The estates, empires, & principallities of the world Represented by ye description of countries, maners of inhabitants, riches of prouinces, forces, gouernment, religion; and the princes that haue gouerned in euery estate. With the begin[n]ing of all militarie and religious orders. Translated out of French by Edw: Grimstone, sargeant at armes.

¶ The Forces.

WE may say that the Estate of this prince is of yron, for that besides the naturall [ XI] [ D] strength of the Mountaines, which doth enuirone it of three parts, in forme like ••••to a wall, it hath a good number of forts which are in the East of Siena, seated on that ••••de: among these they do number fiue cities well fortified; the which are, Siena, the which is exceeding strong both by nature and art, hauing a good fort standing vpo•• the No••••h-West part of the towne; Montalcino in like manner is very strong both by scitu∣a•••••• ••nd industrie; but Quinsi, Grossetto, and Soane haue many defects which may be obie••••ed. Besides the townes, there are also in this Estate diuers Forts of good con••••de∣ration, as Radico••ani, Montfalcon, Lucignan Monterison, and others which haue de••e••ts both in forme and quantitie, being very little, and by consequence of small retreat, and ••ble to receiue few men for defence. In the ••state of Florence all the townes from Mon∣tepulciano [ E] vpward are well fortefied, and especially Florence, whose walls although they be not all new, after the moderne fashion, yet hath it two good Forts, the one is cal∣l••d S. Miniat seated vpon a hill which commaundes the towne, the other is the new Castell in a plaine, made in the time of libe••tie. These Forts (built especially to keepe the people in awe) may serue at need for some defence against strangers: but to offend they ••a••e defects in their forme, and they are also but little. The great duke entertaines for••ie souldiers for the guard of S. Miniat, and one hundred in the Castell, in Pisa he hath fif∣••ie, in Siena fiue and twentie, and in Liuorno two hundred and twentie. In this Estate of Florence and Pisa there are other Forts, as Empoli, Prato, Castrocaro in Romagnia, and S••sso: all which like vnto the rest haue defects both in their forme and spatiousnesse. As [ F] for Liuorno, it is built of late yeres, & better fortified after the Mode••ne manner. Touch∣i••g the men of war which the great duke doth raise in his Estate, he hath great numbers o•• ••oot inrolled and mustered, which some hold amount to thirtie and six thousand, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉; but others who haue exactly examined the proportion of the whole, by a p••r••, ••o ••••••••••nke that there can be aboue fifteene or sixteene thousand of these trayned bands.

These men are apt to armes and discipline, being proper to this Prouince, the wh••ch hath [ A] in old time, and doth yet breed very good souldiers: the prince doth cause them to be practised and trained with great care, there being many good captaines imployed to that end: besides, euery man doth practise to shoote in his peece, as well for his owne priuat pleasure, as in regard of the prize which the prince propounds. These trained souldiers are not only drawne out of the countrie, but also out of townes; only Florence is fr••ed, it may be for that the prince doth not hold it fit and conuenient to arme these people, who haue not yet forgotten their former libertie, and therefore they are not suffered to haue any armes in their houses, nor to weare any weapons, vnlesse he be a knight, a soul∣dier, an officer, or hath speciall leaue. No man is freed from this inrollement but priests [ B] and ••chollers, and there are great punishments inflicted vpon them that carrie armes in the citie, or in the dukes Estate, vnlesse they be such as I haue formerly named. These souldiers (besides many other priuiledges and exemptions which are granted vnto them) cannot be imprisoned for debt: and these priuiledges being inuiolably obserued, is the cause that many good old souldiers comming from the wars of Flanders, France, and the East, doe voluntarily cause themselues to be inrolled in those bands; so as, both for number and qualitie, we may say that it is the goodliest troupe of Italie.

