of Foix presented the Abbots of S. Antonin with the Town and Castle of Pamiers and that in 1296 Pope Boniface VIII erected this Abby into a Bishoprick in behalf of Bernard Saisseti the Abbot The French King Philip the Fair did not like this election and gave the Bishoprick to one Lewis of Provence who dy'd in 1298 After his death he consented to the reinstallation of Saisseti but was so incens'd at a Speech this Prelate made to him that he caus'd him to be arrested in 1301 and put under the guard of its Metropolitan the Archbishop of Narbonne who was then at Court Pope Boniface took fire at it sent John of Normandy Archdeacon of Narbonne to get Saisseti at Liberty but he was deny'd it and the Holy Father's Thunderbolts despis'd so that after Boniface's death the imprison'd Prelate was fain to beg the King's pardon upon which he was releas'd Some years ago a late Bishop of Pamiers has been a great Confessor of Jansenism and of free Elections maintaining the Rights of his Church under the Protection of Pope Innocent XI against Lewis XIV and the Jesuits This Town was submitted to the new Archbishop of Toulouse by Pope John XXII and in the last Age fell under the Power of the Protestants It is divided into 6 Wards each of which has his Consul or Sheriff You have besides in this Diocese the Towns of Mazeres upon the Lers Maceriae so call'd from the slight Buildings they were made of at first as well as Maizieres in Rhetelois Maziers or Mazerocles in Ponthieu and Mezieres en Brenne It has a ruin'd Castle which has been sometime the Residence of the Counts of Foix. Montaut lies 3 Miles South of Mazeres and 5 North of Pamiers Sabaudun or Saverdun is made up of 4 little Towns most of them ruined its situation is pleasant and the Earls of Foix have oft dwelt in it Barilles Vatillae S. Paul Tarascon Castrum Tarasco different from Tarascon upon the Rhone and Acqs from Dax or Acqs upon the Adour are seated upon the Arriegue On the South-side of that River you meet with Chateau-verdun vic de Soz whence the best Iron in France is extracted Saurac Castelnau le Mas d' Azil Azilium or Mansum Azili with an ancient Abby of Benedictins which Du Val puts in the Diocese of Rieux Then you find Serberat les Bordes Carlac and S. Ibar Mirepoix Castrum Mirapicis or de Mirapice one of the new Bishopricks lies upon the Lers 11 Miles South-East of Pamiers 12 North-East of Foix and almost 15 South-West of Castel-naudary In 1210 Simon Count of Montfort took this Town from the Albigeois and bestow'd it upon Guy Lord of Levi with the Title of Marshal of the Faith whose posterity has ever since enjoy'd Mirepoix and its Territory erected first into a Barony and then into a Marquisate In 1390. Roger Bernard of Levis yielded to the King of France one half of the Jurisdiction he had upon the Castle of this Town and some of its dependencies for which he got some other Lands These Gentlemen pretend to be a kin to the Blessed Virgin as issued from the Tribe of Levi but I do not know how they prove it On this Diocese are farther depending Belpuech that is Fair Hill for Puy Puech and Pit signifie as much as Mountain or Hill Laurac Le Carlat Fagnaux Fanum Jovis Rieucros Libertat Leyran Chalabre le Peyrat Mirabel Bellestat near the source of the Lers has a Fountain which ebbs and flows Rieux Rivi has taken its name from its Situation on the fall of the Rize into the Garonne It is one of the Bishopricks of Pope John XXII's Foundation of which Pilefort of Rabastens Cardinal was the first Prelate in 1318. This Diocese has besides the Town of Fueillans upon the River Touche with an Abby Chief of the Order of Cisteaux Calers another Abby of Cisternian Monks Lezat of Benedictins Salangues of Cisternian Nuns Carbonne Montesquiou de Volvestre S. Sulpice c. CHAP. XIV Of LOWER LANGUEDOC Of the Precinct of Narbonne NARBONNOIS as comprehending the Dioceses of Alet Narbonne Carcassonne and S. Pons de Tomieres has Albigeois on the North the Precinct of Beziers on the East the Mediterranean Sea on the South the County of Foix and Lauragais on the West Alet Electa or Alecta upon the Aude is both a new Town and a new Bishoprick as are most of the others erected to that Dignity by Pope John XXII This Pope establish d the See of the Prelate to Limoux in 1317. but it was transferr'd hither two years after Petrarcha seem'd not to like these foundations when speaking of this Pontise he says that France still complains of his dividing many Dioceses and lodging the new Prelates in unfit places whereas before none but great and wealthy Cities enjoy'd the Privilege of being Bishopricks Rerum memorand Lib. II. Alet lies above 9 Leagues South-East of Mirepoix and 15 South-West of Narbonne Limoux two Leagues North-West of Alet upon the same River is renown'd for its White Wines It is call'd Limosum Castrum because seated in a muddy Soyl and is often mention'd in the Wars of the Albigeois As this Diocese Borders on the Pyrenees and the County of Foix so it is most mountainous De Valois reckons in it Tonnens Mazerolles Ville-Longue and Montferrand famous for its Bathes but I find none of 'em in Sanson's Maps and I doubt whether those this Learned Man perus'd were of the best sort Sanson only mentions Coustaussa Quilla and Bugarach with two Villages Cauvissan and Arques As to Sault Pagus Saltus which the said De Valois places in this Diocese it is a separate Country lying on the South-West according to Sanson NARBONNE Narbo Martius Decumanorum or Atacinorum so call'd because the Romans sent thither a Colony out of the tenth Legion that bore the Sirname of Martial and that this City is built near the Mouth of the River Aude Atax The first Plantation was made by Licinius Câ—assus that famous Orator under the Consulate of Q. Martius and M. Porcius Cato in 636 of Rome wherefore some Antiquaries derive from the first Consul the Sirname of Martius given to Narbonne though Ausonius calls it Martie in the Vocative Case and not Marci as he ought to have done if it came from a Man's name Julius Caesar sent thither another Colony under the conduct of Tiberius Claudius Nero Father to the Emperour Tibere whence this City got the names of Colonia Julia Paterna Narbo Martius exprest by these five Letters C. I. P. N. M. in an ancient Monument The Roman Proconsuls Senate and Emperors took a particular delight in beautifying Narbonne and endowing it with fine Privileges They built there an Amphitheatre and a Capitole all of Marble which subsisted yet in Ausonius and Sidonius Apollinaris's time that is in the IV and V Centuries nay we find yet mention of it in the XIIIth Age though not so precise that we can just tell in what
