Cosmographie in four bookes : containing the chorographie and historie of the whole vvorld, and all the principall kingdomes, provinces, seas and isles thereof / by Peter Heylyn.

5. SWITZERLAND

NExt unto Wallisland lyeth the Country of the SWITZERS, having on the East, the Grisons, and some part of Tirol, in Germany; on the West, the Mountain Jour, and the Lake of Geneve, which parts it from Savoy and Burgundy; on the North, Suevia or Scwaben, a∣nother Province also of the upper Germany; and on the South, Wallisland and the Alpes, which border on the Dukedom of Millain.

The whole Country heretofore divided into three parts onely, that is to say, 1 Azgow, so called from the River Aaz, whose chief Town was Lucern. 2 Wislispurgergow, so called from Wiflispurg an old Town thereof, the chief City whereof is Bern. And 3 Zurichgow, so named from Zurich, both formerly and at this present the Town of most note in all this Tract; but since the falling off of these Countries from the house of Austria, divided into many Cantons and other members; of which more anon.

It is wholly in a manner over-grown with craggy Mountains, but such as for the most part have grassie tops, and in their bottoms afford rich Meadows, and nourishing pastures, which breed them a great stock of Cattell, their greatest wealth. And in some places yeelds plenty of very good Wines, and a fair increase of Corn also, if care and industry be not wanting on the Husband-mans part, but neither in so great abundance as to serve all ne∣cessary uses, which want they doe supply from their neighbouring Countries. And though it stand upon as high ground as any in Christendom, yet is no place more stored with Rivers, and capacious Lakes, vvhich doe not onely yeeld them great aboundance of Fish, but serve the people very vvell in the vvay of Traffick to disperse their severall Commodities from one Canton to another. Of which the principall are, Bodensee, and the Lake of Cell, made by the Rhene; Genser see, or the Lake of Geneve, by the Rhosne; Walldstet see, and the Lake of Lu∣cern, made by the Russe; Namonburger and Bieter sees, by the Orbe; and Zurich see, by the Ri∣ver of Limat, or Limachus.

It is in length two hundred and forty miles, an hundred and eighty in bredth: conceived to be the highest Countrey in Europe (as before is sayd) the Rivers which do issue from it running thorow all quarters of the same, as Rhene thorough France and Belgium, North; Po, thorough Italie to the South; Rhodanus, thorough part of France to the Western Ocean; and the Inn, which falllng into the Danubius passeth thorow Germany and Hungary into Pontus Euxinus.

And as the Country is, such are the Inhabitants, of rude and rugged dispositions, more fit for Arms than any civill occupations, capable of toyl and labour, which the necessities of their Country doth inure them to, not able otherwise to afford them an hungry livelyhood: the poverty whereof makes them seek for service, which they shift and change according as they like the conditions of their entertainment; and having no way to vent their superfluous numbers by Navigation, are able to spare greater multitudes to a Forein War, than a man would easily imagine. In a word, the people are naturally honest, frugall, and industrious, impartiall in the administration of Justice, and great lovers of Liberty.

In matters of War, they were once of such a reputation, on the defeats given by them to Charles of Burgundy, that no Prince thought himself able to take the field, or stand his own

ground in defence of his Dominions; if he had not Switzers in his Army: And to advance their reputation, the Wars which followed in Italie about the Dutchy of Millain, served ex∣ceeding fitly. For being borderers on that Country, they could be hired better cheap by the French or Spaniard than any Army could be brought out of France of Spain. And having had some good successes to increase their fame, they grew so terrible at last, that the Spaniards in the War of Guyen were more affraid of one band of Suisse, than of all the rest of the French Army. But being found withall to be salse and treacherous, and easily bought off by the better purse (which they most evidently discovered in betraying Duke Lodowick Sforze, who had put himself and his estate into their hands) and those Italian Wars growing unto an end, they did decay so fast in their reputation, that first the neighbouring Princes could doe well without them, and at last used them not at all, or at least very sparingly. And now it is their honour that they are chosen of the Gaurd to the French King, and the Popes of Rome, and the Dukes of Genoa; and that the greatest Princes of Europe give them yearly pensions. Which pen∣••••ons were given heretofore to be assured of their ayd upon all occasions, but now to keep them from engaging on the other side.

