return'd promoters of Puritanism and rebellious Principles They arriv'd at Francfurt in June A. D. 1554 where by the favour of John Glauberge an Alderman of the City they were permitted the free exercise of their Religion in a Church formerly assign'd to the French Protestants Their chief Ring-leaders were Whittingham Williams Goodman Wood and Sutton who before they began to instruct their flocks took upon them to reform the Liturgy and Discipline of the Church of England The Surplice and Litany were cashier'd as rags of the Whore of Babylon and the Responsals laid aside as formal pieces of canting which disturb'd the due course of Divine Worship In short the whole Liturgy except the Lessons and Psalms was rejected as savouring too much of Rome and Antichrist Instead of the Magnificat Nunc dimittis c. they sung so many Stanza's of Sternhold's Rithms After Sermon they had a prayer for all states and conditions of men more particularly for the Church of England meaning their own Tribe in imitation of our prayer for the Church Militant and then concluded with The Peace of God c. The noise of this upstart Church wherewith Dr. Scory Bishop of Chichester now Superintendent at Embden Grindal Sandys and Haddon at Strasburg and Horn Chambers and Parkhurst at Zurick had refused to have communion drew Knox the Scotch Incendiary from Geneva in hopes of making a better market here then he could do in Switzerland Here he arriv'd about the latter end of September and immediately took upon him the Superintendency of the Church Whittingham and the other Divines submitting themselves to his Apostleship and Government This was highly resented by the Divines of Strasburg and Zurick who were well acquainted with Knox's principles and knew of what dangerous consequence the promotion of such a Hotspur was like to prove Whereupon Gryndal and Chambers were sent to Francfurt to endeavour a composure of differences and a reunion of all the English Protestants But their endeavours prov'd successless and vain tho they proposed that the substance of the English Liturgy being retain'd there might be by a general consent an omission of some ceremonies and offices in it allow'd of For Knox and Whittingham were as zealously bent against the substance as circumstantials of the Book In the midst of these confusions Dr. Cox Dean of Westminster and a principal composer of the Liturgy in King Edward the Sixth's days comes to Francfurt attended with a great many more English Exiles Upon his first arrival he causes one of his company to read the Litany in the Pulpit and not long after got Knox expell'd the Town for publishing some treasonable expressions against the Emperor Having thus worsted his adversary he was resolv'd to follow the blow which he did so effectually as to procure an Order from the Common Council of the City requiring all the English Protestants to be conformable to the Discipline of their Church as contain'd in the Book of Common Prayer But Cox tho at present Master of the Field was not able to appease the dissatisfied Brethren who follow'd Knox to Geneva and there set up the profession of their former Schismatical Tenents In short these scandalous ruptures first begun at Francfurt and afterwards carried on at Geneva occasion'd the irrecoverable discredit of our Church beyond Seas and were the first seeds of those lamentable animosities which to this day threaten our destruction The Territory of Francfurt which is under the subjection of the Citizens and Magistrates of the Town is bounded on the East with the County of Hanaw Territory on the South with the Landgraviate of Darmstat on the West with the Archbishopric of Mentz and on the North with the County of Wetteraw The soil is generally cover'd with Woods or Vineyards and there is little of arable or pasture ground in it The inhabitants of this Country are a laborious sort of people Inhabitants applying themselves chiefly to the planting of Vineyards and making Wine The poor people sell off their Wine and drink water having seldom the happiness to taste a draught of Beer It was indeed anciently a proverb in Germany Sachs Bayr Schwab und Franck Die lieben all den Tranck i. e. The Saxons Bavarians Swabes and Francks Are all inclin'd to excessive drinking But now adays that piece of debauchery is laid aside in Franconia and you shall seldomer meet with a drunkard here then in any other part of Germany The ancient Francks were men exceedingly plain and careless in their habit whence the Germans to this day say of any thing that 's plain and ordinary 't is gut Alt Franckisch but the case is alter'd and the modern Francfurters are rather foppish then slovenly in their Apparel In this they are still imitators of their Ancestors that they are a stout and hardy people which is enough to keep up that honour and repute which their Ancestors have got in foreign Nations The Asians call all the Europeans Francks and the Mahometans give the Western Christians the same name The Abyssines in Africa as Vagetius witnesses call the other part of the Christian World Alfrangues and the Country they inhabit i.e. Europe and some parts of Asia Francia The Principality of HENNEBERG HENNEBERG was formerly no more then a bare County the Earls whereof were first advanced to the honour of Princes of the Empire by the Emperor Henry VII in a public Convention or Diet of all the Estates of the Empire in the year 1310. The first of these Princes was Berthold surnam'd the Wise who was succeeded by Henry This Prince married his Daughter to Frideric Marquise of Misnia bestowing on her for a Dowry the County of Coburg The last Prince of this Line was George Ernest after whose death which hapned in the year 1583 the County of Coburg with the whole Principality of Henneberg fell into the hands of the Elector of Saxony 'T is a populous and fruitful Country 〈◊〉 bounded on the East with the Forests and Mountains of Thuringen on the South with the Bishopric of Bamberg on the West with the Diocess of Wurtzburg and on the North with the Territories annex'd to the Abbey of Fulda The Castle or Palace of Henneberg whence the Principality has its name is seated on the top of a Hill not far from the City Meiningen but has nothing in it remarkable SCHLEUSINGEN 〈◊〉 which has its name from the River Schleuss on which 't is seated is accounted the chief City in the County tho perhaps not in the Principality of Henneberg 'T is famous for a Gymnasium built here by the last Prince of Henneberg George Ernest A. D. 1577. 'T was for some time the chief Residence of the Earls and Princes of this Country many of whose monuments are still to be seen in the great Church Besides this the Towns of Romhilt Meinungen and Koningshoven challenge the name of Cities but very ill deserve that character We have already given a description of
of the greatest concourse of people who flock hither for justice in all causes Civil and Criminal It was formerly called Cimmersbeg as being the chief City of the ancient Cimbrians Tacitus calls it Civitatem parvam but withall that it had been a glorious and strong hold and the Metropolis of a terrible and warlike Nation Whence and when it got the name Wiberg is not easily determined Some tell us that after the many petty Principalities of the Cimbrians were united into one Monarchy by Wiglet this City lost its ancient name and was called after the Prince Wigburg corrupted by degrees into Wiberg Elnot in the life of St. Canutus says it had its new name from Wig an Idol worshipp'd in this place I rather think it the seat of the Danish Pyrats called formerly Wigs or Wikenger For it was the custom in the Northern Countries where the inhabitants were more then the fruits of the Land could sustain for young Noblemen to live of what they could catch abroad As the Lacedemonians thought Robbery so these fancied Pyracy lawful and glorious Whence Princes of the blood would often turn Pyrats and take upon them the title of Kings tho they had not the least dominion at land as the Norwegian History reports of St. Olaus The most notorious Pyrats mention'd by the Northern Historians are the Jomswikinger who dwelt in the City Wollin called anciently Jomsberg where they had established certain Laws and were subject to Magistrates and Governors chosen out of the Royal Family Cambden tells us that the Danes are usually understood by the name Viccingi in the Latin writers of our English History because says he they were professed Pyrats In our Learned King Aelfred's translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History Pyrats are called Wicengas and Wicings and Mr. Cambden guesses probably that the inhabitants of Glocestershire Worcestershire c. were formerly called Wiccii from the Sea-robberies committed daily by them upon the mouth of the Severn The English-Saxons named a stout warriour Wiga skill in war Wig-chaept a fort Wighus c. In the old Francic History of the life of St. Anno Arch-Bishop of Cologne we read Ninus hiz der eristi mann De dir ie volc Wigis began i. e. Ninus is the first that ever made war And in Willeramus's Paraphrase upon the Canticles Wighuis is a Castle Wiigfimme the art of Combat c. Nial's Runic History says Gunnar var alra manna best Viigur deira sem de voru a Islande i.e. Gunnar was the best Champion that lived in Island in his days From what has been said it seems very probable that Wiberg signifies no more then Wigton the name of several great Towns in England and Scotland and the Scots still retain so much of the old Saxon word Wig as to call souldiers and pillagers of the Country Wigs or Wiganeers There has been for some years a quarrel between the Bishops of Alburg and Wiburg about precedency each pretending his Bishopric the more ancient 'T is very hard if not impossible to decide the controversie except we date the first institution of the Bishoprick of Alburg from the removal of the Bishops Palace to that City For the Bishopricks of Wiburg and Borlum were both founded in one year by Sueno Esthrith who made Heribert Bishop of Wiburg the same time that he gave Borlum to Magnus Witfield gives Wiburg the precedency but Alburg is reckon'd the better and more honourable preferment by other Danish writers From the high Court of Judicature holden at Wiburg the Jutlanders can make no appeal save to the King himself The most memorable Bays in this Diocess are Sallingsundt Virckesundt Hualpsundt Sebersundt and Othesundt The last of which had its name from the Emperor Otho the first who making an incursion into Jutland about the year 948 came as far as this Bay into which he is said to have cast his Spear and given it the name it retains to this day The most considerable and fruitful part of this Diocess is Salling a Peninsula in the Limfiord whence are brought the best Horses that are to be met with in the King of Denmark's Dominions The name of this Province seems to point out the seat of the old Sabalingi whom Ptolomey makes a people inhabiting some part of the Cimbrian Chersonese but more Southerly then Salling The chief River in the Bishoprick of Wiburg is Gudius Gutalus or Guddenus called by the Natives Gudden Aa and stored with plenty of Fish Arhuse is a neat and pleasant Sea-port Town on the coast of the Baltic Sea Arhusen whence Etymologists derive its name from Aar-hus i. e. the house of Oars Which is a much more probable conjecture then is brought by Pontanus who fetches the word Arhusen from Ptolomy's Harudes The greatest part of the Danish Historians are of opinion that it was first made a Bishops See about the year 1014. Tho if it be true that Poppo was made Bishop of this Diocess its original must be fetcht as high as the year 992. The Cathedral at Arhuse is a neat piece of Architecture adorned with several rich monuments of Bishops Noblemen c. The Bishops Palace has lain many years in its ruins which still retain marks of its antient splendour and grandeur It is seated in the heart of Jutland and furnished with all manner of necessaries that the Country affords at a very reasonable rate and what forreign Commodities either the need or luxury of its Citizens call for are brought daily in by the Mariners In this Diocess there are thirty one Judicatures Seven Cities three hundred and four Parishes and five Forts the strongest of which is Schanderborch or Schonderborch i.e. the neat Castle seated on the Gudden The rest of the Cities of note in the Bishopprick of Arhusen are 1. Horsen on the South of Arhusen 2. Randruse a place famous for the best Salmon in Jutland 3. Ebeltod on the Baltic Coast a Town of considerable trade The Bishoprick of Ripen Ripen bordering on the Southern Jutland contains in it seven Cities two hundred eighty two Parishes ten Castles and an hundred Noblemens houses It is seated upon the clear and sweet river Nipsaa which parting it self into three streams divides the Town into as many parts and gave occasion to the City's Arms which are three Lions Here abouts Ptolomy seems to place his Cimbros phundusios That this City should have its name from the Latin word Ripa upon its being situate on the banks of the river is no great wonder if we consider that whilst the Natives of these parts busied themselves chiefly in fortifying and peopling their great Ciities 't was ordinary for the Germans Romans and other Foreigners to give names to small Villages upon the Sea-Coasts which after a revolution of some years by the advantage of a brisk Sea-Trade grew bulky and were often advanced into large Corporations The Cathedral is a stately Fabrick of hewen stone beautified with a Tower of an incredible height which
serves for a good Land-mark to the Sea-men that sail along this dangerous shore This Church was first built on the top of a hill by King Eric Barn whom St. Ansgar had converted to Christianity about the year 848. Near an hundred and fifty years after upon the reclaiming of the Danes from the Idolatry they were relaps'd into this Church was turn'd into a Cathedral and Ripen made a Bishops See as it hath continued ever since There is a kind of an University at Ripen but comes far short of that at Copenhagen The rest of the Cities and great Towns of moment in this Diocess are 1. Kolding first built by Eric Glipping about the year 1268 in the place of an old Castle of the same name and fortified with such strong walls and good ditches as made it a City able to defend the frontiers of the Danish dominions which in those days reached no further South then this place But they that think Kolding had its name from Ptolomy's Chali who seem to be placed in this part of Jutland make it a City much more ancient Christian III. was so much taken with the situation of it and plenty of all things in the Country adjoining that he removed his Court to the Castle Arnsburgh which hangs over the Town which he repair'd and in which he ended his days On the South the City is washed by a River which divides the Northern Jutland from the Southern and separating it self into two branches is emptied soon after into the Baltic Sea The Bridge over this River brings yearly a great treasure into the King of Denmark's Coffers For besides the impost upon all other kinds of commodities for every Ox or Horse that passes this Bridge towards Holstein or any of the Hans Towns the owners pay a Rixdollar which considering the infinite number of Horses and Kine which are yearly sent this way out of the Northern Jutland must needs amount to a vast revenue 2. Wee l a compact neat and well built City on the Baltic shore but not very large 3. Ward 4. Rinkoping Both seated near the Western-shore upon the same River 5. Holstebro 6. Lemwick which is the outmost bounds of the Bishoprick of Ripen Northward seated on the Limfiord whence it has its name At Jelling a small Village in this Bishoprick not far from the City Wee l is to be seen one of the most famons Runic Monuments that the three Northern Kingdoms afford This Village is said to have had its name from one Elling a General of the Cimbrians and fancied to have been the seat of several Danish Kings The inscription has been thought worthy the diligent enquiry of Jos Scaliger Bonaventura Vulcanius Lindenbrogius Stephanius and Wormius and may therefore justly challenge a place in our description of this Province The words are these Haralter Kunugr bad kaurva Kubl dausi eft Gurm fadur sin Aug eft Thiurni mudur sinasa Haraltr Kesor van Tanmaurk Alla aug Nurvieg Aug tini folk Kristno i. e. Harald the King commanded this Tomb to be built in remembrance of Gormo his father and Thyra his mother Harald the Emperor won Denmark and all Norway and Christ'ned the inhabitants of both Kingdoms How worthy Queen Thyra was of such a lasting monument as this we shall shew hereafter and shall in this place only take notice of King Harald's styling himself Kesor or Emperor of Denmark and Norway Which seems to be done in contempt of the Emperor Otho the first who having conquer'd a great part of the Kingdom of Denmark annexed this to the rest of his dominions and writ himself Emperor of the North till this King Harald Blaatand forced him to retire and made him part with not only whatever he had taken in Jutland but a great part of Saxony After so great a conquest and defeat of so mighty an Emperor he had reason to assume a title as swelling as ever Otho could pretend to who came no further then Othesundt with his Army Especially if it be true what Helmoldus reports of him that he was so far King of Saxony as to be the Author of those Laws which are to this day observed in the upper and lower Saxony and contained in their Saxon-Spiegel Southern Jutland THE Southern Jutland which is often comprehended under the name of the Dutchy of Sleswic reaches from Kolding and the River Leewens Aa as far as the Dannewirk which is reckon'd about eighteen German miles The breadth of it does not any-where exceed eight seldom six miles The chief City Sleswic which sometimes gives name to the whole Province is Sleswic It is seated on a River or rather a small arm of the Sea called by the inhabitants De Slye So that Sleswic is no more then a Village call'd anciently by the Saxons Wic by the Hollanders to this day Wiick and the Latines Vicus upon the Slye Hence the ancient people of these parts are called by Ptolomy Sigulones which some read Slievâ—nes i.e. Wooners or dwellers upon the banks of the Slie Adam Bremensis calls the Town Slias-wig and Ethelwerd an ancient English-Saxon Historian gives us this account of it Anglia vetus sita est inter Saxones Giotos habens oppidum Capitale quod sermone Saxonico Sleswic nuncupatur secundum Danos vero Haithaby i. e. Old England lies between Saxony and Jutland the Metropolis of which is called by the Saxons Sleswic but by the Danes Haithaby In an old History of the life of Charles the Great it is called Sliestorff It had its Danish name Haitheby saith Pontanus from Hetha a certain Queen of Denmark Which assertion seems confirm'd by a passage in the Preface to King Aelfred's English-Saxon translation of Orosius And of Scipinges heale he cÆ¿aeþ ê§ he seglode on fif dagan to þem porte þe mon haetaet Haeðh um se stent betÆ¿uh Winedum Seaxum Angle hyrðh in on Dene i.e. And from Sciringes-heal he said that he sailed in five days to the Port which is called Haethe which stands between the Vandals Vinedi Saxons and the Angles to whom it is subject 'T was questionless heretofore a City much frequented by Merchants from Britain France Spain Flanders and all other parts of the trading world Adam Bremensis who lived about the year 1100 calls it Civitatem opulentissimam ac populosissimam i.e. a City exceeding rich and populous And so it must needs have been For before Mariners learnt perfectly the way of shunning the dangerous Sands upon the coasts of Jutland and at the entrance into the Baltic carriages were usually brought up the Eidor and Threan as far as Hollingsted by Ship and thence conveyed by Land to Sleswic where they were again shipped and so transported into Zeeland Sweden c. The Citizens here were first converted to Christianity and the great Church built by King Eric Barn assisted by St. Anchar about the year 800. Not long after in the year 1064 the Slavonians making incursions into this part of the Country
The Town is governed by a Court of Schipins or Aldermen who themselves are subject to a Burgo-master chosen yearly as a Mayor in our Cities out of them who during his government has the title of General of Great Poland conferred on him The Bishop and Clergy are in the Province of the Archbishop of Gnesna Seven miles from this city you have Gnesna called by the Dutch Gnisen formerly the Metropolis of Poland Gnesna built by Lechus the first Duke of Poland by whom it had its name given from the Polish word Gniasao which signifies a nest because in this place Lechus found an Eagles nest Whence to this day the Princes of Poland bear a spread Eagle for their Arms. This is the seat of the chief Metropolitan Archbishop in the whole Kingdome of whose state and grandeur we have given you a relation before In the Cathedrall is kept an inestimable treasure of Gold Silver and curious enamel'd vessels left by several Princes of Poland and Archbishops of this See which was much encreased by the legacies of Henry Firley late Archbishop who besides many vessels and vestments of great worth gave them his own mitre valued at 24000 Polish guilders which being reduced to our English money will amount to about 2300 pounds sterling The gates leading into the Cathedral are of Corinthian brass and rarely wrought These at first were taken out of the Monastery of Corsuna in the Tauric Chersonese whence they were removed to Kiow and from thence brought hither by Boleslaus the second In the year 1613 this city was miserably laid wast by fire and does yet daily loose something of its antient glory The rest of the Towns of Posnania are meanly built and without any considerable fortifications Their buildings excepting onely the Churches Monasteries and other religious houses are most commonly of wood The County of Calissia has its name from the chief City in it Calissia by the Polanders called Kalisk seated on Przoen and fortifyed with a strong brick wall Stanislaus Karncow Archbishop of Gnesna founded here a stately Colledge of Jesuits and endowed it with a considerable revenue The countrey round this City is generally like the rest of the greater Poland pleasant fruitfull and very well cultivated and inhabited every where abounding with great Towns and villages Among which Borek and Goluchow are the most considerable the former for a famous picture of the Virgin Mary resorted to with a great opinion of devotion by most of the zealous Romanists in these parts the latter for an extraordinary peice of modern Architecture in the Palace of the Counts of Lesno The City of Sirad Sirad which gives name to the Palatinate of Siradia is seated on the south of Calissia upon the river Warta 'T is fortifyed with a strong brick wall Most of the houses are of wood and very mean and low This City and the territories about it made formerly a Dukedome usually given to the second son of the Polish King Seven German Petricow or twenty nine English miles from Sirad lyes Petricow a neat and well built City where sits yearly the Parliament of Poland Vielun Vielun or Wielun is somewhat differing in beauty from the rest of the Cities of these parts most of its houses being brick Rava is as populous a City as Vielun Rava but short of it in the splendor of its buildings which are commonly wood except the castle which is brick In this is reposited a fourth part of the revenues of the Crown and all captives if persons of any considerable quality are here kept prisoners Instances whereof we have in the natural son of Charles King of Sweden who with other officers of the Swedish army was taken prisoner in the Lifland wars and Baldise General of Gustaphus Adolphus's forces who with Streffe Taiste and other Colonels was taken in the wars of Prussia Five German Lowicz or twenty English miles from Rava lies Lowicz the residence of the Archbishop of Gnesna 'T is a place much more populous then Rava and yearly in the Fair-time throng'd with great numbers of merchants who flock thither from all quarters The Archbishop's Palace is seated in a low and marshy ground nevertheless its fabrick is magnificent and well becoming the state of so great a Prince Lancicia or Lanschet giving denomination to a Palatinate of the same name Lancicia is situate in a low and fenny ground encompassed with a ditch and brick wall Not far from the City is a Monastery which might easily if as well provided for by art as nature be made impregnable There is besides little in the City worth taking notice of except the great fairs kept once a year and the sessions of the Deputies of this Palatinate which are here holden Cujavia is bounded on the East with Masovia and the Palatinate of Rava Cujavia on the south with the Palatinates of Lanschet and Calissia on the north with Prussia It contains in it two Baronies Breste which lies to the east and south and Juniuladislavia This Countrey is rich in corn and cattel and well stored with Fish In the Palatinate of Bresty lies the City of Vladislaw Bresty the seat of the Bishop of Cujavia and Pomeren The Cathedral here is a pitiful old-fashioned peice of building but well furnished with plate and rich ornaments and reliques within The houses are generally of brick Matthias Golanciew who was forty two years Bishop of this See beautifyed this City very much by building that stately Palace which is seen at this day in Vladislaw instead of an old ruinous castle and founding the Church of St. Vital the Martyr The next considerable place is Bresty built of brick and wood interlayd The other Towns of note are Nisaw a wall'd Town Rasienski guarded with a fair Castle Radschow seated on the lake Goplo and Kowale upon the Vistula Cruswick belongs properly to the Palatinate of Bresty though situated upon the confines of Inouladislavia Cruswick In the suburbs of this City stands a Church dedicated to St. Peter built of square stone with a Colledge of twenty four Canons In the adjoyning Island stands a Brick Castle built by Popielus the elder who chose this place to live in rather then Cracow or Gnesna whither he had once removed his Court as being of too timorous a nature to trust himself in the confines of the Russians or Hungarians Here as the Polonian Chronicles report Papielus son of Papielus the elder was devoured by mice heaven by this punishment revenging the blood of several of his relations whom his greedy ambition of swaying the scepter had prompted him to poyson at a banquet Cromer advances the story by telling us That his father in his ordinary revels used to wish himself and his children this kind of death and That the mice were miraculously generated out of the carcases of his poyson'd kindred PRUSSIA ACCURATE INSCRIPTA a Gasparo Henneberg Erlichensi Nobiliss o tam prosapia
generis quam Meritis in Patriam Honoratiss o Viro D. o NICOLAO VON BODECK Consuli et Primario Iudici in celeberrion totius Maris Baltici Emporio Vrbe Gedanensi artium literarumque â—autori benevolentiss o D. D. D. Ioannes Ianssonius MASOVIA Masovia called by the Polanders Mazowsze by the Germans Die Masaw lies in the very middle of Poland bounded on the north with Prussia on the east with Lithuania and Polessia on the west with some part of the lesser Poland on the south with the Palatinate of Rava 'T is usually divided into these four parts The Palatinates of Podlachia Plockzo Masovia strictly so called and the territories of Dobrin which last ought rather to be reckoned a part of the Palatinate of Plockzo There are different conjectures touching the original of its name The most commonly received is That upon the death of Mieceslaus the second the Nobility of Poland not enduring the impotent and effeminate government of his surviving Queen Rixo layd hands upon what every man could catch Among these Masos or as others call him Maslaus formerly Cup-bearer to the deceased King siezed upon that large tract of land which he after his own name called Masovia This Masos was afterwards overcome by Casimir the first by whom he was taken and put to death By this means it was again restor'd to the Crown of Poland though it still retained the name of Masovia But Stanislaus Serictius rejecting in part this story derives more probably the Massovii from the Massagetes I know saith he what our Historians have written touching the original of the Massovians But it seems incredible to me that so famous and couragious a people should stoop to borrow their denomination from so mean a person In the year 1220 Lescus the white in the Parliament of Sandomir granted the Dukedomes of Masovia Cujavia and Dobrinia to his brother Conrade from which time it was governed by Dukes of its own doing homage however to the Kings of Poland till the the year 1495 but then the race of the Dukes of Masovia began to fail For that year John Duke of Masovia dyed a Batchelour upon which John Albert reunited Plockzo to the Crown leaving the rest of Masovia to his brother Conrade Which after his decease in the year 1503 was granted to his children upon condition that for default of male issue it should return to the Crown which was effected in the reign of Sigismund the first In the same manner the Palatinate of Podlachia formerly belonging to Masovia and joyned by Casimir Jagellon to Lithuania return'd to the Kingdom of Poland in the year 1567. There are no peculiar Bishops in Masovia but the whole Province is divided under the jurisdiction of Posnan Plockzo and Luceoria The Metropolis of Masovia is Warsaw by the Polanders called Warfrawa seated in the very centre of the Polish dominions upon the Vistula encompassed with a double wall and deep ditch distant 40 German or 160 English miles from Posen and Cracow Here the King of Poland keeps his Court in a large four squared Palace built by Sigismund the third but much beautifyed by his successours Over against this on the other side of the river which is passable by a stately wooden bridge sits the great Parliament of Poland in another of the Kings Palaces called Viasdow seated in the midst of many and delicate Groves and Gardens In the City are publique buildings of good note the most remarkable of which is St. John Baptists Church where divine service is performed by secular Canons Not far from Viasdow in the suburbs called Cracow stands as a trophie of the victory obtained by the Poles over the Moscovite a small Chappel built by the Kings command for the burial of Demetrius Suiscius great Duke of Moscovie who dyed a captive in the Castle of Gostenin The Nobility of Masovia which are more numerous then in any other part of Poland being reckoned to amount to near forty thousand whereof fifteen thousand appear'd in a body at the Coronation of Sigismund the third are all Roman-Catholicks never suffering any of other religions or opinions to reside among them Out of these are sent yearly to the general Assembly of the Estates one Palatine and six Castellanes The Palatinate of Plockzo lyes eastward from Masovia between the Vistula and Prussia Plockzo 'T is divided into the territories of Plockzo Zavera Mlava and Srensco and sends out to the great Parliament four Senators that is The Bishop The Palatine and Castellanes of Plockzo Radzyagas and Sieprez It has its name from Plockzo its chief City seated on a high bank of the Vistula whence you have a fair prospect of a pleasant and fruitful Countrey The City is an Episcopal See and very populous There are in it several religious houses and Churches besides the Cathedral very well endowed especially the Abby of Benedictines in the suburbs where among other reliques is kept the head of St. Sigismund to whom the Church is dedicated enchased in gold given by Sigismund the third The territory of Dobrizin is properly a part of the Palatinate of Plockzo though Mr. Blaeu Dobrzin and some others have made it a distinct part of Masovia It has its name from the City Dobrzin situate between Cujavia and Plockzo on a rock near the banks of the Vistula The houses in it are generally of wood and the whole City is environed with wooden fortifications The Countrey affords great store of fruit and fish PRVSSIA Whence Prussia or Borussia called by the Germans Preussen should fetch its name Prussia is not easily determined Certain it is That it is not to be met with amongst antient authors Cluverius thinks Helmoldus who flourished in the twelfth Century is the oldest writer that gives any account of the Countrey under this name But both Dithmarus who lived in the beginning of the eleventh Century in the days of the Emperour Henry the second and before him an Anonymous writer of the life of St. Adalbert the Apostle of the Prussians about the year 990 mentions it Marianus Scotus will have the word derided from Aprutis a City saith he in these parts where St. Adalbert suffered martyrdome in the year 995. But this conjecture is vain and precarious for where any City of this name formerly stood or its ruins can at this day be found only he himself can tell us Johannes Annius Viterbiensis tells us the Prussians were at first called Pruti and that from one Prutus a Scythian King grandchild to Noah That this nation is an offspring of the antient Scythians is indeed allowable but to the rest of the story we can say no more then That 't is well known how nimble this author and his feign'd Berosus are at counterfeiting of names in the Etymologies of Countries Others of the same authority with Viterbiensis bring the Prussians out of Asia under the command of Prussia a King of Bithynia Some will have the word Prussi or Prutheni corrupted
at for the barbarous commonalty could not but by degrees be weaned from their antient folly Besides the Masters of the Order minded the enlargement of their own power and dominion more then the preaching of the Gospel being grown to that height of insolence that they despised the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of Rome and sleighted the Popes threats and excommunication This neglect gave way to many Schisms and divisions in the Prussian Church insomuch that the Waldenses Wiclesians and Hussites had almost overrun the Land However the Teutonic Order still professed the Roman-catholic religion till the days of Alhert Marquess of Brandenburgh last Master of that order and first Duke of Prussia who having not without a great deal of blood-shed rejected the Polish yoke about the year 1520 began to embrace Martin Luther's opinions and by his own example and authority first perswaded the greatest part of the Teutonic order to marry and by degrees won over the whole Country to Lutheranism The present Elector of Brandenburgh being himself a Calvinist has countenanced of late Calvinism in Konigsberg and other chief Cities of Ducal Prussia but in Dantzick and the other Towns upon the Vistula which are subject to the Crown of Poland the people are Lutherans The same Laws and Judicature are not observed all Prussia over For some parts of it only known by the name of Prussia Regalis are subject to the Kings of Poland and those too enjoy several peculiar privileges and immunities the rest which usually goes under the name of Ducal Prussia is immediately subject to the Elector of Brandenburgh The three Islands called commonly by the High Dutch Die Werder The chief part of the Regal Prussia lyes in the three Islands between Elbing and Dantzick which the Germans call Die Werder which signifies properly so many solid pieces of ground in the middle of fenns and bogs The first and least of these Dantzick is der Dantzicher Werder or Island of Dantzick which is seated on the North-West end of it upon the Vistula When and by whom this City was built at first is not certainly known Becanus thinks t was built by the Danes and from them called Danswick i. e. the City of the Danes But this derivation of the word has too much Dutch in it 'T is more probable that to the word Dan Codan Cdan or Gdan was added only the Slavonian termination Scke which made Danscke or Gdanscke changed afterwards into Dantzig The chief part of the City Die rechte Stadt was built by Conrad Wallenrodt Master of the Teutonic order about the year 1390. St. Maries Church in Dantzick is the stateliest Fabrick in Prussia having in it forty eight altars and 3722 windows The font in it was made at Antwerp and cost 24000 Rixdollars or 5400 pound Sterling The City is exceeding populous and a place of the greatest trade in these parts The next Island is Der Marienbursche Werder Marienburg the greatest of the three which takes its name from Marienburg a pleasant City on the banks of the Negat The Castle of Marienburg was built in the year 1281. It was reckoned the strongest hold the King of Poland has and by the Preusners set in competition with the best forts in Christendom according to their hobbelling verse Margenburg ex luto Offen ex Saxo ex Marmore Meiland And Faelix Pidelarus has given this bold character of it Fundamenta latent domibus camerata profundis Firmior Arctoo nulla sub axe jacet MAGNI DVCATVS LITHVANIAE Caetâ—…rarumque Regionum illi adiacentium exacta descripâ—◠〈…〉 The third Island is Der Elbingscher Werder 〈◊〉 so called from the City of Elbing seated in it Ptolomey seems to place his Aelveones and Tacitus his Helvecones near this place whence Fridericus Zamelius takes the liberty to call this City Augusta Aelvaeonum and Aelveopolis not doubting but it had its name from these antient people Hennebergerus more probably brings the name from Oehlsing Oelfang or Eelfang that is a place where Eels are caught But Conringius a very learned professor of Physick in the University of Helmstad with most judgment brings the word from Elff which was a common name given by the Goths almost to all Rivers For 't is certain the Gothes lived here for some considerable while though it be but a meer guess to affirm that this was the seat of Ptolomey's Aelveones or Tacitus's Helvecones Elbing as it now stands was built about the middle of the thirteenth Century by the Burgers of Lubeck who prevailed with the Master of the Teutonic Order to suffer it to enjoy the same Laws and Priviledges which the Emperour Friderick the second had granted to Lubeck The Master gave them also for their arms which the City still bears two Crosses and a net out of the arms of Lubeck but in the year 1454 they delivered their laws libertyes City and themselves into the dominion of the King of Poland The City is well built and very clean There is in it great store of English who trade here in cloth though their number has of late been something abated by the greater concourse of Merchants to Dantzig The Country Rusticks in the neighbourhood of Elbing have as well built houses and as rich clothes as most Noblemen in Pomeren and you can scarce here discern a Bore from a Burger by his habit The whole Island is a level champagn Country like Holland and as fruitful too and well peopled as any part of that Province Amsterdam excepted Prussia Regia THe other parts of Prussia 〈…〉 more immediately subject to the Crown of Poland are the following Cities all seated on the banks of the Vistula 1. Dersavia or Dirschau called formerly Zuder-Sau because seated on the bank of a small river of that name which runs into the Vistula It was built in the year 1209 burnt 1433 and utterly destroyed 1577. So that now there is little of it to be found but ruins 2. Marienwerder or the City of St. Mary in the Island was built by Burehard Burgrave of Magdeburg about the year 1233 who fenced it with walls and a strong Castle This City has been often in the hands of the Electors of Brandenburgh whence commanding all the Ships that came up and down the Vistula they could easily spoil the whole trade of Poland 3. Culm an antient and famous City giving name to that great tract of Land which from it is called Culmigeria or the Land of Culm Most of the Prussian writers will have Culmigeria to fetch its name from the Hulmigeri antient inhabitants of these parts And 't is as probable the Hulmigeri might have their name frâ—â— Holm easily turned according to the idiom of the Northern languages into Culm which signifies a piece of firm ground among boggs such as Culm is at this day seated upon The City was built or rebuilt rather by Herman de Balk first provincial of Prussia in the year 1232. As soon as it was
