TVscany, anciently called Hetruria, The Clime. lieth vnder the Regiment of Sol, in the fift Cli­mate, betweene the Degrees fortie one, and fortie foure: a Countrey almost e­qually distant from the Equinoctiall and North-pole, and therefore by consequent of an ayre temperate, were it not that the Montaines cause some little excesse of both the passible qua­lities, heate and colde. Of this in winter, by reason they bee mantled with snowe, whereby the winde vireth with a more piercing sharpnes: of that in sommer, by the repercussiue force of the Sun-beames from the sides of those Hilles, at the foote whereof are most their Citties seated. Not hauing any valleys so large but that the scituation of the Towne therein, makes it communicate in the passion of both these extreames. For as writers well affirme that the hills Appennines are one fourth part of Italy: so is it also determined that they & their Spurres, are three fourth parts of Tuscany.

It is in length, if you measure along the Sea-coast, The lēgth. two thousand fiue hundred furlonges, which make three hundred and twelue myles: but if you measure by the Diameter, accor­ding to Ptolomey, assigning it three Degrees, and forty seauen miles to a Degree, then it is some hundred fortie and odde miles: if according as the ordinarie Roade lies, which is neither somuch about as by the coast, nor so direct as by the Diame­ter, it is one hundred and seauenty miles. And thus doth Le­ander Alberti the latest and exactest Surueyour of Italie, recon­cile the authorities of Strabe, Plyny, and Ptolomey. But allowing sixtie miles to a Degree, it is in length one hundred and nintie miles, which is now the receaued opinion.

It is in bredth, one hundred where least, The breadth. and in Circuite sixe [Page 2] hundred and twenty, or as faccio vberei saith, seauen hundred.

It is limitted, The li­mits. West, with the Riuer Magra, and Mountaines of Lyguria, East, with Tyber: North, with the Mountaines Appennines and South, with the Sea.

The con­fines. It confineth South with the Terra di Roma South-east with the Dutchy of Spoletu, East with the State of Vrbine, North­east with Romagna, North with the state of Bologna, North­west with Lyguria, West and South-west with the Sea.

These are the limits set downe by Polybius, The anti­tiquity. Plyny, Pomponius, Mela, Solynus, Ptolomey, and all other ancient writers: neither are we to enlarge this countrey so farre, as they that affirme the Tuscans possessed all betweene the Adriatick and Mediterra­nean Seas, from Nola in the kingdome of Naples, to the Moun­taines Rhesy, which is now the Grisons Countrey, and they say are come of the old Tuscans. True it is that these Tuscans were a mightie and powerfull people, such as oftentimes forced the Romaines to create a Dictator (which but in great extremities they might not do) to defend themselues from them: vntill the foure hundred and seauenth yeare after the foundation of Rome, when they were vtterly ouerthrowne at the Lake of Va­di [...]one, as Lyuie in his ninth booke affirmeth. Nor did the Ro­maines bring home onely glory, triumph and spoiles, from the conquered Tuscans, which argued the greatnesse of this nati­on: but they brought with them also (which argueth their an­tiquity) the habite of their youth, called Pratexta, the roabe of their elder age called Toga, the twelue Bundles of Roddes and Axes carried before the Consuls, called fasces: the seate of their Praetors and other Iudges carried vpon wheeles, called Sedes cu­rulis the Robe of the chiefe Magistrate, triumphall ornaments, and many other such ensignes of auncient greatnesse and Ma­iestie; all which were brought thence to Rome by Tarquinius Priscus: whereof Syluius Italicus in his 8 booke reporteth, confirmed by Dionisius Alicarnosseus. From this Nation like­wise whom the Greekes called Tirrheni of Firsos their poore [Page 3] kinde of Cottage, and the Romaines first called Hetrusci of their religious worshipping the Gods, did the Romaines also bring many of those rites and ceremonies which they afterward vsed in their religion.

As Delphos is called by Ptolomey Vmbelicus Mundi, The Srite. the Na­uile of the world, so may we say of Tuscani, that it is Vmbelicus Italia: howbeit in a Geometricall proportion, that is, in the middest of the forces of Italy: hauing on th'one side the state Ecclesiasticke, the kingdome of Naples, and Dutchy of Frbyne: and on the other counter-peasable to these, the States of Ve­nice, Myllan and Genoa, the Dukedomes of Ferrara, Manto [...]a, and Parma, and this State in the middest of the ballance, on which side socuer it inclineth, ouerweighing the other.

This is that which Guiccardine saith in the very entrance of his Historie, that the wisdome of Lorenzo Medici, and the sci­tuation of the state of Florence, Mantennero le cose [...] Italia bilan­ciate, vpheld th'affaires of Italy in equall Ballance. On which ground also Lodouico Zforza Duke of Millan layeth his foun­dation, for the reason he vseth in the third booke of the said historie: who very iealous of the Venetians greatnesse, hauing now vndertaken the protection of Pisa, and fearfull withall of the Frenches returne into Italy: he laboureth the Pope and King of Aragon, to enter into a confederation with the Flo­rentines, and to re-inuest them of Pisa, inferring, that by this meanes the French forces might be diuerted, which otherwise with the helpe of this state (being seated in the middest of Ita­ly ▪ might effect matters of preiudiciall consequent to all three: so fitly stands it either to dispeople the enimies forces, or to re­inforce their owne. And therefore Guiccardine very iudicially determineth, that it was a powerfull estate, rather per l'opportu­nità del cito, che per la grandezza del Dominio, by the fitnesse of the scituation, then by the greatnesse of the Dominion.

But if we define the middest of Italy in an Arithmeticall pro­portion, that is, the center equally distant from both extreams, it will appeare to be true which Pliny and Varro report, con­firmed also by Leander Albert [...], concerning Lago di p [...]e del luco, which Taci [...]us in his first booke calleth Lacus Velnius, in Sabina [Page 4] which they hold to be the middest of Italy.

Concerning the Riuers of worth there be few, The Ri­uers. of name ma­ny: for the Italian hath a name for euery ditch, whereof if we allow them not Tiber, Arno is their chiefe: This Riuer was so named by Hercule Lybicus whose surnames were Libarno, that is, the Lyon of Lybia: and Musarno that is, the learned and va­liant, for Ar in the Arabian tongue signifies a Lyon. He was the sonne of Osyris and Isis, called Iupiter and Iuno by the Greekes, and grand-childe of Ianus called by the Greekes Ogy­ger, and by the Chaldeans and Hebrews Noah: wherevpon stand the Citties of Florence and Pisa, Serchio which runneth by Lucca: Ombrone by Pistoia, Bisentio by Prato, Chiana which passeth by the vale of Arezzo, and falleth into the Arno: Mogn [...]ne which runneth neere Ciuita vecchia into the Sea, Fi­ero which deuideth the great Dukes state and the Popes to­wards the Tuscan sea, & Paglia which deuides those two states towards the Appennin [...], ouer which we passe by a bridge built by Gregory the 13. in our iourney from Florence to Rome be­tweene Rodicofany and Aquapendente: that, belonging to the great Duke: this, to the Pope. True it is, that Guicciardini in the 4. booke of his History, and namely in that part of the booke which by order of th'inquisition is left out of all alow­ed copies, (because in this place, though himselfe were the Popes creature, and had great charge vnder him,) yet he fully, learnedly, and truly sheweth how by little and little, and by bad meanes the Church grew to her greatnesse, how she came not onely to quit her obedience to the empire, but to haue also a power and stroke in the election of the Emperour himselfe, not onely to make the Pope gouernour of Rome, but to in­croach also vpon the Territories and Citties of Romagna, the Marquisate of Ancina, the Dutchie of Spoletum and Beneuen­tum the superiority ouer the kingdome of Naples ▪ and the pos­session of that part of Tuscany (now called the Patrimony of S. Peter) he I say, diuideth the Popes state in this Country from the rest of Tuscany, thus. Eterminata dal torrente di Pescia & dal Castello di San Luirico nel Con [...]ado di Siena da vna banda: & [Page 5] dall altra dal Mare di sotto, & dal fuime di Teuere: that is: it is limited on the one side with the Riuer Pescia, and the Castell Saint Luirick in the territories of Siena, and on the other, with the Riuer Tyber, and the Tyrrhene Sea. But, I rather tie my selfe to the former limits, for that the Paglia is farre beyond Saint Luirick, whether the great Dukes state now reacheth. There is also C [...]cina which riseth a little aboue the Cittie of Massa, and so passing along the Countrey of Volterra fulleth into the Sea, with many such other, which in England we rather call Brookes or Riuerets; for of all these there are few sit either for burthen or Boate in Summer, except the Arno, yet heere often times scarce water for a Mill, as by their deuises at Florence to penne it vp appeareth. The reasons that the waters of this State are so small, be two: the former is, the violence of their downe­fall from the hilles, the better is because their heads are so neare to the Sea as they cannot haue space to be enlarged by the re­ceipt of other lesser Brookes; by which meanes onely all Ri­uers grow great, as namely the Rheine and Danowe, whereof this last hath from his head, which is in the Forrest Nera to the Mare Maggiore, where he payeth his tribute aboue two thou­sand miles, and receaueth into his bed by the way three score nauigable Riuers.

The Lakes in this State, are neither many nor great, nothing so faire or fruitfull as those of Lombardy namely Lago di Garda, The Lakes Lago d Ise [...], Lago d Como, and Lago Maggiore: the chiefe in Tuscany are these, Lago di Trasimen [...] vnder the Pope, who let­teth it out to diuers Farmers for ten thousand Duckets the yeare, which haue the fishing, whereof it is very fruitfull and yeeldeth them also no little gaine. The profit which the Duke of Ferrara raised by the Lake of Comacchi [...], who they say in Venice made thereof yearely foure-score thousand Duckets, makes this more probable. But this Lake of Trasimene now called Lago di Perugia is much more renowned for the notable ouerthrow giuen there by Hanniball to the Romaines, neare wherevnto is that faire plaine called Ossaia of the bones of the dead there flaine by the rashnesse of C. Flaminius the Consul, [Page 6] as Polibius in his third booke, Liny in his two and twentith, and Plutarcke in the life of Haniball auowe. The other memorable blow giuen them (if it be not here impertinent to remember) was that at Canne in Puglia, called by Liu [...]e in his twentie and one booke Ca [...]nusium, where was slaine P. Emilius, the Consul L▪ Acilius, and L Furuis Biba [...]ulus the Quaestors, one and twen­tie Tribunes of Souldiers, fourescore Senators, fortie thousand foote, two thousand and seauen hundred horse, all Romaines, and as many Anuiliaries▪ as Plutarch in the liues of Hanniball and Scipio, and Solinus Italicus in his ninth booke confesse: There are diuers Lakes betweene Pisa and Liuorne, but small and of no name: There are more not farre from the Cittie Colle, Laego di Bolsena, called by ancient writers Lacus Vulsini­ensium, L [...]go di Bassanello anciently called Lacus Vade [...]onius, where the Romaines vtterly subdued the Tuscans, Lago di Bracciane, called formerly Lacus Sabbatinus: Lago di Vicco, called by Virgill in his seauenth Aenead, and Siluius Italicus in his eight booke L [...]cus Cimini, of the Mountaine so called, standing betweene this Lake and the Cittie of Viterbo, La­go di Mont [...] Rosa, not large but deepe neere Rome, with few others.

The Plaines are also few, (for they before are allowed but one fourth part) the chiefe are these. The plaines. That of Florence where­in liue aboue two hundred thousand persons: that neere Arez­zo called Vald' Arno, because the Riuer passeth by it the most fruitfull: that of Pisa the most lowe and therefore subiect to the ouer-flowing of Arno, whereof it hath tasted this present Winter to the Countries great losse: That of Lucca enuironed with Hilles, and the Citty in the middest like a center in a cir­cle: That of Carsigniana vnder the Dukedome of Ferrara. And lastly the Plaines of Maremma in the State of Siena, the most large, and whither for the Wintering of their Cattle they are sent in October from the Mountaines. It hath the name of Mare the Sea; and therefore we [...]ay well English it the Marshes of Siena, it runneth along the Sea-coast almost sea­uentie miles in lenghth, betweene the two Riuers Gornia and [Page 7] Pesua, not much inhabited with people through the badnesse of the ayre.

The Portes are, Ciuita Vecchia in the Popes State, The ports. for Ottia is on the other side of Tyber, Orbitello, Port-ercole, Telamone, Castiglione in the Maremma, howbeit vnder the King of Spaine, as is also the Monte Argentaro and the Port of Piombine. The onely Porte of worthe vnder the great Dukes State, is that of Liuorne, capable of any Fleete whatsoeuer.

It is rather to be called a Roade then a Harborough, Liuorno or Ligorno. and to be obserued that this Sea neither ebbeth nor floweth. Here his Highnesse daily buildeth, meaning to make it a Cittie, the walles and fortifications being almost finished. It is in forme sixe square, in circuite a mile three quarters, the length of the Curtaine is two hundred and sixteene paces, the face of the Bulwarke, is one hundred thirtie and eight. From the Spurre which is fifteene paces thick, to the Flanker which is so many broade, are eighteene paces. The Diameter of the Piazza is foure hundred and fiftie. This proportion no doubt swarueth from the strict rules of fortification, neither can I warrant the relation true by the line; I was forced to passe it in hast, and sanquam aliud agens, to auoide all ielousie; whereof I thought fit to aduertise the curious Reader, and to preuent the enui­ous detracter. Here is bestowed great cost, being indeed the onely Keye by which all commodities are transported and brought in, not onely for the vse of Tuscany, but euen for the most places of Italy so that it bringeth in a very great enrate to the great Dukes coaffers, as I must more particularlie and more fitlie aduertise hereafter.

The Princes and States interessed in Tuscany are these. The Pope, Princes interessed in Tuscany. who possesseth all from Tiber to Fiore and so right vp from the Sea to the ridge of the Appenin [...], which is some fourth part of the whole. The Spanish King hath the coast of Marem­ma, and the Portes thereof as is aboue said, wherein he keepeth garrison, besides Pontremoly, and one other Forte or two on the side of Liguria. The Dukedome of Ferrara hath the valley of Carsigniana. The State of Genoa, Serezzana. The state of Lucca [Page 8] hath all her possessions herein. The Dukes of V [...]b [...], Parma, and Brauian [...] haue also each of them a Peece (howbeit most of this is in the church part which is called the Patrimony of Saint Peter.) There is also the Signior di Pcombi [...]e, the Marquesse di Massa, and other inferiour Princes interessed in this Country of an other fourth part. So that there remaineth a Moitie vnder the great Dukes gouernment, whereof I haue vndertaken to giue this superficiall suruey which followeth.

This State, The great Dukes state. besides that it is enclosed with the Mountaines as with a wall on three-sides, and with the Sea on the fourth, and so consequently by scituation passing strong: it hath also many Castles and Fortresses, as Rodicofany, Monte-falcon, Pele­grine, Castels. Charole, Sansubastians, Lusignano, Monterisine, Empoli, Ca­strecaro, Saffa, and diuers others, to the number of thirty, where­in is garrison more or lesse: But of others which stand rather to shew the manner of fortifications in elder ages, and the force of time by which they are ruined, then for any vse of the time present, there are aboue three hundred. By which number may very probably be coniectured their many and diuers States in this small circuite in former times: for as it appeareth by Historie, not onely Florence, Siena and Pisa (which of late yeares were reduced into one gouernment) but also Pistoia, A­rezzo, Volterra, and almost all the Citties now vnder the great Duke, had euery one their seuerall and distinct state. Wherevp­on it was necessary, each State should haue her Castles and Fortes to affront those that confined vpon them. As for those former wherein is garrison, the most of them in the iudgment of men experienced, haue their defect either in their forme and manner of fortification which is All' Antica, or in their Pi­azz [...] which are very little, and so thought vncapale of suffici­ent number to defend them. But besides these he hath in each cittie a Cittadell, and therein a garrison, which are all very mo­derne and strong: the vse of which Peeces are not so much for defence of the Townes where they be, as to keepe in aw­full termes the citties themselues; as by the cittadell at Florence and Fortresse of Siene appeareth.

[Page 9]Of Citties there be sixteene, Cities. the one halfe in the state of Flo­rence, the other in that of Siena: of the fonner state these be the names. Florence whereof is an Archbishoprick, his name that now is Alexander Medici: Pisa an Archbishoprick also, his name Carolus Antonius [...]uteus: Pistoia, Arezzo, Volterra, Certu [...]i [...], Burgo san Sepolchro, and Monte Pulciano. Of the other state are these: Siena an Archbishoprick, his name Ascanius Piceothuomineus, Motalcino, Grossetto, Chiusi, Soana, Pienza, Mas­sa and Celle christened a cittie fiue yeares since. Many of these I saw not, and therefore presume not to speake of at large: in the foure chiefest, Florence, Pisa, Siena and Pistoia. I spent some time, and hold them worthy of some little remembrance in this discourse, before I come to speake of the generall parts of this state.

