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A43514 Cosmographie in four bookes : containing the chorographie and historie of the whole vvorld, and all the principall kingdomes, provinces, seas and isles thereof / by Peter Heylyn.; Microcosmus Heylyn, Peter, 1600-1662. 1652 (1652) Wing H1689; ESTC R5447 2,118,505 1,140

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time to come and the next year were again warred on by their King with more heat than formerly 18. Harslew or Honslew as some call it of little notice at the present because not capable of any great shipping nor useful in the way of Trade but famous notwithstanding in our English Stories as the first Town which that victorious Prince K. Henry the 5. attempted and took in in France 19. Cherburg the Latines call it Caesaris Burgum on the Sea side also the last Town which the English held in the Dukedom of Normandie belonging properly and naturally to the Earls of Eureux advanced unto the Crown of Navarre but being gar●isoned by the English for King Henry the 6th it held out a siedge of seven moneths against the forces of France Here are also in this Dukedom the Towns of 20 Tankerville and ●1 Ewe which have given the title of Earls to the Noble Families of the Greyes and Bourchiers in England as also those of 22 Harcourt 23 L●ngueville and 24 Aumal which have given the title of Duke and Earl to some of the best Houses in France There belonged also to this Dukedom but rather as subject to the Dukes of Normandie than part of Normandie it self the Countie of PERCH situate betwixt it and the Province of La Beausse of which now reckoned for a part It gave the title of Countess to Eufemia the base Daughter of King Henry the first and was divided into the higher and the lower The chief Towns of it 1. Negent le Rotrou of which little memorable but that it is the principal of Perch Govet or the lower Perch 2. Mortaigne or Moriton of most note in the higher Perch especially for giving the title of an Earl to Iohn the youngest Sonne of King Henry the 2d after King of England as in the times succeeding to the Lord Edmund Beaufort after Duke of Somerset But to return again to the Countrie of Normandie the antient Inhabitants thereof were the Caletes Eburones Lexobii Abrincantes spoken of before the Bello cassi or Venelo cassi about Rover the Salares and Baiocenses about Sees and Bayeux all conquered by the Romans afterwards by the French and the French by the Normans These last a people of the North inhabiting those Countries which now make up the Kingdoms of Denmark Swethland and Norwey united in the name of Normans in regard of their Northernly situation as in our Historie and description of those Kingdoms we shall shew more fully Out of those parts they made their first irruptions about the year 700. when they so ransacked and plagued the maritime Towns of France that it was inserted in the Letany From Plague Pestilence and the furie of the Normans good Lord 〈◊〉 To quiet these people and to secure himself Charles the Simple gave them together with the Soveraigntie of the Earldom of Bretagne a part of Neustria by them since called Normannia Their first Duke was Rollo An. 900. from whom in a direct line the 6th was William the Bastard Conquerour and King of England An. 1067. After this Normandie continued English till the dayes of King John when Philip Augustus seized on all his Estates in France as forfeitures An. 1202. The English then possessing the Dukedoms of Normandie and Aquitaine the Earldoms of Anjou Toureine Maine Poictou and Limosin being in all a far greater and better portion of the Country than the Kings of France themselves possessed The English after this recovered this Dukedom by the valour of King Henry the 5th and having held it 30. years lost it again in the unfortunate Reign of King Henry the sixt the English then distracted with domestick factions After which double Conquest of it from the Crown of England the French distrusting the affections of the Normans and finding them withall a stubborn and untractable people have miserably oppressed them with tolls and taxes keeping them alwaies poor and in low condition insomuch as it may be said of the generalitie of them that they are the most beggerly people that ever had the luck to live in so rich a Countrie But it is time to look on The Dukes of Normandie 912. 1 Rollo of Norway made the first Duke of Normandie by Charles the Simple by whose perswasion baptized and called Robert 917. 2 William surnamed Longespee from the length of his Sword 942. 3 Richard the Sonne of Longespee 980. 4 Richard the II. Sonne of the former 1026. 5 Richard the III. Sonne of Richard the 2d 1028. 6 Robert the Brother of Richard the 3d. 1035. 7 William the base Sonne of Robert subdued the Realm of England from thence called the Conquerour 1093. 8 Robert II. eldest Sonne of William the Conquerour put by the Kingdom of England by his two Brothers William and Henry in hope whereof he had refused the Crown of Hierusalem then newly conquered by the forces of the Christian Princes of the West Outed at last imprisoned and deprived of sight by his Brother Henry he lived a miserable life in the Castle of Cardiff and lieth buried in the Cathedral Church of Glocester 1102. 9 Henry the first King of England 1135. 10 Stephen King of England and D. of Normandie 11 Hen Plantagenet D. of Normandie and after King of England of that name the second 1161. 12 Hen the III. surnamed Court-mantle Sonne of Hen the 2d made D. of Normandie by his Father 1189. 13 Rich IV. surnamed Cure de Lyon King of England and D. of Normandie Sonne of Henry the second 1199. 14 John the Brother of Richard King of England and D. of Normandie outed of his estates in France by King Philip Augustus An. 1202. before whom he was accused of the murder of his Nephew Arthur found dead in the ditches of the Castle of Rowen where he was imprisoned but sentenced causa inaudita for his not appearing After this Normandie still remained united to the Crown of France the title only being borne by Iohn de Valoys afterwards King and Charles the 5th during the life time of his Father til the conquest of it by the valour of K. Hen the 5th A. 1420. which was 218 years after it had been seized on by King Philip Augustus and having been holden by the English but 30 years was lost again An. 1450 in the unfortunat Reign of King Henry the sixt Never since that dismembred from the Crown of France saving that Lewis the 11th the better to content the confederate Princes conferred it in Appennage on his Brother Charles Duke of Berry An. 1465. but within two Moneths after took it from him again and gave him in exchange for it the Dukedom of Guy●nne which lay further off from his Associates What the Revenues of this Dukedom were in former times I can hardly say That they were very fair and great appears by that which is affirmed by Philip de Comines who saith that he had seen raised in Normandie 95000 li. Sterling money which was a vast sum of money in those
Blais and Champagne and by him given together with the Earldom of Blais to Theobald or Thib●uld his Eldest Sonne his second Sonne named Stephen succeeding in Champagne who in the year 1043 was vanquished and slain by Charles Martell Earl of Anjou and this Province seized on by the Victor who afterwards made Tours his ordinarie Seat and Residence Part of which Earldom it continued till the seizure of Anjou and all the rest of the English Provinces in France on the sentence passed upon King Iohn After which time dismembred from it it was conferred on Iohn the fourth Sonne of King Charles the sixth with the stile and title of Duke of Tourein and he deceasing without Issue it was bestowed with the same title on Charles the eldest Sonne of Lewis Duke of Orleans in the life of his Father the same who afterwards suceeding in the Dukedom of Orleans was taken Prisoner by the English at the Battle of Agincourt kept Prisoner 25 years in England and finally was the Father of King Lewis the 12th 3 On the North side of Anjou betwixt it and Normandie lieth the Province of MAINE The chief Towns whereof are 1 Mans Cenomanensium Civitas in Antoninus by Ptolomie called Vindinum seated on the meeting of Huine and Sartre the principall of the Province and a Bishops See most memorable in the elder times for giving the title of an Earl to that famous Rowland the Sisters Sonne of Charlema●gne one of the Twelve Peers of France the Subject of many notable Poems under the name of Orlando Inamorato Orlando Furioso besides many of the old Romances who was Earl of Mans. 2 Mayenne on the banks of a river of the same name Meduana in Latine the title of the second branch of the House of Guise 1 famous for Charles Duke of Mayenne who held out for the L●ague against Henry the 4th A Prince not to be equalled in the Art of War onely unfortunate in employing it in so ill a cause 3 Vitrun upon the edge of Breagne of which little memorable 4 La Val not far from the head of the River Mayenne of note for giving both name and title to the Earls of Laval an antient Familie allied unto the houses of Vendosme Bretagne Anjou and others of the best of France Few else of any note in this Countie which once subsisting of its self under its own naturall Lords and Princes was at last united to the Earldom of Anjou by the mariage of the Lady Guiburge Daughter and Heir of Helie the last Earl hereof to Eoulk Earl of Anjou Anno 1083. or thereabouts the Fortunes of which great Estate it hath alwayes followed But as for Anjou it self the principall part of this goodly Patrimonie it was by Charles the Bald conferred on Robert a Sat●n Prince for his valour shewn against the Normans Anno 870. Which Robert was Father of Eudes King of France Richard Duke of Burgundie and Robert who succeeded in the Earldom of Anjou Competitor with Charles the Simple for the Crown it self as the next Heir to his Brother Eudes who died King thereof Slain in the pursute of this great quarrell he left this Earldom with the title of Earl of Paris and his pretensions to the Crown unto Hugh his Sonne surnamed the Great who to make good his claim to the Crown against Lewis the 4th Sonne of Charles the Simple conferred the Earldom of Anjou and the Countrie of Gastinois on Geofrie surnamed Ghrysogonelle a renowned Warriour and a great stickler in his cause in whose race it continued neer 300 years How the two Counties of Main and Tourein were joyned to it hath been shewn before Geofrie the Sonne of Foulk the 3d maried Maude Daughter to Henry the first of England and Widow of Henry the 4th Emperour from whom proceeded Henry the second King of England and Earl of Anjou But Iohn his Sonne forfeiting his Estates in France as the French pretended Anjou returned unto the Crown and afterwards was conferred by King Lewis the 9th on his Brother Charles who in right of Beatrix his Wife was Earl of Provence and by Pope Urban the 4th was made King of Naples and Sicilie Afterwards it was made a Dukedom by King Charles the fifth in the person of Lewis of France his second Brother to whom this fair Estate was given as second Sonne of King Iohn of France the Sonne of Ph●lip de Valois and consequently the next Heir to Charles de Valois the last Earl hereof the King his Brother yeelding up all his right unto him Finally it returned again unto the Crown in the time of Lewis the 11th The Earls and Dukes hereof having been vested with the Diadems of severall Countries follow in this Order The Earls of Anjou of the Line of Saxonie 870. 1 Robert of Saxonie the first Earl of Anjou 875. 2 Robert II. Competitour for the Crown of France with Charles the Simple as Brother of Eudes the last King 922. 3 Hugh the great Lord of Gasti●ois Earl of Paris Constable of France and Father of Hugh Capet 926. 4 Geofrie ●hrysogonelle by the Donation of Hugh the great whose partie he had followed in the War of France with great fidelitie and courage 938. 5 Foulk Earl of Anjou the Sonne of Geofrie 987. 6 Geofrie II. surnamed Martell for his great valour 1047. 7 Geofrie III. Nephew of Geofrie 2. by one of his Sisters 1075. 8 Foulk II. Brother of Geofrie 3. gave Gastinois which was his proper inheritance to King Philip the first that by his help he might recover the Earldom of Anjou from his part wherein he was excluded by his Brother Geofrie 1080. 9 Geofrie IV. Sonne of Foulk 2. 1083. 10 Foulk III. Brother of Geofrie King of Hierusalem in the right of Melisend his Wife 1143. 11 Geofrie● V. surnamed Plantagenet 1150. 12 Henry the II. King of England Sonne of Earl Geofrie and Maud his Wife Daughter of King Henry the first 1162 13 Geofrie VI. third Son of King Henry the 2d made Earl of Anjou on his mariage with Constance the Heir of Bretagne 1186. 14 Arthur Sonne of Geofrie and Constance 1202. 15 Iohn King of England succeeded on the death of Arthur dispossed of his Estates in France by Philip Augustus immediately on the death of Arthur Earls and Dukes of Anjou of the Line of France 1262. 1 Charles Brother of King Lewis the 9th Earl of Anjou and Provence King of Naples and Sicilia c. 1315. 2 Charles of Valois Sonne of Philip the 3d Earl of Anjou in right of his Wife Neece of the former Charles by his Sonne and Heir of the same name the Father of Philip de Valois French King 1318. 3 Lewis of Valois the second Sonne of Charles died without Issue Anno 1325. 1376. 4 Lewis of France the 2d Sonne of King Iohn the Sonne of Philip de Valois created the first Duke of Anjou by King Charles his Brother and adopted by Queen Ioan of Naples King of Naples Sicil and
in the North-west towards Xantoigne the seat of the Eugolismenses in the time of the Romans now a Bishops See seated upon the River of Charente with which it is almost encompassed the other side being defended by a steep and rocky mountain A Town of great importance when possessed by the English being one of their best out-works for defence of Bourdeaux one of the Gates hereof being to this day called Chande seems to have been the work of Sir Iohn Chando●s Banneret one of the first Founders of the most noble Order of the Garter then Governour hereof for King Edward the third Being recovered from the English by Charles the fifth it was bestowed on Iohn the third Sonne of Lewis Duke of Orleans Grandfather of King Francis the first with the title of an Earldom onely Anno 1408. Afterwards made a Dukedom in the person of the said King Francis before his comming to the Crown And for the greater honour of it as much of the adjoyning Countrie was laid unto it as maketh up a Territorie of about 24 French Leagues in length and 15 in bredth Within which circuit are the Towns of Chasteau-net●f and Coignac on the River of Charente 3 Roche Faulcon 4 Chabannes 5 Meriville 6 Villebois c. Since that united to the Crown it hath of late times given the title of Duke to Charles Earl of Auvergne Anno 1618. The Base Sonne of Charles the ninth consequently extracted from the house of Angolesme 3 QUERCU is encompassed about with Limosin Perigort Languedoc and Auvergne A populous Countrie for the bigness being one of the least in all France and very fruitfull withall though somewhat mountainous The principall places in it 1 Cahors the chief Citie of the Cadurc● in the times of the Romans still a great strong and well traded Town and the See of a Bishop who is also the Tem●orall Lord of it seated upon the River Loch From hence descended and took name the noble Family of Chaworth De Cadurcis in Latine out of which by a Daughter of Patrick de Cadurcis Lord of Ogmore and Kidwelly in the Marches of Wales maried to Henry the third Earl of Lancaster come the Kings of England and most of the Royall houses in Europe 2 Montalban a Bishops See also built on the top of an high mountain and so well fortified by all advantages of Art that it is thought to be the most defensible of any in France of which it gave sufficient proof in that notable resistance which it made to King Lewis the thirteenth in his Wars against those of the Religion Anno 1622. 3 Soulac upon the River Dordonne 4 Nigrepellisse another of the Towns possessed by the Protestant party reduced to the obedience of King Lewis the thirteenth Anno 1621. but in Novemb. following they murdered the Kings Garrison and the next yeer denied admission to the King Taken at last Anno 1622. by the King in person the punishment did exceed the Crime For the men were not only killed and hanged as they had deserved but many of the women also some of them having their secret parts rammed with Gun-powder and so torn in peeces by the unpattern'd Barbarism of the merciless and revengefull Souldiers 5 Chasteau-Sarasin a strong Town on the Garond 6 Nazaret 7 Burette c. The antient Inhabitants of these 3 Provinces were the Lemovices the Petrocorii and the Cadurci before-mentioned of which the Lemovices and Cadurci were cast into the Province of Aquitania Prima the Petrocorii and Engolismenses into Aquitania Secunda In the declining of that Empire seized on by the Gothes but from them speedily extorted by the conquering French Afterwards when King Henry the third of England released his right in the Provinces of Normandy Poictou Anjou Tourein and Maine Lewis the ninth to whom this release was made gave him in satisfaction of all former interesses 300000 l. of Anjovin money the Dukedom of Guienne the Countie of Xaintoigne as far as to the River of Charent with the Province of Limosin And on the Capitulations made betwixt Edward the third of England and John of France then Prisoner to him Perigort and Quenou amongst other conditions were consigned over to the English discharged of all Resort and Homage to the Crown of France After which times respectively they remained all three in the possession of the English untill their finall expulsion by King Charles the seventh never since that dismembred from the Crown thereof 14 AQUITAIN THe Dukedom of AQUITAIN the greatest and goodliest of all France contained the Provinces of Xaintogne 2 Guienne 3 Gascoigne with the Isles of Oleron and Rees and other Islands in the Aquitainick or Western Ocean 1 XAINTOIGNE is bounded on the East with Limosin and Perigort on the West with the Aquita●ick Ocean on the North with Poictou and on the South with Guienne So called from Sainctes one of the Principall Cities of it as that from the Santones a Nation here inhabiting in the time of the Romans whose chief Citie it was The River of Charente running thorow the middle of it and so on the North border of it emptieth it self into the Ocean just opposite to the Isle of Oleron having first taken in the Seugne and the Boutonne two lesser Rivers The chief Towns of it are 1 Sainctes by Ptolomie called Mediolanum by Antonine Civitas Santonum seated upon the Charente a Bishops See and the Seneschalsie for the Countrie 2 S. John d' Angelie situate on the Boutonne a Town impregnably fortified whereof it hath given sufficient testimonie in the Civill Wars of France about Religion 3 Marans a little port but in a marishy and inconvenient situation 4 Bourg sur la mer upon the Dordonne which for the wideness of it is here called a Sea 5 Retraicte seated near the confluence of the two great Rivers the Garond and the Dordonne 6 Blaye the most Southern Town of all this Countrie defended with a strong Castle and a good Garrison for securing the passage unto Bourdeaux this Town being seated on the very mouth of the River which goeth up to it 7 Rochell Rupella in the present Latine but antiently called Santonum Portus as the chief Haven of the Santones a well noted Port in the most northern part of Xaintoigne from whence the Countrie hereabouts is called RO●HELOIS The Town seated in the inner part of a fair and capacious Bay the entrance of which is well assured by two very strong Forts betwixt which there is no more space than for the passage of a good ship every night closed up with a massie Chain and the whole Town either environed with deep marishes or fortified with such Bulwarks trenches and other works of modern Fortification that it was held to be as indeed it was the safest retreat for those of the Reformed Religion in the time of their troubles as may be seen by the storie of it which in brief is thus At the end of the second Civill Wars Anno 1568. Many
with Catharine Daughter and sole Heir of Gaston Sonne of Gaston Earl of Foix and of Leanora Princess of Navarre added to his Estate the Signeuries of Bearn Foix and Begorre And Henry of Albret his Sonne by marying the Lady Margaret Sister of King Francis the first united to it those of Armaignac and Comminges By Iean the Daughter of this Henry the whole Estate was brought to Antonie of Bourbon Duke of Vendosme and Father to King Henry the 4th becoming so united to the Crown of Frauce from which it was at first dismembred The Arms of these Earles were Quarterly 1 France 2 Gules a Border ingrailed Arg The 3d c. 7 As for the Countrie of AGENOIS the last part of Gascoigne it never had other Lords after it left off to be French than the Dukes of Aquitaine The principall Cities of it 1 Agen a rich populous and well-traded Town seated on the Garonne in a fruitfull Countrie A Bishops See a Seneschalsie and held to be the fairest in Gascoigne 2 Condon a Bishops See also from which the parts adjoyning are called Condonnois 3 Villeneufne 4 Claerac 5 Marmand 6 Foy c. Thus having took a brief view of those severall members which made up the great bodie of the Dukedom of Aquitaine let us next look on the Estate of the whole thus brought together which in the declination of the Roman Empire was given unto the Gothes before possessed of all Gallia Narbonensis by Valentinian the 3d as a reward for their service in driving the Alani out of Spain Long the Gothes had not held it when they were outed of it by Clovis the fifth King of the French continuing under his Successors till Ludovicus Pius made it a Kingdom and gave it unto Pepin his youngest Sonne But Charles and Pepin the Sonnes of this Pepin being dispossessed by Charles the Bald it was by him conferred on Arnulph of the house of Burgundie for his many good services against the Normans Anno 844. Whose Successors take here in this order following The Dukes of Aquitaine 844. 1 Ranulph of Burgundy first Duke of Aquitaine 875 2 William Earl of Auvergne Nephew of Ranulph 902. 3 Ebles Earl of Poictou succeeded in Aquitaine and Auvergne by the Will and Testament of Duke William 911. 4 Ebles II. Sonne of Ebles the first 935. 5 W●lliam II. the Sonne of Ebles the second 970. 6 William III. Sonne of William the second 1019. 7 Guy the Sonne of William the third 1021. 8 William IV. Sonne of Guy 1086. 9 William V. Sonne of William the fourth 1156. 10 Lewis the seventh of France in right of Eleanor his Wife sole Heir of William the fifth 1152 11 Henry Duke of Normandie and Earl of Anjou c. in right of Elea●or his Wife divorced from Lewis on pretence of some consanguinity after King of England 1169. 12 Richard King of England the Sonne of Henry 1199. 13 Iohn King of England the Brother of Richard who forfeiting his estates in France on a judiciall sentence pronounced against him for the supposed murther of his Nephew Arthur Duke of Bretagne Aquitaine and the rest of the English Provinces were seized on by the French Anno 1202. But notwithstanding this Arrest the English still continued their pretensions to it till at the last it was agreed betwixt King Lewis the 9th of France and Henry the 3d of England Anno 1259. That the English should rest satisfied with Guienne the bounds whereof were to be the Pyrenees on the South and the River of Charente on the North comprehending therein also the Countrie of Limosin and that on his investiture into this estate he should relinquish all his rights in Normandy Aujou Tourein Ma●●e In consideration whereof he should have 150000 Crowns in readie money On this accord the Kings of England became Homagers to the Crown of Fra●ce which sometimes they omitted sometimes did it by Proxie but never in person till Philip de ●alo●s required it of K. Edw. the third and because such duties are not personally done by Soveraign Princes Du Serres shall describe the formality of it The place designed for this exploit was the Church of Amiens to which Edward came saith he with such a Train as was entended rather to the honour of himself than the French King Royally attired he was with a long Robe of Crimson Velv●t powdred with Leopards of Gold his Crown upon his head his Sword by his side and Golden spurres upon his heels Philip attended by the chief Officers of the Realm sat upon his Throne apparelled in a long robe of purple Velvet powdred with Flower de Lyces of Gold his Crown upon his head and the Scepter in his hand Vicount Melun the great Chamberlain of France commanded Edward to take off his Crown sword and spurres and to kneel down which he did accordingly Then taking both his hands and joyning them together he said unto him You become a Liege man to the King my Master who is here present as Duke of Guienne aud Peer of France and promise to be faithfull and loyall to him say yea and Edward said yea and arose But the Historian notes withall that Philip paid dearly for this Pageant the young King never forgetting the indignity which was put upon him till he had made France a field of blood And here it is to be observed that though the Kings of England by this new investiture were entituled Dukes of G●ienne onely yet they had all the power and privileges of Dukes of Aquitaine excepting the homage of the great Lords and Earls of Gascoigne which formerly belonged unto them Insomuch as Richa●d the second though Duke of Guienne onely in stile and title invested his Vncle John of Gaunt in that brave estate under the stile and title of Duke of Aquitaine summoned to Parliament by that name by the said King Richard From this Accord betwixt the Kings the English had posession of the Dukedom of Guienne according to the order of their Successions from the 40th of King Henry the third Anno 1259 to the 29th of King Henry the sixth Anno 1452 the intercalation of John of Gaunt excepted onely when outed of all their old rights in France rather by the good fortnne than by the valour of Charles the seventh the English then divided in Domestick Factions and not at leisure to look after the affairs of France Nor doe I find that Guienne beeing thus recovered was ever dismembred from that Crown but when King Lewis the 11th assigned it over to his Brother the Duke of Berry to take him off from joyning with the Dukes of Bretagne and Burgundie in a new ●onfederacy who held it but two years and died the last Duke of Guienne The Arms of this Dukedom were Gules a Leopard or Lyon Or which joyned to the two Lyons of Normandy make the Arms of England 13 LANGUEDOC LANGUEDOC is bounded with the Pyrenaean hils the Land of Ro●sillon and the Mediterranean on the South on the North
are 1 La Butte du Mont. 2 St. John de Mons 3 St. Hilarie 4 St. Martins the largest and strongest of them all from whence the whole Island hath sometimes been called St. Martins After the taking of this Town by Lewis the 13th Anno 1622. The Duke of Soubize then commanding in it for those of Rochell it was very well fortified and since made unfortunately famous for the defeat of the English Forces under the command of George Duke of Buckingham sent thither to recover the Town and Island on the instigation of Soubize who before had lost it Anno 1627. 3 IARSEY by Antonine called Caesarea is situate about ten miles from the Coast of Normandie within the view and prospect of the Church of Constance part of which Diocese it was in length conteining 11 miles 6 in bredth and in circuit about 33. It is generally very fruitfull of Corn whereof they have not onely enough for themselves but some over-plus to barter at St. Malos with the Spanish Merchants and of an Air not very much disposed to diseases unless it be an Ague in the end of Harvest which they call Les Settembers The Countrie stands much upon inclosures the hedges of the grounds well stored with Apples and those Apples making store of Sider which is their ordinary drink watered with many pleasant rivulets and good store of Fish-ponds yeelding a Carp for tast and largeness inferiour unto none in Europe except those of G●rnsey which generally are somewhat bigger but not better relished The people for the most part more inclinable to husbandrie than to trades or merchandise and therein differing very much from those of Gernsey who are more for merchandize than tillage It containeth in it 12 Parishes or Villages having Churches in them besides the Mansions of the Sergneurs and chief men of the Countrie The principall is St. H●laries where is the Cohu or Court of Iustice for all the Iland It is about the bigness of an ordinary market Town in England situate on the edge of a little Bay fortified on the one side with a small Block-house called Mount St. Aubin but on that side which is next the Town with a very strong Castle called Fort Elizabeth situate upon craggie Rocks and encompassed with two arms of the Sea so named from Qu. Elizabeth who built it to assure the Island against the French and furnished it with 30 peece of Ordnance and all other necessaries There is also on the East side opposite to the Citie of Constance high mounted on steep and craggie Rocks the strong Castle of Mont-Orgueil of great Antiquity repaired by King Henry the fifth now furnished with 40 peece of Cannon and made the ordinarie residence of the Governours for the Kings of England 4 On the North-west of Iarsey lieth the Iland of GERNSEY called Sarnia by Antoninus in form Triangular each side of nine miles in length The Countrie of as rich a soyl as the other of Ia●sey but not so well cultivated and manured the poorer people here being more given to manufactures especially to the knitting of Stockins and Wast-coats and the rich to merchandize many of which are Masters of good stout Barks with which they traffick into England and other places The whole Island conteining ten Villages with Churches the Principall of which St. Peters Port a very neat and well-built Town with a safe Peer for the benefit of Merchants and the securing of the Haven capable of handsom Barks a Market Town beautified with a very fair Church and honoured with the Plaiderie or Court of Iust●ce Opposite whereto in a little Islet standeth the Castle of Cornet taking up the whole circuit and dimensions of it environed on all sides with the Sea having one entrance onely and that very narrow well fortified with works of Art and furnished with no less than 80 peeces of Ordnance for defence of the Island but chiefly to command the adjoyning Harbour capable of 500 as good ships as any sail on the Ocean A peece of great importance to the Realm of England and might prove utterly destructive of the trade hereof if in the hands of any Nation that were strong in shipping For that cause made the Ordinarie Seat of the English Governours though of late times not so much honoured with the presence of those Governours as a place of that Consequence ought to be Pertaining unto Gernsey are two little Islets the one called let-how the Governours Park wherein are some few Fallow Deer and good plentie of Conies the other named Arme some three miles in compass a dwelling heretofore of Franciscan Friers now not inhabited but by Phesants of which amongst the shrubs and bushes there is very good store 5 ALDERNEY by Antonine called Arica by the French Aurigni and Aurney is situate over against the Cape of the Lexobii in the Dukedom of Normandie which the Mariners at this day call the Hagge distant from which but six miles onely Besides many dwelling houses scattered up and down there is one pretty Town or Village of the same name with the Iland consisting of about an hundred Families and having not far off an Harbour made in the fashion of a Semi-Circle which they call La Crabbie The whole about 8 miles in compass of very difficult access by reason of the high rocks and precipices which encompass it on every side and with a small force easily defensible if thought worth attempting 6 And so is also SARK the adjoyning Iland being in compass six miles not known by any speciall name unto the Antients and to say truth not peopled till the fift year of Queen Elizabeth who then granted it in Fee-farm to Helier de Carteret the ●igneur of St. Oen in the Isle of Iarsey who from thence planted it and made Estates out of it to severall Occupants so that it may contain now about 50 Housholds Before which time it served only for a Common or Beasts-pasture to those of Gernsey save that there was an Hermitage and a little Chappel for the use of such as the solitariness of the place invited to those retirements These two last Ilands are subject to the Governour of Gernsey all four to the Crown of England holden in right of the Dukedom of Normandie to which they antiently belonged and of which now the sole remainders in the power of the English Attempted often by the French the two first I mean since they seized on Normandie but alwayes with repulse and loss the people being very affectionate to the English Government under which they enjoy very ample Privileges which from the French they could not hope for Their Language is the Norman-French though the better sort of them speak the English also their Law the Grand Customaire of Normandie attempered and applied to the use of this people in their sutes and business by the Bailifs and Chief Iusticiers of the two chief Ilands Their Religion for the main is that of the Reformed Churches the Government in
having in vain attempted to recover his Kingdom at last divided it with Canutus not long after which he was treacherously and basely murdered by Edward surnamed the Out-Law his Eldest Sonne he was Grand-father of Edgar Atheling● and of Margaret Wife of Malcolm the third King of the Scots The Danish Kings 1017. 1 Canutus King of Denmark and Norwey after the death of Edmund the 2d sole King of England 20. 1037. 2 Harald the base Sonne of Canutus 3 Hardy-Cnute the lawfull Sonne of Canutus by Emma the Widow of Ethelred the 2d and Mother of Edward surnamed the Confessor the last King of the Danes in England After whose death that People having tyrannized in England for the space of 255 yeers of whichthey had Reigned only 26 were utterly expelled the Countrey or passed in the Accompt of English Edward the Confessor the youngest Sonne of Ethelred being advanced unto the Throne by the power and practices of his Mother Emma and the absence of the Children of Edmund Ironside his Elder Brother Now concerning the Danes abiding here and going hence as they did I observe three customs yet in use amongst us First each English house maintained one Dane who living idly like the Drone among the Bees had the benefit of all their labour and was by them called Lord Dane and even now when we see an idle Fellow we call him a Lordane 2 The Danes used when the English drank to stab them or cut their throats to avoid which villany the party then drinking requested some of the next unto him to be his surety or pledge whilst he paid nature her due and hence have we our usuall Custom of pledging one another 3 The old Romans at the expulsion of their Kings annually solemnized the Fugalia according to which pattern the joyfull English having cleared the Countrey of the Danes instituted the annuall sports of Hock●●ide the word in their old tongue the Saxon importing the time of scorning or triumphing This solemnity consisteth in the merry meetings of the Neighbours in those dayes during which the Festivall lasted and was celebrated by the younger sort of both sexes with all manner of exercises and pastimes in the streets even as Shrovetide yet is But now time hath so corrupted it that the name excepted there remaineth no sign of the first Institution The Saxons reinthroned A. Ch. 1046. 16 Edward III. surnamed the Confessor half Brother both to Edmund Ironside and Hardy-Cnute the Dane succeeded in the Realm of England This King collected out of the Danish Saxon and Mercian Laws one universall and generall Law whence our Common Law is thought to have had its Original which may be true of the written Laws not of the customary and unwritten Laws these being certainly more antient He was in his life of that Holiness that he received power from above to cure many Diseases amongst others the swelling of the throat called by us the Kings Evill a Prerogative that continueth Hereditary to his Successors of England Finally after his death he was Canonized for a Saint and dyed having Reigned 24 yeers 1066 17 Harald a Sonne to Earl Godwin was chosen King in the nonage of Eagar Atheling Grand-child to Edmund Ironside the true Heir of the kingdom But William Duke of Normandy of which people we have spoke already when we were in France and shall speak more at large when we come to Denmark as the last Actors on the Theat●● 〈◊〉 of England This William I say pretending a Donation from Edward the 〈◊〉 invaded England slew Harald and with him 66654 of his English Souldiers possessed himself of the kingdom using such Policie in his new Conquest that he utterly disheartned the English from hopes of better Fortune From him beginneth the new Accompt of the Kings of England those of the former Line being no longer reckoned in the computation of the first second or third c. The Norman Kings 1067. 1 William surnamed the Conqueror after the vanquishment and death of Harald acknowledged and Crowned King altered the antient Lawes of England and established those of Normandy in place thereof governing the people absolutely by the povver of the Sword and giving a great part of their Lands to his former Follovvers and such as vvere ingaged in the Action vvith him from vvhom most of our antient Families doe derive themselves those Lands to be holden in Knights-service vvhich drevv along vvith it the Wardship of the Heir in Minority as a charge laid upon the Land 1089. 2 William II. surnamed Rufus second Sonne to the Conqueror succeeded by the appointment of his Father and was crowned King slain afterwards in the New Forest by an Arrow levelled at a Deer 1102. 3 Henry for his learning surnamed Beau-clerk in the absence of his Brother Robert in the Holy-Land Wars entred on the Kingdom and afterwards took from him also the Dukedom of Normandie and put out his eyes Deprived of all his male-issue he lest one only Daughter whose name was Maud first maried to the Emperour Henry the fift and after to Geofrie Plantagenet Earl of Anjou Tourein and Maine 34. 1136. 4 Stephen second Sonne of Stephen Earl of Champagne and Blais and of Alice Daughter to the Conqueror succeeded who to purchase the peoples love released the tribute called Dane-gelt he spent most of his reign in War against Maud the Empress 19. The Saxon blood restored 1155. 5 Henry II. Sonne to Maud the Empress Daughter to Henry the first and to Maud Daughter to Malcolm King of Scotland and Margaret Sister to Edgar Atheling restored the Saxon blood to the Crown of England His Father was Geofrie Earl of Anjou Tourein and Maine which Provinces he added to the English Empire as also the Dutchie of Aquitain and the Earldom of Poictou by Eleanor his Wife and a great part of Ireland by conquest Happy in all things the unnaturall rebellions of his Sonnes excepted 34. 1189. 6 Richard the Sonne of Henry surnamed Ceur de Lyon warred in the Holy-Land overcame the Turks whom he had almost driven out of Syria took the Isle of Cyprus and after many worthy atchievements returning homewards to defend Normandy and Agnitain against the French was by Tempest cast upon Dalmatia and travelling thorough the Dominions of the Duke of Austria was taken Prisoner put to a grievous ransom and after his return slain at the siege of Chaluz in the Province of Limosin 12. 1201. 7 Iohn Brother of Richard an unhappy Prince and one that could expect no better as being an unnaturall Sonne to his Father and an undutifull Subject to his Brother Distressed for a great part of his reign by Wars with his Barons outed of all Normandie Aquitain and Anjou by the power of the French to whom also he was likely to have lost the Realm of England Finally after a base submission of himself and his kingdom to the Popes Legat he is said to have been poysoned at Swinstede Abbey 17. 1218. 8 Henry III. Sonne of
milder and bear the better fruit And 4ly whereas there was before but one Freeholder in a whole Country which was the Lord himself the rest holding in villenage and being subject to the Lords immeasurable taxations whereby they had no encouragement to build or plant Now the Lords estate was divided into two parts that which he held in demain to himself which was still left unto him and that which was in the hands of his Tenant who had estates made in their possessions according to the Common-Law of England paying in stead of uncertain Irish taxations certain English rents whereby the people have since set their minds upon repairing their houses and manuring their lands to the great increase of the private and publick revenue But that which most advanced the reduction of Ireland to a setled and civil Government and rooted it in a subjection to the Crown of England was the voluntary flight of the Earls of Tyrone Tirconnel Sir Iohn Odaughertic and other great men of the North possessed of large territories and great jurisdictions Who being both uncapable of Loyaltie and impatient of seeing the Kings Iudges Iustices and other Ministers of State to hold their Sessions and execute their Commissions of Oyer and Terminer within the parts where they commanded without more provocation or the fear of any danger but a guilty Conscience forsook the Countrie and left their whole Estates to the Kings disposing By whose directions their Lands were seized upon and sold to severall Purchasers the Citie of London infeoffed in a great part of them a great plantation made in Ulster of English Welch and Scots by the united name of a British Plantation and a new Order of Knights Baronets erected in the Kingdom of England for raising money to advance and indear the Work Which had it been as cordially affected by the English as it was by the Scots if more of this Nation had gone thither and not abandoned so great a part of it to the power of the other it had been better for both Kingdoms in the conformity of each to one form of Government which the Scots being factious for another did not easily brook and the uniting of both people in the bonds of Amitie the Irish looking on the Scot as a meer Intruder but on the English as his old Master or his Follow-Subject Howsoever so great a part of the Countrey and that which heretofore was the nest of the Rebels being thus disposed of it came to pass that Ireland which before served only as a grave to bury our best men and a gulf to swallow our greatest treasures being governed neither as a country Free nor conquer'd was brought in some hope by the prudence and policie of her last Kings and late Lord Deputies to prove an Orderly Common-wealth civill in it self profitable to the Prince and a good strength to the British Empire For to such Order it was redaced in a little time that the wayfaring men might travell without danger the ploughman walk without fear the laws administred in every place alike the men drawn unto villages the woods and fastnesses left to beasts and all reduced to that civility as our fathers never saw nor could we well sample out of antient histories The revenues of this kingdome are said by Walsingham in the time of Edward the third to have been yeerly 40000 pounds but his successors till of late have scarce got so much as the keeping of it cost them King Richard the 2d being by the same Walsingham reported to have spent 30000 marks out of his own purse over and above the money which he received thence Whether this Countrey were so profitable to Edward the third or no I determine not though I find good reasons to perswade me that Walsingham was not well acquainted with the state of that ●xchequer ●ut sure I am that the Revenues of the Crown are more than double what they were in the said Kings reign and more duely paid into the Exchequer of that Kingdom than ever formerly the profits of the Customehouse amounting to 30000 per Annum in the last yeer of King Iames his reign Not to say any thing of the great Improvements which were made by the Earl of Strafford in the time of his Government because they fell together with him The strength of this Kingdom consisteth partly in the situation of it begirt about with difficult and dangerous Seas partly in the many Castles first built and fortified by the English Planters and partly in a standing Armie continually kept up by the Kings of England for defence of their hold and interess against the Rebellions of the Natives What Forces it is able to raise both of Horse and Foot could never be conjectured at till now of late For formerly the Kings of England being actually possessed onely of those four Counties which they called the Pale that is to say the Counties of Dublin Louth Kildare and Meth which last hath since the time of King Henry the 8th been subdived into three were not able to raise any great power out of that Estate but were forced to send Soldiers out of England as occasion was to preserve their Soveraignty in Ireland The greatest Levie which I read of was that of 1500 Irish led by the Prior of Kilmamham to King Henry the fifth then being at the siege of Harflew in Normandie And on the other side the great Lords of the naturall Irish and degenerate English being divided into factions amongst themselves and never joyned in any one principle of common intere●s were more inconsiderable than the weak but united forces of the Kings of England And though most of them at the last were drawn into a confederacy with the Earl of Tir-Oen to make good his rebellion yet find I not that their Armie did exceed at any time the number of 8000 men and those not well-appointed neither So that the best estimate which can be made of the forces of Ireland must be measured by the Armies raised in the late Rebellion when the Irishrie had both time and leizure to get themselves some reputation in the world and make provision for a War In prosecution of which he who considers the many Armies they have raised since their first mustering under the command of Sir Phelim O Neal the many defeats which have been given them and those as many new recruits after each defeat all of them raised out of the bodies of their own People without supplie from other Countries besides such as have served against them for the King must needs conclude that they want not men enough for service nor skill nor courage to attempt the most difficult enterprises The Arms of Ireland are Azure an Harpe Or stringed Argent Which Coat King James to shew himself the first absolute King of Ireland first caused to be marshalled with the Royall Arms of Great Britain Reckoned in Ireland at and since the Reformation Arch-Bishops 4. Bishops 19. One
