that of the Sunne is the best and the halfe Crowne Those of silver are the Livres or Franc which is two shillings sterling The quart d'escu which is one shilling six pence The Teston which is halfe a sous lesse The peece of ten sous which is one shilling sterling the halfe quart d'escu the halfe Teston and the peece of five sous that is six pence sterling Those of Brasse is the price of six Blanks which is three pence that of three blanks three halfe pence The sous of twelve deniers the liard of foure deniers the double of two and lastly the denier it selfe whereof ten make one penny sterling This baser and smaller kind of money hath not beene used in France but since the beginning of the civill warres The Teston is the best silver It remaineth I speake of the Administration and Execution of Iustice and of those places and persons where and by whom it is done I will therefore beginne with their assemblies as the highest and greatest Court of all which well resembleth the Parliament of England the Dyet of the Empire or the Councell of â—â—e Amphythrions in Greece There are three especiall causes of calling these Assemblies The first when the succession of the Crowne was doubtfull and in controversie or when it was to take order for the Regency during the Kings Captivity or Minority or when they had not the right use of their wits Hereof yee have examples Anno 1327. Saint Lewis an Infant and Charles the sixth An. Dom. 1380. a Lunaticke and 1484. Iohn a prisoner For all which occasions Assemblies were called to determine who should have the Regency of the Realme in the meane while The second cause is when there is question of reforming the Kingdome correcting the abuses of Officers and Magistrates or appeasing troubles and seditions The third cause is the want and necessitie of the King or Kingdome in which case the Estates are exhorted to give subsidies subventions aids and gratuities For in former times the Kings contenting themselves with their Domaine and impost of such wares as came in or went out of the land the two most ancient and most just grounds of Finances were not accustomed to levie and impose upon their Subjects any tax whatsoever without the consent of the three States thus assembled The next Soveraigne Court for so the French call it is the Court of Parliament The true Temple of French Iustice Seat of the King and his Peeres And as Haillan cals it the Buttresse of Equity This Court very much resembleth the Star-Chamber of England the Arcopage of Athens the Senate of Rome the Consiglio de' dieci of Venice There are no Lawes saith Haillan by which this Court is directed it judgeth according to equity and conscience and mitigateth the rigour of the Law Of these Courts of Parliament ye have eight in France That of Paris the most ancient and highest in preheminence which at first was ambulatory as they call it and ever followed the Kings Court whithersoever it went but since Philip le Bel it hath beene sedentary in this Citie That of Grenoble was erected Anno 1453. That of Tholouse Anno 1302. That of Bourdeaux Anno 1443. That of Dijon in the yeare 1476. That of Roven in the yeare 1501. That of Aix the same yeare And lastly that of Bretaigne at the yeare 1553. Anciently all Arch-Bishops and Bishops might sit and give voices in this Parliament of Paris but in Anno 1463. it was decreed that none but the Bishop of Paris and Abbot of Saint Denis might sit there except he be of the Bloud for all these are privileged The Presidents and Counsellors of the Court of Parliament of Paris may not depart the Towne without leave of the Court by the ordinance of Lewis the twelfth in the yeare 1499. The Senators ought alwayes to bee present because things are carried with more Majesty when the Court is full To this Parliament they appeale from all other subalterne Courts throughout the Realme as they doe in Venice to the Consiglio grande Neither can the King conclude any warre or peace without the advice and consent hereof or at least as Haillan saith he demandeth it for fashion sake sometime when the matters are already concluded The Parliament of Paris consisteth of seven Chambers the Grande câ—ambre and five others of Enquests and the Tournelles which is the chamber for the criminall causes as the other six bee for the civill It is called the Tournelles because the Iudges of the other Chambers sit there by turnes every three moneths the reason whereof Bodin giveth that it might not alter the naturall inclination of the Iudges and make them more cruell by being alwayes exercised in matter of condemnations and executions There be of this Court of Presidents Counsellors Chevalliers of honour Procureurs Advocates Clerks Sergeants and other Officers of all sorts not so few as two hundred Besides this Court there are also other Courts for the administration of Iustice in this Citie as the Chatellet of Paris with a Lieutenant civill and another criminall and the Hostel de Paris with a Prevost and other inferiour Officers which is as ye would say the Guild-Hall of the Citie So have ye throughout the Realme certaine places as all Cities in generall where there be Chatellets like our places of Assise and in them a Lieutenant civill and criminall to judge and determine all causes reall and personall and here many Lawyers and Procurers as our Counsellors at Law and Atturnies who plead before those Lieutenants and Prevosts and certaine Counsellors which are the Iudges in these Courts whereof the number is incredible in France Insomuch as you may well say of them as is said of Sienna There be more Readers than Auditors so here be more Pleaders than Clients This Chiquanery Petti-fogging multiplicitie of Pleaders came first from the Popes Court when his seat was at Avignon as my Author saith who in the same place cals these Advocates The Mice of the Palace The processes and suits in these Courts throughout France are innumerable wherein wee come nothing neere them and yet there is no want of these in England For I have heard of 340. Nisiprius between parties tried at one Assize in Norfolke as many I thinke as in halfe England besides But these are onely twice in the yeare that causes are tried at Assises in our Country whereas here they are tried every day in the yeare that is not festivall So that it is not much unlikely that here are as many Processes in seven yeares as have beene in England since the conquest There are besides these Courts of Chatellets in Cities the Courts also of Bailywicks and Sheriffalties who as Haillan saith keepe Courts in each Province and judge in all matters civill and criminall Here is also the Privie Councell or Councell of affaires of the Counsellors among which are his foure Secretaries he calleth certaine every morning at his rising to whom he
and short that it cannot ripen the clusters of the vine It bringeth forth a race of excellent horse fit for journies in regard of their ambling paces but not commendable for indurance It breedeth the injurious Wolfe and the Fox as also all other creatures tame and gentle necessary for life but of lesser growth except the Grey-hound Almost all the woods are replenished with Deere and those so fat that they can frant runne for fatnesse with Bores Hares in great abundance Goats Fallow-Deere Hedg-Hogges and Moales are seldome seene but Mice infinite it aboundeth also with Falcons Merlins Eagles Cranes and in the Northerly parts with Swannes Storks are very rarely heard of thorow the whole Island but such as are there found are blacke Pies and Nightingales are altogether wanting By reason of the Sea their famous Rivers and spacious Lakes it is served with most excellent Fish and that peculiar to this Island onely For to let passe many other in Vlster the Ban being a most faire and cleare water and arising out of the Lake of Eaugh is the most plentifull River for Salmon that is to be found thorowout all Europe For plenty and varietie the like is to be reported of Sineus and Erno a Lake by Camdens report thirty miles long and fifteene broad Report saith that this was once a delicate plot of ground and well inhabited but for the bestiall abuse of the people it was suddenly swallowed in the waters And to prove this true men say that in faire seasons the Turrets and tops of houses are in the bottome to bee discerned The Island became subject to the Crowne of England about the yeare of our Lord 1175. Henry the second then reigning At what time Roderic King of Conaght intituling himselfe King of Ireland inforced the residue of those petty Roytelets to crave assistance of the King of England under whose protection they voluntarily yeelded their obeysance It hath fifty Bishopricks whereof Armach is a Primacy and Metropolitan of the whole Island Cassils is another Archbishopricke authorized by Pope Eugenius and hath under it nine suffragan Bishops Dublin is another and Toam another It is divided into foure Provinces viz. Leynster which Eastward respecteth EnglaÌ„d Mounster which lieth towards France Southward Conaght exposed to the West And Vlster situated in the Northerly part of the Island Some adde a fifth placed in the middest and terme it Meath Every one now is subdivided into Counties and each Countie into Baronies and hundreds and every Barony into Parishes consisting of Manors Townes and Villages after the manner of England â— That parcell of territorie which anciently was termed the Pale is about the quantity of Yorke-shire in England and is a Country at this day inhabited by Noblemen and Gentlemen descended of Engliâ—â— race being civill men and have continued their obediencâ— to the Crowne of England and retained their English language since the first conquest This people doe commonly marry within themselves and not with the meere Irish who could never in their sundry rebellions draw the said inhabitants to joyne with them by flattery or expell them by force The first Colonies planted therein were composed of worthy and noble Englishmen and especially seated in Dublin and other Cities and borough townes thorowout the Realme whose progeny having the mannagement of the affaires of the kingdome subdued by degrees the greatest part of the Irish and brought them under subjection to the Crowne of England And so long as