A discourse not altogether vnprofitable, nor vnpleasant for such as are desirous to know the situation and customes of forraine cities without trauelling to see them Containing a discourse of all those citties wherein doe flourish at this day priuiledged vniuersities. Written by Samuel Levvkenor Gentleman.

THE VNIVERSITIES of Bohemia, and Morauia.

Prage.

PRage is a great and renowned citie, lying in the middle or center of Bohemia, whilome a Dukedome, & exalted to a kingdome by the Em∣perous Henry the fourth, in a dyet or generall assembly of the Princes of Germany at Ments, where Vladi∣slaus was declared King. This Citie containeth foure seuerall townes, euery Towne hauing their peculiar market places, prisons, Magistrates, lawes, and cu∣stomes. The chiefe and principall is that which they call the old towne, a place adorned with many anci∣ent and goodly edifices, a faire and spacious market place, with a stately and sumptuous Senate house, whereunto is annexed a clocke of curious and costly workemanship: which Clocke hath on the top this inscription in great Romaine letters. PRAGA CAPVT REGNI. And vnderneath, Hoc mo∣numentum S. P. Q. Pragensis aeternitati dicauit. The se∣cond part they name the new Towne, which is diui∣ded from the old with a ditch of great depth & wide∣nesse,

it hath also a market place of huge and incredi∣ble largenesse, called the Oxe market: at the west ende thereof is also a strong and well builded Senate house, with a clocke curiously wrought, yet not so full of cost nor cunning as the former. At the West end is a mo∣nasterie of incredible antiquitie, called Emaus, contay∣ning many goodly pictures most artificially limmed: in this Cloister the people are by the Popes indul∣gence permitted to receiue the Sacrament of the Al∣tar vnder both kindes. The third part, because in mag∣nitude and spaciousnes it is inferior vnto the two for∣mer (though in sumptuousnes of buildings it excee∣deth both of them) is called the little towne, which diuideth it selfe from the old towne, with a costly and magnificent bridge of free stone, ouer the Multaue, containing 24. arches, which was erected at the cost and charges of Vladislaus before mentioned: on the South side of this bridge lyeth a small Iland, called by the inhabitants little Venice, wherein the citizens on Sundaies & holidaies for their recreation vse all man∣ner of pastimes & gaming. This riuer in winter season (though it bee fully as broade, or broader then the Thames at London) is yearely so hard frozen, that carts loden do dayly passe ouer the same: at which time the citizens do fill their sellers with the ice thereof, which in summer time they drinke mingled with their wines. This part of the towne hath also his peculiar lawes, cu∣stomes, magistrates, prisons, market place, and Senate house, and is inuironed on all partes, saue on that side which with the riuer is sufficiently defended with a wall of great circumference, contayning within the same many waste grounds and vineyardes. This part

ofthe Cittie lyeth at the foote of a hill, called the Ra∣chine, whereon are many faire and beautifull pallaces of sundry noble men. On the top thereof standeth the castle, wherein the Emperour is continually resident, ouer looking with great maiestie the whole cittie, ly∣ing vnderneath. Vnto this Castle adioyneth the Ca∣thedrall church, consecrated to S. Vite, wherein is to bee seene the shrine of the said Saint, together with the tombes and sepultures of many Kinges and Em∣perours. At the westerne end of this church is erected a little Chappell, built of rich Iasper stone, with most curious and costly workemanship, wherein is enshri∣ned the bodie of S. Vinceslaus, before whose sepulcher diuine seruice is dayly celebrated. The memory of this Saint is to this day among the Bohemians held in great regard and estimation. He was sonne to Vladi∣slaus the second Christian Duke, after whose decease hee was by his mother Drahomitia, and his bro∣ther Boleslaus inuited to a banket, where on the so∣daine hee was by them most impiously murthered. His bodie being afterwarde conue••ed to Prage there to bee enterred, in a carte drawen with sixe Oxen: which cart passing through the market place of the lesser Towne, the Oxen could not by any meanes bee enforced to passe beyond a little round Tower, wherein were imprisoned many capitall offenders, vntill all the said prisoners were set at libertie. Where∣vpon this prison was presently conuerted to a chap∣pell, wherein once a yeare in memory of the Saint, di∣uine seruice is wont to be celebrated.

In this cittie was borne Charles the great, Emperour of the Romaines, and King of Bohemia, who there∣fore

vsing all his endeuors to beautifie, and adorne the same, in the yeare of grace 1360. erected there an Vniuersitie. Martin Cromer in the 12. booke of his Polonian historie affirmeth, that when Cazimier King of Polonia founded the Academie of Cracouia, in the yeare 1361.

