672. Wamba not Bamba as his name is placed in ordinary Registers managed the Government eight years 680. Erigius erroneously sometimes written Eringius continued placed on the Throne six years 687. Egica falsly styled Egipsa weilded the Scepter of the Goths 15 years 701. Witiza and not Vitiza as his Name is enrolled in some Chronicles reigned in a joint Combination of Government with his Father five years and five years he swayed the Scepter alone 711. Rudericus so his Name is inscribed on his Coins and not Rodericus as it is registred in the Spanish Annalls governed one year and then having by an injurious and violent Rape polluted and debauched the Honour of Cana Daughter to Count Julian an eminent Nobleman of Spain he to assoil his Name and Family from that Stain which this ignominious Affront had spread over it invited the Moors of Africk under the Conduct of Musa to expiate the former violence who indeed executed the Vengeance designed by him for Roderick so solemnly that in a signal Battell commenced at Xeres de la Frontera in Andalusia the Fortune of Spain was entomb'd in the Carnage of that Field and Roderick abandoned both Crown and Kingdome to the prevailing Sword of the Moors and Musa being supported and reinforced by new Supplies by frequent successes forced almost all Spain to bow to a universal Conquest whilst the scattered Reliques of the pale and amazed Goths immur'd themselves in the inaccessable Retreats of Asturia or Leon from whence Garcia Ximenes a Nobleman extracted from the Royal Gothish Blood about the year 713. or as others assert about the year 716. descended with 600 men and after divers successeful encounters with the Moors gave a Beginning to the little Kingdom of Suprarba locked up within the Pyrenean Hills which sometimes after dilated it self and spread into the Valleys which from hence assum'd the Name of Navarra or Navierras which in Spanish imports as much as plain grounds And of this Kingdome I shall now render an Account NAVARRE NAVARRE is circumscribed on the East with the principality of Berne in the Kingdome of France on the West with the River Ebrâ— or Iberus on the North with the Cantabrian Mountains and on the South with the River Aragon which seperates it from that Kingdome The ancient Inhabitants were the Vascones invested not only in the possession of this Track but of Biscay and Guipuscâ—a also It was ravished away from these by the Romans who were expulsed by the Goths and they again were disseised of the tenure of this Province by the invading Moors who finally were dislodged from their new Acquists by the Magnanimity of Garcia Ximenes above-mentioned whose Successor Ximenes Garcia dying without Issue after an Interregnum of four years Inigo Arista Son of Simon Earl of Bigorre was advanced by Election to the Royal Dignity of Navarre as the next Heir in the Collateral Line to Ximenes Garcia abovesaid and he was Ancestor to Sancho the fourth who in respect that he was possest by Descent of Navarre and Aragon of Castile in Right of his Wife Donna Nugna or Elvira Sister and Heir of Sancho the last Earl thereof and of Leon by Conquest incorporated into his stile the Title of Great and he upon his Decease bequeathed the Kingdom of Navarre to his eldest Son Garcia whose Son Sancho the fifth was unnaturally assassinated by his younger Brother Raymir after whose Tragical Exit and the brief interposition of this bloody Intruder who had bespattered the Throne of Navarre with such a purple Effusion this Diadem was pluck'd from his Temples by Sancho Ramires to invest his own after whom Pedro and Alfonso Kings of Aragon likewise did severally and Successively weild the Scepter and manage the Government of Navarre But this Alfonso dying without Issue and his Brother Raymir a Monk unclouding his Head of his Cowle to adorne it with the Crown of Aragon the Soveraignty of Navarre was vested in Garcia Raymir Grandchild of Garcia de Nagera and Son of Raymir the Usurper abovementioned so that the Right of this Descent so fortified his Title that he ascended the Throne of Navarre as the direct Heir of that Kingdome from whom the transmission of Descent transported it to his Grandchild Sancho the eighth in whom the Male Line of Garcia Ximines was wound up in a Conclusion for he going out without Issue Theobald Earl of Champaigne Son of Blanch his Sister and Heir was entitled in Right of this Descent to the Diadem of Navarre and from the Thread of Succession wafted this Dignity to his Grandchild Henry who determining in Joan his sole Daughter and Heir she by Matching with Philip the Fair King of France by this new Alliance inoculated the the Scepter of Navarre on that of France and in the Hands of his Posterity it flourished during the Government of Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair Kings of France and of Navarre his Lineal Successors but Charles the last of these expiring without Issue Jane Daughter of Lewis Hutin as Heir General of this Charles was invested in the Possession of this Kingdome and in her Right Philip Earl of Eureux her Husband step'd into the Throne of Navarre and from these two did the Diadem of this Province devolve by Successive transmission to his Grandchild Charles the third King of Navarre in whom the Male Line determining the Distaff prevailed against the Spear for Blanch his Daughter annexed this Kingdome to the Patrimony of her Husband John King of Aragon who likewise found his Name wrap'd up as to this particular Match in two Daughters and Coheirs one of whom styled Leonora by espousing Gaston de Foix gave up the Roialty Possession and Crown of this Kingdome to empale the Brow of this Earl her Husband and from these two the Soveraignty was conducted down by successive Delegation to their Grandchild Francis Phoebus who deceasing without Issue the Crown and Dignity of Navarre came to embellish the Head of Catharine his Sister and Heir and she being espoused to John d'Albret of Gascony descended from Amani d'Albret which Amani in the Government of Charles the fifth King of France was wedded to Margaret of Bourbon Sister to Jane Queen of France and by that Alliance very much improved the splendor of his House linked the Kingdome of Navarre to his Patrimony and from these two descended Henry their Son and Heir who was King of Navarre and Match'd with Margaret Sister of Francis the first King of France by whom he had Issue Jane the sole Inheritrix of Navarre who by espousing Anthony of Bourbon entitled him to the Crown and Scepter of Navarre and she was Mother of Henry the fourth Grandmother of Lewis the thirteenth Great-grandmother of the instant Lewis the fourteenth successively Kings of France who by Authority of this Alliance have ever since inserted and interwoven the Title of King of Navarre amongst their Style and Inscriptions But alas this is only a barren naked and empty
their Descent and Claim from the Daughter and Heir of Lewis de Hutin K. of France before Philip de Valois which Lewis Matched with Margaret eldest Daughter to Robert the Third above mentioned and Mother to the Heir General But to proceed K. John being thus invested in the Possession setled it on his second Son Philip the Hardy from whom by the steps of some Descents it came down to Charles the Hardy who finding an untimely Sepulchre in the Feilds of Nancy left the Propriety of Burgundy to be enjoyed by Mary his sole Inheretrix upon the Decease of which Charles Lewis the Eleventh King of France seised upon the Dutchy of Burgundy as an Appendage to the Crown of France pretending it was by the Fundamental Customes of that Kingdome to return to that Scepter in case there were a defailance of Issue Male but the French County being an Imperial Isle was permitted to remain united to the Patrimony of his Daughter Mary abovesaid in whose Right Maximilian the Emperour her Husband was invested in the Fee and from him is the Seignory and Demeasne of this Province by the transmission of Successive Descent guided down to own the Scepter and Dominion of Philip the fourth the instant King of Spain Flanders and Artois THese two though since since separated were Originally knit together in the Interest of one Estate yet after the Interval of five or six Descents were again twisted together and remained thus incorporated ever since Flanders is bound in on the East with Haiâ—alt and Brabant on the West with the German Ocean on the North with the Seas of Zealand and a Branch of the Scheld and on the South with Picardy and Graveling interposing betwixt Callis and Graveling Antiquity hath extracted its Name from several Conjectures as first from Flando because it lyeth upon the winds others again assert that it was imposed upon it from Flandbert the Son of Blesinda Daughter of Clâ—dion the second King of France some fetch it from a Town of that Name situated in that part of the Country where now Ardenbourg stands so long since languished and shrunk into Ruin that the least Symptome or Representation being wanting to inform us that there was once such a place in being that we now with difficulty trace out its Rubbish amidst its Ruines therefore the Conjectures of more rational heads extract the Appellation from Flandrina the Wife of Lideric the second the first who managed the Government of these parts