Iudges kept in awe the iurisdiction maintained the pride of the ritch and mighty restrained and the Edicts belonging to the common-weale concerning their authoritie published For the which the Magistrate or Senate of the towne chuse fiue honorable persons fit for those charges to bee renewed euery yeare if for their sufficiencie and merittes they bee not continued two or three yeares these are called Hoft-mannem they are seldome chosen if they haue beene Bourgue-maisters Senators or of the councell These fiue Hoft-mannem tooke knowledge of all things were it by themselues alone or ioyntly with the Senate Their Court was called their iudiciall chamber their authoritie was great ouer all the champian country which by little and little did extend beyond the riuer of Lanâ—vers and then into Ostergoe and Westergoe two chiefe Cantons of Frisland wheerby there grewe great quarrells betwixt the Groningers and Frisons yea among the Frisons themselues diuided into those two cursed factions of the Schyeringers and Wetcoopers To pacefie the which the Emperor Frederick the 3. sent Otto van Langhen a Chanoine of Ments and his councellor into Frisland but hee returned without any effect by reason of the wilfulnesse of the Schieringers The Emperor Frederick dying soone after Maximilian the first his son succeeded in the Empire who sent the same Otto van Langhen again into Frisland with an ample commission giuing them authority as they had before time to choose a Potestate which is as much to say as a Prouinciall Gouernor and to settle the Frisons in their ancient liberties whereby the Groeningers had beene excluded from the confederation which they had with them of Ostergoe and Westergoe But although the Frisons were well inclined to this Election of a Potestate wherein they proceeded so farre as there was one chosen of the chiefe of their Nobilitie and well qualified yet one of the factions held him for suspect either partie desyring to haue one of his league where-vpon their hatred did so increase as Otto preuayled no more then at the first which made the Emperour Maximilian to giue the gouernment Hereditarie of Frisland and Groningue to Duke Albertus of Saxonie as wee shewed in the description of Frisland Duke Albertus hauing afterwards broken this confederation betwixt them of Groening and Frisland ouer whom hee held himselfe halfe Maister seeking to dispose of all things at his pleasure as well within the towne of Groening as in the Ommelands where hee pretended an absolute superioritie which they beeing vnwilling to yeeld vnto hee went to besiege the towne of Groening the which after a long siege hauing endured many Indignities from Duke Albertus and fearing in the end a badde issue of this warre they did call in and receiue for their Protector Hereditarie Edsard Earle of Embden or rather of East-Frisland Lieutenant at that siege to the Duke but discontented with Collonel Vyt vppon certaine conditions amongst others to build a fort or block-house the which was done The Duke seeing himselfe deceiued by the Earle and disapointed of so goodly a prey ment for the recouery thereof to imploy all his meanes holding the Frisons to bee halfe vanquished The Groeningers seeing the Emperour to imbrace the Dukes quarrell and that there was a proscription sent out by the Empire against Cont Edsard who could hardly free himselfe much lesse protect them rather then to fal vnder the proud gouernment of the Saxons they called in Charles Duke of Geldre a Prince that was stirring high minded to vndertake their protection vpon the same conditions that they had receiued Cont Edsard onely the fort which he had built should be razed the which the Geldrois to augment his Signeuries would not neglect sending the Seignior of Oyen to take possession and thus the towne and state of Groning fell into the hands of the Geldrois which was the cause of great warres betwixt the two Dukes of Saxony and Geldres The Geldrois being put in possession of the towne in the yeare 1518. and of the Ommelandes 1521. as such an actiue spirit cannot containe him-selfe within his bounds hee began soone after to attempt as well vp on the rights of the towne as the preuiledges of the Ommelandes The Groningers hauing discouered his practises with Captaine Meinard van Ham for the King of Denmarke vpon the towne of Dam which is of their iurisdiction the which hee pretended to fortefie to keepe Groening in subiection and then to doe all things at his pleasure They seeing them-selues thus circumuented and knowing the dukes intention grew cold in their affection which they did first beare him turning it to the house of Bourgongne where-vpon hauing resolued with the consent of the Ommelands they did write vnto George Schencke Baron of Tautenburg knight of the order of the Golden-fleece gouernor of Friseland for the Emperor Charles the fift according to the