in the General for its dimensions fuller planted with People Cities Great Towns Castles Fortresses Bulwarks Forts Garrisons and for Military Defence then any other Countrie in Europe Their Naval Forces were prodigious befitting Wonder rather then Words even a Terrour to the Great Princes of the World For their trade it far exceeded that of the Neighbouring Princes and in the Oeconomy of it more prudently managed To every town they assigned some Staple-Commodity As to Dort the Germane Wines and Corn To Middleburgh the French and Spanish Wines To Trevere the Scotch Trade In Leyden in respect of her long Siege was erected an Vniversity to Harlem Knitting and Weaving and to Rotterdam formerly now Dort the English Cloth this maketh their Towns so equally rich and populous The Hollanders the best Copy of Thrift in Christendom teach their little Ditches to bear Boats not that their Waters are more docible in this kinde then ours but they are the more ingenious and industrious School-Masters of the lesson of publique advantage making every place in their Provinces to have access to others therein by such cheap transportation A thing much to be desired in England and certainly this great Metropolis and other Cities here would attain to much more grandeur and riches if more navigable Rivers were made unto them for nothing can more advance Trade or raise a better Nursery of Sea-men Their Buildings are Splendid and Magnificent In many places as in Amsterdam the Foundations of their Houses cost more then the Superstructure for the Ground being low and spungy they are constrain'd to ram in huge stakes of Timber till they come to a firm Basis so that one said Whosoever could see Amsterdam under Ground should see a huge Winter-Forest But of these as of their more Ancient and Noble Families the Famous Men of their Countries for Learning and Exploits of War their rare Monuments and other admirable Rarities to be found amongst them with many other remarkables which for thy more ample satisfaction I shall refer thee to the following discourse wherein our Author hath gravely and judiciously with singular method and brevity set each memorable particular to thy View in which thou wilt meet with many Occurrences worthy of thy admiration having not only equall'd the best of such Writers as have hitherto treated on this Subject but far out-done them all And therefore I shall no ways doubt of thy candid Interpretation of this his very laudable and worthy Enterprize assuring thee that thy friendly reception of these his present Labours will strongly invite him to commend unto thy judicious consideration another Political Discourse discovering their Arts and Intrigues by which they have attained to their Grandeur a Book which will be of great concern and advantage to the English Nation Of the great pleasure and utility and the excellent use that will be found in the serious perusal of Books of this kind I shall need to say nothing though I first principally intended it it being a truth so generally received amongst all Judicious Readers only I shall tell thee thou hast here Magnum in parvo or Iliades in nuce or the late High and Mighty States of the United Netherlands with all their Provinces brought thee even to thine own home But I shall not inlarge knowing Verbum Sapienti sat est Yours to serve you T. W. An Exact SURVEY OF THE Vnited Netherlands BELGIVM or the Netherlands are Bounded on the East with Westphalen Gulick Cleve and the Land of Tryers Provinces of the higher Germany on the West with the main Ocean which divides it from Britain on the North with the River Ems which parts it from East-Friesland on the South with Picardie and Champaigne two French Provinces upon the South-East with the Dukedom of Lorrain The chief Rivers here are 1. The Rhene 2. The Maes 3. The Ems 4. The Scaldis or Schelt 5. Lis or Ley. The Rhine is divided about the confines of Gelderland into four Channels Of which the first is called the Wael which running thorow Gelderland by Nimmegen and Bommel loseth it self in the Maes The Second which keepeth the name of the Rhene passeth by Arnhem from thence in a contracted channel to Vtrecht and so through Holland The Third called the Leck taketh his course through the Provinces of Vtrecht and Holland and so into the Sea 'twixt Dort and Rotterdam The Fourth called the Yssel passing by the Towns of Zutphen and Deventer 'twixt Gelderland and Overyssel emptieth it self into the South-Sea The Maes runneth by Ruremond and Venlo two known Towns of Gelderland where turning towards the West it takes in a part of the Rhene and from thence passing to Maestricht divides Brabant from Holland watering the Town of Grave in the one and of Dort in the other and falls into the Sea not far from Brill Ems which divides the two Frieslands Scaldis or Schelt which ariseth in Picardy and runs through Artois and between Hainault and Brabant meets with the Sea a little above Antwerp Lis or Ley which runs through Flanders Besides which Rivers and others of inferiour note here are great store of Lakes Pooles and Marishes which do both fortifie the Country and provide it of Fish Belgium is divided into 17 Provinces Whereof there are 4 Dukedoms 1 Limburg 2 Luxemburg 3 Gelderland 4 Brabant One Marquisate viz. of the Holy Empire Seven Earldoms 1 Flanders 2 Artois 3 Hainalt 4 Namur 5 Zutphen 6 Holland 7 Zealand Five Baronies 1 West-Friesland 2 Vtrecht 3 Overyssel 4 Machlin 5 Groninge Of these 17 Provinces only two did acknowledg the Soveraignty of the Kings of France viz. Flanders and Artois the Earls of which were Homagers to that Crown at the Treaty of Cambray Anno Dom. 1550 when they were quitted by Henry the Second of France to Philip the Second King of Spain and to his Successors the rest were held originally of the Germane Empire Nine of which Provinces are under the King of Spain 1 Flanders 2 Artois 3 Hainalt 4 Namur 5 Luxemburg 6 Limburg 7 Brabant 8 Marquisate 9 Machlin Under the States General are 1 Holland 2 Zealand 3 West-Friesland 4 Vtrecht 5 Overyssel 6 Gelderland 7 Zutphen 8 Groning With some Towns in Flanders and Brabant HOLLAND HAth on the East the Zuyderzee Vtrecht and some part of Gelderland on the West and North the Germane Ocean on the South the Islands of Zealand and some part of Brabant Upon the eruption of the Gothish and Danish Nations they here planting themselves in Holland and Zealand as Adrianus Junius conceiveth in reference to Zealand and Orland two Islands in the Baltick Sea out of which they came these two Provinces were called Holland and Zealand And with him agreeth William Heda Petrus Hannius Scriverius and others But Hugo Grotius will have it called Holland from Holtland which is as much as to say a Country of Wood Holt signifies a Wood. And the Annals tell us that heretofore Holland was full of Woods and Bushes This Country
