Bijdragen en Mededeelingen van het Historisch Genootschap. Deel 39

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Moryson's reis door en zijn karakteristiek van de Nederlanden,
Medegedeeld door J.N. Jacobsen Jensen.

‘From my tender youth I had a great desire to see forraine Countries, not to get libertie,... but to enable my understanding, which I thought could not be done so well by contemplation as by experience, nor by the eare or any sence so well, as by the eies. And having once begun this course, I could not see any man without emulation, and a kind of vertuous enuy, who had seene more Cities, Kingdomes, and Provinces, or more Courts of Princes, Kings, and Emperours, then my selfe’.

Met deze van hartstochtelijke en naijverige liefde voor het reizen klinkende woorden begint Fynes Moryson een der gedeelten van zijn boek, dat voor de beschavingsgeschiedenis van Europa der zestiende eeuw een der belangrijkste gedrukte bronnen is. Deze reiziger toch bepaalde zich niet zooals anderen tot een min of meer vluchtige beschrijving van de door hem bezochte landen en steden, maar hij trachtte zich ook van de bevolking in al haar eigenaardigheden een juist denkbeeld te vormen, waarbij hem zijn groote belezenheid en talenkennis, die hij in die landen zelf nog aanvulde, uitstekend te stade kwam.

Ook over de zeden en gewoonten van ons volk vindt men in zijn Itinerary gegevens, die men of elders tevergeefs zoekt of die volkomen bevestigen, wat in andere werken verspreid ligt en door Fruin in zijn klassieke Tien jaren is gecondenseerd.

Het bevreemdde mij dan ook, dat Fruin van dit toch niet zoo heel zeldzame werk geen gewag maakte en toen bij nader onderzoek bleek, hoe onbekend het hier te lande

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is - ik zag het maar éénmaal citeeren¹⁾ - trachtte ik er in een opstel, geplaatst in Onze Eeuw, 1917, dl. I blz. 118 e.v., de aandacht op te vestigen.

Naar aanleiding van dat artikel, waarin ook gewezen werd op de groote zeldzaamheid van het werk in ons land²⁾, noodigde het Bestuur van het Historisch Genootschap mij uit, den Engelschen tekst, voor zooverre hij op Nederland betrekking heeft, in de Bijdragen uit te geven.

Als inleiding zijn zeker een levensschets van den reiziger en iets betreffende de uitgave van zijn Itinerary noodig en gewenscht. Ik ontleen beide grootendeels aan mijn opstel in Onze Eeuw³⁾.

Fynes Moryson werd in 1566 in Lincolnshire geboren als derde zoon van Thomas Moryson, Clerk of the Pipe, wat zooveel was als rentmeester der koninklijke domeinen. Na beeindiging van zijn rechtsgeleerde studiën te Cambridge kreeg hij verlof buitenlands te reizen. Tweemaal doorkruiste hij het toenmalige beschaafde Europa. Op zijn eerste reis, die van Mei 1591 tot Mei 1595 duurde, bezocht hij Wittenberg, Dresden, Leipzig, Praag en Heidelberg. In October 1592 kwam hij te Leiden, waar hij zich als student liet inschrijven⁴⁾, bleef daar tot het vroege voorjaar van 1593 en trok toen over Kopenhagen, Krakau en Weenen naar Padua. Eerst in Maart 1595 keerde hij van Italië naar zijn vaderland terug, zijn weg nemende door Zwitserland, den Elzas en Frankrijk.

Reeds in November van hetzelfde jaar verlaat hij echter opnieuw, nu in gezelschap van zijn jongeren broeder Henry, den Engelschen bodem. Door Holland en Oost-

1) Door dr. Edw. B. Koster in de Augustus-aflevering van Groot-Nederland van 1914 naar aanleiding van de Engelsche maatschappelijke toestanden in Shakespeare's tijd. Ook in Will. Shakespeare, Gedenkboek haalt Dr. Koster Moryson eenige malen aan.

2) De Amsterdamsche Universiteits-Bibliotheek is de eenige Nederlandsche openbare boekerij, welke een exemplaar bezit.

3) Bronnen zijn: Dictionary of national biography; de inleiding van Ch. Hughes voor Part IV; W.B. Rye, England as seen by foreigners, Introd., p. XIV, XV; E.S. Bates, Touring in 1600, p. 4, 5.

4) Album Studioserum Acad. Lugd. Bat., kolom 34.

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Friesland trekken zij naar Duitschland, gaan over Innsbruck naar Italië, steken vandaar over naar Cyprus en vervolgens naar Palestina, waar Henry ziek wordt en sterft. In het begin van 1597 bevond Fynes zich te Constantinopel; vier maanden later is hij te Venetië, vanwaar hij te paard reist naar Stade aan de Duitsche Noordzeekust. Twee maanden doet hij over dezen in die dagen zeker niet ongevaarlijken tocht; den 9^den Juli landt hij te Gravesend.

Nu is het uit met zijn groote reizen; wel kwam hij als secretaris van Lord Mountjoy, later Earl of Devonshire, in Schotland en Ierland. Deze Mountjoy, gehuwd met de weduwe van den dichter-krijgsman Philip Sidney, droeg Moryson op de geschiedenis te schrijven van den opstand, in Ierland onder den graaf van Tyrone verwekt en door hem onderdrukt. Eerst na den dood van Devonshire in 1606, waardoor Moryson weder ambtloos werd, begon hij aan zijn reisbeschrijving. Maar na drie jaar werkens vond hij, dat zijn boek te lijvig werd en... vernietigde het, volgens het bijna ongelooflijke bericht in de Dictionary of national biography, waarna hij een beknopter schreef in het Latijn om het daarna, wel wat omslachtig, in zijn moedertaal over te zetten. Oorspronkelijk zou het boek uit vijf gedeelten bestaan, doch toen het in 1617 verscheen, waren er slechts drie in opgenomen, hoewel die ondanks hun beknopteren vorm toch noch waren uitgedijd tot een zwaren foliant van 888 bladzijden.

De titel van deze uitgaaf luidt: An itinerary written by Fynes Moryson Gent. first in the latine tongue, and then translated by him into English: containing his ten yeeres travell through the twelve dominions of Germany, Bohmerland, Sweitzerland, Netherland, Denmarke, Poland, Italy, Turky, France, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Divided into III parts. At London printed by John Beale, dwelling in Aldersgate street, 1617. Het eerste gedeelte bevat de eigenlijke reisbeschrijving, het tweede beschrijft in den vorm van een dagboek den Ierschen opstand, terwijl het derde zich weer meer aansluit bij het eerste en naast algemeene wenken aan toekomstige reizigers en uitspraken van anderen over het reizen een beschrijving geeft van de door Moryson bezochte landen. De twee

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overige gedeelten, die toegezegd werden in het privilege van uitgaaf aan de achterzijde van den titel, waren toen nog niet voltooid; ze zouden ‘shortly to be perfected by him’, doch verschenen nimmer.

Het was echter bekend, dat aan de Universiteit te Oxford onder de handschriften van het Corpus Christi College het manuscript van het vierde gedeelte te vinden was¹⁾. De heer Ch. Hughes vond het daar op aanwijzing van de door hem terecht geprezen Dictionary of national biography. Het handschrift bleek een vrij uitvoerige karakter- en zedeschildering te zijn van de door Moryson bezochte volken. Volgens Hughes is het voltooid tusschen de jaren 1620 en 1623, zoodat hiermede vervalt de bewering van de Dictionary, als zou Moryson kort na het verschijnen van zijn werk in 1617 overleden zijn. Nauwkeurige onderzoekingen van Hughes bepaalden den sterfdatum van den reiziger op 12 Februari 1630.

Wel bleek bij nader onderzoek in dit vierde gedeelte, dat Hughes geheel liet afschrijven, niet alles even belangrijk, maar het was de moeite en kosten der publicatie alleszins waard en zoo verscheen dan in 1903, dus bijna driehonderd jaar na het verschijnen der drie eerste gedeelten, Part IV onder den pakkenden titel: Shakespeare's Europa. Unpublished chapters of Fynes Moryson's Itinerary. Being a survey of the condition of Europa at the end of the 16th century. With an introduction and an account of Fynes Moryson's career by Ch. Hughes. London, Sherrat and Hughes, 1903²⁾.

Ofschoon het nog een dikke kwartijn van 542 bladzijden geworden is, heeft de uitgever het noodig geacht

1) H.O. Coxe, Catalogus Codicum Mss. qui in Collegiis aulisque Oxoniensibus hodie adservantur. Vol. II, N^o. XCIV. Van Part I vindt men onder de Harleian Mss. (N^o. 5133) in het Britsch Museum den Latijnschen oertekst van Moryson's hand. Van beide oorspronkelijke stukken komt een bladzijde in facsimile in de uitgaaf van Hughes voor.

2) In 1907 verscheen te Glasgow een nieuwe uitgaaf van Part I-III in 4 dln. in 8^o, die, zooals de uitgevers James Mac Lehose and Sons zoo vriendelijk waren mij te schrijven, slechts is ‘a reprint of the text of the original edition only’ zonder noten en met een korte inleiding.

[p. 218]

groote gedeelten van het manuscript weg te laten, welk ingrijpen men kan betreuren, al is het verlies, zoolang het oorspronkelijk handschrift bestaat, niet onherstelbaar. Zoo mist men in het hoofdstuk over kerken en godsdiensten een gedeelte, waarin van ons land sprake is, welk gedeelte door de zorg van dr. P. Geyl te Londen op verzoek van het Genootschap voor de uitgaaf in de Bijdragen werd afgeschreven¹⁾. Waar echter verder ons land besproken is, werd deze censuur niet toegepast.

Behalve in de gedeelten, speciaal aan the United Provinces gewijd en hier uitgegeven, vindt men ook elders in zijn boek enkele bijzonderheden, die ik hier laat volgen. Zoo vertelt Moryson, dat hij in Lubeck het veertiende boek van Amadis de Gaule ‘in the Dutch tongue’ voor 18 Lubecksche schellingen kocht, om zich in het Hollandsch te oefenen; want ‘these Bookes are most eloquently translated into the Dutch, and fit to teach familiar language’ (Part I, p. 56, 57). Daar hij tot in Italië met twee Hollanders reisde, kon hij het geleerde tevens practisch toepassen. Op p. 69 van hetzelfde eerste gedeelte leest men, dat over de Italiaansche rivier Tagliamonti een brug lag, die blijkens het Latijnsche opschrift speciaal gebouwd was ‘For the carrying over of Dutch merchandize’. Dat in dien tijd vele Nederlanders aan de Universiteit te Padua studeerden, kan men op dezelfde bladzijde vinden. Ook in Parijs noemt hij onder de studentenhuizen ‘the Colledge of the Dutch’, zeker een bewijs, dat ook daar vele Hollanders de beroemde hoogeschool bezochten (Part I, p. 191).

In Florence bezocht hij den befaamden beeldhouwer en bouwmeester Jean Bologne, Vlaming van geboorte, dien Moryson ‘a excellent engraver’ noemt en bij wien hij ziet het toen nog niet voltooide koperen ruiterstandbeeld van Cosmo de Medici en het marmeren van diens opvolger Ferdinand (Part I, p. 152).

Ten slotte mogen hieraan toegevoegd worden de namen

1) Ook vergeleek Dr. Geyl Hughes' boek met het handschrift, waardoor eenige fouten ontdekt werden, die in deze uitgaaf zijn hersteld.

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van de twee ‘Flemmings’, die Moryson met anderen op de muren van zijn kamer in Jeruzalem las: Henry Vonwildt en Peterson Van Narden, die daar den 14^den Augustus 1595 vertoefden, doch korten tijd daarna aan de in een twist bekomen verwondingen stierven.

J.N.J.J.

The first part. The first Booke.

(p. 42) Chapter IIII.

Of my journey from Emden in Germany, to Leyden in Holland, and through the United Provinces of the Low Countries.

(Ann. 1592) On Thursday the twenty seven of October, in the yeere 1592, I tooke ship after dinner at Emden; being to saile into West Freesland, one of the United Provinces, and paied for my passage tenne Stivers. The same night wee cast anchor neere Urspenhurn, a Fort seated beyond the Emsz, and belonging to the States of the United Provinces; and beyond this Port towards Flaunders, on the same side of the Emsz, lieth the Territory of the City Groning, seated in an Hand, rich in pastures, and at this time governed by a Spanish Garrison, which the Citizens had willingly received, though the States after besieged this City, and drove out the Spaniards, and united the City to the rest. As we lay at Anchor, two little Hands lay on the North side, one subject to Emden, the other to Groning, and beyond them lay the German Sea. On Friday wee set saile with a scant winde, and towards night were left upon a Flat, vulgarly called Gat: where the water forsaking us, we walked out of the ship upon the sand, compassed round about with the Sea, till the same flowing backe againe, our ship floated. On Saterday we set saile againe, and towards night rested upon a like Flat, expecting the floud. Three of these Flats are in this Inland sea, and there be two like Flats in the Inland sea, beteene Freesland and Holland. At last wee landed on Sunday

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in Freesland, at the Village Aniou¹⁾, lying neere the Sea shore, whether wee hired a sledge for eight stivers, and were drawne thither over the yce and snow.

After we had dined for twelve stivers each man - whereof more then halfe was reckoned for drinke - we went in a skeut by water, in foure houres space, one (Dockam) mile to Dockam: and each man paid for his passage foure stivers and a halfe, we could not passe by waggon, the high way being then drowned. Nothing were more pleasant, nothing more quicke, then Seavoyages, if a man might promise himselfe a good wind, and a reasonable gale: but through contrariety of winds and tempests, they commonly prove tedious. This small voyage which afflicted us foure daies, might have been passed in sixe houres, if the winds have favoured us. And (p. 43) this hope of a short passage, caused us to make no provision of victuals, so as the Barke being governed by one Mariner and a boy, who had nothing but cheese and musty bread to live upon, and so could not much releeve us; each houre of these foure daies seemed a yeere unto us. Dockam a City of West Freesland, little in circuit, is in two places divided with water, which at this time overflowed into the very houses. The wall is strong with rampiers of earth, and the houses here, as in all these parts of Netherland are built of bricke. Here I paid for my supper twenty stivers, eating at an Ordinary, but the company sitting at the fire, and drinking after supper, all useth to be divided equally, whether a man drinke or no.

The first of November we went by water in sixe houres (Lewerden) space two miles to Lewerden, having on each side the water, fertile pastures, and passing by two Forts, and each man paid for his passage three stivers. The City is faire and well fortified, and William Count of Nassau, cousin to Count Maurice, and Governour of Friesland, had his residence in the same. The streetes are large, and divided with water, and the houses are

1) Anjum.

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fairely builded of bricke. The City hath no Suburbs, and is of a round forme, but the waters dividing the streetes, slowly or not at all moved, are in this City - as almost in all other of these Provinces - subject to stinking. In the midst of the City there is a dam to let in water at pleasure, which in this place and two miles further is salt in tast. Passengers entering the City leave their swords with the guard of souldiers, and recieve them backe when they goe out of the Towne. The Villages hereabouts paid yeerely contribution to the Spanish garison of Groning, left they should breake in, and spoile them. Here - they say - the first sermon of reformed religion was made, in the Monastery of the Jacobines: and here I paid for my supper foureteene stivers.

From Lewerden we went by water from eight a clocke in the morning, to five in the afternoone, two miles to (Froniker) Froniker, an University of Friesland, lately (Harlingen) renewed, and one mile to the City Harlingen, and we paid six stivers for our passage. Entering this City, we left our swords with the guard of the souldiers, who restored them to us when wee went away. It is a little City, and lieth in length from the East to the West, but is somewhat more narrow towards the North, where the houses are thinly built. On the west and North sides, lies an arme of the Sea, comming out of the German Sea, and here inclosed with the continent and Ilands. On the South and East sides without the gates, are faire pastures in a large plaine. I lodged in an Englishmans house, the chiefe Host of the City, who either dispising England and Englishmen, or too much respecting his masters of Friesland, gave me such entertainment, as I tooke him for one of the old Picts: for having placed his Gentlemen of Friesland at one table, he called me to the second, and seeing that I tooke it in ill part, left I should no lesse dislike my lodging, he intreated a gentleman of Friesland to admit me partner of his bed, but I hearing the gentleman condition with him about the cleannesse of my body and linnen, for very scorne would not trouble his worship, but chose rather to lie upon a bench. And it was most ridiculous,

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that this Host excused himselfe to me, as having for countries sake made bold with me, whom he had never seene before. I paid for my supper and breakefast with wine, thirty stivers, and one of my consorts drinking no wine, paid sixeteene, whereof nine was for beere.

From Harlingen I went by the said Inland Sea, vulgarly called Zwidersea, foureteene miles to Amsterdam, and paid eight stivers for my passage. Some of our (Enchusen) passengers going onely to Enchusen paid five stivers, for by covenant betweene the Cities, the ships must land their passengers at Enchusen, and there receive such new passengers as they find, and one ship at least is bound daily to make this passage. From the said Harlingen a City of Friesland, wee passed in foure houres saile Enchusen a City of Holland, which is fortified with a wall of earth, and strong rampiers, and lieth in length from the North to the South. The Haven lies on the East side; and the new City was then building towards the West side. This City lying betweene the mouth of the German sea, and Amsterdam, another City of Holland, and in the beginning of the warre taking part with the Prince of Orange, forced Amsterdam by stopping all supply of victuals, to yeeld to the said Prince. Having made short stay here, we tooke ship againe, (p. 44) and sayling from five a clocke in the evening, to twelve in the night, in the same Inland sea, we entered the River Tay¹⁾, where we cast anchor till foure in the morning, and then setting sayle, passed one mile in that River before sixe of the clocke, and landed at Amsterdam.

(Amsterdam) Five streetes of this City are divided with water: the River Tay flowes like a large and calme sea on the North side, where is a safe port, the trafficke being great in this City, and at Midleburg since the passage to Antwerpe was stopped. Upon the Haven lies a field or market place, called Campplatz²⁾, where the

1) Het Y.

2) Het Kamperhoofd bij den Schreierstoren.

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Citizens use to behold their friends going to sea, and returning home. From this place towards the South lies Warmerstrat, a long and large street, betweene two Rivers, which part of the City is called, the new Ditch. The Marchants in summer meet upon the Bridge, and in winter they meet in the New Church, in very great number, where they walke in two rankes by couples, one ranke going up, and another going downe, and there is no way to get out of the Church, except they slip out of the doores, when in one of those rankes they passe by them. On the East side of the City there is a wall of stone, higher then the City, having a pleasant walke upon it. In the same place are houses for exercise of shooting in gunnes and crosse-bowes: beyond this wall there is another of earth, and betweene these wals the new City was plotted out, whereof few houses were then built, but since I heare it is fully fineshed. Likewise on the South and West sides there be two like wals, and between them the plot of the said new City, in which many faire houses were then built. The fields on all sides without the gates being fenny and drowned with water, doe make the City more strong, but for this cause - they say - the foundations of the houses being laid in water, cost as much or more as the houses themselves. The River Amster - of which, and the word dam, the City is named - running from the South through three lakes, entereth this City, and passing through it, fals into the River Tay on the North side. The City hath five gates, which are shut at dinners and suppers, though the danger of the warre be farre from them. There be two Churches in which they have two sermons each second day, and foure on sunday. The City lay in length from the North to the South, but adding the plot of the new City, it is of a round forme. The streetes are narrow, and the building of bricke, with a low roofe, showed antiquity. They have two Almeshouses - called Gasthausen, that is, Houses for strangers - which were of old Monasteries. One of these houses built round, was a Cloyster for Nunnes, wherein sixty beds at this time were made for poore weomen diseased, and

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in another chamber thereof were fifty two beds made for the auxiliary Soulders of England, being hurt or sicke, and in the third roome were eighty one beds made for the hurt and sicke Souldiers of other Nations, to which souldiers and sicke weomen they give cleane sheetes, a good diet, and necessary clothes, with great cleanlinesse, and allow them Physitians and Surgions to cure them: and most of the Cities in these Provinces have like houses. Here I lodged with an English-man, and paid for dinner and supper twenty stivers, and for a guest invited to supper, ten stivers, and for three pints or chopines of Spanish wine, twenty one stivers.

