OF THE STATE OF EVROPE XIIII Bookes CONTAINING THE HISTORIE AND RELATION OF THE MANY PROVINCES HEREOF Continued out of approved Authours BY GABRIEL RICHARDSON BATCHELOVR in Divinitie and FELLOW of BRASEN-NOSE College in Oxford OXFORD Printed for HENRY CRIPPS An. Dom. 1627. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN Lord Bishop of LINCOLNE one of his Maiesties most Honourable Privie Councell and Visitour of Brasen-Nose Colledge in OXFORD Right Reverend and my Honourable good Lord THE certaine hopes that Bishop Smith our Founder of blessed memory conceaues in his Statutes of all his successours for the protection of his College giues me the meanest of that Societie some heart to present these my first and weake labours to your Honours Patronage But more bold I am vpon your imbred and vnderived pronenesse to the advancement of Scholasticall indeavours whereof both the Vniversities Colleges Schooles Libraries enriched by your magnificent hand are daily and pregnant arguments This enlarging of the bowels of compassion towards learning in these later and straighter times as it is a miracle for the rarenesse so ought we all of vs both to powre out our praiers to God for such ample dispensers of this goodnes to men as also our vtmost labours with all thankfull acknowledgment to preserue their memories And if my selfe shal cast a mite into this treasurie pardon Right Honourable a boldnesse that proceeds out of an amazed esteeme of this your owne and vnimitable quality as from a most humble devotion to your everlasting honour and happinesse Your Lordships most humble devoted GABRIEL RICHARDSON OF THE STATE OF EVROPE THE FIRST BOOKE COntayning a generall survey of EVROPE and of the Iland of Great Britaine with the present bounds situation and quality of England The Inhabitants Their description languages and affaires of religion vnto our times The Bishops and Cleargie The civill gouernment The King His title of Defendour of the Faith The Nobles Gentrie and Commons The great victories and Conquests of the English Their no lesse disgraces and losses abroad by meanes of their quarrells and dissentions The devision of the Kingdome into Shires Tithings and Hundreds The ranke and number of the Shires EVROPE THe vniversall Globe of the Earth our moderne better experienced times haue found distinguished into fiue greater devisions whervnto all the rest belong are parts the New-found Lands of America and Magellanica detected by late discoueries and those of Asia Africa and Europe lying in one Continent and onely known vnto ancient ages Of these the least but most noble part is Europe the seate of Christianity and of the Church of God and the nurse of victorious and famous nations the glorious Conquerours of the World wherein banished from all other countryes mastered by tyrannie basenes ignorance and barbarisme religion civility arts knowledge libertie and valour at this day rest confined the subiect of this discourse The Etymologie hereof is altogether vncertaine The more exact bounds are vpon the North the Frozen Seas of Lapland and Norwey vpon the West the Vergiuian and Atlantique Oceans vpon the South the Straights of Gibraltar and the Sea Mediterranean from Africa and vpon the East from Asia the Archi-pelago the Seas Maggiore and Zabache the riuer Don and a line continued from thence vnto the White Sea or Baye of S. Nicholas It is situated betwixt the 36 and 71 1 2 degrees of Northerne latitude and the 5 and 59 degrees of Longitude accompting from the Meridian by the Azores The longest day at the towne of Gibraltar in Spaine which is the most Southerne point containeth about 14 houres and a quarter At Wardhuis the point most Northerly the greatest continuance of the Sunne aboue the Horizon lasteth 2 whole moneths 22 dayes some 7 houres It containeth the distinct Provinces and names of Spaine France Germanie the Low-Countries Switzerland Denmarke Norwey Sweathland Prussen Leifland Poland Lithuania Podolia part of the Tartars and Russes Hungarie Transsylvania Walachia Moldavia Bulgaria Bosna Servia Rascia Windish-land Italy and Greece seated in the maine land and of Ilands lying in the Ocean beside some lesser those of Island Freisland Great Brittaine Ireland Cadiz Mallorca Menorca Sardinia Corsica Sicilie and Candia with those many of the Archi-pelago devided amongst 9 greater Monarchs the Emperours of the Romans or Germans Russes and Turkes and the Kings of Great Brittaine France Spaine Denmarke Sweathland Poland together with the free Common-wealths and inferiour Princes of the Netherlands Italy the Switzers and Grisons Ptolemie in his 2 Booke sorteth these into the c more Westerne and the more Easterne Provinces whose methode I haue here obserued In the more Westerne devision he comprehendeth the Brittish Ilands Iberia or Spaine Celto-galatia or Gaule Germany Rhaetia Vindelicia Noricum Pannonia Illyris and Dalmatia contayning now the Kingdomes of Great Brittaine and Ireland Spaine France Germany the Switzers Netherland Denmarke Norwey Sweathland Hungary Windischland Krabbaten Bosna Contado di Zara Dalmatia Albania with their Ilands whose descriptions state and sundry fortunes follow in order GREAT BRITAINE THE Country hath beene thus distinguished from Britaine in France in regard of the lesser extension thereof named the Lesser Britaine It is a famous Iland seated in the Ocean to the North-west of the Continent of Europe some 30 Italian miles where the passage is the narrowest from France or the next maine land the Great Iland as Aristides calleth it another world after Solinus the Worke of sporting Nature after Mercator made more gracefully to adorne the Vniverse the glory of Ilands the Queene and mistresse of the seas and the beauty of the West The bounds are vpon the West part of the Westerne Ocean with S. George his Channell from Ireland vpon the North the open and spacious Northerne seas vpon the East the German Ocean from Denmarke Germany and the Netherlands and vpon the South the English Channell from France The figure hereof is Triangular or Three-square whose Basis might be the Sea-coast towards France It lyeth in the Northern halfe-part of the temperate Zone extended from the 16⅚ vnto the 21 degree of Longitude accompted from the first Meridian by the Azores Ilands and from the 50⅙ degree vnto the 60½ of Northerne Latitude or from beyond the 18 Paralel or the beginning of the eight Clime vnto beyond the 27 Paralel or beginning of the 13 Clime The longest day at the Lizard point in Cornwall the most Southerly part contayneth about 16 houres and a quarter At Straithy head in Scotland which is the point lying farthest to the North the same containeth 18 houres and 3 quarters The length of the Iland from South to North after this accompt is some 620 Italian miles The greatest Breadth betwixt East and West according to a right line is about 250 of the same miles Camden reckoneth 320 miles bending with the crookes and turnings of the Sea-coast The whole circumference he accompteth at 1836 miles A Paralel drawne ouer the middle
hereof hath after Ptolemy almost that proportion to a Meridian or Greater Circle as hath eleven to twenty It comprehendeth two Kingdomes of England and Scotland of late yeares vnited vnder one Prince of which seuerally with their Ilands ENGLAND The bounds hereof are vpon the South West and East the same with those of great Brittaine vpon the North frō Scotlād the Tweede and Solway Frith with the riuer of Eske running into the Solway It is situated betwixt the 50⅙ and 55 48 60 degrees of Northern Latititude and is subiect to the 8 9 and 10 Climes The longest day in the most Southerly point hereof is 16 houres and a quarter At Berwicke the point most Northerly it contayneth 17 houres and 48 minutes It hath in length after this computation 340 Italian miles The Aire is close thicke moyst and much subiect to winds and stormy weather yet very healthfull sweet and exceedingly temperate not molested with those vehement and piercing colds of Winter or scorching heats of Summer vsuall to regions of the same Clime or of more Northerly Latitudes In regard hereof the people ordinarily here liue very long if not broken with surfeits and bad diets healthie and not much encombred with diseases The Country is plaine for the most part or rising with easie downes seeming plaines a farre of Wales and the English Apennine excepted pleasant and most fruitfull flourishing with a perpetuall greenesse of meadowes corne-fields woods and grassie hills and stored with all varieties both for necessitie and ornament which the colder Clime can bring forth The cloath and wools hereof for quantity and finenesse exceed those of all other parts much desired abroad and cloying forreine markets with an ouer great abundance No Countrey yeeldeth such plenty of beeues sheepe and cattell Corne serueth here for both vses of bread and drinke yet not with that superfluity that much can be spared through the luxurie of the Nation or their neglect of tillage and the iniury of the great ones turning arable to green swarths ouermuch addicted to pasturage and feeding The hilly and more barren parts swell with profitable and rich minerals of silver copper iron sea-coale allom but more especially of tinne and lead The seas swarme with fish but not much regarded by the Natiues through their inexcusable slouth or glutted with their flesh and store of land provision The Inhabitants most commonly are tall and bigge of stature compared with Southerne Nations fayre especially the women commended for their lasting beauties proper well proportioned and surpassing others in a more apt posture and gracefull carriage of their bodies graue witty pleasant well spoken generous bountifull or rather prodigall spending aboue their ranke and meanes lavish and vnconstant in their apparrell and liberall dainty and neate feeders In war they are accompted valiant but not so hardie feirce vndaunted fearelesse of danger not accustomed to fly resolute constant and quickly disciplined No nation hath afforded more braue and expert Sea-men with stout and swiftships failing in all weathers Seas and Oceans The Learned in all ages haue beene much deseruing and no lesse esteemed Beda Alensis Scotus Occam the two Bacons Bradwardine other auncients to omit those of latter times From hence Germany and the Westerne parts were first recouered from ignorance and barbarisme overwhelmed with a deluge of the rude Northerne Natitions From hence more especially France at two severall times by the Brittish Druides vnder the Gaules and by Alcuinus vnder Charles the Great and the French the first publicke reader at Paris the occasion and Authour of that most auncient and flourishing Vniversity At this day in the iudgment of vnpartiall relaters amongst other learning they not so much equall as exceed all others in Poetry Oratory close deepe and substantiall penning and composing of those subiects which they vndertake sermons practique Devinity but whose most best writings being English are not so well knowne abroad The Vulgar languages here spoken are the Welsh and Cornish remanders as are the people of the ancient Brittish and the English originally Dutch brought hither by the Saxons although now much differing frō the present Dutch or German through a long disunion