Holland that yields such fine Walks, and the People are polite and much more sociable than in any other part of the Country. Most of the People of Quality meet every Evening alternately at one another's Houses: These Assemblies would be much finer than they are in general, if the Company was not so promiscuous; but the Freedom of the Country, and the Wealth of the Inhabitants, very often set the Burgher upon a Level with the Man of Quality, and sometimes too above him.
The Houses at the Hague are very fine, yet they are all without the Rules of Architecture, without Ornament, and in a manner without Regularity, excepting the Palaces of the Old Court and of Prince Maurice, and the House of M. Obdam. There's not a House in short that has the air of a great Man's House; the inner Rooms are commonly very mean, and not very commodious; they have no Notion of Anti-Chambers; the Domestics pass their Time in the Kitchens or the Entries; and, except at the Houses of Ambassadors, what we call a Swiss or Porter, is no where to be seen. There's a great Number of Jews at the Hague, who make a fine Figure, especially the Portuguese Jews. These Gentlemen have the Equipages of Ambassadors, with magnificent Houses and Gardens; and they often make Treats with the utmost Delicacy and Splendor. They are admitted into all Companies, and only differ from the Christians of this Country by being possess'd of much more Wealth, and living at a far greater Expence. I knew one of 'em whose Name was Duliz, that was very much esteem'd: He was good-natur'd, generous, extremely charitable, and reliev'd all indifferently that were Objects of
Compassion, without giving himself the Trouble of enquiring whether the Sharers of his Bounty were Jews or Christians: And to my own knowledge he contributed as freely for the Maintenance of a Church, as if it had been his own Synagogue.
When I had staid about a Month at the Hague, I set out to see the chief Towns of Holland. The two first that one comes to are Delft and Rotterdam. Delft[27] is a League from the Hague. They say that this Town was built by Godfrey the Crooked when he had conquer'd this Country; and that Albert of Bavaria having made himself master of it, demolish'd its Walls and Castle. It was entirely burnt to the ground by Accident in 1536, and afterwards re-built. The like Misfortune happen'd to it again in 1654, when the Powder Magazine took fire, and the Town, tho' not totally consum'd, was nevertheless very much damag'd. It was again entirely re-built in the general Taste of all the Towns of Holland, that is to say, with Canals. There are two fine Churches at Delft, in the Chief of which there is the Tomb of Prince William of Orange, who was assassinated in this Town in 1584, by Belthazar Gerard, a Native of Franche-Comte; and in the other Church there is the Tomb of the famous Dutch Admiral Martin Trompe, which is of Marble, with a very fine Inscription, and beautiful Basso-Relievo's, which represent the principal Actions of that great Man. 'Twas in this Town, that the Plenipotentiaries of France resided during the Congress of Ryswic. All Ambassadors are receiv'd here on the part of the States, and 'tis here that they begin their
March for their public Entry at the Hague. The Road which leads to it is lin'd with Elms, and entirely pav'd with Brick. There is not a Place in all Holland where so many Passage-Boats are continually coming and going. They set out every Half-hour for the Hague, and every Hour for Rotterdam. These Boats are the favorite Carriers of the Country; and they are the most convenient Passage, not only for the Regularity of their Departure and Arrival, but because the Fare is settled. I forgot to tell you, that Delft is the Place where they make the fine Earthen Ware.
From Delft I went and lay at Rotterdam[28]. This City, which stands upon the Maese, is second to Amsterdam for Trade, notwithstanding the Difficulty of entring the Maese, at the Mouth of which River Ships are oblig'd to stay for the Tide, and for a Pilot that knows the Coast. They say that Rotterdam derives its Origin from Ruther King of the Franks. This City is large and well built; and by its several Canals has a convenient Communication with all the Towns of Holland. The only Monument at Rotterdam is a Statue of Brass in the great Square, representing the famous Erasmus, to whom this City gave Birth.
From Rotterdam I went to Dort, or Dordrecht, which is a very ancient Town, and the first in Rank in the Dominions of Holland. It stands in an Island between the Maese, the Merwe, the Rhine, and the Ling, having been broke off from the main Land in 1421, by an Inundation, which laid almost all its Territory under Water, and drown'd about 100,000 Persons. All these Rivers form a kind of Sea; so
that at a distance the Situation of this Town looks very much like that of Venice. This Place was anciently the Residence of the Counts of Holland, one of whom, viz. Albert of Bavaria, founded a Collegiate Church here in 1363. The Protestants assembled that famous National Synod here in 1618, which did not separate till the year following, after having establish'd that Religion which prevails at this time in the United Provinces.
When I had staid at Dort as long as was necessary to see the Town and Parts adjacent, I return'd to Rotterdam, from whence I went next day in a Boat for Amsterdam[29]. This is the most famous City in all Holland, its Extent, vast Trade and Riches being the Admiration of all Foreigners; and what is more surprizing is, that it owes its Aggrandizement to itself, and its great Wealth to its Commerce. 'Tis said that this City was not known before the Year 1204; and that then it was no more than a little Castle call'd Amstel, from the Name of the River on which it was built. The then Lord of it, Gysbrecht van Amstel brought Inhabitants to it, who were for most part poor Cottagers, that carried on a small Trade with their Neighbours by means of their Fishery; and at last by the force of Industry throve so well, that Amstel from a Village, became in a few years, a very considerable Town, which was always subject to its own Lords, till a second Gysbrecht being concern'd in the Assassination of Florence V. Count of Holland, was oblig'd for some time to get out of the way, which prov'd to the Detriment of Amsterdam; but Gysbrecht returning at length began to
build Bridges and Towers, as he did several Houses at the same time in the neighbouring Country; and then they began to call the Place Amsteldam, by the Addition of the Word Dam, i. e. a Dyke, to its former Name of Amstel. This little Town was united afterwards to the County of Holland. William IV. Sovereign of the Country, gave it several Privileges in 1342. These Albert of Bavaria confirm'd afterwards, by giving the Inhabitants a Power also of enlarging the Town, which by its Situation, and the Industry of the Inhabitants to improve its Commerce, soon became considerable; yet it continued without any Walls, even so long as the Year 1482. In the 16th Century this City increas'd considerably in Power; and during the Troubles which arose on account of Religion, took great Care to preserve the Catholic Religion, and their due Allegiance to its Princes. It turn'd out the Ministers of the Reformed Religion, and all that had embrac'd that Doctrine several times. But at length finding its Trade decay; and that the Succours brought to it by the Duke of Alva, Governor of the Netherlands, were scatter'd, 'twas oblig'd to surrender to the Prince of Orange in 1587, on condition nevertheless that the Catholics should not be molested. This indeed was promis'd, but not duly perform'd; for the Clergy and Friars were soon after expell'd, and the Altars demolish'd; the consequence of which was the putting an entire stop to all the public Exercise of the Catholic Religion. The War which the Inhabitants of Amsterdam had upon their hands, and the Persecution of the Catholics had hurt its Trade very much, till the Civil Wars kindled in the neighbouring Provinces drove several Merchants