well disciplined Men and Commanded by good Officers both Natives and Strangers both French and Scots as Major General Duncan and Major General Veldun both Scottish-Men whom I saw at Copenhagen The Soldiers as well as Courtiers are quartered upon the Citizens a Custom which is likewise practised in Sweden and tho' somewhat uneasie yet not repined at by the People who by the care and good Government of the King find Trade much advanced For his Majesty by encouraging Strangers of all Religions to live in his Dominions and allowing the French and Dutch Calvinists to have publick Churches hath brought many Trading Families to Copenhagen and by the measure he hath taken for setling Trade in prohibiting the Importation of Foreign Manufactures and Reforming and new Modelling the East and West India Companies hath much encreased Commerce and thereby the Wealth of his Subjects so that notwithstanding the new Taxes imposed upon all Coaches Wagons Ploughs and all real and personal Estates which amount to considerable Sums of Money the People live very well and contented There are commonly about 8000 Men in Garison in Copenhagen and his Majesties Regiment of Foot Guards who are all Cloathed in Red with Cloaks to keep them warm in the Winter time is a very handsome Body of Men and with the Horse Guards who are bravely mounted and have their Granadeers and Hautboys make a very fine shew His Majesty hath caused several new Fortifications to be built upon the Elb and other Rivers and hath now in his Possession that strong Castle called Hilgueland at present commanded by a Scottish-man The Queen of Denmark is a most virtuous Princess Sister to the present Landtgrave of Hesse Cassel and in Perswasion a Calvinist having a Chapel allowed her within the Court though the publick Religion of the King and Kingdom be Lutheran The Clergy here are Learned many of them having studied at Oxford and Cambridge where they learnt the English Language and amongst the Bishops there is one Doctor King the Son of a Scottish-man But seeing it is my design rather to observe the condition of the People than to be punctual in describing all the Rarities that are remarkable in the Countries I have been in I shall conclude what I have to say of Denmark by acquainted the Reader that the People of that Country live far better than the Swedes and as well as most of their adjoyning Neighbours and that there are several places both there and in Norway which have the Names of English Towns as Arundale Totness London c. When I first began to write this Treatise I had some thoughts of making Observations upon the several Governments of other States and Dominions where I had travelled some years before I was in the Countries I have been speaking of as of the rest of Germany Hungary Switzerland Italy and France but that was a Subject so large and the usefulness of it to my present Design so inconsiderable that by doing so I found I could neither satisfie the Curious by adding any thing material to those many who have already obliged the Publick by the Remarks of their Travels in those Places or make my discontented Country-men more averse than they are already from removing into those Countries where I think few of them will chuse to transport themselves for the sake of Liberty and Property though England were even worse than they themselves fancy it can be All that remains to be done then is to conclude this Treatise with an obvious and popular Remark that those Countries where Cities are greatest and most frequented by voluntary Inhabitants are always the best to live in and by comparing the City of London with all other Cities of Europe and demonstrating by the Surveys I have made which I think will hardly be contradicted or confuted that of all the Capital Cities of Europe it is the biggest and most populous and so prove consequentially that England for the generality of People is the best Country in the World especially for its Natives to live in Now this being an Observation for what I know not hitherto made good by Induction and Instance as I intend to do it I hope it will please the Reader as much as if I gave him a particular account of other Countries and Governments and leave it to his own Reflection to state the Comparison Though London within the Walls cannot vye for bigness with many Cities of Europe yet take the City and Suburbs together according as it hath been survey'd by Mr. Morgan in breadth from St. George's Church in Southwark to Shoreditch and in length from Limehouse to Petty-France in Westminster and it is in a vast proportion larger in compass of Ground and number of Houses than any City in Europe whatsoever This I shall demonstrate first by comparing it with some Cities of Holland and then with the most considerable Cities of the other Countries of Europe which I shall set down in an Alphabetical Order with the number of the Houses they severally contain When London and Suburbs was surveyed some years ago by Mr. Morgan there were reckoned to be in it 84000 Houses besides Hospitals Alms-houses and other Buildings that paid no Chimney-money to the King Now if those were added and the vast number of new Houses that have been built since that Survey upon modest computation London may be reckoned to contain 100000 Houses nay 't is believed 120000 which truly considering the extraordinary