From Amsterdam I went in a boat three miles to Harlam and paid for my passage foure stivers: we had not passed farre from Amsterdam, when we came to a damme, shutting out the flowing of the sea, for the waters are salt thus farre, though the ebbing and the flowing of the sea can hardly be discerned at Amsterdam, for the depth of the River Tay; and because inland seas shew little ebbing or flowing. Our boat was lifted over this damme by ropes, and so lett fall into the water on the other side, for which the Mariners paid tribute. There is another damme for greater Barkes, and as by these dammes they let in waters to the Land at pleasure, so they have other dams at Torgay¹⁾ to let them out againe into the Sea, when the Land hath too much water. From hence we had the Sea-shore all the way on the North side, not farre distant, and on both sides of the water in which we passed, were faire pastures, parted with ditches of water.

The River running from Amsterdam, from the East to (p. 45) (Harlam) the North, doth turne neere Harlam towards the South, and divideth the City, which on all sides is compassed with Navigable waters. On the North side neere the gate Jans-port, Don Frederick, sonne to the Duke of Alva, pitched his tent in a meadow, when he besieged the City with the Spanish forces, and much

1) Tergouw of Gouda.

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spoiled those parts, beating downe Gentlemens faire houses - dwelling frequently in that part - with his Artillery, playing into this street, having the name of the Knights of Saint John. On the same side are two other gates, Sayle-port, and Cruyse-port, and without them toward the sea, being halfe a mile distant, are very faire pastures, but there is no river nor ditch that leads from the City to the sea. For these Provinces have onely three passages to goe to sea: one betweene Rotherodam and Bril, a Fort of Zealand, the second at Vlishing another Port of Zealand, and the third from Amsterdam betweene two Hands, called the Fly and Shelling. We comming from Amsterdam to Harlam, entred the Citie by the gate Kleine-holt Port, on the East side, where the very Almeshouses were beaten downe, in the aforesaid siege of the Spaniards, and the walles then beaten downe, were not yet rebuilt. On the South side is the fifth gate, Groteholt Port, the street whereof is the fairest, next that of the Knights of Saint John. On this side was a wall of stone, but at this time they were building another very strong wall beyond it of earth. In the New-street is the house for exercise of shooting, and another old house for the same use, and one market-place sweetly shaded with trees, and a second market-place of good length for the selling of Cattle. Likewise on this side another part of the Spanish Army lay, and destroyed a most pleasant Wood, of which the gate and street have the name. And they report that the Spaniards taking the City, used great cruelty to all; but especially to the Garrison of the English Souldiers. The Histories witnesse, that three hundred were beheaded, and more then two hundred drowned in the Lake, called Harlam-mere. On the West side the Citie is compassed with a wall of earth, and there bee faire pastures betweene the City and the Sea. Among the Churches, that which is called the Great, is the fairest, and our Ladies Church, vulgarly called Unserfraw-kirke, is the next in beautie. All the sea coast of Holland, is a sandy downe, in which are great store of conies. This Citie makes great store of linnen clothes, and hath some five hundred spinsters in it. The water

[p. 226]

heere (as most of these Cities) standing, and little or nothing moving, is subject to stinking, so they are forced to fetch water for brewing by boats. Here I paied for supper, and my part of wine twenty stivers, and for my dinner without wine, thirteene stivers. About a mile from the City is a very sweet Hil, called Weligheberg, wether the brides use to walke, and there take their leaves of the Virgins. And in the mid way towards Almer, is anotner Hil, where the Counts of Holland were wont to bee consecrated. In the market-place, over against the Pallace, they shew the house for one Laurance John, whom they brag to bee the first inventor of the Presse for Printing; and they shew two bels of the brasse of Corinth, which they say were brought from Pelusium, a City in Affrick upon the Nyle.

From Harlam wee hired a waggon for eight stivers, and (Leyden) came five miles in five houres space, to Leyden, our waggoner baiting his horses in the mid way, but staying very little. In the way we had on all sides faire pastures, and passed by the Lake, or Mere of Harlam, lying towards the South, and the sea bankes within sight towards the North. The high wayes in these Provinces seeme to be forced, and made by Art; being sandy and very dry, though all the pastures on both sides bee compassed with frequent ditches of water. At the gates of Leyden, the men goe out of the waggon, and onely women may be carried into the City, lest - I thinke - the wheeles of the loaded waggons, should breake the bricke pavements of the streets.

Hence I returned presently to Amsterdam, that I might receive money sent me by exchange. So I hired a waggon for eight stivers my part, from hence to Harlam, and by the way I observed, that the waggons having past more then halfe the way, must have the way given them by all the waggons they meet, because their horses should in reason be most weary. At Harlam I paied for supper, bed, and breakfast, twenty five stivers. Hence I went by waggon, and paied for my part of it (p. 46) sixteene stivers, for three miles to Amsterdam, and there receiving my money, returned to Harlam,

[p. 227]

drawne over the snow and ice - which had plentifully fallen - on a sledge: for which I paid foure stivers; and I observed many markes set up in the fields, to direct the way to passengers.

(Leyden) From Harlam I returned to Leyden, where I lodged in a French-mans house, for intending to bestow all my time in the French tongue, till by Lerters¹⁾ I should dispose of my estate in England, and there being a famous University in this City, I found no abiding fitter for me then this. I paid for my diet and chamber in this French-mans house three guldens, and fifteene stivers weekely, but in the common Innes they pay ten or fifteene stivers a meale, according to the quantity of beere they drinke, and ordinarily twenty stivers or more, if they drinke wine. Leyden is so called of the words Legt bey de dunen, that is, lieth by the Downes - so they call the sandy bankes of the Sea, as the English doe like wise in Kent - Leyden is of a round forme, or perhaps somewhat longer from the East to the West, where the Rheine passeth by it. It is a City of much beauty, the houses are very fairely built of bricke, and be uniforme. The Churches are covered with long slates - as they be almost through all Holland - and among the streetes one is much fairer then the rest, in the middest whereof is a peece of ground railed in, where the Merchants meet. Many streetes are divided with waters, which are passed by woodden bridges, and in deede if a man dig two foote in any part of Holland, he shall find water. I said that the Rheine passeth by this City, yet doth it not fall into the Sea, but leeseth it selfe in many standing ditches of water, in this low parth of the continent. Toward the North-west about a mile from the City, there is the end of a ditch digged of old from the very City, and vulgarly called Malgatt, because the Citizens spent much treasure, in a vaine hope to make a Haven for ships, and a navigable water to come up to the Towne; for the heapes of sand daily cast up by the Sea, filled the place up, where they thought to have made the

1) Letters?

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Haven, as fast as they could dig it, yet was it long before they would cease from this ill advised worke. Notwithstanding salt water comes under the earth from the Sea into this ditch, and they carry the same unto the City to make salt thereof. Upon the same Sea-shore, towards the North, and like distance from the City, is a Village called Catwicke, seated upon Mountaines of sands, on the maine sea. Upon the same shore further towards the North, is a place where they say the Romans of old had an Armory, the ruines whereof - some musket shot from the shore - more or lesse appeare, as the wind covers them with sand, or blowing from another quarter, drives away the sand, and so laies them open. Hereabouts they say that many coines of the Romans are oftentimes digged up, and neere the Hoch-landish Church is a Monument built by Caligula the Emperour, which now belongs to a Gentleman of that Countrey. Upon the North side of this city the Villages Warmond and Nortwicke, lie upon the aforesaid Downes, but the City hath no gate that directly leades to them. Leyden hath five gates, Regenspurgport, on the West side, which leadeth to Harlam, and to Catwicke; and white port, which leadeth to Hage, betweene which gates there is a low water-gate of iron grates for boates to passe in and out. Neere White Port lies a house, where they exercise shooting with the Peece and Crosse-bow. On the South side is the gate Kow-port, leading into the pastures. Upon the East side is the gate Hochwertz-port, more fortified then any of the rest, and it leadeth to Wherden¹⁾, Gonda (sic), and to Alphen. There is another gate Zillport, which leadeth to Utrecht, whither you passe by water or land. The foresaid street, which I said was the beauty of the Towne, lieth from the West to Hochwertz-port, on the East side, and is called Breitstrat, that is Broadstreete.

(Ann. 1593) In the spring time of the yeere 1593, purposing to see the Cities of the United Provinces, I hired a Waggon for sixe stivers, and went from Leyden to Delph, three miles in three houres space, through

1) Woerden.

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corne fields and rich pastures, and having gone two third parts of the way, we passed over the water that runnes from Leyden to Delph. In all these parts the high way hath ditches on both sides, and is very plaine, sandy, and very dry, being daily repaired by the countrey people. By the way is a mill, in which they make oyle of rape and line seedes mingled with wallnut shels, and (p. 47) they have many such miles in those parts. Not farre of, at Voberg¹⁾, the Histories write of a holy Grove, famous for a conspiracy against the Romans.

(Delph) The City of Delph, lyeth in length from the North to the South, and the fairest street called Cornemart, lies the same way. Here - as in all the Cities of these parts - the buildings are of bricke, but the houses of Delph are more stately built, and seeme to have more antiquity then other where. In the New Church is a Monument of the Prince of Orange, the poorest that ever I saw for such a person, being onely of rough stones and morter, with posts of wood, coloured over with black, and very little erected from the ground²⁾. Neere the Church is a large market-place, and within a little Hand the Senate house is built. The Haven is on the South side. The Prince of Orange dwelt heere in a Monastery, and used to cat in a low parlor, whence as he ascended the staires into the chamber, a wicked murtherer gave him his deaths wound, who flying by a backe doore, was after taken in the Citie, and put to a most cruell, but most deserved death. The Countesse of Buren, daughter to this said Prince, now lived in this Monastery with her family. Here I paied for one meale, for my selfe and a guest invited by me, and two pots of Rhenish wine, three guldens, and five stivers. When the Spanish Army most pressed the United Provinces, the Prince of Orange then lying here, to shunne a greater mischiefe from the Spaniards, brake downe the bankes of the sea

1) Voorburg.

2) Het tegenwoordig bestaande grafmonument van Hendrick de Keyser werd in 1609 begonnen. Zie D.v. Bleyswyck, Beschryvinge der stadt Delft, blz. 261.

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and let in the waters, which did much hurt to the Countrey, but saved them from the Spaniards, who with great feare hasted away, giving great rewards to those that guided them to the firme continent. At Delph are about three hundred Brewers, and their beere, for the goodnesse, is called Delphs-English; but howsoever they had Brewers, and the very water out of England, they could never make their beere so much esteemed as the English, which indeed is much bettered by the carriage over sea to these parts.

Hence I went to Sluse¹⁾, so called of the damme to let waters in and out, and came thither in two houres, paying for my waggon thirteene stivers, which I hired alone, for if I had light upon company, we should have paied no more betweene us. Hence I passed the River Mase, where it falleth into the sea, and came to Brill, my selfe and two others, paying twelve stivers for our passage: but the barke being presently to returne, and therefore not entring the Port, set us on land neere the Towne, whether we walked on foot.

(Brill) Brill is a fortified Towne, laid in pledge to Queene Elizabeth, for money she lent the States, and it was then kept by foure English Companies paid by the Queene, under the government of the Lord Burrowes. The Towne is seated in an Iland, which was said to bee absolute of it selfe, neither belonging to Zealand, nor Holland. On the North side, the River Mase runneth by. On the East side are corne fieldes, and the River somewhat more distant. On the South side are corne fields. On the West side are corne fields, and the maine Sea little distant. Here I paied for my supper and dinner twenty stivers, and for a pot of wine eighteene stivers.

From hence I returned by water to Roterodam in Holland, and paied for my passage three stivers. In the mouth of the River of Roterodam, lies the City Arseldipig²⁾, and another called Delphs-Ile being the Haven of Delph,

1) Maassluis (vroeger Maaslandssluis).

2) Vlaardingen(?).

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which was then a pleasant Village; but growing to a City, and having beene lately burnt by fire was fairely rebuilded.

(Roterodam) Roterodam lies in length from the East to the West. The Haven is on the South side, being then full of great ships; upon which side it lay open without walles, having many faire houses, and a sweet walke upon the banke of the water. Neither is it fortified on the sides towards the land, nor seemed to mee¹⁾ able to beare a siege; having low walles on the North and East sides, yet compassed with broad ditches. The street Hoch-street is faire and large, extending it selfe all the length of the Citie; and lying so, as from the gate at the one end, you may see the gate at the other end, and in this street is the Senate house. In the market place toward the West, is the statua of Erasmus, being made of wood, for the Spaniards brake downe that which was made of stone; and the inscription thereof witnesseth, that hee was borne at Roterodame, the twenty (p. 48) eight of October, in the yeere 1467, and died at Bazel the twelfth of July, in the yeere 1531. In New-Kirk-street, there is the house in which Erasmus was borne, wherein a Taylor dwelled at this time, and upon the wall thereof, these Verses are written:

AEdibus his natus, mundum decoravit Erasmus,
Artibus ingenuis, Religione, fide.
The world, Erasmus in this poore house borne,
With Arts, Religion, Faith, did much adorne.

The same Verses also were written in the Flemmish tongue, and upon the wall was the picture of Erasmus. Upon the same West side is the house for exercise of shooting in the Peece and Crosse-bow. The waters of Roterodam and Delph, being neere the sea are more wholesome then the standing waters within land. Heere I lodged at an English-mans house; and paied for my supper tenne stivers, for my breakfast two stivers, and for beere betweene meales five stivers: by which expence,

1) to bee.

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compared with that of the Flemmish Innes, it is apparant that strangers in their reckonings, pay for the intemperate drinking of their Dutch companions.

(Dort) From hence I went by sea three miles to Dort, in two houres space; to which City we might have gone great part of the way by waggon, as farre as Helmund, but then we must needs have crossed an Inland sea, for the City is seated in an Iland, having beene of old divided from the continent of Holland, in a great floud. The forme of the City resembles a Galley, the length whereof lies from the East to the West. Wee landed upon the North side lying upon the sea, where there be two gates, but of no strength. On the East side is the New gate, Reydike, and beyond a narrow water, lye fenny grounds. On the South side, the ditch is more narrow, yet the sea ebbs and flowes into it, and upon old walles of stone is a convenient walking place. On this side is the gate Spey-port, and beyond the ditch lye fenny grounds. On the West-side is the gate Feld-port, and a like walke upon walles of stone, and there is a greater ebbing and flowing of the sea. There is a great Church built of bricke and covered with slate; being stately built with Arched cloysters, and there of old the Counts of Holland were consecrated. From this part the two fairest streets Reydike-strat, and Wein-strat, lie windingly towards the North. Turning a little out of the faire street Reydikestrat, towards the South, lies the house for exercise of shooting in the Peece and Crosse-bow, and there by is a very pleasant grove; upon the trees whereof certaine birds frequent, which we call Hearnes¹⁾, vulgarly called Adhearne or Regle, and their feathers being of great price, there is a great penalty set on them, that shall hurt or annoy those birds. There is a house which retaines the name of the Emperor Charles the fifth, and another house for coyning of money; for the Counts of Holland were wont to coyne money at Dort, as the Counts of Zealand did at Midleburg. Betweene the faire streets,

1) Herons (reigers).

[p. 233]

Reydike-strat and Wein-strat, is the Haven for ships, to be passed over by bridges, and there is a market place, and the Senate house; which hath a prospect into both these streets. The houses are higher built then other where in Holland, and seeme to be of greater Antiquity. This Citie by priviledge is the staple of Rhenish wines, which are from hence carried to other Cities, so as no imposition being here paied for the same, the pot of Rhenish wine is sold for twelve stivers, for which in other places they pay eighteene, or twenty stivers. For three meales I paied heere thirty stivers.

(Getrudenberg) From hence I went by water to the States Campe, besieging Getrudenberg, and came thither in two houres space, but the windes being very tempestuous, wee saw a boat drowned before us, out of which one man onely escaped by swimming, who seemed to me most wretched, in that hee over-lived his wife and all his children then drowned. The besieged City lies in the Province of Brabant; and the County of Buren, being the inheritance of the Prince of Orange, by right of his wife; and in this Month of June, it was yeelded to Count Maurice, the Spanish Army lying neere, but not being able to succour it.

The Sea lying upon this part of Brabant, was of old (p. 49) firme land, joined to the continent, till many villages by divers floods - and seventeene Parishes at once by a famous flood - were within lesse then 200 yeeres agoe swallowed up of the Sea, and for witnes of this calamity, divers Towers farre distant the one from the other, appeare in this Sea, and according to the ebbing and flowing, more or lesse seene, doe alwaies by their sad spectacle put the passengers in mind of that wofull event. And the Hollanders say, that these flouds caused the Rheine to change his bed, as hereafter I shall shew in the due place.

From Count Maurice his Campe at Getrudenberg, I sailed in six houres space to the Iland Plate¹⁾, and at midnight putting forth againe, sailed in ten houres space

1) Waarschijnlijk een plaat in den Biesbosch.

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to the Iland Tarlot¹⁾, and from thence in three houres (Bergenapzome) space to the City Bergenapzome, where we landed. By the way we saw one of the aforesaid Towers high above the water, being a steeple of some parish Church swallowed up in the said deluge, of which there be many like sad remembrances in this Inland sea. The channel leading to the City is called Forcemer²⁾, and hath upon the banke many strong forts, and in this channel lay a man of warre to defend passengers from the bordering enemy. This City is strongly fortified, and is seated in Brabant, and had many castles of the enemy lying neere it, and it was governed by a garison of English, not in the Queenes, but in the States pay, as Ostend at that time was - whereas Vlishing and Brill pledged to the Queen for money, were kept by English Garisons in the Queenes pay - and Sir Thomas Morgan was at this time Governour of this City³⁾. At our entrance every man gave his name to the Guard. Without the City on the West side, many akers of land were drowned, when the Prince of Orange - as I said - let in the waters to drive the Spaniards out of those parts, which from that day to this, could never be dried and gained againe. On this side I entered the City, where be many poore houses built in forme of a Lutes necke, which being added to the City almost of a round forme, make the whole City much like unto a Lute. On this side were three strong ravelings, and uppon the necke of the said Lute is the Haven, in the channel Forcemer, which going no further into the land, endeth in a mill made of purpose to keepe the ebbing water, so as the ditches may alwaies be full. On the North side is the prison, not unpleasant for situation, and the English House, and the House of the Governour, which of old belonged to the Count of Brabant. Betweene the Gates Wouldport and

1) Tolen.

2) Op ons verzoek om inlichting kwam uit Bergen-op-Zoom geen bericht.

3) Zie over hem Van der Aa, Biographisch woordenboek; Dictionary of national biography en de daargenoemde bronnen.

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Stephenbergport, which are both strongly fortified, the River Zome fals into the Towne, whereof it hath the name, yet the channel being stopped, it seemes here a standing water, rather then a River. Towards the East, the City is very strongly fortified, and there is the Gate Boskport, so called - as I thinke - of the word Bosco, which in the Italian tongue, signifies a wood: for on this side without the gates, were many woods and orchards, till they were destroied in the warre. On this side is another Raveling of greath length, and beyond the fortifications lie faire pastures, but somewhat covered with waters. And from hence wee might see Woudcastle, scarce three English miles distant, which was then possessed by the Spaniards. On the South side is a new fort, beyond a strong bulwarke, and a very strong counterscarp compassing the City. And from hence was of old a most pleasant walke, under the shade of trees, to the old castle, some mile distant. On this side in a pleasant grove were many such birds, as I said to be at Dort, vulgarly called Adherne, much esteemed for the fethers they beare in their fore-head, and there is a penalty set on those that hurt or drive them away. On this side also is the English Church, and upon this and the East sides the Prince of Parma incamped, when hee besieged this City. There is in the middest of the City a triangular market place, and from the sharpe end thereof towards the West, five ravelings run beyond the wals. The houses are built of bricke, and seeme ro¹⁾ be built of old. The Church hath a very high steeple, whence the watchmen shew the comming and number of horse-men by hanging out white flagges, and of foot by redde. All the Villages hereabouts, though living under the Spaniard, yet pay contribution to this Garrison, lest the souldiers should upon advantage breake out, and spoile them. The Citizens live of manuall arts, and the expences of the Garison.

