THE seventh of April being Thursday , 1636. His Excellency departed from Greenwich for Germanie , tooke Barge about three of the clocke in the morning , and landed at Gravesend , from thence by Coach to Canterbury to bed , the next day to Margate where wee dined , and about three of the clocke in the afternoone , hee tooke shipping in one of the Kings Ships called the Happy Entrance , and landed the tenth day being Sunday at Helver-sluce , and from thence to the Brill , there sailing over a lake into Masanssluce , and so on by waggons to Delph , and to the Hage : Hage . but a mile before wee came thither , there met us some of the Queene of Bohemia's Coaches , which her Majesty sent for his Excellency , and in one of them his Excellency went to her Majesty that night , the time we staid there , was spent in visits betweene the Prince of Orange , his Excellency and the States , with some other Ambassadours , that were then there , as the French , Venetian , and the Swedish , heere we staid three daies , and departed the fourteenth day by wagons , passing through Leiden to Woerden , and then entred the Bishopricke of Utrecht , Utrecht . and so to the City it selfe where wee lay , the Princes being there at schoole , his Excellency went to see them that night , the next day thence to Rhenem to dine , where the Queene hath an house adjacent to the Rhine , on the left side , which wee viewed , having faire roomes and gardens belonging to it , after diner , wee entered into Gelder-land , so through Wagening to Arnheim to bed , passing that afternoone through much danger , by reason of Out-lyers from the Army at Schenckenschans , which was not farre off , the Prince of Brandeburgh being heere in Towne , visited his Excellency the next day , and the day after his Excellency visited him , who was shewed by him , the ashes of some Romanes preserved in pots , that were found in a Mountaine called Zanten , which wee afterward passed by , heere wee lay Easter-day and the Munday following , and did see the smoake and fire out of the great Peeces from the Sconee , as they were in skirmish , thether his Excellency sent the Steward and a Trumpeter to demand passage of the Spanyard in the Schans , and Grave William for the Hollander , but the Spaniard would not grant it , without order from Brussels , Grave William hearing their answer , sent his Excellency word , hee made no doubt , but to give him free passage the next day , for he resolved to make an assault that night upon the Sconce , upon the assault , the Spaniards yeelded it up on conditions , and heere his Excellency published certaine orders , to be generally observed amongst us , one reason was , the sickenesse , being heere very much , wee staid heere three daies and departed the nineteenth in waggons for the Schans , first crossed over the Rhine just by the towne on to the right side into Cleveland , and so to the Tolhouse , a Castle where the Hollanders take toll at , adjoyning to the Rhine on the same side , then passing through all their workes and Army , leaving the Schans at a distance which was miserably battered , untill wee came to Grave William his Tent , Schenckshants . where some of the Spaniards were sealing of their agreements what quarter they should have , who instantly left them , to bring his Excellency over the Rhine on a Bridge of flat bottom'd Boates , guarded with all his Troopes of Horse , untill wee came at the Barke wherein his Excellency lay that night , then returned and sent a Company of English Souldiers to guard it , the next day earely wee weighed Anchor and sailed up the Rhine , having a Guard of Souldiers along the shore , by reason the Enemy went out of the Schans that morning , so passing by Emmerick and Rees , Townes with strong sconces adjoyning to the Rhine on the left side , then in sight of the Mountaine Zanten on the other side , so by Burick , Wesell . on the same side , to Wesell a Towne on the left side of the Rhine , against which wee cast Anchor , and lay on ship-board all night , for they died there of the sickenesse more than thirty a day , neverthelesse the next morning we tooke waggons in number eighteen and displaied our English colours in three severall wagons , passing over a little River in Boats call'd Lipp , then by Rheinbergh on the right hand being the last Towne of the States , then by Dinslacken , on the same side to Dinsburgh to dinner , where none of our carriage might enter in , for as his Excellency entered the gate , one of the watch discharged his peece neere unto the horses breast , the rest being instantly commanded to the contrary , but the Gates were shut up , and wee kept out , untill the Towne were satisfied , wee were no Enemy , our carriage and Company being great , frightened them at the first after diner we past through a long Wood in much danger , and in the view of Rogues , who did not set upon us because our Company was great , yet we fearing the worst , had sent for a Convoy of Musketiers to the next Towne before , who met us not untill we were out of the Wood.

