the songs of the Welsh Bards The countrey on all sides is fenny Marishy distinguished into the names of Gedney Moore Sedege Moore Audre Moore Heth Moore Queenes Moore Brent-Marsh strong fastnesses of king Alfred and his English distressed by the warres of the all conquering Danes Ilchester Iscalis of Ptolemy vpon the riuer Evill Crookehorne vpon the river Parret Bridge-water vpon the Parret The arme of the sea below this the confluence of the Parret with another river from the fens of Glastenbury is named Vzella of Ptolemy Taunton vpon the riuer Tone Vpon the Ocean VVatchet Dunster The whole contayneth 42 Hundreds 33 Market-townes 385 Parishes The auncient inhabitants were part of the Belgae of Plolemy afterwards of the West-Saxons DORSET-SHIRE BOunded vpon the North with Somerset-shire aud VViltshire vpon the East with Hantshire vpon the South with the English Channell and vpon the VVest with Devonshire The soile is fruitefull especially Moreland or the valley of white-hart Townes of better note are Shaftsbury vpon the edge of Wiltshire Vpon the Stour Blandford Winburne Vindogladia of Antoninus Vpon Moreland Shirburne sometimes a Bishops See remoued to Sarisbury in the raigne of the Conquerour Vpon the Frome Dorchester Dunium of Ptolemy and Durnovaria of Antoninus the chiefe towne Along the Sea-coast Poole within a spacious Bay vpon a point of land almost encompassed with the sea Beyond the bay lyeth the I le of Purbecke a Peninsula environed on three sides with the Ocean Weymouth and Melcomb devided with the little riuer of Wey a noted Port. Vpon the South hereof standeth Portland sometimes an Iland now joyned to the Continent defended with a castle founded by king Henry the eight commaunding the entrance of the hauen of Weymouth Burtport Lime It contayneth 34. Hundreds 18 Market-townes and 248 Parishes The auncient Inhabitants were the Durotriges of Ptolemy afterwards part of the West-Saxons DEVON-SHIRE BOunded vpon the East with Dorsetshire and Somersetshire vpon the South and North with the English Channell and the Sea of Severne vpon the VVest with the riuer Tamar from Cornwall The countrey is hilly rich in mines of Tin especially towards Cornwall the West and well stored with convenient Ports and harbours for shipping The soile is leane yet made fruitfull thorough the great industrie of the inhabitants enriched by their intermixing of lime or sands fetched from the sea-caost Townes of more note are Axminster vpon the Ax. Honniton vpon the Otterey Vpon the Ex Tiverton Excester Isca of Ptolemy Isca Dunmoniorū of Antoninus the chief town a bishops See remoued hither from Kirton in the raigne of Edward the Confessour Columbton upon the riuer Columb Vpon the Creedy beyond the Ex Kirton an auncient Bishops See founded by Edward surnamed the Elder remoued afterwards to Excester Totnes vpon the Dert Tavestok vpon the Tavy In Dertmore a mountainous fruitles waste vpon the East hereof plenty of Tin is gotten Here also lately haue Loadstones beene found Vpon the Sea-coast and the English channell Plimmouth a famous Port at the fall meetings of the riuers Plim Tamar The haven is large and deepe affording a safe roade for ships in both rivers defended with the strong Iland of S t Michael other fortifications vpon the land Dertmouth a well frequented Port at the mouth of the riuer Dert Beyond is Torbay a spacious inlet of the sea and a commodious harbour At the mouth of the Ax towards Dorsetshire Seton Moridunum of Antoninus memorable onely for the antiquity Towards the Sea of Severne Bediford vpon the riuer Touridge West hereof lyeth Hertland point Promontorium Herculis of Ptolemy Berstaple vpon the Taw navigable here for great vessels a well traded and rich empory The Shire contayneth 33 Hundreds 37 Market-townes and 394 Parishes The auncient inhabitants were the Danmonii of Ptolemy named otherwise the Cornish after the invasion of the English These being driuen out by great Athelstan confined within the riuer of Tamar the West-Saxons succeed in their voide places CORNWAL BOunded vpon the East with the riuer Tamar from Devonshire and vpon all other sides encompassed with the Ocean The countrey is hilly like vnto Devonshire but more barren enriched chiefely by neuer decaying mines of Tin and with fishings and commodities arising from the sea The valleyes notwithstanding afford plenty of grasse corne fatted with sea-sand and a sea-weede which they call Orewood Amongst the minerals Gold and Silver likewise are found as also Diamonds of a large seize angled and polished by nature but yeelding to the Orientall in colour and hardnes The