Additions that have been made lately is not improbable I know the French vapour and would perswade the World that Paris is much bigger than London And the Hollanders will scarce believe that London hath more Houses than the 18 Cities in Holland that have Voices in the States for say they Amsterdam stands upon 1000 Morgans of Land and London stands but upon 1800. To both which I answer That it is very true that Paris takes up a great spot of Ground but then you must consider that in Paris there are several hundreds of Monasteries Churches Colleges and Cloisters some of them having large Gardens and that in Paris there are 7500 Palaces and Ports for Coaches which have likewise great Gardens whereas London is very thick built and in the City the Houses have scarce a Yard big enough to set a Pump or House of Conveniency in but the Weekly Bills of Mortality will decide this Question and plainly give it to London and so doth Monsieur la Cour and Sir William Petty in his last Essays dedicated to the King making it appear that London is bigger than Paris Roan and Rochel altogether and as for Amsterdam I do appeal to all knowing Men that have seen it that although it be true that it stands upon 1000 Morgans of Land yet there is not above 400 Morgans built and this I prove thus that the large Gardens on the Heeregraft Kysersgraft and Princegraft and the Burghwalls of Amsterdam take up more than a third part of the City then reckon
the Princess Elizabeth eldest Sister of the late Elector Palatine and Prince Rupert Notwithstanding the late 〈◊〉 with Sweden and that by the prevalency 〈◊〉 France in that hasty Treaty of Peace coâ—â—â—â—ded at Nimâ—guen his late Electoral 〈…〉 was obliged to give back what he had 〈…〉 taken from that Crown yet his 〈…〉 flourished in Wealth and Trade his 〈…〉 having encouraged Manufactures of 〈…〉 by inviting Artizans into his Dominâ—â—◠〈◊〉 established a Company of Trading 〈…〉 to the West-Indies which will 〈◊〉 advance Navigation amongst his Subâ—â—â—â—â— And in all humane probability they are 〈◊〉 to continue in a happy condition seeing by the Alliances his Highness hath made with the Protestant Princes of the Empire and especially the House of Lunenbourg they are in no danger of being disturbed by their Neighbours I told you before that the Elector of Brandenbourg was Married to the Daughter of the Duke of Hanouer so that as long as that Alliance holds the Families of Brandenbourg and Lunenbourg will be in a condition to cast the Balance of the Empire they both together being able to bring into the Field 80000 as good Men as any are in Europe WHen I parted from Berlin I made a turn back to Lunenbourg in my way to Swedeland where I found several of my Countrymen Officers in the Garison who shewed me what was most remarkable in the City as the Saltworks which bring in considerable Sums of Money to the Duke of Lunenbourg the Stadthouse and Churches in one of which I saw a Communion-Table of pure Ducat-Gold From thence I went into the Province of Holstein and at a small Sea-port called Termond of which I spake before I embarked for Sweden HE that hath read in the Histories of this last Age the great Exploits of Gustavus Adolphus and his Swedes perhaps may have a fancy that it must be an excellent Country which hath bred such Warriors but if he approach it he will soon find himself undeceived Entering into Swedeland at a place called Landsort we sail'd forward amongst high Rocks having no other prospect from Land but Mountains till we came to Dollers which is about four Swedish that is twenty four English Miles from Stockholm the Capital City of the Kingdom Upon my coming ashore I confess I was a little surprized to see the Poverty of the People and the little Wooden Houses they lived in not unlike Soldiers Huts in a Leaguer but much more when I discovered little else in the Country but Mountainous Rocks and standing Lakes of Water The Reader will excuse me I hope if I remark not all that I may have taken notice of in this Country seeing by what I have already written he may perceive that my Design is rather to observe the Manner of the Inhabitants living than to give a full Description of every thing that may be seen in the Country they live in However I shall say somewhat of that too having premised once for all that the ordinary People are wretchedly poor yet not so much occasioned by the Publick Taxes as the Barronness of their Country and the Oppression of the Nobles their Landlordâ— and immediate Superiours who till the preâ—â—â—t King put a stop to their Violences tyâ—â—â—nically domineered over the Lives and 〈◊〉 of the poor Peasants 〈◊〉 Dâ—llers I took Waggon to Stockholm 〈…〉 Horses three times by the way 〈…〉 of the badness of the Rode on all 〈…〉 with Rocks that hardly 〈…〉 as here and there to leave a 〈…〉 Ground At two Miles distance upon that Road the City of Stockholm looks great because of the King's Palace the Houses of Noblemen and some Churches which are seated upon Rocks And indeed the whole City and Suburbs stand upon Rocks unless it be some few Houses built upon Ground gained from the Rivers that run through the Town Stockholm has its Name from a Stock or Log of Wood which three Brothers threw into the Water five Miles above the City making a Vow that where-ever that Stock should stop they would build a Castle to dwell in The Stock stopt at