they and their posterity were imployed as principall Officers in time of warre and peace being men throughly informed of all passages within the Kingdome and acquainted with the dispositions of the people the Realme was worthily governed and duly increased in civility and yeelded some profit to the crowne without charge Other English Colonies at sundry times have there beene since planted and especially by our late and moderne Soveraignes in the Provinces of Mounster and Vlster by the name of Vndertakers whereupon it groweth that the Realme is now inhabited with English and Irish descended of English race and with the meere and ancient Irishmen unto whose Nobilitie and Gentry the sir-names of Mac or O are commonly added Vpon the Conquest Henry the second established the lawes of England then being divided into kinds viz. the Common law as that the elder should inherit his fathers lands and Custome law that by the particular custome of Manors and Townes lands should be divided by the custome of Gavelkinde amongst all his sonnes or that the youngest sonne onely should inherit the same by the custome of Borough-English whereunto is to bee added a third viz. the Statute law He and his successors held the possession thereof with 〈◊〉 soveraigne royalty and kingly prerogatives by the nâ—me of Lords of Ireland untill the day of king Henry the eighth who by act of Parliament was acknowledged intituled and entred King of the said kingdome and so continueth it unto this day being governed as a distinct kingdome by a Lieutenant for Authority Traine Furniture Provision c. farre surpassing any Deputation thorowout Christendome wherein Courts of Parliament are have there beene held conâ—â—sting of the three Estates of the kingdome in the same forme as is used in England by commission from the King under the great seale of England authorizing the Viceroy or Deputie to summon a parliament there and to give the Royall assent unto such acts as are agreed upon in that Parliament wherein the King and his Councell of Estate of England are to bee informed by certificate under the great seale of Ireland by force of a Statute made in Ireland in the tenth yeare of Henry the seventh And after the kings allowance the bils to be enacted and propounded in the Parliament there So the Lord Deputy by force of the said Commission gives the Kings royall assent to such acts as are agreed upon in the said Parliament there So as I said before Ireland is not onely governed by the Common lawes of England by certaine ancient customes of that realme and this and by divers statutes here and there also upon occasion enacted but also the like Courts and formes of Iustice are there according to the said lawes used and administred And also the Iudiciall records are made in Latine and the Iudges and Lawyers doe plead in English as is accustomed in England For the studying of which Lawes the Irish Gentlemen doe send their sonnes to the Innes of Court in England being alwayes such as are descended of English race and not of meere Irish who are allowed to practise in England after they are called to the Barre as Englishmen are also allowed to practise in Ireland Neither the Nobility nor Commons of Ireland have any suffrage in the election of the Viceroy or blazing of Soveraigne Magistrates but all is done by the King and such as are especially authorized And the inhabitants of Cities and Borough-townes in Ireland by their charters which they have from the
there be six of the Clergie 1. Arch-Bishop and Duke of Rhemes 2. Bishop and Duke of Laon. 3. Bishop and Duke of Langres 4. Bishop and Comte of Beauvais 5. Bishop and Comte of Novon 6. Bishop and Comte of Chalons Of Temporall 1. Duke of Burgundy 2. Duke of Normandie 3. Duke of Guyenne 4. Count of Tholouse 5. Count of Champaigne 6. Count of Flanders Since these were first instituted many other houses have beene admitted into the Pairrie by the Kings of France and the old worne out As to them of Burgundie and Flanders were added the Dukes of Bretaigne Burbon Anjow Berrie Orleans the Counts of Arthois Ereux Alenson Estampes all of the Bloud in Charles the fifths time Since also in the times of Charles the ninth and Henry the third have new Pairries beene erected as Nevers Vandosine Guise Monpensier Beaumont Albret Aumal Memorencie Vzes Pentheur Mercoeur Ioieuse Espernon Rets Mâ—nbâ—son Vantadoure and others Ye must observe that the five ancientest Pairries of the Temporality are returned to the Crowne the sixth which is of Flanders doth recognize it no longer as now being Spanish Some say these Pairres quasi paresâ—inter se were first erected by Charlemaigne others by Hugh Capâ—t and others which is holden for the truest by Lewis le yeune 1179. to aid and assist the King in his Councell saith Bodin And therefore the Session of the King with his Pairres was called The Parliament without addition as the Kings Brothers and Sisters are called Monsieur and Madame sans queve whereas all other Soveraigne Courts are named with an addition as Le Parlement de Paris le Parl. de Roven c. Yee may also observe that they of the Laity have the right hand of the King and the Clergie the left in all assemblies or solemne Sessions whatsoever I thinke this division of the Pairrie into these two sorts was derived from that ancient order of the Gaules of whom Caesar speaketh Of the Nobility of Gallia are two sorts the Dâ—â—â—des and Gentlemen where he likewise discourseth of their divers Offices This Honour of Pairre of France was at first given for life onely afterwards for them and their Heires Males and lastly to the women also for default of Males who likewise are called to sit in Councell and Assemblies as are the Queenes of France as at the Assembly at Blois and at the the Arrest of Counte de Clermont in the time of Saint Lewis where the Countesse of Flanders is named present among the other Peeres Ye must note that Peeres and Princes of the Bloud bee privileged from being subject to any Writ or Processe but in case of high Treason and then also no Processe can bee commenced against them before any other Iudges whatsoever but before the King sitting in his Court of Parliament sufficiently assisted by the Peeres of France All other Iudges are incompetent But to leave the discourse of this highest honour in France and speake of the Noblesse in generall ye shall read in history that at the end of the second Race of Kings they beganne to take their surnames of their principall Feifs Since when of later yeares some have contrarily put their surnames upon their Feifs which hath so confounded the Noblâ—sse saith Haillan as it is now hard to finde out the ancient and true Nobility These are they among whom the Proverbe is still currant A man of Wâ—rre should have no more learning but to be able to write his owne name And therefore their profession is onely Armes and good Horsemanship wherein if they have attained any perfection they little esteeme other vertues not caring what the Philosopher saith One only Anchor is not sufficient to hold a great ship Nor considering that the old Gallants of the World were wont to joyne the one with the other and ancient Painters were accustomed to paint the Muses all together in a troope to signifie that in a Nobleman they should not be parted Hereof it commeth that the French Noblesse glorying in their Armes call themselves The Arme of their Country the Guardians of Armes and Terrour of their Enemies but they never stile themselves the Professors of vertue This Estate of the Nobility saith one of all the three Estates is smallest in number of men and poorest in living which no question must needs be true after so long a civill warre and herewith accordeth he that wrote the late troubles The French Noblesse is fallen from their ancient wealth wherwith they were adorned in the times of Lewiâ— the twelfth and Francis the first And I durst affirme that if all they that bear this Title were divided into ten parts eight of them are impaired by sales morgages or other debts The same Author yeeldeth five reasons of the poverty of the Noblesse of France First the Civill Warres Secondly Superfluous expences in apparell Thirdly Houshold-stuffe Fourthly Building Fifthly Diet and Followers And in another place taxing the extreme prodigality superfluity of the French in their Apparell Building and Diet he saith If the Warre hath brought us foure ounces of poverty our owne follies have gotten us twelve I will not herein bee mine owne judge saith hee but let us doe as Players at Tennis be judged by all the lookers on and they will confesse that by these excessive expences a great number of the Noblesse goe a foot pace others trot and many runne post to the downfals of poverty I should in this relation of the French Nobility doe them great wrong to beleeve and report for truth what the Cabinet du Roy one of their owne Country saith of them who according to the severall Provinces giveth them severall Epithites The Noblesse of Berry saith he are Paillards Leachers they of Tourraine are Voleurs Theeves they of Guyenne Coyners they of Tholouse Traitors they of Narbonne Covetous they of Province Atheists they of Lyonnois Treacherous they of Rhoimes Superstitionâ—â— they of Normandie Insolent they of Prâ—â—â—die Proud and so forth of all the rest But I will doe them more right and conclude of them that for privilege and noblenesse of Race they may compare with any Nobility of Christendome For proofe of the first The King hath nothing of his Noblesse but Sword-service And for the second saith another The French Noblesse is composed of so famous houses that there are a dozen of them descended by right line from Kings that have peaceably possessed Kingdomes Having briefly spoken of the two first Estates of France the Clergy and Nobility It lastly remaineth I speake of the people in generall and namely of their freenesse of Speech manner of Diet kinds of Buildings sorts of Exercises fashion of Apparell diversitie of Language suddennesse of apprehending rashnesse in executing impatience in deliberation and divers other natures and humours proper to the Frenchmen wherein ye shall not looke for a methodicall and large discourse but a briefe and compendious remembrance of such things as I have read and observed in this Nation It is
