Relations of the most famous kingdomes and common-wealths thorowout the world discoursing of their situations, religions, languages, manners, customes, strengths, greatnesse, and policies. Translated out of the best Italian impression of Boterus. And since the last edition by R.I. now once againe inlarged according to moderne observation; with addition of new estates and countries. Wherein many of the oversights both of the author and translator, are amended. And unto which, a mappe of the whole world, with a table of the countries, are now newly added.

Italy.

ITaly, (according to Plinie) the most beau∣tifull and goodliest Region under the Sun, the Darling of Nature, and the Mother of hardy Men, brave Captaines, and va∣liant Souldiers, flourishing in all Arts, and abounding with Noble wits, and men of singular spirits, is situate under a Climate most wholesome and temperate, commodious for Traffike, and most fertile for Corne and Herbage: containeth in length from Augusta Pretoria unto Otranto, one thousand and twenty miles, and in breadth, from the River Vara in Pro∣vence, to the River Arsia in Friuli, (where it is broadest) foure hundred and ten miles; and in the narrow places, as from the mouth of Pescara, to the mouth of Tiber, an hun∣dred twenty six miles. So that to compasse it by Sea from Vara to Arsia, are three thousand thirty eight miles, which with the foure hundred and ten by land, maketh the whole circuit three thousand foure hundred forty eight miles.

Thus it appeares to bee almost an Iland in shape of a legge; bounded on the East with the Adriatike Sea, on the South and West with the Tirrhene Seas, and on the North with the Alpes: the which, for that it is described by others, we will but point to, and so much the rather, be∣cause

there is no Country in the world better knowne; and more frequented by strangers.

Inheritance there descend to the children, as Lands holden by Ga••••••••nd with us in some parts of England, so that one brother hath as good a share as another, and if the older be borne to the title of a Co••••e, so is the younger, and so called; yea, if there be twenty brethren; (except it be in the Estates of Princedomes, as Mantua, Ferrara, Vrbin, and such like, which evermore descend to the eldest entirely.) By this meanes it commeth to passe, that often times you shall see Earles and Marquesses without Lands or goods, yet most strictly standing upon descents, and the glory of their names, for themselves and their issues for ever. But the Gentlemen which have whereof to live, are repor∣ted to surpasse the Gentry of any other Nation in good car∣riage and behaviour, and for the most part professe Armes, and follow service. And to bee discerned from the vulgar, they all in generall speake the Courtisan, which is an ex∣cellent commendation, considering the diversitie of Dialects amongst them. For leaving the difference betweene the Flo∣rentine and the Venetian, the Milanois and the Roman, the Neapolitan and the Genois, (which may well be likened to the difference betweene a Londoner & a Northerne man) yet by the tongue you shall not lightly discerne of what part of the Countrey any Gentleman is. No more diffe∣rent are they in manners and behaviour; honourable, cour∣teous, prudent, and grave withall, that it should seeme each one to have had a Prince-like education; to their superiours obedient; to equals respective; to inferiours courteous, to strangers affable, and desirous by kinde offices to winne their love. Of expence and lone of his mony, very wary, and will be assured to be at no more cost than he is sure either to save by, or to have thanke for. In apparell modest, in fur∣niture of houshold sumptuous, at their table neat, sober of speech, enemies of ill report, and so jealous of their reputa∣tions, that whosoever speaketh ill of one of them, if the par∣ty slandered may know it, and finde opportunitie to per∣forme

it, the party offending shall surely die for it.

The Merchants likewise for the most part are Gentlemen: For when of one house there bee three or foure brethren, lightly one or two of them give themselves to traffike. And sometimes, if they chance not to divide their Fathers sub∣stance and patrimonie, (as many times they doe not) then doe they which professe themselves Merchants, travell for the welfare of their brethren, joyntly participating of losse and profit. But in outward shew, these carry not like repu∣tation to the Gentlemen afore spoken of: for they professe not Armes, but desire to live in peace, and how to vent their wares, and have new traffike into strange Countries; yet have no lesse reputation of Nobility for their trade of Mer∣chandize, but by reason they stay at home, and use the ri∣chest Farmes, and follow Husbandrie by their Bailises and Factors, they become the best and wealthiest Merchants in all Christendome.

Their Artificers are thought the best workmen of the world, and are so well paid, that many live by their labours as well as many doe by Revenues; yea, and grow very rich, and within two or three descents to the reputation of Gentry.