the Holm or Rock where the Palace of the King now stands And the Brothers to be as good as their word there built their Castle which invited others to do the like so that in process of time the other Rocks or Holms were covered with Buildings which at length became the Capital City of the Kingdom It is now embelished with a great many stately Houses and much improved from what it was 400 Years ago as indeed most Cities are for the Stadthouse then built is so contemptible and low that in Holland or England it would not be suffered to stand to disgrace the Nation The Council-Chamber where the Burghmasters and Raedt sit is two Rooms cast into one not above nine Foot high and the two Rooms where the Sheriffs and the Erve College which is a Judicature like to the Doctors Commons in England sit are not above eight Foot and a half high The King's Palace is a large Square of Stone-building in some places very high but an old and irregular Fabrick without a sufficient quantity of Ground about it for Gardens and Walks It was anciently surrounded with Water but some Years since part of it was filled up to make a Way from the Castle-Gate down into the old Town In this Palace there are large Rooms but the Lodgings of the King Queen and Royal Family are three Pair of Stairs high the Rooms in the first and second Stories being destin'd for the Senate-Chamber and other Courts of Judicature The King's Library is four Pair of Stairs high being a Room about forty six Foot square with a Closet adjoyning to it not half the Dimensions When I considered the Apartments and Furniture of this Court I began to think that the French Author wrote Truth who in his Remarks upon Swedeland says That when Queen Christina resigned the Crown to Carolus Gustavus the Father of this present King she disposed of the best of the Furniture of the Court and gave away a large share of the Crown-Lands to her Favorites in so much that the King considering the poor Condition she had left the Kingdom in and seeing the Court so meanly furnished said That had he known before he accepted the Crown what then he did he would have taken other Measures There are many other stately Palaces in Stockholm belonging to the Nobility but many of them for want of Repairs and not being inhabited run to ruine several of the Nobles who lived in them formerly having lost the Estates that maintained their ancient Splendor as we shall see hereafter being retired unto a Country 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 be observed that the
Rubbish that remained was thrown together into a Corner which made up Sweden and Norway And indeed the French seem to have no great liking to the Country whatever kindness they may have for the People for a French Ambassador as an Author of that Country relates being by order of Queen Christina Treated in a Country House four Swedish Miles from Stockholme and upon the rode going and coming with all the Varieties and Pleasures that the Country could afford on purpose to make him have a good Opinion of the same made answer to the Queen who asked him upon his return What he thought of Sweden That were he Master of the whole Country he would presently Sell it and Buy a Farm in France or England which under Favour I think was a little Tart and Sawcy Having stayed a considerable time in Swedeland and most part at Stockholme I set out from thence to go to Elsenbourg by Land and went a little out of my way to see a small City called Eubrone Famous for a Coat of Arms which it got in this manner A certain Masculine Queen of Denmark who had Conquered a great part of Sweden coming to this City asked the Magistrates What was the Arms of their City Who having her that they had none she plucked up her Coats and squatting upon the Snow bid them take the mark she left there for their Arms its pity she did not give them a suitable Motto to it also What that Figure is called in Blazonery I know not but to this Day the City uses it in their Arms and for marking their Commodities This Queen came purposely into Sweden to pay a visit to a brave Woman that opposed a King of Swedeland who in a time of Famine would have put to Death all the Men and Women in his Country above 60 years of Age. The Country all the way I travelled in Swedeland is much of the same quality of the Land about Stockholme until I came near the Province of Schonen which is called the Store-house and Kitchin of Sweden where the Country is far better It was formerly very dangerous to Travel in this Province of Schonen because of the Snaphances who were a kind of Bloody Robbers now utterly destroyed by the King so that it is safe enough Travelling there Entering into Schonen I saw 29 of these Rogues upon Wheels and elsewhere in the Country ten and twenty at several places The King used great severity in destroying of them some he caused to be broken upon the Wheel others Spitted in at the Fundament and out at the Shoulders many had the Flesh pinched off of their Breasts and so were fastened to Stakes till they Died and others again had their Noses and both Hands cut off and being seared with a hot Iron were let go to acquaint their Comrades how they had been served The King is very severe against Highway-Men and Duellers In above a 100 Miles Travelling we found not a House where there was either French Wine or Brandy which made me tell a