For matter of Religion, it is proportionably mixt, some of the Cantons being wholly Po∣pish, some wholly Protestant; in others both Religions used promiscuously. At first the diffe∣rences were so eagerly pursued on both sides, that notwithstanding the mediation of some po∣tent neighbours, it broke out into a Civil War; the Cantons of Switz, Uren, Underwald, Lueern, and Zug (which the Latin Writers of this story call the Quinquepagici) arming against Urich, Bern, and others which adhered to Zuinglius. In the beginning of which War, the Protestant party was discomfited, Zuinglius himself slain in the head of the battell, and his body burnt: his heart remaining in the middest of the fire, whole and untouched (as Arch-bishop Cranmers also did) when all the rest of his body was consumed to ashes. But those of the Reformed party would not so give over: Another field they fought for it, and therein had the better of the adverse party. Wearied at last with these reciprocall defeats, they agreed the business, indulging each to other the free exercise of their own Religions. So it continueth at this day, diversitie of opi∣nions not drawing them from a due care of the publick interesse, nor giving any inter∣ruption to that bond of peace vvhich was so firmly knit amongst them in their first confe∣deracies.

Now for the body of their State, it consists of three distinct parts, or members, which are to be considered in this discourse; viz. the Swisse themselves, the Praefectures which are sub∣ject to them, and the States that are confederate with them. The Swisse are subdivided into thirteen Cantons, that is to say Swits, Uren, Underwald, Lucern, Zug, Bern, Zurich, Basil, Fri∣burg, Soloturn, Apenzel, Glaris, and Schaffhausen. These properly make the body of that Com∣monwealth; enjoying many rights privileges and preheminences which the others do not, as power to determine of war and peace, to dispose of the Prafectures, and divide amongst them∣selves the spoyl of the Enemy. The first confederacy was made betwixt the Cantons of Switz, and Underwald, An. 1315. Of which the Switz being the most potent, the most exasperated, and that which did most hotly prosecute the combination, gave to the rest the name of Switzers. Lu••ern was added to the three, An. 1332. Zug, Zurich, and Glaris, came not into the confede∣racy till the year 1351; nor Bern untill the year next after. Friburg and Soloturn came in An. 1481. Basil and Schaffhausen united with them in the year 1501. So that there passed within little of two hundred years from the first beginning of these Leagues to the finishing of them.

The second Member of this body are the Towns and States Confederates with them for the preservation of their common Liberties, viz. the Town and Abbot of Saint Gall, the Towns of Rotwell, Mulhasen, Nuwenberg, and Biel, situate on the Lake thence named; of which the first belonged heretofore to the Earls of Longeville in France, the latter to the Bi∣shops of 〈◊〉〈◊〉; with the City and Signeury of Geneva: And of these, Rotwell and Mulhasen are confederate with all the Cantons, the rest with some particulars only. The Abbot of Saint God first entered into League with Zurich, Lucern, Switz, and Glaris, for the preservation of his ••and•• and Towns then revolting from him: and the Town following his example, confederated with Zurich, Bern, Switz, Lucern, Zug, and Glaris, the better to preserve themselves from the power of their Abbot, who was before their naturall and immediate Lord. This was in Anno 1452. Rotwell and Mulhausen two Imperiall Towns in the Province of Schawben confederated in a perpetuall League withall the Cantons, the first An. 1515. the other An. 1519, N••venberg, B••el, and Geneva, with Bern only.

As for the Praefectures of the Switzers, they are such lesser parcels and addiments as have accrewed to their Estate, and are subject unto their authority, either by gift, purchase, or the chance of war: some lying in Switzerland it self, some amongst other parts of the Alpes, and some in Italie. These are the Towns and Countries of Baden, Brengarten, Millin∣gen, Rappensw••ll, Wagenthail, interposed here and there amongst the Switzers: the Town and Country of Sargans, lying amongst the Rhaetian Alpes, not far from the Grisons; and Rhineck, lying in a valley of the Alpes on the left shore of the Rhene, near the Lake of Constans; and fi∣nally

the vallies of Locarno, Magia, and Lugano, Mendrisio, and Belinzano, situate in and amongst the Alpes, near the Dukedom of Millain, to vvhich they formerly belonged. Of which the Praefectures of Baden and Mellingen appertain to the eight first Cantons: Wagenthall, the Sargans, and Rheineck to the seven first Cantons: Rappenswill to Uren., Swits, Underwald, Glaris, and Tur∣gow, unto the ten first Cantons; Belinzano to the three first only, and all the rest of the Italian Praefectures to the Cantons generally, excepting Apenzell, which was entred into the confede∣racy when these Praefectures were given unto the Switzers by Maximilian Sforza Duke of Millain, which was in An. 1513, some moneths before the taking in of Apenzel to the rest of the Cantons.

