than the Nile in Egypt, which in many particulars it resembles.

2. The Rhine rifes in two springs in the Alps; but Martiniere, who diftinguifhes this river into the Upper, Lower, and Middle Rhine, fays, that the first rifes from an ice-pit in Switzerland, which has not its parallel, being two leagues in length, on the top of a frightful mountain, called, ironically, Paradife; that the two latter have each their fource in the Grifons country, called Rheinwald; and that, after running fome leagues feparately, they join in one ftream near Difentis. Its courfe, for 500 miles, is from south to north, till it paffes the city of Cleves, and then it is due weft. When it enters the United Provinces, it divides itself into three branches. It is one quarter, and in fome places half a mile broad; and from one and an half to 6 or 7 fathoms deep. It washes the fineft countries of the empire, and is navigable for upwards of 400 miles, to Bafil in Swit zerland; but the navigation is interrupted by nine cataracts, the most dangerous whereof are two in Switzerland; one near Schaffhuyfen, where the whole river falls 75 feet; and the other near Lauffenburg. The watermen either hale their boats afhore, and launch them on the other fide; or elfe let them down by ropes.

3. The Elbe rifes out of the mountains near Hirchburg, in Silefia, upon the confines of Bohemia, through which it runs in eleven several springs; which being united, it paffes northward, and, dividing into two branches, falls into the German ocean, 60 miles below Hamburg. It is very large and deep at that city; and its course, which is very winding, is as long as that of the Rhine. The tide runs about ten miles above Hamburg; and the river is navigable, by small veffels, a great way up into Ger

many,

Bohemia, paffes through Franconia, the electorate of Mentz, the fouth part of the principality of Naffau, washes the walls of Frankfort, and other confiderable cities, and falls into the Rhine at Mentz.

*

8. The Inn is a large river that rises on the frontiers of Switzerland, runs through Tirol and Bavaria, and falls into the Da. nube at Paffau. There are other rivers of lefs note in the feveral parts of this great empire.

Whether Germany was peopled, as Cluverius fays, in the 136th year after the flood, by Afcenas, the grand-child of Japhet; or whether Tuifco, who, fome fay, was the fon of that Ascenas, and others the son of Noah, was the conductor of the firft colony hither, as Verftegan affirms, is uncertain; however that be, Germany was peopled very early. The ancient Germans had two deities, called Tuto, or Tuifco, and Mannus his fon, under which names, by their fongs and feftivals, they honoured God the maker of the world, and Adam the propagator of mankind. And, from the name of the former of thefe two deities, Germany was called the Teutfche nation, which by the change of T for D, is now made Duytfche, and the country Duytfchland.

The temper of the inhabitants of Germany was always reputed martial ; but it is obfervable that though they are generally of large bodies, much flesh and ftrong news, they want spirit to actuate their large bulk, and heat to concoct their phlegmatic hu mour, and, therefore, are better at guarding a poft, than gaining a pass. It is true, that they formerly oppofed the Romans for 210 years, and in our days the Turks; having fought many battles, and acquired great honour by the glorious victories they obtained, not only over thofe infidels, but the French, Italians, Spaniards, and others. They are generally good-natured, free from malice and fubtlety, much addicted to both drunkenness and gluttony, but not overmuch to venery. The peasants are laborious, fincere, honeft, and hofpitable; as are likewife the merchants and tradesmen, who are withal very complaifant. The Nobility are men of great honour, and commonly scholars. All the fons of a Nobleman inherit their father's title, which exceedingly increases the number of their Nobility; and the more because the German Ladies are generally good breeders; and by that means the eftates of the Princes are fo divided, for the fake of the younger children, that the principalities and fovereign lordships have increased to a vast number. All the Nobility fcorn marriage with a commoner; wherefore the younger broNn

the:s

thers are often obliged to take to arms, or enter into orders, whereby they are enabled to keep up the grandeur of the family, efpecially by the latter, because the ecclefiaftical preferments here are both numerous and rich. The women are of good complexions, corpulent, and more obfequious to their husbands than our women, many not fitting at table with them, and none having the upper place there: They are well educated and fond of mufic, but more addicted to gaming than becomes their fex; but it is obferved, they are not very talkative.

