Voorn because it lyes directly against Holland In it are divers Villages but the chief is called Somersdike Gorendike the fourth and Pierschelle the fifth Isle The Soil of both these is excellent good and they have divers Villages in them This Country of Holland is exceeding populous The People are tall well proportioned cheerful and valiant very courteous and civil Their Towns are well built their Houses wonderfully well furnished and their furniture exceeding fine and neat above all the Countries in the World Their Shops Buildings Ships Dikes Rampars Channels divises to maintain their Banks and to preserve their Meddowes and Pastures by passing the water from one Channel to another and so into the Sea and all other works that they take in Hand are so excellently and skilfully done that its wonderful to behold them The Women in Holland are very fair wise painful and so practiced in Worldly affairs that they imploy themselves in most kind of mens exercises especially in Merchandize By the Peoples industry in Merchandizing breeding of sheep and Cattel Shipping Fishing c. this little Province is wonderful Rich and there is no one foot of it but yeilds some profit Yea the very Downs being nothing but Sand-Hills breed great abundance of Conies and the very Sea-Rocks afford them great store of Eggs and infinite number of Fowl which they sell into divers Countries both raw and baked fresh and salt which turns to their great commodity To conclude considering the great Wealth that groweth in this Country by Cheese Butter Flesh Fish Foul Chickens Eggs Linnen and Woolen Cloth Turfe and Shipping it may be called a Treasury of all good this The Province of Utrecht Described Utrecht hath on the North West and South Holland and on the East Guelderland It contains the City it self of Utrecht and four other Walled Towns namely Wick at Duerstede Rhenen Amersfort and Montfort and under the Jurisdiction thereof are about seventy Villages The Country is dryer than Holland and so very fruitful of Grain Utrecht stands upon the Ancient stream of the Rhine which before it brake into the River Leek had its course this way into the Sea It s seated in a Country so miraculously well inhabited that in one Day you may go from Utrecht to fifty Walled Towns standing from thence in an equall distance You may also go from Utrecht in a morning and dine at whether you please of six and twenty walled Towns and return again to Supper at Utrecht in your own House The Town is larg mighty and very stately and sumptuously built and full of goodly Cellars and Caves vaulted with wonderful Art and skill In it are many goodly Churches whereof five are the Principal Towns of the Jurisdiction of Utrecht are First Week at Duersteed which is a Town well built standing upon the Leek with a good Castle in it 2. Rhenen stands also upon the Leek About it is excellent good ground for Turfe 3. Amesfort stands upon the little River of Eem It s a fair Town and well peopled 4. Montfort which stands upon the Issel It s a pleasant and a strong place The Province of Zealand described Zeland is as much as to say A Land won out of the Sea under which Name are contained fifteen or sixteen Islands which being united together make one Body and have the Title of a County Zeland is parted Southward from Flanders with the left Arm of the Scheld called Hont Eastward from Brabant with the right Arm of the Scheld which retaineth the ancient Name of Scheld North it is sever'd from Holland with a Goulph of the Sea called Flack West it hath the Sea towards England The Principal Islands of Zealand are seven which are by an Arm of the Scheld neer to the entrance thereof into the Sea divided into the Oriental and Occidental The Oriental Isles are Schouwe Dueland and Tolen The Occidental are Walkaren Zuidheveland Northewland and Wolfersdike Towards the Sea these Islands are defended with Hills of Sands called the Downs thrown up by the surges of the Sea Towards the South they are defended with Rampars and Banks made and with great pains and charge maintained by the People being ten Flemish Ells high and twenty five thick at the bottom They are made of the hardest clay that can be gotten within they are thick built with Wood and Stone and covered without with Mats strongly wrought Zealand is a very fruitful Country and produces excellent pure and bright Corn great quantities of Coriander and Bay Trees that bring forth ripe Berries which grow not in any Province of the Low-Countries besides It produces also abundance of good Madder and diverse other simples As also of Turfe It hath great abundance of excellent good Pasturage for the Cattel and no less plenty of Fish In this Country are eight Walled Towns namely Middlebourg Sirixee Cunfere Ulissenghen Tollai St Martins-Dike Romersvale and Goses There are diverse other smal places unwalled and one hundred and two Villages The Isle of Schouwe described This Isle hath been much encroached upon by the Sea yet it s seven Leagues in Circuit In it are these Towns Sirixzee the ancienst Town in all Zealand their Traffique is Salt and Mather whereof there is great abundance in this Isle The Isle of Duveland hath its Name of the great abundance of Doves that breed therein It s in Circuit four Leagues In it are many Villages and Gentlemens Farms In the Isle of Tolen is the Town of Tolen which gives Name to the whole Isle and St. Martins Dike with divers small Villages The Occidental Isles are Walkeren which is ten Leagues in Circuit It s a strong and fruitful Island full of People and of great wealth In it are seven good Towns as First Middlebourg so named because it stands in the midst of the Isle It s a very strong Town well Fortified Walled and Diked The Streets are large the Houses Churches and Monasteries very fair Built It s a great Town of Traffique of all kinds of Merchandize It stands not upon the Sea but upon two Channels one whereof called the New-Channel is as strait as a Line and is made so wide and deep that a Ship of a hundred Tun may come from the Port of Rumue even up to the very Town of Middlebourg The second Walled Town is Veere or Canfer standing upon the North Coast. In it is a goodly Arsenal wherein all furniture for Warre by Sea is used to be kept Ulussenghen is the third Walled Town It s the Key of the Sea of these Low-Countries because all ships that go up to Antwerp must of necessity passe by this Town The chiefe Villages of Walkeren are VVestcapelle Dombourg Ramekins where standeth the Fort of Zeerbourg to secure the entrance into the River on that side And Ramue or Armuyden which hath the goodliest Haven in all Christendom Sudbourg and divers other good Villages are in this Isle The next of these Iles is Zuidbesâ—veland which is the greatest of