Florence is seated at the head of a very faire valley, Florence. and en­uironed with high Mountaines, especially towards Bologna, it hath the streetes very long, streight, large, and faire, paued with a broad stone which they call Lastra, so as no weather makes them foule: it is beautified with many stately Pallaces, which haue more del Reale then del Cittadinesco, as that of the Signio­ria, that of the Pitti, where is alwayes the great Dukes court: that of the Medici that of the Strozzi and many others: it is graced with many large Piazze [...], and in them many Statues, some of Brasse, as that of Cosme, the first great Duke, and others very many and very curious; some of Marble, some of Alaba­ster: it is diuided with the Riuer Arno, and vpon this foure faire Bridges of Stone to passe from one part of the cittie to the other. It is adorned with many faire Monasteries and churches, but aboue all with the most magnificent and admi­rable Fabrick of the Duome, the workmāship of that excellent Architeck Brunelleschi dedicated to Santa Maria del [...]iore, and is (they say) the true Modle of the church of Santa Sofia in Constantinople. The body of this church from the West to the Cupula, is one hundred paces, the bredth fortie sixe: the Cu­pula is in circute three hundred paces; with a guilt Ball of Brasse on the toppe, wherein twenty men may stand vpright. [...] [Page 12] of the Church of San Lorenzo is a very faire and beautifull Li­brarie, built and furnished with Bookes by the familie of Me­dici: the roofe is of Cedar very curiously wrought with knots and flowers, and right vnder each knot is the same wrought with no lesse Arte in the pauement. In this Library I told three thousand nine hundred bookes very fairely bound in Leather, after one sort, all bound to their seates, which were in number sixtie eight: and, which is the greatest grace and cost also, very many of the bookes were written with the Authours owne hands. There is also [...]t the farther end of this Librarie one other of prohibited bookes, which I could not see.

The great Seale of Florence is the Lyon and Hercules: their Armes were in former times a Flower de Lise argent in a field gules, but vpon the banishment of the Ghibelline faction, they are altered to the contrary; the Field to the colour of the flow­er, and the flower to the colour of the field. Within these hun­dred yeares haue beene of this Cittie three Popes, Iohn and [...] ­lius Medici, L [...] the tenth, and Clement the seauenth, and Hippo­lisus Aldebrandiui called Clement the eight that yet liueth. Here haue also flourished many famous men in matter of learning, as Francesco Guicciardini for a iudiciall Historiographer: Nico­las Machianelli for a worldly Politician; Michel Angelo for an excellent Painter; Petrache and Dante for singular Poets; and Boccace for his pleasant garbe and refining their language, and many others.

Hauing gazed your fill vpon the beauties of this Towne, if for varieties sake, and your better recreation, you will walke abroade into the Villa per spasso, as the Italian saith; you shall haue there in view, so many, and such goodly Pallaces, for the space of six or seauen miles compasse, as (they say) would make one other Florence. But aboue all, the great Dukes Pallace of Pratolino, built by his brother Francesco, is the most admirable, not for the Pallace it selfe, or manner of the building; for there are many can match it, if not excell it. But for the exquisite and rare inuention of Water-workes, wherein it is excellent, and thought to exceede Tiuoli by Rome, so much in this kinde com­mended. [Page 13] The house it selfe is built in forme of a Romaine T, the head of the letter which is the front of the house, being in length seauenty paces, & the other part fifty foure: the roomes for offices of Court, and lodgings are seauenty, whereof these are all of one bignesse, forme, and furniture: with three goodly Halles richly furnished, running along the middest of the Pal­lace, from the one end to the other, and the one opening into the other, so as according to the winde or sunne, he may giue his intertainement for the best ease of them he feasteth: It is sea­ted betweene two high Hilles, vpon a third lower then they, from which hilles yee descend some quarter of a mile, by a way set with quick-set, & kept after our English fashion: yee mount vp to the Terreno of the Front by twelue staires, very faire of Stone, directly wherevpon, at the head of a Garden set round with Statues of the Muses in a ground sencibly ascending, is seene a huge Giant cut out of the maine Rock, with all his parts, as armes, hands, legges, and feete, symmetricall to his head, wherein may stand a dozen men: In it are kept Pigeons; the loouers whereat they come in and out, are his eares; the win­dowes which giue light to the roome, are his eyes. Out of his mouth falleth into a very fine poole, all the water that serues the worke on the other side the Pallace, among▪ which are many sights yeelding very great content, as Noes Arke with all kinds of beasts, Hercules fighting with a Dragon, Birds artificially singing, Organs musically playing, showers of Raine plentiful­ly downe powring, and infinite sort of such deuise, more de­lightsome to be seene then pleasant to be discoursed of. To conclude, the deuise so good, the workmanship so rare, and the charge so great, as it is said constantly that it cost Duke Fran­cesco three hundred thousand Crownes.

The great Duke hath another Pallace, two miles from Flo­rence, called Castello, onely for pleasure, but not so beautified nor full of water-workes as this of Pratolino: an other distant 10. miles off, called Il Poggio Imperiale, more profitable then they both, in forme quadrangular, fifty six paces square; Where besides the pleasure it yeelds of hunting, it yeeldeth also sum­mering [Page 14] and Haye for his Horses, and keepeth the great Duches a dairie of three hundred Kine: a commodity worth the re­membring in this state, where in three-score miles are not seene three-score head of Cattle; nor so much good pasture ground (that I saw) in the whole countrey.

I am now before I proceede to the other chiefe Citties, to re­member in a word, how and when the Florentines came impa­tronized of diuers other states of Tuscany, and what forme of gouerment they had in former times, vntill Leo and Clement, for I must there needs begin, when I shall come to speake of the great Dukes title.

This Cittie of Florence, after many conflicts with the olde Citty of Fesulae, (whereof now almost remaineth no memory, but the hilles whereon it stood) getting the vpper hand, and many of that olde towne following the fortune of the winner, comming hither to dwell, it grew to beare the name of a great and rich Cittie: which till then (euer since the time of Sylla, by whom they say it was first founded and made a Collony of the Romaines) bare rather the name of a Bourough, then otherwise. And after a combination of these two Citties into one Commi­nalty, they quartered the Armes of Fesulae, which were a Moone Azure in a field Argent, with those of Florence, being a Flower de Lise Argent in a field Gules. It was afterward subiect to di­uers sackings and subuersions by the Gothes, Gaules, and Lom­gobards, partaking with other Citties of Italy in those miseries which these Nations inflicted. Insomuch as there was nothing remaining of their auncient glory, but ruines and desolation, & what the barbarous crueltie of such an enemie could not tyra­nise vpon. In these tearmes Charles the great found it, who cau­sed it to be reedified, appointing for the gouerment thereof two Consuls, and a Senate of an hundred. After this, they altered the gouerment, conferring it vpon ten called Antiani Aldermen, (as I take it) in the yeare 1254. Shortly after in the yeare 1287. they wan the Citty of Pistoia, [...]. and about the same time they pur­chased their liberty of the Emperour Rodolphe for three-score thousand Duckets: And againe changed their forme of gouer­ment, [Page 15] to eight Priori, and a Gonfalonier of Iustice, who was to hold his place for 2. moneths only. Presently after they bought Arezzo of Mastino della sala, for forty thousand Duckets. And in the yeare 1471. they wan by force Volterra, one of the 12. first Citties of Tuscany and honoured with the birth of the Poet Persius. They got also Pysa & the whole State thereof, of whose reuolt, and recouery, what parts taking there was, & what time was spent, and how many Millions it cost them to be reposses­sed thereof, Guicciardine very fully discourseth, and were here too tedious to be particularly related. The gouerment of a Gon­falonier was altered by Gualteri Francese Duke of Athens, who at the Citties request requiring aide, was sent thither by Robert king of Sicilie, and at his first comming deposed the Gonfalonier and Priory, & vsurped himselfe; but he was quickly expulsed, and the former officer reinuested: till the time of Pope Alex­ander the sixt, whose sonne Casar Borgia duke Valentinois sought to bring in the three banished Medici, Piero, Giouanni, and Gui­liano; wherevpon the Florentines made Piero Sederini their Gon­falonier perpetuall, as Buonacorsi an approued Italian writer, & Guicciardine in his fist booke doth testifie. These alterations haue been since the restauration of the city by Charles, (which notwithstanding) Guicciardine lib. 1. car. 17. saith, was openions inneterata benche falsa, che Carlo l'hauesse reidificat [...], an old but false coniecture, that Charles did reedifie it: besides those also which it suffered afterwards, which shall more fitly be remem­bred hereafter.

From Florence I must passe to the Cittie Pistoia, seated at the other end of this valley, 20. miles off. But the Castle of Pratu being in the way, and commanding the passage, I dare not but salute it; the rather for that I spent foure moneths in that Towne.

There are in Italy among I know not how many thousands, Prato. foure principall Castles aboue the rest reputed, as Leander Al­berts in his view of Italy discourseth: Barletta in Puglia in the kingdome of Naples; Fabriana in Marca Anconitana, vnder the state of the Church; Crema in Lombardia, vnder the Venetians, [Page 16] and Prato in Tuscana vnder the great Duke. It is heere to be obserued; that these are called Castles, not that they be onely Fortresses and places of strength, but that they be large townes fortified with wall and Bulwarke, and haue their Territories; they onely want Bishops Seas, wherein they differ from Citties. It standeth in the middest of this Valley vpon the riuer Bisen­tio; it is in forme sex-angular, at each corner a Bulwarke alla Moderna very defensible; the walles in circuite two miles, with an olde peece at the East built (they say) by Frederico Barba­rossa. The Contado (the Territory) of this Towne is in length eight miles, in bredth foure, in circuite foure and twentie, within which compasse (with those within the Towne) are fiftie nine Churches, eight and thirtie Monasteries, and other religious houses, and of all sorts of people sixteene thousand, whereof two thousand are religious. Here is (they say) the Girdle of our Lady brought thither by a Marchant from the Indies, whether it was first carried by S. Thomas the Apostle, a Relicke which they hold in high esteeme, keepe with very great care, come to see with great deuotion, and is shewed to the people with great reuerence once in a yeare; that is, on our Ladies day in Septem­ber, in the time of their Faire, and when is most concourse of strangers. There came that day in deuotion (to see me, not the Girdle) two English Gentlemen my friends; we obserued (if it be not impertinent here to remember) that there were in view vpon the Market place of people at the shewing of this Re­licke, about eighteene or twenty thousand, whereof we iudged one halfe to haue Hattes of Strawe, and one fourth part to be bare legged; that we know all is not gold in Italy: though ma­ny Trauellers gazing onely on the beautie of their Citties, and the painted surface of their houses, thinke it the onely Para­dize of Europe. But if they would with me, ‘—fordida rura At (que) humiles intrare casas & visere gentem:’ they would surely graunt, that pouertie and famine had not a greater kingdome in those countries where Crassus starued his Armie, then they haue heere. But no maruaile though Prato be [Page 17] poore being so vnlustly and cruelly sacked in the yeare 1512. [...]468. by the Spaniards vnder the conduct of Raymondo Cardona, for want of pay which the Florentines ought him and his Souldi­ers: who most vilely gaue the sacking of this pretty (and then rich) towne, to the barbarous insolencie of the proud Spaniard, and came themselues with bagges of Crownes to purchase the lands of the poore harmlesse Pratesi, wherewith they were for­ced to redeeme their liberty, after the rauishing of their wiues, killing of their children, robbing their shops and houses, and other such insolent out-rages; whereof Guicciardine lib. 11. complaineth, that from their auarice, lust, and cruelty, nothing was safe. And Buonacorsi saith, that they spared neither virgin, infant, nor church, & Paulus Ionius affirmeth, that the Spanish cruelty in this sack of Prato, did farre exceed that of the Dutch and French, at the sack of Brescia so much detested. Hence is it that at this day the name of Spaniard is there most odious, for among all other names of infamy and reproach, when they haue called one Poltrone, Furfante, Manigoldo, Traditore, and all that naught is, they end alwayes in this Spagnaolo intending (it should seeme) that there is not a worse name vnder the sunne.

But leauing them expostulating this iniurie of the Floren­tines, and bewailing their owne miseries, I will proceed to the Cittie of Pistoia.

It is seated at the West end of the Valley, Pistoia. in circuite two miles and a halfe, the walles old and weake, built by Desiderius king of the Lombards: Howbeit the Bulwarkos are very mo­derne and strong, with a Cittadell built by Duke Francesco, and manned with a sufficient garrison to keepe the towne in awe. This Towne is called of Cato and Pliny, Pistorium; and of Ptolomey, Pistoria quasi Pestoria (saith one) of the pestilence that there raigned among the souldiers, which remained of Catelines Campe after he was ouerthrowne, who (they say) was the first builder thereof. Others will haue it called of [...]isis and ópos, that is the faithfull Territorie. Others because it is the doore of the Mountaines which the word also signifietl [...], for from hence is away to passe through the [...]pennines into Frame [...] by which [Page 18] the French forces passed into Tuscany, and so to Naples, in the time of Charles the eight, as by the historie appeareth. All which are either false coniectures and carry no corresponden­cie of trueth with history, or at least are idle suppositions, and carry with them no matter of import. For what reason is there that the Grecians should giue names to townes in Tuscany, who neuer came ouer the Riuer Tener? or that they should christen this and no other? or that a Romaine should be the Father, and a Greeks the Godfather: but were it so, it little importeth, and therefore I haue purposely auoided these fruitlesse etimologies: else could I haue said before, that Florence was called either (Fluentia) because it stands betweene the two waters Mognone and Arno, or (Fiorentia) of Fiore a flower, because it is the flower and beauty of Italy: or (Firenze) which Giambolare one of their writers deriues from a Caldey word, and signifies (he saith) a valiant Souldier; as who would say the Florentines were such: which I haue not yet read, and I am sure they of Siena will not confesse: who will not let to bragge how often they haue beaten them in the field. Indeede I well remember, that writers giue them th' attribute of (Ingenious and wise) as namly Macciauelly in his Florentine history, and Guicciardine in the ve­ry beginning of his booke Cart. 2. Howbeit I could easily con­discend to the opinion of Imbalt a French commaunder, who vpon good experience Guicciardine lib. 5. cart. 144. Non saptua doue consistesse, lingegne tantu celebratu de Fiorentini could not finde where that great witte of theirs laye. So likewise these word-founders will haue their Cittie Arezzo to be so old as that it was built when for want of a fit name they were faine to call it (Earth) for so in the Hebrew tongue it signifieth. But see­ing that Tully and Varro call it ( Aretium) and not ( Arezium) me thinkes they might better derine it from Mars (which the word well beareth) for I am well assured, that historie makes the Arrettines and their neighbours the Perugians, farre better Souldiers then the Florentines.

But I will not ouer-charge this short discourse with deriua­tions, I had rather leaue them with the capriccious Antiquaries [Page 19] of Tuscany, and returning to Pistoia, say: that though it be very little, it is very rich, as hauing a Contado full of oyle and wine: insomuch as it is said, they presse yearly one hundred thousand Barrels of Wine, whereof they send the one halfe to Florence, of which the great Duke hath ( gabell) a custome one Guilio, (six-pence sterling) for euery Barrell, at the entery into euery Cittie gate, besides the tenth leuied vpon it before, and an im­position after vpon euery tauerne, as shall more fitly in the dis­course of his entrate be aduertised.

This Towne is famous, or rather in famous, for the two fac­tions of the Bianchi and Nery, which ruined themselues, and troubled the peace of Florence also: it began thus. Two young Gentlemen of the towne falling out, and so proceeding from words to blowes, it chanced one of them receiued a light hurt, The father of the other (because he would kill all motions to a farther quarrell) sends his Sonne to aske pardon of the Father and Parentage of the other whom he had hurt: but he causing his seruants to lay hold on him, commaunded his right hand to be cut off, and sent him away with this answere, Va dal tuo Pa­dre & digli, che le ferite non si curano con parole ma colferro; Goe to thy father and tell him, hurts are not cured with words, but with the sworde. Herevpon grew that great and bloudy enmi­tie betweene those two houses, which drew into it all the great families of Pistoia, as also them of Florence, where the Donati banded with the Neri, and the Circhi with the Bianchi. Since which faction, there hath also another risen no lesse dangerous then the former, betweene the Cancellieri and the Panzadici, scarse yet so composed, but that vpon euery small occasion it is ready to breake out.

This Towne pretendeth to be much priuiledged aboue all other Citties vnder the great Duke, for at the time when they yeelded to the State of Florence, it was among other Capitula­cons concluded; that in any Bando (Proclamation) whatsoeuer except the Cittie and Contado of Pistoia were expresly named, it was to be vnderstood exempt & freed from the same, which indeed is still obserued, howbeit a course is taken neuer to leaue [Page 20] that clause out: so that I see small reason they haue to bragge so much thereof. The people in and without the Citty are sup­posed sixtie foure thousand: the Religious are much about the the rate of them in Prato an eight part.

I cannot passe the direct way from hence to Pisa, whether the course of this discourse directs me, vnlesse I passe vnder the walles of Lucca: which being no part of this State, I know not how I may speake of; that haue vndertaken to write of nothing else: and yet passing so neare, I know not how to auoide some mention thereof, that am likewise to ad­uertise of what I haue seene. Wherefore betweene a doubt which is lesse fault, to digresse in my narration, or be diuerted out of my way, I will speake so little, as if it be a fault to di­gresse, it may be excused, because this little is nothing, & if it be a fault to write so little, it may be answered I durst not digresse.

