fruits doth not inhere in the oil at least which is made by expression and it deserves examination whether the chymical oil may not also be devested of the taste of the vegetable from which it is extracted Olives when they come to maturity change colour and become black as some other plums do but it is very late in the year first They are then notwithstanding of a horrid and ungrateful taste firing the throat and palate of one that eats them They afford most oil when fully ripe but best as they told us when gathered and pressed green Sometimes they pickle ripe olives but they will not last therefore those which they pickle to send abroad are gathered green The pickle they use is nothing else but a brine of salt and water Near Peroul about a league from Montpellier we saw a boiling fountain as they call it that is the water did heave up and bubble as if it boiled This phaenomenon in the water was caused by a vapour ascending out of the earth through the water as was manifest for that if one did but dig any where near the place and pour water upon the place new digged one should observe in it the like bubbling the vapour arising not only in that place where the fountain was but all thereabout The like vapor ascending out of the earth and causing such ebullition in water it passes through hath been observed in Mr. Hawkley's ground about a mile from the Town of Wigan in Lancashire which vapour by the application of a lighted candle paper or the like catches fire and flames vigorously Whether or no this vapour at Peroul would in like manner catch fire and burn I cannot say it coming not in our minds to make the experiment From Montpellier we took a journey of pleasure to see the adjacent Countrey and first we rode to Frontignan a little wall'd Town by the Estang side 3 miles distant which gives name to the so famous muscate wine The Countrey about this Town toward the Sea southward lies open to the Sun but toward the land northward it is encompassed with a ridge of hills in form of a bow touching the Sea at each end so that the whole is like a Theatre in the Arena and on the sides of the hills grows the muscate grape of which this wine is made In this space are contained two other little Towns the one called Miraval the other Vich This last gives name to a mineral water springing near it much used heerabout It hath an acide Vitriolic taste but nothing so strong as our Spaw-waters and therefore I guess the operation of it is much weaker At Frontignan and other places we saw the manner of making raisins uvae passae They take the fairest bunches and with a pair of scissers ship off all the faulty grapes and tie two bunches together with a string Then they dip them in a boiling lye lixivium into which they put a little oil till they are very plump and ready to crack Jo. Bauhinus saith that they let them continue so long in the boiling lixivium quoad flaccescant tantùm corrugentur But we observed no such thing for they did not continue the bunches half a minute but presently took them out again and washed them in a vessel of fair cold water then they put them upon wooden poles for two or three days in the shade to dry and after that exposed them to the Sun taking them in in the night-time or rainy weather Cyprianus Eichovâ—ns describes the manner of making raiâ—ins in Spain thus There are saith he two sorts of Vvae passoe or raisins the one of those they call Raisins of the Sun of a blew colour the other of the Vvae passae Lixae which they call Frail or basket-Raisins In preparing the first sort they thus proceed When the bunch they design for that purpose begins to grow tipe they cut the foot-stalk of it half asunder that so the radical juyce or moisture may be at least in a great measure deteined and not pass to the grapes and so they leave it hanging on the vine Then by the heat of the Sun the grapes are by degrees dried When they are sufficiently dry they gather them and put them up in vessels The second sort they make on this fashion When they prune their vines they bind up the cuttings in faggots and reserve them till the vintage time Then they burn them and of their ashes make a lye or lixiviâ—m which they boil in great vessels and there in â—immerse the bunches of grapes one by one Afterwards to dry them they spread them upon a paved floor clean swept made for that purpose in the vineyard that so they may be the more speedily dried by the Sun-bâ—ams When they are sufficiently concocted and dried they put them up in frails or baskets After the same manner they prepare figs for to dry by dipping them in a lixivium made of the ashes of the dried branches of the figtreâ— cut off in pruning But however they superstitiously observe to make their lixivium for raisins of the ashes of branches pruned off of the vine c. I doubt not but the ashes of any wood indifferently taken would serve as well for that purpose From Frontignan we rode to Balleruch to see the hot waters which are used as well inwardly as outwardly At our being there which was in the beginning of September the water was scarce luke-warm they told us that in the Winter it was very hot The Bath is not above two flight-shots distant from the Estang and the water thereof tastes very salt and brackish whether by reason of the Seas being so near it or because the water comes from some salt mine I know not yet the latter seemeth the more probable because should it come from the Sea the water straining through so much sand would probably lose its salt by the way as we have found by experiment in England At Gabian about a days journey from Montpellier in the way to Beziers is a fountain of Petroleum It burns like oil is of a strong pungent scent and a blackish colour It distils out of several places of the rock all the year long but most in Summer time They gather it up with ladies and put it in a barrel set on one end which hath a spiggot just at the bottom when they have put in a good quantity they open the spiggot to let out the water and when the oil begins to come presently stop it They pay for the farm of this fountain about 50 crowns per. ann We were told by one Monsieur Beaushoste a Chymist in Montpellier that Petroleum was the very same with the oil of Jet and not to be distinguished from it by colour taste smell consistency virtues or any other accident as he had by experience found Upon the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in several places as at Berre near Martegue in Provence at Messina
more then half the number of suffrages is understood to be chosen to that office or dignity But because it may often happen that he who is judged fittest for such or such an office may be known to be unwilling to accept it and no man for fear of displeasing him may dare publicly to nominate him therefore to avoid that inconvenience each of the Pregadi writes down in a paper the name of him whom he would chuse to such a place which Scrolls are all together put into an urn and drawn out by the Great Chancellor one by one and the names written therein being openly read they are put to the ballot and on him who hath more then half the suffrages is such Office or Dignity conferred But when there is a Captain of the Armata to be made he that is in this manner chosen in the Council of Pregadi must be afterwards ballotted in the Great Council and have Competitors given him by the four sets of Electors in manner before related and he who hath most suffrages above the half is understood to be elected The Counsellours also and the Censors are elected partly by the Council of Pregadi and partly by the Great Council Of the COLLEGE The College is the third member of the Commonwealth and of great reputation It is made up principally of three sets or kinds of Magistrates First those they call Savi grande 2. Those they call Savi di terra ferma And 3. those they call Savi di mare The number of the Savi grandi is six of each of the other five in all sixteen And besides these of the Signoria that is the Duke the six Counsellors and the three heads or chiefs of the 40 Criminal Judges called Capi di Quaranta The Savi of the Sea who are otherwise called Savi à gli ordini take care of all maritime affairs as well such as concern peace and war as other matters The Savi of the Land manage and govern Land affairs such as appertain to peace and war and their especial charge is to keep account of all Souldiers that are in the Commonwealths pay The Savi grandi over-see and take care of both as well at home as abroad And their particular charge is to make provision both for Peace and war to write to and answer Princes Letters and finally to counsel and govern the whole Commonwealth It is to be noted that anciently the Savi grandi did include the authority and administration of the Savi of the Land whence the Savi grandi might intermeddle with the affairs belonging to the Land though not excluding the Savi of the Land In the same manner the Savi of the land included those of the Sea but were not included by them and therefore with the Savi of the Sea could take into their consideration Sea-affaâ—rs So that the Savi grandi included both the Savi of the Land and the Savi of the Sea the Savi of the Land only those of the Sea But in our times and not many years since the way of managing such affairs is a little altered For that by Law it is determined that the Authority and administration of the Savi of the land shall be equal to that of the Grand Savi only that of the Savi of the Sea remains in the same terms it was In old time there were no other then the Grand Savi afterward the naval power and command at Sea being encreased it was found necessary to create a Council for Sea affairs or Savi di mare The like happened afterward when the Republic began to grow great on the Land the Senate being constrained to