Calais by the French it s made the strongest Fort of the Low-Countries having five Bulwarks It appertains to the King of France Cassel was sometime a mighty and a famous Town Now it s in a reasonable good estate but it s a very small Town Courtray stands upon the River Lis which passeth through the midst of it It s one one of the ancientest Towns in Flanders It s a good Town and well built and hath a strong Castle It s so fortified that it s made almost impregnable In it are made great quantities of Woolen Cloth and of very fine Linnen Oudenard is one of the best esteemed Towns in Flanders both for its situation Traffique and people It lyes upon the Scheld almost in the midway between Turnay and Gaunt It s begirt with a good Wall and the Wall with a large Ditch within the Wall it s furnished with good Platforms It hath on one side an eminent rising ground which commands the Town In it is made great store of Tapestry and Linnen Ardenbourg formerly called Râ—dembourg was once a chiefe Town in Flanders It s now a good little Town their Church is one of the fairest in Flanders These are all walled Towns The Unwalled Towns are Middlebourg is environed with Trenches Banks and Rampars Comines stands upon the River Lis where is a fair Castle and a rare Library VVervick also stands upon the River Lis and hath a very fair Church in it In this place not many years since was born Martin Chastelin who notwithstanding he was born Blind yet made all sorts of Tools and Instruments of Musick and played well on them and that without any Master or Instructor Merim stands upon the River Lis. It s a good Town well Ditched with a Draw-bridg and is made a very strong Fort. The other Towns have little observable in them and I passe them over Flanders Gallicant described It hath on the North Flanders Flamingant On the South the Country of Cambresy On the East the Scheld and on the West the River Lis and the Earldom of Artoys It s a small Country but the Soil thereof is very fat and fruitful of all things especially of Wheat It produceth also Mather and excellent good Oade In it are great plenty of excellent Pastures for Cattel In it are contained the fair Towns of Leisle Dovay and Orchies The great Signiory of Tournay and the Country of Tournesy c. The Citie of Lisle described It s so called because formerly the Country about it was nothing but Ponds Pools and Marishes though now by Art and industry they are dryed up and made firm Land Round about the walls of the town and of the Castle passeth a small Brook which at the Village of Duellesmont falls into the Lis. In it is a very strong Castle It s a very good and ancient Town well built and well inhabited by Gentlemen and Merchants and Curious Artificers It hath under it a goodly Signiory and is the cheife Town in this Flanders Dovay Described Dovay is the 2d Town of this Country It standeth upon the River Scarp It s a good and a strong Town having many Fountains fair Buildings and a great number of Churches It hath Jurisdiction over a great Country and is a place of great Traffique and a University Orchies described Orchies is a good and a pleasant Town wherein are made many Serges and such like Stuffs Lanoy is a strong place where is made much Linnen and Velvet Espency is a fair and a famous Village having the Title of a Principality Armentiers is so mighty and rich a Village and so well peopled that its priviledged as a Walled Town Between Armentiers and Steegheers is a fruitful and pleasant Country called La Love having in it four great Villages whereof the chief is Leventis being priviledged as a Walled Town The City of Tourney described The City of Tournay together with the Country of Tournesis hath a particular Government of its own It lyes in the Gallican Flanders and may be numbred among the Noblest Cities of all Flanders as well for its ancient Foundation as for being amply furnished both with People Traffique and Buildings It s on all sides surrounded with fair and fruitful Fields and through the midst of it under divers Bridges runs the Scheld a River which begins here to ennoble it self not being well Navigable before The English in King Henry the eighth's time while they held it built a good Castle therein which in that Age was esteemed strong but not to be compared to the later Royal Fortifications It s only flanked with Towers after the old fashion On the lower side of the Scheld joyns the Ditch which on the upperside is wholly dry It s a fair rich great and mighty Town The Houses are beautifully built The Monasteries Churches and Convents are very stately and Magnificent Mortaign stands in the Country of Tournesis and upon the River of Scheld It was once a strong Town but now is a Village of small account St. Amond is also in the Country of Tournesis It s a goodly Village standing upon the Scarpe with Gates and Ditches like a City In it is one of the chiefest Abbyes in Flanders Flanders Imperial described This Country is very small being contained between the Rivers of Scheld and Dender all along upon the Frontires of Brabant It s now called the County of Alost of the Principal Town thereof Alost stands upon the Dender It s a good and a very strong Town and hath yearly a great Fair of Hops To this County of Alost is also annexed the little Country of Waes and divers Villages As Hulst which is Walled Axele Bouchout and Assenede which four Towns have divers Villages under their Jurisdiction Under it also are two Principalities namely Steenhuyse which is a very good Village and Gaur with a strong Castle in it Tenremond stands upon the Mouth of the River Denre where it entreth into the Scheld It s a rich Town and strong both by Nature and Art and a place of great Trading Montgerhard in French Grandmont stands upon the Denre A pretty fine and pleasant Town Bornhem is a good Village with a strong Castle in it and hath divers other subject to it Rupelmond stands upon the Mouth of the River Rupel where it entreth into the Scheld The Soyl through all Flanders Imperial is excellent good and fruitful Especially it produces much excellent good Madder The Province of Artoys described Artoys is bordered North with the River Lis and the New Channel which seperates it from Flanders South with Dourlans which is the Frontire of Picardy East with Flanders Gallicant and the Country of Cambresis West towards Monstrueil upon the Sea it borders again upon Picardy The Soyl is very fruitful the air wholsome the Country wants no commodity but only Wine It yeilds much Corne wherewith it furnisheth its Neighbours In Artoys are twelve Walled Towns and eight hundred fifty four Villages and many Abbies
