France and Lorrein and France it self distracted into many Soveraign Estates and Principalities 26. 841. 4 Charles II. surnamed Calvus or the Bald youngest Sonne of Lewis King of France and Emperour vanquished by Charles the Grosse in the War of Italie 38. 879. 5 Lewis II. surnamed Balbus or the Stammering Sonne of Charles the Bald King of France and Emperour 881. 6 Lewis III. with Caroloman his Brother the base Sonnes of Lewis the Stammering Usurpers of the Throne in the infancy of Charles the Simple 886. 7 Charles III. surnamed Crassus or the Grosse King of Germany and Emperour called into France and elected King during the Minority of Charles the Simple 5. 891. 8 Odo or Eudes Sonne of Robert Earl of Anjou of the race of Witikindus the last King of the Saxons elected by an opposite Faction outed Charles the Gâ—osse 9. 900. 9 Charles IV. surnamed Simplex or the Simple the Posthumus Sonne of Lewis the Stammerer restored unto the Throne of his Fathers which after many troubles raised against him by Robert the 2d Earl of Anjou whom he slew in battel he was forced to resigne 27. 927. 10 Rodolph of Burgundie Sonne of Richard Duke of Burgundie the Brother of Eudes succeeded on the resignation of Charles the Simple 2. 929. 11 Lewis IV. surnamed Transmarine in regard that during his Fathers Troubles he had lived in England restored unto the Regal Throne on the death of Rodolph opposed therein by Hugh Earl of Paris and Anjou the Nephew of King Eudes by his Brother Robert before mentioned 958. 12 Lotharius Sonne of Lewis the 4th disturbed in his possession by Hugh Capet the eldest Sonne of the said Hugh on the pretensions of that house by which at last he got the Kingdom 987. 13 Lewis V. Sonne of Lotharius the last King of the House of Charles the Great After whose death being King onely for a yeer the Crown was seized on by Hugh Capet Charles Duke of Lorreine Brother of Lotharius and Uncle unto Lewis the fift being pretermitted And now we are come to the present race of the Kings of France founded in Hugh Capet so called from the greatness of his head Sonne of Hugh the great Earl of Paris and Anjou and Grandchild of Robert the second Earl of Anjou Which Robert was the Brother of Eâ—des and Cousin German of Rodolph Kings of France Who partly by his own wits but chiefly by the weakness of the mungrel Issue of Charles the Great having got the Diadem transmitted it unto his Posterity the Crown descending in a direct line from Father to Sonne till the death of Lewis the 10th surnamed Hutin But here we are to understand that the Realm of France was at that time shut up within narrower bounds than it is at the present the large and rich Countries of Champagne Normandie Bretagne Anjou Poictou Languedoc and the great Dukedom of Aquitain besides those Provinces which constituted and made up the Kingdom of Burgundie being aliened and dismembred from it How they became reduced to the Crown again will be discerned in the ensuing History and Succession of The third Race of the Kings of France of the Capetine or Saxon Line 988. 1 Hugh Capet of whom sufficiently before 9. 997. 2. Robert the Sonne of Hugh Capet Duke of Burgundie also 34. 1031. 3 Henry the eldest Sonne of Robert his younger Brother Robert being setled in the Dukedom of Burgundie 39. 1061. 4 Philip the Sonne of Henry who added Berry to the Crown 49. 1110. 5 Lewis VI. Sonne of Philip surnamed the Grosse 28. 1138. 6 Lewis VII Sonne of Lewis the sixt an Adventurer in the War of the Holy Land as also did his Sonne and successour 1181. 7 Philip II. surnamed Augustus by whom Normandy Aquitain Anjou with their severall Appendixes were taken from King Iohn of England 43. 1224. 8 Lewis VIII Sonne of Philip Augustus 3. 1227. 9 Lewis IX surnamed the Saint renowned for his Wars in Egypt and the Holy-Land He restored Guienne to the English and added the Earldoms of Tholouse and Mascon to the Crown of France 44. 1271. 10 Philip III. Sonne of Lewis 15. 1286. 11 Philip IV. surnamed the Fair King also of Navarre in the right of the Lady Ioan his Wife 28. 1314. 12 Lewis X. surnamed Hutin King of Navarre in right of his Mother whom he succeded in that Kingdom Anno 1305. After whose death the Kingdom of France was to have descended on Ioan his Daughter 2. 1315. 13 Philip V. called the Long Brother of Lewis Hutin partly by threats promises and other practices caused a Law to pass to which he gave the name of the Sal que Law for disabling Women from the succession to the Crown and thereby quite excluded his Brothers Daughter served in the same kind himself by his Brother Charles who following his example excluded on the same pretence his Neeces Joan and Margares the Daughters of Philip. 5. 1320. 14 Charles IV. but in true accompt the fifth of that name most commonly called Charles the Fair Brother of Philip and Lewis the two last Kings After whose death began the Wars of the English for the Crown of France challenged by King Edward the 3d. as Sonne and Heir of Isabel the Daughter of King Philip the Fair and Sister to the 3 last Kings 7. 1328. 15 Philip VI. surnamed de Valois Son of Charles Earl of Valois the second Sonne of King Philip the third and Vncle to the three last Kings succeeded under colour of the Salique Law of which Charles it is said that he was Sonne to a King Brother to a King Vncle to a King and Father to a King yet himself was no King In this Kings dayes was fought the famous Battle of Crecie Anno 1343. in which the French Army consisted of about 70000 Souldiers the English of 11800 only yet the victory fell unto the English by whose valour fell that day Iohn King of Bohemia 11 Princes 80 Barons 120 Knights and 30000 of the common Souldiers He added unto his Estates the County Palatine of Champagne the Country of Daulphine and the Citie and Earldom of Montpelier 22. 1350 16 Iohn the Sonne of Philip de Valois in whose reign was fought the battel of Poictiers wherein Edward the black prince so called for his black acts upon the French with an handfull of wearied Souldiers but 8000 in all overcame the French army consisting of 40000 men of which they slew besides the Nobles 10000 of the common Souldiers and took prisoners King John himself and Philip his Sonne 70 Earls 50 Barons and 12000 Gentlemen 14. 1364. 17 Charles V. the Sonne of Iohn recovered all those peeces except only Calice which the English had before gotten from his Father and Grandfather He is called commonly Charles the Wise but Lewis the 11th would by no means allow him that attribute affirming that it was but a foolish part to give his younger Brother Philip the Dukedom of Burgundy and withall the Heir of Flanders to wife
is of different natures the parts adjoyning to the Weser being desert and barren those towards the Earldomes of Mark and Bergen mountainous and full of woods the Bishoprick of Bremen except towards the Elb full of dry sands heaths and unfruitfull thickets like the wilde parts of Windsor Forrest betwixt Stanes and Fernham In other parts exceeding plentifull of corn and of excellent pasturage stored with great plenty of wilde fruits and by reason of the many woods abundance of Akorns with infinite herds of swine which they breed up with those naturall helps of so good a relish that a Gammon of Wesiphalian Bacon is reckoned for a principall dish at a great mans Table The old inhabitants hereof were the Chauci Majores about Bremen the Chanani Angrivarii and Bructeri inhabiting about Munster Osuaburg and so towards the land of Colen and part of the Cherusci before spoken of taking up those parts which lie nearest unto Brunswick and Lunenbourg All of them vanquished by Drusus the son-in-law of Augusius but soon restored to their former liberty by the great overthrow given by the Cherusci and their associates to Quintilius Varus Afterwards uniting into one name with the French they expulsed the Romans out of Gaul leaving their forsaken and ill-inhabited seats to be taken up by the Saxons with whom the remainders of them did incorporate themselves both in name and nation Of that great body it continued a considerable Member both when a Kingdome and a Dukedome till the proscription and deprivation of Duke Henry the Lyon at what time the parts beyond the Weser were usurped by Barnard Bishop of Paderborn those betwixt the Weser and the Rhene by Philip Archbishop of Colen whose successours still hold the title of Dukes of Westphalen the Bishopricks of Breme Munster Paderborn and Mindaw having been formerly endowed with goodly territories had some accrewments also out of this Estate every one catching hold of that which lay nearest to him But not to make too many subdivisions of it we will divide it onely into these two parts VVestphalen specially so called and 2 the Bishoprick of Bremen In VVESTPHALEN specially so called which is that part hereof which lyeth next to Cleveland the places of most observation are 1 Geseke a town of good repute 2 Brala a village of great beauty 3 Arusberg and 4 Fredeborch honoured with the title of Prefectures 5 VVadenborch 6 Homberg lording it over fair and spacious territories All which with two Lordships and eight Prefectures more dispersed in the Dukedome of Engern and County of Surland belong unto the Bishop of Colen the titulary Duke of VVestphalen and Angrivaria Engern as he stiles himself 7 Mountabour perhaps Mont-Tabor seated in that part hereof which is called VVesterwald a town of consequence belonging to the Elector of Triers 8 Rhenen 9 Schamlat and 10 Beekem reasonable good towns all of the Bishoprick of Munster 11 Munster it self famous for the Treaty and conclusions made upon that treaty for the peace of Germany seated upon the River Ems and so called from a Monastery here founded by Charles the great which gave beginning to the Town supposed to be that Mediolanium which Ptolemy placeth in this tract a beautifull and well fortified City and the See of a Bishop who is also the Temporall Lord of it Famous for the wofull Tragedies here acted by a lawlesse crew of Anabaptists who chose themselves a King that famous Taylor John of Leiden whom they called King of Sion as they named the City New Jerusalem proclaimed a community both of goods and women cut off the heads of all that opposed their doings and after many fanatick and desperate actions by the care and industry of the Bishop and his confederates brought to condigne punishment The Story is to be seen at large in Sleidan and some modern pamphlets wherein as in a Mirrour we may plainly see the face of the present times 12 Osnaburg first built as some say by Julius Caesar as others by the Earls of Engern but neither so ancient as the one nor of so late a standing as the others make it here being an Episcopall See founded by Charles the Great who gave it all the priviledges of an Vniversity Liberally endowed at the first erection of the same and since so well improved both in Power and Patrimony that an alternate succession in it by the Dukes of Brunswick hath been concluded on in the Treaty of Munster as a fit compensation for the Bishoprick of Halberstad otherwise disposed of by that Treaty of late enjoyed wholly by that Family 13 Quakenberg on the River Hase 14 VVarendorp and 15 VVildshusen towns of that Bishoprick 16 Paderborn an Episcopall See also founded by Charles the Great at the first conversion of the Saxons more ancient then strong yet more strong then beautifull 17 Ringelenstein and 18 Ossendorf belonging to the Bishop of Paderborn 19 Minden upon the VVeser another of the Episcopall Sees founded by Charles the Great and by him liberally endowed with a goodly Patrimony converted to lay-uses since the Reformation under colour of Administration of the goods of the Bishoprick and now by the conclusions at Munster setled for ever on the Electors of Brandenbourg with the title of Prince of Minden 20 Rintelin a strong town conveniently seated on the Weser not far from Minden to the Bishop whereof it doth belong Hitherto one would think that Westphalen had formerly been a part of Saint Peters Patrimony belonging wholly to the Clergy but there are some Free Cities and secular Princes which have shares therein as 1 VVarburg a neat town but seated on an uneven piece of ground neer the River Dimula a town which tradeth much in good Ale brewed here and sold in all parts of the Country heretofore a County of it self under the Earls hereof now governed in the nature of a Free Estate and reckoned an Imperiall City 2 Brakel accompted of as Imperiall also 3 Hervâ—rden a town of good strength and note governed by its own Lawes and Magistrates under the protection of Colen 4 Lemgow belonging heretofore to the Earls of Lippe but by them so well priviledged and enfranchised that now it governeth it self as a Free Estate Here is also 5 The town and County of Ravensburg belonging anciently to the Dukes of Cleve and now in the rights of that house to the Elector of Brandenbourg As also 6 the Town and County of Lippe lying on the west side of the VVeser the Pedegree of the Earls whereof some fetch from that Sp. Manlius who defended the Roman Capitol against the Gauâ—s they might as well derive it from the Geese which preserved that Capitol others with greater modestie look no higher for it then to the times of Charls the Great one of the noble Families of the antient Saxons Some other Lords and Earls here are but these most considerable all of them Homagers of the Empire but their acknowledgments hereof little more then titular though not
in danger of relapsing to their former servitude but in the treasonable practice of the Flischi a remarkable Family of the City who hoping to possess themselves of the Principalitie under protection of the French had so laid their plot that Augustine di Flischi who was designed to be their Duke had in the night time seised on the Navy and slain John Doria who had the command thereof but leaping from one Gallie to another to make sure of all stumbled and fell into the sea where he and his ambitious treasons were both drowned together As for their Forces there are within the Signeuriâ— 10000 men ready to arm at any time as they see occasion 25 Gallies alwayes ready in the publick Arsenall and four continually at Sea for defence of their Trading Sufficient strength to save them from a petit force though not to guard them from the power of a strong Invader But the chief strength which they rely on is the King of Spain whose protection though it costs them dear is worth their money and they have prospered so well by it that notwithstanding all the losses which they have sustained it is supposed that the Revenue of the Common-wealth besides the Treasury of S. George which is very rich and managed as a distinct body from the publick by its own Officers amounteth to no less than 430000 Crowns per An. As for the Treasurie of S. George though it contain no part of the publick Patrimony but be governed by its own Officers as a State distinct yet is it of such ready use so able at all times to furnish the Republick with vast sums of money that the security and preservation of this Commonwealth depends much upon it The Institution and Administration whereof together with the benefit which from hence redoundeth unto this Estate I cannot better represent to the Readers view than in the words of Machiavel the greatest Politick of his times who in his History of Florence hath expressed it thus Post diuturnum illud bellum quod Genoenses multis ab hinc annis cum Venetis gessere c. After that tedious war between the Genoese and Venetians was ended in the yeer 1381. and that the Genoese found themselves unable to repay those moneys which they had taken up of their private Citizens in pursuit thereof they thought it best to assign their ordinary Taxes over to them that so in tract of time the whole debt might be satisfied and for that end allotted them a Common-hall there to deliberate and determine of their affairs These men thus made the Masters of the publick Taxes elect among themselves a Common-Counsell of an Hundred and over them eight Officers of especiall power to order and direct the rest and to dispose of the Intrado which Corporation so established they entituled S. Georges Bank It happened afterwards that the Republick wanting more moneys was glad to have recourse unto S. George who growing wealthy by the orderly managing of his stock was best able to relieve them in their necessities and as before they assigned their Taxes over to him so now ditionem suam oppignorabant they Mortgaged also their Demain So that S. George continually waxing richer and the State poorer this Corporation became possessed at last of almost all the Towns and Territories of the Common-wealth all which they govern by their own Magistrates chosen by common suffrage from among themselves It followed hereupon that the common people bearing less respect unto the publick applyed themselves unto S. George this being always orderly and prudently governed that many times inclining to Tyranny this never changing Officers or form of Government that subject to the proud and ambitious lusts of each Usurper whether Domesticall or Forein Insomuch that when the two potent Families of the Fregosi and Adorni contended for the Soveraignty in this Estate most of the People look upon it as a Quarrell which concerned them not S. George not medling more in it than to take an Oath of the prevailing Faction to preserve his Liberties Rarissimâ— sane exemplo c. A most excellent and rare thing saith he never found out by any of the old Philosophers in their Imaginarie Forms of a Common-wealth that in the same State and the same People one may see at the same time both Tyranny and Liberty Justice and Oppression Civilitie and Misgovernments This only Corporation preserving in the Common-wealth its antient lustre So that in case S. George should in the end become possessed of the remainder of the Patrimony and Estate thereof as it is possible it may the State of Genoa might not alone be equalled with that of Venice but preferred before it So far and to this purpose that great Master of State-craft a man of less impiety and more regular life than some of those who have traduced him for an Atheist Here are within this Common-wealth Arch-bishops 1. Bishops 14. THE ESTATES OF LOMBARDY LOMBARDY is bounded on the Eastâ—with Romandiola and the Estate or Territory of Ferrara on the West with that part of the Alpes which divide Italie from France on the North reckoning Marca Trevigiana within the bounds hereof with that part of the Alpes which lyeth towards Germany and on the South with the Apennine which parteth it from Liguria or the State of Genoa It was called antiently Gallia Cisalpina whereof we shall speak more anon and took this new name from the Lombards or Longobardi a people of Germany of whom we have already spoken but shall speak more at large when we come to Hungarie who coming out of Pannonia possessed themselves of a great part of Italie but left their name to this Tract only A tract of ground of which it may be truly said that as Italie is the garden of Europe so Lombardie is the garden of Italie or the fairest flower in all that garden A countrey of so rich a mixture that such another peece of ground for beautifull Cities goodly Rivers for fields and pastures shaded with such excellent fruits for plenty of fowl fish corn wine cannot be found again in our Western World So that it is no wonder that the two great Kings of France and Spain have strived so eagerly and with such effusion of Christian blood for the Duchie of Millain a part only though the richest part of this goodly Country and but a spot of earth compared to their own Dominions Antiently it was of more extent than now it is containing besides the principalities hereafter mentioned the Provinces of Romandiola and Trevigiana even all which in the infancy and growth of the Roman Empire had the name of Gallia Cisalpina It was called Gallia from the Galls who being drawn into Italie by the sweet tast of their wines subdued the Natives and possessed themselves of all the Countrey from the Apennine to the Adriatick and from the Alpes to the River of Rubicon on the North-East and the River of Arnus on the South-East This happened
about 56 years when Otho surnamed Visconti quasi bis Comes because he was Lord of Millain and Angerona assumed the title to himself and setled it upon that Family after his decease but so that for the most part they were under the command of the German Emperors and to them accomptable Galeaz the first so called as some write because the Cocks crowed more than ordinarily at the time of his birth added to the Estate hereof the Cities of Crema and Cremona In the person of John Galeazo it was advanced unto a Dukedom by the Emperor Wenceslaus for 100000 Crowns in ready money which John increased so mightily in wealth and power that he had 29 Cities under his command and dyed as he was going to Florence to be crowned King of Tuscany To him succeeded John Maria and after him his brother Philip who in his life had maried his only daughter but illegitimate to Francisco Sforza the best Commander of his times and at his death appointed Alfonso of Aragon King of Naples for his heir and successor Before Alfonso could take any benefit of this designation Sforza was quietly possessed both of the City and the loves of the people This Francis Sforze I must needs crave leave to tell this story was the sonne of James Altenduto a plain Country man who going to his labour with his Ax in his hand whilst a great Army was passing by him compared the misery and unpleasingness of his present condition with those fair possibilities which a martiall life did present uuto him And being in a great dispute with in himself what were best to do he presently fell upon a resolution of putting the question to the determination of the Heavenly Providence by casting his Ax unto the top of the tree next to him conditioning with himself that if the Ax came down again he would contentedly apply himself to his wonted labour but if it hung upon the boughs he would betake himself unto higher hopes and follow the Army then in passage He did so the Ax hung upon the boughs he went after the Army and thrived so well in that imployment that he became one of the best Captains of his time surnamed de Cotoniogla from the place of his dwelling and Sforza from the greatness of his noble courage By Antonia the daughter of Francis di Casalis the Lord of Cortona he was the father of this Francis Sforze whom now we speak of who was so fortunate a Commander in the wars of Italy that to oblige him to his party Philip the Duke of Millain bestowed his daughter upon him and thereby a fair title to this great Estate which he successively obtained against all pretenders In his line it continued till the coming of Lewis the 12 of France the sonne of Charles and nephew of Lewis Dukes of Orleans by Valentine the sole daughter of John Galeaze the first Duke who getting Duke Lodowick Sforze betrayed by the Switzers into his hands carryed him prisoner into France and possessed himself of the estate Outed not long after by the confederate Princes of Italy who were jealous of so great a neighbor he left the cause and quarrel unto Francis the first his next successor in that Kingdom in pursuance whereof it is sayd by Bellay a French Writer that the use of Muskets was first known But Francis being in conclusion taken at the battell of Pavie and carryed prisoner into Spain for his release was forced to release all claim unto this estate A release long before endeavouced by some French Politicians because the pretensions hereunto had brought such damage to that Crown and no less eagerly opposed by Chancellor Prat on the same reason that Scipio Nasica did oppose the destruction of Carthage that is to say because it did not only keep the French Nation in continual discipline of War but served for a purgation of idle and superfluous people yet notwithstanding this release Francis renewed the War again and laid siege to Millain then under the command of Antonio di Leva and a Spanish Garrison during vvhich vvar the vvretched Millanese endured the vvorst of miseries For first the Governour under colour of providing pay for his souldiers got all the victuals of the town into the Castle to be sold again at his ovvn price vvhich many of the poorer sort not able to pay perished of famin in the streets And on the other side his souldiers which were quartered in most parts of the City used when they wanted mony to chain up their Hosts and then to put them to a ransom Such as upon this barbarous usuage fled out of the City had their Goods confiscate on which there followed such a disconsolate desolation that the chief streets were over-grown with netles and brambles In this miserable estate it continued till Charles the Emperor having totally driven out the French restored it to Francis Sforze brother to the last Duke Maximilian and sonne of that Ludowick who to advance himself unto this Estate had most improvidently taught the French the way into Italy But this Francis dying without issue and the house of the Sforze failing in him the Emperor entred on the Dukedom as right Lord thereof and left the same to his successors in the Realm of Spain This said we will sum up the whole story of this Estate in the ensuing Catalogue of The Lords and Dukes of Millain 1277 1 Otho Arch-bishop of Millain 1295 2 Matthew Brothers sonne to Otho confirmed in his command of Millain by Albertus the Emperor 1322 3 Galeaze Visconti sonne of Matthew disseized of his command by Lewis of Bavaria Emperor 1329 4 Actio Visconti sonne of Galeazo confirmed in his Fathers power by the same Lewis the Emperor 1339 5 Luchino Visconti brother to Galeaze 1349 6 John Visconti the brother of Luchino 1354 7 Galeaze II. sonne of Stephen the brother of John 1378 8 John Galeaze sonne of the first Galeaze created by the Emperor Wenceslaus the first Duke of Millain An. 1395. 1402 9 John Maria sonne of John Galeaze slain by the people for his horrible tyrannies 1412 10 Philip Maria the last of the Visconti which commanded in Millain a Prince of great power in swaying the affairs of Italie He died An o 1446 the Millanese for some years resuming their former liberty 1446 11 Francis Sforze in right of his wife Blanch the base daughter of Philip seconded by the power of the sword admitted Duke by the generall consent of the people of Millain one of the Knights of the noble Order of the Garter 1461 12 Galeaze Sforze a valiant but libidinous Prince cruelly murdered by his own Subjects 1477 13 John Galeaze Sforze privately made away as it was supposed by his Uncle Lodowick 1494 14 Lodowick Sforze who to secure himself of his ill-got Dukedom drew the French into Italic 1501 15 Lewis the 12 of France sonne unto Lewis Duke of Orleans and Valentina daughter to the first Duke of Millaine vanquished Ludowick