The poorer sort are the husbandmen, for they are oppres∣sed on all hands, & in the Country liveth no man of wealth. The Gentry and wealthier sort dwell in Townes and wal∣led Cities, leaving the Villages, fields, and pastures to their Tenants, not at a rent certaine, as we doe in England, but to halfes, or to the thirds of all graine, fruit, and profit ari∣sing of the ground, according as it shall be, either barren or fertile. And this the poore Tenant must till and manure at his owne charge, so that the Lords part commeth cleare without disbursing one penny; yet shall you see many faire houses in the villages, but they are onely for the owners pastime in Summer: For then they leave the Cities for a moneth or two, where under the fragrant hedges and bowers, they solace themselves in as much pleasure as may be imagined. And for the most part, every man hath his

Mistresse with instruments of musicke, and such like plea∣sures as may serve for recreation and delight. Thus much of the manners and nature of the inhabitants: now will wee speake of the estates of the Country.

The King of Spaine hath the greatest part for his share, as Naples and the Duchie of Millaine.

The Pope hath the Citie of Rome, Campagnia, part of Maremma, part of Tuscan, the Duchie of Spo••et, Marca d' Ancona, Romagnia, and the Citie of Bononia.

The Venetians have for their part the Citie of Venice, with the townes in and about that Marish, called La con∣trada di Venetia, La marka Trivigrina, a great part of Lom∣bardie, and part of Istria. They likewise are, and have beene Lords of certaine Islands, some whereof the Turke hath wonne from them.

The Common-weale of Genoa hath the territorie about them, called at this day Il Genovosaio, and anciently Liguria.

Tuscan, once He••ruria, is divided into divers Seigniories, whereof the Bishop of Rome holdeth a small part, but the greatest is under the jurisdiction of Florence.

Then are Common-wealths of Sienna and Lucca, whose Territories are not great. 13. The Duke of Ferrara hath part of Romagnia, and part of Lombardie. 14. The Duchie of Mantua lieth wholly in Lombardie, and the Duchie of Vrbin betweene Marca d' Ancona and Tuscane. 15. The Duchies of Parma and Placentia are in Lombardie, and hol∣den of the Church.

Of these Princes and Common-wealths every one hol∣deth himselfe in his owne Territorie absolute Prince and Governour, and maintaineth his estate upon the custome, taxes, and impositions of the people. For lightly they have little or no Lands of their owne.

THe Estate of the Pope is twofold; the one consisteth in Temporall Dominion, the other in Spirituall Iuris∣diction. His Temporall Dominion is likewise divided into

two kinds; the one profitable, and as a man may terme it, an hereditarie: the other immediate, and holden in fee of he Church. As touching his Temporall Dominion, hee is Lord of a great part of Italie; as of all that lieth be∣tweene the River Fiore and Cajetta, betweene Pre••est and the Truentian streights (except the Duchie of Vrbin.)

In that compasse are incircled the Provinces of Bonnonia and Romandiola, Marchia, Vmbria, the Duchie of Spo∣leto, S. Peters patrimonie, Tuscan, and lately Ferrara. It is seated in the heart of Italie, stretching from the Adriatike to the Tirrhene Sea; and in regard of situation, as also in plenty of provision, as corne, wine, and oyle, it is compa∣rable to any State of Italie: For Romandiola imparteth great store unto their neighbours, the Venetians and Scla∣vonians; And yet have the Inhabitants sufficient for their owne provision.

Marchia reacheth from Tronto to Foglia, betweene the Apenine and the Sea; it is divided into little hils and plaines. It is rich of Wine, Oyle, and Corne, having divers great Townes and Castles therein. The Citie of greatest trading is Ancona, by reason of the Haven to which many Lasterne Merchants doe repaire. The fairest is Ascoli, the most powerfull Fermo, because of many Fortresses subject unto it. Macerata is a new Citie, and because it lieth in the middest of the Province, it is the Governours seat. In some yeares it hath supplied the Venetians wants, with many thousand measures of Corne and Oyle. And although Vm∣bria is not so plentifull of graine, as to spare for their neigh∣bours, yet is it able to maintaine it selfe without buying of others, and in stead thereof it is abundantly stored with Wines, Cattell, and some Saffron. S. Peters Patrimonie, and Tuscan, often releeved Genoa, and at some seasons Naples: This territorie bringeth forth fierce and warlike souldiers; and herein it is reported to excell all the residue of the Italian Provinces. Bonnonia, Romania, and Marchia, are able to levie twenty thousand foot-men, and the other Pro∣vinces as many. In the time of Pope Clement, Marchia

alone aided him with a thousand souldiers. The chiefe Seat is Rome, once the Lady of the World, and at this day inha∣bited with two hundred thousand soules, but two parts thereof consisting of Church-men and Curtizans. The se∣cond Bononia, wherein are eighty thousand of both sexes. Next to these are Perugia, Ancona, Ravenna, and some fiftie others. The defensible places are the Castle and Borough of Rome, Ovietta, Teracine, &c. It is a great credit and com∣mendation to this State, to have many Noblemen therein to excellent in Negociation of Peace and Warre, that the re∣sidue of the States and Princes doe most commonly choose their Leaders and Lieutenants out of these Provinces. If the Prince hereof were secular, both for people and power, hee might very well be compared with any State of Italy.

