troubled with Mice built this and lived in it thinking there to be secure but even thither they pursued him also and eate him up then by Bingen a faire Towne on the right side and by Ehrenfels Castle on the other side to Rudeshein a Towne on the left side of the Rhine into which I entered and did see poore people praying where dead bones were in a little old house and here his Excellencie gave some reliefe to the poore which were almost starved as it appeared by the violence they used to get it from one another from hence by Geisenhem Elfeld and Wallaff three Townes on the left side of the River and then we crossed over the Rhine unto the other side Then to Mentz a great City seated close by the Rhine on the right side against which wee cast Anchor and lay on ship-board for there was nothing in the Towne to relieve us since it was taken by the King of Sweden and miserably battered there the King of Bohemia dyed in a faire corner house towards the Rivers side heere likewise the poore people were almost starved and those that could relieve others before now humbly begged to bee relieved and after supper all had reliefe sent from the Ship ashore at the sight of which they strove so violently that some of them fell into the Rhine and were like to have bin drowned The next day being the third of May from hence wee departed leaving the Rhine halfe a league above the City on our right hand and entered into a shallow River called the Maine passing by a place which the King of Sweden was building for a Fort but could not finish it then by Cassell on the left side thence by Flersheim on the left side to Russelsheim on the right of the Maine and then to the stately City of Francfurt adjacent to the Maine on the left side where we landed and lay from Collein hither all the Townes Villages and Castles bee battered pillaged or burnt and every place wee lay at on the Rhine on ship-board we watched taking every man his turne heere wee staid foure daies untill our carriages were made ready where we saw the place wherein they keepe the Dyet afterward entered into the Church called Saint Bartholmews where the Emperours use to bee crowned and take their oath the City is inhabited with Lutherans and Iewes for in the Iewes Synagogue I entered in to see the manner of their service which is an undecent way making a hideous noise having on their heads and about their neckes things called Capouchins the women are not admitted into their Synagogue but in places about And on Sunday the seventh of May by waggons through the City over two Bridges which are alwaies guarded with Souldiers leaving the Maine on our left hand from hence we tooke a Convoy of Musketiers along being wee went through much danger by Offenbach Selgenstat seated betweene us and the Maine passing thus along through a great Forest in much danger hearing the great Peeces so swiftly discharge off at Hannaw which the Swedes subdu'd and now besieged by the Emperors Forces being not above three English miles off then by a very great Mountaine two English miles long all beset with Vines untill we came at a poore little Village where wee staid and dined with provision of our owne and after dinner departed passing through Plaines untill wee came at the Maine and there ferried over into a towne called Klingenberg passing through this we came to a very high hill the way up being all stone 2. English miles up to the top and then through a Wood after we were past this we came to a poore little Village called Neunkirchen where we found one house a burning when we came and not any body in the Village heere we were constrained to tarry all night for it grew very late and no Towne neere by 4. English miles spending the night in walking up and downe in feare with Carrabines in our hands because we heard Peeces discharg'd off in Woods about us and with part of the coles of the consumed house his Excellency had his meat rosted for supper the next morning earely his Excellency went to view the Church which we found rifled with the pictures and Altars abused in the Church-yard we saw a dead body scraped out of the grave in another place out of the Church-yard there lay another dead body into many of the houses wee entered and found them all empty From this miserable place we departed and heard after that they in the Village fled by reason of the sicknesse and set that house on fire at their departure that Passengers might not be infected Then came we into Wijrtzburg-land and descended downe another steep hill and there crossed over a little River call'd Tauber and through Keichelsheim to Neubruim a poore Village where wee dined after dinner passing by the side of the Maine and through Woods and Plaines untill we came to Wijrtzburg a faire City passing over a bridge first standing over the Maine into the Towne seated on the left side of the River and a faire Castle opposite to the Towne on the other side in which the Towne put all their riches when they heard the king of Sweden was