create Savi di terra ferma which was presently after that Treviso came under their dominion Anciently the Savi di mare were of greater reputation then those of the terra ferma but after that the Dominion of the Commonwealth began to encrease upon the Land they bent their counsels and endeavours that way and so the Savi di mare lost their reputation and those of the Terra ferma gained it These three kinds of Magistrates are chosen by the Council of Pregadi in the same manner as the Proveditor of the Camp None can be made Savio grande unless he be of mature age and reputed of the greatest abilities The Savi of the Land are always men of reputation for prudence but not so great as the Savi grandi the Savi of the Sea are still of less esteem then they And at present this Magistracy serves rather to give young men occasion to exercise themselves in State-business then for any other purpose because in matters of moment the Savi grandi and Savi di terra ferma are always employed Each of these companies of Magistrates chuse one of themselves Praepositus or Prevost who is chief of that Magistracy for one week he propounds matters in the College and Records those things which are to be executed which appertain to his Magistracy The manner of proceeding and transacting public affairs in the College is this Every morning two hours after Sun-rising the College is convened N. B. whenever we speak of the College we understand the three Societies of Magistrates before-mentioned together with the Duke the Counsellors and the three Capi de Quaranta that is with the Signoria who have their places not only in this College but also in the Grand Council the Council of Pregadi and the Council of ten So that nothing is debated without their presence and intervention The College being assembled all those Letters are read that were received since their last meeting Audience is given to publick Oratours and Embassadours if any require it and each of the three Societies of Savi dispatch such business as appertains to them and was propounded and recorded by their Provost If therefore there be any business to be debated appertaining to the Grand Savi the Savi of the Land and of the Sea may be excluded but if it be not of very great importance they do not use to prohibit them to be present at such deliberations but their part is only to hear and hold their peace or if they do deliver their opinions yet are they not noted down to be brought into the Council of Pregadi but only the opinions of the Grand Savi the Counsellors the Capi de Quaranta and the Duke And to the end that the whole method and order of this administration may be the better understood by an example let us suppose there is a consultation to be had about some affairs appertaining to the Savi of the Sea they cannot exclude the Savi of the Land and the Grand Savi if they please to interpose and meddle with that affair After consultation had thereupon not only the Savi of the Sea but they of the Land and the Grand Savi the Duke also and the Counsellors and Capi de Quaranta may deliver their opinions if they please and according as they are
Ligorn Livorno called anciently Portus Liburnus some 10 or 12 miles distant This Town is not large and but low built yet very pleasant and uniform having streight streets and a spacious Piazza in the middle It stands in an open level without mountain or hillock within 5 miles of it on any side It is well-fortified with walls and bastions and a deep trench round except on the Sea-side and secured with a good Garrison being one of the most considerable and important places in all Tuscany Since the Great Duke made it a free port it hath encreased mightily in trading and riches great numbers of Merchants from all Nations resorting hither and most of the bargains for the commodities of the whole Levant being heer driven The greatest part of the Inhabitants are Strangers and Jews which last are esteemed one third of the whole number of people and thought to amount to 5000 persons and upward Before these privileges granted to Ligorn when it was thin of Inhabitants it was accounted a very bad air and an unhealthful place by reason of the fens and marshes adjoyning but now since it is become populous the multitude of fires as is supposed hath so corrected the air that people enjoy their health as well and live as long heer as in any other Town or City of Italy Near the Haven is a very magnificent statue of Ferdinand I. Great Duke about the pedestal whereof are 4 brass Statues of slaves chained of a gigantick bulk and stature The haven within the mole is but small but heer is good riding for Ships without The Great Duke in Lent time uses to make his residence in this Town heer being great variety of good fish taken in the Sea near hand and to be sold at reasonable rates all other provisions being dear enough In Ligorn we saw workmen filing of marking-stones called in Latine Lapis galactites morochthus in Italian Pictra lattaria which they told us were found at Monte negro and thereabout some 5 miles distant from Ligorn and from hence transported into France Spain England the Low Countreys c. Of the dust and filings of this stone they make the body of power for hair as the workmen informed us Of Plants we observed about Ligorn Kali geniculatum majus in the marshes by the Sea-side Absinthium Seriphium Gallicum Polium montanum album C. B. Medica doliata spinosa Medica cochleata Spinosa Med. marina on the Sands Caltha arvensis C. B. Hyacinthus palustris vernus flosculis fimbriatis albis Hyacinthus comosus Ger. Lathyrus flore coccineo Vicia luteo flore sylvestris Ochrus sive ervilia Dod. these three last among the Corn as also Gla. diolus Narbonensis Lob. Telephium scorpioides Anguill in arenosts Phyteuma Monspeliensium Cichorium pratense vesicarium Col. Medica Scutellata J. B. Iris humilis violacea latifolia eadem flore albo in rupibus ad mare Herniaria hirsuta Allii species an Ampeloprassum Ferrum equinum Lob. Orchis macrophyllâ—s Columnae Trifolium fragiferum sive vesicarium floribus nitidis rubellis flosculis velut in umbella parva dispositis Chrysanthemum Bellidis folio Hort. Pat. inter segetes Buphthalmum Cotulae folio C. B. an Chrysanthem Valentinum Clusii Anthyllis leguminosa flo purpureo Cruciata minima muralis Col. Peplus minor J. B Ageratum sive Balsamita mas A sort of Draba with a white flower Hieracium perfoliatum besides many which we had found in other places as that sort of Dorycnium which J. Bauhinus calls Trifolium album rectum hirsutum valdè Carduus Chrysanthemus Narbonensis which Lobel calls Eryngium luteum Monspeliensium Heliotropium majus Carduus solstitialis Ger. Cichoreum pratense verrucarium in arvis passim Blattaria flore luteo Convolvulus minimus spicifolius Lob. Melissa sylvest hirsutior minùs odorata Dorycnio congener planta Rapistrum monospermon Ammi vulgare Passerina Tragi Sideritis vulgaris Aster luteus foliis ad florem rigidis Stoebe major caliculis non splendentibus Between Pisa and Ligorn we noted Leucoium bulbosum majus polyanthemum Ger. in the marshes near Pisa plentifully Aristolochia clematitis Aster conyzoides nobis dictus Asparagus altilis Gramen supinum aculeatum J. B. Besides these we observed some which grow wild in England but more rarely as Leucoium marinum majus folio sinuato Orchis fuciflora galeâ alis herbidis Hyacinthus stellaris vernus minor Eranthemum sive flos Adonis Trifolium pumilum supinum flosculis longis albis P. B. Ferrum equinum Germanicum siliquis in summitate C. B. At Ligorn finding a good Dutch Vessel ready to set sail for Naples we put our selves aboard her The wind not favouring us we spent five days in this passage before we reached our Port. The Captain of the Ship told us that heerabouts usually in the forenoon the wind blows from the Land and in the afternoon from the Sea so that it is Easterly in the forenoon and Westerly in the afternoon We also observed in this Voyage that about Sun-set the wind fell so that soon after Sun-set there was little or no wind stirring and likewise several days about Sun-rising we had but little wind In our return backwards from Messina to Naples and from Naples to Ligorn we observed that the wind for the most part sate contrary to us And the Sea men told us that this was general in Summer time So that you have a much quicker passage from Ligorn to Naples and thence to Messina than backwards We observed also that the wind follows the Sun so that every morning we could make some use of the wind to sail with but in the afternoon none at all which agrees exactly with our Captains observation the land lying Eastward and the Sea West Our Captain also told us that when they made a Voyage from Holland to the West-Indies they sailed down the Coast of Africa as far Southward as the place in the West-Indies whither they intended to go lay and then steer'd directly Westward both the wind blowing constantly from the East and the Sea also running the same way Which relation of his concurring with the general vogue of Mariners if true doth much confirm the opinion of the diurnal motion of the earth When they return backwards from thence into Holland they go round about the Bay of Mexico and up a good way northward and then strike over to Europe the water being reflected as he said that way and the wind also often blowing that way Naples lies by the Sea side under hills in form of a Theater for its figure and situation much like to Genua but somewhat bigger and much more populous so that before the last great Plague which swept away as we were credibly informed at least 120000 souls one might well reckon the number of Inhabitants to have been about three hundred thousand The circuit of the walls is not above seven Italian miles but it hath large Suburbs The Town is well built of stone the
