in King Iames his reign tending to the advancement of such uniformitie be not interrupted For other things certain it is that London is the antienter Citie as being an Archbishops See in the time of the Britans when the name of Paris was scarce heard of a Bishops See at the first conversion of the Saxons increased so much in wealth and honour from one Age to another that it is grown at last too big for the Kingdom which whether it may be profitable for the State or not may be made a question And great Towns in the bodie of a State are like the Spleen or Melt in the bodie naturall the monstrous growth of which impoverisheth all the rest of the Members by drawing to it all the animal and vitai spirits which should give nourishment unto them And in the end cracked or surcharged by its own fulness not only sends unwholesome fumes and vapours unto the head and heavy pangs unto the heart but drawes a consumption on it self And certainly the over-growth of great Cities is of dangerous consequence not only in regard of Famine such multitudes of mouthes not being easie to be fed but in respect of the irreparable danger of Insurrections if once those multitudes sensible of their own strength oppressed with want or otherwise distempered with faction or discontent should gather to an head and break out into action Yet thus much may be said to the honour of London though grown by much too bigg now for the kingdom that it is generally so well governed and in so good peace that those Murders Robberies and outrages so frequent in great and populous Cities beyond the Seas are here seldom heard of 2 York in the West-riding of that Countie the second Citie of England as the old Verse hath it Londinum caput est Regni urbs prima Britanni Eboracum à primâ jure secunda venit That is to say In England London is the chiefest Town The second place York claimeth as its own And so it may being indeed the second Citie of the Kingdom both for same and greatness A pleasant large and stately Citie well fortified and beautifully adorned as well with private as publick Edifices and rich and populous withall Seated upon the River Ouse or Vre which divides it in twain both parts being joyned together with a fair stone Bridge consisting of high and mighty Arches A Citie of great estimation in the time of the Romans the Metropolis of the whole Province or Diâ—cese of Britain remarkable for the death and buriall of the Emperour Seveâ—us and the birth of Constantine the Great by consequence the Seat of the Primate of the British Church as long as Christianity did remain amongst them Nor stooped it lower when the Saxons had received the Faith and notwithstanding those mutations which befell this Kingdom under the Saxons Dancs and Normans it still preserved its antient lustre and increased it too Adorned with a stately and magnificent Cathedrall inferiour to few in Europe and with a Palace oâ— the Kings called the Manour-house the dwelling in these later dayes of the Lord President of the Court or Councell here established by King Henry 8th for the benefit of his Northern Subjects after the manner of the French Parliaments or Presed all Seiges 3 Bristol the third in rank of the Cities of England situate on the meeting of the Frome and Avon not far from the influx of the Severn into the Ocean in that regard commodiously seated for trade and traffick the Ships with full sayl coming into the Citie and the Citizens with as full purses trading into most parts of the World with good Faith and Fortune A Town exceeding populous and exceeding cleanly there being Sewers made under ground for the conveyance of all filth and nastiness into the Rivers Churches it hath to the number 18 or 20 reckoning in the Cathedrall and that of Ratcliff The Cathedrall first built by Rob. Fitz. Harding Sonne to a King of Danemark once a Burger here and by him stored with Canons Regular Anno 1248. but made a Bishops See by King Henry 8th Anno 1542. The principall building next the Church an antient Castle a piece of such strength that Maud the Empress having took King Steven Prisoner thought it the safest place to secure him in 4 Norwich the 4th Citie of the first rank of which more hereafter 5 Oxford the first of the second rank of English Cities seated upon the Ouse or Isis but whether so called as Vadum Isides Ouseford or the Ford of Ouse or Vada boum as the Greeks had their Bosphori in former times I determine not An antient Town and antiently made a seat of Learning coevall unto that of Paris if not before it the Vniversity hereof being restored rather than first founded by King Alured Anno 806. after it had been overborn awhile by the Danish Furies but hereof as an Vniversity more anon This only now that for the statelinesse of the Schooles and publick Library the bravery and beauty of particular Colleges all built of fair and polished stone the liberall endowment of those houses and notable encouragements of Industry and Learning in the salarie of the Professors in most Arts and Sciences it is not to be parallelled in the Christian World The Citie of it self well built and as pleasantly seated formed in the Figure of a Crosse two long Streets thwarting one another each of them neer a mile in length containing in that compasse 13 Parish Churches and a See Episcopall founded here by King Henry 8th Anno 1541. The honourary Title of 20 of the noble Family of the Veres now Earls of Oxon. 6 Salisbury first seated on the Hill where now stands old Salisbury the Sorbiodunum of the Antients But the Cathedrall being removed down into the Vale the Town quickly followed and grew up very suddenly into great Renown pleasantly seated on the Avon a name common to many English Rivers which watereth every street thereof and for the populousness of the place plenty of Provisions number of Churches a spacious Market-place and a fair Town-Hall esteemed the second Citie of all the West 7 Glocester by Antonine called Glevum by the Britains Caer Glowy whence the present name the Saxons adding Cester as in other places A fine neat Citie pleasantly seated on the Severn with a large Key or Wharf on the banks thereof very commodious to the Merchandise and trade of the place well built consisting of fair large Streets beautified with a magnificent Cathedrall and situate in so rich Vale that there is nothing wanting to the use of man except onely Wine which life or luxury may require 8 Chester upon the River Dee built in the manner of a quadrate inclosed with a wall which takes up more than two miles in compasse containing in that compasse 12 Parish Churches and an old Cathedrall dedicated antiently to S. Wereburg Daughter of Wolfere K. the Mercians and Visitress of all the Monasteries of England but
while But not being able to withstand the puissance of the West-Saxons this Kingdom was subdued by Ina the Successor of Ceadwall by whom united to that Crown III. The Kingdom of WEST-SEX or of the WEST-SAXONS the third in order and that which did in fine prevail over all the rest conteined the Counties of Cornwall Devon Somerset Dorset Wilts Southampton and Berks begun by Cerdic a noble Commander of the Saxons ariving with new Forces out of Germany Anno 495. who having overcome the Britans of this Western tract conducted by Natanland their Chieftain entituled himself King of the West-Saxons Anno 522. The Christian Faith suppressed here as elswhere was restored again in the time of Kingâ—ls their first Christian King by the preaching of S. Birinus Bishop of Dorchester neer Oxford then a great City of no fewer than ten Parishes now reduced to one Chief Cities of this Kingdom were 1 Exeter a fair and goodly Citie and a Bishops See removed hither from Cridington or Kirton by Leâ—fricus Anno 1049. Seated upon the bank of the River Ex whence the name of Ex-ceaster environed with deep ditches and very strong wals in compass about a mile and half besides the Suburbs in which are contained in all 15 Parish Churches besides the Minster a beautifull and stately Fabrick 2 Bath so called from the Bathes there being the chief Citie of Somerset by the Latives called Aquae Solis by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the self same reason Situate in a low Vallie environed about with Hils very steep and high from whence come many Rivulets and fresh Springs to the great commodity of the people A fine neat Town and beautified with as neat a Church heretofore a Monasterie partner with Wels the Bishops See in the stile Episcopall and gives the Title of an Earl to the noble Family of the Bouâ—châ—â—rs 3 Falemoâ—th in Cornwall seated upon a large and capacious Bay so â—ull of Creeks and Roads capable of the best Ships that it is said an hundred sayl of Ships may be lodged therein with such convenience that from the top of the one the Mast of another is not to be seen the mouth or entrance of it defended for the greater safety with two very strong Castles built by Henry the 8th that of S. Mandits on the Fast and that of Pendinas commonly called Pendennis upon the West 4 Dorchester the chief Town of Dorsetshire which is thence denominated by Antoninus called Durnovaria the principall at that time of the Durotriges an Inland Town and consequently of no great trading not so much famous for ought else as giving the Title of a Marquess to Henry Earl of Kingston of the noble Family of the Pierrepoints 5 Wilton the head Town in those times of Wiltshire and a Bishops See honoured with the residence of nine severall Bishops But by translating of the See to Sarum or Sarisbury as the fitter place and carrying thither therewithall the thorow-fare which before was here it fell by little and little into decay and is now hardly worth the reputation of a Market-Town 6 Winchester called Venta in the times of the Romans by the Saxons Vent-ceaster situate on the banks of a pleasant River the seat Royal of the West Saxon Kings who had here their Palace called Wolves-eye so named from the Kings of the Wolphian Family and the situation of it in the circlings of the fore-said River which the old Saxons called an Eye not from the Woel-Staple here kept as some much less from Cardinal Wolsey as others most absurdly think The house given after to the Bishops and made their Palace The Town in compass two miles besides the Suburbs commodiously seated in a low place between very steep Hils by which it is defended both from cold and wind afflicted very much since those times both by war and fire half of the ground within the Town being fields and gardens but still adorned with a magnificent Cathedrall and a gallant but no great Castle bravely mounted upon an hill for defence and prospect besides a College and an Hospital added since those dayes 7 Southampton conveniently seated on an Arm of the Sea capable of Ships of burden to the very Key which maketh it one of the richest Towns in those parts of England Well built of fair large streets beautified with 5 Parish Churches and fortified with high walls a double ditch and a right strong Castle but the Castle now decayed and ruined 8 Reading on the Banks of the River Kennet where it falleth into the Thames by which means it hath the convenience of both Rivers A Town of great trade for clothing well-built and of three Parish Churches heretofore beautified with a strong Castle and a goodly Monasterie but both now decayed 9 Wondsor called Windleshores in the old Saxon situate neer the Banks of the Thames on a rising ground which gives it a fair prospect over all the Countrey adorned in succeeding times with a Palace Royall of the Kings of England and the seat of the Order of the Garter 10 Wallingford the Guallena of the Antients and then the chief Town of the Attrebatii as it was afterwards in the time of the Saxons of the Countie of Berks a mile in compass at that time within the walls fortified with an impregnable Castle and adorned with twelve Parish Churches So desolated by a Plague Anno 1348. that there is now but one Church left hardly Inhabitants enough to keep that in repair and nothing of the wals left as not much of the Castle but the tract and ruins The Kings of the West Saxons A. Ch. 522. 1 Cerdic the first King 17. 539. 2 Kenric 29. 565. 3 Celingus or Châ—uline 10. 595. 4 Celric 5. 600. 5 Ceolwolf 14 614. 6 Kingil the first Christian King 646. 7 Kenewalchin 31. 677. 8 Sigebert 1. 678. 9 Esâ—win 2. 680. 10 Cent win 7. 687. 11 Ceadwall 690. 12 Ina who first gave the Peterpence to the Church of Rome 725. 13 Ethelard 14. 739. 14 Cuthbert 16. 755. 15 Sigebert II. 1. 756. 16 Kinulph 31. 787. 17 Bithric 13. 800 18 Egbert the most puissant King of the West Saxons who united all the Heptarchie into one Estate of whom see more amongst the Monarchs of the Saxons and the Kings of England IV. The Kingdom of EAST-SEX or the EAST-SAXONS was begun about the yeer 527 by Eâ—â—nâ—nwin descended from Weden the common Progenitor of the Saxons from whom we have the name of Wednesday or Wâ—dnesday as they called it formerly It contained only the Counties of Midlesex Essex and so much of Hartfordshire as is in the Dâ—ocese of London The Christian Faith expulled here as in other places was restored again in the time of Sebert the Founder of the Abby Church of S. Peter in Westminster by the preaching of Mellitus the first Bishop of London after the entrance of the Saxons suppressed again by Seward and Sigebert the Sonnes of Sebert but setled stronger than before by Cedda
