being payed) please pay to Mr. John Lauder or his order 400 livres TL
value receaved heir from his father B. John Lauder. Make punctuall
payment and please it to account, as by the advice of your humble
servant,
THOMAS CRAFURD.
For Mr. Francis Kinloch, Merchant in Paris.
[51] See Introduction, p. xlii.
Francis having read thir, out of his kindnese would suffer me to stay no
wheir but in his oune house, wheir I stayed all the space I was at Paris,
attended and entertained as give I had bein a Prince. While I was heir I
communicated my intentions and directions for going straight to Poictiers
to these countrymen fornamed, who ware all unanimously against it, not
sieing what good I could do their since the Colledge was just upon the
point of rising; they conceived theirfor that I might imploy my tyme much
better either in Orleans at Mr. Ogilvyes house, or Saumur at Mr. Dualls;
for in either of these I could have a richer advantage in reference to the
language, both because its beter spoken their [then at] Poictiers, as also
fewer Scotsmen their then in Poictiers. I sould also have for a pistoll[52]
a month a master to give me a lesson on the Instituts once a day, which I
could not so have at that rate at Poictiers. Thus they reasoned, and I fand
Mr. Kinloch to be of the same mind. I considering that it was not expedient
for me to step one step wtout direction from my father, I wrot the
Vednesday following, 19 of Aprill, acquainting him wt it; and that I sould
attend his answer and will at Orleans.
[52] See Introduction, p. xliii.
While I was at Paris I went and saw the new Bridge, and Henry 4 his stately
statue in brasse sent as a present by the King of Denmark. I was also at
the Place Royalle wheir stands Lewis the 13, this king of France
his father, caused to be done by that great statesman in his tym, Cardinall
Mazarin, whom he left tutor to the young king during his minority.
I was also at the Palais Cardinal and that Palais wheir the Lawyers pleads.
The choops[53] their have great resemblance wt those in the hie exchange at
London. I saw also that vast stupendious building, the Louwre, which hath
layd many kings in their graves and yet stands unfinished; give[54] all be
brought to a close that is in their intentions I think the Grand Seigniours
seraglio sall bear no proportion to it. All we saw of it was the
extrinsecks, excepting only the king's comoedy house which the force of
mony unlocked and cost open; which truly was a very pleasant sight, nothing
to be sein their but that which by reason of gilding glittered like gold.
But the thing that most commended it was its rare, curious, and most
conceity machines: their they had the skies, boats, dragons, vildernesses,
the sune itselfe so artificially represented that under night wt candle
light nothing could appear liker them.
[53] Shops.
[54] Give for gif, if.
The day before I left Paris, being according to the French account the 5 of
May, according to the Scots the 25 of Aprill, Mr. Kinloch wt his wife and
daughter Magdalen took Mr. Mein, Mr. Dick,[55] Mr. Moor and me in coach 4
leagues of Paris to Ruell to sie the waterworks their, which wtout controll
be the best of any about Paris, by the way we passed thorow one of the
pleasantest woods or Parks that ever my eyes did sie, called the Park of
Boloigne. We saw Madrid also, but not that in Spaine; the occasion of the
building wheirof was this: Francis, one of the kings of France, became
Spaines prisoner, who demanded ...[56] ransome 8 milions. The french king
payes him 4, and ...[56] promises him upon the word of a king that having
once lifted it in France he sould come in person to Madrid and pay it. Thus
vinning home he caused build a stately house a litle from Paris, which he
named Madrid, and so wrot to the Spaniard that he had bein at Madrid and
payed what he owed, according to that, '_qui nescit dissimulare nescit
regnare_' We saw also Mount Calvary, which the Deluded Papists will have to
be the true representative of that Calvary wheir our Saviour suffered: its
situate at that same distance from Paris that the true's from Jerusalem, of
that same hieght, and so in all the circumstances.
[55] This may be James Dick, who was born in the same year as Lauder,
1646, afterwards Sir J. Dick of Priestfield, Lord Provost of
Edinburgh, and created a baronet.
[56] Page torn.
