An accurate description of the United Netherlands, and of the most considerable parts of Germany, Sweden, & Denmark containing a succinct account of what is most remarkable in these countries, and necessary instructions for travellers : together with an exact relation of the entertainment of His Most Sacred Majesty King William at the Hague / written by an English gentleman.

A DESCRIPTION OF HOLLAND: With some Necessary DIRECTIONS FOR Such as intend to Travel through the Province of HOLLAND, GERMANY, &c.

AS they that confine themselves to their own Country, have not the opportunity to see and observe Rarities in other Parts of the World; so, such as go into Foreign Places, rather Wander at Random, than Travel, who have not the Curiosity to commit to Me∣mory or Writing such Things they meet with, both for their own and others Satisfa∣ction,

as may demonstrate the Fruits of their Travels.

I confess, all Travellers are not of alike Temper; some delight themselves in Con∣templation of the Curiosities of Arts; some are taken with the Varieties of the Works of Nature; others speculate, with a kind of Re∣verence, the Decays and Ruins of Antiquity; others studiously inform themselves with the Transactions of Modern Times; others with the Government and Polity; others speculate the strange Cust•••••• and Fashions of the Pla∣ces they pass through; to be short, every one labours to entertain the Reader with those Objects and Rarities of Foreign Parts his Ge∣nius and Inclination is most affected with.

As to my self, although during the space of 16 Years Travel, I might have enlarged, ac∣cording to the Curiosity and Opportunity I have had in the rehearsal of many rare and exquisite Things very observable; yet my chief Aim was, to make such Remarks as might most contribute to the common Good of Human Society and Civil Life, in taking notice of the Government and Polity of the several States and Dominions where I have been, viz. The United Provinces, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and other Countries, whose natural Temper and Disposition seemed to me most to sympathize with our English Nation, and thereby have an occasion to do some good to my own Country. Expect

not, Reader, a like punctualness, as to all the forementioned places, because very many things, which I might have observed, are much agreeing, and so may be referred to what shall be spoken of the Polity and Go∣vernment of Holland, which, for Reasons I shall by and by hint at, is the chief End I aimed at in this Treatise.

We will begin then in the first place with the Commonwealth of Holland, and Domi∣nions of the States General, which thô for some years were in a declining condition, and their Forces exceedingly weakened, by rea∣son of that fatal War it managed against Eng∣land, France, and the Bishop of Munster, unto which, if we add the intestine Divisions of those two Factions, the Prince of Orange and Lovestein, that Politick Body, was so totter'd and torn, as did threaten its utter and total Ruine.

But as Bodies, whether Natural or Politick, after that a violent Fit hath ••ore shaken, dissi∣pated, and exhausted their Spirits, may reco∣ver vigor, and look lively again, if so be the Radical Constitution and Natural Temper be not wholly changed and depraved; even so this Commonwealth of Holland hath visibly recovered Strength again, and attained its former Force and Lustre.

We will therefore make some Remarks, as to the Defects and Failings (observed not only by me, but also by others) which that

famous Commonwealth hath of late years been guilty of; which I shall do not out of any Malice, or design of Reflection, the in∣tention of writing this Treatise being simply to insert those Defaults which the wisest of Authors have always judged necessary, not only for the Reformation of this, but of all States whatsoever.

This Commonwealth of Holland hath wor∣thily been the Wonder of all Europe during this last Age, and perhaps not to be parallell'd in the Records of former Times; for if we consider how many years it was assaulted by the then most Potent Prince of Europe, who aspired to no less than the Universal Empire; and that how formidable soever he were, yet they not only maintained their Pretensions, but with uninterrupted Prosperity and Suc∣cefsfulness adva••••ed their Trade, and spread their Conquests in all the four Parts of the World.

Rome it self, though most famous and vi∣ctorious, yet could not, as is be••ieved, in so short a time do what by this Commonwealth hath been effected. In India and Africa they soon forced the Spaniard and Portugueses to yield to them most of their Trade and Pos∣sessions: And thô England put in for a share, yet they were a long while vigorously op∣posed by the Dutch, and to this hour have enough to do to keep what they have got∣ten; so that in less than 100 years this Com∣monwealth

by their Industry, and Art in Trading, are become so excessive Rich and Potent, that they began to Insult, and would needs be Arbitrators to their Neighbouring Princes and States, and encroach upon their Territories and Dominions.

This drew upon them that fatal War be∣fore-mentioned, by which they were sorely weaken'd and brought so low, that except GOD by a more than ordinary Providence had protected and appeared for them, they had certainly been ruinated, and never able to recover themselves again; however, their Pride hereby was much abated: And as Luxury and Lasciviousness are the sad Effects of Prosperity, as well as Pride; so such Vices in a Body Politick and Commonwealth as do corrupt the Radical Humours, by abating the Vigour of the Vital Parts, do insensibly tend to the Consumption and Decay of the whole.

That this Commonwealth hath much re∣covered its Strength, may clearly appear, if we consider what great Things they have ef∣fected since the little time they have enjoyed Peace: They have in less than 7 Years built about 40 gallant Ships of War; They have laid out vast Sums of Treasure in refortifying Narden, Maestricht, Breda, the Grave, and many other Places; They have paid vast Sums of Money to their Allies for their Auxiliary Troops, as also 200000 l. Sterling to the King of England to Enjoy their Peace with him. And

besides all this, their Encrease in Riches and Power may be guessed at, by the many stately Houses built within these 5 Years in Amster∣dam, Rotterdam, and other Places; to all which we may add, to what excessive height the Actions of the East and West-India Company are risen, and the Obligations from the States are so esteemed as to Security, that they can get as much Mony as they please at 2 per Cent. Not to speak of the exceeding Encrease of their Subjects, occasioned by the French King's Tyranny against the distressed Protestants in France, Alsace, and other parts of his Con∣quests; neither will we speak of other Signs of the Encrease of this Commonwealth, as not judging it convenient to commit them to Paper, but will now proceed to shew the Method of Living and Travelling in the Dominions and Places of the States, which, if you do well consider, you may see how happy and easy the Government of England is, above that of other Nations.

The Briell in Holland is the usual place where the Pacquet and King's Pleasure-boats bring on such as come to see the United Provin∣ces; but of late Helvoet-Sluys is the place the Pacquet comes to, as being the more conve∣nient Port: Here be sure to furnish your self well with Money. From hence you take a Boat to Maesland-Sluys or Rotterdam, which, if you go in Company with others, will only cost you 5 Stivers; but if you take one for

your self, will cost 25 Stivers for Maeseland-Sluce, and a Ducatoon to Rotterdam: The fifth part of which goes to the States for a Tax, they call Passagie Gelt; and the other four parts are for the Boat-Men or Schippers, who also out of their Gains must pay a Tax to the States, so that by Computation you pay a fifth Penny to the States for your Tra∣velling either in Boats by Water, or in Wa∣gons by Land.

As you pass by Maseland-Sluce you will see a very fair Fishing Village, to which belong near Two hundred Herring Busses, but if you go by the way of Rotterdam you Sail by two old Towns, called Flardin and Schiedam: Yet let me advise you before you depart from the Briell, to take a serious view of it, as be∣ing the City which in Queen Elizabeth's time was one of the Cautionary Towns Pawned to England. The Briell had a Voice among the States, but by reason Rotterdam hath got away their Trade, by which having lost its former Lustre, is now become a Fishing Town only.

Rotterdam is the Second City for Trade in Holland, and by some is called, Little London, as having vast Traffick with England, inso∣much, that many of the Citizens Speak good English. There are in this City two consi∣derable Churches of English and Scotch: And how great a Trade they drive with the King of England's Subjects is evident, for in

the year 1674, at the opening of the Waters, after a great Frost, there departed out of Rotterdam 300. Sail of English, Scotch, and Irish Ships at once with an Easterly Wind: And if a Reason should be demanded, how it comes to pass that so many English Ships should frequently come to that Haven, It is easily answered, because they can ordinarily Load and Unload, and make returns to Eng∣land from Rotterdam before a Ship can get clear from Amsterdam and the Texel: And therefore your English Merchants find it Cheaper, and more Commodious for Trade, that after their Goods are arrived at Rotter∣dam, to send their Goods in Boats Landward into Amsterdam.

This City is Famous, as being the place where great Erasmus was Born, whose Statue of Brass stands erected in the Market-place: And although the Buildings here are not so superb as those of Amsterdam, Leyden, or Haerlem, yet the places worth the seeing, are, first, the great Church, where several Ad∣mirals lie stately Entombed; here you see their Admiralty, East-India, and Stadt-Houses, together with that called, Het Gemeen Lands Huis.

From Rotterdam you may for five Stivers have a Boat to bring you to Delft, but before you come thither you pass through a fair Village called Overschie, where the French and English Youths are trained up in Litte∣rature,

as to the Latin and Dutch Tongue, Book-keeping, &c. From thence in the same Boat you come to Delft which is Famous for making of Porceline to that degree, that it much resembles the China, but only it is not Transparent.

In Delft is the great Magazin of Arms for the whole Province of Holland: Their Churches are very large, in one of which are Tombs of the Princes of Orange, Admi∣ral Tromp, and General Morgans Lady, and in the Cloister over against the Church, you have an Inscription in a Pillar of Brass, shew∣ing after what manner William the First, that Famous Prince of Orange, was shot to Death by a Miscreant Jesuit, with his deserved Punishment.

Delft hath the third Voice in the States of Holland, and sends its Deputies unto the Col∣lege of the States General, and to all other Colleges of the Commonwealth. They have also a Chamber in the East-India Com∣pany, as shall be more largely spoken to, when we shall come to Treat of the State of the said Company.

From Delft you may by Boat be brought to the Hague for two Stivers and an half; which is accounted the fairest Village in the World, both for pompous Buildings, and the largeness thereof; here the Princes of Orange hold their Residence, as also the States General, and the Council of State; here you

have the Courts of Justice, Chancery, and other Courts of Law. Here you see that great Hall, in which many Hundreds of Colours are hung up in Trophy, taken from the Emperor, Spaniard, and other Po∣tentates with whom they have waged War. Their Council Chambers are admired by all that see them. Many fair Libraries they have belonging to particular Men. The Princes Palace is a most superb Building, and there are many costly Gardens adjoyn∣ing to the Hague, together with that to the Princes House in the Wood, in which House are in a large Hall the most rare and costly Pictures of Europe; there also are those Mag∣nificent and Unparalell'd Gardens of the ••••eer Bentham of Amesland and others. I might here speak of the splendor of His Majesties Court in Holland, of his Noble Virtues and Va∣lour, of the most Virtuous and Beautiful Prin∣cess his Royal Consort, but I dare not, least I should infinitely fall short of what ought to be, and which others have already done be∣fore me: And therefore leaving the Hague, I shall only tell you that from thence you may for seven Stivers have a Boat to bring you to Leyden. Leyden is a fair and great City, and the University is very Famous, there being continually in it 1000 Students from all parts, as Hungary, Poland, Germany, yea from the Ottomans Empire it self, who pretend to be Grecians, besides the English,

Scots, and Irish, who this year were num∣bred to be above 80.

The most remarkable Things here to be seen, I shall summarily set down: As the place called the Bergh, formerly a Castle belong∣ing to the Prince of Liege in Flanders: The Stadt-house, the University Schools, especially that of the Anatomy, which excels all the Anatomy Schools in the World, a Book of the Rarities whereof you may have for six Stivers; their Physick Garden, and the Pro∣fessors Closet are all Ravishing in rare Curi∣osities. But as to their Colleges, they are but two, and very small, not to be compa∣red with the smallest Halls in Oxford, neither have they any Endowments, their mainte∣nance being only from the Charitable Col∣lections of the Ministers of Holland; neither are any Students to remain longer there than till they attain the Degree of Batchelors of Art: One of the Curators being demanded by me, Why so Rich a Commonwealth as Holland is, did not Build and Endow Col∣leges after the manner of Oxford and Cam∣bridge; answered, They had not so many able and publick spirited Men as are in Eng∣land, and to deal plainly with you, said he, had we such Colleges, our Burghermasters and Magistrates would fill them with their own and their Friends Sons, who by leading a lazie and idle Life, would never become capable to serve the Commonwealth, and

therefore he judged it much better to put them to Pension in Burghers-Houses, leaving them to the care of the Professors, who are very diligent in keeping the Students at their Exercises, both at publick Lectures, and in their private Houses also, where they cause them punctually at their appointed Hours to come to their Examinations and Lectures, besides those they have in publick. Their Churches are rare, so are their Walks round the City, and the Fortifications very pleasing to behold. Here you have the River Rhine running through the City, and falling into it from Catwyck op Zee. Leyden is very Fa∣mous in History for the long Siege it held out against the Spaniard. From hence for 12 Stivers and an half you are brought to Haerlem by Water, being 12 English Miles.

Harlem is Famous, in that Costor one of their Burghers, first Invented the Art of Prin∣ting. This Costor being suspected to be a Conjurer, was fain to flee from Haerlem to Cologne in Germany, and there perfected his Invention, having in Haerlem only found out the way of Printing on one side of the Paper. The first Book he ever Printed is kept in the Stadt-house, for those that are curious to see it. Here is one of the fairest and largest Churches of the Seventeen Provinces, in the Walls whereof there remain to this day stick∣ing, Cannon Bullets, shot by the Spaniards during the Siege thereof. In this Church

are three Organs, as also the model of the three Ships that Sailed from Haerlem to Dami∣ater, seizing the Castle in which the Earl of Holland was kept a Prisoner, and brought him away to Holland: In the Tower of this Church hang two Silver Bells, which they also brought from thence, and now Ring them every Night at nine a Clock.

Haerlem is Renowned for making the finest Linnen Cloth, Tyffinies, Damasks, and Silk Stuffs; also Ribands and Tapes: They have Mills by which they can Weave 40 or 50 pieces at a time; they make the finest white Thread and Tapes for Lace in the whole World; their Bleacheries surpass all other whatsoever, their Waters whitening Cloth better than any in the Seventeen Provinces: They have a most pleasant Grove like a little Wood, divided into Walks, where on Sundays and Holy-days the Citizens of Amsterdam and other places come to take their pleasure. Haerlem is the Second City of Holland, and sends in Deputies unto all the Colleges of the Government. From hence you have a passage by Boat to Amsterdam for six Stivers, but when you are come half way, you must step out of one Boat to go into another, where you see a stately Palace, where the Lords, called Dykgraves sit; every one of these Lords hath his Apartment when he comes for the Concerns of the Sea-dykes and Banks: Here are also two large Sluces,

having Gates to let in or out Water from the Haerlemmer Meer. Near this place about Anno 1672, a part of the Sea-Bank was bro∣ken by a strong North-West Wind, drown∣ing all the Land betwixt Amsterdam and Haerlem, which cost an incredible vast Sum to have it repaired. They sunk in this Breach 400 small Vessels fil'd with Earth and Stones, for a Foundation to rebuild the Wall upon, and by unspeakable Industry and Charges at last repaired the Bank.

I come now to speak of Amsterdam, which having been the place of my abode for se∣veral years, I shall give a more large and punctual account thereof then I do of other Places: It is esteemed by Intelligent Men, the Second City in the World for Trade, and not inferiour to any in Wealth. Cer∣tainly Amsterdam is one of the Beautifullest Cities in the World, their Buildings are large, their Streets for the most part plea∣santly Planted with Trees, and Paved so neatly, as is to be found no where else in any Country, save in some of the Seventeen Pro∣vinces. And although, as I have already said, Amsterdam may justly be taken for the Second or Third City after London and Paris, yet it hath neither Court nor University as they have. And now in treating of all the Excellences and Virtues of Amsterdam, I shall not hyperbolize or flatter; for before I have done, you shall see, I shall also faith∣fully

declaim against the Evils, Mistakes, and Vices in it.

Amsterdam stands upon 1000 Morgans of Land, encompassed with a very strong Wall and Bastions most pleasant to behold, with a very large Gracht or Ditch for the defence of three parts of the City, the fourth being secured by an Arm of the Sea called the River Y, or (as the English Men corruptly call it) the Ty. There are 13 Churches in this City for those of the Reformed Religion (called Dutch Presbyterians) to meet and worship in, with two French, one High-Dutch, and one English, all Presbyterian Churches, who only are allowed Bells, and whose Mi∣nisters are maintained by the Magistrate. All these Churches or Congregations make up only a third part of the Inhabitants of the City. The Papists, who have 85 Houses or Chapels to meet in for their Worship, make another third part, and have a long Square of Houses for their Nuns to live in, who are not shut up in Cloisters, as in Papist Coun∣tries they are wont to do, but may go in and out at their pleasure, yea and Marry also, if they grow weary of a Nunnish Life. These Churches of the Papists have no Bells allow'd them, being look'd upon as Conventicles, and are many times shut up, and again opened at the Scout's pleasure. The other third part of the City is made up by Jews, Lutherans, Armenians, Brownists or English Independants,

Anabaptists, and the Quakers: None of which, as was also said of the Papists, have Bells al∣lowed them, but are accounted Conventi∣cles; and all that Marry amongst them must first be married by the Magistrate, and then (if they please) among themselves in their own Assemblies; neither are any of them admitted unto any Office in the Govern∣ment, but such only as are of the Reformed or Presbiterian Profession.

The Jews, who are very considerable in the Trade of this City, have two Syna∣gogues, one whereof is the largest in Chri∣stendom, and as some say, in the World; sure I am, it far exceeds those in Rome, Ve∣nice, and all other places where I have been. Within the Court-yard where their Syna∣gogue stands, they have several Rooms or Schools, where their Children are taught Hebrew, and very carefully (to the shame of Christians negligence) brought up and in∣structed in the Jewish Principles.

Amsterdam, for the wise Statesmen it hath produced, is said to be a second Athens; others make it the Storehouse or Magazine of Europe, for that it hath such great store of Corn, wherewith it furnishes many other Na∣tions. And secondly, for the exceeding great Magazine of Spices, which in ancient times the Venetians brought by Land, furnishing all Parts of Europe, but now is done by the East-India Company, which not only supplies

Europe therewith, but many places in the Indies also. Thirdly, It hath inconceivable Store of all manner of Provisions for War, insomuch, that England and divers other Nations send to Amsterdam to buy Arms, Buff-Coats, Belts, Match, &c. Yea, here are several Shop-keepers who can deliver Arms for four or five Thousand Men, and at a cheaper rate than can be got any where else; and this they can do by reason of their great Industry in the Ingrossing most of the Iron Works on the Rhine, and other Rivers, which run into Holland. Fourthly, Amster∣dam hath more store of sawed and prepared Timber for Shipping than can be found in any one Nation in the World; and this is the Reason why her Neighbor Town Sardam is made capable of Building Ships 20 per Cent. cheaper than they can do in England or France: So that both France, and Spain do many times buy them in Holland: As lately the King of Spain bought Ten Capital Ships of the two Brothers the Melts Mer∣chants in this City. Fifthly, Amsterdam is the Staple where the Emperor sells his Quick-silver, not only to the Spaniard, to use in his Mines in the Indies, but for the making of Cinoprium or Vermillion, with which Am∣sterdam furnisheth not only Europe, but ma∣ny places in the Indies.

Sixthly, Amsterdam is the Market where the French King bought his Marble for Ver∣sailles▪

[illustration]

THE STADT HOUSE OF AMSTERDAM

Chorus of Voices, it hath 52 whole Stops besides half Stops, and hath two rows of Keys for the Feet, and three rows of Keys for the Hands; I have had People of Qua∣lity to hear it Play, who could not believe but that there were Men or Women above, Singing in the Organ, until they were con∣vinced by going up into the Organ Room: The Second, Is such a large Carved Pulpet and Canopy as cannot be found elsewhere in the World: The Third, Is a Screen of Brass.