the next Bishop there Principall Cities of this Kingdom besides London spoken of already were 1 Westminster situate in those times a mile from London now adjoyning to it The See of the Archbishop of London in the time of the Britains afterwards by the Saxons called Thorn-eye or the Thorny Iland till the new Minster built by Sebert as before is said and the western situation of it in regard of S. Pauls built at the same time by Ethelbert the King of Kent gained it this new name A Citie honoured with the seat of the Kings of East-Sex and since those times with that of the Kings of England the names of the old Palace of the one and the new Palace of the other still remaining there beautified upon that occasion with more stately and magnificent houses belonging to the King Bishops and Nobility than all the other in the Kingdom having of late a new Town added to it in the Convent Garden a place belonging formerly to the Monks of Westminster for uniformity of building and handsome streets inferiour to no Citie of France or Italy 2 Colchester the chief Town of Est-sex situate neer the Sea on the River Coln a Colonie of the Londoners in former times thence called Colonia Londinensium and Colonia only then a Bishops See from which or from the River with the Addition of Ceaster after the manner of the Saxons came the name of Colchester A fair and well built Town and of good resort fortified with an old Roman wall and having in it to the number of 14 Churches 3 Ithancester in Dengey Hundred where S. Ceaddae the second Bishop of London baptized the relapsed East-Saxons 4 Hartford the chief Town of the Countie so called by Beda named Herudford and of great note in his time for a Synod there held in the dawning of the day of Christianity among the Saxons in which S. Augustine the Monk the first Apostle of that People had a conference or consultation with the British Bishops more memorable in the following times for giving the title of an Earl to the illustrious Family surnamed De Clare the addition of an Honour and a goodly Patrimonie to Ioâ—u of Gaunt D. of Lancaster and at this time the title of Earl and Marquess to the noble Family of the Seymours The Kings of the East-Saxons A. Ch. 527. 1 Erchenwin the first King 587. 2 Sledda 596. 3 S. Sebert the first Christian King 4 Sâ—ward and Sigebert 623. 5 Sigebert II. or the Litle 6 Sigebert III. 661. 7 Swiâ—helme 664. 8 Sighere 664. 9 S. Sebba 694. 10 Sigbeard 11 Seofride 701 12 Offa. 709. 13 Selred 774. 14 Suthred the last King of the East-Saxons subdued by Egbert the great and potent King of West-Sex Anno 828. and his Kingdom made a Member of that rising Monarchy V. The Kingdom of the EAST-ANGLES so called from the Angli or English which possessed these parts and the Eastern situation of it begun by Vffa a great Commander of the Saxons Anno 575. contained the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge-shire and the Isle of Fly The Christian Faith first planted here in the Reign of Redwall the third King by the Ministerie of Felix a Burgundian the first Bishop of the East-Angles the See whereof was afterwards removed to Norwich Places of most importance in it were 1 Dunwich on the Sea-shore the first Bishops See of the East-Angles for the Countie of Suffolk then a Town capable of that Dignity now ruinous decayed and for the greatest part worn into the Sea 2 Ipswich in the same Countie of Suffolk and the chief of the Countrie a rich populous and well traded Emporie consisting of no fewer than 5 Parish Churches 3 Norwich the head Citie of Norfolke situate on the River Yare which runs thence to Yaremouth lying out in length a mile and an half half as much in breadth and in that Circuit comprehending about 30 Parishes well walled about with many a Turret and 12 Gates for entrance but hath within it much wast ground the Citie suffering great loss both in wealth and buildings by Kets Rebellion in the time of K. Edward the sixth recovered of the first blow by the Dutch Manufactures of the last still languishing yet still it glorieth in the beauties of a fair Cathedrall the three Palaces of the Bishops the Dukes of Norfolke and the Earls of Surrey and the ruins of an antient Castle of the Saxons building 4 North Elmham the Bishops See of the East-Angles for those parts which we now call Norfolk both this and that of Dunwich ruinated in the Danish Wars but this reviving at the end of 100 yeers and here continuing both Sees united unto one till removed to 5 Thetford another Town of this Countie situate on the confluence of the Thet and the lesser Ouse a larger Town than either of the other two from whence at last removed to Norwich 6 Cambridge the chief Town of that Countie by Antonine called Camboritum whence the modern name unless we rather fetch it from a Bridge over the River Cam or Grant for some call it Grantbridge as perhaps we may A Town well built by reason of the Vniversity said to be founded by Sigebert King of the East-Angles of whom it is affirmed by Beda that he Founded a School for the education of Children in the wayes of good Learning but he speaketh neither of Vniversitie nor nameth Cambridge for the place 7 Ely situate in the Isle so named occasioned by the divided streams of Nor and Ouse with the over-flotes of other Rivers turning a great part of this tract into Fens and Marishes the Inhabitants vvhereof were called Girvii A place of no great beauty or reputation as situate in a foggy and unhealthfull ayr but only for a Fair Monastery built by S. Ethelreda Wife of Egfride King of the Northumbers by her made a Nunnery aftervvards rebuilt and replenished with Monks by Ethelwold B. of Winchester Anno 970. or thereabouts finally made a Bishops See in the time of King Henry the first Anno 1109. The Kings of the East-Angles A. Ch. 575. 1 Vffa the first King 582. 2 Titullus 593. 3 Redwall the first Christian King 624. 4 Erpenwald 636. 5 S. Sigebert 638. 6 Egric 642. 7 Anna. 654. 8 Ethelbert 656. 9 Edelwald 664. 10 Alauffe 683. 11 Elswolph 714. 12 Beorn 714. 13 S. Ethelred 749. 14 Ethelbert II. treacherously murdered by Offa the great King of the Mercians to whose Court he came an invited Guest Anno 793. after whose death this Kingdom became subject to the 〈◊〉 and then to Egbert the West-Saxon governed by Tributarie Kings of their own Nation of whom we have no constat till the time of 870. 15 S. Edmund descended from Anna the 7th King hereof Martyred by the Danes for his stout and constant perseverance in the Faith of CHRIST from whence the fair Town of S. Edmunds burie in the County of Suffolk took denomination After whose death the Kingdom was possessed by the Danes
multum aeris habet ex eo fuso fit aes as that Author hath it It is one of the least of the Belgick Provinces containing in it but 125. Villages and no more then five walled Towns or Cities viz. 1. Limbourg which gives name to the whole Estate pleasantly seated on an hill amongst shady woods under which runneth the River Wesdo which having watered the whole countrey emptieth it self into the Maes well built and fortified with a very strong Castle mounted upon a steep Precipice of no easie accesse 2. Walkenbourg called by the French Fauquemont a reasonable fair Town with a large territory two Dutch miles from Maestricht conquered from Reynold Lord hereof by John the 3. Duke of Brabant 3. Dalem a little Town with a Castle the territory thereof extending beyond the Maes conquered by Henry Duke of Brabant of that name the second 4. Rhode le Duck a little old Town with as old a Castle half a league from Walkenbourg 5. Carpen situate between Gulick and Colen beautified with a Collegiate Church and a strong Castle in which there is a Governour with a good Garrison for defence of the place Each of these Towns hath jurisdiction on the parts adjoyning but with appeal unto the Chancery of Brabant The ancient inhabitants of this â—act and the Bishoprick of Leige adjoyning were the Eburones When it was first made an Earldome I am yet to seek but of an Earldome it was made a Dukedome by the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa anno 1172. Henry one of the Dukes hereof marryed his daughter Margaret to Godfrey the 3. Duke of Brabant which gave that house some colour to pretend unto it backed with a better title on the death of an other Henry the last Duke of Limbourg whose next heir Adelph sold it to John Duke of Brabaâ—t pretending to it in the right of the former marriage anno 1293. But Reynold Earl of Gueldres thinking himself to have a better title then Adolph in right of Ermingrade his wife the daughter of Herman a late Duke hereof put in his plea and challenged it by force of Armes but being vanquished and taken prisoner by the said Duke John in the battell of Woranem was fain for his release to release all his claim and title to the Dukedome of Limbourg after that quietly enjoyed by the Dukes of Brabant till they fell both together to the house of Burgundie The Armes hereof are Argent a Lyon Barrie of ten pieces Or and Gules 8. LVICK-LAND OR The Bishoprick of LEIGE Westward of Limbourg but a far mightier estate then it lieth LVICK-LAND as the Dutch or the Bishoprick of LEIGE Leâ—diensis as the Latine and French writers call it anciently under the protection of the Dukes of Brabant and afterwards of the Princes of the house of Burgundie as Lords of that countrey By some accompted of and described as a part of Germany but for the reasons before mentioned I shal place it here environed on all sides with the Belgick Provinces that is to say with the Dukedome of Limbourg on the East with Brabant on the North and West on the South with Luxembourg The Aire hereof is very wholesome and the Earth as fruitfull abounding with all kinde of grain and fruits some store of wine and as for flesh fish fowle and venison it hath very great plenty and that too of an excellent taste But the chief riches of this Countrey is under ground consisting in mines of Lead and Iron and some few of Gold quarries of Albasier mingled with all sorts of Marble rich veins of Brimstone and unexhaustible pits of Coal which last it hath in such abundance that there is digged within the compasse of one league