and Heluetia are esteemed to be ten millions of men The people is diuided into fower sorts husbandmen and they beare no office citizens noblemen and prelates The last three sorts make the assemblies and states of the Empire Of Prelats the Archbishops Electors haue the chiefest place The Archbishop of Ments is Chancelor of the Empire the Bishop of Coloin is Chancelor of Italy and the Bishop of Treuers is Chancelor of France The Archbishop of Saltzburg is of greatest iurisdiction and reuenue The Bishop of Maidburg writeth himselfe primate of Germanie Breme and Hamburg had great iurisdictions next follow aboue 40â— other Bishops the great master of the Dutch order and the Prior of the knights of Ierusalem then 7. Abbots and they likewise are states of the Empire Of secular Princes the king of Bohemia is chiefe who is chiefe taster the Duke of Saxonic Marshall the Marques of Brandeburg high Chamberlain the Earle Palatine Sewer Besides these princes there are thirtie other Dukes amongst whom the Archduke of Austria holdeth the highest place and of these Dukes the king of Denmarke by reason of his dukedome of Holsatia is reckoned to be one Then the Marquises Lantgraucs Earles and Barons innumerable The free cities which in times past haue beene 96. and are now but 60. gouerning themselues by their peculiar lawes are bound no further then to pay two fiue parts of whatsoeuer contribution is granted in the assemblies The cities Imperiall because as we said before they pay tribute to the Emperor pay 15. thousand Florens The cities haue suffiçient reuenue of their owne for the most part amounting aboue the value of the contributions It is thought that the Empire receiueth euery way aboue 7. millions which is a great matter yet besides this ordinary the people not ouerpressed as in Italie do pay other great subsidies to their princes in times of danger The Empire is bound at leastwise accustomed to furnish the Emperor when he goeth to Rome to be crowned 20. thousand footemen and fower thousand horse and to maintaine them for eight moneths and therefore it is called Romanum subsidium The reuenues of the cities and lay princes haue beene greatly augmented since the suppressing of poperie and bringing in of new impositions which taking their beginning from Italy for euill examples spread farre quickly passed ouer to France and Germanie In times of necessitie great taxes are laid vpon the whole Empire and leuied extraordinarily and that they may be gathered with the greater case Germanie is parted into ten diuisions which haue their particular assemblies for the execution of the edicts made in the generall diets of the Empire As concerning the multitude of people it is thought that the Empire is able to raise two hundred thousand horse and foote which the warres before spoken of may prooue to be true as likewise the wars of France and Belgia for since the yeere of our Lord 1566. the warre hath beene continued in those two prouinces for the most part with Germane soldiers and yet to this day great and continuall inrolements are taken aswell of horsemen and footemen through the whole Empire At one time Wolfang Duke of Bipontled into France an armie of twelue thousand footemen and eight thousand horsemen in the behalfe of the Protestants and at the same time the Count Mansfield was leader of fiue thousand horsemen of the same nation in behalfe of the Catholikes William of Nassow had in his armie eight thousand Germane horsemen and ten thousand footemen the Duke of Alua 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 vnder the same leader in the yeere of our Lord 1578 Or to what end should I make mention of that armie where of part serued Henrie the fourth part the league but to prooue that this nation must be very populous seeing that warres are continually open in some one or other part of Christendome and no action vndertaken therein wherein great numbers of Germans are not waged and entertained To speake nothing of the Netherlands who in times past haue resisted the whole powers of France with an armie of fower score thousand men or of the Swissers who in their owne defence are thought able to raise an armie of 100. and twentie thousand men I will onely put you in minde of that expedition which they made out of their owne territories into Lumbardy in defence of that state against Francis the French king with an armie of fiftie thousand footemen The best footemen of Germanie are those of Tiroll Sweuia and Westphalia the best horsemen those of Brunswick Cleueland and Franconia Of weapons they handle the sword and the pike better then the gunne In the field they are very strong as well to charge as to beare the shot for order is of great effect which is as it were naturall to them with a stately pace and firme standing They are not accounted for the defence of fortresses and for their corpulent bodies I hold them not fit for the assault of a breach And therefore they are to be accounted rather resolute and constant then fierce or couragions for they will neuer come to the seruice wherein courage and magnanimitie is to be shewed After the victorie they kill all whom they meete without difference of age sex or calling if the war be drawen out at length or if they be besieged they faint with cowardnes In campe they can endure no delaies neither know they how to ouercome by protracting If their first attempts fall not out to their mindes they are at their wits ende and lose courage if they once begin to runne they will neuer turne againe But in delaying and temporising the Spanish passe all other nations He that retaines them must be at extraordinarie charges great trouble by reason of their wiues consuming so much prouision that it is a hard thing to prouide it almost vnpossible to preserue and without this prouision they stand in no steed Their horses are rather strong then couragious and because of ten which goe to the warre eight are prest from the plough they are of small seruice and when they see their blood their hart quaileth But the Spanish genits in this case waxe more fierce In sea forces they are not much inferiour to their land forces although they vse not the sea fights yet the cities of Hamburg Lubecke Rostoch and some others are able to make a hundred ships some one hundred and fiftie equall to the forces of the king of Denmarke and Sweathland When these strong and â—nuâ—cible forces are vnited together they feare no enimy and in imminent perill they are sure of the aide of the Princes of Italy Sauoy and Lorraine for these Princes neuer forsooke the Empire in necessitie To the Zigethan-warre Emanuel Duke of Sauoy sent sixe hundred Argoliteers Cosmo Duke of Florence three thousand footemen paide by the State Alphonsus the second Duke
