SIR, Mr. Edward Browne to his Father.9 [MS. SLOAN. 1868.] I finding my self euery day in better health then other, and not willing to loose any more time, I haue uentured to leaue Paris. In the water coach I came as farre as Joigny, 4 dayes journeys from Paris; passing through Melun, Montereau, Sens, and Villeneuf. The first, though wee breakfast at it, yet wee left it before daylight, being call'd up at midnight; the 2nd is only remarkable by the meeting of the riuers Sonne and Seine, haueing a castle seated betwixt them, and a bridge to each opposite banke, like Pont Neuf at Paris. Sens is a neat place, haueing water running through the streets and gardens, situated in a braue champion. It putt me in mind of Salisbury. The front of its cathedrall hath two steeples, one of which is somewhat broken, else it would bee little inferior to that of Nostre Dame. At Villeneuf, in the church, there is a St Cristopher no lesse though worse shaped then that at Paris. I passed in a carriole from Joigny to Auxerre, a handsome large towne, in which are two well built churches; the one St Meurice of twelve hundred years standing; there is also here a sanctuary, from whence I am now, I thanke God, arriued at Chaalons Sur Saone, quite through Bourgoigne, a braue country though hilly, which furnisheth Paris with its best wines. These places I baited at, Vermanton, Rouery, Saulien, Nele Duke1 Yury, Chalons. Amongst the hills I was taken with the situation of a neat little house upon a high tri-angular rock, the walls of the house being built upon the edge of the rock, Roche Fauquieu. This day I saw millet growing in great quantities. Here is little worth seeing at Chalons; the citadell, hospitall, the Carmes church, and the cathedrall St Vinceau, the darkest church I ever saw. I haue met with uery ciuill, courteous, company hether; with a priest, and one of my owne name, 9 MS. Sloan. No. 1886, contains a Journal of that part of this excursion which is related in the six following letters; but proceeds no further. 2 Givry? Arnay-le-Duc? who live at Brugnoli in Prouence. I think to goe towards Lyons to morrow, where I thinke to stay a week to rest my self. The Soane is a noble riuer. I wrote to you from Lyons. I was scarce well when I came out of Paris, but I thanke God I am uery hearty here at Montpellier. This place is the most delightfull of all France, being seated upon an hill in sight of the sea; inhabited by a people I suppose, without injury to my owne country, the most handsome in the world; the meanest of them going neatly dressed euery day, and there carriage so free, that the meerest stranger hath acquaintance with those of the best ranck of the towne immediately. We haue sermons here euery day, and Sunday 4, the greatest part of the towne being still of the religion. I live at an apothecary's house, where I have the conuenience of the shop, and am already acquainted with a dr of physick, who professeth himself ready to do mee any fauour in his way. I went with him to the baths of Balarue. Afterwards wee crossed the lake together, and went to Mont Septo, a hill famous for plants. I wrot to my father since I came hither; I hope hee hath receiued my letter; and the other which I wrote to him from Chaalons. I trauild from Paris hither alone, about 500 miles, which would haue made mee uery melancholy, but haueing somewhat of the language, I could entertain my self with the French, who are good companions in a journey. I did not see Sr Sam. Tuke,3 nor Morillon, before I came out of Paris, 3 Sir Samuel Tuke, Bart., of Cressing Temple, in Essex; sent to Paris by Charles II, to condole with Lewis XIV on the death of Cardinal Mazarine. He was cousin to Evelyn; had been a colonel in the king's service during the civil war, and afterwards, being one of those that attempted to form a body in Essex for King Charles, he narrowly escaped with his life. He died in 1673. but at my returne I will waite upon them. In the physick garden here, I meet with many things which are neither in England nor Paris. The whispering place is remarkable in it, so contriued that one whispers at one side the other heres him uery distinctly on the other side, and those in the middle heare nothing at all. My duty to my mother and your selfe. I am your obediant Sonne, ED. BROWNE. Montpellier, Octobre 7, 1664. Mr. Edward Browne to his Father. [MS. SLOAN. 