finished Herman de Salza Master of the Teutonic Order gave Laws and Constitutions Die Kulmsche Handveste for its government a specimen of which antient Canons is given by Lambecius out of an old Dutch Manuscript in the Emperor's Library at Vienna The City at present looks old and ruinous but is still a Bishop's Sec. The Lutherans were permitted the exercise of their religion in private houses by a publick edict signed and published in this City by John Malachowski Bishop of the Diocess the thirteenth of March 1678. 4. Thoorn built at the same time with Culm by the Knights of the Teutonic Order for a post against the Heathen Prussians but not in the place where it now stands Old Thoorn was seated a mile West-ward from the new where to this day are found the ruins of an old Castle and City By whom and when new Thoorn was first founded is not easily determined for when in the year 1454 this part of Prussia delivered it self up into the hands of the King of Poland the old and new Thoorn joyned interests and made up one entire Corporation betwixt them Whence it hapned that the records of the new City were neglected and lost Thoorn seems to have had its name from the German word Thor a gate because built by the Teutonic Order as a gate to let in such forces into Prussia as they should have occasion for Hence the arms of Thoorn are a Castle and Gate half open At present this City is the neatest and best built in Regal Prussia The streets are much broader and the houses statelier then at Dantzig It owes much of its beauty to Henry Stroband Burgo-master of the Town who died in the year 1609. He built the Gymnasium here and endowed it with a considerable revenue for the maintenance of several Lecturers and poor scholars He founded also the Hospital and public Library and built a-new the Town-hall which were it not of late out-done by the Stadthuis at Amsterdam might be reckoned the stateliest in Europe of its kind The rest of this Country comprchended under the general name of Ducal Prussia is subject to the Elector of Brandenburgh and therefore as a part of the Empire shall be treated of in the description of Germany The Great Dukedom of Lithvania WHence this large and noble Country should have its name is utterly unknown Lithvania 'T is ridiculous to bring the word from the Latine Lituus a hunting-horn because forsooth the inhabitants are much addicted to hunting Erasmus Stella an Historian of good credit tells us some Prussians under the command of Litwo one of their Kings sons came into these parts about the year 573 and called the land after their Captains name Litwania or Litvania The Polish Historians agree generally in this story That Palaemon flying the fury of Attyla left Rome and came with several Italians into this Country who gave it the name of La Italia which was afterwards corrupted into Lithvania The Lithvanians themselves glory in this derivation of the name of their Country and prove this story of Palaemon true by the Roman names of their Nobles Vrsin Column Julian c. But this etymology seems too far fetch'd Stella aims fairest tho he miss the mark a little For 't is certain the Prussians did conquer this land and seat themselves in it tho the additional story of Prince Litwo seems feign'd More likely it is that the Prussians not satisfied with their change call'd the Country Lithvania from Litwo which in the ancient Prussian language signifies a vagabond or wanderer The ancient inhabitants are thought to have been the Alani Antient inhabitants since the Lithvanians do still retain some footsteps of the name of these people in their Lithalani and Roxalani But he that shall compare the account which Ammianus Marcellinus gives of the manners of the ancient Alani with what the best Authors say of the old Lithvanians will easily perceive that they are not both one Nation Their language sufficiently proves them to be of the same original with the Prussians and what that is we told you before About the year 1235 Ringeld son of Gimbut Alteration of Government of the posterity of Palaemon is said to have first taken upon him the title of Great Duke of Lithvania In the year 1319 Gedimin who first built Vilna refused to pay homage to the Russian and entring Novogrod with an army took Volodimir and made all Volhinia swear fealty to the Magistracy of Lithvania How large the Dukedom is may appear from the vast territories he left to each of his seven sons at his death To Montvid he gave Kiernova and Slomin To Narimund Pinsko Mozyr and part of the Province of Volodimir To Olgierd Creve and the Country beyond as far as Beresine To Kieystut Samogitia and the territories of Troce Lida Vpide and Subsylvania To Coriat Novogrod and Volkowiski To Lubart Volodomir and Volhinia To his youngest son Javnut Vilna Osmia and Braslaw designing him for Great Duke But soon after when the Tartars begun to infest Volhinia and Kiow Javnut was deposed and his brother Olgierd made Great Duke in his place He in the year 1331 falls upon the Tartars and in a short time makes himself Master of Podolia which they had kept for some years About the same time Demetrius Duke of Moscovy sent an Ambassador into Lithuania to demand a restitution of all those Provinces which formerly belong'd to the Dukedom of Russia The Great Duke immediately upon his arrival commits him to close custody and marching forthwith in the head of his army towards Moscovy surprised the Duke in his Palace and forced him to accept of a peace upon this condition That for the future the bounds of Lithuania should reach as far as Mosco and the river Vgra When Vladislaus Jagello was chosen King of Poland in the year 1386 he promised that from thence forward the Great Dukedom of Lithuania should be annexed to that Crown At the same time the Lithvanian and Russian Nobility took an oath of allegiance to the King and Queen of Poland which was repeated in the years 1401 and 1414. But this obligation they afterwards shook off For when the Polanders desired to joyn Volhinia Podolia and some other Provinces of Russia to their own Kingdom the Lithuanians loath to part with so fair possessions opposed them with that vehemence That for several years there was nothing but continuall skirmishes between the two Nations At last in the year 1566 differences begun to be composed which were finally determined A. D. 1569 by articles drawn up and subscribed to by both parties in the presence of several Ambassadors of other Nations The principle Articles agreed upon were these That the Lithuanians should for the future disclaim all right and title to the Provinces of Podlachia and Volhinia and the Palatinate of Kiow That they should never by themselves elect a Great Duke but upon a vacancy repair to the place whither they
of Lechus the first Others think it the same with Ptolomey's Carodunum corrupted into Cracow This City as 't is the largest so it is the best built of any one in Poland Cromer sets it in competition with the best built Cities of Germany or Italy but we must allow him to stretch a little more then ordinary in commendation of his own Country The houses are for the most part of free-stone and four or five stories high but covered with boards instead of slat There are in it a considerable company of Italian and German Merchants who bring in such foreign wares as the Country stands in need of It consists like London and Paris of three parts 1. Cracow properly so called or the antient City 2. Cazimiria joyned to the rest by a wooden bridge cross the Vistula 3. Stradomia which lyes between Cracow and the bridge The King's Palace is seated on the top of an high hill whence it overlooks both City and Country 'T was rebuilt in the magnificent posture it now stands by Sigismund the Elder who added the gallery on the north side from whence you have one of the best prospects in Europe The University of Cracow was first begun by Casimir the Great finished by Vladislaus Jagello in performance of the last will and testament of his Queen Hedwig and had its priviledges confirmed to it by Pope Vrban In the year 1549 the scholars of Cracow by a general consent left the University upon an affront put on them by the Magistrates of the City who refused to execute justice upon the servants of Andrew Czarnkowski when in a quarrel they had slain a great number of students and dispersed themselves into several parts of Germany whence returning Lutherans they spread the reform'd opinions all Poland over and got great numbers of proselytes Upon the first planting of Christianity in this Kingdom Miecislaus the first who begun his reign in the year 964 Cracow was made an Archbishoprick But within a hundred years after Lampert Zula refusing to receive his Pall from the Pope of Rome as his predecessors had done before him it degenerated into a Bishoprick Afterwards in the reign of Boleslaus the chast which begun A.D. 1226 a contest arising between Jvo Bishop of this Diocess and the Bishop of Vratislaw about precedency the Bishop of Cracow upon his submissive appeal to the See of Rome was again restored to the dignity of an Archbishop which only lasted during his life At this day the Bishops of Cracow wear an Archbishop's Pall set richly with jewels which is the only relique they have of their antient honour The next Palatinate of the Lesser Poland Sendomir is that of Sendomir The City is seated on the bank of the Vistula and fortifyed with walls and a Castle both built by Casimir the Great who afterwards dyed of a surfet by eating too freely of the fruits of this Country which are reckoned the fairest and best in Poland Here is nothing else worth the taking notice of save the Monastery of Dominican Friars founded by Jvo Archbishop of Cracow The Palatinate of Lublin was taken out of that of Sendomir as being too big for the jurisdiction of one Palatine by Casimir Jagellonides Lublin The City is not very large but well built and much frequented especially in the Fairs kept three times a year by Christian Jewish and Turkish Merchants 'T is much better fortifved by the marshes which environ it then its walls and more beholden to nature for its defence then either Casimir the Great who walled it round or the Russians who built the adjoyning Castle The great Church in it was built by Lescus the black upon a great conquest obtain'd against the Lithvanians near this City and dedicated to St. Michael who in a vision the night before the battel had promised him good success St. Bridgets Monastery among many other magnificent ones was founded by Vladislaus Jagello One of the two chief Courts of Judicature from which no appeal lies save to the Parliament of Poland is kept at Lublin Hither for judgment in controversies of any great moment repair the Palatinates of Cracow Sendomir Russia Podolia Lublin Belze Podlassia Volhinia Braclaw Kiow and Czernichow or at least so many of them as are still subject to the Crown of Poland Of other Countries and Provinces to which the Kings of Poland have formerly pretended a title by conquest contract or otherwise BEsides the places mentioned and at present subject to the Crown of Poland the Kings of that Nation have from time to time lay'd claim to many and large Territories now in the hands of other Princes Omitting Bohemia Moravia Wagria Misnia and the Dukedomes of Rugen Mecklenburg and Lunenburg which whatever some of the Polish writers assert and endeavour to make good were very little or not at all subject to Boleslaus Chrobri who was the only King that ever could plausibly pretend a title to any part of them we shall confine our discourse to those Countries to which the Polonian Princes may seem to have had a more just and legal title That all or most of Silesia was part of the Dukedome of Poland Silesia in the days of Lechus the first and several of his successours is highly probable from the writings of Adam Bremensis and Helmoldus who both of them make the river Oder the bounds of Poland Besides the German Chronologers tell us that Charles the Great Ludovicus Pius and other Emperors conquer'd the Silesians and made them tributary to the Empire But the Polish Historians upon what grounds I know not are generally positive in asserting That Silesia was always without any such intermission or conquest as the Germans strive to make out a part of the Polish dominions Only Vincentius Kadlubko agrees with the Germans affirming That Boleslaus Chrobri amongst his many other conquests regain'd Selucia as he calls it and left it annexed to the Crown of Poland After his time we find that Casimir the first translated the Bishoprick of Bicine to Vratislaw whence 't is manifest that in his days Silesia was part of the Realm of Poland Not long after Henry the IV Emperour of Germany in the Diet at Munster A.D. 1086 made over Silesia Lusatia and indeed all Poland to Vratislaus King of Bohemia though as Cromer says he had no right to a foot of land in any of them Whereupon ensued a bloody war betwixt the Bohemians and Poles wherein it is to be conjectured the latter had the better since all Historians agree that Silesia was under the King of Polands goverment during the whole reign of Boleslaus the third His son Vladislaus the second being deposed by his brethren who were left Co-heirs with him in the Kingdom fled first to the Emperor Frederick the first who brought Boleslaus Crispus Duke of Poland and brother to Vladislaus to such straits that he was forced to resign all Silesia into the hands of his brother's children but upon condition they should
forty German miles from Pleskow and as many from Novogardia 2. Nieslot or Neuschlos i. e. new Fort not far from the Lake Peipus upon the River Narva 2. Viria Wiria or Wilandia Viria which has Alentakia on the East Harria on the West the Finnic Bay on the North and Jervia on the South Places remarkable in it are 1. Wesenberg not far from the River Weissenaa which A. D. 1581 was taken by the Swedes from the Muscovite 2. Tolsburg twelve miles distant from Wesenberg 3. Borcholm 3. Harria or Harrenland 〈◊〉 bounded on the South with Wicia on the East with Viria and on the North and West with the Finnic Bay In this division is Revalia the Metropolis of Liefland a little but handsom pleasant and well fortified City lying in 59 deg 30 min. of Longitude In the year 1374 it was sold to the great Master of Livonia In 1561 being in danger to fall into the hands of the Muscovite it committed it self to the protection of the Kings of Sweden and has ever since been subject to them Here was anciently a Bishops See but since Lutheranism spred it self into these parts that Title is here discontinued and all Ecclesiastical affairs manag'd by Superintendents For the promoting of Learning and good Education this City has one publick Gymnasium wherein Professors and Tutors are maintain'd to read and teach Humanity and all the Liberal Arts. The chief Church is dedicated to St. Olaus Not far from this place is the Monastery of St. Bridget seated upon the Finnic coast and the Fort Pades or Badis lying upon the River Assa 4. Vikia Wicia or Wikke which has in it these three places of note 1. Habsalia Habsel lying upon the Bothnic Bay formerly viz. in the time of Frideric II. King of Denmark in the possession of the Danes afterwards A. D. 1575 taken by the Muscovite and in the year 1581 gain'd by John III. King of Sweden 2. Lode 3. Leal 4. Wickel or Wyck all Forts of good strength and consideration 5. Jervia which lyes landward almost in the middle of the other Districts It contains Wittenstein Oberpalen and Lau or Lais places of moment II. Odepoa bounded on the East with the Lake Peipus on the North with Embeck and the Rivers Fela and Pernavia on the West with the great Bay of Livonia and on the South with Lettia In it are these places of note viz. 1. Derpat Derbat Dorpat or as the Russes call it Juriogoord a large City built most of Stone and Brick and secured by strong Stone-walls where was formerly a Bishops seat It was heretofore under the Tzar of Muscovy A. D. 1230. Under the Poles A. D. 1582. Afterwards taken from them by Charles Duke of Sudermannia But by them regain'd A. D. 1603. In the year 1625 when Gustavus Adolphus sent Forces into Livonia under the command of Jacobus de la Gardie this City was gain'd to the Swedish Crown and ever since remains as a part of its possessions Here by reason of the great abundance of all sorts of commodities of life and the healthfulness of the air Gustavus Adolphus ann 1632 at the desire of one John Skytte Baron in Ouderof who had sometime been Tutor to that King instituted an University and appointed and stipended one Rector and several Professors for Theology History Mathematicks c. 2. Warbek upon the mouth of the River Embeck 3. Kanneleks 4. The Fort Ringen 5. Odepoa a small Town whence the whole District has its name 6. Nienhausen a strong Fort upon the borders of Muscovy 7. Marienburg another Fort not far from the Lake Peipus 8. Tarnest a place anciently of good importance but being in the hands of the Muscovites it was besieged by the Polander and at last by them taken and when they quitted it so demolished that tho the Swedes have spent some charges in repairing it it has not at present attain'd its ancient strength and splendor 9. Felinum Fellin fifteen German miles from 10. Parnavia Parnow upon a River of the same name a Town of great trade for all commodities Corn especially first of all added to the Swedish dominions by Ericus XIV King of Sweden an 1562 Afterwards taken by the Poles and regain'd from them an 1617. 11. Sales or Lemsael with some other less remarkable Towns and Forts III. Lettia bounded on the East with part of Muscovy on the West with the Livonian Bay on the North with Odepoa and on the South with the River Dwina It s chief City is 1. Riga an Arch-Bishops See lying in 48 deg of Longitude and 57 deg 30 min. of Latitude upon the Dwina at its entrance into the Bothnic Bay It is defended with a strong Wall Bulwarks Towers an extraordinary large Trench and three rows of great Guns which were put in good order and readiness chiefly by the care of Gustavus Adolphus King of Sweden Here is a noted Harbour for Ships much frequented by Merchants from Germany Holland England c. who come hither in the summer-time and are laden with Hemp Flax Wax Pitch Tar with Planks also and Wood ready hew'n for building Ships with skins of all sorts as of Bears Elks Foxes c. and Furs of Castors Sables Martrons Ermins c. all which are brought to this City out of Muscovy and Poland in the winter-time over the ice and snow upon sledds and made ready for sale against the time when the Merchants usually arrive The Citizens commonly speak either Swedish German Curlandish or Livonian and have their Divine Service which is reform'd according to the Augustan Confession always celebrated in some one of those languages In the year 1581 this City was taken by Stephen King of Poland from the Emperor and by his successor Sigismund III. endow'd with many notable priviledges and immunities and by him kept in possession till 1605 at what time Gustavus Adolphus Prince of Sweden brought an Army into Livonia and after six weeks close siege had it surrender'd up to him since which time it has always been under the Swedish power 2. Dunamund i. e. the mouth of the Duna or Dwina so call'd from its situation being plac'd upon the Dwina two miles from Riga at its very entrance into the Livonian Bay It is a Fort of great importance commanding the whole River so that without leave had from the Governour here no Ship can pass into or come out of the Harbour of Riga And because the Dwina at this place breaking forcibly into the Sea and often in the spring-time especially bringing huge flakes of ice along with it very much alters the Channel and thereby makes the passage into the River very dangerous there are waiting here a sort of experienc'd Guides call'd Pilosen or Pilots who for small wages conduct all strangers along the safe way either up to Riga or back again into the Baltic 3. Kakenhusen Kockehaus a strong Fort where was anciently the residence of the Archbishop of Riga 4. Ascherad with many lesser Towns
divided formerly the Dukedom of Holstein from the Kingdom of Denmark BEfore the invention of Guns and other terrible Engines of war now used by all the Europeans and the greatest part of the known world the only fortifications and ramparts were strong walls and ditches which the ancients fancied as indeed they were sufficient to defend them from the arrows and battle-axes the only weapons then in use of their barbarous neighbours Hence it was that the Chinois thought their Empire secured from the incursions of their bloody neighbours the Tartars when their famous King Tzinzow had hedged them in with a wall of some hundreds of miles in length Thus the best expedient the Romans could find of putting the borders of their Brittish dominions in a posture of defence against the daily revolt of the Natives whom they had driven into Scotland was the building of Picts Wall and Severus's rampire which reach'd from Sea to Sea For the same reasons the Kings of Denmark having their Territories continually infested by the daily inroads of the Germans thought it highly requisite to block up their passage by walling up that neck of Land which lies between Hollingsted and Gottorp It is hard to determine from the account given by Historians when this work was first begun Paulus Aemilius a curious French Historian says Gothofred King of Denmark whom the Danish writers call Gothric was the first that made use of this stratagem to exclude the Armies of the Emperor Charles the Great about the year 808. The same story is told us by Aimoinus and Christianus Cilicius But Saxo Grammaticus Crantzius and the whole Class of the Northern Historians tell us unanimously That Queen Thyra daughter of Ethelred King of England and wife to Gormo Gamle King of Denmark was the Authoress of this fortification and that thence she had the surname of Danebode i.e. the Mistress builder of the Danish Nation bestowed on her I can scarce allow the latter part of the story to to be truth since we find that this surname was given her long before she had done any thing either towards the building or repairing of the Danewirk as they call'd this Fort. For upon a monument erected by King Gormo Gamle in honour of his Queen Thyra we find the following Inscription Gurmr Kunugr gerdi kubl dusi eft Turui Kunu sina Tanmarkur-bat i.e. Gormo the King erected this Tomb for Thyra his Queen Danebode or repairer of the Kingdom of Denmark This inscription cannot be an Epitaph writ after Queen Thyra's death seeing all the Danish writers assert positively that she outliv'd her husband Gormo many years and after his death took the Danewirk in hand So that its more then probable the surname of Danebode was given her for the many good offices she had done the Nation in repairing several old decayed Castles and Forts and building a great many new ones King Eric the Eighth in his Danish Chronicle says Thyra built the Fort of wood Which Witfield understands of the fencing the rampire with Stakes as bulwarks are guarded in our modern fortifications Others make Harald Blaatand Queen Thyra's son the first Author of this work after he had driven the Emperor Otho out of Jutland Which Erasmus Laetus the Danish Virgil alludes to when speaking of this King Harald he says Hic ille est solido primns qui Cimbrica vallo Munijt arva solique ingens e corpore dorsum Eruit immani quod se curvamine longos Incitat in tractus mediumque perambulat Isthmum Et maris Eoi ripas cum littore jungit Hesperio ac tenuem Sleswici respicit urbem King Eric decides this controversy by telling us That Thyra built a wooden fortification and afterwards advised her son to strengthen the work by Trenches and Rampires of earth Notwithstanding all these relations of other Historians both Pontanus and Wormius agree that 't is most likely the rude draught of this Fort was first drawn by King Gothric and only repair'd and improv'd by Queen Thyra King Harald and other succeeding Princes Waldemar the first built a wall of brick seven foot broad and eighteen high to strengthen it After so many improvements the fort was reckon'd impregnable For soon after King Waldemar's reparation when Henry Duke of Saxony surnamed the Lion intended to have endeavoured a breach through this fort into the King of Denmark's dominions he was disswaded from the enterprise by his chief Counsellor Bernhard Razburg who represented the undertaking as a thing impossible to be effected assuring him Danewirkae custodium Danorum sexaginta millibus mandatum esse i.e. That Danewirk was defended by a Garrison of sixty thousand Danes Hence King Sueno finding himself unable to force his way through so strong and so well man'd a Rampire endeavour'd to work his passage by corrupting the Keeper of Wiglesdor the only Gate leading through this wall into Jutland At this day there remain but sleight marks of so great a work At Schubuge and Hesbuge two small Villages upon the ruins of the wall the Inhabitants find reliques of old furnaces and brick-kilns whence the Danish Antiquaries conclude that King Waldemar had his bricks burn'd here tho he was forced to fetch mortar as far as Gothland Joh. Cypraeus tells us at Dennenwirch an inconsiderable Village in these parts may still be seen the ruins of an old Castle where Queen Thyra lodged The same Author says Wiglesdor was antiently called Kaelgate because placed in an open and plain part of the Country where the Enemy could have no shelter nor be in any probability of suprizing the Defendants HOLSTEIN ANtiently the whole Territories of the Dukedom of Holstein contained at present in the Provinces of Holstein properly so called Ditmarss Wagerland and Stormar went under the general name of Nortablingia or the country beyond the Elb Northwards Adam Bremensis and Helmoldus are the first that mention Holsatia which the former derives from Holts-geseten i.e. seated in a wood or forrest DUCATUS HOLSATIAE DESCRIPTIO NOVISSIMA Excudebant Janssâ—â—io-Waesbergii et Moses Pitt The fruitfulness of the soil convenience of trading in the Baltic and Brittish seas and industry of the Inhabitants render Holstein the richest Country in the King of Denmarks dominions and make the incomes of some of the Nobility exceed the treasure of many Princes in Germany The chief Cities and great Towns in Holstein are 1. Kyel Chilonium seated on the Baltic shore in a corner of land shut in betwixt the mouths of two rivers Whence some have fetcht its name from the German word Kiel which signifies a wedge It is furnished with a large and commodious haven which is continually throng'd with Merchant-Ships from Germany Liefland Sweden and all the Isles on the Baltic Sea There is yearly in this Town a meeting of the greatest part of the Nobility of Holstein who come hither to consult about the affairs of the Dukedom especially the concerns of the mint and value of money The Castle which is seated on the
top of an hill commanding the Town and haven was first built by Adolph of Schaumburg the first Earl of Holstein Earl Adolph IV. founded a monastery of Franciscan Minorites in this City which upon the bringing in of the Augsburg confession into this Country with the rest of the Danish Territories was changed into an Hospital 2. Rensborg or Reinholsburg founded by one Reinold of whom we have no further account then that he was either a Prince of the Blood or some Great Nobleman This is the best fortifyed Town in the Dukedom environed with the Byder and defended by a strong Castle built by Earl Gerhard the Great 3. Wilster a neat and well built City seated on a River of the same name which soon after empties it self into the Stor 4. Nieumunster seated on the North-West of the Stor not far from the head of it The Earldom of Holstein was only a Province of the Great Dukedom of Saxony until Lotharius Great Duke of Saxony afterwards Emperor of Germany bestowed it upon Adolph Earl of Schaumburg or Schouwanburg about the year 1114. Since which time we have the following account of the Earls of Holstein 1. Adolph of Schouwenburg the first absolute prince of Holstein On whom the Earldom was bestowed as a recompence for the services he had done the Duke of Saxony in his German and Danish wars 2. Adolph II. son to Adolph the I. having obtained his fathers Earldom cast out the Slavonians who a little before his time had overrun all this part of Saxony and planted in their rooms Colonies of Germans Frisians and Nether Saxons In the quarrel among the three pretenders to the Crown of Denmark Sueno Canutus and Waldemar he sided with Canutus and had setled him in the throne had not King Sueno by fair means and promises prevailed with him to lay down his Arms. He left the Earldom to his son 3. Adolph III. who after many skirmishes and battles with Waldemar II. King of Denmark was at last vanquished and kept close prisoner by that King who by the intercession of Andrew Bishop of Lunden and some others granted him his liberty upon condition That he should disclaim all right and Title which he and his predecessors had hitherto pretended to the Earldom of Holstein or any other place formerly subject to Henry surnamed the Lion Duke of Saxony and quietly retire to the inheritance of his Ancestors at Schouwenburg But these Articles tho at the first secured by Hostages were not long observed by his son 4. Adolph IV. who associating to himself Henry Earl of Zurin Gerhard Bishop of Bremen and some other petit Princes begun a rebellion against King Waldemar and succeeded so well in the undertaking that within a very short time he made himself master of all the Territories his father had been beaten out of and renounced His son 5. Gerhard enjoy'd peaceably the dominions left him by his Father He was for some time kept prisoner at Imsburg by the Folchungs a noble family in Sweden for being in company with one Ingemar an upstart Gentleman but great favourite of their King Magnus whom they slew in a rage and cast his companions into prison 6. Henry Gerhards son was the first that set up a Custom-house in Hamburg which brought in no small portion of the revenue of his successors 7. Gerhard the second son of Henry upon the death of Christopher the second King of Denmark was made Protector of the Danish Kingdom and Tutor to the young King Waldemar the third By these advantages his power grew so great that he ventur'd to stile himself Duke of Jutland and by degrees would in all probability have aspired to the Crown of Denmark if not timely taken off by one Ebbo a Danish Nobleman who murdered him in his bed at Randerhusen 8. Henry the second son to Gerhard II. refused the Crown of Sweden when it was offered him by Ambassadors sent from that Court A. D. 1363. He is said to have been a Prince of great courage and candor courteous in his behaviour and exceedingly chast and temperate in the whole course of his life In short a man that had in him all the Royal vertues that might deserve a Kingdom and the modesty to refuse one when offer'd 9. Gerhard the third Henry the second 's son after he had got the Dukedom of Sleswic annexed to the Earldom of Holstein by Margaret Queen of Denmark was slain by the men of Dithmarss whom he had required to do him homage His son 10. Henry the third being denied that right to the Dukedom of Sleswic which his father had enjoy'd made war against Eric the Eighth King of Denmark in which at the siege of Flensburg he was slain 11. Adolph V. commonly called the twelfth by those that reckon all the Earls of younger houses succeeded his brother Henry and was the last Earl of this house In the year 1440 he received the Dukedom of Sleswic at the hands of Christopher the third King of Denmark swearing fealty to that Crown Christian Earl of Oldenburg son of Hedvigis sister to Henry and Adolph the two last Earls of Holstein succeeded his Uncle Adolph in the Earldom of Holstein Which in his time was enlarged by the addition of Dithmarss and changed into a Dukedom by the Emperor Frideric the third A. D. 1474. When this Christian was advanced to the throne of Denmark the Dukedom of Holstein became a part of that Kingdom Yet so that the Kings of Denmark as the Kings of Sweden upon the late accessions in Germany to their Crown were reckoned Princes of the Empire as Dukes of Holstein tho not obliged to repair to any Diet. Afterwards the title of Duke of Holstein together with a considerable part of the Country was given to Adolph Christian the Third's brother created Knight of the Garter by our Queen Elizabeth A. D. 1562 who governed it interchangeably with the King his brother by turns Upon the decease of this Duke and his issue male the title was conferr'd on Vlric King Christian the fourth's brother Since his days there have been several houses of the Dukes of Holstein as Sunderburg Norburg Gluckburg Arnsbeck Gottorp and Ottingen Amongst whom the Duke of Holstein Gottorp is chief and challenges the same power in governing and administration of justice which was at first conferred upon Duke Adolph King Christian the third's brother In the late wars between the two Northern Crowns the King of Denmark jealous of the great power of the present Duke of Gottorp forced this Prince to quit his Dukedom and leave his Majesty in full possession of the whole Country of Holstein But at the signing of the Treaty between the Kings of France Sweden and Denmark at Fountenblaeu on the second of September 1679 the Danish Ministers promised their Master should at the desire of his most Christian Majesty restore to the said Duke all his Countries Towns and places in the state they were and the soveraignty thereof all which he
Neutrality and Commerce and of all their Rights and Priviledges And that the Rights of his Imperial Majesty and the Empire be maintain'd To which the King returned them a kind answer assuring them of his good will and that he would punctually observe on his part this Agreement Which done within a few days after the Danish Army decamped Other Cities and Towns of note in Stormar are 1. Gluckstadt built and well fortified by King Christian IV. who much delighted in its pleasant situation and much improved by his successors It gave sufficient proof of its strength soon after the first building of it when it withstood and beat back the Emperors Army and held out a siege of almost two years continuance without yeilding at last It commands the passage of the Elb so that it highly concerns the Hamburghers to be at peace with the King of Denmark except they could make themselves masters of this Fort and so secure a free passage both for their Men of War and Merchant-Ships 2. Crempe seated on a small river of the same name This is reckoned one of the Keys of the Kingdom of Denmark and in the German wars gave a good testimony of its so being when in the years 1627 and 1628 it bravely resisted the fortunate German General Count Wallenstein for thirteen months together and at last was yeilded upon honourable terms It owes the chief of its strength to King Christian IV. who fortified it with a wall and ditches 3. Itzehoa seated on the navigable River Stoer which furnishes it with plenty of fish and all manner of merchandise from abroad 4. Bredenberg one of the neatest little Towns in all the King of Denmark's Territories the ancient seat of the most noble Family of the Rantzows very remarkable for the stout resistance it made Count Wallenstein who having at last taken it by storm put all the Garrison in it to the sword WAGRIA WAgria or Wagerland is almost girt round with the Baltic Sea and the two Rivers Trave and Suentin The whole length of it from Odelslo as far as the Village Grotenbro amounts to near forty-eight English miles and the breadth about twenty It is observable that the Princes of Holstein tho they bear the Arms of every other Province in that Dukedom have not the Arms of this Country which are a Bulls-head in their Coat Perhaps because the Arms of Oldenburgh are thought sufficient to represent the whole Province Plutarch tells us that the ancient Cimbrians who first made an inroad into Italy bore a Bull's-head Sable in a field Gules which shews of how venerable an antiquity the Arms of Wagerland are and how justly they may claim some place if not the best in the Coat of the Dukes of Holstein It had its name from the Wagrii a people in Slavonia who made themselves masters of this Tract by conquest The chief Towns of Wagerland are 1. Lubeck Lubeck seated at the confluence of the Rivers Trave and Billew From the pleasantness of its situation and stately buildings some Etymologists have derived the name of this City calling it Lobeck or ein eck dess lobes i. e. an honourable Corner Which agrees well with the account an ancient Poet gives us of it in these two verses Angulus haec laudis dicta est urbs nomine prisco Angulum in hunc fertur fluvius Travenna per aequor It was rebuilt by Adolph II. Earl of Holstein about the year 1143. But within a short while after grew so headstrong upon the daily accession of new Priviledges and Charters granted by this Prince and his successors that it bid defiance to the Earls of Holstein and became a Dukedom of it self By the Emperor Frideric I. it was made a member of the German Empire Upon his death the Lubeckers chose themselves another Duke who after he had govern'd them five years was vqnquish'd by the Danes by whom the City was made tributary to their King Out of this bondage it was rescued by the Emperor Frideric the second who made it an Imperial City in which state it continues to this day and therefore as a branch of the Empire of Germany will be described elsewhere more at large 2. Segeberge seated on the River Trave about sixteen English miles from Lubeck It was anciently called Aelberg which name upon the building of the Castle on the top of the adjoining craggy mountain was changed into Segeberg The occasion of which as Helmoldus tells the story was this When the Emperor Lotharius began to advise with some of his Counsellors in the year 1134 about building some considerable fortification in these parts which might check the growing power of the Sclaves in this Province and had at last pitcht upon this hill as the most convenient place One of the Sclavonian Princes is said to have spoken prophetically to his Companion these words Seest thou the fortification on the top of those mountains Let me tell thee it will in a short time prove the yoke of the whole Land c. Whence say the Danes the place to this day retains the name of Segeberg which in High Dutch signifies Behold the mountains 3. Odelso a fair City on the River Trave in the middle way between Segeberg and Lubeck In the year 1338 John Earl of Wagerland bought this City into his hands at the rate of ten thousand Marks of Silver After this it continued in a very flourishing condition till Eric of Pomeren in his wars with the Dukes of Sleswic and Holstein so defaced it that it could never since recover its ancient glory 4. Ploen an ancient City seated in the middle of a Lake of the same name by which and a Castle built not many years since by Joachim Ernestus Duke of Holstein after the Italian fashion it is exceedingly well fortified In the furthest corner of Wagerland lyes the ancient and famous County of Oldenburgh Oldenburgh divided from the rest of this Province by the River Brockaw Tho 't is generally agreed on by all the Danish writers that Oldenburgh the chief City in this County was anciently the Metropolis of the Wagrians and Venedi two warlike Nations to whom the greatest part of Mecklenburgh was subject yet we find no mention made of this place before the reign of Otho the Great who after he had vanquished the Venedi founded here a Bishoprick afterwards translated to Lubec and bestowed it on Marcus his Chancellor It was formerly a Town of great trade and exceeding populous having been beautified with four Churches three Monasteries and five Gates but since the Port was stop'd up at the command of Queen Margaret its glory has decreas'd daily and by the late dreadful fire caus'd by thunder and lightning which hath laid waste the best and greatest part of the City 't is now become much less considerable then it was before NOVA et Accurata descriptio totius FIONIAE vulgo FUNEN Apud Janssenio-Waesbergios et Moses Pitt The Baltic Sea ORtelius out of Pliny
