Sunday the 26 of August we set sayle from Graues-end, and with various windes, some large and some scarce, we happily past the seas, and sayled vp the riuer of Maze, by the Brill, and on the wednesday following I ariued at Ro­terdam in Holland, at which time the worthy regiment of the right honorable Colonell Sir Horace Veare, and the two noble Earles, of Essex, and Oxford departed from thence in Martiall Equipage toward the Pallatinate Country, whose Heroick and Magnanimous endeauors, I beseech the Lord of hosts, and God of battells to direct and blesse.

The same day, I went to the Hage, and from thence to Leyden, where I lodged all night, and the morrow being thurseday the 30 of August, I sayled from Leyden, to Am­sterdam, where I saw many things worthy the noting, but because they are so neere and frequent to many of our Nation, I omit to relate them, to auoid teadiousnes: but on the friday at night I got passage from thence towards Hambrogh, in a small hoy, in the which wee were weather-beaten at sea three dayes and nights before wee ariued there.

Saterday the eight of September I left Hambrogh, and being carried day and night in waggons, on the mun­day night following I came to an ancient towne called [Page] Heldesheim, it standeth in Brunswick land, and yet it be­longeth to the Bishop of Collin, where I did obserue in their Doome Kirke, or Cathedrall Church, a crowne of siluer 80 foote in compasse, hanged vp in the body of the Church, in the circuit of which crowne were placed 160 wax candles, the which on festiuall dayes, or at the cele­bration of some high ceremonies are lighted to lighten their darknesse, or their ignorance, chuse yee whether.

Moreouer there I saw a siluer bell in their steeple, of six hundred and 30 l. weight, and the Leades of their steeple, shining and sparkling with the Sun beames, they did affirme to mee to bee gold, the truth of which I am doubtfull of.

In this towne I stayed foure dayes, and on friday the 14 of September, I went six dutch miles to the strong towne of Brunswick, where by reason of my short stay, which was but two houres, I obserued nothing worthy of memory, but their triple walls, and double ditches, their artillery and fortifications, which they thinke to be im­pregnable; besides, there I saw an old house of the Duke of Brunswicke, with the statue of a golden lyon, of a great bignesse, standing aloft vpon a piller, with the broken walls, and houses, which the Dukes Cannon hath left there six yeares since, as tokens and badges of his fury, and their rebellion.

From thence on the morrow I went one dutch mile further, to an ancient towne called Wolfunbuttle, where the Duke of Brunswick keepes his Court, in the which I and my fellow could get no further admittance, then ouer a bridge into his outtermost, or base court; for his souldiers, seeing vs with swords and pistolls, were feare­full, [Page] belike, that wee would haue taken the fortresse from them, and therefore though wee were but two English­men, yet they durst not let vs enter; which made men call to remembrance the frequent, and dayly Egresse and Regresse, that all people and nations haue to his Maiesty royal Court of great Brittaine, where none that are of any good fashion or aspect are debar'd entrance: when those inferiour Princes houses are garded with hungry Hal­berdiers, and reuerend rufty bil-men, with a brace or two of hot shots, so that their pallaces are more like prisons, then the free & noble courts of cōmanding potentates.

After two dayes entertainment at Wolfunbuttle, with an English Merchant residing there, of good fame and credit, named Maister Thomas Sackuille, I wish my bro­ther, my fellow Tilbery, and another man in my company departed from thence on foote, onward on our iourny towards Bohemia, in which trauell, what occurrences hap­ned, and what things of note I saw, were as followeth.

Passing with many weary steps, through the townes of Rosondink, Remling, Soolem, Hessen Darsam, and Haluerstade, (which is all in Brunswick land,) But this towne of Haluer­stade belongs to a Bishop so stiled, who is Duke Christian brother to the now Duke of Brunswick, a long dutch mile (or almost six English) is a small towne or a Bleck called Groning belonging to the Duke, in the which place I obserued two things worthy of re­membrance.

First a most stately Pallace built with a beautiful Chap­pell, so adorned with the images and formes of Angells, and Cherubins, with such exquisitenes of arts best indu­stry of caruing, grauing, guilding, painting, glasing, and [Page] pauing, with such superexcellent workmanship of or­ganes, pulpit and font, that for curiosity and admirable rarenesse, all the buildings, and fabricks that euer I be­held, must giue it preheminence. I confesse that Henry the seuenths Chappell at Westminster, Kings Colledge Chappell in Cambridge, and Christs Church in Canter­bury, are beyond it in height and workmanship of stone: for indeed this Chappell is most of wood gipps, and pla­ster of Parris; but it is so guilded as if it had bin made in the golden age, when gold was esteemed as drosse, so that a man had need to weare a vaile ouer his dazeling eyes, or else he can hardly looke vpon it.

