les then the Vniversal Empire and that how formidable soever he were yet they not onely maintained their pretensions but with uninterrupted prosperitie and succesfulnesse advanced their trade and spread their conquests in all the foure parts of the world Rome it self though most famous and victorious yet could not as is believed in so short a time do what by this Commonwealth hath bin effected In India and Affrica they soon forced the Spaniard and Portugeses to yeeld to them most of their trade and posessions And tho England put in for a share yet they were a long while vigourously opposed by the Dutch and to this hour have enough to do to keep what they have gotten so that in lesse then an hundred years this Commonwealth by their industrie and art in trading are becom so excessive rich and potent that they began to insult and would needs be Arbitraters to their neighbouring Princes and States and encroach upon their Territories and Dominions This drew upon them that fatal war before mentioned by which they were sorely weakned and brought so low that except God by a more then ordinarie Providence had protected and appeared for them they had certainly bin ruinated and never able to recover themselves again however their pride hereby was much abated And as Luxurie and lasciviousnes are the sad effects of prosperitie as wel as Pride so such vices in a bodie Politick and Common-wealth as do corrupt the radical humors by abating the vigour of the Vital parts doe insensiblie tend to the consumption and decay of the whole That this Commonwealth hath much recovered its strength may clearly appeare if we consider what great things they have effected since the little time they have enjoyed peace They have in lesse then 7 yeares built about 40 gallant ships of war They have laid out vast sums of treasure in refortifying Narden Mastricht Breda the Grave and many other places They have payd vast sums of money to their Allies for their auxiliarie troopes as also 200000 pound sterling to the King of England to Enjoy their peace with him And besides all this their Encrease in Riches and power may be guest at by the many stately houses built within these 5 years in Amsterdam Rotterdam and other places to all which we may ad to what excessive hight the Actions of the East and West-Indie Companie are risen and the obligations from the Sates are so esteemed as to securitie that they Can get as much money as they please at 2 Per cent not to speak of the Exceeding encrease of their subjects occasioned by the French Kings tyrannie against the distressed Protestants in France Alsace and other parts of his Conquests neither wil we speak of other signes of the encrease of this Commonwealth as not Judging it convenient to commit them to paper but wil now proceed to shew the Method of Living and travelling in the Dominions and places of the States which if you do wel consider you May see how happie and easie the Government of England is above that of other Nations The Brill in Holland is the Usual place where the Packet and Kings pleasure boats bring on such as come for to see the United Provinces here be sure to furnish your self wel with money From hence you take a boat to Maseland Sluce or Rotterdam which if you goe in Companie with others wil only cost you 5 stivers but if you take one for your self wil cost 25. stivers for Maseland Sluce and a Ducaton to Rotterdam The Fifth part of which goes to the States for a tax they call Passagie Gelt and the other 4 parts are for the boat Men or Shippers who also out of their gaines must Pay a tax to the States so that by computation you pay a fift pennie to the States for your travelling either in boats by water or in waggons by land As you passe by Maseland Sluce you 'l see a verie faire fishing village to which belong near two hundred Herring Buisses but if you goe by the way of Rotterdam you sail by two old Townes Called Flardin and Schiedam yet let me advise you before you depart from the Bril to take a serious view of it as beeing the citie which in Queen Elisabeths time was one of the Cautionarie Townes pawned to England The Brill had a voyce among the States but by reason Rotterdam hath got away their Trade by which having lost its former lustre is now become afishing town onely Rotterdam is the second Citie for trade in Holland and by some is caled little London as having vast traffick with England in so much that many of the citisens speak good English There are in this citie two considerable Churches of English and Scotch and how great a trade they drive with the King of Englands subjects is evident for in the yeare 1674 at the opening of the waters after a great frost there departed out of Rotterdam 300 Sail of Englesh Scotch and Irish Ships at once with an Easterly wind And if a reason should be demanded how it coms to passe that so many English Ships should frequently com to that haven It is easilie answered because they can ordinarily Load and unload and make returns to England from Rotterdam before a Ship can get clear from