comming thinking there it would not be gain'd but they hearing of it surprised and pillaged it in 3. daies and it was 3. or 4. moneths before the Emperors forces could regaine it the next day earely departed being the 10. of May and entered Marggrafen-land and to Kiteingen to diner after diner thence through Ipza a City and so to Marckbibrach where we lay all night on the plancher for the Village was pillaged but the day before earely the next morning wee went away and passed through Neustadt which hath beene a faire City though now pillaged and burnt miserably heere we saw poore children sitting at their doores almost strav'd to death to whom his Excellency gave order for to relieve them with meat and money to their Parents from hence we went to Eilfkirchen a poore Village where wee dined with some reserv'd meat of our owne for there was not any thing to be found after diner thence we passed by many Villages pillag'd and burnt down and so into Nurnberger-land passing through the place where the King of Swedens Leaguer lay when the King of Bohemia was with him and my Lord Craven and in sight of the place the Emperors Army had intrenched themselves by the side of a great wood here the King of Sweden set upon poles alive three of his souldiers for killing 2. of their Commanders and flying presently to his Enemy and at the end of a Battaile that was then fought he tooke them prisoners and so executed them then drawing neere Nurnburg a great City seated in a Plaine which the King of Sweden relieved at that time against the Emperor being not above two English miles off heere we passed by some of
A TRVE RELATION OF ALL THE REMARKABLE PLACES AND PASSAGES OBSERVED IN the Travels of the right honourable THOMAS Lord HOVVARD Earle of Arundell and Surrey Primer Earle and Earle Marshall of ENGLAND Ambassadour Extraordinary to his sacred Majesty Ferdinando the second Emperour of Germanie Anno Domini 1636. By William Crowne Gentleman LONDON Printed for Henry Seile and are to be sold in Fleet-street at the Signe of the Tygres-head betweene the Bridge and the Conduit 1637. TO THE TRUE NOBLE AND MY HONOURABLE MASTER MASTER THOMAS HOVVARD Sonne and Heire to the Right Honourable Henry Lord Matravers Grandchilde to the Right Honourable Thomas Earle of Arundell and Surrey Lord high Marshall of England and his Majesties late Ambassadour to the Emperour of Germany NOble Sir I know your innate goodnes is such that you cannot contemne this well intended Abstract though gathered by an infirme hand considering it reporteth the difficult Embassie of no lesse person than your most ennobled Grandfather my dred Lord from whose sage steps when our King shall please to invite you to give Caesar a second visit you may the better know the way and be secured from many imminent dangers by such a provident care pardon me deare Sir that I make your choice tendernesse my Patron since the Discourse is no more pleasing my aimes and endeavours being all bent to serve you and therefore the effects must needs be yours truly Sir your early beginnings promise such a rare proceeding that you seeme to anticipate your age by out-stripping time in your wisedome and sweet discretion And if I may obtaine your beloved smiles in this bold though honest action I shall not feare what the sharpe jerke of any malignant tongue can doe unto me but will glory in my Character Happy Servant in such a Master William Crowne A RELATION BY WAY OF IOVRNALL c. THE seventh of April being Thursday 1636. His Excellency departed from Greenwich for Germanie tooke Barge about three of the clocke in the morning and landed at Gravesend from thence by Coach to Canterbury to bed the next day to Margate where wee dined and about three of the clocke in the afternoone hee tooke shipping in one of the Kings Ships called the Happy Entrance and landed the tenth day being Sunday at Helver-sluce and from thence to the Brill there sailing over a lake into Masanssluce and so on by waggons to Delph and to the Hage but a mile before wee came thither there met us some of the Queene of Bohemia's Coaches which her Majesty sent for his Excellency and in one of them his Excellency went to her Majesty that night the time we staid there was spent in visits betweene the Prince of Orange his Excellency and the States with some other Ambassadours that were then there as the French Venetian and the Swedish heere we staid three daies and departed the fourteenth day by wagons passing through Leiden to Woerden and then entred the Bishopricke of Utrecht and so to the City it selfe where wee lay the Princes being there at schoole his Excellency went to see them that night the next day thence to Rhenem to dine where the Queene hath an house adjacent to the Rhine on the left side which wee viewed having faire roomes and gardens belonging to it after diner wee entered into Gelder-land so through Wagening to Arnheim to bed passing that afternoone through much danger by reason of Out-lyers from the Army at Schenckenschans