Lucca. The Citty of Lucca was anciently called Fredia, and after­wards being the first of the twelue old Citties of Tuscany that receiued the Christian faith, & light of the Gospell, it changed the name of Lucca, a Luce, herewith accordeth Fuccio Vberti;

It is seated (as is before said) like a Center in a Circumference, in the middest of a faire and pleasant valley, enuironed with wast and huge Mountaines: The walles in circuite two miles, are of Brick very new, strengthned with a very thick Rampart, and fortified alla moderna, with very many and defensible Bul­warkes. Insomuch as it is thought, that when the Bulwarke that is now in the making at the North-west of the towne is fini­shed, with one other at the East which is already purposed, and the Terra-pieno (Rampart) of this East side made answerable to the rest, which is also intended, it shall then haue in all, eleuen Bulwarkes, and will without exception be one of the best for­tified townes in Italy. They keepe in the towne a garrison con­tinually of three hundred Souldiers, and are able (they say) to drawe into their Cittie at two daies warning out of their owne territorie, thirtie thousand able mē for seruice; for which nūber [Page 21] they haue prouision of armes, victuals, and all things necessary vpon occasion. I was in their Granaries, where I saw, as they credibly rated it of Wheate, Rie, Beanes, and Chestnut Mealn the quantitie of six hundred thousand Staies, which of our measure maketh about fifty thousand quarters, besides so much more kept in diuers conuents and Monasteries of the towne which they call their Prouisione d' Abondanza (store). All which prouision is able (in case of a Siege) to maintaine the Citty for two yeares, at the number of three-score thousand people, al­lowing twelue Staies a man the yeare; a proportion in those parts, and such cases very large. The reasons of these fortifica­tions, garrisons, and prouisions which they make, is the iealous feare they haue of the great Duke, of whom all their State which is somewayes fiftie miles in length is euery way enuiro­ned, whose greatnesse is nothing pleasing to the Lucchesi nei­ther can they well digest that his title ( di Toscana) and therfore the Signoria of this State, sending letters of congratulation (they say) but it is more probable about some other their af­faires to Cosmo Medici, presently after his creation of great Duke, they stiled their letters thus. All' Ilsmo e Ec [...]smo principi Cosmo Medici gran Duca (m) Tuscana. To which garbro of theirs the Italia [...]rime also alludeth, which saith thus;

Implying that it is no reason he should be intitled great Duke of the whole, hauing no more but the one halfe, But how sooner this towne stand prouista as it braggeth, and are able to keepe him out of themselues two or three yeares together, more then probable it is, that the feare of the Spanish King, to whose pro­tection it is recommended, doth curbe his desire in attempting the action, watching ouer this prety State with an ambitious and couetous eye, come Lo sparuicre alla quaglia, as the Hauke ouer the Quaile, hoping one day for an oppertunitie.

I am now by order-leauing Lucca to looke to her selfe, Pisa. to passe the Monte Saint Iulian, and arriue at Pisa: a Cittie in for­mer times very populous as any in Tuscany, now so dispeopled [Page 22] as there are not iudged aboue fourteteene thousand persons, though in circuite it be little lesse then Florence: the Walles for the most part are of Bricke, but in some places of square Stone, the Ramparts conuenient, the Bulwarkes not many nor corre­spondent: the peece of cheefest import is the Castle vpon the South-west of the towne, wherein is a garrison of fiftie, with munition and other necessaries, for the vse as is abouesaid of keeping the Citty in awe. The scite hereof is in a Plaine vpon the Riuer Arno, which passeth through the middest therof with one bridge onely, and falleth into the Sea some sixe miles be­lowe; whereby it appeareth that the land hath lately gotten much vpon the Sea on this coast, as we finde in diuers places vpon our coast in England, for that in the time of Strabo he re­porteth, it was but twenty furlongs off, which is two miles and a halfe distant from the Sea.

Out of this Riuer is cut a Ditch from this Towne to Linor­no, fifteene miles long, for the more conuenient carriage of such wares as arriue in that Roade, and are thence conueyed by wa­ter from Pisa vp to Florence; and so by land into other places of Tuscany, Romagna, Lombardia, and Rome also. The Boates wherein these wares are carried are but small, in number be­tweene six and seauen hundred, which our English Marchants Burlando (gibing) call the great Dukes fleete. The nature of this plaine is for the most part marish, though in times past it was fit either for pasture or tillage, as by the commoditie there­out reaped for the maintenance of the cittie appeareth by Guic­ciard. But since that the Cittie being conquered by the Floren­tines, and most of the auncient Pisani departed, some into Sici­lia, other into Sardegna, Corsica, and other places, preferring a voluntary bannishment, before a forced subiection: the Towne hath beene so desolate as there haue not beene people suffici­ent to maintaine this plaine against the fury of Arno, whereby it hath beene much wasted, as hath partly beene said.

There are, besides the commodity of the seat, lying betweene Florence and Lyuorno, three other causes, that this Cittie is fre­quented, otherwise it would be very desolate. The first is the [Page 23] especially fauour of the Prince himselfe, who because he was here borne, beareth an extraordinary affection to the place, as by his often comming and long tarrying appeareth. Another is, for that it is the place where properly the order of S. Stephen is resident, where the Knights of this order haue their Pallace, Officers, and other dependances. The last, for that there is a studie as they call it in Italy (a Vniuersity) erected by Cosmo, and is reasonably frequented.

In this Towne among many other Churches and Monaste­ries, is that excellent Fabrick of the Battisterio, built (they say) in fourteene dayes: It standeth hard at the West-end of the Duomo, which for the beauty thereof might haue compared with that of Siena so much commended, had it not by mishap beene burned in the yeare 1595. in October; it is now in the repairing at the great Dukes charges: Howbeit in liew hereof, he hath raised the price of his Salt fiue. Quatrini in the pound, throughout this State for the space of ten yeares: and it is to be thought (by examples too many of like nature in other places) that being once grauted, it shall not then be ended. On the North of this Church is the Campo Santu, as they call it, their Golgetha or place of buriall, the earth whereof was brought in ships from the Terrasanta, as their Histories record: & as they affirme, the dead consume there in foure and twenty hou [...]es. Not farre from this place is an old ruinous Tower, called by them (Torre di fame) in memory of the mercylesse crueltie of Ruggiero the Archbishop, who vpon suspition of treason im­mured therein Conte Hugolino a Noble Pisano, and his foure children, causing them to be starued: of whom Dante the Poet in his 33. chapter dell'inferno, very elegantly discourseth, fai­ning, that there for a torment due to such a fact, the Conte li [...]eth vpon the Bishops-head with a neuer satisfied greedinesse. Here is also an Arsenall wherein the Duke hath two or three of his Galleys in mend [...]ng, but no new in the making, neither Artille­rie or any thing els worth the remembrance. Heere the great Duke hath a Pallace, but so ill contriued, and so vnworthy the presence of so great a Prince, as it is said, the deuiser thereof [Page 24] looking for great praise at the Dukes hands for his rare plotte, and finding after that it disliked his Highnesse, in a melancho­lie discontent threw himselfe into the Arno: he hath also ano­ther lesser house lately built, wherein are many small Statues of Marble and Mettall, many Medalles and Pictures, some pain­ted, others of Feathers very exquisitely artificiall. Besides pee­ces of Vre vntried both of golde & siluer, Corall vnpollished, whereof yee shall see some growe vpon the Sculles of dead­men, with infinite such like, more delightfull to be seene, then needfull to be related of. Vnto this building is adioyning a Garden of Simples, not much inferiour to that of Padoa: But the thing of best vse and greatest cost, and therefore vnfittest to be forgotten, is a Conduict of water vpon Arches into the Towne from Valdeculci fiue mile off, where with the better part of the Cittie is serued. Other buildings I remember not, worth the remembring; except the Campanile, which Architecture hath this varietie, that the top thereof by a line perpendicularly downe-falling to the ground, and sheweth that it is prominent or hanging ouer the Basis ten or twelue foote by the square. As for the Cittie it selfe, it is the greater halfe voide, wherein is no­thing but Gardens of hearbes and rootes; the houses that there be, are for the most part so old and ruinous, as that the great Duke hath lately giuen commandement, that euery one accor­ding to his abilitie should either build new, or at the least re­paire and trim them on the out-sides for the better grace of the towne. So vnlike is Pisa to it selfe; which in former times was able to wage battaile at land with the Florentines, at Sea with the Genoese; yea and with Venice also: And before that, to con­quere Sardigna, to ouercome the King of Carthage, and bring him prisoner to Rome, to recouer Palermo in Sicilia from the Sarazens, to assist the French with a mighty Nauie in their voy­age to the holy land, to send fortie ships to the recouery of A­lexandria for Almerick King of Ierusalem, to aide th'Emperour Frederick Barbarossa against the state of Millan; besides many other their famous and victorious conquests; wherevpon one saith: Erat Pisa, altera Roma fuim [...] Troes, f [...] Ilium, nunc seges [Page 25] vbi Trola fuit.

To speake of the diuers gouerments of this Towne and the many alterations it hath suffered, were a discourse, though not altogether needlesse or impertinent, yet so large or rather tedi­ous, as would be altogether disproportionate to my former bre­uitie: I will leaue it therefore altogether vntouched, and go for­ward my iourney to Siena.

This Cittie chalengeth the title of much Antiquitie, Siena. being built by Sanesius the sonne of Remus, Romulus his brother, which may seeme to carry some matter of truth, for that the Armes of the Cittie is a Wolfe, with two Infants sucking vpon her: which Armes are to be seene in diuers places of the Towne both in Marble and Mettall. It is called by Pliny, Colonia Se­nensis, and by Tacitus in the 20. booke of his Historie, but whe­ther it was built by Sanesius, or the Galli Senones that went with Brennus into Italy, I leaue indifferent to the Reader: this last is alleaged out of Ptolomies Fables, though I rather subscribe to the former. It is seated vpon the tops of diuers small hils, very neerely meeting together, which with their declinings makes the Scituation very vneuen, and such as I haue not else-where seene: by reason whereof it is iudged infinitely strong, as not hauing any commanding hill neere, whereby it might be pre­iudiced, nor any way by which forces may be brought before it; saue onely at the two gates towards Rome and Florence: & yet there so narrow, as there cannot possibly come aboue ten Souldiers alla filata in rancke. So that as Liuorno is the key by which all forces must passe that by Sea would approach Flo­rence, so is Siena the Porte or gate by which they must enter, that eyther from Naples or the Churches state would come to anoye it. For from the way of Romagna or Bologna, there is very hard passage for an Armie, so sharpe and inaccessible are the mountaines, which being well considered by Cosmo (then Duke) of Florence, no maruaile though he neuer rested till he had got the towne and whole state of Siena into his hands.

The meanes thus; The Cittie about fortie fiue yeares since, being besieged by the forces of the Pope, Charles the fift, and [Page 26] Cosmo Duke of Florence, rendred it selfe at length to the Empe­rour, and receaued a garrison of Spaniards, but keeping still their manner of gouerment which they before vsed. The Em­perour by earnest sollicitation of the D. d'Alua, in whom the Duke of Florence his purse (they say) had got him great interest, was content to render it into the Duke of Florence his possessi­on, for certaine summes of money to be paid, besides a yearely rent, with a recognition that it was holden of him, and certaine other couenants which some say were neuer performed, as also that this contract was made without the consent of Philip king of Spaine that now is, whereof were not his hands full of acti­ons in other places, it is thought some stirre might arise. So that Cosmo de' Medici the second Duke of Florence vnited that state with this of Siena, which is by estimation bigger then the state of Millan, and the most fruitefull part of all Tuscany. Wherevp­on he altered his Stile which before was Dux Florentiae, and in­tituled himselfe Dux Florentiae & Senarum.

The ornaments of speciall note in this towne are three: The first is the Duomo, no great but a faire and rich Fabrick, all the out-side of Marble, so is the Pauement, the roofe guilt; & at the foote thereof, are very curiously cut in stone and guilded, also all the Popes from the first till within these eighty yeares. The second is the Citterne, a place, whereout of the Rocke floweth aboundance of waters, and haue their Citterne and Pooles very well cut of Stone to receaue the same. The last is the Pi­azza, one hundred and sixtie paces in length, and one hundred and ten in breadth, vety steepely descending. At the head here­of is a very faire Fountaine, and at the foote is the Pallace of the Signoria. round about it are very faire and high houses. I haue not seene a Market-steede, excepting that of Sancto Marco in Venice, so beautifull. The fairest Pallace of this Cittie, not ex­cepting the great Dukes, is that of the Piccol huomini, begun by Pius Secundus, and ended by Pius Tertius, both of this fami­ly; which needs not much enuie the most stately of those in Florence. The walles of this Cittie, as also the houses and streets are all of Bricke.

[Page 27]They haue here (they say) the arme of S. Iohn Baptist, The arme of S. Iohn Baptist. which they very religiously and with much reuerence hold as a relick; It was sent by the Turke to Aeneas Siluim Piccol huomini, be­ing Pope, by the name of Pius Secundus, in liew whereof, this Pope sent him the halfe Moone for a Crest.

There is a Fortresse at the North-west of this towne, The For­tresse. reputed strong: howbeit the forme being Quadrangular and therefore the angles not so obtuse as in those of fiue or more; it is iudged of moderne Enginers, as namely of Maggi, a late Italian writer in the subiect of fortifications, not to answer the reputation it hath [...]n generall. The Artillery herein (they say, The Ar­tillery. for we may not enter it) much and good: the garrison but fiue and twen­tie at this present, the end, is to command the towne vpon any occasion.

This Citty like that of Pisa, People de­cayed. is noted to be much decaied since their subiection to the family Medici, there not being now a­boue two and twenty thousand persons, where in times past were alwayes aboue fiftie. The Gen­tri [...]. The Gentlemen of this Citty are noted to be generally more ciuill, affable, & courteous to stran­gers then they are in other places. Their course of liuing. They liue altogether vpon their reuenues, without exercising any trade of Merchandize or exchange vpon the Banck, which course notwithstanding, all the Nobilitie of Florence and Pisa, euen to the great Duke himselfe do take: as likewise they of Venice, Genoa, Rome, and generally all places and states of Italy, except Naples.

Hauing in briefe discoursed of three chiefe Citties of Tusca­ny, The three chiefe cit­ties, and why? Florence, Siena and Pisa, which deserue so to be called, either for that each of them hath in times past had her seuerall State, or for that they be the Seates of three Archbishopricks: it now remaineth I aduertise of the commodities of this countrie, be­ginning with the Mountaines and their fruites, Commo­dities out of Moun­taines. which because they bofor the most part craggie and barren, as they allowe those that possesse them but little profit; so they yeeld me that write of them but little matter: no maruaile then though the discourse be like the hilles themselues, barraine.

There is digged out of these hilles a kinde of Free-stone, Free-stone. [Page 28] passing hard, Diuers co­lours. of colour according to the nature of the place whereout it is taken, white, redde, and black, or to say more properly, enclining to these colours: of all which sorts there be in Florence and elsewhere, very gallant and stately Pallaces builded. Marble di­uers co­lours. They haue also in many places, pitts of Marble, white, blew, and party-coloured excellent good: namely in the Ter­ritory of Massa, but especially in the Mountaines of Carrara and Lunigiana: hence dayly they dig for the building of their Churches and Pallaces of Genoa, Florence, Bologna, Rome, and France also, whereout mig [...]t be digged enough to serue a world of building, if the transporting it into other places were not so chargeable, or rather the impossibility to bring it from the pits where it is digged, to the Port where they should load it, by reason of the cragginesse of the Rocks. Of these Marble Pits Iunenal seemes to make mention, where he saith: ‘Procubuit veluti qui saxaligustica portat Axis.’

And Vberti in his sixt Canto saith thus:

The build­ing of Italy fairer then ours, and why. This is the reason the buildings of Italy so farre exceed ours, especially their Churches: as for any other thing in that land, the truth is they can no way compare with vs, nor make good the great opinion the world hath thereof.

The other fruites of these Mountaines which are indeed vse-full and necessary for the sustenance of the inhabitants, are Acornes, Acornes. Oliues, and Chesnuts: of Acornes especially in the state of Siena are very great store, wherewith, ouer and besides those they eate themselues, they feede their Swine, not hauing of Beanes or Pease to spare for this purpose; The great Duke maketh yeerely of certaine woods he hath in this State aboue a thousand Duckets.

Oliues. They haue also Oliues, but not in such plentifull manner as to be able to send any Oyle into other parts: for they want hereof to serue their owne turnes; being a commoditie so [Page 29] necessary, as without it, it were not possible they should liue, feeding as they doe vpon nothing els but cold fruites and rawe herbes; Their scar­sity and necessity. insomuch as the Villano and poorer sort feedeth not vp­on flesh once a moneth, and then most sparingly; as for Butter and Cheese, were it not for Lombardie they should scarse know what it meant.