of the 2 nations the mixture hereof with the Norman or French Latine The religion of the Pagan Britons was the same with the auncient Gaules who first planted the Christian it is vncertaine The Magdeburgenses in their 1 Century and 2 booke and Chapter bring in S. Paule heare preaching the Gospel out of the 9 sermon of Theodoret ad Groecos Infideles Surius S. Peter in his 29 of Iune out of Simeon Metaphrastes The second of these their authorities I haue not yet seene The first of them in the place recited relateth no such matter An old manuscript in the Vatican remembred by Baronius maketh otherwise Ioseph of Aramathaea to haue beene the first confirmed by Malmesburiensis in his Antiquities of the monastery of Glastenbury Higher proofes in this wee haue none Of something better authority Nicephorus Callistus Dorotheus and the Menologie of the Greekes mention Simon Zelotes who here should suffer martyrdome the time they set not downe contradicted by the Roman Martyrologie and that of Beda both which affirme that he dyed in Persia. Besids these Dorotheus nameth Aristobulus remembred by S. Paule in the last Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans whom he entitleth Bishop of the Britons Eusebius Socrates and all the more approued Ecclesiasticall writers are wholy silent in this argument In the raigne of the Emperours Antoninus Verus Aurelius Commodus after Beda or more rightly of Commodus vnder king Lucius Eleutherius being then Bishop of Rome the Gospell in Britaine is first publikly receiued continuing from that time in full rest and without molestation vntill the tenth persecution vnder Dioclesian and the holy Martyrdome of S. Alban a Citizen of Verolamium amongst others put to death neare vnto that citty in the place where afterwards was built by great Offa the famous Monastery of S. Alban in time occasioning the towne thus named In what manner this Lucius was King of the Britons Nennius and Beda who first tell the story mention not Baronius in his Annalls seemeth to stand doubtfull betwixt three opinions I either that he commaunded amongst the Britons beyond the Roman pale 2 or that he was some substitute king in the Province vnder the Romans 3 or newly elected by the seditious Roman Britons rebelling then against Commodus The second opinion is the most probable the custome of the Romans being considered hauing aunciently kings for their subjects and that he ruled ouer only a part of the Roman Province That about or before this tyme the Britons had receiued the Christian faith the words of Tertullian liuing in the raigne of Commodus and Severus doe sufficiently witnesse Under the Emperour Constantine the Great borne in this
Cohort of Spaniards and Haugustald of Beda a Bishops see vnder the SaxoÌ„s Corebridge Curia of Ptolemy a city of the Otadeni Prudhow castle probably Procolitia of the Notitia the station of the 1 Cohort of the Batavi Newcastle not vnprobably Gabrosentum of the Notitia the station of the 2 Cohort of the Thracians the chiefe towne a rich empory and a noted Port whose best trade is vpon Coale distributed from hence ouer all the Seacoasts of the kingdome and into forreine and remote countreyes seated vpon the Picts wall and the side of a steepe hill vnder which runneth the Tine Walls-end Vindomara of Antoninus and Vindobala of the Notitia the station of the 1 Cohort of the Frixagori Here at the Tine endeth the Picts wall Tinmouth-Castle Tunnocellum of the Notitia the station of the 1 Cohort named Aelia Classica At the Sheales vpon both sides of the Tine betwixt this New-castle plenty of salt is boiled with coale made of Sea-waters Along the Picts wall without the Tine Thirlewall betwixt the South-Tine and the head of the river Irthing Here the Scots Picts are said to haue broke thorough into the Province in the raigne of the Emperour Valentinian the third after the departure of the Roman Legions occasioning the aides and invasion of the Saxons Beyond neere to Caer Vorran a part of the wall standeth almost entire containing 15 foote in height some 9 in breadth Short of Busye-gap Chester on the Wall Magnae of the Notitia the station of the 2 Cohort of the Dalmatians Seauenshale Hunnum of the Notitia the station of a Wing of Horse named Saviniana by my Authour Walwick conjecturally Gallana of Antoninus Beyond the North-Tine crosseth the Wall arising from mountaines in the Scottish borders and naming the large village of Tindale Stilicester not vnprobably Cilurnum of the Notitia the station of the 2 wing of the Asturians Pont-Eland vpon theriver Pont Pons-Aelii of the Notitia the station of the 1 Cohort of the Cornavij Borwick Borcovicus of the Notitia the Station of the 1 Cohort of the Tungri Winchester in the Wall Vindolana of the Notitia the station of the 4 Cohort of the Lergi Bamborrow Castle short of the Holy Iland Bebba of Beda Morpit vpon the Wents-beck Anwick vpon the â—iver Alne Vpon the Tweede and Borders of Scotland Werke-castle Norham Berwick vpon the lest banke mouth of the river a strong towne of warre opposed sometimes against the Scots the farthest boundes of the English Empire Vpon the Till a riuer falling into the Tweed aboue Norham Ford Castle To the West beyond the riuer riseth Floddon hill made famous by the death of Iames the fourth king of Scotland slaine in a memorable battle by Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey generall of the English in the raigne of Henry the Eight The ancient inhabitants were the Otadeni of Ptolemie part of the Meatae of Xiphilinus afterwards the Bernicij of Beda part of the Northumbrian English The Earledome of Northumberland after the expulsion of the Danes extended betwixt the rivers Tweed and Humber containing the whole ancient kingdome of Northumberland In the raigne of king Edgar it was parted into two Earledomes or goverments for such then were the Earledomes the Earledome of Northumberland beyond the riuer Tine and on this side revnited not long after and againe divided in the Earles Morcar and Osulfus about the raigne of the Conquerour The part or Earledome on this side of the Tine taking afterwards the name of Yorkshire from the chiefe citty the Earledome and name of Northumberland was left only to the part beyond the Tine continued here vnto our times the beginning and occasion of the present These six shires seeme more anciently to haue contained the consulary Roman Province named Maxima Caesariensis by Rufus Festus and the Notitia with part of the Province Valentia of Ammianus Marcellinus and the same Authors inhabited by the great and populous nation of the Brigantes of Ptolemie with the Otadeni or Maeatae Vnder the Saxons they comprehended the Deiri of Beda with part of the Bernicij divided asunder with the river Tees or the greatest part of the kingdome of Northumberland They make now the fourth or last division of the kingdome bounded vpon the East and West with the German Irish Ocean vpon the North with the rivers Tweed and Eske or the Sark with Solway Frith from Scotland vpon the South with Humber and the Mersee from the rest of England OF THE STATE OF EVROPE The IIII Booke COntaining the Relation and Description of Scotland and of Ireland with other the Ilands of Great Brittaine SCOTLAND THE bounds hereof are the Ocean vpon the East West and North and vpon the South the Mountaine Cheviot the Frith of Solway and the rivers Eske or Sarke Tweed from England It lyeth betwixt the 55â…“ and 60½ degrees of Northerne Latitude subject to the 11 and 12 with part of the 10 and 13 Climates The longest day at Solway Frith containeth about 17 houres and 15 minutes At Straithy head the most Northerly point it containeth 18 houres and 3 quarters The length after this computation is 310 Italian miles The greatest breadth is accompted at 190 English miles The soile is different the West and North craggy and mountainous the East and South lesse hilly and more fruitfull full of rivers and faire lakes and cut into by sundry long and spacious Creekes of the Ocean plentifull in fish and affording good harbours for shipping The Hills abound with Mineralls sea-coale marble copper Iron and lead with some silver Nothing is wanting for the necessary vse of the inhabitants frugall plaine and temperate in their diet not accoustomed to that luxurie excesse vsuall to more rich and fertill countries The ancient inhabitants were the Britons divided by Ptolemie into many lesser names by Dion and Xiphilinus into two only generall of the Caledonij and Maeatae and lastly called the Picts towards the waine of the Roman Empire from their paintings and for their better distinction from the civill and cloathed Britons distinguished by Amm Marcellinus into the The Lawes whereby the whole is gouerned are the Parliamental Municipal or Common and when these are wanting the Ciuill or Roman yet where conscience and equity doe ouer-rule both besides the Session or Supreame Court residing at Edenburg whereunto appeale may be made from the rest c. here administred in 25 Prefectureshipps or Iuridicall Resorts 1. the Countries or Sheriffdomes of Edenburg Linlithquo Selkirck Roxburgh Peblis Lanark Renfrew Dunfreis Wighton Aire Bute Argile and Tarbar Dunbriton Perth Clackmannan Kinros Fife Kincardin Forfair Aberdone Bamff Elgin Forres Narn Innernesse Cromarty and Orkney and Schetland 2. the Seneschaussees or Stewarties of Mentieth Strath-ern Kircudbricht and Annandale 3. the Bailywicks of Kile Carick and Cunningham 4. and the Constableship of Haddington whose Iudges in both causes Ciuill and Criminall are the Sheriffs Stewards or Bailiffs of each
Ocean hauing vpon the South Lough-Nesse from Buquhan and Loqhuabria and vpon the North Catnesse and Straith-Navern rough mountainous and wooddie to the West in the vallies and towards the East more fruitfull In the midst and towards the Lake Nesse arise the high mountaines of Ardmanoch couered all the yeare long with snow Vpon the North-West is Assinshire indented with sundry creekes of the Westerne Ocean Chiefe places are in Ardmanoch the Castle Louet At the mouth of the Nesse Chanonry the seat of the Bishops of Rosse Cromerty a Sherifdome or place of Iudicature SVDERLAND SEated vpon the German Ocean betwixt Catnesse vpon the North and Rosse vpon the South and having Strath-Navern vpon the West mountainous yeelding tolerable pasturage but little corne The chiefe place is Dun-Robin Castle the seate sometimes of the Earles of Suderland The mountaines afford plenty of fine marble but of no vse in those cold and Northren regions CATNESSE HAving vpon the South Suderland vpon the North and East the Ocean and vpon the West Straith-Navern The inhabitants liue most vpon their profit of cattle and fish got in the Ocean The most noted places are Girnego castle the seat of the Earles and Durnock and Wik the seates of the Bishops of Catnesse More to the North lie the Promontories Berubium and Viruedrum of Ptolemy now Dunsbey or Duncans-bay and Hoia or Vrdshead with Howburne-head in Strath-Naverne the extreame points of the Iland of Great Brittaine towards the Pole Articke and the North. Camden placeth these two last in Strath-Navern Buchanan otherwise in this country STRAITH-NAVERNE NAmed thus from the river Naverne Nabeus of Ptolemy and bounded vpon the South with Rosse vpon the East with Suderland and