Leicester Rutland Lincoln Huntingdon Northampton Warwick Oxen Buckingham Bedford and the rest of Hartfordshire which bounded in a manner by all the rest of the Saxon Kingdoms had the name of Mercia from the word Mearc which signifieth a bound or limit The Christian Faith suppressed here as in other Kingdoms of the Saxons was restored again in the reignes of Penda Peada and Wolfhere by the Preaching of S. Chad the first Bishop of Lichfield Places of mostobservation in it 1 Hereford seated on the banks of the River Wâ—e in the middle of most flourishing meadows and no less plentifull Corn-fields raised out of the ruines of Ariconium here placed by Antonine the tract of which name it doth still retain A Bishops See in the time of the Britans restored to that dignity by the Saxons Anno 680. the honourary title of the Bohuns once Earls hereof and afterwards of Henry of Bullingbrook Duke of Hereford 2 Worcester pleasantly seated on the Severn over which it hath a very fair Bridge with a Tower upon it A Bishops See Anno 679. beautified with a fair Cathedrall and every way considerable for situation number of Churches neat buildings the industrie of the Inhabitants and giving the title of an Earl to the noble familie of the Somersets extracted by the Beauforts from John of Gaunt 3 Lichfield the first Bishops See amongst the Mercians founded there Anno 6 6. by Oswy King of the Northumbers but fixed and setled by S. Chad in the reign of Walshere King of the Mercians endowed in the very infancy with such fair possessions that in the yeer 793 Aâ—uâ—â—us the Bishop hereof was made Archbishop of the Mercians But it proved onely a personall honour and died with him 4 Coventry so called from an old Covent or Religious house which gave name unto it Situate in Warwick-shire and now the principall of that County though esteemed a County of it self Beautified with a goodly wall two fair Parish Churches large streets and very handsom houses A City of great trade and riches though destitute of all advantages which a navigable River might afford it heretofore of great fame for a stately monastery to which the See Episcopall was for a while removed from Lichfield now a ruine onely 5 Leicestâ—r once a Bishops See the Diocese taken out of Lichfield Anno 733 removed to Dorcâ—â—ster neer Oxon and thence to Lincoln Beautified in those dayes with a fair Collegiate Church a magnificent Abbie and a strong Castle all decayed and ruined by the iniquity and injury of these later times the Town remaining in as good plight both for trade and buildings as most Towns do which want a Navigable River Of most fame for the Earls thereof Algar and Edwin noble Saxons Simonâ—de Montfort the Catiline and great Incendiary of this Kingdom the Princes of the house of Lancaster who bore this title with some others since 6 Darby upon the River Derwent a well-traded Town and of good resort adorned with the five 〈◊〉 a goodly stone-bridge and a large Market-place the honourarie title of the noble 〈…〉 created Earls hereof by King Henry the 7th 7 〈◊〉 seated on the 〈◊〉 but very high upon an hill which over-looks it For buildings fair streets and a spaciou Market-place not giving way to many Cities but of most fame for a Royall and magnificent Castle which for strength stateliness and prospect may justly challenge the precedâ—â—cie of most in England 8 Lincoln a Town in those dayes of great strength and note one of the best peopled Cities in all the Hepâ—archie and of great merchandise and traffick both by Sea and Landâ— insomuch that 〈◊〉 then Bishop of Dâ—rchester thought fit to translate hither the Episcopall See Now much decayed and thence the Proverb that Lincoln was London is c. The chief fame which it now hath is for the Minster one of the stateliest Piles in England and perhaps in Christ 〈…〉 high seated on an hill and from thence discerned over all the Countrie 9 Huntingdon or the Hunters Town from the great sport the Hunters sound in the neighbouring Forrest commodiously seated on the Northern bank of the River Ouse rising unto the North with a soft ascent consisting of four parish Churches and shews the ruines of a Castle built by Edward the Elder Anno 917. 10 Peterburgh seated in a Nook or Angle of Northamptonshire where formerly had been a gulâ—or whirlâ—pool of exceeding depth but made firm ground by Wolfere King of the Mercians when be laid the foundations of the Monastery Anno 633. dedicated to S. Peter whence it had this name before then called Medanshedâ— A â—own but for the Church of no great esteem as standing out of the way for trade and in no plausible place for health or pleasure yet shewing two handsom streets a large Market-place and a fair Parish Church besides the Abbie made an Episcopall See by King Henry the 8th 11 Northampton built on the Northern bank of the River Antona now Nâ—n whence it had the name A Town which for the beauty and circuit of it need not give way to many Cities fortified heretofore with a very strong Castle and seated in so good an Air that once the Students of Cambridge had a purpose to remove their Vniversity hither The noble Family of the Comptans are now Earls hereof 12 Bedford so called from Beds and Lodgings on the Ford built on both sides thereof for the use of Travellers growing in time to so great bigness as to contain in it five Parish Churches famous in former times for the great battell sought in the adjoyning fields Anno 572 in which Cuthwolf the Saxon vanquished the Britans and became Master of the Countrey But more famous for giving the title of Duke to John of Lancaster Regent of France for King Henry the sixt and Jaspher of Hatfield Vncle to King Henry the 7th 13 S. Albans so called from a famous Monastery here founded by Offa the great King of the Mercians in honour of S. Alban the Proto-Martyr of Britain a Citizen of Verulamium neer adjoyning to it out of the ruines whereof decayed by Age and destroyed by War arose the present greatness of S. Albans the faâ—rest and best-traded Town in the County of Hartford 14 Buckingham the chief Town of the County so called situate on the River Ouse fortified by King Edward the Elder against the Danes Anno 915. otherwise not much observable but for those many noble personages which have had the title of Dukes hereof The Kings of Mercia A. Ch. 582. 1 Criedda the first King 593. 2 Webba 614. 3 Cheorl 626. 4 Penda 656. 5 Peada the first Christian King 659. 6 Wulfhere 675. 7 Etheldred 704. 8 Kenred 709. 9 Chelred 716. 10 Ethelbald overcome by Cutbert K. of the West-Saxons at a fight neer Buâ—ford in the Countie of Oxon the place still called Battelage hill 758. 11 Offa the great 796. 12 Egfride 797. 13 Kenwolf 819. 14 Kenelm 820. 15 Cheolwolf 821. 16 Bernulf