endeavours to prove that Xen. Lampsacenus mentions the Baltic Sea and thence concludes that this name is much more ancient then most of the modern Geographers fancy who make Adam Bremensis and Helmoldus the first Authors that call this Bay Mare Balthicum But he that shall take the pains to examine Pliny's words upon this occasion will find that no mention is there made of the Baltic Sea but of an Island only in these parts called Baltia which is now named Schonen but is not as the Ancients imagined an Isle From this Baltia some think this Sea was called Baltic as the Adriatic Sea had its name from the Island Adria Others more happily derive the word from the Danish and English word Belt because Seeland and the greatest part of the King of Denmark's dominions are girt round with this Bay And to this day the inhabitants of Seeland and Funen call that small arm of the Sea which part these two Islands die Belt Pomponius Mela who is followed by many late writers of good note calls the Baltic Sea Sinus Codanus which signifies no more then the Danish Bay For Codanus Godanus or Gedanus is the same with Danus and Gedanum and Dantiscum signifie the same thing And indeed when we consider what a large portion of the Danish Kingdom is encircled with the Sea we shall find reason enough notwithstanding the late surrender of several Islands to the Swedes to let it still retain this its ancient name The most considerable Islands in the Baltic which at this day are subject to the Crown of Denmark are these that follow FIONIA FIonia or Funen is parted from Jutland by a streight of the Baltic called by the inhabitants Medelfarsund about one German mile in breadth and separated from Seeland by the Beltis-sund or Baltic Bay The length of it from East to West is about ten German miles and the breadth eight Saxo Grammaticus Lyscander and most of the Danish writers make this the pleasantest piece of ground in the King of Denmark's dominions Whence they have fancied the Island had its name from fine which has the same signification in Funen as in England Tho Adam Bremensis may seem to favour this conceit in calling the inhabitants of this Island Finni and their Country Finningia and Pontanus allows the etymology yet methinks Stephanius guesses better at the derivation of the word when he fetches it from Fion which in the old Runic monuments signifies a neck of land rent from the continent and such any man will suppose Funen to be who shall have the opportunity of viewing that slender Frith which at this day separates that Island from Jutland The Island abounds with all manner of Corn especially Wheat and Rye which is hence yearly transported in great quantities into other Nations Besides the Natives have generally great Herds of Cattle and very good Breeds of Horses The Woods which overspread almost the whole Island are exceedingly well stored with Deer Hares and Foxes The chief City in this Island is Ottensee which some will have to take its name from Woden the great God of the ancient Danes whom some of their Historians call Othin or Odin Others more probably say 't was built by the Emperor Otho the first who overrun a great part of the Danish Kingdom and left his name in more places then one This opinion seems to be confirmed by a Letter written by the Emperor Otho the third about the year 987 in which this City is named Vrbs Othonesvigensis Pontanus thinks 't was first built by King Harald who to testifie his gratitude to the forementioned Emperor Otho the first by whose procurement he was converted to Christianity called it Ottonia or Ottensche and his son Suenotto This City is seated in the very center of the Island and therefore in a fit place for the Sessions of the Nobility and Magistracy which are yearly held in this place As were likewise the General Assemblies of the Kingdom of Denmark before the year 1660. The buildings in this Town are generally well built and the streets uniform Besides other public buildings there are in it two fair Churches whereof one is dedicate to St. Cnute the other to St. Francis Not far from the former of these stands a stately Town-Hall upon a very spacious Market-place where King Frideric II. renew'd the ancient League between the Crown of Denmark and the Dukes of Holstein and Sleswic in the year 1575. When the Quire of St. Cnute's Church was repair'd in the year 1582 the workmen found in a Vault a Copper Coffin gilded and adorn'd with precious stones upon which was writ the following inscription in old Latin-Gothic characters Jam coelo tutus summo cum rege Canutus Martyr in aurata rex atque reconditur arca Et pro Justitiae factis Occisus inque Vt Christum vita sic morte fatetur in ipsa Traditur a proprio sicut Deus ipse ministro A.D. MLXXXVI Other Towns of note in Funen are 1. Bowens a Port-Town of good trade seated on the West-side of the Island at the North-end of Medelfarsund 2. Middlefar seated on the common passage from this Island to Kolding in Jutland On the thirtieth of January in the year 1658. Carolus Gustavus King of Sweden led his Army over the ice to this place and having routed the Danish Forces that opposed him made himself absolute master of the whole Isle of Funen 3. Ascens not far from the mountains of Ossenburgh where John de Hoy Nicholas Fechlenburgh and Gustavus Troll Bishop of Vpsal were slain and their Army commanded by Christopher Earl of Oldenburgh totally routed by John Rantzaw King Christian the third's General who level'd this City to the ground 4. Foborg upon the Southern coast of the Island It was once burnt by the unruly soldiers of Christian the third whilst Odensee adhering to the captive Prince Christian the second who at that time was kept close prisoner at Sunderburg redeem'd it self from the like fate by a large sum of money 5. Swynborg over against the Island of Langland From this place Carolus Gustavus King of Sweden led his Army over the ice into Seeland in the year 1658. 6. Nyborg the usual passage from Funen into Seeland This City was first fortified with a Moat and Bulwarks by King Christian the third It is very memorable for the battel fought by the Confederates of the Empire Brandenburgh Poland and the Low Countries in the year 1659 against the Swedes who in that engagement were overthrown and utterly routed out of Funen Besides the great Towns mentioned there are in Funen a great number of fair Villages among which they reckon up no less then 264 Parish Churches SEELAND SEeland the largest fairest and most fruitful Island in the Baltic Sea lies to the East of Funen from which 't is separated as we have said before by the Belt On the other side it is parted from Schonen by a small Frith call'd by the inhabitants Oresundt thro which
people what the Reader misses in the general description of Norway may possibly be met with in the following one of Island The Prefecture of Masterland THis Prefecture takes its name from the chief City in it seated on a rocky Peninsula and famous for its great trade in Herrings and other Sea-fish This City with two more of less note Congel and Oddawald and the adjoining Country are commanded by the strong Castle of Bahus now in the hands of the King of Sweden It was first built by Haquin IV. King of Norway about the year 1309 upon a steep rock on the bank of the river Trollet and was then look'd upon as the best Fort that King had in his dominions and a sufficient Bulwark against the daily assaults and incursions of the Swedes and Westro-Goths The Bishopricks of Anslo and Staffenger with the Province of Aggerhuse ANslo called by the inhabitants Opslo and by some Latin writers Asloa was first built by King Harold cotemporary with Sueno Esthritius King of Denmark who frequently kept his residence in this City Here is held the chief Court of Judicature for all Norway wherein all causes and suits at Law are heard and determined before the Governor who acts as Vice-Roy of the Kingdom The Cathedral is dedicated to St. Alward who took great pains in preaching the Gospel to the Norwegian Heathens In this Church is to be shew'n the Sword of Haquin one of their ancientest Kings a signal testimony if the stories they tell of it be true of the strength and admirable art of some Norwegians of former ages The hilt of it is made of Crystal curiously wrought and polished whence Olaus Magnus will needs conclude that the use of Crystal was anciently much more ordinary in Norway then it is at this day in any part of Europe Not far from Opslo on the other side of the Bay stands the Castle of Aggerhusen memorable for the brave resistance it made the Swedish Army in the year 1567 which besieg'd it hotly eighteen weeks together but was at last beat off and forced shamefully to retire About twenty German miles Northward of Opslo lies the City Hammar formerly a Bishops See but at present under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Opslo Near this Town is the Island Moos where if we believe Olaus Magnus a huge and monstrous Serpent appears constantly before any grand alteration in the State or Government of the Kingdom of Norway In this Province besides the places already mentioned stand the Cities of Tonsberg Fridericstadt Saltsburgh and Scheen which have all a considerable trade from the Copper and Iron Mines which hereabouts are in greater numbers then in any other part of the Kingdom 'T was in this Province that the Silver Mines mention'd before were first discover'd at the expence of Christian IV. King of Denmark and some of the adjoining hills are by the neighbourhood to this day called Silver-bergen or the mountains of Silver To these Mines and the lofty woods of Pines and Fir-trees with which this part of the Country is overspread the Kingdom of Norway owes the greatest part of if not all its trade The City of Staffenger lies in 59 degrees some reckon 60 and a great many odd minutes of Latitude It is seated in a Peninsuia upon a great Bay of the Northern Ocean full of small Islands and guarded by the strong Castle of Doeswick which lies about two English miles from the Town In Civil affairs this City is under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Bergenhusen tho it has its own peculiar Bishop constantly residing in the Town The whole Bishopric is divided into the several Districts of Stavangersteen Dalarne Jaren Listerleen Mandalsleen Nedenesleen and Abygdelag Thomas Conrad Hvegner Bishop of this Diocess in the year 1641 took the pains to collect a great number of Runic inscriptions which lay scatter'd up and down his Diocess some of which are published by Wormius who further informs us that this Conrad's predecessor whose name he omits writ a Topographical description of this City and Bishoprick Beyond the Bay appears the Island Schutenes three German miles in length but scarce half an one in breadth Between this Island which has in it several considerable Villages and the Continent runs up a narrow Frith to Bergen which is called by the Dutch Merchants T' Liedt van Berghen To the Bishopric of Staffenger belongs the Province of Tillemarch or Thylemarch which gave Procopius the first grounds for that assertion of his which he defends with so great vehemency viz. that Scandinavia taken in its largest extent of which Thylemarch is a very inconsiderable part is the ancient Thule The Parish of Hollen in this Province is very remarkable for a Church-yard or burying place on the top of a Church dedicated to St. Michael which is cut out of a great high rock call'd by the Vicenage Vear upon the Lake Nordsee half a mile distant from Scheen Wormius thinks 't was formerly an Heathenish Temple but converted to Christian uses upon the first planting of the Gospel in this Kingdom The Prefecture and Bishoprick of Berghen THis Bishoprick the most fruitful and pleasantest part of all Norway lies to the North of Aggerhusen in the middle or heart of the Kingdom It derives its name from the fair and noble Emporium or Mart-Town of Berghen or else from the strong Castle of Berghenhusen the usual seat of the Vice-Roy of Norway at a small distance from Berghen Northward Berghen an ancient and famous Sea-Port Town mentioned by Pomponius Mela and Pliny is the Granary and Magazine of the whole Kingdom of Norway It lies distant from Bahusen about an hundred German miles by Sea and sixty by land from Truntheim as many from Schagen the outmost Promontory of Jutland almost eighty Some have fetcht its name from the Norwegian verb Bergen which signifies to hide or conceal because the Haven being surrounded with hills seems to be a kind of sculking-place for Ships where Vesfels of two hundred Tun and upwards ride in a spatious and most secure Harbour free from all danger of wind and weather But we need not trouble our selves any further for the derivation of the name then to consider that Berghen in the Norwegian language signifies mountains and Berghen-husen a company of houses among the hills The buildings in this City till within these few years were exceeding mean and contemptible most of them of wood cover'd with green turf and therefore frequently burnt down But of late the Hamburghers Lubeckers Hollanders and others that trade this way have beautified the Town with an Exchange and a great many private houses of credit The most peculiar trade of this City lies in a kind of Stock-fish catcht upon these coasts and thence called usually by the Norway Merchants Berghenvisch This the Fishermen take in winter commonly in January for the conveniency of drying it in the cold and sharp air Besides hither Furs of all sorts and vast quantities of dry'd
Fish Butter Tallow Hides c. are brought from all parts of Norway to be shipt off into other Countries The Townsmen not many years ago observing the daily encrease of their trade and the great concourse of strangers which it drew from all parts and fearing they themselves might at last be prejudiced by an unlimited and general admission of foreign Tradesmen and Merchants into their City made an order that whoever would after such a time be admitted a freeman of the Town should either be whipt at a Game instituted upon this occasion and call'd by them Gantenspill or rowl'd in mud and dirt or lastly hung in a basket over some intolerable and filthy smoak This hard usage quickly diminished the number of foreigners who fancied it scarce worth their while to purchase their freedom at so dear and scandalous a rate But of late the industry and skill as well as number of the inhabitants encreasing these barbarous customs are laid aside and the Citizens themselves are now able to export what was formerly fetcht away from them The Bishop of this Diocess was heretofore under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Truntheim To the Governor of Berghen are subject the Prefectures of Sudhornleen Nordhornleen Soghne Sudfiord Norfiord and Sundmerleen The Prefecture and Bishoprick of Nidrosia or Truntheim THE fourth Castle and Government in Norway is that of the City Nidrosia as it was anciently called from the river Nider on which 't is seated or Truntheim formerly the Metropolis of the Kingdom and the seat of the King and Archbishop of Norway Pontanus somewhere calls this City the Cabinet of all the Norwegian monuments but Wormius found no great reason to confer so honourable a title upon it when after a diligent search into the Antiquities old monuments and reliques of the primitive inhabitants of this Kingdom he met with no more then three Runic inscriptions in this whole Diocess The conveniency of the Haven makes this place resorted to by some Mariners and Merchants to this day but the ruines are so great that it looks more like a Village then City not having had any opportunity of recovering its former splendor since it was burnt down in the year 1522. Its houses are a company of old fashion'd and rotten buildings and the Kings Palace is decay'd below the meanness of an English Cottage However something of its ancient grandeur still appears in the Cathedral dedicated to St. Olaus which tho almost consumed by fire yet by the ruines shews it self to have been one of the most magnificent and largest structures in the world In this Church the Huntsmen were wont to make a yearly offering of the skins of the largest and stoutest white Bears which they kill'd for the Priest to tread upon at Divine Service Groneland and Iseland were formerly parts of the Diocess of Truntheim but now this Bishoprick is not of so large an extent In the Castle resides the Governor of the whole Prefecture of Truntheim who has under him several other Governors of lesser Provinces In the Country a little beyond this City there grows no wood at all But instead thereof the inhabitants make use of fish-bones as well to build their houses and for several implements of housholdstuff as fuel and with the fat of the same fish they feed their Lamps in winter The Prefecture of Truntheim in the year 1658 was by the Danes surrendred up to the Swedes by a publick Treaty of Peace The next year they wrested it again out of the hands of the Swedish King but resign'd it back at the Treaty of Roschild Halgoland the Country of Ohther King Aelfred's Geographer is a part of this Prefecture Of which that Author gave this account to the King his Master ê§ nan man ne bude be Nor ðh an him i. e. That no inhabited Country lay further North then this But the great fishing trade upon these Coasts have made the English better acquainted with these parts then this Gentleman was with his own Country The Prefecture of Wardhus THE Castle of Wardhus the seat of the fifth and last great Governor in the Kingdom of Norway has its name from the Island Warda in which it stands This Isle lyes about two German miles from the main land of Finmark being near twelve English miles in compass The inhabitants of this and the two adjoining Isles which in Finmark go all under the general name of Trunsolem live only upon Stockfish which they dry in the frost They have no manner of Bread nor drink but what is brought them from other places Some small stock of Cattel they have but only such as can make a shift to live of their masters diet dryed fish Finmark or Norwegian Lapland ON the North of Norway lies Finmark or as the Natives use to call it Taakemark which perhaps was the ancient habitation of the Finni mentioned by Tacitus For the character which that Historian gives us of those people is very applicable to the modern Finmarkers The Finni says he are a people extraordinary savage and miserably poor They have neither Horses Arms House nor Home but feed upon roots and such provision as their Bows and Arrows can procure and are clothed with the skins of wild beasts To this day Finmark is not divided as all other Countries generally are into distinct Lordships and Inheritances but as in Mr. Hobbes's state of nature every private man pretends a right and title to every part of the Land and the strength of the Arm is the only Judge of controversies When fishing season comes in they throng to the Sea-coasts and when that is over retire again into the uplands Only the Islanders in Heymeland keep their stations and have their Churches in Trom Suro Maggero and other places The language manners and habits of the people are the same as in the Swedish Lapland of which an account has been already given Of the ancient Commerce between the old Britains English and Norwegians THo the relations which our English writers give us of the prowess and brave exploits of the valiant British King Arthur savour too much of Romance yet in the main our best Historians agree unanimously in this that no Prince ever conquer'd more of the Northern Kingdoms then this King W. Lambert in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assures us that all the Islands Nations and Kingdoms in the North and East Seas as far as Russia were tributary to him And Geoffry of Monmouth says King Arthur at one time summon'd no less then six Kings to appear before him at his Court in Britain viz. 1. Guillaumur King of Ireland 2. Malvase King of Iseland 3. Doldaff King of Gothland 4. Gunnase King of Orkney 5. Lot King of Norway And 6. Aschile King of Denmark Upon these conquests the Kingdom of Norway was annexed to the Crown of England and the Norwegians incorporated into one Nation with the Britains But this amity was of no long continuance for Norway was at too great a distance
can the most accurate German Antiquary prove that there was any such thing as a Statua Rolandina ever heard of in the Empire before A.D. 1000. Again what could perswade the Emperor to bestow such signal kindnesses upon mean and contemptible Villages in Saxony as some to this day are which nevertheless dare still pretend to shew one of these ancient Statues whereas we do not find that any of the brave Cities upon the Rhine had such priviledges and immunities granted to them If there be any probable account to be given of this custom Goldastus's conjecture is the most likely to hit the mark Now he fancies that Roland or Ruland is not a proper name but an appellative deriv'd from the old Dutch word Rugen signifying to judg or pass sentence in any Law-Case So that by Ruland or Rugeland nothing else as he thinks can be meant then ein Mahlstadt da man frey Kayserlich Gericht helt i. e. a City or great Town on the utmost borders of the Empire where the Emperor has been pleas'd to appoint a Session of Judges and Advocates to try and determine in his name all Law-Suits and Controversies And this power and authority committed to the Burgers of such certain Cities was represented as it is still at Bremen Magdeburg and many other great Towns in Saxony by the portraicture of a great Giant mistaken for one Roland whom they make Sister's Son to Charles the Great representing the Emperor and bearing the Arms of the Empire And they were anciently so superstitious in erecting or pulling down these Statues according as they had the right of Judicature conferr'd on or taken from them that when the Emperor Charles the IV. had obliged the Hamburgers to submit themselves to the Dukes of Holstein they broke their Statue in pieces Quam says Crantzius pro signo libertatis olim erectam habuerant To conclude 't is a sufficient argument that these Statues were not first set up in Saxony nor ever appropriated to that Country in remembrance of General Roland their Conqueror that we meet with the like monuments in Kinsberg Prinslaw and some other places in the Marquisate of Brandenburg where we never read that Roland commanded an Army The money currant in Bremen Money is chiefly the Emperor's own Coin Some pieces they have out of Sweden tho there cannot be any great treasure exported out of so poor a Kingdom I have not seen any notable coin of their own except their Bremischer Grot or Vier-pfenninger which is worth little more then an English half-penny From this Nether-Saxon word Grot used instead of the High-Dutch Grosch our English Groat had probably its first original for their Grot as well as ours is valued at four Pence altho a Penny at Bremen as well as in Scotland be not worth above a sixth part of one of ours The Arms of Bremen are a Key Argent in a Field Gules Arms. to denote the power of the Citizens to open or shut at their pleasure the passage of any Ships which traffic upon the Weser Other Places of Note in the Dukedom of BREMEN I. VEHRDEN Vehrden formerly a Bishop's See and no part of the Archbishopric of Bremen but may now reasonably enough be accounted a part of the Dukedom as having been given up into the hands of the Swedes together with the Archbishopric under the name of one entire Dukedom at the Treaty of Munster Bruschius in his History of the German Bishops tells us that Charles the Great founded this Bishopric at Konende upon the Weser others say Bardewic about the year 776 whence not long after it was remov'd to Vehrden which even in those days was if the Saxons had any such a strong and populous City Crantzius reports that the first Bishop of this Diocess was one Suibert an English man who died in the year 708 near seventy years before the first foundation of the Bishopric according to Bruschius's calculation and was succeeded by one Patto a Scot. But Emmius in his accurate Frisian History shews that this Historian mistook Suidbert the Frislander who was indeed the first Bishop of Vehrden for one of the same name who came over into Germany with Wilhad the first Bishop of Bremen And yet this correction of Crantzius's relation is not to be approv'd unless we read 788 or 798 instead of 708 since as we have before inform'd the Reader one of our English Archbishops first furnish'd Bremen with a Bishop at the request of the Emperor Charles the Great in the year 788. We may from these contradictions easily gather what credit is to be given to the account which German writers are able to give us of the ancient State of this City and the present is not worthy of a large description having nothing in it extraordinary or remarkable The River Aller upon which 't is seated brings in all the Trade of the Town since up the Weser into which River the Aller emties it self not far from Vehrden are brought flat bottom'd Barges of a considerable bulk laden with all foreign and domestic commodities which the Market of Bremen will afford Count Tilly took this Town at the first assault in the year 1626 and afterwards in the year 1631 the Imperial Army gave it a second blow which it has felt ever since II. Ottersberg OTTERSBERG A small fortified Town not far from Bremen beautified and defended by a strong Castle the ancient residence of some of their Archbishops Chytraeus tells us that the Castle of Ottenberg bore a part for many years with the Citizens of Bremen in a rebellion against their Archbishops to whom they were at last upon some condition agreed to by both parties forc'd to submit themselves in the year 1547. In the last Civil Wars of Germany this Castle was twice taken and plunder'd by the Imperialists and once by Count Coningsmark the Swedish General III. Rotterberg ROTTERBERG A small City seated on the River Wein at about four English miles distance from Ottersberg In the place where this City now stands Nicolas the thirty-seventh Bishop of Vehrden built a Palace for himself and successors which was afterwards fortified with strong Walls and a deep Ditch about the year 1500 by Barthold the forty-ninth Bishop of that Diocess At the same time the adjoining Village or Suburbs were Wall'd in and made a small City which by degrees is grown to be a place of some trade and is considerably populous IV. Buxtehude BUXTEHUDE Seated on the River Essa not far from the Elb in as pleasant and fruitful a Country as any in the whole Empire This is one of the Granaries of Hamburg and furnishes that great City with a large portion of their provision both for man and horse V. Stade STADE The second City of note next after Bremen in the whole Dukedom seated on the mouth of the River Zwinga and banks of the Elb. Bertius and other writers skill'd in the ancient Geography of these parts would
have this City look'd upon as a place of the greatest antiquity of any in Saxony esteeming it the same with Ptolomy's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tho I think the Longitude and Latitude which Ptolomy assigns to that old Town being 29 deg of Long. and 51 deg 20 min. of Lat. will scarce come near this City This large and ancient City was formerly subject to Earls and Marquises of its own and thence we find the inhabitants in and about the City named by the Latin Historians Stadenses Stadingi or Stedingii as a people distinct of themselves and independant upon any of the neighbouring Princes Of these Earls and Marc-Graves the Reader may meet with a Catalogue in Crantzius or Angelius a Werdenhagen In the year 1234 the Stadenses were the occasion of a bloody and terrible war in the Archbishopric of Bremen which happening in the very infancy of Christianity in these parts had like to have stifled Religion in its Cradle This bloodshed was occasion'd by a revolt of the Citizens of Stade from their obedience to the See of Bremen Whereupon the Clergy of that City being resolv'd to keep by a strong arm what their enemies had endeavour'd to wrest from them took up arms and engaged several of their neighbours in the broil But this expedient did not meet with the expected success having after a long quarrel only weaken'd both parties and in no wise vindicated the Archbishop's Title At last a volley of curses and excommunications from the Bishop of Rome frighted the Citizens of Stade into submission and obliged them to yield obedience as formerly to the Archbishop's of Bremen Hereupon Philip Duke of Schwaben and Earl of Stade annex'd the whole County to the Archbishopric reserving only to himself the City with its ancient priviledges and immunities In which state it continued till in the Civil wars of Germany it fell into the hands of the Swedes and was confirm'd to that Crown as a part of the Dukedom of Bremen by the Treaty of Munster And possibly we may have some reason to call this the Metropolis of the whole Country which is now subject to the King of Sweden as Duke of Bremen since the City of Bremen it self was exemted from the Homage payable to that Monarch from the Archbishopric by vertue of that Treaty and is to this day a free Imperial City immediately subject to the Emperor and to him only Notwithstanding the vast Rampires and Bulwarks wherewith this City is fortified and the natural strength of the place it was besieg'd and taken in one day April 13 1645 by the Swedish General Count Coningsmark who having at the first assault taken the Fortress on the mouth of the Zwinge betwixt the City and the Elb press'd forward with his whole Army to the Gates of Stade and forc'd his way into the City Whereupon the Burgers were glad to surrender up the Castle and other strong Forts upon any conditions the Conqueror was pleas'd to propose The Town is at present in a flourishing condition being seated in a wholesom Air and a pleasant rich Country The Burgers who have the character of the most civil and courteous people in this part of the Empire have commonly Orchards and Gardens of pleasure without the walls of the City well stockt with all manner of Fruits and Flowers Their Haven is large and commodious and Ships of larger carriage and burthen come up to Stade then are able to reach Hamburg The Market-place Rahthauss or Town-Hall Exchange and several of their Churches are Buildings worthy a Traveller's sight Many and great have been the priviledges by several Emperors granted to this City It was always reckon'd a Sanctuary for fugitives insomuch that all manner of malefactors whether Germans or Foreigners that could reach Stade before vengeance overtook them were sure to find shelter here and be secure from the hand of justice Besides the priviledg of coining money authority to hunt in the neighbouring Forests and the like prerogatives challeng'd by all Imperial Cities they have power to demand a certain Toll or Custom of every Merchant-man that passes up the Elb to Hamburg every such Vessel being oblig'd to strike anchor at the mouth of the Zwinge and there to tarry till dismiss'd by the Masters of the Custom-House These pretensions occasion'd not many years ago a quarrel between the Citizens of Stade and the Hamburgers the later pretending that 't was an infringement of their prerogative who were absolute Masters of the Elb below their own City for Stade to lay claim to any such priviledg But the controversie soon after was amicably compos'd and each City has since peaceably enjoy'd its own peculiar Regality This ancient Hans-Town being one of the first that was enroll'd into that noble society was once reduc'd to a mean and beggarly condition by the overgrown trade and riches of the Hamburgers insomuch that it was forc'd to sell almost for bread the public stock not amounting to ninety pounds sterling a year to these upstart thriving Merchants its ancient priviledges and put it self under the protection of the Archbishops of Bremen But in this low condition it did not long continue before the English Merchants upon some affront the Hamburgers had offer'd them remov'd their commerce to Stade By which means this City in a short time recover'd its former grandeur and grew on a sudden rich and populous VI. BREMER-VERDEN A wall'd Town Bremer-Verden on the road betwixt Bremen and Stade distant from the later about twelve English miles and from the former near twenty-eight It was first built by Luder Duke of Saxony and afterwards made a Palace for the Archbishops of Bremen who had here their usual residence In the Castle which commands a great part of the adjacent plain the Swedes have commonly a strong Garrison The Town would otherwise be of little note not having the convenience of any trade except what is brought by the resort of passengers that travel this way to Bremen or Stade THE DUKEDOM OF LUNENBURG THE Dukedom of Luneburg Bounds or Lunenburg is bounded on the South with the Dukedom of Brunswic on the South-East with Magdeburg on the East with Brandenburg on the North with Lauwenburg and Holstein on the North-West with Bremen and on the West with some part of Westphalia The Metropolis which gives name to the whole Dukedom is thought by some to have had its name from the Moon Lunus or Luna worshipp'd by the ancient Idolatrous Inhabitants of this Land Others derive the word from the name of the River Elmena or Ilmenow on which the City of Luneburg is seated which they tell us was formerly call'd Luno from Isis the Egyptian Goddess who coming into Germany to visit her Kinsman Gambrivius who was in those days Lord of that part of the Country where Hamburg now stands was here Deified and worshipp'd under the Image of an Half-Moon Several of the Saxon Chronologers report that this Idol was first brought hither by