The Stadthouse, or Guild-hall of Amster∣dam, is deservedly admired and talked of by all the World, it is in Truth a most neat and splendid Pile of Building, and the Reader will not be displeased, I believe, if I enlarge 〈◊〉〈◊〉 little in its Description. This Noble Town-House then, is Built all of Free-Stone, ac∣cording to the Modern Architecture of the Corinthian Order, Adorned with Statues in Brass, and Carving in Marble by the best Masters of the Age. A Prospect whereof see in the following Figure. It is 282 Foot wide, 232 Foot deep, and 116 Foot high, besides the Tower. The Foundation is laid upon 13659 Piles of Wood driven into the Ground; the first Stone of it was laid Octo∣ber 28. 1648. In the middle over the Cor∣nish, and just before the Tower, is a very handsome piece of Carving in Marble of 82 Foot long, and 18 Foot high, wherein the City of Amsterdam is represented by a Wo∣man,

on whose Right Hand sits the God Neptune, with his Trident, and two Sea-Goddesses bring her the Fruits of the Earth. On her Left, two Naïdes present her with Laurels and Palms; and before her two Tri∣tons Dance and Sound their Horns. On the top of this stands an Image of Brass, repre∣senting Peace, and one on each side repre∣senting Providence and Justice, each Figure being 12 Foot high. And on the back part of the Building to answer, is such another piece of Carving, in Marble also, shewing the Grandeur and Commerce of the City; in the middle sits a Woman, having on her Head the Hat with Wings of Mercury; be∣hind her is seen the Masts and Sails of a Ship, and round about her lies all sorts of Mathe∣matical Instruments used in Sailing; at her Feet lie the two Rivers Y and Amstel, and on each side, the Inhabitants of the Four Parts of the World bring her their Fruits. Here likewise are placed three Images of Brass of the same bigness with the other; that on the top is an Atlas, bearing a very large Globe of Copper, on the right Hand, one representing Temperance, and on the left Justice. On each of the four Corners of the Building, over the Cornish, stand four Eagles of Brass supporting an Imperial Crown, all finely Gilt. In the middle is erected a very handsom round Tower, advanced a∣bout 50 Foot above the rest of the Building,

the Roof supported by Pillars, and adorned with Images; in it hang a very curious Chime of Bells, which at certain times be∣ing played on by a Person maintained for that purpose, afford a very agreeable Mu∣sick. So much for the out side. And now let us enter, which you may by Seven little Arched Doors, which let you into the Porch, from whence you enter the House by two large Gates, between which opening by Windows, (with Bars of Cast-Brass) to the Street, stands the Justice-Hall for Trial of Criminals, which is Adorned with many curious Carvings in Marble of Ingenious De∣vices, which would be too long to describe particularly. Below Stairs, within side, is kept the Office of the Bank, where the Merchants write off their Money, the Prisons both for Debtors and Criminals, the Guard Chamber where the Citizens keep the Head-Watch, and where the Keys of the City Gates are kept lockt up in a Chest every Night, and some other Offices. From hence you ascend by a handsome broad pair of Stairs, though not very light, into the Burghers-Hall, which is 120 Foot long, 57 Foot broad, and 98 Foot high, in the Floor whereof are inlaid in Marble the two Faces of the Terrestrial Globe, and that of the Coelestial, which ingeniously shews, as in a Map, the Situation of the Countries of the Earth, and the Constella∣tions

in the Heavens: Each of which Maps is 22 Foot Diameter. At the end of this Hall is the Scheepens Chamber, where are Tryed all Civil Causes between Man and Man, and in the Galleries (which go round two square Courts on each side the Hall, for convenience of Light) are the several Cham∣bers, or Offices, belonging to the Govern∣ment; as the Council Chamber, where 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Common Council of the City, who make Laws, choose the Burghermasters, and Scheepens, Deputies for the States, &c. The Burghermasters Chamber, who sit there daily to Administer the Government: The Bur∣ghermasters withdrawing Room: The Schee∣pens Extraordinary Chamber: The Trea∣sury Chambers, Ordinary and Extraordinary: The Chamber of Accounts: That of the Commissioners for Bankrupts: Another for the Commissioners for Tryal of small Causes, like our Court of Conscience: And one for the Commissioners of the Hospitals; with two or three more belonging to the several Secretaries, all which are beautified with fine Paintings, and ingenious Devices carved in Marble over the Door of each Chamber; to give a particular Description of which would take up a Volume, which is not agreeable to what I here pretend, these being only short Remarks to put young Travallers in mind of what is most worthy their Observation. I shall only therefore say in general, that it

is already a very noble, beautiful, and costly Building, and is a sufficient intimation of the Richness of the City, but should they finish it within side as they pretend, by Painting the Ceilings, and Facing the Walls with Marble, &c. it would make it incompara∣bly the finest and costliest in the World. Over these Chambers, in the second Story, is kept a large Magazine of Arms, which takes up one Angle of the Building, and is very compleatly Furnished; the Arms are all kept in Presses shut up, to avoid the in∣jury of the Weather; the rest of the House above is not used, or Furnished at all. One thing I must not omit, and that is, That there are Eight Cisterns of Water kept always full at the top of the House, which by Pipes may be let down into every Room, to quench any accidental Fire; and the Chimneys are all lined with Copper, the former Stadthouse having been Burnt down by Accident.

I shall now proceed, and speak of their Alms-houses, and of the Government of the Poor, of their Prisons, and Houses of Cor∣rection. This City is said to have 20000 Poor every day at Bed and Board. The Alms-houses are many, and look more like Princes Palaces than Lodgings for Poor Peo∣ple: First, there are Houses for Poor old Men and Women, then a large square Pa∣lace for 300 Widows, then there are Hos∣pitals for Boys and Girls, for Burghers Chil∣dren,

and for Strangers Children, or those called Foundlings; all these Boys and Girls have every Sunday, and other days of Wor∣ship, two Doites given them by the Fathers of these Houses, the which the Children put into the Deacons Bag when they gather for the Poor in the Churches: Then there is an Hospital for Fools, and a Bedlam: There are Houses where common Beggers, and Gamesters, and frequenters of Tap-houses are kept hard at Work: There is also a House called, the Rasp-house, where petty Thieves, and such as flash one another with Knives, such as beg with cheating Devices, Women with fained great Bellies, Men pretending to have been taken by the Turks, others that pretend Wreck at Sea, and such as Beg with a Clapper, or a Bell, as if they could not Speak or Hear, such as these are kept hard at Work, Rasping every day 50 pounds be∣tween two of them, or else are beaten with a Bulls Pissel, and if yet they Rebel, and wont Work, they are set in a Tub, where if they do not Pump, the Water will swell over their Heads: Then there is a House where Whores are kept to Work, as also dis-Obedient Children, who live Idle, and take no Course to maintain themselves; like∣wise Women commonly drinking themselves Drunk, and Scolds; all these sorts of Hospi∣tals, and Alms-houses are stately Buildings, richly Adorned with Pictures, and their

Lodgings very neat and clean. In some, of the Boys and Girls Hospitals there are 1500, in some 800, and in some 500 in a House; then they have Houses where a Man or a Woman may have their Diet, Washing, and Lodging for his Life, giving a small Sum of Money; these are called Brouders Houses. The Alms Children of this City are held in such Veneration and Respect, that a Man had as good strike a Burghermasters Child as one of them. These Children are permitted to Tra∣vel in any of the Treckscuts, or Passage-Boats, freely without Money: These Hospitals are Governed by Men and Women, as are of an unspotted Life, and reputed to be Rich, De∣vout, and Pious: It is very observable, that the Women govern their Women Hospitals, better than the Men do theirs; yea, it is a general Observation in this Country, that where the Women have the direction of the Purse and Trade, the Husband seldom prove Bankrupts, it being the property of a true Born Holland-Wife presently after Marriage, to apply her self wholly to her Business; but I forbear to say any more of the Dutch-housewives, for fear of displeasing our English Dames, not so much addicted, at least not so generally bred up to Industry; But to return to the Acts of Charity of Amsterdam, the which is so extraordinary, that they surpass all other Cities in the World, for they are daily and hourly giving to the Poor, every

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House in Amsterdam hath a Box hanging in a Chain, on which is Written, Think on the Poor, so that when any Merchant sells Goods, they commonly conclude no Bargain, but more or less is put in the Poors Box; these Boxes are lockt up by the Deacons, who once a quarter go round the City, and take the Money out of the Boxes. Then twice a Week there are Men belonging to the Hos∣pitals that go round the City, and ring a Bell at every House, to know what the Master or Mistriss of the House will give to the Box, who generally give not less than two Stivers. Then every first Wednesday of the Month, the Deacons in their turn, go round the City, from House to House, to receive what every House-keeper will give to the Poor, then on the Week before the Sacra∣ment is given, a Minister, with an Elder, goes round the City to every House where any Members of the Presbiterian Religion live, and there ask if any differences be in the Family, offering their Service to recon∣cile them; also to instruct and prepare such as are to receive the Sacrament: At this time a Minister may be seen to go into a Tap-house or Tavern, for which at another time he would be counted a Wine-Bibber, and the worst of Reprobates: At this time while these Ministers and Elders go about the Ci∣ty on their Visitations, the People take an occasion to give to the Poor. And here I

ought not to omit telling you of their great Charity to the distressed French Protestants, who are here in great Numbers. They main∣tain no less than 60 French Ministers, and unto many Handicraft Tradesmen, and makers of Stuffs, and Cloth, they lend Sums of Money, without Interest, to buy Work∣ing Tools, and Materials for their Work; but this is no other then they formerly did to the Poor distressed Protestants of Ireland and Piemont; and their Charity was not a little that they gave to Geneva towards the Buil∣ding their Fortifications; and here give me leave to tell you, what King Charles II. said of the Charity of Amsterdam, when the Duke of Lotherdal, hearing that the Prince of Orange's Army was not able to oppose the French from advancing so near to Amster∣dam, the Duke jearingly said, That Oranges would be very scarce in Holland, after Amster∣dam should fall into the French Hands to plunder. To which His Majesty said, That he was of Opinion, that God would preserve Amsterdam from being destroyed, if it were only for the great Charity they have for the Poor, the which put the Duke out of Countenance; I will say no more of their Charity, only this, that they leave no Stone unturned to bring Monies in∣to the Poors Stock; they make the Stage-players pay 80000 Gilders a year to the Poor; there is not a Rope-Dancer, Poppet-Player, or any of that sort of unnecessary Vermin which

frequent Fairs, but pay the third Penny to the Poor, which is carefully looked after, by placing an Alms-man at the Door of the Booths, to see that they cheat not the Poor of their share. I shall now in the next place say something of the Clergy, I mean those called, The States Clergy, for the States are absolutely Head of their Church; and when any Synod of Divines meet, two of the States are always present to hear that they debate nothing relating, or reflecting on the Go∣vernment, or Governors; if they do, pre∣sently the States cry, Ho la mij•• Heeren Pre∣dicanten, and if their Ministers meddle with any thing relating to the Government in their Pulpits, they send them a Brief, (which some call a pair of Shooes) to quit the City, and sometimes Imprison them to Boot; but if they behave themselves quietly and well, as they ought to do, they then are respected by the People as Gods upon Earth: They have a Form of Prayer sent them how they shall Pray for the States, and Stadholder, nor must they meddle with any other Reli∣gion in the Country, because all sorts are Tollerated, at least Connived at by the Ma∣gistrates. All those called the Presbiterian Ministers, or States Clergy, are obliged under a Forfeiture to have done Preaching and Praying by Eleven of the Clock in the Forenoon on Sundays, because then the Scheepens go to the Stadthouse, to Marry

the Jews, Papists, and Lutherans, and others that may not marry after the Calvinistical Form; and the reason why the States thus marry them first according to Law, is to ren∣der their Children Legitimate, but they may marry again afterwards as they please them∣selves: None may marry until they have made their appearance at the Stadthouse be∣fore the Lords; where, if the Parties be agreed, the Preachers marry the Calvinists, and the Scheepens marry all the rest, who dif∣fer from the Religion established by Law.

When one dies, the Friends dare not bu∣ry the Corps until it hath lain three days open in the Coffin, that the Friends and Re∣lations of the deceased may be satisfied that the Party hath not been murdered, or re∣ported to be dead when alive; after three days, the Corps must be brought to the Church before the Bell ceaseth tolling, which is at two, for if you keep the Body untill half three, then the Church Doors are lock'd, and for the first half hour must be paid 25 Gilders, and for the second 50, and so until six, then they may amerse you as much as they please.

There are many rich people who make that default on purpose, that they may have solemn occasion of giving to the Poor, as I knew once an English Merchant did.

The next thing I shall speak of, is the me∣thod which the States observe in ordering

their Maritime Affairs, one of the greatest Mysteries in their Government: The States General divide their Admiralty into Five Courts, which they call Chambers. The First is Rotterdam, (which is the Chamber call'd the Maese,) and hath the Admirals Flag.

Then Amsterdam, which hath the Vice-Admiral's Flag; and Zealand hath the Rear-Admiral's Flag; the other Two Chambers are those in North-Holland and Fricsland. Each of these Five Chambers have their Admirals, Vice-Admirals, and Rear-Admirals, apart from the States-Generals Flags; so that when the States have occasion to set out a Fleet of an Hundred Ships, more or less, every Chamber knows the number they must pro∣vide for their proportion, though in regard of its Opulency, Amsterdam frequently helps her Neighbours, and adds two, or more, Ships than their share comes to. These Cham∣bers have lately built 36 Men of War, and now are building of 7 more; and all this is done without noise, every one building their proportion: And they have admirable me∣thods in preserving their Ships when built, and their Magazines are in good order, eve∣ry Ship having an Apartment to lay up all its Equipage in; and at the top of their Ma∣gazines are vast Cisterns, which are kept constantly full of Water, having Pipes into every Apartment to let it down upon any

accident of Fire. And there is in their Ma∣gazines a Nursery Room, where a Woman keeps an Office, to feed at certain hours of the day a great number of Cats, which af∣terward hunt among the Stores for Mice and Rats. This great Magazine in Amsterdam was built in the time of Cromwell, in the space of 9 months and 14 days, in which time the Lords of the Admiralty gave the Workmen drinkgelt as they call it, to incou∣rage them to work more than at an ordina∣ry rate. At this time, the biggest Man of War the States had was the Amelia, in which the famous Admiral Trump was kill'd; she was a Ship of no more than 56 Guns, after∣ward made a Fire-ship. But the States quick∣ly discovered their want of great Ships, and therefore built, the same year 20 Men of War, from 50 to 80 Guns: But the great Ships built at Amsterdam, had like to have proved of no use, had not the ingenious Pensionary de Wit found out a device to carry them over the Pampus, betwixt those they call Water Ships.

The Admiralty have an excellent method in setting out their Fleets, they neither press Soldiers nor Seamen, all go voluntary at the beating of a Drum, each Captain providing Men and Provisions for his Ship, who, after they have received Orders from the Lords to the Equipage-Master to equip out their Ships, and receive the Provisions of War,

then the States send aboard each Ship a Chaplain, and Check-master, who take care of the provision of War, and see that the Seamen have the States Allowance, and wholesom Food: And great care is taken by the Lords, that both Captains and Seamen receive their Pay punctually for the time they are in the States Service: And for the incouraging their Seamen, there is plaistred on a Board, hanging by the Foremast, the several Rewards to such as either take or fire a Flag-ship, or take or sink any other Ship of the Enemies: Also what Pensions a wounded Seaman shall have, if maim'd or disabled in the States Service, &c.

The Lords of the Admiralty follow the same methods which the States-General ob∣serve, as to their Land Obligations, and go through this great Charge by the good Ma∣nagement of their Credit; for though it be true, that they are indebted great Sums of Money, yet they never want a Supply, nay, Moneys are often forced upon them by rich Merchants, who send in their Moneys, and only take the Admiralties Obligations, with which they afterward pay their Customs, when their Ships arrive, at which time the Admiralty allows them Interest for the time they have had their Money: And this is it that makes the Admiralties Obligations more valued than ready Money, for it saves the trouble of telling: And such is the Credit

of the Admiralty, that when they have oc∣casion for any Goods, the People strive to furnish them, and rather take their Obliga∣tions than Money, because they get Interest; and all other Assignments upon the Admi∣ralty are very punctually paid, and without Exchequer Fees; no they are Sworn Offi∣cers, who are forbid to receive any Monies for Fees, being contented with the Sallery they have of the States. And their methods used at the Custom-house for loading or un∣loading Ships are very easie, insomuch, that the Women generally have the charging and discharging the Ships at the Custom-house, which is a great Policy in the States to make Trade easie for the Encouragement of the Merchants: And the Admiralty are very grateful and generous unto their Comman∣ders; if any of their Admirals, or Captains are kill'd at Sea, and have done any consi∣derable Service, they then Eternize their Memories with lasting Trophies of Honour, as you may see by those Stately Monuments of Trump, Updam, de Ruiter, the Eversons, and others; nor are they sparing in bestow∣ing large Gifts and Pensions on the Widows, and Children of those as have served them Faithfully and Valiantly in the Wars, whilst the Treacherous and Cowards meet with the severity they deserve; I might here in the next place, inlarge and tell you of the excel∣lent methods they have in Building, and

preserving their Ships when Built, but I shall refer you to that excellent Peice written by the Heer Witsen on that Subject. And shall now in the next place say something of their Famous Company, called the East-India Company of the Netherlands; this Company is said to be a Commonwealth within a Commonwealth, and it is true, if you consi∣der the Soveraign Power and Privileges they have granted them by the States General, and likewise consider their Riches, and vast number of Subjects, and the many Territo∣ries and Colonies they possess in the East-Indies, they are said to have 30000 Men in constant Pay, and above 200 Capital Ships, besides Sloops, Ketches, and Yachts. This Company hath by their Politick Contrivances, and Sedulous Industry possessed themselves of many Colonies formerly belonging unto the Spaniards, Portuguises, and divers In∣dian Princes, and as good Christians have been at great Charge in Planting the Gospel of Christ in many parts there, Printing in the Indian Language Bibles, and Prayer Books, and Catechisms, for the Instruction of the Indians, maintaining Ministers and School-masters, to inform those that are Converted to the Christian Faith: And now, because I have said that this Company is so considerable, and as it were a Common∣wealth apart, I will demonstrate it to be so; first by their Power, Riches, and Strength

in the Indies, secondly, what Figure they make in Europe, and this very briefly, for if I should speak of every particular, as to their Possessions in the Indies, it would swell into many Volumes, but I will only begin with them at the Cape de bonne Esperance, where they have built a Royal Fort, in which they maintain a Garison of Soldiers to defend their Ships which come there to take in fresh Water: From thence let us take a view of them in the Island of Java; where they have built a fair City called Battavia, and Fortified it with Bastions, after the mode of Amster∣dam. This City is the place of Residence of their grand Minister of State, called the Ge∣neral of the Indies, he hath allowed him Six Privy Counsellors in Ordinary, and Two Extraordinary, these govern the Concerns of the Company throughout the Indies, and they make Peace and War, send their Am∣bassadors to all parts thereof, as occasion re∣quireth. This General hath his Guards of Horse and Foot, and all sorts of Officers and Servants, as if he were a Soveraign Prince, the whole Expence whereof is defrayed out of the Companies Stock. This General hath much of the direction of Bantam, and other parts of the Island of Java: From whence let us take a view of them in their great Possessions in the Molucca Islands, and those of Banda, where they are become so formi∣dable, that they look as if they aimed at the

Soveraignty of the South Seas: They have also a great Trade in China, and Japan, from whence let us return to the Islands of Suma∣tra, and on the Coast of Bengale, where they have several Lodges: In Persia they have likewise great Commerce, and are so consi∣derable, that they wage War with that mighty Monarch if he wrongs them in their Trade. They also have several Colonies and Lodges on the Coast of Malabar and Cor∣mandel, and in the Country of the Great Mogul, and King of Galcanda, but princi∣pally let us behold them in the rich Island of Zeylon, where they are Masters of the plain Country, so that the Emperor, or King of that Island, is forced to live in the Mountains, whilst this Company possess the City of Co∣lomba, and other the most considerable Ga∣risons of that Island: It is said, that the Com∣pany hath there in their pay 3600 Soldiers, and at least 300 Guns Planted in their Forts and Garisons; in a word, they are not only Masters of the Cinnamon, but of all other Spices except Pepper, and that they would also have, had it been for their Interest to Ingross, but they wisely foresaw that the English would be a block in their way, there∣fore they contented themselves to be Masters of the Mace, Cinnamon, Cloves, and Nut∣megs, with which they not only serve Eu∣rope, but many places in the Indies; I will say no more of them in the Indies, but let us

see what Figure they make in Europe. And first to begin with them in Amsterdam, where they have two large stately Palaces, one being in the old part of the City, and the other in the new; in that of the old part of the City they keep their Court, and there sits the Resident Committee of the Company, where also they make the Sales of the Com∣panies Goods. There for six years the grand Council, or Assembly of the Seventeen, do meet, and after six years are expired, the grand Council of the Seventeen do assemble at Middelburg in Zealand for two years, and then again return to Amsterdam; the other lesser Chambers of Delft, Rotterdam, Horne, and E••chuysen never having the Assembly of the Seventeen in their Chambers, so that only Amsterdam and Zealand have the Honour of that grand Council. I will therefore crave leave to describe unto you the Chamber of Amsterdam, it being the most considerable of the Chambers belonging to this Famous Company: In their House or Palace, within the old City, are many large Offices or A∣partments; as first, on the lower Floor is their Parliament Chamber, where the Seven∣teen do sit; next to this Chamber are seve∣ral fair Chambers for the Committees to sit in. They have also a Chamber of Audi∣ence, where they do receive Princes or Am∣bassadors, or other great Men as have occa∣sion to speak with them. In one of these

