The trauellers breuiat, or, An historicall description of the most famous kingdomes in the world relating their situations, manners, customes, ciuill gouernment, and other memorable matters. / Translated into English.

The kingdome of England.

AMongst all the Ilands of Europe, England (which the ancient called Britannia) without all controuersie for circuit and power challengeth the chiefest preroga∣tiue. It containeth in circuit 1800. miles, diuided into two kingdomes, England and Scotland. The naturall strength of Scotland (being barren, full of mountaines, lakes, and woods) is the cheefest cause of this diuision; in so much that the armies of the Romaines could neuer bring it wholy in subiection; the Emperour Seuerus lost there a great part of his armie. The kings of England, though they farre excell

them in strength, and haue ouerthrowne them in many bat∣tailes, could neuer bring them vnder their iurisdiction. The lakes, the woods, and the marrishes (which euen in plaines make great pooles) being vnto them a naturall wall & trench against all incursions. On the tops of mountaines are manie fruitfull plaines, plentifull and fit for the feeding of ••at••le, and thicke woods full of wilde beasts: These rockie and mountai∣nous places abounding notwithstanding with woods and pa∣stures, doe so strengthen the countrey, that they neither feare to be forced by inuasion, nor to be constrained with hunger: for the dangerous accesse of the mountaines, and the thicknes of the woods, secureth them against the assaults of their enimies; and in beseegings they doe sustaine them∣selues by cattle and wilde beasts, which can neuer faile them. To this helpeth the abundance of people, fierce of courage, & excellent in the vse of their armes: for necessities sake being able speedily to assemble 25. or 30. thousand men against the inrodes of their enimies; and trusting to the strength of si∣tuations of places and practise of their armes, they indeuour not to fortifie their ci••••e••, nor hauens, which are so thicke in this countrey, that by reason of the inlets of the sea, there is not almost one house distant aboue twentie miles from the Ocean. The king of Scotland gouerneth the Hebrides, being fortie two, and the Orchades thirtie two in number. But since, neither Scotland nor the saide Ilands, are better stored with plenty of corne, more then sufficeth for their owne prouision, and the people are neither giuen to artes, or abounding in wealth, few merchants do resort thither. But England, where∣of we now treate, is diuided into three great prouinces: Eng∣land, Cornwall, and Wales. England stretcheth to the Ger∣maine sea▪ Cornwall is right against France: Wales against Ireland. This most florishing kingdome conteineth two Archbishopricks, Canterburie and Yo••ke, 24. bishopricks, & 136. walled townes. In the reigne of king Henry and his son Edward, there were reckoned fortie thousand parishes, but now there are onely 9725. Cornwall & Wales in comparison of England are barren, & in the vpland places the people liue vpon white meates and oaten bread; especially in Wales: yet

hath nature placed an Iland commonly called Anglesey so neere vnto it, abounding with corne and cattle, that it niay woorthily be called the mother of Wales. Cornwall is ex∣ceeding rich in mines of Tinne and Lead. England farre sur∣passeth both these prouinces in largenes, riches, and fertilitie: and though it stand somewhat more northerly, notwithstan∣ding by the benefite of the sea, or some vnknowne influence of the starres, the aire there is so gentle and temperate, rather thicke and moist, then sharpe and colde, that it token there∣of, the bay tree and the rosemarie are alwaies greene. And it is most certaine, that Flanders and Brabant are more vexed with cold and ice then England: wherein for the most part the land is plaine; yet now and then so garnished with fruit∣full and delightfull hilles, and those rising so pleasantly by little and little, that they which see them a farre off, can scant discerne them fro•••• the plaine. The cheefest prouision of the kingdome is corne, cattle and fish, so stored therewith for plenty, goodnes, and sweetnes, that it needeth neither the helpe of France, no nor of any neighbour bordring countrey. Among other things the flesh especially of their swine, oxen, and veales haue the best relish of any part of Christendome, and of fish their Pike and Oysters. It bringeth not foorth Mules nor Asses, but of horse infinite store. The wealth there∣of consisteth in neuer decaying mines of tinne and lead: there are also found veines of copper and iron, and in Cornewall is digged tinne of such excellent finenes, that it seemeth little inferiour to siluer in qualitie. Heere the wools are most fine, by reason of the hils, whereof the kingdome is full. On these hils groweth a finall and tender kinde of grasse, neither dun∣ged, nor watred with spring nor riuer, but in winter nourished with the moisture of the aire, and in sommer with the deaw of heauen, which is so gratefull and pleasing to the sheepe, that it causeth them to beare fleeces of singular goodnes and excee∣ding finenes. The Iland breedeth no wolues nor any other ra∣uening beasts, and therefore their flockes wander night and day by hils, dales, and fields, as well inclosed as common, without feare or danger. Most delicate clothes are wouch of this wooll, which are transported in great abundance into