Amsterdam and the Texel And therfore your English Merchants find it Cheaper and more commodious for trade that after their goods are arrived at Rotterdam to send their goods in boats Landward in to Amsterdam This citie is famous as beeing the place where Great Erasmus was born whose Statue of Brasse stands erected in the Market place And although the buldings here are not so superb as those of Amsterdam Leyden or Harlem yet the places worth the seeing are first the Great Church where Several Admirals Lay Stately Entombed here you see their Admiralitie East Indie and Stathouses together with that caled het Gemeen Lands Huis From Rotterdam you may for 5 strivers have a boat to bring you to Delph but before you com thither you passe thro a faire village called Overschie where the French and English youths are trayned up in litterautre as to the Latin and Dutch tongue Booke keeping c from thence in the same boat you com to Delph which is famous for making of Porceline to that degree that it much resembles the China but onely it is not transparent In Delph is the great Magasin of Arms for the whole Province of Holland Their churches are verie large in one of which are Tombs of the Princes of Orange Admiral Tromp and General Morgans Ladie and in the Cloyster over against the Church you have an Inscription in a Pillar of Brasse shewing after what manner William the 1 that famous Prince of Orange was Shot to death by a miscreant Jesuist with his deserved punishment Delph hath the 3 d voyce in the States of Holland and sends its Deputies unto the Colledge of the States General and to all other colledges
fifty yards in the length and but fifteen in breadth over it there is a Roome where the skins of five Lions which the Burghers killed at the city gates in the year 1252 are kept stuft The great market place is very large where a monumentall stone is to be seen on which one of their Burgemasters was beheaded for running away without fighting in a sea engagement The people here spend much time in their Churches at devotion which consists chiefely in singing The women are beautifull but disfigured with a kind of Antick dress they wearing cloaks like men It is cheap living in this town for one may hire a palace for a matter of 20 〈◊〉 a year and have provisions at very reasonable rates besides the air and water is very good the city being supplied with fountains of Excellent fresh water which Hambourg wants and good ground for cellerage there being cellars here fourty or fifty foot deep I had the curiosity to goe from Lubeck to see the Ancient city of Magdeburg but found it so ruined and decayed by the Swedish war that I had no encouragement to stay there I therefore hastened to Berlin the chiefe residence of the Elector of Brandenbourg at whose Court I mett with a very Ingenuous French Merchant who tould me that he and divers other Merchants were designed to have lived in England but were discouraged by a letter sent from London by a French man that was removeing from thence to Amsterdam for these following reason which I coppied out of his Letter First because the Reformed Religion is persecuted in England as it is in France the which I tould him was a great untruth for it is apparent that they have been all along graciously admitted and received into his Majesties Dominions without interruption allowed the free exercise of their owne forme of worship according to the Doctrine discipline of the Churches of France nor can they who converse with the French Ministers either in France or Holland be Ignorant that the chiefest part if not all those Ministers are willing to complye with the Church of England and it is Evident that most of the Dutch and French Protestants so called in Holland make use of Organs in their Churches A second thing was that both the bank of London and the Bankers Gouldsmiths were all broak the which I tould this Frenchman was not true altogether for there are many able Bankers whome I named as Alderman Fowles Alderman Hornbey Alderman Duncomb Alderman Founs Mr. Thomas Cook Mr. Rob Vyner Mr. Childe Mr. Endes Mr. Evans and others well known to the world by their solid dealling neyther was the Bank as he called the Chamber of London broak only it had been under the management of a bad Person whose designe was to bring it into disgrace besides there is the East-India Company an unquestionable securitie for those as have money to dispose of together with another undeniable securitie which is Land. Thirdly he saith that in England there is no Register and therefore many frauds in purchases morgages which begett teadious suites and renders both dangerous to trust Fourtly that if a man would purchase land he cannot being an Alien untill Naturalized Fiftly that in England there are so many plots and Confusions in Government that the Kingdome is hardly quiet twenty yeares together Sixtly that false wittnesses were so common in England and the crime of perjury so slightly punished that no man could be safe in life or Estate if he chanced to be in trouble Lastly