Thus we come to Ruell, wheir so many gallant sights offered themselfes that
I know not wheir to begin; first the pleasant ponds abounding wt fishes of
divers sorts, as carps, picks, etc., comes to be considred. But the rich
waterworks are the main commendation of the place. It is not to be
forgotten whow finely the fellow that showed us them, and set them on work
by his engines did wet Mr. Dick, and followed him in the litle house (the
Grotto) whethersoever he could stir. The thing that mainly moved my
admiration was the hie ascendance of the water: what secret hidden power
could carry the water clean contrary to its natural inclination which is to
deschend, as every other heavy body, so hy that in some of them a man wt a
speir could not reach its top.
The most wonderfull thing ever I saw is the infinit art that some curious
painter hath showen on a large timber broad, standing in a corner of the
yard: a small distance from it their is a revell put up which makes it
appear the more lively, so that we win no nearer then the revell would let
us. At this distance ye would think ye saw the heavens thorow the wal on
the other syde of it, so wonderously is the blew skie drawen; so that bring
me a man without acquainting him wt the devce he sal constantly affirme he
sies the lift on the other syde of the wall. On the same broad beneath the
skie on the earth, as ye would think, is drawen a woman, walking thorow a
montain in a trodden path, the woman, the mountain, the way, so cunningly
drawen that I almost thought I saw a woman walking on the other syde of the
wall over a hil throw the beaten rod. I constantly asserted also that the
broad was wery inaequall and that it had many utraisings[57] because I
seimed to sie as lively as ever I saw any thing pillars coming furth and
standing out wt a great deal of prominency from that which seimed to be the
skie, that at least I judged it halfe a ell farder out; yet it was but a
mistake; for its certainly knowen that the broad is as smooth and aequall
as can be. We also went out wtout the yeard to the back of the wall, wheir
by the back and sydes of the broad we discerned it to be of such thinnesse
that it could not admit any utcomings, as these pillars seimed to us.
[57] Outraisings, reliefs.
In our coming home from Ruell we went in and saw the king's brother the
Duke of Orleances house, Sainct Low: it hath also a wery pretty yard, wheir
we saw many water-works also, and in the pond several swanes. We saw also
many orange trees, some of which had their ripe fruit, some very green,
some betwixt the 2, according to the natur of the orange tree. The house we
fand wery rich; many brave portraicturs; our kings portraitur is their
better done then ever I saw it in my life. The partition that divides one
roome from another is of strange glasse that showes a man his body in some
of them 5 tymes, so that I saw in one of them 5 John Lauders. After this we
came back to Paris, on the morrow after, being the 6 of May according to
the French account, the 26 of April according to the Scots. I joined wt the
messenger for Orleans severall accompanieng me to my horse, their went 4
Englishes alongs also, one of which was the doctor whom his cometicall face
told to have the clap.
We came to Orleans May 7 at night. I straight directed my course to Mr.
Ogilvyes, which I did that I might get the better accomodation knowing that
the Doctor also intended their. I delivered him the letter I brought him
from F. Kinloch, which was as followeth:
Mr. John Ogilvy.
_Paris, May 6, 1665._
SIR,--Thesse are to accompany the bearer heirof, Mr. John Lauder, whose
father is my wery much honored friend, his mother my neir kinswomen, and
himselfe a very hopful youth inclined to vertue every way. He intends to
stay som tyme wt you, theirfor I do earnestly recommend him to your best
advice and counsell in what may concerne his welfare to assist him
theirin, in all which I recommend him to you againe and againe as give
he were my oune sone, assuring you that what favor or friendship you
sall be pleased to show him, I sall ever acknowledge it as done to my
selfe. He intends to improve his tyme in the study of the Laws, and
having got some knowledge of the french tongue, he intends for Poictiers
some moneths hence. Help him to a master that may come to him once a day
and give him a lesson on the Instituts; and for the language I beseich
you assist him in it. If their be no accommodation for him at your
house, I pray you place him wheir he may be weil used and in good
company. Let him not want what he stands in neid of for monyes or other
necessaries, all which I sall make good to you thankfully upon advice
from you. Thus recommending him to your care as my oune. Kissing your
hand wt madam Ogilvyes, your daughters, and al your families, I rest
your real friend and servant,
FRANCIS KINLOCH.'
At my arrival heir I fand in pension wt him the Mr. of Ogilvy[58] wt his
servant, a very civil lad[59] James Hunter, young Thirlestan[60] wt his man
Patrick Portues: besides them also their ware English, French, and Germans.