Inhabitants as of Devonshire are strong and well-limmed tall good wrastlers skilfull mariners and braue warriours both by sea land stout vndaunted resolute thorough a more vegetiue quality of the Westerne winde wherevnto they are exposed or by some hidden nature of the heauens or ground Places of more note are Tamerton Tamara of Ptolemy vpon the right shore of the Tamar named from hence More remote from the riuer Stratton Launston vpon the brow of a hill the chiefe town Saint Germans vpon the riuer Liver a meane village sometimes a Bishops See for the Cornish remoued hither from Bodman Lestuthiel Vzella of Ptolemy vpon the Fawey much decayed of late yeares thorough the choaking of the riuer by sand rubbish falling from the Tin-workes a common daunger of all the navigable streames of the countrey Bodman an auncient Bishops See founded by Edward surnamed the Elder Monarch of the English remoued afterwards to S. Germans during the warres and troubles of the Danes and lastly vnited with Kirton in the raigne of Canutus Tregenie Truro Penrin vpon certaine Creekes of the great Bay of Falmouth S t Buriens Nere herevnto is the Promontory named the lands-Lands-end lands- Bolaeum Antivestaeum of Ptolemy the most Westerne point of the kingdome Vpon the shore a long the South sea East and West Loo at the mouth of the riuer thus called Foy a noted Port at the mouth of the riuer Fawey West hereof amongst others of obscurer sort is Falmouth a deepe and spacious Bay before mentioned Cenionis Ostium of Ptolemy reaching for a great space within the land deviding into sundry Creekes and safe Roades for ships defended at the entrance with two Castles or Forts S t Maudits vpon the East and Pendinas vpon the West built by King Henrie the eight Within the Bay stood the towne Voluba of Ptolemy now either extinct or vnknowne called by some other name Further West is the Lizard point the Promontorie of the Danmonij and Ocrinum of Ptolemy the furthest point of the Iland towards the South Pensans within Mounts-bay named thus from S t Michaels-Mount a strong fort vpon a craggie and high rocke at euery Full-sea environed with waters defending the Rode Vpon the North-sea Padstow neere vnto the mouth of the river Alan It contayneth 9
length totally subdued by Edmund Monarch of the Saxons aided by Lewelin king of Dimetia or Southwales and giuen by Edmund vnto Malcolme king of the Scots to be held vnder the sief of the kings of England with condition to defend the Northerne frontire of the English against the Danes and forraine invaders After this time Cumberland and Westmoreland or the countrey hereof for aboue the space of one hundred yeares were possessed by the Scottish Nation whose Praefects as the Scottish writers tearme them or immediate Princes were the eldest sons or next Heires of Scotland By king William surnamed the Conquerour they were taken from the Scots and with the rest of England subjected to the Normans King Stephen ingaged in a dangerous war against Maâ—de the Empresse restored Cumberland to the Scots to be held with the old conditions recouered againe not long after by king Henry the second his successour disliking this liberalitie of Stephen and so great a diminution of his kingdome and incorporated with the Crown of England in which vnion the country hath euer since continued the name language and accompt of the Britons thorough their English and Scottish subjection being long since here worne out and extinguished THE VVELSH BRITONS THese in their natiue language call themselues Câ—mro Cymero and Cymbri as their Latihe Authours Cambri and their countrey Cambria which they would haue to be deriued from Camber one of the sonnes of Brutus their progenitour vnto whose share this part of the Iland should fall in the devision hereof with his brethren a fable begunne by Geffrey or Monmouth and yet maintained by all their Historians Commentatours men otherwise learned and skilfull in antiquities but over zealous to preferre the glory of this their Troian descent The name as before we haue shewed was common to the Britons of Cumberland and to the rest of the nation the words Britons Britaine not being British originally but imposed by the Greekes and forreiners The Etymologie hereof we cannot conjecture vnlesse from Gomar the sonne of Iapheth first peopling these VVesterne parts of Europe and from whom after Iosephus and Zonaras the Gaules were aunciently called Gomarenses and Gomares of which nation the first Britons were a colonie Their name of Welsh or Walsh was Dutch and of a later imposition signifying strangers with the Saxons in which accompt the