all the Isles of Zealand Much of it was swallowed up by the Sea Anno Christi 1532. Romerswald is the principal Town in it seated upon the East towards Berghen Goes or Tergoes is an other Town that stands upon the North coast Besides there are many good Villages in this Iland with pleasant Woods and Thickets well stored with Fowl and Wild Beasts for Hauking and Hunting Northbeveland is almost wholly swallowed up by the Sea VVolfersdike is the least of all these Islands having only two Villages in it The City of Antwerp described Antwerp lyes on the right side of the Scheld and extending its Walls for a long space on that side which looks towards the River it afterwards makes a great compass towards the other which commands the Fields That River cannot be mastered by a more Noble City nor that City be watered by a more noble River It flourisheth exceedingly in the number of Inhabitants in beautiful Buildings and in Merchandizing which is chiefliest occasioned by the commodiousness of the Scheld it being a River of so great breadth and depth and ebbing and flowing so far into the Sea as that it is there capable of the greatest Vessels which Sail upon the Sea Towards the Field side the City is environed with one of the statelyest Walls that can be seen as well for the breadth of the Platform within as for the Noble Bastions without and the Ditch is every where answerable On the other side towards the River the River it self serves for a defence and therefore on that side there is only a single Wall The Platform of the Wall towards the Fields is of such a breadth as many Rowes of Trees stand round about it so as it serves no less for delight than for defence Antwerp is in or rather joins upon Brabant of it self making one of the seventeen ancient Provinces by the name of The Marquisat of the Sacred Empire The Province of Flanders joyns upon the contrary side of the River which place partakes thereby of all the advantages afforded both by so large a River and of a City of such Merchandizing The Citadel of Antwerp stands upon the Banks of the Scheld upon the South side of the City It is a Pentagon composed of five Royal Bastions Of all other modern Fortifications it hath been esteemed so famous as it hath served for a Pattern to almost as many Citadels as have been built in any Country since Some of her Flanks lye towards the City and the rest lean towards the Champian respect being here had as in all other Castles to be able on one side to command the City and on the other to receive necessary succour upon all occasions from without There lyes a good space of ground between the Citadel and the City The Noble Province of Flanders Described Flanders is now bounded on the North with the Sea and the branch of the Scheld that is called Hont South with Artois Hainault and Vermandois East with the ancient Scheld and part of Haynault West partly with the Sea towards England and partly with the River Au and part of Artois that borders upon Callice and Boloign The length of it from Antwerp to the New-Foss is thirty three Leagues The breadth from Ninoven to Graveling thirty Leagues The aire is very wholsome especially Southward The Country flat The Soil fruitful especially towards the Sea and towards France They breed great store of Cattel especially of good Horses Flanders hath divers Rivers running through it namely Scheld Lis and Tender and many other small streams the rest is supplied with Channels made by hand to receive in the Sea It hath many pleasant Hills especially Flanders Gallicant There are in Flanders 28 Walled Towns The three Capitall are Gant Bruges and Ipre the others are Lisle Douay Tournay Courtray Oudenard Alost Hulst Termond Bieruliet Neuport Scluse Dunkirk Graveling Bourbourg Damme Dixmude Uvern Ardembourg Ninove Berg de St Winoc Montgerard or Grammont Gassel Denise Orchies and Lanoy Towns unwalled yet rich fair and populous are about thirty the chief are Ostend now fortified with Rampars and Ditches Oudembourg Messine Belle Poperinge Toroue Ostbour Axsele Middlebourg Loo Werwick Blonchberg Houck Rosselar Tielt Ghistell Eeclo Lombartside Steechem Houscot Munchereed Mardike Meeren Hallewin Wastene Steegberg Mergen Haesbrook and Armentiers Besides these there are one thousand one hundred fifty four Villages many of them as great rich and populous as any in Europe As also many Castles Fortresses and Noblemens and Gentlemens Houses very beautifull to behold What great alterations the King of France hath made of late I cannot give an account This country is divided into three parts namely Flanders Flamigeant so called because the Flemish Language is used in it This is the chief part of the Country The second is Flanders Gallican so stiled because the Walloon Language which is a bastard French is used therein The third is Flanders Imperial because it was long under the obedience of the Empire The first lyes towards the Sea the second towards the Walloon Countries Flanders Flamingunt described It s bounded North with the Sea South with the River Lie and Flanders Gallican East with the Scheld and the Imperial Flanders West with the New Foss and with Artoys The Soil is all Sand and naught for Wheat but produceth plenty of Oats Beans Pease Vetches Flax Hemp and very good Fruits of divers sorts In this part of Flanders are the three Capitall Towns namely Gaunt Bruges and Ipre and Le Franc which makes a fourth In it also are the four Parts of the Sea with Berg de St Winnoc and many Towns walled and unwalled The City of Gaunt described Gaunt stands about four Leagues from the Sea upon the Rivers Scheld Lis Lieve besides which there are a number of Brooks and fine Fountains which come into the City some by natural course and some by Art all which at their issue out of the Town being received into great Ditches made by hand pass into the Sea by a great Channel carried by infinite pains and charges for the space of four great Leagues into the Sea of Zealand neer to the Gulph called Sass Not long since also they have opened a certain little Island which before stopped the course of their Ships so that a reasonable Boat may passe from the Sea to Gaunt to the inestimable profit of Town and the Country thereabouts Gaunt is very strong both by Nature and Art very beautiful and one of the greatest Cities in Christendom The Walls within are seven miles in Circuit and without more then ten miles but it hath many wast places within it There is a Citadel in it built by Charles 5th 1540. and the buildings in general are very stately and magnificent Within the Walls of Gaunt are six and twenty Isles made by the Rivers and Channels above mentioned and there are ninety eight Great Bridges and an infinite number of smaller under which great Boats pass with Victuals and
