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COlen, Coln, or Colonia Agrippina, was anciently the Capital City of the Ubii, a people who were at first possessed of the Countries now called Berg and March, but being over-run by the Germans next to them, Agrippa, Lieutenant of Gallia, received them into protection, and placed them upon this side of the Roman shoar of the Rhine, where they built this place, and called it Opidum Ubiorum, and the Romans seating themselves here for the defence of the Country, in Honour of Agrippina, daughter to Germanicus, and wife to Claudius, whose Birth place it was, gave it afterwards the Name of Colonia Agrippina. It is at present one of the largest, if not the greatest, of any City in Germany, secured towards the Land by a high Wall, and two deep Trenches, and towards the Water by a Wall of Stone. The Rhine renders it delightful upon one side and divers rows of Trees enclose the Town towards the Land. They have some Out-works, as Half-moons and Ravelins, but their best security is in the great number of men which they are able to raise within themselves. Many of the Streets are broad, and paved with broad stones. It received the Christian Faith very early, and Maternus was their Bishop above 1350 years since, who subscribed, amongst others, to the Council of Arles. They have a great number of Churches, and well endowed, which take up a great part of the Town; the Prebends and Canons Houses having in many places Vineyards, and large Gardens adjoyning. Towards the North end of the Town, the Church of St. Kunibald [=Kunibert] is considerable. The Convent of the Dominicans is fair, and newly built, with a Garden in the Court, and all the Chambers uniform. The Jesuites Church is well built and stored with rich Copes, Altar-pieces, and other Ornaments. In the Church of St. Gereon, a Saint of great name here, martyred about Colen in the time of Maximianus, are about a thousand Saints heads, and on each side of the Altar a large Statua, whereof one is of a Moor; and under the Quire another Church. The Convent of the Carmelites is also considerable,
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There are also divers other Monuments of Bishops, and Noble Persons in Brass and Stone, and one in the shape of a Castle with six Towers. The Canons of this Church are all Noblemen; among whom the Duke of Newburg, who ordinarily resides at Dusseldorff, about twenty English miles below this City, upon the Rhine, hath two Sons. In a Church dedicated to all the Apostles, they shew us a Tomb, which being opened by Thieves, intending to plunder it, the Woman buried in it arose up and went home, and lived with her Husband divers years after. In one of the Streets is a Tower, or rather one Tower upon another, which seems to be ancient, now made a Prison. Upon another Ruine also in the Streets lies a Tomb made out of one Stone; of which sort of Tombs there are many in this City and other places; but the greatest number of them I ever saw was at Arles in Provence.
The Senate House is Noble, having a fair Tower upon it, from whence there is a good prospect over the City. Upon the Front of the Senate House is a Man in Basso relievo, fighting with a Lyon, who, as it was related to me, was formerly one of the Consuls, who having had a contest with some Clergy-men about the Government of the City, on a suddain they caused a Lyon to be let in upon him: upon which occasion he behaved himself so well, as he delivered himself, and slew the Lyon.
The City is Imperial and Free, and yet it doth Homage to the Elector, much after this Form: We free Citizens of Colen promise to the Archbishop, to be faithful and favourable unto him as long as he preserves
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us in Right and Honour, and in our ancient Pivileges, Us, our Wives, our Children, and our City of Colen. Most of the City are of the Roman Church, and the whole Town so full of Convents, Churches, Churchmen and Reliques, that it is not undeservedly styled the Rome of Germany. The Lutherans have also a Church within the Walls, and the Calvinists at Malheim [=Köln-Mülheim], half a League down the stream on the other side of the Rhine. Over against Colen lies Dutz, a small Village, inhabited chiefly by Jews.