From hence I sayled to Midleburge, and at one ebbe of (p. 50) the Sea, passed in seven houres space to Der-goese, and at another ebbe in foure houres space to Armuren,

1) to.

[p. 236]

a City of the Iland Walkern, belonging to Zealand, and I paid for my passage six stivers. From hence in halfe (Midleburg) an houre I walked on foot to Midleburge, the houses whereof are stately built, and very high, especially the new City, and are all of bricke, as be the Cities of Holland, and as be the houses of Vlishing, but some of these are stately built of free stone, yet the streetes are somewhat narrow. Here I paid for my supper five stivers in the English House, where the Host is onely bound to provide for the Merchants and such guests as they invite, yet many times he admits English Gentlemen both to lodge and eat there. The House lies in the street Longdelf, and howsoever the Merchants eat there, yet they hier¹⁾ their lodgings scatteringly in the City, and refused an Abbey which the Senators offered them to lodge therein, perhaps out of feare, lest in any civill tumult they might more easily be wronged, if they should all lie together. This City is the Staple of all Merchandise, excepting Rhenish wine, for which by old priviledge Dorte is the Staple. Therefore French and Spanish Wines are here sold much more cheape then other where, because they are free of impost in this place, and have great impositions laid on them, being carried out to other Cities. The forme of the City is round, save that on the East side, the buildings of the new City being unperfected, made it to have the forme of a halfe Moone, though the plot thereof were round. Comming from Armuren, I entered on this East side, by a very faire gate, called the New Gate, where the water falling into the Towne, passeth to the Burse, where the Merchants meet. There is a publike House for shooting, the wall on this side - as round about the City - is of stone, and is rather adorned then fortified with some Towers. And this wall is double, upon the Inner whereof compassed with deepe ditches, many Houses are built. On the West side without the gates, almost halfe way to Vlishing, is Rammakins Castle, kept by English Souldiers, sent from Vlishing to that purpose, being a place

1) hire.

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of great importance, because the channell going to Midleburge, runnes within the command of their Artillery. On this South side is the Haven, and without the wals very faire pastures, to the uttermost part of the Iland. Also on this side is a new Haven made for ships in the winter time, and the gate is called, Rammakins Port, of the said Castle. On the West side you may see Vlishing a mile off, and in a cleere day, the Downes of Kent in England. On this side within the wals is a round market place, and the Senate-house of anticke building, and two Gates called of the Cities to which they leade, Vlishingport and Longe-ville-port. On the North side is an Abbey, and pleasant walking, and another publike House for exercise of shooting. This populous City hath onely two Churches, either because the people being of many sects in Religion, and much occupied in trafficke, scarce the third part comes to Church, or else because the people being much increased by strangers, comming to dwell in these parts, upon the stopping of the passage to Antwerp in the civill warres, it is no wonder that the old Churches will not receive them. The Citizens may at pleasure drowne all the fields about them. And this, one, and the chiefe Iland of Zealand, called Walkerne, containeth five walled Cities, besides Villages; but the aire is reputed unwholsome. Midleburge is the chiefe place of trafficke in Zealand, as Amsterdam in Holland.

From hence I went in a long Waggon covered with (Vlishung) hoopes and cloth to Vlishing, a long mile; and paid for my passage two blankes. Ten English foot companies, one hundred and fifty in each company, under the government of Sir Robert Sidney, kept this strong Towne for the Queene of England, and under her pay; being ingaged to her for money lent the States, and the ten Captaines in course watched each third night. The City is little and of a round forme, but very strong. It hath a narrow Sea on the West side, where, upon the last confines of Zealand and the United Provinces, is one of the three passages - whereof I formerly spake - to the Maine Sea. On this side is the Mountaine of the Mill, where the Souldiers watch nightly, and beyond the Moun-

[p. 238]

taine is a damme to let in the Sea at pleasure. On the South side is the Gate Waterport, strongly fortified, lying upon the Inland Sea. On this side towards the North, the Sea flowing into the Towne, maketh one Haven, and (p. 51) towards the East another, and divideth the City into three parts: the Old, the New, and the Middle, whereof any one being taken by the enemy, yeth the other are fortified for defence. Beyond these Havens or channels, is a Mountaine lying over the City, upon which the Souldiers kept guards day and night, as they did likewise upon the Bridge dividing the Cities, and upon other lower hils, at all the gates of the City, and in prayer time, at the doore of the English Church. This Church is on the East side, and is common to the English and Dutch at divers houres. Betweene the high mountaine and this Church, was the Governours House, belonging of old to the Counts of Zealand, and the publike house for exercise of shooting, but lesse pleasant then the like houses are in other Cities. On the same East side lie two waies, one to Rammakins Castle, the other to Midleburge. On the North side the Downes of Kent in England may easily be seene, and there is the Hospitall or Gast-house for sicke people, and for sicke and maimed souldiers, of which a Mountaine thereby hath the name. On this and the East sides, are two Mils to retaine the water when the Sea ebs, that the ditches round about may alwaies be filled, and if need be to overflow the fields. These ditches are commonly a pikes depth, and can by no art or enemy be dried. The Citizens want good water, having no wels nor any fresh water, but raine water kept in Cesternes. The foresaid number of Souldiers in the Garrison, was not sufficient to master the Citizens, onely their couragious minds dispising death, kept the Citizens in such awe, as they durst not attempt to recover their liberty by force, which they hoped to obtaine by peaceable meanes, and the United Provinces depended upon the opinion of the Queenes aid, perhaps more then upon the aid it selfe, so as either failing, they were like to be a prey to the Spaniards. Since that time I heard the Garison was

[p. 239]

diminished, so as it seemes the English had lesse strength to keepe it, if the States changing their minds, should attempt to surprise it. Being invited by my English friends, I spent nothing in this City.

Hence I returned to Midleburge on foot, upon a paved causey, having on each side rich corne fields, and faire pastures, with many orchards; and in the mid-way a Gentleman called Aldegondey, famous for his wisdome, hath his Castle, wherein he dwelt. At Midleburge I paid six stivers for my supper, and two for my bed, and providing victuals to carry by Sea, I paid for a loyne of mutton twenty four stivers, as also for my washing seven stivers, and staying in the Towne two daies, I spent in all foure guldens and foure stivers.

I tooke ship at ten in the morning, and betweene the Iland Der-goese, and the Inland Sea, called Zurechsea, I saw two Towers of Villages swallowed in the foresaid deluge, and sailing by the Iland Plate, and the Iland of Brill, we passed certaine booyes directing to find the channell. The next day in the afternoone, I landed at Roterodam in Holland, and paid ten stivers for my passage. Thence I passed in two houres space by boat to Delph and paid two stivers for my passage. Thence in two houres space I passed to the Hage by Waggon, and paid for my passage two stivers; for which journey one man alone may hire a Waggon for seven stivers.

(The Hage) At the Hage Count Maurice with his mother in law the Countesse of Orange - born of the Noble Family of the Chastillons in France - and the Generall States of the United Provinces, and Princes Ambassadours, have their residence, which made me desirous to stay here a while, to which purpose I hired a chamber, for which, for my bed, sheets, tableclothes, towels and dressing of my meat, I paid twenty five stivers weekely. I bought my owne meat, and living privatly with as much frugality as conveniently I might, I spent by the weeke no more then five guldens and a halfe, though all things were in this place extraordinarily deere. My beere in one weeke came to foureteene stivers, and among other things bought, I paid for a quarter of

[p. 240]

lambe thirty stivers, for a Hen seven stivers, for a Pigeon foure stivers, for a Rabet three stivers. I remember not to have seene a more pleasant village then this: great part of the houses are fairely built of bricke, though many of them in by-streetes be covered with thatch, and some few are stately built of free-stone. The village hath the forme of a Crosse, and upon the East side comming in from Leyden, there is a most pleasant Grove, with many wild walkes like a maze, and neerer the houses is another very pleasant walke, set round about (p. 52) with willowes. Here is the publike house for exercise of shooting in the Peece and Crosse-bow, which hath a sweet prospect into a large greene plaine, where they use to spread linnen clothes in the sunne, and here certaine rowes of trees being planted yeeld a pleasant shade to them that walke therein. One of the said rowes of trees called Vinareberg, leades to an old Castle of the Counts of Holland, compassed with a drie ditch, in which Count Maurice dwelt, but in the great Hall thereof were many shops of Merchants for small wares. Upon the wals of the said Castle, and upon the windowes of the Church, these words were written in latine:

To Charles the fifth, etc. To the most invincible Caesar Charles the fifth Roman Emperour, the victorious defender of the Catholike Religion, and Augustus. The Provisors of this House have placed this, in the yeere 1547.

Thereby was the statua of Charles the fifth, kneeling on his knees. In the window were painted the Armes of all the Knights of the golden Fleece. The Histories of the Countrey report the building of this Pallace to be wonderfull, in that the top of the Hall is not joined with beames, but with arches: but for my part I observed no great magnificence in the worke. The second of the foresaid rowes of trees, called Furholt, leads to a gentlemans house, the fairest and most stately built in this Village. In the middest of the Hage lies the market place, and the Church. On the South side is the water that leades to Delph: and round about on all sides without the Village, are faire pastures, excepting the Northside, where the sandy downes of the Sea lie neere to

[p. 241]

the Village. In the Church is a Monument of Count Albertus, Duke of Bavaria, and another of a Count of Hanaw, with divers others, which I omit, as having no antiquity or magnificence.

While I staied at the Hage, I walked out in a halfe (Lausdune) an houres space to the village Lausdune, where I saw a wonderfull monument, the History whereof printed in a paper, the Earle of Leicester - as they said - had carried with him into England, leaving onely the same in written hand, the coppy whereof I will set downe, first remembring that two basens of brasse hanged on the wall, in which the children - whereof I shal speak - were baptized.

The manuscript was in latine as followeth:

En tibi monstrosum nimis et memorabile factum,
Quale nec a Mundi conditione datum.
Haec lege, mox animo, stupefactus lector abibis.
So strange and monstrous thing I tell,
As from the worlds frame nere befell,
He parts amasde that markes it well.

The rest in latine is thus englished:

Margaret wife to Hermannus Count of Henneberge, daughter to Florence Count of Holland and Zealand, sister to William King of the Romans, and Coesar, or Governour of the Empire. This most noble Countesse being about forty two yeeres old, the very day of preparation called (This yeere fell in a lying and superstitious age) Parasceue, about nine of the clocke, in the yeere 1276 brought forth at one birth three hundred sixty five children, which being baptized in two basens of brasse, by Guido Suffragan of Utretcht, all the males were called John, and all the females Elizabeth; butt all of them together with the mother, died in one and the same day, and lie buried here in the Church of Lausdune: and this happened to her, in that a poore woman bearing in her armes two twinnes, the Countesse wondering at it, said shee could not have them both by one man, and so rejected her with scorne, whereupon the woman sore troubled, wished that the Countesse might have as many child(r)en at a birth, as there be daies in the whole yeere; which

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besides the course of nature, by miracle fell out, as in this table is briefly set downe for perpetuall memory, out of old Chronicles, as well written as printed. Almighty God must be in this beheld and honoured, and extolled with praises for ever and ever. Amen.

From the Hage, my selfe and other consorts hired a Waggon for two guldens, and passed to Leyden, having on both sides faire pastures, fruitfull corne fields, and some pleasant groves.

(p. 53) Chap. V.

Of my journey out of the United Provinces, by the Sea coast, to Stode and Lubeck in Germany. Of my sailing to Denmarke, and thence to Dantzk in Prussen, and my journey through Poland to Padoua in Italy.

(Ann. 1593) In the end of the Month of June, and the yeere 1593: having now dispatched by Letters, all my businesse in England, and having seene the United Provinces, I was in doubt by what way I should returne into Italy: and having already passed the two waies of Germany, that by Augspurge, and the other by the Sweitzers, and the way by France being then shut up by the civill warres, the common desire of Travellers not to passe the same way twice, but to see as many new Countries as their course will permit, made me resolue to passe through the Kingdomes of Denmarke and Poland, and by the fortified City of Wien in Austria. In which journey, howsoever I should goe much out of my way, and was like to indure many troubles; yet I thought nothing was difficult to a willing minde. Therefore I hired a waggon from Leyden to Utrecht, and paied for my part twelve stivers. Wee passed three miles and a halfe in three houres, by the village Alpha, where the Spaniards incamped, when they besieged Leyden; and by a little Towne called Gonda (sic), having on both sides faire pastures, but somewhat overflowed, and ditches set with willowes; and we came to a little village, where the waggoner gave his horses meat. Then in foure houres space wee passed foure miles and a halve, having on

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both sides fruitfull corne fields, and like ditches set with willowes, and so we came to Utrecht. But a mile and a halfe before we came thither, we passed out of the Territory of Holland, and entred the Bishopricke of Utrecht, which is one of the United Provinces. Not farre from the City wee saw a crosse, set up for a Monument of a Bishop dying in battell against the Hollanders. I had almost forgotten the little City Werden, which they shewed us by the way, and told us, that the forme thereof was like the City of Jerusalem, which at that time I had not seene, and therefore mention this from their report, rather then from my judgement.

(Utretcht) The City Utrecht is seated in length from South-east, by East, to North-west by West, and upon the end at South-east, by East, is the gate Weitefraw, where the Rheine enters the City. At the other end, North-west by West, are the ruines of an old Castle, which the Spaniards kept before the wars, to bridle the City: and there be two gates Saint-Katherine-port, and Wert-port, each of them having their suburbes. On the South-west side are walles of earth, but the ditches were almost dry. On the North-east side is the gate Olske-port, and there bee three strong Ravelings, one defending the other. On this side bee two streets fairer then the rest, called New-graft, and Altkirkhoffe; and there is a pleasant walke well shaded with trees, upon the banke of the River. In the midst of the City is the Cathedrall Church, having a faire Tower, and a Bell, which they report to be of eighteene thousand pounds weight. Neere to the same is the Bishops Pallace, wherein the Bishops dwelt before the union of the Provinces; but at this time there dwelled the Countesse of Meurs, whose husband died in these warres. In the same part lie the market place, and the Senate house. The houses of the City are of bricke, and fairely built, but lose much of their beautie by being covered on the outside with boords, and they seeme to have more antiquitie, then the buildings of Holland. There be thirty Churches, but onely three are used for divine service. In Saint Maries Church - which as I remember is the Cathedrall Church - these verses are written upon a piller:

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Accipe posteritas quod per tua secula narres,
Taurinis cutibus fundo solidata columma est.
(p. 54) Posterity heare this, and to your children tell,
Bull hydes beare up this piller from the lowest hell.

Upon a second piller this is written in Latine:

A Frison killed the Bishop because hee had learned of him, being drunke, and betrayed by his sonne, the Art to stop a gulfe in this place, the yeere 1099.

Upon a third piller this is written in Latine:

The Emperour Henry the fourth, built this Church to our Lady, because hee had pulled downe another Church at Milane, dedicated to her. And to my understanding, they shewed me at this time manifest signes of the aforesaid gulfe, which these inscriptions witnesse to have beene in this place. Heere I paied for my supper twenty stivers, and for my breakefast six stivers.

From hence I went to Amsterdam five miles in three houres space, and paied for my passage in the waggon ten stivers. For halfe the way on both sides wee had faire pastures, and saw many strong Castles belonging to Gentlemen. Neere Utrecht, at the passage of a river each man paid a Doight, and before wee came to the halfe way, we passed the confines of this Bishopricke, and entred the County of Holland. Then in the space of two houres and a halfe, we came to Amsterdam, having in our way on both sides faire pastures.

On Friday in the beginning of the Month of July, at five a clocke in the evening, I tooke ship, upon the Mast whereof was a garland of Roses, because the master of this ship then wooed his wife, which ceremony the Hollanders used. And the sea being calme, wee passed eight miles to Enchusen, where wee cast anchor. By the way wee passed a hole, where our sterne struck twise upon the sand, not without feare of greater mischiefe. On Saturday we sayled betweene West-Freesland upon our right hands towards the East, and Holland upon our left hands towards the West, and after tenne miles say-(Fly) ling, came to the Iland Fly, which being of small compasse, and consisting of sandy hils, hath two villages in it. From hence they reckon twenty eight

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miles by sea to Hamburg in Germany, whether we purposed to goe. Assoone as wee cast anchor here, the Master of our ship went aboard the Admirall of certaine ships, which used to lie here, to guard this mouth of the sea, with whom hee spake concerning our passage to Hamburg, and delivered him Letters, commanding that our ship should have a man of war to waft it. This Admirall lay continually in this harbour, to guard the passage into the sea, and he commanded nine ships, which were upon all occasions to waft the Hollanders to Hamburg, and defend them from the Dunkirkers, and all Pirats. But at this time there was not one of these men of warre in the harbour, and the Admirall himselfe might not goe forth. So as for this cause, and for the tempestious weather, wee staied here all Sunday. But upon Monday, the winde being faire for us, and contrary for the men of warre that were to come in, so that losing this winde, we must have expected - not without great irkesomnesse - a second winde to bring in some of these men of warre, and a third winde to carry us on our journey: the Master of our ship - carrying sixe great Peeces, and having some tenne Muskets - did associate him selfe with seven other little ships - having only Pikes and swords - and so more boldly then wisely resolued to passe to Hamburg without any man of warre.

This Monday morning we hoysed saile, but being calmed at noone, we cast anchor between the Fly, on our left hand toward the West, and another little Iland Shelling on our right hand towards the East: and lying here, wee might see two little barkes, hovering up and downe, which wee thought to be Fisher-men, and nothing lesse then Pirats of Dunkirke. Here till evening we were tossed by the waves, which use to bee more violent upon the coast; but a faire winde then arising, all our shippes gladly weighed anchor. At which time it happened that the anchor of our ship brake, so as our consorts went on, but our Master, according to the navall discipline, not to put to sea with one anchor, returned backe to the harbour of the Fly, there to buy a new anchor, all of us foolishly cursing our fortune and the starres.

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On Tuesday morning while wee sadly walked on the shoare, wee might see our consorts comming backe with (p. 55) torne sailes, and dead men, and quarters of men, lying on the hatches. We beholding this with great astonishment, tooke boat to board them, and demanding the newes, they told us that the little barks we saw the day before were Dunkirkers, having in each of them eighty Souldiers, and some few great Peeces, and that they had taken them, and spoiled their ships, of their chiefe and lightest goods, and had carried away prisoners to Dunkirk all the passengers and chief Marriners, after they had first wrung their foreheads with twined ropes, and with many horrible tortures, forced them to confesse what money they had presently, and what they could procure for ransom. Further, with mourning voice they told us, that the Pirats inquired much after our ship, saying that it was the bride, with whom they meant to dance, cursing it to be destroyed with a thousand tuns of divels, and swearing that if they had foreseene our escape, they would have assailed us by day, while we rode at anchor. They added, that they had left no goods, but those they could not carry for weight, and had changed their ragged shirts and apparell with the poore Marriners. And indeed they had just cause to bewaile the escape of our shippe, being laded with many chests of Spanish Ryalls, whereof they were not ignorant, using to have their spies in such places, who for a share in the booty, would have betrayed their very brothers. As we had just cause to praise almighty God, who had thus delivered us out of the jawes of death, so had wee much more cause to bewaile our rashnesse, yea and our wickednesse, that we had striven, yea and repined against his divine providence, which with humble and hearty sorrow I confesse to the glory of his sacred name. In this Iland I paied for my supper and bed ten stivers, for my breakfast and dinner eight stivers.

On Wednesday we had a most faire winde, but the terrour of our last escape, made us stay in the harbour. In the evening I went to lodge in the village, and paied tenne stivers for my supper and bed, and there I saw

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great store of all kindes of shel-fish, sold for a very small price.

Since this journey by Sea, - had besides our expectation - proved so difficult, my selfe, though I had seene the Cities upon the sea coast of Germany, yet preferring my safety before the charge and trouble of that way, did resolue to passe to Hamburg by land, with which purpose when I acquainted my consorts; suddenly al the passengers resolued to leave the ships, and to go by land; at which resolution the Masters of the ships stormed, but when each of us had payed them a Doller for our passage from Amsterdam to the Fly, they were well pacified.