as Forrester It was in elder Times resolved into three Divisions that is Flandria Imperialis called so because it was long in its obedience subservient to the Emperours of Germany Flandria Gallica so styled from the French Dialect there spoken and Flandria Teutonica because within its precinct the Dutch Language was properly used Artois is limited on the East with Flanders Gallicant and the County of Cambray on the South and West it is bounded with Picardy on the North with Flanders Flammegant and the River of Lis. The Name is extracted from the Atrebates the old Inhabitants thereof the Air is temperate and the Soil so pregnant and â—ertile that it may very well have the Denomination of the Granary of Flanders and Brabant These Countries of Flanders and Artois were anciently if not a part yet much of the same Nature and Condition with the great Forrest of Ardenne nothing but the Solitudes of continual Woods and Deâ—arts making the Aspect of it rude and desolate The ancient Inhabitants of the first were the Nervii and Morini who were supplanted by the Romans and these again by the French who having established the great Earldome of Ardenne made these Provinces in part subject to the Dominion and power of its Governours whilest that Track of Earth which confined on the Sea was so exposed to Rapine Pyracies and Depredations of the Danes that it was neglected uncultivated and almost unpeopled the In-land Countries something contributing to the general Calamity by being meanly planted from a Deficiency of those Necessaries which should support the Life of Man But when Brunulph Earl of Ardenne was secured by Dagobert King of France this Wild and disordered Country extending as far as the River of Some and enwrapping besides Artois and Flanders a considerable part of Piâ—ardy about the Year 621. was given to Lideriâ— le Beuque with the Title of Forrester to be held under Homage to that Crown In whose Posterity this Title sojourned until the time of Baldwin the first the Son of Odoacer the seventh of the Forresters whose Names are Recorded in the Registers of Flanders there being a Gap or Parenthesis which ravels their Memories during the Ravage of the Danes and Normans This Baldwin having by a violent Onset ravished away and after Wedded Judith Sister to Charles the Bald King of France and Emperour was by him created Earl of Flanders about the Year 864. the Soveraignty reserved as before it was in whose Issue the Interest of these Provinces remained combined and entire until Philip the first surnamed of Elsas Son of Theodorick the first surnamed likewise of Elsas to which Theodorick the Seignory both of Flanders and Artois accrued as being Heir General of Heltrude Daughter and Heir General likewise of Robert the first Earl of Flanders and Artois after the Decease of her Brother Robert the second Charles Son of Canutus King of Denmark who had Matched with her Sister Adeliza and of William Grandchild of William the Bastard Duke of Normandy who had Espoused Mawde Daughter of Baldwin the Fifth Earl of Flanders and Artois gave unto Philip Augustus King of France the Province of Artois with the Earldome of Veramandois with Isabel his Neice Daughter of Baldwin the eighth Earl of Hainault which Baldwin had Wedded Margaret Daughter of Theodorick above-mentioned and Sister and Heir of this Philip. By Lewis the Eighth Son and Successor to this King Philip Artois was given as a Portion to swell the Patrimony of his youngest Son Robert who was adorned with the Title of Earl of Artois by King Lewis the Ninth Anno 1234. This Robert had Issue Robert the second in whom the Male Line failed so that Mawde his sole Daughter being Matched to Othelin Earl of Burgundy he in her right became Earl of Artois But in him the Title was as volatile and unfixed as in the former for he Deceased without Issue Male and so Joan his Daughter and Heir by Espousing Philip the Long King of France united this Earldome to his Scepter and the Estate to his Patrimony and gave it in Marriage with the County of Burgundy with Joan his Eldest Daughter to Eudes Duke of Burgundy and from him the right of Descent wafted it along to his Grandchild Philip the Third who expiring without Issue Margaret second Daughter of King Philip the Long above mentioned who was Matched to Lewis Earl of Flanders entered upon this Earldome as his Heir General and transmitted it and both the Burgundies to his Son Lewis de
the signal performances of Utilo gave him not only the Command of these Countries but the Propriety and possession of a considerable part of them likewise by the Title of Lord Marquiss of Antwerpe the fourth from whom called Araulph was the first Mayor of the Palace to the Kings of France made Hereditary to this Family and his â—uccessors By Dagobert the first â—ole King of the French that Branch of this Country which was 〈◊〉 â—ubjection to the Earls of Ardenne was by his Victorious Sword extorted from them and the whole Estate conâ—erred on Ansegisus Son of Arnulph with the Title of Duke of Brabant and from him did the Title and Estate descend to Charles Martell Base Son of his Son Pepin the first and this Charles had Issue Pepin the second surnamed the Short who having managed Successfully the Affairs of France at last Usurped that Diadem and solemnly receive the Crown at Soissons from the Hands of Boniface Arch-Bishop of Mentz in the year 751 The Dukedome of Brabant was by this means incorporated into the Revenue of the Crown of France where it 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ch â—â—ntâ— the partage of the French Empire amongst the â—ons and Kinsmâ—n of Lewis the Godly and 〈◊〉 â—t wâ—s link'd as an Appendage to the Kingdomâ— of Lorraine where it lay wrapped up until Lotharius the third King of France in whose share it was involved conferred it on Charles his younger Bâ—other with the Title of Duke of Brabant But this Donation little improved his Interest because the principal part of this and that Moiety of the Kingdome of Lorraine which obeyed the French was cut off by the Sucessful Sword of Otho the second Emperour of Germany and annexed to the Empire But this Otho considering that Charles above-said thus devested was his Cousin German as being Son to Lewis King of France surnamed the Transmarine who had Wedded Gerburg Sister to his Father Otho the first invested him in the great Dukedome of Lorraine which in spacious Latitude and extent of it circumscribed within its Precincts and perambulation Lorrain Gulick Brabant which had then the Denomination of Basse or Low Lorrain and the Lands of Luick But out of this spreading Patrimony thus enstated on Charles of France Otho the second above-mentioned reserved out of it for his Aunt Gerburg Mother of the said Charles the Towns and Territories of Lovain Bruxells Antwerpe and Nivelle as her Dower which with Reference to the Ancient Title he Honoured with the Dignity of Marquisate of the Holy Empire Annâ— 981. Gerburg the Sister and after the Death of Charles her Brother abovesaid without Issue succeeded in Lovain Antwerpe Bruxells and Nivelle by a Right transmitted to her from her Grandmother the first Gerburg aswell as from him though she had injuriously disseised of Lorrein and the Title to that large Demeasne by the Emperour Henry the second the Emperour which Territories of Lovain and the rest above-mentioned she conveyed in Marriage to Lambert one of the Sons of Reigner Earl of Hainault with the Title of Earl of Lovain Henry his Son reduced Antwerpe which it seems by an unjust Violence was detained from him and by this Atchievement obtained the whole Marquisate but still reserved the Title of Earl of Lovain Godfrey the sixth Earl having by several new Acquists much extended the Bounds and Marches of his Dominions was by the Emperour Henry the fifth to whom he was link'd in as near an Obligation of Affinity having Matched with his Sister as in Friendship in the Year 1108 Created the first Duke of Brabant and from him the Title flowed down with an undisturbed Channel to John the third of that Name Duke of Brabant by whose Daughter and Co-heir both the Title and Seignory was transported to Wenceslaus the first Duke of Luxenbourg by whom though she had no Issue yet on him and on his Posterity she enstated this Dutchy and Sigismund his second Son Duke of Luxenbourg setled it on Elizabeth his Neice Daughter to John Duke of Gorlitz in Lusatia and she by Matching with Anthony of Burgogne one of the younger Sons of Philip the Hardy annexed it to his Inheritance and being by this Alliance thus entitled to it it was transmitted to John the fourth Duke of Brabant who was eldest Son by his first Wife for this his second deceased without Issue Joan Daughter of Waleran Earl of S. Paul but he dying without Issue it devolved by Descent to his second Brother Philip who likewise expiring without Children Philip the Good Grandchild to Philip the Hardy Succeeded in this Dutchy as Heir to his two Kinsmen above mentioned and from him did the Clew of diverse Descents guide the Title down to Philip the second King of Spain and he lost a considerable proportion of it in the Fatal Defection of the Netherlands occasioned by the Bloody Impression made upon their Invaded and Injured Liberties by Ferdinand Duke of Alva though Bruxells