to Thetford in the time of the Conquerour and lastly hither from Thetford by bishop Herebert about the yeare 1086 toward the latter end of the same raigne or the beginning of William Rufus The bishops hereof are otherwise by Beda named of the East-Angles Their Diocese is extended ouer the Countreyes of Norfolke and Suffolke Lichfield begun amongst the Mercians about the yeare 656 in the person of Diuma a Scottishman by Oswy king of Northumberland and Monarch of the English after his great victory obtained against Penda and in the yeare 669 fixed here by holy Ceadda or Chad in the raigne of VVulferus king of the Mercians In Adulphus about the yeare 793 it was raised to an Arch-bishoprick by king Offa but which dignity lasted not beyond his time By bishop Peter in the yeare 1075 and time of the Conquerour the sea is remoued to Chester by Robert de Limesey in the yeare 1095 to Coventry the residence of many of the succeeding Bishops In regard hereof these now vse the title of both cities of Coventry and Lichfield Their Diocese contained more anciently the whole Kingdome of the Mercians whereof they are otherwise named by Beda By King Ethelred brother and successour to VVulferus the Bishopricks of VVorcester and Sidnacester are taken out not â—â—ng after about the yeare 733 those of Leicester and Dorcester and lastly by Henry the eight the Bishoprick of Chester whereof VVorcester and Chester remaine at this present Dorchester was as before translated to Lincolne and Sidnacester and Leicester became vnited with Dorcester Vnto the jurisdiction hereof appertaineth at this day all Staffordshire and Darbyshire with parts of VVarwickshire and Shropshire VVorcester containing VVorcestershire and part of Warwickshire taken out of Lichfied and founded about the yeare 679 in the person of Boselus by Ethelred King of the Mercians brother to Wulferus The Bishop hereof is otherwise named of the Wiccij by Beda the more proper name of the inhabitants of the countrey in the time of my Authour Hereford containing Herefordshire and part of Shropshire founded in Bishop Putta about the yeare 680. Rochester containing part of Kent founded in the yeare 606 by Ethelbert the first Christian king of Kent in the person of Saint Iustus Oxford containing Oxfordshire taken out of Lincolne in the yeare 1541 by Henry the eight whose first bishop was Robert King the last Abbot of the Monastery of Ousney Peterborough containing Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire taken out of Lincolne by Henry the eight whose first bishop was Iohn Chambers the last Abbot of that Monastery Glocester containing Glocestershire founded by Henry the eight and taken out of Worcester whose first bishop was Iohn Wakeman Abbot of Teuxbury Bristoll containing that City and Dorsetshire founded by Henry the eight whose first bishop was Paul Bush a Batchelour of Divinity of the Vniversity of Oxford S. Davids begun at Isca Silurum now Caer-Leon in Monmouthshire by Dubritius formerly bishop of Landaff in the time of Aurelius Ambrosius King of the Britons and remoued hether to Meneva or Menew named afterwards S. Davids in the raigne of King Arthur by David next successour to Dubritius renowned amongst the Welsh for his stout opposition against the Pelagian heresie returning with fresh rage after the departure of S. German and S. Lupus and lastly in those parts extinguished through the great industry and authority hereof canonized a Saint long afterwards by Pope Calixtus In S. Dauid or Dubritius it was made a sea Metropolitane for the Britons accompted thus vntill the Norman conquest of Wales although the Paule lost carryed to Dole in France during a fierce pestilence by bishop Sampson Vnder King Henry the first it became subject to the sea of Canterbury It containeth now Pembrokeshire Cardiganshire and Caermardenshire in VVales Landaff containing Glamorganshire Monmouthshire Brecknockshire and Radnorshire whose first bishop whereof we read in approued authours was Dubritius before-mentioned a great oppugner of the Pelagians consecrated by S. German bishop of Auxerre and after his remoue to Caer Leon here succeeded vnto by Teliaus continuing the sea Bangor containing Caernarvonshire Merionethshire Denbighshire Anglesey When the sea begun we finde not The first knowne bishop was Hervaeus afterwards bishop of Elye appointed by king Henry the first S. Asaph containing Denbighshire Flintshire named thus from S. Asaph the second bishop and called otherwise Lhan-Elwy by the VVelsh founded by Malgo king of the Britons about the yeare 560. in the person of Kentigerne a Scottish bishop of Glasco liuing exiled in those parts and beginning the Church and Monasterie thus named Vnder Yorke Durham begun at Lindisfarne or the Holy Iland by Oswald king of the Northumbrian Saxons in the person of Aidan a Scottishman the Apostle of those parts after Paulinus and remoued hither with the body of S Cutbert sometimes likewise bishop of Lindisfarne by bishop Edmund in the raigne of Ethelred Monarch of the English Saxons The three first bishops of Lindisfarne Aidan Finnan and Colman all three Scottishmen are otherwise by Malmesburiensis accompted amongst the bishops of Yorke governing the