AMSTERDAM, the capital city of the province of Holland and of the United Netherlands, is seated on the river Amstel and an arm of the sea called the Wye. The air is but indifferent, on account of the marshes that surround it, and render the city almost inaccessible: but this inconvenience is abundantly compensated by the utility of its commerce, which the port serves greatly to promote; for it will contain above 1000 large ships.
In 1204, it was nothing but a small castle, called Amstel from the name of the river, which its lords made a retreat for fishermen, who at first lived in huts covered with thatch; but it soon became considerable, and had a bridge and towers built upon it, insomuch that it rose to a small city; though, till the year 1490, it was surrounded with nothing but a weak pallisade. The walls were then built with brick, to defend it from the incursions of the inhabitants of Utrecht, with whom the Hollanders were often quarrelling; but some months afterwards it was almost reduced to ashes. In 1512, it was besieged by the people of Guelderland; who not being able to take it, set fire to the ships in the harbour. In 1525, an Anabaptist leader, with 600 of his followers, got into the city in the night-time, attacked the townhouse, and defeated those that made any resistance. At length they barricaded, with wool and hop sacks, the avenues to the market place, where these enthusiasts were posted; and so put a stop to their fury till day appeared, at which time the citizens fell upon them on all sides, and forced them to retire into the townhouse, where most of them were cut to pieces. About ten years after, there was another tumult raised by a parcel of fanatics, consisting of men and women, who ran about the streets stark naked, and had a design of making themselves masters of the townhouse. Their shrieks and cries, which were dreadful enough, soon alarmed the inhabitants, who seized the greatest part of them, and gave them the chastisement they deserved.
Amsterdam was one of the last cities that embraced the reformed religion. It was besieged by the Hollanders in 1578, and submitted after a siege of ten months. One article of the capitulation was, a free exercise of the Roman Catholic religion: but this was not observed by the Protestants; for they soon drove the ecclesiastics, monks, and nuns, out of the city, broke the images, and demolished the altars. From this time it became the general rendezvous of all nations and of every sect, which raised it to that degree of grandeur and opulence it long enjoyed. The inhabitants were often obliged to enlarge the bounds of their city, and in 1675 it was increased to its present extent. It was surrounded with a brick wall, and a large ditch 80 feet broad full of running water. The walls were fortified
with 26 bastions, on each of which there is now a windmill. There are eight gates towards the land, and one towards the water.
Amsterdam being seated on a marshy soil, is built on piles of wood; for which reason no coaches are allowed, except to great men and physicians, who pay a tax for that privilege; and all kinds of goods are drawn on sledges. It stands so low, that they would be exposed to inundations, if they did not secure themselves by dykes and sluices. The finest streets are, the Keysar's Graft, or Emperor's Canal; the Heer Graft, or Lords Canal; the Cingel; and the street of Haerlem. The principal canal is remarkable for its houses, which are magnificent structures of an equal height. Here are three prodigious sluices, and a great number of canals which cross the city in many parts, and render the streets clean and pleasant. The canals are deep, their sides are lined with hewn stone, they have generally rows of trees planted on each side, and many stone bridges over different parts of them.
The finest is that called the Amarrack, which is formed by the waters of the Amstel, into which the tide comes up, and on the sides of which are two large quays. This canal has several bridges. The principal is that next the sea, called Pont Neuf, or the New Bridge: it is 600 feet long, and 70 broad, with iron ballustrades on each side; it has 36 arches, of which 11 are very high, and eight are shut up to enclose the yachts. From this bridge there is a most charming prospect of the city, port, and sea. The port is a mile and a half in length, and above 1000 paces in breadth. It is always filled with a multitude of vessels, which look like a forest, or rather a floating city. The streets in general are well paved, and the houses built of brick or stone. Towards the sides of the haven, the city is enclosed with great poles driven into the ground, which are joined by large beams placed horizontally. There are openings to let the ships in and out, which are shut every night at the ringing of a bell.