of the City of Leige not only sufficient for that great City but so much overplus as being sold at mean prices about the countrey amounts unto 100000. duckets of yearly value The Coal much sweeter then elsewhere and of a nature contrary to all other Coal in that it is kindled with water and quenched with oyle and the strong servour of it taken off by casting salt on it The whole countrey containeth 24 walled Towns and 1800. Villages the principall of which are 1 Leige or Luick in Latine Leodium situate in a pleasant valley environed with hils the Meuse entring it in two branches accompanied with four lesser Riverets which make in it many delightfull Ilands The compasse of it about four miles the ordinary buildings very fair all built of stone the Bishops palace a magnificent and sumptuous piece the Churches in number forty of which eight are Collegiate 32. Parochiall all of them for their riches and bounty excelling all in any City of France or Germanie Besides these there are so many Convents Mâ—nasteries and religious houses about the Town that taking all together they amount to an hundred all of them of such fair revenues so well endowed and the Religious persons there of so great authority that it is cailed the Paradise of Priests and that deservedly It is also an University of good Antiquity wherein were Students at one time 9. Kings sons 24. Dukes sons 29. Earls sons besides Barons and Gentlemen the greatest part of which were Canons of the Church of S. Lambert which is the Cathedrall of the City Yet notwithstanding it hath tasted of the malice of fortune as well as others being first destroyed by the Danes then by the Normans twice taken and once destroyed by Charles of Burgundie anno 1468. Subject it is unto the Bishop as Lord temporall of it from whom being long since made an Imperiall Ctiy there lyeth an Appeal to the Chamber of Spires 2. Dinand upon the Meuse near Namur of very great traffick till destroyed by Charles of Burgundie in the same year with Leige hardly recovered of which wounds it was again sacked by K. Henry the 2. of France anno 1854. 3. Maeseck upon the Meuse or Maes also a league from whence is the fair Nunnery of Thuren of the same nature with that of Mentz and others spoken of before the like to which there is near 4. Bilsen another Town of this Bishoprick the Abbesses of each having the priviledge of coyning both gold and silver 5. Lootz by the Dutch called Borclom in the county of Diostein made a county in the time of Charles the Great the title and possession of Vgier the Dane so famous in the History of Gallen of France and others of the old Romances 6. Franchimont which gives the title to a Marquesse of the Bishop of Leige 7. Centron or S. Truden a fair Town so called of the Abbie dedicated to that Saint 8. Huy or Hoey so called of a violent River which there runs into the Meuse 9. Tungres the chief City of the Tongri which together with the Eburones were once the Inhabitants of this tract in which are still the ruines of a Temple consecrated to Hercules Anciently an Episcopall See translated hence to Maestreicht and at last to Leige and
by which parted from Frankenland So called from the Turingians the antient Inhabitants hereof communicating their name to the place they dwelt in The Countrey environed round about with woody mountaines but within those mountains plain and pleasant fruitfull in Corn and very plentifull of Woods which yeelds great profit to the people not without some Mines of Gold and Silver and rich pits of Salt able to furnish out a feast but for wine onely which is the greatest want hereof The whole length of it is not above 120 miles and the breadth not more Yet is so populous and well planted that there are said to be in it 12 Earldomes and as many Abbies 144 Cities and as many market Towns 150 Castles and 2000 Villages The principall of these are 1. Jene on the River Saltza bordering upon Misnia an University chiefly of Physitians founded in the year 1555. by the sonnes of John-Frederick the Electour taken prisoner and deprived by Charles the fift 2 Erdford on the River Gers out of which are cut so many Channels that every street hath almost the benefit of it A rich populous and well built City accounted amongst the best of Germany and made an University in the time of the Emperour Wenceslaus anno 1392. Many times burnt but still reviving like the Phoenix out of the ashes into greater glory At first immediately subject to the Archbishop and Electour of Mentz but having freed themselves from him they have since governed themselves as a free Estate and one of the Hansetowns not subject to the Duke of Saxony as their Lord but their Patron and good neighbour onely 3. Mulhuisen and 4 Noorthuisen two Imperiall Cities but not else observable 5 Smalcald famous for the league here made anno 1530. between all the Princes and Cities which maintained the doctrine of Luther into which first entred John Frederick the Duke of Saxon and his sonne Ernest and Francis Dukes of Luneburg Philip the Lantgrave George Marquesse of Brandenbourg the Cities of Strasburg Nurenberg Heilbrune Ruteling Vlmes Lindaw Constance Mening and Campedune Afterward anno 1535. there entred into it Barnimus and Philip Princes of Pomeren Vlrick Duke of Wirtenberg Robert Prince of Bipont William Earl of Nassaw George and Joachim Earls of Anhalt the Cities of Franckford Hamborough Auspurg Hannolder and not long after the Palsgrave and the King of Danemark By which famous confederacy Luther not onely kept his head on his shoulders but the Religion by him reformed grew to that strength that no force or policy could ever root it up 2 Kale or Hale where Philip the Lantgrave was treacherously taken prisoner as you shall hear anon 5 Wiemar a town which together with the Castle of Gotha were assigned for the estate and maintenance of that religious though unfortunate Prince Iohn Frederick Duke of Saxony after this discomfiture and imprisonment by Charles the fift The ordinary seat of the Dukes of Saxon Weimar who live here in a stately and magnificent Castle made of polished stone most artificially contrived and beautified with Orchards Gardens and other pleasures but made more pleasant by the watering of the River Ilma upon which it standeth 6 Gotha upon the River Lonn said by Rithaimerus to bee built by the Gothes and by them thus named A place not long since of great importance and fortified with a very strong Castle called Grimmensten which being made the retiring place of one Grunbachius and other seditious persons under the protection of John Frederick one of the sonnes of the deprived Elector was taken after a long siege by Augustus the Elector of Saxony to whom the strength of this peece being in the hands of the injured family was a very great eye-sore and by command of the â—â—states of the Empire in the Diet at Regensberg anno 1567. demolished and levelled with the ground The old Inhabitants hereof were the Chasnari of Tacitus and after them the Turingi who with the Heruli under the conduct of Odoacer conquered Italy called by some Turcilingi by others supposed to be the Tyrangetae of Ptolemie Not heard of in this Countrey till the reign of Childerick the fourth King of the French then taking up the whole Provinces of Hassia and Turingia under one Bissinus their King Their Armes at that time and long after Azure a Lion Barrie Argent and Gules armed and Crowned Or. Being overcome at the great battell of Zulph neere Colen where they joined with the Almans they became subject to the French afterwards added to the Empire by Henry the first William the sonne of the Emperour Otho the first being Archbishop of Mentz by the permission of his Father held the City of Erdford and all the rest of Turingia which hee lefâ— unto his successours in that See governed by their Vidames and Provinciall Officers till the time of Conradus Salicus when Ludovicus Barbatus one of these Vidames or Vicedomini made himselfe the Proprietarie of it and left the same unto his children after his decease But in the time of Conrade the second the issue of this Ludovicus either failing or dispossessed it was by that Emperour conferred upon Lewis of Orleans sonne to a sister of his Emperesse the title of Lantgrave being given to them of this family for their greater honour Under eight Princes of this line whereof five successively had the name of Lewis this Estate continued next falling to Herman a brother of the fift Lewis then to a sixt Lewis and last of all to Henry the brother of that Lewis whom the male issue failed having continued for the space of 252 years To please all parties interessed in the succession the Estate before entire was divided into two parts or Provinces Of which this now called Duringen or Turingia was alloted to Henry Marquesse of Misnia sonne of Judith the daughter of Herman the Western part hereof with the title of the Lantgravedome of Hessen adjudged to Henry Duke of Brabant in right of Sophia his wife daughter of Lewis the sixth In the description of which Countries we shall hear more of them 2 MISNIA or Meissen is bounded on the East with Lusatia on the West with Duringen on the North with Saxonie specially so called and some part of Brandenburg on the South with Voiteland and some part of Bohemia The Countrey once overspread with woods and full of bogs rendring the air unwholesome and the soyl unprofitable both rectified by the care and industry of the people now yeelding some mines of silver and great plenty both of corn and pasturage well watered with the Rivers Sala Plisses Elster and Musda Places of most observation in it are 1 Dresden seated on the Albis having continually on her wals and Bulwarkes 150 Pieces of Ordinance a stable of the Dukes in which are 128 horses of service and a Magazin out of which 30000 Horse and Foot may be armed at a dayes warning The Town it self situate on both sides of the River by which divided into the
it with Boats and Barges as the Thames Westward doth London the River ebbing and flowing no nigher than Pont del ' Arche 75 miles distant from the Citie We may divide it into four parts the Town the Citie the Universitie and the Suburbs La Ville or that part of it which is called The Town is situate on the North side of the River the biggest but poorest part of the four inhabited by Artizans and Tradesmen of the meaner sort In this part are the Hostell de Ville or the Guild-hall for the use of the Citizens the Arserall or Armory for the use of the King and that magnificent building called the Place Royall new built and beautified at the charges of King Henry the fourth for Tilts and Turraments and such solemnities of State And in this also neer the banks of the River stands the Kings Palace of the Bouvre a place of more fame than beauty and nothing answerable to the report which goes commonly of it A building of no elegance or uniformitie nor otherwise remarkable but for the vast Gallerie begun by King Henry the fourth and the fine Gardens of the Tuilleries adjoyning to it The City is that part of it which takes up the circumference of a little Iland made by the embracements of the Seine joyned to the other parts on both sides by several Bridges The Paris or Lutetia of the old Gauls was no more than this the Town on the one side and the Vniversity on the other being added since This is the richest part and best built of the whole Compositum And herein stand the Palace or Courts of Parliament the Chappel of the Holy Ghost and the Church of Nostre-dame being the Cathedral of antient times a Bishops See but of late raised unto the dignity of a Metropolitan On the South side of the River lyeth that part which is called the Vniversitie from an Vniversity here sounded by Charles the Great Anno 792. at the perswasion of Alcuinus an