Antwerpe Machlin and other Important peices do yet confesse the Scepter and Dominion of Philip the fourth now King of Spain The Seignory of Machlin consists onely of that City and some Eight or nine contiguous Villages The most eminent of the Villages is styled Liest or Hiest situated on the pleasant Knob of a swelling Hill the residue of the adjacent Villages confining on the foot thereof Both Town and Villages were formerly enwraped in the Patrimony of the powerful Family of the Bertholts which Name expiâ—ing in the person of Gualter de Bertholt slain in the Battel of Worancan by John Duke of Brabant one Moiety of it devolved to the Bishop of Leige who again conveyed it by Sale to John the second Duke of Brabant and the other proportion accrued to ...... Duke of Gueldres and he in the Year 1333. passed it away to Lewis de Malain Earl of Flanders but he conveyed nothing away but a naked Title which was before denuded of its Revenue by the Successful Hand of John the third Duke of Brabant who tore it away to augment his own Estate since which this Seignory of Machlin with all its Perquisites and Appendages hath so constantly attended the Fate of Brabant and Flanders that it at this instant confesses the Interest of the Spanish Scepter Limbourg hath on the East the Dukedome of Gulick on the West the Bishoprick of Leige on the North Brabant and on the South the Dukedome of Luxenbourg The ancient Inhabitants of this Track were the Eburones when it was first advanced to the Title of an Earldome the Light which should be Collected from Ancient Records is so dim and faint that it cannot conduct us to any clear and positive discovery onely it is probable that it was Originally a Limb of the great Earldome of Ardenne from which it was rent to institute and make up a Patrimonial Inheritance for some Cadet or younger Son as Namur and Luxenbourg were or snatched away by the Violent hand of some For aign pretender as Gulick was when Godfrey and Baldwin
Conquerour so disgusted his Allies and Relations that to decline the Tempest which menaced him he retired into this Kingdome for shelter and after many Conflicts commenced with the Sarazens by a Fortunate Managery of the Christian Quarrel he contracted their Power into narrower limits but being supplied with new Recruits the Sarazens not onely reinforced their Animosities but Hopes also until Tancred and his twelve Sons arriving out of Normandy with fresh Supplies after many signal encounters wholly supplanted the Interest that these Infidels had in Naples but though these Invaders were thus dissipated yet the Greeks remained dis-satisfied and gave new occasion of War and Trouble to these Norman Conquerours under the Command of Melorco Vicegerent of this Province under the Grecian Emperours but the Affairs of the Normans were so well swayed and ordered by the Care and Prudence of William Son to Tancred above mentioned that this new Emotion was extinguished by the Defeat of Melorco and the Troops marshall'd under his Conduct but this Discomfiture did not so totally dispel the Tempest but that there were new Clouds collected together to disorder and ecclipse the Glory of the Norman Conquests which in fine were so wholly dissipated by the active Courage of Robert Guiscard another of the Sons of Tancred that the Greeks being absolutely crush'd and subdu'd the Reliques of the Sarazens extirpated thrown out he justly merited in the Annals of succeeding Times the Title of the Conquerour of the Kingdome of Naples and he bequeathed this Province with all its Perquisits and Appendages to be enjoyed by his second Son Robert Guiscard Earl of Sicily who in the Year 1125. by the Favour and Influence of Anacletus then Pope had the Title of King of Naples conferred upon him and his Son William received the Crown with this Restriction that he should hold this Diadem as a Donative from the Pope and in Homage of the See of Rome and in the Hands of his Successors did the Neapolitan Scepter remain fixed until it came to be weilded by William the second who upon his Decease left Constance his Daughter his onely Lawful Issue and Tancred his Natural Son the Issue of unlawful Embraces and he by the concurrence and support of his Faction so managed his Designs that he invested his Head with the Crown of Naples to the prejudice and Disherision of Constance the Lawful Heir but disdaining to acknowledge the Pope for Soveraign of the Fee the Pope to retaliate this Affront Matches Constance to Henry the sixth Emperour of Germany and by opposing the Right of his Empresse to the distorted and Usurped Title of Tancred so crippled his Authority and Power that finally after many Contests and Bloody Decisions the Scepter of Naples came to be swayed by Henry the sixth abovesaid but his Successor Frederick the second embarquing in the former Contrast with the succeeding Popes in Relation to the Soveraignty of Naples disclaimed and renounced any Homage to the See of Rome which so inflamed that Bishop that he collected all supply that the Engins borrowed either from Strength or Art could contribute to vindicate his pretended Right to the Soveraignty of Naples yet was he thwarted in his endevours with such vigorous Opposition during the Government of Frederick the second abovesaid Conrade his Son Manfred his Natural Son and Conradine Grandchild to Frederick nothing was effected of Importance which might afford any support to the accomplishment of the Designs of the Popes for the time being so that Pope Innocent the fourth to Fortifie his Attempts with Forraign Succour presented the Kingdom to St. Lewis King of France for his Brother Charles Count of Anjou and Provence who had the Repute of an excellent Souldier and an experienced Commander and about the Year 1264. which was two years after Pope Urban the fourth invested him with it he to assert his Interest Commenced a War with Conradine King of Naples and having put his Title to the Umpirage of a Battel after a Bloody Debate took this Conradine Captive and made the forfeiture of his Head expiate its wearing that Diadem which the Popes Donation had before by a pretended Investiture entituled him to and having thus fixed the Scepter of Naples in his own Hand he left it to be swayed by his Son and Heir Charles the Lame who by Mary his Queen Inheritrix of Hungary had Issue Charles surnamed Martel who had his Mothers Kingdom assigned him for his Subsistence or Portion Lewis his second Son who assumed Holy Orders and Clowded all his earthly Glories in the Cowle of a Franeiscan Frier and afterwards was Bishop of Thoulouse Robert his third Son was by the Munificence of his Father entitled to the Inheritance of the Kingdome of Naples There were other Sons who had other Lands consigned them in Appennage for their future support and Alimony Robert abovesaid had Issue Charles who dying without Issue Male in his Fathers life time left onely a Daughter and Heir called Joane who after the Decease of her Grandfather Robert came to Manage the Neapolitan Scepter and this is that Joane so Famously Infamous in the Annals of Naples for the probable Assassination of her first Husband Andrew and other wilde Disorders which have cast so dark a Tincture upon her Fame that though some have endevoured to wrap up her Guilt in a modest Covering yet the Blacknesse of her Life is visible by an indelible stain through all those Veils the Industry of Flattery attempts to fold it up in But to proceed about the Expiration of the Raign of this Ioane which was about the Year 1378. the Church of Rome was Disordered by a remarkable Schisme for Urban the sixth being made Pope the Violence of a predominant Faction a considerable part of the Conclave of Cardinals Elected Robert Cardinal of Geneva by the Name of Clement the seventh Queen Joan being warped with Animosity against Urban who was born under her Dominion and Scepter made her self a Partisan in the Cause and Quarrel of his Adversary and Competitor Clement Her Crime contracted from the Slaughter of her Husband Andrew had been long entombed in a Pacification transacted in her Favour by Pope Clement the sixth with Lewis the Great King of Hungary Brother to Andrew abovesaid But Urban the sixth to recompense her for those Disservices with which she had disobliged him again raked into her Guilt and incensed Charles of Duras of the House of Hungary to expiate the former Murther by a just Revenge and this Prince inflamed by his Instigations came and Beseiged her in Castello del Ovo and having reduced her and that Fortresse to his Discretion strangled her in or near that place where she had acted her Barbarous Parricide on her first Husband Andrew Charles of Duras having thus destroyed this Infamous Princesse seised on the Neapolitan Diadem which did not sit so fast on his Temples but that it was shaken by a Concurrent Title for Joan not long before her Death to