Then wee entered into Bergish-land , and went by Keiserswert to Dusseldorp to bed , Dusseldorp . which adjoynes to the Rhine on the left side , where the Duke of Neiuburgh lay , who was with his Dutchesse abroad taking the aire , but espying us comming , returned backe into the Towne with speed , and sent to have the Ports shut up , thinking wee had beene some Enemy , but hearing it was his Excellency was very joyfull , and sent Coaches for him , to come and suppe with him , and to make his house his lodging the time he staid , but the next morning after breake-fast , perceiving his Excellency would goe away , had three Coaches waiting at the doore , into one hee put his Excellency , and us into the rest , and brought us out of Towne , with a Company of Horsemen and Foote in Armes , and a Troope of Lances going before , and Trumpets sounding about the Coach , his owne Guard ; being thus brought without the Gates , hee tooke his leave of his Excellency and returned , and as wee were departing , there went off great peeces of Ordnance .

Thence neere Neusse , and then crossed over the Rhine at a little Dorpe called Hittorpe , into the Territory of Collein , Collen and then to the City where we lay . It is seated on the right side of the Rhine , where the Bishop of Mentz was , who sent one of his Privie Counsell to invite his Excellency the next day to diner , he then sent three of his Coaches for us , and gave his Excellency very noble entertainement ; the first night his Excellency came , were presented unto him twenty foure Flaggons of severall kindes of Wine , the next day twenty eight , and at every Present , there was a long speech made to his Excellency in Latine by one that came with the Wine , which came all from the Magistrates of the City in Flaggons with the City Armes on them , the Jesuits there have built them a very stately Church and richly adorned it with gildings and erected an Altar one of the state liest , I ever saw , in the City likewise there is a great Church called the Dome , wherein lye the Bodies of three Kings , called The three Kings of Collein , which went to worship our Saviour , then is there another Church called Saint Ursulas , in which lyeth the bones of 1100. Virgins in places locked up , and Saint Ursula in a faire Tombe by them , which came all thither with her for their Devotion , there is besides a Nunnery and some English Nunnes there .

Heere we staid a weeke , and the twenty eighth day wee tooke a Boate drawne with nine horses and went up the Rhine , by many Villages pillaged and shot downe , and many brave Vineyards on Mountaines , along the Rivers side , passing by Bonn on the right side , and seven high Burghens with old Castles on them , seated on the other side of the River , and to Drachenfels Castle on the left of the Rhine , against which wee cast Anchor and lay that night on ship-board , the next morning earely weighed Anchor , passing by an Island in which is a Monastery of Nunnes called Nonenwerther , so on by Hammerstein Castle by Keigrmagen Andernach and Ormus three Townes on the right side of the Rhine , against Ormus wee cast Anchor and lay on ship-board .

The next day earely weighed Anchor and went by Engers on the left side , and there begunne Trierischlandt , and so to Coblentz a Towne adjoyning to the Rhine on the right side , Coblentz . which the French lately lost , being driven out by the Emperours Forces into a Castle seated on a very high Rocke , opposite to the Towne called Hermanstein , which commandeth the Towne , who were then skirmishing when wee came , wherefore wee cast Anchor about halfe an English mile before , and sent a Trumpeter desiring passage , which they willingly granted , ceasing their fight on both sides , the Generall in the Towne making preparation to entertaine his Excellency , did but open the Gate , thinking to cleare the passage for his Excellencies entrance , presently they in the Castle let flye a Cannon and were like to have slaine some of them , wherefore they withdrew from shewing of themselves , untill his Excellency came against the Gate , and then came forth and intreated his Excellency to dine with him , but hee staid not having a long way to goe that night ; they in the Castle are besieged on every side , before them are Cannons placed just by the Rivers side , behinde them are a great company of Horsemen called Crabbats , beyond them in a plaine great field , are other Horsemen and Footemen , and likewise in Islands in the Rhine , all watching that they cannot be relieved , they in the Towne , if they doe but looke out of their windowes , have a bullet presently presented at their heads , yet the Towne is somewhat the stronger for a River called the Mosell , which runneth along one side of the Towne into the Rhine , over which there did stand a faire Bridge , though part of it now be beaten downe , that there is no passage over , but have made a little lower on the Mossell a passage on Boates , to relieve the Towne , under the Castle there is a very beautifull house , which the Emperour gave to the Elector of Tryer , and hee resigned it to the French , whereupon the Spaniard besieged him , when he lay in a faire Castle on the Mossell called Tryer , and tooke him prisoner , and is prisoner now : as wee were departing from hence , the French gave us a brave vollie of shot as hath beene heard , with foure or five peeces of Ordnance , from hence up the Rhine , by Lonstein and Branbach two Townes on the left side , and Capelle a Castle on a Rocke on the other side , to Boppart a Towne on the same side , against which wee cast Anchor and lay aboard .