Cities in the Province of Henault It commands large and spacious Fields round about it which may be questioned whether they abound more in Pasture or in Tillage Nor is the Territory there of less rich in Woods nor generally indeed all the rest of that Province of Henault This City is stronger by its natural situation than by manual industry It is cut through on the lower side by a little Rivolet called Trulla which as soon as it goes out of it falls into another somewhat bigger called Hain which crossing through the Province before it be gotten quite out falls likewise into the Scheld This Province of Henault looks towards the South of Campania and Picardy in France Mons saith another is a Noble City for situation Inhabitants and Buildings It s a very strong Town both by Nature and Art and may be environed with Water at pleasure The City Wall is very strong and besides it s fortified with three large and deep Ditches and with an ancient Castle The Town is great and fair and beautified with sumptuous Buildings both publick and private with very clear Fountains and with Rich Citizens and Artists The City of Valenciennes described Valenciennes stands upon the Scheld and the little River Rovelle the which besides that they make many goodly and strong Isles in the City pass almost under every particular mans House to the great beauty and commodity of the place The seat of this Town is so strong besides the Fortifications made by Art that it may at pleasure be drowned upon one side with water and it s so defended by Hills on the other side that it can hardly be besieged but by two Camps and therefore is almost impregnable In the City is a Store-house where great store of Artillery and Ammunition is kept for the defence of the place It s a very goodly large and beautiful City as well for private as for publike Buildings namely Churches Monasteries c. Especially our Lady Church is very fair being built after the ancient Mode with three Vaults sumptuous Arches and goodly Pillars of Marble and Porphyrie St. John's Church also is a stately building but the Town House called La Hall is the stateliest of all the rest being built all of square Stone curiously wrought and of such greatness and magnitude that it alone were a sufficient Ornament to the whole City On the left side of this Hall there is an excellent Building of a great heighth in which is a Clock and a Dial shewing not only the Hours of the day and night but also the course of the Moon and of all the Planets and likewise of the Months and divers other things Under this Clock-House and so under Covert is the Corn-Market being great and large and above in the Hall is a place to sell Wool and Cloth There are also in it Fencing Schools and places for all Publick Courts Magistrates and Officers of the Town A Gaol or common Prison So that in this one Building is compact together all Offices serving for the commodity and glory of the Town In this City also are divers Monasteries Hospitals and other Religious places endowed with good Revenues There is also in it a fair Colledg and many Schools for the Education of Orphans and poor Children wherein they are taught divers Arts and Occupations And in it are Cloths Woosted Linnen as fine as Cambrick changeable Taffaties and almost all sorts of Mercery Wares c. It hath a great Jurisdiction and enjoyes great Priviledges and Franchises more than any other Town of the Low-Countries It s very well peopled It s the most Merchantlike Town in all these parts Bouchain stands upon the River Scheld The Town is Strong and the Castle is counted impregnable It s the Principal County of Osternand Quesnoy is a strong Townin which are made Woosteds and great store of Linnen by which means there is great Traffique in this Town Conde also stands upon the Scheld It s a good little Town Landrecy stands upon the River Sambre The Town is little but very strong Avesnes stands upon the River Hypre It s a good and a strong Town Chimay stands in a Forrest upon the little River Blanche It s well built with a fair Pallace for the Prince a goodly garden and a Labyrinth Mariembourg stands between the Rivers Blanch and Noire It 's a very strong Town having four great Bulwarks Philipvill is so fortified that it 's held to be impregnable Beaumont is a fine little Town standing upon the knapp of a goodly Hill whereof it beareth the Name Maubeug stands upon the River Sambre which passeth through it It 's a good Town of Merchandize Bavays Vallone is a very small Town Bins or Binch stands upon a branch of the River Hayn and is a good and pleasant Town Reux is a little Town but stands very pleasantly in a fruitful Soyle and hath many Villages under its Jurisdiction Soigny stands upon the little River Sein Breine le Comte is a very ancient Town Enghien is a good little Town wherein great store of Tapestry of all sorts of prizes is made Halle stands upon the River Sein which runs through it Lessny Through it passeth the Denre and here great store of Linnen Cloth is made Cheure stands upon the Little River Hunell It 's a pleasant little Town At h hath the Denre running through it It 's a little but a fair pleasant and rich Town because great plenty of Linnen is made in it St. Guislem taketh its Name from the Abby that stands in it which is the chiefest Abby in all Haynault Leuse is a good Town Among the Villages in Haynault many of them have strong Castles in them and though unwalled enjoy the Priviledges of Walled Towns There is nothing else memorable in them The Province of Luxembourg Described Luxembourg is a Dutchy It beareth the Name from the principal Town thereof It s bounded North with the Countries of Lieg and Namur South with Lorrain East with the River Moselle and the Bishoprick of Trevir And West with part of the Forrest of Ardenne It s replenished with Mountains and Forrests and containeth the greatest part of the Forrest of Ardenne It s divided into two Parts the one called Famenne which is fruitful of Corn and many other good things and hath some Mines and divers sorts of good Stone of some of which excellent good Lime is made It yeilds also some Wine The other part is called Ardenne which is barren and produces little Corn but hath store of Red and Fallow Deer Goats Hares Conies and exceeding great plenty of Fowle As also wild Hens of two Sorts one as large as Turky Cocks called Limoges the other as big as our common Hens called Bruiers Many Rivers run through this Country especially the Moselle Luxenbourg contains in circuit about seventy Leagues and in it are twenty Walled Towns namely Luxembourg Arlon Rodemark Theonvil Gravemakre Coningmakre Dickrich Vireton Estewerck Vandalen Bastonac