fortifie her self agrinst the Designs of Pope Urban had adopted Lewis Duke of Anjou Brother to Châ—rles the fifth King of France for her Heir and he endevoured to vindicate and extort the Crown from Charles of Duras by Dint of Sword but the latter did so vigorously sustain all the Impressions of the House of Anjou that he not onely asserted and fixed the Right of the Crown to himself but likewise transmitted a peaceable Possession of it to his Successors which were first Ladislaus his Son and Heir who Deceased without Issue and Joan his onely Daughter and then Heir who upon the Death of Ladislaus ascended the Throne of Naples by the Name of Joan the second who for Disorders and irregular Excesses and holding a scandalous Familarity with one Caracciolo as likewise for her ill Administration of the publique Affairs was Degraded from the Regal Dignity by Pope Martin the fourth and Lewis of Anjou Grandchild to Lewis Duke of Anjou above mentioned named by him to wear the Diadem of Naples in her place but she disdaining to be thus devested to secure her self against the attempts and pretences of this Lewis Adopted Alfonsus King of Aragon and Sicily for her Heir but being a Woman of a volatile and inconstant Temper upon pretence of some ingrateful Affronts put upon her by Alfonsus abovesaid Cancelled her first Adoption and by a second Instrument declared Lewis the fourth Duke of Anjou Son to Lewis abovesaid for her Heir and this Lewis having wrung the Crown from the House of Aragon enjoyed it joyntly with this Queen Joan in a fixed serenity of Government for some years but dying without Issue before her she to preserve her self from the Eruptions of the Aragonian Faction Adopted Rene Duke of Anjou his Brother for her Heir and soon after she had declared and effected this she her self was disrob'd by Death of all Earthly Glory But this Rene being then Captive with the Duke of Burgundy was debarred from amassing those Forces together which might adjoust his Title to the Crown of Naples indeed his Dutchesse Elizabeth attempted to retrive it but being overlaid with the Faction and Force of Alfonsus She and the House of Anjou were utterly supplanted and Alfonsus upon a pretence extracted from the first Adoption of Joan which was supported by Conquest upon the Ruines of this Family step'd up to the Throne of Naples and he more to ennoble his Family by an Additional Augmentation of Revenue enstated this Kingdom on his Natural Son Ferdinand who being thus invested in it transmitted it to his Son Alfonsus the second and he had Issue Ferdinand the second who likewise wore the Diadem of Naples but a Tenure very volatile and unfixt attended the Soveraignty and made it rest but loosly on his Temples for Charles the eighth King of France Espousing the Title and Quarrel of the House of Anâ—ou so vigorously supported their Interest that he supplanted this Ferdinand and forced him to abandon the Neapolitan Scepter but the French upon the Departure of Charles the eighth managing both the Civil and Military Affairs of this Kingdome with much Impetuousnesse and Inadvertency excited the Neapolitans to resent their sway and Government with so much Regret and Passion that Frederick Brother of Alfonsus the second regained it with as much Facility as his Nephew Ferdinand had cheaply lost it But Lewis the twelfth Successor and Kinsman to Charles the eighth upon the Decease of this Charles who dyed suddenly at Amboise as he was preparing for a second Eruption upon Naples Collected a Powerful Army to vindicate his pretences and Title to that Kingdome so that Frederick finding himself too weak to sustain the weight of so mighty an Opposition threw himself into the Protection of Ferdinand King of Aragon and Castile who in stead of asserting his Interest against the Onsets of the French by an unworthy Compact with Lewis the twelfth disserted his Kinsman and had the Moiety of the Kingdome assigned him as the price of this Dereliction but not long after the French and Spaniard entering into Contention about the Bounds and Limits of the Lands divided their Animosities were improved to that heighth that they blazed out in the Flame of a publique War which was managed with that Vigor and Prudence by Gonsalvo the Spanish General that after many Encounters the French were wholly disseised and their Interest they had in this Kingdome extorted from them and though in Ages subsequent to this the French did not tamely abandon their pretended Concernment here but sought to retrive it by the Bloody Umpirage of the Sword yet were their Designs so ill managed and their Arms so unprosperous that their Disastrous successe did but more fasten the Crown and Scepter of Naples to that of Spain to whose Diadem the Interest and Title of this Kingdom hath remained ever since so firmely linked that it is still united to the Hereditary Patrimony of Philip the fourth now King of Spain Milan MILAN is shut in on the East with Mantua and Parma on the West with Piemont and Switzerland on the North with the Province called Marca Anconitana and on the South with that Chain of Hills which is styled the Appenine The Ancient Inhabitants were the Insubres the Bâ—ji the Cenomani and the Senones who were after diverse signal Contentions devested of their Possessions by the Romans and forced to surrender themselves as Tributary to their Dominion and Seignory and in that Demeasn which supported Rome as it was first the Head of a spreading Common-wealth and then secondly the Metrapolis of a spacious Empire did this Province lie folded up until the Government of this Province came to be Managed by Augustulus the last of the Western Emperours who being subdued and his Forces broken by Odoacer King of the Heruli and Thuringians this Province became the Guerdon of his Triumphs but the Possession being thus atchieved by an unjust Invasion was not long after extorted and ravished away from them by Theodorick K. of the Goâ—hs about the Year 495. but here the Title was as volatile and transient as formerly for Teyas his â—uccessor was about the Year 567. vanquished by the unâ—ted Forces of Alboinus King of the Avâ—res invited out of Hungary and Narses General for the Emperour Justinian in Itaâ—y the Goths being thus disieised this Province was consigned to Albâ—inus and his Troops by Narses Anno 568. as the price of his Successful Courage and meritorious Fidelity so visibly exhibited in the War commenced with the expulsed Goth and in himself and his Line did the Soveraignty of this Province by a Decursion and Series of Twenty three Kings remain uninterruptedly lodged until the Devolution of Descent brought the Scepter to be weilded by Desiderius who being about the Year 774. Discomfited by Charles the Great this Kingdome sunk in his Ruines and was afterwards incorporated as a Province into the spreading Demeasne of that Victorious Monarch After whose Raign this Province remained Imperial and
Hungars a People of Scithia wandering in Sarmatia Europaea and not tied or fixed to any certain abode to his support and Assistance and they so generously crushed the Attempts and repulsed the Assaults given to the Emperour and his Armies that to reward so signal and generous performances Arnulphus Invested them in the Possession of Pannonia and by a grateful elevation advanced Casala their Leader to the Title of Duke of this Province and he to perpetuate to Posterity the Memory of this Magnificent Donation discarded the Ancient Name of Pannonia and imposed that of Hungary an Appellation extracted from the People above mentioned upon it and from him it came down to his great Grandchild Stephen the fourth Duke of Hungary in whom that Title ceased and was improved to the more eminent Dignity of King which Office by the transmission of Descent passed along to his Successor Stephen the fourth of that Name King of Hungary and he determined in Mary his sole Heir who by Matching with Charles the I ame Son of Charles K. of Naples linked the Crown of Hungary to his Patrimony and in his Descendant Line it resided until the Scepter of this Kingdome came to be grasped by his Successor Ludovicus or Lewis who concluding in Daughters and Coheirs Mary the eldest being Wedded to Sigismund the Emperour brought this Crown about the Year 1387. to acknowledge his Scepter and Seignory and he left Issue Elizabeth Daughter to them two and she by Espousing Albert of Austria planted the Crown of Hungary on his Temples and from him it devolved to Elizabeth his Daughter by this Alliance who was Affianced to Ladislaus the second Son of Casimir the fourth King of Poland who in her Right was justly entitled to the Hungarian Diadem and left it to his Son Ladislaus or Lewis infortunately slain at the Battel of Mohats by the Turks about the Year 1526. upon whose Decease without Issue Ferdinand Brother to Charles the fifth in Right of Anne his Wife who was Sister and Heir to Lewis above-said was Invested with the Crown of Hungary and from him the Scepter of this Kingdom was transported by the Devolution of several Descents to Ferdinand the third Emperour of Germany who upon his late Decease hath left it to be weilded by his Son and Heir Leopoldus Ignatius who now is placed on the Hungarian Throne Croatia CROATIA is bounded on the East with Bosnia on the West with Carniola on the South with Contado di Zara anciently Named Liburnia on the North with Windischland The Reason why the Name was imposed is not obvious in Authours only it is generally asserted it was fixed on it by the Sclaves when they made their first Eruption on this Country when they disseised the Goths who supplanted the Romans who had before rooted out and dislodged by several multiplied