Title Brunswick Lunenburg 1195 2 Henry first Earl after Duke of Brunswick 1213 3 Otho sonne of William Duke of Lunenburg after the death of Henry Duke of Brunswick also 1252 4 Albert sonne of Otho 1279 5 Albert II. sonne of Albert. 1318 6 Otho II. sonne of Albert the second 1334 7 Magnus sonne of Albert II. on the failing of the other house enjoyed both Estates 1368 8 Magnus II. son of Magnus the first 1373 9 Henry II. sonne of Magnus the second 1416 10 William son of Henry 1482 11 William II. son of William 1503 12 Henry II. son of Will the second 1514 13 Henry III. son of Henry the second 1568 14 Julius son of Henry the third 1589 15 Henry IV. son of Julius who married the Lady Elizabeth sister to Anne Queen of England 16 Frederick Vlric son of Flizabeth of Danemark and Henry Julius 1634 17 Augustus son of Henry Duke of Lunenbourg succeeded on the death of Fredenick Vlrick and the failer of the house of Brunswick in him in this Dukedome 1195 2 William first Earl after Duke of Lunenburg 1252 4 John sonne of Otho 1261 5 Otho II. sonne of John 1330 6 Otho III. sonne of Otho the second 10 Barnard brother of Magnus the second 1434 11 Frederick II. son of Barnard 1478 12 Otho III. son of Frederick 1514 13 Henry III. son of Otho the third 1532 14 Otho IV. son of Henry the third 15 Ernest the brother of Otho succeeded in his brothers life time surrendring his Estate for an Annuall pension 1546 16 Henry IV. son of Ernest 1590 17 Ernest II. son of Henry the fourth 18 Wolf●angus the brother of Henry the fourth and Uncle of 〈◊〉 the second now Duke of Lunenbourg anno 1648. The Armes of these Dukedomes were first the same that is to say Gules two Lyons Or Armed Azure which Arms they tooke by reason of their extraction from the Kings of England then Dukes of Normandie retained to this day by the Dukes of Brun●wick without any Addition But those of Lunenbourg have added three Coates more unto it the whole bearing being quarterly 1 Gules two Lyons Or Armed Azure 2 Azure Seme of Hearts Gules a Lyon Azure Armed and Crowned Or 3 Azure a Lyon Argent Crowned Gules and 4 Gules within a Border Componie Or and Azure a Lyon of the second Armed of the third HASSIA HASSIA is bounded on the North with Brunswick on the South with Veteravia or the State of Wideraw on the East with Saxonie on the West with Westphalia So called from the Hessi who having vanquished the Chatti the old Inhabitants of this Countrey possessed themselves of it The Christian faith was first preached here by Boniface or Winifred an English Saxon afterwards Archbishop of Mentz anno 730 or thereabouts Of whom I find this memorable Apophthegm that in old times there were Golden Prelates and wooden Chalices but in his time wooden Prelates and Golden Chal●ces Not much unlike to which I have read another but of later date viz. that once the Christians had blinde Churches and lightsome hearts but now they have lightsome Churches and blinde hearts The Countrey is very fruitfull of corn and affordeth good 〈◊〉 for the feeding of Cattell of which they have great droves and heards in many places with great abundance of Stags and other Deer for the pleasures of hunting harboured in the woods hereof with which in many parts of it it is very much shaded It breedeth also on the Downes good store of sheep enriched with the finest fleece of any in Germany the Staple commodity of this Country and in the mountainous parts hereof there want not rich Mines of brasse lead and other metals which yeild great profit to the people Chief towns herein are 1 Allendorf on the VVeser or Visnegis of much esteeme for the springs or fountaines of Salt which are thereabouts 2 Frislar upon the Eder well walled and situate in a fruitfull and pleasant soil belonging to the Archbishop and Elector of Mentz but in regard of the convenient situation of it much aimed at many times attempted and sometimes forcibly possessed both by the Lantgraves of Hassia and Dukes of Saxony 3 Fuld on a River of that name remarkable for the Monastery there founded by Boniface Archbishop of Mentz by the name of Saint Saviours the Abbot which is a Prince of the Empire Chancellour of the Emperesse and Lord of a goodly territory in this Country called from hence Stift Fuld 4 Frankenberg on the Eder also so called from the French who incamped there in their wars against the Saxons first founded by Theodorick the French King anno 520. but much enlarged by Charles the Great about the yeer 804. 5 Eschewege on the brow of an hill neer the River VVert of great trading for the woad of which the fields adjoyning yeild a rich increase Being destroyed by the Hungarians it was re-edified and enlarged by the Emperour Henry the second and having suffered much misery in the long war between Adolph Archbishop of Mentz and the Lantgraves of Hassia it fell at last into the possession of the Lantgrave anno 1387. 6 Melsingen on the River Fuld 7 Darmsiad lately if not at the present the seat and inheritance of Count Ludovick of the younger house of the Lantgraves taken Prisoner by Count Mansfield anno 1622. and his whole Country exposed unto spoil and rapine because besides many other ill offices he was the chief perswader of the Princes of the Vnion to disband their forces provided for defence of themselves and the Palatinate and to reconcile themselves to the Emperour 8 Marpurg the seat of the second house of the Lantgraves descending from that Philip who was Lantgrave in the time of Charles the fift whom he so valiantly withstood pleasantly seated on the Lon amongst Viny downes and shady Mountains honoured with an University founded here by Lewis Bishop of Munster anno 1426. and beautified with a magnificent Castle the ordinary dwelling of those Princes situate on an high hill somewhat out of the Town which gives it a very gallant prospect over the Town and Country 9 Geisen a Town belonging to the Lantgraves of Cassels and a small University also 10 Dietz upon the River Lon belonging also to the house of Cassels 11 Cassels the chief town and ordinary residence of the Lantgraves of the elder house who are hence sometimes called the Lantgraves of Cassels commodiously seated in a pleasant and fruitfull soil and well fortified with strong earthen walls and deep ditches but the houses in it of no great beauty being composed for the most part of wood thatch and clay Within the limits of this Province is the County of WALDECK not subject to the Lantgraves of Hassia though included within the limits of it before laid down taking up the Western parts thereof where it meets with Westphalia in figure very neer a square each side of which is of the length of six ordinary Dutch or 24 English
place by reason of the fires which formerly have flamed so hideously especially in the yeer 1444. that it made not only the rest of these Ilands but all Sicilie tremble Neer unto this Isle was fought the first Navall fight betwixt Rome and Carthage Before which time the Romans had never used the Seas as being totally imployed in the conquest of Italie insomuch that when they had built their Gallies they were fain to exercise their men in rowing by placing them on two Seats neer the water with Oars in their hands Which notwithstanding having devised an Engine like a Grapling-hook they so fastened the Adverse Fleet unto them that the whole ●ight seemed a Land-battell fought upon the Sea The victory fell unto the Romans C. Duilins the Consul then commanding in Chief and was honoured with the first Navall Triumph that was ever solemnized at Rome After this Iland was once known to the Greeks they sent from all their chief Cities 〈◊〉 rall Colonies who planted in the Sea-coasts of the Country as before we noted But so as they never united themselves in a body together but had their severall estates and particular ends whereby they came to be divided into many factions and at last made themselves a prey to as many Tyrants Phalaris lording it at Agrigentum Panaetius at Leontium Gelon at S●racuse Cleander at Gelae and when one Faction grew too weak to resist the other they called in severall Forein Nations to abet their quarrel For on this ground the Carthaginians were first called into Sicilie by the Messenians against the Agrigentines and on the same was managed here a great part of the Peloponnesian wars the Athenians siding with the Leontines and the Spartans with he Syracusans in which the whole power of Athens was broken by Sea and Land and their two Generals Nicias and Demosthenes murdered in prison But because Syracuse was a Citie of the greatest authority and of greatest influence over the rest of Sicilie we shall more punctually insist on the State and affairs thereof the government of which at first was popular as it was in most of the Greek Colonies according to the platforms which they brought from home and was but newly altered to the Aristocraticall when Gelon made himself King of it about 26 years after the expulsion of the Tarquins at Rome whom with as many as succeeded in the Royal dignity take along as followeth The Tyrants or Kings of Syracuse A. M. 3465. 1 Gelon the Prince or Lord of Gela taking advantage of the quarrels in Syracusa betwixt the Magistrates and people made himself Master of the Citie and was chosen King A valiant and prudent Prince by whom 150000 Carthaginians were slain in battle for their welcome into Sicil. 7. 3472 2 Hiero the brother of Gelon a valiant King also but a rude and covetous man whereby he lost the love of his people 11 3484 3 Thrasibulus brother of Hiero whose Government proved so cruell and unsupportable that he held it not above 10 moneths who being forced into Exile by the Syracusans the people did a while enjoy their libertie but withall fell into those Factions which after 60 years made them lose it again 3544 4 Dionysius that so famous Tyrant from being Generall of the Forces of the Syracusans made himself their King A man of great vices but great vertues withall He brought almost all Sicilie under his obedience and the Town of Rhegium in Italy reigning in all 38 years 3582 2 Dionysius II. succeeding his Father in his Kingdom and vices but not in valour or wisdom was first outed by Dion a noble Gentleman of Syracuse and afterward taken Prisoner by Timoleon of Corinth to which Citie he was sent and there dyed in exile 3635 6 Agathocles by trade a Potter after that a Souldier 20 years after the death of Timoleon made himself King of Syracusa To draw the Carthaginans out of Sicil he passed over into Africk and besieged Carthage which example Scipio after followed but with better fortune 29. 3681 7 Hieron II. of a Commander of their Armies chosen King of Syracuse by a party which he had made amongst them In his time brake out the first Punick War the Romans being called in by the Mamertones who held Messana against the Carthaginians the Lords at that time of the greatest part of the Iland 56. 3737 8 Hieronymus the sonne of Hiero after whose death Syracuse and all Sicil became subject to Rome by the fortunate conduct of Marcellus Of these eight Kings the six first commonly pass under the name of Tyrants from whence and from some others of like disposition who Lorded it over the rest of the Free Cities of Sicil the name of Siculi Tyranni grew into a Proverb But of all none more hated than the two Dionisii who were so odious that there were continuall execrations poured on them only one old woman praying for the life of the later Who being asked the cause made answer that she knew his Father to have been a monstrous and wicked Tyrant on whom when the curses of the people had prevailed and obtained his death this his son succeded worse by far than he for whose life she was resolved to pray lest after his death the devill himself should come amongst them But to proceed after these Tyrants as they called them were rooted out and the Iland was conquered by Marcellus it alwaies followed the fortune of the Roman Empire till in the partition of that Empire it fell together with Apulia and Calabria into the power of the Greeks In the declining of whose greatness this Iland having been miserably pilled and spoyled by the Emperor Constans An. 669. became a prey to the Saracens from then recovered again by the help of the Normans who held both this and the Realm of Naples in Fee of the Church under the title of Kings of both Sicils From that time forwards it ran the fortune of that Kingdom subject unto the Princes of the Norman and German lines till the death of Conrade no interruption intervening After whose death when Munfroy or Manfrede the base sonne of the Emperor Frederick and Brother of Conrade had forcibly made himself King of these Countries it was offered to Richard Earl of Cornwall Brother to Henry the third of England a Prince of such riches that he was able to dispend an hundred Marks perdiem for ten years together which according to the Standard of those times was no small sum But the conditions which the Pope ptoposed were so impossible for the Earl to perform that his Agent told him he might as well say to his Master I will give thee the Moon climb up catch and take it The Earl refusing it it was offered the King for his second sonne Edmund who was invested by the gift of a Ring and money coyned in his name by the Popes appointment with the inscription of Almundus Rex Siciliae But the King not being able to pursue the business
Cardinals but if they exceed not this number they must begin all anew If any space of thirty days the Election be not fully ended then must the Cardinals be kept from fire light and victualls till they are fully agreed The wicket which we before mentioned is called the Golden Gate at which stand an infinite number of poor people on whom the new Pope having opened that gate bestoweth his Fatherly benediction and remitteth to them all their sins Then striketh he continually on the same door with a golden Mallet which whilst he is doing workmen without break it open The chips stones dust and dirt which falleth from the Gate while it is opening are gathered and preserved as choicest Reliques and the Golden Mallet is usually given to that Cardinal who is in most grace with the new Pope This is the ordinary way of the Popes Election but subject to much Faction and Division amongst the Cardinals and that in times of less deceit than the present are Insomuch as after the death of Pope Clement the fourth the differences amongst them held for two years and more Which gave occasion to one of them to say in scorn that they must uncover the roof of the house to make way for the Holy Ghost to come upon them And there is now much more corruption and abuse in it than ever formerly as buying of Voyces setting up some for stales and tearing scrutinies every Cardinal desiring to have a Pope of his own or his Princes Faction So that we find it written of an old Sicilian Cardinal who after long absence came to the Election of a Pope where he expected that incessant prayers as in times of old should have procured some fit man to be pointed out to them for the Vicar of Christ that finding nothing but canvassing promising rewards aud threatning for Voices in the choice ad hunc modum saith he fiunt Pontifices Romanis and so returned into his Countrey and saw Rome no more The ordinary Temporall Revenue of the Papacy arising out of Land-rents Imposts uopn Commodities and sale of Offices Boterus maketh to be better than two Milliont of Crowns but the extraordinary and Spirituall to be far beyond For it is said of Pius Quintus who sate Po●e six years only that he got from the Spanish Clergy 14 Millions And though he was a very great builder which spent him a great deal of money yet he so managed his Estate that he layd up four millions of Crowns in the Castle of S. Angelo Sixtus the fifth took from the Jesuits at one clap 20000 Crowns of yearly rent because they were too rich for men professing poverty and having sat but five years had costered up five Millions of Gold four of which his successor Gregory the fourteenth spent in less than a year Out of France they receive no less than a Million of Crowns yearly Out of England when it was the Popes Puteus inexhaustus they and their followers extracted no less than 60000 Marks per an which amounteth to 120000 pounds of our present money and was more than the Kings standing Revenue did attain unto Yet was this in the time of K. Henry 3. before their avarice and rapine was at the height And of late daies no longer since than the reign of K. Henry the 8. besides their Peter-pence which was an Annual rent upon every chimny in the Realm first granted to the Pope by Offa King of the Mer●●ans An o 730 or thereabouts and afterwards confirmed by Ethelwolf the second Monarch of England besides their first Fruits Tenths and all other exactions it was made evident that in some few years then last past the Popes had received out of England no less than 160000 l sterling for the Confirmation of Episcopall Elections only By which we may conjecture what vast sums they drew hence on all other occasions Let other Countries subject to the Popes authority be accordingly rated and the totall will amount to a sum incredible Next adde to this the sums of money they receive from particular persons for pardons for dispensations with unlawfull Mariages the profits arising from Pilgrimages from the death and funerals of great persons from the Indulgencies granted to Abbies and Convents in all which the Popes have a share and it would puzzel a good Arithmetician to state his Intrad● So truly was it sayd by Pope Sixtus the fourth that a Pope could never want money as long as he was able to hold a pen in his hand Yet notwithstanding their Treasurie for the most part is but low or empty For 1. the State they keep because of that great honour which they have above other Princes which is to be maintained at a great expence for the more worship the more cost as the saying is is very chargeable unto them their ordinary Guards standing them in no less than 30000 Crowns per annum 2. the large allowances which they are fain to give unto their Legates Nuncios and other Ministers keep their coffers low the entertainment of their Ordinary Nuncios in the Courts of Christian Princes amounting to no less than 1200 Crowns a moneth to each And 3. their greedy desire to enrich their Sonnes or Kinsmen with the treasures of the Church with which humour Pope Sixtus the fift being of poor and obscure birth was never touched keeps them alwaies bare Adde unto these the excessive gorgeousness of the Papall vestmen●● in which vanitie every one seeketh to excell the other especially that of their Triple Crown which must needs put them to great charge and continuall issues of their treasure And for an evidence of this last we find that Clement the fift who first transferred his See to Avignon to shew his gallantry to the Fr●uch probably unacquainted with the like fine sights had his Crown thick set with Carbuncles and precious stones one of which being lost by a fall from his horse was valued at 6000 Ducats As for the Forces of the Church the Pope is able to impres● as great a number of Land-souldiers out of his estate as any Prince or Common-wealth within the limits of Italie Paul the 3. sent to the aid of Charles the fifth in the Wars of Germany twelve thousand Foot and sive hundred horse and yet raised his own Family to the Dukedom of Parma Pius the fift sent to the aid of Charles the ninth against the Hugonots 4000 Foot and 1000 Horse which Forces they maintained at their own charges And when Pope Clement undertook the War of Ferrara he raised out of his estate 20000 Foot and 2000 Horse in less than a moneth which was more than most Princes in Europe could possibly have done And for the valour of his Souldiers and ability of his Commanders they retain so much as before was said of their Ancesters vertues that there are thought to be many Familes in the estate of the Church able to furnish all the Commonwealths and Princes of Christendom with sufficient Captains What
Title For thus we read That Pepin having thrust his Master Childerick into a Monastery to make good his Title to the Crown or some colour for it derived his Pedigree from Plythylda one of the Daughters of Clotaire the first maried to Anspert the Grandfather of that Arnulphus who was the first Mayer of the Palace of Pepins Family As also how Hugh Capet putting aside Charles of Lorrein the right Heir of this Pepin to make his Lawless Action the more seemingly Lawfull drew his descent from some of the heirs Generall of Charles the Great his Mother Adeltheid being the Daughter of the Emperour Henry the first surnamed the Fowler who was the Sonne of Otho Duke of Saxonie by Luitgardu the Daughter of the Emperour Arnulph the last Emperour of the Romans or Germans of the house of Charles And it is said of Lewis the ninth so renowned for Sanctitie amongst them that he never enjoyed the Crown with a quiet Conscience till it was proved unto him that by his Grandmother the Lady Isabel of Hainall he was descended from Hermingrade the Daughter of Charles of Lorrein Adde here that this supposed Salique Law not onely crosseth the received Laws of all Nations else which admit of Women to the succession in their Kingdoms where the Crown descends in a Succession and have a great respect both unto their persons and posterities in such Kingdoms also where the Kings are said to be Elective as in Poland Hungaria and Bohemia but that even France it self hath submitted to the imperious command of two Women of the Medices and at the present to the Government of a Spanish Princess So that it is evident that this Law by whomsoever made and how far soever it extended is of no such force but that the Labells of it may be easily cut in pecces by an English sword well whetted if there were no other bar to the title of England than the authoritie and antiquity of the Salique Law But for my part if it be lawfull for me to dispute this point I am not satisfied in the right of the English title supposing the Salique Law to be of no such force as the French pretended and measuring the succession in the Crown of France to be according to successions in the Realm of England on which King Edward the third seemed to ground his claim For if there were no Salique Law to exclude succession by the Females as the English did pretend there was not yet could not Edward comming from a Sister of the 3 last Kings which reigned successively before Philip of Valois against whom he claimed be served in course before the Daughters of those Kings or the Males at least descending of them had had their turns in the succession of that Kingdom Of the three Brethren two left issue viz. Lewis and Philip. Lewis surnamed Hutin Sonne of Philip the fair and Joan Queen of Navarre had a Daughter named Joan maried to Philip Earl of Eureux who was King of Navarre in right of his Wife from which mariage issued all the succeding Kings of that Realm the rights whereof are now in the house of Burbon Philip the second Brother surnamed the Long by Ioan the Daughter of Othelin Earl of Burgundie had a Daughter named Marguerite maried to Lewis Earl of Flanders from whom descended those great Princes of the race of Burgundi● the rights whereof are now in the house of Spain If then there were no Salique Law to exclude the Women and their Sonnes Charles King of Navarre the Sonne of Queen Joan and of Philip de Eureux descended from Lewis Hutin the Elder Brother and Lewis de Malaine Earl of Flanders and Burgundie the Sonne of Lewis Earl of Flanders and of Marguerite the Daughter of Philip the Long the Second Brother must have precedency of title before King Edward the third of England descended from a Sister of the said two Kings their issue severally and respectively before any claiming or descending from the said King Edward So that K. Edward the third had some other claim than what is commonly alleged for him in our English Histories or else he had no claim to that Crown at all and I conceive so wise a King would not have ventured on a business of so great consequence without some colourable Title though what this title was is not declared for ought I know by any Writers of our Nation I believe therefore that he went upon some other grounds than that of ordinary succession by the Law of England and claimed that Crown as the Eldest heir-male and neerest Kinsman to the last King For being Sisters sonne to the King deceased he was a degree neerer to him than either the King of Navarre or the Earl of Flanders who were the Grand-children of his Brethren and having priority of either in respect of age had a fair Title before either to the Crown of that Kingdom And on these grounds King Edward might the rather goe because he found it a ruled Case in the dispute about the succession in the Kingdom of Scotland For though King Edward the first measuring the order of succession by the Laws of England and perhaps willing to adjudge the Crown to one who should hold it of him gave sentence in behalf of Iohn Raliol the Grand-Child of the Eldest Daughter of the Earl of Huntingdon yet was this Sentence disavowed and protested against by the other Competitors Robert Bruce Sonne of the Second Daughter of the said Earl of Huntingdon as a degree neerer to the last King though descended from the Younger Sister not only though himself wronged in it but had the whole Scotish Nation for him to assert his right by whose unanimous consent his Sonne was called to the Government of the Realm of Scotland during the life of Baliol and his Patron both Proximitie in blood to the King deceased was measured by neerness of degrees not descent of Birth and on this Plea though different from the Laws of England as Bruce had formerly possessed himself of the Crown of Scotland so on the same though different from the Laws of Castile did Philip the second ground his claim to the Crown of Portugal For being Eldest Sonne of Mary the Sister of Henry the last King and this was just King Edwards Case to the Crown of France he thought himself to be preferred before the Prince of Parma and the Duke of Bragance descended from the Daughters of Edward the said Kings Brother because the Eldest Male of the Royal blood and neerer to the said King Henry by one degree In the pursuance of which title as Philip onenly avowed that the Laws of Portugall were more favourable to him than the Laws of Castile so in like case the Laws of France might be more favourable to King Edward than the Lawes of England In claims to Crowns the Rules if Regall Succession differ in many Countries and in few Countries are the same with that of the Succession into mean
which is called Vallage so named as I conceive from the River Vasle 5 Vitrey upon the confluence of the Sault and Marne the chief Town and Balliage of that part which is named Parthois Ager Pertensis in the Latine so called of 6 Perte another Town thereof but now not so eminent 7 Chaumont upon the Marre the chief Town of Bassigni and strengthned with a Castle mounted on a craggie Rock 1544. 9 Rbemes Durocortorum Rhemorum an Arch-Bishops See who is one of the Twelve Peers of France situate on the River of Vasle At this City the Kings of France are most commonly crowned that so they may enjoy the Vnction of a sacred Oil kept in the Cathedral Church hereof which as they say came down from Heaven never decreaseth How true this is may be easily seen in that Gregorie of Tours who is so prodigal of his Miracles makes no mention of it but specially for Argumentum ab autoritate negativè parum valet since the Legend informeth us that this holy Oil was sent from Heaven at the annointing of Clovis the first Christian King of the French Whereas Du. Haillan one of their most judicious Writers affirmeth Pepin the Father of Charles the great to have been their first annointed King and that there was none de la primiere lignee oinct ny Sacre à Rhemes ny alleiurs none of the first or Merovignian line of Kings had been annointed at Rhemes or elsewhere But sure it is let it be true or false no matter that the French do wonderfully reverence this their sacred Oil and fetch it with great solemnity from the Church in which it is kept For it is brought by the Prior sitting on a white ambling Palfrey and attended by his whole Convent the Arch-Bishop hereof who by his place is to perform the Ceremonies of the Coronation and such Bishops as are present going to the Church-dores to meet it and leaving for it with the Prior some competent pawn and on the other side the King when it is brought unto the Altar bowing himself before it with great humility But to return unto the Town it took this name from the Rhemi once a potent Nation of these parts whose chief City it was and now an University of no small esteem in which among other Colleges there is one appointed for the education of young English Fugitives The first Seminarie for which purpose I note this only by the way was erected at Doway An. 1568 A second at Rome by Pope Gregory the 13. A third at Valladolid in Spain by K. Phylip the second A fourth in Lovaine a Town of Brabant and a fifth here so much do they affect the gaining of the English to the Romish Church by the Dukes of Guise 10 Ligni upon the River Sault All these in Belgica Secunda or the Province of Rhemes In that part of it which belonged to Lugdunensis quarta the places of chief note are 1 Sens Civitas Senonum in Antoninus antiently the Metropolis of that Province by consequence the See of an Arch-Bishop also 2 Langres or Civitas Lingonum by Ptolomie called Audomaturum situate in the Confines of Burgundie not far from the Fountain or Spring-head of the Seine the See of a Bishop who is one of the Twelve Peers of France 3 Troys Civitas Tricassium seated on the Seine a fair strong and well traded-City honoured with the title of the Daughter of Paris a See Episcopal and counted the chief of Champagne next Rhemes A City of great note in our French and English Histories for the meeting of Charles the sixth and Henry the fift Kings of France and England in which it was agreed That the said King Henry espousing Catharine Daughter of that King should be proclamed Heir apparent of the Kingdom of France into which he should succeed on the said Kings death and be the Regent of the Realm for the time of his life with divers other Articles best suiting with the will and honour of the Conquerour 4 Provins by Caesar called Agendicum seated upon the Seine in a pleasant Countrie abounding in all fragrant flowers but specially with the sweetest Roses which being transplanted into other Countries are called Provins Roses 5 Meaux seated on the River Marne antiently the chief City of the Meldi whom Pl●nie and others of the old Writers mention in this tract now honoured with a Bishops See and neighboured by 6 Monceaux beautified with a magnificent Palace built by Catharine de Medices Queen Mother of the three last Kings of the house of Valois 7 Montereau a strong Town on the confluence of the Seine and the Yonne 8 Chastean-Thierri Castrum Theodorisi as the Latines call it situate on the River Marn These five last situate in that part of Champagne which lieth next to France specially so called known of long time by the name of Brie which being the first or chief possession of the Earls of Champagne occasioned them to be sometimes called Earls of Brie and sometimes Earls of Brie and Champagne Add here 9 Auxerre in former time a Citie of the Dukedom of Burgundie but now part of Champagne of which more hereafter And 10 Fontenay a small Town in Auxerrois in the very Borders of this Province but memorable for the great Battel fought neer unto it An. 841. between the Sons Nephews of Ludovicus Pius for their Fathers Kingdoms in which so many thousands were slain on both sides that the forces of the French Empire were extremely weakned and had been utterly destroyed in pursuit of this unnatural War if the Princes of the Empire had not mediated a peace between them alotting unto each some part of that vast estate dismembred by that meanes into the Kingdoms of Italie France Germany Lorrein Burgundie never since brought into one hand as they were before Within the bounds of Champagne also where it lookes towards Lorrein is situate the Countrie and Dutchy of BAR belonging to the Dukes of Lorrein but held by them in chief of the Kings of France The Countrie commonly called BARROIS environed with the two streames of the River Ma●n of which the one rising in the edge of Burgundie and the other in the Borders of Lorrein do meet together at Chaloas a City of Champagne Places of most importance in it 1 Bar le Duc so called to distinguish it from Bar on the River Seine and Bar upon the River Alb● a well fortified Town 2 La Motte 3 Ligni 4 Arqu of which nothing memorable but that they are the chief of this little Dukedom A Dukedom which came first to the house of Lorrein● by the gui●t of Rene Duke of Anjou and titularie King of Naples Sicil c. who succeeded in it in the right of Yoland or Violant his Mother Daughter of Don Pedro King of Aragon and of Yoland or Violant the Heir of Bar and dying gave the same together with the Towns of Lambesque and Orgon to Rene Duke of Lorrein his Nephew by the
Lady Violant his Daughter From this Sene it was taken by Lewis the 11th who having put a Garrison into Bar repaired the Walls and caused the Arms of France to be set on the Gates thereof Restored again by Charles the 8th at his going to the Conquest of Naples since which time quietly enjoyed by the Dukes of Lorrein till the year 1633. when seized on by Lewis the 13th upon a Iudgement and Arrest of the Court of Parliament in Paris in regard the present Duke had not done his Homage to the King as he ought to have done The Arms hereof are Azure two Barbels back to back Or Seme of Crosse Crossets F●tche of the second But to return again to Champagne it pleased Hugh Capet at his coming to the Crown of France to give the same to Euies or Odon Earl of Blais whose Daughter he had maried in his private fortunes before he had attained the Kingdom with all the rights and privileges of a Countie Palatine Which Eudes or Odon was the Sonne of Theobald Earl of Blais and Nephew of that Gerlon a Noble Dine to whom Charles the simple gave the Town and Earldom of Blais about the year 940. and not long after the time that he conferred the Countrie of Neustria upon Ro●●o the Norman In the person of Theobald the 3d the Earls hereof became Kings of Navarre descended on him in right of the Ladie Blanch his Mother Sister and Heir of King Sancho the 8th Anno 1234. By the Mariage of Joan Queen of Navarre and Countess of Champagne to Philip the 4th of France surnamed the Fair both these Estates were added to the Crown of France enjoyed by him and his three Sonnes one after another though not without some prejudice to the Ladie Joan Daughter and Heir of Lewis Hutin But the three Brethren being dead and Philip of Valois succeeding in the Crown of France he restored the Kingdom of Navarre to the said Ladie Joan and for the Countie of Champagne which lay too neer the Citie of Paris to be trusted in a forrein hand he gave unto her and her posterity as in the way of exchange some certain Towns and Lands in other places though not of equal value to so rich a Patrimonie Count Palatines of Champagne 999. 1 Odo Earl of Champagne Brie Blais and Toureine Sonne of Theebald the elder Earl of Blais 1032. 2 Stephen Earl of Campagne and Blais Father of Stephen Earl of Blais and King of England 1101. 3 Theobald eldest Sonne of Stephen 1151. 4 Henry Sonne of Theobald a great Adventurer in the Wars of the Holy Land 1181. 5 Henry II. an Associate of the Kings of France and England in the Holy Wars King of Hierusalem in right of Isabel his Wife 1196. 6 Theobald II. Brother of Henry added unto his house the hopes of the kingdom of Navarre by his Marriage with the Ladie Blanche Sister and Heir of Sancho the 8th 1201. 7 Theobald III. Earl of Campagn● Sonne of Theobald the 2d and the Ladie Blanche succeeded in the Realm of Navarre Anno 1234. 1269. 8 Theobald IV. Sonne of Theobald the 3d King of Navarre and Earl of Champagne and Brie 1271. 9 Henry Sonne of Theobald the 4th King of Navarre and Earl of Champagne c. 1284. 10 Philip IV. King of France in right of Ioane his Wife King of Navarre and Earl of Campagne 1313. 11 Lewis Hutin Sonne of Philip King of France and Navarre and Earl of Champagne 1315. 12 Philip the Long Brother of Lewis Hutin King of France and Navarre and Earl of Champagne 1320. 13 Charles the Fair Brother of Philip King of France and Navarre and the last Earl of Champagne united after his decease by Philip de Valois to the Crown of France the Earldom of March neer Angolesme being given for it in exchange to the Ladie Ioane Daughter of King Lewis Hutin and Queen of Navarre maried to Philip Earl of Eureux in her right honoured with that Crown from whom descend the Kings of France and Navarre of the House of Bourbon The Arms of these Palatines of Champagne were Azure two Bends cotized potencee and counterpotencee of three peeces 3. PICARDIE PICARDIE hath on the East the Dukedoms of Luxembourg and Lorrein on the West some part of Normandie and the English Ocean on the North the Counties of Artois and Hai●●● and on the South Champagne and France strictly and specially so called A Countrie so well stored with Corn that it is accounted the Granarie or Store house of Paris but the few Wines which it produceth are but harsh and of no good relish especially in the Northern and colder parts of it The antient Inhabitants of it were the Snessiones Ambiani and Veromandui considerable Nations of the Belgae and therefore reckoned into the Province of Belgica Secunda but why they had the name of Picards I am yet to seek Omitting therefore the conjectures of other men some of the which are groundless and the rest ridiculous I onely say as Robert Bishop of Auranches hath affirmed before me Quos itaque aetas nostra Picardos appellat verè Belgae di●endi su●t qui postmodum in Picardorun nomen transmigrarunt The whole Countrie as it lieth from Calais to the Borders of Lorrein is divided into the Higher and the Lower the Lower subdivided into Sainterre Ponthein Boulognois and Guisnes the Higher into the Vidamate of Amieus Veromandois Rethelois and Tierasche in every of which there are some places of importance and consideration In LOWER PICARDIE and the Countie of GVISNES the chief Towns 1. Calais by Caesar called Portus Iccius as the adjoyning Promontorie Promontorium Itium by Ptolomie a strong Town close upon Artois at the entrance of the English Channel taken by Edward the 3d after the siedge of 11 moneths An. 1347. and lost again by Queen Mary in lesse than a fortnight An. 1●57 So that had Monsieur de Cordes then lived he had had his wish who used to say that he would be content to lie seven years in Hell on condition that Calais were taken from the English The loss of which Town was a great blow to our Estate for till that time we had the Keyes of Fr●nce at our Girdles and as great a grief unto Q. Mary who sickning presently upon it said to those which attended her that if she were opened they should find Calais next her heart 2. Hamme a strong peece one of the best Out-works of Calais 3. Ardres more towards the Borders of Boulognois memorable for the interview of Henry the 8th and Francis the first and many meetings of the English French Commissioners 4 Guisaes which gives name to this Division called the County of Guisnes of which the Land of Oye whereon Calice stood by the French called commonly Pais de Calais was esteemed a part 2. In BOVLOGNOIS neighbouring on the Countie of Guisnes the places of most note 1 Blackness a strong Fort on the Sea side betwixt Calice and Boulogne 2 Chastillon
opposite to Boulogne on the other side of the water 3 Beullenberg more within the Land an Out-work to Boulogne 4 Boulogne by Plinie called Portus Gessoriacus part of the Countrie of the Morini spoken of by Caesar divided into the Base or Low Town lying on the shore side well built and much frequented by Passengers going to or coming out of England and the High Town standing on the rise of an Hill well garrisoned for defence of the Port beneath it and honoured with a Bishops See translated hither from ●curney when that City was taken by the English The Town and Countrie purchased of Bernard de la Tour the true Proprietarie of it by King Lewis the 13. who as the new Lord did homage for it to the Virgin Ma●y in the chief Church thereof called Nostre Dame bare headed and upon his knees without Girdle or Spurrs and offered to her Image a massie Heart of gold of 2000. Ounces capitulating that from thenceforth he and his successours should hold that Earldom of her only in perpetual Homage and at the change of every Vassall present her with a golden Heart of the same weight After this it was taken by King Henry the 8th An. 1544. but yielded not long after by King Edward the 6th I a●d before I leave this Town that at such time as it was an absolute Estate it gave one King unto Hierusalem and another of England the King of Hierusalem being that famous Godfrey surnamed of B●uillon Earl of this Boulog●e as Sonne of Eustace Earl hereof and Duke of Lorrein and Bouillon as the Sonne of the said Eustace and the Ladie Ida the true Inheretrix of those Duchies The second King which had the Title and Estate of Earl of Boulogne was Stephen King of England who held it in right of Maud his Wife the Daughter and Heir of Eustace Earl of Boulogne the Brother of that famous Godsrey But his issue failing not long after and the Estate being fallen amongst his Heires general it came at last to the De la Tours of Auvergne the Ancesters of the now Dukes of B●uillon and so unto the Crown as before is said The Arms of which Family are a Tower embattled Sables but the colour of the Feild I find not 3. PONTHEIU so called from the Bridges built for conveniencie of passage over the moorish ●lats thereof belonged formerly to the English To whom it came by the Mariage of Eleanor Daughter of Ferdinand of Castile by Joane the Daughter and Heir of Simon the last Earl hereof to King Edward the first Towns of most note in it 1 Abbeville seated on the Some well fortifyed and as strongly garrisoned as a Frontier Town upon Artois on one side unassaultable by reason of a deep moorish Fen which comes up close to it beautified with a fair Abbey whence it had the name Abbatis Villa in the Latine and the See of a Bishop 2 Monstreuille a well fortified Town in the way betwixt Abbeville and Amiens and a strong out-work unto Paris 3 Crecie where King Edward the 3d defeated the great Armie of Philip de Valois in the first onsets for that Kingdom And 4. ●report a small Haven on the East of St. Valeries Some place the Earldom of St. Paul in this Countrie of Pontheiu others more rightly in Artoys where we mean to meet with it The Arms hereof were Or 3 Bends Azure 4 And as for SA●NTERRE which is the fourth part of the Lower ●●eardie the chief Tows of it are 1 Peronne upon the River Some where Lewis the 11th the greatest Master of State-craft for the times he lived in put himself most improvidently into the hands of Charles of Burgundie who as improvidenly dismissed him 2. Roy and 3. Montdidier 〈…〉 in Latine both of them strong Towns upon the Frontire but otherwise of little same in former Stories In Higher Picardie and the Vidamate of AMIENS the places of most note are 1 Corbis a Garrison on the Frontire towards the Netherlands 2 Piquigni on the River Some more famous for the enterview of Edward the 4th of England and Lewis the 13th than for giving the name of Picardie to all the Province which Mercator only of all Writers doth ascribe unto it And 3dly Amiens it self seated upon the Some above Piquigni the River being there divided into many Streams for the use and service of the Town well built with very strong walls and deep ditches the loss whereof when taken by Archduke Albert much hazarded the affairs and reputation of King Henry the 4th and therefore when he had regained it he added to the former Works an impregnable Cit●dell But the chief glorie of this Citie is in the Cathedrall the fairest and most lovely structure in the West of Europe so beautified within and adorned without that all the excellencies of Cost and Architecture seem to be met together in the composition The Fronts of our Cathedrals of Wells and Peterburgh the rich Glass in the Quire at Canterbury the costly Imagerie and arched Buttresses in the Chappell at Westminster before the late defacements of those Cathedralls might serve as helps to set forth the full beauties of it II. But not to dwell on this place too long pass we on next to VEROMANDOIS the ancient habitation of the Veromand●● the fairest and largest part of both Picardies and not a whit inferior to the best of France in the number of neat and populous Cities The principall whereof are 1 Soissons called antiently Augusta Suessionum the chief Citie of the Suessones or Suessiones and the last Hold which the Romans had in all Gaul lost by Siagrius governor for the Western Emperor to Clovis the fifth King of the French In the division of his Kingdom made the Seat Royall of Clotair the sonne of this Clovis and of Aripert and Chilperick the sonnes of Clotair from hence entituled Kings of Scissons their Kingdom containing the whole Province of Belgica Secunda or the Provinces of Artois Picardie and Champagne as we call them now But Soissons having long since lost the honour of a Regall Seat hath of late times been made the honourarie Title of the Counts of Soissons a branch of the Royall stock of Bourbon and a Bishops See situate on the River of Aisne 2 Laon a Bishops See also the Bishop whereof is one of the Twelve Peers of France and Earl of Laon the Town in Latine Laodunum 3 Noyon in Latine Noviodunum an Episcopall See also 4 Chapelle a strong piece one of the best outworks of Paris against the Netherlands 5 D'Ourlans and 6 La Fere places of great strength also but more neer the Frontires And 7 S. Quintin antiently the chief Citie of the Veromandui then called Augusta Veromanduorum called afterwards S. Quintin from that Saint here worshipped as the Patron and Deus tutelaris of it A place of great importance for the Realm of France and so esteemed in the opinion of the Earl of Charolois after Duke of Burgundie
divided into the Higher and the Lower the Lower containing the Sea coasts and the Higher the more Inland parts Principall Cities of the whole 1 Constance a Bishops See the Spire or Steeple of whose Cathedrall is easily discernable afar off both by Sea and Land and serveth Saylers for a Landmark From hence the Country hereabouts hath the name of Constantin 2 Auranches situate on a rock with a fair prospect over the English Channell but more neer to Bretagn than the other the chief Citie of the Abrincantes called Ingena by Ptolomie now a Bishops See 3 Caen Cadomum in Latine an Episcopall See as the other Strong populous and well built seated upon the River Orne second in Reputation of the whole Province but more especially famous for the Sepulchre of William the Conquerour the Vniversitie founded here by King Henry the 5th and for the long resistance which it made against him in his Conquest of Normanite 4. Baieux the ●ivitas Baiocassium of Antoninus from whence the Countrie round about hath the name of B●ssin Memorable of a long time for a See Episcopal One of the Bishops whereof called Odo Brother unto William the Conquerour by the Mothers side was by him created Earl of Kent and afterwards on some just displeasure committed Prisoner For which when quarreled by the Pope the Clergie being then exempted from the Secular Powers ●he returned this answer that he had committed the Earl of Kent not the Bishop of Bayeux By which distinction he avoided the Popes displeasure 5. Roven of old R●thomar●m pleasantly seated on the Seine and watered with the two little Riverets of Robe● and R●in●lie which keep it very sweet and clean The Citie for the most part well built of large circuit and great trading the second for bigness wealth and beauty in all France antiently the Metropolis of this Province and an Arch-Bishops See and honoured of late times with a Court of Parliament erected here by Lewis the twelfth Anno 1501. In the Cathedrall Church hereof a Reverend but no beautifull fabrick is to be seen the Sepulchre of J●h● Duke of Bedford and Regent of France for King Henry the sixt which when an envious Courtier perswaded Charles the eighth to deface God forbid saith he that I should wrong him being dead whom living all the power of France was not able to withstand adding withall that he deserved a better Monument than the English had bestowed upon him And to say truth the Tomb is but mean and poor short of the merits of the man and carrying no proportion to so great a vertue 6 Falaise upon the River Ante once of strength and note the dwelling place of Arlette a Skinners Daughter and the Mother of William the Conquerour whom Duke Robert passing through the Town took such notice of as he beheld her in a dance amongst other Damosells that he sent for her to accompany him that night in bed and begot on her William the Bastard Duke of Normandy and King of England Her immodesty that night said to be so great that either in regard thereof or in spite to her Sonne the English called all Strumpets by the name of Harlots the word continuing to this day 7 Vernaville Vernol●um in Latine in former times accompted one of the Bulwarks of Normandie against the French Of which it is reported that when news was brought to Richard the first that Philip surnamed Augustu● the French King had laid siedge unto it he should say these words I will never turn my back till I have confronted those cowardly French men For performance of which Princely word he caused a passage to be broken thorough the Palace of Westminster and came so unexpected upon his Enemies that they raised their siedge and hastned homewards 8 Alanson of most note for giving the title of Earl and Duke to many Princes of the Royal Familie of Valois beginning in Charles de Valois the Father of Philip de Valois French King and continuing for eight successions till the death of Charles the fourth Duke of this line conferred occasionally after that on many of the younger Princes of the Royal Familie 9. Lysieux on the North-East of Alanson a Bishops See the chief Town of the Lexobii as 10 Caux of the Caletes both placed by Caesar in these parts 11. Eureux an Episcopal See also by Ptolomie called Mediolanium the chief Citie antiently of the Eburones and still a rich and flourishing Town the third in estimation of all this Province 12. Gisors a strong frontire Town towards France whilst Normandie was in the hands of the English or under its own Dukes and Princes notable for the many repulses given unto the French And 13. Pontoyse another frontier upon France so called of the Bridge on the River of Oyse which divides France from Normandie on which the Town is situate and by which well fortified on that side but taken at the second coming of Charles the 7th after an ignominious flight hence upon the noyse only of the coming of the Duke of York commander at that time of the Province and the English Forces 14. Albemarl contractedly Aumerl most memorable for giving the title of Earl to the Noble Familie De Fortibus Lords of Holderness in England and of Duke to Edward Earl of Rutland after Duke of York More towards the Sea 15. S. Valenies seated on a small but secure Bay betwixt Dieppe and New Haven 16. Dieppe at the mouth of a little River so named opening into a large and capacious Bay a Town of Trade especially for the Newfound-Land remarkable for its fidelity to Henry the 4th in the midst of his troubles When the Confederates of the Guisian faction called the Holy League had outed him of almost all the rest of his Cities compelled him to betake himself hither from whence he might more easily hoise Sail for England and called him in derision the King of Dieppe 17. New-Haven the Port Town to Roven and Paris situate at the mouth of the River Seine from hence by great Ships navigable as far as Roven by lesser unto Pont de l' Arch 70 miles from Paris the Bridge of Roven formerly broken down by the English to secure the Town lying unrepaired to this day by means of the Parisians for the better trading of their City By the French it is called Havre de Grace and Franciscopolis by the Latines repaired and fortified the better to confront the English by King Francis the first and from thence so named Delivered by the Prince of Conde and his faction into the hands of Q. Elizabeth of England as a Town of caution for the landing of such forces as she was to send to their relief in the first civil War of France about Religion and by the help of the same faction taken from her again as soon as their differences were compounded By means whereof the Hugonots were not only weakned for the present but made uncapable of any succours out of England for the