Kings of England doe elect their Magistrates and Officers as the Cities and townes of England doe In England the ancientest Earles of Ireland do give precedency to the Earleâ— of England for that they have no voice in the Parliament of England neither hath the Nobility of England any voyce or prerogative in the Parliaments of Ireland so Irishmen borne are denizens by birth in England and may beare Office and inherit lands in England as experience teacheth without charters of denization as Englishmen are and doe in Ireland And so Irishmen pay onely such customes and duties in England as Englishmen doe and ought The Wards of the Nobilitie are disposed of by the King and of inferiour persons by the Viceroy and certaine of the Councell there according to their Commission Even so titles of honours lands and offices are usually granted by the Kings of England under the great seale of England or Ireland according to pleasure The incivility wherewith this so goodly a kingdome hath beene much branded hath chiefly arisen from want of education and learning And secondly for that the Country aboundeth with idle men having no trade whereupon to live which onely abuse hath incouraged rebellion the Ring-leaders not doubting to bee followed by these swarmes of dissolute persons ready to take armes upon any occasion for desire of spoile But verily sithence that now of late the King of Peace and Pietic hath wiped away all distrust of former neglects by his continuall industry to plant Religion and Arts to re-people the wasted Provinces and to extirpate the innated idlenesse of the worst bred Irish there is no question under God to be made but that this beautifull Island being so neere a neighbour so fruitfull in soile so rich in pasture more than credible beset with so many woods inriched with so many Minerals watred with so many Rivers invironed with so many Havens lying fit and commodious for Navigation into most wealthy Countries will in time prove profitable to the Church advantagâ—ous to the Prince pleasing to the Inhabitants and comparable to any the best and civillest kingdomes of the Christian Common-weale Great Brittaine THe whole Island of Brittaine once divided now re-united under the name of the kingdome of Great Brittaine is an Island situated in the maine Ocean over against France and divided into foure great Provinces The first whereof the Englishmen doe inhabit the second the Scots the third the Welshmen and the last the Cornishmen Every one of those doe differ from other either in language in manners or in customes England so termed of the Englishmen the Inhabitants thereof is by much the greater and goodlier portion and divided into nine and twenty Provinces which they terme Shires Of the which ten doe make the prime part of the Kingdome and inclining towards the South have their existence betweene the Thames and the Sea Next as farre as the Trent which runneth thorow the middest of England are sixteene other Shires proportioned whereof the first six lie towards the East and the other ten lie more to the Inland other six border upon Wales and are bounded towards the West About the heart of the Kingdome lie Darbishire Yorkeshire Lancashire and Cumberland And upon the left hand inclining towards the West Westmerland Vpon the contrary side lie Durham and Northumberland Provinces opposed to the North and sometime appertaining to the Crowne of Scotland These Shires are two wayes divided first into six circuits parted among the Iudges who twice a yeare goe over them for the holding of Assises Secondly into two Archbishopricks Canterbury who hath two and twenty Bishoprickes under his Province and Yorke who hath three in his These are by the Grecians termed Dioceses and take their denominations from the Cities wherein the Bishops have their Seas the chiefe whereof is London and was once the seat of an Archbishop now translated unto Canterbury This prime part upon the East and the South is bounded with the Ocean upon the West with Wales and Cornwall upon the North with Tweed the bounder also of England and Scotland At this River of Tweed endeth the length thereof which being accounted to beginne at the Shore which lieth most Southerly is from thence reckoned to containe about three hundred and twenty miles On this side the Humber it is accounted the fertilest for corne beyond mountainous but excellent for herbage For albeit to one that beholdeth it afarre off it seemeth all champiâ—n notwithstanding it hath many hils and those for the most part destitute of wood as also most pleasant vallies wherein especially the Gentlemen have their mansions who according to their old customes dwell not in Townes but approach the Vallies and Rivers and inhabit the Villages as I thinke the better to avoid the furie of tempestuous winds whereunto the Island is sometime subject Wherby it commeth to passe that the Yeomen conversing with the Gentry doe in every place savour of some good fashion and the Vpland Cities are the lesse famoused The land generally is exceeding fertile and plentifull in beasts whereby it commeth to passe that the English people are more addicted unto Grazing than unto Tillage so that almost the third part of the soile is reserved rather for Cattell Deere Conies and Goats a for of this sort also there is great store in Wales And in every Shire you shall see Parkes impaled and Forrests replenished with these beasts in the hunting whereof the Nobility and Gentry doe much delight there being more Parks in England than in all Europe besides For provision of the Inhabitants neither is it lesse stored with corne wilde fowle and fish so that for plenty goodnesse and sweetnesse it needeth neither the helpe of France no nor of any neighbour-bordering Country Among other things the flesh especially of their Swine Oxen and Veales have the best rellish of any part of Christendome and of Fish their Pike and Oysters It bringeth not forth Mules nor Asses but of Horse for pace the best in the world and of those infinite proportions for service running and coursing The wealth hereof consisteth in the never-decaying Mines of Tinue and Lead of Copper Iron and Coales On the Downes groweth a small and tender kinde of grasse neither dunged nor watred with spring or river but in Winter nourished with the moisture of the aire and in Summer with the dew of Heaven which is so gratefull and pleasing to the Sheepe that it causeth them to beare fleeces of singular goodnesse and exceeding finenesse The Island breedeth no Wolves nor any other ravening beast and therefore these their flockes wander night and day by Hils Dales and Fields as well inclosed as common without feare or danger Most delicate Cloths are woven of this Wooll which from thence are transported in great abundance into Germany Poland Denmarke Sweveland Italy Turkie and the Indies where they are in high request There grow all sorts of pulse great store of Saffron yea infinite quantities of
command all So that Adams wisdome gave them titles and his superioritie prescribed subjection but how to mans use for mans sustenance for mans necessitie and lastly for mans delight Thus doth oile make a cheerefull countenance and wine a gladsome heart Thus did the Kings table furnish it selfe in this sense the songs of David praise God for his many blessings Thus were incense and odours provided and the love of brethren compared to the dew of Hermon and the costly ointment on Aarons vestures which blessed allowances make mee to remember a speech of Sir Roger Williams to an idle Spaniard boasting of his country citrons orenges olives and such like Why saith he in England wee have good surloines of beefe and daintie capons to eat with your sauce with all meat worthy the name of sustenance but you have sauce and no sustenance and so mich God dich you with your sustenancelesse sauce Canaan had neighbourly meetings feasts of triumphs and times of private rejoycings Spaine dares not nor can bid you welcome Idle jelousies private hate or hatefull pride feare of expences and vaine-glorious speeches will quickly debarre you from the pleasure of invitation from the freedome of conversing one with another which cannot savour the noble entercourses of mutuall amitie Canaan had the Temple furnished as God commanded the Priest obedient to the King the Prophets in estimation and the Feasts orderly celebrated Spaine is polluted with worse severitie than Paganisme hath invented viz. the cruell Office of Inquisition wherewith the Kings themselves have beene so over-awed by the insolence of the Clergie that some of them have not spared to commit repentant error to please the Pope Canaan was a receptacle of strangers and Princely solemnities Spaine hateth all men commits them to fire and sword and cannot order one solemne Festivall unlesse at a Kings Coronation a Princes mariage or a Cardinals jollitie where yet an Italian invention shall fill a table with painted trenchers and dishes of China but a hungry belly may call for more meat and he never the neerer Canaan had cities of refuge cities of store cities of strength cities for horses and all for the Kings magnificence to all which the wayes lay ordered and men passed to and fro without danger and want In Spaine you must have a guide yea sometime a guard and are so farre from expecting releefe after your dayes travels that if you have not a Borachio before your saddle and made your provision on the backe of an Asse you may happen to be tired for want of sustenance and faint with Ismael for lack of water Canaan had beautifull women and the Scripture sets it downe as a blessing of God But Spaine must mourne for strange disparity and either lament that her women are painted like the images of the grove or sit in the high-way as Thamar did to deceive Iuda For in truth they are for the most part unpleasing swartish or else by comming to be Curtizans dangerous and impudent Thus as yet Salomon must sit without compare and his kingdome unmatchably triumph with a noble prerogative But what must we thinke of France sayes one is not your breath now almost spent and will you not be satisfied with the goodliest kingdome of the world The answer shall not be peremptory nor derogate