Conquests the ancient Inhabitants call'd the Liburni and Illyrij mingled with some allay of the neighbouring Nations or rather Colonies of the Japodes the Scirtari the Mazai the Peruistae the Derrij Ceraunij Daursii Vardae Siculotae Sardiotae and others of more despicable Estimate But long the Sclaves had not setled in this Province but their Disorders unsetled them for by their Mutinies and Rebellions against their Governours which concluded still in their slaughter and Ruin they fill'd the State with Anarchie and Vicissitude and were never calm or fixed until the several Tribes to allay this Distemper had Princes who succeeded one another in a more Regular Method under the Title of Kings of Croatia and in this Capacity it remained until the Year 970. when having worried and harrassed their Neighbours by Pyracies and other acts of Devastation the Venetians inflamed by these Affronts to expiate their Depredations with a just Revenge in several Conflicts so embased and retrench'd their Power that Zelamirus the last King Deceasing without Issue bequeathed the Kingdome to his Wife and she by a willing Donation transferr'd her Interest to her Brother Ladislaus the Saint King of Hungary so that it hath had its Title ever since so involved and wound up in the Fate and Fortune of Hungary that by Ann the Sister and Heir of K. Lewis who perished in the Ruin of the Battel of Mohatz it accrued to Ferdinand the first Emperour of Germany and from him by the Traverses of several Descents did it passe along untill at last it is now come to confess the Soveraignty of Leopoldus Ignatius now Emperour of Germany VVindischland VVINDISCHLAND is chained in on the East with part of the lower Hungary on the West with Carniola or Karnt on the North with the River Dravus on the South with Croatia It was anciently esteemed a Limb of Pannonia Inferiour as in more modern Times a parcell of the Province of Savia The ancient Inhabitants were the Winithi or Vendi who being swallowed up in the frequent mixtures of their Confining Neighbours the Sclaves were esteemed a Branch of that Powerful and spreading Nation but still to preserve the Name of their first Original the Denomination of Windischland was imposed on this Province which since by the Sale and conveyance above mentioned made by Zelamirus to Uladislaus the Saint hath been so linked with Croatia that as it hath had still the same Successours so at this instant it owns no other Scepter but that of Leopoldus Ignatius now Emperour of Germany FINIS
the ancient Inhabitants of some part of it though others upon as possible Grounds assert it was extracted from the Catalauni an ancient People of Languedoc a Province of France divided by no considerable distance from this Province But the Affirmation of those is certainly the most proportionate to Reason who deduce it from Gotholonia which by depravation of Dialect and a more easie pronunciation was melted into Catalonia This Province having been adopted into the Name of Gotholonia by the Goths as having been one of the first Provinces of Spain on which that Nation made their violent and successeful Eruptions The ancient Inhabitants of this Province were the Castellani Auxitani Indigites Cosetani with part of the Ilercones and Jaccetani all of them Possessors of that distribution of Spain which was styled Hispania Tarraconensis but when the Glory of the Roman Empire began to suffer her Eclipse and umbrages and wand into a visible Declension this was rent from that great Body by the Alani who not long after were subdued and disseised by the Goths but when a general ruin was super-induc'd on Spain by the power of the Moors this sunk in that general Shipwrack and was forc'd to stoop to receive a yoke from the Hands of Infidelitie from them after many signal struglings it was rescued by the Magnanimity of Charles the Great who having reduced the City of Barcelona about the Year 801. settled it on one Bernard a Frenchman with the Title of Earl and he managed the Affairs of this Province for that Emperour as Gothofredus his Successor did for Lewis the Godly But Gothofredus Son to this Godfred having acted some exemplary Service which obliged Charles the Grâ—â— to some grateful acknowledgement he to expiate this Engagement made him Proprietary of it with this Limitation reserved that the Year of the Kings of France as was accustomed to be performed by his Predecessors should be Inscribed and used in all Records and Instruments of publique Cognisance and from him it was transported to his Grandchild Gothofred the Second who dying without Issue his Uncle Borellus entred upon the Possession of this Earldome and in his Line was it so successively fixed untill by an even Clew it descended to Raymond the Fifth who by Matching with Petronilla Daughter of Raymir the Second King of Aragon was by the Authority of that Alliance invested with the Diadem of that Kingdome and knit by a future Combination this Earldom to the Patrimony of that Scepter whose Successor was James the First King of Aragon and Lord of Catalonia for so the Records of Spain seem to insinuate his Style was used in Coins and other Inscriptions to whom St. Lewis King of France by Resignation and Surrender released that Vassalage and acknowledgement which was due from his Predecessors to the Diadem of France in the Year 1260. and this King James to ballance and poize the Merit of so great an Obligation by a proportionate Compensation at the same time devested himself by a general Release of all his Right and Title to Carcassan Bâ—ziers Nismes and some other considerable pieces in France in Timâ—â— of elâ—er Inscription relating as Appendages to the Revenue of that Crown Thus have I represented in Landskip how Catalonia became twisted into the Demeasne and Royaltie of Aragon where it constantly reposed it self untill the Year 1638. and then that Defection from the Crown of Spain which was occasion'd by the Invasion of the Liberties of the Catalans as was pretended by the Spaniard though those pretences were improv'd inflam'd and aggravated by the Arts and cloudy Stratagems of Cardinal Richelieu having torn it off from that Scepter it was by the Inhabitants modelled and fashioned into the shape of a Common-wealth but with a Reservation that it should still be under the Patronage and shelter of the Crown of France and in this Capacity it remained untill the sucbesseful Sword of Don John of Austria the Marquiss of Cerra and the Marquiss of Mortara so vigorously asserted the Interest of Spain that they wrung all Catalonia from the hands of the French and although this Nation by the concurrent Aid of the Catalans did retrive Puycerda Castiglione and some other pieces from the Spaniard yet the more principal part of Catalonia doeâ—â—et after all these vast Concussions acknowledge no other Scepter but that which is swayed by the Hand of Philip the Fourth King of Spain ARAGON ARAGON is fettered in on the East with the Land of Roussillon and the Pyrenean Hills on the West the two Castiles on the North Navarre on the South and South-East Catalonia and some part of Vanlentia The ancient Inhabitants were the Celtiberi who spread themselves over a very considerable part of Spain styled Hispania Tarraconensis but originally had their Rise and Extraction from the Celtae an ancient People of France who being clogg'd and surcharg'd with superfluity of People advanced over the Pyrenean Hills and mingled with the Iberi the old Possessors of Aragon yet there were other Inhabitants of lesse importance as namely the Jaccetani the Lacetani with some part of the Editani and Ilergetes or Ilurcones that had their Concernment in this Province and thrived under the protection and shadow of the Nobler Colonies And in this posture it remained until the Carthaginians endevouring to enlarge their Territories made it bow to their Government but here it had not long been resident when the power of the Romans growing paramount to theirs it was forced to submit to the more predominant strength of that Empire and to their Interest it was subservient untill it was ravished away by the prevailing Arms of the Goths whose Acquists here attended the Fate of Spain and was surrendred to the Moors in that publique Calamitie which was complicated with their Conquest But about that time when the Foundations of the Kingdomes of Leon and Navarre were established one Aznarius a Person of an unbroken Courage disdaining any longer to lye panting under that load of Slavery which the Moors had cast upon him disengaged himself of the pressure and by many generous Conflicts with the Moors wherein he exhibited many Symptomes of an inexpugnable Courage he invested himself in the Possession of some Lands on the Banks of the River of Aragon but because he found his Power was too infirm and crazie to support his new Acquists without some collateral supply he put himself under the Protection of the King of Navarre about the Year 775. And that Monarch both to excite and cherish so worthy a Vertue with some exemplary Guerdon dignified him with the Title of Earl of Aragon and from him it devolved by Descent to his Lineal Successor Fortunio Ximines in whom the Male Line determined so that Fortunio the Second King of Navarre in Right of his Mother Urraca who was his Sister and Heir was entitled to Aragon supported by this Alliance annexed this Province to Navarre and from him the Clew of Descent transmitted it to Sancho the Great