resignation which the Duke of Saxony had made vnto him to which effect the sayd Seignor Schencke hauing receiued commission from the Lady Mary Queene of Hungary sister to the Emperor marched with all the forces hee could thether where he entred in Iune in the yeare 1536. and there receiued their oth of fidelity in the Emperors name as Duke of Brabant Earle of Flanders Holland Zeeland c. Lord of Friseland and Ouerissel but vpon certaine conditions that the members and state of the Seigneury of Groning should hold their priuiledges right and statutes as they had receaued them from their ancestors that the towne should hold their ancient Preture and the foraine that they should build a pallace in the towne for the Emperor fit for a Prince but without any fortification the forts in the country should be razed noe new built if necessity did not require it for the defence of the country and of the towne out of whose reuenues there should be yearely payed vnto the Emperor to his successors 12000. crownes vpoÌ„ which conditioÌ„ Phillip K of Spaine was receiuedin Ianuary 1550. Among all the priuiledges of the said towne they haue one very notable which came from their ancestors with an inviolable contynuation which is That noe King Prince Estate nor common-weale can call any Bourger or Cittizen of that towne into iustice nor cause him to bee cited or adiorned before any court but onely before the Senat or his ordinary iudge more-ouer that noe man might appeale from any sentence that were giuen either in ciuill or cryminall causes neither from the court of Hoffmans or iudiciall chamber in that which concernes their iurisdiction from the which no man of what quality so euer may decline moreouer the towne is Lady and mistrisse of her owne lawes and statutes the which by a soueraigne power they may make and vndoe create and abrogate without the authority of any person The Estates of the Ommelands haue also the like authority in their regard The towne hath had a priuiledge to coyne siluer and copper for these foure hundred years and gold since
Cornelius Tacitus attributing much to their industry and dexterity in the disposing of an armie and also in obeying their Commaunders to take or put of the combat as it should be thought fit of great courage firme and hard bodies wel lymmed of a fierce and menacing aspect fearefull for the horrible length of their beardes and hayre which fashion and countenance hee saith was not lawfull for them to leaue off or change although they had brought victory from their enemies Some say that Batto issued from the royall bloud of the Cattes was moued to change his naturall abode to a new one not for the desire hee had to finde a better or more fertile country or in regard of too great a multitude of people which are the two maine occasions that nations remoue their ancient habitations but that his step-mother laid diuers ambushes for him and fearing to bee poysoned beeing at oddes with her his father consenting thereto or at least not opposing it By reason whereof what with the splendor of his heroicall vertues his gratious and amiable carryage and his condition truly royall hee drew vnto him a good part of the Nobility and a great number of the people who beeing out of hope of better times followed him willingly and by the councell of the King of Tongres his good father hee addrest him-selfe to the confines of Belgiae there to inhabit and hauing past the Rhyne not farre from the riuers of VVahal and of Meuze hee happily built the Castle of Battengbourgh vppon the riuer of Meuze which hauing past at the parting of the Rhyne where the VVahal retyres and takes his course apart hee inioyed all the whole circuit euen to the Ocean Sea parting the land amongst the Nobles and common people so that of his name it was called Battauia which signifies nothing else but the heritage of Batto as if one should say Batous Haue for Haue in the old Dutch and yet at this present signifies heritage So that then this Prouince hath taken his name and that lawfully from a Prince the son of a King al which is witnessed by diuers authors amongst whom the most worthy of beleefe is Cornelius Tacitus a Romaine Knight a rare writer of the Story of Augustus and Commissary for Gaule Belgique who makes mention of Claudius Ciuilis descended from Batto issued from a royal branch of the Batauians or Hollanders Here you may see that Plyny not without great reason called this Isle the most noble Isle of Batto The which name of Batto hath heretofore spread it selfe very far amongst the Allemans and Dalmatians and Dion a Romaine Historiographer makes mention of two Battoes the first Batto duke of Bruces which is a part of Pannonia which I now hold to be the country of Prussia confining Poland Hungary the other Batto Desidiate who stirred vp the Dalmatians beeing too much exacted vpon by impositions to take armes against the Romanes to whom hee gaue many affronts The same Dion reports in his 55. 