the name of the Dukedom of Bremen The name of this City is fetcht by some from one Luba a famous Fisherman that heretofore pitcht his Tents upon the Sea-shore in the same place where afterwards the great City of Lubec was built But this fiction is of the same stamp with the frivolous Etymologies with which some of our English Historians have furnish'd us of Britain from Brutus and London from King Lud. Others tell us that Lubec in the old Wendish tongue signifies a Crown and therefore would perswade us that this Town had its name from the preeminence which immediately after its first foundation it might justly challenge amongst the other Cities of Germany Whence Lindebergius alluding to this Etymology concludes his Elogium in the praise of Lubec with this Distich Et decus Europae lumen sit totius Ansae Et sit Vandalici pulchra Corona soli But the most probable opinion is what we have before mention'd that the name is truly High-Dutch and signifies no more than Lob-eck or ein eck des lobes a corner of Land for upon such a plot of ground 't is situate commendable for something or other in it extraordinary and notable The Polish Historians particularly J. Ludowic Decius in his History of Sigismund II. King of Poland are very zealous in asserting that this great City owes its birth to the Princes of their Country who having made themselves Masters of all this part of Germany built a Fort and in some short time after a wall'd Town in that neck of land upon which Lubec stands But the Germans as vigorously oppose this assertion affirming that Godschalck a certain King of the Vandals laid the first foundation of the Town A. D. 1040 which small beginnings were enlarg'd into the bulk of a considerable City by Crito a Prince of Rugen in the year 1104 or as others 1087. But however this is certain that it was never a City nor had any Charter confirm'd to it before it had been once utterly ruin'd and laid desolate by Ratzo Prince of Rugen in the year 1134 and rebuilt by Adolph II. Earl of Holstein A. D. 1140 who being unable to defend any part of his Territories against the victorious Duke of Saxony and Bavaria Henry II. surnam'd the Lion was forc'd to yeild up to him Lubec amongst the other conquer'd parts of his Dominions Afterwards when success and pride had swell'd Henry to that height as to make him neglect his duty and allegiance to the Emperor Frideric Barbarossa and to side with the Pope in a quarrel against him he was by the said Emperor publicly proscrib'd and devour'd by the joint forces of his neighbour Princes every one laying hold of that part of his Estates which lay next him In this confusion Lubec was besieg'd and taken by the Emperor himself but after his death restor'd to the foremention'd Duke Henry Afterwards it was conquer'd by Waldemar Duke of Sleswic and Brother to Canutus King of Denmark But not long after the Citizens finding themselves too severely treated by their Danish Lords put their City under the protection of the Emperor Frideric II. who granted them several priviledges and immunities and restor'd them to the ancient Liberties which they had enjoy'd under their first Masters Since that time Lubec has continued an Imperial City being always reckon'd one of the chief in the Empire and the Metropolis of the Hans-Towns The Bishopric of Lubec which since John Adolph Duke of Holstein was elected Bishop of that See in the year 1596 has always been in the possession of some of the younger Brothers of that House was first founded by the Emperor Otho I. at Oldenburg in Wagerland and afterwards removed hither with the permission of the Emperor Frideric I. by Henry the Lion Duke of Saxony in the year 1163. There is not any City in the Northern parts of the German Empire which at this day excels or perhaps can equalize Lubec either in beauty or uniformity of its Buildings or pleasantness of its Gardens and Groves The Streets are generally strait and even the Houses being all built with Brick and cover'd with Tyles In the year 1238 a great fire hap'ning in the City burnt down many of their Streets which at that time consisted of Houses made of Timber and cover'd with Thatch whereupon the Senators of the City made an Order that thenceforward no such Houses should be built within the walls of the Town From the public Conduit they have water convey'd by pipes into every Citizen's private House according to which pattern the Conduits in London and other great Cities in Europe were first contrived The Streets are in several places graced with rows of Linden Trees planted on each side The Churches about twenty in number are generally well built and adorn'd with high Steeples or Spires especially the Cathedral dedicate to St. Mary which is a piece of as curious Architecture as most in Germany The River Trave on which Lubec is seated about eight or ten English miles from the Sea is large and deep enough to carry the largest Vessels that sail upon the Baltic So that daily Merchant-men of the greatest bulk as well as flat bottom'd Barges are brought up to the Walls of the City which with its neighbour Hamburg is thought to maintain near six hundred Vessels in continual traffick The City is govern'd by twelve Burgo-masters who are all of them either Doctors of Civil Law or some of the grave and experienc'd Nobility of the City The Common Council is made up of half Lawyers and Nobles and the other half Merchants Their Laws will not permit any Handicrafts-man two Brothers nor Father and Son to be of this great Council of the City supposing that illiterate Mechanics can hardly have so much skill in State-affairs as will render them fit for Government and that near Relations will be apt to side with one another and not act with such unbyass'd judgments as others that are nothing akin II. WISMAR Wismar Seated in the way betwixt Lubec and Rostoc at an equal distance namely seven German or one and twenty English miles from both those Cities Cromer and Vapovius zealous assertors of the honour of their Country derive the name of this City from one Wissimir its founder who they tell us was a Polish Prince descended from their Great Duke Lechus The grounds of their story they borrow from Saxo Grammaticus and Crantzius who report that Wissimirus a Prince of the Vandals march'd with a good Army into Denmark and there slew Siward King of the Danes and at his return built Wismar Now these men imagining that Princeps Vandalicus and Vendicus signifie the same thing conclude presently that this Wissimir must certainly have been a Pole and then the greatest honour they can do him is to bring him from the Loins of Lechus Whereas granting the main part of Crantzius's story which nevertheless is undoubtedly false that Wismar was indeed built by such a Prince as
he mentions yet upon examination we shall find that this Wisimir if ever there was any such man must have slain Siward about the year of Christ 340 and we never hear of Duke Lechus in Poland before the year 550 nay some say he began his Government in the year 644. Wherefore omitting these impertinent contradictions and anticronisms it is certain that Wismar had its name from the convenience of its situation Wis-meer signifying no more then a safe and secure part of the Ocean such an one as that is upon which this City is now seated Nor is the Town so ancient as they would make it but first built or at least made a City out of the ruins of Mecklenburg which as hath been already said was once the Metropolis of this whole Dukedom about the year 1250 or as some will have it 1238 by Gunceline II. Earl of Swerin Afterwards Henry Duke of Mecklenburg for his great performances in the Holy Land surnam'd Hierosolymitanus brought hither the Statutes and Ordinances observed in the Government of the City of Lubec and new modell'd Wismar about the year 1266. From which time it grew so extravagantly great and populous that within a very short time it was reckon'd one of the chief Hans-Towns and was made the Harbour for all the Men of War belonging to that Society This engaged the whole Community to contribute towards its fortification insomuch that within the compass of a very few years it became almost impregnable By the Treaty of Munster the City and Haven of Wismar with the Castle of Wallfrisch and the Peninsula of Pole excepting the Villages of Schedorff Weitendorff Brandenhusen and Wangeren which belong to the Hospital of the Holy Ghost in Lubec as also Newen-Closter were given up to the Swedes since which time the King of Sweden has always stiled himself Lord of Wismar But in these late Wars between the two Northern Crowns the City of Wismar amongst many others was taken by the present victorious King of Denmark Christian V. Altho it was agreed by the Eighth Article of the Treaty of Peace signed at Fountainblaeu on the second day of September in the year 1679 by the French and Danish Ministers that Wismar and Rugen should be restor'd to the Swedes within three weeks after the ratification of the said Treaty yet in a second Treaty sign'd on the twenty-sixth day of the same month at Lunden in Schonen it was agreed that Wismar should remain in the hands of the King of Denmark as a surety for the arrears of certain Contributions due from that King to the Crown of Sweden This obligation it seems is not yet cancell'd for the Danes to this day keep possession of this great Town and are not like to be forc'd in any short time to yeild it up III. Rostock ROSTOCK A City of great antiquity if we believe the stories which some of the German Antiquaries report of it For they tell us that this is the very place which several of the ancient Roman Writers point at when they report great things of Lacinium Rhodopolis and Laciburgium all which names the modern Historians appropriate to Rostock But how its name came at last to be chang'd for there seems to be but little affinity betwixt Lacinium or Laciburgium and Rostock altho Rhodopolis come something nearer to the modern name they cannot so easily determine Some think the word Rostock or Rostzogz a compound of two old Wendish Monosyllables signifying as much as a confluence of two Rivers So that this City according to this derivation had its name at first for the same reason that several great Towns in France are at this day nam'd Confluent The Polish writers say the name was first given it by some of their Country-men in whose language Rostock signifies a moist or boggy place P. Lindebergius in his Chronocle of Rostoch proves from inscriptions upon the Seal of the City and other ancient Monuments that the true name of the Town is Rotzstock and he guesses that this name was first given it from a great Red Pillar von einem rothen saul oder stock which in the days of Paganism and Idolatry was worshipp'd by the Inhabitants of these parts And this conjecture seems most agreeable to the name of Rhodopolis before-mention'd not to mention its being back'd with the authority of a learn'd man and great Antiquary But whatever grand conceit the Mecklenburgers may have of the antiquity of this City 't is certain that in the year 329 't was only a small inconsiderable Village built by some poor Fishermen on the banks of the Warna and consisting of a few slender Tents rather then Houses Afterwards it was advanc'd into a small City by Gotheschalk King of the Heruli and by his successor Primislaus the Second notably enlarged about the year 1160. At last Burevinus Primislaus's Son made it a compleat City having been at the charges of walling it about and new modelling it according to the Laws and Constitutions of the City of Lubeck Burevinus's Charter which the Citizens of Rostock shew to this day amongst other records of their Corporation is signed in the year 1218. At this Day it consists of three parts the Old New and Middle City in all which are reckoned 140 Streets and many thousands of high and stately Citizens Houses The most memorable things in Rostock are usually by the Mecklenburgers in their Saxon Dialect reckoned up in the following Rithms Seven doren tho St. Marien-karcke Seven Straten van den grooten Marckle Seven thore so der gahn tho lande Seven kopmans bruggen by dem strande Seven torne so up den Radthuss staan Seven Klocken die daar daglycken slaan Seven linden op den Rosen-garden Dat syn die Rostocker kennewarten i. e. There are seven times seven remarkable things in Rostock 1. Seven great doors to the Cathedral Church of St. Mary 2. Seven large Streets leading to the chief Market-place 3. Seven Gates of the City towards the Land Seven Bridges over the Warna which runs through several places of the Town 5. Seven Towers on the top of the Town Hall 6. Seven great Bells which chime at certain hours in the Town Clock 7. Seven vast Linden trees in the Common Garden But of late years one of their Bridges being decayed with age fell down and because of no great use has not since been repaired so that one of their Septenaries is fail'd The most notable Commodity of the Town is Beer which is here brewed and carryed into several parts of Germany and other Nations A Rostocker will tell us that yearly by the 250 priviledged Brewers in this City there are at least so many thousand Tun of Beer brewed besides the vast quantities which many of the Private Citizens men especially of the chiefest rank and repute must be supposed to brew for their own use The University at Rostock which is now one of the largest and best stockt in the German Empire was first founded by John
of Ocean near Damgarten and emptying it self into the Baltic at Dars 2. The Barte which springs near Stralsund spreads into the sea at Bardt a City borrowing its name from this River and soon after is lost in the Baltic 3. The famous Oder which as soon as it hath pass'd Gartz and Grieffenhagen and is come into Pomeren divides it self into several branches or Arms embracing therein many large and fair Meadows whereof some are above two English miles in breadth After it has pass'd by Stetin it dilates it self first into the Dammish Sea or Lake then into the Damantzke and Pfaffenwasser as the Natives call it and at last having passed betwixt Zegenorth and Schwantevitz spreads it self into a vast fresh-water Ocean known to the Neighbourhood by the name of Das grosse Frische Haff extending it self above sixteen English miles in breadth and as many in length This huge Lake afterwards disembogues it self into the Baltic Sea in three Currents which make as many safe harbours the Divenow Swyne and Penemunde for Ships that pass this way to Stetin Betwixt the Peene and Swyne ly the Island of Vsedom and the Liberties of the City of Wollin lye enclosed by the Swyne and Divenow Besides these and an innumerable Company of other Rivers which are lost in the Baltic Sea on the Coasts of Pomeren this Dukedom affords a vast number of standing Lakes as at New Stetin Lukow Sukow Verschem Dersenten Penckun with many others From what has been said the Reader will easily conclude Fish that the Dukedom of Pomeren is in all probability a Countrey as rich in all sorts of fish as any Principality of an equal extent in Europe but yet the strange Stories which some of their Historians relate of the extravagant plenty in this kind will a little stagger his faith They tell us That within the compass of one year above five thousand Rixdollars which allowing four Shillings and six Pence English for each Rixdollar will I am afraid amount to a greater sum then the whole yearly revenue which the Elector of Brandenburg has out of Pomeren was brought into the Duke of Pomeren's Treasury out of a six penny Custom demanded upon all fish caught in the Great Haff below Stetin and a three penny one upon those taken in the Lake at Lassan They add That although yearly out of the Lakes last mentioned above thirty thousand Rixdollars worth of fish be taken and vended yet there is never found any sensible decay of their stock The most usual sorts of Fish taken in the Haff are Salmon and Lampreys of both which kinds are sometimes caught Fishes of an incredible bulk and weight In the spring the Inhabitants of Gripswald Bardt Rugen and Wollin drive a good Herring-Trade but in other parts of Pomeren this sort of fish is never or rarely caught In the Lake Madduje near Colbatz the fishermen catch a large and broad Fish call'd in their language Musenen which like Charrs in some Lakes in the North of England is peculiar to this water and not to be met with in any other Province of the German Empire The Soil of the Country is in most places exceeding sandy and barren Nature of the Soil insomuch that sometimes the little crops which the inhabitants have sown in the fields near Damme Golnow Vckermund and several other parts of the Dukedom are suddenly overwhelm'd and stifled by huge drifts of Sand from the shore Howbeit you may here and there meet with a fruitful field especially near the City Pyritz which is seated in a rich Valley which supplies the wants of the neighbourhood so plentifully that seldom any Corn is brought into Pomeren out of foreign Nations but on the contrary great quantities in some fruitful years are exported thence They have very few Mountains of any considerable height but a vast number of large Woods and Forests well stock'd with all manner of Game as Deer wild Boars Hares Foxes Wolves wild Horses Bulls and Bevers Besides the Lakes and Forests furnish the inhabitants with all sorts of Water and Land-Fowl the former of which are so numerous that they pretend to reckon up no less then twenty-two different kinds of wild Ducks Besides the conveniencies and pleasures already mention'd Commodities the inhabitants are provided for almost with all other necessaries within the compass of their own Territories that Nature requires and the Ships of Stetin Stralsund and other Towns of Trade bring in the delicacies of foreign Nations to satisfie the demands of Luxury No Province in Germany affords greater quanties nor more different sorts of Fruit then Pomeren The inhabitants of Pomeren do not at all apply themselves to the planting of Vineyards Beer and if they should their Wine would prove but very mean and contemptible such as the Marquisate of Brandenburg affords of which hereafter However this want is sufficiently supplied by those vast numbers of Merchant-Ships which come hither laden with the Wines of other Countries Besides should the inhabitants which can now hardly be hoped for grow so temperate as to put a stop to the importing the luxurious Liquors of foreign Countries and content themselves with the drinks of their own Land they would quickly experience as many of their neighbours have done the delicacies of the many sorts of Beer in Pomeren Such are the bitter Beer of Stetin the Mum of Gripswald the Buckhenger as they term it we may English it Knock-down of Wollin with many others which are by the Mariners transported into other Nations and therefore look'd upon as questionless they are preferable to most Wines They have no kind of Mettals in any of their Mountains Minerals except only some few Mines of Iron in the Upper Pomeren In some places the Sea casts up Amber but not in such quantities as in Prussia So that here any man has the privilege of picking up and selling as much Amber as he can find which the Nobility and Magistracy in Preussen will by no means permit NOVA ILLVSTRISSIMI DVCATVS POMERANIAE TABVLA antea à Viro Cl. D. D. Eilhardo Lubino edita nunc iterum correcta per Frid. Palbitzke Pomer L. L. Studiosum Sumptibus Janssonio-Waesbergiorum Mosis Pitt et Stephani Swart BVGISLAVS IVNIOR XIV POMERANIAE DVX Notarum explicatio Urbes Urbes cum arcibus Ducalibus Pagi◠Tho the ancient inhabitants of Pomeren the Rugii 〈◊〉 Reudigni Longididuni c. were for many Centuries govern'd by Princes of their own yet the ignorance of the times wherein they liv'd has left us in the dark as to any satisfactory register of their names and actions The first Prince of Pomeren whom we meet with upon good record is Barnimus one of the ancient and noble Family of the Gryphones often mention'd in their Annals and so call'd probably from the Gryphin their Arms to this day who is said to have govern'd in the year 933. His Grandson Suantiberus divided his principality betwixt his two Sons Bugislaus and
six chief Courts of Judicature Courts of Judicature for the examination and trial of Cases Civil and Ecclesiastical in the Elector's Dominions 1. At Coen on the Spree or in the Elector's Palace at Berlin 2. At Colberg in Pomeren 3. Cleve 4. Halberstadt 5. Petershagh where all Causes depending between any of the Elector's Subjects in the Dukedom of Minden are brought to trial 6. Konigsberg in Prussia To these may be added the Court of Magdeburg since that Archbishopric is now fall'n into the Elector's hands But of this more hereafter The whole Marquisate of Brandenburg strictly so call'd is commonly divided into the Alt Mittel Neue and Vcker-Marck with the Territories of Prignitz and Sternberg But taking Prignitz and Vcker-Marck into the Middle and Sternberg into the New we may include them all under the three following heads ALT-MARCK FIrst ALT-MARCK or the old Marquisate is bounded on the North with the Dukedom of Mecklenburg on the West with Saxon-Lawenburg and some part of the Duke of Lunenburg's Territories on the South with the Dukedom of Magdeburg and on the East with the Middle Marck containing about thirty English miles in length or bredth Some Authors for the plenty it affords of all manner of Herbs and Fruits have been pleased to call it the Galilee of Germany It is commonly subdivided into four petty Provinces whereof that on the East called Das Balsamerland or Ostland contains Stendal Arneburg the City and County of Osterburg with some other Towns of note On the South lies Die Langer or Das Angerland taking its name from the River Anger Towards the West Das land zu Zermund in which is situate the ancient City Soltwedel And lastly Das Senland on the North supposed to have its name from the Senones who are thought to have been the ancient inhabitants of these parts The most considerable Cities and great Towns in the Old Marck are 1. Stendal the Metropolis of this Province Stendal seated upon the River Vcht about five English miles distant from the Elb and Angermund in a pleasant plain and at the side of a large Forest It was built by the Emperor Henry the First in the year of Christ 920 and afterwards fortified with strong Walls and Bulwarks by Marquise Albert surnam'd Vrsus in the year 1150. In this neat and well-built Hans-Town are kept the ordinary Quarter-Sessions for decision of all Law-Suits in the Old Marck The chief trade of the Citizens is in Corn and Linnen Cloth with which and the daily opportunity of entertaining Passengers that travel this road from Hamburg and Lubec towards Magdeburg Erfurt c. they make a shift to live handsomly MARCHIA VETUS Vulgo ALTE MARCK in March Brandenburgico To the R. t Wor. ll Ralph Macro M. D. r this Plate is Humbly Dedicated by Moses Pitt MARCHIA MEDIA Vulgo MIDLE MARCK in Brandenburg IE NE SERCH QVâ— To the R. t Hon. t Iames Earle of Northampton This Mapp is humbly Dedicated by M. Pitt 3. Gardleben GARDLEBEN Some Authors tell us that the ancient name of this Town was Isoburgum from the Image of Isis here worshipp'd Others believe 't was Isernburg and so called from its impregnable strength that name signifying properly a City of Iron The neighbouring old Fort call'd still by its ancient Wendish name Iseren Schnippe i. e. Iron Jaws gave occasion to both these opinions which are purely conjectural and are neither countenanc'd by Antiquity nor Probability But omitting these fancies with that of other Authors equally impertinent who write the Gardelegia and fetch its Etymology from Gardalegionum or Custodia Legionum because forsooth Claudius Drusus quarter'd some of his Soldiers here as well as at Soltwedel 't is most likely this City had its name from the multitude of pleasant Gardens among which 't is seated The Beer brewed in this Town is famous all Germany over and reckon'd amongst the greatest Blessings of the Old Marck Henry Meibonius a Professor in Helmstadt whither great quantities of this Liquor is ordinarily convey'd has writ a Panegyrick in commendation of it Another great commodity of the Town is Hops which are preferr'd by the Danish Merchants and others before the best in Germany and bought up at a higher rate The Arms of the City are three Hop-poles laden with Hops IV. Angermund ANGERMUND or Tangermund Seated as the name intimates on the mouth of the River Anger or Tanger about thirty English miles from Magdeburg The Emperor Charles IV. having bought the whole Marquisate of Brandenburg built the Castle of Angermund in the year 1376 making this the usual place of his residence for some years after The Citizens have a considerable trade from the advantage of the Elb by which their Corn and other Commodities of the Country are convey'd in Vessels down to Hamburg and thence into foreign Nations Other places of less note are 1. Seehusen or Senheusen as some write it seated on the River Alant and falsely suppos'd to have been built by the Senones who were indeed a Gaulish people and never inhabited these parts 2. Osterburg a great Corn-Market 3. Werben seated at the confluence of the Rivers Elb and Havel built by Henry surnamed the Fowler out of the ruins of the old Castellum Vari Gustavus Adolphus fancied this place capable of being made the strongest Fort in Germany and himself contributed so far towards its fortification as to cause that Castle to be built which now commands the whole Town 4. Havelberg anciently a Bishop's See 5. Perleberg the chief Town in Prignitz seated in a pleasant and fruitful plain Arneburg Wittemberg Bismarcht Schnakenburg with some others are Villages rather then great Towns II. MIDDLE-MARCK MIDDLE-MARCK as its name intimates is situate in the very midst of the Marquisate of Brandenburg 'T is the largest of the three and reaches from the banks of the Elb to the Oder about an hundred English miles The chief Towns in it are I. BRANDENBURG which Brandenburg tho at present far inferior to many of the neighbouring Cities well merits the preeminence as having been formerly the Metropolis of the whole Land and to this day giving name to the Marquisate Some of the German Historians endeavour to perswade us that 't was built 416 years before the birth of our Saviour by one Brenno a famous Captain of the Semnones Others more modestly fetch its original and name from one Brando who as they tell the story first built this City about the year 230. At present the Town is considerable for little but its age and the inhabitants would be put to a hard shift to pick up a livelihood if the neighbouring Lake about ten English miles in length did not supply them with good store of Fish In the great Church there are a great many Monuments and Sepulchers of Princes and Bishops and in the Market-place a Statua Rolandina of which last we have already given the Reader a short account II. BERLIN Berlin Angelius a
Werdenhagen an Author of good credit to whom the world is indebted for the most accurate descriptions of the Hans-Towns hitherto published tells us this small City had its name as well as Bernau Beerwald Bernstein with some other places in the Marquisate of Brandenburg from its first Founder Marquise Albert surnamed Vrsus or der Beer It is seated on a pleasant plot of ground upon the bank of the River Spree which Prickheimer Dresser Willichius Maginus Bertius with some other noted Geographers have mistaken for Ptolomy's Svevus Whereas that great man makes his Svevus to empty it self into the Baltic Sea and 't is well known that the Spree joins it self with the Havel at Spandau with which it is swallow'd up by the Elb near Werben which carries it into the German Ocean On the other side of the River stands Coln on the Spree as 't is nam'd for distinction sake famous for the Palace and usual residence of the Marquises of Brandenburg The Castle here was built by Marquise Joachim the second but much enlarged and beautified by his Successors Things most worth the seeing here are the Armory Chambers of Rarities Galleries in some of which among multitudes of other rare Pictures there are a great many pieces of the famous Luke Kranach's work Gardens Waterworks c. In the year 1628 the Citizens of Berlin and Coln were strangely alarm'd with the sight of an Apparition or Spirit which many of them pretended to have seen in the shape of a woman and to have heard it pronounce these words VenI IVDICA VIVos MortVos Now because the curious men about the Court had observed the said year 1628 mystically pointed at in the numeral Letters of those words they presently concluded that the Day of Judgment was not far off III. Francfurt FRANCFURT upon the Oder which is said to have been built about the year of Christ 146 by Sunno a Prince of the Franks who pursuing the Vandals to this place with an Army of eighteen some say twenty-eight thousand of his Countrymen placed here a Colony of his Soldiers calling the Town he had built for them Trajectum Francorum or Francfurt Afterwards in the year 1253 John I. Marquise of Brandenburg with his Brother Otho rebuilt the decayed Town and enlarged it above a third part In the year 1379 Marquise Sigismund granted many and great priviledges to the Citizens upon their entring into the Society of the Hans-Towns Lastly the University of Francfurt was founded by Marquise Joachim I. and his Brother Albert afterwards Archbishop of Mentz and Magdeburg in the year 1506 at which time the Schools here were stock'd with Professors from Leipsic Professors of best note in this University of late years and probably some of them may be still alive were Raetius Strickius Becman and Schultz who have pleased their Countrymen with the Edition of some few disputations and small pamphlets of good credit The Streets are generally large and well built the Market-place spatious and stately in which are yearly kept three great Fairs Without the Gates of the City are to be seen the ruins of an ancient Carthusian Monastery of which Johannes ab Indagine who as Dresser reports was Author of above three hundred Treatises upon different Subjects was sometimes Prior. To these may be added some few more of less note as 1. Spandau a strong Town on the mouth of the Spree but mean and inconsiderable for its buildings 2. Oranienburg called formerly Botzaw about sixteen or twenty English miles distant from Berlin a Village and Palace that affords the greatest variety of pleasures of any in the Marquise of Brandenburg's Dominions encompass'd on every side with most delicate and pleasant Parks and Forests well stock'd with all manner of Game Bisental Angermund Liebenwald Kremme Nieustadt c. have nothing remarkable in them Prenslow a Town well furnish'd with Fish from the adjoining Vcker See Strasburg and Templin are three well fortified Towns and the only three worth the mentioning in the Vcker-Marck III. NEW-MARCK NEW-MARCK lies betwixt the River Warta and Pomeren being separated from the Middle-Marck by the Oder containing in circuit about an hundred English miles It belong'd anciently to the Knights of the Teutonic Order who in the year 290 sold it to Otho Marquise of Brandenburg Sigismund pawn'd it to the King of Poland but redeem'd it again as soon as he was advanc'd to the Imperial Throne The Country is every-where sufficiently fruitful Soil and abounds with Corn-fields and Pasture-grounds more then any other parts of the Marquisate Upon the banks of the Oder the inhabitants plant Vineyards which sometimes tho rarely turn to good account In some places the Bores find now and then considerable quantities of red Coral and several sorts of precious Stones which as Mr. Cambden speaks of the like Treasures in Cumberland Gemmarii minimo ab egenis emunt maximo revendunt The only Town in the New-Marck which merits a particular Description in this place is Custrin seated upon the Oder And this too Custrin not many ages ago was only a poor despicable Village inhabited by a few beggarly Fishermen until John Marquise of Brandenburg returning from his following the wars under Charles V. fortified the place with Rampires and Bulwarks of Earth about the year 1537. But finding that whatever security he might promise himself from these Fortresses against the invasion of a foreign enemy such banks as he had cast up were easily wash'd away with a Flood he soon after wall'd it round with stone and 't is now become the Key of the New-Marck The invincible King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus was baffled at this Town in the year 1631 being forced to raise his designed siege and withdraw his Army which before that time knew not how to leave a Town unplunder'd So that this City may possibly deserve that high character which Angelius a Werdenhagen or his Author has given of it in the three following Distichs Ipsa licet cunctas adducat Thracia vires Germanis certam saepe minata necem Ipsa licet cunctas ducat terra Itala vires Teutonibus magnum saepe minata malum Nec tamen humana poteris delerier arte Nec vi nec vigili fraude dolove capi The Burgers have generally neat and well furnish'd Houses and the Market-place excells any in the whole Marquisate Sternberg is memorable for nothing but its giving name to a small Territory adjoining And Dam Konigsberg Morin Banen Soldin Landsberg with some others may be reckon'd without any great injury done them amongst the Villages rather then Cities of the Marquisate The places subject to the Elector of Brandenburg in Crossen and some other parts of Silesia and Lusatia shall be described hereafter when we come to give an account of the Countries to which they more immediately belong THE DUKEDOME OF MAGDEBURG MAGDEBURG is acknowledged by all Historians to be a City of as great Antiquity as most in Germany 〈◊〉 Some are of
opinion that 't was first built by Drusus and his Son Germanicus in the days of Augustus Cesar but Pyrckamer thinks 't is yet older and the same with Ptolomy's Vesovium They that fetch its original no higher then the Roman Captain Drusus's time tell us it had its name from an Image of Venus called in their language die Magde i. e. the Maid which say they the old Records of Magdeburg report to have been worshipp'd in the neighbouring banks of the Elb. Hence we meet with the names of Parthenope Parthenopolis and sometimes Parthenopyrga the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the same with the High Dutch Burg in Latin Historians instead of Magdeburgum This Image as the report goes was destroyed and its Temple utterly demolished by the Emperor Charles the Great 's Officers who converted the great Treasure they had seized to better uses in building St. Stephens Church in the Town An ancient Chronicle of the City of Brunswic gives this description of the foremention'd Image That it represented a naked woman with bright shining eyes and long yellow hair seated in a guilt Chariot drawn by two white Swans and as many white Turtles Upon her head was placed a Garland of Myrtle and on her breast a burning Torch flaming every way In her right hand she held a Globe of the world and in her left three Golden Apples She was attended by three Graces who cover'd each others eyes with a Veil What credit may be given to these stories I know not nor will it probably be worth the while to enquire However certain it is that whatever Antiquity the Town of Magdeburg may pretend to it was never wall'd round before the year 940 nor could ever challenge the name of a City till some time after For Edgitha wife to the Emperor Otho I. and Daughter to our English-Saxon King Edmund having the Land about Magdeburg setled on her for a Jointure prevailed with her Husband to give her leave to build a City in this place and to wall it in This Grant the Emperor seconded with large Contributions out of his own Treasury and translated the Bishopric of Vallersleben to this new City So that Magdeburg had if not its name at least its glory from an English Princess Soon after the said Emperor Otho prevailed with the Pope of Rome to make Magdeburg an Archbishopric and to order that several of the neighbouring Bishops particularly the Bishops of Mersburg Zeitz Havelberg and Brandenburg should be subject to the Archbishop of this Diocess as to their lawful Metropolitan who should acknowledg no man's supremacy in Spirituals but the Pope's From thenceforward the Archbishop of Magdeburg had the Title of Primate of Germany conferr'd on him tho as Krantius shews the three Spiritual Electors and the Archbishop of Saltzburg always refused to pay him that respect In this State the Church of Magdeburg continued till the year 1566 when the whole Chapter having abandoned the innovations and fopperies of the Church of Rome and embraced the tenents of M. Luther elected Joachim Frideric at that time the only Son of John George Elector of Brandenburg to be the Administrator of their Archbishopric having before his admission bound him by oath to the observation of certain Articles approved on by himself and his Father After whose death he was advanced to the Electorate of Brandenburg and his Son Christian-William chosen Administrator in his place Who faithfully discharged his trust till the year 1631 in which the Town after a long siege was taken by the cruel Count Tilly who destroyed the lives and fortunes of no less then thirty thousand Citizens with Fire and Sword and carried the Administrator prisoner to Newstatt in Austria where he chang'd his Religion and turn'd Papist Into his place the Chapter elected Augustus second Son to John George the First Elector of Saxony who had had the Title of Coadjutor from the year 1625. In the Westphalian Treaty it was order'd that upon the death of the said Augustus the Archbishopric of Magdeburg should again return to the House of Brandenburg and be for ever annex'd to that Elector's Dominions under the name of a Dukedom In pursuance of this agreement the present Elector of Brandenburg has upon the death of the said Administrator which hapned this last year 1680 taken possession of Magdeburg and the adjoining Territories which 't is thought will advance his yearly Revenues the sum of 600000 Rixdollars The siege of Magdeburg in the year 1631 which we have already mention'd is so famous for the valour of the Defendants Siege and notorious for the unparallel'd cruelty of the Besiegers that it well merits a more particular account then we have yet given of it The tenth of May old stile was the bloody day whereon this horrid and tragical Massacre was committed The Burgers had long withstood the threats and force of the Imperial General Count Tilly endeavouring to secure their Religion from the outrages of a Popish Army But after a long and vain resistance the bloody Count forced his way into the Town and commanded his men to spare neither man woman nor child but put all to the Sword to fire all their Churches and private Houses and to extirpate if possible their very name In obedience to his command women in travail were ript up and the sucking children snatcht from their mothers breasts and hew'n in pieces before their eyes The young Virgins were first ravish'd in the open street and then murder'd two whereof are said to have prevented their shame by hast'ning their death the one throwing her self before Tilly's face into a Well and the other into the Fire Sixteen Churches and Chappels whereof many cover'd with Lead and one with Copper were burnt down and not an House in the Town left standing save a few Fishermen's Cottages which the Imperialists would not vouchsafe to fire Of near forty thousand Citizens scarce four hundred were left alive and those destitute of Houses and other conveniences requisite for the preservation of the miserable lives they had spared them This bloody exploit Count Tilly was used to brag of afterwards in his jollity calling it merrily The Marriage-feast of Magdeburg Since this desolation the Town has not to this day been able to recover its former grandeur Present condition but is every-where checquer'd with new buildings and the ruins of the old They have rebuilt one stately Church but most of the rest ly still buried in their ashes Tilly in the heat of his rage was perswaded to spare the Cathedral which is indeed a stately structure and enough to recommend the whole Town to a stranger's eye In one of the Chappels in this Church is shew'n the Tomb of the Emperor Otho the Great with his Wife Edgitha before-mentioned holding in her hand nineteen small Globes within a Golden circle which denote so many Tun of Gold given by the Emperor at her request towards the building of this Cathedral There are