Swede of our Company who was Travelling to Denmark that I would undertake to shew any Man 500 Houses wherein a Traveller might have Wine and other good Accommodation in the space of an Hundred Miles upon any rode from London There are several small Towns and fertile Land in this Country of Schonen lying upon the Sâ—undt at the narrowest part whereof lies Elsenbourg burnt down by the Danes in the last War Here I crost over to Elsenore the passage being but a League broad The King of Denmark has a Castle at Elsenore which commands the narrow passage of the Soundt where all Ships that enter into or come out of the Baltick Sea must pay Toll Having visited this Castle and staid about a Fortnight with the English Consul and Sir John Paul late Resident at the Court of Swedeland I went to the Danish Court at Copenhagen COpenhagen is the Capital City of Zecland Jutland or Denmark and place of Residence of the King It stands on a Flat encompassed with a pleasant and delightful Country much resembling England The Streets of the City are kept very neat and clean with Lights in the Night time for the convenience and safety of those who are then abroad a Custom not as yet introduced into Stockholme where it is dangerous to be abroad when it is dark The Kings Men of War lie hear very conveniently being orderly ranged betwixt Booms after the manner of Amsterdam and near the Admiralty House which is a large pile of Building well furnished with Stores and Magazins secured by a Cittadel that not only commands the City but also the Haven and entry into it The Court of Denmark is splendid and makes a far greater figure in the World than that of Sweden though not many years ago in the time of Carolus Gustavus the Father of the present King of Swedeland it was almost reduced to its last when the Walls of Copenhagen saved that Crown and Kingdom That Siege was Famous carried on with great vigour by the Swede and as bravely maintained by the Danes The Monuments whereof are to be seen in the Cannon Bullets gilt that still remain in the Walls of some Houses and in the Steeple of the great Church of the Town The Royal Palace in Copenhagen is but small and a very ancient Building but his Majesties House Fredenburg is a stately Fabrick of Modern Architecture and very richly Furnished Denmark is at present a flourishing Kingdom and the King who hath now made it Hereditary surpasses most of his Predecessors in Power and Wealth He hath much enlarged his Dominions as well as Authority and by his Personal and Royal Virtues no less than the eminent qualities of a great many able Ministers of State he hath gained the Universal Love of his Subjects and the esteem of all Foreign Princes and States The Court is much frequented every day but especially on Sundays where about Eleven of the Clock in the Morning the Nobility Foreign Ministers and Officers of the Army assemble and make a glorious Appearance There one may see many Knights of the Order of the Elephant of Malto but I never saw any Order of the like Nature as that of Sweden that King rarely appearing in his George and Garter but on days of publick Audience I have observed at one time above 150 Coaches attending at the Court of Denmark which are ten times more than ever I saw together at that of Sweden The King is affable and of easie access to Strangers seen often abroad by his Subjects in his Gardens and Stables which are very large and well furnished with all sorts of Horses He is a great lover of English Horses and Dogs and delights much in Hunting as his Eldest Son the Prince with his Brothers do in Cock-â—ighting insomuch much that the English Merchants cannot make a more acceptable present to those Princes than of English Game-Cocks The standing Forces of Denmark are
the Neighbouring Princes of all Perswasions as the Princes of the House of Lunenburg the Landtgrave of Hesse and Elector of Cologne who as Bishop of Hildersheim is their Ordinary The Town of Lambspring is Lutheran though under the Government of the Lord Abbot and his Chapter who constantly chuse Lutheran Magistrates and Officers for the Civil Administration and live together in that Love and Unity that as yet there hath never the least debate happened amongst them and indeed this Harmony is now to be observed in most parts of Germany where different Religions are professed When I considered so many goodly Faces both of Monks and Students in that Abbey I could not forbear to make a serious Reflection on the number of the English whom I had seen in the Colleges and Cloisters abroad as at Rome Ratisbonne Wirtzburg in Lorrain at Liege Louvain Brussels Dunkirk Ghent Paris and other places besides the Nunneries and withall on the loss that both King and Kingdom suffered thereby when so many of our Natives both Men and Women should be constrained to spend their own Estates and the Benevolence of others in a strange Land which amounts 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 me here as if I Espoused or Pleaded for any particular Party no I plead only 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 Country I am as much 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 do in Holland Germany and other Countries for give me leave to say it I love not that Religion which in stead of Exalting destroys the Principles of Morality and human Society I have met with