of Solomon who at the 〈◊〉 of the Insular-Britans then distressed by the Scots and Picts as Geofrie or● Mon 〈◊〉 telleth the storie sent over Constantine his Brother with a complete Army to their aid who having valiantly repulsed the Enemy was made King of Britain Anno 433. Of whose posterity more there Those of Armorica being broken by the puissance of Charles the Great abandoned the name of Kings and satisfied themselves with the title of Earls assumed first by Alain le Rebre Anno 874. but as some say Anno 859. which was somewhat sooner By Peter of Dre●x the 16th Earl chalenging his Estate in right of Alice his Wife the half Sister of Arthur and Daughter of Constance by Guy of Thouars her 3d Husband the better to secure his title this Earldom was made subject to the Vassallage of the Crown of France in the time of Lewis the 9th by whom Iohn called the R●d the Sonne of this Peter was created the first Duke of Bretagne Yet notwithstanding this subjection to the Kings of France the Dukes hereof reserved unto themselves the Sovereign powers as to write themselves By the Grace of God the privilege of coyning Gold c. and stood so high upon their termes that Francis the last Duke denyed to do his Homage to Charles the 7th either upon his Knees or without his Sword according to the former custome For which being quarrelled by Lewis the eleventh the Sonne of Charles who was at better leisure to pursue the business than his Father was he joyned himself with Charles Duke of Berry and Charles Duke of Burgundie in a War against him and thereby drew upon himself that ruine which he indeavoured to avoid For in Conclusion Charles of Berry as it was thought was poysoned Charles of Burgundie lost his life at the Battle of Nancie 1476. and a great part of his Estate was conquered by the French King And Francis this Duke having embarked himself in the same troublous Ocean must needs suffer shipwrack with his Copartners The French King invadeth Bretagno The Duke overcharged with melancholy dies 1488. leaving Anne his Daughter and Heir in the power of Charles the 8th the Sonne and Successour of that Lewis who contracts a mariage with the Orphan and uniteth Bretagne to France There were many impediments which might have hindred this mariage but Charles breaketh through them all First Charles himself had been formerly contracted to the Archduke Max milians Daughter but this he held void because the young Lady was not of age at the time of the Contract 2 Anne the Dutchess was also contracted to Maximilian and this he held unvalid also because that being his Homager she could not bestow her self without his consent 3 Maximilian had by proxic maried her which mariage he consummated by a Ceremonie in those dayes unusuall For his Ambassadour attended with a great Train of Lords and Ladies bared his Leg unto the Knee and put the same within the Sheets of the Dutchess taking possession thereby of her Bed and Bodie But Charles consulting with his Divines was told That this pretended Consummation was rather an invention of Court than any way firm by the Lawes of the Church and therefore of no power to hinder his pursute of this mariage so advantagions to his Crown What else remains touching the union of this Dukedom to the Realm of France we shall see anon having first looked over the Succession of those Princes who under severall Titles have governed the Estate thereof according to the best light we can get from Storie Kings of the Britans of Gau●-Armorick 385. 1 Conan placed here by Maximus 2 Grallon Sonne of Conan 3 Salomon Sonne of Grallon 4 A●l●ran or Aldroenus the Sonne of Solomon 5 Bodis Sonne of Auldran 6 Hoel Sonne of Bodis 7 Hoel II. Sonne of Hoel the first 8 Alain Sonne of Hoel the second 9 Hoel III. Sonne of Alain 10 Solomon II. Sonne of Hoel the third 11 Alain II. Grandchild to Solomon the second the last King of Bretagne of the race of Conan who dying without Issue left his Kingdom unto many Competitors by whom distracted into many pet it Tyrannies and at last subdudued by Charles the Great And though they did again recover their Liberty and Kingdom in the time of Ludov●c●● Pitts who next succeeded yet they did not hold it long in quiet Insomuch as after the murther of two or three Usurpers of the Royall title Alain surnamed Le Rebre laid aside that invidious name of King and would be called only Earl of Bretagne His Successours ●ollow Earles and Dukes of Bretagne 874 1 Alain le Rebre 2 Indicael Colodock the Sonnes of Alain 3 Mathrudon Sonne in Law of Alain le Rebre 4 Alain II. Sonne of Mathrudon 5 Conan descended from King Solomon the 3d. 6 Geofrie Sonne of Conan 7 Alain III. Sonne of Geofrie 8 Conan II. Sonne of Alain 9 Hoel Sisters Sonne of Conan the 2d 10 Alain IV. called Fergent Sonne of Hoel 11 Conan III. Sonne of Alain 12 Eudon Husband of Bertha Daughter of Conan 1131. 13 Conan IV. Sonne of Eudo● 1172. 14 Geofrie II. Sonne of Henry the 2d King of England Husband of Constance Daughter and Heir of Conan the 4th 1186. 15 Arthur Sonne of Geofry 1202. 16 Peter of Breux 1250. 17 John the first Duke of Bretagne 1287. 18 John II. Sonne of John 1305. 19 Arthur II. Sonne of Iohn the 2d 1312. 20 Iohn III. Sonne of Arthur 2d 1341. 21 Iohn Earl of Montfort Brothers Sonne of Arthur 1399. 22 Iohn V. Sonne of Iohn of Montfort 1442. 23 Francis the Sonne of Iohn the fift 1450. 24 Peter the Brother of Duke Francis 1457. 25 Arthur III. second Sonne of Iohn Earl of Montfort 1458. 26 Francis II. Sonne of Richard Earl of Estampes the Brother of Duke Arthur the 3d. the last Duke of Bretagne of whom sufficiently before 1484. 27 Charles the 8th French King succeeded in the Dukedom of Bretagne in right of Anne his Wife Daughter and Heir of Francis the 2d 1498. 28 Lewis the 12th French King succeeded on the death of Charles in the right of the said Anne whom he took to Wise and to make a way unto her Bed divorced himself from the Ladie Ioane his former Wife Daughter of Lewis the 11th 1515. 29 Francis the III. of Bretagne and the first of France succeeded in the Dukedom in right of Claude his Wife the eldest Daughter of Lewis the 12th and Anne of Bretagne by whom being made the Father of so many Children that he had little cause to fear that the Crown would be separated from his House in the year 1532 being the 17th of his reign and Government caused an Act to pass with the consent of the States of Bretagne for the inseparable uniting of that Dukedom to the Kingdom of France and by that meanes divested his Posteritie of it For his male issue failing in King Henry the 3d the rights hereof descended on the Heires
of their Husbands Estates and there equall share in all Lands yea even such as are holden in Knights service privileges wherewith other Women are not acquainted Of high esteem in former times amongst forrein Nations for the modestie and gravitie of their conversation but of late times so much addicted to the light garb of the French that they have lost much of their antient honour and reputation amongst knowing and more sober men of forrein Countries who before admired them 6 The Wooll of En●land is of exceeding fineness especially that of Cotswold in Glocestershire that of Lemster in Herefordshire and of the Isle of Wight Of this Wooll are made excellent broad-clothes dispersed all over the world especially High Germany Muscovy Turkie and Persia to the great benefit of the Realm as well in return of so much money which is made of them as in setting to work so many poor people who from it receive sustenance Before the time of King Edward the 3d English men had not the art or neglected the use of making cloth till whose time our Wooll was transported unwrought And as his Successors have laid Impositions on every cloth sold out of the Realm so his Predecessors had as their occasions required some certain Customes granted on every sack of Wooll In the beginning of this Edwards Warres with France the Cities and Towns of Flanders being then even to admiration rich combined with him and ayded him in his Warres against that King And he for his part by the composition then made was to give them 140000 l. ready money to ayd them by Sea and Land if need required and to make B●uges then one of the great Mart Towns of Christendome the Staple for his Woolls Here the Staple continued 15 yeers at which time the Flemmings having broke off from the King and he having by experience seen what the benefit of these Staples were removed them from Bruges into England And for the ease as well of his Subjects in bringing their Woolls unto the Ports as of such Forrein Merchants as came to buy he placed his Staples at Excester Bristoll Winchester Westminster Chichester Canterbury Norwich Lincoln York and Newcastle for England at Caermarden for Wales and at Dublin Waterford Cork and Tredah for Ireland He further Enacted that no English Irish or Welch men should transport this Stapled commodity no not by License if any such should be granted on pain of Confiscation and Imprisonment during the Kings pleasure Lastly he allured over hither divers Fl●mmings which taught our men the making of clothes who are now grown the best Clothworkers in the World and to encourage men in that Art it was by a Statute of the 27th of Edward the 3d enacted to be Felony to carry any Woolls unwrought When England had some short time enjoyed the benefit of these Staples the King removed them to Callice which he had Conquered and desired to make wealthy From hence they were at severall times and occasions translated now to one now to another Town in Belgium and still happy was that Town in what Country soever where the English kept a house for this Traffick the confluence of all people thither to buy infinitely inriching it Antwerp in Brabant long enjoyed the English Merchants till upon some discontents between King Henry the 7th and Maximilian Archduke and Lord of Belgium they removed but at their return again were received by the Antwerpians with solemn Procession Princely Triumph sumptuous Feasts rare Banquettings and expressions of much Love but more Ioy. And the giving of some Cotswold Sheep by Edward the 4th to Henry of Castile and John of Aragon Anno 1465. is counted one of the greatest prejudices that ever hapned to this Kingdom The Wooll transported bringeth into the Kingdom no less than 1500000 l. and the Lead half the summe so that Lewis Guicciardine reporteth that before the Warres of the Low-Countries the Flemmings and the English bartered wares yeerly for 12 Millions of Crowns The next commodity to the Wooll though not mentioned in the verse fore-going are the rich and inexhaustible Mines of Cole Lead and Tinne to say nothing of the Mines of Iron as bringing more damage to the publick by the spoil of Woods than profit to particular persons in the increase of their Estates The mines of Cole chiefly enrich Newcastle in Northumberland and by that the great City of London and many other good Towns besides which could not possibly subsist in this generall decay of Woods and neglect of planting but by this commoditie The Mines of Lead are most considerable in the Peak of Darbishire those of Tinne in Cornwall where they digge Tinne not much inferior to Silver in fineness A commodity which brought great wealth to England in former times the art of making it not being elsewhere known in Europe till one of the Tinne-workers flying out of England for a murder passed into Germany Anno 1240. and there discovered some Tinne Mines in Misnia not known before and set on Foot that trade amongst them to the great prejudice saith my Author of the Earls of Cornwall who had before the sole Monopolie of that usefull metall To these particulars being matters of profit and necessity If I would add such things as are for delight and pleasure I might subjoyn the Bells and Parks for which this Kingdom is as eminent among forein Nations as for any of those mentioned in the said old Verse The Bells so many tunable and of such excellent Melody to a Musicall eare brought more to the command of the skilfull ringer than in former times that it is thought there are more good Rings of Bells in this part of the Iland than in half Christendom besides Parkes more in England than in all Europe The first of which kind for the inclosing of Venison being that of Woodstock made by King Henry the first whose example being followed by his Successors and the Lords and great men of the Realm the number so increased in a little time that at the last besides 55 Forrests and 300 Chases there were reckoned 745 Parkes in England all well replenished either with Red or Fallow Deere And that the Deere might graze with pleasure and the Sheep with safety great care was taken by our progenitors for the destruction of Wolves I know it hath been a tradition of old Writers that England never had any Wolves at all and that they would not live here brought from other places but it is not so here being store of them till Edgar King of England commuted the 20 l. of Gold 300 l. of Silver and 300 head of Cattell imposed as an yearly tribute by King Athelstane upon Idwallo Prince of Wales for the like yearly tribute of 300 Wolves by which means they were quite rooted out in time the Welch protesting at the last they could find no more The Air of this Country is very temperate neither so hot as France and Spain in the Summer because of its
Councill of Arles Anno 314. Eborius Bishop of York Restitutns Bishop of London and Adelsius Bishop of Colchester there called Colonia Londinensium and some of them also present in the Councill of Sardira Anno 358. concurring with the rest in voting to the condemnation of the Arian Heresies and the same or others the next yeer in the Synod of Arim●n And when the Britans were expulsed their native Countrie or shut up in the mountainous parts of the Ordovices and Silures which we now call Wales they caried Christianity and Bishops along with them Augustine the Monk finding no fewer than seven Bishops in the British Church when he was sent by Gregory the Great to convert the English And yet it is no fabulous vanity as some men suppose to say that Augustine the Monk first preached the Gospel in this Countrie because it must be understood in that saying not with Relation to the B●itans but the English Saxons from whom these parts of the Isle had the name of England and from whom both the Britans and the Faith it self were driven into the Mountains of Wales and Cornwall and Heathenism introduced again over all the Kingdom Long after which it pleased God that Gregory the Great but at that time a Deacon only in the Church of Rome seeing some handsom youths to be sold in the open Market demanded what and whence they were to whom it was answered they were Angli and well may they be so called saith he for they seem as Angels Asking again of what Province they were amongst the Angli and answer being made of the Province of Deira part of the Kingdom of the Northumbrians therefore said he de ira Dei sunt liberandi And lastly understanding that the King of their Nation was named Alle how fitly said he may he sing Allelujahs to the most High God After which time he seriously endeavoured the Conversion of the English Nation which being Pope he happily effected by the travell and diligence of Augustine the Monk the first Arch-bishop of Canterbury And so well did the work prosper after this beginning that not only all the Saxons did receive the Gospel but communicated the Light of it to other Nations the Hassians Franconians and Turingians being converted by Winifred the Frisons or Hollanders by Wittikind the first Bishop of Vtrecht the Saxons of Westphalen by Willdrode the first Bishop of Br●me all of them being English Saxons as we find in Beda and some others Now as these parts of Britain were the first which generally entertained the Gospel so were they the first also in these later times which universally submitted to the Reformation of such corruptions as had been brought upon them by the power and tyrannie of the Church of Rome Endeavoured first in France by the Albigenses and Waldenses as was said before Who being suppressed and ruinated by the sword of the Kings of France sheltred themselves in the mountainous parts of Gascoigne and Guienne then in possession of the English who by that means became acquainted with their Tenets maintained here publickly by Wiclef and spreading under-hand amongst the people of this Kingdom till the times of Luther and the Reformation by him aimed at Which being in most other Countries received tumultuously by the power of the People was here admitted upon mature deliberation by the autority and consent of the Prince and Prelates the Architects in this great work without respect unto the Dictats of Luther or Calvin but looking only on Gods Word and the Primitive Patterns abolishing such things as were repugnant unto either but still retaining such Ceremonies in Gods publick worship as were agreeable to both and had been countenanced by the practice of the Primitive times A point wherein they did observe a greater measure of Christian prudence and moderation than their neighbour Churches which in a meer detestation of the See of Rome allowed of nothing which had formerly been in use amongst them because defiled with Popish Errors and abuses and thereby utterly averting those of the Papal party from joyning with them in the work or coming over to them when the work was done Whereas had they continued an allowable correspondencie in these extrinsecals of Religion with the Church of Rome their partie in the World had been far greater and not so much stomacked as it is And so it was conceived by the Marquesse de Rhosne after Duke of Sally and Lord High-Treasurer of France and one of the chief men of that partie there when being sent Ambassadour to King Iames from King Henry 4d he had observed the Majesty and Decency of Gods publick Service in some Cathedrals of this Kingdom he said Religion would be soon defaced and trod under foot if not preserved and fenced about with the hedge of Ceremonies As for the Government of the Church since the last Conversion as by the piety and example of Lucius there were founded three Arch-Bishopricks and 25. Bishopricks according to the number of the Archi Flamines and Flamines whose great Revenues were converted to more sacred uses in the times of Idolatry So by the like pious care of Pope Gregory the Great by whose means this last Conversion hapned Arch-Bishopricks and Bishopricks were designed to convenient places The number 26 in all to each Province twelve besides the two Archbishops and Metropolitans wherein he had the happiness to have his desires fulfilled though the number was not made compleat till these later dayes nor with such equall distribution as he did intend For in the Province of York laid wast and desolate by the Danes and not so soon converted as the other was the number of the Suffragan Bishops came not up to his purpose but did as much exceed in the Province of Canterbury especially when King Henry the 8th had incorporated Wales with England and founded five Episcopall Sees out of the ruines and Revenues of some principall Monasteries of which none but the Bishoprick of Chester and that of the Isle of Man which maketh up the 27th were laid unto the Province of York And so it stood notwithstanding the alterations of Religion without any dispute till Calvin having hammered out his new Presbrterie and recommended it to the use of all the Christian Churches the History whereof we had succinctly in the Alpine Provinces found many apt Scholars in most places to decry this Order though consonant to the word of God and most pure Antiquity But the truth is it was not so much the Autority of Calvin or the malignant zeal of Beza or the impetuous clamours of their Disciples which caused the Episcopall Order to grow out of credit as the Avar●ce of some great persons in Court and State who greedily gaped after the poor remnant of their Possessions It had been else a miracle that Calvins Plat-form made only for the use of a private Citie and not proportioned no nor intended at the first to the estate of other Churches especially where the Bishops had been
in King Iames his reign tending to the advancement of such uniformitie be not interrupted For other things certain it is that London is the antienter Citie as being an Archbishops See in the time of the Britans when the name of Paris was scarce heard of a Bishops See at the first conversion of the Saxons increased so much in wealth and honour from one Age to another that it is grown at last too big for the Kingdom which whether it may be profitable for the State or not may be made a question And great Towns in the bodie of a State are like the Spleen or Melt in the bodie naturall the monstrous growth of which impoverisheth all the rest of the Members by drawing to it all the animal and vitai spirits which should give nourishment unto them And in the end cracked or surcharged by its own fulness not only sends unwholesome fumes and vapours unto the head and heavy pangs unto the heart but drawes a consumption on it self And certainly the over-growth of great Cities is of dangerous consequence not only in regard of Famine such multitudes of mouthes not being easie to be fed but in respect of the irreparable danger of Insurrections if once those multitudes sensible of their own strength oppressed with want or otherwise distempered with faction or discontent should gather to an head and break out into action Yet thus much may be said to the honour of London though grown by much too bigg now for the kingdom that it is generally so well governed and in so good peace that those Murders Robberies and outrages so frequent in great and populous Cities beyond the Seas are here seldom heard of 2 York in the West-riding of that Countie the second Citie of England as the old Verse hath it Londinum caput est Regni urbs prima Britanni Eboracum à primâ jure secunda venit That is to say In England London is the chiefest Town The second place York claimeth as its own And so it may being indeed the second Citie of the Kingdom both for same and greatness A pleasant large and stately Citie well fortified and beautifully adorned as well with private as publick Edifices and rich and populous withall Seated upon the River Ouse or Vre which divides it in twain both parts being joyned together with a fair stone Bridge consisting of high and mighty Arches A Citie of great estimation in the time of the Romans the Metropolis of the whole Province or Di●cese of Britain remarkable for the death and buriall of the Emperour Seve●us and the birth of Constantine the Great by consequence the Seat of the Primate of the British Church as long as Christianity did remain amongst them Nor stooped it lower when the Saxons had received the Faith and notwithstanding those mutations which befell this Kingdom under the Saxons Dancs and Normans it still preserved its antient lustre and increased it too Adorned with a stately and magnificent Cathedrall inferiour to few in Europe and with a Palace o● the Kings called the Manour-house the dwelling in these later dayes of the Lord President of the Court or Councell here established by King Henry 8th for the benefit of his Northern Subjects after the manner of the French Parliaments or Presed all Seiges 3 Bristol the third in rank of the Cities of England situate on the meeting of the Frome and Avon not far from the influx of the Severn into the Ocean in that regard commodiously seated for trade and traffick the Ships with full sayl coming into the Citie and the Citizens with as full purses trading into most parts of the World with good Faith and Fortune A Town exceeding populous and exceeding cleanly there being Sewers made under ground for the conveyance of all filth and nastiness into the Rivers Churches it hath to the number 18 or 20 reckoning in the Cathedrall and that of Ratcliff The Cathedrall first built by Rob. Fitz. Harding Sonne to a King of Danemark once a Burger here and by him stored with Canons Regular Anno 1248. but made a Bishops See by King Henry 8th Anno 1542. The principall building next the Church an antient Castle a piece of such strength that Maud the Empress having took King Steven Prisoner thought it the safest place to secure him in 4 Norwich the 4th Citie of the first rank of which more hereafter 5 Oxford the first of the second rank of English Cities seated upon the Ouse or Isis but whether so called as Vadum Isides Ouseford or the Ford of Ouse or Vada boum as the Greeks had their Bosphori in former times I determine not An antient Town and antiently made a seat of Learning coevall unto that of Paris if not before it the Vniversity hereof being restored rather than first founded by King Alured Anno 806. after it had been overborn awhile by the Danish Furies but hereof as an Vniversity more anon This only now that for the statelinesse of the Schooles and publick Library the bravery and beauty of particular Colleges all built of fair and polished stone the liberall endowment of those houses and notable encouragements of Industry and Learning in the salarie of the Professors in most Arts and Sciences it is not to be parallelled in the Christian World The Citie of it self well built and as pleasantly seated formed in the Figure of a Crosse two long Streets thwarting one another each of them neer a mile in length containing in that compasse 13 Parish Churches and a See Episcopall founded here by King Henry 8th Anno 1541. The honourary Title of 20 of the noble Family of the Veres now Earls of Oxon. 6 Salisbury first seated on the Hill where now stands old Salisbury the Sorbiodunum of the Antients But the Cathedrall being removed down into the Vale the Town quickly followed and grew up very suddenly into great Renown pleasantly seated on the Avon a name common to many English Rivers which watereth every street thereof and for the populousness of the place plenty of Provisions number of Churches a spacious Market-place and a fair Town-Hall esteemed the second Citie of all the West 7 Glocester by Antonine called Glevum by the Britains Caer Glowy whence the present name the Saxons adding Cester as in other places A fine neat Citie pleasantly seated on the Severn with a large Key or Wharf on the banks thereof very commodious to the Merchandise and trade of the place well built consisting of fair large Streets beautified with a magnificent Cathedrall and situate in so rich Vale that there is nothing wanting to the use of man except onely Wine which life or luxury may require 8 Chester upon the River Dee built in the manner of a quadrate inclosed with a wall which takes up more than two miles in compasse containing in that compasse 12 Parish Churches and an old Cathedrall dedicated antiently to S. Wereburg Daughter of Wolfere K. the Mercians and Visitress of all the Monasteries of England but
a Bishops See by King Henry the 8th The buildings generally fair the Streets wide and open with Galleries before every door under which a man may walk dry from one end to the other The rest of chief note shall be specified on another occasion with this advertisment that the ordinary Cities of England are not to be compared with those of France and Italy First because the Nobles and Gentry of those Countries live for the most part in the Cities ours in Country-Villages And secondly because the Londoners so ingross all trading that they draw thither all the Wealth and treasure of the Kingdom By means whereof that every day increaseth in wealth and beauty the rest except Bristol only doe decay as sensibly that Citie being like the Spleen in the body naturall the monstrous growth whereof starveth all the rest of the Members Liene excr●scen●e reliquum corpus contabescit as the Doctors have it There are in England but two Vniversities which may equall six nay ten of all other Countries so that Paris be not in the number most of them being no better than our Colleges of Westminster Eaton or Winchester and none so liberally endowed as some one of these in the Vniversities Of which there are 16 in Cambridge some of them called only by the name of Halls but these endowed with Lands and Fellowships as the others are In Oxford there 18 Colleges endowed with Lands besides six Halls where Students live at their own charges in both of them Professors of the Arts and Sciences as also of Divinity Law Physick and the Learned Languages with liberall Salaries and in each to the number of 3000 Students so regular in their lives and conversations as are not to be found in the World besides The fairer and more antient Oxford which of long time together with Paris in France Bononia in Italy and Salamanca in Spain hath been honoured with the Title of Generale studium For that the Vniversity of Cambridge though giving upper hand to her Sister of Oxford she may take place of all the Vniversities in the World besides is not of so long standing as that of Oxford is evident by the testimony of Robertus de Remington cited by Master Camden viz. Regnante Edwardo primo It should rather be read secundo de studio Grantbridge facta est Academia sicut Oxonium where the word sicut doth not import an idenity of the time but a relation to Oxford as to the pattern We see this truth yet clearer in the Bull of Pope Iohn the 21 the contemporary of our Edward 2d as I find in the work of that great Searcher of Academicell Antiquities Mr. Brian Twine A●ostolica authoritate statuimus saith the Bull quod Collegium magistrorum scholari●m ejusdem studij speaking of Cambridge Vniversitas siz censenda c. But what need more than Resolution of the Commons of the first Parliament holden under King Iames. For when he Clerk of that House had put the name of Cambridge before Oxford they taking disdainfully that Hysteron Proteron commanded the Antiquities of both Vniversities to be searched and after fearch made gave the place to Oxford But to proceed the Vniversity of Cambridge as it was much of a later Foundation so was it long before it grew into esteem insomuch that when William of Wa●nslate Bishop of Winchester and Founder of Magdalen College in Oxon whereof I was once an unworthy Member perswaded King Henry the sixth to erect a College in Oxford as some of the Kings his Predecessors had done before him immo potius Cantabrigiae replyed the King Vt duas si fieri possit in Anglia Academias habeam No said the King in Cambridge rather that so if possible I may have two Vniversities in my Realm of England As for the Storie of this Country that it was first peopled out of Gaul is affirmed by Caesar proved by many strong and concluding Arguments as their Religion Manners Languages Customs and the neerness of the one to the other To omit therefore the Fable of Brute and the Catalogue of 68 Kings which are said to have reigned here successively before the coming of the Romans Certain it is that Caesar found the Countrey cantoned into many Kingdoms four in Kent alone and the people to be very rude and illiterate Such Learning as they had was locked up in the brests of the Druides who committed nothing unto writing and by that means kept the People in continuall ignorance communicating what they knew to none but those of their own Order and therein being sought to by the Druides or Priests of Gaul who came over into this Island to them and did from them receive the knowledge of their sacred Mysteries Being conquered or discovered rather by Iulius Caesar it was not so much as looked after by the two next Emperours Augustus and Tiberius counting it an high point of Wisdom not to extend the Empire beyond the Ocean Caligula had once a mind to the Adventure but he durst not follow it But Claudius his Successor undertook the Enterprise sollicited thereunto by Bericus a noble Briton who for sedition and some practices against the publick was expelled the Countrey Hereupon Aulus Plautius is sent over with some Roman Forces by whom and P● Ostorius Scapula his Successor Togodumnus and Caractacus two Kings of the Britains were severally overcome in battel a Roman Colonie planted at Camalodunum and the Southern parts thereof reduced to the form of a Province After this time by little and little the whole was conquered as far as to the Frythes of Dunbarten and Edenburgh Agricola in the time of Domitian having the happiness and good fortune to goe beyond the furthest of his Predecessors and so much moderation not to venture further where there was nothing to be got but blowes cold and hunger At the first entrance of the Romans the Iland was divided into severall Nations each governed by its own Kings and particular Princes different in their ends and counsels and so more easily subdued by united Forces The principall of which for it is needless to make mention of inferiour Cla●s were 1 the Danmonij containing Devonshire and Cornwall whose chief Cities were Isca now Exeter and Volcha neer the Town of Falmouth in Cornwall 2 the Durotriges inhabiting only in the County of Dorset whose chief Citie was Danium or Durnovaria which we now call Vorchester 3 the Belgae planted in the Counties of Somerset Southampton and Wilts whose chief Cities were Aquae calidae now Bath Ventu Belgarum now Winchester and Sorbio●unum the seat of old Salisbury 4 the Attrebatij confined within Barkshire only the chief Citie of whom was Guallena where now is Wallingf●rd 5 the Regni possessed of Sussex and Surrey whose chief Cities were Vindeli● now Winchelsey and Neomagus situate some ten miles from London 6 the Cantian● or the Kentish having Durovernum now Canterbury Dubris now Dover and Rhutupiae now called Richborough for their principall Cities
passing between the Counties of Cardigan Pembroke and Carmarthen runneth into the Sea a little below Cardigan 5 Chedlaydy which running quite thorow Pembrokeshire emptieth it self into Milford Haven one of the most capacious and safest havens not of England onely but of all the world The men are of a faithfull carriage towards all men especially towards one another in a strange Countrie and towards strangers in their own Of a temper questionless much inclining to choler as being subject to the passion by Aristotle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which men are quickly moved to anger and as soon appeased of all angers the best and noblest Their Language the old British hath the least commixture of forein words of any in Europe and by reason of its many Consonants and gutturall Letters is not so pleasing as some others in the Pronunciation A Language not much studied by those of other Nations in regard that such of the Inhabitants who have addicted themselves to learning have rather chose to express themselves in the Latine or English tongues than that of their own Native Countrie The principall of which not to say any thing of Merlin the Tages of the Welch or British were 1 Gildas for his great knowledge surnamed Sapiens 2 Geofry of Monmouth and 3 Giraldus Cambrensis the Historians and of later times 4 William Morgan the Translator of the Bible into Welch for which performance most deservedly made Bishop of Land●ff 5 Sir Iohn Price the Antiquary 6 Owen the Epigrammatist c. The whole Countrey not taking the Counties of Shropshire and Monmouth into the reckoning containing in it 12 Shires onely of which seven were set out by King Edward the first that is to Pembroke Carmarden Cardigan Merioneth Angleser and Carnarvon The other five viz the Counties of Denbigh Flint Montgomery Radn●r and B●cc●nock were after added out of the Marchlands by King Henry the 8th These 12 Shires are again contracted or subdivided into 4 Circuits for the administration of Iustice Of which the first containeth the Count●● of Montgomery Flint and Denbigh the second those of Carnarvon Anglesey and Merie●●●● the third those of Carwarden Cardigan and Pembroke and the fourth those of Glamorgan Br●c●nock and 〈◊〉 In these 12 Shires are reckoned one Chase 13 Forests 36 Parks 230 Rivers and an hundred Bridges They contain also 1016 Parishes amongst which four Cities 55 Market-Towns and ●● Castles on the old erection The C●ties small poor and inconsiderable The Market Towns the especially on the Marches and outparts of the Countrie very fair and strong as being not only built for commerce and trade but fortified with Walls and Castles to keep in the Welch and so employed till the incorporating Wales with England took away all occasion of the old hostilities And for the Castles in the In-lands partly by the iniquity of time which is Edax rerum but chiesly by the policie of the Kings of England who would not suffer any places of strength to remain in a Countrie almost inaccessible and amongst men apt to take the advantage offered the very ruines of them are now brought to ruine But to proceed more particularly the four Cities or Episcopall Sees are 1 S. Davids formerly the 〈◊〉 of Wales situate on the Promontorie in Pembrokeshire by the Antients called Octopitae in a safe place and far enough from the Saxons whom the Welch most feared but incommodious enough for all the rest of the Clergie to repair unto it and not so safe neither unto the Inhabitants of it in respect of sundry other nations who have often spoyled and defaced it For standing neer the Sea it hath been frequently visited and spoyled by the Danes Norwegians and other Boats insomuch that the Bishops were inforced to remove their dwelling to Caermarthen which brought the City small enough before when it was at the biggest to the condition of a Village 2 LL●●nd●●●● upon the River Taffe whence it took the name LLan in the Welch or British signifying a Church LLandaffe the Church upon the Taffe the Bishops whereof derive their Lineall succession from those of Caer-Leon upon Vsk though the Primacie or Archbishops See were removed to Menew A small Town now it is God wot nothing to rank it for a City but the Cathedrall Church and the Prebends houses 3 St Asaph a small Town in Flintshire so called from St. Asoph the second Bishop hereof left here by Kentigern a Scot by whom the Cathedrall Church was founded about the year 560. Situate on the banks of the River Elwy thence called LLan-Elwe by the Welch the Bishop Elwyensis in some Latine Writers 4 Bangor upon the Menai a branch of the Irish Sea of no more beauty and renown than the other three but onely for the Cathedrall founded here by the first Bishops defaced by Owen Glendower and afterwards reedified by Henry Dean Bishop hereof An. 1496. Towns of chief note for these Cities have not much in them which is worth the nothing are 1 Slrewsbury counted now in England but heretofore the seat of the Princes of Ponysland who had here their Palace which being burnt in some of their broyls with England is now converted into Gardens for the use of the Townsmen The Town well traded and frequented by the Welch and English the common Emporie of both well built and strongly situate on a rising ground almost encompassed with the Severn that part thereof which is not senced with the River being fortified with a very strong Castle the work of Roger de Montgomery the first Earl hereof An. 1067. Over the River for convenience of passage it hath two Bridges and but two the one towards England and the other called the Welch-bridge which is towards Wales built by Leoline or LLewellen the first one of the Princes of Northwales whose they conceive to be that Statua which is there standing on the Gate Remarkable since the times of King Henry the sixt for giving the title of Earl to the Noble Family of the Talbots a Family of great honour and as great an Estate till the parcelling 〈◊〉 the Lands betwixt the Daughters and Co-heirs of Gilbert Talbot late Earl hereof according to the ill custom of England where many times the Estate goes to the Females and the Honour with nothing to mainiain it to the next Heir Male. 2 Banchor by Beda called 〈◊〉 a famous Monastery of the Britans conteining above 2000 Monks attending their devotions at the times appointed at other times labouring for their livelihood most cruelly and unmercifully slaughtered by the Saxons at the instigation of Austin the first Archbishop of Canterbury offended that they would not yeeld unto his autoritie 3 Carnarvon on the Mena● before-mentioned not far from Bangor the Monastery of Banchor being in Flintshire well walled and fortified with a strong Castle by King Edward the first after his conquest of the Countrie formerly much resorted to for the Chancery and Exchequer of the Princes of North-Wales 4 Den●●●h
well seated on the banks of the River Istrad which from thence runnes into the Cluyd the fairest River of all those parts A Town well traded and frequented especially since it was made by King Henry the 8th the head-Town of a Countie before which time of great resort as being the head-Town of the Baronie of Denbigh conceived to be one of the goodliest territories in England having more Gentlemen holding of it than any other 5 Mathravall not far from Montgomery heretofore a fair and capacious Town honoured with the Palace and made the chief Seat of the Princes of Powys-land thence called Kings of Matra●as● now a poor village 6 Cacrmar then Maridunum antiently whence the modern name the Britans adding Caer unto it not called so from Caer-Merlin or the Citie of Me●lin inchanted by the Lady of the Lake in a deep Cave hereabouts as old Fablers and Romances tels ns A fair large Town beautified with a Collegiate Church to which there was a purpose in the time of King Edward the ●th of removing the Episcopall See from S. Davids Not far off on the top of an Hill stands Din●vour Castle the chief Seat of the Princes of South-Wales thence called Kings of Dinevour who had their Chancery and Exchequer in the Town of Caermarthen 7 Haverford W●st situate in the Chersonese or Demy-Iland of Pembr●ke-shire by the Welch called Ross by the English Little England beyond Wales by reason of the English tongue there spoken a Town the best traded and frequented of all South Wales 8 Milford in the same County of Pembroke famous for giving name to the most safe and capacious Haven in all the Iland consisting of sundry ' Creeks Bavs and Roads for Ships which makes it capable of entertaining the greatest Navie the landing place of Henry the 7th when he came for England 9 Monm●●th situate at the mouth or influx of the River Munow where it falleth into the Wie whence it had the name A Town belonging antiently to the House of Lancaster the birth place of King Henry the ●ift called Henry of Monmouth That one particular enough to renown the place and therefore we shall add no more 10 Ludlow a Town of great resort by reason of the Court and Councell of the Marches kept here for the most part ever since the incorporating of Wales with England for the ease of the Welch and bordering Subjects in their sutes at Law Situate on the confluence of the ●emd and Corve and beautified with a very strong Castle the Palace heretofore of some of the Princes of Wales of the blood Royal of England at such times as they resided in this Countrey of which more anon and of late times the ordinary Seat of the Lord President of Wales now reckoned as all Shrop-shire on that side the Severn as a part of England Of Anglesey and the Towns thereof we shall speak hereafter now taking notice only of Aberf●aw the Royall Seat sometimes of the Princes of North-wales called thence Kings of Aberf●aw The Storie of the Britans till the time of Cadwallader their last King we have had before After whose retirement unto Rome the whole name and Nation became divided into three bodies that is to say the Cornish-Britans the Britans of Cumberland and the Britans of Wal●s The Cornish-Britans governed by their own Dukes till the time of Egbert the first Monarch of England by whom subdued Anno 809 and made a Province of that kingdom The Britans of Cumberland had their own Kings also some of whose names occur in Storie till the yeer 946. when conquered by Edmund K. of England the Son of Athelsta● But the main body of them getting into the mountainous parts beyond the Severn did there preserve the name and reputation of their Countrey although their Princes were no longer called Kings of Britain but of the Wallish-men or Welch and much adoe they had to make good that Title all the plain Countrey beyond Severn being taken from them by Offa King of the Merc●●an● and themselves made Tributaries for the rest by Egbert before mentioned by Athelstan afterwards Which last imposed a tribute on them of 20 pounds of Gold 300 pounds of Silver and 200 head of Cattel yeerly exchanged in following times for a tribute of Wolves But howsoever they continued for a time the Title of Kings whose names are thus set down by Glover in his Catalogue of Honour published by Milles. The Kings of Wales A. Ch. 690. 1 Idwallo Sonne of Cadwallader 720. 2 Rodorick 25. 755. 3 Conan 63. 818. 4 Mervin 25. 843. 5 Rodorick II. surnamed the Great who divided his Kingdom small enough before amongst his Sonnes giving Guined●h or North-Wales to Amarawdh his eldest Sonne to Cadel his second Sonne Deheubarth or Souh-Wales and Powis-land to his youngest Sonne Mervin conditioned that the two younger Sonnes and their Successors should hold their Estates in Fee of the Kings of North-Wales and acknowledge the Soveraignty thereof as Leigemen and Hom●gers According unto which appointment it was ordained in the Constitutions of Howell Dha the Legislator of Wales that as the Kings to Abersraw were bound to pay 63 pounds in way of tribute to the Kings of London ●o the Kings of Dynevour and Matravall should pay in way of tribute the like summe to the Kings of Abersraw But notwithstanding the Reservation of the Soveraignty to the Kings of North-Wales Roderick committed a great Soloecism in point of State by this dismemb●ing of his Kingdom especially at a time when all the kingdoms of the Saxons were brought into one and that one apt enough upon all occasions to work upon the weakness of the neighbouring Welch which had they been continued under one sole Prince might have preserved their Liberty and themselves a Kingdom as well as those of Scotland for so long a time against the power and puissance of the Kings of England Yet was not this the worst of the mischier neither his Successors subdividing by his example their small Estates into many insomuch that of the eight tributary Kings which rowed King Edgar on the Dee five of them were the Kings or Princes of Wales But Roderick did not think of that which was to come whom we must follow in our Storie according to the Division of the Countrey made by him into three Estates of North-Wales South-Wules and Powys-land 1. NORTH-WALES or Guinedth contained the Counties of Merioneth and Carnarvon the Isle of Aaglesey and the greatest parts of Denbigh and Flint-shires The chief Towns whereof are Bangor Denbigh Carnarvon Abersraw spoken of before and some in Anglesey whereof we shall speak more hereafter The Countrey Anglesey excepted the most barren and unfruitfull part of all Wales but withall the safest and furthest from the danger of the incroaching English which possibly might be the reason why it was set out for the portion of the Eldest Sonne in whom the Soveraignty of the Welch was to be preserved by the Kings or Princes of North-wales A.