in safetie The sea coast is on euerie side cliffie and inaccessible except in some certaine places which are strongly fortified as Barwicke Douer Dertmouth Plymmouth Falmouth Bristow Milford c. so that the whole Ilande may be taken for one impregnable castell or Bulwarke To this strength of situation may be ioyned their sea and lande forces As touching their sea-forces besides the Nauie Royall the kingdome hath so many faire hauens and those so frequented with merchants that two thousand ships are reported to trafique there Be this as it may it is vndoubtedly true that vpon necessitie they are able to put to sea aboue fower hundred ships Edward the third at the siege of Caleis and Henrie the eight at the siege of Bullen waisted ouer with a thousand faile of all sorts and therefore to inuade that Iland whose hauens are hard to approch and worse to enter by reason of the fortifications and which haue so many ships at commaund I account a most difficult and dangerous enterprise And to this dangerous difficultie may be added another which is that the English people are maruellous expert in maritime actions then whom at sea there is not a valianter and bolder nation vnder heauen For in most swift ships excellent well furnished with ordinance wherewith the kingdome aboundeth they goe to sea with as good courage in winter as in sommer all is one with them They trade into Moscouie Cathay Alexandria of Egypt Constantinople Liuonia Barbarie and Guinea Anno 1585. with a fleete of fiue and twentie ships whererein were 2500. souldiers they sayled into the west Indies and tooke Saint Iago Saint Domingo in Hispaniola and Cartagena on the continent Saint Augustines a citie built of timber and by them destroyed with fire In the time of warre they continually veâ—e the Terceraz and the coast of Brasill Two of their Captaines haue sayled round about the world with no lesse courage then glorie and good fortune Their force at land is nothing inferiour to that at sea for the kingdome is diuided into two and fiftie shires in one onely whereof commonly called Yorkeshire it is thought seuentie thousand footmen may be leuied Euerie shire hath a lieutenant who seeth to the election and trayning of soldiers when necessitie requireth In choosing of soldiers they take the names of all the inhabitants of the countrey from aboue sixteene yeeres of age to sixtie and out of these they choose the likeliest and ablest for seruice The taller and stronger are chosen for footmen and these diuided into fower kinds The first are archers by whose dexteritie they conquered the greatest part of France tooke king Iohn captiue and held Paris sixteene yeeres The arrowes of the Parthians were neuer more dredfull to the Romaines then the bowes of the English to the Frenchmen The second sort vsed light staues well headed with iron with which they would strike a man from his horse The other two vse and experience of latter times hath taught them the one is the harquebuse the other the pike a fit weapon for their constitution by reason of their tall strong and manlike stature For their seruice on horsebacke they choose the men of small stature but wel set actiue and nimble These horsemen are of two sorts some heauie armed and those for the most part are gentlemen other lighter armed some riding after the manner of the Albannesses some after the fashion of Italy vsing a scull a Iacke a sword and long light speares And although they are able to bring to the field two thousand lanciers and infinite troupes of light horsemen yet their horsemen neuer carried like reputation to their footemen for Edward the third which made so many iorneies into France and obtayned so many famous victories to shew what confidence he reposed in his infanterie euer left his horse and put himselfe into the battell of his footemen whereas the French kings not daring to inure their commons to warfare least leauing their manuell occupations and trades they should grow insolent in the warres to which humour they are greatly addicted alwaies put themselves and their hopes in the fortune of their caualerie being all almost gentlemen But for as much as the French mantaine no good races of horse and to purchase them from other places is a matter of great charge and good cannot alwaies be gotten for money for these reasons and for that horsemen are nothing so seruiceable in the fielde as footemen I thinke the French haue so often beene ouerthrowen by the English To shew what force the King of England is able to bring into the field let this one example stand for many Henrie the eight passed to Bullen with an armie diuided into three Battallions in the vantgard passed twelue thousand footemen and fiue hundred light horsemen clothed in blew iackets with redde gardes The middle ward wherein the King was and passed last ouer consisted of twenty thousand footmen two thousand horse cloathed with red iackets and yellow gards In the rereward was the Duke of Norfolke and with him an armie like in number and apparell to the first sauing that therein serued one thousand Irishmen all naked saue their mantles and their thicke gathered shirts their armes were three darts a sword and a skeane They drew after them one hundred great pieces