Such is the number of the Cantons, Praefectures, and States confederate, amongst all vvhich there are few Towns or Cities of any note: there being no City nor walled Town in the Can∣tons of Swits, Uren, Underwalden, Glaris, Apenzel, nor in any of the States confederate situate amongst the Switzers, but Saint Gall onely; nor in any of the Praefectures but that of Baden. So that the places worthy of consideration are not like to be many. Of those that are, the principall are, 1 Zurich, a large City, and a renowned University, situate on both sides of the River Limat, where it issueth out of the Lake called Zurich-See. It had antiently two Mo∣nasteries in it, in one of which Huldericus Zuinglius was a Canon, slain near this Town in the battell spoken of before, An. 1531. now giving name to the most honourable of the Cantons, to which belongeth the autority of summoning the generall Diets, as of those also of the Prote∣stants, the Legates thereof presiding in both Assemblies. 2 Friburg, situate on the River Sana, on the declivity of an uneven and rocky hill, founded by Bertold the fourth Duke of Zurin∣gen. 3 Solothurn, (the Solothurum of Antoninus) on the River of Aar, famous for the Martyr∣dom of S. Ursus, and his 66 Theban Souldiers, in the time of the Emperour Dioclesian. A Town of great Antiquity, but not so old by far as the people make it; who would have it to be built in the time of Abraham. 4 Basil, so called either of a Basilisk slain at the building of the City, or of the German word Pasel, signifying a path; or of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying Kingly. It was built An. 382, and is famous for an University founded by Pins the second, Anno 1459. It was made a Canton An. 1501; and is honoured with the Sepulchers of Oecolampadius, Eras∣mus, Pontanus, Glarienus, and Hottoman, the famous Civilian. In this City, An. 1431. vvas hold that notable Councill, wherein though the Papall authority was then at the height, it was decreed that a generall Councill was above the Pope. What was then enacted was immedi∣ately put in practise; the Councill deposing Pope Eugenius the fourth, and placing in his room Amadeus Duke of Savoy, afterward called Felix the fourth, who having held the See nine years in a time of Schism, did willingly, in order to the peace of Christendom, resign the Pope∣dom to Nicolas to fift, who had before been chosen by the opposite Faction. The City is great, rich, and populous, sometimes a Town Imperiall, still a Bishops See, the Bishop being subject to the Arch-Bishop of Besanson, in the County of Burgundie: seated upon the River Rhene (where it receiveth Weis and Byrsa, two lesser brooks) by which it is divided into the greater Basil lying towards France, and the lesser lying towards Germany. 5 Lucern, situate on both sides of the Russe, where it issueth out of the Lake of Lucern, so called from Lucerna, i. e. the Lan∣tern, which was placed here on an high Tower, to give light to Water-men in the night. A Ci∣ty well traded, and frequented by strangers, because the ordinary road from Germany into I∣talie, passing from hence thorow the Country of the Grisons; and in regard that the Diets for the Popish Cantons, which heretofore were held at Uren, are removed hither. Not far from this Town is the Mountain called Pilates hill, of Pontius Pilate, whose ghost (as the common people are made to beleeve) doth walk once a year on the banks of this Lake, in his Judges Robes. And to be sure the fiction shall not be confuted, they adde, that whosoever seeth him shall die that year. 6 Bern, compassed almost round with the River Aar, and taking up the whole ex∣tent of a little mountain: the houses of free-stone, neatly and uniformly built. A Town which gives name to the largest and most potent of all the Cantons, and one of the first which did embrace the Reformation, and the first of all which purged it self of Images, those excel∣lent Instruments of Superstition and Idolatry, defaced here in a popular tumult, An. 1548. 7 Lausanna in the Canton of Bern, a Bishops See, Suffragan to the Arch-Bishop of Besanson, seated on the banks of the Lake of Lemane, and compassed with mountains alwaies covered with snow, which open themselves on the East side onely, which is towards Italie. 8 Schaff∣hausen, the only Town of all the Cantons, which lyeth on the other side of the Rhene, of right belonging unto Suevia, or Scawben, a Province of Germany, and reckoned as a part thereof, be∣fore it was incorporated into this Confederacy.

