Resolving at last to take leave of my good friends at Hamburg, Mynhéer Platia, with two other merchants, and myself, hire a post waggon for Holland. We set forward by seven a clock in the morning, and continue our way two German miles up the river, by the village of Offensey to Blankeness; there we cross the Elbe, and proceed to a town called Buxtchude in the dominion of Sweden, and by night arrive at a poor house in the wood called Arnswoldt. Here we drive in with our waggon, and alight at the same room, which was to receive us and our horses, and be at the same time our chamber and parlour, and the kitchin of our old landlady, who was smoked like a ham of bacon. We found her with her houshold, brooding over a fire hearth in the middle of this apartment, common to her self and cattle. Over which there was no chimney, but a wooden rack well stored with bacon, where the smoke was employed to prepare the provision of the year, without wasting itself at the funnel of a chimney. We are laid on a large heap of straw[141], whilst the cows are chewing the cud on each side, and lulling us to sleep. It was here I first saw the black bread of this country, called bonpournickel; and was told, that this with plenty of swines flesh, and the thick water of this flat country, were the only dainties of the place. However, it was our good fortune not to be reduced to that diet; for we fared well on our hamper, which we brought with us from Hamburg.
Leaving this disagreable place very early, we arrive at the gates of Bremen late at night, and are therefore obliged to lodge in the suburbs, till we could enter the town the next morning. It is a large and fair city, free of the empire, and one of the most considerable Hanse towns, seated on the Weser, or Visurgis. Here we baited at the wine cellar over against the Exchange, where there is a magazine of good Rhenish, inferior in nothing but the quantity of vessels, and largeness of the stock, to that of Hamburg. We then proceed by nine a clock (after I had visited Mr. Willet, an English merchant) and on the farther side of the town cross the river under a noble gate, which in an inscription calls this VETVSTISSIMVS VISVRGIS TRAIECTVS. The Weser is here fair, wide, and almost straight, affording a reception for the vessels belonging to the town; but those of a greater burthen are obliged to remain some leagues lower. At this river we now leave Lower Saxony, and enter the circle of Westphalia. In an hour and a half we come to Delmenhorst, an old town and castle belonging to the King of Denmark. From thence we proceed to Wildeshusen, a town in the dominion of the Elector of Hanover, where we lodge.
We go on this day to Klopperburg, a town of the Lower Bishoprick of Munster; from whence in a little time we reach the banks of the Hase, and in a few hours more the town thence called Haselun, where we take up our lodging that night.
We had hitherto found Westphalia a desolate and wild country, overrun with heath, except here and there adorned with small groves of stately oak, in the middle of which we commonly found a single farm house, enclosed with rude pales like a park, which in summer time must be truly pleasant. In several places by the road side are seen posts, with iron boxes on the top, for the receipt of charity, as if the land it self confessed its poverty. However in this day’s journey the appearance began to alter, for about ten a clock we arrived at Lingen, a pretty compact and well built town, which lately belonged to King William, but now to the King of Prussia. The neighbourhood is well stored with woods; the skirts of the town adorned with frequent gardens, and alleys of trees orderly planted; and the whole place by a show of riches and beauty confessing, as it were, the benefit of a moderate and protestant government.
Just beyond the limits of this town we cross the Ems, or Amasia, by a ferry boat, and afterwards continue our journey to Northern, the first town of the United Provinces, in the limits of which we now pass out of Westphalia into Overissel. After a short bait we proceed to Otmarsh, and there lodge. This is the first place, since I left Hamburg, where I was offered a bed, having hitherto slept in my cloaths upon the straw.
We now proceed by the way of Almeloo, and so to Deventer, over the plains, where his late Majesty delighted sometimes to hunt. These plains are covered with heath, and therefore afford not so good riding; but at the same time they are enclosed within long tracts of hills rising gently, which give the sportsman a convenient sight of the chase.
We stop this day at Deventer, and put up at a public inn, where we dine with some Danish officers; and after diner I pay a visit to the learned Gisbertus Cuperus, who entertained me very obligingly, shewed me his library, coins, inscriptions, and other curiosities. In his library were several large volumes of letters, written by him in the name of the states, or on other public occasions. Among his coins was one with the title of IMP. VNICVS. And among his inscriptions this which follows:
He seemed to think this was Hercules of Mackshusen, a town not far distant from hence. I continue the following day at Deventer, and from thence write to my freinds at Hamburg.
From Deventer I now proceed in three hours to Loo, where I was entertained for some hours in viewing the house and gardens of his late Majesty, and then go forward to a village called Fortshausen, where I take up my lodging. The next day I continue my journey to Amersford, where I dine, and by four a clock reach Utrecht.