Englishman the Scholar of Venerable Bede and the first Professor of Divinity here It consisteth of 52 Colleges or places for study whereof 40. are of little use and in the rest the Students live at their own charges as in the Halls at Oxon or Inns of Court or Chancery at London there being no endowment laid unto any of them except the Sorbonne and the College of Navarre Which possiblie may be the reason why the Scholars here are generally so debauched and insolent a ruder rabble than the which are hardly to be found in the Christian World Sensible of this mischief and the cause thereof Francis the first whom the French call the Father of the Muses at the perswasion of Reuchline and Budaeus those great restorers of the Greek and Hebrew Languages intended to have built a College for 600 Students and therein to have placed Professours for all Arts and Sciences endowing it with 50000 Crowns of yeerly Revenue for their constant maintenance But it went no further than the purpose prevented by the inevitable stroak of death from pursuance of it In bigness this is little inferiour to the Town or Ville and not superiour to it for wealth or beauty few men of any wealth and credit affecting to inhabit in a place of so little Government The 4th and last part is the Suburbs or the Faux-bourgs as the French call them the principal whereof is that of S. Germans so called from an antient Abbie of that name the best part of the whole body of Paris for large Streets sweet Air choyce of the best Companie magnificent Houses pleasant Gardens and finally all those contentments which are wanting commonly in the throngs of most populous Cities Here are also in this Isle the Royal house of Madrit a retiring place of the Kings built by King Francis the first at his return from his imprisonment in Spain 2 Ruall a sweet Countrie house of the late Queen Mothers and 3 Boys de Vincennes remarkable for the untimely death of our Henry the fifth I add this only and so end That this Isle hath alwayes followed the fortune of the Crown of France never dismembred from the Soveraigntie of the same though sometimes out of the possession of the French Kings as when the English kept it against Charles the 7th and the Leagners against Henry the 4th A thing which hardly can be said of any other of the Provinces of this flourishing Countrie the French Kings of the race of Merovee and Charles the great alienating from the Crown many goodly Territories contented only with a bare and titularie Homage from them By meanes whereof more than three parts of the whole Kingdom was shared first amongst the great Princes of the French which afterwards by inter-mariages and other Titles fell into the hands of strangers most of them enemies of this Crown and jealous of the Grandour and power thereof Which kept the French Kings generally very low and poor till by Arms Confiscations Mariages and such other meanes they reduced all these Riverets to their first and originall Channel as shall be shewen in the pursuance of this work CHAMPAGNE CHAMPAGNE is bounded on the North with Picardie on the South with the Dukedom of Burgundie and some part of the Countie on the East with Lorrein on the West with France specially so called The Countrie for the most part very plain and pleasant whence it had the name adorned with shadie Woods and delectable Meadows fruitful in Corn and not deficient in Wines The Seat in elder times of the Trieasses Catelauni Rhemi the Lingones and Senones of which last Tribe or Nation were those Cisalpine Gaules who sacked Rome under the conduct of Brennus part of them Celts and part Belgians and so accordingly disposed of the Belgians into the Province of Belgica Secunda the Metropolis whereof was Rhemes the Celts into Lugdunensis quarta of which the Metropolis was Sens both Cities seated in this Countrie The chief Rivers of it Bloise Marne and Yonne Chief places of the whole are 1 Chalon on the River Marne an Episcopal See Suffragan to the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes called antiently Civitas Catalaâ—norum 2 Join Ville situate on the same River belonging to the house of Guise the eldest Sonne of which Familie is called Prince of Joinville in the Castle whereof seated upon an high and inaccessible Hill is to be seen the Tomb of Clande the first Duke of Guise the richest Monument of that kind in all France A Baronie which hath belonged to the house of Lorrein ever since the yeer 1119. when Thierry the Sonne of William Baron of Joinville succeeded his two Vncles Godfrey and Baldwin in that Dukedom 3 Pierre-Fort defended with a Caste of so great strength that in the civil Wars of France A. 1614. it endured 1100 shot of Cannon and yet was not taken 4 Vassey upon the River Bloise a Town of as sweet a situation as most in France These three last scituate in that part of Champagne
Leicester Rutland Lincoln Huntingdon Northampton Warwick Oxen Buckingham Bedford and the rest of Hartfordshire which bounded in a manner by all the rest of the Saxon Kingdoms had the name of Mercia from the word Mearc which signifieth a bound or limit The Christian Faith suppressed here as in other Kingdoms of the Saxons was restored again in the reignes of Penda Peada and Wolfhere by the Preaching of S. Chad the first Bishop of Lichfield Places of mostobservation in it 1 Hereford seated on the banks of the River Wâ—e in the middle of most flourishing meadows and no less plentifull Corn-fields raised out of the ruines of Ariconium here placed by Antonine the tract of which name it doth still retain A Bishops See in the time of the Britans restored to that dignity by the Saxons Anno 680. the honourary title of the Bohuns once Earls hereof and afterwards of Henry of Bullingbrook Duke of Hereford 2 Worcester pleasantly seated on the Severn over which it hath a very fair Bridge with a Tower upon it A Bishops See Anno 679. beautified with a fair Cathedrall and every way considerable for situation number of Churches neat buildings the industrie of the Inhabitants and giving the title of an Earl to the noble familie of the Somersets extracted by the Beauforts from John of Gaunt 3 Lichfield the first Bishops See amongst the Mercians founded there Anno 6 6. by Oswy King of the Northumbers but fixed and setled by S. Chad in the reign of Walshere King of the Mercians endowed in the very infancy with such fair possessions that in the yeer 793 Aâ—uâ—â—us the Bishop hereof was made Archbishop of the Mercians But it proved onely a personall honour and died with him 4 Coventry so called from an old Covent or Religious house which gave name unto it Situate in Warwick-shire and now the principall of that County though esteemed a County of it self Beautified with a goodly wall two fair Parish Churches large streets and very handsom houses A City of great trade and riches though destitute of all advantages which a navigable River might afford it heretofore of great fame for a stately monastery to which the See Episcopall was for a while removed from Lichfield now a ruine onely 5 Leicestâ—r once a Bishops See the Diocese taken out of Lichfield Anno 733 removed to Dorcâ—â—ster neer Oxon and thence to Lincoln Beautified in those dayes with a fair Collegiate Church a magnificent Abbie and a strong Castle all decayed and ruined by the iniquity and injury of these later times the Town remaining in as good plight both for trade and buildings as most Towns do which want a Navigable River Of most fame for the Earls thereof Algar and Edwin noble Saxons Simonâ—de Montfort the Catiline and great Incendiary of this Kingdom the Princes of the house of Lancaster who bore this title with some others since 6 Darby upon the River Derwent a well-traded Town and of good resort adorned with the five 〈◊〉 a goodly stone-bridge and a large Market-place the honourarie title of the noble 〈…〉 created Earls hereof by King Henry the 7th 7 〈◊〉 seated on the 〈◊〉 but very high upon an hill which over-looks it For buildings fair streets and a spaciou Market-place not giving way to many Cities but of most fame for a Royall and magnificent Castle which for strength stateliness and prospect may justly challenge the precedâ—â—cie of most in England 8 Lincoln a Town in those dayes of great strength and note one of the best peopled Cities in all the Hepâ—archie and of great merchandise and traffick both by Sea and Landâ— insomuch that 〈◊〉 then Bishop of Dâ—rchester thought fit to translate hither the Episcopall See Now much decayed and thence the Proverb that Lincoln was London is c. The chief fame which it now hath is for the Minster one of the stateliest Piles in England and perhaps in Christ 〈…〉 high seated on an hill and from thence discerned over all the Countrie 9 Huntingdon or the Hunters Town from the great sport the Hunters sound in the neighbouring Forrest commodiously seated on the Northern bank of the River Ouse rising unto the North with a soft ascent consisting of four parish Churches and shews the ruines of a Castle built by Edward the Elder Anno 917. 10 Peterburgh seated in a Nook or Angle of Northamptonshire where formerly had been a gulâ—or whirlâ—pool of exceeding depth but made firm ground by Wolfere King of the Mercians when be laid the foundations of the Monastery Anno 633. dedicated to S. Peter whence it had this name before then called Medanshedâ— A â—own but for the Church of no great esteem as standing out of the way for trade and in no plausible place for health or pleasure yet shewing two handsom streets a large Market-place and a fair Parish Church besides the Abbie made an Episcopall See by King Henry the 8th 11 Northampton built on the Northern bank of the River Antona now Nâ—n whence it had the name A Town which for the beauty and circuit of it need not give way to many Cities fortified heretofore with a very strong Castle and seated in so good an Air that once the Students of Cambridge had a purpose to remove their Vniversity hither The noble Family of the Comptans are now Earls hereof 12 Bedford so called from Beds and Lodgings on the Ford built on both sides thereof for the use of Travellers growing in time to so great bigness as to contain in it five Parish Churches famous in former times for the great battell sought in the adjoyning fields Anno 572 in which Cuthwolf the Saxon vanquished the Britans and became Master of the Countrey But more famous for giving the title of Duke to John of Lancaster Regent of France for King Henry the sixt and Jaspher of Hatfield Vncle to King Henry the 7th 13 S. Albans so called from a famous Monastery here founded by Offa the great King of the Mercians in honour of S. Alban the Proto-Martyr of Britain a Citizen of Verulamium neer adjoyning to it out of the ruines whereof decayed by Age and destroyed by War arose the present greatness of S. Albans the faâ—rest and best-traded Town in the County of Hartford 14 Buckingham the chief Town of the County so called situate on the River Ouse fortified by King Edward the Elder against the Danes Anno 915. otherwise not much observable but for those many noble personages which have had the title of Dukes hereof The Kings of Mercia A. Ch. 582. 1 Criedda the first King 593. 2 Webba 614. 3 Cheorl 626. 4 Penda 656. 5 Peada the first Christian King 659. 6 Wulfhere 675. 7 Etheldred 704. 8 Kenred 709. 9 Chelred 716. 10 Ethelbald overcome by Cutbert K. of the West-Saxons at a fight neer Buâ—ford in the Countie of Oxon the place still called Battelage hill 758. 11 Offa the great 796. 12 Egfride 797. 13 Kenwolf 819. 14 Kenelm 820. 15 Cheolwolf 821. 16 Bernulf