The first of May being Sunday , and their Whit-sunday , we departed , passing by Villages shot downe , and by many pictures of our Saviour and the Virgin Mary , set up at the turnings of the water , untill we entered the Land of Hesse , where we still viewed pleasant Vines on the Mountaines , so by Saint Goware , and by Rhinefilds Castle both on the right side , to Catzenelbogon Castle on the other side , then by Oberwesell on the right side ; then begins the Lower Palatinate , so by Caub on the left side , which is the first Towne in the Pfaltz , and so to Pfaltz Castle , seated in a little Iland in the River , Bacharach . from hence to Bacharach , a Towne where we landed , it is seated on the right side of the Rhine , having a Castle on a high Rocke within the walls , and under that a Church , which is from the plaine ground 100. steps before one can come into it , heere the poore people are found dead with grasse in their mouthes : from hence by a Village on the same side , in which none but Leapers are , being not farre off the Towne , and so to Hambach on the same side , by Drechshausen on the other side , to Armanshausen , a Towne on the left side of the Rhine , against which we cast Anchor and lay on Ship-board .

The next morning departed hence , and then begun Momtzistzland , so by a little Tower in the water , called Mouse Thour , which one Otto a Bishoppe of Mentz , having lived not well , being much troubled with Mice , built this , and lived in it , thinking there to be secure , but even thither they pursued him also , and eate him up : then by Bingen , a faire Towne on the right side , and by Ehrenfels Castle on the other side to Rudeshein , a Towne on the left side of the Rhine , into which I entered , and did see poore people praying where dead bones were in a little old house , and here his Excellencie gave some reliefe to the poore which were almost starved as it appeared by the violence they used to get it from one another : from hence by Geisenhem , Elfeld , and Wallaff , three Townes on the left side of the River , and then we crossed over the Rhine , unto the other side .

Then to Mentz a great City seated close by the Rhine on the right side against which wee cast Anchor and lay on ship-board , Mentz . for there was nothing in the Towne to relieve us , since it was taken by the King of Sweden , and miserably battered , there the King of Bohemia dyed , in a faire corner house towards the Rivers side , heere likewise the poore people were almost starved , and those that could relieve others before , now humbly begged to bee relieved , and after supper all had reliefe , sent from the Ship ashore , at the sight of which they strove so violently , that some of them fell into the Rhine and were like to have bin drowned .

The next day being the third of May , from hence wee departed , leaving the Rhine halfe a league above the City on our right hand , and entered into a shallow River called the Maine , passing by a place which the King of Sweden was building for a Fort , but could not finish it , then by Cassell , on the left side , thence by Flersheim on the left side to Russelsheim on the right of the Maine , Francfurt . and then to the stately City of Francfurt , adjacent to the Maine on the left side , where we landed and lay : from Collein hither , all the Townes , Villages , and Castles bee battered , pillaged or burnt , and every place wee lay at on the Rhine on ship-board , we watched , taking every man his turne ; heere wee staid foure daies , untill our carriages were made ready : where we saw the place wherein they keepe the Dyet , afterward entered into the Church called Saint Bartholmews , where the Emperours use to bee crowned and take their oath ; the City is inhabited with Lutherans and Iewes , for in the Iewes Synagogue , I entered in to see the manner of their service , which is an undecent way , making a hideous noise , having on their heads and about their neckes things called Capouchins , the women are not admitted into their Synagogue , but in places about . And on Sunday the seventh of May , by waggons through the City over two Bridges which are alwaies guarded with Souldiers , leaving the Maine on our left hand , from hence we tooke a Convoy of Musketiers along , being wee went through much danger , by Offenbach , Selgenstat , seated betweene us and the Maine , passing thus along through a great Forest in much danger , hearing the great Peeces so swiftly discharge off at Hannaw , which the Swedes subdu'd , and now besieged by the Emperors Forces , being not above three English miles off , then by a very great Mountaine two English miles long , all beset with Vines , untill we came at a poore little Village where wee staid and dined with provision of our owne , and after dinner departed , passing through Plaines untill wee came at the Maine , and there ferried over into a towne called Klingenberg , passing through this , we came to a very high hill the way up being all stone & 2. English miles up to the top , and then through a Wood , after we were past this , we came to a poore little Village called Neunkirchen , Neunkirchen . where we found one house a burning when we came and not any body in the Village , heere we were constrained to tarry all night , for it grew very late , and no Towne neere by 4. English miles , spending the night in walking up and downe in feare , with Carrabines in our hands , because we heard Peeces discharg'd off in Woods about us , and with part of the coles of the consumed house his Excellency had his meat rosted for supper , the next morning earely , his Excellency went to view the Church , which we found rifled with the pictures and Altars abused , in the Church-yard , we saw a dead body scraped out of the grave , in another place out of the Church-yard , there lay another dead body , into many of the houses wee entered , and found them all empty . From this miserable place we departed , and heard after , that they in the Village fled by reason of the sicknesse , and set that house on fire at their departure , that Passengers might not be infected .