Brabant meeteth with the sea a little above Antwerpe and 5. Lis or Ley which runneth quite through Flanders Besides which Rivers and others of inferiour note which we shall meet withall in their proper places here are great store of lakes pools and marishes which do both fortifie the Countrey and provide it of fish besides many navigable channels made by the hand of man from one River to another for the convenience of passage and the more easie transport of their commodities The shore of this countrey hath been much worn out by the Sea especially that of the Islands of Zâ—land and such as lye scattered about Holland where they are defended with banks and ramparts painfully made and chargeably maintained These banks are about ten ells in height and twenty five in breadth at the bottom They are made of the hardest clay that may be gotten in the inside stuffed with wood and stone on the outside covered with mats strong and thick made The former inhabitants were divers as shall be shewed particularly in their proper dwellings They are at this present divided into seventeen Provinces besides the two great Bishopricks of Leige and Cambray which being alwaies under the protection of the Belgicke Princes partakers of their fortunes either good or ill and lying intermixt among their estates shall have their turn in the description of these Countries divided generally into 2 Bishopricks 1 Leige or Luick 2 Cambray 4 Dukedomes 1 Limburg 2 Luxenburg 3 Gelderland 4 Brabant 1 Marquisate viz. of the holy Empire 7 Earldomes 1 Flanders 2 Artoys 3 Hainault 4 Namur 5 Zutphen 6 Holland 7 Zeland 5 Baronies 1 West-Friseland 2 Vtretcht 3 Over-yssell 4 Machlin 5 Groyning Of these nineteen two only did acknowledge the Soveraignty of the Kings of France viz. Flanders and Artoys the Earls whereof were Homagers unto that Crown but seldome did descend so low as to do their Homage quitted at last to Philip the second King of Spain and his Successours by K. Henry the second of France in the treaty at Cambray Anno 1558. The rest were held originally of the German Empire and by Maximilian Emperour of Germaâ—e and Regent of those Countries for his son Philip who had a purpose to subject them to the Empire again were made the tenth Circle of the Empire called the Circle of Burgundie But neither since nor before that time would the Princes of the house of Burgundie acknowledge any such subjection but governed these Estates as absolute Princes without relation to the Empire or subordination to the Emperor or Imperiall Officers never appearing at the Diets nor contributing to any Taxes there imposed nor holding themselves bound by any Constitutions which were made therein So that these severall Relations being out of use we must behold it at this time as it stands divided betwixt the Spaniard and the States beginning first with those Provinces which belong to the Spaniard the true Proprietary of the whole and therein first with Flanders as of most esteem 1. FLANDERS and 2. ARTOIS THese two I have thought fit to joyn together because at first but one Estate and though divided for a time yet after five or six descents were again united and have so continued ever since 1. FLANDERS so called as some say a Flando because it lyeth open to the winds is bound on the East with Hainalt and Brabant on the West with the English or German Ocean on the North with the Seas of Zealand and a branch of the Scheld and on the South with part of Picardie in France interposing betwixt Calice and Graveling The Soyle indifferently fruitfull in corn and pastures the aire healthfull temperate and pleasant The whole Countrey not in length above 90. miles and in breadth but sixty and yet containing in that compasse above thirty Cities for they reckon all Cities which be walled 1154. Villages which stand so thick as needs they must in so narrow a compasse that the Spaniards aâ— their first comming in with King Philip the second took the whole Province for one Town Divided commonly into Imperialem 2. Gallicam and 3. Teutonicam or Flanders Imperiall 2. Flanders Gallicant and 3. Flanders Flammengant 1. FLANDERS FLAMMENGANT which is the greatest of the three is bounded on the East with Imperiall Flanders and the River Scheld on the west with the English Ocean on the North with the seas of Zealand and on the South with Artois and Flanders Gallicant The chief Towns of it 1. Gaunt in Latine called Gandavum seven miles in compasse but taking in the Suburbs which are great and large the whole circuit is ten miles at least One of the greatest Cities of Europe for extent of ground but not so populous as many of a lesse capacity there being made waste ground even within the wals Commodiously seated on the banks of the Scheld and the Ley both which run thorow it and make in it 26. Ilands joyned together with 98. Bridges and had not her many seditions ruinated her beauties she might have been the Queen of Europe In this Town were born John Duke of Lancaster commonly called John of Gaunt and Charles the fift Emperor and King of Spain which last to restrain the People from their old seditions which had been very troublesome to his predecessors the Gauntois taking on them many times to rule and over-rule their Princes built a strong Citadell in the place where stood the Abbie of S. Bavons For Churches Monasteries and other places of devotion there were numbred in it 55 all of them answerable to the grandeur and renown of the City the private buildings being also very stately if not majesticall But now it is much fallen from its former glories the often seditions of this people drawing upon themselves the vengeance of their angred Prince and their wealth much empaired by the long wars and the diversion of their trading by the Hollanders who command the seas 2. Bruges or Brug more within the land a town that hath neither Port nor River yet formerly of such wealth and the people in those times so willing to shew it that Queen Joan the wife of Philip the fair having been there and marked the pomp of the women complained that She was not Queen alone The town of four miles circuit within the wals wonderfully well peopled the buildings fair and sumptuous amongst which 60. Churches and Religious houses the streets large and streight and a spacious market-place from which the six principall streets of the City do passe directly on to as many â—ates which is very pleasant to behold And though the Town hath neither Port nor River as before was said yet was it anciently of so great trading that it was accounted one of the four Mart-towns of Christendome flourishing chiefly by the benefit of the English Cloth and sensibly decaying when the English traffick was removed hence to Antwerpe It was walled by Earl Baldwin Anno 890. is distant three leagues from the sea and seated
