Roman Common-wealth no City of the Empire had more Knights of Rome than had Padoa For that as Strabo testifieth there were sometimes counted five hundred of them at once Which must needs proceed from the extraordinary goodnesse of the soile and the greatnesse of private livelihoods But at this day the greatnesse of the Venetian Nobilitie hath in great part diminished the Nobilitie of other Cities Amongst which Aquileia in old time tooke in compasse twelve miles and made an hundred and twenty thousand Citizens
released his claime to the Pope who now solely after the death of this old man lookes for it but many thinke his nose will be wiped of it for that the Archduke Leopold brother to this Emperour hath in the yeare 1626. married the daughter and heire of this old Duke Guido And this may happen to be the occasion of a breach betweene the Pope and the house of Austria especially of the Duchie fals void in the life and height of this present Emperour and that the Spaniard and he get the better of it in the wars of Mantua Modena is an hereditary Dukedome full of riches and fashionable Gentry after the best Italian manner newly allied to Mantua and reasonably well fortified against his dangerous neighbour in Millan and inviteth you to the view of a very delicate Country The Duke dome of Mantua MAntua is a late Dukedome erected of an ancient Marquifate in the name of Gonzaga He liveth in better fashion of Courtship than the other Princes with a Guard of Switzers The Citie is large boasteth of Virgils birth and the delicate streames of Po over which for all the swiftnesse and largenesse a gallerie-bridge transporteth both Coach Cart and Horse under which are preserved many Courtly Barges both for magnificent shewes and pleasure of the water in Summer time as also for the necessities of the Inhabitants thorowout the yeare This State abutting upon the East of Millane hath the Marquifate of Moutferrat annexed unto it and is now the field of warre in Italie Rich men never want heires weake titles rather than no titles are made use of Thus comes the quarrell The Towne of Mantua was as the rest of Italy sometimes belonging to the Empire from which all going away the famous Matilda laid hold on this which with the rest of her estate she bequeathed to the Church of Rome Under the Popes the name of Poledroni bearing great sway grew at last too strong and usurped from their Lord about foure hundred yeares since from whom Gonzaga at last snatcht it who so well inlarged both the territorie and honour that it grew to be a Marquifate and some hundred and five yeares since was it made a Dukedome by the Emperour Charles the fifth about which time Duke Frederike obtained the Marquifate of Montferrat also and that by mariage of Margarita It so happened that a younger sonne of this Familie plants himselfe in France whole descendant upon the late death of his cousin Ferdinand Gonzaga who having beene first a Cardinall before hee came to be Duke of Mantua was unmaried and thereupon died without issue now puts in for the Duchie as next of the bloud So that the Cardinall-Duke being dead without issue the Pope claimes his share and hath it The Emperour puts in for his title pretending the Estate escheated to him for want of issue The heire in the meane time hastens out of France gets possession of Mantua and of the good will of the people also The Emperour he cals in the King of Spaine to trie his title by the sword and if not to hinder or regaine possession yet to inforce him to demand investiture of the Emperour The Duke craves aid of France the King himselfe leads an Armie thither which this present yeare having passed the Alps by the Duke of Savoyes stopping up the passage against him miscarries in Pledmont The Savoyard is proved the Duke of Mantuaes enemie for the Marquifate of Montferrat which he pretends a triple title unto all which were adjudged weake and insufficient pleas by Charles the fifth being made Vmpire by both parties But what he could not obtaine by Law he hopes in the weaknesse of the new Duke to doe by power striking in especially with the Spaniard with whom he is now made friends upon it the Spaniard restoring some Townes in Montferrat which the Savoyard had seized upon in the last vacancie An. 161â— but had beene taken from him againe in the late warres with Spaine So that the poore Dukedome of Mantua is like to be undone by foure Pretenders The Heire the Pope the Emperour and the Savoyard The Spanish forces of Millane are too neere unto Mantua and the Savoyards to Montferrat These be his neighbours and enemies The Dukedome of Mantua is indifferent rich and able to live of its owne Seven good Cities it hath whereof Mantua is one of the strongest in Italie three sides being fortified with a wide River Montferrat is larger than the Duchie of Mantua containing about threescore good walled Townes three of which be faire Cities Both territories together containe as much land as the great Duke of Tuscanie is master of yet his yearly Revenues come not to much above 500000 Ducats for that he uses his subjects well and wants the commoditie of the Seas For his Forces Italy hath not better Horsemen nor any willinger to serve their Prince Divers strong Townes he hath and all little enough at this time The State of the Duke of Savoy THe State of this Duke lyes in two Countries in France where Savoy is seated and in Italy where he possesses part of Piedmont But what Nature and the Alpes have disjoyned Marriage and Warres have united His Dominions in France reach as farre as Geneva the County of Burgunde Bresse Provence and Daulphine on Germanie side they touch upon the Switzers and in Italy are they bounded with Millane Montferrat and the State of Genoa The length is three hundred miles the breadth an hundred and threescore the compasse nine hundred To begin with Savoy from whence the Prince hath his Title The fable I see passes currant that these mountaine-passages being infested with theeves the Countrey was thereupon named Malvoy which disorders being reformed by a Nobleman the Emperour rewarded him with the title of Duke and named the Countrey Saulvoy that is the Safe-way But hee that shall remember that the Noticia of the Empire mentions the very name of Sabaudia will know it to be ancienter than the moderne French tongue from whence this fable derives it Savoy containes the Earldome of Geneva the Marquifate of Susa the County of Morienne the Lordships of Tharentaise Brengeois Faucignie Chablais and Pays de Vaul with three Bishoprickes whereof the Duke hath the nomination It containes foure or five good Cities whereof Chamberie is a Parliamentary Towne and the Seat of the Duke on that side Situate it is in a rich and delicate Valley full of Gentlemens houses and every way inclosed with high mountaines The Valleyes be fruitfull enough but the Mountaines very inhospitable which is the occasion that there be but five hundred thousand soules in all Savoy Many and large Lakes it hath and those very well fisht Piedmont is much the pleasanter and the richer Country though the common people be poore enough as scorning to worke and caring but to have from hand to mouth The chiefe Honour or Title that the Duke here hath is the Marquifate of Saluzzes The other part of
especially to looke to the Spaniard The only feare is from the French who will be revenged for the defeat of his Armie How able the French is to hurt him was lately seene when Henry the fourth quickly overran all Savoy and the second time inforced him to release Bresse for Saluzzes Nor wants he pretences seeing King Francis the first made nine yeares warre in Piedmont and notwithstanding the Law Salicke claimed Savoy in the right of his mother who was sister to Philibert who died without Issue Vpon which pretence Charles Duke of Savoy was beaten of Piedmont unto which his son was not restored but upon marriage of the said King Francis daughter of which marriage this present Duke Charles Emanuel comes And here by the way let me adde an observation concerning the French playing fast and loose with their Salick law It is true indeed that Margaret sole daughter and childe of Edward Duke of Savoy was in the yeare 1329. put by the Succession being excluded by the Lawes of the Empire as mine Author notes Constantia daughter of Duke Peter was also put by it the next heire male both times succeeding and yet notwithstanding these Examples and that Law the French King claimes the Dukedome Will not they give the English leave to doe as much Sicilie THis is the chiefe Iland of the Mediterranean Sea and for the bignesse the most delicate of the whole world For the abundance of Corne it was called the Granary of Italy their store of Siâ—ke may be seene upon the backe of every Tradesmans wife Wines and Honey most plentifull and delicious adde to these Sugar Oyle Salt and Saffron yea Gold Silver and precious Stones the Emerald and Aggats and what would yee desire more if Fish and Fowle the Sea and Rivers yeeld it them Admirable were the 〈◊〉 that the Ilanders might attaine unto could they but make the best of their owne and worke their Silkes Sugars and other commodities This made it so populous of old that Pliny reckoned up threescore and twelve Cities of which Syracusa alone was two and twenty miles about The Map and History shewes it divided into three parts or Governments Mona Noto and Mazzaro in all which be eight or nine Cities and walled townes It was of old times called Trimaâ—ria of the shape which is like a long Triangle and beleeved sometimes to have beene firme land with Italy from whence it is not at this day above one mile and aâ— halfe distant and from Greece and hundred forty and foure In processe of time and variety of fortunes this little Iland hath successively beene mastered by fifteene severall Nations The thirteenth in order were the French These being insolent and hated the Sicilians willingly received and as quickly crowned Peter of Arragon laying claime to it whereupon the French Lord of it Charles of Province for avoiding the effusion of Christian bloud challenges King Peter to try their titles by a single combat the place to be Burdeaux and the Iudge our Edward the blacke Prince the flowre of Chivalry Peter accepts the combat but in the meane time one Iohn de Prochita shewes him a safer way to his quiet The plot was this a secret and sure-bound agreement with the Sicilians to serve all the French upon the Iland as the English sometimes did the Danes to kill them all man houre the common watch-word was the tolling of the Bels to Even-song the feat was atchieved Anno 1281. whence like our Hocking daâ—es for the death of the Danes they begunne their proverbe of The Sicilian Vespers Thus Arragon got it in the right of which Crowne the Spaniard holds it It is at this day governed by a Vice-Roy under the Spanish Councell for Italy consisting of three Spaniards and three Italians having for their President the Constable of Castile who by authority from the King doe create Governours Iudges and Commanders c. It yeeldeth to the Coffers of Spaine yeerely six hundred thousand Ducats but that drawne backe againe in rewards and paiments It feedeth and maintaineth about a million of soules and what force out of that proportion it is able to raise may bee conjectured by that levie which Don Garzia of Toledo made onely out of the south angle of the Iland at what time the Turke passed by it to the invasion of Malia consisting of three thousand Horse and ten thousand Foot For remonstrance of the populousnes of the ancient world wonder you may how this then-goodly Iland in the daies of Dionysius the elder being but Lord of Syracusa and the adjoyning territories continually maintained ten thousand foot-men and as many horse-men for his guard with foure hundred Gallies at Sea of which now in these times the whole Kingdome affordeth but eight A people they are standing much upon their Honour yet excessively given to idlenesse talkative busie-headed quarrelsome jealous and revengefull Their commodities are exported by strangers and withall the profit themselves little traffiking abroad and therefore unexpert in the art of Navigation selling their Sugars unextracted from the Cane to the Venetians and buyâ—ng it againe from them after it is refined The Vpland sort so unhospitable to strangers that without a sufficient guard there is no travelling without assured destruction by robbery and murder The better sort especially about Messana live in all abundance and delicacie having more than enough of food of fruits and of excellent wines They are Spanish in attire and the meanest Artificers wife is clothed in Silke whereof infinite quantities proceed from the woâ—ne a part whereof is wrought into rude stuffes for their owne uses Eight thousand Bails are yeerely made in the Iland and five thousand fetcht from thence at the Mart-time by the Gallies of Naples Ostia Ligorne and Genoa their language is Italian but corrupted with the Greeke French and Spanish The Garrison appointed for the security of the South part of the Iland consisteth of two hundred Spaniards and three hundred horsemen of the Country adjoyning who â—â—ive by turnes and nightly scoure and guard that Coast. So on the North towards Calabria Philip the second erected a very strong Castle and thrust into it a guard of naturall Spaniards The whole iland nominateth seven Princes foure Dukes thirteene Marquesses fourteene Earles one Vicount and eight and forty Barons The chiefe and ancientest of whom rather of policy than free will for the most part of their lives attend in the Court of Spaine it hath also three Archbishops and nine Bishops under them The Iles of Malta or the Estate of the Knights of the Rhodes THis Iland being the same Melita where Saint Paul shooke off the Viper lyeth in the Lybian Sea iust betwixt Tripolis in Barbary and the South-East angle of Sicilie being distant from the former threescore leagues of Sea measure and separated from the latter threescore miles of Italy the compasse also being threescore miles and but threescore villages in the whole Iland So that
cause why none of them rise by their owne industry to any great wealth They never combate amongst themselves but revenge injuries with words except upon objection of cowardize whereof the charged is never disburthened untill he have proved himselfe in singular combate with a Turke It hath beene an ancient custome amongst them that none should weare a feather but hee who hath killed a Turke to whom it was lawfull to shew the number of his slaine Enemies by the number of feathers in his Cap. They punish Adulterie and Fornication with death the Husband forcing his Wife the Father his Daughter and the Brother his Sister to the place of Execution The Sonnes inhabit equally after the death of their fathers occupying for the most part the possessions left them in common The Daughters have the value of the part of the Lands in money They are desirous of warres above measure they admit no unprofitable man into their Campe but such as hold servants are served with men They march in troopes both Horse and Foot lodging apart but not in that good order which is used by the Germans who distinguish both their Companies and Regiments into streets placing their baggage at their backs or flankes according to necessity They goe no round neither in their Campes nor Townes but in stead thereof one Sentinell whoopeth to another as in like case doe the Turkes The Horse-men in battell range themselves in files after the German order as doe also their foot placing all their shot on front They give a furious charge and the Enemie broken fall presently to spoile leaving to follow the execution for any small booty but being broken they fly every man home without ever turning head lying in wait by the way for their enemies whom they rob in their flight counterfeiting for the more terrour the clamour of the Tartars from whom they differ in the fashion of their Caps The Government in the times of the Kings of Hungarie which in these latter ages were still elective was administred partly by the great Officers of the Spirituality and of the Secular powers The chiefe of the Spirituality was the Archbishop of Strigonium who was ever to be the Lord Keeper or Chancellour principall Secretary of Estate and Primate of Hungaria The other Archbishop was hee of Colozza these two had fourteene Suffragan Bishops under them all now swallowed up by the Turke except Sirigonium Nitria â—averâ—ne and â—â—cia The chiefe Officer of the Secularitie is the Palatine of Hungaria chosen by the States and Lords of the Kingdome his authoritie is marvellous large both in the Court of the King the Courts of Justice in the ordinary Diets and especially in the vacancie of the Throne The Kingdome of Hungaria is now divided betweene three First the Turke who hath the greater part and is Master of Buda it selfe the chiefe Citie of the Kingdome Secondly Bethien Gabor who possesses most of the upper Hungarie lying betwixt Transilvania and the River Tibiscus and the third part is in possession of the Emperour whose sonne was lately chosen King of Hungaria For the due administration of Justice under the Secular the ancient Lords divided their Land into twenty Counties appointing to every County a Baron for Governour with one and twenty Doctors of Law to be his Assistants reserving ever to themselves an Appeale for the redresse of Injustice and preventing of extortion Now since the Princes of Austria got the Crowne their tyrannie so yoketh the Peasants that nothing may bee done without the Lords leave Insomuch that these people living in the true condition of slavery want nothing but the name thereof In the time of the ancient government when the Kings would alter any thing in the administration of the Common-weale undertake a forren warre or conclude a peace there assembled together at one place three degrees of Subjects Barons Bishops and Gentlemen with consent of the greater part whereof the Kings had authority to confirme abrogate or institute lawes to denounce warre to conclude peace and to charge their Land with impositions fit for their necessities This assembly is still in use but the freedome thereof is altered nothing being at this day propounded to the assembled by the new Governours but a contribution of money to which demand at a day given the Nobility give their resolutions which in the yeere 96. and 97. when the Turkish Emperour threatned to descend himselfe in person was That the Nobility would put themselves in Campania with their Forces and promised for their subjects for so they terme their Peasants that every Housholder should send a man and give two Dollars of money for entertainment of Souldiers but the Turkish Emperour not comming in person the Gentiles did not further bind themselves than that their subjects should pay every house one Dollar with which money were to be waged 20000. horse and foot the halfe of which never appeared in field there being not at any time in armes under the three Generals of Teufeubach in upper Hungarland of Palfeis upon the border of Danubius and of Zerius in nether Hungarland above nine thousand men And at the battell of Keresture in 96. where were assembled the greatest forces that could bee made by the three Confederates Germany Hungary and Transilvania the Combatants amounted not to above 51000. viz. out of Hungarland arrived six thousand horse and 10000. foot out of Transilvania six thousand horse and 12000. foot out of Germany nine thousand five hundred horse and seven thousand foot The Germans were so well appointed horse and foot as for quantity of Armes and goodnesse of horse nothing could be better devised Of the foot the third part were Pikes armed compleat the rest were shot whereof three parts were Muskets the Horsemen were allarmed many of whose Curases were Musket-proofe some of them carried five Pistols most foure all two That which was indeed a want amongst them was that three parts were Servants according to the German custome many of whom tooke pay for eight Horses The Hungarish and Transilvanian foot were all naked part of whom carried Fire-lockes of two foot and the residue Pikes of nine foot long either Armes of small or no use either in offence or defence whether in Forts Streights or Campania The Horse-men carried hollow Launces of twelve foot long which they brake by the helpe of a leather thong fastened to their saddles for the rest they were armed according to their meanes the rich with Curaâ—es the meane with Shirts the poore with Sleeves of Male and all with Caskes which kind of arming as it maketh them much defective in proofe so are they of lesse worth for their horses which for their manner of riding bridles and saddâ—â—s are more forceable to doe execution upon victory to make excursions and to discover than they be either to give or to sustaine a charge Their forces by Water or to speake more properly the Emperours were much impaired by the losse of