honest Men of all Perswasions 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 forbear to love the Men without embracing their Religion for which they themselves are to account to their great Master and Judge In my progress towards Hanouer I touched at Hildersheim a City whose Magistrates are Lutheran though Roman Catholicks have the Cathedral Church and several Monasteries there The Court of Hanouer makes another kind of Figure than that of Cassels it being the Court of a great Prince who is Bishop of Osnaburg Duke of Brunswick Lunenburg Hanouer c. Here I had the Honour to Kiss the Hands of the Princess Royal 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 Mistress of the Italian French High and Low Dutch and English Languages which she speaks to Perfection Her Husband has the Title of the Gentleman of Germany a graceful and comely Prince both a Foot and on Horseback Civil to Strangers 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 〈◊〉 his Troops which without Controvâ—â—â—â—â— are as good Men and Commanded by as expert Officers as any are in Europe Amongst his Officers I found brave Steel-Hand Gordon Colonel of an excellent Regiment of Horse Grimes Hamilton Talbot and others of our Kings Subjects God hath blest the Prince with a numerous Off-spring having six Sons all gallant Princes of whom the two Eldest signalized themselves so bravely at the raising of the Siege of Vienna that as undoubted proof of their Valour they brought three Turks home to this Court Prisoners His eldest Son is Married to a most beautiful Princess sole Heiress of the Duke of Lunenburg and Zell's Elder Brother as the lovely Princess his Daughter is Married to the Duke of Brandenburg 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 a Lutheran but as his Subjects are Christians of different Perswasions 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 go many times to Church with the Princess who is a Calvinist and join with her in her Devotion His Country is good having Gold and Silver Mines in it and his Subjects live well under him as do those also of his Brother the Duke of Lunenburg and their Cozen the Duke of Wolfembuttel which are the three Princes of the House of Lunenbourg of whom it may be said that they have always 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 Family This Prince is called the Mighty Nimrod because of the great delight he takes in Horses Dogs and Hunting He did me the honour to let me see 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 several 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 took Trieves from the French and made the Mareschal de Crequi Prisoner He is extreamly obliging to Strangers and hath several brave Scotish Officers under his Pay as Major-General Erskin Graham Coleman Hamilton Melvin and others His Lieutenant-General is one Chavot a Protestant of Alsatia an excellent and experienced Commander I shall add no more concerning this Prince his Officers or Country but that he with the other two Princes of the House of Lunenbourg Hanouer and Wolfembuttel 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 Adventurers but much more by the Dutch Protestants who in the time of the Duke of Alba forsook the Low-Countries and settled 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
Kings of Sweden 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 Turrets over them with Veins of Copper gilt carved into the Cyphers of the several 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 than the Fabricks above-mentioned which perhaps may be imputed to the late Troubles of Swedeland The Number of the Inhabitants of Stockholm are also much decreased within these few Years partly by reason of the removal of the Court of Admiralty and the Kings Ships from that City to Charles-Crown a new Haven lately made about 200 English Miles from thence which hath drawn many Families belonging to the Fleet and Admiralty from Stockholm to live there And partly because many of the Nobility Gentry and those that depended on them are as I said before withdrawn from Stockholm to a retired Life in the Country Nevertheless the ordinary sort of Burghers who still remain are extreamly poor seeing the Women are fain to work like Horses drawing Carts and as Labourers in England serving Masons and Bricklayers with Stone Bricks and Mortar and unloading Vessels that bring those Materials some of the poor Creatures in the Summer-time toiling in their Smocks without either Shooes or Stockings They perform 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 and seldom 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 little 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 Plays and Dancing His sports are Hunting and Exercising of his Guards and he rarely appears 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 we 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 Country or to do him Homage for the Lands they held of the Crown and how by the pernicious Counsels of the French and the weakness or treachery of his Governors 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 appear that hardly any Prince before him hath in a shorter time or more fully setled the Authority and Prerogative of the Crown than he hath done in Sweden for which he stands no ways 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 without the