The genius of the Germans hath appeared in the invention and improvement of many mechanical arts, especially clockwork: They have exceeded all the world, in the contrivance of variety of motions, to thew not only the courfe of the hours and minutes, but even of the fun, moon, and ftars; whereof the clocks at, Strafburg, Prague, and many other places all over Germany, are fufficient inftances. The Emperor Charles V. had a watch in the jewel of his ring, and in the Elector of Saxony's ftable may be feen a clock, in the pomel of his faddle.

The Germans claim the invention of the art of printing. The Dutch fay indeed, that Laurence Cofter, of Haerlem, found out the art by accident, and had brought it to fome perfection, but was robbed of his materials by a fervant, who fled with them to Germany: But the Germans alledge, that John Gutremburg, an Alderman of Strafburg, firft invented it in the year 1440, removed with it to Mentz, and printed feveral books, in which he made ufe of caft letters of metal, in the same manner as now ufed. The Hollanders, in anfwer, affirm, that it was Cofter's fervant that taught Gut temburg, and that the fervant's name was John Fauft, which name is fet in all the first printed books, as the printer of them. Upon the whole, the invention may be granted to Holland, but was improved and propagated in Germany; whence it was carried again to Holland, and thence brought to England very early, by Caxton and Tourner, whom King Henry VI. fent at his own expence to learn it.

But, to return to the Germans, the invention of guns is indifputably theirs, which was alfo produced by an accident in this manner: One Barthold Schwartz, a friar, in making chymical experiments, mixed fome falt-petre and brimstone with other ingredients, and fet them upon the fire in a crucible; but, a fpark getting in, the pot fuddenly broke with great violence and noife; which unexpected effect surprised him at first, but repeating the experiment, and

finding the effect conftant, he fet himself at work to improve it. For this purpofe he caufed an iron pipe to be made, with a small hole at the lower end to fire it at, and putting in some of his new ingredient, together with fome fmall ftones, fet fire to it, and found it anfwered his expectation, in penetrating all before it. This happened about the year 1330, and was foon improved to the making of great ordnance, &c. Yet Dr. Plot, in his Natural History of Oxfordfhire, is of opinion, that it was invented an hundred years before by Roger Bacon, a Franci can friar, who was fellow of Merton college in Oxford: And Dr. Dee, in his notes on that friar's Epittle ad Parifien fem, is of the fame opinion.

To these inventions of the Germans we may add their improvement of the art of chymistry; which, being brought hither by Albertus Magnus, was very much studied by the monks, and much time loft by them, in the search of the philosopher's fione, and the fudy of the Roficrucian philofophy.

The greatest monarchy that hath been in Germany was that of Charles the Great, otherwise called Charlemagne, King of France; for he was not only Lord of the parts upon the Lower Rhine, and the Main, but by his arms fubdued Saxony and Bava. ria; and acquiring in the year 800, the ho, nour of Emperor of the Romans, refided with it here; and Germany hath ever fince been called the Sacred Roman Empire; which dignity, though but a fhadow of the ancient Roman, it has ever fince borne; and from the time that Albert II. was chosen Emperor, in 1438, the Imperial dignity has continued in the House of Austria, in which the order of primogeniture has always determined the Electors. Not long after Albert's demife, the whole monarchy of Spain fell to the faid house, by the marriage of Philip I, Maximilian's fon, to the Infanta Jane, daughter of the Catholic King Ferdinand. This Philip being father to the Em peror Charles V. and Ferdinand I, they formed two branches; the eldelt whereof reigned in Spain till 1700, when it came to be extinct, by the death of Charles II; and the youngest has had the good fortune ever fince, by confent of the Electors, to keep the Imperial crown in their family. The faid Ferdinand annexed the kingdoms of Bohemia and Hungary to the Houfe of Auftria, by his marriage with Anne, the heiress of those two kingdoms; and the late Emperor Charles VI, after fourteen years war, be gun by the Emperor Leopold his father, and Jofeph his brother, to regain the Spanish monarchy, made the peace of Raftadt, in 1714, with France; and that of Vienna, in

1725, with Spain; by which he renounced the Spanish monarchy, on condition of keeping the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, and the ports and places on the caaft of Tuscany, and that part of the Netherlands which formerly belonged to the crown of Spain. But by a fubfequent treaty, concluded with France in October 1735, his Imperial Majefty parted with Naples and Sicily to Don Carlos, the fecond fon of the King of Spain, in lieu of which he had intailed upon him the succession to the duchies of Tuscany, Parma, and Placentia, on the demife of the late Duke; and in confequence thereof the Duke of Lorrain, who married the prefent Queen of Hungary, daughter to the faid Emperor, is now Great Duke of Tuscany.