The third benefit of the hils is the Chesnut, Chesnuts. the countrimans bread, as water is his drinke, who (except he be sick) which we then refuse, drinketh no Wine, Their vse. and except very seldome eateth nothing but those Nuts; the sterility of the countrey being such as not to afford bread of corne for one fourth part of the yeare. Corne scarse. Such is the wretched penurie of this Nation, abounding in no­thing but in quaint termes, which discouer their humour, but satisfie not their hunger; whereof shall be more fitly discour­sed hereafter. It may heere suffice to inferre that the greater part of this State being hilles, and the most of those barraine, & much of these other nothing but Stone: no maruaile then, though they build like the Agrigenti [...]es and liue like the Scythi­ans, though they dwell like Princes, & feed like Pesants, though their houses be great and their tables small, though the women haue in one day more riches on their back then they spend in three ages on the sustenance of their body. And yet that glory and wealth there is, is in the Cittie, and in the hands of few, to whom all the fruites of the country are conueyed: as for the Artificer he can doe no more but liue, whereof scarse one in a citty euer groweth rich, and the poore Contadines life is such, as if naturally he were not proud in this extreame miserie, it would moue any stranger to pittie his estate.

I haue stood in my lodging on a market-day, when the coūtry hath come in, and when commonly they attire themselues in their best robes: yet haue I obserued seauē or eight bare leg­ged, for one otherwise, and in this proportion haue they passed for two or three houres, the rest of their apparel holding sutable conformity therewithall; yet cannot this people talke but with his hatt on his head, and with his hands by his sides, with acti­on also and words, either beseeming none at all, or at least one in better clothes.

[Page 30]But to leaue the high minds & low fortunes of the Tuscanes, the great hilles and small commodities of their countrie, vpon which we may well turne the Prouerbe, Par [...]uriunt Montes, exit Mus; I will discend into their valleys, which indeed (not to defraude them of their right) are like Gardens, whether you respect the small quantitie of each mans seuerall, or their dili­gence in their keeping, or to say truth, the variety of the fruites thereof.

For the first I can auow, that going vp with another English Gentleman to the top of a steepe hill, some two miles high right ouer Prato, to giue our eye the view of that pleasant valley, we could not discerne any one peece of ground aboue one Acre and a halfe in our opinions, (except the great Dukes pastures about his Pallace of Poggio) all which ground being bare and the hedges greene with the Vines, gaue a very pleasant and de­lightfull prospect, resembling very fitly a Checker table. Now if the good Starres raise one of them to the fortune to be pos­sessed of one of these garden-plots, and a Cappanuccia (a silly shelter couered with Reedes) thervpon yee shall neuer get him from the discourse of his Villa, his Podere, and his Entrata, his farmes, his lands, and his rents; that one would thinke him Lord of some goodly Pallace, and as much land at the least as a Nag might well pace about in a day; when, if we come to see it, it prooues not God knowes aboue the Giornata (a dayes iourney) of a Snaile, and she poore beast is taken domage fai­sant in danger to be seazed vpon to the Lords vse of the soile; for Snailes, Frogs, Hedg-hogs, and such like, are accounted among the Delicatezze, the delicates of Italy.

As for their diligence in digging, setting, sowing, manuring and weeding of their ground, it is such as therewith the Dutch diligence in their Roote grounds may not compare. And lastly for the variety of those commodities which these Valleys yeelde, it shall suffice to comprehend them vnder these three heads; Fruite, Herbage, and Graine, with particular mention of such as I remember, howbeit in Italian names, because many of them growe not, nor are yet Christened in England.

These are the fruites of the earth whereof they feed, for of others I speake not: and to giue these their due, many of them be very delicate and pleasant; as their Vna Moscutella, and Ri­maldesca, their Figs, Apricocks, Musk-mellons, and such like: howbeit considering either the little time they last, or the small quantitie they haue thereof, the benefit is not so great as is ima­gined; for none of these last named lasteth aboue two mo­neths, except it be the grape, whereof some few are hanged vp in the Palco roofe, to serue the richer sort in Lent. As for the poorer, their chiefest food is Herbage all the yeare through. [Page 32] Indeed for the moneths of August and September, while Grapes be ripe, he keepeth a continuall feast, making them his onely food.

The Vine. The Vine which without comparison is the greatest com­moditie of Tuscany, if not of Italy; hath these vses. Of the Grape they feed, of the iuyce they make Wine; of the shreedings they make small bundles, like our Fagots of gaule in Cambridge, & sell them for two quatrini a peece for firing: of their leaues they feed their Oxen, or else dung their land; & lastly of the stones they feed their Pigions, which after the Vintage they riddle out of the Grap: being dryed, and these they sell at 20. soldi the Staio.

There are diuers sorts of Grapes, the names of such as I re­mēber are these; Vna Canaiola, good either to eate or for Wine; Passerina a small Grape, whereof Sparrowes feed, good onely for Wine; Trebbiana the best sort of white Grapes for Wine, whereof they make their Vin Trebbiano, Zibibbo; these are dryed for Lent: Moscatella with a taste like Muske, not for Wine, but to eate; Vna grossa not to eate, but for Wine; Raue­rutta, of itselfe neither to eate, nor for Wine, but a few of these put among a great vessell of Wine, giueth it a colour, for which vse it onely serueth; San Columbana and Rimaldesca a very de­licate Grape, either for Wine or to eate; Luglisla which hath his name of the moneth of Iuly wherein it is ripe, better to eate then for Wine; and lastly Cerisiana, named for the taste it hath like a Cherry, better for Wine then to eate.

They haue also as many names for their Figs, the best are the Brugiotti, which being needlesse to recount, as also to stand thus particularly vpon all the rest, I will omit to speake: onely in a word I will speake of the Mulberry, for that the mention thereof draweth consequently therewithall the discourse of the Silke-worme, which being another of the greatest commodi­ties of Tuscany I may not forget.

In the two moneths of May and Iune this worme laboureth, Silke-wormes. the rest of the yeare they be onely seedes kept in some warme & close places, where they may neither be indangered by cold [Page 33] nor thunder, for either of these destroyeth them. When she hath wrought her selfe into a bottome, they put it into warme water to finde the end thereof, but if they would preserue the worme for seed, then they finde the end without putting the bottome into water (for this killeth the worme) which being found, and wound vpon a Cane, they suffer the worme to lye vpon a wollen cloath, till growing to a Flie it engender with another, whereof come infinite seeds, which are as is said, kept close all the yeare till the beginning of May, when they are laide in the Sunne and so hatched, but for want of heate, and to haue of them betimes, the women will hatch them in their bo­somes. Mulbery. So soone as they be wormes they haue of Mulberie leaues giuen them, whereof they onely feed, to which purpose are daily great store of trees planted: the leafe is sold at foure quattrini the pound. Of this sort of trees the great Duke hath planted such plenty along the banckes of Ar [...]o, and about the Ditches of townes and other publick places, as it is probably iudged they will within these few yeares be annually worth thirty thousand Duckets. And whereas heretofore the Silke-workers of Florence, besides their owne, were vsually wont to buy from Naples, Lombardie, and Greece, so much silke as year­ly amounted to three hundred thousand Duckets, it is now thought that shortly they shall haue enough of their owne; for yee shall obserue, that they of Siena are richer in lands then they of Florence, and therefore trade lesse in all Mechanicall professions: I saulsi ricchi d [...] entrada, i fiorentini ricchi per indu­stria: which is the reason that the Florentines exceed the other so farre herein: insomuch as it is thought here are yeerly made of Florence Rashes to the worth of two Millions of Duckets, & of Silket and Cloathes of gold and siluer, to the value of three Millions; hence grew this Axiome of Aristotle; The more bar­raine the soyle, the more rich the Citie: as he obserued by Athens in Greece, and we finde by Norremburge in Germanie. Good reason they of Florence haue to encrease this commoditie, by all possible meanes, without the which I see not how they should be able (not exhausting in few yeares their estate) to be [Page 34] releiued with the necessarie commodities of other countries: a [...] Corne from Sicilia, Leather from Barbaria, Tinne, Lead, Hearing, Chauiar, and other such prouision from England, & from diuers other places other things as needfull: their State not ha­uing any Marchandize to spare, Alume. except a little Alume to coun­ternaile this great charge withall. So that their helpers an in­dustrious paine-taking in the making of these silkes, Silkes. their clothes of gold and siluer, Clothes of gold and si [...]uer, &c. their Rashes, and painting of Lea­ther for Hangings (a trade much vsed among them) howbeit the matter it selfe comming from Spaine and other countries, wherevpon they worke, and onely the workmanship their owne, the aduantage can be but small.

Another helpe is their egregious & incredible Parsimony in feeding, as also their frugality from extraordinary spending, for should they either fare, or exceed in other charges, as we do in this coūtrey, it were impossible but their state should be ruined.

Concerning Herbage, Hearbes & Rootes. I shall not need to speake, but that it is the most generall food of the Tuscan, at whose table a Sallet is as ordinary, as Salt at ours; for being eaten of all sorts of per­sons, & at all times of the yeare: of the riche because they loue to spare; of the poore, because they cannot choose; of many Religious, because of their vow, of most others because of their want: it remaineth to beleeue that which themselues confesse; namely, Flesh. that for euery horse-load of flesh eaten, there is ten cart loades of hearbes and rootes, which also their open Markets and priuate tables doe witnesse, and whereof if one talke with them fasting, he shall haue sencible feeling.

But for the better proofe of the little flesh here spent, it shall not be amisse to remember what the Chancellor of Prato told me concerning this matter, who seemed by his discourse a man of good vnderstanding, & who ought by his office to haue the knowledge hereof very familiar; vpon some conference with him had about the great Dukes impositions and Gabell which he had in that state, he tolde me among diuers other matters, which shalbe remembred hereafter, that he had out of Prato & the precincts thereof, a thousand Duckets communibm annis for [Page 35] the flesh there eaten, at the rate of fiue denari the pound, for so much he hath. Now if we reduce Duckets to denari (which are the fourth part of a Quattrino) & deuide that number by fiue, we shall finde the number of pounds of flesh eaten there, after the rate of twelue ounces to the pounds (for so is their weight of all things whatsoeuer) which summe by the rule of three we may reduce to pounds English of sixteene ounces, and then deuiding by fourteene, know how many Stone is there eaten in a yeare. According to which computation we shall finde 18000 Stone: the people there being, as is already said 16000 persons, so that there is little more then a Stone a peece for the yeare: a proportion which in Newgate market, and S. Ni­cholas-shambles will hardly be beleeued.

Pythagoras found by the dimension of the foote the perfect Rieratte of Hercules & Phidias of Athens, found by the paw of the Lion, the true proportion of the whole body: so by this small store of flesh spent in Prato, may well be conceiued what proportion is spent in the whole state of Tuscany. It may here not impertinently be remembred (speaking of flesh) of a kinde of meate which the Italian hath out of Barbaria, howbeit in no great quantity, which they call Micista, Micista. it is a powder made of Beefe dried & sold in their shops; for the nature of the flesh of Africk being such not to take Salt, (the Alarbaes of that coun­trey) dwelling in tents, which they alwayes remoue when their cattle haue eaten vp the pasture, to some other place, doe bake their flesh in Ouens so drie, till it may be beaten to powder, which done, they barrell it vp, & carry with them for a kind of very good food. And I haue heard also that the Tartars bring of this into the warres, wherof they feed, and wherwith putting about two handfuls of it into water, they giue their [...]ors [...]s, which without any other prouinder keepeth them fat & [...]isty.

As concerning their graine in Tuscany, Graine. it is very much in kind & very little in quantity: wherof most years they haue too sen­cible feeling, & are supplied out of other places, as Sicilia; Sar­digna, & somtimes England & the East-countries: they haue of Wheat more then either Rie or Barley, yet of neither sufficient: [Page 36] as for their Sagina, Panico, Miglio, Surgo Turco, and such like, they are fine names, but make but course meale and bread only for the poorer sort, who, (might they not want thereof) would thinke their market much amended.

Their haruest is in Iune, Haruest. they mowe their Wheate and Rie, & reape their Barley, quite contrary to the common course in England: they cut their corne while it is somwhat greene, I take it, least it should shill: they suffer it afterwards to stand in shocks [...]ill it be well withered and dryed, then making a store on the ground where it grew, they presently thresh it; & stack vp the Strawe for their necessarie vses: the same ground which hath carried this crop, if it be in heart is againe presently tilled, and sowed with Miglio, Panico, Sagina, or some pulse or other, which againe they reape in September. They measure their corne by the Staio, as we ours by the Strike or Bushell, it con­taineth in weight fiftie fiue pounds, at twelue ounces the poūd. And as we measure our land by the Acre, so they theirs by the Staioro, which taketh his name of the Staio: because one of these parcels of land, if it be on the hilles, will aske a Staio of corne to feed it, otherwise in the valleys euery measure will ordinarily feed foure Straiora, I suppose that six of these make one of our Acres. The country-man will stirre of them (as we call it) eighteene with his two yoake of Oxen; the one yoake feeding while the other laboureth in one day. He hath for his labour foure Crazie a peece, which is three-pence starling; so that he and his beasts earne some foure shillings six-pence ster­ling the day: how this agreeth with our rate in England, I can­not say, I went not out so good a husband. The staioro doth or­dinarily yeeld seauen and eight staia crop, which is little short of the proportion of foure quarters an Acre.

The nature of the soile is generally light and sandy, Soile. laid in small ridges like the fields of Norfolke, which as I take it, argu­eth the lightnesse. But by reason of the Citties & great townes neare, and the number of people, it is much forced, and made more fruitfull. For there are those who all their life time doe no­thing but with their Asse go vp and downe the cities, gathering [Page 37] vp the dung in the streetes, and carrying it to the land of those with whom they haue bargained, paying out of euery Asses burthen one quattrino to the Duke before they passe the gates, but this is a discourse for another place.

It remaineth to speake of the Salt, Salt. another cōmoditie which they haue here in Tuscany in some reasonable manner. It is very white and good, much better then that of the Churches Salt, which hath almost the colour of Saw-dust, or that of Liguria which is little better. The two places from whence they haue this commoditie, is the Citty of Grossetta in the Maremma, and the pits not far from the Citty of Volterra: howbeit they make of it at these pits in greater measure; where it is reported are daily made throughout the yeare twenty foure Moggie, euery of these measures being foure and twenty Staia, that is of our measure some sixteene Strike a peece: so that there are dayly made 48. quarters. They know when it is sufficiently boiled by the throwing in of an Egge, for if it sinck, then is it not yet perfect, Sulphurius waters ef­fect. but if it swimmeth ( a galla) then they boile it no long­er. There are not farre hence (may I digresse so farre) waters of such a scalding and sulphurious nature, as if a Dog or such like creature be tied to a rope and throwne therein for the space of a quarter of an houre, yee pull out nothing but the bare bones. And true it is, that the aire here abouts sometimes of the yeare is so contagious, as the inhabitants abandon their homes. The place being so dangerous, I will dwell no longer vpon the dis­course thereof, but returne to the Salt-pits, out of which the great Duke maketh no small benefit, considering he buyeth it at one quattrini the pound, and selleth it againe at twelue, and in some parts of his State at fifteene, which being bought at this rate commeth to two Duckets the Staio: Howbeit, it is said of some, that it costeth him fiue quattrini the pound, which I rather beleeue, and so his gaine is but two third parts. Sure I am that there is a Bando vpon a great penaltie, that none pre­sume to buy but of his officers onely. And seeing here is men­tion made of the great Dukes impositions vpon Salt [...] I will also annex his gaine raised by Wheate, though I must confesse their [Page 38] place more proper when I shall speake of his Reuenew.

After the Raccolt [...], Wheat en­grossed. (haruest) when wheate is at the cheapest, a note is taken of euery mans particular croppe, how much he hath, what will seed his ground; and serue his house; the rest the officers will buy at the price of the Market; he is not (as I take it (directly forced to sell it: but a Bando is sent forth, that no man shall buy, and so by consequent, because he must needs haue money, with an vnwilling willingnesse he is content they shall haue it. This is bought vnder pretence to haue the Citties well stored, whether it is carryed into the great Dukes Grana­ries, in which places for any accident either of dearth or of warre, (though for the one the countrey is well secured) here is very good store to be found: It was reported in the Magizini (Store-houses) at Pisa when I was there, there was no lesse then one hundred and fiftie thousand Staia. And it was likewise hol­den for certaine, that some yeares of plentie, he buieth eight or nine hundreth thousand, at the rate commonly of foure or fiue Liuers the Staio; (a Liuer is nine-pence sterling) and selleth it againe as this yeare he did for aboue ten. Now by buying such an infinite Masse, and selling it at such a rate, the gaine is easily computed to be almost as many Duckets as were Staia bought: His subiects will tell vs of a Millons gaine some yeare, but that were infinite. Now least when the new Corne comes into his Granaries, he should not vent the old, as being sustie, or hauing some other fault, a Bando is sent out, that the Bakers shall bake no other. There is another inconuenience stranger then this, a case wherein a man may not serue himselfe of his owne, which had it not beene tolde me by a Gentleman Sanese of good cre­dit, I should hardly haue beleeued, much lesse haue aduentured to aduertise thereof. If a Gentleman of Siena haue a Villa in the Territory of Mont Alcina, neare by; and therein good store of Wheate to serue his turne for the maintenance of his house in Siena, and whether, it may be with little cost brought, as not being farre off, and where perhaps he cannot well spare money to buy of others: notwithstanding he cannot be suffe­red to bring of his owne to his house, but must there take of the [Page 39] great Duke to make his prouision. How hurtfull these Mono­polies and ingrossings are, the lawes made against them in well gouerned states doe witnesse, and the people where they be practised doe feele.

