Profitable instructions describing what speciall obseruations are to be taken by trauellers in all nations, states and countries; pleasant and profitable. By the three much admired, Robert, late Earle of Essex. Sir Philip Sidney. And, Secretary Davison. Essex, Robert Devereux, Earl of, 1566-1601. 1633 Approx. 40 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 61 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A20377 STC 6789 ESTC S109627 99845274 99845274 10163 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A20377) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 10163) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1170:13) Profitable instructions describing what speciall obseruations are to be taken by trauellers in all nations, states and countries; pleasant and profitable. By the three much admired, Robert, late Earle of Essex. Sir Philip Sidney. And, Secretary Davison. Essex, Robert Devereux, Earl of, 1566-1601. Sidney, Philip, Sir, 1554-1586. aut Davison, William, 1541?-1608. aut [18], 103, [1] p. Printed [by John Beale?] for Beniamin Fisher, at the signe of the Talbot, without Aldersgate, London : 1633. Printer's name conjectured by STC. "Two excellent letters concerning travell" has separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. Running title reads: Excellent instructions for trauellers. The preface is unsigned. Variant: preface signed: B.F., i.e. Benjamin Fisher. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Travel -- Early works to 1800. 2002-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2002-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2002-07 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2002-07 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2002-08 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion PROFITABLE Instructions ; Describing what speciall Obseruations are to be taken by Trauellers in all Nations , States and Countries ; Pleasant and Profitable . By the three much admired , ROBERT , late Earle o● Essex . Sir PHILIP SIDNEY , And , Secretary DAVISON . LONDON : Printed for Beniamin Fisher , at the Signe of the Talbot , without Aldersgate . 1633. To the Reader . IT hath bin lately maintained in an Academicall Dispute , That the best travailing is in maps and good Authours : because thereby a man may take a view of the state and manners of the whole world , and neuer mix with the corruptions of it . A pleasing opinion for solitary prisoners , who may thus travell ouer the world , though confined to a dungeon . And , indeed , it is a good way to keepe a man innocent ; but withall as Ignorant . Our sedentary Traueller may passe for a wise man , as long as hee converseth either with dead men by reading ; or by writing , with men absent . But let him once enter on the stage of publike imployment , and hee will soone find , if he can bee but sensible of contempt , that he is vnfit for Action . For ability to treat with men of seueral humours , factions , and Countries ; duly to comply with thē , or stand off , as occasion shall require , is not gotten onely byreading of books , but rather by studying of men . Yet this euer holdstrue ; The best scholler is fittest for a Traueller , as being able to make the most vseful obseruation : Experience added to learning , makes a perfect Man. It must , therfore , be confessed , That to fit men for Negotiation , the visiting of forraine Countries is most necessary : This kingdom iustly glories in many noble Instruments , whose Abilities haue been perfitted by that meanes . But withall it cannot bee denied , that many men while they ayme at this fitnesse make themselus vnfit for any thing ▪ Some goe ouer full of good qualitie , and better hopes ; who , hauing as it were emptied themselues in other places , return laden with nothing but the vices , if not the diseases of the Countries which they haue seene . And , which is most to bee pittied , they are commonly the best wits , and purest receptacles of sound knowledge , that are thus corrupted . Whether it be , that they are more eagerly assaulted with vice then others ; or whether they doe more easily admit any obuiousimpression : howeuer it be ; fit it is , That all young Trauellers should receine an Antidot against the infectious Ayre of other Countries . For this purpose , diuers learned men haue prescribed rules and precepts : which haue done much good , howeuer in many things defectiue . For as hee that read a Lecture to Hannibal of the Art of war , shewed that himself was no souldier , and therefore vnfit to teach a great Commander : so He , that neuer trauelled but in his Books , can hardly shew his learning , without manifestation of his want of experience . It hath therefore been much desired , that some men who had