The Pragmatic Sanction is the name given to the difpofition for intailing the Auftrian eftates upon the female iffue, in cafe of failure in the male. Charles VI. made one in 1720, which was then fworn to by his own States, and, in 1726, made a public law by the German Dyet. It was alfo guarantied by Spain, Muscovy, Great Britain, the States-general, Denmark, and at laft by France. The tenure of this notable difpofition was to this effect: All the here ditary countries were formed into one state, to remain for ever united and indivisible; and were granted, on the demise of his Imperial Majesty, to the Archduchess, his eldeft daughter, and her heirs ; and, on failure thereof, to her fifter and her heirs: And, in default of both, the fucceffion paffes to the Electoral Princefs of Saxony (the late Queen of Poland) as eldest daughter of the Emperor Jofeph: Thence to the Electrefs of Bavaria her fifter; then to the Houfe of Portugal; and, laftly, to that of Lorrain; or the neareft relations of the Houfe of Auftria, who should offer themselves. But it must be confeffed, that the juftice and equity of a difpofition, where the daughters of the younger brother take place of thofe of the elder, is not fo eafily perceived.

The power of the Emperor has been fo reftrained by feveral capitularies, or agreements between the Emperor and Princes, that it is difficult to fay what it is. The bett account that can be given of it is, that he exercises regal authority all over Ger many, except in fuch things as by grants of his predeceffors he is restrained; the chief of which are as follows: First, the Emperor hath not the legislative power. The general law all over the Empire is the civil, or Roman, mixed with the canon, and the old customs of the Germans; and, in the feveral states, the particular laws made by them, which firmly oblige in their own do.

minions. To thefe are added the statures of the Dyets, by which alone any new laws can be introduced, or any law that will bind all the states; and such ftatutes of the Dyet oblige the Emperor alfo. Next, the Emperor cannot levy taxes out of his own dominions. If there be occafion for money to be raised for the service of the empire in general, it cannot be done without the confent of the Dyet. By the capitulary of the Emperor Leopold, he was tied up from beginning a war, or making alliance with a foreigner, without the confent of the Electors. By the fame it is declared, that the Emperor fhall not deprive any Prince, or ftate, of their dignity, or dominions, nor expel any man, though, guilty of a great crime against the empire, without the Dyet: Nor can he impofe religion on any Prince or ftate, or punish any man on that account. Except the ftates confent to a war, and promife their affittance, the Emperor has no right to demand their help. He cannot affemble a Dyet without the consent of the Electors, and, when he grants inveftitures, it is in the name of the empire as well as his own. As to his own hereditary dominions, he may act as he pleases with relpect to the particular laws there.

The Emperor only can confer honours, create Princes, and affranchife cities; he inflituteth universities; and it is he only that can give leave to build cities. He is ferved by the greateft Princes of Germany; addreffed to by the name of Cæfar and Semper Auguftus; and his Ambaffadors in foreign Courts take place of thofe of all crowned heads in Europe. He can prohibit the overrating of the cuftoms, to prevent the ruin of the trade of Germany; which is obferved to be the only inftance wherein he is left to exercise his power for the public good.

The King of the Romans is chosen to be the Emperor's Deputy, in case of his abfence or fickness, and, upon his death, to fucceed him, without other election. This was introduced in policy by the Emperors, that they might in their life time fecure the fuc ceffion to their family, and procure their fuc. ceffors better terms than they might be able to obtain in a vacancy. It is ufual for the King of the Romans to be firft made King of Bohemia and Hungary; for it is to the firft of these kingdoms that the electoral dig. nity is annexed.