it with Boats and Barges as the Thames Westward doth London the River ebbing and flowing no nigher than Pont del ' Arche 75 miles distant from the Citie We may divide it into four parts the Town the Citie the Universitie and the Suburbs La Ville or that part of it which is called The Town is situate on the North side of the River the biggest but poorest part of the four inhabited by Artizans and Tradesmen of the meaner sort In this part are the Hostell de Ville or the Guild-hall for the use of the Citizens the Arserall or Armory for the use of the King and that magnificent building called the Place Royall new built and beautified at the charges of King Henry the fourth for Tilts and Turraments and such solemnities of State And in this also neer the banks of the River stands the Kings Palace of the Bouvre a place of more fame than beauty and nothing answerable to the report which goes commonly of it A building of no elegance or uniformitie nor otherwise remarkable but for the vast Gallerie begun by King Henry the fourth and the fine Gardens of the Tuilleries adjoyning to it The City is that part of it which takes up the circumference of a little Iland made by the embracements of the Seine joyned to the other parts on both sides by several Bridges The Paris or Lutetia of the old Gauls was no more than this the Town on the one side and the Vniversity on the other being added since This is the richest part and best built of the whole Compositum And herein stand the Palace or Courts of Parliament the Chappel of the Holy Ghost and the Church of Nostre-dame being the Cathedral of antient times a Bishops See but of late raised unto the dignity of a Metropolitan On the South side of the River lyeth that part which is called the Vniversitie from an Vniversity here sounded by Charles the Great Anno 792. at the perswasion of Alcuinus an Englishman the Scholar of Venerable Bede and the first Professor of Divinity here It consisteth of 52 Colleges or places for study whereof 40. are of little use and in the rest the Students live at their own charges as in the Halls at Oxon or Inns of Court or Chancery at London there being no endowment laid unto any of them except the Sorbonne and the College of Navarre Which possiblie may be the reason why the Scholars here are generally so debauched and insolent a ruder rabble than the which are hardly to be found in the Christian World Sensible of this mischief and the cause thereof Francis the first whom the French call the Father of the Muses at the perswasion of Reuchline and Budaeus those great restorers of the Greek and Hebrew Languages intended to have built a College for 600 Students and therein to have placed Professours for all Arts and Sciences endowing it with 50000 Crowns of yeerly Revenue for their constant maintenance But it went no further than the purpose prevented by the inevitable stroak of death from pursuance of it In bigness this is little inferiour to the Town or Ville and not superiour to it for wealth or beauty few men of any wealth and credit affecting to inhabit in a place of so little Government The 4th and last part is the Suburbs or the Faux-bourgs as the French call them the principal whereof is that of S. Germans so called from an antient Abbie of that name the best part of the whole body of Paris for large Streets sweet Air choyce of the best Companie magnificent Houses pleasant Gardens and finally all those contentments which are wanting commonly in the throngs of most populous Cities Here are also in this Isle the Royal house of Madrit a retiring place of the Kings built by King Francis the first at his return from his imprisonment in Spain 2 Ruall a sweet Countrie house of the late Queen Mothers and 3 Boys de Vincennes remarkable for the untimely death of our Henry the fifth I add this only and so end That this Isle hath alwayes followed the fortune of the Crown of France never dismembred from the Soveraigntie of the same though sometimes out of the possession of the French Kings as when the English kept it against Charles the 7th and the Leagners against Henry the 4th A thing which hardly can be said of any other of the Provinces of this flourishing Countrie the French Kings of the race of Merovee and Charles the great alienating from the Crown many goodly Territories contented only with a bare and titularie Homage from them By meanes whereof more than three parts of the whole Kingdom was shared first amongst the great Princes of the French which afterwards by inter-mariages and other Titles fell into the hands of strangers most of them enemies of this Crown and jealous of the Grandour and power thereof Which kept the French Kings generally very low and poor till by Arms Confiscations Mariages and such other meanes they reduced all these Riverets to their first and originall Channel as shall be shewen in the pursuance of this work CHAMPAGNE CHAMPAGNE is bounded on the North with Picardie on the South with the Dukedom of Burgundie and some part of the Countie on the East with Lorrein on the West with France specially so called The Countrie for the most part very plain and pleasant whence it had the name adorned with shadie Woods and delectable Meadows fruitful in Corn and not deficient in Wines The Seat in elder times of the Trieasses Catelauni Rhemi the Lingones and Senones of which last Tribe or Nation were those Cisalpine Gaules who sacked Rome under the conduct of Brennus part of them Celts and part Belgians and so accordingly disposed of the Belgians into the Province of Belgica Secunda the Metropolis whereof was Rhemes the Celts into Lugdunensis quarta of which the Metropolis was Sens both Cities seated in this Countrie The chief Rivers of it Bloise Marne and Yonne Chief places of the whole are 1 Chalon on the River Marne an Episcopal See Suffragan to the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes called antiently Civitas Catalaâ—norum 2 Join Ville situate on the same River belonging to the house of Guise the eldest Sonne of which Familie is called Prince of Joinville in the Castle whereof seated upon an high and inaccessible Hill is to be seen the Tomb of Clande the first Duke of Guise the richest Monument of that kind in all France A Baronie which hath belonged to the house of Lorrein ever since the yeer 1119. when Thierry the Sonne of William Baron of Joinville succeeded his two Vncles Godfrey and Baldwin in that Dukedom 3 Pierre-Fort defended with a Caste of so great strength that in the civil Wars of France A. 1614. it endured 1100 shot of Cannon and yet was not taken 4 Vassey upon the River Bloise a Town of as sweet a situation as most in France These three last scituate in that part of Champagne