56. booke a memorable answere that the said Battus gaue Tyberius Caesar who demaunding of him why he had stirred vp the people to so long and bloody a war Answered that the RomaÌ„es theÌ„-selues were cause in that they had sent them wolues for their gardiens not dogs sheapheards But as it commonly happens amongst these barbarous natioÌ„s through the weaknes or ignoraÌ„ce of the men of those times wee haue nothing left vs whereby wee may know who were the kinsmen or successors to this Batto of Holland so that we know not any thing for certaine of their customes or manner of liuing but that Tacitus hath toucht at theÌ„ as if it were in passing by and that breefly Some say that this Batto re-edefied the Castle of Nymeghen and compast the town with wals that he being dead his son Hesus augmented it by adding therto that quarter which is called Heselbergh or the hil of Hesus The which town the Kings that succeeded after him caused to be the metropolitaine of Batauia or Holland and their seege royal Al which Gerard of Nymeghen recites affirming that he had drawn them from the commentaries of Princes Strabo the Geographer makes mention of one Peremire king of the Batauians who had a daughter called Rhamis married to the son of Siquier Duke of the Cherusques who afterwards was led in triumph to Rome by Germanicus Caesar I haue not known any man that hath writ how great the limits were or how far the inheritance of Batto extended some haue made it too little in taking away a great part from it wherefore I wil assigne him his confines to a haire as it were to remaine firme and stable for euer Batauia then which I cal the antient took heretofore his beginning from the separation of the Rhyne at the castle of Lober was inclos'd on one side with that which we properly call the Rhyne which had wont to fal neer unto Catwick into the Brittish Ocean which gulph is now choakt vp as wee will shew hereafter and the Wahal from whence falling again into the Merwe and from thence into that which we cal the Meuze passing by Bryel renders him self into the same Sea In which coÌ„passe and circuit of the Rhyne ther are a great number of Townes and to beginne aboue first Huessen Tyell Buiren Wickterduirsted Vtrecht Viane Culembourg Aspeney Henâ—lâ—â— Leerdan Iselsteyne Montfort VVoerden Oudewater Gorcum Wandrichom Schoonhouen Dordrecht Goud Leyden Delft Rotterdam SchiedaÌ„ and the Bryell I will not meddle with Nieuport right ouer against Schoonhouen and Haesrecht for that by their ruines other townes haue beene augmented If any oppose to the designements of the limits saying that the Betuwe which is a part of the Dutchy of Gelderland is that which properly ought to bee called Batauia I will send him to the iudge and principall defender of the cause Ptolomeus of Alexandria who puts Lugodunum which is Leyden amongst the Batautans where hee sayes expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lugodunum Battauorum which is a Towne distant foure thousand paces from thence What will this controuler say of Caesars measuring of it who reckons it to bee fourscore thousand paces after it parts from the Rhyne before it enters into the Sea between which two riuers hee cannot deny but that the Batauian Isle is inclosed Tacitus him-selfe ends it at the Meuze from whence it descends to the Sea This inheritance of Battus which I willingly cal the old Batauia for that certaine hundreths of years after his death Drusus of two branches or gulphs made three the 3. falling into the middle sea coÌ„monly called Zuyderzee first passing by Campen in the country of Oueryssell amplifying thereby the territory of Batauia the which he did to excercise his army to preuent idlenesse in them beginning at Iseloort which braÌ„ch is called the riuer of Isell it seemes also that he gaue them an other Isle of the Rhyne more large and spatious which we may cal a
retaine vnto this day the trade of many great shippes which arriue there daily laiden with diuers sorts of marchandise and from thence is transported into the other Prouinces of the Netherlands except salt comming from Spaine France and other places the which remaines there to bee refined for the which there are many salt-pannes ' built along and vpon the toppe of the Dyke where it is boyled and made white and then they lade it and transport it to other places And although that new Arnemuyden was not walled in vntill the yeare 1572. yet hath it beene held of all forraine nations for a towne of good esteeme by reason of the nauigation and trafficke for which respect the Earles of Holland and Zeeland did in old time establish their towles and customes due vnto the county of Zeeland This towne hath alwaies enioyed the like priuiledges with the towne of Middlebourg as Bourgeses and subiects thereof vntill the yeare 1572. that