the Kingdom of the Visigoths It seems it is they who gave to the first Narbonnoise the name of Septimania and so jealous they were of that Title that having lost by the Battel of Vouillé where their King Alaric was killed by Clovis in 507. the Towns of Toulouse and Vzès they supplied that number by the addition of Narbonne and Careassonne The Visigoths enjoyed Septimania above 250 years which is the cause that it is sometimes call'd by the Latin Authors of the middle Age Gothia Thence some derive the modern name of Languedoc as tho it were said for Langue de Goth or Langue-Goth but this Etymology does neither agree with the spelling of Languedoc nor with the appellation of Occitania and Lingua Occitana which the said Authors give it And therefore I more approve of those who observe that the French have been distinguished time out of mind into Langue D'Ouy and Langue D' Oc that is in such as say Ouy and such as say Oc for Yes the first living on this side and the second on that side of the Loire In process of time the Sirname of Langue D'Oc was appropriated to Septimania wherein it is more general to say Oc for Yes than any where else The French having expell'd the Goths beyond the Pyrenees Charlemaign established Governors in Languedoc with the Title of Counts of Toulouse of whom the first was one Corson in 778. The second was St. William du Court-Nez or Aux Cornets whence the Princes of Orange derive their pedigree as may be infered from the hunting horn they bear in their Arms. This William who lived about the year 790 founded the Abbey of St. William the Desart in the Dioceses of Lodeve wherein he took the Habit of Monk After his death or retirement the State of Languedoc was very much troubled by the quarrels of the several pretenders who making use of the weakness of the French Kings endeavour'd to erect their Governments into Sovereign Principalities Raimond-Pons Count of Toulouse in 907. made himself Proprietary of the Dutchy of Septimania or Marquisate of Gothia but not being able to subdue some particular Governours as the Counts of Carcassonne Melgueil and Foix the Viscounts of Narbonne Besiers Agde Nismes Lodeve Vzès c. who formerly depended on the Dukes of Septimania and would now become Sovereigns as well as themselves the Counts of Toulouse allow'd them to enjoy their Usurpations In the mean while they acquired by Marriage Inheritance or War the Counties of Querei Perigord Albi the Agenois the Milhaud the Gevaudan the County Venaissin Melgueil Asterac nay they were sometime Marquesses of Provence * Godefrid Annal. as in 1235 and in that quality made homage to the Emperor These Lords being so powerful the French Kings were glad to make them the first Counts and Peers of their Kingdom that by this Title of honour they should be drawn to stick the closer to the French Interest However this House remain'd not long in its lustre for Raimond the 6th sirnamed the Old maintaining the persecuted Albigeois as his Subjects the fourth Council of Lateran excommunicated him and gave his Estate to Simon Count of Montfort in 1215. Amauri Son to Simon dead in 1218 not being able to keep the unlawful Conquests of his Father yielded them to the French K. Lewis the VIIIth in 1224. Raimond the 6th was dead two years before in 1222 and his Son Raimond the 7th or the Young perceiving that he could not withstand the whole power of Popery thought best to reconcile himself to the Church of Rome as he did in 1228. At the same time he made a Treaty with K. Lewis the VIIIth by which he betrothed Jane his only Daughter to Alfonse of Poictiers the King's Brother upon condition that if they happened to dye without Issue the States of the Counts of Toulouse should fall to the Crown of France they both died without Children in the Month of August 1271 upon which King Philip the Bold took possession of their Dominions and in 1361. King John reunited this Country to the Crown of France by his Patent Letters which were confirmed in in an Assembly of the General States of that Province These States the only ones that have yet any shadow of power are made up of the 3 Orders of a Kingdom namely the Clergy the Nobility and the People the Clergy is represented by the 22 Prelates of that Province whereof 3 are Archbishops and 19 Bishops the Nobility Votes there by the Mouth of 22 Barons of the following Families 1. Rieux 2. Mirepoix 3. Florensac 4. Vauvert 5. Castelnau d' Estrete Fons 6. Capendu 7. Haute-rive 8. Confoulens 9. St. Felix 10. Ville Neuve 11. la ' Gardiole 12. Lanta 13. Alais 14. Polignac 15. Clermont 16. Arques 17. Cauvisson 18. Ganges 19. Castries 20. Castelnau de Bonnefons 21. Ambres 22. Ferrals The People speaks in the Persons of 22 Consuls or Sheriffs deputed out of the 22 Bishopricks The Archbishop of Narbonne is President born of that Assembly which is seldom called for any thing else but to give the King money by laying besides the ordinary Taxes an extraordinary and heavy imposition under the name of Don-gratuit or free Gift Languedoc lies between 21 Deg. 16 Min. and 26 Deg. 10 Min. of Longitude 41 Deg. 45 Min. and 45 Deg. of Latitude It reaches 23 Leagues East and West from Beaucaire upon the Rhone to Rieux upon the Garonne or 79 from Crussol upon the Rhone over against Valence in Dauphine to Castel-Sarasin on the Garonne in the Diocese of Montauban It 's extent North and South is still more unequal from Moissac in Quercy to Lavet Coronat in the County of Foix it is of 40 Leagues of 53 from La Garde Biaur on the Borders of Rouergue to beyond Prat de Mollo in Roussillon and 50 from Serrieres in Vivarais to beyond Fort de Peccais near Aigues-mortes in the Diocese of Nismes It is one of the most fruitful and healthful Provinces of France divided into Upper and Lower Languedoc and the Cevennes The first comprehends the Toulousan the Albigeois the Lauragais and the County of Foix The second is distinguish'd into 3 Precincts or Quartiers that of Narbonne of Beziers and of Nimes the Cevennes are subdivided into 3 Countries Gevaudan Vivarais and Velay Both parts of Languedoc produce great quantity of Corn that they use to carry into Spain and Italy their Wines are delicious and their Fruits most esteem'd especially pickled Olives and Raisins Their Salt-pits and Dyers-wood make up a considerable Trade besides Azure Saffron Verdigrease Vermilion or artificial Cinoper Sope Glasses Box-trees and several Simples and Plants that are transported thence The Air is so wholsome that it is thought a specifick remedy against consumptions chiefly about Montpellier which temperature of the Heavens contributes not a little to make Women comely and Men ingenious as appears by the great number of Poets either in French Latin or the Country-Language and