Of their Pastures and feeding for Cattell, Pastures. I shall not need to speake, for they be not herewith acquainted, as not being able to spare one Staiora from tillage, except in the Maremma and lowes of Pisa, which being little and soone spoken of, and not hauing whereof to be spoken, but that it is little, I will leaue: as also all other things to be obserued in the Countrie itselfe, and proceed to the gouernment.

The Gouernment (to speake in one word, The go­uerment. and not to vse a harder terme) is meerely Despoticall. The Prince himselfe is of stature meane, of colour by complexion browne, The prince by age gris­led, of body corpulent, of age somewhat aboue fiftie, his name Ferdinando, who (till his brothers death) was Cardinall, His name. which dignity he hath since renounced, hauing attained this Scepter, whereof he had not beene capaple, if he had before entered the order of Priest-hood. He is of the familie Medici, His family. a noble house of Florence, the first raiser whereof was Lippo, not three hundred yeares since (whose Father, though a Colliar) yet he by his vertues and his posteritie also succeeding from time to time, aduanced the reputation of this name to the greatnesse wherein now it is: whereof hath beene many Cardinals, Arch­bishops, Bishops, and other personages of great place; be­sides two Popes, two and twenty Gonfaloniers, and foure Dukes: of these, three haue had the title of (Great) as else­where is shewed.

The discent of this Prince might be deriued from Lippo, His discēt. but for breuities sake I will omit foure or fiue, and begin at Giouan­ni the Father of the first Cosmo, because from him come the two houses that haue had the Signiory of this State, as in this table following appeareth.

• [Page 40]Giouanni.
  • Cosmo: Con­tessina Bar­di.
    • Piero: Lu­cretia Tur­na buoni.
      • Lorenzo Clarice orsina.
        • Piero Al­fonsa or­sina,
          • Lorenzo Mad­dalcha di Bo­logna.
            • Alexandro D. di Fioe Mar [...] d'Austria.
            • Caterina Re­gina di Fran­cia.
        • Giouanni Leo 10.
        • Guigliano D. di Nem­ors filiberta di Sauoia.
          • Hippolito Cardinale.
            • Asdruball Cauall: Gie­rusalemme.
      • Guigliano.
        • Guiglio Clem. 7
    • Giouanni Gineua A­lessandri.
      • Cosimino
    • Carlo
  • Lorenzo Gineura caualcanti.
    • Pierfrancesco Laudomia Ac­ciaioli.
      • Lorenzo Se­miramus Ap­piana.
        • Pierfrancisco Maria Sode­rini.
          • Lorenzo This is he that murde­red Alexander first D. of Florence, in detesta­tion of which fact, the house where it was cō ­mitted, stands ruined as in the Via Larga there appeareth.
            • Francesco grā D. Gi­ouanni d'Austria.
              • Don Phi­lippo Prē ­cipe di Tuscana morto.
              • Don An­tonio D. di Capistra­no bastard. aliue.
            • Giouanni Cardinale.
            • Don Pie­ro morto.
            • Don Gar­zia morto.
            • Ferdinādo gran D. Christina di Lorena.
              • Don Cosmo Prencipe di Tuscana.
              • Don Fran­cesco.
              • D [...].
          • Guigliano Vescouo.
        • Auerardo
      • Giouanni Caterina Zforza.
        • Giouanni Maria Sal­uiati.
          • Cosmo Grā duca di Tus­cana Leono­ra di Tole­do.
            • Don Piero Leonora di Toledo.
              • Don Cosmo.
            • Don Go­uanti [...] bast. aliue.

[Page 33]The discent and issue of the great duke appearing in this ta­ble, His Pa­rentage. it remaineth that I speake of his parentage. His Highnesse matched in the house of Lorraine, with Madama Christina that Dukes daughter Don Caesare d' Estê, base sonne to Alphonso the second, the Duke of Fexrara, that now is married to his Sister. Don Virginio Orsin [...] Duke di Bracciano that now with the Dut­chesse his wife, sister to the Cardinal Mont' Alto is in Court, is sonne of another of his Sisters. The Duke of Montona married Madama Leonora of this house; he hath also neere alliance with the family Zforza: And it was said in the Court at my comming from Liuorno, that Rannuio Fernese Duke of Parma, should marry Maria sister to Leonora, both daughters to Fran­cesco his brother: Howbeit it was afterwards reported that he should marry the sister of Cardinall Mont' Alto, neece to Sixtus Quintus, (whom sinde he hath married: and Maria is wife to Henry the 4. King of France.

His Armes are six Apples or Balles of gold in a field Azure, His armes. vnto which some say is added since his obtaining the Scepter, the Armes of Florence the Flower de Lise, But hauing the au­thoritie of one so approued as is Guicciardine to the contrary, I rather say with him, that this addition was giuen of speciall fa­uour to the familie Medici by the house of France; by whom in his first booke page 16. it is plaine, that when Charles the eight entended his voyage for Naples, he sought (as a league much importing that action) the friendship of the Florentine State, and that as he there saith, if they would not ioyne with him in the seruice, yet at least they would grant him passage for his ar­mie, and victuals for his money: whereto he laboured by let­ters both the State in generall, and Piero Medici in particular, in which his letters to Medici he putteth him in minde of the ma­ [...]ie fauours and honours done by Lewes the eleuenth to Loren­zo his father, and to his auncestors: that they had giuen molte dimostrazioni per conseruation della grandezza d'essi. Many proofes of willingnesse to preserue the Medicies greatnesse: and that they had honoured in testimonio de beneuolenza, l'inseg­ne [...]ora con l'insegne proprie della casa di Francia, in shew of their [Page 34] loue, their armes with theirs of France.

His stile. Concerning his Stile, it is to be obserued, that since the go­uernment came to the hāds of this familie, it hath altered foure times: for first, when by Clement the 7. his meanes, who was a Medici, Alexandro had obtained the signory of Florence, he was entituled Prior perpetuall: after that matching in the house of Austria, he was created Duke of Florence. The title yet chan­ged twice more in the person of Cosmo, father to this great duke now liuing, for hauing vnited the States of Florence and Siena, he was entituled, Dux Florentiae et Senarum: And after by Pius Quintus he was created Magnus Dux Hetruriae for some speci­all seruice done to the Church.

This title of Duke is not of any great antiquitie in Italy; for although Titus Liuius speaketh of Duces, yet he meaneth Cap­taines of Souldiers, or rather such as had the leading of an Ar­mie by the Senates appointment, and not such as haue absolute authoritie ouer Citties and Countries. The first bringer in of this name into Italy, was Longinus King of the Lombardes, one hundred sixtie sixe yeares after the declination of the Ro­maine Empire. By him at the first were created foure, which bore their title of these places; Beneuentum, Turine, Fruily, and Spoleto: At which time also were instituted the two Marque­sarts of Ancona and Treuiso, which still liue in the names, though dead in the persons that should haue them: and it should seeme in some sort, this title of Marquesse was better then that of Duke. For in their language (saith Biondo) it signifieth Perpetuum Magistratum, because they might leaue their title and Signorie to their heires, which the Dukes could not doe, but by the leaues of the Kings of Lombardie. Some say this word of Marques is deriued from the French (Mar­que) which signifieth a Prouince; as that a Marques should signifie the President of a Prouince. Others thinke it is deriued of the Dutch word ( Marchk) among whom this title is in great honor, & signifieth a Signor ouer a Country to some limit or marke, for so Altimeri in his Scholia vpon Cornelius Tacitus interpreteth. As for this title of great Duke, there neuer was any before in Italy, nor I thinke in Europe, but he of Musconia: [Page 35] Of Dukes there be diuers in this Countrie of Italy, as the Dukes of Ferrara, Muntoua, Parma, Vrbino; besides foure and twenty in the kingdome of Naples.

Concerning his claime and right to the Crowne, His title. it is beyond the compasse of a bare relation, (as this is) to dispute how good it is but rather to discourse what it is, neither to determine how iustly his Predecessors got it, but how lineally it is deuolued from thē to him. The meanes how this house rose to such supe­rioritie in a cōmon-wealth, where was alwaies maintained such equallitie, is by the Florence historie easily discerned to be their popularity & insinuatiue stealing into the peoples good opini­ons; ouer whō they oftentimes in cases of insolencies & oppres­sions by the nobler sort, vndertooke the Patronage, & became as it were the Tribunes of the people in Rome, or the Auogadori del Commune in Venice, who (as I take it) are Aduocates & Inter­cessors for the c [...]tizēs, preferring their sutes to the Courts. How­beit there is a difference, for this is an office instituted, that was a fauor enchroched vpō, this is by law limitted, that was by mās nature so infinite, as it staid not running on this plausible race till the wished goale was gotten. Venice hath beene wise in this case, where it hath been danger for a great man to deserue too well, and be loued too much; for which cause only (as in their Annals appeareth) some of thē haue lost their liues, fearing what this popularitie of theirs might effect, if it were put to the triall: & holding belike that principle good in a cōmonwealth, which is a ground in matters of the Church, which saith; Melius est pe­vire vnū quā vnionē) It is better one perish then vnitie: factions being as dāgerous in the one, as schismes in the other. To which purpose Athens and Rome can afford many fit examples, & in­deed so many, as it were needlesse to recount, either that of Scil­la and Marius, Caesar and Pompeius, Octavius and Anthonius: or any other particulars, either of the one state or the other. And but that the (colours Noble and Popular) were in seuentie sixe in good time vnited in the Citty of Genoa; there had not wanted at this day an example in that Citty also, eyther of the family, Doria, Spinoli, Grimaldi, or Fieschi, as by Oberto Foglietta, a very iudiciall writer of these times is proued.

[Page 36]But to returne to the history of the family Medici, it is to be vnderstood, that Lorenzo grand-child to the first Cosmo, who for his well deseruing of the Common-wealth was sir-named Pater Patriae, & vncle to Clement the 7. who for deserts cleane contrary merited the title of Ruina Reipub: He I say, after the death of his brother Guigliano, who was slaine by the families Saluiati and Pazzi gouerned the State of Florence with all wis­dome grauitie and moderation, without respect of any parti­cular aduancement of his house, but onely of the weale pub­lick. To him had all the States and Princes of Italy recourse in all their matters of controuersie to be ended, and of counsell to be guided: insomuch, as in his dayes, Florence seemed another Delphos and he another Oracle: as he would, were all officers chosen, all families preferred, and all common actions of the State carried. So that as in Genoa the Adorni and Fregosi were by the people exalted, to curbe the vnbrideled insolencies of the Colore Nobile: as in Siena the Petrucci were made great to restraine the disordered humours of some aspiring Citizens: as in Perugia the Baglioni were aduanced to empeach the proud desseignes of the Raspanti, of whose proceedings the Citty grew iealous; and as in Bologna the Bentiuogli were preferred to ex­traordinarie honours & authoritie, through the hate they bore their Nobles: So likewise the first raising of this familie Medi­ci, was their plausible carriage towards the meaner and base [...] rancke of Citizens, by whom they were chosen for a head a­gainst the greater and more powerfull sort. And not contented with this prehemenencie, their desires rested not: vntill (as in the person of Alexander shall appeare) one of their house came to be Duke of so great a State, brother to a King of France, and sonne in law to an Emperour. So ordinary and naturall a thing it is in the minde of man, in matter of ambition and greatnesse, to keepe no mediocrity, that when yee giue him the authority and commaund ouer few, and in small matters, he cannot list his vast thoughts within the limits prescribed, but is so carried beyond himselfe with a desire to rule, as without consideration either of vertue by which, or of friends by whom, he was ad­uanced; [Page 37] he is violently driuen with the streame of that his am­bitious passion, to oppresse aswell those by whose meanes, as those for whose cause he was at first aduanced. Which ambiti­ous humour of raigning (though it raigned not in this good Lorenzo who with the reputation of a great wise man, and no lesse good Cittizen dyed in the yeare 1492. with whom saith Guicciardine dyed the glory and peace of Italy:) yet it made the way to those garboiles and troubles which his childrens greatnesse (by his desert) and aspiring minds (by their owne corruption) d [...]d afterwards cause in Florence. For leauing behind him three sonnes, Piero, Giouanni, and Guigliano; the first suc­ceeded his father, but not with like moderation in that autho­ritie wherin his fathers vertues left him in: but asserting a lord­ly superiority and sole gouernment; and as my Author saith; Con consiglio dirittamehie contrario à consigli paterni ne communi­cato [...]o cittadini principali, with a counsell quite contrary to that of his father, and kept still secret from the chiefe Cittizens; he sought to carry all matters after the vnbrideled sway of his owne affections, so greatly to the dislike of the Citizens, and to the preiudice of their liberty, as [...]e with his brothers were worthily banished; who after many attempts to be reimpa­triate, yet still repulsed, were notwithstanding at the last by the meanes of Ferdinando King of Aragon and Naples restored (I meane the two younger brothers, for Piero was now dead) ri­pigliando quell antica grandezza de Medicima gouuernandola pu [...] imperiosamente, e con arbit [...]io pui assoluto di quello che'st soleua: ta­king vpon thē againe the former greatnes of the Medici, & car­rying it more lordly, and with a more peremptory swinge then they were wont, Guicciard. lib. 11. car. 318. This restoring of the Medici & subiection of the Cittie, was in the yeare 1512. after they had beene eighteene yeares banished, in which lord­ly course of carrying thēselues, they continued fifteene yeares, till 1527. when Clement the Pope being in dangerat Rome, & fled into the Castle S. Angelo, the Florentines taking aduantage of the time, attempted the recouering of their liberty. Howbeit at the Popes instance, the Emperour Charles the fift made [Page 38] Alexander Medices Prior perpetuall. And after in 35. (as hath beene before said, speaking of his Stile) hauing matched in the house of Austria, he created him duke, causing an emblematical statue to be made of Brasle in the chiefe Piazza of the towne, with this inscription in the name of the Emperour, Te filsi si qu [...] Leserat, vltor ero. My Sonne I will reuenge thee, if any dare to hurt thee, as a threat to the Citty if they offered to recouer their liberty. This Alexander fyrst Duke of Florence, being murdered by his cosen Lorenzo, and hauing no issue, the gouerment fell to Cosmo son to Giouanni de Medici & Maria Saluiati, heire in the next line, & Father to this great duke that now liueth, to whom by the death of his elder brother Frācesco, this state is deuolued.

His Court. Concerning his Court, it is the generall opinion, that it is greater then of a Duke, lesse then of a King; which compared with other Dukes of Italy is true: howbeit if it be considered either what number of persons are therein, or what prouision there is made, I thinke it may hardly compare with the houses of the Nobility of England, comprehending in this nūber none but such as liue and haue their dyet in Court, whereof there be very few. For this Court doth yeeld two sorts of courtiers: della bocca, & della Casa, (of the mouth and of the house) that is, of such as feede there, and of such as retaine onely. Of the first sort is the great Duke himselfe, the Duke Bracciano, their Dutches­ses, their children, and some few seruants besides to the number as I haue creadibly heard not aboue foure and twenty: of the other sort are other officers of Court, which notwithstanding liue at their owne priuate tables, as Monsignior Puteo Archbi­shop of Pisa, and thereto his Highnesse, by whose counsell he is especially aduised, Il Signior Piero Vsimbaldi, il signior Caualliere Conci [...]o, il Signior Beliario Vinta, il Signior Caualliere Serguidi, il signior Piero Conti his Secretaries, & diuers others his officers. To these if we adde Don Giouanni & Don Antonio, both Me­dici, the one his brother, the other his Nephue illigitimate, Il sig­nior Camillo del Monte, generall of the foot, Il signior Conte Ghe­rardesca Collonell of the horse, Il signior Francesco Montauti generall of his gallies, besides the L [...]arant' Otto, & diuers others Countes and Nobles of Florence, you shall see a very honoura­ble [Page 39] and noble presence.

The order of this discourse requireth that in this place I brief­ly aduertise of the order of San Stephano, His order of S. Ste­phen. whereof his highnesse is grand-master, which was first instituted by Cosmo his father, and confirmed by Pius Quintus. But because the ordinances & statutes therof be very many, aswell concerning the inuestiture as degradation, & for that there is a booke written thereof inti­tled della Religione di san Stephano: I will only remember that the Gran Maestro conferreth diuers other offices belonging to this order, and of chiefe accoumpt, vpon persons of principall qualitie in his state: as the office of Gran Comandator, Gran Con­testabile, and Gran Priore. There be three degrees of this order; the first is of Cauallieri querrieri, the second are Ecclesiastichi; the last Seruienti. Of the first sort haue beene made (as in their Pallace at Pisa appeareth) about one thousand and twenty. The second are Priests & persons of the church, not so honourable as the former. The last are such as haue baser offices either a­bout the Pallace, or about their lands, and receiue annuall wa­ges for their paines. The Cognisance or badge of this order, is a crosse, in forme like that of the knights of Malta, but differing in colour, for that of Malta is white, this is red. They are bound to weare it alwayes vpon their vpper garment, which the great duke himselfe also obserueth. They are bound also to serue at Sea in the Grand Maisters warres for six yeares (as I take it) if need be whereas they of Malta are bound to serue against the Turke all the dayes of their life. The Knights of this order may marry, and hold temporall possessions, which they of Malta may not. This order is lineally to discend from the father to the eldest sonne, without any more creation, like the Titles of ho­nours in England, vnlesse his father vpon demerit be formerly degraded. What other priuiledges they haue, in the booke ther­of writtē appeareth, & what vse the Grand-master hath of their seruice in all his occasions, is as easily coniectured.