This and the two following days I remain at Utrecht, where I now first visit, and contract a very agreable acquaintance with Mr. Paul Foley, student of that university; who the day after obliged me with his company in a treck schuyt to Leyden, where I view the physic garden, and adjoining galleries of natural rarities; the academy, anatomy theatre, great church, and other curiosities of the place. And the next morning I take the like passage for Rotterdam.
This day I went to the Hague, where at length I again met his Excellency; having seen Delft and Ryswick in the way. At Delft particularly I was entertained with a sight of the great church, and fine monument erected there in memory of William the first, Prince of Orange. And the next day I continue to attend his Excellency at the Hague.
This day, being Sunday, I depart from the Hague, with his Excellency, Mr. Paget, and Mr. Foley, in a treck schuyt, by the way of Leyden, for Amsterdam; where we put up at the Oude Heeren logement. And staying here the two following days, after paying a visit to Mr. Marcus, I amuse myself with viewing the magazine of the admiralty, the stadthouse, and spinhouse; the hospital of boys and girls, with that of old women; the rasphouse, and other public buildings.
I return this day to Leyden, and there see Mr. De la Faye, brother of the English minister of that place; and with him visit Jacobus Gronovius, professor of eloquence and history, and at this time rector magnificus; from whom I receive a copy of Mynhéer Cosson’s inscriptions, among which are some not published in the Memoria Cossoniana.
We now leave Leyden, and go back to Rotterdam, where his Excellency is lodged at the Doole for about eight days, and then removes to Winestreet. During this time I become acquainted with Mr. Richard Davis on the Heering vliet, the chief promoter of the new episcopal English church, now building at the upper end of that vliet. I observe whatever is remarkable here, particularly the statue of Erasmus, and the house of his birth; and likewise pay a visit to Mons. Bayle.
I attend his Excellency to the Hague, and the next day, being Sunday, I go to Rotterdam, there preach to the episcopal congregation, and return to the Hague that evening. The day following I walk from thence to the House in the wood, which is a fine summer retirement, neatly built, and furnished with good painting, by Frederic Henry, Prince of Orange.
I depart with Dr. Timeni for Leyden, where I now propose a long stay. And here I contract an acquaintance with Mr. Neufville, an ingenious and polite gentleman, master of a good library, and a curious collection of antiquities. With him also and Dr. Timeni I visit several of the professors, as Gronovius, Perizonius, and Triglandius; and see likewise the library, and especially the manuscripts of this university. Among other curiosities in the museum of Mr. Neufville, I observed the following inscriptions, cut in marble tablets.
This, which follows, is on a stone opposite to the former.
This, which follows, was on a gemm.
On the opposite side was a bent bow, with a quiver and arrow, as likewise a serpent twining about the bow; and on the right side was ingraven the word ΑΝΤΙΨΙΛΟΥ.
I now desire my dismission from the family of his Excellency, and hire a lodging for myself. And such was his generosity, that two days afterwards he was pleased to send me the residue of my salary, with half as much more, as was then due, at the rate of eighty pounds a year.
I see the curious work in cut paper by a woman at Rotterdam. And three days afterwards going to Delft, I visit Mr. Leewenhoek, and see his microscopes, with many curious discoveries upon insects, and other minute animals. The same day I pass to the Hague, to gratify my curiosity in viewing such things, as before had escaped my observation.
The wind setting fair for England, I hasten to Rotterdam, to take leave of his Excellency, who embarked at two a clock. Here I purchase a large number of books, and other necessaries, to a considerable value.
I quit my lodgings at Rotterdam, and remove to the Hague. The day following I visit the church of Launsdone where I found this inscription under two brass basins: Margareta, Hermani Comitis Henebergae uxor, filia Gulielmi Caesaris, anno MCCLXXVI 365 enixa est pueros etc. sicut in hac tabula ex vetustis tam manuscriptis, quam typis excusis, chronicis positum ac enarratum est. The same afternoon I pass on to Honstardyke, where I see the orangery four hundred and fifty yards long; the East India buffalo, male and female; the aviary, in which is a white peacock, the birds called lepelaars, and variety of foreign ducks and geese; the stable of foreign beasts, among which is the mamót of East India (like a stag, but with twisted horns) and a cassaware; the gardens, in which are several beautiful statues, particularly one of a gladiator; the house consisting of one intire quadrangle within two good galleries, the Queen’s japan cabinet, and the King’s well furnished with curious paintings.
