SAturday the 17. of August, 1616. (after I had taken leaue of some friends that would hardly giue me leaue to leaue them) I was associ­ated with fiue or sixe courte­ous Comrades to the Hauen of Billingsgate, where I was no sooner come, but I was shipt in a wherry for the port of Graues-end, and hauing two women and three men in my company thither, we past the way away by telling tales by turnes. Where one of the women tooke vpon her very Logically to defend the honesty of Brokers, and she maintai­ned her Paradoxicall Arguments so pithily, as if her selfe like a desperate pawne had layen seauen yeares in Lauender on sweetning in long Lane, or [Page] amongst the dogged inhabitants of Houndsditch. And one of the men replied that he thanked God he neuer had any need of them, whereupon I be­gan to suspect him to be a crafty knaue, because the Prouerbe saies, A crafty knaue needs no broker, and indeede after I had enquired what countri­man he was, he told me he was a Welch man, and a Iustices Clarke. I left him as I found him, ho­ping neuer to be troubled with his binding ouer, and withdrawing: and so landing at Graues-end, wee all went to the Christopher where wee tooke a Bachanalian farewell one of another, where I re­mained till the Munday following, awayting the comming downe of the ship that I was to be tran­sported in. About the houre of three in the after­noone, with good hope we weighed Anchor, and with a curteous tide and a gentle winde we sailed downe the riuer of Thames, as farre as the grand Oyster hauen of Quinborough, where though our ship was not Sea-sicke, yet shee cast, (Anchor I meane.)

On the morrow, being Tuesday, wee weighed, and with the friendly breath of Zephirus, aliâs a Westerne wind, our sailes being swolne, our ship called the Iudith, who with her sterne cut the li­quid mounting mountaines of Neptunes wauering territories, as nimbly as Hebrew Iudith beheaded Holofernes, so that by the bountifull fauour of him that rules both Windes and Seas, on the Thurs­day following wee espied the coast of Freezeland, and the next day wee sailed by an Iland called the Holy Land, which may bee called the Land of [Page] Lobsters, or the Countrie of Crabs for the plentie of those kinde of crawling creatures that are taken there. But we, taking time by the fore-top, let no aduantage slip, but with a merry Gale, and a friendly floud, on the Friday wee sailed vp the Ri­uer of Elue, as farre as Stoad, where we Anchou­red till the morrow, being Saturday, and the feast of S. Bartholmew the Apostle, we ariued at a bleake aliâs, a towne an English mile from Hamburgh, called Altonagh, which is so called by the Ham­burgers because it stands all-too-nigh them for their profit, beeing inhabited with diuers trades­men which doe hinder their freedome. I was no sooner landed there, but my company and my selfe went to a Dutch drinking-schoole, and ha­uing vpsefreez'd foure pots of boone beere as yel­low as gold, our host said we had foure shilling to betall, or to pay, which made me suspect it to bee a bawdy house by his large reckoning, till at last I vnderstood that the shillings hee meant were but stiuers, or three halfe pence a peece. So this terri­ble shot being discharged (which in the totall a­mounted to the sum of sixepence English,) we de­parted towards Hamburgh, where by the way I no­ted some 20. men, women, and children in diuers places of Altonagh, all deformed, some with one eye, some with hare-lips, crooke backt, splay foo­ted, halfe-nozed, or one blemish or other. I admi­ring at them, was told they were all Iewes, where­in I perceiued the Iudgement of the high Iudge of all, that had permitted Nature to deforme their formes, whose Gracelesse mindes were so much [Page] mishapen through want of Grace.

But I being entred the City of Hamburgh on the Saturday, I was presently conducted to the Eng­lish house, where I found a kinde Host, an honest hostesse, good company, store of meat, more of drinke, a true Tapster, and sweet lodging. And being at dinner, because I was a stranger, I was promoted to the chiefest place at the Table, where to obserue an olde custome, euery man did his best endeuour to hauns me for my welcome, which by interpretation is to giue a man a loafe too much out of the Brewers basket; in which kinde of Pot­shot, our English are growne such stout Profici­ents, that some of them dares bandy and contend with the Dutch their first teachers. But after they had hanced me as well as they could, and I pleas'd, they administred an oath to mee, in manner and forme as followeth; ‘Laying my hand on a full pot’

I sweare by these contents, and all that is heerein contained, that by the courteous fauour of these Gentlemen, I doe finde my selfe sufficiently han­ced, and that henceforth euer I shall acknowledge it; and that whensoeuer I shall offer to be hanced again, I shall arme my selfe with the craft of a Fox, the manners of a Hogge, the wisdome of an Asse, mixt with the ciuility of a Beare. This was the forme of the oath, which as neere as I can shall be performed on my part; and heere is to be noted that the first word a Nurse or a Mother doth teach her children if they be males, is Drinke, or Beere: So that most of them are transformed to Barrels, [Page] Firkins, and Kinderkins, alwaies fraight with Ham­burgh beere.

And though the City is not much more then halfe the bignes as London is within the walls, yet are there in it almost 800. Brewhouses, and in one day there hath beene shipped away from thence, 337. brewings of Beere, besides 13 or 14. brew­ings haue beene wrackt or stayed in the towne, as not sufficient to be bezelled in the Country.

The Saturday beeing thus past, and Sunday come, I went toward the English Church, where I obserued many shops open, buying and selling, chopping and changing of all maner of wares, with the streetes furnished with Apples, Peares, Plums, Nuts, Grapes, or any thing else that an ordinary Market can afford, as commonly as if the Sab­baoth were but a bare ceremony without a Com­mandement. In which I note the Iewes in their execrable superstition, to be more deuout and ob­seruant, then these Pedlars in their profession; for on the Saturday (beeing the Iewes Sabaoth) they neglect all humane affares▪ and betake them­selues irreligiously to their misbeleeuing faithlesse religion.