in this Church forty-nine Altars whereof the High Altar in the Quire is of one piece of stone curiously wrought and of various colours It is nine Hamburg Ells each of which makes one foot and ten inches in length four in bredth and one in thickness and valued at above two Tun of Gold Magdeburg had once the supreme Jurisdiction in Civil Cases as well as Ecclesiastical over all the other Cities in Saxony Judicature and the Archbishop of this Diocess was like our Bishops of Durham a Count Palatine who had the sole power of determining all Causes brought before him But that grand Authority was lost by degrees and now the Citizens of Magdeburg have no other Courts of Judicature then such as are kept by the Burgomasters and Raedtsherrn of other Cities as well as this That part of this Dukedom which lies on the Western banks of the Elb is exceedingly fruitful in Corn but wants Wood and other fuel and on the contrary that part of it which lies beyond the River has plenty of Wood but wants Corn. There are contain'd in the whole Circle twenty-eight Towns which anciently paid homage to the Archbishops of Magdeburg and are now subject to the Elector of Brandenburg as their Duke ANHALT BEtwixt the Sala and the Elb lies the greatest part of this Principality the whole being environ'd by the County of Mansfeldt the Upper Saxony the Bishopric of Halle the Dukedom of Magdeburg and the Bishopric of Halberstadt MARCHIA NOVA Vulgo NEW MARK in March Brandenburg PRINCIPATUS ANHALDINUS ET MAGDEBURGENSIS Archiepiscopatus Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart 'T will not in this place be amiss to inform the the Reader that Prince Lewis beforemention'd to the great credit of himself and Family was the first Founder of the Frucht-Barende Geselschaft as the Germans call it or Fructifying Society The story of which is as follows This Prince having travell'd over all Europe and observed the great advantages which the Nobility in France Italy and other Nations had in being furnish'd with store of excellent Books in their own Languages was resolved to try whether he could perswade any of his own Countrymen to set upon the Translation of the best Latin and Greek Authors into a more easie and intelligible stile then was ordinarily used among them In pursuance of this design he instituted the Society aforesaid whereof himself was the first President and succeeded so well herein that in a very short time after there were above twenty Princes and at least six hundred Lords and Noblemen who enter'd and enroll'd themselves in this College of Wits And how much the German Nation is beholden to the endeavours of these Virtuosi there is no intelligent man but what is abundantly sensible For besides the opportunity which every man has of reading the writings of foreign Authors in his own Language the Germans are able to spell their own tongue aright which before the Institution of this Society so few of them could do that Duesius tells us one main design of his publishing a German Grammar was to teach the Nobility of that Nation to put their words into writing The most considerable Towns in this small Principality are 1. Zerbst Seated on a small River about an English mile distant from the banks of the Elb. Dresserus fancies this a Town of great Antiquity Zerbst and had its name from the Servetii or Cervetii as he reads it an old Wendish people But Werdenhagen a better Antiquary rejects this frivolous assertion and proves that Zerbst in the Wendish Dialect signifies a strong Fort. 'T is at this day remarkable for nothing but a sort of strong heady Beer which the Citizens brew in Summer and send abroad into all the neighbouring Towns and Provinces 2. Bernburg Bernburg Another Residence of the Princes of Anhalt separated from the Palace by the River Sala On the eleventh of March in the year 1636 this Town was taken by the Elector of Saxony's Forces who put the whole Garrison that defended it with all the inhabitants excepting only those few that belong'd to the Prince's Court to the Sword and plunder'd the City 3. Dessau A well fortified Town on the Elb Dessau seated in a pleasant and fruitful part of the Country It had its name given as most of the German Etymologists imagine by the Jews who in their mungrel Dutch-Jewish Dialect call a fat soil such as this Town stands on Desse The Prince's Palace in Dessau was first built as appears by an old Inscription over one of the Gates by Albert and Waldemar two Brothers Princes of Anhalt in the year 1341. In one of the Chappels of this Town is to be seen the Tomb of Jeckel Rehebock whom some German Historians name Meniken von Belitz an old Miller who having for some time attended Waldemar Marquise of Brandenburg in the Wars took upon him to counterfeit his slain Master and carried on the design so cunningly that a great many believ'd him to be the very Marquise and follow'd him with as great respect as they had done his Master before He dyed in the year 1350. 4. Aschersleben or Ascania Ascania whence the Princes of Anhalt got the name of Principes Ascanii 'T is an old Town on the confines of the Bishopric of Halberstadt and for that reason seized on by Canons of that Church upon the death of Prince Otho's Widow in the year 1315. Since which time the Princes of Anhalt have often complain'd of the injustice of this action and hoped for a redress at the Treaty of Munster but in vain for the Bishopric of Halberstadt was by that Treaty granted to the Elector of Brandenburg who is too potent a Prince to be frighted into a resignation of any of the dependances upon that Diocess THE DUKEDOME OF BRUNSWIC THE Dukedom of Brunswic strictly so call'd comprehends only the Territories subject to the Dukes of Brunswic and Hannover or Calenberg The Principality of Grubenhagen with the Counties of Blanckenburg and Reinstein are indeed usually comprised under the same name because subject to the Dukes of Zell and Wolfenbuttel who are both entituled Dukes of Brunswic as well Luneburg but are however in themselves distinct Dominions and shall accordingly be separately described The Dukedoms of Brunswic and Hannever are exceeding populous and fruitful Soil The Wheat and Rye in this Country grows sometimes to that prodigious height that their ordinary Ears of Corn are higher then the tallest man on Horseback But yet we must not expect to meet with such pleasant and profitable Cornfields as these in every part of the Country A great share of the Hercynean Forest ran thro this Land tho that be now parcell'd out into smaller Woods and Parks In these the Inhabitants have besides the provision of Timber and Fuel great store of Deer wild Swine Hares c. with Fowl of all sorts Not to mention their rich Mines of Iron Salt and Coal-pits of which in
very Church now almost nine hundred years old wherein his first Sermons were deliver'd But the great ornament of this Town is the Academia Julia or University founded by Julius Duke of Brunswic-Wolfenbuttel in the year 1576. Amongst other grand priviledges granted to this University by the Emperor Maximilian II. 't was order'd that its Rectors should for ever be honour'd with the Title and Dignity of Counts Palatine Whereupon Henry Julius Duke Julius's eldest Son and Bishop of Halberstadt was by his Father made the first Rector and before his succession to the Dukedom of Brunswic upon his Father's death founded the fair College which is still call'd Juleum novum These two Dukes procured for the use of the Professors and Students in this University a considerable Library of Books which since has been well augmented but comes far short of that at Wolfenbuttel Amongst some hundreds of Hebrew Greek Latin and Dutch Manuscripts of little value they have two old Volumes containing the Pentateuch in Hebrew written on Vellam in a fair and legible character For these two Books they tell us several Jewish Rabbies who pretend to more then ordinary skill in discerning the true Antiquity of such kind of Monuments in their own language have offer'd some hundred of Rix-dollars After the death of Duke Frideric Vlric the last Prince of the ancient House of Wolfenbuttel the Dukes of Lunenburg divided the Rectory of this University amongst them agreeing that each of the Dukes Regent should in his course supply that Office for one year and no more And in state it has ever since continued There is not any University in the German Empire that has bred up more eminent and learned men within the compass of one Century then Helmstadt Witness Joh. Caselius Jac. Horstius Val. Forsterius Reinerus Reineccius Hen. Meibomius Joh. Stukius Jac. Lampadius Conr. Hornejus c. and of late years the ingenious Calixti and incomparable Conringius IV. 〈◊〉 HANNOVER The Metropolis of the Dukedom of Calenberg whence the Duke's Palace was removed hither by George Duke of Brunswic-Calenberg upon the decease of the above-mention'd Frideric Vlric The Town was anciently call'd Lawenroda from the neighbouring Castle which was subject to Counts of that name About Henry the Lion's time it got the name of Hanover from a Ferry at this place over the River Leina as some imagine Han over in the old Dialect of the Lower Saxons signifying the same as the more modern High-Dutch haben uber i.e. to have or carry over There are yearly kept in this Town four Fairs during which there is always a vast concourse of Foreigners as well as Germans from all parts of the Empire These contribute exceedingly to the enriching of the Citizens but however a more considerable share of their wealth arises from their Breuhane a sweet and muddy sort of Beer which is hence exported in great quantities into the neighbouring Towns and Villages V. HAMELEN Hamelen An ancient City on the outmost confines of the Dukedom of Brunswic-Calenberg seated on the mouth of the River Hamel whence it has its name and the banks of the Weser This place is look'd upon as the Key to the whole Dukedom and is therefore better fortified and garrison'd then almost any other City in the Duke of Brunsic's Dominions The Records of this City relate a notable accident which hapned amongst the Burgers on the 26th day of June in the year 1284. The story is as follows The Citizens being strangely infested with Rats and having tried all imaginable expedients but in vain to rid themselves of these troublesom guests at last met with a stranger who undertook for a certain reward to do the feat The Burgers agreed to his proposals and the strange Gentleman immediately with his Tabret and Pipe draws after him all the Rats in the Town like so many Maurice-dancers to the River and there drowned them Returning for his reward it was denied him as being judg'd to great a recompense for so small a performance However less he could not be perswaded to take but left the Town in a rage threatning in a short time to be reveng'd Accordingly about a year after he came again and play'd the second part of the same Tune but with another Train after him For now he went attended with a great number of Children who follow'd him in at the mouth of a great Cave on the top of a neighbouring Hill call'd by the Burgers Koppel-berg and were never after heard of In remembrance of this sad accident the Citizens were wont for many year after as appears by several old Deeds and other Records in that City to date all their Indentures and Contracts such a year von unser kinder aussgang i.e. since the departure of our Children The street thro which they pass'd is to this day call'd Bungloese Strass or Tabret-street and on the top of the Mountain near the Cave's mouth is still to be seen a mounment of stone with this inscription Post duo CC mille post octoginta quaterque Annus hic est ille quo languet annus uterque Orbantur pueros centum etque triginta Johannis Et Pauli caros Hamelenses non sine damnis Fatur ut omnes eos vivos calvaria sorpsit Christe tuere reos ne tam mala res quibus obsit Which sorry piece of dogg'rel is there translated into two Distichs in the Nether Saxon Dialect much of the same strain The Principality of GRVBENHAGEN GRUBENHAGEN Name in the Dutch language signifies properly a Grove or Forest belonging to the ancient Family of the Grubes tho afterwards that word was appropriated to a Castle built by some of the said Family which in process of time communicated its name to the whole Principality Thus the Hague in Holland called by the Low Dutch s'Gravenhaghe which is ordinarily render'd in Latin by Haga Comitis had its name from the neighbouring Forest where it seems the Earls of that Province were anciently used to hunt And indeed this whole Principality is nothing else but a large Forest Hercynian Wood. most of it being a part of the Hartz or Sylva Hercynia mention'd by Roman Writers Julius Cesar in his Commentaries says that this Wood is at least nine days journey in bredth and of an unaccountable length Several men he tells us have travell'd forty days together strait forward in it but that no man durst ever yet boast that he had seen both ends of it The German word Hartz out of which without all question the Latins form'd their Hercynia signifies properly Rosin or Pitch which is nothing else but the liquor distill'd out of the Pine and Fir-trees the only Timber wherewith this Forest abounds Since the Empire began to be cultivated and the inhabitants understood the advantage of uniting themselves into Cities and Corporations the Hercynian Wood has in many places been converted into great Towns and large Corn-fields but yet passing over these 't is still easie to track it
the great Trade of its inhabitants in Salt Copper Kettles Pots Wire c. considerably enriched and augmented Tho the Imperial City Goslar be wholly independant upon the Dukes of Brunswic 〈◊〉 and therefore cannot properly be reckon'd amongst the Cities and great Towns subject to those Princes yet because 't is situate in this Country and wholly environ'd with the Territories of the said Dukes 't will not be amiss in this place to give the Reader some short account of it This City is said to have been founded by the Emperor Henry I. and to have had its name from the River Gose upon which 't is seated Here the Emperor built himself a Palace in which he was wont to keep his usual residence This Palace say the High Dutch Antiquaries was properly nam'd Goslar which name afterwards communicated to the Town built round about it For the termination lar laer lager signifies no more say they then a dwelling House and consequently Goslar must denote such a single apartment on the banks of the River Gose The Citizens of Goslar enjoy as many and large priviledges almost as any other immediate Subjects of the Emperor In all Imperial Writs and Letters directed to them they are stiled Nobile Membrum Imperii and they are exempt from paying Toll in any Market in the Empire except three All the Houses in this City are cover'd with a glittering kind of Slat which is a great ornament to the Town but enough on a clear day to dazle the eyes of a Traveller at a great distance The inhabitants are all Miners and the only Trade of the Town is in digging cleansing tempering and vending all manner of mettals except Gold and a great many sorts of choice Minerals of the Country such as Vitriol Brimtone Quicksilver Copperas c. EPISCOPATVS HILDESIENSIS DESCRIPTIO NOVISSIMA Authore Ioanne Gigante D. Med. et Math. Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanū Swart AVITA FIDE THE BISHOPRIC OF HILDESHEIM WHENCE the City of Hildesheim which gives name to this Bishopric came to be so called is not unanimously agreed on by their own Etymologists Some of them read the word Bildesheim and fetch its original from the Virgin Mary's Picture in their language bilde with some other reliques which they tell us the Emperor Ludowic the Godly at the first foundation of this Diocess had hung upon a tree near this place and returning could not pull them off again Others would have us believe that the ancient name of this Town was Hildeschnee i.e. the Lord's Snow and that it was so call'd from a great Snow which fell the night that the foremention'd Emperor lodged in this place covering all the Earth for some miles round a foot deep excepting only the place where the Cathedral now stands which remain'd dry and untouch'd But these and the like stories are only to be look'd on as scraps of old Legends and the ridiculous and idle fancies of illiterate Monks 'T is much more likely what some Historians of note have recorded that the said Emperor nam'd this City after his Mother Hildegard For Hilda or Hille in the dialect of the Lower Saxons is no more then an abbreviation of Hildegard as well as Sander of Alexander Fritze of Frideric Metta of Mechtildis Ilse of Elizabeth c. And instead of Hildesheim in the language of the neighbouring Gentry the Rustics say Hillsem When Gunther a poor Priest of Eltze was first advanc'd to the Bishopric of Hildesheim which hapned in the year 822 this Diocese was but of a small extent But in after ages the Counties of Wintzenburg Schladen Poppenburg Peine Woldenberg Hundsrucken and Lewenstein were annex'd to it The last is now in the possession of the Dukes of Brunswic as the whole Bishopric may probably be in a short time For altho the Citixens at present as well as the Dean and Chapter of their Church pay Homage to Maximilian-Henry Government Elector of Collen as their Bishop yet the last Duke of Hannover quarter'd his great Army during the late broils betwixt the King of France and the Empire in this Diocess without the leave and doubtless against the will of the said Elector And 't is easie for the present Duke to enter upon this whole Diocess when he shall see occasion nor needs he be at a loss for such a pretence in so doing We know into what straits Eric Duke of Brunswic brought John IV. and forty-sixth Bishop of Hildesheim in the year 1523 when he left him only the bare City of Hildesheim with the three inconsiderable Forts of Peyne Steurwald and Marienborg and that for several years after these Territories which are surrounded with the Dominions of the Dukes of Brunswic and Luneburg were subject to Duke Eric's Successor So that all that hinders the potent Duke Ernestus from re-entring upon these rich possessions of some of his Ancestors is either his exemplary fidelity in a strict observance of the Treaty of Brunswic in the year 1653 wherein 't was agreed that this Diocess should be restored to the Elector of Collen as Administrator of Hildesheim or else we must ascribe the reasons of his delay to his generous temper in scorning to take advantage of the present calamitous estate of the said Elector The Town of Hildesheim tho usually divided into the Old and New City looks all of it very ancient and venerable Hildesheim but otherwise has nothing in it that 's great or splendid In the Cathedral may be seen the reliques of the famous Saxon Idol Irmensewl of which we have already given the Reader a large account The great Corn-trade of this Country was the first thing that rais'd the Burgers of Hildesheim to that pitch as to obtain so honourable a place in the Catalogue of Hans-Towns and 't is the same sort of traffic which still maintains their grandeur The greatest part of the Burgers of this and the neighbouring Towns and indeed almost all the inhabitants of this Diocess are Lutherans The Reformation was first begun upon a quarrel betwixt the Citizens and Canons of the Church in the year 1552 whereupon the former call'd in John Bugenhagen Ant. Corvin and Henry Winkel three Lutheran Preachers who in a short time drew after them the most considerable part of the Town At the Treaty of Brunswic above-mention'd it was agreed that the Augsburg Confession should not be openly taught or profess'd in this Bishopric beyond such a set number of years but that Article was repealed and made invalid by a clause in the general Treaty of Westphalia 648. The best Catalogue of the Bishops of Hildesheim which can be pick'd out of the many different some imperfect and most false accounts given of them by the German Historians is as follows Elshops 1. Gunther Founder of the Cathedral and St. Cecil's Church He died A. D. 835. 2. Frembert who liv'd but a few months after his instalment 3. Ebc a Frenchman who having been suspended from the
you may meet large Vineyards plentifully stock'd with Grapes out of which is press'd a much more palatable sort of Wine then can be had in any part of Saxony or the Marquisate of Brandenburg Amongst the many kinds of plants and herbs wherewith the Fields and Forests as well as Gardens of Thuringen abound the chief and most peculiar to this Province are wild Saffron and Woad the later of which is used by our Dyers in their best blews and sky-colours and with which the old Britains as Cesar informs us were us'd to paint themselves Near Sangerhausen and Salfeld has sometimes been dug up considerable quantities of Copper and Silver Ore and at Franckenhausen Saltzungen and Sultza they have still rich Salt-pits The chief Rivers of the Country are the Sala Rivers Werra Vnstrut Hiera Ilm Leina Schwertze Wipper Helbe Rahna Helme Lossa and Giessel Besides these there are several great Lakes at the bottom of some of their Mountains the most considerable of which are the Weissensee and Schwansee The Bores of Thuringen are a rough and unhew'n sort of people downright Clowns Inhabitants and so far strangers to Courtship and breeding that they are with much difficulty brought acquainted with the common principles of humanity They hardly admit of any manner of government or order among them and are possibly the only Germans that are uncivil to Travellers The Thuringers upon their first appearance in these parts Government subjected themselves to a King of their own chusing and continued in this estate till their whole land was overrun and conquer'd by the Francks in the year 1522. In the days of the Emperor Charles the Great and his Father King Pepin who first rooted out Paganism and planted Christianity in this Province the greatest part of it was subject to the Archbishop of Mentz who govern'd it by several Deputies and Lieutenants By this means the Kingdom of Thuringen came to be divided into a great many Counties and Baronies or Lordships such were the Counties of Schwartzburg Kirchberg Kefernburg Schoneberg Gleichen Sangerhausen c. the Lordships of Franckenstein Saltza Heldrungen Dreffert Apolda Vargila c. After the death of the Emperor Otho Ludowic Count of Schoneberg got the Title of Count of Thuringen conferr'd on him by the Emperor Conrad II. and his Grandchild prevail'd with Lotharius II. to change the Title of Count into Landtgrave In this Line the honour continued till the death of Herman Landtgrave of Thuringen and Hessen in the year 1226. Whereupon Henry Duke of Brabant got possession of Hessen and Thuringen fell to Henry Marquise of Misnia and has ever since been subject to the House of Saxony Erfurt the Metropolis of Thuringen Erfurt and one of the largest Cities in Germany is thought by Bertius and other learned Geographers to have had its name from Erfa an old ruinous Castle near thirty English miles distant from the Town I had rather believe its ancient name to have been Ierafurt which signifies no more then a Ferry over the River Iera on the banks of which this City now stands There are three Baronies and seventy-two fair Villages subject to the Citizens of Erfurt so that the Country Rustics have some reason for that proverbial saying in ordinary use amongst them Erfurt is not a City but a Country When this great City which is about as large as Coln and as beautiful was first built is not easily determin'd 'T is certain that in the days of Boniface Archbishop of Mentz it was reckon'd an ancient City For there is still extant an Epistle written by that Prelate to Pope Zachary wherein we meet with these words Vnam esse sedem Episcopatus decrevimus in Castello quod dicitur Wurtzburg alteram in oppido quod nominatur Buriburg perhaps Nuriburg tertiam in loco qui dicitur Erphesfurt qui fuit olim Paganorum The Town is situate in a pleasant and fruitful plain abundantly stock'd with all manner of grain and affording great plenty of good Wine Vast multitudes of the Citizens are maintain'd by gathering and dressing the Herb Woad before mention'd which grows in great abundance in most fields near Erfurt This and the other Commodities of the Town Corn Wine c. are carried off at two great Fairs in the year whereof one is held the week after Trinity Sunday and the other at Martinmass Weimar a neat and well built City Weimar in the middle way betwixt Erfurt and Iena is thought to have been anciently call'd Weinmarckt from the great quantities of Wine sold daily at this Town It is questionless a place of great antiquity since as the old Chronicle of Thuringen witnesses the Emperor Otho II. held a general Diet of all the Estates of the Empire in this City in the year 975. The only remarkable thing in the Town is the Landgrave's Palace a regular and stately piece of building The City of Iena seated on the banks of the Sala Iena and famous for an Univesity and great concourse of learned men may justly be reckon'd the third in Thuringen Some German Etymologists would have this Town as well as the former fetch its name from the Grapes or Vineyards about it They tell us Jain signifies Wine in the Hebrew tongue and therefore too 't is probable say they that the Jews were first founders of this City But this conjecture has as little of probability in it as that fancy of some others who endeavour to derive the name of this Town from the old Roman God Janus since it does not appear that there grew any Vines near this place fome Centuries ago or that ever the Jews were Masters of it The Town is at present a well compact piece and tolerably well fortified with Walls and Turrets The foundation of the University was first begun by John Frideric Elector of Saxony who procured for it many brave and large priviledges from the Emperor Charles the Fifth But this good Prince never liv'd to finish the work he had begun but upon his deathbed committed that charge to his Sons who got the foremention'd priviledges confirm'd by the Emperor Ferdinand in the year 1558. Since that time there has never wanted a considerable number of eminent Professors and learned men in all Faculties in this University among whom the great J. Lipsius was one a man sufficient of himself not to mention any of his learned Collegues to eternize the credit of the place They have here a Library given them by some of the Dukes of Saxony and daily augmented but not so considerable as to merit a particular Description Gotha the fifth great Town in Thuringen Gotha seated on the Leina is thought to have been built by some of the old Gothic Troops on their march through this Country towards Italy and by them to have had the name of Gotha given it However 't is certain it was only a mean Village such as might just serve for the Tents of a company of hardy
Scholar J. Carpzovius son to the famous lawyer of that name who was formerly professor in this University has got himself great credit by his skill in the Eastern languages and his apprehensive quickness in unfolding the mysteries of the antient and modern Jewish Rabbies the greatest part of which accomplishment he had as himself confesses from the good Instructions of his Master Schertzer Besides these old Mr. Thomasius Schoolmaster near St. Nicholas's is look'd upon as a man singularly well skill'd in all manner of philological writings Amongst the old Manuscripts in their Library which amount to some thousands but are only the despicable plunder of a few demolish'd Monaseries the onely rarity is Tzetzes's Greek Commentary upon Homer's Iliads a book perhaps hardly to be met with elswhere and written in a fair and legible character III. FREYBERG Freyberg A famous and pleasant Mine-Town not far from the bank of the River Mulda The Citizens have so grand a conceit of the delicacy of this Town 's situation that this is an ordinary proverb amongst them Were I Lord of Leipsic I would spend my Income at Freyberg It derives its name from the rich hills upon which 't is seated Fribergam Indigenae claro de nomine dicunt Libera de fossis quasi ferres munera terris In St. Peter's Church at Freyberg is the usual burying place of the Electors many whereof ly here entomb'd in fair Monuments especially Elector Maurice whose Monument of black Marble is rais'd three piles high and adorn'd with many rich statues in Alabaster and white Marble This is reckoned one of the noblest and perhaps may pass for the very best of its kind in Germany When this City was surrendred into the hands of the Duke of Friedland's Soldiers in the year 1632 the Elector of Saxony paid 80000 Ricx-dollars to save these Sepulchers of his Fathers from being ransack'd and defac'd And this large sum was the more willingly given because 't is the fashion to bury the German Princes in their Robes and Ensigns of Honour Rings Jewels c. which would have been rich plunder for the Soldiers if not compounded for The Mines are said to have been found out accidentally in the year 1180 Mines by a fellow carrying Salt who in a Cart-road first discover'd a piece of Ore which was found to be as rich in Silver as the best in Germany Since that time the multitudes of Miners who have swarm'd hither have made so great progress in their work as to undermine the whole Town which stands at least the greatest part of it upon Vaults and Caverns Besides these Mines within the walls there are a great many more within a mile or two of the City the most remarkable of which is that on the top of the high hill Auff dem hohem berg which is above seventy seven of their fathoms in depth Now each of these fathoms contains twelve of their Ells three of which make an English fathom so that this Mine is in all probability the deepest in Europe The Miners have a peculiar habit of their own which cannot so well be describ'd as represented in a figure to the eye They dig several sorts of Metals and Minerals out of these Mines Metals and Minerals tho the only thing they labour for is Silver One of the Overseers of these Mines gave me thirty-two several kinds of Ore all of which would yeild some Silver but in a proportion different from the rest The most ordinary sorts of Ore contain either Silver and Copper Silver and Lead or all three but the Lead and Copper are not much regarded They have here great quantity of Sulpher or Brimstone Ore which is hard and stony and usually speckled which the Miners look upon as a sign of the richest Ore with red spots Some of this Ore contains Silver some Copper and some both but in a small and inconsiderable proportion An hundred weight of Ore yeilds commonly three pounds and an half of Sulphur which runs out of a Furnace made for that purpose into water and is afterwards melted over again and purified The reliques of the Ore out of which the Silver is already melted serves for two uses first to melt down Silver which when too hard it makes fluid But the more consideral use of it is in the making of Vitriol or Copperas after this manner They burn the Brimstone-Ore again and then putting it into a large Fat pour water thereon which having stood a competent while is boil'd to a considerable height and then let out into Coolers In these there are a great many sticks set up as in the making of Sugar Candy to which the purest Vitriol cleaves as the worse sort does to the sides and bottoms of the Vessels They have several ways of discovering Mines Virgula divina the chief of which is with the virgula divina the use whereof some of them look upon as a piece of Conjuration rather then an experiment drawn from the principles of Natural Philosophy 'T is a forked piece of Hazel the two horns of which the discoverer holds in his hands with the forks upright In this posture he traverses the ground muttering a set form of unintelligible words to himself When the fork'd stick mov'd by an occult impulse turns in his hand and points to the ground 't is taken for an infallible argument of some rich veins of Silver in the place it points at Upon this sign given they immediately fall a digging and seldom miss of the expected success Sometimes they meet with damps in the deep Mines which are always dangerous 〈◊〉 and often prove mortal to the labourers But the greatest inconvenience and which constantly attends their labour is the dust which grates upon and frets their Skins Lungs and Stomachs and too often shortens their days by bringing them into irrecoverable Consumptions To secure themselves against these two evils they sometimes use large Vizards with glass-eyes under which they have room enough to breath for some considerable while At Freyberg there is a yearly Coinage of Ricx-dollars 〈◊〉 and other money which is most commonly true sterling and look'd upon generally as the best Cash in Germany For whereas the Emperor's Coin is usually a base and mixt mertal the Elector's is pure and true Silver currant in all parts of the Empire IV. MEISSEN Once the Metropolis and chief City in this Marquisate 〈◊〉 but at this time so inconsiderable as that it hardly merits the fourth place in this Catalogue It has its name from the River Meisse on the banks of which 't is seated Before the Civil Wars of Germany 't was famous for a great wooden Bridge cross the Elb near this place which Dresser is pleas'd to call the bravest sight of its kind in Germany and Bertius ventures to name it the wonder of Europe But some of the unruly Soldiers rob'd the Town of this piece of credit and it has now nothing to brag of
but the Elector's Palace which would be fit enough to entertain a Prince if it stood at Dresden or any such pleasant part of Misnia V. MERSEBURG Formerly a Bishop's See 〈◊〉 but now usually assign'd as a portion to some of the Elector's younger Brother 's and upon that account enjoy'd by Duke Christian youngest Brother to the late Elector of Saxony Some Antiquaries affirm that in this place stood formerly the famous Saxon Idol Irmensewl of which the Reader has already had an account which they take to be the same with Mars among the Romans and thence conclude the true etymology of the word to be Marsburg or the City of the God Mars The Town at present consists of a great number of old fashion'd and ruinous houses amongst which there is hardly any thing worth the taking notice of save the Cathedral Near this Church they have a Library wherein are a great company of venerable Manuscripts but very ill kept Amongst which I took notice of the Books of Sammuel and the Kings in Latin written in a fair and ancient Anglo-Saxonic character Torgau falsly plac'd by Mercator in the Upper Saxony Ilenburg Naumburg with some others are Towns of some note and traffick but not by much so considerable as those already described LUSATIA SUPERIOR Auth. Bartholomeo Sculteto Gorlitio Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart Vrbs Oppidum munitum Oppidum Arx Monasterium Pagus cum Templo Pagus Mons notabilis Officina ferri THE MARQUISATE OF LUSATIA LVSATIA or Laussnitz as the Germanes call it is bounded on the South with the Kingdom of Bohemia on the West with Misnia and Saxony on the North with the Marquisate of Brandenburg and on the East with the Lower Silesia Not many years since this Province was part of the Kingdom of Bohemia and is usually describ'd as such by most Geographers But when in the year 1620 the Lusatians had joined themselves in an open Rebellion with other confederate Traytors of that Kingdom the Emperor issued out his Commission to John George Elector of Saxony to quell these Revolters and reduce them if possible to their ancient obedience This he did effectually and for his reward and encouragement to proceed in these good services had the whole Province pawn'd to him till further satisfaction should be made At last by the Treaty of Prague in the year 1635 the Emperor setled this Marquisate upon the Elector and his Heirs for ever in which State excepting only some few places in the Lower Lusatia which are subject to the Elector of Brandenburg it continues to this day This great Marquisate is usually divided into the Upper and Lower Laussnitz the former whereof is sometimes by Geographers named Hexapolis because it has in it six Cities Lobau Budissin Camentz Gorlitz Lauben and Zittau all confederate In the Lower Lusatia the Cities subject to the Elector of Saxouy are Lubben on the Spree Guben Lucken and Calow The rest as Cotbus Peytze Sommerfeld with some others of less note pay homage to the Marquise of Brandenburg We cannot much commend this Country for its fruitfulness the greatest part of it being a dry sandy and barren soil and the rest made up of Fens and Bogs However the inhabitants make a hard shift to grow so much Corn as is sufficient for their own relief tho they never have so great plenty as to be able to export any of it into foreign Countries They have no want of Wood. Venison nor Fish nay they have such plenty of these Commodities as is sufficient had they the convenience of trafficking with other Nations to enrich the Country and bring in all the Rarities of other places The two chief Rivers of the Country are the Spree and Neiâ—â—e Rivers both of them exceedingly well stock'd with all manner of fresh fish The EElster too springs in this Marquisate but is a rivulet of no consequence 'till it has pass'd thorough some parts of the neighbouring Provinces It appears Inhabitants from the mixture of an abundance of Wendish words with the High Dutch spoken in these parts that the ancient inhabitants of Lusatia were a branch of the Slovâ—nian Nation Hence in the Villages and most barbarous places of the Marquisate especially in the Lower Lusatia you meet with a strange kind of unintelligible gibbrish tho the Citizens every where speak good Dutch Some of these people Geographers say have their original from the Ilingi Elysii or Lygii others from the Semnâ—nes a third sort from the Scrabi and a fourth from the Lusici or Lutitii But from what Nation or Kindred the Polanders named this Marquisate Ditivonia as Cromer Newgebawer and others tell cannot yet learn The modern Lusatians are thought to be men of as apprehensive and quick natural parts as any of their neighbours but exceedingly addicted to covetousness and penury Their Country breeds neither Horses nor Horsemen but if we believe Joh. Boter in the account he has given us of the Military power of all the great Princes and Potentates of the world they are able upon a very short warning to raise twenty-thousand hardy foot Soldiers who will endure a shock better then twice that number of delicate and well-bred Western Warriours They are in all Cases Civil and Criminal strict observers of the Saxon Laws to the harsh tenure of which they pay a better obedience then ever they were known to do formerly to any Statutes of the Kings of Bohemia The Chief Cities in LVSATIA BAUTZEN Bautzen or Budissina Seated on the River Spree and first built by a Bohemian Duke of this name about the year 800. In the year 1634 this City was so warmly besieged by the the Elector of Saxony's forces that the Emperor's Soldiers who kept the Town were forc'd to fire the Suburbs for fear of sheltering the Enemy This fire was unhappily driven over by a strong wind into the City and in a few hours laid it in ashes In this miserable condition having nothing standing but the walls and Castle it was soon after surrender'd by the Imperialists But not long after even the small remainders of this large Town were demolish'd by some of the Swedish Generals Since which time it has not been able to recover its glory but is still something inferior to II. Gorlitz GORLITZ Which City seated on the Western banks of the River Neisse is said to have been built and fortified by Boleslaus III. Duke of Poland who died in the year 1139. Others say 't was founded by Duke Sobieslaus about the year 1131. However all agree in this that after its first foundation 't was burnt down to the ground and that thence it got the name of Gorlitz which in the Slavonian language as well as Brandstat in the High Dutch a name given it by most Germans signifies a burnt City For Gorlitz is a corruption of Tzschorlitz the ancient name of this Town and that of Ischorelik There are at present several neat Churches in the Town