duos habet lobos seminibus repletos pusillis ruffis Frequens est Messanae in vineis hortis Quam primùm semen maturescit vasculum seminale dehiscit adeò ut difficile sit ejus semina colligere Hyssopoides major flore grandiore Melissae quaedam species non descr Tithymalus arboreus Tithymalus folio longo glauco caule rubro seminibus verâ—ueosis Teucrium arborescens lucidum Iberis Cardamantica Alaternus Elatine flore caeruleo Cyperus paniculis squamosis which I take to have been Trasi but we regarded not the root of it Anthyllis leguminosa flore rubro Erica ramulis per intervallâ— ternis Chamaecistus annuus flore luteo Vrtica Romana passim Securidaca minor Ad. Lagopus altera angustifolia Lob. Coronopus foliis acutis in margine dentatis And now that I have named so many Strangers let no man imagine that there are no Plants common to Sicily and England for that is so far from being true that I believe there be but few Plants growing in England but may somewhere or other be found in Sicily There is in this respect great difference between Northern and Southern Countreys the Southern having a vast number of species which the Northern miss whereas the Northern have but few which are wanting in the Southern And the reason is obvious because there are places in Southern Countreys which agree with the Northern in the temperature of the air as for example the sides and tops of mountains but no places in the Northern which have like temperature of air with the Southern Form this experiment I have made in comparing England with Sicily I am induced to believe that there are are scarce any two Countreys in this Continent so far remote the one from the other but they have some common plants however it be thought there be none common to America and this Continent which I cannot but wonder at and wish it were more diligently enquired into We hired a Feluca to carry us to Malta and back again The first day being May 6. we had a brisk gale of wind which brought us into Catania 60 miles distant from Messina by 3 of the clock afternoon Heer as in Spain we were fain to go into the Market to buy all our provision of bread meat and drink our selves This is but a mean Town only some good Cloysters there are in it We heard much of S. Agatha their peculiar protecteress May 7. We proceeded as far as Syracusa 40 miles by the way we had in prospect Augusta famous for the goodness of the wine there made and sent abroad to Messina Malta and other places Syracusa that now is stands in a Peninsula and is only that part of the ancient Syracusae called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is at present but a small City indifferently well built and thinly inhabited It is fortified with very strong walls and bastions especially towards the land These works they told us were made by the Knights Hospitallers when they were driven out of Rhodes by the Turks They then intended to have settled themselves heer but the Emperor Charles V. not liking their company in Sicily gave them Malta About a mile and half from the present City we saw some ruines of the ancient Syracusae among other things the rudera of an Amphitheater We saw also what is commonly shew'd to all Strangers the Grot at present called orecchio di Dionysio or Dionysius his ear becuase it is hewn out of the Rock in fashion of a mans ear They fancy that Dionysius had a Chamber above this Cave or Grot wherein he sate and over-heard whatever was spoken or but whispered in the Grot below where he used to put suspected persons together in prison The Grot is cut out of the side of a high Cliff or Rock and is it self very high and goes a little winding but is not long In our return from Malta we entred into and viewed one of the ancient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or burying places which they all Catacumbe and of which there are several both heer and in Malta That we entred into was of S. Antonio's Church Heerin were many vaulted or arched walks hewn out of the Rock and on each hand all along other vaults at right angles with them the floor or bottom of which lateral vaults was some foot and half higher then the floor of the main walk and all hewn into troughs or loculi wherein they deposited their dead bodies in some of these were 20 loculi in some more in some less In this coemeterium at intervals are round rooms or halls cupoloed where several of the forementioned walks meet for the whole is a kind of maze or labyrinth and very difficult to thread being of a huge extent so that I believe there were many thousands of bodies laid up heer These cuniculi or vaulted walks are in many places earth'd and stopt up by stones and rubbish fallen from the roof They told us that the Vault of S. Lucia reacht as far as Catania under ground which though it be a monstrous untruth yet we may thence gather Multum esse quod vero supersit The wind being contrary we were forced to make use of our oars and rowed as far as Capo Passaro anciently called Promontorium Pachynum 40 miles distant from Syracuse Upon the utmost point of land stands a little Castle held by a Garrison of about 20 men This Castle stands now in a little Island made so by the force of the Sea which not long since brake it off from the land The wind being contrary and blowing a stiff gale made the Sea so rough that we dared not venture out but were forced to rest heer 2 nights Howbeit we entertained our time pleasantly enough in searching out and describing of plants which this little Island afforded great variety of v. g. Lotus siliquâ quadratâ Ger. Lotus siliquis Ornithopodii Lotus edulis Creticus Park fortè Lotopisum Belli which we found also about Naples though it be not there mentioned Lentiscus Chamaerrhiphes sive Palma minor Limonium folio sinuato Ger. Chrysanthemum Cretioum Ger. Aster luteus foliis ad florem rigidis C. B. Medica magna turbinata J. B. Auricula muris Cameraii Medica doliata spinosa Gnaphalium roseum Park Hedysarum clypeatum minus flore purpureo Onobrychis fructu echinato minor C. B. Fiores huic parvi purpurei semen grande Trifolium halicacabum sive vesicarium Asphodelus major ramosus flore albo Asph luteus sive Hasta regia Asp minor Clus. Echium procumbens flore parvo caeruleo ornithogalum spicatum Ger. Jacea lutea capite spinoso Carduns lacteus peregrinus Cam. an potiùs Silybum majus annuum Park Carduns galactites J. B. Teucrinm Baeticum Ger. Tragopogon perenne foliis angustis incanis floribus dilutè caeruleis an potiùs Scorzonera dicenda Sanamunda tertia Clus Anonis viscosa spinis carens lutea major C. B. Convolvulus coeruleus
observes the Tides but it is no running water nor doth it I believe arise above the level of the Sea I do therefore shrewdly suspect for fabulous whatever hath been written of Wells remote from the Sea which in their ebbing and flowing observe its motions But for a reason of the ebbing and flowing of these Wells I must confess I am hitherto at a great loss Whereas some say that rain sinks not above a foot or two deep into the earth if they understand it of all earths it is manifestly false for that we see in Coal delfs and other mines in wet weather the Miners are many times drown'd out as they phrase it though no water run down into the mouths of their pits and shafts and in sandy and heathy grounds in the greatest rains little water runs off the land as on Newmarket-heath Gogmagogâ—hills Salisbury-plain c. and therefore it must needs sink in and out of the mouth of Pool-hole near Buxton in the Peak of Derby and other Caves in the sides of mountains in rainy seasons streams of water many times run out where in dry weather and Summer time there are none Neither is this opinion we defend any more repugnant to the Scripture then the other For whereas it is said Eccles 1. 7. All the rivers run into the sea yet the sea is not full unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again we grant it to be most true nay we think such a circulation absolutely necessary to the being of springs only we assert it to be performed not under ground but above that is the clouds take up water out of the Sea and pour it down again upon the earth and from part thereof falling upon and soaking into the higher grounds arise the springs But to return to Malta the Haven is very commodious and secure divided into two by a little promontory or neck of land some 1500 canes long and 380 broad upon which the new City is built Of these two that on the West side the City is called simply and per Antonomasian Marsa that is the Haven and is in length 1800 canes or poles of ten palms the cane Roman measure and is sub-divided into other crecks or sinus's That on the East-side called Marsa moscetto is as large as the other in a little Island within which is the Lazaretto near it Ships that come from infected places keep their Quarentain The new City called Valetta is divided into 20 streets 8 in length and 12 in breadth all streight Though they be not paved yet they need it not the Town being built upon a solid rock They want no uniformity but being level which the place being uneven uphill and down-hill will not admit The houses are all of stone flat-rooft and covered with plaister which is sufficient heer there falling but little rain though they be not tall yet are they neat and pleasant Upon the roofs of their houses in Summer time the people set their beds as at Aleppo and sleep in the open air The number of the Inhabitants of all ages according to a survey taken in the year 1632 was 10744 the number of houses 1891 which sum is I believe since that time much encreased Over the gate of this City leading to the land called Porta reale you have this Inscription giving an account of the first founding and building of it Fr. Jo. de Valetta sacrae Domûs Hospitalis Hierosol M. Magister periculorum annosuperiore à suis militibus