The electoral Princes are, 1. The Archbishop of Mentz, who is ftiled Arch-chancellor of Germany, Dean of the electoral College, fits on the Emperor's right-hand in the Dyet, and had formerly the right of crowning the King of Bohemia. 2. The Archbishop of Triers, who is called Arch,

chancellor

chancellor of France and the kingdom of Arles, and claims the first vote in the election of the Emperor: He fits overagainst the Emperor in the Dyer. 3. The Archbishop of Cologn, who has the title of Archchancellor of Italy, claims the first vote in chufing the King of the Romans, and the prerogative of fetting the crown on his head: He fits next the Emperor, on his left-hand. 4. The King of Bohemia, who is chief Cup-bearer to the Emperor, firft of the fecular Electors, and in public proceffions walks next to the Emperor, or King of the Romans. 5. The Elector of Bavaria, who is High Sewer, and carrieth the globe before the Emperor in thofe proceffions. 6. The Elector of Saxony, who is Grand Marthal of the Empire, and carrieth the naked fword before the Emperor. 7. The Elector of Brandenburg, who is Great Chamberlain, and in proceffions carrieth the fcepter before the Emperor. 8. The Elector Palatine, who is High Steward, and carries the crown. 9. The Elector of Brunfwic-Lunenburg Hanover, who is Arch-treasurer, and bears the standard.

At what time, or by what means, thefe Princes firft obtained the electoral power, is not certainly known: The common opinion is, that the Emperor Otho III, and Pope Gregory V, inftitored them; but this is difputed, and many learned men are of opinion, that, though it be true, that, from the time of Otho, the empire was elective, yet the elections were not made by thefe Princes only, but by the great Officers of the empire in general; of whom, thefe being the chief, and most confiderable by their eftates, took the advantage to overtop the reft, and affume that power wholly to them. felves. This is dated from the time of Frederic II. and Conrad IV, at the death of the laft of which, feveral elections were made at the same time, and the affairs of Germany put thereby into great diforder. But thefe Princes, having power enough to repeal this act, made it a cuftom, which was at length paffed into a law by the Emperor Charles IV. who made that famous Bulla Aurea (fo called from the golden feal affixed to it) that contains the whole form of the election and power of the Electors, and answers to our Magna Charta. The number of these Electors was then but seven, to whom an eighth was added in the laft age on the following occafion: Frederic V, Count Palatine, falling into difference with the Emperor, and accepting of the crown of Bohemia, in oppofition to the pretenfion of Ferdinand II, was by him profcribed; and, being defeated at the battle of Prague, in the year 1620, was deprived of his coun

try and honours, which the Emperor beftowed upon the Duke of Bavaria: But, great contefts and wars enfuing thereupon, it was at laft agreed, in the Weftphalian treaty of 1648, that the Count Palatine fhould be restored to his electoral dignity; but, because the Duke of Bavaria could not be brought to part with his, an eighth electorate was erected for him; and, the Lower Palatinate (part of his country) being reftored, he has fince had the title of Elector Palatine of the Rhine, and the eighth seat in the electoral college. To this number another was added in 1693, and, by the Emperor's favour, was conferred on Erneftus Auguftus, Duke of Brunswic Lunenburg-Hanover, father to the late King; but he did not take his feat till 1708.

In an interregnum, the Elector of Saxony and the Elector Palatine of the Rhine govern the empire, as Palatines of Saxony and the Rhine; in which cafe the jurifdicdiction of the former extends over all the northern part, and the latter governs all the countries on the Rhine, the circle of Swabias &c. but the Duke of Bavaria disputes this right.

The Emperors are feldom crowned at fame time they are chofen The Elector of Mentz, or his Vice chancellor, directs the ceremony, which, among other particulars, is performed with Charlemagne's crown, and the ancient imperial robes.

The Dyet, or Parliament of Germany, is compofed of the Electors, the Princes fpiritual and temporal of the empire, and the Deputies of the imperial cities and hanstowns. This general Assembly of all the eftates of the empire is fummoned by the Emperor, by letters directed to every Member, fix months before the feffion, informing them of the time and place. When they are affembled,, the Emperor, or his Commiffioner, proposes the matters to be tranfacted, which are things that concern the empire in general; such as raising money for a foreign war, and making laws which oblige all the ftates.