Forces of these Princes I have little to say but think them to be of good consideration in both respects their Territories lying in the best and richest part of Italie and their Estates environed by more puissant neighbours which both necessitate and inable them to defend their own The Duke of MONTFERRAT THe Dukedom of MONTFERRAT is situate betwixt Lombardy and â—iemont or the Rivers of Tenarus and Po on the East and West extended North and South in a line or branch from the Alpes to the borders of Liguria of which last it was sometimes counted part and called Liguria Cisapennina for distinction sake It took this name either à Monte ferrato from some mountain of it stored with Iron or else à monte feraci as some rather think from the fertilitie of the Mountains And to say truth though the whole Country seem to be nothing else than a continuall heap of Mountains yet are they Mountains of such wonderfull fruitfulness that they will hardly give place to any Valley in Europe The principall River of it is the Tenarus above mentioned which springing out of the hils about Barceis a Town of the Marquisate of Saluzzes falleth into the Po not far from Pavie The principall Cities of it are 1 Alba called by Plinie Alba Pomera situate on the banks of the sayd River in a rich and fertile soyl but a very bad air near to which in a poor village called Zobia the Emperor Pertinax was born Who being of mean and obscure Parents after the death of Commodus was called by the Conspirators to the Roman Empire But being over-zealous to reform the corruptions of the souldiers he was by the Praetorian Guards hating their Princes for their vertues as much as formerly for their vices most cruelly murdered and the Imperiall dignity sold to Julianus for 25 Sestertiums a man 2 Casal vulgarly called Saint Vas from the Church there dedicated to St. Evasius or Saint Vas as they speak it commonly the strongest Town in all this Country well built and peopled with many antient and noble Families of which the family of St. George is one of the principall and made a Bishops See by Pope Sixtus the fourth An o 1474. t was in former times the chief seat of the house of Montferrat and for that cause compassed with a strong wall and a fair Castle but of late fortified after the modern manner of Fortifications and strengthned with an impregnable Citadel by Duke Vincent Gonzaga as the surest Key of his estate in which new Citadell the Governour of the Province holds his usuall residence 3 Aique in Latin Aquensis famous for its Bathes or Fountains of hot and medicinall waters 4 Saint Saviours where there is a very strong Fortress as there is also in 5 Ponsture or Pont di Stura so called of the River Stura 6 Osoniano antiently Occimianum the old seat of the first Marquesses of this Montferrat 7 Villa nova 8 Balzale 9 Liburn and many others of less note Here are also with in the limits of this Dukedom the Towns of Ast Cherian and Chivasco belonging to the Dukes of Savoy in the description of whose Country we may speak more of them together with Novara and Alexandria appertaing to the Dukedom of Millain which we have spoken of already And hereunto also I refer the strong and in those times impregnable Fortress by the Latin Historians called Fraexinetum from some Grove of Ashes near unto it situate in the advantages of the Mountains and not far from the sea by consequence better able to defend it self and admit relief and therefore made the receptacle or retreat of the Saracens at such time as they had footing in these parts of Italie First took and fortified by them in the year 891 recovered afterwards by the prowess and good fortune of Otho the Emperor deservedly surnamed the Great about 60 years after Of great note in the stories of those middle times By Luitprandus placed near the borders of Provence by Blondus and Leander near the River Po and the Town of Valenza once called Forum Fulvii and finally by Sigonius in the Coltian Alpes and so most fit to be referred unto this Country though now so desolated that there is no remainder of the ruins of it This Country was made a Marquisate by Otho the 2 d An. 985. one of the seven by him erected and given to the 7 sons of Waleran of Saxonie who had maryed his daughter Adelheide A Military Family conspicuously eminent in the Wars of Greece and the Holy-land where they did many acts of singular merit insomuch as Baldwin and Conrade issuing from a second branch hereof were made Kings of Hierusalem and Boniface one of the Marquesses got the Kingdom of Thessaly and many fair Estates in Greece But the Male-issue fayling in Marquess John the Estate fell to Theodorus Palaeologus of the Imperiall family of Constantinople who had maryed the Heir-generall of the house continuing in his name till the year 1534 when it fell into the hands of the Dukes of Mantua In the person of Duke William Gonzaga raised to the honour of a Dukedom as it still continueth the best and richest part of that Dukes Estate and the fairest flower in all his Garden The residue of the story may be best collected out of the following Catalogue of The Marquesses of Montferrat A. C. â—985 1 William one of the sonnes of Waleran and Adelheide made the first Marquess of Montferrat 2 Boniface the sonne of William 3 William II. who accompanied the Emperor Conrade the 3. and 5 Lewis of France to the Holy-land â—183 4 Boniface II. sonne of William the second his younger brother William being designed King of Hierusalem and Reyner another of them made Prince of Thessaly succeeded his Father in Montferrat Ayding his Nephew Baldwin the sonne of William in recovering the Kingdom of Hierusalem he was took prisoner by Guy of Lusignan Competitor with him for that title 5 William III. sonne of Boniface poysoned in the Holy-land where he endeavoured the restoring of his Brother Conrade to that languishing Kingdom 6 Boniface III. sonne of William the third for his valour in taking of Constantinople made King of Thessalie 1254 7 Boniface IV. sonne of Boniface the third added Vercelli and Eporedium unto his Estate 8 John surnamed the Just the last of this house 9 Theodore Palaeologus sonne of the Emperor Andronicus Palaeologus the elder and Yoland his wife daughter of Boniface the fourth 10 John Palaeologus sonne of Theodore 11 Theodorus II. sonne of John a great builder and endower of Religious houses 12 Jacobus Johannes sonne of Theodore the second 13 John III. eldest sonne of Jacobus Johannes 1464 14 William IV. brother of John the third founder of the City and Monastery of Casal 1487 15 Boniface V. brother of John and William the two last Marquesses invested by Fredederick the fourth Blanea Maria the daughter of William surrendring her Estate unto him 16 William V. sonne of Boniface
Tronzes worn amongst this people extending from the Loyre to the Bruish Ocean and comprehending the Provinces of Bretagne Normandy Anjou Tourain Main La Beausse the Isle of France part of Champagne the Dukedome of Burgundy and the County of Lyonnoys 4. Belgica from the Belgâ— a potent Nation of that tract taking up all the East parts of Gaul viz. Picardy the rest of Champagne the County of Burgundy together with so much of Germany and the Netherlands as lieth on this side of the Rhene belonging now unto the Empire and the Kings of Spain In the new modelling of the Empire by Constantine the great Gaul was appointed for the seat of one of the four Praefecti Praetorio appointed for the four quarters of it His title Praefectus Praetorio Galliarum his Government extending over the Dioceses of Gaul Spain and Britain this Diocese of Gaul being cast into seventeen Provinces that is to say Lugdunensis Prima 2 Secunda 3 Tertia 4 Quarta 5 Belgâ—ca Prima 6 Secunda 7 Germania Prima 8 ecunda 9 Narbonensis Prima 10 Secunda 11 Aquitania Prima 12 Secunda 13 Novempopulonia 14 Viennensis 15 Maxima Sequanorum 16 Alpes Graiae Poeninae 17 Alpes Maritimae Of these seventeen Germania Prima Secunda all Belgica Prima and a great part of Secunda all that of the Alpes Graiae Poeninae and so much of Maxima Sequanorum as lieth in Switzerland are now dismembred from the name and accompt of France What principall Nations of the Gaulâ— and what Provinces of the present France the rest contained shall be declared in our Survey of the particulars But long it stood not in this state For within sixty years after the death of Constantine during the reigns of Honorius and Theodosius the Buâ—guâ—â—ians a great and populous Nation were called in by Sâ—ilico Lieutenant to Honorius the Western Emperour to keep the borders of the Empire against the French then ready with some other of the barbarous Nations to invade the same The Gothes not long after by agreement with the same Honorius leaving their hold in Italy were vested in Gaule Narbonoys by the gift of that Emperour with a good part of Tarraconensis one of the Provinces of Spain Aquitain being after added in regard of some services they had done the Empire And in the reign of Valentinian the third the French who had long hovered on the banks of the Rhene taking advantage of the distractions of the Empire ventured over the River first made themselves Masters of Gaul-Belgick and after spread themselves over all the rest of the Provinces which had not been subdued by the Gothes and Burgundians excepting a small corner of Armorica then possessed by the Britons So that the Romans being outed of all the Country it was divided though not equally betwixt the Nations above-mentioned the Britoâ—s holding their own now Bretagne the Goths possessing Aquitain and Gaul-Narbonoys the Burgundians all the Alpine Provinces with those of Dauâ—phine Bresse Lionoys and both the Burgundies from them so denominated The rest was planted by the French who in short time dispossessed the Goths then busie in the conquest of Spain of all their hold in Gaul except Languedoc onely by the valour of Clovis the great the fifth King of the Frenchmen before they could chalenge a proscription of 60 years In which regard and in respect that we have spoke already of them in another place and shall say more of them hereafter the Gothish Provinces in Gaul shall pass in the Accompt of the French part of this Countrie and the Purgundians by themselves when we come to that Kingdom subverted finally by the conquering and prevailing French Of whom and the succession of their Kings we will speak hereafter when we have brought all the chief parts and Provinces of this flourishing Countrey into their possession The principall Provinces are 1 France properly so called 2 Champagne 3 Picardie 4 Normandie 5 Bretagne 6 The Dukedom of Anjou with its members 7 La Beausse 8 Berry 9 The Dukedom of â—ourbon with the Provinces dependant on it being all excepting Bretagne the first acquests of the French Then follow the chief Provinces of the Gothish Kingdom that is to say 10 Poictou 11 Limosin Perigort and Quercu 12 Aquitain with the members of it 13 Linguedoc 14 Provence and last of all the Burgundian Kingdom of which there now remain in France the Counties of 15 Daulphine 16 La Bresse 17 Lionnois 18 the Dutchie and 19 the Countie of Burgundy 20 The Ilands in the Aquitain and Gallick Ocean in the close of all Of some of which La Nove a French Author hath passed this censure The men of Berry are Leachers they of Leurein Theeves they of Languedoc Traytors they of Provence Atheists they of Rhemes or Champagne superstitious they of Normandie insolent they of Picardie proud sic de 〈◊〉 But here we are to understand that all these Provinces though passing by the Name and Accompt of France are not under the command of the French King the Isles of Larsey and Guernzey being possessed by the English the Counties of Burgundy and Charolois by the King of Spain the Dutchie of Bar belonging to the Dukes of Lorrein the Principalitie of Orange to the house of Nassâ—w and Avignon to the Popes of Rome And on the other side the French Kings are possessed of some Towns and Cities not lying within the bounds of France as the Imperiall Cities of Mâ—ts Toul and Verâ—uâ— and the Port of Monaco in Liguria Base Navarre in Spain not to say any thing of their late acquests in Spain and Flanders which I look not on as parts of the French Dominions 1 FRANCE Properly so called THe first place which the Franks or French had for their fixt habitation was by that people honoured with the name of FRANCE the first green turf of Gallick ground by which they took livâ—ry and sâ—isin of all the rest A Province now bounded on the East with Champagne on the North with Nâ—rmanaie on the West and South with La Beausse To difference it from the main Continent of France it is called the Islâ— of France as being circled almost round with severall Rivers that is to say the Oise on the North the Eure on the West the Velle on the East and a vein-Riveret of the Seine towards the South A Countrie not so large as many of the French Provinces but such as hath given name unto all the rest it being the fate of many small but puissant Provinces to give their name to others which are greater than they if conquered and brought under by them For thus we see the little Province of Poland to have mastred and given name to the Mazovij Prutâ—ni and other Nations of Sarmatit Euroâ—aeâ— as that of Mosco to the Provinces of Asiatica And thus have those of Sweden conquered and denominated almost all the great Peninsula of Scandia whereof it is one of the smallest Provinces And thus
this Island being the seat Royall of the French in Gallâ—a gave name to all the residue of it as they made it theirs A Countrey generally so fruitfull and delectable except in Gastinois that the very hills thereof are equall to the vallies in most places of Europe but the Vale of Monâ—morâ—ncie wherein Paris standeth scarce to be fellowed in the Word An Argument whereof may be that when the Dukes of Berry Burgundie and their Confederates besieged that City with an Armie of 100000 men neither the Assailants without nor the Citizens within found any scarcitie of victuals and yet the Citizens besides Souldiers were reckoned at â—â—0000 It was formerly part of the Province of Belgica secunda and Lugdunensis quarta the chief Inhabitants thereof being the 〈◊〉 the Bellovaci and the Silvanectes and is now divided into four parts that is to say the Dukedom of Valois 2 Gastinois 3 Heurepoix and that which is properly called the Isâ—e of France by some the Prevoste or County of Paris 1 The Dukedom or Countie of VALOIS lieth towards Picardie the principall Cities of it called Senlis in Latin Silvanectum a Bishops See 2 Compeigne Compendium seated on the River Oise a retâ—ing plâ—ce of the French Kings for hunting and other Countrey pleasures 3 Beauvois the chief City of the Bâ—llâ—vaci by ` Ptolomic called Caesaromagus a fair large well-traded Town and a See Episcopall the Bishop whereof is one of the twelve Peers of France Philip one of the Bishops here in times foregoing a militarie man and one that had much damnified the English Borders was fortunately taken by King Richard the first The Pope being made acquainted with his Imprisonment but not the cause of it wrote in his behalf unto the King as for an Ecclesiasticall person and one of his beloved Sonnes The King returned unto the Pope the Armour which the Bishop was taken in and these words engraven on the same Vide an haec sit tunica filii tui vel non being the words which Jacobs children spake unto him when they presented him with the Coat of their brother Joseph Which the Pope viewing swore That it was rather the Coat of a Sonne of Mars than a Sonne of the Church and so left him wholly to the Kings pleasure 4 Clermont a Town of good note in the Countie Beauvoisia memorable for giving the title of Earl of Clermont to Râ—bert the fifth Sonne of the King St. Lewis before his mariage with the Daughter and Heir of Bourbon and afterwards to the Eldest Sonnes of that Princely Familie 5 Luzarch a Town belonging to the Count of Soissons 6 Brenonville 7. St. Loup on the Confines of Pirardie so called from a Monastery dedicated to S. Luviu Bishop of Troys in Champagne sent into Britain with Germanus to suppress the Pelagian Heresies which then were beginning But of this part of France nothing more observable than that it gave denomination to the Royall Familie of the French Kings 13 in number from hence entituled de Valois beginning in Philip de Valois Anno 1328. and ending in Henry the third Anno 1589. As for the Earls hereof from whom that Adjunct or denomination had it's first Original the first who had the title of Earl of Valois was Charles the second Sonne of Philip the third in right of his Wife Earl of Anjou also After whose death it descended upon Philip de Valois his Eldest Sonne who carried the Crown of France from our Edward the third On whose assuming of the Crown it fell to Lewis his second Brother and he deceasing without issue Anno 1391. to Lewis Duke of Orleans Sonne of Charles the fifth amongst the titles of which house it lay dormant till the expiring of that Line in King Lewis the twelfth and lately given unto a Sonne of the now Duke of Orleans Vncle to King Lewis the fourteenth at this present reigning I onely adde that Charles the first Earl of this Family as he was the Sonne of Philip the third Brother of Philip the fourth surnamed the Fair and Father of Philip de Valois So was he Vncle to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all in their order Kings of France In which regard it was said of him that he was Sonne Brother Father and Vncle of Kings yet no King himself 2 The second part of this Province is called HEVREPOIX beginning at the little bridge of Paris on the River of Sein and going up along the River as far as the River of Verine which divides it from Gastinois The chief Towns of it are 1. Charenton three miles from Paris where the French Protestants of that City have their Church for Religious exercises it being not permitted them to hold their Assemblies in any walled Cities or Garrison Towns for fear of any sudden surprize which so great a multitude might easily make Which Church or Temple as they call it being burnt down by the hot-headed Parisians on the news of the Duke of Mayennes death slain at the siege of Montalban Anno 1622. was presently reedified by the Command of the Duke of Mom-bazon then Governour of the Isle of France at the charge of the State to let those of the Reformed party understand that it was their disobedience and not their Religion which caused the King to arm against them 2 Corbeil seated on the Confluence of Sein and Essons 3. Moret which gives the Title of an Earl to one of the naturall Sonnes of Henry the fourth begotten on the Daughter and Heir of the former Earl 4. Melun by Caesar called Melodunum the principal of this Heurepoix and the seat of the Baylif for this Tract Here is also in this part the Royall Palace of Fountain-bel-eau so called from the many fair Springs and Fountains amongst which it standeth but otherwise seated in a solitary and woodie Country fit for hunting only and for that cause much visited by the French Kings in their times of leisure and beautified with so much cost by King Henry the fourth that it is absolutely the stateliest and most magnificent pile of building in all France 3 GASTINOYS the most drie and baren part of this Province but rich enough if compared with other places lieth between Paris and the Countrie of Orleanoys The chief places of it are 1. Estampes in the middle way betwixt Paris and Orleans on the very edge of it towards La Beausse a fair large Town having in it five Churches and one of them a College of Chanoins with the ruines of an antient Castle which together with the Walls and demolished Fortifications of it shew it to have been of great importance in the former times Given with the title of an Earl by Charles Duke of Orleans then Lord hereof to Richard the third Sonne of Iohn of Montfort Duke of Bretagne in mariage with his Sister the Lady Margusrite from which mariage issued Francis Earl of Estampes the last Duke of Bretagne 2. Montleherry Famous for the battle
Lady Violant his Daughter From this Sene it was taken by Lewis the 11th who having put a Garrison into Bar repaired the Walls and caused the Arms of France to be set on the Gates thereof Restored again by Charles the 8th at his going to the Conquest of Naples since which time quietly enjoyed by the Dukes of Lorrein till the year 1633. when seized on by Lewis the 13th upon a Iudgement and Arrest of the Court of Parliament in Paris in regard the present Duke had not done his Homage to the King as he ought to have done The Arms hereof are Azure two Barbels back to back Or Seme of Crosse Crossets Fâ—tche of the second But to return again to Champagne it pleased Hugh Capet at his coming to the Crown of France to give the same to Euies or Odon Earl of Blais whose Daughter he had maried in his private fortunes before he had attained the Kingdom with all the rights and privileges of a Countie Palatine Which Eudes or Odon was the Sonne of Theobald Earl of Blais and Nephew of that Gerlon a Noble Dine to whom Charles the simple gave the Town and Earldom of Blais about the year 940. and not long after the time that he conferred the Countrie of Neustria upon Roâ—â—o the Norman In the person of Theobald the 3d the Earls hereof became Kings of Navarre descended on him in right of the Ladie Blanch his Mother Sister and Heir of King Sancho the 8th Anno 1234. By the Mariage of Joan Queen of Navarre and Countess of Champagne to Philip the 4th of France surnamed the Fair both these Estates were added to the Crown of France enjoyed by him and his three Sonnes one after another though not without some prejudice to the Ladie Joan Daughter and Heir of Lewis Hutin But the three Brethren being dead and Philip of Valois succeeding in the Crown of France he restored the Kingdom of Navarre to the said Ladie Joan and for the Countie of Champagne which lay too neer the Citie of Paris to be trusted in a forrein hand he gave unto her and her posterity as in the way of exchange some certain Towns and Lands in other places though not of equal value to so rich a Patrimonie Count Palatines of Champagne 999. 1 Odo Earl of Champagne Brie Blais and Toureine Sonne of Theebald the elder Earl of Blais 1032. 2 Stephen Earl of Campagne and Blais Father of Stephen Earl of Blais and King of England 1101. 3 Theobald eldest Sonne of Stephen 1151. 4 Henry Sonne of Theobald a great Adventurer in the Wars of the Holy Land 1181. 5 Henry II. an Associate of the Kings of France and England in the Holy Wars King of Hierusalem in right of Isabel his Wife 1196. 6 Theobald II. Brother of Henry added unto his house the hopes of the kingdom of Navarre by his Marriage with the Ladie Blanche Sister and Heir of Sancho the 8th 1201. 7 Theobald III. Earl of Campagnâ— Sonne of Theobald the 2d and the Ladie Blanche succeeded in the Realm of Navarre Anno 1234. 1269. 8 Theobald IV. Sonne of Theobald the 3d King of Navarre and Earl of Champagne and Brie 1271. 9 Henry Sonne of Theobald the 4th King of Navarre and Earl of Champagne c. 1284. 10 Philip IV. King of France in right of Ioane his Wife King of Navarre and Earl of Campagne 1313. 11 Lewis Hutin Sonne of Philip King of France and Navarre and Earl of Champagne 1315. 12 Philip the Long Brother of Lewis Hutin King of France and Navarre and Earl of Champagne 1320. 13 Charles the Fair Brother of Philip King of France and Navarre and the last Earl of Champagne united after his decease by Philip de Valois to the Crown of France the Earldom of March neer Angolesme being given for it in exchange to the Ladie Ioane Daughter of King Lewis Hutin and Queen of Navarre maried to Philip Earl of Eureux in her right honoured with that Crown from whom descend the Kings of France and Navarre of the House of Bourbon The Arms of these Palatines of Champagne were Azure two Bends cotized potencee and counterpotencee of three peeces 3. PICARDIE PICARDIE hath on the East the Dukedoms of Luxembourg and Lorrein on the West some part of Normandie and the English Ocean on the North the Counties of Artois and Haiâ—â—â— and on the South Champagne and France strictly and specially so called A Countrie so well stored with Corn that it is accounted the Granarie or Store house of Paris but the few Wines which it produceth are but harsh and of no good relish especially in the Northern and colder parts of it The antient Inhabitants of it were the Snessiones Ambiani and Veromandui considerable Nations of the Belgae and therefore reckoned into the Province of Belgica Secunda but why they had the name of Picards I am yet to seek Omitting therefore the conjectures of other men some of the which are groundless and the rest ridiculous I onely say as Robert Bishop of Auranches hath affirmed before me Quos itaque aetas nostra Picardos appellat verè Belgae diâ—endi suâ—t qui postmodum in Picardorun nomen transmigrarunt The whole Countrie as it lieth from Calais to the Borders of Lorrein is divided into the Higher and the Lower the Lower subdivided into Sainterre Ponthein Boulognois and Guisnes the Higher into the Vidamate of Amieus Veromandois Rethelois and Tierasche in every of which there are some places of importance and consideration In LOWER PICARDIE and the Countie of GVISNES the chief Towns 1. Calais by Caesar called Portus Iccius as the adjoyning Promontorie Promontorium Itium by Ptolomie a strong Town close upon Artois at the entrance of the English Channel taken by Edward the 3d after the siedge of 11 moneths An. 1347. and lost again by Queen Mary in lesse than a fortnight An. 1â—57 So that had Monsieur de Cordes then lived he had had his wish who used to say that he would be content to lie seven years in Hell on condition that Calais were taken from the English The loss of which Town was a great blow to our Estate for till that time we had the Keyes of Frâ—nce at our Girdles and as great a grief unto Q. Mary who sickning presently upon it said to those which attended her that if she were opened they should find Calais next her heart 2. Hamme a strong peece one of the best Out-works of Calais 3. Ardres more towards the Borders of Boulognois memorable for the interview of Henry the 8th and Francis the first and many meetings of the English French Commissioners 4 Guisaes which gives name to this Division called the County of Guisnes of which the Land of Oye whereon Calice stood by the French called commonly Pais de Calais was esteemed a part 2. In BOVLOGNOIS neighbouring on the Countie of Guisnes the places of most note 1 Blackness a strong Fort on the Sea side betwixt Calice and Boulogne 2 Chastillon
times As also by this testimonie of the D. of Burgundie who held King Lewis the 11th to be weakned a whole third part in his estate by giving Normandie in portion to the D. of Berry Now they amount unto as much as the Kings Treasurers and Toll-masters are pleased to draw out of it The Arms of Normandie were Gules two Leopards Or which with the single Leopard or Lyon being added for the Dutchie of Aquitaine make the Arms of England BRETAGNE BRETAGNE is bounded on the East with Normandie and the Countie of Maine on the South with Anjou and Poictou on all other parts with the English or Gallick Ocean Warered upon the South side with the Loir which divides it from Anjou but so as part of this Dukedom called the County of Raiz lieth on the South side of that River betwixt it and Poictou It was first called Armorica from its situation on the Sea as the word importeth in the old Language of that People But how it came by this new name is not well agreed on The generall opinion is that it took this name from the neighbouring Britans brought over hither by the Tyrant Maximus rebelling against the Emperour Gratian Anno 385. by whom this Province was subdued and from them named Britannia Minor Little Britain An Argument whereof may be that the Language of this People hath still no small affinitie with the Welch or British there being a tradition also that the Britans who first came over hither and maried the Women of this Countrie cut out their tongues for fear they should corrupt the Language of their posterity And to this Conquest by the Britans these old Verses give some further Countenance Vicit Aremoricas animosa Britannia Gentes Et dedit imposito nomina prisca jugo That is to say Gaul-Armorick the Britans overcame And to the conquered Province gave their name Which notwithstanding the most probable opinion seemeth to be that it took this name from the Britanni an old Gallick People mentioned by Plinie in Gaul-Belgick retiring hither on the invasions and incursions of the barbarous Nations though possibly those Britanni of Gallia-Belgica might be aswell some Colonie of the Iland-Britans as the Belgae a great Nation in the Isle of Britain are said to have been a People of Gallia-Belgica The reason is because there was no Author before Geofric of Monmouth who takes notice of this transporting of the Insular-Britans by the Tyrant Maximus no antient Author Greek or Latine making mention of it And for the Welch or British words which are still remaining in the language they are conceived to be no other than a remainder of the old Gallick tongue which was originally the same with the antient British as is elswhere proved The Province is in compass 200 French Leagues Pleasant and fruitfull beautified with many shadie woods and spacious Downs sufficiently well stored with all manner of grain but destitute of Wine and the choicer fruites by reason of the Northerly situation of it Divided commonly into Hault or High Bretagne and Basse or Low Bretagne the first containing the more Eastern and the last the Western parts hereof Neither of the two much furnished with navigable or notable Rivers the defect of which the neighbourhood of the Sea supplieth affording more capacious Havens and convenient Ports than any one Province in this Kingdom To begin therefore with the Havens those of most note in the Higher Bretagne are 1 S. Malo built on a Rock within the Sea wherewith at every high water it is incompassed A Bishops See and a Port very much frequented by the French and Spanish who use here to barter their Commodities oftentimes spoyled by the English in their Wars with â—rance especially since the time of King Henry the seventh 2 Blavet a safe but little Haven on the mouth of a little River of the same name also 3 S. Briene by the Litines called Fanum Sancti Brioci a Bishops See and a well-traded Port seated upon the English Channel 4 Vanneâ— a Bishops See also situate on a capacious Bay at the mouth of the Vilain the chief Town of the Veneti whom Caesar placeth in this tract and makes them to be the mightiest People of all the Armoricans strongest in Shipping and best seen in Affairs at Sea 5 Croissie a little Haven at the mouth of the Loir and the onely Haven of this Part on the Gallick Ocean Then in Low Bâ—â—tagne or the more Western parts hereof there is 6 Bâ—est seated upon a spacious Bay of the Western Ocean the Key and Bulwark of this Countrie and the goodliest Harbour of all France 7 Morlais a convenient Port and well frequented 8 S. Pol de Leon and 9 Treguer both Bishops Sees both situate on the Sea-shore and both the chief Towns of the Ossismi whom Ptolomie and Strabo place upon this Coast the first of them neighboured by the Promontorie which they call Lâ— Four the Govaeum of Ptolomie 10 Kâ—mper Corentin a Bishops See also the chief Town of that part hereof which is called Cournovaille situate not far from the Foreland which they call Penmarch opposite to Le Four spoken of before A Sea Town this but not much talked of for the Haven for ought I can find 11 Conquet a well-frequented Road not far from Beest Chief places in the Midlands 1 Nantes the principall Citie of the Nannâ—tes by Ptolomie called Condivincinum a large fair strong and populous Citie seated upon the Loir a Bishops See and the Metropolis of Bretagne 2 Reâ—eâ— antiently the chief Town of the Rhedones called Condaâ—e by Ptolomie now a Bishops See and the Parliament Citie for this Countie established here Anno 1553 which maketh it very populous and of great Resort though not fully two miles in compass 3 Dâ—l an Episcopall Citie also but unwholesomely seated amongst Marishes 4 Dinan a rich and pleasant Town on the River Rance 5 L'Amballe the chief Town of the L'Ambiliates spoken of by Caesar 6 Rohar the title and inheritanâ—e of the Dukes of Roâ—an descended from a branch of the Ducall â—amilie of Bâ—eâ—agne by Mary the second Daughter of Duke Francis the first and Wife of Iohn then Viscount of Rohan 7 Ansenis the chief Seat of the now Duke of Vendâ—sme and the head of his Estates in Bretagne Of which possessed in the right of his Wife the Daughter of the Duke of Meâ—cocur by the Heir of Martignes another of the branches of this Ducall Familie 8 Chastâ—au-Briant a strong Peece on the borders of Normandie 9 Clisson the chief Town of the Dutchie of Raiz being that part of Bretagne which lieth on the South-side of the Loir a strong â—own and fortified with a very good Castle The Britans whosoever they were in their first Originall were questionless one of the first Nations that possessed any part of Gaul after the Conquest of the Romans Governed at first by their own Kings the most considerable of which was that Aldroenus or Auldran the Sonne