I now return again to Amsterdam, by the way of Gouda, in company with Mr. Vandeput. Here we stop to observe the excellent painted glass in the several windows of that church; and then proceeding in our passage by the treck schuyt arrive at Amsterdam by six a clock next morning, and after diner make a visit to Dr. Cockburn. The next day we are introduced by the Doctor to see Mr. De Wild’s cabinet, richly furnished with coins, gems, sculptures, and statues. Among the rest of his curiosities he has an excellent piece, representing the Massacre of the De Witts, a good brass Otho, and a fine Venus Anadyomene. The day following the Doctor procured for us the like favour from Mr. Vincent, whose cabinet consists of a very numerous and well disposed collection of animals and shells.
Mr. Cockburn, son of the Doctor, Mr. Vandeput, and I, divert ourselves, by making a short excursion to Sardam, in North Holland, remarkable for the great number of windmills that surround it, and the large quantity of timber, which always lies there ready prepared for building of ships. We return in the evening to Amsterdam; and the next day I purchase of Mynhéer Visscher a set of Geographical Charts, both Old and New; and then visit Mynhéer Uilenbroek, a curious gentleman, possessed of a very large and well chosen library, as also a cabinet of coins and other rarities.
I depart for Harlem, and there visit the learned Antony Van Dale, by profession a physician, in opinion an anabaptist. He entertained me very obligingly with a sight of the neat gardens, costly tulips, and other amusements of that place. In discoursing with him on divers subjects of learning, he seemed in some things over sceptical, questioning particularly the authority of the Apocalypse. I go the same night to Leyden, and from thence the next day to Rotterdam.
Returning again to Harlem, Mr. Van Dale carries me to visit Mynhéer Koolaert, a merchant, and father of a beautiful daughter, named Hester, about seventeen years of age, born deaf and consequently dumb; but taught to speak (tho not very articulately) by one Dr. Amman, who has published a book upon that art, of which the young lady gave me a copy in Dutch, and her father another in Latin. She asked me after Mr. Rombouts of Constantinople; and I answering he is dead, she discerned what I said by the motion of my lips. By the same means she can discourse at large with her mother even in the dark, by feeling her lips when speaking. She writes well, and paints curiously. And her mother is an excellent Latinist. The same day Mr. Van Dale shewed me a specimen of the first printing, kept in the town house of this place; and in the market place the inscription, asserting that invention to Harlem:
The next day I leave Harlem, and return to Amsterdam.
This morning, with Dr. Cockburn and Mr. Vandeput, I visit the learned Mr. le Clerc. He shewed me the Thesaurus linguae Latinae of Rob. Stephanus, improved by manuscript notes of the author’s own hand; as also Irenaeus, Lib. v. cap. 2. concerning the presence in the sacrament; and complained of Mr. Grabe, as misrepresenting the church of England in his notes. In the afternoon, in company with Mr. Vandeput, I review the cabinet of Mynhéer Uilenbroek; and by his leave copy the two following sepulchral inscriptions, one in Latin, and the other in Greek, the former of which is peculiarly remarkable for the corruption of the language.
Mr. Vandeput, Dr. Cockburn’s youngest son, and myself, hire a couple of chaises, and make a journey into North Holland. We pass Monnikedam, the Beemster, and so to Alckmair; where we observe the beautiful and clean streets, the stadthouse, the church, and noble picture there of the year 1504, the delightful woods, and artificial walks. We return that night, but not without being imposed on by the owner of our chaises.
Having continued thus long at Amsterdam, enjoying the company of my good friends, and amusing my self with the variety of entertainments, which this place affords to strangers, I now depart for Naerden in the treck schuyt by the way of Muyden, whither I am kindly accompanied by Mr. Le Jolle. There I arrive by two a clock, and having viewed that complete and compact fortification, I depart at six in a post chaise for Utrecht, where I arrive by nine, and lodge without the gate. In the morning I repair to Mr. Foley, and am by him invited to lodge in his apartment. He carried me to visit Holthenus, a learned divine and minister of the place, who had then the care of the new edition of Gruter; and has a good collection of coins, among which was observable Nerva of the largest size, the reverse a palm tree, with the legend FISCI IVDAICI CALVMNIA ABLATA.
Mr. Foley and my self hire a traveling chaise and pair at Utrecht, with which we proceed to Amerford, and from thence to the King’s house at Loo, where we arrive by three a clock in the afternoon. And upon our return to Utrecht the day following, I begin to think of England, and accordingly prepare my self for a voyage by the first convenient passage.