he said that the English are so restless and quarrelesome that they not only foment and cherish Animosities amongst one another but are Every foot contriving and plotting against their lawfull soveraign and the Government By such surmises and insinuations as these the French and Germans are scared from trusting themselves and fortunes in England and therefore settle in Amsterdam Hamburg and other Cittyes where there are Banks and Registers This I say is one cause why there are now to be seene at Amsterdam such vast numbers of French and Germans who have much inriched that Citty and raised the rents of the houses 20 parcent and the silkeweavers grow also verie rich keeping so many Almes Children to doe their work and having all their labour without any charge only for the teaching them their trades which hath lessened the revenues of the French crown and will in tyme greately increase the number of the States subjects and advance ther publick Incomes To say the truth the inconstancy and wantonnesse of the English nation especially of late tymes when no other cause could be given for it but to much ease and plenty is not only wondered at but reflected upon by foreigners yet I am morally certaine that could the people of England be once againe united in love and affection as they are bound to be in duty and Interest and would they be as willing to contribute to their own hapines as heaven hath been kind and liberal in bestowing the meanes of it with a good and gratious Prince solicitous for preserveing the same to them could wee be so blest as wee have great reason to Expect wee may under the Auspicious reigne of him whose royall Virtues are dreaded by none either at home or a broad but such as are the disturbers of publick and lawfull Authoritie Having made this digression I return to Berlin It is a city lately enlarged with fair streets and palaces The Magistrates of the place are Lutherans which is the publick established Religion in all the Electors dominions though he himself and his Children be Calvinists He is lookt upon to be so true to that persuasion that he is reckoned the Protector of the Calvinists and indeed he sollicited the Emperour very hard for a toleration of the Protestants in Hungary His chaplains as most of the Lutheran ministers also endeavour to imitate the English in their way of preaching and his highness is so much taken with English divinity that he entertains divines for translating English books into the German tongue as the whole duty of man and severall others He has a large and Srately palace at Berlin and therein a copious library enriched with many manuscripts medalls and rarities of Antiquity He may compare with most Princes for handsome guards being all of them proper well bodied men and most part Officers who ride in his guards of horse As he is know'n in the world to be a valiant and warlick Prince so he maintains in pay an Army of 36000 men besides five or six thousand horsmen who in time of war are modelled into troopes with which body during the late war with Sweden his highness in Person beat the Swedes out of his Countrey Hee keeps his forces in strickt Discipline obliging all the Officers if Protestants on Sundays and holy days to march their severall Companies in order to Church but if a superiour Officer be of a contrary persuasion then the next in commission supplies
so meanely furnished said that had he know'n before he accepted the Crown what then he did he would have taken other measures There are many other Stately palaces in Stockholme belonging to the nobilitie but many of them for want of repairs and not being inhabited run to ruine severall of the nobles who lived in them formerly having lost the estates that maintained their ancient splendour as wee shall see hereafter being retired unto a Countrey life There are also some other magnificent structures begun but not finished as that Stately building intended for a Parliament house for the nobles and two or three Churches but what I most wonder at is the vault wherein the late King lies buried is not as yet covered but with boards for it is to he observed that the Kings of Sweeden have no tombs and monuments as in England and other Countries but are put into copper coffins with inscriptions on them and placed one by another in vaults adjoyning to the Gray Friers Church These vaults are about Eight in number having turets over them with vains of Copper gilt carved into the ciphers of the severall Kings who give them their names by being the first that are interred in them The vault of the late King is not yet finished no more then the fabricks above mentioned which perhaps may be imputed to the late troubles of Swedland The number of the inhabitants of Stockholme are also much decreased within these few yeares partly by reason of the removal of the Court of Admiraltie and the Kings Ships from that citie to Charles-crown a new haven lately made about 200 English miles from thence which hath draw'n many families belonging to the fleet and Admiralitie from