The Sermon being ended at the English Church, I walked in the afternoone with a friend of mine, (an Inhabitant of the Towne) to see and to be seene, where at one of the gates was placed a strong guard of Souldiers with Muskets, Pikes, Halberts, and other warlike accoutrements, I as­ked the cause, and I was informed it was because of the building of certaine new mounts and Bul­warks, [Page] which were partly erected without the old wall: And when I perceiued these fortifications, I was amazed, for it is almost incredible for the number of men and horses that are daily set on worke about it, besides the work it selfe is so great that it is past the credit of Report, and as I suppose will prooue most inexpugnable and inuincible Rampiers to strengthen the Towne on that side against the inuasiue attempts of the greatest Mo­narke that should assaile them.

But after much musing, walking further to­wards the fields, I espied foure or fiue pretty par­cels of modesty goe very friendly into a counsell­house by the wayes side, as we and thousands of people vsed to passe; they were handsome young Girles of the age of 18. or 20. yeares a peece, and although they had a door to shut, yet they know­ing their businesse to bee necessary and naturall, sate still in louing and neighbourly manner: so ha­uing traced a turne or two, wee returned into the Towne againe, and entring a long Garden with­in the walls, some of the Townes-men were shoo­ting for wagers at a marke with their muskets: some bowling: some at slide-thrift, or shouell­boord: some dancing before a blinde fidler and his cowbellied, dropsie, durty drabb: some at one game, some at another, most of them drinking, and all of them drunke, that though it was a Sab­both, which should wholly be dedicated to God, yet by the abvse of these bursten-gutted bibbers, they made it an after-noone consecrated, or more truely execrated to the seruice of hell, and to the [Page] great amplification of the Deuills kingdome.

But leauing them to their drunken designes, I re­turn'd toward my lodging, where by the way I saw at the common Iayle of the town, a great number of people were clustred together, I asked the cause of their concourse, and I was certified that there was a Prisoner to be broken vpon the wheele the next day, and that these idle Gazers did prease to gape vpon him for want of better imployments, I being as inquisitiue after nouelties, as a Traueller of my small experience might be, enquired earnest­ly the true cause of the next daies execution: my friend told me that the Prisoner was a poore Car­penter dwelling in the Towne, who lately hauing stolne a Goose, and plucking it within his doores, a little Girle, (his daughter in Law) went out of his house, & left the dore open, by which meanes, the owner of the Goose passing by, espied the wretched theefe very diligently picking what hee before had beene stealing, to whom the owner [Page] said; Neighbour I now perceiue which way my Geese vse to goe, but I will haue you in question for them, and so away he went: the Caitife being thus reproued grew desperate, and his child com­ming into his house; ye yong whore, quoth hee, must ye leaue my dore open for folkes to looke in vpon me? and with that word, hee tooke a Hat­chet, and with a fatall cursed stroake, he cloue the childes head: for the which murder hee was con­demned and iudged to be broaken aliue vpon the wheele. Close to the Iayle I espied a house of free stone, round and flat roofed, and leaded, vpon the which was erected the true picture of a most vn­matchable Hang-man; and now I am entred into a discourse of this braue abiect, or subiect, you must vnderstand that this fellow is a merry, a mad and a subsidie hangman, to whom our Tyburne Tatterdemallian, or our Wapping windpipe-stret­cher, is but a Raggamuffin, not woorth the hang­ing: for this teare-throat Termagant is a fellow in Folio, a commander of such great command, & of such greatnesse to command, that I neuer saw any that in that respect could countermand him: For his making is almost past description, no Saracens head seemes greater, and sure I thinke his braine­pan if it were emptied, (as I thinke hee hath not much braine in it,) would well containe halfe a bushell of mault, his shaggie haire and beard would stuffe a Cusheon for Charons boate, his Imbost nose and embroydered face, would furnish a Iew­eller; his eies well dried, would make good Ten­nis-balls, or shot for a small peece of Ordinance, [Page] his yawning mouth would serue for a Connibor­row, and his two ragged rowes of teeth, for a stone wall, or a Pale; then hath hee a necke like one of Hercules his pillars, with a winde-pipe, (or rather a beere pipe) as bigge as the boare of a Demiculue­ring, or a woodden pumpe; through which con­duit halfe a brewing of Hamburgh beere doth run downe into his vnmeasurable paunch, wherein is more midriff, guts and garbage then three tripe­wiues could be able to vtter before it stunke. His post-like legges were answerable to the rest of the great frame which they supported, and to con­clude, sir Beuis, Ascapart, Gogmagog, or our Eng­lish sir Iohn Falstaff, were but shrimpes to this bez­zeling Bombards longitude, latitude, altitude, and crassitude, for hee passes, and surpasses the whole Germane multitude.

And as he is great in corpulency, so is he pow­erfull in potency, for figuratiuely he hath spiritu­all resemblance of Romish authority, and in some sort hee is a kinde of demy-Pope, for once a yeere in the dogge-daies he sends out his men with bats in stead of Buls, with full power from his greatnes to knocke downe all the curs without contradic­tion, whose masters or owners will not be at the charge to buy a pardon for them of his mightines, which pardon is more dureable then the Popes of waxe or parchment, for his is made of a piece of the hide of an Oxe, a Horse, or such lasting stuffe, which with his stigmaticall stampe or seale is han­ged about euery dogs necke who is freed from his [Page] furie by the purchase of his pardon. And sure I am perswaded that these dogges are more sure of their liues with the hangmans pardon, then the poore besotted blinded Papists are of their sedu­ced soules from any pardon of the Popes.