Chambers are the Arms of several Indian Princes they have Conquered. On the same Floor is their Treasury Office, where their Receivers sit and receive Money, and Pay out the Orders or Assignments of the Com∣pany; near to that Chamber sits their grand Minister, the Heer Peter van Dam, who is said to be a second John de Wit for Parts, tho' not so in Principle: This great Minister is a Man of indefatagable Industry, and labours Night and Day in the Companies Service; he Reads over twice the great Journal Books which come from the Indies, and out of them makes Minutes to prepare matters of Con∣cern necessary to be considered by the grand Council of Seventeen, and by the inferiour Committees of the Company, and prepares Instructions and Orders to be sent to their Chief Ministers in the Indies; I could say many more things of his great Worth and Virtues, but shall forbear lest I should be judged a Flatterer: Over-against this great Ministers Office sit in a Chamber many Clarks, or under Secretaries, who receive from this Minister their Orders of Dispatches in the Affairs of the Company; and next to this Chamber is a Register Office, where are kept the Journal Books of the Indies, where you may see the Names of all the Men and Women that have ever served the Company in the Indies, with the time of their Death, or departing the Companies Service: Then

next to that is a Council Chamber, where the Residing Chamber, or Committee of the Company always sits; then assending up Stairs, there sit their Book-holders, who keep the Accounts of all the Transactions of those that buy or sell Actions of the Company, and over against this Office sits the Heer Gerbrand Elias, who is the second Advocate of the Company: On this Floor are several large Rooms, in which are great Stores of Pack'd Goods, and also a Room with all sorts of Drugs, Tea, Wax, Ambergreace, and Musk; and on the same Floor is a Chamber where the Commissioners sit, who govern the Pack-houses; and next to them sit their Clerks, who keep the Registers of the Sales of the Companies Goods: And on the same Gal∣lery or Floor, is a Chamber where are kept the several Books of Divinity, Printed in the Indian Language, that are sent to the several Colonies of the Company: And at the end of this Gallery is a Magazine full of Medi∣caments and Instruments for Barber Chirur∣geons Chests, to furnish the Companies Ships and Garisons in the Indies: Then assending up another pair of Stairs, there are several large Magazines of Nutmegs, Cloves, Mace, and Cinnamon; and in a long Gallery are many Men at Work sorting of Spices fit for Sale: Then ascending up another pair of Stairs there are many Rooms full of Spices; then descending into the Court-yard, there

is Guard Chamber, where every Night the House-keeper hath a Watch, and on the o∣ther side of the Gate there is a Chymist▪ who with his Men prepares Medicaments for the Indies; adjoyning to this Court-yard is their Ware-house and Pack-house for Pepper and Gross Goods; but before I leave this House in the old part of the City, I must say some∣thing of the manner or method used in the Transactions of the Jews and others, who make a Trade of Buying and Selling the Actions of the Company, the which is a great Mystory of Iniquity, and where it inricheth one Man, it ruins an hundred. The Jews are the chief in that Trade, and are said to Negotiate 17 parts of 20 in the Company; These Actions are bought and sold four times a day, at 8 in the Morning in the Jews-street, at a 11 on the Dam, at 12 and at one a Clock upon the Exchange, and at six in the Evening on the Dam, and in the Colleges or Clubs of the Jews until 12 at midnight, where many times the crafty Jews, and others have contrived to coin bad News to make the Actions fall, and good News to raise them, the which Craft of doing at Amster∣dam is not taken notice of, which is much to be wondred at, in such a Wise Govern∣ment as Amsterdam is; for it is a certain Truth, they many times spread Scandalous Reports touching the Affairs of State, which pass amongst the Ignorant for Truth.

I shall now in the next place say some∣thing of their Palace, or Magazine, in the new part of the City, the which may more properly be called an Arsenal: It is a Build∣ing so superb, that it looks more like a Kings Palace, than a Magazine for Merchants: I have measured the Ground on which this Arsenal stands, which I find to be 2000 Foot, and square every way, reckoning the Motes, or Burgals, about it. I remember the Ingenious Sir Joseph Williamson measured the two Rope-Alleys, by telling the Stone-Figures in the Wall, and found them to be 1800 Foot long, the like whereof is not to be seen in the World. On the backside of this Rope-Alley lies a store of Five Hun∣dred large Anchors, besides small ones; in this Arsenal they build the Ships belonging to this Chamber: And here are all sorts of Work-houses for the Artificers that serve the Company. And in a Chamber next to the Joyners Office, is a model of a Ship, they now build their Ships by, which cost 6000 Gilders. When a Man beholds the great Stores of Timber, Cordage, and the Provisions of War in their Magazine, a Man would think there were enough to furnish a whole Nation: In this Arsenal the Ships unload their Goods, laid up in several Apart∣ments in the grand Magazine, and after∣ward is removed to the House in the old part of the City, as there is occasion for

Sale. In the upper part of this large Palace sit the Sail-makers at work; but on the lower part of this House is an Apartment where the Committee assemble upon occasion of Business: This Arsenal is not to be seen by Strangers without a Ticket from the Be∣winthebbers. Now all what I have spoken of these two Houses, or Magazines, doth only belong unto the Chamber of Amster∣dam. There are yet other Chambers of the Company, who, according to their Quo∣ta, or stock in the Company, have the like Houses and Magazines, as the Chambers of Zealand, Delft, Rotterdam, Horne, and En∣kusen. And now I have named the Six Chambers, of which the Company is com∣posed, I shall say something of their Con∣stitution, which is from an Octroy, or Act of the States-General; by which they have Sovereign Power over their Servants in the Indies, yea, their Authority reacheth their Servants in all Territories of the States-Ge∣nerals Dominions: It is Death for any of the States Subjects to be Interlopers against this Company; nor may any, of what Nation soever, that lives in any of the Companies Territories, as Burghers or Servants, return into Europe without leave from the Com∣pany, only those called Freemen may de∣part without asking leave to remove: The Grand Councel of this Company is the As∣sembly of the Seventeen, which are elected

out of the several Chambers before named, that is, Eight from Amsterdam, and four from Zealand; Delft, Rotterdam, Horne, and Enkusen, send one a piece, which makes Six∣teen, and the five lesser Chambers by turns chose the Seventeenth. In the Chamber of Amsterdam there are 20 Bewinthebbers, or Committee for Management of the Stock, in ordinary, who are for Life, and have 1000 Ducatoons a Year, and Spices at Christmas, and their Travelling Charges, when they go upon the Companies Service. The next Chamber is Zealand, which hath twelve Be∣winthebbers, who have about 250 l. a Year, and travelling Charges, and Spices at Christ∣mas. The next is Delft, which hath Seven Bewinthebbers, who have only 120 l. a Year, and Travelling Charges and Spices at Christ∣mas. The other Chambers of Rotterdam, Horne and Enkusen, have seven Bewintheb∣bers a piece, and the like Salary, with Tra∣velling Charges and Spices at Christmas, as the Chamber of Delft hath. These Bewin∣thebbers are elected or chosen out of those Adventurers called the High Participanten of the Company: They generally chuse such as are Rich, and Men of Parts and Wisdom, most of them being of the Magistracy of the Country. No Man is capable of being Ele∣cted a Bewinthebber who hath not 1000 l. Stock in the Company. In a word, this Grand Council of the Seventeen make Laws for the Governing the Company, both in

India and Europe. It is they that appoint the Days of Sale, and what Number of Ships each Chamber must send to the Indies; and likewise order the Building of Ships, and all other grand Concerns. This Company is worthily esteemed a Wise, Politique, De∣serving Company, sparing no cost to get good Intelligence of Affairs, sending Mes∣sengers and Expresses over-Land to the East-Indies. They have their Spies and Correspon∣dents in all the considerable Trading Parts of the World: They have been so industrious as to gain the Spice Trade, not only from the Venetians, Spaniards, Portuguises, French, Danes, and other European Nations, but have also Ingrossed all the Spices; so that, as I told you before, they sel•• Spices to the Indians themselves: But this I must say for them, that they are a Generous Company, and gratefully paying Respects where it is due, as lately they have Complemented his Royal Highness the Prince of Orange, His pre∣sent Majesty of Great Britain, with an An∣nual Sum out of the Profits of their Compa∣ny, to make him their Friend and Prote∣ctor. Neither are they backward in bestow∣ing Presents upon Strangers that have obli∣ged them, as I could instance in some of our own Nation. They are also very charitable to the Poor, giving them the Thousandth Gilder of all the Goods they sell. And to all the Reformed Ministers in Amsterdam

they send Spices at Christmas, to pray every Sunday for the Welfare and Prosperity of the Company. To conclude, this Company is a Buckler and Defence for the Common∣wealth upon all urgent Occasions: And tru∣ly our English East-India-Company might be the same to our King, if the Differences be∣tween the Two Companies were composed; especially now they have such a great King to protect them, and that the Interlopers are destroyed.

And now it is high time I should tell you the Methods a Stranger must take if he hath occasion to keep House in Amsterdam: If a Man will hire an House, he must take a Lease upon Seal'd Paper, for which you must pay a Tax to the States, and pay the Broaker that makes the Bargain: But before you can buy a House, you must be in a capa∣city to be made a Burgher. To this purpose it is usual to take with you to the Stadthouse your Broaker, or any two Securities, and there before the Burghermasters take the Oath of Burgherschap, which is to be faith∣ful to the City, to the Magistrates and Go∣vernment, &c. But if you buy either Land or Houses, and lodge▪ privately, you will find your case much worse; then you must pay a Legion of Taxes to the Mills that drain your Lands, and for maintaining the Banks and Sluces; and if the States have occasion to build a Fortification on your Lands, or

to drown them in time of War, you must be contented with the States Terms: And if your House or Houses stand empty with∣out Tenants, yet you must pay the States Taxes on that House or Houses. Thus much for the Method how you are to be advanced to be a Burgher of Amsterdam, and to give you a taste what you are to pay for Houses or Land, if you settle there; and if you have either purchased or hired an House, then comes an Officer from the Stadthouse, with a Printed Sealed Paper, who tells you, you must pay as followeth.

First, A Pole-Tax for every Male and Fe∣male Servant in the House above eight Years old, six Gilders a Year.

For a Coach, if you keep one, 75 Gil∣ders a Year.

For a Coach without Wheels, 50 Gilders a Year.

For Soap, as the Number of the Family is.

The like for Salt.

For Wine, as your Quality is.

To the Watch, as your House is in Great∣ness.

To the Lanthorns, as the largeness of the House is.

For Butter, every 20 Pound seven Sti∣vers.

For Beans, half as much as you pay for the Beans.

For Turff, every Tun five Stivers.

For every 20 Gilders in Wood, six Gil∣ders.

For Flesh the Tax often changeth.

There is also a Tax on the Bread.

Then there is a Tax called the 200th Penny, and a Tax called the 8th: Then there are many Taxes in Trade, as that no Man can weigh or measure out his own Goods if sold in gross, but the States Offi∣cers must do it. Then the States have a Tax called the Verpounding on all Lands and Hou∣ses in their Dominions. Then they have a Tax on Seal'd Paper, and a Tax for Regi∣stering Land 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Houses; likewise a Tax on Cows, Horse•• Calves, and on all sort of Fruit. There are many other Taxes I could name, as a Stiver for every Man that goes out or into any City after the Hour of shut∣ting the Gates. Also you pay for going over some Bridges, and passing through Gates called Tolhek, a Stiver for every Per∣son; but Coaches, Wagons or Horses pay more. These I have already named, you will say, are too many; yet I may not for∣get to tell you, that Milk first pays as Milk; and again if it be made Butter; yea, the Buttermilk and Whay pays a Tax likewise, for all which a Man would think that a Peo∣ple that stand so much upon maintaining of their Liberty should Mutiny, and refuse pay∣ment: But this seldom happens; and if it

doth, the States punish them very severely. I remember that in my time there was a Mutiny at Sardam about paying a new Tax, whereupon the States sent a Regiment of their Souldiers, and seized the Heads of the Mutineers, and hanged up five or six of them at the Towns end, and severely whipt eight under the Gallows. And in the rich City of Amsterdam, if any refuse to pay their Tax, the Magistrates send their Officer to pull off their Doors; and if they remain long ob∣stinate, they send and fetch away the lower Windows of their House, and they dare not put up others, until they have ••••id the Taxes. However, this is observable 〈◊〉〈◊〉 if any Man will swear he is not worth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he is taxed at, then he is free: But there are many so proud, that they will not let the World know their Condition. I knew a Merchant named Ornia, who paid during the War for his 200th Penny, and other Taxes for his and his Wives Children, (having had two Rich Wives) 14000 Pounds Sterling. I al∣so knew an English Anabaptist Merchant, who told the English Envoy in my pre∣sence, That he had paid near 4000 l. Ster∣ling to the War, and yet the same Man did Grumble to pay his Majesties Consul a pity∣ful Fee or Consulat-Money on his Ships: The reason whereof I once asked him, who answered me, That the King could not raise a Penny in England without his Parliament,

and therefore much less could he do it in the States Country. Thus these Phanaticks had rather make Bricks without Straw, than pay the least Tribute to their Natural Prince's Officer. Should we in England be obliged to pay the Taxes that are here imposed, there would be Rebellion upon Rebellion: And yet after all that is here paid, no Man may bake his own Bread, or grind his own Corn, or brew his Beer, nor dare any Man keep in his House a Hand-Mill, although it be but to grind Mustard or Coffee. I re∣member one Mrs. Guyn a Coffee-Woman at Rotterdam, had like to have been ruined for grinding her own Coffee, had not Sir Lyonel Jenkins employed his Secretary Doctor Wyn to intreat the States on her behalf; and it was reckoned a grand favour that she was only fined, and not banished the City, and forfeiture made of all her Goods. I remem∣ber also a Landlord of mine in Leyden bought a live Pig in the Market, and innocently brought it home, and kill'd it, for which he had like to have been ruined, because he did not first send to the Excisemen to excise it, and also let the Visitors see that the Pig was free from Diseases. At another time a Wine-Merchant coming to give me a Visit, told me that he had the rarest Rhenish in the City, and that if I would send my Maid to his Cel∣lar with six Bottles, they should be fill'd: Whereupon I sent the Maid only with two

Bottles, and charged her to hide them un∣der her Apron▪ but such was her misfor∣tune, that the Scouts Dienaers met her, and seized her and her Bottles, and carried her to Prison, which cost the Wine-Merchant 1500 Gilders; and had it not been for the strongest Sollicitations made by us, he had been ruined: So sacred are Taxes here, and must so exactly be paid. And were they not here so precise, it were impossible for so small a Country to subsist: And therefore you may hear the Inhabitants generally say, that what they suffer is for their Vaderland: Hence the meanest among them are content to pay what is laid on them, for they say all what is the Vaderlands is ours, the Men of War are theirs, the sumptuous Magazins, Bridges, and every thing what is the Vader∣lands. And indeed in a sense it is so, for they have this to comfort them, that if it please God to visit them with Poverty, they and their Children have the Publick Purse to maintain them; and this is one main Reason why they so willingly pay their Taxes as they do; for there's not a Soul born in the States Dominions that wants warm Cloaths and Dyet, and good Lodging, if they make their case known to the Magistrates. And for the Vagabonds that rove up and down the Streets, they are either Walloons, or other Strangers as pretend to have been ruined by the late Wars.

I shall now in the next place let you know how excellently the Laws are here executed against Fraud and Perjury, and the Intention of Murders; which Laws were once much used in England, as you shall hear hereafter when I speak of the Duke of Brandenburgh's Court.

I shall here instance a few particulars that happened in my time: There was a Spark that made false Assignments on the Admi∣ralty, who tho' related to many of the Ma∣gistrates of Amsterdam, had his Head cut off; and another who was a Clerk in the Mer∣chants Bank, who made false Posts in their Books, and had his Head also cut off; and all the Portions he had given with his Daughters, the Husbands were forced to pay back, and all his Houses and Goods were sold at his Door in the open Streets: I knew a French Marquis, who swore his Regiment was com∣pleat, and when the States knew that he had not half his Regiment, he likewise had his Head cut off in the Prison in the Hague: I also knew a French Pedagogue, a Runagado Monk, who designed to have Murdered his Master Major Cavellio, and his two Pupils, young Children of the Majors, and after∣ward to set the House a Fire to colour the Murder, he had his Head cut off and set upon a Post, with his Body on a Wheel near the Hague. I could Name you two other Cheaters, who were severely whipt under

the Gallows; and two under Farmers who designed to run away with the States Money.

The Cheat of breaking with a full Hand is not so frequent in Holland as in England, (where some use it as a way to slip out of Business, and then to live conveniently after∣ward upon the Estates of other Men) be∣cause in Holland they are more severely pu∣nished when discovered than in England: As on the contrary, those that fall to decay through Losses, and unavoidable Accidents which they could not prevent, find a more speedy and easie way of Compounding and Finishing Matters with their Creditors if they be over-strict, than the Custom or Law of England doth afford, for the suing out of Statutes of Bankrupts in England doth prove many times so pernicious both to Creditor and Debtor through the tediousness of the Proceedings, and the expensiveness of Exe∣cuting the Commissions, that what by Com∣missioners Fees, Treats, and other incident Charges, the Creditors are put to such Ex∣pences as to be utterly disappointed of their Debt, and the Poor Debtors for ever ruined and undone; I shall therefore in this place give a short Relation of the method used in Amsterdam in the case of Bankrupts, which perhaps may be taken notice of by our King and Parliament, for the preventing Disor∣ders and sad Abuses that daily happen in Executing the Statutes of Bankrupts: The

Magistrates of Amsterdam every year Name Commissioners for Bankrupts, out of those that make up a Judicature, like to our Courts of Aldermen in London; These meet certain days in the Week in a distinct Chamber in the Stadthouse, over whose Door is cut in Marble the Emblem of Fortune flying away with Wings, and round Chests turn'd upside down, with Mice and Rats Eating the Mo∣ney-Bags, Pens, Inkhorns, and Paper-Books. There they receive Petitions from Debtors and Creditors, and as occasion requireth, summon the Parties to appear before them, and to lay open the true State of the matter; this done, they either by Authority seize the Bankrupts Books and Effects, or else without any stir and noise leave all remaining in the Debtors Houses, and send thither two Com∣mittees to examine the Books, and make an Inventory of the Estate, with power to com∣pose the matter, without giving much trou∣ble to the Parties. If the Commissioners find that the Debtor is come to decay by unexpected Losses, and unavoidable Acci∣dents, to which he did not at all contribute, it is their usual way to propose to the Cre∣ditor such amicable and easie Terms, as the Poor Man may be able to perform, alotting sometimes the half of the Estate left to the Debtor, sometimes a third part, and some∣times perswading the Creditors to advance to the Poor Man a Sum of Money to help

him up again in Trade, upon Condition that he do oblige himself to pay the Creditors all he oweth them, when God shall be pleased to make him able; but on the contrary, if the Commissioners find that a Trader hath dealt Knavishly, and broken with a design to Defraud and Cheat his Creditors, as if it ap∣pear that a Bankrupt hath kept false Books, and counterfeited Bills of Exchange, Bills of Loading, or pretended Commissions from Foreign Parts; in such a case they are very severe, and not only seize all the Books and Effects of the Bankrupt, but also Imprison him, and also punish him Corporally; and if the cheat be of an heinous Nature, Sen∣tence him sometime to Death; whereas, if the Debtor be only Unfortunate, and no ways Knavish, then the Commissaries use all the Power they have to force the Creditors to accept the Poor Mans Terms, the which is better for the Creditors than to use the ri∣gour of the Law, in committing the Poor Man to Prison, seeing in that case the Cre∣ditors must maintain him in Prison according to his Quality, where if he lies a certain time, and the Creditors be not able to prove the Prisoner hath an Estate, then the Debtor is admitted to his Oath to Swear he is not worth 40 Gilders, besides his wearing Cloths and working Tools, and then he is set at liberty; but in the mean time let the Prisoner have a care not to make a false Oath, for then he is

punished without Mercy, an instance of which happened in my time.