Stockholme to live there and partly becaus many of the nobilitie gentry and those that depended on them are as I said before withdraw'n from Stockholme to a retired life in the Countrey Nevertheless the ordinary sort of Bourghers who still remain are extreamly poor seing the women are fain to worke like horses drawing carts and as labourers in England serving masons and bricklayers with stone bricks and mortar and unloading vessells that bring those materials some of the poor creatures in the summertime toyling in their smocks without either shoes or stockings They performe also the part of watermen and for a small matter will row passengers 40 miles or more if they please The Court here is very thin and silent the King living frugally seldome dining in publick He eats commonly with the two Queens his mother and consort who is a virtuous Princess sister to the King of Denmark She is the mother of five Children three sons and two daughters with whom she spends most of her time in retirement The King is a goodly Prince whom God hath blessed and endowed with accomplishments far beyond what might have been expected from his education wherein he was extreamly abused being taught litle more than his mother tongue He is gracious Just and valiant constant at his devotion and utterly averse from all kind of debauchery and the unfashionable vanities of other courts in playes and danceing His Sports are hunting and exerciseing of his guards and he rarely appeares publickly or gives audience to strangers which is imputed to his sense of the neglect of his education He is a Prince that hath had a very hard beginning in the world which hath many times proved fortunate to great men and indeed if wee consider all the circumstances of his early misfortunes how he was slighted and neglected by his nobles who would hardly vouchsafe to pay him a visit when he was among them in the Countrey or to doe him homage for the lands they held of the Crown and how by the Pernicious councels of the French and the weakeness or treachery of his governours he was misled into a war that almost cost him his Crown having lost the best of his territories in Germany and Schonen and most of his forces both by sea and land If I say these things be considered it will probably appeare that hardly any Prince before him hath in a shorter time or more fully setled the Authority and prerogative of the Crown then he hath done in Sweden for which he stands no wayes obliged to France as he was for the restauration of what he lost during the war. He is now as absolute as the French King and makes Edicts which have the force of Laws with out the concurrence of the Estates of the Kingdome He hath erected two Iudicatures the one called the colledge of Reduction and the other of inspections the first of which hath put his Majesty in possession again of all lands alienated from the Crown and the other called to account all persons even the heires and executors of those who had cheated the Crown and made them refound what they or their predecessors had appropriated to their own use of the Publick revenue These two necessary constitutions as they have reduced many great families to a pinch who formerly lived splendidly upon the Crown lands and revenues and obliged them to live at home upon their ancient and private Patrimonie in the Countrey which is one great cause that the Court of Sweden is at present so unfrequented so have they enabled his Majestie without burdening of his subjects to support the Charges of the government and to maintain 64000 men in pay The truth is his other Renues are but small seing Queen Christina enjoys the best of his territories as her allowance and that what arises from the Copper and Iron mines one Silver mine the Pitch and Tar the customes and excise amounts to no extraordinary summ of money the land tax in so barren a Countrey scarcely deserving to be named The customes and excise I confess are very high and the rigorous manner of exacting them pernicious to trade as for instance Iâ— a ship come to Stockholme from London with a hundred severall sorts of goods and those goods assigned to fifty several men more or less if any of those fifty doe not pay the custome of what belongs to him though it be for a barrel of Beer the Ship shall not be unladen nor no man have his goods out though he hath fully payed the customes for them till this last man hath payed his There are severall other silly customes in Swedland that discourages men from tradeing there as if any stranger die there a third of his Estate must goe to the city or town where he traded No forreigne Merchant in Stockholm can travell into any Countrey where there is a faire without a passport and at present seing there is no treaty of trade betwixt England and Sweden though the English bring as considerable a trade to that Kingdome as any other Countrey whatsoever yet they are very unkindly used by the Officers of the custome house whereas the Dutch in Lubeck and other cities have new and greater Priviledges allowed them Nor would I Counsel an Englishman