concurrence of the Estates of the Kingdom He hath erected two Judicatures the one called the College 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 Heirs and Executors of those who had cheated the Crown and made them refund 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 Patrimony in the Country which is one great cause that the Court of Sweden is at present so unfrequented so have they enabled his Majesty without burdening of his Subjects to support the Charges of the Government and to maintain 64000 Men in pay The Truth is his other Revenues are but small what arises from the Copper and Iron Mines one Silver Mine the Pitch and Tar the Customs and Excise amounts to no extraordinary Sum of Money and the Land Tax in so barren a Country 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 If a Ship come to Stockholme from London with a hundred several sorts of Goods and those Goods assigned to fifty several Men more or less if any of those fifty do not pay the Custom 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 pay'd the Customs for them till this last Man hath pay'd his There are several other silly Customs in Swedeland that discourages Men from Trading there as if any Stranger Die there a third of his Estate must go to the City or Town where he Traded No Foreign Merchant in Stockholme can Travel into any Country where there is a Fair without a Passport And at present seeing there is no Treaty of Trade betwixt England and Sweden though the English bring as considerable a Trade to that Kingdom as any other Country whatsoever yet they are very unkindly used by the Officers of the Custom-House whereas the Dutch in Lubeck and other Cities have new and greater Privileges allowed them Nor would I Counsel an English-man to go to Law with a Swedish Burgher in Sweden especially if he be a Whiggish Scot who hath got his Freedom in Stockholme for those are a kind of Scrapers whom I have observed to be more inveterate against the English than the Native Swedes Of all the Swedish Army of 64000 Men the King keeps but 12 Companies of 200 Men a-peice with some few Horse Guards in Stockholme who are not upon Duty as Sentinels at the Court Gates as at the Courts of other Princes The rest are dispersed into Quarters and Garisons upon the Frontiers which are so far distant in that large compass of Land which his Territories take up that it would require a hard and tedious work to bring them together to a general Muster They are however kept under very strict Discipline and those that lie near often viewed by the King They have odd sort of Punishments
Gubernatori Gulielmo III. Virtute Triumphis fulgenti Grati Animi Letitiae publicae Signum hoc erexit Haga Comitis i.e. The Hague Erected this as a Testimony of her Gratitude and of the publick Joy for the Victories and Trophies of William III. King of Four Kingdoms Stadtholder of the United Provinces equally Glorious for his Virtue and his Success On each side of the Arch there are two Wings which make a Semi-Circle within each of which are Seven Pictures representing the Battels and Victories of the former Princes of Orange by Sea and Land every Picture having an Inscription under it On the First on the Right Hand Patientia laesa fit furor Injured Patience turns to Rage Intimating that they had endured the Insolencies of the Spaniards as long as was possible and that at last they were forced to Rise On the Second Res poscit Opem Conspirat Amice The Matter needs help and Prospers by Friendly Conference On the Third Per Tela per Undas Through Weapons and Waves On the Fourth Audentes Deus ipse juvat God himself helps the daring On the Fifth Tantas dedit Unio vires 〈◊〉 Such Strength has Union given On the Sixth Aquilas Moenia cepit He took Standards and Cities On the Seventh Celsas superat virtute Carinas He Conquers tall Ships by his Valour On the first Picture of the left Hand Repetenda quiescunt Arma virum The Arms of the brave are at rest hereafter to be resumed again On the Second Non uno Virtus contenta Triumpho Virtue not content with one Triumph On the Third Crescunt numero crescente Trophoea As the number encreases so do their Trophies too On the Fourth Caesorum replebant Funera Campos The Funerals of the Slain filled all the Fields On the Fifth Ultra Garamantas Indos Beyond the furthermost parts of the Earth On the Sixth Fortis Promissa Juventae The promisses of valiant Youth On the Seventh Deos in praelia confert He brings the Gods to Combat for him Between these Wings there are two Pyramids fixt upon Pedestals each having a Picture in the Front In that on the Right side there is a Circle made up of Hearts with this Inscription Hanc accipe Magne Coronam Great Hero accept this Crown In that on the Left side there is an Altar with Incense and this Inscription Thâ—re tuo redolent Arae The Altars yeild a fragrant Smell with thy Frankincense These Pyramids have each of them before them three Transparent Pictures containing Hieroglyphicks and Trophies of Victory The Pyramids being covered on the sides with Green On one of these Pyramids was set the Kings Picture on the other the Queens at full length On that of the Kings was this Inscription Quis gratior appalit Oris What more acceptable Person ever touched our Coasts Upon the Queens Reprimit Refigit She Represses and Re-establishes Over the Wings the Figures