besides small They caried vpon carts an hundred mils which one horse would turne and grinde Their carriages were so many that therewith they intrenched their campe as with a wall And for the carriage of their ordinance and their baggage and for drawing of their prouision they transported into the continent aboue fiue and twentie thousand horse and besides all other kinde of prouision they brought with them fifteene thousand oxen and an infinite number of other cattell The quantities of ladders bridges shot powder and other furnitures following so royal an armie what pen can number In England the nobilitie possesse few castels or strong places inuironed with wals and ditches neither haue they iurisdiction ouer the people The dignities of Dukedomes Marquesses and Earldomes are no more but bare titles which the king bestoweth on whom he pleaseth and peraduenture they possesse neuer a penie of reuenue in the place from whence they take their titles where on the contrarie the nobilitie in France possesse some absolute some mixt gouernment with the hereditarie titles of Lords Barons Earles Marquesses Dukes and Princes They are Lords not of townes onely but of great and goodly cities receiuing homage and fealtie of their tenants but acknowledge the soueraignty of the king the parliaments Netherland OF all the three parts of Gaule Belgia which we commonly cal Netherland is the noblest by the authoritie of Casar Strabo and other approoued authors not only for the nobilitie and excellencie of the people of the countrie but likewise for the greatnes and woorthines of those things that haue been inuented there and the accidents that there haue happened They inuented the art of
countrie is 75. miles long and 55. broad Carniola with the bordering countries vp to Tergiste is 150. miles long and 45. broad They are plentifull of corne wine flesh and wood The countie of Tirol is full of mines of siluer and salt pits and is eighteene German miles long and broad The territories of Sweuia Alsatia and Rhetia doe pay little lesse then two myriades and an halfe of ordinarie reuenue so much extraordinarie besides the 18. cantons of Rethia are vnder the same iurisdiction They are so well peopled that vpon occasion they are able to leuie 100. thousand footemen and 30. thousand horse I know no other prouince in Europe able to say the like And therefore the Emperor is not so weake a Prince as those who are ignorant of the state of kingdomes doe suppose him reporting his territories to be small vnprouided of necessaries poore in monie and barren of people But this is certaine that as he is a Lord of a large dominion fertile rich and infinite people so let euery man thinke that by the neighborhod of the Turke bordering vpon him from the Carpathie mountaines to the Adriatique sea the forces of a mightier prince may seeme small and ouerlayed For what prince bordering vpon so puissant an enemie but either by building of fortresses or by intertaining of garrisons is not almost beggered I will not say in time of warre but euen during the securest peace Considering that the forces of the Turke are alwaies readie strong and cheerefull yea better furnished in the time of peace then any other nation in the hottest furie of warre Wherefore it standes him vpon that is a borderer vpon so powerfull an enemie either for feare or iealousie to be euer watchfull and to spare no charges as doth the Emperor retaining in wages continually twenty thousand soldiers keeping watch and warde vpon the borders of Hungarie These aske great expences and yet lesse then these are not to be defraied for the strengthening of other places besides other expences not meete here to be spoken of Wherefore seeing the Turke like an vnsatiable dragon hath ouerwhelmed so many noble prouinces and so many flourishing kingdomes yea hath brought vnder his yoke those cities which were thought impregnable and those bulwarks which the world deemed could neuer be forced let vs not shut both our eares and say lie is farre from vs when he stands at our doores yea close by our sides Denmarke ALthough it may seeme needlesse to make any mention of Sweuelād because it is as it were situated in another world and with whom there is no great entercourse of trading yet for the spatious largenes thereof it may well deserue a place amongst other kingdomes spoken of in these relations It is situate in that part of Europe which some terme Scandia others Scandania or Balthia from whence issued the Gothes and Vandales the verie treaders downe of the Romane Empire It is subiect both to the Danish and Sweuian crowne The king of Denmarke besides the Cimbrian Chersonese where Helsatia Theutomarsia the Dukedome of Slesia Flensburge Friesland and Iuthland regions fruitfull replenished with store of cattle and wilde beasts doe lye retaineth other spacious Ilands the best whereof stand in the entrance of the Balticke sea being 15. in number all comprehended vnder the name Denmarke The chiefest of them is Sclandunia containing 60. miles in length and little lesse in bredth It excelleth the rest in woorth both for the number of villages the mildenes of the aire and because it hath beene and is the seate of their kings He hath also Gothland in his iurisdiction which is placed right ouer against Gothia One of his kinsemen hath the gouernment of Osilia a pretie Iland in the greater gulfe of Liuonia and ruleth those fat and plentious countries which lie in the continent of Liuonia Scania likewise acknowledged his soueraigntie and he holdeth the kingdome of Norway which from the confines of Scania extendeth and stretcheth northward 1300. miles to the castle of Wardhouse vpon whom border the Lappians The Iles adioining therto Sania Setland and Faria lying in the maine sea are in his tenure In times past the people of Norwey haue beene of great puissance they afflicted England scourged France and therein obtained a prouince called to this day Normandie In Italie they conquered the kingdome of