Amsterdam, including its fortifications, occupies a large space of ground; and is inhabited by very various population. There are people here of almost every nation and religion in Europe, who are all tolerated in their respective persuasions; but none admitted to any share in the government except the Calvinists. There are 11 churches for the Dutch of the established or Calvinistical religion, with two French and one High Dutch. The English have also three churches in this city: one for the Presbyterians, whose ministers are paid by the magistrates; a second for those of the church of England, whose minister is paid by his Britannic majesty; and a third for the Brownists, who maintain their own ministers. None but the Calvinists are allowed to have bells, and their ministers are maintained by the magistrates. All these churches or congregations make up only a third part of the inhabitants of the city. The Roman Catholics, who have 27 houses or chapels for their worship, form another third part. Here they have a long square of houses for their beguines (a kind of nuns) to live in; who are not shut up in cloisters as other nuns in Roman Catholic countries, but have liberty to walk abroad, and may even marry when they are tired of this kind of life. These chapels of the Roman Catholics have no bells al-
lowed them, being looked upon as conventicles, and may be shut up and opened according as the government pleases. The other third part of the city is made up of Jews, Lutherans, Arminians, Anabaptists, &c. none of whom, as was said of the Roman Catholics, are allowed to have bells in their churches. Those who marry, and are not of the established religion, are obliged to be joined first by the magistrates, and then they may perform the ceremony in their own assemblies. The Jews, who are very considerable in this place, have two synagogues; one of which, namely the Portuguese, is the largest in Europe. Within the court yard, where their synagogue stands, they have several rooms or schools, where their children are taught Hebrew, and very carefully instructed in the Jewish religion.
The most remarkable of the religious buildings is the New Church, dedicated to St Catharine. It was begun in the year 1408, others say 1414; and was 100 years in building. It had the misfortune of being burnt in the year 1645, but was in a short time after built in a more magnificent manner. The foundation of a steeple is laid before this church, which was designed to be very high. The piles on which it was to be erected are not above 100 feet square, and yet they are 6334 in number, and those very large. Nevertheless it was thought that these vast piles, or rather the ground, were not able to support the prodigious weight they intended to lay upon it; for which reason the steeple remains unfinished. The pulpit is a masterpiece of the kind, where the four evangelists and many other curious pieces of sculpture are represented. The glass windows are adorned with paintings, among which the emperor Maximilian is described, presenting an imperial crown to the burgomasters of Amsterdam for the crest of the arms of this city. The organ is very large, and reckoned one of the best in the world. It has a set of pipes that counterfeit a chorus of voices, and has 52 whole stops besides half stops, with two rows of keys for the feet, and three rows of keys for the hands. Those who hear it play for the first time imagine they hear a human voice. The grate dividing the chancel from the body of the church is all of Corinthian brass. The branches of candlesticks are the richest in the Seven Provinces. There is a very fine marble monument erected to Admiral Ruyter, who was killed at Messina.
The public buildings of a civil nature are very magnificent. The stadthouse was founded in 1648. It is built upon 14,000 wooden piles; and its front is 282 feet long, its sides 255 feet, and its height to the roof 116. There is a marble pediment in the front, wherein a woman is carved in relievo, holding the arms of the city; she is seated in a chair, supported by two lions, with an olive branch in her right hand; on each side are four Naiads who present her with a crown of palm and laurel, and two other marine goddesses present her with different sorts of fruit; besides, there is Neptune with his trident, accompanied with Tritons, a sea-unicorn, and a sea-horse. On the top stand three statues in bronze, representing Justice, Strength, and Plenty. On the top of the structure is a round tower, 50 feet above the roof, adorned with statues, and an harmonious chime of bells, the biggest of which weighs about 7000 pounds, and the next 6000. They are made to
play different tunes every month. It has not one handsome gate, but only seven doors to answer to the number of the United Provinces. On the floor of the great hall are two globes, the celestial and terrestrial, which are 22 feet in diameter and 69 in circumference. They are made of black and white marble, and are inlaid with jasper and copper. In general, all the chambers are enriched with paintings, carvings, and gildings. While this stadthouse was building, the old one was set on fire, and consumed with all the archives and registers.