number of Churches and beauty and riches of them in Monasteries and Convents this Town passeth all the Towns in Lower Germany yea of France also For there are in it eight Collegiate Churches with Canons who are very Rich especially the Canon of St. Lambert the Patron of the Town In this City of St. Lambert among divers old Rich Jewels and Reliques is a great Image of St. Georg on Horsback all of pure Gold which Charles Duke of Burgundy gave to make amends for his hard usage of this City when he took it by Storm There are also in it four Rich Abbeys having in each of them a goodly Library There are also three Nunneries and all the Four Orders of Friers some of which have two Convents There are also thirty two Parish Churches and so many other Churches Monasteries and Hospitals within and without the Town that the Churches are accounted in all above a Hundred This City is well replenished with People many of which live very idely their Language is French It s an Imperial City but they are only bound to furnish the Emperor with a few men in his Warre against the Turks Hubert Thomas writeth that at one time there were students in this City nine Kings Children twenty four Dukes Children twenty nine Earls Children besides a number of Barons and Gentlemens Children the greatest part of which were Canons of the Rich Colledge of St. Lambert aforementioned Buillon is a great Castle stanstanding very artificially upon the Point of a Hill with a great Bourg under it The Castle is larg and well Fortified and very strong both by Art and Nature It hath the Title of a Dutchy and hath under it a great Country and a large Jurisdiction Francimont was sometimes a Walled Town it s now but a Village yet hath it a strong Fort in it Neer to this place is a Village called Thou where are many good Lead Mines and Quarries of excellent black Marble Lootz or Borchloon is a Country with a large Territory and Jurisdiction under it It s a pretty little Town Brockworm stands upon the Jecker It s a pretty Town and well peopled Tongres stands also upon the Jecker which at Mastrick entreth into the Meuse Here is a marvelous way formerly all paved with goodly Stone raised up of wondrous heighth between two Walls which reached from Tongres to Paris which is above two hundred Italian Miles some parts whereof remain unto this Day Certainly it was an ancient Work of the Romans who usually imployed their Armies and Subjects in such stupendious works to keep them from idleness which is the Mother of Sedition and Civil-Warres Eight Leagues from Tongres and five from Lieg is the Village of Spa or Spaw within half a League whereof is the Fountain so famous for the virtue that it hath to cure the Tertian Ague the Dropsie the Stone the exulceration of the Lungs the Sciatique and all diseases of the Stomack and the Liver This Village of Spaw stands in a fair Wood which is part of the Forrest of Ardenne and the Fountain most commanded is called La Fountain de Savenier the water whereof tasteth of Iron there being many Iron Mines thereabout The Water is of most virtue in July when the Weather is hottest Hoey was sometimes a famous City bearing the Name of a furious River that here falls into the Meuse The Meuse runs through the midst of this Town over which is built a very stately Bridg. It s now a reasonable good Town with a strong Fortress in it The Country about it abounds with Iron Mines and Cattel Hasselt stands upon the River Demere It s an indifferent good Town and well Built Dinan stands upon the Meuse and is seated in a very good Country abounding with Black Marble with Mines of Iron and Quarries of other very good Stones to build with It hath a Castle in it Maiseeck is a reasonable good Town standing upon the Meuse Stockhem is a fine little Town standing also upon the Meuse Bilsen is but a little Town St. Truden or Centron is a fair Town and their Language is Flemish Tuin or Tovin stands in Haynault but is subject to the Bishop of Lieg It s an indifferent good Town The other Towns are Reasonanable good and of some account As for the Villages there is not much remarkable in them and therefore I pass them over An account of the great difference that is between the Country and People of Lieg and the Country and Citizens of Aix though they be but six Leagues asunder and both in the same Climate Lieg is in subjection Aix in liberty but both under the protection of the Empire At Lieg they speak French at Aix Dutch The Liegeoys are pleasant and sociable They of Aix unsociable and Melancholly Yea the very Air and Soyl retain the same difference For its Summer at Lieg when its Winter at Aix Yea oft its Snow and Ice at Aix when its warm at Liege The City of Aix or Aquisgrane described Aix is situated between the Dutchy of Brabant Limbourg Juliers and the Bishoprick of Liege Charle-Main was the Founder of this City who ordained it to be the chiefe City of the Empire and that the King of the Romans should receive the Iron Crown at Aix by the Arch-Bishop of Colen who is the Metropolitan thereof The Silver Crown at Millan and the Imperial Crown of Gold at Rome Here he dyed and was buried Anno Christi 813. Aix is a goodly City and the Country about it is very pleasant and fruitful but the Buildings of the Town do not answer the fame of the Place saving the hot Baths which are very fairly built and are very wholsome for many Diseases Aix is an Imperial City but payeth only a small Tribute to the Emperour otherwise it enjoyes freedome and hath the Duke of Cleves for Protector next Neighbour and perpetual Confederate FINIS