Mediolanium now Llanvillin in the County of Montgomerie By these three Nations was all that tract possessed which lyeth on the other side of the Severn a very stout and hardie people and so impatient of the yoke that two of the three Legions which the Romans kept constantly in Britain as before is said were planted in and neer these people the better to contein them in due obedience that is to say the second Legion at Caer Leon upon Usk of which more anon and the twentieth at Deuvana where now stands West-Chester So difficult a thing it was to make this Nation subject to the power of Rome and no less difficult to bring them under the command of the Saxons whom they withstood when all the rest of Britain had been conquered by them and lived to see their Victors overcome by the Normans before themselves had yielded to a forrain yoke The Christian Faith planted amongst the Britans in the time of Lucius they still retained when all the residue of the Iland had replapsed to Paganism and they retained it not in secret as afraid to own it but in a well-constituted Church Insomuch that Angustine the Monk when he first preached the Gospell to the English Saxons found here no fewer than seven Bishops that is to say Herefordensis Tavensis Paternensis Banchorensis Elwiensis Wicciensis and Morganensis or rather Menevensis all which excepting onely Paternensis doe still remain amongst us though in other names Hereford and Worcester Wicciensis reckoned now in England S. Davids or Menevensis Tavensis or Landaff Bangor and Elwyensis or S. Asaph in Wales according to the present boundaries and limits of it And as they did retain the Faith so they retained it after the tradition of their Predecessors neither submitting unto Augustine as Archbishop of Canterbury nor to the Pope from whom he came as Occumenicall or châ—ef Pastor of the Church of Christ nor receiving any new doctrines or traditions from them but standing on those principles of Liberty and Religion which they were possessed of till all the world almost had yeelded to that powerfull See Not manumitted from the vassalage and thraldom to it till they embraced the Reformation of the Church of England in Doctrine Discipline and Worship the Liturgie whereof was by the command of Queen Elizabeth translated into the Welch or 〈◊〉 as the Bible also was by vertue of an Act of Parliament in the fift of that Queen the care thereof committed to the Bishop of Hereford and the four Bishops of Wales But because the Bible then set forth was onely in the large Church volume it was in the beginning of the Reign of King Charles reduced to a more portable Bulk at the cost and charge of my Cousin Mr. Rowland 〈◊〉 one oâ— the Aldermen of London who also caused the book called The Practice of Pieâ—ie to be printed in that Language for the instruction of the People and a Welch or British Dictionarie to be made and published for the understanding of the Language But to return unto the Church and affairs thereof for the better ordering of the same it hath been long agoe divided into four Dioceses besides that of Herefora for the exercise of â—ccleâ—acall Discipline those Dioceses subdivided into 9 Archdcaconries as before in England all subject heretofore to their own Pâ—â—mate or Archbishop residing in the City of Isca Silurum the â—eâ—repolis of the Province of Britannia Secunda called by the â—â—elch or Britans Caâ—-â—eon or the Citie of the Legion from the second Legion fixt there for defence of the Province and Caâ—-Leon upon â—sk because situate on the River so named But this City being too much exposed to the sury of the Saxons the Archiepiscopall See was translated to Menew standing on a Promontoâ—â—e in the extreme Angle of Pembrokeshire by David then Archbishop thereof and neer of â—in to Arthur that renowned King of the Britans from whom in tract of time the name of Menew being left off the See and Citie came to be called S. Davids From David unto Samson the 26 Archbishop of the VVelch being above 400 yeers did they hold this dignity but then the Pestilence extremely raging in these parts Archbish Samson carried with him the Episcopall Pall and therewith the dignity it self to Dole in Bretagne After which time we hear of no Archbishops in Wales in name and title though the power proper thereunto still remained amongst them the VVelch Bishops acknowledging no other Primate nor receiving consecratioâ— from any other hands than their own Bishop of S. Davids till Bishop Bernard was compelled to submit himself to the power and jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the time of King Henry the first But its time to look upon the face of the Country as it stands at the present which we find mountainous and barren not able to maintain its people but by helps elsewhere To make amends for which defect there were some Silver mines discovered in it not long since by Sir Hugh Middlâ—ton Knight and Baronet not onely to the great honour of his own Countrie but to the profit and renown of the whole Iland of Great Britain Their chief commodities are course Clothes entituled commonly by the name of Welch Freeze and Cottons which Merchandise was heretofore brought to Oswestâ—e the furthest Town of Shropshire as the common Emporie and there bought by the Merchants of Shrewsbury But the Welch coveting to draw the Staple more into their own Countrey occasioned the Merchant to hold off from buying their commodities till in the end the Merchant got the better of them and inforced them to settle the whole trade at Shrewshury where it still continueth To speak of Mountains in a Country which is wholly mountainous were a thing unnecessary yet of most note are those of 1 Snowdon 2 Brechâ—n 3 Rarduvaure and 4 Plinlimmon Not much observable but for their vast height and those many notable Rivers which issue from them The principall whereof are 1 Dee in Latine called Deva arising out of Rarduvaure hils in Merionethshire and running into the Sea not far from Chester Over this River Edgar King of England was rowed triumphantly in his Barge by eight inferiour Kings Vassals and Tributaries to him that is to say Kenneth King of the Scots Malcolm King of Cumberland Mac-cuâ—s King of the Isles Dufwall Gryffith Howel lago and Indethel Princes or Kings of Wales using these words to such as attended on him that then his Successors might call themselves Kings of England when they did the like This was in the yeer 973 and the last of his reigne 2 Wie in Latine called Vaga arising from Plinlimmon hils and emptying it self into the Severn at Chepstow More in the heart of the Countrie for these are but borderers for the greatest part of their course 3 Câ—nwy which rising in Merionethshire and dividing the Counties of Denbigh and Caâ—narvon mingleth with the Sea at Abur Conwey 4 Tyvie which rising in Montgomeryshire and
passing between the Counties of Cardigan Pembroke and Carmarthen runneth into the Sea a little below Cardigan 5 Chedlaydy which running quite thorow Pembrokeshire emptieth it self into Milford Haven one of the most capacious and safest havens not of England onely but of all the world The men are of a faithfull carriage towards all men especially towards one another in a strange Countrie and towards strangers in their own Of a temper questionless much inclining to choler as being subject to the passion by Aristotle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which men are quickly moved to anger and as soon appeased of all angers the best and noblest Their Language the old British hath the least commixture of forein words of any in Europe and by reason of its many Consonants and gutturall Letters is not so pleasing as some others in the Pronunciation A Language not much studied by those of other Nations in regard that such of the Inhabitants who have addicted themselves to learning have rather chose to express themselves in the Latine or English tongues than that of their own Native Countrie The principall of which not to say any thing of Merlin the Tages of the Welch or British were 1 Gildas for his great knowledge surnamed Sapiens 2 Geofry of Monmouth and 3 Giraldus Cambrensis the Historians and of later times 4 William Morgan the Translator of the Bible into Welch for which performance most deservedly made Bishop of Landâ—ff 5 Sir Iohn Price the Antiquary 6 Owen the Epigrammatist c. The whole Countrey not taking the Counties of Shropshire and Monmouth into the reckoning containing in it 12 Shires onely of which seven were set out by King Edward the first that is to Pembroke Carmarden Cardigan Merioneth Angleser and Carnarvon The other five viz the Counties of Denbigh Flint Montgomery Radnâ—r and Bâ—ccâ—nock were after added out of the Marchlands by King Henry the 8th These 12 Shires are again contracted or subdivided into 4 Circuits for the administration of Iustice Of which the first containeth the Countâ—â— of Montgomery Flint and Denbigh the second those of Carnarvon Anglesey and Merieâ—â—â—â— the third those of Carwarden Cardigan and Pembroke and the fourth those of Glamorgan Brâ—câ—nock and 〈◊〉 In these 12 Shires are reckoned one Chase 13 Forests 36 Parks 230 Rivers and an hundred Bridges They contain also 1016 Parishes amongst which four Cities 55 Market-Towns and â—â— Castles on the old erection The Câ—ties small poor and inconsiderable The Market Towns the especially on the Marches and outparts of the Countrie very fair and strong as being not only built for commerce and trade but fortified with Walls and Castles to keep in the Welch and so employed till the incorporating Wales with England took away all occasion of the old hostilities And for the Castles in the In-lands partly by the iniquity of time which is Edax rerum but chiesly by the policie of the Kings of England who would not suffer any places of strength to remain in a Countrie almost inaccessible and amongst men apt to take the advantage offered the very ruines of them are now brought to ruine But to proceed more particularly the four Cities or Episcopall Sees are 1 S. Davids formerly the 〈◊〉 of Wales situate on the Promontorie in Pembrokeshire by the Antients called Octopitae in a safe place and far enough from the Saxons whom the Welch most feared but incommodious enough for all the rest of the Clergie to repair unto it and not so safe neither unto the Inhabitants of it in respect of sundry other nations who have often spoyled and defaced it For standing neer the Sea it hath been frequently visited and spoyled by the Danes Norwegians and other Boats insomuch that the Bishops were inforced to remove their dwelling to Caermarthen which brought the City small enough before when it was at the biggest to the condition of a Village 2 LLâ—â—ndâ—â—â—â— upon the River Taffe whence it took the name LLan in the Welch or British signifying a Church LLandaffe the Church upon the Taffe the Bishops whereof derive their Lineall succession from those of Caer-Leon upon Vsk though the Primacie or Archbishops See were removed to Menew A small Town now it is God wot nothing to rank it for a City but the Cathedrall Church and the Prebends houses 3 St Asaph a small Town in Flintshire so called from St. Asoph the second Bishop hereof left here by Kentigern a Scot by whom the Cathedrall Church was founded about the year 560. Situate on the banks of the River Elwy thence called LLan-Elwe by the Welch the Bishop Elwyensis in some Latine Writers 4 Bangor upon the Menai a branch of the Irish Sea of no more beauty and renown than the other three but onely for the Cathedrall founded here by the first Bishops defaced by Owen Glendower and afterwards reedified by Henry Dean Bishop hereof An. 1496. Towns of chief note for these Cities have not much in them which is worth the nothing are 1 Slrewsbury counted now in England but heretofore the seat of the Princes of Ponysland who had here their Palace which being burnt in some of their broyls with England is now converted into Gardens for the use of the Townsmen The Town well traded and frequented by the Welch and English the common Emporie of both well built and strongly situate on a rising ground almost encompassed with the Severn that part thereof which is not senced with the River being fortified with a very strong Castle the work of Roger de Montgomery the first Earl hereof An. 1067. Over the River for convenience of passage it hath two Bridges and but two the one towards England and the other called the Welch-bridge which is towards Wales built by Leoline or LLewellen the first one of the Princes of Northwales whose they conceive to be that Statua which is there standing on the Gate Remarkable since the times of King Henry the sixt for giving the title of Earl to the Noble Family of the Talbots a Family of great honour and as great an Estate till the parcelling 〈◊〉 the Lands betwixt the Daughters and Co-heirs of Gilbert Talbot late Earl hereof according to the ill custom of England where many times the Estate goes to the Females and the Honour with nothing to mainiain it to the next Heir Male. 2 Banchor by Beda called 〈◊〉 a famous Monastery of the Britans conteining above 2000 Monks attending their devotions at the times appointed at other times labouring for their livelihood most cruelly and unmercifully slaughtered by the Saxons at the instigation of Austin the first Archbishop of Canterbury offended that they would not yeeld unto his autoritie 3 Carnarvon on the Menaâ— before-mentioned not far from Bangor the Monastery of Banchor being in Flintshire well walled and fortified with a strong Castle by King Edward the first after his conquest of the Countrie formerly much resorted to for the Chancery and Exchequer of the Princes of North-Wales 4 Denâ—â—â—h