Germanie, Poland, Denmarke, Sweuqland, and other pro∣uinces, where they are in high request. There grow all sorts of pulse, great store of Saffron, and infinite quantitie of beere transported from thence into Belgia, as also pelts and sea∣coale. The Iland is so commodiously seated for the sea, that it is neuer without resort of Portugall, Spanish, French, Flemish, and Easterling merchants. The trafique betweene the Eng∣lish and the Flemish ariseth to an inestimable value for Gui••∣ciardin writeth, that before the tumults of the Low-countries they bartered for twelue millions of crownes yeerely.

There are other Ilands subiect to the crowne of England, as Ireland, Wight, Man and Anglesey, the ancient dwelling of the Druides, Syllyes, Gernsey, Iersey and Alderney.

Ireland is not much lesse then England in bignes, for it is three hundred miles long, and ninetie broad, mountainous, woodie, full of bogs, apter for pasture then corne, and aboun∣ding with milke and butter. It sendeth foorth great store of butter, ski••nes and saffron. It is full of riuers and lakes aboun∣ding with fish. It hath two Archbishoprickes, Armach and Cassels: the chiefe seat is Dublin, and that part which lieth to∣wards the East and the south is best peopled. The prouinces of Vlster, Conaught and Mounster situated to the west and north, are lesse fruitfull, and more sauage. The other three Ilands are about one bignes: of them Anglesey is the ••••st, and therefore called the mother of Wales: it is well replenished with cattell and plentie of corne. Man is fiue and twentie miles distant from England: it hath one Bishopricke and two hauens: the land is not verie fertill.

Wight is a hilly countrey: in it is Newport a towne strongly fortified: it incloseth the whole channell of South∣hampton, which is ouer against it, and the fairest hauen in that sea.

In strength of situation no kingdome excelleth England: for it hath these two properties, which Aristotle wisheth in the building of a citie: one is, that it be difficult to besiege: the other, that it be easie to co••uey in and out all things neces∣sarie: these two commodities hath England by the s••••, which to the inhabitants is as a deepe trench against hostile in∣uasions,

and an easie passage to take in or sende out all com∣modities whatsoeuer. On the west is the Irish Ocean, a sea so shallow and so full of rockes & flats, that it is verie dangerous for great ships, and on the south the flowing and ebbing of the Brittish Ocean is so violent, and the remoouing of sandes and shelues so vncertaine, that vnlesse the mariners be skilfull in taking the opportunities of winde and ••ydes, they can hardly bring in their ships in safetie. The sea coast is on euerie side cliffie and inaccessible, except in some certaine places which are strongly fortified, as Barwicke, Douer, Dertmouth, Plymmouth, Falmouth, Bristow, Milford, &c. so that the whole Ilande may be taken for one impregnable castell or Bul∣warke.

To this strength of situation may be ioyned their sea and lande forces. As touching their sea-forces (besides the Nauie Royall) the kingdome hath so many faire hauens, and those so frequented with merchants, that two thousand ships are re∣ported to trafique there. Be this as it may, it is vndoubtedly true, that vpon necessitie they are able to put to sea aboue fower hundred ships. Edward the third at the siege of Caleis, and Henrie the eight at the siege of Bullen, waisted ouer with a thousand faile of all sorts: and therefore to inuade that Iland, whose hauens are hard to approch, and worse to enter, by reason of the fortifications, and which haue so many ships at commaund, I account a most difficult and dangerous enter∣prise. And to this dangerous difficultie may be added ano∣ther, which is, that the English people are maruellous expert in maritime actions, then whom at sea there is not a valianter and bolder nation vnder heauen. For in most swift ships, ex∣cellent well furnished with ordinance (wherewith the king∣dome aboundeth) they goe to sea with as good courage in winter as in sommer, all is one with them. They trade into Moscouie, Cathay, Alexandria of Egypt, Constantinople, Li∣uonia, Barbarie and Guinea. Anno 1585. with a fleete of fiue and twentie ships, whererein were 2500. souldiers, they say∣led into the west Indies, and tooke Saint Iago, Saint Domingo in Hispaniola and Cartagena on the continent, Saint Augu∣stines a citie built of timber, and by them destroyed with fire.