Next for the Praefectures, and confederate States, they have not many Towns of note (except∣ing Rotwell, and Mulhusen two Imperiall Cities, which properly belong to another place.) Of those which be the principall amongst the Confederates, lying within the bounds of this Coun∣try, is the Town of Saint Gall (Sengall as they corruptly call it) an Imperiall City, situate amongst the Mountains near the Boden-Zee: A rich, populous, and well-governed Town, taking name from the Monastery of S. Gall, a famous Scot, and the Apostle of those parts, An. 630, or thereabouts; the Abbat of which having great possessions in this tract (before Apen∣zell, and this Town revolted from him) was a Prince of the Empire. The Anabaptists were once very prevalent here, insomuch that one of them cut off his brothers head in the presence

of his Father and Mother,* 1.1 and sayd (according to the humor of that sect, who boast much of dreams, visions, and Enthusiasms) that God commanded him so to doe. The principal amongst the Praefectures is the Town of Baden, or (to difference it from Baden a Marquisate in Germany) the Upper Baden, seated on a little Mountain near the River Limat, almost in the middle of the Countrey; and for that cause the place of meeting for the Councell of Estate of all the Con∣federates. It taketh name from the Bathes here being, two of which onely are publick, the rest in private houses: conscious, as it is thought, to much lasciviousness. For whereas it is said of Adrian, that Lavacra pro sexibus separavit; here men and women promiscuously Bath to∣gether; and which is worst, in private: where, as Munster telleth us, Cernunt viri uxores tracta∣ri, cernunt cum alienis loqui, & quidem solam cum solo; and yet are not any of them disturbed with jealousie. These Bathes are much frequented, yet not so much for health as pleasure. Their chiefest vertue is the quickning power they have upon barren women. But as the Frier; use to send men whose wives are fruitless, in pilgrimage to Saint Joyce, the Patroness of fruit∣fulness, and in the mean time to lye with their wives: so it may be with good reason thought, that in a place of such Liberty as this is, the lusty and young gallants that haunt this place, produce greater operation on barren women, than the waters of the Bath it self. No other Town of eminent note amongst the Praefectures of the Swisses, except Rheineck it self, the seat of the Governour for the Switzers, situate near the Lake of Constance: and none of any note at all amongst the Italian Praefectures, except Belinzana, and Locarno, neither of them containing 400 Houses, and those none of the handsomest.

Within the limits of this Country, and in that part thereof which was called Argow, con∣taining the now Cantons of Uren, Swits, Underwald, Glarona, and Lucern; with some of the ad∣joyning parts of Germany, and some part of the Dukedom of Savoy; did sometimes stand the famous and renowned Castle of Habspurg, from the Lords whereof the house of Austria, and most of the Kings and Princes of the Christian World doe derive themselves. First founded, as some say, by Ottopert the third Prince of this line, at or before the year 700, as others say by Rapato the sonne of Betzeline, about the year 1020. Situate on the River Aar (by the Latins called Arula) near a Town called Bruck; now so decaied, that there is no tracing of the ruins. Preserved in memory by the Lords and Princes of it, descended in a direct line from Sigebert the eldest sonne of Theodebert King of Mets or Austrasia; first setled in these parts by Clotaire the second King of the French, with the title, as some say, of Duke of Upper Almain (the Lower Almain being that which is novv called Suevia or Schawben, an adjoyning Province of Ger∣man••) Being soon weary of that empty, but invidious title, they were sometimes called Earls of Habspurg, by the name of this Castle; sometimes Earls of Altemburg, another Castle not far oft, of their own foundation. And after closing in with the Kings of Burgundie Transjurane, and the German Emperors, they received of them a great part of the Country of Argow, from which some of them were called Earls of Argow. Not known distinctly by the title of Earls of Habspurg, till the time of Rapato above-mentioned, when those of Altemburg and Argow became discontinued. Howsoever, we will here lay down the whole succession of this famous Family, either Earls, or the Progenitors of.

The Earls of Habspurg.