The States having admitted a certain Jew to come and make such an Oath before them, were at the same time informed by the Goaler, that this Jew had been seen through the chinks of the Door, quilting Ducats of Gold, and some Diamonds in his Cloaths, to the value of 5000 Gilders. The States hereupon admonished the Jew to take heed to what he was about to Swear, because the Law was very strict against such as made false Oaths before them, and at the same time caused the Oath, and the Law to be Read unto him; nevertheless the Jew offered to take the Oath, but the Lords not suffering him to Swear, because then he must die by Law, caused him to be taken out into another Room and searched, where they found a∣bout him the Ducats and Diamonds: This being told the Lords, they sent for him in, and then Sentenced him to have 60 Lashes under the Gallows, and to be Banished the Country; yet, because the Jew had many Children, they gave the third part of what was taken about him to his Wife and Chil∣dren, and a third to the Poor, and the other third to the Creditors, which was enough to pay them their Debt: These Commissio∣ners are paid by the States, and have not a Doit from Debtors or Creditors, for all what they do: These Commissioners are also

much to be commended for their readiness to do good Offices to those Poor Merchants, who having lived honestly, are brought to decay by Losses and Crosses in their Trade; who when they find any such so Poor that they can neither pay their Creditors, nor maintain the charge of their Families, it is their constant Custom, to take their Chil∣dren from them, and maintain and bring them up in their Hospitals; yea, often also solliciting the Burghermasters on their be∣half, to bestow some small Office upon them for their Relief and Subsistance. And here I must not omit to acquaint you, that as the Compounding of Matters in Holland betwixt Debtor and Creditor, so as hath been said, is very easie and equitable, so is also their way or method of suing for Debts very favorable, which is after this manner; In the first place, a Note or Summons is left at the Debtors House, and if he neglect to appear, a second Summons is sent, but then if he neither ap∣pear himself, or send his Proctor, the Sheriffs order an Arrest against him; and at last, when he is brought before them, if the matter be difficult, it is referred to two or three good Men of the City, and time given him; but if the Plaintiff make Oath, that he ap∣prehends the Debtor hath a design to run a∣way, then must the Prisoner either give Bail, or return to Prison. It is a Remark that I have made in my Travels, that excepting

France and Flanders, I never saw in any Pri∣son above forty Prisoners for Debt at one time, and in some great Towns, as in Haer∣lem and others, sometimes not one; and the Reason hereof is plain, for you cannot lay a Man in Prison for an Action or Debt, small or great, but you must maintain the Prisoner, so that many times the Charges exceed the principal Debt, and after all, the Prisoner can free himself; whereas the Custom in England, encouraged by those Varlets the Pettyfoggers and Catchpoles, of turning a Man into a Prison for a Crown, or it may be for nothing at all, if he cannot find Bail, he may lie and Starve there, is an abomina∣ble abuse; as also that of Suborning false Witnesses, which is extreamly cried out a∣gainst beyond Sea.

And now because I am Speaking of Petty∣foggers, give me leave to tell you a Story I met with when I lived in Rome, going with a Roman to see some Antiquities, he shewed me a Chapel, Dedicated to one St. Evona, a Lawyer of Britain, who he said came to Rome to intreat the Pope to give the Lawyers of Britain a Patron, to which the Pope replied, That he knew of no Saint but what was dis∣posed of to other Professions; at which Evona was very sad, and earnestly beg'd of the Pope to think of one for them: At last, the Pope proposed to St. Evona, that he should go round the Church of St. John de Latera

Blindfold, and after he had said so many Ave Maria's, that the first Saint he laid hold of should be his Patron, which the good old Lawyer willingly undertook; and at the end of his Ave Maria's, he stopt at St. Michael's Altar, where he laid hold of the Devil under St. Michael's Feet, and cry'd out, This is our Saint, let him be our Patron; so being un∣blindfolded, and seeing what a Patron he had chosen, he went to his Lodgings so dejected, that in few Months after he Died, and com∣ing to Heavens Gates, knockt hard; where∣upon St. Peter asked, Who it was that knockt so boldly, he replied, That he was St. Evona the Advocate: Away, away, said St. Peter, here is but one Advocate in Heaven, here is no room for you Lawyers. O but, said St. Evona, I am that honest Lawyer who never took Fees on both sides, or ever pleaded in a bad Cause; nor did I ever set my Neigh∣bours together by the Ears, or lived by the Sins of the People. Well then, said St. Peter, come in: This news coming down to Rome, a witty Poet writ upon St. Evona's Tomb these words; St. Evona un Briton, Advocat non Larron, Hallelujah. This Story put me in mind of Ben. Johnson's going through a Chruch in Surrey, seeing Poor People weep∣ing over a Grave, asked one of the Women, Why they wept? O said she, we have lost our precious Lawyer, Justice Randal, he kept us all in Peace, and always was so good as

to keep us from going to Law, the best Man that ever lived, Well, said Ben. Johnson, I will send you an Epitaph to write upon his Tomb, which was,

God works Wonders now and than, Here lies a Lawyer an honest Men.

And truly old Ben. was in the right, for in my time I have observed some Gentlemen of that Profession, that have not acted like St. Evona, or Justice Randal, I will say no more of them, but wish them as great Fees, and as much encouragement as the Lawyers have in Switzerland.

I now come to Speak something of the three Taxes I mentioned in the former part of my Remarks on Taxes, of which the first ought rather to be called an useful and pub∣lick Invention, like to that of the Insurance Office in London, then a publick Tax, seeing no Man needs contribute to it unless they please, and find his profit by it; but the o∣ther may be called Taxes, because the Sub∣jects are obliged to submit to them, but then they are so easie, that what the publick gets thereby, not only lessons extraordinary Sub∣sidies, which many times occasions clamour, when because of their Rarity, and the ur∣gency of Occasions, they must needs be great.

Yet it is sufficiently Compensated by the advantage and security in the Estates, which private Persons, who are obliged to pay it, reap thereby daily: I am confident, that if the King and Parliament thought fit to intro∣duce some, or all three of these Taxes into England, the publick charge of Government might be defrayed with more ease, and with less repining and clamour, than when it must be done by new and high Impositions; how∣ever, our Governors are the proper Judges of that.

The first then is an House called the Merchants Bank, which is governed by di∣vers Commissioners, Clerks, and Book∣keepers, likewise an Essay-Master, who judgeth of the Gold and Silver, that at any time is brought into the Bank uncoined: The secu∣rity given for preservation thereof, are the States and Magistrates of Amsterdam. Now if you have a mind to put Money into the Bank, suppose 1000 l. less or more, you must go to the Clerks, and ask a Folio for your Name, and then pay in your Money at three or four per Cent. according as the rate of the Bank-Money is high or low, or you may buy it of those called Cashiers or Brokers; then get the Clerks to set down in the Folio what you bring in; having done so, you may draw this Sum, or sell it in what parcels you please; but then if you let your Money lie seven years in the Bank, you receive no Interest

for the same. If you ask, Where then is the Advantage for the Merchants? I answer, first, you have your Money ready at all times for answering Bills of Exchange, and making other Payments: You are at no charge for Bags or Portage, at no loss by false tale, or bad Mo∣ney, in no danger of Thieves, or unfaithful Servants, or Fire; and above all, you have the Accounts of your Cash most punctually and justly kept without any trouble, or run∣ning the risk of Goldsmith or Cashierers breaking in your Debt; for such is their care; that twice a Year, or sometimes oft∣ner, they shut up the Bank for 14 Days, and then all that have Concerns therein, must bring in their Accounts to the Clerks, who a few Days after, having viewed the Books, acquaint such as have brought in wrong Ac∣counts with their Mistakes, desiring them to return to their Books, and rectifie their Error, not telling them wherein the mistake lies: So that I have known Merchants, in my time, sent back three or four times with their wrong Accounts: But if they begin to grow impatient, and say that they will stand to their Accounts, then they pay a Mulct to the Clerks upon their convincing them of their Mistakes, either by charging too much upon the Bank, or forgetting or omitting what was their due. I knew two Merchants, who having forgot, the one 750 l. and the other 220 l. in their Accounts, were honest∣ly

rectified by the Clerks, so that they su∣stained no Loss. Besides this care of the Clerks in keeping and stating the Accounts, the Bank is obliged for 5 l. a Year to send to every Merchant that desires it, their Ac∣counts every Morning before Exchange∣time, of the Moneys written of by them in in the Bank the Day before upon any Mer∣chants Account, and what Sums are written of by others upon their Accounts: So that the Merchants may compare the Banks. Notes with their Books, and so save much of the Charges of Book-keeping.

Now if it be objected, That though this be an Advantage to the Merchants, yet what can the Publick gain thereby, seeing the Charges of paying Officers, Clerks, &c. must needs be very considerable?

I answer, That indeed it is a Mystery to those who understand not the thing; but if it were once known and practised, the Ad∣vantage of it would appear: For among o∣ther things which might be said, the Magi∣strates of the City take out of the Merchants Bank a sufficient Stock of Money to supply the Lumbert, a Bank that lends out Money, and is Governed by four Commissioners cho∣sen out of the Magistrates, who sit in Court every Day in the Lumbert, which is a large Pile of Building 300 Foot long, containing several Chambers and Magazines under one Roof; in these several Chambers the Com∣missioners

have Officers sitting to lend Money upon all sorts of Goods, even from a pair of Shooes to the richest Jewel, &c. This is a great convenience for Poor People; yea, for Merchants also, who some times may want Money to pay a Bill of Exchange, and prevents the Cheating, and extraordinary Extortion used by the Pawn-brokers in Eng∣land, France, and other Countries. And be∣sides, the Poor have their Pawns safely and well preserved, neither are they punctually sold when the Year is out, or denied under the pretext of being mislaid, as the Poor are often times served by the wicked Pawn-brokers.

There is also another convenience in this Lumbert, viz. an excellent way they have of discovering Thieves, and the stolen Goods; they publish two general open Sales of Goods pawn'd, twice a year, that such as will may redeem their Goods, and paying the Inte∣rest may have them, although the time be relapsed. Thus much as to the Lumbert. I was once, according to my Duty, to wait upon the D. of York, at the Bank of Mer∣chants, where shewing his Highness the way of keeping the Journal-Book of the Bank, which is of a prodigious bigness, his Highness was extreamly pleased with the contrivance of preserving it from Fire; saying, that the course they took might be of great use for the preserving Patents, and the Deeds of Noblemens Estates: This contrivance, which

perhaps may be thought useful or imitable, I shall therefore describe it: It is a large Fire∣stone shaped like a Chest, and set upright in a Stone-Wall, having a large Brass Door of a vast thickness, with Flaps to fall over and cover the Lock and Hinges; into this Chest the Book is drawn upon Rolls, it being of such a bulk and weight as cannot be handed in by a Man, and there it is so securely preserved, that although the House should be burnt, the Book in all probability would be safe. Should I here give an account of the vast Sums of Money that daily are writ∣ten of in this Bank, I might probably be thought to speak at random, but this I may boldly affirm, that it far exceeds all the Banks in Europe, both for Riches and Business, and their Credit is such, that the Italians, French, Germans, and English have great Sums in the same; neither was ever any Man refused his Money in the worst of times.

A second Tax is what ariseth from the just and laudable Establishment of a Register, a Tax which I think most Men will be willing to submit to, except such as design to cheat and defraud their Neighbours, and live by such like Sins and Confusion, and for the most part die with the Curse of the People: This Register in Holland begets such assu∣rance and safety in Dealing, that in purcha∣sing of Houses or Land, a Child, though over-reached in the Value, yet cannot be cheated as to the Title.

The Third and last Tax is that of Sealed Paper, as it is practised in Holland. There are many other things might be spoken, as to the Government of Amsterdam, but I must not tire your patience. However, one con∣siderable thing I would not pass by, touching the Militia: There are in Amsterdam Sixty Companies of Foot, the least of them having 200 Men, some 300, which in a modest account, amounts at least to 15000 Men, in which number neither Jews nor Anabaptists who carry no Arms are reckoned, only they are obliged to contribute to the maintenance of the 1400 Soldiers, who are kept in con∣stant pay, as a Guard for the City, and to∣wards the Night-Watch or Rattel-Watch, who walk the Streets the whole Night to keep good Orders, and tell us every half hour what a Clock it is. There are also up∣on every Church Tower, Trumpeters, who Sound every half hour; and if any Fire breaks out in the City, they give a Signal on which side of the City the Fire is, and Ring the Fire-Bell; and they have excellent ways on a sudden in such sad Accidents to quench Fire: But I may not inlarge any longer, but hasten out of Holland. Though before I leave it it will not be amiss if I give the Reader a List of the Passage-Boats, which for the conveni∣ence of those that Travel that way, I have here Collected, with the times of their going off, which they are punctual in observing.

Beginning at Helvoet-Sluys, where the Pacquet-Boat from England lies. From whence to the Briell there goes a Wagon every Day at 8 in the Morning; the Passage costs 7 Stivers; and the same from the Briell to Helvoet.

From the Briell to Rotterdam, and from Rotterdam to the Briell, there Sails a Boat every Day as the Tide serves.

From Rotterdam to Delft, and from Delft to Rotterdam, there goes a Trecht-Scuyt, or Passage-Boat, every Hour, from 6 in the Morning to 8 in the Evening.

From Delft to the Hague, and from the Hague to Delft, the Boat goes every half Hour.

From Delft, and from the Hague to Ley∣den; In the Morning at 5, 7, 9, and half an Hour after 10. In the Afternoon at half an Hour after 12, at 21 1/2, at 4 1/2, and at 6 1/2 daily, as you are to understand all along.

From Leyden to Delft, or to the Hague at the same Hours; In the Morning at 4, 6, 8, and 10 1/2. Afternoon, 12 1/2, 2 1/2, 4 1/2, and 6 1/2; and a Night-Boat at 11.

From Leyden to Haerlem; In the Morning at 3 1/2, 6 1/2, 9 and 11. Afternoon, 12 1/2, 1 1/2, 2, 4, and 6. Also a Market-Boat every Day before Noon.

From Haerlem to Leyden; In the Morning at 6, 8, 10 and 12. Afternoon at 1, 2, 4 and 6; and the Night-Boat at 11.

From Amsterdam to Haerlem, and from Haerlem to Amsterdam, there goes a Boat every Hour, from the opening of the Gates, to 8 of the Clock at Night.

From Amsterdam to Leyden, at 8 at Night; and from Leyden to Amsterdam, 9 at Night, every Night; and a Market-Boat at 3 in the Afternoon.

From Amsterdam to Utrecht, from the 15 of March to the 15 of September, at 7 in the Morning, at 1 in the Afternoon, and at 8 in the Evening. From the 15 of September, to the 11 of March, at 8 in the Morning, at 1 in the Afternoon, and at 7 in the Even∣ing. And▪

From Utrecht to Amsterdam at the same Hours.

From Amsterdam to Gouda, or Tergoes, as 'tis corruptly called; From the first of April to the last of September; in the Morning at 7, and in the Evening at 8. In October, No∣vember, and March, Morning and Evening▪ at 8.

From Gouda to Amsterdam; In the Morn∣ing at 11, and in the Evening at 8. In De∣cember, January and February, no Boat goes in the Morning from either place, and only one at 8 in the Evening.

From Tergoes you may go by Wagon to Rotterdam, or from Rotterdam to Tergoes, for about 12 or 14 Stivers, which is a con∣venient

Passage for Strangers, there being the least shifting of Boats.

From Amsterdam to Rotterdam, and from Rotterdam to Amsterdam; The Market-Boat for carrying Goods goes off at 12 at Noon every Day.

From Amsterdam to the Hague, and from the Hague to Amsterdam, the same at 12 at Noon.

From Amsterdam through Muyden to Naer∣den; In the Summer, from the first of April, to the last of September, Morning, at 6, 8 and 10; Afternoon, at 2, 4 and 6. In the Winter, Mornings at 7, 9 and 11; After∣noon, 1, 3 and 5. This is a Fortification very well worth seeing.

From Naerden through Muyden to Amster∣dam; In the Summer at 5, 7 and 9, Morn∣ings; and at 2, 4 and 6, Afternoons. In the Winter, Mornings, 7, 8 and 10; After∣noons, 1, 3 and 5.

From Leyden to Gouda; Every Day a Boat goes at 11 in the Fornenoon, and on Satur∣days at 2 in the Afternoon.

From Gouda to Leyden; Every Day at 11 in the Forenoon, and on Thursdays at 12.

From Leyden through Woerden to Utrccht; In the Morning at 9, Afternoon at 12 1/2, and Evening at 9.

From Utrecht through Woerden to Leyden; Mornings at 8 and 12, Evenings at 8.

From Rotterdam to Dort, and from Dort to Rotterdam; Every Day a Boat as the Tide serves; as also to Antwerp the same.

It will be unnecessary to particularize any more, these being all that Englishmen have occasion for, for whom these Remarks are made, though it will not be improper if I insert the Order for the Post-Wagons, which some for Expedition make use of.

The Order of the Post-Wagons which go be∣tween Amsterdam and the Hague.

Every Day except Sundays, from the 26 of February to the 29 of September, there goes a Post-Wagon at 6 in the Morning.

From the first of October to the sixth of November, at 7 in the Morning.

From the 8 of November to the 19 of Ja∣nuary, at half an Hour past 7 in the Morn∣ing.

From the 21 of January to the 24 of Fe∣bruary, at 7 in the Morning.

In the great Vacation of the Courts of Holland, which is all the Month of August, there goes no Wagon in the Morning.

At 12 at Noon there goes a Wagon eve∣ry Day, Sundays and all, throughout the Year.

The Passage in the Post-Wagon for each Person is 4 G. 3 St. besides Passage-Gelt. And if any hire a whole Wagon, they may go

at what Hour they please, and pay 24 G. 18 St. and Passage-Gelt, provided there be no more than 6 Persons.

And if you are set down by the way you shall be abated proportionably of the Passage, but then you must give notice of it before Hand, and be content to take your place af∣ter those that go quite out.

And now having said so much of the States Government, and of Amsterdam in particu∣lar, it will not be amiss to take notice of some bad Customs and Practices now in vogue in Holland, and leave it to the Reader to judge what they may portend: There are Tolle∣rated in the City of Amsterdam, amongst other abuses, at least 50 Musick-houses, where lewd Persons of both Sexes meet and pra∣ctise their Villanies: There is also a place called the Long-Seller, a Tollerated Exchange, or publick Meeting House for Whores and Rogues to Rendezvous in, and make their filthy Bargains. This Exchange is open from six a Clock in the Evening until nine at Night; every Whore must pay three Stivers at the Door for her Entrance or Admission. I confess the Ministers Preach and exclaim from the Pulpit against this horrible Abuse, but who they be that protect them I know not; yet, I have heard some plead for the Tolleration of these wicked Meetings, upon pretext, that when the East-India Fleets come home, the Seamen are so mad for

Women, that if they had not such Houses to bait in, they would force the very Citi∣zens Wives and Daughters; but it is well known, that as Money does countenance, so Discipline might suppress that abuse. The old severe, and frugal way of living is now almost quite out of date in Holland, there is very little to be seen of that sober Modesty in Apparel, Diet, and Habitations as for∣merly: In stead of convenient Dwellings, the Hollanders now build stately Palaces, have their delightful Gardens, and Houses of Pleasure, keep Coaches, Wagons and Sleas, have very rich Furniture for their Horses, with Trappings adorned with Silver Bells. I have seen the Vanity of a Vintners Son, who had the Bosses of the Bit, and Trapping of his Horse of pure Silver; his Toot-Man and Coach-Man having Silver Fring'd Gloves; yea, so much is the humour of the Women altered, and of their Children also, that no Apparel can now serve them but the best and richest that France and other Countries af∣fords; and their Sons are so much addicted to Play, that many Families in Amsterdam are ruined by it; not that England is less extra∣vagant then the Dutch; who as I said be∣fore, got such great Estates by their Frugality, whilst they were not addicted to such Pro∣digality and Wantonness as the English are, whose excess I cannot excuse; nevertheless, the grave and sober People of Holland are

very sensible of the great alteration that now is in their Country, and as they say, Para∣celsus used to Cure his Patients of their Dis∣ease with a full Belly; so a good Burgher∣master desirous to convince his Amsterdam∣mers of their dissolute kind of Life, invited the 36 Magistrates and their Wives to a Feast; who being come, and the Ladies big with Expectation of some rare and extraordinary Entertainment, sat down at Table, where the first Course was Buttermilk boil'd with Apples, Stock-fish, Butter'd Turnips and Carrots, Lettice, Sallat, and Red Herrings, and only small Bear, without any Wine; at this the Ladies startled, and began to whisper to their Husbands, that they expe∣cted no such Entertainment, but upon re∣moving of the Dishes and Plates, they found underneath Printed Verses, importing, That after that manner of living they began to thrive, and had inlarged their City.

The Second Course consisted of Bocke de kooks, Quarters of Lamb, Roasted Rabbits, and a sort of Pudding they call a Brother; here they had Dort and English Beer, with French Wine, yet all this did not please the Dainty Dames: But upon removing away the Plates another Dish of Poetry appeared, which acquainted them, That after that mo∣dest and sober way of living they might keep what they had got, and lay up something for their Children.

