Another of these vast stones layeth all along full of hyerogliphics, in that which is now Prince Ludovicio's, formerly Sallust's garden.[*]This is now erected in front of the church of Sta. Trinita de’ Monti. And, to see how Rome layeth under its own ashes, one walketh in the streets over one of these famous Egyptian obelisks every day, in a little by passage of a narrow descent that is between Antonina's famous piller and the Rotunda. I could go directly to it if I were there, but I have forgotten the name of the place. There one day an antiquarian had me down a poor man’s cellar, and there showed me 4 or five yards of one of these pyramids.[*] This now stands on the Monte Citorio. How far it runneth under ground they know not. It was full of hieroglyphics, and it pittied me to see how the stone was cut and mangled for the convenience to set wine vessels on it. The poor man getteth his rent by showing of it to strangers that are curious -- as I confess I always was, and would wish every gentleman traveller to be so.

In order that the common people may while away their time, they have bear- and bull baiting, which are a great pleasure to see; comedies also are performed, but not with so much grace as in France, although they represent gestures and postures particularly well. The citizens are also in the habit of practising wrestling and fencing. Games of ball are not so common as in France, there are some ballhouses, but very few good ones. Outside the city we first sailed down the Thames to the Royal Palace of Greenwich (Grenwich) on the right bank of the river, where we saw the king and the queen and the court dine; there were also many other grand folks present. Otherwise there is little to be seen in the palace, but the garden is fairly pleasant, at the back of it the queen has built a new pavilion in a peculiar style, which has a fine view on to a hill whereon stands a house. After that we walked along on the other bank, — we crossed the river at Putney (Putnay), — until we came to Richmond which lies nine English miles from London: it is likewise a Royal Palace, built on the right bank of the Thames. There we saw dining together the two sons of the king, the elder Charles, Prince of Wales, the younger James, Duke of York. Whatever else is to be seen in the palace, is described by Sincerus p. 309 fin. Thence again across the river to Hampton Court (Hambton court), 3 miles distant, the finest palace in all England, on the left bank of the river; what is to be seen there (marg. July 13th), Zeiller gives p. 196 foll. Near it lies the little town of Kingston (Kingsthon). From thence, at Staines (Stanes) across the Thames bridge to Windsor (marg. Vindesorum), 8 miles, a town with a castle on the heights, lying on the right bank of the river, where the Knights of the Garter are invested. The castle is very well built and the chapel, in which the knights are invested, is beyond measure beautiful. What is to be seen in both may be found in the above mentioned Zeiller p. 198 foll. From here (marg. July 14th) we proceeded to Oxford, where we had first the Thames to the right; we passed then near Henley a bridge and had our dinner at Nettlebed (Nedelbett), 20 miles. We kept the Thames to the left until we came over a bridge at Dorchester (Dortchester), then to the right up to Oxford, 14 miles, where we rode across the bridge. This town (marg. Oxonia) lies to the left of the Thames, called here still Ouse, as stated above p. 478. There falls into it another stream called Cherwell. It lies in a grassy plain, surrounded by pleasant wooded hills, nicely built, as well as clean and healthy. Here is the celebrated university and library, with 17 fine colleges and as many aulae or inferior schools which are so well built and so richly endowed that this university surpasses almost all others. There are very many students here who are provided with free board and clothing and with long gowns. Each college has its own chapel, library, garden and other pleasant walks. We saw here (1) St. John's College, which is very large, the present bishop has built another on to it, behind which is a beautiful garden, in which a high terrace-walk of grass is made; (2) Christ Church, partly built by a cardinal who fell into disgrace (marg. July 15th, 1638); (3) Magdalen College, in the court of which, high up, some statues are put up. (4) Queen's College, where we drank out of the great oxhorn and out of a very big cup, presented by a student as a memorial. (5) New College, in the garden of which is to be found the mount Parnassus. (6) Brasenose College, at the door of which a big copper nose is to be seen; (7) Exeter College, where the theological school is. Here is the greatly celebrated library for which a very large building is set aside; of MSS. vetera historica there are few in it, only some fragments of Sallust are said to be there; the library in general is not so excellent as is reported. We saw however the following MSS.: officia Ciceronis, Graecos Palms quam plurimos, proverbia Salomonis in French written by a young lady,[*]Mrs. Esther Inglis (now in the glass case). two catholic breviaries with very fine illuminations, opera Regis of the present[*]The late king James I. king, libros Hist. Vet. Test. latinè, cum figuris aureis, a MS. in the Chinese language, a book written on Indian rind (palm-leaves), many MSS. in Arabic, Hebrew, and Greek, a West Indian idol, an Egyptian idol. In the gallery there are to be found the portraits of many learned men, on the ceiling there is everywhere the university crest, an open book with the words 'Dominus illuminatio mea', with two crowns above and below only one. In another room we were shown various coins, an astronomical compass or calendar made of pure gold,[*]Gilt (in the glass case). a portrait[*]Of Queen Elizabeth (in the glass case). wrought in feathers, Joseph's coat, which he wore when he was sold to the Egyptians.[*]This last item is crossed out in the MS. In a lower room are some skeletons, a human skin, a basilisk, a piece of the salt pillar (of Lot's wife?), two feet of a man who had been hanged, on each of them only two toes,[*]For the visit to Oxford I have taken both translation and notes, with very slight alterations, from Dr. Neubauer's letter to the Athenaeum; in the last sentence only I have not followed him, when the MS. has 'zween füss von einem menschen so gehangt worden, an deren ieglichem nur zwo zeen' and he translates 'two human feet suspended in such a way that only two toes are to be seen on each of them.' a huge shell of a tortoise and many similar objects.