Catnesse and vpon the West and North with the Ocean cold hilly and lesse fruitfull with Catnes the extreame parts of Great Britaine towards the North. Here lyeth the Promontory named Tarvedrum and Orcas by Ptolemy now Howburne Head LOQHVABRIA COntinued vpon the same Ocean betwixt Rosse vpon the North Logh-Aber vpon the South fruitfull in corne and pasturages and pleasantlie shaded with woods The most noted place is Innerloth vpon the lake Loth. LORNE EXtended a long the same Westerne Ocean betwixt Logh Aber vpon the North by which it is parted from Loqhuabria and Knapdale and Cantire vpon the North fruitful in corne and divided by the great Lake named Leauve by the natiues The chiefe place is Tarbar in Logh Kinkeran a Sherifdome or juridicall resort for this country and the more Southerne part of the Westerne Scottish Ilands BRAID-ALBIN SEated to the East of Lorn amongst rockie and high mountaines parts of the hill Grampius of Tacitus inhabited by the High-land-men or Irish Scots ARGILE LYing to the West of Lennox and the lake Lomond and bounding vpon the South with the Sea or Frith of Dunbriton wild rockie and mountainous with Cantire Braid-Albin and the neighbouring countries of the Highlanders the more ancient and first residence of the Scots desbourding hither from Ireland CANTIRE IT is a narrow Promontory or Chersonese of some 30 miles in length the Promontory of the Epidij of Ptolemie divided frō Argile by Logh Fin a long and spacious arme of the sea of Dunbriton ioyned to Knapdale the Continent by a small necke of land not exceeding a mile in breadth The Mul of Cantire the farthest point of the Chersonesse is distant onely 13 miles from Ireland the next part of Scotland and Great Brittaine to that Iland These last inclusiuely from Menteith were the famous Caledonij of Tacitus parted by Ptolemy into 13 lesser names or diuisions the Epidij Cerones Creones Carnonacae Carini Cornabij Logi Mertae Cantae Texali Vennicontes Vacomagi and Caledonij particularly thus called the onely part of Britaine stopping and giving bounds to the great conquests and victories of the Romans twice invaded by Iulius Agricola in the raigne of Domitian and by the Emperour Severus but without any good effect not without much losse to the Roman side secured by their mountaines lakes marishes and woods The Romane Empire declining they were all called by the names of Picts Afterwards they became divided betwixt the Picts driven vnto the Easterne shore and the Scots a colony as before of the Irish thrusting into the parts towards Ireland and the West the victorious conquerours not long after of the Picts At this day they are distinguished into the Law-land-men or the English and more civil Scots inhabiting the plainer countries along the German Ocean and vpon this side of the two Friths the Highland-men or Irish Scots retaining yet the Irish language and manners and possessing the heights of the hill Grampius Braid-albin Argile and other mountainous regions vpon the Westerne and Irish Seas THE ILANDS OF GREAT BRETAINE THe Ilands belonging to this Continent are all called in Ptolemy by the name of the British Ilands Before the time of Pliny as in his 4 booke and 16 chapter they made with Albion or the Greater Britaine the generall name of the Britaines distinguished from the ancient accounted an other world after Solinus The most famous greatest of these and after England of the Ilands of Europe and the West is Ireland IRELAND THE bounds hereof are vpon the East the Irish Ocean or S. George his Channell from England Scotland vpon the North the Northerne Ocean vpon the West the Westernesea vpon the South the Vergivian It lyeth betwixt about the 51½ and 56⅚ degrees of Northern Latitude or betwixt the 19 or middle Paralel of the 8 Clime where the longest day hath 16 houres and a halfe and the 24 Paralel or end of the 10 clime where the same hath 17 houres and 3 quarters The length of the Iland after this computation is 320 Italian miles or measured English Camden otherwise accounteth the length onely at 300 English The breadth he reckneth at 120 of the same miles The aire is temperate and healthie but moist and raw rather plentifully bringing vp and nourishing then ripening fruits The soile is firtill but better pasturage and for grasse then for fruits and corne through a wet qualitie of the ground or by the sloath of the natiues and for their want of manuring encombred with bogs lakes marishes and with thicke slutchie and vndreaned woods The first inhabitants were the Irish for more ancient we finde not distinguished by Ptolemie into sundry lesser people and names the Rhobognij Darnij Voluntij Vennicnij and Erdini now containing Vlster the Auteri Gangani and Nagnatae inhabiting Connaught the Velibori Vterni Vodiae and Coriondi now Munster and the Menapij Cauci Blanij and Brigantes now Leinster whose citties were Rhigia Rheba Macolicum Dunum Laberus Ivernis c. whose interpretatiōs we let passe as very vncertaine free for a long time and not conquered by forraine power neglected by the Romans and the succeeding Saxons or English engaged in more necessary
beasts wherewith it is infested These two together are called the Pityusae by Strabo from the multitude of Pine trees there growing About them lye Moncolibre Dragonera other lesser Ilands for the most part vninhabited and not worth relation VVITHOVT THE STRAIGHTS CADIZ THe Iland is situated neere vnto the mouth of the riuer Guadalquivir distant about 700 paces from the maine Land of Andaluzia ioyned thereunto with a bridge called Puente de Suaço The Land is fruitfull enriched besides with fishing and making of Salt and by meanes of the West-Indian traffique the bay thereof serving as a roade for the fleetes and ships passing betwixt Sivilla and that Continent Cadiz is the onely towne Gades of Pliny and Strabo Gadira of Ptolemy founded by the Tyrians becomming afterwards a famous municipium of the Romans and one of their foure iuridicall resorts for the Province of Baetica divided in the time of Strabo into the old and new townes the latter of them hauing beene then lately built by Cornelius Balbus seated in the Westerne part of the Iland It is now a Bishops See and a rich and noted port Here some of the auncients haue put the Pillars of Hercules whose opinion is reiected by Strabo in his third booke who would rather haue them to haue beene placed at the mouth of the Straights either with Pliny where were the hils Calpe and Abila or otherwise in two little Ilands neighbouring to those two hills the Columnes then being worne away through antiquity and the places retaining only the accompt and names hereof Other Ilands appertaining to the Continent of Spaine and situated without the Straights in the maine Ocean are Berlinga against Portugal betwixt the falls of the riuers Taio and Mondego those of Baiona lying against that Towne and Galitia and Zaziga with others before the towne of Corunna conjectured by L. Nonius to be the Cassiterides of Strabo THE EIGHT BOOKE COntayning the present bounds situation and quality of the countrey of France The Inhabitants The victorie and great renowne of the auncient Gaules and Frenchmen A description of the moderne French manners Their Languages and Religion Their Bishops The reuenues of the Cleargie The maner of the ciuill gouernment The Courts of Parliament Bailliages and Seneschausses The King His maner of Succession The Salique Law The title of most Christian King His dominion and revenues The countreys or greater divisions of France FRANCE NAmed thus from the victorious and renowned nation of the Frenchmen It is bounded vpon the South with the Sea Mediterranean vpon the West and South-west with the Westerne or Aquitanique Ocean and the Pyrenaean Mountaines from Spaine vpon the North with the English channell vpon the East North-East first with Alpes from Italy then with a line drawn from thence on the hither side of the Rhijn vnto the town of Calis dividing it from the Low-countries and Germany The greatest length hereof is 660 Italian miles or 330 French The breadth 570 the circumference or compasse 2040 of the same miles It is situated betwixt the 20 and 38 degrees of longitude and the 41½ and 52 degrees of Northerne latitude or betwixt the 13 or middle paralel of the 5 clime where the longest day hath 15 houres the 19 or middle paralel of the 8 clime where the same contayneth 16 houres and an halfe The Ayre in regard thereof is very temperate and pleasing not so hot and scorching as Spaine before described nor so cold raw as are the more Northerne parts The countrey is no lesse pleasant then fruitfull stored with all varieties whether for necessity or ornament sporting and prodigall nature can afford plaine for the most part and numerously inhabited not encombred with so many desert and fruitles wasts of woods marishes and mountaines ordinarie to neighbouring regions not vndeservedly accompted the Garden and Paradise of Europe The chiefer commodities sent out from hence are corne wines with the former whereof the wants that way of Spaine are abundantly supplied with the other those of England and more Northerne countries It yeeldeth such plenty of salt as which might seem sufficient to store all Europe a no small part of the riches of the kingdome It likewise bringeth forth great abundance of oliues figs and other sorts of most delicious fruites proper to hotter countries in the Southerne parts where lie Provence Languedoc The more auncient inhabitants were the Gaules renowned in times past for their many great and famous victories atcheived thorough the world From these the warlike nations of the Celtiberi Lusitani and Astures in Spaine were descended These vnder their captaine Segovesus victoriously raunged over all Germany from whom haue sprung the Bohemians and Bavarians with other people of that continent from whence most probably continuing their conquests as far as Scythia they there founded the Celtoscythae These vnder Bellovesus brother to Segovesus about the same time passing ouer the Alpes conquered the next part of Italy vnto them called afterwards from hence Gaule Cisalpina After this by Brennus they tooke and sacked Rome Afterwards by Belgius and another Brennus with vnresistable might they rāsacked Illyricum Pannony Greece Thrace from whence vnder Lomnorius and Lutorius ferrying over the Hellespont they subdued the whole Asia lying on this side of the Mountaine Taurus which together with the neighbouring countrey of Syria they a long time held vnder their tribute seating about the riuer Halys and occasioning there the name of the Gallo-Greekes or Galatae The first who conquered this victorious nation and made them subject to forreine lawes to let passe their private differences with Ariovistus and the Germans were the Romans as in part by former captaines so totally by C Iulius Caesar immediately before his civill wars with Pompey In the raigne of the Emperour Gratian came first hither the Britons from the iland of great Bretaigne placed in Gaule Armorique by the Tyrant Maximus rebelling against Gratian from whom that part hath since beene named Bretaigne Not long after in the raigne of the Emperour Honorius the Burgundians were received in intruding amonst the Hedui Sequani then the Visigots to whom Gaule Narbonensis was allotted Shortly after in the raigne of the third Valentian the Franci or Frenchmen breake in who the Romans beaten out and the other barbarians subdued in a short time make themselues masters of the whole province giving the name of France therevnto Since the French conquest and monarchy the Vascones a Spanish people after Pasquier in the time of king Dagobert the first or as in Chesne in the raigne of Guntran king of Orleans breaking forth of the Pyrenaean mountaines here seazed vpon that part of Aquitania which since from thence hath bin called Gascoigne Afterwards in the raigne of Charles the Simple the Normans by force composition got possession of the countrey called Neustria named since from these Normandy The whole inhabitants by meanes of their