English still held the Britons They were a more great strong remainder of the vanquished Britons vnder their King Careticus before mentioned driuen ouer the Severne by the victorious Saxons and sheltering themselues amongst the Silures Ordovices and the Mountaines of the VVest The name notwithstanding of the Welsh we finde not vntill afterwards and the yeare 708 at what time we first read in Henry of Huntington of one Gerent King of the Welshmen ouercome in so attaile by Ina the VVest-Saxon some 19 yeares after the decease of Cadwallader and end of the British kingdome The more auncient bounds hereof were vpon the South the sea of Severne by which they were diuided from the Cornish Britons vpon the West the Irish Ocean and vpon the North East the rivers Dee Severne from the Mercian Saxons By the raigne of Offa King of the Mercians succeeding in the yeare 758 all the plaine Country beyond the Severne where now is Herefordshire with parts of Glocestershire Shropshire and Worcestershire being subdued and taken in by the Saxons of Mercia they were wholy shut vp within their Mountaines for their better distinction enclosed by Offa and severed from his English with a wide and deep ditch continued from Basingwerk vpon the Dee betwixt Chester Ruthland in Flintshire along the hills vnto the mouth of the river Wye neere Bristoll whose tract in many places is yet seene and named Claudh Offa in their language or Offa's ditch afterwards the common bound of both nations Others notwithstanding as a more known limit make the river Wye to be the bounds of both Their government after Cadwallader was vnder diverse Lords whom their Histories call Kings Amogst these their Chronicle maketh mention of Edwall Roderique and Conan Tindaethwy descended from Cadwallader and following in a direct line the progenitours of the succeeding Princes Afterwards Roderique surnamed the Great grandchild by his mother vnto Conan Tindaethwy attained to a Monarchy of the whole Wales which about the yeare 870 he deuided into three parts or provinces which limited and distinguished with their meeres he left vnto his three sons with the authority name of Kings Guinedh or Northwales bounded with the Dee the Ocean the riuer Dovi the part of Anarawd his eldest sonne Deheubarth or South-wales lying beyond the riuer Dovi Powys extended vpon the East toward England the portions of Codelh and Mervin his two yonger sonnes These likewise subdeviding their estates amongst their numerous issue as did continually their successours after them for such was then the bad custome of the Welsh the countrey againe became shared amongst many petty Lords each sonne hauing a part of his fathers inheritance whereof some notwithstanding the eldest sonne most commonly or who otherwise overtopped the rest in power or favour with the people still bore the titles of their generall divisions knowne in their histories by the names of Kings of North and South-Wales and Lords of Powys continuing those stiles vntill towards their subiection to the English Amongst these likewise one was still accompted soveraigne or chiefe Lord to whom the rest were to pay tribute and to doe seruice which honour by the order of Roderique the great and of Howell Dha their lawgiuer was due vnto the succession of Anarawd before mentioned the Kings of Northwales the first borne or chiefe of the house of Cadwallader These their soueraigne lords are named kings in the Welsh historie vnto Owen surnamed Guyneth succeeding about the yeare 1137 who first is called Prince which title is continued vntill the time of Edward the first King of England to Lâ—evelyn their last prince taken vp since by the heires of the house of England By Egbert the great Saxon Monarch the nation is first made subject to the tribute and homage of the English ruled neuerthelesse after their owne lawes and free from forreine yoake vntill the Kings of England of the Norman race By Bernard de Neumarck a Norman gentleman assisted by the Aubryes and other of the French English nobility in the raigne of William Rufus king of England Brechiniauc now Brecknockshire after a long and hard warre is wrested herefrom and annexed to the English Empire By Robert Fitz-hamon in the same raigne Morganwc now Glomorganshire By Arnulph of Mountgomerie and Girald of Winsore his successour in the warre in the raigne of King Henry the first the Country of Dyvet now Pembrokeshire at what time a colonie of the Flemmings whose countrie had beene drowned by the Ocean by the permission hereof were planted in Ros a part of Dyvet continuing