from the merit of its least worth of vertue yet are they traduced for many defects and I beleeve will fall short to our expectation at least I am sure dare not abide the touch of triall In Salomons Court the Queene of Saba commended the obedience of the Princes the sitting of the Kings servants the ordering of the Palace and the multitude of the provisions daily brought in In France the Princes contest with the King the Clergie affront the Princes beare downe the States the Pages mocke the Gentlemen and the Gentlemen are proud of nothing but slovennesse unbeseeming familiarity and disorder So that with much adoe the mechanicall man stands bare to the King and the Princes sit at meat like Carriers in an Hostry without reverence silence or observation and a vile custome having got the upper hand hath depressed the Majestie of such a place which indeed reduced to uniformity would much augment the glory of Europe A wise State and potent Kings have built Navies and travelled themselves in person to view them raising customes from their Merchants loving and maintaining good Mariners and Pilots contracting leagues with remote Princes and making the confirmation of them honourable and advantagious But France wanteth shipping is carelesse of Navigation can raise no good Sailers seldome attempteth voyages or discoveries and consequently hath its Cities and Merchants conversing without forme or noble condition For in Paris they dare talke of the Kings mistresses intermeddle with all tractates of Parliaments and State call any Prince Hugonet who dares onely say That Nostre Dame is but a darke melancholike Church and finally justifie very monstrous and abusive actions So that to tell you of their inconstant and refractorie dispositions at all times would sooner discover their loathsome effusions of Christian bloud than prevent the customary and mischievous practices of this people As for the Court by reason of inveterate disorders it is a meere map of confusion and exposeth many actions more ridiculous than worthy of imitation The Husbandman he is termed a Peasant disparaged in his drudgery and servile toilsomnesse liveth poore and beastly is afraid of his owne shadow and cannot free the Vineyards from theeves and destroyers Yea all the Countrey swarmeth with Rogues and Vagabonds whose desperate wants drive them to perpetrate many hainous murthers although for the most part the Provosts of every government are very diligent The cause as I conjecture for that the passages are toylesome and disordered yea many times dangerous to which may be added the much connivencie at notorious crimes with many particulars choaking the breath of happinesse from giving life to a glorious kingdome indeed if the reciprocall duties betweene Prince and Subject were but moderately extended But now to produce England shall we say that it is matchlesse or faultlesse Surely no we have no doubt our imperfections as well as other Nations But certainly by that time the Reader in the ballance of judgement hath poysed the differences of plenty and scarcity of necessaries and abilities for Peace and Warre the one for life the other for defence I make no question but for the first when he hath read the censure of the Pope how that England was verè hortus delictarum vere puteus inexhaustus his Holinesse if he might have it for catching had no reason but to conclude Ergò ubi multa abundant de multis multa possunt extorqueri For the second how ever France and Spaine have beene alwayes accounted the ballances of Europe yet hath England stood as the beame to turne the Scale which particularly to prove I will never goe about by recitall of our Ancestors
honourable respect of our Nobilitie wherein though they possesse few Castles or strong places invironed with rampiers and ditches neither that the Titles of Dukes Marquesses or Earles are more than titular as bestowed upon desert at the pleasure of the Prince yet have they the government of Provinces with subordinate authoritie over the people to the great quiet of the State and the prosperitie of the kingdome where on the contrary the Nobilitie in France possessing some absolute and some mixt jurisdiction with hereditary titles c. being Lords not only of Townes but of great and goodly Cities also and receiving homage and fealtie of their tenants doe as wee have often seene but badly and at pleasure acknowledge the soveraigntie of the King and the Arrest of the Parliaments SCotland another portion of Brittaine in times past began at the Mountaine Grampius and from thence to its utmost border was extended Northward But in future times by the extinguishment of the Picts it reached also unto Tweed and sometimes also to Twine the chance of warre so moderating in these counterchanges as in all other worldly occurrences Whereupon its longitude from Tweed unto the utmost limit is thought to be foure hundred and fourescore miles But as this Province is longer than England so is it narrow for that it endeth like unto a wedge For the unshapeable and rough Mountaine Grampius whereof even Tacitus in the life of Agricolâ— made mention runneth thorow the very heart thereof even from the German shore that is from the mouth of the River Dee unto the Irish coast and unto that Lake which the Inhabitants call Lomund which lieth betweene that country and the said mountaine The Kingdome hath every where safe harbours creekes lakes marishes rivers and fountaines replenished with fish As also mountaines and in tops thereof large plaines yeelding abundance of grazing to cattell and woods wonderfully abounding with venerie By the advantages of which place the people being sustained could never be fully conquered for every Province Woods and Marishes were ready refuges to their safeties and wilde beasts and plentie of cattell remedies against famine for their bodies Those who inhabit the Southerne part as by much the best so are they the better qualified the civillest and speake the English language And sithence that Nature hath denied them plentie of fewell their firing is of a blacke stone which they digge out of the earth The people who dwell in the Northerne and Mountainous parts are a very savage and uncivill kinde of men and termed Silvestres viz. Highland-men These after the Irish fashion were accustomed to be cloathed with a mantle and a shirt coloured with Saffron and to goe bare legged as high as their knees Their weapons are Bow and Arrowes with a very broad Sword Dagger sharpe but on one edge They all speake Irish and feed upon fish milke cheese and flesh and have great store of cattell They differ from the English both in Lawes Customes for the one retaineth the Civill Law as almost doe all other Nations but the English have their peculiar or Municipall Lawes In other things they differ not much Their Language as aforesaid is one and the same the same constitution of body equall courage in battell and semblable addiction unto hunting even from their Childhoods Their houses in the Villages are very small and covered with straw or reed wherein as well their cattell as themselves in manner of stables doe reside Their townes except that of S. Iohns are invironed with no walls so that it should seeme that their couragious minds doe repose the safetie of their lives in the only vertue of their bodies They are also ingenious which their learning manifesteth so that unto what Art soever they doe addict their capacities they easily profit therein And those also who meditate nothing but sloth ease and lazinesse though by refusall to take any paines they live most basely and beggerly yet will they not let to boast of their Gentrie and that so presumptuously as if it were more commendable for a man well descended to beg than to betake himselfe to any ingenious profession for the sustentation of his carkase But withall they are accounted naturally to be very zealous in Religion About Scotland in the Irish Ocean are more than forty Islands by Pliny termed Britaniae but by others Meraniae and Herbrides The biggest of these in length exceeds not thirty miles in bredth not above twelve Amongst them is Iona famous for the ancient sepulture of the Scottish Kings All the Inhabitants speake the Irish tongue a pregnant argument that they are descended from the Irishry Beyond Scotland Northwards lie the Orcades in number saith Ptolomy thirty being partly seated in the Deucalidon Ocean and partly in the German The chiefe whereof is called Pamonia and therein is an Episcopall Sea being subject unto the King of Great Brittaine The Islanders speake the Gotish tongue a record that they are descended from the Germans Of stature they are all of a sound constitution whereby it commeth to passe that for the greater part they are long-lived although most commonly they live upon fish The soile is in a manner alwayes covered with snow in many places it will scarce beare graine but of trees almost none Beyond the Orcades heth Thule from whence but one dayes saile saith Pliny is the Frozen Sea and therein Island whereunto at this day our Merchants doe make an annuall trading to fish themselves or to buy fish of others Which for that it is neerest unto the Pole some doe judge to bee Thule And this is all that I have to say concerning the situation of Scotland now will I turne my pen to the nature and fashions of the Inhabitants WAles is accounted the third portion of the Island In regard of the heart of England it lieth upon the left hand and in manner of a Peninsula stretcheth into the Ocean on all sides incircled with the Sea save towards the East where it is bounded with the Severne the separatresse of Wales and England although many late Writers as abovesaid make the City of Hereford the bounder thereof and will have Wales to beginne at Chepstow where the River Wy being united with Lugge and passing by Hereford falleth into the Sea This River as Severne ariseth from an Inland part of Wales from one and the selfe-same Mountaine but whether from one and the selfe-same Fountaine I am not able to shew and it Cornelius Tacitus as aforesaid termeth Antona For even thither reacheth a huge arme of the Sea which cutting in betweene the Land by the West watreth Cornwall on the right hand and Wales on the left This Topography we follow as the Moderne and therefore say that Wales from Chepstow where it taketh beginning is extended Northward a little above Shrewsbury as â—arre as Chester Hither it was as Memory recordeth that the reliques of those Brittons who over-lived the generall slaughter after the