party-coloured Ensignes These and such like furnitures doe cause them to bee discerned of their fellowes make them seeme terrible to their Enemies and doe encourage their minds to fiercenesse and prowesse Their Horse are but small yet very nimble and farre more couragious than the Dutch It is thought that upon necessity Poland is able to raise an hundred thousand horse and Lituania seventy thousand but far inferiour in goodnesse to the Polish They have so great trust in the great number of their horse that nothing fearing the power of any Enemies they regard not the building of Fortresses but resolve that they are able to defend their Country their Wives and Children their liberty and goods in the open field against any Prince whatsoever boasting that in either chance of warre they never turned their backes Sigismund Augustus laboured that in the Diets of the Kingdome order might be taken for the fortifying of Cracovia because of neighbour-hood of the Emperour but he could never effect it partly because it should not give their Kings opportunity of absolute authority and tyrannicall Emperie partly because they thinke themselves by noble courage sufficiently able to defend the Kingdome They have no infanterie for all the people of the Kingdome are divided either into Merchants and Artificers which inhabit the Cities or labourers which live in the country in such subjection as we spake of before and this is the reason that the Gentlemen onely goe to the war and will not in any case serve on foot but alwaies when occasion serveth they doe give wages unto the German and Hungarish footmen and of these King Stephen in his journey into Livonia entertained under his colours little lesse than 16000. to convey his great Ordnance 1609. Sigismund being called into Moscovie by the treason of Sulskey who had slaine Demetrius his Lord and Master in Mosco departed from Cracovia with 30000. horse and 10000. foot exceedingly well furnished and resolute Wherein in truth consisteth the sole commendation of the Polish Gentlemen As for manners for the most part they are discourteous and uncivill a very murderous and wicked people especially in their drunkennesse and that towards strangers For Pioners they use the Tartars and their owne unplandish people The Kingdome is sufficiently furnished stored with great Ordnance and all furniture belonging thereto of which it can suffer no manner of scarcitie first because the Gentlemen and Noblemen keepe many in their castles next for the neighbour-hood of Germany which is exceeding rich in Metall to that use and plentifull of Antificers to forge anything belonging thereunto And though it is not usuall to see many castles in Polonia yet the Fortresses of Leopolis and Camentzie in Russia the Castle of Cracovia in the lesse Poland Polocensis on the Frontiers of Moscovia Mariembourge and some other Townes in Livonia are peeces in truth of great strength These forces of Polonia which wee have spoken of are such in quantity and quality that few Nations in Europe can equall them none surpasse them one thing they want and that is Celeritie For to the sure strengthening of every Kingdome foure things are required that is to say That their forces be of their owne subjects That it be Populous Valiant and Quicke their owne because it is dangerous trusting to a stranger Populous because of re-enforcements after checkes or overthrowes Valiant because number without courage little availeth yea it bringeth forth confusion And Quicke that they may lightly move and speedily be drawne whither necessitie enforceth The last of these foure are Polacks especially want that is Celerity occasioned two waies First for defect of absolute authority in the Prince which is much checked by prolonging and adjourning of Parliaments procured many times by the frowardnesse of the Nobilitie And secondly for want of ready money and quicke levies thereof For the King hath no power to determine any thing to denounce warre to impose taxes or to gather treasure without the consent of these Parliaments and these Parliaments where it is necessary that many be present are like an Engine made of many peeces which without losse of time can neither easily be joyned nor readily moved For in warlike affaires those Princes make best speed which are best able to command and have most money in readinesse otherwise in appointing and ordering the Diets and devising that the Actions may answer the Counsels than in executing and in providing of money there hapneth such losse of time that little is left for the beginning of the journey much lesse to accomplish Besides the Barons and Nobles are at such charges and tarry so long when they are there that at their departure they have little left to maintaine after-charges It may be that for the defence of the State quicker and readier resolution would bee taken because of the imminent danger fatall in generall But for the conquest of any forren place I beleeve they will alwaies proceed with like flownesse and irresolution for the hope of good doth not so much move vs as the feare of evill Yet hath our age seene in the reigne of Sigismund Augustus the Moscovite to have conquered the Provinces of Moloch and Smolock and that without resistance or revenge a cowardize ill beseeming so great a King and so mighty a State as likewise hee invaded Livonia without impeachment which had shadowed it selfe under the protection of the said Sigismund In the daies of Henry of Anjow Iohn Prince of Moldavia even he that with an undaunted spirit and famous victory held warre against the Turke was shamefully forsaken of them contrary to the covenants of confederacy betweene him and this Sigismund concluded So that we must needs confesse that such as is the courage valour and reputation of the Prince such is the resolution alacrity and forces of the Polackes of themselves populous valiant and couragious Stephen Bathori had good testimony hereof in whose time Polonia not onely maintained the honour of a King sufficient to defend it selfe from forren Armes but also to make conquests of great matters from most potent Enemies And seeing we have spoken of Celerity a vertue most necessary for every State it shall not bee amisse to speake of the causes thereof which as is aforesaid are two viz. The reputation of the Prince which giveth it life and store of Coine which preserves it in action for wee have seene in mightiest Armies the body by the slownesse of the head to have spent the time most idly and very famous victories for want of money to give continuall motion to action to have brought forth small or no effects Besides the disposition of a Souldier is a great helpe hereunto for no man can truly praise the German and Bohemian Foot-men for Celerity but this commendation without doubt is proper to the Italian Spaniard and Frenchmen not onely for that they are of better constitution of body but for that which in warre is all in all they are better contented
and standing in manner of Lakes as the Lakes of Gir and Ighidâ—â—ikengan to the great comfort of Travellers and preservation of the Inhabitants They live without any forme of Law in manner of bruâ—e beasts leading a miserable life What learning meaneth they know not and vertue they absolutely defie They are altogether addicted to hunting notorious theeves and most dangerous to Merchants Yet there live amongst them many Africans and Arabians civill and courteous entertainers of strangers and true of their words In comparison of the other Africans they live but a short time the strongest bodies not exceeding the yeares of sixtie Yet for the time they are very healthfull slender and leane of bodie riding upon Camels and feed very sparingly as also very patient of thirst and hunger Bread they know not but live upon Milke Camels flesh and butter Their clothing is a short rayment and rude scarce covering their middle Some of them cover their heads with blacke cloth in fashion of a Turbant Their Nobilitie goeth attired in a kinde of long garment like a shirt made of blew Cotton-wooll with large sleeves In stead of beds they use the greene bankes or Mats wrought of Bulrushes Their Tents are either wrought of Chamblet or of a course kinde of Wooll which they finde amongst the Date-trees The Land of Negroes or Aethiopia THis Region taketh his name either from the colour of the Inhabitants or from the River Niger Some Writers affirme that excepting Aegypt this Country was first inhabited and yet at this day is scarcely knowne although in latitude it containeth very neere foure hundred miles By reason of its situation neere the Torrid Zone it is extreme hot yet not altogether uninhabited Yea it is most full of Inhabitants and in some places alwayes Spring-time On this side the Riuer Cananga which is â—he bounder of thâ—se blacke people the Countrey is most drie sâ—ndie and desart but beyond for the most part fruitful by reason of their continuall letting of water from the River Niger running thorow the middest of the Countrey Whereby all the grounds which lye neere thereunto or such as participate of this water are exceeding fruitfull both in Graine Cattell Scarlet-die Cucumbers Onions and such like sawces But they have no trees save one which bringeth forth fruit not much unlike a Chest-nut but somewhat bitterer About the banks of Niger there are no Mountaines nor Valleyes but many Woods stored with Elephants and other strange creatures watered with many Lakes and Mists compacted with the over-flowings of Niger Here raine neither profiteth nor damnifieth but in the over-flowing of Niger consisteth welfare even as it doth in Aegypt by the mundation of Nilus For even as Nilus so this forty dayes from the five and twentieth of Iune increaseth and in so many againe falleth so that during those fourescore dayes they faile over the whole Land in Boats and Barges The Inhabitants derived their originall from Chuâ— the son of Cham the son of Noe whom at the first they worshipped as Lord of Heaven Afterward they received the Jewish Lawes and persevered thereiâ— many yeares untill they received the Christian faith But sithence the Alâ—â—mâ—â—an inperst it on impoisoned the whole confines of Lybia they likewise turned excepting some few Provinces which to this day observe the Christian Rites Towards the Ocean Sea they are all Idolaters and Gentiles Generally they all lead a brutish life farre different from the instinct of reason from imployment of wit and manuary Sciences They are exceeding luxurious by reason whereof the Countrey swarmeth with Whores But they that inhabit the good Townes are a great deale more neat and civill than these other Africans They live not long yet retaine they their wonted vigour and the soundnesse of their teeth to their last gaspe The Countrey was once divided into five and twentie Kingdomes now reduced to three that is to say the Kingdome of Tombut the Kingdome of Borneo and the Kingdome of Gâ—oga Besides Gualata hath its proper King Gualata is distant from the Ocean an hundred miles it is very small and containeth but three Boroughs with some Territory of ground Hamlets and Date-bearing fields thereunto adjacent The Inhabitants are most blacke lovers of Strangers exceeding poore without any government Gentrie or Judges Tombut taketh his name of a Citie so called and lyeth beyond the River Canaga It is exceeding plentifull of Corne Cattell Milke and Butter Salt they have none but buy it at a deare rate at the hands of Merchants Of Horse they have infinite store The King thereof is very rich as a Prince raigning over many other kingdomes and is Lord of some Ingots which weigh thirteene hundred pound weight He keepeth a royall Court guarded with three thousand Horse-men and many more foot armed with Bowes and impoysoned Arrowes Hee is an utter enemie to the Jewes and doth not only forbid them his Kingdome but likewise confiscateth those his subjects goods of whom he understandeth that they use any Trafficke with any of that Nation He maintaineth a great number of learned men The buildings of his imperiall Citie are built of mud and thatch except one faire Temple and the Kings Palace which are wrought of stone and Lime Sweet Springs are every where to be found in this Countrey and the people are courteous and merry spending the third part of their time in songs and dancing They are very rich and especially the Stranger Infinite sorts of Manuscripts are brought hither from Barbarie which are here sold at very high rates Gago is the name of the chiefe City where the King resideth It is very large without Wals and distant foure hundred miles from Tombut The buildings are very base except those which pertaine to the King and the Nobility Fresh water is here very frequent with plenty of Corne Rice and Flesh but of fruits except the Melon the Citron great scarcity The Merchants are very rich and their wares sumptuous and precious but excessive deare Borneo is a large Countrey hath upon the West Guangara and towards the East it reacheth almost five hundred miles In some places it is plaine in some mountainous The plaine Countrey is replenished with many Market Townes from whence commeth great store of Corne. The Mountaines are inhabited with Neat-herds and Sheep-herds and bring forth Mill and other fruits to us unknowne The Inhabitants are Infidels living like beasts neither knowing their proper wives nor their owne Children They have no names at all but are distinguished by bodily accidents The King is a mighty Prince as maintaining three thousand Horse and infinite troops of foot but hath no other Revenue than what he taketh by force from his Enemies Gaoga lieth betweene the Kingdome of Borneo and the desarts of Nubia stretched out five hundred miles in length and breadth The Inhabitants are uncivill ignorant and most rude especially the Mountainers They goe naked all save their privities Their houses are built of
effect he first sent his three sonnes Abdel Abnet and Mahumet on pilgrimage to Meca and Medina to visit and worship the Sepulcher of their great Prophet Mahumet The young men returned from their pilgrimage with such opinion and estimation of holinesse and Religion if it bee lawfull to use these termes to so great impiety and fopperie that the Inhabitants as they travelled could hardly be kept from kissing their garments and adoring them as Saints They againe as men wrapt in deepe contemplation journied through the Provinces sighing and sobbing and crying with a high voice Ala Ala. They had no other sustenance but the almes of the people Their father received them with great joy and contentment and perceiving the favour and opinion of the people not to bee like a nine dayes wonder but to continue fresh and the same as at the first resolved to make use thereof and thereupon sent two of them Abnet and Mahumet to the Court at Fez. The King received them kindly and made one of them President of the famous College of Amadorac and the younger Tutor of his Children In processe of time when they perceived the King to grace them and the people to favour them by the Counsell of their father taking occasion of the grievances which the Arabians and Moores serving under the Portugall Ensignes had done to the professors of their superstition they desired leave of the King to display a Banner against the Christians making him beleeve that they would easily draw the Portugal Moores to their partie and so secure the Provinces of Sus Hea Deucala and Maroch Muly mazer the Kings brother resisted this petition alleaging that if once under the shew of holinesse they grew to head it would not afterwards lie in his power to suppresse them under his obedience For warre makes men awlesse victories insolent popularity ambitious and studious of innovation But the King in whose heart their hypocriticall sanctimony had taken a deepe impression little regarding his brothers counsell gaue them a Banner a Drumme and twenty horsemen to accompanie them with Letters of credence to the Princes of Arabie and Cities of Barbarie In these beginnings many things falling out to their honour and good liking they beganne to make incursions into Deucala and the Countrey of Safi ranging as farre as the promontory Aguer then under the government of the Portugals and perceiving themselves to be favoured strong and well followed urged the people who for the most part in those dayes lived in liberty to aid those which fought for their Law and Religion against the Christians as likewise with willing mindes to give God his tithes which they obtained of the people of Dara Then by little and little they incroached upon the territory of Taradant of which they made their Father Governour and invaded Sus Hia Deucala and the neighbouring places They first seated themselves in Tedâ—â—st and after in Tesarot In their next journey but with the losse of their Brother they defeated Lopes Barriga a great Warriour and Captaine generall of the Portugall Armie By flattering speeches they entred Marocho poisoned the King and proclaimed Amet-Xeriffe King of the Country After this hapned the warre of the Arabians of Deucala and Xarquia with the Arabians of Garbi where while each party weakned other and either promised to himselfe the favour and assistance of the Xeriffes they turned their armes upon both factions and carried rich preyes from both Nations Before this warre they sent unto the King the fifth part of all their spoiles but after this victory little regarding their Soveraigne they sent him onely six Horses and six Camels and those very leane and ill shapen Which the King disdaining sent to demand his fifths and also the Tribute which the Kings of Marocho were accustomed to pay to him which if they denied hee vowed revenge with fire and sword In the meane time the King died and Amet his Sonne once the pupill of the younger Xeriffe not onely allowed but also confirmed Amet in the Kingdome of Marocho upon condition that in some things he should acknowledge the King of Fez to be his Lord paramount To this the Xeriffes whose power and estimation daily increased when the day of paiment of the tribute came willed the messenger to say unto his Master that they were the lawfull successors of Mahumet and therefore that they were bound to pay tribute to no Man yea that they had more right to Africke than he had but if he would reckon them in the number of his friends no doubt but it would turne to his good and honour for if hee diverted them from the warre of the Christians they would not leave him so much as a heart to defend himselfe The King taking this in ill part proclaimed warre against them and besieged Marocho but for that time was constrained to dislodge Afterward returning with eighteene thousand Horse-men and two thousand Harquebusiers to renew the siege as soone as he had past the River hee was overcome of the Xeriffs who led an Armie of seven thousand Horse and one thousand two hundred shot In the pride of this victory they exacted Tribute of this Province and passing Atlas they tooke the famous City Tafilet and partly by love and partly by force compelled divers people of Numidia and the Mountaines to beare the yoke of their subjection In the yeare 1536. the younger Xeriffe which called himselfe King of Sus gathering together a mighty Armie with great store of Artillery part whereof hee tooke from the King of Fez and part whereof were cast by certaine Renegada Frenchmen made a journey to Cape Aguer This place is of great consequence and possessed by the Portugals who built it and fortified it first at the expences of Lopes Sequiera and then at the charges of King Emanuel after he understood of the commodious situation thereof It was fiercely assaulted and as valiantly defended untill the fire beganne to take hold upon the Bulwarke where their Gun-powder was stowed with which misfortune the companies appointed for the defence of that quarter growing fearefull and faint-hearted gave way for the Xeriffe to enter who made slaves of the greatest part of the defendants After which victory they subdued almost all Atlas the Kingdome of Marocho and the Arabians which were vassals to the Crowne of Portugal the residue as Safi Azamon Arzil and Aleazar places situated upon the Sea-coast of Mauritania King Iohn the third perceiving the prose not to equalize the charge voluntarily resigned These prosperous beginnings brought forth sowre ends for the Brethren falling at discord twice put their fortunes upon the hazard of a battell twice the yonger overcame the elder tooke him and cast him into prison in the City Tafilet Then turned he his Arms against the King of Fez tooke him prisoner and restored him to his liberty but taking him againe for breach of Covenants deprived him and his Son of life and Kingdome By the valour of his