It followeth to speake somwhat of his riches: Riches. a matter wher­of one may discourse by probabilities, but can determine no­thing of certaine: for if they which marry our rich widdowes [Page 40] in England be many times deceiued in the reckoning, finding the accoumpt fall farre short of that the world iudged & they themselues hoped: how easie a th [...]ng is it to erre in the valuing of so great a Prince as the great duke of Tuscany? Besides if one should vndertake to write of euery thing he hath seene, & giue it the Italians valuation (who in matters of their owne, euer speake alla larga) I assure my selfe he should be very much de­ceiued, and gaine the imputation of a notable Gull for his cre­dulity, & a notorious Bugiarde for his deliuery, against which, note his farre trauaile neither giues him warrant nor supersedeas. I was in a Florentines gallery, who hath sometimes beene in our Countrey, where besides one table of Tutch, and three other of Serpentine, Agate, and such like, very curiously wrought and bordered with flowers of their naturall colours (which might be painted for ought I knew): howbeit he protested they were all the naturall colours of the stone, and of the infinite charge it cost to cut so many, before they could finde such as should giue the true lustre of the flower, which surely is there done most liuely: and besides many Statues of Marble, Alabaster & Brasse, he shewed vs a Cupbord of Boxes yet vnfinished (which he said) hath already cost foure and twenty thousand crownes: we see also diuers Medalles, at the least fiue hundred, which he valued some at twenty and thirty crownes the [...]eece: for the value of his Cupbord I know not, but for his Medalles I am sure that in Venice a man may buy as good and as Antique of a Montibanck for two gazets a peece, which is not two pence sterling. Now if one had swallowed this Gudgion of one hun­dred and twentie thousand Crownes (for so much he said these toyes in this Gallery did cost) he must needs either haue sur [...]e­ted of a fulnesse, or else haue discouered his infirmity by vent­ing it to others.

But to returne to the great Dukes riches; in the Gallery at Florence where is his Guarda-roba his Wardrope, and Armory, there is very much and massie Plate, with one Cupbord of pure gold, the value I cannot estimate. There is also one Table in making for the Emperour, which hath already cost (they say) [Page 41] twenty two thousand duckets set with very many & very faire Stones. There is one Deske worth (as they dare affirme) one Million. There are likewise Rapiers with hilts of gould, and in their Pomels either the Spheres or Clockes very curiously wrought. There be swords so artificially made, that they may be throwne out the length of three, and being at the full length, it dischargeth a Pistoll: there is the Sword of Charlemaine greatly prized. There be Targets which with a Pinne turned make Daggers flie out of all sides. There are besides the diuers weapons of most Nations, with many other things for the rich­nesse and rarenesse worth the remembring, as also the great Dukes chaine of Diamonds, and the great Duchesses chaine of Pearle which they weare dayly, two iewels no doubt of excee­ding value: besides all other their iewels & treasures not seene. But the thing which most argueth his Riches, and whereof he and other Princes haue their daily vses, and whereby they be valued, is ready Money and Coine; which the world (and no doubt vpon good reason) iudgeth to be very great: insomuch as the Neopolitan calleth him the King of coine: for in their play at Primero (their foure sutes of cardes being denari, Coppe, Spade, Picche, Coyne, Cuppes, Swords, Pikes) when (as the manner is) yee aske him for what Carde he pulleth, if he pull for a Denaro he answereth; I pull for the great Duke of Tuscany. And truely I am of opinion (submitting my selfe to better iudgments) that as in France there be foure great Riuers farre excelling the rest of that countrey in generall, and yet one another in some one particular: Loyre the greatest, Rhone the swiftest, Sayne the ri­chest, and Sone the sweetest. So in Italy there are foure great States, aboue all the other without exception, which notwith­standing in some one particular compared together, exceed one another. The Pope greatest in authoritie, the kingdome of Na­ples greatest in land-forces; the Venetians mightiest at Sea; and this great Duke mightiest in purse. Of whose present money some let not to say that he hath thirty millions of Duckets, others talke of fiue and twenty, none vnder twenty; but how truely, must be left to euery mans pleasure to iudge, as a thing vtterly vnknowne, except we may guide our coniectures by [Page 42] this inference, which may thus be collected.

Duke Francesco in the yeare 1576. reported to the Venetian Embassador, that his father Cosmo dying, left him in debt eight hundred thousand Duckets: for the paiment whereof he was forced to take vp great summes of the Genoeses, at vnreasonable interest. Notwithstanding it appeareth by the relation of the said Embassador, that within ten yeares after he was cleared of that debt, and had imbursed to his coffers fiue Millions. It may then be probably argued, that if in ten yeares there were six millions encrease, in twenty years more, there be at least twelue more added. But if it be obiected that Duke Francesco in the terme of those ten yeares had many hundred thousand duckets confiscate to his coffers by the treason of Pucci, who with his complices had plotted to enuite the Duke, the Cardinall, and Don Piero to a feast, and there to murder them all, and so to re­couer their liberty; It may hereto be answered that he was like­wise a Prince of very great expences, and that for instance in that very time, he built the Pallace and water-workes of Pra­tolino, which cost him at the least three hundred thousand duc­kets. As for this great Duke now liuing, his expences are small for so great a Prince, as by the small number of them which liue in Court may appeare. And yet euery Carneuale time he reti­reth himselfe from Florence, where is much to be spent, to Pisa where is somewhat to be gained: he saith he doth it for the af­fection he beareth that towne; his people say, for the loue he hath to spare; our English Marchants there say, it is for loue of their commodities, which about that time arriue, and are brought vp by his officers.

It is likewise knowne he hath great summes of money in banck, which must needs bring in their yearely gaine, besides three-score thousād duckets entrate, which he yearly detaineth from his brother Don Piere, who liueth in Spaine, & the gaine of Wheate before remembred; all which with his yearly reuenue may make one strongly perswaded, that his ready money is lit­tle lesse then that which is iudged of them which rate it at the highest. I should surely thinke it an incredible masse, but that I haue read for certaine, that in the yeare 1592, the ready money [Page 43] of Amurath, father to Mahomet the third, the great Turke now liuing, was at the least fifty millions. And although the dispro­portion of their Entrates may seeme much to weaken the force of this comparison: yet I see not, considering on the other side as great difference in their expenses, but that it may carry some good shew of likelyhood. To conclude this point, it appeareth, that the great Duke hath two Reuenues whereby he groweth rich; that is, great impositions, and great sparing (for sparing is a great reuenue.) There yet remaineth two other meanes to make him absolutely rich, the loue of his subiects, and their pri­uate wealth (for the wealth of the Subiect is the wealth of the king, and where the people is rich, the Prince is not poore. But sure it is that he hath neither the one, nor they the other.

His forces. It is to be thought that he which hath money such store wan­teth no forces (for money is called the sinews of warre) I will therefore to this short discourse of his Riches, adde in a word what is thought of his forces. His strength at Sea is not great, for he hath not aboue six Galleys, neither hath had since the ouerthrowe that the Turkes gaue him at the little Ilands For­miche, where he lost two of his best Galleys and one Galleon. In these that remaine he hath besides Munition ordinary, (that is eight or ten a peece,) about two hundred Souldiers and eight hundred slaues. He hath also much good Munition, and a competent number of Souldiers in his Fortes of the Porto Fer­rario, Potto Ferario in the Iland of Elba: of which place his Father was im­patronized by the Lord thereof, the Signor di Piombino, with the consent of Charles the fift: both because the Patron therof was not able to defend it against the Corsari which daily rob­bed and spoyled it: as also, because for the small defence it had, it might haue fallen into the hands of the Turkes, and so by reason of the Scite (standing very fitly for such a purpose) it might haue preiudiced the whole country of Italy. Notwith­standing all the reuenue of the Isle is left free to the Lord of Pi­ombino, & vnder his command are all other the towns & vnfor­tified places. In this Port which is capable of what fleet soeuer, do all ships that trade from the Le [...]a [...] westward & contrariwise [Page 44] touch, as in a place as necessary, fit, and secure, as are the Terse­res to the Spaniards failing to the West-Indies: so that if he with this Isle had also a good number of Galleis and a purpose to offend, he might very easily infest all the Seas vpon the coast of Barbary, vpon Pronence, Lyguria, Tuscania, and all that side of Italie, and in a manner make himselfe Lord of those Mid-land Seas. He hath also (as is reported) one hundred Soldiers, & good Artillerie in a Fort he holdeth at Marseilles called Castle dite; by the sufferance of which peece the Genoeses ship was in Ianuary last taken, (wherof the parties grieued complained lately to the great Duke) where besides foure hundred Spaniards put to the Gallies, was also found foure hundred thousand crownes, sent thether from Spaine. He hath also in those thirty Castles and Fortes before spoken of (wherein are garrisons but very small, as in some fiftie, and in others fiue and twentie, in others not aboue fifteene & in some fewer by reason of the good tearmes he standeth in with his neighbours Princes, or at least by the good fauour of the time, for that they be otherwise diuerted, that would be busie, to the number of six hundred in all. He hath likewise in all his sixteene Citties, garrisons of Souldiers more or lesse, as in the Cyttadell S. Miniato, and the new For­tresse at Florence one hundred & twenty, in Pisa fiftie, in Siena twentie fiue, in Liuorno two hundred and twenty, &c. In all which places he is said to be very well prouided of Munition, Armour, weapons, Powder, shott, and such like military proui­sion; the certaine quantity wherof I cannot certainly enforme, because, but vpon especiall fauour, and by commandement, they dare not let one come into their Fortes. And to write what others say, were to erre himselfe and seduce others. I was by good meanes in the Castle at Liuorno, where I told of field pee­ces three-score and foure, whereof (they told me) that twelue were canon, and demi-canon; by which proportion it is to be coniectured that he is very well furnished.

These Souldiers of whom is already spoken, are all in pay; he hath also a Rassegna, his trained Souldier (as we in England call them) about the number whereof there is great difference, between that which is writtē by way of relation, & that which [Page 45] is by way of conference reported. Relations (thē which nothing is more false) write that there be thirty six thousand: but I talk­ed with a Captaine, who hath the mustering & charge of three hundred within the precincts of Prato (then whom no man should know better) and he tolde me but of fifteene thousand. In this diuersitie of report I haue no other guide to direct me, to whether of these I should giue credit, then by a rateable pro­portion of the part with the whole, to inferre whether of these two commeth nearer to the trueth, in this manner. It is now certainly holden, that the number of people in the States of Florence and Siena vnited together, are about eight hundred thousand, and that they which recken six in the one & fiue in the other, and so make one million and one hundred thousand, do somewhat ouershoot the true number, much more they that recken 800000. in the state of Florence, and 600000. in that of Siena, not considering that the people of Siena and Pisa with their precincts are much decayed, as hath already beene partly said. Now then if sixteene thousand people (the number of thē within the distretto (the precincts) of Prato) do allow the great Duke a Rassegna of three hundred, which I haue seene foure times trained (for they muster and are exercised once a month throughout his state) then eight hundred thousand will allow fifteene thousand after that rate. But if it be answered that vpon the frontiers of the church and in the Maremma, there is a grea­ter Rassegna then in other places, and so the proportion not to hold, I reply, to answer this with sufficient recompence, there is no mustering of Souldiers nor any Rassegna in the cittie of Flo­rence, which is a good part of the whole. So that of this I am sure, that in Florence, Prato, Pistoia, Pisa, & their territories, there are not in all aboue two thousand two hundred▪ I should ther­fore thinke it strange and very disproportionate, that there should be aboue twenty thousand in all. It may be demanded why they of Florence are not trained aswell as the rest; the rea­son is, manet alta mente reposta tyrannis Papae, & consensus Impera­toris, Pope Clements vsurping, and Charles the fifts consent, sticks still in their stomacks. For they haue not yet forgot that their fathers were free & commanders ouer others) & therfore [Page 46] they are not onely preuented of this meanes which peraduen­ture at sometime or other they might take, but they be also de­barred the hauing of any Armes in their houses, or of wearing any weapon by their sides, except he be a knight of the order, or a trained Souldier, or an officer, or one that hath especiall li­cence for the same, whereof there be many Gentlemen in Flo­rence, according to the fauour they haue with the Prince, and as he is secured of them. The like is through the whole state, in­somuch as many will sue to be trained Souldiers (a thing which with vs they would gladly auoide) because they might be pri­uiledged to weare weapon, but especially (which is also a free­dome granted to men of this profession) because they might not be arrested for debt.

His forces at Sea and land are these already remembred, be­side one hundred Launces which he keepeth in Siena, & some fiftie light horse in his owne stables at Florence, besides foure hundred more in other places of his state.

His Entrate, His entrate is by diuerse men diuersly estimated, some say one Million and a halfe, others one Million and a hundred thousand, and some there be that say it is as much as both these summes. Howsoeuer it may be thought that the least of these is a great matter for so small a State, whether we call it small in regarde of the circuite, the number of the People; or lastly the barrennesse of the soile, out of which the Subiects wealth and Princes Taxes should be raised. This may well be proued by comparing this state with that of the Duke of Ferrara, which is not much lesse in continent then this of the great Duke, and the soile generally much more fruitful, yet is the reuenue of this great Duke almost thrice as much as that other. An apparant argument of the ouer-charging of his people by Taxations & impositions more then their neighbours: yet are the subiects of the state of Venice lesse charged then these, & they vnder the Duke of Parma least of all; onely they of the kingdome of Na­ples haue as much cause to complaine as the Tuscanes, or any other subiects in Italy whatsoeuer. As for the trueth of those three opinions, which of them hath best interest therein I dare not determine; I will onely adde to these generallities such [Page 47] particulars as are commonly knowne, & of all confessed, with some other specialties which are of most men either purposely (because vncertaine) omitted, or else negligently related.

The opinion of them that rate his Reuenue at 1100. thou­sand Duckets is directed by this particular:

All which together make the summe of 1095000. which within fiue thousand Duckets agreeth with the said sum.

This accompt [...]hall appeare not to swarue much, if we exa­mine each particular. First for the Toll of the gates of Florence and custome out of the Dogana, it is apparently knowne that the great Duke lets it out at two hundred thousand Duckets the yeare at the least, reckoning withall of all other impositions one fourth part of that whole State, which is probably suppo­sed to be gathered hereout. There is paid also throughout the whole state, eight [...]n the hundred for marriages, as if the womās portion be a thousād duckets, the Prince hath thereout eighty. The like proportion is paid for buying & selling of houses or land. But the letting of houses or land payeth the tenth: for Cattell bought and sold, he hath also a guiglio, that is six-pence Sterling in euery two Duckets, and though the Beasts be [Page 48] bought and sold twice in one houre, he hath still after the same rate. Furthermore, besides his impositions vpon the Bancks, he hath at euery alienation eight in the hundred▪ that is, when the father or possessor dieth, the sonne or next heires payeth after this rate for his patrimony left him. He hath also an entrate out of the Burdello stewes, Burdello. which is thought at the least thirty thou­sand crownes a yeare in Florence onely there being some eight thousand Curtizans in the towne, these pay euery moneth a li­uer nine-pence sterling to the great Duke, because heere the market is somewhat quick, though in Siena they pay but a gui­glio monthly, they pay also a Liuer a moneth not to weare the yellow list the badge of their trade, if they stand out of the Bur­dello, if they be priuiledged to go to any mans lodging, or if they weare mans apparell, for each of these priuiledges they pay Gabell also. The Iewes here also from fifteene yeares vp­ward, pay two Duckets the yeare.

Concerning the Gabell vpon bread, Bread. true it is, that he hath vp­on euery Stay that is ground two Crazie, three halfe-pence of ours, so that by this rate he hath of euery quarter of our mea­sure, the summe of eighteene-pence of our money. If then it be supposed that euery one in the state of Florence eate twelue Staia a yeare, which is as before a proportion ordinary, the summe will not much differ from the rate of one hundred and twenty thousand Duckets.

Concerning the flesh, Flesh. it is to be vnderstood, that the great duke hath for euery pound that is eaten fiue denari, whereof 20. make a Crazia, so that he hath of euery Stone that is eaten of our weight, the value of three-pence of our money.

He hath vpon euery pound of Salt spent, ten quattrini gaine, that is three halfe-pence of our money: so that after the rate of foure and twenty Moggia the day, for three hundred dayes in a yeare, allowing the other sixtie fiue for holly-dayes, he gaines two hundred and sixteene thousand, seauen hundred sixtie one Duckets, whereof allowing almost one halfe for the state of Siena, because there he hath no imposition vpon Salt, the sum will accord very neerely with the particular abouesaid.