The city (called Aurelia ather _a bonitate auroe_, or from Aurelian the
emperor who keipt a station heir) I fand to be as big as Edinborough laying
wt it also the next greatest citty of Scotland. I discovered likewise the
city to abound wt such a wast number of lame folk, both men and women, but
especially women, even many of them of good quality, that I verily beleive
their are more lame women their at Orleans then is in all Scotland or much
of France. Enquiring what the reason of this might be, the general woice
was that it proceeded from the nature of the Aurelian wine, which they
alledge to have such influence on the sperm of man as to produce a creature
imperfect in their legs. Others sayd it was the purity of the air about
Orleans whence the city has the name of Aurelia. But what influence the air
can have in this point is hardly explicable. Monsieur Ogilvy more
rationally informed me that he took it to be a race and generation of
peaple who transmitted it hæreditarly to their posterity, for which I meit
after[6l] a wery strong presumption: I saw a mother lame, not only the
daughters lame, but in the very same faschion that the mother; and this I
saw confirmed seweral tymes.
[58] Apparently David, afterwards third Earl of Airlie. His
grandfather was already dead, and he is afterwards called Lord
Ogilvy in the Journal.
[59] Probably the servant, though the punctuation is as in the text.
[60] Thirlestan, probably Thurston in East Lothian, belonging to the
family of Hunter.
[61] Meit after, i.e. met afterwards.
Just the morrow after my arrival was keipt very solemly by the whole toune
in remembrance and commemoration of the valiant maid of Orleans, who, when
the English had reduced al France excepting only Orleans to their
obedience, and ware so fair for Orleans that they gained to the mids of the
bridge over Loyer, most couragiously animated the citizens and beat them
shamelesslie back: for which when the English got hir in their power they
brunt hir at Roan quick.
The ceremony we saw consisted of a procession partly spiritual or
Ecclesiastick, partly civil or Temporal. To make the spirituall their was
their all that swarm of grassopers which we are fortold sould aschend out
of the bottemlese pit; all these filthy frogs that we are fortold that
beast that false prophet sould cast out of his mouth, I mean that rable of
Religious orders within the body of that Apostolical and Pseud-apostolicall
Church of Rome. Only the Jesuits was wanting; the pride of whose hearts
will not suffer them to go in procession with the meaner orders. In order
went the Capuchines, then the Minimes, which 2 orders tho they both go
under the name of Cordeliers by reason of that cord they wear about their
midle, on whilk cord they have hinging their string of beads, to the end of
their string is hinging a litle brazen crosse, tho also they be both in on
habit, to wit long broun gowns or coats coming doune to their feet, a cap
of that same coming furth long behind just like a Unicornes horne, tho the
go both bar leged only instead of shoes having cloogs of wood (hence when I
saw them in the winter I pitied them for going bar leged; on the other
hand, when I saw them in the summer I pitied them that they ware necessitat
by the first institution of their orders never to quate their gounes which
cannot be but to hot for them; yea, never to suffer any linnen only wooll
to come neirest their skine), notwithstanding of this its easy to
distinguish them by the Clerical Tonsure, you sall never find a capuchin
but wt a very liberall bard: for the Minime he most not have any. Again in
their diet and other such things they differ much: the Minime most renounce
for ever the eating of fleche, their only food is fishes and roots; hence
Erasmus calles them fischy men (homines piscosos). Not so wt the
Capuchines. Their be also many other differences that tyme most discover to
me. Thir 2 orders our Bucanan means when he names _nodosa canabe
cinctos_.[62] To returne to our purpose their came also the Dominicans or
Jacobins, which are but one order having 2 names; then came the Chartereus
or Carthusians: both which go in a long white playding robe. Only the
Jacobins hood is black; the Carthusians is white: then followed the
Franciscans, who now are called Recollects because being al banished France
by reason of their turbulency and intromitting wt the state (of which wery
stamp they seim to have bein in the tyme of our James the 5, when he caused
Buchanan writ his Franciscani against them) by the prævalent faction the
Pope had in France then, they were all recalled, so that France held them
not so weil out as Venice do'es the Jesuits. Then came the Peres de
l'Oratere, who goes allmost in the same very habit wt the Jesuits. Then
cames the Augustines wt their white coat and a black gown above, after them
came the moncks of the order of St. Bennet or the Benedictin friers, who
goes in a white coat indeed, but above it he wears a black cloak to his
heels, wt the Jesuits he wears also a hat as they do. Then came the
chanoins of the Church of Sainct Croix in their white surplices above their
black gounes and their 4 nooked caps. Tyme sould feel me ere I could
nombair over all orders, but thir ware the most principall, each of which
had their oune crosse wt the crucifix carried by one of their order. This
much for the Ecclesiastick procession. After them came the tounes men in
armes; in a knot of whom went a young fellow who represented the Maid of
Orleans, clad in the same very habit, girt wt that sam very sword wt which
the Maid beat the Englishes. This went thorow all the toun.