of Northerne Latitude or betwixt some 51 minutes on this side of the 15 or middle paralel of the sixt clime where the longest day hath 15 houres and an halfe and the 19 minute beyond the 21 or middle paralel of the 9 clime where it hath 17 houres It is therefore wholy seated in the Northerne halfe-part of the Temperate Zone and is for this cause much colder then the more Southerne parts before described yet of a more liuely and healthie temperature and more potent for generation bringing forth men cattell and plants whereof it is well capable in farre more abundance and of greater strength and larger proportion then the other the fatall nursery of those numberlesse swarmes of barbarous nations overwhelming the Roman Empire and new peopling the provinces of the West The soile is very fruitfull the mountainous parts of the Alpes Schwartzwald Otten-wald and other wild reliques of the old Hercynian forest excepted The Country is large and exceedingly populous stored with infinite Cities the best and fairest for any one Province in the world what by meanes of the industrie of the inhabitants and through the commodity of the situation thereof standing in the heart and center of Europe the ordinary way of all the merchandise and riches of the neighbouring Provinces The more happy parts are the Southerne betwixt the river of Meine and the Alpes yeelding plenty of very excellent wines especially the tract of the Rhijn of which the other is destitute The Northerne is generally more plaine but worse inhabited and accompted lesse fruitfull chiefly towards the Wixell and the Sea Baltique yet abounding in corne with other of the East-lands the garner and storehouse of Holland and the Lowe Countries and in time of dearth of Italie Spaine and of other countries The chiefer commodities which are transported from hence are Corne and Wines whereof these growe onely in the Southerne parts the other more abundantly in the Northerne It aboundeth also with all sorts of mettals as of Iron Lead Brasse and of other baser sorts so of Silver which the mines of Meissen Bohemia and Tirol doe very plentifully yeeld Salt is here in a sufficient quantity as boiled out of Salt springs so minerall extracted out of the earth It affordeth also store of Saffron in the vpper Austria and Bavaria as it doth of woolls in the land of Hessen of extraordinary finesse for those transmarine regions The ancient inhabitants hereof were the Rhaeti Vindelici Norici with parts of the PaÌ„nonij possessing the whole tract exteÌ„ded betwixt the Danow and the Alpes the Menapij Treveri Mediomatrices Lenci Vbij Eburones Nemeti Vangiones Triboci Raâ—raci and Sequani parts of Gaule Belgique and inhabiting the Westerne shore of the Rhijn the Germans contained anciently within the Rhijn the Danow the Wixel and the Ocean the Scâ—avi or Winithi succeeding in the left roomes of the Germans flitting into the Westerne Roman Provinces taking vp the moitie hereof contained betwixt the rivers Elb and Saltza the Wixel and the Sea Baltique the Huns Avares Lombards and Hungarians successiuely intruding amongst the Pannonij The rest of the Barbarians subdued and driuen out by this more strong and mighty nation the whole are now accompted and knowne only by the name of Germans The moderne Germans are commonly of a tall stature square and bigge by complection phlegmatique or rawe sanguine or where moisture hath the dominion over heat of haire yellow or light browne strong and thicke hauing great bones and much flesh with large ioints nerues and sinewes but for want of heat not so firmely knit neither abounding with such store of quicke and nimble spirits as might sufficiently weild so great a masse of body being for this cause of a dull and heavy disposition fitter to resist then execute and strong rather with a weighty sway of flesh then otherwise They are by nature plaine and honest simple without any mixture of deceipt haters of impostures and base dealing religious chast laborious constant stiffe or rather opinatiue and obstinate as suspitious of their owne weaknesse and hating to be circumvented rough or rather rude and vncivill in their carriage but nothing dangerous not notably giuen to any vice drunkennesse excepted common herevnto and to all the Northerne Nations not so much by ill habit and custome as by naturall inclination caused whither by a sympathie of their moister bodies or through a vehement appetite of their hotter stronger digesting and throat-scorching stomackes intended by their cold In handy-crafts and mechanicall inventions they haue alwaies much excelled the first inventers of Gunnes Gun-powder Printing Clocks strange water-works and other wittie devises to the no lesse benefit then admiration of the world In warres at this day they are not so well accompted firme and constant in their order but slowe and heavy better to receaue then to giue a charge and to fight a battaile in the open field then to assault a Town the ordinary warfare of those times fearefull dull and for this cause against dangers often mutinous as loath to haâ—ard subiect to disrout by false alarums and sudden feares and being once broken not easily brought to rally and gather head againe The languages here spoken are the French in Savoy Lorraine Luick and the Free county of Burgundie the Sclavonian amongst the Bohemians and Moravians and in some parts of Lausâ—its about the Elb and the High Dutch common in a maner to the whole province What was the ancient Religion of the nation see Tacitus in his description hereof The first who here preached the Gospell was S t Thomas surnamed Didimus if Dorothaus may be credited an author somewhat ancient but whose truth hath alwaies beene suspected The Magdeburgenses in their first Century and 2 booke and chapter muster vp S t Egistus one of the 70 Disciples of our blessed Saviour preaching at Bardewick vpon the river Elmenow nere Lunenburg S t Lucius of Cyrene in Rhaetia and Vindelicia S t Mark at Laureacum amongst the Norici S t Crescens at Ments S t Clemens at Mets and S t Maternus and Eucharius at Colen and Triers with others from the relations of Henricus de Erphordia Aventinus the Liues of the Bishops of the Tungri and some Histories of the Saints later authors or vncertaine and not backed with the authorities of more ancient Irenaeus of of much better authority liuing in the raigne of the Emperour Antoninus Verus and yeare 170 in his 1 booke and 3 chap. contra Haereses maketh mention of the German Churches but without naming their Apostles That Christianity during those primitiue times had taken good root in the parts lying without the Rhijn wee more certainely gather from the Catalogue and names of Bishops in the first Councell of Arles held about the yeare 326 and in the raigne of Constantine the Great where we finde mention of Maternus Bishop of Colen and Agritius of Trier but more manifestly from the Councell of Colen had in the
Graiae named thus from the mountaine god Paeninus whoÌ„ the Veragri the Painim inhabitants hereof did sometimes worship or otherwise from their sharpe rocks They containe those steepe and horrid mountaines incircling Wallis-landt or lying betwixt that Valley and Ougstal in Italy The more noted top hereof is the greater S. Bernard so named of a monastery here extant dedicated to a Monke of this name of Augsta liuing sometimes Anchoret in these deserts famous in the Popish Legends LEPONTIAE These are East of the Paeninae called thus from the Lepontij their ancient inhabitants They containe the rockie and desert tract hereof lying betwixt the springs of the riuer Rhosne the Vorder Rhijn or as Tschudus more particularly boundeth theÌ„ betwixt the Canton of Vren of the Switzers the vpper Wallislandt the Valley of Augsta with part of Milanese against the Lake of Como and the Grisons including the Vallies Palenser-tal Meintal Eschental Liuinertal with others The most remarkeable and more hugie tops hereof are the Mountaines Die Furcken adioining to the Vpper Wallislandt out of which springeth the Rhosne S. Gothard the head of the riuers Russe and Tesin flowing towards contrary seas Luckmanier where ariseth the nearer branch or head of the Rhijn RHAETICAE These lay East of the Lepontiae so named from their inhabitants the Rhaeti Alpestres They are contained betwixt the Switzers and the Lake of Como and Verona in Italy and comprehend now the Grisons and part of Tirol The more famous tops hereof were Adulas Mons now Colmen d' Ocello to the Grisons and in Dutch Der Vogel where springeth the farther head of the Rhijn Splugen-bergt or Colmen del Orso and Rhaetico-mons now Prettigouwer-berg IVLIAE These were Eastward of the Rhaeticae probably thus called from the famous Iulius Caesar whom we read in Rufus Festus sometimes to haue passed over this part of the Alpes They were otherwise called the Alpes Venetae from the neighbouring Veneti in Italy likewise the Mountaines Tarvisani from that people vpon whom likewise they ioyned in Italy They are the tract of the Alpes coasting along Marca Trivigiana belonging to the Venetians towards the head of the Adriatique sea hauing on the other side the Bishoprick of Saltzburg in Germany Part hereof was called Mons Taurus by Mela which name seemeth yet to be preserued in Gastein Taurn Rastatter-Taurn and other mountainous tops of the same termination in the Diocese of Saltzburg CARNICAE These conclude the Alpes and were the Mountaines of Carnia now of Karnten and Krain from whence came their name A part of these Alpes was the mountaine Ocra of Strabo Ptolomie Of these the Alpes Maritimae and Carnicae are but lowe in comparison to the other rather to be accompted downes then Mountaines The Coctiae and Graiae are neither so high but that their ordinary passages lie open al the yeare long The highest Alpes and of the most grisley aspect are those accosting Germany chiefely the Lepontiae and the hills of the Grisons and Wallislandt for their long steepe ascents narrow and craggie waies deepe and dreadfull precipices strong whirlewindes and huge balles of snow with great noise and violence rouling downe the mountaines some times of the yeare thuart the waies yeelding a most troublesome fearefull and dangerous passage altogether vnpassable by wagon and with great difficulty by horse Here lie notwithstanding hidden in the hollow bottomes sundry faire vallies such as are Intal Wallislandt Valtolina and the Vale of Adise scarcely yeelding in fruitfulnesse to the best plaines and in pleasure farre exceeding them Merula obserueth in his trauaile