of Northumberland vpon the West with the Scots and vpon the East and North with the German and Northerne Oceans The kingdome of the Northumbrians after their last Ethelred and the yeare 794 becomming extinct or miserably languishing through a 33 yeares ciuill dissention and the invasion of the Danes by the advantage hereof they enlarged their bounds Southwards as farre as the river Tweed gotten from the English The contayned a little before their finall ouerthrow by the Scots the Countryes now of Tividale Tweedale Merch Lauden Fife Cuningham Merne Anguish Straith-ern and Marre with others or the whole Easterne part of the present Scotland from the Tweede Northwards By the Scots vnder their King Kenneth after a fierce and bloody warre about the yeare 830 they were totally subdued and their name and memory quite rooted out their countrey hauing beene since added to the accompt and name of Scotland Their language most probably was the British Beda maketh it distinct herefrom and one of the fower generall of the Iland But whom the more iudicious interpret not of languages but of Dialects That the Dialect and many words hereof should in Beda his time be much different from those of the Cornish or Welsh Britons their long disvnion through the comming betwixt of the Northumbrian Saxons and the ancient subiection and commerce of the other with the Romans must necessarily enforce Their government was vnder Kings Their order and succession we finde not Their last was Druskenus slaine with the extirpation of the whole Nation by Kenneth and the Scots THE SCOTS THE Scots after Giraldus Cambrensis were a Colony of the neighbouring Irish. Orosius liuing in the raigne of the Emperour Honorius calleth the many people in his time inhabiting Ireland by the generall name of the Scots The like doth Beda in the first booke of his Ecclesiasticall story of the English and first Chapter Eginhartus in his life of the Emperour Charles the Great nameth Ireland an Iland of the Scots Isidore more plainly maketh Ireland and Scotland onely to be two different names of one and the same Iland distinct from Britaine Gildas more to our purpose tearmeth the Scots then inhabiting Britaine and infesting the Natiues with their dayly forragings Irish grassatores or free-booters That the Scots originally were Irish besides these authorities the present language habit and barbarous manners of the High-landers or Westerne Scots agreeing with the present Irish doe plainly demonstrate The Scots in Ireland Ptolemy and the auncient Geographers mention not The name doubtlesse was new affected vpon some accident which we know not giuen vnto or taken vp by the Irish towards the waine of the Romane Empire in that manner as were about the same times those of the Picts Almans French Sclaues with others by the Britons Germans Sarmatians leauing their former old names and vniting into these common Concerning the Etymologie hereof learned Camden after much search professeth himselfe to be ignorant Porphyrius is the first of ancient Authours in whom we finde the Scots mentioned liuing in the time of the Emperour Aurelian and as he is cited vpon an other occasion by S. Hierome in his Tract against the Pelagians ad Ctesiphontem In auncient and approued Histories we first reade of them with the Picts with whom they are still joyned in the raignes of the Emperours Constantius the second Honorius and the first and third Valentinians Their mention after this is common vnto this present The time of their first plantation in Britaine is vncertaine In the 20 26 and 27 bookes of Ammianus Marcellinus wee heare of them ransacking and spoyling the Roman Province but from what parts my Authour setteth not downe whether from Caledonia and the Northerne parts of Britaine or rather from Ireland which is more probable Claudian in his second booke de laudibus Stiliconis relateth of them attempting vpon the Continent hereof from Ireland and stopped and driuen home by Stilico where also hee accompteth them amongst the neighbouring Nations infesting Britaine which maketh it almost manifest that in the beginning of the raigne of Honorius vnder whom Stilico then serued they had not yet arriued here or set firme footing Shortly afterward notwithstanding before the intrusion of the Saxons we find them in Beda with the Picts possessing the Northerne part of Britaine invading from hence the Province and the Britons being vnable to withstand them twice ouercome and beaten off by fresh Roman supplies sent from Honorius and Valentinian the third From these proofes wee strongly conjecture their first descent hither and fixed dwelling to haue hapned towards the latter end