1868.] The plague being in Prouence, I could not passe by sea in to Italy, at least without doing quarantaine; which forc'd mee to goe by the way of Grenoble, a towne extremely populous, though but small for a parliament. I saw there the Duke of Leddiguere's hous, a bridge of boats ouer the Liser, a riuer more swift then the Rosne. Three leages of is a burning hill. From Grenoble wee went to visit the solitary desert of St Bruno, the most desolate retired place of all the Alpes; the entry is betwixt two rocks almost touching one another at the top, a portall fit for so strange an habitation; it is so cold that no fruit ever growes in it; the number of firre trees somwhat abates the horrour of those high pracipices. The cloisters are the longest that euer I saw, but three paces broad; ther chappells well adorn'd; the pere generall's chambers are inrich'd with pictures of a uery great ualeu. I lodged one night in the Couent, and was extremely ciuilly entertained, though I declared my self to bee a protestant. From hence I went to Montmelian, one of the strongest fortresses in Christendome; to Aiguebelle, where the rockes incompas a plaine in the forme of an amphitheatre; to St. John de Moriene, where is a square obelisk, a gilded ball and crosse upon it: the bishops house fairly built; many relicks in the church. Wee laid at St Michel, dined next day at Ma dane, and laid at Lasnebourg, at the foot of Mount Senis. We passed this hill with great difficulty, the weather being extremly bad. In the winter they descend by the ramass, sliding downe the hill a league high in a quarter of an hour. Wee went downe the other side in a chair: the Marans who carry us step from stone to stone in the most dangerous places with such confidence and speed, that without slipping of ther feet, though in rainy weather, they carried us downe two leagues in lesse then two hours. Wee lodg'd at Suse, where the tower of the church is the neatest thing I observed. Wee passed by Riuoli, an house of the Duke of Sauoy's: and are now, thankes be to God, in good health at Turino. The Duke of Sauoy is a man of a midle or rather low stature, light browne haire, pleasant in conuersation, and one that spends most of his time in hunting; hee hath his buck hounds from England, and pays forty pistolls a couple for them; his palace the most rich for gilding I have yet seen; a closet furnished with limmings strangely neat ; into which they enter by a gallery. The new buildings are stately and more uniform than any in France. One sees through his highness's pallace, and the whole neat built towne, at one view. There are two places uery noble and cloysterd, the church of St. Carlo; the Jesuits are rich beyond expression; the cupulo of St Jean noble. The marble buildings here must needs goe beyond the freestone of France. I had almost forgot the duke's gallery, so famous for its old Roman statuas; the portraytures of the family of this prince, and its painted roof, besides the library, and the length of it; a banquetting house also, upon the walls of the towne, furnished with draughts, mappes, and limminges. I was this day at Millefleur, an handsome house of the Duke's, at Mont Callier, well furnished with pictures, and at Valentin not inferior to his palace at Turin. On Saturday wee goe towards Genoa. I saw here yesterday one whom they report to be brother to the great Turk, his picture I have inclosed herein. Turin, Nouember 5, 1664. ED. BROWNE. Mr. Edward Browne to his brother Thomas. DEARE BROTHER, [MS. SLOAN. 1868.] I sent you the picture of a dominican frier from Turin, the brother (as they say) to the grand Turck. I would not loose any opportunity of writing to you. I am so farre of, and am unsatisfied in nothing so much as in not haueing your company, in a place where your judgment in picturs. and statuas would be so satisfied, and your fancy pleasd. The oddest rarity that I have met with, is the tombe of a dog on the side of a hill, with Jupiter's statua ouer it, as big as St. Christophe à Paris, with this epitaphe in Italien; my father will interpret it to you. Qui giace il gran Roldano cane del Principe Geo. Andria D'Oria, il quale per la sua molta fede et beneuolenza fu meriteuole di questa memoria, et per che servò in uita si grandemente fu anco giudicato in morte douersi Collocare il suo cenere appresso del sommo Gioue, come ueramente degno della real custodia. Here lies the great Roldano, the dog of Prince Andria Doria, which for his great fidelity and beneuolence was diseruing of this memory: and because hee serued so greately in his life, was also judged in his death to deserue to haue his ashes placed neere great Jupiter, as truly worthy of so royall a custodie. It was no ordinary cur that receiued this interrement, but a dog of 500 crownes per annum. I haue just now past the Alpes and Apenines, which journys put mee much in mind of our Darbishire aduenture. I long to bee with you, which will make me haste for England after Christmas. If you write to Cambridge, present my sarvis to Mr. Nurse, Mr. Crauen, Mr. Arrowsmith, and the rest of our friends. Your loueing brother, Genoua, Nou. 14, 1664. EDWARD BROWNE. 4 In September, 1662; the particulars of which journey are preserved in No. 1900, MS. Sloan. See before, page 22. |