ouer these mountaines the extreame tops to be exceedingly barren and miserable horride with an ould perpetuall ice and snowe the sides or lower Mountaines to be tollerable pasturage not altogether vnfit for tillage the subiect bottomes to be most plentifull fruitfull especially towards Italy and the Sun THE MOVNTAINES ABNOBI These comprehended that banke of wooddie Mountaines now called Schwartz-wald beginning neere the towne of Waldshut vpon the Rhijn and by the heads of the riuers Danow and the Neccar and the townes of Villingen Rotweil Horb Shiltach Nagolt and Wildbad extended Northwards through part of Schwaben and the Dukedome of Wirtenberg continued afterwards from thence by other names through the lower Palatinate and a long the course of the riuer Cochen SVDETAE They are the hills encircling Bohemia couered with the Woods Gabreta and Luna SARMATICI They seeme to be the same with Sevo of Solinus and Carpathus of Ptolomie diuiding now the kingdomes of Poland and Hungary common then to both nations of the Sarmatae and Germans but named from the Sarmatae MELIBOCVS This after Pirkhermerus was a branch of the Abnobi continued from thence vnto Meissen parts whereof should be Hartzwald and the hilly tract where are found the rich siluer mines B. Rhenanus more probably putteth it to be hilly country of Hessen wherein the name yet seemeth to be kept in the parts of Catzen-elbogen expressing as much as Melibocus of the Catti CARVANCAS This after the same author contained at this day the hilly tracts of Krain Krabbaten and Gorecz ALBANVS AND BAEBII The former now seemeth to containe the mountaine Schwanberger-Albâ— with others of the like termination in Steirmarck The Baebij most probably are now the mountaines of Krabbaten CETIVS This is now the hill Calemberg in Austria continued here for a great length betwixt the riuers of the Danow and the Dra and distinguished into sundry particular names of Schneberg Semering Kemperg Hertperg and Deubsperg Heustperg and Plaitz the common bounds sometimes of the countries Noricum and Pannonia THE WOODS They were the famous Hercynia Martiana Bacenis or Semana Gabreta and Luna HERCYNIA Some deriue this name from the Dutch word Hartz signifying pitch in regard of the great plenty of that oilie matter it yeeldeth others from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a hedge since encompassing this province with its spreading branches the hedge or mound betwixt the same and forreine nations It begunne after Caesar at the Rhijn and the confines of the Heluetij and Nemeti or of Switzerlandt Elsats and the lower Palatinate and was continued from thence Eastward along the course of the Danow vnto the Daci now the vpper Hungary and Transilvania from whence it declined towards the Left hand from the riuer for the large extent thereof bordering vpon many other countries containing some 9 daies iourney in breadth the length then after 60 daies discouery not being found out by any Of this Wood were parts all the other woods before mentioned and as it seemeth here by the description of my author likewise all those vast deserts forrests of the Daci Sarmatae possessed by the Poles Transilvanians Lithuanians Muscovites â—usses since continued from hence Some left remainders in Germany for the greatest part through long ciuility haue been
Mauritius miserably vexing and afflicting the Romane provinces Their dwelling during this their first mention was altogether in Sarmatia beyond the Ister with the Antae coasting along the greatest part of the shore thereof and thwarting vpon the other side of that river the countries of Illyricum and Thrace Iornandes who lived in the raigne of Iustinian the first nameth them then a part of the populous nation of the Winidae Their name and accompt being communicated afterwards to all the rest of the Sarmatians and these after the custome of other barbarous nations swarming into neighbouring countries they overspread in a short time the whole Easterne moitie of Europe extending from the river Tanais the Euxine sea Westwards as farre as the river Elb in Germany and Southwards from the sea Baltique and the Frozen Ocean vnto the Mountaines of the Alpes Haemus besides the whole Sarmatia comprehending Mysia Dardania Illyricum and Dalmatia with part of Pannonia now the Russes Muscovites Hungarians Polonians Moldavians Walachians Transylvanians Bulgarians Rascians Servians Croatians and Sclavonians particularly so called all descended from and speaking their language togither with one halfe part of the ancient Germany contained betwixt the river Wixel and the rivers Saltza and the Elb the occasion of this discourse When these first disbourded into the continent of Germany cannot be defined out of any approved authours Most probably with Becanus this hapned presently vpon or shortly after the departure of the Almans Burgundians Boioarians and other people of the Suevians towards the South and the Romane confines whose left or ill inhabited roomes they tooke vp We first finde them here named in the raigne of Clotarius the second king of the Frenchmen agreeing with the raigne of Heraclius Emperour of the East vpon occasion of one Samo a Frenchman by birth chosen king of the Scalves Winidi They comprehended the whole North-east moity hereof divided from the rest of Germany by a line drawne from the towne of Stargard vpon the sea Baltique vnto the river of Elb about Hamburg parting them from the Saxons beyond the Elb the river Elb from Hamburg vnto the meeting thereof with the river Saltza dividing them from the Saxons Ostphali the river Saltza parting them from the Thuringians and the mountaines of Bohemia from the Boioarians They contained here at this day the Dukedomes of Schlesi Mecklenburg Pomeren and Lawenburg the Marquisates of Meissen Lausnitz and Marheren the Midle and New Marches of Brandenburg Saxony about Wittenberg Wagerlandt the kingdome of Bohemia with parts of Poland and Hungary They were divided into foure generall names or nations the Winithi Bohemians Moravians and Poles whereof in order THE WINITHI THese with the Winidae Winidi Vendi Vindae Winuli and Heneti for all those names we finde were but the corrupt languages of the ancient Veneti or Venedae accounted by Ptolomie amongst the nations of the Sarmatae The more exact bounds hereof after their descent into Germany were vpon the North the sea Balticke intercepted betwixt the towne of Stargard the river Wixel vpon the West a line drawne from the towne of Stargard vpon the sea Baltique vnto the river Elb or Hamburg the part of the Elb taken from Hamburg vnto the meeting of that river with the Saltza together with the river Saltza dividing them from the Saxons and Thuringians vpon the South the Mountaines of Bohemia and vpon the East the riuer Wixel and Poland They comprehended the sundry names and people of the Wagrij containing now Wagerland part of Holstein the Obotriti Polabi Linguones Warnani Kircani Circipani Redarij and Tholenzi now the Dukedomes of Mecklenburg and Lawenburg the Wiltzi now Pomeren on this side of the river of Odera the Pomerani the part now of Pomeren betwixt the rivers Odera and Wixel the Rani or Rugiani now the Iland Rugen the Helveldi Leubuzi Wilini Stoderani and Brizani now the Middle and New Marches of Brandenburg and the Sorabi containing now Meissen and Lausnitz Their gouerment whilst that they were a free people was vnder sundry Princes Their Religion was Gentilisme maintained with great stiffenesse and hatred to Christianity vntill their subjection or rather extirpation by the Dutch After long wars with the neighbouring Saxons sundry revolts and much obstinacie they were by the raigne of the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa at length totally hereby subdued their country being planted with new Dutch Colonies accounted afterwards part of Saxonie containing at this day besides some lesser states the Marquisates of Meissen Brandenburg Lausnitz the Dukedomes of Mecklenburg Lawenburg and Pomeren whose beginnings and fortunes vnto our times follow THE MARQVISATE OF MEISSEN THe estate hereof was first occasioned about the yeare 930 by the Emperour Henry the first vpon his conquest of the Sorabi building the cittie Meissen and after the policy then of the Dutch Empire appointing there a Limenarck or Marques to guard that frontire against the Poles and other neighbouring Sclaves becomming afterwards hereditarie and giving the title and name to the whole limit or border The first Marques was one Bruno descended from Witichind king of the Saxons appointed by the Emperour Henry the first Vnto him succeeded Ridacus Earle of Mersburg vnto whom Echard succeeded son to Gunter Earle of Ostland the first prince or vsu-fructuary and proprietarie Marques by the gift of the Emperour Otho the third the former being only such deputies of the Emperours commaunding in nature of Lord Marchers with vs. The order of the Marqueses continuing the house from more certaine and cleare times follow Conrade Marques of Landsberg and Lusatz created Marques of Meissen by the Emperour Henry the fift He deceased in the yeare 1156. Otho the first surnamed the rich son to Conrade the first Theodoric son to Otho the first He marryed vnto Iudith daughter to Herman Lantgraue of Duringen Henry son to Theodoric and Iudith daughter to Herman Lantgraue of Duringen Henry the last Lantgraue deceasing without issue he succeeded by right from his mother in the Lantgraue-ship of Duringen and the Palatinate of Saxony continued ever since in his house Albert Marques of Meissen and Lantgraue of Duringen son to Henry Frederick the first son to Albert. Fredericke the second son to Fredericke the first Fredericke the third son to Fredericke the second Fredericke the fourth Marques of Meissen and Lantgraue of Duringen son to Fredericke the third He was created Electour and Duke of Saxony by the Emperour Sigismond The succeeding Marqueses of Meissen and Lantgraues of Duringen wee haue continued in the order of the Duke-Electours of Saxony THE MARQVISATE OF BRANDENBVRG IT hath beene so called from the towne of Brandenburg situated vpon the river Havel sometimes the chiefe towne of the country and the seat of the Marqueses The Emperour Henry the first before mentioned having wonne that citty from the bordering Heneti or Sclaves first ordained the Marquisate to affront and keepe in that enemie It encreased