themselues bin Trauellers , & had made lest vse of their trauels , would giue some vnfailing directions to others . Such are here presented to thee ; & in such a volume , as they may be an helpful , though vnchargeable cōpanion of thy trauell . Pitty it is that such monuments of wisedome shold haue perished for the Authours sakes : men famous in their times for learning , experiēce nobility , & greatnesse of place ; but the losse would haue beene thine , which maist now reap the benefit . Thy fauorable acceptance may occasion others to publish larger peeces of this kind , to the increase of their own honor , because for the good of the noble youth of this florishing kingdome . B. F. MOST NOTABLE AND EXCELLENT INSTRVCTIONS FOR Trauellers . FOr your better information in the state of any Prince , or Country , it shall bee necessary for you to obserue , 1 The Countrey . 2 The People . 3 The policy and gouernment . In the Country you are to consider , I. The scituation & nature therof ; As whether it be 1 Island , or continent ; neere , or far frō thesea . 2 Plaine , or hilly ; full or scarce of Riuers . II Quantity , 1 length , 2 bredth , 3 circuit , where also the 1 Forme . 2 climat , III. How it confineth with other Countries ; and ▪ 1 What these Countrie are , 2 What their strength and riches are . 3 Wherein they consist . 4 Whether friends or enemies . IIII. The fertility thereof , and what commodities it doth either , 1 Yeeld and bring forth , and what part thereof hath bin or is 1. Consumed at home . 2. Vented abroad 2 Want ; and how , and from whence it is supplyed . 1. Nature . V. Of what strength it is and how defended against the attempts of bordering neighbors , either by 1 Sea , where may be obserued what I Ports & hauens it hath , & of what 2 Other defence vpon the Coast. 1 Accesse 2 Capacity . 3 Traffik 4 Shipping . 2 Land , what 1 Mountaines , 2 Riuers , 3 Marishes , 4 Woods . 2 Art : As what Cities , Townes , Castles , &c. it hath either within the Land , or vpon the Frontiers : And how they are 1 Fortified . 2 Peopled . VI. What Vniuersities or places of learning it hath , and of what 1 Foundation , 2 Reuenue , 3 Profession . VII . What Countries and Prouinces are subiect thereunto ; And what 1 The same containe in 1 quantity 2 quality . 2 People are for 1 Number , 2 Affection 3 The form of gouernment , and by whom administred . Secondly is to be considered the People . I. Theire number ; As whether they be , 1 Many , 2 Few . II. Quality : As , Their trade and kind of life whereunto they giue themselues , and whereby they liue ; As whether by 1 Exercise of 1 Mechanicall arts and merchandizes . 2 Husbandry 3 Armes . 2 Their rents and reuenues . III. Kinds and degrees . 1 Natiues 1 Noble , 2 Not noble . 2 Strangers 1 Denizens . 2 no denizēs 1 Noble . Generally as their 1 Number , 2 Qualitie and degree of Nobility , 3 Residance and place of aboade , 4 Religion , 5 Gifts of bodie and mind , where also their 1 Vertues , 2 Vices , 3 Studies , 4 Exercises . 6 Profession of life , 1 Ciuill , 2 Materiall , 7 Meanes wherein are 1 Their reuenues and commings in . 2 Their issuings and goings out . 8 Offices and Authority they beare in the State. 9 Credit and fauour , or di●fauour with the 1 Prince , 2 People . And vpon what cause . 10 Factions and partialities , if any be , with the grounds causes ; and proceedings thereof , 2 Particularly , As their 1 Original , Antiquity , Arms. 2 Names & titles of dignities 3 Alliances , Off-springs , Genealogies . Thirdly the Policy and Gouernment . In the Policy and gouernment falleth to be considered , 1. The Lawes whereby it is gouerned . 2 Persons that gouerne . In the Lawes you haue to note , I. Their kindes ; As , 1 Ciuill . 2 Canon or municipal . II. Their conformity with the nature of the people . The persons that gouerne are the magistrates , 1 Soueraigne . 2 Subalternall . The Soueraigne is either 1 One , as a monarch . 2 More , as 1 Optimates or magmagnates . 2 Popular . In the former may be comprehended I. The meanes whereby hee attaineth the same , whether by soueraignty , As , 1 Succession . 2 Election . 3 Vsurpation . II. How he doth carry him selfe in administration therof , where may be obserued , 1 His Court. 2 His wisdome . 3 His inclination to 1 Peace . 2. Warre . 4 How hee is beloued or feared of his 1 People . 2 Neighbours . 5 His designements , enterprizes , &c. 6 His disposition , studies , and exercises of 1. Body . 2. Mind . 7 His Fauourites . 8 The confidence or distrust he hath in his people . In the things that concerne his estate fal chiefly to be confidered , I His Reuenues , 1 Ordinary , 2 Extraordinary , abroad and at home . 3 In his friends and Consederacies you are to consider how and vpon what respects they are leagued with him ; what help , succour , and commodity he , hath had , or expecteth from them , and vpon what ground . 