populóque Melitoeo in obsidione Turcica perpessorum memor de condenda nova urbe eâque moeniis arcibus propugnaculis ad sustinendam vim omnem propulsandósque inimici Turcae impetus aut saltem reprimendos munienda inito cum Proceribus consilio Die Jovis 28 Martii 1566 Deum omnipotentem Deiparâ—mque virginem numen tutelare D. Joannem Baptistam Divósque caeteros multa precatus ut faustum felixque Religioni Christianae fieret ac Ordini suo quod inceptabat bene cederet prima urbis fundamenta in monte ab incolis Sceberras vocato jecit eámque de suo nomine Valettam dato pro insignibus in Parma miniata aureo leone appellari voluit Fr. Antonius de Paula M. Mag. invictiss Conditoris tantaeque rei monimentum P. C. Anno ab Vrbe Fundata 68. It is fortified with impregnable Walls and Bulwarks especially toward the land where one would think there are too many and yet they are still adding more Within the outmost wall or between the two walls and outworks they have enclosed a great space of void ground whether with design to enlarge the City filling that space with houses or to receive the Country-people in case the enemy should land upon the Island I know not All the walls and bulwarks are mined or vaulted underneath that so in case the besiegers should get upon them they might be blown up and rendred useless The charge of all these Walls Castles and Fortifications would be intolerable had they not stone at hand and slaves to work This City is well served with all provisions there being every morning a Market plentifully furnished with bread flesh fish poultry fruits herbs c. of the best in their several kinds and to be bought at easie rates The most considerable buildings in this City are 1. The Church of St. John Baptist patron of the Order wherein are many Chappels and Altar-pieces richly gilded and adorned Heer lie buried the Grand Masters that have been since the Order was translated hither in a vault under ground several of them having in the Church Monuments with inscriptions This Church is not yet quite finished The Castle of S. Elmo which stood heer before this City was built on the utmost point of the Promontory A strong place but of no great capacity Heer we observed the like winding ascent to the top without any steps or stairs as in the tower of S. Mark at Venice Upon the top of this Castle is constant watch and ward kept When they descry any Vessel coming toward the Island be it great or small they set up a Flag suitable to the bigness of the Vessel if two Vessels two if three three and so on according to their number signifying also by the place where they set these Flags from what quarter East West North or South such Vessel or Vessels come So that the City is presently advised what Vessels and how many are near the Port. In this Castle are imprisoned such Knights as have committed any misdemeanour and held in restraint longer or less time or further proceeded against according to the merit of their fault Before this Castle are the Granaries where the provisions of Corn for the City are kept These are nothing but Caves hewn out of the rock in the form of a Cupola or ordinary Bee-hive having each a narrow mouth above They are constantly stored with Corn enough beforehand to serve the whole City for
a good fence or rampart to secure the City and other included Islands against the raging waves of the Sea in stormy weather It is discontinued by seven say some say others by five breaks or apertures and those not very wide ones which they call Ports or Havens and by which the Lagune communicate with the Gulf. Of these Inlets two only are deep enough to admit any vessels of considerable bulk or burthen viz. those of Malamocco and Lio. Into or not far from the Lagune most of the great rivers of Italy empty themselves v. g. Padus now call'd Po Athesis now Adige Meduacus major now Brenta Meduacus minor now Bacchilione Tiliaventum now Taiamënto Liquentia now Livenza Silis now Sile Anassus now Piave which especially in time of flouds bring down with them from the mountains a great deal of earth and silt which will its probable in process of time fill up the Lagune and make dry land of them For I believe at the first building of Venice no part of them lay bare at low water as now there doth Gianotti saith that antiently the City was ten miles distant from the firm land the Lagune extending as far as Oriago which as some think was so called quasi Ora lacus and and that all that space between Oriago and Fusina where they now imbark that go from Padua to Venice had been added to the firm land notwithstanding all the endeavours the Venetians could use This City was first founded according to the best Authors about the time that Attila with his Hunnes invaded Italy burning and destroying all before him by some families who seeing no end of these irruptions of barbarous nations sought refuge for themselves in these desolate Islands in the year 456 or thereabouts Others make the first beginning of it to have been before that time in the year 421 or 423. But though in the times of former irruptions many of the neighbouring people fled hither to shelter themselves from the present storm yet I believe they did not think of settling themselves heer or making these Islands their fixt habitation and uniting themselves into one City till the expedition of Attila Whenever it began it hath continued a Virgin-City having never been ravished nor attempted by any Enemy since its first foundation for at least 1200 years which is more than any other City of that antiquity so far as I have read or heard can boast of Yet is it not at present nor ever was it fortified or so much as walled about neither indeed doth it need it being sufficiently strong by its â—ituation alone which is such that it is not likely for the future ever to be taken unless the Sea quite leave it and the Lagune become dry land conjoined with the Continent For by Sea great ships can come no nearer than the haven of Malamocco and those apertures in the Lido where boats and lesser Vessels may enter are defended by strong Forts and Castles besides that every tide the Chanel doth so vary that without the guidance of an expert Pilot they will not be able to find the way in but be in danger of being stranded upon the flats This City is in circuit taking in the Giudecha eight Italian miles Viewing it from S. Mark 's tower we judged it to be about the bigness Amsterdam was then of It is divided into two parts by the Grand Canale which passes through the middle of it in the form of the letter S. It is also divided into six parts or regions called thence Sestieri three on one side the Canale viz. Castello S. Marco and Canareio and three on the other side viz San Paolo Santa Croce and Dorso duro It conteins 70 Parishes though some make them 72 67 Monasteries whereof 33 of Freres and 34 of Nuns according to a survey taken in the year 1581. since which time I believe the number hath been increased According to the same survey there were then in the City of Noble Men 1843 Women 1659 Boys 1420 Girls 1230 Citizens Men 2117 Women 1936 Boys 1708 Girls 1418 Servants 3732 Maids 5753 Artisans Women 31617 Men 32887 Boys 22765 Girls 18227 Beggars Men 75 Women 112 Monks 945 Nuns 2508 Priests 516 Poor of the Hospital 1290 Jews 1043 The Sum total is 134871. Sansovinus reckons the number of souls in his time to have been 180000 but I suppose he takes in Muran and the other Islands which in this survey are left out I am not ignorant that several late writers make the present number of Inhabitants to be at least 300000 but I believe they speak at random and by conjecture upon no good grounds as I have been often told that there are in Paris a million and half of people whereas it is well if there be half â— million there being no reason to think that the Citâ— is much increased since Sansovinus his time I find the Sum total of the number of males to exceed the total of the number of females in this survey by above 3500 which comes near to the account of the excess of males in England given us by Capt. Graunt in his Observations upon the weekly Bills of Mortality in London And I doubt not but if exact observations were made in other places there would be found the like proportion between the number of males and females born into the world in hot countries as in cold So that from this Topic the Asiatics have no greater plea for multiplicity of wives than the Europeans Little chanels of water cross and divide the city into many Islets and may rather be called the Streets of it than those narrow Lanes or Alleys Calle they call them through which you pass on foot from one place to another By these chanels you may convey your self and goods from any one place of the city to any other by boat which is the only way of carriage except mens shoulders there being neither coach nor litter cart nor wain horse nor ass used or so much as to be seen â—eer For passage on foot there are built about 450 bridges cross the chanels most of them of stone and of one arch among which the most famous is that over the Canal grande called Ponte di Rialto and for passage by water there are a great number of Gondalo's and other boats some say eight some ten some twelve nay some fifteen thousand but I believe all is conjecture and they were never numbered The Buildings are generally tall and fair the Palaces of Noblemen thick set all over the City but especially upon the Canal grande which though not vast are handsom and well-built The foundations of the houses are great piles or masts driven into the ground as at Amsterdam The Arsenal is said to be three miles in circuit they that speak modestly allow it but two well stored with arms ammunition and all provisions for war Heer the Galleys are made and laid up of which the Republic hath they say at least 200.