The priuiledges of this graund haulter-master are many, as he hath the emptying of all the vaults or draughts in the city, which no doubt he gaines some sauour by. Besides all Oxen, Kine, Horses, Hogs, Dogs, or any such beasts, if they dye them­selues, or if they be not like to liue, the hang-man must knocke them on the heads, and haue their skins: and whatsoeuer inhabitant in his iurisdicti­on doth any of these things aforesaid himselfe, is abhorred and accounted as a villaine without re­demption. So that with hangings, headings, brea­kings, pardoning and killing of dogges, flaying of beasts, emptying vaults, and such priuy commo­dities, his whole reuenue sometimes amounts to 4. or 5. hundred pounds a yeere. And hee is held in that regard and estimation, that any man will con­uerse and drinke with him, nay sometimes the Lords of the Towne will feast with him, and it is accounted no impeachment to their honours; for he is held in the ranke of a Gentleman, (or a ranke Gentleman) and he scornes to bee clad in the cast weedes of executed offenders: No, he goes to the Mercers, and hath his Sattin, his Veluet, or what stuffe he pleases, measured out by the yard or the ell, with his gould and siluer lace, his silke stock­ings, laced spangled garters and roses, hat and fea­ther [Page] with foure or fiue brauè villaines attending him in Liuery cloakes, who haue stipendary meanes from his ignominious bounty.

Monday the 19. of August, about the houre of 12. at noone, the people of the towne in great mul­titudes flocked to the place of execution; which is halfe a mile English without the gates, built more like a sconce then a Gallowes, for it is walled and ditched about with a draw-bridge, and the pri­soner came on foot with a Diuine with [...]im, all the way exhorting him to repentance, and because death should not terrifie him, they had giuen him many rowses and carowses of wine and beere: for it is the custome there to make such poore wret­ches drunke, whereby they may be sencelesse ey­ther of Gods mercy or their owne miserie; but be­ing prayed for by others, they themselues may die resolutely, or (to be feared) desperately.

But the prisoner beeing come to the place of death, hee was by the officers deliuered to the hangman, who entring his strangling fortification with two graund hangmen more and their men, which were come from the city of Lubeck, and a­nother towne, (which I cannot name) to assist their Hamburghian brother in this great and weighty worke: the draw-bridge was drawne vp, and the prisoner mounted on a mount of earth, built high on purpose that the people without may see the execution a quarter of a mile round about: foure of the hangmans men takes each of them a small halter, and by the hands and the feet they hold the [Page] prisoner extended all abroad lying on his backe: then the Arch-hangman, or the great Master of this mighty busines tooke vp a wheele, much a­bout the bignesse of one of the fore wheeles of a Coach: and first hauing put off his doublet, his hat, and being in his shirt as if he meant to play at tennis, he tooke the wheele, and set it on the edge, and turned it with one hand like a top or a whiri­gigg, then he tooke it by the spoaks, and lifting it vp with a mighty stroke he beat one of the poore wretches leggs in peeces, (the bones I meane) at which hee rored grieuously; then after a little pawse he breakes the other legg in the same man­ner, and consequently breakes his armes, and then he stroke foure or fiue maine blowes on his breast, and burst all his bulke and chest in shiuers, lastly he smoate his necke, and missing, burst his chin and iawes to mammocks; then hee tooke the broken mangled corps, and spreads it on the wheele, and thrusts a great post or pile into the Naue or hole of the wheele, and then fixed the post into the earth some sixe foot deepe, being in height aboue the ground, some tenne or twelue foote, and there the carkasse must lye till it be consumed by all­consuming time, or rauening fowles.

This was the terrible manner of this horrid ex­ecution, and at this place are twenty posts with those wheeles, or peeces of wheeles, with heads of men nailed on the top of the posts, with a great spike driuen through the skull. The seuerall kinds of torments which they inflict vpon offenders in [Page] those parts, makes me to imagine our English han­ging to be but a flea-biting.

Moreouer, if any man in those parts are to be beheaded, the fashion is, that the Prisoner kneeles downe, and being blinded with a Napkin, one takes hold of the haire of the crowne of the head, holding the party vpright, whilest the hangman with a backward blow with a sword will take the head from a mans shoulders so nimbly, and with such dexterity, that the owner of the head shall neuer misse the want of it. And if it be any mans fortune to be hanged for neuer so small a crime, though he be mounted whole, yet hee shall come downe in peeces, for he shall hang till euery ioynt and limbe drop one from another.

They haue strange torments and varieties of deaths, according to the various nature of the of­fences that are committed: as for example, he that countersets any Princes coyne, and is prooued a Coyner, his iudgement is to be boyled to death in oyle, not throwne into the vessell all at once, but with a pully or a Rope to bee hanged vnder the Armepits, and let downe into the oyle by degrees: first the feete, and next the legs, and so to boyle his flesh from his bones aliue. For those that set houses on fire wilfully, they are smoked to death, as first there is a pile or post fixed in the ground, and within an English Ell of the top of it is a peece of wood nailed crosse, wherepuon the offender is made fast sitting, then ouer the top of the post is whelmed a great tub or Dryfat, which doth couer [Page] or ouerwhelme the prisoner as low as his middle. Then vnderneath the executioner hath wet straw, hay, stubble, or such kinde of stuffe, which is fired, but by reason it is wet and danke, it doth not burn but smolder and smoake, which smoake ascends vp into the tub where the Prisoners head is, and not being able to speake, hee will heaue vp and downe with his belly, and people may perceiue him in these torments to liue three or foure houres,

Adultery there, if it bee prooued, is punished with death, as the losse of both the parties heads, if they be both married, or if not both, yet the the married party must dye for it, and the o­ther must endure some easier punishment, ey­ther by the purse or carkasse; which in the end proues little better then halfe a hanging.