of the Four late Princes of Orange are set up and under each some marks of Victory Under William the First Patriae Liberatori To the Deliverer of his Country Under Prince Maurice Gloriae Vindici The Vindicator of our Glory Under Frederick-Henry Libertatis Assertori The Assertor of our Liberty And under Prince William the Second Publicae Felicitatis Statori To the Establisher of the publick Happiness The Triumphal Arch in the Court. PAssing from hence to the High-street they met another Triumphal Arch which represents a pleasant Building Beautified on both sides with Pillars of red and white Marble the Body of the Work being of black and white Marble the Bases and Chapiters are gilt It has two large Pictures before and as many behind Painted in lively Colours those before representing a Roman Field Battle and Sea Fight those behind one War the other Peace That of War has the World in a Flame with several Figures some Dead others Living make Justice lie down in Distress That of Peace has a Globe upon which stand Justice and Peace embracing one another whilst Pan and his Companions make themselves Merry with the Fruits of the Earth Over all in the middle of the Arch on a Pedestal stands the Statue of the King on Horseback as big as the Life and painted like Brass on both sides of the Pedestal there is this Inscription Regi Triumphanti To the Triumphing King Over his Head which is adorned with Green there are two Wreaths placed cross ways and over them a Royal Crown and Scepter and underneath a Cross On both sides of the Arch there are two Squares wherein are set both behind and before transparent Pictures for the convenience of setting Lights behind in the Evening On the outside of these Squares there was Painted a Cloudy Pillar and a Pillar of Fire with the Corners adorned with Green Kings Entertainment Pag 17 Over the Passage is this Inscription Haga posuit Consulum Decreto The Hague Erected it by the Burghermasters Order The Triumphal Arch in the outward Court at the Entrance of the Court Gate THis Triumphal Arch was Erected by the Order of their High and Mighty Lordships the Committee of the Council of Holland It is of the Dorick Order after the Italian manner with three Passages and the middle higher than the rest of the Building It stands upon Eight Pillars of each side supported by broad Pedestals each whereof bears two Pillars Over the middle Passage there is a Cupola of an Octogenal Figure whereon upon a Pedestal stands the Statue of His Majesty on Horseback as big as the Life all richly gilt two Prisoners lie by the Pedestal Chained with their Backs to it done over with Copper The whole Arch is Painted of a Free-Stone Colour the whole intercolumniation of both sides is beautified with Pictures drawn in white and black with Histories of the Heroick and Illustrious Actions of this great Monarch Over these Eight Pillars are placed Eight Figures of both Sexes as big as the Life of a Copper Colour On that side which faces the Viver is the Representation of a Victory at Sea and a Neptune lying down with his Trident with this Inscription Triumphet in Undis Let him Triumph in the Waves Towards the Lane Trophies of Victory by Land with this Motto Attingat Solium Jovis Let him reach to Jupiter ' s Throne These Words are Written round the Cupola of this Building Pio Felici Inclyto Triumphanti Patriae Patri Gulielmo III. Gubernatori P. C. J. P. Restauratori Belgii Foederati Liberatori Angliae Servatori Scotiae Pacificatori Hiberniae Reduci To the Picus Happy Renowned William III. Triumphant Father of his Country Stadtholder and Restorer of the United Netherlands Redeemer of England Preserver of Scotland Quieter of Ireland now return'd home On the Front under the Images towards the outer Court there are Four Spaces upon which are these Inscriptions In the First Post Maximas res Domi forisque Gestas Arctissimo â—um Principibus icto Foedere Suorum Vindex Defensor
Oppressorum After having done Glorious Things at home and abroad having made a most firm Alliance with other Princes He is become the Avenger of His own Peoples Wrongs and a Defender of the Oppressed Under this there is a Pannel on which is a great Picture in which several brave Men are described Fighting against a Dragon with this Motto Uniti Fortius obstant They make the firmer Resistance being United In the Second Space Mare Transvectus liberat Britanniam late Dominantibus Ornatus Sceptris in Patriam publicâ cum Laetitiâ receptus est Crossing the Seas he delivered Britain where being Honoured with Scepters of large extended Power He is received again into his own Country with publick Joy Underneath in the small Pannel there is a Ballance and in one Scale several Crowns in the other a Sword which outweighs the Crowns with this Motto Praemia non Aequant The Rewards do not equal the Merit In the Third Space Lugente Patriâ Maerente Europâ Afflictâ Antiquissimâ Nassaviorum Stirpe Heroum Imperatorum Principum Faecundâ His Country Mourning Europe Grieving the most autient Family of Nassau which was fruitful of Heroes Emperors and Princes Lamenting And in the Pannel there is described a burning Phoenix with a young one arising out of her Ashes and this Motto Praelucet Posthuma Proles His Posthumous Issue shines the brighter This is designed for William the Second who died without Issue leaving the Princess Royal