Sicill and Appulia And in the holy warre Boemand leader of the Normans woon the principalitie of Antioch In the north Ocean besides that of Friesland and the sea coast of Island and Gromland he holdeth the dominions of the foresaid Ilands of Shetland and Faria The Orchades acknowledge the kings of Norwey for their lords although they are subiect to the Scottish crowne Sithēce the kingdome of Norwey became electiue turmoiled with ciuill wars and intestine discords it came to the possession of the Danish kings who that he may hold it surely intreateth the inhabitants cruelly spoiling them of their substance and to leaue no hope of better fortune to this miserable people he holdeth fortified all the creekes and hauens of the sea coast The wealth of the kingdome consisteth in the abundance of cattle and sea fish whereof there is such store that of the herring fishing onely a mightie masse of money is yeerely gathered so huge is the number of all sort of fish that at sometimes of the yeere a ship can make but slowe way in this sea and the marishes meadowes adioining thereunto are verie pleasant and sauorie to the feeding cattle Scania is rich in corne and pasture and well replenished with people Norwey hath no riches of any moment except timber fit for the erecting of houses and framing of ships from thence transported into Holland and Flanders and cattle and great store of cheese and milke Some profite also ariseth of a kinde of fish dried in the winde which the Dutchmen call Stockfish It is taken in Ianuarie and laid in the winde and cold vntill it be indurate and hardened like wood and then carried into diuers regions as a kinde of sustenance The greatest matter of gaine to the king of Denmarke is that narrow sea or streight betweene Cronburg Eltzenburg commonly called the Sound which is a passage so narrow that no shipping can passe that way without the licence and fauour of the watchmen keeping garrison there to receiue the impostes and customes of the arriuing vessels it is easily gathered to what some of money that impost amounteth by the infinite number of shipping of Holland Zealand France England Scotland Norwey and the Baltike sea that saile in those seas and of necessitie must passe the iawes of that narrow streight The inhabitants are as needie of Rhenish French Spanish wines the spices of Portugall or the fruits of Andoluzia as they againe are greedie of the waxe honie skins and corne which are brought thither from Prussia Liuonia Moscouia and the bordering nations Touching his powerablenes in land seruice it was neuer seene that he
exceedeth not 25. thousand dukets Only the dukes of Curland and Regimount exceede this meane For although they are feodaries of the kingdome acknowledge the king as their superior yet are they not as liuing members of the state they come not to the diets of the kingdome they haue not their voices in the election of the prince neither are they accounted as naturall Lords of the kingdome but for strangers as in truth they are the duke of Curlan being of the house of Ketleri and the duke of Regimount of the family of Brandenburge All Prussia did belong to the Dutch Knights who had their Great Master resident there who when he was not able to withstand the forces of the Polonians yeelded himselfe feodarie to king Cassimere afterwards when Albert of Brandenburge their Great Master became a Protestant he was created Duke of Prussia and the countrey diuided into two parts the one regall immediately holden of the crowne the other Ducall allotted to Albert and his successors to hold by fealtie In the kings partition stand Marieburge Torouia Gulma Varnia and Danske in the Duchie which yeeldeth 120. thousand ducats yeerely the chiefe towne is Regimont the Germans call it Conningsburgh and there the Duke keepeth his court The gouernment of Polonia representeth rather an Aristocracie then a kingdome because the nobility who haue great authoritie in the diets of the kingdome choose the king and at their pleasure limite him his authoritie They haue neither law nor statute nor forme of gouernment written but by custome from the death of one prince to the election of an other the supreme authoritie resteth in the Archbishop of Gesne who is president of the counsels appointeth the diets ruleth the Senate and proclaimeth the new elected king Before king Stephen erected new Bishops Palatines and Castellanes in Liuonia few other besides the Archbishop of Leopolis and his 13. Suffragans 28. Palatines and thirtie of the chiefest Castellanes were present at the election of the newe king In the time of their diets these men assemble in a place neere vnto the Senate house where they choose two marshals by whom but with a tribunelike authoritie they signifie vnto the councell what their requests are Not long since their authoritie and reputation grew so mightie that they now carie themselues as heads gouernors rather then officers ministers of the publike decrees of the estates There was one of the councel that after the maner of Clodius refused his Senators place to become one of these officers When a new king is to be chosen these men do more and more limit his authoritie not suffring it to stretch one iot farther then accustomed But although the crowne of Poland be at the disposition of the nobilitie yet was it neuer heard that they reiected or ouerslipped the kings successor or transferred the kingdome into any other line more then once when deposing Ladislaus whom notwithstanding they afterward restored they elected Weneslaus the Bohemian Likewise they haue alwaies a regard to the kings daughters as of Hedinge maried by them to Iagello and in our times of Anne giuen in mariage to king Stephen It was no smal cause of the aduancement of Sigismund the third to the crowne of Polonia that he was the sonne of Katherine sister to Sigismund the emperor and of the foresaid Anne And although the kingly authoritie be electiue yet after he is chosen his power is absolute in manie