farm out the excise of it the three Camerlinghi di commune who receive and disburse all the public Revenue we might English them Treasurers the three Signori alle Ragioni vecchie who are to disburse what is necessary for the entertainment of forein Princes and Embassadors coming to the City and what else is appointed them by the Common-wealth the three alle Ragioni nuove who are to exact what is due to the Common-wealth of those who have farmed the public custom and excise and to punish them that are slack and run behind hand the three Proveditori di commune who take care that Ships be made of just bigness and not freighted beyond their measure oversee the high-ways and bridges as also all the Arts of the City and the small Schools or Fraternities for the Capi de Dieci are set over the great ones the three that are over the Arsenal the three Proveditori sopra le Camere who take account of the general Collectors of the revenues of all the Cities subject to the Common-wealth the three Proveditors à dieci Officii who exact and gather up such moneys of the public customs or excise as are not fully and absolutely sifted and examined by the Custom-Officers the three Cataueri who have also to do with part of the public revenue as Escheats to the Commonwealth in case a man dies intestate and without heirs mulcts of such as are cast in a Suit they judge also concerning treasures found either at sea or land Those that enter into the Council and have no suffrages are the College or Company of the Savi The Proveditors sopra le Acque who are to take care of the Lagune and scouring the chanels c. The Dieci Savii who see that tithes be duly set out and paid give possession register Bargains and Sales c. The three Officers of Health who take care that the City be kept clean and nothing noisome or offensive left in the Streets nothing that is corrupted or that may cause sickness and infection bought and sold either by land or water from these Mountebanks and Physicians take licenses and they keep account of the number of Whores who are licensed and in time of any Epidemical Disease they have absolute power of life and death The three over the Datii or public Customs and Excise the Proveditors over the of Alexandria the twelve over that of Damascus and the twelve over that of London The Pregadi were so called as some think because anciently they were assembled by public Ministers and by them as it were prayed and entreated that they would come and consult of the affairs of the Commonwealth The Pregadi properly so called are chosen by the Gr. Council as the other Magistrates are in the manner before related They begin so soon to chuse them that all of them may be elected by the beginning of October at which time they enter upon their Office The Giunta or other 60 are chosen both by the Council of the old Pregadi and the Great Council in this manner Upon Michaelmas day the Council of the old Pregadi is assembled wherein each one of those that have suffrages nominates the person whom he would have to be of the Giunta All the nominated are written down The next day the Great Council is convened and the names of all the persons nominated by the Pregadi having been first read are put into an urn and thence one by one drawn out be one of the Secretaries and balloted by the Council and he that obtains above half of the suffrages is reckoned to be one of the Giunta The other Magistrates comprehended in this Council it matters not at what time they be created because when the Pregadi enter upon their administration those who at present exercise such offices are numbred among them as members of the Council and if their offices determine before the Pregadi's their successours enter in their places Besides those who assist the Commonwealth in a time of need with their estates lending such a sum of mony as the Law determines have liberty granted them to be present in this Council and to understand the management of public affairs yet without power of balloting till such time as their moneys be repaid and sometimes longer For the Law prescribes them such a time to enjoy this honour though their mony be repaid them before By this constitution the Commonwealth reaps a double benefit First it seldom wants mony upon any exigent many being willing to lend that they may enjoy this privilege Secondly it trains up young men to the knowledge of State-affairs and qualifies and enables them to manage public business when they shall be thereto called The Pregadi are assembled as often as it pleases the College A Council is also granted to the Magistrates when they would confirm any Law and to the Auvogadors when they have any difficult case to bring in to be determined The time of their meeting is signified by the tolling of a Bell it is also a custom to send to give notice and invite them by public Serjeants or Ministers They cannot enter into any consultation about public business unless there be present four of the Counsellours and 60 at least of such as have suffrages In this Council are consultations had and resolutions taken about Peace and War truces and agreements and ways of providing money for the necessities and uses of the Commonwealth How these affairs are treated of will appear when we shall come to speak of the College Laws are also confirmed in this Council which are first considered by those Magistrates who are over that business to which such Laws appertain Such Magistrates come first to the College and there shew either the necessity or the benefit and utility of such Laws as they would introduce and if the College approves of them then they are permitted to bring them into the Council of Pregadi and if they pass there then are they valid and published by public bando or Proclamation after which every one is obliged to take notice of them and observe them and the Magistrate that introduced them is to see that they be put in execution They use also sometimes to get their laws confirmed not only in the Council of Pregadi but also in the Great Council The which thing saith my Author is I suppose principally in the power of him who brings in the Law to do and is usually done to gain more reputation and add strength to the Law Besides in the Council of Pregadi is chosen a Captain of the Armata in case the Commonwealth hath occasion to make war by Sea and a Proveditor of the Camp when they make war by Land those three kinds of Magistrates which they call i. e. Savi grandi Savi di Terra ferma Savi di mare which elections are made after this manner Each one of the Pregadi nominates one whom he pleases All that are so nominated are balloted and he that obtains
go up from the City to the Cloyster of the Camaldulenses Martagon Chymistarum Lob. Aristolochiarotunda Orobus sylvaticus Viciae foliis C. B. Laurus Chrysanthemum Bellidis folio Digitalis lutea vel pallida parvo flore C. B. Hemionitis multifida Horminum luteum glutinosum sive Colus Jovis Trifolium bituminosum quo nihil frequentius per totam Italiam Siciliam Cytisus hirsutus J. B. Whole woods of Chesnut Genista Hispanica Colutea tum vesicaria tum scorpioides Ferula Lob. Genista tinctoria Hispanica Vicia floribus pallidè luteis amplissimis After montanus lutens Salicis glabro folio Millefolium odoratum Hesperis sylvestris latifolia flo albo parvo Park Androsaemum foetidum sive Tragium Speculum veneris majus Pancratium Lob. In litore Neopolitano Lotus corniculata siliquis singularibus vel binis tenuis J. B. Tribulus terrestris copiosissimè Hyoscyamus albus Juncus cyperoides Maritimus Ad. Lob. In arenosis maritimis Italiae Siciliae frequens Mala insana Italis Melongena Neapoli in foro olitorio venalia Cucumis flexuosus anguinus Lob. ibidem Cucumeres Italis dicuntur Citrulli Melones aquatici cucumere Cucurbita anguina Lob. Malus Limonia fructu parvo Limoncelles dicto Neapoli Messinae Fructus nucleis caret hoc est raros nucleos habet In the night time we saw many Fisher-boats out at Sea with a light at one end of them to invite the Fish to follow the Boat where stands a fellow with an instrument in his hand like a mole-spear ready to strike them In the same Vessel which brought us to Naples we began our voyage to Messina in Sicily where we arrived May 2. We sailed in sight of the Aeolides or Vulcaniae insulae two of which viz. Stromboli and Vulcano do still burn and Stromboli with that rage sometimes that no man dares live upon it As we passed by in the night-time we saw it flame It is difficult to enter in at the mouth of the strait by the Faro of Messina because of the current which runs heer violently sometimes towards Calabria sometimes toward Sicily so that Mariners who have not often sailed this strait are forced to hire a Pilot of Messina to conduct them in who for the most part when they see any Vessel coming go out in boats to meet it and offer their service to guide it into the Harbour for which they will be well paid our Captain being forced to give ten pieces of Eight The Haven of Messina is very commodious and secure compassed almost round with the City on one side and a narrow languet or neck of land on the other resembling a large Fishpond The City makes a goodly show as one comes to it by Sea the houses all along the shore being built of Free-stone tall and uniform and having a fair broad Key before them But the streets within are narrow not well paved nor the houses near so fair So that it is a Proverb A Messâ—na Assai polvere pulce putane At Messina you have dust fleas and whores store This City pretends to be the principal and metropolis of Sicily Regni caput and will be no means give place to Palermo The Vice-roy is obliged to reside 18 months heer and 18 at Palermo They stand much upon their privileges granted them by Charles the fifth Emperor and one privilege they have not to shew their