and a great many stately dwelling houses The chief trade of the Citizens is in Beer-brewing and making colouring and dressing several sorts of Linnen and some Woollen Cloth ZITTAU Zittau or Sittau which some will have to signifie as much as Susse aw and to have had its name from the fresh and sweet waters on which 't is seated But we need enquire no further after the etymology of the word if what Dresser reports be true that on a Grave-stone in this City was to be seen in his time the following Inscription Anno Christi 1021 Idibus Julii obiit pia illustris Foemina Zittavia Christianissimo Principi Manfredo nupta fundatrix dotatrix hujus oppidi de ejusdem nomine dicti There is hardly any thing at present remarkable in the Town except the old Franciscan Monastery which since the Reformation has been converted into an Hospital IV. LEIBA 〈…〉 Lobau Liben Loben or Lubben for all these names I find given it by Mercator and other noted Geographers is look'd upon as one of the oldest Towns in these parts And for that reason the other five confederate Cities of Lusatia used always to send their Deputies to consult at this place in time of any common calamity or danger It is seated on the bank of a small Rivulet about an equal distance betwixt Bautzen and Gorlitz girt round with a delicate plain and pleasant meadows We may judg of the riches of this little Town by the vast plunder which the Swedish Army confess'd they got out of it in the year 1639 which amounted to a sum of seventy thousand Ricxdollars in ready Cash besides other rich booties V. LUBEN on the Spree 〈…〉 the chief Town in the Lower Lusatia In this place the Elector of Saxony has a Palace in which sometimes in a progress for pleasure he keeps his residence for some short while What alterations were here in the late Civil wars of Germany may perhaps be remembred by some of the ancient Burgers of the Town but is not I think recorded by any Historian of note VI. GUBEN 〈…〉 A well fortified little Town in the Lower Lusatia seated on the River Neisse which contributes very much to its strength and security In the year 1631 immediately after the great battel of Leipsick the Imperialists fell in upon this City and took it but towards the later end of October were driven out again by Marquise Hamilton at that time a Commander in the Swedish Army who coming suddenly upon them put the greatest part of them to the Sword and routed the rest But the poor Citizens were harder put to it in the year 1642 when the Swedish General Stallhanss lay before it for three weeks together and the poor besieged Saxons lay block'd up and destitute of all manner of provisions and amunition being at last forc'd to surrender themselves upon what terms their merciless enemies would propose to them Camentz Lucken Calow with many others may pass for fair Villages but will hardly deserve the name of Cities THE Great Dukedome OF SILESIA MANY and various are the opinions of Geographers touching the original of the word Silesia or Schlesien to speak in the German language It is the opinion of some that it is deriv'd from Schless a small River which falls into the Oder but others are content to fetch it from the Elysii the ancient inhabitants of this Country not troubling themselves to dive any further into the original of that name Within the compass of that vast Tract of Land which now is comprehended under the common name of Silesia were contain'd anciently a great number of people of different names and government 〈◊〉 Pirckheimer tells us that the Country about Bresslaw was inhabited by the Lutiburi the Principality of Sagan by the Batini the Dukedom of Oppelen by the Sidones and that of Teschen by the Cogni To these Simon Grisbecius adds several others in the following distich Elysiam veteres Ligii Quadique Manimi Marsigni clari quam tenuere Luij And to these the learned Cluverius will have us to add the Semnones Osi Burii c. which I suppose are no more then so many distinct names taken from the different Villages these men inhabited or it may be from the names of the Rivers as was the peculiar fancy of these German people Now these names of places Rivers c. were as Cureus in his Chronicle of Silesia assures us quite lost and forgotten upon the admission of the Polish language into this Country Lignitz Libus and some few places more retain their primitive names but all the rest are as appears from their termination of a Polish extraction Pliny calls the Oder the chief River of this Country Guttalus and others think that River which has now the name of the Spree was by the ancients named Suevus From whence some Geographers not improbably have concluded that first the Goths and afterwards the Suevi or Swabes were formerly inhabitants of these parts That Silesia was a part of the Polish Dominions in the days of their first Prince Lechus or at least a good large share of it Ancient Government down as far as the banks of the River Oder seems probable enough from the testimonies of Adam Bremensis and Helmoldus the former whereof begins the Polish Nation from the Eastern banks of that River which the later makes the utmost bounds Eastward of his Slavi However 't is as manifest that the ancient Princes of Germany often invaded this Land and probable enough that 't was sometimes tributary to them Before Charles the Great 's days we have but little of History concerning these parts of the world which we may rely on But Cureus proves to us that this Emperor amongst many other his noble exploits subjected Silesia to himself And Eginhard means the same thing when he tells us that Charles the Great overran the whole Country betwixt the Rhine and the Vistula where by the Vistula 't is evident he understands the first original source or head of that River After Charles the Great 's days we have yet clearer testimonies of the Silesians paying homage to the Germans Adam Bremensis an Historian of unquestionable authority speaking of the Emperor Ludowic the Godly says Ipse Boemanos Sarabos Susos where by the way we are to take notice that instead of Silesii some of the ancient writers have Slesii others Sliusii many Sileucii and not a few Susi caeteros Slavorum populos ita perdomuit ut tributarios efficeret Whence it appears that they quickly threw of Charles the Great 's yoke as they did not long afterwards his Son 's too For Helmoldus tells us post mortem Ludovici Regis Bohemi Sorabi SVSI Slavi quos ipse tributis subjecerat tunc servitutis jugum excusserunt Another Rebellion the Annales Fuldenses mention in the year 874 Slavi qui vocantur Linones Sliusi eorumque vicini defectionem molientes solitum dare censum renuunt Quos
Tract in Latin containing its description and vertues The Oder is the chief of all the Rivers in Silesia Rivers It springs near the Town Oder not far from Teschen on the borders of Moravia and passes by Ratibor Cossel Oppelen Brieg Brieslaw Glogaw Beuthen and Crossen with some more Cities of less note before it leaves this Dukedom Other remarkable Rivers are the Bober Neisse Ohla and Queiss Besides these 't is the honour of Silesia that the Vistula the best River in Poland and the Elb spring out of its mountains There are also in this Country good store of Ponds and Lakes which yeild plenty of all manner of fresh water fish especially Lampreys which are caught in prodigious quantities in the Neisslish Sea and some other waters Other Commodities of the Land are Madder â—â—moâ—â—ies Flax sweet Cane or Galengal Wine especially in the Dukedoms of Sagan and Crossen Silver Copper Lead Iron and Chalk They have plenty of Salt-peter and some good Salt tho not so much as to be sufficient for their own use so that daily great quantities of this Commodity are brought in from Poland and other neighbouring Countries They have all the sorts of wild and tame Beasts that any other part of the German Empire affords Butter Cheese particularly a kind of pitiful stuff made of Ewe's milk Bacon Honey c. But the greatest trading Commodities they have are Wool and Flax. Silesia has bred several good Scholars and brisk Wits â—â—abiâ—â—ts tho the ordinary Rustics are look'd upon as a people of a shallow understanding and small sence They are commonly in way of derision stil'd by their neighbour Nations Eselsfresser or Ass-Eaters The occasion of which nick-name some say was this A blunt Country Rustic travelling from near Breslaw into the Dukedom of Crossen ' spy'd in a field an Ass feeding which the poor fellow having never before seen the like Creature mistook unhappily for an overgrown Hare Whereupon discharging his Blunderbuss he shot the strange beast and brought it home to his friends and acquaintance who being a pack of Bumpkins of no longer heads then himself roasted and eat up the outlandish Puss This is the relation which the common people of Silesia give of their Title Another story is that the Miners at Reichenstein not far from Glatz having discover'd a vein of Gold-Ore which they nam'd der guldener Esel lay at it continually being resolv'd that no strangers or foreigners should share with them in the Treasure And hence they got the name of Ass-eaters from stuffing their purses and not their carcases But this later narrative may possibly have been contriv'd by some of the Silesian Wits who by this means were in hopes to wear off the disgrace and ignominy of the former Some of them like the Bores of Italy and Bohemia have a custom of reckoning the hours of the day from the Snnsetting but few of the Nobility observe that method The Lieutenantship of Silesia was for some time committed to Matthias Corvinus King of Hungary but afterwards was conferr'd upon the Bishops of Breslaw until the Emperor Rudolf II. decreed that this charge should be committed to some of the Temporal Princes of that Nation who were to be nominated as well as the subordinate Lieutenants of the several petty Dukedoms or Counties by the Council Chamber at Prague to whom was also committed at the the same time the supreme inspection into all Law-Cases and the different administration of Justice in all Courts of Judicature in each particular Province Christianity was first planted in Poland and at the same time in Silesia Religion which was then a part of that great Dukedom about the later end of the ninth and beginning of the tenth Century In the infancy of Religion in these parts the Polanders and Silesians were wont to assemble themselves in Woods and other desert places of the Land for fear of laying themselves too open to the cruelty of their Magistrates who were men of another perswasion But at last Christianity was admitted to Court for Mieceslaus Duke of Poland having married Drambronica Daughter of Boleslaus Duke of Bohemia a Christian was himself baptized at Gnesna in the year 965. Whereupon he caused nine Bishopricks to be erected in his Dominions amongst which one was founded at Schmogra in Silesia which was afterwards removed to Bitschen and at length fix'd at Breslaw Soon after the Reformation begun by Luther the Augsburg Confession was brought hither and at last confirm'd by the Emperor Rudolph II. in the year 1609. But Ferdinand II. a bloody persecutor of the Protestants repeal'd that Charter allowing the public profession of the Lutheran Religion to the Citizens of Breslaw and some few Towns more and that too with several limitations and restrictions However that Emperor was sensible before his death how vain 't was to endeavour the extirpation of Protestants and the whole Empire some years after groaned under the dismal effects of his misguided zeal for the Church of Rome The Silesians are at this day generally Lutherans only some few of the Nobility with their Dependants adhere still to the Superstitions and Fopperies of the Romanists We have hitherto given the Reader a general account of the vast Dukedom of Silesia and proceed in the next place to a more particular survey of the several petty Provinces which make up this large Territory beginning with I. The Dukedom of CROSSEN IN the time that the Silesian Princes were Dukedom by the subtilty of John King of Bohemia set at variance and enmity amongst themselves of which stratagem we have already taken notice this Dukedom was first separated from the other parts of the Great Duke of Silesia's Dominions For in the year 1272 the City of Crossen was pawn'd to the Archbishop of Magdeburg but redeem'd within two years after by Henry Duke of Breslaw Four years after this the Citizens of Breslaw pawn'd it a second time to John Marquise of Brandenburg for four thousand Crowns towards the ransom of their Duke but with this proviso that the Marquise should not give assistance to Boleslaus Duke of Lignitz in his wars against their City Not long after Crossen was again redeem'd out of the Marquise's hands But John the Great commonly known by the name of Cicero Germanicus got possession of it a second time in lieu of fifty thousand ducats owing him for his wife's portion Again John Duke of Sagan deliver'd up this Dukedom into the hands of John the third Elector of Brandenburg with the consent of Vladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia in the year 1391. Lastly Joachim II. and his Brother John Marquises of Brandenburg had the sole and entire possession of this Dukedom granted them by the Emperor Ferdinand the first King of Bohemia Since which time the Electors have always enjoy'd it and stiled themselves Dukes of Crossen in Silesia Crossen City in the language of some of the Natives of this Country signifies the outmost seam or selvidge of a piece of Cloth an apt name for a City which being seated on
the frontiers of the Marquisate of Brandenburg is the furthest Boundary and Bulwark of the Dukedom of Silesia 'T is a comly old City seated in a pleasant plain and in a good air The Duke's Palace Town-Hall and some Citizens Houses are built with a neat and well polish'd stone The neighbouring Hills are cover'd with Apples Pears and other sorts of Fruit. Some Wine they have growing but exactly such trash as Altmarck and some other parts of the Elector's Dominions are wont to produce II. The City and Dukedom of GLOGAW THIS City is usually known by name of Great Glogau City to distinguish it from a much more inconsiderable Town of the same name in the Dukedom of Oppelen Cureus fancies it to be the same place with Ptolomy's Lugidunum which as he probably enough conjectures had its name from the Lugii the ancient inhabitants of this part of the Country It s present name is of Wendish extraction and signifies properly a Thorn-bush so call'd from its situation amongst Thickets or in a Copse Glogaw was made a true City by Conrad Duke of the place about the year 1260 at which time the City and Cathedral the only strength and ornament of the Town were built and the City stock'd with Germans who establish'd here the Laws and Customs of their own Country The Palsie is an epidemical disease in this Town which is thought to proceed from the extraordinary intemperance of the Burgers in drinking a sort of bitter and muddy but withal wonderful strong and heady Beer They are also commonly tormented with the Stone and Gravel in the Kidneys a distemper partly ascribed by their Physitians to the same cause with the former and partly to their feeding chiefly on Pork Cheese c. To this Dukedom belong the petty Towns of Guhrau Dukedom Sprottau Grunberg Schwibussen Beuthen Pulkwitz Koben Newstatt Warienberg and Primnikaw The people of this Province have this peculiar Anti-Salic Law amongst them that upon failure of Issue male a Daughter inherits the Estate of her Father before any of the nearest of his male Relations III. The City and Dukedom of SAGAN SAGAN once one of the best and most populous City and still one of the largest Cities in Silesia 'T was in the Civil Wars of Germany several times taken by the Swedish forces and retaken by the Imperialists There is now little remarkable to be seen upon that large spot of ground whereon this City is placed except only the Castle St. Mary's Church and two Monasteries and these are rather venerable for age then commendable for any thing of rarity that 's in them The Dukedom called by the Polish writers Ducatus Zeganensis is of no large extent in length or bredth Duâ—â— 'T is bounded on the West with Lusatia and the Barony of Sora which is reckon'd a part of rhe Marquisate of Brandenburg on the South with the Dukedom of Javer on the East with the Dukedom of the greater Glogaw and on the North with Crossen 'T was once a part of the Dukedom of Glogaw but afterwards it was subjected to Princes of its own sometimes three or four at once whence we read of the Dukedoms of Sagan in the plural number There are some large and rich Corn-fields in this Province which are well water'd with the Rivers Bober Queiss Tschirn and Neisse Pribus Naumburg and Freywald three small Cities are all subject to the Dukes of Sagan IV. The Town and Dukedom of WOLAW NOtwithstanding that Wolaw was anciently accounted a part of the Dukedom of Lignitz Duâ—â— and has always been subject to the same Laws and Government yet the petty Princes of Silesia whether it be to multiply their Titles or for what other reason I shall not determine have of late years made it a Dukedom of it self And because thus separated from Lignitz 't is still too large to be guided and govern'd by one man being near as big as either of our English Counties of Huntingdon or Rutland they have subdivided it into six larger Circles or Hundreds which have their names from the chief Towns in them viz. Wolau Hernstadt Winzing Ruten Raude and Steinaw none of which are worth the describing To these they add two more Enclosures no bigger then one of our small Parishes in England whereof the one goes by the name of Koben and the other Breubawischer hald both which the Reader may see in the Map and thence be able to take an estimate of their true bulk and value Wolau it self which in this Country makes a shift to give Title to a Duke City might pass for a Market-Town in England but would never merit as here it does the name of a City 'T is every way mean and inconsiderable The buildings in it are contemptible and the Citizens for so they will needs stile themselves hardly able to provide bread for their Families out of the little or no trade of the place The neighbouring Lake der Gross Teich furnishes them indeed with Fish enough for the support both of themselves and their children or otherwise they would not I think have any possibility of subsisting And yet this mean place was for some time the seat of the German Civil Wars nay the Swedish Lieutenant Gortzke thought it no small piece of honour that he bravely maintain'd himself and a Garrison in the Town for some months when God knows no Commander of note would so far undervalue himself as to attack it DVCATVS SILESIAE GLOGANI Vera Delineatio Notarum Explicatio Vrbs. Oppidum Pagus cum templis Pagus cum Sede nobile Pagus Arx. Monasterium Vinetorum Colles Fedina et Officina Ferri Lacus sive Stâ—â—â—um Paludes Ducatus SILESIAE WOLANUS Notularum explicatio Urbs Oppidum Pagus cum templo Pagus Arx Molindinum Vinetum Mons notabilis Bona Ecclesiastica DUCATUS BRESLANUS sive WRATISLAVIENSIS Sumptibus Janssonio-Waâ—sbergiorum Mosis Pitt et Stephaâ—â—â— Swart Notularum explicatio Vrbs. Oppidum Pagus cum templo Pagus Molendinum Arx. W â—â—YAL DEVOIR To the … be Honourable Sr GEORGE CARTWRIGHT Bar. vice Câ—â—â—berline of the kings househould 〈◊〉 Mapp is humbly â—â—â—dicated BRESLAW totius SILESIAE METROPOLIS Ducatus SILESIAE LIGNICIENSIS Ex Officina Janssonio-Waesbergiana Mosis Pitt et Stephani Swart Notularum explicatio Vrbs. Pagus cum templo Pagus Arx. Molendinum Mons notabilis Locus vbi dimicatum FV̈RSTLICHE STADT LIGNITZ Schloss Closter Zu Vaser liebeÌ„ Frawen S. Iohans S. Peter vnd Paul V. The Dukedom and City of OELSE OELSSE is seated in the Lower Silesia about sixteen miles distant from Breslaw first made a City out of a poor Village by the Emperor Henry I. in the year 936. The Country round this Town is pleasant enough and the air wholesom The Gates Walls Turrets and other Fortifications of the City were handsom and noble before the late Wars but the Swedish General Wittenberg's Troops demolish'd the greatest part of
them in the year 1648 which have not since been rebuilt However the place is still beautified with a fair Church College and Town-Hall and the Streets especially the Market-place which is in an exact square are generally neat and uniform Oelsse had anciently its own Duke who kept his residence in that City but upon the death of Duke Conrad the Eighth in the year 1492. the Dukedom was given to the Dukes of Munsterberg who have ever since been Lords of it In this Principality are reckon'd the small Cities of Bernstatt Festenberg Kunstatt Stroppen Mosebahr Hundsfeld and Trebnitz VI. The City and Dukedom of BRESLAW BRESLAW or Wratislavia the Metropolis of Silesia has its name from Wratislaus a Bohemian Prince its first Founder whence the Citizens bear a great W in their Coat of Arms to this day 'T is seated at the confluence of the two Rivers Oder and Ohla in a rich and pleasant Country Towards the North indeed there are some Marshes and moist fields whence are now and then some unwholesome gales sent into the Town and the whole City is reported to have been built in the place of a great Pond dried up The Citizens who are exceedingly numerous by reason of their great Traffick with the Hungarians Bohemians Polanders and other foreign Merchants who resort hither are said to be as neat and gentile in their Clothes and Cookery as any other of the Emperor's Subjects whatever Breslawers love to be esteem'd immediate members of the German Empire and cannot endure to be reckon'd a part of the Kingdom of Bohemia Hence 't is that they have obtain'd leave of the Emperors to bear the spred Eagle in their Escutcheon and that they petitioned Charles V. to confirm their priviledges For this reason M. Boregius a Breslawer who wrote a Chronicle of the Kings of Bohemia ranks Breslaw among the Imperial Cities but ne're mention it with the King of Bohemia's Towns altho it be certain that 't was formerly subject to that Prince This Goldastus in his learned Treatise of the Kingdom of Bchemia evidently proves notwithstanding what is usually alledg'd as an argument to the contrary by some ignorant and silly Historians that it was once one of the Hans-Towns The generality of the buildings in this City are fair and stately only on the banks of the Oder stand four old fashion'd Fabricks with Turrets on the top which the Antiquaries of this place fancy to have been the ancient Palaces of so many Schwabish Princes who in former days were Lords of this City Besides the vast traffick of the Citizens the Town is famous for a Bishop's See and an University wherein have been bred many learn'd men and some great Writers The Bishops of this Diocese who had anciently the Epiphet or Title of Golden given them from their vast revenues are put in by the King of Bohemia whom they acknowledg their supreme Head at least in Temporals 'T is a receiv'd Tradition in these parts that the Kings of Bohemia have no power to promote a stranger to any Bishopric in Silesia so that a Bohemian is no more capable of being advanced to one of their Dioceses then a Silesian is of being preferr'd to the Archbishopric of Prague But how false this report is Historians will sufficiently inform us Boleslaus Dukedom surnam'd the Long a Polish Prince was created the first Duke of Breslaw and Lignitz by the Emperor Frideric in the year 1163. But these kind of petty Princes not being able to secure their Territories and especially this large and rich City which was a bait sufficient to tempt the most potent Prince of the neighbourhood from the incursions of the Tartars Polanders and other foreign Enemies the Citizens of Breslaw were forced to put themselves under the protection of the Kings of Bohemia or as they will have it Emperors of Germany to whom they are now immediately subject VII The Town and Dukedom of LIGNITZ LIGNITZ a fair City on the banks of a small Rivulet call'd Katsbach is thought to have its name from the Lygii City a German people the ancient inhabitants of this part of Silesia About the year of Christ 1170 this Town was much enlarg'd beautified and fortified by Boleslaus the Long the first Duke of Lignitz After him Duke Frideric the second so far improv'd his predecessor Boleslaus's undertakings that in the year 1532 it became one of the best fortified Cities next to Breslaw in all Silesia Things best worth seeing in the Town are the Hospital the Town-Hall and Castle The Dukedom of Lignitz is reckon'd one of the best Corn-Countries in Silesia Dukedom and affords near as great plenty of the Terra Sigillata as the Dukedom of Schweidnitz especially the white sort which is here more plentiful then in any other Province The whole is commonly subdivided into seven Circles whereof four have names from the four Cities of Luben Parchwitz Hayn and Goldberg and the other three are the division of the barren or desert part of the Dukedom VIII The Ducal Cities of JAWER SCHWEIDNITZ BRIEG MONSTERBERG and OPPELEN THE City of Jawer is seated in a pleasant Valley Jawer tho not far distant from the rugged Crags and Mountains which separate Silesia from the Kingdom of Bohemia It has not the advantage of any River near it so that all the fortifications it has are high Rampires and deep Ditches There is little of note in the Town but the Church burnt down in the late Civil Wars A. D. 1648. but rebuilt more stately then before and the Castle wherein resides the Lieutenant of the two Dukedoms of Jawer and Schweidnitz The Emperor Charles IV. King of Bohemia married Ann Daughter of Henry II. Duke of Javer who with his Brother Bolco Duke of Schweidnitz died without issue whereupon these two Dukedoms were more immediately subjected to the Kings of Bohemia in whose hands they still remain To the Dukedom of Javer belong the Towns of Buntzlau Lemberg Schonau Greiffenberg Lahn Fridberg Lubenthal Schmideberg Naumburg upon the Queiss Kupfferberg and Hirschberg 2. SCHWEIDNITZ or Schweinnitz Schweidnitz has its name from the great Herds of wild Swine which were harbour'd in this place before the Forest was cut down in the year 1070. Whence the Arms of the Town are a wild Boar. It was afterwards much enlarged by Boleslaus I. who fortified it with Walls and Rampires and beautified it with several fair buildings so that 't is now one of the finest Cities in Silesia The most remarkable sight in the Town next to the Churches and other publick buildings is the great Gun in the Armory which carries a Bullet of three hundred and twenty pound weight This is by Schickfusius in his Preface to Curaeus's Chronicle of Silesia very improperly reckon'd amongst the great and extraordinary blessings which the Almighty has been pleased to bestow on some of the Cities in Silesia In the Dukedom of Schweidnitz are the Towns of Strigau memorable as we have already acquainted
the Reader for the Terra Sigillata found here in great quantities Reichenbach Polckenhahn Landeshut Freyberg Friedberg Fridland Zobten Waldberg and Gottesberg 3. Brieg BRIEG or Brig has its name from the Polish word Berega which signifies an exceeding high bank of a River such as this City is seated on The streets here are uniform enough and the houses generally built of stone St. Nicholas's Church is an high and stately old Fabrick beautified with two Towers and built after the ancient Franckish mode This whole City excepting only some few publick buildings was laid in ashes by the Hussites who overran a great part of Bohemia and Silesia in the year 1428. In the Dukedom of Brieg are reckon'd the Towns of Strelen Olau Nimptsch Pitschen Creutzburg Loben Michelau and little Oelsse The two Mine-Towns of Reichenstein and Silberberg are jointly subject to the Dukes of Brieg and Lignitz who are both of the same Family and descended from the ancient Hereditary Kings of Poland 4. Monsterberg MONSTERBERG or Munsterberg so called from the Monastery built in this place by the Emperor Henry the first the Founder of this City is seated not far from the head of the River Ola in a pleasant and fruitful plain The Town is neither large nor strong and has nothing in it of note but the School an old Castle and a fair Town-Hall In this Dukedom are the Towns of Franckenstein and Warta to which some Historians and Geographers are pleased to add Hainrichau Tepliwoda and Kamentz 5. OPPELEN is seated in a sandy and dry Oppelen but fruitful Country 'T is subject to the King of Poland who prevail'd with the Emperor to withdraw all his Forces and Subjects hence in the year 1647. Since which time the Citizens of Oppelen and all the Rusticks in the Villages near it speak the Polish language If strong Gates and thick Walls were proof against modern sieges this Town were sufficiently provided against the assaults of an Enemy but otherwise its fortifications are very mean and inconsiderable Among the many Towns and Villages in this Dukedom the most remarkable are little Glogaw Neustat Kosel Beudten Gleibitz Tost Strehlitz Falckenberg Zultz Rosenberg Lublinitz and Schurgast IX The Cities and Dukedoms of GROTKAW JEGERNDORF TROPPAU RATIBOR and TESCHEN CROTKAW is a City of no great 〈◊〉 bulk as its name seems to intimate but so well seated that 't is a proverb in this Country 'T is as impossible as for a Grotkawer to starve or freeze The reason of which expression is grounded upon each Burger's having a plentiful share in the adjacent Corn-fields and neighbouring Woods Most of the Houses in the Town are Wood-buildings only the Church Bishop's Palace and the Town-Hall are of stone The Dukedom of Grotkaw is subject to the King of Bohemia tho sometimes its Lieutenant is a Polander and contains in it the Cities of Neisse a place of great traffick Otmachau Wansen Ziegenhals Freywald Hozenplotz Jawernick Kaltenstein Patschkau Oyest Weidau and Zackmantel The great trade of this Country especially the Citizens of Neisse is in making and selling to the Merchants of Bohemia and Poland a sort of strong and durable Linnen-Cloth for Beds and Bolsters 2. JAGERNDORF Jagerndorf Which signifies in the German language a Village inhabited by Huntsmen and had its name probably from the abundance of all manner of Game in the neighbouring Woods The Moravians call this Town Carnowf whence the Dukedom is ordinarily by Latin Authors nam'd Ducatus Carnoviensis and a Citizen of this place Carnowfsky from the ancient Arms of the City which are a pair of Horns between two great Stones This City with the small Dukedom which bears its name was given by Ludowic King of Hungary and Bohemia to George Marquise of Brandenburg who was at the charges of building the Castle and erecting the other little fortifications that defend the Town DUCATUS SILESIAE GROTGANUS cum Districtu Episcopali NISSENSI To John Nicholls Esq of Trewane in Cornwall this Mapp is Humbly Dedicated by Moses Pitt Notularum Explicatio Vrbs Arx Pagus cum Templo Pagus nobilis Pagus Episcopalis Commenda COMITATUS GLATZ Notae Vrbs Oppidum Pagus cum templo Vicus Arx Auri et argenti fordinae Mons Notabilis Kohloruben Holtz fluesse The inhabitants of these and all other Towns and Villages in the Dukedom observe the same Laws with the Moravians For which reason the greatest part of them have often endeavour'd to associate themselves to the Marquisate of Moravia and renounce all dependance upon the great Dukedom of Silesia but have always been opposed by the Citizens of Troppau who have still been zealous to continue members of their ancient Body 4. RATIBOR is seated in a pleasant plain about six German miles from Oppelen We have no account of it before the year of Christ 1164 so that most Geographers venture to say that 't was built about that time The private dwelling Houses of the Citizens are as in most parts of Silesia generally wooden buildings but the Duke's Palace Cathedral and some other publick buildings are of stone There is still in the City one Popish Monastery and formerly the Jesuits had a great footing in it but since the Reformation that sort of Cattel were driven out of their Harbors The Dukedom of Ratibor which contains the Towns of Oderberg Sora Ribenick Pilzowitz and Mieslowitz was formerly governed by a Duke of its own but upon the death of Duke Valentinus its last Prince who died without issue in the year 1516 it became more immediately subject to the King of Bohemia 5. 〈◊〉 TESCHEN or Tessin is one of the oldest Cities in Silesia said to have been built by Cessimir or Gessimir Son of Lescus III. Duke of Poland A. D. 810 and from him to have had its first name which has since been corrupted into Tessin It is seated on the confines of Silesia Moravia Poland and Hungary whence it comes to pass that its Citizens speak a medly of languages hardly intelligible to any but themselves They have here great store of all sorts of Venison and wild Fowl the Vistula and Elsa afford them plenty of Fish and the Hungarian Merchants bring them in daily vast quantities of Wine Fruit and other Commodities of that Country At one of their Churches they have weekly Divine Service and a Sermon in the Bohemian language and at another the like in High Dutch for of these two Nations the Burgers chiefly consist Here is brew'd Beer of two sorts the one with Wheat and the other with ordinary Barly Malt the latter of these they call Matznotz a sort of drink pleasant enough but mighty strong and heady which too often on their Market-days makes the poor Rusticks commit several outrages and disorders in the height of their jollity In this Dukedom there are several high mountains whereof two Rows are more especially remarkable and taken notice of by Geographers and Historians The first of these are those on the