• 635 1 Sigibert, sonne of Theodebert King of Mets, by Clotaire the second of that name, French King, dispossessed of the kingdom of his Father, and afterwards by him indowed with a great part of those Countries which are now called Switzerland, with the title of Duke of Upper Almain.
• 2 Sigibert II. sonne of Sigibert the first, Duke of Upper Almain.
• 3 Ottopert, or Otbert, the sonne of Sigibert the second, the founder, as some say, of the Castles of Altemburg, and Habspurg, of which promiscuously called Earl.
• 4 Bebo, the sonne of Ottopert, the last Duke of Upper Almain, which title he exchanged for that of Earl of Altemburg, and Habspurg.
• 5 Robert, or Rother, as some call him, the sonne of Bebo, Earl of Altemburg.
• 766 6 Hertopert, the sonne of Robert, who added unto his Estate that part of Scwaben, or Suevia, which is called Brisgow.
• 7 Rampert, the sonne of Hertopert, who flourished An. 814, at what time he procured the Canonization of S. Trutpertus.
• 8 Guntram, the sonne of Rumpert, Earl of Altemburg.
• 9 Luithard, the sonne of Guntram.
• 999 10 Lunfride, the sonne of Luithard.
• 929 11 Hunifride, the sonne of Luitfride, who added unto his Estates the Territory now cal∣led Sungow, bordering on Alsatia, a Province of Germany; recovered after his decease by the Dukes of Scawben.
• 950 12 Guntram II. sonne of Humfride, the first who took unto himself the title of Earl of Argow: from whose second sonne named Berthilo, descended the Dukes or Earls of Zeringen, possessed of almost all Brisgow, and good part of Switzerland.
• ...

• 13 Betzo, or Betzeline, sonne of Guntram the second, Earl of Argow.
• 14 Rapato, sonne of Betzeline, the founder or repairer of the Castle of Habspurg, from whence both he and his successors were constantly called Earls of Habspurg. Great Grand-father, by Theodorick his youngest sonne, of Rodolph Earl of Rhinefelden, and Duke of Schawben, elected Emperor (at the instigation of the Pope) agains Henry the fourth.
• 15 Warner, by some called Berengar, or Berengarius, the sonne of Rapato.
• 1096 16 Otho, the sonne of Warner or Berengar.
• 1108 17 Warner II. sonne of Otho, enriched by the Emperor Henry the fourth, with some fair Estates belonging to the Dukes of Schawben.
• 18 Albert, the sonne of Warner the second, surnamed the Rich.
• 19 Albert II. surnamed the Wise, sonne of Albert the first, added to his Estates all the Upper Alsatia, which he had by the right of Heduigis his wife, daughter and heir of Simon, the last Earl thereof.
• 1238 20 Rodolph, the fortunate sonne of Albert the second, elected Emperor of the Romans, An. 1273. Of which he made so good advantage, that he added unto his Estates the great Dukedom of Austria, with all the incorporate Provinces thereunto belonging, and layd the first foundation of the Austrian greatness; of which more in Germany.