that Court where their Power is very considerable since the Suppression of the Charge of Lord Constable upon whom they were formerly depending However this Power is somewhat counterballanced by their great Increase in Number of late years The Lord Chancellor is the Head of all the Courts of Justice and presides in all the King's Councils in his Absence Besides he cannot be destituted but by Death or Trespass And therefore the Kings to keep this great Minister in awe have a Lord Keeper of the Seals whom they cause to discharge the Chancellor's Functions by giving him the Seals in which Occasion the Chancellor retains no more but the bare Name of his Office He has under him the Masters of the Requests who serve quarterly judge the Differences between the Officers of the Crown and prepare such Matters as are to come before the King 's Great Council This Council is now a Soveraign Court of Justice whose Sentences are executed throughout the whole Kingdom it 's composed of the Chancellor and eight Masters of Requests From this Court issue all the Placates Ordinances and Proclamations There are also a Council of State a Council of the Exchequer a Privy-Council to determine Appeals and Contests about the Jurisdiction of Judges and the Cabinet Council who manages all the Affairs and is as the Soul of the Realm Besides the twelve ancient Peers of France there are near a hundred more created since two or three Centuries but though they have the Priviledge to sit in the Parliament at Paris and not to be judged by any other Court yet they fall short of the Lustre and Power of the first Peers The Knights of the Order of St. Michael instituted by Lewis XI in 1469 are in no extraordinary Repute and this Order is now only considered as a step to that of the Holy Ghost instituted by Henry III. in 1570 whose Knights are fewer in number and more respected it being given as a token of special Favour and to such as are already of St. Michael's Order and considered by their Birth or Merits I supersede to speak of the Lord Admiral the Vice-Admirals and Rear-Admirals Of the Generals Lieutenant Generals Masters de Camp Collonels c. Of the Masters of the Ordnance of the Lord Treasurers Counsellors and Secretaries of State of the Ambassadors Lord Almoner Under Almoners Chaplains in Ordinary and other Officers either Civil Military or Ecclesiastical who are little or nothing different from the like in England But I must not forget to speak a word of the King's Confessor who though he has originally no more Power than the Clerk of the Closet here yet through the superstitious Condescension of the late Kings and the shrewd Management of those cunning Politicians Cotton Annat and La Chaize are become so powerful as to get into their Hands the Direction of the most important Affairs of the Kingdom under pretence of Conscience When the Jesuits were recalled into France King Henry IV. was advised to take one of these Fathers for his Confessor who should be as an Hostage for the Fidelity of the whole Club. But this very Caution proved his Ruine for Father Cotton whom he pitched upon having first seduced his Queen laid his Plot so well with Spain and his Fellow-Jesuits that the King was murthered by Ravaillac And that Henry's Ghostly Father and Queen had a Hand in this horrid Business can hardly be doubted after the Insinuations the sincere Mezeray gives of it There are two Charges in France the like I don't know that we have in England or at least they are not here in such a Consideration as in that Kingdom The Officers who discharge them are always Counts or Dukes or Princes of the Blood and are called the Great Huntsman and the Great Falconer of France They have large Appointments Gifts and Profits and several Officers under them whose Places are at their Disposal The Captain General of the Hunting-Nets and the Great Wolf-Hunter keep likewise an honourable Rank and all four are sworn by the King himself I shall finish this Chapter with mentioning the Way of administring Justice in France Suits are for the most part commenced before the ordinary Judges of the Place which are called Royal or Seigneurial according as the Town or Village depends â—mmediately upon the King or a private Lord except in some particular Cases or when one of the Parties concerned is exempted from their Jurisdiction Thence â—hey are brought before the Baylives or Seâ—eschals who are Chief Justices of a certain Precinct called Baylwick Vriguory Provostship or Seneshalship These Baylives are Noble Men who bear a Sword instead of a Gown and seldom discharge their Office themselves but have two Lieutenants under them one for Civil and the other for Criminal Causes The last and Supream Jurisdiction is â—he High Court of Parliament each of which is composed of ten twelve or fifteen Presidents and well near eighty or an hundred Counsellors The Power of this Court â—s yet very great because of the many Noble and Priviledged Men whose Causes immediately resort to it But it was much greater in times past especially that of the Parliament of Paris which was in some manner a standing Assembly of the General States For no Edict or Proclamation of the King had the Force of a Law before â—t was â—enteriné or ratify'd by them and they might reject such as were not in their Judgments fit for the Publick Good A Boldness of which History furnisheth us with several Examples even under the most powerful and respected Princes as Lewis XI Francis I. and Henry IV. But the late Ministers Richelieu Mazarin Colbert and Louvois have so far undermined the Authority of these Courts that they not only dare not reject any of the King's Edicts but dare not so much as make use of the Word Enteriné their Style being now Lû verifié en Parlement That is Read and acknowledged for a true Writing or Order of the King The Intendants are the Men whom the Promoters of Arbitrary Power have made a special use of to bring down the Power of Parliaments They are a kind of Overseers whom the French Kings began to send into the several Provinces of their Dominions fifty or sixty years ago and who under pretence of setling the King's Revenues reconciling Differences about it or seeing Justice well done have considerably encroached upon the Jurisdiction of Parliaments without that the Complaints of the last were ever regarded at Court The preposterous Zeal of these Magistrates against the Reformed was none of the least Causes of their Decay for as often as any Suit wherein both Churches seemed to be concerned came before them we were sure to get an Arrêt de Partage or that the Protestant President and Counsellors would give their Voice in favour of the Defenders whereas the Roman Catholicks would decide for the Plaintiffs how ill grounded soever their Actions might be This of course brought the Decision of the