Goer Diepnehem Delden and Enseede There are in it about a hundred Villages Deventer described Deventer stands upon the River Issel It s a very strong and well fortified place larg fair well built and well peopled It s the Metropolitane of the whole Country Swol described Swol stands upon a little River that runneth into the Vidre It s a very strong Town fortified with a double Ditch and strong Rampers Cumpen described Cumpen stands at the entrance of Issel into Zuiderzee and is comprehended in the Country of Overissel It s a very fair and a larg Town Vallenhove described Vallenhove stands upon the Zuiderzee It s a good Town and served very well with all sorts of Victuals The other Towns and Villages are not worth naming save only Ghelmuyden which stands upon the very mouth of the Vidre and hath a strong Castle in it The Province of Frise-land described The River Embs divides East-Friesland which belongs to Upper Germany from West-Friesland which appertaineth to the Lower And as it grows nearer to the Sea so it enlargeth it self that the Mouth thereof makes a Gulph Here is the City of Embden seated one of the most considerable Towns of all the Maritine Parts by reason of the frequency of People and opportunity of Commerce which is much holpen by the Haven thereof being held to be one of the most commodious in all the North. The Flemish-Friesland maketh two Provinces That which joyns upon Germany is called Groninghen from the City of the same Name A City very well Peopled and suspiciously seated being the chiefest Key of those Confines It is seated very low as is its sister Province which retains the Name of Friesland In Winter the Fields stand full of Water and there is no coming to their Habitations but by their Banks In Summer the Land lyes dry and yeilds great store of Pasturage You would say that in those parts the Sea is interchangably turned into the Land and the Land into the Sea By reason of the low Situation and great humidity there are no Woods in the Country nor almost any sort of Trees that may serve for firing But where Nature is therein wanting the Inhabitants make it good by their Industry For they make use of Turfs cut out of the Earth and dryed in the Sun instead of Wood These are the Woods of Friesland and the usual fire of the Inhabitants In divers other parts of Flanders they suffer the same wants and with the same industry provide against them Frise anciently was a Kingdome and reached from the Mouth of the Rhine into Denmark but that which we here describe is VVest-Friesland The other towards the River Visurgis is called East-Friese VVest-Friese hath North and West the Ocean Sea South Zuiderzee and the Country of Overissel East it hath East-Friseland Under its Signiory are many Isles adjoyning unto it the principal whereof are Schelnick and Ameland in which are divers Villages There are no Rivers in this Country save only Ems and Lauwers but Issel and Vidre are neer to it There are very many great Channels throughout the Country made as well for transportation as for draning of the waters which otherwise would overflow all For its a Marish Country flat and full of Waters the River Ems severs it from VVestphalia They have small store of Grain but numbers of Cattel and Turfe is their fewel but the poorer People burn Cow-dung dried in the Sun Many of their Kine bring two Calves a piece and their Ewes two or three Lambs yea sometimes four at a fall They have also store of good Horses This Country is divided into three principal Counties The County of Ostergoe the County of VVestergoe and the County of the seven Forrests All of them contain Walled Towns and others enjoying the like priviledges being Rampered with Trenches and Ditches eleven namely Leewarden Doccum Franiker Bolswaerd Sneck Ilst Slotem Harlinghen with a Castle VVorkum Hindelopen and Straveren There are in it four hundred and ninety Villages Leewarden described Leewarden is seated two Leagues from Doccum Its a good and a great Town having a strong Castle in it Franiker is a good Town and a University Of the rest there is nothing remarkable The Isle of Schellinck described In this Island are some Villages abounding with excellent good Pastures great plenty of Cattel and very good Fish especially Dog-fish which are taken in this strange manner The men disguise themselves like Beasts and so go to the Sea-side at such times as they know the Fishes use to come forth to refresh themselves with the air upon the shoar Then these disguised men fall a dancing and leaping with which sport the Fishes are so greatly delighted that thereby they are drawn far from the Sea while in the mean time Nets are pitched between the Sea and them which being done the Dancers throw off their disguised Apparel and discover themselves whereupon the Fishes retire towards the Sea and are taken in the Nets The Province of Groeninghen described with the City It s a very great rich and well-built City under the Diocess of the Bishop of Munster It hath a great and larg Jurisdiction and through the City passe divers Rivers in divers Channels some made by Art and some by Nature which make the Town very strong Groninghen lyes upon the utmost bounds of that consine which joyns together the upper and the lower Germany There is not in that part of the Low Countries a more Noble City than this either for the number of Inhabitants for the quallity of the Buildings or for the frequency of Commerce It forms the Body of a Province which lyes about this City and which takes the Name and almost the whole Government from thence It s seated low well provided of a Wall and Ditch It hath some works within the Circuit thereof of the Modern fashion and the rest for the most part are of the ancient It enjoyes very large Priviledges The Province of Holland described Holland is as much to say a hollow Land because the very foundation of it stands upon the Water so that if you go or ride the ground will tremble under you It s bounded North and West with the Sea South with the Meuse and Brabant East with the Zuiderzee and Guelderland Through it run many armes of the Rhine and Meuse besides a number of Channels made by Art almost between every Village of moment It hath in it a number of Islands made by the Sea the Rhine and the Meuse of divers Names yet all comprehended under the name of Holland The ground is so low that they are fain to Fence it with Dikes and Rampers as well against the Sea as against almost all the Rivers and Channels into which the Sea Ebbs and Flows so that in many places you shall see the Sea above the Land yet kept back by these Banks This Country hath few Trees in it because the ground is so spungy that it is not able