4 His power and strength for offence and defence are to be measured by the 1 Strength of his Country . 2 Number and quality of his forces , for 1 Nature . 2 Art. 1 Commanders . 2 Souldiers . 1 Horse . 2 Foot. 3 Magazin & prouisions for his wars , either by 1 Sea. 2 Land. 4 Warres he hath made in times past are to bee considered the 1 Time , 2 Cause , 3 Precedency , 4 Successe . The subalterne Magistrate is either , 1 Ecclesiasticall , 2 Ciuill . Vnder the titles of the Ecclesiasticall Magistrate , you may note , 1 The Religion publikely profest , the forme and gouernment of the Church . 2 The persons imployed therein , as , 1 Archbishops . 2 Bishops . 3 Deanes , with the 4 Abbots 1 Number . 2 Degree . 3 Offices . 4 Authority . 5 Qualities . 6 Reuenues . The Ciuill Magistrates subalternall , are those which vnder the Soueraigne haue Administration of 1 The State ▪ 2 Iustice. Among the Magistrates that haue the managing of the state follow chiefly to be considered , I. The Counsell of Estate , 1 Ordinary , attending on the Princes person . As the 1 Great Counsell . 2 Priuy Counsell . 3 Cabinet Counsell . 2 Extraordinary , as the Estates of Parliament . 1 Their number . 2 Their quality ; as , 1 Place and authoritie in Counsell . 2 Their wisdome . 3 Fidelity . 4 Credit and fauour , with 1 Prince . 2 People . II. What Counsels of 1 Finances 2 Warres 3 Prouincials He hath , & by whō administred . III. Lieutenants and Depuputies of Prouinces , imployed either 1 At home . 2 Abroad . IIII. Officers , &c. 1 Admiralty . 2 Ordinance . V. Ambassadours , publike Ministers , and Intelligemors , imployed with 1 Princes . 2 Common-wealths . In the administration of Iustice , you haue to consider , I. The order and forme obserued in Causes 1 Ciuill . 2 Criminall . II. The persons of the 1 Presidents . 2 Confederates . 3 Aduocates . Besides these three , occure many other things to bee obserued ; as the Mint , valuation of Coines , Exchanges , with infinite other particularities , which for breuities sake Iomit ; and which your selfe by diligent reading , obseruation , and conference may easily supply . TWO EXCELLENT LETTERS CONcerning Travell : One written by the late Earle of ESSEX , the other by Sir Philip SIDNEY . LONDON ; Printed for Beniamin Fisher , at the Signe of the Talbot , without Aldersgate . 1633. The Late E. of E. his aduice to the E. of R. in his trauels . My Lord , I Hold it for a principle in the course of Intelligence of State , not to discourage men of meane capacity from writing vnto mee ; though I had at that same time very able aduertisements : for either they sent mee matter which the other omitted , or made it clearer by describing the circumstances , or , if added nothing , yet they confirmed that which comming single I might haue doubted . This rule I haue , therefore , prescribed to others , and now giue it to my selfe . Your Lordship hath many friēds who haue more leisure to thinke , and more sufficiencie to counsel than my selfe ; yet doth my loue direct these few lines to the study of you . If you find out nothing but that which you haue from others ; yet , perhaps , by the opinion of others , I confirme the opinion of wiser than my selfe Your Lordships purpose is to trauell ; and your study must bee what vse to make thereof . The question is ordinary , and there is to it an ordinary answer ; that is , your Lordship shall see the beauty of many Cities , know the manners of the people of many Countries , and learne the language of many Nations . Some of these may serue for ornaments , al of them for delight : But your Lordship must looke further than these things ; for the greatest ornament is the beauty of the minde , and when you haue as great delight as the world can afford you , you will confesse that the greatest delight is Sentire teindies fieri meliorum . Therfore your Lordships end and scope should be , that which is morall Philosophy , we call Cultum Animi , the gifts and excellencies of the mind . And they are the same as those are of the body , Beauty , Health , & strength . The beauty of the minde is shewed in gratefull and acceptable forms and sweetnesse of behauiour ; and they that haue that gift , cause those to whom they deny any thing , to goe better contented away , than men of contrary disposition doe those to whom they grant . Health of mind consisteth in an vnmoueable constancy and freedome from passions , which are indeed the sicknesse of the mind ; strength of mind is that actiue power which maketh vs perform good and great things , as well as health , and euen temper of mind keepeth vs from euil and base things . First , these three are to bee sought for , although the greatest part