lies so low that Ramparts only keep it from inundations and restrain the Rivers within their bounds In many places one may see the Sea far above the Land and yet repuls'd with those Banks The compass of Holland is about 180 Miles every part of it within three hours Journey of the Sea The bredth is not above 24 Miles and contains 28 wall'd Towns or Cities and 400 Villages some scituate in North and others in South-Holland North-Holland lies 'twixt the middle channel of the Rhene and the Zuyder-Sea The Towns or Cities of most importance are Alcmaer encompassed with deep Fens and Marshes divers great Lakes which are made by the Brooks which fall from the Downs so it hath its name from these Lakes the which in the Cymbrian Tongue they call Meeren as if they would say Almeer It hath the first Place and the first Voice in the Estates of the said Provinces It 's Eminent for the Defeat the Inhabitants gave the Duke of Alva meerly because he had left them no way to escape It 's a Town well fortified with goodly Ditches and mighty Walls Flanck'd with nine great Bulwarks which were made after the Spaniards had besieged it It 's three Leagues distant from Horn. Near unto it is the strong Castle of Astenburg Anno 1328 it was burnt The Frieslanders have often besieged it and in the year 1517 it was taken and plundered for eight days by those of Guelders Earl Florence the Fifth made a Ditch to the very extremities of the Country to hinder the Frieslanders incursions It 's not only one of the chiefest Towns of Holland but of all the Low Countries for the beauty of its Buildings and the neatness of its Streets Near this Town is Seayne a great Village The Lords hereof are descended from the House of Bavaria Amsterdam Is scituated on the Gulf called the Fie and the Ditch or Channel call'd Amstel whence it hath the name of Amsteldam in Latine Amstelodamum built upon Piles like Venice It consisted at the first of a few Fishermens houses and was under the Jurisdiction of the Lords of Amstel About 300 years since Gilbert Amstel fortified this City with Bulwarks and Towers which being burnt by ill Neighbours 't was walled about Anno 1482. And afterwards 't was inlarged and it is now become one of the greatest Mart-towns in Europe Here a 1000 Ships of all sorts have been seen to go out and in They of Amsterdam made a great present of Money to the Emperor Maximilian the First of that name for the which and other their good Services he granted them leave to bear an Imperial Crown upon the Arms of the City a Dignity never granted to any Town before There is yet to be seen in a Glass-window of the old Church certain Purses painted with their Mouths down scattering Gold and Silver to signifie their liberality It 's strong by reason of the Scituation but stronger by Art It 's flanck'd about with great Bulwarks which answering one another make it impregnable What with the Walls about it and the industry of man it 's warranted towards the Sea with a long double Pallisadoe from th' east to to the West in which above 1000 Ships and innumerable lesser Vessels may safely lie out of danger By reason of Trade it 's grown exceeding rich by diverting it from Antwerp hither It 's inhabited by People of all Nations and of all Religions and those nor tolerated or conniv'd at in private but openly and freely exercis'd without any disl ke It 's seven Leagues from Leyden The Town-house is the prodigie of the world and a miracle beyond the Seven that Antiquity brags so much of the Foundation of which cost many hundred thousand pounds The Revenue of this City cometh to above 4000 l. a day Near St. Katharin's Church are laid the Foundations of a Tower which is to be exceeding high 6300 great Trees have been driven into a piece of ground of about 100 Foot square to be Piles for the foundation of the said Tower They have here a House of Correction called the Tutchthuyse for vain idle and extravagant persons and also for those children which will not be obedient to their Parents at the coming in there are two Lyons upon the doors bridled as an emblem of the wild youth of the Town They make them here work according to their offences If they refuse to work they are put into a low Cellar and water is let in upon them if they will stand still they may if they will pump and deliver themselves then they are help'd out again They come out of this House when they give Testimony of their repentance Anno 1595 was here set up the like house for young Maids which liv'd a licentious and idle life In Amsterdam notwithstanding their precise observance of the Sabbath yet every Sunday Morning they have a publique Mart for Dogs and Rags Harlem On the Lake called Harlem-meer It 's a Noble Town both for the largeness of the City the fairness of the Houses and pleasantness of the Scituation being seated amongst many goodly Meadows famous for the invention of Printing invented here by Laurence Jans The first Book that ever was Printed being Tullies Offices Anno 1245 Pope Innocent at the Councel of Lions made St. Lewis King of France and William Earl of Holland undertake the relief of the Holy Land the Army being come before Pelusium now called Damietta a great Chain did hinder the approach of the Navy this the Harlem-men undertook to break and did execute their Design giving entry to the whole Fleet. In memory of which the Emperour gave the Town for Arms which before was a dry tree a Sword compass'd with six stars to the which the Patriarch of Jerusalem added upon the point a Cross Pattee They have many silver Bells which they brought from thence hang up in their Steeple It hath the fairest Church in all Holland being supported with great Columns or Pillars The River Sparr passeth through this Town Anno 1572 't was greatly afflicted by the Spaniards lying before it eight moneths to their great loss and discharged 10256 Cannon shot against the Town yet in the end by reason of Famine it was constrained to yield to the mercy of Duke d'Alva who put them to the Sword the Papists crying they were Catholiques expecting to receive mercy at his hands but they were answered that it was good for their Souls but their Bodies must die for the King This Town and Castle was built by the Harmelois who issued from the bloud of the Kings of Friesland and from thence it took its name as the learned Adrianus Junius conceiveth It 's the second Town in Holland for Rank and Dignity The Castle hereof was seated upon the Chanel that runs towards Egmont not far from Heemskirk and built of Brick but at this day there is nothing to be seen but the ruines of it The Lord of this place by his cruelty having made himself odious