But as after a tempest a calme is best welcome; so I imagine it not amisse after all this tragicall harsh discourse, to sweeten the Readers pallat with a few Comicall reports which were related vnto me, wherein, if I seeme fabulous, it must be remembred that I claime the priuiledge of a traueller, who hath authority to report all that hee heares and sees, and more too. I was informed of a fellow that was hanged somewhat neere the high way, within a mile or two of Collein, and the fashion being to hang him with a halter and a chaine, that when the haulter is rotten with the weather, the carkasse drops a butten hole lower into the chaine. Now it fortuned that this fellow [Page] was executed on a winters afternoone towards night, and being hanged, the chaine was shorter then the halter, by reason whereof hee was not strangled, but by the gamming of the chaine which could not slip close to his necke, he hanged in great torments vnder the Iawes, it happened that as soone as hee was trust vp, there fell a great storme of raine and winde, whereupon all the peo­ple ran away from the Gallowes to shelter them­selues. But night being come, and the moone shining bright, it chanced that a Country Boore, or a waggoner and his Sonne with him were dri­uing their empty waggon by the place where the fellow was hanged, who being not choaked, in the extremity of his paines did stirre his legges and writhe and crumple his body, which the waggo­ners Sonne perceiued, and said; Father looke, the man vpon the Gallowes doth mooue: quoth the olde man he moues indeed, I pray thee let vs make hast, and put the Waggon vnder the Gibbet, to see if we can vnhang and saue him. This beeing said was quickely done, and the wretch halfe dead was laid in straw in the Boores wagon, and carri­ed home, where with good attendance he was in foure or fiue daies recouered to his health, but that he had a cricke in his necke, and the crampe in his iawes. The olde man was glad that he had done so good a deed, (as he thought) began to giue the thiefe Fatherly counsell, and told him that it was Gods great mercy towards him to make mee (quoth he) the Instrument of thy deliuerance, and [Page] therefore looke that thou make good vse of this his gracious fauour towards thee, and labour to redeeme the time thou hast mispent, get thee in­into some other Princes countrey, where thy for­mer crimes may not bring thee into the danger of the Law againe, and there with honest industrious endeuours get thy liuing.

The theefe seemed willing to entertaine these good admonitions, and thanked the Boore and his Sonne, telling them that the next morning he would be gone▪ and if euer his fortunes made him able, he promised to be so gratefull vnto them that they should haue cause to say their great cur­tesies were well bestowed vpon him▪ but all his sugred sweet promises, were in the proofe but Gall and wormwood in the performance: for this gracelesse Caitiffe arose betimes in the morning, and drew on a paire of Bootes and spurs which were the mans sonnes of the house, and slipping out of the dores, went to the stable and stole one of his kinde hosts best horses, and away rode hee. The man and his Sonne, when they were vp and missed the thiefe and the horse, were amazed at the ingratitude of the wretch, and withall speed his sonne and he rode seuerall waies in pursuit of him, and in briefe one of them tooke him, and brought him backe to their house againe, and when it was night they bound him, and laid him in their wagon (hauing deafe eares, and hardened hearts to all his intreaties) and away to the Gal­lowes where they found him hanging, there they [Page] with the halter being a little shortned, they left him. The next day the Country people wondred to see him hanging there againe, for they had seene him hanged, and missed him gone, and now to be thus strangely and priuately come againe in boots and spurs, whereas they remembred at his first hanging he had shoes and stockings, it made them muse what iourney he had beene riding, and what a mad Ghest he was to take the Gallowes for his Inne, or (as I suppose) for his end.

The rumour of this accident being bruited a­brood, the people came far and neere to see him, all in generall wondring how these things should come to passe. At last, to cleere all doubts, pro­clamations were published with pardon, and a reward to any that could discouer the truth, wher­upon the old Boore and Sonne came in and rela­ted the whole circumstance of the matter.

At another place (the hangmans place being void) there were two of the bloud, (for it is to be noted that the succession of that office doth lineal­ly descend from the Father to the Sonne, or to the next of the bloud) which were at strife for the pos­session of this high indignity. Now it happened that two men were to be beheaded at the same towne, and at the same time, and (to auoid suite in Law for this great prerogatiue) it was concluded by the Arbitrators, that each of these new hang­men should execute one of the prisoners, and hee that with greatest cunning and sleight could take the head from the body, should haue the place, to [Page] this they all agreed, & the Prisoners were brought forth, where one of the Executioners did binde a red silke thred double about his prisoners necke, the threds beeing distant one from another onely the bredth of one thred, and he promised to cut off the head with a backward blow with a sword, be­tweene the threds. The other called his prisoner aside, and told him that if he would bee ruled by him, hee should haue his life saued, and besides, (quoth he) I shall be sure to haue the office. The Prisoner was glad of the motion, and said he wold doe any thing vpon these conditions, then said the hangman, when thou art on thy knees, and hast said thy prayers, and that I doe lift vp my Axe, (for I will vse an Axe) to strike thee, I will cry Hem, at which word doe thou rise and run away, (thou knowest none will stay thee if thou canst once escape after thou art deliuered into my cu­stody, it is the fashion of our countrie) and let me alone to shift to answer the matter. This being said, or whispered, the heads-man with the sword did cut off his prisoners head iust betweene the threds as hee had said, which made all the people wonder at the steddinesse of his hand, and most of them iudged that he was the man that was and would be fittest to make a mad hangman of.

But as one tale is good till another be told, and as there be three degrees of good, better, and best, so this last hangman did much exceed and ecclips the others cunning: For his prisoner being on his knees, and he lifting vp his axe to giue the fatall [Page] blow, Hem said he (according to promise) where­upon the fellow arose and ran away, but when he had ran some seuen or eight paces, the hangman threw the axe after him, and strooke his head smoothly from his shoulders: now for al this, who shall haue the place is vnknowne, for they are yet in Law for it; and I doubt not but before the matter be ended, that the lawyers will make them exercise their owne trades vpon themselues to end the controuersie. This tale doth sauour somwhat hyperbolicall, but I wish the Reader to beleeue no more of the matter then I saw, and there is an end.