man and there it is so securely preserved that although the house should be burnt the Booke in al probabilitie would be safe Should I here give an account of the Vast summes of money that dayly are written of in this Bank I might probably be thought to speake at Random but this I may bouldly affirme that it farr Exceeds all the Bankes in Europe both for Riches and Business and their Credit is such that the Italians French Germans and English have great summes in the same neither was ever any man refused his money in the worst of times A second Tax is what ariseth from the just and laudable Establishment of a Register A Tax which I think most men will be willing to submit to Except such as designe to cheat and defraud their Naibours and live by such like sins and Confusion and for the most part die with the curse of the people This Register in Holland begitts such assurance and Safetie in dealling that in purchasing of houses or land a Childe tho overreached in the Value yet cannot be cheated as to the title The methodes of which Register I have by me for the use of our King and Parlement when they please to Command it The third and last Tax is that of sealed paper as it is practised in Holland The Method of which I likewise keep by me for his Maiestie and Parlements Commands There are many other things might be spoken as to the Government of Amsterdam but I may not tyre your patience However one considerable thing I would not passe by touching the Melitia There are in Amsterdam 60 Companyes of Foot the least of them haveing 200 men some 300 which in a modest account amounts at least to 15000 men in which number neither Jews nor Anabaptists who carry no Armes are reckned only they are obliged to Contribute to the maintenance of the 1400 Souldiers who are kept in Constant pay as a Guard for the Citty and towards the night watch or Ratelwatch who walke the streets the whole night to keepe good Orders and tell us every halfe houre what a Clock it is There are also upon every Church Tower Trumpetters who sound every halfe houre and if any fire breakes out in the Citty they give a Signall on which side of the Citty the fire is and ring the Firebell and they have Exellent wayes on a suddain in such sad accidents to Quench Fire but I may not inlarge any longer but hasten out of Holland And yet before I leave Amsterdam I must vindicate her from a malitious aspersion cast upon her by the Ignorant they accuse her to have very rudely and uncivilly affronted the Duke of York beeing there Anno 1681 All which is very false True the English Phanaticks of Amsterdam were so malitiously wicked as to spread severall lyes of his Sacred Person and stird up the Canalie as much as they could to affront his Highnes but as for the Magistrates they payd him verie great respects first sending me to the Hague to know what day his Highnes would please to honor their Citty with his presence that thereby they might be prepared to receive his Royall person with all the honor emaginable being resolved to Treat his Highnes in their Stathouse and that the Burgers should be in their Armes also giveing out orders for Coaches and the Admiraltys Yagts to attend his Highnes when ever he pleased to come but his Highnes by Collonel werden let me know that I should attend the Burgemasters and thank them for their kind presentation but his Highnes was resolved to see their Citty incognito and therefore desired the Burgemasters not to put themselves to any maner of Trouble Notwithstanding the Magistrates Commanded their Yatchts to lye ready the halfeway Harlem and Vice Admiral de Ruiter Dirick Tulp and others went out in their Coaches to meet his Highnes and conduct him into the Citty at which tyme our English Phanaticks Especially those called Monmouths twelve Apostels did all that they could to stir up the rude multitude to affront his Highnes crying out to them This is he that brought the last war upon you and with his Jesuits would cut all the Protestants Throats But the next day after his Highnes was com into the Citty Burgemaster Valkenier the great Solon of Amsterdam sent for me and could me that although the Burgemasters which are the Soveraignes of the City give no Visits to strange Princes unless they be Crouned heads yet said he I have a great Ambition to pay a Visit to the Duke of York upon severall respects first as being the brother of so great a King and as he is our Statholders Vnckell and Father in law and therefore said he you shall procure me Audience in the privatest maner imaginable for I designe to goe with you to him without so much as a footman attending me here upon I waitted upon the Earle of Peterborow and Collonel Werden and Collonel Porter to desire them to aquaint his Highnes with the Burgemasters designe whereupon his Highnes turnd to me and said Mr. Carr when the Burgemaster pleaseth whereupon I went immediately to the Burgemaster and attended him to his Highnes quarters the newes whereof comeing to the Cittizens they gathered together in great