Then comes in the Third Course made up of all the Rarities of the Season, as Par∣tridges, Pheasants, and all sorts of Fowl, and English Pasties, with plenty of Rhenish, and other sorts of Wine, to moisten them; this put the Ladies in a Frolick, and jolly Humour, but under their Plates was found the Use and Application in Verses, telling them, That to feed after that manner was Voluptuous and Luxurious, and would impair their Health, and waste their Estates, make them neglect their Trade, and so in time re∣duce their stately and new built flourishing City to their old Fishing Town again. Af∣ter this was brought in a Banquet of all sorts of Sweat Meats piled up in Pyramids, and delicate Fruit, with plenty of delicious Wines; and to conclude all, a set of Musick and Maskers, who Danced with the young La∣dies; but at parting, like the hand writing to Belteshazzar upon the Wall, every one had a Printed Paper of Moralities put into their Hand, shewing them the Causes of the Ruin of the Roman Commonwealth, according to that of the Poet,

Nullum crimen abest, facinusque libidinis ex quo, Paupertas Romana perit.

with an excellent Advice to them, That if they did not quit the Buffoonries, and Apish

Modes of the French, and return to the Sim∣plicity, Plainness and Modesty of their An∣cestors and Founders, their Commonwealth could not long last; but all the Thanks the good old Burghermaster had for his kind and chargeable Entertainment in thus Feasting his Country-Men, was to be Floutted at, and Pasquild, the Sparks of Amsterdam saying in all places, That the old Man being now past the years of Pleasure himself, would have none others to take theirs: And here I shall put a period to what I thought fit to observe of the States of the United Provinces, only I will beg leave to say something to the Hol∣lander by way of Advice, viz. That now they are in a prosperous Condition, Rich, and at Ease, they would look back and remem∣ber what God in his infinite Goodness and Mercy did for them in the days of their greatest Calamities: For my own part I can∣not but admire the great Providence of God in preserving them from being devoured by their many Enemies they had in the last War, besides their Enemies at home, some of which particulars as they then happened give me leave to relate. At the time when the French came to Invade the Territories of the States General, it then looked as if God had mark'd out the way for the French to March, by sending such a wonderful dry Season, that the Rivers of the Rhine, Beta, Wall, and other Rivers were Fordable, so that the

French only waded throw, and became so Victorious, that in a little space of time (what by the Treasons of some, and the Ignorance and Cowardise of others intrusted with the Militia and Garisons) the French became Masters of above Forty Cities and Garisons, at which time there was nothing to be heard of in the States Dominions but Confusion and Misery, even in the strong and rich City of Amsterdam it self, who at this time beheld the French Army like a mighty Torrent coming within sight of the City, and at the same time wanting Water in their Canals, and Burghwalls to ply their Sluces, and such was the scarcity of Rain, that a Pail of fresh Water was worth Six Pence: Thus Heaven seemed to frown on them, as well as the French Army, by the shutting up as it were the Conduits of Heaven, and yet a worse thing had like to have fallen out, for at the same time the Divisions grew so high amongst the Magistrates in the Stadthouse, that it was putting to the Question, Whether or no they should not go and meet the French King with the Keys of their City, to save it from Fire and Plunder; now nothing, in all probabi∣lity, could save this rich City from falling into the hands of the French, but an imme∣diate hand from Heaven, and it had un∣doubtedly come to pass, had not Providence caused the French to make a stand at Muy∣den,

two hours from Amsterdam, at what time the valiant Roman of Amsterdam, Scout Hasselaer, like a true Father of his Coun∣try, opposed the French Party in the Coun∣sel, calling out to the Burghers from the Stadthouse, to take Courage, and rather chuse to die, like old Battavians, with their Swords in their hands, than tamely and treacherously to yield up their City to the Mercy of the French, as some of the Ma∣gistrates were about to do; this so incoura∣ged the Burghers, that with great Courage they mann'd the Walls, and Heaven then assisting them with a sudden and plentiful Rain, that they ply'd their Sluces, and dround the Lands round the City three or four Foot high, in some places, which caus'd the victorious French Army to make a quick retreat, as far as Utrecht, else they had paid dear for seeing of Amsterdam; thus was Amsterdam delivered by the hand of Heaven.

A Second was, when that bloody Duke of Luxemburg, who gloried and thanked GOD that he was born without pity or re∣morse of Conscience, took the opportunity of an exceeding hard Frost, to march his Army over the Ice as it had been dry ground, burning in his way the three fair Villages of Bodygrave, Swammerdam, and Goudse-sluys; acting there a more cruel Tragedy, and worse, than ever did Turk, for they gene∣rally

save the Country People for Ransom, but this cruel Prince caused strong Guards to surround the Villages, and burnt Men, Women, and Children together: Thus he began his march, with a design to burn Ley∣den, Hague, Rotterdam, Delft, and all the rich Country of Rhineland: And this he might have done in all probability, for, first, the Governor of New-sluce, who commanded the Post that should have stopt the French, treacherously delivered up the Fort without firing a Gun; and the handful of Troops then under General Koningsmark were so in∣considerable, that they, joyned to the Sol∣diers under Pain and Vin, the Governor of New-sluce, were not able to make head as could oppose Laxemburg's Army; and at the same time the Prince of Orange was with the States Army at Charleroy: Now was Ley∣den ready to meet the French with the Keys of their City, and other Cities too, for they had neither Fortifications nor Soldiers to man their Walls: Thus the whole Country and Cities of Rhineland were like to fall un∣der the Cruelties and Tyrany of the French, but GOD a second time sent these People Relief from Heaven, first by giving such un∣daunted Courage to that Great States-man Pensionary Fagel, that he forced Coningsmark to rally his Troops together, and to make a stand near Leyden, offering himself to die at the head of them if there were occasion,

but GOD reserved him for a further Good to the Commonwealth, by sending such a sudden Thaw as was never seen before, for in less than ten hours, the Ice so sunk, and such Floods of Snow came down from the Highlands, that the French were fain to make a very disorderly retreat, marching up to the middle for haste, because on the Banks there could not march above four Men a-breast, so they were constrained to leave behind them the greatest part of the Plun∣der they had robb'd from the Innocent Coun∣try People, and the nimble Dutch-men, on their Scates, so long as the Ice would bear them, did shoot down the French like Ducks diving under Water, so that it cost Luxem∣burg's Army dear, though they had the pleasure to burn the poor People, of which the French afterward wickedly made their boast.

The third was as wonderful as the two others; and although I do not believe Mira∣cles, as do the Papists, yet I say nothing I ever observed looked more like a Miracle than this; to wit, when the English and French Fleet lay before Scheveling with a de∣sign to land, and the French ready on their March to joyn with the English and other French as soon as they should land, at the same time the Bishop of Munster lying before Groeningen, and the French before Gorcom, so that now all things looked with a dreadful

face for the States, yet at this very time God sent a third relief, by sending such Mists, and wonderful sorts of Tydes, as so separa∣ted the two Fleets, that the English were forced to quit Scheveling Shore, and were driven on the side of the Texel Road; from whence they were constrained by the season of the Year to retire home: And such were the sudden and great Showers of Rain, that the Bishop of Munster was forced in disorder to raise his Siege at Groeningen, and the French to quit Gorcom. I could add many more Ob∣servations of the Providences of God to these People, as the preserving the Prince of O∣range, His present Majesty of Great Britain, from the many treacherous Designs contri∣ved against him from his Cradle; but Moses must be preserved, to go in and out before his▪ People. Certainly never young Prince endured so many Fatigues as did his High∣ness in his tender Years, of which I was an Eye-witness; and had his Highness had the Years and Experience, and such a good Dis∣ciplined Army (as now he hath) in the Year 1671. when the French entred the Coun∣try, his Highness had given them as good a Welcom as he did at Bergen. I will say no more of this Subject, only this, That the Peace at Nimeguen was also a very won∣derful thing, for that not above eight Days before the Peace was signed, most of the Plenipotentiaries did believe the War would

have continued another Year; first, because the King of Denmark and Duke of Branden∣burg prospered exceedingly against Sweed∣land, and totally refused the Propositions of France; and secondly, because the French King writ such bitter Letters against the States-General: Yet eight Days after drest a Letter unto the States, in which he calls them his Good Friends, and Old Alleys, offer∣ing them not only Maestricht, but every Foot of Ground they could lay claim to in the World; also giving them new Terms and Conditions as to their Privileges in France, by way of Trade. Neither can I forget how speedily and as strangely the French King did quit his Conquered Towns after the Va∣liant Prince of Orange took Naerden, which was the first step to the French's Ruine in the States Dominions. I come now, accor∣ding to promise in the beginning of this Book, to give the Reader some Remarks I made in other Countries where I have been, du∣ring my Sixteen Years Travels. To give a full account of all that might be observed in so many Countries, is not a Task for one Man, nor a Subject for so small a Book; I shall only therefore briefly take notice of some remarkable Matters which may in some measure satisfie the Curiosity of my Country∣men, who have not been in the said places, and convince, if possible, all of them, that no Country that ever I was in, affords so

great Conveniencies for the generality of People to live in, as the Kingdom of Eng∣land doth. Though I have twice made the grand tour of Germany, Hungary, Italy and France, and after my return back to England, travelling a third time through Holland as far as Strasbourg, and so back by Francfort to Denmark and Sueden; yet the Reader is not to expect I should follow a Geographical Method and Order in speaking of the Places I have been in; that is to be lookt for in the Map, and not in Travels; but only that I mention Places as I found them on my Road, according as Business or Curiosity led me to Travel.

THE first considerable Place I then met with, after I was out of the Dominions of the States-General, was Cleave, the Capi∣tal City of the Province so called; a fair and lovely City standing upon the Rhine, and the Rivers Wall and Leck. This Province much resembles England in rich Soil, and pleasantness of its Rivers. The Inhabitants of the Country would have me believe that they were Originally descended of those Sax∣ons who made a descent into England, and conquered it; and to convince the truth of this, they shew'd me a Cloyster standing on a Hill, called Eltham, from which they say our Eltham in Kent had its Name. I was made to observe also two places standing

upon the Rhine near Emmerick, called Doad∣ford, and Gronewich, which according to them, gave the Names to Dedford and Green∣wich in England: But many such Analogies and Similitudes of Names are to be found in other places of Germany, but especially in up∣per Saxony and Denmark. The greatest part of this Province of Cleave, and part of the Dutchies of Juliers and Berg, and of the Pro∣vinces of Marke and Ravensbourg, belongs to the Elector of Brandenbourg, the rest belong∣ing to the Duke of Newbourg now Elector Palatine, and the Elector of Cologne. The Inhabitants are partly Roman Catholicks, partly Lutherans, and partly Calvinists, who all live promiscuously and peaceably toge∣ther both in City and Country. The City of Cleave is the utmost Limit of the Territo∣ries of the Elector of Brandenbourg on this side of Germany; from whence his Electoral Highness can Travel Two Hundred Dutch Miles out-right in his own Dominions, and never sleep out of his own Country but one Night in the Territories of the Bishop of Osnabrug.

FRom Cleave I went to a small Town called Rhinberg, but a very strong For∣tification belonging to the Elector of Co∣logne; which lies at two Miles distance from the City of Wesel, that belongs to the Elector of Brandenbourg. Through Dusseldorpe, situated

on the Rhine, and the Residence of the Duke of Newbourg, I went next to Cologne, a very large City, called by the Romans Colonia A∣grippina, and the French Rome d'Allemagne.

Cologne is an Imperial City, and a Repub∣lick, though for some things it does Homage to the Elector of that Name, and receives an Oath from him. It is much decayed with∣in these Hundred Years, having been much Priest-ridden; a Misfortune that hath un∣done many other great Cities. The Jesuits have had so great Influence upon the Magi∣strates, that they prevailed with them to ba∣nish all Protestants, who removed to Ham∣bourg and Amsterdam; so that Cologne is be∣come so dispeopled, that the Houses daily fall to ruine for want of Inhabitants, and a great deal of Corn and Wine now grows within the Walls, upon Ground where Hou∣ses formerly stood. I dare be bold to affirm, that there is twice the Number of Inhabi∣tants in the Parish of St. Martins in the Fields, as there is in Cologne; and yet it contains as many Parish-Churches, Monasteries and Chappels, as there are days in the Year. The Streets are very large, and so are the Hou∣ses also, in many of which one may drive a Coach or Wagon into the first Room from the Streets: But the Streets are so thin of People, that one may pass some of them and not meet Ten Men or Women, unless it be

Church-Men, or Religious Sisters. The most considerable Inhabitants of the City are Protestant Merchants, though but few in Number, and they not allowed a Church neither, but at a place called Woullin, a Mile without the City; the rest of the Inhabitants, who are Lay-men, are miserably poor. There are no less than 3000 Students in Cologne taught by the Jesuits gratis, who have the privilege to beg in Musical Notes in the Day-time, and take to themselves the liberty of borrowing Hats and Cloaks in the Night. But if in the Jesuits Schools there be any Rich Burghermasters Sons who have Parts, they are sure to be snapt up, and adopted into the Society. Formerly, before the Matter was otherwise adjusted in the Dyet of Ratu∣bonne, there have been Designs of Voting Protestant Magistrates into the Government again; but so soon as the Jesuits came to dis∣cover who of the Magistrates were for that, they immediately preferred their Sons or Daughters, and made them Canons, Abbots, or Canonesses, and so diverted them by In∣terest. It's pity to see a City so famous for Traffick in former times, now brought to so great a decay, that were it not for the Trade of Rhenish-Wine, it would be utterly forsaken, and left wholly to the Church-Men. The con∣tinual Alarms the Magistrates have had by Fo∣reign Designs upon their Liberty, and the Jea∣lousies fomented among themselves, as it is

thought, by the Agents and Favourers of France, and especially the Bishop of Stras∣bourg, have, for several years, kept them in continual disquiet, and necessitated them to raise great Taxes, which hath not a little con∣tributed to the impoverishing of the People, especially the Boars round about; who, tho' the Country they live in be one of the most pleasant and fertile Plains of Germany, yet are so wretchedly poor, that Canvas Cloaths, Wooden Shoes, and Straw to sleep on in the same room with their Beasts, is the greatest worldly Happiness that most of them can attain unto. The Elector of Cologne is Bishop of four great Bishopricks, viz. Co∣logne, Prince of Liege, Munster, and Hel∣dershime. To speak of all the Miracles of the three Kings of Cologne, and the vast number of Saints, who were removed out of Eng∣land and interred there, would be but tedi∣ous, and perhaps incredible, to the Reader, as well as wide of my design: I shall there∣fore proceed.

FRom Cologne I took Water on the Rhine, and advanced to the City of Bon, and so forward to Coblentz, the Residence of the Elector of Trier: Over-against this City, on the other side of the Rhine, stands that im∣pregnable Fort called Herminshine, built on a high rocky Hill, as high again as Windsor-Castle; and on the North-side of it, the Ri∣ver

Moselle falls into the Rhine, over which there is a stately Stone-Bridge. This Prince governs his Subjects as the other Spiritual Electors do, that is, both by Temporal and Spiritual Authority, which in that Country is pretty absolute. The chief Trade of this Country is in Wine, Corn, Wood and Iron.

THE next Country I came to was that of the Elector of Mayence or Mentz, who is likewise both a Secular and Ecclesiastical Prince, and governs his Subjects accordingly. He is reckoned to be wholly for the Interests of the French King; who, notwithstanding of that, pretends a Title to the Cittadel of Mayence. As I was upon my Journey to Mayence by Land, I made a turn down the Rhine to visit the famous little City of Back∣rack, and some Towns belonging to the Landtgrave of Hesse, but especially Backrack, because Travellers say, it much resembles Jerusalem in its Situation and manner of Buildings. The Burghermaster of this City told me, that the whole Country about Back∣rack does not yield above 200 Fouders of Wine a year; and yet the Merchants of Dort, by an Art of Multiplication, which they have used some years, furnish England with several thousand of Fouders. Here I shall take the Liberty to relate a strange Story, which, I found recorded in this Country, tho'

I know it to be mentioned in History: There was a certain cruel and inhuman Bi∣shop of Mayence, who, in a year of great scarcity and Famine, when a great number of poor People came to his Gates begging for Bread, caused the poor Wretches, Men, Women, and Children, to be put into a Barn, under pretext of relieving their Ne∣cessities, but so soon as they were got in, caused the Barn Doors to be shut, Fire set to it, and so burnt them all alive: And whil'st the poor Wretches cried and shrieked out for Horror and Pain, the barbarous Miscreant said to those that were about him, Hark, how the Rats and Mice do cry. But the just Judgment of GOD suffered not the Fact to pass unpunished; for not long after the cruel Bishop was so haunted with Rats and Mice, that all the Guards he kept about him could not secure him from them, neither at Table nor in Bed; at length he resolved to flee for Safety into a Tower that stood in the middle of the Rhine; but the Rats pursued him▪ got into his Chamber, and devoured him alive; so that the Justice of the Almighty made him a Prey to Vermin, who had in∣humanly reckoned his Fellow-Christians to be such. The Tower, which I saw, to this day is call'd the Rats-Tower, and the Story is upon Record in the City of Mayence.

On my Journey from thence I came to the little Village of Hockom, not far distant,

famous for our Hockomore-Wine, of which, though the place does not produce above 150 Fouders a year, yet the ingenious Hollanders of Dort make some thousand Fouders of it go off in England and the Indies.

FRom Hockom I proceeded to Francfort, a pleasant City upon the River of Maine, called formerly Teutoburgum and Helenop••lis, and since Francfort, because here the Franco∣nians, who came out of the Province of Franconia, foarded over, when they went upon their Expedition into Gallia, which they conquered, and named it France: And I thought it might very well deserve the Name of Petty-London, because of its Privi∣leges, and the Humour of the Citizens. It is a Hansiatick and Imperial Town, and Commonwealth, the Magistrates being Lu∣therans, which is the publick established Re∣ligion; though the Cathedral Church be∣longs to the Roman Catholicks, who also have several Monasteries there. The City is populous, and frequented by all sorts of Merchants, from most parts of Europe, and part of Asia also, because of the two great Fairs that are yearly kept there: Many Jews live in this City, and the richest Merchants are Calvinists, who are not suffered to have a Church in the Town, but half an hours Journey out of it, at a place called Bucknam, where I have told Seventy four Coaches at a

time, all belonging to Merchants of the City. It was in ancient times much en∣rich'd by Charlemain, and hath been since by the Constitution of the Golden-Bull: A∣mongst other Honours and Privileges, it's appointed to be the place of the Emperor's Election, where many of the Ornaments, be∣longing to that August Ceremony, are to be seen. It is strongly fortified, having a stately Stone-bridge over the Mayne, that joyns it to Saxe-housen, the Quarter of the Great Master of the Teutonick-Order. The Government is easie to the People, they not being taxed as other Cities are; and had it not been for the Alarms the French gave them, during the last War, they had not been much troubled, but being forced to keep 3 or 4000 Men in constant Pay to de∣fend their Fortifications, the Magistrates were constrained to raise Money by a Tax. Besides that of the Emperor, they are under the Protection of some Neighbouring Prin∣ces, as of the Landtgrave of Hesse-Cassel, Landtgrave of Armstadt, the Count of Solmes, and the Count of Hanau, who are either Lutherans or Calvinists, amongst whom the late Elector Palatine was also one; but whe∣ther the present, who is a Roman Catho∣lick, be so or not, I cannot tell. This City takes great care of their Poor, and in their Charity to poor Travellers exceed Hol∣land: I have seen a List of Seven thousand

whom they relieved in one year. Their great Hospital is a large Court or Palace, where the English Merchants formerly lived, in the time of Queen Mary's Persecution of the Protestants, who, when they were recalled by Queen Elizabeth, were so generous as to give the whole Court, with all their Pack-houses and Lands to the Poor of the City. It was my fortune to be there in that cold Winter in the year 1683, and saw a Ceremony performed by the Wine-Coopers of the City, who are obliged by Law, that when ever the Maine lies fast frozen over for 8 days toge∣ther, to make a great Fouder Fat, Hoops and Staves, and set it up compleat upon the Ice. It was very good diversion to see so many Hands at Work, and to observe the jollity and mirth of the many Thousands of Spe∣ctators, who wanted not plenty of Rhenish Wine to Carouse in.

I had the curiosity afterward to go to the Court of the Landtgrave of Armestadt, a Lutheran Prince, who lives in part of the richest Soil in Germany. His Highness is a very courteous and obliging Prince to Stran∣gers, and his Subjects are in a pretty good Condition again, though they have been great Sufferers by the last War between the Landt∣grave of Hesse and this Family.