a Law o● not admitting Aliens to the Crown chose one Ferreth of their own Nation to be their King with whom Alpine contended in a long Warre victorious for the most part in conclusion slain The quarrell notwithstanding did remain betwixt the unfriendly Nations till at the last after many bloody battels and mutuall overthrows the Scotr being for the most part on the losing side Kenneth the second of that name vanquished Donsk●n the last King of the Picts with so great a slaughter of his People that he extinguished not their Kingdom only but their very name passing from that time forwards under that of Scots No mention after this of the Pictish Nation unless perhaps we will believe that some of them passed into France and there forsooth subdued that Countrie which we now call Picardy As for the Catalogue of the Kings of the Scots in Britain I shall begin the same with Fergu● the second of that name in the Accompt of their Historians leaving out that rabble of 38 Kings half of them at the least before Christs Nativity mentioned by Hector Boe●ius Buchanan and others of their Classick Authors Neither shall I offend herein as I conjecture the more judicious and understanding men of the Scotish Nation and for others I take little care since I deal no more unkindly with their first Fergin and his Successors than I have done already with our own Brutus and his The first Scotish King that setled himself in the North of Britain is according to the above-named Hector Boetius one Fergus which in the time that Coyle governed the Britans came forsooth into these parts out of Ireland From him unto Eugenius we have the names of 39 Kings in a continued succession which Eugenius together with his whole Nation is said to have been expelled the Iland by a joynt confederacy of the Romans B●itans and Picts Twenty and seven years after the death of this Eugenius they were reduced again into their possession here by the valour and conduct of another Fergus the second of that name To this Fergus I refer the beginning of this Scotish Kingdom in B●itain holding the stories of the former 39 Kings to be vain and fabulous Neither want I probable conjecture for this assertion this expedition of Fergus into Britain being placed in the 424 year of CHRIST at what time the best Writers of the Roman storie for those times report the Scots to have first seated themselves in this Iland The Kings of chief note in the course of the whole Succession are 1 Achaius who died in the yeer 809 and in his life contracted the offensive defensive league with Charles the Great between the Kngdoms of France and Scotland The conditions whereof were ● Let this league between the two Kingdoms endure for ever 2 Let the enemies unto one be reputed and handled as the enemies of the other 3 If the Saxons or English-men invade France the Scots shall send thither such numbers of Souldiers as shall be desired the French King defraying the charges 4 If the English invade Scotland the King of France shall at his own charges send competent assistance unto the King of Scots Never was there any league which was either more faithfully observed or longer continued than this between these two Kingdoms the Scots on all occasions so readily assisting the French that it grew to a proverb or by word He that will France win must with Scotland first begin 2 Kenneth the second who having utterly subdued and destroyed the Picts extended his Dominions over all the present Scotland deservedly to be accompted the first Monarch of it the Picts being either rooted out or so few in number that they passed afterwards in the name and accompt of Scots from that time forwards never mentioned in any Author 3 Malcolm the first who added Westmorland and Cumberland unto his Dominions given to him by King Edmund of England the Sonne of Athelstane to have his aid against the Danes or to keep him neutrall After which time those Counties were sometimes Scotish and sometimes English till finally recovered by King Henry the 2d and united to the Crown of England never since dis-joyned 4 Kenneth the 3d. who by consent of the Estates of his Realm made the Kingdom hereditary to descend from the Father to his Eldest Sonne before which time keeping within the compass of the Royall Family the Uncle was sometimes preferred before the Nephew the eldest in yeers though further off before the younger Kinsman though the neerer in blood After which time the opposition and interruption made by Constantine the 3d and Donald the 4th excepted only the Eldest Sonnes of the Kings or the next in birth have succeeded ordinarily in that Kingdom This Kenneth was one of those Tributary and Vassal-Kings which rowed K. Edgar over the Dee neer Chester in such pomp and majestie 5 Machbeth of whom there goeth a famous story which shall be told at large anon 6 Malcolm the 3d the Sonne of Duncane who lived in England during the whole time of Machbeths tyranny and thence brought into Scotland at his return not only some ●ivilities of the English garb but the honourarie titles of Earls and Barons not here before used At the perswasion of the Lady Margaret his wife Sister of Edgar surnamed Atbeling and after his decease the right Heir of the Crown of England he abolished the barbarous custom spoken of before He did homage to William the Conqerour for the Crown of Scotland but afterwards siding against him with the English was slain at Alnwick 7 David the youngest Sonne of Malcolm the third succeeded his two Brothers Edgar and Alexander dying without issue in the Throne of his Father and in right of his Mother the Lady Margaret Sister and Heir of Edgar Atheling and Daughter of Edward the Eldest Sonne of Edmund the 2d surnamed Ironside K. of England had the best Title to that Kingdom also but dispossessed thereof by the Norman Conquer●rs with whom by reason of the great puissance of those Kings and the litle love which the English bare unto the Scots not able to dispute their Title by force of Arms ●rom Maud the Sister of this David maried to Henry the first of England descended all the Kings of England King Stephen excepted to Queen Elizab●ths death from David all the Kings of Scotland till King Iames the sixth who on the death of Queen Elizabeth succeeded in the Crown of England in right of his Descent from another Margaret the Eldest Daughter of King Henry the 7th So that in his person there was not an union of the Kingdoms only under the Title of Great Britain but a restoring of the old Line of the Saxon Kings of which he was the direct and indubitate Heir to the Crown of England the possession whereof had for so long time continued in the Posterity of the Norman Conqueror And upon this descent it followeth most undeniably that though the Norman Conqueror got
the Crown of England by the power of the Sword from the true Heirs of Edmund the 2d surnamed Ironside and that his Successors had enjoyed it by no other Title till Queen Elizab●ths death yet Iames the first Monarch of Great Britain succeeded by a right descent from the Saxon Line without relation to the Conquest of the Norman Bastard 8 William the Brother of Malcolm the 4th and Nephew of David before mentioned by his Sonne Prince Henry who died in the life of his Father being taken Prisoner at the Battail of Alnwick did Homage to King Henry the 2d for the Crown of Scotland and was thereupon restored to his Liberty and his Realm to peace What doth occur concerning the succeeding Kings when their Affairs with England and the World abroad became more considerable we shall see anon In the mean time proceed we to the Storie of Machb●th than which for variety of Action and strangeness of events I never met with any more pleasing The Storie in brief is thus Duncan King of the Scots had two principall men whom he employed in all matters of importance Machbeth and Banquho These two travelling together through a Forrest were met by three Fair●es Witches Weirds the Scots call them whereof the first making obeysance unto Machbeth saluted him Thane a Title unto which that of Earl afterward succeeded of Glammis the second Thane of Cawder and the third King of Scotland This is unequall dealing saith Banquho to give my Friend all the Honours and none unto me to whom one of the Weirds made answer That he indeed should not be King but out of his loyns should come a Race of Kings that should for ever rule the Scots And having thus said they all suddenly vanished Vpon their arrivall to the Court Machbeth was immediatly created Thane of Glammis not long after some new service of his requiring new recompence he was honoured with the title of Thane of Cawder Seeing then how happily the prediction of the three Weirds fell out in the two former he resolved not to be wanting to himself in fulfilling the third and therefore first he killed the King and after by reason of his command among the Souldiers and common people he succeeded in his Throne Being scarce warm in his seat he called to mind the prediction given to his Companion Banqubo whom hereupon suspecting as his supplanter he caused him to be killed together with his whole Posterity Fleance one of his Sonnes escaping only with no small difficulty into Wales Freed as he thought from all fear of Banquho and his issue he built Dunsinan Castle and made it his ordinary seat and afterwards on some new fears consulting with certain of his Wizards about his future Estate was told by one of them that he should never be overcome till Bernane Wood being some miles distant came to Dunsinan Castle and by another that he should never be slain by any man which was born of a woman Secure then as he thought from all future dangers he omitted no kind of libidinous cruelty for the space of 18 yeers for so long he tyrannized over Scotland But having then made up the measure of his Iniquities Mac-duffe the Governor of Fife associating to himself some few Patriots equally hated by the Tyrant and abhorring the Tyrannie privily met one Evening at Bernane Wood and taking every one of them a Bough in his hand the better to keep them from Discovery marched early in the morning towards Dunsinan Castle which they took by Scalado Macbeth escaping was pursued by Mac-duffe who having overtaken him urged him to the combat to whom the Tyrant half in scorn returned this Answer That he did in vain attempt to kill him it being his destinie never to be slain by any that was born of a Woman Now then said Mac-duffe is thy fatall end drawing fast upon thee for I was never born of Woman but violently cut out of my Mothers belly which words so daunted the cruell Tyrant though otherwise a valiant man and of great performances that he was very easily slain and Malcolm Conmor the true Heir of the Crown seated in the Throne In the mean time Fleance so prospered in Wales that he gained the affection of the Princes Daughter of that Countrey and on her begat a Sonne called Walter who flying out of Wales returned into Scotland and his descent once known he was not only restored to the Honours and Estates of his Ancestors but preferred to be Steward of the House of Edgar the Sonne of Malcolm the third surnamed Conmor the name of Stewart growing hence hereditary unto his Posterity From this Walter descended that Robert Stewart who succeeded David Bruce in the kingdom of Scotland the Progenitor of nine Kings of the name of Stewart which have Reigned successively in that kingdom But it is now time to leave off particulars and look into the generall Succession of The Kings of the Scots before the Conquest of the Picts 424. 1 Fergus 2 Eugenius 449. 3 Dongal 4 Constantine 5 Congall 6 Goran 7 Eugenius II. 8 Congall II. 9 Kinnatel 10 Aidan 604 11 Kenneth 12 Eugenius III. 622 13 Ferchard 14 Donald 15 Ferchard II. 16 Malduine 17 Eugenius IV. 18 Eugenius V. 19 Amberkeleth 20 Eugenius VI. 21 Mordac 730 22 Etfinus 23 Eugenius VII 24 Fergus II. 25 Solvathius 26 Achaius 809 27 Congall III. 28 Dongall II. 29 Alpine slain in a Battail by the Picts in pursuit of his quarrell for that kingdom pretended to belong unto him in Right of his Mother Sister and Heir of Hungius the last King thereof 30 Kenneth II. Sonne of Alpine who utterly subdued and destroyed the Picts extending extending thereby the Scotish Kingdom from one Sea to the other over all the bounds of modern Scotland of which deservedly accounted the first Monarch the Founder of the new Succession of The Kings of the Scots after the Conquest of the Picts A. Ch. 839. 1 Kenneth II. the first sole King of all Scotland 17. 856. 2 Donald II. Brother of Kenneth the 2d 862. 3 Constantin II. Sonne of Kenneth the 2d 875. 4 Ethus Brother of Constantin the 2d 890. 5 Donald III. Sonne of Constantin the 2d 903. 6 Constantin III. 30. 933. 7 Malcolm Sonne of Donald the 3d. 949. 8 I●gulph an Intrnder 12. 961. 9 Duffe Sonne of Malcolm 1. 961. 10 Kenneth III. Brother of Duffe 994. 11 Constantin IV. an Intruder against the Law and Line of Kenneth the 3d. 1004. 12 Malcolm II. Sonne of Kenneth the 3d. opposed by G●ime the Nephew of Duffe 1035. 13 Duncan Sonne of Grime succeeded Malcolm the 2d dying without issue 1040. 14 Macbeth the Tyrant and Vsurper 1057. 15 Malcolm III. Sonne of Duncan 2096. 16 Donald IV. surnamed Ban Brother of Malcolm the 3d. 1098. 17 Edgar Sonne of Malcolm the 3d. 1107. 18 Alexander Brother of Edgar 1124. 19 David Brother of Alexander 1133. 20 Malcolm Sonne of David 1166. 21 William Brother of Malcolm the 4th
1213. 22 Alexander II. Sonne of William 1250. 23 Alexander III Sonne of Alexander the 2d after whose death dying without any issue An. 1285. began that tedious and bloody Quarrell about the succession of this Kingdom occasioned by sundry Titles and Pretendants to it the principall whereof were Bruc● and Baliol descended from the Daughters of David Earl of Huntingdon younger Sonne of William and Great Vncle of Alexander the 3d the last of the Male issue of Kenneth the 3d those of neerer Kindred being quite extinct And when the Scots could not compose the difference among themselves it was taken into consideration by King Edward the first of England as the Lord Paramount of that Kingdom who selecting 12 English and as many of the Scots to advise about it with the consent of all adjudged it to Iohn Baliol Lord of Galloway Sonne of Iohn Baliol and Dervorguilla his Wife Daughter of Alan Lord of Galloway and of the Lady Margaret the Eldest Daughter of the said David who having done his homage to the said King Edward was admitted King 1300. 24 Iohn Baliol an English-man but forgetfull both of English birth and English Favours invaded the Realm of England in Hostile manner and was taken Prisoner by King Edward Who following his blow made himself Master of all Scotland which he held during the rest of his life and had here his Chancery and other Courts 6. 1306. 25 Robert Bruce Sonne of Robert Bruce Lord of Annandale Competitor with Baliol for the Crown of Scotland in Right of Isabel his Mother the second Daughter of David Earl of Hun●ingd●n and consequently a degree neerer to the King deceased than Baliol was though descended from the Elder Sister was crowned King in the life-time of King Edward the first but not fully possessed thereof untill after his death confirmed therein by the great defeat given to Edward the 2d at the fight of Banocksbourn not far from Sterling spoken of before But he being dead Anno 1332. Edward the 3d confirmed the Kingdom on● 1332. 26 Edward Baliol Sonne of Iohn Baliol rejected by the Scots for adhering so firmly to the English who thereupon harried Scotland with fire and Sword 10. 27 David Bruce the Sonne of Robert restored unto his Fathers throne by the power of the Scots and a great enemy to the English Invading England when King Edward was at the siege of Calice he was taken Prisoner by Qu. Philip the Wife of that King and brought to Windsor where he was Prisoner for a while with King Iohn of France Released at last on such conditions as best pleased the Conquerour 29. 1371. 28 Robert II. surnamed Stewart King of the Scots by descent from the eldest Sister of David B●uce was extracted also from the antient Princes of Wales as was said before restoring thereby the British blood to the throne of Scotland 1390. 29 R●bert III Sonne of Robert the 2d called Iohn before he came to the Crown in which much over-awed by his own brother the Duke of Albanie who had an aim at it for himself 16. 1406. 30 Iames Sonne of R●bert the 3d taken prisoner by King Henry the 4th of England as he was crossing the Seas for France to avoid the practices of his Vncle. Restored unto his Country by King ●enry the 5th after 18 years absence he was at last most miserably murdered by the Earl of Athol claiming a right unto that Crown 42. 1448. 31 Iames II. slain by the English at the Siege of Rexborough Castle 24. 1462. 32 Iames III. slain by his own rebellious Subjects 29. 1491. 33 Iames IV. maried Margaret the eldest Daughter of King Henry the 7th but at the soliciting of the French against the Peace between the Nations he invaded England in the absence of King Henry the 8th with 100000 men but was met with by the Earl of Su●rey having 26000 men in his Army nigh unto Flodden where he was slain together with two Bishops twelve Earles fourteen Lords and his whole Army routed 23. 1514. 34 James V. Sonne of Iames the 4th and the Lady Margaret kept for a time so good correspondencie with the English that in the year 1536. he was created Knight of the Order of the Garter But afterwards inheriting his Fathers hatred against them he invaded their Borders in the year 1542 and was met by the Lord Wharton then Warden of the West Marches The battells being ready to joyn one S. Oliver Sincleer the Kings favorite though otherwise of no great parentage was by the Kings directions proclamed Generall which the Scotish Nobil ty took with such indignation that they threw down their weapons and suffered themselves to be taken prisoners there being not one man slain one either side The principall prisoners were the Earls of Glencarn and Cassiles the Barons Maxwell Oli hant Somerwell Flemming with divers others besides many of the principall Gentry 28. 1542. 35 Mary the Daughter and onely Lawfully-begotten Child of James the fift succeeded in her Cradle unto the Throne promised in mariage to King Edward the sixt of England but by the power of the Hamiltons carried into France where maried to Francis then Dolphin afterwards King of the French of that name the 2d After whose death she maried Henry Lord Darnly eldest Sonne of Matth●w Earl of Lennox Outed of her Dominions by a potent Faction she was compelled to flie into England where after a tedious imprisonment she was put to death in Foth●ringhay Castle in Northam●tonshire and interred at Peterburg Anno 1586. 1567. 36 JAMES VI. the Sonne of Mary Queen of Scots and of Henry Lord Darnly was crowned King in his Cradle also He maried 〈◊〉 the Daughter of C●ristian the 3d King of De●mark was chose of the Order of the Garter Anno 1590. and succeeded Queen Elizabeth in the Realm of England March 24 Anno 1602. And here I cannot omit the prudent foresight of King Henry the 7th who having two Daughters bestowed the Eldest contrary to the mind of his Counsell on the King of Scots and the Younger on the King of the French that so if his own Issue m●le should fail and that a Prince of another Nation must inherit England then Scotland as the lesser Kingdom would depend upon England and not England wait on France as upon the greater In which succession of the Scots to the Crown of England the Prophecie of the fatall 〈◊〉 spoken o● before did receive accomplishment And so perhaps might that ascribed in the 〈…〉 to an holy Anchoret living in King Egelreds time which is this Englishmen fo● that they 〈◊〉 them to drunkenness to treason and to rechlessness of Gods house fi●st by Danes and the● by Normans and the third time by Scots whom they holden least worth of all they shall be overcom● Then the World shall be unstable and so diverse and variable that the unstableness of thoughts shall be betokned by many manner diversitie of Clothing For on this union of the kingdoms this
by the learned Camden This as it is the largest Province of all this Kingdom so was it with most difficulty subjected to the Crown of England and reduced to good order and civility First conquered by Iohn Cur●● a valiant 〈…〉 in the reign of King Henry the 2d by whom created Earl of Vlster But being maligned for his eminent vertues and after proscribed by King Iohn this Title and Estate were both con●erred upon Hugh Licie the Lord and Conquerour of Meth whom before we spake of By an Heir Generall of the Lacies it came unto the Burghs then Lords of Connaught and by the mariage of El●zabeth Daughter and Heir of Richard de Burgh the last Earl of that ●amily it came to Leonel Duke of Clarence the second Sonne then living of King Edward the 3d as by his Daughter Philip to the Earls of March from them by the like mariage to the house of York and in the person of King Edward the 4th to the Crown again But being neglected by the English in the whole cour●e of their Government especially in the Wars betwixt York and Lancaster it was cantonned into many estates and Principalities by the great Lords of the naturall Irish who had born too great sway here in the former times and so estranged from the civilit●es of England and their Allegiance to that Crown as if it had never been in subjection to it In which estate it did continue the Kings of England having here no more power or profit than the great ones of the Countrey were pleased to give them till the Rebellion 〈◊〉 and afterwards the Vanquishment of Hugh Oneal the then Earl of 〈◊〉 Oen brought it in full subjection to the English-Government of which more hereafter 4 CONNAVGHT in Latine called Connacia by the Irish Connaght is bounded on the North with Vlster on the West with the Main Ocean on the South with M●unster from which parted by the River Shanon and on the East with Meth and some part of L●inster So called from the Nagnatae an old Irish Nation or from Nagnata a Port-Town both placed by Ptolomie in this tract The Soil of the same t●mper with that of 〈◊〉 as woodie and as full of bogs till these later times in which indifferently well cleered of both inconveniences It hath been also called by our English Writers the Countie of Clare from Thomas de Clare one of the younger Sonnes of Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester on whom it was conferred by King Edward the first and is divided at the present into these five Shires that is to say 1 Letri● 2 ●oscommon 3 Maio 4 Slego and 5 Galloway and Twomond In which are comprehended but six Towns of any consequence for commerce and traffick an Argument of the imperfect plantation of it by the English Conquerors and about 24 Castles for defence of the Countrie of old erection besides such Fortresses as have been raised occasionally in these later troubles Places of most note and observation 1 Toam an Archbishops See 2 Athenry an antient Town but decaied and ruinous of most renown for being the Baronie of John de Bermingham a noble Englishman who had great possessions in this tract 3 Letrim the chief Town of the Coun●ie so named neighboured by the Curlew-Mountains unfortunately memorable for the great defeat there given the English in Tir-Oens rebellion and by the Spring or Fountain of the River henin or Shanon whose course we have before described 4 Slego and 5 Roscommon the chief Towns of their severall Counties 6 Athlone a Peece of great strength and the Key of 〈◊〉 7 Twomond not otherwise much observable but for giving the title of an ●arl to the noble Family of O-Brian descended from the Kings of Connaught advanced unto that honour by King Henry the 8th 8 Galloway the principall of this Province a Bishops See and the 〈◊〉 Citie of the Kingdom for beautie and bigness Situate neer the fall of the great Lake or River 〈◊〉 orbes in the Western Ocean A noted Emporie and lately of so great fame with forein Merchants that an out-landish Merchant meeting with an Irishman demanded in what part of Galloway Ireland stood as if Galloway had been the name of the Iland and Ireland onely the name of some Town This once a Kingdom of it self as the rest of those Provinces the last King whereof was Rodorick surnamed the Great who having a great hand over the rest of the Roytelets entituled himself sole Monarch or King of Ireland But being forced to submit himself to king Henry the 2d his Countrey at the last was brought into subjection to the Crown of England by the valour and good fortune of W●lliam de Burgh Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester Willi●m de Bermingham and other noble Adventurers of the English Nation And though all of them did p●rtake of the fruit of their labours yet the greatest part of the spoil together with the title of Lords of Co●naught fell to the Family of the Burghs from them to Lionel D. of Clarence and by degrees unto the Crown as before was shewn Cantonned again amongst the Irish and degenerate Engli●● as Vlster was by the supine neglect of the Kings of England till the Rebellion of Ti●-O●n involving all the Chiefs of the Irish Nation in the same cause with him involved them also consequently in the same destruction 5 MOVNSTER by the Latines called Momonia is bounded on the North with Connaught on the East with Leinster on the West with the Atlant●●k or Western Ocean and on the South with the Vergivian By the naturall Irish it is called Mown whence the English had the name of Mounster A Province which for rich Towns commodious Havens fair Rivers and the fertilitie of the Soil yeelds not to any in the Kingdom It is divided into six Counties viz. 1 Limerick 2 Waterford 3 Cork 4 Desmond 5 K●rry and 6 Tipperarie which two last antiently enjoyed all the rights of a Countie Palatine And in these Shires are comprehended besides many safe Stations and Rodes for Shipping 24 owns of note and trading and 66 Castles of old erection Places of most observation 1 Cassiles in the Countie of Limerick an Archbishops See ●dvanced unto that honour by Pope Eugenius the third about the year 1150. 2 〈◊〉 the principall of that Countie and the fourth in estimation of all the Kingdom Situate in an Iland compassed round about with the River Shanon by which means well fortified a well-frequ●nted Emporie and a Bishops See Distant from the main Ocean about 60 miles but ●o accomo●●ed by the River that ships of burden come up close to the very wals The Castle and the Bridge peeces of great both strength and beautie were of the foundation o● King ●ohn exceedingly delighted with the situation 3 Clonmel in the Countie of Tipperarie of great strength and consequence 4 Holy Cross in the same County also once flourishing by reason of the great resort of Pilgrims to see
worship there a peece of the holy Cross as it was supposed which supposition as it drew much wealth unto the Town so it obtained the rights of a County Pala●●e for the County also 5 Thurles in the same Countie which gives the title of a Vicount to the Earls of ●rmona but not else observable 6 Waterford on the River Showre a well-traded Port a Bishops See and the second Citie of the Kingdom Of great fidelity to the English since the conquest of Ireland and for that cause endowed with many ample privileges First built by some Norwegian Pirates who though they fixed it in one of the most barren parts and most foggie air of all the Country yet they made choice of such a safe and commodious site for the use of shipping that of a nest of Pirats it was eftsoons made a Receipt for Merchants and suddenly grew up to great wealth and power 6 Cork by the Latines called Corcagia the principall of that Countie and a Bishops See well walled and fitted with a very commodious Haven consisting chiefly of one Street reaching out in length inhabited by a civill wealthy and industrious people 7 Dunk-Eran an old Episcopall See supposed by some to be the Ivernis of Ptolomie but not else observable 8 Kinsale upon the mouth of the River Rany a commodious Port opposite to the Coasts of Spain and fortified in Tir-Oens Rebellion by a Spanish Garrison under the command of Don Iohn de Aquilar ' but soon recovered after the defeat of that Grand Rebel neer the Walls hereof by the valour and indefatigable industrie of Charles Lord Mountjoy the then Lord Deputy of this Kingdom 9 Baltimore 10 Youghall and 11 Bere-havi●● all upon the Sea and all provided of safe Roads or convenient Havens 12 L●smore of old a Bishops See now annexed to Waterford in which shire it standeth Nothing in point of storie singular which concerns this Province but that it was so carefully looked to by the Kings of England that there was appointed over it a peculiar Officer in the reign of Queen Elizabeth in power and place next to the Deputie himself called the Lord President of Mounster by whose vigilancie there have hapned fewer Rebellions here than in any Province of this Iland The antient Inhabitants of this Iland being originally Britans as before is said were in the time of Ptolomic distinguished into the Nations of the Rhobognii Darmi Volnntii Ven●cni● and Erdini possessing the Northern parts now Vlster the Anteri Gangani and Nagnatae inhabiting Connaught the Velibori Vterni Vodii and Coriondi in the South now Mounster and the Menapii Cauci Blanii Brigantes taking up the Provinces of Meth and Leinster Principall Cities of the which were Eblana now Dublin Menapia now Waterford Nagnata which Ptolomie honoureth with the title of Vrbs insignis Rhigia Rheba Macolicum Laberus Ivernis c. not easily discernable by what names we may call them now this Countrie never being so happy as to come under the power of the Romans the great Masters of Civilitie and good Letters in the West of Europe and by that means the Actions and affairs thereof buried in ignorance and silence Towards the falling of which Empire we find the Nation of the Scots to be seated here and from hence first to take possession of the Hebrides or Western Isles next of the Western part of Britain on the the NOrth of Solway Afterwards some of the Saxon Monarchs cast their eyes upon it and made themselves masters of Dublin and some other places but being encumbred with the Danes could not hold them long being hardly able to defend their own against that people The next that undertook the conquest were the Northern Nations Danes Swedes and Normans all passing in the Chronicles of that time under the name of Norwegians who first onely scowred along the Coasts in the way of Piracie But after finding the weakness of the Iland divided amongst many petit and inconsiderable Princes they made an absolute conquest of it under the conduct of Turgesius whom they elected for their King soon rooted out by the Policie of the King of Meth the only Irish Prince who was in favour with the Tyrant This petit King by name Omo-Caghlen had a Daughter of renowned beautie whom Turgesius demanded of her Father to serve his lusts and he seeming willing to condescend to the motion as if honoured by it made answer That besides his Daughter he had at his disposing many others of more exquisite beauties which should all be readie at command Turgesius swallowing this bait desired him with all speed to effect this meeting But the King of Meth attiring in the habits of Women a company of young Gentlemen who durst for the common liberty adventure their severall lives conducted them to the Tyrants Bed-chamber And they according to the directions given them when for that little modesty sake he had in him he had commanded all his attendants to avoid the room assaulted him now ready for and expecting more kind embraces and left him dead in the place The Methian King had by this time acquainted divers of the better sort with his plot all which upon a signe given rush into the Palace and put to death all the Norwegians and other attendants of the Tyrant After this the Roytelets enjoyed their former Dominions till the yeer 1172 in which Dermot Mac Morogh King of Leinster having forced the Wife of Maurice O Rork King of Meth and being by him driven out of his Kingdom came to the Court of England for succour To this Petition Henry the second then King condescended sending him ayd under the leading of Richard de Clare surnamed S●rongbow Earl of Pembroke who restored King Dermot and brought a great part of the Iland under the English subjection John King of England was the first who was entituled Lord of Ireland which stile was granted him by Pope Urban the 3d who for the ornament of his royaltie sent him a plume of Pcacock Feathers and when Tir-Oen stiled himself Defender of the Irish Libertie he was by Clement the 8 honored with a like plume But here we are to understand that though the Kings of England used no other title than Lords of Ireland yet were they Kings thereof in effect and power Lords Paramount as we use to say And though themselves retained only the name of Lords yet one of them gave to one of his English Subjects the honourable but invidious title of Duke of Ireland And they retained this title of Lords till the yeer 1542 in which Henry the 8th in an Irish Parliament was declared K. of Ireland as a name more sacred and repleat with Majestie than that of Lord at which time also he was declared to be the Supreme Head under God of the Church of Ireland and the pretended jurisdiction of all forein Powers especially the usurped Autoritie of the Pope of 〈◊〉 renownced by Law though still acknowledged by too many of this it perstitious
over against the Southern part of Cumberland and from which it is distant 25 miles and was judged to belong to Britain rather than to Ireland because it fostered venemous Serpents brought hither out of Britain By Ptolomie it is called Monoeda or the further Mona to difference it from that which we now call Anglesey by Plinie Monabia Menavia by Orosius and Beda Eubonia by Gildas an old British Writer The Welch at this day call it Menaw the Inhabitants Maning and the English Man It is in length 30 miles in bredth 15 and 8 in some places The people hate theft and begging and use a Language mixt of the Norwegian and Irish tongues The soyl is abundant in Flax Hemp Oates Barley and Wheat with which they use to supply the defects of Scotland if not the Continent it self yet questionless the Western Iles which are a Member of it For thus writeth the Reverend Father in God Iohn Moricke late Bishop of this Iland in a letter to Mr. Camden at such time as he was composing his most excellent Britannia Our Iland saith he for cattell for fish and for corn hath not only sufficient for it self but sendeth also good store into other Countries now what Countries should need this supply England and Ireland being aforehand with such provision except Scotland or some members thereof I see not Venerable Bede numbred in it 300 Families and now it is furnished with 17 Parish Churches The chief Towns are 1 Bal●curi and 2 Russin or Castle-Town the seat of a Bishop who though he be under the Archbishop of York yet never had any voice in the English Parliament In this Iland is the hill Sceafull where on a clear day one may see England Scotland and Ireland here also are bred the Soland Geese of rotten wood falling into the water This Iland was taken from the Britans by the Scots and from them regained by Edwin King of Northumberland Afterwards the Norwegians seized on it and made it a Kingdom the Kings hereof ruling over the Hebrides and some part of Ireland From them taken by Alexander the 3d of Scotland by a mixt title of Arms and purchase after which time it was sometimes English sometimes Scotish as their fortunes varied till in the end and about the year 1340. William Montacute Earl of Salisbury descended from the Norwegian Kings of Man won it from the Scots and sold it to the Lord Scrope who being condemned of Treason Henry the fourth gave it to Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland but he also proving false to his Soveraign it was given to the Stanleys now Earls of Darby The Kings of Man of the Danish or Norwegian Race 1065. 1 Godred the Sonne of Syrric 1066. 2 Fingall Sonne of Godred 1066. 3 Godred II. Sonne of Harald 1082. 4 Lagnan Eldest Sonne of Godred the 2d 1089. 5 Donnald Sonne of Tado 1098. 6 Magnus King of Norwey 1102. 7 Olave the 3d Sonne of Godred 1144. 8 Godred III. Sonne of Olave 1187. 9 Reginald base Sonne of Godred the 3d. 1226. 10 Ol●ve the lawfull Sonne of Godred the 3d. 1237. 11 Harald Sonne of Olave 1243. 12 Reginald II. Brother of Harald 1252. 13 Magnus II. Brother of Reginald 1266. 14 Magnus III. King of Norway the last King of Man of the Danish or Norwegian Race The Kings and Lords of Man of the English Blood 1340. 1 William Montacute Earl of Salisbury King of Man 1395. 2 William Lord Scrope King of Man 1399. 3 Henry Earl of Northumberland King of Man 1403. 4 William Lord Stanley Lord of the Isle of Man 5 Iohn Lord Stanley 6 Thomas Lord Stanley 7 Thomas Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1503. 8 Thomas Lord Stanley Early of Darby 1521. 9 Edward Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1572. 10 Henry Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 1593. 11 Ferdmando Lord Stanley Earl of Darby 12 William Lord Stanley Early of Darby 13 Iames Lord Stanley Earl of Darby Lord of the Isle of Man now living Anno 1648. King in effect though but Lord in title as having here all kind of Civill power and jurisdiction over the Inhabitants under the Feife and Sovereignty of the Crown of England together with the nomination of the B●shop whom he presents unto the King for his Royall assent then to the Arch-Bishop of York for his consecration And this I take to be the reason why the Bishop of Man was no Lord of Parliament none being admitted to that honour but such as held immediately of the King himself nor was it reason that they should V. ANGLESEY is an Iland situate in the Irish Sea over against Carnarvonshire in North-Wales from which it is divided by a narrow streight which they call the Menai By the Britans themselves as by the Welch at this day it was called Mon from whence the Romans had their Mona but being Conquered by the English it obtained the name of Anglesey as one would say the Iland of the English Men eye in the Saxon language signifying an Iland A place of such a fair Revenue to the Princes of it that LLewellen the last Prince of Wales being stripped of almost all the rest of his Estates by King Edward the first paid to that King a tribute of 1000 per An. for this Iland only And to say truth the Iland is exceeding fruitfull both in Corn and Cattle from whence the Welch are liberally stored with both and therefore it is said proverbially Mon Mam Cymri that Angl●sey is the Mother of Wales In length from East to West about 20 miles and 17 in bredth Containing in that Compasse 74 Parishes divided into six hundreds and hath in it only two Market Towns that is to say 1 Beanmaris seated on a flat or marish ground neer the Menai built by King Edward the first to secure his Conquest by whom well walled and fortified as the times then were 2 Newburg a Town of no great antiquity as the name doth intimate by the Welch called Rossur in former times it had an Haven of some good receipt but now choaked with sand The other places of most note are 3 Aberfraw a small village now but heretofore the Royall seat of the Kings of Wales and 4ly Holy-head seated on an head-land or Promontory thrusting into the Sea made holy or thought so at least by the religious retirement of Saint Kuby or Kibius one of the Disciples of St. Hilarie of Poictiers from whence by the Welchmen called Caer-Cuby of most note for the ordinary passage betwixt Wules and Ireland Antiently this Iland was the seat of the Druides and brought with no small difficulty under the power of the Romans by Suctonius Paulinus the People fighting in other parts of Britain for their liberty only but here pro Arts focis too for their Religion Liberty and their Gods to boot Being deserted by the Romans with the rest of Britain it remained in the possession of its own natural Princes till the fatal period of that State when added
Ireland and all the less●r Ilands became united either to the Crowns of England or Scotland and those two Kingdoms to each other joyned in the person of the same King and the participation of his favours though different still in Lawes and some forms of Government as most of the Estates of Spain at the present time Vnited also in one name the different Appellations of England and Scotland being swallowed up or incorporated rather in that of GREAT BRITAIN which of pleased King James to own for his Stile Imperiall And for a memorie thereof to cause a peece of Gold to be coyned of 20 s. since raised to 22 s. which he called the V●it●● stamped on the one side with his picture and this Inscription JA●OBVS D. GR. MAG●AE BRITANNIAE FR. ET HIBERNIAE REX and on the other side with his Arms crowned with this Motto FACIAM EOS IN GENIEM VNAM All we have now to doe is to lay down the names of those puissant Princes whom God hath ra●sed to be The Monarchs of Britain 1602. 1 James the sixth of that name King of the Scots Sonne of Mary Qu. of Scots Daughter of James the 5th the Sonne of James the 4th and of the Lady Margaret eldest Daughter of Henry the 7th of England which Margaret being after maried to Archembald Douglass Earl of A●gus had a Daughter named Margaret also the only Child of her Parents maried to Matthew Stewart Earl of Lennox by whom she was made the mother of Henry Lord Darnley the Father of King ●ames the sixth by the said Mary Queen of Scots So that King Iames descending from the eldest Daughter of Henry the 7th both by Father and Mother on the expiring of the Line of Henry the 8th in the person of Q. Elizabeth of famous memorie was the next heir to the Crown of England and was accordingly with all joyfull acclamations proclamed and acknowledged King in the Citie of London March 24. Anno 1602. according to the Accompt of the Church of England A learned and Religious Prince a true Defender of the Faith a Nursing Father of the Church and a lover of learning He died at Theobalds March 27. 1625. having reigned 23 yeers and four dayes over 1625. 2 Charles second Sonne of King Iames and Anne of Denmark his elder Brother Henry dying long before the 63d King in descent from Cerdick King of the West-Saxons the 45th King of England in descent from Egb●rs the 24th from the Norman Conqueror the 64th Monarch of the English and the second Monarch of Britain In the beginning of his reign he maried the Princess Henrietta Maria Daughter to Henry the 4th and Sister to Lewis the 13th French Kings by whom blest with a Royall Issue of Sonnes and Daughters As for the Forces and Revenues of these British Monarchs we cannot put the estimate of them in a better way than by laying together that which hath been delivered of each severall part out of which Items the summa totalis of the whole both in power and treasure will be easily gathered For though these Monarchs never had any occasion to muster and unite the Forces of their severall Kingdoms upon any one Action yet by considering what they have been able to doe divided we may conclude of what they may doe if need be being now united And so we are to do in marshalling the Arms of the British Monarchie which are 1 Quarterly France and England 2 Scotland 3 Ireland the fourth as the first I shut up this discourse of the British Empire with those words of Scripture the Motto of another of King Iames his Coins QVAE DEVS CONJVNXIT NEMO SEPARET And so much for Britain A TABLE Of the Longitude and Latitude of the chief Cities mentioned in this first Book A.   Lon. Lat. Aberdene 22. 20. 57. 20. Alcala de Henares 23. 0. 40. 30. Alicante 28. 40. 39. 0. Almodine 34. 0. 33. 40. Ancona 43. 10. 43. 50. S. Andrewes 22. 10. 56. 20. Angolesme 27. 0. 46. 0. Angi●rs 18. 10. 47. 25. Aquilegia 42. 50. 46. 40. Armagh 14. 50. 54. 9. Avero 17. 30. 41. 10. Avignon 23. 40. 43. 50. Aux 22. 40. 43. 40. St. Anderes 22. 20. 43. Aix 22. 20. 42. 10. Arles 22. 45. 43. 20. Amboise 20. 35. 47. 35. B. Badaies 19. 40. 38. 30. Baione 24. 20. 42. 10. Basil 28. 10. 48. 30. Besanson 26. 30. 47. 30. Bilbao 23. 30. 43. 10. Baden in Switzerl 31.   48. 44. Blavet 21. 15. 47. 50. Bononia 35. 50. 43. 33. Brest 20.   48. 50. Bath 20. 56. 51. 20. Bragance 6.   45.   Barwick 22. 43. 55. 48. Barcelone 17. 15. 41. 36. Burdeaux 18.   45. 10. Burges 24. 10. 48. 20. C. Cambridge 23. 25. 52. 11. Calice 26. 2. 52.   Canterburie 24. 50. 51. 16. Cartagena 28. 20. 38. 20. Cane 21.   50.   Carlile 21. 31. 5● 57. Chester 20. 23. 53. 11. Chichester 26. 10. 51.   Clermont 30. 15. 45. 50. Chur 32.   42.   Corck 15. 40. 41. 40. Corduba 9. 4. 37. 50. Conimbre 5. 45. 40. 19. Compostella 17. 15. 44. 18. Coventrie 25. 52. 52. 23. D. Dieppe 28. 40. 49. 30. Digio● 25. 45. 47. Dole 28. 3. 49. 5. D●ver 26. 10. 51.   Dublin 16. 40. 54. 27. Dun-Britton 19. 24. 57. 10. Durham 22.   54. 55. E. Edenburgh 22.   55. 50. Embrun 28.   44.   Elie 25. 20. 52. 40. Exeter 22. 10. 51.   F. Florence 41 10. 43. 40. Ferrara 44.   36.   Fayall     48. 40. G. Geneva 33. 40. 46. 20. Gelway 13. 17. 54. 6. Glocester 19.   53.   Gades 15. 10. 37.   Granada 11.   37. 50. Groine 16. 50. 43. 20. Genoa 37. 50. 45. 0. Grenoble 27.   45. 30. H. S. Hilarie in Guernzey 22. 20. 49. 40. Hull 25. 20. 53. 40. L. Leon 21. 10. 42. 15. Lisbon 9. 10. 38. 38. Lions 23. 15. 45. 10. Lincoln 22. 52. 53. 12. London 23. 25. 5. 34. Luca 42. 10. 40.   Ligorn 40. 20. 43 30. M. Majorca 39. 50. 33.   Malaga 23. 50. 37. 22. Merseilles 24. 30. 43. 10. S. Malo 19.   49.   Medina Caeli 23. 30. 41. 10. Millaine 38. 30. 46. 10. Modena 41. 50. 35. 40. Montpelier 25. 30. 44. 10. Montalban 23.   45.   Messana 45. 50. 37. 50. Minorca 34. 30. 40. 0. N. Naples 46.   39. 30. Nantes 24. 10. 47. 10. Narbon 30. 20. 43. 20. Nevers 25.   47.   Newcastle 22. 30. 54. 57. Nismes 26.   44. 2. Norwich 24. 55. 52. 40. O. Oleron 24. 30. 45. 30. Orleans 28. 30. ●8 0. Orange 26. 20. 43. 20. Oxford 22.   51. 50. Otranto 49. 30. 40. 20. P. Pampelun 24. 30. 43. 3. Paris 23. 30. 48. 40. Pavie 44. 1. 33. 5. Padua 44. 45. 36. 20. Parma 39. 20. 45. 10. Pescara 43. 0. 30. 10. Palerme         Peragia 42. 20. 43. 10. Peter-port in Iarsey 23. 0. 49. 20. Pisa 40. 30. 43.
