of Northerne Latitude or betwixt some 51 minutes on this side of the 15 or middle paralel of the sixt clime where the longest day hath 15 houres and an halfe and the 19 minute beyond the 21 or middle paralel of the 9 clime where it hath 17 houres It is therefore wholy seated in the Northerne halfe-part of the Temperate Zone and is for this cause much colder then the more Southerne parts before described yet of a more liuely and healthie temperature and more potent for generation bringing forth men cattell and plants whereof it is well capable in farre more abundance and of greater strength and larger proportion then the other the fatall nursery of those numberlesse swarmes of barbarous nations overwhelming the Roman Empire and new peopling the provinces of the West The soile is very fruitfull the mountainous parts of the Alpes Schwartzwald Otten-wald and other wild reliques of the old Hercynian forest excepted The Country is large and exceedingly populous stored with infinite Cities the best and fairest for any one Province in the world what by meanes of the industrie of the inhabitants and through the commodity of the situation thereof standing in the heart and center of Europe the ordinary way of all the merchandise and riches of the neighbouring Provinces The more happy parts are the Southerne betwixt the river of Meine and the Alpes yeelding plenty of very excellent wines especially the tract of the Rhijn of which the other is destitute The Northerne is generally more plaine but worse inhabited and accompted lesse fruitfull chiefly towards the Wixell and the Sea Baltique yet abounding in corne with other of the East-lands the garner and storehouse of Holland and the Lowe Countries and in time of dearth of Italie Spaine and of other countries The chiefer commodities which are transported from hence are Corne and Wines whereof these growe onely in the Southerne parts the other more abundantly in the Northerne It aboundeth also with all sorts of mettals as of Iron Lead Brasse and of other baser sorts so of Silver which the mines of Meissen Bohemia and Tirol doe very plentifully yeeld Salt is here in a sufficient quantity as boiled out of Salt springs so minerall extracted out of the earth It affordeth also store of Saffron in the vpper Austria and Bavaria as it doth of woolls in the land of Hessen of extraordinary finesse for those transmarine regions The ancient inhabitants hereof were the Rhaeti Vindelici Norici with parts of the PaÌ„nonij possessing the whole tract exteÌ„ded betwixt the Danow and the Alpes the Menapij Treveri Mediomatrices Lenci Vbij Eburones Nemeti Vangiones Triboci Raâ—raci and Sequani parts of Gaule Belgique and inhabiting the Westerne shore of the Rhijn the Germans contained anciently within the Rhijn the Danow the Wixel and the Ocean the Scâ—avi or Winithi succeeding in the left roomes of the Germans flitting into the Westerne Roman Provinces taking vp the moitie hereof contained betwixt the rivers Elb and Saltza the Wixel and the Sea Baltique the Huns Avares Lombards and Hungarians successiuely intruding amongst the Pannonij The rest of the Barbarians subdued and driuen out by this more strong and mighty nation the whole are now accompted and knowne only by the name of Germans The moderne Germans are commonly of a tall stature square and bigge by complection phlegmatique or rawe sanguine or where moisture hath the dominion over heat of haire yellow or light browne strong and thicke hauing great bones and much flesh with large ioints nerues and sinewes but for want of heat not so firmely knit neither abounding with such store of quicke and nimble spirits as might sufficiently weild so great a masse of body being for this cause of a dull and heavy disposition fitter to resist then execute and strong rather with a weighty sway of flesh then otherwise They are by nature plaine and honest simple without any mixture of deceipt haters of impostures and base dealing religious chast laborious constant stiffe or rather opinatiue and obstinate as suspitious of their owne weaknesse and hating to be circumvented rough or rather rude and vncivill in their carriage but nothing dangerous not notably giuen to any vice drunkennesse excepted common herevnto and to all the Northerne Nations not so much by ill habit and custome as by naturall inclination caused whither by a sympathie of their moister bodies or through a vehement appetite of their hotter stronger digesting and throat-scorching stomackes intended by their cold In handy-crafts and mechanicall inventions they haue alwaies much excelled the first inventers of Gunnes Gun-powder Printing Clocks strange water-works and other wittie devises to the no lesse benefit then admiration of the world In warres at this day they are not so well accompted firme and constant in their order but slowe and heavy better to receaue then to giue a charge and to fight a battaile in the open field then to assault a Town the ordinary warfare of those times fearefull dull and for this cause against dangers often mutinous as loath to haâ—ard subiect to disrout by false alarums and sudden feares and being once broken not easily brought to rally and gather head againe The languages here spoken are the French in Savoy