which was not farre off the Prince of Brandeburgh being heere in Towne visited his Excellency the next day and the day after his Excellency visited him who was shewed by him the ashes of some Romanes preserved in pots that were found in a Mountaine called Zanten which wee afterward passed by heere wee lay Easter-day and the Munday following and did see the smoake and fire out of the great Peeces from the Sconee as they were in skirmish thether his Excellency sent the Steward and a Trumpeter to demand passage of the Spanyard in the Schans and Grave William for the Hollander but the Spaniard would not grant it without order from Brussels Grave William hearing their answer sent his Excellency word hee made no doubt but to give him free passage the next day for he resolved to make an assault that night upon the Sconce upon the assault the Spaniards yeelded it up on conditions and heere his Excellency published certaine orders to be generally observed amongst us one reason was the sickenesse being heere very much wee staid heere three daies and departed the nineteenth in waggons for the Schans first crossed over the Rhine just by the towne on to the right side into Cleveland and so to the Tolhouse a Castle where the Hollanders take toll at adjoyning to the Rhine on the same side then passing through all their workes and Army leaving the Schans at a distance which was miserably battered untill wee came to Grave William his Tent where some of the Spaniards were sealing of their agreements what quarter they should have who instantly left them to bring his Excellency over the Rhine on a Bridge of flat bottom'd Boates guarded with all his Troopes of Horse untill wee came at the Barke wherein his Excellency lay that night then returned and sent a Company of English Souldiers to guard it the next day earely wee weighed Anchor and sailed up the Rhine having a Guard of Souldiers along the shore by reason the Enemy went out of the Schans that morning so passing by Emmerick and Rees Townes with strong sconces adjoyning to the Rhine on the left side then in sight of the Mountaine Zanten on the other side so by Burick on the same side to Wesell a Towne on the left side of the Rhine against which wee cast Anchor and lay on ship-board all night for they died there of the sickenesse more than thirty a day neverthelesse the next morning we tooke waggons in number eighteen and displaied our English colours in three severall wagons passing over a little River in Boats call'd Lipp then by Rheinbergh on the right hand being the last Towne of the States then by Dinslacken on the same side to Dinsburgh to dinner where none of our carriage might enter in for as his Excellency entered the gate one of the watch discharged his peece neere unto the horses breast the rest being instantly commanded to the contrary but the Gates were shut up and wee kept out untill the Towne were satisfied wee were no Enemy our carriage and Company being great frightened them at the first after diner we past through a long Wood in much danger and in the view of Rogues who did not set upon us because our Company was great yet we fearing the worst had sent for a Convoy of Musketiers to the next Towne before who met us not untill we were out of the Wood. Then wee entered into Bergish-land and went by Keiserswert to Dusseldorp to bed which adjoynes to the Rhine
on the left side where the Duke of Neiuburgh lay who was with his Dutchesse abroad taking the aire but espying us comming returned backe into the Towne with speed and sent to have the Ports shut up thinking wee had beene some Enemy but hearing it was his Excellency was very joyfull and sent Coaches for him to come and suppe with him and to make his house his lodging the time he staid but the next morning after breake-fast perceiving his Excellency would goe away had three Coaches waiting at the doore into one hee put his Excellency and us into the rest and brought us out of Towne with a Company of Horsemen and Foote in Armes and a Troope of Lances going before and Trumpets sounding about the Coach his owne Guard being thus brought without the Gates hee tooke his leave of his Excellency and returned and as wee were departing there went off great peeces of Ordnance Thence neere Neusse and then crossed over the Rhine at a little Dorpe called Hittorpe into the Territory of Collein and then to the City where we lay It is seated on the right side of the Rhine where the Bishop of Mentz was who sent one of his Privie Counsell to invite his Excellency the next day to diner he then sent three of his Coaches for us and gave his Excellency very noble entertainement the first night his Excellency came were presented unto him twenty foure Flaggons of severall kindes of Wine the next day twenty eight and at every Present there was a long speech made to his Excellency in Latine by one that came with the Wine which came all from the Magistrates of the City in Flaggons with the City Armes on them the Jesuits there