things as to call the diets to appoint the times and place at his pleasure to choose laie councellors and nominate the bishops and whom he will haue to be of the priuie councell he is absolute disposer of the reuenue of the crowne and Lord of those which hold of him immediate but ouer the tenants of the nobilitie he hath no iurisdiction he is absolute establisher of the decrees of the diets and soueraigne Iudge of the nobles in criminall causes it is in his power to reward and aduance whom pleaseth him to speake in a word such as is his valor dexteritie and wisedome such is his power authoritie and gouernment As the Polanders say the decrees of the king indure but three daies they conuerse with him not as cosins as in France but as brethren And as the king hath absolute authoritie ouer them which immediately hold of him so the nobilitie dispose absolutely of their vassals vpon euerie of whom they exercise more then kingly authoritie in manner as vpon slaues In establishing their kingdome they haue done one thing woorthie the noting which is that as the Romanes increased their names and dominion by communicating the lawes and honors of Italy and the citie of Rome to other cities yea whole prouinces so the kings of Polonia haue enlarged vnited and strengthened their estate by participating the priuileges of the Polish nobilitie to those prouinces which either they haue conquered by armes or otherwaies purchased gracing the nobles thereof with fauours equall to any bestowed on the Polish nobilitie By this equallyzing king Ladislaus strongly vnited Russia and Podalia to Poland Sigismund Augustus Lithuania Stephen Liuonia for equalitie in offices promotions knitteth affections in peace and warre The force of this kingdome as of others consisteth in graine coine footemen horsemen armour and munition Of graine we haue spoken alreadie In coine it is not verie rich for excepting Danske they haue neuer a mart towne woorthie estimation and the wares that are brought from Prussia Liuonia do not inrich the kingdome with ready money yea they do hardly suffice to barter with the English Flemmish for cloth silks wools or with the Spanish and Portugals for sugars spices fruits Maluesâ—ies For when the countrie is not giuen to traffike nor the cities to buy sell nor the people to labour and the nobilitie is very gallant prodigall in expences spending more then their reuenues in diet and apparell and the seasoning of their meates for the Polanders vse more spices then any other nation and their wine their silke and the greatest part of their woollen cloth is brought from forren nations how can the kingdome be rich in siluer For in transporting of rich ware and returning of little consisteth the wealth of euery kingdome gathering together by venting home-bred commodities the coine of forren countries and keeping it once brought in from passing abroad againe In this practise consisteth the wealth of Naples and Millan for Naples sendeth to sea great store of corne wine oile silke woad horses fruits and such like which bring in huge masses of forren coine Millan supplieth the want of other prouinces with corne rice clothes iron works and wares of all sorts and returneth little againe If the kingdome of Naples and Sicill were as well stored with artificiall workmanship as they are prouided with corne and wealth no other kingdome could compare with them To returne to Poland notwithstanding their riches are not so small as some thinke they are for the reuenues of
part thereof but put his land-forces to the sword consisting of fourescore thousand Tartars fiue and twentie thousand Turkes and amongst them three thousand Ianizars As we said before the Circassi liue after the manner of the Swissers they endeuour not to enlarge their owne bounds but serue for wages sometime the Turke sometime the Persian somtime the Moscouite from whose dominion they are so farre disioyned that they stand in no feare of their seuerall mightines The Tartars Negayans are more to be dreaded for their sudden inrodes furious incursions then for ielousie of their forces or that they are able to raise or vndertake any voyage royall Of late times they threatned the Moscouite but their furie was appeased by sending them presents It is the best course to hazard our money rather then our forces against the thefts spoiles of these barbarous natiōs for when they haue nether city nor strong place to subdue to keepe them in subiection what can you terme the warre made against them but a labour with losse a charge without profit The great Duke is constrained to keepe great troupes of horse in Citrachan Casan and Viatca against these Nagaij as likewise a great garrison in Culagan vpon Danais against the Precopi The next bordring neighbour by Finland side is the king of Sweueland Of late times this king holding a long war against him tooke from him by force the castles of Sorenesco Pernauia the great the lesse in Liuonia on the one side whilest king Stephen cruelly vexed him with war on the other In the vttermost bounds of the Fioland Bay the Sweuian to his great charges possesseth the fortresse of Viburge maintaining therein a great garrison to resist the attempts of the Russies and the great Duke Likewise in that sea and the coast adioyning he maintaineth ships of warre as well to be readie at all assaies against the approches of this great Duke as likewise to forbid the Easterling the bringing of any munition or warlike furniture into any part of his 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 nauie and sea force the king of Sweueland wheresoeuer he findeth meanes to vse it becommeth master of the field by vertue thereof ceaseth vpon many places on the coast of Liuonia and the bordering territories but where the Dukes horse and his great numbers of footemen may stand him in steed as in the open field or places remooued from the sea there he maketh his part good enough and most commonly putteth the Sweuian to the woorst The best is nature