Germans whom he also vanquished subject unto the Roman Empire By Constantine the Great made part of the Diocese of Gaul and by him cast into four Provinces that is to say 1. Belgica Prima containing the Dukedome of Lorraine and the land of Triers the Metropolis whereof was Triers 2. Belgica Secunda comprehending Artois Picardie and the Countrey of Chambray with parts of Campagne and France Speciall of which the Metropolis was Rhemes 3. Germania Prima comprehending Alsatia part of the Palatinate and the Bishoprick of Mentz the Metropolitan City of that Province and 4. Germania Secunda containing Cleveland Brabant Guelderland Vtrecht Holland Zeland Flanders Hainalt Namurce Luxembourg Limbourg and the land of Colen which last was honoured with the title of the Metropolitan In the declining of the Empire they were invaded and possessed by the French under whom they made the Kingdome of Metz or Ostenrick united to the rest of France by Childerick the third and made a Member of that Kingdome of which they continued an especiall part till the time of Lewis the godly Son of Charles the Great By whom and Charles the Bald and others of that line both in France and Germanie they were parcelled into many petite estates and principalities so many of them became united in the house of Burgundie passing under the accompt of Belgium under which name and notion we do now consider it And taking it according to this name and notion it is in compasse 1000. Italian or 250. German miles and is situated in the northern Temperate Zone under the 7. 8. 9. Climates the longest day in the midst of the 7. Climate where it doth begin being 16. hours and the beginning of the 9. Climate increased to 16. hours three quarters or near 17. hours The Aire in these later dayes grown more wholesome then formerly partly by the wonderfull increase of the Inhabitants and partly by the incredible industry of the people who by draining the Marishes and converting the standing waters into running streams have purged the aire of many grosse and unhealthy Vapours which did thence usually arise in times foregoing The Countrey is very populous containing welnigh three millions of souls the men being for the most part well proportioned great lovers of our English Beer unmindfull both of good turns and injuries of good wit for inventing and of a most indefatigable industry for perfecting the rarest Manufactures For unto them we are indebted for the making of Cloth which we learnt of the Flemmings as also for Arras-hangings Dornix Clocks Watches and the perfection of the Mariners Compasse They restored Musick and found out divers Musicall Instruments being naturally good Musicians and generally so given unto it and so perfect in it that heretofore till the Art of Musick grew more common there were not many great mens houses which had them not to teach their Children To them belongeth also the invention of Chariots the laying on of colours with oyle the working of Pictures in glasse and the making of Worsteds Saies and Tapestries the making of which and other Stuffes being driven out of their Countrey by the Duke of Alva they first taught the English The women generally are of a good complexion well proportioned especially in the leg and foot honourers of vertue active and familiar Both within doors and without they govern all which considering the naturall desire of women to bear rule maketh them too imperious and burdensome They use for the most part the Germane or Dutch Language with a little difference in the Dialect But in the Provinces adjoyning to France that is to say Luxembourg Mamurce Artois Hainalt and some parts of Flanders and Brabant they use the French but speak the same very corruptly and imperfectly by reason of that mixture which it hath of the Dutch or German yet so that one may easily discern those people to be French originally or some remainder of the old Gaules mastered by the French but not rooted out from their language or first originall called to this day by the name of Wallons the Germans usually changing G into W as Warre for Guerre Warden for Guardian and in the like case Wales for Galles I know there is another Etymologie of the name of Wallons some making them to be of the Burgundian race who at their first passing over the Rhene enquired their way of the Countrey people in these words Ou allons i.e. Whither go we which being oft repeated by them occasioned them to be called Wallons A trim invention doubtlesse but of no solidity nor to be further honoured with a confutation The Countrey in those parts which lye towards Germanie especially on the South-east bordering upon Cleveland and Lorraine is somewhat swelled with hils and overshaded with woods the reliques of the great Forrest of Ardenne which once took up a great part thereof But towards the West and North where it joyns to the Sea it is plain and levell ●ull of flats and marishes affording very litle corne but abounding in pasturage which yeeld a great increase of butter and cheese good store of beeves and horses of more then ordinary bignesse By reason of which low and levell situation and the ill neighbourhood of a troublesome and unruly sea it hath been formerly much subject to inundations insomuch as in the time of King Henry 2. Flanders was so overflown that many thousands of people whose dwellings the sea had devoured came into England to beg new seats and were by that King first placed in Yorkeshire and then removed to Pembrookeshire Since that it hath in Zeland swallowed eight of the Islands and in them 300. Towns and Villages many of whose Churches and strong buildings are at a dead low water to be seen And as once Ovid said of Helice and Buris cities of Achaia so may we of these Invenies sub aquis adhuc ostendere nautae Inclinata solent cum moenibus oppida versis That is to say The waters hide them and the Saylers show The ruined wals and steeples as they row The chief Commodities which they vent into other Countries are Linnen Scarlets Worsted Saies Silks Velvets and the like rich Stuffes together with great quantities of Armour Ropes Cables Butter Cheese c. Of which excepting Cheese and Butter there is nothing of the naturall growth of the Countrey the rest being Manufactures which they make out of such materials as they fetch out of forein Regions But the Commodity which yeeldeth them most benefit is that of Fish not caught upon their own coast neither but either in the northern seas or the coast of England the very Herrings which they catch on the shores of England to the no small dishonour of the English nation bringing them a revenue besides what is pursed up by the Adventurers of 440000. pounds per annum and that of Codfish which they catch on the coasts of Frizeland amounting to 150000 l. sterling yearly Captains of note and eminence it hath bred
golden Bul of Charls the 4. by whom first promulgated anno 1359. 1002 10 Henry II. surnamed the Saint Duke of Bavaria the first Emperour elected according to the constitution of Gregory the fift 1025 13 Conrade II. Duke of Franconia surnamed Salicus 1040 14 Henry III. surnamed Niger the son of Conrade 1056 15 Henry IV. son of Henry the third in whose dayes the Popes began to usurpe authority over the Emperours insomuch as Leo the ninth having received the Popedom at the Emperours hands repented himself of it put off his Papall vestments went to Rome as a private person and was there new chosen by the Clergie This done by the perswasion of a Monke called Heldebrand who being afterwards made Pope by the name of Gregory the 7. excommunicated this Henry the first Prince that was ever excommunicated by a Pope of Rome from which time till the year 1254. there were continual wars and thunders betwixt them and the nine following Emperours some of them being excommunicated some forced to put their necks under the feet of the Pope others to quit the care of the Common-wealth and betake themselves unto the wars of the Holy-Land leaving the Pope to doe what he list in Germanie 1106 16 Henry V. son of Henry the 4. armed by the Pope against his father whom he had no sooner succeeded in the Empire but the Pope excommunicated him for being too stiffe in the businesse of investitures and raised up the Saxons against him by whom vanquished and otherwise afflicted by the Popes practises he was forced to submit unto his commands and was the last Emperour of the house of Franconia 1125 17 Lotharius Duke of Saxonie seised on the Empire without any election reconciled unto the German Princes by the means of S. Bernard He settled the affairs of Italie in two journies thither 13. 1136 18 Conrade III. son of Frederick the first hereditary Duke of Sweve or Schwaben and fifters son unto Henry the fifth vanquished Henry surnamed the Proud Duke of Saxonie and Bavaria and going to the holy wars with Lewis King of France discomfited the Turks near the Banks of Meander 15. 1153 19 Frederick surnamed Barbarossa Duke of Sueve crowned at Rome by Adrian the 4. and not long after excommunicated by Pope Alexander the 3. to whom he was fain at last to submit himself the Pope insolently treading on his neck He went after to the Holy Land where he dyed having difcomfited the Turks in three great battels 39. 1190 20 Henry VI. son of Frederick King of Sicil in right of Constance his wife crowned by Pope Celestine who employed him in the wars of the Holy Land in his journey towards which he dyed at Messina 8. 1198 21 Philip Duke of Sueve brother of Henry the 6. excommunicated by the Pope who loved not this Familie by whose means Otho the son of Henry the Lion Duke of Saxonie was set up against him The occasion of great wars among the Germans reconciled by marriage of Otho with a daughter of Philip. 9. 1207 22 Otho IV. son of Henry surnamed the Lyon Duke of Saxonie and Bavaria crowned at Rome by Pope Innocent the 3. by whom not long after excommunicated for taking into his hands some towns of Italie which belonged to the Empire vanquished in Brabant by the faction raised up against him he relinquished the Empire to his Competitor 1212 23 Frederick II. King of Sicil and Naples son of Henry the 6. having settled Germanie disposed himself for the wars of the Holy Land where he recovered the possession of the Realm of Jerusalem excommunicated by the Pope at his return into Italie not long after poisoned 1250 24 Conrade IV. son of Frederick the last Emperour of the house of Schwab●n After whose death the Empire being distracted by the Popes practises into many factions each faction chose an Emperor or King of the Romans so that at one time there were elected Henry Earl of Turingia William Earl of Holland Alfonso King of Castile the renowned author of the Alfonsive Tables and 1254 25 Richard Earl of Cornwall brother of Henry the 3. of England the best-monyed man of all his time supposed therewith to buy the suffrages of the Archbishop of Colen and Electour Pvlatine by whom he was elected and crowned King of the Romans anno 1254. and after he had dealt in the affairs of the Empire 6 years he returned into England where he dyed During these battels and the times since Henry the fourth the Popes had in a manner forced the Emperours to abandon Italie so that Rodolphus who succeeded sold all his rights in Italie to the fairest chapman Nor did the craft of the Popes rest there but extended into Germanie also where by arming the Princes against the Emperours and raising the Prelates to the dignitie and estate of Princes he made the Empire of small power and consideration Made smaller yet by the unworthinesse and weaknesse of some of the Emperours who to get that honour for themselves or to leave it after them to their sons dismembred from the same many towns and fair possessions given by them to the Electors for their votes and suffrages by means whereof the Princes grew in time so strong that there were few of them who durst not undertake a warre against their Emperors And this appeareth by the Example of Charls the fifth who though the most mighty and most puissant Emperour which had been in Germanie since the death of Charls the Great yet found himself so over-matched by these ruffling Princes that he was willing to resign the Empire to his brother Ferdinand But to proceed after an interregnum of 12 years from the Exit of Richard Earl of Cornwall the title was at last accepted by 1273 26 Rodolph Earl of Habsburg a petite Prince others of greater Estates and Fortunes not daring to take up the honour the Raiser of the present Austrian Familie 1292 27 Adolph Earl of Nassaw who served in person under King Edward the first of England against the French for which disrelished by the Germans he was encountred and slain near the Citie of Spires 1298 28 Albert Duke of Austria son of Rodolphus the Emperour to whom Pope Boniface the 8. gave the Realm of France of which he had deprived King Philip the Fair. But Albert would not meddle out of Germanie and did nothing in it 1308 29 Henry Earl of Luxembourg made a journey into Italie to recover the rights of the Empire where an Emperour had not been seen in 60 years supposed to be poisoned in the Chalice by a Frier at Benevent a town of the Popes 6. 1314 30 Lewis Duke of Bavaria crowned at Aix in the wonted manner opposed by Frederick Duke of Austria chose by another Faction and crowned at Bonna a town of the Archbishop of Coleno but being defeated Lewis remained sole Emperour ex communicated by Pope John 22. 33. 1346 31 Charls IV. son of John King of Bohemia and grandson of Henry the
designe which was then in hand fortified strongly by the Bishop But this new Fortification being begun in a time of peace gave great occasion of distrust to the neighbouring Princes who interposed with Frederick the fift then Prince Elector of whom held in chief to cause the Bishop to desist from the finishing of it Which when he refused to doe pleading a Placard from the Emperour Matthias to compleat the work the Prince Electour with the rest of the Confederates beat it down by force for this contempt cited to Spires the Imperiall Chamber in which it was also resolved to proceed suddenly and severely to their condemnation One of the chief motives which occasioned that unfortunate Prince to entertain the offer of the Crown of Bohemia and consequently a chief cause of the German wars In managing whereof this town was thought so commodious that Marquis Spinola caused the works to be raised again made it the strongest hold in all those Countries and caused it to be called by the name of Philipsberg 3. Rotenberg originally belonging to the Bishops of Spires but of late times possessed by the Princes Palatine Others of lesser slote I forbear to mention The first Inhabitants of this Country on the French side of the Rhene were the Nemetes and Vangiones spoken of before on the other side the Intuergi First conquered by the Romans and from them conquered by the French of whose Empire it remained a part till dismembred from it at the erection of the Kingdome of Lorrain in the fall whereof it was annexed to the Empire of Germany By little and little got into the hands of the Princes Palatine who being originally Officers of the Emperours houshold such as the Maires of the Palace to the French Kings at the first institution had first the honour of Counts Palatine bestowed upon them and afterwards the place of an Electour in the choice of the Emperour But where their Estate then lay where they fixed their dwelling and what provinces or people they had subject to them a nullo inveni scriptum I could never find any good Record to build on saith the learned Munster their habitation and possession in and of these parts acquired for the most part by Armes and Money not being above 450 years standing at the utmost Likely it is they had their residence for the most part in the Emperours Palace living upon their rents as other great officers of Court in these later times the dignity and authority of so great a place seeming sufficient to content them but called Count Palatines of the Rhene because their Jurisdiction and Authority lay most especially in those parts of the Empire which were towards that River Afterwards on the marriage of Otho the second of that name Duke of Bavaria with Gertrude the daughter of Henry the Elector Palatine this office with the Electorall dignity fell into that house possessed at that time of those parts of 〈◊〉 which not long after on the dividing of that estate betwixt Rodolphus and Ludo●●ous the son of ●udovick the 2. Electour Palatine and Duke of Bavaria made up this Palatinate A State which suddenly received a great augmentation partly by the care and good husbandry of Rupertus Emperour and Electour Palatine partly by the weaknesse and ambition of Wenceslaus Emperour and King of Bohemia and partly by the valour of Frederick the Prince Electour Of these the first bought in the townes of Winheim Ladeberg and Scriessen with the Castle of Stralnberg with their lands and territories The second gave unto the Palatines for their voices in his election three strong towns of the Empire viz. Keisars Lauterne Ingelheim and Openkeim and the last took in battle anno 1452. the Earl of Wirtenberg the Marquesse of Baden the Bishop of Spires and the Archbishop of Mentz and ransomed them on what condition he pleased More particularly the Earl of Wirtenberg for it was not yet erected into a Dukedome payed for his ransome 100000 Florens the Bishop of Mentz redeemed himself for 450000 Florens The Bishop of Spires gave for his liberty the towns of Rottenberg and Wersaw and the Marquesse of Baden yeelded up in lieu of his freedome the Country of Spanheim of which Cruitznack is a part the towns of Besiken and Binheim the right which he pretended to Eppingen a town over against Gemersheim and his royalties between this Gemersheim and Selts a town of Alsatia in fishing and hunting So having brought these Princes unto their Estate let us next take a view of those who have successively enjoyed both the State and Title as far as we can goe by the light of Story ELECTORS Palatine of the RHENE A. Ch. 1. Henry Count of Palatine in the time of Otho the third by whom ordained to be one of the six Electors 2 Sigefride the sonne of Adelheild wife of this Henry the Electour by a former husband 3 Ezeline and Conrade sonnes of Sigefride 4 Ludoifus son to Ezeline 5 Conrade Elector Palatine in the time of Henry the fift 6 Frederick sonne to Frederick Duke of Schawben Nephew to the Emperour Conrade the third 7 Henry II. surnamed the Lyon Duke of Saxonie and Bavaria 1195 8 Henry III. sonne of Henry the Lyon and husband of Clementia daughter of Conrade Duke of Schawben and Elector Palatine 9 Henry IV. sonne of Henry the third in the life of his Father the last Elector Palatine of the nomination and appointment of the Emperour the dignity from hence forwards becoming hereditary 10 Otho Duke of Bavaria of that name the second Electour Palatine of the Rhene in right of Gertrude his wife sister and next heir of Henry the fourth whom he succeeded in the Electorall dignity confirmed therein by the Emperour Frederick the second 1269 11 Ludovicus Electour Palatine and Duke of Bavaria the son of Otho 1294 12 Rodolphus the eldest son of Lewis or Ludovicus succeeded his Father in the Palatinate and Electorall dignity Northgoia or the Palatinate of Bavaria being added to his part to make even the scale his younger brother Ludovicus succeeding in Bavaria 1315 13 Adolphus surnamed the Simple resigned the Electorall dignity to his brother Rodolphus as the fitter man to undertake it 1327 14 Rodolphus II. on the resignation of Adolphus 1337 15 Rupertus the brother of Rodolphus the second founder of the University of Heidelberg anno 1346. 1385 16 Rupertus II. sonne of Adolfus the Simple 1398 17 Rupertus III. elected Emperour in the place of Wenceslaus King of Bohemia anno 1406 made Knight of the Garter by King Henry the fourth 1410 18 Ludovious II. surnamed Caecus and Barbatus married Blanch daughter to King Henry the fourth of England 1439 19 Lud●vicus III. son of Lewis the second 1451 20 Frederick brother of Ludovicus during the minority of Philip his said brothers sonne succeeded in the Electorall dignity and added much to that Estate by his personall vertue 1478 21 Philip the sonne of Lewis the third pretended to the Dukedome of Bavaria in
Kingdome of whom we shall say more in the close of all first taking a survey of the Baltick Ilands and such Provinces on the main land of Scandia as properly make up the Kingdome of Denmark 2 The BALTICK ILANDS The BALTICK ILANDS are in number 35. and are so called because they lie dispersed in the Baltick Ocean At this day it is called by the Germans De Oost zee antiently by some Mare Suevicum by Pomponius Mela Sinus Codanus by Strabo Sinus Venedicus but generally Mare Balticum because the great Peninsula of Scandia within which it is was by some Writers of the middle and darker times called Balthia It beginneth at the narrow passage called the Sound and interlacing the Countries of Denmark Sweden Germany and Poland extendeth even to Livonia and Lituania The reasons why this sea being so large doth not ebbe and flow are 1 the narrownesse of the strait by which the Ocean is let into it and 2 the Northern situation of it whereby the Celestiall Influences have lesse power upon it The principall of this great shole of Ilands are 1 Seland 2 Fuinen or Fionia 3 Langeland 4 Lawland 5 Falstre 6 Azze 7 Alen 8 Tosinge 9 Wheen 10 Fimera and 11 Bornholim Some others of lesse note we shall onely name and so passe them over 1 SELAND the greatest Iland of the Baltick Seas is situate neer the main land of Scandia from which parted by a narrow Strait or Fretum not above a Dutch mile in breadth commonly called by the name of the Sundt or Sound A Straight thorow which all ships that have any trading to or from the Baltick must of necessity take their course all other passages being barred up with impassable Rocks or otherwise prohibited by the Kings of Denmark upon forfeiture of all their goods So that being the onely safe passage which these Seas afford one may sometimes see two or three hundred Ships in a day passe thorow it all which pay a toll or imposition to the King according to their bils of lading And to secure this passage and command all Passengers there are two strong Castles the one in Scandia called Helsinbourg whereof more anon the other in this Iland which is called Croneberg But before we come unto this Castle we must view the other parts of the Iland being in length two dayes journey and almost as much in breadth the soil so fertile that without any manuring or charge at all it yeildeth plenty of all necessaries for the life of man It was anciently called Codonania and containeth in it 15 Cities or walled Townes and 12 Royall Castles The principall whereof are 1 Hassen or Hafnia the Metropolis of the Ilands by the Dutch called Copenhagen or the Haven of Merchants situate near the Sea with an handsome Port the Isle of Amager which lyeth on the East-side of the Town making a very safe road for all kindes of shipping The town of an orbicular forme and reasonably well fortified but the buildings mean for the most part of clay and timber onely to be commended for a spacious Market-place Yet herein as the chief town of all the Kingdome and situate in the heart of these dominions is the Palace Royall built of Free stone in form of a Quadrangle but of no great beauty or magnificence Most memorable for the Vniversity here founded by Henry or Ericus the ninth but perfected by King Christiern the first by whom and the succeeding Princes liberally endowed 2 Fredericksburg amongst woods of Beech built for a place of pleasure by Frederick the second where the King hath a fine House and a little Park in which amongst other forein Beasts are some fallow Deer transported hither out of England in the 24 year of Queen Elizabeth 3 Roschild not walled but counted for a City as a See Episcopall the Bishops whereof have anciently had the honour of Crowning and inaugurating the Kings of Danemark In the Cathedrall Church whereof are to be seen the Tombs of many of the Danish Kings some of them very fair and sumptuous the most mean and ordinary 4 Sore of old times beautified with a goodly Monastery the Revenues whereof at the alteration of Religion were converted to the maintenance of a Free-Schoole built here by Frederick the first But in the yeer 1623 Christiern the fourth adding hereunto the Revenues of two other dissolved Monasteries the one in the I le of Lawland and the other in Juitland founded here a new Vniversity for the greater supply of learned Ministers for the Churches of Denmark and Norway which before could not be provided for out of Copenhagen and furnished it with men of eminence in all Arts and Sciences for its first Professours 5 Elsinure or Helsingore a village onely but much frequented by Sea-faring men as their ships passe by the Sound upon which it is Near unto which is 6 the strong and magnificent Castle of Croneberg built with incredible charge and paine● by King Frederick the second the foundation of it being laid on huge stones sunk into the Sea and so fastned together that no storme or tempest how violent soever is able to shake it Well fortified as well as founded and mixt of a Palace and a Fort being since the first building of it the most constant residence of the Kings of Danemark who from hence may easily discern each ship which sailes thorow the Sundt each of which addeth more or lesse unto his Revenues A profitable and pleasing prospect By the Commodity of this and the opposite Castle the King doth not onely secure his Customes but very much strengthen his Estate the Castles being so near and the Str●it so narrow that by the addition of some few Ships he may keep the greatest Navy that is from passing by him Unto the Government and Jurisdiction of this Iland belong many others the principall whereof are 1 Amigria or Amagger which helpes to make up the Port or Road of Copenhagen spoken of before planted with Hollanders brought hither by the procurement of Christiern the second 2 Mund or Moem-land the chief town whereof is called Stegoe 3 Huene or WHEEN a little South of Croneberg Castle a Dutch mile in length but not quite so broad remarkable onely for the studies of that famous Astronomer Tycho Brahe to whom Frederick the second gave this Iland that living in a private and solitary place removed from all company but his own Family onely he might with more convenience attend his Books At this day most observable for the Castle of Vranopolis or Vrenbourg in which the greatest part of his Mathematicall instruments are preserved in safety III. FIONIA or FVINEN the second Iland of accompt in all the Baltick is situate betwixt Seland and Juitland from which last parted by a Strait called Middelfar Sundt so narrow and of so small a Sea that the Iland and the Chersonese seemed joyned together A Country of a pleasant and delightfull situation and as fruitfull withall containing twelve Dutch miles in length
at Joppa or some other Port of the Mediterranean and from thence set forwards thorow the Streits of Gibraltar and so plainly Westward 7. Finally in the History of Wales writ by David Powel it is reported that Madoc the son of Owen Gwinedth Prince of Wales of purpose to decline ingaging in a Civil war raised in that Estate in the year 1170. put himself to Sea and after a long course of Navigation came into this Country where after he had left his men and fortified some places of advantage in it he returned home for more supplies which he carried with him in ten Barks but neither he nor they looked after by the rest of that Nation To which some adde that here is still some smattering of the Welch or British tongue to be found amongst them as that a Bird with a white head is called Pengwin and the like in which regard some sorry Statesmen went about to entitle Queen Elizabeth unto the soveraignty of these Countries Others more wise disswaded from that vain Ambition considering that Welch men as well as others might be cast upon those parts by force of tempest and easily implant some few words of their own among the people there inhabiting And though I needs must say for the honour of Wales that they have more grounds for what they say then those which look for this New World in the Atlantis of Plato the Atlantick Ilands of Aristotle and Plutarch or the Discoveries of Hanno the Carthaginian yet am I not so far convinced of the truth thereof the use of the Mariners Compass being not so antient without which such a Voyage could not be performed but that I may conclude with more satisfaction that this Country was unknown to the former Ages But now as Mela the Geographer said once of Britain then newly conquered by the Romans Britannia qualis sit qualesque progeneret mox certiora magis explorata dicentur quippe jam diu clausam aperit ecce Principum maximus he means Claudius Caesar nec indomitarum modo sed incognitarum ante se Gentium Victor so may we say of America on these late discoveries What kind of Country it is and what men it produceth we do and shall know more certainly then in former times since those puissant Kings of Spain have laid open all the parts thereof inhabited not only by unvanquished but even unknown Nations For God remembring the promise of his Son that his Gospel should before the end of the World be preached to all Nations stirred up one Christopher Colon or Columbus born at Nervy in the Signeury of Genoa to be the instrument for finding out those parts of the World to which the sound of the Gospel had not yet arived Who being a man of great abilities and born to undertake great matters could not perswade himself the motion of the Sun considered but that there was another World to which that glorious Planet did impart both his light and heat when he went from us This World he purposed to seek after and opening his Design to the State of Genoa An. 1486 was by them rejected On this repulse he sent his brother Bartholomew to King Henry the seventh of England who in his way hapned unfortunately into the hands of Pirats by whom detained a long while but at last inlarged Assoon as he was set at liberty he repaired to the Court of England where his Proposition sound such chearfull entertainment at the hands of the King that Christopher Columbus was sent for to come thither also But God had otherwise disposed of this rich purchase For Christopher not knowing of his Brothers imprisonment not hearing any tidings from him conceived the offer of his service to have been neglected and thereupon made his Desires known at the Court of Castile where after many delayes and six yeers attendance on the business be was at last furnished with three ships only and those not for Conquest but Discovery With this small strength he sailed on the main Ocean more then 60 days yet could see no Land so that the discontented Spaniards began to mutinie and partly out of scorn to be under the command of a Stranger partly desirous to return would not go a foot forwards Just at that time it hapned that Columbus did discern the clouds to carry a cleerer colour then they did before and probably conceiving that this clearness proceeded from some nigh habitable place restrained the time of their expectation within the compass of three days passing his word to return again if they did not see the Land within that time Toward the end of the third day one of the Company called Rodrigo de Triane he deserves to have his name recorded being no otherwise rewarded for such joyful news descried Fire an evident Argument that they drew neer unto some shore The place discovered was an Iland on the Coast of Florida by the Natives called Guhanani by Columbus S. Saviours now counted one of the Lucaios Landing his men and causing a Tree to be cut down he made a Cross thereof which he e●ected neer the place where he came on Land and by that Ceremony took possession of this NEW WORLD for the Kings of Spain Octob. 11. An. 1492. Afterwards he discovered Cuba and Hispaniola and with much treasure and content returned towards Spain and after three other great Voyages fortunately finished he died in the year 1506. and lieth buried at Sevil. Preferred for this good service by the Fings themselves first to be Admiral of the Indies and next unto the title of Duke De la Vega in the Isle of Jamaica but so maligned by most part of the Spaniards that Bobadilla being 〈◊〉 into those parts for redress of grievances loaded him with Irons and returned him 〈◊〉 into Spain Nor did they only stick after his death to deprive him of the honour of this Discovery attribu●ing it to I 〈◊〉 not what Spaniard whose Cards and Descriptions he had seen but i● his life would often say that it was a mitter of no such difficulty to have sound these Countries and that if he had not done it when he did some body else might have done it for him VVhose peevishriess he consuted by this modest artifice desiring some of then who insolently enough had contended with him couching this Discovery to make an Egg stand firmly upon one of its ends Which when they could not do upon many Trials he gently bruizing one end of it made it stand upright letting them see without any further reprehension how easie it was to do that thing which we see another do before us But to proceed Columbus having thus led the way was seconded by Americus V●spusius an old venturous Florentine imploied therein by Emanuel King of Portugal from whom the Continent or Main land of this Country hath the name of Americas by which still known and 〈◊〉 commonly called To him succeeded John Cabot a Venetian the Father of Sebastian Cabot in
behalf of Henry the seventh of England who discovered all the North-east Coasts hereof from the Cape of Florida in the South to New found land and Terra di Laborador in the North causing the American Roytelets to turn all Homagers to that King and the Crown of England Followed herein by divers private Adventurers and undertakers out of all parts of Europe bordering on the Ocean Ferdinand Magellanus was the first that compassed the whole World and found the South Passage called Fretum Magellanicum to this day followed herein by Drake and Cavendish of England Frobisher and Davies attempted a Discovery of the North-west passage Willoughby and Burroughs of the North-east So that according to that elegant saying of the learned Verulam in his Advancement of learning this great building the World had never thorow lights made in it till these our dayes by which as almost all parts of Learning so in especiall this of Navigation and by consequence of Cosmographie also hath obtained an incredible proficiency in these later times For in the Infancy and first Ages of the World pardon me I beseech you this short but not unprofitable digression men lived at home neither intent upon any ●orreign Merchandise not inquisitive after the Lives and Fortunes of their Neighbours or in the Language of the Poet Nondum caesa suis peregrinum ut viseret Orbem Montibus in liquidas Pinus descenderat undas The Pine left not the Hils on which it stood To seek strange Lands or rove upon the Flood But when the Providence of God had instructed Noah how to build the Ark for the preservation of himself and his children from the general Deluge the Posterity which descended from him had thereby a pattern for the making of Ships and other Vessels perfected in more length of time whereby to make the waters passable and maintain a necessary intercourse betwixt Nation and Nation T is true the Heathen Writers which knew not Noah attribute the invention of shipping to sundry men according to such informations or traditions as they had received Strabo to Minos King of Crete Diodorus Siculus to Neptune who was therefore called the God of the Seas and Tibullus to the People of Tyre a Town indeed of great wealth and traffick and the most famous Empory of the elder times saying Prima ratem ventis credere docta Tyrus The Tyrians first the Art did finde To make Ships travell with the winde And questionless the Tyrians and the rest of the Phoenicians enjoying a large Sea-coast and many safe and capacious Havens being in these times most strong at Sea and making so many fortunate Navigations into most parts of the then known World might give the Poet some good colour for his affirmation From the Phoenicians the Egyptians their next neighbours might derive the Art of Navigation though being an ingenuous People they did add much to it For whereas the first Vessels were either made of the body of some great Tree made hollow by the Art of man or else of divers boards fashioned into a Boat and covered with the skins of Beasts such as are still in use amongst these Americans the Phoenicians brought them first into strength and form but the Egyptians added Decks unto them By Danaus King of Egypt when he fled from his brother Rameses the use of shipping was first brought amongst the Grecians who before that time knew no other way of crossing their narrow Seas but on Beams or Rasters tied to one another Nave primus a● Egypto Danaus advenit ante cnim Ruibus navigabatur as it is in Plinie where we may see the true and genuine difference betwixt Ratis and Navis though now both used indifferently for all sorts of shipping Amongst the Grecians those of Crete were the ablest Sea-men which gave occasion to Aristotle to call Crete the Lady of the Sea and to Strabo to make Mino the Inventor of Ships In following times the Carthaginians being a Colony of Tyre were most considerable in this kinde and by the benefit of their shipping much distressed the Romans But so it hapned as all things do and must concur to Gods publick purposes in the alteration of Estates that a Tempest separating a Quinqueremis or Gallie of five banks of Oars from the rest of the Carthaginian Fleet cast it on the shore of Italy by which accident the Romans learning the Art of Ship-wrights soon became Masters of the Sea That France and Spain were taught the use of shipping by the Greeks and Phoenicians is a thing past questioning Marseilles in the one being a Phocean and Gades in the other a Tyrian Colony As for the Belgians and the Britains it is probable that they first learnt it of the Romans though formerly they had some way to transport themselves from one shore to the other For Casar telleth us of the Belgae Ad eos Mercatores minimeè commeant that they were not at all visited by Forraign Merchants And the same Caesar found the Seas betwixt France and Britain so ill furnished with Vessels that he was sain to make ships to transport his Army Singulari Militum studio circiter sexcentas duodetriginta Naves invenit as his own words are Having thus brought Navigation to the greatest height which it had in those days let us look back again on the Inventors of particular Vessels and the Tackle unto them belonging That the Phoenicians first invented open Vessels and the Egyptians Ships with Decks hath been said before and unto them also is referred the Invention of Gallies with two Banks of Oars upon aside which kinde of Vessels grew so large in the course of time that Ptolomy Philopator is said to have made a Callie of 50 banks Great Ships of burden called Ciraera we owe to the Cypriots Cock boats or Skiffs Scaphas to the Illyrians or Liburnians Brigantines Celoces to the Rhodians and Frigots or light Barks Lembos unto the Cyrenians The Phaselis and Pamphyli which we may render Men of War were the invention of the Pamphylians and the Inhabitants of Phaselis a Town of Lycia in Asia Minor As for Tackle the Boeotians invented the Oar Daedalaus and his son Icarus the Masts and Sails Which gave occasion to the Poets to seign that flying out of Crete they made wings to their bodies and that Icarus soaring too high melted the VVax which fastened his wings unto his shoulders and thereby perished the truth being that presuming too much on this new invention he ran himself upon a Rock and was cast away For Hippagines vessels for the transporting of Horse we are indebted to the Salaminians for grapling hooks to Anacharsis for Anchors to the Tuscans and for the Rudder Helm or Art of Steering to Typhis the chief P●lot in the famous Argo who noting that a Kite when she flew guided her whole body by her Tail effected that in the devices of Art which he had observed in the works of Nature By these helps some great Voyages were performed
cast over their backs they wear no upper garments but of cloth as being only allowed by the Laws but their under-garments of the purest stuf The women here are privileged above all in Italie having free leave to talk with whom they will and be courted by any that will both privately and publickly Which liberty it is likely they gained at such time as the French were Masters of this Estate who do allow their wives such excess of liberty as no Italian would allow of in a common Curtezan And though it cannot be affirmed that the women of the Countrey or the City it self do abuse this Liberty yet the Italians being generally of a different humor reckon them to be past all shame as they esteem the German Merchants who make little reckoning of their promises if not bound by writing to be men without faith Of which and other things concerning this Estate they have made this Proverb Montagne senza legni c. that is to say Mountains without wood Seas without fish men without faith and women without shame The Country as before is said is very mountainous in the in-lands and ful of craggy rocks towards the Sea so that by Sea and Land it is very ill travelling But amidst those hils are vallies of as rich a vein as most others in Italie abounding in Citrons Limons Olives Oranges and the like fruits with such variety of Flowers at all times of the yeer that the Markets are seldom unfurnished of them in the moneth of December It yeeldeth also great plenty of most pleasant wines which the Inhabitants call La Vermozza and another which they call Le lagrime di Christo or Lacrymae Christi this last so pleasing to the tast that it is said a Dutchman tasting of it as he travelled in these parts fetch 't a great sigh and brake out into this expression How happy had it been with us si Christus lachrymatus esset in nostris Regionibus if CHRIST had shed some of his tears in their Country of Germany Their greatest want is that of Corn and therewith do supply themselves out of other places The principall Towns and Cities of it in the Eastern part are 1. Sarezana a strong Fortress against the Florentines and one of the best pieces of this Republick 2. Pontremuli Pons Remuli as the Latines call it of as great consequence as that but possessed by the Spaniard 3. Lerigi an Haven in the Tuscan or Tyrrhenian Sea 4. Sestri a reasonable good place remarkable for as white bread and as pleasant wine as any in Italie 5. Fin● an Haven or Port Town not far from Genoa antiently called Portus Delfinus Few of the Towns in this part are of any greatness but they are set so thick and intermingled with so many goodly houses both on the hills and the vallies that for the space of twenty miles the whole Countrey seems to be one continuall building In the West part the Towns of most importance are 1. Monaco of old called Monoecus and Portus Herculis beautified with a commodious Haven belonging not long since to the Spaniard who bought it for 100000. Crowns of its proper Owner but of late gotten by the French under colour of a later Contract 2. Ventamiglio a good Town and sweetly seated 3. Sav●na taken by the Genoese An. 1250. before which time it had a Prince of its own Remarkable for the Interview betwixt Ferdinand the Catholick and Lewis the 12th of France An. 1507. Who having been deadly enemies upon the taking of the Realm of Naples from the French by the Spaniard met at this town and here most strangely relied upon one another Lewis first boording Ferdinands Gally and Ferdinand for divers days feasting with Lewis in this Town then in his possession as Protector of the Estate of Genoa Which kind of Interviews I note this only by the way as they chance but seldom so when they do they prove for the most part dangerous unto one of the parties great enmities not being easily forgot by persons of a publick Interess Nay that notable Statesman Philip de Comines utterly disliketh all such meettings of Princes though in Amity and good correspondence with one another as many times producing effects quite contrary to their expectations And this he proveth by the example of Lewis the 11. of France and Henry of Castile who meeting purposely An o 1463 to change some friendly words together took such dislike at each others person and behaviour that they never loved one another after it The like example he bringeth of an interview betwixt Edward the fourth of England and the same King Lewis and betwixt Frederick the Emperor and Charles Duke of Burgundy with divers others His reasons I purposely omit as not pertinent to my present undertaking and make hast again unto the Town which is about a mile and an half in circuit and hath many stately buildings in it It was called antiently Sabate or Sabatia and hath been under the command of divers Lords being taken from the Genoese by the Visconti and the Sforzas Dukes of Millain from them by the French and at last recovered again by those of Genoa Further note that this one Town hath yeelded to the Church of Rome three Popes viz. Gregory the 7th Julio the 2d. and Sixtus the 4th which is as much as Genoa it self can brag of 4 Nola upon the Seaside a commodius Haven 5 Finali a goodly Port-Town also and very well fortified honoured of a long time with the title of a Marquisate one of the seven founded by the Emperor Otho of which more hereafter but taken from the last Marquess by the Count of Fuentes then Governour of Millain for the King of Spain and garrisoued immediately with 200 Spaniards the poor Marquess being put off with an Annual pe●sion An o 1602. 6 Milesimo a small Town adjoyning possessed upon the same right by the Spaniard also who by these peeces hath a strong command on the Trade of Genoa 7 But the great Ornament of those parts of Italie is the City of Genoa first built say some by Janus the sonne of Saturn as others say by Janus Genius Priscus an Italian or Tuscan King But by whomsoever it was built certain it is that it was miserably destroyed by Mago the Brother of Annibal repaired by Lucretius Surius at the command of the Senate of Rome for whose cause and quarrel it was ruined once again spoyled and wasted by Rotaris a great Prince of the Lombards An o 660 or thereabouts but built more beautifull than before by Charles the Great On his foundation it now stands situate on the shore of the Ligustick or Ligurian Seas to which being partly built on the declivity of an hill full of stately Palaces it giveth a most pleasant and magnificent prospect It is in compass six miles of an Orbicular form fortified towards the Sea by Art towards the Land by Art and Nature there being but one way to come to