5 Glandeves antiently called Glanum a Bishops See seated upon the Maritim Alps. 6 Taulon by Ptolomie called â—auroentium and by some Tholone beautified with a fair and capacious Haven well stored with Oil great quantitie of Salt brought hither from the Isle of Ere 's about three Leagues off and a kind of Almonds called Provence Almonds made by this means one of the most requented Ports of the Med terranean 7 Antibi in Latin Antipolis a Sea-coast Town neer the River Varo one of the farthest of this Country towards Italy 8 Feriols the Forum Julium of the antients on the Mediterranean founded by the Massilians as before was said after a Colonie of the â—â—omanâ— 9. La Grace a Bishops See more within the Continent 10 Casteroâ— on the Borders of Daulphine 11 Brignols 12 Merindol and Chabriers two little Towns amongst the Mountains towards Daulphine not otherwise of note but for the horrid Massacre of the Protestants before described II. The Principalitiâ— of Orange lieth on the North-West of this Province watered with the Rivers of 1 Durance 2 Sâ—ile 3 Meine and 4 Ecque all helping to augment the Rhosne The chief places of it are 1 Aurange seated on the Meine an Episcopall See famous for many rare and wonderfull Antiquities demonstrating the Roman Greatness of whom once a Colonie but of most note in Church story for a Councill held here against the Semi-Pelagians in the year 444. called Arausicanum the Latin name of this Citie being antiently Arausia in some Writers Auriacus and of late Aurangiâ— 2 Estang 3 Bois de St. Pol more properly St. Paul de Vences being the Civitas Vencieâ—sium of Antoninus but not otherwise memorable As for the Princes hereof they were antiently of the Noble Family of the Baussii but Homagers and Tributaries to the Earls of Provence By Mary Daughter and Heir of Reynold the last of this Family it was conveyed im mariage to Iohn de Chalons one of the most noble houses of â—â—rgundy from the Earls whereof they were extracted Lewis the Sonne of this Iohn obteined of Rene Duke of Anjou and Earl of Provence the Soveraignty hereof as before was said By Claâ—de the Heir generall of this house bestowed in mariage by King Francis the first on Count Henry of Nassaw Ambassadour from Maximilian Emperour of Germany Anno 1514. it was translated to that Family where it still remaineth The Princes of Orange 1475. 1 Lewis of Chalons first absolute Prince of Orange 2 William de Chalons who submitted his Estate to the Parliament of Daâ—lphine to satisfie King Lewis 11th by whom restored again to his former Soveraignty 3 Johnde Chalons a bitter enemy to King Lewis in defence of the rights of Mary Dutchess of Burgundy 1500. 4 Philibert de Chalons slain at the siedge of Florence where he commanded the Forces for Charles the fift 1530. 5 Henry of Nassaw in right of Claude his Wife Sister and Heir of Philibert 1536. 6 Rene of Nassaw Sonne of Henry and Claude slain at the siedge of Landrecie in the Netherlands 1544. 7 William of Nassaw Couzen German and next Heir of Rene the great Patron and Assertor of the Belgick Liberties against the Spaniard slain by a Partisan of Spain 1584. 1584. 8 Philip of Nassaw kept as an Hostage all his life by the King of Spain 9 Maurice of Nassaw Brother of Philip Commander of the Forces of the United Provinces 1625. 10 Hen. of Nassaw II. Successor to his Brother Maurice in his Offices Estates and Honours 1648. 11 William of Nassaw II. the Sonne and Successor of Henry maried the Princess Mary eldest Daughter of Charles King of great Britain c. on May dâ—y 1641. The Revenues of this principality are about 30000 Crowns The Arms are Quarterly Gules a Bend Or 2 Or a Hunters Horn Azure stringed Gules the third as c. Over all an Escocheâ—on of Pretence Chequie Or and Azure More briefly thus Quarterly Chalons and Aurange under an Escocheon of Geneva Southward of Aurange lieth the County of VENAISCINE as the French call it Comitatus Veniessinus in the Latin so called from Avenio now Avignon the chief Citie of it Formerly it belonged to the Earls of Tholouse but held by them as Homagers for this estate of the Earls of Provence on the conviction of Earl Raymond condemned for Heresie brought under the protection and patronage of the Popes of Rome the more absolute Soveraignty hereof and of the Citie Avignon being setled on them by Queen Joane as before is said The principall Cities of this tract are 1 Avignon the Avenio of Strabo Plinie and Mela a very fair and flourishing Citie pleasantly â—eated on both sides of the River of Rhoâ—ne â—amous for being the residence of the â—opes for 70 yeers which time the Romans remember till this day by the name of the Babylonian captivity administring ever since an Oath unto the Pope at his Coronation not to remove his Seat to Avignon The first Pope that removed hither was 〈◊〉 the 5th Anno 1303 when as yet the Popes had no more right in it than that oâ— Patronage and Protection and returned again to Rome by Gregory the 11th Anno 1377. In this Citie are said to be 7 Palaces 7 Parish Churches 7 Monasteries 7 Nunneries 7 Innes and 7 Gates So that if there be any mysterie in the number of seven or any credit to be given to such Pythagorean divinity the Archbishop of this Citie may as well be entituled Antichrist as the Pope of Rome if there be nothing but the mysterie of this number of affix it to him It was made an Vniversity at the time of the Popes first setling here and so still continueth Alciate the great Emblematist being here Profesâ—our 2 Carpentras by Ptolomie called Carpentoracte a Bishops See as is also 3 Cavaillon of old Caballio once a Roman Colonie on the River Durance and 4 Tarascon on the Rhosne opposite to Beaucaire in Languedoc for the Popes dwelling here so long could not be otherwise attended than by mitred Prelates 5 Vason Civitas Vasionâ—nsium of Anteninus The Revenues of the Pope here are not very great and those expended all in keeping of Forts and Garrisons by reason of the ill neighbourhood of the Protestants of Orange So that it is supposed that it is rather a charge than a profit to him which maketh the people like very well to live under his Government as bringing more money to them than he gathereth from them The old Inhabitants of the whole Countrie were as appeareth the Salii Massilienses Vasionenses and Vencienses before mentioned besides the Deceates about Antibe the Senitii and Sigestori about Cisteron all conquered by the Romans in their first war in Gaule called in to aid those of Marseilles against the Salii The fortune of it since hath been shewn before Nothing remains now but the Catalogue of The Earls of Provence 1 Hugh de Arâ—es supposed to be the Sonne of Lotharius King of Austrasia and Waldrada his Concubine
of France was Duke of Burgundy in right of his Wife the Daughter of Giâ—bert 976. 4 Henry the Brother of Otho 1001. 5 Robert King of France Sonne of Hugh Capet succeeded in the Dukedom on the death of his Vncle Henry 1004. 6 Robert II. Sonne of this Robert and Brother of Henry King of France 1075. 7 Hugh the Nephew of Robert by his Sonne Henry became afterwards a Monk of Clugny 1097. 8 Odo or Otho II. Brother of Hugh 1102. 9 Hugh II. Sonne of Otho the 2d 1124. 10 Odes or Otho III. Sonne of Hugh the 2d 1165. 11 Hugh III. the Companion but great Enemy of our Richard the first in the Wars of the Holy-Land 1192. 12 Odes or Otho IV. Sonne of Hugh the 3d. 1218. 13 Hugh IV. an Adventurer with King Lewis the 9th in the Holy-Land 1273. 14 Robert III. Sonne of Hugh the 4th which Robert was the Father of Joan the Wife of Philip de Valois French King and Grandmother of Philip the Hardie after Duke of Burgundy 1308. 15 Hugh V. Sonne of Robert the 3d. 1315. 16 Eudes the Brother of Hugh was Earl of Burgundie also in right of his Wife 1349. 17 Philip the Grand-child of Eudes by his only Sonne Philip Duke and Earl of Burgundie by descent and Earl of Flanders and Artois in right of his Wife the last Duke of this Line 1363. 18 Philip II. surnamed the Hardie Sonne of Iohn King of France Sonne of Philip de Valois and Ioan Daughter of Robert the 3d. by Charls the 5th his Brother in whom the right of this Dukedom did them remain was made Duke of Burgundy and maried to the Heir of Flanders and the County of Burgundy 1404. 19 Iohn surnamed the Proud Sonne of Philip the 2d Duke and Earl of Burgundie and Earl of Flanders and Artois 1419. 20 Philip III. surnamed the Good who added most of the Netherlands unto his Estate 1467. 21 Charls the Warlike Earl of Charolois Sonne of Philip the Good After whose death slain by the Switzers at the battell of Nancie Lewis the 11th seized upon this Dukedom Anno 1476. pretending an Escheat thereof for want of Heires males uniting it for ever to the Crown of France Of the great wealth and potency of these last Dukes of Burgundie we shall speak further when we come to the description of Belgium the accession whereof to their Estates made them equall to most Kings in Christendom But for their Arms which properly belonged to them as Dukes of Burgundie they were Bendwise of Or and Azure a Border Gules Which Coat is usually marshalled in the Scutchions of the Kings of Spain that of the Earldom being omitted though in their possession The reasons of which are probably for I go but by guess partly because this being the older and Paternal Coat comprehends the other and partly to keep on foot the memory of his Title to the Dukedom it self in right of which he holdeth such a great Estate 19 The County of BVRGVNDIE THe County of BVRGVNDIE hath on the East the Mountain Iour which parts it from Switzerland on the West the Dntohie of Burgundie from which divided by the Soasne on the North a branch of the Mountain Vauge which runneth betwixt it and Lorreine on the the South La Bresse It is reckoned to be 90 miles in length about 60 in bredth and with the provinces of Daulphine La Bresse and Provence made up the Dukedom of Burgundie beyond the Soasne on the Eastern side of which it is wholly situate This part thereof now generally called the Frenche Comtè or the Free County because not under the command of the French Kings but living in a more free Estate than any Subjects of that Kingdom The Country in some parts very Mountainous but those Mountains yielding excellent Vineyards and having in recompence of a little barrenness an intermixture of most pleasing and fruitfull vallies swelling with plenty of all naturall commodities usefull unto the life of man and for variety of fresh streams and delightful Riverets inferiour only to the Dutchie The principall Towns and Cities of it are 1 Besanson called by Caesar Vesontio then the chief Citie of the Sequani as afterwards the Metropolis of the Province entituled Maxima Sequanorum by consequence an Archbishops See Seated betwixt two Mountains on the banks of the River Doux by which it is almost encompassed such artificiall Fortifications being added to it as make it very strong both by art and nature But this is an imperiall City not subject to the Government and Command of the Earls of Burgundie honoured with a small Universitie founded here Anno 1540. by Pope Iulio the 2d and Charles the fifth 2 Dole seated on the same River Doux for riches strength and beauty to be preferred before any in all the County of which it is the Parliament City and consequently of most resort for dispatch of business Antiently it was an University for the study of the Civill Lawes but now the University is devoured by a College of Iesuites who fearing lest the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches might creep in amongst the people not only have debarred them the use of the Protestants Books but have expresly forbid them to talk of GOD either in a good sort or in a bad 3 Salins so called from its salt fountains out of which came the greatest part of the Earls Revenue honoured for a while with the seat of the Parliament removed hither from Dole by King Lewis the 11th at such time as he held this Country beholding to him being a wise and politick Prince for many wholsome Ordinances still observed amongst them 4 Poligni the Bailliage of the Lower as 5 Vescal is of the Higher Burgundy 6 Arboise noted for the best Wines and 7. Laxoal for medicinable Bathes 8 Nazareth on the borders of Switzerland fortified with a very strong Castle the ordinary seat and retreat from business of the first Princes of Orange of the house of Chalons who had great possessions in this Country 9 Gray and 10 Chastel-Chalon 11 Quingey 12 Orgelet Here is also the great and famous Abbie of Clugny neer the Town of Beaum out of which so many Monasteries in the Western Church had their first Originall The old Inhabitants of this Countie were the Sequant a potent name contending with the Hedui and Arverni for the Soveraignty of Gaul till the strife was ended by the Romans under whom it made together with Switzerland the Province of Maxima Sequanorism In the declining of which Empire it fell to the Burgundians and by Rodolph the last King of the French Kingdom of Burgundy was given to Conrade the 2d Emperour of Germaneâ—e After that reckoned as a part of the German Empire governed by such Earls or Provinciall Officers as those Emperours lent hither Othâ— of Flanders Sonne to a Sister of the Emperour Conrade was the first that held it as Proprietarie the other three whom Paradine sets before him in his Catalogue of the
the Cantabrian Mountains by which parted from Guipuscoa and on the South with the River Aragon or Arga by which divided from that Kingdom It was called at first the Kingdom of Sobrarbre from a Town of that name situate in the most inaccessible part of the Pyrenees and therefore chose by Garcia Ximines the first King hereof for the seat of his Kingdom as most defensible against the fury of the Moores Afterwards it took the name of Navarre either from Navois signifying a plain and champagn Countrie first used by Inigo Arista the sixth King who having taken Pampelune abandoned the hill Countries and betook himself unto the Plains or from Navarriere the chief of the three parts into which that Citie was divided not only at the taking thereof but a long time after The Countrie though environed on all sides with mighty Mountains yet of it self is said to be reasonably fruitfull well watered and for the most part plain and level as before is said It taketh up some parts of both sides of the Pyrenees the Spanish side being fertile and adorned with trees the French side generally very bare and naked That on the Spanish side and on the summits of the Mountains now possessed by the Spaniard is called High Navarre that on the French side now called Base or Low Navarre estimated at a sixth part of the whole Kingdom is enjoyed by the French incorporated by King Lewis the 13. to the Realm of France Anno 1620. Places of most importance in Base Navarre 1. S. Palai formerly the place of Iudicature for this part of the Kingdom but in the year 1620. removed to Pau in the Principality of Bearn both Bearn and Base Navarre which had before been governed as distinct Estates from the Realm of France being then incorporate to that Crown 2. Navarreux a Town of great importance seven Leagues from Pan well fortified and as well munitioned King Lewis the 13. finding in it at his coming thither Anno 1620. no fewer then 45 Cannons all mounted besides 40 Culverins and smaler Peeces with Powder Buller and Victuals answerable thereunto 3. Pâ—ed de Port or S. Iohn de Pied de Port bordering on the edge of France against which formerly a Peece of especiall strength 4. Roncevallis or Roncâ—vaux situate in the most pleasant Countrie of all Navarre in the entrance of a small but delightfull Valley famous for the great battel fought neer unto it in the streights or entrances of the Mountains leading to this Valley betwixt the French under Charlemagne and a great Army of Moores and natural Spaniards confederate together in defence of their common Liberty In which battel by the treachery of Gavelon 40000 of the French were slain aud amongst them Rowland Earl of Mans the Nephew of Charles and others of the Peers of France of whom so many Fables are reported in the old Romances the first Author of which Fables passeth under the name of Archb. â—urpin said to be one of those twelve Peers who taking on him to record the Acts of Charles the Great hath interlaced his Storie with a number of ridiculous vanities by means whereof the noble Acts of that puissant Emperour and his gallant Followers are much obscured and blemished by those very pens which in the times succeeding did employ themselves to advance the same Of special note in High Navarre 1. Victoria first built or rather reedified by Sancho the 4th King of Navarre Anno 1180. by whom thus named in memory of some victory obtained thereabouts against the Castilians as in like case there had been many Towns built by the Greeks and Romans by the name of Nicopolis or the Citie of Victorie which we shall meet withall hereafter Situate in the place of the antient Vellica but graced with the privileges and name of a Citie by Iohn the 2d of Castile after it came under the command of that Crown Anno 1432. A Town belonging properly to the little Province of Olava and the chief thereof which Province being wholly in and amongst the Cantabrian Mountains was of old a member of Navarre but being extorted from it Anno 1200 by Alphonso the 2d of Castile it was in the year 133â— incorporated into that Crown as a part thereof as were some other Towns and members of this Kingdom also won by the Castilians 2 Viane the title of the eldest Sonne of Naevarre who was called Prince of Viane advanced unto this â—honout by King Charles the 3d Anno 1421. in imitation of the like custom in Castle were the eldest Sonne was called Prince of the Asturiaâ— but not less memorable for the death of Caesar Borgia slain neer unto it in an ambush after all his wanderings and interchangeableness of fortunes For being sonne of Pope Alexander the sixth by birth a Spaniard he was by his Father made a Cardinal but relinquishing that Title by Charles the eighth of France created Duke of Valeatinois in the Province of Daulphine during his Fathers life he had reduced under his obedience divers of the Estates which antiently had belonged to the Church of Rome but after his decease imprisoned by Pope Iulio the second who was jealous not without good cause of his plots and practices From Rome he stole unto Gonsalvo then Vice-Roy of Naples for Ferdinando the Catholique who notwithstanding his safe conduct sent him prisoner to Spain but breaking prison desperarely sliding down a window he came at last into this kingdom and was here slain in an Ambuscado as before was said So many times was Machiavels great Politician over-reached by Bookmen and Souldiers 3 Sobrarbre in the most inaccessible parts of the Pyrenees for that cause made the first seat of the Kings of Navarre entituled from thence the Kings of Subrarbre Made afterwards a distinct Kingdom from Navarre by Saâ—châ— the great who gave it to Gonsales his youngest Sonne after whose death not having issue it was seized on by Don Raymâ—r the first King of Aragon and made a Member of that Crown 4 Sanguessâ— a Town of a large territorie and jurisdiction privileged with a Suffrage in the Convention of Estates and a strong Fortress on the borders towards Aragon for which cause formerly aimed at by the Kings thereof who have had it sometimes in their hands 5 Pampelun in the Champagn Country on the banks of the River Arga the Metropolis of this Kingdom and the seat Royall of its Kings since the Conquest of it from the Moores by Inigo Arista the sixt King of Navarre Of old divided into three parts that is to say Bourg Peuplement and Navarriere each having severall Officers and Iurisdictions the cause of many quarrels and much blood amongst them till all united into one body and reduced under the command of one chief Magistrate by King Charles the third An antient Town first built by Pompey at the end of his wars against Seâ—toâ—ius in memory of whom called Pompeiopolis by our modern Lâ—â—inists but Pampeloa more neer unto the present name
that dissolute behaviour that he could not be admitted to these tithings was forthwith conveyed to the house of correction By this course every man was not carefull only of his own actions but had an eye to all the nine for whom he stood bound as the nine had over him insomuch that a poor girl might travell safely with a bagge of gold in her hand and none durst meddle with her The antientest of these ten men were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tithingmen Ten of the nighest or neighbouring tithings made the lesser Division which we call hundreds which name cannot be derived from the like number of villages for none of our hundreds are so large and one of them there is in Berk-shire which containeth five hamlets onely We have then a division of the Realm into 40 Shires of the Shires into divers hundreds and of the hundreds into ten tithings And this division made by Alfride still remains in forceâ— as also doth the High Sheriff and the rest of the subordinate Officers the office of the High Sheriff consisting especially at this time in executing Arrests assisting the Itinerary Judges gathering the Kings Fines and Amerciaments and raising the Posse Comitatus if occasion be But for the Civill part of government in the severall Counties it is most in the hands of such as we call Iustices of the Peaces authorised by Commission under the Great Seal of England appointed first by that prudent Prince King Edward the first by the name of Custodes Pacis Guardians of the Peace and first called Iustices of the Peace in the 36 of King Edward the 3d Cap. 11. A form of Government so much conducing to the prosperity of the Countrie and the securitie of the People that King Iames the first Monarch of Great Britain established it by Law in the Kingdom of Scotland Then for the Courts which are still kept in every Shire they are either the County Court holden every moneth wherein the Sherâ—ff or his sufficient Deputy commonly presideth or the Assizes and Court of Gaol-delivery held twice a yeer by the Iudges Itinerant assisted by the Iustices of the Peace and others in Commission with them There are also two Officers in every hundred chosen out of the Yeomanrie whom we call the Constables of the hundred who receiving the Precepts or Warrants of the Sheriff or Iustices dispatcheth them to the Tithingman or Petit Constable of each town and village in their severall Divisions And in each hundred a Court kept once in three Weeks by the Steward of the hundred or his Deputy capable of Pleas or Actions under the value of 40 s. though in some few of these Courts also as in that of Slaughter-hundred in Glocester the value of the Action by some speciall Charter be left unlimited The like Courts also holden in some antient Burroughs And besides these in every Village are two severall Courts and these two holden twice a yeer if occasion be held by the Steward of the Manour in the one of which called the Court Leeâ— there is Enquirie made into Treasons Felonies Murders and other Cases falling between the King and the Subject and in the other which we call by the name of Court Baron such onely as concern the Lord and Tenants and these last summened for the most part at the will of the Lord So that Comines had we see good reason for this Affirmation that of all the Signeuries in the World that ever he knew the Realm of England was the Countrie in which the Commonwealth was best governed To return again unto the Shires some of them take their names from the old Inhabitants as Cumberland from the Cymrâ— or antient Britains Essex and Sussex from the East and South Saxons some from the situation of them as Northumberland Norfolk Suthfolk Devonshire this last so called from Devinam a Welch or British word signifying Low Vallies of which it very much consisteth Some from the form or figure of them as Cornwall from the resemblance which it hath to an horn and Kent in Latine Cantium because it lieth in a Canton or Corner of the Iland Some from Accidents therein as Berkshire or Berockshire from the abundance of Boxe which the Saxons call by the name of Beroc the most part from the principall Town of all the Countie as Glocester Oxford and the like Of these Shires the biggest beyond all compare is the County of York out of which 70000 men may be raised for present service if need so require And in them all comprehended 8709 Parishes besides those of Wales not reckoning in such Chappels as we call Chappels of Ease in greatness not inferour to many Parishes 22 Cities and 585 Market Towns which are no Cities and in the Towns and Villages to the number of 145 Castles or ruines of Castles few of them places of importance and such as are belonging generally to the King who suffer not any of their Subjects to nest themselves in Strong Holds and Castles Cities of most observation in it 1 London seated on the Thames by which divided into two parts conjoyned together by a stately and magnificent Bridge spoken of before The River capable in this place of the greatest Ships by means whereof it hath been reckoned a long time for one of the most famous Mart-Towns in Christendom and not long since had so much got precedencie of all the rest that the greatest part of the wealth of Europe was driven up that River A Citie of great note in the time of the Roman conquest to whom it was first known by the name of Londinum a Town at that time of great trade and riches and by them honoured with the title of Augustae Increased of late very much in buildings contiguous to some Towns Villages from which in former times disjoyned by some distant intervalls So that the Circuit may contain 8 miles at least in which space are 122 Parish Churches the Palace of the King the houses of the Nobility Colleges for the study of the Laws I mean not the Civill Law which is Ius Gentium but as we call it the Common Law appropriate only to this Kingdom It is wondrous populous containing well nigh 600000 people which number is much angmented in the Term time Some compare London with Paris thus London is the richer the more populous and more antient Paris the greater more uniform and better fortified But for my part as I doe not think that London is the more populous so neither can I grant that Paris is the greater Citie except we measure them by the Walls For taking in the Suburbs of both and all that passeth in Accompt by the name of London and I conceive that if London were cast into the same orbicular figure the circumference of it would be larger than that of Paris For uniformity of building Paris indeed doth goe beyond it but may in that be equalled also in some tract of time if the design begun
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
a Bishops See by King Henry the 8th The buildings generally fair the Streets wide and open with Galleries before every door under which a man may walk dry from one end to the other The rest of chief note shall be specified on another occasion with this advertisment that the ordinary Cities of England are not to be compared with those of France and Italy First because the Nobles and Gentry of those Countries live for the most part in the Cities ours in Country-Villages And secondly because the Londoners so ingross all trading that they draw thither all the Wealth and treasure of the Kingdom By means whereof that every day increaseth in wealth and beauty the rest except Bristol only doe decay as sensibly that Citie being like the Spleen in the body naturall the monstrous growth whereof starveth all the rest of the Members Liene excrâ—scenâ—e reliquum corpus contabescit as the Doctors have it There are in England but two Vniversities which may equall six nay ten of all other Countries so that Paris be not in the number most of them being no better than our Colleges of Westminster Eaton or Winchester and none so liberally endowed as some one of these in the Vniversities Of which there are 16 in Cambridge some of them called only by the name of Halls but these endowed with Lands and Fellowships as the others are In Oxford there 18 Colleges endowed with Lands besides six Halls where Students live at their own charges in both of them Professors of the Arts and Sciences as also of Divinity Law Physick and the Learned Languages with liberall Salaries and in each to the number of 3000 Students so regular in their lives and conversations as are not to be found in the World besides The fairer and more antient Oxford which of long time together with Paris in France Bononia in Italy and Salamanca in Spain hath been honoured with the Title of Generale studium For that the Vniversity of Cambridge though giving upper hand to her Sister of Oxford she may take place of all the Vniversities in the World besides is not of so long standing as that of Oxford is evident by the testimony of Robertus de Remington cited by Master Camden viz. Regnante Edwardo primo It should rather be read secundo de studio Grantbridge facta est Academia sicut Oxonium where the word sicut doth not import an idenity of the time but a relation to Oxford as to the pattern We see this truth yet clearer in the Bull of Pope Iohn the 21 the contemporary of our Edward 2d as I find in the work of that great Searcher of Academicell Antiquities Mr. Brian Twine Aâ—ostolica authoritate statuimus saith the Bull quod Collegium magistrorum scholariâ—m ejusdem studij speaking of Cambridge Vniversitas siz censenda c. But what need more than Resolution of the Commons of the first Parliament holden under King Iames. For when he Clerk of that House had put the name of Cambridge before Oxford they taking disdainfully that Hysteron Proteron commanded the Antiquities of both Vniversities to be searched and after fearch made gave the place to Oxford But to proceed the Vniversity of Cambridge as it was much of a later Foundation so was it long before it grew into esteem insomuch that when William of Waâ—nslate Bishop of Winchester and Founder of Magdalen College in Oxon whereof I was once an unworthy Member perswaded King Henry the sixth to erect a College in Oxford as some of the Kings his Predecessors had done before him immo potius Cantabrigiae replyed the King Vt duas si fieri possit in Anglia Academias habeam No said the King in Cambridge rather that so if possible I may have two Vniversities in my Realm of England As for the Storie of this Country that it was first peopled out of Gaul is affirmed by Caesar proved by many strong and concluding Arguments as their Religion Manners Languages Customs and the neerness of the one to the other To omit therefore the Fable of Brute and the Catalogue of 68 Kings which are said to have reigned here successively before the coming of the Romans Certain it is that Caesar found the Countrey cantoned into many Kingdoms four in Kent alone and the people to be very rude and illiterate Such Learning as they had was locked up in the brests of the Druides who committed nothing unto writing and by that means kept the People in continuall ignorance communicating what they knew to none but those of their own Order and therein being sought to by the Druides or Priests of Gaul who came over into this Island to them and did from them receive the knowledge of their sacred Mysteries Being conquered or discovered rather by Iulius Caesar it was not so much as looked after by the two next Emperours Augustus and Tiberius counting it an high point of Wisdom not to extend the Empire beyond the Ocean Caligula had once a mind to the Adventure but he durst not follow it But Claudius his Successor undertook the Enterprise sollicited thereunto by Bericus a noble Briton who for sedition and some practices against the publick was expelled the Countrey Hereupon Aulus Plautius is sent over with some Roman Forces by whom and Pâ— Ostorius Scapula his Successor Togodumnus and Caractacus two Kings of the Britains were severally overcome in battel a Roman Colonie planted at Camalodunum and the Southern parts thereof reduced to the form of a Province After this time by little and little the whole was conquered as far as to the Frythes of Dunbarten and Edenburgh Agricola in the time of Domitian having the happiness and good fortune to goe beyond the furthest of his Predecessors and so much moderation not to venture further where there was nothing to be got but blowes cold and hunger At the first entrance of the Romans the Iland was divided into severall Nations each governed by its own Kings and particular Princes different in their ends and counsels and so more easily subdued by united Forces The principall of which for it is needless to make mention of inferiour Claâ—s were 1 the Danmonij containing Devonshire and Cornwall whose chief Cities were Isca now Exeter and Volcha neer the Town of Falmouth in Cornwall 2 the Durotriges inhabiting only in the County of Dorset whose chief Citie was Danium or Durnovaria which we now call Vorchester 3 the Belgae planted in the Counties of Somerset Southampton and Wilts whose chief Cities were Aquae calidae now Bath Ventu Belgarum now Winchester and Sorbioâ—unum the seat of old Salisbury 4 the Attrebatij confined within Barkshire only the chief Citie of whom was Guallena where now is Wallingfâ—rd 5 the Regni possessed of Sussex and Surrey whose chief Cities were Vindeliâ— now Winchelsey and Neomagus situate some ten miles from London 6 the Cantianâ— or the Kentish having Durovernum now Canterbury Dubris now Dover and Rhutupiae now called Richborough for their principall Cities