but the New is greater and better fortified The French destroy'd its Fortifications in 1664 and afterwards repaired them There is a Chamber of Accounts and a Seneshalship This Province has also Bar le Duc Capital of the Dutchy of that Name It was built by Frederick Duke of the Mozellane Lorrain in 951 and fortified with a strong Castle to prevent the Incursions of the Champenois There were several other strong Places amongst the rest Marsal and Moyenvic whose Fortifications the French have destroyed as well as the Castle of Bar le Duc. Near Moyenvic are commodious Salt-Pits I must not forget the three Bishopricks taken from Charles V. in 1552. viz. Toul Mets and Verdun because they are included in this Province and are nearly ty'd to it especially in what concerns Spiritual Jurisdiction though as to the Civil they make a separate Government Toul Tullum Leucorum is a Town well built situated upon the Mosell twelve Miles from Nancy It 's pretty big and boasts of St. Bernard's Tomb over which is a Crown extraordinary well worked its Diocess is pretty large Verdun Verodunum a very pleasant City situated in a fruitful and good Soil on the River Meuse Twenty six Miles from Mets Its Bishops take the Title of Counts of Verdun and Princes of the Holy Empire It has a strong Citadel and Baylwick and is renowned for its Aniseed Mets is also a very pleasant Town both for its Houses its Cathedral of St. Stephen a true Master-piece of Architecture and the River Moselle and Seille that wash it It is a very ancient City since Cesar Plinius Tacite and Ptolomy mention it under the Name of Divodurum Mediomatricum and speak of it as the chief Town of that Country and of the People called Mediomatrices now Les habitans du pais Messin In process of time it became still more and more Famous and under the French Kings of the first Race was Capital of the Kingdom of Austrasia called also the Kingdom of Mets since Theodoric Son to Clovis the Great had chosen it for the Seat of his Empire In the Decay of Charlemaign's House Mets erected it self into a free Imperial Town under the Government of its own Magistrates who had Power of Life and Death and of Coining of Money And so jealous they were of their Liberty that Charles VII King of France besieging them â—n 1444 on the behalf of Renatus Duke of Lorrain they rather chose to see their Country wasted during seven Months and to redeem themselves with 300000 Livres than to loose their Liberty Thus they kept it till the Year 1552 that their City was taken by the Lord of Montmorency High Constable of France In the Month of October of the same Year Charles V. besieged it in vain and as it was the last Undertaking of this Emperour it gave occasion to this Verse alluding to the modern Name of this Town in Latin Metae Siste viam Metis haec tibi meta datur There is seen in St. Stephen's Church a Vessel of Red Porphyry ten Foot long and all of a piece which serves to keep their Holy Water in This great Town has no Subâ—urbs and is all surrounded with a strong Rampier and deep and wide Ditches that can be filled at pleasure only opening a Sluce to let in the Moselle Yet for its greater Strength a Cittadel with four Bastions have been built there of late The People are well bred Civil and Numerous and drive a great Trade into Germany The Circumference of the Town is pretty big its Bishop entitles himself Prince of the Empire and has four Arch-Deacons under him with 623 Parishes In 1633 Lewis XIII established there a Parliament which the Commissioners of the Emperour opposed saying That the French King was only Protector of the three Bishopricks and not absolute Sovereign thereof and consequently that he might not deprive the Inhabitants of their ancient Laws and the Right they had to bring their Appeals before the Imperial Chamber at Spire These Complaints lasted to the Peace of Munster in which the three Bishopricks and Moyenvic were yielded unconditionally and for ever to the Crown of France save only the Right of Metropolitan to the Archbishop of Triers This Parliament as it was the last so it was at first the least considerable next to that of Pau the three Bishopricks only resorting to it But since the Conquest of Lorrain Luxemburg and adjacent Countries its Jurisdiction is mightily inlarged It made a great Noise some time after the Peace of Nimeguen about the Year 1680 when the French King erected there a Chamber of Dependencies whose Judges summoned the Spanish Subjects to come and swear Allegiance to the French King under pretence that they were depending upon some of his new Conquests By this Shrewdness he got more Lands during the Peace than he had done in the War The Dukedom of Luxemburg is under the Governour of Lorrain but I supersede to make a particular Description of it because the Low-Countries deserve a Treatise by it self I shall only observe that there is a Soveraign Council in the Capital whereunto the whole Province resorts At a League 's distance from the Town is a Village called Jovy where are still to be seen some Remains of an Aqueduct built by the Romans with Arches of a fine white Stone cut in Form of Bricks and above Sixty Foot high Besides this there is another considerable Place near Nancy called St. Nicolas that should deserve rather to be called one of the greatest Towns of Lorrain for the Number of its Inhabitants and considerable Traffick than a simple Borough if it were walled in The other most considerable Places near the Capital are Fruart which is but a League off it Ormes Bayon Pont a Mousson famous for its University founded by Charles Cardinal of Lorrain on behalf of the Jesuits An. 1573 and very pleasant by reason of its fruitful Soil and of the Mosell which runs through the middle of the Town and is passed with 〈◊〉 Bridge whence and from a neighbouring Mountain called Mousson is derived thâ— Name of Pont à Mousson Then Vezelize Roziere Blancmont Gerbevillier Charmes Chastenoy Moranges Vaucouleur the Birth-place of Jane d' Arc called the Virgin or Maiden of Orleans Mexan-sous-Bresse Dompaire Deneure Hoden Chasteau-Rambervillier Raon Bellemont Neuf-chastel Magstat Marchainville Espinal Bruyeres Darney Ormont Valderfing Beauzains Vaigni Estraye Estival Luneville Fauquemont Sare-Louïs a new Fortress with a Presidial Vandervange the Seat of a Baylwick c. Its Counties are Vaudemont Chaligni Amence formerly the Chancery of Lorrain Mirecourt Remiremont and La Mothe At Remiremont upon the Mosell is a famous Monastery of Canonnesses where Noble Mens Daughters are only received The Abbess is not suffered to leave the Habit but all the Nuns can go out and marry if they please La Mothe was a small Town on the Frontiers of Champaign but being built on a steep Rock washed by a Brook it was accounted impregnable before