We left Colen about four a Clock in the Afternoon, being drawn up the Stream with Horses, they being made fast by a very long Rope to the Mast; we lodged in a small Village, having had a good prospect of Colen all this Evening from off the water. Near to this Place Julius Caesar made his Bridge over the Rhine. The next day we came to Bon, the Seat of the present Archbishop and Elector of Colen, Maximilianus Henricus, Duke of Bavaria, Bishop of Hildisheim and Liege, and Arch-Chancellor of the Empire throughout Italy. This place was formerly called Bonna, or Castra Bonnensia, the wintering place, in the time of Tacitus, of the sixth Legion. It was not long since very well fortified by the order of the present Archbishop, and the direction of Colonel Biser, a blind man, having Cataracts in both his eyes. The Archbishops Palace is very Noble, and there is a Chamber seated a good way into the Rhine, to which they pass thorow a Gallery. This Night we lodged at the foot of the highest of the seven Hills by the Rhine, which are seen at a great distance; and upon divers of them stand old ruined Castles. On the 15th we passed by a pleasant Island with a
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Convent in it: at Remagen is also a Convent upon a Rock, fortified with round Towers. In the Evening we lodged near to a Castle, ruined four years before by the Electors of Triers and Colen, it belonging at that time to the Duke of Lorrain. On the 16th early in the Morning we came to Andernach, where the Plague was very much at that time, and they kept a great many of their sick in Boats upon the Rhine. Andernach, of old Anten••um, was one of the Roman Fortresses. Upon this River, some think that Caligula was born, and that Valentinian was buried thereabouts. Near unto this place are also Mineral Springs, well frequented, and much made use of. The Town is encompassed with an old Wall; and the Gates were shut up by reason of the Plague: Notwithstanding, there being divers Friars in our Company, several of the Towns-men sent out dishes of Meat to them, which we eat in the Field upon Trees which were laid along near the Town. This day the passage by water seeming tedious to us, Mr. Mulstroh, a worthy German Gentleman, with whom I travelled as far as Spire, was willing we should hire a Coach together, which we did, and invited the Friars with whom we had breakfasted, to go along with us in it to Coblentz. We passed through a very pleasant Country, between rows of Walnuttrees, in sight of two of the Elector of Triers Houses, and near to a House belonging to the Count de Wert. We passed the Mosella over a handsome Stone-bridge of thirteen Arches, built by Archbishop Baldus, or Balduinus, in the year 1344, and coming into the Town, we went to the Dominican Convent, which is pleasantly seated near the Banks of the River Mosella; but the Prior of the Convent, whom we had brought with us, was so obliging, that he would not part with us that night; and we were very civilly entertained by him in his Lodgings: He invited also some of the Convent to bear us company; and after a handsome Supper, with plenty of excellent Mosella Wine, we went to bed between two Feather-beds.
Coblentz, or Confluentia, is a Town of a Triangular Figure, seated at the meeting of two great Rivers, the Rhine and the Mosella, which make two sides thereof, and the third is made by a Line drawn from one River to the other; which is now well fortified after the most regular Modern way. The Wall within these Works had many old high Towers; and formerly there was another still nearer to the uniting of the Rivers, and consequently containing a less space of ground: This Town is under the Elector and Archbishop of Triers, Carolus Caspar, of the Noble Family of the Leyen, Arch-Chancellor for the Empire in Gallia Belgica, and the Kingdom of Arles. It was given to the Church of Triers when Medoaldus was Archbishop, above a thousand years since, in the time of King Dagobert. The Situation is pleasant and convenient, and lies over against the Castle of Hermanstein, or Ehrenbreitstein, that is, The Stone of far extended Honour; at the foot of which Castle, upon the shoar of the Rhine, under a great Rock, stands a very Noble Palace of the Electors, two large Wings and the Front with five Pavilions standing towards the River, and from it a long Bridge of Boats over the Rhine to Coblentz: when any great Vessel passes by, they let slip three Boats, whereby the passage lies open, and make them fast again afterwards. In the German Wars the Spaniards thrust in a Garrison into this Town; which was afterwards beaten out by the
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Rhinegrave for the King of Sweden; and the strong Castle of Ehrenbreitstein being put into the hands of the French, the Emperours Forces seized upon the Archbishop of Triers, who then was Philippus Christophorus, and carried him away to Vienna.
