A relation of ten years in Europe, Asia, Affrique, and America all by way of letters occasionally written to divers noble personages, from place to place, and continued to this present year / by Richard Fleckno.

IX. To the same from Genoa, Anno 45. (Book 9)

Of his Arival there. (Book 9)

Madamoiselle,

VVith good Reason I imagined my Voyage by Sea would prove as for∣tunate as my journie by Land, having you for Patronesse of either; We having past with favourable Wind, and prosperous Navigation from Marseilles hither, frighted only a little with Pirats on our way, which necessitated us to put in at Monaco, where for some foure or five dayes during my Residence there, the Prince did me the honour to lodge me in his Pallace, being a great Vertuoso, and not only a great Lover of Musick, but an excellent Mu∣sitian. He is really a Prince very noble and generous, deserving a far greater Principality, it being only a Rock or Promontory into the Sea, some mile about, o'•• look'd by Horrid Cliffs, hanging like Clouds or Tempests in the air, threatning each moment to fall upon their heads. It has a pretty Port, capable of some twenty Ships and Galleys, which is his chief∣est Revenue, every Ship paying some 3 Crowns for Anchorage; yet is his Pallace magnificent∣ly built, a••' Italian, and richly and nobly furnish'd. And so much for Monaco. From

whence I imbarqu'd for Genoa in the Princes own Faluque, all the strand of Genoa for more than •• hundred mile seeming but one continu∣ed Town, allowing the interjacent Mountains and Valleys for Gardinage, planted with all sorts of delicious fruit, Oranges and Limmons amongst the rest, in so great abundance, as their flowers perfume the Sea all the way you passe along. Ariv'd at last at St. Pietro d' 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the Suburbs of Genoa, you would ima∣gine that Architecture had install'd there all the ra••ities of its Art, and given the last proof o•• i••s excellency, it being a Seminarie of Palla∣••es; no one plot in the world, for its bignesse, being able to shew so many and so stately, 〈…〉〈…〉. From thence passing by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 po••t into the Town, first thing you admire f••r 'tis Admirable all) is its Mole or Wall, forc't all along into the Sea to secure the Haven, rampir'd with whole Rocks thrown in at foot thereof, to break the fury of the waves, in beholding which, you would imagine, that as the Giants formerly pil'd Mountains on Mountains to scale the Heavens: so▪ these threw one upon another to penetrate the Abysse. Next prospect that takes your eyes, is that of the Pallace of the Duke ••'or••••, fron∣ting the Haven with its Gardens, and Collose∣an Statuas, making a glorious shew. Whence you passe onward towards the City, situated on rising ground, all built of white Stone, ma∣king a fairer shew without, than it does with∣in,

by reason of the narrownesse of the streets. Here I no sooner ariv'd, and had ta'n up mine Inne, but the Marquis Philippo Palavicino fetcht me straight away from thence, and lodg'd me in his Pallace, I easily imagining upon whose accompt it was, when that Night at Supper the Marquesse his Mother drank a health to all the Flandres Ladies, as he him∣self did afterwards, in a solemn Entertainment he made for me aboard one of the States ships in the Harbour, together with divers other noble Gen••ueses, where whilst he drank your health, Ecco reported to Land & Sea, the Fame of the Flandres Ladies, and the Canon unto the skies; 'twere infinite to tell you all my Entertainments here, all (Ladies) to expresse his Gratitude unto you, as I in Gratitude to him am oblig'd to let you know. One thing I observ'd here, that whilst they glory in being a free Estate, even to have Libertas written on the Arms of the Commonwealth, the Nobili∣ty notwithstanding abuse the Common people at pleasure, they having onely the Liberty to hang themselves, if they please, for other Li∣berty they have none. Whence I see 'tis but a meer cheat this Popular Liberty, the Inchant∣ment of the vulgar, and G••ugaw they pro∣mise Children, to make them good Boyes; yet 't has been, and ever will be the madnesse of the Common people to goe in quest of it, as Don Quixote did of his Dulcinea, or Sancho Pansa of his imaginarie Iland or Government,

which, just like your floating Ilands, slips away from you, when you think to set foot on it, and so eludes your imaginary possession, which those who govern them well understanding, they alwaies delude them with that specious name, when in reality there is no such thing at all, the true liberty of the people only consist∣ing in being well commanded, and the Magi∣strates in being well obeyed: From whence results the perfect Harmony of Kingdoms and Commonwealths, which then is disaccorded, when the one deflects to Tyranny, and the o∣ther to Riot and Licentiousnesse, the one a∣busively call'd Absolute Domination, and the other Liberty: From whence finally results those two Extreme mischiefs of all Estates, by Fronto wisely observ'd to be equally dange∣rous, where all things are lawfull, or where nothing is. But enough of this discourse: and to conclude with Genoa, their Churches here are most of them richly guilt, Marble being their vildest material, their Musick very good, but that of their Comedys excellent. I ariving here just at the overture of their Theater. By my next, Madamoiselle, I shall have the ho∣nor to write unto you from Rome; towards which to morrow is going,

Madamoiselle,

Your, &c.