them with abundance of Butter and Milk and their Sea-ports make them the best Fishers and Mariners in France The Inhabitants appear Clownish but are really shrewd and cunning Tho' Pliny asserts l. 4. c. 17 19. That the Galli call'd in their own Language Aremorica the Countrey included between the Garumne the Sea and the Pyrenean Mountains which the Romans nam'd afterwards Aquitain yet it appears that Caesar and other Ancient Geographers understood by Armorica and Armorici the Nations and Cities bordering upon the Ocean from the mouth of the Seyne to that of the Loire so that the Ancient Armorique comprehended all Brittany and a good part of Normandy that is all the third Lyonnoise and about one half of the second but this Name deriv'd from an old Gaulish word Armor Ad mare or near the Sea became in process of time proper to Britanny Beda relates l. 1. c. 1. That in old times some Armoricans came over into our Island and master'd the Southern parts of it however 't is not from them that our Ancestors got the Name of Brittains since these Gauls were only known by that of Armorici whereas it cannot be doubted but that our Brittains gave their Name to Brittanny Annal. Egin ad An. 786. For Eginhard testifies that about the Year 441. at the beginning of Valentinian's Empire the English and Saxons having invaded our Island a great part of the Inhabitants put to Sea and Landing on the borders of Vannes and Cornouaille made themselves Masters of the Countrey Accordingly we find one Mansuetus Bishop of these Brittains subscribing to the Council of Tours in 461. Our Refugees made not long since a great Figure in the World for about the end of the fifth Age their King â—â—othimas having made a League with the Emperor Anthemius against the Goths was defeated by them on the borders of Berry before he could joyn with his Confederates and lost in that Battle the best part of 12000 men So great a loss however was not able to run them altogether down for we find that even in the following Century they were a Terror to the French so that Clovis the Great 's Grand-Children Theodebert and Thierry were forc'd to keep Counts and Marquesses on the Frontiers to oppose the Incursions of the Brittains into the Territory of Nants They being so Warlike and their Castles and Forts being surrounded with Woods and Marshes the Captains of Charlemaign were not like to have subdued them as they did about the end of the eighth Century had they not divided themselves into several petty principalities notwithstanding they recover'd their liberty under Charles the Bald by the Valour of Nomenoius and Herispoius his Son to whom Charles yielded the Territories of Rennes Nantes and Retz when he saw that he could not recover them Others relate the Settlement and Adventures of our Brittains somewhat differently They say that about the Year 393. a Brittish Captain called Conan Meriadoc Lieutenant to Maximus who had been saluted Emperor in England in 382. obtained leave of his Master to erect a Kingdom in Little Brittain which his Successors enjoyed independently from any other till about the Year 570. that Chilpric I. King of France made them Tributary After the Death of Judicael about the Year 700 This Kingdom was rent into several petty Principalities so that Charlemaign had no great trouble to subdue them as he did in 787. Neomenes or Nomenoius descended from the Ancient Kings of Brittany was made Lieutenant to the Emperor Lewis the Meek but he revolted against him took the Title of King and dyed in 852. Heruspeus or Herispoius his Successor maintain'd the War against the French King till 866. that he was kill'd by his Cousin Solomon This last reigned 12 years and was murdered in 878. After his Death this Province was rent again by several Lords who made themselves Soveraigns in their respective Countries This lasted to the Year 930 or 935. that Alain I. subdued the whole Province and enjoyed it under the Title of County He was succeeded by twelve or thirteen more who possesesed it under the same Title but in all Soveraignty till a French Prince called Peter of Dreux Grandson to the French King Lewis the Burly having married Alix Heiress of this County in 1213. consented to acknowledge the French King Lewis IX for his Liege Lord who in recompense gave him the Title of a Duke And for having thus betray'd the Liberties of the Brittains he was surnamed by them the Duke Mauclerc that is The Ignorant or unskilful Duke Philip the fair King of France made John II. Grand-child to Peter Mauclerc Duke and Peer of France After the Death of John III. surnamed the Good in 1341. there hapned a long and bloody War between two pretenders to this Dutchy John IV. surnamed of Monfort and Charles of Blois John was Son to Arthur II. by a second Wife Charles had Spoused Jane Countess of Ponthievre Grand Daughter to the said Arthur The French King Philip of Valois maintained Charles and Edward III. King of England took the part of John This Quarrel lasted about 14 or 15 Years till John V. Son to the said John of Montfort totally routed and killed his Competitor Charles at the Battel of Aury in 1364. This Great Duke surnamed the Warlike and the Conqueror was succeeded by six others the last of whom Francis H. left but one Daughter Ann Dutchess and Heiress of Brittain Married to the French King Charles VIII and then to Lewis XII She had a Daughter by the last called Claudia Married to the French King Francis I. whose Son Henry II. was the first King of France that was Duke of Brittain by Succession and United that Dutchy inseparably to his Crown The chief Rivers of Bretagne besides the Loire of which we have spoken in the General Description are the Vilaine Vicenonia which comes from a Place in the Maine called la Croisille washes Vitrey receives the Pinelle mixes with the Lille at Rennes then encreased with the waters of Seiche Bonau and Sevonne St. Aubin Ouste Adon falls into the Sea near the Isle of Mai t six leagues South-west of Vennes and four North of the mouth of the Loire The Blavet comes from the Bishoprick of Quimpercorentin runs thrô the Bishoprick of Vennes washes Pontivy and Hennebont and having received the Elle at his mouth discharges it self into the Sea at the bay of Blavet The Laita separates the Bishopricks of Vennes and Quim percorentin and having received the Isotte at the Abby of St. Croix runs into the Sea at the Abby of St. Maurice three or four leagues West of the Bay of Blavet The Rivers of Oder and Benaudet meet at Quimpercorentin and run into the Ocean at a Village called Benaudeâ— The River Ausen or Auen washes the greatest part of this Bishoprick and falls into the Bay of Brest on the South-side which on the North-side receives the River Eloen The River of Morlaix washes the Town