At another Towne there stood an olde ouer­worne despised paire of Gallowes, but yet not so old but they will last many a faire yeare with good vsage, but the Townsmen a little distance from them built another pair, in a more stately Geome­tricall port and fashion, whereupon they were de­manded why they would be at the charge to erect a new Gallowes, hauing so sufficient an old one: they answered, that those old Gallowes should serue to hang fugitiues and strangers; but those new ones were built for them and their heires for euer. Thus much for Hangmen, Theeues, and Gallowses.

Yet one thing more for theeues: In Hamburgh those that are not hanged for theft, are chained 2. or three together, and they must in that sort sixe or seauen yeares draw a dung-cart, and clense the streetes of the towne, & euery one of those theeues [Page] for as many yeares as he is condemned to that slauery, so many bells he hath hanged at an iron aboue one of his shoulders, and euery yeare a bell is taken off, till all are gone, and then he is a free­man againe, and I did see ten or twelue of these Carts, and some of the theeues had seuen bels, some 5. some 6. some one, but such a noyse they make, as if all the Deuils in hell were dancing the morrice.

Hamburgh is a free City, not being subiect to the Emperor, or any other Prince, but onely go­uerned by 24 Burgomasters, whereof two are the chiefe, who are clled Lords, adn doe hold that dignity from their first election during their liues; The buildings are all of bricke, of one vniforme fashion, very lofty and stately, it is wonderfull po­pulous, and the water with boates comes through most of the streetes of the Towne.

Their Churches are most gloriously set forth, as the most of them couered with copper, with ve­ry lofty spires, and within sides they are adorned with crucifixes, Images and pictures, which they doe charily keepe for ornaments, but not for idle or idoll adoration; In Saint Iacobs and in Saint Ca­therines Churches, there is in one of them a Pul­pit of Alablaster, and in the other a paire of such Organs, which for worth and workemanship are vnparalelld in Christendome, as most trauellers doe relate.

The women there are no fashion-mongers, but they keepe in their degrees one continuall habite, [Page] as the Richer sort doe weare a Huicke, which is a robe of cloth or stuffe plaited, and the vpper part of it is gathered and sowed to a thing in the forme of an English potlid, with a tassell on the top, and so put vpon the head, and the garment goes ouer her ruffe and face if she please, and so down to the ground, so that a man may meet his owne wife, and perhaps not know her from another Wo­man.

They haue no Porters to beare burdens, but they haue bigge burly-bon'd knaues with their wiues that doe daily draw Carts any whether vp and downe the towne, with Marchants goods or any other imployments: And it is reported that these Cart-drawers are to see the rich men of the Towne prouided of milch-nurses for their chil­dren, which nurses they call by the name of Ams, so that if they doe want a nurse at any time, these fellowes are cursed, because they haue not got­ten wenches enough with childe to supply their wants.

But if a man of any fashion doe chance to goe astray to a house of iniquity, the whilst he is in the house at his drudgery, another of the whores will go to the Sherif, (which they call the Rightheere) and informe that such a man is in such a suspected howse, then is his comming forth narrowly wat­ched, and hee is taken and brought before the Right-heere, and examined, where if he be a man of credit, he must, and will pay forty, fifty, or sixty Rex Dollors before hee will haue his reputation [Page] called in question. Of which money, the queane that did informe shall haue her reward.

A Lawyer hath but a bad trade there, for any Cause or Controuersie is tried and determined in three daies, Quirks, Quiddits, Demurs, Habeas Corposes, Sursararaes, Procedendoes, or any such dilatory Law-tricks are abolished, and not worth a button there.

But aboue all, I must not forget the rare acti­ons and humours of a Quacksaluer or Mounte­banke, or to speake more familiarly, a shadow of a skilfull Chirurgian. This fellow beeing clad in an ancient doublet of decayed Satin, with a Spruce Leather Ierkin with Glasse buttons, the rest of his attire being correspondent, was mounted vpon a Scaffold, hauing shelues set with Viols, Galli­pots, Glasses, Boxes, and such like stuffe, wherein as he said, were Waters, Oyles, Vnguents, Em­plasters, Ellectuaries, Vomits, Purges, and a world of neuer heard of Drugs; and being mounted (as I said) he and his man begin to proclaime all their skill and more, hauing a great number of idle and ignorant gazers on, he began as followeth (as I was informed by my Interpreter) for I vnderstood not one worde he spake.)

I Iacomo Compostella, Practitioner in Physicke, Chyrurgery, and the Mathematicks, being a man famous through Europe, Asia, Affricke and Ame­rica, from the Orientall exaltation of Titan, to his Occidentall declination, who for the Testimony of my skill, and the rare Cures that I haue done, [Page] haue these Princes hands and seales; as first the great Cham of Tartaria, in whose Court, onely with this Water, which is the Ellixar of Henbane diafracted in a Diurnall of ingredients Hippocra­tonticke, Auicenian, and Catarackt, With this did I cure the great Dutchesse of Promulpho of the cramp in her tongue: and with this Oyle did I restore the Emperor Gregory Euanowich of a Con­vulsion in his Pericranion. From thence I trauel­led through Slauonia, where I met with Mustapha Despot of Seruia, who at that time was intolera­bly vexed with a Spasmus, so that it often droue him into a Syncope with the violent obstructions of the conflagerating of his Vaines. Onely with this precious Vnguent being the Quintessence of Mugwort, with Auripigmenty terragrophicated in a Limbecke of Christalline Translucency, I reco­uered him to his former health, and for my reward I had a Barbary Horse with rich Caparisons, a tur­kish Semitar, a Persian Robe, and 2000. Hunga­rian Ducats.