Vtrecht It hath two Chanels which pass through the Town Anno 1536 the beauty of it was much eclips'd by Fire but built up again fairer then formerly it was In this Fire there happen'd so memorable an accident that happily the like hath not been recorded in any Story In this town the Storks Nest almost in every house to breed the Fire being the third of May at which time the young Storks are grown pretty big the old ones perceiving the Fire to approach their Nests attempted to carry them away but could not they were so weighty which they perceiving never ceas'd with their wings spread covering them until they all perish'd in the Flames Jasper Veldius an Author of great estimation reports the same in 's Book of Storks This Town holds the third rank and suffrage for the Country of Holland It 's four Leagues from Leyden Near this Town is Loresendam a great and fair Village not far off it is Losdan and Voorburg the last a good Town In this Town was the Body of the Famous Hugo Grotius inter'd Anno 1584 William Prince of Orange was here shot with a Bullet by Balthasar Gerard a Burgundian It 's a Town of great Trade for Cloathing It 's the Birth-place of that Monstrous Heretick David George who call'd himself King and Christ immortal Gertruden-burgh Is a strong Town both by Nature and Art scituated on the left Bank of the River Merew it hath a good Garrison in 't so nam'd as Hondius supposeth from Geertruyd the Daughter of Pipinus de Landen who was a Religious Woman and liv'd here and Anno 664 here died Scheidam Hath a good Haven upon the Mewze it 's scituated upon a current of Water which comes out of the Country call'd Schie and from thence it takes its name In this place there is an Hospital call'd the New-dam which hath these Priviledges that a Burger dying within or without the Town or in the liberties thereof the best garment he leaves doth belong unto the Hospital The chief Trade of this Town is Fishing which they send into all parts Vlarding is hard by a small Village but formerly a strong Town Mausouluis is a fair Burrough two Leagues lower Woerden Is seated on a Moor and hath a strong Castle to it and cannot be approach'd because it may be overflown round about it Anno 1374 this Town was built by the Bishop of Vtrecht to awe his Subjects In this Castle the Admiral of Aragon was kept Prisoner a great while after the Battle of Flanders Worcom It 's beyond the River of Wahal on Brabant-side right against the strong Castle of Loveisteine a little lower on the other Bank stands Gorchom It 's well fortifi'd with good Ramparts Bulwarks and Ditches It did belong to the Earls of Horn. Neer this Town is the Castle and Territory of Altena being in ancient time drown'd but now it 's a Country full of good Pastures and is the Rampart of the whole Province Gorcum is one of the strongest Towns in the Netherlands It 's one of the Keys of Holland Famous for being a Prison to Hugo Grotius and of the Arminian Ministers The chief of the holland-Holland-Villages is the Hague or Graven-Hague in Latine Haga Comitis because formerly the residence of the Earls of Holland So call'd as Junius supposed from Hagh which signifies a Hedge from the many Hawthorn-Hedges that grow thereabouts It 's rich in Wealth pleasant in Gardens and stately in Buildings having 2500 Houses amongst which the most magnificent is the Court built here Anno 1249 by William Earl of Holland now the Residence of the Prince of Orange It 's a Castle with Ditches and Gates It 's always guarded There are the Courts of Justice the States Chamber for the Province and for the Union whither all Causes are brought by Appeal and finally determin'd Here resides the Count Fischal of Brabant the States General the States of Holland and West-Friesland the Councel of State the Masters of the Chamber of Accounts of Holland the Councel of War every of these have their several Chambers Hard by there 's a Park 1501 Paces long Princes Earls Lords all sorts of people walk here and take the pleasure and profit of the place Not far from it you come to shady Walks which have at once the reverence and content of Heaven If you please to walk a little further you 'll see all Europe floating on the one hand by water carried on the other by Land to this great Mart of Christendom for Trade and Intelligence It 's no wall'd Town neither do the Inhabitants desire it for they had rather have it accounted the chief Village in Europe then the second City Not far from it is Hontstardick where the last Prince of Orange built a most stately House beautifi'd with Walks and Galleries Riisuick is another fair Village there the same Prince hath another House in a very pleasant scituation amongst Meadows and it 's a noble Prospect to those which come from Delft Anno 1574 at Scheveling neer the Hague the Sea brake in and carried away 121 Houses as 't is to be seen recorded upon a Picture in the Church The other Villages of Note are 2 Egmond 3 Brederode 4 Wassenare which is a fair and beautiful Town two Leagues from Leyden from hence the noble Family of the Wassemers fetch'd their Original They pretend to be descended from that Noble and Famous Captain Claudius Civilis of whom Tacitus makes honourable mention From them are descended the Duvenvords the Warmonds the Bouchorts the Polanes the Malenesses all the flower of the Dutch Nobility The three forementioned Townes anciently gave names to three ancient Families of which none so illustrious and renown'd as that of Egmond descended lineally from Radbolt Son of Agillis the King of the Frisons They were made Earls of Egmond by Maximilian the Emperour Anno 1592. Thierry of Aquitaine the first Earl of Holland built an Abby for Monks neer unto Egmond inrich'd with great Revenues In the year 1565 the Prince of Orange the Earl of Horn and the Baron of Brederode went with the Earl of Egmond to Dine in this Abby when they were to wash my Lord Abbot who was but a Monk took the three Noblemen by the hands to wash the Earl of Egmond coming to present himself the Abbot said unto him No for you are my Vassal it becomes you not to wash with your betters yea he offer'd to put the Towel upon his shoulder to give it to the other Noblemen when they had wash'd whereat the Earl was much discontented and went away Brederode is descended from Ziphard the second son of Arnulph the third Earl of Holland and Zealand who to avoid his Fathers displeasure retired into Friesland and married the Potestates Daughter of the Countrey by whom he had two Sons but being afterwards reconveyed to his Father he had certain Lands allotted him for his Portion which were measur'd by the great Rod the which in the Country-Language