a long time Here it was that Louis the XII imprisoned Ludovic Storce where that Duke died and was buried in the Church of Notre-Dame Here also is to be seen the Tomb of Agnes Surelle or Sorel Mistress of Charles the VII the fairest Woman of her time with her Statue of white Marble done to the Life Hard by is a fine Forrest where the Counts of Anjou and the French Kings used to Hunt Du Chesuc relates that in this Castle there was an Iron-Gate which through a long Lane cut in the Rock lead to a square Room where was found a Man 8 Foot long sitting on a great Stone and leaning his Head on his Hands as tho' he had slept but it went all to Dust as soon as it felt the Air excepting the biggest Bones and the Cranion which were long preserved in our Ladies Church On the South-side of the River lies the Abby of Beaulieu founded on behalf of the Benedictines by Fulk Nerra Count of Anjou There is a Pyramide 10 or 12 Fathoms long in the hollowness of which are some Characters that could never be Uncifer'd so that it is still doubted whether this is a Monument of the Goths or of the antient Gauls Loches has a Bailyff and a Royal Seat of Justice resorting to the Presidial of Tours The City Chinon or Caino almost 10 Leagues South West of Tours is situated upon the Vienne with a Castle having a Governour and Regal Seat of Justice Gregory of Tours relates that the Romans besieging this Town under the Conduct of Aegidius or Gillâ—n turn'd off the Course of the Vienne and stopt a Well whence the Besieg'd drew their Water so that they would have been forced to surrender had not a violent Rain fallen on a sudden which fill'd up their Ditches and terrified the Romans so as to make them raise the Siege Here Charles the VII made his Reâ—reat and here it was that Jeanne d' Arc since call'd the Maid of Orleans came to find him Anno 1426. Francis the first Duke of Bretagne did Homage to the same King in that place Anno 1443. Here are the Canons of the College of St. Mesme are immediately subject to the Pope This also was the Country of Fr. Rabelais famous for his Comical Tales Cande Condate lies on the Confluence of the Vienne and Loire 7 Miles North West of Chinon L' Isle-Bouchard lies in an Island of the River Vienne 9 Miles South East of Chinon with a Castle and fine Meadows La Haye â—aga Turonum 9 Leagues South of Tours and 6 South-East of L' Isle-Bouchard is seaâ—ed on the River Claise with the Title of a Barony and is now famous for being the Native Country of that great Philosopher Descartes Prully Prulliacum 6 Leagues higher to the East on the same River has been sometime the Residence of the Learned Joseph Scaliger who taught the Children of the Lord of Prully Paumy betwixt La Haye and Prully has an antient Castle and the Title of Viscounty Maizieres on the Claise near the Borders of Berry is the Capital of the small Country of Brenne abounding with Game and Fishes because of its many Ponds Chatillon on the River Indre has a Royal Seat of Justice resorting to the Presidial of Tours but its Election depends on the Generality of Bourges Langest near the Loire 11 Miles West of Tours produces excellent Melons Chenonceaux upon the Cher 8 Leagues South East of Tours is renowned for a Royal House and Castle belonging now to the Duke of Vendome It was built by Q. Katherine of Medicis and adorn'd with fine Marbles and Statues brought from Italy among which that of Scipio Africanus is much esteem'd Mont-Louis a Burrough near the Loire betwixt Amboise and Tours has all its Houses cut in the Rock nothing appearing on the ground but the top of some Chimneys amongst the green Turf The other places of note in Touraine are Montbazon and Maille or Luynes two Dutchies St. Maure a County La Roche-Pozay a considerable Lordship seated on the Creuse near the Borders of Berri St. Christopher Chateau-Renaud near the River Bransle and the Frontiers of Maine Montrichard on the Cher Montresor on the Indroise c. Of Blaisois BLaisois lieth between Berry Orleanois properly so called Vâ—nd mois and Touraine It câ—mprehends 3 small Countries Dunois Blaisois and Soulâ—gue which are as many Elections depending on the Gâ—â—erality of Orleans and reaching together to an extent of twenty five Leagues in length North and South but of a very inequal breadth as six or seven Leagues in Blaisois ten or twelve in Soulogue and even sixteen in Dunois The soil in Blaisois is very fertile agreeably interrupted with Mountains and Hillocks cover'd with Vineyards with Forests full of Game and with Plains abounding with Gardens Orchards Meadows and Cornfields besides that it is watered with many Rivers and Brooks It has had its particular Counts since the year 920 that Charles the simple King of of France to gain the Normans whom he could not subdue was forced to divide in a manner his Kingdom with them Thus he gave the Dutchy of Normandy to Raoul their General and the County of Blois to Gellon Raoul's Cousin and one of his chief Captains His Posterity were for a time the most powerful Lords in France having acquir'd the Counties of Chartres and Champaign And even after that Thibaud the IV. Câ—unt of Champaign had bestow'd the Counties of Blois and Chartres on one of his youngest Sons Thibaud or Theobald the good these Counts made yet a great figure in France till the year 1391 that Guy of Chatillon IId of that name having no hopes of an Issue sold his Estates to Lewis Duke of Orleance Grandfather to the French King Lewis XII since which time they were united to the Crown and the County of Blois became often an appanage or part of the portion of the youngest Brethren of the French Kings as it is now of Philip Duke of Orleance Dunois Dunensis Pagus is almost as fruitful as Blaisois tho' the Air be not so much esteem'd nor the Country so Trading Before the French Monarchy was fully settled they were oft at variance with their Neighbours the Blaisois and the Orleannois for Gregory of Tours relates that after the death of Chilperic the fiirst King of France the latter made an Irruption into the Country of the former Dunois had afterwards its own Viscounts since Rotrou I. Count of Mortague c. till it was sold to Lewis Duke of Orleans whose Son Charles gave or exchang'd it in 1430. for some other Lands with his Bastard Brother that famous Warriour John of Orleans to whom the present French Kings owe the best part of their Kingdom reconquer'd from the English The Issue of this great General bears now the name of Longueville and enjoys still the County of Dunois that was erected into a Dutchy and Peerdom in 1525 by Louis of Savoy Mother to K. Francis I. then Regent of the
