Having Procured A New Guide, We Arrived At Nuremburg On The 10th Of March.
This Is A Fine City, Having A River Running Through The Middle Of It, And
Is Defended By An Excellent Citadel.
While here, I inquired of my landlord
if there were any travellers going our way.
He informed me that there were
two ambassadors from the king of Poland then in the city, who, he was
certain, would be happy to receive a visit from me. I therefore sent my
chaplain, Stephen Testa, to inform these gentlemen of my being in
Nuremburg, and of the purpose of my journey, and of my desire to pay them
a visit. They received my message with much civility, and I accordingly
went to wait upon them. These gentlemen were counsellors of state to his
Polish Majesty, one of whom was an archbishop, and the other a knight,
named Paul. After mutual compliments, I informed them that I proposed
paying my respects to their sovereign, and was furnished with a passport.
Notwithstanding the sorry equipage in which I travelled, they received me
with much honour. I remained four days in Nuremburg, during which I formed
a friendly intimacy with the Polish ambassadors, and then resumed my
journey in their company, being likewise accompanied by an ambassador
belonging to the king of Bohemia, eldest son of the king of Poland.
Departing from Nuremburg on the 14th of March, now nearly sixty horsemen
in company, we crossed through Germany, always lodging in good cities or
castles, some of which were extremely beautiful, both in respect to their
situation and the excellence of their fortifications; but I omit
describing them, as they are well known to travellers. The journey across
Germany took us twelve days, during which we passed through the greater
part of the dominions of the Maregrave of Brandenburg, and arrived at the
imperial city of Francfort, a tolerably good and well fortified city on
the Oder. We rested here till the 29th of March. As this city is near the
confines of Poland, we had an escort of cavalry belonging to the Maregrave
of Brandenburg, which accompanied us to the frontiers. These soldiers were
well mounted and armed, and marched in good order. On the last day of
March we arrived at Miedzyrzyez[4], which is a small city, but strong and
pleasant, and is the first place on the frontiers of Poland. From that
place till we reached _Stragone_, or Poznan, which took us three days
journey, we saw no place worth notice. Poznan is particularly remarkable
on account of a great fair, which is resorted to by many merchants.
Leaving Poznan on the 3d of April, we arrived on the 9th at Lenczycz[5],
where Casimir, king of Poland, then resided. In this journey we found
neither cities nor considerable castles, and had much reason to remember
Germany with regret, both on account of bad lodgings and every other
circumstance. When my arrival was announced to the king, he sent two of
his gentlemen to wait upon me, who assigned me a tolerably commodious
lodging.
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