and King Lewis the 11th the first of which never digested the restoring of it to that King being pawned unto his Father together with Corbie Amiens and Abbeville for no less than 400000 Crowns the later never would forgive the Earl of S. Paul for detaining it from him though under colour of his service A Town of greater note in succeeding times for the famous battle of St. Quintins Anno 1557. wherein King Philip the second of Spain with the help of the English under command of the Earl of Pembroke overthrew the whole Forces of the French made themselves Masters of the Town and thereby grew so formidable to the French King that the Duke of Guise was in Post hast sent for out of Italic where his affairs began to prosper to look unto the safety of France it self III. More towards Hainalt and Lorrein lieth the Countrie of RETHELOIS so called of Rethel the chief Town well fortified as the rest of the Frontire places but of most note amongst the French in that the eldest sonnes of the Dukes of Nevers have usually been entituled Earls and Dukes of Rethel united to that Familie by the mariage of Lewis of Flanders Earl of Nevers with the Daughter and Heir of James Earl of Rethel Anno 1312 or thereabouts 2 St. Monhaud a Town of consequence and strength 3 Sygni a strong peece belonging to the Marquess of Vieu-Ville 4 Chasteau-Portian of more beautie but of like importance IV. Finally in the Dutchie of TIERASCHE the last part of the higher Picardie we have the Town of Guise of some note for the Castle but of more for the Lords thereof of the Ducall Familie of Lorrein from hence entituled Dukes of Guise A Familie which within a little compass of time produced two Cardinals the one entituled of Guise the other of Lorrein six Dukes that is to say the Duke of Guise Mayenne Aumal Elbeuf Aguillon and Cheureuse the Earl of Samarive and besides many Daughters maried into the best houses in France one maried to lam●s the 5th King of the Scots The first and he that gave the rise unto all the rest of this potent Family was Claud ●onne to Rene the second Duke of Lorrein and husband to Antomette Daughter to the Duke of Vendosme in respect of which alliance he was honoured with this title The second was Francis who endangered the Realm of Naples resisted the siedge of the Emperor Charles at Mets drove him out of Provence took Calice from Q. Mary and was at last treacherously slain at the siedge of Orleans Anno 1563. The third was Henry that great enemy of the Protestants who contrived the great Massacre at Paris and almost dispossessed Henry the third of all France He began the holy league and was finally slain at Bloys by the command of King Henry the 3d. But we must know that this Town did antiently belong to the Dukes of Lorrein and had given the title of Guise to Frederick the second sonne of Iohn and Charles the third sonne of R●ne both the first of those names before Claud of Lorrein was advanced to the title of Duke Of most note next to Guise it self is 2 Ripemont on the South of Guise 3 Chastelet upon the border towards Luxembourg a strong Town and one of the best outworks of France 4 Maz●ers upon the Maes or M●use a place of great strength and like importance As for the state of this whole Province I doe not finde that it was ever passed over by the French Kings unto any one hand as almost all the rest of France had been at some time or other but distracted into divers Lordships Some of which fell to the Crown of France by confiscations and others by conquest Some held of England some of the Earls of Artois and others of Flanders and lastly of the Dukes of Burgundie as Lords of those Provinces those which depended upon England being seized on by Charles the 7th on the loss of Normandie by the English as those which held of Burgundie were by Lewis his sonne immediately on the death of Duke Charles at the battel of Nancie Anno 1476. NORMANDIE NORMANDIE is bounded on the East with the River Some which parteth it from Picardie on the West with Bretagne and some part of the Ocean on the North with the English Channel by which divided from England and on the South with France specially so called and the County of Maine It made up the whole Province of Lugdunensis Secunda in the time of the Romans the Metropolis whereof was Roven and in the greatness of the French Empire had the name of Neustria corruptly so called for Westria the name of Westria or Westonrich being given by some to this part of the Realm of West-France as that of Austria or Ostenrich to a part of East-France Afterwards being bestowed upon the Normans by Charles the Simple it was called Normandie In this Countrie is the little Signeurie of IVIDOT heretofore said to be a free and absolute Kingdom advanced to that high dignitie by Clotaire the seventh King of the French who having abused the wife of one Gautier de Ividot so called because of his dwelling here and afterward to prevent revenge killed the man himself to make some satisfaction to his Familie for so great an injury erected the Lordship of Ividot to the estate of a Kingdom and gave unto the heirs of this G●utier or Walter all the prerogative of a free and absolute Monarch as to make Laws coyn money and the like From hence the French call a man that hath but small demaines to maintain a great title a Roy d' Ividot At last but at what time I know not it fell again to a Lordship and belongeth now to the house of Bellay in Bretagne But to proceed from the poor Kingdom of Ividot to the rich Dukedom of Normandie for largeness of Extent multitudes of People number and stateliness of Cities fertilitie of Soyl and the commodiousness of the Seas it may worthily be accompted the chief Province of France Well watered with the River Seine which runneth quite thorough it as do also 2 the Orne and 3 the Av●n not to say any thing of 4 Robee 5 Ante and 6 Reinelle and many others of less note In length it reacheth 170 miles and about 60 in bredth where it is narrowest containing in that round the largest and fairest Corn-fields that are to be seen in all France Of all other naturall commodities it is extreme plentifull excepting Wines which the Northern coldness of the Climate admits not of or sparingly at the best and of no perfection The people of it formerly renowned for feats of Arms the Conquerours of England Naples Sicil and the Kingdom of A●tioch in the East at this time thought to be of a more sharp and subtill wit than the rest of the French Scavans au possible en proceces plaideries saith Ortelius of them especially in the quillets and quirks of Law It is
times As also by this testimonie of the D. of Burgundie who held King Lewis the 11th to be weakned a whole third part in his estate by giving Normandie in portion to the D. of Berry Now they amount unto as much as the Kings Treasurers and Toll-masters are pleased to draw out of it The Arms of Normandie were Gules two Leopards Or which with the single Leopard or Lyon being added for the Dutchie of Aquitaine make the Arms of England BRETAGNE BRETAGNE is bounded on the East with Normandie and the Countie of Maine on the South with Anjou and Poictou on all other parts with the English or Gallick Ocean Warered upon the South side with the Loir which divides it from Anjou but so as part of this Dukedom called the County of Raiz lieth on the South side of that River betwixt it and Poictou It was first called Armorica from its situation on the Sea as the word importeth in the old Language of that People But how it came by this new name is not well agreed on The generall opinion is that it took this name from the neighbouring Britans brought over hither by the Tyrant Maximus rebelling against the Emperour Gratian Anno 385. by whom this Province was subdued and from them named Britannia Minor Little Britain An Argument whereof may be that the Language of this People hath still no small affinitie with the Welch or British there being a tradition also that the Britans who first came over hither and maried the Women of this Countrie cut out their tongues for fear they should corrupt the Language of their posterity And to this Conquest by the Britans these old Verses give some further Countenance Vicit Aremoricas animosa Britannia Gentes Et dedit imposito nomina prisca jugo That is to say Gaul-Armorick the Britans overcame And to the conquered Province gave their name Which notwithstanding the most probable opinion seemeth to be that it took this name from the Britanni an old Gallick People mentioned by Plinie in Gaul-Belgick retiring hither on the invasions and incursions of the barbarous Nations though possibly those Britanni of Gallia-Belgica might be aswell some Colonie of the Iland-Britans as the Belgae a great Nation in the Isle of Britain are said to have been a People of Gallia-Belgica The reason is because there was no Author before Geofric of Monmouth who takes notice of this transporting of the Insular-Britans by the Tyrant Maximus no antient Author Greek or Latine making mention of it And for the Welch or British words which are still remaining in the language they are conceived to be no other than a remainder of the old Gallick tongue which was originally the same with the antient British as is elswhere proved The Province is in compass 200 French Leagues Pleasant and fruitfull beautified with many shadie woods and spacious Downs sufficiently well stored with all manner of grain but destitute of Wine and the choicer fruites by reason of the Northerly situation of it Divided commonly into Hault or High Bretagne and Basse or Low Bretagne the first containing the more Eastern and the last the Western parts hereof Neither of the two much furnished with navigable or notable Rivers the defect of which the neighbourhood of the Sea supplieth affording more capacious Havens and convenient Ports than any one Province in this Kingdom To begin therefore with the Havens those of most note in the Higher Bretagne are 1 S. Malo built on a Rock within the Sea wherewith at every high water it is incompassed A Bishops See and a Port very much frequented by the French and Spanish who use here to barter their Commodities oftentimes spoyled by the English in their Wars with ●rance especially since the time of King Henry the seventh 2 Blavet a safe but little Haven on the mouth of a little River of the same name also 3 S. Briene by the Litines called Fanum Sancti Brioci a Bishops See and a well-traded Port seated upon the English Channel 4 Vanne● a Bishops See also situate on a capacious Bay at the mouth of the Vilain the chief Town of the Veneti whom Caesar placeth in this tract and makes them to be the mightiest People of all the Armoricans strongest in Shipping and best seen in Affairs at Sea 5 Croissie a little Haven at the mouth of the Loir and the onely Haven of this Part on the Gallick Ocean Then in Low B●●tagne or the more Western parts hereof there is 6 B●est seated upon a spacious Bay of the Western Ocean the Key and Bulwark of this Countrie and the goodliest Harbour of all France 7 Morlais a convenient Port and well frequented 8 S. Pol de Leon and 9 Treguer both Bishops Sees both situate on the Sea-shore and both the chief Towns of the Ossismi whom Ptolomie and Strabo place upon this Coast the first of them neighboured by the Promontorie which they call L● Four the Govaeum of Ptolomie 10 K●mper Corentin a Bishops See also the chief Town of that part hereof which is called Cournovaille situate not far from the Foreland which they call Penmarch opposite to Le Four spoken of before A Sea Town this but not much talked of for the Haven for ought I can find 11 Conquet a well-frequented Road not far from Beest Chief places in the Midlands 1 Nantes the principall Citie of the Nann●tes by Ptolomie called Condivincinum a large fair strong and populous Citie seated upon the Loir a Bishops See and the Metropolis of Bretagne 2 Re●e● antiently the chief Town of the Rhedones called Conda●e by Ptolomie now a Bishops See and the Parliament Citie for this Countie established here Anno 1553 which maketh it very populous and of great Resort though not fully two miles in compass 3 D●l an Episcopall Citie also but unwholesomely seated amongst Marishes 4 Dinan a rich and pleasant Town on the River Rance 5 L'Amballe the chief Town of the L'Ambiliates spoken of by Caesar 6 Rohar the title and inheritan●e of the Dukes of Ro●an descended from a branch of the Ducall ●amilie of B●e●agne by Mary the second Daughter of Duke Francis the first and Wife of Iohn then Viscount of Rohan 7 Ansenis the chief Seat of the now Duke of Vend●sme and the head of his Estates in Bretagne Of which possessed in the right of his Wife the Daughter of the Duke of Me●cocur by the Heir of Martignes another of the branches of this Ducall Familie 8 Chast●au-Briant a strong Peece on the borders of Normandie 9 Clisson the chief Town of the Dutchie of Raiz being that part of Bretagne which lieth on the South-side of the Loir a strong ●own and fortified with a very good Castle The Britans whosoever they were in their first Originall were questionless one of the first Nations that possessed any part of Gaul after the Conquest of the Romans Governed at first by their own Kings the most considerable of which was that Aldroenus or Auldran the Sonne
And so it proved in the Event 18 Charles VI. a weak and distracted Prince in whose reign Henry the fifth of England called in by the faction of Burgundy against that of Orleans maried the Lady Catharine Daughter of this King and was thereupon made Regent of France during the Kings life and Heir apparent of the Kingdom But he had first won the great battel of Agincourt in which the English having an Army but of 15000 vanquished an Army of the French consisting of 52000 men of which were slain 5 Dukes 8 Earls 25 Lords 8000 Knights and Gentlemen of note and 25000 of the Commons the English losing but one Duke one Earl and 600 Souldiers This unfortunate Prince lost what his predecessor Philip the ad had taken from King Iohn of England and had not been restored by King Lewis the ninth 1423. 19 Charles VII Sonne of Charles the sixt after a long and bloodie War recovered from the English then divided by domestick dissentions all their Lands and Signiories in France except Calice only 1461. 20 Lewis XI Sonne of Charls the seventh added unto his Crown the Dukedom of Burgundie the Earldom of Provence and therewithall a Title unto Naples and Sicil and a great part of Picardy A Prince of so great wants or such sordid parsimony that there is found a Reckoning in the Chamber of Accompts in Paris of two shillings for new sleeves to his old doublet and three half pence for liquor to grease his Boots 21 Charles VIII Sonne of Lewis the 11th who quickly won and as soon lost the Kingdom of Naples which he laid claim to in the right of the house of Anjou By the mariage of Anne the Heir of Bretagne he added that Dukedom to his Crown 1498. 22 Lewis XII Sonne of Charles and Grand-sonne of Lewis Dukes of Ori●●ans which Lewis was a younger Sonne of Charles the fifth succeeded as the ne●t Heir-male of the house of Valois He dispossessed Ludowick Sforz● of the Dutchie of Millaine and divided the Realm of Naples with Ferdinand the Catholick but held neither long By his mariage with Anne of Bretagne the Widow of his Predecessour he confirmed that Dukedom to his House and united it unto the Realm by an Act of State After his death the English to prevent the growing greatness of Spaine began to close in with the French and grew into great correspondencies with them insomuch that all the following Kings untill Lewis the 13th except Francis the 2d a King of one yeer and no more were all Knights of the Garter 1515. 23 Francis Duke of Angolesme Grand-sonne of Iohn of Angolesme one of the younger Sonnes of the said Lewis Duke of Orleans succeeded on the death of Lewis the 12th without i●●ue male Took Prisoner at the battel of Pavie by Charles the fifth with whom he held perpetual wars he being as unwilling to indure a superiour as the Emperour was to admit an equall 32. 1547. 24 Henry II. Sonne of Francis recovered Cali●e from the English and drove Charles out of Germanie and took from him Mets ●oui and Verdun three Imperial Cities ever since Members of this Kingdom 12. 1559. 25 Francis II. Sonne of Henry the 2d King of the Scots also in the right of Mary his Wife 1560. 26 Charles IX Brother of Francis the 2d the Author of the Massacre at Paris 14. 1574. 27 Henry III. elected King of Poland in the life of his Brother whom he succeeded at his death The last King of the House of Valois stripped of his Life and Kingdom by the Guisian Faction called the Holy League 15. 1589. 28 Henry IV. King of Navarre and Duke of Vendosme succeeded as the next Heir-male to Henry the 3d in the right of the House of Bourbon descended from Robert Earl of Clermont a youunger Sonne of Lewis the 9th He ruined the Holy League cleered France of the Spaniards into which they had been called by that poten● and rebellious Faction and laid La Bresse unto the Crown together with the Estates of Bearn and Base Navarre and after a ten years time of peace was villainously murdered by Ravillac in the streets of Paris 21. 1610. 29 Lewis XIII Sonne of Henry the 4th the most absolute King of France since the death of Charles the Great For the reduction of the scattered and dismembred Provinces the work of his many Predecessors he added the reduction of all the Ports and Garrisons held by the Hugonots in that Kingdom seized on the Dukedom of Bar and surprized that of Lorreine both which he held untill his death 32. 1642. 30 Lewis XIV Sonne of Lewis the 13th and of the Lady Anne eldest Daughter of Philip the third of Spaine succeeded at the age of four years under the Government of his Mother the 30th King of the Line of Capet the 43 from Charles the Great and the 64 King of France or rather of the French now living As for the Government of these Kings it is meerly Regal or to give it the true name Despoticall such as that of a Master over his Servants the Kings will going for a Law and his Edicts as valid as a Sentence of the Court of Parliament Quod Principi placuerit Legis habet vigorem was a Prerogative belonging to the Roman Emperours as Justinian tells us in his Institutes and the French Kings descending from Charles the Great claim it as their own The Kings Edicts alwayes ending with these binding words Car tel est nostre Plaisir for such is our pleasure And though he sometimes send his Edicts to be verified or approved in the Parliament of Paris and his Grants and Patents to be ratified in the Chamber of Accompts there holden yet this is nothing but a meer formalitie and point of circumstance those Courts not daring to refuse what the King proposeth It is Car tel est nostre plaisir which there goeth for Law And by this intimation of his Royall pleasure doth he require such Taxes as the necessity of his Affairs the greediness of his Officers or the importunity of Suters doe suggest unto him The Patrimonie of the Crown being so exhausted by the riot and improvidence of former Princes that the King hath no other way to maintain his State defray his Garrisons reward such as deserve well of him and support those that depend upon him but only by laying what he pleaseth on the backs of his Subjects against which there is no dispute by the common People though many times the Great Princes have demurred upon it And therefore to make them also instrumentall to the publick 〈◊〉 the Kings are willing to admit them to some part of the spoyl to give them some ex●mptions from those common burdens and to connive at their oppressing of their Te●ants against all good conscience that being so privileged themselves they may not interrupt the King in his Regal ●ourses The power of the French King over his Subjects being so transcendent it cannot be but that
passage thorough their countrey but also to have certain places of strength put into his hands for his better assurance These unjust demands the Na●arr●●y denied Whereupon Ferdinand with all expedition invadeth the kingdom the greatest part of which he took without a blow given the French King being as backward in affording due assistance as the other was unprovided of means for defence The French netled with this loss divers times attempted the recovery of it but in vain for the Spaniard still keepeth those parts of it which lie on that side of the ●yrenees leaving the rest which lieth on the French side of those Mountains being about a sixt part of the whole to the Descendants of those Princes whom he had disseized The Arms of Navarre are Gales a Carbuncle nowed Or. Which Carbuncle having a resemblance unto 〈◊〉 of Gold is said to have been first taken by Sancho the 8th in memorie that he and his Forces had first broken the Fortification made with chaines about the Pavilion of Mahomet Enaser the Meramomolin of Morocco at the great fight in Sierra Morena before which time the Armes of this Kingdom had been Azure a Cross Argent The chief order of Knighthood was of the Lilly begun by Garcia the sixth their Blazen a pot of Lillies with the Portraiture of our Lady ingraved upon it their duty to defend the Faith and daily to repeat certain Ave-Maries 4. LEON and OVIEDO THe Kingdom of LEON and OVIEDO hath on the East the Countrie of Biscay on the North the main Cantabrian Ocean on the South Castile on the West Gallicia So called from Leon and Oviedo the chief Cities of it and first seat of their Kings the antientest Kingdom in all Spain By a more antient name it was called Asturia from the Astures who possessed it in the time of the Romans divided into the two generall names of Augustani and Transmontani but comprehending the particular Tribes or Nations of the Pesici Gigari Zoclae and Lancienses The Countrey mountainous and woodie but formerly of some esteem for those small though swift Horses which the Romans from hence called Asturcones we may read it Hobbies which afterwards became a common name for all Nags or Gueldings Asturco Macedoni●us being used for a Macedonian Nag by Petronius Arbiter It is divided commonly into two parts that is to say Asturia de Oviedo bordering on Gallicia towards the West and 2 Asturia Santillana confining on Biscay towards the ●ast From which division of the Countrey the eldest Son of Castile is called Prince of the Asturias in the plural number which Title some suppose to be given unto them because it was the first Countrey which held up against the Moores But indeed the true Original hereof is referred by the best Spanish Writers to the time of the mariage of Catharine Daughter of Iohn of Gaunt and in right of her Mother Constance the right Heir of Castile unto Henry Sonne of Iohn the first then in possession of that Kingdom For to this new maried Couple it was granted saith Mariana that after the manner of England where the Heir Apparant is called Prince of Wales they should be called Princes of the Asturias In times succeeding the Towns of Iaen Vbeda Biatia and Anduiar were added to this Principate and so continued to this day Places of most importance in it 1. Avales on the Sea side not far from the Promontorie called of old Promontorium Scythicum but now Cabo de Pinas 2. Sublanco now a small v●llage but once a Town of so great strength that it was destroyed by the command of the Emperour Nerva lest it might animate these Mountainers unto a revolt 3. LEON situate at the foot of the Mountains not far from the place of the old Sublancia as it was then called The town but mean were it not beautified by a fair and large Cathedral the Bishop whereof acknowledgeth no Metropolitan but the Pope alone Recovered from the Moores Anno 722. Afterwards made the Regal Seat of the Kings of Leon by some called Legio because the 7th Legion was here lodged by Ptolomie called Legio Germanica and by others Gemina 4. S. Andera so named from a Church there built to the honour of S. Andrew by Ptolomie called Flavionavie now a wel-traded Port on the Cantabrian Ocean 5. Santillana which gives name to the Eastern part of Asturia 6. L●anes where the two Asturias meet together 7. Civid id Re●l in the Western part of Asturia called Asturia de Oviedo 8. Villa Viciosa the only noted Port in this part of the Countrie 9. OVIEDO called for a time the Citie of Bishops because many of the Bishops of Spain dispossessed of their Churches by the Moores had retired thither and there preserved the line of Episcopal Succession till their Sees were filled again with Bishops in more happy times Antiently it was called Lucus Asturum and was of old a Bishops See reedified by King Froila the first in the yeer 757. Famous enough in giving the title of a Kingdom to the first Christian Princes after the Conquest by the Moores called from hence Kings of Oviedo Afterwards Anno 896. they began to be stiled Kings of Oviedo and Leon and at last Kings of Leon only Oviedo being quite le●t out of the Regal stile by Raymir the 2d Anno 904. More toward the Inlands of this Kingdom now reckoned part of old Castile are 10. Palenza the Pallantia of Ptolomie and Antoninus seated on the River ●●arrion once a small Vniversitie till the translation of it unto Salamanca by King Ferdinand the third This Town first felt the furie of the Su●vians when they mastered these parts of Spai● 11. Astorga antiently called Augusta Asturica whence the Astures of this tract were called Augustani a Bishops See frontiring on Gallicia happy in this that it felt not the fury of the lustfull King Vitiza who to secure himself in his unlawfull pleasures and to weaken his subjects if they should attempt any thing against him dismantelled all the Towns in his Dominions except Leon Toledo and this Astorga Who were the old Inhabitants of this Countrie hath been shewn already When conquered by ●ugustus Caesar they were under part of the Province of Tarragonensis part afterwards of the Pr●vince of Gallicia by the Emp Constant Won from the Romans by the Gothes from them by the Mo●res though long they did not lye under their command For as the lust of Roderick the last King of the Gothes in Spain occasioned the coming in of the Moores so the lust of Magnu●z● a Moor●● 〈◊〉 Roy occasioned though in long course of time their expulsion thence For Magnutz● having employed Pelagius a young Prince of the ●sturias on an Embassy to Musa the Leiutenant General 〈◊〉 the Moores then residing at Corduba in his absence ravished his Sister and at his return died by 〈◊〉 edge of his sword Dispairing of pardon for this Act he was fain to stand upon his guard and for
the Danish word O●la it is questionless in it self and without that commixture which some are accused to use with it a very wholesome drink howsoever it pleased a Poet in the time of Henry the 3d thus to descant on it Nescio quid monstrum Stygiae conforme paludi Cervisiam pleriq vocant nil sp●ssius illa Dum bibitur nil clarius est dum mingitur ergo Constat quod multas faeces in ventre relinquit In English thus Of this strange drink so like the Stygia● lake Men call it Ale I know not what to make Folk drink it thick and piss it very thin Therefore much Dregs must needs remain within Now to conclude this generall discourse concerning England there goes a tale that Henry the 7th whose breeding had been low and private being once pressed by some of his Counsell to pursue his title unto France returned this Answer that France indeed was a flourishing and gallane Kingdom but England in his mind was as fine a Seat for a Countrey Gentleman as any could be found in Europe Having staid thus long in taking a Survey of the Countrie it self together with the chief commodities and pleasures of it and amongst them of the Women also as the method of the old Verse led me on it is now time that we should look upon the men And they are commonly of a comely feature gracious countenance for the most part gray-ey'd pleasant beautifull bountifull courteous and much resembling the Italians in habit and pronunciation In matters of war as we have already proved they are both able to endure and resolute to undertake the hardest enterprises in peace quiet and not quarrelsome in advice or counsell sound and speedy Finally they are active hearty and chearfull And yet I have met with some Gentlemen who upon the strength of a little travell in France have grown so un Englished and so affected or besotted rather on the French Nation that they affirm the English in respect of the French to be an heavy dull and Phlegmatick People of no dispatch no mettle no conceit no audacity and I know not what not A vanity meriting rather my pity than my anger Perhaps in vi●ifying their own Nation they had consulted with Iulius Scaliger who in the 16 chap. of his 3d Book De re Poetica giveth of the two most noble Nations English and Scotish this base and unmanly Character Goshi belluae Scoti non minùs Angli perfidi inflati feri contemptores stolidi amentes inertes i●hospitales immanes His bolt you see is soon shot and so you may happily guess at the Quality of the Archer A man indeed of an able learning but of his own worth so highly conceited that if his too much learning made him not mad yet it made him to be too peremptory and arrogant To revenge a Nationall disgrace on a Personall is an ignoble victory Besides Socrates resolution in the like kind in my opinion was very judicious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If an Ass kick us we must not put him in the Court. To confute his censure in every point would be to him too great an honour and for me too a great labour it being a task which of it self would require a Volume The best is many shoulders make the burthen light and other Nations are as deeply engaged in this quarrell against that proud Man as ours for so maliciously hath he there taxed all other people that that Chapter might more properly have been placed among his Hypercriticks How the English and Germans which of all Nations are thought most given to their bellies do agree and differ in this point the same Scaliger hath thus shewed in one of his Epigrams Tres sunt Convivae Germanus Flander et Anglus Dic quis edat m●lius quis meliusve bibat Non comedis Germane b bis tu non bib●s Angle Sed comedis comedis Flandre bibisque benè Dutch Flemmings English are your only guests Say which of all doth eat or drink it best Th' English love most to eat the Dutch to swill Onely the Flemming eates and drinks his fill Thus was it in his time with the English Nation though since I fear we have borrowed too much of the Dutch and learnt a great deal more than needs of the Flemming also The Nobility of this Countrie is not of so much unlimited Power as they are to the prejudice of the State in other Countries the name of D●kes Earl● and Marquestes being mee●ly 〈◊〉 whereas in other places they have some absolute some mixt government so that upon any 〈◊〉 di●taste they will stand on their own gnard and slight the Power of their 〈◊〉 And on the other side the Commonalty enjoy a multitude of Privileges above all other Nations 〈◊〉 being most free from Taxes and burdenous Impositions but what they take upon themselves by their own consent They have twice in a yeer a laudable custome no where else to be seen justice administred even at their own doores by the Itinerary Iudges of the Kingdom an Order first instituted by King Henry the 2d They dwell together with Gentlemen in Villages and Townes which makes them favour of civility and good manners and live in sarre greater reputation than the 〈◊〉 in Italy Spain France or Germany being able to entertain a stranger honestly diet him plentifully and lodge him neatly The Clergy was once of very great riches as appeareth by that Bill preferred to King 〈◊〉 the 5th against the temporall revenues of the Church in which it was suggested that they were able to main am 15 Earls 1500 Knights 6000 men of Arms more than 1000 Alms-houses and yet the King might cleerly put up 20000 l. per An●um into his Exchequer How true this was I cannot say But a●ter this King Henry the 8th took his Opportunities to pare away the excr●seencies of it demolishing the Monasteries and Religious Houses and paring off the superstuities of B●shopricks and Cathedrall Churches in which he found not a few followers amongst the Ministers and great Officers of State and Court in the time of King Edward the 6th and Queen Elizabeth Yet left they not the Clergie so poor and naked or destitute of the encouragements and rewards of learning but that they have been still the objects of a covetous envy that which the former Harpies left them being thought too much though for abilities of learning I dare boldly say it not to be parallelled in the word For besides 5439 Paro-Benefices being no Impropriations and besides the Vicarages most of which exceed the competency beyond Seas there were left in England at the time of the Reformation under Queen Elizabeth 21 Bishopricks taking those of Wal●s into the reckoning 26 Deaneries ●0 Archdeaco●●ies and 544 Dignities and Prebends most of which places of fair revenue And as for the maintenance of Priests Monks and Friers before the Reformation there were reckoned 90 Colleges besides those in the Vniversities 110 Hospitalls 3374 Chanteries and
824. 17 Ludecan 826. 18 Withlas overcome in fight as were his two Predecessors by Egbert King of West-Sex became his tributary 839. 19 Berthulf 852. 20 Burdred a Substituted King of the West-Saxons and the last King of the Mercians the short reign of his six Predecessors portending that fatall period to be neer at hand After whose death Anno 886 this Kingdome for some few yeers tyrannized over by the Danes was united by King Alured to the English Monarchie Such was the Order and Succession of the Saxon Kings during the Hettarchie or division of it into seven Kingdoms continuing separate distinct till the prevailing fortune of the West-Saxons brought them all together into one by the name of England But so that they were subject for the most part unto one alone who was entituled Rex Gentis Anglorum those which were stronger than the rest giving the Law unto them in their severall turnes and are these that follow The Monarchs of the English-Saxons in the time of the Heptarchie A. Ch. 455. 1 Hengist King of Kent who first brought the Saxons into Britain 481. 2 Ella the first King of the South-Saxons 495. 3 Cerdie the first King of the West-Saxons 534. 4 Kenrick King of the VVest-Saxons 561. 5 Cheuline or Celingus King of the VVest-Saxons 562. 6 Ethelbert King of Kent the first Christian King of the Saxons 616. 7 Redwald King of the East-Angles 617. 8 Edwin King of Northumberland 634. 9 Oswald King of Northumberland 643. 10 Oswy King of Northumberland 659. 11 Wulfhere King of Mercia 675. 12 Etheldred King of Mercia 704. 13 Kenred K. of Mercia 709. 14 Chelred K. of Mercia 716. 15 Ethelbald K. of Mercia 758. 16 Offa the Great K. of the Mercians 794. 17 Egfride K. of Mercia 796. 18 Kenwolf K. of Mercia 800. 19 Egbert the Sonne of Alomond K. of the West Saxons vvho having vanquished all the rest of the Saxon Kings and added most of their Estates unto his own caused the whole united Body to be called Engel-lond or England in a Parliament or Counsell held at Winchester Anno 8●9 being the 19th yeer of his Reign over the West-Saxons and by that name was then crowned in the presence of his Nobles and the rest of his Subjects leaving it unto the rest of his Successors But before we come to the recitall of their names we are to take notice of the Danes the next considerable Actors on the Stage of England vvho in the time of this Egbert first invaded the Countrey and after exercised the patience of his Posterity till in fine they got the kingdom to themselves Of the Originall and first Succcesses of this people vve shall speak more at large vvhen we come to Denmark Suffice it here to knovv that having taken up the void Rooms of the Iuites and English in the Cimbrick Chersonese they thought it not amiss to follovv them into Britain also making a Discovery of some part of the Coasts thereof vvith three Ships only Anno 787 being the first yeer of Bithric the Father of Egbert King of the West-Saxons Which having done and prepared themselves for the undertaking in the time of Egbert they invaded Northumberland the Isle of Shepey in Kent and the Coasts of Wales not without much difficulty driven out by him In the Reign of the three Kings succeeding having vanquished the Northumbrians East-Angles and a part of the Mercians they erected in those kingdoms many petit Tyrannies By Alfred first stopped in their Career by Edward the Elder outed of the East-Angles and by Athelstan of Northumberland also the Danes for some time after being subject to the English Government mixing in mariages and alliance and incorporate with them By the valour and good Fortune of Swain their King they recovered their power again in England and in the person of Canutus obtained the kingdom who having impolitickly sent back his Danes into their Countries as if a kingdom got by force could be held by favour opened a way to their execlusion from the Crown which hapned within seven yeers after his decease Which said we come to the Successious of The Kings of England of the Saxon Race 819. 1 Egbert the last King of the West-Saxons and the first of England 18. 837. 2 Thelwolf the Eldest Sonne of Egbert 20. 857. 3 Ethelbald the Eldest Sonne of Ethelwolf 1. 858. 4 Ethelbert the Brother of Ethelbald 5. 863. 5 Ethefred the Brother of the two former Kings the third Sonne of Ethelwolf and as much molested by the Danes as his Brethren were 10. 873. 6 Alfriae the fourth Sonne of Ethelwolf who totally united the Saxon Heptarchie into one Estate vanquished the Danes whom he made subject to his commands though he could not expell them he divided England into shires and restored the Vniversity of Oxon. 900. 7 Edward surnamed the Elder the Sonne of Alfride who recovered the East-Angles from the power of the Danes whom he shut up in Northumberland 24. 924. 8 Athelstan the Sonne of Edward who subdued the Britans of Cumberland and Cornwall and compelled the Danes to submit themselves to the English Government In his time lived S. Guy of Warwick 16. 940. 9 Edmund the Brother of Athelstan by whom the Danes of Northumberland were brought under obedience and the kingdom of the ●ritans in Cumberland utterly subverted 946. 10 Edred the Brother of Edmund and Athelstan so fortunate against the Danes that he compelled them to be christned 9. 955. 11 Edwy the Sonne of Edmund 959. 12 Edgar the Brother of Edwy surnamed the Peaceable the most absolute Mon●rch of England since the time of the Saxons by whom the tribute of money imposed by Athelstan on the W●lch was exchanged into a tribute of Wolves 16. 975. 13 Edward II. Sonne of Edgar treacherously murdered by his Stepdame to make way for Ethelred her Sonne hence surnamed the Martyr 3. 978. 14 Ethelred the younger Sonne of Edgar and half Brother of Edward enjoyed the Crown unquietly which he got unjustly Oppressed and broken by the Danes he was fain to buy his peace of them at the yeerly tribute of 10000 pounds inhanced to 48000 pounds within short time after which monies were raised upon the subjects by the name of Danegelt Weary of these exactions he plotted warily with his Subjects to kill all the Danes as they slept in their beds which accordingly was put in execution on S. Br●ces night Novemb. 12. Anno 1012. To revenge this out-rage and dishonour Swaine King of Denmark with a sayl of 350 ships came into England the fear whereof compelled Ethelred a weak and impuissant Prince to fly into Normandy leaving his poor Subjects to the mercy of the Danish Tyrant who miserably plagued them till his death To whom succeeded his Sonne Cnute Canutus a more temperate Prince who maugre Ethelred now returned or his Sonne Edmund Ironside a most valiant King did in the end possess himself of the whole Kingdom 1016 15 Edmund II. surnamed Ironside
Iohn expelled the invading French out of England and by a Composition with King Lewis the 9th was restored unto the Dukedom of ●●yenne held by his Successors till the reign of K. Henry the sixt Exhausted by the Pope and oppressed a long time by his factious and unruly Barons but at last victorious 56. 1274. 9 Edward the Sonne of Henry awed France subdued Wales brought Scotland into subjection of whose King and Nobility he received homage 34. 1308. 10 Edward II. Sonne of Edward the first a dissolute Prince hated of the Nobles and contemned by the vulgar for his immeasurable love to Pierce Gaveston and the S●eucers was twice shamefully beaten by the Scots and being deposed by a strong Faction raised against him by his Queen and Roger Lord Mortimer was barbarously murdered in Barkley Castle 19. 1327. 11 Edward III. Sonne of Edward the 2d a most vertuous and valorous Prince brought the Scots to obedience overthrew the French in two great Battails took the Town of Callice and many fair Possessions in that Kingdom 50. 1377. 12 Richard II. another of our unfortunate Kings lost many of his Peeces in France and at last being over-awed by his two great Vncles of L●ncaster and Glecester and taken Prisoner by his Cosin the Duke of Hereford he was forced to resign his Crown and afterwards was murdered at Pomfret Castle The Lancastrian Line 1399. 13 Henry IV. Sonne to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the fourth Sonne to Edward the 3d was by the power of the Sword but with the consent of the people setled in the Throne and spent his whole Reign in suppressing home-bred Rebellions 15. 1414. 14. Henry V. the mirrour of Magnificence and Pattern of true vertue pursued the Title of France and won it being ordained Heir apparent to the French Crown but lived not to possesse it 9. 1423. 15 Henry VI. a pious but unfortunate Prince was crowned K. of France in Paris which he held during the life of his Vncle Iohn of Bedford and Humphrey of Glocester after whose deaths he not only lost France to the French but England and his life to the Yorkish Faction 38. The Yorkish Line 1461. 16 Edward IV. Sonne of Richard Duke of York the Sonne of Richard Earl of Cambridge and Grand-Sonne of Edmund of Langley Duke of York the fift Sonne of King Edward the third challenged the Crown in right of the Lady Anne his Grandmother Daughter of Roger Mortimer Earl of March the Sonne of Edmund Mortimer Earl of March and of Philippa his Wife sole Daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Sonne of the said King Edward and Elder Brother of Iohn of Gaun● The claim first set on foot by his Father the Duke of York who lost his life in pursuance of it at the Battail of Wakefeild with better fortune and success pursued by King Edward himself who finally after 9 bloody Battails fought between the Houses especially that of Towton in which were slain 36000 English was quickly seated in the possession of England and Ireland 23. 1484. 17 Edward V. his Sonne was before his Coronation murdered by his Vncle Richard in the Tower of London 1484. 18 Richard III. Brother of Edward the 4th a most wicked and tyrannicall Prince to make way unto the Diadem murdered King Henry the 6th and Prince Edward his Sonne 3. George Duke of Clarence his Brother 4 Hastings a saithfull servant to King Edward 5 Rivers Vaughan and Grey the Queens kindred 6 Edward the 5th his Soveraign with his young Cousin Richard 7 Henry Duke of Buckingham his dear Friend and greatest Coadjutor in these his ungodly Practices and his Wife Anne so to make way to an incestuous mariage with his Neece Elizabeth the Eldest Daughter of Edward the 4th but before the solemnity he was slain at Bosworth 3. The Vnion of the Families 1487 19 Henry VII Earl of Richmund Heir to the House of Lancaster as Sonne of Margaret Daughter of Iohn Duke of Somerset Sonne of Iohn Earl of Somerset Sonne of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster after the overthrow of Richard maried Elizabeth Daughter and Heir to Edward 4th uniting by that mariage the divided Families He was also extracted from the British and French Royall blood as being Sonne to Edmund ●ndor Earl of Richmund Sonne to Owen Tudor descended from Cadwalladar the last of the Britans and Katharine of France Widdow of Henry the 5th His whole wars was against home-bred Rebels the chief being Lambert and the Followers and Fautors of Perken Warbeck 23. 1509. 20 Henry VIII Heir to both Families between which were fought for the Diadem 17 pitched Feids in which perished 8 Kings and Princes 40 Dukes Marquesses and Earls 200000 of the common people besides Barons and Gentlemen This King banished the usurped Supremacie of the Popes and began the Reformation of Religion though formerly he had writ a Book against Luther for which the Pope gave him the honourable Title o● The Defender of the Faith afterwards made Hereditarie by Act of Parliament to his Heirs and Successors A Prince of great vices but or greater vertues 38. 1547. 21 Edward VI. the Sonne of Henry the 8th by Iane Seymour his 3d Wife out of whose womb he was fain to be cut to come into the World as Caesar was but he had neither Caesars Fortune nor length of life dying very young and his affairs conducted by divided Counsels though otherwise of great hopes and of a pregnancie of judgement above his yeers 6. 1553. 22 Mary the Daughter of King Henry the 8th by Katharine of Spain the Widow of his Brother Arthur restored the Popes Supremacy banished by her Father with the whole mass of Popery abolished in her Brothers Reign To which Religion so addicted that in the short time of her Reign there was more blood shed than in the whole 44 yeers of her Sister Elizabeth In the last yeer of her Reign she lost Calice to the French which proved the loss of her life also as it was supposed 5. 1558. 23 Elizabeth the Daughter of King Henry the 8th by the Ladie Anne Bullein his second Wife a most gracious and Heroick Princess was by the divine providence of God preserved from the practices of her Enemies in her Sisters reign to sway the Scepter of the kingdom She pursued the Reformation of Religion begun in the times of her Father and Brother refined the corrupt coin brought in by her Father furnished the Royall Navy with all kind of warlike Ammunitions encreased the Revenue of the Universities by the Statute of Provisions succoured the Scots against the French the French Protestants against the Papists and both against the Spaniard defended the Netherlands against the attempts of Spain commanded the whole Ocean entred League with the Moscovite and was famous for her prudence and government amongst the ●urks Persians and Tartars yea her very Enemies Finally she died in the 45 yeer of her reign and the 70th of her life on the 24th of