7 the â—rinobantes of Midlesex and Essex where London called afterwards Augusta Trinobantum and Camalâ—dunum the first Roman Colonie now called Maldon the Seat Royall of Cunabelinus King of the Trinobantes in the time of the Romans 8 The Catieuchlani dwelling in the Counties of Buckingham Bedford and Hartford whose Towns of most importance were Magivintum now called Dunstable and Verulamium neer S. Albans the strongest Hold the Britains had in their wars with Caesar 9 The Iceni living in the Counties of Suffolk Norfolk Huntington and Cambridge their principall Cities being Villa Fastini now S. Edmundsburâ— â—ito magus now Thetford Durolis now Godmanchester and Camboritum or Cambridge 10 Câ—ritani who took up the whole Counties of Lincoln Leicester Rutland Nottingham Northampton and Darby principall Towns of which were Lâ—ndum now Lincoln Râ—ugo where now is Leicester Guusenxae not far from Stamford now called Bridge-Castertâ—n Agelâ—cis now Litleborough a small Village neer Newark upon Trent Triâ—ontium now Tâ—rcester not far from Northampton 11 the Brigantes the greatest Nation of the Iland filling all Yorkeshire the Bishoprick of Durham Cumberland Westmerland and the Countie Palatine of Laneacter in a word all the North of England except Northumberland the dwelling of the 12 Oltadiâ—â— whose chief Town was Bremenium thought now to be Riâ—chester in Ruadisdaâ—e Principall places of which large and potent Nation were Isaurium now Alâ—borrow in the North Riding Eboracum or York in the West Riding and Pâ—tuariâ— thought to be Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire Vinovium where now is Binchâ—ster in the Bishoprick Epâ—acum now Pap-Castle in Cumberland Caelatum now 〈◊〉 Castle in Westmorland and Rhtgodunum now Rible-Chester in the County Palatine of Lancaster 13 The Cornavii seated in the Counties of Chester Saloâ— Worcester Stafford and Warwick whose principall Towns were Denvania or Legiovicesima Victâ—ix now West-Chester Uriconium now Wroxâ—â—er an ignoble village Pennocrucium now Penkridge not far from Stafford Brannogenium now Worcester Manduessedum now Manchester on the River Anker 14 And last of all the Dobuni of Oxford and Glocestershires principall places of the which were Dorcinia now Dorchester seven miles from Oxford and Corinium or Cyrencester neer the head of the Thames Such Nations as are comprehended under the name of Wales and Scotland shall be remembred when we come to speak of those Countries These and the rest of Wales and Scotland as far as the Romans did proceed being once subdued Britain became a Member of the Roman Empire yet so that many of the Tribes had their own Kings and were suffered to govern by their own Lawes it being a known custome amongst the Romans as we find in Tacitus habere servitutis instrumenta Reges to permit Kings sometimes in the conquered Countries making them instrumentall to the peoples bondage And it is said of Lucius Verus the Roman Emperour that having put an end to the Parthian war Regna Regibus Provincias Comitibus suis regendas dedisse he gave those Kingdoms he had conquered to be ruled by Kings the Provinces to be governed by Proviniciall Earles Kings of which kind were Codigunus and Pratusagus spoken of by Tacitus Lucius before-mentioned the first Christian King and Coilus the Father of Helena Mother of Constantine the great But as afterward in the Heptarchie of the Saxons that King who over-ruled the rest and was of most power and estimation was called the Monarch of the English so probable enough it is that he amongst the British Kings who was in most credit with the Romans or of most power amongst his neighbours might be permitted to assume the Title of King of Britain The Catalogue of whom from Cassibelane to Constantine I have here subjoyned according to the tenor of the British Historie The Kings of Britain after the coming in of the Romans A. Ch. 1 Cassibelane King of the Trinobantes Commander of the Britans in the war against Julius Caesar 2 Theomantius 3 Cymbeline 4 Guiderius 45. 5 Arviragus by Hector Boetius called Pratusagus in whose times Britain was subdued by Aulus Plautius sent hither from the Emperour Claudius 73. 6 Marius 125. 7 Coilus the supposed Founder of Colchester 180. 8 LUCIUS the first Christian King of Britain and of all the World who dying without issue left the Roman Emperour his Heir 207. 9 Severus Emperour of Rome and King of Britain 211. 10 Bassianus Caracalla Sonne of Severus Emperour of Rome after his Father who lost the Kingdom of Britain to 218. 11 Carausius a Native of the Iland who rebelling against Caracalla obtained the Kingdom for himself 225. 12 Alectus 232. 13 Aesclepiodorus 260. 14 Cotlus II. the Father of Helena 289. 15 Constantius Emperour of Rome in right of Helena his Wife succeeded on the death of Coâ—lus the 2d 16 Constantine the great the Sonne of Helena and Constantius who added his Estates in Britain to the Roman Monarchie But to proceed Britain being thus made a Member of the Roman Empire it was at first divided into three Provinces onely that is to say Britannia prima so called because first subdued containing all the Countries on the South side of the Thames and those inhabited by the Trinâ—bantes Iceni Cattieuchlani whose Metropolis or chief City was London 2 Britannia Secunda comprising all the Nations on the further side of the Severn whose chief City was Caer-Leon upon Usk in the County of Monmouth and 3 Maxima Caesariensis including all the rest to the Northern border whereof the Metropolis was York each Province having severall Cities 28 in all Accordingly the Church conforming to the Plat-form of the Civill State there were appointed for the Government hereof eight and twenty Bishops residing in those severall Cities three of the which residing in the principall Cities were honoured with the Title of Metropolitans and a superiority over all the Bishops of their severall and respective Provinces And in this state it stood till the time of Constantine who in his new moulding of the Empire altered the bounds and enlarged the number of the Provinces adding two more unto and out of the former viz. Valentia conteining all the Country from the Frith of Solway and the Picts wall on the South to the Friths of Edenburgh and Dunbritton North and Flavia Caesariensis comprehending all between Thames and Humber the rest betwixt the Humber and the bounds of Valentia continuing under the old name of Maxima Caesariensis though now made less than any of the other four The number of the Provinces being thus enlarged he making the whole a full and complete Diocese of the Roman Empire whereas Spain had Tingitana added to it as before was shewn subordinate as Spain was also to the Praefectus Praetorio Galliarum and governed by his Vicarius or Lieutenant Generall By which division or rather subdivision of the Roman Provinces there was no other alteration made in the Ecclesiasticall government but that the British Church became more absolute and independent than it was before and had a Primate of
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
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
Ch. 877. 1 Amarawd 36. 913. 2 Idwallo 3 Merick 4 Iames or Iago 1067. 5 Conan Sonne of Iames. 1099. 6 Gryssith ap Conan 1120. 7 Owen Guinedth 1178. 8 David ap Owen 1194. 9 LLewellen ap Iarweth 1240. 10 David ap Llewellen 1246. 11 LLewellen II. Sonne of Gryffith the Brother of David ap LLwellen the last Prince of Wales of the British Race Of whom it is said that once consulting with a Wâ—tch he was told by her that it was his destiny to be caried in triumph thorow London with a Crown on his head Hereupon making some excursions on the Englâ—â—h Borders he drew upon himself the whole power of King Edward the first which not being able to withstand and the King as willing on the other side not to sight with Mountains Commissioners were appointed to conclude the differences Robert Lord Tiptoff and some others for the King of England and for the Welch Prince Grono ap Heylyn a great man of that Countrey descended from Brockwell Skythrac one of the Princes of Powys-land from whom if Camdâ—aâ—â—rentiâ—ux be of any credit the Author of these Papers doth derive his Pedegree under whom that Family had the Office of Hereditarie Cup-Bearer and from thence their name Heylyn Promus 〈◊〉 à poculis quae vox â—a proprium â—omen abiit saith the Welch Dictionarie By those Commissioners it was concluded and agreed on that LLewellen should enjoy a part of the Countrey with the Title of Prince during his life the rest in present and the whole after his decease to be surrendred over to the King of England But David the Brother of LLewellen finding himself excluded by this Agreement from the hope of succession incensed his Brother and the Welch to a new Revolt the issue whereof was the taking of David executed by the hand of justice and the death of LLewellen slain in Battail neer the Buelth in Brecknocksâ—ire Whose head being pitched upon a stake and adorned with a Paper-Crown was by a Horseman caried triumphantly thorow London Anno 1282. And so the Prophecie was fulfilled In him ended the Line of the Princes of North-Wales after they had for the space of 405 yeers resisted not only the private undertakers and Adventurers of England but the Forces of many puissant Monarchs whose attempts they alwayes made frustrate by retiring into the heart of their Countrey and leaving nothing for the English to encounter with but their Woods and Mountains But now the fatall period of the â—ritish Liberty being come they were constrained to yeeld to the stronger What followed after this we shall see anon The Arms of these Princes was quarterly Gules and Or four Lions Passant gardant counterchanged 2 POWISLAND contained the whole Counties of Montgomery and Radnor all Shropshire beyond the Severn with the Town of Shrewsbury and the rest of Denbigh and Flinâ—shires comprehending by the estimate of those times 15 Cantreds or hundreds of Villages the word Cant signifying an hundred and Tret a Village The principall Cities or Towns of it were S. Asaph Shrewsbury Matravall spoken of before A Countrey more partaking of the nature and fertility of England than the parts belonging unto Guinedth or North-Wales but alwayes lying in harms way by reason of the Neighbourhood of the more potent English and therefore given by Roderick to Merâ—yn his youngest Sonne partly because he was the youngest but chiefly because he was a man of approved valour and so more fit to have his portion upon the Borders In his Line it continued a long time together but much afflicted and dismembred by the â—arks of Chester and Shrewsbury who took from them a good part of Flint and Denbigh and 〈◊〉 and by the Princes of North-Wales who cast many a greedy eye upon it Of the Successors of Prince Mervyn I find no good Caâ—taâ— more than of Brockwell Skythrac before remembred The last that held it all entire was Meredyth ap Blethyn who following the ill example of Roderick Mawr divided it betwixt Madoc and Gryffith his two Sonnes Of which Maâ—eâ— died at Wiâ—chestâ—r Anno 1160 in the time of King Henry the 2d his part hereof depending after his decease on the Fortunes of Guinedâ—h and Gryffith was by Henry the first made Lord of 〈◊〉 the stile of Prince left off as too high and lofty In his Race it continued till the time of King Edward the first to whom at a Parliament holden in Shâ—ewsbury Owen ap Gâ—yffiâ—â—h the fifth from Gryâ—â—ith ap Meredith before mentioned surrendred his place and Title and received them of the King again to be holden in Capite and free Baronage according to the Custom of England Avis or Hawis Daughter and Heir of this Owen ap Gryffith was maried unto Iohn Charlâ—ton Valect or Gentleman of the Privie Chamber to King Edward the 2d by whom in right of his Wife he was made Lord Powis Edward the fift also of this Line of the Charleâ—ons was the last of that House his Daughter Jâ—ne conveying the Estate and Title to the House of the Greyes and of them also five enjoyed it the last Lord Powis of the Line or Race of Mervyn being Edward Grey who died in the dayes of our Grand Fathers And so the title lay extinct untill revived again in the person of Sir William Herbert of Red-castle descend from the Herberts Earls of Pembroke created Lord Powys by K. Charles the first Anno 1629. The Arms of the Princes of Powysland were Or a Lyon Rampant Gules 2 SOUTH-WALES or Deheubarâ—h conteined the Counties of Monmouth Glamorgan Caermarden Cardigan and Brecknock the greatest and most fruitfull part of all Wales but more exposed to the invasion of forrain Nations English Danes Flemmings and Norwegians by whom the Sea-Coasts were from time to time most grievously plagued Insomuch that the Kings and Princes hereof were inforced to remove their seat from Caermarthen where it was fixt at first unto Dynevour Castle as a place of greater strength and safety where it continued till the Princes of it were quite extinct called from hence Kings of Dynevour as before is said The chief Towns of it Caermarthen Monmouth Landaffe S. Davids spoken of alreadie The Kings and Princes as farre I can find upon any certainty are these that follow The Princes of South-Wales A. Ch. 877. 1 Cadel 2 Howel 907. 3 Howel Dha 948. 4 Owen 5 Aeneas 6 Theodore the great 1077. 7 Rhese ap Theodore 1093. 8 Gryffith ap Rhese 9 Rhese II. ap Gryffith 10 Gryffith ap Rhese the last Prince of South-Wales of the Line of Cadel after they had with great strugling maintained their liberty for the space of 300 years and upwards but so that though they still preserved the title of Princes they lost a great part of their Countrie to the Norman-English For in the reign of William Rusus Bernard de Newmark a noble Norman seized upon those parts which now make the Countie of Brecknock being then a fair and goodly Lordship and
deserved by him if the tale be false who did first report it 2ly That the Kine will yield no Milk if their Calves be not by them or at least their Calves skinnes stuffed with straw or Hay It is said also that all the breed of this Countrie are of less size than they be in England except Women and Greybounds and those much bigger than with us As for the Clergie of this Countrie they have been little beholding to their Lay-Patrons in former times some of their Bishops being so poor that they had no other Revenues than the Pasture of two Milch-Beasts And so far had the Monasteries and Religious houses invaded by Appropriations the Churches rights that of late times in the whole Province of Connaught the whole Stipend of the Incumbent was not above 40 shillings in some places not above 16. So that the poor Irish must needs be better fed than taught for ad tenuitatem Beneficiorum necessario sequitur ignorantia Sacerdotum Poor Benefices will be fitted with ignorant Priests said Panormitan rightly But this was remedied in part by his Sacred Majesty King CHARLES the second Monarch of Great Britain who liberally at the suit of the late Lord Arch-B of Canterbury restored unto this Church all the Impropriations and Portions of Tithes which had been vested in the Crown An action of most singular pietie and Princely bountie Principall Rivers of this Countrie are 1 the Shannon the Senas of Ptolomie which arising in the Mountains of Letrim in the County of Connaught and making many fair Lakes as it passeth forwards loseth it self after a course of 200 miles of which 60 navigable in the Western Ocean 2 The Liff by Ptolomie called Libnius neighboured by the City of Dublin 3 Awiduffe or Blackwater as the English call it 4 Sione supposed to be the Medona of the antient Writers 5 The Showre 6 The Slanie c. Of which and others of like note take this following Catalogue out of the Canto of the mariage of the Thames and Medway in the Faierie Queen There was the Liffie rowing down the lea The sandie Slane the stonie Aubrian The spacious Shenin spreading like a sea The pleasant Boyne the fishie-fruitfull Banne Swift Awiduffe which of the Englishman Is call'd Blackwater and the Liffar deep Sad Trowis that once his people over-ran Strong Allo tumbling from Slewlogheer steep And Mallo mine whose waves I wilom taught to weep There also was the wide-embayed Mayre The pleasant Bandon crown'd with many wood The spreading Lee that like an Iland fair Incloseth Cork with his divided flood And balefull Oure late stain'd with English blood With many more c. So the renowned Spencer in his Canto of the mariage of Thames and Medway But besides these Rivers this Iland is in most places well-stored with Lakes yeelding great plenty of Fish to the parts adjoyning The principall of which 1 Lough-Enne containing 15 miles in bredth and 30 miles in sength shaded with woods and so replenished with fish that the Fishermen complain of too much abundance and the often breaking of their nets It hath also in it many Ilands one most remarkable for the strange and horrid noises which are therein heard called therefore by the Vulgar S. Patricks Purgatorie Almost as big as this is 2 the Lake of Coâ—bes which loseth it self in the Sea not far from Galloway A Lake of 26 miles in length and four in bredth said to have in it 30 Ilets abounding with Pine-trees 3 Lough-Foyle supposed to be the Logia of Ptolomic 4 Lough-Eaugh out of which the River Banne abundantly well-stored with Salmons hath its first Originall And besides these and many others of less note there are said to be three Lakes in the Province of Meth not far asunder and having an entercourse of waters but of so different a temper that the Fish which are proper to the one for each of them hath its proper and peculiar sorts will not live in the other but either dieth or by some secret conveyances find a way to their own Lake out of which they were brought It was divided antiently into five Provinces each one a Kingdom of it self that is to say 1 Leinster 2 Meth 3 Ulster 4 Connaught and 5 Mounster but of late time the Province of Meth is reckoned for a Member or part of Leinster 1 LEINSTER by the Latines called Lagenia hath on the East the Irish Channel commonly called S. Georges Channel by which parted from the Isle of Great Britain on the West the River Newrie Neorus as the Latines call it which divides it from Mounster on the North the Province of Meth and the main Ocean on the South The Soil more fruitfull generally than the rest of Ireland because better cultivated and manured as having been longest in the possession of the English from whom a great part of the Inhabitants doe derive themâ—elves and for that reason more conformable to the civilities and habit of the English Nation Well watred besides a large Sea-coast with many fair and pleasant Rivers the principall whereof 1 the Barrow called in Latine Birgus 2 the Newrie 3 the Showre and 4 the Liffie the Libmus of Ptolomie neighbouring Dublin the chief City It containeth the Counties of 1 Dublin 2 Kilkenny 3 Caterlough 4 Kildare 5 Lease or Queens County 6 Ophalie or Kings County and 7 Wâ—ishford in which are comprehended 34 Towns of note and 88 Castles well-fortified and able to make good resistance against an Enemy the English being forced to fortifie themselves in their Plantations with strong holds and fortresses against the incursions of the Natives Place of most observation in it 1 Dublin supposed to be the Eblana of Ptolomie by the Irish called Balaâ—leigh because being seated in a fennie and moorish Soil it was built on piles as the word doth signifie in that language Situate at or neer the mouth of the Rive Liffie which affordeth it a commodious Haven but that the entrances thereof are many times encumbred with heaps of Sand. The Citie very rich and populous as being the Metropolis of all the Iland the Seat of the Lord Deputy an Archbishops See and an Vniversity besides the benefit redounding from the Courts of Iustice In those respects well-fortified against all emergencies and adorned with many goodly buildings both private and publique The principall of which are the Castle wherein the Lord Deputy resideth built by Henry Loandres once Archbishop here a College founded by Queen Elizabeth to the honour and by the name of the blessed Trinity the Cathedrall Church dedicated to S. Patrick the Apostle of the Irish Nation a fair Collegiate Church called Christ-Church besides thirteen others destinated to Parochial meetings Being destroyed almost to nothing in the Danish Wars it was re-edified by Harald surnamed Harfager King of the Norwegians then Masters of most parts of the Iland and after the subjection of it to the Crown of England was peopled with a Colonie of Bristol men 2 Weishford
or Wexford the Menapia of Ptolemie situate on the mouth of the River Slane supposed to be the Modona of the same Author the first of all the Towns in Ireland which received a Colonie of English 3 Kilkenny on the River Newre the chief Seat of the Bishop of Osserie and the fairest Town of all the In-lands so called quasi Cella Canicâ— the Cell or Monastery of Canicus a man of great renown for pietie in these parts of the Countrie 4 Kildare an In-land Town also and a Bishops See but of more note for giving the Title of an Earl to the antient Family of the Fitz-Geralds of long time honoured with this title One of which being much complained of to King Henry the 8th as a man of so unquiet and turbulent a nature that his Adversaries closed their charge against him with this expression Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl the King replyed that then this Earl should rule all Ireland and so for his lests sake made him Lord Deputy of the Kingdom 5 Rosse once populous well-traded and of large Circumference now a ruine onely nothing remaining but the Walls which were built by Isabell the Daughter of Richard Strongbow Earl of Pembroke the fortunate Conquerour of this Iland for King Henry the 2d 6 Philips Town the principall of the County of Ophalie or Kings Countie so called in honour of King Philip as 7 Marieburg the chief of Lease or the Queens County was in honour of Queen Mary 8 Leighlin a place of great importance well walled and fortified against the incursion of the Irish by the Lord Deputy Bellingham 9 Caterlâ—gh commonly but corruptly Carlough a Town of great strength and the chief of that County 10 Rheban not otherwise of note but that it is conceived to be the Rheba of Ptolomie 2 METH by the Latines called Media by Giraldus Midia because situate in the middest of the land hath on the South Leinster on the West Connaught on the North Vlster on the East the Irish Sea or S. Georges Channel A small but rich and pleasant Province well stocked with people and stored with all things necessary for their sustentation and for a sweet and wholesom Air not inferiour to any Divided into three Counties onely that is to say 1 〈◊〉 Meth 2 West-Metâ— and 3 Long ford containing 13 Towns of note and â—4 Castles of good esteem By reason of which strength it is called by some writers the Chamber of Ireland Townes of most consequence herein 1 Trim the chief Town of the County of East-Meth the antient Baronie of the Lacies possessed in former times of a fair Revenue in this County and Lords of the greatest parts of Vlster 2 Tredah more properly Droghedah situate on the River Bâ—ine on the edge of Ulster to which Province belongs so much of the Town as heth on the North side of that River a very fair and populous City as well by art as Nature very strongly fortified and furnished with a large and commodious Haven It took the name of Drogheda from the Bridge there built upon the River for the Conveniency of passage as the word signifieth in that Language and therefore called Pontana by some Latine writers 3 Mulinga the chief Town of West-Meth 4 Delvin in the same County also the Baronie of the Nagents an antient Familie in this tract 5 Longford of most note in the Countty so named but not else observable As for the fortunes of this Province for Lâ—inster sinâ—e the first Conquest of it hath been inseparably aâ—nexed to the Crown of England it was first granted in Fee Farm by King Henry the 2d to Hugh Lacy a Man of great merit and imployment in the Conquest of Ireland who left it unto Waâ—ter his younger Sonne By Margaret and Matildâ— the Neeces of this Walâ—er by his Sorne Gilbert one moyety hereof came to the Morâ—imers Earls of March and in their right unto the Crown in King Edward the fourth and the other moyety to the Verduns by whom dispersed and scatered into divers Families Accompted for one County only till the time of King Henry the 8th in whose reign it was divided into East-Meth and West-Meth to which the County of Longford was after added as it continueth to this day 3 VLSTER by the Latines called Vltonia is the largest Province of all Ireland bounded on the South with Meth and Connaught on the West with the vast Irish Ocean on the North with that part of the Northern Ocean to which Ptolomie gives the name of Hiperborean and on the East with S. Georges Channel A Country fruitfull of it self but in most places formerly over-grown with Woods and drowned in Marishes and great bogs by the naturall slothfulness of the people made more responsall to the husbandman both for corn and pasturage since the late Plantation of the British than in times foregoing It is divided into the Counties of 1 Louth 2 Cavan 3 Fermanath 4 Down 5 Monaghan 6 Armagh 7 Colrane 8 Tirconnel 9 Tiâ—-Oâ—n and 10 Antrim In which are comprehended 14 Towns of note for Commerce and Traffick and 30 Castles for defence of the Countrie and keeping under the wild Irish wilder and more untractable in these Northern parts than the rest of Ireland The whole well watered with a large and spacious Sea on three sides thereof many great Lakes in the body of it besides the Rivers of 1 Boyne called in Latine Bâ—anda which divides it from Meth 2 the Bann 3 Moandus and 4 the Eyn belonging to this Province wholly Places of most importance in it 1 Armagh on or neer the River Kalin the chief Town of the County so called and the See of an Arch-Bishop who is the Primate of all Ireland An antient City but so miserably defaced by fire in Tir-Oens Rebellion that it can scarce preserve the reputation of a Market Town 2 Carlingford and 3 Dundalk both situate on the Sea side and both within the County of Louth 4 Knock-Fergus the chief of Antrim more properly Rock-Fâ—rgus and in that sense called Carig-Fergus by the Irish so called from Fergus one of the Kings of the Irish Scots who there suffered Shipwrack Seated upon a large and capacious Bay the Vinderâ—us of Ptolomie which giveth it both a safe and commodious Port as well by naturall situation as the works of Art very strongly fortified by reason of the neighbourhood of the Scots in Cantire from which little distant 5 London-Derry a Colonie of the Londoners best built of any Town in the North of Ireland 6 Dungannon the principall seat and residence in former times of the great Oneales 7 Dungall the principall of Tir-Connell 8 Robogh a small Village at present but antiently a Bishops See fit to be mentioned in this place in regard it still preserveth some footsteps of the old Râ—bogdii an Irish Tribe and placed by Ptolomie in this tract where they gave name unto the promontory by him called Robogdâ—um now the Faire-Fore-land as is probably conceived