AN EXACT SURVEY OF THE UNITED PROVINCES OF THE NETHERLANDS OF Their Cities Castles Fortresses and other their Dominions there With some Remarques of their Government Antiquities and Memorable Actions Together with an Exact Map of the SEVEN PROVINCES Which is also to be Sold alone Collected by T. W. Vade Liber verbisque meis loca grata saluta LONDON Printed for Edward Berry and William Berry and are to be Sold at their Shops in Holborn-Court in Grays-Inne neer the Hall-door and at the Globe in the Strand betwixt York-House and the New-Exchange 1673. To the Right Honourable William Earl of Craven Viscount Craven of Vffington Baron Craven of Hamsted-Marshal one of the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council and Lord-Lieutenant of the County of Middlesex and Borough of Southwark My Lord THe Belgick Provinces for the last Century have been such a Theatre of Mars that all the Princes of Europe have little reason to thank the Spaniard for enforcing the States of Holland to know and use their own power and strength and therefore it was gravely expressed by a sober Person that to have all the Low Countries governed by a few States or by one Prince wholly depending upon the King of Spain would be equally dangerous but it doth most comport with the interest of England in Wisdom and Policy to erect and establish such a Prince as should neither altogether depend upon France or be wholly devoted unto Spain or else to divide the Seventeen Provinces into divers several Cantons whereby some of them being induced to affect England and others to favour Princes of their Religion they could not render themselves so formidable How prudent an expedient this would be for the security of England and to establish peace in Christendom I submit it unto your Lordships grave judgement who is perfectly acquainted with all the Criticismes of State But that which is the just admiration of all wise men the lesser moiety of these Provinces hath far exceeded even the whole and seven Provinces are become greater and more potent then Seventeen In Riches and Power they have out-done some of the greatest Princes in Europe Their Cities are many and splendid and yet there are more Sects among them then Cities and as many Creeds as Heads but if they had imitated your Lordship when you did them the honour to live amongst them the regularity of your Devotions being with such reverence you had made all their Provinces Canonical yet they have learned to vernish their lucre with Devotion and to make godliness a Page to their private Interest and to be so wise in any of their meetings never to discourse of Religion their Opinions therein being as opposite as the sides of the Diameter but they all concentre in this one Ecliptick line to darken the Authority of Princes Your Lordship being so great an Artizan of State understands all their Arcana and Mysteries and so great a Captain as this AGE with much difficulty hath not produced a greater you know all their Policies and Stratagems of War by the first your Lordship hath much engaged your own Nation by the other you may live to oblige all Nations of the World I do beg your Lordships pardon for this interruption leaving the Grandeur of your Actions and the Glory of your Name to be blazon'd by the Heralds of Time and celebrated in the lasting Chronicles of after-Ages I am Your Lordships Humble Servant T. W. THE PREFACE TO THE READER LEst thou shouldest have cause Gentle Reader to Quaere this present Edition of the Exact Survey of the Vnited Provinces of the Netherlands considering the many Essays written of that Subject at the instance of the worthy Author of this excellent and useful Discourse I was desired to advertise thee that some honourable Friends of his put him upon this present work which in their noble conceptions would be very acceptable to the Publick By this Topographical Discourse thou art brought to more familiar acquaintance with the scite strength present state and condition of those Belgick Countries which for this last Century had so bravely quit themselves maugre the utmost Policies and Hostilities of their great and formidable Enemies and when you hear of this or that other Town or Castle of theirs either taken or besieged upon a slight perusal of it upon all occasions you may be able to judge of those matters The Author hereof hath seriously consulted with most of the Grave Writers both Cosmographers Historians and others of the greatest note which have hitherto written of those Countries and Provinces from whom besides his own observations he hath received no small light assistance having brought this Web out of the Loom he here presents it to the judicious Eye of the Candid Reader wherein without much trouble or cost he may behold the sad face in its full dimension of the late most High and Mighty States of the Vnited Provinces that seemed so lately to eclipse and shadow much of the Grandeur and Glory of the most Potent and absolute Princes now lamentably it self eclipsed and rent in pieces and Peace the fairest flower in Paradise and the pleasantest Fruit upon the Tree of Life is here in Exile so that you may say of them as the Poet of Rome Qui miserandae videt veteris vestigia Romae Ille potest merito dicere Roma fuit They who the Ruines of first Rome behold May say Rome is not now but was of old If in Anno 1584 the poor distressed People of the Low Countries was their Epithet in all their humble Addresses to the then Queen of England what they then spake as Politicians possibly the same they may now say as Realists But Pride will have its Fall sooner or later Perfidiousness and Ingratitude will never go long unpunished And truly three of the hardest things in the world are To Quadrate a Circle to finde out the Philosophers Stone and to make the Dutch grateful The first Office of Gratitude is to receive a good turn Civilly then to retain it in Memory and acknowledge it and lastly to endeavour a requital How far they are from these their Insolencies to the English Nation will easily tell you they daily do heap injuries on the English whom they have so highly wronged as if the latter injuries would give countenance of Justice to the former and to speak truly if we should be left to their mercies we should be stript as bare as Diogenes did Plato's Man 'T was England that first raised them and it was the King of Great Britain that under God would have preserved and protected them if they had kept their Ancient Boundaries and not been too ignorant of their true Interest At present they seem to the world a lost People full of intrinsick confusions and upon the point of Ruine and they that have been reckoned for Great and Dominical Letters in the Worlds Alphabet are now almost blotted out For their Country it was