of men haue none of them . Some haue one and lacke the other two ; some few attaine to haue two of them , and lacke the third ; and almost none of them haue all . The first way to attaine to experience of formes or behauiour , is to make the minde it selfe expert ; for behauiour is but a garment , and it is easie to make a comely garment for a body that is well proportioned ; whereas a deformed body can neuer bee helped by Taylors art , but the Counterfetting will appeare . And in the forme of the minde it is a true rule , that a man may mend his faults with as little labor as couer them . The second way is by imitation ; and to that end , good choyce is to be made with whom we conuerse . Therefore your Lordship should affect their companie whom you finde to be worthiest , and not partially thinke them most worthy whom you affect . To attaine to the health of the minde , we must vse the same meanes which wee doe for the health of our bodies ; that is , to make obseruāce what diseases we are aptest to fal into , and to prouide against them : for Physicke hath not more remedy against the difease of the body , than Reason hath preseruatiues against the Passions of the mind . To set downe meanes how a man may attaine to the actiue power mentioned in this place , ( I meane strength of mind , ) is much harder then to giue rules in the other two : For behauiour and good forme may be gotten by education ; and health , and euen temper of the minde , by good obseruation ; but if there bee not in nature some partner in this actiue strēgth , it can neuer be attained by any industry ; for the vertues that are proper vnto it , are Liberality , Magnanimity , Fortitude & Magnificence : And some are by nature so couetous , and cowardly , as it is as much in vaine to inflame or inlarge their minds , as to goe about to plough the Rockes . But where these actiue vertues are but budding , they must bee repaired by ripenesse of iudgement , and custome of wel-doing . Clearnesse of iudgement makes men liberall , for it teacheth them to esteeme of the goods of Fortune , not for themselues ( for so they are but Iaylors to them ) but for their vse , for so they are Lords ouer them . And it maketh vs know , that it is Beatius dare , quam accipere ; the one being abadge of Soueraignty , the other of subiection . Also it leadeth vs to Fortitude ; for it teacheth , that wee should not too much prize life , which we cannot keepe ; nor feare death , which wee cannot shunne ; That as he which dieth Nobly , doth liue for euer ; so hee that doth liue in feare , doth die continually . I shall not need to proue these two things ; for we see by experience , they hold true in all things which I haue hitherto set downe . What I desire or wish , I would haue your Lordship to take in minde , what it is to make your selfe an expert man , and what are the generall helps which all men must vse which haue the same desire . I will now moue your Lordship to consider what helps your trauell will gaine you . First , when you see infinite variety of behauior and manners of men , you must choose and imitate the best ; when you see new delights that you neuer knew , and haue passions stirred in you which you neuer felt , you shall know what disease your minde is aptest to fall into , and what the things are that bred that disease : When you come into Armies , or places where you shall see any thing of the wars , you shall conforme your natural courage to be fit for true Fortitude ; which is not giuen vnto man by nature , but must grow out of the discourse of reason : And lastly , in your trauell you shall haue great help to attaine to knowledge , which is not onely the excellentest thing in man , but the very excellency of man. In Manners , your Lordship must not be caught with nouelties , which are pleasing to young men ; nor infected with Custome , which maketh vs keepe our owne all graces , and participate of those wee see euery day ; nor giuen to affectation , which is a generall fault amongst English Trauellers ; which is both displeasing & ridiculous . In discouering your passions , and meeting with them , giue no way , or dispense with your selfe , resoluing to conquer your selfe in all ; for the streame that may be stop'd with a mans hand at the Spring-head , may drowne whole Armies when it hath run long . In your being in warres , thinke it better at the first to doe a great deale too much than any thing too little ; for a young man , especially a strangers first actions are looked vpon , and Reputation once gotten , is easily kept ; but an euill impression conceiued at the first , is not easily remoued . The last thing I am to speake , is but the first you are to seeke ; It is Knowledge . To praise knowledge , or to perswade your Lordship to seeke it , I shall not need to vse many words ; I will onely say , Where it is wanting , that man is voyd of any good . Without it there can be no Fortitude , for all dangers come of fury , and fury is passion , and passions euer turne to the contraries ; and therfore the most furious men , when their first blast is spent , be commonly the most fearfull . Without it , there can be no Liberalitie ; for giuing is but want of audacitie to deny , or else discretion to poyse . Without it , there can be no Iustice ; for giuing to a man that which is his owne , is but chance , or want of a corrupter or seducer . Without it there can be no Constancy or Patience ; for suffering is but dulnesse or senselesnesse . Without it there can be no temperāce ; for we shall restraine our selues from good as well as from euill . For hee that cannot discerne , cannot elect or choose . Nay , without it , there can bee no true Religion ; all other devotion being but a blinde zeale , which is as strong in Heresie as in Truth . To reckon vp all the parts of knowledge , and to shew the way to attaine to euery part , is a worke too great for mee to vndertake at any time , and too long to discourse at this time ; therefore I will onely speake of such a knowledge as your Lordship shold haue desire to seeke , and shall haue meanes to compasse : I forbeare also to speake of Diuine knowledge , which must direct our Faith ; both because I find my owne insufficiency , and because I hope your Lordship doth nourish the seeds of Religion , which during your education at Cambridge were sown in you : I will onely say this ; That as the irresolute man can neuer performe any action well ; so hee that is not resolued in Religion , can bee resolued in nothing else . But that Ciuill knowledge which will make you doe wel by your selfe , and good vnto others , must bee sought by Study , by Conference , and obseruation . In the course of your Study , & choice of your booke , you must looke to haue the grounds of learning , which are the Liberal Arts ; and then vse study of delight but sometimes for recreation , and neither drowne your selfe in them , nor omit those studies whereof you are to haue continual vse . Aboue all other bookes , bee conuersant in Histories , for they will best instruct you in matters Morall , Politike , and Military , by which , and in which you must settle your Iudgment . I make Conference the second helpe to Knowledge in order , though I finde it the first and greatest in profiting ; and I haue so placed them , because hee that is not studied , knoweth not what to doubt , nor what to aske . To profit much by Conference , you must chuse to conferre with expert men ; for men will be of contrary opinions , and euery one will make his owne probable . In Conference bee neither suspitious , nor beleeuing all you know , what opinion soeuer you haue of the man that deliuereth it , nor too desirous to contradict . I doe conclude this point of Conference with this aduice , That your Lordship should rather go an hundred miles to speake with one wise man , than fiue miles to see a fair Towne . The third way to attaine to Knowledge is Obseruation , and not long life , nor seeing much ; because as he that rides a way often , and takes no care of notes or marks to direct him if hee come the same way againe to make him know where hee is if he come vnto it , he shall neuer proue good guide ; So hee that liueth long , and seeth much , and obserueth nothing , shall neuer proue any wise man. The vse of Obseruation is in noting the coherence of causes , effects , counsels , and succcesses , with the proportion and likenesse betweene Nature and Nature , Fortune and Fortune , Action and Action , State and State , Time past and Time present . Your Lordship now seeth , that the end of Study , Conference , and Obseruation is Knowledge ; you must know also that the true end of knowledge is clearenesse and strength of Iudgement , and not ostentation , or ability to discourse ; which I doe the rather put your Lordship in mind of , because the most part of Noblemen and Gentlemen of our time haue no other vse nor end of their learning but their Table-talke . But God knoweth they haue gotten little that haue onely this discoursing gift ; for though like empty vessels they sound loud when a man knockes vpon their out sides ; yet if you peere into them , you shall finde that they are full of nothing but winde . This rule holdeth not onely in knowledge , or in the vertue of knowledge , or in the vertue of Prudence , but in all other vertues . I will here breake off , for I finde that I have both exceeded the cōuenient length of a Letter , and come short of such discourse as this subiect doth deserue . Your Lordship , perhaps , may finde many things in this paper superfluous ; and most of them , lame . I will , as well as I can , supply that defect vpon the second aduertisement , if you call mee to an account . What confusion soeuer you finde in my order or method , is not onely my fault ( whose wits are confounded with too much businesse ) but the fault of this season , being written in Christmas , which confusion and disorder hath by tradition not only beene winked at , but warranted . If there bee but any one thing which your Lordship may make vse of , I thinke my pains wel bestowed in all . And how weake soeuer my counsels bee , my wishes shall be as strong as any mans for your Lordships happines . Your Lordships affectionate Cousen , E. Greenwich , Ianu. 4. 