in King Iames his reign tending to the advancement of such uniformitie be not interrupted For other things certain it is that London is the antienter Citie as being an Archbishops See in the time of the Britans when the name of Paris was scarce heard of a Bishops See at the first conversion of the Saxons increased so much in wealth and honour from one Age to another that it is grown at last too big for the Kingdom which whether it may be profitable for the State or not may be made a question And great Towns in the bodie of a State are like the Spleen or Melt in the bodie naturall the monstrous growth of which impoverisheth all the rest of the Members by drawing to it all the animal and vitai spirits which should give nourishment unto them And in the end cracked or surcharged by its own fulness not only sends unwholesome fumes and vapours unto the head and heavy pangs unto the heart but drawes a consumption on it self And certainly the over-growth of great Cities is of dangerous consequence not only in regard of Famine such multitudes of mouthes not being easie to be fed but in respect of the irreparable danger of Insurrections if once those multitudes sensible of their own strength oppressed with want or otherwise distempered with faction or discontent should gather to an head and break out into action Yet thus much may be said to the honour of London though grown by much too bigg now for the kingdom that it is generally so well governed and in so good peace that those Murders Robberies and outrages so frequent in great and populous Cities beyond the Seas are here seldom heard of 2 York in the West-riding of that Countie the second Citie of England as the old Verse hath it Londinum caput est Regni urbs prima Britanni Eboracum à primâ jure secunda venit That is to say In England London is the chiefest Town The second place York claimeth as its own And so it may being indeed the second Citie of the Kingdom both for same and greatness A pleasant large and stately Citie well fortified and beautifully adorned as well with private as publick Edifices and rich and populous withall Seated upon the River Ouse or Vre which divides it in twain both parts being joyned together with a fair stone Bridge consisting of high and mighty Arches A Citie of great estimation in the time of the Romans the Metropolis of the whole Province or Diâ—cese of Britain remarkable for the death and buriall of the Emperour Seveâ—us and the birth of Constantine the Great by consequence the Seat of the Primate of the British Church as long as Christianity did remain amongst them Nor stooped it lower when the Saxons had received the Faith and notwithstanding those mutations which befell this Kingdom under the Saxons Dancs and Normans it still preserved its antient lustre and increased it too Adorned with a stately and magnificent Cathedrall inferiour to few in Europe and with a Palace oâ— the Kings called the Manour-house the dwelling in these later dayes of the Lord President of the Court or Councell here established by King Henry 8th for the benefit of his Northern Subjects after the manner of the French Parliaments or Presed all Seiges 3 Bristol the third in rank of the Cities of England situate on the meeting of the Frome and Avon not far from the influx of the Severn into the Ocean in that regard commodiously seated for trade and traffick the Ships with full sayl coming into the Citie and the Citizens with as full purses trading into most parts of the World with good Faith and Fortune A Town exceeding populous and exceeding cleanly there being Sewers made under ground for the conveyance of all filth and nastiness into the Rivers Churches it hath to the number 18 or 20 reckoning in the Cathedrall and that of Ratcliff The Cathedrall first built by Rob. Fitz. Harding Sonne to a King of Danemark once a Burger here and by him stored with Canons Regular Anno 1248. but made a Bishops See by King Henry 8th Anno 1542. The principall building next the Church an antient Castle a piece of such strength that Maud the Empress having took King Steven Prisoner thought it the safest place to secure him in 4 Norwich the 4th Citie of the first rank of which more hereafter 5 Oxford the first of the second rank of English Cities seated upon the Ouse or Isis but whether so called as Vadum Isides Ouseford or the Ford of Ouse or Vada boum as the Greeks had their Bosphori in former times I determine not An antient Town and antiently made a seat of Learning coevall unto that of Paris if not before it the Vniversity hereof being restored rather than first founded by King Alured Anno 806. after it had been overborn awhile by the Danish Furies but hereof as an Vniversity more anon This only now that for the statelinesse of the Schooles and publick Library the bravery and beauty of particular Colleges all built of fair and polished stone the liberall endowment of those houses and notable encouragements of Industry and Learning in the salarie of the Professors in most Arts and Sciences it is not to be parallelled in the Christian World The Citie of it self well built and as pleasantly seated formed in the Figure of a Crosse two long Streets thwarting one another each of them neer a mile in length containing in that compasse 13 Parish Churches and a See Episcopall founded here by King Henry 8th Anno 1541. The honourary Title of 20 of the noble Family of the Veres now Earls of Oxon. 6 Salisbury first seated on the Hill where now stands old Salisbury the Sorbiodunum of the Antients But the Cathedrall being removed down into the Vale the Town quickly followed and grew up very suddenly into great Renown pleasantly seated on the Avon a name common to many English Rivers which watereth every street thereof and for the populousness of the place plenty of Provisions number of Churches a spacious Market-place and a fair Town-Hall esteemed the second Citie of all the West 7 Glocester by Antonine called Glevum by the Britains Caer Glowy whence the present name the Saxons adding Cester as in other places A fine neat Citie pleasantly seated on the Severn with a large Key or Wharf on the banks thereof very commodious to the Merchandise and trade of the place well built consisting of fair large Streets beautified with a magnificent Cathedrall and situate in so rich Vale that there is nothing wanting to the use of man except onely Wine which life or luxury may require 8 Chester upon the River Dee built in the manner of a quadrate inclosed with a wall which takes up more than two miles in compasse containing in that compasse 12 Parish Churches and an old Cathedrall dedicated antiently to S. Wereburg Daughter of Wolfere K. the Mercians and Visitress of all the Monasteries of England but