In the time of warre they continually ve••e the Terceraz and the coast of Brasill. Two of their Captaines haue sayled round about the world, with no lesse courage then glorie and good fortune. Their force at land is nothing inferiour to that at sea; for the kingdome is diuided into two and fiftie shires, in one onely whereof (commonly called Yorkeshire) it is thought seuentie thousand footmen may be leuied. Euerie shire hath a lieutenant, who seeth to the election and trayning of soldi∣ers when necessitie requireth. In choosing of soldiers, they take the names of all the inhabitants of the countrey from aboue sixteene yeeres of age to sixtie, and out of these they choose the likeliest and ablest for seruice. The taller and stron∣ger are chosen for footmen, and these diuided into fower kinds. The first are archers, by whose dexteritie they conque∣red the greatest part of France, tooke king Iohn captiue, and held Paris sixteene yeeres. The arrowes of the Parthians were neuer more dredfull to the Romaines, then the bowes of the English to the Frenchmen. The second sort vsed light staues well headed with iron, with which they would strike a man from his horse. The other two, vse and experience of latter times hath taught them: the one is the harquebuse, the other the pike, a fit weapon for their constitution, by reason of their tall, strong and manlike stature. For their seruice on horse∣backe, they choose the men of small stature, but wel set, actiue and nimble. These horsemen are of two sorts; some heauie armed, and those for the most part are gentlemen; other lighter armed, some riding after the manner of the Albannes∣ses; some after the fashion of Italy, vsing a scull, a Iacke, a sword and long light speares. And although they are able to bring to the field two thousand lanciers, and infinite troupes of light horsemen; yet their horsemen neuer carried like repu∣tation to their footemen: for Edward the third which made so many iorneies into France, and obtayned so many famous victories, to shew what confidence he reposed in his infante∣rie, euer left his horse and put himselfe into the battell of his footemen: whereas the French kings not daring to inure their commons to warfare (least leauing their manuell occupations and trades, they should grow insolent in the warres, to which

humour they are greatly addicted) alwaies put themselves and their hopes in the fortune of their caualerie, being all al∣most gentlemen. But for as much, as the French mantaine no good races of horse, and to purchase them from other places is a matter of great charge, and good cannot alwaies be gotten for money; for these reasons, and for that horsemen are no∣thing so seruiceable in the fielde as footemen, I thinke the French haue so often beene ouerthrowen by the English. To shew what force the King of England is able to bring into the field, let this one example stand for many. Henrie the eight passed to Bullen with an armie diuided into three Battallions: in the vantgard passed twelue thousand footemen, and fiue hundred light horsemen, clothed in blew iackets with redde gardes. The middle ward (wherein the King was, and passed last ouer) consisted of twenty thousand footmen, & two thou∣sand horse, cloathed with red iackets and yellow gards. In the rereward was the Duke of Norfolke, and with him an armie like in number and apparell to the first, sauing that therein serued one thousand Irishmen, all naked saue their mantles and their thicke gathered shirts: their armes were three darts, a sword and a skeane. They drew after them one hun∣dred great pieces, besides small. They caried vpon carts an hundred mils, which one horse would turne and grinde. Their carriages were so many, that therewith they intrenched their campe, as with a wall. And for the carriage of their ordinance and their baggage, and for drawing of their prouision, they transported into the continent aboue fiue and twentie thou∣sand horse: and besides all other kinde of prouision, they brought with them fifteene thousand oxen, and an infinite number of other cattell. The quantities of ladders, bridges, shot, powder, and other furnitures following so royal an ar∣mie, what pen can number?

In England the nobilitie possesse few castels or strong pla∣ces inuironed with wals and ditches, neither haue they iuris∣diction ouer the people. The dignities of Dukedomes, Mar∣quesses, and Earldomes are no more but bare titles, which the king bestoweth on whom he pleaseth, and peraduenture they possesse neuer a penie of reuenue in the place from whence

they take their titles: where on the contrarie the nobilitie in France possesse some absolute, some mixt gouernment with the hereditarie titles of Lords, Barons, Earles, Marquesses, Dukes and Princes. They are Lords not of townes onely, but of great and goodly cities; receiuing homage and fealtie of their tenants: but acknowledge the soueraignty of the king & the parliaments.