[Page 49]As for the Dogana of Lyuorno, Dogana of Lyuorno. being the Gate as it were through which all marchandize passe into those parts of Italy: and for Siena, be [...]ng the roade from Venice and Florence to Rome, it is to be credibly supposed, that both the one and the other yeeld no lesse benefit to the Prince then is aboue rated; the like is to be thought of the other Citties.

But ouer and besides all this, it is to be considered, Gabel by Pole. that in the whole state of Siena he hath a Gabell by the Pole as we call it in England, that is vpon euery head a certaine rate, (I thinke eighteene-pence) besides an allowance for feeding of their cat­tell, whereof in this State is reasonable good store, much more then in that of Florence, whose wants it supplyeth, especially of Swine, by reason of their grea [...] store of Mast, for which they pay halfe a ducket the Swine, whereas in times past they paide but one guiglio: they pay also for the killing eighteene-pence, and other such like impositions. Insomuch as talking with two Gentlemen of Siena concerning these matters, men of good qualitie and experience, they auowed that the great Duke had as good as a Ducket vpon euery masted Swine before he come to the owners table. They farther alleaged, that howsoeuer they were exempt from the Gabell of the Macina as they call it, that is of paying for their Meale, Salt, and Flesh, yet notwith­standing all things considered▪ their burthen was no whit ligh­ter then their neighbours of the other State, that paid all these. To which purpose they protested, that of their Villa which they let to halfe to the Contadmo (the labourer) there fell not in the reckoning, (all taxes, tallages, and impositions defalked) aboue one third to themselues, another to the Fermar, and the rest to the Pr [...]nce. A strange proportion we may thinke, that liue in such blessed happinesse, and farre beyond all Taxes, Subsidies and Priuy-seales whatsoeuer. But what compare I the heauy Dinasty of small Tuscany, with the flourishing Mo­narchy, and happy gouernment of great Brittany.

Camere Lo [...]ande, and Inne­keepers. He hath also no small matter of the Camere Locande lodg­ings for strangers, and the Innes in the State; of some fortie, of others fiftie, & of some foure-score Duckets, euery third yeare: [Page 50] he hath also in some places his Bake-houses, where the Inne­keepers are enioyned to take their bread of him. Though this exaction be so great vpon the Innes at Florence, and in the road way to Rome, notwithstāding in Pisa the yoake is not so heauy, there the manner of raising the Gabell is thus. At euery three yeares end, all the Inne-keepers in the Cittie are to appeare at a Court in the Dogana kept for that purpose. There it is cryed by the Officer, that such, and such an Inne, paide these last three yeares so many Duckets to the Prince, who biddeth more? There is a Candle set vp light and while that lasteth, it is law­full to lone and bid for the same, and he that biddeth most shall haue it. Wherein this one thing may seeme more strange, then that which hath beene already enformed concerning a mans Corne, that in some cases he cannot make his prouision of his owne; for here if another will giue more for the Inne then I, though the house be mine owne, he shall haue it, paying me onely my rent, and I shall be forced to seeke another. I haue onely this priuiledge aboue another, that I offering as much as he, I shalbe first serued. The Inne-keeper of Pisa where lye our English Marchants, auowed this to be most true; he paieth for these three yeares forty Duckets. His Highnesse hath also vpō all things sold in shops, Matricula. a Matricula (as they call it) which is not to be paied euery yeare, but onely once, when the shop keeper setteth vp; which in some shops commeth at least to an hun­dred duckets. One that selleth stockings, trusses, shirts, sockes & such trash, told me that at his first beginning he paid his Ma­tricula for Wollen cloath twenty Florens; for Linnen cloath as much, and for Buttons Silke and Threed as much, which in all commeth to thirty gold crownes. To conclude this point, there is not that trade, nor that man or woman whatsoeuer, but of them this Prince hath his Tribute, more or lesse, not so much but the poore seely widow, which the whole yeare Spinneth, payeth seauenteene Solls, that is about eight-pence Ster­ling.

Lazaretto. I haue not heard of any that are free but the Lazaretton or Hospidall, & the begger that goeth from doore to doore only; [Page 51] for (which hath partly beene said) there is not that poore Asses burthen of dung that go [...]th out the gat [...]s, nor that Radish roote that commeth in, that paieth not his Gabell; except they haue the cunning to deceiue them that keepe the gates, men whose eyes will pearce what Veligia or basket soeuer: and if it chance they be detected, they loose the thing hidden without redemp­tion. I saw a poore Contadina Countrey-woman, who com­ming to the gate to pay her tolle for a Basket of Lettice she brought in: one of the foxes who I thinke could smell a goose, for he could no [...] possible see any, searched vnder the hearbes, and finding one dead without feathers, sent the poore woman away ha'fe dead for sorrow, without her goose. And they told me, that if a Gentleman of Siena should come out at Florence gates, with a chaine of gold new bought about his neck, how­beit worne betweene his doublet and Ierkin that it might not be seene to saue the gabell, that being discouered he should not loose his Chaine onely, but his horse also.

Concerning all the taxes and impositions, certaine it is, Imposions and Taxes ordinary. that they which rate the great Dukes Entrate at eleuen hundred thousand Duckets, comprehend onely such as are ordinary & certaine but of the rest which stand on casualty, Casualty. and are vncer­taine they cannot determine. And sure I am of this, that besides many particulers heere remembred, as also the Rents and Re­uenues of his proper lands belonging by many descents to him, of others not accounted in this valuation of his yearely Entrate, there is yet one thing behinde vntouched or thought of by others, which will appeare no small matter, and is this.

In euery Citty and towne corporate (as I may say) in Tuscanie Cōmunita there was before their subiection to the family Medici a Cōmu­nità that is, an Entrate in cōmon of the Citty, by which all pub­lick charges were defrayed, all officers maintained, and many other good and charitable workes performed. This Entrate arose vpon the Tenths & Tithes of euery mans crop or fruite: (for in Tuscany the parish Priest hath them not, he hath onely his offering & Church-rights, with a house and some certaine ground thereto belonging; as yee would say Glebe-land.) [Page 52] It grew also vpon the bread and flesh, thus; euery file of bread as they terme it, cost a quatrino the signing, euery Bullock cost foure Liuers the killing, euery Swine two, euery Weather cost two guigly, There were also in times past people of charitable disposition, who dying without children made the Communità their he [...]re to their goods and land, which they call the Entrate of the Geppo, that is, the Stock, and is a member of the Commu­nist. Now that which did yearely remaine of the Entrate, all charges deducted, was put to the common Treasurie for to helpe in time of dearth or warre, or such like publick necessity. An example hereof I will take the towne of Prato. Here the Entrate of the Communità is twenty six thousand Duckets the yeare, Ceppo. the Entrate of the Ceppo is eight thousand, in all thirty foure; hereout they allow the P [...]desta one thousand, the Cap­taine of the trained Souldiers, six hundred, the Chauncellor fiue hundred, they allow for a feast euery two moneths among the eight Pricori at the choosing of their Gonfalioniere twenty duc­kets. They allow their Iudge, who is a Doctor of the Ciuill law, fiue hundred, Catchpols. also the wages of the Bargello and Sbirri (as one would say the Vnder-shiriffe and his Sergeants) the wages of the Trumpetters, the stipend of foure Schoole-ma [...]sters, the sa­larie of two Phisitions and two Chirurgions, the keeping often Schollers at the Vniuersitie in Pisa, also the maintaining of two Hospitals, one of Bastards th'other of sick, aged, and impotent persons, whereof there are in all to the number of three hun­dred and fiftie: besides the giuing of portions to poore maides that are married from hence, or to young boyes that are put to some occupation, as also the Almes euery Friday of fourteene Staia of Corne, two barrels of Wine, and one of Vineger giuen to the poorer sort. And lastly that which they giue to the Poue­ri Vergognosi, that is, such housholders as are poore and are a­shamed to beg, whereof there is consideration had by the foure that are in office for that purpose: These and all other their common charges, as trimming of Churches, repairing of Brid­ges, mending of high wayes, and such like, being defrayed, it is certaine, that there yearely remaineth one fourth part' at the least: [Page 53] which now goeth not to the common treasure, as in times past, but to the great dukes coffers: the like is to be said of all other places in this Dukedome.

But it is to be obserued, that before this money which resul­teth of the Communità be carryed to Florence to the dukes Ex­chequer, Monte di Pieta. it is put into the Monte di Pietà the Bancke of Pitty: a place where any poore man may pawne his houshold stuffe, or cloathes, or whatsoeuer els is worth money (prouided al­wayes the gage be worth more then the money) he taketh this money he hath for a day and a yeare after fiue in the hundred. And if at the time he returne not to redeeme the thing enga­ged, it is sold by Trumpet, for what can be gotten where-out the principall and interest being taken, the poore man shall haue the rest. So that the great Duke hauing this ouerplus, for now it is their Prouerbe, Il'Duca è la Communità in euery Citty and great towne, and the vse besides for the money, which will amount to a round summe through the whole State (for there be of these Banckes in euery place) it is to be coniectured, that his whole Entrate is a greater matter then it is ordinarily taken for, of them who esteeme it at one Million and one hundred thousand Duckets, I should rather condiscend to them, that rate it at one Million and a halfe.

Concerning his expenses it is harder to guesse at, His expen­ces. then his Entrate those of the Duke Francesco were supposed about fiue hundred thousand Duckets; these of this Duke they say be much lesser. And as the Duke his brother had diuers Captaines and men of commaund his Stipendaries, who receiued of him some three thousand fiue hūdred duckets the yeare, some three thousand, some two, and some lesse, according to their nobility, and the qualitie of the place, wherein they had charge, so is it to be thought, that the Generall of the foote, the Collonell of his horse, the generall of his Galleis, and other inferiour Comman­ders, who vpon occasion are bound to serue him in their pla­ces, are with sufficient pension rewarded, each particulers pen­sion, how much it is without more certaine information then I had, I dare not presume to say: choosing rather to be defectiue [Page 54] in a generallity, then being too particuler to erre.

As for his expence vpon his troope of horse, His expēce on horse. the Lance hath 7. Piastras (1. fiue shillings 3. pence a peece) a moneth, the light­horseman hath three now in the time of peace, in warres a bet­ter proportion. The Souldier in all his garrisons hath foure Pi­astras a moneth, the officers proportionate, each in his place to this rate. As for the trained Souldier, he is (in peace) no charge to the Duke for he findeth himselfe shot, powder, armour, wea­pon, and all things necessary, and is bound to keepe them in good order; the Captaines and officers of these are paid out of the Communità as hath beene abouesaid. The charge of his Galleys allowing (as Don Antonio Doria in his discourse how to resist the Turke at Sea doth proportion, that is,) each moneth fiue hundred gold crownes a Galley, cōmeth in the halfe yeare which time they be commonly at Sea, to the sum of eighteene thousand gold crownes. The charge of his Court, as by the number of persons therein aboue enformed, may be collected, cannot be great. I haue heard one of his seruants say, that the Steward is allowed for Spezierie, Spicery, fifteene thousand duckets, & that all other charges may treble so much more. As for all officers of Court, but these few before remembred, they feede at their owne tables; His Pages (which are Gentlemens sonnes of the Citty, or other places) in number as I take it six­teene, are at his charges kept at Schoole & at dyet in the Citty: His Staffieri or Footemen are allowed six Piastras the moneth, they are about thirty. His guarde of Swisses haue foure Piastras the moneth; both these and they feed at their owne charge, or soiorne at some place, for they haue no allowance out of the dukes kitchin, not so much but the Cookes as I haue heard, ha­uing done their office, go to their owne houses to meat. A buil­der this duke is not at Liuorno, where indeed is very great cost bestowed, & very many daily working: howbeit considering the labour of his Galley-slaues, which all the winter are there imploied, and of many poore men in the country which vpon light faults are thither confined, whose labour he hath paying nothing, it may appeare the charge is not halfe so much as it [Page 55] would cost another. There are also to be considered these ex­penses, which they call spese segrete, secret charges, & no doubt are very great, for that this Prince maketh his way to many ef­fects of much importance by money; as namly in the Court of Rome, where although the Pope that now is was chosē without the good wil, or rather quite against the desire of this Prince, & although the family Aldobrandini was alwaies an empeacher of the Medicies greatnesse, and though likewise the father of this Prince executed the father of this Pope; and albeit lastly this Pope desireth nothing more, then that by his meanes his natiue countrey might recouer her former liberty yet notwithstāding so strong is this Princes faction in that Colledge, and so many his friends by meanes of his money, as he resteth secured from any such danger. The like intelligence it is said he hath in the Spanish court by presents and pensions to the Infanta, & others of the Counsaile, so as by his money he is able to diuert what purposes soeuer. He hath also at his maintenance secret espials in Florence for his better securitie, as not yet forgetting the trea­son of Pucci in his brothers dayes.

Concerning his Coines, there is the gold crowne of eight Li­uers; Coynes. the Ducket of siluer seauen Liuers (which is there called a Piastra, and so much must you value the ducket in all this dis­course; the halfe Ducket, the Testone, two Liuers; the Liuer one Giuglio & a halfe; the Giuglio which is six-pence sterling; the halfe Giuglio; all these are of siluer. The Crazia of Brasse, with a surface of siluer, the value three-farthings sterling; And lasty the quattrino, which is the fift part of a Crazia: there was also in times past the denaro, the fourth part of a quattrino, wher­of one hundred & three-score were sixpence sterling, but now there are few of them to be seene, none to be paid. They of the countrey will complaine that now they haue none but Moneta grossa great money: It was a good world say they, when we might haue chāged a quattrino into 4., denari, & with these haue bought herbes, vineger, oile, & Salt, the 4. substantiall parts of a sallet, & this the better part of an Italian dinner; whereas now it wil cost thē so many quattrini: a great alteration, a grosse sum.

[Page 56]As touching the manage of matters of state, His abso­lute rule. the administra­tion of Iustice, and the disposing of Offices, true it is that the great Duke, though all matters do absolutely and plenarily de­pend vpon his will and pleasure, yet notwithstanding he will for the most part haue the iudgement and counsaile of the Archbishop of Pisa, a man who for his dexteritie of wit, and experience in matters of State, hath purchased himselfe great credit and reputation with his Prince; next vnto him he hath other his Courtiers, to whom sometimes he will communicate some causes, but neither all, nor alwayes: which causeth the Prince to be more absolute, procureth his Counsels a more se­cret proceeding, giueth his actions a more speedy dispatch, and peraduenture also a more happy issue: so that it cannot pro­perly be said of this Court, that there is a Counsell of state, but that euery thing immediatly hath his motiue, processe, and end­ing of the Princes will and pleasure.

Concerning the adm [...]nistration of Iustice, and election of of­ficers, Admini­stration of Iustice. it differeth not much from the auncient custome of that Cittie when it was free, the diuers Magistrates and the manner of new choosing them is this.

There is in the Citty of Florence the Gran Consiglio, The Ma­gistrates. the Semi­nary as it were out of which all other Magistrates are chosen. Of these some are elected by the great Duke himselfe, as the Quaran [...]t' Otto of the chiefe Cittizens, and such in whom his Highnesse most affieth. Of which nūber there must alwaies be one at the least in any other of importance. But the Lieutenant of the Citty, and the Sei Consiglieri must be all out of these for­tie eight, and these also chosen by the Duke, as likewise the Do­deci di Collegio. Other Officers are chosen by Ballot, as the Commissari, the Proueditori the Capitani, Vicari, Podestâ, and di­uers others. For all they that haue office & place of command throughout this state of Florence, are Gentlemen of that Citty, as they of the other are all Gentlemen of Siena.

There is also in Florence the Gl'Otto di guardia e balia, Gl'otto di Guardia. an of­fice of great authoritie, for these onely giue sentence of life and death, and iudge in criminall causes, these haue their place only [Page 57] foure moneths. In this office the Prince hath alwayes a Secre­tarie, a Beneplacito, his name now in place, is Buoninsegni, Buonin­segni a Se­cretarie. who euer goeth to his H [...]ghnesse to enforme him of the matters in the Court, before they be by the Otto determined, and this of­fice hath intelligence of all matters in all criminall Courts in the state, by whom the Courts haue directions from the Prince before they proceed, to the iudgement or execution of the malefactor.