Euery souldier is tied to pay for his armes, which are giuen him for his vse, and must keepe them cleane and in good order for all necessities without any charge to the prince. The great duke may vpon euery occasion draw all this companie of souldiers to Flo∣rence [ C] within six or eight daies warning at the most, both for that Florence is almost in the middest of Tuscanie, as the center, and equally neighbouring all the parts thereof, as also for the good order he sets therein, disposing euery thing with great facilitie.

Furthermore, he hath caused a good number of Pioners to be inrolled, whom he vseth also in time of peace, making them to labour in fortifications, and causing them to turne the course of riuers, and to make the lands better.

As for horsemen, this prince entertaineth ordinarily one hundred men at armes, to [ XII] whom he giueth in time of peace seuen crownes the moneth, and in time of warre the ordinarie of the banke. Besides these, the maintaineth foure hundred light-horsemen at three crownes the moneth in time of peace, and in time of war, as the ordinaries of the [ D] banke: all these horsemen are of his owne subiects, and besides their pay, they haue ma∣ny re all & personall immunities; so as there are of them some reasonable companies. And in case there goes forth of Algier any strong fleet of pirats, he trusts not wholly to the garrisons of the towers (which the duke hath for that effect in diuers places, aunswe∣ring one another by signalls) but the towers secure the horsemen, and the horsemen the towers: besides the companies abouesaid, he maintaineth a good troupe of horses. These are the ordinarie forces, but as for the extraordinarie, he may haue a farre greater number, for that the State is populous, and replenished with great numbers of people, as I haue said, and hath as many strangers as he can entertaine in his pay, obseruing the custome of other princes. [ E]

As touching the sea forces, duke Cosmo had in times past very great care of them, [ XIII] knowing how necessarie and important they were, and that a prince cannot be called Great, except he be powerfull at sea. Being therefore moued with these reasons, and soli∣cited by his owne thoughts, which alwaies aspired vnto greatnesse, he procured and ob∣tained by the authoritie of Charles the fift, the resignation of the Isle of E••be, from the Lord of Plombin, who was Lord and Maister thereof, both for that he could not de∣fend it from pirats that had ruined it, and for that it might by meanes of the slender de∣fence thereof, fall into the power of the Tu••kes, and so by reason of the scituation it would be much preiudiciall and hurtfull to all Italy: yet he left all the reuenues to the Lord of Plombin, and vnder his gouernment all the villages and open places. This Island [ F] hath a hauen called Porto Ferrario, capable to receiue any great fleet that shall come thi∣ther; and as a place commodious, we may see arriue there all sorts of vessells, going to the Westerne parts, or comming, and which passing after to Liuorne, vnlade their mer∣chandise to the great benefit of this prince: so that if this Island were in the hands of

[ A] one that had good store of gallies, with courage and will to assayle, he might easily, in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the coasts about Barbarie, and vnder Prouence, Genoa, and Tuscanie, make himsel•••• in such sort maister of those seas, as not any one should passe but such as he wo•••••• ••••rmit. The great Duke hath in this Island a little place named Cosmopoli, of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••smo. There is for defence vpon the mouth of the hauen two castels seated vpon the 〈…〉〈…〉 of two mountaines, which are esteemed to be exceeding strong, and in a manner im••••••gnable, by reason both of art and scituation. He hath within the same many ca∣••••••••••, and all sort of munitions. The great Duke hath his Arcenall at Pisa, because that ••••••••••••ie aboundeth in wood, hempe, annd other matters for to make and furnish many [ B] gallies, by meanes whereof, the inhabitants of that place in times past did so much inlarge th•••••• ••••me and State. Now, they worke verie little in this Arcenall, and do rather repaire th•••• make new gallies. Besides this, there is another in the Isle of Elbe, where he keepeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 galleasses, and the men that worke there, are for the most part brought vp to it, or ba∣••••••••ed, or allured by wages. He hath twelue armed gallies, fiue galliasses, and two galli∣on••; one of them is great and able to containe many men, the other is little and well 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And since the time that he sent them so farre to sea, vnder the conduct of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Beauregard, he encreaseth this number as much as he can, and maintaineth 〈…〉〈…〉 are alreadie made, in good plight. The galleasses which go with oares, he fur∣•••••••••••••• with slaues and condemned persons, and will not employ freemen, least it should [ C] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••••••••diciall to his State: and of these men, the prince sent eight hundred into Africa, 〈…〉〈…〉 Emperours armie, to the enterprise of Pignon de Velez, and the greatest part of them died, as it commonly fareth with fresh water souldiers, with which he is able to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a good number of gallies, whensoeuer he pleaseth to vse them. For men of com∣maund, he vseth the seruice of Frenchmen, Sicilians, Corsicans, and Greekes, and among 〈◊〉〈◊〉, many subiects of the Common-weal••h of Venice. He keepeth for the gallies the like quantitie of skiffes, or a few more than the Seigneurie of Venice, but fewer canons. He ••••useth his biscuit to be made at Liuorn, where he hath ouens for to bake fortie thou∣sand a day. He keepeth also in that place good store of cordage and ankors, and all ma∣ne•• of things fit to accommodat and ••urnish ships withal, to the end they may more freely [ D] come to this port.