1596. Postscript . IF any curious scholler happening to see this discourse shall quarrell with my diuision of the gifts of the minde , because he findeth it not perhaps in his booke , and faith that health and euen temper of mind is a kind of strength , and so I haue erred against the rule , that Membra diuidenda non debent confundi ; I answer him , The qualities of health and strength , as I haue set them downe , are not only vnlike , but meer contraries , for the one bindeth the mind & restraineth it , the other raiseth and inlargeth it . A Letter to the same purpose . MY good Brother ; you haue thought vnkindnesse in me , that I haue not written oftner vnto you , and haue desired I should write vnto you something of my opinion touching your trauell ; you being perswaded my experience therin to be somthing , which I must needs confesse ; but not as you take it . For you thinke my experience growes from the good things which I haue learned : but I know the only experience which I haue gotten , is , to find how much I might haue learned , & how much indeed I haue missed , for want of directing my course to the right end , and by the right meanes . I thinke you haue read Aristotles Ethiques ; If you haue , you know it is the beginning & foundation of all his worke , the end to which euery man doth and ought to bend his greatest and smallest Actions , I am sure you haue imprinted in your mind the scope and marke you meane , by your paines , to shoot at . For if you should trauell but to trauell , or to say you had trauelled , certainely you should proue a pilgrim , no more . But I presume so well of you ( that though a great number of vs never thought in our selves why we went , but a certain tickling humour to doe as other men had done , ) you prupose , being a Gentleman borne , to furnish your selfe with the knowledge of such things as may bee serviceable for your Country & calling . Which certainly stands not in the change of Ayre , ( for the warmest Sunne makes not a wise mā ) no , nor in learning Languages ( although they be of serviceable vse ) for words are but words in what Language soever they be ; and much lesse in that all of vs come home full of disguisements not onely of apparel , but of our counte nances , as though the credit of a Traueller stood all vpon his outside : but in the right informing your minde with those things which are most notable in those places which you come vnto . Of which as the one kinde is so vaine , as I thinke , ere it bee long , like the Mountebanks in Italy , wee Travellers shall bee made sport of in Comedies ; so may I instly say , who rightly trauels with the eye of Vlysses , doth take one of the most excellent ways of worldly wisdome . For hard sure it is to know England , without you know it by comparing it with some other Countrey ; no more than a man can know the swiftnesse of his horse without seeing him well matched . For you that are a Logician know , that as greatnesse of it selfe is a quantity , so yet the iudgement of it , as of mighty riches & all other strengths stands in the predicament of Relation : so that you cannot tell what the Queene of England is able to do defensively or offensively , but by through knowing what they are able to doe with whom shee is to bee matched . This therefore is one notable vse of Travellers ; which stands in the mixed & correlatiue knowledge of things , in which kinde comes in the knowledge of all legues betwixt Prince and Prince ; the Topographicall description of each Country , how the one lyes by scituation to hurt or helpe the other , how they are to Sea , well harbored or not , how stored with shippes , how with Reuenue , how with fortification & Garrisons , how the people , warlike trained or kept vnder , with many other such warlike considerations ; which as they confusedly come into my mind , so I , for want of leisure , hastily set them downe : But these things , as I haue said , are of the first kinde which stands in the ballancing one thing with the other . The other kinde of knowledge is of thē which stand in the things which