Prage was then a knowne vniuersitie. This schoole by reason of the accesse of the Germains thither, grew to bee exceedingly frequented, and so flourished vntil the springing vp of Wicklisse, who amongst them being fauoured of the Bohemians, made his partie so strong, that aboue 2000. Germaines were in one day constrained to depart to Lipsike, three daies iourney fiō thence, where they obtained licence & priuiledges for an vniuersity. Not long after Wickliffe, arose a∣mongst them Hierome of Prage and Iohn Hus, so named from a little village wherein he was borne, called Hus, which in the Bohemian language signifieth a Goose: they were after condemned for Heretickes by the counsell of Constance, and in that cittie openly burned. Their errors you may reade in Munster, fol. Sor. After these schismes and sectes among them, the vniuersitie dayly more and more decayed, and was almost vtter∣ly extinguished, had it not by the liberality of Ferdi∣nand the first, and Maximilian the 2. Emperours (who are there in the cathed••all church both enterred) been againe raised and restored.

There is now a goodly colledge newly builded, not far from the cast end of the bridge, containing 3. chur∣ches, though of no great capacity, yet exceeding beau∣tiful, the one for Bohemians, the other for Germains, the 3. for Italians. In this colledge are by the Iesuits lernedly

professed Theologie, & the other inferior artes.

The 4. and last towne contained in this citie, is that of the Iewes, who within themselues haue their pecu∣liar lawes and liberties: they haue 5. sinagogues there∣in, in the which they celebrate their sabbathes.

The Bishopricke of Prage did many yeares sithence belong to the Archbishop of Mentz: but after it was by Charles the great separated, and raised to the degree of an Archbishopricke.

Neere vnto the Cathedrall church Milada, sister to Boleslaus the 4. Christian Duke of Bohemia, by the per∣mission & authoritie of the Pope, builded S. George his church, and adioyned thereunto a Nunnerie, wherein she her selfe became a votarie.

As well in this cittie as neere about in the borde∣ring regions are to be seene the ruines of many good∣ly monasteries ouerthrowne by Ziska, because a Monk of S. August. order rauished his sister, whose portray∣ture I haue often seene at Prage, with this subscription: Iohannes Ziska superbiae & auaritiae clericorū seuer us vltor.

Olmuts.

OLmuts is a faire and ample cittie in Morauia, a Dukedome whilome free, now annexed to the Crowne of Bohemia. In the yeare nine hundred, Zuantocopius Prince there∣of had vnder his dominion Polonia, Silesia, and Bo∣hemia, who moued with the greatnesse of his power, to an intollerable pride, denyed the tributes, which he was accustomed to pay vnto Lewes the Emperour, vpon which occasion offered, the said Emperor inua∣ded his dominion with fire and sworde, but finding

greater resistance then heeexpected, hee was constrai∣ned to call the Turke to his aide: by whose assistance the Morauites were easily vanquished, and the race of Zuartocopius vtterly extinguished.

About these times came Gyrullus the Apostle of the Sclauonians, into this countrie accompanied with Melodius, who first layed there the foundation of Christian religion, and crected a cathedrall church in Tielagrade, which since was transferred to this cittie Olmuts.

The people and inhabitantes of this cittie enter∣taine strangers with incredible humanity, of which I my self had good experience at my being among thē. The language as well of the countrie people, as of the citizens, is a kind of corrupt and barbarous Dutch. The ayre is healthy, and the land very fruitfull.

I imagine the Vniuersity therein not to haue been of any long continuance, because I doe not remem∣ber that I euer haue reade or heardany mention made of the same in any antique author, it seemeth therefore to haue bin erected lately since the comming thether of the Iesuites, for whome there was builded a mag∣nificent and sumptuous Colledge at the Popes char∣ges, for the resorming of Lutheranisme in those ter∣ritories generally professed.

The Monastery of the prouince like as we saide of Bohemia, were all by Zusca defaced and ruinated.

Notes

• Prage.
• Prage diuided into 4. seuerall rownes.
• The sacrament of the altar permitted to be receiued in both kinds.
• The Rachine.
• S. Vinceslaus by the treason of his mother and brother murdred.
• The erection of the vniuer∣sitie.
• Wicklisse.
• Hierome of Prage & Iohn Hus.
• The restoring of the vniuer∣sitie.
• The Colledge of ••aluites,
• S. Georges church builded by Milada.
• The reuenge of Iohn Ziske taken on the Bohemian fry∣ers for the rape of his sister.
• Olmutium.
• The Emperor Lewes called the Turke to his aid against Zuantocopius The Morauits conuetted vn∣to Christia∣nismt.
• The humani∣ty of the Mo∣rauites enter∣taining stran∣gers.
• The vniuersity lately erected.
• Iohn Zosca.