about it that it seems almost impregnable In this Town there is kept yearly a Mart of Butter and Cheese whereunto there is brought so great a quantity as furnishes not only these Countries but Spain and Portugal also Alcmair Described Alcmair is a very rich Town by reason that the Country round about it yeelds more plenty of Butter and Cheese than any other place in Holland It 's not strong save only by situation lying as do all other Towns in that Country of Waterlant drowned amidst Water and Mud. It 's within five hours journy of Harlem and may be said to be the Gate whereby to enter by Land into Waterlant For that side of the Province being shut up on one part by the Sea on an other by the Gulph of Zuiderzee and almost all the rest by other waters and Channels and making the shape of a Peninsula it leaves but a very narrow space of entrance by Land and there a little within stands Alcmair Purmerenden Described Purmerenden is a Town with a good Castle appertaining to the Counts of Egmont Edan Described Edan stands neer to the Zuiderzee It 's famous for the great number of Ships of all burdens that are built in it and the innumerable multitude of excellent good Cheeses that are made in the Country round about it Moniâ—kdam and Wesp are two good little Towns with great store of good Meddows and Pastures about them for feeding of Cattel and likewise they have a great deal of Fish Woerden hath a strong Castle in it Oudewater stands upon the Issel Neer hereabouts grows great plenty of Hemp of the which almost all the Cables Cords and Nets that the Fisher-men and Marriners of Holland and Zealand use are made by which many of the Inhabitants grow very rich Schoonhoven stands upon the Leek It s a fair Town and hath a commodious Haven and here so great abundance and plenty of Salmonds are taken that the Staple of Salmonds is kept here Iselstâ—in about this Town is great controversie whether it belong to Holland or to Utrecht Vianen stands upon the River Leek Leardam stands upon the River Ling. Asperen stands also upon the River Ling which runs through it with a pleasant murmuring noise Hueclelen stands likewise upon the River Ling and hath an ancient Castle in it Gorichom stands upon the Whaal where it meets with the Ling. It s a good Town and hath in it a strong Castle From the Church steeple of this Town you may see two and twenty walled Towns and an infinite number of Villages which is a most pleasant sight to behold Every day there is a Market in this Town of Butter Cheese and other Victuals of an incredible quantity brought into this Haven and from thence transported into other Countries and places which makes the Inhabitants here to become very rich Workum stands upon the Whaal Huesden hath a fair Castle and many Villages are under its Jurisdiction Rotterdam stands upon the Channel of Rotter neer to the Meuse It s a strong a fair and a populous Town St Gertrudenberg is for situation very strong It hath the Meuse on the one side with its Name turned into Merwe and of such a breadth that it being there ready to fall into the Ocean the Channel thereof seems to be a Sea rather than a River There falls also into the Merwe upon another side another little River of but a short course called Donge and it ends its course neer unto the Walls of this Town yet is the bed thereof also so broad and deep as its capable of any Vessel whatsoever The places thereabout are so low as men walk more upon the tops of Banks than upon plain ground The artificial Fortifications are answerable to the situation of it Sevenbergen stands also upon the Merwe It s a good Town Unwalled Towns in Holland and yet enjoying the Priviledges of Walled Towns are Medemblick which stands upon the North Sea of Holland and in the best Country of all Holland for feeding of Cattel It hath in it a strong Castle Muyden which stands by the Gulph Zuiderzee upon the little River of Weight It s a good Town with a strong Castle on the contrary side of the River and a Bridg to pass between the Castle and the Town Nieuport Ulaerding which stands neer to the Mouth of the Meuse a very ancient Town Principal Villages in Holland are Hague Or Haghen or Lettay stands neer to the West Sea It is the fairest the richest and the greatest Village of Europe containing two thousand Houses and among them divers that are very sumptuous ones especially the beautiful and large Royal Pallace built like a Castle and environed with strong and larg Ditches In this Pallace is a Colledge of Cannons with a very beautiful Chappel in it and a gallant Library They will by no means Wall this Village accounting it more honour to inhabit the fairest and mightiest Village of Europe than a City which being walled would be inferiour to many At the Hague is a goodly Wood stored with all kind of Venison and beautified with many Antiquities and Medals graven in fine Marble and worthy to be remembred It s not watered nor cut through with any River Halfe a League from the Hague is the Abby of Losdune in which is the Tomb of Margaret Countess of Hennenberg with an Epitaph thereon whereby it 's said that she brought forth as many Children at one burthen as there are dayes in the year Schaghen is situate in the utmost Northern part of Holland It s a fair and large Village with a goodly Castle Iselmont stands upon the River of Merwe It s a good Village with a fair Castle Eghemont stands neer to the West Sea It s a brave Village with a goodly Monastery Brederode is a Castle whereof the Noble Family of Brederode beareth the Name Walkenbourg is a small Burrough where every September a notable Fair of Horses is kept Catwiik standeth on the Sea where the ancient Mouth of the Rhine that came from Utrecht then fell into the Sea Britania is a Fort that was built by the Romans since swallowed up by the Sea Petten stands in the utmost of the North part of Holland upon the Downes The Isle that belongs to the Iurisdiction of Holland described In the Isle of Voorn is the Briel which is a good and strong Town and after it Ulissinghen In the I le of Voorn is also the Town Gerulit which hath divers Villages under its Jurisdiction The Soil of this Iland is very fat and fruitful and bringeth forth abundance of divers sorts of Grain as also of the Hearb called Hellem like to Broom the great Roots whereof are the principal strength of the Sea banks and Dikes of Holland and Zeland which otherwise being but sandy would easily be born away with the wind The second Isle is Goerede In it is a Town of the same Name being fair and great Somersdike is a third Island called also