Then came we into Wijrtzburg-land , and descended downe another steep hill and there crossed over a little River call'd Tauber , and through Keichelsheim , to Neubruim a poore Village where wee dined , after dinner passing by the side of the Maine , and through Woods and Plaines , Wurtzburg untill we came to Wijrtzburg , a faire City passing over a bridge first , standing over the Maine into the Towne , seated on the left side of the River , and a faire Castle opposite to the Towne on the other side , in which the Towne put all their riches when they heard the king of Sweden was comming , thinking there it would not be gain'd , but they hearing of it , surprised and pillaged it in 3. daies , and it was 3. or 4. moneths before the Emperors forces could regaine it , the next day earely departed , being the 10. of May , and entered Marggrafen-land , and to Kiteingen to diner , after diner , thence through Ipza a City , Marckbibrach and so to Marckbibrach , where we lay all night on the plancher , for the Village was pillaged but the day before , earely the next morning wee went away and passed through Neustadt , which hath beene a faire City , though now pillaged and burnt miserably , heere we saw poore children sitting at their doores almost strav'd to death , to whom his Excellency gave order for to relieve them with meat and money to their Parents , from hence we went to Eilfkirchen a poore Village where wee dined , with some reserv'd meat of our owne , for there was not any thing to be found , after diner , thence we passed by many Villages pillag'd and burnt down , and so into Nurnberger-land , passing through the place where the King of Swedens Leaguer lay , when the King of Bohemia was with him and my Lord Craven , and in sight of the place the Emperors Army had intrenched themselves by the side of a great wood , here the King of Sweden set upon poles alive three of his souldiers , for killing 2. of their Commanders , and flying presently to his Enemy , and at the end of a Battaile that was then fought , he tooke them prisoners , and so executed them , then drawing neere Nurnburg a great City seated in a Plaine , Noremberg . which the King of Sweden relieved at that time against the Emperor , being not above two English miles off , heere we passed by some of their workes before the Towne , and then entered the Gate into the City being very stately built , and one of the strongest in Germany , and so to his Excellencies lodging , the next day the Lords of the City came and visited his Excellency ; here we staid II daies untill his Excellency had word for certain where the Emperor was , the most part of our time was spent in seeing of the rare things in the Towne , as a very brave Magazine wherein all their munition lieth , which the Governours of the towne shewed his Excellency , at our first entrance wee passed through a large Court where there lay on our left hand 4. great Cannons by the walles side , which were 6. paces long , and 2. foote broad , and worke-houses there likewise , then entered we into a long roome where there hung on both sides armour for foot and horse , and then into the place it selfe , where there were 6. partitions each 28. paces long and 6. broad , all full of brasse Peeces and other small ones of severall rare inventions , from hence we went to see a very rare water-worke which supplieth all the City , adjoyning close to the wall of the Towne , returning homewards , we entered into their great Church call'd the Dome , there his Excellency was shewed a very stately picture of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary , which hung in the middle of the Quire , drawne up , which had not bin shewed to any in 18. yeeres before , and then return'd home , and the Lords with him , who supped with his Excellency , the next day they dined with him likewise , and after diner desired his Excellency to goe and take the aire in some of their Gardens without the City , which he did : the City is very strong being encompassed without the wals with bulwarkes and a mighty deepe and wide ditch , and within are many curiosities and stately buildings : the ancient men ( called Lords ) governe by turnes , not acknowledging any particular Prince their Soveraigne , but hold correspondency with all , for in the time of those great wars between the Emperor and the King of Sweden , they would resigne to the Emperor one while , and to the K. another , paying great taxes & impositions to their halfe undoing . From hence we departed May 22. being Sunday , for Regenspurgh , thinking there to meete with the Emperor , first passing through a part of the upper Palatinate to Newmark , Newmark . where we lay , seated in a plaine where the king of Bohemia had a house , which his Excellency viewed , adjoyning to the wall within the Towne , fortified with bulwarkes and pallizadoes , having spacious roomes and a faire Armory : early the next morning , from hence , by Churches demolished to the ground , and through Woods in danger , understanding that Crabbats were lying heere about , untill we came at a poore little Village called Hemmaw where we staied and dined , which hath beene pillaged eight and twenty times in two yeeres , and twice in one day , and they have there no water but that which they save when it raineth : after dinner , to Ettershansen a poore Village where we crossed over a little River in Boates , the Bridge being burnt downe by the Swedes forces ; from hence wee ascended up a high hill , being descended downe , wee passed a long on an high banke , having the River Danubius on our right hand , and high Mountaines with Vines on our left , passing thus through severall Villages beaten downe or burnt , untill we came at a round Fort before the Bridge which a guard kept , and so over it through a Tower in the middle standing over the Danuby , which runneth with as swift a current as at London Bridge , dividing it selfe into severall Ilands which have had howses on them , but now burnt , and also houses on the Arches which were demolished likewise , Regenspurg . then into the Citie Regenspurg to his Excellencies lodging , the Citie hath bin taken by the Swedish forces , and regained by the King of Hungary .