multum aeris habet ex eo fuso fit aes as that Author hath it It is one of the least of the Belgick Provinces containing in it but 125. Villages and no more then five walled Towns or Cities viz. 1. Limbourg which gives name to the whole Estate pleasantly seated on an hill amongst shady woods under which runneth the River Wesdo which having watered the whole countrey emptieth it self into the Maes well built and fortified with a very strong Castle mounted upon a steep Precipice of no easie accesse 2. Walkenbourg called by the French Fauquemont a reasonable fair Town with a large territory two Dutch miles from Maestricht conquered from Reynold Lord hereof by John the 3. Duke of Brabant 3. Dalem a little Town with a Castle the territory thereof extending beyond the Maes conquered by Henry Duke of Brabant of that name the second 4. Rhode le Duck a little old Town with as old a Castle half a league from Walkenbourg 5. Carpen situate between Gulick and Colen beautified with a Collegiate Church and a strong Castle in which there is a Governour with a good Garrison for defence of the place Each of these Towns hath jurisdiction on the parts adjoyning but with appeal unto the Chancery of Brabant The ancient inhabitants of this â—act and the Bishoprick of Leige adjoyning were the Eburones When it was first made an Earldome I am yet to seek but of an Earldome it was made a Dukedome by the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa anno 1172. Henry one of the Dukes hereof marryed his daughter Margaret to Godfrey the 3. Duke of Brabant which gave that house some colour to pretend unto it backed with a better title on the death of an other Henry the last Duke of Limbourg whose next heir Adelph sold it to John Duke of Brabaâ—t pretending to it in the right of the former marriage anno 1293. But Reynold Earl of Gueldres thinking himself to have a better title then Adolph in right of Ermingrade his wife the daughter of Herman a late Duke hereof put in his plea and challenged it by force of Armes but being vanquished and taken prisoner by the said Duke John in the battell of Woranem was fain for his release to release all his claim and title to the Dukedome of Limbourg after that quietly enjoyed by the Dukes of Brabant till they fell both together to the house of Burgundie The Armes hereof are Argent a Lyon Barrie of ten pieces Or and Gules 8. LVICK-LAND OR The Bishoprick of LEIGE Westward of Limbourg but a far mightier estate then it lieth LVICK-LAND as the Dutch or the Bishoprick of LEIGE Leâ—diensis as the Latine and French writers call it anciently under the protection of the Dukes of Brabant and afterwards of the Princes of the house of Burgundie as Lords of that countrey By some accompted of and described as a part of Germany but for the reasons before mentioned I shal place it here environed on all sides with the Belgick Provinces that is to say with the Dukedome of Limbourg on the East with Brabant on the North and West on the South with Luxembourg The Aire hereof is very wholesome and the Earth as fruitfull abounding with all kinde of grain and fruits some store of wine and as for flesh fish fowle and venison it hath very great plenty and that too of an excellent taste But the chief riches of this Countrey is under ground consisting in mines of Lead and Iron and some few of Gold quarries of Albasier mingled with all sorts of Marble rich veins of Brimstone and unexhaustible pits of Coal which last it hath in such abundance that there is digged within the compasse of one league of the City of Leige not only sufficient for that great City but so much overplus as being sold at mean prices about the countrey amounts unto 100000. duckets of yearly value The Coal much sweeter then elsewhere and of a nature contrary to all other Coal in that it is kindled with water and quenched with oyle and the strong servour of it taken off by casting salt on it The whole countrey containeth 24 walled Towns and 1800. Villages the principall of which are 1 Leige or Luick in Latine Leodium situate in a pleasant valley environed with hils the Meuse entring it in two branches accompanied with four lesser Riverets which make in it many delightfull Ilands The compasse of it about four miles the ordinary buildings very fair all built of stone the Bishops palace a magnificent and sumptuous piece the Churches in number forty of which eight are Collegiate 32. Parochiall all of them for their riches and bounty excelling all in any City of France or Germanie Besides these there are so many Convents Mâ—nasteries and religious houses about the Town that taking all together they amount to an hundred all of them of such fair revenues so well endowed and the Religious persons there of so great authority that it is cailed the Paradise of Priests and that deservedly It is also an University of good Antiquity wherein were Students at one time 9. Kings sons 24. Dukes sons 29. Earls sons besides Barons and Gentlemen the greatest part of which were Canons of the Church of S. Lambert which is the Cathedrall of the City Yet notwithstanding it hath tasted of the malice of fortune as well as others being first destroyed by the Danes then by the Normans twice taken and once destroyed by Charles of Burgundie anno 1468. Subject it is unto the Bishop as Lord temporall of it from whom being long since made an Imperiall Ctiy there lyeth an Appeal to the Chamber of Spires 2. Dinand upon the Meuse near Namur of very great traffick till destroyed by Charles of Burgundie in the same year with Leige hardly recovered of which wounds it was again sacked by K. Henry the 2. of France anno 1854. 3. Maeseck upon the Meuse or Maes also a league from whence is the fair Nunnery of Thuren of the same nature with that of Mentz and others spoken of before the like to which there is near 4. Bilsen another Town of this Bishoprick the Abbesses of each having the priviledge of coyning both gold and silver 5. Lootz by the Dutch called Borclom in the county of Diostein made a county in the time of Charles the Great the title and possession of Vgier the Dane so famous in the History of Gallen of France and others of the old Romances 6. Franchimont which gives the title to a Marquesse of the Bishop of Leige 7. Centron or S. Truden a fair Town so called of the Abbie dedicated to that Saint 8. Huy or Hoey so called of a violent River which there runs into the Meuse 9. Tungres the chief City of the Tongri which together with the Eburones were once the Inhabitants of this tract in which are still the ruines of a Temple consecrated to Hercules Anciently an Episcopall See translated hence to Maestreicht and at last to Leige and