Under the stadthouse is a prodigious vault, wherein is kept the bank of Amsterdam, where there is a vast quantity of ingots both of gold and silver, as also bags which are supposed to be full of money. The doors are proof against petards, and are never opened but in the presence of one of the burgomasters. The prisons for debtors and criminals are likewise under the stadthouse; as also the guard room for the citizens, wherein the keys of the city are locked every night. At the end of the great hall is the scepens or aldermen's chamber, where civil causes are tried. Besides these, there are the chambers of the senate and council, the burgomasters chamber, the chamber of accounts, &c. In the second story is a large magazine of arms; and on the top of the building are six large cisterns of water, which may be conveyed to any room in the house in case of fire; to prevent which the chimneys are lined with copper.
The bourse, or exchange, where the merchants assemble, is all of free-stone, and built upon 2000 wooden piles. Its length is about 250 feet, and its breadth 140. The galleries are supported by 26 marble columns, upon each of which are the names of the people that are to meet there. They are all numbered; and there is a place fixed for every merchandise under some one of these numbers. On the right hand of the gate is a superb staircase which leads to the galleries; on one side of which there are several shops, and on the other a place to sell clothes. It is not unlike the royal exchange in London.
The admiralty office is a house which belonged formerly to the princes of Orange. The arsenal for their men of war is in the harbour. This is a very handsome building, 200 feet long and 22 broad. The ground floor is filled with bullets; the second floor contains the arms and cordage; the third their sails, pulleys, flags, &c. This arsenal contains a great many curiosities; among the rest an Indian canoe brought from the straits of Davis, and a conservatory of water on the top of the house that holds 1600 tons of water, which may be distributed in case of fire into 16 different parts by leaden pipes. Hard by this edifice you see the dock or yard where they build their men of war. The dock is 508 feet long, and contiguous to it are houses for lodging the ship carpenters. The dock is plentifully supplied with every thing necessary for the construction of ships.
The East India Company occupy a large building divided into several offices or apartments. In some of those they have great stores of packed goods, and likewise a room with all sorts of drugs, tea, wax, ambergris, and musk. Here they have a magazine full of medicaments for surgeons chests, to furnish the Company's ships and garrisons in the Indies; as also large
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large magazines of nutmegs, cloves, mace, and cinnamon. In the court yard there is a guard chamber, where every night the housekeeper has a watch; and on the other side of the gate there is a chemist, who with his men prepares medicines for the Indies; and adjoining to this court-yard is their ware-house and packhouse for pepper and gross goods. In the new part of this city they have a magazine or palace, which may properly be called an arsenal. The ground on which this building stands is 2000 feet, and square every way, reckoning the moats or burghwall about it. The two rope-alleys are 1800 feet long, on the back-side of which is a store of 500 large anchors besides small ones. In this arsenal they build the ships belonging to the Indian chamber of Amsterdam; for which reason they have all sorts of workhouses here for the artificers that serve the Company.
The academy called the Illustrious School, is likewise a very fine building. It was formerly a convent belonging to the Nuns of St Agnes. Here they teach Latin, the oriental languages, theology, philosophy, history, &c. The lawyers and physicians have likewise their schools.