Convents and Monasteries The chief Towns are Arras St. Omers Betune Aire Bapaumes The lesser are Hedinsfort Renty St. Pol Perue Lillers La Bassee and Lens The City of Arras described Arras stands within a Bow shot of the Scarpe It s a very great Town but divided into two parts each part having a several Wall the one named the City and appertains to the Bishop the other The Town and belongs to the Prince The City is little but faire and very well Fortified In it is the sumptuous Church of the Virgin Mary in which is a rare Library The Town is very large and wonderful strong both by Nature and Art The Streets are fair and broad and the Market place scarcely to be matched In the Town are many Cellars and Vaults very artificially made and paved to withdraw their Families into in case of a Siege It hath a great Jurisdiction over many places about it and in it are made many excellent Serges St. Omer Described It hath its name of one St. Omer who first built a Church of that Name and stately Abbyes of great Revenues St. Omer is a Frontire Town against France and stands upon the River Aa It s a very strong Town and well peopled and hath a Country of very great importance under it and Jurisdiction over many Villages Neer unto it is a goodly Lake of fresh Water in which are many little Islands yet not so little but you may put a good number of Cattel to feed in many of them the which are moveable and may be drawn with a Cord fastened to the Rushes that grow in them which way you will and under them are multitudes of Fishes that defend themselves there from â—ll Weathers Betune described Betune is a good and a strong Town where is made great plenty of excellent good Cheese that is sold into divers Countries Aire described Aire stands upon the River Lis. It s a good and a strong Town with a Castle of great Antiquity The houses in this Town are very well and orderly built Bapaulm described Bapaulm is a little but a strong Town because it cannot be besieged for want of fresh Water which is not to be had within three Leagues thereof It hath also a very strong Castle and a large Country and a good Jurisdiction under it Renty is but a Castle with a good Village standing upon a little Brook yet it s a very strong place Hesdinfert is marvelously well seated upon the River Canch It s one of the most strong and defensible places in all the Low-Countries and hath many large Priviledges It 's a fair Town and well Peopled and is now called Hesdin St. Pol hath of a long time been honoured with the Title of an Earldom and hath a goodly Jurisdiction over a large Country and a great Revenue Perue is under the Jurisdiction of St. Pol and is a place of good importance Lilliers is a reasonable passable Town Lens is but a little Town yet hath a large Territory and Jurisdiction The Villages of Artoys that be of any importance having the Priviledges of Markets and Fairs are Avennes le Comte Aschicourt St Venaut Courriers Blangis Ligny and Pas. The City of Cambray described Cambray stands upon the Scheld which runs through the midst of it It s seated upon the edg of the Frontiers made by the two Provinces of Henault and Artoys on Flanders side towards France opposite to Piccardy It enjoyes a free Government under the Spiritual and Temporal Dominion of its Arch-Bishoprick It is endowed with very large Priviledges Full of Noble Churches whereof the Cathedral is such as hath not the like in any of the neighbouring Cities It s sufficiently provided also of other Edifices both for use and Ornament Yet the Inhabitants are not answerable in number to the Houses many of which being Ecclesiasticks Forraign Commerce and Merchandizing doth rather languish than flourish there Neither doth the Scheld yeild commodity for it For the River hath its Head but a little above the City and therefore is hardly Navigable hereabout The City of Cambray is about a League in Compass and is environed with an Ancient Wall flankt for the most part after the ancient Mode but with many Bulwarks also after the Modern Way of Fortification It hath a Ditch which is very broad and deep on one side whereinto for the most part the Scheld runs The rest by reason of its height is dry but so much the deeper On the East stands a Citadel with four Royal Bulworks having a great half-Moon between two of them which are next to the Fields and divers other defences for the Custody of the Ditch Here is made much sine Linnen called Cambrick Cambray hath under it a goodly Signiory and Jurisdiction called Cambresis in which are divers Villages and places of importance and among others the Castle of Cambresy six Leagues from the City in which the Peace between the chief Princes of Christendom was concluded Anno Christi 1559. The Province of Haynault Described Haynault is so named of the River Hayne which runs through it It s bordered North with Brabant and Flanders South with Champaign and Picardy East with the County of Namur and part of the County of Lieg West with the Scheld and part of Flanders Gallicane It s twenty Leagues long and sixteen Broad The Aire is wholsome and the Soyl excellent good by reason that the Country is watered with many Rivers namely the Scheld the Sambre the Tender and many other small Rivolets There are also in it many Lakes Marishes Ponds Pools Fountains goodly Woods and pleasant Forrests Haynault aboundeth with fragrant and fair Pastures and Meddows for all kinds of Cattel with good fruits and profitable Trees especially with great plenty of good Corn. In divers parts of it are Iron Mines Lead and quarries of Stone for all kinds of Building yea of the Touch-stone There is also great store of excellent white Lime and Sea-Cole In Haynault there are twenty four Walled towns namely Montz Valenciennes Bouchain Quesnoy Conat Lan dresy Anesnes Chimay Mariembourg Phillips Ville Beamount Mauberg Bovais Bins Reux Segny Brain le Comte Eughien Halle Lessme Cheure At h St Guisline and Leuze There are also in it nine hundred and fifty Villages with many Castles and Signiories Many of these Villages are great and fair and have Titles of Honour annexed unto them as Pequicourt Fontayn Laling Montigny Antonig Barlamon Barbanson Aimeries and many others The City of Montz described The City of Mons receives its Name from its situation which in their Language signifies a Mountain or Hill But the rise of the Earth there is so gentle as it cannot be said to be Mountainous It s a very Noble City as well for the concourse of People as for Commerce It hath many good Houses in it and there the King of Spains Counsel used to sit which administred justice to all the Country All which Prerogatives gave it the precedency over all other