Multitudes to see whether this great man their Petty God did humble himself so far as to pay a Visit to his Highnes whereas the other Burgemasters only sent a Secretary and one of there Pensionaries to Visit the Duke of Monmouth and all Ambassandors have no other Complement but by Secretaries or Pensionaries After the Burgemaster had had a long houres Audience with the Duke in a Roome a part I attended the Burgemaster to his Daughter Pelicorns house the which was neare his Highnes Lodgings for the Tumult of the Burgers was so great that the Burgemaster did not care to pas by them and being come into his daughters Parler he began to speake to me after this maner Sir I never in all my life met with a Prince so generally Experienced in all things a Prince that hath far penetrated into the affaires of Europe and hath the right measures of the present State of our Country and discourses as if he sate in our Councell but above all I was mightly pleased to heare him declare himselfe so freely touching Liberty of Conscience commending the wisdome of our State in Opening their Gates to all tender Consciences and that is it said his Highnes that makes you so considerable and enticeth the Rich Merchants of other places to come live amongst you whereas the folly of the Spanish Inquisition hunts away the chiefest of their Traders the Jewes and others For my part said his Highnes I never was for oppressing tender Consciences in England for nothing more disturbs the peace and quiet thereof then forceing men by Peâ—d Lawes to become all of one Religioâ— To conclude said the Burgemaster do but Remark this one thing and remember it if you out
to more money than at first one may imagine and this thought I confess made me wish it were otherwise I would not have the Reader to mistake mee here as if I espoused or pleaded for any particular party No I plead onely for the sentiments of humanity without which our nature degenerates into that of brutes and for the love that every honest man ought to have for his Countrey I am asmuch a friend to the Spanish Inquisition as to the persecuting of tender Conscienced protestants provided there be no more but Conscience in the case and I could heartily wish that Papists and Protestants could live as lovingly together in England as they doe in Holland Germany and other Countries for give mee leave to say it I love not that Religion which in stead of exulting destroys the Principles of morality and humane societie I have met with honest men of all persuasions even Turks and Jews who in their lives and manners have far exceeded many of our Enthusiastick professors at home and when ever this happened I could not forbeare to love the men without embraceing there Religion for which they themselves are to account to their great master and Judge In my progress towards Hanover I touched at Hildersheim a city whose Magistrates are Lutheran though Roman Catholicks have the Cathedrall Church and severall monasteries there The court of Hanover makes another kind of figure than that of Cassels it being the court of a greater Prince who is Bishop of Osnaburg duke of Brunswick Lunenburg Hanover c. Here I had the honour to kiss the hands of the Princess Royall Sophia youngest sister to the late Prince Rupert Her highness has the character of the Merry debonnaire Princess of Germany a lady of extraordinary virtue and accomplishments and mistriss of the Italian French High and low dutch and English languages which she speaks to perfection Her husband has the title of the Gentlemen of Germany a gracefull and comely Prince both a foot and on horseback civill to strongers beyond compare infinitely Kind and beneficent to people in distress and known in the world for a valiant and experienced Soldier I had the honour to see his troops which without controversic are as good men and commanded by as expert Officers as any are in Europe Amongst his Officers I found brave Steel-hand Gordon Collonel of an Excellent Regiment of horse Grimes Hamilton Talbot and others of our Kings subjects God hath blest the Prince with a numerous offspring having six sons all galant Princes of whom the two eldest signalized themselves so bravely at the raising of the siege of Vienna that as an undoubted proofe of their valour they brought three Turks home to this court prisoners His Eldest son is married to a most beautifull Princess sole heiress of the duke of Lunenbourg and Zell his elder brother as the lovely Princess his daughter is lately married to the Electorall Prince of Brandenbourg He is a gracious Prince to his people and keeps a very splendid court having in his stables for the use of himself and children no less than fifty two sets of coach horses he himself is Lutheran but as his subjects are Christians of different persuasions nay and some of them Jews too so both in his court and army he entertains Gentlemen of various opinions and Countries as Italian abbots and Gentlemen that serve him and many Calvinist French Officers neither is he so bigotted in his Religion but