Page:The Voyage Of Italy Or A Compleat Journey through Italy, The Second Part.pdf/163

 to it; two hundred Churches within it, and three hundred thousand souls dwelling in it. Hence it was anciently called Altera Roma a second Rome, both because of its greatness, and because of its other titles, which made it look like Rome. Its the Head of the best Dutchy in Europe, which is a hundred miles long from North to South, and containeth four hundred Towns in it. Its called Milan quasi Midland, being a pure Mediterranean Town, and having (which is a wonder) not so much as a river of its own running by it; but is onely served by two Channels cut out of the Ticine and the Adder. This Town hath heretofore suffered much by warre; great Towns being the fairest Marks to shoot at, and Milan hath been forty times shot at by Sieges, and twenty times hit, and taken, having had the misfortune to have been under divers factions and Rulers: as the Emperours, the Turriani, the Visconti, the Sforze, the French, and the Spaniards, who now keep it, mercè al Castello, which