seated in an I le of the Seine We may distinguish it thus into Transequana Cisequana and Interamnis The part beyond the Seine that on this side the Seine and that in the I le incompast with the River It is reputed not onely the Capitall Citie of France but also the greatest in all Europe It is about the wals some ten English miles these are not very thicke the want whereof is recompenced with the depth of the ditch and goodnesse of the Rampart which is thicke and defensible save on the South side which no doubt is the weakest part of the Towne on which side it is reported that the Lord Willoughby offered the King in foure dayes to enter at such time as he besieged it Whereunto the King condescended not by the counsell of the old Marshall Biron who told him it was no policie to take the bird naked when hee may have her feathers and all On the other side especially towards the East it is very well fortified with Bulwarke and Ditch faire and moderne The Ramparts of the gates S. Anthony S. Michel and S. Iames and elsewhere were made 1544. This Bastile of Saint Anthonie was built some say by the English and indeed it is somewhat like those peeces which they have built elsewhere in France as namely that at Roven howbeit I read in Vigner his Chronicle that it was builded by a Provost of Paris in the time of Edward the third of England at what time our Kings began their first claime and had as yet nothing to doe in this Citie So in this Towne the Chastelet was built by Iulian the Apostata the Vniversitie was founded by Charlemaigne Anno 800. who also erected those of Bologna and Padoa The Church of Nostre Dame was founded Anno Dom. 1257. If you would know the greatnesse of the great Church of our Lady the roofe thereof is seventeene fadome high it is foure and twenty fadome broad threescore and five fadome long the two Steeples are foure and thirty fadome high above the Church and all founded upon piles The Towne-house was finished by Francis the first Anno 1533. with this inscription over the Gate S.P.E.P. that is For his well-deserving Senate People and Burghers of Pariâ— Francis the first most puissant King of France commanded this House to be built from the foundation and finished it and dedicated it to the calling of the Common Councell and governing the Citie in the yeare aforesaid This is as you would say the Guild-Hall of the Towne The Hostel Dieu in Paris was augmented and finished in 1535. by Antoine de Prat Chancellour in this Citie his pourtraict with Francis the first is upon the doore as yee enter This is as we call it at London the Hospitall The Palace de Paris was built by Philip le Bel 1283. purposing it should have beene his Mansion-house but since it hath beene disposed into divers Courts for the execution of Iustice just like Westminster Hall which likewise at first was purposed for the Kings Palace Here you have such a shew of Wares in fashion but not in worth as yee have at the Exchange Here is a Chappell of the Saint Espirit built by Saint Lewis 1242. Here are all the seven Chambers of the Court of Parliament which was first instituted by Charles Martel father to King Pepâ—â— Anno 720. but of them all the great Chamber of Paris is most magnificently beautified and adorned by Lewis the twelfth At the entry is a Lion couchant with his taile betweene his legs to signifie that all persons how high soever are subject to that Court. The Chamber also of Compts built by this Lewis is a very faire roome at the entry whereof are five pourtraicts with their Mots The first is Temperance with a Diall and Spectacle her word Mihi spreta voluptas I despise pleasure Secondly Prudence with a Looking-Glasse and a Sive her word Consiliis rerum speculor I prie into the counsell of things Iustice with a Ballance and a Sword her Mot Sua cuique ministro I give to every man his owne Fortitude with a Tower in one arme and a Serpent in the other her word Me dolor atque metus fugiunt Both paine and feare avoid mee And lastly Lewis the King with a Scepter in one hand and holding Iustice by the other and this written for his word My happy Scepter in calme peace doth flourish While I these Heaven-bred Sisters foure doe nourish The buildings of this Citie are of stone very faire high and uniforme thorowout the Towne only upon the port N. Dame our Ladies Bridge which is as it were their Cheapside Their building is of brick-bat all alike notwithstanding the fairest Fabrick in the Towne and worthily is the Kings Castle or Palace of the Louvre at the West It is in forme quadrangular the South and West quarters are new and Prince-like the other two very antique and prison-like They were pulled downe by Francis the first and begun to be re-built but finished by Henry the second with this inscription The most Christian King Henry the second began to repaire this time-ruined Edifice The Vniversitie in times past was wont to have by report above thirty thousand Schollers of all sorts but many of these children such as our petty Schooles in the Countries are furnished withall The streets both in the Citie Vniversitie and suburbs are very faire strait and long very many of them the shops thicke but nothing so full of wares nor so rich as they of London in comparison whereof these seeme rather Pedlars than otherwise But for number I suppose there be three for two of those The Faulxbourges are round about the Citie ruined and utterly desolate except those of Saint Germaines which was very fairely builded and was very neere as great as the faire Towne of Cambridge The benefit of this Towne is very great which it hath by the River as by which all the commodities of the Country are conveyed whereupon Monsieur de Argenton reports of it Of all the Townes that ever I saw it is environed with the best and fertilest Country And he there reports that for twenty moneths that hee was prisoner he saw such an infinite company of boats passe and repasse but that he was an eye-witnesse he would have thought it incredible which he also after proves by the maintenance of the three Armies of the three Dukes of Burgundie Guiennae and Bretaigne which consisted of an hundred thousand men against the Citie of Paris wherein they had besieged Lewis the eleventh and yet neither the Campe nor Towne had any want of victuals Some say this Towne was builded in the time of Amazias King of Iuda by some Reliques of the Trojan warre and that it was called Lutece à Luto because the soile in this place is very fat which is of such nature as ye cannot well get it out it doth so staine whereof they have a By-word It staineth like the durt of
Paris Others say it was called Paris of Parresia a Greeke word which signifieth saith this Author hardnesse or ferocitie alleaging this verse Et se Parrisios dixerunt nomine Franci Quod sonat andaces c. And the Franks called themselves Parrisians which signifieth Valiant And by this Etymologie would inferre that the French is a warlike Nation But he is much mistaken in the word for it signifieth only a boldnesse or libertie of speech which whether they better deserve or to be accounted valiant you shall see when I come to speake of the Frenchmans humour and nature in generall As for the nature of the people of this Towne their Histories tax it of infinite mutinies and seditions matchable to the two most rebellious Townes of Europe Liege and Gant and yet this last is praised in one thing That they never harme their Princes person whereof the Baricades as also the late assasinations of Henry the third and Henry the fourth make Paris most unworthy And du Haillan saith of them when they stood fast to Lewis the eleventh against the three Dukes above named That the Parrisians never held good side nor never shewed any honestie but then only But I can read no such matter in Commines for I well remember that even then divers of the chiefe of the Towne had practised secretly with the enemie and were upon termes of concluding when by the Kings wisdome they were prevented The Armes in this Citie were given them Anno 1190 by Philip le Bel who creating them a Provost and Eschevins like Office as our Maior and Aldermen Gave them for Armes Gules a Ship Argent and a Cheefe seeded with Flower de Lyce Or. Yee shall heare the French bragge that their Citie hath beene besieged an hundred times by the enemie and yet was never taken since Caesars time The reason whereof one of their best Writers gives because saith he iâ— is very weake and therefore alwayes compoundeth I compare Paris with London thus Theirs is the greater the uniformer built and stronglier situate ours is the richer the more ancient for I hold antiquitie to be a great honour as well to great Cities as to great Families Yea if to some comparisons would not seeme distastfull I dare maintaine that if London and the places neere adjoyning were circum-munited in such an orbicular manner as Paris is it would surely exceed it notwithstanding all its attributes of a Winding river and the five Bridges sorting forsooth to uniformitie of streets as indeed we now behold it And more than that I am nothing doubtfull in opinion that the Crosse of London is every way longer than any you make in Paris or in any other Citie of Europe By this word Crosse I meane from Saint Georges in Southwarke to Shoreditch South and North and from Westminster to Whitechapell West and East meeting at Leaden-hall All the way she environed with broader streets comelier monuments and handsomer buildings than any you can make in Paris or ever saw either in Millan at this houre being the greatest Citie in Italie in Noremberg or Ausburg for Germanie in Madril or Lisbone for Spaine or finally in Constantinople it selfe Concerning populousnesse if you please to take London meerely as a place composed of Merchants Citizens and Tradesmen and so unite the Suburbs adjoyning it farre exceedeth Paris But taking all'together and at all times it must be confessed that there be more people of all sorts two for one if