The 25. day his Excellency went to take the ayre on the other side of the Towne , and as we went did see the ruines of many houses and Churches , and one Carthusian Monastery not so much ruinated as the rest , into which his Excellency entered to see the roomes wherein the King of Hungary did lie all the time hee was regaining of the Citie , being not above two English miles off it , and heere likewise the old Duke of Bavaria , this Dukes Father lived in a Cell for many yeers together , againe his Excellency went to take the ayre the 28. day , and entered into a Jesuites Monastery , in which there is one Altar dedicated to S. George ; here his Excellency staied a weeke , and departed thence for Liniz , where the Emperour was , taking foure Boates and went downe the Danow thorough Bavaria , passing by a Castle called Donastauff , seated on a high Mountaine , with a Dorpe at the foote of it , adjoyning to the Danubij on the left side , and by Werth Castle on the same side , Straubingen to Straubingen on the same side where we landed about eleuen at night and lay that night ; the next morning from thence , still by many ruines to Pogen on the right side , at the foote of a very high Mountaine , and on the top of it a Church with a few houses about it ; then by Nuternberg Castle seated on a high Mountaine on the right side of the River , and by Deckendorff on the other side , against which wee met with thirty horses fastened all to one rope drawing of sixe great boats which were going to Regenspurg , then by a Castle called Tawrino seated on a high Mountaine , and below at the bottome is a Towne walled round , called Overwinter on the left side , Vilshoven . and so to Vilshoven , a towne on the right of the Danuby where wee landed and lay that night . The next morning as his Excellency was taking Boate , he spied a poore Boy standing among other poore people begging for reliefe , who looked very strangely and could neither speake nor heare , but a little at his mouth and nose , having neither eares nor passage to heare with , and his face very thin & drawne aside , yet when one hallowed hee heard and answered againe with a noise , there was with him his sister , a pretty girle , who when one spake to him , made him understand by signes , these two his Excellency tooke along with him in his Boate to a City called Passaw seated on the right side of the Danuby , where we landed & lay , and there common ded to have new clothes made for them & gave them monie and sent them home to their freinds , and a little before we came thither , endeth Bavaria ; this Citie is seated very sweetly , having 3. rivers running neere it , the Danuby which is of a green color , incompasseth it of one side , and a swift river called Inn , on the other side , which commeth out of Italy , and is of a white color , the third is Ilze , which is very blacke , and commeth out of Bohemia , and both runne into the Danuby at the end of the towne , the next day his Excellency went to view a Capuchine Monastery , seated very pleasantly on a high hill , neere unto the Towne , first we passed over a bridge made of little rafts which standeth over the river Inn , and so through Instadt , and then ascended up the hill upon which the Monastery stands , and then entered into the Chappell called our Ladies Chappell , being built in the yeere 1636. where we saw a neat Altar , and a picture of the Virgin Maries set up in the Altar , and many fine reliques , left there of those that are said to have been healed of severall diseases , comming but thither to doe their Devotion , and returned thence sound , from hence we descended to another Chappell at the bottome of the hill , passing downe 274. steps , being set in order , 10. and 11. together . and as much plaine ground as containeth the steps thorow out the whole descent , and in the middle of the descent is a Crucifix , at which one daily sits to receive the almes of charitable people , which Crucifix one rude person passing by , strucke it , and fell downe dead and never revived , as these Capuchines related , and then returned . And opposite to the citie on the other side of the Danuby on a very high rocke , is seated a strong Castle which cannot be scaled , called Festingoverhouse , commanding all the Townes and Monasteries ; at the foot of this is another strong built Fort , by which the river Ilze falleth into the Danuby , betweene the towne Ilze and this : the citie is governed by Leopoldus the Emperours second sonne , who is Bishop of it ; here we stayed three dayes , and departed the fourth of Iune , and entred into upper Austria , passing by Schaumberg castle on the left side of the river , and by Effertingen on the other side , and Wilhering Monastery on the same side , Lintz . to Lintz where the Emperour was , who sent to receive his Excellence at his landing the Count of Harrack , Marshall of the Court , with some other Courtiers ; after his gratulation with his Excellence , there came ten or twelve coaches , which waited on his Excellence to his lodging which the Emperour had provided , and then returned . Presently after came the Count Megaw , high Steward to the Emperour , to visit his Excellence ; and the next day Count Mansfelt Captaine of the Foot-Guard to visit his Excellence , and after him Father Lemmarman , his Majesties Confessour .