Besides these Dominions, the Pope hath the Territory of Avignon in France, wherein are foure Cities, and fourscore walled Townes. In Naples he hath Benevent.

Romagna extendeth from Foglia, Panora, and from the Apenine to the River Po. For temperature and fertilitie, it is like to Marchia, but hath generally more famous Cities, as Rimini, Cesana, Faensa, Ravenna, Turly, Imola, Sarsina, Cervia, Bertinoto, once a Bishops Seat, but now translated to Forlimpoli. The Noblest of all these is Ravenna, where some Emperor have kept their Courts, and after them their Exarches or Lieutenants. When Pipin having expulsed A∣stolpho, put the Church in possession thereof, this Territorie comprehended Bolognia, Regio, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Ravenna, Sarsina, Claesse, Forli, Forlimpoli, and made one estate called Pentapoli, which indured an hundred eightie three yeares, even to the yeare of our Lord 741. in which yeare, it ended by the taking of Ravenna, by Astolph King of Lombards. So that first the Roman Emperours, especi∣ally Honorius, and after him the Kings of the Gothes, and then Exarches, amongst all the Cities of Italy, chose this for the Seat of their Courts, which from amongst other respects, I suppose to proceed by reason of the plentifull Territory, (now covered with water) and the conveniencie of the Ha∣ven,

which at this day is likewise choaked. This Province was first called Flaminia, but Charles the Great, to raze out the remembrance of these Exarches, and to make the people willing to obey the Roman Prelats, called it Romagnia.

As touching his immediate Soveraigntie, he is Lord Pa∣ramount of the Kingdomes of Naples and Sicil, and the Duchies of Vrbin, Ferrara, Parma, Placentia, and many others.

Where his authoritie is maintained, he hath supreme go∣vernment of all religious Orders, and bestoweth the Eccle∣siasticall Benefices at his dispose. Having many strings to his Bow, he hath many meanes to raise money, so that Xistus the fourth was wont to say, That the Popes should never want Coine, as long as their hands were able to hold a pen. Paul the third, in the league betweene him, the Emperour and the Venetians, against the Turk, bare the sixth part of the charges of that warre. Against the Protestants, and in aid of Charles the fifth, he sent twelve thousand foot-men, and five hun∣dred horse-men, bearing their charges during the warre: this was he that advanced his house to that honour, where∣in it continueth to this day in Florence. Pius the fifth, aided Charles the ninth, King of France, with foure thousand foot∣men, and a thousand horse. Xistus the fifth, in five yeares and a halfe of his Pontificacie, raked together five millions of crowns, and spent bountifully notwithstanding, in bring∣ing Conduits and Water-pipes into the Citie, and in buil∣ding Pyramides, Palaces, and Churches.

So that it should seeme, that the Entrado could not but amount to much above the value of ten hundred thousand crownes per annum; for Newman, a late Writer, would have this surplusage to be raised upon use money, yearely la••d up in the Castle of Saint Angelo. And this to arise of his ordi∣nary Revenues within his Territories of Italy. Since those times it cannot but be much more augmented by the additi∣on of the Dukedome of Ferrara; as also for that in those dayes, the monethly expence of the Court (being thirtie thousand crownes) is in these times defalked unto five thou∣sand.

A State, wherein you shall see Religion metamorphosed into policie, and policie meditating nothing but private greatnesse: the Man-seeming-God affecting Honour, Ma∣jestie and Temporall riches, with no lesse ambition and effu∣sion of bloud, than any the mercilesse Tyrants of the former Monarchies.

As for the College of Cardinals; It stretcheth out the Westerne Churches on the Tenter-hookes of Vain-glory and Authority; suffering no man, no not so much as in thought (if it were possible) to depresse, or question, the privileges of religious persons: who (according to their meanes) live in great State, keepe Curtizans, travell in Carosses (though but for a quarter of a mile) to the Con∣sistory, solemnize feasts and banquets, make shew of cere∣monies, and are, in truth, of no Religion. So that, if a man were an Atheist, and had no conscience to beleeve that God must one day call us to account for our transgressions, I had rather live a religious man in Rome, than be a Nobleman in Naples; who of all men living wash their hands most in carelesnesse, being never disturbed with worldly cares or in∣cumbrances.

Notes

• Situation.
• Length and Breadth.
• Natures and manners of the people.
• Merchants.
• Artificers.
• Husbandmen.
• Sharers.
• The King of Spaine.
• The Pope.
• The Venetians.
• Genoa.
• Florence.
• Sienna.
• Lucca.
• Ferrara.
• Mantua.
• Vrbine.
• Parma.
• The Bishop of Rome.
• Marchia.
• Romagna.
• Riches.
• The State of Rome.
• The College of Cardinals.