not more in Paris than in London Or if you will behold it in a Terme-time according to our custome of speciall resort I doubt not but you may be encountred with equall numbers of callings and professions As for Paris the better halfe are Gentlemen Schollers Lawyers or Clergie-men The Merchant liveth obscurely the Tradesman penuriously and the Craftsman in drudgerie yet all insolent and tumultuously affected upon the least unaccustomed imposition or supposall of alteration of their ridiculous ceremonies Instead of a beastly Towne and durtie streets you have in London those that be faire beautifull and cleanly kept Instead of clouds ill aire and a mirie situation London for the greatest part of the yeere affordeth a Sun-shining and serene element a wholsome dwelling a stately ascention and a delicate prospect In stead of a shallow River bringing only Barks and Boats with wood cole turfe and such Country provision you have in London a River flowing twenty foot high adorned with stately Ships that flie to us with merchandize from all the parts of the world And to descend to inferiour observations I say that the River only Westward matcheth that of Paris every way supplying the Citie with all the fore-mentioned commodities at easier rates In stead of ill-favoured woodden bridges many times indangered by tempests and frosts we have at London such a bridge that without exception it may worthily be accounted the admirablest Monument and firmest erected Collosseum in that kinde of all the Vniverse whether you respect the foundation with the continuall and substantiall reparation of the Arches or behold the imposed buildings being so many and so beautifull In stead of an old Bastile and ill appearing Arsenall thrust as it were into an out-cast corner of the City wee have in London a Fabrike of greatest antiquity for forme majesticall and serving to most uses of any Citadell or Magazine that ever you saw It containeth a Kings Palace a Kings Prison a Kings Armory a Kings Mint and a Kings Wardrobe besides many other worthy Offices so that the residents within the wals have a Church and are a sufficient Parish of themselves In stead of an obscure Louvre lately graced with an extraordinary and immatchable gallery the onely Palace of the King In London his Majesty hath many houses Parks and places of repose and in the shires confining such a number for state receit and commodiousnesse that I protest amazement knowing the defects of other places Nor doe I here stretch my discourse on the tenter-hookes of partiality but plainly denotate what many my country-men can averre that to the crowne of England are annexed more Castles Honours Forrests Parks Palaces Houses of state and conveniencie to resort unto from the incumbrances of the Citie than any Emperour or King in Europe can at this day challenge proprio jure In stead of an old ruinous Palace as they terme their House of Parliament Hall of Iustice concourse of Lawyers and meeting of certaine Tradesmen or Milleners like an exchange London hath such a Cirque for Merchants with an upper quadrant of shops as may make us envied for delicacy of building and statelinesse in contriving For a state-house we have in London the Guild-hall and for Courts of Iustice Westminster hall two such fabriks that without further dispute they make strangers aske unanswerable questions when being brought to the light of understanding by particulars they lift up their hands and say Oh happy England Oh happy
as it were the Dowre which the State brings to the King her Husband for her tuition defence and maintenance And therefore one saith It belongs not to the King but to the Crowne There are two sorts of Domaines first the Rent which the King holds in his hands of the Feifs given for service Secondly that which is united and incorporate to the Crowne The rights of the Domaine are these Rents Feifs Payments at alienations Tributes Penages Toll of whatsoever enters or comes out of Cities Woods Forests and divers other That is Domaine which belongeth to the Crowne First either by Possession time out of minde Or secondly by Re-union for want of heires males as the Apennages when they returne or by Confusion for want to such as can make just claime much like our concealed Lands in England Or lastly by Confiscation of offenders inheritances Of this last sort we reade that in the time of Saint Lewis there were confisked to the Domaine the Countries of Dreux Bray Fortyonne and Monstrevil Languedocke Guyenne Anjow Maine Turraine Auvergne And after in the time of Philip the Dutchy of Alencon the Countries of Perche Perigort Poutieu La Marche Angoulesme and the Marquisat of Saluzzes But Bodin saith most of this came to the Crowne by force La siur 〈◊〉 Serre saith it came by way of Exchange or purchase But the Author of the Commentaries of the estate of the Religion and policie of France is of the first opinion Thus great was the Domaine in former times that of it selfe without oppressing the people with impositions it was sufficient to maintaine the State and greatnesse of the Kings of France but it is now utterly wasted It is well knowne that the Domaine which alone maintained heretofore the beautie and lustre of the Royall Estate is not now such as it was in the reignes of King Lewis the eleventh Charles the eighth and Lewis the twelfth The continuance of our warres hath caused it to be engaged in many hands in such sort that there is need of more than 15. or 16. thousand pounds sterling to redeeme that which is worth above five millions of pounds And Bodin saith that almost all the Countries Baronies and Seigneuries of the Domaine are aliened for the ninth or tenth part of that they be worth Yee must observe that the lands of the Domaine are not alienable but in two cases 1. For the Apennage of the Kings brother 2. For the warres And these must be confirmed by the Arrest of the Parliament For all other cases all Lawyers and Historians of France agree That it is inalienable and many Arrests have beene made of late yeares to confirme it I have read that the Charta Magna of England saith the Kings when they are crowned take an oath not to alien ti so doe they here in France And there is no prescription of time to make such sales or alienations good but that they may be recovered and repurchased whensoever the Crowne is able To this purpose Plutarch saith well Men cannot prescribe against God nor particulars against the Respublique 2 Concerning the second meanes of raising Money by conquests the present State of France can yeeld no example it hath beene long but on the saving hand 3 For the third meanes it is now out of season it was used in that good old world when men wiped their nose on their sleeve as the French man sayes for now Princes are so farre from giving as they hardly pay that they owe. 4 The fourth meanes also of Pension which Princes have upon some consideration of their Allies helpeth the French Kings coffers nothing at all for they rather give than take As for example to divers Cantons of the Swisses to whom at first they payed not above one hundred and twentie thousand Livres yearely but for these sixtie yeares they never pay lesse the yeare than two Millions For saith Commines Lewis the eleventh entered league with the Swisses and they into his Pension to whom he yearely gave forty thousand Florins whereof 20. went to the Cities and 20. to particular men upon condition to have a certaine proportion of their forces to serve in his warres upon all occasions An advantagious alliance for the Swisse in my opinion who by this meanes enrich themselves cleare their Countrey of many idle and bad members and lastly breed good souldiers to serve themselves upon need at another mans cost The Turke hath also a Pension of the Emperour of Germany for certaine Lands hee holdeth in Hungary which hee notwithstanding vaunteth to be a Tribute Many examples might bee alleaged of this kinde as of Philip of Macedon that by Pensions got all Greece partiall on his side and the Kings of Persia by Pension got ever the forces of Asia diverted 5 The fifth which is of Trafficke availeth nothing the French Kings for they hold it here a base and sordid kinde of profession for a Gentleman much more for a King to trade by Merchandize And by the Lawes of England France and Germanie he loseth the quality of a Nobleman that doth Trafficke Notwithstanding these Lawes and the disparagement that it brings to Nobility yet so sweet is the savour of gaine that many have used this as no small meanes to increase their Finances The great Duke of Tuscane present gaines infinitely this way and the more by his most unlawfull and tyrannous Monopolies for he commonly buyeth up all the Graine of his owne Countrey at his owne price yea and that which commeth from other places also and then sendeth out a Bando or Proclamation that no man shall sell any corne thorowout his State till his owne be sold forcing also all Bakers and other people to buy thereof This manner of ingrossing Alphonsus of Arragon also used by the testimony of Bodin The Kings of Portugal also and the Seignory of Venice have beene great Traders by Merchandize but it hath beene in an honester fashion at sea and not to the grinding of their poore subjects The Nobilitie also of Italy in all Cities except Naples hold it no dishonour to Trafficke in grosse 6 The sixth meanes of raising money upon all Wares and Merchandize that come in and goe out of the Countrey is the most ancient and best agreeing with reason and used by all Princes in the World The particulars comprised under this branch are these Customes inward and outward By these the Prince is to have Impost five in the hundred So much just had the Romans as Cicero witnesseth in his Praetorship of Sicilia The Turke takes Ten in the hundred of the stranger and five of the subject the French quite contrarie You must observe that which here I call the Domaine forraine is generally called the Aides first granted by the Estates to Charles Duke of Normandie when Iohn his father was prisoner in England which was the payment of twelve Deniers upon all Merchandizes and Wares which should bee sold in this Kingdome except upon