privileges They contend earnestly to have the staple or monopoly of Silk heer and had lately obtained a grant thereof from Spain but the Palermitans seeing how much this would redound to their prejudice have got it reversed It seems formerly all the Silk made in Sicily was vended at Messina but by degrees Palermo hath got part of this trade to its self and now pleads prescription for it There is a great emulation and enmity between the Palermitans and Messanese which involves the whole Island some Cities taking part with one and some with the other The titles the Messanese give their City in their public instruments and writings are the Noble and Exemplary City of Messina The Inhabitants are none of the most civil but extraordinarily proud and ready to expel the Vice-roy if he displeases them The King of Spain hath 4 Castles in and about this City and the Citizens as many in their hands The City Gates stand open all night so that its free for any man to enter in and go out at pleasure Their government among themselves is by six Jurats four of the Gentry and two of the Citizens They are chosen after this manner Every year there is a certain number who do ambire magistratum or as they phrase it concur to come in cap sometimes more sometimes fewer The Gentlemen chuse by themselves and the Citizens by themselves The names of all the Gentlemen of aboue 25 years of age and likewise of all the Artisans and Tradesmen are written in little scrolls of paper and those rolled up and cast upon a table Then comes in the Kings delegate and takes up of each heap of these scrolls to the number of 36 and those are the Electors These Electors are brought into a room where are boxes set according to the number of Competitors and have balls given them blue and white the blue affirmative and the white negative and they give to every one of the Candidates their suffrages as they please Those eight of the Noblemen and four of the Citizens which have most suffrages are elected and come in cap. Now on the first of May these 12 have their names written in little scrolls of paper put in a cap and a little boy puts his hand in and takes out one by one to the number of six and those six are the Jurats for that year The Jurats for the Nobility though they be the greater number yet can they do nothing without the consent of one of the Jurats for the Citizens After all this stir these Jurats have but little power nothing to do either in civil or criminal causes of any moment Of Plants we found heer on the baich or languet of land between the Haven of Messina and the Fretum Siculum Peucedanum majus Italicum Linaria angustifolia flore luteo vulgapersimilis Sideritis verticillis spinosis J. B. Faenugraeco sylvestri Tragi in quibusdam accedens planta J. B. Some call this plant Vicia Sesamacea Apula I think it might be fitly titled Glaux peregrina annua Vicia maritima multiflora alba Messanensis nobis dicta Spina Solstitialis flore connivente capitulis sessilibus An Solstitialis mitior Apula Col Thlaspi clypeatum hieracifolium majus Park Trifolium stellatum C. B. Polygonum niveum Securidaca siliquis planis dentatis Ger. Trifolium capitulis globosis sine pediculis caulibus adnexis In Anglia hanc speciem nupet invenimus Gramen tremulum maximum Melilotus Messanensis procumbens folliculis flavicantibus per maturitatem rugosis sublongis spicâ florum breviore verùm seminibus grandioribus
a year They have also magazines or stores of wine oil and all other necessaries The Alberghi or Halls of the eight several Nations Lingue they call them of the Order The Nations are French Italian German English Provençal Auâ—ergnois Castilian and Aragonian These Albergs are most of them fair buildings like Colleges and in each of them is a public hall wherein the Knights of each Nation dine and sup as many as please the others have their parts or demensum sent to their lodgings or dispose otherwise of it as they see good The Seignior of each Nation is superiour of the Alberg Grand Prior of his Nation of the Great Cross Gran Croce they term it and one of the Privy Council to the Great Master These are distinguished from the rest by a great white Cross upon their breasts made of silk sown into their garments Heer is an Alberg for the English Nation or rather a piece of ground enclosed with the foundation of an Alberg the walls being scarcely reared up This ground we were told some of the Citizens would have bought and built upon but the Grand Master and Council refused to sell it not despairing it seems that one day our Nation may be reduced again to the obedience of the Romish Church The Armory Salad Armi within the Palace of the Great Master consisting of two rooms the one which they call the Hall the fairest and largest room employed for such an use that we have any where seen the other much lesser In both together are kept arms for 30000 men so entire clean bright and fit for use that we were much taken with the sight of them Heer are some of those little Drakes that may be charged behind a leather gun and other curiosities the like whereto we have seen in several Armories The Hospital Infermaria a fair building which they are now enlarging The sick persons are served by the Knights viz. such a number of Knights are appointed to carry them their meat daily with cap in hand which thing we saw them do in this manner The meat was all brought into the middle of a great room where many of the sick lay Then one of the Knights the Steward I suppose he was read the names of the sick one by one out of the Physicians bill wherein was prescribed each sick persons diet As he read a name the Cook took his part whose name was read and dishing it up delivered it to one of the Knights who carried it to his bed-side where stood a stool covered with a napkin having bread and salt upon it This duty their very name intimates to belong to them viz. Knights i. e. Servants of the Hospital and therefore we may be excused if we have been more particular and circumstantial in describing the manner of it If any of the Order falls sick he is not to stay in a private house but must presently repair hither where he is most carefully tended one or two Knights being appointed to be always by him The Palace of the Great Master where he hath several Apartments for Winter and Summer There is also a stable of good horses in which besides coach-horses and ordinary saddle-horses are kept 40 or 50 great horses A thing worth the nothing in this Island where there is so great scarcity of horses that Knights and persons of quality ride upon no better then asses The Slaves prison a fair square building where all the Slaves in the City lodge every night so long as the Gallies are abroad in Corso At the ringing of the Ave-Mary bell which is just at Sun-set they are to repair thither When the Gallies are at home those that belong to private persons are permitted to lodge in their Masters houses The number of Slaves now in Town was about 2000 belonging to the Order and 300 to private persons besides those that were abroad in the Gallies Besides this new City there are 3 considerable Towns distant from it only by the breadth of the haven 1. The Isola as they commonly call it or Town of Senglea with the Fort of S. Michael seated in a Peninsula made by 2 creeks running out of the principal haven It contains 994 houses and 4050 souls For the stout resistance it made to the Turks in 1565 it obtained the name Città invitta 2. The Borgo as they call it i. e. Burgo del Castello à mare built likewise on a little Lingua or neck of land between two creeks of the same haven on the utmost cape whereof stands the Castle of St. Angelo divided for greater strength from the Town by a ditch of water cut cross the lingua This Burgh contains 782 houses and 3063 souls For its valour and fidelity in holding out so resolutely against the Ottoman Army besieging it Anno 1565 it is deservedly honoured with the title of Città vittoriosa Between these two Burghs is a secure Harbour where the Gallies and most of the other Vessels of the City lie which in time of danger is shut up with a great iron chain 3. Birmula rather a suburb of Senglea then a distinct Town it contains 642 fires and 2778 souls We rode out to see some part of the Countrey passing two great Villages Casales they name them we came to the old City called anciently Melita after the name of the Island now Città notabile a small place at present but wel fortified containing no more then 565 houses and 2620 souls It hath been formerly much greater and incomparably more populous The new City as being more conveniently situate daily draining away and withdrawing its inhabitants Heer they shew'd us the Pillar of S. Paul as they call it where when he stood preaching as they fondly believe or at least would perswade us his voice was heard distinctly all over the Island 2. The Grâ—t of St. Paul Heer out of a small cave is taken that white earth called Terra di S. Paolo and by some terra sigillata Melitensis which they seal and sell to strangers attributing thereto great vertues against all poison and infection This cavern though there be continually great quantities of earth taken out of it according to their conceited tradition retains still the same dimensions becoming no greater then it was at first That S. Paul suffered shipwrack on the coast of this island and wintered heer and not on that other Melita in the Adriatic Sea on the coast of Dalmatia now called Meleda I think it sufficiently proved and made clear by Cluverius Abela and others but that upon occasion of a Viper fastning on his arm he changed all the Serpents of the Island into stones and endued the earth with an Alexipharmical quality to resist and expel poison is a superstitious and ungrounded fancy From the old City we rode on to the Great Masters Boschetto where he hath a pretty little Palace in form of a Castle from the top