East of the Dukedom dividing it from the Kingdoms of Hungary and Poland mention'd usually in Latin writers by the name of Montes Carpatii or Hungarici but by the Natives of this Country call'd commonly Jablunka Amongst these Hills the Silesians find the chief treasure of their Great Dukedom having here a great many Mines of Silver and Lead The Miners that inhabit these parts are call'd by their neighbours Die Walachen and are a sort of people much more rough and rustical then the rest of the Silesians A vast company of these Bores in the year 1643 revolted from the Imperialists and fled to the Swedish Army but were not long after reclaim'd The other row of mountains are on the South and divide the Dukedom of Teschen from the Marquisate of Moravia These Hills the Natives call Gesencke but Latin Authors make them a part of the Sudetes and name them Montes Moravici These latter do not afford that plenty of Ore which is found in the former but are tolerably well stock'd with Minerals and some Metals and supply what they fall short of the other in this kind with huge flocks of Sheep which are here pastur'd Other Towns of note in the Dukedom of Teschen are Bielitz Freystattlein Friedick Jablunke which has its name from the Eastern row of mountains abovemention'd Nistkow Strummen Skotschau and Schwartzwasser Some add Lassla with whom agrees J. Scultetus's Map of Silesia but this Town ought rather to be referr'd to the Dukedom of Troppau X. The County and City of GLATZ AMongst the Montes Sudetes lies the County of Glatz County being bounded on the South with Moravia on the West with Bohemia and on the East and North with the Great Dukedom of Silesia For which reason modern Geographers have been at a stand to determine which of the three Nations they should refer it to some of them making it a part of the Kingdom of Bohehemia others esteeming it a petty Province of the Marquisate of Moravia and a third sort who seem to have most probability on their side call it a Silesian County It s ancient inhabitants are thought to have been the Marsigni in whose days the City of Glatz was call'd Luca. After them the Hungarians got possession of this and the neighbouring Provinces and kept it till the Emperor Henry I. routed them and hang'd up their chief Commander in one of the Forests of this County From this great Hungarian Warriour whose name is said to have been Glozar the City of Glatz or Glotz was first named tho other Etymologists think its ancient name to be Klotz which signifies properly the root and trunk of a Tree but is sometimes taken for a large Forest or Copse of Shrubs such as they tell us once grew in the place where Glatz now stands The Nobility of this County have a tradition amongst them that before their Land was conquer'd by Henry the First and made Christian this County was immediately subject to the Emperors of Germany by whom 't was afterwards bestow'd on the Kings of Bohemia M. George Aelurius in his Chronicle of the City and County of Glatz printed in the year 1625 says that 't was as his Countrymen affirm subject at first to the Emperors but afterwards won and enjoy'd for some time by the Princes of Poland from whom the Bohemians took it and as appears from the Records of that Kingdom were Masters of it in the years 1074 and 1114. After this the Dukes of Silesia made themselves Lords of the County of Glatz which within a while return'd to the Kings of Bohemia and then back again to the foresaid Dukes In this state it continued till the days of the Emperor Charles the Fourth in whose reign it was once more subjected to the King of Bohemia And thus it continued till King George about the year 1460 bestow'd the Cities of Glatz Munsterberg and Franckenstein upon his own Sons who thereupon had the Titles of Dukes of Munsterberg and Earls of Glatz conferr'd on them by the Emperor Frideric IV. In the year 1500 the Dukes of Munsterberg sold this Country to Vlric Earl of Hardegg whose successors within less then forty years after sold it again to the Emperor Ferdinand I. who bestow'd it on the Lords of Bernstein From them it descended A. D. 1549 upon Ernest Duke of Bavaria after whose death it return'd again to the Kings of Bohemia in whose possession it continues to this day The Commodities of this Country are Iron Coal Silver-Ore Timber all sorts of Venison and tame Cattel Butter Cheese c. How rich the Country is may hence easily be gather'd that not many years ago the King of Bohemia's Stewards and Rent-gatherers have been known to bring into their Master's Coffers near forty thousand Ricxdollars yearly out of this one County The City of Glatz is a neat and compact Town 〈◊〉 seated in a pleasant plain on the banks of the Neisse but fortified with a strong Castle on the top of a neighbouring Hill which overlooks and commands the Town The great Church is said to have been formerly the Temple of an Idol worshipp'd by the ancient inhabitants of these parts in which as Aelurius tells us the young maids of the Country used to nail up their hair against the walls as was the custom amongst the ancient Romans and that not many years ago several of these kind of Tabulae Votivae were still to be seen The Charter of their City permits their Magistrates to coin money in their own names but they seldom make use of the priviledg any further then to give abroad a kind of small coin little better then the farthings and half-pence lately currant by the authority of no better man then an ordinary Grocer or Chandler in most of our Market-Towns in England Besides Glatz there are the following nine great Towns in this County Havelswerd Neurode Winschelburg Mitselwald Reinertz Lewin Landeck Beurath and Wilhelmsthal or Neustatl besides an hundred fair Villages and upwards MARCHIONATVS MORAVIAE Auct I. Comenio Excudebat Janssonio-Waesbergä Moses Pitt et Stephanus Swart Notularum explicatio Vrbs muris cincla Oppidum Pagus turritus Arx Zamek Castellum â—â—â—z Pagi innominati Monasterium Vinetorum colles Thermae seu aquae medicale Officinae â—â—â—â—aria Auri et Argenti fodinae Ferri fodinae THE MARQUISATE OF MORAVIA MORAVIA is commonly in the Bohemian writers preferr'd before Silesia altho this later be a Dukedom and the other no more then a Marquisate The reason of which preeminence must be ascrib'd either to this Marquisate's having been anciently a Kingdom or else to its being made subject to the Kings of Bohemia before ever the Silesians embraced their yoke The Germans call this Country Mahren and some of their writers would have it nam'd Mehrhenland or Equarum Regio imagining the true Etymology of the word to come from the multitude of Horses or Mares bred in this Marquisate But certainly the word Moravia which is undoubtedly of the same offspring with the
German Mahren is derived from the great River Mahr Marck or March which passes thro the midst of the Province and is in some of the Manuscript Copies of Pliny's Works nam'd Morus Now the word March or Marck signifies as we have acquainted the Reader in the description of the Marquisate of Brandenburg the utmost bounds or limits of a Country such as in all probability this River was of the ancient German Nation Hence the inhabitants of these parts got the name of the Marcomanni for so the word ought to be written with a double n notwithstanding the Greek Authors write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were Borderers 'T is bounded on the East with the Silesian County of Teschen and some parts of the Kingdom of Hungary on the West with Bohemia on the South with the Arch-Dukedom of Austria and on the North with the Silesian Dukedoms of Grotkau Troppau and the County of Glatz It s whole length is thought to be about one hundred and ten English miles and the bredth of it above fourscore The better half of the Country which lies towards the North and West is hardly any thing else but a continued Wilderness consisting of nothing but huge mountains and uninhabitable Woods and Forests But towards Austria and Hungary the case is much alter'd you may here meet with as fair Fields and as many Towns and Villages as in most parts of the German Empire The waters especially such as are found in several pits up and down the Country are in many places poysonnous and pestilential Waters Which is thought to proceed from a sort of Tartar or mixt Mineral made up chiefly of Lime and Niter which infects not only the waters that pass thro it but gives a tincture to the Corn Vines Fruit-trees and all other Vegetables that grow near it Hence come the Epidemical distempers of this Marquisate which are reckon'd up by one of its own Poets in the following Verses His sunt Moraviae Capitales Corporis hostes Calculus Arthridis Colicus dolor atque Caducus His Hypochondriacum quintum annumerare licebit But Nature may seem to have made recompense for these inconveniences in providing in other parts of the Marquisate several rich Medicinal Fountains which bring present relief not only to all persons griev'd with the foremention'd diseases but readily cure almost all other distempers and maladies incident to man's body Of these Fountains and their incomparable vertues there has a very good account been given by Thomas Jordan a Moravian Physitian in his Commentarius de Aquis Medicatis Moraviae printed at Francfurt in the year 1586. Since which time there has been some other Medicinal Waters and Baths discover'd in Moravia and learnedly treated on by Johannes Ferdinand Herdot another famous Physitian of that Country in a Book of his lately publish'd and entituled Tartaro-Mastix Moraviae Other Fountains there are especially near Nezdanicz Zahorawitz and Zucholacz three Villages not far from Hunnobrod which have a kind of salt and acid taste the waters whereof are exceeding pleasant and wholesome The two chief Rivers of the Country are Rivers 1. Moraw which as we have said gives name to the whole Marquisate It springs in the County of Glatz not above a measured English mile beyond the utmost bounds of Moravia within the compass of which Comenius in his Map of this Country has ventur'd to bring it Upon the banks of this River which runs thro the very midst of the Marquisate most of the chief Cities in Moravia are seated 2. Teya which springs out of two Fountains the one in Austria the other upon the borders of Bohemia it receives into its Channel Igla Schwarta and a great many other petty Rivulets and is at last swallow'd up it self by the Moraw upon the borders of Austria These Rivers afford great store of Trouts Crevises Barbels Eels Jack Perch and many other sorts of fresh Fish All the Nations round about Moravia will witness Commodities that it affords plenty enough and to spare of Wheat Rye Barley and all manner of grain They have store of red and white Wine which grows as plentifully in some places of this Marquisate as in Austria They have good breeds of Horses Oxen Sheep and Goats but the Land which some attribute to the extraordinary sharpness of the air breeds neither Ass Camel nor Mule The Woods abound with all sorts of wild Beasts that bear Furs as Wolves Hares Foxes Marts Beavers c. They have one kind of Beast almost peculiar to the Moravian Forest which they call Rysowe and we may English it a Panther or Leopard 'T is about the heighth of an ordinary Cur-dog but much thicker in the body It s belly and feet are spotted and it preys upon Deer and other Beasts of the Forest whom it catches by a sudden pitching upon them from the top of some rock or tree Daubravius Moravian Myrrh in the fourth Book of his History of Bohemia tells us there is a strange kind of Frankincense and Myrrh in Moravia which grows not here as in Arabia upon Trees but is dug out of the bowels of the Earth For my own part I should have been apt to have call'd this Myrrh Mummy if it answer the description he gives of it Which because 't is something extraordinary and uncouth I shall give it the Reader in his own words Hoc vero says he jam mirabitur aliquis est profecto admiratione dignum inveniri in Moravia Thus Myrrham non ex arbore desudante ut alibi lectam sed e solo terrae erutam uno tantum diu in loco cui Gradisco nomen in quo ad hunc diem Thus non solum id quod masculum vocant a similitudine testium sed quod alia praeterea virorum mulierumque membra ostentat effoditur Nay for fear this should be thought too strange and incredible a story to be believ'd he tells us yet further upon his certain knowledg Nuper autem Wenceslaus vetere procerum familia eorum qui a Quercu cognominantur clarus dum in agro suo Sternbergensi fundamenta aggeri Piscinario moliretur Corpus hominis integrum invenit quod nihil nisi Myrrha erat quam ille per amicos distributam nostri quoque etiam tum privati memor nos plus media parte lacerti humani donavit quo aliquoties pro suffitu usi sumus This latter account which he gives us of his Moravian Myrrh agrees something with the description given by several Botanists of the Mandrake but the learned Hertod whom we mention'd before in the first part of his Tartaro-Mastix Moraviae removes this scruple by telling us Sic infans ante annos quadraginta a fossoribus in fodinis Aluminis prope Czernam Horam inventus totus Myrrhatus Hunc fossores Patribus Carthusianis prope Brunam triginta aliquot taleris vendidisse hi postea eundum ad magnam suam Carthusiam in Galliam remississe tandemque eodem dono
Alphabet made use of in writing out the Bible by him translated into his own mother-tongue What became of this Translation I know not except as some late Antiquaries have ventur'd to say the ancient Moscovian Bible printed in the year 1581 be a Transcript of it In the year 1346 the Bishopric of Olmutz was remov'd from under the jurisdiction of the Elector of Mentz and subjected to the new Archbishop of Prague tho some of the late Bishops of Olmutz have denied to pay homage to any Prelate under the Pope 2. BRINN call'd in the Bohemian language Brno and by Latin writers Bruna Brinn is the second City in Moravia and a Town of so great repute that it seems to share with Olmitz in the Title of Metropolis since in these two Cities by turns the chief Courts of Judicature or Assizes for the whole Marquisate are held 'T is seated at the confluence of two small Rivers Schwarta and Zwitta and defended by the Spilberg a strong Castle on the top of the adjoining Hill The Moravian Philosophers make a great noise with the Vnicornu Minerale which amongst the other fossilia of their Country is said to be found near this City Of which Osv Grollius in his book entituled de Signaturis gives this account Vnicornu Minerale nobis quoque Deus largitus est in Moravia tribus milliaribus Bruna ubi eram ante Medicus non longe a territorio Abbatis Zabrdovicensis sub altissima rupe duorum inusitatae magnitudinis animalium incognitorum ossa una cum duobus junioribus efossa sunt quae absque dubio tempore Diluvii aquarum impetu perierunt in illa solitudine c. Another Author of the same Tribe Anselm Boetius de Boodt Physitian to the Emperor Rudolf II. gives a far different account of it Cornu fossile says he prope Brunam Moraviae urbem inventum ita exacte figuram trunci Juglandis intrinsecus extrinsecus refert ut nemo nisi Caecus negare possit truncum illius Arboris fuisse ac in Terra transmutationem accepisse Hertod in his ingenious Book beforementioned says there have been several fragments of this Mineral found in the Quarries near Niclsburg one whereof exactly resembled a man's thigh I know not what more to make of all these relations then that there are now and then in the fields near Brinn found several rare petrifications for that I think is as fit a name for them as Vnicornu fossile representing the parts of certain Animals and Plants Which is no greater miracle then may be daily met with in the fields here about Oxford as may be seen at large in the learn'd account given of such Rarities in the fifth Chapter of the Natural History of this County 3. IGLAW call'd by the Bohemians Gihlawa Iglaw seated on the borders of Bohemia upon a River of the same name is said to have been built in the year 799 and to have had its name from an Urchin or Hedghog which in the German language is call'd Igle but by the Moravians Gehlak because that upon the laying the first foundation of this City a great company of these kind of Creatures were found amongst the shrubs and thickets which grew in this place The Town is large well built and strongly fortified 'T is a great thorow-fair frequented by multitudes of Travellers that pass this way out of Bohemia towards Hungary And for this reason the Citizens as being daily accustom'd to converse with strangers are more obliging in their carriage then the rest of their Country-men In the Hussites-wars this City stedfastly opposed the introducing of the Reform'd Religion and with a great deal of resolute obstinacy and malepert zeal maintain'd the superstitious Discipline of the Church of Rome but as soon as Luther's Doctrine began to peep abroad in the world the heat was over with them and the Citizens of Iglaw of all the Cities of Moravia subject to the Kings of Bohemia were the first who embraced the Augsburg Confession and turn'd Rebels as themselves before had term'd other Protestants to the Pope's Interest In the late Civil wars of Germany immediately after the Imperial Forces were routed at Jankow in the year 1645 this Town was given up into the hands of the then triumphant Swedes who to make the City more tenable burnt down the large Suburbs on every side and having so done defended the Town with so much gallantry and manhood that all the forces the Emperor could bring against it were beaten off for a twelve-month after The Jesuits College with the Gymnasium annex'd founded by Adolph Michael Earl of Altham is a great ornament to the Town and the two Monasteries of Dominicans and Franciscans are well worth the seeing The chief trade of the Town besides the entertainment of passengers which brings in the greatest part of their riches is in selling Beer and a sort of course woollen Cloth which is made and dress'd after their fashion 4. Znaim ZNAIM in the Bohemian language Znoymo and in Latin writers Znogma stands on the Teya in a pleasant soil and wholesom air The learned Cluverius is of opinion that this place is the same with Ptolomy's Medoslanium But I do not find that his Latitude will agree at all to Znaim tho his Longitude comes near it The Annals of Moravia tell us this City was first built in the place where it now stands by Primislaus Ottacar about the year 1222 having before that time lain buried in its ashes from the year 1145 when Vladislaus King of Bohemia upon a provocation given him by his Kinsman Cunrad Marquise of Moravia wholly destroy'd it and its inhabitants with fire and sword The Town is defended by a Castle sufficiently fortified both by Nature and Art but in great danger of being damag'd in time of siege from the top of the Peldtenberg an adjacent mountain which overlooks it and stands within Canon-shot of it It lies upon the coasts of Austria and therefore is sure to be the first place attack'd by the Imperial forces in case of any rebellious uproar in either Bohemia or Moravia as it has often already found by woful experience There are a great many Vineyards round the City which yeild commonly good store of an indifferently palatable Wine but the chief income of the Citizens arises from the harbouring of passengers which travel this road betwixt Vienna and Prague 5. Cremsir CREMSIR or Kremsier call'd by the Bohemians Kromeritz seated on the River Morawa about the middle way betwixt Olmitz and Hradisch was not many ages ago a poor Village but is now become one of the fairest Cities in Moravia The occasion of which alteration was this John Bishop of Olmitz bought the Lordship of this Village for himself and his successors of Otto Marquise of Moravia After his death Bruno Bishop of the same Diocess observing the convenient and pleasant situation of the place built in it a fair Palace call'd to this day from its first Founder's name
Brunsberg which drawing together some considerable numbers of people obliged him soon after to wall the place round and turn it into a City 6. EWANCZITZ 〈◊〉 seated at the confluence of the two Rivers Iglaw and Oslaw both which here lose their names and are afterwards call'd Schwartza This City was once notorious for harbouring more different Sects in Religion then almost any other Town in Europe The Parish Church was divided by the two prevailing parties of Hussites and Lutherans both of which had here the exercise of their inconsistent forms of Divine Worship at the same time One of their streets was wholly inhabited by Jews who had erected in it a Synagogue and School for themselves and children Without the Gates of the City the Calvinists had two Churches the one for the Bohemians the other for the Germans and these shar'd with the Hussites and Lutherans in the Magistracy and Government of the City Another part of the Suburbs was taken up by the Holy Brethren of Switzerland a pack of nominal Christians who never were baptized thought it a damnable sin to wear a Sword and celebrated the Lord's Supper only at Whitsuntide The Photinians Atheists and Quakers for such kind of creatures I take the Schwenckfelder to have been who denied the resurrection of the dead met at their devotions on the banks of a Fountain in the field At a small Village nam'd Olekowitz about half an English mile out of the Town dwelt the Anabaptists who were about four hundred in number But this ridiculous toleration and distraction in Religion came to this issue at last that now all those various parties of people who all of them pretended to be true Protestants are cashier'd and none permitted the free exercise of their Religion but Jews and Papists To these we might add a great many more Cities if what Caspar Laudisman in his Directions for the speedy understanding of foreign Languages affirms it be true that there are in this Marquisate 100 Cities 410 Towns 500 Castles and 30360 Villages Which prodigious number of buildings would go near to cover almost all the habitable part of this Country But I think there are few more then we have already mention'd which deserve to be taken notice of any further then to give them room for their names in the Map BOHEMIA Notarum Explicatio Caritas Regia libera Oppidum Regis Bohemia Oppida â—â—â—inum et Nobil … Pagus Arx Castellum Monasterium Oppidum cum Arce Fodine Auri Fodine argenti Fodine Stanni Fodine ferri Therme Officina Vitriaria Nomina quae habent tri … in … nt Bohemica THE KINGDOME OF BOHEMIA BOHEMIA is bounded on the East with Moravia and Silesia on the West with Voitland the Upper Palatinate and the Dukedom of Bavaria on the South with the Arch-Dukedom of Austria and on the North with the Marquisates of Misnia and Lusatia Whence the learned Godalstus in that excellent Treatise of his entituled Commentarii de Bohemiae Regni incorporatarumque Provinciarum Juribus ac Privilegiis c. well argues that this Kingdom must needs have been anciently a branch of the German Nation and ought still to be so accounted since all the people that encompass it speak the High Dutch language The whole Kingdom is encompass'd round with Mountains the chief of which are the Montes Riphaei or Hills of Giants which part this Land from Silesia Out of these spring the great River Elb issuing out of two of them famous heretofore for the enchantments and apparitions of evil Spirits that used to haunt them One of these two is now adays named by the Silesian Germans that live near it Schneekippe from the continual Snow on the top of it and the other Knieholtz from the short shrubs or brush wood that grows there The other Rivers of note are the Eger Muldau Satzawa Orliecze Lusinitz Gyzera and Mise all which spring within the Kingdom and are at last emptied into the Elb at Dietzin Most of these run in a clear Channel and afford great plenty of fish In some of them the Natives find a sort of shell-fish much like a Horse-Muscle with a Pearl in it of good value such as those are which Mr. Cambden tells us ly gaping at the mouth of the River Irt in Cumberland In several parts of Bohemia especially at Teplitz and Wary both which have their names from the hot Baths there found spring Mineral and Medicinal waters which exceedingly refresh the body and cure many distempers The acid waters at Oegran and Comorzan are accounted mighty soveraign against many diseases and there was not many years ago a Fountain of as great credit at Stechowicz near Prague The like is still to be met with at Benessow near Caplicze which for the cures it has perform'd has got the name of Dobra Woda or good water There are no Lakes in the Kingdom Ponds excepting only one or two near the Towns of Mosta and Tepla of little or no moment But the Fish-ponds in many places seem to equal the Lakes in foreign Countries Witness those petty fresh water Seas at Pardubicz Clumecz Trzebon Rozdialowicz and Copydlan where the Ponds abounding with Perch Jack Carp and other fish bring their Masters in as large Revenues as so many good Lordships The Soil of the Country is generally fat and arable in few places barren or sandy Commodities You have here also fine Woods and Forests intermix'd but none so large as to render any considerable part of the Kingdom uninhabitable The Orchards and Gardens are so well stock'd with fruit that yearly great quantities of Apples Pears c. are hence exported into Misnia and other neighbouring Countries The inhabitants have Wine enough if the luxury of the present age did not want greater supplies then nature in their own Vineyards which is reckon'd a better bodied liquor then Moravian Wine and equals the Austrian in taste but is not capable of being kept to so good an age The Fields and Meadows are richly stock'd with all manner of Cattel especially Horses of more then ordinary courage and bulk Their Hop-gardens afford them a better and more plentiful crop then is usual in other Countries For which reason their Beer whereof they have two sorts white and brown is highly valued and exported into the neighbouring parts of Germany There have been some Salt-pits discover'd in Bohemia but so inconsiderable that they found the profit would not answer the cost of digging And therefore the Bohemians have their Salt out of Misnia and other Provinces of Germany But this want is sufficiently recompens'd by their rich Mines of Silver Copper Tin Iron Lead Sulphur Niter c. as also by their Glass and Allum made here in great quantities They pretend to have Carbuncles Ametheists and other precious stones in their Land which they say are often found in the Mines and amongst the Rocks of the Hill Countries Anselm Boetius Boodt whom we had occasion to mention in the description of
Heathen Slavonians 〈◊〉 at their first coming into this Country brought with them a great many Idol Gods whom they worshipp'd as the only Protectors and Saviours of their Nation The chief of these they call Pron or Peron which in their language signifies the same thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Jupiter Intonans This was their God of Gods Divum Pater atque Hominum Rex and worshipp'd with the same reverence as Thor amongst the ancient Saxons But this God was at last for some misdemeanour or other thrown out of favour and the honour conferr'd on Swanto-Wit an Idol whose Temple stood at Julinum or Wollin in Pomeren in those days the largest City in Europe Some small remembrances of this God they retain to this day it being usual for friends shaking hands to use this mutual compellation Witeg Witeg or Witam te in which they still seem to own the Idol Wit for their God Christianity began first to be profess'd in the Kingdom about the year 894 in which 't is said Duke Borsivogius was baptiz'd by Methodius the Saint of Bohemia This Methodius was a Prelate of the Greek Church so that the Clergy of Bohemia did not for some ages acknowledge the Bishop of Rome's Supremacy The Reformation was first begun here upon this occasion A young Gentleman of this Country travelling into England and visiting our Universities had here at Oxford the opportunity of transcribing several Tracts written by our Brittish Authors Amongst other things he chanc'd to light upon some of John Wicliff's works Copies of which he carried home with him and shew'd to Jahn Huss and Jerome of Prague Upon the reading of these Books those two great men began immediately to reform Errors in the Church which good work they prosecuted with great vigor and zeal till they were summon'd to the Council of Constance and there contrary to the promises and protestations of the Popish Prelates then assembled condemn'd for Hereticks and burnt in the year 1415. But so firmly were their Doctrines rooted in most of the hearts of their hearers that 't was impossible for the Church of Rome by this expedient to hinder the progress of the Reformation which soon after was more firmly establish'd by the industry of Luther Melancthon Calvin c. It had been well if after the fopperies of Rome were thus abolish'd the Bohemians had contented themselves with the free exercise of their Religion granted them by their Kings But growing infolent as their number encreas'd they began first to mutiny against the Emperors Ministers of State in that Kingdom and afterward in the reign of the Emperor Matthias fell into an open rebellion This prov'd at last the ruine of the Reform'd Religion which is now nowhere profess'd but in some by-corners and holes of the Kingdom So unprosperous a thing is Rebellion for the sake of Religion The Bohemian Language as well as the Russian Polonian Croatian and Wendish is a dialect of the ancient Slavonian A Tongue so copious and sweet that the old Lawgivers of this Country as appears from several of their Municipal Laws were zealous in commanding the true and primitive pronunciation and orthography of it to be kept up But this unhappiness attended the endeavours of these well-wishers to their Country that they had not the use of any Letters but the Ruthenian character an Alphabet exceedingly imperfect and wholly unfit for the polishing of a Language Afterwards when the Princes of Bohemia began to maintain a correspondence with their neighbours in Germany the Roman Letters were brought in and by this means their Tongue was refin'd with better success However the modern Bohemians are as negligent in this particular as their Ancestors were careful Nay most men of fashion in the Kingdom look upon 't as scandalous to speak their own mother-tongue in its purity and therefore talk ordinarily either the German Language entire or else the Bohemian mixt and mangled with a great many outlandish words and bombast The Chief Cities in the Kingdom of BOHEMIA PRAGUE is the Merropolis of this Kingdom Prague seated in a pleasant place on the great River Moldau What name it had before the Bohemians came into this Country is not to be learnt out of any of their Records But they it seems call'd it Boioheim or the chief Residence of the Bohemian Princes It s modern name was given it long after upon the coming in of the Slavonians with Zechus Boregius gives this blind account of the original of this name Some of the Slavonians coming to this Town and finding them busie in building enquired of one of the workmen who as it chanc'd was making a threshold which in his language was call'd Prah what they were a making receiv'd answer Prah as the Town was afterwards nam'd 'T is divided into three parts the Old New and Little City which latter is separated from the two former by the Moldau This great City is compared by Aeneas Sylvius to Florence in Italy and our Countryman Dr. Brown who has seen both and is curious enough in his observations tells us that this is much larger and more populous then Florence that the River Arno which runs thro Florence is not comparable to the Moldau at Prague But then he tells us the paving of the streets at Florence the Cathedral St. Laurence's Chappel and the Duke's Palace outstrip any thing that Prague can boast of Because the three partitions of the Town before mention'd are distinct Corporations we shall describe them separately beginning with 1. The Old Town which lies on the Eastern banks of the River Moldau is very populous and full of fair Houses built after an old fashion In this part of the Town stands the University which has nothing stately in it but the Jesuits College The Historians of Bohemia report strange things of the vast numbers of Scholars which have been resident at once in this University Lewis du May Counsellor to the Duke of Wirtenberg in his incomparable Dialogue concerning the State of the German Empire says there are hardly at this day so many Students to be found in all Germany as were here in the year 1409 when J. Huss himself is said to have had forty thousand Scholars 'T was founded by the Emperor Charles IV. and is still the only University in Bohemia 'T will be worth observation to take notice that as is reported no Fly will touch any flesh exposed to sale in the Shambles here let the weather be ne're so hot The Jews inhabit a good share of this old Town which from them is called Die Juden-Statt or the City of the Jews They are very rich trading in all manner of Commodities but especially in Jewels and several sorts of precious stones found in the Mines of Bohemia 2. The New Town was formerly separated from the Old by a Wall or Ditch but now there is nothing that parts them but a Trench into which they can let in the Moldau at pleasure In this
part are to be seen the ruins of the ancient Palace of the Dukes and Kings of Bohemia There is still standing a great part of the walls round this Palace the cement whereof is so good that hardly any Engine can be invented which will pull them down The Jesuits of late years have built here a new College for themselves which goes beyond the other they had before in the Old Town 3. The Little Town or Kleine Seiten as they sometimes call it lies on the West side of the Muldau over which you pass by a stately Stone-bridg of sixteen Arches In this place stands Winceslaus's Palace wherein the Emperor when he comes to Prague keeps his Court. Some have ventur'd to affirm that as good High Dutch is spoken in this Palace and by the neighbouring Burgers as in any City of Germany But he that shall curiously and critically enquire into the truth of this assertion will find that the Language here spoken falls as far short of the pure Misnian Dialect as this Palace does of the Elector's Court at Dresden Not far from hence is the Cathedral of this Archbishopric dedicated to St. Vite from the top of which you have the best prospect of the City of Prague At Weissenberg or the white Hill near Prague was fought the fatal battel between the Duke of Bavaria and Count Bucquoy Lieutenant of the Emperor Ferdinand the Second's Forces and Frideric Count Palatine of the Rhine and elected King of Bohemia in which the new King was conquer'd his Forces totally routed his Ordnance seized on and himself and his Queen our King Charles the Martyr's Sister forced to fly into Silesia Prague was forced to resign it self up immediately into the hands of the Emperor who soon after rooted out all maintainers of the Protestant Religion throughout the Kingdom Some Historians have taken notice that of the Gospel appointed to be read on the day whereon was fought this Battel which was the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity A. D. 1620 this Text Render to Cesar the things that are Cesars is a part Which is as observable as the Church of England's appointing the 27th Chapter of Matthew to be read the second Lesson on the thirtieth of January whereon our late King suffer'd Martyrdom II. EGRA Egra◠a great City on the borders of the Palatinate is call'd by the Bohemians Chebbe but by the Germans that inhabit it Egra from the River upon which 't is seated It was made an Imperial City by the Emperor Frideric I. in the year 1179 in remembrance of the fidelity of the Burgers to that Emperor in opposing Henry Duke of Bavaria who had overrun the greatest part of this Country It is walld with a double sometimes with a tripple wall and defended by an almost impregnable Castle The Market-place is surrounded with very fair buildings and some of their Churches make a good show Bertius and Ens speak of strange cures perform'd by the waters issuing out of a Fountain in the Suburbs of this City The Well they mention is not in the Suburbs but about two English miles from the Town Its waters are something salt and brinish but very cool and clear They are said to cure all infirmities in the Eyes Ears or other parts of the head and many other cures are wrought by their purging and cleansing the body Jac. Theodorus Tabernaemontanus gives us an account of some strange feats wrought by them in his Book entituled Wasser-Schatz printed at Frantfurt A. D. 1584. And Paul Macasius publish'd a whole Treatise about the nature and vertues of these Egrish waters in the year 1616. Some Antiquaries pretend to prove that the old name of this City was Sourstad from these bitter waters But we can expect no great faithfulness in the account of its Antiquities since the City with all its Records perish'd in the flames A. D. 1270. Other Cities of note are 1. Budweiss a fair and large Town not far from the borders of Austria 2. Kuttenberg a Mine-Town on the Elb. Elnbogen a strong Town on the borders of Misnia call'd usually the Bohemian Key to the German Empire 4. Thabor in the way betwixt Prague and Budweiss whence the Picarts got the name of Thaborites Leimiritz Augst Bern Bruck Gretz Maut Hoff Jaromir Pilsen c. are no better then ordinary Market-Towns FRANCONIAE Nova Descriptio Sumptibus Jansonio-Waesbergiorum Mosis Pitt et Stephani Swart Reverendissim o Illustrission Principi ac Domino Dnō FRANCISCO Episcopo Bambergensi Wirceburgensi Franciae Orientalis Duci Domino suo clementissimo humillime offert Nicolaus Rittershusius U. I. D. THE Great Circle OF FRANCONIA FRANCONIA is the chief of the Ten great Circles or Districts into which the German Empire is usually divided This District sends to the Diets the Bishops of Wurtsburg Eichstadt and Bamberg the Counts of Henneberg Wertheim c. with several other Princes Spiritual and Temporal besides the Deputies of the Imperial Cities of Noremberg Rottenburg Winsheim and Schwinfurt 'T is bounded on the South with Schwaben and Bavaria on the West with the Rhine and the Lower Palatinate on the North with the Landgraviate of Thuringen and on the East with the Kingdom of Bohemia The Country has undoubtedly its name from the Franks its ancient inhabitants whom some Historians make a remnant of the old Trojans who at first being expell'd their own Country by the Grecians seated themselves upon the Sea-shore near the mouth of the Danubius These Sicambri for so they were then call'd being beaten from their hold by the Goths were forc'd to seek out new habitations and at last about 430 years before Christ fix'd themselves under the command of their General Marcomir on the banks of the Rhine in Westphalia Frisland and Gelderland all which Countries were afterwards compris'd under the General name of Sicambria About four hundred years after they named themselves Franci after the name of their great Commander Francus who led them beyond the Rhine and subdued for them the greatest part of Gallia which they nam'd Franckric the Germans call it still Franckreich or the Kingdom of the Franks Others say that the Franks were not one particular people but that the Vbii Mattiaci Juhones Sicambri Tencteri Vsipetes Marsi Marsaci Tubantes Bructeri Chamavi Angrivarii Dulgibini Chassuarii Ansibarii Frisii Chanci Cherusci Gambrivii and some other branches of the German Nation united themselves into one Body by a solemn League and Covenant as the only means to secure themselves against the growing power of the Roman Emperors Having thus link'd themselves together they took as the Almans had done before them one common name calling themselves Francken which in their language signified as Freyen in the modern High Dutch a free people as we find in our ancient Law-books Francisia for freedom Franciscare to set at liberty and Franchises is a word still commonly used for liberties About three hundred and sixteen years after Christ there was great contest between the Thuringians and Schwabes