Wine Corne Salt and all manner of drinke but since it hath beene made perpetuall and augmented by the imposition upon Wine sold every where and in Normandie by retaile This is like the slavish Gabell upon all manner of food which the Princes take of their subjects through Italy or the Assize upon Bread and Beare which the States have in the Low-Countries a grievance whereof we smart not in England as also we are free from many other burthens which the people of this Country are forced to beare Touching the Gabell of Salt which is also comprised under this head Some say it was first erected by Philip le Long Others by Philip de Valois 1328. True it is that the Ordinance of Francis the first 1541. sets downe an Impost of 24. Livres upon every Muy and in the yeare 1543. an ordinance was made for Gabell to be taken upon all sea-fish salted And in 1544. it was ordained that all Salt should be sold and distributed into the Magazines or Storehouses of every severall generality The benefit of this one commodity hath beene very commodious to the crown till the yeare 81. when the king was forced for want of money to let it out to others whereby he lost as is in my Authour proved eight hundred thirty six thousand crowns yearely Here is also a kinde of tax called the Equivallent that is an imposition laid upon some persons and places but not generally to have liberty to buy and sell salt and to be exempt from the Magazines The Impost of Wine is laid upon all without exception or exemption whatsoever it is the twentieth part to the King besides all other rights as of Billots entring into Cities passages by Land River and such like Besides a later imposition of five Sols upon every Muy levied by Charles the ninth 1516. Concerning the Traicte forraine it is of like nature with the Aids save that it is leviable upon more particular sorts of merchandize Besides the Aids is an Impost upon things spent in the Land and the traicte forraine is of such commodities as are transported out as of wheat rye barley oats wine vineger verjuce cider beeves muttons veales lambes swine horses lard bacon tallow oyle cheese fish of all sorts silks and cloaths of all sorts leather of all sorts and finally all other merchandize as fruits parchment paper glasse wood ropes c. 7 The seventh ground or foundation of Finances is the Imposition upon the subject that is not upon the wares or commodities but upon the persons themselves according to their abilitie and it is much like the levying of the tax and subsidy in England where every one payeth ratably to the lands and goods he possesseth And therefore Haillan judgeth well to say they be neither personall nor reall but mixt Assessed in the place of their dwelling according to all the goods of the partie assessed in what part soever they lie or abide These Tailles were first raised by Saint Lewis but by way of extraordinary subsidie Charles the seventh made them ordinary for the maintenance of his Gens d'armerie And whereas at first they were never levied but by consent of the three States and to endure but while the warre lasted he made them perpetuall Therefore saith one that which was at first yeelded of favour is since exacted as patrimoniall and hereditary to our Kings Yet is it to bee observed that these Tailles are only liable upon the Flat Pais all Cities are exempt as also all Officers of the Kings house all Counsellors Lawyers and Officers of Courts of Parliament all the Nobility the Gens d'armes the Officers of warre the Graduates of Vniversities c. The Taillon is another imposition raised by Henry the second Anno 1549. which was to amend the Wages of Gens d'armes who by reason of the smallnesse of their pay lay upon the poore Villages and eat them up for the ease whereof this imposition was devised which also lieth upon the poore Country-man whereby at first he was somewhat eased but now all is perverted the poore is still oppressed and yet he payeth still both Taille and Taillon Lastly there is the Sold or pay of 50000. foot which were erected by Lewis the eleventh into eight Legions six thousand to a Legion which with their Officers came to about this number To maintaine these Legions there was a tax levied upon all sorts of persons privileged in the Taille but only the Nobles There are also of the Decymes Tenths levied upon the Church For the levying of the Taille Taillon and wages of 50000. foot you must note that the King sends his Letters Patents by Commissioners to the Treasurers of each generality These according to the summe rate each election this is as ye would say every hundred in a Shire or Bailywicke and then send to these elections to have the said summe gathered in their severall Townes and Hamlets according as they be rated So doe they to the Maicures Consuls Eschevins and chiefe Officers of every City that are liable to any of these payments who rating every man according to his ability give these Rolles to certaine Collectors to gather it up these are bound to bring it quarterly to the Receivers These carry it to the Receivers generall in the same species that they received it and from them to have an acquittance after the accounts have beene perused by the Controler generall And these are all the meanes by which Princes raise their Finances whereof ye see some nothing to pertaine to the French King but to others and some to him only not to others There yet remaineth one other meanes though extraordinary to a Prince to get money which the necessities of the times and the want of other meanes have forced the French Kings of late yeares to use This is the vent or sales of Offices a very dangerous and hurtfull merchandize both for the Prince and subject This Lesson saith Bodin the French Kings first learned of the Popes with whom it is still as familiar as old to sell Bishopricks livings and Ecclesiasticall promotions This the Popes first beganne at Avignon in France where their means was scant and they in many necessities which still continues both in the Courts of Rome and France when there is no such necessity Better is a bad President than none at all A course saith one of great and dangerous consequence but clothed with necessity It is indeed thrice dangerous because sales of Offices cause sales of Iustice for what these Purchasers pay in grosse they must needs get in retaile forgetting what was said to Sophocles the Governour of Athens A Governour must not onely have his hands cleane but his eyes also They cannot say as Pericles did on his death bed Hee had never made any Athenian weare mourning Robe For these by selling Iustice and robbing the poore of their right give the Fatherlesse and oppressed Widow just cause to complaine and of wearing that mourning robe
and consequence For the River Vistula arising in the extremest bounds of Silesia watereth all Poland the lesse and part of the Greater Mazovia and Prussia and then it falleth into the Baltike Sea below Danske whither it transporteth the greatest quantity of Rye Corne Honey and Wax of the whole Kingdome a journy of foure hundred miles From another coast the most famous River Duina arising out of the Lake Ruthenigo and parting Livonia into equall portions falleth into the Sea about Riga a City of great concourse There are in Prussia and Livonia many Lakes amongst which one is called the New-Sea 100 miles long in Livonia is a Lake called Beybas more than 400. miles long from thence spring the Rivers which running by Pernovia and Narâ—e make two notable Havens for traffike Betweene these two Cities stands Rivalia giving place to neither in beauty Samogithia is more rude and barbarous than the other Provinces and Podalia more barren which is not to be attributed to the nature of the soile for it is plentifull of those Commodities which the climate under which it lieth can afford but to the cruelty of the Tartars which so vex it with continuall inrodes that the Inhabitants are driven either to flie for feare or to bee led away captives by these barbarous people The riches of Poland are the abundance of Corne and all sorts of graine which grow there in such plentifull sort that in it selfe it never suffered want but evermore as in the yeare 1590. and 1591 it releeved not onely the bordering Nations oppressed with famine and scarcity but also yeelded some portion of releese to the wants of Genoa Tuscanie and Rome It floweth with Honey and Wax And whereas in all these Northerly Nations of Poland Lituania Russia Muscovia there are no Wines growing in stead thereof Nature hath bestowed upon them incredible quantities of Honey whereof these people doe brew an excellent kinde of Beverage The Bees make Honey either in Woods where they finde the trees made hollow by rottennesse or mans industry or in Hives set in open field by the Country people or in holes of the earth or in any place where they can finde never so small a liking It aboundeth with Flax Hempe with Sheepe with Cattell tell and with Horses Amongst the beasts of the wood are sound wilde Oxen wilde Horses and the Buste which cannot live out of the Wood of Nazovia The riches of the land consist in the Salt-pits of Bozena and Velisca in the territory of Cracovia The Revenues of the Kingdome for the most part are equally divided between the Noblemen he Gentlemen for no man is left so rich by inheritance that hee may exceed others above measure and the greatest Revenue of all exceedeth not five and twenty thousand Ducats Onely the Dukes of Curland and Regimount exceed this meane For although they are feodaries of the Kingdome and acknowledge the King as their superiour yet are they not as lively members of the State they come not to the Diets of the Kingdome they have not their voices in the election of the Prince neither are they accounted as naturall Lords of the Kingdome but for strangers as in truth they are the Duke of Curland being of the house of Ketlert and the Duke of Regimount of the family of Brandenburge All Prussia did belong to the Dutch Knights who had their Great Master resident there but he not being able to withstand the force of the Polonians yeelded himselfe feodarie to King Casimere Afterwards when Albert of Brandenburge their Great Master became a Protestant hee was created Duke of Prussia and the Country was divided into two parts the one regall mediately holden of