The chief Court, for determining great caufes in Germany, is the Imperial Chamber; and the Emperor holds another high Court of equal authority in his palace, which is called the Chamber of Vienna.

According to a constitution of Charles V, every state of the empire is taxed in proportion to its ability; which tax or quota is entered into a public register, called the matricula of the empire, and kept in the office of the Elector of Mentz, the Chancellor of the empire: There it is that a Prince or other Lord, and fuch city as the Emperor makes a Member of the empire, is obliged

10

to be matriculated, with the consent of the college and circle to which it is to be aggregated. This conftitution was established, not only for maintaining the forces of the empire, but for its other neceffities. It was regulated at the rate of a certain number of horfe and foot, or a fum of money to be paid monthly, by the name of the Roman months; because formerly the states of the empire were obliged to raife 20,000 foot and 4000 horse, which they kept in pay, to accompany the Emperor to Rome, when he went to receive the crown; and fuch as were not able to furnish their quota in troops did it in money, This contingent was settled at 12 florins for a trooper, and four for a foot foldier; but, as the price of provifons, &c. was raifed, in time this tax was extended to fixty florins for the former, and twelve for the latter; fo that the tax of the modern Roman month is equal to five of

R

the old Roman months; but, the matricula not having been altered fince Charles V, and every ftate being taxed according to the old footing, this deficiency was fupplied, without derogating from the matricula, by augmenting the number of the months, in proportion to the levies required, and other neceffary demands.

The total of the matricula's is, in borse, 2528; in foot, 12,360; in florins, 77.407. Hence, and by what follows, it appears, that the Emperor and the empire make the molt potent government in Europe, when they have a good understanding with one another.

The ecclefiaftical Electors, with the other ecclefiaftical Princes, are able to raise 74, 500. men, and the Emperor, fecular Electors, and the other fecular Princes, 379,000. Total of the forces of the empire 453, 500 men.

1

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The

:

ECIPE. Take Roman or Hungarian Vitriol, and diffolve it in common wa ter, in a glass jar Put therein any linen, or other thing, ftained with the blood of a wound, and let it lie for the vitriol to work upon the blood. Though the patient be at the diftance of many miles, it will attract the corruption of his wounds, and fay the bleeding of them, or any other iffue of blood, or other matter, of which part or parcel has been put into the vitriolic water. No other furgery is required for the patient, than keeping of the wound clean, and clofing it up from the air.

The water must be kept in a place fafe from frofty and cold air; and, in the winter, in a chimney corner. It must not alfo be fo clofely stopped as the air may not enter, but fo only as duft or other things fall not into it; for, were it stopped from the air, the magnetic virtue would be obftruct. ed, or hindered in its operation. Keep the vitriol in powder, ready for use.

The cure of wounds in the magnetical way was first made known in England by Sir Kenelme Digby, who had rendered himself very remarkable by the happy application of a fecret, for that purpofe, he had met with in his travels. This fecret of his was that which fince made fo much noise in the world, under the title of the fympathetic, powder, the virtues of which were, as he affures us, thoroughly enquired into by King James, his fon the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Buckingham, with other perfons of the highest diftinction; and all was registered among the obfervations of the great Chancellor Bacon, to add, by way of

Mr. James Howell, well known for his public works, and particularly his Dendrologies, endeavouring to part two of his friends engaged in a duel, leized with his left-hand the hilt of the sword of one of the combatants, and with his right-hand, laid hold of the blade of the other. They, being transported with fury one against the other, struggled to rid themselves of the hinderance their friend made, that, they fhould not kill one another; and one of them, roughly drawing the blade of his fword, cut to the very bone the nerves and mufcles of Mr. Howell's hand; and then the other, difengaging his hilt, gave a cross blow on his adverfary's head, which glanced towards his friend, who heaving up his fore hand to fave the blow, he was wounded on the back of his hand, as he had been before within. The two combatants, feeing Mr. Howell's face belineared with blood, by heaving up his wounded hand, left fighting at once, and ran to embrace him; and, having searched his hurts, they bound up his hand with one of his garters, to close the veins, which were cut, and bled abundantly. They brought him home, and fent for a furgeon; but, this being heard as Court, the King fent one of his own furgeons; for his Majefty much affected the