is Brederode from whence they take their name Besides those Towns on the firm Land or Continent there are some Islands which appertain to the States of Holland call'd by the General name of Voorn signifying as much as before or in old English bevorne but known now directly by their proper Names 1 Somerdike 2 Gaurede 3 Pierschille so call'd of their principal Towns 4 Voorn specially so nam'd and chief of them all The principal Towns hereof are 1 Briel which we call the Brill a strong Town and the first that revolted from the Spaniards Anno 1572. A Cautionary Town to the English with the Town of Flushing chosen by them in regard of the great Command it hath upon the passage to Gertrudenburg and the rest of Brabant and also to Delf Dort and Rotterdam the greatest Town of Trade in the South of Holland Breheel or Brehil is as much as to say Brede-Heel that is a Broad River for Heile signifies a River on the right side of it the Maes receives the Rhene into it and falleth into the main Ocean Geruliet Is a small Town but hath Jurisdiction over many Villages There are also on the North-side of Holland the Isles Vierengen and Texel of which little is memorable but that the last is furnished with a large and capacious Bay for receit of Shipping Goeree Is scituated in a little Island and hath as good and deep a Road as any in Holland where great Ships which go long Voyages cast Anchor attending their last Provision and a good Wind. The Garrisons of Wonde and Hulst and also Hellevoetsluys opposite unto it which is the Sluce of the Island of Voorn on that side towards the Sea whereas Brill lies on th' other side upon the Gulf of the River which is call'd the Mewze Beverwyck A Burg two Leagues from Harlem upon the River Ty not above two Miles distant from the Sea this and Reensburg were in former times reckon'd amongst the strongest and fairest Towns in all this Province Scage A good Burg and well built in which there 's a strong Castle Of ZEALAND ZEaland consisteth of seven Islands the remainder of â—8 the rest whereof the Sea hath swallowed and in them 300 inhabited Towns It 's sever'd from Flanders with the West-Branch or Arm of the Scheldt which the Battavians call Honte and on the East from Brabant with the right Branch of the said River which still keeps its name on the North from Holland with the Gulf call'd the Vlack and on the West with the main Ocean from the Kingdom of England Zealand is so call'd as Levinus Lemnius thinketh from Sea and Land which invironeth it round about and with him agree Guicciardine and Jo. Keygersberg But as Adrianus Junius rather thinks from Zeeland an Island in Denmark as before we observed The whole contains eight Towns and 100 Villages The Islands which remain are commonly divided into the Eastern and Western according as they lie to the River Scheldt These Islands are encompass'd with strong high Banks made with such infinite charge that Emanuel de Meeter saith they cost above 140000 l. sterling so the expence to maintain them must be very great The Western Islands are four in Number Walcheren lyeth to the North of the Sluce in Flanders the richest and most populous of all this Province It 's in compass 10 Dutch Miles or 40 Italian The principal Towns whereof are Middleburgh Seated on a creek off on the Sea well wall'd fortifi'd the Streets spacious the Houses and Churches well built inhabited by wealthy Merchants and industrious Tradesmen so call'd because built in the midst of the Island It 's a quarter of a League from Arnemuyden Flushing Of great Note for its good Port and invincible strength one of the first Towns which the Low Country-men took from the Spaniards by the diligence of Voorst a Sea man and Monsieur de Berland then Bayliff thereof and not long after put into the hands of the English as a Town of Caution A poor Town then it was now the Key of the Netherlands without whose license no Ship can pass either to or from the City of Antwerp insomuch as if the Duke of Alva in the beginning of his Government had bestow'd that pains in the fortifying of this and th' other Martime Towns as he did in the strengthning Antwerp and some midland Cities he had in all probability hindered the Revolt of those flourishing Countries It 's scituate right against Flanders a Mile from Middleburgh There are three goodly Bulwarks towards the Land and one to the Sea which defend the Haven on that side flanking it at the Port. They have made a new Haven there and built a Church for the English It 's also a Marquisate belonging to the Prince of Orange as La Vere Ramne or Arnemuyden A wall'd Town beautifi'd with one of the goodliest and most frequented Havens in Europe out of which one may sometimes see 500 sail of Ships of great burthen set forward on their Voyage to several parts Anno 1574 't was yielded to the Prince of Orange Veer or Camp-veere A very Famous Sea-Town and exceeding strong having many Staples for Herrings and other Commodities here it belong'd to the Prince of Orange From hence came that illustrious and most noble Family of the Veeres now Earls of Oxford By Maximilian Duke of Burgundy and Lord of it was made a Marquisate It hath ample Jurisdiction and nine Villages depend upon 't Rammeken or Zeeburgh Built upon the Dike between Middleburgh Flushing serving for a Bulwark for all Ships which for want of good winde are forc'd to come and Anchor in this Road. This Castle is alwayes well Man'd and Garrison'd with all things necessary for a place of such Importance This was one of the Cautionary Towns delivered to Queen ELIZABETH There are in this Island many good Towns East and West-Suyburgh A quarter of a League one from the other betwixt Flushing and Middleburgh at West-Suyburgh there is a good Castle South-Beverland Scituate betwixt Walcheren and Brabant the greatest of the Isles of Zealand heretofore 20 Dutch Miles in compass but now much diminish'd by the rage and fury of the Sea by which the Town and Seignory of Borhule with all the Country round about it was swallowed up Anno 1532. The chief Towns here are Romerswal seated on the East towards Bergen-Op-Zoome sever'd at the same time from the rest of the Island and made an Island of it self defended with continual charge from following the sad Fate of the Town of Bursule distant about a League from Bergen-Op-Zoome Goes or Tergoes On the Northern Coast a strong Town and well Priviledg'd and the only wall'd in all the Island It hath a good Haven at the mouth whereof there are two Forts one of either side so as nothing can pass without Discovery Not far off are Cloelingen Cruyningen Zeateskerke Capelle Catton-dike and other Villages North-Beverland Lying betwixt South-Beverland and the Isle of