they followed the Prince of Oranges partie Soone after the Spaniards surprized it spoiled it slue some and the rest fled wandring vp and downe vntill that in the yeare 1574. the towne of Middelbourg being forced to yeeld vnto the Prince of Orange Arnemuyden was also comprehended in the Accord so as the I le of Walchren beeing then freed euery man returned to his house so as by little and little the towne was fortefied as you see it at this day For the reedefying whereof the Prince gaue it goodly priuiledges and freedomes beeing exempt from the subiection of Vasselage being subiect to Middelbourg by vertue of their contract and causing it to bee walled and ditcht hee gaue them the rights and prerogatiues that belong to a good towne gouerned by their owne Magistrats Baylife Bourguemasters Aldermen and other Officers which they of Middelbourg were accustomed to chose but now they dispose of all matters concerning Iustice and gouernment themselues The towne of Arnemuyden had for many yeares a particular Lord carrying the title of Siegnior of Arnemuyden the last was called Gyles of Arnemuyden who in the yeare 1418. was made Knight and married the daughter of Wolphart van Borsselle by whom hee had two daughters the one Mary the other Marguerite of Arnemuyden Mary married with Nichâ—las of Borssele Siegnior of Brigdame Coudekerke Soeteland and Saint Laurence from whom is issued the house of La Vere Marguerite married William of Vriese Siegnior of Oosteinde from whence is descended the house of Trasigny And as the sayd Giles was the last Lord which carried that name his house fell to the distaffe Those of this towne for the loue of him carry his armes in their seales and armories which they vse to beare and they are at this day two Eagles Or in a field Geules armed and encompassed with Azure and in the midst a sand-hill rising out of the waues of the sea DOMBOVRG ALthough this bee but an open place which is dayly more and more couered with sand notwithstanding all remedies by reason that the winde driues the sand of the sea and downes which couers their gardins and pastures yet beeing esteemed the most ancient towne of the Isle of Walchren whereof there are yet to be seene some old ruines of walles it retaines still the ancient priuiledges municipall rights as the best town of the sayd Island WEST CAPPELLE THis place Bourg or village howsoeuer you will call it doth enioy the like priuiledges of other townes for that the ancient West Cappelle which stood in the same place was wont to bee a good towne and had the best port in al the Island of Walchren which about 150. yeares since was carried away by the inundations of the sea so as there remaines nothing but what wee see of the old buildings hauing notwithstanding bin inlarged with new houses within these thirty yeares the which makes it more commendable SOETELAND IS yet at this day a good place so termed as a sweete country and so it is the sweetest soyle and the best seat in all the Island which makes the Marchants of Middelbourg and Flissinghe to walke thether whereas after they haue recreated themselues they returne at night to their houses There are also in this Island many goodly villages as Oost and West Suybourg a quarter of a league one from the other betwixt Flissinghe and Middelbourg At West Suybourg there is a good castle the which with the village doth now belong vnto the heires of Phillippe de Marnix Siegnior of Saint Aldegonde the light of learned men of our age in which castle the Emperour Charles the fift remained vntill the winde prooned faire to imbarke to make his last returne into Spaine but wee may not forget the important castle of RAMMEKEN OTherwise called Zeebourg which about 60. years since the Lady Mary Queene of Hungary sister to the Emperor Charles the 5. gouernesse of the NetherlaÌ„ds caused to be built vpon the Dyke betwixt Middelbourg Flissing seruing as a bulwark for all shippes that are forced for want of a good winde to come and anchor in the Roade This castle is alwaies well manned with a good garrison and with all things necessary for a place of so great importance being as necessary to be entertained and well kept as any other in all the vnited Prouinces By reason whereof the Queene of England desired to haue it with the townes of Flissinghe and Bryele for caution of the money which shee did lend vnto the vnited Estates some twenty yeares since SCHOWEN IN Latin called Schaldia a Flvuio Schaldi of the riuer of Escault in old time a great Island but the tempests and breaches of the sea haue wonderfully dyminished it It hath yet at this day aboue eight leagues in circuit and it was in those daies so nere vnto the Island of North-beuelandt as the Inhabitants did talke together from one banke vnto the other whereas since there hath beene a great distance But within these twelue years that the sayd Island of North-beuelandt