[62] At line 19 of Buchanan's _Franciscanus_ is this passage:
'O sanctum festumque diem! cum cannabe cinctus
Obrasumque caput duro velante cucullo,' etc.
During my abode heir, about the end of May, I had occasion to sie another
custome of the city. At that tyme of the year the tounes men put upon the
other syde of the bridge a pole as hie as the hiest house in Edenborough:
on the top of it they fasten a bird made of brasse at which they, standing
at the feet of the pole, shoot in order, beginning at the better, wt gunes,
having head peices on their heads, to sie who can ding it doun. I went and
saw them shoot, but no man chanced to shoot it doun that year I was their.
During the tyme I was heir their was so many fests or holy dayes that I
werily think the thrid part of their year is made up of them. The principal
was fest de Dieu, on which, such is the fury of the blinded papists, the
Hugonots are in very great hazard if they come out, for if they kneel not
at the coming by of the Hosty or Sacrament they cannot escape to be torn in
peices; whence I can compare this day to no other but that wheir the Pagans
performed their Baccanalian feasts wheir the mother used to tear hir
childrens. The occasion of the institution of this day they fainge to be
this. The Virgin appeared say they to a certain godly woman (who wt out
doubt hes been phrenetick and brain sick), and made a griveous complaint
that she had 4 dayes in the year for hir, and God had only the Sabath: this
being devulged it was taken as a admonition from God, whence they
instituted this day and ordainned it to be the greatest holy day in the
year. The most part of all the city was hung with tapistry, espescialy the
principall street which goes straight from the one end of the toune to the
other, which also was covered all above in some parts with hingings, in
other wt sheits according to the ability of the persones; for every man was
obliged to hing over against his oune house, yet the protestants ware not,
tho John Ogilvy was also called before the Judges for not doing it; yet
producing a pladoyes[63] in the Hugonets faveurs they had nothing to say
against it; yet they caused the wals of his house to be hung wt publick
hingings that belonged to the toune. For to sy the procession I went wt the
other pensioners to a place wheir when all others went to the knees, to
wit, when the Hosty came by, we might retire out of sight. I retired not so
far as they did, but boldly stood at a little distance that I aen might sy
it the better. This procession was on the 4 of June, a little after
followed Sainct Barnabas day. Then came mid-Summer even, on whiclk the
papists put on bonfires for John Baptists nativity. The day after, called
S. Jeans day, was keiped holy by processions.
[63] Plaidoyer, pleading, legal argument.
On the 1 of July was S. Pierres day, on which I heard a chanoin preach in
S. Croy upon Piters confession, thou art the sone of the living God, very
weill, only he endevored to have Pierre for the cheife of the Apostles
because forsooth in the 10 of Mathew, wheir al the Apostles are named, he
finds Piter formost.
That I might have a full survey of the toune I went up to the steeple of
St. Croy, which truly is on of the hiest steeples I saw abroad; from it I
had a full visy of the toune, which I fand to be of that bigness specified;
then the sight of the country lying about Orleans, nothing can be
pleasanter to the eye. We saw also the forest of Orleans which environs the
northren syde of the city as a halfe moon: in it ar many wild beasts and
particularly boors; one of which, in the tyme of wintage, give it chance to
come out to the wineyards wheir they comit great outrages, the boors or
peasants uses to gather to the number of 2000 or 3000 from all the adiacent
contry wt dogs, axes and poles to kil the boor.