sundry petty Lords Bishops and Lay Princes The ancient inhabitants were the Chamavi and Angrivarij with parts of the Tencteri and Cherusct of Tacitus afterwards the Westphali and Angrivarij part of the Saxons The Vbij before Caesar and the Romanes seeme to haue possessed sometimes the parts now of Bergen and Marck removed afterwards by Agrippa beyond the Rhijn into the part of ancient Gaule where now standeth Colen THE ILANDS OF GERMANY THere are not any Ilands of note belonging to this continent excepting those of Rugen Vsedom and Wollin in the Ooster-Sche lying now thwart of Pomeren and accompted parts thereof The rest appertaining sometimes vnto Ancient Germany are subiect at this day vnto the confederate states of the Netherlands and to the kings of Denmarck and Swethen whereof we shall haue occasion to relate in the Description of those countries OF THE STATE OF EVROPE The XIIII Booke COntaining the descriptions and relations of the Common-wealth and league of the Switzers Netherland Danemarck Norwey Swethen Poland and Hungarie The difference in ancient authours about the extent and limits of Illyricum The more true and precise bounds and description of Illyricum or of Illyris and Dalmatia collected out of Ptolemy with reference to Plinie and others The dominion and conquest of Illyricum by the Romanes Herruli Visigothes the Greekish Emperours and the Sclaves The cause here and beginning of the name of Sclavonia The annexing of Croatia and Dalmatia or of the kingdome of Sclavonia vnto the right of the kings of Hungary The dominion and conquest of Dalmatia or of the sea-coasts of Sclavonia by the Venetians The affaires hereof with the Hungarians The conquests and intrusion of the Turkes The present state of Sclavonia or Illyricum The moderne particular names and countries hereof The Chorographicall discriptions of Windischland Krabbaten Bosna Contado di Zara Dalmatia now thus properly tearmed and Albania with their Ilands THE COMMON-WEALTH AND LEAGVE OF THE SWITZERS THIS was sometimes a part of the kingdome and Empire of the Germans from the which it is now divided through a long crazines indisposition of that loose heavie body It lyeth in the confines of France Germany and Italy containing part of each of those provinces with the heights of the Alpes Lepontiae Paeninae and Rhaeticae al which now are either vnited or subject to the Confederacie hereof The bounds hereof are vpon the East the Earledome of Tirol vpon the North Sungow and the Rhijn and Lake of Constance dividing it from Schwaben the Canton of Schaff-hausen excepted which lieth beyond the Rhijn vpon the West the Lake Lemane and the mountainous ridge of the Iour parting it from Savoy and the Free Countie of Burgundie and vpon the South the Dukedome of Milan in Italy It is situated betwixt the 28 and 32½ degrees of Longitude and the 44½ and 47½ degrees of Northerne Latitude or betwixt the 15 or middle paralell of the 6 Clime where the longest day hath 15 houres and a halfe and the 16 paralel and beginning of the 7 Clime where the longest day hath 15 houres and 3 quarters Caesar accompteth the length hereof to be 211 Italian miles the breadth at 180 of the same miles measuring only the Helvetij the other parts not being reckned The country is altogether possessed with steepe and mighty mountains the mother of sundry great and famous rivers of the Tesin Inn Adise Rhosne Russ Aar Limat the Rhijn flowing from hence as from the greatest height and top of Europe towards farre distant and contrary Oceans the Adriaticke Euxine French and German seas The soile for this cause is for the most part cold rockie and barren yeelding little wines neither of corne sufficient store for the necessary vse of the inhabitants plentifull chiefly in pasturages Cattle Flesh and milke-meats Here lye notwithstanding hidden amongst the hills and rocks many fruitfull and pleasant vallies abounding in all sorts of most excellent commodities such as are the Valtolina Wallislandt and other bottomes of the Alpes especially those which open towards Italy and the South The auncient inhabitants were the Helvetij possessing the parts which were included within the Rhijn the Alpes the mountaine Iour and the Lake of Geneue containing now the 13 Cantons of the Switzers Basil and Schaff-hausen excepted Turgow Baden Rapers-wyl Bremgarten Mellingen the Free provinces in Wagenthal Newenburg and Biel part of the Rauraci now the country of Basil part of the Allobroges now Geneve the Veragri now the Lower Wallislandt the Seduni the part now of the Vpper Wallislandt about Sitten the Lepontij inhabiting the creeks and vallies of the Alpes thus named and comprehending now the higher part of the Vpper Wallislandt where springeth the riuer Rhosne Vrseren or the valley of the riuer Russ and on the other side of the Alpes towards Italy Liviner-tal Palenser-tal Eschental Meintal Val Hugonia Masoxer-tal and Galancker-tal with the townes of Bellizona and Locarno vpon the Lake Maggiore the Vennonetes containing now after Tschudus whom he maketh a distinct people from the Vennones the vallies of Cleven Valtolina Gampoltshin Bergel of the Grisons or the courses of the riuers Maira Lyra and Aada vntill their entrances into the Lake of Como the Aetuatij now part of the Grisons about the Vorder and the Hinder Rhijn where are Rhijnwalder Schams Tusis Retzuns Tavetch Diserntis Trans Ilantz Grub Flymss Stussafien the valley of Lugnitz and the Higher Sax. The Cotnantij the parts now of the Grisons where lye the townes of Chur Ortestein Furstnow Vatz Churwald Porpon Burgunn Schanfick Tafaas Alfenow Tuffen-casten Gryffenstein Tintzen Stalla Reamss and Wels with others the Rucantij now Pfevers and Prettigow of the Grisons or the course of the riuer Lanquarte the Vennones now Engadin Vinstermuntz and Vinstgow of the Grisons or the country about the heads of the rivers Inn and Adise the Rheguscae now Rhijntal or the Prefectureship of Rheineck belonging to the Switzers with the opposite shore of the Rhijn appertaining to the house of Austria extended from thence towards Werdenberg and Veldkirch along the course of that riuer vnto the Lake of Constance and the Sarunetes now the countries of Sargans and Werdenberg and vntill the Lake Walensee Of these the Helvetij Rauraci Allobroges Seduni and Veragri were parts of the Gaules containing part of the Provinces of the Alpes Graiae and Paeninae Maxima Sequanorum and Vienniensis The Vennonetes Aetuatij Cotuantij Rucantij Vennones Rheguscae Sarunetes were parts of the Rhaeti Vindelici The Lepontij Strabo placeth amongst the Rhaeti Ptolemie amongst the people inhabiting Italy The Vennones and Vennonetes seeme to haue beene the same nation and to haue beene mistaken by Tschudus A cause of this errour might be their different placing in their authors the Vennones by Strabo being put amongst the Vindelici and the Vennonetes by Plinie amongst the Rhaeti By Caius and Augustus Caesars in their warres of Gaule with the
fruitfull and pleasant vally of some 60 Italian miles in length continued from the head of the Aada along the course of that riuer vntill the entrance thereof into the Lake of Como divided into 6. goverments or prefectureships The wines of this country are much commended transported in a great abundance over the Alpes into Bavaria Switzer-landt and other parts Chiefer townes following the course of the riuer Aada are Bormio a prefectureship seated at the head of the vally and the river vnder the mountaine Braâ—lio called otherwise by the Dutch Wormsser ioch Tiran a prefectureship Teio a prefectureship the chiefe fortresse of the vally Sondrio the chiefe towne a prefectureship The governour or captaine hereof for so he is named is Lieutenant of the whole country having here the like commande as hath the Captaine of Lugano in the prefectures belonging to the 12 Cantons Morbengo a prefectureship situated neere vnto the Lake of Como These 8 prefectureships of Plurs Chiavenna and the Valtolina are subject to the ioint commaund of the three Leagues or Cantons of the Grisons The language hereof as of those other appertaining to the Switzers is the Italian NETHERLAND THE Country hath been thus named from its maritime and more flat and lower situation It is accompted part of Germany with the Free Country of Burgundie making the tenth circle of the Empire although at this day it neither acknowledgeth the Emperours not obeyeth the Laws and orders appointed by the Diets diuided amongst sundry free states and gouerments partly now commanded by the Princes of the house of Burgundie and Austria partly by the generall States of the Vnited Provinces It boundeth vpon the East with the districts of Trier Luick Gulick Cleve and Westphalen vpon the North with the riuer Eems East-Freislandt vpon the South with Lorraine Champaigne and Picardie in France and vpon the North-West with the German Ocean It lyeth betwixt the 22½ and 30 degrees of Longitude and the 48½ and 53½ degrees of Northern Latitude or betwixt the 16 or middle paralel of the 7 clime and the 21 paralel or end of the 8 clime The longest day beyond Arras in the furthest South containeth 16 houres beyond the towne of Dam or at the riuer Eems in the furthest North 16 houres three quarters The circuit of the whole is 340. Flemish miles or some one thousand Italian or English The parts hereof towards the West and North along the Sea-coast are flat plaine and marishie abounding chiefly in pasturages milke butter cheese horses and beeues of an extraordinary stature and bignesse Those contrariwise towards the South-East or bordering vpon Luick Lorraine swell with rising hills and woods reliques of the great forrest of Ardenne All parts are tolerably fruitfull No country for the quantitie is more populous replenished with 225 walled townes and citties besides aboue 6600 burroughs and villages for the most part very strong and numerously inhabited by industrious and curious artificers and rich tradesmen and marchants The shipping of the maritime coasts seeme to exceed in number all the rest of the world amassed together swarming in all seas and Oceans and bringing hither as to a common magazin whatsoeuer riches and commodities the earth or sea affordeth by the commodious situation thereof and oportunitie of the great rivers of the Scheldt Mase and Rhijn distributed from hence into all lands the seat of negotiation and trading The ancient inhabitants were the Frisij now West-Freislandt North-Hollandt with part of the district of Vtreicht the Batavi inhabiting the Iland of the Rhijn intercepted betwixt the middle branch thereof and the Wael with the neighbouring shore of Gaule containing now South-Holland with parts of Vtreicht and Gelderlandt the Caninefates containing also part of the same Iland the Bructeri where now Deventer and Swol in Over-ysel the Vsipij now the country of Zutphen part of the Sicambri now Arnhem and Veluwe in Gelderlandt the Advatici now Brabant or part thereof about Bosleduc or Doway the Morini now Flanders the Atrebates now Artois the Nervij now Hainault and the country about Tournay the Tongri now part of Brabant about Antwerpe and part of the Treveri now the Dukedome of Luxemburg The fiue first nations were Germans inhabiting beyond the Rhijn The rest were parts of the Gaules Belgicke descended notwithstanding from the Germans By C. Iulius Caesar in his warres of Gaule these last were subdued to the Romans vnder which subiection they continued vntill the expiration of that Empire comprehended vnder the Provinces of Belgica Secunda and Germania Secunda The other remained still free from forraine yoak with other neighbouring Dutch people by occasion hereof not long after vniting into the common name of the most warlike and victorious French famous in the later Roman histories and in short time conquering and overspreading all Gaule Germanie vnto the rivers Elb and Saltza Pannonie the greatest part of Italy with part of Tarraconensis in Spaine won from the Moores Vnder the French who here succeeded vnto the Romans the whole was contained vnder the name kingdome of Austrasia or Oosten-reich After that the French Monarchy became divided amongst the posteritie of the Emperour Lewis the Godly