His Excellency proceeds in his way to Osnaburg; but I continue still at Hanover, with an intention to take post for Hamburg, and dine this day with Mr. Cresset. The day following in the afternoon I visit the library and cabinet of Abbot Gerhardus, otherwise called Molanus. His cabinet consists of a vast collection of modern coins, particularly those of Germany, among which he has intire sets of the houses of Brunswick and Saxony. He has likewise a rich and numerous collection of medals of all the European kingdoms, stampt upon the most celebrated occasions; and many of them are gold, some of which weigh an hundred ducats, and others but little less. Those of Sweden seemed to me the noblest both for the work and device, particularly one of Gustavus Adolphus, upon marching his army over the frozen Baltick, with this inscription: NATURA HOC DEBVIT VNI. Another of Charles the eleventh, with the reverse of the North star, and inscribed: NESCIT OCCASVM. Those of the house of Hanover are likewise curious, particularly one of the Princess Dowager, stampt by her about fourteen years since; the reverse a sun setting without a cloud, and the words: Senza turbarmi al fin m’accosto. Another of the young Prince George Augustus, the reverse a fountain springing up in a strong perpendicular column of water, with this legend: VIS INSITA DVCIT IN ALTVM. Besides these he has a good collection of antient medals; the most remarkable of which were Julianus the first; and Antinous of the first size, if genuine, the reverse a sheep.
By eleven a clock this night I depart in the post waggon for Zell, and in the way make these observations on Hanover, and the persons I saw there. The town is moderately large, fair, and compact, seated on the Leine, and reasonably well fortified. The palace of the Prince is old, and mean in outward appearance, but within beautiful and splendid. The clergy here is but meanly esteemed, and more meanly provided for; except that Abbot Gerhardus has an income (the sole remainder of church lands not sequestered) to the yearly value of eight hundred pounds sterling. By this preferment he is superintendent of the whole clergy in the territories of the Duke of Brunswick Hanover, and is by the same incapable of marrying. The Elector is a sage, discreet, just, and sober Prince. The Princess his mother is courteous, affable, condescending, and prudent; well versed in the Dutch, English, French, and Italian languages; and gay and vigorous to a miracle at the age of seventy two. The young Prince is brisk, affable, and ingenious. The Princess, daughter to the Elector, comely, ingenious, lively, and her courteous behaviour charms all, who converse with her. Mr. Cresset, who has long resided as Envoy to this court, and those of Zell, Brunswick, and Wolfembutel, is a wise and pious gentleman, has a family well governed, and lives much to the honour of himself and his country.
December xxx.
By seven a clock this morning I arrive at Zell, where I remain the rest of the day, and take that opportunity of seeing the castle; as likewise the venerable old Duke, William George, now eighty years of age; to whom I was admitted by the favour of Mr. Robbeton and Mr. De la Forest, two gentlemen who here shewed me great civility.
December xxxi.
I set forward from Zell, and lodge this night at a post house, in a small village called Sorndorf. The country is here pleasant, with a variety of fir, oak, and other wood, but for the most part barren, and overrun, with heath.
January i.
From Sorndorf I reach Harburg by twelve a clock this day, dine there, and then take boat for Hamburg cross the Elbe. The river is here above a German mile broad, and interspersed with various islands. In the evening I delivered Mr. Cresset’s recommendations to Mr. Aldersey, who thereupon received me courteously, and procured me a good lodging from Mr. Townly in the English house. I was detained here to the twenty eighth of this month, partly by the extremity of the frost, which had made the Elbe now unpassable; and partly by the kindness of our English merchants, who reside in this place.
Hamburg is a free imperial city, chief of the Hanse towns, and seated on the north side of the Elbe, where it receives the Alster. The figure of it is semicircular, being almost straight towards the Elbe, which it receives by many chanels into the very heart of the city. Some of these chanels serve as harbours to the ships, others to convey goods to the magazines of merchants, and others to bring water to the houses, particularly of the brewers, who have cranes to draw water into their vessels. It is about two Italian miles in length, and above five in circumference. The streets are well paved, tho narrow, and the houses beautiful in the front, especially in the Wantrum, the Green, and Catherine street. The fortifications are substantial, consisting intirely of ramparts of earth, covered with grass, and not faced with brick. They are constantly maintained in good repair; tho it is commonly objected to them, that the inward works are too high, so that being raised too much above the outward, they are exposed to the first attack of the enemy. There are six gates, all beautiful and stately buildings; that particularly, which is called the gate of Altena, because it leads to that place, is said to have cost an hundred thousand crowns. The strength of the city was lately tried, in the year 1686 (If I mistake not) by the King of Denmark, who then laid siege to it, tho without success. He had depended upon the treachery of two principal burgers, who had promised to admit him into the town; but their treason being accidentally detected, and they put to the torture, the matter was soon confessed, and they deservedly executed. The head of one of them is still exposed on an iron Spike over the Steingate. In confidence of this concerted treachery that Prince came so unprovided, that he could invest no more of the town, than that which faces Altena which gave occasion to the Holland gazeteer to say, that the King of Denmark had besieged the eighth part of Hamburg. During the siege he was baffled even by the small castle, called Sternfort, about a mile distant from the town; which by a line of communication they releived every day at twelve a clock, and so maintained it against the enemy. To add to the strength of the city they are now building a new detached work, consisting of an intire rampart, to be continued from the east side of the Alster to the Elbe, which is a noble fortification, and will at the same time guard and enlarge the space of the city. It is divided into the New and the Old City, the former of which is the more stately and beautiful of the two.