FRom thence I went to Heidleberg, a City I had been formerly in, in the Life time of that Wise, though unfortunate Prince Elector, Elder Brother to Prince Rupert. Here I had the Honour to pay my Dutiful Respects to the Elector, the Son of that great Prince, whose Commissary I had the Ho∣nour to be for two years together in Amster∣dam. This Prince, since my being there, is Dead, and left behind him the Reputation of having been a zealous thorough paced Calvinist, and so constant a frequenter of the Church, that some Sundays he went thrice a day to Sermon; but never failed, if in Health, to be once a day at least at the Ga∣rison Church, where he took particular no∣tice of such Officers as were absent. He was Married to a most Virtuous Lady, the Royal Sister of the King of Denmark, and his Bro∣ther Prince George. During his Life time the University of Heidleberg flourished exceed∣ingly, so that the number of Students was so great, that Chambers and Lodgings in the City were scarce, and Spanhemius was about quitting Leyden to return to his Professors place in Heidleberg; but how matters stand since his Death, I am as yet ignorant. This Country is called, the Paradise of Germany, for its fruitfulness in Wine, Corn, and all sorts of Fruit. I my self have seen growing in one Plain, at the same time, Vines, Corn,

Chestnuts, Almonds, Dates, Figs, Cherries, besides several other sorts of Fruit. And as the Country is fertile in yielding the Fruits of the Earth, so the People are careful in providing Store Room for them. This I take notice of, because of the prodigious Rhenish Wine Fats which are to be seen there, amongst which there are Seven, the least whereof holds the quantity of 250 Barils of Beer, as I calculated; but the large and most celebrated Fat is that which goes by the name of the great Tun of Heidleberg, and holds 204 * 1.1Fouders of Wine, and cost 705 l. Sterling in Building, for which one may have a very good House built. This Fat I have seen twice, and the first time was, when the Elector Treated the French Ambassadors that came to conclude the Match betwixt his Daugh∣ter, and Monsieur the French Kings Bro∣ther, who Married her after the Death of Henrietta his first Wife; at which Treat there happened an adventure, that I shall here please the Reader with. In a Gallery that is over this Fat, the Elector caused a Table to be placed in the middle, exactly above the Bunghole of this Monstrous Vessel, and to be covered with a costly Banquet of all sorts of Sweat-Meats: The day before, all the Wine being emptied out of this Tun into other Fats, a little before the Ambassadors, with other Foreign Ministers and Persons of Qua∣lity mounted the Stairs to come to the place

of Entertainment, the Elector caused twelve Drummers, with as many Trumpeters, some Kettle-Drums, and other Musick, to be lodged in the Belly of the Tun, with orders to strike up, upon a signal given, when the Elector drank the French Kings Health. All being sat down at Table, and merrily Feeding, the Elector drank the Health, and the Signal was given; whereupon the Musick began to play its part, with such a roaring and un∣couth Noise out of that vast Cavity below, that the French and other Persons of Qua∣lity who were unacquainted with the design, looking upon it to be an infernal and omi∣nous Sound, in great astonishment began to cry out, Jesu Maria, The Worlds at an end, and to shift every one for himself in so great Disorder and Confusion, that for haste to be gone they tumbled down Stairs one over another. All that the Elector could say to compose them, was either not heard, or not valued, nor could any thing satisfie and re∣assure them, till they saw the Actors come marching out of their Den. Had not many Persons of Quality and Travellers seen this Fat as well as my self, who know that what I say of its incredible bigness to be true, I should be afraid the Reader might think I imposed upon his Credulity.

From Heidleberg I went to see that im∣pregnable Fort or Cittadel of Manheim allas Fredericksberg, built by the Elector Frederick,

Brother to Prince Rupert, a Prince of as good a Head as any Germany afforded; who though some have too partially judged of him by his Misfortunes, yet by the wisest of the Age was accounted the Cato of Germany. The Wisest and best Men of the World have been unfortunate, which makes some to be of the Opinion, That God in his Wisdom thinks fit it should be so, lest otherwise they might attribute their Prosperity rather to the wise direction of their own Conduct, than his All-seeing Providence: And indeed, daily Experience seems to evince the Truth of this, since we see Knaves and Fools advanced to Preferment and Riches, when Men of Virtue and Parts die neglected, and poor in the Eyes of the World, though rich in the en∣joyment of a contented Mind. But this is a digression which the Honour I have for the memory of that great Man hath led me into, and therefore I hope will be pardoned by the Reader. In the Cittadel of Manheim I saw some of the Records of that Illustrious Family, which without dispute is the most ancient of all the Secular Electors, being El∣der to that of Bavaria, which sprung from one and the same Stock; to wit, two Em∣perors of Germany. Many Writers derive them originally from Charlemain, by the Line of Pepin King of France. There have been several Emperors of that Race, one King of Denmark, and four Kings of Sueden,

one of which was King of Norway also, be∣sides many great Generals of Armies in Ger∣many, Hungary, France, and other Countrys. Since I can remember there were five Pro∣testant Princes Heirs to that Electoral Dig∣nity alive; which now by their Death is fallen to the Duke of Newbourg, the present Prince Elector Palatine, a Roman Catholick, whose Daughter is Empress of Germany, and another of his Daughters Married to the King of Portugal, a third to the King of Spain, and a fourth to Prince James of Poland.

BEing so near Strasbourg, I had the curi∣osity to go see what figure that Famous City now made, since it had changed its Master; for I had been thrice there before, when it flourished under the Emperors Pro∣tection, with the liberty of a Hansiatick Town: And indeed, I found it so disfigured, that had it not been for the stately Cathedral Church, and fair Streets, and Buildings, I could scarcely have known it. In the Streets and Exchange, which formerly were throng∣ed with sober, rich, and peaceable Merchants, you meet with none hardly now but Men in Buff-Coats and Scarffs, with rabbles of Soldiers their Attendants. The Churches I confess are gayer, but not so much frequented by the Inhabitants as heretofore, seeing the Lutherans are thrust into the meanest

Churches, and most of the chief Merchants, both Lutherans and Calvinists, removed to Holland and Hambourg. Within a few years, I beleive it will be just such another City for Trade and Riches as Brisac is. It was for∣merly a rich City, and well stockt with Mer∣chants and wealthy Inhabitants, who lived under a gentle and easie Government; but now the Magistrates have little else to do in the Government, but only to take their Rules and Measures from a Cittadel and great Guns, which are Edicts that Merchants least understand. I confess, Strasbourg is the less to be pittied that it so tamely became a Slave, and put on its Chains without any strugling. Those Magistrates who were In∣struments in it, are now sensible of their own Folly, and bite their Nails for Anger, finding themselves no better, but rather worse hated than the other Magistrates, who did what they could to hinder the Reception of their new Masters the French. I quickly grew weary of being here, meeting with nothing but complaints of Poverty, and paying ex∣orbitant Taxes.

I therefore soon returned to my Petty-London, Francfort, and from thence went to Cas∣sel, the chief Residence of the Landtgrave of Hesse. This Prince is a Calvinist, as most of his Subjects are, very grave and zealous in his Religion: He Married a Princess of

Courland, by whom he hath an hopeful Issue; to wit, three Sons, and two Daughters. King Charles II. was God-Father to one of his Sons, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was Christened by the Name of Charles; Captain William Legg, Brother to the Lord Dartmouth, representing his Ma∣jesty as his Envoy. The Court of this Prince does indeed resemble a well-governed Col∣lege, or Religious Cloister, in regard of its Modesty and Regularity in all Things, and especially in the Hours of Devotion. He is Rich in Money, and entertains about Nine Thousand Men in constant Pay, under the Command of Count Vanderlip, a brave and expert Soldier, his Lieutenant General, but can bring many more upon occasion into Field. This Family hath been very happy both in its Progeny and Alliances, many Wise Princes of both Sexes having sprung from it; and the Mother of this present Landtgrave may be reckoned amongst the Illustrious Women of the present and past Ages. After the Death of William V. Landt∣grave of Hesse her Husband, she not only supported, but advanced the War wherein he was engaged, did many signal Actions, enlarged her Territories, and at the conclu∣sion of the Peace, kept under her Pay 56 Cornets of Horse in five Regiments, 166 Companies of Foot, besides 13 Companies of Dragoons, and 14 Independent Compa∣nies, in all 249 Companies of Horse and

Foot: She was a Princess extreamly obliging to Strangers, especially virtuous and learned Divines. I had the Honour a good many years ago to kiss her Highnesses Hand, at which time she was mighty Zealous in pro∣moting an Accommodation amongst diffe∣rent Religions, as the Roman Catholick, Lutheran and Calvinist, but especially be∣twixt the two latter; and therefore enter∣tained Doctor Duris, at her Court in Cassels, who wrote several pieces upon that Subject of Reconciliation, and with some of his Friends had a Conference with a Learned Priest, that came from Rome to forward the Project; whereupon the Doctor Published his Book of the Harmony of Consent, which is highly esteemed in Germany.

FRom this Princes Court I directed my Journey to Hanouer, taking Lambspring in my way, a place where there is a Con∣vent of English Monks; and there I met with a very aged, worthy, and harmless Gentleman, Sir Thomas Gascoigne, a Person of seeming great Integrity and Piety; the Lord Abbot and several of the Monks I had seen there formerly. This Monastery is very ob∣liging to all Strangers that Travel that way, as well as to their own Country-men, and is highly respected by the Neighbouring Princes of all Perswasions, as the Princes of the House of Lunenburg, the Landtgrave of Hesse, and

Elector of Cologne, who as Bishop of Hil∣dersheim is their Ordinary. The Town of Lambspring is Lutheran, though under the Government of the Lord Abbot and his Chapter, who constantly chuse Lutheran Magistrates and Officers for the Civil Ad∣ministration, and live together in that Love and Unity, that as yet there hath never the least debate happened amongst them; and indeed, this Harmony is now to be observed in most parts of Germany, where different Religions are professed. When I considered so many goodly Faces, both of Monks and Students in that Abbey, I could not forbear to make a serious Reflection on the number of the English whom I had seen in the Col∣leges and Cloisters abroad, as at Rome, Ratis∣bonne, Wirtzburg in Lorrain, at Liege, Lou∣vain, Brussels, Dunkirk, Ghent, Paris, and other places, besides the Nunneries; and withall, on the loss that both King and King∣dom suffered thereby, when so many of our Natives, both Men and Women should be constrained to spend their own Estates, and the Benevolence of others in a strange Land, which amounts to more Money than at first one may imagine; and this thought, I con∣fess, made me wish it were otherwise. I would not have the Reader to mistake me here, as if I Espoused, or Pleaded for any particular Party; no, I plead only for the Sentiments of Humanity, without which

our Nature degenerates into that of Brutes, and for the love that every honest Man ought to have for his Country. I am as much a Friend to the Spanish Inquisition, as to the persecuting of tender Conscien∣ced Protestants, provided there be no more but Conscience in the Case: And I could heartily wish that Papists and Protestants could live as lovingly together in England, as they do in Holland, Germany, and other Countries; for give me leave to say it, I love not that Religion, which in stead of Exalting, destroys the Principles of Mora∣lity and human Society. I have met with honest Men of all Perswasions, even Turks and Jews, who in their Lives and Manners have far exceeded many of our Enthusia∣stick Professors at home; and when ever this happened, I could not forbear to love the Men without embracing their Religion, for which they themselves are to account to their great Master and Judge.

In my progress towards Hanouer I touched at Hildersheim, a City whose Ma∣gistrates are Lutheran, though Roman Catholicks have the Cathedral Church, and several Monasteries there. The Court of Hanouer makes another kind of Figure than that of Cassels, it being the Court of a great Prince, who is Bishop of Osnaburg, Duke of Brunswick, Lunenburg, Hanouer, &c. Here I had the Honour to Kiss the

Hands of the Princess Royal Sophia, young∣est Sister to the late Prince Rupert. Her Highness has the Character of the Merry Debonnaire Princess of Germany, a Lady of Extraordinary Virtue and Accomplishments, and Mistress of the Italian, French, High and Low Dutch, and English Languages, which she speaks to Perfection. Her Hus∣band has the Title of the Gentleman of Germany, a graceful and comely Prince both a Foot, and on Horseback, Civil to Strangers beyond compare, infinitely Kind and Beneficent to People in Distress, and known in the World for a Valiant and Experienced Soldier. I had the Honour to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Troops, which, without Contro∣v•••••••••• are as good Men, and Commanded by as expert Officers as any are in Europe: Amongst his Officers I found brave Steel-Hand Gordon, Colonel of an excellent Re∣giment of Horse, Grimes, Hamilton, Talbot, and others of our Kings Subjects. God hath blest the Prince with a numerous Off-spring, having six Sons, all gallant Princes; of whom the two Eldest signalized themselves so bravely at the raising of the Siege of Vienna, that as undoubted proof of their Valour, they brought three Turks home to this Court Prisoners. His eldest Son is Married to a most beautiful Princess, sole Heiress of the Duke of Lunenburg and Zell's Elder Brother; as the lovely Princess his

Daughter is Married to the Duke of Brandenburg. He is a gracious Prince to his People, and keeps a very splendid Court, having in his Stables for the use of himself and Children, no less than Fifty two sets of Coach-Horses: He himself is a Lutheran, but as his Subjects are Christians of different Perswasions, and some of them Jews too, so both in his Court and Army he entertains Gentlemen of various Opinions and Coun∣tries, as Italian Abbots, and Gentlemen that serve him, and many Calvinist French Officers: Neither is he so Bigotted in his Religion, but that he and his Children go many times to Church with the Princess, who is a Calvinist, and join with her in her Devotion. His Country is good, having Gold and Silver Mines in it, and his Sub∣jects live well under him; as do those also of his Brother the Duke of Lunenburg, and their Cozen the Duke of Wolfembuttel, which are the three Princes of the House of Lunen∣bourg; of whom it may be said, that they have always stuck honestly to the right side, and befriended the Interests of the Empire; so that no by-Respect, neither Honour nor Profit, could ever prevail with them, as it has with others, to make them abandon the publick Concern.

FRom this Princes Court I went to Zell, the Residence of the Duke the elder Brother of the Family. This Prince is called the Mighty Nimrod, because of the great delight he takes in Horses, Dogs, and Hunting. He did me the honour to let me see his Stables, wherein he keeps 370 Horses, most of them English, or of English Breed. His Dogs, which are also English, are so many, that with great care they are quartered in several Apartments according to their Kind and Qualities, there being a large Office like a Brewhouse employed for boyling of Malt and Corn for them. It is this valiant Prince who took Trieves from the French, and made the Mareschal de Crequi Prisoner: He is ex∣treamly obliging to Strangers, and hath seve∣ral brave Scotish Officers under his Pay, as Major-General Erskin, Graham, Coleman, Ha∣milton, Melvin, and others. His Lieutenant-General is one Chavot a Protestant of Alsa∣tia, an excellent and experienced Comman∣der. I shall add no more concerning this Prince, his Officers, or Country; but that he, with the other two Princes of the House of Lunenbourg, Hanouer, and Wolfembuttel, can upon occasion bring into the Field 36000 Soldiers, whom they keep in constant Pay, and such Men as I never saw better in my life.

AFter some stay at the Court of the Duke of Zell, I went to Hambourg, a famous Hansiatick Town. It is a Republick, and City of great Trade, occasioned partly by the English Company of Merchant Adventurers, but much more by the Dutch Protestants, who in the time of the Duke of Alba for∣sook the Low-Countries and settled here, and the Protestants also who were turned out of Cologne, and other Places in Germany; who nevertheless are not now allowed Publick Churches within the City, but at a place called Altena, a Village belonging to the King of Den∣mark, a quarter of an hours walk distant from Hambourg. This Commonwealth is Luthe∣ran, and governed by 4 Burghermasters, 24 Radts-heers, and a Common-Council of all the Burghers who have above 40 Shillings per Annum Freehold. The Symbol or Motto under their Arms, is, Da Pacem Domine in Diebus nostris; and in their Standards are these Letters S. P. Q. H. The People here groan under heavy Taxes and Impositions; The State, because of continual Alarms they have from the King of Denmark, or other Neighbours; and the Intestine Broils that frequently happen here, as well as at Col••gne, where the Burghermasters are often in dan∣ger of their Lives from the mutinous Mo∣bile; being forced to maintain 6 or 7000 Men in Pay, besides 2 or 3 Men of War to

guard their Havens from Pirats. I shall not name all the ways of imposing Taxes which this Commonwealth uses, because in most they imitate the Methods of the States-Ge∣neral as to that, which have been mentioned before: I shall only take notice of some pe∣culiar Customs they have, wherein they differ from Holland. When a Barber, Shoe∣maker, or any other Artizan dies, leaving a Widow and Children, another of the same Trade is not admitted to set up for himself as a Master, unless he compound with the Widow for a piece of Money, or else marry her, or a Daughter of hers with her consent.

If any Man cause another to be Arrested for Debt, or upon any other Suit, the Plaintiff must go along with the Officer who Arrests the Party, and stay by him until the Prisoner be examined by the Sheriff; so that if the Sheriff be not to be spoken with that night, the Plaintiff must tarry with the Prisoner all night, until the Sheriff examin the matter, and see cause of dis∣charging or committing the Party; but this a Plaintiff may do by a Procuration Notarial.

If a Prisoner be committed for Debt, the Plaintiff must maintain him in Prison ac∣cording to his Quality; and if the Party lie in Prison during the space of 6 Years, at the expiration of that time the Prisoner is

discharged; and if during the time of his Imprisonment the Plaintiff do not punctu∣ally pay the Prisoner's Allowance at the Months end, the Prisoner is set at liberty, and nevertheless the Plaintiff must pay the Gaoler the last Month's Allowance.

This State is severe in the execution of Justice against Thieves, Murderers, and Cheats. There is no Pardon to be expe∣cted for Murder, and a Burghermaster him∣self, if Guilty, cannot escape. The Pu∣nishment for Murder is here as in Sweden, breaking Malefactors on the Wheel, pinching their Breasts and Arms with hot Pincers, spitting them in at the Fundament, and out at the Shoulder: They have also cruel ways of Torturing to make Prisoners confess; and are very careful not to be cheated in their Publick Revenue, their Excise-men and Collectors being Punished as in Holland. They take a very good course not to be cheated in their Excise, for all the Mills of the Country are in the hands of the State; so that no Baker nor Brewer can grind his own Corn, but must have it ground at the States Mills, where they pay the Excise. There is a General Tax upon all Houses, and that is the Eighth Penny, which never∣theless does not excuse them from Chimney-money. The States here, as at Genoua in Italy, are the Publick Vintners, of whom all People must buy their Wine, which

they buy from the Merchant, or otherwise import it in their own Ships. In their Ce∣remonies of Burying and Christening, they are ridiculously Prodigal; as for Instance: If one invite a Burghermaster, he must give him a Ducat in Gold; if a Radts-heer, that is, an Alderman, a Rixdollar; to every Preacher, Doctor of Physick, Advocate or Secretary, half a Rixdollar; and to every Schoolmaster, the third part of a Rixdollar. The Women are the Inviters to Burials, Weddings, and Christenings, who wear an Antick kind of a Dress, having Mitred Caps as high again as the Mitre of a Bishop. The Churches here are rich in Revenues and Ornaments, as Images and stately Or∣gans, wherein they much delight. They are great Lovers of Musick, insomuch that I have told 75 Masters of several sorts of Mu∣sick in one Church, besides those who were in the Organ-Gallery. Their Organs are extraordinary large: I measured the great Pipes in the Organs of St. Catherine's and St. James's Churches, and found them to be 3 Foot and 3 quarters in circumference, and 32 Foot long; in each of which Organs there are two Pipes 5 Foot and 8 Inches round. The Wealth and Trade of this City encreases daily; they send one Year with another 70 Ships to Greenland, and have wonderfully Engrossed that Trade from England and Holland, and it's believed,

that small and great there are belonging to this Commonwealth five thousand Sail of Ships. After Amsterdam, Genoua and Venice, their Bank is reckoned the chief in Credit; but in Trade they are accounted the third in Europe, and come next to London and Am∣sterdam. Hambourg is now become the Ma∣gazine of Germany, and of the Baltick and Northern Seas. They give great Privileges to the Jews, and to all Strangers whatsoever, especially the English Company of Merchant Adventurers, whom they allow a large Build∣ing, where they have a Church, and where the Deputy-Governour, Secretary, Minister, and the other Officers of the Company live, to whom they yearly make Presents of Wine, Beer, Sheep, Salmond and Sturgeon in their seasons. And so much of Hambourg.