the part hereof broke into sundry new principalities and goverments remaining vnto this day partly holding of the French kings or successours of Charles the Bald and partly of the German Emperours the Dukedomes of Brabant Luxemburg Gelderlandt and Limburg the Earledomes of Flanders Hollandt Zealandt Haynault Artois Namur and Zutphen the Lordships of Freislandt Groningen Vtreicht Over-ysel and Malines and the Marquisate of the Sacred Empire the manner and occasion of whose beginnings together with their continuance and state vnto our times is set downe in the Description of France Of these Flanders Artois appertained to the soveraigntie of the kings of France quitted vnto Philip the second king of Spaine and the Princes hereof by Henry the second French king in the late league of Cambraye The rest were held vnder the Dutch Emperours By Philip the Hardie the countries of Brabant Flanders Artois and Limburg with Malines and the Marquisate of the Sacred Empire became added to the dominion and family of Burgundie by Philip the Good Holland Zealandt West-Freislandt Hainault Luxemburg Namur by the Emperour Charles the fift Gelderland Zutphen Vtreicht Over ysel and Groningen the manner whereof is likewise shewed in France Since this vnion by the power and greatnesse of their Princes the Provinces haue beene wholy with drawne from all acknowledgement and subiection of the German Emperours French kings their ancient Lords governed in manner of free States by their Princes and magistrates and making a distinct nation and common-wealth by themselues knowne now by the names of Netherland the Low Countries the Lower Germany and of the 17 Provinces called thus from their number language and situation Duke Charles surnamed the Fighter Prince hereof son to Philip the Good had an intent to vnite the parts then
West-Freislandt The wet and moorish ground about it affordeth rich pasturages but is altogither vnfit for corne Franicker a schoole or petty Vniversity Bolswaerdt OOSTER-GOE COntaining the Sea-coast betwixt Wester-goe and the country of Groningen Townes here are Lieward or Leewarden the court presidial chancerie and chiefe towne of the proper West-Freislant rich faire and strongly fortified Doccum neere vnto Groninger-landt ZEVEN-WOLDEN COntaining the woodland part towards the South-East and Ouer-ysel It hath not any towne of note THE TERRITORY OF GRONINGEN THis is the most Easterne part of West-Freislandt contained betwixt Ooster-goe and the river Eems or Oost-Freislandt Townes here are Dam neere vnto the Eems and Oost-Frislandt Groeningen the chiefe towne giving the name to the province The towne is of great state large rich and strongly fortified There are contained in the whole West-Freislandt 12. walled townes and some 490 Villages The more auncient inhabitants were the Frisij Maiores of Ptolemy Of these 8 provinces South-Holland Vtrecht on the hither side of the Rhijn with Bommeler-Weert Maes-Wael and Betuwe in Gelderlandt appertaine vnto Gaule Belgick North-Hollandt Veluwe of Gelderlandt Zutphen Over-ysel West-Freislandt and Groningerlandt belong vnto Germany the midle chanell of the Rhijn aunciently parting those two mighty prouinces In bignes pleasure and goodnes of soile they are inferiour to those of the Princes but in trade populousnes wealth strength and number of shipping they much surpasse the other In a manner all their townes stand vpon the Ocean vpon great nauigable riuers creeks or inlets of the sea or amongst deepe vnpassable marishes waters wherby through their strength of shipping never being able sully to be besieged and victualls munition and men being hereby easily conueyed vnto them they are become invincible against the most potent enimies not easily to be mastered vnlesse by their disvnion and the dominion of the sea taken from them Their gouerment since that they shoake of the Spanish yoake hath beene vnder the particular states of each prouince a third part of Gelderlandt and Zutphen excepted where stand the townes of Ruremond Guelders Venlo Watchtendonc Strale and Grol remaining yet subiect to the Arch-dutchesse not vnited into any one entire body of common-wealth and but onely for their better defence confederate together in a more strict league whose delegates resident for the most part at the Hage in Hollandt are called the States Generall Their lawes are their severall municipall lawes customes and priuiledges together with the ciuill or Roman law Their religion which onely publikely is allowed is the reformed following or allowing the doctrine of Caluin Their language is the Dutch DENMARCK THE bounds hereof are vpon the South the river Eydore parting it from Holstein the kingdome of the Germans vpon the West the German Ocean vpon the East the Sea Balticke or the Ooster-sche and vpon the North the kingdomes of Norwey and Swethen It lyeth betwixt the 55 45 60 and 59 5 60 degrees of Northerne Latitude The length betwixt North and South is 265 Italian miles the breadth some 200 of the same miles The more ancient inhabitants were the Sigulones Subalingij Cobandi Chali Phundusij Charudes and Cimbri of Ptolemie and Tacitus inhabiting the necke of land named by Ptolemy from that more famous nation the Cimbrian Chersonese now the 2 Iutlandts the Teutoni of Mela inhabiting the Iland Codanonia now Zeland and the Sitones or Sueones of Tacitus for we cannot out of his description certainely distinguish whether inhabiting the parts hereof lying in the Continent of Scandia now Hallandt Schonen and Bleking These ancient names towards the waine of the Roman Empire worne out and extinguished we read in Beda of the Angli and Vitae inhabiting the Cimbrian Chersonese whereof these later possessed the more Northern parts the former after the same author were seated betwixt the Vitae and the Saxons From the Vitae the Cimbrian Chersonese now beareth the name of Iutlandt The name of the Angli is yet preserved here in the Dukedome of Scleswijck in the towne or name of Angelen In the raigne of the Emperour Valentinian the third these two nations remouing with the Saxons into the Iland of Great Brittaine not long after in the raignes of Theodoric French King of Austrasia and of Anastasius Emperour of the East we lastly finde here the Danes more certainely named thus as hath beene related from the bay Codanus whose Ilands and neighbouring Continent they inhabited Iornandes who liued in the raigne of the Emperour Iustinian the first placeth these in the Continent of Scanzia or Scandia Vnder their Prince Godfrey in the raigne of the Emperour Charles the Great we finde them enlarged Southwards vnto the river Eydore dividing from them the Saxons or Dutch as they remaine at this present From this nation the country hath since beene called Denmarck famous a long time for armes and their great and many victories atchieved abroad themselues never conquered by foraine power Lords sometimes of England and Swethen and at this day of the large kingdome of Norwey and of all the navigations and Ilands situated towards the Pole Arcticke and the North. The religion hereof which is publikely allowed is only the Protestant or Confession of Augspurg first converted to Christianity by S. Ansgarius Bishop of Bremen the generall Apostle of these Northerne parts in the raignes of king Eric the second and of Lewis the Godly Emperour of the West and reformed to the Orthodox tenent by the authority of king Fredericke the first The Ecclesiasticall affaires are directed by the Arch-bishop of Lunden and six other Bishops of Rotschilt Odensee Ripen Wiborch Arhusen and Sleswijck The state is monarchicall the eldest sonne most commonly succeeding vnto the father yet where the states doe chalenge a right of chusing None of the nobility exceede the dignitie of Knights conferred by the free grace of the Prince The titles of Dukes Marqueses Earles Vicounts and Barons are not heard of vnlesse amongst the issue royall The kingdome for the better distribution of iustice containeth 184 Prefectures or juridicall resorts which they call Herets It lyeth partly in the continent of Germany and partly in the maine land of Scandia and in the Ilands of the Sundt betwixt these containing fiue more generall parts or names of Iutlandt the Ilands of the Sundt Halland Schonen and Bleking IVTLANDT COntaining the neck of land in the continent of Germany called by Ptolemie the Cimbrian Chersonese It hath vpon the West and North the German Ocean vpon the East the Sundt and vpon the South the riuer Eydore parting it from Holstein and the German Empire It is diuided into the North and the South Iutlands South Iutland hath beene otherwise named the Dukedome of Iutlandt likewise the Dukedome of Sleswijck from the towne of Sleswijck about the yeare 1280 in the person of Waldemar severed from the kingdome by Eric to be
and Wardhuys named thus from such Castles royall wherein their governours reside Townes of better note are Congel a towne of merchandising vpon the Sundt or sea Balticke opposite to Schagen in Denmarcke Anslo Hammar Staffanger Bishops seas Bergen the chiefe towne of the country seated amongst high mountaines at the bottome of a nauigable and deepe arme or creeke of the maine Ocean named Carmesunt a Bishops sea and a noted port much resorted vnto by forrainers bringing in corne meale bread beere wine and Aqua vitae to supply the want that way of the country and transporting from hence fish furres and wood with London Bruges in the Lowe Countries and Novogrod in Russia one of the foure chiefe Staple townes of the Dutch Hanse marchants The inhabitants in regard hereof are a mixed people compounded of the natiues Dutch and other strangers The meaner sort of houses after the rude fashion of the Country are couered with sods or turfes of earth West of the towne standeth Bergenhuys one of the fiue castles royall the seat of the governour of the Province thus named Trundtheim an Archbishops sea beautified with a faire Cathedrall Church dedicated to S. Olave The towne otherwise is meane Ward-huys within the circle Artick in the Iland Ward from whence it hath beene thus called a meane castle with a little towne adjoyning in the summer time for in the winter by reason of the extremity of the cold and the long darknesse and absence of the Sunne it is not well habitable the seat of the governour for these more cold and frozen parts The Pole Articke is here elevated 71½ degrees The longest continuance of the sunne aboue the Horizon lasteth two whole months three weekes one day and some 7 houres the farthest point North-wards of Norwey the continent of Europe THE ILANDS OF NORWEY VNto the Crowne of Norwey belong Islandt Freislandt and Groenlandt Ilands situated in the wide Ocean held now in this right by the kings of Denmarke ISLANDT LYing vnder the Circle Articke and containing 100 German miles in length and about 60 in breadth The country is cold rockie mountainous barren and ill inhabited yeelding not any corne neither trees except the Iuniper In regard hereof the common people eate bread made of stockfish in steed of houses built with timber dwell in cells cauernes digged in the bottomes of their rocks mountaines Through the benefit notwithstanding of the sea and the accesse of strangers they haue brought vnto them corne meale bread wine beare iron tinne mony