hath beene recouered they are neeâ—er This Island is as fertill and plentifull of all things as any other in Zeeland and therefore it holds the second ranke at the Estates of the sayd Prouince in the which the soueraigne Iudges of the East of Zeeland do commonly reside whom they call the Receiuer of Beâ—osterghelt who hath all power of cryminall causes in that quarter the cheefe towne whereof is ZIRICZEE THis towne is held for the first and most ancient of the countie of Zeeland and as some say it is found in the Annales of the Netherlands that it was built in the yeare of our Lord 849. by one called Zyringus whose name it carries in ancient time very famous for the trade of Marchandise wherevnto it was verie commodious by reason of their goodly port which the marchants did vsually frequent But the sands hauing in tract of time stopt vp the hauen it is now lesse frequented within these twelue or fourteene yeares the townesmen haue made a newe
small profit finding this people so impatient of a strangers yoake in the end Duke George resigned all his interest vnto the Emperour Charles the fifth who enioyed it quietly as his sonne Philip King of Spaine also did till within these thirty yeares that they freed themselues by their adiunction vnto the generall vnion of the confederate Prouinces of the Netherlands Thus much we haue thought good to speake of the beginning and Estate of Frisland in generall Now wee will describe the townes in particular LEEWARDEN IS at this day as in old time Staueren was wont to bee the chiefe towne of Frisland situated almost in the center of the countrie called in ancient time during the Paganisine Aula Dei and in the vulgar tongue Godts hoff that it to say the court of God in the which was a colledge or schole for the Druides Philosophers and wise men of that time which were come out of France to plant their colleges there In witnesse whereof there are yet in this towne two Temples the one named the ancient court the other the new whereof the gentlemen of the country were in former times called Hovelingen that is to say courtiers for that they were constituted publike defenders of this house of God taught by the Druides And in truth this towne hath more gentlemen in it then any other in Frisland Of this schoole of the Druides Synard the wise a diuine and councellor to Radbod the last King of the Frisons was Rector whom hee councelled to persecute the Christians hee censured and caused Tullies bookes of the nature of the Gods to bee burnt condemning them as full of errors and contrarie to the doctrine which they taught of the false Gods of the gentills This towne in processe of time hauing taken the name of Leewarden and the country beeing conuerted to the christian Religion this schoole of the Druides was changed into a cloister of Nunnes by Vboalt in the yeare 1233. the which Dodo the fourth Abbot of Fleurencamp would haue also called Aulam Dei for that he would not haue the memory of that name lost But in the vulgar tongue it hatth beene called Nyen-clooster that is to say a New cloister They of Leewarden haue alwaies continued as it appeeres by all ancient and moderne writers and entertained their schoole in good learning which hath euer beene the chiefe of all Frisland Vntil that within these 20. yeares the Estates of the Prouince haue erected an vniuersity in the town of Franiker two leagues from thence for the entertainement of which schoole as at this present of the vniuersitie and of the learned professors which are there in all faculties the magistrates of Leuwarden haue neuer spared any charge In this towne is the court of Parliament for all Frisland which doth determine of all causes both criminall and ciuill whether all causes come and are to bee decided according to the sincerity of the Romaine lawes the which are obserued there with the like purity as they were made by the Emperor Iustinian and as they are taught in vniuersities hauing not aboue twenty municipall lawes or customes derogating from the written law All proceedings and other publike acts are made in the Dutch tongue their stile of writing and the forme of their letters and caracters as wel printed as written are as pure and neate as in any other courts of Brabant Flanders Holland Vtrecht and other places of the Netherlands So as the naturall Frisons as also the Brabansons Hollanders Flemings and other Dutche may easilie execute all Offices of Magistrates Secretaries and Notaries as well in one countrie as in an other depending vpon writing bee it of Iustice Pollicy Account Treasure or otherwise This town of Leuwarden is seated in the quarter of Ostergoe being great and spacious and conteyning in circuit neere halfe a French league the streetes are faire large and straight in the which it is not lawfull to leaue any filthinesse euery house hauing a boate into the which they cast it the