by which parted from Frankenland So called from the Turingians the antient Inhabitants hereof communicating their name to the place they dwelt in The Countrey environed round about with woody mountaines but within those mountains plain and pleasant fruitfull in Corn and very plentifull of Woods which yeelds great profit to the people not without some Mines of Gold and Silver and rich pits of Salt able to furnish out a feast but for wine onely which is the greatest want hereof The whole length of it is not above 120 miles and the breadth not more Yet is so populous and well planted that there are said to be in it 12 Earldomes and as many Abbies 144 Cities and as many market Towns 150 Castles and 2000 Villages The principall of these are 1. Jene on the River Saltza bordering upon Misnia an University chiefly of Physitians founded in the year 1555. by the sonnes of John-Frederick the Electour taken prisoner and deprived by Charles the fift 2 Erdford on the River Gers out of which are cut so many Channels that every street hath almost the benefit of it A rich populous and well built City accounted amongst the best of Germany and made an University in the time of the Emperour Wenceslaus anno 1392. Many times burnt but still reviving like the Phoenix out of the ashes into greater glory At first immediately subject to the Archbishop and Electour of Mentz but having freed themselves from him they have since governed themselves as a free Estate and one of the Hansetowns not subject to the Duke of Saxony as their Lord but their Patron and good neighbour onely 3. Mulhuisen and 4 Noorthuisen two Imperiall Cities but not else observable 5 Smalcald famous for the league here made anno 1530. between all the Princes and Cities which maintained the doctrine of Luther into which first entred John Frederick the Duke of Saxon and his sonne Ernest and Francis Dukes of Luneburg Philip the Lantgrave George Marquesse of Brandenbourg the Cities of Strasburg Nurenberg Heilbrune Ruteling Vlmes Lindaw Constance Mening and Campedune Afterward anno 1535. there entred into it Barnimus and Philip Princes of Pomeren Vlrick Duke of Wirtenberg Robert Prince of Bipont William Earl of Nassaw George and Joachim Earls of Anhalt the Cities of Franckford Hamborough Auspurg Hannolder and not long after the Palsgrave and the King of Danemark By which famous confederacy Luther not onely kept his head on his shoulders but the Religion by him reformed grew to that strength that no force or policy could ever root it up 2 Kale or Hale where Philip the Lantgrave was treacherously taken prisoner as you shall hear anon 5 Wiemar a town which together with the Castle of Gotha were assigned for the estate and maintenance of that religious though unfortunate Prince Iohn Frederick Duke of Saxony after this discomfiture and imprisonment by Charles the fift The ordinary seat of the Dukes of Saxon Weimar who live here in a stately and magnificent Castle made of polished stone most artificially contrived and beautified with Orchards Gardens and other pleasures but made more pleasant by the watering of the River Ilma upon which it standeth 6 Gotha upon the River Lonn said by Rithaimerus to bee built by the Gothes and by them thus named A place not long since of great importance and fortified with a very strong Castle called Grimmensten which being made the retiring place of one Grunbachius and other seditious persons under the protection of John Frederick one of the sonnes of the deprived Elector was taken after a long siege by Augustus the Elector of Saxony to whom the strength of this peece being in the hands of the injured family was a very great eye-sore and by command of the â—â—states of the Empire in the Diet at Regensberg anno 1567. demolished and levelled with the ground The old Inhabitants hereof were the Chasnari of Tacitus and after them the Turingi who with the Heruli under the conduct of Odoacer conquered Italy called by some Turcilingi by others supposed to be the Tyrangetae of Ptolemie Not heard of in this Countrey till the reign of Childerick the fourth King of the French then taking up the whole Provinces of Hassia and Turingia under one Bissinus their King Their Armes at that time and long after Azure a Lion Barrie Argent and Gules armed and Crowned Or. Being overcome at the great battell of Zulph neere Colen where they joined with the Almans they became subject to the French afterwards added to the Empire by Henry the first William the sonne of the Emperour Otho the first being Archbishop of Mentz by the permission of his Father held the City of Erdford and all the rest of Turingia which hee lefâ— unto his successours in that See governed by their Vidames and Provinciall Officers till the time of Conradus Salicus when Ludovicus Barbatus one of these Vidames or Vicedomini made himselfe the Proprietarie of it and left the same unto his children after his decease But in the time of Conrade the second the issue of this Ludovicus either failing or dispossessed it was by that Emperour conferred upon Lewis of Orleans sonne to a sister of his Emperesse the title of Lantgrave being given to them of this family for their greater honour Under eight Princes of this line whereof five successively had the name of Lewis this Estate continued next falling to Herman a brother of the fift Lewis then to a sixt Lewis and last of all to Henry the brother of that Lewis whom the male issue failed having continued for the space of 252 years To please all parties interessed in the succession the Estate before entire was divided into two parts or Provinces Of which this now called Duringen or Turingia was alloted to Henry Marquesse of Misnia sonne of Judith the daughter of Herman the Western part hereof with the title of the Lantgravedome of Hessen adjudged to Henry Duke of Brabant in right of Sophia his wife daughter of Lewis the sixth In the description of which Countries we shall hear more of them 2 MISNIA or Meissen is bounded on the East with Lusatia on the West with Duringen on the North with Saxonie specially so called and some part of Brandenburg on the South with Voiteland and some part of Bohemia The Countrey once overspread with woods and full of bogs rendring the air unwholesome and the soyl unprofitable both rectified by the care and industry of the people now yeelding some mines of silver and great plenty both of corn and pasturage well watered with the Rivers Sala Plisses Elster and Musda Places of most observation in it are 1 Dresden seated on the Albis having continually on her wals and Bulwarkes 150 Pieces of Ordinance a stable of the Dukes in which are 128 horses of service and a Magazin out of which 30000 Horse and Foot may be armed at a dayes warning The Town it self situate on both sides of the River by which divided into the