are in themselus either simply good or simply evill , and so serve for a right instruction , or a shunning example . Of these Homer meant in this verse , Qui multos hominum mores cognouit et vrbes . For he doth not meane by Mores , how to looke , or put off ones Cap with a new found grace , although true behavior is not to be despised : marry my Heresie is , that the English behaviour is best in England , and the Italians in Italie . But mores hee takes for that from whence Morall Philosophy is so called ; the certainnesse of true discerning of mens mindes both in vertue , passion , and vices . And when he saith , Cognouit vrbes , hee meanes not ( if I be not deceiued ) to have seene Townes , and marke their buildings ; for surely houses are but houses in every place , they doe but differ secundum magis et minus ; but hee intends to their Religion , Policies , ●awes , bringing vp of children , discipline both for warre and peace , and such like . These I take to be of the second kind which are euer worthy to be knowne for their owne sakes . As surely in the great Turke , though wee have nothing to doe with them , yet his Discipline in warre matters is , propter se , worthy to be learned . Nay , even in the kingdome of China , which is almost as far as the Antippodes from vs , their good Lawes and Customes are to be learned : but to know their riches and power is of little purpose for Vs ; since that can neither advance vs , nor hinder vs. But in our neighbour Countries , both these things are to be marked , as well the latter , which containe things for themselues as the former which seeke to know both those , and how their riches and power may be to vs auaileable , or otherwise . The Countries fittest for both these , are those you are going into . France above all other most needfull for vs to marke , especially in the former kind . Next is Spaine & the Low-Countries , then Germany ; which in my opinion excels all others as much in the latter Consideration , as the other doth in former , yet neither are voyd of neither ▪ For as Germany me ●●inks doth excell in good lawes and well administring of Iustice ; so are wee likewise to consider in it the many Princes with whom we may have league ; the places of Frade , and meanes to draw both Souldiers and furniture there in time of need . So on the other side , as in France and Spaine we are principally to marke how they stand towards vs both in power and inclination ; so are they , not without good and fitting vse , even in the generality of wisdome to bee knowne ; As in France the Courts of Parliament , their subulter Iurisdiction , and the it continual keeping of payed Souldiers : In Spaine , their good & grave proceedings , their keeping so many Prouinces vnder them , and by what manner ; with the true points of honor . Wherein since they haue the most open conceit wherein they seeme ouer curious , it is an easie matter to cut off when a man sees the bottom Flanders likewise , besides the neighbour-hood with vs , and the annexed considerations therunto , hath diuers things to be learn'd , especially their gouerning their Merchants & other trades . Also for Italy , wee know not what wee haue , or can haue to doe with them , but to buy their Silkes and Wines : And as for the other point , except Venice , whose good Lawes and customes wee can hardly proportion to our selues , because they are quite of a contrary gouernment ; there is little there but tyrannous oppression , and seruil yeelding to them that haue little or no right ouer them . And for the men you shall haue there , although indeed some be excellently learned , yet are they all giuen to counterfeit learning : as a man shall learne among them more false grounds of things then in any place else I know . For from a Tapster vpwards , they are all discoursers in certain matters and qualities ; as Horsmanship , weapons , wayting ; and such are better there then in other Countries : But for other matters , as well ( if not better ) you shall haue them in nearer places . Now resteth in my memory but this point , which indeed is the chiefe to you of all others ; which is , the chiefe of what men you are to direct your selfe to , for it is certaine no vessell can leave a worse taste in the liquor it contains than a wrong teacher infects an vnskilfull hearer with that which hardly will euer out : I will not tel you some absurdities I haue heard some Trauellers tell ; taste him well before you drinke much of his Doctrine And when you haue heard it , try well what you haue heard before you hold it for a principall ; for one error is the mother of a thousand . But you may say , how shall I get excellent men to take paines to speake with me ? Truly in few words ; either much expence or much humblenesse . FINIS .