FRom Hambourg I went to Lubeck, which is also a Commonwealth and Imperial Town. It is a large well-built City, con∣taining ten Parish-Churches; the Cathedral dedicated to St. Peter being in length 500 Foot, with two high Spires all covered with Brass, as the rest of the Churches of that Ci∣ty are. In former times this City was the place where the Deputies of all the Hansia∣tick Towns assembled, and was once so powerful as to make War against Denmark and Sweden, and to conquer several places and Islands belonging to those two Crowns,

nay and to lend Ships to England and other Potentates, without any prejudice to their own Trade, wherein they vyed in all parts with their Neighbours; but it is now ex∣ceedingly run into decay, not only in Ter∣ritories, but in Wealth and Trade also. And the reason of that was chiefly the Inconside∣rate Zeal of their Lutheran Ministers, who perswaded the Magistrates to banish all Ro∣man Catholicks, Calvinists, Jews, and all that dissented from them in matter of Reli∣gion, even the English Company too, who all went and setled in Hambourg, to the great Advantage of that City, and almost ruine of Lubeck, which hath not now above 200 Ships belonging to it, nor more Territories to the State than the City it self, and a small part called Termond, about eight Miles distant from it. The rest of their Territories are now in the possession of the Danes and Swedes, by whom the Burghers are so continually alarm∣ed, that they are quite tired out with keep∣ing Guard, and paying of Taxes. The Ci∣ty is indeed well fortified; but the Govern∣ment not being able to maintain above 1500 Soldiers in pay, 400 Burghers in two Com∣panies are obliged to watch every Day. They have a large well-built Stadthouse, and an Exchange covered, on the top whereof the Globes of the World are painted. This Ex∣change is about 50 Yards in the length, and but 15 in breadth: Over it there is a Room

where the Skins of five Lyons which the Burghers killed at the City-Gates in the Year 1252. are kept stuft. The great Market-place is very large, where a Monumental-Stone is to be seen, on which one of their Burghermasters was beheaded for running away without fighting in a Sea-Engagement. The People here spend much time in their Churches at Devotion, which consists chiefly in Singing. The Women are beautiful, but disfigured with a kind of Antick Dress, they wearing Cloaks like Men. It is cheap living in this Town: For one may hire a Palace for a matter of 20 l. a Year, and have Pro∣visions at very reasonable Rates; besides the Air and Water is very good, the City being supplied with Fountains of Excellent Fresh Water, which Hambourg wants; and good Ground for Celleridge, there being Cellars here 40 or 50 Foot deep.

I Had the Curiosity to go from Lubeck to see the Ancient City of Magdeburg, but found it so ruined and decayed by the Swe∣dish War, that I had no Encouragement to stay there. I therefore hastened to Berlin, the chief Residence of the Elector of Bran∣denburg; at whose Court I met with a very Ingenuous French Merchant, who told me, that he, and divers other Merchants, were designed to have lived in England, but were discouraged by a Letter sent from London, by

a French-Man that was removing from thence to Amsterdam, for these following Reasons, which I Copied out of his Letter.

First, Because the Reformed Religion is persecuted in England as it is France; the which I told him was a great Untruth, for it is apparent that they have been all along graciously admitted, and received into his Majesties Dominions, without interruption, and allowed the free Exercise of their own Form of Worship, according to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Churches of France. Nor can they who converse with the French Ministers either in France or Holland be igno∣rant, that the chiefest part, if not all those Ministers, are willing to comply with the Church of England; and it is evident that most of the Dutch and French Protestants (so called) in Holland make use of Organs in their Churches.

A second thing was, that both the Bank at London and the Bankers Goldsmiths were all broak; the which I told this Frenchman was not true altogether, for there are many able Bankers whom I named: Neither was the Bank (as he called the Chamber of Lon∣don) broak, only it had been under the ma∣nagement of a bad Person, whose design was to bring it into disgrace. Besides, there is the East-India-Company an unquestionable Se∣curity for those as have Money to dispose of, together with another undeniable Security which is Land.

Thirdly, he saith, That in England there is no Register, and therefore many Frauds in Purchases and Morgages, which beget tedious Suits, and renders both dangerous to trust.

Fourthly, That if a Man would purchase Land he cannot, being an Alien, until Na∣turalized.

Fifthly, That in England there are so ma∣ny Plots and Confusions in Government, that the Kingdom is hardly quiet 20 Years together.

Sixthly, that false Witnesses were so com∣mon in England, and the Crime of Perjury so slightly punished, that no Man could be safe in Life or Estate, if he chanced to be in Trouble.

Lastly he said, that the English are so rest∣less and quarelsom, that they not only fo∣ment and cherish Animosities amongst one another, but are every foot contriving and plotting against their Lawful Sovereign, and the Government. By such Surmises and In∣sinuations as these, the French and Germans are scared from trusting themselves and For∣tunes in England, and therefore settle in Am∣sterdam, Hamburgh, and other Cities, where there are Banks and Registers: This I say is one cause, why there are now to be seen at Amsterdam such vast numbers of French and Germans, who have much enrich'd that City, and raised the Rents of the Houses 20

per Cent. And the Silk-weavers grow also ve∣ry rich, keeping so many Alms-Children to do their Work, and having all their Labour without any Charge, only for the teaching them their Trades; which hath lessened the Revenues of the French Crown, and will, in time, greatly increase the number of the States Subjects, and advance their publick Incomes.

Having made this Digression, I return to Berlin; It is a City enlarged with fair Streets and Palaces: The Magistrates of the place are Lutherans, which is the publick establish∣ed Religion in all the Electors Dominions; though he himself and his Children be Cal∣vinists: He is look'd upon to be so true to that Persuasion, that he is reckoned the Pro∣tector of the Calvinists; and indeed he sol∣licited the Emperor very hard for a Tolera∣tion of the Protestants in Hungary. His Chaplains, as most of the Lutheran Mini∣sters also, endeavour to imitate the English in their way of Preaching: And his High∣ness is so much taken with English Divinity, that he entertains Divines for translating En∣glish Books into the German Tongue, as The Whole Duty of Man, and several others. He has a large and stately Palace at Berlin, and therein a copious Library, enriched with many Manuscripts, Medals, and Rarities of Antiquity. He may compare with most Princes for handsom Guards, being all of

them proper well-bodied Men, and most part Officers who ride in his Guards of Horse. As he is known in the World to be a Valiant and Warlike Prince, so he main∣tains in Pay an Army of 36000 Men; be∣sides five or six thousand Horsemen, who in time of War are modelled into Troops; with which Body during the late War with Sweden, his Highness's Father in Person beat the Swedes out of his Country. He keeps his Forces in strict Discipline, obliging all the Officers, if Protestants, on Sundays and Holy-days to march their several Companies in order to Church; but if a Superiour Of∣ficer be of a contrary Perswasion, then the next in Commission supplies his place. This custom is Religiously observed by all his High∣nesses Garisons, whilst he himself goes con∣stantly to the Calvinist Church adjoyning to the Court, with his Children, being five Sons, two Daughters, and two Daughters-in-Law.

Amongst other Acts of Publick Piety and Charity, this Prince hath established and en∣dowed some Religious Houses or Nunneries for Protestant young Ladies, where they may live virtuously, and spend their time in Devotion as long as they please, or other∣wise Marry, if they think fit, but then they lose the benefit of the Monastery. There is one of these at Hertford in Westphalia, where I was, and had the Honour to wait upon

the Lady Abbess the Princess Elizabeth, eldest Sister of the late Elector Palatine and Prince Rupert. Notwithstanding the late 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with Sweden, and that by the prevalency 〈◊〉〈◊〉 France in that hasty Treaty of Peace co••••••••∣ded at Nim••guen, his late Electoral 〈…〉〈…〉 was obliged to give back what he had 〈…〉〈…〉 taken from that Crown; yet his 〈…〉〈…〉 flourished in Wealth and Trade, his 〈…〉〈…〉 having encouraged Manufactures of 〈…〉〈…〉 by inviting Artizans into his Domin•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 established a Company of Trading 〈…〉〈…〉 to the West-Indies, which will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 advance Navigation amongst his Sub••••••••••▪ And in all humane probability they are 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to continue in a happy condition, seeing by the Alliances his Highness hath made with the Protestant Princes of the Empire, and especially the House of Lunenbourg, they are in no danger of being disturbed by their Neighbours.

I told you before that the Elector of Bran∣denbourg was Married to the Daughter of the Duke of Hanouer, so that as long as that Al∣liance holds, the Families of Brandenbourg and Lunenbourg will be in a condition to cast the Balance of the Empire; they both toge∣ther being able to bring into the Field 80000 as good Men as any are in Europe.

WHen I parted from Berlin, I made a turn back to Lunenbourg in my way to Swedeland, where I found several of my Countrymen Officers in the Garison, who shewed me what was most remarkable in the City, as the Saltworks, (which bring in considerable Sums of Money to the Duke of Lunenbourg) the Stadthouse, and Churches, in one of which I saw a Commu∣nion-Table of pure Ducat-Gold. From thence I went into the Province of Holstein and at a small Sea-port called Termond, of which I spake before, I embarked for Swe∣den.

HE that hath read in the Histories of this last Age the great Exploits of Gustavus Adolphus and his Swedes, perhaps may have a fancy that it must be an excellent Country which hath bred such Warriors; but if he approach it, he will soon find himself unde∣ceived. Entering into Swedeland, at a place called Landsort, we sail'd forward amongst high Rocks, having no other prospect from Land but Mountains till we came to Dollers, which is about four Swedish, that is, twenty four English Miles from Stockholm, the Capital City of the Kingdom. Upon my coming ashore, I confess I was a little surprized to see the Poverty of the People; and the little Wooden Houses they lived in, not unlike Soldiers Huts in a Leaguer; but much more, when I discovered little else in the Country but Mountainous Rocks, and standing Lakes of Water. The Reader will excuse me, I hope, if I remark not all that I may have taken notice of in this Country, seeing by what I have already written, he may per∣ceive that my Design is rather to observe the Manner of the Inhabitants living, than to give a full Description of every thing that may be seen in the Country they live in. However, I shall say somewhat of that too, having premised once for all, that the ordi∣nary People are wretchedly poor; yet not so much occasioned by the Publick Taxes,

as the Barronness of their Country, and the Oppression of the Nobles their Landlord••, and immediate Superiours, who till the pre∣••••••t King put a stop to their Violences, ty∣••••••nically domineered over the Lives and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the poor Peasants.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 D••llers I took Waggon to Stockholm, 〈…〉〈…〉 Horses three times by the way, 〈…〉〈…〉 of the badness of the Rode, on all 〈…〉〈…〉 with Rocks, that hardly 〈…〉〈…〉 as here and there to leave a 〈…〉〈…〉 Ground. At two Miles di∣stance upon that Road the City of Stock∣holm looks great, because of the King's Pa∣lace, the Houses of Noblemen, and some Churches which are seated upon Rocks: And indeed, the whole City and Suburbs stand upon Rocks, unless it be some few Houses built upon Ground gained from the Rivers that run through the Town. Stockholm has its Name from a Stock or Log of Wood, which three Brothers threw into the Water five Miles above the City, making a Vow, that where-ever that Stock should stop, they would build a Castle to dwell in. The Stock stopt at the Holm, or Rock where the Pa∣lace of the King now stands: And the Bro∣thers, to be as good as their word, there built their Castle, which invited others to do the like; so that in process of time the other Rocks or Holms were covered with Build∣ings, which at length became the Capital

City of the Kingdom. It is now embelished with a great many stately Houses, and much improved from what it was 400 Years ago, as indeed most Cities are; for the Stadthouse then built, is so contemptible and low, that in Holland or England it would not be suffered to stand to disgrace the Nation. The Coun∣cil-Chamber where the Burghmasters and Raedt sit, is two Rooms cast into one, not above nine Foot high; and the two Rooms where the Sheriffs and the Erve College (which is a Judicature like to the Doctors Commons in England) sit, are not above eight Foot and a half high. The King's Pa∣lace is a large Square of Stone-building, in some places very high, but an old and irre∣gular Fabrick, without a sufficient quantity of Ground about it for Gardens and Walks. It was anciently surrounded with Water; but some Years since part of it was filled up to make a Way from the Castle-Gate down in∣to the old Town. In this Palace there are large Rooms; but the Lodgings of the King, Queen, and Royal Family, are three Pair of Stairs high, the Rooms in the first and se∣cond Stories being destin'd for the Senate-Chamber, and other Courts of Judicature. The King's Library is four Pair of Stairs high, being a Room about forty six Foot square, with a Closet adjoyning to it not half the Dimensions. When I considered the Apartments and Furniture of this Court,

I began to think that the French Author wrote Truth, who in his Remarks upon Swedeland says, That when Queen Christina resigned the Crown to Carolus Gustavus, the Father of this present King, she disposed of the best of the Furniture of the Court, and gave away a large share of the Crown-Lands to her Favorites; in so much that the King, considering the poor Condition she had left the Kingdom in, and seeing the Court so meanly furnished, said, That had he known before he accepted the Crown, what then he did, he would have taken other Mea∣sures.

There are many other stately Palaces in Stockholm belonging to the Nobility; but many of them for want of Repairs, and not being inhabited, run to ruine; several of the Nobles who lived in them formerly, having lost the Estates that maintained their ancient Splendor, as we shall see hereafter, being retired unto a Country Life. There are al∣so some other Magnificent Structures begun, but not finished, as that stately Building in∣tended for a Parliament-House for the No∣bles, and two or three Churches: But what I most wonder at, is the Vault wherein the late King lies buried, is not as yet covered but with Boards, for it is to be observed that the Kings of Sweden have no Tombs and Mo∣numents as in England and other Countries; but are put into Copper Coffins, with In∣scriptions

on them, and placed one by ano∣ther in Vaults, adjoyning to the Gray-Friers Church. These Vaults are about eight in Number, having Turrets over them, with Veins of Copper gilt, carved into the Cy∣phers of the several Kings who give them their Names by being the first that are inter∣red in them. The Vault of the late King is not yet finished, no more than the Fabricks above-mentioned, which perhaps may be imputed to the late Troubles of Swedeland. The Number of the Inhabitants of Stockholm are also much decreased within these few Years, partly by reason of the removal of the Court of Admiralty and the Kings Ships from that City to Charles-Crown, a new Ha∣ven lately made about 200 English Miles from thence, which hath drawn many Fa∣milies belonging to the Fleet and Admiralty from Stockholm to live there: And partly, because many of the Nobility, Gentry, and those that depended on them, are, as I said before, withdrawn from Stockholm to a re∣tired Life in the Country. Nevertheless the ordinary sort of Burghers, who still remain, are extreamly poor; seeing the Women are fain to work like Horses, drawing Carts, and as Labourers in England, serving Masons and Bricklayers with Stone, Bricks and Mortar, and unloading Vessels that bring those Mate∣rials; some of the poor Creatures in the Summer-time toiling in their Smocks with∣out

either Shooes or Stockings. They per∣form also the part of Watermen, and for a small matter will Row Passengers 40 Miles or more if they please.

The Court here is very thin and silent, the King living frugally, and seldom Dining in publick. He Eats commonly with the two Queens, his Mother and Consort, who is a Virtuous Princess, Sister to the King of Denmark. She is the Mother of five Chil∣dren, three Sons and two Daughters, with whom she spends most of her time in Re∣tirement. The King is a goodly Prince, whom God hath Blessed and Endowed with Accomplishments far beyond what might have been expected from his Education, wherein he was extreamly abused, being Taught little more than his Mother Tongue. He is Gracious, Just and Valiant, constant at his Devotion, and utterly averse from all kind of Debauchery, and the unfashionable Vanities of other Courts, in Plays and Dancing.

His sports are Hunting and Exercising of his Guards, and he rarely appears publickly, or gives Audience to Strangers, which is imputed to his Sense of the neglect of his Education. He is a Prince that hath had a very hard beginning in the World, which hath many times proved fortunate to great Men; and indeed, if we consider all the circumstances of his early Misfortunes, how

he was slighted and neglected by his Nobles, who would hardly vouchsafe to pay him a visit when he was among them in the Coun∣try, or to do him Homage for the Lands they held of the Crown; and how by the pernicious Counsels of the French, and the weakness or treachery of his Governors, he was misled into a War that almost cost him his Crown, having lost the best of his Ter∣ritories in Germany and Schonen, and most of his Forces both by Sea and Land: If, I say, these things be considered, it will probably appear, that hardly any Prince before him hath in a shorter time, or more fully setled the Authority and Prerogative of the Crown, than he hath done in Sweden; for which he stands no ways obliged to France, as he was for the Restauration of what he lost during the War. He is now as absolute as the French King, and makes Edicts, which have the Force of Laws, without the concurrence of the Estates of the Kingdom. He hath erected two Judicatures, the one called the College of Reduction, and the other of Inspections; the first of which hath put his Majesty in Possession again of all Lands alienated from the Crown, and the other called to account all Persons, even the Heirs and Executors of those who had cheated the Crown, and made them refund what they or their Prede∣cessors had appropriated to their own use of

the publick Revenue. These two necessary Constitutions, as they have reduced many great Families to a pinch, who formerly lived splendidly upon the Crown Lands and Revenues, and obliged them to live at home upon their ancient and private Patrimony in the Country, which is one great cause that the Court of Sweden is at present so unfre∣quented; so have they enabled his Majesty; without burdening of his Subjects, to support the Charges of the Government, and to maintain 64000 Men in pay. The Truth is, his other Revenues are but small, what a∣rises from the Copper and Iron Mines, one Silver Mine, the Pitch and Tar, the Cu∣stoms and Excise amounts to no extraordi∣nary Sum of Money, and the Land Tax in so barren a Country scarcely deserving to be named. The Customes and Excise, I con∣fess, are very high, and the rigorous manner of exacting them pernicious to Trade: As for instance; If a Ship come to Stockholme from London, with a hundred several sorts of Goods, and those Goods assigned to fifty several Men more or less, if any of those fifty do not pay the Custom of what belongs to him, though it be for a Barrel of Beer, the Ship shall not be unladen, nor no Man have his Goods out, though he hath fully pay'd the Customs for them, till this last Man hath pay'd his. There are several other silly

Customs in Swedeland that discourages Men from Trading there; as if any Stranger Die there, a third of his Estate must go to the City or Town where he Traded. No Fo∣reign Merchant in Stockholme can Travel in∣to any Country where there is a Fair with∣out a Passport: And at present, seeing there is no Treaty of Trade betwixt England and Sweden, though the English bring as conside∣rable a Trade to that Kingdom as any other Country whatsoever, yet they are very un∣kindly used by the Officers of the Custom-House; whereas the Dutch in Lubeck, and other Cities, have new and greater Privi∣leges allowed them. Nor would I Counsel an English-man to go to Law with a Swedish Burgher in Sweden, especially if he be a Whiggish Scot, who hath got his Freedom in Stockholme, for those are a kind of Scrapers, whom I have observed to be more inveterate against the English than the Native Swedes.

Of all the Swedish Army of 64000 Men, the King keeps but 12 Companies of 200 Men a-peice, with some few Horse Guards in Stockholme, who are not upon Duty as Sentinels at the Court Gates, as at the Courts of other Princes. The rest are dispersed in∣to Quarters and Garisons upon the Frontiers, which are so far distant in that large compass of Land which his Territories take up, that it would require a hard and tedious work to bring them together to a general Muster.

They are however kept under very strict Discipline, and those that lie near, often viewed by the King. They have odd sort, of Punishments for the Soldiers and Officers of all Degrees: For Example, if a Serjeant or Corporal be Drunk, or negligent on Du∣ty, they are put into Armour, and with three Muskets tied under each Arm, made to walk two Hours before the Court of Guard; yet, for all the severity of Discipline used against the Soldiers, they commit many Abuses in the Night time, Robbing, and sometimes killing Men upon the Streets in Stockholme, where they have no Lights nor Guards as in Copenhagen. In former times there have been at one time 35 Colonels, besides Ge∣neral Officers in the Swedish Army, all the Subjects of the King of Great Britain, but at present there are few or none, unless it be the Sons of some Scotish Officers De∣ceased; nor did I ever see an English-Man in the Kings Guards, Horse or Foot, but one, and the Son of Sir Edward Wood, who hath since quitted the Service. The King hath exceedingly won the Hearts of the common People, not only by exempting them from the Tyrannical jurisdiction of the Nobility and Gentry, who formerly would by their own private Authority, punish and put to Death the Peasants at their pleasure, which makes the Countries very willing to Quarter the Kings Soldiers, but by his exact∣ness

in punishing Duels, Murder, and Rob∣beries. Perjury is Death here also, as in Holland, which makes the Magistrates in some parts of this Kings Territories, enjoyn strange kinds of Oaths to deter Men from being for∣sworn: As for instance, in some places the Witness is set with a Staff in his Hand upon some Peeble Stones and Charcoal, where he is to imprecate and pray, that if what he Sweareth be not true, his Land may become as barren as those Stones, and his Substance be Consumed to Ashes like the Coals he stands on, which as soon as he steps down are set on Fire. This manner of Swearing so ter∣rifies the People, that they commonly trem∣ble when they come to take their Oath.