with Child of His Majesty In the Fourth Space Gulielmum Posthumum Britannorum Arausionensium Tertium Patriae Spem Reipublicae Palladium William the Posthumous the Third of Britain and Orange His Countries Hope the Palladium of the Common-wealth His Birth is described upon the Picture and three Crowns with a Scepter upon the Pannel with this Motto Tenues ornant Diademate Cunae His tender Cradle adorns the Diadem On that side towards the inner Court there are on the Fronts four other Spaces In the First Space there is this Inscription Fatum Europae favens de Caelo dedit futuram portendens Majestatem admodum Puerum exemplar constituit A favourable Fate to Europe gave him from Heaven and portending future Majesty set Him for a pattern when he was yet very Young Underneath His Education is described with a young Eagle Soaring against the Sun Beams upon the Pannel with this Motto Tener adversis enititur alis Though Young he bears up against it with His Wings In the Second Space Qui Juventute Strenué Transactâ Funestis jactatâ bellis ac dissidiis in tanto rerum discrimine Who spent his Youth bravely whilst it was tossed about by Bloody Wars and Discords the publick being in such dangerous Circumstances Upon the Pannel there is a Castle standing upon a Hill with a Pike by it and two Lawrels springing out of it with this Motto Contorta Triumphos portendit VVhen wreathed together it portends Triumphs In the Third Space Nutantis Belgii quâ Mari quâ Terrâ admotus in Pristinum Decus Gubernaculi Gloriam Aras Focos asseruit He being Restored to His Antient Dignity and Government Defended the Religion and Properties of the tottering Low Countries both by Sea Land On the Pannel there is a Ship row'd by Men in Armour with this Motto Alter erit Typhis There shall be another Typhis In the Fourth Space Meritis Famam Superantibus Tropaeis Principi Atavis Regibus Editae Felicibus junctus Hymenaeis His deserved Trophies out doing even Fame He was happily joyned in Wedlock to a Princess descended from an Antient Race of Kings The Picture represents Their Majesties Marriage and there are also in the Pannel an Unicorn and a Lyon moving together and the Unicorn Goaring of Serpents and Vipers with this Motto Virusque Fugant Viresque Repellunt They both drive away the Poison and repel the Strength At the top upon the Pedestal of the Kings Statue before there are these Words Populi Salus The Peoples Happiness And behind Procerum Decus The Honour of the Nobility Upon the great Cupola there are four distinct Histories Painted in four Pannels The First has this Motto Refert Saturnia Regna He brings back the Saturnian Reign The Second this Novos Orbes nova Sceptra paramus We prepare new Worlds and new Scepters The Third this Superare parcere vestrum est It is your part to Conquer and to Spare The Fourth this Caetera Transibunt Other Things shall pass away Over the small Arch on both sides the Arms of England were placed with their Supporters Over the great Arch the Arms of Holland were placed with two flying Images of Fame blowing of Trumpets A Description of the Fire-works with their Representations IN the Canal behind the Court upon a large Scaffold there were very fine Fireworks prepared which were Lighted the Evening after His Majesty entred the Hague In the middle was the Kings Cypher with a Crown over it On the sides stood two high Pyramids a Lyon a Hercules and a Sun On each Corner of the Scaffold there were four Cases of Rockets four of which were much larger then the rest which represented the four Kingdoms of England Scotland France and Ireland with the Arms of those Kingdoms Round about there was Pallissado stuck with Rockets some Orange colour some white some blew placed alternately to the number of Three Hundered and Fifty They placed Fifteen Bulwarks round the Scaffold on which they had mounted Cannon and Mortar pieces Between which they had large Mortars made like Beehives and Pumps which were charged with several sorts of Fireworks About half an hour after Six in the Evenning the Fireworks were Lighted Just before Thirty pieces of Cannon that were planted upon the Wall of the Viver were discharged then follow'd Twenty five Mortar shot on both sides of the Scaffold and afterwards the Crown and Cypher WR which appeared like 350 Pearls shining in the Air. About the Pallissadoes they had planted several Devices Towards the States Chamber was one with these Words Triumphat semper Augustus He Triumphs always August On each side of this there was one planted One was Offensum metuunt Hostes His Enemies Dread him when he is Offended The other Carum venerantur Amici His Friends Worship Him who is so dear to them These shining very bright in the Air made a very pleasant show Over the Cipher and Crown was a Ship toss'd about as in a Storm with this Motto Ne metuas Caesarem vebis Fear not thou carriest Caesar This also was visible in the Air. When the Pyramids were Fired they gave a lowd buzzing Noise which was now and then Answered by the Mortars Then the Belgick Lyon and the Hercules play'd very wonderfully Hercules ' s Arms were Expanded firing with Eight several Pauses to denote his Labours which were 1. The Establishment of Religion and Liberty 2. The securing the Tranquillity of Europe 3. The Settlement of the Government upon a right Bottom 4. The Preservation of the Common Interests of