timber wood and all other commodities which they need whereof the richer sort make vse The sea coasts are better stored with inhabitants through the advantage of their trade with forrainers and of their fishing the chiefe reuenue of the Ilanders The natiue profits the Land affordeth are flesh of beeues and mutton butter skinnes of wild beasts horses haukes a course kinde of cloath they call Watman and brimstone It containeth foure main divisions named from their situations West fiordung Auslending a fiordung Norlending a fiordung and Sundlending a fiordung signifying the Westerne Easterne Northerne and Southerne quarters The only places of note are Halar in the Northerne part of the Iland Schalholt in the Southerne Bishops seas having petty schooles wherein the Latine tongue is taught whereof each containeth 24 schollers maintained by the Bishops Bestede a castle the seat of the gouernour for the king of Denmarck The more eminent mountaines are Hecla feareful with apparitions of dead men nourishing the opinion of Popish Purgatory Helga that of the Crosse Aethna-like flaming with fires Not farre from Hecla brimstone is digged in great abundance sent into forraine parts The inhabitants are originally Norvegians thought first to haue ariued here about the yeare 1000 driuen out of their country by king Harold sirnamed with the faire locks Wee heare not of them notwithstanding vntill the time of Adelbert Bishop of Bremen whom they should send vnto desiring Preachers and Ministers of the Gospell whereby they might be instructed deceasing about the yeare 1070. Their religion is the confession of Augspurg or that of the Danes gouerned by two Bishops of Halar Schalholt before mentioned brought vp in the Vniversitie of Copen-hagen Their language is the Danish or an old corrupt Dutch Most authors place here Thyle of Tacitus and the ancients Ortelius iudgeth this rather to be Norway Others Schetland neere the Orcades It wanteth altogether probabilitie that the Romans by whom sailing about Great Bretaigne that Iland should be first discouered aduanced ever thus farre Northwards FREISLANDT STanding vpon the Southwest of Islandt vnknowne to the ancients and bigger in quantitie then Ireland like Islandt cold barren and without corne and fruits The principall towne is of the same name with the Iland The inhabitants liue most vpon fish got in their sea their chiefe food and truck with forrainers They obey the kings of Denmarck GROENLANDT NAmed thus from the greenenesse thereof affording good pasturage in Summer as are the other two Ilands from their Ice and Frosts It is seated betwixt the 65 and 77 degrees of Northerne Latitude and lieth for the greatest part within the Circle Articke and Frigid Zone large and of great extent much resorted vnto by the English and Dutch nations fishing there for Whales Here is a monastery of Predicant Friers seated in the North-East part of the Iland not farre from a flaming or burning mountaine vpon hot scalding springs whose waters serue the Monastery as a stoue and to boyle the meat of the order The gardens hereof a thing miraculous in such a latitude in regard of this heat qualifying the naturall temper of the ayre flourish all the yeare long with hearbs and sweet smelling flowers The neighbouring Ocean also by meanes hereof never freezeth affording great plenty of fowle and fish for the reliefe of the Monkes and bordering Ilanders Here is likewise Alba situated not farre from the Monastery Other habitations either are not or not hitherto knowne the Iland not being yet fully discouered All places where the marriners touch yeeld Deere white beares plenty of wood cast vpon the shore The kings of Denmarck challenge the right hereof SVVEATHLAND BOunded vpon the South with Denmarcke the sea Balticke and Leifland vpon the West with Norwey vpon the North with Myrmanskoy More or the Frozen sea and vpon the East with the dominions of the Great Duke of Muscovia The country is large extended aboue a thousand miles in length betwixt the Balticke and the Frozen seas full of mountaines and vast woods yet well inhabited and firtill for these Northerne parts Lapland and the regions lying within the Circle Arcticke almost excepted which yeeld no corne or any other fruits as doe all lands else of that miserable and cold Latitude No place affordeth greater plenty of minerals especially of brasse whence infinite store of great ordinance are made It hath many great lakes and rivers but in regard
Caesar part of the Edui Bourbon-Lancy vpon the top of an high mountaine defended with a strong castle At the foot of the hill lyeth the lesser towne of S. Ligier affording medicinable Bathes both of hot and cold waters preferred by king Henry the Third before all others of the kingdome La Bourgongne with Lionnois anciently were the Hedui of Caesar Strabo and Mela the Aedui of Ptolemie and the Edui of Antoninus honoured by the Romans with the title of their Allies and Confederates the chiefe people of the nation of the Celtae contending for a long time with the Arverni and Sequani for the principalitie of the Gaules whose quarrells occasioned afterwards the conquest of Gaule Comata or of the further Gaule lying North of the Mountaines Cemmeni by Caesar the Romans Auxerre Antissiodorum of Antoninus in his Itinerary then the Mansion of the 22 Legion of the Romans and civitas Antisiodorum in his Catalogue of the citties of Gaule now a Bishops sea and Bailliage naming Le Pais Auxerrois Nevers Noviodunum of Caesar and Nivernium of Antoninus in his Itinerary and the way betwixt Augustodunum and Paris a strong towne vpon the Loire neere vnto the confluence thereof and of the river Allier the seat of the Dukes of Nevers and naming the particular country now called Nivernois These two townes are accounted in La Bourgongne but belong vnto the Resort of the Parliament of Paris Auxerre is numbred otherwise by Andre du Chesne amongst the townes of Champaigne CHARROLOIS THe country is little named thus from the towne of Charroles It is situated betwixt the rivers of the Loire and the Soasne having vpon the North the Dukedome of Burgundy vpon the West Bourbonois and Forest vpon the South Beau-jolois and Lionnois and vpon the East La Bresse It belonged anciently to the Dukes of Burgundie whose eldest sons were still named Earles of Charrolois With La Bourgongne surprised and detained by Lewis the Eleuenth and the succeeding French kings it was for a long time controversed betwixt them and the kings of Spaine heires of the house of Burgundy after long warres by king Henry the second following the agreement of the League of Cambraye restored to Philip the second king of Spaine It is now held by the house of Burgundy and Austria but vnder the fief of the French kings subiect in matters of iudicature to the Parliament of Dole in the County of Burgundy whither the inhabitants make their appeale BEARN LYing at the foot of the Pyrenaean Mountaines betwixt these and the countries of Begorre and Baionne named thus from the towne Benearnum of Antoninus now Orthes The soile is fat and rich as well amongst the mountaines as in the plaine country affording good pasturages and plenty of cattaile corne flaxe hempe butter cheese and in some parts perfect wines not yeelding to the best in France Here are likewise sundry springs of hot medicinable waters Chiefer townes are Pau the Parliament or supreame Court of iudicature of the country and the seate of the Princes before their vnion with France beautified with a stately Palace built by Henery d' Albret K. of Nauarre Lord of Bearn Lescar a Bishops sea the more auncient seat of the Princes remoued afterwards to Pau. Oleron â—uro of Antoninus in his Itinerary and way betwixt Caesar-Augusta and Benearnum now a Bishops sea mounted on the toppe of an high hill in the more high and mountainous part of Bearn Orthes after Ios. Scaliger Benearnnm of Antoninus in his Itinerary and the way before mentioned and Ciuitas Beranensium and Benainas in his Catalogue of the citties and Provinces of Gaule and Benarnum of Gregory of Tours in his 9 booke giuing the name to the country Navarrins at the foot of the Pyrenaean Mountaines a well fortified towne The country of Bearn was part of the Province Nouem-populonia of Ant. Novempopulana of Rufus Festus and Novem-populi of Ammianus Marcellinus The Princes hereof are absolute Lords not subiect to the checke fief of others with the right of Nauarre not long since by Henry the fourth vnited in the house and succession of the French kings THE ILANDS OF FRANCE THe Ilands belonging to this continent and subiect to the Crowne of France are neither many or of any great note or worth In the sea Mediterranean lye the Iles d' Ere 's the Staechades of Ptolemy against Provenâ—ce betwixt Friuls and Toulon Les Pomegues against Marseilles L' Anguillade against the mouth of the riuer Rhosne probably Blascon of Ptolemy Maguelone against the province of Languedoc Without the Straights in the Westerne Ocean the Ilands d' Oleron and de Re against Xaintogne and Rochelle Belle-Isle against Bretaigne and the towne of Vannes Here are likewise the Ilands of Iersay Garnsay and Alderney lying against Le Pais Constantin in Normandy appertaining to this account but subiect to the kings of Great Bretaigne being part of their ancient and hereditary Dutchy of Normandy and incorporated now with the Crowne of of England belonging to the relation and description of that kingdome OF THE STATE OF EVROPE The XI Booke COntaining the present bounds situation and qualitie of Germany The inhabitants Their Character or description languages religion Bishops and Cleargie The sacrilegious vsurpation and iniuries done to the Church by the Lay Princes The manner of the civill goverment The Prince His authority titles and maner of succession The King of the Romans The generall Diets and States of the Empire Their authority and power The Imperiall Courts and Circles A short survey of the imperfections and disorders of the vast vnweildie and ill-vnited body of the German Empire The parts or provinces subiect or more properly belonging to the Empire GERMANIE THE name of the Germans to omit other more vnlikely Etymologies Strabo deriveth from the Latin word Germani which signifieth brethren or men of the same kindred or of a like nature and disposition first giuen vnto them by the Romans in regard of their similitude with the neighbouring Gaules as in colour and shape of body so in maners and custome of living For the name otherwise in the time of Tacitus was but new and lately invented being anciently called only by the appellations of the many nations inhabiting the countrey The Land is bounded vpon the West with Switzerlandt France the Lowe Countries and with the part of the German Ocean intercepted betwixt the falls of the rivers Eems and Eydore vpon the North with Denmarke and the Sea Baltique vpon the East with Poland Prussen and Hungarie and vpon the South with the Alpes and Italie Chappuys accompteth the length hereof to bee 840. Italian miles measuring onely betwixt the Rhijn and the Wixel and the breadth from the towne of Brixen in Tirol vnto the Ocean at 745 of the same miles It lieth betwixt the 22 and 45 degrees of Longitude accompting from the Meridian by the Açores and the 45 20 60 and 54 48 60 degrees