Sonnes he tooke the City Tremissen But Sal Aries Vice-Roy of Algier being jealous of these good fortunes gathered a puissant host recovered Tremissen put the Xeriffe to flight tooke Fez and bestowed it with the Territory upon the Lord of Velez who afterward in a battell against the Xeriffe lost both life and Kingdome At last in his journey to Taradant by the subordination of the Vice-Roy of Algier he was murdered in his Tent by certaine Turkes who with their Captaine Assen comming to Taradant rifled the Kings Treasures but were all slaine except five by the Inhabitants in their journey homewards This came to passe 1557. when Muley Abdala the Xeriffes sonne was proclaimed King Let this suffice for the originall of the Xeriffe now let vs see how these risings were like the fortunes of Ismael King of Persia. Both of them in small time conquered many Provinces both grew great by the ruine of their Neighbours both suffered crosses by the armes of the Turkes and to them lost part of their Dominions Selim tooke from Ismael Caramit and divers other Cities of Mesopotamia The Vice-Roy of Algier drove the Xeriffe from Tremissen and the adjacent Territory Selim won Tauris the chiefe seat of Persia and then gave it over Sal Aries tooke Fez the head City of Mauritania and left it This Potentate is absolute Lord of the bodies and goods of his Subjects whatsoever imposition he layeth on them they repine not thereat For Tribute hee taketh the tenth and the first fruits of their fruits and cattell yet is it most true that for first fruits he taketh not above one in twenty and though it exceed that number even to one hundred yet he nevertaketh above two Of every Acre of Land he taketh a ducat and the fifth part and so much of every houshold and so of every pole male and female above fifteene yeares of age yearely If he want he taketh a greater summe To make the people more willing to pay what is imposed he alwaies demandeth more than is paid that so by paying their due they may thinke they are well dealt withall in seeming to be forgiven somewhat of his full demand The Inhabitants of the Mountaines a savage people for the difficult accesse unto them hee cannot inforce to pay tribute but those that manure the plaines hee constraineth to give the tenth of their harvest Besides these Revenues he taketh Toll and Custome of all kindes of Merchandize in Cities inward of a citizen two in the hundred of a stranger ten His rent of Mils is a great matter for upon every Asse load of Graine grinded in Fez he taketh halfe a reall in this Towne there are above foure hundred Mils The Church of Carruven was indowed with 80000. Ducats of yearely Revenue the Colleges and Monasteries of Fez with much more which now are escheated into the Kings Coffers Moreover he is heire to all the Judges whom they call Alcaids and hath the bestowing of all their Offices When they die he seizeth upon all their Horses Armour Apparell and all their other Chattels If the intestate leave Children behind him fit for the warre he bestoweth his Fathers annuitie upon them if they be Sons and young he nurseth them till they come to full yeares if Daughters he maintaineth them till they finde husbands To be fiâ— gring the wealth of the richer sort he hath some Office of Lieutenantship with an annuitie to sell them but commonly to prevent those sales they will not be knowne of their abilities removing their aboads farre from the Court and Kings sight which is the cause that the City of Fez is much fallen from the ancient splendour Hee hath no Castles or peeces well fortified but onely Aguer Larach lately taken and Tituan upon the Sea side His chiefest confidence is in the valour of his Souldiers especially his Horse-men like the Turke and Persian In this regard he taketh no great care to furnish himselfe with Ordnance yet hath he great store thereof in Fez Marocho Taradant and in the aforesaid haven Townes taken from the Portugals and others As he seeth occasion he causeth new to be cast for which service he can want no workmen out of Europe In Marocho he hath an Arsenall wherein he layeth up monethly at least forty six Quintals of Gun-powder Here he causeth his Harquebushes and Bowes likewise to be made In the yeare 1569. by fire which hapned among the Gun-powder houses the greatest part of the City was very much defaced His souldiery is of divers sorts the first consisteth of 2700. Horsemen and 2000. Harquebushers part lying in Garrison in Fez and part in Marocâ—o where also lyeth the Court. The second consisteth as a man may say of a royall troope of 6000. horse all Gentlemen Pensioners and of great reputation These ride upon brave Horses with rich Caparisons their Armes and Furniture shining with Gold Silver Stones and all things else which for variety of colours or rich devices may delight the eye with a gallant shew or feed the humour of the curious beholder To these servitors besides their allowance of Corne Provender Butter and Flesh for themselves their Wives Children and Servants they receive yearely from seventy to one hundred ounces of Silver The third sort are a kinde of Timariots for the Xeriffe doth allot a certaine portion of Land and Tenants to his Sonnes Brethren and Men of quality amongst the people of Africke and Arabia for the maintenance of their degrees Those whom they terme Alcaids looke to the manuring of the fields gather the rents of Corne Rice Oats Oyle Butter Flesh Poultry and Mony and distribute it monthly amongst the Souldiers to every man according to his place They likewise give them Linnen Woollen and Silke for their Garments Armour and Horses for service If their horses chance to be slaine they give them new so did the Romans to those which served on the horses of the State The Commanders of these troops are very carefull to see their souldiers in heart and full of life excellent well armed and competently attired They receive betweene foure and twenty and thirty ounces of Silver yearely The fourth sort make the Arabians who commonly live in Tents divided by 120. under their severall Leaders to bee alwaies ready upon all occasions They serve on Horse-backe but more like Theeves and Out-lawes than Souldiers The fifth sort is like the presse of the Christian Common-weales These companies consist of Citizens Villagers and Mountaine-people Of these men the King maketh no reckoning neither doth he willingly arme them for feare of sedition and innovation unlesse it be to war upon the Christians wherein he cannot forbid them to serve For upon remembrance of the slaughter of the Moors by the Christians spoken of in their Mahumeticall Legend the more Christians they slay the easier they thinke shall be their passage to Heaven Hereupon you shall see herds of people running to this warre desiring there to die
Manicongo Coâ—go Mombassa Quiolasafola Melinde Mosambique Monâ—â—â—â—gi with the rest within land are all inhabited with Moores Mahumetans Heathen and barbarous people who live plentifully upon those good nutriments which God and nature hath provided for those places traffiking and bartering one with another some for Ambergrice Wax Silver Copper and Rice some for Gold Pearle Linnen and Silks and others for Ivory Cotton and such inbred commodities as each Province peculiarly can spare to the necessities of the other Monomotapa seemeth to be civiller and better governed than any of the residue and is almost an Island lying betweene the Rivers of Cuama and Spirito Sancto from whence it stretcheth along the Sea-coast to the Cape of good Hope and on the North to the Kingdome of Moâ—emugi It is an hundred and fifty leagues in compasse and all the Vice-Royes or Lieutenants throughout that whole territory doe acknowledge the King thereof for their Soveraigne Of Townes and Villages they have few but Cottages many and those compacted of timber thatcht Cities there are also many whereof Zimbas and Benemetaxa are betweene twenty and five and twenty miles distant from Sofola towards the West The soile aboundeth with Corne and Cattell great and small wandring by herds through the fields and woods By the store of teeth from thence yearely transported we can but conjecture that lesse than five Elephants cannot but die in this Country these beasts are herevery huge There is no climate like it for plenty of Gold for there are said to be three thousand Mines whereout Gold is usually digged Which commodity is also found as well in the Plaines as in Rocks and in Rivers Whereof the Mine of Manica Boro Quiticui and Teroâ— which some men all Butna are the chiefest So that some men are of opinion that out of this Countrey Salomon procured his Gold and Ivory to be brought unto Ierusalem Which seemeth not unlikely for that in this Kingdome were found many old and Prince-like buildings and those very costly in Timber Stone Chalke and Wood which in the Countries thereabouts are not to be found The Government is great and extendeth over many warlike people all Pagans meane of stature blacke well set and very swift Their weapons are Darts and light Targets and the men much given to rebellion the cause wherefore the Prince retaineth the heires of his vassall Princes to be secured of their parents as also that he entertaineth strong Regiments in severall Provinces divided into legions after the Roman manner Amongst the which that he accounteth his battalion of Amazons comparable for trust of person to the Turkish Pretorian Ianizars with their manner of warfare copulation and educating of their males according to the ancient custome of those masculine Viragoes you may by my leave confidently beleeve because some late travellers have as lately reported it But truth it is that according to their uncivill civility they converse with the King kneeling on their knees and to sit in his presence is the use with them as with us to stand and that is granted but to great Lords onely The assay of meat and drinke is not made before but after the Prince hath eat and drunke Here are no prisons because Law passeth upon the offender in the very moment wherein the offence was committed The offences most severely punished are Witch-craft Theft and Adultery They pay no other tribute but certaine daies worke and presents without which no man may appeare in the Princes presence The King beareth in his Coat-Armour a little spade with an Ivory handle and two small Darts One of them not long since was converted and baptized by Gonsalva Silva a Iesuite with the greater part of his Courtiers but afterwards by the perswasion of certaine Moores in great credit about him hee caused him to bee slaine Sebastian King of Portugall offended hereat proclaimed warre against him under the leading of Francisco Berotio This Armie consisted of sixteene hundred the greatest part Gentlemen to whom the Monomotapa fearing their Armes and valour offered honourable conditions but the Captaine whom no offer or indifferency could satisfie was overcome and his Armie utterly consumed yet not by the enemy but by sicknesse and in the infectious aire of the Country Aegypt IN this description I will rather follow the opinion of Ptolomy and some others who make it a part of Africa than those who either referre some portion thereof to Asia and the residue to Africke It is a most noble and ancient Region much celebrated both in Scripture and other profane Writers for the excellency and antiquity thereof In holy Writ as witnesseth Iosephus it is called Misraim and so the Inhabitants For Misraim was the Sonne of Chus the Sonne of Cham the Sonne of Noe. The Arabians call the country Mesre but the Inhabitants Chibeth for such was his Name that first brought his Colonie into these parts It is plaine sandy and low Land without Mountaines which is the reason that it cannot be seene afar off the aire is hot and infectious and therefore either to avoid or mollifie the intolerable heat of Summer Sunne the Inhabitants are accustomed in all their Cities upon the tops of their Houses to build open Tarases to let the wind drive in thorow all their roomes Yet is not this Country as the rest of Africke infested with the Southerne winds ingendred of heat but is especially refreshed with the Northerne which here is moist and in other places drie It hath no Earth-quakes nor showres but of very able fertility and if it raine as it seldome doth it bringeth many diseases as Murres Catars Agues and such like The inundation of Nilus is mother of all fertility the want thereof an assured prediction of famine and scarcitie The Country is full of cuts and inlets from this River which long agoe Sesostris caused to bee intrenched left those Townes which were situated from the maine banke in the heart of the Kingdome should want water upon the ebbing of the River This inundation causeth such plentifull harvests that through the whole earth better increase and speedier ripenesse is not to be found The wealth hereof is rather to be admired than estimated in reviewing the spendor magnificence of their regall Antiquities their Labyrinths their Pyramides water-works all built and perfected at inestimable charges The ruines whereof are to be seene at this day whereunto the bravest Monuments of the Roman Empire are nothing comparable The revenue of this Kingdome in times past both in regard of the fertilitie of Nilus and the infinite quantity of Merchandize transported from Aethiopia Arabia and India hath beene very great Some report saith Ptolomie that Auletes received from hence twelve millions and fifty talents which according to the computation of Budaeus ariseth to seven millions and a halfe of Crownes the Romans received a farre greater masse but now by the Portugall Navigations it yeeldeth the Turke no such reckoning Howbeit
confesse the truth the great Dukes have mightily inlarged their bounds and have taken the great Duchies of Severin and Smoloneke Bulchese Prescovia Novogrod Iaroslave and Roscovia some of them from the Polaques and some from other Potentates they possessed thirtie great Townes in Lituania with Narve and Dorp in Livonia but they are all quite gone being of late yeares surprized by the Kings of Poland and Sweveland The chiefe Citie of the Kingdome is Mosco where the Patriarch resideth Roscovia and Novogrod are the Seats of Archbishops Cortisa Resania Columna Susdelia Casan Vologda Tuera Smoloncke Plescovia Staritia Sloboda Ieroslave Volodomir from whence the Kings Seat was translated to Mosco by Iohn the second Mosayco Saint Nicholas Suâ—ana Vstium and Gargapolia are Bishoprickes The Emperour abideth in the Citie of Mosco which taketh his name from the River arising fourescore and ten miles higher into the Countrey The Citie hath beene greater than now it is and was nine miles compasse the forme thereof is in a manner round invironed with three wals the one within the other and streets lying betweene whereof the inmost wall and the buildings closed within it lying safest as the heart within the body fenced and watered with the River Mosco that runneth close by it is all accounted the Emperours Castle The number of houses thorow the whole Citie being reckoned by the Emperour a little before it was fired by the Enemie was accounted to be 41500. in all But since it was sacked 1571. and burnt by the Tartars it containeth not above five miles According to Possevinus a Writer of good judgement and industrie there are housed in this Citie thirty thousand people besides Oxen and other Cattell Doctor Fletcher writeth that it is not much bigger than the Citie of London Novograde hath the name of Great and yet the same Author alloweth it not above twenty thousand Inhabitants as likewise Smoloncke and Plescovia As the Russe saith here was committed that memorable warre so much spoken of in histories of the Scythian servants that tooke armes against their Masters who in memory of their great victorie have ever since in their coine stamped the figure of a horse-man shaking a whip aloft in his hand This seemeth most incredible to me if it bee true as some write that Plescovia when King Stephen of Poland besieged it had within it fifty thousand foot-men and seven thousand Horse Truly this is a great number and though they were not all Moscovites yet this reckoning asketh a great proportion of Inhabitants For if the King thrust in fifty seven thousand fighting men it must needs be that the Inhabitants were very many moe Some will have it that in times past the Country was better replenished with people and that afterwards it became desolate for three causes the first was the Plague a new disease in Moscovie which gleaned away many thousand soules the second the Tyranny of their Emperours who have put infinite numbers to death especially of the Nobility the third the Incursions and robberies of the Tartars Precopians and the Nagayans which never cease vexing their bordering neighbours For the nature of these roguish Tartars is to make spoile of all men and to captivate their bodies selling them to the Turkes and other Nations By reason whereof many farre removed Provinces partly upon feare and partly upon policie are suffered to lie waste and unmanured And this is all the good which ambitious Princes gaine by their undiscreet invasions of their neighbours to the destruction of their people and their owne vexation No Prince made longer journeyes and greater expences than the great Duke Iohn he vanquished the Kingdomes of Casan to Volga and Astrachan on the Caspian Sea he subdued a great part of Livonia But what honour what profit or what continuance of security gained he by these victories What was the end of this warre In those expeditions perished infinite numbers of men in journeying in assaults with the Sword with sicknesse with hunger and other extremities When he had overcome them he was enforced to keepe great Garrisons yea to bring thither whole Colonies Besides when men were so farre from home either busied in getting other mens goods or in keeping what they had got their wives stayed at home like widdowes and the inward part of the Realme remained empty as a heart void of bloud wanting his necessary nutriment whilst the Inhabitants were wasted on the skirts of the Kingdome And therefore when it was invaded by King Stephen of Poland these remote forces were wanting to make resistance and through this oversight he lost againe Pozovia and other peeces of good reckoning yea and was enforced to leave the whole possession of Livonia to the Polander To proceed the soyle of the Countrey for the most part is of a sleight sandy mould yet very much different one place from another for the yeeld of such things as grow out of the earth Northwards toward the parts of Saint Nicholas and Chola and North-East toward Siberia it is barren and full of desart Woods by reason of the climate and extremity of cold So likewise along the River Volga betwixt the Countries of Casan Astrachan notwithstanding the soyle be fruitfull it is all inhabited saving that upon the West-side the Emperor hath some few Castles and Garrisons in them This happened by meanes of the Chrim Tartars that will neither plant Townes to dwell in living a wilde and vagrant life nor suffer the Russe being farre off with Colonies to people those parts From Vologda which lieth almost a thousand seven hundred versts from the Port of Saint Nicholas downe toward Mosco and to toward the South parts that border upon the Chrim containing the like space of a thousand seven hundred Verstz or thereabouts it is a very pleasant and fruitfull Countrey yeelding Pasture and Corne with Wood and Water in great store and plenty The like is betweene Rezan lying South-East from Mosco to Novogrode and Vobsco that reacheth farthest towards the North-West So betwixt Mosco and Smolensko that lieth South-West towards Lituania is a very fruitfull and pleasant soyle and also very fertill and commodious for those Inhabitants that dwell therein The Countrey differeth very much from it selfe by reason of the yeare so that a man would marvell to see the great alteration and difference betwixt Winter 〈…〉 In Winter it lieth under snow which falleâ—◠〈…〉 unually sometime a yard or two of thicknesse but deeper towards the North. The Rivers and other waters are frozen up a yard or more thicke how swift or broad soever they bee And this continueth commonly five moneths viz. from the beginning of November till towards the end of March about which time the snow beginneth to melt The sharpnesse whereof you may judge by this for that water dropped downe or cast up into the aire congealeth into Ice before it come to the ground In extremity of weather if you hold a pewter dish or a pot in your