Duke Cosmo, desirous to maintaine the sea discipline, and to giue more reputation to [ XIIII] his affaires, instituted an order of Knights, called the Knight of S. Stephano, and obtay∣ned of Pope Pius the fourth and fift many priuiledges, and among others, That they might haue two hundred crownes pension of the goods of the Church, with libertie to marrie, but they are tied to serue in his armies at sea, and also they are not capable of any co••••••••nd, vntill they haue serued three yeares together in the gallies. And to giue the greater reputation to this order, this Duke instituted himselfe great Maister of the same. As for instruments of warre, the great Duke is sufficiently stored, for he hath about an hundred and fiftie field-pieces in the castle of Florence, and his other places are as well [] furnished, principally in the Isle of Elbe. He hath in the same fortresse of Florence good munition of powder, bullets, and victuals, as wheat, millet, powdred flesh, vinegar, cheese, and the like. The great Duke hath for the guard of his person an hundred men, and in his stables about one hundred and fiftie horses of his owne breeding, among which are many Neapolitan Coursers, but more Gennets, and to be briefe, horses of all sorts.

He endeauoureth greatly to maintaine himselfe in the Popes friendship, for that his [ XV] State can no way be more easily annoyed and endaungered, than on that side next the Pope, for the mountaines which compasse Tuscanie on all the sides, sauing that which bordereth vpon the See of Rome (as we haue said) make the entrance and passages diffi∣cult for armies, and principally for artillerie, and if the enemie were entred into it, yet [ F] could be not liue there without the ayd of the State of the Church, because that all the rest of the countrie, excepting that, is no lesse barren than difficult: by reason whereof, if the enemie came with few forces, he would not be able to offend the great Duke, and 〈…〉〈…〉 came with a great armie, he could not maintaine himselfe there, for that in Tusca∣••ie they strictly obserue this order, to bring in time of peace (that it may be the lesse diffi∣cult

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to them in time of warre) the greatest quantitie of victualls they p••ssibly can, into [ A] the cities and strong places, leauing the Champian countrie almost emptie and vnfur∣nished, to the which they giue so much as sufficeth for their daily sustentation. ••ut on the Popes side, besides that by reason of the plaine, and largenesse of the confines of the Churches territories, the enemie might haue much easier accesse, he might also haue a farre greater commoditie of victualls that would come to him through this State, as well from the same, as from out of Lombardie, by the way of Bononia: and the experi∣ence hereof is most manifest, seeing that the citie of Florence hath neuer beene in great daunger, but by the way of the Churches territories, and particularly by meanes of two Popes of the house of Med••cis, namely first of Leo, and after of Clement, who wholly sub∣dued [ B] Florence vnto that Familie. On the contrarie, the great Duke receiueth great good by this friendship, both for the reputation of his State and affaires, which he aug∣menteth by this vnion, and because of the helpes and commodities he hath thereby, do∣ing good to many of his seruants with the riches of the Church. Being then moued with these considerations, and warned by those former euents, he will euer labour to haue such a Pope to be chosen as is some way obliged vnto him, and for this cause he striueth ordinarily to win the friendship of many Cardinalls in diuers sorts, and especially them that are in some estimation. But this amitie is no lesse profitable to the Romish See, by reason of the safeti•• and reputation it receiueth from the vnion of a Prince so neere a neighbour, and so powerfull, and for that the two States are almost but one and the [ C] same: so that their interrests being common, and reciprocall, we must beleeue that this vnion ought carefully to be preserued.