which beeing full they transport it by barkes into the fieldes the towne beeing so diuided by nauigable chanells whereon there are manie bridges to serue as well for the trafficke of marchandise as for other commodities so as most houses maie bring their prouisions vppe to their doores or not farre from them The which doe also serue greatly for the clensing of the streetes the raine washing awaie all the filth if any remaines in the streetes into the chanelles The ayre is cleere but some-what brackish by reason of the exhalations of the sea which is nere which is the cause that it doth not lightly ingender any putrifaction neither is it often infected with any contagious disease It standes in a verie pleasant countrie full of goodlie Medowes euen vnto the towne-ditches beeing a pleasant sight on Sundaies and Festiuall dayes to beholde the Bourgers walking and supping vppon the greene grasse by troupes It hath also many pleasant villages round about the towne which seeme as walkes for the Inhabitants The situation is as we haue said in the midest of Frisland so as on a sommers day they may goe either in wagon or horse-backe or on foote on which side they please either to Ostergoe Westergoe or the Seauen Forests out of the country where they haue good meanes to goe and transport their marchandise by shipping either great or small In regard of which commodities and the goodnesse of the seat Albertus Duke of Saxony and George his son hauing obtained the hereditary gouernment of Frisland from Maximilian the Emperor did there settle the Parliament for the whole Prouince which the Emperour Charles the fifth and his sonne King Philippe haue since allowed and confirmed moreouer Friseland hath good hauens on euery side by the which they may commodiously and speedely bring all sorts of marchandise and commodities vnto the town which makes it cheape lyuing there This towne hath vnder his Griteny that is to say Baylewicke or Iurisdiction which they call Leewarderadeel seauenteene good villages depending thereon for in all the quarter of Ostergoe whereof this towne is the chiefe there are ten Gritenies euery one of which hath his villages depending thereon some more some lesse conteyning alltogither one hundred thirty and two villages in the sayd ten Gritenies besides the towne of Dockum which is the second towne of that quarter of Ostergoe wherof we will presently speak In this towne doth commonly reside the colledge of deputies for the Estates of the whole Prouince consisting of the nobility and townes which gouerne the whole Estate as well for matters of policy and warre as for religion who with the voices of the Gritenies dispose of all Estates and Offices both of Iustice treasure and demains as also of captaines places and others concerning the war and the Ecclesiasticall Estate There is also the minte for money for the whole country both for gold and siluer according to the order which the deputies for the Estates shall fet downe
to the exigence of the fact which Regents and Administrators receiue their authorite and commission yearely from the Gouernor and councel of the Prouince There was in old time three Monasteries in the town The pore haue good entertainmeÌ„t the Orphins founded by Rheine Bourguemaster of the towne the which was indowed with more lyuing by Hyde the daughter of Hero being a widow Then the ritch Hospitall whereas many poore people are fed all at one table with their lodging Then the poore Hospitall whereas many poore old people haue euerie one a chamber a part and are entertained there with bread beere butter and firing from whence the poore people of the towne haue once a weeke releefe This towne is since the yeare of our Lord 1572. much increased and well fortefied as well in portes rampars bulwarkes as otherwise The Burgers haue endured much as well in their trafficke at sea as in lodgging of souldiars This towne hold a market euery Saterday whether the inhabitants of all the nerest townes and villages Greteines or Baylewycks come and bring their marchandise and victualls with greatstore of wild-foule venison they want no fish also both from the fresh water and sea The Bayliff of Wouseradeel comes thither euery market-day to hold his seat of iustice and to do right to all men of his iurisdiction where the Gâ—ieteman or Bailife doth preside with his Assessors Iurats hauing vnder them 29. villages and two monasteries that is the Abbay of Fleurecampe of men and one of women called Oogecloester now ruined in these last wars their reuenue applied to the coÌ„mon cause Nere vnto this town is a village named Womels famous for the birth of that learned man Cyprianus Womelius a doctor of the law and a great Poet councellor in the Imperiall chamber at Spyer These of this towne of Bolswart did many years since ioyne theÌ„selues to the Hans towns oâ— Germany with whom they are confederate and