wealth As may be ghessed by that That 1589. out of Siberia onely by way of custome were collected foure hundred threescore and six timber of Sables five timber of Martrons one hundred eightie cases of black Foxes besides other commodities To these may be added Seisures Confiscations and Incomes of like nature whereof I will shew you some cases As by coyning his Plate into money in shew of want thereby to colour some new taxations so did Theodor Iuanowich And as by suffering every man to give unto Monasteries what pleaseth him that the wealth being stowed in grosse the Prince may come by it the readier to satisfie his pleasure So did Iuan Vasilowich wringing from some Bishops and Monasteries one hundred thousand rubbles from some fortie and from others fiftie c. For the subtile Friers are content without noise to part from somewhat rather than by clamour to indanger the losse of the whole By forestalling homebred commodities and ingrossing the forren as Silkes Cloth Lead Pearle To give out monopolies for staying of Sables till the Emperors be vented By rent corne and provision of victuall hee hath some yeares raised two hundred thousand rubbles Of rent wood hay c. thirtie thousand rubbles But the most Unchristian abuse is that in every great towne he hath a Caback or Tap-house to sell Aqua-vite Mead Beare c. wherein besides the vice of drunkennesse many foule faults as it cannot otherwise fall out are committed The poore labouring man and artificer many times spendeth all from his wife and children Some will lay 20 thirty or forty rubbles into the Caback vowing themselves to the pot till the stock be spent and all this as the drunkard will vaunt for the honour of Hospodare viz. the Prince For for hindering this base and ungodly profit none may dare to call or intreat him out of the Caback Of these some yeeld eight hundred some nine hundred some a thousand some three thousand rubbles by yeare Sometime he will cause his Botarens or Nobles to feigne themselves robbed and then will he send for the Aldermen of the Citie to finde out the fellon and upon an Ignoramus he will sesse the Citie upon colour of misgovernment eight thousand nine thousand or ten thousand rubbles Iuan Vasilowich sent into Permia for certaine loads of Cedar wood whereof he knew none to grow in the Countrie The Inhabitants returned word that they could finde none whereupon he sessed the Countrie at 12060 rubbles So sent he to the Citie of Mosco to provide a Colpack or measure full of live fleas for a medicine They returned answer that the thing was impossible whereupon he praved or beat out of their shins seven hundred rubbles for a mulct So at another time he praved thirty thousand rubbles from his Nobilitie because he missed of his game when he went on hunting Which they againe praved out of the Monsicks or common people of the Countrie as the manner is Besides in their Diets or Parliaments they are reputed of no degree or order For therein the Nobilitie and Clergie onely have voices In all their supplications and petitions to any of the Nobles or chiefe Officers they subscribe Kelophey slaves and so doe they of the Nobilitie to the Emperor So that if a poore Mousal meeteth any of them upon the way hee must turne himselfe about and not dare to looke this Magnifico in the face but conge to the ground with his head as Priests doe to their Wafer-cakes As for the quiet enjoyment of their lands besides the taxes customes feasings and other publike exactions practised by the Emperour himselfe and permitted unto his Nobles Messengers and Officers you shall see Yammes thorow-fare townes of halfe a mile and a mile long stand uninhabited by reason of these ungodly pressures So that in the way towards Mosco betweene Vologda and Yeraslâ—ve which is some what more than an hundred English miles there have beene in sight fiftie Villages at least of the foresaid length quite disinhabited And this is the reason that the people doe not give themselves to thrive nor to trades as in former times whereby honest labour is much decaied and the present quantities of Merchandize nothing answerable to the former reckoning As well you may perceive in this one Historie wherein I will shew you two rare accidents how three Brethren Merchants did rise up to great wealth and in what manner they were fleeced They traded together in one stocke and were found to be worth three hundred thousand rubbies besides lands stocke and other commodities They that knew them report That they set ten thousand men on worke all the yeare long in making of salt carriages by cart and water hewing of wood and such like labours besides five thousand bond-slaves at least to inhabit and till their land They had all manner of Artificers Physitians Surgeons Apothecaries Dutchmen belonging unto them And for custome paid unto the Emperor came the true cause wherfore they were the longer permitted to enjoy their thrift twentie three thousand rubbles per annum besides the maintayning of certaine garrisons on the borders of Siberia which were neere unto them Now if any man object how these men could come to such an estate of wealth under such an exactious Prince First he must understand that their dwelling was in Wichida a thousand miles from Mosco and the eye of the Court Secondly that forbearance is no quittance For the Emperour was well content to use their purses untill such time as they had perfected their designes in Siberia and that by burning and cutting downe woods from Wichida to Permia a progresse of a thousand Versts they had made the land habitable But at last He envying disdayning that a Monsick should grow to be so great a man against the rules of their policie first began to pull from them sometimes twentie thousand rubbles and sometimes more and then the greatest part of their Inheritance So that at this day their Sonnes are well eased of their stocke and have but small part of their Fathers substance Neither is this State content to tyrannize ouer their bodies goods and lands but he doth the like ouer their wits and capacities For for any extraordinarie perfection in any common Art much lesse in learning you shall never see them excellent from which they are kept of purpose as they are also being no Boiardi Gentlemen from all militarie practice And because they should prove utterly unapt for any profession save servilitie they are forbidden to travell so that you shall never meet with a Russe in forren Countries except it be some Ambassadour or perhaps some stragling companion who hath narrowly escaped the watch on the borders The penalty upon taking is no lesse than confiscation of all his goods Neither will they suffer any stranger willingly to enter their Countrie further than the necessitie of venting their commodities and taking in of forren doth inforce them Their capitall punishments are hanging rodding
more than may seeme to agree with their barbarous conditions By their continuall invasions and robberies they are very pregnant and witty to devise stratagems on the sudden for their advantage As in their Warres against Beala the fourth Kings of Hungarie whom they invaded with 500000. men and obtained against him a great victory Wherein having slaine his Chancellor they found about him the Kings privie Seale and there with presently counterfeited Letters in the Kings name to the next Cities with charge That in no case they should convey themselves or their goods out of their dwelling places encouraging the people to abide therein without feare of danger and withall recounting how base a resolution it were to abandon their countrey and possessions to so barbarous a Nation as the Tartar dispraising themselves in all despightfull manner letting them to understand that though he had lost his carriages with some few straglers who had marched disorderly yet hee doubted not but to recover that losse with the fortune of a noble victory if the savage Tartar durst abide him in the field To this purpose having written their Letters in the Polish Character by the helpe of certaine young men taken prisoners in the field signed with the Kings seale they dispatched them forth to all the adjacent quarters of the Countrey whereupon the Hungarians that were now posting away with their goods wives and children on the rumour of the Kings overthrow by the comfort of these counterfeit letters stopped their journey and so being surprized were hem'd in and made a prey to the huge numbers of these barbarous Tartarians When they besiege a Towne or Fort they offer much parle and pretend many flattering courtesies to perswade a surrender and being once possessed of the place they leave no cruelty unpractised affirming that faith justice is to be kept toward no people but their owne In their encounters where they alway practise by ambushments they retire as repulsed for feare so to draw their enemies within danger but the Russe being well acquainted with this subtiltie is very wary of them When they warre in small numbers like Rovers to make their Army seeme greater they set counterfeit shapes of men on horsebacke When they give the onset they make a great and barbarous shout crying all together Olla Billa Olla Billa God helpe us God helpe us They contemne death in that desperate manner that they chuse rather to die than yeeld and when they are wounded to death past recovery they have beene seene to bite their weapons in rage wherein appeareth the great difference of courage between the Tartar the Russe and the Turke For if the Russe souldier be once put to retire all his safety is set on speedy and resolved flight and being once taken he neither defendeth himselfe nor intreateth for mercy as reckoning straight to die and the Turke commonly when he is past hope of escaping falleth to intreat and casting away his weapon offereth both his hands as it were to bee manacled chusing rather to live a slave than to die constantly The chiefest bootie they desire is to get store of captives especially young Boyes and Girles whom they sell to the Turkes or other their neighbours And the Russe borderers being used to their invasions lightly every Summer keepe few other Cattell on the borders save Swine which the Tartars will not touch nor drive away because they are of the Turkish Religion and will eat no Swines flesh Of Christ they confesse as much as the Turke doth in his Alcoran viz. That he came of the Angell Gabriel and Mary that he was a great Prophet and shall bee Judge of the world at the last day In other matters likewise they are much ordered after the manner and direction of the Turke as having felt his force at the winnings of Azon and Caffa with some other territories about the Euxine Sea which before were Tributaries to this Chrim Tartar So that at this day most usually the Emperour of the Chrim is chosen out of the Tartar Nobility by the Turks appointment and to him they give the tenths of their spoiles gotten by warre from the Christians Under the Emperour they have certaine Dukes whom they call Morses or Divoy morses that rule over a certaine number of 1000. 20000. or 40000. apeece which they terme Hords When the Emperour hath use of them in his warres they are bound to come and to bring with them their proportion of Souldiers every man with two horse at least the one to ride on the other to kill when it commeth to his turne to have him eaten For their chiefe victuall is horse-flesh which they eat without bread or any thing else with it And yet with marvell though they serve all on horsebacke and eat all of horse-flesh there are brought yearely to the Mosco to bee sold 30 or 40000 Horse So they have great droves of Kine and flocks of blacke Sheepe which they keepe rather for their skinnes than for their flesh though sometime they eat of it Townes they plant none nor other standing buildings but have moving houses built on wheeles like a Shepherds cottage these they draw with them wheresoever they goe driving their Cattell with them and when they come to their journies end they plant these Cart-houses in a ranke in forme of a Towne with large streets neither hath the Emperour himselfe other place ormanner of dwelling saying That the fixed and standing buildings of other Countries are unwholesome and unsavoury In the Spring they beginne to move their houses from the South parts towards the North and so driving on till they have grazed up all to the farthest part of the North they returne backe againe towards the South where they continue all the Winter by ten miles a stage Of Money they have no use at all preferring Brasse and Steele before other Metals which they use for swords knives and other necessaries gold and silver they neglect of purpose as also tillage to be more free for their wandring kinde of life and to keepe their Countrey lesse subject to invasions Which course indeed cannot but prove disadvantagious to the Invaders as it hapned in old time to Cyrus and Darius Histaspis For their manner is when they are invaded by flying reculing and fained feare to draw their enemies some good way into the bowels of their Countrey and then when victuals beginne to grow scarce and other extremities to oppresse their enemies as needs they must where nothing is to be had they stop up the passages and inclose them with multitudes By which policy as some write they had well-nigh surprized the Army of Tamerlane had hee not with all expedition retired towards the River Tanais For Person and Complexion they have broad and flat visages of a tawny colour firce and cruell in lookes thinne-haired on the upper lip and a pit of the chinne light and nimble bodied and short leg'd as if they were naturally created for horsemen Their
Sinan Bassa and Cicala the one his Admirall at Sea the other Visier of his Army than of the conquest of a Kingdome because by their industrie the honour of the Empire flourished and he being a corpulent man presumed to follow his pleasures fatting himselfe with all the delights that luxurie and incontinencie could invent At last this lumpe was extinguished and Achmat the first of that name is left at this present to manage the Horses of this Phaëtonticall Chariot Let no man therefore wonder at this excesse of Dominion considering how thirteene of their Princes successively have delighted in Armes and prosecuted warres in person a president from the worlds creation not to be matched by any the Commanders of the first foure and bravest Monarchies Thus much for satisfaction of admiration Now to the forme of Government which is meerely tyrannicall and different from all other as guided by the heads and strengthened by the hands of slaves who thinke it as great an honour so to be stiled and so to live as they doe with us who serve in the highest places of Princes Courts No man is master of himselfe much lesse of his house wherein he dwelleth or of the field which he tilleth except certaine families in Constantinople to whom for some good service immunitie was granted by Mahumet the second No more surety hath he of his life be he never so great longer than Durante beneplacito of the grand Seignior who disposeth thereof and of his fortunes by no other Rule than that of his will For although these great slaves attaine to immensive riches yet are they but the Collectors thereof for his Treasurie whither at their decease it returneth all except what it pleaseth him to bestow upon posterity who never are preferred to eminent place except and that of late yeares and desert plead rising fortunes Insomuch that when a Sister or a Daughter of a Sultan is given to wife to a Beglerbeg the children begotten on them doe seldome rise above the degree of private Captaine so carelesse are they of Nobility knowne parentage kindred or hereditary possessions These slaves are either the sonnes of Christians tithed in their childhoods Captives taken in the warres or Renegadoes such as have willingly quitted their Religion and Countries to fight against both and are to the Christians the most spightfull and terrible adversaries These children they call Iemoglans and are brought up under severe Tutors in divers Seraglioes distinguished by Wards like those in Hospitals according to their seniorities where all are brought up liberally and taught to write to reade to handle their weapons yea many of them to converse in secrets of State All of them thrice every weeke within the courts of their houses learne and exercise some military discipline rise every morning before day wash their bodies in cold water and then repaire to Church After they have performed these duties they are allowed a small breakfast and then are they againe to follow their Bookes or severall dispositions At mid-day at foure of the clocke in the after-noone and two houres within night before they goe to bed they must againe to pray and he that is missing at any of the prefixions is sure to have many bastinadoes on the soles of his feet They never have liberty to walke abroad no not so much as to approach the gates of their College no nor suffered to speake with any Christian or stranger It should seeme that they remove from Chamber to Chamber according to their Antiquities and Proficiencies For those of