instant confesses the Seignory and Title of the Descendants of Leopold Brother to Ferdinand the second Duke of Gratz and Emperour of Germany Bohemia BOHEMIA is encompassed on the East with Moravia on the West with the Upper Palatinate and Voitland on the North with Misnia Lusatia and some part of Silesia on the South with some parts of Bavaria and Austria The first Inhabitants were the Marcomanni and Quadi mingled with the Boiari Marsigni Burij and Gothini who upon the wane of that Power and Splendor which ennobled the Roman Empire were disseised of their ancient Patrimony in this Kingdome by the Sclavi a Nation Inhabiting the Banks of the River Ister a People very Obscure in their Original and in their Country until their Successes dispelled that Mist which hung about them and made them more conspicuous Under what Form of Government they modelled themselves after their Atchievement of this Kingdome is not obvious from any Ancient Record or if they did erect any Frame it was swept away by new Squadrons of Sclaves Croatians and other scattered Nations who under the Conduct of Zechius a Leader of great estimate like an Inundation broke in upon them which Zechius with his Brother Leches about the Year 640. were expulsed out of Croatia for some Offences of a dark Complexion there acted by them and being very acceptable to the Sclaves of Bohemia who viewed him as a Prince extracted out of the same Cradle and Seminary with themselves and one of the same Language concerned in the same Laws and conformable to the same Customes with their own they Adopted him into the Supreme Government of this Province But after his Decease the Estate crumbled into the Confusions of a disordered Anarchy until Crocus about the Year 670. recollected the broken pieces into shape and Order and from his Justice and Integrity in the Administration of the Publique Affairs acquired the Name of the Bohemian Law-giver after his Exit the Bohemians resigned themselves up to the Government of Libussa his youngest Daughter but her Hand being too narrow to graspe the Affairs of State her Subjects made choice of Primiâ—â—aus and by Matching of him to her devolved the Government on his shoulders and in his Posterity the Supreme Authority was resident who were adorned with no other Title but sometimes Governours and sometimes Dukes of Bohemia until the Rule of Ueratislaus Brother to Sbtignâ—us who about the Year 1086. was for his Worthy and generous Performances in several Undertakings by the Emperour Henry the fourth at Metz invested with the Title of King which Regal Dignity was to continue Elective either at the will and Arbitrament of the Emperour or at the Disposition of the Estates and People and this is evident from several Precedents this Uratislaus left three Sons who were devested of the Crown to give way to Conrade Brother to Uratislaus who by the suffrages of the People was Elected King and after his Decease Brecislaus Son to Uratislaus to the prejudice of hiâ— two Sons was advanced by Choice to the Bohemian Diadem and after his Exit Borivorius fourth Son to Brecislaus to the Disherison of his three elder Brothers was Elected to weild the Scepter and thus did the Crown continue in the persons of Sutopulcus Uladislaus the second Sobeslaus Brother to this Uladislaus Uladislaus the third Son to Uladislaus the second above mentioned who by the Peoples Election was advanced to the Diadem the Sons of Sobeslaus being excluded and all the Residue of their Successors until the Crown came to be placed on the Head of Ferdinand the first Emperour of Germany who notwithstanding his Latitude of Power acknowledged that the Bohemian Scepter devolved to him not by the Authority of any Intrinsique or Inherent Right or the Claim of Succession but only by the Election of the People and this his Confession was enrolled in the Records of the Kingdome and though it is certain that Maximilian his Son Rodolphus Matthias his two Grandchildren were Successively Kings after him yet not their Descent but the Peoples Election fortified their advancement to the Bohemian Diadem and though upon the Decease of Matthias Ferdinand surnamed of Gratz as Adopted Son to Matthias declar'd Successor to the Crown of Bohemia by his Testament intruded upon the Throne yet being not formally and legally Elected by the People he was by the Estates of the Kingdom rejected who fixed upon Frederick Elector Palatine of the Rhine as the object of their Choice but he being betrayed by his Confederates and over-laid with the united Armies of the Emperour Ferdinand and the Dukes of Saxony and Bavaria abandoned Bohemia which was re-possest by Ferdinand in whose Descendant Line it hath been since so permanent the Peoples Election having been by Menaces and Force extorted that it is now the Possession of his Grandchild Leopoldus Ignatius the instant Emperour of Germany Silesia SILESIA is bounded on the East with Poland on the West with Lusatia on the North with the Marck of Bradenburg on the South with Moravia The first Inhabitants hereof were the Marsigni Burij Gothini and some part of the Quadi In the great partage of the Eastern parts of Germany amongst the Sclaves who had supplanted the ancient Proprietaries it was incorporated with the Dukedome or Kingdom of Poland and remained annexed unto it until the Government of Uladislaus the second who being devested of his Crown and Scepter by the unnatural Combination of his Brethren was by the powerful Influence and Intercession of the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa Seated in this Country with this Restriction that it shoul be held in Homage to the Soveraignty of Poland After his Decease it became split into parcels and was distributed amongst his three Sons and again according to that ancient Custome of Germany called Land-Skiftan which with the Saxons was transplanted into England was subdivided into so many subordinate parts which were to support the Revenue and Livelyhood of their Posterity that it became resolved and broken into fourteen Dukedomes of all which onely Oswitz and Zator continue fastned to the Crown of Poland ten of the twelve remaining being by the Power and Prudence of Wenceslaus the second and John of Luxenbourg Son to the Emperour Henry the seventh both Kings of Bohemia knit to the Patrimony of that Diadem only Suâ—initz remained under the Regiment and Administration of its own Dukes until Bogâ—slaus the last Duke by Testamentary Donation passed away all his Interest in it to Charles the fourth Emperour and King of Bohemia also so that eleven of these petty Royalties by Conquest and voluntary Concession came to be linked to those Possessions which improved the Grandeur of the â—ohemian Scepter and have still so constantly waited on the Fate which hath attended the Diadem of that Kingdome that they are now subservient to the Interest and Dominion of the Austrian Family at this instant Seated in the Imperial Throne onely Lignitz the last in the Inventory of Fourteen Dukedomes
Title for the actual Possession of the Crown which should give support and vital Energie to it was long since torne away by Ferdinand the Catholick King of Aragon and Castile the occasion which ministered materials to that Foundation on which that Detention was established was this About the Year 1510. Lewis the twelfth having by a signal Victory over the Venetian at Aignadel humbled that People much retrenched their Power and infus'd a Terrour into all the Princes of Italy fell into contention with Pope Julius the second and their mutual Animosities were enhans'd with that Acrimonie and Spleen that the Quarrel was prosecuted almost to a Scihsme for Julius blasted all the Partisans of Lewis with an Excomunication and put their Estates under Interdict in the Register of whom was John d'Albret King of Navarre who was disseised of his Crown and Scepter by Ferdinand above mentioned for this Ferdinand varnishing his Designe of ravishing this Kingdom away from the House of D'Albret with a pretence and shew of passing into Guinne to combine and unite his Forces with the Confederate Invading English by Vertue and Authority of the Papal Interdict to seise and subdue the Crown of France suddenly retriv'd his Army and like a Tempest drop'd on the Kingdome of Navarre and by Conquest about the Year 1512. supplanted â—nd expell'd John d'Albret above mentioned upon this pretence that he was entwined and linked in Confederacy with Lewis the twelfth who was a Rebell against the Church and an avowed Enemy to the English with whom he was wrap'd up in mutual Alliance and more to fortifie this pretence he asserted that there was an ancient Compact or stipulation between the Kings of Spain by which they did Covenant and Indent with each other not to suffer or permit that any of the Spanish Crowns should fall into Forreign Hands or under the Power and Seignory of Houses not Soveraign as those of Foix and Albret were and who likewise by a kind of Servile Coherence and Connexion had their Dependance on the Crown of France And though in Ages subsequent to this the French have protested against this Invasion and