bath placed betweene them such rough mountaines such cold such yce and such snowes that they cannot greatly endammage one another The last neighbour is the king of Poland betweene whom and the great Duke this is the difference the Moscouite hath more territories the Polonian better inhabited and more ciuill the Moscouite more subiects and more subiect the Polonian better soldiers and more couragious the Moscouites are apter to beare the shoke then to giue a charge the Polonians to charge the Moscouite is fitter to keepe a fortresse the Polonian to fight in the open field the Moscouites forces are better vnited the Polonian more considerate and better aduised the Moscouite lesse careth for want and extremities the Polonian death and the sword yea either nation is of the greater woorth when either of their princes is of greatest valour and magnanimitie as it happened when Basilius conquered the great Duchie of Smoloncke and Poloncke and the large circuite of Liuonia And againe when Stephen king of Poland in his last warre against Iohn Basilius sonne reconquered Polonck with diuers other places of good reckoning besieged the citie of Plesko and forced the Moscouite to leaue all Liuonia whereby I conclude such as is the valour and wisedome of the prince such is the force and courage of his people The Great Cham. AS our Ancestors were ignorant of the regions situated vpon the east side of the Caspian sea which they imagined to be a branch of the Ocean Euen so as yet little or nothing knoweth this Age what regions lie or what people inhabite beyond that sea the mountaines commonly called Dalanguer and Vssont Marke Paule Venetus was the first that broke the ice in describing of those countries and of him haue we receiued what we know of the Tartars For the great distance of countries the difficultie of the iournie and the inaccessible situation of places hath hindered the discouerie of those prouinces for the great Duke of Moscouie by whose dominions we may easiest trauell thither will suffer no stranger to passe thorough his kingdome the Caspian sea a passage no lesse fitting for the iournie is not frequented and by the way of Persia infinite mountaines and vast deserts diuiding both prouinces oppose themselues against vs. And to the further hinderance of this discouerie neither the great Cham neither the king of China nor the Duke of Moscouie will suffer any of their subiects to trauell out of their dominions nor any stanger to enter in vnlesse he come as an ambassador neither in this case is it lawful for him to conuerse freely or range at his pleasure They liue vnder diuers princes the principall whereof are those that weare greene on their turbants These inhabite Shamarcand and are at continuall enmitie with the Persians Next are those of Bochan Mahumetans then those of Mogor of whom you shall heare hereafter and lastly those of Cathay whereof we now intreat Neuer was there any nation vpon the face of the earth that enioyed a larger emperie then they doe or haue vndertaken haughtier exploites and I would that they had had some who might haue recommended by writing their doings to the world M. Paule Venetus writeth that this people once inhabited Ciurga and Barge prouinces situated vpon the Scythick Ocean without citie castell or house wandering like the Arabians from place to place according to the season of the yeere They acknowledged Vncham whom some interprete Prester Iohn for their soueraine Lord to whom they gaue the tenth of their cattell In processe of time they multiplied to such numbers that Vncham being iealous of their neighborhood began to lessen their number forces by sending them now hither now thither vpon most long and desperate voiages as occasion offered Which when they perceiued they assembled themselues resoluing to leaue their naturall soile and to remooue so farre from the borders of Vncham that neuer after he should haue cause to suspect their numbers this they performed After certaine yeeres they elected amongst them a king called Changis to whom for the greatnes of his glorie and victories they added the sirname of Great This Changis departing from his owne territories in the yeere of our Lord 1162. with a most fearfull armie subdued partly by force partly by the terror of his name nine prouinces At last
the crowne raised of the mines of salt and siluer amount yeerely to sixe hundred thousand ducats True it is that Sigismund Augustus pawned part of his reuenues and king Henry a moneth before his flight to binde some part of the nobilitie fast vnto him sold vnto them more then three hundred thousand ducats of yeerly rent It is lawfull for the king by sales of escheats falling to the crowne to purchase liuings for himselfe and of the said reuenues to retaine great portions to his proper vse and spare his owne expences for when the king with his court abideth in Lithuania the Lithuanians defray the charges the like is done in most places of Poland He that waieth with himselfe that the reuenues of Scotland Nauarre and Sardinia exceed not yeerely one hundred thousand duckets nor the kingdome of Aragon to yeeld aboue one hundred thousand crownes euery three yeeres cannot lightly esteeme of the reuenues of this kingdome yet the king might raise his reuenues to a higher reckoning if he were lesse bountifull to his Palatines and Castellanes for most commonly he bestoweth on them two parts and three parts yea now and then the whole profits arising in their gouernments but in the time of war and dangerous occurrences yet by the decree of the assemblies of the kingdome the king doth lay greeuous impositions and taxes on the people which are either leuied of the prouinces or of the asâ—ise of bread and these tallages haue amounted to such a reckoning that therewith king Stephen sustained the burden of a most heauy three-yeeres warre against the great Duke of Moscouie yea the gentlemen for the defence of the kingdome are bound to serue at their own charges These serue on horsebacke