of the raigne of the Emperour Honorius The part here they first tooke vp was the Westerne moity of Caledonia formerly inhabited by the Picts bounding vpon the East with this Nation and vpon the South with the Roman Province from the which they were diuided by the Glota now the Frith of Dunbriton which they held without any sensible addition till after the time of Beda After the yeare 794 and the decease of King Ethelred before mentioned through the advantage of a long ciuill dissention amongst the Saxons of Northumberland of the Danish wars which together hapned they got seazed of the parts lying betwixt the Friths of Solway Dunbriton belonging aunciently to the Northumbrian kingdome of Bernicia They contained by that time the present Countries of Carict Galloway Cantire Argile Braid-Albin Lorn Rosse with others or the whole Westerne part of the present Scotland from Solway Frith coasting Northwards along the Irish Ocean King Kenneth the second about the yeare 830 the Picts being subdued enlarged the Dominion hereof and the name and accompt of Scotland Eastward vnto the German Ocean extended by this meanes ouer the whole Northerne part of the Iland and seuered from England by the Frith of Solway and the River Tweede the more certaine bounds euer after betwixt the two kingdomes Malcolme the first about the yeare 946 added Cumberland and Westmoreland parts of England to the Dominion of the Scottish Kings by the gift of Edmund King of England to bee held vnder the fief of the English Monarches recouered by Henry the second and incorporated with the English Crowne Their government was Monarchicall yet where more aunciently not alwayes the next of bloud but the ripest in yeares and the most fit to rule of the kingly Race succeeded Kenneth the third succeeding about the yeare 976 by the consent of the States made the Kingdome first haereditary and to descend vnto the next ofkin confirmed by his son Malcolme the second and continued vnto our times Their first King after the Scottish Historians was Fergusius the son of Ferchard an Irish Scot chosen by the Nation shortly after their arrivall in Britaine about the yeare 330 before Christs Incarnation succeeded vnto by Ferithariâ— Mainus Dornadilla Nothatus Reutherus Reutha Thereus Iosina Finnanus Durstus Evenus the first Gillus Evenus the second Ederus Evenus the third
Switzers parts of the auncient French kingdome of Burgundy The vniting of the Dukedome of Burgundy on this side of the Soasne and of Daulphiny Lionois and Provençe to the kingdome of West-France and of the rest to the German Empire The Earledomes of Flanders and Artois parts sometimes of the kingdome of VVest-France Their division herefrom and vnion with the Netherlands and house of Burgundy The kingdome of France The present limits and extent of France occasioned thorough so many rents and divisions The Etymology or reason of the present names of the countries of France THE MOVNTAINES OF GAVLE OR FRANCE THe Land-markes whereof we will make vse in the discourse following are the Mountaines and Rivers hereof The Mountaines whereof there is made any mention by auncient authours were the Gebenna Iura and Vogesus The Gebenna named thus by Caesar was the same with the Mountaines Cemmeni of Ptolemy Caesar maketh them to part the Auverni from the Helvij or as Merula interpreteth the countrey of Auvergne from Vivaretz They are put by Rubys to be the mountaines of Givaudan and Auvergne Iura was that long mountainous ridge which divideth now the Free County of Burgundy from Savoy and Switzerland or as in Caesar the Sequani from the Helvetij It lyeth wholy out of France in the parts of Gaule belonging vnto Germany and the Empire beginning at the confines of the countrey of Basil not far from the Rhiin ouer against the towne of Waldshut and continuing from thence South-west by the Northern shores of the lakes Bieler se Nuwenburger se and Lemane and ending a litle short of the riuer Rhosne It is now called by diverse names towards the beginning and neere vnto the auncient castle of Habspurg Botsberg betwiâ—t the river Soasne and Forspurg Schaffmat betwixt Olten and the Leiftenantship of Humberg Nider-Hauwestein afterwards Ober-Hawestein further West Wasser-fal then Iurten by the inhabitants of Savoy after this and to the end le Mont. S. Claude Vogesus was that which nowe incircling Lorraine divideth it vpon the East and South from Elsats and the Free Countie of Burgundy It lyeth likewise wholy without the limits of moderne France in the parts appertayning to the Empire and is now saith Merula amongst other names called le Mont de Faucilles