My selfe and nine consorts in my company, hired a boat for thirty stivers, each man paying three stivers: and so upon Thursday in foure houres space, wee sailed three miles to Harlingen, a City of west Freesland, passing the aforesaid Inland sea. And the same day hiring a boat, for which each man paied six stivers: wee passed a mile to the City Froniker, where is an University, and passing by water through the midst of that pleasant little City, we passed two miles further, to Lewerden, where we lodged, and I paied for my supper ten stivers. The next morning, being Friday, wee passed in six houres space two long miles to Dockam, and each man paied for his boate hire three stivers. Without delay in the afternoone we entred a barke, to saile from West Freesland, one of the United Provinces, into East Freesland, a Province of the German Empire: but scarce one mile from the towne we cast anchor, to expect the floud; and lying there, we heard from the land great noise, barking of dogs, cries of men, and sounding of bells, which proceeded from some Spanish Free-booters breaking out of Groning, to spoile the Peasants. All the next day wee sailed, and in the evening for our better safety wee cast anchor neere a man of warre, - whereof there be some appointed to lie in this Inland Sea, to guard the friends of the States, - and early the next morning being Sunday, wee set saile, and by the rising of the sunne, landed in the Iland of Rotermere - which is divided from the continent by this Inland Sea, and hath the

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maine Sea on the other side, - whence soone after we parted, and were put on land in East Freesland, a Province of the Empire, and passing one mile on foot, came to the City of Emden.

I said that the States maintained some men of warre (p. 56) in this Inland Sea, and these used to send out in lesser boates some bodies of men, to search the Barkes whether they be friends or not; which bodies of men are vulgarly called Die jagt, that is, the hunting, of a metaphor taken from the hunting of dogs. For my passage from Dockam to Emden I paid ten stivers, and here for supper and breakefast I paid twenty three stivers, though the ordinary rate be but sixe stivers a meale without wine: and for a pound of cherries I paid eight stivers.

The third Booke.

(p. 200) -------------- (Ann. 1595) Then in the twilight of the evening, wee put to Sea, and the ninth of December entring the narrow Sea of Zealand, upon our call a boat came out of Vlishing to us, in which we went thither, leaving our ship, which went forward to Midleburg, and each man paying a doller for his passage. The eleventh of December we walked on foot one mile to Midleburge, where being invited by our friends - as we were at Vlishing - we supped on free cost. The twelfth day wee passed by Sea in two houres space to Armuren, where wee cast anchor not without feare of Spanish Pirats, who comming with small boates out of the Castle Wouda, did then many robberies upon this Sea. The thirteenth day in the morning, wee sailed nines miles to the Iland Plat where a Man of warre, sent out by the States against these Pirats, did lie at anchor, under the guard whereof we also lay at anchor the night following. The fourteenth day in the morning, having alwaies a faire winde, wee sailed eight miles to Delphs haven in Holland, where we left our Barke, and each man payed twelve stivers for his passage, and my selve gave three stivers to a Marriner that had attended me. From hence my selfe and three consorts hired a Wagon for 18 stivers to the Hage, where I payed for my supper a Flemish guilden

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and seventeene stivers. The fiftenth day of December - which after the new stile was Christmas day, that Feast by the old stile falling on the twentie five of December - my selfe and three consorts hired a Wagon for two guldens, for two long miles to Leyden. From Leyden at a set hower every day boates passe to all the next Cities, and we entring the boat that went for Amsterdam, payed each of us 6 stivers for our passage. First wee passed five miles upon the Lake called Harlam Meare, which Lake is much subject to Tempests. Our boate was then drawne by force of hands over a Damme into a Channell of water, in which we passed two miles, and so came to Amsterdam. The boates are thus drawne out of the Lake into the Channell, by a priviledge granted to Harlam, because that Citie had spent much money in the workes for conveyance of waters. And this was granted to them, to the ende, that this passage being shut up to Barkes of greater burthen, the Merchants wares passing by land, should be forced to come by Harlam. We lodged in a English Merchants house at Amsterdam, and payed eight stivers for each meale.

The seventeenth of December we entred a little ship, to saile out of Holland into West-Freesland: but being almost frozen in with yce, after wee had sailed two dayes and a night - with great danger - through huge pieces of yce, and were the second night also compassed therewith, and had been forced to lie at anchor a good space, we hardly arrived the third day at Horne in North-Holland, which Citie is five miles distant from Amsterdam, and each man payed ten stivers for our passage, and two stivers for the use of a little cabbin in the ship. The ninteenth day we would needs go on foot two miles - as long as ten English miles - to Enchusen, because they asked foure guldens and a half for a Wagon. And in the mid way it hapned that we light upon a sledg, which wee 4 consorts hired for 20 stivers, and therin wee were all carried, but for my part I paied 5 stivers more for the cariage of my necessaries. And (p. 201) we could not sufficiently marvell at our first setting forth, that the Villages should be so frequent in such an obscure Countrey, as wee could hardly see how

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they were parted one from the other, for halfe the way at least. From hence we sailed with a very faire wind, in three houres space two miles to Stavern, a Village seated in West-Freezland, and each man paid ten stivers for his passage, foure for his supper, and foure for beere.

The next day we passed on foot one mile of Freezland, - which miles are exceeding long - to Warcome, and we hired two Clownes for two guldens, to carry our necessaries, which Clownes drinking stoutly all the night, we were forced beyond our bargaine to pay for their intemperance, which wrong we could not avoid, though we much repined at it. Early in the morning we passed by water one mile over a Lake to Bolsworth, and each man paid two stivers and a halfe for his passage, and eight stivers and a halfe for his dinner. In the afternoone we hired a boat for three miles to Lewerden, and each man paid sixe stivers for his passage, and thirty foure stivers for his supper and breakefast with wine. The next day in the morning, we might have passed to Groning, in a common boat, each man paying twelve stivers: but because the covetous Marriners had overloaded it, and the winds were boisterous, we foure consorts hired a private boate for seven guldens and a halfe. The first day we passed by water five miles, to Kaltherberg, that is, the cold Inne, with a very faire wind, but so boysterous as we were in no small feare. Here each man paid twelve stivers for his supper, and seven stivers for his drinke, while in good fellowship we sate at the fier after supper. The next day we passed in the same boat two miles to Groning, in a great tempest of wind; besides that in the midst of the Lake we lost our Rudder, being thereby in great danger, had not the waves of the water - by Gods mercy - driven it to us. Here we paid eight stivers each man for a plentifull dinner, but without wine. In the afternoone we passed by water two miles to Delphsile, and each man paid forty stivers for the hier¹⁾ of the boate, and twenty foure stivers for supper and breakefast, and fire in our private chamber.

1) hire.

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From hence we sayled with a most faire wind, in two houres space two miles to Emden.

Part III. The second Booke.

Chap. I.

Of the fit meanes to travell, and to hire Coaches and Horses.

(p. 56) -------------- (Low Countries) In the Low-Countries Travellers passe most in long narrow Country Waggons, the sides thereof being like Rackes for Horses, and acrosse over them short and somewhat narrow boards, being fastened for Passengers to sit upon, two in a ranke, so as they hold some eight or tenne passengers; And they have goodly Mares to draw these Waggons, using their Horses for the troops in their Army, or exporting them - as sometimes their Mares also - to sell in forraigne parts. I did never see the meanes of passage so ready in any place, as these Waggons here at all times are, before the doore of the Waggoners Inne, nor consorts so readily found to all places, whereof the numbers are infinite passing both by Waggon and Boate: Neither did I ever see Travellers passe at so easie rates, - I mean for their passages, not for the Innes, - so they have not heavy luggage: For in that case, the Waggons being left and taken at the gates of the Citie - as I thinke not to weare the bricke pavements with their wheeles, - and the waggons being often changed in each dayes journey, this carriage to his Inne and from it so often, must needes be a great burthen to his shoulders, or charge to his purse: The Waggoners being commonly drunken, drive their Mares like mad men, yet without danger of turning over their Waggons, because the wayes are most plaine, faire, and sandy. From Delph to Hage, being two houres journey, with consorts I paied two stivers for my Waggon, and alone I paide seven. The way lies betweene ditches, and is plaine and safe, the Countrey people continually repairing it: For otherwise the wayes in this low watry soyle, could not be so drie and sandy as they are. And

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because they cast up sand upon the passengers, some curious men use spectacles of glasse to preserve their eyes.

On all sides from City to City, they have ditches cut, upon which boates passe almost every hower to and fro, and give passage at a low rate, and the wind being faire, they beare sayles, otherwise they are drawne by Horses or by Marriners, with a rope fastened upon a pole, set up in the hinder part of the boate, and the Marriners being commonly drunke, through their too much hast and negligence, it often happens, that the ropes wherewith the boates are drawne, catch hold on some posts and stakes by the way, or chance to be intangled with the horses or roapes of other boates, meeting them, and so overturne them in the water, with no small danger to the passengers. The rates of passages by boate are divers, but ever small. My selfe have passed three miles for foure stivers, seven miles for sixe stivers, and foureteene miles - as from Amsterdam to Harlingen - for eight stivers. The Marriners use not to deceive strangers in the rates, neither can they easily doe it, they being vulgarly knowne to every child. Every day and at a set hower, the Boates must goe away with those passengers they have, and may not stay for more, and if at any time some few passengers, or any one alone, will pay the whole fraight of the Boate, then they must without any delay transport those passengers or that one man. (p. 57) This I will illustrate with one example. A Barke must everie day at a set hower set sayles from Harlingen a Citie in Freesland to Amsterdam a Citie in Holland - and like are the customes of other Cities for mutuall trafficke -, neither may the covetous Marriners stay one minute after the hower, and after it is never so little loosed from the strand, it may not come backe to the shoare, though never so many passengers should come suddenly, and desire to bee received into it, but these new passengers must hire another barke, the price whereof is vulgarly knowne, and that being offered by them or any one passenger, the Marriners may not refuse to goe presently away. Sometimes it happens, that one Barke receives so many passengers, as the owner gets tenne

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Flemmish guldens for one fraight; for if great number of passengers comes before the appointed hower, that turnes to the Marriners profit. But if one man alone, or few man, doe after the appointed hower, offer to give five guldens for the said passage, they may not refuse presently to transport him or them. The like custome is kept in other Cities for small boates and short passages, namely, that tenne consorts - which are most readilie found - shall pay each man three stivers for his passage, and if one or two being in haste will pay these thirty stivers, the boate without delay must carry him or them. I cannot denie, but these rates of hiring barkes or boates are subject to change. For in the passage from Harlingen to Amsterdam my selfe paid eight stivers for my transporting, which of old was but five stivers a man. As likewise for small boats we then paid three stivers for a passage, which of old was but one blanck. But in the meane time these increases are not raised by the Marriners covetousnesse after their pleasure, but by the publike authority of the Magistrate in lawfall and decent manner.

In the publike Innes a passenger paies some ten or fourteene stivers each meale: but if he drinke wine, that will cost as much more, by reason of the great impositions upon the Wines. Besides that, the Flemmings his consorts drinking beare stiffely, especially if they light upon English beare, and drinke being put into the common reckoning of the company, a stranger shall pay for their intemperancy.

Chap. II.

Of the Sepulchers, Monuments, and Buildings in generall; for I have spoken particularly of them in the first Part, writing of my daily journies.

(p. 70) -------------- (Low Countries) In the United Provinces, the houses are most of bricke, aswell in Cities as in Villages, and so uniforme, as if they had all beene built at a time, and by the same workemen. The fronts of them towards the streetes are commonly narrow, - excepting some

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few that are broade and high, - and so are built inward in length, with narrow windowes, and nothing at all cast out from the wals, and the roofes have windowes for use of the roomes, being covered with tiles, or peeces of wood in the same forme. At Leyden and Delph the houses are built very high of many stories, and the roofes are steepe, and have also windowes for use. At the Hage, being a most pleasant Village, where the States keepe their residence, the building is like; but the Castle in which Count Maurice dwelt, and some few Gentlemens houses, are built of freestone, and in some outlanes many houses are covered with straw. The wares of Merchants, the vessels of tinne and brasse, - being kept most cleane - and like ornaments, lie open in the lowest and greatest roome, by large dores to passengers view, - as I formerly said of the Cities on the Sea coast of Germany -. They build with very slender timber, so as the houses new built, threaten falling, and (p. 71) upon little force totter and shake. The floares are paved with plaster, boards being more costly, and apt to take fire. And these floares are daily cast over with sand, to keepe them from durt, onely by sweeping away the sand at night.

Chap. IIII.

Of the United Provinces in Netherland, and of Denmarke and Poland, touching the said subjects of the precedent third Chapter [the trafficke, the diet etc.].

(p. 94) -------------- (The situation) The United Provinces of Netherland, - through which onely I did passe - have a most intemperate Aire, the Winter cold being excessive, and the Summers heat farre exceeding the ordinary heate of that clime. The reason of the cold is, that the Northerne winds of themselves ordinarily cold, doe here in a long course on all sides glide upon the German Sea, thereby gathering farre greater cold, and so rush into those plaine Provinces, no where stopped either by mountaines or woods, there being no Mountaines, scarce any hils, no woods, scarce any groves, to hinder them from

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violent passage with their uttermost force. Like reason may be given for the heate: For the same open Plaine, no way shaddowed from the beames of the Sunne by opposition of Woods or Mountaines, must needs in Summer be subject to the heate of the Sunne and winds from land. Adde that in Winter the frequent Rivers, Lakes, and Pooles or standing waters, infinitely increase the coldnesse of the aire. These waters aswell running as standing, are almost all Winter frosen over with a thicke ice, so as they will beare some hundreths of young men and women, sliding upon them with pattins, according to their custome. Yea, the Arme of the Sea called Zwidersea, lying within land, betweene Holland and Freseland, though it be large and deepe, having only two flats or shoales, yet being compassed with Ilands and the Continent, is many times in Winter so frosen over, as Victualers erect Tents in the middest of it, having Beere and Wine, and fier¹⁾ made upon iron furnaces, to refresh such as passe upon sledges, or sliding upon iron pattens from one shoare to the other. This cold is the cause, why their sheepe and cattell are kept in stables, to bring forth their young. And howsoever the same be done in Italy, subject to great heate, yet it is not of necessitie, as here, but out of the too great tendernesse of the Italians, towards the few cattle they have. And this is the cause, that howsoever they use not hot stoaves, as the Germans doe, yet the Weomen, as well at home, as in the Churches, to drive away cold, put under them little pannes of fier¹⁾, covered with boxes of wood, boared full of holes in the top. And this sor- (p. 95) did remedy they carry with them, by the high way in waggons, which the Danes or Moscovites use not, though oppressed with greater cold: onely some of the more noble Weomen, disliking this remedy, choose rather to weare breeches, to defend them from the cold.

(The fertility of the United Provinces) In this distemper of Aire, it cannot be expected that there

1) fire.

1) fire.

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should be plenty of flowers and summer fruites. No doubt, in regard of the fatnesse of the soile, watered with frequent ditches, and through the foresaid heat of the Summer, they might have plenty of flowers and fruits, were it not impossible or very difficult to preserve them from perishing by the winters cold, and were not the Inhabitants carelesse of such dainties, though in later times, as they have admitted forraigne manners, so luxury hath more power with them, then formerly it had. I have oft seene one Apple sold for a blancke, and those great Cherries which are brought into England, grow not here, but in Flaunders, and the Territories within Land. They have abundance of Butter, Cheese, and Rootes, and howsoever they have not of their owne full sufficiency of other things to maintaine life, yet they abound with the same brought from other parts. Some provinces - as the Bishoprick of Utrecht - yeeld corne to be transported, but in generall the United Provinces - of which only I discourse in this place - have not sufficient corne for their owne use, yet by traffick at Dantzke, they furnish themselves and many other nations therewith. They have little plenty of River fish, excepting onely Eales, but in the Mosa, as it fals from Dort to the sea, they have plenty of Salmons, and other fish, which fishing did of old yeeld great profit to the Prince and Merchants. And for Sea fishes salted and dried, they make great trafficke therewith. My selfe lying for a passage in the Iland Fly, did see great quantity of shell-fish sold at a very low rate. Great heards of Oxen and Calves, are yeerely brought into these parts out of the Dukedome of Holst, united to the Kingdome of Denmarke - in which parts they feed most on dry and salt meates, - and these Heards are fatted in the rich pastures of Gelderland and Freesland. There is great abundance of Sea Fowles, - especially in West-Freesland - and they want not land Fowles. They carefully nourish Storkes, as presaging happinesse to an Aristocraticall governement, making them nests on the tops of publike houses, and punishing any that drive them away, or trouble them. In which kind also they preserve Hernes making nests in those

[p. 257]

groves, which are onely in few Cities. They have a race of heavy horses, and strong, which they sell in forraigne parts, using onely their Mares to draw Waggons, and for like uses at home. The Provinces on the Sea Coast - as I formerly said - burne their owne earth, by the frequent digging whereof, they say the Sea or lake at Harlem was first made. And of these turffes they make fiers¹⁾, both cleere and of good smell, without smoke, and commodious to dresse meat, to starch linnen, and like uses.

(The traficke) They are notable Marriners, yet in that to be blamed, that being at Sea, they use no publike prayers, that ever I heard: And severall Cities have great numbers of ships, wherein they trade with such Industry and subtilty, as they are in that point envied of all Nations.

---------------- (p. 97) The foresaid trade of the United Provinces, hath at home much commodity and increase by the Rivers, - as the Rheine bringing downe the commodities of Germany - and by the standing or little moving waters, which are most frequent, and by channels or ditches wrought by hand, and bearing at least little boates for passage to each City and Village: but these waters for the most part ending in standing pooles, by reason they fall into a low ground neere the Sea, the Ayre is unholsome, the waters are neither of good smell nor taste, neither doe they drive Mils, as running waters doe elsewhere, of which kind they have few or none. My selfe in a darke rainy day passing one of these said narrow channels, numbered an hundred little boates at least, which passed by us, - and are hired at a low rate - whereby the great trade and singular industry of the Inhabitants may be conjectured. Adde that besides, the German Sea, lying upon divers of these Provinces, they have many Armes of the Sea, that runne farre within Land. All the Rivers fall from Germany, which in this lower soyle often overflowing, have changed their old beds, and falling into

1) fires.

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ditches made by hand, doe no more runne with their wonted force, but - as I have said in the description of Holland - doe end - as it were - in lakes. By reason of the foresaid industry of the people inhabiting the United Provinces, the number of their ships, and the commodity of their Seas and waters, howsoever they want of their owne many things for necessity and delight, yet there is no where greater abundance of all things, neither could any Nation indowed with the greatest riches by nature, have so long borne as they have done a civell warre, and intollerable exactions and tributes, much lesse could they by this mischiefe have growne rich, as this people hath done. One thing not used in any other Countrey, is here most common, that while the Husbands short idly at home, the Weomen especially of Holland, for trafficke sayle to Hamburg, and manage most part of the businesse at home, and in neighbour Cities. In the shops they sell all, they take all accompts, and is no teproch¹⁾ to the men to be never inquired after, about these affaires, who taking money of their wives for daily expences, gladly passe their time in idlenesse.

(Diet) Touching this peoples diet, Butter is the first and last dish at the Table, whereof they make all sawces, especially for fish, and thereupon by strangers they are merrily called Butter-mouths. They are much delighted with white meats, and the Bawers drinke milke in stead of beere, and as well Men as Weomen, passing in boates from City to City for trade, carry with them cheese, and boxes of butter for their foode, whereupon in like sort strangers call them Butter boxes, and nothing is more ordinary then for Citizens of good accompt and wealth to sit at their dores - even dwelling in the market place - holding in their hands, and eating a great lumpe of bread and butter with a lunchen of cheese. They use to seeth little peeces of flesh in Pipkins, with rootes and gobbets of fat mingled therewith, without any curiosity; and this they often seeth againe, setting it each meale of the weeke on the Table, newly heated, and with some

1) reproach.