Besides these, there are several hospitals or houses for orphans, for poor widows, for sick persons, and for mad people; all which are regulated with much prudence. The Rasp-house, which was formerly a nunnery, is now a sort of workhouse for men that behave ill. They are commonly set to saw or rasp Brasil wood; and if they will not perform their task, they are put into a cellar which the water runs into, where if they do not almost constantly ply the pump, they run the risk of being drowned. There is likewise a spin-house for debauched women, where they are obliged to spin wool, flax, and hemp, and do other work. All the hospitals are extremely neat, and richly adorned with pictures. They are maintained partly by voluntary contributions, which are raised by putting money into the poor's boxes fixed up all over the city; and partly by taxing all public diversions, as well at fairs as elsewhere. Likewise every person that passes through any of the gates at candle-light pays a penny for the same use. The charities are taken care of by certain officers called deacons. The governors are nominated by the magistrates out of the most considerable men in the city.
The common sort have places of diversion called Spield-houses, where there are music and dancing. They are much of the same kind as the hops which were so frequent about London. If strangers go there, they must take care not to make their addresses to a woman that is engaged to any other man.
There are two suburbs to this city; one at the gate of the regulars; and the other goes as far as Overtoon, a village a little way from Amsterdam, where boats which come from Leyden are rolled over land upon wooden rollers. There is likewise in this city an hospital for those that are infected with the plague; which was built in the year 1630, and has 360 windows.
The city is governed by a senate and council, which consists of 36 persons, called a Vroedshop, who enjoy their places for life; and when any of them dies, the remainder choose another in his stead. This senate elects deputies to be sent to the states of Holland, and appoints the chief magistrates of the city called Burgo-
masters or Echevins, who are like our aldermen. The number is twelve; out of which some are chosen every year to execute the office, and are called Burgomasters-regent. Three of these are discharged every year, to make room for three others. One of the four is kept in to inform the new ones of the state of affairs, and also presides the three first months in the year, and the others three months each; so that when they are in this office, they may be compared to the lord mayor of the city of London. These alterations and appointments are made by their own body. They dispose of all inferior offices which become vacant during their regency. They have likewise the direction of all public works, which regard the safety, tranquillity, and embellishment of this city. The keys of the famous bank of this city are in the hands of these magistrates.
The college consists of nine burgomasters or echevins, who are judges in all criminal affairs, without appeal; but in civil causes they may appeal to the council of the province. There are two treasurers, a bailiff, and a pensionary. The bailiff continues in his office three years; and searches after criminals, takes care to prosecute them, and sees their sentence executed. The pensionary is the minister of the magistracy, is well versed in the laws, makes public harangues, and is the defender of the interests of the city. The city of Amsterdam contributes to the public income above 50,000 livres per day, besides the excise of beer, flesh, and corn; which in all amounts to above 1,600,000. a-year. This is more than is paid by all the rest of the provinces put together; and yet Amsterdam bears but the fifth rank in the assembly of the states of Holland, with this distinction, that, whereas other cities send two members, this sends four.
The militia of Amsterdam is very considerable. They have 60 companies, each of which has from 200 to 300 men. Jews and Anabaptists are excluded from this service, not being admitted to bear arms: But they are obliged to contribute to the maintenance of the city-guard, which consists of 1400 soldiers; as also to the night-watch, who patrole about the streets and proclaim the hour. Besides these, there are trumpeters on every church steeple who sound every half hour; and if there happens a fire, they ring the fire-bell, and show where it is. The inhabitants have excellent contrivances to extinguish it speedily.
The trade of Amsterdam was formerly very great: for almost the whole trade of the East India Company centred in this city, which besides carried on a commerce with all the rest of the world. The richest spices were entirely in the hands of the East India Company, who furnished all Europe therewith. They had vast quantities of military stores, with which they supplied several nations; which was owing to their engrossing most of the iron-works on the Rhine and other great rivers that run into Holland. Such was the state of Amsterdam before the late revolution. Since that period, however, its trade has greatly declined. The long war with England, the consequent blockade of the port, the loss of the colonies, and the harassing consequences of the French occupation, gave a blow to the prosperity of the city. Its population, which amounted to 230,000 in 1785, was reduced below 200,000 in 1812. The longitude of Amsterdam is 4. 30. E; the latitude, 52. 25. N.