An instance of this we had this Ianuary last past, The dukes kinde re­spect of the English. which I the rather remember to make knowne, what care his highnesse hath to giue our countrey good satisfaction, of whom all Eng­lish Gentlemen receiue very gracious fauours, as to be admitted to the presence at any Veglia, Reuells, or other time of extraor­dinary sight, also to haue the priuiledge to weare Armes, and other such like. An English Gent'eman was by a base groome of the house where he lodged, throwne into the Arno, for the money he was supposed to haue in his lodging; the offender, vpon suspition being apprehended, and receiuing the Strappa­do diuers times, and in the highest degree, notwithstanding per­sisted obstinately in the deniall. The lawe is there that except he confesse the fact he cannot be executed, how pregnant so euer the presumption be against him; insomuch it was thought he should haue beene discharged: wherevpon the court sent to his Highnesse for direction; he returned them order to vse all manner of torments which possible, or in any cases that court could inflict, and if yet he would not confesse to torture him till he dyed. According to this commission they gaue him the Sueglia, a kinde of torture, where hauing receiued a drinke to procure sleepe, the Tortures euer when he noddeth whip him with small plummets, he sitteth bare vpon an Yron like the back of a knife and hott Brickes vnder his feete to burne him, if he would ease himselfe that way. It is reported he endured this also, till they came to giue him L'Arco the Bowe, at which he confessed. This done he is carried before the court, there freely to say, whether he confessed for feare of torment, or that it is the very truth he said: if he auowe it, they proceed to iudg­ment, [Page 58] if otherwise, he is returned to the torture; for this is the onely way to proceed as is before said, how apparent soeuer the matter be, vnlesse it be proued by two witnesses. As for wit­nesse, it is there hard to be had, being holden a dishonourable thing to be a witnesse, or an enformer, a Spia, as they terme it. Insomuch as if an offence be committed in the streetes in the view of diuers Gentlemen, though they were not of the action, no nor of the company, notwithstanding they shall haue the Strappado to confesse the matter, which rather then doe, they will suffer. So that to haue the Strappado, in Florence is no dispa­ragement, except the cause make it so. But to returne to this matter, which I haue of purpose remēbred, to make it appeare how these courts euen in small matters receiue directions from the Prince. After this fellow had auouched to the Court that he did the fact, they sent againe to his Highnesse to know how they should proceed. He returned, that the malefactor should loose his right hand at the doore where was the Gentlemans lodging, and from thence to be drawne to the place of Exe­cution, there to be hanged and quartered, which was accor­dingly performed.

To d [...]scourse th [...]s at large of each other officer and Court in this Citty of Florence, would be ouer tedious: I will therefore onely name the rest, or at least with one word or two passe thē ouer. There is the office of the Proconsolo. The six Capitani delle parti. The six Vffizials de Monti; the Vffizio delle Prestanze, Li noue, an office of great authoritie, without whose especiall li­cence, no man may arrest or commence sute against a Courtier or a Souldier, or a stranger. There are the Otto Conseruatori delle leggi. There be the six Guidici della Ruota, which iudge in all causes ciuill, these onely may not be Florentines. Also Li sei della Mercantia, before whom come all matters of paying or recei­uing of debts, these onely haue authority to commit to prison for debt. There be also the Maestri della zecca, Mint maisters, La Banca de Pagatori, these pay all Courtiers, souldiers, & other Prouisionati & seruants of his highnesse. Furthermore, the Vfficio d'Onesta. These haue authority ouer all actions & pleas of con­trouersie [Page 59] arising in the Burdello: here the whore shall haue re­medie against her customer that denieth paiment of the price agreed vpon and if he alledge her vnworthinesse, she shall be searched, and according as the Court findeth, sentence shall be giuen: with much other such stuffe, which better beseemeth that Court, then this d [...]scourse to treate of. The office de Pupilli; the office di Cambio; the offices della farina del sale, della gras­cia, dell'abondanza, delle decime & many such other; besides the offices of the seauen companies, the Doganieri in the Custome house; the Gabelliers at the gates; the Buon'huomini dello stinco, to prouide for Prisoners; the Buon h [...]omini di san Martino, to prouide for the poore, & infinite such other inferiour offices.

Concerning all these offices abouesaid, Officers of the crowne me thinkes that some of thē may fitly be ca [...]led officers of the Crown, because they be appointed by the Prince in all chiefe townes of his state, to gouerne & to looke into the counsels and actions of others, as hauing places in them, but no voices. These hold their office for a yeare, and then are either vtterly discharged, or else remoued to some other. Such officers of the crowne we may call the go­uernour of Siena, the Commissary of Pisa and Pistoia, the Po­destà of other places.

As for all other officers, Officers of the body politique. they may well be called of the body politick, becaus [...] they retaine the same number, order, and pro­ceedings (with some litt'e difference already touched) which they did when it was a free state. Thus doth the great Duke serue himselfe of persons to administer Iustice, & to command vnder him with names, such as in former times they had, that by this small shadow of auncient liberty, in some sort he might satisfie the ambitious humor of the citizens, which desire to be in authoritie, and also pleasure them with profit & gaine, which by these honours and publicke offices they doe make.

Concerning their law it is emperiall, The Law. intermingled notwith­standing with some exceptions and prouisoes Municipall. As touching their punishments, which be either crumenall or cri­minall of the purse or of the person, they haue part [...]y bin remē ­bred already: there be also others as of condemnation to the galleis, of confining, of banditing and such like: but omitting [Page 60] what else here [...]n might be said, I will end this discourse with a word or two of the last branche of this relation, namely of the people themselues.

The consideration of the ciuill fashion and honourable car­riage of the Nobler and better sort of Tuscanes, The Peo­ple. & of the sauage and Gotish behauiour and insolence of the Pesant, makes me of opinion with Lipsius, that those are of the race of auncient Romaines, retaining still a relish of their vertue from whom they are deriued: and that these are descended from the barbarous Gothes and Cymbrians (who sometimes swarmed in Italy) hauing still the tainte of their inhumanitie. True it is, that this iudgment▪ holdeth generally more in the Pesant thē the Nobility, for that we find these more to decline from vertue, then those to swarue from the vices of their Progenitors. And to proue that this is true, I will without any further censuring referre you to the report of an Italian, who being their countreymā should know them better, His nature. or at least (I am sure▪ be more partiall. Boterus in his vniuersall Relations, speaking of the Florentines saith; they be, Parchi, ritirati, poco amici da forastieri, tenaci del denaro, prouidi dell' auenire, cupi, cogitabondi, d' animo sempre riuolto all'interesse, intenti al quadagno: and in an other place he giueth them Sotti­gliezza d'ingegno, parsimonia, accortezza, dilligenza, attitudine all'Arti vn procedere per appunto, vn star sul vantagio, vn non tras­curaro cosa alcuna: that is; they be niggards they liue to them­selues, they loue no strangers they are close-fisted they haue an eye to the back-dore, they are hard to be sounded, they are euer biting the lip, their minde euer on their penny, their study still how to gaine. Also, they are men of a shrewd wit, of a spare dyet, of a warie and discreet carriage, very industrious, very apt to learne, they proceed for an inche, they stand vpon the ad­uantage, they will not loose the droppings of their nose. This writer hath gotten (and worthely) for many his ouersights in that booke, the imputation of a notable lyar, and for his egre­gious partiallities on the Spanish side, the note of a notorious flatterer. But sure had the rest of his Booke beene able in the Ballance of truth to haue holden counterpeasable to this iudi­ciall [Page 61] report of the Florentines, he had well deserued the Pasport of Seene and allowed, Cum Priuilegio.

And yet by his leaue I cannot beleeue without some good reason, His witte. that the Florentine generally hath such a perlous wit, & such a subtill conceit I would sooner subscribe he had a subtill dyet: for as hath before beene said, I am of that French-mans minde, that could not finde where that great witt of theirs lay, whatsoeuer either by Macciauell his report in his historie, or in his person may to the contrary be alleadged. I haue heard of some English Gentlemen, whose abode hath beene there lon­ger, and therefore their experience greater, & meanes also very good to entertaine conuersation, that the Florentine will be ve­ry affable and ready to obserue vs with all possible comple­ment, so long as we will consort him to the Bardello, & giue his loose and lasciuious discourse the hearing, which is euer of his Mistrisse, if not of a worse theame [...] But if at any time we offer the occasion of any better talke, & would discourse with him about some matter of pollicie, or historie, or Art, or such like, he straight shakes vs off with a shug of the shoulder, actū est, scili­cet, we haue lost our companion: in this onely wise, that he will not talke because he cannot▪ For who will thinke that this peo­ple which do all things alla mostra [...], and speakes alwayes alla grande (witnesse their great houses and small furniture of the one, their great words and small matter of the other) would be squeamish of their knowledge if they had it, that haue such quintessence of termes to grace it? Ind [...]ed I ve [...]ly thinke, that when the Florentine was Lord and Patrone of Pisa, Pistoia, Vol­terra, Arezzo; and those other Citties, that then he had wit. But now I see not why we should not say of him, as we vse to doe of young vnthrifts, that were left rich, and haue foolishly spent or lost it ( They were well if they had had wit to keepe it) I dare say, that if Maccianell were againe liuing, and should see them, that were wont to rule a state, now not to bring a few Lettice from their Villa, but at the gate to toll for them he would vnsay that which he had formerly said, and sweare they had no witte. I would not haue said thus much, but that their writers will needs [Page 62] all of them put the (witte) vpon them, and they for sooth will needs take it. As though witte were confined to Florence, and band [...]ted frō all other citties. Let it be concluded of Florence as of all other places (without this singularitie) that there be some wise men, but more fooles, and so I will leaue them.

As for their aptnesse to learne, His aptnes. where of this author speaketh, if he meane mechanicall Artes it is not seene in their shoppes; where yee shall almost haue nothing handsomly d [...]ne except workes in cloath of golde and siluer. An [...] as for their liberall Sciences, it is not seene in their Schooles, where in one Vniuer­sitie yee [...]hall scarse finde two that are good Grecians, with­out the which tongue, they holde in our Schooles in England a man neuer deserueth the reputation of learned. Indeed it can­not be denyed, that in two faculties this towne ha [...]h had fa­mous men in Painting and Poetry: and I verily thinke that herein Italy generally excelleth. An [...] no maru [...]ile, when all their time is spent in Amours, and all their churches deckt with colours.

Their nature (he saith) is close and retired, His curte­sie. but sure it is, that after some small acquaintance (especially if he hope to gaine any thing by you) his manner is to offer you all possible cour­tesies, his house, his seruants, himselfe, and what not, he will proffer you his Iewell, or any thing wh [...]ch liketh you, and euer importune you to dine w [...]th him, with all ceremony and com­plement; (for here they grow) m [...]rry he holds it for the greatest discourtesie in the world, and a mala creanzaille, manners to accept any his offers, it is not the fashion of Tuscany: for were this custome of taking once vp, the complement of offering would soone downe.

What else Roterus saith I hold most true, His indu­strie. either of the Florentines industry & greedy gaining, or of his parsimony & thin feeding. Especially at his owne table, or at his Inne, where he paieth according to his feeding; His dyet. but let him come to another mans table, or to a certaine ordinary, and he will hold the last vie with the tallest Trencher-man of all M [...]dià. Of whom one may rightly say, as the Poet speakes of the harlott in the [Page 63] Comedy: at their owne borde, Nibil videtur niundius, nec magis compositum quicquam nec magis elegans, but at anothers cost yee shall note, illorum ingluuiem, sordes, inediam. Though concer­ning the place it is quite contrary, for the harlots do pitissare a­broad, and deuorare at home.

As touching their apparell, Apparell. it is both ciuill, because black, and comely because fitted to the body.

For their names, Names. they be those of the old Romaines onely al­tered with an Italian pronounciation and determination.

Concerning their language, it is the best of Italy. Language. As for those vngratefull Tuscans, that in no case will acknowledge to be beholden to the Latines but will eyther haue it a mother toung of it selfe, or at the least the daughter of the Caldean tongue, for that it hath the Afixa as me, te, se, ne, ve, and such like, very agreeable with that other language, I dare not giue them cre­dit: for if it were plumed of the Romans feathers, I thinke it would be but a naked language. True it is, that from the French and Dutch tongues it borroweth much, and somewhat from the Greekes. As abbassare, allogiare, auanzare, comminciare, don­na, gaglicardo; and infinite others from the French, Arnese, becoo, brano, brindisi, elmo, fiasce, fresce, giallo; and many moe from the Dutche. They haue also from the Greekes, as Battezzo, catedra, catarro, golfo, gamba, mottegio rimbombo, rio, &c. So that if the Gothe and Vandall had also theirs, I thinke this Tuscane tongue would be left nothing but her quaint diminiti [...]es, wher­in consisteth h [...]r onely grace; as of Pouero the plaine song, she runnes a descant of Pouerone, Pouerino, Poueretto, and Poueraccio, and so almost of any worde whatsoeuer. This Language also challengeth to haue a singular grace in her vocall terminations, as in such words as these, Rinfrescatoio, Temperatoio, Cuoio, Asciugatoio, and such like; which they of Tuscany say are of a more sweete desinence then any of the Latine, and so I thinke, how beit they must needs acknowledge the borrowing of this elegancie from one of the Greeke dialects, for what can be more like to [...] and [...].

[Page 64] Different speach. As for the difference of speach among the Tuscanes, I thinke it be as great as was euer the difference of mindes among the Italians, and hath as many factions: for as we had in times past the factions Sassadelli and Vaini in Imola: the Cerchi and Do­nati in Florence: the Bianchi and Neri in Pistoia: the Fregosi and Adorni in Genoa: the Lambartazzi and Gerenei in Bologna: the Colonni and Orsini in Rome: the Imp [...]rialls and the French in all: So haue yee at this day one language of the Florentine, another of the Saneze, the third of the Luccbese, and the fourth of the Pisan, but the worst of the Pistolese. Yea and in Florence it selfe, the language hath now a faction Gu [...]phe and Ghibelline, How­beit of these diuersities it is generally held, that the Florentine hath the best words, but his pronunciation is somewhat too gut­turall; and that the Sanese hath the best pronunciation, but his words relish too much of the Latine: for so saith their prouerbe [...] Fauella Florentina in bocca Sanese: So that, he that shall haue the tearmes of the one, and the accent of the other, Omne tulerit punctum, shall hit the marke.

His cu­stomes. His iealou­sie ouer his wife. It remaineth I speake of their customes, differing from ours; The husband (for the most part) when he goeth abroad, lock­eth vp his wife (not because he is iealous, (he protests) but be­cause it is the custome.) The Tutor is abused by the Scholler with all odious misdemeanour, yet dare he not correct him least his father should braue him: His in [...]ul­gence ouer his childe. I know not two worse estates in Italy, then that of a faire wife, and this of a teacher; the one is euer a prisoner, the other alwayes a slaue; the one no better then a Birde in a Cage, the other no better then Geta in the Scane.

Concerning quarrels, His valour. they are carried thus: the party wron­ged (if not in some high degree) will challenge the other to fight, if they be both prouided it is presently vndertak̄e, other­wise it is deferred till the next day, or some such short date; the place appointed is commonly in the Cittie, and in the chiefest streete: here they encounter with a good Scull vnder their hattes, a large Maile to their knee vnder their apparell, besides their Gauntlet; so that if they had a Supersedeas for their face, [Page 65] and would doe as the boyes doe in England (barre striking at shinnes) or as the Schollers of Padoa, who haue plates for this purpose: no doubt but Dametas and Clini [...] might thus make a tall fray. I saw two gallants in Pisa fight thus completely pro­uided, where after a very furious encounter, and a most merci­lesse shredding and slashing of their apparrell, with a most des­perate resolution to cut one another out of his clothes; They were (to the sauing of many a stitch) parted, and by mediation with much adoe made friends.

But if it be a wrong wher [...]of he purposeth a reuenge, His reūege he will waite an oportunitie seauen yeares, but he will take you at the aduantage, or else doe it by some others, whom he will hire for the purpose. In this sort were two slaine in Pisa while I was there, the on [...] a rich Ma [...]chant the other a Knight of the Or­der, the one comming from his whore, the other go [...]ng thether. Two also in Siena in seauen dayes. And a [...] my comming hither to Venice, (for this is generall through all Italie) there were on Shroue-sunday at night seauenteene slaine, and very many wounded: besides that they there reported, there was almost euery night one slaine, all that Carnoual time. The occasion of most these quarrels and mischiefes arise from the Burdello. This is also to be obserued, that th [...] party wounded, whereof perhaps in few dayes he dyeth, will neuer discouer by whom he was hurt, except to his Confessor, though he konw him very well: neither will the brother or sonne of him slaine, take any acknowledgm [...]nt of the dooer, though by circumstance and presumptions they be very sure thereof, but rather awaite the good houre to crie quittance.

Concerning the wooing & winning of his Mistresse fauour, His woo­ing. (I meane as our English phrase is, in the way of marriage) he must (as the Poet saith, Extrema linea amare) loue faire and farre off: he may sollicite his cause with passionate Letters, or amorous glances before her windowe, or at the Church, (the onely place where such matters are managed) but other eyther time, or place, or meanes, he hath not which are ordinary▪ Inso­much as many times the match is made before he know eyther [Page 66] how the humour of her braine, or vapour of her stomack will be pleasing to his sen [...]es of hearing and smelling, which may be one chiefe cause why so many husbands dislike, and of their straying to forbidden fruite.

I should take the course in this Relation, which many hus­bands doe in their wishes, that is, presently after marrying to talke of burying [...] which also differeth much from ours in England: but if I should speake thereof being a Church action, I should also speake of other Church matters, whereof I pur­posely omitt to speake; as also of all other their manners and customes common with other people of Italy.

I will therefore knit vp this little Treatise of this great Du­chie, with this abrupt period, namely: That this People liues much discontented, as appeareth by their daily and great, (but Priuate) complainings: hauing fresh in their mindes their former libertie, and heauie on their backes their present yoake. That this State is like a body which hath lately taken Phisick, whose humours are not yet well setled, or as a stomack weak­ned so much by purging, as there is now nothing left but me­lancholy. Concluding of this people, as of a person that liues alwayes vnder the hands of a Phisition, Qui sub Medicis vinit, misore vinit.