The caruing and painting seeme to outgo the arts of Pigmalion, Apelles, or Praxiteles; the pauing of chequered blacke and white marble, and the windowes glassed with Christall: but all this great cost and shew is very little to the honor of God, or the propagation of the Ghospel, the edification of the ignorant. For in this Chappell of ease, there is no Seruice. If the painted pulpit could preach, the dumbe images might (perhaps) haue a ser­mon now and then; for scarce at any time there comes a­ny body into the Chappell, but a fellow that shewes the beauty of it for two pence or three pence a piece.

In the same house, in a place or celler built of purpose, is a great tonne or vessell of wood, that was 7 yeares in making, and hath vsed to be filled with Rhenish wine: it is sayd to bee twice as bigge as the vessell at Heidelberg, and the hoopes of it are twelue inches thick, and the staues or bordes of it being as much: I went vp to the top of it, with a ladder of 18 stepps, hee that keepes it saith it will hold 160 tonnes. My fellow Tilbery did creepe in at [Page] the tap hole; it is in length 32 foote, and in breadth acrosse 19, and verily I thinke that bable cost more mo­ny the making, then would haue built a good ship, or founded an almes house for 6 poore people.

From Groning wee trauelled to a towne called Ashers Leauen, to Ashleauen, to Kinderne, to Hall, and so to Leip­zig, which is one of the chiefest townes in Saxony, being famous for a yearely Mart that is yearely held there, whereto Merchants and other people from the most part [Page] of Christendom haue annual concourse: in this towne we stayd two dayes, and taking our leaue then of some Eng­lish Merchants, who vsed vs kindly, we there would haue hired a coach or waggon to Prague; but all the Saxon coach-men and carters were afraid to looke vpon any part of Bohemia, because their Duke is a profest enemy in armes against the King of Beame, so that we were forced to hire a fellow with a wheelebarrow two dayes to carry our cloakes, swords, guns, pistolls, and other apparell and luggage which were our necessaries, to a towne called Boorne, to Froburge, and so to another towne called Penigh, where wee cashierd our one-wheel'd coach, and hired a cart with two, which carried both vs and our baggage to Chemnizt another towne in Saxony, from whence to a place called Shop, wee were faine to bee our owne sumpter horses, walking on foote to the last towne in Saxony, cal­led Marienberg. From thence passing vp and downe in­accessable mountaines, we came to a wood, which parts Bohemia from Saxony on the west, which wood is called by the people of those parts the Beamer Wolts or Wolt, and is in breadth to English miles, and in length further then I know how to describe truely: but this much of it I dare affirme, that it is a naturall impregnable wall to the kingdome of Bohem, which kingdome is all incompast round with woods and mountaines, so that there is no passage on that side of it, for any army to enter into it with munition and artillery, all the wayes being vneuen, and the mountaine tops all boggs, mosses, and quag­mires, that great ordnance or any heauy cariage either of horse, cart or waggon, will sinke and be lost. Besides, there are numbers past numbring of Firre trees, many [Page] standing, and such store fallen of themselues, that any passage might easily be stopped by laying them crosse the way. And of all my iourny, the trauell through that dis­mall wood was the most heauy vnto mee, for the trees grew so thicke, and so high, that the sunne was obscured, and the day seemed night; in some places, the way paued with swimming trees 2 miles together on the tops of hills, which now and then I slipping besides, sunke to the middle in a quagmire.

When wee had thus footed it, and trauelled past the hills and woods, (being at the least 4 houres toyle) and that wee might looke downe the mountaines into the fruitfull land of Bohem, neuer did sight more reioyce vs, the lower hills being all full of Vineyards, and the val­lies, corne and pasture; not an English mile distance, but a village euery way; and twenty, thirty, or forty reekes or stacks of corne which their barnes cannot hold, in the space of euery houres iourny: in a word, euery thing that belonged to the vse and commodity of man was and is there, and al the delightfull obiects to satisfie euery sence is there abundantly, so that nature seemed to make that Country her storehouse or granary, for there is nothing wanting except mens gratitude to God for such blessings.