Besides, here are the hands and seales of Poto­hamacke, Adelantado of Prozewgma, and of Gulch Flownderscurse chiefe Burgomaster of Bel­grade, and of diuers Princes and estates, which to auoid tedious prolixity I omit. But good people if you or any other be troubled with Apoplexies, Palsies, Cramps, Lethargies, Cataracks, Quincies, Tisicks, Pleurisies, Coghs, Headaches, Tertian, Quartan, and Quotidian Agues, burning Feuers, Iawndizes, Dropsies, Collicks, Illiaca passio's, the [Page] Stone, the Strangury, the Poxe, Plague, Botches, Biles, Blanes, Scabs, Scurfs, Manage, Leprosies, Cankers, Megrimms, Mumps, Fluxes, Meazels, Murreins, Gouts, Consumptions, Tooth-ache, Ruptures, Hernia Aquosa, Hernia Ventosa, Her­nia Carnosa, or any other malladie, that dares af­flict the body of man or woman, come and buy while you may haue it for money, for I am sent for speedily to the Emperour of Trapezond about affaires of great Importance that highly concernes his royall person.

Thus almost two houres did this fellow with embost words, and most laborious action, talke and sweat to the people, that vnderstood no more what hee said, then hee himselfe vnderstood him­selfe. And I thinke his whole takings for simple compounds did amount in the totall to 9. pence sterling.

But leauing Hamburgh, (hauing gathered these few obseruations aforesaid) out of it I went Au­gust 28. and my first iaunt of my trauels was by water, to a Towne called Buckstahoo, it is a little walled Towne, and stands on the other side of the Riuer, three miles (as they call it) from Hamburgh. The boate wee passed in is called an Iuar, not so good as a Graues-end barge, yet I thinke it bee as great, and the three miles longer then from Lon­don to Graues-end, for I am sure that we were go­ing nine houres before we could be landed: Our passage cost vs threepence a peece, and one thing I remember well, that the lazie water-men will sit [Page] still all (or the most part of) the way, whilest their passengers, (be they neuer so rich or poore, all is one to them, be they men or women) they must rowe by turnes, an houre or such a matter: and we landed in the night at a place called Crants, where all the passengers were to goe to supper, but such diet we had that the Prouerbe was truely verified, God sent meat, and the Deuill sent Cookes; for as there was no respect of persons in the boate, so all fel­lowes at the Table, and all once price, the Pala­tine and the Plebeian: our first messe was great platters of blacke broath, in shape like new tarre, and in tast Cosen Germane, to slut pottage; our second were dishes of Eeeles, chop'd as small as hearbs, and the broth they were in as salt as brine: then had wee a boyld Goose, with choake peares and carrats, buried in a deepe dish; and when wee demanded what was to pay, it was but three pence a man, I mused at the cheapnesse of it, but afterward they came vpon vs with a fresh rec­koning of fiue pence a man for beere, for they ne­uer count their meate and drinke together, but bring in seuerall reckonings for them: but the morning being come, we hired a Boores Wagon, to carry vs to a place called Citizen, three miles there, or 12. English miles from Buckstahoo: a little bald dorp it is, where we came about noone, and found such slender entertainment, that we had no cause to boast of our good cheere, or our Hostesse Cookery. We hauing▪ refreshed our selues, and hyred a fresh Wagon, away wee went two miles [Page] further to another Dorp called Rodonburgh, this village belongeth to the Bishop of Rodonburgh, who hath a faire house there, stronglie walled and deepely ditched and moated about, very de­fensible, with draw-bridges, and good Ordi­nance. This Bishop is a temporall Lord, notwith­standing his spirituall title; and no doubt but the flesh preuailes aboue the Spirit with him; So the Bishops of Breame, Luningburgh, and diuers other places in Germany, doe very charitably take the fleece, (for they themselues neuer looke to the flocke) by reason they vse no Ecclesiasticke fun­ction, but onely in name.

Being lodged at Rodonburgh, in a stately Inne, where the Host, Hostesse, Guests, Cowes, Horses, Swine, lay all in one Roome; yet I must confesse their beds to be very good, and their linnen sweet, but in those parts they vse no couerlet, rugge or blanket, but a good featherbed vndermost, with cleane sheetes, pillowes, and pillowbeares, and a­nother featherbed vppermost, with a faire sheet a­boue all, so that a mans lodging is like a womans lying In, all white.

August the 30. wee went from Rodonburgh, and about noone wee came to an olde walled towne, called Feirden, it hath two Churches in it, and the hangmans statue very artificially car­ued in stone, and set on a high pillar, with▪ a rod rampant in his hand, at this towne I met with sixe strangers, all trauellers, where we went to din­ner together all at one table, and euery man ope­ned [Page] his knapsack or budget with victualls; (for he that carries no meat with him, many fast by autho­rity in most places of that country) but to note the kindnes of these people one to another, some had bread and a boxe of salt butter, some had raw ba­con, some had cheese, some had pickled herring, some dried beefe, and amongest the rest, I had brought three ribs of rost beefe, and other proui­sion from Hanburgh: to conclude, wee drew all like fidlers, and fed (for the most part) like swine for euery man eat what was his owne, and no man did proffer one bit of what he had to his neighbor, so he that had cheese must dine with cheese, for he that had meat would offer him none; I did cut e­uery one a part of my rost beefe; which my guide told me they would not take well because it is not the fashion of the Countrey: I tried, and found them very tractable to take any thing that was good, so that I perceiued their modesty to take one from another, proceedes from their want of manners to offer. But dinner being done, away wee went ouer a bridge, in the midst whereof is a Iynn, made in the likenesse of a great Lanthorne, it is hanged on a turning Gybbet, like a Crane: so that it may be turned on the bridge, and ouer the Riuer, as they shall please that haue occasion to vse it. It is bigge enough to hold two men, and it is for this purpose, if any one or more doe rob gar­dens or orchards, or cornefields, (if they be taken) he or they are put into this same whirligigge, or kickumbob, and the gybbet being turned, the of­fender [Page] hangs in this Cage ouer the Riuer some 12 or 14 foot from the water, then there is a small line made fast to the party some 5. or 6. fadome, and with a tricke which they haue, the bottome of the cage drops out, and the thiefe fals sodenly into the water. I had not gone farre, but at the end of the bridge I saw an olde chappell, which in olde time they say was dedicated to S ^t. Frodswicke, which hath the day after S. Luke the Euangelist: I entring in, perceiued it was a charitable Chappell, for the dores and windowes were alwaies open, by rea­son there were none to shut, and it was a common receptacle for beggars and rogues. There was the image of our Lady, with a vaile ouer her, made (as I thinke) of a Bakers bolter, and Saint Peter houl­ding a candle to her. I cut a peece of her Vaile, and taking Peter by the hand at my departure, the kind Image (I know not vpon what acquaintance) be­ing loose handed, let me haue his hand with mee, which being made of wood, by reason of ruinous antiquity, burst of in the handling: which two pre­cious relickes I brought home with me to defend me and all my friends from sparrow blasting.