worship there a peece of the holy Cross as it was supposed which supposition as it drew much wealth unto the Town so it obtained the rights of a County Palaâ—â—e for the County also 5 Thurles in the same Countie which gives the title of a Vicount to the Earls of â—rmona but not else observable 6 Waterford on the River Showre a well-traded Port a Bishops See and the second Citie of the Kingdom Of great fidelity to the English since the conquest of Ireland and for that cause endowed with many ample privileges First built by some Norwegian Pirates who though they fixed it in one of the most barren parts and most foggie air of all the Country yet they made choice of such a safe and commodious site for the use of shipping that of a nest of Pirats it was eftsoons made a Receipt for Merchants and suddenly grew up to great wealth and power 6 Cork by the Latines called Corcagia the principall of that Countie and a Bishops See well walled and fitted with a very commodious Haven consisting chiefly of one Street reaching out in length inhabited by a civill wealthy and industrious people 7 Dunk-Eran an old Episcopall See supposed by some to be the Ivernis of Ptolomie but not else observable 8 Kinsale upon the mouth of the River Rany a commodious Port opposite to the Coasts of Spain and fortified in Tir-Oens Rebellion by a Spanish Garrison under the command of Don Iohn de Aquilar ' but soon recovered after the defeat of that Grand Rebel neer the Walls hereof by the valour and indefatigable industrie of Charles Lord Mountjoy the then Lord Deputy of this Kingdom 9 Baltimore 10 Youghall and 11 Bere-haviâ—â— all upon the Sea and all provided of safe Roads or convenient Havens 12 Lâ—smore of old a Bishops See now annexed to Waterford in which shire it standeth Nothing in point of storie singular which concerns this Province but that it was so carefully looked to by the Kings of England that there was appointed over it a peculiar Officer in the reign of Queen Elizabeth in power and place next to the Deputie himself called the Lord President of Mounster by whose vigilancie there have hapned fewer Rebellions here than in any Province of this Iland The antient Inhabitants of this Iland being originally Britans as before is said were in the time of Ptolomic distinguished into the Nations of the Rhobognii Darmi Volnntii Venâ—cniâ— and Erdini possessing the Northern parts now Vlster the Anteri Gangani and Nagnatae inhabiting Connaught the Velibori Vterni Vodii and Coriondi in the South now Mounster and the Menapii Cauci Blanii Brigantes taking up the Provinces of Meth and Leinster Principall Cities of the which were Eblana now Dublin Menapia now Waterford Nagnata which Ptolomie honoureth with the title of Vrbs insignis Rhigia Rheba Macolicum Laberus Ivernis c. not easily discernable by what names we may call them now this Countrie never being so happy as to come under the power of the Romans the great Masters of Civilitie and good Letters in the West of Europe and by that means the Actions and affairs thereof buried in ignorance and silence Towards the falling of which Empire we find the Nation of the Scots to be seated here and from hence first to take possession of the Hebrides or Western Isles next of the Western part of Britain on the the NOrth of Solway Afterwards some of the Saxon Monarchs cast their eyes upon it and made themselves masters of Dublin and some other places but being encumbred with the Danes could not hold them long being hardly able to defend their own against that people The next that undertook the conquest were the Northern Nations Danes Swedes and Normans all passing in the Chronicles of that time under the name of Norwegians who first onely scowred along the Coasts in the way of Piracie But after finding the weakness of the Iland divided amongst many petit and inconsiderable Princes they made an absolute conquest of it under the conduct of Turgesius whom they elected for their King soon rooted out by the Policie of the King of Meth the only Irish Prince who was in favour with the Tyrant This petit King by name Omo-Caghlen had a Daughter of renowned beautie whom Turgesius demanded of her Father to serve his lusts and he seeming willing to condescend to the motion as if honoured by it made answer That besides his Daughter he had at his disposing many others of more exquisite beauties which should all be readie at command Turgesius swallowing this bait desired him with all speed to effect this meeting But the King of Meth attiring in the habits of Women a company of young Gentlemen who durst for the common liberty adventure their severall lives conducted them to the Tyrants Bed-chamber And they according to the directions given them when for that little modesty sake he had in him he had commanded all his attendants to avoid the room assaulted him now ready for and expecting more kind embraces and left him dead in the place The Methian King had by this time acquainted divers of the better sort with his plot all which upon a signe given rush into the Palace and put to death all the Norwegians and other attendants of the Tyrant After this the Roytelets enjoyed their former Dominions till the yeer 1172 in which Dermot Mac Morogh King of Leinster having forced the Wife of Maurice O Rork King of Meth and being by him driven out of his Kingdom came to the Court of England for succour To this Petition Henry the second then King condescended sending him ayd under the leading of Richard de Clare surnamed Sâ—rongbow Earl of Pembroke who restored King Dermot and brought a great part of the Iland under the English subjection John King of England was the first who was entituled Lord of Ireland which stile was granted him by Pope Urban the 3d who for the ornament of his royaltie sent him a plume of Pcacock Feathers and when Tir-Oen stiled himself Defender of the Irish Libertie he was by Clement the 8 honored with a like plume But here we are to understand that though the Kings of England used no other title than Lords of Ireland yet were they Kings thereof in effect and power Lords Paramount as we use to say And though themselves retained only the name of Lords yet one of them gave to one of his English Subjects the honourable but invidious title of Duke of Ireland And they retained this title of Lords till the yeer 1542 in which Henry the 8th in an Irish Parliament was declared K. of Ireland as a name more sacred and repleat with Majestie than that of Lord at which time also he was declared to be the Supreme Head under God of the Church of Ireland and the pretended jurisdiction of all forein Powers especially the usurped Autoritie of the Pope of 〈◊〉 renownced by Law though still acknowledged by too many of this it perstitious
bounded on the East with Cleveland and the Earldome of Zutphen on the West with Holland and Vtrecht on the North with Over-yssell and the Zuider-Zee and on the South with Brabant and the land of Gulick The countrie flat having few hils in it but many pleasant and commodious woods especially that called Echterwalt of corne and cattell very fruitfull The whole Countrey is generally divided into two parts 1. The Veluwe contained within the Zuider-Zee the Rhene and the Yssell the barrener of the two and the worse inhabited the people hereof preferring wealth before health as in other places but affording a more pure aire and a pleasanter dwelling then the other the woods and forrests well replenished with most kinds of game 2. The Betuwe so called of the Batavi who possessed these parts intercepted betwixt the middle Rhene and the Wael exceedingly fruitfull in corn and of so excellent a pasturage for the feeding of Cattell that in the year 1570. there was a Guelderland Bull sold in Antwerp which weighed 3200. pounds In both divisions not reckoning in the county of Zutphen are contained 300. villages and 16. walled Towns besides some fortified of late since the wars began The chief whereof are 1. Nimmegent in Latine Noviomagus an Imperial City ordained by Charles the great to be one of the three Seiges of the Empire for these outer parts the other two being Theonville in Luxembourg Aix or Aken in the land of Gulick And as a Town Imperiall it had anciently the priviledge of coyning money for which and other freedomes of immunities indulged unto it the people did no other service to the Emperours then once a year to send a man to Aix or Aquisgrane with a Glove full of Pepper But the town being sold to the Gueldrois by William Earl of Holland and King of the Romans for 21000. marks of silver anno 1248. the power of coynage fell to those Princes and yet the Town was brought to do better service then formerly it had done at Aken The Town high mounted on the top of an hill the Wael which is there large and deep running at the foot of it rich great and populous having besides the modern fortifications an ancient Castle with so goodly a prospect that from thence one may behold the best part of the countrey built as some say by Julius Caesar to command those parts Under the jurisdiction of it are 2. Tiel and 3. Bomel two walled Towns both situated on the Wael both strong and having many rich villages under their command and 4. Gheut on the Wael also an unwalled Town but having all the priviledges which the walled Towns have Not for off at 〈…〉 meeting of the Wael and the Maes stands the strong Fort of S. Andrews raised by the Archduke 〈◊〉 to command the passage of those Rivers but in the year 1600. taken in by 〈◊〉 Count of 〈◊〉 after Prince of Orange and ever since garrisoned by the States to secure that passage 5. Riuermond seated on the mouth of the Ruer where it falleth into the Maes a beautifull and well peopled City strong by Art and Nature and seated in a fruitfull countrey heretofore of the Diocese of Leige as Nimmegen anciently of Colen but made a See Episcopall by King Philip the 〈…〉 1559. This is the second Capitall City of Guelderland and hath under the jurisdiction of it 6. Venlo a strong Town on the Maes on which the Duke of Cleve yeelded himself to Charles the fift anno 1543. 7. Gueldres heretofore of such reputation that it gave name to all the countrey and well it doth deserve to do so still being the only Town in all this Dukedome which neither first nor last hath been won by the Hollanders but still preserved themselves in their obedience to their natural Princes 8. Stâ—ael or Straelen a well fortified piece but which according to the chances of War hath oft changed its masters 9. Arnhem the Arenacum of Taeitus and in those times the mansion of the 10 Legion situate on the Rhene not above a mile from the great Channell which Drusut to keepâ— his souldiers from idlenesse caused them to dig to let the waters of the Rhene into those of the Yssell called therefore by the Ancients Fossa Drusiana by the moderns Yssell-Dort The Town large and well-built the ordinary residence heretofore of the Dukes of Guelderland who had here their Chancery and other supreme Couurts of justice This is the third Capitall City of Gueldres anciently of the Diocese of Vtrecht and hath under the jurisdiction of it besides divers Villages 10. Wagbeninghen on the Rhene the same which Tacitus cals Vada 11. Harderwick on the Zuider-See burnt to the ground anno 1503. but since reedified and now more strong and beautfull then ever formerly 12. Hattem upon the Yssell a good town of war but not else observable Within the limits of this Dukedome stands the Town and County of Culemberg erected into a County by King Philip the second by reason of the fair territory which belonged unto it formerly held in Fee of the Dukes of Guelderland but otherwise not reckoned as a Member of â—it 2. The Town and Earldome of Buren situate on the River Liughe having a strong Castle anciently and a goodly territory holden immediately of the Empire as a Fief Imperiall The patrimony of the valiant Maximilian of Egmond Earl of Buren who died anno 1549. after whose death it fell to Philip of Nâ—ssaw eldest sonne of William Prince of Orange and Anne the daughter of the said Maximilian ZVTPHEN accompted formerly for the 4. Capitall City of Guelderland now a distinct Province of it self is bounded on the East with Westphalen on the West with that part of Guelderland which is called the Velluwe on the North with Over-yssell on the South with Cleveland It containeth 8. walled Towns besides many Villages that is to say 1. Doetecum standing on the old Yssell rising out of Westphalen 2. Doesburg where the old Yssell falleth into the new Yssell or the trench called Fossa Drusiana communicating thereunto its name 3. Brookhurst a County of it self which anciently had its particular Governour 4. Lochen upon the River Berkell 5. Tsheerenbergue a Town and County 6. Groll taken by the Prince of Orange for the States Confederate anno 1627. 7. Bredervord a town of war and subject to the change of Masters as such places are 8. Zutphen or Zuidfen so called of the Southern situation of it amongst the Fennes on the right shore of the Yssell whereit receiveth in it the River Berkel which runs through the Town A Town indifferently well built as well for private as publick edifices a distinct state in Civill matters but in spirituall subject in former times to the Bishop-of Munster a thing observable and not to be paralleld elsewhere that the four chief Towns and quarters of one Province only should appertain as here in Guelderland to four severall Dioceses Of which there may some
Friburg by Berchthold the 4 it grew by little and little to be lesse frequented the other being seated more conveniently for trade and businesse Finally in the fourth and last part hereof called NORTH-SCHWABEN because on the North side of the Danow the places most observable are 1 Gmand on the Rheems 2 Dinkel-Spuell on the Warnitz two Imperiall Towns which with Vberlinque or Werlingen all three but mean in building territory or estimation spoken of before are the only three Imperiall Cities in all Germanie which totally adhered unto the doctrines of the Church of Rome 3 Boptingen on the Egra an Imperiall City 4 Norlingen on the same River but in a low and moorish ground yet of great resort populous and well traded Most memorable for the great defeat here given the Swedes by Ferdinand the third now Emperour at his first entrance on the Government in which Bannier one of the principall commanders of that nation was slain on the place Gustavus Horn another of as great eminence taken Prisoner their whole forces routed and thereupon so strange an alteration of the affairs of Germanie which they had almost wholly conquered though not for themselves that the Palatinate not long before restored to its proper owner was again possessed by the Spaniards Frankenland by the Imperialists and the remainder of the Swedes forced to withdraw into their holds on the Baltick seas anno 1637. 6 Rotweil not far from the head of the Neccar an Imperiall City and a Confederate of the Switzers 7 Donawerdt seated on the confluence of the Donaw and the Werdt whence it had the name most commonly called only Werdt an Imperiall Town the habitation of John de Werdt once a Bâ—â—wer herein but afterward a chief Commander of the forces of the Duke of Bavaria in the late German wars 8 Villengen on the Bregen a small river falling into the Danow a Town belonging to the Princes of the house of Austria Not far from which stands 9 Furstenberg an ancient Castle the Earls hereof are Princes of the Empire and Lords of a great part of the Countrey in a Village of whose called Don-Eschingen is the head of Danubius 10 Vlme an Imperiall City situate on the meeting of the Blave the Iler and the Danow the principall City of North-Schwaben about 6 miles in compasse rich populous well fortified and stored with an Armory for Ordnance and all manner of Ammunition not inferiour to any in Germanie The Town but new taking its first rise from a Monastery here founded by Charles the Great which after grew to be a great City and took the name of Vlme from the Elmes about it At first it belonged unto the Monkes of whom having bought their freedome in the time of Frederick the third it became Imperiall The Danow hereabouts begins to be navigable having so violent a stream that the Boats which go down the water use to be sold at the place where they land it being both difficult and chargeable to bring them back again Not far hence on the banks of the Danow lye the Suevian Alpes and amongst them the old Castle of Hohenberg the Lord whereof on the ruine of the house of Schwaben became possessed of a great estate here and in upper Elsats sold afterwards to Rodolph of Habspurg the founder of the now Austrian Family The ancient Inhabitants hereof were the Brixantes Suanetes Rugusci and Calucones who together with the Vindelici of whom more hereafter and other tribes of the Rhaeti of whom somewhat hath been said before in the Alpine Provinces possessed themselves of that Countrey which lyeth betwixt the River Inn and the head of the Rhene East and West Danubius and the Alps of Italy North and South Within which compasse are the greatest part of the Grisons the Dukedomes of Schwaben and Bavaria on this side the Danow and part of the County of Tirol and not a few of the Cantons of Switzerland Subdued by Drusus and Tiberius Nero sons-in-law of Augustus it was made a province of the Romans divided into Rhaetia Prima taking in all the Countries from the Rhene to the Leck or Lycus and Rhaetia Secunda lying betwixt the Leck and the River Inn which by another name was called Vindelicia By which accompt all Schwaben on the South side of the Danow was part of the Province of Rhaetia Prima continuing so till vanquished and subdued by the Almans in the time of Valentinian the third Emperour of the Western parts As for the Almans who succeeded in possession hereof they were originally some tribes and families of the Suevi the most warlike nation of the Germans inhabiting upon the banks of the River of Albis who jealous of Caesars great successes brought against him 430000 fighting men of which 8000 were slain and many drowned They used to stay at home and go to the war by turnes they which stayed at home tilling the land to whom the rest returning brought the spoil of the Enemies But after which blow we hear little of them till the time of Caracalla the son of Severus during whose reign descending towards the banks of the Rhene and the Danow and mingling with other nations as they passed along they assumed first the name of Almans either from that promiscuous mixture of all sorts of men or as I rather think from Mannus the son of Tuisco one of the great and National Gods of the Germans And though well beaten by him at their first comming down near the River Moenus and afterwards more broken by Diocletian who slew at least 60000 of them at one time in Gaul yet never left they to infest the Provinces of the Empire which lay nearest t them till in the end following the tract of the Hunns who had gone before them and beaten down many of the Forts and Garrisons which were in their way they made themselves Masters of Rhaetia Prima Germania Prima and part of Maxima Sequanorum containing besides the Countries spoken of before Alsatia and so much of the Lower Palatinate as lies on the French side of the Rhene But quarrelling with the French their next neighbours of whose growth and greatnesse they began to be very sensible they were first vanquished by Clovis the first Christian King of the French in that great and memorable fight at Zulph near Colen and afterwards made wholly subject to the Conquerour by whom oppressed with an heavy and lasting servitude About this same they returned again to their old name of Suevians their estate being erected into a Dukedome called many times the Dukedome of Almain and when so called divided into the upper Almain comprehending the Countrey of the Grisons with some parts of Switzerland and Tirol and the Lower or the Proper Almain which contained the rest of the Estates of the ancient Almans called for the most part by the name of the Dukedome of Suevia or Schwaben and finally transmitting that name to this Province only the best part thereof These Dukes at first
the fortunes of Bavaria till the year 1339. when Ludovick the Emperour and Duke of Bavaria on the partition of the estate betwixt him and Rodolphus his elder brother relinquished it for ever to the house of the Palatines Returned for the present to the Dukes of Bavaria on whom conferred together with the Electorall dignity by the Emperour Ferdinand the 2. in recompense of the great service don him by Maximilian the now Duke thereof in the war of Bohemia and the great charge he had been at in the reduction of that Kingdome to the house of Austria How long it will continue thus is known only to God the disposer of all things Yet neither the Bavarians formerly nor the Palatines since have been so fully Masters of it but that the Landgrave of Luchetenberg and the Citie of Nurenberg have put in for a share The Arms of which great and puissant Citie are Azure an Harpie displayed crowned crined and armed Or. 13. The KINGDOM of BOHEMIA The Kingdom of BOHEMIA containing Bohemia it self with the incorporate Provinces is bounded on the East with Poland and Hungarie on the West with the Vpper Palatinate Voiteland and Misnia on the North with the Marquisate of Brandenberg and some part of Misnia and on the South with Austria and Bavaria It comprehends in it besides Bohemia it self the Marquisate of Moravia with the Dukedoms of Silesia and Lusatia 1 BOHEMIA encompassed about with woodie Mountains part of the Hercynian is bounded on the East with Moravia on the West with the Vpper Palatinate and Voiteland on the North with Misnia Lusatia and some part of Silesia on the South with parts of Bavaria and Austria It took this name from the Bemi or Boiemi the old Inhabitants hereof of whom more anon and containing in compasse about 550 English miles The soil is indifferently fruitfull and enriched with mines of all sorts except of gold Tinne they have here in good plenty the mines whereof were first found out by a Cornish man banished out of England anno 1240. which discovery of Tinne in these parts was as saith my Author in magnam jacturam Richardi Comitis Cornubiae he meaneth that Richard which was afterwards King of the Romans and no marvail for in those times there was no Tinne in all Europe but in England Wood they have here good store and in some of their Forrests a Beast called Lomie which hath hanging under its neck a bladder full of scalding water with which when she is hunted she so tortureth the Dogs that she easily escapeth them Of corn they have sufficient for their own use and sometimes also an increase above their spending wherewith they do supply their neighbours of the Vpper Palatinate but they want wine the Air here being too sharp and piercing to produce a good Vintage And it yeelds also store of Saffron no where to be bettered with plenty of medicinable drugs The principall Rivers hereof are 1 the Elb or Albis having here its spring of whose course we have spoken elsewhere 2 Egra 3 the Muldaw or Muldavius and 4 the Warts all three exonerating themselves into the Elb which runneth through the midst of the Country The Kingdome is not as others divided into Counties and Provinces but into the Territories and possessions of severall Lords who have great authority and command over their Vassalls The figure of the whole in a manner Circular the Diameter whereof reacheth every way some 200 miles containing in that compasse 700 Cities walled Townes and Castles and as some say 30000 Villages Inhabited by a people given to drink and gluttony and yet valiant and with sense of honour this last belonging to the Nobility and Gentry the former to the common people but more moderately then most others of the German Nations All of them Princes or Plebeians rich poor noble and base use the Sclavonian language as their mother tongue The chief Bohemian Captain that ever I read of was Zisca who in eleven battels fought in the defence of the Hussites against the Pope and his confederates prevailed and went away victorious insomuch that at his death he willed the Bohemians to flea him and make a drumme of his skin perswading himself if they so did they could never be overcome A fancie like to that of Scipio African and Vortimer King of Britain spoken of before Scholars of most note John of Hus and Hierome of Prague two eminent Divines of whom more anon The Christian faith was first here preached by one Borsinous anno 900 or thereabouts Borzivoius the 8 Duke from Crocus was the first Christian Prince and next to him Wenceslaus the second This last most cruelly murdered by Boleslaus his brother at the instigation of Drahomira an obstinate Heathen mother to them both who having caused the Ministers of the Lord to be butchered and their bodies to lie unburied for two years together was swallowed coach and all in that very place where their bodies lay Confirmed by this prodigy they continued constant in the Faith to this very day though not without the intermixture of some notable vanity For one Picardus coming out of the Low-countries drew a great sort of men and women unto him pretending to bring them to the same state of perfection that Adam was in before his fall from whence they were called Picards and Adamites They had no respect unto marriage yet could they not accompany any woman untill the man coming to Adam said unto him Father Adam I am inflamed towards this woman and Adam made answer Increase and multiply They lived in an Island which they called Paradise and went stark naked but they continued not long for Zisca hearing of them entred their fooles Paradise and put them all to the sword anno 1416. But to make amends for this folly they were exceeding zealous of the Reformation For much about the same time the works of Wickliffe were brought into Bohemia by a certain scholar who had been Student in the University of Oxford which hapning into the hands of John Husse and Hierome of Prague two men whereof the Country may worthily boast wrought in their hearts a desire to reforme the Church A businesse which they prosecuted so earnestly that being summoned to the Councell of Constance they were there condemned for Hereticks and burned anno 1414. yet had their doctrine such deep root in the hearts of the people that it could never be destroyed by the Tyrannies of war or persecutions though both were used to this very day multitudes of the Professours of it living in this Kingdome under the names of Calistini and Sub utraque as before is said though perfected by the writings of Luther Melanchthon Calvin and such other of the Protestant Doctors as travelled in the work of Reformation The first Inhabitants hereof of whom there is any good record were the Benni whom Pomponius Mela placeth in this tract with the addition of Gens Magna By Tacitus they are called Boiemi who makes them the