while But not being able to withstand the puissance of the West-Saxons this Kingdom was subdued by Ina the Successor of Ceadwall by whom united to that Crown III. The Kingdom of WEST-SEX or of the WEST-SAXONS the third in order and that which did in fine prevail over all the rest conteined the Counties of Cornwall Devon Somerset Dorset Wilts Southampton and Berks begun by Cerdic a noble Commander of the Saxons ariving with new Forces out of Germany Anno 495. who having overcome the Britans of this Western tract conducted by Natanland their Chieftain entituled himself King of the West-Saxons Anno 522. The Christian Faith suppressed here as elswhere was restored again in the time of Kingâ—ls their first Christian King by the preaching of S. Birinus Bishop of Dorchester neer Oxford then a great City of no fewer than ten Parishes now reduced to one Chief Cities of this Kingdom were 1 Exeter a fair and goodly Citie and a Bishops See removed hither from Cridington or Kirton by Leâ—fricus Anno 1049. Seated upon the bank of the River Ex whence the name of Ex-ceaster environed with deep ditches and very strong wals in compass about a mile and half besides the Suburbs in which are contained in all 15 Parish Churches besides the Minster a beautifull and stately Fabrick 2 Bath so called from the Bathes there being the chief Citie of Somerset by the Latives called Aquae Solis by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the self same reason Situate in a low Vallie environed about with Hils very steep and high from whence come many Rivulets and fresh Springs to the great commodity of the people A fine neat Town and beautified with as neat a Church heretofore a Monasterie partner with Wels the Bishops See in the stile Episcopall and gives the Title of an Earl to the noble Family of the Bouâ—châ—â—rs 3 Falemoâ—th in Cornwall seated upon a large and capacious Bay so â—ull of Creeks and Roads capable of the best Ships that it is said an hundred sayl of Ships may be lodged therein with such convenience that from the top of the one the Mast of another is not to be seen the mouth or entrance of it defended for the greater safety with two very strong Castles built by Henry the 8th that of S. Mandits on the Fast and that of Pendinas commonly called Pendennis upon the West 4 Dorchester the chief Town of Dorsetshire which is thence denominated by Antoninus called Durnovaria the principall at that time of the Durotriges an Inland Town and consequently of no great trading not so much famous for ought else as giving the Title of a Marquess to Henry Earl of Kingston of the noble Family of the Pierrepoints 5 Wilton the head Town in those times of Wiltshire and a Bishops See honoured with the residence of nine severall Bishops But by translating of the See to Sarum or Sarisbury as the fitter place and carrying thither therewithall the thorow-fare which before was here it fell by little and little into decay and is now hardly worth the reputation of a Market-Town 6 Winchester called Venta in the times of the Romans by the Saxons Vent-ceaster situate on the banks of a pleasant River the seat Royal of the West Saxon Kings who had here their Palace called Wolves-eye so named from the Kings of the Wolphian Family and the situation of it in the circlings of the fore-said River which the old Saxons called an Eye not from the Woel-Staple here kept as some much less from Cardinal Wolsey as others most absurdly think The house given after to the Bishops and made their Palace The Town in compass two miles besides the Suburbs commodiously seated in a low place between very steep Hils by which it is defended both from cold and wind afflicted very much since those times both by war and fire half of the ground within the Town being fields and gardens but still adorned with a magnificent Cathedrall and a gallant but no great Castle bravely mounted upon an hill for defence and prospect besides a College and an Hospital added since those dayes 7 Southampton conveniently seated on an Arm of the Sea capable of Ships of burden to the very Key which maketh it one of the richest Towns in those parts of England Well built of fair large streets beautified with 5 Parish Churches and fortified with high walls a double ditch and a right strong Castle but the Castle now decayed and ruined 8 Reading on the Banks of the River Kennet where it falleth into the Thames by which means it hath the convenience of both Rivers A Town of great trade for clothing well-built and of three Parish Churches heretofore beautified with a strong Castle and a goodly Monasterie but both now decayed 9 Wondsor called Windleshores in the old Saxon situate neer the Banks of the Thames on a rising ground which gives it a fair prospect over all the Countrey adorned in succeeding times with a Palace Royall of the Kings of England and the seat of the Order of the Garter 10 Wallingford the Guallena of the Antients and then the chief Town of the Attrebatii as it was afterwards in the time of the Saxons of the Countie of Berks a mile in compass at that time within the walls fortified with an impregnable Castle and adorned with twelve Parish Churches So desolated by a Plague Anno 1348. that there is now but one Church left hardly Inhabitants enough to keep that in repair and nothing of the wals left as not much of the Castle but the tract and ruins The Kings of the West Saxons A. Ch. 522. 1 Cerdic the first King 17. 539. 2 Kenric 29. 565. 3 Celingus or Châ—uline 10. 595. 4 Celric 5. 600. 5 Ceolwolf 14 614. 6 Kingil the first Christian King 646. 7 Kenewalchin 31. 677. 8 Sigebert 1. 678. 9 Esâ—win 2. 680. 10 Cent win 7. 687. 11 Ceadwall 690. 12 Ina who first gave the Peterpence to the Church of Rome 725. 13 Ethelard 14. 739. 14 Cuthbert 16. 755. 15 Sigebert II. 1. 756. 16 Kinulph 31. 787. 17 Bithric 13. 800 18 Egbert the most puissant King of the West Saxons who united all the Heptarchie into one Estate of whom see more amongst the Monarchs of the Saxons and the Kings of England IV. The Kingdom of EAST-SEX or the EAST-SAXONS was begun about the yeer 527 by Eâ—â—nâ—nwin descended from Weden the common Progenitor of the Saxons from whom we have the name of Wednesday or Wâ—dnesday as they called it formerly It contained only the Counties of Midlesex Essex and so much of Hartfordshire as is in the Dâ—ocese of London The Christian Faith expulled here as in other places was restored again in the time of Sebert the Founder of the Abby Church of S. Peter in Westminster by the preaching of Mellitus the first Bishop of London after the entrance of the Saxons suppressed again by Seward and Sigebert the Sonnes of Sebert but setled stronger than before by Cedda