the first Chamber or Ward are first preferred yet not according to Senioritie but according to the worth of his calling and the worthinesse of the person The meanest place that at first these young Gentlemen for such is their resemblance attaine unto is to attend the grand Seignior in his Seraglio as a Page or Groome of his Chamber and those are they that are of extraordinary capacities and dexterity of wit and therefore called to great places of honour and dignitie The residue being alike brought up in their youths are either preferred to be Chauses Ianizars Spaheioglans and Silistarspaheis or taken into the Port or Gardens to servile drudgeries an inferiour offices as to fetch Hey Wood and such like provision for the Stables the Court and the Kitchins Out of the first ranks come the Beglerbegs The word signifieth Lord of Lords They were but two the one of Greece the other of Natolia but now by reason of their many conquests they are also accounted to be many Next under the Bassa their office is to command all the Horsemen in those Countries wherein they are appointed to serve The Sanziaks are Governours of Cities and Colonels of the foot and command all officers of warre and peace within their territories The Chauses goe on Embassies and execute commandements They are as Purâ—evants or under-Sheriffes Attend on the Emperour on Horse-backe and on the Courts of Justice carrying a weapon on their shoulders resembling a Mace and can also solicite the causes of Clients These are as it were the heads of this imperious government The hands are the Spachi Ianizars the maine nerves and supporters of this admired bodie The Spachi are Horse-men weaponed for the most part at once with Bow Mace Launce Harquebush and Cemiter whereof they have the severall uses agreeing with their fight flights or pursuments Of these there are reckoned to bee two and thirty thousand the one halte of them are called Spachioglans and ride on the right hand of the Sultan when they are in the field and the other are termed Silistarspachies and march on the left hand Of the Timariots in place convenient But out the Ottoman Empire both in the Field the Court and the City insomuch that the Sultans themselves have beene afraid of their insolencies yet terme they the Emperour Father for no knowne friend besides have they to relie on and hee againe in time of war committeth his person to their trust valour and fidelity In the Citie sixteene thousand are said to be continually abiding who are there imployed Constables for keeping of the peace and observation of good orders for Clerks of the Market to look to the prices and wholesomnesse of victuals for arresting of offenders and warding of the gates Some are appointed to guard the houses of Ambassadours or of such particular Christians who will bee at the charge either about the Citie or in their travels towards whom they shew themselves both civill and faithfull Notwithstanding amongst themselves as I said before they are very insolent and mutinous in regard of their great multitudes and many privileges so dangerous is an armed Souldier in a rich and peaceable City For whereas their first privileges were given them for safety of the Provinces as rewards of their abstinence and vertues as also to re-answer their benefactors confidence In these daies their insolencies are become so exorbitant
transported out of Creet into Poland and Germany is carried thorow this Country whereof the Vaivod receiveth a massie impost Of those Countries which at this day the Turks terme Natolia THat which the Turkes at this day terme Natolia or Turcia major once Asia minor comprehendeth the Provinces of Pontus Bithynia Asia it selfe Lycia Galacia Pamphylia Cappadocia Cilicia and Armenia the lesse and in these Provinces of ancient times flourished the States and Kingdomes of the Trojans of Mithridates of Craesus of Antigonus of the Paphlagonians of the Galathians of the Cappadocians and Phrygians All which at this day are not sufficient to satisfie the onely ambition of the Turkish tyranny The Inhabitants for the most part are Mahumetans and naturall Turkes of simpler natures than the Turkes of Europe and nothing so cruell as the Renegado Christians Yet are there many Christians among them in many of these Regions following the Rites of the Greeke Church Among these Turkes there is no acknowledgement of Superioritie Bloud or Nobility but all are equall slaves to the Grand Seignior over whom he appointeth Beglerbegs and Sanziaks They are either a kinde of idle or lofty people for they are smally industrious and were it not for their slaves their grounds would generally lie unmanured Pontus and Bithynia are now united under one name and called Bursia Here once reigned the great King Mithridates and here stood the famous Cities of Chalcedon Nicomedia Apamaea Prusia Nice and Heraclea Ponti Asia propria now Sabrun is the peculiar Province of Asia minor containeth in it many famous Provinces as Phrygia major minor Caria Mysia c. In Phrygia minor stood that Noble citie of Troie famous at this day saith Bellonius an eie-witnesse for its very ruines of wals gates circuit and marble sepulchers found upon the wayes without the wals Pamphilia now Caramania is one of the old seven Sangiakships of Turkie and yeeldeth 8000. ducats of yearly revenue In this Country as also in Cilicia are woven those fine cloths which we call Chamblets watered and unwatered they are made of the haire of Goats so fine and white as no Silke can surpasse them in those two properties Cappadocia now Amasia is a goodly Country and the seat of the Turks eldest Son In it are many goodly cities as Trapezond once the seat of the Comneni Emperors of Trapezond whose Name and Progenie ahumet the second utterly extinguished Cilicta now part of Caramania is a good Country the Inhabitants are given to pasturing of Goates for lucre of their fleeces of which they make their Chamblets but otherwise neither given to Fishing Navigation nor Husbandrie At the foot of Mount Taurus saith Bellonius are divers small Villages and excellent pastures about them which for the fertilitie thereof should seeme to be one of the Turkish Races from thence he culleth out every yeare six hundred horse of service which they highly esteeme and name Caramanni Armenia minor is a better soile and more populous than Cappadocia and round about incircled with tall huge broken and wooddie mountaines Arabia triplex THe three Arabiaes are likewise a parcell of the Empire which is a marvellous great Country included between two huge bosomes of the sea in manner of a Peninsula viz upon the West and East with the Arabian and Persian gulfes upon the South with the Ocean and upon the North with Syria and Euphrates The Inhabitants are indifferently called Arabians Saracens or Moores Those are the true Arabians which live out of Cities in Tents dispersed over Syria Aegypt and Africke these give themselves to feed cattell and droves of Camels Those which inhabit Cities are called Moores and were once of such puissance that they not onely subdued Syria Persia and Troglodytica but likewise Aegypt a great part of Africke and almost all Spaine with the Iland of Sicilie and the Kingdome of Naples Two hundred yeares they kept possession of these peeces but of some part of Spaine 700 even untill the dayes of our fathers And further this accursed generation at this day is not onely spread over all the Southerne coast of Asia viz Persia East India and the Islands of the Indian Sea but are likewise advanced with great prosperitie unto divers wealthy Kingdomes famous Cities worthy Mart-townes yea overall the South-coast of Africke Under this people the Turkes were first called into Asia to beare armes Of their manners we have spoken elsewhere In their Religion they are Mahumetans for in this Countrie that false Prophet first opened his superstitious Wardrobe This is a vast Countrie full of Desarts yet well inhabited with populous warlike multitudes especially toward Euphrates and the Mountaines of Arabia felix whither Merchants resort The residue towards the West is sandy by which if a man be to travell he must have the Starres to his guide company for his safeguard and provision for his diet Otherwise he shall surely lose his way surrender his goods to the theevish Arabes or starve in the Desart for want of food To secure the which passages as well against those who live on the side of Euphrates towards Aegypt as through all Arabia Petrea and Deserta the Grand Seignior entertaineth the king of those Arabians which inhabit Mesopotamia And for this his service as a Turkish Sanziak hee holdeth Ana and Dir two townes situated upon the said river He is a poore King but accompanied with 10. or 12. thousand beggerly subjects living and lying intents of course blacke Hair-cloth which forces notwithstanding these wilder ones are so infinite in multitudes and so unpossible to be brought unto a more civill manner of living that for their danger toward strangers and the continuall spoiles which they commit upon those parts of the Turkes Dominions which every way border upon them necessitie inforceth him also to maintaine two other garrisons the first of twelve thousand in Cairo the other of one thousand five hundred in Damasco Wherein it is to be noted That sithence those of Damasco doe not only defend that peece but are also distributed thorow other cities of Soria as Aleppo Antiochia and Ierusalem one thousand five hundred men were not able to sustain and answer to such a charge unlesse by being both Ianizars and Timariots also they have many followers and attendants Who as else where I have shewed you are not onely mightie in reputation and powerfull in number but also every yeare accustomed to spare and cull out strong troops warlikely and pompously provided to send into Hungarie For surely without this order all the passages of the Caravans which yearely come from Balsara and the Red-sea would become so infectious that neither Bagdet nor Damasco could receive the commodities of those parts to the annuall losse of two millions of Entrado to the grand Seignior Amongst these it was that Sir Anthony Sherly travelled and found them so well governed that without any wrong offered he passed thorow them all
in such peace as he could not have done being a stranger amongst civiller bred people The King gave him good words without any kind of barbarous wondring or other distastfull fashion But at his returne to the river he found the Master of his House Master of his Boat accompanied with a great sort of Arabs who in conclusion â—o'ens nolens forces him to send his Master three verst of cloth of gold as a present for beholding his person Towards Syria this is somewhat fertile yet smally commended for that propertie by the Ancients for indeed it is exceeding barren and wanteth necessarie sustenance wood and fresh water The memorable things herein are the Mountaines of Sinai and Oreb upon the former whereof is at this day builded a Monasterie of Christians following the Greeke Church and the onely receptacle or Inne for way-faring Christians other place of releese is there none Arabia Felix is a very large Province better manured and watered than the other It is adorned with Noble Cities and full of villages especially towards the sea side where are many excellent places of trade The residue except the sand is made manurable either for feeding of Cattell or Camels in which places live infinite swarmes of divers Nations by grazing and husbandrie It bringeth forth whatsoeever will grow in India and that twice a yeare in abundant manner besides Cassia Cinamon Myrrh c. and soly as much Frankincense as will serve all the world It yeeldeth also metall and excellent pearle all along the coast by fishing It sendeth abundance of horse and sheepe into India whose tailes weigh forty pounds In it are many famous Cities as Medinat Al-naby Mecca Zidem Zibit and Aden This City of Aden together with the whole Country was in the yeare of our Lord 1538. fraudulently surprised by the Turke and their King hanged It is now strongly fortified and erected into a Stately Turkish Beglerbeg-ship Turcomania in times past a part of the greater Armenia TVrcomania comprehendeth no small portion of Armenia major what remaineth is accounted in Georgia Upon the North lieth Colchis now Mongrelia Upon the West Euphrates and the lesse Armenia upon the East that remainder of the greater Armenia which is counted in Georgia Upon the South Mesopotarâ—â—a now Dierbechia with the people Curdi It is invironed with Mountaines and beautified with plains amongst the which Periander now Chalderan Antitaurus now Mons-nigor are most renowmed It is generally exceeding fertile and stored with Cattell but marvellously subject to deepe snowes The people by nature are much given to theft and spoile as descending from the Tartars and so at this day lead their lives living in Tents and Hovels attending and pasturing their cattell Yet some of them inure themselves to tillage and mechanike Trades in weaving of Chamblets and Hangings watered and unwatered of the like qualities are the Curdi and some suppose that these Curdi inhabit the ancient seats of the Chaldeans whereupon it is called at this day Curdistan by the Turkes and Persians but by the Arabians Kelaan that is to say Chaldea Georgia by the Barbarians termed Gurgistan comprehendeth the ancient Iberia with part of the greater Armenia and peradventure Atropatia Upon the West lieth Mengrelia upon the North Zuiria once Albania upon the East the middle Atropatia now Siruan upon the South that part of the greater Armenia which now is called Turcomanta For the greater part it is covered with Mountains Woods and thickets and in that regard inconquerable for the difficulties of the mountainous passages It is notwithstanding fertile and adorned with many large plaines and vallies from whence arise many famoused Rivers as Cirus and Araxis springing from the Mountaine Taurus and running thorow the whole Province untill at last it disgorge it selfe into the Caspian The Inhabitants are termed Georgiani of S. George whom they advow their Patron and Advocate But this is but a vulgar errour seeing both Plinie and Mela make mention of the Georgiani one hundred yeares before the birth of Saint George the famous souldier and martyr They are Christians according to the Greeke Church with some small difference They are very populous and warlike strong of body and valorous in fight even untill our times mantaining their libertie in the midst of the Mahumetans sometimes following the fortunes of the Turkes sometimes of the Persians But at this day they have not onely lost their wonted libertie but also many Fortresses and Cities as Testis Lori Clisca Gâ—ri and Tomanis and withall some of of them have imbraced the Turkish infidelitie Palestine or the Holy Land PAlestine is one of the most excellent Provinces of Syria as well in regard of habitation as of many famous acts done therein and celebrated in holy Scripture Under the generall name whereof are comprehended Idumea Iudaea Samaria and Galile Anciently it was called Canaan of Chanaan the sonne of Cham whose posteritie divided the Land amongst them and under that name it continued untill the invasion of the Israelites who called it after their owne denomination Israel It was also called Philistim of the Philistians once a powerfull and mighty people after that the Land of promise and now lastly The holy Land It is situated betweene the Arabies and the mid-land Sea Northerly upon part of Phoenicia East-ward upon Libanus South-ward and South-East upon Arabia and Westward upon that part of the Mediterran which is termed the Syrian and Phinicean Seas From the very beginning as witnesseth the holy Scripture it hath beene a most famous Province and afterward more renowned for the Birth Miracles and Passion of our Saviour Christ. Distant from the line 31. degrees and extending unto thirty three and somewhat upward So that in length from Dan unto Beersheba it containeth no more than one hundred and fortie miles where broadest not fiftie A Land that flowed with Milke and Hony Adorned with beautifull mountaines and luxurious vallies the rocks producing excellent waters and no part emptie of delight and profit The ayre very temperate and the bodies of men healthfull and patient of labour The ancients will have it to be situated in the midst of the world where it is neither pinched with extremitie of cold nor vexed with over-much heat And therfore the Israelites say This to be the land which God promised unto Abraham For site it is very pleasant for plaines and hils no lesse delightsome rich in divers sorts of Manufactures and well watered Where although it raine but seldome yet was the soile batefull and that by testimonie of Scripture averring it to be a Land excelling all other in goodnesse and fertilitie So that their graine was most delicate their increase abundant and their Roses most sweet Rue fennell and sage and such like pot-hearbs it brought forth of its owne accord Olives Figges Pomegranets and Palme trees are very frequent with some store of Vines For although the Saracens are forbidden the drinking of Wine
