This city is much greater than Luebeck, fuller of trade and wealth, and better situated for commerce, being nearer to England, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and all the southern and western parts; and they are not to pass the Sound in coming home again.  The staple of English cloth is here, and the cloths being brought hither for the most part white, it sets on work many hundreds of their people to dress and dye and fit them; and the inhabitants of all Germany and other countries do send and buy their cloth here.  At this time of Whitelocke’s being here, there lay in the Elbe four English ships which brought cloth hither; one of them carried twenty-five pieces of ordnance, the least fifteen, all of good force; and the English cloth at this time in them was estimated to be worth L200,000 sterling.

In consideration of this trade and the staple of English cloth settled here, which brings wealth to this city, the Government here hath granted great privileges to the English merchants residing in this place, and they are part of the company or corporation of Merchant Adventurers of England,—­an ancient and honourable society, of which Whitelocke had the favour honorarily to be here admitted a member.

June 16, 1654.

[SN:  The judicial institutions of Hamburg.]

Whitelocke, being, through the goodness of God, well recovered of his distemper, went abroad this day, and was shown the Town-house, which is a fair and handsome building, of the like fashion, but more large and beautiful, than that at Luebeck, and much better furnished.  Here are many chambers for public councils and tribunals; some of them have their pillars covered with copper, and pavements of Italian marble; they have also rich hangings, and chairs of velvet, blue, and green, and rare pictures.  The Chamber of Audience, as they call it, is the court of justice, where the Right-herrs, who are in the nature of sheriffs, do sit to despatch and determine the causes of the citizens; and if the cause exceed the value of a hundred dollars, an appeal lies to the Senate, as it doth also in all causes criminal.

From the Senate there is no appeal in cases of obligations, letters of exchange, contracts, debts, and matters of merchandise, but therein a speedy remedy is given for the advantage of trade; but in all other cases, where the value exceeds a thousand dollars, and in all causes capital, an appeal lies to the Imperial Chamber:  and in the judicatories of the city, the proceedings are according to the municipal laws and customs thereof, which nevertheless have great affinity with the Imperial civil laws, especially in the forms and manner of proceedings; and in cases where the municipal laws and customs are defective, there the proceedings are according to the civil law.  They do not proceed by juries of twelve men to try the fact; but the parties contending are heard on both sides, either in person or by their advocates or proctors, as they please, and the witnesses on