descendents of those Boii a Gallick nation who to avoid the servitude which they feared from Rome put themselves into these Hercynian deserts which from them was called Bolohemum and by which name it occurs in Velleius Paterculus And though the Marcomanni first and the Sclaves and Croatians afterwards became masters of it these last continuing their possession to this very day yet it retaineth still the name of Bohemia amongst the Latines as that of Bohemerland amongst the Dutch Places of most importance in it are 1 Budweis conceived to be the Marobodurum of Ptolemy a town towards Austria 2 Augst neer the head of the Elb. 3 Tabor a strong Town built by Zisca to be a retreat for the Hussites 4 Jaromir and 5 Molmuck both upon the Elb. 6. Littomissell an Episcopall See bordering on Moravia 7 Pilsen the last town of this Kingdome which yeilded to the prevailing Imperialists in the late long war about that Crown and then also betrayed to Count Tilly for a some of money by some of the Souldiers of Count Mansfield who was then absent and had so long defended it against the Enemy 8 Elbogen much esteemed for the hot medicinable Bathes situate on the River Egra 9 Egra so called of the same River off which neer to the borders of the Vpper Palatinate it is strongly situate a large fair City containing three miles in compasse Imperiall once but sold by the Emperour Ludovicus Bavdrus to John King of Bohemia for 400000 marks of Silver in compasse lesse for sweetnesse of the place elegancy of the buildings pleasantnesse of site and richnesse of soil superiour far to Prague it self 10 Prague the Metropolis of the Kingdome situate in the middest thereof on the River Muldaw consisting of four severall Townes each of which hath its severall Customes Lawes and Magistrates The principall is called the Old Town adorned with many goodly buildings a spacious Market-place and a starely Counsell-house the second called the New Town separated from the Old by a Ditch of great depth and widenesse The third called the Little Town is divided from the Old by the River Muldaw joyned to it by a beautifull Bridge consisting of 24 Arches and in this part thereof is the hill Rachine on the sides of which are many fair and stately houses belonging to the Nobility over-looked by the strong Castle of S. Wenceslaus situate on the top thereof a magnificent Palace wherein the Bohemian Kings and the later Emperours have kept their Residence The fourth town is that of the Jewes who have here five Synagogues and live according to their own Law The whole City rather large then fair the streets being in winter very dirty of ill smell in the summer the buildings for the most part of clay and timber clap up together without Art and of little beauty And though incompassed with walls and Ditches it is conceived to be but an open town so poor and weak are the defences insomuch that whosoever is master of the Field will be master of the City also And yet besides the honour of being the Royall Seat it hath also of long time been an Archbishops See and by Charles the fourth Emperour and King of Bohemia made an University Neer unto this town was fought that memorable battell between the Duke of Bavaria and Count Bucquoy Lieutenant for the Emperour Ferdinand the second with 50000 men on the one side and Frederick newly elected King of Bohemia with the Prince of Anhalt the Count of Thurne and 30000 men on the other side It was fought on the eight of November stylo novo wherein such was the unsearchable will of God the victory fell unto the Imperials the young Prince of Anhalt Thurne and Saxon Weimar with divers others being taken prisoner the Bohemian Ordinance all surprised Prague forced to yeeld unto the enemy and King Frederick with the Queen compelled to flie unto Silesia a most lamentable and unfortunate losse not to this people onely but to the whole cause of Reformed Religion yet is it not unworthy of our observation that this great battell was fought upon a Sunday the 8 of November about the time of the morning Prayer in the Gospell appointed for which day being the 23 after Trinity Sunday is that famous passage Reddite CAESARI quae sunt CAESARIS i. e. Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars which seemed to judge the quarrell on the Emperours side But whether of the two Pretendents had the juster Cause may best be seen by convassing the Records of that State and Nation for the successe of War is no standing Rule for measuring the equity and justice of the causes of it by which it will be clearly seen that since the erecting of this Kingdome by the Sclaves or Croatians it hath been evermore disposed at the will of the Emperour or by election of the States and People But I intend not at the present to dispute that point but only to lay down the story of the Kings and People as in other places since the first coming of the Sclavi A Nation not known by that name till the time of Justinian at what time they inhabited on the banks of the Ister but on the further side thereof opposite to Illyricum and Thrace imperiall Provinces Grown famous by their good successes against that Empire their name was taken up by the rest of the Sarmatians of Europe who either wanting room or not liking of their colder Countries passed on more Westwards and by degrees possessed themselves of those parts of Germany which formerly had been inhabited by the Almans Burgundians and Boiarians but were then either quite forsaken or but ill inhabited by the drawing down of those people to the Roman Provinces which they better liked Divided at or after their coming thus far west into four main bodies that is to say the Winithi possessed of the now Marquisates of Brandenbourg Misnia and Lusatia as also of the Durkedomes of Mecklenburg and Pomerania the Moravians inhabiting in Moravia the Lower Austria and the Vpper Hungary the Poles possessed of Poland and the Dukedome of Silesia and finally the Bohemian Sclaves confined within the limits of that Kingdome onely Under what forme of Government they lived at their first coming hither is not certainly known but being setled in these Countries of Poland and Bohemia it was not long before they were erected into severall Kingdomes occasioned by the coming of a new body of Sclaves Croatians and others of those scattered Nations under the conduct of Zechius a great Prince amongst them who about the yeer 640. together with his brother Leches was banished Croatia for a murther And being very acceptable to the Sclaves of Bohemia who looked upon him as a Prince of their own Original extraction one of the same Language Lawes or Customes that themselves were of they admitted him to be their Chief or supreme Governour by what soever name he was called at first in honour and memory of whom the Bohemians
not one of the Marquesses hereof being Jodocus Barbatus elected Emperour anno 1410. After whose death Sigismund his next heir Emperour and King of Bohemia gave it to his son-in-law Albert Duke of Austria anno 1417. who in the end succeeded him in all his Estates since which time it hath alwayes gone along with the Crown of Bohemia The Arms of the old Dukes or Princes of it were Azure an Eagle chequered Or and Gules membred and langued of the same 2 SILESIA or SCHLESI as the Dutch call it is bounded on the East with Poland on the West with Lusatiâ—a on the North with Brandenburg and on the South with Moravia Wholly encompassed with Mountaines except towards the North which lets in a sharp aire upon them the midland parts being full of Woods but withall of Mineralls Chief Cities are Jagendorse or Jegerndorse of late the Patrimony of John Georgius of the family of Brandenbourg commonly called the Marquesse of Jagendorse The lands and Estates in his possession first given by Ladislaus King of Bohemia to George surnamed Pius one of the sonnes of Frederick of Brandenbourg the first Marquesse of Auspach of this house for the many good services hee had done him But his posterity being extinct they fell to the said John Georgius brother to Sigismund the Electour proscribed by Ferdinand the second for adhering to the partie of Frederick Prince Elector Palatine A Prince of great note and activenesse in the beginning of the late German Bohemian wars 2 Munsterberg which gives the title of Duke to the posterity of George Pogebraccio once King of Bohemia advanced by him unto this honor and a fair Estate 3 Glatz or Gletz the last Town of Bohemia which held out for Frederick the Electour against that Emperour 4 Glogaw a strong Town on the River Odera 5 Niess on a River so named an Episcopall See 6 Breslaw in Latine Vratislavia so called from Vratislaus the founder of it once one of the Dukes of this Province by whose procurement it was made an Episcopall See anno 970 or thereabouts It is situate on the River Odera all the water wherein could not save it from being burnt down to the ground anno 1341. but it was presently reedified with fair Free strone and is now one of the prettiest Cities for the bignesse of it in all Germany fair populous and well contrived with open and even streets the chief of the Countrey 7 Oppolen on the Odera also well fortified both by Art and nature barricadoed by the River on the West and on the East with good out-workes strong walls and a fair Castle 8 Straten 9 Reichenbach both made Townes of war since the beginning of the Bohemian troubles There are also within this Province the two Seigneuries of Priguitz and Crossen so called from the chief Towns thereof belonging to the Electour of Brandenbourg the two Dukedomes of Oswitz and Zator appertaining to the Crown of Poland as also the Dukedome of Lignitz and Sue inits all of them bearing the names of their principall Towns of which two last Sueinits is in the immediate possession of the Kings of Bohemia and Lignitz hath a Duke of its own but an Homager and Tributary of that King The first two Inhabitants hereof were the Marsigni Burii Gothini and some part of the Quadi In the partition of the Eastern parts of Germany amongst the Sclaves laid unto the Dukedome or Kingdome of Poland continuing part thereof till the time of Vladislaus the second who being driven out of his Kingdome by his brethren was by the mediation of Frederick Barbarossa estated in this Countrey to be held under the Soveraignty of the Kings of Poland Divided betwixt his three sons and afterwards subdivided amongst their posterities according to the ill custome of Germany it became broke at last into fourteen Dukedomes of 1 Breslaw 2 Oppolen 3 Ratibor 4 Cessin 5 Bethom 6 Glogaw 7 Segan 8 Olents 9 Steinaw 10 Falkenbourg 11 Sweinits 12 Lignitz 13 Oswitsâ— and 14 Zator Of all which onely the two last doe remain to Poland the five first being made subject to the Kings of Bohemia by Wenceslaus the second the five next by King John of Luxenbourg Lignitz remaining in the possession of a Proprietary Duke as before was said and Sweinits given to Charles the fourth Emperour and King of Bohemia by the will and Testament of Boleslaus the last Duke all Schlesi by this means except the two Dukedomes of Oswitz and Zator being added to the Crown of Bohemia of which it is rather an incorporate then a subject Province 4. LVSATIA by the Dutch called Lausnitz is bounded on the East with Silesia on the West with Misnia on the North with Brandenbourg and on the South with Bohemia The countrey rough and full of Woods yet plentifull enough of corn and of such fruits as naturally arise out of the earth So populous and thick set with people that though it be but a little Province it is able to arme 20000 Foot as good as any in Germany Most commonly it is divided into the Higher and the Lower the first confining on Bohemia the last on Brandenburg Places of most note in the higher Lausnitz are 1 Bautsen Badissinum the Latines call it the first Town attempted and taken in by the Duke of Saxony when he took upon him the execution of the Emperors Bann against Frederick Elector Palatine then newly chosen King of Bohemia The poor Prince in the mean time in an ill condition the Saxon being the head of the Lutheran and the Bavarian chief of the Popish partie arming both against him So jealous are both sides of the active and restlesse Calvinian spirit as to leave no means unassaied for the suppressing of it Seated it is upon the Spre and for the most part is the seat of the Governour for the King of Bohemia 2 Gorlitz upon the River Nisse which gave the title of Duke to John brother of Sigismund Emperour and King of Bohemia and Father of Elizabeth the last Dutchesse of Luxembourg before it fell into the hands of the Dukes oâ— Burgundie A fine neat Town well frequented and strongly fortified founded about the yeare 1231. and not long after so consumed by a mercilesse fire anno 1301. ut ne unica domus remanserit as my Authour hath it that there was not one house left of the old foundation But it was presently rebuilt in a more beautifull form and more strong materialls then before it was both publick and private buildings very neat and elegant 3 Zittaw on the same River bordering on Bohemia 4 Lauben 5 Lubben 6 Camitz of which little memorable but that together with the former they make up those six townes which are confederate together in a stricter league for their mutuall defence and preservation but under the protection and with the approbation of the Kings of Bohemia Then in the LOWER Lusatia there is 7 Sprenberg so named from its situation on the River Spre which
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
long since in danger of performing more reall services the Emperour Ferdinand the 2. after the surprize of Hâ—lstein and some part of Danemark anno 1627. gaining so far upon this Countrie that had not the King of Sweden come in so seasonably he had made himself absolute master of it and by the opportunity of the situation of it on the back of the Netherlands forced the Vnited States to some great extremities As for the title of Duke of Westphalen and Engern it hath been long used as before was said by the Bishops of Colen as also but with better right by the house of Lawenburg descended from the antient Electorall Familie writing themselves in that regard Dukes of Saxonie Wesâ—phalen and Angravaria or Engern 2 The Bishoprick of BREME lyeth on the other side of the Weser extending as far as to the Elb and the German Ocean So called of 1 Breme the principall Citie â—eated on the Weser there broad and navigable the Citie by that means well traded populous and rich beautified with fair and even streets and very strongly fortified against all Invasions both by Art and Nature the town being so seated amongst Fenns occasioned by the overflowings of the River that it may be easily drowned on all sides to keep off an Enemie adorned with a spacious Market-place a fair Counsell-house and a large Cathedrall the See of the Arch-bishop who is the temporall Lord of the town and territorie Other Towns of especiall note are 2 Osenbridge not far from Breme from whence great quantitie of linnen is brought yearly to England and other places 3 Arusten on the Weser also 4 Oterenberg on the river Bolla not far from the fall thereof into the Ocean 5 Buxtertrude on the Elb not far from Hamburg but on the hither side of the water 6 Stode Stadt or Stadium seated on the River Zuinghe near the fall thereof into the Elb accompted the antientest town in all Saxonie and one of the first which was enrolled amongst the Hanse and by especiall priviledge had the pre-emption of all the Rhenish wine that passed by them and the right also of coining money But being over-topped by the power and trade of Hamburg 5 Dutch miles from it it grew at length so poor and in such decay that their yearly Revenues came but to 90 l. per annum so that they were fain to sell their priviledges to the Town of Hamburg and put themselves under the protection of the Bishops of Breme Revived again upon the comming thither of the English Merchants who finding some hard measure from the Hamburgers fixed their Staple here by means whereof the Citizens in short time grew exceeding wealthy the buildings fair and beautifull the town strongly fortified Situate in a place so easily overwhelmed with water that the people in ostentation of their strength and securitie used to have Ordinance of stone planted over their Gates But the late German wars have made them sensible of their folly when notwithstanding their new works and an English Garrison under Sir Charls Morgan they were compelled to submit themselves to the Earl of Tilly anno 1627. recovered after by the Swedes in the course of their victories As for the Bishoprick of Bremen it was first founded by Charls the Great in the person of Willibode an English Saxon one of the first Preachers of the Gospel in these parts of this Country The town before that time a poor Village only being made an Archiepiscopall See and the Metropolitan of all the Churches of the North quickly grew up into esteem as the Bishops did in power and Patrimonie till they became Lords of all this tract Governed since the Reformation of Religion by Lay-Bishops or Adminisirators of the Rents of the Bishoprick which under that title they inverted to their proper use And now of late by the Conclusions made at Munster setled as an inheritance on the Crown of Sweden to be enjoyed together with the Bishoprick of Verda by the Kings thereof with the title of Dukes of Breme and Verden the antient liberties of those Cities formerly granted by their Bishops being still preserved EAST-FRISELAND EAST-FRISELAND is bounded on the East with the River Weser by which parted from Westphalen on the West with the River Ems which parteth it from Groyningen and the rest of West-Friseland on the North with the German Ocean and on the South with the Earldom of Mark a part of Cleveland So called from the Frisu who casting out the old inhabitants possessed themselves of it and called it by their own name Friseland divided by the Ems or Amisus into the Western spoken of amongst the Netherlands and the Eastern or East-Friseland in which now we are The nature of the soil we shall see anon when we come to the subdivisions of it Chief Rivers besides those of Ems and 2 Weser spoken of elsewhere 3 Juda which falleth into a great Bay oâ— Arm of the Ocean called from hence Die Jadie 4 Dalliart on which standeth the Citie of Emdeu 5 Delm and 6 Honta neighboured by Delmenhorst and Oldenborch towns of this Countrie The whole divided into 1 the Countie of Emden or East-Friseland properly so called and 2 the Earldom of Oldenburg 1 EAST-FRISELAND specially so called hath on the West the River Ems on the North the Ocean on the East and South the Earldom of Oldenbourg called also the Countie of EMDEN from the fair Town of Emden the chief Citie of it The soil hereof is very fruitfull both in corn and â—asturage sending great store of Oxen Horses Wool Swine Butter Cheese and all sorts of Grain into other Countries all of them excellent in their kind not easily to be bettered if equalled in any place whatsoever Chief towns herein are 1 Emden so called from the Ems on which it is situate Dâ—llaert a smal River falling here into it a noted and wel traded town beautified with a Haven so deep large that the greatest ships with ful sail are admitted into it The people rich affirmed to have 60 ships of 100 tuns apeece and 600 lesser Barks of their own besides 700 Busses and Fisher boats maintained for the most part by their Herring-fishing on the Coast of England The buildings generally fair both private and publick especially the Church the Town-Hall and Earls Palace This last a strong and stately Castle situate at the mouth of the Haven and on all sides compassed by the Sea and yet not strong enough to preserve the Townsmen in their due obedience who about 50 years agoe taking advantage of the absence of their Earl kept him out of their Town because he seemed not to approve the Calvinian humor and have since governed in the nature of a Common-wealth confederate with the States of the Vnited Provinces for their better establishment and support So easily is Religion made a mask to disguise Rebellion 2 Auricts by some called Anseling seated in the Inlands rich and well walled of great resort by reason
Marius As for the Earls of Oldenburg they derive themselves from Walpert one of the Nephews of Witikindus the last King and first Duke of the Saxons who having built a strong Castle on the borders of Bremen in honour of his wife Alteburg whom hedearly loved called it Alteburgum so called by the Latinists to this day by the Germans Oldenborch about the year 850. But his male issue failing in Frederick the 7. Earl it came to one Elimar the son of Haio a Noble man of the Frisian bloud who had married Richsa the daughter of John the fift Earl of this Familie From him in a direct line descended Christian or Christiern eldest son of Theodorick who being fortunately advanced to the Crown of Danemark anno 1448. lest his estate in this Earldome but reserving the title according to the fashion of Germanie to his brother Gerrard the better to take him off from his pretentions to the Dukedom of Sleswick and the Earldom of Holst in which he did pretend a share The Patrimonie of it much improved by the addition of the Countries of Rustingen Oystingen and Wanger land all lying on the German Sea bequeathed by the last will and testament of the Lady Marie Countesse of Jevere in East Friseland to John Earl of Oldenburg the third from Gerrard The Succession of these Earls in regard the Royall line of Danemark and by consequence of Great Britain is descended from them I have here subjoined in this ensuing Catalogue of The EARLS of OLDENBOVRG 850 1 Walpert of the race of Witikind the first Earl of Oldenburg 856 2 Theodorick the son of Walpert 3 Theodorick II. son of Theodorick the 1. 4 Otho son of Theodorick the 2. 5 John the son of Otho accompanied the Emperour Henry the 2. in his wars against the Greeks and Saracens anno 1007. 6 Huno surnamed the Glorious son of John 7 Frederick son of Huno fortunate in his wars against the Frisians the last of the male line of this house 8 Elimarus the son of Haio a Noble man of the Frisian bloud and of Richsa his wife the daughter of John the fift Earl 1120 9 Elimarus II. the son of Elimar the 1. 10 Christianus son of Elimar the 2. surnamed the Couragious or the Warlike a professed enemy of Henry the Lyon Duke of Saxonie from whom he tooke the Citie of Breme 11 Maurice the son of Christian an associate of Arnulph Earl of Holstein in his wars with Danemark 12 Christian II. son of Maurice 13 John II. son of Christian the 2. 14 John III. son of John the 2. 15 Courade the son of John the 3. 16 Christian III. son of Conrade a student in Colen where initiated into holy Orders which he relinquished much against the will of his brother Maurice on the death of his Father 17 Theodorick son of Christian the 3. the first Farl of Delmenhorst of this line which fell to him by the death of Nicholas Archbishop of Breme descended from a younger son of John the 2. 1440 18 Christian IV. son of Theodorick and of Heduigis sister and heir of Gerrard and Adolphus Dukes of Sleswick and Earls of Holstein elected on the commendation of his Uncle Adolphus to the Crown of Danemark anno 1448. 1448 19 Gerrard the brother of Christian the 4. a Prince of an unquiet spirit alwayes in wars and alwayes worsted he lost the Town of Delmenhorst to the Bishop of Munster 1500 20 John IV. son of Gerrard repaired the ruines of his Estate and setled the distractions of it in the time of his Father being then in exile and after very much enlarged it by the reduction of Butiada 1526 21 Antonie the son of John the 4. by a sudden surprise recovered Dâ—lmenhorst from the Bishop of Munster anno 1547. which he strongly fortified 1573 22 John V. son of Antonie enlarged this Earldome with the Provinces of Fustingen Oystingen and Wangerland bequeathed to him by the last will of the Countene of Jevere in East Friseland 23 Anthome II. brother of John the 5. in whose life time he was Earl of Delmenhorst and after his death of Oldenburg also still living anno 1649. for ought I can learn unto the contrary And thus we see the present estate of Germanie distracted and divided amongst many Princes Prelates and Incorporate Towns the chief of which are herein mentioned and described But besides these there are many others of lesse note and smaller Territories which yet are absolute and free insomuch that in one dayes riding a Traveller may twice or thrice meet with divers lawes and divers coins every free Prince and free Citie whose laws the Emperours are sworn to keep inviolable having power to make what lawes and coin what money they will And hence in the censure of Kingdoms the King of Spain is said to be Rex hominum because of his Subjects reasonable obedience the King of France Rex Asinorum because of their infinite taxes and impositions the King of England Rex Diabolorum because of his Subjects often insurrections against and depositions of their Princes but the Emperour of Germanie is called Rex Regum because there is such a number of Reguli or Free Princes which live under his command or rather at their owne command for they do even what they list as the Emperour Maximilian the first well noted And to say truth the publick Government hereof is nothing lesse then Monarchicall the Emperour being accompted amongst the Princes but as the chief Officer of the Empire not reckoned of by Bodin and others of our great Statists and Civilians as an absolute Monarch such as the Kings of England France and Spain are confessed to be For the priviledges of the Free Cities being made perpetuall the great Estates hereditarie and the Empire eligible the Emperours were brought at last to such low condition as to be made accomptable to the States of the Empire who if they be perswaded in their consciences or but think they be so that he is likely by his mal-administration to destroy the Empire or that he will not hearkâ—n unto good advise ab Electorum Collegio Caesarea majesâ—aâ—â— privari potest as my Author hath it he may be deprived by the Electors and a more sit and able man chosen into the place and that too as the Emperour Jodocus Barbatus hath declared in one of his Constitutions anno 1410 sine infidelitatis vel Rebelliâ—nis crimine without incurring the crimes of treason or disloyaltie So that the supreme power and majestie of the Empire seems to reside especially and contractedly in the Electorall Colledge diffusedly in the Imperial Diets by way of execution in the Chamber of Spires and other the supreme Courts of the severall Circles But that which makes that 〈◊〉 which they call the Empire is the Assembly of the Prelates Princes and Commissioners of the Free Cities in their Diets or Parliaments the Emperour presiding in them whom he that saw adorned in his roall Râ—bes with the
But in our way we must first take a view of the Dukedom of Novogrod the Lower so called to difference it from Novogrod surnamed the Great spoken of before situate almost in the midst betwixt Casan and Mosco distant from the last 100 Pâ—lonian miles and 60 miles from the borders of the other every Polonian mile being reckoned at four Italian The Countrie generally very rich both for tillage and pasturage inferiour unto none in all this estate but Rhezan and Wolodomir only So called from Novogrod the chief town situate at the confluence of the Ock and Volga besides which it hath the neighbourhood of a very great Lake which storeth it plentifully with fish A Citie of great esteem in all this Empire partly for the great number of houses in which not easily equalled by any other partly for an impregnable Castle cut out of the main Rock with incredible charges in the time of Basilius the Great Duke but principally for a stately and magnificent Temple built above 1600 years agoe in imitation or emulation as some say of the famous Church of S. Sophia in Constantinople To this Town the story of the Scythian or Sarmatian slaves ought in my mindâ— to be ascribed though commonly reported of the other Novogrod in the West parts of this Empire My reason is because it is not likely that the Sarmatians dwelling on the borders of the Baltick Sea should crosse all this Country to join with the Asiatick Scythians so remote from them in a needlesse war which those of this tract might well do as near neighbours to them if not of the same Nation or extraction with them Subject to the Estate hereof are the Mordwit Tartars lying on the South betwixt the Volga and the Don or Tanais where it beginneth to return Westwards towards the Euxine A people much of the same nature with the Czeremissois but that they have some Villages scattered houses which the others either want or else care not for Idolaters for the most part and the rest Mahometans carrying their Idols in their Carts wheresoever they goe worshipping that beast all day which they first see in the morning and swearing by it for that day as their chiefest deitie 20 WOROTINE 21 TUVER 22 WOLODOMIR And now again we are in Europe where the Great Duke hath almost as many Titles as Towns with Territorie four of them besides some before either situate in the Province of Moscovie or else so intermingled with the Towns thereof that they may easily be taken or mistaken for members of it The principall are 20 WOROTIN seated on the West side of the River Ocque a distinct Dukedom of it self so called from Worotin the chief Citie of it built upon that River about 3 Dutch miles from Colluga in the Province of Rhezan lying on the further bank thereof beautified with a strong Castle and a pleasant soil The 2 Misceneck the next Town of note remarkable for the head of the River Ocque which ariseth in the fields thereof 21 TVVER or OTVVER as some call it is a large and goodly Country lying along the banks of the River Volga so populous that it is said to contain 40000 Boidres or Gentlemen sit to serve on horseback and double that number of the common or inferiour sort It gives the title of a Duke to the Russian Emperour and is so called from Twerde the chief Town thereof and a Bishops See affirmed to be a fairer and more stately Citie then Mosco it self from which distant 36 Dutch miles 22 WOLODOMIR is one of the most fruitfull Countries in all Russia not paralleld by many Countries in the world the soil here if all be true which is said of it yeilding such an increase that many times the husbandman hath twenty and sometimes twenty five for one It gives the title of a Duke to the Russian Emperour and hath precedencie before Moscovie in the style Imperiall So called from Wolodomir the chief Citie of it and a Bishops See and that so named from the Founder who probably was the same Valadomir one of the first Kings of the Russes who married Helena the daughter of Nicephorus Phocas Emperour of Constantinople The Citie situate 36 Polonian miles on the East of Mosco anciently the chief seat and residence of the Oreat Duke and so continued till the time of John the son of Daniel who first translated it to Mosco that from thence he might more easily confront and oppose the Tartars with whose irruptions and invasions both he and his predecessours had long been troubled Under the government hereof is the City of Susdali of great esteem and very well peopled as long as the Royall seat remained at Wolodomir betwixt which and Rostow it is seated After it tell into decay and being once destroyed by the Tartars could never since recover 〈…〉 lustre having now little to uphold its reputation but a Bishops See 23 DWINA 2â— DWINA so called from the chief Town situate on the confluence of two Rivers Juch and 〈◊〉 whence it hath the name Dwine in the language of that Countrie signifying two as twan doth with us amongst Countrie-people A Countrie of a great extent but exceeding barren which â—akes the Villageâ— hereof to stand very thin the Towns considering the great compasse of it to be very â—ew and the Inhabitants for the most part to live upon dried fish and the flesh of wild beastâ— which they have no want of The chief commoditie is in salt with which they use to furnish the neighbouring Provinces and provide such necessaries for themselves as they stand in need of Chief Towns hereof are 1 Dwine spoken of before situate in the midst of the Province on the meeting of the said two Rivers which here united into one stream take the name of Dwine or Duina the greater known by that name untill its fall into the Northern Ocean in the Bay of Granduâ—e 2 Sagan so called of the River one of the two which makes the Dwine upon which it is seated 3 Colnagro 4 Pinnegue two strong Castles Unto this Province because I know not else how to dispose of them I must reduce these four Towns following that is to say 1 Vstiug a Bishops See situate on the western side of the River over against the Town of Dwine and in a Country so ill furnished with necessaries that the people eat dryed fish in stead of bread but have salt enough to season it from those of Dwine 2 Gargapoll a Bishops See also on the same side of the River that Dwina is of 3 S. Nicolas a well known Port and a Bishops See situate at the influexe of Duina into the Gulfe of Granvicus or the Bay of S. Nicolas from hence denominated A Town much traded since the discovery of the North-east passage by the English and the removal of theirs and the Dutch traffique from Novogrod hither from hence dispersed with more case and speed into all the parts of this vast Empire 4 S.