conjectured out of Tacitus who reporteth that in the beginning of the siege it contained two hundred thousand soules At this day it numbreth not above five thousand inhabitants although many Pilgrims daily resort thither for devotion sake It was once strongly and fairely walled but now weakely and therin it sheweth nothing now so famous as the Sepulchie of our Lord Christ whose Temple encircleth the whole mount of Calvarie situated upon a plaine plot of ground high round and open at the top from whence it receiveth light but the Sepulchre itselfe is covered with an Archt-Chappell cut out of the maine Marble and left unto the custodie of the Latine Christians Whosoever is desirous to see this Sepulchre must pay nine crownes to the Turke so that this tribute is yearely worth unto him eight millions of Ducats One hundred and eight foot distant from this Tombe is the Mount called Calvarie whereon our Saviour Christ was crucified by the treacherous Iewes In this place are many other religious Reliques And the pilgrims which come thither are alwaies lodged according to their owne professions that is to say the Latines with the Franciscans without the Citie by Mount Sion the Grecians are lodged with the Caloieran Greekes dwelling within the Citie by the Sepulchre And so every other Nation Abassines Georgians Armenians Nestorians and Maronits who all have their proper and peculiar Chappels Those Franciscans which follow the Latine Church and are for the most part Italians were wont to create the Knights of the Sepulchre and to give testimoniall unto pilgrims of their arrivall there Without this Citie is the Valley of Iehosaphat and therein the tombes of the blessed Ladie and S. Anne The territorie adjoyning is exceeding fruitfull in Vines Apples Almonds Figs and Oyle the Mountaines are no lesse stored with all sorts of Trees wilde Beasts and Spiceries Besides Ierusalem standeth Bethlem now destroyed and shewing nothing worth looking on save a great and stately Monasterie of the Franciscans within which is the place where Christ was borne Rama is now likewise ruinated the Arches and Cesternes yet remaining by the witnesse of Bellonius his owne eye are greater than those of Alexandria but not so thicke Gaza is now a Turkish Sangiak-ship the soile about fertile and the inhabitants Grecians Turks and Arabians In holy Writ this Region is called Edom and by other Authors Nabathea Toward the sea and Iudea the soile is fertile but towards Arabia desart and barren Some say it is inexpugnable for its Desarts and want of water yet is it stored therewith but hidden and knowne to none but the natives Of old they were a turbulent unquiet and seditious people and so at this day they are like to the villainous and roguish Neighbours the Arabians Next bordereth Phoenicia as part of Syria exposed to the sea and bordering upon Galile Of old it had many famous Cities as Tripolis Beritus Sydon Tyrus Ptolemais Capernaum Emissa and others Amongst the which Tyre and Sydon were most famous Tyre was a goodly Citie a Colonie of the Sydonians and round about encircled with the Sea untill Alexander in his siege joyned it to the continent At this day it hath two harbours that on the North side the fairest and best thorowout the Levant which the Cursores enter at their pleasure the other choked with the ruines of the Citie So is it and Sydon now the strong receptacles of the stiffe-necked Drusians A generation they say descended from the reliques of those Noble Christians who under the conduct of Godfrey of Bullen descended into those parts and being by time driven unto harder fortunes betooke themselves to the Mountaines from whence they could never be expulsed neither by the Saracens nor yet by the Turkes Allowed they are libertie of Religion and no other tribute imposed upon them than is upon the naturall Subject the one being no good Christians and the other worse Mahumetans Sydon was once no lesse famous now contracted into a narrow compasse shewing only in her ruines the foundations of her greatnesse The Inhabitants are of sundry Nations and Religions as the Tyrians yet governed by a succession of Princes whom they call Emirs And whose Seigniorie augmented by armes and tyrannie stretcheth from the River of Canis to the foot of Mount Carmel containing a large extent of ground and therein many Cities whereof Saffet is the principall The Grand Seignior doth much envie him for suffering the Florentines to harbour and water within his Port of Tyrus which he is glad to excuse by the waste of the place and inabilitie of resistance But the truth is that hee is a strong rich and potent Lord in these parts partly presuming upon the strength of his invincible Forts and partly upon the advantage of the Mountaines yet having besides in continuall pay fortie thousand souldiers â—ome Moores some Christians and if the worst should 〈◊〉 â—hee hath the Sea at hand and the Florentine to friend with whom he knoweth that a massie Treasure will worke â—o small effects towards the purchase of some rich Seigniorie To conclude he is too strong for his neighbours and able to make a long defensive Warre against the Turke if his tyrannie could assure him of fidelitie in this people Acon or Ptolomais is strongly fortified triangular-wise two parts whereof lye upon the Sea the third toward the land The soile about is very fruitfull and delicious The Citie adorned with a beautifull Hospitall strong and well bulwarked once belonging to the Teutonicke Knights It hath also a very faire Haven capacious of any ships comming from the South now under the Sanzâ—ack of Saffet and usurped with the rest of that Province by the foresaid Emir of Sydon In this wofull Towne dwell not above two or three hundred Inhabitants and those in patcht up ruinous houses Beritus is an ancient Citie once an Episcopall See now famous for Trafficke and Merchandize as the Mart-towne whereunto all the ships comming from Europe doe arrive It is situated most safely and almost inexpugnable NOw following mine Author and having finished this tedious discourse of this great Empire by the patience of my Reader I will once turne backe againe and relate the Originall the manners the discent and the Religion of this warlike and infidelious people composed partly of Natives lineally descended from the Scythians and Tartars and partly of Apostata and Renegado Christians Generally the Natives have broad visages correspondent to the proportion of their members faire and tall and somewhat inclined to grossenesse Their haire they regard not save onely that of their beards They are of a grosse and dull capacitie wayward slow and lazie hating husbandrie and yet above all people in the world covetous and desirous of riches yea selling all places of Justice and Government to their best Chapmen Amongst one another exceeding courteous and as servile toward their superiours in whose presence they keepe admirable silence and
shoulders of these slaves In a word as a lawfull and just Prince hath a great regard and singular care to have the liking and love of his people by which being guarded and environed as with a strong rampire hee is able to withstand all attempts so contrariwise tyrants knowing themselves hatefull to their subjects imploy their whole study how to win the favour of their souldiers and slaves thereby to represse innovations at home and invasions from abroad Seeing therefore the safety and foundation of their greatnesse is built on the entertainment of their Souldiers as their Naiors their Ianizars free or bond strangers or subjects yea whatsoever they be it must needs follow that onely actions of warre may be the end and scope of their cogitations as likewise that they be very prodigall to keepe their estates very well furnished and appointed with souldiers and provisions And these reasons I take to be sufficient inducements to beleeve the reports of this King of Cambaia and these other barbarous Indian Princes For besides that I spake of before it is reported that with this army did march a thousand peeces of Ordnance among which were foure Basiliskes every one drawne with an hundred yoke of Oxen five hundred Wagons laden with Gun-powder and Bullets two hundred armed Elephants five hundred Chests full of Gold and Silver to pay souldiers wages besides many Princes and petty Lords with their Followers Merchants Victualers Artificers and their Seruants numberlesse Notwithstanding this his incredible preparation hee was twice overthrowne by Marhumedio once in the Territory of the City of Doce and another time at Mandao from whence disguising his apparell to save his life he fled to Diu. Being out of danger and feare he sent Ambassadors to Soliman with a present esteemed worth 60000. Crownes desiring his aid in these warres But afterward weighing in his minde that these affaires required speedier succours hee contracted a league with those Portugals which were neerest adjoyning to make them his friends and partners of the Warre the composition was that he should permit them to build a Castle in the Iland of Diu. Now to speake of Marhumedius his fortunes were not much unlike to those of Tamerlan for as this Prince brought terror and feare upon the inhabitants of Persia and Asia so did that no lesse innovation and trouble upon India and the Orient This defeated in battell Bajazet Emperour of Turkes that overthrew Badurius King of Cambaia and his army farre greater than his owne both of them had the sirname of Great When the Mogors understood of the riches of India and the fertility thereof they never ceased by a continuall course of victory their armes and invasions till they had made themselves Lords of the Provinces lying betweene Caucasus and the Sea Ganges and the River Indus In this tract are contained seven and forty Kingdomes For Adabar the successor of Marhumedius won Madabar with the better part of Cambaia Of what goodly consequence this Province is may bee imagined by the famous City of Madabar Campana so called for situation upon the top of a high hill rising in the midst of a spacious plaine and Cambaia a City consisting of an hundred and thirty thousand houses as likewise by the populous host of King Badurius his warlike provision for such an army and plenty of graine to sustaine such multitudes I assure you the world affords not a soile for all necessaries for the life of man as Rice Corne Pulse Sugar Oxen Sheepe Pullen of all sorts and Silke more richer or plentifull than this Province wherein also there are reported to be sixty thousand Burroughs which number certainly is very great and admirable Guicciardine writeth that in Netherland within the Territory of the seventeene Provinces are contained two hundred and eight walled Townes and an hundred and fifty Burroughs enjoying the rights and privileges of Cities and six thousand three hundred Villages having Parish Churches In Naples are a thousand eight hundred of these some are Townes some but Castles In Bohemia are seven hundred and fourescore Townes and thirty two thousand Villages In France as Iohn Bodine writeth are two thousand seven hundred Boroughs having Parish Churches besides those in Burgundie which in those times were not numbred amongst the Townes of France I write this to induce a true and absolute judgement of the power of any Province by the number of Parishes for I know that that ought to be made according to their greatnesse but yet their number maketh much to the purpose as in both which Cambaia may carry the credit and esteeme of a most spacious populous and puissant Kingdome Acabar also conquered the rich Kingdome of Bengala so that a man may truly say that in this part of the Orient there are three Emperours one in Cambaia the other in Narsinga and the third in Bengala whereof Cambaia and Bengala farre exceed all the other Provinces in fertility of soile and concourse of Merchants both riotously abounding in Sugar Cotton-wooll Cattell Elephants and Horses In Bengala also groweth long Pepper and Ginger The first is watered and cut as it were into two halfes by the River Indus the other by Ganges having two famous Mart-townes Satagan and Catagan The great Mogor doth likewise possesse the Kingdomes of Citor Mandao and Delly wherein he keepeth his Court. He hath infinite store of Horses Elephants and Camels as also all sorts of Artillery and warlike furniture by meane whereof he is growne fearefull to the whole Inhabitants of the East It is written of him that he is able to bring into the field three hundred thousand horse and that there are within his Dominions fifty thousand Elephants Some man perhaps will aske how it commeth to passe that this Prince being so mighty and his neighbours so naked unarmed and poore doth not get into his possession the Dominion of the rest of India and the Orient In this as in the former unlikelihoods the wisest man is soonest answered There are many obstacles one is that as the spirit and body of man cannot endure in continuall travell and motion for that is onely proper to God and Nature so a continued and open passage is not evermore given to the ambitious apprehensions of Kings and Princes Great Empires seldome feare forren invasions yet oftentimes faint they under their owne weight It is not destinied unto great things to stand alwayes at the highest much lesse to increase they have their floud but upon a remedilesse condition that there follow an ebbe They are lifted on high but by the irrevocable decree of Nature that a fall succeed yea and that themselves by themselves decline The greater they are the more subject to mutabilitie the larger the harder to hold and mannage they move but slowly and of what effect celerity is in warre who knoweth not The greatest conquest carrieth the greatest envie with it and greatest care to conserve what is got and yet not care but long continuance perfecteth these
offence but that the same hath beene turned to defense Of which kinde are Castles built of later times and the devices of moderne fortification whereby few souldiers have resisted great Armies and a small place made tenable hath wasted the forces and treasure of a mighty Emperour as well witnessed the fortunes of eight hundred Portugals at Domaine upon the coast of Cambaia who by this Art scorned and deluded the whole forces and attempts of this mighty Mogor China IN times past the Kingdome of China hath beene farre larger than now it is For it appeareth by their Histories containing the Annals of 2000. yeares and upward and by other of their manuscript Chronicles written in their owne language whose fragments are yet to be seene that their Kings were Lords almost of all the Sea-coast of Asia from the streight of Anian to the Kingdome of Pegu the Provinces of Meletai Becam Calan Boraga and other territories situated upon the North side of Pegu where their monuments with their Epitaphs devices are to be seen at this day For in all the foresaid Regions the relicks of their ancient ceremonies wherby the knowledge of the Mathematicks as the division of the yeare into moneths the Zodiacke into 12. signes true testimonies of their Empire are taught by tradition Neither is the time long sithence all those Kingdomes accounted the King of China for their Soveraigne sending their Ambassadors with presents to his Court every third yeare These Ambassadors ought to be foure at least for before they could arrive at their journeyes end some of them either by remotenesse of place difficult accesse of audience or delay in dispatch could not but surely die those whose chance it was to scape the Chinois in some set banquet would poyson and erect unto them stately tombes with the inscription of their names the place from whence they came and with the stile of Ambassadors thereby say they to commit to eternity the remembrance of the bounds of their Empire They inlarged their dominions no lesse upon the Ocean than upon the Continent For they first of all invaded the Isles of the Orient next unto them the Giavi then the Moluccans and Moores and lastly the Portugals and Castilians who hold them at this day But none of these Nations were equall of power and magnificence to the Chinois for besides the conquest of the bordering Isles which in regard of their numbers their spaciousnesse and fertilitie were of great reckoning they became Lords of the greatest part of all the inhabitable places in that vast Archipelago even to Zeilan where they left their speech and characters as also they did the like upon the opposite continent Wre reade also in the papers of certaine Jesuites that in one quarter of the Island of Saint Laurence they found white people which said that they descended of the Chinois They first discovered the Moluccas gave names unto the Spices and planted Colonies in many of them which to this present keepe their old name as batta china à Maur batta china Mauri batta signifieth a Towne batta china a Towne of the Chinois It is likewise thought that the Inhabitants of Iava descended from them and to speake the truth there is no great difference betweene their manner of living clothing building industry trafficke and manuall occupations But after the shipwrâ—cke of fourscore vessels and the losse of their people in the Sea of Zeilan comparing their profit with their losse they resolved to trie no more such hazards but to containe themselves within their owne bounds And to cause this Edict to be inviolably observed they enacted that none there after upon paine of the losse of his â—ead should offer to faile into those parts the Kâ—ngs themselves did ever abstaine from future invasions For sithence they enjoy a very earthly Paradise where Nature and Art are at strife to content the Inhabitants where no good thing iâ— wanting but much superfluous and to spare what mad men would consume their bodies and treasures in getting those things which are more chargeable to get than profitable to keepe Polybius writeth that upon the same reason the old Carthaginians forsooke part of those things which before they had conquered The Romans after they had suffered a grievous losse of their best vessels in the second Punicke warre in meere despaire bade Navigation adue but afterwards perceiving that they who were Commanders of the Sea were likely to prove Lords of the Land they built a new Navie and at length saw the successe to answer their latest opinions Therefore can we not but ascribe this resolution of the Chinois rather to good conscience and advisednesse than to wisdome or good policâ—e When this surrender was resolved in full councell they set the people whom they had vanquished free yet some of their good wils remained feodaries shadowing their estates under the wings of their puissance as the Kings of Corea Lequi Cauchinchina and Siam But notwithstanding their retreit within their owne bounds yet possesse they a dominion little lesse than Europe for from the North towards the South it reacheth from seventeene to two and fiftie degrees from East to the West are two and twenty degrees It is divided into eight severall Kingdomes over whom one principall Monarch controlleth by whose high and illustrious titles of Mundi Dominus and Solis filius he would seeme to challenge all Natures immunities and withall that their prescriptions before the dayes of Adam were true and canonicall The principall Citie is called Paquin neighbouring Tartary out of which the Emperour never issueth but in time of warre which is as it were an exercise amongst them at that time challenging the attendance of every Nation For as you have read in the History of England That from the Twede betweene Northumberland and Scotland even to the Irish Seas there was a wall called Picts wall one hundred miles long and at certaine spaces fortified with watch-towers which thorow hollow trunkes placed within the curtaines received advertisements of Alarmes excursions and such like so that in a moment the whole Countrey was up in armes and the ordinary proceedings of military discipline executed So here from the Sea to Mount Caucasus or rather Imaus eight thousand furlongs together is raised a fortification and at every miles end a strong rampart or bulwarke wherein is continuall garrison Thomas Perez the King of Portugals Ambassadour made foure moneths journey from Cantan to Nanquij bearing alwayes Northerly Nor doth he enter the field under an army of three huÌ„dred thousand foot and two hundred thousand horse Of which I am not incredulous considering the levies of the East five hundred thousand men were consumed in the civill warres of Iuda and Ierusalem and against Iuda her enemies the Moores and Aethiopians brought ten hundred thousand paire of hands to pull downe the wals of Ierusalem Their manner of life is most obscene and shamelesse their idolatrie vile and vicious their incantations ridiculous the prostitution of