Note in Upper Marche are Bellegarde Capital of the little Country of Franc-aleu with an Election under the Generality of Moulins Aubusson that gives name to a noble Family whence is issued a famous great Master of Maltha Bonlieu Cheneraille Jarnage S. Julien Chastelus Dunaise all on the East of the Creuse On the West of that River are Celle Glenic Sevignac Granmond an Abby chief of the Order of that Name Murat Ahun Bourganeuf Dougnon Pont-aurion S. Leonard Chastain Feletin c. Le Dorat Dauratum for Deauratum Capital of Lower Marche lies not far from the Gartempe and Seve 12 Leagues North-west of Gueret with an Election resorting to the Generality of Limoges Belac two Leagues Southwards is another pretty Town with an Election under the same Generality Crouzan now an inconsiderable Village near the borders of Berry has been the Residence of the ancient Counts of La Marche The other places are Brosse a Viscounty Lussac-les-Eglises les-Plats Pont-S Martin Mombas a Viscounty Availle Confoulens Brigueuil a Viscounty all near the Borders of Poictou S. Junien Embazais Lesegaux Oradour Mortemar a Dutchy not far from Limosin Touron Rencon Maignac la Sousterraine c. East of le Dorat CHAP. XIX Of the Government of Burgundy AT the beginning of the 5th Century under the Empire of Honorius the Burgundians Burgundiones a German Nation entred into the Gaules and having conquered several Countries from the Romans their King Gaudisele laid there the Foundation of a Realm in 408 which under his Successor Gaudicare in 413 took the name of its Conquerors and was called the Kingdom of Burgundy whereof Vienne in Dauphiné was the Capital It was made up of some Provinces of the Narbonnoise and Celtick Gaule comprehending Switzerland Savoy Dauphiné the Northern part of Provence Burgundy Dutchy and County As they were War-like and of a Stature that frighted the Galli and Romans for Sidonius Apollinary describes them as being 7 Foot high they would have extended their Dominions farther but thaâ— the French on the North and the Wisigoths on the South and West that were as barbarous and as great Warriors as they opposed their Progresses By the Conquest of Clovis the French having brought the Wisigoths very low his Sons after his Death attack'd the Burgundians and Childebert and Clotaire having kill'd or routed Godomar the IX and last King of that Nation in 527 their Empire finished 119 after its beginning The Burgundians are esteemed part of the Vandals and were settled on the South-side of the Danube in Bavaria and Austria before their coming into the Gaules After this defeat nothing remained of the ancient Kingdom of Burgundy but the Name for it was subject to the French during 340 years until the Divisions of Charlemaign or Lewis the Meek's Successors gave occasion to one Beuves or Beuvon to usurp the Soveraignty of it under Charles the Bald. Boson Son to Beuves plotted so well with the Prelates that he got himself Crown'd King of Burgundy by the Metropolitans of Lyons Vienne Tarantaise Aix Arles and Besancon and 17 Bishops in 879 his Son Lewis sirnam'd the Blind succeeded him in 888 but his Grandson Charles Constantin was only Prince of Vienne and never Crown'd King one Hugh Son to Theobald Count of Arles having made himself Master of Arles and Italy in 926. This yielded all the Countries belonging to the Kingdom of Burgundy to Rodolph Son of another Rodolph who in 888 had erected another Realm within the Alps beyond Mont Jura under the Name of the Transjuran Burgundy In the mean while the Dutchy of Burgundy fell again to the share of French Lords from whom Robert Son to Hugh Capet King of France took it in 1001 and left it in 1031 to his second Son Robert who was the head of the first Race of the Dukes of Burgundy Philip I. the last of this Stock dying without Issue in 1361 this Dutchy with its dependencies was inherited by the French King John who in 1363 gave it to his second Son Philip II. sirnam'd the Bold he was succeeded by John without fear Philip III. or the Good and Charles the Rash who leaving but a Daughter call'd Margueret in 1477 the French King Lewis XI seized upon the Dutchy of Burgundy as a Male Feet the Princess Margaret who had spoused Maximilian of Austria keeping Franche-County and the Netherlands as acquisitions of her Predecessors The chief Rivers of the Dutchy and County of Burgundy for I think fit to describe them together to avoid confusion besides the Lâ—ire the Rhone and the Yonne already described are the Serain that rises near Mont S. Jean in Auxois washes Noyers Poilly Chablys Ligny-le-Chateau and falls into the Yonne betwixt Seignelay and Epoigny The Armancon Springs likewise in Auxois near Chateauneuf on the Borders of Dijonnois washes Semeur receives the Brenne increas'd with the Ozerain and Loze goes by Aney-le-Franc Tonnerre S. Florentin where it receives the Armance and mixes with the Yonne below Brignon l'Archeveque in Champaign The Seyne that has its Source in this Province near Chanceaux on the Frontiers of Dijonnois and runs through the Country of La Montagne until you come to Bar-Sur-Seyne receives there a vast number of Rivulets among which the Leigne the Ource and the Arce are the most considerable The Saone has its Source in the Mountains of Vauge Bonville Attigny Chastillon goes through Jussy and Pont-Sur-Saone receives the Coney the Angrogne and the Laterne from the Mountains of Vauge the Mance and the Ayron from Champaign runs through Chemilly Rey Gray and Pontraille receives in its way the Fonvens the River des Planches the Salon the Biez de Citez the Vigenne increas'd with the Torelle and the Lougnon This is a pretty long River that comes from the Mountains of Vauge and is increas'd with the Linotte and several Brooks As to the Saone it pursues its way through the Dutchy of Burgundy waters Aussone S. Jean de Laune Verdun Chalon Tenare Mascon Thoissey Ville-Franche in Beaujolois Trevoun in the Principality of Dombes Vimy in Lyonnois and Mines with the Rhone at Lyons The Rivers that fall afterwards on the West-side of the Saone are the Dou. This is a River of a strange course and as long as that of the Saone It springs from Mount S. Claude near a place call'd la Motte in the Bayliwick d' Aval in Franche-County Then runs North-East along Mount Jura till it comes to S. Vrsace near the Borders of Elzas Here it makes an Angle whereof S. Hippolite is the point Near Mont-Beliard it begins to run South-west waters Besancon and Dole receives the Louve and the Orion with the Glanstine One meets afterwards with no considerable Rivers for the Bruyne the Selle the Solvan the Panette the Dorlande the Solinan the Chevron Sane-la-vive and Sane-la-Morte are but Rivulets that unite together before their fall into the Saone the Resouzes goes through Bourg en Bresse and Pont de vaux the Vesle receives the Yrance and the Renon