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addition of flesh rootes or fat morsels, as they thinke needfull, and this dish is vulgarly called Hutspot. They feed much upon rootes, which the boyes of rich men devoure raw with a morsell of bread, as they runne playing in the streetes. They use most commonly fresh meates, and seldome set any salt meates on the board, except it be at Feasts to provoke drinking. They use no spits to roast meat, but bake them in an earthen pipkin as in an oven, and so likewise seeth them: And these meates being cold, they often heat and serve to the Table, so as I have come into an Inne, and being in the Kitchen, could see nothing ready for supper, yet presently called to supper, have seene a long Table furnished with these often heated meats, which smoaked on the outside, yet were cold on the inside. This people is proverbially said to excell in baked meates, especially in baking of Venison; yet to my knowledge they have no red Deare in these Provinces, neither have they any inclosed Parkes for fallow Deare, nor any Connygrees. (p. 98) Onely Count Mauritz hath of late had out of England some Buckes and Does of fallow Deare, which runne in the grove at the Hage, and there be some Connies neere Leyden upon the sandy banke of the Sea, which are not sufficient to serve the Inhabitants of those parts, but are accounted good and pleasant to eat. Neither in forraigne parts doe they much desire to feed on Connies, either because they are rare, or because the flesh is not favoury. They use to eate early in the morning, even before day, and the cloth is laid foure times in the day for very servants, but two of these times they set before them nothing but cheese and butter. They seeth all their meate in water falling of raine, and kept in Cesternes. They eate Mushromes and the hinder parts of frogges for great dainties, which frogges young men use to catch and present them to their Mistresses for dainties. I have seene a hundreth of Oysters in divers Cities sold sometimes for eight or twelve, yea for twenty or thirty stivers. They dresse fresh water fish with butter more then enough, and salted fishes favourly with butter and mustard: where they eate not at an Ordinary, but upon

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reckoning - as they doe in Villages and poorer Innes - there they weigh the cheese when it is set on Table, and taken away, being paid by the waight; and I have knowne some waggish Souldiers, who put a leaden bullet into the Cheese, making it thereby weigh little lesse then at first sitting downe, and so deceiving their Hosts: But in the chiefe Innes, a man shall eate at an Ordinary, and there Gentlemen and others of inferiour condition sit at the same Table, and at the same rate.

The Innes are commodious enough, and the Cities being frequent scarce some eight miles distant one from the other, commodities of lodging are as frequent, yea they hang out signes at the doore, - which fashion is not in use in may¹⁾ Cities of Germany, in Denmarke, Poland, Scotland, and Ireland, where the Innes are onely knowne by fame -; and this made me marvell, that notwithstanding this signe obliging them to lodge strangers, my selfe though well apparelled, have divers times beene refused lodging in many of those Innes, which seemed to me a scorne and flat injury. At the faire City of Leyden not wanting many faire Innes, I was refused lodging in sixe of them, and hardly got it in the seventh, which made me gather that they did not willingly entertaine Englishmen: neither did I attribute this to their inhospital nature, but to the licentiousnesse of our Souldiers, who perhaps had deserved ill of them thereby, or perhaps by ill payment, for which I cannot blame the English in that case, but rather the unequall Law of England, giving all to the elders brothers, lying sluggishly at home, and thrusting the younger brothers into the warres and all desperate hazards, and that in penury, which forcibly driveth the most ingenious dispositions to doe unfit things²⁾. By reason of the huge impositions - especially upon wines, the passengers expence is much increased, for the exactions often equall or passe

1) many.

2) Bij deze verontschuldiging voor het gedrag van zijn landgenooten, waarvan de oorzaak in het eigenaardige Engelsche erfrecht gelegen is, denkt men onwillekeurig aan Falstaff ‘younger sons to younger brothers’ in Shakespeare's Hendrik IV, 1e dl., 4e bedrijf, 2e tafereel.

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the value of the things for which they are paid. And though a man drinke beere, subject to lesse imposition and lesse deere then wine, yet he must understand that his companions drinke largely, and be he never so sober in diet, yet his purse must pay a share for their intemperance. After supper passengers use to sit by the fier¹⁾, and passe some time in mirth, drinking upon the common charge, and to warme their beere till it have a froth: yet doe they not use these night drinkings so frequently nor with such excesse, as the Germans doe.

I remember that having beene at Sea in a great storme of wind, thunder, and lightning, about the moneth of November, when such stormes are rare, and being very wearie and sad, I landed at Dockam at West-Freesland, where at that time some yong²⁾ Gentleweomen of that Countrey, passing through that City towards Groning, according to the fashion of those parts, we did eate at an ordinary Table, and after supper sat downe by the fier¹⁾, drinking one to the other; where after our storme at Sea, the custome of Freesland did somewhat recreate us: For if a woman drinke to a man, the custome is that shee must bring him the Cup and kisse him, he not moving his feete nor scarcely his head to meete her, and men drinking to them are tied to the like by custome. A stranger would at first sight marvell at this custome, and more specially that their very husbands should take it for a disgrace, and be apt to quarrell with a man for (p. 99) omitting this ceremony towards their wives, yet they interpret this omission as if they judged their wives to be so foule or infamous, or at least base, as they thought them unworthy of that courtesie. In the first Book of this third Part, and in the Journall of the first Part, I have particularly set downe the rates of expences for passengers through those parts. They greatly esteeme English Beere, either for the dearenesse of wine, or indeed the goodnes thereof; and I have observed, some in their cups thus to magnifie it, English Beere, English

1) fire.

2) young.

1) fire.

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verstant, English beare makes an English wit. So in the Sea townes of England they sing this English rime: Shoulder of mutton and English Beere, make the Flemmings tarry here. They say that there be 300 brewers at Delph, and there they imitate the English Beere, and call that kind Delphs English. But with no cost could they ever make as good as the English is, though they provided to have English Brewers, either by reason of the difference of the waters, or rather, - as by experience I have found - because our Beere carried over Sea - whereby it workes as new, and gets a better favour - doth drinke much better then that we have at home. They say, that of old there were more then 700 brewers at Torgaw, till upon the water diverted or corrupted, they forsooke that place. It is not lawful to sel Rhenish wine and French white wine in the same taverne, lest they should be mixed: but one man may sell French red wine and Rhenish wine, which cannot well be mixed, without being easily perceived. And for the same cause they may not sel in one place divers kind of the same country wine, and of the same colour. The Netherlanders use lesse excesse in drinking then the Saxons, and more then other Germans. And if you aske a woman for her husband, she takes it for an honest excuse, to say he is drunken and sleepes. But I will truly say, that for every day drinking, though it bee farre from sobernesse, yet it is not with so great excesse as the Saxons use, neither in taverns - where they, and specially the common sort most meet - and in private feasts at home, doe they use so great excesse as the Saxons. Neither doe drunken men reele in the streets of Netherland so frequently, as they do in those of Saxony. Only I did once see, not without astonishment, a man of honorable condition, as it seemed by his apparell, of Veluet, and many rings on his fingers, who lay groveling on the ground, close by the carte rutt of the high-way, with two servants distending his cloake betweene the Sun and him, and when wee lighted from our waggon, to behold more neerely this spectacle, thinking the man to be killed or sore wounded, his servants made signes unto us, that wee

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would not trouble him, who was onely drunken, and would be well assoone as he had slept a little. At this we much wondred, and went on our journey. At feasts they have a fashion to put a Capons rump in the saltseller, and to contend who shall deserve it, by drinking most for it. The best sort at feasts for a frolike will change hats, whereby it happens that Gallants shal weare a Burgers cap, and a Burger an hat with a feather, crying, Tousfolz à mode de Liège, All fooles after the fashion of Liege. Some wanting companions to drinke, lay down their hat or cloke for a companion, so playing themselves both parts, of drinking to, and pledging, till they have no more sence or use of reason, then the cloke or hat hath. Lastly, all bargaines, contracts, and solemnities whatsoever, are done in their cups.

Part III. The fourt Booke.

Chap. I.

Of the Germans, Bohemians, Sweitzers, Netherlanders, Danes, Polonians and Italians apparrell.

(p. 169) -------------- (Netherland) In the United Provinces, the Inhabitants being for the most part Merchants and Citizens, the Men use modest attire of grave colours, and little beautified with lace or other ornament. They weare short cloakes of English cloth, with one small lace to cover the seames, and a narrow facing of silke or veluet. Their doublets are made close to the body, their breeches large and fastened under the knees commonly of woollen cloth, or else of some light stuffe, or of silke or veluet. They use very little lace, no imbroderye, yet the Hollanders of old accounted the most rude of the other Provinces, at this day increased in wealth, and reputation of the State, doe by little and little admit luxury, and their sonnes apply themselves both to the apparrell and manners of the English and French. Women, aswell married as unmarried, cover their heads with a coyfe of fine holland linnen cloth, and they weare gowns commonly of some slight stuffe, and for the most part of black

[p. 264]

colour, with little or no lace or guards, and their necke ruffes are little - or short - but of very fine linnen. For aswell men as women for their bodies and for all uses of the Family, use very fine linnen, and I think that no clownes in the World weare such fine shirts, as they in Holland doe. Some of the chiefe Women not able to abide the extreme cold, and loth to put fier¹⁾ under them for heate - as the common use is - because it causeth wrinckles and spots on their bodies, doe use to weare breeches of linnen or silke. All Women in generall, when they goe out of the house, put on a hoyke or vaile which covers their heads, and hangs downe upon their backs to their legges; and this vaile in Holland is of a light stuffe or Kersie, and hath a kinde of horne rising over the forehead, not much unlike the old pummels of our Womans saddles, and they gather the Vaile with their hands to cover all their faces, but onely the eyes: but the Women of Flanders and Brabant weare Vailes altogether of some light fine stuffe, and fasten them about the hinder part and sides of their cap, so as they hang loosely, not close to the body, and leave their faces open to view, and these Caps are round, large, and flat to the head, and of Veluet, or at least guarded therewith, and are in forme like our potlids used to cover pots in the Kitchin: And these Women, aswel for these Vailes, as their modest garment: with gowns close at the brest and necke, and for their pure and fine linnen, seemed to me more faire then any other Netherlanders, as indeed they are generally more beautifull.

1) fire.

Chap. VI.

Of the Netherlanders Common-wealth, [etc.].

(p. 284) -------------- (The States or chiefe Governors) The States who governe these Provinces - if they have made no change in particulars, which at pleasure they both can and use to doe - are grave men, Counsellors or Burgesses,

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vulgarly called States, chosen by the people of each City and Towne, not for a limited time, but during pleasure, and with full power; who residing in the chief City of the Province, have care all jointly of the provinciall affaires, and each particularly of his Cities or Townes affaires. And this Counsell must needes be distracted with divers opinions, arising from the divers affaires of each Province, City and Town, and the severall commandements they receive at home. These provinciall States chuse among themselves one, two, or three Burgesses for each Province, - according to the condition and capacity of those that are chosen: for how many soever they (p. 285) be, they have but one voice for their Province at generall meetings -, and these they send to reside at Hage in Holland, with like authority as they have, there to governe the publike affaires of all the United Provinces, and they are called the generall States. And as the provinciall States may be diminished in number or increased, according to the occasions of the publike businesse, or of any particular meeting, and may bee called home by the Citizens who chuse them; so the generall States chosen by them to reside at Hage, enjoy their places upon like condition. And out of these generall States certaine chosen men are made Counsellors, to order the affaires of warre, and to assist and direct the Generall of the Army therein. Others are set over the affaires of the Admiralty, others over the Chauncery of Brabant, and others over divers particular Offices, - I call them Counsellors of the Chauncery of Brabant, who manage the affaires of Brabant belonging to Holland -. This must alwaies be understood, that the Burgesses or States of Holland, in respect of the dignity of that Province, many waies increased and inriched above the rest, have somewhat more authority and respect, then any other; but the wheele of the publike State is turned by the Senate of the generall States residing at Hage, yet so, as they doe not take upon them to determine difficult matters, without some diffidence, till they have the consent of their particular Cities and Provinces, except they be made confident by the concurring of eminent men,

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who can draw or leade the people to approve of their doings, or in such cases as by long practice they fully know not unpleasing to the people. So wary are they, notwithstanding the Provinciall States from their Communities, and the generall States at Hage from them, have most ample power and absolute commission, in expresse words, to doe any thing they judge profitable for the Commonwealth. And it is a remarkeable thing, to observe their Art, when in difficult cases they desire to protract time, or delude Agents, how the generall States answere, that they must first consult with the provinciall States, and they againe answere, that they must first know the pleasure of their Communities, before they can determine, and each of them hath nothing more in his mouth, then the consent of his superiours, - for so they call them -. Whereas if businesse were so to be dispatched, no doubt great difficulty would arise in all particular actions. In the Senate of the generall States, besides the States themselves, Count Maurice hath - as I thinke - a double voice, yet I never observed him to be present at their assemblies. The Ambassadour of England hath likewise his voice, and Count Solms - as I heard - because he married the widdow of Count Egmond, and for his good deserts in the service of the United Provinces, hath for himselfe and his heires the like priviledge. Thus the Commonwealth in generall is Aristocraticall, - that is, of the best Men -, save that the people chuseth the great Senate, which rules all.

(Commonwealths of particular Cities) Touching the Commonwealths of particular Cities. Amsterdam is the chiefe City of Holland, where the great Senate consists of thirty sixe chiefe Citizens, whereof one dying, another is chosen into his place; and this Senate yeerely chuseth foure Consuls, who judge civill causes; and have power to appoint ten Judges of criminall causes - vulgarly called Skout -, though they be not of that Senate. The other Cities are in like sort governed, but according to the greatnesse of the City or Towne, they have greater or lesser number of Senators.

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(Tributes) The Tributes, Taxes, and Customes, of all kinds imposed by mutuall consent, - so great is the love of liberty or freedome - are very burthensome, and they willingly beare them, though for much lesse exactions imposed by the King of Spaine - as they hold - contrary to right, and without consent of his Subjects, they had the boldnesse to make warre against a Prince of such great power. Yet in respect of the unequal proportioning of all contributions, they are somewhat at ods among themselves, and many times jarre, so as it seemed no difficult thing to breake their concord, had not the common Enemy and the eminent danger of Spanish revenge, together with the sweetnesse of freedome once tasted, forced them to constant unity. This I dare say, that when they humbly offered themselves vassals to the Queene of England, in the first infancy of their Commonwealth, if her Majesty, or any other Prince whosoever, (p. 286) undertaking their protection, had burthened them with halfe the exactions they now beare, it is more then probable, that they would thereby beene so exasperated, as they would have beene more ready to have returned under the obedience of the King of Spaine, whose anger they had highly provoked, then to endure the yoke of such a Protector: For each Tunne of Beere - which they largely swallow -, they pay into the Exchequer sixe Flemmish shillings - each shilling being sixe stivers -, I meane of Beere sold abroad, for they pay onely foure shillings for such Beere, as men brew for the use of their private families, which frugality few or none use, except perhaps some brew small Beere for their Families, and indeed I doubt they would find small frugality in brewing other Beere for themselves, if the Cellar lay open to their servants. And howsoever the Tunnes be of divers prices, according to the goodnesse of the Beere, namely of two, three, foure, five, or sixe Guldens, the Tunne - though at Leyden onely the Brewers may not sell Beere of divers prices, for feare of fraud in mixing them -, yet there is no difference of the Tribute. They have excellent fat pastures, whereof each Aker is worth forty pound, or more to be pur-

[p. 268]

chased, and they pay tribute for every head of cattle feeding therein, as two stivers weekely for each Cow for the Paile, the great number whereof may be conjectured, by the plenty of cheese exported out of Holland, and the infinite quantity of cheese and butter they spend at home, being the most common food of all the people: For Oxen, Horses, Sheepe, and other Beasts sold in market, the twelfth part at least of the price is paid for tribute, and be they never so often by the yeere sold to and fro, the new Masters still pay as much. They pay five stivers for every bushel of their owne wheate, which they use to grind in publike Mils: And since they give tribute of halfe in halfe for foode and most necessary things, commonly paying as much for tribute as the price of the thing sold, the imposition must needs be thought greater, laid upon forraigne commodities, serving for pleasure, pride, and luxury: besides that these tributes are ordinary, and no doubt upon any necessity of the Commonwealth, would be increased. French wines at Middleburg the Staple thereof, and Rhenish wines at Dort the Staple thereof, are sold by priviledge without any imposition, but in all other places men pay as much for the Impost, as for the wine: Onely in the Campe all things for food are sold without any imposition laid upon them. And some, but very few eminent men, have the priviledge to pay no imposition for like things of food. Each Student in the Universitie hath eight measures of wine - vulgarly called Stoup - allowed him free from imposition, and for six barrels of Beere onely payes one Gulden and a quarter, that is two shillings six pence English, being altogether free from all other tributes, which priviledge the Citizens enjoy in the name of the Students dieting with them, and no doubt the Rector and professors of the University have greater immunity in these kinds.

One thing is hardly to be understood how these Provinces thus oppressed with tributes, and making warre against a most powerfull King, yet at this time in the heate of the warre, - which useth to waste most flourishing Kingdomes, and make Provinces desolate -, had

[p. 269]

farre greater riches, then any most peaceable Countrey of their neighbours, or then ever themselves formerly attained in their greatest peace and prosperitie: Wether it be for that - according the Poet - Ingenium mala soepe movent, Adversity oft whets the wit, so as by warre they are growne more witty and industrious. Or for that Flanders, and Antwerp the famous City, in former times so drew all trafficke and rich Merchants to them, as all the neighbour Provinces were thereby impoverished, all which trade by the warre fell to Holland, most strong in shipping; or for that the United Provinces have such commodity by the Sea, and waters running to all Townes, and by the strength of their cities, as in the heat of war they are free from the enemies incursions, or any impediment of their traffick, and seeme rather to carry the war to their confines, then to have it in their bosomes. In which point, it is not unpleasant to remember, how the Hollanders mock the Spaniards, as if, not acquainted with the Northern Sea, and the ebbing and flowing therof, they thought they might at pleasure come into any haven, and leade their army into any of those Provinces, and that when the Spaniards first entered (p. 287) Holland with their Army, and they cutting the banckes of the sea drowned their Country, the Spaniards were therewith astonished, and gave gold chaines, money, and the most precious things they had to the Country people, on condition they would bring them out of those watery places to firme land. If any man require truer and greater reasons of these Provinces growing rich by warre, let him make curious search thereof, for it is besides my purpose. No doubt, the frequent Armes of the sea within land, passing by their Cities, the innumerable waters - though for the most part standing, or little moving -, which by made ditches carry boats and barkes to all their Cities, - being there more frequent then in any other part of the World -, and to all their Villages, and compasse almost all their pastures, yeeld no small commodity to their Common-wealth. For they having little of their owne to export, and wanting Corne, Wood, or Coales, and many necessaries for their use, yet

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by this onely benefit, and their singular industry, not only most abundantly injoy all commodities of all Nations for their owne use, but by transporting them from place to place with their owne ships - whereof they have an unspeakable number -, make very great gaine, being delighted in Navigation by nature - as borne and bred in the midst of Seas and waters -, and having by warre, heating their Flegmaticke humours, attained to such skill therein, as for trafficke they saile to the most remote coasts of the world, and in processe of time being growne so bold sea-men, as they will scarcely yeeld in this Art to the English, for many former yeeres excelling therein. So as their tributes imposed on Merchants commodities, must needs be of exceeding great moment.

And not to weary my selfe with the curious search thereof, I will onely adde for conjecture of the generall one particular, related to me by credible men. That in time when Italy suffered dearth, and was supplied with corne from these parts, the tributes of one Citie Amsterdam in one weeke exceeded the summe of ten thousand pounds sterling, whence the revenew of all tributes in all the Havens and Cities may bee conjectured to be excessively great. So as adding the impositions upon domesticall things, and the great contributions paid by the enemies subjects upon the confines in time of warre - to purchase the safety of their persons and goods, with freedome to till their grounds from the rapine of freybooting souldiers - a man may well say, that the United Provinces are no lesse able, then they have been daring, to doe great things.