the next Bishop there Principall Cities of this Kingdom besides London spoken of already were 1 Westminster situate in those times a mile from London now adjoyning to it The See of the Archbishop of London in the time of the Britains afterwards by the Saxons called Thorn-eye or the Thorny Iland till the new Minster built by Sebert as before is said and the western situation of it in regard of S. Pauls built at the same time by Ethelbert the King of Kent gained it this new name A Citie honoured with the seat of the Kings of East-Sex and since those times with that of the Kings of England the names of the old Palace of the one and the new Palace of the other still remaining there beautified upon that occasion with more stately and magnificent houses belonging to the King Bishops and Nobility than all the other in the Kingdom having of late a new Town added to it in the Convent Garden a place belonging formerly to the Monks of Westminster for uniformity of building and handsome streets inferiour to no Citie of France or Italy 2 Colchester the chief Town of Est-sex situate neer the Sea on the River Coln a Colonie of the Londoners in former times thence called Colonia Londinensium and Colonia only then a Bishops See from which or from the River with the Addition of Ceaster after the manner of the Saxons came the name of Colchester A fair and well built Town and of good resort fortified with an old Roman wall and having in it to the number of 14 Churches 3 Ithancester in Dengey Hundred where S. Ceaddae the second Bishop of London baptized the relapsed East-Saxons 4 Hartford the chief Town of the Countie so called by Beda named Herudford and of great note in his time for a Synod there held in the dawning of the day of Christianity among the Saxons in which S. Augustine the Monk the first Apostle of that People had a conference or consultation with the British Bishops more memorable in the following times for giving the title of an Earl to the illustrious Family surnamed De Clare the addition of an Honour and a goodly Patrimonie to Ioâ—u of Gaunt D. of Lancaster and at this time the title of Earl and Marquess to the noble Family of the Seymours The Kings of the East-Saxons A. Ch. 527. 1 Erchenwin the first King 587. 2 Sledda 596. 3 S. Sebert the first Christian King 4 Sâ—ward and Sigebert 623. 5 Sigebert II. or the Litle 6 Sigebert III. 661. 7 Swiâ—helme 664. 8 Sighere 664. 9 S. Sebba 694. 10 Sigbeard 11 Seofride 701 12 Offa. 709. 13 Selred 774. 14 Suthred the last King of the East-Saxons subdued by Egbert the great and potent King of West-Sex Anno 828. and his Kingdom made a Member of that rising Monarchy V. The Kingdom of the EAST-ANGLES so called from the Angli or English which possessed these parts and the Eastern situation of it begun by Vffa a great Commander of the Saxons Anno 575. contained the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge-shire and the Isle of Fly The Christian Faith first planted here in the Reign of Redwall the third King by the Ministerie of Felix a Burgundian the first Bishop of the East-Angles the See whereof was afterwards removed to Norwich Places of most importance in it were 1 Dunwich on the Sea-shore the first Bishops See of the East-Angles for the Countie of Suffolk then a Town capable of that Dignity now ruinous decayed and for the greatest part worn into the Sea 2 Ipswich in the same Countie of Suffolk and the chief of the Countrie a rich populous and well traded Emporie consisting of no fewer than 5 Parish Churches 3 Norwich the head Citie of Norfolke situate on the River Yare which runs thence to Yaremouth lying out in length a mile and an half half as much in breadth and in that Circuit comprehending about 30 Parishes well walled about with many a Turret and 12 Gates for entrance but hath within it much wast ground the Citie suffering great loss both in wealth and buildings by Kets Rebellion in the time of K. Edward the sixth recovered of the first blow by the Dutch Manufactures of the last still languishing yet still it glorieth in the beauties of a fair Cathedrall the three Palaces of the Bishops the Dukes of Norfolke and the Earls of Surrey and the ruins of an antient Castle of the Saxons building 4 North Elmham the Bishops See of the East-Angles for those parts which we now call Norfolk both this and that of Dunwich ruinated in the Danish Wars but this reviving at the end of 100 yeers and here continuing both Sees united unto one till removed to 5 Thetford another Town of this Countie situate on the confluence of the Thet and the lesser Ouse a larger Town than either of the other two from whence at last removed to Norwich 6 Cambridge the chief Town of that Countie by Antonine called Camboritum whence the modern name unless we rather fetch it from a Bridge over the River Cam or Grant for some call it Grantbridge as perhaps we may A Town well built by reason of the Vniversity said to be founded by Sigebert King of the East-Angles of whom it is affirmed by Beda that he Founded a School for the education of Children in the wayes of good Learning but he speaketh neither of Vniversitie nor nameth Cambridge for the place 7 Ely situate in the Isle so named occasioned by the divided streams of Nor and Ouse with the over-flotes of other Rivers turning a great part of this tract into Fens and Marishes the Inhabitants vvhereof were called Girvii A place of no great beauty or reputation as situate in a foggy and unhealthfull ayr but only for a Fair Monastery built by S. Ethelreda Wife of Egfride King of the Northumbers by her made a Nunnery aftervvards rebuilt and replenished with Monks by Ethelwold B. of Winchester Anno 970. or thereabouts finally made a Bishops See in the time of King Henry the first Anno 1109. The Kings of the East-Angles A. Ch. 575. 1 Vffa the first King 582. 2 Titullus 593. 3 Redwall the first Christian King 624. 4 Erpenwald 636. 5 S. Sigebert 638. 6 Egric 642. 7 Anna. 654. 8 Ethelbert 656. 9 Edelwald 664. 10 Alauffe 683. 11 Elswolph 714. 12 Beorn 714. 13 S. Ethelred 749. 14 Ethelbert II. treacherously murdered by Offa the great King of the Mercians to whose Court he came an invited Guest Anno 793. after whose death this Kingdom became subject to the 〈◊〉 and then to Egbert the West-Saxon governed by Tributarie Kings of their own Nation of whom we have no constat till the time of 870. 15 S. Edmund descended from Anna the 7th King hereof Martyred by the Danes for his stout and constant perseverance in the Faith of CHRIST from whence the fair Town of S. Edmunds burie in the County of Suffolk took denomination After whose death the Kingdom was possessed by the Danes