Leagues North of Chatillon Bar in old Gaulish signifies a Haven or the Port of a River This Town is very pleasant being well built and seated in a fertil Soil Alsey-le-Duc 3 Leagues South of Chatillon is nigh the River Seine The other places are Mussy l'Eveque Espaiily Val des-Choux an Abby Aigney le-Duc Duesme Baigneux les-Juiss Villaine-en-Dermois and Verdonnet Of AUXOIS THis Country was inhabited by the Mandubii Allies or Subjects to the Autunois Their Capital City Alesia rather than Alexia was great and powerful and built by Hercules at his return from Spain if we believe Diodore of Sicily Caesar laid Siege to it and took it by Storm altho 't was defended by 100000 Men and that 300000 more were in their March to relieve iâ— and then raz'd it to the Ground so that Alesia Alize is now but an inconsiderable Village betwixt the Rivers Loze and Ozerain 14 Leagues North East of Semeur Whatever might have been the Confines of the Mandubii at this present Auxois is situated upon the Frontiers of Nivernois Autunois Dijonnois la Montagne Champaign and Auxerrois Semeur the Capital is a little Town lying on the Armancon 14 Leagues North of Autun The Latin Authors call it Sine murum because at first it was not wall'd up At this time it is divided into three Parts whereof the Burough is the biggest The second Part call'd Donjon is seated on a Rock wash'd by the Armaneon defended with thick and high Walls and flank'd with great Towers The third is a round Castle fortified with Towers at 15 Paces from each other This Town is governed by a Mayor and 6 Sheriffs or Eschevins It was taken by Charles of Amboise one of Lewis XI's Generals after the Death of Charles the Rash last Duke of Burgundy Auxois depends for the Spiritual on the Bishop of Autun The other places of note in this Country are Avalon Aballo on the Cousin which had a Castle so strong that the French King Robert could hardly take it within three Months in 1006. It 's still a Seat of Regal Justice 8 Leagues West of Semeur Arnay-le-Duc on the Source of the Arroux near the Borders of Autunois is another Royal Seat of Justice Flavigny Flaviniacum is esteemed to be founded by some Emperour of the Flavian Family Moutier S. Jean has a very fine Castle Noyers Montreal l'Isle-Sous-Montreal Saulieu Mont-S Jean Viteaux Saumaize are of some consideration Of AUXERROIS AVxerreis is situated betwixt Auxois Chpampaign and Nivernois a Country of very little extent but that formerly reached as far as does now the Diocese of Auxerre and comprehended the Country of Puisaye with part of Gastinois and Orleannois Auxerre Autessiodorum is situated on the River Yonne towards the confines of Burgundy 28 Leagues North West of Dijon It has a Bayliwick Presidial Election and a Bishoprick Suffragan of Sens. This City is pretty ancient It 's said that Julian the Apostate did stay here for some time to refresh his Army ann 356. The Age following it was taken and almost ruined by Attila an 451. The French K. Robert took it from Landri Count of Nevers in 1005 but in 1015 he restor'd it to Renald Landri's Son giving him his Daughter Hadwide in Marriage Their posterity enjoy'd it till 1371 that John the IV. Count of Auxerre sold his Estate to the French King Charles the V. Charles the VII was forc'd to yield this County to Philip III. Duke of Burgundy but after the Death of Charles the Rash Lewis XI united it again to the French Crown The Cathedral under the the name of St. Stephen has a very fine Quire and a Tower extraordinary high The Chapter is made up of 56 Canons whereof the Dean is elected by the Chapter all the others being nam'd by the Bishop without excepting the Dignicaries as the Singer the great Archdeacon of Auxerre the Archdeacon of Puisaie the Treasurer the Penitenciary and four Archpriests A Martyr call'd S. Peregrin is accounted the first Bishop of Auxerre but S. Germain who liv'd in the 5th Century is the most famous of all The other Towns of Auxerrois are Crevant upon the Yonne known by the Rout of the Lord High Constable Steward defeated by the English and Burgundians in 1423. Coulaenge-la-Vineuse and Coulange-Sur-Yonne Ouayne Courson Nitry Segnelay a Marquisate Of CHAROLOIS THe County of Charolois lies towards the South of Burgundy between Bourbonnois Briennois Beaujolois Masconois Autunois and Nivernois The Latin Historians of the French name is Cadrellâ—nsis Pagus It had been bought by Charles last Duke of Burgundy from the Counts of Armagnac and was therefore enjoyed by Margaret his Daughter Maximilian of Austria her Husband and the Kings of Spain their Successors till the Peace of Nimeguen in 1678. CHAROLOIS Cadrellae or rather Quadrellae is situated on the River Reconse six Leagues North East of the Loire and eight West of Cgni and 12 South of Autun It has a strong Castle a Collegiate Church and several Monasteries Digoin Digonia with the title of a Barony on the confluence of the Arroux and Loire is the only place mentioned by Latin Authors The others are Paroy-le-Monial Toulon Mont S. Vincent la-Guiche Chaumont and Oye Of BRIENNOIS BRIENNOIS lies between Charolois and Macconnois towards the Frontiers of Beaujâ—lois It is a very small Country whose chief Towns Semeur and Anzi-le-Duc are not considerable Of MASCONNOIS MASCONNOIS lies towards the South-East of the Dutchy of Burgundy betwixt Beaujolois Bresse Chalonnois and Charolois The City of Mascon Matisco Aeduorum is situated on the Saone above 15 Leagues North of Lyons with an Election a Bayliwick and a Bishoprick Suffragan of Lyons It 's a very ancient Town for in Caesar's Time 't was there that the Arrows of the Country were forg'd It hath been often ruined by Barbarians but above all by Attila the Burgundians and Franks but since repair'd by several French Kings It 's now built upon the declining side of a Hill wash'd by the River that is pass'd by a fine Stone-Bridge which joins the Town with the Suburb of S. Lawrence where are 2 stately Towers and pleasant Lanes leading into the Meadows The Cathedral of S. Vincent was formerly dedicated to S. Gervasius and Protasius Besides this Church there is the Chapter or Collegiate Church of S. Peter whose Canons are bound to prove their Nobility in order to their admission There are also the Church of S. Stephen a College of Jesuits and several other Parishes and Monasteries The Presidial of Mascon resorts to that of Lyons and in last instance to the Parliament of Paris Masconnois Matisconensis-Pagus is a fruitful Country especially in excellent Wines It has had particular Counts from Alberie I. in the 10th Century till it was sold to the French K. Lewis IX by Countess Alix in 1238. It keeps its own States separately from those of Burgundy however at the same time There are five Towns wall'd in besides the Cathedral viz. Tornus upon the Saone famous for an ancient