Schowen in former times esteemed the Paradise of Zealand but so destroyed by Sea-breach that there 's now nothing remaining but a few poor Villages It 's the Patrimony of the Prince of Orange Anno 1532 by Inundation there perished the Towns of Cortgreen Catts Campen We le Emitesse and others but since recovered Wolferdike Lying between the two Beverlands the smallest of the Western Islands as having in it no more then three Villages Wolferdike Sabinglye Habersdike but replenished with good store of Pasture The Eastern Islands are three in Number Schowen Lying on the South-West of Holland so neer unto North-Beverland in former times that the Inhabitants could talk together from one Shore to the other but now the Sea hath set them at a greater distance It contains about eight Leagues in Circuit The chief Towns herein are Zirick zee The ancientest Town in all Zealand and the greatest except Middleburgh once beautifi'd with a fair and commodious Haven now choaked up with Beech yet still reputed for the second of all the Province It was built Anno 845 by one Zerick from whence it was so nam'd Brouwers-Haven A very strong Haven inhabited only by Fisher-men It 's two Leagues distant from Zirick-zee Here was born William Burckeld who first invented the way of pickling Herrings and he died at Bieverlet Anno 1347. Charles the Fifth Emperour went one day to see his Tomb in acknowledgment of the service he had done his Country Duveland So nam'd from the multitude of Doves and Pigeons scituate between Schoven and Tolen It 's in compass about four Dutch Miles It hath no good Town in it but only country-Country-Villages Anno 1530 surrounded by the Sea but by the industry and charge of the people recover'd Tolen so call'd from the chief Town of the Island where the Earls Toll was wont to be paid whence it had the name It 's scituate over against the North-west of Brabant from thence disjoyn'd by a narrow Creek or arm of the Sea It 's wholly invironed with good Trenches and some Forts fearing the irruption of the Spaniards who twice or thrice have attempted to get Footing There is but one Chanel to pass upon Brabant-side St. Martins Dike the second Town of Note but not otherwise considerable is the Inheritance of the Prince of Orange joyning unto it is a little Island called Philips-Land WEST-FRIESLAND HAth on the East Groeningland and a part of Westphalen in High Germany on the South Overyssel and the Zuyder-See on the North and West the main Ocean It hath its name from Friso the first Prince of it and the Inhabitants Frisons as Ptolomy and Tacitus term them saying they are Germans and People from beyond the Rhene whom Pliny calls Cauches which are the Aborigines of that place The Number of the wall'd Towns are 11. Villages 345. The Country is divided into three Parts The first Part called Westergoe lying towards Holland The Principal Towns are Harlingen A Haven-Town upon the Ocean defended with a very strong Castle It 's the best Haven in all Friesland and it 's a League from Franiker It hath two Chanels coming from the Sea which pass through the Town Hindelopen on the same Coast also It was first a place for Hunting when Friesland was half Forrest It comes from Hinden and Loopen which is to run It 's a course and recourse for Staggs and Hindes It 's a considerable place for Navigation Staveren A Hanse-Town It 's fortified with a strong Castle which secures the Haven It stands upon the Sea on the South-side on the entry of the Gulf of Zuyder-see at the point which looks towards Holland almost opposite to the passage of Enchuysen halfe a League from Hinderlopen upon the same Shore No doubt but heretofore it hath been a very rich and mighty Town but by the inundation of the Sea it 's much lessen'd It 's a long and narrow Town and fortified with Ramparts and Bulwarks Here lived the people which Pliny called Sturii from whence all Friesland was sometimes called Regnum Stauriae from hence this Town had its name Franiker An University or a Schola Illustris as they call it It 's two Leagues distant from Leuwarden and one from Harlingen It 's one of the most ancient and renowned Towns in Friesland It draws many Scholars thither from all parts even out of Poland and France Snelk A Town for largeness and beauty the best in this Province and the second in esteem of all the Country It 's three Leagues from Leuwarden and one from Ilst Sloten A Town neer unto the Gulf of the Zuyder see lying on the South-part upon the Sea a league and half from Staveren Ilst Stands upon the West half a League from Snelk upon the North-West a League from Bolswaert on the South as far from Sloten It 's environ'd with a large Ditch which may defend it from the invasion of Enemies Bolswaerdt It 's a free Hanse-Town a League distant from Snelk Ilst and Worcom a League and a half distant from Hindelopen and two Leagues from Staveren It 's a Town well fortified with Ports Ramparts Bulwarks and otherwise It hath a passage to the Sea by the Sluce of Mackum a League from thence where the Ships of the said Town lie as safely as in a good Haven Anno 1713 this Town was built by the Lady Bolswyne Daughter to Radbod King of Friesland Ostergoe On the East part lying towards Groningland the Towns of most Note are Leuwarden Scituate on the hinder Leewart the prime Town of all West-Friesland and honoured with the supream Court and Chancery hereof from which there lyeth no Appeal A rich Town well built and strongly fortified It 's two Leagues from Franiker this Town hath under its Jurisdiction 17 good Villages Here is also the Mint for Money for the whole Country both for Gold and Silver according to the order which the Deputies of the Estates shall set down the which notwithstanding is subject to the Generals of the Mints of all the United Provinces when need requires A League from this Town is the Village Zuychen Dockum Bordering upon Groening It 's five Leagues distant from it and eight from Franiker and six Miles from Leuwarden having a Chanel which goes into the Sea and another which leads unto Groning They may go easily from this town by Boat to all the towns in Friesland and by Sea to all parts of the world It suffered much in the late Wars It 's the second town in all the Quarter of Ostergoe Seven-Wolden or the Country of the Seven Forests So call'd from so many small Forests joyning neer together not well Inhabited until of late To this Province belongs the Isles of Amelandt Schellink the Shores whereof are plentifully stored with Dog-fish took by the Inhabitants in this manner The men of the Island attire themselves with Beasts skins and then fall to dancing with which sport the Fish being much delighted make out of the waters towards them Nets