by some the Holy City situate in the borders of Epirus on the top of an hill where it is sâ—nced about like an Eagles nest one of the last townes in all this Countrey which was taken by Scanderbeg at his recovery of his birthright and estate herein but being once taken by him held good courageously against the Turke the souldiers neither fainting in their oppositions nor corrupted by mony There was in the town one only Well into which a treacherous Christian cast a dead dog at the sight of which being the next day drawn up the souldiers gave up the town being so unseasonably superstitious that no perswasion nor the example of the Captaine or the Burgo-masters could make them drink those as they thought defiled waters 3 Durazzo a town of great strength first called Epidamnum and afterwards Dyrrhachium Under the wals of which town was the first bickering between the souldiers of Coeser and Pompey not onely to the present losse but also the utter discomfiture of Coesar as he himselfe confessed if the enemies Captain had knowne how to have overcome I must not omit the valour of Scoeva at this siege who alone so long resisted Pompeys Army that he had 220 darts sticking in his shield and lost one of his eyes and yet gave not over till Coesar came to his rescue Parque novum fortuna videt concurrere bellum Atque virum densamque ferens in pectore sylvam Fortune beholds an unaccustom'd sight An Army and a man together sight Whose brest a wood of Arrowes covered quite In the division of the Eastern Empire amongst the Latines it fel into the power of Venice taken at last after a long and tedious siege by Amurath the second an 1474. 4 Dibra in the hill countries neer Epirus the first town which submitted to the valiant Scanderbeg at his revolting from the Turks supposed to be the Deborus of Ptolemie 5 Croia conceived to be Epicaria of Ptolemie the chief Town of all this countrey seated amongst inaccessable mountains and made impregnable by Art not got by Scanderbeg but by wile who having got into his power the Secretary of the principall Bassa forced him to write letters in his Masters name unto the Governour hereof to deliver it unto him which was done accordingly afterwards in vaine besieged by Amurath the second who under the wals here of gave up his wretched soule to the Devill and thrice besieged by Mahomet his son and successour before he could againe possesse it but taken at the last after Scanderbegs death as if the Genius or tutelar Deity of the place had departed with him 6 Petrella a town of great strength seated on the top of an hill as almost all the Townes of Albania are about 25 miles from Croia delivered unto Scanderbeg at his first sitting down before it as also was 7 Petra Alba three miles from Petrella neer the borders of Macedon and situate like the other on the top of a mountaine the River Emarbus running under the bottom of it 8 Stellusa fifty miles from Croia built on the top of an high hill in the middle of a pleasant and fruitfull valley with great and spacious plains about it 9 Dagna or Dayna a place of great importance in the hill countrey towards Sclavonia for the possession whereof arose a war betwixt Scanderbeg and the State of Venice but the Venetians being worsted at the battell of Drino relinquished their pretensions to it 10 Aulon a Port-town now called Vallona situate over against Hydruntum or Otranto in Italy from which distant about 60 miles The town unwalled but fortified with a very strong Castle A town unfortunately fit for the invasion of Italy and was accordingly made use of by Achmetes the chief Bassa under Mahemet the Great who from hence passed his Army over into Apulta took the Town of Otranto and had not the death of Mahomet and the combustions thereon following amongst the Turkes altered the designe might have opened them a very fair way for the adding of Rome unto Constantinople 11 Apollonia a town of great note in the time of the Romans a Sea-town furnished with a commodious Haven which they held as their entrance into Greece to that purpose serving them as commodiously as Calice did the English in their wars with France This countrey antiently was a part of Macedon inhabited by the Talautii Aestrai and Albani from which last but not till these later times it had the name of Albania but whether these Albani were a Colonie of the Albanians of Asia though it be very probable I determine not When made a Province of the Empire it contained all Prevalitana and some part of Macedonia Salutaris under the Diocese of Dacia in the time of Justinian but at first of Macedon Dismembred from the maine body of it when the Latines had subdued Constantinople it fell unto the Noble family of the Castriotes who though they tooke unto themselves the title of Kings or Princes of Epirus most of which they held as the countrey of more note and eminence yet was Albania the greatest strength and Croia the chief City thereof the seat of their residence called in that respect by some writers the Kings of Albania John Castriot the Father of Scanderbeg seeing himselfe unable to resist the Turkes became their Homager and delivered four sonnes for Hostages whom Amurath the second in their Fathers life time caused to bee circumcised and turne Mahometans and after his decease murdered the three eldest and seized upon Croia the chief City with the rest of the countrey But George the youngest of those sons being reserved for better fortunes was carefully brought up by Amurath who somewhat passionately loved him in the arts of war though some of his Courtiers then told him that he nourished a Serpent in his bosome which would one day sting him Amurath to make triall of his disposition offered him on a time the Crown of Albania to which he prudently replyed that he preferred the honour of his service before all the Kingdoms of the World and that he held his hand fitter for a sword then his head for a Crown Satisfied with which answer the Tyrant preferred him to the place of a Sanziack or Provinciall Governor gave him some Office of Command in all those Armies which he set out against the Christians Escaping out of the battell wherein Caramben the great Basia was overthrown and taken Prisoner by Huniades he got the Town of Croia by a peece of wit as before was said and in a very short time after made himselfe Master of Petrella Petra Alba Stâ—llusa and all the rest of the countrey by the reputation and terrour of his first successe Having recovered his inheritance out of the hands of the Turkes he reconciled himselfe to the Church of Christ styling himselfe the Souldier of CHRIST JESUS from that time forwards Invaded by a vast Army of Turkes he overcometh Alis Bassa and kils 20000 of his men With no
Ponticks Region The Countrey naturally rich and in those parts hereof which lie next the Bosphorus opposite to Constaxtinople so plentifully enriched with fruitfull hills and pleasant orchards when kept by the more curious Christian that it was thought not to be inferiour to the so much celebrated Tempe now robbed of all those former beauties by the carclessenesse of the Turks who affect neither art not sumptuositie in their retirements and delights Chiese Rivers hereof are Phillis 2. Sang trius now called Sangri both falling into the Euxine Sea this last arising from Mount Dindymus in the furthest parts of Phrygia Major and making two long reaches in his journey hither 3. Aseanius which rising also in Phrygia Major but more neer the borders of this Countrey falleth into the Propontis making the Bay called Sinus Ascanius Which with a lake in the same Countrey called Lacus Ascanius doth plainely manifest that the Bithynians are derived from Askenaz the Sonne of Gomer and grand-son of Japhet The principal Townes hereof are 1. Seutari over against the Haven of Constantinople called antiently Chrysupolis for that there the Persians received their tribute from the other Cities of all these parts of Asia Minor An ample Town well garrisoned within and surrounded round about with most pleasant Orchards and honoured with the neighbourhood of a Royall Seraglio Not far off is a Tower called the Murder-Power serving both for a Fort and watch-tower and being furnished for defence with twenty pieces of Ordnance 2. Caleedon on the same shore also a Colonie of the Megarenses called blinde by the Oracle for neglecting Byzantium and choosing the lesse convenie it place for their habitation And yet did Constantine the Great resolve upon the same place also for his Regall Citie but changed his resolutions on a kinde of miracle it being observed that when his workmen began to draw the plat-forme some Eagles conveyed away their lines to the other side of the Bosphorus and let them fall directly upon Byzemtium Memorable after that for the fourth Gener all Council there assembled by Command of the Emperour Martianus for repressing the heresie of Nestorius in which were five hundred and thirty Bishops now so decayed that it can onely shew some few of the ruines of it Scutari being risen on the fall thereof 3. Nicemedia so called from Nicomedes King of Bithynia the son of Zipes and grand child to that Bithynian King who so valiantly defended his own and his Countreys liberty against Calantus one of great Alexanders Captains by whom founded Sitaute on the top of an hill environed with a pleasant and delightfull Plain honoured with the leate and residence of many of the Roman Emperors when their affaires called them into the East before the building of Constantinople on that occasion made the Throne on which many of Gods Saints received the Crown of Martyrdome especially in the persecution under Dioclesiar In those tunes wealthy and of same now much decayed but notwithstanding well inhabited both by Greeks and Turks for the commodiousnesse of the fresh Springs which are thereabouts 4. Libussa betwixt Nicomedia and the River Ascanius memorable for the death and Sepulture of the famous Anmball who to prevent his being made Prisoner to the Romans when Prusius King of Bithynia intended unworthily to betray him here made away himself by poison 5. Prusa founded by another Prusiu whose name it beareth a large and wealthy City as most in Asia honoured for a long time with the residence of the Turkish Kings till the removall of their seat to Adrianople by Mahomet the first and still ennobled with the sepulture of the Princes of the Ottanan race except the Emperours themselves By the Turks called Bursu 6. Nicae or Nicaea by the Turks called Neichia but most commonly Isnichs situate caer the fennes of the River Ascanius occasioned by the frequent overslowings of that River by some affirmed to be the Metropolis of Bithynia but I think Nicomedia hath more right to claime that honour First named Antigonta from Antigonius the founder of it and afterwards Nicaea by the name of 〈◊〉 wife unto Lysimachus both of them Captaines of the Great Alexander which last had the happinesse to survive the overthrow of the former and was the longest liver of those great Commanders Sufficiently famous both in Ecclesiasticall and Civill story for the first generall Councill there holden by the appointment of Constantine the Great Anno 314. for settling the peace of the Church then miserably distracted by the Arian Heresie The number of Bishops there assembled no more then 318. yet of such high esteem for learning and piety that never Council hath been held in so great an Honour Here was also held the Councel by the Emperesse Irene for establishing the veneration of Images that passing by the name of the Nicene Councel the Acts thereof might be of greater reputation amongst ignorant men In which it was decreed by such doubtfull Atguments as Let us make man after our own Image once mainly insisted on by a Legate of the Eastern Churches that they should be reverenced and adored in as ample and religious manner as the blessed Trinity it self This City was also the Imperiall City of the Greek Emperours after the taking of Constantinople by the Westem Christians and there continued till the expulsion of the Lutines Under these Emperours of the GREEKS residing at NICE A. CH. 1200. 1. Theodorus Lascaris son in law to Alexius Angelus the Usurper upon the taking of Constantinople by the Latines passed over into Asia and fortifying the City of Nice made it the head City of his Kingdome conteining Bithyuia both the Phrygia's both the Mysia's Lydie Aeclis and Ionia 1223. 2 John surnamed Ducas the husband of Irene daughter of Theodore Lasearis succeeded his Father in law in the Empire to which he added Pontus most of the Isles of the Aegean and not a few places of importance in Theace it self 1256. 3. Theodorus II. the son of Ducas 1259. 4. John II. the son of Theodore the second an Infant of about six years old supplanted first and after cruelly deposed and deprived of right 1259. 5. Michael Palaeologus descended from the Imperiall family of the Conneni first took upon him as Protectour of the Infant-Empe our and afterwards as his assviate in the Empire in which confirmed by many fortunate successes as well against the Latixes as some Greek Usurpers in Tlessaly and Peliponesus especially the taking of Constantinople he deprived the young Emperour of his sight made himself sole Emperour and left it unto his posterity who held it with a great deal of trouble and continuall disquiets till the year 1452. when Conquered by Mahomet the Great as before was said But this recovery of Constantinople was the losse of Nice taken not long after the removall of the Imperiall seate by Sultan Ottonar Anno 1299. who presently thereupon took on himselfe the stile of King from which before he had bstained As for the
by the people sowed in an Oxes hide and so baited to death 2. Pitane on a little River so named falling into Caicus not farre from the influx or fall thereof into the Aegean in which Town they had an Art of making bricks which would swimme on the water 3. Elaea on the mouth of Caicus the Port-Town to Pergamus 4. Myrina afterwards in honour of Augustus called Sebastopolis 5. Cene by Strabo called Cane by Mela Cannae not farre from a Promontorie of the same name 6. Cuma the principal and greatest of all Aeolis the birth-place of Ephorus a learned man of elder times and the habitation of Sibylla sirnamed Cumana to difference her from Sibylla Cumaea so named from Cumae a City of the Realme of Naples 7. Phocaea a Colonie of the Athenians so named from the multitudes of Sea-Calves the Greeks call them Phocae which thrust themselves a shore at the building of it The people hereof over-bundened by the Persians and impatient of so great servitude as was laid upon them forsook their Countrey binding themselves by a fearful oath never more to return unto it and after many and long wanderings came at last into Gaule where they founded the famous City of Marseilles The Inhabitants of this little Region are by Josephus said to be descended of Elisha the Sonne of Javan who therefore calleth them by the name of Elisaei And it is possible enough that so it was Elisha being planted in Greece where he gave name to Elis one of the Provinces of Peloponesus from whence some of his race in succeeding times might passe over into Asia and possesse those coasts For that they were a Greek people is confessed by all the Aeolick dialect or phrase of speech taking name from hence Not otherwise much mentioned in the course of story then as partakers of the same fortunes with the rest of their Asian Neighbours before related and so not necessary to be now repeated IONIA as a larger tract requires a more particular punctuall description For here the River Lycus falleth into the Maeander and here Maeander and Caystrus two of the most famous Rivers of Asia Minor of which more hereafter fall into the Aegean Here is the renowned City of Ephesus hotoured with one of the worlds seven wonders the long abode of Saint Paul and the death and sepulture of Saint John the Promontory Trogyllium with a little Isle adjoyning of the same name mentioned Acts 20. v. 15. Principall Cities of this tract are 1. Myas on an anne of the Sea assigned together with Lampsacw and Magnesia by Actaxerxes to Themistocles when being banished his own Countrey he fled to his greatest Enemie for entertainment and there met with more safety then Athens would and more honour then it could afford him So that he well might say as he often did Periissem nisi periissem And on the other side the King was so overjoyed at his comming to him as having now upon his side the man who had most hindered him in the conquest of Greece that many times in his sleep he was heard to clap his hands and say Habeo Themistoclem Atheniensem In after-times the water drawing further off the soyle brought forth such an innumerable multitude of fleas that the inhabitants were faine to forsake the City and with their bagge and baggage to retire to Miletus Nothing hereof being left but the name and memory in the time of Pausanâ—as 2. Erythra memorable for the habitation of one of the Sibyle from hence called Sihrlla Erythroea of which Prophetesses we shall speak more when we come to Africk 3. Lebedus of most note in the elder-times for those publick Plaics which were here annually held in the honour of Bacchus 4. Clazomene situate in a small Ilet neer unto the shore of much esteem amongst the Romans for the wines there growing and no lesse honoured by the Asianus for a beautiful Temple of Apollo seated neer unto it 5. Priene the birth-place of Bias one of the seven Wise-men of Greece 6 Ipsus renowed for the great battel betwixt Antigonus and Seleucus two of Alexanders chiefe Commanders the Victory wherein falling to Seleucus with the death of his Adversary estated him in all the Conquests of his Master except Egypt onely 7. Teos the birth-place of Anacreon that lascivious and drunken Poet hence sirnamed Teâ—us the Ovid of the Grecians both for wit and wantonnesse of both which it may well be doubted whether the smoothnesse of the verse or the wantonnesse of their expressions be the more predominant 8. Smyrna a faire and antient City on a Bay thence named the Bay of Smyrna the greatest part whereof lay towards the Sea but the fairest on the side of an hill overlooking the waters Destroyed by the Lydians it was re-edified by Antigonus and Lysimachus two of Alexanders great Commanders of good accompt in the time of the Romans and one of the seven Asian Churches to which Saint John inscribed his Revelation Much traded and frequented to this very day especially for Chamlets Grograines and such stuffes made for the most part at Ancyra the Chief Town of Galatia and here vended to the forreign Merchant For government of the trade whereof and of other commodities of these parts the English Merchants have an Officer called the Consul of Smyrna In old time there was in it amongst others a goodly Temple dedicated unto Homer said to be born in this City and to have writ his Poems in a Cave hard by 9. Colophon most memorable for the Inhabitants of it so skilled in horse-man-ship that the side on which they served in warre was sure of Victory whereupon Colophonem addere to put a good end to any businesse grew into a Proverb It was also another of those Cities which so ambitiously contended for the birth of Homer of which there were seven in all as the old Verses tell us saying Septem urbes certant de stirpe insignis Homeri Smyrna Rhodos Colophon Salamis Chios Argos Athenae Whether Homer purposely concealed his Countrey that all places might challenge him for theirs I am not able to say But sure I am that Paterculus speaketh it in the commendation of Hesiodus the next Greek Poet after him in course of time that he had specified his birth-place Qui vitavit ne in id quod Homerus inciderit patriam parentes testatus est 10. Ephesus the Metropolis of the Roman Asia and the seat of the Primat of the Asian Diocese memorable in the purest times of Christianity for being the Episcopall See of Timothy the Evangelist the first Bishop hereof 2ly In that Saint Paul directed to the people of it one of his Epistles and 3ly for the buriall of Saint John the Apostle who by some learned men of the elder times is said to have gone alive into his Grave and that he is not dead but sleeping building that thought upon that saying which went abroad among the Brethreâ— that that Disciple should not die John 21. v.
infamous for their luxury and excesse of riot when between in warres so that it is a marvel they were able to prevaise on the neighbour Nations and bring then under their command as in the times of some of Croesus Predecessors it is said they did Unlesse perhaps they did participate of the temper of Moecenas the great favorite of Augustus Caesar of whom Paereulus hath left this Character ubires vigiliam exigeret erat sane insomnis providens agendi 〈◊〉 simul â—e aliquidex negotio remitti possit otio ac mossite penè ultra foeminam fluens No man more vigilant then he in times of businesse nor woman more effeminate in his times of leisure Principall Cities of this Countrey were 1. Sardis on both sides of Pactolus the seat Royall of Croesuâ— and the Kings of Lydia till the conquest of Lydia by the Persian After which time being taken by the Grecians it so startled Xerxes that he commanded one of his Attendants to say aloud every day whilest to was at dinner that the Grecians had taken Sardis continuing that Memento till it was recovered Which course I note this onely by the way was commonly observed in the Parliaments of France as long as Calice did remain in the hands of the English and might be profitably revived till again recovered from the French Overthrown by a most terrible Earth-quake to which disease most of these Asian Cities have been very much subject it was re-edified again at the cost of Tiberius continuing long after the Metropolis of this Province and one of the Seven Churches of the Lydian Asia of which the holy Spirit took such speciall notice The others besides Pergamus already mentioned in the Greater Mysia and Ephesus and Smyrna in the Proper Asia were 20 Philadelphia neer or on the banks of the River Caystrus the second City in accompt next to Sardis it selfe and honoured with the dignity of a Metropolitan as appeareth by the Acts of the Constantinopolitan Council where Eustathius Bishop hereof doth subscribe himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of the Metropolis of Philadelphia in the Province of Lydia 3. Thiatyra honoured with the same privilege also as appears by the constant Order observed as well in the Civill as Ecclesiasticall Catologues of the Cities belonging to this Province The reason whereof for otherwise it was contrary to the practise both of Church and State to have in one Province more then one Metropolis was the respect had to those severall Churches in regard of their primitive antiquity and the foundation of them by Saint John the Apostle as it was generally believed 4. Lariaicea by Ptolomy placed amongst the Cities of this Province as it stood in his time and before but afterwards laid by Constantine to the Greater Phrygia and made the Metropolis thereof which honour 〈◊〉 had before enjoyed it being well observed by Strabo that the Romans did not dispose of their Provinces according to Nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but according to those districts or Circuits in which they kept their Courts of justice Next unto these there were of especiall consideration 5. Magnesia ad Maeandrum so called because situate on that River to difference it from 6. Magnesia penes Sipylum montem another of the same name neer the hill Sipylus The first asigned over to Themistocles together with Myus and Lampsacus as was said before The other memorable for the great battell fought neer unto it betwixt Antiochus and the Romans the losse whereof falling unto Antiochus occasioned the losse of all his Asian Provinces on this side of Taurus and the payment of 15000 talents for the charge of the warre besides some other hard conditions then imposed upon him 7. Alabanda opposite to Magnesia on the other side of Maeander the people whereof immediatly on the overthrew of Antiochus not onely sent Ambassadors to Rome to congratulate with them as many other Nations did but built a Temple to it and appointed Anniversary Games to be celebrated in the honour of that new-made Godesse A thing more to be wondered at in the Roman Senate for receiving than in this poor people for bestowing on their City so divine an honour 8. Trallis on the banks of Caystrus to the Inhabitants whereof Ignatius that Reverend Bishop and godly Martyr writ the Epistle ad Trallenses That the Lydians were derived from Lud the Sonne of Sem is testified by the general consent of such antient writers as treat of the dispersions of the Sonnes of Noah to which opinion the nearnesse of the names of Lud Ludin and Lydi or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Grecians call them seems to give good countenance Nor shall I here dispute it further as a point unquestioned the tale of Lydus I know not what Nobleman that should name this Countrey being taken up amongst the Greeks for want of more certain truths Once setled here they grew up suddenly to a Kingdome Amongst the Antient Kings whereof are numbered Manes as the first Cotis and Atis and then Asius from whom Lydia first and after all the Continent had the name of Asia as his immediate Successors After them I find mention of one Cambletes said by Athenaeus to be so great a Gourmandizer that in his sleep he eat his wife and finding her hand in his mouth next morning slew himself for shame and of another named Andramytes as infamous for his filthy lusts as Cambletes for gluttony But the race of these Kings ending in Omphale the Mistresse of Hercules who made that valiant Champion spinne amongst her Damosels the Heraclidae or posterity of Hercules succeeded next of whom there is no constant and continued succession till the time of Ardisius the nineteenth in order of that line who began his reign not long before the building of the City of Rome Under his successors the affaires hereof so exceedingly prospered especially under Haliattes the Father of Croesus that Phrygia Bithynia Paphlagonia Mysia Caria Aeolis Doris and Ionia acknowledged themselves Vassalls to this Crown conceived both in wealth and power to be equall to the Aegyptian Babylonian or Median Kingdomes till the Conquest of Syria and Aegypt by Nabuchadnezzer gave him the preheminence But being come unto the height it received a fall in the person of Croesus the Successour of him who so much advanced it The Kings hereof from the time of the said Ardisius take in order following The Kings of Lydia A. M. 3190. 1. Ardisius 36. 3226. 2. Haliactes 14. 3240. 3. Melos who overcame the people of Sardis 12. 3252. 4. Candaules who shewing his wife naked to Gyges was by him slain who marying his wife succeeded him in his Kingdome The whole story is this Candaules had to his wife a woman of unparallell'd beauty And supposing the greatnesse of his happinesse not to consist so much in his own fruition as the notice which others might take of it intended to shew her in natures bravery to Gyges the master of his heards Gyges at
Queen of Harlicarnassus who in the honour of her husband Mausolus built a stately monument accounted one of the worlds seven wonders of which thus Martiall speaking of the Roman Amphitheatre erected by Domitian◠Aere nec vacuo pendentia Mausolaea Laudibus immodicis Cares ad astra ferant That is to say Mausolus tomb filling the empty Aire Let not the Carians praise beyond compare That the Carians were so called from Cares the sonne of Phoroneus King of Argos hath been said before But Bochartus will rather have them so called from Car which in the Phoenician language signifieth a Sheep or a Ram with numerous flocks whereof they did once abound And this may seem more probable in regard that the Ionians next neighbours to Caria borrowing this word from the Phoenicians called sheep by the name of Cara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith Hesrchius the old Gramarian But from whomsoever they had their name certain it is they were a very warlike people 〈◊〉 morun pugnaeque amans saith Pomponius Mela ut aliena etiam bella appeterent who when they had no warres at home would seek out for action A little before the time of Xerxes Mausolus reigned here whose wife Artemisia lately mentioned aided that King in his undertakings against Greece Afterwards in the time of Alexander the Great we meet with Ada Queen hereof who aided him against the Persians adopting him for her Sonne and Successour Subject after her decease to the Macedonians it followed the same fortune with the rest of these Provinces till the defeat of Antiochus neer Magnesia in the division of whose spoiles it was given to the Rhodians incorporated not long after to the State of Rome and made a Province of the Empire Wrested from the Eastern Emperours by the Turkes of the Selzuccian Family the greatest part hereof on the death of Aladine 2d was raised unto a petit Kingdome by the name of Mentesia so called from Mendos or Mindus the chief City of it the residue being laid to the Caraman Kingdome both long ago subdued by the Ottoman Family that of Mentesia by Mahome surnamed the Great who dispossessed Elias the last Prince thereof Anno 1451. LYCIA LYCIA is bounded on the East with Pamphylia on the West with Caria on the North with parts of Lydia and Phrygia Major on the Sauth with the Mediterrenean Sea Environed on three sides with the Mountain Taurus which part it from the Countries above mentioned by consequence naturally strong aud not very accessible the Sea for the space of twenty miles shutting up the fourth And here it is to be observed that besides this there was a litle Region of the same name not far from Troy not much observed by our Geographers either old or new but mentioned sometimes by the Peets as in Virgill Aeneid 4. Qualis ubi hybernan Lyciam Xanthique fluenta deserit c. which is meant plainly of the Phrygian or Trojan Lycia the word hyberna being added because of its Northern situation in respect of this The People hereof were sometimes called Xanthi from Xanthus the chief River hereof which rising in two springs from the foot of mount Cadmus passeth by a Town called Xanthus also and falleth into the Sea But generally they were called Lycii and the Councrey Lycia from Lycius the sonne of Pandion King of Athens who either conquered them or did some memorable Act amongst them which deserved that honour The principall Mountain of this Countrey and indeed of Asia is the Mountain Taurus which hath his beginning in this Province extending Eastward to the great Orientall Ocean of which somewhat hath been said already and more is to be said hereafter when these hils are grown unto the greatest One of the branches of it and the most notable in this Countrey is that called Chimoera vomiting flames of fire like Cicilian Aetna the bottom whereof was infested with Serpents the midle parts grazed upon by Goats and the higher parts made dangerous by the dens of Lions Hence by the Poets made a Monster having the head of a Lion the body of a Goat and the taile of a Serpent according unto that of Ovid in his Metamorphosis Quoque Chimaera iugo mediis in partibns Hyrcum Pectus ora Leo caudam Serpentis habebat In English thus Chimaera from a Goat her mid-parts takes From Lions head and breast her tail from Snakes This dangerous Mountain was first planted and made habitable by the care of Bellerophou a noble Grecian who is therefore fabled by the Poets to have killed this Monster employed upon this business by Jobares the King of Lycia to whom he had been sent by Proetus King of Argos who was jealous of him and sent with letters to require that King to kill him Whence came the saying Bellerophontis liter as portare applied to those who were unawares imployed do carry letters tending to their own destruction such as those carried by Vriah to Joab the Generall by command of David This Countrey was so populous that antiently there were reckoned threescore Cities in it of which six and thirty remained in the time of Saint Paul now nothing left of them but the names and ruins Those of chief note were 1. Myra the Metropolis of Lycia when a Roman Province by consequence an Arch-Bishops See when Christian St. Nicholas one of the Bishops hereof in the primitive times is said to have been a great Patron of Scholars his festivall annually holden on the sixt of December is celebrated in the Church of Rome with several pastimes and still in some Schools here in England as in that of Burford in the County of Oxon where I had my breeding and my birth for a feast and a play-day Of this City there is mention Acts 27. v. 5. 2. Telmesus the Inhabitants whereof were famous for South-saying and accounted the first Interpreters of Dreams 3. Patara or Patras formerly called Sataros beautified with a fair Haven and many Temples one of them dedicated to Apollo with an Oracle in it for wealth and credit equall unto that of Delphos 4. Phaselis on the Sea-side also a nest of Pirates in the times of the Reman greatness by whom then haunted and enriched as Algiers is now but taken by Servilius a Roman Captain at such time as Powpey scowred the Seas And unto the Pirates of this Town the former Ages were indebted for the first invention of those swift Vessels which the Romans called a Phaselus by the name of the Town we may render it a Brigantine 5. Cragus with a Mountain of the same name thrusting out eight points or Promontories neer to the Chimoera 6. Rhodia or Rhodiopolis as Plinie calleth it most probably the foundation of the neighbouring Rhodians 7. Solyma on the borders hereof towards Pisidia the people of which were conquered and added unto Lycia by the sword of Bellerophon whom Jobares with a minde to kill him according to the request of Poetus imployed in that service 8. Corydalla neer