that he and his Children goe many times to Church with the Princess who is a Calvinist and joine with her in her devotion His Countrey is good having gold and silver mines in it and his subjects live well under him as doe those also of his brother the duke of Lunenbourg and their Cozen the duke of Wolfembottel which are the three Princes of the house of Lunenbourg of whom it may be said that they have alwayes stuck honestly to the right side and befriended the interests of the Empire so that no by respect neither honour nor profit could ever prevail with them as it has with others to make them abandon the publick concern From this Princes court I went to Zell the residence of the duke the elder brother of the familie This Prince is called the mighty Nimrod becaus of the great delight he takes in horses dogs and hunting He did mee the honour to let mee she his stables wherein he keeps 370 horses most of them English or of English breed His dogs which are also English are so many that with great care they are quartered in severall apartments according to their Kind and qualities there being a large office like a brewhouse employed for boyling of malt and Corn for them It is this valiant Prince who tooke Tieves from the French and made the Mareshall do Crequi prisoner he is extreamely obliging to strangers and hath severall brave Scottish Officers under his pay as Major General Erskin Graham Goloman Hamilton Melvin and others His Lieutenant General is one Chavot a Protestant of Alsatia an excellent and experienced commander who did mee the honour to treat mee three days at his house where with all his Scottish and English Officers whom he had invited wee liberally drank to the health of our present King having as he told us served under his Majestie when duke of York both in France and Flanders where he gained the reputation both for skill and conduct in the wars not onely from Mareshall Turin a competent Judge but also from all other General Persons who had the honour to know him that fame hath made better know'n in the world than the encomium which that generous Gentleman ingenuously gave and which heere I spare to relate I shall adde no more concerning this Prince his Officers or Countrey but that he with the other two Princes of the house of Lunenbourg Hanover and Wolfenbottel can upon occasion bring into the field 36000 Soldiers whom they keep in constant pay and such men as I never saw better in my life After some stay at the Court of the duke of Zell I went to Hambourg a famous Hansiatick town It is a republick and city of great trade occasioned partly by the English Company of Merchant adventures but much more by the dutch Protestants who in the time of the Duke of Alba forsook the low Countries and seltled here and the Protestants also who were turned out of Cologne and other places in Germany who nevertheless are not now allowed publick Churches within the citie but at a place called Altena a village belonging to the King of Denmark a quarter of an houres walk distant from Hambourg This Commonwealth is Lutheran and governed by four Burgemasters twenty four Radtsheres and a common Council of all the Burghers who have above 40 schellings per annum free hold The symbole or Motto under their Armes is da pacem domine in diebus nostris and in their Standart are these letters S. P. Q. H. The
live me viz that if ever this great Prince come to be King of England he will alter all the Measures of Europe and possible become the Arbiter thereof After which discourse the Burgemaster said let me now present you mijn Heer Consul with a Glasse of Rhenith wyne to his Highnes health and pray when you have an Opportunitie to speake with his Highnes assure him that he 〈◊〉 in Amsterdam a true and faithfull freind and moreover he said when I speake next with our Statholder the Prince of Orange and our Pensionarie Fagel I will doe his Highnes Justice and thus wee parted but the civil deportment of this Burgamaster was not all for other great ones of the Citty did their part also as Vice-Admiral de Ruiter with at least 30 Captains of the Admiralty Chamber of Amsterdam attended his Highnes to shew him the Men of warr and Magazins of the Admiralty likewise Sir Dirick Tulp and the Heer Peter van Dan◠and others the Bewinthebbers of the East-India Company attended his Highnes to the East-Indie House where was spread a Banquet of Sweetmeats and rich Wines and they offered his Highnes a present but his highnes would not accept of any only two large Bookes in which were Painted all the Beasts Fishes and Foules and likewise all the Plants Flowers and Fruites of the East-Indies and because his Highnes had tasted the Mum in the East-Indie Magazine and liked it the Company caused twelve Caskes to be neatly hoopt and gave me them to be sent after his Highnes to Brussels And I know it was the resolution of the Bewinthebbers to have spared no cost if his Highnes would have accepted of a Treat in their house by all which you see that the Magistrates and chiefe men in Amsterdam were not guilty