Ecclesiastical affaires of the Northumbrians after Paulinus during the invasions and cruelty of the Mercians and Welsh vnder Penda and Cadwallo their kings but not vsing the Paule or assuming the title of Metropolitans or of Yorke The Diocese hereof is now onely Durham and Northumberland Carlile containing Westmoreland with part of Cumberland founded in the person of Athaulphus by king Henry the first taken out of Durham Chester taken out of Lichfield and Coventry founded by king Henry the eight The first bishop was Iohn Bird Provinciall of the Frier Carmelites It containeth Cheshire Lancashire and Richmondshire in Yorkeshire with parts of Cumberland and Flintshire Man containing that Iland appointed by Pope Gregory the fourth The bishop hereof hath no place or suffrage in the English Parliaments Besides these there were Hagustald whose first bishop after Malmesburiensis was S. VVilfrid before-mentioned or Eata or Tumbert according to Beda after the expulsion of S. VVilfrid and the division of the sea of Yorke by king Ecgfrid extinguished in the time of the Danish warres Lindissi taken out of the great Diocese of Lichfield and founded after Beda by Ecgfrid King of Northumberland vpon his conquest of that country from VVulferus of the Mercians vnder bishop Leouinus after Malmesburiensis vnited with the sea of Leicester in the raigne of Edgar Monarch of the English Saxons VVit-herne begun vnder Pecthelmus in the time of Beda and continuing certaine yeares after The towne yet standeth in Galloway a part then of the English kingdome of Northumberland since belonging to the Scots Amongst the bishops next vnto the Arch-bishops the first place hath London next to whom are
Bremgarten aunciently likewise belonging to the house of Habspurg and Austria surprised with Bremgarten Baden by the Confederate Switzers in their warres against the Archduke Frederique obeying now likewise the eight first Cantons The Free Provinces in Wagenthall THese are certaine castles townes thus named below Lucern the chiefe whereof are Meyenberg and Richensee vpon the riuer Russ the Lake Richensee They were also once subiect to the Archdukes of Austria in the aforesaid warres of the Switzers against the Archduke Frederique surprised and taken from that house by the Canton of Lucerne They are commaunded now by the seuen first Cantons Rapperswyl IT is a towne vpon the Lake of Zurich the seate sometimes of the Earles thus named from whom it descended vpon the Princes of Habspurg and Austria Vnder the Archduke Sigismond in the yeare 1458 it was surprised by the Cantons of Vren Switz Vnderwald and Glarona obeying euer since the joint authority of these 4 confederate Switzers Turgow IT is a country bordering vpon the Rhijn called thus from the riuer Thur. It sometimes also was subiect for the most part to the Princes of the house of Austria wonne herefrom by the seuen first Cantons in their warres against the Archduke Sigismond in the yeare 1460. It obeyeth now the seuen first Cantons the towne of S i Gal and the parts belonging to the Abbots of S t Gal and Rinou and to the Bishops of Constance excepted The right notwithstanding of iudicature in criminall causes for the part of the Switzers appertaineth iointly to all the ten first Confederates taken first from the Archduke Frederique by the Emperour Sigismond pawned to the city of Constance and vpon the peace betwixt the Emperour Maximilian the first and the Switzers in the conclusion of the Suevian warre and in the yeare 1499 yeelded vp to the ten first Cantons The Country and towne of Sargans THese were the Sarunetes of Pliny part of the Rhaeti Alpestres Aunciently they obeyed the Countes of VVerdenberg Earles likewise hereof In the yeare 1483 George Earle of Werdenberg and Sargans sold these to the seuen first Cantons who now in this right iointly command the same The Prefectourship of Rheineck THis bordereth vpon the left shore of the Rhiin aboue the Lake of Constance It containeth the towne of Rheineck whereof we name it the seate of the Governour Alstetten a valley of the Alpes extended towards VVerdenberg It aunciently belonged to the Archdukes of Austria After sundry changes of the Lords thereof it was sold to the inhabitants of Appenzel taken afterwards from them during their warres with the Abbot of S. Gal by the 4 Cantons of Zurich Lucern Switz and Glarona then confederate with the Abbot It now iointly is commaunded by the seuen first Cantons together with the Canton of Appenzel Locarno IT is a town in the borders of Italy vpō the Lake Maggiore It belonged aunciently to the Dukes of Milan In the yeare 1513 by Maximilian Sfortia it was giuen to the 12 first Cantons with the Vale of Magia and the townes of Lugano and Mendrisio in recompence of their good service done vnto him against the French chased out of Italy and his Dukedome of Milan chiefly by their aide confirmed vnto them by the succeeding Dukes It is now governed by the ioint commaund of the 12 first Cantons Appenzel excluded not admitted into their confederacie vntill after this gift The Vale of Magia IT is a valley of the Alpes Lepontiae named thus from the riuer Magia running thorough the valley and receiued into the Lake Maggiore