(The Lawes) This Common-wealth is governed by particular lawes and customes of divers places, and by the publike edicts upon divers new occasions made by the States of the Provinces, and these wanting, by the Civill law. The particular Cities are governed after the manner above named. And particularly at Leyden my selfe have observed the inhabitants of Villages called by writings set upon posts in the publike streets, to have their controversies judged by the Magistrates of the city, not at any set time of the yeere, but according to the

[p. 271]

occasions of other affaires, at the Judges pleasure. High injuries and maimes of any member are punished by the law, which passeth over lighter injuries, not giving such ample satisfactions to the wronged even by word, as the constitutions of the Sweitzers give; so as with them no lesse then in England quarrels and brawlings are frequent, and often breake out into man-slaughters, wherein those who will revenge themselves by force first agree betweene themselves, whether they will strike or stab; and then drawing out long knives, which they ordinarely weare, they wound one another by course, according to their agreement, either by slashes or stab - which they call schneiden and stecken -. They commonly allow mony to be put out to use, and to the end poore men upon pawnes may borrow small summes for a short time, they admit an Italian or Lumbard - vulgarly so called - in each Citie, who taking a pawne, lends a gulden for a brasse coine called a doigt by the weeke. But this Lumbard in the French Church there is not admitted to receive the Communion. The pawne useth to bee worth a third part more then the mony lent, and one yere and a day being past after the mony is due, the usurer hath the pawne to himselfe: but before that time, the debter at his pleasure may at any time have his (p. 288) pawne, first paying the borowed mony, with the use to the day of paiment. And the common report then was, that the States would take this as a publike Office into their owne hands, to help the poore not able to pay by selling the pawnes to the owners best profit.

Touching inheritance: Upon the Mothers death the children may compell their Father to devide his goods with them, least perhaps hee should consume or waste the same. And the wife that brought a dowry, be her husband growne never so rich by his trade, may when shee dies give, not only her dowry, but halfe her husbands goods gotten in mariage, to her owne Kinsmen after his death, if shee have no children by him; and if she brought no dowry, yet shee hath the same right to dispose of halfe her husbands goods gotten in mariage, and - as is supposed - by their mutuall labor. A sonne

[p. 272]

may not be disinherited but upon causes approved by the Law, for the Father is bound to give a third part of his estate among his children, and only hath power to dispose of the rest of any part thereof in Legacies at his pleasure.

(The Wives) The wives of Holland buy and sell all things at home, and use to saile to Hamburg and into England for exercise of traffique. I heard from credible men, that the Citizens of Enchusen, within thirty yeeres then past, used to marry a wife, and put her away at the yeeres end, if they liked her not; which barbarous custome Civilty and Religion hath since abolished: and at Delph I did see two examples of men who, having buried their wives, did after marry their wives Sisters. It is no rare thing for blowes to happen betweene man and wife, and I credibly heard that they have slight punishments for that fault, and my selfe did heare the Crier summon a man to answer tbe beating of his wife before the Magistrate.

The multitude of women is farre greater then of men, which I not only formerly heard from others, but my selfe observed to be true, by the daily meetings of both sexes, where a man may see sixty or more women sliding upon the yce, and otherwise recreating themselves, with five or six or much fewer men. But the reason thereof is not easily yeelded, since wee cannot say that the men are much consumed by the Civill warres, their Army consisting altogether of strangers, and few or no Hollanders except some willingly served, for otherwise they cannot be pressed by authority, but onely for the defence of the City or Towne wherein they dwell: except these reasons thereof may be approved, that the watery Provinces breed flegmaticke humors, which together with the mens excessive drinking, may disable them to beget Males; or that the Women - as I have heard some Hollanders confesse - not easily finding a Husband, in respect of this disparaty of the Sexes in number, commonly live unmarried till they be thirty yeeres old, and as commonly take Husbands of twenty yeeres age, which must needs make the Women more powerfull in generation.

[p. 273]

And the Women not onely take young Men to their Husbands, but those also which are most simple and tractable: so as by the foresaid priviledge of Wives to dispose goods by their last will, and by the contracts in respect of their Dowry - which to the same end use to be warily drawne -, they keepe their Husbands in a kind of awe, and almost alone, without their Husbands intermedling, not onely keepe their shops at home, but exercise trafficke abroade. My selfe have heard a Wife make answere to one asking for her Husband, that he was not at home, but had newly asked her leave to goe abroade. Nothing is more frequent, then for little girles to insult over their brothers much bigger then they, reproving their doings, and calling them great lubbers, whereof when I talked with some Schollers my companions, as a fashion seeming strange to mee, they were so farre from wondering thereat, as they told me, it was a common thing for Wives to drive their Husbands and their friends out of the doores with scolding, as if they consumed the goods wherein they had a property with their Husbands. I should be too credulous, if I should thinke all Families to be sicke of this disease; and I must confesse, that in few other Nations all Families are altogether free from like accidents: but I may boldly say, that the Women of these parts are above all truly taxed with this unnaturall dominering over their Husbands.

(The Gentlemen) The Nobility or Gentry hath long (p. 289) been rooted out by the people - as Junius witnesseth, and experience shewes - after the example of the Sweitzers, especially in Holland and Zealand - for in Friesland they have many, and within land as frequent Families of Gentlemen as otherwere -. I could not heare of more then some three Families of Gentlemen in Holland and Zeland - for the Lords of Nassaw are strangers -, and these Gentlemen lived after the Plebeian maner of the other inhabitants, so as it were in vaine to seeke for any Order of Knighthood among them. Neither are these Gentlemen - as those of Germany -, curious to marry among themselves; for those who come to greatest honour in this Commonwealth, are either

[p. 274]

Advocates of the Law, or sonnes of Merchants. My selfe did once in the high way meete a Gentlemans Waggon, to whom our Waggon gave the way; and the custome in Holland being, that the Waggons setting forth, give the way to all they meete, till they have gone halfe the way, and after in like sort the way is given to them, and our Waggon having then passed more then halfe the way, the Plebeian Hollanders my companions were much offended with our Waggoner, that contrary to the custome he had done that honor to the Gentlemen. The vulgar sort so despise Gentlemen, or any superiour if hee affect greatnesse, as upon like occasions they proverbially use to say, If hee bee rich, let him dine twice; as if they despised rich men, of whom they stood not in neede, being content with their owne, after the manner of the Italians, save that the Italians doe it out of pride, these out of clownishnesse, and affecting of equalitie.

(Capitall Judgements) Touching capitall Judgements: Where the offences are hainous, and such as former ages have not knowne, the Judges inflict exquisite punishments and torments upon the Malefactors. In such sort with strange torments the wicked person was put to death, who killed the Prince of Orange with a Pistoll. Theeves and Pyrates are put to death by hanging, and of all other offenders, they never pardon Pyrates upon any intercession, as destroyers of traffick, upon which their Common-wealth and private estates depend. The man-slayer is beheaded, and buried in the same coffin with the man he killed; and if perhaps he cannot bee apprehended, but escape into some forraigne parts, he may perhaps, but very rarely, obtaine pardon, if he can first bee reconciled with the friends of the man slaine by him: but in case he be apprehended, they cannot, or at least use not, to scandall Justice by pardons. But wilfull murtherers, according to the circumstances of the person killed, or of the more or lesse wicked manner of the act, are put to death with more or lesse torment, and hang in iron chaines till the bodies rot, for terror to others. Coiners of money have their bones broken upon the wheele, a death more usuall in Germany for

[p. 275]

hainous crimes: but in all torments they commonly mitigate the severity of the Law, more then the Germans doe; for I have seene some executed in this manner, who were first hanged, and so had no feeling of the paine. Hee that burnes private - and much more publike - houses, and hee that purposeth or threatneth to burne them, though hee never doe the act, is himselfe burned by fier¹⁾, with a marke upon his head if the act were done; upon his breast if it were onely purposed; or upon his mouth, if it were only threatned. An offender escaped by flight, howsoever hee live long in forraine parts, yet if hee ever returne, bee the distance of time never so great, he escapeth not unpunished. My selfe have seene a man-slayer, who having lived six yeeres in forraigne parts, and then for love of his Country returning home, was then beheaded, as if the crime had been newly committed. No man will apprehend any malefactor, nor hinder his flight, but rather thinke it a point of humanity to helpe him, only the hangman and base fellowes appointed for that office, lay hold upon capitall offenders, so as very many escape by flight. Neither can any so base or poore man be found, excepting the hangman and his said companions, who for any reward will bee hired to do the Office of an executioner, both these actions being infamous here, as in Germany. Among the apprehenders the chiefe are called Provosts, and they of old had power to hang vagabonds, till abusing it to revenge and rapine, it was taken from them. Upon the rumour of any crime committed, these men with their servants armed are sent out into the country, to apprehend the malefactors.

(p. 290) It was credibly told me, that the Emperor Charles the fifth, having suddenly commanded a man to be hanged, who after, by an others confession of the fact, was found guiltles, upon this error made a decree, that no hangman should ever live at the Hage, or neerer the court then Harlam, to the end, he being not at hand, the Magistrate might lesse offend in deliberate or protacted judgements. For as in upper Germany, so in

1) fire.

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Netherland, there is litle or no distance of time betweene the offence committed and the execution of judgments; whereas in England these judgments are excercised at London once in six weeks, and for the Country, at two or foure set times in the yeere. No man is put to death without confession of the fact, neither doe they as in Germany force confession by torture, but they condemne upon one witnes, where probable conjectures concur to prove the malefactor guilty.

(Of their warfare in generall) I thinke - saving the judgment of the better experienced in these affaires - that the military discipline of the States Army is very commendable: For since those common-wealthes are most happy, where rewardes and punishments are most justly given, surely the States neither detaine nor delay the paiments due to the soldiers, nor leave unpunished their insolencies, nor yet their wanton injuries, either towardes the subjects or the Enemy yeelding upon conditions. In the camp all things for food are free from all impositions, so as a man may there live more plentifully or more frugally then in any of their Cities. And besides the soldiers pay duly given them, all sick and wounded persons are sent to their Hospitals, vulgarly called Gasthausen - that is, houses for Guests - where all things for health, food, and clenlines of the body are phisically, plentifully, and neately ministred to them; of which kinde of houses fairely and stately built they have one in each City. Also when they are recovered of theire sicknesses and wounds, they are presently sent backe to the Campe or their winter Garrisons. They who are maimed in the warres, and made thereby unfit for service, have from them a Pension for life, or the value of the Pension in ready mony. On the other side they so punish the breakers of martiall discipline, as when bandes of Soldiers are conducted to any service or Garrison through the middest of their Cities or Villages, not one of them is so hardy as to leave his rancke, to doe the least wrong to any passenger, or to take so much as a chicken or crust of bread from the Subjects by force. And while my selfe was in those parts, I remember

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that upon the giving up of a Castle into the States hand, after Proclamation made, that no Souldier should doe the least injury to any of those who had yeelded the same, a souldier wantonly taking one of their hats away, or changing his hat with one of them, was presently hanged up for this small insolency.

(Their Foote and Horse) For warre by land, they have no great power, - I speake particularly of the United Provinces, not of Netherland in generall, which we reade to have of old raised an army of eighty thousand men -. For since the subjects cannot be pressed to the warre, but when their owne City or Towne is besieged, and in that case their Magistrate going before them, and leading them to the wals; and since the number of them is very small, who willingly follow that profession, hereupon almost all their army consisted of strangers, and long experience hath concluded mercenary Souldiers to be unfit for great Conquests. So as wise men thinke for this reason, that the Commonwealth of the States, is more fit, by due observing of their leagues and amity with confederates and neighbours, to defend their owne, then ambitiously to extend their Empire by invading others. They have heavy Friesland Horses, more fit to endure the Enemy charging, then to pursue him flying, - I speake not of Flanders and the other Provinces yeelding good light Horses -; but all the waies and passages being fenced in with ditches of water, they have at home lesse use of Horse, which makes them commonly sell these Horses in forraigne parts, using onely Mares to draw their Waggons and for other services of peace, which Mares are very beautifull and good.

(Of their navallpower) The Inhabitants of these Provinces, by nature, education, and art, are most fit for Navigation, and as in the exercise of all Arts, they are no lesse witty then industrious, so particularly they have great skill in casting great Ordinance, in making gunpowder, (p. 291) cables, ankers, and in building ships, of all which things and whatsoever is necessary to navall warre, they have great abundance, the matter being bought in forraigne parts, but wrought by their owne men at home:

[p. 278]

So as they are most powerfull at Sea, neither hath any King a Navy superior or equall to theirs, excepting onely the King of England. And for conjecture of their generall power at Sea, I will be bold to adde what I have credibly heard: That one City of Amsterdam at this time had some hundred shippes for the warre, - or men of warre -, and some foure hundred ships of Merchants well armed for defence, besides - as they said - some ten thousand Barkes, or without all doubt an uncredible number.

Therefore if perhaps the United Provinces forgetting their old league with England, and our late merit in defending their liberty, shall at any time resolve to have warre with England - which for the good of both Nations God forbid -, then are such bloody fights at Sea like to happen as former Ages never knew. Yet the course of those times whereof I write, gave small probability of any such event like to happen, for many reasons combining our minds together. First the happy amity that hath beene time out of mind betweene our Nations. Next the bond of love on our part, towards those wee have preserved from bondage, and the like bond of their thankefulnesse towards us, which howsoever ambition may neglect or despise, yet never any Nation was more obliged to another in that kind, and so long as the memory thereof can live, it must needs quench all malice betweene us. Besides, that they being not able to raise an Army of their owne men by Land, aswell for want of men, as because it must consist altogether of voluntaries, no man being bound to serve in the warre, except his Towne be besieged, and his owne Magistrate leade him to the walles; they have hitherto happily used, and may ever so use, our men for souldiers, - wherein Britany aboundeth above all other Nations, neither doe they by much so esteeme the auxiliary bands of any other Nation as of ours -. Lastly, in that they wanting many necessaries of their owne, and yet abounding in all things by trafficke, cannot long subsist without the freedome thereof; and nothing is so powerfull to diminish their wealth, and to raise civill discords among them, as the barring of this freedome,

[p. 279]

which then scemed more easie or lesse difficult to the King of England, then to any other neighbour Prince, or - I will boldly say - to all other neighbour Princes joined together against them, - they having strength of their owne to maintaine that freedome by Sea, and being able with the onely support of Britany, to defend themselves by land against all other Enemies -. For they had onely three passages to Sea, one by Vlishing in Zeland, another by Brill, upon the Southwest Coast of Holland, and a third narrow passage by the Iland Fly, to the Tassel, on the North-east side of Holland, whereof the two first were guarded by the said two strong Cities, with the Forts belonging to them, all kept by Garrisons of English Souldiers, and the stopping or restraining of the third, seemed lesse difficult to the Navy of Britany, then to the power of any other Enemy. At this time when I passed through these parts - of which time I write - the United Provinces much complained of the English for taking their goods at Sea, and hindering their free traffick: wherein they should have considered, that they caused the warre with Spaine, which we bore onely to second them. And if our Merchants were forced to leave the trafficke of Spaine, where they had great freedome and amitie onely for their sakes, how could they thinke it just and equal, that they should freelie supplie Spaine with food and necessaries for warre? so as the very commodities of England could not then be vented into Spaine, but onely by Flemmish - and some few Scottish - ships and Marriners, except they desired to make the warre Eternall, by which they onely grew rich, in which case our project was more just, who for a time made war, that we might after live in peace. And whereas they then complained that not only prohibited wares carried to prohibited places, but also other their commodities carried to friends, were spoiled by our men of war, - which perhaps through the insolency of Captaines and Souldiers, might sometimes happen -; no doubt these the injuries were rare, and never borne with by the Queene or inferiour Magistrates; and they could not bee ignorant how hardly the insolency of Souldiers can be restrained by land, and

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(p. 292) much more by sea. For all good Englishmen I may professe; that they abstaining from prohibited traffick, no good Englishman wished good successe or impunity to any English ships exercising piracy, especially against so neare confederates. These complaints I well remember to have been at that time frequent in those parts, I know not how since appaesed or continuing. And because the Q. of England had disbursed much treasure for their safety, which they were bound to repay at the end of the warre, and threatned to deduct these spoiles out of the same, many then feared left this difference might in processe of time breed discord between England and those Provinces. Also because the Townes and Forts given to the Queene as pledges for money disbursed, were then kept with weake Garrisons, overtopped in number by the very Citizens, it was then thought, that the States might take them by force, if our Governours had not watchfull eye upon their dessignes, and changes of counsell. In generall, good men of both sides are to wish the continuance of Peace betweene England and these Provinces, by which both Common-wealths have long had, and may still have unspeakable benefit, and the rather, because we never yet had warre but perpetual amity together, neither can any war prove more bloudy or mischievous to either part, then that betweene ourselves. To conclude, happie be the makers, cursed the breakers of our peace.

The fourth part. (Uitgave Hughes¹⁾).

Book III, chapter III.

Of Netherland [touching Religion].

(Ms. fol. 344) Touching Netherland, Marcantius writeth

1) De gedeelten in de marge met Ms. aangeduid waren door Hughes weggelaten en zijn op verzoek van het Hist. Gen. uit het oorspronkelijk handschrift overgeschreven door Dr. P. Geyl te Londen, die ook den door Hughes uitgegeven tekst met het manuscript vergeleek.

[p. 281]

that Flaunders giving the name of Flemings to all the Netherlanders, was first converted to christian religion about the yeare 630 having had some light thereof some 100 yeares before, but it was cleane extinguished. He shewes they had stately churches, beautifyed with rich orniments, great and rich Abbies, monasteryes, and nonneryes, and that the Ecclesiasticall dignityes were many and great, and that the persons capable of them were named by the Earles, and confirmed by the Popes, for theire religion was first established after the Roman rites, when the Popes had great opinion of holiness, but had not yet built their hierarchie of spirituall much lesse of temporall power into wich they first intruded some hundreth yeares after, daily increasing the same. Generally the Netherlanders began to imbrace the Reformation of Religion, presently after luther preached and it much increased all the tyme of the Emperor Charles the fyfth, but began to be persecuted first in the tyme of his sonne Phillip king of Spayne. In Flaunders and the Provinces hede to this day by the King of Spayne, after cruel persecutions it was wholy extinguished by the bloody Inquesition, first invented in Spayne against the Mores (fol. 345) and Jewes, professing Christianity, and retayning theire old Religion, and was about this tyme brought into Netherland to oppress the Reformation of Christian Religion, wich from that tyme was only established in the United Provinces, combined to defend theire liberty and the Reformed Religion against the power of Spayne, whereof alone my purpose is to speake, namely of Religion, as it was established in the United Provinces at the tyme when I passed through those Countryes. The Church therein was reformed after the doctrine of Calvin, and only the publike exercise of that Religion was permitted, but they had liberty of Conscience, and were for private opinions devided into many sects, no lesse then Moravia, Bohemia and Emden in Germany whereof I have spoken. Great part of the States and cheefe men were thought to be Papists or Sectaryes in hart, but most of the people and the banished men of Flaunders and Brabant were reputed sincere in the Reformed Religion. Some

[p. 282]

villages then would not admitt the reformed ministers, and had theire masses, but without publike authority and in private houses. For if any were apprehended at masse, theire upper garments were taken from them, ore some like but no heavy punishment inflicted on them. There was no speech of Jesuites or Roman priests, that much afflicted other Reformed States at the tyme, perhaps because marchants governing the Commonwealth - as I have noted writing of the Citty of Augsburg in Germany - have commonly more care to preserve traffique then Religion, and so being thought to make the warre against Spayne rather for liberty then Religion, these Priests judged their practises lesse necessarye in those Countryes, or ells because Commonwealthes havening more heades then one, are more safe then monarchies from like practises.

(p. 281) They had fayre larg churches, built of bricke, without any beauty on the insyde, or so much as fayre seates, the weomen bringing stooles, and formes being sett about the Pulpitt in the naked body of the Church. Midleburg a great Citty had but two churches, and other great Cittyes had but one or two Churches, which of old perhaps might suffice, but now since the decay of Antwerp the people are infinitely increased by straungers and the banished men of Flaunders and Brabant, dwelling there for traffique and liberty of Conscience. Yet were these Churches seldome full, for very many Sectaryes, and more marchants proeferring gayne to the dutyes of Religion, seldome came to Church, so as in Leyden a populous Citty, I often observed at tymes of divine service, much more people to be in the markett place then in the Church.