From this place we were glad to trauell on foot one dutch mile to a Dorpe called Durfurne, where we hired a Boores waggon to a town called Nein­burgh, but we could not reach thither by 2 English miles, so that we were glad to lodge in a barne that night: On the morrow early, we arose and came to Nienburgh, which is a little walled town, belonging to that Bishopricke from whence it is so named. [Page] There we staied 3. houres before wee could get a Waggon, at last we were mounted to a Dorpe cal­led Leiz, two Dutch miles; I would haue bargai­ned with the Boore to haue carried vs to Dorne, which I bade my guide tell him it was but a mile further, a mile quoth the Boore, indeed we call it no more, but it was measured with a dogge, and they threw in the taile and all to the bargaine; so to Leiz he carried vs, and there we found a Waggon of Dorne homeward bound, which made vs ride the cheaper; but it was the longest mile that euer I rode or went, for surely it is as much as some ten of our miles in England. But hauing ouercome it at last, from thence I tooke a fresh Waggon to car­ry me two miles further to a towne called Bucka­burghe, where I had, and haue, I hope, a brother residing; to whom my iourney was entended, and with whom my Perambulation was at a pe­riod. This towne of Buckaburgh is wholely and solely belonging to the Grass or Graue of Shom­burgh, a Prince of great command and eminence, absolute in his authority and power, not coun­termanded by the Emperour, or any other fur­ther then curtesie requires; and in a word, hee is one of the best accomplisht Gentlemen in Europe for his person, port, and princely magnificence. He hath there to his inestimable charge, built the towne, with many goodly houses, streets, Lanes, a strong wall, and a deepe ditch, all well furnished with munition and artillery, with a band of Soul­diers which he keepeth in continuall pay, allowing [Page] euery man a Doller a weeke, and double apparell euery yeere. Besides, hee hath built a stately Church, being aboue 120. steps to the roofe, with a faire paire of Organes, a curious carued Pulpit, and all other ornaments belonging to the same. His owne Pallace may well be called an earthly Paradice, which if I should run into the praise of the description of, I should bring my wits into an intricate Labyrinth, that I should hardly find the way out: yet according to the imbecillity of my memory, I will onely touch a little at the shadow of it, and let the substance stand where it doth.

At the front or outward gate is a most stately Arch, vpon the top whereof is erected the image of Enuy, (as great as a demy Colossus) betweene two Dragons, all guilt with gold; before the gate is an iron grate to open & shut as it were of flow­ers or worke of Embroydery, at which gate stands alwaies a court of Guard, and a Sentinell, and at the lower part of the Arch is the Princes title or in Capitall letters as followeth; ‘ERNESTVS, DEI GRATIA, CO­MES HOLST, Scomburgh, Sternburgh, &c.’

After I was entred within the outward gate, I was shewed his stables, where I saw very faire and goodly horses, both for warre and other vses, a­mongst the rest there was one naturally spotted like a Leopard, or Panther, and is called by the name of Leopard, a stately couragious beast, and so formed as if Nature had laid all hir cunning [Page] aside, onely to compose that Horse, and indeed I must acknowledge that hee was made for the ser­uice of some great Prince, and not for any inferior Person.

Passing further, I came to another Court of Guard, and ouer a draw-bridge, into the inner court, where on the right hand, I was conducted into the Chappell, in which Chappell, if it were possible that the hand of mortall men (with artifi­ciall workemanship) could visibly set forth the magnificent glory of the immortal Creator, then absolutely there it is, but beeing impossible so to doe, (as neere as I can) I will describe it; the paue­ment is all of blacke and gray marble, curiously wrought with Chequer-worke, the seats and pues are carued Wainscot of wonderfull cunning and workemanship: the roofe is adorned with the sta­tues of Angels and Cherubins, many in number, all so richly guilded, as if Gold were as plentifull as peauter, there could not be more liberality be­stowed: besides there are a faire set of Organs, with a braue sweete Quire of Queristers: so that when they sing, the Lutes, Viols, Bandoraes, Or­gans, Recorders, Sagbuts, and other musicall In­struments, all strike vp together, with such a glo­rious delicious harmony, as if the Angelicall mu­sicke of the spheares were descended into that earthly Tabernacle. The Prince himselfe is a Pro­testant, very zealous in his Prayer, and diligent in his attention to the Preacher, who although I vn­derstood not, yet I perceiued he was a good Di­uine [Page] who grauely and sincerely with reuerence and eloquent Elocution deliuered the breade of life to the vnderstanding Auditors.