the Crowne the other Ducall allotted to Albert and his successors to hold by fealty In the Kings parâ—ition stand Marieburge Torovia Culma Varnia and Daâ—â—keâ— in the Duchie which yeelded an hundred and twenty thousand Ducats yearely the chiefe Towne is Regimount the Germans call it Conningsburgh and there the Duke keepeth his Court. The Government of Polonia is altogether elective and representeth rather an Aristocracie than a Kingdome the Nobility who have great authority in the Diets chusing the King and at their pleasure limiting him his authority and making his soveraignty but a slavish royalty These diminutions of Regality beganne first by default of King Lewis and Iagello who to gaine the succession in the Kingdome contrary to the Lawes one for his daughter and the other for his sonne departed with many of his Royalties and Prerogatives to buy the voyces of the Nobility Whereupon by degrees the King of Poland as Stanislaus Orichovius confesses is little more than the Mouth of the Kingdome which speakes not but what his Councell prompts him The great Officer whom they call the President of their liberty and Guardian of it is still joyned with the King as it were to Tutor him and to moderate his desires The power royall there is no more but what King Sigismund assumed in full Parliament at Petricovia Anno 1548. which was to conclude nothing but by advice of his Councell To give instances of the power of these great Counsellours they made void the testament of King Casimire forbade King Iagello to warre upon the Knights Hospitalers unto whom in his expedition into Lituania they adjoyned the Bishop of Cracovia limiting their King to doe nothing but with his approbation Casimire the third had foure Commissioners joyned with him Without their leaves the King cannot chuse his owne wife for which reason King Iagello was by them perpetually perplexed Appeales the supreme marke of Soveraignty are not made to the King but to the States King Alexander Anno 1504. was faine to remit the disposing of the publike treasure unto the Lord Treasurer to which Officer Iagello Anno 1422. could not but grant the royalty of coining monies also Well therefore as Cromerus reporteth might Queene Christina complaine That her Husband was but the shadow of a Soveraigne They have neither law nor statute nor forme of government written but by custome from the death of one Prince to the election of another the supreme authority resteth in the Archbishop of Gesna who is President of the Councell appointeth the Diets ruleth the Senate and proclaimeth the new elected King Before King Stephen erected new Bishops Palatines and Castellanes in Livonia few other besides the Archbishop of Leopolis and his thirteene Suffragans eight and twenty Palatines and thirty of the chiefest Castellanes were present at the election of the new King They hold an assembly of the States every yeare for two causes the one to administer Justice in Soveraigne causes unto which are brought appeales from all the Judges of the Country the other to provide for the safety of the Common-weale against their next Enemies the Tartars who make often incursions upon them In the time of their Diets these men assemble in a place neere unto the Senate-house where they chuse two Marshals by whom
party-coloured Ensignes These and such like furnitures doe cause them to bee discerned of their fellowes make them seeme terrible to their Enemies and doe encourage their minds to fiercenesse and prowesse Their Horse are but small yet very nimble and farre more couragious than the Dutch It is thought that upon necessity Poland is able to raise an hundred thousand horse and Lituania seventy thousand but far inferiour in goodnesse to the Polish They have so great trust in the great number of their horse that nothing fearing the power of any Enemies they regard not the building of Fortresses but resolve that they are able to defend their Country their Wives and Children their liberty and goods in the open field against any Prince whatsoever boasting that in either chance of warre they never turned their backes Sigismund Augustus laboured that in the Diets of the Kingdome order might be taken for the fortifying of Cracovia because of neighbour-hood of the Emperour but he could never effect it partly because it should not give their Kings opportunity of absolute authority and tyrannicall Emperie partly because they thinke themselves by noble courage sufficiently able to defend the Kingdome They have no infanterie for all the people of the Kingdome are divided either into Merchants and Artificers which inhabit the Cities or labourers which live in the country in such subjection as we spake of before and this is the reason that the Gentlemen onely goe to the war and will not in any case serve on foot but alwaies when occasion serveth they doe give wages unto the German and Hungarish footmen and of these King Stephen in his journey into Livonia entertained under his colours little lesse than 16000. to convey his great Ordnance 1609. Sigismund being called into Moscovie by the treason of Sulskey who had slaine Demetrius his Lord and Master in Mosco departed from Cracovia with 30000. horse and 10000. foot exceedingly well furnished and resolute Wherein in truth consisteth the sole commendation of the Polish Gentlemen As for manners for the most part they are discourteous and uncivill a very murderous and wicked people especially in their drunkennesse and that towards strangers For Pioners they use the Tartars and their owne unplandish people The Kingdome is sufficiently furnished stored with great Ordnance and all furniture belonging thereto of which it can suffer no manner of scarcitie first because the Gentlemen and Noblemen keepe many in their castles next for the neighbour-hood of Germany which is exceeding rich in Metall to that use and plentifull of Antificers to forge anything belonging thereunto And though it is not usuall to see many castles in Polonia yet the Fortresses of Leopolis and Camentzie in Russia the Castle of Cracovia in the lesse Poland Polocensis on the Frontiers of Moscovia Mariembourge and some other Townes in Livonia are peeces in truth of great strength These forces of Polonia which wee have spoken of are such in quantity and quality that few Nations in Europe can equall them none surpasse them one thing they want and that is Celeritie For to the sure strengthening of every Kingdome foure things are required that is to say That their forces be of their owne subjects That it be Populous Valiant and Quicke their owne because it is dangerous trusting to a stranger Populous because of re-enforcements after checkes or overthrowes Valiant because number without courage little availeth yea it bringeth forth confusion And Quicke that they may lightly move and speedily be drawne whither necessitie enforceth The last of these foure are Polacks especially want that is Celerity occasioned two waies First for defect of absolute authority in the Prince which is much checked by prolonging and adjourning of Parliaments procured many times by the frowardnesse of the Nobilitie And secondly for want of ready money and quicke levies thereof For the King hath no power to determine any thing to denounce warre to impose taxes or to gather treasure without the consent of these Parliaments and these Parliaments where it is necessary that many be present are like an Engine made of many peeces which without losse of time can neither easily be joyned nor readily moved For in warlike affaires those Princes make best speed which are best able to command and have most money in readinesse otherwise in appointing and ordering the Diets and devising that the Actions may answer the Counsels than in executing and in providing of money there hapneth such losse of time that little is left for the beginning of the journey much lesse to accomplish Besides the Barons and Nobles are at such charges and tarry so long when they are there that at their departure they have little left to maintaine after-charges It may be that for the defence of the State quicker and readier resolution would bee taken because of the imminent danger fatall in generall But for the conquest of any forren place I beleeve they will alwaies proceed with like flownesse and irresolution for the hope of good doth not so much move vs as the feare of evill Yet hath our age seene in the reigne of Sigismund Augustus the Moscovite to have conquered the Provinces of Moloch and Smolock and that without resistance or revenge a cowardize ill beseeming so great a King and so mighty a State as likewise hee invaded Livonia without impeachment which had shadowed it selfe under the protection of the said Sigismund In the daies of Henry of Anjow Iohn Prince of Moldavia even he that with an undaunted spirit and famous victory held warre against the Turke was shamefully forsaken of them contrary to the covenants of confederacy betweene him and this Sigismund concluded So that we must needs confesse that such as is the courage valour and reputation of the Prince such is the resolution alacrity and forces of the Polackes of themselves populous valiant and couragious Stephen Bathori had good testimony hereof in whose time Polonia not onely maintained the honour of a King sufficient to defend it selfe from forren Armes but also to make conquests of great matters from most potent Enemies And seeing we have spoken of Celerity a vertue most necessary for every State it shall not bee amisse to speake of the causes thereof which as is aforesaid are two viz. The reputation of the Prince which giveth it life and store of Coine which preserves it in action for wee have seene in mightiest Armies the body by the slownesse of the head to have spent the time most idly and very famous victories for want of money to give continuall motion to action to have brought forth small or no effects Besides the disposition of a Souldier is a great helpe hereunto for no man can truly praise the German and Bohemian Foot-men for Celerity but this commendation without doubt is proper to the Italian Spaniard and Frenchmen not onely for that they are of better constitution of body but for that which in warre is all in all they are better contented