The first night we lodged there at a pretty towne cal­led Comoda, which towne by negligence and occasion of fire had fifty houses burnt two dayes before our com­ming thither, it being eleuen dutch miles from Prague. There we hired a wagon 7 dutch miles to a towne called Slowne, from whence we walked on foote a long 16 Eng­lish miles to Prague, which long looked for the Citty wee could not see vntill we came within an houres trauell of [Page] it: within halfe a dutch mile is a fearefull place, being fre­quented with inhumaine and barbarous murderers, that assault trauellers, first shooting and murdring them, and after searching their pockets, where if they haue mony or not, all is one, it is but so many slaine: for these villaines haue a wood, and a deepe valley to shelter themselues in, that they are hardly taken afterwards; but if they chance at any time to be but apprehended, they are racked and tortured to make them confesse, and afterwards their ex­ecutions are very terrible. But (I thanke God) wee past that place, and many other as dangerous as that, where some were robbed and murdered (as report told vs) both before vs, behind vs, and on each side: and we saw in our iourny aboue seauen score gallowses and wheeles, where thieues were hanged some fresh, and some halfe rotten, and the carkases of murtherers, broken limb after limb on the wheeles; and yet it was our happines onely to see the dead villaines, and escape the liuing.

I came into Prague on thurseday the seauenth of Sep­tember, whither if I had come but the friday before, I had seene a most fearefull execution of two notori­ous offenders; the manner how, with their faults, as it was truely related to me by English Gentlemen that saw it, I thinke it not much impertinent to relate.

The one of them being taken, apprehended and rac­ked, for ripping vp aliue a woman with child, and for ta­king the infant out of her body, did sowe a liuing pup­py into her belly; all which hee confessed hee did to make properties for wichcraft: and beeing further tortured, hee confessed when and where hee had committed 35. mur­thers more: the other in respect of him was but a petty [Page] offender, for he in all his life time had murthered but 14. For the which execrable facts, their deserued executions were as followeth: First, they were brought out of the Iayle naked from the girdle vpward; and so being bound fast on high in a cart, that the spectators might see them; then the Hangman hauing a panne of coales neere him, with red hot pincers nip'd off the nipple of one brest; then he tooke a knife and giues him a slash or cut downe the backe on one side, from the shoulder to the waste; and presently gaue him such another slash, three inches from the first; then on the top he cut the slashes into one;, and presently taking pincers, tooke hold of the crosse cut, and tore him downe like a Girse below the middle, letting it hang downe behind him like a belt: after which he tooke his burning pincers, and pluck'd off the tops of his fingers of one hand: then passing to another place of the Towne, his other nipple was plucked off, the other side of his back so cut and mangled, (which they call by the name of rimming, (if it had beene riming, I would neuer haue written but in prose) his other fingers nip'd off; then passing further, all his toes were nip'd off with the bur­ning pincers: after which he was enforced to come out of the cart, and goe on foote vp a steepe hill to the Gal­lowes, where he was broken with a wheele, aliue, one bone after another, beginning at his legs and ending with his neck, and last of all quartered and layd on the wheele, on a high post, till Crowes, Rauens, or consuming time con­sume him.

This was the manner of both their executions, but I speake but of the greatest murtherer particularly, because it is reported, that all these torments neuer made him [Page] once to change countenance, or to make any signe or action of griefe, to call to God for mercy, or to entreate the people to pray for him; but as if he had beene a sense­lesse stocke or stone, he did most scornefully, and as it were in disdaine abide it: whilst the other villaine did crye, rore, and make lamentation, calling vpon God often; the difference was not much in their liues, and manner of their deaths, but I am perswaded the odds was great in their dying.

The City of Prague is almost circular or round, being diuided in the middle by the riuer of Moldoue, ouer which is a faire stone Bridge, of 600. paces ouer, and at each end a strong gate of stone: there is said to be in it of Churches and Chappels, 150. for there are great numbers of Ca­tholiques, who haue many Chappels dedicated to sundry Saints, and I was there at foure seueral sorts of diuine ex­ercises; viz. at good sermons with the Protestants, at Masse with the Papists, at a Lutherans preaching, and at the Iewes Synagog; three of which I saw and heard for curiosity, and the other for edification.

The Iewes in Prague are in such great numbers, that they are thought to be of men, women and children, be­twixt 50. or 60000. who doe all liue by brocage and vsu­ry vpon the Christians, and are very rich in money and Iewels, so that a man may see tenne or twelue togither of them, that are accounted worth 20. 30. or 40000. l. a­piece; and yet the slaues goe so miserably attired, that 15. of them are not worth the hanging for their whole ward­robes.