Virgins to be deflowred of Idols abominable their exorcismes damnable and the varietie of senselesse profanations most contemptible It is not so spacious but it is as fertill for it yeeldeth not only what is fitting for humane life but whatsoever the delicate and esseminate appetite of man may lust after Many Plants yeeld fruit twice or thrice a yeare and that not only by the temperature of the ayre but by the number of the rivers and plentie of waters which doe both cause trafficke thorow every corner of the Region and so water it on all sides that it resembleth a most pleasant and delectable garden-plot Of this plentie there are three causes one the prodigall expences of the King in digging of trenches thorowout the whole Land sometime cutting thorow rockie Mountaines sometime damming up deepe valleyes to make them levell with high mountaines and to draine the waters of Lakes and Marishes the other for that the whole Region is situated under the temperate Zone and in no place either by nature or mans industrie wanteth moisture so that all creatures taking nourishment of heat and moisture must needs here wonderously prosper In no place Plants may take larger scope to spread their branches nor Cattell larger walkes to wander in than in this Country The last reason is for that the idle are neither severely punished nor altogether tolerated but every one is forced to doe somewhat no foot of land is left unhusbanded nor dramme of stuffe cast away unwrought Among other things note-worthy this one is of great consideration that in Cantan they maintaine foure thousand blind people to grinde corne and Rice every childe is set about somewhat according to his yeares and strength those only who are truly impotent in their limbs and have no friends living to succour them are provided for in Hospitals That none may excuse themselves in saying hee can doe nothing every one is bound to learne his fathers occupation which is the reason that the children borne as it were tradesmen learne their fathers occupations before they perceive it by continuall practice becomming in time most artificiall mechanickes He that cannot live at Land seeketh his maintenance at Sea for that is no lesse inhabited than the Land yea infinite housholds live on the Rivers in Boats without comming to Land for a long season Some whereof live by ferrying over people some by transporting passengers and their merchandize others keepe shops others vessels of lodging for their Merchants and Travellers Whatsoever is needfull for cloathing for food or nourishment delight or ease of a civill life is to be found in the middest of great Rivers Many likewise nourish all sorts of Poultrie especially Duckes in their vessels To hatch the egges and to nourish the young ones they use not the dams as we doe but an artificiall heat in a manner as they doe in Aegypt especially at Cair All night he keepeth them in his Boat and at morning sendeth them to feed in the fields sowed with Rice where all day long having fed on the weeds to the great good of the husbandman they returne toward evening to their Cages at the sound of a little Bell or Cimball Many live by carrying Fish both salt and fresh into the high Countries for in the Spring when the Rivers rise through thawes and landstouds so incomparable quantities of sea-fish doe abound in the havens and creekes that the fishermen depart rather wearied than wanting This fish the Skippers buy for a small matter of the fishermen and keeping them alive in certaine vessels made for the purpose they transport them into Provinces farre remote from the Sea There they are sold and preserved in Pooles and Stewes neere Cities and great Townes to serve the Markets and Tables of the richer Chinois all the yeare long Because it is forbidden any inhabitant to passe out of the Land without leave and therewith neither but for a certaine time limited it must needs be that by the daily increase of people the Country is even pestered with inhabitation It hath beene observed among themselves that for every five that have died seven have beene borne The Climate is so temperate and the aire so wholsome that in mans memory any universall pestilence hath not beene knowne to infest the Country Notwithstanding left any man should thinke this people to enjoy all sweets without some mixture of sowre you must note that their earth-quakes are more dreadfull unto them than any pestilence to us for whole Cities have beene swallowed and Provinces made desart by this punishment These casualties choke up the course of ancient Chanels and make new where were never any before they lay Mountaines levell with the ground and make havocke of the people In the yeare 1555. a deluge breaking out of the bowels of the earth devoured an hundred and fourescore miles of firme land with the Townes and Villages standing thereupon those which escaped the floud lightning and fire from Heaven destroyed There are said to be in China one hundred and fifty Cities two hundred thirty five great Townes one thousand one hundred fifty foure Castles and foure thousand two hundred Boroughs without walls wherein souldiers are quartered of Villages and Hamlets some of them containing a thousand housholds the number is infinite for the Country is so covered with habitation that all China seemeth but as one Towne They have two Metropolitan Cities Nanquin and Panquin In Nanquin toward the North the King keepeth his Court under the jurisdiction of the one are seven Provinces under the other eight Both of them are so spacious that it is a daies journey for a horseman to ride from one end to the other Of the number of the Inhabitants no certainty can bee produced but according to manuscript relations and the report of travellers it is said that the Kingdome containeth threescore and ten millions of living soules This is an admirable report and not to bee beleeved if it be compared with the Provinces of Christendome but surely something above conceit is to be credited to those spacious populous and barbarous Nations Let us set the largenesse of their Provinces the circuit of their Cities their plenty and abundance of all things and in all places either in prospering by nature or mans industry with their number and inhabitation and we shall finde a Country like enough to afford such a reckoning with places cities and dwellings able to containe them and nourishment sufficient to maintaine them Italy exceedeth not nine millions Germany excluding the Swizzers and Netherlands not ten and with the foresaid Provinces not above fifteene which number peradventure France may reach unto Spaine is farre inferiour to Italie Sicilie hath but one million and three hundred thousand England three millions and Belgia as many if by the continuance of the warre in those Countries that number be not much decayed The Italians conceit marvellous highly of themselves thinking no Province upon the face of the earth for wealth and
is not onely fast locked but sealed and may not be opened before the seale at morning bee throughly viewed To speake truth their souldiers horsemen and footmen by land or sea are more famous for their numbers their gallant furniture and plenty of provision than for strength and courage For the Inhabitants partly by their effeminate and wanton kinde of life partly by their forme of government whereby they are made vile and base have little valour or manhood left them They use no forren souldiers except those whom they take in war these they send into the in-land Countries where being marked to distinguish them from other they serve more like slaves than souldiers yet have they pay with rewards for their good service and punishment for their cowardize true motives to make men valorous The rest which are not inrolled are not suffered to keepe weapons in their houses Their Sea-forces are nothing inferiour to their Land-forces for besides their ordinary Fleets lying upon the Coasts for the safety of the Sea-townes by reason of the abundance of navigable Rivers and so huge a Sea-tract full of Havens Creeks and Islands it is thought that with case they are able to assemble from five hundred to a thousand such great Ships which they call Giunchi we Iunks To thinke that treasure cannot bee wanting to levie so great a number of Ships Souldiers and Marriners many men affirme that the Kings revenues amount to an hundred and twenty millions of gold which value although it may seeme impossible to him that shall make an estimate of the States of Europe with the Kingdome of China yet may it finde place of beleefe if he doe but call to minde First the nature and circuit of the Empire being little lesse than all Europe Next the populousnesse of the Inhabitants accompanied with inestimable riches Then the diversity of Mines of Gold Silver Iron and other sorts of Metall the unspeakable quantity of Merchandize passing from hand to hand by so many navigable Rivers so many armes and in-lets of the Sea their upland Cities and maritime Townes their Tolls Customes Subsidies and lastly their rich wares brought into Europe Hee taketh the tenth of all things which the earth yeeldeth as Barley Rice Olives Wine Cotton Wooll Flax Silke all kinds of Metall Fruits Cattel Sugar Hony Rubarbe Camphire Ginger Wood Muske and all sorts of Perfumes The custome only of Salt in the City Canto which is not of the greatest nor of the best trafficke yeeldeth 180000. Crownes yearely the tenth of Rice of one small Towne and the adjacent Territory yeeldeth more than 100000. Crownes By these you may conjecture of the rest He leaveth his subjects nothing save food clothing He hath under him no Earles Lords or Nobles of any degree no nor private persons indowed with great wealth Wherefore since this Empire is so huge and all the profits thereof are in his hands how can the former assertion of so great and yearely a revenue to men of reason seeme any thing admirable at all There are two things moreover which adde great credit to this reckoning one is that all his impositions are not paid in Coine but some in hay some in Rice Corne Provender Silke Cotton Wooll and such like necessaries the other is that the King of 120. millions which he receiveth disburseth againe three parts thereof And so since it goeth round from the King to the people it ought to seeme no wonder if the people be able to spare it againe for the Princes use at the yeares end For as waters doe ebbe as deepe as they flow so impositions easily levied suffice for the expences of the State and the people receive againe by those expences as much as they layed out in the beginning of the yeare This King feareth no neighbour but the great Cham of Tartaria all the rest acknowledge vassalage Against this enemy the ancient Kings built that admirable wall so much renowned amongst the wonders of the Ortem Towards the Sea hee bordereth upon the Iaponians and Castilians The distance betweene Iapan and China is divers From Goto one of the Islands of Iapan to the City Liampo is threescore leagues from Canian 297. The Islanders of Iapan doe often spoile the Sea-coasts of China by their incursions descending on land and harrying the Countrey more like Pyrates than men of Warre For in regard that Iapan is divided into many Islands and into divers Seigniories ill agreeing amongst themselves though they excell the Chinois in armes and courage yet are they not of sufficient power to performe any action of moment against them Upon another Frontier lye the Spaniards of whom the Chinois not without good cause are very jealous because of the situation of the Philippinae commodiously seated for the invasion of China and the fame of the riches well knowne to the Spanish But the King of Spaine wisheth rather to plant Christianitie peaceably amongst them wherof there was once good hope that God had opened a passage For though the Chinois will suffer no stranger to enter within their Dominions yet certaine Jesuites zealous in the increasing of Christian Religion in a Territory so spacious as that is entred with great secrecie and danger and procuring the favour of certaine Governours obtained a privilege of naturalization specially Frier Michael Rogerius who in the yeare 1590. returned into Europe to advise what course were best to take in this businesse After whose departure intelligence was brought from two Friers which remained behinde that after divers persecutions they were then constrained to forsake the Citie wherein they sojourned and to make haste to sea-ward Nor plainly would the Chinois suffer the said Frier Rogerius to come into their Countrey as himselfe confessed to an English Gentleman of very good worth and curious understanding Mr. W.F. who purposely asked that question of him If any man of Europe hath beene in China it is Matthew Riccius the Jesuite The Portugals are likewise eye-sores unto them but by the report of their justice and the moderation which Ferdinand Andrada shewed in the government of the Island of Tamo and by the Traffick which they exercise in those seas they can better digest their neighbour-hood than that of the Spanish This was the first Portugal that arrived in the Citie of Cantan and set on land Thomas Perez Legier for Emanuel King of Portugal But other Captaines being there afterwards dis-embarked behaved themselves so lewdly that they occasioned the said Ambassadour to be taken for a Spie and cast into prison where hee died most miserably the residue were intreated as enemies At last it was permitted the Portugals for traffick sake to set a Factory in Macao where againe before they had strongly fortified their Colonie they were constrained to submit to the limitations of the Chinois to whom in short time for their strength wisdome friendship and alliance with the Castilians they became suspitious and therefore they doe daily more and more bridle
and beasts of carriage followed this armie whom they slew when they wanted other provision Hitherto have wee devised of Siam and Pegu as they stood before the comming of the Portugals into India but how in processe of time the State was altered you shall now heare In times past divers Kingdomes of Brama situated along the River towards the Lake Chiamai obeyed the Kings of Pegu under the government of Lieutenants Sixtie yeares since one of these Captaines Ruler of the Kingdome of Tengu by the aid of his faction and reputation of his Vertues entered into Rebellion and slaying the Nobles of the Land usurped the Kingdome Afterward he forced the Cities and conquered the Kingdome of Prom Melintati Calam Mirandu and Ana all inhabited by the Bramians for the space of one hundred and fiftie leagues towards the North. He assayed likewise the conquest of Siam but comming before Vdia the chiefe Citie of the Kingdome he was forced to raise his siege and depart Hee undertooke this journey with three hundred thousand footmen consuming more than three moneths in making way for his armie thorow stonie Mountaines huge Woods and inaccessible places in prosecution whereof he lost two hundred and twentie thousand of his Souldiers and re-enforced his losses with captive Siamus At this returne home he invaded the Kingdome of Pegu and won it Afterward in the yeare 1507. he renued his journey against Siam and overcame the King thereof who slew himselfe with poyson but he tooke his sons and with them the better part of the Kingdome He beleagred Vdia with a million of men and upward Our late Writers call this man and his successors because their fames arose by the conquest of the Kingdomes of Brama Kings of Brama or Bramia but the Portugals of a more sound judgement grounded upon neerer Neighbour-hood call them Kings of Pegu. And for that it may not seeme that what we write as concerning these infinite numbers is either fabulous or reported altogether upon heare-say because that now here-before and hereafter we shall have occasion to discourse of this point wee thinke it not amisse to spend some time in shewing how and by what likly-hoods both in this and other like barbarous dominions such huge and numberlesse companies are levied and nourished First therefore it is a ground infallible that all Monarchies consist of people government and revenues and that howsoever in times of peace Princes may live at pleasure yet populous Armies neere home or farre off cannot long indure without great supplies and a continuall Sea of ready money For as the members of our bodie cannot move without sinewes nor motion availe us if joynts were wanting so without money an Army can never bee gathered nor being gathered kept together if coine be wanting which preventeth infinite mischances and draweth after it Armour Provision Victuals and whatsoever else is necessary for life or armes And sithence the wealth of Princes even as of private persons from whose purses they supply their occasions hath limits and measure Let them not thinke to beginne any long warre much lesse to continue it unlesse they throughly provide aforehand for when this torrent breaketh forth no man can make an estimate what will bee the expence of reparation therein which moved a certaine Portugal Captaine to tell King Sebastian providing for his journey into Barbarie that warres should be accompanied with three streames The first of men The second of Victuall The third of Silver For whosoever will rightly judge of a Princes estate must examine whether his ordinary receits be sufficient to answer his ordinary issues leaving alwayes a portion to answer extraordinary accidents which are so certaine in proofe as all men must provide for though they know them not beforehand especially in the condition of a great Prince The great Turke in his Persian journies felt the smart thereof who though he be so potent a Prince by default of this providence was constrained to raise the value of his coine and abase the allay so farre forth that the Ianizars finding themselves aggrieved thereat raised commotions set fire on the City of Constantinople and rifled a great part thereof Neither could the King of Spaine have sustained the burthen of so many warres and in so remote Provinces if he had trusted to no other supplies than those of Spaine But fortune hath given him a Countrey prodigall in Mines of Gold and Silver assuredly paying the expence of one yeare with the income of another A providence so farre from neglect in the late reigne of Queene Elizabeth that before she had any warres with Spaine or had sent her forces of prevention into the Low-Countries she had ready in deposito two millions of Crownes And being engaged by her politike government she raised such an annuall assistance from the love of her subjects against the malicious and injurious attempts of her enemies that during her reigne she levied three millionâ— five hundred and nineteene thousand five hundred and sixty foure pounds Iohn Iaques Trivulce being demanded how many things were necessary hereunto answered three Money Money Money But these grounds especially hold when the burthen of the war lieth upon the purse of the Prince his people for sometime it hapneth that the souldier liveth upon the enemies Countrey as did the Hunnes Vandals Gothes Arabians and in our dayes Tamerlane They entred the Provinces without controll being unprovided of forces and made prey and spoile of whatsoever came in their reaches The ransacked the Cities and fed upon the Villages The like good lucke had the Portugals in the Fast Indies and the Castilians in the West but the one farre better than the other for never any Nation conquered with lesse cost so much as the Spaniards have done in new Spain and Peru. But let not any people thinke to doe so in these dayes no not in Asia or Africke much lesse in Europe where the use of great Ordnance is in perfection and the art of fortification so ingenuous that one Castle shall be able to sustaine yea well provided to weary the forces of the greatest Potentate The Turkes at Zigeth a small fortresse in Hungarie approved this which in the yeare 1566. Soliman beleagred with three hundred thousand men of warre and at last forced but with so great a slaughter of his people that scant the third part of this huge Army returned to their houses In like manner the Portugals in the beginning of their Indian acquisitions with a few souldiers and in little time wonne admâ—rable victories but when the Barbarians began to grow acquainted with Artillery to allure Carpenters and Masons to build them Castles and to arme vessels to Sea their courages became calme and there set an end to their Plus ultra The like did the Spanish in the New world to their Non sufficit orbis For after their first good fortunes they found in Nova Hispania the Chichimechi and in Peru the Pilcosony the Chiriguani and the Luchy