Having on the occasion of these Earles of Habspurg, beheld so much of the affairs of this Country, as related to that puissant and illustrious Family, let us go forward to the rest: first taking in our way the antient Estate hereof in the time of the Romans. At what time this whole mountainous tract, containing many severall Nations (some of them spoken of before) vvas comprehended under the generall name and notion of the Helvetii; the greatest and most po∣pulous of all the rest: so called, as Verstegan will have it, quasi Hil-Vites, or the Vites of the Mountains, to difference them from the Vites of the lower parts, inhabiting in that part of the Cimbrick Chersonnese, which is now called Juitland. Grown by long peace, and want of op∣portunity by traffick into forein parts, to so great a multitude, that the Country, barren of it self, was no longer able to maintain them, they set fire on their Towns and Houses, and with a generall resolution went to seek new dwellings. The totall number of men, women and children, which went upon this desperate action, are sayd to have amounted to the num∣ber of 3680000, whereof 900000 were fighting men. They had not long before overthrown L. Cassius a Roman Consul, slain the Consul himself, and sold his Souldiers for Bond-slaves: upon the apprehension of which good success, they thought no body able to withstand them: But they found Caesar of a stronger metall than L. Cassius. Who having stopped their passage by hewing down the bridge of Geneva, till he was grown strong enough to bid them battell▪ so wasted them in severall skirmishes and defeats, that they were forced to crave leave of him to go home again, and to rebuild those Towns and Villages which they had destroyed before this enterprise; which he upon deliverie of Hostages did vouchsafe to grant. It is conceived, that at the least two Millions of them perished in this journey, not so much by the sword (though that spared them not) as for want of necessaries. After this they continued Members of the Roman Empire, till conquered in the times of Honorius and Valentinian the third, by the Burgundians and Almans, betwixt whom divided, the River Russ parting their dominions. From them being taken by the French, it was made a part of the Kingdom of Burgundie; some parts first taken out, and given to the Progenitors of the Earls of Habspurg, as before was no∣ted. Given with the rest of that Kingdom to the Emperor Conrade the second, by Rodolph the last King thereof: parcelled out by the German Emperors (as their custom was) into divers States; most of the which were drawn in by the Dukes of Schawben, the Earls of Habs∣purg; and the Dukes of Zezingen; as afterwards in the fall of the one, and as heirs to the other, by the Dukes of Austria. But being at last over-burdened by the tyrannie of those Governors, whom the Dukes of Austria sent among them; seeing withall the Empire by the Popes Fulmina∣tions distracted into many Factions, and the Austrian Family weakned by a sub-division of that great Estate into many parcels; they contracted an Offensive and Defensive League amongst themselves for defeuce of their Liberty, into which first entred those of Switz, Uren, and Under∣walden, An^o 1316. Not all united into one Confederation till the year 1511, as before was noted. At their first beginning to take Arms, Frederick, one of the many Dukes of Austria (to whose share they fell) sent his sonne Leopald against them with a puissant Army; which they encountred with near S••mpuch, a village of the now Canton of Lucern, and there overthrevv him: but more by the convenience of those narrow passages, thorough which his Army vvas to march, than by any valour: In which it was no small help to them, that the waies were all so filled with Ice, that he was able to do no service with his Horse; and his souldiers so ama∣zed at the present difficulties, that the Confederates only casting stones on them from the tops of the Mountains, made them leap into the Lakes adjoyning.

Having thus cleared themselves of the Houses of Austria, they continued in a Free-Estate, but never came to any reputation by their valour, till the War which Charles Duke of Burgundy made against them, whom they discomfited in three set battels. A War begun on very small

occasions, and less hopes: the Countrey being so barren, and the people so poor, that their Ambassador to the Duke (as Comines reporteth) protested, that if all their Countrey-men were taken, they would not be able to pay a ransom, to the value of the spurs and bridle-bits in his Camp. Certainly at that time they were so poor, that they knew not what riches was; for ha∣ving won the first battell at Granson (the other two were those of Morat and Nancie) one of the goodliest Pavillions in the World was by them torn into peeces, and turned into breeches and side-coats: divers silver plates and dishes they sold for a French Sous (each Sous a little more than an English penny) supposing them to be but pewter; and a great Diamond of the Dukes, which was the goodliest Jewell in Christendom, was sold to a Priest for a Guilder; and by him again to some of the Lords of the Country for three Franks. After their valour shevved in these battels, Lewis the 11. took them into pension, giving them yearly forty thousand Crown••, viz. twenty thousand to the Cities, and twenty thousand to particular persons; and bowed so much beneath the Majesty of the most Christian King, as to term himself one of the B••u••∣gesses of their Corporation; and to contend with the Duke of Savoy, which of them should be held for their first Allie. By these arts, and the nearness of their Forces for those occasion••, he wrested Burgundie out of the hands of Mary the daughter of Charles; and Lewis the twelfth won Millain from Ludowick Sforze, whom they perfidiously betrayed, as was said before. Upon the merit of these services, they required an Augmentation of their pensions; which when this Lewis the twelfth denied, they withdrew themselves from the Amity of the French, and entred into the service of Pope Julio the second, who therefore stiled them the Defenders of the Church, An. 1510. The fruits of which entertainment was the defeat of the whole forces of King Lewis, and the loss of Millain, into which Maximilian Sforze, the sonne of Ludowick was solemnly re-instated by the Confederates: who to oblige the Switzers more firmly to him, gave them those Towns and Vallies in the Alpes of Italy (formerly members of that Dukedom) which now belong unto the Switzers, reckoned amongst the Praefectures of their Common∣wealth. Francis the first, in pursuance of his claim to Millain, gave them a great and memora∣ble overthrow at the battell of Marignan; yet afterwards considering what damage his Realm had sustained by the revolt of these Auxiliaries to his Enemies, he renewed the Confederation with them, on condition that he should restore the antient pension of forty thousand Crowns; secondly, that he should pay unto them at certain terms, six hundred thousand Crowns; third∣ly, that he should entertain four thousand of them in his pay continually; fourthly, that for the restoring of such places as they had taken from the Dutchy of Millain, he should give unto them thirty thousand Crowns; fiftly, that he should give them three moneths pay before-hand; fixtly and lastly, that Maximilian Sforze, whom they had estated in Millain, and were now go∣ing to dispossess, might by the King be created Duke of Nemours, endowed with twelve thou∣sand Frankes of yearly revenue, and maried to a daughter of the blood royall. On these con∣ditions, as honourable to them as burdensom to the King, was the League renewed An. 1522: since which time, they have obtained, that six hundred of their Country are to be of the French Kings Guard: five hundred of which wait without at the gates of the Court; the other hun∣dred in the great Hall. And yet the French Kings did not so ingross the Market though they raised the price of the commodity, but that all other Princes might have them also for their money: the Kings of Spain and others bidding fair for them, but never going so high as the French had done. At last, upon the differences which gr••w amongst themselves in point of Religion, they grew to be divided also in point of Pension: the Popish Cantons taking pensions of the Pope and the King of Spain, the Protestants of the French, the mixt of both, and all of the Venetians. By which means, being bribed and corrupted by all, they came in very lit∣tle time to be trusted of none. Which sudden sinking of that fame and reputation which they had attained to, together with the reasons of it, that notable Statesman and Historian Guicci∣ardine doth describe, as followeth:

The name (saith he) of this wild and uncivill Nation hath got great honour by their concord, and glory by Arms. For being fierce by nature, in∣ured to War, and exact keepers of Milltary discipline, they have not onely defended their own Country, but have won much praise in forein parts, which doubtless had been greater, if they had sought to inlarge their own Empire, and not for wages to inlarge the Empire of others; and if nobly they had propounded unto themselves any other ends than he gain of mony, by the love whereof being made abject, they have lost the opportunity of becomming fearfull to Italy. For since they never came out of their confines but as mercenarie men, they have had no publick fruit of their Victories: but by their covetousness have become intolle∣rable in their exactions where they overcame, and in their demands with other men; yea, at home froward and obstinate in their conclusions, as well as in following their commands under whose pay they serve in War. Their chief men have pensions of severall Princes to favour them in their publick meetings: and so private profit being preferred before the good of the publick, they are apt to be corrupted, and fall at discord amongst them∣selves, with great lessening of the reputation which they had gotten amongst strangers.

So he, relating the affairs of the year 1511, which the following issue of affairs hath fully verified.

As for the Government of this State, it is meerly popular, and that not only in the particular

Cantons, but the aggregate body of their Counsell: the Gentry and Nobility being either root∣ed up in those long Wars which were betwixt them and their Vassals, justly provoked by those intollerable pressures and exactions which they layd upon them; or else worn out of memo∣ry and observation, for want of sway and suffrage in the Counsels of the Common-wealth. On∣ly in Schaffehausen, Basib, and Zurich, are some Gentry left, not capable of any place or suffrage in the Senate of the said Cantons (from which they are excluded by the common people, be∣cause they joyned not with them in their first revolt) unless they waive their Gentry, and be en∣rolled amongst the number of Plebeians. The rest they have (it seemeth) in so poor esteem, that Porters and Mechanicks of the meanest Trades, in all occasions of War are numbred with, and amongst these Gentlemen, making up one society onely, and joyning with them in electing the Master of their company, who is one of the Senate. But because that every Canton hath its proper Magistrates, but more or fewer, according as it is in greatness, or in the number of its severall Resorts, or sub-divisions; it will not be amiss to shew what number of Resorts are in every Canton; that is to say, in Underwalden only two, in Switz six, in Uren ten, in Zug five, in Glaris or Glarona fifteen, in Apenzel six, in Lucern seven, in Solothurn no more than one, in Fr••burg ninteen, in Basil and Schaffhausen but one a peece (the Cantons there and in Solothurn, reaching but little further than the Towns themselves) in that of Znrich thirty one, and thirty in that of Bern; in all, one hundred forty and eight. Of these consists the body of this Common∣wealth. In ordering whereof, every particular Canton hath its proper Magistrate, chosen by the commonalty of that Canton (whom they call the Wuaman) together with a standing Coun∣sell assistant to him, chosen out of the people, for the directing and disposing of their ovvn affairs; which meet and sit in the chief Town or Village of that District. But if the cause con∣cern the Publick, then every Canton sendeth one or more Commissioners to the generall Diets, where they determine of the business which they meet about, according to the major part of the Votes: the Commissioners of every Canton having one Vote only, though many may be sent from each, to adde the greater weight to their consultations. The place of meeting is most commonly at the Town of Baden, in respect of the commodity of the Inns and houses, the pleasant situation, and famous Medicinall Bathes; and because it is seated in the very cen∣ter of Switzerland, and subject to the eight first Cantons. And here they do determine of War, Peace, and Leagues; of making Laws; of sending, receiving, and answering Ambassa∣dors; of Governments, and distributing the publick Offices; and finally of difficult causes, and Appeales referred unto the judgement of the great Counsell. In which the City of Zu∣rich, chief of the Cantons, hath the first place, not by antiquity, but dignity, and of old custom hath the greatest authority of calling together this Great Counsell, signifying by Letters to each Canton, the cause, time, and place of meeting; yet so, that if any Canton think it for the publick good to have an extraordinary meeting of their Commissioners, they write to them of Zurich to appoint the same. That which the greater number do resolve upon, is without delay put in execution.