As for the king of Spaine, the great Duke hauing now married his sister in law, it must be thought he hath with him verie good correspondencie, and it is also held that he sup∣porteth the Spaniards, and hath knit a strict league with his brother in law. Yet it is not (after the opinion of many men of judgement) wholly to breake off with France, be∣cause the Queene is too neere allied vnto him, and hath alwayes giuen him great testi∣monies of her loue and friendship. But it might so be, that the soliciting of his wife, or rather of some others, ill affected towards the French, might withdraw him from the amitie which his father bare to the French King and Queene. Moreouer, he seeth that [ D] the French are farre from his State, and that the king of Spaine is neere vnto him, by meanes of Milan, and the realme of Naples; so that this alliance and commoditie might draw him wholly to embrace that partie. Which the French king did euer verie little re∣spect, for that he is a prince that cannot hurt them in any sort.

As touching the Genowayes, they had no good intelligence with the late Duke, by reason of the Spaniards: but since that this Duke hath made an alliance with the king of Spaine, we need not doubt but that this Common-wealth is wholly at his deuotion, and yee••deth him all the testimonies of loue it can. Notwithstanding that the pretence of Corsica, as belonging to the State of Pisa, might hinder this amitie.

As for the Duke of Sauoy, though outwardly there are seene nothing but offices of [ E] amitie and respect to passe betweene them, yet forasmuch as the one enuieth the riches, force, and good hap of the other; and the other, the noblenesse, reputation, and riches of the first, it is sufficiently knowne that whereas great jelousie raigneth, there cannot be any desire of the greatnesse, and aduancement of the competitor.

This prince is in good amitie with the duke of Mantoüa, by reason of parentage, and it is assuredly beleeued, that they runne one course for their preseruation: yet it is not knowne, whether the alliance lately made in Sauoy, will in time withdraw the amitie of the duke of Mant••üa, for some considerations, which is better to conceale than expresse. As for the duke of Vrbin, by reason that he holdeth him inferiour to him in greatnesse and strength, there falls out often times grudgings, such as the limits of jurisdictions do [ F] commonly breed.

Lastly, the citisens of Luca are in the middest of the great dukes State, enclosed on all sides within the same, hauing scarcitie of victualls and all things necessarie: and because they cannot haue them but from the great duke, or by meanes of the passage of such

[ A] things through his Estate, this prince may bring them in subiection without s••ri∣king blow: yet he doth it not, no more than his predecessours haue done, and perhaps will not do it, both because this common-weale being vnder the protection of the Em∣peror and Imperiall chamber, he cannot do it without greatly offending him, and also by reason of the profit he receiueth, perhaps greater by their libertie, than if that com∣m••n-weale were wholly subiect vnto him, because he is assured he may vse it at his plea∣sure whensoeuer he needeth, and shall be ayded with their meanes, by way of borrowing and otherwise, and also with their men, according to their power. Contrariwise if he would make himselfe maister thereof, he might be assured that these men, accustomed to [ B] libertie (which they extreamely loue) and full of vaine glorie, and richer in readie mo∣ney and moueables, than in possessions, forsaking their countrie would leaue the citie destitute of inhabitants; and by that meanes the great duke should lose the commoditie which now he receiueth by it.