some armed as our men at armes some lightlier armed some like the Tartars and those they terme Cossaches or aduenturers trained vp to steale to depopulate to waste to turne all things vpside downe These gent. serue in the field gallantly furnished attired in cassocks and hose shining with gold siluer thousand other colours they adorne themselues with plumes and feathers of eagles with the skins of leopards and beares and with many banners and partie-coloured ensignes These and such like furnitures do cause them to be discerned of their fellowes make them seeme terrible to their enimies and incourage their mindes to fiercenes and prowesse Their horse are small but nimble and farre more couragious then the Dutch It is thought that vpon necessitie Poland is able to raisean hundred thousand horse and Lithuania 70. thousand but far inferior in goodnes to the Polish They haue so great confidence in the great number of their horse that nothing fearing the power of any enimies they regard not the building of fortresses but resolue that they are able to defend their countrey their wiues and children their libertie and goods in the open field against any prince whatsoeuer boasting that in either chance of warre they neuer turned their backes to their enimies Sigismund Augustus labored that in the diets of the kingdome order might be taken for the fortifying of Cracouia because of the neighbourhood of the Emperor but he could neuer effect it partly because it should not giue their kings opportunity of absolute authoritie and tyrannicall emperie partly because they thinke themselues by noble courage sufficiently able to defend the kingdome They haue no infanterie for all the people of the kingdome is diuided either into merchants and artificers which inhabite the cities or labourers and husbandmen which liue in the countrey in such subiection as we spake off before and this is the reason that the gentlemen onely go to the warre and will not in any case serue on foote but when occasion serueth they wage Germaine and Hungarie footemen and of these king Stephen in his iourney into Liuonia entertained vnder his colours little lesse then sixteene thousand to conuey their great ordinance For pioners they vse the Tartars and their owne vplandish people The kingdome is sufficiently stored with great ordinance and all furniture belonging thereto of which it can suffer no manner of scarcitie first because the noblemen keepe many in their castles next for the neighbourhood of Germanie which is rich in mettall to cast great ordinance and plentifull of artificers to forge any thing belonging to the vse of warre And though it is not vsuall to seâ— many castles in Polonia yet the fortresses of Leopolis and Camentzie in Russia the castle of Cracouia in the lesse Poland Polocensis in the frontiers of Moscouia Marienbourge and some other townes in Liuonia are peeces of no small strength These forces of Polonia which we haue spoken of are such in quantitie and qualitie that few nations in Europe can equall them none surpasse them one thing they want and that is celerity for to the sure strengthning of euery kingdome fower things are required that is to say that their force be of their owne subiects that it be populous valiant quick their owne because it is dangerous trusting a stranger populous because of reenforcements after checks or ouerthrowes valiant because number without courage little auaileth yea it bringeth forth tumult and confusion quicke that they may lightly mooue and speedily be drawen whither necessitie enforceth The last of these fower vertues the Polands want that is celeritie which commeth two waies one by the authoritie of the prince the other by readie money The king hath not power to determine any thing to denounce warre to impose taxes or to gather treasure without the consent of the parliament and this parliament where it is necessarie that many be present is like an engine made of many peeces which without long delaies and losse of time can neuer readilie be ioined togither or mooued forward For in warlike affaires those princes make best speede which are best able to command and haue most money in readines otherwise in appointing and ordring the diets and deuising that the actions may answere the counsels then in executing and lastly in prouiding of money there happeneth such losse of time that litle is left for the beginning of the iourney much lesse for the accomplishment Besides the Barons and nobles are at such charges in trauailing to the diets and make such long tariance when they are there that at their departure they haue little left wherewith to maintaine the war It may be that for the defence of the state quicker and readier resolution would be taken because of the imminent danger fatall in generall But for the conquest of any place I beleeue they would proceed with like slownes and irresolution for the hope of good doth not so much mooue vs as the feare of euill yet hath our age seene in the raigne of Sigismund Augustus the Moscouite to haue conquered the prouinces of Moloch Smolock and that without resistance or reuenge a cowardize ill beseeming so high a king so mightie a state as likewise he inuaded Liuonia without impeachment which had