Brabant meeteth with the sea a little above Antwerpe and 5. Lis or Ley which runneth quite through Flanders Besides which Rivers and others of inferiour note which we shall meet withall in their proper places here are great store of lakes pools and marishes which do both fortifie the Countrey and provide it of fish besides many navigable channels made by the hand of man from one River to another for the convenience of passage and the more easie transport of their commodities The shore of this countrey hath been much worn out by the Sea especially that of the Islands of Zâ—land and such as lye scattered about Holland where they are defended with banks and ramparts painfully made and chargeably maintained These banks are about ten ells in height and twenty five in breadth at the bottom They are made of the hardest clay that may be gotten in the inside stuffed with wood and stone on the outside covered with mats strong and thick made The former inhabitants were divers as shall be shewed particularly in their proper dwellings They are at this present divided into seventeen Provinces besides the two great Bishopricks of Leige and Cambray which being alwaies under the protection of the Belgicke Princes partakers of their fortunes either good or ill and lying intermixt among their estates shall have their turn in the description of these Countries divided generally into 2 Bishopricks 1 Leige or Luick 2 Cambray 4 Dukedomes 1 Limburg 2 Luxenburg 3 Gelderland 4 Brabant 1 Marquisate viz. of the holy Empire 7 Earldomes 1 Flanders 2 Artoys 3 Hainault 4 Namur 5 Zutphen 6 Holland 7 Zeland 5 Baronies 1 West-Friseland 2 Vtretcht 3 Over-yssell 4 Machlin 5 Groyning Of these nineteen two only did acknowledge the Soveraignty of the Kings of France viz. Flanders and Artoys the Earls whereof were Homagers unto that Crown but seldome did descend so low as to do their Homage quitted at last to Philip the second King of Spain and his Successours by K. Henry the second of France in the treaty at Cambray Anno 1558. The rest were held originally of the German Empire and by Maximilian Emperour of Germaâ—e and Regent of those Countries for his son Philip who had a purpose to subject them to the Empire again were made the tenth Circle of the Empire called the Circle of Burgundie But neither since nor before that time would the Princes of the house of Burgundie acknowledge any such subjection but governed these Estates as absolute Princes without relation to the Empire or subordination to the Emperor or Imperiall Officers never appearing at the Diets nor contributing to any Taxes there imposed nor holding themselves bound by any Constitutions which were made therein So that these severall Relations being out of use we must behold it at this time as it stands divided betwixt the Spaniard and the States beginning first with those Provinces which belong to the Spaniard the true Proprietary of the whole and therein first with Flanders as of most esteem 1. FLANDERS and 2. ARTOIS THese two I have thought fit to joyn together because at first but one Estate and though divided for a time yet after five or six descents were again united and have so continued ever since 1. FLANDERS so called as some say a Flando because it lyeth open to the winds is bound on the East with Hainalt and Brabant on the West with the English or German Ocean on the North with the Seas of Zealand and a branch of the Scheld and on the South with part of Picardie in France interposing betwixt Calice and Graveling The Soyle indifferently fruitfull in corn and pastures the aire healthfull temperate and pleasant The whole Countrey not in length above 90. miles and in breadth but sixty and yet containing in that compasse above thirty Cities for they reckon all Cities which be walled 1154. Villages which stand so thick as needs they must in so narrow a compasse that the Spaniards aâ— their first comming in with King Philip the second took the whole Province for one Town Divided commonly into Imperialem 2. Gallicam and 3. Teutonicam or Flanders Imperiall 2. Flanders Gallicant and 3. Flanders Flammengant 1. FLANDERS FLAMMENGANT which is the greatest of the three is bounded on the East with Imperiall Flanders and the River Scheld on the west with the English Ocean on the North with the seas of Zealand and on the South with Artois and Flanders Gallicant The chief Towns of it 1. Gaunt in Latine called Gandavum seven miles in compasse but taking in the Suburbs which are great and large the whole circuit is ten miles at least One of the greatest Cities of Europe for extent of ground but not so populous as many of a lesse capacity there being made waste ground even within the wals Commodiously seated on the banks of the Scheld and the Ley both which run thorow it and make in it 26. Ilands joyned together with 98. Bridges and had not her many seditions ruinated her beauties she might have been the Queen of Europe In this Town were born John Duke of Lancaster commonly called John of Gaunt and Charles the fift Emperor and King of Spain which last to restrain the People from their old seditions which had been very troublesome to his predecessors the Gauntois taking on them many times to rule and over-rule their Princes built a strong Citadell in the place where stood the Abbie of S. Bavons For Churches Monasteries and other places of devotion there were numbred in it 55 all of them answerable to the grandeur and renown of the City the private buildings being also very stately if not majesticall But now it is much fallen from its former glories the often seditions of this people drawing upon themselves the vengeance of their angred Prince and their wealth much empaired by the long wars and the diversion of their trading by the Hollanders who command the seas 2. Bruges or Brug more within the land a town that hath neither Port nor River yet formerly of such wealth and the people in those times so willing to shew it that Queen Joan the wife of Philip the fair having been there and marked the pomp of the women complained that She was not Queen alone The town of four miles circuit within the wals wonderfully well peopled the buildings fair and sumptuous amongst which 60. Churches and Religious houses the streets large and streight and a spacious market-place from which the six principall streets of the City do passe directly on to as many â—ates which is very pleasant to behold And though the Town hath neither Port nor River as before was said yet was it anciently of so great trading that it was accounted one of the four Mart-towns of Christendome flourishing chiefly by the benefit of the English Cloth and sensibly decaying when the English traffick was removed hence to Antwerpe It was walled by Earl Baldwin Anno 890. is distant three leagues from the sea and seated
the first Apostle of this People but a yeer before The Bishops of Wurtzburg by this grant were possessed hereof as long as any of the house of Charls the Great did possesse the Empire But his posterity failing in the person of Conrade anno 910. Otho the first who next but one succeeded Conrade invested Conrade husband to Luitgardis his daughter with this Country giving him withall the title of Duke of Francony Four Princes of this house possessed it that is to say this Conrade surnamed Salicus and after him three Henries father son and nephew successively enjoying the Imperiall dignity by the name of Henry the third fourth and fift This Henry the last Prince of the male line of Conrade dying without issue Franconia fell to Frederick Barbarossa Duke of Schwaben as next heir to Henry by the Lady Agnes his Sister married to Frederick the Antient Duke of Schwaben the grand-father of Barbarossa But that house being also extinct in the person of Conradine anno 1268. and no one heir pretending to the rights thereof the Bishops of Wurtzburg challenged it on the former grant content to let some great ones have a part of the spoil that he and his successours might enjoy the rest By means whereof it came to be divided betwixt the Bishops of Wurtzburg Bamberg Mentz the Electour Palatine of the Rhene for antiently the Palatinate and the Bishoprick of Mentz were but parts of Frankenland the Marquesse of Onolsbach the Earls of Swartzenberg Henneberg and Hohenloe and as many of the Free or Imperiall Cities as are seated in it Thus every one did gather sticks when the great Oak fell the title of Duke of Francony remaining notwithstanding to the Bishops of Wurtzburg 1. WVRTZBVRB the Metropolis of Franconia the seat and residence of the Bishop who is Titulary Duke hereof is situate on the Mein or Moenus in a pleasant plain environed with Meadowes gardens and fruitfull mountains and very well fenced with walls trenches bulwarks and other Arts of modern fortification well peopled and for the most part handsomely and neatly built Passing over the Bridge built of free stone on many large and spacious Arches you come unto a fair and pompous though ancient Castle the ordinary dwelling of the Bishop and yet so strong that the many vain attempts of the Boores and Citizens apt to pick quarrells with their Prince made it thought impregnable to which the situation of it on the top of an hill added some advantage but it proved â—erwise when besieged by the King of Sweden anno 1631. who after a short but stout resistance took it by assault Other townes of most note which belong to the Bishops of Wurtzburg are 2 Forchein where it is said that Pontius Pilate was born 3 Gemand at the meeting of the Meine and the Sal or Sala 4 Chronac 5 Staphelstein 6 Hockstad of which little memorable But to return unto the Bishop as chief Lord of all he is called in the refined Latine of these times Herbipolitanus but commonly Wurtziburgensis differing in sound but not in sense For Wurtzburg is no other then a town of Worts situate amongst plants and gardens as before is said and Herbipolis made up out of severall languages doth signifie no more then a City of Herbs By whom the Episcopall See was here first erected and how the Bishops hereof came to be intituled unto their Estates hath been