The Castle where the King and Queene doe keepe their Court, is magnificent and sumptuous in building, [Page] strongly situated and fortified by nature and art, being founded on a high hill, so that at pleasure it keepes the towne in command, and it is much more spacious in roomes for receipt in gardens and orchards, then the Towre of London. I was in it dayly the space of 20 dayes, and saw it royally graced with the presence of a gracious King & Queen, who were honorably attēded by a gallant courtly traine of Lords and Ladies, and Gentles, of the high Dutch and Bohemians, and where was free & bountiful entertainment to strangers in abundance: I must euer humbly and thankfully acknowledge the Queenes Maie­sties goodnesse towards mee, whose vndeserued fauours were helpful vnto me both there, and in my tedious ior­ny home-ward. Moreouer there I saw (and had in mine armes) the King and Queenes yongest son, Prince Robert, who was borne there on the 16 of December last: a goodly child as euer I saw of that age, whom with the rest I pray God to blesse; to his glory and his Parents ioy and com­fort.

The citty of Prague, hath in it (by reason of the wars) thrice the number of it's owne inhabitants, and yet for all that, victuals is in such great plenty, that 6 men can­not eate three halfe penny worth of bread, and I did buy in the market a fat goose well roast for the vallew of nine pence English, and I and my brother haue dined there at a Cookes with good roasted meate, bread and beere, so that we haue bin satisfied and left, for the vallew of fiue pence: a good turky there may bee bought for two shil­lings, and for fresh fish I neuer saw such store, for in one market day I haue knowne in Prague 2000 carps, besides other fishes, which carps in London are fiue shillings a piece, and there they were for eight pence, or ten pence at the most, so that one of their fresh fish markets heere were worth at the least 5 or 600 pounds, and as for all other manner of wild foule, they are there in sa­tiety, besides their fruites are in such abundance that I boght a basket of grapes of the quantity of halfe a pecke for a penny & farthing, & a hat-ful of faire peaches for as much, pickled cowcumbers I haue bought a pecke for three pence, and muskmellons, there hath bin cast fiue or six carts load of them in one day to their hoggs.

As concerning the dyet that is in the Kings armies, I could neuer yet heare any man complaine of want, but that it is more plentifull then in the citty, the grea­test scarcity hath bin to some sicke souldiers, who being not able to march with the leaguers (by reason of their weakenes) they haue bin left amongst the Boores, or hus­bandmen [Page] in the next villages, where their languages not vnderstood, their succour hath bin but small, but for all this in the campe hath euer bin a continuall cheapnes of all things, the King most duely paying his souldiers at the end of euery month, hauing in his great leguer, vnder the conduct of the Princes of Hollock and Anhalt, of foote and horse 43000, and at the least of carts and waggons to carry prouision, and baggage for the army, to the number of 18000. In his little leaguer vnder the leading of Count Mansfelt there are of foote and horse 7000, be­sides carrs and waggons for carriage, and yet for these great numbers of men and beastes, there is food in all a­bundance.

In the campe with Graue Mansfelt is the Brittane regi­ment vnder their Colonel Sir Andrew Gray Knight, and in Prague I met with many worthy Gentlemen and soul­diers, which were there sicke, as the worthy Captaine Bushell, Lieutenaut Grimes, Lieuetenant Langworth, Anci­ent Galbreath, Ancient Vandenbrooke, Maister Whitney, Maister Blundell and others, all which did most courte­ously entertaine me, vnto whom I must euer rest thankful, and they do affirme that now it hath pleased God to grant their souldiers recouery, that they do hope euery Brittaine souldier doth retaine more good spirit, then 3 enemies of what nation soeuer.

Thus hauing shewed part of the best things in Bohemia, the Court and Citty of Prague, it shall not be amisse if I relate a little merily, of some things there tolerable, some intollerable, some naught and some worse then naught; for as euery rose hath a prickle, and euery Bee a sting, so no earthly kingdome hath such persection of goodnesse, but it may be iustly taxed with imperfections.

Thus hauing stayd in Prague almost 3. weekes, I retur­ned from thence homeward, on tuesday, the 26. of Sep­tember, hauing in my company three Gentlemen, a wid­dow (and foure small children) whose husband and being an English man, and the Kings Brewer for Beere, deceased, and was buried there in Prague whilst I was there: the good desolate woman hauing receiued reward after se­uen yeares seruice there and at Heidelberg, being desirous to retire to her countrey (England) came with vs, with my brother, and my fellow Tilbery. We tooke two Coaches at the Castle of Prague, & in a day and halfe, we were car­ried seuen Duch miles, to a Towne in Bohemia (standing on the riuer of Elue) called Leutmeritz, at which Towne we all layd our moneyes together, and bought a boate of 48. foote in length, and not 3. foote in bredth, and be­cause we did not know the riuer, wee hired a Bohemian waterman to guide vs 15. dutch miles, to the Towne of [Page] Dreason in Saxony. But 4. miles short of that Town, which was the first Towne in the Saxon Countrey, called Pirne, where we were stayed 5. houres without the gates, til such time as the Burgamaster wold be pleased to examin vs: in the meane space our waterman (not daring to abide the terrible triall of examination, because the Duke of Saxon was in Armes against the King of Beame) hee ran away, and left vs to bring the boate downe the riuer, 600. Eng­lish miles our selues to Hamburgh.