The sixth of Iune , being the second day after wee came , his Excellence had audience of the Emperour and Empresse , who sent their coaches for us ; being come to his palace , which is seated on a hill , we went up foure ascents of staires , the Guard standing on each side of us , with halberds and carrabines in their hands , passing thus thorow roomes , untill wee came at the doore of the chamber in which the Emperour was , and when his Excellence came at the doore , out came the little Count of Kezell , high Chamberlaine to his Majestie , and brought in his Excellence , and then withdrew and shut the doore after him , that none might enter in : after his Excellence had beene within a while , we were all admitted , and kissed his Majesties hand , and then withdrew , and passed thorow other roomes and a gallerie , where the Guard stood in like manner , to the Empresses chamber , where none might enter neither , stealing a sight of her as wee stood , and then returned .

The eighth day his Excellence had his second audience of the Emperour , as private as the first : and the tenth day audience againe of the Empresse , and then wee were admitted to kisse her hand : the same day there were seven men beheaded which were Rebels , for rising up in armes with foure hundred other Boores against the Emperour : the first that was executed , was said to be one that had inchanted himselfe , that no bullet could hurt him , and the onely seducer of the others : after he was upon the scaffold and his face covered , two men held him fast to the blocke , then came the Executioner with a red hot paire of pincers , and violently clapt hold of both his brests , that done , nailed his right hand fast to the blocke , and chopt it off , then presently whipt out his sword from his side , and cut off his head , one of the hangmen presently tooke it up , and cryed at the eares of the head , Iesus , Iesus ; then the Iesuite which came a long with him admonishing of him , desired everie one to joyne in prayers with him for him ; then came the other , and a Boy which was beheaded likewise , all making their private confessions to Priests , at the foot of the scaffold , having a Crucifix in their hand , kissing their hands & feet at the end of everie prayer : After all those men were beheaded , and quartered , there went two of their confederates a foot to bee hanged about an English mile off , to a place where a Priest of theirs hung upon a pole , and his head on the top , which was taken in a Church a yeere before called Ering , which we afterward passed by .