both being extract from the Welch blood they seldom or never contained themselves within the bounds of true Allegeance For whereas before they were reputed as Aliens this Henry made them by Act of Parliament one Nation with the English subject to the same Laws capable of the same preferments and privileged with the same immunities He added 6 Shires to the former number out of those Countries which were before reputed as the Borders and Marches of Wales and enabled them to send Knights and Burgesses unto the English Parliaments so that the name and language only excepted there is now no difference between the English and Welch an happy Vnion The same King Henry established for the ease of his Welch Subjects a Court at Ludlow like unto the ordinary Parliaments in France wherein the Laws are ministred according to the fashion of the Kings Courts of Westm●nster The Court consisteth of one President who is for the most part of the Nobility and is generally called the Lord President of Wales of as many Counsellors as it shall please the King to appoint one Attourney one Sollicitor one Secretary and the Iustices of the Counties of W●les The Town it self for this must not be omitted adorned with a very fair Castle which hath been the Palace of such Princes of Wales of the English blood as have come into this Countrie to solace themselves among their people Here was young ●dward the 5th at the death of his Father and here dyed Prince Arthur Eldest Sonne to Henry the 7th both being sent hither by their Fathers to the same end viz by their presence to satisfie and keep in Order the unquiet Welchmen And certainly as the presence of the Prince was then a terror to the rebellious so would it now be as great a comfort to this peaceable people What the Revenues of this Principal●ty are I cannot say yet we may boldly affirm that they are not very small by these reasons following viz. 1 By the Composition which LLewellen the last Prince of Wales made with Edward the first who being Prince of North-Wales onely and dispossessed of most of that was fain to redeem the rest of the said King Edward at the price of 50000 Marks which comes to 100000 pounds of our present mony to be paid down in ready Coin and for the residue to pay 1000 l. per Annum And 2dly by those two circumstances in the mariage of the Lady Katharine of Spain to the above named Prince Arthur For first her Father Ferdinando being one of the wariest Princes that ever were in Europe giving with her in Dowry 200000 Ducats required for her loynture the third part only of this Principality and of the Earldom of Chester And secondly After the death of Prince Arthur the Nobles of the Realm perswaded Prince Henry to take her to Wise that so great a Treasure as the yeerly Revenne of her lonyture might not be carried out of the Kingdom The Arms of the Princes of Wales differ from those of England only by the addition of a Labell of three points But the proper and peculiar device and which we commonly though corruptly call the Princes Arms is a Coronet beautified with thee Ostrich Feathers and inseimbed round with ICH DIEN that is I serve alluding to that of the Apostle The Heir while he is a Child differeth not from a Servant This Coronet was won by that valiant Prince Edward the black Prince at the battell of Cressie from Iohn King of Bohemia who there wore it and whom he there slew Since which time it hath been the Cognizance of all our Princes I will now shut up my discourse of Wales with that testimony of the people which Henry the 2d used in a Letter to Emanuel Emperour of Constantinople The Welch Nation is so adventurous that they dare encounter naked with armea men ready to spend their blood for their Countrey and pawn their life for praise and adding onely this that since their incorporating with the English they have shewed themselves most loyall hearty and affectionate Subjects of the State cordially devoted to their King and zealous in defence of their Laws Liberties and Religion as well as any of the best of their fellow-subjects whereof they have given good proof in these later times There are in Wales Arch-Bishops 0. Bishops 4. THE BORDERS BEfore we come into Scotland we must of necessity passe thorough that Battable ground lying betwixt both Kingdoms called THE BORDERS the Inhabitants whereof are a kind of military men subtile nimble and by reason of their often skirmishes well experienced and adventurous Once the English Border extended as far as unto the Fryth or Strait of Edenburgh on the East and that of Dunbritton on the West the first Fryth by the Latines called Bodotria and the later Glotta betwixt which where now standeth the Town of Sterling was an atient Bridge built over the River which falleth into the Fryth of Edenburgh on a Cross standing whereupon was writ this Pasport I am Free march as passengers may kenne To Scots to Britans and to Englsh-men But when England groaned under the burden of the Danish oppression the Scots well husbanded that advantage and not onely enlarged their Borders to the Tweed but also took into their hands Cumberland Northumberland and Westmorland The Norman Kings again recovered these Provinces making the Borders of both Kingdomes to be Tweed East the Solway West and the Cheviot hills in the midst Of any great wars made on these Borders or any particular Officers appointed for the defence of them I find no mention till the time of Edward the first who taking advantage of the Scots disagreements about the successor of Alexander the 3d hoped to bring the Countrie under the obedience of England This Quarrell betwixt the two Nations he began but could not end the Wars surviving the Author so that what Vellcius saith of the Romans and Carthaginians I may as well say of the Scots and English for almost 300 yeers together aut bellum inter eos populos aut b●lli praeparatio aut infid● pax fuit In most of these conflicts the Scots had the worst So that Daniel in his History seemeth to marvail how this Corner of the Isle could breed so many had it bred nothing but men as were slain in these wars Yet in the Reign of Edward the 2d the Scots having twice defeated that unhappy Prince became so terrible to the English Borderers that an hundred of them would fly from three Scots It is a custom among the Turks not to beleeve a Christian or a Iew complayning against a Turk except their accusation be confirmed by the Testimony of some Turk also which seldom hapning is not the least cause why so little Iustice is there done the Christians In like manner it is the Law of these Borderers never to beleeve any Scots complaining against an English-man unless some other English-man will witness for him and so on the
and untractable People The Government of this Country since the first Conquest by the English hath been most commonly by one Supreme Officer who is sometimes called the 〈…〉 most generally the Lord Deputy of Ireland than whom no Vice-Roy in all 〈◊〉 hath greater power or 〈◊〉 nearer the Majesty of a King in his Train and State For his assistance ●e hath a Privie Councell attending on him though resident for the most part at Du●lin and in emergencies or cases of more difficult nature proceedeth many times in an arbitrary way without formalities of Law And for their Laws which are the standing Rule of all civil Government they owe their being and original to the English Parliaments For in the reign of ●ing Henry the 7th Sir ●●award P●yn●ngs then Lord Deputy caused an Act to pass in the Irish Parliament whereby all laws 〈◊〉 Statutes which were made in England before that time were to be entertained and 〈◊〉 in force as the Laws of Ireland On which foundation they have raised many Superstructures both of Law and Government enacted in their own Parliaments summoned by the Lord Deputy at the Kings appointment in which by an other Statute made in the time of the said Poynings the people are inabled to make Laws for their own good Governance conditioned they were first transmitted to the Court of England to be considered o● by the King before they were Voted to in either of the houses of the Irish Parliaments Which Laws commmonly called P●ynings Laws have hitherto continued in force amongst them though the last much stomaked and repined at not only as a badge of their Subjection to the Crown of England but as a Curb or Martingall to hold them in Yet notwithstabding these good Laws and the ample power of their Commission the Lord Deputies could never absolutely subdue the Iland or bring the People to any civill course of life the Fathers inflicting a heavy curse on all their posterity if ever they should sow Corn build houses or Learn the English tongue To this indisposition of the Irish themselves let us adde the defects of the Kings of England and Irish Deputies in matters of civill policie as I find them particularized by Sir John Davies in his worthy and pi●hy discourse of this Subject I will only glean a few of them First then saith he a barbarous Country is like a field overgrown with wees which must first be well broken with the Plough and then immediately Sown with good and profitable seed so must a wild and uncivill people be first broken and Ploughed up by War and then presently Sown with the seed of good Laws and discipline lest the weeds revive in the one and ill manners in the other Here then was the first defect in our English Kings not to tame and take down the Stomacks and pride of this people though either civill or forrein wars perhaps occasioned this neglect and also the Irish Deputies who at such times as the people upon a small discomfiture were crest-faln neglected the so keeping of them by severity of discipline The second oversight concerneth particularly our Kings who gave such large possessions and regalities unto the first Conquerours that the people knew no Authority in a manner above their own immediate Lords Thirdly the Laws of England were not indifferently communicated to all the Irishrie but to some particular Families and Provinces only insomuch as there were but five great Lords of the Naturall Irish who had the benefit and protection of the Laws of England that is to say O Neale in Vlster O Connob●r in Connaught Mac Morrough in Lemster O Malaghlia in Meth O Brian in Twom●nd known by the name of Qu●nque Sanguines in some old Records By means whereof the rest of the people being in the condition of Out-laws or at the best of Aliens had no incouragement either to build or plant or manure their Land or to behave themselves as Subject● A fourth defect was more particularly in the Deputies or Lords Lie●tenants who having made good and wholsome Laws against the barbarous customes of the Common people and the merciless oppressions of the Lords never put any of them in execution as if they had been made for terror not for reformation Fiftly Adde unto these which Sir John D●vies hath omitted the little care which was too often taken by the Kings of England in the choice of their D●puties sometimes conferring that high Office as a Court-preferment without Relation unto the merits of the person and sometimes sending men of weak or broken fortunes who attended more their own profit than their Masters service and were more bent to fleece than to feed this Flock Si●th●y And yet besides there Errours of the Kings and Deputies in point of Government there was another and as great in the 〈◊〉 themselves who building all their Forts and Castles in the open Countries abandoned the Woods and Bogs and other Fastnesses to the naturall Irish the strength whereof not only animated them to Rebell upon all occasions but served too fitly to continue them in their antient 〈◊〉 In these terms of wildness and non-subjection stood Ireland till the latter end of Queen Elizabeths reign at what time the Rebellion of Hugh O Neal Earl of Vir Oen had ingaged almost all the Irishrie in that desperate Action which ending in the overthrow of that ingratefull Rebel and all his partiz●ns not only crushed the overmuch powerablenesse of the Irish Nobility but made the finall and full conquest of the whole Nation So true it is that Every Pebellion when it is supprest doth make the Prince stronger and the Subjects weaker Ireland thus broken and ploughed up that glorious Queen died a victor over all her enemies and left the Sowing of it unto her successor King Iames who omitted no part of a skilfull Seedsman 1 Then there was an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Act of Oblivion made whereby all the offences against the Crown were remitted if by such a limited day the people would sue out their Pardons and by the same Act all the Irishrie were manumitted from the servitude of their Lords and received into the Kings immediat protection 2ly The whole kingdom was divided into Shires and Judges it inerant appointed to circuit them whereby it hath followed that the exactions of the Lords are said aside the behaviour of the people is narrowly looked into the passages before unknown unto our Souldiers are laid open by our Vnder-Sheriffes and Bayliffs and the common people seeing the benefit and security they enjoy by the English Laws and loth to plead alwayes by an Interpreter begin to set their children to School for the learning of the English tongue 3ly The Irish were not rooted out as in the first plantation in Lemster and the English onely estated in their rooms but were onely removed from the woods bogs and mountains into the plain and open countrey that being like wild trees transplanted they might grow the
for English Fugitives 3. Orchies a pleasant town and well traded for the making of Serges which with the other two make up the three Estates of this part of Flanders 4. Armentiers an unwalled town but of very great trading here being yearly 25000. pieces of Cloth sent hence to Italie and thence to Constantinople 5. Tournay or Dornick as the Dutch call it a great rich mighty and strong town seated on the Scheld well built and full of stately and magnificent Churches and religious Houses and anciently honoured with a See Episcopall A town of great importance and much contended for betwixt the Flemmings and the French but finally fell unto the French as the more puissant Prince taken from them by Henry the eighth of England Anno 1513. to whom the Citizens paid 100000 Duckets for their present ransome restored by him unto the French Anno 1518. for the sum of 600000. Crowns and finally from them recovered by Charles the fift who restored it to the body of Flanders from which it had been long dismembred but so that it is governed as a State apart and is called the Signeury of Tournesis having a goodly jurisdiction over the Countrey round about it 6. S. Amand in the Countrey of Tournesis pleasantly seated on the Scharpe in which is one of the richest Abbies in all Flanders the Abbat thereof having the temporall and spirituall jurisdiction over it and the parts about it And so much for the Chorographie of the Earldome of Flanders inhabited by the Nervi and Morini in the time of Caesar 11. ARTOIS is bounded on the East with Flanders Gall●●ant and the Countrey of Cambray on the South and West with Picardie on the North with Flanders Flammegant and the River Lis. The aire exceeding temperate and the soyle so fruitfull that it serveth as a Granarie to a great part both of Flanders and Brabant On the West part hereof towards France lyeth the Earldome of S. Paul so called from the chief town thereof a goodly Signeurie and of great jurisdiction and revenue containing besides many Villages the good town of Berne a walled town and of great importance The Earls hereof were of the noble family of the Earls of Luxembourg the last of which was Lewis of Luxembourg made Constable of France by K. Lewis the 11. With whom as also with Edward the 4. of England and Charles Duke of Burgundie he plaid so many crosse tricks that having long deluded them all and kept them in a continuall jealousie of one another he was at last by Duke Charles taken and beheaded After whose death this goodly Signeurie fell to the house of Vendosme in France by the marriage of Francis Earl of Vendosme with Mary the daughter of this Lewis to whom it was adjudged by the power and favour of the French-Kings the Heirs Males being made uncapable of succession in it by the Attaindure and Confiscation of the said last Earl By means whereof the house of Vendosme were entituled to many fair Estates in Artois and Flanders and much good lands in France which they were possessed of The Armes of these Earls were Argent a Lyon Gules armed and Crowned Or his tail forked of the second As for the residue of Artois the towns of most importance in it are Arras in Latine Attrebatum Civitas the chief City of the Attrebates the old inhabitants hereof in the time of Caesar and still the chief City of this Province a large populous and well fortified City anciently honoured with a See Episcopall and stocked with an industrious people the first makers of the Cloth of Arras which took name from hence Divided into two distinct towns both of them walled and called by two severall names the lesser called La Cite subject to the Bishop beautified with a fair and stately Cathedrall Church and a Library containing many excellent Manuscripts the lesser called La Ville subject to the Prince having large streets and a rich Monastery of the yearly revenue of 20000. crowns By Ptolemy it is called Regiacum seated within a bow-shoot of the River Scharp and heretofore the Metropolitan town of Flanders till Artois was dismembred from it since which time the chief City of this Province as before is said 2. S. Omer a fair town and well peopled seated upon the River Aa some 8. Dutch miles from the Ocean so called from S. Omer or Audomarus Bishop of the Morini who built a Monastery in this place from which grew the town the second of esteem and rank in all the countrey Near to it is a goodly lake of fresh water in which are many little Ilands affording good pasturage for Cattell of which Lewis Guicciardine reporteth that by fastning a cord unto the bushes which grow in them a man may draw them which way he will and that under them there are found great numbers of fishes who bed themselves there for shelter against the Weather 3. Betune a strong town and seated amongst excellent pastures of which the people make great plenty of the best Cheese which with the territory hereof fell to Guy of Dampierre Earl of Flanders in right of Maud his wife daughter and heir of Daniel the Lord of this town 4. Aire on the Lys a strong town with a Castle of great antiquitie 5. Bapaulme a little but well fortified town and yet more strong because it cannot be besieged for want of fresh water which is not to be had within three leagues of it 6. Renty an unwalled town but fenced with a very strong Castle besieged by the French Anno 1554. but being overcome in a set-field by Charles the fift they were fain to raise the siege and go home again 7. Hedinfert on the confluence of two little Riverets Blangis and Canche a frontier town on the edge of France one of the strongest and most defensible places of all the Netherlands built by Charles the fift out of the ruines of old Hesdin which having taken from the French he commanded it to be razed as no longer serviceable and raised this town instead thereof somewhat near France 8. Ter●in or Theroven the Tervanna of Ptolemy and Civitas Morinum of Antoninus a frontire town held for a long time by the French by whom thought impregnable till taken by King Henry the 8. Anno 1513. they changed their opinion A siege not only memorable for the issue of it but for two other matters of great moment the one that the Emp. Maximilian came and served in person under the colours of S. George with the English crosse upon his breast the other that the French intending to victuall the town had so great an overthrow that had the English followed their fortune they had opened a fair way to have made themselves masters of all France the French King being so astonished on the newes hereof that he prepared to flie into Britain But the English more minded the spoyles and riches of Terwyn then the sequell of an absolute victory Et fru●
Adolphus 1475 13 William V. of Berg and VI. of Gulick son of Gerrard 1511 14 Marie daughter and heir of William Dutchesse of Gulick and Berg conveyed the whole Estate in marriage to John the 3. Duke of Cleve and Earl of March continuing in that Familie till the expiration of it in the person of John Williliam the last Prince hereof anno 1610. 4 The Earldom of MARCH or MARK hath on the East and North Westphalia on the West the Dukedom of Cleve on the South that of Berg or Mont. So called as being seated in the Marches of Westphalen out of which it was taken The Countrie for the most part like the rest of Westphalen more fit for pasturage then corn woodie and yeelding store of pawnage to those heards of swine with which it plentifully abounds Chief places in it are 1 Werden upon the River Ruer on the edge of Westphalia the people whereof get great wealth by grazing of Cattle 2 Soest in Latine Susatum for wealth and greatnesse not inferiour to any in Westphalen except Munster only consisting of ten parishes and lording it over many rich and pleasant Villages Anciently it belonged to the Bishops of Colen but in the year 1444. did voluntarily yeild it self to the Duke of Cleve being then Earl of March also and by Duke John the 4. courageously defended against those Prelates 3 Arusberg a fine and pleasant site used for a retiring place by the Electours of Colen unto whom it belongs 4 Dortmond in Latine Tremonia a Countie anciently of it self and held immediately of the Empire possessed by the Tro●manni a tribe of the Suevians from whence first called Tretmania and at last Tremonia 5 blancostein built commodiously by Adolphus the fift of that name and first Earl of March as was also 6 H●m or Hammone 7 Vnna of which nothing memorable 8 Altena the first title of the Earls of this house before they assumed that of the Earls of March assumed first by Adolphus the 4. on the Conquest of some Lands in the Marches of Westphalen continuing in that Familie till united with Cleve As for the Earldom or Dukedom of CLEVE out of which it was taken and to which the rest of those estates did in time accrew it was one of the most ancient Estates or Principalities in these parts of the world continuing in a direct line for the space of 900 years held by them of the Kings of France and afterwards of the Kings of Lorrain till the incorporating of that Kingdom with the German Empire Begun first by Elias Grullius companion to Charls Martel in his wars against the Frisons Saxons and Bavarians whose son Theodorick added hereto by marriage the Countie of Teisterbant containing the Towns and Seigneuries of Aliena in Wesiphalen as also of Bomel Heusden Buren Culemberg in the Belgick Provinces By Baldwin the sixt Earl was added the territory of Twentzen in Latine Regio Tuentana given him by Ludovicus Pius by Theodorick the fift the town and Seigneurie of Duislake setled upon him on his marriage with Mathilda the heir thereof by Theodorick the 9. the County of Hulkenrade near Nuys in the land of Colen together with the towns of Duysburg and Culembourg bought of Rodolphus Habspurgensis by John his son the town and territory of Keisarswerd bought of Charles the 4. By Adolph the 29. Earl the Earldome of March formerly taken out of it was again united by Adolph his successour made the first Duke hereof by the Emperour Sigismund anno 1417. the Lordships of Gennep Duiffels and Reixwald bought of the said Emperour together with the County of Ravenstein the Towns of Leoburg Limers and Hatteren for the ransome of William Duke of Berg and other noble persons taken prisoners by him anno 1397. by John the first Duke of that name the Town and territory of Soest and finally by John the 3. the Dukedomes of Berg and Gulick as heir thereof by his mother Mary sole daughter and heir of William the fift and sixt the last Duke thereof To which great height this ancient and noble family had not long attained and thereby made themselves and their sons and daughters fit matches for the greatest Princes but it pleased God to bring it to its fatall end and by that means to dissipate● his brave estate in the hands of strangers as shall be shewed in the Conclusion of this Catalogue of The EARLES and DUKES of CLEVE A. Ch. 717 1 Elias Grallius companion in the wars of Charles Martell 732 2 Theodorick Earl of Cleve and Lord of Teisterbant 755 3 Rainold son of Theodorick Earl of Cleve and Teisterbant 767 4 Conon of great fame in Armes under Charles the great 778 5 John son of Conon marryed the daughter of Michael Curopalates Emperour of Constantinople 790 6 Robert the eldest son of John 798 7 Baldwin the brother of Earl Robert After whose death anno 830. the Earldone of Teisterbant was taken out of it and made the portion of Robert a younger son from whom descended the two houses of March and Berg. 830 8 Ludowick son of Baldwin 834 9 Eberard brother of Ludovick who gave Teisterbant to his brother Robert 843 10 Luithardus Earl of Cleve 878 11 Baldwin II. 928 12 Arnold 968 13 Wignan son of Arnold 1004 14 Conrade made an Earl of the Empire in the life of his father 1045 15 Theodorick II. 1088 16 Theodorick III. companion of Godfrey of Bovillon in the holy Land 1114 17 Arnold II. brother of Theodorick the 3. 1161 18 Theodorick IV. 19 Arnold III. 1205 20 Arnold IV. 1218 21 Theodorick V. 1229 22 Theodorick VI. 1247 23 Theodorick VII 1255 24 Theodorick VIII 1271 25 Theodorick IX 26 Otho son of Theodorick 1309 27 Theodorick X. brother of Otho II. 2325 28 John brother of Theodorick and Canon of Colen the last of the masculine issue of Elias Grallius 29 Adolphus the VII of March son of Adolph the 6. of March and Mary of Cleve first Archbishop of Colen as six of this house of March had been almost successively before him succeeded on the death of his Uncle John to the Earldome of Cleve inaugurated thereunto by Charles the 4. 1389 30 Adolph II. of Cleve and VIII of March created the first Duke of Cleve by the Emperour Sigismund at the Councell of Constance anno 1417. 1443 31 John III. son of Adolph Duke of Cleve Earl of March and Lord of Ravenstein 1481 32 John II. of the rank of Dukes and the IV of the Earls 1521 33 John III. Duke of Cleve and Earl of March c. by descent from his Father and Duke of Gulick and Berg in right of his wife daughter and heir of William the last Duke thereof 1539 34 William son of John the 3. and Mary his wife daughter and sole heir of William the last Duke of Gulick and Berg father of the Lady Anne of Cleve one of the wives of Henry the 8. of England He contended very strongly against Charles the fift for
the name of Austrasia whence the modern Austria The air is generally very healthie and the earth as fruitfull yeilding a plentifull increase without help of compost or other soiling and of so easie a tillage to the husbandman that on the North side of the Danow it is ploughed and managed by one horse only Exceeding plentifull of grain and abundant in wine with which last it supplyeth the defects of Bavaria great store of Saffron some provision of salt and at the foot of the Mountains not far from Haimbourg some Ginger also Nor wants it Mines of silver in a large proportion Divided by the River Danow into the Lower and the Higher that lying on the North side of the River towards Bohemia and Moravia this on the South side towards Stiermark Places of most importance in the HIGHER AVSTRIA are 1 Gmund seated on a Lake called Gemunder See bordering on Bavaria at the efflux of the river Draun which ariseth out of it 2 Lints seated on the confluence of the said Draun with the famous Danow the Aredate of Ptolemie A town before the late wars almost wholly Protestant but then being put into the hands of the Duke of Bavaria began to warp a little to the other side 3 Walkenstein on the Ens or Anisus near the borders of Stiermark 4 Ens on the fall of that river into the Danow raised out of the ruines of Laureacum sometimes the Metropolis of the Noricum Ripense the Station at that time of the second Legion afterwards an Archbishops See made such in the first planting of Christianity amongst this people by S. Severine anno 464. On the reviver whereof suppressed by the Hunnes Bojarians and others of the barbarous Nations by the diligence and preaching of S. Rupertus the Metropolitan dignitie was fixt at Saltzburg 5 Waidhoven near the head of the river Ips. 6 Ips seated at the influx of that river and from thence denominated the Gesodunum of Ptolemie and other ancients 7 Newfull on a great Lake so named 8 Wels on the main stream of the Danubius 9 Haimburg on the confluence thereof and the river Marckh Near to which at the foot of the Mountains now called Haimburgerberg from the town adjoining but anciently named Mons Cognamus is some store of Ginger a wonderfull great raritie for these colder Countries 10 Newstat first called so from the newnesse of it being built of late 11 Vienna by the Dutch Wien the principall of all these parts by Ptolemie called Juliobona Vindebona by Antonine the station in their times of the tenth Roman Legion of whose being setled here there are many Monuments both within the City and without Seated it is on the bankes of Danubius well built both in regard of private and publike edifices each private house having such store of cellarage for all occasions that as much of the Citie seems to be under the ground as is above it The streets for the most part spacious and all paved with stone which makes them very clean and sweet in the midst of winter fenced with a mighty wall deep and precipitious ditches on all parts of it and many Bulwarkes Towers and Ramparts in all needfull places the wals hereof first raised with some part of the money paid unto Leopold Duke of Austria for the ransome of King Richard the first of England taken prisoner by him as he passed homewards through this Countrey from the Holy Land Esteemed at this day the strongest hold of Christendom against the Turkes and proved experimentally so to be in that most notable and famous repulse here given them an 1526. At what time 200000 of them under the conduct of Solyman the Magnificent besieged this City but by the valour of Frederick the second Electour Palatine of the Rhene and other German Princes gallantly resisted and compelled to retire with the losse of 80000 souldiers Nor doth the strength hereof so diminish the beauties of it but that it is one of the goodliest townes in all the Empire the residence for these last ages of the Emperours made an Vniversity by the Emperour Frederick the second revived and much advanced by Albert Duke of Austria anno 1356. Adorned with an Episcopall See many magnificent Temples and stately Monasteries but above all with a most sumptu●us and Princely Palace wherein the Archdukes and Emperours use to keep their Courts built by Ottacar King of Bohemia during the little time he was Duke of Austria In the middle ages as appeares by Otho Frisingensis it was called Fabiana but being ruined by the Hunnes and again reedified was first called Biana the first syllable omitted by mistake or negligence from whence the Dutch Wien and the Latine Vienna We should now take a view of the townes and Cities in the LOWER AVSTRIA if there were any in it which were worth the looking after The Countrey having never beene in the hands of the Romans hath no town of any great antiquity nor many new ones built or beautified by the Austrian Princes since it came into their possession the onely one of note being Crems or Cremia on the left hand shoar of Danubius going downe the water 2. Rets on the River ●ega bordering on Moravia and 3. Freistat at the foot of the Mountaines on the skirts of Bohemia The old Inhabitants of this tract are supposed to be the Quadi in that part which lyeth next to Bohemia the Marcomanni in those parts which are next Moravia who intermingled with the Bo●i and united with them into the name of Bojarians wonne from the Romans the whole Province of the Second Rhaetia and so much of Noricum as lyeth betwixt the Inn and the Ens leaving the rest to the Avares who possessed that and the two Pannonia's extorted also from the Romans in the fall of that great and mighty Empire But these Bojarians being conquered by Clovis the Great and the Avares driven out of Pannonia by Char le magne both Provinces became members of the French Empire till the subduing of Pannonia by the Hungarians To oppose whom and keep in peace and safety these remoter parts some Guardians or Lords Marchers were appointed by the Kings and Emperours of Germany with the title of Marquesses of Ostreich At first Officiary onely but at last hereditarie made so by the Emperour Henry the first who gave this Province to one Leopold surnamed the Illustrious the sonne of Henry Earle of Bamberg of the house of Schwaben and there withall the title of Marquesse anno 980. This Marquisate was by Frederick Barbarossa raised to a Dukedome 1158. Henry being the first Duke whose brother Leopold took Richard the first of England prisoner in his returne from Palestine for whose ransome hee had so much money that with it he bought Stiermark together with the Counties of N●obourgh and Liutz and walled Vienna His sonne Fredericus Leopoldus was made King of Austria by the Emperour Frederick the second anno 1225. Eleven yeares he co●tinued in this dignity at the end
belonging to the Duke but in the power of the Citizens who without this Fort could not be master of their Liberties The wals about it are of earth high and broad and the Ditches deep the buildings generally fair for the most part of brick the chief whereof is the Common-Councell house the streets broad and long with two spacious Market-places but of no very pleasing smell the whole about a mile and an halfe in length half a mile in breadth containing six Parish Churches But the thing most considerable in it is the Fountaine of Salt the greatest riches of this City and the house in which the Salt is boiled containing 52 rooms and in each room 8 leaden pans in which are boiled dayly 8 tuns of salt every tun being sold for 8 Flemmish shillings bought by the Hamburgers Lubeckers and other Merchants some part of the profits of it belonging to the Duke some to the City the rest to the Adventurers who employ their stocks on it 2 Cella the seat of the Duke of Lunenburg 3 Gethern of no great bignesse or estimation but for a strong Castle of the Dukes 4 Oldendorp situate betwixt the Venaw and the River Esca memorable for the great battell fought neer it anno 1633. betwixt the Imperialists and the Swedes the honour and benefit whereof fell unto the Swedes who killed upon the place 5000 of the Enemie besides such as were found dead in the fields and high wayes all covered over with dead bodies took 1500 of them prisoners and got into their hands 13 pieces of Ordinance good store of Ammunition and three mules laden with silver for the pay of the Army the reputation of this victory drawing in Hammelen and other places of importance which stood out before 5 Verda an Episcopall See but made a Lay-fee as most other Bishopricks amongst the Lutherans the profits thereof being received commonly by a sonne of Danemark with the title of Administrator and lastly by the treaty of Munster appropriated for ever to the Crown of Sweden the Kings whereof to be entituled Dukes of Verden 7 Rotenburg the chief seat of the Bishops of Verda Northwest of Lunenburg on both sides of the Elb lyeth the Countrey and Seigneurie of LAWENBVRG so called from Lawenburg Lawburgum a Town and Castle built on the further side of the Albis by Barnard of Anhalt the first Duke of Saxonie of that family which being razed by Duke Henry the Lyon was again reedified and given by Albert the sonne of Barnard to his second son John from whom the Dukes of Saxonie commonly called Dukes of Saxen-Lawenburg doe derive themselves Who being pretermitted by the Emperour Sigismund at the death of Albert the third the last of the direct line of Barnard have since contented themselves with their antient Patrimonie Other towns observable in this Signeurie next unto Lawenburg it self are 2 Erdenburg a well fortified peece opposite to Lawenburg on the hither side of the Elb. 3 Raceburg the sepulture of this noble family 4 Moeln the cause of much contention betwixt the Lords hereof and the town of Hamburg who pretend a title thereunto But to return again to Brunswick and Lunenbourg the antient Inhabitants of these Dukedomes were the Duglubini of Ta●itus with some parts of the Chauci and Cherusci these last of most fame for the blow they gave to Quintilius Varus Lieutenant in G●rmanie after Drusus for Augustus Caesar who behaving himselfe with great insolency towards the Natives was set upon by these Cherusci and their confederates under the conduct of Arminius a great Prince amongst them himselfe slain and his whole Army consisting of three Legions miserably cut off and despightfully used which losse and the shame thereof so distracted the Emperour not formerly accustomed to the like misfortunes that he was many times observed to tear his beard knock his head against the posts and cry out in the bitternesse of his passion Redde mihi legiones Quintili Varo Having long time after this maintained their liberty for the Romans kept themselves from that time forwards on the French side of the Rhene they were at last subdued by the Saxons continuing part of that great Dukedom till the proscription of Henry surnamed the Lyon spoken of before whose reconciliation being made by meanes of Henry the second of England whose daughter Maud hee had formerly married the Emperor Barbarossa restored to him again the Cities of Brunswick and Lunenburg with their severall Territories of which his two sons Henry and William were first created Earles then Dukes the one of Brunswick and the other of Lunenbourg by the Emperour Frederick the second Which honours and Estates doe still remain unto their Posterities Before I come to the successions of which Princes I shall crave leave to speak of the Originall of the Guelfian Familie Dukes at the same time of Bavaria and Saxonie of which they are at this time the sole remainder A Family derived from one Guelphus whence it had the name the son of Isenberdus Earl of Altorf in Schwaben whose wife called Jermintrudis having accused a poor woman of Adultery and caused her to be grievously punished for having 12 children at a birth was afterwards delivered of the like number all of them sons Her husband being absent at the time of her delivery she commanded the Nurse to kill 11 of them fearing it seems the like shame and punishment as by her instigation was inflicted on the other woman The Nurse going to perform this ungodly command was met by the old Earl then returning homewards who asked her what she had in her Apron she made answer Whelps he desired to see them shee denyed him Angrie at this refusall he opened her Apron and there found eleven of his owne sonnes pretty sweet babes and of most promising countenances Examining the matter he found out the truth and enjoyning the old Trot to be secret in it he put the children out to Nurse six years expired the Earl invited to a Feast most of his own and his Ladies kindred and attiring the young boyes all alike presented them unto their Mother Who suspecting by the number of them what the matter was confessed her offence is pardoned by the good old Earl and carefully educates her children Whom the Father commanded to be called by the name of Guelpes alluding to the Whelpes or Puppies which the Nurse told him she had in her Apron From the eldest of these Guelphs or Guelpes succeeded that Henry Guelph sonne of Robert Earl of Altorf whom Conrade the second made Duke of Bavaria many of whose posterity enjoyed that Dukedome increased at last by the addition of the Dukedome of Saxonie in the person of Duke Henry surnamed the Proud Father of Henry called the Lyon and Grandfather of Henry and William the first Dukes of Brunswick and Lunenburg whose succession followeth in this Order The DVKES of BRUNSWICK and LVNENBVRG 1 Henry surnamed the Lyon the last Duke of Saxony and the first of this