fly out a great way further to Sea for what reason we cannot easily imagine perhaps only to sport themselves in the Sun Howbeit we do not remember to have seen any other land-insect fallying out so far from land And now that we have made mention of the Cicada it may not be amiss by the way to take notice of a common error committed in our English Schools in translating or rendring this word Cicada in English by Grashopper whereas a Cicada is a much different insect of a rounder and shorter body that sits commonly upon trees and makes a noise five times louder then a Grashopper whose true name in Latine is Locusta and not Cicada Of these Cicadae there are great numbers in the hot Countreys but none on this side then Alps and Sevenes This night we lodged at Astura where yet remain some ruines of an ancient Town and the foundations of some buildings in the water Not far hence the fourth day we passed the new Town of Antio and about a mile distant great ruines of the old Town and of a great mole for the Haven and this night lodged at a little tower called S. Michael near the mouth of the River Tiber not far from Ostia The 5th day we hed a favourable gale of wind which brought us to a little place called S. Stefano not far from Orbetello This day we passed in sight of Civita Vecehia and Porto Hercole compassing Monte Argentaro The 6th day there happened a great Borasco as they term it that is a storm of thunder lightning and rain accompanied with a violent wind which continued all the sorenoon in the afternoon we rowed about 18 or 20 miles and put in to a little Cove or harbour under a tower called Calo di Furno On the Sea-shore heerabout we found those opercula concharum which some naturalists make to be stones and call Vmbilici marini The Italians call them S. Lucies eyes The 7th day we proceeded as far as the Island Troia when the wind being contrary we were forced to take up at a little harbour under the shelter of a small tower called Lo Molino The 8th day we passed Piombino a walled Town which hath a Prince of its own Populonia P. Barreto S. Vincentio Castagneto and Vada and lodged at a tower called Castiglione The 9th day it having blown hard all night notwithstanding there was no wind stirring in the morning we found the Sea very rough yet through the good providence of God we got safe into Ligorn about noon The Plants we took more especial notice of in this voyage were Rosmarinum vulgare cedrus Lycia folio retuso Bellonii Barba Jovis frutex on the rocks and cliffs by the Sea side in many places Cruciata marina on the sands at Astura plentifully Thlaspi capsulis sublougis incanum J. B. ibid. Cichorium verrucarium sive Zacyntha at the mouth of Tiber and about S. Stefano plentifully Lotus siliquosa lutea Monspeliensis J. B. besides another sort of Lotus with a longer and flenderer cod Aristolochia clematitis A semper-virent shrub with a leaf like Oleander Terebinthus Paliurus Thlaspi biscutatum Ambrosia vulgaris which it was not our hap to meet with elsewhere in all our travels Cirsii quoedam species quae jam defloruerat at S. Stefano Chamaerrhiphes sive Palma humilis about Orbetello and elsewhere on the cliffs of Hetruria Draba quaedam filiquosa foliis longis angustis incanis Euphrasia pratensis lutea Phillyrea angustifolia in montosis propè maris litus in toto hoc tractu frequentissima Phillyrea serrata 2 Clus Colutea minima sive Coronilla Ger. In rupibus maritimis propè turrim Castiglione OF FLORENCE FRom Ligorn we travelled through Pisa to Florence a City which answers its name and epithete Fiorenza la bella Florence the fair Yet for beauty in my opinion it must give place to Antwerp and some other Cities in the Low Countreys only it excells them in multitude of large stone-palaces scattered up and down the streets sch as are those of the Grand Duke both the old and the new called the Palazzo de Pitti because purchased of them of the Strozzi the Salviati c. Many of the streets are streight which adds no little to the beauty of them They are all paved with great broad stones like Luca or Collen in Germany yet but narrow as in many other Towns of Italy and Gallia Narbonensis to keep off the scorching beams of the Sun in summer time which reflected from these broad stones would else make them more than sufficiently hot The Paper-windows and they too for the most part broken and tattered do very much disgrace the fair stone-houses The River Arno divides this City into two parts which are joyned together by 4 fair stone-bridges one of which called Ponte vecchio or the old bridge hath on each side it a row of Goldsmiths-shops All of them but especially the two middlemost are remarkable for the breadth and flatness of their arches The circuit of the walls is said to be 6 Italian miles but therein is comprehended a great deal of wast ground I mean not filled up with buildings the gardens and walks of the Great Dukes Palace being at least a mile in compass besides on the other side the River are some hundreds of acres of land taken up in vineyards and gardens belonging to private persons The number of Parishes taking in the 12 Priorates is 44 the number of Inhabitants according to Schottus 85000 souls and I believe he exceeds in his account though some make them 90000 and other 100000. There are an incredible number of Nunneries Schottus saith 54 we were told 56 whereas there are but 24 Monasteries of Freres But that which is most strange is the multitude of Hospitals and Alms houses of which there are said to be 37 one of which viz. the Orphanotrophium maintains 900 persos and hath 70000 crowns yearly revenue This City is of no great strength being encompassed only with an old-fashioned wall but the Great Duke hath 3 Castles or Cittadels in it I think rather to bridle then defend it one on the South-side held by a good Garrison neatly kept and diligently watcht wherein are laid up Arms for 30000 men Another is a small Fortress in lthe Gr. Dukes garden to which he may retire in case of any suddain danger or exigent heer they say his treasure or a good part of it is kept The third we viewed not The Churches in Florence though they be not so richly gilded as some we have seen yet for their Architecture they excel most especially the Domo or Church of S. Maria Florida which is some mens opinion is the compleatest structure that ever was set upon the earth The pilasters the support the nave or body of the Church stand at so great a distance and are withal so very slender that they do not obscure the Isles but at one view you enjoy the whole Church Besides the
another round about the Court. Adjoyning to this is the antient Palace of the Kings of Granada within there is all the same kind of Moresco-work wrought in mortar and stone with gold and painting The Cloysters are supported by long slender pillars In this Palace is an octagonal Chamber vaulted at the top with 8 doors one in every side If one stand in one angle and whisper to another that stands in the angle diametrically opposite the voice is conveyed as in the the whispering place at Glocester but if you stand in an angle that is not diametrically opposite you hear nothing The reason of the conveying the voice is the vault above and the corners being streightned into a very sharp angle or channel In Granada are two great Market-places one called Plassa nova the other de villa Rambla In the great Church are two Monuments one for Ferdinand and Isabella with this inscription Mahometicae sectae prostratores Haereticae pervicaciae extinctores Fernandus Aragonum Helisabetha Castellae vir axor unanimes Catholici appellati marmoreo clauduntur hoc tumulo The other is of Philippus I and Joanna daughter and heir of Ferdinand and Isabella without an inscription In the river Daro that runs by Granada they find gold among the sand In the mountains of Sierra neveda near Granada are said to be divers sorts of minerals which are not at all looked after Near Motril at the Capâ— di Gatto there is a Mine of Granates covered with the sea They are pointed as Amethysts and Crystal but the best come from Africa We saw that day Montesacro a place within half a league of the Town of great devotion In Castile Granada c. the greater Cities have a Corregidore and the lesser an Alcayde who administer justice and are appointed and sent by the King to govern the Towns All over the Kingdom of Castile they eat flesh upon Saturdays and observe only Fridays We left Granada and passing by Santa Fede travelled to Lotta 8 leagues At Lotta we were troubled with soldiers that came from the frontiers of Portugal to take up their winter Quarters There had been of this party 2600 but this summer at Alcantara they were reduced to 900 the rest being slain or dead of diseases We passed this day by Archidona Lalameda Larouda and lay at Pedrera 10 leagues We passed by Ossuna La Pobla and lay at Elazabal 10 leagues This Countrey was the best we saw since we came into Spain the land being for the most part well planted and cultivated We passed by Gandula and arrived at Sevil 7 leagues Between Gandula and Sevil there are abundance of Olive-trees Heer we first saw the greater sort of Olives which are usually eaten in England for a sallet called the great Spanish Olive all that we had seen in Italy or in Spain before being of the lesser sort Here is a brave Aqueduct of brick which conveys water from Carmona six leagues distant under the Arches there are Stalactites as at the Aqueduct of Pisa The Gallions bring nothing home from the West-Indies but Plate the Merchants ships are loaden with leather Cacao Sugar Lana di Vigonna c. Of the Cacao Nut they make Chocolate thus First they tost the berries to get off the husk then pound the kernels to powder