shewn already The manner how the new Bishop is admitted and the old interred may be worth our knowledge On the decease of the former Bishop the Lord Elect attended with a great train of horse is to make his entrance Assoone as coming within the Gates he alights off his horse and putteth off his robes and being attired in a poor and despicable habit begirt about with a rope bare-headed also bare-footed he is conducted by the Earls of Henneberg Custel Wortheim and Reineck to S. Saviours Church being his Cathedrall The Dean and Canons there meeting him ask him what he would have to which he modestly replyeth that though unworthy he is come to discharge the office unto which he is called Then the Dean thus I admit thee in the name of this whole Chapter committing to thy care this Church of Saint Saviours and the Dukedome thereunto belonging in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Which done he putteth on his Episcopall habi â—yeth Masse and from thence passeth to his Castle where he gives entertainment to all the Company The living Bishop thus invested proceed we next unto the buriall of the dead whose body being embowelled is kept in the Chappell of the Castle his heart preserved in a vessell of glasse The next day he is carried to the Monastery of Saint James holding a Crozier Staffe in his right hand and a sword in his left buried with which the next day after in the Church of S. Saviour As for the Revenues of the Bishop they must needs be great the Bishop hereof in the time of Charles the fift compounding for his peace with Albert Marquesse of Brandenbourg at the price of 220000 Crownes in ready money and entring into bond to pay all his debts which amounted to 350000 Crownes in ready money and entring into bond to pay all his debts which amounted to 350000 Crowns more by which we may partly guess at the richnesse of his Exchequer and partly at the greatness of his Intrado 2. The second great Lord of Franconie is the Bishop of BAMBERG a City seated on the Mein not far from Wurtzburg the little River Regnite falling there into it supposed by Mercator to be the Granionarium of Ptolemy and to have took this new name from the hill Baba so called from Baba daughter of Otho Duke of Saxon and wâ—â—e of Aâ—bert 〈◊〉 Earl hereof upon which it is situate the right name being Babemberg remember that Bâ—g in Dutch signifieth an Hill and contractedly Bamberg A City delectably seated amongst mountaines and pleasant gardens and in a soil exceeding fruitfull of all necessaries and yeelding Liquorice in great plenty the birth-place of Joachimus Camerarius one of the great lights of Germany and a See Episcopall the Bishop of which is exempt from the power of his Metropolitan subject immediately to the Pope and Lord of many fair towns and territories in this Countrey but much diminished since the time of Charles the fift the Bishop thereof then being giving to Marquesse Albert above mentioned for a cessation from arms anno 1530. no lesse then 60 of his Lordships most of which fall unto the share of the Marquesse of Onaldsbach besides the tutelage or Guardianship of his Wards and Clients Of those which are remaining in the hands of the Bishops the principall are 1 Gragingliac 2 Schleistat 3. The third great Lord to be considered is the Marquesse of Onaldsbach or Ansbach who is Master of no small part of this Countrey but his Estate as those of the other German Princes confused and intermixt with
Elector having married a sister of Frederick the fift Elector Palatine the most potent Prince of the Calvinians declared himself to be of that party and opinion the better to assure himself of the aids of Holland anno 1614. But when on the perswasions of his wife he set out an edict for suppressing the Lutheran formes and authorising the Calvinian onely throughout his dominions which was the yeer 1615 the people of this Marquisate rose in Armes against him the difference being thus composed that the Lutheran formes onely should be used in the Churches of Brandenburg for the contentation of the people and the Marquesse have the exercise of his new Religion for himself his Lady and those of their opinion in his private Chappell 's The Territories of this Family are the greatest as before is said of any in Germany but a great part of it is very barren and his subjects in those parts as poor as the Country much of his new accessions yeilding little but the titles onely So that neither in Revenue or Power he is able to keep rank with the Duke of Saxony his ordinary Revenue hardly amounting at the utmost to 200000l per annum which is but half of the receipts of the Duke of Saxony The Armes hereof are Argent an Eagle Gules membred and beaked Or. 15 POMERANIA POMERANIA is bounded on the East with Prussia from which parted by the River Wesel or Vistula on the west with Mecklenburg divided from it by the River Bartze on the North with the Baltick Sea extended on the Coast hereof for the space of 200 English miles and on the South with the Marquisate of Brandenbourg so named from the Pomortzi or Pomerani a nation of the Sclaves to whose share it fell or from the situation of it on the Sea shore as the word in the Sclavonian doth seeme to import The Country is for the most part plain abundantly fruitfull in Corn carried hence to Dantzig and transported thence to all parts of Christendome in their times of scarcity yeilding also good store of pasturage and great heards of Cattell with plenty of butter cheese honey and some reasonable quantities of flax Populous and those people of strong constitution as living under a sharp and piercing air The whole divided into the Continent and the Ilands the Continent into the Vpper Pomeren bordering upon Mecklenburg extended from the Bartze to the River Odera the Lower reaching from the Odera to the borders of Prussia Chief places in the UPPER are 1 Barth at the mouth of the River Bartze taking name from thence a well traded town and many times the seat of the Dukes of this hithermost Pomeren 2 Wolgast upon the Baltick sea over against the Isle of Vsedom the chief of this part of Pomeren from whence the Dukes hereof are called the Dukes of Pomeren-Wolgast the first town taken in by Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden in his famous war for relief of Germany anno 1630. 3 Straelsund a town of great trading and much resort seated upon the same sea also opposite to the Isle of Rugen a town of great name in the course of the German Warres 4 Grispswald on the same sea betwixt Wolgast and Straelsund made an University anno 1456. 5 Anclaw upon the River Pone 6 Tribsca situate on a lake out of which the said River hath its course Then in the LOWER Pomeren there is Camin an Episcopall See situate on the Baltick shore over against the Isle of Wollin 8 Colberg a strong town on the same shore also at the fall of the Persant into the Sea 9 Costin the last Sea-town of this tract lying towards Prussia 10 Stargard on the Ina more within the land as is also 11 Griffenberg upon the Rega and 12 Stetin on the Odera once a poor fisher-town now the Metropolis of this part of the Country rising to this greatnesse after the embracing of Christianity by the fall of Wineta formerly the chief Mart-town of all these parts The ordinary seat of the Dukes of the Lower Pomerania the Dukes of Pomeren of Stetin as for distinction sake they are used to call them The Ilands hereunto pertaining are those of Rugen Wallin Vsidom touched upon before but now more punctually to be handled That of most note is RVGEN over against Straelsund from which divided onely by a narrow street In length seven Dutch miles and as much in breadth so that the compasse of it if it were exactly round would amount to 20 German or an hundred Italian miles and yet once bigger then it is but in the year 1309 by the force of an outrageous tempest a great part of it lying towards the South-east as far as to the I le of Buden then conjunct hereto was torne away and sunk so deep into the bottome of the Sea that now the greatest ships that be sail over it The Iland plentifull of Corn the Granary of Straelsund as they call it commonly and reasonably well stored with Cattell full of Bayes Creeks and winding shores with many and vast Promentories thrusting into the Sea which gives them great increase of fishing Antiently it belonged to the Crown of Denmark till given by Waldemar the third to Bugislaus and Barnimus Dukes of Pomeren continuing ever since part of that estate The chief town of it is called Berga situate in the midst of the Iland but not containing above 400 Families others of lesse note and estimation being 2 Sugart 3 Vick 4 Bingst c. small towns compared with Villages upon the Continent but the best they have And yet so populous is the Iland that they are able to arme 7000 good fighting men if there be occasion The second of the three in repute and bignesse is that of Wollin situate over against Camin so called from Wollin the chief town Julinum it is called in Latine made an Episcopall See by Wartislaus the first Christian Prince of this nation upon the sackage of this City he removed to Camin A town which once so flourished in Traffick that it gave place to none but Constantinople the Russians Danes Saxons Vandals c. having here their particular streets But being miserably sacked by Waldemar King of Danemark anno 1170. most of the trade hereof was removed to Lubeck since which time it never could come neer its former glories The last in reputation is that of VSEDOM seated betwixt both not far from Wolgaft so called from Vsedom the chief town in it of which little observable All three the habitation of the antient Rugii who under Odoacer King of the Heruli subverted the Western Empire conquered Italy and made themselves masters of it till subdued by the Gothes Those which remained in these Ilands became after subject to the Sclaves and had once Kings of their own the first whose name occurs in story being Crito the son of Ratze a puissant Prince extending his Dominions into Holst Ditmarsh and the City of Lubeck which he built about the year