Lorraine Luick and the Free county of Burgundie the Sclavonian amongst the Bohemians and Moravians and in some parts of Lausâ—its about the Elb and the High Dutch common in a maner to the whole province What was the ancient Religion of the nation see Tacitus in his description hereof The first who here preached the Gospell was S t Thomas surnamed Didimus if Dorothaus may be credited an author somewhat ancient but whose truth hath alwaies beene suspected The Magdeburgenses in their first Century and 2 booke and chapter muster vp S t Egistus one of the 70 Disciples of our blessed Saviour preaching at Bardewick vpon the river Elmenow nere Lunenburg S t Lucius of Cyrene in Rhaetia and Vindelicia S t Mark at Laureacum amongst the Norici S t Crescens at Ments S t Clemens at Mets and S t Maternus and Eucharius at Colen and Triers with others from the relations of Henricus de Erphordia Aventinus the Liues of the Bishops of the Tungri and some Histories of the Saints later authors or vncertaine and not backed with the authorities of more ancient Irenaeus of of much better authority liuing in the raigne of the Emperour Antoninus Verus and yeare 170 in his 1 booke and 3 chap. contra Haereses maketh mention of the German Churches but without naming their Apostles That Christianity during those primitiue times had taken good root in the parts lying without the Rhijn wee more certainely gather from the Catalogue and names of Bishops in the first Councell of Arles held about the yeare 326 and in the raigne of Constantine the Great where we finde mention of Maternus Bishop of Colen and Agritius of Trier but more manifestly from the Councell of Colen had in the
first embraced the Orthodox tenent the whole Spaine is againe become Catholique in the which the same persisted vntil the expiration of the name Monarchy hereof in Rodericus In the yeare 714 raigne of this Prince hapned that fatall invasion of the Moores whereby this country almost in a moment of time became over-whelmed with the new Mahumetane superstition religion confined within the Mountaines of Biscay Asturia After long fierce warres for aboue the space of 700 yeares the kingdome of Granado their last retraite being taken in by Ferdinand the fifth and Isabel kings of Castile and Aragon the Infidels are again beaten home into Afrique the Province is totally recovered vnto the Christian beliefe if by this time it may rightly be esteemed Christian corrupted by long Popish impostures which although since in part reformed in most other parts of Christendome hath here in its full impurity beene maintained vnto this day The Religion then here only allowed is that of the Romish Church without all visible shew of other mixtures An especial cause hereof besides the vnnaturall stiffnes of the Nation not easily changing hath beene the Inquisition with extreamest diligence and watchfulnesse still crushing Religion in the shell Protestants bookes all freer discourse and commerce vtterly prohibited taking away all meanes of attayning to the light hereof This was first begun in the yeare 1478 in the raignes of Ferdinand the fifth and Elizabeth kings of Castile and Aragon by the especiall procurement of D. Pedro Gonsales de Mendoza Cardinall Archbishop of Sevilla occasioned by the Apostacy of the newly then baptized Iewes and Moores beginning to returne to their ancient Superstition against whom then chiefly the name of Lutheran Protestant not being extant it was intended It was first exercised in the Kingdomes of Castile and Granado afterwards receiued into Navarre Arragon and lastly into Portugall The power and authority hereof is to enquire after and to censure Infidelity haeresie witchcraft sins against nature The Inquisitours are all of the Saecular Cleargy besides Portugal distributed into 12 Courts or Tribunals the Courts of Inquisition at Vallidolid Logronnio for Navarre so much of the kingdome of Castile as lyeth on this side the Mountaines of Segovia Avila at Toledo and Cuença for New Castile at L'erena for Estremadura at Murcia for that Countrey at Sivilla and Cordova for Andaluzia at Granado for the kingdome thereof at Valentia for that Province at Saragoça for Aragonia at Barcelona for Catalonia The residence hereof for Portugall I finde not By these mercilesse Tyrannies thus dispersed ouer the bodie of these Realmes the people here are so bridled in that nothing can be spoken scarcely knowne much lesse attempted or done prejudiciall to the present Romish Church and Religion Insomuch that here the Priests may lye by authority coyne forge miracles without contradiction say doe whatsoeuer they please without any one daring to oppose euen against their palpable impostures most shamelesse impudency These as in all other Countreyes subiect to the See of Rome are distinguished into Archbishops Bishops Secular Priests sundry sorts of Regulars The Bishops besides those of Leon Oviedo who by auncient exemptions acknowledge no superiour but the Pope are ranked vnder their Archbishops or Metropolitanes as follow Vnder Toledo the Bishops of Cordova Cuenca Siguença Iaen Murcia and Vxama Vnder S t Iago Orense Mondonedo Badaios Tui Placenza Lugo Salamanca Avila Zamora Astorga Coria Cuidad Rodrigo Vnder Sivilla Malaga Cadiz and of the