In places where the Rhine runs through a low Country and a sat Soyl, it washes away the Banks: to secure which, in divers places they have made great Works of Wood, and also to secure Vessels from the danger of the Ice. And I remember, riding near the Banks of the River Loire in France, I observed them in some places to be handsomely defended for a long way together with Freestone. Near unto Coblentz, upon a Hill, is a Convent of Carthusians. October the 17th we went up the Rhine to Boppart, a walled Town, upon the western bank, where Van Trump was at that time: It is a very old Town, one of the Roman Fortresses against the Germans, called anciently Bodobriga; some would have it called Bopport from Beauport, Fairhaven, or Bonport, a good convenient place for Vessels to retire into, or to ride in.
On the 18th we dined at St. Guer, a pleasant Town belonging to the Landtgrave of Hesse, who hath a Castle here. Coming on shoar we met with an odd custom: for upon the Wall side there is fastned a Collar of Brass at present, but was formerly of Lead, and given by Charles the Fifth; into this most Strangers that come put their Necks, at which time they ask them, Whether they will be sprinkled with water, or drink wine? and if they choose the latter, they give an entertainment of Wine to the Company. The Queen of Sweden passing by this place, gave a great Silver Cup; out of which they now drink at this Ceremony. We lodged this night at [Ober-]Wesel, a Town situated between a high Hill and the River, belonging to the Archbishop of Triers. Here in the Market-place they shew'd us the print of St. Hubert's Horses foot in a Free-stone.
On the 19th we came to Baccharach, or ad Bacchiaras, belonging to the Elector Palatine; a place famous for excellent Wines. We passed by an old Castle seated upon a Rock in the middle of the Rhine, being of an irregular figure, called Pfalts, where formerly the Prince Palatines of the Rhine were born, the Princesses being sent hither to be brought to Bed. We came this night to Dreickshausen; the next day we went by a dangerous Passage, there being many Rocks under water, which cause the River to run very rapid and unequally. A little above this we came to a round Tower, on a Rock in the Rhine, called the Mouse-tower, built by Hatto Archbishop of Mentz, in the year 900, who, as the Story goes, in a time of great Scarcity, pretending to relieve the poor who wanted bread, invited them together into a Barn, where he burnt them all, saying, They were like the Rats and Mice which would devour the Corn. After which he was so persecuted with Rats and Mice, that to avoid them he caused this Tower to be built in the middle of the Rhine, which did not avail him, for they followed him thither also, and at last devoured him.
A little above this lies Bing upon the Western shoar; a considerable Town, belonging to the Elector of Mentz: here our Boat stayed to pay Custom, as it had done also at Bonna, Lintz, Hammerstein, Andernach, Coblentz, Lodesheim, Bopport, St. Gower, Cub, and Baccarach. For the trade of the Rhine being great, Princes and Lords who have Towns upon it, make
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use of that advantage, which, though it abates the gains of the Merchant, brings considerable profit to themselves.
Bing, or Bingium, was an old Roman Fortress upon the Rhine, where the River Navus or Naw enters into it; over which latter there is a handsome Stone-bridge: In this Town were many of the Duke of Lorrain's Army sick and wounded, who three weeks before had maintained a fight against the Forces of the Elector Palatine, near this place.
From Bing we continued our Journey to Mentz: at Rudesheim in Rhinegaw, a place noted for good Wine, they shewed us a Boy, whose hair was thick and woolly, like to the African Moors, but of a fine white colour, which being somewhat an odd fight, I took away some of his hair with me.