Forciblâ—â—ntry and have likewise endevoured to vindicate their Interest by the more powerful Argument of the Sword yet hath it ever since been so firmly linked to the Spanish Patrimony that it still obeys the Scepter and confesses the Dominion of Philip the Fourth King of Spain CASTILE CASTILE is bounded on the East with Navarre Aragon and part of Valentia on the West with Portugal on the North with Biscay and Guipuscoa and Asturia on the South with Estremadura Andalusia and Granada It is divided into the Old and New Castile the first of which assumed that Appellation because it was the ancient Patrimony of the first Earls thereof The other hath borrow'd the Distinction of the New because it was incorporated into the Old Demeasne when the successful Conquests of the Castilians had rent it from the Moors The ancient Inhabitants of these two Provinces were the Vaccai Ventones Arevacae Oretani Dittani and the Carpentani whose Chief City was named Castulo now shrunk into an obscure Village havâ—â—g its ancient Glory entomb'd in neglected Rubbish from whence some Conjectures have asserted that the Name of Castile was imposed on this Province But all these Inhabitants having been much harrassed by the frequent Incursions of the Romans not able to stand the shock of so powerful an Opposition fell under their Conquests and became a part of the Roman Empire from which again they were rent off by the Alani who again were disseised of their violently extorted purchase by the Intrusion of the Goths who being overwhelm'd by the Moors who like an â—nnundation not cloistered up within the shore and channel of any Restraint bore down all before them for some distance of Time gave way to the Torrent but not long after their spirits which before seemed to have been sunk buoy'd up again and by the Assistance of the Kings of Leon so resolutely vindicated their own Interest that they disengaged themselves wholly of that yoke of Moorish servitude that with an uneasie Load had so crushed their shoulders and the better for the â—uture to secure themselves from the Eruptions of the Moors resign'd themselves up to the dominion and protection of the Kings of Leon who managed this Province at first by Provincial Earls but they having made ill use of that power they had entrusted them with by making too frequent Inroads upon the peoples Liberties were by the instigation and influence of one Ordogno who much fomented this Defection barbarously assassinated by the impetuous Multitude having thus thrown off all Obedience to the Scepter of Leon they were afterwards Governed by Judges and secondly by Earls as an absolute and Independent Estate chained by no subserviency to any Forreign Diadem but still this did not so supersede the Claim of the Kings of Leon but that they often endevoured by the power of the Sword to assert their Title until Sancho King of Leon being engaged in a Debt to Ferdinand Gonzales â—e to absolve himself From this Obligation quitted and released all pretence and Claim to the Earldom of Castile so that Ferdinand Gonzales from this signal Investiture is look'd upon in the Spanish Annalls as the first Proprietary Earl of Castile and from him it came down to his Great Grandchild Garcias the second who being treasonably assassinated and concluding without Issue Sancho the Great King of Navarre in Right of his Wife Elvira Sister and sole Heir to this Garcias entred upon it and linked it to his Revenue and upon his Decease setled by particular Donation on his Son Ferdinand and more to enhaunse the glory of this Grant annexed the Title of King to this Concession and from him did the Crowns of Castile and Leon by the Devolution of many Descents come to empale the Temples of Sancho the third second Son of Alfonso the fifth King of Castile and Leon who by the Revolution of humane Affairs having the Fate to survive his elder Brother Ferdinand de la Cerdâ— contriv'd so many Stratagems in his Fathers Life Time which Artifices of his were so closely combined and knit together in the Contrivance and Contexture of them that by Aide of these and the concurrent support of a prevalent Faction beside he extorted the Scepter of Castile and Leon from the Heits of his Elder Brother though many Attempts were made to retrive the Diadem thus placed on the Head of Sancho which being by the prudence of Sancho broken and disappointed Alfonso Son of Ferdinand retreated for shelter into France where he Match'd and had Issue Lewis Earl of Clermont which Lewis by Leonora de Guzman extracted from the House of Medina Sidonia had Issue Lewis and John both which were extinguished without Issue and Isabella de la Cerda who by matching with Bernard a Natural Son of the House of Foix and so all the Right of that Family which was
Dukes of Lorrain the indisputable Heirs of the House of Ardenne were engaged to a necessary absence by the Holy War But when and by whom it was aâ—orned with the Title of an Earldome certain it is that of an Earldome it was erected to a Dukedome by the Emperour Frederick Barbarossa Anno 1172. Henry one of the Dukes hereof Matched his Daughter Margaret to Godfrey the third Duke of Brabant which suggested to his Successors some specious Colour to pretend unto it supported with a Title of more Authority which came in to reinforce the former on the Decease of another Henry the last Duke of Limbourg whose next Heir Adolph conveyed it to John Duke who fortified his Claim and Title to it by a colourable Pretence and Right derived from the former Match Anno 1293. But Reynald Earl of Guelders being blown up with an over-weening Conceit that his Title was established and erected on a better Foundation than that of Adolph in Right of Ermingrade his Wife Daughter to Herman a late Duke thereof cast in his Challenge to this Dukedome and attempted to evict the Title by the power of the Sword but this was ruinous and destructive to him for being subdued and made Captive by the said Duke John in the Battel of Worancan he was forced to redeem his Liberty by no lesse a price or Ransome than his total Release to all Title or Claim that he or his Successors might pretend to the Dukedome of Limbourg after which it was so folded up in the Interest of the Dukes of Brabant that it came over with it to the House of Burgundy and from that again to own ever since the Dominion of the Spanish Monarchy Guelders Zutphen and Groning GUELDERLAND is shut in on the East with Cleve and the Earldome of Zutphen on the West with Holland and Utrecht on the North with Over Issell and the Zuyder-Sea and on the South with Brabant and the Land of Gulick The ancient Inhabitants of Guelderland were the Menapii and Sicambri People very eminent in ancient Record for their Magnanimity and Courage In Ages of a more modern Inscription these Sicambri mingled with the French and under that Name and notion were entitled to the spreading Empire of the West In the partage thereof by the Posterity of Charles the Great this Province was knit to the Kingdome of Austrasia or East-France and afterwards being broken off was united to the German Empire At the beginning of its Government the Publique Astâ—iâ—s were swayed and weilded by some who enjoyed no other Title but Guardians and Protectors and were advanced to that Dignity by the People in the Raign of Charles the Bald the first who were embellished with this Title were Wickard and Leopold two Brethren who fixing their Chief Residence in the Castle of Guelders gave an occasion to future Ages to impose the Name of Gueldâ—rland on the whole Province but they and their Successors were supported by a Power of so narrow a circumscription that in effect their Office was but Provincial they themselves being accomptable to the Emperours how they managed the publique Concernments of this Province The first Prince who disengaged from the Shackles of these Restraints was Otho of Nassaw who Matched with Aleida Daughter to Wickard the last Guardian and was by the Emperour Henry the third made the first Earl of Guelderland and under this Style and Title his Successors continued until the Emperour Lewis of Bavaria improved this Dignity in the person of Reynold the second to the Degree of a Duke about the Year 1339. and from him did it descend to his Son Edward the Offspring of his second Wife Eleanor Daughter of Edward the third King of England and he deceasing without Issue Mary his Sister by Matching with Williamâ—arl â—arl of Gulick brought both the Patrimony and Ducal Crown of this Province to be possest bâ— him and his two Sons William and Reynold the fourth successively enjoyed it but they dying without Issue Arnold of Egmond Son of John Lord of Egmond and Mary his Wife Daughter of Joan the Sister of William and Raynold the two last Dukes as Heir General possest himself of Guelderland but in the declension of his Age being worried by his unnatural Son Adolph with War and Imprisonment he was in this agony supported by Charles the Warlike Duke of â—urguâ—dy who rescued him from his Son and released him â—rom his Fetters and he to Ballance â—o signal a favour conveyed his Interest in Guelderland and Zutphen to this Duke which Contract was after much Contest and Effusion of Blood ratified to Charles the fifth by his second Son Arnold and accordingly the Provinces