The Forces of these Suisse consist altogether of Foot, Horse being found unserviceable in the••e Mountainous Countries. And of these Foot, Boterns reckoneth that they are able to raise sixscore thousand. Which possibly may be true enough, if it be understood of all that be able to bear Arms. For otherwise de facto, the greatest Army that ever they brought into the field, consisted but of one and thirty thousand men, which was that wherewith they aid∣ed the confederate States of Italie against the French, and restored Maximilian Sforze to the Dukedom of Millain. Their ordinary standing Forces are conceived to be sixteen or seventeen thousand, which they may bring into the field, leaving their Towns and Forts well furnish∣ed. And for their Revenue, it is not like to be very great, considering the poverty of their Country, and their want of traffick with other Nations. That which is ordinaery and in com∣mon, ariseth out of the Annuall pensions which they receive from Forein States, the profits a∣rising out of their Dutch and Italian Praefectures, the Impost layd on Wines sold in Taverns, and Corn used by Bakers, and the rents of a dissolved Monasterie called Kings field (or Conings field) because many Kings and Queens have been cloystered there, amounting to forty thou∣sand Guldens yearly. Which Monastery was built in the year 1380, in memory and honour of the Emperor Albertus slain by his Nephew at Santback, not far from Basil. Their extraor∣dinary doth consist of spoyles that be gotten in the War; which if it be managed in common, are divided in common; but if by two or three of the Cantons onely, the rest can claim no share in the booty gotten.

But this is only in relation to the Switzers themselves. For otherwise taking in the Confe∣derate States, as well without, as within the bounds of that Country, they are able to raise fifty or threescore thousand men: that is to say, the Switzers themselves seventeen thousand, the Gri∣sons ten thousand, those of Wallisland six thousand, the Abbot and Town of S. Gall four thou∣sand, the City of Geneva two thousand, besides what Rotwel and Mulhusen, two Imperial Cities, are able to contribute towards it; the Dukes of Savoy being bound by their antient Leagues to ayd them with six hundred Horses at his own charges; besides two thousand six hundred Crowns in Annuall pensions. But the Revenue of those States is ordered by it self a part, and never comes within the computation of the publick; unless it be one the repulsing of a com∣mon

Enemy,* 1.2 in which they are equally concerned. In which case, and others of a generall interesse, they communicate both heads and purses: the Delegates and Commissioners of all the States of this Confederacy, meeting together to consult of the common cause, which meeting they entitle the Greatest Counsell. But this is very seldom held, publick affairs being generally ordered by the Commissioners of the Switzers only: though they themselves disclaim that name of Switzers as too mean and narrow, and call themselves Eidgenossen, that is to say, Par∣takers of the sworn Leagues. More of this Common-wealth he that lists to see, may satisfie him∣self in Simler, who purposely and punctually hath described the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Switzer∣land.
• * 1.2

  Grisons.