Paphlag●nia by reason of his dangerous and ambitious practises after his death pretending to reform the State came unto Constantinople first made Protector afterwards consort in the Empire with young Alexius Whom having barbarously slain and got the Empire to himselfe he was not long after cruelly torne in pieces in a popular tumult 1185 62 Isaacius Angelus a noble man of Constantinople and of the same Comnenian race designed to death by Andronicus was in a popular election proclaimed his successour deposed by Alexius his own brother and his eyes put out 1195 63 Alexius Angelus deprived his brother and excluded his Nephew from the Empire but it held not long 64 Alexius Angelus II. son of Isaac Angelus who being unjustly thrust out of his Empire by his uncle Alexius had recourse to Philip the Western Emperour whose daughter Mary he had marryed who so prevailed with Pope Innocent the 3. that the armie prepared for the Holy Land was employed to restore him On the approach whereof Alexius the Usurper fled Alexius the young Emperour is seated in his fathers throne and not long after slain by Alexius Dueas In revenge whereof the Latines assault and win Constantinople make themselves Masters of the Empire and divide it amongst them alotting to the Venetians Candie many good towns of P●loponnesus and most of the Islands to Boniface Marquesse of Montferrat the Kingdom of Thessalie to others of the Adventurers other liberall shares and finally to Baldwin Earl of Flanders the main body of the Empire with the title of Emperour EMPEROURS of the LATINES in CONSTANTINOPLE 1200 65 Baldwin Earl of Flanders first Emperour of the Latines reigning in Constantinople taken in fight by John King of Bulgaria coming to aid the Greeks and sent prisoner to Ternova where he was cruelly put to death 1202 66 Henry the brother of Baldwin repulsed the Bulgarians out of Greece and dyed a Conquerour 1215 67 Peter Count of Auxerre in France son in law of Henry cunningly entrapped by Theodorus Angelus a great Prince in Epirus whom he had besieged in Dyrrachium But of an Enemy being perswaded to become his ghest was there murdered by him 1220 68 Robert the son of Peter having seen the miserable usage of his beautifull Emperesse whom a young Burgundian formerly contracted to her had most despitefully mangled cutting off both her nose and ears dyed of hearts grief as he was coming back from Rome whither his melancholy had carried him to consult the Pope in his affairs 1227 69 Baldwin II. son of Robert by a former wife under the protection of John de Brenne the titularie King of Hierusalem succeeded in his fathers throne which having held for the space of 33 years he was forced to leave it the Citie of Constantinople being regained by the Greeks and the poor Prince compelled to sue in vain for succours to the French Venetians and other Princes of the West The EMPIRE restored unto the GREEKS 1260 70 Michael VIII surnamed Palaeologus extracted from the Comnenian Emperours Emperour of the Greeks in the Citie of Nice most fortunately recovered Constantinople the town being taken by a partie of 50 men secretly put into it by some Country labourers under the ruines of a mine Present in person at the Councell of Lyons at the perswasion of the Pope he admitted the Latine Ceremonies into the Churches of Greece for which greatly hated by his subjects and denyed the honour of Christian buriall 1283 71 Andronicus II. vexed with unnaturall wars by his Nephew Andronicus who rebelled against him 1328 72 Andronicus III. first partner with his grandfather afterwards sole Emperour 1541 73 John Palaeologus son of Andronicus the 3. in whose minoritie Contacuzenus his Protectour usurped the Empire and held it sometimes from him and sometimes with him till the year 1357. and then retired unto a Monasterie leaving the Empire unto John during whose reign the Turks first planted themselves in Europe 1484 74 Andronicus IV. the son of Johanmes Palaeologus 1387 75 Emanuel Palaeologus the son of the said John and brother of Andronicus the 4. in whose time Bajazet the sixt King of the Turks did besiege Constantinople but found such notable resistance that he could not force it 1417 76 John II. son of Andronicus the 4. 1420 77 John III. son of Emanuel Palaeologus in person at the Councell of Florence for reconciling of the Churches in hope thereby to get some aid from the Western Christians but it would not be 1444 78 Constantinus Palaeologus the brother of John the 3. In whose time the famous Citie of Constanitinople was taken by Mahomet the Great 1452. the miserable Emperour who had in vain gone from door to door to beg or borrow money to pay his souldiers which the Turks found in great abundance when they took the Citie being lamentably trod to death in the throng Now concerning this Empire of the Greeks we may observe some fatal contrarieties in one and the same name as first that Philip the father of Alexander laid the first foundation of the Macedonian Monarchie and Philip the father of Perseus ruined it Secondly that Baldwin was the first and Baldwin the last Emperour of the Latines in Consiantinople Thirdly that this town was built by a Constantine the son of Helena a Gregory being Patriarch and was lost by a Constantine the son of a Helena a Gregory being Patriarch also And fourthly the Turks have a Prophecie that as it was won by a Mahomet so it shall be lost by a Mahomet So Augusius was the first established Emperour of Rome and Augustulus the last Darius the son of Hystaspes the restorer and Darius the son of Arsamis the overthrower of the Persian Monarchie A like note I shall anon tell you of Hierusalem In the mean time I will present you with a fatall observation of the letter H as I find it thus versed in Albions England Not superstitiously I speak but H this letter still Hath been observed ominous to Englands good or ill First Hercules Hesione and Helen were the cause Of war to Troy Aeneas seed becoming so outlawes Humbor the Hunn with forein arms did first the Brutes invade Helen to Romes imperiall Throne the British Crown conveyd Hengist and Horsus first did plant the Saxons in this Isle Hungar and Hubba first brought Danes that swayed here long while At Harold had the Saxon end at Hardie-Cnute the Dane Henries the first and second did restore the English raign Fourth Henry first for Lancaster did Englands Crown obtain Seventh Henry jarring Lancaster and Yorke unites in peace Henry the eight did happily Romes irreligion cease A strange and ominous letter every mutation in our State being as it were ushered by it What were the Revenues of this Empire since the division of it into the East and West I could never yet learn That they were exceeding great may appear by three circumstances 1 Zonaras reporteth that the Emperour Basilius had in his treasury 200000 talents of gold besides infinite
Rod of Aaron which onely budded of all the Rods of the Princes of Israel and was commanded to be kept before the Ark of the Testimony for a token against Corah Dathan and Abiram Num. 17. 10. 3. The Ark of the Covenant the making whereof we have Exod. 25. 10. and the placing of it in the Oracle or Sanctum Sanctorum 1 King 6. 19. 4. The Two Tables of the Law writ by Gods own finger and by Moses laid up in the Ark of the Covenant Exod. 40. 30. and Deut. 10. 5. And 5. The fire of Sacrifice which came down from Heaven mentioned Levit. 9. 24. 2 Chron. 17. 1. which by the Priest was to be kept continually burning never to go out This second Temple partly because it was grown ruinous partly because it seemed not magnificent enough but principally to curry favour with the Jews Herod the Asealonate pulled down and set up another in the place making it not much inferiour if at all unto that of Solomon but far superiour to the other immensoe opulentioe Templum as Tacitus most truly called it And this was it to which our Saviour did sometimes vouchsafe his presence But here we are to understand that by the Temple is not meant the Fabrick onely or the house it self but also all those several Courts with which encompassed being four in number That is to say Atrium Sacerdotum or the Priests Court which was next unto the Temple wherein stood the brazen Altar for the dayly sacrifice and the Laver for the washing of the Priests and the Sacrifice also into which Court might none enter but the Priest alone 2. Then there was Atrium populi or the Peoples Court separated from the other by a wall of three Cubits height to which the people did repair to perform their Sacrifices to say their prayers and to make payment of their vowes In the middle of this Court did Solomon maken a brazen Scaffold for the Kings his Successors 2 Chron. 6. 13. and afterwards in imitation of his Porol built before the Temple were many Porches built about it for the people to repaire into in rainy weather which gave to this whole Court the name of Solomons porch whereof see John 10. 23. A ●● 3. 11. Without that stood 3. Atrium Foeminarum or the Womens Court divided from the other as is collected out of 2 Chron. 20. 5. in the time of Iehosophat King of Iudah in which stood their Treasury or poor-mans Box mentioned in the one and twentieth Chapter of Saint Lukes Gospell from whence this whole Court had sometimes the name of Treasury as appeareth John 8. 20. where it is said that these words spake JESUS in the Treasury that is to say in the Womens Court where the Treafury or Alm-Box stood Betwixt these last was an Ascent of fifteen steps on which the Levites used to sing those 15. Psalmes which do immediately follow the hundred nineteenth Psalm upon each step one from whence they had the name of Psalmi Graduales or Cantica graduum i.e. the Psalms or Songs of degrees And so farre all was counted holy Ground upon which none might tread but either natural Jews or circumcised Proselytes whom they called Proselytifoederis as before was said or such of the other Sex not natural Jewesses who having received all outward initiations had bound themselves unto the observation of the law of Moses 4. So was it not with the fourth and last Court called Atrium Gentium or the Court of the Gentiles designed for the use of those Gentiles whom they called Proselyti portoe bound onely unto the keeping of the Precepts given the Sonnes of Noah For in that as unsanctified ground though counted part of the Temple also did they permit a market of sheep and oxen the sale of Doves and Pigeons and the Tables of money-changets for the oblations of the people stabling the poor Gentiles amongst their Cattel and ranking them with the worst of men And out of this Temple or Court of the Temple did CHRIST our Saviour cast the buyers and eller● and overthrew the Tables of the money-changers asserting it to its primitive and original use which was to be an house of prayer for all the Nations This last Court separated from the other by a wall of three Cubits height adorned with certain Pillars of equal distance bearing this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Let no Alien or one that is no lew enter into the holy place And to this wall it is that the Apostle alludeth saying He hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us i.e. betwen the Iews and Gentiles making one of twain Ephes 2. 14 15. inferring hereupon that the Gentiles are no more strangers and forreiners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God v. 19. But to go forwards with the Temple having continued in the glories to which Herod brought it not above 85 years it was finally destroyed by Titus the sonne of Vespasian in the 69. year after Christs nativity At what time the Temple of Delphos was utterly overthrown by Earth-quakes and thunder-bolts from Heaven neither of them ever-since repaired though much endeavoured The concurrence of which two miracles evidently sheweth that the time was then come in which God would put an end both to the Iewish Ceremonies and Heathen Idolatries that so the Kingdome of his sonne might be all in all For this destruction of the Temple of Hierusalem I may call a miracle in regard it was done against the command of Titus who was not onely careful to preserve it before his Souldiers had put fire to it but did all that possibly might be to quench it His reason was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Iosephus hath it because the loss thereof would redound so highly to the prejudice of the Roman Empire in being deprived of such a glorious and magnificent structure But do he what he could with his utmost industry there was no quenching of it till it was consumed And it addes somewhat to the marvel that this should happen on the tenth day of August on which day the first Temple had been burnt by Nabu●hadnozzar And certainly it is worth the noting I hope I shall not be accounted superstitious for this observation to see how happy or unfortunate one and the same day hath been found unto divers persons In the wars betwixt the French and the Spaniards for the Realm of Naples Friday was observed to be very lucky to that great Captain Consalvo he having on that day given the French many notable overthrows Wednesday is said to have been fortunate to Pope Sixtus the fift for on that day was he born on the same made a Monk on that day created Generall of his Order on the same made Cardinal then chosen to be Pope and finally on the same inaugurated To Henry the seventh of England Saturday was observed to be very fortunate in all his actions as was the 24. of February unto Charles the
Thebans against the Phocians brought all that Country in a manner under his command The Romans by aiding the Sicilians against the Carthaginians possessed themselves of that flourishing Island by assisting the Hedui against the Sequani mastered France by succouring Androgeus against Cassibelan seised on Britain by siding with the Aetolians against Perseus united to their Empire all the Kingdom of Macedon and by the same course what not In after-ages the Britains called in the Saxons and were by them th●st out of all the Irish called in the English by whom they were in process of time totally subdued and the Indians called in the Mogul-Tartars who now Lord it over them These forrein supplies are invited or let into a Country commonly in four cases First when some one man upon discontent or desire of revenge openeth them a way to a Country upon which motives Narses invited the Lombards into Italy and Count Julian brought the Moors into Spain the one to be revenged on the Empresse Sophia who had despitefully reviled him the other to revenge himself on King Rodorick who had ravished his daughter Secondly when a weaker Faction makes way for them to maintain their cause against a stronger On which ground the Duke of Burgundy being oppressed by the faction of Orleans made way for Henry the fifth to passe into France and the Leaguers drew the Spaniards in to hold up their declining cause against Henry the 4th Thirdly when an ambitious Prince makes use of a forrein power to usurp upon the rights of another man And for that cause Ludowick Sforze perswaded Charles the 8. to undertake the Conquest of the Realm of Naples that by the countenance of his Arms he might appropriate to himself the Dukedom of Millain Fourthly when a King overburthened by a forrein or domestick force which he is not able to resist requires the help of a forrein friend in which case Plus à medico quam a morbo mali the Physick proves many times worse then the Disease for thus the Kings of Naples of the house of Aragon being in danger of the French drew in the Aids of Ferdinand the Catholique the Cousin-German once removed of the King then being And the Caliphs of Egypt not able to withstand the forces of Almericus craved aid of the Turks by which meane both those kingdoms were made a prey to their forrein friends and by avoiding Scylla fled into Charybdis Nay many times it so happeneth that these forrein succours joyn in design with those against whom they were called and divide the conquered State between them And so we find that the Burgundians being called by Stilico into Gaul to prevent the breaking in of the Franks or French joyned with them in a common league against the Romans whom they dispossessed at last of all that Country Onely amongst so many examples to this purpose we find the Low-Country-men to have prospered by these forrein aids who by the assistance of the English ransomed themselves from that yoke of bondage which was intended to be put upon them by the King of Spain This I acknowledge to be true and look upon it as a great Argument of the integrity and honesty of the English Nation although it be as true withall that the English never had such an Army there as to be able to subdue them But give me such another instance I will quit the cause for the same Low-Country-men found it otherwise with the Duke of Anjou Brother to Henry the 3. of France whom they created Duke of Brabant and their Governour-Generall permitting him to bring in as many of the French as either his authority or their own monies were able to raise who was no sooner setled in that command but he made it his chief business to seize upon their strongest Holds and to be a more absolute Prince amongst them then ever the Spaniards or Burgundians had been before So that I think I may conclude that these forrein Succours are the last to be tryed and the least to be trusted of any remedies in State But it 's now more then time to return to the Mamalucks and in them to The third Dynastie of the Egyptian Kings or the Race of the Mamalucks A. Ch. 1255. 1 Turquimeneius who being promoted to the kingdom released King Lewis whom Melechsala his predecessor had taken prisoner but performed not half of the conditions agreed upon 2 Clothes by some called Elmutahaz taking advantage of the miseries of the Turks then distressed by the Tartars seised on the greatest part of Syria and Palestine 1260. 3 Bandocader perfected the begunconquests of Clothes and took from the Christians the strong City of Antioch carrying on his Armies as far as Armenia where he did much spoil 4 Melechsait or Melechsares restored the power of the Mamalucks in Syria and Palestine where it had been much impaired by Edward the son of Henry the 3. of England and Henry Duke of Mecklenburgh c. 1289. 5 Elpis or Alphix recovered from the dissenting Christians the strong Cities of Tripolis Berytus Tyre and Sidon all which he razed to the ground that they might not be any more serviceable to the affairs of the Christians 1291. 6 Araphus or Eustrephus by birth a German released Henry Duke of Mecklebourg after he had been prisoner 26 years He rooted the Christians out of Syria took Ptolomais the last Town they there held and so razed it that he made it fit to be ploughed 7 Melechnesar when he was Lieutenant to Arapbus was discomfited by Cassanes a great Prince of the Tartars with the loss of 40000 Egyptians but Cassanes being departed he recovered again all Syria and destroyed Hierusalem for which service he was afterward made Sultan of Egypt 8 Melechadel whom I suppose to be that Sultan that governed Egypt when Tamberlane with unresistable violence conquered it but of this I am not certain neither can I meet with any constant and continued series which I dare relie on of his successors in this kingdom till I come to 9 Melechella or Melechnaser who in the year 1423. subdued the Isle of Cyprus and made the Kings thereof to be from thenceforth Tributaries to the Mamaluck Sultans 1465. 10 Cathbeyus who much reformed the State of Egypt and was a professed enemy of Bajazet 2. the 8 th King of the Ottomans 1498. 11 Mahomet the son of Cathbeyus deposed by the Mamalucks for fear the kingdom might by him be made hereditary it being against their usual custome that the son should succeed his father in the name and privileges of a Mamaluck 1499. 12 Campson Chiarsesius succeeded on the deposing of Mahomet 13 Zanballat who dethroned Campson and not long after was deposed by 1500. 14 Tonombeius outed of his Estate by the joynt-consent of the Mamalucks so to make way for Campson Gaurus 1501. 15 Campson II. sirnamed Gaurus reformed the disordered and factious estate both of Court and Country and for the space of 16 years governed very prosperously But siding
and safety of the Iland lying in defence of the Shores and Havens 2 St. Hermes a strong Castle at the point of a long Languet or tongue of Rock thrusting out betwixt the two best Havens both which it notably defendeth Took by the Turks Anno 1565 but at no cheaper rate then 20000 shot of Cannon and the loss of 10000 of their men 3 Valette situate on the same Languet not far from the Castle of S. Hermes or rather lying close unto it extended the whole breadth of the said Languet from the one Sea to the other and so commanding both the Havens Built since the departure of the Turks impregnably Fortified and called thus by the name of Valets the great Master who so gallantly repulsed their fury In this Town the great Master hath his Palace and the Knights their several Alberges or Seminaries all very fair and handsome buildings 4 Burgo a lirtle Town or City on another Languet lying in the Eastern Haven at the extremity of which Promontory in a Demy Iland stands the strong Castle of 5 S. Angelo built on a Rock opposite to Valette on the other side of the Haven and found impregnable by the Turks who in vain besieged it 6 Isola a small Citie and better deserving the name of a Town situate in another Promontory on the South of the other defended on the Westside by a strong Platform at the point of the Foreland and on the Eastside by the impregnable Castle of S. Michael in vain assaulted by the Turks who on their ill success at the Siege hereof gave over the enterprize and sailed home The People of this Iland originally were a Tyrian or Phoenician Colony but intermixt in tract of time with some Greek Plantations coming hither out of Sicil as before was said For the most part dependant on the Fortunes of Carthage afterwards of Rome till subdued by the Saracens By the Spaniards taken from the Moors and by Charles the fift given to the Knights of the Rhodes not long before expelled thence by Solyman the Magnificent Anno 1522. These Knights are in number 1000 of whom 500 are always to be resident in the Iland The other 500 are dispersed through Christendom at their several Seminaries in France Spain Italy and Germany and at any summons are to make their personal appearance These Seminaries Alberges they call them are in number seven viz. one of France in general one of Auvergn one of Provence one of Castile one of Aragon one of Italy and one of Germany over every one of which they have a Grand Prior who in the Countrey where he liveth is of great reputation An eight Seminary they had in England till the suppression of it by Henry the 8. yet they have some one or other to whom they give the title of Grand Prior of England Concerning the original and riches of these Knights we have spoken when we were in Palestine now a word or two only of their places and the election of their great Master None are admitted into the Order but such as can bring a testimony of their Gentry for six descents and when the Ceremonies of their Admission which are many are performed they swear to defend the Church of Rome to obey their Superiours to live upon the Revenues of their Order only and withall to live chastly Of these there be 16 of great authority Counsellours of State we may fitly call them called the Great Crosses out of whom the officers of their Order as the Marshal the Admiral the Chancellour c. are chosen and who together with the Master punish such as are convict of any crime first by degrading him 2 by strangling him and 3 by throwing him into the Sea Now when the Great Master is dead they suffer no Vessell to go out of this Iland till another be elected lest the Pope should intrude on their election which is performed in this manner The several Seminaries nominate two Knights and two also are nominated for the English these 16 from amongst themselves choose eight these eight choose a Knight a Priest and a Frier-servant and they three out of the 16 Great Crosses elect the great Master The great Master being thus chosen is stiled though but a Frier The most illustrious and most reverend Prince the Lord Frier N. N. Great Master of the Hospital of S. John of Jerusalem Prince of Malta Gaules and Goza Far different I assure you from that of the first Masters of this Order who called themselves only Servants to the poor Servitors of the Hospital of Jerusalem or that of the Master of the Templers who was only intituled The humble Minister of the poor Knights of the Temple This Iland is conceived to yield to the great Master the yeerly rent of 10000 Ducats the greatest part whereof ariseth out of Cotton-wool besides which he hath towards the maintaining of his Estate the tenth part of the prizes which are won from the Turks and certain thousands of Crowns yearly out of the treasure of the Order which is great and rich and one of the best Commanderies in every Nation And for the scowring of the Seas and securing their Harbours they have many good Gallies each of them able to contain 500 Souldiers and to carry 16 piece of Ordinance with which they make excursions many times to the coasts of Greece And so much for BARBARY MOVNT ATLAS IN our way from Barbarie to Libya Interior we must pass over Mount Atlas a ridge of hills of exceeding great heighth and of no small length So high that the top or Summit of it is above the clouds at least so high that the eye of man is not able to discern the top of it Extat in hoc Marimons cui nomen Atlas saith Herodotus Ita sublimis ut ad illius verticem oculi mortalium pervenire non possint Yet notwithstanding it is always covered with snow in the heats of Summer Difficult of ascent by reason of the sharp and craggy precipices which occur in many places of it the rest where plainer and more even of such wondrous steepness that the precipices of the Rocks seem the safer way Full of thick woods and yielding to the Countries on the North side of it the greatest part of the Rivers which refresh and moysten them and where it bordereth on the proper or Roman Africa of such self-fertility that it affordeth excellent fruits of its natural growth not planted graffed or inoculated by the hand of man The beginning of it is on the shores of the Western Seas which from hence have the name of the Atlantick Ocean in the 26 Degree and 30 Minutes of Northern Latitude and passing on directly Eastward draw neer unto the borders of Egypt part of Marmarica or the Roman Libya only interposing It is now called Anchisa and Montes Clari And took the name of Atlas from Atlas a King of Mauritania who dwelt at the bottom of this Mountain fained by the Poets to
to finde out a passage to Cathay and China and not to go so far about as either by the Cape of Good Hope or the Streits of Magellan Attempted first by Sebastian Cabot An. 1497. at the charge of Henry the 7th of England But having discovered as far as to the 67 Degree of Northern Latitude by the mutinie of his Ma●iners he was forced to return where finding great preparations for a War with Scotland that business for the present was laid aside Resumed by Gaspar Corteriaglis a Portugal An. 1500 and after by Stephen Gomez a Spaniard in the year 1525. bu● neither of them went to far to the North as Cabot Pursued with greater industry but as bad Success by Sir Martin Frobisher who made three Voyages for these parts the first of them in the year 1576. and brought home some of the Natives a Sea Unicorn horn still kept in the great Wardrobe of Windsor Castle and a great deal of the Ore of that Country found upon tryal when in England not to quit the cost A great Promontory which he passed by he called Queen Elizabeths Foreland in whose name he took possession of it and the Sea running not far off he called Frobishers Streits The Seas full set with Icy Ilands some of them half a mile about and 80 Pathoms above water the People like the Samoeds the worst kinde of Tartars in their lives and habit John Davies followed the Design An. 1585. at the incouragement of Sir Francis Walsingham then Principal Secretary of Estate and having in three Voyages discovered to the Latitude of 73 by reason of the many difficulties which he found in the Enterprise and the death of Mr. Secretary he was fain to give over leaving unto a narrow Sea on the North of Estotiland the name of Fretum Davis in the Latitude of 65 and 20 Minutes by which name still called After him followed Weymouth Hall Hudson Balton Baffin Smith all English The result of whose endeavours was the finding of some cold 〈◊〉 and points of Land which they named King James his Cape Queen Anns Cape Prince Henries Foreland Saddle Iland Barren Iland Red goose Iland Digges his Iland all of them betwixt 80 and 81. and the imposing on some passages and parts of the Sea the names of Hackluyts Hendland Smiths Bay Hudsons Streits Maudlins Sound Fair Haven and the like marks and ●monuments of their undertakings Nothing a●chieved of publick moment but the Discovery of an I●and called Cherry Iland in the Latitude of 74 and the Shores of a large piece of the Continent which they caused to be called King James his New Land but most commonly Greenland where they found many white Bears with white grey and Dun Foxes Partriges Geese and some other Provisions Sea-Unicorns Horns great store of Morses or Sea horses the Oyl and Teeth whereof yield no small Commoditie But most considerable for the Trade of Whale-fishing which our men use yeerly upon those Coasts of whose Oil Bones and Brain this last supposed to be the true Sperma Coeti now used as Medicinal they raise very great profit 3. THE NORTH EAST PARTS of Terra Incognita Borealis are those which lie on the North of Russia and Tartaria by which the like passage towards Cathay and China hath been oft attempted and hitherto with like success Endeavoured first by Sebastian Cabor the son of John Cabot so often mentioned before by whom trained up in the Discovery of the North east parts of America His employment failing here in England he betook himself unto the service of the King of Spain and coming out of Spain An. 1549. was by King Edward the sixt made Grand Pilot of England with an Annual Pension of 1661. 13 s. 4d In the year 1553. he was the chief Dealer and Procurer of the Discovery of Russia and the North-east Voyages undertaken and performed by Sir Hugh Willoughby Chancellour Burrough Jenkinson and after prosecuted by Pet and Jackman Some of which perished in the Action and were frozen to death their ship being found the next year hemmed about with ice and a particular Accompt of all things which had hapned to them Others with better fortunes found the way to Russia since that time made a common Voyage without dread or danger and passing down the Volga to the Caspian Sea and by that to Persia were kindly entertained in the Court of the Sophie The Hollanders in the year 1594 and in some years after tried their Fortune also under the conduct and direction of one William Barendson their chief Pilot but went no further then the English had gone before them yet gave new names unto all places as they passed as if they had been the first Discoverers with pride and arrogance enough Nothing since done of any note or consideration for the opening of this North-east passage or giving us any better Accompt of the North of Tartarie or any Countries beyond that but what we had many Ages since out of Paulus Venetus so that we are but where we were in a Terra Incognita And though I would not willingly discourage any noble Actions or brave and gallant undertakings Yet when I look upon the natures of those Shores and Seas those tedious VVinters of ten moneths with no Summer following the winds continually in the North and the Main Ocean paved with Ice so long together I cannot choose but rank the hopes of these Northern Passages amongst those Adventures which are only commendable for the difficulties presented in them TERRA AVSTRALIS INCOGNITA WIth better hopes we may go forwards on the next Discovery and try what may be done on TERRA AVSTRALIS or the Southern Continent though hitherto INCOGNITA also almost as much unknown as the Arctick Ilands which none but my good Frier of Oxon had the hap to meet with A Continent conceived by our learned Brerewood to be as large as Europe Asia and Africk and that upon such strength of Reasons as cannot be easily over-born by any opposite His Arguments in brief are these 1. That as touching Latitude some parts thereof come very neer to the Aequator if they come not also on this side of it and as for Longuitude it keepeth along though at several distances the whole continual course of the other Continents 2. It is clearly known that in the other two Continents the Land which lieth on the North side of that Line is four times at the least as large as that which lies South thereof and therefore since the earth is equally poized on both sides of her Center it must needs be that the Earth in answerable measure and proportion must advance it self in some places above the Sea on the South side of the Line as it doth in others on the North. By consequence what is wanting in the South parts of the other two Continents to countervail the North parts of them must of necessity be supplied in the Southern Continent The Country being so large so free from the
deficient in Water as not good for Pasturage So that we may affirm thereof as of the Figs in the Prophet J●r●mie where it is good no Countrie better where bad and barren few so inconvenient and not any worse ●ut this defect of outward beautie and Commodities is recompensed by those within affording great plenty of Mines hoth of Steel and Iron and some Mines of Silver of which last so abundant in preceding times that it was never free from the Rovers of all Nations and it is said of An●i●al that out of one Mine onely in the Conntrie of the Turdetan● now part of Andaluzia he received 3000 pound weight daily for long time together The principall Commodities which they vend in other Countries are Wines Oyl Sugars Metals Rice Silk Liquoras a fine sort of W●oll Cork Rosin Limmons Raisins Orenges and fruits of the like nature In Corn which is the staff of life they are so de●ective that they receive the greatest part of what they spend from Italy Sicily and France Their Cattle neither fair nor many the Countrie not being able to breed them so that their Diet is on Salads and fruits of the Earth every Gentleman being limited what Flesh he shall buy for himself and his Familie which if he send for to the Butcher or the Poulterer by the smallest child able to doe the Errand for him he is sure not to be defrauded in price or quality And yet they talk as highly of their gallant fare as if they surfeited with the plenty of all provisions handsomly checked in that ●ond humour by that worthy Soldier Sir Roger Williams Of whom it is said that hearing once a Spani●rd thus foolishly bragging of his Country salads he gave him this answer You have indeed good sawce in Spain but we have dain●y Beefs Veals and Muttons to eat with that sawce and as God made beasts to live upon the grass of the earth so he made men to live upon them And it is observ'd that if a Spaniard have a Capon or the like good dish to his supper you shall find all the ●eathers scattered before his door by the next morning And as it is in private houses so for travelling also the Innes and Vents of this Countrey are very ill provided insomuch that most men that would not go supperless to sleep carry their provision at their saddle bowes and men of worth their bedding also So poor and mean is the entertainment in these places Here lived in antient times the Gyants Geryon and Cacus which were quell'd by Hercules and in the flourishing of the Roman Empire Sen●c● the Tragoedian and the Philosopher of the same name a man of that happy memory that he could repeat 2000 names in the same order that they were rehear●ed as also Quint●lian the Oratour Lucan and Martial excellent in their kindes and Pomponius M●l the Geographer In the middle times Fulgentius and Isidore Bishop of Sevi●l and in our Fathers dayes A●ias Montanus famous for his Edition of the holy Bible Mas●● a learned Commentator Osorius well seen in the Latine elegancies and be●ore all as well in industrie as time osta us Bishop of Avila a man so copious and industrious in his writings that it is thought he writ more sheets than he lived dayes But o● late times we find but few of their Works which have passed the Mountains the Latine which they write being very coarse and favouring too much of the School-man wherein their excellency consists and therefore they set out their Works most commonly in their own tongue onely The Chie● for Soldie●y amongst them were formerly 〈◊〉 who held out so long against the Romans Trajan and Th●odo●ius both R●man Emperours 〈◊〉 the second King of the Gothes the victorious Conquerour of the 〈◊〉 Bernardo del Carpi● and Cid Ruis Di●z famous for their atchievements against the Moors and in late times Gonsalvo the Great Captain who subdued Naples Ferdinand Duke of Alva who conquered Portugall c. The Christian Faith if we may beleeve the old Spanish Tradition was first here planted by S. James the Apostle within four yeers after the death of our Redeemer To which tradition though they held very constant a long time together yet of late dayes Baronius and other learned men of the Church of Rome doe most deservedly reject it That St. Paul had a purpose of coming hither is evident in his 15th Chapter to the Romans and that he did come hither accordingly is positively affirmed by S. Chrysostom Theodoret and divers others of the Fathers which was in Anno 61 as B●ronius thinketh Nor did St. Peter want his part in this great service but joyned with St. Paul though not in the journey yet in the sending of Bishops and other Presbyters to second the beginnings made by that Apostle For it is said expresly in the Martyrologies that C●●siphon Torquatus Secundus Cecilius Judaletius Hesychius and Euphrasius being at Rome ordained Bishops by the two A●ostles ad praedicandum verbum Dei in Hispanias directi were dispatched into Spain to preach the Gospell Bishops most likely of those Cities where they suffered death the names of which occurre in the Martyrologie Vnder the Empire of the Gothes the faith of CHR●ST which at their coming hither they found right and Orthodox was defiled with Arianism not ejurated till the year 588. when that whole Nation did submit to more Catholique tendries Since that they have been punctuall followers of the Church of Rome and that too in the very errours and corruptions of it taking up their Religion on the Popes autority and therein so tenacious or pertinacious that the King doth suffer none to live in his Dominions which profess not the Roman-Catholique Religion of which they have been since the times of Luther such avowed Patrons that one of the late Popes being sick and hearing divers men to moan his approching end uttered some words to this effect My life said he can nothing benefit the Church but pr●y for the pr●sperity of the King of Spain as its chief Supporter And though he spoke these words of King P●ilip the 2d yet they hold good in his Successors ever since being esteemed the greatest Patrons and Protectors of the Catholick Cause Which is indeed the proper interess of this King For seeing that they have framed to themselves an hope of the Western Monarchy and finding no fitter means of inlarging their own Temporall than by concurring with the Pope in upholding his Spirituall Empire they have linked themselves most fast to that See To which end they have taken upon them to be the Executioners of the Popes Excommunications by which Office Ferdinand the Catholique surprized Navarre not without hope of working the like effect in some course of time on the rest of the interdicted Estates of Europe as may be seen by the eager following of the French War against Henry the 4th till he had reconciled himself to the Church of Rome and the like War managed
for many years together against Queen Elizabeth of England And the pursute of this Spanish Monarchy is so hotly followed by the Jesuits who in all their perswasions speak not more of one God or of one Pope than they doe of one King that they hold it forth for the only means to unite the differences of the Church and subdue that great Enemy of Religion the Turk Nor is this onely a Conjecture or a project of the ●esuits onely but a design avowed and declared in Print that all the World may take notice of it and that too in a Book not only licenced by the Provincial of the Dominicans and the supreme Councell of the Inquisition but by Order from the Lords of the Counsell with the Kings Privilege and Commendation prefixt before it The Book entituled La convenientia de los dos Monarquias Catolicas c. The Agreement of the two Catholick Monarchies of Rome and Spaine set out in the year 1612. by one Iohn de P●ente In the Frontispice whereof are set two Scutcheons the one bearing the Crosse-Keys of Rome the other the Arms of Castile and Leon in Vinculo pacis for the motto On the one side of this there is a Pourtraiture representing Rome with the Sun shining over it and darting his Beams upon the Keys with this Inscription Luminare majus ut praesit Orbi et Urbi the Greater light to govern the Citie and the World On the other side another Image designing Spaine with the Moon shining over that and darting her Raies on the Spanish Scutcheon with this Impress ●●minare minus ut subdatur Urbi et dominetur Orbi i. e. The lesser light made to be subject to the Citie understand of Rome but to govern all the World besides Over all in the top of the 〈◊〉 or Title-page in Capitall Let●ers Fecit Deus duo Luminaria magna God made two great Lights The whole Book being an indifferent large Folio is but a Comment on this Text which for substance is conteined wholly in the Frontispice but more at large discoursed of in the Volume it self and plainly shewes what is intended and by whom And yet perhaps the Pope and the 〈◊〉 both may fail in that which is the main of their expectation and if the project take effect the Spaniara will then write himself Luminare majus and make the Pope content with Luminare minus for his part of the spoyl and glad to borrow all his light from the Sun of Spain For though the Kingdom of Spain and Popedom of Rome be thus straitly combined yet herein the Popes have overshot themselves in that leaning so much to the Spaniard and so immoderatly increasing his dominion they doe in a manner stand at his devotion and may peradventure in the end be forced to cast themselves into his arms as their good Lord and Master For certain it is that the Spanish Agents have openly braved the Cardinals and told them That they hoped to see the day wherein the King should offer to the Pope half a dozen to be made Cardinals and he not dare to refuse any and that they themselves should choose no Pope but one of their Masters naming So great an inconvenience it is more than possible it may be to the Po●es in making this Prince the one and onely string to their bow and fastning the dependencies of his Roman Catholiques upon him alone excluding France and all other Kings in Christendom of the Romish party from the honour of it And yet so firm they are to their Spanish principles that no favours either granted to their persons or Religion are of value with them or thought worthy of their acceptation if it come from any other Fountain of Grace than the Court of Spain Insomuch as I have heard from a great Minister of State that when some favours were obtained for the English Papists on the treaty of the Match with Spain they were ready with great greediness to embrace the same But when the same favours were obtained for them on the Treaty with France not a man of them would accept them For which some of their Chiefs being asked the reason returned this Answer That by applying themselves to the French they might lose the Spaniard and it were great improvidence in them to change an old and constant Friend who had never failed them for one of whose affections they had no assurance and such a one as by tolerating Hereticks in his own Dominions shewed that he was no fit Patron for the Catholicks to relie upon The chief Rivers are 1 Tagus celebrated for his golden Sands of which the Scepter of the old Kings of Portugal is affirmed by some Writers to be made but I have not faith enough to believe the same The head of it is in the Mountain Seira Molina neer to Cuenca from the which it runneth by the Citie Toledo and then smoothly gliding by the Wals of Lisbon doth pay his tribute to the Western Ocean 2 Ana now Guadiana which arising about the same place runneth afterward under the ground the space of 15 miles and hence the Spaniards use to brag that they have a bridge whereon 10000 cattle daily feed An accident common to many other rivers as to Mole a small river in Surrey Erasinus in Greece and Lycus in Anatolia of which last thus Ovid Sic ubi terreno Lycus est epotus hiatu Existit procul hinc alioque renascitur ore So Lycus swallowed by the gaping ground At a new mouth far off is rising found But having gotten up again loseth it self without recovery in the Western Ocean on the South of Portugal which it separateth from Extremadura 3. Baetis now called Guadalquioir which in the Arabick Language signifieth a great River ariseth out of the Mountains of Sierra Morena and passing by Corduba and Sevil disburdeneth it self into the Southern Ocean at the Haven of S. Lucars de Barameda 4. Iberus which having its head amongst the Mountains of Biscay passeth on Eastwards by Saragossa and Tortosa into the Mediterranean the whole course thereof being 460 miles of which it is navigable 200. A River of such note in the time of the Romans that it divided this whole Countrie into Citeriorem and Vlteriorem of which more anon 5. Duerus which rising in the same Mountains passeth thorow Portugal and so unto the Western or Atlantick Ocean 6. M●nius of which more in Portugal Chief Mountains next unto the Pyrenees spoken of before 1. The Cantabrian Mountains called by Plinte Juga A●●urum which rising out of a spurr or branch of the Pyrenees overspread the Provinces of Biscay Asturia and Gallicia coasting along the shores of the Cantabrian Ocean where at last they end 2. Idubeda Iubalda or Aurantius Saltus so called by Ptolomie and others of the ancient Writers which beginning not far from the head of the River Iberus followeth the course of that River by the Citie of Burgos and endeth not far from the influx of it into