Canary Ilands Vnder Granado Guadix and Almeria Vnder Burgos Pampelona and Calahora Vnder Valentia Orihuela Segorve and Xativa Vnder Saragoça Huesca Iacca Balbastro Taradona and Albarracino and vnder Taragona Barcelona Tortosa Vique Vrgel Girona Lerida and Elna in the land of Russillon In Portugall are 3 Archbishops Sees of Braga Lisbona and Evora Whereunto are subordinate the Bishops of Coimbre Lamego Viseo Porto Miranda Portalegre Guarda Elvis Leira and Silvis Of these Toledo Taragona and Braga doe all contend for the Primacy the matter yet remaining vndetermined Howbeit Toledo now carryeth the accompt the most honourable and richest hereof whose reuenues are esteemed at 300000 duckats by the yeare the perpetuall Chancelour of Spaine Amongst the inferiour Cleargie the most memorable proper almost to this Countrey are the Orders del Resgate and de la Merced the former flourishing most in Aragonia where it begun the other much the greater in the kingdome of Castile but scattered neverthelesse over France and other parts bordering vpon the Sea Mediterranean The profession and exercise hereof is with almes gathered amongst the people to redeeme such Christian Captiues as what by chance of warre and by the daily pyracyes and incursions of the Turkes and Moores doe in Barbary and other Mahumetane countries liue enthralled to the Infidells for this cause sending yearely their Agents to Algier and Fez where managing this affaire with no lesse diligence then faithfulnes they first ransom the religious then the king of Spaine Lay subiects and of those first the yonger sort then those of other nations as farre as their almes will extend They leaue also here certaine of their brethren to informe them of the state quality and necessitie of the Captiues to make the better way for their liberty the yeare following The king with a liberall hand greatly furthereth this busines giuing ordinarily asmuch more as the Fryers haue collected Neither are the people wanting herein few here dying who leaueth not some legacie for these charitable vses Besides these numberles Cleargie here are another sort of Regulars which although for the most part they are of the Laity depend notwithstanding and had their beginning from Religion They are the Knights of the Crosse instituted in the holy warres against the Saracens whose office it was by armes to defend the Christian faith and the professours thereof againgst the force and outrages of the Infidells besides the Malteses who here yet hold good possessions devided into six orders peculiar to this Province those of Calatrava S. Iames and Alcantara in the kingdome of Castille of Avis and of Christ in Portugals and of Montesa in Aragon The order of Calatrava was first occasioned in the yeare 1157 by certaine Monkes of the order of Cisteaux vndertaking the defence of that city then newly surprized vpon the Infidell and in regard of the danger forsaken by the Knight Templars to whose charge is was committed In processe of time it grew to that state that besides 8 faire Monasteries it now enjoyeth no lesse then 61 townes and castles in both kingdomes of Castille Aragon The Knights doe weare for a marke of their order a white coate with a red crosse vpon it and are subject to the Monkish discipline of Cisteaux They haue made many flittings of their chiefe residence from Calatrava to Ciruelos to Buxeda to Corcolos to Salvitierra and from thence to the castle of
the Great and his son Lewis the Godly were Sole commaunders of all Gaule of Germany vnto the rivers Eydore Elb Saltza of Pannony of a great part of Italy and of Barcelona or Catalonia in Spaine Since the vsurpation of Capet he for a long time held subject in the Low-countries the great Earledome of Flanders with that other of Artois held alwayes by the Princes thereof vnder the fief and soveraignety of this Crowne by the late league of Cambray in the raignes of Henry the second French King and Philip the second King of Spaine quitted from all right and acknowledgment hereof At this day he onely retayneth moderne France limited as aboue together with the bare title of Navarre the countrey ever since Ferdinand the fift being witheld from him by the Spaniard The greater causes of the declining hereof haue beene 1 that improvident devision of the French Empire by the sons of the Emperour Lewis the Godly whereby not only Gaule or France within the Rhijn became parted into divers lesser seigneuryes but Italy and Germany quite rent herefrom their kingdomes with the honour and title of Roman Emperour being translated to forraine stranger families 2 The monstrous alienations of many the chiefer provinces hereof graunted by former Kings with a bare reservation of homage vnto themselues by which meanes the great Dukedomes of Aquitaine and Guienne Bretaigne Normandy and Burgundy the Earledomes of Champaigne and Provençe with others contayning aboue one halfe part of the whole France became for a long time free and loose from the immediate commaund and jurisdiction hereof which by marriages otherwise comming into the hands of straungers or of some not so well affected to this Crowne haue much disabled him for any great performance and oftentimes turning their armes here-against haue much endangered the