him out of silver mines is no lesse then 130000 yearly the 〈◊〉 laid on Beer in Leipsich onely a City but of two Parish Churches by which conjecture at the rest being farmed at 20000 l per annum Then hath he the tenthes of all sorts of encrease as of corn wine c. the Salt-houses at Hall and some other places very fair lands belonging unto his domain and besides a standing and perpetuall tax laid upon the Subject towards the maintenance of the war against the Turke granted at first in times of danger and hostility but gathered ever since in the time of peace as to that Enemie under colour of being ready and prepared against him According to the quantity of his Intrado so he keeps his State well served and better attended then any other of the Electors there being at one time in the Court of Christian the Father of the present Duke three Dukes three Earles and five Barons of other Nations besides the Nobility of his own all Pensioners and Servants to him one of the Princes of Anhalt and one of the Earls of Mansfeild both Homagers unto the Saxon being two of the number The Armes of Saxonie are Barre-wise of six pieces Sable and Or a Bend flowred Vert. Which Bend was added to the Coat by the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa when he confirmed Barnard of Aâ—halt in his Dukedom For Barnard desiring of the Emperor to have some difference added to the Ducal coat being before onely Barry Sable and Or to distinguish him and his successours from those of the former house the Emperour tooke a Chaplet of Rue which hee had then upon his head and threw it crosse his Buckler or Eschocheon of Armes which was presently painted on the same 18 BRUNSWICK and 19 LVNENBVRG The Dukedome of BRVNSWICK and LVNENBOVRG being both originally taken out of the great Dukedome of Saxonie extracted both from the same root and many times united in the person of the same one Prince shall bee joined together in the story though severed in the Chorographie or Description of them bounded on the East with Magdeburg and Brandenburg on the West with Westphalia on the North with Denmark on the South with Duringen and Hassia The Air in all parts hereof very cold and comfortlesse but sound and healthfull the soil towards the old Marches of Brandenburg but meanly fertile towards Duringen and Hassia mountainous and woodie in other parts very plentifull of corn and well provided also of such other commodities as usually doe grow in those colder climates But to take the Chorographie of them severally BRVNSWICK is bounded on the East with the Diocese of Magdeburg and the Earldom of Mansfeild on the West with Westphalen on the North with Lunenburg on the South with Hassia and Turingia So called from Brunswick the chief City and the head of this Dukedome Places of most importance in it are 1 Goslar upon the River Gose whence it had the name Of a poore Village made a City by Henry the first much beautified and enlarged by Henry the third who founded here two Churches and a stately Palace Now one of the Imperiall Cities 2 Helmstat in the middle way betwixt Brunswick and Magdeburg first fortified by Charles sonne of Charles the Great for a bridle to the neighbouring Sclaves and being after given to the Abbats of Werda was by them sold to William the Duke of Brunswick Quedelnberg built also by Henry the first much increased fince by the neighbourhood of a very rich Nunnerie the Abbesâ—e whereof had formerly the priviledges of a Prince of the Empire 4 Hildesheim an antient City honoured with an Episcopall See by Charles the Great at the first conversion of the Saxons 5 Grubenhagen which gave title to a younger branch of the house of Brunswick a principality and a member of the Empire 6 Hannover on the River Leine well built very strongly fortified and not meanly traded 7 Brunswick upon the River Onacter which passeth through it passed over by many handsome bridges the Metropolis of the antient Saxoniâ— and at this time the chief of this Dukedome though of it self Imperiall and one of the Hanse The City of a Quadrangular form seated in the midst of a plain very fruitfull of corn in compasse about two Dutch or eight English miles somewhat larger then Nurenberg and lesse then Erdford containing in that compasse not above twelve Churches whereof two have steeples covered with lead a third with brasse all the rest with tile Rich populous and strongly fortified on some sides with a double on others with a treble wall within which wals are five Cities distinguished by priviledges but united by Laws The whole first built by Bruno sonne to Ludolphus Duke of Saxonie and Uncle to the Emperour Henry the first about the year 861. from whence it had the name of Brunswick or Brunonis Vicus by the more elegant Latinists Brunopolis 8 Hamelen on the East side of the Weser or Visurgis encompassed with a deep moat occasioned by a stream cut out of the River round about which are divers fortifications and placed with Ordinance Nigh unto this town is the mountain called also Hamelen unto which the Peed-piper as they call him led the children of Halberstade where they all sunk and were never more seen but of this story more hereafter when we come to Transylvania 2 Wolfehaiten or Wolfenbuttell where the Duke doth keep his Court For though Brunswick giveth him his title yet will it not yeeld him any obedience but reputeth herselfe among the Hansetownes for which cause there have been great warres between the Dukes and the Citizens 3 Halberâ—iade a Bishops See the late Bishop or Administratour of the Bishoprick being Christian Duke of Brunsaick that noble young souldier who had vowed his life and fortune to the service of Elizabeth Queen of Bohemia created by King James one of the Knights of the Garter A Bishoprick of great revenew and a very large territorie since the alteration of Religion given with the title of Administrator to the sonnes of Brunswick but now by the conclusions at Munster assigned over to the Electour of Brandenburg with the title of Prince of Halberstade the familie of Brunswick being to be recompensed with an alternate succession in the Bishoprick of Osnaburg and some other additionals The Dukedome of LVNENBOVRG hath on the East the Old Marches of Brandenbourg on the West the Diocese of Bremen a part of Westphalia on the North the Elb and on the South the Dukedome of Brunswick So called from Lunenbourg the chiefe City once the seat of the Dukes Places of most observation in it are 1 Lunenbourg it self situate on the River Elvenaw an Imperiall City and one of the principall of the Hanse so called from the Moon here worshipped in the times of Idolatry Of a round form and seated in a pleasant valley but with mountains near it on one of which called Calberg is a very strong Castle of right
Duke of Friâ—land against whom it held out 13 months and yeelded at the last upon good conditions anno 1628. 2 Tychenberg Tychopolis my Author cals it a Dutch mile from Crempe but on the very bank of the river Elb where it receives the Rhin a small River upon which it is seated first built and after very well fortified by Christiern the fourth of purpose to command the Elb and put a stronger bridle in the mouths of the Hamburgers anno 1603. now held to be the strongest peece of all his Dominions the onely Town of all this Dukedome which yeelded not to the prevailing Imperialists in their late wars against the Danes anno 1628. 3 Bredenberg a strong town belonging to the Rantzoves one of the best pieces of the Kingdome remarkable for the stout resistance which it made to Wallenstein Duke of Fridland in the war aforesaid who at last taking it by assault put all the souldiers to the sword 4 Pippenberg another strong place and of very great consequence 5 Jetzebo on the River Store 6 Gluck-Stude upon a Creek or Bay of the German Ocean repaired and fortified by the said Christiern the fourth who much delighted in the place to command the passage up the Elb. 7 Store 8 Hamburg upon the Billen where it falls into the Elb an antient City built in the time of the Saxons repaired by Charles the Great and walled by the Emperour Henry the fourth Accounted since that time an Imperiall City and made one of the Hanse on the first incorporating of those Towns Which notwithstanding on a controversie arising about that time betwixt the Earl of Holstein and the people hereof it was adjudged to belong to the Earles of Holst and that determination ratified by Charles the fourth anno 1374. In pursuance whereof the Hamburgers took the Oath of Allegeance to Christiern Earl of Oldenburg the first King of Denmark of that house as Earl of Holst acknowledging him and his successours for their lawfull Lords though since they have endeavoured to shake off that yoak presuming very much on their power at Sea and the assistance which they are assured of upon all occasions from the rest of the Hansetownes As for the Town it selfe it is seated in a large plain with fat and rich pastures round about it well fortified by art and nature the Haven being shut up with a strong iron chain The buildings for the most part of brick but more beautifull then well contrived and the streets somewhat of the narrowest The publick strâ—ctures very fair especially the Counsell house adorned with the Statua's of the nine Worthies carved with very great Art the Exchange or meeting place for Merchants and nine large Churches The Citizens generally rich masters of many as great ships as sail on the Ocean some of them 1200 tun in burden which bring in great profit besides the great resort of Merchants and their Factors from most places else sometimes the Staple town for the Cloth of England removed on some discontents to Stode and from thence to Holland It is observed that there was in this town at one time 177 Brewers and but 40 Bakers nor more then one Lawyer and one Physitian The reason of which dispropoâ—tion was that a Cup of Nimis was their only Physick their differences sooner ended over a Can then by order of Law and Bread being accounted but a binder and so not to be used but in case of necessity Betwixt the Rivers Store and Eydore coasting along the German Ocean lies the Province of DITMARSH most properly called Tuitschmarsh from the marishnesse of the ground and the Dutch Inhabitants or from a mixture of those people with the Marsi spoken of before The people being naturally of the Saxon race retain much of the stomach and animosity of the Antient Saxons never brought under the command of the Earles of Holst as Wagerland and Storemarsh were till Holst it selfe was joined to the Crown of Denmark And though it was aliened from the Empire by Frederick the third and given in Fee to Christiern Earl of Oldenburg the first King of that house anno 1474. yet would they not submit unto his authority but held it out against him and some of his successours whom in the year 1500 they vanquished in the open field till broken and made subject by the valour and good fortune of King Frederick the second anno 1559. Chief places in it are 1 Meldorp upon the Ocean the chief Town of the Province the Inhabitants of which are so wealthy that many of them cover their houses with copper 2 Londâ—n opposite to a Peninsula or Demi-Island called Elderstede on the West side whereof it standeth 3 Heininckste and 4 Tellinckste of which nothing memorable And as for HOLSTEIN it selfe the fourth and last member of this Estate though the first in power and reputation it taketh up the Inland parts betwixt Storemarsh and Juitland save that it hath an outlet into the Baltick on the Northwest of Wagerland Chiefe places in the which are 1 Kyel Chilonium in Latine seated upon a navigable Arm of the Baltick Sea parting Wagerland from the Dukedome of Sleswick a Town well traded and having a capacious haven seldome without good store of shipping from Germany Lifeland Sweden and the rest of Denmark 2 Rendesberg the best fortified peece in all this Province 3 Niemunster on the Northwest of the Sore not farre from the head of it 4 Wilstre on a small River so called 5 Bramstede 6 Borsholm not much observable but for a Monastery in which Henry one of the Earles hereof of a younger house turned Monk and dyed anno 1241. The antient Inhabitants of this and the other three were the Saxons Sigalones and Subalingii placed here by Ptolemie whom I conceive to be no other then some Tribes of the Cimbri of whom this Chersonese took name The two last passing into the name of the first and in the declination of the Roman Empire marching over the Elb and spreading all along the Coasts of the German Ocean molested with their piracies and depredations the shores of Britain Known by that means unto the Britains they were invited to assist them against the Scots which action with the aid of the Juites and Angli Inhabitants together with them of the Cimbrick Chersonese they performed so honestly as to make themselves masters of the best part of the Island Such as remained behinde not being able to defend their owne against the Sclaves were fain to quit the parts lying next to Mecklenburg which being peopled by the Wagrii tooke the name of VVagerland But the Saxons being vanquished by Charles the Great these on the North side of the Elb became a part of the great Dukedome of Saxonie and so continued till dismembred by Lotharius both Duke and Emperour who gave the proper Holst or Holstein specially so called with the Province of Storemarsh to Adolph Earl of Schaumburg who had deserved well of him in his wars with