(Ms. fol. 345) In theire shipps at home - what soever they do in long jorneyes - I often observed in those passages frequent even upon Sondayes, that they often sung Psalmes, but never sayd publike prayers. In theire Churches they had every second day one, and upon Sundayes foure sermons. The Organs were playd on every day at foure of the Clocke in the afternoone, and

[p. 283]

certayne antomes were sung, at wich tyme many resorted (Ms. fol. 346) to the Church rather for recreation, then Devotion, and then I observed many with wax candles mumbling theire prayers silently together, likewise some marryages were celebrated after the Papists rites, yet not in the Church, but in the Senate house. All Cittyes had publike Gasthouses or hospitalls, where the sicke needy and naked were releeved with great clenlyness and bountifull charity, which then in tyme of warr turned to the great Releefe of theire Army, aswell for the diseased as the wounded men thereof, not to speake of the common pleasure these Gasthouses yeald to all the Cittizens, for theire meetings, walkes, and recreations. The rents of ruined monasteryes are applied to godly uses as the mantayning of ministers in the Country and Cittyes, and of Professors and Schollors in the universities. At Regenspurg¹⁾, where the Earles of Holland were wont to be bigried, not farr distant from leyden there was of old a fayre and rich Nonnery, but the States of Holland giving the last Abbesse fyve thousand Guldens, and each Nonne fyve hundreth Guldens in mony, and severall Pensions for life, did apropriate the rents thereof to the Common Treasure. And in the way from leyden to harlam, I observed Bills sett upon posts, to publish the sale of Abbie landes, to establish a more certayne Revenue against all doubtfull events of the warr, for the mantenance of the Professors and poore schollers in the university of leyden. Likewise I observed at Bergen op zone, the rents of a Nonnery to be confiscated, the present Nonnes having only Pensions for life. The ministers of the reformed Religion lived not upon tythes but upon stipends in mony, and two of the cheefe ministers one of the Flemish the other of the French Church at the Hage, had about foure skore poundes sterling each of them yearely for theire stipends. Each reformed Church used to send a Superintendant chosen of purpose, to the Synods of Provinces or Cittyes. In marryages, the Flemings, after

1) Rijnsburg.

[p. 284]

the reformation of Calvin, did pledge theire mutuall Fayth by shaking of handes, as the English doe by giving of a Ringe. At Baptisme, the minister did reade in the Pulpitt, and the Deacon standing belowe, did sprinckle the Infant with water, and gave the benidiction to it.

(p. 281) Assoone as the Preaching minister entred into the Church, I observed him that did reade prayers to finish them abruptly, as if he brought better thinges, or it were unseemely that he should attend and joyne with the rest in the Common Prayers. And after that tyme I observed in England the same superstitious neglect of Common prayer, and excessive valuation of Preaching to have infected some places among us.

(Ms. fol. 346) The ministers preach bare-headed, and the Officers gather publike Almes with the sound of a little bell as in Germany, among the Flemmings in the Church during the tyme of the Sermon, and among the French after at the Church dore. In the French Church of those partes, I observed in the manner of communicating the Sacrament of our lords last Supper: that each one who purposed to receave the same, did the day before the Communion take a token from the minister and Elders, that he or shee was admitted to that table, wich token the next day they restored when they approched to the Table, then that they all satt downe at the table to receave the Sacrament, as wee sett at our tables, to eat Common meate, the minister setting in the midst of the table, first receaving himselfe, and then giving both kyndes to the person setting over against him, and to two setting next on each syde of him, which donne, the minister putt downe the bread and the Cupp and each person tooke them in order for themselves, without the ministers delivery thereof the upper still putting them downe to those that did sett under them - which I thought straung as differing from our lordes first institution -.

Booke IIII, chapter III.

(p. 369) Of the United Provinces of Netherland touching all the subjectes of the first Chapter. [Nature and

[p. 285]

Manners, strenght of body and witt, manuall Artes, Sciences etc.]

Nature and Manners.

For the United Provinces of Netherland, touching theire Nature and Manners. They are a just people, and will not Cozen a Chylde, or a stranger, in changing a peece of gold, nor in the price or quality of thinges they buy. For equall courses among themselves, I will give one instance, small for the subject, but significant to prove theire generall Inclination. The very wagonners if they meete other wagonns in the morning whyle theire horses are fresh, use to give them the way, but if they meete any in the afternoone, comming from neerer bating places when their horses beginne to be weary, they keepe their way, by a generall Custome among them, that they who have gonne more then ha(l)fe the way, shall keepe it against all that have gonne lesse parte of the Jorney. And as they love equality in all things, so they naturally kick against any great eminency among them, as may be proved by many instances, and even that before named. For as they have fewe gentlemen among them in Holland or Zeland, having of old rooted out the Nobility, so I observed, that when our Wagoner having gone more then halfe the way, yet gave the way to a gentlemans waggon, all the Passengers were very angry with him, saying he had no right to take the way¹⁾. To which purpose they have a Comon saying, ‘if he be rich lett him dyne twise, and weare two gownes, for one serves mee’, in that kynde comming neere the Italians pride, to live of themselves, and not to borrowe, or to eate at the table of others, to make them slavish to greatnes or riches. They are generally frugall, in dyett, Apparell and all expences, as I have formerly shewed in the Chapters treating thereof. In manners they were of old rude, and

1) Zie ook Aitzema, Saken van staet en oorlogh, II blz. 531, aangehaald door Fruin in zijn Tien jaren, 7e dr. blz. 243. Daar bleef het niet bij schelden, maar ranselden de boer en de koetsier van 's konings karos elkaar met de zweep ‘tot kleyn respect van de Keur-vorst’.

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(p. 370) are so to this day in some measure, and the Hollanders have of old beene vulgarly called Plumpe, that is blunt or rude. Yet since their last long warr in which they have intertayned English and French Soldyers and leaders, they are much refyned in manners by their conversation, as also of poore Countryes they are become very rich, even by warr, and under great taxces to mantayne it, which commonly destroy all other nations at least for the tyme of warr. And this may seeme strange, if wee consider not withall that they have still kept the warr upon the frontyers, by fortifyed places, so as the enemyes lived upon theire owne Country, and have by theire Navall power kept traffique by Sea free to themselves, and shutt up to theire enemyes, by which meanes theire enemyes on the Contrary, of most florishing States have growne poore. So as the United Provinces may say with the Athenian ‘Perijssem nisi Perijssem¹⁾, I had bene undone, if I had not beene undone’, since theire misery hath turned to theire good. In this point of manners I speake not of Brabant and Flanders, which people therein are free from the French levity and from the German gravity or morosity, being of a midle and good temper betweene them. In Conversation the wemen may seeme unchast, but are not so, as I will shewe by Instances in theire Customes and Pastymes. For vallour they are bolde in drincking quarrells, which often arise among them, and then they drawe theire knives, and agree one with the other whether they will Stecken, or Schneiden, that is stabb or Cutt, - a strange Contreriety of agreement in discord - which done they fyght accordingly. And howsoever these knives are long, small, and sharpe, pearcing in to the body more then any dager or Stiletto, yet they who fight with knives are lesse punished then if they should fyght with daggers and Swordes, as my selfe have seene by experience. And to provoke these quarrells, they use base ignominious raylings, and horrible oathes. Most of them are borne at Sea²⁾, and upon

1) Zie Plutarchus, Leven van Themistocles., Cap. XXIX, paragr. 9.

2) In de uitg. Hughes staat: by the Sea.

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waters, and so by nature are bold Seamen in tempests, and as the Batavi or Hollanders were reputed brave Soldyers when they served the Roman Emperours, so nowe - espetially warmed with drincke - they fight (p. 371) bloodely at Sea, but theire warrs upon land are made with expence of strangers blood, espetially of the English, the native people¹⁾ having done litle therein, howsoever theire his toryes take the honour to themselves, which the English and other strangers have justly deserved²⁾.

Bodyes and Witts.

Touching theire bodies, the men, by free education, have large and strong bodies, and much more active then the Germans, by using more exercise, and by drincking lesse - For howsoever theire excesse in drincking be no lesse, yet it is not so frequent and continuall, as among the Saxons - and also they are more quick spirited, by using fyers in Chimnyes and not being dulled with hott Stoaves. They are very populous, so as Botero, the Roman reckons the people of Netherland in the 17 Provinces to be three millions of persons, and Guicciardine writes that they have 208 walled townes, 150 priviledged places, and 6300 villages with Church and steeple, but as these United parts are seated in the midest of Seaes and waters, and use excesse in drincking so they are Comonly of flegmaticke complections, and begett more femalls then males, and for this reason, or because great part of the men is commonly abroade at Sea, I am sure

1) Uitg. Hughes: the nature people.

2) Ook elders kan men lezen, hoe eerst het Britsche hulpleger moest komen om Hollandsche steden tot bloei en welvaart te brengen en b.v. Vlissingen door het Engelsche garnizoen van een arm stadje tot een welvarende plaats werd ‘in a high measure, and, by their means. so did all their great towns and cities there’. Zie The Dutch Usurpation. By William de Britaine, 1672. Herdrukt in de Harleian Miscellany. Uitgave 1745. Vol. III, p. 3. In tegenspraak is daar wel mede de klacht der Vlissingsche burgers over de bezetting, die talrijker was, dan men had beloofd, tot ‘grooten overlast der borghery’, Reyd, blz. 212.

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in all meetings the number of wemen and girles doth farr overtop the number of men and boyes, at least five to one. The wemen of Flaunders and Brabant are very fayre, and theire discent attyre and white linnen setts forth their beauty; I cannot say that the Hollanders are generally beautifull, though they have the ornament of white linnen, but either my eyes deceaved me, or the wemen of Dorth lying upon the inland Sea that beates upon Brabant, and the wemen of Zeland, are much fayrer then the rest.

For witt, they seeme a very simple people, when my selfe with some English gentlemen passed through North Holland and Freeseland, the people gazed upon us, and touched our apparell, as if they had never seene a (p. 372) stranger, and when wee bought necessaryes at Amsterodam, the boyes followed us, beholding and handling our apparell, and what soever wee bought, asking why and to what use we bought it. But howsoever they seeme, no doubt the men are indeede most Crafty espetially in traffique, eating up all nations therein, by frugallity, industry, and subtilety, as likewise in Coynes, having no silver, but drawing it from all nations in plenty, and making profitt of forrayne Coynes, by raysing and decrying them at pleasure, and indeede are most witty in all meanes to growe rich, as the experience of our age hath taught us, wherein we have also founde them expert men in State matters, to prove most wise and juditious, though most of them are of Mechanicall education.

Manuall Artes, Sciences, Universityes and Language.

Tuching Manuall Arts, they are a people more industrious then the Germans, and excell them in all Arts and trades. For howsoever, I must confesse thath the Germans of Nurenberg in those parts are esteemed the best workmen for Clockes¹⁾ and some like thinges, yet in generall they are not to be compared to the Netherlanders, who make infinite proportions of hangings for houses, and like furniture for them, and the best and

1) Uitg. Hughes: Clookes.

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richest of them wrought with gold and silke, which are named Arras, of the towne where the best sorte are made, and are exported into many kingdomes of Europe, as also they make divers stuffes for wearing, and Cloathes aswell wollen as espetially linnen whereof they exporte great quantity, and Fyner then any other parte of Europe yealdeth. Yea for other Manuall trades they are most industrious and skilfull workemen. And it is worth the observation, that the richest amongst them cause their Children to be taught some arte or trade, whereby they may gayne theire bread in the tymes of warr, or banishment, or of like adversityes. The tradesmen take no Prentises bound for yeares, but they who will learne any trade, give them mony to be taught it at their shops, taking their meate and lodging at theire owne home. And those who meane to professe any trade, when they have learned it at home, goe - according to the Custome (p. 373) of the Germans - to other Cittyes at home, and forrayne Countryes abroade, most famous for excelent workemen in those trades, that of them they may learne to excell in them. Only as English travelars fynde no such Barbars in any place, as they have at home, so in these United Provinces, they are not to be Commended, for skill or handsomnes in that trade, besydes that they wash mens beardes in dreggs of beare, before they shave them with the Raysour, as ours doe with hott water and seete balls.

For Sciences, they have and of old had many learned men in all Professions wherof some are knowne by theire writings, as Ralphe Agricola of Freeseland, and Erasmus borne at Roterodame in Holland. But for Commedians, they litle practise that Arte, and are the poorest Actours that can be imagined, as my selfe did see when the Citty of Getrudenberg being taken by them from the Spanyards, they made bonefyers¹⁾ and publikely at Leyden represented that action in a play, so rudely as the poore Artizans of England would have both penned and acted

1) Uitg. Hughes: bonsfyers.

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it much better. So as at the same tyme when some cast Players of England came into those partes¹⁾, the people not understanding what they sayd, only for theire Action followed them with wonderfull Concourse, yea many young virgines fell in love with some of the players, and followed them from Citty to Citty, till the magistrates were forced to forbid them to play any more.

For Universities, I will not speake of the famous University Lovan in Flanders, which before the Civill warrs had sixteene thousand Students, and is nowe decayed, nor yet of that at Doway, now florishing, only I will say that the glory of them was and is in the learned Professors, which of old were drawne thether from all parts, by large Stipends, but now are commonly Jesuites - except the Professors of lawe and Phisicke -, for they gladly ingrosse Childrens and young mens education and instruction, as well in Divinity as in the liberall Artes - the growndes of all learning -. For these Universityes have not many Colleges fayrely built, and founded with large Rents, to mantayne Schollers, and large for all the Students to live in them and not in the towne, (p. 374) as our Universityes have in England. But after the manner of Germany, have publike schooles wherein the Professors reade, and one or two Colleges for poore schollers, most of the other Students living in the towne. The like may be sayd of the universityes in the united Provinces, whereof that of Froniker in Frieseland, was founded of old²⁾, and being decayed was of late restored, yet florished not greatly ether in learned Professors or in the number of Students.

The University of Leyden in Holland was founded in the beginning of the Civill warrs, to keepe Students from going to the universityes of Flanders. At my being there

1) Misschien wel het gezelschap van Robert Browne of Brony, J. Bradstreet e.a. Zie de Navorscher 1858, blz. 7, en E.F. Kossmann, Nieuwe bijdragen tot de geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche tooneel, blz. 141.

2) De Franeker hoogeschool werd eerst in 1585 gesticht.

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it had many learned Professors. John Heurnius Professor of Phisicke did reade Hypocrates at eight of the Clocke in the morning, and had for stipend 800 Flemish Guldens yearely. And as in Germany so here all Professors dictate theire Lectures, and the Students write them worde by worde. At the same hower in other Schooles, Thomas Sosius did reade a booke of the Civill lawe, with like stipend. And Lucas Trelcatius did reade the Common places of Divinity with stipend of 600 Guldens yearely for his Lecture, and 300 Guldens for his preaching in the Church. At nyne of the Clocke Gerard Tuning did reade the Institutions of the Civill lawe, with stipend of 300 Guldens yearely. Peter Paw did reade the Anatomy, with stipend of 500 Guldens. And Henry Bredius did reade Tullyes Oratour¹⁾, with stipend of 200 Guldens. At tenne of the Clocke Fraunces Iunius a famous Divine did expound the Prophett Isaiah, with stipend of 1200 Guldens yearely. At one of the Clocke in the after noone James Anthony Trutius did reade Aristotiles Phisickes. At eleven of the Clocke Paulus Merula did reade, by turnes each second day, the historyes of Eutropius and Suetonius, with stipend of 400 Guldens yearely. At one of the Clocke in the after noone, James Ramsey did reade the logicke lecture²⁾, with stipend of 400 Guldens yearely. At two Everard Branchorst did reade the Pandects of the Civill lawe. And Gerard Bontius Professor of Phisicke did reade Paulus Aegineta³⁾. And Frances Rapheling the Professor of the Hebrewe toung did reade upon the (p. 375) Sections out of the Prophetts, each having 400 Guldens yearely Stipend. At three of the Clocke Two other Professors did reade, Cornelious Gratius the Civill lawe, and Bonaventura Vulcanus the Greeke toung, each having 400 Guldens yearely. At foure of the Clocke

1) Cicero's De oratore.

2) Hier is volgens dr. Geyl geheel verkeerd gelezen; het begin van dezen zin luidt volgens het handschrift: And Julius Beyma did reade the Codex and Ramsey did reade the logicke lecture, etc.

3) Uitg. Hughes: Aeginita.

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Rodulphus Swellius¹⁾ did reade one day upon the naturall historye of Plinny, and the next day the Mathematikes, having 300 Guldens yearely stipend. All these Professors had houses allowed to each of them by the States, excepting two, who had the Rents of some land allowed to provide them houses. Some poore Schollers were mantayned in a ruinous College - as they are no better over all Germany - each having 30 Flemish Poundes yearely stipend, who had theire dyett yearely at the uper table for 150 at the lower table for 100 Flemish Guldens, and two of each Citty were admitted into this College, and they all studdyed Divinity, but were mantayned in the College no longer then six yeares, in which tyme they must take the degree of theire Profession, and then beginn to practise it, if they be fitt for the same. In each Citty they have an Hospitall to bring up poore Orphants, whereof the best witts are sent unto the university, the other putt to trades. At Leyden all the Students lived in the houses of Cittizens. The Prince of Orange when he tooke upon him the defence of these Provinces in the begining of the Civill warrs, did founde this University, and kept to himselfe and his heyres the power to name the Rector. At my being there, upon the first of February, the Professors Chose three men at Leyden, and sent them with theire letters to the Hage, where Count Mauritz the sayd Princes Sonne appointed one of them to be Rector, who was settled in his office for the yeare following upon the eighth of February, when the Statutes and Customes were publikely read before the Students, who within three dayes entred theire names with the Rectour, and otherwise were no more to be accounted in the nomber of Students. But the States pay the Professors Stipends, out of Rents allowed to that use. Each Student hath yearely 80 Stoupes of wyne allowed free from assise or tax, and six vessells of Beare at two shillings sixpence starling the vessell lesse then the ordinary price the

1) Snellius.

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(p. 376) Cittizens pay¹⁾, and they with whome they dyett, take this allowance in theire names and right, besydes that the Professors and Students are free from all other taxes and tributes. The Rectour Judged the Controversyes betweene Students and Cittizens. The university had three chosen Protectours amonge the States, whereof one at that tyme was Janus Douza a learned man well knowne by his writinges. And when a Professors place is voyde, the Professors having chosen a worthey man at home or abroade, these Protectours invite him to supply that place. But the States must approve him, who also allott and pay his Stipend. And howsoever at my being there this University newly founded had not 400 Students, yet the States drawing thether most learned Professors, it was hoped that in shorte tyme it would greatly florish. The Professors doe not reade above 30 weekes in the yeare, having long vacations, as upon the 3 of Occtober they Cease to reade for 15 dayes, because that day Leyden was besegged by the Spaniardes, in memory whereof they have publike playes poorely representing the Actions and Crueltyes of that seige. The Divines disput twise in the weeke, other Professions have no sett dayes, but dispute often upon private agreements, made knowne by Printing the questions and setting them upon the gates of the Schooles, donne by them that answer to the end all Students who list, may provide to appose and reply against them. And this they doe for Commendable exercise, without any reproofe to make ostentation of theire learning. In Promotions of degrees, each Graduate payes 30 Guldens to the Treasurer of the University, at my being there a frende of myne commenced Doctour of the Civill lawe, who besydes his feast payde about eight pound starling to the Doctours of his Profession, and some fewe Gulldens to the Bedells and besydes payde for the publike testimoniall of his degree which he tooke alone, for they

1) De woorden ‘the ordinary price’ zijn ter wille der duidelijkheid door Hughes ingelascht.