The Religion of the Dominions of the King of Sweden, as of those of the King of Denmark, and of other Princes and States whom we have named, is Lutheran, who are more rigid to Roman Catholicks and Calvi∣nists than the Protestants of Germany. There is no Toleration allowed here to Calvinist Ministers; and they take an effectual course to keep the Country clear of Priests and Je∣suits, by Guelding them, whether they be young or old. In Commemoration of the great Losses and Desolation sustained in the late War, the Suedes strictly keep four Fasting Days in the Months of April, May, June, and July; on which days all Men are pro∣hibited by Authority to kindle Fire in their

Houses, or to Eat till after Evening Service is done, which in the Winter time could not be endured. They delight much in Singing in their Churches, which they constantly perform twice every day, Morning and Evening. In their Marryings, Christenings, and Buryings they are so prodigally extrava∣gant, that if all three happen in one year to a Man of a competent Estate, it is enough to break him. The Clergy of Sweden are neither so Rich nor Learned as those of Germany, wanting both the opportunities of Study, and of conversing with Learned Men, that those of other Countrys enjoy, though there be some Learned Men amongst them. A Bishoprick in Sweden is no great Benefice, if compared with some Parsonages in Eng∣land; for the Arch-bishop, and Metropolitan hath not above 400 l. per Annum, and some of the rest are not worth above 150 or 200 l. a year. The inferiour Clergy are not so regular in their Lives and Conversation in the Countries distant from Stockholme, as they are near the Court; and the Reason is, partly because they entertain Travellers that pass the Country, there being no Inns in most places for the Accommodation of Persons of any Quality, and so are obliged to drink with their Guests; and partly, because at Buryings and Christenings, where there is commonly high Drinking, the Pape or Parson is Master of the Ceremonies: And here give me leave

to tell a short Story of one of them. A Pape coming to Christen a Child in a Church, and finding a Scotch Man to be Godfather, was so transported either with Zeal, or his Cups, that when he came to exorcise the Child, which is a Rite used in their Office of Administring this Sacrament; he neglected the Form prescribed by the Liturgy, and in an extemporary Prayer begg'd, that the Devil might depart out of the Child, and enter into that Scottish Heretick, for so they call the Presbyterians of that Nation. The Prayer of the Pape so incensed the Scot, that he vowed Revenge, and watched the Pape with a good Cudgel next day as he crossed the Church-yard, where he beat him, and left him all in Blood lying on the Ground, and crying out Murder. For this Fact the Scot was had before the Justice, who asking him, How he durst be so bold as to lay his profane Hands upon the Man of God? He, who knew very well what use to make of the De∣vil he had got, Foaming at the Mouth, and cunningly acting the Demoniack, made an∣swer, That the Pape might thank himself for what he had met with; for since he had Conjured the Devil into him he spared no Body, neither Wife nor Children, nor would he spare the Justice himself, and with that fell a mangling and tearing the Magistrate, that he was fain to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 take himself to his Heels, crying out O! the Devil, save me;

and so the Scot marched home, no Man da∣ring to lay hold on him, for fear of being torn to pieces by the Devil. But the Justice recollecting himself, sent for the Pape, told him, That the Scot was a cunning Rogue, and bid him go home, get a Plaister for his Head, and be silent, lest if the matter came to the Bishops Ears he might be Censured for going against the Rubrick of the Liturgy.

The Famous University where their Clergy are bred, is Upsal, 8 Swedish Miles from Stockholme. There are commonly 150, or 200 Students there, but no Endowed Col∣leges, as in other Countries. The Library is so mean and contemptible, that the Li∣braries of many Grammar Schools, and of private Men in England or Holland are far better stored with Books than it is. Upon viewing of it, and that of the Kings Palace, I called to mind the saying of a French Man, upon the like occasion; That Swedeland came behind France and England in the know∣ledge of Men and Things at least 800 years; yet some Swedes have been so conceited of the Antiquity of their Country, as to brag, that Paradice was seated in Sweden; that the Country was turned into such heaps of Rocks for the Rebellion of our first Parents, and that Adam and Eve had Cain and Abel in a Coun∣try three Swedish Miles distant from Upsall. A French Man standing by, and hearing this Romantick Story, as I was told, fitted him

with the like, telling him, that when the World was made in six days, at the end of the Creation all the Rubbish that remained was thrown together into a Corner, which made up Sweden and Norway. And indeed, the French seem to have no great liking to the Country, whatever kindness they may have for the People; for a French Ambassa∣dor, as an Author of that Country relates, being by order of Queen Christina, Treated in a Country House four Swedish Miles from Stockholme, and upon the rode going and coming, with all the Varieties and Pleasures that the Country could afford, on purpose to make him have a good Opinion of the same; made answer to the Queen, (who asked him upon his return, What he thought of Sweden) That were he Master of the whole Country, he would presently Sell it, and Buy a Farm in France or England; which, under Favour, I think was a little Tart and Sawcy.

Having stayed a considerable time in Swedeland, and most part at Stockholme, I set out from thence to go to Elsenbourg by Land, and went a little out of my way to see a small City called Eubrone, Famous for a Coat of Arms which it got in this manner. A certain Masculine Queen of Denmark, who had Conquered a great part of Sweden, com∣ing to this City, asked the Magistrates, What was the Arms of their City? Who having

her, that they had none, she plucked up her Coats, and squatting upon the Snow, bid them take the mark she left there for their Arms; its pity she did not give them a sui∣table Motto to it also: What that Figure is called in Blazonery I know not, but to this Day the City uses it in their Arms, and for marking their Commodities. This Queen came purposely into Sweden, to pay a visit to a brave Woman, that opposed a King of Swedeland, who in a time of Famine would have put to Death all the Men and Women in his Country above 60 years of Age. The Country all the way I travelled in Swedeland is much of the same quality of the Land a∣bout Stockholme, until I came near the Pro∣vince of Schonen, which is called the Store-house, and Kitchin of Sweden, where the Country is far better. It was formerly very dangerous to Travel in this Province of Schonen, because of the Snaphances, who were a kind of Bloody Robbers, now utter∣ly destroyed by the King; so that it is safe enough Travelling there. Entering into Schonen I saw 29 of these Rogues upon Wheels, and elsewhere in the Country, ten and twenty at several places. The King used great severity in destroying of them; some he caused to be broken upon the Wheel, o∣thers Spitted in at the Fundament, and out at the Shoulders, many had the Flesh pinched off of their Breasts, and so were fastened to

Stakes till they Died; and others again had their Noses and both Hands cut off, and be∣ing seared with a hot Iron, were let go to acquaint their Comrades how they had been served. The King is very severe against High∣way-Men and Duellers. In above a 100 Miles Travelling, we found not a House where there was either French Wine or Brandy, which made me tell a Swede of our Company, who was Travelling to Denmark, that I would under∣take to shew any Man 500 Houses, wherein a Traveller might have Wine, and other good Accommodation in the space of an Hundred Miles upon any rode from London. There are several small Towns and fertile Land in this Country of Schonen, lying upon the S••undt; at the narrowest part whereof lies Elsenbourg burnt down by the Danes in the last War: Here I crost over to Elsenore, the passage being but a League broad.

The King of Denmark has a Castle at El∣senore, which commands the narrow passage of the Soundt, where all Ships that enter in∣to, or come out of the Baltick Sea must pay Toll. Having visited this Castle, and staid about a Fortnight with the English Consul, and Sir John Paul, late Resident at the Court of Swedeland, I went to the Danish Court at Copenhagen.

COpenhagen is the Capital City of Zec∣land, Jutland, or Denmark, and place of Residence of the King: It stands on a

Flat, encompassed with a pleasant and de∣lightful Country, much resembling England. The Streets of the City are kept very neat and clean, with Lights in the Night time for the convenience and safety of those who are then abroad; a Custom not as yet introduced into Stockholme, where it is dangerous to be abroad when it is dark. The Kings Men of War lie hear very conveniently, be∣ing orderly ranged betwixt Booms, after the manner of Amsterdam, and near the Admi∣ralty House, which is a large pile of Building, well furnished with Stores and Magazins, se∣cured by a Cittadel, that not only commands the City, but also the Haven, and entry in∣to it. The Court of Denmark is splendid, and makes a far greater figure in the World than that of Sweden, though not many years ago, in the time of Carolus Gustavus the Fa∣ther of the present King of Swedeland, it was almost reduced to its last, when the Walls of Copenhagen saved that Crown and Kingdom. That Siege was Famous, carried on with great vigour by the Swede, and as bravely main∣tained by the Danes: The Monuments whereof are to be seen in the Cannon Bullets gilt that still remain in the Walls of some Houses, and in the Steeple of the great Church of the Town. The Royal Palace in Copen∣hagen is but small, and a very ancient Build∣ing; but his Majesties House Fredenburg is a stately Fabrick of Modern Architecture, and

very richly Furnished. Denmark is at pre∣sent a flourishing Kingdom, and the King, who hath now made it Hereditary, surpasses most of his Predecessors in Power and Wealth: He hath much enlarged his Domi∣nions, as well as Authority; and by his Per∣sonal and Royal Virtues, no less than the e∣minent qualities of a great many able Mini∣sters of State, he hath gained the Universal Love of his Subjects, and the esteem of all Foreign Princes and States. The Court is much frequented every day, but especially on Sundays, where about Eleven of the Clock in the Morning, the Nobility, Foreign Mi∣nisters, and Officers of the Army assemble, and make a glorious Appearance. There one may see many Knights of the Order of the Elephant of Malto; but I never saw any Order of the like Nature as that of Sweden, that King rarely appearing in his George and Garter; but on days of publick Audience I have observed at one time above 150 Coaches attending at the Court of Denmark, which are ten times more than ever I saw together at that of Sweden. The King is affable, and of easie access to Strangers, seen often abroad by his Subjects in his Gardens and Stables, which are very large, and well furnished with all sorts of Horses. He is a great lover of English Horses and Dogs, and delights much in Hunting, as his Eldest Son the Prince, with his Brothers do in Cock-••ighting; inso∣much

much, that the English Merchants cannot make a more acceptable present to those Princes, than of English Game-Cocks. The standing Forces of Denmark are well disci∣plined Men, and Commanded by good Officers, both Natives and Strangers, both French and Scots, as Major General Duncan, and Major General Veldun, both Scottish-Men, whom I saw at Copenhagen. The Soldiers as well as Courtiers are quartered upon the Ci∣tizens, a Custom which is likewise practised in Sweden, and tho' somewhat uneasie, yet not repined at by the People, who by the care and good Government of the King, find Trade much advanced. For his Ma∣jesty by encouraging Strangers of all Reli∣gions to live in his Dominions, and allowing the French and Dutch Calvinists, to have publick Churches, hath brought many Tra∣ding Families to Copenhagen, and by the measure he hath taken for setling Trade in prohibiting the Importation of Foreign Ma∣nufactures, and Reforming and new Model∣ling the East and West India Companies, hath much encreased Commerce, and thereby the Wealth of his Subjects; so that notwith∣standing the new Taxes imposed upon all Coaches, Wagons, Ploughs, and all real and personal Estates, which amount to conside∣rable Sums of Money; the People live very well and contented. There are commonly about 8000 Men in Garison in Copenhagen, and

his Majesties Regiment of Foot Guards, who are all Cloathed in Red, with Cloaks to keep them warm in the Winter time, is a very hand∣some Body of Men; and with the Horse Guards, who are bravely mounted, and have their Granadeers and Hautboys, make a very fine shew. His Majesty hath caused several new Fortifications to be built upon the Elb, and other Rivers, and hath now in his Pos∣session, that strong Castle called Hilgueland, at present commanded by a Scottish-man. The Queen of Denmark is a most virtuous Prin∣cess, Sister to the present Landtgrave of Hesse Cassel, and in Perswasion a Calvinist, ha∣ving a Chapel allowed her within the Court, though the publick Religion of the King and Kingdom be Lutheran. The Clergy here are Learned, many of them having studied at Oxford and Cambridge, where they learnt the English Language; and amongst the Bishops there is one Doctor King the Son of a Scot∣tish-man. But seeing it is my design rather to observe the condition of the People, than to be punctual in describing all the Rarities that are remarkable in the Countries I have been in, I shall conclude what I have to say of Den∣mark, by acquainted the Reader that the Peo∣ple of that Country live far better than the Swedes, and as well as most of their adjoyning Neighbours; and that there are several places, both there, and in Norway, which have the Names of English Towns, as Arundale, Tot∣ness, London, &c.

When I first began to write this Trea∣tise, I had some thoughts of making Obser∣vations upon the several Governments of other States and Dominions, where I had travelled some years before I was in the Countries I have been speaking of, as of the rest of Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, and France; but that was a Subject so large, and the usefulness of it to my present De∣sign so inconsiderable, that by doing so, I found I could neither satisfie the Curious, by adding any thing material to those many who have already obliged the Publick by the Remarks of their Travels in those Pla∣ces; or make my discontented Country∣men more averse than they are already from removing into those Countries, where I think few of them will chuse to transport themselves for the sake of Liberty and Pro∣perty, though England were even worse than they themselves fancy it can be. All that remains to be done then, is to conclude this Treatise with an obvious and popular Re∣mark, that those Countries, where Cities are greatest and most frequented by volun∣tary Inhabitants, are always the best to live in; and by comparing the City of London with all other Cities of Europe, and demon∣strating by the Surveys I have made, (which I think will hardly be contradicted or con∣futed) that of all the Capital Cities of Eu∣rope it is the biggest and most populous, and

so prove consequentially that England, for the generality of People, is the best Coun∣try in the World, especially for its Natives, to live in. Now this being an Observation (for what I know) not hitherto made good by Induction and Instance, (as I intend to do it) I hope it will please the Reader as much, as if I gave him a particular account of other Countries and Governments, and leave it to his own Reflection to state the Comparison.

Though London within the Walls cannot vye for bigness with many Cities of Europe; yet take the City and Suburbs together, ac∣cording as it hath been survey'd by Mr. Mor∣gan, in breadth from St. George's Church in Southwark to Shoreditch, and in length from Limehouse to Petty-France in Westminster, and it is in a vast proportion larger in compass of Ground, and number of Houses, than any City in Europe whatsoever. This I shall demonstrate first, by comparing it with some Cities of Holland, and then with the most considerable Cities of the other Coun∣tries of Europe, which I shall set down in an Alphabetical Order, with the number of the Houses they severally contain.

When London and Suburbs was surveyed some years ago by Mr. Morgan, there were reckoned to be in it 84000 Houses, besides Hospitals, Alms-houses, and other Buildings, that paid no Chimney-money to the King:

Now if those were added, and the vast number of new Houses that have been built since that Survey, upon modest computa∣tion London may be reckoned to contain 100000 Houses; nay, 'tis believed 120000, which truly considering the extraordinary Additions that have been made lately, is not improbable; I know the French vapour, and would perswade the World, that Paris is much bigger than London. And the Hollan∣ders will scarce believe, that London hath more Houses than the 18 Cities in Holland that have Voices in the States, for (say they) Amsterdam stands upon 1000 Morgans of Land, and London stands but upon 1800. To both which I answer, That it is very true that Paris takes up a great spot of Ground, but then you must consider, that in Paris there are several hundreds of Mona∣steries, Churches, Colleges, and Cloisters, some of them having large Gardens, and that in Paris there are 7500 Palaces and Ports for Coaches, which have likewise great Gardens; whereas London is very thick built, and in the City the Houses have scarce a Yard big enough to set a Pump or House of Conveniency in; but the Weekly Bills of Mortality will decide this Question, and plainly give it to London, and so doth Mon∣sieur la Cour, and Sir William Petty in his last Essays dedicated to the King, making it ap∣pear, that London is bigger than Paris, Roan,

and Rochel altogether; and as for Amster∣dam, I do appeal to all knowing Men that have seen it, that although it be true, that it stands upon 1000 Morgans of Land, yet there is not above 400 Morgans built; and this I prove thus, that the large Gardens, on the Heeregraft, Kysersgraft, and Princegraft, and the Burghwalls of Amsterdam, take up more than a third part of the City; then reckon the Bastions, and the space of Ground between the Wall and the Houses, and all the Ground unbuilt from the Utricks-Port to the Wesoper-Port, Muyer-Port, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Seaside, and you will find it to be near 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Morgans of Land: There are two Parishes in the Suburbs of London, viz. Stepney, and St. Martins in the Fields, (the latter being so big, that the Parliament divided it into four Parishes) ei∣ther of them have more Houses than Rotter∣dam or Haerlem; and there are several other great Parishes, as St. Margarets Westminster, St. Giles in the Fields, St. Olaves, and St. Mary Saviours, the which if they stood apart in the Country would make great Cities; we reck∣on in London, and the Suburbs thereof to be at least 130 Parishes, which contains 100000 Houses; now if you reckon 8 Persons to e∣very House, then there are near 800000 Souls in London, but there are some that say, there is a Million of Souls in it: I shall now set down the Cities Alphabetically, and their number of Houses, as they were given to

me not only from the Surveyors and City Carpenters, but from the Books of the Hearth-Money, and Collectors of the several Taxes in the respective Cities: And first I shall be∣gin with the 18 Cities that have Voices in the States of Holland.

Cities in HOLLAND.

• Cities. Houses.
• 1. DOrt 5500
• 2. Haerlem 7250
• 3. Delft 2300
• 4. Leyden 13800
• 5. Amsterdam 25460
• 6. Rotterdam 8400
• 7. Gouda 3540
• 8. Gorcom 2460
• 9. Schiedam 1550
• 10. Briell 1250
• 11. Schonehoven 2200
• 12. Alckmaar 1540
• 13. Horn 3400
• 14. Enckhuysen 5200
• 15. Edam 2000
• 16. Monekendam 1500
• 17. Medenblick 850
• 18. Purmerent 709
• Total 88909

Cities in GERMANY, and in the Seventeen Provinces.

• Cities. Houses.
• 1. ANtwerp 18550
• 2. Aix la Chapelle 2250
• 3. Arford 8440
• 4. Berlin 5200
• 5. Bon 410
• 6. Brisack 1200
• 7. Breme 9200
• 8. Breda 3420
• 9. Bolduke 6240
• 10. Bergen op Zome 2120
• 11. Brussels 19200
• 12. Cologne 12000
• 13. Cleave 640
• 14. Coblentz 420
• 15. Castels 1520
• 16. Dresden 6420
• 17. Disseldorpe 620
• 18. Dunkirk 2440
• 19. Emden 2400
• 20. Francfort 10200
• 21. Groningen 8400
• 22. Guant 18200
• 23. Harford 1420
• 24. Hanouer 1850
• 25. Heidelberg 7520
• 26. Hambourg 12500
• 27. Lubeck 6500
• 28. Lovain 8420
• ...

• 29. Lypsick 3242
• 30. Lunenburg 3100
• 31. Lewardin 5860
• 32. Mayence 2420
• 33. Malin 8000
• 34. Middelburg 6200
• 35. Madelburg 1120
• 36. Mastricht 5600
• 37. Munster 1240
• 38. Nurenburg 18240
• 39. Osenburg 2200
• 40. Osburg 8420
• 41. Oldenburg 620
• 42. Praag 18640
• 43. Passaw 560
• 44. Ratisbonne 6540
• 45. Strasbourg 8560
• 46. Spire 540
• 47. Stockholm 6480
• 48. Salsburg 12460
• 49. Uytrick 8240
• 50. Vienna 4520
• 51. Vean 340
• 52. Wormes 1200
• 53. Westburg 2420
• Total 314460

Cities in FRANCE.

• Cities. Houses.
• 1. AVignion 12400
• 2. Amiens 5200
• 3. Bullion 1400
• 4. Bomont 800
• 5. Burdeaux 8420
• 6. Callis 1324
• 7. Caine 2147
• 8. Chalons 1850
• 9. Diepe 1920
• 10. Lyons 16840
• 11. Montrevil 820
• 12. Montpeiller 5240
• 13. Marselles 9100
• 14. Nantes 4420
• 15. Nismes 3120
• 16. Orleans 10200
• 17. Orange 354
• 18. Paris 72400
• 19. Rochel 4200
• 20. Roan 11200
• 21. Tolouze 13200
• 22. Valence 458
• Total 187013

Cities in ITALY.

• Cities. Houses.
• 1. BOlonia 12400
• 2. Florence 8520
• 3. Genoua 17200
• 4. Luca 1650
• 5. Legorne 3560
• 6. Milan 18500
• 7. Naples 17840
• 8. Pisa 2290
• 9. Padua 8550
• 10. Rome 31200
• 11. Sena 1820
• 12. Venice 24870
• 13. Veterba 620
• 14. Valentia 1520
• Total 155040

Cities in SAVOY.

• Cities. Houses.
• 1. CHambray 852
• 2. Salé 320
• 3. Turin 8540
• 4. Nice 500
• 5. St. John de Lateran 420
• 6. Remes 340
• 7. Moloy 270
• Total 11242

Cities in SWITZERLAND.

• Cities. Houses.
• 1. BErne 4270
• 2. Bale 5120
• 3. Geneva 4540
• 4. Losana 2100
• 5. Solure 500
• 6. Zurick 6200
• 7. Morge 210
• 8. Vina 320
• 9. St. Morrice 300
• Total 23560

Cities in DENMARK.

• Cities. Houses.
• 1. COpenhagen 8220
• 2. Elsenore
• Total

Cities in SWEEDLAND.

• Cities. Houses.
• 1. NOrthoanen 600
• 2. Stockholme 7500
• 3. Upsal 8200
• Total 16300

Notes

• * 1.1

  A Fouder contains 4 Hogsheads.