But now to close vp all, I will relate what rare dyet, excellent cookery, and sweete lodging we had in ouriour­ney in Germany: first for our comfort, after very hard get­ting of houseroome, our lodgings was euery night in straw, where lying together well littered, we honestly al­wayes left our sheetes behind vs: then at our suppers at a table square, and so broad, that two men can hardly shake hands ouer it, we being some twelue about it. Our first dish being a raw cabbadge, of the quantity of halfe a pecke, cut and chopped small, with the fat of resty bacon powred vpon it in stead of oyle; which dish must be emp­tied before we could get any more: Our second dish per­haps, a peck of boylde Apples and honey, the Apples be­ing boyled skins, stalkes, cores, and all: Thirdly, 100. Gudgeons, newly taken perhaps, yet as salt as if they had beene three yeares pickled, or twice at the East Indies, boyled with scales, guts an all, and buried in Ginger like sawdust: a fresh pike as salt as brine, boyled in flat milke, with a pound of Garlick. This was the manner of the most part of our dyet; and if we did aske them why they did salt their meate so vnreasonably, their answere was, that their beer could not be consumed, except their meat were salted extraordinarily.

[Page]If a man doe finde fault or seeme distasted with their beastly dyet, he is in danger to be thrust out of dores, and take vp his lodging in the streetes: and in the conclusion when dinner or supper is ended, then comes mine Host, or his leather lip'd Froe, with a sawcy reckoning of what they please, which sounds in our eares like a harsh Epi­logue, after a bad playe; for what they say wee must pay, their words are irreuocable (like the ancient Kings of Persia) and we must not question or aske how and how it can bee so much, but pay them their demand without grumbling to halfe a farthing.

Which made me call to minde sixe seuerall princi­pals, that doe belong to a traueller, as patience, silence, warinesse, watchfulnesse, a good stomacke, and a purse wel moneyed; for if he want any one of these, (perhaps) the other fiue will neuer bring him to his iour­nies end. A mans patience must be such, that (though he be a Barron) he must beare all abuses, either in words, lod­ging, dyet, or almost any thing, though offered from or by a sowter, a tinker, or a Merchant of tripes & turneps; his silence must be, that though he heare & vnderstand him­selfe wronged, yet he must be as dumbe as a Gudgeon or a Whiting mop: and though his mouth be shut, his wa­rinesse must be such, that his eares must be euer open, to listen and ouer-heare all dangers that may bee complot­ted against him: his watchfulnesse must be so, that he must seldome sleep with both his eyes at once, lest his throat be cut before he wake againe. But for his stomacke, hee must eate grasse with a horse, aud draffe with the hogges, for hee that cannot eate pickl'd herring broth, and dirty puddings, shall many times fast by authority, and goe to bed withont his supper: and last of all, he must haue For­tunatus [Page] or a Prince his purse, that must bee (like a drun­kards dagger) euer drawne, to pay bountifully for such wash and graines, as his valiant stomack hrth ouercome, conquered and deuoured: but of this a little in verse:

With this kinde of lodging and dyet, and with te­dious labour sometimes night and day, wee came in 14. dayes 607. miles from Prague in Bohemia, to Hambrogh on the hither skirts of Germany, the riuer hauing aboue 1000. shelues and sands, and 800. Ilands, so that a man cannot see on which side of them to goe, there being 240. mills chained in boates on the first streame, and a num­ber numberlesse of Oakes and other trees sunke with the violence of the Riuer, and sometimes fogs and mists that we could not see a boates length from vs: besides great Rocks, and stones that were fallen into the water, that any or many of these impediments do often ouerthrow boats, and drowne passengers; yet I, and my fellow Tilbery (wee being both his Maiesties watermen) did by Gods assi­stance safely escape them all, and brought our selues, as is afore-sayd, to Hamborogh, where being winde bound 10. dayes, I thanke the English Merchants, I was well welco­med, vntill at last it pleased God, the winde came faire, I [Page] tooke ship, and after 9. dayes and nights of various wea­ther (I giue prayse to the Almighty) I safely came home to my house in London, on saterday the 28. of September. 1620.