Schweinfurt which some Geographers bring within the bounds of this Principality Schmalcad was once a part of this Principality but is not esteem'd so now PRINCIPATUS HENNENBERGENSIS COMITATVS WERTHEIMICI FINITIMARVMQVE REGIONVM NOVA ET EXACTA DESCRIPTIO Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart The City and County of WERTHEIM IN the mouth of the Tauber on the banks of the Mayn is seated the City of Wertheim in a fruitful soil and good air The Citizens whose chief trade is in making Wine liv'd formerly in good credit till upon some disagreement between them and their Earls who endeavour'd to reestablish Popery in the Town they were brought to so great poverty and straits for the defence of their Religion that they have scarce been able to recruit themselves to this day However they still stick close to the Augsburg Confession and are zealous assertors of the honour of their Saint Luther The County of Wertheim which is a part of the old Francia Orientalis as lying on the South side of the River Mayn is bounded on the East with the Bishoprick of Wurtzburg on the South with the County of Hohenloe and the Palatinate on the West with the Silva Ottonica and on the North with the large Forest of Speshart This Province affords much more plenty of Corn then the Territories about Francfurt nor is it any way inferior to those for the goodness of its Wine The inhabitants have here good store of Meadows and Pasture-ground for Cattel which bring in yearly as great revenues as their best Vineyards They have no want of wild Fowl and are cloy'd with Venison Among the several Villages that have dependance upon the City of Wertheim Niclashausen the most remarkable is Niclashausen famous for the birth and education of one John Behaim who was burnt for an Heretick at Wurtzburg A. D. 1476. The occasion whereof was this The poor Bore being melancholy and crack-brain'd fancied daily that he saw in his melancholy and dumpish fits strange and terrible apparitions One time the Virgin Mary forsooth amongst his other spiritual guests gave him a visit and grew so familiar as to communicate to him several deep intrigues and secrets The choicest whereof was that there lay no obligation at all upon the Burgers of Wertheim to shew any manner of respect to their Earls or inferior Magistrates but that they were all as free and boundless as the Rivers that water'd their Country This was a plausible Doctrine in the ears of the Commonalty and needed but little Divine Revelation to authorize it so that Behaim had presently more proselytes then all the Preachers in the Country and would in a short time have perverted the greatest part of the County had he not early been overpower'd and prevented by the Bishop's forces Erpach Norimberg Hanaw c. are purposely omitted in this place tho parts of Franconia as being reserv'd for the second Volume of Germany THE County Palatinate OF THE RHINE DIE Pfaltz which is the ordinary German word for this County signifies no more then Palatium Name whereof Palatinus is only an Adjective Possessive Now how Palatium should be a name given to a County or Palatinus to an Earl we have already acquainted the Reader treating of the High Dutch Nobility in the General Description of Germany There are only at this day two Counties in the German Empire which are usually known by the name of Counties Palatinate whereof one the Upper Palatinate is part of the Dukedom of Bavaria and shall be treated of elsewhere About four or five hundred years ago Bounds very little of the Country about Huydelberg was reckon'd a part of the Lower Palatinate but most of the Cities in this neighbourhood were either Imperial or subject to some other Prince then the Counts Palatine who are now by Marriage Conquest or Purchase Masters of the Land Before the Bohemian Wars betwixt the Emperor and Frideric Count Palatine and the Civil Wars of Germany the Territories and Revenues of this Prince were large enough to make him more formidable then any of the other Electors But such were his misfortunes in those bloody Engagements that he lost both the Kingdom of Bohemia which he contended for and also all his own hereditary Dignities and Estates The Upper Palatinate was seized on by the Duke of Bavaria and the Lower conquer'd and subdued by the King of Spain By the Treaty of Munster the late Count Charles-Ludowic Son to the unfortunate King of Bohemia was restored to some part of his Father's Dominions in the Lower Palatinate but these are of no great extent and are still like to be lessen'd by the daily encroachments of the French King This Country is much the pleasantest part of the German Empire Soil and therefore 't is no great wonder that the neighbouring Princes have in all ages watcht an opportunity of getting it into their clutches The Hills are cover'd with Vines which yeild that rich Liquor known all Europe over by the name of Rhenish Wine The Plains and Valleys afford plenty of all manner of Grain and Fruit and the Forests are plentifully stock'd with Deer and other Game The Rhine passing thro the midst of the County gives a fair advantage of exporting the commodities of this and importing those of foreign Nations The Rivers Rhine and Neccar have store of Fish and the Hills want neither Mettals nor Minerals That part of the Lower Palatinate which lies on the Western banks of the Rhine 〈◊〉 was first conquer'd by the Romans and afterwards by the French of whose Kingdom it was a part but more immediately subject to the Earls of the Moselle Afterwards when the Kingdom of Lorrain came to be divided betwixt the Emperors of Germany and the Kings of France this Territory became a share of the German Empire but was still possess'd by the Prince of Moselle as before Upon the failure of that Family it fell under the more immediate power of the Emperors who for many good offices done them were pleased to bestow it on the Elector's Palatine By the same means they became Masters of the other part of this Country on the Eastern banks of the River upon extirpation of the House of Schwaben The present Elector Palatine is Count Charles 〈…〉 who was born on the last day of May in the year 1651 and was advanc'd to the Electorate upon the late death of his Father Charles-Ludowic A. D. 1680. He is a pious and learned Prince and treads much in the steps of his Father who possibly was considering the troubles he had undergone as learned a Prince as Europe afforded in his time The Revenues of this Elector's Ancestors are said to have amounted to 100000 pounds sterling yearly Nor can we well imagine them to have been less when only the Silver Mines about Amberg in the Upper Palatinate yeilded 60000 Crowns a year and the passage over one Bridg cross the Rhine brought in 20000 more To which if
we add the Revenue of all the Demesns immediately subject to these Princes and the Church-lands which after the Reformation were annex'd to the Electoral Estate we may probably find the sum arise much higher But now adays the case is alter'd and the greatest share of the Riches as well as Honours anciciently appropriated to this House is enjoy'd by the Duke of Bavaria The state of Religion 〈◊〉 both in the Upper and Lower Palatinate has been exceedingly chang'd and varied since the first introducing of the Augsburg Confession by Count Frideric II. For Frideric III. set up the Doctrine and Discipline of John Calvin which soon after his death was thrown out by Ludowic V. a restorer of Lutheranism His Son Frideric IV. brought the Calvinists once more in play for the satisfaction chiefly of his beggarly Courtiers who knew no readier way of raising their Fortunes then by invading the Tythes and Glebe with the other poor remainders of the Church's Patrimony By which means the Clergy being reduc'd says Dr. Heylin to miserable short stipends under the name of a Competency became so contemptible and neglected by all sorts of men that at last the Church of the Palatinate was in the same condition with the Church of Israel under the reign of Jeroboam when Priests were made out of the meanest of the people But a Church reduc'd to these straits was not like to be of any durable continuance but to end ere long in misery Accordingly the Bavarians and Spaniards soon after this havock made of the Church fell upon them and took away their ill-gotten Estates and starv'd Religion leaving in the place of the latter the Idolatry and Superstition of the Church of Rome which is to this day openly profess'd in most parts of the Elector Palatine's Dominions notwithstanding his own firm adherence to the Doctrines of the Calvinists The Chief Cities in the Lower PALATINATE HEYDELBERG is the Metropolis of the Lower Palatinate and as some would have it of all Swaben 'T is seated on the Neccar which parts Swaben and Franconia It has its name from a little sort of shrub resembling Myrtle the fruit whereof growing plentifully on the Hills round this City the Germans call Heidelbeeren whence Latin Authors write the name of this Town Myrtillorum mons and Myrtilletum 'T is compass'd round with Hills cover'd with Vines except only towards the West which way you have a good prospect over a large and pleasant plain The Town is neither large nor very populous its chief beauty consisting in one fair street set off with an uniform Market place The Elector's Palace on the ascent of the hill Konigstul which overlooks the whole Town is a stately Fabrick beautified with a great many delicate Gardens Grottoes c. Not far distant from which stands a strong Tower which for its fortifications and heighth is hardly to be parallel'd in the German Empire 'T was formerly call'd Trutzkayser or Defiance to the Emperor but since the restauration of the late Elector that disobliging name has been abolish'd and 't is now call'd from some new Works made round it in form of a Star Stern-schantz or Star-fort But the most remarkable thing in this Palace and indeed in Heydelberg is the great Wine-fat Great Tun mention'd by all that travel this Country under the name of the Tun at Heydelberg That which is now to be seen in an outer building near the Palace was built by the order of the last Elector Charles-Ludowic and far exceeds any of the former It contains above 204 Fudder of Wine which amounts to about 200 Tun of our English measure Instead of Hoops it is built with large Trees of knee Timber like the ribs of a Ship which have several Inscriptions painted and carv'd upon them and are supported by carv'd pedestals Upon one side of the Vessel you have a handsom Stair-case leading to the top where you meet with a Gallery set round with Ballisters three and forty steps from the ground Before the year 1664 in which year this was built the old Tun tho one of the wonders of the German Nation was not comparable to this 'T was encircled with great Hoops of Iron each of which are said to have weigh'd 12200 pound It contain'd only 132 Fudder of Wine and there were no more then seventeen steps to the stop The University was founded by Count Rupert in the year 1387 Vniversity tho some will needs have it ten years older and others near forty It is still much frequented and has given education to many eminent men in former days Witness R. Agricola Munster H. Buschius Xylander Paul Cisner Pacius Franciscus Junius P F. Smetius Freherus and Janus Gruterus In the great Church Library dedicate to the Holy Ghost was formerly kept the Elector's Library of which the learned Scaliger in one of his Epistles to Janus Gruterus gives this account Indicem Bibliothecae vestrae sedulo legi Locupletior est meliorum Librorum quam Vaticana One great part of this Collection was the Library of the Monastery of Sponheim to which says Trithemius in a Letter to Damius Curtensis A.D. 1507 no Library in the German Empire is worthy to be compar'd either for the rarity or multitude of Books especially its Manuscripts in the Hebrew Greek Latin Chaldaean Arabic Indian Russian Tartarian Italian French German and Bohemian languages But this Treasure of Learning was siezed on and plunder'd by the Spanish forces who took Heydelberg in the year 1620. At which time a considerable number of choice Books were trodden to dirt and the rest carried over the Alps to the Vatican where they may still be seen in a long Gallery over against the Duke of Vrbin's Library 2. WORMES Wormes tho more immediately subject to the Bishop of that place is reckon'd the second Town in the Lower Palatinate Freher a man admirably skill'd in the Antiquities of this Country says that 't was anciently the Metropolis of the Vangiones the old inhabitants of these parts and that within these few years was to be seen this Inscription in Capital Letters over the Peacock-Gate SPECULA VANGIONUM But Cluverius tells us it s old name was Bormitomagus or Borbetomagus corrupted afterwards into Vorvetomagus Vorvemagus Vormagia Guarmacia and at last Wormacia The Imperial Chamber was formerly kept here and in those days Worms was one of the most considerable Towns in the Empire Munster says that in his time 200 Cities Great Towns and Villages lay so near this City that their inhabitants could daily bring into Worms such provision as their Country afforded and return home at night to their respective dwellings But the many calamities which this place and the neighbourhood underwent in the Civil Wars of Germany and by the late incursions of the French forces not to mention the miseries they have suffer'd by the often rebellion of the Citizens against their Bishop have mightily alter'd the case and there is now nothing of
state nor any thing truly great in the City 3. Speyer SPEYER is subject to the Elector Palatine at the same rate with Wormes It is thought to be the Nemetum Civitas or Noviomagum mention'd by Julius Cesar altho Freherus proves that the whole Country near this place was anciently concluded under that name 'T is seated in a plain on the Western banks of the Rhine a large and populous City which owes its security more to the number of its inhabitants then the strength of any fortifications near it For Gustavus Adolphus the victorious King of Sweden demolish'd its Bulwarks and Rampires being unwilling to spare so many men out of his Army as were requisite to Garrison it and make it good against any future assault of the Imperialists The Citizens of Wormes and Spire tho Lutherans swear fealty to their Bishops who are under the Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Mentz There are in this Town many stately Houses and fair Churches the chief of which is the Cathedral beautified with four Towers But the great Glory of the Town is the Imperial Chamber which was first placed at Worms by the Emperor Maximilian the First and not long after fix'd at Speyer from whence it cannot be removed but by a general consent of the Estates of the Empire This fills the City with a constant concourse of people from all parts of Germany who repair hither for the final determination of such Law-suits as they fancy have not been well decided by inferior Courts of Judicature in their own Country For hither there lies an Appeal from any Prince's Court in the Empire And the Electors themselves may in some Trials at Law be summon'd to appear before this Court 4. Zweybrucken ZWEYBRUCKEN call'd by the French Deux-Ponts has its name from the Bridges over two Rivers at the confluence whereof 't is seated This City is signal for little more then its giving name to a small Principality in the neighbourhood which is enjoy'd by a younger House of the Counts Palatine who are commonly stiled Principes Bipontini or Principes Gemini Pontis These poor Princes have paid dear for some of the French King 's late victories especially his Triumphs in the beginning of the year 1677 wherein their chief City Zweybrucken was almost quite demolish'd So near was it to an utter overthrow that at this time there is hardly any thing more to be seen then the Skeleton of a City 5. Vdenheim or Philipsburg UDENHEIM a Town subject to the Bishop of Spire seated on the mouth of the Saltza and on the Eastern banks of the Rhine 'T was anciently a Village but was wall'd round by Gerhard Bishop of Spire who first made it a City and procured for it severallarge Priviledges 'T is conveniently seated for the command of the most considerable part of the adjacent Country and for that reason well fortified by the Bishop of this Diocess a little before the breaking out of the Civil Wars of Germany These new Fortifications begun in time of peace gave ground to the neighbouring Princes to suspect that some more then ordinary designs were carrying on by this Prelate Whereupon Frederic V. the then Elector Palatine and Prince in chief of Vdenheim required him to desist from finishing what he had begun which he refused to do alledging the Emperor's Placaet for what he did Upon this contempt the Elector beat it down by force For this affront to the Emperor's Authority the Elector and his Confederates were cited to appear before the Imperial Chamber at Speyer wherein 't was resolved that they should be proceeded against with all imaginable severity This hard usage was one of the chief motives which induced the unfortunate Elector to accept the Crown of Bohemia and consequently a chief cause of the Civil Wars of Germany In which unhappy juncture Marquise Spinola the Spanish General thought this Town so capable of being improv'd into a strong Hold that he repair'd the demolish'd Fortifications and having made the place almost impregnable gave it the new name of Philipsburg By the Treaty of Munster this Town and Castle were put into the hands of the French and by the late Treaty at Nimeguen resign'd up to the Imperialists in exchange for Freyburg in Brisgow The present King of France before the breaking out of the late bloody Wars caused this Inscription to be written over the great Gate at Philipsburg Tuendis RHENI Finibus LUDOVICUS XIV Francorum Navarrae Rex Christianissimus Confecto in utraque Germania bello restaurata ubique Pace Munimentum hoc suae virtutis Assertaeque libertatis Germaniae Monumentum firmari isthoc agere muroque Regiis sumptibus extructo fecit Anno M. DC LXVI Perfecit in terrorem hostium Foederatorum Praesidium Liliorum Subsidium alterum Galliae cis Rhenum propugnaculum ac Germaniam versus Ostium in ferius situ non Robore Quod ille claudit nemo aperit Idem aperit nemo claudit But when afterwards in the succeeding War it had fall'n into the hands of the Imperialists the Emperor raz'd out the former Inscription and caused this following one to be written in its stead LEOPOLDVS IMPERATOR CAESAR Pius Faelix Augustus VICTOR TRIUMPHATOR Suscepto Juvandis Sociis Tuendis civibus Arcendis hostibus necessario bello restaurandae ubique Paci Munimentum hoc Vindicatae ab injectis Gallicae servitutis compedibus Libertatis publicae futurum ad Posteros monumentum expugnavit Germaniaeque postliminio restituit Anno Christianae salutis MDCLXXVI Terrori hostium Tutelae Civium Germaniae Praesidio alterum Galliae cis Rhenum receptaculum ac Germaniam versus Ostium Auspicato plura pari successu recuperandi augurio Gallis clausit Germanis reclusit Quod Gallus claudit Germanus aperit There are some more well fortified Towns in the Lower Palatinate such as Manheim upon the confluence of the Rhine and Neccar Coube Franckenthal Keysers-Lautern Simmeren c. but none of so good note as those already described Helvetii Alsatia Pal. Rheni Arch Mogun Arch. Trevir Arch. Colon. Clivia Geldria VltrajectuÌ„ Hollandia Apud Jâ—â—ssoâ—â—â—-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart RHENVS Fluviorum Europae celeberrimus cum MOSA MOSELLA et reliquis in illum se exonerantibus fluminibus Apâ—â— Jâ—â—ssâ—â—â—â—-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart PALATINATVS AD RHENUM Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart Not. Explicatio Civitates munite Vrbes Vici Pagi Arces Coenobia Fortalitia Vera totius MARCHIONATUS BADENSIS et HOCHBERGENSIS ceterorumque Ducatum Landgravionatuum et Comitatuum ad Princeps huius nominis spectantium Geometr Astro Calcu Delineatio Heic domus AEneae cunctis dominabitur oris Et gnati gnatorum et qui nascentur ab illis Excudebant Janssonio-Waesbergii Moses Pitt et Stephanus Swart Explicatio Notarum Vrbs Oppidum Pagus notabilis Pagus Arx Monasterium Pagê° not cum Arce Arx et Pagus Monast cum Pago Balneum Acidus fons Fodinae AErarum THE MARQUISATE OF BADEN BADEN lying along
the Eastern banks of the Rhine is a Province of no large extent but exceedingly fruitful in Corn Wine and Hemp. The Country is every-where very populous and the Villages so thick that the whole Marquisate has been by some compared to one continued City with fair Gardens interlac'd among the buildings Entz 〈◊〉 Wirmb Phintz and the other Rivers afford plenty of Fish And the Chases and Parks are so well stock'd with Venison and Fowl that what the Nobility in other parts of the German Empire covet as a delicacy the Rustics of Baden have for their ordinary food The Merchants of Amsterdam Antwerp and other great trading Towns in the Netherlands furnish themselves hence with those vast quantities of Flax and Hemp which they transport into foreign Nations so that what passes for Holland Flax here in England grows for the most part in the Marquisate of Baden and is brought thence down the Rhine There are in this Country whole Woods of Chesnut Trees which feed their great Herds of Swine at a cheaper rate then the Hog-Merchants of Whestphalia who buy their Chesnuts at Bremen can afford to do The Quarries give the inhabitants an advantage of building fair Houses with a small cost 〈◊〉 providing them with a good Free-stone and Marble of all colours Amongst these especially in the County of Sponheim they sometimes find Agat which is here rarely polish'd and sent into foreign Countries 〈◊〉 But this Marquisate is most peculiarly happy in the multitude and goodness of its hot Baths and Mineral-waters especially at Baden of which more anon 〈◊〉 From the vast conflux of the Nobility from all parts of the Empire to these Baths we may reasonably imagine that the complaisant carriage towards strangers which we find every-where practis'd by the inhabitants of this Country has in a great measure proceeded from their conversation with strangers who flock hither upon the strong conceit they have of the more then ordinary virtues of these waters They are generally a stout and hardy people inur'd to labour and toil or the severities of a Camp from their their Cradle Hence they come to be reckon'd as good Soldiers as any in the Emperor's Dominions And 't is not a little Honour the Country has got this last year 1681 in having their Marquise Herman made choice of to succeed the late famous Commander Montecuculi in the place of General of all the Imperial Forces No question the Marquises of this Country are descended of an ancient stock of Princes Marquises but of what old Family they are to be reputed a branch the German Heraulds can scarce determine Some fetch them from the Vrsins and others from the House of Della Scala or the Scaligers Some again labour to prove that Baden and Hochberg are different Families and others that they are but one Other Genealogists tell us that the Emperor Frideric Barbaressa brought Herman Marquise of Verona out of Italy and made him the first Marquise of Hochberg and Baden A. D. 1155. Which will very ill agree with what the best High Dutch Historians report of a Monastery being founded by Herman Marquise of Baden in his Village of Backenau A. D. 1116 which was confirm'd by Bruno Bishop of Spire in the year 1122. The most probable opinion is that they are descended from the ancient Counts of Vindonissa and Altemburg in Switzerland from whom also the Dukes of Zeringuen and Tek the Counts of Habspurg and the Arch-Dukes of Austria derive their original At present there are two Families of the Marquises of Baden whereof one is a profess'd Lutheran and the other a zealous Papist For this reason their interests seem different the Marquise of Durlach associating himself with the Count Palatine the Marquise of Brandenburg the Duke of Wirtenberg and the Count of Solms and the Marquise of Baden with the Dukes of Bavaria Savoy and Lorrain and the Princes of Hohernzollern Each of these Princes stiles himself Marquise of Baden and Hochberg Landgrave of Sausenberg Earl of Sponheim and Eberstein Lord of Rotel Badenweiler Lohr and Mahlberg The Chief Cities in the Marquisate of BADEN BADEN is the Metropolis of this Marquisate Baden and has its name from the vast number of Hot Baths in this place which are said to be above three hundred The Town stands amongst Hills on a craggy and uneven spot of ground so that there 's hardly a strait and plain street in it Some of the Baths are scalding hot and all of them running out of Rocks of Brimstone Salt and Allum have the same tast One of them is call'd the Kettle out of which the water boils at a wonderful rate reeking as if set over a Furnace These waters are reckon'd soveraign medicines for several diseases especially the Cramp and Gout both which distempers have been admirably cur'd by them For this reason there is a continual resort of the German Nobility and Gentry who flock hither in as great companies during the whole Summer as our English Gentry are wont to do to Bath in Somersetshire See Joh. Keiffer's description of the Baths of this Country 2. Durlach DURLACH is seated on the bank of the River Psintz at the bottom of a high hill on the top whereof stands a Tower wherein contintial watch is kept for the security of the City The streets in this Town are generally fair and strait and the buildings stately and uniform The Marquise's Palace far excells that at Baden and is large enough to receive the Court and Attendants of the greatest Monarch in Europe There is a Gymnasium kept up by some few Professors who read public Lectures in the several Faculties But that which is most worthy a Scholar's sight is the rare Collection of ancient Coins and Meddals in the Marquise's Cabinet and the Library adjoining wherein are some pieces of good note 3. PFORTZHEIM says Rhenanus Pfortzheim was anciently call'd Orcynheim and by Latin Authors Porta Hercyniae because 't is seated at the entrance into the Schwartzwald a part of the Hercynian Forest as you travel from Spire On one side of the Town you have fair Meadows Pasture-grounds and Corn-fields but the other side is nothing but Mountains and Woods This Town was formerly subject to the Dukes of Schwaben but fell afterwards upon the death of Conradine the last Duke of that Country into the hands of the Marquises of Baden who are now Lords of it 4. GERSBACH is a Town of no great extent Gersbach having in it only two Churches whereof one is frequented by Lutherans and the other by Papists The Marquises of Baden as Counts of Eberstein a Castle not far from this Town have here a Palace and Court of Judicature for the determining all Controversies and Law-suits arising within the bounds of this small County 5. BADENWEILER a City betwixt Freyburg and Basil Badenweiler is a part of the Marquisate of Baden tho seated in the Territories of Brisach The hot Baths of this
place sprung out of Hills of Allum Brimstone and Niter but their Waters are not so hot here as at Baden Drunk inwardly they have been known to cure Asthmaes and all manner of stoppage and shortness of breath as also old and inveterate Agues and Feavers By washing and bathing they cure the Itch Scab and Leprosie and are an excellent remedy against old sores and bruises Rotel Sponheim Susenburg and Mahlberg Badenweiler are places which have been formerly of some note by reason of the Castles or Palaces of some ancient Princes of the Empire who have borrow'd their Titles from the ancient Seat of their Family And hence the names of these old Towns are still registred in the Titles of the Marquises of Baden but otherwise they have nothing worthy of a description THE LANDGRAVIATES OF ALSACE ALSATIA or Elsass has its name in all probability from the River Ell or Ill which runs thorow it Whence Elsassen as the Germans call the inhabitants of this Country signifies no more then die an der Elle Sassen oder wohnen i.e. the people that dwell on the banks of the Elle Some I know would have the ancient name of the Country to be Edel-Sassen intimating a delicate and Noble Seat our Countryman Mr. Sheringham as we have elsewhere observed makes this a part of the Territories of the ancient Saxons and by them call'd Edel-Sassen or Noble as a piece of the richest and pleasantest ground they were masters of The Country is certainly as these later Etymologists would make it as rich and noble a Province as any in the German Empire and as plentifully stock'd with all manner of necessaries especially Corn and Wine The Hills are commonly cover'd with Chesnut-Groves and Leberthal with some other Valleys afford good store of Copper Lead and other Mettals In some places you meet with rich Meadows and fat Pasture-grounds which furnish the inhabitants with good Butter and a sort of Cheese equal if not preferable to the best in Holland 'T is bounded on the East with Schwaben and the Dukedom of Wirtenberg on the South with Switzerland on the West with the Dukedom of Lorrain and on the North with the County Palatinate of the Rhine The length of it is reckon'd at about twenty German miles tho the bredth scarce any where exceeds four This whole Land was formerly subject to the Kings of the Francks and by their King Hilderic bestow'd under the name of a Dukedom on his Favorite Etico in the year 684. Etico was succeeded by his Son Adelprecht who left his two Sons Linfrid and Eberhard Coheirs of the Dukedom After this the Dukes of this Country were driven out of their Dominions by Charles Martel Hofmeister or Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold to the King of France But in the days of the Emperor Otho I. the Counts of Kiburg the Emperor's Kinsmen got possession of Alsatia and as some will have it were made the first Landgraves of this Country Others say that 't was first divided into two Landgraviates in the reign of the Emperor Otto III. In whose time the Upper Alsace came first into the hands of the Counts of Hapsburg who from thenceforward were Lords of that part of the Country The Lower Alsace was afterwards by the Earls of Ottingen who got the possession of it after the decease of Henry its Landgrave without issue sold to the Bishop of Strasburg who is like to continue Master of it so long as the French King will give him leave Alsatia is usually divided into the Upper and Lower Alsace besides the lesser Territories of Ortenaw Brisgow Hagenaw Sungaw c. But most of these petty Provinces may be referr'd to the Upper Alsace and coming within the bounds of the Upper Landgraviate and the rest to the Lower The chief Cities and great Towns in the Lower ALSACE NEXT to Strasburg of which anon the chief Town in the Lower Alsace is Zabern Zabern or Elsasszabern as 't is sometimes call'd to distinguish it from the other two Cities of the same name one in the Palatinate and the other in Bergen 'T is thought to be the Tabernae mention'd by Antonine and Marcellinus one of the old Roman Garrisons demolish'd by the ancient Germans but rebuilt by Julian the Apostate The City is defended by a strong Castle on the top of a high Rock up to which you are led by a narrow and rugged way cut out of the hard craggy Mountain by William III. Bishop of Strasburg This Prelate and his successors have usually kept their Residence at Zabern where they had also erected a Court of Judicature for the decision of all Controversies arising within the Precincts of their Diocess but 't is thought that the French King who pretends to be Master of the place will employ the Castle otherwise hereafter 2. Weissenburg WEISSENBURG is an Imperial City but reckon'd a part of the Lower Alsace as being incorporated into the Province of Hagenaw Beatus Rhenanus says that 't was the Seat of the ancient Sebusii and therefore 't is call'd by Latin Authors Sebusium Dagobert King of France presented this City with a Crown of Silver gilt with Gold and adorn'd with a great many Turrets and other flourishes of Art whose diameter was four and twenty foot In remembrance of which noble present the Citizens had a Crown of Copper of the same bigness hung up in their great Church which continued there till in the late Civil Wars of Germany 't was broken in pieces by the Soldiery who siezed on it for good plunder The same King granted the Citizens of Weissenburg priviledg to hunt and fish within the compass of a certain circle which in some places reaches two German miles from the Town in others no more then one This Circle is in their Charter stiled Emunitas which the modern inhabitants of the place have corrupted into Mundat The Emperor Charles IV. made the Abbot of this place as well as of the Monasteries at Fulda Kempten and Murbach a Prelate of the Empire bestowing on him the Title of a Prince and allowing him to sit at his feet in all Diets and other public Assemblies of the States General of the Empire 3. Brisach The Imperial City Hagenaw is seated between the two Rivers Motter and Sorna about four German miles from Strasburg 'T is encompassed round with a sandy Soil and thick Woods but at some distance from the Town there are large and pleasant Corn-fields with good store of Vineyards It has anciently been reckon'd one of the four chief Villages of the German Empire and indeed it may now as properly as ever be term'd a Village since 't was burnt to the ground by the French Forces A. D. 1677 but had in it even in those days the supreme Court of Judicature for both the Upper and Lower Alsace Afterwards the Emperor Frideric I. wall'd it round beautifying it with a fair Palace wherein himself for some time kept his Residence and making it
an Imperial City At the Jesuits College was to be seen before the Wars with France a large old Roman Aries or Battering-Ram a piece of Antiquity of great value but whether t is now to be met with I know not To these we may add Moltzheim Hasle on the Brusch Seltz and some few Towns more places of no great note before they were visited by the French Armies and of much less since The chief Cities and great Towns in the Vpper ALSACE THE City of Brisach call'd by Antonine in his Itenerary Mons Brisiacus is the Metropolis of Brisgow the old inhabitants of which Province we find often mention'd in Latin Historians by the name of Brisigavi or Brisigavii B. Rhenanus and some other High Dutch Antiquaries are of opinion that Brisach stood formerly on the Western banks of the Rhine because on that side the old Romans used to build their Forts and on the East of this Town there is still a great hollow valley which they take for the ancient Channel of the Rhine But Cluverius is of a contrary opinion and proves that the Emperor Valentinian whom all allow to have been the first Founder of Brisach built Castles on both sides the River The Town stands on the top of a round Hill excellently well fortified both by nature and art But they have only one deep Well which supplies the whole City with water the River being at some distance and the passage troublesom In the Civil Wars of Germany this Town was besieged and taken by the Duke of Saxon-Weimar whose Forces were with a great deal of courage and gallantry resisted by the Imperialists for four months together During which time the besieged were brought to those extremities as to dig up the dead bodies of their Soldiers after they had been some days buried and to eat their flesh In this siege 80000 men are said to have been slain and about 1100000 Rixdollars spent in ammunition on both sides Since that time A. D. 1638 the French under whose Banners the foremention'd Duke of Saxony then bore Arms have remain'd masters of this City wherein their present victorious King having of late repair'd its Fortifications keeps a strong Garrison and a Court of Judicature in imitation of the Chamber at Spire which decides all Controversies in his new Conquests levies Contributions gives him right to all neighbouring Villages as Dependancies on some great Towns yeilded up to him by the late Treaty at Nimiguen c. 2. FREYBURG in Brisgow was at first a Village built by a company of Miners who wrought at the Silver and Copper Mines about a German mile from Brisach and in a short time grew so rich as to purchase the Estates and Titles of Noblemen By this means their Village grew up into a large City which was able upon a very short warning to send into the field three thousand fighting men This City fell into the hands of the House of Austria A. D. 1386 and was by the present Emperor resign'd up to the French together with its Villages of Lehn Mezhausen and Kirchzart in exchange for Philipsburg There are in the Town fourteen Religious Houses and an University founded by Albert Arch-Duke of Austria in the year 1450. The Citizens are excellent Artists at polishing all manner of pretious stones such especially as are found in Lorrain and the neighbouring Countries 3. Near the place where the Imperial City Colmar is now seated stood the ancient Argentuaria which was conquer'd by Gratian the Emperor A. D. 378 and afterwards destroy'd by the Gothic General Attila Out of the ruins of this old Town Colmar or Cole-market was first built A City which stands in a plain and fruitful Country and formerly so populous that in the great Church at an Easter-time 't was usual to have near four thousand Communicants But the Civil Wars of Germany wherein 't was taken by the Swedish forces and by them resign'd to the French and the late engagements with the King of France's Armies have made it as desolate of inhabitants as houses VTRIUSQUE ALSATIAE SUPERIORIS AC INFERIORIS NOVA TABVLA Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Stephanum Swart Lantgraff im Obern Elssas Lantgraff im Vnderen Elssas ALSATIA inferior Apud Mosem Pitt ALSATIA Superior cum SVNTGOIA et BRISGOIA TERRIROTIUM ARGENTORATENSE Apud Janssonio-Waesbergios Mosem Pitt et Ptephanum Swart Mulnhausen by most late Geographers placed in the Upper Alsace is one of the Confederate Cities of Switzerland Keysersberg and Turcheim are Imperial Cities but of no great note The City and Bishopric of STRASBURG ARGENTINA is a name of a Monkish invention instead of Argentoratum as well as Moguntia for Moguntiacum To omit other frivolous conjectures about the Etymology of the words Argentoratum and Strasburg we shall satisfie ourselves with the fancy of the learned Cluverius who thinks the ancient name of this famous City to have been Argen Straaten or Bad-street which might easily by adding a Latin termination be turn'd into Argentratum or Argentoratum and afterwards by omitting the two first syllables and annexing burg to denote some new built Fort with as much ease turn'd to Straetburg or Straesburg This City tho at first design'd only for a strong Fortification is now one of the most populous and best trading Towns in Germany The Citizens are generally courteous and rich most of their Merchants and Magistrates having Houses fit to entertain so many Princes of the Empire The Cathedral is one of the Wonders of Germany described at large by Os Schadaeus in a particular Tract upon this subject by him publish'd at Strasburg A. D. 1617. The Tower of this Church is the highest in the German Empire nay possibly in Europe or the whole world Some have reckon'd it perpendicular from the top of the Spire to the ground at 574 others 575 geometrical feet but Schadaeus who seems most accurate in his computation says 't is 489 feet and 8 inches Yet much more famous is this Cathedral for the great Clock in it which by the Honourable Mr. Boyle and some others of our ingenious Virtuosi has been mention'd as an instance of the late great improvements of Arts Mechanical 'T was finished in the year 1574 at the charge of the Magistracy of the Town by one Habrecht a famous Artificer of whose work they have many more pieces in the same kind This workman has his Instructions from D. Wolckenstein and Conr. Dasypodius two learn'd Mathematicians the latter whereof has publish'd a Tract about this Clock The first thing presented to your view is a Celestial Globe with all the motions of Planets fix'd Stars c. Behind which there is a perpetual Almanack wherein the day of the month is pointed at by a Statue standing by The Hours are crow'd by a gilt Cock and afterwards struck on a Bell by an Angel not far from which stands another Angel with an Hour-glass in its hand which it turns round as soon as the Clock has done striking The first