and forty or a hondred and sixty Oars a peece which the Italians call from hence by the name of Pamphyli But forced to leave this trade at last being warred upon by the Romans with great forces both by Sea and Land a fuller narrative whereof we shall have in Cilicia in the conclusion of that warre they lost that liberty which so small a time they had enjoyed and were made Vassals unto Rome Afterwards made a Province of the Asian Diocese they ran the same fortune with the rest till subdued by the Turks and at the death of Alidine were seized on by Caraman and so became a part of his Kingdome Of which we shall hear more when we come to Cilicia And so much for the Provinces of the Asian Diocese the Provinces of the Isles excepted whereof more anon converted to the Christian faith by three great Apostles but most especially by Saint Paul of whose travels through most Cities and Regions of it there is such pregnant evidence in the book of the Acts. And that Saint Peter and Saint John had also their parts herein appears by the Revelation of the one and the first Epistle of the other Paul planting John and Peter watering but God himself giving the increase Pass we on next unto ISAURIA and CILICIA which though Provinces of the Diocese of the Orient were parts of the Caramanian Kingdome of which having taken a Survey and so cleared our selveâ— of this Peninsula we will then sayl about such Islands as make up the remainder of the Asian Diocese 18. ISAVRIA CILCIA THese two though distinct Provinces I have joined together because the first was onely a part of the last Cilicia antiently comprehending both The fourtunes of both being the same also in point of story ISAVRIA a mountainous and hilly Province seated on both sides of Taurus hath on the East and South the rest of Cilicia whereof antiently it was a part on the North Pisidia on the West Pamphylia So called from Isaurus the chief City of it when first made known unto the Romans which being taken by Servilius the Proconsnl imployed by Pompey in that service reduced the conquered Countrey under the command of Rome and gave unto the Conquerour the surname of Isauricus The quality of the Soyl and whole estate of this small Province take thus from Ammianus Marcellinus who had seen these Countries Ciliciae lateri dextro adnexa Isauria uberi palmite viret frugibus multis quam mediam flumen navigabile Calicadnus interscindit c. i. e. On the right hand of Cilicia lyeth Isauria a Province of a wealthy soyl plentifull of Vines and much other fruits which the River Calecadnus parteth in the very middest Beautified besides many Towns with two principall Cities 1. Seleucia founded by Seleucus and 2. Claudiopolis into which Claudius the Emperour brought a Roman Colonie For as touching 3. Isauria heretofore a walled City and of most esteem it hath been long ago destroyed as yielding too secure a refuge to the neighburing Rebels insomuch that now there are scarce any visible tracts of its former greatness And not much after Hae duae Provinciae bello quondam Piratico cateruis mixtae Praedonum a Servilio Proconsule missae sub jugum factae sunt vectigales i e These Provinces Cilicia and this heretofore in the Piraticall warre joyning with those Robbers were brought under by Servilius the Proconsâ—l and made subject to the State of Rome And here we have in brief the nature of the Countrey the names of the chief Rivers and the principall Cities with so much of the story as relates to the first subjugation of it What further doth concern it we shall hear in Cilicia upon the which it did depend 2. CILICIA is bounded on the East with Syria or rather that part thereof which is called Comagena separated from which part by a branch of the Mounta in Taurus called Amanus on the West with Pamphylia on the North with Isauria and Armenia Minor on the South with the Mediterranean and Syria specially so called It was thus named as the old tradition was from 〈◊〉 the brother of Cadmus the Phoenician a neer neighbour to it but as Bochartus of whose humour I have told you often from Callukim a Phoenician word signifying stones quia lapidosa est Regio because in some parts especially in that which was called Cilicia Trachaea or Cilicia Aspera it was very stony It is now called Caramania as the last Province of the Caramanian Kingdome which held out for those falling Princes when the rest was conquerd by the Turks of the Ottoman race The Countrey said by Marcellinus to be terra dives omnibus bonis wealthy and fruitfull of all necessaries Which Character holdeth good chiefly in the Eastern parts which heretofore had the name of Cilicia Campestris the western parts lying towards Pamphylia formerly called Cilicia aspera being rough and stony But generally where the lands lie in severall and are duly cultivated it answereth to the former Character being also very well watered and having a fair and large Sea-coast for the space of there hundred miles and upwards Which notwithstanding it is not much traded and but meanly inhabited a great part of the Countrey lying in large and common fields to which none can lay any proper claim and therefore planted onely with Goats and Sheep out of which the Commoners on all sides raise good profit by cheese and butter by their fleeces chiefly Here is also a good breed of Horses of which six hundred yearly are culled out for the speciall service of the Grand Signeur But as they have some profitable and usefull creatures so have they others as dangerous and hurtfull to them especially those which the Vulgar Grecians call Squilachi of a mixt making betwixt a Dog and a Wolf which go in ttoops and are so bold and theevish withall as they use to set upon a man as he is a sleep and leave him neither hat cloak nor fardell nor anything they can conveniently get from him Chief Rivers hereof are 1. Pyzamus now called Malmistra which rising on the North side of the Taurus and forcing his passage through that Mountain makes such a noise in falling down the precipices and rocks thereof as resemblanceth at a great distance a clap of Thunder 2. Orymagdus 3. Calicadnus spoken of before 4. Cidnus which riseth in the Anti-Taurus a River of a violent course and so cold a water that as Pliny writes it cureth the Gout the waters of which proved very dangerous to Alexander the Great the coldness of them striking violently into his stomack and deadly to Fredrick the first Emperour of the Germans as he here bathed himself the violence of the stream tripping up his heels and he not able to recover was presenly drowned Of their chief hils I need add nothing having already said that the Countrey is parted by Amanus from Syria and by Taurus it self from Pisidia and Armenia Minor not
And of these Habitations some are presented to us by the names of Ooanoke by the English called the Blinde Town 2 Pemeoke 3 Shycoake said by my Author to be Civitas ampla a large City but we must understand him with Relation to the rest of this Country 4 Chowanoak 5 Secatan 6 Mattaken 7 Weopomioke 8 Pyshokonnok said to be inhabited by none but women 9 Chipano 10 Muscamunge both upon the Sea most of them called by the name of those several Tribes which inhabit in them In reference to the English and their Plantations we are to know that they made choice of the Southside of a large and goodly Bay for the place of their dwelling A Bay which thrusting it self a great way up into this Country and receiving into it many of the Rivers before mentioned is by the Natives called Chesepoack and yeildeth the only safe entrance into this part of the Country the Capes thereof for that cause fortified by the English that on the Southern point being called Cape Henry and the other Cape Charles according to the names of the two young Princes Towns of most note which have been either since built or frequented by them 1 James Town Jacobipolis so named in honour of King Iames on the South-side of that Bay not far from the River Chikahamania first founded in the year 1606 at what time it was trenched about and some Ordnance planted on the Works 2 Henries Town Henricopolis so named in honour of Prince Henry the eldest son of King Iames built in a convenient place more within the Land 80 miles from Iames Town 3 Dales-gift so called because built and planted at the charge of Sir Thomas Dale An. 1610. 4 Bermuda an open Burrough five miles from Henricopolis 5 Ketoughtan a noted and frequented Port in the Bay of Chesepoack very much traded by the English 6 Wicocomoco the chief Town of Pawhatan one of the Roitelets of this Country much courted by the English at their first setling here and a long time after a Crown being sent him by King Iames with many other rich presents the better to sweeten and oblige him but for all that he proved a treacherous and unfaithfull neighbour The sum of the Affairs of this last Plantation is that the business being resumed in the year 1606 and a Commission granted to certain Noblemen and Merchants to advance the work they fell in hand by the Counsell and incouragement of Capt. Smith with the building of Iames Town having first fortified Cape Henry in which Town he fixed a Colony of 100 men These being almost consumed by famine and other miseries were the next year recruited with 120 more brought by Captain Newport but a Fire having casually consumed their houses once again discouraged them But the houses being reedified and a Church added to the houses by the industry of Smith their Governour the Colonie began to flourish and to increase in reputation amongst the Savages especially having made as they believed a friend of Pawhatan In the year 1609. the Lord De la Ware was appointed Governour and Smith commanded to return who left here 490 persons and of them 200 expert Souldiers 3 Ships 7 Boats 24 great Guns 300 Muskets with victuals and ammunition necessary and 39 of their Weroances or Petit-Kings Tributaries and Contributioners to the English Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Summers sent thither with 9 ships and 500 men lost a great part of their numbers in the Isle of Bermudaz the rest not well according with the old Plantation were at the point of returning home when happily the Lord De la Ware arrived with three Ships more An. 1610. But falling into a desperate sickness and come home to England he recommended the estate of the English there to Sir Thomas Dale who furnished them with Men Cattel and other necessaries after whom came Sir Thomas Gates with 300 men and some heads of Cattel And then the Government hereof being conferred on Henry Earl of Southampton the affairs here began to settle in a prosperous way when unexpectedly in the year 1621. the Salvages falling on them fearing no such treacherie killed 340 of their men and had also then surprized James Town if one of the Savages who had received the Christian faith had not discovered their intention Since that recovered of that blow it went happily forwards and might by this time have been raised to some power and greatness if the English by diverting on some by plantations and by imploying indigent and necessitous persons in so great a work had not discouraged the design For certainly one might say of this Plantation as the Scripture doth of the Camp of David in the time of Saul that few or none were sent unto it except the Principals but such as were in distress or debt or some way or other discontented men never likely to advance and pursue a business of such publicke interesse Commendable howsoever in this particular though perhaps that commendation do belong to their Governours that being here they kept themselves constantly to those Forms of Worship which were established and observed in the Church of England As for the Natives of the whole they were divided as was said into several Tribes every Tribe under the command of their several Chiefs which Chiefs though many in number and of little power knew well enough how to keep their State unto their Subjects and to shew it also unto Strangers For when Powhatan was pleased to give audience unto Captain Newport and the rest of the English sent from Smith they found him on a Bed of Mats his Pillow of Leather imbroidered with white Beads and Pearl attired with a Robe of skins like an Irish Mantle at his head and feet an handsom young woman on each side of the room twenty others with their necks and shoulders painted Red and about their necks a great chain of Beads his principal men sitting before them in like manner Yet notwithstanding this great State and great it was indeed for such peâ—it Princes he and the rest became so subject to the English that in Smiths time they did not only pay their Tributes or Contributions but at his command would send their Slaves and Subjects to James-Town to receive correction for wrongs done to the Colonie And it is probable enough that those of New-England being the greater and more powerful Plantation as followed with the stronger zeal and carried on by the united purses of a prevalent Faction were of like influence also amongst the Natives though I find it not expressed in so many particulars 4. The Isles of BERMVDAZ many in number some say 400 at the least are situate directly East from Virginia from which they are distant 500 English miles 3300 of the same miles from the City of London So called from John Bermudaz a Spaniard by whom first discovered Called also the Summer-Ilands from the shipwrack of Sir George Summers upon that Coast so much delighted with the
which they make their bread of the word in that Language signifying Lecum panis or the place of Bread the same with Bethlehem in the Hebrew The Country very plentifull both of Corn and Cattell full of rich Pastures and wonderfully stored with Maize Level and plain except towards the Sea where occurreth a large chain of craggie Mountains The richer in the fruits of Nature for those fair and pleasant Rivers wherewith it is watered the principal of which 1. Rio de Grijalva so called from John de Grijalva who first discovered it employed herein by James Velasques the advancer of Cortez 2 Rio de Zempoall so called from the Town of Zempoalian about which it riseth 3 Zahuate which makes its way thorow the chain of Mountains before mentioned and falleth with the former into the Golf 4 Rio de Zacatula a River of the longest course in all this Province rising neer Tlascala and falling many Leagues off into Mare del Zur The People much of the same nature with those of Mexico though upon jealousies of State their most bitter enemies of which the Spaniards made good use to advance their Conquests on that Kingdom Places of most importance in it 1 Tlascala it self which gives name to the Province in former times governed after the form of a Commonwealth according to the Democratical Models Situate on a little Hill betwixt two Rivers and in the middle of a large but pleasant Plain 60 miles in compass So populous at the coming of the Spaniards hither that it contained 300000 Inhabitants now scarce 50000. It had four Streets or rather Quarters each of them governed by a Captain in time of war and in the middest a Marketâ— place so fair and spacious that 30000 persons might assemble in it to buy and sell or for any other business 2 Puebba de los Angelos the City of Angels but most commonly Angelos built by Sebastian Ramirâ—z An. 1531. in the way from Vera Crux to the City of Mexico from which last 22 leagues distant A Bishops See and thought to contain in it 1500 families 3 Zempoallan on the River so named the Inhabitants whereof did great service to Ferdinando Cortez in his conquest of Mexico 4 Napuluca of great resort for a Fair of Cattel and such a kind of Court for ordering the trade thereof as we call the Pie powders 5 Guaxocingo a pleasant and wellâ— peopled town situate at the foot of the burning Mountain before mentioned by the ashes and embers whereof the fields are many times annoied 6 Segura or Segura de la Frontera in the Region of Tepeac built by Cortez the next year after the conquest of Mexico with fair streets and handsome houses by whom peopled with Spaniards 7 Vera Crux the first town built in this Country by the said Cortez now a Bishops See situate neer unto the Gulf and a great thorow-fare from thence to the City of Mexico from which distant about 60 leagues 8 S. John de Vllua the most noted Port of all this Province fenced with a Peer against the fury both of winds and sea defended naturally by Rocks and Quicksands lying before it and by two Bulwarks well fortified and manned on both sides of the entrance 9 Medellin built by Cortez An. 1525. and planted with Spaniards so called in memory of a town of the same name in Estremadara in which he was born situate on the banks of the River Almeria The Tlalscallans were originally one of the seven Tribes which drave the Chichimecas out of their possessions and either finding no room left for them on the Banks of the Lake or else willing to subsist alone withdrew themselves from the rest founded the City of Tlascala and there erected a Democratical Estate Stomacked for this by the other Tribes and many times invaded by those of Mexico after they had subdued the rest they still maintained themselves against all attempts and in the end assisted Cortez in the destruction of that Kingdom they so deadly hated Privileged for that reason by the Spaniards and exempted from all kind of tribute except it be an handfull of Wheat for every person and suffered to live under his protection in the former Government The Province given us by this name said to contain 200 good Towns and Burroughs 1000 Villages and upwards and in them 150000 of the Natives besides Spanish Colonies Distributed into 36 Classes or Rural Dâ—anries for Ecclesiastical Government in which are thought to be 30 Convents and Religious Houses 5 GVAXATA is bounded on the West with Tlascala on the East with Jucutan and Chiapâ— one of the Provinces of Guatimala on the North with the Bay of Mexico and on the South with Mare del Zur Extended on the South-sea to the length of an hundred miles but on the Bay to fifty only in breadth from sea to sea where it bordereth on Tlascala 120 leagues not above 60 where it confineth on Chiapa So called from Guaxata once the chief town of these parts now named Antequera The Air heteof very â—ound and sweet and the Soil as fruitfull plentifull not only of those commodities which are common with the other Provinces of this Country but of such quantities of Silks and store of Mulberries that if the Natives paid their Tithes as the Spaniards do that very Revenue would suffice to endow five Bishopricks as good as that which is there already scarce any River of this Country but hath Sands of Gold such plenty of Coccinele a rich grain used in dying Scarlets of which before as also of Cassia Gold Silver and other metals that if the people did but adde some industry to the wealth of the Country they might be the richest men in all America But being naturally slâ—â—hfull and impatient of labour they lose all opportunities of gathering riches and live but from hand to mouth as we use to say Docile enough and so indulgent unto those who take pains to teach them that here are reckoned 120 Convents of Dominican Friers besides other Schools these last conceived the greater number It is subdivided into many particular Provinces we may call them Wapentakes or Hundreds as 1 Misteca 2 Tutopeque 3 Zapoteca 4 Guazacoalco 5 Gueztaxatla and 6 the Vale of Guaxata this last most memorable in that it gave the title of Marquesso del Valle to the famous Cortez Towns of most observation 1 Teozopotlan once the chief town of Zapoteca and the seat of their King 2 Cuertlavaca of great note for a Labyrinth not far off hewn out of the Rock but by whom none knoweth 3 Antequera in the Vallie of Guaxata a stately City and beautified with a fair Cathedral as that with Marble-pillars of great height and thickness 4 S. Illifonso in the Province of Zapoteca 5 S. Jago in the Valley of Nexapa seated upon a lofty hill 6 Del Spiritu Santo distant about three leagues from the shores of the Golf in the Province of Guazacoalco the foundation of Gonsalvo de Sandoval
story see at large in the Book of the Indges chap. 19 20 21. The territories of this Tribe lay betwixt those of Ephraim on the North and Iudah on the South having the Dead-Sea to the East and Tribe of Dan to the West-ward of them The chief of their Towns and Cities were 1. Micmas the incamping place of Saul 1 Sam. 13. 2. and the abiding place of Ionathan one of the Maccaboean brethren 1 Macc. 9. 73. 2. Mispah famous in being the ordinary place of assembly for the whole body of the people in matters of warre or peace as also in that standing in the midst of Canaan it was together with Gilgal made the seat of justice to which Samuel went yearly to give judgement to the people 3. Gebah the North border of the Kingdome of Iudah toward Israel 4. Gibeah the Countrey of Saul the first King where the a busing of the Levites wife by the young men of this Town had almost rooted the Tribe of Renjamin out of the garden of Israel 5. At a great and strong City in the siege of which the Israels were first discomfited but when by the death of Achan who had stoln the accursed thing the Camp was purged Josuah by a warlike stratagem surprised it 6. Gibeon the mother City of the Gibeonites who presaging the unresistable victories of the Israelites came to the Camp of Josuah and by a wile obtained peace of Josuah and the People Emploied by them in hewing wood and drawing water for the use of the Tabernacle after the fraud was made known unto them called Nethinims Ezr. 43. from Nathan which signifies to give because they were given to the service of the Tabernacle first of the Temple after Saul about four hundred years after slew some of them for which fact the Lord caused a famine on the land which could not be taken away till seven of Sauls sonnes were by David delivered unto the Gibeonites and by them hanged This famine did God send because in killing those poor Gibeonites the Oath was broken which Josuah and the Princes swore concerning them In defence of those Gibeonites it was that Josuah waged war against the Kings of the Canaanites and staied the motion of the Sun by his fervent praiers 7. Jericho destroied by the sound of Rams-horns was not onely levelled by Josuah to the ground but a curse inflicted on him that should attempt the re-building of it This curse notwithstanding at the time when Ahab reigned in Israel which was about five hundred years after the ruine of it Hiel a Bethelite delighted with the pleasantness of the place reedified it But as it was foretold by Iosuah as he laid the foundation of the wals he lost his eldest Sonne and when he had finished it and was setting up the gates thereof he lost also the younger It may be Hiel when he began his work minded not the prophecy it may be he believed it not peradventure he thought the words of Iosuah not so much to proceed from the spirit of prophecy as from an angry and vexed heart they being spoken in way of wish or execration And it is possible it may be he chose rather to build the eternity of his name on so pleasant and beautifull a City than on the lines and issues of two young men 8. Anathoth the birth-place of the Prophet Ieremy and the patrimony of Abiathar the high Priest sent hither by the command of Solomon as to a place of his own when deposed from his Office by that King 9. Nob called 1 Sam. 22. 19. the Cit of the Priests destroyed by Saul for the relief which Abimelech the high Priest had given to David the Aâ—k of the Lord then residing there 10. Gilgaâ— upon the banks of Iordan where Iosuah did first eat of the fruits of the Land and kept his first Passeover where he circumcised such of the People as were born during their wandring in the Wilderness and nigh to which he set up twelve stones for a Memorial to posterity that the waters of Jordan did there divide themselves to give passage to the twelve Tribes of Israel where Agag King of the Amalekites was hewen in peeces by Samuel and where Samuel once every year administred Justice to the People For being seated in the midst of the land of Israel betwixt North and South and on the Eastside of the Countrey neer the banks of Iordan it served very fitly for that purpose as Mispah also did which stood in the same distance in regard of the length of the land of Canaan but situate towards the West Sea neer the land of the Philistinis used therefore enterchangeably for the ease of the people 11. Bthel at first called Luz but took this new name in remembrance of the vision which Iacob saw here at his going towards Mesopotamia as is said Gen. 28. 19. It signifieth the house of God and was therefore chosen by Jeroboam for the setting up of one of his Golden Calves though thereby as the Prophet saith he made it to be Beth-aver the house of vanity Osee 4. 15. and 10. 5. For then it was a part of the Kingdome of the Ten Tribe and the Southern border of that Kingdome on the coasts of Ephraim but taken from it by Abijah the King of Judah and after that accounted as a member of his Kingdome till the destruction of it by the Chaldoeans Called with the rest of those parts in the time of the Maccabees by the of Aphoerema which signifieth a thing taken away because taken from the Ten Tribes to which once it belonged 1. Maccab. 11. 34. where it is said to have been taken from the Countrey of Samaria and added unto the borders of Iudoea 12. Ramath another place there mentioned and said to have been added to the Realm of Iudah having been formerly the South border of the Kingdome of Israel and therefore strongly fortified by Baoesha in the time of Asa King of Iudah 13. Chadid or Hadid one of the three Cities the other two being 14. Lod and 15. Ono which were inhabited by the Fenjamites after the Captivity Destroyed in the warres with the Kings of Syria and afterwards rebuilt by Simâ—n the Maccaboean But he chief glory of this Tribe and of all the rest and not so only but of all the whole world besides was the famous City of Hurusalem seated upon a rocky Mountain every way to be ascended with steep and difficult ascents except towards the North environed on all other sides also with some neighbouring mountainets as if placed in the middest of an Amphitheatre It consisted in the time of its greatest flourish of four parts separated by their several Walls as if severall Cities we may call them the Upper City the Lower City the New City and the City of Herod all of them but the Lower City seated upon their severall hills Of these that which we call the City of Herod had formerly been beautified with the houses of many of the
Prophets as in our Saviours time with that of Mary the mother of John Mark mentioned acts 15. 37. converted to a Church by the Primitive Christians the Western part whereof was wholly taken up by the Palace of Herod a wicked but magnificent Prince for cost excessive and for strength invincible containing gardens groves fish-ponds places devised for pleasure besides those for exercise Fortified with three Towers at the Corners of it that on the South-East of the wall 50 Cubiâ—s high of excellent workmanship called Mariamnes Tower in memory of his beloved but insolent wife rashly murdered by him Opposite to which on the South-West corner stood the Tower of Phaseolus so called by the name of his brother 70 Cubits high and in form resembling that so much celebrated Aegyptian Phtros and on the North Wall on an high hill the Tower of Hippick exceeding both the rest in height by 14 Cubits and having on the top two Spires in memory of the two Hippâ—er his very dear friends slain in his service by the wars 2. On the South-side stood that part which was called the Old City possessed if not built by the Iebu 〈◊〉 and therein both the Mountain and Fort of Sion but after called the City of David because taken by him who thereon built a strong and magnificent Castle the Royall Court and Mansion of the Kings succeding In the West part hereof stood the Tower of David a double Palace built by Herod the one part whereof he named Agrippa and the other Coesar composed of Marble and every where enterlaid with gold and not far off the house of Annas and Caiaphas to which the Conspirators led our Saviour to receive his tryall 3. That which was called the Lower City because it had more in it of the Valley was also called the Daughter of Sion because built after it in majesty and greatness did exceed the Mother For therein upon Mount Moriah stood the Temple of Solomon whereof more anon and betwixt it and Mount Zion on another hill the Palace which he built for his Wife the Daughter of Aegypt and that which he founded for himself from which by an high Bridge he had a way unto the Temple West hereof on a losty rock overlooking the City stood the Royall Palace of the Princes of the Maccaboeans re-edified and dwelt in by King Agripoa though of Herod race and not far off the Theater of Herods building adorned with admirall pictures expressing the many victories and triumphs of Augustus Coesar In this part also stood Mount Aâ—ra and on that once a Citadell built by Antiochus King of Syria but razed by Simon one of the Maccaboean Brothers because it overtopped the Temple the house of Helena Queen of Adiabâ—ne who converted from Paganism to Indaism had here her dwelling and here died and finally Herods Amphitheatre capacious enough to contain 80000 people whom he entertained sometime with such shews and spectacles as were in use amongst the Romans And in this part also on an high and craggy rock not far from the Temple stood the Tower of Baris whereon the same Herod built a strong and impregnable Citadell in honour of Marc. Antonie whose Creature he first was called by the name of Antonius having a fair and large Tower at every corner two of them 50. Cubits high and the other 70. afterwards garrisoned by the Romans for fear the Jews presuming on the strengen of the Temple might take occasion to rebel 4. As for the New City which lay North to the City of Herod it was once a Suburb onely unto all the rest inhabited by none but mechanicall persons and the meanest trades-men but after incompassed by Agrippa with a wall of 25 Cubits high and fortified with ninety Turrets The whole City fenced with a wonderfull circumvallation on all parts thereof having a Ditch cut out of the main Rock as Iosephus an eye-witness writeth sixty foot deep and no less than two hundred and fifty foot in bredth First built say some by Melghisedech the King of Salem by the Jebusites themselves say others by whomsoever built called at first Jebusalem afterwards Jerusalem with the change of one letter only inlarged in time when made the Royall seat of the house of David to the Magnificence and greatness before described â—â— it attained unto the compass of sixty furlongs or seven miles and an half Unconquered for the first four hundred years after the entrance of the Children of Israel and when David attempted it the people presumed so much on the strength of the place that they told him in the way of scorn that the blâ—nd and the lame which they had amongst them as the Text is generally expounded should defend it against him But as I think the late learned Mr. Gregory of Christ-church in Oxon hath found out a more likely meaning of the Text than this who telleth us that the Jubesites by the blind and lame as they knew well the Israeliâ—es called blind and lame did understand those Tutelar Idols on whose protection they relied as the 〈◊〉 did on their Palladium for defence thereof and then the meaning must be this those Gods whom you of Israel call blind and lame shall defend our Walls Why else should David say had they meant it literally that his soul hated the lame and the blind 2. Sam. 5. 8. or why should the People of Israel be so uncharitable as to say that the blind and lame should not come into the House or Temple of God were it meant no otherwise But notwithstanding these vain hopes the Town was carried under the conduct of Joab that fortunate and couragious leader and made the Royal seat of the Kings of Judah Proceed we now unto the Temple built by Solomon in providing the materials whereof there were in Lebanon 30000 workmen which wrought by the ten thousand every moneth 70000 Labourers which carried burdens 80000 Quarry-men that hewed stones in the Mountains and of Officers and Overseers of the work no lesse then 3300 men The description of this Stately Fabrick we have in the first of Kings cap. 6. 7. In the year of the world 2350 it was destroyed by Nabuchadzezzar at the taking of Hierusalem rebuilt again after the return from the Captivity but with such opposition of the Samaritans that the Workmen were fain to hold their Tooles in one hand and their swords in the other to repulse if need were those malicious enemies But yet this Temple was not answerable to the magnificence of the former so that the Prophet Haggi had good occasion to say to the People cap. 2. ver 3. Who is lâ—ft among you that saw this house in her first glory is it not in your eyes as nothing in comparison of it Nor fell it short thereof onely in the outward structure but some inward Additaments For it wanted 1. The Pot of Mannah which the Lord commanded Moses to lay up before the Testimony for a Memorial Exod. 16. 32. c. 2. The