of Rudenes to his Highnes but it was the Canalie And now haveing said so much good of the States Government and of Amsterdam in particular it will not be amisse to take notice of some Bad customes and practises now in vogue in Holland and leave it to the reader to Judge what they may portend There are tollerated in the Citty of Amsterdam amongst other abuses at least 50 Musick houses where lewd Persons of both sexs meet and practise their villanies There is also a place called the Longseller a Tollerated Exchange or publick meeting house for whores and Rogues to Rendevous in and make their filthy Bargains This Exchange is open from six a clock afterdinner untill nine at night Every whore must pay three stivers at the dore for her entrance or admission I confess the Ministers preach and exclaim from the pulpit against this horrible abuse but who they be that Protect them I know not yet I have heard some plead for the tolleration of these wicked meetings upon pretext that when the East-India fleets come home the Seamen are so mad for women that if they had not such houses to bait in they would force the verie Cittyzens wives and Daughters but it is well known that as money does countenance so Discipline might suppress that abuse The ould severe and frugall way of Liveing is now allmost quite out of Date in Holland there is very littell to be seene of that sober modestie in Apparell Diet and habitations as formerly In stead of Convenient Dwellings the Hollandtrs now build Stately palaces have their delightfull Gardens and houses of pleasure keep Coaches waggons and sleas have very rich furniture for their horses with Trappings-adorned with silver Bells I have seen the Vanitie of a Vintners sonne who had the bosses of the bit and Trapping of his horse of pure silver his footman and Coachman having silver fringd Gloves yea so much is the humour of the women altered and of their Children also that no Apparel can now serve them but the best and richest that France and other Countryes affoards and their sonns are so much adicted to play that many families in Amsterdam are ruined by it not that England is lesse Extravagant then the Duch who as I said before got such great Estates by their frugalitie whilest they were not addicted to such prodigalitie and wantonesse as the English are whose excesse I can not excuse neverthelesse the grave and sober people of Holland are very sensible of the great alteration that now is in their Country and as they say Paracelsus used to cure his patients of their disease with a full belly so a good Burgemaster desirous to convince his Amsterdammers of their dissolute kind of lif◠invited the Thirty six Magistrates and their wives to a feast who being come and the Ladyes big with Expectation of some rare and Extraordinary Entertainment sat down at table where the first course was Buttermilk boild with Appells Stockfish Buttered Turnips and Carrots lettice Salade and red Herrings only smale beare without any Wyne At this the Ladies startled and began to whisper to their husbands that they Expected no such Entertainement but upon removing of the Dishes and plates they found underneath printed verses Importing that after that manner of liveing they began to thrive had inlarged their Citty The second course consisted of Bocke de kooks quarters of Lamb rosted Rabits and a sort of pudding they cal a Brother here they had Dorts and English beare with French wyne yet all this did not please the dainty Dames but upon removing away the plates another Dish of poetrie appeared which acquainted them that after that modest and sober way of Liveing they might keep what they had gott and lay up some thing for their Children Then comes in the third course made up of all the rarities of the season as Patridges Pheseants and all sorts of foule and English pasties with plenty of Rinish and other sorts of wyne to moisten them this put the ladyes in a frolick and Jolly humour but under their plates was found the use and Application in verses telling them that to feed after that manner was Voluptuous and Luxurious and would Impaire their health and wast their Estates make them neglect their Trade and so in Tyme reduce their Stately and new built flourishing Citty to their ould fishing towne againe After this was brought in a Banquet of all sorts of sweet meats piled up in piramides and delicate fruite with plenty of delitious wynes and to conclude all a set of Musick and maskers who danced with the young Ladyes but at parting like the hand writing to Belteshazzar upon the wall every one had a printed paper of moralities put into their hand shewing them the causes of the ruine of the Roman Commonwealth according to that of the Poët Nullum crimen abest facinusque libidinis ex quo Paupertas Roman a perit with an Excellent aduice to them that if they did not quit the Buffoneries and apish modes of the French and returne to the Simplicitie plaineness and modestie of their Ancestors and founders their Common-wealth could not long last but all the thanks the good