During my abode heir I went also to the Jesuits Colledge and discoursed wt
the praefectus Jesuitarum, who earnestly enquiring of what Religion I was,
for a long tyme I would give him no other answer but that I was religione
christianus. He pressing that he smeled I was a Calvinist, I replied that
we regarded not these names of Calvin, Luther, Zuinglius, yea not their
very persons, but in whow far they hold the truth. After much discourse on
indifferent matters, at our parting he desired me to search the spirits,
etc. I went and saw the Gardens of the Minims, the Jacbins, the
Carthusians, and the Peres de l'Orat.[64]
[64] _Oratoire_.
Many contrasts ha'es bein betwixt J.O. and I. laboring to defend presbytery
and the procedures of the late tymes. During my abode heir 2 moneths I
attended the Sale de dance wt Mr. Schovaut as also Mr. le Berche,
explaining some of the institutions to me. John was my Mr. of language.
A part of the tyme that I was heir was also the Admiral of Holland, Obdams
Sone, who wt the companions carried himselfe marvelously proud. He and they
feed themselfes so up wt the hoop of the victory that they præpared against
the news sould come of the Engleshes being beat a great heap of punchions
of wine wheir wt they intended to make merry, yea as I was informed to make
Loyer run wt win. But when the news came the Hollanders was beat, that his
father was slain,[65] he and his sunk away we know not whither. That
ranconter that happened betuixt him and Sandwichs Viceadmiral of England
sone coming from Italy (which the Mr. of Ogilvy getting wit of from the
Germans came runing to my chamber and told me) is very remarkable. The
first bruit that came to our ears of that battle was that the Englishes had
lost, the Duc of York was slain. When the true news came the Hollanders
sneered at it, boasting that they would equippe a better fleet ere a 4
night. The French added also the pace, vilifieng and extenuating the
victory as much as they could, knowing that it was not their interest nor
concernment that the King of England sould grow to great. It was fought in
the channel eagerly for 3 dayes; and tho at a good distance from Calice,
yet the noice of their canon mad it al to shake.
[65] Admiral Opdam was blown up with his ship in the battle near
Lowestoft, when the Dutch fleet was defeated by the English,
commanded by the Duke of York, 4th June 1665.
Some weeks that I was heir the heat was so great that afternoon (for then
it was greatest) I would not have knowen what to have done. It occasioned
also several tymes great thunders and such lightenings that sometymes ye
would have thought this syde of the heavens sometymes that, sometymes al on
a fire.
During my staying heir I have learned a lesson which may be of use to me in
the rest of our travels, to wit, to beware of keiping familiar company wt
gentlemens servants, for such a man sal never get respect from the
Mrs.[66]; to beware also of discoursing homly with anie servants. We sould
keip both their for at a prudent distance. The Mr. of Ogilvy and I ware
wery great. I know not what for a man he'el prove, but I have heard him
speak wery fat nonsense whiles.
[66] i.e. Masters.
About 20 dayes ere I left Johns house the Mr. of Lour (Earle of Ethie's
sone)[67] wt his governour David Scot, Scotstorvets nephew, came to
Orleans; the Mr. the very day after took the tertian ague or axes....[68]
[67] Apparently David, afterwards third earl. The title was changed
from Ethie to Northesk after the Restoration. The Master was
grandson to the first earl, who died in 1667.
[68] Seven lines erased in MS.
That Globe that stands on the top of S. Croix is spoken to be of so large a
periphæria and circumference that 20 men may sit wt in about a round table.
One day as I was going to my Mr. of Institutes as I was entring in a lane
(about the martroy) I meit in the teeth the priests carrieng the Sacrament
(as they call it) with a crosse to some sick person: my conscience not
suffering me to lift of my hat to it, I turned back as fast as I could and
betook me selfe to another street wheir I thought I might be safe: it
followed me to that same very street, only fortunately I got a trumpket[69]
wheir I sheltred myselfe til it passed by.
[69] Spiral stair.
Theirs a pretty maille their; we saw a better one at Tours one many
accounts; the longitude wheirof we meeted and fand it to be neir 1000
paces, as also that of Orleans is only 2 ranks of tries; in some places of
it 3; all the way ye have 4 ranks of tries all of a equall hight and most
equally sett in that of Tours.