the Yssel into the Zuyder-see A fair large and Imperial Hanse-town well Fortified and of very great strength by reason of those inaccessible Marishes amongst which it is scituated It hath a goodly Bridge upon the River at the end whereof there 's a goodly Fort to defend it by which Bridge they may go both on Horse-back Waggon or Foot to all the Towns of Overyssel Friesland and Groning or else if they please by the Chanels which run through the Country Merchants and Workmen with a good winde may go in one night to Amsterdam and going from thence at night after dispatch of business may be again the next day at their own Houses which is a great commodity It 's the second Town in this Province the Burgers can put it under water when they please which is a great security to it These three Towns are in that part hereof which is called Ysselland In that part which is called Twent we have the Town of Enschede A Town of good Traffick a League from Oldenzel and two from Otmarsum Anno 1597 't was reduc'd to the obedience of the States by Prince Maurice and 't was much ruin'd Of which little memorable Delden Almeto Stenwick It 's scituated on a Brook called Blocker-zyel It suffered two great Sieges in the late Belgick Wars and did undergo a sad Fate but since is much recovered and is a Town of good Trade and of considerable strength it 's three Miles from Meppel Hassel Is seated upon the River Vidre which runs into the Zuyder-see at Gheelmuyden being mingled with the two Rivers of Regg and Vect It 's well Fortified Otmarsum A Town which did three times tast the fruits of the Wars as well by Siege as otherwise It 's a place of no great strength lying in an open Country but Anno 1592 taken by Prince Maurice In Latine this Town is called veteros Marsii which are the old Marsians whom Pliny and Livie do often mention being seated in the Country of the Tubantines which is now Tuent Oldenzeel Is a Town of good Trade and reasonable great It suffered much by a long Siege Anno 1605 being beleaguered by Marquess Spinola to whom 't was yielded for Arch-Duke Albert But Anno 1567 't was retaken by Prince Maurice It 's three Miles from Otmarsum Coewarden Is a place of good strength Anno 1593 't was strongly defended against Count Harman van Borgh and Veedugo who beleaguered it From hence you may go by Land into Friesland the Counties of Groning Westphalia Breme and other places It 's about three Miles from Hardenburgh 15 from Linge 15 from Swoll There are many other Towns here but whosoever is Master of the Field is Master of them And in that of Drent the Town and Castle of Valenhoven standing upon the Zuyder-see and two Leagues from Stenwick It suffered much in the Wars but since is repair'd and well fortified Gheelmuyden Stands upon the gulf of Vidre towards the Zuyder-see It 's a league distance from Valenhoven and as much from Hassel it hath towards the Land the pleasant Pastures of Mastubroouck a league distant from Campen It hath a strong Castle in it Hardenbergh A good Town upon the River Beecht the Bishops of Vtrecht took great delight in it by reason of the pleasantness of the Seat It hath a very strong Castle It 's the mid-way between Coewarden and Ommen The Soveraignty of this Province before the War in the Netherlands did belong unto Philip the second King of Spain who succeeded the Emperour Charles the fifth his Father who had the interest confirmed by the Pope from Henry of Bavaria Bishop of Vtrecht GELDERLAND SO called from the Castle of Gelder as Munster conceiveth which Wichard of Ponthe together with his Brother are reported to have built though many do suppose that it was so called from the Town Geldens which Tacitus mentions It 's bounded on the East with Cleveland and the Earldom of Zutphen on the West with Holland and Vtrecht on the North with Overyssel and the Zuyder-see on the South with Brabant and the Land of Gulick The whole Country is divided into two parts 1. Veluwe contain'd within the Zuyder-see and the Yssel 2. Betewe intercepted 'twixt the middle Chanel of the Rhene and the Wael In both Divisions are contain'd 22 wall'd Towns or Cities and 300 Villages The chief whereof are Nimmegen A Town high mounted on the top of a Hill the Wael which is there large and deep running at the Foot of the Hill rich great and populous having beside 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 The Castle was re-edified by Bâ—tto and by him was the Town likewise encompass'd with Walls he being dead his Son Hesus augmented it by adding thereto that quarter which is called Heselbergh or the hele of Hesus which Town the Kings that succeeded him caused to be the Metropolis of Battavia or Holland as we read in Gerrard of Nimmegen This Town was Founded by Magus King of the Gauls who called it after his own name Magus but being deceased it was re-built by â—â—â—to sâ—ncâ— which time it hath been called Nimmegen that is New-megen 〈◊〉 Nemmeghen Anno 1592 it came under the obedience of the States being taken by Prince Maurice The States have built a mighty Fort called Knotsenburgh on the other Bank of the River of Wael opposite to the Town which is a great security to it Tiel Is chief of Tyelweerd it was formerly a Peninsula but since the last Wars a Chanel hath been cut through the Country to sail from the River of Mewze into the Wahal upon the right Bank whereof the said Town is built by which means the said Tyelweerd is now made an Island for there is no entrance into it but by water or through the Town It 's very strong by Nature and Art Anno 1528 it was besieged by the Emperour but was so stoutly defended that they were enforc'd to raise their Siege It hath many rich towns under its Jurisdiction It 's a strong Place and well fortified Bomel Is a fair strong Place the chief Town of all the Territory of Bomel-weerd which the Rhene and Mewze do encompass and make it an Island It 's a Frontier-town upon the confines of Gelderland towards the South and stands upon the River Wael on the North-side of Bomel It 's exceeding strong by Nature It was first walled by Otho The River Wael doth not only make Bomel commodious for Traffick but impregnable on the North-side and free from all Invasion The Country about it is very low and not only unfit for Mines but for continuance of any long Siege for in Winter by reason of great Waters and overflowing of Rivers it enforces the Enemy to leave the Field Besides its natural strength it hath been ever well fortified with Bulwarks and Towers and