at Locarno It was sometimes likewise subiect to the Dukes of Milan belonging to Locarno made now a distinct Prefectourship By the aforesaid gift of Maximilian Sfortia it came to the 12 first Cantons commaunded now iointly by them Lugano THe towne is situated vpon the Lake thus called in the same borders of Italy It also sometimes belonged to the Dukes of Millan by Maximilian Sfortia giuen to the 12 first Cantons now the Lords thereof Mendrisio IT lyeth vpon the Lake of Lugano belonging sometimes to that town made now a seuerall goverment By Maximilian Sfortia with Lugano Locarno and the vale of Magia it was giuen to the 12 first Cantons now possessed by them The countrie of Belinzano THis contayneth three prefectureships of Belinzano Palenser-tal and Riviera The towne is situated vpon the river Tesino betwixt the head thereof and the Lake Maggiore The whole sometimes belonged to the Earles of Masox sold by them to the Cantons of Vren and Vnderwald about the yeare 1422 surprised by the Dukes of Milan lastly delivered in the yeare 1500 by the inhabitants to the Canton of Vren during the warres betwixt those Dukes the Frenchmen It now obeyeth the three first confederate Cantons of Vren Switz and Vnderwald commaunding by course in the three severall prefectureships The Kingdome of VVest-France THis Kingdome was begun in the person of Charles surnamed the Bauld yongest son vnto the Emperour Lewis the godly whose portion or share it was in that vnprovident devision of the French dominions made betwixt him his brethren Lotharius and Lewis It was devided from the kingdomes of Lorraine Burgundy or the share of the Emperour Lotharius by the rivers of the Scheld and the Rhosne contayning the whole France lying vpon the West of those rivers vnto the Pyrenaean Mountaines and the Aquitanique French British Oceans Bretaigne only excepted By Charles the Bauld the first prince Burgundy on this side the Soasne comprehending now the Dukedome of Burgundy the countrey of Lionois were added to this kingdome devision By King Iohn Daulphiny By Lewis the eleaventh the Earledome of Provence By Francis the first Bretaigne by which meanes the kingdome became this way enlarged vnto the river Soasne and the Alpes On the other side by Henry the second and the league of Cambray the Earledomes of Flanders and Artois aunciently held of the crowne were quitted from all homage and right hereof vnto Philip the second King of Spaine and the heires of the house of Burgundy The Kingdome of France AT this day the name and posterity of the French worne out in all other parts of the auncient French dominions and the distinction of West-France abolished this now only retaineth the name of France The order of the Kings of West-France or France follow Charles surnamed the Bauld the founder of the kingdome youngest son to the Emperour Lewis the Godly Hee was afterwards created Roman Emperour and deceased in the yeare 857. Lewis the first surnamed the Stammerer son to Charles the Bauld He was also Roman Emperour Hee dyed without lawfull heires Charles the Simple his onely legitimate son not being borne vntill after his decease In regard of this defect the Empire of the Romans became translated from the Kings of West-France vnto the Kings of Germany of the house of Charles the Great Lewis the second Carloman naturall sons to the Emperour Lewis
fruitfull and pleasant vally of some 60 Italian miles in length continued from the head of the Aada along the course of that riuer vntill the entrance thereof into the Lake of Como divided into 6. goverments or prefectureships The wines of this country are much commended transported in a great abundance over the Alpes into Bavaria Switzer-landt and other parts Chiefer townes following the course of the riuer Aada are Bormio a prefectureship seated at the head of the vally and the river vnder the mountaine Braâ—lio called otherwise by the Dutch Wormsser ioch Tiran a prefectureship Teio a prefectureship the chiefe fortresse of the vally Sondrio the chiefe towne a prefectureship The governour or captaine hereof for so he is named is Lieutenant of the whole country having here the like commande as hath the Captaine of Lugano in the prefectures belonging to the 12 Cantons Morbengo a prefectureship situated neere vnto the Lake of Como These 8 prefectureships of Plurs Chiavenna and the Valtolina are subject to the ioint commaund of the three Leagues or Cantons of the Grisons The language hereof as of those other appertaining to the Switzers is the Italian NETHERLAND THE Country hath been thus named from its maritime and more flat and lower situation It is accompted part of Germany with the Free Country of Burgundie making the tenth circle of the Empire although at this day it neither acknowledgeth the Emperours not obeyeth the Laws and orders appointed by the Diets diuided amongst sundry free states and gouerments partly now commanded by the Princes of the house of Burgundie and Austria partly by the generall States of the Vnited Provinces It boundeth vpon the East with the districts of Trier Luick Gulick Cleve and Westphalen vpon the North with the riuer Eems East-Freislandt vpon the South with Lorraine Champaigne and Picardie