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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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