shadowed it selfe vnder the wing protection of the said Sigismund In the daies of Henrie of Aniow Iohn prince of Moldauia euen he that with an vndaunted spirit and famous victorie held war against the Turke was shamefully forsaken of them contrary to the couenants of confederacy betweene him and Sigismund Augustus concluded Yet must we needes confesse that such as is the courage valour and reputation of the prince such is the resolution alacritie and forces of the Polands of themselues populous valiant and couragious Stephen Bathor gaue good testimonie heereof in whose time Polonia not onely maintained the honor and glory of a kingdome sufficient to defend it selfe from forraine armes but also to make conquests of great matters from most potent enimies And seeing we haue spoken of celeritie a vertue most necessarie for euerie state it shall not be amisse to speake of the causes of this celeritie which as is aforesaid are two viz. the reputation of the prince which giueth it life and store of coine which preserues it in action for we haue seene in most mightie armies the body by the slownes of the head to haue spent the time most idly and very famous victories for want of money to giue continuall motion to the armie to haue brought forth small or no effects Besides the disposition of the soldier is a great helpe hereunto for no man can truly praise the Germane and Bohemian footemen for celeritie 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 to liue with a little though they want coine they are not discouraged neither waxe sicke with fruites if flesh be wanting and happen what may they longer and better can indure hardnes and scarcitie Their riding light armed is of more execution then armed at all peeces and their argoletiers more seruiceable then lanciers for which cause the French also in their late broiles haue giuen ouer their lances wherin of old did consist the glory of their armes and betaken themselues to the pistoll But to what aduantage they haue thus done let another dispute for I say not that a light armed man is absolutely to be preferred before a man at armes in chances of warre but onely affirme that he is more actiue and more readie yea the goodnes of the horse is of great consequence For the Flanders horse farre excelleth the Frieslander and Germane the Hungarie horse the Polonian the Turkie horse the Genet the Barbarie horse is more speedie then any of the rest Betweene both is the courser of Naples who though he be not so swift as the Spanish genet yet he is better able to indure trauell and to beare the waight of armour not becomming ouerâ—low therewith To speake truth experience manifesteth the Germane horse by reason of their slow pace to worke small effect either to pursue the fleeing enimie or swiftly to flie from their executing aduersarie for if the Wallachian Hungarian Polish Turkish Moorish or Barbarie horsemen should breake the Germans they are not able to flie and if it happen the German to ouerthrow them they are as vnable speedily to pursue for they charge slowly retire heauily So in fights at sea ships of burden are of small seruice because if winde want they can neither be mooued nor turned the great Galleons are somwhat better yet performe little more but the best of all is the galley for his swiftnes And for proofe hereof we haue seene the nauy of the Christians consisting of great ships to haue spent the better part of sommer and warlike season in preparations onely and on the contrarie the Turkish fleete soone furnished and speedily put to sea of such aduantage is spare diet and needfull prouision to the Turkish affaires and so discommodious is gluttonie to the proceedings of the Christians for wine and other delicates onely are as troublesome to the Christians as the whole prouision for a campe to the Turkish armie Therefore let no man maruell if they march in all their iorneies excellently well furnished with ordinance shot gunpowder and all necessaries for at land they haue their carriages laden onely with prouision at sea their ships and not with wine pullets and such needlesse vanities At a word they go to the warre to fight and not to fill their bellies The great Duke of Moscouia THE great Duke of Moscouia is Lord of a most large territorie and within the limits of his iurisdiction are contayned many regions Northward his scepter stretcheth to the north Ocean from the Bay of Granico to the riuer of Ob on the south all alongst the riuer Volga to the Caspian sea westward it reacheth to the borders of Liuonia and almost to the riuer Boristhenes and eastward to Volga Some write that it containeth in length three thousand miles in bredth 1500. wherein are contained fifteene Dukedomes sixteene prouinces and two kingdomes They were once subiect to the Tartars whose Prince Roydo in the yeere 1140. conquered all Moscouie but Iohn the first great Duke incouraged by their ciuill dissentions denied them tribute In processe of time when Ammetes the last successor of Roydo who died at Vilua had ouercome the Tartars Precopenses the great Duke adioyned to his Empire Permia Veatia and Iugria prouinces subiect to Ammetes From this time the forces of the great Duke increasing Basilius Casan and Iohn the second conquered the prouinces of Citrahan which are called kingdomes To confesse truth the great Dukes haue mightily enlarged their bounds and haue taken the great Duchies of Seuerin and Smoloncke Bielchese Prescouia Nouogrod Iaroslaue Roscouia some from the Polands some from other prouinces they possessed part of Liuonia and made their armes feareful to their neighbours The chiefe citie of the kingdome is Mosco where the Patriarch resideth Roscouia and Nouogrode are the seats of the Archbishops Cortisa Resania Columna Susdelia Casan Vologda Tueria and Smolonck are Bishopricks Plescouia Porcouia Staritia Sloboda Ieroslaue Volodomer from whence the kings seat was translated to the citie Mosco by Iohn the second Mosayco Saint Nicholas Sugana Vstiud Cargapolia The Emperor abideth in the citie Mosco which taketh his name of the riuer Mosco rising fourescore ten miles higher into the countrey The citie hath beene greater then now it is was nine miles compasse but since that in the yeere 1570. it was sacked and burnt by the Tartars Precopie it contayneth not aboue fiue miles According to Posseâ—inus a writer of good iudgement and industrie there are housed in this citie thirtie thousand people besides oxen and other cattell Nouograde hath the name of Great and yet the same author alloweth it not aboue twentie thousand inhabitants as likewise Smolonck and Plescouia This seemeth most incredible to me if it be true as some write that Plescouia when king Stephen of Poland besieged it had within it