and to every Miliao i. e. 3 pound and a half of powder they add and mingle two pound of Sugar 12 Vanillas a little Pimentone or Guiny Pepper which is used by the Spaniards only and a little Acchiote to give a colour but these two last may be omitted They melt the Sugar and then mingle all well together and work it up either in rolls or loaves Sevil hath of late decayed very much and doth continually decay more and more the trading being most removed to Cales the reason whereof is because they pay about 27 per cent for all merchandises at Sevil and but 4 or 5 per cent at Cales The chief places to be seen in Sevil are 1. The great Church 2. The Kings or Assistants Palace 3. The Archbishops Palace 4. The Steeple of the great Church like Saint Marks Tower at Venice which you ascend almost to the top without stairs by gently inclining plains 5. The Franciscan Covent 6. The Longha where the Merchants meet about the affairs of the flote 7. The Convent of Nostredame del peuple 8. The Bridge of boats over the Guadalquivir i. e. the river Baetis The Town on the other side this river is called Triana 9. The Inquisition or Castle of Triana just over the Bridge 10. An old Tower called Torre d'oro where St. Ferdinand that recovered Sevil kept money made of leather 11. The Aqueduct 12. The old Palace and Garden of the Moors Near the Bridge along the river side they come every night with their Coaches to take the fresco In the great Church between two Altars are three Monuments for St. Ferdinand the wise his wife Beatrice and his son Alphonsus The same Epitaph in Hebrew Arabic Greek and Latin Hîc jacet illustrissimus Rex Fernandus Castelliae Toleti Legionis Galliciae Sibillae Cordubae Murciae Jaheni qui totam Hispaniam conquisivit fidelissimus veracissimus constantissimus justissimus strenuissimus detentissimus liberalissimus patientissimus piissimus humillimus in timore servitio Dei efficacissimus qui contrivit exterminavit penitus hostium suorum proterviam qui sublimavit exaltavit omnes amicos suos qui civitatem Hispalem quae caput est metropolis totius Hispaniae de manibus cripuit paganorum cultui restituit Christiano ubi solvens naturae debitum ad Dominum transmigravit ultima die Maii Anno ab incarnatione Domini 1252. In the same Church is Fernandus Columbus Christopher Columbus his Son buried with this Epitaph A qui jace el mucho magnifico signor Don Hernando Colon el quel expleo y gasto toda su vida y facenda en aumento di los Lettras y en juntar y perpetuar en esta cividad todos los libros di todas las sciencias qui in su tempo hallo y en ridurlos à quatro libros segun estan à qui sâ—n ilados Fallescio en esta cividad à 12 di Julio 1532. An. de su edad 50 an 10 meses 14 dies Fue Hyio del valoroso memorabile Signor Don Christophoro Colon primicro Admirante qui descubio las Indias y nuevo mondo en vida di los Catholicos Reys Don Fernando y Donna Isabella di gloriosa memoria à onze de Ottobre dy mill quatrocentos y noventa y dos annos y partio del puerto de Palos à descubrirlas con tres Carabelas y noventa personas à tres de Agosto…… iuntes…… y bolbio à Castilla con la vittoria à quattro di Marzo del anno siguente y torno despues otras dos vezes a poblar lequale scubriâ— y al sin fallescio à Valladolid Ã
the lights themselves and it was no dark night the moon as I remember shining They call it the Feast of our Lady of the Letter because it is held in memory of a Letter written to them as they say by the Virgin Mary which how sorry and ungrounded a fiction it is the pretended Letter it self of which also they confess themselves not to have the Greek original but only a Latine copy will best demonstrate to any not grosly stupid Reader It runs thus Maria virgo Joachim filia Dei humillima Christi Jesit crucifixi mater ex tribu Juda stirpe David Messanensibus omnibus salutem Dei patris omnipotentis benedictionem Vos omnes fide magna legatos ac nuncios per publicum documentum ad nos misisse constat Filium nostrum Dei genitum Deum hominem esse fatemini in coelum post suam resurrectionem ascendisse Pauli Apostoli electi praedicatione mediante viam veritatis agnoscentes Ob quod vos ipsam civitatem benedicimus cujus perpetuam protectricem nos esse volumus Anno Filii nostri XII Indict I III Nonas Junii Luna XXVII Feria V. Ex Hierosolymis Maria virgo quae supra hoc chirographum approbavit We departed from Messina takin a Feluca for Naples The first night we lodged at Tropia a small Town in Calabria about 60 miles distant from Messma Heer we observed growing on the Rocks near the Town Ziziphus sive Jujuba sylvest Park Conyza minor vera Ger. Androsaemum foetidum Park i. e. Tragium besides many others which we had before found in Sicily The second night we lay at S. Lucido where we also observed the mild Jujube The third night we lay at Porto Nicolo a little creek or cove not far from Scalea where there is a small Castle Heer and at Scalea we observed the common Cypress tree Lamium Pergrinum sive Scutellaria C. B. Rosmarinum vulgare quod in toto hoc litore in rupibus copiosè provent Sabina baccifera called also Cedrus Lycia retusa Bellonii Chondrilla rara purpurea Crupina Belgarum dicta Park Meum alterum italicum quibusdam J. B. Caryophyllus maximus rubber the largest and fairest-flower'd wild Pink or July flower which I have any where seen on the rocks at Scalea Caryophyllus gramineo solio minimus a sort of small Scorzonera or Goats-beard Jacea incana teuuiter laciniata capitulis Jaceâ— nigrae vulgaris Valeriana quaedam supina serpyllifolia n. d. This was afterward shew'd us dried by Joan. Maria Ferro an Apothecary in Venice to whom it was sent by the name of Periclymenum Myrtus communis Italica C. B. Auricula ursi which we wondered to find heer upon the rocks being an Alpine plant and which delights in colder places Casia poetica Lob. Not to mention Ferrum equinum siliquâ singulari C. B. Acanthium Illyricum Polium montanum album C. B. and some sorts of Securidaca common elsewhere in Italy Heer also I first sound that species of Campanula which I have denominated minor folio rotundo flore caeruleo pentagono grandi It hath a leaf like to the common Campanula minor rotundifolia sometimes rough and hairy sometimes smooth Agnus castus in toto hoc litore in arenosis frequentissimus est The fourth night at a little place called Chiupo We lodged at Salerno where we quitted our boat and stayed one day Salerno though the Sea of an Archbishop is at present but a mean City having narrow streets Whatever there hath been formerly there is now neither University nor Schola illustris in it that we could hear of scarce any footsteps of the old School remaining In the Cathedral Church dedicated to S. Matthew we observed the Monuments of the famous Hildebrand Helbrand the Germans call him the great introducer of the Celibate of Priests and opposer of the Emperour called Pope Gregory the VII In the Porch before the Church lie many ancient Roman Grave-stones wich inscriptions As for Plants we heer noted Barba Jovis frutex on the rocks plentifully Saturcia durior J. B. Laurus Tinus caeruleâ baccâ Lob. Cytisus glaber siliquâ lata J. B. on the rocks which plant is was not my hap to meet withal growing wild any where else beyond the Seas Colutea minima sive Coronilla Ger. Melissa â—sylvestris birsutior minùs odorata Echium majus asperius flore albo C. B. Thlaspi Candiae Ger. Lamium peregrinum sive Scuttellaria Sorbus domestica Lob. Peucedani facie pusilla planta Lob. Lotus arbor Staphylodendron Colus Jovis Besides these many before set down found in Sicily and other parts of Italy viz. Antirrhinum majus purpureum Lentiscus Alaternus Conyza major Monspeliensis odorata J. B. Ricinus sive Palma Christi Scrophularia Ruta canina dicta Stoechas citrina angustifolia Genista Hispanica Tithymalus arboreus Park Valeriana rubra Dod. Ilex arborea J. B. Copparis Scorpioides Bupleuri folio chrysanthemum Bellidis folio Hort. Pat. Teucrium majus vulgare Park Colutea scorpioides Chrysocome capitulis conglobatis Ger. Caprificus Trifolium bituminosum Meum alterum Italicum Cyclamen hederae folio Periclymenum perfoliatum â—â—lidarum regionum Lob. Anagyris foetida Smilax aspera Asparagus sylvestris sive Corruda Acantbus sativus Dorycnium Monspessulanum fruticosum J. B. Trifolium album rectum hirsutum valdè J. B. Telephium scorpioides Ang. Lob. Martagon Chymistarum Lob. Geranium Romanum versicolor sive striatum Park Monte Angelo a Mountain near this Town is a place noted for variety of plants but we had not time to search it From Salerno we travelled by land to Naples passing through La Cava a pretty Town having Porticos on each side the streets and Nocera both Episcopal Seas Scafata Torre d' Annunciata Torre di Greco considerable Burghs We returned back from Naples to Ligorn by water baulking Rome for the present being deterred from going thither by the general vogue in Italy that in the Summer months and till the rains fall it is very dangerous for him that is in Rome to go out thence or him that is out to enter in there The first night we reacht no further then Nisita a little Island in the mouth of the bay of Pozzuoloâ— about 5 miles distant from Naples The second day we proceeded as far as Sperlonga a little short of Terracina anciently Anxur about 60 miles The third day we passed by Monte Circello or the Promontorium Circeium where the famous enchantress Circe is reported to have dwelt This Promontory stands out a great way into the Sea so that at a distance we took it for an Island As we were just over against the utmost point of it we observed a great number of insects very like to Cicadae and which we have not elsewhere seen flying about in the air Our boatmen called them Gronge Divers of them we caught in our boat and yet we were at least two leagues distant from land Possibly they might