The twelfth day being Sunday , the Emperour , Empresse , and the Arch-Dutchesse , dined at the Iesuites College ; but before , they heard Masse in their Church , and after dinner a play was presented to them by the house , and some young schollers , consisting of many varieties . The fifteenth day his Excellencie dined at the Count Megaws , and was nobly entertained : the sixteenth day as we were at dinner , there came a mightie clap of thunder and lightning , which burnt downe three houses presently , being not above an English mile off , on the other side of the water , and such accidents happen here often , by reason all their houses be covered with thin boord , in the manner of tile ; and about foure of the clocke in the after-noone , his Excellence had audience the third time , and we all invited to a Balto , by the Empresses command , to the Count Slavataes , who is Chancellour of Prague , where all the Ladies assembled , and there spent the time in dancing : in Moravia not farre from this place , there was a Baron whose name was Rabell , having a wife , which couple had beene married fortie yeeres together , and had many children , and when he was eightie two yeeres old , and his wife seventie five , she conceived and brought him forth two children at a birth , a sonne and a daughter , which children lived a yeere and died , and then presently after their parents both died , and was buried in S. Michaels Church , a Church of the Dominicans in Brune , a towne in Moravia : this storie was related to us by a Priest of the Empresses for certaine ; here his Excellence stayed nineteene dayes , and all the time at the Emperours charge , and served by his Majesties servants , in as much state as he himselfe ; at the first course the Drums beat up , and at the second , musike with voyces .

From hence we tooke boat for Vienna , the three and twentieth day of Iune , passing downe the swift river Danuby , neere the Church called Ering , wherein the Boores assembled and chose that Priest , who was taken and executed as afore-mentioned , so by a faire castle called Spiulbarke , where the Duke of Bavaria makes his Toll-place seated on the left side of the river , then by Markhawsen on the same side , by Walzig a faire castle seated on the other side on a high hill , and the towne at the foot a little beyond , so by another faire castle called Crayne , seated on a high rocke close by the Danuby , on the left side , the towne at the foot of it , both belonging to the Count Megaw : then thorow a place in the water called the Struddell , where it runneth very swift , with a great fall amongst the rockes , and dangerous to passe , having no more space than the breadth of a boat , which if it toucheth , breakes into many peeces , and over this place on a high rocke is a Crosse set up , having past this danger , just by on the left side of the River is an old Chappell called S. Nicolas , out of which came two men with his picture in a box , to receive an accustomed reward due from those which passe by safe : from hence by a faire castle called Besinboe , seated on the same side on a rocke , and by Pekelem on the same side , then by Wednick castle seated on a rocke on the left side , with a village beneath it , so by a castle and monasterie encircled with a wall , seated on a verie high rocke called Milke , and the towne at the foot of the rocke along by the Danuby on the right side , part of it burnt by an accident when the King of Hungary was in it , and by Sable castle on a high rocke on the same side , with a faire banquetting house , which belongeth to the Grave Sturbutz ; and a little further on the same side , is another banquetting-house , called the Devils banquetting-house , by reason of many apparitions there seene . Then to a little poore Dorp called Aspagh on the left side of the Danuby , Aspagh . where wee went a shore and lay that night .

Earely the next morning , being the foure and twentieth day , we went up the river by a castle called the Spitz , seated on the same side , so by Stiringsteine , a faire towne on a rocke adjoyning to the river on the same side , with a ruinated castle over the towne on a hill , with rocks on both sides , which are the Grave Van Seldingz : then by another faire towne seated on the same side called Stine , from which there standeth a bridge over the Danuby made of rafts , having thirtie seven arches , under which wee passed , and at the end of it , opposite to the towne is a monasterie with many faire houses belonging to it , and behinde this is another stately built monasterie , called Kitne , seated on a hill : from this an English mile distance , with a delightfull prospect , just by are two other faire townes , the one Crempz , and the other Winsell , seated both on the left side of the Danuby in a plaine , which three townes are within the compasse of an English mile ; then by Tolnie a towne on the other side , which is the oldest towne in all the Empire , against which wee lay a while and dined on ship-boord : after dinner wee entred into lower Austria , and went by an old castle called Griffopsteine , seated on a rocke on the same side , in which all Priests that offend are imprisoned and tried .