in France and vpon the North-West with the German Ocean It lyeth betwixt the 22½ and 30 degrees of Longitude and the 48½ and 53½ degrees of Northern Latitude or betwixt the 16 or middle paralel of the 7 clime and the 21 paralel or end of the 8 clime The longest day beyond Arras in the furthest South containeth 16 houres beyond the towne of Dam or at the riuer Eems in the furthest North 16 houres three quarters The circuit of the whole is 340. Flemish miles or some one thousand Italian or English The parts hereof towards the West and North along the Sea-coast are flat plaine and marishie abounding chiefly in pasturages milke butter cheese horses and beeues of an extraordinary stature and bignesse Those contrariwise towards the South-East or bordering vpon Luick Lorraine swell with rising hills and woods reliques of the great forrest of Ardenne All parts are tolerably fruitfull No country for the quantitie is more populous replenished with 225 walled townes and citties besides aboue 6600 burroughs and villages for the most part very strong and numerously inhabited by industrious and curious artificers and rich tradesmen and marchants The shipping of the maritime coasts seeme to exceed in number all the rest of the world amassed together swarming in all seas and Oceans and bringing hither as to a common magazin whatsoeuer riches and commodities the earth or sea affordeth by the commodious situation thereof and oportunitie of the great rivers of the Scheldt Mase and Rhijn distributed from hence into all lands the seat of negotiation and trading The ancient inhabitants were the Frisij now West-Freislandt North-Hollandt with part of the district of Vtreicht the Batavi inhabiting the Iland of the Rhijn intercepted betwixt the middle branch thereof and the Wael with the neighbouring shore of Gaule containing now South-Holland with parts of Vtreicht and Gelderlandt the Caninefates containing also part of the same Iland the Bructeri where now Deventer and Swol in Over-ysel the Vsipij now the country of Zutphen part of the Sicambri now Arnhem and Veluwe in Gelderlandt the Advatici now Brabant or part thereof about Bosleduc or Doway the Morini now Flanders the Atrebates now Artois the Nervij now Hainault and the country about Tournay the Tongri now part of Brabant about Antwerpe and part of the Treveri now the Dukedome of Luxemburg The fiue first nations were Germans inhabiting beyond the Rhijn The rest were parts of the Gaules Belgicke descended notwithstanding from the Germans By C. Iulius Caesar in his warres of Gaule these last were subdued to the Romans vnder which subiection they continued vntill the expiration of that Empire comprehended vnder the Provinces of Belgica Secunda and Germania Secunda The other remained still free from forraine yoak with other neighbouring Dutch people by occasion hereof not long after vniting into the common name of the most warlike and victorious French famous in the later Roman histories and in short time conquering and overspreading all Gaule Germanie vnto the rivers Elb and Saltza Pannonie the greatest part of Italy with part of Tarraconensis in Spaine won from the Moores Vnder the French who here succeeded vnto the Romans the whole was contained vnder the name kingdome of Austrasia or Oosten-reich After that the French Monarchy became divided amongst the posteritie of the Emperour Lewis the Godly the part hereof broke into sundry new principalities and goverments remaining vnto this day partly holding of the French kings or successours of Charles the Bald and partly of the German Emperours the Dukedomes of Brabant Luxemburg Gelderlandt and Limburg the Earledomes of Flanders Hollandt Zealandt Haynault Artois Namur and Zutphen the Lordships of Freislandt Groningen Vtreicht Over-ysel and Malines and the Marquisate of the Sacred Empire the manner and occasion of whose beginnings together with their continuance and state vnto our times is set downe in the Description of France Of these Flanders Artois appertained to the soveraigntie of the kings of France quitted vnto Philip the second king of Spaine and the Princes hereof by Henry the second French king in the late league of Cambraye The rest were held vnder the Dutch Emperours By Philip the Hardie the countries of Brabant Flanders Artois and Limburg with Malines and the Marquisate of the Sacred Empire became added to the dominion and family of Burgundie by Philip the Good Holland Zealandt West-Freislandt Hainault Luxemburg Namur by the Emperour Charles the fift Gelderland Zutphen Vtreicht Over ysel and Groningen the manner whereof is likewise shewed in France Since this vnion by the power and greatnesse of their Princes the Provinces haue beene wholy with drawne from all acknowledgement and subiection of the German Emperours French kings their ancient Lords governed in manner of free States by their Princes and magistrates and making a distinct nation and common-wealth by themselues knowne now by the names of Netherland the Low Countries the Lower Germany and of the 17 Provinces called thus from their number language and situation Duke Charles surnamed the Fighter Prince hereof son to Philip the Good had an intent to vnite the parts then