have built them a very stately Church and richly adorned it with gildings and erected an Altar one of the state liest I ever saw in the City likewise there is a great Church called the Dome wherein lye the Bodies of three Kings called The three Kings of Collein which went to worship our Saviour then is there another Church called Saint Ursulas in which lyeth the bones of 1100. Virgins in places locked up and Saint Ursula in a faire Tombe by them which came all thither with her for their Devotion there is besides a Nunnery and some English Nunnes there Heere we staid a weeke and the twenty eighth day wee tooke a Boate drawne with nine horses and went up the Rhine by many Villages pillaged and shot downe and many brave Vineyards on Mountaines along the Rivers side passing by Bonn on the right side and seven high Burghens with old Castles on them seated on the other side of the River and to Drachenfels Castle on the left of the Rhine against which wee cast Anchor and lay that night on ship-board the next morning earely weighed Anchor passiâ—◠〈◊〉 an Island in which is a Monastery of Nunnes called â—onenwerther so on by Hammerstein Castle by Keigrmagen Andernach and Ormus three Townes on the right side of the Rhine against Ormus wee cast Anchor and lay on ship-board The next day earely weighed Anchor and went by Engers on the left side and there begunne Trierischlandt and so to Coblentz a Towne adjoyning to the Rhine on the right side which the French lately lost being driven out by the Emperours Forces into a Castle seated on a very high Rocke opposite to the Towne called Hermanstein which commandeth the Towne who were then skirmishing when wee came wherefore wee cast Anchor about halfe an English mile before and sent a Trumpeter desiring passage which they willingly granted ceasing their fight on both sides the Generall in the Towne making preparation to entertaine his Excellency did but open the Gate thinking to cleare the passage for his Excellencies entrance presently they in the Castle let flye a Cannon and were like to have slaine some of them wherefore they withdrew from shewing of themselves untill his Excellency came against the Gate and then came forth and intreated his Excellency to dine with him but hee staid not having a long way to goe that night they in the Castle are besieged on every side before them are Cannons placed just by the Rivers side behinde them are a great company of Horsemen called Crabbats beyond them in a plaine great field are other Horsemen and Footemen and likewise in Islands in the Rhine all watching that they cannot be relieved they in the Towne if they doe but looke out of their windowes have a bullet presently presented at their heads yet the Towne is somewhat the stronger for a River called the Mosell which runneth along one side of the Towne into the Rhine over which there did stand a faire Bridge though part of it now be beaten downe that there is no passage over but have made a little lower on the Mossell a passage on Boates to relieve the Towne under the Castle there is a very beautifull house which the Emperour gave to the Elector of Tryer and hee resigned it to the French whereupon the Spaniard besieged him when he lay in a faire Castle on the Mossell called Tryer and tooke him prisoner and is prisoner now as wee were departing from hence the French gave us a brave vollie of shot as hath beene heard with foure or five peeces of Ordnance from hence up the Rhine by Lonstein and Branbach two Townes on the left side and Capelle a Castle on a Rocke on the other side to Boppart a Towne on the same side against which wee cast Anchor and lay aboard The first of May being Sunday and their Whit-sunday we departed passing by Villages shot downe and by many pictures of our Saviour and the Virgin Mary set up at the turnings of the water untill we entered the Land of Hesse where we still viewed pleasant Vines on the Mountaines so by Saint Goware and by Rhinefilds Castle both on the right side to Catzenelbogon Castle on the other side then by Oberwesell on the right side then begins the Lower Palatinate so by Caub on the left side which is the first Towne in the Pfaltz and so to Pfaltz Castle seated in a little Iland in the River from hence to Bacharach a Towne where we landed it is seated on the right side of the Rhine having a Castle on a high Rocke within the walls and under that a Church which is from the plaine ground 100. steps before one can come into it heere the poore people are found dead with grasse in their mouthes from hence by a Village on the same side in which none but Leapers are being not farre off the Towne and so to Hambach on the same side by Drechshausen on the other side to Armanshausen a Towne on the left side of the Rhine against which we cast Anchor and lay on Ship-board The next morning departed hence and then begun Momtzistzland so by a little Tower in the water called Mouse Thour which one Otto a Bishoppe of Mentz having lived not well being much