Mentz, Moguntia, Moguntiacum, and by the French Mayence, is seated over against the Confluence of the River Main, with the Rhine, or rather a little below it; in a fertile Country, abounding in all Provisions and good Wine; it lies at length, and is most extended towards the River; and that part excels the other towards the Land, which is not so populous or well-built: It is a strong place, and well guarded; it hath many Churches and Monasteries, and some fair Buildings, especially those of publick concern, as the Palace of the Elector, and others: But the narrowness of the Streets, and many old Houses, take away much from the beauty of the City. It is an University, begun about the year 1486 or as others will have it 1461. This place also challenges the Invention of Printing, or at least the first promotion or perfection thereof: And the Territory about it is famous for the destruction of the Roman Legions under Varus, by the Germans.
Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, was wonderfully pleased upon the taking of this City, 1631 entring into it in State upon the 14th of December, it being his Birth-day, which began the 38th year of his life, and kept his Court and Christmas here; where at one time there were with him six chief Princes of the Empire, twelve Ambassadors of Kings, States, Electors, and Princes; besides Dukes and Lords, and the Martial men of his own Army. At the taking of the Town, they found great store of Ordnance and Powder; and the City redeemed it self from Pillage by giving the King a Ransom of Eighty thousand Dollars; and the Clergy and Jews gave Two and twenty thousand more; of which the Jews paid Eighteen thousand; Archbishop Wamhold saving himself upon the Rhine, and retiring to Colen. The King caused also two great Bridges to be made, one over the Main, founded upon fifteen great flat bottom'd Boats, the rest being built upon great Piles of Wood: Another over the Rhine supported by sixty one great flat Boats, each lying the distance of an Arch from one another; and many Families of people living sometimes in the Boats under the Bridge. The Bridge over the Main is taken away; but that over the Rhine is still continued: Upon which I saw the present Elector passing in his Coach; a Person of great Gravity, of a middle Stature, having long grey Hair, and was very Princely attended; his Name is Joannes Philippus of the Noble Family of Schoenburg, Elector and Archbishop of Mentz, Bishop of Wurtzburg, and Bishop of Worms, Arch-Chancellor of the Empire for all Germany; the first of the Electoral College; in all publick Conventions he sits at the right hand of the Emperor, and is a Successor of the famous Boniface, an English man, Bishop of Mentz, who very much
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promoted the Christian Religion in these parts. But though his Dignity and Place excel the two other Ecclesiastical Electors of Colen and Triers, yet his Territories come short; and they lie not together, but scatteringly with those of the Palatinate, Spier, Franckfort, and divers places in Franconia. But of late he hath much encreased his Power, by seizing the great City of Erfurdt in Turingia, which he hath since much beautified and strengthned by a Citradel built upon St. Peters-hill.
1 A brief account of some travels in divers parts of Europe … through a great part of Germany, and the Low-Countries … with some observations on the gold, silver, copper, quick-silver mines, and the baths and mineral waters in those parts: as also, the description of many antiquities, habits, fortifications and remarkable places by Edward Brown. In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A29826.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed October 29, 2025.
2 Der Legende nach erschien eine Taube bei einer Messe in der Kölner Ursulakirche, flog zum Altar und deutete dann auf eine Stelle im Kirchenboden. Nach dem Hinweis des Bischofs Kunibert ließ man an dieser Stelle nachgraben und fand dort die Gebeine einer der Jungfrauen, die später der heiligen Ursula zugeordnet wurden.
3 Gemeint ist Maximilian Heinrich von Bayern (* 8. Oktober 1621 in München; † 3. Juni 1688 in Bonn); er war ein Prinz mit dem Titel Herzog von Bayern aus dem Hause Wittelsbach und ab 1650 Erzbischof und Kurfürst von Köln, Bischof von Hildesheim und Lüttich. Zwischen 1673 und 1683 zog er sich in die Abtei St. Pantaleon in Köln zurück. Dort lebte er ohne seinen Hofstaat in einfachen Verhältnissen.
4 = Köln, nach der Ehefrau des Kaisers Claudius und Mutter des Nero benannt Agrippina, und berühmt durch die Gebeine der heiligen drei Könige – keine Stadt in Europa ist grossartiger und schöner.
5 richtig: the Fifth, heiratete Mathilde.