frequent in the rough mountaines of Campa Cambaia and Macin That which is brought to us is in no esteeme with them the right is found say they in Congo and Angola and the bordering Countrey and used by them in all their grievous and dangerous maladies which if it be true I marvell that the Portugals will let slip so precious a commoditie Narsinga IN the row of these potent Princes inhabiting betweene Indus and Ganges dwelleth the King of Narsinga Whatsoever lieth betweene the mountaine Guate and the gulfe of Bengala betweene the promontories Guadaverne and Comorin by the space of two hundred leagues abounding as prodigally as any other province in the Indies with all good things is under his dominion The waters sometime falling from the mountaines sometime from the rivers and received into trenches meeres and lakes doe wonderfully coole moisten and enrich this land causing the Graine and Cattell to prosper above imagination It is no lesse plentifull of birds beasts wilde and tame Buffals Elephants and Mines of precious stones and metals It breedeth no races of horse for the warre but they buy them of the Arabian and Persian Merchants in great numbers the like doe all the Princes of Decan Within the bounds of Narsinga dwell five Nations different in language he hath many strong places on the Indian Ocean Canera is at his command wherein are the haven Townes of Mangolar Melinâ— Berticala and Onor but the Portugals receive the custome of Berticala and also in times past of Onor In Narsinga are two imperiall Cities Narsinga and Bisnagar by reason whereof he is termed sometime King of Narsinga sometime King of Bisnagar It is undoubtedly beleeved that this King receiveth yearely twelve millions of ducats of which he layeth up but two or three the residue he expendeth upon the troopes of his souldiers that is to say forty thousand Nairs and twenty thousand horsemen kept in continuall pay Upon necessitie he is able to levie a farre greater number for besides these allowances he setteth out certaine lands to two hundred Captaines on condition to keepe in readinesse a proportion of Horsemen Footmen and Elephants The wages of these Captaines to some of whom he giveth a million of ducats yearely may be an argument of his great revenues for to these projects this Prince and all the Potentates of the Fast keepe in their possession all the profits of the lands woods mines yea and the waters of pooles and rivers thorow their whole Dominions No man may wash himselfe in Ganges which runneth by Bengala nor in Ganga which watereth the Land of Orissa before he hath paid toll to the King The King himselfe is now inforced to buy this water causing it to be brought unto him by long journies upon a superstitious custome either to bathe or to purge himselfe therein He is absolute Lord of the bodies and goods of his subjects which he shareth to himselfe and his Captaines leaving the people nothing but their hands and labour of lands the King hath three parts and his Captaines the residue Whereupon sithence all these barbarous Princes maintaine not peace and justice as arches whereupon to lay the ground-worke of their Estates but armes conquest and the Nurserie of a continuall Souldierie it must needs follow that they are able to levie greatertroopes of horse and foot than otherwise wee were bound to beleeve But to induce some measure of credit let us compare the abilities of some Christian Princes with theirs If the King of France were absolute Lord of all the lands and domaines of his whole dominion as these men are it is thought that his yearely revenues would amount to fifteene millions and yet therein are neither mines of gold nor silver The Clergie receiveth six millions the Kings demesnes amount to one and an halfe the residue is theirs who have the inheritance and yet here the peasants live well in comparison of the Villagoâ— of India Polonia and Lituania Besides this the King hath eight millions of ordinary revenue arising of customes and escheats How mighty a Prince would he be if hee were Landlord of the demesnes and rents of the whole Kingdome and should imploy them upon the maintenance of Souldiers as doth the King of Narsinga Surely whereas now the Kings revenues doe hardly suffice for the maintenance of foure thousand men at armes and six thousand Crosse-bowes if this allowance were added to the former he might as easily maintaine an hundred and fifty thousand To returne to Narsinga The King to see that his Captains performe their duties once a yeare proclaimeth a muster whereat they dare not but be present At the muster day those who have presented their companies defective either in number or furniture are sure to be cashiered but those who bring their companies compleat and well armed hee honoureth and advanceth What forces may be gathered out of so ample a dominion armed after their manner as aforesaid you shall gather by that which Iohn Barros writeth of the Armie which King Chrismarao lead against Idalcan in the journey of Raciel These are his words verbatim Under sundry Captaines the Armie was divided into many battalions In the Vantguard marched Camraque with one thousand horse seventeene Elephants and thirty thousand footmen Tirabicar with two thousand horse twenty Elephants and fifty thousand footment Timapanique with three thousand horsemen and fifty six thousand footmen After them followed Hadanaique with five thousand horsemen fifty Elephants and one hundred thousand footmen Condomara with six thousand horse sixty Elephants one hundred and twenty thousand footmen Comora with two hundred and fifty horse forty Elephants and fourscore thousand footmen Gendua with a thousand horse ten Elephants and thirty thousand footmen In the rereward were two Eunuchs with one thousand horse fifteene Elephants and forty thousand footmen Betel one of the Kings Pages lead two hundred horse twenty Elephants and eight thousand foot After all these followed the King with his Guard of six thousand horsemen three hundred Elephants and fortie thousand footmen Upon the flankes of this battell went the Governour of the Citie of Bengapor with divers Captaines under whose colours were foure thousand two hundred horse twenty five Elephants and sixty thousand mercenary footmen Upon the head of the battell ranged 200000. horsemen in small troops like our vantâ—urrers in fâ—â—â—h sort and order scowring the Countrey before behinde and on all sides that no novelty could so suddenly happen but notice thereof was given at the Imperiall Tent in a moment Twelve thousand carriers of water and twenty thousand light huswives followed this Armie The number of Lackies Merchants Artificers and Water-bearers Oxâ—n Buffals and carriage-beasts was infinite When the Armie was to passe any River knee-deepe before the foremost were passed there was scant sufficient for the latter whereof to drinke Before this journey the King sacrificed in nine dayes twenty thousand three hundred seventy six head of living creatures as well of birds as beasts the
and Arrow which in stead of Iron they head with the teeth of Fishes and the bones of Beasts Gold Silver and Stone they little regard their chiefest delight is in Feathers and Plumes Insomuch that if these Countries had beene travelled into with unarmed search and peregrination for what occasion of warre could justly bee applied unto those who neither held wealth in estimation neither coveted Honour with ambitious emulation No doubt but all Authors in discoursing of these Nations could have informed you of nothing but Gold-yeelding-Rivers miraculous temperature of Atre strange shapes in Beasts and Birds The Sea abounding with Pearle and Land with Gems And above all Man here living and conversing in his rude and anticke simplicity under the shield of genuine innocency with irkesome hatred of our vile custome and wrangling conditions But alas Avarice under the marke of Religion and Vain glory had no sooner set foot in these terrestriall places as I may say of Paradise but depravation turned all things topsi-turvie Since when happinesse hath taken its flight into some ether Climate and as now nothing is thereof recorded save undermining of Mountaines disembowelling the Earth exiling the Natives unpeopling of Villages and that by tyranny and slavery For in one or two petty battels whole Empires have beene subdued by an handfull of men and a Kingdome conquered in a manner before it hath beene entred And no wonder for this simple and naked people had never seene Horse nor ever heard the report of the Harquebush Without the which peradventure the Spanish Nation had not galloped in so short a time to such miraculous victories no though every petty Commander imployed in that action in these daies stand comparatively paraleld with the worthy Scipio and the Great Alexander To whom in truth the ancient exprobration of the Brittons against the Romans mentioned in Tacitus cannot more feelingly be applied than unto these Indian Spaniards They are the Robbers and Ravishers of the World After the spoile of all Nations through defect of strange Lands and new Conquests they scowre the wide Ocean The riches of the enemy breeds covetousnesse in them the poverty ambition which neither the East nor West can terminate or containe They onely alone covet the wealth and penury of all Nations with equall greedinesse and affectation On Robbery Murther and Villany they colourably impose the glorious title of Empery Solitude and desolation they terme Peace and Tranquillitie So that had not Charles the Emperour cast strict reines upon these licentious and injurious proceedings Spaine had swarmed with slaves and India had quite beene bereaved of almost all her Natives Of foure hundred thousand Inhabitants living in New Spaine at the arrivall of these Spaniards the Country at this day can scant shew you eight thousand About the like number you shall finde in the Fonduras remaining of foure hundred and ten thousand when the Spaniards therein set first footing If you reade their owne Histories you shall meet with no better accounts concerning the present Inhabitation of Hispaniola Guatimala Nicuragua and the Ilands adjacent The greatest number whereof were either slaine led captives or consumed in the Mines Doubtlesse in divulging of the aforesaid Proclamation the good Emperour could not chuse but remember that God whose judgements are profound did once by the cruelties of the Goths the Huns and Saracens waste Italy persecute France and consume Spaine and the consumers were againe consumed in fulnesse of time So may it fall out with those who following the steps of their Predecessors take a glory to amaze the Sea with Ships and the Land with Armies Time may come that Pride shall burne and be consumed with warre and he that buildeth his house wrongfully upon the ruine of another shall himselfe become a booty to Aliens and Strangers The linage of the Moores is not quite extinguished The race of the Indians is not utterly extirpated That progeny as yet surviveth in Italy which in times past and in one day at one watchword slue all the loose French Vsurpers of other mens fortunes And albeit that the fatall cowardize of these Nations dare not presume to arme themselves against their Oppressors yet there raigneth a just God in Heaven who can raise footmen and horsemen from the utmost bounds of the North to asswage and correct the intemperate insolency of bloud-thirsty Tyrants New Spaine or Mexico NEw Spaine is a very large Province better manured pleasanter and more populous than any part of this New world It was possessed by the Spaniard in the yeare 1518. under the leading of Ferdinando Cortez to the great slaughter of the Inhabitants and of his owne people In reward of whose service Charles the fifth bestowed on him the Countrey of Tecoantepec Although it lye under the Torrid Zone yet it is temperate mountainous and full of woods It aboundeth with all good things necessary for life and profitable either for thrift or pleasure as fish flesh gold and stones Of all part of the Indies none is like unto it for habitation For therein the Spaniards have erected many Colonies as Compostella Colima Purificatio Guadaâ—lara Mechoochan c. Whereof the best and fairest is Mexico thorow the whole Indies It should seeme the Shire tooke its name from the Citie In ancient time it was built in the middest of the Lake like Venice but Cortez removed it to the banke therof It is at this day a Citie excellent well built containing six miles in compasse one part whereof the Spaniards inhabit the residue is left to the Natives In this Citie the Vice-Roy and Archbishop keepe their Seats having the privileges of supreme Justice Printing and Coyning The Lake whereon the Citie is built is salt and ebbeth and floweth as the Ocean At ebbe it sendeth its waters into another Lake adjoyning but fresh it yeeldeth no fish but wormes which in Summer putrifie and corrupt the aire and yet of the waters thereof they boile great store of salt The circuit of both these Lakes is about fiftie leagues and about the bankes and in the Islands doe lye above fiftie Townes every one consisting of ten thousand housholds Upon these waters doe ferry fiftie thousand Boats which they terme Canoas to serve the use of the Citie This Countrey was an Indian Empire full of order and State as having seene a succession of ten Kings and enjoying a Soveraigntie over the neighbour Provinces But all this was about an hundred yeares since utterly overthrowne by Ferdinando Cortez who with nine hundred Spaniards assisted with an hundred thousand Indians of Tlascalan neighbours and enemies to the Mexicans with the helpe also of eightie Spanish horse the terrour of seventeene field-peeces and a fleet of twelve or thirteene Pinnaces and six thousand Indian Canoas to trouble the Towne on the Lake side performed this great but easie worke made an absolute Conquest of the Empire of Mexico and imposed the name of New Spaine upon it The Citie hath at this day six
thousand houses of Spaniards and sixtie thousand of the native Indians The gold and silver of these parts is neither so much nor so good as that of Peru but Merchandize Mechanicks and Husbandrie infinitely more flourish Some one private man the Spaniards report to be master of thirtie yea fortie or fiftie thousand head of Cattell The profits arising from hence to the King of Spaine will not the Spanish Writers suffer to be intirely knowne This they bragge of that the yearely fishing of the Lake of Mexico is worth twenty thousand crownes and that Mexico Citie glories in foure faire things Women Cloaths Streets and Horses Guatimala IT is both the name of a Towne as also of the Province The Old-towne so called was destroyed by the fall of an Hill thereunto adjoyning and an hundred and twentie Spaniards miraculously overwhelmed with the ruine thereof About three miles from thence is the New-towne situated containing eightie or ninetie faire stone houses therein all covered with tile It is much subject to Earth-quakes but otherwise of a good temperate aire fruitfull of corne and plentifull of trees brought out of Spaine which doe not well prosper therein Fonduras IT is a great Countrey and was exceeding well inhabited before the arrivall of the Spaniards And howbeit they boast of the erection of five Townes therein yet all of them consist not of above an hundred and twentie or an hundred and thirtie houses and those for the most part built of reeds and straw yea and but poorely inhabited because the gold which is their sole desire beginneth to faile Nicaragua NIcaragua stretcheth towards the South-sea lying South-east from Mexico and is not very great but rich fruitfull and pleasant insomuch as the Spaniards call it Mahomets Paradise but so extreme hot that it is not to be travelled by day but by night It should seeme that their Winter beginneth in May for from thence it raineth six whole moneths the other six are very faire and drie and day and night being of equall length Honey Wax Cotton-wooll and Balsam grow there in great abundance with many other kinds of fruits which are neither found in other Provinces nor yet in Hispaniola There are some few Kine but many Hogs and those brought from Spaine Parrots are there as common as Crowes in England The Countrey is well replenished with Indian Villages their small houses consisting of reeds and straw The gold that they have is brought from other places and so is all other metall In manners they resemble the Mexicans and so in apparell and language save that the Mexican is the better with the use whereof a man may travell fifteene hundred miles and is easily to be learned One Lake it hath three hundred miles about which hath no vent into the Ocean The chiefe Cities are Nueva Granado and Leo the Seat of a Bishop Cuba CVba or Fernandina is a great Island and by reason it hath on the East-side Saint Domingo on the West Iucatan on the North Florida and on the South Iamaica it is very much frequented by Merchants It is more long than broad and containeth in length from East to West three hundred miles and from North to South threescore and ten In breadth it is not above nineteene miles in some places but fifteene The ground is high rough and full of Hils the Rivers small yet rich of Gold and Copper The aire is temperate but of the coldest The soile affordeth great store of Mather it is full of Woods and fresh-fish by reason of the faire Rivers therein It boasteth of six Townes inhabited by Spaniards whereof that of Saint Iames is a Bishops See and Havana the chiefe Staple where yearely all the ships make their Rendevouz The people resemble those of Hispaniola but differ in speech and goe all naked being now almost rooted out and supplanted by the Spaniards Here though the Gold bee course yet the Brasse is most pure It beareth plentie of Sugar Ginger Cassia Aloes Cinamon The common people may not eat Serpents it being meat for their masters Iamaica or the I le of Saint Iago IAmaica lieth seventeene degrees on this side the Equinoctiall and hath on the East S. Domingo on the West the Cape of Iucatan on the North Cuba and on the South Lacerena The breadth surpasseth the length being from East to West about fiftie miles and from North to South twentie In it the greater part of the Inhabitants by farre are Spaniards sixtie thousand Natives being by them destroyed like their neighbours of Lucaya It is very fruitfull both toward the Sea as also to the Inland and was in times past very populous and such as were more wittie and subtill both in warre and other professions than were their neighbours It yeeldeth also Gold and very fine Cotton-wooll And at this present it is full of such beastials as the Spaniards have brought thither out of Spaine The women here killed their owne children rather than suffer them to serve the Spaniards Hispaniola HIspaniola which the Natives call Haitie for greatnesse is the second Island in those parts On the East-side lieth Saint Iohns on the West Cuba and Iamaica on the North the Islands of the Canibals and on the South the firme land The Compasse thereof is foure hundred French miles being broader than it is long For in length it is from East to West an hundred and fiftie miles and from North to South fortie miles It is stored with Azure Basill-wood Cotton-wooll Amber Gold Silver and abundance of Sugar It is so fruitfull that within sixteene dayes Radishes Lettuce and Cole-wort will ripen and be readie to be eaten and within six and thirtie Melons Cucumbers and Gourds will be as forward It hath many Townes whereof that of Saint Domingo is the principall as containing above five hundred houses and those inhabited by Spaniards and built after the Spanish fashion Next their Gold their greatest trading is Sugar and Hides For all sorts of Cattell brought thither out of Spaine have so prospered therein that some are owners of six or eight thousand beasts Here are the Spaniards said to have wasted three millions of Indians The Gold is better here than in Cuba The Sugar yeelds twentie or thirtie fold and Corne an hundred fold Foure goodly Rivers it hath and five or six handsome Townes of Spaniards Boriquen BOriquen or the Iland of Saint Iohn on the East hath the Island of Saint Cruz on the West other small Islands Northward Saint Domingo and on the South the Cape of Paria From East to West it is fiftie miles long and eighteene broad In forme it is almost square and is populous well housed having many good Havens and replenished with Woods The Inhabitants are valiant and have Warre continually against the Canibals Upon the North-side it is rich in gold but towards the South fruitfull of bread grasse fruit and fish The two chiefe Townes are Saint Iohns and Puerte Rico. Should I run over all the Coast of Paria