are registred among the members thereof inioying the like priuileges freedomes and exemptions of imposts and customes as the other townes of Denmarke Sueden Norwaie Liuonia Prussia East country and other Principalities and common-weales Hauing also their chamber or lodging of Esterlings in Antwerp and at the Stylliard in London the which is now out of vse which priuiledges the inhabitants of the said towne inioye bringing onely a certificate of their Bourgesie vnder the seale of the towne of Bolswaert The which was wont to yeeld them great profit in nauigation and traffick It was practised generallie throughout all the Hans townes the better to entertaine their commerce and mutuall correspondencie and to traine vppe their youth in the trade of marchandise from one Prouince to an other no married men beeing admitted in those places of London and Antwerp onelie young men doing their owne businesse or their Maisters so as they bee members of this companie As for the foundation of this towne of Bolswaert wee finde that it was built by the Ladie Bolswine daughter to Radbod King of Frisland in the yeare 713. which Ladie was married to the Siegnior of Teekenbourg issued from the Noble house of Dockenburg the which of a castle was made a towne and is now called Dockum This Ladie being a widowe retired her selfe from Teekenburg into this quarter of Frisland whereas King Radbod her father gaue her a house of pleasure and there shee built a small towne which shee called by her owne name Bolswaert for that it was seated in a halfe Island the which the Danes and Normans did often ruine yet in the end it became a good towne of trafficke Beeing in that towne it was told mee that at that time of the foundation the sea came vp vnto it but since the land hath wonne much of the sea so as it staies at the village of Mackum STAVEREN IT is the most ancient and was in former times the cheefe towne of all Frisland wherof we haue sufficiently discoursed of the same society and company but more ancient then that of Bolswaert whose priuiledges especially their precedence at the Sond in Denmarke before all other shippes wee haue made mention of before being needlesse now to make any further repetitioÌ„ it stands vpon the sea on the South side on the entry of the gulph of Zuyderzee at the point which lookes towards Holland almost opposite to the passage of Enchuysen halfe a league from Hinderlopen vppon the same shoare It seemes that this is the place whereas time the people kept whome Plinie cals Sturi of which name all Frisland was sometimes called Regnum Stauriae Which Kingdome did extend to Nymegen where was wont to be ingrauen on the East Port hic limes Imperii Heere is the bounds of the Empire and on the West gate Hic finis Regni Stauriae Heere is the end of the Stauriens Kingdome so as there is no doubt but heretofore it hath been a rich and mighty Towne but the tempests and Inondations of the sea haue often annoyed it and driuen it farther into the country beeing told mee when I went to view it that the old towne was a League nerer to the Sea and now in the bottome of the Sea Besides certaine barres of Sand haue stopt the Hauen and taken away their nauigation as wee haue formerly obserued There was wont to bee a strong Castle at the end of the towne looking towardes the Sea and the Hauen But during these last troubles the Captaine which was put in gard there with a garrison beeing beseeged by the Estates growing wilful and resolute to keepe it his soldiers hauing smal hope of any succors yeelded vp the place and deliuered their Captaine to the Estates who caused it to bee presently raized as wee may see by a great part of the ruines The towne is long and narrow inlarged and fortified with rampars and bulwarks but of small importance and ill intertained as beeing held at this present time not greatly necessarie The houses in the great streete are resonable faire and well built the Inhabitants liue by their handy-workes and by the Sea but not of such nauigation and trafficke as they were wont to haue HARLINGEN IT is now a good and spatious towne and of good trafficke since that Gasper Robles Lord of Billy Gouernor of the country of Frisland and Groning for the King of Spaine caused the bankes behinde the Castle to bee repayred and inlarged with great labour and cost which doth now defend it from the tempests and waues of the sea which beate against it which worke the Inhabitants notwithstanding the hard gouernment of the sayd Robles cannot sufficiently commend The Estates of Frisland hauing since these last troubles resumed their liberty haue caused the said Castle to bee ruined so farre as it did ouerlooke the Towne retaining the fortification which lookes towards the Sea and the Bankes hauing in the same place where the ditch was drawne a goodly new Hauen into the Towne which passeth vnder a great draw-bridge to go