ruine of the whole kingdome a no small advaÌ„tage of the English cause of the many victories which they atchieved in times past against this Nation 3 The infinite factioÌ„s wherevnto this vnconstant and stirring people haue beene still subject and from the which they haue beene almost never cleare whereof their wiser neighbours haue still knowne to make good vse 4 The jealousies of neighbouring princes especially since the great attempts and conquests vpon Milan and Naples by Charles the eight and Lewis the twelth bending their leagues and setting vp enabling the Spaniard against him But as his power and auncient greatnes haue beene hereby much abated so yet neither haue they beene so empared but that for solide true strength he remayneth now nothing inferiour to any Christian prince of Europe Indeed he is not Lord of such huge and spacious dominions as some others are Yet if we consider the generall fertility and riches of his countries their compaction and vnitednes not broken into diverse kingdomes or parted by Sees or the intervening of forraine states his store of strong and well fortified cites and townes in every province the infinite number of his French subjects in regard of the extraordinary populousnes of the countrie the substance of war the wall of kingdomes estimated at 15 millions of inhabitants and that harmony and good agreement which should be amongst a people of the same law nation countrey and language wee shall finde him to haue sundry advantages aboue many of his neighbours firme strong great and not easily to be endangered by the mainest combination of his adversaries An especiall strength and advantage of the present aboue the former kings hath beene the incorporation of the many alienated great Dukedomes and Estates before mentioned thorough the great wisedome of his Predecessours still as they were gotten in by warre or marriage being inseparably vnited to the crowne hereof What his revenues might be from so rich a kingdome we wil not define Monsieur Froumenteau in his book entitled les Secrets des Finances accompteth them for 31 yeares space during the late raignes of Henry the second of the three brethren kings at 15623655 17 31 Escus or French Crownes one yeare with an other but whereof a great part being then made by the confiscation of Protestants goods alienations of their demaines by the like casualties incident to troubled States cannot be accompted ordinary The country conteineth now 24 greater divisions or Provinces of Bretaigne Normandy Picardy Champaigne Brie France Special Beausse Poictou Engoulmois Berry Bourbonois Forest Beauiolois Lionois Auvergne Limousin Perigort Guienne Gaiscoigne Quercy Rovergne Languedoc Provençe Daulphine and Bourgogne divided amongst 8 iuridicall resorts or Parliaments of Paris Roven Renes Bourdeaux Tholouse Aix Dijon and Grenoble whose descriptions follow hauing first set downe the auncient estate hereof with the sundry changes and successions people nations and gouerments hapning vnto our times occasioning the present names state and divisions THE NINTH BOOKE COntayning the description of the more famous Mountaines and Rivers of France Their auncient and moderne names The auncient name and Etymologie of Gaule The distinction hereof into Gaule on this side and beyond the Alpes The beginning and occasion of the name of Gaule on this side the Alpes The bounds situation and auncient estate of Gaule on this side the Alpes before the subiection thereof to the Romans and revnion with Italy The auncient limits and extent of Gaule beyond the Alpes The first inhabitants of Gaule beyond the Alpes The intrusion of the neighbouring Germans and of the Greekes Phocenses The foundation of the auncient and noble city of Marseilles The conquest of Gaule beyond the Alpes by the Romans The description and face hereof during the Roman government out of Ptolemy Pliny Antoninus and others The history invasion and conquests of the Britons VVisigothes Burgundians Almans and Frenchmen The conquest of the whole by the French The large extent aunciently of the French dominions The reestablishment of the Roman Empire of the VVest in Charles the Great and the French nation The name of France The distinction hereof into the parts and names of Oosten-reich and VVest-reich The division of the grand Monarchy of the French by the sons and posterity of the Emperour Lewis the Godly The French kingdomes of Germany and Italy Their rent from the nation and name of the French The kingdomes of Burgundy Lorraine and VVest-France The Dukedomes of Lorraine Iuliers Cleue Brabant Luxemburg Limburg and Gelderlandt the Palatinate of the Rhijn the Bishopricks of Liege and Vtreicht the Lantgraueship of Elsatz the Earledomes of Namur Hainault Holland and Zealandt parts sometimes of the auncient French kingdome of Lorraine The vniting of Brabant Luxemburg Limâ—urg Gelderlandt Namur Hainault Holland Zealandt Vtreicht vnto the Netherlands and family of Burgundy and of the rest to the Empire of the Germans The Dukedomes of Savoy and of Burgundy on this side the Soasne and beyond the Iour the Earledomes of Lions and Mascon the free counrye of Burgundy the kingdome of Arles the Earledome of Provence Daulphiny and the Common-wealth and League of the