THE RIVERS THe more great and noted riuers hereof having enter course with the Ocean and which are the maine channels and receptacles of the other are the Rhosne Garonne Loyre Seyne Scheldt and the Meuse The Rhosne springeth out of the Mountaine called by the Dutch Die Furcken being part of the Alpes Lepontiae the head thereof being distant about two Dutch miles from the spring of the neerer branch of the Rhiin With a swift headlong streame hastning thorough Wallislandt and the Lake Lemane after having visited the cities of Sion Geneve Lions Vienne Avignon and Arles it falleth with six channels into the Mediterranean sea The more noted rivers emptied hereinto are the Soasne arising out of the Mountaine Vauge not farre from the springs of the Meuse and Moselle and by the townes of Chalâ—n Mascon with an imperceptible still course flowing hereinto at Lions the Isere and Durance sourcing out of the Alpes The Garonne hath its head in the Pyrenaean Mountaines neere vnto a towne named Catalup After hauing passed by the great cities of Tholouse and Bourdeaux betwixt Xaintogne and the countrie of Medoc in Guienne it is disburdened into the Aquitanique Ocean The part hereof intercepted betwixt the Ocean and the towne of Libourne or its meeting with the Dordonne is called the Gironne Greater riuers falling hereinto are the Dordonne springing out of the Mountaine d'Or in Auvergne Loth Tarn and Gers. The Loire ariseth in the hilly countrey of Velay the place where it springeth being called le Font de Leyre that is the head of the Loire After a long and pleasant course by the cities of Orleans Bloise Amboise Tours and Nantes below this towne it is receyved into the Westerne Ocean Chiefer riuers emptying herein are the Allier springing in Auvergne neere vnto the towne of Clermont Cher Vienne and the Maine The Seine hath its head in the Dukedome of Burgundie Taking its course by the cities of Paris and Roan at New-haven in Normandy it falleth into the British Ocean Chiefer rivers receiued hereinto are the Oyse out of Picardie taken in at Poissy and the Marne at Pont-Charenton nere to Paris streaming from the Vauge nere Langres The Scheldt ariseth in Vermandois By the cities Cambray Valencienes Tournay Gaunt and Antwerp it is disburdened into the German Ocean by two channels that vpon the right hand dividing Zealandt carryed into the sea betwixt the Iland Walcheren and Schouwen the other by the name of the Honte parting Zealandt from the continent of Flanders and flowing into the Ocean betwixt Walcheren and the town of Sluys More noted riuers emptying hereinto are the Sambre and the Hayne watring and dividing Hainault and occasioning the name of that country The Meuse or Maes springeth out of the Mountaine Vauge in the confines of Lorraine and of the Free Countrey of Burgundie neere vnto the Monasterie la Voiage in Lorraine By the more noted townes and cities of Namur Luick Maestricht Venlo Grave Buchoven Dort Rotterdam Vlardring and Brill betwixt this towne and Graue-sand in the maine land of Hollandt after hauing receiued in the Wael and Leck two principall branches of the Rhijn it is disburdened into the German Ocean The part hereof from Buchoven vnto below Worcum is called De Nieuwe Maes or the New Maes for a distinction from the old channell derived aunciently from Buchoven by the sluces now called Meedickse Maes and D'oude Maes and by the townes of Huesden and S. Gertrudenberg afterwards thorough the drowned lands neere vnto Dort then betwixt the two Ilands of Vorn after this betwixt the Iland Corendick and the towns Bleynckuliet in the more Northerne Vorn lastly thorough the maine of this Iland at a towne not farre from Brill named Geeruliet carryed into the Ocean The new Chanell or Maes from Worcum by Dort and Rotterdam vnto Vlardring is promiscuously called by the names of the Niewe Maes and of the Merwe from a castle so named whose ruines are yet seene in the drowned land neere Dort Beyond Vlardring it againe assumeth its former name of the Maes which it continueth vnto the Ocean THE AVNCIENT NAME OF FRANCE THE more auncient name of this country was Gallia or Gaule being so called from the milkie whitenesse of the people compared to the Greekes and Romans the first imposers For the better clearing heereof wee are to distinguish of a twofold Gallia Cisalpina or Gaule on this side of the Alpes and Transalpina or Gaule beyond the Alpes for so were those parts named by the Romans in regard of such their situations towards Italy the seate of their Empire GAVLE CIS-ALPINA GAule Cisalpina was
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