Town with a Castle it 's scituate in a Moor which there is but one passage to come unto It 's upon a Causey so as it 's of hard Access Anno 1597 it was taken by Prince Maurice ZVTPHEN or ZVYDFEN SO called of the South scituation of it among the Fens on the right shore of Yssel where it receives to it the River Borthel which runs through the Town It hath been twice or thrice taken and re-taken by the Spaniards and States but hath contined in the possession of the States since the year 1591 it was taken by the Earl of Leicester for the States Here fell that Gallant Gentleman Sir PHILIP SIDNEY Keppel Is a small Town of no importance half a League from Doesburgh Burg Not much better then Keppel it 's a League from Doesburgh GRONINGEN-LAND HAth on the East East-Friesland on the West West-Friesland and on the North the Main Sea on the South Overyssel It contains under it the Country called the Ommelands corruptly for Emmelands as I conjecture because lying along the River Ems and therein 145 Villages The chief whereof are Dam Neer the Ems bordering on the East-Friesland It 's two Leagues from Groning Keykirk Old-Haven Standing on the Sea For the Town of Groning it self it 's rich great and very well built scituate amongst divers small streams which run through it and having divers Chanels for conveyance of waters which adds much to its safety and strength This Town hath two small Rivers Huneso and Aha coming out of the Country of Drenthe through the Ommelands the which compassing about the Town meet in the Suburbs which is cal'd Schayten-dyep from whence passing by the town of Dam with other small Brooks which joyn there they fall by the Sluces of Delf-ziel into the Dullart which is of the River Ems by the which all Ships both great and small take their course to joyn with the greater which Anchor upon the Dullart and so to go from thence to the Sea This City is strongly fortified with Ditches and Trenches A Town of great Jurisdiction both within and without judging without Appeal in Cases Civil and Criminal Anno 1594 it was taken by the Prince of Orange Some hold that the name of this Town was given by Grunnius issued from the Bloud of the Kings of Friesland which was the Founder of it but being seated in a pleasant Soyl and goodly Pastures it 's so called from the greenness thereof this word Groen signifying green ingen being an Adjective which makes up the word as Fine-lingen and others This City is ennobled with many Priviledges as that no King Prince or Commonwealth can call any Burger or Citizen out of this City into justice nor cause him to be cited or adjourned before any Court but only before the Senate or his Ordinary Judge No man can appeal from any Sentence that is given here either in Civil or Criminal Causes They may make Laws and abrogate them at pleasure without the authority of any Person The Ommelands are divided into three Quarters 1. The Feuelingo 2. Himsing 3. The West quarter They have many Priviledges here in their places of Judgment which they call their Gretonies or Bailiwicks Delfzyel Is a great and mighty strong Fort in Form of a Town We have given you a short view of the Towns and Forts which the States General hold in these Provinces We shall now observe what other Towns they hold in other Provinces under the King of Spain especially in the Dutchy of Brabant and County of Flanders which they have gain'd by their Arms. In the Dutchy of BRABANT Bergen Op-Zoome It 's called Bergen by the Normans which invaded Brabant who so called it from a Town in Norway and Bergen-Op-Zoome from the River Zoome upon which it is scituated about half a League from Scheld and not far from the Sea it hath a good Haven belonging unto it Anno 1533 't was made a Marquisate It 's within six hours journy of Antwerp It 's opposite to Rommerswael and Tholen Towns of Zealand It hath a very high Earthen Rampier and Ditches round about it It 's in some places Fortified with Palisadoes in other parts with Walls on the top of the Rampiers there are many Bulwarks about it for defence of the Town It came under the power of the States Anno 1577. If Bergen be subdued the Islands of Zealand would easily be reduced one after another especially the Isle of Terthole Anno 1588 it gave a Famous repulse unto the Duke of Parma who Beleaguered it with 30000 Men and after a long Siege with much loss and dishonour was forced to retire with the loss of 12000 Souldiers as it is credibly reported Anno 1605 Marquess Spinola made two furious Assaults upon this Town but by the valour of the Burgers and Souldiers was repulsed with great loss It 's held impregnable and one of the best Fortified Towns in the Low Countries Anno 1605 Prince Maurice took Woud-Castle within a Mile of Bergen-Op-Zoome It 's strongly fortified with Bulwarkâ— and seated in a Fenny plaâ—â— and therefore naturally stâ—â—ng It 's one of the chiefest Castles belonging to the Marquess of Bergen Breda Is a very fair Town it 's seated in the Land of Kempen scituate on the River Merck eight Miles from Antwerp six Miles from Boisleduc or s'Hertoghen bosch six Miles from Bergen-Op-Zoome and two from Gertrudenburg It 's the residence Barony and chief Town of the Prince of Orange Count Henry of Nassaw caused the Town to be Fortified with Rampiers Anno 1534 both in the Castle round about the Town he caused five great Bulwarks to be made which defended one another together with very deep Ditches He built here a most Princely Palace moated round about and with that a very magnificent Edifice with a most noble Gallery supported with Pillars of Blewstone with a gilded Frontispiece within the Palace there is a most noble Hall built on Pillars in the Hall there is a Chappel there is also a goodly Armory stored with all sorts of Warlike Provision and much Cannon It hath under it the Town and Territory of Steenberg the Franchise of Rosindale and the Seignory of Osterhout Anno 1567 't was taken by the Duke of Alva the Prince retiring into Germany for 's own security and so continued as a Garrison for the Spaniard till 1577 and then it returned again unto the Prince In whose possession it was for four years Anno 1581 ' was taken by the Prince of Parma he kept it till the year 1590. It now doth continue in that illustrious Family It 's invested with many Priviledges and Jurisdictions it hath an Exchequer or Court-trial whereunto the Town of Steenberghen and the 16 Villages of the Country of Breda with those of Eycheren Mewxem Schotem Loetrout and Oestmael make their Appeals And besides the said Court there is a Seat of Justice belonging to a Sheriff before whom upon the first Summons the Burgers must appear