In this Towne I stayd with my brother from Saturday the last of August, till the Thursday fol­lowing which was the fifth of September. When I was conducted an English mile on my way by certaine of my countrey-men my Lords Musici­ans, where we dranke and parted, onely my Bro­ther and my Guide brought mee that night to a strong walled Towne called Minden, which stan­deth on the riuer of Weazer, and belongeth to the Bishop of that See. On the morrow I walked to see the Towne, where I bought 36. cheeses for eight pence, and a yard and halfe of pudding for fiue pence, which I brought into England for ra­rities. So about noone wee tooke a boat to passe downe the Riuer, which boat is much longer then any westerne barge, but nothing neere so broad, it was halfe laden with lime and chalke, and by reason the winde blew hard, we were al­most choaked with the flying and scattering of that dusty commodity. Besides the water was so shallow, that we ran a ground 3. or 4. times, and sometimes an houre, sometimes lesse before wee could get a float againe: which made mee and my Guide goe a shore at a village called Peter­haghen, where we hired a waggon to Leize, where wee stayd all night, (being come into our olde way againe) where were a crew of strowling rogues and whores that tooke vpon them the name of AEgyptians, Iuglers and Fortune tellers, [Page] and indeede one of them helde the Good-wife with a tale, the whilst another was picking her chest, and stole out ten dollors, which is fortie shillings, and she that talked with her, looked in her hand, and tolde her that if shee did not take great heede, she knew by her Art that some mis­chance was neere her: which prooued true, for her money was gone the whilst her fortune was telling.

But I appoynted a waggon ouer night to bee ready by three of the clocke in the morning, when I arose and applyed my trauell so hard by changing fresh waggons, so that that day I came as farre as Rodonburgh, which was nine Dutch miles, where I stayd that night: The next day be­ing Sunday the eighth of September, wee tooke waggon towards Buckstahoo, we had a mad merry Boore, with an hundred totters about him; and now I thinke it fit a little to describe these Boores, their natures, habits, and vnmannerly manners. In our English tongue the name Bore or Boore doth truely explane their swinish condition, for most of them are as full of humanity as a Bacon­hogge, or a Bore, and their wiues as cleanely and and courteous as Sowes. For the most part of the men they are clad in thinne buckerom, vnlined, barelegged and footed, neither band or scarce shirt, no woollen in the world about them, and thus will they runne through all weathers for mo­ney by the waggons side, and though no better apparrelled, yet all of them haue houses, land, or manuall meanes to liue by: The substantiall [Page] Boores I did meet aboue 120. of them that Sun­day, with euery one an hatchet in his hand, I mu­sed at it, and thought they had been going to fell wood that day, but my Guide told me they were all going to Church, and that in stead of cloakes they carried hatchets, and that it was the fashion of the Country: wherupon it came to my mind, Cloake, quasi Cleaue-oake, ergo the Boores weare hatchets in steede of cloakes.

There are other fashion Boores, who weare white linnen breeches as close as Irish trouzes, but so long, that they are turned vp at the shooe in a role like a maides sleeues at the hand, but what these fellowes want in the bignesse of their hose, they haue in dublets, for their sleeues are as big as breeches and the bodies great enough to hold a kinderkin of beere and a barrell of butter.

The Countey is very full of woods, and especi­ally oakes, which they very seldome cut downe, because of the mast for their swine, which liue there in great abundance. If any man bee slaine or murthered on the way, they vse to set vp a woodden crosse in the place, for a memoriall of the bloody fact committed there, and there were many of those woodden crosses in the way as I trauelled.

They seldom haue any robbery committed a­mongst them, but there is a murther with it, for their vnmannerly manner is, to knocke out a mans braines first, or else to lurke behinde a tree, and shoot a man with a peece or a pistoll, and so make sure worke with the passenger, and then search his pockets.

[Page] It is as dangerous to steale or kill an hare in some places there, as it is to rob a Church or kill a man in England, and yet a two-penny matter will discharge the offender, for the best and the worst is but an halter; and I was enformed that an English Marchant (not knowing the danger) as he was riding on the way, hauing a peece char­ged in his hand (as it is an ordinary weapon to trauell with there) by chance hee espied an hare, and shot at her and killed her; but he was appre­hended for it, and it was like to haue cost him his life; but before he got out of the trouble, he was faine to vse his best friends and meanes, (& plea­ding ignorance for his innocency) at last with the losse of a great deale of liberty, and fiue hundred pound in money, he was discharged: The reason of this strict conrse is, because all the hares in the countrey doe belong to one Lord or other, and being in abundance, they are killed by the owners appoyntment, and carried to the markets by cart-loads, and sold for the vse of the honourable owners: and no Boore or Tenant that dwels in those parts where those hares are plenty, must keepe a dogge, except he pay fiue shillings a yeere to the Lord, or else one of his fore-feet must be cut of that he may not hunt hares.

A man is in almost as high promotion to bee a knaue in England, as a Knight in Germany, for there a Gentleman is called a Youngcurr, and a Knight is but a Youngcurs man, so that you shall haue a scuruy Squire command a Knight to hold his stirrup, plucke off his boots, or any other [Page] vnknightly peece of seruice: and verily I thinke there are an 100. seuerall Princes, Earles, Bishops and other estates, that do euery one keepe a mint, and in their owne names stampe Money, Gold, Siluer, & Brasse, & amongst 23. two pences which I had of their brasse money (which they call Grushes) I had 13. seuerall coynes.

Many more such worthy iniunctions and ho­nourable ordinances I obserued, which are hard­ly worth pen and inke the describing, and therefore I omit them, and draw toward an end, for on the Wednesday morning I was at an anchor at St [...]ad, & on the Friday night following I was (by Gods gracions assistance) landed at London. So that in three weeks and three dayes, I sailed from En­gland to Hamburgh and backe againe, staying in the countrey 17. dayes, and trauelled 200. miles by land there: gathering like a busie Bee all these honyed obseruations, some by sight, some by hearing, some by both, some by neither, & some by bare supposition.