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use no sett tymes for this Ceremony, but one or more are promoted whensoever they crave that favour. Nether use they at these tymes the Germans Pompe and gravity in marching through the streetes, only the Bedell, (p. 377) without any Mace and with his head covered, went before the Rectour, who with some Professors and Studients, partly in gownes, partly in Cloakes, all weareing hatts - for I never sawe any cornerd Capps worne by Graduates in any university beyonde the Seas -, conducted the young Doctor to the publike Schooles, where he having made his Oration, a Doctor of that faculty did reade the graunt of power to create Doctors. And then, first he called the party promoted to sett in his Chayre, as giving him power to teach, secondly he made him sett downe by him, to shewe the necessity of Conference and Counsell in doubtfull matters, thirdly he gave him an open booke in his hand, to shewe that he must not Judge after his owne opinions but after the written lawe, fourthly a booke Closed, to shewe that he must have wisdome to Judge of right and equity in cases not expressly defyned by the lawe, fyftly he put on his head a Cap of scarlett as the badge of his degree, Sixtly a gold Ringe on his finger, the token of his dignity, and seventhly the old Doctour shaked the young Doctor by the hand, as welcomming him to be of theire nomber, which in other places I have seene figured by imbracing and kissing him upon the Cheeke. This done, the young Doctor by a shorte oration gave thanckes, and so was ledd backe to the Rectors house, in the same order he was brought to the Schooles. His dinner or Feast was kept in a publike Inne, to which he invited the Professors and such gnests as himselfe pleased to have, for I observed some cheefe Burgers to be present at the Creation in the Schooles, who where not invited to dinner.

The language of the Netherlanders is a Dialect of the German toung, but sweetned with the levity of the French toung, which most of the inhabitants by education learne to speake as naturally as the vulgar, besydes that many of them speake the English, Italyan, and other languages

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of nations with whome they traffique, as there is almost no place in the worlde where they trade not. As the Saxons and lower partes of Germany - excepting Misen - speake more rudely then the upper partes and the Sweitzers, so the Netherlanders so much affect¹⁾ the sweetnes and alacrity of the French toung, as they preferr it (p. 378) before theire owne, and delight more to speake the French toung, then theire owne vulgar language, which they pronounce much more gently then the Germans, omitting many of the Consonants and diphtonges which they use. As I have formerly sayde that the Germans toung borrowes many wordes of the Greeke, so I say also of the Flemish or Netherlanders language. And Marchantius in his history of Flanders the 25 page of the first booke, setteth downe many particular wordes apparently derived from the Greekes. But howsoever he produceth Authours to prove that the Flemish toung was knowne and spoken in some partes of Turky and of the West Indyes, though it is not unprobable that a banished man or marchant - espetially of the Flemings whereof some are founde in many and most remote partes of the worlde - may carry his language, and perhapps spreade it in his owne family and discent among some nations farr distant, yet I never observed the Flemish toung to be used in forayne partes, but only by those of theire owne nation, and I am sure that themselves at home spake the French toung, as vulgarly and naturally in their owne. And it standes with reason, that they who are very industrous in traffique, and having litle of theire owne to export - except lynnen - doe trade most with the Commodityes of other nations, should themselves learne many languages, whereas other Nations have not the same reason to learne the Flemish tounge. And by reason of the Flemings generall skill in strang languages, strangers may passe and trade among them though they cannot speake a worde of the vulgar toung. As wee give the title of master only to gentlemen, and those of that

1) Uitg. Hughes: assert.

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degree in our Universityes, so I observed In the United Provinces, that a tradsman and espetially a Barbar was vulgerly saluted Meister. In so much as in the beginning of the Civill warr, when our English forces came into Holland, and the best sorte being richly apparrelled were saluted masters, the Common people at theire first enterance tooke them for tradsmen, and wondred they should be so brave in apparell. Though those of the united Provinces were then rude in manners, yet their language (p. 379) then had, and still hath, a very amorous Phrase in Vulgar speeches, Commonly answring one another, Wat sag you Mein Shaff, or mein kinde, or Mein Vatter, or Mein Moure, that is, what say you my lamb, or my Chylde, or my Father, or my Mother, Yea they salute old men, with the title of brother and Childe, and salute young men and maydes with the title of Father and mother. Freyen signifyes to wooe, and thereupon they call Bachelors Fryern, and young virgins Freysters.

Ceremonyes, Pompes, Marryage, Funeralls, Christnings, Childebed.

Touching Ceremonyes, Pompes, Maryages, Funeralls, Christnings and Childebedd. No people of Europe in my opinion useth lesse Ceremonyes and Pompous shewes or marchings, in festivall solemnityes, then those of the United Provinces, doing all such thinges without any ostentation, yea with great simplicity and nakednes.

For marryages, the wemen in Netherland, Contrary to the Custome of the Germans, were marryed very young, so as not long before my being in those partes, a girle of twelve yeares age, at Harlam, had a Chylde by her husband. They use to wooe long, some yeare two or more before they marye, and in that tyme they have strange liberty of Conversation together, yet with uncredible honesty for the most parte, conversing together by day and by night, and slyding on the yce to remote townes to feast and lodge there all night. Yea some that are betroathed make long voyages, as to the East Indies, before they be maryed, and in all voyages where the master of the shipp is a wooer, they hang a garland of Roses on the topp of the mayne mast. The frendes of

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the marryed Coople, use to present them with meate for the feast, and the guests are invited a day before, and agayne invited some hower before they goe to church, or before the dinner. For they goe to Church more privately then in Germany, without marching through the streetes in any Pompe, or with great Company, some- (p. 380) where only going to Church with nyne, other where with three of theire neerest frendes and strangers of other townes. I have seene some maryed without a ringe, only Joyning handes insteede thereof. Som maryed at tenne in the morning, and theire dinner begane at two, and ended at six of the Clocke in the after noone, having no supper, or the tables taken away, but going to daunce in other Roomes, and retorning to the table to drincke, when they pleased. Others maryed at three in the after noone, and supped from six to twelve. And after the meales, strangers used to come in to the daunceing. The second day of the marryage they invited neere frendes of the towne, only to supper and dauncing, and the third day in like sorte they invited neighbours and ordinary frendes. Some day or two before the maryage, and agayne some day or two after the maryage, the young men and virgins were invited, to daunce after supper, when theire Fathers, mothers, and all other were gonne to bedd, where they daunced all night, and at the twilight in the morning, they daunced about some of the next streetes, and so taking theire leaves went home.

For Funeralls, they use small or no pompe in them, nether remember I in those Provinces to have seene any monumentes, or so much as grave stones for the memory of the dead, except one Monnument at Delph, erected to the memory of the Prince of Orange, which was the poorest that ever my eyes behealde, espetially for so famous a Prince, and one that merited so much of the United Provinces¹⁾. Some gentlemen and others of the best sorte dying, had theire Armes sett upon theire doores for a yeare following, and the widowe so long

1) Zie blz. 229, noot 2.

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kept her house, no man for halfe a yeare entering her Chamber, nor any speech being made to her till the yeare was ended for any second maryage.

The wemen are sayd to be delliverd ordinaryly of theire Children with much more ease then those of other nations, - excepting onely the Irish - but ill Conceptions are frequent among them, and very paynefull in the delivery. Of these monsters I harde incredible reports, from very Credible persons, which modesty forbides mee to write, (p. 381) espetially since the Curious may easily be informed thereof by many English who have lived long in that Country. Only I will say that some of them have beene of such vivacity and nimblenes in leaping, as the wemen had much adowe to kill and destroy them, and that some attribute these frequent effects to the peoples grosse feeding, and living much upon waters.

For Baptisme, the minister in the Pulpitt having read the useuall wordes, the Deacon standing belowe, pronounced a blessing to the Chyld, and sprinckled it with water. The Boyes have two Godfathers and two Godmothers, and so have the girles, whereas our boyes have but one Godmother and two godfathers and our girles but one godfather and two godmothers. And howsoever ordinarily they have no more but two, yet some - as with us - have a greater number, being a thinge at pleasure; most commonly the mothers nurse theire Children themselves. Guifts are given both to the Children and to the Norses according to theire qualityes, but never great in value so farr as I observed.

For a womans lying in Childebed. If shee have a boy, the ringe of her dore is all Covered with tape or linnen Cloth - and in some places undersett witt a small sticke - and over the ringe a face cloath is fastned. If it be a girle, the ring is but halve covered, and is not undersett, but hath also a facecloth, and as many Children as shee hath, so many facecloathes they fasten above the ringe of the doore, which are richly wrought, or playne and Course, according to the quality of the Parents. They lye a month in Childbed - as our wemen use in England - and then are Churched, the minister prayinge

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with them, and when the dutyes are payde to him, they retourne home and Feast together.

Customes, Exercises, Pastymes, particularly of Hunting, Hawking, Birding and Fishing.

Among their Customes, some seemed very strange to me. My selfe landing at Dockam in Friesland, after a (p. 382) great tempast at Sea, incountred this recreation in the Inn. There were newly aryved young gentle wemen of spetiall worth and beauty, who supped not privately in theire Chambers, according to the Custome of England, but at the publike table for all passengers, and after supper wee retyred to the fyer, where formes were sett round about it, and Flagons of Beare sett to warme at the fyer, - as they Commonly drincke warme beare - and if a man druncke to a woman, he carryed her the Cupp, and kissed her, and a woman drincking to a man, caryed the Cupp to him, and kissed him not so much as bending his head to meete her. And so with fayre discourse wee passed two howers before wee retyred to our Chambers. This is the generall Custome in all Fresland, so as some husbandes have quarrelled with men, for not kissing theire wyves and daughters at the delivery of the Cupp to them, as if they thought them not worthy of that Curtesy, or dispised them, as poore, foule, or reputed infamous. But nothing is more strang, then that this Custome though performed in much mirth and cheerefullnes yet is free from the least suspition of unchastity. Agayne it is generally observed that as the wemen of these Provinces overtopp the men in number - which I formerly shewed - so they commonly rule theire famylyes. In the morning they give theire husbandes drincking mony in their pursses, who goe abroade to be merry, where they list, leaving theire wyves to keepe the shop and sell all thinges. And nothing is more frequent, then to see the girles to insult and domineere - with reproofes and nicknames - over theire brothers, though ellder then they be, and this they doe from the first use of speech, as if they were borne to rule over the malles. Yea many wemen goe by Sea to traffique at Hamburg for marchantdize, whyle theire husbandes stay

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at home. At Leyden young wenches of 12 or 13 yeares age, after 9 of the Clocke in the morning, shamed not ordinarily to doe those necessityes of nature in the open and fayre streetes, which our wemen will not be seene to doe in private houses. In the same Citty I have seene men milke Cowes, and carry the milke in two payles (p. 383) fastned to a wooden yoke before them, which they wore about theire neckes. The wemen, upon their bedds head insteed of a pillowe, have a shorte hard. Coushen, litle and uneasy to rest upon, so as they say it is rather for a secret use, then for rest of their heades.

The colde of winter is very sharpe in these Provinces, lying open to the Sea Northward, without any shelter of hills or woodes, for which cause some wemen of the best sorte wore breeches, of lynnen or silke stuffes, to keepe them warme, but commonly the wemen sett with fyer under them, in passetts namely litle pans of Coales within a case of woode boared through with many hole on the topp, which remedy spotting the body is lesse convenient then wearing of breeches. And these Passets they not only use at home, but in the Churches, and in theire Jorneyes by Shipp and by waggon. So as my selfe passing in a waggon stroaded thicke with strawe to keepe our feete warme sawe a young woman in great distresse, who using this passet, and therewith setting the strawe on fyer under her and that setting fyer on her Cloathes, was forced to use the undecent helpe of men, and yet hardly escaped the burning of her body.

They strawe the paved floures of theire howses with Sand, to keepe them Cleaner, but the dirty shooes of them that enter, Clodding the Sand, they seeme to foule theire howses themselves, for feare other should foule them.

Holland and Zeland are devided from Brabant and Flanders as likewise Zeland is devided into Ilandes and from Holland, by an Arme of the Sea within land. In like sorte Holland on the other syde is divided from Freesland, and that from the Empire, by two other Armes of the Sea. And many Rivers falling into these Calme Seas, with a gentile Course, in Countryes lying lowe and playne, have giving the inhabitants commodity

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to Cutt frequent ditches, not only to make passages by water from towne to towne, but also to compasse their pastures and meadowes with ditches full of water, either standing or very gently moving. And the colde is so extreme in these partes, as most parte of winter these ditches of water are Continually frozene. So as the Virgins (p. 384) in winter tyme are most brave in apparell, and have most Jollity of meetinges with young men. For they both daly walke into the fieldes next the townes, and upon the broadest waters slyde together upon the yce. To which purpose they putt upon theire shooes Pattens of wood, with a long sharpe Iron in the bottome to Cutt the yce. Continually mooving and frigging theire feete up and downe, forwardes, or in Circle, which motion mee thought was not very modest for wemen, but if they stand still they are sure to fall, and those that are unskillfull thereby take many and sometymes dangerous falls. Commonly some two or foure hundreth will slyde together upon one¹⁾ peece of yce, seeming not able to beare them, yet use makes them bolde to venture, though sometymes it gives dangerous Crackes. A man and a woman, holding a handcherker betweene them, slyde together, and sometymes many Couples in like sort holding handkerchees slyde together a breast as many as the bredth of the yce will beare. And in like sort many men laying theire handes on a Coulestaffe slyde abreast together. Also the frost for great part of winter is so great, as sometymes for a month or more, the foresayde Armes of the Sea wilbe so Frozen, as men passe over them, either slyding upon the sayd Pattens, or upon a sledge drawne with a horse, and in the midd wayes, upon divers passages, men keepe boothes wherein they have a pann of Coales to warme the passengers, with drincke and meate to refresh them. They use to lay great wagers upon each first breaking of the Ice, and at those tymes many rash venturers are cast away. At Delph a man had 300 Guldens for venturing to slyde over the towne

1) Uitg. Hughes: ane peece.

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ditch one Christmas day, when the Ice began to breake. At Amsterodam one had tenne pounde sterling to venture over the Teye, and the first venturer over the Armes of Sea, after a frost beginns to breake, hat ordinaryly two Dollours rewarde, and a Gulden for drincking mony. The wemen of these parts give great liberty to theire daughters. Sometymes by chance they slyde on the yce till the gates of the Citty be locked, and the young men feast them at Inns in the Subbarbs, all the night, or till they (p. 385) please to take rest. Sometymes the young men and virgins agree to slyde on the yce, or to be drawne with horses upon sledges to Cittyes 10, 20 or more myles distant, and there feast all night, and this they doe without all suspition of unchastity, the hostesses being carefull to lodge and oversee the wemen. In like sorte the mothers of good fame permitt theire daughters at home, after themselves goe to bedd, to sett up with young men all or most part of the night, banqueting and talking together, yea with leave and without leave to walke abroade with young men in the streetes by night. And this they doe out of a Customed liberty, without prejudice to theire fame, wheras the Italian wemen strictly kept thincke it folly to omitt any opportunity they can gett to doe ill.

As the Germans, so this people, use to builde nests for Storkes, and repute them lucky birdes hanting only free Commonwealths, as best observers of Justice. At Leyden - and so I thincke in other Cittyes - If the Cry for fyer be raysed, he that owes the house payes six Gulldens for penalty, and the night watch men of townes and Cittyes goe about the streetes making a noyse with wooden Clappers, as ours doe with litle bells, and at Leyden by night a Trompett in the steeple is sounded each hower, when the Clocke strikes.

The kennells of the streete are not in the midest, as Commonly with us, but are made on each syde of the streete one, neere the houses, the Pavement on each syde rising to the midest of the streete, which is highest, and the cheefe place of dignity for walking, the next being the right hand of the midest, and the third the

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left hand, and so in order, according to the number that walkes together.

The Bishopricke of Utrecht, and the Province of Gellderland, keepe the old Callender, but Holand observes the newe of Pope Gregory, so as if a man goe from Holland to Utrecht or Gellderland upon the fourtenth of December, and retorne into Holland upon the 24 of December, he shall keepe no Christmas day that yeare and if a man come from Utrecht or Gellderland to Leyden, the fourteenth of December, and retorne backe to those parts the 24 of (p. 386) December, he shall keepe two Christmas dayes in one yeare, Contrarye to our English proverb, inviting to mirth because Christmas comes but once a yeare.

Since the tyme of the warr, all passengers entring into Cittyes and Forts, leave theire swordes and weapons with the Soldyers at the place where they keepe guarde, and the next day when they goe forth there receave them agayne.

I have formerly sayd, that the wagonours, while their horses be fresh, namely before they have gone halfe way to the next bayting place, give the way to all waggons they meete, but after they have gone more then halfe the way, in like sorte take the way of all they meete. At the dayes of old victoryes or theire Progenitours great Actions, they keepe Feasts, and in triumph make bonfyers, and represent the Action in playes poorely acted by Artizans.

Pastymes, Exercises, Huntinge, Hawkinge, Birding, Fishing.

For Pastymes and exercises. I have formerly spoken of theire daly Pastime and exercise all the tyme of winter, in slyding upon yce with Iron in theire wooden Pattens, and of theire making Jorneys, for pleasure and necessety, upon a sledge drawne over the Ice with one horse. Now I will only add that this motion of slyding upon the Ice is very swift, some say after one 100th myles in the day, but I am sure it is vullgarly spoken, that when Leyden was besidged by the Spaniardes, who helde guardes of Soldyers on both sydes the narrowe waters leading to the towne, which at that tyme were frozen, messengers slyding on these Pattens daely passed through the sayd

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guardes with letters to and from the towne, and so swiftly, as the Spaniardes sometymes seeing them, and making thicke shott against them on both sydes of the water, yet could not hinder theire Continuall passing. Likewise in Jorneyes by sledges, they often passe from Leyden to Harlam and backe agayne in one day, which is tenn Fleemish myles and requireth tenn howers to be runne by waggon, laying another waggon and fresh horses (p. 387) in the midd way.

They have a Common Pastyme and exercise to dryve a litle bal through the feildes and upon the Ice, with a sticke of wood turning in at the lowe end, like the basting ladells we use in kichens, save that the are not made hollowe but are rounde in the end, and this sporte I have seene frequently used not only by boyes and young men, but by men of 40 yeares age and upward. They have in all Cittyes publike houses, with a larg yeard and garden, vulgarly called Dooles, - whereof Amsterodam had three - in which houses the Cittizens meete both men and wemen to drincke and eate, and in the large yardes the men exercise shooting with the long bowe and Crosse bowe. For these very sportes the Cittisens are devided into brotherhoods, and putt under ensignes, and many of the cheefe brothers have their Pictures in these houses. They shoote at Parratt of wood, and he that wins the Prise, is called the king of the Parratt.

For hunting Hawking and Birding, Marchantius writing of Flanders, which Province hath given the name of Flemings to all the Netherlanders of the seventeen Provinces, setts downe the lawes of Hunting and Hawking in the leafe 107 and 108 and shewes that Hunting of Hares, and takeing of many Foules, as Partriges, Phesants, and the like, are appropriated to gentlemen. But I thincke he writes this of Flanders, Brabant, and the partes within land, for in the united Provinces lying upon the Sea, the gentlemen of Holand and Zealand are almost rooted out, though in West Fressland and the other Provinces many gentlemen still remayne. And in Holland, Zealand and Freesland all the feildes are compassed with frequent

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ditches of water, and with Armes of the Sea, so as they are not fitt for Hunting with dogs, or flying of Hawkes. Holland and Zealand have some stoore of Partridges and like land Foule, which I have seen sold to any that would buy them, by vulger men who tooke them by other ordinary meanes. And Freesland hath very great stoore of Sea foule, which - for ought I could heare - were taken by ordinary meanes, and solde by vulgar men without reserved priviledges. Nether did I ever see any use (p. 388) of Hunting dogs, or Hawkes in these Provinces though most parte of the Hawkes, brought from Norway and those parts into England and Fraunce, commonly passe through Freesland, Holland and Zealand.

For Fishing. They cannot but have plenty of fish, lying upon the ocion, and divers Armes of the Sea breaking into the land, and dwelling among frequent ditches of waters, and some great lakes, made by the Rivers, of Rheine in divers branches, and of Mosa, and Mosella, where they gently fall towardes the Sea, or rather ende in standing waters. So as they have plenty of all Seafish, and in the Arme of the Sea entring betweene Zealand and Holand up to Brabant, and in the River of Mosa, they take great plenty of Salmons, one towne of Bredaw for fishing there, paying yearely 4000 poundes to Count Mauritz lord of the towne. For fresh water fish, as the lakes and ditches are frequent, so have they plenty of fish, and being industrious, they take more fish at Sea upon the Coasts of England then wee doe, espetially the kyndes that are dryed and salted, as ling and herrings, both sortes fresh and salt they commonly dresse after one manner but [the latter] more swimming in buter, and - as the Germans - love to see the Fresh fish living, not prising that which is dead.