of Guelderland and Zutphen were by a voluntary Resignation surrendred to Charles the fifth and from him the Title devolved to his Son Philâ—p the second King of Spain in whom it was lodged until the Barbarous Cruelty of the Duke of Alva engaged most of the Belgick Provinces to a Revolt or defection and the Prudential Conduct of Maurice Prince having much extended the Conquests of the Confederate States most of this Province was by his successful Atchievements annexed to their United Patrimony Zutphen ZUTPHEN was anciently an Earldom of it self without any Connexion or dependance on the Fortune or Seignory of Guelderland and remained in this Capacity until it devolved to be the Patrimony of Wickman the last Earl who determined in Sophia his sole Daughter and Heir who by Matching with Otho first Earl of Guelderland fastned it to that Province annd so it continued after this subservient to the Command of the Successive Earls and Dukes and when Arnold the last Duke of Guelderland conveyed all his Interest to Charles the fifth this was wrapped up in the Purchase and remained under the Dominion of the Scepter of Spain until the Defection of Holland and other Provinces from that Crown and then about the Year 1590. it was by Prince Maurice and the Army of the United States by Conquest torne from the Spanish Patrimony and hath ever since remained linked in Confederacy with those Combined Provinces Groining GROINING both City and Province did in elder Times confesse no other Seignory but of that of the Bishop of Utrecht but he either by want of Power of Inadvertency being remisse in Asserting their Liberties against Forraign Eruptions they submitted to the Protection of the Dukes of Guelderland But these Princes were disturbed in their new Acquists by the Dukes of Saxony who by a pretended Claim entitled themselves to the Propriety of it during which disorder and emotion it was surprized by Ezardus the Earl of East-Frizeland who about 1514. conveyed his Usurped Interest here to the Duke of Guelders the just Proprietary of it Afterwads they resigned themselves up with a Reservation of their ancient Liberties to Charles the fifth which being menâ—ced to be overwhelmed by the Fury of the Spâ—niard they Combined 1594. with Holland in â—â—ion and remain yet wrapped up in that Confederacy Holland Zealand and
of the House of Austria that by the steps of several Descents it came to acknowledge the Dominion of the Emperour Ferdinand the third not long since Deceased who to reimburse the French for those vast expences the German War had embarqued and engaged that Crown in by the Articles of the late Peace so solemnly transacted at Munster conveyed it by Grant to the Crown of France and remains so at this instant an Appendage to the Demeasn of that Diadem Sungow or the Earldom of Pfirt was Anciently clasped up within the Patrimony of the Princes of Schwaben upon the expiration of which Eminent House in the person of Conraradine about the Year 1268 the Patrimony of which supported the Lustre of that Family in his Extinction sunk into parcells some proportion of which erected this into a distinct Earldome And under this Notion it remained until Ulrick the last Earl going out in two Female Coheirs about the Year 1324. Ann the eldest Matched to Albert the Short Duke of Austria and Son to the Emperour Rodâ—lphus and Ursula the second by an equal Distribution shared his Inheritance and she fearing his Power for a Recompense of Eight Thousand Crowns conveyed her Moiety to this Albert whose Successors unlesse when it was pawned or engaged to Burgundy were entitled by an uninterrupted Right to the Propriety of it until the War Commenced not many years since between the two Emperours Ferdinand the second and Ferdinand the third and Lewis the thirteenth King of France made by that King in favour of the Swede who was in danger to be over-laid and dislodged from his new Acquists in the Empire by the thriving Caesarean Army after the Fatal Battel of Nortlingen the effects of which Quarrel were so destructive and ruinous to the last Emperour that to expedite an Accommodation with the Crown of France he gave up his Interest in this Province during the term of the Truce to be enjoyed by the French Brisgow in Schwaben BRISGOW was in Times of a very high Ascent the Patrimony of the Earls of Zeringen which was erected into an Earldome by Berthold the first Son of Gebizo and Grandchild of Guntran the second Earl of Hapspurg which Family finding its Tombe and fatal Extinction in the person of Berthold the fifth the seventh in succession who Deceased Anno 1218. the Right of Brisgow devolved to the Earls of Fribourg the Principal City of that Country Cuno the first who bare the Title of Earl of Fribourg being the eldest Son of Judith Sister and Heir of Berthold the last Earl of Zeringen Eggon is the last Recorded in the Register of those Earls of Fribourg who were invested with that Dignity and the Propriety of Brisgow who being over-born by the Eruptions of his Mutinous Subjects he sunk under the pressure and transmitted by Sale his entire Concernment in this Province upon the Receipt of Twelve thousand Ducats to Albert and Leopold Dukes of Austria Sons of Albert the Short in the Patrimony of whose Successors the Title of this Province hath ever since been so constantly folded up that it still confesses the Signory of the Austrian Family Hungary HUNGARY is shut in on the East with Transylvania and Walachia on the West with Stiria Austria and Moravia on the North with the Carpathian Hills on the on the South with Sclavonia and some part of Dacia The Ancient Inhabitants of Hungary on the North side Tisse were the Iazyges Metanastae on the East-side of Tibiscus the Daci were planted on the South-side of the Danau the Pannones resolved into the several Colonies of the Azuli Latovici Werciani Jassij and Oseriates as likewise the Ercuneales Breuci Aravisei and Scordisci Inhabited the first of which extended their Dwellings to the East as the last inlarged their Habitations to the West But all these above mentioned were either very much broken or else forced to surrender themselves to the Successful Sword of the Romans Anno post urbem Conditam 719. Lucius Cornificius and Sextus Pompeius being Consuls and after they had been planted in the Possession of this Province for some Centuries of years their Tenure and Title was disordered by the Invasions of the Chuni or Huns who under the Command of Balamir their General in several Encounters so disspirited the Power and bruised the Force of the Romans that they adandoned this Province to the Possession of these new Conquerours but the same Vicissitude which cast out the Romans roll'd in upon these Huns and crushed them with the Wheel of a Revolution ' like the former for the Winnithi or Longobards having both infested these Huns with many Inroads and afflicted them in many fortunate Encounters so wasted their Strength and impair'd their Armies that they gave up themselves and this Province as a Cheap Oblation to the Triumphs of these Victorious Longobards but these being called by Narses into Italy to reinforce his Armies who then were in Contest with the Goths for the Soveraignty of that Territory discarded the Cold and Barren Fields of Hungary to settle on the Warmer Champaign of Lombardy where under the Government and Scepter of Alboinus they erected their Longobardian Kingdome The Longobards having thus left the Stage the Avares or Avarini a People dropp'd out of the Bosome of Sarmatia about the Raign of Tiberius the second Emperour of Greece entered under the Conduct of Caganus or Chan an Heroick but Merciful Clemency and Magnanimity are twins Cheiftane who first dissipated the Forces employed to break him by Tiberius abovesaid and then after a Bloody Decision subdued Cometiolus Lieutenant to the Emperour Mauritius Successor to Tiberius and the Forces marshall'd under his Conduct which Emperour attempting to repair the Dishonour contracted by this Defeat had his Endevours frustrated by that execrable and perfidious Assassination which was acted on him by his Bloody Servant Phocas which Murther so unsetled and disordered all those hinges which sustained the Frame of the Grecian Empire that these Avares and their Commanders taking the Advantage of its intestine Distractions not only reduced Hungary to their subjection but likewise so extended their Conquests that in the Raign of Phocas abovesaid and the Emperour Heraclius they Forraged to the Gates of Constantinople and having thus broken the Power of the Greeks they next Assaulted the Gothâ— and Gepidae who yet possest some part of Hungary and after many Conflicts and Disputes with these tougher Nations about their Title they supplanted these also and asserted the entire Possession to themselves and here they setled in a quiet and undisturbed Residence until the Government of Charles the Great and then he having like a Whirle-wind cast out those Nations which opposed him shivered these into a wilde Dispersion and by his Victorious Arms dislodged them from the Possession of this Kingdome after their Exit this Province was subservient to the Commands of the German Emperours until Arnulphus being Assaulted by the fierce Impressions of Suantobogius King of Moravia called in the