Page:The Voyage Of Italy Or A Compleat Journey through Italy, The Second Part.pdf/205

 forgot the tediousness of the way and came to Fiorenzuola. The next Morning passing by Scarperia and Il Ponte we arrived betimes at Florence.

I confess, I stirred not out of my Inne that Night, because fair Florence (as the Proverb calls her) is not to be seen in foul Linnen and Riding Boots: but getting up betimes the next Morning, I gave my eyes such a Breakfast as Princes eyes would be glad to feed upon.

But before I come to the particulars of what I saw in Florence, I will consider it in great, and then come to the Retail of it.

Divers good Authors are of opinion that this Town was first built by Sylla's Soldiers, to whom he had given this Soyle for their Services done him in his Civil Wars. They built it near the Current of two Rivers (Arno and Munio) and from thence it was called at first Fluentia (as Coblentz in Germany, from the meeting of Rivers, is called Confluentia.) Afterwards by the Inhabitants it was called Florentia,